"Capture her by any means necessary! We can't let her escape."

"Don't allow her to open that portal!"

"Where are the archers?!"

"Sir, everyone is dead. That thing took them down."

Fuck, we're so close. We can't let her escape now. This pursuit has already cost us too much for her to flee. If she were to escape, I would lose my career if not my head. Three years, five months, and twenty days in total. We have been searching for her for almost three and a half years, across the entire continent. Every unit has at best half of their numbers intact, but if we catch her here and now, it will be worth it.

"What the hell is this now?"

"That... is a portal?"

"This isn't good."

Men who had been relentlessly chasing after one person for already far too long were now stunned before the portal she had created.

Among people, three types of portals were known: short-range portals on lenght of within the caster's sight, long-range portals for travel between towns and kingdoms, and the one that is only theoretical-for traveling between worlds. These are the three portals known to most common folk, each with its unique characteristics. But the portal that had been created now was completely different. Instead of circular or oval shapes, this one resembled a rift in space itself. Unlike the warm colors found in common portals, this one was a cold, pale blue on the outer side, gradually shifting to white towards the center.

And there stood a human, covered from head to toe in blood. A girl with hair stained red, once as white as freshly fallen snow, holding ice swords in both hands, turning towards us for the last time.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Her eyes were cold, filled with wrath, hatred, and something else, something I couldn't understand. Finally, they fell upon me. It was only for a brief moment, but even that was enough for something inside me to shake. In the next moment, a shadow appeared in a bluish shine. The shadow merely stretched out its hand, and a magical shield enveloped the portal, the girl, and the shadow. The white-haired girl stepped inside the portal and vanished, the shadow immediately following. As soon as they disappeared, the portal vanished, and the shield dissipated, leaving us bathed only in the light of the midnight moon and a few torches.

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I was awakened by the sounds of the sea and the unpleasant feeling of sand on my face. My eyelids were heavy to the extent that even trying to open them was painful. My body ached from head to toe, and my chest felt like it was on fire. Breathing was difficult at this moment, let alone trying to move.

"Are you awake?"

A woman's voice said beside me. Even though I couldn't see the owner of that voice right now, I could exactly imagine how she looked, sitting beside me and gazing into the distance as though something were to appear on the horizon at any given moment.

"I... c..."

I tried to speak, but my voice wouldn't come through.

"Chill, those are just symptoms of overusing your mana."

Chill? I'm almost suffocating here, and you're telling me to chill? You're not the one unable to speak or move a limb, with your whole body burning like you just ate a bunch of firerocks. Before I could start swearing in my mind, my thoughts were cut short.

"The heat should pass before long, and your voice should return too. You've already endured the worst part. This is actually the second time you've woken up; the first time, you fell unconscious from the pain."

That I fell unconscious from the pain? I was in shock. I had managed to stay conscious even after interrogation by the imperial intelligence unit. I honestly thought that if they couldn't do it, then nothing could. Memories of those days were now only a distant past, yet I could vividly recall the methods, ways, and tools by which I was questioned, and just the mere thought of it sent a chill down my spine. Yet this pain was apparently so strong that it took me to the brink? I'm quite relieved that I'm incapable of recalling it.

Several scorching minutes passed before I could finally move at least my fingertips. After another few minutes, I was able to move my legs and whole arms. When I finally opened my eyelids and tried to sit, first I was greeted by a dull pain in almost every possible muscle in my body and then...