Dao Of Heaven

Chapter 254: Griseo—I Like Big Brother Elias the Most!

Inside Fire Moth's base—

"Ah so cozy"

Elias narrowed his eyes comfortably, rubbing his chin against Griseo's head as she sat on his lap, then raised his brush to casually add a few strokes on the canvas before him.

"Big Brother Elias looks really happy. Did something good happen?"

"Hehe Being able to spend time like this, painting with you, Griseo, is already the best thing for me. Hmhm why are you so cute? It's wonderful."

"…You've worked hard, Big Brother Elias."

Griseo blinked. Though still very young, she was clever and thoughtful. She knew that the big brother who always made time to play with her was an amazing person.

Elias was busier and more important than her mom and dad, so surely he was even more tired, right?

Thinking this, Griseo mimicked what her mother used to do for her. She lifted her small, soft hand and patted Elias on the head—half as comfort, half as reward.

"Ah, sorry, I forgot to wash my hands."

Suddenly she realized she had messed up. While painting earlier, she'd gotten paint on her hands, and now she'd stained Elias' hair sky-blue.

But Elias wasn't angry at all.

Instead, he happily patted her head.

"It's fine. Doesn't this look nice too? Hehe~ the same color as your hair, Griseo. I really like it. I'll just keep it this way for the rest of today."

Looking in the mirror, Elias saw his once white hair streaked with blue paint, like clouds parting in the sky to reveal the blue beyond.

He had never dyed his hair before, but for him, changing color was as easy as flicking a Herrscher's authority. In the next moment, his long white hair turned sky-blue, just like Griseo's.

"How is it? Does it suit me?"

"So amazing… so pretty! Can I paint it?"

Griseo's eyes lit up. To the little girl, Elias was like a magician who could do anything.

Sometimes he conjured candy from nowhere, sometimes he produced rare paints, sometimes he took her flying in the sky. Now, seeing him with hair the same color as her own, Griseo felt even closer to him.

As if he really were her brother.

"Of course you can, Griseo. If you want, I can model for you anytime. Ah, but if you're going to paint me, white is still essential. Here, take this."

With that, Elias conjured a lump of white paint and dropped it onto the little painter's palette.

He spoiled Griseo terribly—so much so that even Elysia sometimes got jealous. But what could he do? Elias thought, who could resist spoiling such a cute little girl?

Her parents were both far busier than even him, the so-called savior. They had no time to play with her.

How could he just stand by and watch her become a lonely child? So from the time he had first joined Fire Moth, he had taken care of her himself. Even now…

"Thank you, Big Brother Elias. Griseo likes you the most."

"Ah~ I have no regrets in life anymore!"

Elias thought the cutest angel in the world was right in his arms. He swore, someday he'd smash Sa's dog head—and beat up that bad woman Vita too!

Griseo rubbed her little face against him affectionately.

She was a good child who never lied, so everything she said was true. Busy parents she hardly knew—but her big brother Elias was the best!

'Bet Ato is regretting it now~'

Elias recalled a few days ago, when Griseo's father had asked her to choose between playing with him or riding on Elias' shoulders. She had immediately chosen the latter. The look of envy and jealousy on Ato's face had been priceless.

'Thanks for giving birth to such a cute daughter, Uncle Ato. But Griseo is mine now! Kekeke!'

Of course, Elias had no such thoughts. He simply found Griseo adorable and wanted to protect her, nothing more!

Otherwise, Blanca (Griseo's mother) would never have entrusted her daughter to him so readily.

Perhaps she even hoped Elias' influence would rub off on her daughter. After all, as a mother, Blanca knew Griseo had a very particular ability—whether it was good or bad was hard to say.

Griseo could easily see through a person's nature: whether they were good or bad, brave or cowardly, sincere or deceitful.

But she herself was like a blank canvas. Whoever she spent time with would color her. In simple terms—if she stayed around bad people, Griseo would turn bad too.

So when Elias offered to look after her, Blanca had agreed without hesitation. Even Ato, though often jealous, never objected.

After all, who in this world was a better role model than Elias? With him, Griseo could only grow up good.

Just then, the studio door opened.

"Ta-dah! Miss Pink Elf makes her entrance! Aha, I knew you'd be here, Elias—and with cute little Griseo too"

A pink elf suddenly appeared.

"Elysia…"

"Eh, Eli, why are you looking at me like that? Did I come at a bad time?"

"Yes. Definitely a bad time."

For once, Elias gave Elysia a cold look. His rare moment of relaxation was about to end. Griseo had just said she wanted to paint him…

Elysia, tonight you're in danger!

"Waaah, don't look at me with those cold eyes! Wait, Elias, have you been treating me colder lately? We haven't teamed up for a mission in a whole week!"

Elysia sensed an unprecedented crisis. She suspected she might have a one-in-a-billion chance of falling out of favor.

Elias rolled his eyes. Not even a trillion-to-one chance of that happening.

"What are you thinking? You know my current situation—I can't team up with fusion warriors for now."

He flicked her forehead. Though he had grown stronger recently, something unexpected had also happened.

During the Seventh Eruption, when Elias used [Lilium Sanguineum], his Schariac stigma broke past its limits, triggering an evolution.

Because of the stigma's amplification effect on Honkai energy, now 1 HW of Honkai energy could unleash 10 HW of power in Elias' hands. But in exchange…

"Right now, just by standing near me, don't your legs go weak, Elysia? Doesn't your strength fade away?"

"Eh… n-no, just a little."

Elysia turned her head, face stiff.

"Just a little? Hehe~ more like a lot! Mei already confirmed it—if I teamed up with lower fusion warriors, their power would drop by 50%. Even someone like you, a higher-level fusion warrior, would be weakened by 30%."

The reason? His Holy Blood.

The Schariac stigma's other trait—erasing Honkai energy—had been amplified.

Elias' already ultra-potent Holy Blood had doubled in strength. Even without leaving his body, even just his aura now suppressed Honkai energy. Conservatively, one drop of his blood could kill an Emperor-class Honkai Beast.

At this point, Elias could simply stand among a swarm of Honkai beasts and do nothing—before long, they'd all die. Even Emperors and Judgment-class beasts were thoroughly suppressed.

But this suppression affected anything bearing Honkai energy. Enemy or ally, fusion warriors included.

Though he hadn't tested it directly, Elias was confident he could hold down Elysia, Sakura, Kevin, Kalpas, Hua, and Kosma—the five upper-level fusion warriors—with just one hand.

As long as they relied on Honkai energy, his Holy Blood drastically reduced the damage they could deal to him—while crushing their own strength at the same time.

Put simply: if Elysia could normally last three hours at night, now she'd barely last half an hour.

Any longer than an hour…

And she'd even risk being killed by Elias himself!

"Right now, Mobius is working on a way to solve my overly high Holy Blood concentration. Just bear with it for now."

Elias patted Elysia comfortingly on the shoulder.

Immediately, her body went weak, a portion of her Honkai energy dissipating. Elysia nearly cried, clasping her hands together and praying earnestly in the direction of Mobius' office.

"Wuu! Please, Dr. Mobius, for the sake of my happiness, I'm counting on you this time!"

(Mobius: "Get lost! I'm doing this for myself! Do you even know I nearly died last time?!")

Even Miss Pink Elf, with her twenty-five vials of blood, could only last half an hour. Mobius, of course, was worse—she'd nearly flatlined.

Elias sighed and shook his head. There was nothing he could do about this absolute attribute restraint. That was why he'd recently been forced to take missions alone—or else spend his free time quietly with Griseo.

"So, Elysia, what did you come here for?"

He looked at his pink elf curiously.

Mei had already ordered everyone to avoid getting too close to Elias until the Holy Blood problem was resolved. If something urgent happened, she would personally step in.

(Mei: "Heaven-sent opportunity! Now that he suppresses everyone else, I just need to wait a bit. Once Elias' desires reach their peak, I can easily… Yes, I'd better cut Mobius' budget again—slow her research as much as possible!")

Elias had also been restraining his urges, not wanting to hurt anyone. But if Elysia came to him like this, it couldn't just be because she missed him.

"By the way, Elysia, have you been busy with something strange lately? Don't tell me you've joined some weird cult—"

"Cough, cough, cough! Big problem, serious problem! Elias, do you remember your Abyss Flower?"

