Hello, Arknights

Chapter 397 The End

Nasirsha was invaded by something.

This was the judgment of Kaster and Favre when they arrived at the area outside Nasrsha. The Duke stood in the command room with his hands behind his back. The engines under the armor of the warships under observation were in emergency cooling state due to overload and speeding. When the warships were on combat readiness, Kaster ordered the observation windows to be opened and stared at the disturbing area.

From a distance, a huge hazy shadow covered the area like a body of water. The complete communication cut-off, the detection system was paralyzed, and the personnel dispatch was in an abnormal state. This made Faf hesitant and he dared not act rashly.

"Martial law on Nasrshah is necessary in any case—whether or not Wellington has now found a new king for 'Victoria'."

Whether it was control or protection, the situation had undergone subtle changes, and the deadlock in which Wellington was the driving force had shown a glimmer of hope.

Wellington did not directly change his cards, so he was forced to make a firm statement recognizing Victoria's unity. At worst, the situation would be like returning to the "old era" of two kings sharing power.

Kaister smiled. Even if the opponent was Wellington, who had planned a big game and taken the initiative every step of the way, if he made a mistake and fell behind, that would be the time for them to fight back.

Just when she finally relaxed her brows that had been furrowed for many days, a pale-faced sergeant, an old soldier, appeared in front of her, led by the guards.

"Your Excellency the Duke, I think... I'm sorry, I'm a little too nervous." The man swallowed hard. Although he was reporting to someone in power and his future could be ruined if he was not careful, his eyes were always fixed on the porthole, which reminded him of the day when he sneaked into Iberia to carry out a reconnaissance mission.

Since then, he has suffered from fear of static.

……

Dead fire's lethality is not determined by temperature, but Abrana deliberately used fire control techniques, and every minute and every second of the scorching heat tested the strength of both sides.

Compared to the overwhelming beginning, Draco's gun was no longer so scary. The edge of the sword adapted to the rhythm and cut through the flames, cutting off the tips of the flames.

The symphony, shrouded in blazing flames, ushered in a grand finale, each time depicting a breathtaking arc of sharp blades. The spear tip pierced the sword curtain, purple fire blazing in the dragon girl's eyes. A thin line of blood, like a touch of ink, caressed her cheek. The white sword's brilliance faded, and the sin-devouring fire quenched it.

The sword rang out, and Ling Dengxian remained silent. He had no choice.

The hilt of the second sword knocked the gun head away, and the surge of force made Abrana retreat on her own initiative for the first time. However, after the two swords were swung out at the same time, not only the power but also the speed exceeded expectations. The swordsman who broke through the limit of the dead fire moved very quickly driven by anger. At this moment, the advantage should have been to change his moves with the sword, but he did not think too much. He flashed through the wind and the fist gripping the hilt hit Abrana's right cheek firmly!

The severe pain moved her for the first time. Abrana counterattacked extremely quickly, with a return gun and flames, without any intention of defending herself. Before she could completely take Ling Dengxian's heavy blow, she whirled around and shot the thin figure away. The Devourer shone brightly in the air, and whistling light and shadow rushed out. The unicorn roared, and the air wave shocked Draco to stop his pursuit. When he opened his stance again, Ling Dengxian had already stood up.

Tick.

The presence of blood was particularly glaring in the scene surrounded by flames. Abbrana's blood was hotter than ordinary flames at this moment, so it condensed on her pretty cheeks and flowed slowly like a charming rose ruby. Ling Dengxian's body may have undergone some changes. His blood did not dry up and evaporate quickly. It fell to the ground and expanded and contracted like a living thing in the twisted air waves.

There was only a small crack on his chest that was about to heal, but it was torn apart again by the tip of the gun. Compared to the mixed feelings before, he now had only a cold brow.

