I have to make it clear up front that, first, I didn't pick the wrong chapter name. Second, neither the timeline nor the worldline has changed. What follows does happen after the end of Ustengla.

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Smoke, flames, broken pieces of wood burned.

There was a warm liquid on the ground, red, salty, and full of rust. A charred corpse burned by the flames rolled to the side. In the corpse's hand, he still held a pitch-black single-edged sword tightly.

The girl in a coma suddenly opened her eyes.

[It hurts, it hurts...... If it hurts, I'm going to cry out......]

The lungs were clogged with something strange. Like cotton wool, like iron sand. Every breath is accompanied by severe pain. Uncontrollable abdominal twitching ensued. Something unusual squeezed into his chest, and then he vomited clots of crimson and black.

【Why......】

The girl's body curled up like a baked shrimp. The clothing used to cover the body is as fragile as the embers of sawdust. Just the tremor of the body, the clothing that could still be seen as a sick number was torn inch by inch. What was exposed under it was reddened skin like coals.

Why...... ...... heart hurts so much]

Blood, boiling. Even as the flames that enveloped the room were still burning, the boiling sound from the organ called the heart did not abate for half a minute. The essence of the fiery qi is billowing and flowing inside the body. Burning every part of the girl's body.

Why...... I'll ...... here]

The burning flames spread to her feet, but she didn't seem to feel a trace of heat. Not only that, but the flame that really existed seemed to become a harmless phantom when it licked the girl. Even though the flames are surrounding, the supple skin is not damaged in the slightest.

[This is the ...... Where?]

The edge of the calf is a wonderful touch. His gaze turned, and a pitch-black weapon appeared in front of him.

Pitch Black Weapon, Pitch Black ...... Sword.

Pitch black, engraved with dark red runes, single-edged two-handed long sword.

This sword has a familiar name.

What is its name?

The girl's hands supported the ground hard, and on her slender limbs, the red complexion quickly faded.

What is its name?

The heart has calmed down. There was a pinprick-like pain on her toes, and bright red tongues of fire licked and devoured her, surrounding her like a hungry beast foraging for food.

What is its name?

The line of sight became blurred. In my mind, countless fragments, strange and familiar, rolled busily. Some sank to the bottom of the sea and were firmly sealed, while the other part surfaced and became a tangible concept.

What is its name?

"Woo...... Ebony ......"

Flames, burning. Fragile house structures, creaking. Old memories surged and poured into the girl's heart. She craned her neck to her throat, inspiring a silent growl.

"Ebony Blade!"

The next moment, the raging fire that surrounded the house was extinguished. It's like a barking duck being pinched by the throat. Without warning, without process, it was so straightforward and completely extinguished. In the blackened wreckage of the house, only the blonde girl with a sword stands.

"The clothes are broken. The girl raised her sword, and the sharp edge sliced through a steel wardrobe. A white sacrificial garment was taken out of the closet and covered the girl's skin very closely.

Sacrificial clothing.

Only in the temple can there be such a large collection of sacrificial clothing.

Of the temples she knew, there was only one familiar address.

Gina Les, the snowy Gina Les.

Well, this is the snow man.

The girl closed her eyes slightly, and many fragments of memories came to mind. There are many, very fragmented, and many parts are not even connected to each other. However, the fragments that can be connected form a complete thread smoothly.

Alice opened her eyes.

Her gaze shifted slightly, lingering on the ebony blade in her hand for a moment, before resting on the charred corpse at her feet.

Archer Rip.

This ranger, who also had the blood of Sirodiel, had fought alongside her and helped her a lot in battle. Alice even naively thinks that he and she are friends.

However, this friend, when the dragon attacked Xueman, pierced her heart with an ebony blade.

It hurts, it really hurts. Even if the wound that pierces is no longer there, the crack in the heart will never heal. Alice didn't understand how she survived, but it must be closely related to the dragon's breath - maybe she had a faint dragon blood in her body, and the dragon's breath just now just activated the hidden dragon's blood.

After all, it is impossible for a dragon to be burned to death by fire. And the dragon's strong recovery power is obvious to all. Because of the dragon's blood, she received the highest level of healing magic. Whether it is an old injury or a new injury, an external injury or an internal injury, it is completely recovered in the process of awakening.

"Ah, I survived. Alice sighed softly and swung her sword to cut through the crumbling pillars.

"But why don't I have the slightest joy in my heart?" she gazed at Anche's remains—the charred shell, as fragile as the sand and gravel on the beach, beneath the crumbling buildings, and soon completely buried by the mixed shards of masonry.

In the girl's heart, the chaotic love is tumbling like a wave. Maybe it's hatred, maybe it's pity, maybe it's anger, maybe it's sadness. This qiē and qiē are mixed together, and eventually they become two scattered sentences.

