Chapter 428: Shining City (Part 2)

Supreme Council.

The supreme AI projected the battle report onto the round table in precise order of priority:

“The rate of collapse of the pure white space has risen again, the integrity of the curved surface has fallen below 70%, and the global disaster aura index has instantly increased by 3289 times. It is estimated that a tidal wave covering the surface will form in 37 seconds, causing immeasurable negative effects on the battle situation.”

“Warning! Warning! Five world-ending energy reactions have appeared. After checking the wavelength, we determine that the enemy is suspected to be the Calamity God. The Ether Satellite of the space defense line has been completely wiped out!”

“The Dragon Court has started, requesting the highest authority, passing through dimensional blocks, through the decree of the stars. The ghost energy engine is unblocked, charging the Ether Throne and preparing to launch… The outer dimension has already collapsed, forming a barrier; it is estimated to hinder the invasion for 79 seconds…”

“The Entropy of Disorder spreads. The Lighthouse and pure white are timely guiding the collected shining light to maintain balance. The Intracastral Sea is beginning to collapse inward, and the Crimson Polar Realm is showing signs of melting. There are 92 seconds left until all defenses break down, and the planet’s gravity is out of control. It is estimated that the world will end in 271 seconds.”

“Another warning: The web of shining clusters (humans’ concept) has been pierced by the End. According to data analysis, the success rate of the Shining City plan is less than 0.0001%. It is strongly recommended to activate the Fire Seed Program, referencing the Mother Ocean theory, for a mass migration.”

This heavy news flooded the soul like a nightmare, striking everyone like a blow to the head, but this group of carefully selected elites quickly adjusted their mindset and rejected the AI’s proposal in just a few breaths.

The Fire Seed Program included an ark and a giant machine that could theoretically travel through space.

However, whether it was the ark or the mass migration, after processing the massive information provided by Chu Wang Shu, allowing scientists to study and gain insight, and summarizing the Mother Ocean theory, they had all been declared useless.

The arks made by the Human Alliance could carry millions of people, moving at the speed of light through the silent depths of space. That space gate, developed through ether research, also had a high probability of safely exiting the Milky Way.

But…

The so-called world, universe, and sky were just cells that were constantly born and faded away in the Sea of Truth, like the bubbles that made a fizzing sound when shaken in a carbonated drink.

Right now, the Entropy of Disorder was eroding the entire “bubble.” The reason it first appeared on the outside of planets was not because the universe was small, but because the idea of star clusters was actively hidden, using the Intracastral Sea as a shell, causing everything beyond the lunar system to be fake.

So now, what it was tearing apart seemed to be the atmosphere and the sky, but in reality, it was the barrier of the Intracastral Sea. Whether traveling on an ark or moving through space, one could not escape this “bubble,” like a child playing house, which had no real meaning.

In fact, even if humanity were given another 17 years, it would still not be able to fully understand the “bubble,” let alone escape it, jump into the “soda,” and find and enter the next “bubble” that would not break immediately.

Those high-level decision-makers all understood that escaping at this moment was impossible. Now, they had to either wait and accept death or continue fighting, with no third option.

Furthermore, even before receiving relevant information about the Disaster group from Chu Wang Shu, the Human Alliance had anticipated the worst-case scenario. The Disaster group’s behavior of “calling friends” was also part of their expectations. After mentally preparing themselves, the leaders became more resilient and were not easily swallowed by despair.

At that moment, someone inspired hope:

“That shining net has not broken; it has only been pierced. The foundation of the Shining City still exists, and humanity still has hope!”

“Moreover… if those children have not given up, how can we possibly stop fighting?”

A calm committee member issued a command:

“[Dream Weaver], continue to analyze the current situation and create a branch plan for the Shining City, immediately arrange all possibilities, and send the information to those magical girls who are still fighting.”

A former head of the Fire Seed Program tapped the table with his knuckles and decisively stated:

“Since there is no way back, let’s use all of humanity’s last resources to buy those children more time.”

“The Ark of Noah is in use, and together with [Dragon Court], we will delay the battle in space, transporting the gateway beyond the realm and using ether fuel to force it to start, triggering the Great Destruction at the critical moment.”

Once the words were spoken, the other heads of the Fire Seed Program also thought of various self-destructive uses for these resources, quickly giving commands to [Dream Weaver] to act with the utmost efficiency, determined to implement the “Close the door and beat the dog” policy.

The newcomers from the Disaster group would surely be at their peak; once they entered the battle zone, the two Sky Stages would no longer be able to fight.

In other words, humanity’s only hope of victory was to suppress, kill, or even use the Disaster group that had been under [Pure White]’s control for 17 years, which had just had their lives risked by magical girls, locking them with [Scatterflowers] to sustain the war before the new Disaster group arrived.

Otherwise, the extinction of our kind and the shattering of the stars would be an irreversible fate.

Seventy seconds passed, and the leaders, who knew the most secret secrets of humanity, made their final decision with incredible speed. They risked everything and loaded into the guns all the strength they had gathered over 17 years to fight against the Disaster group.

At this moment, everyone was strangely silent.

This meeting was different from the usual virtual projections; the members gathered in a magical space located in a deep dimension.

However, no one chose to leave or try to find a way out for themselves using the Fire Seed Program.

Suddenly, they all looked silently at the projection of the crumbling Miracle Wall after fulfilling all their duties, with sad expressions on their faces, softly reciting prayers to show their final respect.

Even if they forgot the story of Chu Yuanqing and the past, this high wall, which had protected the world for 17 years and provided so much hope and miracles, remained noble and majestic. In the hearts of many, it was like humanity’s mother.

If they could, no one would want to see [Pure White] get hurt.

Even if it was destined to collapse and vanish, they hoped it would happen when humanity’s brilliance spread across the universe, allowing the new shining walls to gently embrace one another, like connecting to a dream that would never fade away, completing the final transition and carrying on the will of [Pure White].

But now…

Without magic or extraordinary power, they could only witness the collapse of the pure white, sharing the fate of humanity, the world, and the stars, waiting silently for the final outcome.

…

…

Donghong Federation, Redstone Country.

The Second City, Montreal.

Just a few hours ago, this open-air stage, filled with nearly one hundred thousand people, was now sheltered by a romantic dome woven from roses and oleander, shining and protected by magic energy, guarding against the terrifying disaster group that roamed within the city.

The girl with raspberry red hair looked especially vibrant in the lights, her dance steps strong and powerful, shifting from the enchanting soft girl group dance to an elegant and free waltz. Her rose-colored eyes glanced around the venue, shadowed by emotion.

Even though she had teamed up with Little Shuzhu, powered by Shining Magic, and together they released a Patronus Magic called Friendship Oath, keeping the disaster beasts at bay, greatly shielding the chaos from the outside world.

But the audience who had experienced the terror attack still felt restless. If the officials on-site hadn’t quickly explained the source of this shelter, it would have been impossible for the crowd to overcome their fear and try to focus on the stage, continuing to shine.

Right now, the situation was getting worse and worse.