Elysia hacked loudly, forcing a change of subject.

Elias could tell she was hiding something, but his attention was caught by mention of the Abyss Flower.

"Of course I remember. What about it? Don't tell me you still haven't found it. It's been six or seven days since the Seventh Eruption. Don't tell me it's still missing."

"It's been found, but there was an accident. Anyway, just come with me. And Griseo too."

"Eh?"

Griseo tilted her head, confused. To her, Honkai was a complicated adult matter—something that had nothing to do with her.

But Elysia pinched her cheek.

"Come with us to see Uncle Ato in the hospital. He's in pretty bad shape this time. Ah, don't worry, he's already recovering."

"Daddy's in the hospital?"

"Elysia, what exactly happened?"

Elias' eyes narrowed. He had been keeping tabs on the Abyss Flower, and he'd heard Ato was the one assigned to recover it.

And now Ato was hospitalized…

Elysia pointed at the hallway behind her, signaling that it was easier to show than explain.

"I want to go!"

Griseo immediately put down her brush and palette, hopping to the floor and preparing to run off.

"Wait, Griseo—I'll take you."

Elias scooped her up and perched her on his shoulders. After all, she never liked wearing shoes, and he wouldn't let her little feet get hurt.

Since Elysia said Ato was out of danger, there was no need to rush.

...

The three arrived at Fire Moth's hospital.

"Daddy, are you okay?"

"Uncle Ato, are you doing alright?"

On the bed, Ato wore an expression of existential doubt. But when he saw his adorable daughter, his face instantly broke into a bright smile. For him, this hospital stay was worth it.

"Griseo, you came to see Daddy!"

"Mm!"

"My good daughter. Come, let Daddy take a good look. Daddy hasn't spent time with you in so long—have you been lonely?"

"Nope. With Big Brother Elias here, you can keep working all you want, Daddy. You don't even need to come back."

Griseo spoke innocently, voicing her honest feelings.

"Pfft—!" (spitting blood)

Ato spat blood on the spot. His nearly healed wounds flared up again, making him look like he was about to die.

"Elias, you—!"

"You're welcome, Uncle Ato. This is only right. You can rest easy and go. I'll take care of Griseo from now on—or even adopt her as my goddaughter, no problem!" Elias said as he pinched the little girl's soft cheeks right in front of her father.

Elysia, Mei, and the others all gasped, twitching at the corners of their eyes. They thought Elias must be deliberately trying to kill Ato with rage.

But Elias insisted otherwise. Even as he spoke, he was already using the Herrscher of Rebirth's authority to heal Ato's wounds.

That had just been a small bit of payback. Last time, Ato had badmouthed him to Griseo, trying to drive her away from him. Elias had never forgotten that grudge!

(Elias: I'm not some knight of waves who lets grudges slide. Uncle Ato, you deserved that!)

Luckily, Griseo had seen through her father's lie immediately. Angry, she had refused to speak to him for half a month. Elias had nearly laughed himself to death at the time.

"Elias, I'll fight you to the death!!"

"Oh? Go ahead~"

Elias smiled, puffing out his chest. He wouldn't even lift a finger. If Uncle Ato could so much as scratch him, Elias would count it as his loss.

"..."

Ato's face twitched. Thinking of Elias' terrifying power and record-breaking achievements, he realized the most he could do was splash this man with his blood when he died.

But even that was impossible—under the Herrscher of Rebirth's authority, he couldn't even die if he wanted to.

"Enough! Both of you, quiet down!" Dr. Mei pushed up her glasses. "We're here to discuss serious business. Elias, Elysia already told you about the failed recovery of the Sixth Divine Key, Abyss Flower, didn't she?"

"Yes. What exactly happened?"

Elias sobered instantly. Abyss Flower was one of the most important Divine Keys of the Previous Era. It could not be lost—no matter what, it had to be recovered.

"In short, Abyss Flower was taken by a mysterious woman."

"A mysterious woman? So Uncle Ato was injured by her? Someone capable of defeating a fusion warrior?"

Elias looked astonished. Though Ato seemed weak in front of him, he was still a fusion warrior—one merged with an Emperor-class Honkai Beast.

Within humanity, he was already strong, a step just below the Thirteen Flame-Chasers. What kind of woman could hospitalize him? Surely not a Herrscher?

Dr. Mei shook her head, her expression serious.

"No. She didn't defeat him."

"What?"

"She never even lifted a hand. Just approaching her nearly killed Ato from Honkai energy erosion."

"!!!"

Elias' eyes widened in shock. What kind of monster was this? He didn't remember the games ever mentioning such a being existing in the Previous Era.

Dr. Mei took a deep breath and continued.

"And she said this: only if you come to her personally will she return Abyss Flower."

"Me? Why?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing, Elias. By the way, that woman was very beautiful. Don't tell me she's one of your old flings?"

Ato narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"?!!" xN

Everyone else snapped their heads toward Elias at once.

"..."

Elias' expression instantly darkened. This damned overprotective father never missed a chance for revenge—even now! Truly vicious!

Chapter 560: I Am Devoted to Them All

If there were a way to buy that photo of herself and Iroha Isshiki, no matter how much it cost, Kotomi Izumi would pay for it and make the owner swear never to hang it again.

When she came here with Yukino today, Kotomi hadn't thought much of it. She figured that after so long, it was just a small promotional event, and no restaurant would keep a couple photo hanging on its wall forever—it wasn't a charity, after all.

Who would have thought that not only was the photo still there, but the owner had even placed an elegant little sign at the table where Kotomi and Iroha had sat, decorated with Cupid's arrow and the words: The blessing of love descends here.

When she realized Yukino had seen that intimate-looking couple photo of her and Iroha, Kotomi had to stay calm while also finding a way to deflect Yukino's questions. That was why, when Yukino confessed to her—Kotomi, I like girls—she replied without hesitation: What a coincidence. So do I.

When someone is suddenly hit with overwhelming information, they tend to forget their previous line of thought, or the questions they had intended to ask. Back in her second life, Kotomi had considered majoring in journalism at university.

In her free time then, she had read many books on media and communication. One book had described this phenomenon as part of how public opinion works. But Kotomi's mind had always been sharp at finding new applications. She thought, If I can use this same principle in conversation, wouldn't it let me shift from a passive to an active position, even defusing difficult questions?

Just now, she put that theory to the test. Yukino had been on the verge of asking about that couple photo, so before she could, Kotomi threw out a bombshell of her own: What a coincidence. I like girls too.

Not only did it leave Yukino so shocked she forgot to press further, but it successfully diverted the conversation.

From that perspective, Kotomi felt her self-taught theory had been proven correct.

As for Yukino now knowing she liked girls—Kotomi didn't mind at all. If Yukino didn't know today, she would have to learn it someday anyway.

In matters of love, Kotomi had always been honest. If she liked someone, she admitted it. If she didn't, she admitted that too. I like girls. Not just one, but several.

Even if someone she liked already had a girlfriend, she would still pursue her. She didn't want regrets, nor did she want a girl who returned her feelings to have regrets.

Kotomi was proud—so proud that she believed she could keep things balanced, that even if she had more than one lover, she could still be wholly devoted to each of them.

Watching Yukino closely, she noticed that ever since they had left the sukiyaki restaurant, Yukino hadn't asked again about that photo of her and Iroha.

Kotomi silently let out a sigh of relief, hoping the matter could be left behind.

She was already planning to return to Tako-nee's Sukiyaki House another day, preferably when she could talk directly to the owner. She'd tell her: Stop clinging to that photo already. At this rate, you owe me royalties! Take it down, now!

By the time they arrived at Sobu High, the lunch break was nearly over. Even so, discipline committee members were still stationed at the gate.

"Hey, you there! Why aren't you wearing your uniform?!"

Kotomi had barely stepped through the gate when a girl with thick glasses and a notebook in hand called out sharply. She rushed over, gripping a pen tightly, clearly intending to write down Kotomi's name and report her for entering without her uniform.

Yukino tensed, even though she wasn't the one being called out. She almost wanted to nudge Kotomi and whisper for her to run—at the speed she had shown during the sports festival!

But when Yukino Yukinoshita glanced at Kotomi Izumi, she saw how relaxed she looked. She wasn't nervous, nor did she intend to run—she simply stood there, waiting for the discipline committee girl to arrive, as if she didn't care at all whether her name was written down.

