Nikke, something’s seriously wrong with this evacuation point! Chapter 40 40: He… Is Gone?

After cutting the communication, Charon stood up.

In front of him, the passage was already piled high with the corpses of Raptures, temporarily blocking the way forward.

He didn't intend to keep listening to Liliweiss anymore.

Because if he did… he might not be able to leave.

And that wouldn't do.

He had finally helped her stand on her own, he couldn't let himself remain soone she depended on.

Yes… that was one reason.

Ever since he took command of Liliweiss, he had noticed sothing:

Her dependence on him was too strong.

Almost everything began and ended with "Commander."

She had practically beco a tool in his hands–

if he told her to go east, she would go east;

if he told her west, she would never go south.

From Charon's perspective, that wasn't a problem.

In fact… it felt pretty great.

But–

That wasn't good for this world.

Now that Liliweiss had beco the "Goddess of Victory."

She had to carry that responsibility.

To lead humanity.

To fight the Raptures.

To beco the embodint of hope.

As he said–

A goddess cannot show weakness.

He was going to leave eventually.

He couldn't stay here forever.

So he chose this mont… to prepare her path forward.

He never once considered the possibility that she would break down.

That was impossible.

He had absolute confidence in her.

After all–

if she could endure a year of painful modification.

What was this compared to that?

Still… forcing that burden onto her was a fact.

If he ever got the chance–

he'd let her punch him once.

Hopefully… not too hard.

And there was another reason he chose to leave here.

Since obtaining materials from the relay station to extend Liliweiss's lifespan was no longer possible…

He had to find another path.

And at that mont–

Sothing he had always overlooked…

Yet was his greatest trump card–

Ca to mind.

Zone Zero.

He ca from there.

And its power…

was enough to let him cross worlds,

to create miracles that could reshape reality.

Even if those miracles had only appeared rarely–

They undeniably existed.

He had been ignoring that power.

But this ti–

He would return,search for it,and uncover its true potential.

There had to be a way to save Liliweiss.

Even if it ant leaving everything behind.

Outside the Logistics Center

Raptures gathered in massive numbers.

They were waiting.

Waiting for the "signal" that had summoned them.

Among them, Tyrant-class units stood like towering giants, dozens of ters tall.

Above them–

The space elevator descended rapidly.

So Raptures raised their heads, staring at what would soon beco their "prey," unable to suppress the hunger within their cores.

Others began climbing the elevator itself,

like a swarm of ants forming a living mountain.

The lower half of the structure was completely covered.

Eventually–

The elevator slowed.

Then stopped.

Inside the logistics center–

Countless gun barrels pointed at the elevator doors.

Waiting.

Ding–

The doors opened.

Empty.

No one inside.

Confusion spread among the Raptures.

The signal had clearly co from here.

But their limited reasoning stopped there.

Then–

At the exact sa mont–

All of them froze.

Starting from the ones closest to the elevator–

Their chanical bodies began to separate.

Clean cuts.

Smooth as mirrors.

Internal components exposed.

Every single Rapture–

Split into pieces.

Three… five… countless fragnts.

None survived.

At the entrance of the logistics center–

Liliweiss stood.

She didn't even look back.

In her right hand, the plain, unremarkable dagger.

In her left–

her nails dug deep into her own palm.

She couldn't find him.

Not in the logistics center.

Not in the sewers.

Not in the buildings.

Not inside the bodies of Tyrant-class Raptures.

Nowhere.

She couldn't find him.

She lost him.

She lost him.

She lost him.

Nikke Liliweiss…

Had lost her Commander.

When she ca back to her senses–

she was already at the edge of the city.

In the distance, on a cliff, she spotted a vehicle.

Beside it, a cara, already set up.

And next to it, an antenna.

So–

She acted.

Exactly as Charon had planned.

She had to.

Because if she didn't, the overwhelming emotions she was suppressing, could crush her completely.

And if that happened–

Everything Charon had done…

Would lose its aning.

She would never allow that.

Elsewhere, The World

It was an ordinary afternoon.

People in the rear areas continued their lives under the shadow of the Raptures.

Because life had to go on.

Then–

At the sa mont, across cities, schools, hospitals, companies–

Every live broadcast was suddenly cut.

"What's going on?"

"Hackers again?"

"Another cult broadcast?"

"Yeah right, like last ti,'go to heaven' or sothing."

"Do you believe that, or being God?"

"I believe you're God more."

People didn't take it seriously anymore.

They had seen this too many tis.

But this ti–

It was different.

On the screens–

Instead of propaganda–

Appeared a live view from the cliffs near the space elevator.

And what they saw, was unbelievable.

The Raptures, were being destroyed.

And at the center of it all–

Was a single woman.

Beautiful.

Overwhelming.

Unstoppable.

The beings that once brought humanity endless fear–

Were now nothing more than scrap tal in her hands.

Elsewhere

In Rose's apartnt–

She silently hung up a satellite call from the frontline base.

Then stared blankly at the flowing code on her screen.

She was the one who hijacked the signal.

Her lips barely moved.

"He… is gone?"