"No, Nisha!"

  An intense sensation of weightlessness suddenly arose, accompanied by the screeching sound of metal grinding. In the next instant, the locomotive racing along the tracks was shattered by an unknown attack.

  Due to the powerful shockwave, the integrity of the rails and the balance of the train’s brakes were destroyed, causing the high-speed train to violently veer off its proper trajectory.

  And, along with the train's body, Alice, who had been sitting inside one of the carriages, was also thrown.

  The feeling of being hurled at supersonic speed was absolutely terrifying. Although the blaze already illuminated the night at nine o'clock, during the inertia-driven flight, the girl, amidst the chaos, could only see twisted metal debris spinning around her like a rain of bullets.

  Although these fragments alone posed no threat under Nisha's protection...

  BOOOOM!!!!

  With a thunderous roar, the derailed floating train crashed directly into a nearby low hill.

  One of the carriages, weighing several tons, was almost completely crushed into twisted blocks of iron. These metal alloy structures, meant to ensure passenger safety, smashed everything inside against the small rock formation beside them.

  The supersonic impact was so violent that visible cracks appeared on the rocks, and an entire section of the train was buried into the ground.

  It could be said that, at this point, the passengers of the floating train were undoubtedly dead.

  Despite the vehicle’s relatively light structure thanks to advanced technology, a several-ton object colliding at supersonic speed with a rock left no chance for flesh-and-blood survivors.

  However, there are always exceptions.

  In the section of the train that seemed flattened like a sheet of metal, with a muffled sound, the overloaded alloy broke apart, opening a hole. From there, a little girl dressed in a school uniform dress calmly emerged, as if floating.

  Describing her exit as "floating" was fitting, since her feet didn’t touch the ground during the entire movement.

  But whether that calmness was genuine or just a facade was another matter entirely. At that moment, Alice’s face was practically colorless, and the enemy she faced was clearly more than just a sudden explosion.

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  "Nisha! Nisha, how are you? Are you okay?!"

  Ignoring the chaotic surroundings completely, Alice immediately worried about Nisha’s condition.

  Before the crash, the girl, who had witnessed the little spirit withstand countless rounds of bullets, believed that the "Anti-Entropy Idealistic Lifeform" was invincible—even powerful electromagnetic projectiles posed no threat to Nisha.

  But this time...

  When the impact of the derailment and the crushing metallic force came against them, protected by the shield, Alice for the first time felt the pain transmitted by Nisha.

  Inside the protective shield, she saw tiny cracks appear on the little spirit’s body due to the extreme explosive damage.

  Although these cracks healed almost instantly, in less than the blink of an eye...

  Alice understood painfully clearly:

  The "Anti-Entropy Idealistic Lifeform" was not invincible.

  If the damage was too great in a short time, even Nisha could be injured—or even destroyed.

  This unprecedented and direct realization quickly filled Alice’s heart with fear and sorrow.

  She feared that something might happen to Nisha's body.

  Although her father had mentioned in his diaries that "ghosts" could regenerate perfectly beside their masters even if torn apart, how long would such resurrection take? And without Nisha’s protection, how long could an eleven-year-old girl survive in the midst of a cruel and relentless war?

  As for the sorrow, that needed no explanation.

  To Alice, Nisha had always been part of her family, her best friend, a part of herself. Seeing the little spirit suffer broke her heart.

  If she could, the helpless girl wished that Nisha could return to being just an intangible and illusory presence, free from physical pain, simply enjoying the wind and the sun without worries, like in the past.

  But unfortunately, observing the cracked ground around her and the burning bushes lighting up the night, Alice knew her hope was far too naive.

  Because at that moment, she had already realized:

  Groups of soldiers dressed in black, like specters, armed with electromagnetic rifles, were emerging from the burning bushes.

  Unlike the men who had attacked her in the backyard, these soldiers were clearly imperial frontline combat units, wearing battle exoskeletons designed for large-scale wars.

  And above their heads, five futuristic-looking triangular anti-gravity ships hovered, their powerful spotlights focused directly on her.

  These were the "Eagle-Beak Corvettes," war armaments usually seen only on television broadcasts.

  ["Miss Alice Seraphio, please remain calm and composed. Do not act impulsively. You must have learned from the history books that the royal court of Astralis is a benevolent government. Many of the events you know did not occur in the way you imagine. If you cease resistance, I, the commander of this operation, personally guarantee that no harm will come to you. I will explain many things to you and resolve all misunderstandings."]

  Instead of launching an immediate attack, a young and firm male voice echoed from the "Eagle-Beak" ship, under the bright light of the train wreckage flames. Even with the cold wind howling, the statement sounded clear and resolute.

  And to ensure that Alice understood, the ship projected a pink hologram into the air, displaying a "Declaration of Peace."

  Apparently, the one responsible for this ambush was no fool.

  Even with his soldiers ready to fire, he was still trying to win Alice over without resorting to violence.

  Perhaps, in their minds, a simple elementary school girl, naive and inexperienced, would be easy to deceive.