"It seems that we can no longer use the phrase 'burning anger' to describe anyone. After all, it doesn't look like a certain gentleman has any sparks flowing in his chest right now." Even though she finally felt pressure from him, Abrana still didn't give the danger the attention it deserved. While Ling Dengxian's emotions were being provoked, his reason was warning him that this was a sign of the other party's conspiracy.

Perhaps he should be thankful for the excruciating pain tearing through his chest. Days of endurance allowed him to barely suppress the mental impact of the pain from the two swords. Fragments of images flooded into his mind, but he suppressed them for the moment, his gaze fixed on Abbrana. The burning dead fire merged with the figure of the red dragon.

Just as "thin".

"...Why are you still calm...When you're fighting for your life, the signs of weakness are obvious no matter how hard you try to hide them." Because of the great pain, his words were a little confusing, and he didn't bother to correct himself. Abbrana also understood.

However, he had no intention of asking her why she let him go straight in to "assassinate" even though she was weak, nor did he care why she was weak. He would not be kind in vain.

Hearing this, she smiled, the flame on the tip of her gun showing no sign of fading, and she herself was engulfed in a thick sea of ​​purple flames, with only her eyes remaining bright. She paced forward, approaching danger step by step, not at all surprised by what he said.

"You didn't realize it just now, did you? Ravshine's friend, the swordsman who ended the bloodbath, is only asking now..." Abrana stopped just five steps away from him. Obviously, one step closer would have a completely different meaning. "Are you waiting for me to give you an 'explanation'?"

"I do have something to ask—"

"Then you are really naive." Abbrana's eyes suddenly turned cold, and her gaze became more and more harsh.

"I said I have something to ask." Ling Dengxian didn't even frown. He didn't need her approval.

"...An orator, isn't he?" Abbrana gave a subtle look, the flames covering the lower half of her face, making it impossible to tell if she was happy or sad. "His name will be recorded in Tara's future books."

"As a scapegoat?" Ling Dengxian sneered.

"Whether you believe it or not, he pressed the firing button with his own hands. No one forced him to do so. He has the right to give up." Abbrana's eyes were cold, as if she wanted to gouge a hole in him. "Mandela told you he's dead, right?"

"It wasn't us who did it. There was indeed a 'scapegoat' in the plan, but it was prepared for 'someone who truly cared about Tara' - but we didn't realize he was that kind of person until he died." The fire on Abbrana's face dissipated, and he found that she had put away her smile. Her gaze almost made the temperature around her drop a few degrees.

"...It was probably you who hastened his death."

Abbrana took another step and the taut string broke.

The two swords roared with waves of white and purple flames, and the dyed sky shook. The sword slashes that came like a storm pushed Abrana, who was in a defensive posture, off her footing. Seizing the opportunity when the injury on her chest affected Ling Dengxian's sword, Abrana shouted angrily, the temperature dropped sharply, and the swung spear brought up a vortex of dead fire like a tide, which surged through the sword storm. She used all her strength to attack head-on with the endless sword light!

The courtyard they stood in shattered. The castle behind them cracked, and purple and white flames gushed from the fissures. Spiderweb-like cracks quickly spread to the rooftop. With the final blow of the sword, the bleeding in Abrana's throat could no longer be stopped, and she spurted out a mouthful of blood. The sword slashed through her body, leaving several sharp wounds and spraying blood mist. The sword's radiance continued, breaking through the deadly fire and reaching the building. The tallest building in Nasrsha, which had stood for a century, wailed and began to collapse. Under the tumbling rocks, Abrana forced a spell, wielding a wave of purple fire and piercing it with a spear, the tip of the spear pointed directly at Ling Dengxian's heart.

The sound of metal sinking into flesh was so pleasant, but it did not advance any further. Then, the crisp sound of metal breaking was heard. Abrana loosened her grip and gave up her weapon. Her center of gravity was a little unstable. Before she could react, a hand wrapped around the white flame tore through the purple flame and clamped her white neck tightly like a trap.