Chen Yining did not know about the riots in the forbidden zones or the global Disaster Wave attacking. She also did not know that the shadow of the Entropy of Disorder was eroding the world, and the planet she was on was about to fall apart.

Just the release of magical perception revealed nearby cities filled with horrific scenes of bloodshed, forcefully shattering her worldview and making her understand the seriousness of the situation.

This stage was not about the future of their girl group, nor was it about personal dreams, pursuits, or honors. It was about the lives of nearly one hundred thousand people in the venue!

If the stage failed and the shining stopped, with two members of their team being “Fully Blooming,” two members as “Light Bearers,” and one as a pure white knight, they would be unable to protect so many people, and escaping would become a problem.

So, they could only hold on. Even if they sang until their voices were hoarse and danced until their legs cramped, they had to continue until help arrived to completely clear the Disaster group in the city, allowing them to relax their guard.

This had become one of the agreements reached after many discussions among everyone.

Although it was not as convenient as the neighboring pure white [Lotus Realm] and [Divine Control], during the exchange of thoughts, they could already create a link of ideas. Not to mention that communication magic was a required course learned during the Ideal State period.

Lin Baor and Ruan Wutong’s magical senses were not very far-reaching, and they could not see the terrifying scene outside with their own eyes. However, after discussing the situation, they managed to suppress their fear, stay calm, and strive to inspire the audience below the stage.

The side effects of Ji Shuzhu’s super-memory that had rooted in her soul had faded, but her feelings for strangers remained weak. Therefore, she was the calmest of them all and even found time to amplify the “Puppetry Melody” to the audience, guiding the atmosphere and easing the fear by encouraging everyone to cheer together.

Chen Yining, as a proud young lady with a mature and steady personality and the leader of the group, believed it was her duty to protect everyone. Anchoring herself in this sense of responsibility allowed her to temporarily set aside her fears and focus her thoughts.

Interestingly, among the five, Liang Xiaoxiao, the pure white knight who had endured the most hardships, crises, and sorrows, and could be considered forged through fire, was now in the worst condition.

The girl’s gray spiral pupils swirled with dark mist, and the scales of her performance outfit rippled like waves, producing clear sounds that matched the music. Her strong, beautifully shaped legs were covered with temporary stockings, hiding the protruding veins below that pulsed like dark blood.

Even her slender waist was struggling to hold itself together, as claws and tentacles inside her were madly crushing her swelling and sick organs, preventing the revelation of inhuman horror.

Liang Xiaoxiao seemed to be walking a tightrope while playing a rhythm game, carefully disguising her own unusual state as if walking on thin ice.

All of this stemmed from an accident two hours ago.

At that time, she sensed her blood and soul being drawn and summoned, with every cell, gene, and disaster aura within her roaring to life. In her hazy thoughts, everything felt like it was inflating like a balloon, threatening to burst, causing her senses to expand infinitely, and her vision spread across all of Montreal, Redstone Country, and even beyond to greater lands.

The shared feeling in that moment was extremely terrifying, as if a drop of water was about to fall into the sea. Her sense of existence felt like diluted ink, instantly dissolving in the vastness, becoming just a part of it, like a Christian listening to the voice of the Lord.

Fortunately, the Disaster Beast Gene within this body had already merged with Chu Wang Shu’s help, gaining some obedience to will. She tried her best to pull away, finally blocking that perspective and remaining unharmed.

This experience of walking back from the gates of hell made Liang Xiaoxiao understand the severity of the situation more than anyone else present.

“[Calamity God]?”

“No… this is the collective awakening of the Disaster Group Consciousness!”

Liang Xiaoxiao forgot some sources of knowledge but still remembered that the merged Disaster Beast Gene had been carefully selected and did not belong to any sequence of the [Calamity God]. Only when the entire Disaster group’s consciousness went into chaos would she be affected like this.

So now, the crisis was not just facing a single Redstone Country; it was likely that places all around the world were experiencing terrifying attacks from disaster beasts.

As for the reason, the Disaster group should have realized the official’s major movements and wanted to deliberately target the tour through a collective riot, thereby interfering with the bigger picture.

At first, Liang Xiaoxiao held an optimistic mindset, believing that the Countermeasures Bureau must have anticipated this outcome and would have a way to respond.

But when the shadow of the Entropy of Disorder fell, the strange feeling multiplied many times and swept over her heart, reaching her soul and body, shattering her confidence completely.

The girl changed her dance steps and twirled around with Lin Baor, her face lit up with a bright smile. The beautiful eyes, disguised with a disaster aura, were warm and lovely, and even the rhythm of their harmony was flawless. Yet, what flooded her heart were terrifying scenes of the audience below being mercilessly torn apart, turning into a sea of blood.

Liang Xiaoxiao felt an overwhelming heaviness in her heart and did not want to believe that her momentary perception was true.

But the truth was, more complete and different “relatives” suddenly arrived in this world, sending their presence from an unknown distance, causing a stress response in her genes.

If that is really the case, can the Dazzling Stage project still succeed?

And no matter how optimistic she was, she could not expect to receive support in the short term.

Montreal had truly become an isolated island; only by using the Light Stone Pedestal and the stage rituals to continuously produce Shining Magic could they create a brief sanctuary to protect these innocent people.

But even doing that was merely drinking poison to quench thirst.

The girl knew the habits of disaster beasts very well; with such popularity and the Dazzling Stage, it was like a place releasing fireworks continuously, which would eventually attract more and stronger disaster beasts, until they broke through the defenses and came to feast.

Liang Xiaoxiao hid the blade, singing and dancing with a determined gaze as she prepared the four combat forms woven with the Disaster Beast Gene. In a moment of catching her breath and smiling, she nourished the Holy Glory with virtue, waiting for the final battle that would burn everything away.

If things cannot be done, at least… we must leave together!

The girl made a silent vow in her heart, but she didn’t tell her teammates about the bad news.

She knew that unlike her own severed ties with family, Baor, Wutong, Little Shuzhu, and the captain all had harmonious family relationships. Sharing the truth would only cause unnecessary worry and doubt, shortening the life of their shining defense.

Time passed, and the people on stage remained as always, like an undying flame, drawing from the increasingly faint glow, resisting the growing attack of the disaster beast outside the magical barrier.

It was a scene more terrifying and grand than any movie like Resident Evil, with the outer edge of the open stage consumed by countless monsters. The city’s disaster aura tilted towards this gathering, turning from thick fog into a pitch-black tsunami, crashing with waves like acid corroding the outer crystal walls, making the roses and oleanders wither and bloom repeatedly.

Those chaotic and terrifying sounds surged into the venue, causing a commotion in the audience, spreading the panic that had been so hard to suppress.

On stage, Chen Yining and Ji Shuzhu maintained control of their expressions, but their faces grew paler. Lin Baor sensed something was wrong; she exchanged glances with Ruan Wutong and actively infused magic energy into the Friendship Oath they had built.

In an instant, purple-red Wutong flowers and pure lilies intertwined in the hollow that had been corroded and destroyed, immediately filling the gaps left by the roses and oleanders.

——[Friendship Oath].

The Patronus Magic that these two childhood friends share comes from a promise they made when they were young.

