After Alan's explanation, March 7th finally recalled something—Asta had likely given her a key.
But she had no idea where she put it.
Thankfully, it hadn't been lost. After rummaging through her clothes for a bit, she found it nestled in the pocket of her shirt.
"See? I told you I didn't lose it."
She scratched her head, a sheepish grin tugging at her lips. Even for someone as carefree as her, causing a mess like this left a faint sting of embarrassment.
"…If it's been found, then let's begin. The elevator access can be unlocked through the control console."
Alan motioned toward the control center.
Dan Heng let out a quiet sigh, summoned his spear, and took the lead without hesitation.
"I'll go ahead and clear the path."
"Wait, Dan Heng, don't push yourself too much. We've got Miss Felicity here—hold on, where is she?"
March 7th took a few steps, intending to stop Dan Heng, confident that with an Emanator as their escort, they had little to worry about—unless another Emanator appeared, threats were negligible.
But when she turned to look behind her, she realized Felicity wasn't with them. She glanced back toward the elevator—and there Felicity stood, unmoving.
"Miss Felicity? Can you hear me? Hello—"
"Hm? Oh. I'm fine."
Still standing by the elevator, Felicity raised her head as though roused from a distant thought. She smiled faintly and caught up to the group.
Before moving, she cast a glance out the window.
…A gathering of lifeforms had begun to stir outside the space station.
—
It didn't take long to unlock the elevator controls. And with Felicity watching over them, no ordinary soldier could get close.
"Whoa! That was wild. I didn't even see what happened before the enemies were down!"
March 7th's eyes sparkled with stars. In this moment, she had completely lowered her guard, looking at Felicity with admiration and curiosity. "How did you do that?"
"Hehe, I'm your Emanator. It's my duty to defeat all who oppose us."
Felicity puffed out her chest with pride, her grin smug and playful—like she was waiting for endless praise.
"What kind of setting is that now?"
Even someone as bubbly as March 7th couldn't keep up with Felicity's logic. She rolled her eyes with a sigh.
"Come to think of it, we've already reached the elevator. This feels more like a field trip~"
She glanced around. The tension was gone, and a brief sense of ease made her lower her vigilance. But the moment those words left her mouth, something clicked in her mind. She froze and quickly covered her lips.
"Wait. Did I just… jinx us?"
She asked, a little nervous.
"You catch on fast."
Felicity gave her a thumbs up with an earnest smile. "Highly effective."
"That's not something I want to be praised for!!"
March 7th wailed in despair.
And right then—without warning—a massive white arrow wrapped in purple energy came flying toward them.
Dan Heng reacted instantly, summoning his spear in defense, but Felicity was even faster. She darted in front of the group, lifted her hand—and blocked the arrow with her bare body.
"Miss Felicity!?"
March 7th's cry echoed through the corridor. From where she stood, she clearly saw a bloom of crimson erupt from Felicity's palm. The arrow carried a destructive force—enough that, even for an Emanator, it wouldn't be a trivial wound.
Even Dan Heng looked briefly stunned. He hadn't expected someone he just met to throw herself into harm's way so willingly.
Behind them, Stelle stood between March 7th and Dan Heng, looking utterly lost.
She hadn't yet absorbed all the strange terminology March 7th had tried to explain, and her reaction to the unfolding chaos was delayed. Tilting her head, she let out a quiet, confused:
"…Huh?"
Meanwhile, Felicity stood still. Her hand had been pierced clean through, but all she did was furrow her brows—as if it were no more than a scratch, something bothersome yet entirely ignorable.
With a flick of her wrist, the arrow—now drained of power—clattered harmlessly to the floor.
"Ha…"
Felicity let out a small breath as the pain registered. She paused, then spoke under her breath.
"…Too weak. Lacking impact."
This attack was certainly a step above what the foot soldiers could muster, but still far from threatening her. Even if she dropped every layer of defense, all it did was pierce her palm.
Not lethal—but it hinted that the Antimatter Legion was beginning to shift.
She wondered briefly… Could the Lord Ravager do better?
An emerald glow shimmered from her injured hand. The terrible wound began to mend before their eyes. At the same time, two massive blooms emerged—one above, one below—encircling the hidden centaur.
"A Trampler!"
March 7th gasped.
The Trampler, a rare creature among the Antimatter Legion, had both the instinct of a beast and the cunning of a warrior. Its roars summoned endless waves of foot soldiers.
Under normal circumstances, it would have posed a threat. Dan Heng and March 7th would've had to push themselves to win.
But now…
The twin blossoms enclosed the Trampler. A translucent green barrier connected their petals. The Trampler reared up, hooves slamming downward with force that could tear steel.
The flowers didn't even budge.
Felicity raised her hand and gently slid her fingers downward. The blooms responded instantly, releasing a blinding green light.
"Bloom… in my name."
Bang—
A sharp, shattering sound echoed through the corridor as the surge of power cascaded through the Trampler's body, ripping away every shred of its life force.
It collapsed without even the chance to cry out.
Silence fell.
"…That's it?"
March 7th finally broke the stillness. Her eyes drifted to Felicity's hand—the one that had blocked the arrow. Not even a scar remained.
Then she looked at the lifeless Trampler. There wasn't a single wound on it, yet it was unmistakably dead.
She opened her mouth to speak, but too many thoughts tangled on her tongue. In the end, they all condensed into a single word.
"…huh?"