The catastrophic scene played out like a legendary sea siren run amok, countless blood-red tentacles as thick as banyan tree trunks rampaged violently through the opera house, crushing any student council members who couldn't dodge in time, shattering their entire skeletons. Wherever they passed, the cement-cast support columns cracked, the steel-reinforced grandstands collapsed downward, and the stage, over a dozen meters high lost its support; it collapsed with a thunderous crack, the stone-built castle swayed, stage lights shattering on the ground, Lancelot's figure rapidly plummeting.

"Lancelot!" Lin Yaqing reached out and called.

In the chaos, Lin Yaqing's whole body shone deep red, the long boots around her thighs adorned with patterns, this nimble elf darted between the falling stones, leaping swiftly towards Lancelot, extending her hand.

Falling into the softness of the deep red flower, Lancelot opened his eyes, Lin Yaqing holding the pose of receiving him with one arm, her red and white waist sash wildly fluttering, her side profile strikingly determined.

Lush costumes adorned the girl's figure at this moment, a crimson tailored high-collar long-sleeve coat extended to her right hand, a gem-studded sword materializing, just fitting into her grip, slashing forward, splitting the boulders that fell before the two of them.

Landing steadily, Lancelot noticed the girl's outfit, snapping back to reality:

"Yaqing, is this your 'Divine Gift'?"

"Now's not the time to talk about this, we need to first deal with the current crisis."

Lin Yaqing said, stepping forward: "I'll hold off that rampaging monster, you lead the student council to leave first."

Having said that, Lin Yaqing's figure vanished beneath a fallen steel beam, looking up, she soared upwards like a red meteor towards the castle summit.

Lancelot let out a wry smile, who at the academy didn't know the illustrious name of the Star Sword Saint, her mimicry companion, reaching Three Tier at thirteen, self-taught at fourteen reaching the pinnacle of Starry Swordsmanship, heralded as a genius not seen in a millennium, her fame reverberating across the Cosmos, if not for her disinterest in power and authority, she could have become a top force in the association long before her peers graduated.

She'd left him increasingly far behind, even without any association's resources, she completed her self-exploration and liberation at twenty, realizing her 'Divine Gift', reaching heights countless people couldn't achieve in a lifetime.

Fourth Tier Swordswoman!

The people in the academy and family thought he becoming a Three Tier Holy Hall Knight at this age was an honors indeed, but he couldn't even see the back of true genius, not just the Star Sword Saint, he looked up to the castle summit where swords clashed, Lin Yaqing already engaged with the monster.

He thought back to the blonde girl at the Tree of Eternal Life club over half a month ago, at a similarly young age, he couldn't even match a single move against her.

Lancelot shook his head, the golden lion's mane ignited the fire in his eyes, now wasn't the time to wallow in inferiority, most student council members' fates were uncertain, possibly buried under steel and cement at this moment, he must protect more people, do everything within his power.

Thinking this, he suddenly smashed his Lion Heart Shield into the ground, a golden formation emanated outward centered on him, a phantom lion roared upward, the protective will descended upon the entire opera house.

Then, he decisively rushed towards the ruins ahead.

...

At the castle summit, light and shadow clashed, lance and sword sparking fiercely as the two figures separated after a brief encounter.

Lin Yaqing felt her arm go numb from the shock, surprised at the silver-haired girl's power before her, her inner unease growing stronger.

As a Fourth Tier Swordswoman, unable to gain any advantage in a power struggle, the intense strange aura surrounding the opponent surged explosively, at least at a Nightmare Level and above, why would such strange phenomena appear on a cruise ship, what is the nature of the opponent?

Or rather, what's the desire driving her actions?

No time for further thought, a blood-red tentacle lunged to bite her, viciously clamping on her shoulder, smashing her through several walls, the restless blood mist gradually dissipating only then.

As the dust cleared, Lin Yaqing saw the silhouette behind the dense blood mist, observing Angelina cradling her head, curled up, emitting pained moans, her White Spear dropping to the ground, countless blood-red tentacles uncontrollably ripping her skin, rupturing her body, leveling everything around like a rampaging python.

"Don't..."

Angelina murmured painfully, countless blood-red memories tearing at her consciousness, the dark red alchemy armor slaughtering all life, she witnessed the world withering away, yet could change nothing, forced to watch companions she'd bonded with be killed over and over, speaking words of comfort urging her onward, enduring this world's malice and sorrow.

The memories continued to rewind, she recalled more details, the ordeal of being hunted on the snowy plains, the sorrow of her parents dying to the Hunter's Gun, the humiliation of a woman's wanton curses and beatings, and the joy of hearing promises, ultimately seeing the blonde girl at the end of the path of memories, the source of all her pain.

"Don't... abandon me..."

The blonde figure in memory walked ahead, beckoning with her hand, turning her head under the sunset sky and golden rays, her lips moving slightly, finally consumed by the light and shadow rushing in.

Back in the present, the deep red blood mist enveloping Angelina grew unstable again, Lin Yaqing's eyes narrowed, not sure what's happening with this person now, but she was sure the other was about to completely lose control.

With that thought, she flicked her wrist, the thrusting sword traced an arc of invisible sword aura in her surroundings, the blood-red tentacle biting her shoulder burst into countless pieces instantly.

She evaded the attacking tentacle, slicing apart the thick blood vessel that crossed her path, slicing through the web-like dense blood membrane, Lin Yaqing held the thrusting sword, quickly approaching the source of this disaster.

"I hate you, I hate you..."

The pained moan grew clearer, louder as she neared the source of the blood mist, seeing blood-shot eyes glaring at her like an evil ghost.

Angelina suddenly seemed to regain some rationality, all the pain and memories vanished, gripping her own right wrist tightly, under the transparent pale skin, a faint red glow flickered.

Lin Yaqing's pupils shrank, a thumb-sized heart pulsing at the wrist of this person?

Angelina panted heavily, suppressing the restless blood mist and rampaging tentacles around her, picking up the black glove deeply embedded in the ground, observing from afar, feeling the terrifying weight contained within that glove.

Just fallen on the ground, it could crush the entire ground beneath it.

As Angelina put on the glove again, gripping the Abyssal White Flower, the spreading blood mist vanished, all the rampaging tentacles retreating back into her body, the gun's tip pointed at Lin Yaqing standing in front.

"Get out of my way, don't stand in front of me."

"Otherwise, I'll pierce you with this lance."

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