Gemini Warden was dead. Lumiere hurried to where the girl was slumped over, her eyes filled with sorrow as she gazed down at the lifeless body of Mystic Accelerator No.8—Campbell Amerisa. Without wasting any time, Lumiere knelt beside her and gently placed his hand on Campbell's chest, his eyes solemn yet resolute.
"What... what are you doing?" the girl struggled to ask.
Lumiere remained calm, his gaze never leaving Campbell, but his voice softened as he replied, "Stay calm, Sonia. Campbell wouldn't want you wasting your strength right now. He's gone, but I can save his final legacy. You'll understand soon."
Slowly, he placed his ether-infused hand over Campbell's chest—a silent farewell. Then, Lumiere reached deep into Campbell's chest as if searching for something. His movements were focused and careful, handling whatever it was with great importance and delicacy.
Sonia watched, her eyes widening in horror, not understanding his intent. She tried to resist, to stop him, but her injuries were too severe to move. Her voice was weak, broken by despair: "S-s-stop... don't... d-don't, L-Lumi... ere!"
She seemed to want to push him away from the revered warrior's body, but her wounds rendered her helpless. She strained to breathe, whispering words of reproach to the benefactor who had just saved her life.
"Be silent and save what's left of your strength, Sonia. As the captain of the Seventh Legion, now left dying from a simple stab wound—Campbell would be disappointed in you. Just wait a moment; I'm about to retrieve it."
A moment later, he slowly withdrew his hand. In his palm lay a cylindrical crystal glowing blue. The light was gentle yet carried immense power. Lumiere looked at Sonia, his eyes sincere.
"This is Campbell's Ether Core. After a Mystic Accelerator dies, all their ether condenses into a crystal like this. Take it, Sonia. Campbell's ether will help you inherit his power. The crystal will transfer and merge with your own ether, creating the successor Mystic Accelerator."
Sonia trembled, trying to fight back, but her body was too weak. Her voice choked, "S-s-stop... I... don't want..."
Lumiere shook his head silently, saying nothing more. He leaned down, gently clasped Sonia's cold hand, and placed the ether crystal into it. His gaze remained gentle yet firm, as if transmitting strength to help her through this moment. As she hesitated, Lumiere wrapped his hand around hers, gently but firmly closing her fingers over the crystal.
At the same time, he placed his other hand on the metal blade lodged deep in her side, channeling ether to slowly extract it without causing further pain. Simultaneously, a "crack" echoed—the sound of the crystal beginning to fracture, emitting a dazzling white light brighter than ever. The light enveloped Sonia, healing her wounds; the bleeding stopped, and a powerful surge of ether filled the air around them.
In mere seconds, Sonia was no longer the dying warrior she had been. She sat there—a girl with long, flowing white hair, hailed as the most beautiful among the legions—now bearing the power of a Mystic Accelerator.
"Why me? Why didn't you let me die with Campbell? How did it come to this?!" Sonia nearly burst into tears, her voice filled with despair and reproach echoing through the air. She turned to Lumiere, eyes brimming with pain and anger, once again blaming him for what he'd done.
However, her body hadn't yet fully adapted to the immense energy she'd just received. Exhausted, she collapsed—drained but safe—awaiting recovery.
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Thirty Minutes Earlier...
Antarctika Point – Alsma Base – Border Between Zone A & Zone B – 9:00 AM
"The bombardment by Emilia and Rias has concluded, sir. Zone B is now a wasteland; our forces can advance and prepare to breach Zone C—where the navy's cannons can't reach," Sonia quickly reported, pride in her voice as she witnessed the devastating power they'd unleashed.
Mystic Accelerator No.8, Campbell Amerisa, nodded. "The enemy has been significantly weakened. Victory for humanity is within reach. Send word to Lumiere and Hayato; tell them to prepare to advance. We'll lead the way, clearing a path into Zone C. Also, notify the other divisions of our actions."
Campbell led his troops into Zone B, now reduced to rubble. Shattered earth mingled with fragments of metal armor from the fallen defenders. The human army marched in arrogance, every step a statement that victory was near. But from afar, Lumiere watched the scene with worry etched in his eyes.
"Campbell, something's not right!" Lumiere said over the communicator, his voice tense. "Everything's too easy. This is Alsma's last fortress. Don't you sense anything off?"
Campbell responded with a weary sigh. "Lumiere, I don't have time for baseless speculations. The enemy is in disarray; just do your duty. Proceed into Zone C as planned. That's all." His cold voice cut off before Lumiere could reply.
Gritting his teeth, Lumiere turned to contact another commander—Mystic Accelerator No.6, Hayato Asakusa. "Hayato, we've got a big problem! The terrain of Zone C isn't suitable for a massive assault, and I suspect—"
"Lumiere, I'm busy right now," Hayato interrupted, his voice dry amid the clashing sounds from his end. "I'll look into it later."
His words were cut off like a knife slicing through Lumiere's patience. He hurled the communicator onto the snowy ground, shouting, "Damn it! They won't listen!"
Vasto, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow at his comrade's tension. "Lumiere, what's going on? What did you say to Campbell and Hayato?"
"No one cares," Lumiere snapped, turning toward Zone C. The distant scene—a fabricated calm—added to his burden. "This isn't an easy victory. Something's waiting for us there."
Vasto remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. "If you're sure, I'll stand with you. But remember, if we're wrong..."
"Then none of us will be alive to fix it," Lumiere finished grimly.
Vasto stared at Lumiere—his close friend and commander. This wasn't the composed, decisive Lumiere he knew; unease was seeping through his facade. It stirred a sense of dread within Vasto.
But he held himself as a soldier. Turning, he raised his hand to signal, preparing to issue orders. "Three legions! Ready yourselves for the final battle. Let's—"
His words were cut short as Lumiere suddenly gripped his shoulder firmly. His eyes were intense, aiming to break through any resistance.
"Vasto, leave now," Lumiere said, his voice low but commanding. "Take the seven thousand elite soldiers from the three legions and use your teleportation skill to return them to base immediately. I sense this isn't the real battlefield. Zone C is a trap. The enemy is luring us into a scheme they've set up."
"Lumiere..." Vasto stepped back, staring hard at his friend. "Are you sure? No.7, Jiryuu Asakusa, along with Valera and two thousand elite troops, are defending the base. If they attack, they can hold the enemy until we return."
"They won't hold," Lumiere replied firmly. "The enemy has anticipated everything. We need to act outside their expectations. Go now, Vasto—before it's too late."
[Chrono Shield – Activation Confirmed]
"What the hell is happening!" Vasto exclaimed as a massive energy wall—a part of the Chronosphere protecting humanity—began forming, stretching along the border of Zone A and B.
"Quickly, Vasto! The shield hasn't fully closed yet—you have to go now! Hurry, return to base!" Lumiere shouted in panic, fear breaking through his usual composure.
In that moment, doubt crept into the minds of every surviving warrior on the battlefield. They didn't understand what was happening, and dread enveloped them like a dark shadow. Without further thought, Vasto invoked, "From Atheria's Valori to the Dimension of Space-Time Nexus: Shift" whisking seven thousand elite soldiers away from the death zone just before the shield sealed completely.
And in that moment, as the frozen winds howled across the desolate plain, Lumiere realized the bitter truth:
We were never the hunters.
We were the bait.