"Kotomi, if you don't run now, getting questioned by the committee later will be such a hassle," Yukino urged. Then she realized how strange this was. Normally, she wasn't the type to tell someone to run from the discipline committee.

Kotomi shrugged nonchalantly, the corners of her lips lifting in a calm smile. "Don't worry. This must be a new recruit on the committee. Hmph, clearly she's never had milk tea on me before."

"Student, you're not wearing your uniform. According to school rules, I need to record this and report it to your homeroom teacher and grade director. Please tell me your name and class," the thick-glasses girl said breathlessly as she rushed up to Kotomi.

She was obviously the kind of student good at studying but bad at sports.

Just as she came close, Kotomi reached out her hand. Like a refined lady, she gently held the girl's hand that clutched the pen, pressing the clicker so the tip retracted. With a spring-breeze smile on her face, she added softly:

"When you're holding a pen, it's best not to run or even walk too quickly—especially if the tip is out. If you trip, it could hurt your eyes. If you got hurt, I would be sad for you, serious girl. As for my name? I'm Kotomi Izumi. Will you remember it in your heart for a lifetime?"

"Uh…" The quiet girl behind the glasses usually buried herself in books, with few friends and little knowledge of school gossip. She had only heard of Kotomi Izumi's name before, but never seen her in person.

Kotomi's gentle words lingered in her ears. Under those thick lenses, her eyes stared blankly at Kotomi, lips parted slightly, as if she had forgotten how to speak.

She had come here to stop Kotomi and write her up for not wearing her uniform. So why… why was Kotomi being so warm and caring toward her instead?!

Her name is Kotomi Izumi…

So this is Kotomi Izumi?

She's… beautiful…

For a moment, something stirred in the girl's heart.

"Ah, geez! Didn't I tell you not to go up and bother her?"

Another discipline committee member, who had recognized Kotomi from afar, had been about to wave and greet her. She'd had Kotomi's milk tea several times before, and of course, whenever she encountered her, she let her pass freely. When she saw the new recruit about to confront Kotomi, she had tried to stop her, but she hadn't expected the earnest girl to rush over so seriously without hesitation.

"Is she a new member of the student council? Morishita-senpai," Kotomi asked with a cheerful smile when she saw another discipline committee member rushing over.

"Yeah. She's a first-year who just entered this year. She wanted to challenge herself, so she joined the student council. Like me, she's part of the discipline committee. As her senior, I'm showing her the ropes. You haven't seen her before because she only joined last week. As you can see, she's very responsible and serious. She's actually a pretty good fit for this role."

Morishita-senpai shrugged with a laugh, then pulled a box of mint gum from her skirt pocket and handed Kotomi a piece. It was her way of apologizing, silently saying the newbie had been too earnest for her to stop.

Kotomi accepted it, unwrapped it, and popped it in her mouth, signaling she didn't mind.

Seeing Kotomi accept the gum, Morishita-senpai sighed in relief, then offered another piece to Yukino Yukinoshita.

Such are the unspoken rules of social grace—woven into gestures like these.

"Being serious is a good thing. I feel like the student council needs a group of serious people," Kotomi said, nodding in praise.

She herself had once been invited to join the Sobu High student council, but she declined, saying she wanted to focus on art club activities and her drawing. The simple truth was, she wasn't interested in the student council.

To put it bluntly, aside from elite private schools, there wasn't much reason to join a middle or high school student council. People said it built skills, but how much could it really do? And besides, this was high school, not university.

In high school, grades were what really mattered. Even if your social skills were poor, as long as your grades were good, you could get through comfortably, often receiving praise from teachers and being held up as a model student.

Kotomi believed high school was a time when, outside of studying, one should just relax and enjoy life. Joining the student council wasn't necessary—it wouldn't bring any real benefits.

It wasn't exactly a waste of time, but the returns just weren't worth it. Even if you didn't want to relax, that time would be better spent studying or doing practice exams.

Three years of high school flew by so fast. Some students graduated without ever knowing where the student council room was, let alone caring about it.

The student council only started to matter a little in university.

Because in university, grades weren't everything anymore—unless you could keep them at the very top. What really made life easier was communication skills and social intelligence.

Some people never adjusted their way of dealing with teachers after entering university. They still treated their advisors the same way they used to treat their homeroom teachers, wording every message carefully and nervously. Totally unnecessary. Instead, you should interact with them openly, keeping basic respect but otherwise treating them like friends.

University was like a miniature society, so titles and positions did bring some benefits. Some student council presidents strutted around with their hands behind their backs, pretending to be little CEOs.

Especially during freshman orientation—you could always spot them, leading a group of council members around campus.

A stroll? Let's be real—it was just showing off.

When you saw it, there was no need to bother. Just ignore it, or mutter to yourself: What a poser. Idiot.

If you could avoid conflict, it was best to do so. Because in that little society, those student council presidents did hold some power. But after graduation, society itself would teach those pretentious types a harsh lesson.

Of course, if you really couldn't stand it, you could apply to the student council yourself, climb your way up, and stage a coup—kick the current president out and turn them into a former president.

Whether in school or in the workplace, wherever there are people, there will be conflict. Whether fair or underhanded, as long as you won, you'd be the one sitting in the president's seat.

Think of it as an early taste of the endless rivalries between teams in a company after graduation—only on a much smaller scale.

After all, the conflicts between students and the struggles between adults in society were on completely different levels.

"Went out for lunch, huh? And now you're just getting back, cutting it close to the end of lunch break," Morishita-senpai said as she chewed her gum, casually chatting with Kotomi while walking. Today's discipline duty was already halfway done—time to slack a little.

"I skipped the morning, didn't wear my uniform, and forgot my bag too."

"Wow, impressive," Morishita-senpai nodded. Kotomi's words sounded nothing like what you'd expect from a model student.

The thick-glasses girl stared at Kotomi, who was chatting and laughing with Morishita-senpai, unable to figure out just what kind of person this white-haired short-haired girl was. Not wearing a uniform was already against the rules—so why wasn't Morishita-senpai writing her up?

After escorting Kotomi and Yukino Yukinoshita to the entrance of the classroom building, Morishita-senpai stopped. "We won't go in. There's still six minutes left before duty ends, so we'll just kill some time outside. Bye."

"Bye." Kotomi waved farewell, then glanced at the thick-glasses girl with a smile. "Next time, milk tea's on me."

With that, she stepped inside.

While changing into indoor shoes, Yukino remarked, "You sure get along well with the student council's discipline committee."

"Of course. When students get their stuff confiscated, they often ask me to help get it back. Now you see why I rarely go to the school shop, yet always have endless snacks? Speaking of which, I just remembered—I've got two sweet rolls in my desk. Want one?" Kotomi said, tapping her toes on the floor after slipping her shoes on.

"Purple sweet potato and chestnut?"

"Of course."

"Then I'll take one."

"Oh, right. If Yui and the others ask why we weren't at school, what should we say? Better to agree on our stories first." As they neared the classroom, Yukino asked.

"Last night, after leaving karaoke with Yui, I told her I went straight home. So we can't use the excuse of having a study session at your place—that one's just for Shizuka-sensei. For Yui and the others, we'll each make up our own reason. The main thing is, they can't find out we spent the night together," Kotomi said calmly.

Her words left Yukino feeling a little down, though in the end she only nodded silently.

Back in Class 1-F, there were still a few minutes left of lunch break. Some students hadn't returned yet, most timing it just before class started.

"Yui, Mashiro~!"

The moment Kotomi reached her seat, she wrapped Yui Yuigahama and Mashiro Shiina in a bear hug. Both girls squeezed her tighter than usual, making up for the morning hug they had missed.

And yes, it was done right in front of Megumi Kato.

Chapter 648: Korhal IV Welcomes Its True Conqueror

Korhal IV.

During the era of the now-fallen Terran Confederacy, at its founding, it was renowned for its advanced scientific level and cutting-edge research institutions, contributing to many key breakthroughs in Terran military and technological development.

Until an internal political conflict within the Confederacy destroyed everything here.

Like all core worlds of the Terran Confederacy, Korhal IV became a vassal of the Confederacy and the corrupt old families of Tarsonis (the Confederacy's capital planet at the time). As time passed, the political situation on Korhal IV grew increasingly tense. Many revolutionaries began calling for Korhal IV's secession from Confederacy control.

