Chapter 1851 - 1362: Void Realm Collapse

"Earthquake? How is that possible!"

"Run outside, quickly!"

"Please do not panic or run, look for the nearest table to hide under—"

"Mom—Mom!"

"Wait, the sky... is falling!?"

In the Kingdom of Stars, the all-encompassing barrier was deployed over Jiale City, specifically built as a defensive system after the Heavenly Curtain shattered, designed to cope with extreme weather or tectonic movements. In theory, Jiale City would remain unscathed even in the face of tornadoes or seismic tsunamis.

However, under the watchful eyes of Felix and Dedarose, the all-encompassing barrier shattered after just a few breaths, rendered almost meaningless. The sky dripped down like melting wax, the city shook ceaselessly, skyscrapers crumbled, and the ground cracked open. It was an apocalyptic scene.

Felix unleashed swirls of wind to move those trapped in buildings to safer open areas, yet the entire city had no truly safe place; even midair could suddenly tear open with a spatial rift, swallowing and shredding flying mages.

All Dazzling Star Mages were summoned by the noble charter to join the rescue operations, yet they were powerless, for it wasn’t the city or the ground that was collapsing, but the entire world!

"What the hell is happening!?" Felix looked up at the chaotic sky, filled with urgency: "Could it be Ash—"

"Felix!" Dedarose’s voice was filled with terror: "You—"

Felix looked down and realized her clothes were losing color.

No, not the clothes. She turned her head towards Dedarose and saw that this ravishing beauty, known as the first beauty under the starry sky, had also lost all her colors, now only a bleak black and white.

Aside from them, the buildings, flames, lights, the mage’s Void Wings, and the eyes of mortals...

Everything in the world was fading.

*

In the Kingdom of Gospel, at Yisu’s Imperial Palace, Hanna had just activated the Gospel’s all-encompassing defensive system when the door to the witch’s office was kicked open, followed by a gust of wind blowing in.

Tamasi thought they were under attack and was about to turn to face the enemy when the gust swept past her and dashed to hug Hanna. A dignified and elegant elf lady followed, who, even in such apocalyptic times, politely greeted Tamasi.

"Are you okay!?" In the flickering light, Qinna cupped Hanna’s face, anxiously asking, "Didn’t Ash pick you up first?"

"If Ash is fine, he will naturally protect us; if something happens to Ash, it doesn’t matter where I am." Hanna wrenched herself from Qinna’s embrace with some discomfort and introduced to Tamasi: "Qinna, Nona, they are my... family."

"You have such a good relationship." Tamasi smiled.

"Not really, she just realized something was amiss and wanted to escape to Heaven through me." Hanna retorted, annoyed: "Qinna, Nona, this is... why are you losing color?"

"Look who’s talking." Qinna glanced at her own color-fading hands and then at Hanna, smiling: "Aren’t you fading too?"

Hanna looked in the mirror, finding herself resembling a character from an old black-and-white photo, devoid of any flowing color, only lifeless black and white.

She touched her earring, taking a deep breath to forcibly calm down: "It’s okay, this is just a temporary adjustment, Ash will definitely—"

"Don’t be afraid."

Qinna hugged Hanna from behind, her soft chest lightly pillowing Hanna’s head. She gently ruffled her daughter’s hair, speaking tenderly: "Mommy will always be with you."

"I’m not... afraid..."

Tamasi watched as Hanna, despite her reluctance, nestled obediently in Qinna’s embrace, and couldn’t help but giggle. At that moment, she heard a simultaneous chuckle beside her and turned to meet Nona’s gaze. They exchanged a smile, and Tamasi pulled out a chair, inviting Nona to sit.

*

In the Kingdom of Blood Moon, Kaimon City’s main road.

Traffic had come to a complete halt; vehicles were chaotically jumbled together, and the streets on either side were in turmoil, with frantic fleeing crowds, criminals taking the opportunity to rob and steal, and a large number of drug users awaiting the end of the world in extreme ecstasy.

Freyja and Siflin walked hand in hand through the gaps between the flow of cars. Freyja glanced up at the sky, where clusters of mages flew, and said with concern: "Is Ash okay?"

"He will definitely be fine." Siflin said with a tone of certainty: "You have a bond with him that even fate cannot sever. Before you find happiness with him, nothing will happen to him."

Freyja was thunderstruck: "So after I find happiness with Ash, won’t he die?"

"Isn’t that inevitable? You’re a Meiwa, after all, you’ll end up killing him sooner or later!"

"No way! I’m a restrained Meiwa, I’ll at least leave him a breath!"

The two laughed and joked as they walked through the chaotic streets. Siflin watched as everything around them, including themselves, was losing color, as if the entire world was about to collapse. After a moment of thought, she suddenly said: "Meiwa."

"Hmm?"

"I have something to tell you."

"What is it?"

Facing Freyja’s lively and adorable eyes, even though faded, Siflin found herself unable to speak the words on her tongue. She squeezed Meiwa’s soft hand, smiled sweetly, and with a glance full of warmth, said: "Never mind, I’ll keep it to myself."

"What! You stirred my curiosity and now you’re not going to say anything, how can you do that!"