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They should never have done so if they didn't expect this!

The flames tremble beneath his mighty roars. They shrink back, transforming from orange to cerulean in a display of self-mockery. The cerulean flames burn ever brighter.

The Sarkaz draws his longsword, the black blade long and sharp, wisps of blue flame trailing across it.

His fury swells forth.

If this is the end, come at me! I will bring the end to you! To all of us... To myself!

If this land will not permit myself to lay down my weapon, then I can only continue to fight, until the end of time itself!

Amiya knows, she knows that after killing all the oathbreakers, this great Sarkaz had committed suicide.

Amiya also knows that this sword had turned into little more than ashes, as if it had never existed.

Yet, the cerulean fury, and the history, of the Sarkaz lord have long become a part of Amiya.

'As move unsheathing blade, cleave now as cleft.'

'As move at teardrop's point, once known be deft.'

'As sword ere shadow's trace, cast off as cast.'

'As sword of stratus rent, once stood stand fast.'

Many more memories fall into Amiya's mindscape, the river of time gushing through Amiya's consciousness.

It's not a happy ending. But, Amiya has run out of time.

Amiya sees Ch'en's rage.

Amiya sees Talulah's flames.

Amiya understands clearly that they must resolve this matter here.

This sword of fury will not be just a sword of the past. It must become a sword of the present.

Amiya grips the hilt tightly.

... Sword...

... Sword.

From spinning to cutting. The embodied power did not increase, but the form has changed.

It's genuine. Congratulations, Cautus.

You're not a fragment, not an experiment, not an impostor.

You are indeed the Lord of Sarkaz... the enemy of humanity.

No, I'm nothing but an Infected.

A... person.

I'm a bit... speechless.

Amiya, you... what kind of magic is that?

That doesn't matter right now...

Maybe. But actually, it matters a lot to me. Why are you holding a sword that looks so much like Chi Xiao? Why do you know the sword techniques that I've diligently practiced for over ten years?

(Miss Ch'en... Is it that serious?!)

Nevermind, let's leave it for next time. How similar is this sword to Chi Xiao?

You can think of it as another Chi Xiao.

Alright, Amiya. How much of my sword techniques do you know?

All. All that I've seen, all that I've found within your heart, I know it all.

...What did you find in my heart?

Erm, Miss Ch'en... D-don't worry, I only saw those things that you wished for me to learn. I can distinguish these things. I-I really didn't look at anything else.

Forget it all.

Wei Yenwu always said that handling Chi Xiao relies more on one's state of mind rather than one's mastery over the sword.

I always thought he was bullshitting, but I have to admit I'm unlikely to ever reach his level of swordsmanship.

So, you can just ignore him when he's waxing lyrical about cooperation and principles, but when it comes to the sword you must listen to us both!

Got it!

Two swords. You actually had the gall to choose such an evil weapon like Chi Xiao.

Since when have weapons been evil or not? What kind of weapon could be more evil than you?

Listen up, Amiya!

If your resentment and my fury are one and the same, then so too are our swords!

Let's go, Amiya! Take her down, dead or alive!

Huh?! Can we really...?

Don't act like we have a choice!

You've gained so much confidence from such a weapon?

I've been through this tomfoolery once already today, and I don't fancy an encore.

Let's test your sword, Cautus. I'll see your skills for myself.

Too slow! Chi Xiao!

Unsheathe!

Ah...

(Dr. Kal'tsit was right. Chi Xiao is a sword that can cut through Arts...!)

The formless flames that endlessly devour their surroundings dissipate into nothingness after the flashes of cerulean, black and red.

A wound.

How could this...

Ever since I revived through my sheer hate, this body has not taken a single scratch.

We only managed to cut her finger... Her Arts are too tremendously powerful!

Don't underestimate that little scratch!

Every little wound and cut we give her will build up and accumulate. We'll wear her down eventually!

That's really sad.

Who do you think you are, talking like that while wearing that face?

The L.G.D. really raised a kind-hearted girl.

You seem very happy carving up your sister's body with an outsider, Hui-chieh.

You dare call me that?

Kill me if you wish, Hui-chieh.

You...

I can never return. I hate all of this. I hate you. I hate this land that raised you. It made you like this.

Kill me, release me from all this. Otherwise, I will kill you.

At least... at least... Hui-chieh, Hui-chieh... Don't make me kill you. I don't want to, I can't...

Even if it's your fault I'm like this.

...I... That time twenty years ago, I...

You didn't come with me.

You backed out. You ran away, Hui-chieh. I became like this... Something that even I hate... All because of you.

It's all because of you. Because you went back on your promise.

Ah...

That night, under that torrential rain...

Why did you willingly stay by that evil dragon's side?

He killed my father, caused our mother's death... He split us apart!

And now you're doing his bidding?

It's lying!

Think about it, Miss Ch'en.

What was it actually like that night?

The sky was clear. I will never forget... That night, there was no moonlight, no stars——

But it was daytime when you dragged me out. It was during the day.

That means...

No. Talulah, Kashchey's Originium Arts didn't begin taking effect after his death...

He had already been using his Arts on you from that moment on.

Just think! How many of your thoughts has he twisted? How many memories has he warped?

Even if he didn't tamper with your memories, he was still exploiting those fuzzy corners of your mind!

Talulah, if you are still Talulah——

Even if you wanted to start a war, even if you ended up sacrificing many people...

Would you have let them all die in vain just for yourself?

If there had to be sacrifices, wouldn't you have let yourself be the first?

Would you have let the Yetis and FrostNova die helplessly? Would you have used the thing Patriot was protecting to destroy him, you who greatly respected him? Would you have allowed countless Ursus and Infected to die for that?