That precious feeling, cherished since childhood, became their little miracle, allowing their friendship to greatly enhance the power of their magic.

Because of the nature of Patronus Magic, others they consider close friends can also use the Flower of the Soul to join the magic and help.

However, the difference is that when Chen Yining and Ji Shuzhu use it together, they can share power and further boost the magic’s strength; while Lin Baor and Ruan Wutong, who join later, add strength like a part of a couple’s play, but the effect is less significant and uses more magic power.

Therefore, Lin Baor and Ruan Wutong only arrived when the current crisis happened.

Liang Xiaoxiao didn’t have the Flower of the Soul and lacked pure magic power, so she could only support with some pure white Holy Glory, adding a soft glow to the whole barrier.

Under the girl’s dress, thin armor made of scales slowly formed. She deliberately slowed her dance steps, her thoughts swirling, as a bit of her spirit grew, reaching everyone’s ears:

“Little Ning, Little Shuzhu, Baor, Wutong, we need to be mentally prepared that we might not be able to hold this.”

Before the little girls could fully understand the heavy warning, the entire stage shook violently, as if an Earth Dragon had turned over, causing many audience members to scream. The protective spell covering the dome and edges wobbled and cracked, letting the disaster aura seep in.

During the earthquake, the young idols were still trying to keep up with their dance steps, struggling to maintain their balance.

Lin Baor and Ruan Wutong were almost knocked over, but thankfully Liang Xiaoxiao was right beside them, catching them all just in time. Ji Shuzhu and Chen Yining were also caught off guard but instinctively lifted their toes off the ground, floating up to avoid losing balance in the earthquake.

“What’s happening?”

“Is a big creature invading?”

“No, the barrier hasn’t been attacked directly; the earth is shaking.”

Liang Xiaoxiao seemed to sense the coming disaster aura like an animal, instinctively looking up at the dome covered with roses, oleanders, lilies of the valley, and wisteria flowers. She saw the cracks in the barrier widen, allowing the disaster aura to pour in. The sky, which had once been unclear, suddenly came into view.

There was no blue sky, and no haze from the disaster aura—just something far more terrifying and extreme, like a black hole filling her vision, swallowing the blue and sunlight in a terrifying shadow.

As the barrier officially collapsed, the entire stage, audience area, and ground fell apart silently. Nearly a hundred thousand spectators, along with various disaster beasts rushing in from the outside world, were pulled into the sky by an incomprehensible force amidst the sudden change in gravity and attraction.

In an instant, these disaster beasts, which should have been able to struggle, seemed to have been turned off like a switch, immediately becoming as still as quails, trembling in their stillness.

A large number of confused spectators screamed as they floated in the air, some still sitting in their seats, some being pulled and spun around, and others colliding with building materials, bursting into a messy cloud of blood and flesh… The scene was incredibly terrifying, as the entire city began to fall apart, taking the foundations, roads, and buildings with it.

Liang Xiaoxiao was held by Lin Baor and Ruan Wutong on either arm, as the two struggled to rely on their flying instincts created by the Magic Armor, desperately trying to stop in mid-air without being pulled farther away, while skillfully dodging, like playing a game of dodgeball, timely avoiding the fallen stage debris and various building materials.

Chen Yining still had some strength left, and after confirming her teammates were safe, she wanted to use her powers to save as many innocent people as possible. However, she could only save a few dozen spectators before she realized there was no safe place for them; a piece of building material she intended to use to help another quickly split apart again.

As she released the spell, those people were swept away like balloons caught in a hurricane, soaring away in a rush, disappearing into the ominous and terrifying shadow expanding in the sky above.

The girl’s rose-red eyes became dim and lifeless. She could not control the fear and confusion inside her; all her magic trembled violently at the sight of that shadow, instinctively sounding an alarm of danger, warning of death. She let out a weak sigh from her throat:

“What… exactly is that?”

The sudden earthquake directly disrupted the Light Stone Pedestal below the stage, causing the spell to go out of control in an instant, and combined with the outside Disaster Wave attack, it destroyed the sanctuary they had desperately tried to maintain.

And now, she did not know what to do.

Ji Shuzhu looked back at Montreal. With the vision and perception of a magical girl, she could see similar terrifying scenes from a hundred kilometers away. Everyone looked like flying balloons, along with broken buildings rising into the sky, melting into the mysterious darkness, leaving no trace behind.

An apostle, a Supreme Disaster Beast, or perhaps the Calamity God?

They did not know who the enemy was, nor did they even know where the enemy was.

The only thing they could understand was that the entire city had collapsed, and this tour faced the cruel reality of complete failure.

Ruan Wutong felt a chill in her heart, patting her chest, and thought she was living in some kind of doomsday game, struggling to believe this was real.

Lin Baor said in confusion:

“Have other places become like this too?”

Just how far did this disaster reach? Was it only Montreal, or the entire Redstone Country, or even the whole world?

But no matter which it was, even if it only covered the whole city, it was an unspeakably bad news for them.

The girl felt the growing and terrifying pull, and whispered:

“The stage is gone, the tour has failed, and we couldn’t save everyone. What… are we supposed to do?”

Liang Xiaoxiao pulled pieces of the Blood Throat Gene from the disaster aura, weaving two pairs of two-meter-long crimson crystal wings from behind her shoulder blades. She paused in mid-air, gently touched Lin Baor’s hair, looked up at the sky, and replied:

“Don’t think too much. Let’s focus on staying alive first. Only then can Baor protect our uncles and aunts, right?”

Hearing this, Lin Baor came back to herself. The presence of her family reignited her belief, and she nodded eagerly.

Xiaoxiao was right; this was not the time for overthinking. Her mom and dad were still waiting for her to come home.

Chen Yining took a deep breath and said calmly,

“No matter what, we cannot get pulled away.”

“Now that the stage is over and there are no more spectators, our magic energy is limited. We need to find a way to contact the Countermeasures Bureau and discover the best escape route. We can’t run around like headless chickens.”

After speaking, several people quickly took out their phones, but they found that these communication devices, which could connect directly to satellites and were not afraid of losing the network, all lost their signal. Miss Esther, who would usually appear like a ghost at any moment, also did not show up in time.

This all meant that the situation outside was extremely bad.

As for signal towers and base stations, just looking around, one could see one in the distant sky, and it seemed that normal connections were no longer reliable.

Luckily, before everyone felt lost for too long, Liang Xiaoxiao, who was nearby, took the initiative to guide them.

This pure knight, unlike the magical girl, could sense how terrifying the shadow of the Entropy of Disorder was, just like the nearby disaster beasts that had all shut down. With this instinctive sense of danger, she was able to point them in a slightly less dangerous direction.

“Hooray! I knew Xiaoxiao was the best!”

“Xiaoxiao, lead the way!”

“That’s amazing! I didn’t know knights had this kind of role. They are like the guides among disaster beasts.”

“The chance of survival has increased by 10%. I hope we can still eat barbecue in the future.”

The little idols chatted and teased each other while relaxing a little, flying together toward the east.

Liang Xiaoxiao replied as usual, but the darkness in her heart grew stronger. She could indeed sense the destruction brought by the Entropy of Disorder, as if she could understand how to cheat on an internal map.