Protests, demonstrations, and strikes against the Confederacy and the corrupt Tarsonis elite erupted one after another, escalating conflicts that ultimately led to political assassinations.

The leader of the secessionist movement, the energetic and highly respected Korhal senator Angus Mengsk, and his family—except for his son, Arcturus, who was away on a frontier world living an adventurer's life—were all massacred.

Thus ended the long-standing noble house of Mengsk.

Regardless of age or gender, every member of the family perished.

The brutal deaths of his family filled the young Arcturus with rage and grief. He became the central figure of resistance against the Confederacy, leading a massive and highly successful uprising that inflicted immeasurable financial losses upon Tarsonis' ruling Confederacy elite.

In response, the Confederacy chose the most direct, yet also the lowest and most disastrous method: a nuclear bombardment of Korhal IV.

That catastrophe wiped out millions—billions—of lives, turning the once-thriving planet into a nuclear wasteland covered in blackened glass.

Even though Arcturus Mengsk later overthrew the Terran Confederacy with unparalleled fury and cold resolve, exacting revenge by establishing his Terran Dominion and rebuilding Korhal IV as the seat of his new empire's government…

Destruction remained destruction. The once verdant, harmonious world was gone forever, just as Arcturus could never erase the loss of his family.

The Mengsk family had dwindled to only Arcturus and his son, Valerian Mengsk.

Korhal IV had transformed from a beautiful, rich, and natural planet into a steel jungle built upon dim nuclear ash.

The most powerful military world of the Koprulu Sector—this became Korhal IV's new identity.

Now, scarcely a few years since its purification and reconstruction, this war-torn planet once again faced the flames of conflict.

...

Augustgrad, the capital of the Terran Dominion.

Rumble—!

A deafening crash echoed through the pitch-black clouds, stirring shrieks sharp enough to freeze blood.

Artificial suns lit the heavens from time to time, yet they brought no hope to the people below. As an unknown, massive fleet bearing the double-headed eagle banner surrounded Korhal IV, the gloomy clouds overshadowed not only the orbital defense platforms but also the hearts of every Korhalan.

Doo-woo! Doo-wooo—!

Shrill, urgent war alarms resounded across every corner of the city, as though the entire metropolis was sinking into a suffocating madness.

The sudden arrival of the Astartes Third Legion, the Black Templars naval fleet had clearly exceeded the Dominion government's expectations.

Too sudden. Too fast.

War came without warning. One moment, the people of Korhal toiled in their daily labors, struggling for survival; the next—BOOM! BOOM! BOOM—!

It was not a direct planetary assault by the invading fleet, but the wreckage of warships falling from orbital battles above Korhal IV—shattered fragments of orbital defense platforms, broken satellites, and destroyed strike craft raining down from the heavens…

Explosions followed in quick succession, hammering the ground with relentless force. After each thunderous blast, skyscrapers near the impact zones swayed and collapsed. The violent shockwaves churned into raging gusts, hurling steel fragments mixed with high-strength concrete debris into the sky, along with all manner of wreckage—splintered wood, shattered glass, even bits of crimson flesh…

Then, with a crash-crash-crash, it all fell like torrential rain.

Zzzt-zzzt-zzzt—!

In rapid-response mode, sentry turrets, anti-air towers, and fortress bastions scattered across the massive metropolis all activated at once. Auto-cannons and laser batteries unleashed near-endless barrages, streaking into the heavens. At their blistering rates of fire, orange-red tracer rounds and blue-white plasma shells stretched into lines that seemed to pierce sky and earth alike.

...

The Hurricane—one of the Terran Dominion's latest military-technology advancements—was an intelligent, rapidly reactive combat support drone. Tirelessly, they filled the gaps in the air-defense network.

With exceptional performance and precision-guided Typhoon missiles under AI targeting systems, their twin honeycomb launchers fired like motorized turbines, spraying missiles in every direction. They shattered the massive falling wreckage of warships into smaller fragments the defenses could manage.

Boom-boom-boom!

Whrrr-whrrr-whrrr!

In an instant, countless micro-missiles bloomed like a peacock fanning its feathers—tails of exhaust and smoke trailing behind. Fireworks of iron burst in twisting arcs, interwoven with straight webs of gunfire, dense and brilliant as meteor showers.

If these were the defensive lines, then the fortress-mounted Yamato Cannons were the Dominion's ultimate guarantee that Korhal IV could stand as a military world.

Clank-clank!

Hydraulic supports larger than Siege Tanks extended from the great gun emplacements. With the gnash of metal gears and the roar of pneumatic valves, the massive "legs" locked into position. Then—Vrrrrr-BOOOOM—!

The heavens blazed.

Compared to this, the other defenses seemed like child's play. A single blue-white energy beam pierced the thick, dust-choked clouds above.

RUMBLE!

That tremendous energy blast ripped a hole in the sky. To the naked eye, one could barely make out the beam slashing across thousands of kilometers of planetary orbit, striking a mighty purple-and-gold warship that had dared to draw close to Korhal IV's defense platforms.

At last, sparks scattered across the void—the void shield defense arrays rippled for the first time.

Rumble-rumble-rumble—!

At the same moment, colossal energy beams arced skyward from fortress bastions across Augustgrad's sprawling metropolis.

...

This was the roar of the Yamato Cannons.

Built by the Terran Dominion to maintain peace and rule over the Koprulu Sector, these weapons were the main batteries of massive battleships and the strongest defensive armament of the Dominion's capital world.

...

Meanwhile, the roar of engines filled the skies. Vikings—equally capable of serving as ground-assault mechs or agile spacefighters—rose in tight formations, streaking upward in pairs and trios.

...

The whine of turbofans followed. Banshee gunships, forgoing high-performance engines for cheaper twin-turbofan drives, swarmed like industrious ants. They darted between barracks, sentry turrets, anti-air towers, and fortress bastions.

Their mission was simple: troop transport.

Learning from the bitter lesson when the United Earth Directorate's fleet briefly occupied Korhal IV, Arcturus Mengsk had, upon reclaiming his throne, massively reinforced the planet's defenses.

The immense strength behind these military installations was that they stored vast reserves of ammunition, food, and medicine—some even housing entire factories and repair workshops.

A blessing in disguise.

Korhal IV had once been annihilated by nuclear fire. Its barren surface meant that reconstruction from the beginning carried a distinctly militarized character. Many of the great fortress bastions were built directly upon mineral veins, specifically to prepare for moments like this.

Rumble-rumble-rumble—!

Crashhh!

At this moment, Korhal IV's near-orbit was like the final masterpiece of a surrealist artist—sky, earth, and space itself painted into a terrible canvas. Dots, lines, and planes, interwoven, twisting and colliding across a backdrop of devastation in every shade.

For the ordinary Korhalan, this was sheer cruelty.

Far beyond the terror brought years ago when the United Earth Directorate's fleet seized Korhal.

The thunder of colossal guns, the shrieks of crashing starships, the screams of dying humans, shells detonating against steel constructs, and endless explosions of Terran weaponry roared into the skies…

Shattered buildings, twisted wreckage of warships embedded into the cityscape, scattered vehicles, ruptured roads, and cratered earth.

The roar of destruction drowned the howling winds. Fires of every kind rose, dyeing vast swathes of the city orange. Then, under the flood of smoke from automated fire suppression systems and marine squads spraying down flames, the world became a vision of hell.

The earth shook violently. The city trembled under humanity's power of annihilation, as though the entire world itself was warping.

Though Korhal IV's 6.3 billion people had rehearsed countless drills under Arcturus I's iron rule, when true war came—especially at this unimaginable scale—panic was inevitable.

Arcturus' government had massively bolstered his capital world's defenses. Yet this time, the invaders were far stronger than before.

As civilians poured from their workplaces and joined the evacuation under marine supervision, the sheer density of the metropolis revealed the difficulty of managing such crises.

Augustgrad's transportation grid collapsed into paralysis. Roads clogged instantly with vehicles, packed so tightly they could not move.

"Quiet! Don't push! Make way for the passage!"

"Let us out!"

"Waaah… mama, I can't find my mama…!"

"I need help! He's hurt! Someone save him!"