Ling Dengxian coughed violently, blood gushing from his chest and mouth. Abrana's spear, half lodged in his ribs, had been intercepted by him, preventing the attack from penetrating deeply. He panted heavily, but didn't loosen his grip. He sheathed his white sword. Because of his injuries, he slowly sheathed the Devourer as well. With this movement, the pain that had been gripping his brow slowly dissipated. The white flames, like shallow grass freshly baptized by natural disasters, swayed slightly around the two of them. But he didn't feel the outcome was decided, as the swaying purple flames continued to dance like an endless sea of ​​lavender.

"Ahem...it's quite satisfying, isn't it?" Abbrana grasped his arm, which now felt like cast iron, and actually laughed again. "Now...ahem, you...can finally have regained your dignity..."

"Before your life ends... I hope you can say something more valuable." Ling Dengxian's injuries told him that he didn't have much time left, which meant that he didn't have much to ask.

But he couldn't leave anyway, so there was nothing to be afraid of.

first question.

"Now, tell me how the Orator died."

Blood flowed down Abbrana's cheek from the corner of her mouth, but her eyes seemed to reveal a different kind of joy. She didn't resist at all. She spoke with difficulty: "He committed suicide and left a suicide note."

Ling Dengxian remained silent. He finally understood something.

second question.

"You seemed to have anticipated your fate... As Weicao's sister, do you really have no sense of conscience at all?"

"Ha, hahahaha... Mr. White Dove... I really should have hit you a few more times while I was still able to move. Putting my life in the hands of someone like you... is really, ridiculous."

Ling Dengxian said nothing and did not increase the force. Abbrana loosened her hand and her face became even paler, almost like a dead person. The bloodstain at the corner of her mouth flowed across her white chin.

"Well... I'm not so arrogant and ignorant as to refuse to acknowledge my evil deeds. Victoria's granary... the plan was indeed my doing, but I have no regrets. Back to what I said before... I said you were ridiculously naive, but I can't deny your character... You're willing to die for injustice, and you possess abilities beyond the reach of ordinary people... Really...

"Ahem! Uh... Really, the people of Qianfeng City are really lucky - Tara once had no one like this to ask for an 'explanation' for this." Abbrana's words pierced Ling Dengxian's heart, and his expression became ferocious for a moment.

"I don't mean to morally blackmail you... White Dove, cough... I'm sorry, I know you were only involved in this calamity, which is why we have this 'Dance of Fire', but please understand that injustice is 'necessary' for Tara at this moment!"

Abbrana's blood dripped onto his hands, hot as lava.

Ling Dengxian's fingertips trembled slightly and relaxed a little.

"Under every Victoria railroad track lies the remains of a Tara. A century of history has doomed us and Victoria to never become one nation. The lion came with violence, shattered our nation, devoured our royal power, and persecuted the people of Tara to this day. Qianfeng City has indeed never directly oppressed the Tara people, which is why you can stand before His Highness today."

Wellington's voice was approaching from outside the ruins. This extremely powerful duke was as majestic as the mountains and the sea, but he came alone, his majestic clothes stained with dust.

"Let go, Mr. White Dove. I cannot tolerate Tara's king acting like this. You also know the outcome of today - Her Highness Abrana died at your hands."

Ling Dengxian felt even more uneasy. The truth seemed to be about to come out. As his mental perception spread with the technique, Ling Dengxian was surprised to find that Wellington had indeed come alone. After a moment of silence, he loosened his hand. The red dragon, having lost its power, could not stand steadily. It took a few steps back and sat on the ruins of Nasrsha's once most magnificent building, with blood staining his clothes red.

"Wellington..." Abrana frowned slightly, it seemed that this was not what she expected.

Wellington stepped into the battlefield surrounded by flames, bowed slightly, Ling Dengxian took a long breath, drew out the Devourer, and controlled the red dragon's life under the sword.

"...What do you want to teach me?" His blood was boiling as he tried to speak clearly. "I don't have much time."