But there was one important thing she didn’t tell her teammates.

That was that this destructive phenomenon, in her perception, covered such a vast area that there seemed to be no boundaries at all, so naturally, there was no cheating route.

And this was a truth that could not be spoken.

Magical girls could only create greater miracles when born from hope.

Despair would make them stronger, bursting forth with brighter flames, but it could also cause them to vanish like fireworks and drown.

Liang Xiaoxiao carried the entire team forward with this hopeful lie, as if they were in a bloody, violent, and bizarre horror movie. Meanwhile, the riverbed and the earth began to crack open, as if the entire plate was about to leap up.

Therefore, the magic energy consumed when fighting against gravity became increasingly enormous.

Liang Xiaoxiao was starting to feel overwhelmed. She looked back at Baor, who showed signs of tiredness, the sycamore tree that was slowing down, and Chen Yining and Ji Shuzhu, who were also reducing their speed. In her cold gray eyes, affected by disaster aura, there was a sense of pity and sadness.

For the first time, the girl prayed in her heart for a miracle to happen.

What surprised her was that when she actually started to pray, this strange energy she called Holy Glory felt hot and expansive within her soul. It glimmered with a bright light, bringing a wave of soothing safety that emerged from deep in her subconscious.

It was gentle, grand, and dazzling, like an illusory shadow of a mother’s embrace. It brought a cradle that nurtured hope, whispering softly in her ear, “It’s okay,” and “Nothing will happen.” So she found herself believing, mysteriously forgetting all worries and fears, and confidently moving forward.

This emotion spread to her somewhat shaky teammates, adding more magic to the Flower of the Soul, helping them continue to race through the dark sky toward an unknown future.

…

…

At the same time.

The Atlantic, Edward Islands.

In Central China, Esmeralda.

In the Land of Extreme Winter, the Colonel Strait.

These areas, located outside the reach of the Sky Stage, resembled lands abandoned by the gods, revealing the terrible fate that had befallen Redstone Country. Cities, tectonic plates, deep layers of the earth, and vast oceans, along with countless disaster beasts and humans, were swept away by a terrifying gravitational force, melting into the phenomenon of the End and leaving no trace behind.

At this moment, if satellites still existed, they would see the entire planet like sheep and cows on a dinner table, silently and brutally being torn apart. The humans floating above resembled skin flakes, the returning sea water resembled blood, and the broken land plates and peaks looked like bones, playing a mournful song of doom.

The stars trembled, and humanity crumbled.

The prophecy of the super AI, Dream Weaver, was rapidly approaching its final outcome as time passed.

But…

At the heart of the Donghong Federation and the Sacred United Country, the fireworks symbolizing humanity’s brilliance and hope still flickered. Whether it was the lonely Lighthouse – The Last Diva, or the dedicated four-member band “Pure White,” they shone to the fullest through techniques, emotions, and miracles, countering the widespread heat death and fiercely protecting the billions under their care.

“There is still hope.”

“Don’t give up.”

“Please lend us everyone’s strength!”

“Courage is an everlasting song, and humanity will endure.”

“Our stage has not yet fallen; let’s come together to save the world!”

These idols, celebrated by the world, risked everything, gave their all, and stood firmly at the peak, facing the doom, their minds filled with passionate, shining thoughts full of hope and determination.

This feeling was also shared by their stage, reaching into countless homes and awakening hope in many hearts during moments of despair, gathering pure light in miraculous moments, rising up in the name of humanity to challenge the endless entropy of heat death.

At this moment, 471 seconds had passed since the countdown to the Great Destruction began. The efforts of Charlotte, Tang Liuli, Kirimi Miyuki, Xie Qingxuan, and Chu Wang Shu had delayed it beyond the limits predicted by Dream Weaver data, even entangling five foreign Calamity Gods, temporarily preventing them from breaking through the defense.

However, as the Great Destruction spread, those idols who had survived the initial disaster group attack and had been performing around the world were being forced to stop, with numerous Light Stone Pedestals being destroyed, and casualties counting in the millions.

At the same time, the originally planned structure collapsed completely, barely leaving the main connections beneath the two Sky Stages.

Under these circumstances, the two Sky Stages were unable to gather as much light as before. No matter how brightly the Lighthouse shone or how fervently Pure White burned with belief, after losing their main support, they felt weak and powerless.

At that moment, the once bustling internet became eerily quiet, almost devoid of any traces of the disaster beast’s riot that had caused a storm of panic just a few hours earlier.

The reason was simple: even if individuals were within the range of the two Sky Stages, those who did not remain at the Light Stone Pedestal on the stage were still at risk from the disaster beast’s attacks. Major cities were scrambling to move citizens to underground shelters.

To prevent detection by the disaster beasts, the signals were weak, maintaining only the bare minimum of communication with the outside world.

Thus, those still surfing the internet were individuals who had not been moved to shelters, were not at the stage, and had not been attacked by the disaster beasts.

Sea City, Longhe District, Olympic Garden.

Outside the park across from the community, Xu Ling was sitting beside the green belt, with her back against a poster of a green-eyed cat torn from a mailbox blown away by a suicide bomber. She held her phone, gazing at the stage projected in the sky, with many citizens sitting nearby, making it feel somewhat crowded.

A few hours earlier, following a suicide bomber attack, a police officer had suggested she stay close to the various stages arranged by the government. This park had a Light Stone Pedestal, and Pei Xiaotong was assigned there, so she decided not to go home and opted to sit outside with the crowd.

It was said that, in theory, Honey Tong should have already felt weak and been prompted by the wristband to leave, with someone else taking her place. However, for some reason, possibly due to the disaster beasts’ attack or concerns that clearing the venue might incite a riot, she had not come out for several hours.

Considering it was safer to remain inside, this was somewhat good news.

In contrast, Xu Ling felt very unfortunate, having encountered a suicide bomber attack just after leaving.

Her feelings were complicated; as someone who had been safeguarded by the brilliance of the other, she had spent hours watching Pure White on stage, grateful for her life.

Kirimi Miyuki, Xie Qingxuan, Chu Wang Shu, Tang Liuli – they were all fighting for humanity and for the world through song and dance, but she found herself unable to contribute even a moment of brightness to these inspiring idols, anxiously awaiting fate’s judgment, just like… the most ordinary member of the public.

The girl lowered her gaze a bit sadly, glancing at the flashing messages in the active Kirimi Miyuki fan support group on her phone.

The tone suddenly shifted, making one feel almost as if they were back to a time when nothing had happened:

“Liuli is so cute, she sang so earnestly today ❤️❤️❤️.”

“No way, buddy, the world is almost ending; this stage definitely holds a sense of destiny.”

Xu Ling, with her mixed feelings, scrolled through the series of comments popping up and felt a wave of comfort.

Although it seemed like the world was about to end, it was good that her friends were still as silly as ever, which helped her feel a bit of the usual daily life and gave her a brief escape from reality.

To be honest, the crazy comments in the group chat felt more like a final celebration.

