Chapter 280: Eternal Marks and Oaths

Tears still streaked down Usagi's cheeks, her fingertips trembling slightly. She was deep in thought—if the timeline was really like this… then—

"Usagi." Akari's voice suddenly cut through her thoughts, cold and sharp. "The blood of the War God, KuroAka, and the traitor within the Crimson clan—what's their status?"

Usagi frowned slightly. Despite her lingering dissatisfaction with Akari, she still answered in a low voice, "The blood of the War God KuroAka was taken by Watcher 10. The Skull Army and the Watcher's traitor are tracking them down, but the results are unknown. As for Rinro…" She paused, her gaze dimming. "His life or death is uncertain."

Akari's expression darkened instantly, a chilling frost seeping into his gaze. "Rinro… Why is that guy still alive?! With you and Hayato there, he should have been dead for sure!"

Usagi took a deep breath, her voice hoarse. "We ran into a group of drifters in Sonia. One of them—a Leo ability user with orange pupils—was extremely powerful. He could manipulate gravity and issue absolute commands. I used too much Crimson Blood there, so… I dried out."

Akari's gaze flickered briefly, as if processing the information. He muttered under his breath, "Orange pupils again… What exactly are they after…?"

Both Usagi and Kanto noticed Akari's rare contemplative expression. It was the first time they had seen him like this.

After a long silence, Akari furrowed his brows, his tone low and serious. "The blood of the War God KuroAka must fall into the hands of the Skull Army."

Usagi lifted her eyes toward him and asked bluntly, "Why?"

Akari stopped walking, hands tucked into his pockets, and stared at her deeply before slowly speaking. "Using the blood of the War God KuroAka as a foundation to spread through their base—it's a good thing for the Crimson clan, which has been hunted for so long. You should understand the significance of this." His voice turned cold. "As for Rinro… he knows too much. If he's still alive, that's definitely not a good thing."

Usagi froze, realization suddenly dawning on her. Her fists clenched tightly. She had to admit—Akari's strategy was ruthless and precise—but she still didn't like him.

She took a deep breath, suppressing the storm in her chest, and asked, "…How do you know the blood of the War God KuroAka is in Gabrielle's hands?"

Akari halted, his gaze suddenly turning sharp and dangerous. A faint, cold smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "My sister—Akane—sacrificed her life to bury the small box there. Then she told me…"

The air seemed to freeze at that moment.

Usagi's fingers curled inward, her nails digging into her palms. Her head lowered as a surge of suffocating emotion swelled in her chest. The heavy atmosphere swallowed them whole, suffocating and unrelenting.

The silence was broken by Kanto. "Let me introduce our new member—Lixy, a sniper."

Akari and Usagi's gaze finally fell on Lixy, standing quietly to the side. She gave a slight nod, her face expressionless, like a shadow that blended into the background. This conversation was suffocating, yet from beginning to end, Lixy had remained silent, as if deliberately isolating herself from it.

Kanto reached out and ruffled Lixy's hair roughly, smiling. "She has depression. You'll need to take care of her."

Akari only smiled faintly and looked away, showing no further interest in Lixy. Meanwhile, Usagi stepped forward, gently pushing Kanto's hand away from Lixy's head and tidying up her messy hair. Her hands rested lightly on Lixy's shoulders as she smiled softly. "Sorry, you showed up at a bad time. The atmosphere is a bit heavy… but it's nice to meet you. I'm Usagi."

Lixy remained silent, her expression unchanging. Her gaze drifted toward the cold corpse nearby—the pool of Hayado's blood reflected in her eyes, as if tearing open a scar long buried. It reminded her of those childhood friends who had already died.

Kanto awkwardly shifted his gaze and asked, "Akari, where are we heading next?"

Akari lifted his gaze toward the horizon. The deep blue sky was darkened by heavy clouds. His voice carried an undeniable chill. "The Astherian Empire—or rather… the imperial territory."

"We've already secured the map. We can leave anytime."

Usagi narrowed her eyes. "Why the imperial territory?"

Akari's smile deepened, his eyes dark. "The empire's Mio is a member of the Crimson clan. Whether to gain allies or for other reasons—it's the best choice."

His voice was low and powerful, as if narrating an irreversible fate. Slowly, he turned toward the distant valley shrouded in shadows, his gaze sharp and lethal. He murmured, a barely concealed murderous intent in his tone—

"All of this… is to open the path for the slaughter of gods and demons."

The air became unbearably heavy. No one spoke. Only the sound of wind cut through the battlefield, carrying the scent of death.

Usagi walked toward Hayado's body and knelt down. She reached out her hand, her fingertip slicing open. Crimson drops of blood trickled down, falling onto Hayado's cold chest.

In that instant, Hayado's body convulsed violently—then exploded!

A crimson mist erupted, as if fractured souls were being torn apart. Usagi raised her hand, manipulating the swirling blood into a thread of scarlet light, which finally condensed into a feather pendant. She lowered her head and gently kissed the blood-red feather before hanging it back around her pale neck.

——Setia, she had already etched it into her soul.

But this memory was still incomplete. Rinro's ice bullet had pierced Hayado's chest, leaving a hole that couldn't be filled. And the truth behind that could only be revealed in Setia.

Usagi's gaze swept over Hayado's remains. The chains that had once bound his body and soul now lay silently on the ground. She reached out and picked up the rusted handcuffs and shackles. The cold touch of metal seemed to echo with the suffering and struggle Hayado had endured.

Without hesitation, as if in silent agreement with the remnants, Usagi fastened the handcuffs and shackles around her own wrists and ankles. The chilling metal seemed to remind her of the pain Hayado had suffered—a wound etched into her soul that would never heal.

Then, she lowered her head, her fingers brushing over his ear stud and nose ring. They had once symbolized Hayado's identity—his defiance and persistence. Usagi melted them into a streak of blood-red light and reshaped them into hair clips. Carefully, she slid them into her hair, securing them in place.

Her touch was gentle, but the determination in her gaze was profound. Every strand of hair now carried Hayado's memory. Usagi's gaze sharpened, her expression resolute. These remnants of Hayado would not be forgotten—they would drive her forward.

Usagi stood up, shaking the blood from her fingertips. Her gaze was cold and steady. She lifted her chin slightly and said—

"Let's go—to the Astheria Empire."