The Million-Dollar Heart

Vivienne exchanged a knowing glance with Mr. Wolf by her side, silently communicating their shared resolve.

If it came to that, they'd have no choice but to destroy the Millennia Aegis.

Nothing mattered more than human life.

With the deadline looming, Abigail refused to wait any longer, launching a full-on assault on the two. To her, as long as they still breathed, they could serve her grand purpose; individual lives held no value. Success would absolve her of all past deeds, no matter how dark.

Percival's powers were constrained, yet the Millennia Aegis within him surged with endless energy.

Vivienne, with her powers channeled into her silver needles, joined forces with Percival to withstand Abigail.

Even within the magic circle, Abigail found no advantage.

One protected by the Millennia Aegis, the other unaffected by the circle.

Abigail's attempts to counter grew more desperate, but leveraging the circle's focal point, she narrowly evaded their attacks multiple times.

Seizing the moment, Vivienne and Mr. Wolf cornered her with nowhere to flee.

Suddenly, the sky darkened-an ominous sign.

Abigail Ephemeral ceased her attack, a strange gleam in her eyes. "Your time is up," she declared.

Vivienne and Percival, quick to react, prepared their defenses.

Percival reached for the Millennia Aegis, intending to destroy it, only for an invisible force to whisk it away.

Hovering above the circle, the Aegis radiated a soft glow.

believing the Aegis needed a chosen one to activate. Yet, within the circle, it seemed to align itself, mocking her adversaries, "Did you really think you

undeterred, countered

I'll kill you, then the child. Only then will she grasp the true depths of joy and sorrow." Hearing Abigail's threat towards Vivienne and her unborn

protect them at

exactly what was at stake. They had come to end Abigail's reign of terror, not to fall

life together, and their future

she shouted, "don't worry, she won't succeed. We'll capture her and hand her over to the authorities. We'll

Vivienne wants her alive, we'll

have plenty of time for that

to capture Vivienne with

last moment, a figure threw themselves at Abigail, clinging to her,

to let go, "You

was taken aback by Delilah's sudden intervention

Millennia Aegis unleashed

Wolf, in unison, directed all their power at the Aegis,

Vivienne's mentor-for emergencies, destroy the artifact to buy time, if nothing else. Nobody expected

recently healed wounds reopening. Delilah, lifeless yet gripping

signaled the circle's destructive retaliation, consuming

circle returned everything to reality, leaving no trace but the

light, instinctively grabbed Percival's hand,

unharmed, checked Vivienne for injuries,

"I'm protected by my powers. You should have held back;

as Vivienne was safe, nothing

equally stunned. Magic circles, it seemed, were not

an instant, two living, breathing people had vanished right before

you think Abigail just disappeared, or is she... gone for

they had just witnessed, Percival felt a chill run down his spine, "People don't just disappear into thin