Even without knowing the truth, people could sense the stormy atmosphere online, the disasters happening in reality, the terror spreading through the city, and in the chaotic shadows above the Sky Stage, they could smell something ominous coming.

Not to mention, a few hours ago, the Supreme Council revealed the truth using holographic projections around the world to squeeze out the most shine, announcing the awakening of the [Calamity God] and the crisis of enemies coming from beyond, stating that humanity’s fate was tied to those two Sky Stages.

In this situation, aside from praying, the healthiest option left for the audience seemed to be going a little crazy.

Xu Ling turned off the group chat and looked up at the sky, carrying many complex emotions; she sighed softly:

“The stage decides the fate.”

“I never expected that months later, Dream Weaver Rabbit’s words would come true to this extent.”

In the girl’s eyes, the figures of four people on stage reflected back at her, and a pure white light flickered in her mind. The images before her overlapped, and it seemed like a shadow appeared among the four; she murmured dreamily:

“How strange, why do I suddenly feel that if only there could be… one more person up there.”

…

…

At the same moment, above the Donghong Federation, in the shining flow, the few people on the stage felt their thoughts slow down, as if they were in a peaceful paradise where time stood still.

Chu Wang Shu glanced at the crack at the edge of the stage and looked up at the disaster spreading to the edge of her vision, which could not be stopped. Her expression was serious, and her small face earnestly said:

“We’re at our limit.”

“Just as expected, after the first step failed, we could no longer build the Shining City and had to give up the Countermeasures Bureau’s original plan for the ‘Dazzling Stage.'”

“In a short time, the entire planet would lose its gravitational balance and explode; we had no time left to gather all of humanity’s brilliance, and we must make a decision immediately.”

Tang Liuli’s emerald eyes were full of tension. The teardrop birthmark at the corner of her eye blurred with sadness as she said with concern:

“From now on, the fate of humanity depends on how we use the shining sea that has spread into the world, the stars, and deep dimensions.”

“This is our only chance to fight against foreign disaster groups, local disaster groups, and the phenomenon of Great Destruction. How can we use it to solve the crisis facing humanity?”

Xie Qingxuan paused for a moment and softly said:

“Human civilization was still in a prosperous stage. After today’s performance, my influence had grown stronger than the first playthrough. If you share some of the shining with me, I can use [The Power of the Titan] to change the Great Destruction phenomenon.”

The Demon King from the first playthrough was able to overturn the existence of the Calamity God in a world where the population was less than ten million and civilization was extremely poor, forcibly stealing the status, body, and power of the Solar Calendar, as well as all terrifying roles.

Now, with the mechanism of magical compensation blessings, the shining assistance that essentially was human light, and greater influence, when she said she could change the Great Destruction phenomenon, she truly could.

It was just a matter of how much it would cost.

Kirimi Miyuki shook her head and said:

“No, you will definitely die if you do that.”

The nature of Great Destruction came from the Entropy of Disorder. The Disaster group had simply used clever tricks to make the whole world decay by itself, which was harder to solve than spreading cancer cells in a body. Its horror was even greater than the “Burial” that Charlotte once commanded.

If there were no surprises, it would collapse everything—matter, concepts, and even stars—crushing the whole “bubble” like a snowball and flooding into the Mother Ocean, destroying many worlds similar to theirs before being devoured by the “Void.”

In other words, erasing the existence of Great Destruction was even harder than taking away the status of a few Calamity Gods. She had no doubt that Xie Qingxuan could do this because Great Destruction had not truly developed yet, but the cost would likely be a clean death with no trace of cause and effect left behind.

Tang Liuli also voted against it, saying:

“Little Xuan, don’t keep thinking about ‘self-destruction.’ Even if we replace the Great Destruction, losing you means we lose a fighter against the Calamity Gods. If we can’t solve the two major Disaster groups, the outcome will still be the same. Before we find the best solution, making a sacrifice is the dumbest thing to do.”

The girl pointed out the harsh reality:

“From the information sent by the AI before, it seems that the Countermeasures Bureau can’t help us at all. They have used all their strength and resources to suppress the twelve forbidden zones, the global chaos, and to stop the incoming Disaster groups.”

“Now, we can only rely on ourselves. Everyone who remains is very important.”

Chu Wang Shu also did not want to let the others sacrifice themselves easily, but she couldn’t think of a better plan.

If she really had to say, she had another backup plan: to ignore the Great Destruction and the Dazzling Stage project, and directly go to the twelve forbidden zones to consume those Calamity Gods, evolving into the strongest state capable of escaping under a certain savior.

As long as she created the framework to become the Sovereign Lord, even if she couldn’t defeat the powerful Disaster group, there was a chance to lure them into her body, repeating the outcome of being destroyed together with the Disaster group.

With good luck, she might even hold on for a long time, using the countless gains from the Disaster group to truly ascend and end all tragedies.

But this plan was too extreme and too risky.

Once she left, the pure white that could barely hold back the Great Destruction might not be enough to protect the Donghong Federation, while Mama Charlotte’s stage would face great disaster, leaving her with only a few minutes, or even just a few seconds, to swallow the Calamity Gods.

Even though she was skilled in time-space techniques and could shorten her travel time using the Lotus Realm, the Calamity Gods were not easy prey.

According to the fate predictions of Helldir’s powers, stacked with the pure white and numerous debuffs from magical girl seniors, she could at most take down seven, and she would have to follow the order predicted by the powers, making it quite troublesome.

The most critical part was that she had no guarantee on how many people would die during this time.

Sister Miyuki, Sister Xie, Liuli, Mama Charlotte, friends from school, familiar and friendly neighbors, magical girl seniors she hadn’t even met yet, so many fans who liked and supported her, and so many kind and gentle people in this world who lived life positively…

All of this may not exist after that.

Chu Wang Shu did not want to live in such a world. Whether you called her naïve or greedy, she just wanted to walk a path that could protect more people and cherish more precious things.

For this reason, she did not want to choose this plan, but instead wanted to fight alongside these little seniors and Mama Charlotte, who stood alone on the front lines, until the last moment.

The green-eyed cat fell into deep thought, trying to tap into her amazing wisdom. She may not have inherited the past blessings, and after the full bloom, she might be able to compare with the strongest apostles, but she hadn’t yet grown enough to battle the Calamity God.

So, it was impossible to rely on herself; this option was outright discarded, and she could only search among the remaining resources.

Similarly, Little Xuan was also not an option, unless she could raise her magical power to Kline on the spot; otherwise, the Power of the Titan’s one-for-one exchange could not affect the entire Disaster group.

Therefore, the only ones left were Charlotte, Little Shu, and Miyuki.

Charlotte, like herself, did not have blessings. Her only advantage was that her talent as a magical girl was extraordinary, and her ability to adapt to shining was far better than the other four. In theory, she could quickly reach Kline, but the premise was that the stars had enough resources to support her reaching such a high place.

Shallow water cannot nurture a dragon.

The limit of blessings was so high because it connected to the Sea of Truth, where humans randomly awakened powers that naturally had endless possibilities.