Civilians with families tried to flee to shelters. Soldiers needed to enter the city, hauling heavy weapons and supplies to defensive positions. Some tried to cross evacuation zones to search for family. Lost ones begged for aid. The wounded cried for rescue…

Conflicting needs collided. Though the Korhalans moved quickly, disciplined and cooperative, chaos was still inevitable.

Because Augustgrad's residents could already see it. Above, in the heavens, vast shadows spread slowly across the sky.

Descending into Korhal IV's near-orbit—lower, and lower still.

Gigantic shadows blanketed hundreds of kilometers. The sharp prows of steel warships pierced the thick clouds like blades, as though divine wrath itself was descending. Golden light seared into every eye.

At the fore stood a colossal statue of a goddess, cast entirely in gold. Feet planted upon a double-headed eagle, a blazing golden halo crowned her head like the sun. She held aloft a strange staff—part axe, part scepter, part warhammer—towering over the ship's prow, vast, domineering, impossible to ignore.

Her magnificent eyes—crafted from countless carats of pigeon-blood rubies, cut and polished by unknown craft—were flawless. Light refracted within them millions of times, amplified until a golden diamond-shaped mark glowed in the pupils, radiant beyond compare.

Where those blood-red eyes gazed, it was the gaze of a conqueror, cruelly appraising new lands to claim.

...

Sacred Selene Empire, Expeditionary Provisional Combined Fleet. Astartes Third Legion Black Templars. Second Grand Company Flagship—Meteor Devastation.

"Oh… no. This is nothing but a meaningless slaughter. You mustn't do this…"

"Kneel!"

BANG!

A dull, brutal impact followed.

Jim Raynor was slammed down by an Imperial Navy sergeant at his side, his head pressed hard against the deck.

"Huff—!"

Veins bulged along Raynor's neck as he thrashed like a cornered beast, every muscle in his body straining to rise.

Moments earlier, after being transferred from the Dominion's orbital prison through an Imperial teleportation array, Jim Raynor had been brought aboard the Meteor Devastation. As he passed the Gothic, floor-to-ceiling arched windows of the flagship's bridge, his eyes caught the sight: Arcturus' proud Terran Dominion fleet utterly crushed.

In Korhal IV's orbit, the painstakingly constructed defense network shattered like an eggshell, broken piece by piece.

Each of these massive warships was terrifying in scale, almost incomprehensible in size. They wielded defensive shielding like Protoss vessels, combined with the human style of countless weapon arrays and layers of heavy steel armor. In broadside duels, the Dominion fleet was nothing but moths hurling themselves into flame.

Raynor strained, twisting his neck, desperate to look out the window again.

But though his escort appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary officer—no towering gene-forged brute—the man's hand gripped him like iron pincers. No matter how Raynor fought, his muscles taut and his white vest drenched in sweat, he could not budge an inch.

Was all his hard-earned strength, all those years of training, a lie?

Snip—

The sharp click of nail scissors.

"Oh~, then… Mr. Jim Raynor, what do you think of all this?"

A drawling, taunting voice stretched unnaturally, every syllable oozing mockery.

Chapter 578: Milim VS Luo Cuilian

Tatsumaki didn't get much time to rest, because Kureha was quickly defeated by Luo Cuilian's relentless offense in less than half an hour.

Unlike Jibril, Luo Cuilian didn't enjoy toying with her opponents. No matter who she faced, she always used her overwhelming strength to end the fight as swiftly as possible.

So when Tatsumaki stepped up afterward, she too lasted little more than an hour before being defeated.

With that, Luo Cuilian firmly secured her place in the top three.

On Platform One, Erica and Milim had already been fighting for nearly two hours, and Erica was gradually showing signs of defeat.

Although she had trained diligently for a year, catching up to the battle techniques of fighters like Milim, Jibril, and Luo Cuilian was still far too difficult.

Just after the two-hour mark, Erica could no longer hold on and was finally defeated by Milim.

Meanwhile, Kureha challenged Jibril, but naturally, she was dispatched with ease.

Later, Tatsumaki—after losing to Luo Cuilian—challenged Milim, who had become the new Platform One defender. The result was predictable: Tatsumaki too was eliminated in the fourth round.

Kureha then challenged Milim as well, but her fate was the same.

As for Erica, after losing to Milim, she tried to reclaim a defender position by challenging both Luo Cuilian and Jibril in succession. After more than five grueling hours, both battles ended in her defeat.

Meanwhile, Natsuki Minamiya, after losing to Erica earlier, chose not to challenge anyone else.

Thus, the final top three were decided: Milim on Platform One, Luo Cuilian on Platform Two, and Jibril on Platform Three.

By then, it was already eleven o'clock at night.

Although it was late, no one returned directly to their lodgings. Instead, everyone gathered together in the dining hall.

On previous days, they had eaten dinner around seven or eight. Tonight, even though it was three hours later, no one minded enjoying dinner together.

...

"The final round of the Second Multiverse Same-Sex ♀ Friendship Group Martial Arts Tournament is about to begin. As with the previous tournament, the three finalists will face each other in turn to decide the final rankings."

On the morning of the eighth day, a little after nine o'clock, Aoi Kujou floated above the arena and loudly announced the rules to the audience.

"The first match will be between Milim and Luo Cuilian."

Having already experienced the finals once before, both Milim and Luo Cuilian appeared on the arena without hesitation as soon as they heard their names.

"I didn't expect to fight again after yesterday, but the result will still be the same."

Luo Cuilian looked at Milim with full confidence. Since she had defeated her yesterday, today would be no different.

Milim, on the other hand, looked carefree as ever, her face shining with a bright smile.

"Wahaha, I don't care about rankings at all! As long as I have fun, that's enough!"

From the beginning, she had treated fighting with everyone as play. Victory or defeat had never been her goal.

Hearing her words, Luo Cuilian also smiled.

Like Milim, she enjoyed the thrill of battle. But unlike Milim, she couldn't ignore the outcome.

"In that case, let us begin."

Rather than ambushing her opponent, Luo Cuilian waited for Milim's response before launching her attack.

She activated her technique, "Divine Step," crossing the space instantly to appear at Milim's side.

Her fair, delicate hand shot toward Milim with a palm strike.

But before it could touch her, Milim reacted in time and blocked it.

Milim was already familiar with Luo Cuilian's techniques and knew that one of her skills allowed her to absorb energy through her palm.

So in their fights, she always avoided letting her opponent touch her directly with her hands.

Blocked by Milim, Luo Cuilian didn't retreat in the slightest. With the help of her Divine Foot Passage, she flashed freely around Milim, unleashing sharp and tricky palm strikes in fierce succession.

But Milim, a master of close combat, wasn't about to let herself be struck. While blocking Luo Cuilian's palms, she countered with crushing punches and ruthless whip kicks.

The result was a thunderous series of impacts reverberating across the arena.

In the stands, Shizuka Hiratsuka sat beside Haruno, her face blank as she watched the fight.

"This kind of duel really isn't something normal people can watch. I can't even see their shadows. If it weren't for the explosions in the air, I'd think they had already left the arena."

Not only Hiratsuka, but other ordinary people present also shared the same thought.

Luo Cuilian and Milim's attack and movement speeds were so fast that their bodies seemed to vanish from the stage entirely. Only the violent energy shockwaves bursting out with every clash proved they were still fighting.

Each shockwave spread out dozens of meters before dissipating.

Hearing Hiratsuka's complaint, Haruno laughed and comforted her:

"Don't worry, Shizuka. If you keep coming with me to visit Eriri, you'll definitely have the chance to be granted transcendent power someday."

Hiratsuka rolled her eyes. She knew full well that Haruno's strength was on par with the group members.

Even now, she regretted not attending that gathering back then. If she had gone, she might already possess that overwhelming power.

If only she had known about it at the time—she would have tagged along no matter what.

...

Half an hour passed, and with a massive explosion, Milim and Luo Cuilian's figures reappeared on the arena.

A colossal shockwave spread rapidly outward until it slammed into the surrounding barrier and finally dispersed.

The two hovered more than ten meters above the ground, staring at each other across a gap of several dozen meters.

Their expressions showed no change, their clothes only slightly disheveled from the fight.

From this, it was clear that their opening clashes had ended evenly matched.

