They fled—Moon Owl led them to escape. The Twelfth District simply lacked the strength to face three Chapter Threes. Nearly all visible combatants threw themselves into blocking the invaders, yet failed to halt their advance.

Moon Owl sat quietly in the hospital room, watching the nurse bandage Illusory Glass’s wounds. Had she been a moment slower, every fighter of the Twelfth District would have perished in that rubble.

“Is your rewind truly without cost?” Moon Owl asked.

Hearing her speak, the nurse realized she no longer belonged there and gently closed the door.

Illusory Glass nodded. So far, she felt no toll from rewinding time. Seeing her silent affirmation, Moon Owl continued:

“If we fall… I’ll have to trouble you to come again.”

Ignoring her injuries, Illusory Glass stood abruptly. She knew their enemy’s might—forces the entire Twelfth District could barely withstand.

“We’re not at the end yet. It’s not time to rewind. There *has* to be a way…”

She had lived death. Witnessed it. Her soul wept in that lightless void. With every rewind, death returned to haunt her eyes.

An old book claimed death was fixed—that even altering the future only changed *how* or *when* the destined fell.

Illusory Glass rejected it. She believed in neither fate nor predetermined ends.

Moon Owl opened her mouth—but Illusory Glass cut her off, voice urgent, eyes glistening faintly red.

“I know what you’ll say: *‘I am an Order Keeper, Guardian of the Twelfth District. Death is familiar. I do not fear it…’*

Yes! You’re fearless! Heroic! You’d give your lives for this district… To others, you’re guardians. To me? You’re all *fools*!

Can’t you be selfish *once*?! Have you ever cherished yourselves?! Thought of your families?!”

Moon Owl’s words caught in her throat. Illusory Glass was right—they never had.

After her promotion to Chapter Two, Moon Owl visited home less. She brought the Old Woman and others to the academy under mentorship. After ascending to Chapter Three? Rarely at all.

Her grandfather lay in the ICU. With a flick of her power, she could stand beside him. Yet aside from brief visits days ago, she hadn’t returned.

Border unrest flared constantly. Seeker and Order Keeper involvement muddied every conflict. She stayed sharp, ready—like today.

Hence the nurse’s remark: visits had sharply declined.

“They say protecting citizens is the Order Keeper’s duty. *Bullshit!* Your family *are* citizens! Protecting them is your duty too! How can you call yourself a ‘Guardian’ if you fail your own home?”

No argument swayed them—not even Moon Owl before her. *Fools*, just as she said.

“You’re right…” Moon Owl’s voice softened. “But we know this too. Someone must stand first. In the Twelfth District, that’s *us*. If we flee—who steps up? Send ordinary people against Chapter Twos? Chapter Threes?

Just as you won’t let me die… I won’t let these people—the ones living, striving here—march to death. Especially not you, before my eyes. So I stand. *You* will live. *I* will too.”

Moon Owl ruffled Illusory Glass’s hair. But Illusory Glass couldn’t smile. Of course not—she’d just refused her dear younger sister’s plea.

“You’re always like this… That’s why you’re all fools!”

She’d heard this reply before—in countless loops. Moon Owl never wavered. Stubborn? Maybe. But to Illusory Glass? Still fools.

“So… I leave the rest to you.”

Spoken lightly, yet Illusory Glass felt the crushing weight on Moon Owl’s shoulders. She pulled her into a quiet embrace, whispering:

“I understand… I will do it.”

Illusory Glass drifted to sleep. Hours later, a lightness in her arms. Blinking awake, the space beside her empty. A faint trace of spatial mana lingered in the air—Moon Owl had returned to the battlefield.

She slapped her cheeks. *Time to move.* She wouldn’t wait to die and rewind. She *would* find a way… for everyone to survive.

“Anchor point set.”

She dashed out, fixing the anchor to the doorknob.

…

In the office, Blade slumped in her chair, scowling at the screen. The moment Moon Owl’s group retreated, she’d sent envoys to negotiate with the Chapter Threes—buying half a day for every Magic Maiden of the Twelfth District.

Half a day was her absolute limit. Too short to evacuate all civilians.

“They’ve all gone to fight.”

Every Magic Maiden stood ready. “Negotiations” ended. All deployed—leaving only her, alone.

She prided herself as the district’s strategist. Yet against true power, schemes felt fragile.

Like the Abyss of Insects three months prior: she evacuated citizens, deployed troops, mobilized weapons… All meaningless without Night Frost’s miracle.

“If only I had that strength too.”

The door opened. Qianchun peeked in, displeasure flickering across her face. Mobilized every Magic Maiden—except her, from Aklatia.

“Why wasn’t I allowed to fight? I tried to reinforce them—they blocked me!”

Blade sized her up, sipped coffee to steady her nerves.

“With your unreliable Magic Stone? You’d die pointlessly. Focus on evacuating Aklatia’s citizens.”

Qianchun shot her a glare. Blade had already assigned Yan Xin to handle it. Evacuation was likely complete.

She’d sat idle in the next room for hours. No frontline reports. No idea what was happening. Frantic, powerless.

She could only sit beside Blade and make hollow small talk.

Above the Twelfth District, Moon Owl faced three Chapter Threes alone. Behind her stood nearly all remaining strength: Lu Jin, Lu Shi, Dawnlight, Zhao Qingsnow, the Old Woman, Qiu Sheng, Chen Xiaoyin.

“*This* is your best?” one sneered. “After that catastrophe, you still have forces? Pathetic strays. How dare you challenge us?”

Moon Owl glanced back. Strategy set: Lu Jin, Lu Shi, and the Old Woman vs. Aphrodite; Moon Owl vs. the stronger Zone Fifteen Guardian; the rest to hold the final Seeker.

“Dare challenge a Chapter Three?” the Guardian boomed. “Today, you learn the gap.”

Air armor sheathed his body. He plummeted down, arm sweeping—a single strike split the defenders. The plan shattered.

Moon Owl lunged to clash with him. Then—stone arrows rained from the sky.

Lu Jin landed near Dawnlight; Lu Shi regrouped with the Old Woman and Zhao Qingsnow.

“Well, fancy meeting you here,” the Old Woman murmured. Zhao Qingsnow gave a curt nod, icy gaze locked on Aphrodite above, the Eye Orb in her hand pulsing with dread.

The remaining fighters faced the calm Seeker. She raised a hand.

“Dodge!” Qiu Sheng shouted.

A formation erupted from the ground—but missed. Had it struck, mana would vanish, leaving them helpless. Lu Shi had warned them… but first-timers hesitated.

In that half day, they’d pooled intel: this Seeker used only basic Magic Spells—and they were already overwhelming. As a Chapter Three, she surely held deeper power… yet revealed none.

“Since she holds back, we stall. Assignments shifted, plan unchanged. If an opening appears—send Lu Jin. Ease their pressure.”

Chen Xiaoyin intercepted a Magic Cannon aimed at Dawnlight.

“Understood!”

Dawnlight raised her staff—a light circle enveloped them. Chen Xiaoyin chanted; a pale blue barrier shimmered above. Lu Jin’s rose-fire wall spat embers. Qiu Sheng’s palms crackled with brilliant lightning.

…They knew, with absolute clarity: there was no retreat.