Magical girls were indeed amazing and famous for miracles, but at their core, they were extraordinary beings born from the stars, belonging to a yet immature seed. It was already remarkable that they could raise a group of magical girls who could suppress the Calamity God’s chaos with [Scatterflowers].

Next was Charlotte’s biological daughter, Chu Wang Shu.

This child had shared with them fragments of future dreams.

Tang Liuli could easily guess what Little Shu could do, but after being blinded by [Void], the future dreams appeared to her as if they were her own creation and also as if they were smoke bombs released by [Helldir], making it very hard to judge.

So, she temporarily focused her thoughts on the last silly sakura girl…

“[Tempering of the Heart]!”

Tang Liuli had a sudden idea and suggested:

“It’s okay if the spell fails; Miyuki, why don’t you use [Tempering of the Heart] to build the city instead?”

“The Shining City is called a technique, but it can also be seen as a large Mythical Armament, using our magic as fuel and the shining scattered in the universe as material. Can we continue the broken technique framework and find a way to save the world, recreating everything?”

Kirimi Miyuki was startled when she heard this. She thought for a moment; her pink eyes sparkled with light, and her face showed joy, but she also felt hesitant.

In a certain sense, the [Tempering of the Heart] was a kind of blessing that could do anything, like Doraemon. In the peak stage of the first playthrough, the shrine maiden could freely create different kinds, effects, and properties of weapons through her thoughts.

This included a cloak that could help resist the sun’s temperature but was as fragile as thin paper, breaking at the slightest touch; and a talisman that allowed people to cross space, ignore gravity, breathe freely, and fly, but required them to be in constant motion… things with extremely extreme effects and costs.

So, even if the Shining City had to cover the entire planet and there were no real materials for forging, as long as the cost was extreme enough, theoretically, it could be created.

But…

Kirimi Miyuki shook her head, feeling regret:

“It’s a great suggestion, but to forge a Shining City that covers the world and stars, my thoughts, perceptions, soul, and touch must also spread into the same realm; this is the foundation needed for forging.”

“This step should only be possible for Charlotte, who has been chosen as the [Lighthouse].”

“Also, how much time and magic this will take is uncertain. Right now, we need to fight against the Great Destruction right away, followed by dealing with the disaster group entering the atmosphere. We don’t have time to slowly build a city.”

Tang Liuli didn’t seem surprised. Her lovely face didn’t show any signs of discouragement. She seemed to think of something, her bright green eyes sparkling, and she said seriously:

“Since we can’t create the Shining City, what about the others?”

…

…

Crimson Polar Realm.

This place, as beautiful as a fairyland and frozen in the brilliance of a red sunset, was now shrouded in the shadow of the Great Destruction. As everything dissolved and the energy faded, many mountains melted, glaciers collapsed, and the sea roiled. The entire Crimson Polar Realm sparkled like a gem set on a planet, slowly being pulled out, trampled, and destroyed by the End.

At this moment, the bright fortress buried deep in the sea trembled violently. The person curled up deep in the Celestial Instrument looked up at the sky, gazing at the catastrophe brought by this alien enemy, and sighed:

“Can’t we hold on any longer?”

At the moment of the Great Destruction, she understood everything that had happened and also knew that the plan for “Dazzling Stage” had failed. However, the power of the stars had its limits. By using the Celestial Instrument, she could connect all dimensions in the world, gathering all shining opportunities, but only this once.

For this reason, Esther had been waiting for the five magical girls who stood on the Sky Stage, declaring war on fate, to make the final choice for humanity, deciding to gamble this chance on them.

So,

“This power must not be wasted here.”

The Original Witch slowly stood up. Her ethereal body was woven from the streams of fate, with many brilliant stars flowing within. It filled with magic energy that transformed into glowing beams, shining in abstract forms around her and spreading throughout the fortress, floating into giant light bands and finally connecting to the Ethereum Network.

In the next moment, along with the roar of the crimson sea, the endless ice melted into a beautiful sunset, and the whole planet began to tremble violently. The invisible chains surrounding the universe were shaken off, revealing the block of the Intracastral Sea. In an instant, countless dazzling lights rushed in from all over the world, stirring up a cosmic storm that opened the shadow of the “End.”

The stars had arrived.

At this moment, the bright fortress protecting the Celestial Instrument shimmered and shrank, turning into flowing light, breaking through the heavy water, escaping the interference of the Great Destruction, and merging with countless stars. Like tides covering the atmosphere, it flooded the nearest shining current, moving at the speed of light toward the Sky Stage!

Esther wanted to place the last hope in the hands of those children.

Under the broken dome where chaos and the evening glow intertwined, the ruined Crimson Polar Realm became a paradise for storms and tsunamis.

Chu Yuanqing gazed at this scene, then sadly looked away. She was standing in the center of Paradise Island, where the sea surged from the Celestial Instrument, calm like the center of a whirlpool. The tsunamis and storms sparkled like jewels on a crown, not dominating the space.

“It’s time to go.”

The Pure White Witch threw her phone into the sea. In just a few hours, she had fulfilled her promise to the shrine maiden. In that moment, her soul, once hollow and nibbling by emptiness and curses, reignited again, letting the ashes dance like black feathers in the sky, disturbing her increasingly chaotic vision.

In her breath, the will that ruled reality felt like a divine hand, parting billions of hectares of seawater to create a path to the deepest depths. The evening glow stirred by the stars was so intense that when it touched her frail figure, it left not a single shadow behind. Chu Yuanqing walked alone into the abyss, heading toward where the Celestial Instrument used to be, slowly swallowed by the sea. The precious, long-held guitar case was swept away by the raging current during the journey; she did not try to stop it, letting the vessel that held all her traces disappear, as if she wanted to shed all burdens and ties, quietly traveling the endless road until she stood before the most chaotic dimension. Chu Yuanqing took off the forget-me-not bracelet and infused it with a streak of magic. Then, she pushed open the door to the Intracastral Sea, heading towards the true place of [Pure White].

…

…

Donghong Federation. On the Sky Stage, which held many hopes and was watched by millions, the “Pure White” band played again. As the lights danced, guitars, bass, keyboards, and drums appeared, and the entire stage began to change dramatically, expanding into several layered circular platforms. Chu Wang Shu held the bass, Tang Liuli stood at the keyboard, Kirimi Miyuki played the guitar, and Xie Qingxuan once again struck the cymbals. The four surrounded the circular stage, facing all the audiences in the world, moving rhythmically while playing the song “Butterfly of the Underworld,” which had become a funeral tune.

At the same time, the shining flow coming from all over the world no longer turned into soaring fireworks; instead, it completely ignored the Great Destruction phenomenon above. In the overflowing tide of cherry blossoms, it poured around the stage. This shining glow, like melted steel, transformed into a transparent barrier of the soul, creating layers of intricate structures filled with industrial beauty. This was a magnificent scene, like compressing the evolution of species from tens of thousands of years into a single breath. The shining metal seemed like a soul turned into steel, clear as crystal, refracting billions of rainbow lights. They infinitely multiplied in the great fire stirred by rock music, continuously building a giant wonder.

