As the volcano erupted, the continent's axis trembled, the crust heaved, and the searing heat from deep underground writhed like a living thing. A storm laced with ash swept across the land, and the gas and mana exposed to the air ignited in a chain of massive explosions.0

Boom—! Boom—! Boom—!0

If the end of the world had a shape and came with fireworks, this would be it. The Magicore wrapped around the volcano had long since lost its function, warped, shattered, and splintered from direct contact with the magma infused with mana. The spell Epherene cast to support it was far too weak—completely useless in the face of such destruction.0

The deafening roar pressed in on Epherene’s muffled ears, the rivers of magma crashing down in torrents, and the blistering heat of wild mana—all of it unfolded in slow motion. 0

The disaster that would go down in history, capable of erasing both Yuren and the Ashes, played out with terrifying clarity. Every explosion etched itself into her mind like a web spreading across glass, while volcanic ash descended with a weight as heavy and majestic as a giant's hand.0

Eeeeee—0

The ringing in her ears pounded through her skull.0

“Help…”0

Through the haze, Epherene turned her eyes back to Deculein, hoping—even then—that he would save her.0

However, the moment she met Deculein’s eyes, the last of her hope slipped away.0

Deculein’s clear blue eyes—Yukline’s eyes—met hers in silence, conveying everything without a word—this was her doing, her responsibility to bear, a catastrophe born of her greed and masked by the naivety of misplaced kindness.0

“Do you understand now?” Deculein said.0

Kraaaaaaaaaash—!0

In the blink of an eye, the magma...0