Chapter 877 - 425: Meluna 2
Where to? Don’t know, just see where I end up.
Upon entering the blue sky, she gradually realized that the entire sky had basically been dragged into conflict by this "Empire." They used gigantic monsters to murder and burn everywhere, eliminating or harming anyone who defied them.
And ahead of the young girl, those who blocked her all turned into souls perished by her sword.
This Empire is loathsome, I can kill them all with my sword.
Looking just like a wandering child, the swordswoman dreamt of doing what the refugees of Nebis didn’t dare even consider.
But the Empire was indeed very strong. Although she didn’t mind killing, she couldn’t kill every Imperial she saw.
She roamed across Nebis, cultivating, battling, to become stronger.
...
"Hello, since we are both against the Empire, why not cooperate?"
The young girl encountered some forces resisting the Empire.
Even later, she couldn’t fathom why she agreed to join them at that time?
"Hey, you can’t fight like this, you need to surround us, do you have any spirit of cooperation? Venturing alone will get us killed!"
This bunch was too weak.
"Here’s the plan, display your strength a bit, let these Sky Islands calmly submit to us, smoothly contribute... no, pay taxes, so we can better resist the Empire. You know? Now that the Guild is crushed, we need to build a new alliance."
And there were some whose purpose didn’t really seem to be resisting the Empire.
"Sorry, the Empire’s bounty on you is too high, uh—"
No problem, betrayers die together.
The girl eventually chose to walk alone, whether it was brief cooperation with various groups that turned into confrontation, or single-handedly breaking through the Empire’s encirclement, she could always find an opportunity even in dire straits. Her mastery over Water and breakthrough in Swordsmanship refined her, advancing her further in each extreme situation.
Her name struck dread wherever it was heard, no matter the side of the organization.
Just like this is enough. As long as there is power, one person can always keep winning.
...
On a Sky Island untouched by the Empire’s flames, the girl, cradling her sword, woke up on a park bench to voices nearby.
"Ah, she’s awake."
"You wanted to talk to her, didn’t you? Go ahead."
The girl frowned. The speakers were a family of three, a couple whose faces seemed untouched by life’s troubles, smiling gently. Their daughter, about the same age as her, had bright eyes pure as if she didn’t belong to this war-stricken Sky World.
"Hello, where are you from?" the girl asked cautiously, approaching her.
"City of the Ship’s Rudder."
"You’re really from outside the island, isn’t the ship docked at the Hill of Flowers yours?"
"Yes."
Meimei couldn’t figure out this young girl’s intentions.
Faced with her cold attitude, the young girl found herself troubled. Her parents gently nudged her, whispered something to her, then smiled at the swordswoman, "Sorry, she just wants to make friends. We have few residents here, and she rarely sees peers."
"I can tell." the girl said.
The swordswoman wore battle-worn equipment, some pieces ill-fitting, and bloodstains and magic dust on her were long uncleaned, clashing with the surrounding sunlit pastoral scene.
Her Airship was damaged, forcing her into a secluded island shrouded by Cloud Mist and fierce winds for rest. She hadn’t expected to find scattered households here, entirely untouched by the sky’s disasters.
"If I were you, I wouldn’t be thinking of making friends but preparing to escape. The Empire sweeps through the sky like a hungry wolf, this place will eventually be discovered." said the swordswoman.
The couple exchanged a gentle glance, then said to the girl, "Are you hungry? Come eat at our house?"
"If you’re inviting, I’ll eat." she agreed readily.
Yet she never let her guard down.
Why would strangers invite someone armed back home?
But contrary to her expectations, the couple did prepare piping hot home-cooked dishes, and her Alchemy Ring revealed nothing suspicious about poisons.
Since they invited, she had no modesty, devouring the meal without any ladylike manners.
Meanwhile, their daughter was endlessly curious.
"You carry a sword, that’s amazing, are you one of those Sword Knights?"
"Sky Knights and Swordsmen are two different people." her father corrected.
"Can I see your sword?"
"No."
"I won’t take it, I don’t even understand how to use it."
"Magic Power would harm you."
"You mentioned City of the Ship’s Rudder, my dad said it has a lot of ancient shipbuilding machines, very impressive."
"Not anymore, when I arrived, it had already been destroyed by the Empire."
"Have you been to the City of Trade?"
"Gone as well."
The girl before her seemed to lack any concept of war or destruction internally. She chatted with the swordswoman while laughing with her parents.
This family appeared utterly unconcerned about the raging firestorms outside.
The swordswoman felt inexplicably irritated.
What an oblivious family.
"You’d better escape sooner, the Empire will come here eventually."
Her tone was heavier, disrupting the harmony between the couple and the girl.
The girl gave her a puzzled look, but her mother asked, "Where to escape?"
"They will kill you."
"We knew that." the girl’s father said, "We became tired of our past lives and came to this island to hide, but we do go out to purchase supplies. We’ve heard about the outside situation from the one responsible for delivery."