Since they separated, it could only mean they were preparing to unleash their ultimate techniques.

"South of the battlefield, corpses pile high; north of the city, the dead lie unburied, food for the crows.

But I say to the crows: feast upon heroes instead!"

With her chant, Luo Cuilian's terrifying cursed energy roared to life, golden particles radiating around her body.

"Power flows from bone, strength flows from sinew!"

"Behold, the Innate Infinite Palm!"

The golden particles converged into a titanic palm that surged toward Milim under Luo Cuilian's control.

Seeing the sky-darkening golden hand, Milim grinned wildly, showing not the slightest intention of dodging.

"Good! Come on!"

With a shout, blazing pink flames burst from Milim's body, rising to the heavens as she slammed into the giant golden palm.

But her energy flames alone were far from enough to block the Vajra Palm's overwhelming force.

At that moment, Milim was no longer the cute little loli. A red horn jutted from her forehead, and massive purple dragon wings unfurled from her back.

She looked every bit a tyrannical loli empress.

As the golden palm tore through her flames and closed in, Milim didn't hesitate. A demonic sword appeared in her hands, which she swung with immense force.

"Asura Drago Nova!"

A massive energy blade shot from the sword called Asura, tearing into the golden palm.

Not satisfied, Milim swung again and again, unleashing countless devastating sword beams like a storm of celestial flowers, all crashing into the colossal hand.

The destructive power of the sword beams far outstripped her flames. In moments, they brought the Vajra Palm to a halt.

As the torrent of blades rained down, the giant golden palm finally began to show signs of collapsing.

After a long stalemate, Milim's sword beams finally shattered the golden palm—but her beams also dissipated in the process.

Milim didn't hold back. The instant the palm vanished, she unleashed another Asura Drago Nova, a colossal blade of energy tearing through space toward Luo Cuilian.

Luo Cuilian caught her movements easily, but showed no fear. Another chant of words flowed from her lips:

"With great wood to split mountains comes great strength! With golden bells to shield passes comes ironclad defense!"

As she spoke, the golden particles gathered around her, forming a brilliant suit of golden armor that encased her body completely.

A moment later, Milim's energy slash crashed against the armor—but it held firm, leaving Luo Cuilian unharmed.

"Heaven's way shines clear, earth's way stands calm, the human way lies in stillness.

Glorious light, blazing thunder—by the decree of the supreme lord, obey my command!"

Her chanting continued as Luo Cuilian invoked the Dragon's Roar and Tiger's Howly Authority.

The golden armor around her dissolved into particles once again, merging with her spell to form a raging golden tempest.

The storm howled toward Milim at incredible speed, scattering her sword beams as it advanced.

"Yellow clouds stretch for a thousand li, white sun grows dim; the north wind blows geese, snow falls thick and fast.

But do not fear the road ahead without friends—across the world, all know your name."

The verse strengthened her art even further, the storm's force surging in intensity.

Milim refused to be outdone. She unleashed her ultimate move, Drago Buster, hurling dozens of beams of destructive energy into the golden storm.

The beams collided with the tempest in deafening explosions. For a moment, the storm itself seemed close to collapse.

And so, Milim and Luo Cuilian locked into a long-range clash, the arena ringing constantly with Luo Cuilian's ethereal chants.

Three hours passed in a flash. Neither relented for even a moment, but the toll on their energy reserves was immense. At this rate, they would soon exhaust themselves and return to barehanded combat.

But before their strength failed, the outcome arrived.

Perhaps drawing on her experience from yesterday's victory over Milim, Luo Cuilian fought even more skillfully today, seizing every chance to strike back.

At last, after over four grueling hours, she defeated Milim once again, securing her place in the final two.

Now, only one battle remained: a showdown with Jibril to determine the champion of this tournament.

In the stands, the spectators erupted into discussion, speculating who would claim ultimate victory.

Before long, the second match of the finals began.

"Next up, Luo Cuilian and Jibril."

To avoid unnecessary matches, Aoi Kujou arranged it the same way as the previous tournament: the champion, Luo Cuilian, would fight Jibril directly.

If Jibril won, the rankings would be decided immediately. If not, another round would be needed.

As Aoi's voice fell, Luo Cuilian and Jibril appeared on the stage.

"Whether I can claim the championship depends on this fight. Jibril, are you ready?"

Luo Cuilian's gaze was stern as she faced Jibril across a distance of several meters.

Neither in the last tournament nor this one had they ever crossed blades in the arena. But outside, as fellow battle enthusiasts, they had sparred many times.

Luo Cuilian knew Jibril's strength well—her reaction speed, her combat instincts honed to perfection.

Jibril's victory in the previous tournament hadn't been solely due to Heavenly Smite. Even without it, victory would only have been a matter of time.

After all, her experience had been forged in centuries of life-and-death battles. None of the group members could compare.

Even though Milim was far older, when it came to combat experience, two Milims together still couldn't match Jibril.

Chapter 333: You'll End Up Creating an Unsolved Mystery of the World!

Nightfall.

Within the Youxiong tribe.

The primitive people of Shenzhou lit bonfires one after another, singing and dancing, using their mysterious rituals to celebrate Chiyou's defeat.

They didn't understand what a Honkai Beast was, nor the concepts of the Previous Era, starships, or advanced technology.

To them, it was simply the descent of heavenly gods who had slain a demon for them.

In their eyes, Setsuna, Fu Hua, Dan Zhu, and the others were immortals beyond mortal reach, so they instinctively cleared a wide space around them.

Only a few cast timid glances in their direction.

During the celebration, tribespeople carried rough clay plates, offering the finest cuts of meat and freshly gathered fruits before Setsuna.

"Mmm—this doesn't taste good."

Griseo reached out with her small hand, tried a bite, puffed her cheeks, and tugged on Setsuna's sleeve.

She quietly pulled a packet of jerky from her pocket and began to chew.

Without the spices of later ages, the cooking of the ancients was bland and unpalatable by modern standards.

"Not bad."

Cangxuan and Dan Zhu had long since grown used to being treated as honored guests of the tribes.

They even struck a few poses at the right moments, leaving the primitive folk utterly awestruck.

Setsuna couldn't help but admire how genius the idea of spreading knowledge through myth and legend truly was.

"Honestly, I feel reluctant to leave here."

Jilin's gaze drifted.

Unlike Cangxuan and Dan Zhu, who were girls of the Previous Era, she was a true native—the leader of the Youxiong tribe.

"Do you want to lead Shenzhou's people into the future? That won't work. If you stay, it'll really create a bug."

"After all, originally you perished together with Chiyou."

Setsuna asked with a smile.

"I know. But more than that, I want to see the Shenzhou of the future."

Jilin thought for a moment, then looked at Setsuna seriously:

"Then, how should we guide the tribes of Shenzhou from now on?"

"So that even without me, they can continue to thrive and grow stronger?"

"Leave that to me."

Setsuna patted the girl's shoulder.

"When it comes to leading a civilization, I have plenty of experience."

"After all, I also started from the Stone Age. Well, though I did live a little off the shipgirls' support."

...

Setsuna temporarily stayed in the Youxiong tribe.

Following the research division's instructions, he made small adjustments to the worldline.

Unlike Cangxuan and Dan Zhu, who often accelerated humanity's progress by teaching iron smelting or steel forging far beyond their era,

Setsuna's goal was to restore the timeline to normal.

He only guided the tribespeople to discover the right technologies at the right time.

Whether it was smelting or farming, he kept it strictly within the level of 2000 BC.

Even though these were simple skills, to the primitive people, the man who taught them was no less than Nuwa (Dan Zhu) and Fuxi (Cangxuan).

Beyond that, he also had to complete another of the Yellow Emperor's great tasks—uniting the tribes.

In the ancient world, constrained by transportation, the Yellow Emperor had spent years bringing together the tribes of the Central Plains.

For Setsuna, this task was far easier.

Buzz—

A small starship carried Jilin, Cangxuan, Dan Zhu, and Fu Hua as it cruised across the Central Plains using holographic navigation.

Before long, a simple settlement appeared below.

"Commander, that's the Shennong tribe—also ancestors of Shenzhou."

"In the original timeline, they joined with the Youxiong tribe, forming the foundation of Shenzhou culture. We need to bring them in."

One of the observing lolis reminded him.

