Angelica thrust the rapier to Princess and grazed her cheek. Princess stepped forwards and grabbed Angelica's wrist. She swiped the rapier at her right leg.

Angelica stomped the rapier and twisted her wrist. She locked Princess while gliding the tip of the blade to across her face. Princess tripped, but she bent down and narrowly avoided the strike.

She gripped Angelica's joint and yanked it. The pain in her hand numbed her fingers, forcing her to drop the rapier. Angelica bounced backwards to counteract the force and pulled Princess with her.

She gently hugged Princess to prevent her from falling.

"Beautiful," Princess said as she steadied herself.

"Mistress, you're even more so."

"How was it?"

"Please give me more time to process all information. I won't disappoint you."

Angelica retrieved the rapier and executed a few moves with it. Though her action was almost identical to Mucia, a sense of elegance permeated her movement. Her heart and soul felt the blade, became one with it, and moved according to its rhythm.

A lifeless being couldn't feel the spirit. A lifeless being she was not.

"You've already exceeded my expectation," Princess said.

"If you used Fons, you would have won."

"You also held back."

Angelica fell silent. Her joy faded like a bitter wine that burnt after the initial sweetness. She hung her head low. "Mistress, you're better than me in many ways."

Princess smiled. "Continue to do well if you want me proud."

Angelica nodded, her eyes strangely determined.

"Any more skills?" Princess said.

"I have information about weaponry and swordsmanship."

"Any relevant news?"

Angelica glared at Canaris, her eyes piercing into his soul. In contrast to her gentle, friendly gaze, her pupils turned cold.

"May I get rid of him?" Angelica placed her hand on the sword's handle.

"Kill me," Canaris said, though his body shivered under Angelica's blade-like presence.

"If you fought her, would you win?" Princess said as she pointed at Angelica.

"I won't submit even if I die," Canaris said.

"We'll kill you immediately if you ask."

Canaris didn't speak anything. He stood up and exited the room, his eyes gawking at Princess. Whenever he was unable to retort, he would stomp away and wander around the vessel.

"Excluding the previous emergency order, the world is relatively peaceful," Angelica said.

"What do you think about us?"

"The C-graded tide grants us valuable time."

"Will Sector D fall?"

"No. Though Sector A is at war, Sector B and C are not. If they hole up in their cities, they will survive."

Princess nodded. "The Great Races are neutral for now, but the Arachna is an imminent problem."

"What do you mean?"

"Think about when they come for us."

Angelica lowered her head to reflect. It never occurred to her that the Arachna would be troublesome.

"They create me and expect me to obey them. If I submit, will you remain by my side?"

"I'll always be—"

"I don't doubt you, but I doubt them."

Angelica wasn't an Arachna. The Arachna wouldn't trust themselves.

"Mistress, what should I do?"

"I won't abandon you. I don't plan on becoming their slave."

Princess strolled to the Broodmother with Angelica following behind her. Aside from the tiny spiderlings and the piles of corpses. Three special spiderlings stood before her.

Compared to their friends, they were noticeably bigger. They were grown spiderlings, though they lacked the experience of hunting humans and killing strong opponents.

"I'm ready," Angelica said, her eyes staring at the matured spiderlings.

Princess placed her hand on their heads and channelled her Fons. It seeped into the spiderlings. Like before, she accelerated their growth rate, though they had already reached their adulthood.

Upon receiving the Fons, they violently twisted. Their skins bloated and inflated. They morphed into a cocoon. After a moment of silence, four strong exoskeletons penetrated the carapace. Like a butterfly, the creature broke through its genetic restriction.

It swayed due to its long slender neck. Its mouth, full of gripping teeth, sneered at the surrounding before stopping in front of Princess. Despite the filth on the floor, it bent down to greet her.

"Beautiful," Princess said, her gaze locking on its features.

She observed the Spitling in detail, comparing it with the information she had. After that, she did the same with the other two spiderlings. Instead of turning into exotic Arachna, they withered and failed their evolution.

Princess shook her head. The depletion of Fons took a toll on her, especially after she had carelessly used most of it.

Not every spiderling could evolve. Most would remain mere spiderlings their entire life. Only a lucky few with good genetic strands could further develop.

Angelica wiped the sweat off Princess.

"Let's leave it here. The last matter is urgent," Princess said.

The last battle flashed before her eyes. Her mistakes, her failures, her carelessness—all added up to the critical moment. She almost lost all of her resource, as well as her life.

"Reveal yourself." What had saved her?

"As the owner of the vessel, show me the resource board."

"Checking authority," an emotionless voice echoed.

"Sufficient permission. Welcome—" The voice paused. White noise rang. "—error detected: database corrupted. Please state your name."

Princess sighed. Though she wished to know her name, she felt relief not knowing it.

"Past should just stay past, right?" she said and glanced at Angelica.

"As long as I'm with you."

She was an Arachna. She should just stay like that. Any complication would pain her.

"Call me Princess."

"Welcome, Princess."

A hologram manifested, detailing the available resource. Though most of the exotic and unknown material were depleted, there still was the mundane yet essential material.

"Show us a comprehensive layout of the vessel," Princess said.

"Codename: Shifting Mist." Another hologram manifested. It extended into a 3D model.

"There are more floors?"

She had never seen any entrance to the other floors. As the depth increased, the detail turned blurry. The deepest level was pitch black.

"Bring us to the core room," Princess said.

Around her, a fog seeped out from the walls and flooded the room. A gate appeared before her. It creaked open and revealed the blackness no light could penetrate.

Princess grasped Angelica's hand and walked into the unknown. As long as they were together, she feared nothing.

"Insufficient authority. Only Princess could enter," the mechanical voice resounded.

Princess stared at Angelica and sighed. "Wait here. The Arachna will protect you."

"Please be safe."

Princess nodded before stepping into the abyss of her dark past—alone and unknowing.

. . .

The sea of blackness scattered under the colourful sparks. It crumbled with a slight touch and dispersed from the point of impact, or disintegrated into ashes and specks of dust.

In front of the impressive fleet, all became insignificant. Like a descension of the God, it brought with it the terror of the ancient war, one that silenced the world and instilled horror into the mortal's mind.

In an hour, all Arachna fell. The biggest ship descended. The city rejoiced. Though most people were exhausted, they rained praises as if they were full of energy.

Upon the opening of the airlock, two rows of military personnel stepped forth and arranged the surrounding to be as neatly as possible.

The sudden arrival of the general wasn't to be announced, but there was a need to clear the place and presented a good impression.

Before the rows of personnel stood the supreme commander. Though his face was solemn with his body towering over the others, he remained docile.

A series of footstep resounded. A figure walked towards him.

"General Venetus, we welcome you to City D-34." A uniform and loud reception echoed throughout the city.

With merely a nod, Venetus walked past the supreme commander, his hand patting the commander.

"You did well." Maybe, that thing could solve it.