Chapter 435 Between Will and Sacrifice — The Void Child Rejected by the World
The morning fog at the eastern border of Earth brings news that is colder than the air itself. Under the heavy gray sky, the weather seems to sense it—cloud formations gather in shades of anxiety, as if nature itself is afraid of what is to come. Each gust of wind carries whispers of forgotten history, recounting tales that refuse to fade. Stammering voices, weary messengers, and unsealed documents of war spread like a contagion—proclaiming a reality that makes even the most distant lands tremble:
Gaia and Earth are preparing for a great war.
Amidst the burning cause, only one name is repeatedly mentioned:
Iris.
The queen who vanished from Gaia's records. The woman once known as a symbol of peace. Now she is sought... because she carries the child of Fitran Fate. A resonance is heard among the ancient trees, perhaps the voice of nature mourning the impending loss, signaling the uncertainty that envelops every soul. Joanna gazes at the map. Her hands tremble, not out of fear—but because the map is inscribed with blood. Every line and color on that map tells fragmented stories filled with wounds and hopes that have long since faded.
Rui stood by the window, her eyes wide open and unblinking. She could feel the tension in the small room, enveloping them like a spider's web tightening around its prey.
"Oda Nobuzan... the last place she was seen," Joanna murmured, her voice almost lost in the depths of panic. Could she too become just a memory left behind?
"It's not just a small country," Rui continued, her gaze penetrating the thick fog of uncertainty. "It's the remnants of the spiritual stronghold of the Oda clan. And... she was pregnant there?" A wave of sadness accompanied by an unbearable guilt haunted their souls; Rui couldn't fathom what might happen if everything unraveled poorly.
Joanna couldn't respond. However, something in her eyes began to lock away her intentions. Fear and hope clashed, waging a silent war within her mind, which was trapped with a singular goal: to save Iris.
"Rui..." Her voice was soft yet filled with determination, as if she were trying to build a bridge between reality and hope.
"Don't tell me to wait." Rui replied, her voice trembling. She knew all too well that time was not on her side; emptiness loomed outside the window, waiting to swallow them whole.