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.

smirked, 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 could touch what the circle claims?" With everything

countered

were diminished within the circle, he wouldn't let harm befall Vivienne, not with their first child on the way. Abigail raised an eyebrow, amused, "First, I'll kill you, then the child. Only then will she grasp the true depths of joy and sorrow." Hearing Abigail's threat

would protect them at all

was at stake. They had come to

their future

won't succeed. We'll capture her and hand her over

wants her alive, we'll take her

scoffed, "Still dreaming of glory? You'll have plenty of time for that in the

capture Vivienne with her

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

a brutal counterattack from Abigail, refused to let go,

aback by Delilah's sudden

Millennia Aegis unleashed

in unison, directed all their power at the Aegis,

secret left by Vivienne's mentor-for emergencies, destroy the artifact to buy time, if nothing

backlash began, Abigail spat blood, her recently healed wounds reopening. Delilah, lifeless yet gripping tightly, prevented any

a blinding fight signaled the circle's destructive retaliation, consuming both within, leaving behind only stain of

everything to reality, leaving no trace

grabbed Percival's

but unharmed, checked Vivienne for injuries, "I'm fine. Did you

concern, reassured him, "I'm protected by my powers. You should have held back; using full force only invites

long as Vivienne was safe, nothing

and Percival exchanged a glance, both equally stunned. Magic circles, it seemed, were not just

breathing people had vanished right before

"Mr. Wolf, do you think Abigail

spine, "People don't just disappear into thin air. But given what we saw,