"You have plenty of time." Wellington straightened his back and didn't care about the danger. He was different from Windermere, but the dangers he had faced were no less serious and even more prestigious. The danger he was facing now might not be as serious as a certain war he had faced before.

"Today's outcome was chosen by His Highness, despite all objections. From the perspective of others, there is only one Red Dragon. She was ferocious and warlike when Tara was fighting, but wise and kind when Tara was recuperating—if Tara was not overflowing with deadly fire at this moment."

"...The flames are out of control?" Ling Dengxian looked at the still scorching purple ocean, and then looked at Abrana who was at the end of her strength. Through the white flames in her eyes, he could always sense the connection between those flames and her, which was also the reason why he judged that Abrana had not been completely defeated by him - now it seems that this is not the case.

"...It's not that I'm out of control. After I realized this, I asked a certain deceased person. This is the nature of dead fire... I am a red dragon that spews death. I will only bring destruction to Tara. In this respect, I am nowhere near as good as my confused sister." Abrana became weaker with every word she spoke, and her figure was almost no different from a real candle in the wind.

"In the bloody war... I couldn't control the remains of those bloody monsters, but... cough, I sowed the seeds of death for the soldiers in advance, and after they died..." Abrana didn't have enough strength to continue, but her meaning was clear.

Ling Dengxian finally understood her intentions. The "innocents of Qianfeng City" were merely a "crime" she had confessed to satisfy his righteousness. Ultimately, she had given him the opportunity to execute her because of her own limited time and her inability to reconcile with the people of Tara. He was playing on her chessboard, not even a single misstep.

"Her Highness Abrana chose to bid farewell to herself, who had spread the deadly flame. 'From now on, Tara needs Ravshini more than me.' These were her exact words."

"Then why did you show up? Are you executing the assassin without any guards?" He understood Tara's suffering. He had... received a historical education about the humiliation and darkness of national resistance.

Mandela's cries, the death of the orator, Ravshini's blood... Even if it stained her, even if she knew she deserved to die, even if... she had to burn away the shackles that Victoria had imposed on Tara. Abrana even arranged her own fate clearly.

"Originally, that was true, but not long ago, you... White Dove, once again defied expectations and, without letting us pass, used extraordinary means to directly break through my army. You...

"Do you have the ability to create another miracle?"

"Tara... no, I, Wellington, owe you a favor." Wellington did not put any conditions on his words.

But he couldn't understand the thoughts of a chivalrous man. His promise had no appeal to Bai Ge, but some things, said and not said, were two different things after all.

Ling Dengxian's face showed no attitude. He looked down at the red dragon wrapped in death and raised the Devourer.

In his perception, a galloping figure appeared in the distance, burning with sparks of life and flames, but it looked like a bird flying towards a cage.

The evil-devouring sword shatters the fireworks and captures death.

White flames covered the sky and the crown flashed by in an instant, while white sparks expanded and spread in invisible places. The city engulfed by purple flames gradually lost its ominous color.

Something "fell" from Abrana's body, splashing thick blood on the ground, and the dead fire was extinguished.

Under Wellington's breathless gaze, Ling Dengxian leaned over, picked up the horn stained with boiling dragon blood, and set out on the road to departure, leaving a trail of blood with every step.

"I'm not so naive as not to understand that struggle kills people, many people. Power struggles always kill innocent people..."

Pain, weakness, and the powerlessness brought on by the spread of Originium intertwined together. Ling Dengxian stumbled and shed blood, leaving behind his last words:

"Injustice must be dealt with. I'm here for this purpose, but I'm not arrogant enough to consider myself a 'judge.' I'm here to demand an 'examination' for this injustice. National hatred and family feuds cannot be resolved by me alone."

During the long silence, Abrana opened her eyes and looked at the figure who had left behind bloody footprints.

He left Nasirsha before Ravshini arrived.