Story Reader / Main Story / 13 Fake Ascension / Story
The Corrupted arrived in waves. Lucia, with her wounded leg, struggled to hold on. Even with the large amount of enemies she had defeated, she still could not change a thing...
More of them gathered in the periphery of her vision, ready to destroy this waning line of defense.
Lucia... enough. My corruption... I'm too far gone.
Hiro...
He took off his tag and handed it to Lucia.
I'm sorry, Lucia... I'm sorry, Xun, Murol...
Now, I must ask you to kill me before I turn into the enemy.
Hiro smiled wryly and shook his head.
Or, perhaps... we are humanity's enemies all along...
...
They looked at each other in silence. After what must have been forever, Lucia pointed her katana toward Hiro...
We are the blades that protect humans... But...
Mournfully, she looked at the Corrupted army surrounding her.
...I have to save Xun and Murol!
Having made up her mind, Lucia tried to carve a path for herself within the Corrupted horde, but the number of enemies had far exceeded what she initially thought.
Dammit!
Despite still being tormented by the Punishing Virus, Lucia continued destroying the enemies around her... She had no idea how long she went on when she saw two familiar figures in the crowd.
They acted as if they knew all her moves and weaknesses, and similarly, she knew theirs inside out.
However unwilling she was to face the truth, the tags hung around the two figures' necks dragged her back into reality.
Murol... Xun... It is you...
Lucia could no longer hold onto her katana, and she let it drop into the swamp—the crimson blade that had been wielded with honor and slaughtered countless Corrupted was now covered in mud, filthy and tainted.
It's okay... At least I'll be recalled.
Now, let me release you from these infected shells!
Picking up her teammates' tags, Lucia turned and looked at the approaching Corrupted.
These Corrupted... How many of them had gone through what happened here today, causing their infections?
—"They" used to believe in someone.
Hi, you must be Lucia? I'm Ravenge, the Gray Raven Commandant. I need you to become our strongest soldier against the Corrupted. The perfect weapon.
—"They" used to fight with their companions.
Lucia, you're not lost. Gray Raven is where you belong. We're the only one who'll never betray you, who'll never abandon you...
—"They" used to make promises...
Before being corrupted... We were so similar once...
The vital fluid in Lucia's body was gradually dwindling. Unable to support her frame, she slowly collapsed by the broken walls of the ruins.
Humans... Do they really deserve our protection?
Lucia clutched the tags in her hand and fell into silence.