In just three seconds, the entire stage was wrapped in “Soul Steel,” forming a gigantic solar furnace nearly a hundred kilometers in size, wild yet precise. It resembled the heart of a giant robot from an animation and seemed like the core power chamber of the God-Slaying Sequence Machine from the Fire Seed Program. If you look closely, you can see it contains EtherTech, magical spells, alchemy, and various technologies that only exist in imagination. At the moment the solar furnace was first created, in the “cockpit” area, the “Pure White” band, still visible to the public, seemed like the spark that provided energy, playing a raging melody that announced the first awakening.

Boom, boom, boom… The sound was like a landslide or a tsunami, like a storm sweeping across the world. The shining flow, like blood, burned and flowed through the solar furnace. With the push of heavy technology, it shot out an incredibly bright light of spirit, spreading it across the lands, just as the “Soul Steel” had not yet formed its central shell, arms, armor, and head, radiating like a giant god titan, casting a shadow across the continent.

In the next moment, this Shining Titan, which had only created the core power furnace, was like the ancient figure Kua Fu chasing the sun, driven by a strong desire deep within its soul, controlling its enormous body. In front of the shocked eyes of the world, it boldly reached out and struck with a fist, crashing down on the gloom that covered the planet, shaking the earth and sky, creating a powerful sound that ignited the world!!!

How thrilling, how shocking. Even if the illusory steel hand fell like withered feathers, the sound of heavy strikes against steel and the dazzling fireworks that followed brought about new changes, pushing aside some of the gloom that sought to consume the world, tearing through hundreds of miles of dark clouds and expressing humanity’s determination.

In the next moment, it seemed as if all the spectators, all those who longed to survive, were responding positively to this scene. The brilliance that flowed from all over the world burned with tenfold, hundredfold, and thousandfold intensity! Filling! Exploding! Letting the “Soul Steel” crazily fill this towering creation of the earth, the broken arm instantly restored, seamlessly connecting to deliver a second punch!

Yes, they simply didn’t have time to forge any Shining City. But now, why cling to defense? Instead, they should withdraw all the brilliance and directly forge a creation capable of defeating, exploding, and tearing apart all enemies!

“Can we do it?” “I don’t know.” “Let’s take a chance.” “It’s worth a try.” “Then let’s go.”

After a green-eyed cat proposed this plan, the group quickly made a decision with just a few words, using all the knowledge of technology from the Ideal State, everything the Countermeasures Bureau had encountered, the forging knowledge from the shrine maiden’s first playthrough, and the unreasonable miracle of the “Tempering of the Heart” to create a giant that reached the sky.

Tang Liuli’s fingers danced across the keyboard like flowing water; she occasionally looked down and sometimes looked up, her dark hair swaying, her emerald eyes shining, a confident smile playing at the corners of her lips, and her fair cheeks flushed with excitement, making her singing even more charming. At this moment, “Divine Control” connected the souls of the four, keeping their thoughts in harmony; the “Mask” continued to amplify, forcibly distorting reality, allowing her, Chu Wang Shu, and Xie Qingxuan’s souls to become weights, adding to Kirimi Miyuki’s “Tempering of the Heart,” temporarily enhancing this blessing.

Everyone’s thoughts exchanged in a wave of feelings.

“It’s not big enough; it is meaningless to only block a few hundred miles of the Great Destruction.”

“The solar furnace is still too small, and so is the mecha.”

“It needs to be ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times, a million times bigger, more, more!”

“What we need to shatter is the gloom of the entire planet!”

At that moment, the pure white stage where they stood was deep in the heart of the Shining Titan—solar furnace. Because of the special quality of “Soul Steel,” their songs and movements continued to be broadcasted around the world by countless Light Stone Pedestals at various venues.

The giant creation that intercepted all the shining lights was growing wildly in size through the efforts of the four. It climbed from the size of a few buildings to the terrifying stature of the entire Sea City, racing to evolve to the scale of a nation, landmass, and ocean, clearing more gloom and filling the skies of many areas with brilliant fireworks.

The members of the Supreme Council also witnessed this grand and awe-inspiring scene.

However, unlike the public, who did not know the truth and thought their chances were great, even believing the outcome was decided, the knowledgeable representatives understood that the battle had only just begun.

The super AI “Dream Weaver” reported coldly on the battle situation:

“The complete rate of the pure white space’s curved surface has fallen below 50%. 27% of the world is covered by disaster aura tides. The Great Destruction caused by the end has already destroyed 9% of the cities, leading to an initial estimate of 1.76 billion casualties.”

“The Dragon Palace has exploded, the outer space barrier has shattered, the last defense has completely collapsed, and five alien Calamity Gods are facing the star barrier, which will land in the real world in 13 seconds.”

“The Crimson Polar Realm has completely collapsed, the celestial apparatus has been forced to start, the power of the stars is awakening, and it will arrive at the Donghong Federation within 3 seconds, merging into the shining pure white creations, starting to calculate the odds of victory. The conclusion—there is no way to solve the Great Destruction or kill the twelve Calamity Gods before the alien Disaster group lands, so the chance of success is almost zero.”

The judgment of Dream Weaver was not wrong.

If this had been an exam, pure white had undoubtedly scored full marks, enough to make any teacher feel the vividness, persistence, miracle, and immense vitality within.

But reality was not an exam. What humanity needed was not a perfect score, but thousands or even millions of perfect answers that could fill an entire school like an avalanche.

Pure white wanted to switch between offense and defense, breaking the deadlock in an unconventional way. To do that, the shining creation had to expand to a size comparable to a planet within 13 seconds, gaining ultimate power that crossed all witch boundaries, which was the only chance to sweep away or seal off the Great Destruction phenomenon.

After that, they would have to face the twelve Calamity Gods breaking free from their seals and an entire powerful Disaster group from outside.

This hopeless future of facing one challenge after another was like a brave team going through hardships, crossing countless difficulties from the novice village, defeating the four heavenly kings, crossing Demon King City, losing many soldiers, only to defeat the Demon King, and then realizing too late that there were two even more terrifying bosses after the Demon King.

The peak of despair was nothing more than this.

Thirteen seconds, for an ordinary person, was just a few breaths, too brief to even melt an ice cream completely. Yet, for these girls who became magical girls in less than a year, they had to use these short thirteen seconds to overcome two great Disaster groups and sweep away countless civilizations that had stood the test of time.

Was this really possible?

Of course not, there was never any reason to have hope from the very beginning.

But for the delegates sitting at the round table, earnestly praying for “Pure White” and hoping for a miracle, this was already a question that no longer needed to be thought about.

What logic, what impossibility, what despair, and destined failure… there was no need to think about or understand.

What they could do, and the only thing they needed to do, was to believe, to believe in the miracle called magical girls, to believe in the love and light deep within the core of humanity, to believe that even now, unwavering, they would unleash their anger and passion into the sky, remaining youthful, spirited, shining, and beautiful idols.

“May Pure White and the stars bless your path.”

The crowd looked up in admiration at the Giant God, filled with resilience and anger, sighing and offering their blessings in prayer.

With the last word spoken, the Ethereum Network, which spanned the sky, was completely destroyed after a series of failures.

