Perhaps because the Robin currently singing in the Dragon Nation was her, and the Sparkle witnessing the bombing firsthand in the Sakura Nation was also her, the stark contrast between these simultaneous realities felt almost surreal.
Soon, Sparkle arrived near the bombing site. Of course, her main body had disembarked halfway there, and a clone was now driving.
Initially, as she approached the area, Sparkle could still see large numbers of refugees fleeing along the streets. But the closer she got, the fewer people she encountered.
Collapsed buildings, raging fires among the ruins, and the air thick with the acrid stench of gunpowder mixed with the sickly-sweet smell of charred flesh.
Deeper in, the ground was littered with mangled remains: severed arms and legs, gore-soaked torsos, and sticky, unidentifiable clumps of flesh clinging to the pavement.
If all these pieces were put together, perhaps... they had once been a single person?
It was no exaggeration to say that a wave of visceral revulsion washed over Sparkle the moment she saw the scene.
The illusions she had orchestrated in the research base, being entirely of her own making, hadn't stirred any disgust. But the sight before her now was far bloodier and more sickening than anything she had fabricated.
Fortunately, only her clone was present; had her main body been here, she might have vomited outright.
This was the first time she had ever witnessed so many corpses firsthand, the first time she had glimpsed... the tip of the iceberg of war.
Sparkle's emotions were a tangled mess. What had these people done wrong? Nothing, it seemed. They had simply lived ordinary lives in their homes.
Yet even so, Death had descended upon them, mercilessly snatching their lives away.
Those who have never known peace can scarcely comprehend this feeling: at any moment, in any place, a bomb might fall from the sky or a bullet could suddenly emerge from some hidden corner, ending your life.
Worse still, this existence stretches on endlessly, day after day, year after year, with no end in sight. Perhaps... death itself offers release compared to living in constant terror?
Buzz— With a deafening roar, the bombers swept overhead once more. This time, however, they released no bombs; they were merely returning to base.
Yet even the sound of their departure triggered panic. Sparkle watched as nearly every fleeing civilian around her erupted in screams. Some bolted wildly in random directions, accelerating toward bizarre destinations, while others huddled on the ground, clutching their heads and trembling uncontrollably.
Beyond sorrow, she could find no word to describe the scene unfolding before her.
-
In the capital of the Sakura Nation, the Bureau of Anomalous Investigations had received news of the White Eagle's bombing campaign. The attacks weren't limited to Itajō; a total of four cities were targeted.
More accurately, the bombs struck factories within those cities.
However, bombers aren't perfectly accurate, and the bombs' destructive power was immense, inevitably causing heavy civilian casualties. Not that the White Eagle seemed to care.
"The Navy has been completely routed. What do we do now, Deputy Director?" a clerical worker from the "Sparkle Edition" asked delicately.
It was a remarkable understatement. As an island nation with no natural defenses and entirely coastal borders, naval defeat effectively determined the course of the entire war. Without maritime control, the Sakura Nation's limited territory could be swiftly invaded and completely occupied.
In truth, this might be exactly what Sparkle secretly hoped for. After witnessing the recent devastation, she desperately wanted the Sakura Nation to be swiftly overrun, surrender quickly, and end the war as soon as possible.
Yet the Deputy Director remained impassive. He lightly tapped his index finger on the desk before him and said, "No need to rush. Let them land first..."
Sparkle frowned. The Deputy Directors unwavering confidence suggested he had some hidden plan up his sleeve.
In reality, Sparkle had a crystal-clear understanding of the Sakura Nation's military strength and Evolver population. After racking her brain for hours, she couldn't fathom how the Deputy Director could possibly turn the tables.
He wouldn't launch nuclear weapons, would he?
In this world, missile interception systems were incredibly advanced, and the Sakura Nation, lacking the White Eagle's technological prowess, would undoubtedly have its nuclear weapons intercepted.
Then the White Eagle would retaliate with nuclear strikes of their own, turning the Sakura Nation into a wasteland. That would be sheer suicide.
Though she couldn't quite decipher his scheme, Sparkle decided to temporarily shelve her "movie project."
This wasn't out of some bleeding-heart desire to save every Sakura Nation person harmed by the war. After witnessing that hellish scene, she had simply developed a profound loathing for the very concept of "war."
She wanted to end this conflict quickly, and the best way to do that was to ensure the Sakura Nation's swift defeat.
As Sparkle pondered how to proceed, in the Dragon Nation, Robin's concert had just concluded. After a slight bow to thank the audience, she turned and retreated backstage.
After singing with such intensity for so long, Robin was naturally exhausted. Sweat plastered her clothes to her skin, making her feel sticky and uncomfortable.
But that wasn't the main issue. While singing, she had secretly used her Ability to forcibly calm herself, just as Sparkle was entering the "bombardment zone."
After all, vomiting onstage during her own concert—even just a sudden gag or two—would pretty much end her career, wouldn't it?
Hmm, maybe there's a way to salvage this? She could pull off a "role swap." Using the Chat Group, she could instantly summon the invisible Sparkle to manipulate the vision of everyone in the audience. Then, she could transform Sparkle into Robin while Firefly summoned the real Robin away—a grand vanishing act!
Next, she'd let Sparkle run wild, completely sabotaging the concert and taking full responsibility for the disaster.
After all, Sparkle doesn't exactly care about her "image," does she?
Robin secretly filed this plan away. She didn't need it now, but who knew when it might come in handy?