"Got it. Proceed as planned."

Shua—

The ship descended slowly above the tribe.

"!!!"

The tribespeople below gawked in terror.

Cangxuan and Dan Zhu leapt down.

The two ancestors had already mastered the art of playing gods before primitives.

"I am Fuxi of the Youxiong tribe. I have come to discuss important matters with you."

Thud—Thud—Thud!!

A few loud blasts—

Cangxuan set off fireworks, startling the tribespeople so much they dropped to their knees in worship.

"I am Nuwa, under the command of the Commander of the Starsea Empire, here to guide you…"

"Commander… who is that?"

The chieftain of the Shennong tribe asked, baffled but cautious.

"He is the Lord of all worlds, Lord of the Starsea, traversing the vast cosmos…"

Dan Zhu folded her arms and pointed up at the towering starship above.

A space warship appearing in 2000 BC was a cognitive strike beyond imagination for the primitives.

They couldn't comprehend, couldn't picture it—only believe it was a divine creation.

"I command you to go to the Youxiong tribe. From this day forward, unite as one, and together rule over Shenzhou…"

With tall tales and what looked like magic—modern technology—Dan Zhu easily persuaded the Shennong tribe.

"Are you sure this is really fine?"

In the control room, Fu Hua sounded worried.

"I recall we said we shouldn't spread advanced technology to them, to avoid Honkai and other accidents?"

"It's fine, the research division simulated it already."

Setsuna waved casually with a smile.

"We didn't spread advanced tech. We just used it to achieve certain effects."

"To the primitive people of Shenzhou, anything too advanced is incomprehensible anyway. They'll only pass it down as myth."

"Oh…"

...

With Setsuna, Cangxuan, and Dan Zhu's efforts,

History gradually returned to its rightful course.

The tribes of Shenzhou quickly united, choosing another outstanding leader to guide the Youxiong and Shennong together.

No longer a scattering of primitive clans, they now had the beginnings of a nation.

Setsuna, Cangxuan, Dan Zhu, Fu Hua, and even Griseo were revered as divine patrons of the tribe.

One day—

Setsuna received a transmission from Grey.

"Commander, the worldline corrections are complete. Simulation and observation confirm that this time jump won't disturb the original trajectory."

"Good."

After sharing one last rough but heartfelt meal with the tribespeople, he and his companions boarded the ship.

"My lord, please wait!"

A tribesman of the Youxiong clan called out behind him.

"Are you leaving us?"

The people looked on with reluctance.

"Yes. From here, you must walk the path yourselves."

Setsuna nodded.

"…"

The tribespeople knelt together, begging him to stay, but Setsuna only smiled and shook his head.

"Do not grieve, and do not fear. In this age, you have already established a remarkable civilization."

"Even without our guidance, you can carry Shenzhou's civilization forward."

"…Will you come see us again?"

A young woman looked up hopefully.

"Perhaps."

Dan Zhu thought for a moment, then teased:

"Could be a hundred years, or maybe thousands. Who can say~"

The tribespeople froze at that, before one more stepped forward:

"My lord, we have one final question:"

"How can we preserve words and drawings for the longest time possible?"

"Oh?"

Setsuna found the question amusing.

He considered their technological level, then smiled:

"Carve them into stone."

Boom—

The time-space passage opened, and the starship vanished into the sky trailing fire.

...

The people of Shenzhou continued as history decreed, spreading across the Central Plains.

The tribe's craftsmen, using primitive writing and memory, carved into stone what they had seen in those days—

Starships, Honkai Beasts, immortals wielding impossible power…

They couldn't understand what they had witnessed, so they etched the shapes of ships and monsters as they remembered them.

They also recorded how Setsuna, Fu Hua, and Griseo had taught them farming and metallurgy.

Words they often heard—"Honkai," "Commander," "Starsea Empire"—were meaningless to them, yet they carved them beside the images as annotations.

The slabs, revered at first as sacred relics, later passed through wars and migrations, collected by nobles and merchants, some destroyed, others scattered across the world…

Most eventually buried deep underground.

Crafted with crude but enduring skill, they survived millennia, waiting to shock the modern age as an unsolved mystery of the world.

...

"This is our research base in the Honkai world."

"To study Honkai energy more conveniently, and to avoid causing too much impact on Earth, we spend most of our time here in Honkai Station-1."

Inside the space station—

Setsuna landed with the ancestral figures he had brought through time.

"An orbital space station!! Anti-gravity!!"

"It's huge!!! Bigger than a city on Earth!!"

As soon as they stepped off the ship, Cangxuan and Dan Zhu were overwhelmed by the wonders of the interstellar era.

When carrying out the Project EMBER, they had borne the accumulated achievements of the Previous Era's science.

But compared to the Starsea Empire's accomplishments, it seemed insignificant.

"Ah la, I thought I'd entrust you with this terminal, but now it looks unnecessary?"

Cangxuan fiddled with a spherical computer in her hand.

It was a quantum computer storing knowledge from the Previous Era. Some had been scattered in ruins on Earth, others lost to the ages.

One had even been crafted into Little Cangxuan.

"If you mean the knowledge of the Previous Era, I already gave it to Brother Setsuna."

Griseo replied.

"The Ark carries all the Previous Era's research, plus Dr. Mei's reports on Honkai energy. Mhm, it should be more than what your terminal contains."

"Hah?"

Cangxuan was startled.

"I was going to use it to repay the Commander. Just giving a figurine felt inadequate… and you already beat me to it?!"

"Brother Setsuna was the one who saved me…"

Little Griseo puffed her cheeks and tugged Setsuna's sleeve.

"No need for you to repay me."

Setsuna ruffled Cangxuan's hair.

"Hua's been thinking of you two for a long time, and asked me to bring you back if possible."

"If you survived, she would never have gone mad."

"!"

Fu Hua was almost used to Setsuna teasing her at every turn.

She pinched him lightly and said softly, "Thank you. They… are very important to me."

"I will find a way to repay you."

They walked to the research division.

Grey, Mio, and several shipgirls were already waiting.

"Husband!!"

"Why didn't you take me with you on your time jump?"

The Spirit of Origin flung herself into his arms, pouting and sulking.

"You were only gone for less than two weeks. What's so fun about primitive civilizations?"

"Eating roasted meat and picking fruit with tribespeople?"

Setsuna chuckled, pinching her cheek.

After spending so much time with Fu Hua, suddenly seeing Mio, his first thought was—so big! Too big!

His sense of proportions had been warped by an immortal.

"As long as I'm with you, anything is fun! Take me next time~"

Mio clung to him like a girlfriend, making Fu Hua glance sideways.

Mio was terrifyingly strong. In their sparring, Fu Hua had discovered this silver-haired girl could flatten her in a single move.

Yet, despite her power, by Setsuna's side she was a pure lovestruck fool, the kind who even wanted him to feed her at meals.

"Jealous?"

Cangxuan nudged Fu Hua, whispering.

"!?"

"I'm not."

Fu Hua kept her eyes forward.

"Blockhead…"

Cangxuan tugged her again.

"Look, there are so many girls here. You're beautiful, though your figure has some flaws. But it shouldn't matter."

"A slow bird should fly first! If someone else steals him away, you'll just end up shutting yourself off again."

The two sisters lectured earnestly. Though younger than Fu Hua, they cared for her—who had always been aloof, friendless, and socially clumsy.

Outside of battle, it was often Cangxuan and Dan Zhu taking care of her.

"???"

Fu Hua felt that since reuniting, the two had constantly been attacking her character.

"I… don't really understand these things."

The immortal shook her head.

"Don't worry! Leave it to me! Follow my plan in the future!!"

Dan Zhu suddenly perked up.

"I've read so many shoujo manga! Perfect for a blockhead like you!"

The immortal suddenly felt anxious about her future.

After the brief greetings—

A few research lolis brought the Angeloid to conduct routine medical checks for everyone.

Cangxuan, Dan Zhu, and Griseo were already used to it, but Jilin was a complete native girl.

Dragged from the tribal age straight into the spacefaring era, she clutched her belongings nervously and followed behind the lolis.

It was hard to imagine that this short, timid girl would one day become one of Shenzhou's ancestral founders.

"Ahem. In short—after our simulations and calculations, Commander, your time jump basically had no impact on the later timeline."

