Amid the wide streets of the capital, the battle continues: Geal and Bredgy charge at each other, clashing weapons again. Our heroine's shield holds up well, but the villain doesn't back down.
"A burst of emotion won't change anything. I'm still stronger. You're not the first, and you won't be the last from whom I take a Crystal. Stop resisting and just hand it over!" Bredgy demands.
"Not a chance!"
To assert her dominance, Bredgy destroys Geal's shield again with the tip of her scythe. She takes the opportunity to drive a kick into Geal's abdomen, doubling her over and causing her to spit blood.
"The Enhanced Resistance Potion is wearing off. The hits are starting to hurt," Geal thinks, growing increasingly exhausted. "What do I do?"
"Your Crystal has no power. You can't change that with sheer will. You won't beat me. If you drag this out, you'll only hurt yourself more," Bredgy says, fully confident of her victory.
"You don't get it! If I give you my Crystal, I won't be able to become the Chosen One. I'll lose the purpose of my life."
"The purpose of your life?"
Geal struggles to stand, but Bredgy gives her no time. She launches another frenzied attack with her scythe. Geal defends herself as best as she can, but Bredgy's patience wears thin.
"Life has no purpose or meaning, and anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong," Bredgy growls, her anger rising. "What's the point of chasing a dream if there's no guarantee it'll come true?"
The ferocious storm of attacks brings Geal to the ground. Her face, arms, and legs are now marked with cuts. She can't get up anymore. From below, she can only watch as Bredgy approaches like a predator closing in on its prey.
Her energy is slipping away, and the Enhanced Resistance Potion she drank has lost its effectiveness.
"I hate fools like you who cling to lies just to feel happy. I have no goals or dreams, and I'm fine with that. Nothing can go wrong if you have no direction, right?" Bredgy says, her eyes dark and shadowed. "You need to understand—I'm doing you a favor by taking away your dream, Geal. It's never going to come true!"
At these words, Geal forces herself to her feet with the last of her strength and delivers a tightly clenched punch to Bredgy's stomach. The blow makes her bend slightly, but she doesn't fall.
Geal stands firm, panting like a wild animal. Fueled by rage and determination, she appears dominant for a moment.
"Yeah, maybe my dream won't come true—so what?" she shouts. "My dream has given me hope during hard times. Whether it comes true or not doesn't matter! Someone like you, with no dreams or hope, will never understand that!"
Bredgy straightens up with a sarcastic chuckle, but Geal begins to falter. Her legs tremble, and her arms drop. The potion's effect has worn off completely.
"The potion's worn off. If she drives her scythe into me again, it's over. What do I do?" Geal thinks, trying to stay conscious.
Geal is on her last legs, and Bredgy knows it. Unable to keep her guard up, Geal is on the verge of collapse. She's finished. The attacker swings her scythe toward her.
"You've run out of strength. See? I've won. Don't feel bad—if you'd kept chasing that dream, you'd have lost your Crystal eventually anyway."
Bredgy's scythe blade presses against Geal's neck, drawing a thin line of blood as it begins to cut in slowly. She's careful not to go too deep.
"Give me your Crystal. Or I'll kill you," she orders.
Despite everything, Geal stays standing. She doesn't fall. It seems she's been defeated—there's no trick or gadget that can save her now. But suddenly, her cheeks puff up, and she covers her mouth with her hands. Her expression shifts to one of disgust.
Bredgy looks confused and lowers her scythe.
"Huh? What are you doing now?"
Shaking her head, Geal starts gagging while waving her hand at Bredgy, signaling her to back off.
"Say something! What's wrong with you...?" Bredgy insists.
Though Geal tries to hold it back, she can't anymore. Her cheeks swell further, her retching grows more intense, and Bredgy remains clueless—until SPLAT! Geal vomits a multicolored substance all over her, soaking her clothes.
Bredgy stumbles back, her stoic expression dissolving into one of shame, disgust, and shock. Geal catches her breath, her face turning crimson.
"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to...!" she stammers, flustered. "It's just... the potion's side effects."
"What the hell—?!"
Suddenly, Bredgy is struck at the back of her neck with a powerful blow. She's knocked out instantly, collapsing face-down into the puddle of vomit—a rather ridiculous end to this fight.
"Take that!" shouts Uruta, now conscious again. He had seized the opportunity to knock Bredgy out with a stick. Steam practically rises from his nostrils.
"That's what you get for being a cocky punk!" the bird declares.
With Bredgy taken care of, Uruta flies to Geal's side to help her. Poor Geal is still struggling with the potion's side effects.
"Geal! Are you okay?" Uruta asks, concerned.
"Stay back... I'm going to..."
Geal turns away from Uruta just in time to vomit again. The bird comforts her until the "bad taste" passes.
Once calmer, Geal looks at Bredgy, unconscious on the ground and covered in the disgusting substance. Her Black Crystal lies beside her, its aura gone—it's as if it has been deactivated.
"What are you waiting for, Geal? Smash her Crystal! She deserves it for messing with us," Uruta urges.
Geal considers it for a moment, but...
"No. I'll leave her like this. We've already beaten her; there's no need to go further," Geal replies. "Besides, anyone who sees her like this will just think she got drunk."
"She'll wake up again. We should leave before she comes back for revenge," Uruta suggests.
The two friends gaze at the horizon as the sun begins to rise again. The fight dragged on too long, and the night ended without them noticing. Geal and Uruta remain silent for a while. Geal lowers her head slightly, feeling a pang of guilt.
"I just... feel a bit sorry for her," Geal reflects.
"Why? She tried to kill us."
"I know, but... from everything she said, it seems like she's had a very sad life," Geal responds, biting her lip slightly. "She said she hates people with dreams like mine. Something terrible must've happened to her to think that way."
Geal's fighting spirit has completely faded. Uruta understands, letting out a sigh as he perches on her head.
"You have a very pure heart, Geal. Too pure, I'd say," he remarks, snuggling into her hair.
Both turn their gaze back to the horizon.
"I just hope that doesn't come back to bite us someday..." Uruta mutters to himself.