Phantom Wisps

Hey! Our Endmin just commended you. A bit of honest appreciation doesn't cost much, you know!

The Marker Stone is just ahead. Your orders, Endmin.

...I only fulfilled your command.

"Open the entrance". That's all.

I am being honest.

I suppose those fragile traces of the Arts slowed you down, Endmin?

How pitiful... You are but a weakened shadow. Why then do you still cradle the fate of Terra?

Target locked.

But it is not yet too late, Endmin.

Either stop me at the top, or ... take everyone and flee.

Target lost... Tsk. Teleportation arts again.

I shall destroy this Marker Stone. Freed from the Xiranite Dam's suppressive forces, the Very Large Rift shall reveal the entirety of the Ætherside.

No, I see a passage right before us.

A Feranmut's Heart... He might have taken out the other hearts.

It's not that easy. Ardashir may have destroyed all the Feranmut Hearts along the way.

Then how are we supposed to catch up? I don't see any way to get up there nearby...

Just put the Xirancore Jades back in their place to re-open the channel...

Seems you have not forgotten.

Located at two sides of the place.

Endmin, gimme a hand!

Hmm. Is there something in the scroll...? WOW!

No. They're her "ink spirits"... Messengers of the Feranmut Proxy.

Are they flying away?

What did she say?

...She sensed the intrusion and is helping us to locate the Xirancore Jades.

I can sense the ink spirits' locations. Follow me.

Did you make these?

And she complained. A lot.

Their abilities cannot be measured by mortal means. The Marker Stone is also one of a kind. She'd naturally sense things that happen to it.

...Proxies have feelings too. Perhaps it's better to say she's more child-like than ordinary people.

But her physical form is too far away to reach Wuling on time...

At least she's still helping us in her own way.

That's how it works... The scroll opens up the channel. How interesting.

Let's not speculate. Capture him and we'll have our answers.

Agreed. Make ready.

Ardashir better have some tricks. Even if he were to breach the Marker Stone, moving around won't be easy.

But...

But he is intentionally sabotaging the Feranmut's Heart and seems to know the Marker Stone really well.

The Xirancore Jade! It's really here!

Ardashir completely destroyed this place...

Because the Xiranite stockpile is just nearby.

Xiranite is designed to fill the rift and neutralize the Æther... They literally cancel each other out.

...But he managed to start this fire in the Marker Stone.

Did it really come from the other side of the rift?

Is he really human?

The Blight has various shapes and forms, so it is natural for Æther to behave the same. This fire is just one type of Æther energy.

We should retrieve the Xirancore Jade first.

But I've never heard of anyone who could wield Æther like Originium Arts...

No matter what, this fire must not spread beyond the Marker Stone.

...Even if extreme measures must be taken.

Li...

The road is out...

Clear the way. This calls for an unconventional solution.

The Proxy's ink spirit...?

...Borrow your powers? Alright. I know what you're trying to do.

Did you just move those Xiranite blocks?!

The Proxy strengthened my control over the Marker Stone.

The final battle awaits.

It's the Xirancore Jade!

It's within reach...

But he's not going to make things easy for us.

Job done! That should restart the Feranmut's Heart!

Yes... When we step through the scroll, we might be facing Ardashir himself.

Endmin, for our next course of action...

If you need me for something dangerous, do not hesitate...

I am your trump card.

You just need to play the card to stay out of the fight.

From the intel you shared, you have yet to reach your optimal form after your awakening.

If Ardashir is treating you as a target, he has absolute confidence in facing you in your current state.

Furthermore, he seems to know you very well.

THAT'S JUST NONSENSE—!

There are merits to it. The Endministrator was once a symbol that meant different things to different people. Enemies included.

But he knows nothing about me.

If the Proxy's tricks can hamper his plans, then I, having borrowed the Proxy's power, will pose a threat to him.

I alone shall suffice.

After all, your personal safety ... is also my most important mission.

What are the chances of success?

Not too bad.

...And for extraction?

...Not too good either.

LI!! You're still so hung up about sacrificing this and that for the sake of battle?!

Then why would Tianshi Zhuang send me here alone?

......

She knows what I'm capable of, and believes I can do it.

Endmin, I hope you can give me your word...

Your safety is worth more than my life —

......

Is that an order?

...Understood.

Really? Well, I hope you're not doing anything crazy again.

If such is the Endmin's order, I will not question it.