The battlefield froze.
The Harbinger stood motionless beneath the crimson sky.
Its countless weapons remained aimed at the First World.
Yet Kael's attention was elsewhere.
That voice...
It hadn't sounded mechanical.
It had sounded human.
"Did anyone else hear it?" Kael asked.
The Guardians exchanged confused glances.
Lyra shook her head.
"I heard nothing."
Seraphine lowered her sword.
"Only the Harbinger's announcement."
Kael frowned.
"So it was only me?"
"No," Aetherion replied.
"I heard it as well."
His voice carried an emotion Kael had never heard before.
"Hope."
The Harbinger raised one massive foot.
The ground trembled as it took another step toward the capital.
Crystal dragons filled the sky, circling the giant machine.
They unleashed streams of crystal fire.
The flames exploded across the Harbinger's armor.
When the smoke cleared...
Only a faint scratch remained.
The Guardians stared in disbelief.
"We actually damaged it!"
Caelum smiled.
"Not much."
"But it's proof."
"It can be wounded."
Suddenly, the Harbinger stopped again.
Its crimson eyes flickered.
For a single heartbeat...
They turned blue.
The battlefield fell silent.
Then the voice returned.
Faint.
Weak.
"...Please..."
"...Stop it..."
Kael looked up.
"Who's there?"
No answer came.
Instead, the Harbinger clutched its own head.
The massive machine staggered backward.
Its weapons powered down.
Crimson energy battled against blue light beneath its armor.
Aetherion's voice echoed urgently.
"The pilot is resisting!"
Veyrath watched from the bridge of the Void Citadel.
His calm expression disappeared.
"So..."
"You're still alive."
He raised one hand.
A crimson symbol appeared before him.
"Obey."
The symbol flashed.
Across the battlefield, the Harbinger let out a deafening roar.
The blue light vanished.
Its eyes burned crimson once more.
It turned toward Kael.
"Primary target confirmed."
"Elimination resumed."
Dozens of crimson cannons charged at once.
Kael gathered white starlight around himself.
"No..."
He stared at the giant.
"I'm not fighting you."
Everyone looked at him in shock.
"What are you doing?" Caelum shouted.
Kael didn't answer.
He closed his eyes.
Instead of preparing an attack...
He reached out with the power of the Last Core.
A single beam of white light left his hand.
It didn't strike the Harbinger.
It touched its chest.
The place where the faint blue light had appeared.
For a moment...
Nothing happened.
Then—
Deep inside the Worldbreaker...
A pair of exhausted blue eyes slowly opened.
A young man lay suspended within a crystal chamber.
Chains of crimson energy wrapped around his arms and legs.
He looked toward the white light.
A tear rolled down his face.
"So..."
His voice barely escaped his lips.
"...Someone finally found me."
Outside, the Harbinger's entire body shook violently.
The battle was no longer about destroying a weapon.
It was about saving the soul imprisoned inside it.