"Farewell, Archer Rip. ”

"I don't forgive you. ”

The house where the girl was located collapsed.

A burning snow diffuser then appeared. In the blink of an eye, it replaced a qiē in her field of vision.

………………

The city is burning.

Flames and smoke filled every street. And on every street, between every house, there is a smell of fear and despair.

Screaming, screaming, crying, begging for mercy. The feeling of pain infected the whole city. The once rich and tidy city of Snow has now become like a purgatory on earth. And this qiē is all due to the huge shadow above the heavenly dome!

Dragon.

Ancient, there should have been only a powerful beast in epics and legends. Its wings are strong and powerful, and its golden-red scales are as formidable as a demon's cauldron.

Just by looking at its form, the soldiers lost their fighting spirit. Just by hearing its roar, the brave warrior turned into a soft-footed shrimp.

It's horrible......

It's terrifying, it's terrifying, it's like an alien from a nightmare.

However, among these trembling people is not Alice. When she raised her head and looked up at the darkness under the sky, what surged into her heart was a fiery emotion.

Defeat him. 】

[Knock him down.] 】

[In a dignified way, let him admit his failure and death.] 】

The girl's eyes were red from bloodshot. Above the five fingers of his right hand gripping the ebony blade, the air distorted by invisible fluctuations.

But just as she could barely resist the urge to fight, two voices full of surprise and concern from behind her stopped her in her tracks.

"Alice!"

"Miss Alice!"

Two different voices, but with the same meaning. Alice smiled and turned around, and saw two familiar figures.

"Lydia, Ruby. You ......" she was halfway through her words when the little barefoot priest threw himself into her arms and embraced her firmly.

"Great," the ruby girl pressed against her chest, and there was even a hint of crying in her tone. "Alice, it's great that you're okay. I, I thought I'd never see you again!"

Alice's hand, which had been frozen in mid-air, softened. She gently lowered her arms and stroked the little priest's silky hair.

"It's okay, I'm here. She comforted Ruby in a soft voice. "Trust me, it's going to get better. Soon there will be no problems. ”

"Really?" the teary-eyed girl looked up at her expectantly.

"Really, I swear. Alice responded with certainty.

"This kid has always cared about you, Miss Alice. On the other side of the girl, Lydia, who was carrying a sword and shield on her back, glanced at Ruby, who was holding Alice tightly, with some envy. There was a hint of low pity in his tone.

"Not long ago a fire meteor hit the temple and killed a lot of people. Several of Ruby's friends ...... too," Lydia looked at Alice and shook her head slightly. Didn't go on.

"That dragon did it?" Alice frowned. "Is there no way to stop it?"

"yes. Ladia sighed. "The lord organized a rebellion, using ebony arrows, superior ritual spells, and the assistance of many battle masters from the group of comrades. Unfortunately, apart from a few dragon scales shot down by Lord Ireles' ebony arrows, it had little effect. ”

"Is it only ebony?" Alice lowered her eyes, and the cold touch spread from the ebony blade she held lightly to her fingertips.

This sword appeared here at this time. Presumably not for nothing.

"I ...... There is a strange feeling. Alice gently lifted Ruby up, her eyes reflecting a complex emotion.

"I think it's only been a moment, but I feel like a long time has passed. Her gaze swept over the two people in front of her, across the burning city, and over the people fleeing and crying in the panic. In the end, it was frozen on the dragon that sowed destruction and death.

This qiē is very real. The real thing is like a fake fake.

"I'm not supposed to be here...... It shouldn't have been. She shook her head and nodded again. "I'm here for a reason. Maybe it's a responsibility, maybe it's an obligation, maybe it's ...... I guess I was chosen. ”

She turned her head and looked at the two in front of her with a smile.

"Let's go kill that dragon. ”

"Huh?" Lydia's eyes widened, looking at her with a strange look. It was like seeing an ant trying to bite a lion.

"Are you crazy? How can we do something that so many strong warriors can't do? Not to mention how to break through the dragon's defenses. Even if you can, how can you reach it?"

"Ah, of course I have a way. Alice glanced at the Ebony Blade, and then her gaze shifted to a tower on the edge of the inner city, where there was a complete ballista.

"I can reach it, and I can hurt it. But I can't do it alone. She made a cordial invitation to the Shieldmaid. "Can you help me? Lydia?"

The gray-eyed girl stared at Alice, and from those blue eyes, she could read something that the world called "steadfastness".

“…… I must be crazy too. She shook her head vigorously. There was a look of relief on his face. "I owe you my life anyway, and it's not too late. ”

"Good," Alice nodded, looking at Ruby.

"Can you do me a favor?"

The young priest wiped his eyes and put on a generous and righteous appearance.

"If there's anything I can do, just tell me!"

"Good. Alice nodded. "Here's my plan......"