The projection on the round table flickered like a candle flame and went out. The powerful and dignified lawmakers got up one by one, without exchanging a word; they quickly opened the door to another dimension, disregarding their manners, stepping out of the space layer and teleporting back to a lonely island, all looking up at the vast sky.

Even without the projection, the shining creation that stood on Dongliu Island and cast a shadow over Daxia was also reflecting the stage located at the center of the solar furnace in a mirage-like form across the world, just like the bright sun shining in all directions.

In the next moment, a stream of light surrounded by stars flowed into the heart of the Shining Titan.

The soul of the Original Witch blazed brightly; she felt the most delicate and passionate part of humanity in her chest, looking down at the four little idols on the stage, she smiled and whispered softly:

“You are such excellent juniors; let me help you one last time.”

The four did not have time to respond.

In a daze, countless dazzling stars transformed into deep purple, brilliant steel, connected by the woven thread of fate from the Astrolabe, along with the vast knowledge inherited from the Ethereum Network in the Original Witch’s mind, reconstructed and optimized the entire solar furnace once again, merging it into an ethereal body, filling it with many super-magic alloys, Holy Sophon bionic networks, solar star remains, alchemical Demon Marks, and etheric networks…

At this moment, the brilliance of the whole universe was being drawn back.

Although the first step of the “Dazzling Stage” plan had already failed, the “Astral Sphere,” as the core of the entire saving technique, was meant to gather all the shining light that had spread throughout the world after the first step was completed, forming an unstoppable current to sweep away the Disaster group.

Therefore, the creation that now integrated with the “Astral Sphere” became the anchor point for all the shining lights. This immense light, capable of merging into the human concept, gathered in a brief moment called Planck time, turning into fuel and materials.

Moreover, the presence of the “Astral Sphere” was like the super AI “Dream Weaver,” replacing the four to become the brain that managed the data, weaving the structure of the entire magnificent mech more orderly, continuing to write the song of miracles.

The cost, however, was that Esther’s humanity was completely gone, even the last trace of her soul fading away like dead ash.

Even so, she retained the copied personality AI, continuing to help everyone control the “Astral Sphere” and fight alongside them.

However, they had no time to mourn or think; everyone exhausted their strength to support the integration of the “Tempering of the Heart.”

1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds…

Time passed, and the “Astral Sphere,” as a Divine Artifact of human covenant, became the central system beneath the solar furnace, intertwining everyone’s thoughts with incredible efficiency to forge precise and grand structures: bones, torso, engine, thrusters, armor shell, quantum system, spiral phase contraction furnace, Avalon Covenant device…

In the end, as if a gift from the Creator, the giant standing on the planet became even more powerful, magnificent, and sacred.

In the next moment, the Shining Giant, which was originally limited to the Donghong Federation, seemed to build a towering quantum bridge, majestically crossing mountains and oceans.

The glowing essence of humanity, under the extreme operation of the device, filled the surface, capturing many areas like a tsunami of disaster aura, swallowing it into the solar furnace, flowing into the cockpit accelerated by the Lotus Realm, devoured completely by Chu Wang Shu, transforming it into magic energy.

At the same time, the Sky Stage in the Sacred United Country was swept away by a radiant current, following the newly forged space transport device, directly transporting The Last Diva to the center of the cockpit stage, joining the linked passage created by Divine Control.

Esther’s personality AI, Charlotte, simply communicated with Chu Wang Shu, Tang Liuli, Xie Qingxuan, and Kirimi Miyuki in the endless stretch of time, seamlessly integrating into the stage, becoming one of the foundations supporting the Tempering of the Heart, wholeheartedly betting everything to uphold the backbone of the stars, transforming into a star sword that shatters tragedy, cutting through everything.

At this point, ten seconds had passed!

The Shining Titan towered over half a planet like Pangu; its raised palm tightly held the sword of reason that wove together the stars and fate, with an armed system infused with The Power of the Titan, magic, alchemy, and technology operating beyond limits.

No hesitation, nor need for hesitation.

In the next breath, under the gaze of the whole world, this creation burned brilliantly with the solar furnace, amplifying its power infinitely, combined with a stunning energy that shook the universe, and the passionate rock music, sweeping away clouds, soaring into space, a raging hurricane rampaging through the universe, striking down on the shadow that covered the globe!

It was an indescribable sight, the brilliance of all humanity gathered in one, comparable to the blade of Mythical Armament pointing directly at the end, like the fury of a thousand exploding stars, instantly burning away the global tide of disaster aura, wildly ravaging the Great Destruction that dismembered the planet.

This was like a sword from a savior; it burned away all the clouds and darkness, using cruel means to tear apart the disaster caused by the Disaster group, bringing a scorching light that shone on the whole planet.

For a moment, cheers sounded from all over the world, filled with joyful cries and tears.

The world’s crisis had passed, and the enemies from beyond vanished.

These thoughts sparkled among the surviving billions, bringing real joy and hope, wrapping the giant savior who stepped on the planet in beautiful, dreamy wings and garments that shimmered like the evening glow, with one corner resembling a half-transparent, colorful aurora, transforming into a strange sight at the edge of the Southern Hemisphere.

But deep within the solar furnace, on the stage in the center of the control room, five idols continued to play their song, gazing intently in a certain direction, tightening the strings of emotions in their souls as they awaited the true enemy’s arrival.

Almost without a prelude, ominous and terrifying noises erupted from the forbidden areas around the world as one by one, magical girls sealed the trapped Calamity God with [Scatterflowers], and just when the Pure White began to collapse, the true seal broke, and gods newly born from their eggs arrived in the sky, coldly staring down at the giant.

Youmir, King of Salt, Helldir, Amahl, Khaos, Solar Calendar, Tenno-Gochu, Nergal, Tiamat, Old Testament, Tathagata, the Three Pure Ones.

At this moment, these Calamity Gods that had just been born in the first playthrough and had destroyed civilizations, wiping out 95% of the global population, gathered once again, watching the familiar or unfamiliar enemies, and sensing through their kindred, they looked towards space.

In the next second, the auroras and evening glow surrounding the atmosphere were engulfed by a massive disaster aura.

One after another, huge and abstract shadows, filled with powerful energy that shook the dimensions of time and space, instantly targeted extraordinary individuals from all over the world and the essence of the stars, then shifted their attention to the largest source of energy, revealing… a malicious intent that struck fear in all of humanity.

At this point, the five must face five powerful outsiders known as Calamity Gods, who are at their peak and whose powers are unknown, along with twelve Calamity Gods who have just broken free from their seals and have not yet fully regained their strength.

—5 vs 17.

But there was not the slightest pause, blockage, or hesitation.

Even though the Butterfly of the Underworld had reached its final notes.

Even with a gap so vast that all of humanity would not blame them for retreating.

These five young idols still showed no fear or hesitation; their eyes sparkled with excitement, as if they were enjoying their performance on stage. Taking advantage of their momentum, they seamlessly began to play Raspberry in Late Winter. The sun furnace listened to this determination and erupted with a powerful score, as the towering giant turned and raised its sword, striking out again with fierce flames that could burn the world!

The battle was not over yet.