Caged birds.

This is also the name of the bomb planted by the leader of the "Curtain of Ignorance".

In other words, he knew from the very beginning that "Xiao Liuli" had the will to die.

Instead of being a pawn manipulated by the Veil of Ignorance, she decided to break away from the chessboard...... But she was so powerless that she couldn't do anything.

All you can choose is to jump off.

Even if you become a demon, you don't want to hurt others. Or rather, completely tired of hurting others.

Or rather......

One of the purposes of the leader's planting of that bomb was to dispose of Xiao Liuli.

"The moment you open the cage, there's only freedom – or death."

This is the last message that was relayed by the inferior.

Because the inferior was worried that there might be key information in this statement, he specifically said this key word to Russell.

And now, Russell is realizing.

What exactly is this referencing?

“…… Xiao Liuli used to come here often. ”

Russell suddenly opened his mouth and whispered, "She also likes to come here and have some drink...... But don't dare to get drunk, right. ”

Because she's hiding too many secrets.

She was worried that she would say it to others when she got drunk.

I'm tired.

wants to protect his former girlfriend, so he is forced to submit to the curtain of ignorance.

Until he realizes that such a life is never-ending...... He's going to drain every drop of value.

So he chose to end it all.

The "freedom" that the caged bird longed for did not exist in the first place. Because outside the cage is still a new cage.

Therefore, the instinct of the demon named "Caged Bird" is precisely "clean death".

It is precisely the strong disgust with the fictional self of "Xiao Liuli" that gives birth to the spiritual energy of "making all prosthetic bodies disappear".

"—And what about your fiancée?"

Russell asked rhetorically, "What are you going to do?" If you don't tell me who she is, what will happen to her after you die? ”

"Of course, I will only choose to die after I am sure that she is no longer controlled by the curtain of ignorance."

The demon laughed: "Or maybe it's 'she' who confirmed that the other party has been free for a long time...... I was born.

"I am her instinct to destroy myself, I was born to die cleanly. When she was about to put an end to it, she was still too weak to kill anyone. So I wouldn't hurt anyone either...... As long as 'Little Liuli' can die cleanly. ”

Even with such sad words, there was not a single tear left in the broken glass prosthetic eye.

The eyes that can't shed tears are the proof of the deep transformation.

Because crying is not only a sign of weakness, but also an inferior function that can easily lead to a short circuit and corrosion of the prosthesis.

When the inherently weak physical eye is transformed into a prosthetic eye, people will no longer cry.

"It was all meant to be."

The demon slowly stretched out its arms, as if embracing the blue sky and like a dead tree.

"Blue Song Robin...... Such an unlucky spiritual relative. ”

As he spoke, the demon of the caged bird was silent for a moment.

Russell stood aside, quietly listening to her recount the last few words of her life.

"Did you know that birds are born to yearn for the sky? But blue is the color farthest from the sky, and that is the color of the sea.

"That is a sign of a fall."

- It shouldn't be that way. The sky is indeed supposed to be blue.

Russell wanted to plead.

However, before such words reached his mouth, he was swallowed.

It has nothing to do with the exhaust gas or pollution. The sky of this world has never been in a sky blue hue.

But the sea, which was supposed to reflect the color of the sky, was blue......

“…… Perhaps in other worlds, the sky is blue. ”

Russell couldn't help but say, "The glazed song robin is the same color as the sky. ”

The demon looked at him in surprise.

He smiled softly, like a child talking in his sleep.

"Perhaps."

He opened his arms.

As if hugging Russell, he stretched out his broken arm.

"I've said everything I can say, it's time for you to kill me."

This was the first demon Russell encountered in this world.

The demon with the delicate appearance of Xiao Liuli's broken glass, but lifeless like a dying old man, said calmly and serenely, "Keep your promise, hero. Kill me and move on. ”

“…… Good. ”

After a long silence, Russell responded.

He lifted the saint and beheaded him.

But I feel that at this moment, this spiritual energy weapon has a heaviness that has never been before.

It is not the "weight of life", but the "weight of life".

Russell was very clearly aware.

You have to do something, or say something.

"I'll look for it for you."

"What?"

"The color of the sky."

Russell replied softly.

He stubbornly repeated, "The glazed song robin is the color of the sky. ”

“…… Maybe. ”

The demon of the "caged bird" just smiled slightly, and did not argue.

"If only there was a world like that."

She looked up and muttered softly.

"I will declare to the public that I killed you as a human being, and you as a hostage...... I killed you to save someone else. ”

Russell said softly, "Little Liuli has never been a demon. ”

“…… Thank you. ”

The demon who was about to be beheaded by the saint whispered his thanks to the executioner.

When Russell slashed the blade, he didn't feel the slightest resistance.

The demon of the "caged bird" was instantly beheaded by him.

Her head seemed to be looking up at the sky as it flew up......

But at the end of that vision, there was nothing but a crimson cage.

The world around him fluctuated violently.

Russell's left arm suddenly reappeared, and the white illusory limb shattered in an instant.

But Xiao Liuli, who had changed back to her original form, still maintained a broken posture and stood opposite Russell.

When she fell, her whole body shattered into pieces. It's like a brick tower that has been knocked down.

But there was no blood coming out of her body, like a broken doll.

As "Caged Bird" promised, she did not fight back.

On top of the shattered skull, there was a smile of relief and satisfaction.

Some people are so heavy to live......

Although he lived a life of poverty for more than 20 years, perhaps because of his mother's love or Russell's talent, he did not experience true despair. His life has always been hopeful and hopeful.

— until now.

Until he witnessed and confirmed the death of the "caged bird" with his own eyes.

That moment.

The world in front of Russell's eyes has once again become the "mourning hall" that burns countless white candles high and low.

In the frame facing him is a smiling Alice...... His mom.

And next to it, there are two blank photo frames on the left and right. The rest of the frames were entangled in black air, blurry.

Russell was sucked in as he looked at one of the blank frames. When Russell opened his eyes again, he was in front of him again, the silent black and white world with only outlines.

And inside Xiao Liuli's broken corpse, the position of the neck ...... An ultramarine flame was gradually extinguishing.

Looking at that light, Russell's heart had a very strong "thirst".

The next moment Russell opened his hand, an ultramarine streamer leaped up - flew into Russell's hand.

One of the two frames suddenly burst into ultramarine brilliance.

It's like submerging paper in the deep sea and playing it the other way around.

A ...... Russell has never seen before A young man with a long dark blue ponytail and a cluster of glass-colored tail feathers behind his ears and a heartfelt smile gradually emerges in the frame.

He raised his right hand, as if beckoning to Russell.

In those clear dark blue pupils, there was also joy and hope-

When Russell awoke from his hallucination again, a mask with no facial features appeared on his face silently.

Immediately, ultramarine flames poured out from under the mask, sweeping through the body in the blink of an eye...... It was like being submerged in water, and a refreshing coolness cleared his mind.

When the flames dissipated, a blue-haired man about 1.75 meters tall with glass-colored tail feathers on his sideburns appeared where Russell had been before.

His pupils are sky blue.

That was the color of the sky in Russell's memory.

A ...... that allows birds to fly freely The color of the sky.