In the howling north wind, Theresia still stood up like last week, saying inspiring words, and Xia Ming next to her silently stepped aside to give her the stage, like an inconspicuous creep.

Her tone gradually rose high, and her long fiery red hair flying in the wind and snow was like a flame, gradually igniting the last hope in everyone's hearts.

Hope for luck.

Maybe...... Can Theresia really do it?

The gloomy eyes of everyone gradually brightened, and they all cast their eyes on her, but Theresia's mood was not as excited and confident as everyone imagined.

Xia Ming's words just now were still lingering in her ears, and when she mustered up the courage to stand up, when she enjoyed everyone's attention and became everyone's expectation, she floated in her ears like a ghost, making her feel uneasy.

"You won't succeed either, Theresia."

Why...... Why did Xia Ming suddenly say such shocking words to me?

Why is your tone so calm, your expression so determined, haven't you always believed in me, supported me, and encouraged me?

Her tone was still impassioned, and her expressions and movements looked so majestic, full of encouragement, and quite the momentum of a strong man and a leader.

Her heart was trembling slightly, she felt a little panicked and uneasy because of Xia Ming's words just now, and her toes wrapped in her boots were slightly clasped in an invisible place, and she was a little nervous.

Facing everyone's expectant gaze, she pressed her hand on the hilt of the Red Flame Sword and looked at everyone present with confidence.

"I'll draw my sword, I'll lead you to regain your courage and determination!"

She behaved so bravely, but the fingers holding the hilt of the sword unconsciously tensed, because it was too hard, her wrists even trembled slightly in the cold wind, and the back of her hand was tense.

At this moment, she was suddenly afraid.

In case of...... What if I really can't pull out the Sword of the Red Flame?

As soon as she thought of such a possibility, she suddenly panicked even more in her heart, as if the originally flat and bright glorious avenue under her feet suddenly turned into an abyss with no bottom in sight.

She desperately tried to grasp the straw on the edge of the cliff, but she kept falling and falling until she was swallowed up by the abyss.

She looked to the side, hoping to get encouragement from her beloved as usual, but all she could see was Xia Ming's calm and determined expression, the one that determined that she was doomed.

Her heart jerked, and she felt a pitch-black coldness envelop her.

The gaze behind her was still full of eagerness and antiquation, but it seemed to suddenly turn into needles piercing her hand, stinging so painful that she almost let go of her hand.

She suddenly realized that her faith was so worthless, like a huge and mighty giant that had been punctured through its soap bubble-like shell, revealing the weakness and emptiness within.

But the arrow has to be sent on the string, and she still has a trace of luck in her heart.

Maybe...... Maybe I won't fail?

The Sword of Red Flame should approve of me, right?

No, no, it should be, I can't fail!

Strange, why...... I suddenly had such an unconfident thought, why...... I would be scared, I would want to run away, I would feel like I was going to fail......

Obviously, I have faced the weakness and avoidance in my heart, it shouldn't be like this!

Assertive.

Assertive!

I want to believe that I can do it!

I'll be able to do it!

She closed her eyes, imagining her successes and victories, constantly cheering herself on, applying psychological cues, holding the hilt of the sword with both hands slowly exerting force, praying that the Sword of Red Flame would respond to her expectations.

She didn't make it out.

One second, two seconds...... Ten seconds......

She failed.

Everyone could see that she had failed.

Her eyelids trembled with fear as she closed her eyes, and she pursed her lips, unable to say a word, or daring to open them.

She couldn't imagine how gloomy and bleak the eyes of those who had been inspired by her to rekindle their hope and faith were at this moment.

She didn't dare to meet their eyes and their gaze again, but her innate sense clearly felt how drastic the kindness emanating from everyone had changed at this moment.

In her mind, she suddenly recalled the words Xia Ming had just said to her.

"Theresia, you won't get the recognition of the Red Flame Sword, you can't draw the sword, you can't pull it out anyway, because of your empty and inflated arrogance, because you can't recognize yourself."

She suddenly came to her senses.

Perhaps, she has never overcome herself, and she has never really faced her weakness and escaped.

She just relied on the support and encouragement given to her by Xia Ming to create a false and inflated confidence, thinking that she had defeated herself, thinking that she could do anything and do anything with him by her side.

"Even if you don't believe in yourself, you have to believe in me."

This sentence became a shell on the snail's back, once again hiding the fact that she was weak in her heart.

She never ...... Truly believe in yourself.

Because if she was really so confident, why didn't she try to draw her sword in the past few days after returning to Ember Town, but relied on Xia Ming's side?

The so-called courage is nothing more than an excuse to escape from indulgence.

When Xia Ming hit her with hurtful words, this self-confidence that relied on others collapsed like a castle in the air, revealing her fragile and weak nature.

No wonder the Sword of Red Flame didn't respond to her.

No wonder the Sword of Red Flame didn't choose her.

Theresia smiled miserably and let go of her arm weakly.

When ——!

At this moment, the bell tower next door suddenly rang loudly.

The wind and snow suddenly became violent, and there was a rumbling vibration and roar in the distance, and the dragon's wings covered the sky.

Disaster struck suddenly.

After two successive hopes were disappointed, the coercion of the evil dragon, and the coming of the disaster, everyone present suddenly fell into despair and fear.

That's what it is...... Is the end of the Northlands?

"I'm sorry, Theresia, but I didn't do a good job and gave you false courage. But! ”

Xia Ming gently took Theresia's palm and warmed her palm.

"Recognizing oneself is also a kind of courage, when you pierce the mask of arrogance and see your humility and insignificance, do you still have the courage to pull out the sword of red flame to undertake this mission and break all fate?"

"Xia Ming ......"

Theresia opened her eyes tremblingly and saw the gentle support and encouragement from Xia Ming as always.

Courage, self-confidence.

However, you look at me like this, comfort me, and even if I have regained confidence and courage, don't you still draw this strength and confidence from you?

If you don't hold me like this, warm me, and encourage me, just rely on myself, I'm alone...... Can you face all this alone and regain the confidence to be invincible?

At this moment, the girl burst into tears of pain.

She felt her own inferiority and weakness.

But he didn't witness the scene of his brother dying in front of him, and his beloved being seriously injured and dying.

There is no such deep and tragic tragedy that happened to me personally, before my eyes.

It is difficult for a girl to grow up and transform quickly, and a firm consciousness is born.

Perhaps, if she is given a little more time, she can figure it out, but disasters and bad luck never give people time to prepare.

Xia Ming looked at the dark shadow in the sky and sighed secretly in his heart.

He knew that the Demonic Beasts and Evil Dragons were about to attack, and if Theresia couldn't quickly complete the transformation of her mind in a short period of time, they would be wiped out.

Lu Ge, who was of the sixth order but did not have the ability to awaken, was not an enemy of the evil ice dragon at all.

The atmosphere of despair spread more and more rapidly in the square, and even if Ruger made timely commands and assignments, everyone's eyes lost the light of hope, and only the dead silence of despair remained.

Deathly silence.

If you don't do something, it's just a repeat of the tragedy of the last uncle's death.

"I'm sorry, Theresia."

Xia Ming took the initiative to let go of the arms held by the two, walked past Theresia's body, and came to the front of the Red Flame Sword.

Then he grasped the hilt of the sword.

In front of Theresia, in front of Ruger, Tried, and in front of everyone present, he drew his sword.

In an instant, the red flame rose.

Wind and snow stopped.

(End of chapter)