In the laboratory, Grey tapped the holographic screen, pulling up massive amounts of data.

"The mission was highly successful. Earth's history here suffered no disturbance."

"Good."

Setsuna nodded.

In previous jumps—whether in the Date A Live world or in the Angeloid world—every traversal had caused massive changes to the original worldline.

This time, spanning over 3,000 years, with the mathematical law weapon's deductions, history had completely returned to its proper course.

The Honkai world's time-jump technique would have even more applications in the future—

To alter the past, correct the future, and guide worlds to develop according to their will.

"Commander… what happened to the Youxiong tribe afterwards?"

Jilin raised her hand timidly.

Now she felt disoriented—she had leapt forward 3,575 years.

Those who had been her companions yesterday were now figures of the distant past.

"Hmm…"

Kayo Senju opened the historical records.

Since Jilin was a true native girl, the histories of Xia, Shang, Zhou, and the entire feudal era were all the future to her.

"After you left, the Youxiong and Shennong tribes united, absorbing other primitive tribes in the Central Plains."

"After some evolution, they together established Shenzhou's first dynasty—the Xia."

"Later came Shang, Zhou, Spring and Autumn, Warring States… mm, too long. Just read the history books yourself."

The research lolis handed Jilin a tablet loaded with a complete history of Shenzhou in the Honkai world.

"However… since the Commander appeared flying a starship, the early Shenzhou people developed some peculiar worship."

Grey scratched his head.

"They treated you as deities descending from the heavens. They carved starships, the Commander, Hua, Griseo, and the others into murals and stone tablets."

"This odd worship spread for a while, but later faded due to wars and the progress of society."

"…"

Setsuna suddenly thought of ancient Egyptian relics and similar finds—where archaeologists discovered strange UFO-like images.

They often dismissed them as imagination or misidentified animals.

Maybe future archaeologists of the Honkai world would face the same doubts when unearthing Shenzhou's relics.

"Next is arranging accommodations for you all."

He turned to the ancestral trio.

"Cangxuan, Dan Zhu—you'll go to the research division with Grey to study Honkai energy."

Setsuna thought for a moment.

They were chosen as geniuses of the Previous Era—perfect to handle research.

"Alright, alright~"

The black-haired, blue-eyed girl in the white backless dress answered lazily.

"Let me see the Starsea Empire's tech. After mixing with natives so long, it'll be refreshing to stay with scientists again."

"As for Jilin…"

Setsuna looked her way.

The girl still seemed shy, clutching a golden longsword.

"Go first with Yae Sakura and Yae Rin to study—get used to the Starsea Empire and life here."

"By the way, can I borrow your sword for a while?"

"Ah, oh—yes."

Jilin hurriedly handed the golden sword to Setsuna.

"This is the sacred heirloom of our tribe…"

The blade was exquisitely made and heavy.

It was one of the Tenth Divine Keys—the Key of Domination forged from the core of the Herrscher of Dominance in the Previous Era: the Xuanyuan Sword.

In ancient times, Cangxuan and Dan Zhu had given it to humanity, and the Youxiong tribe had revered it ever since.

Because the Tenth Herrscher core possessed infinite divisibility and distribution, humanity created nearly a thousand mass-produced Divine Keys.

Some suppressed Honkai, others were destroyed in long battles. Xuanyuan Sword, the Grips of Tai Xuan, and Redsword all came from the Keys of Domination.

Setsuna brushed the blade lightly, feeling a powerful Honkai presence.

Xuanyuan Sword was one of the more unique Keys of Domination, holding six Herrscher powers—lightning, flame, ice, and others.

For Jilin, a native girl who had only just awakened her stigmata, to seal a Judgment-class Honkai Beast like Chiyou proved the sword's terrifying strength.

"Hmm…"

Setsuna examined it for a while.

"Interesting. For now, hand it to the research division for study."

"Since the Tenth Herrscher core can be infinitely divided, maybe we can use it to make more things?"

...

Chapter 332: Lawbearer · Overbearing · Connections · Lumine

"Hehe, hello, hello. My divine name is Barbatos, but you can just call me Venti. I'm the leader of the Mondstadt Collective. The very first moment I saw you, I knew—we'll surely become good friends."

Venti stepped forward, grasping Lan's hands with the easy familiarity of an old friend, his tone brimming with warmth, as if they were comrades reunited after tens of thousands of years.

"Oh, greetings, Barbatos. I've already heard much of your renown across many worlds." Lan showed no awkwardness at all.

After all, even before becoming an Aeon, he had already been a great general and hero of the Xianzhou Alliance.

"Oh! Then tell me, Lan—what sort of god am I in the stories you've heard?" Venti asked curiously.

"Well, naturally, you are the breeze of hope that blows across countless worlds—the freest, the most carefree, the one with the least majesty, and also the supreme deity who least resembles a god." Lan answered honestly and directly.

After leaving the Main Universe, he had wandered through the Dimensional Gap, encountering myriad worlds—cosmos and planes alike. While marveling at the boundless vastness of the Teyvat Universe, he had also come to know many gods, though to him most were weak. Still, the endless diversity of civilizations had deeply touched his spirit.

Venti only chuckled awkwardly, unfazed. "Lan, you're certainly straightforward—but not wrong at all."

He then looked past Lan, greeting the Aeons behind him, whose auras were not much weaker than his own.

"New friends, I'm Venti. Might I have the honor of befriending you all?"

The Aeon of Erudition, Nous, who had taken human form resembling an intelligent automaton, offered a gentlemanly bow.

"Of course, Lord Venti. I am the Aeon of Erudition—just call me Nous. To exchange words with a higher lifeform unlike us Aeons is an honor. I believe through dialogue, we can exchange knowledge equally, enriching one another's understanding."

He had been in the Main Universe for some time, and had traveled beyond the Dimensional Gap as well. More often, however, he conversed with scientists. The sciences of various universes had greatly advanced his understanding.

In particular, he had once met a high-level lifeform remarkably similar to himself. In unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos, that being had matched him almost evenly. Though that lifeform had not yet reached his own tier of existence, their exchanges had been mutually rewarding.

That being, who called himself Holou, seemed destined to soon ascend to a lifeform on par with himself.

Through such exchanges of knowledge, Nous had become the Aeon most familiar with the current world. The infinite mysteries of this multiverse enthralled him.

Once, he had thought parsing a single universe would suffice to overheat his primary core. Now, with endless universes before him, even burning out his processors could not unravel a ten-thousandth of it.

"Hehe, well said."

"Compared to Mondstadt, I think Fontaine would suit Lord Nous even better. Fontaine is Teyvat's most scientific Collective, after all."

Focalors approached with a smile. "I imagine Holou must have been an excellent conversational partner for you as well."

Nous bent in a courteous bow. "Indeed, Lady Focalors. I have long heard your name."

Venti's lips twitched. "Hey, hey, Focalors—this isn't a recruitment drive. No need to push it like that."

"My, everyone seems so welcoming. I thought there might be some hostility, but I was clearly overthinking it."

A mature, composed voice carried forward as Himeko, who had become the Aeon of Trailblaze, stepped out.

"Greetings, I am Himeko, the Aeon of Trailblaze. It is a pleasure to meet you all. I hope we can become friends."

"Hello, hello, I am Raiden Makoto."

"I am Raiden Ei."

"I'm Nahida."

"Hello everyone, I am Firefly, the Aeon of Destruction. It is a joy to become friends with you all."

"I am Robin, the Aeon of Order, newly ascended. Please take care of me."

"I am Fuli, the Aeon of Remembrance. I am intrigued by your unforgettable memories. Might I exchange some with you?"

"Memories? That won't do. Memories are the most private domain—even with the best of friends, that cannot be shared."

"Is that so?"

"I am Yaoshi, the Aeon of Abundance. If any of my friends fall ill, come to me. As long as I can help, I will never refuse."

"Say, at our level, who could even get sick?"

"Oh, right—Odin, your eye is blind. Why not let the Aeon of Abundance heal it?"

"Out of the way! This is the Rite of Omniscience, tied to my true name. It's not blindness. You're mocking me, aren't you? Care to test Gungnir?"

"I am Oroboros, the Aeon of Voracity. Friend, you smell delicious."

"Eh? You're drooling! Get away from me!"

The Aeons quickly grew acquainted with the gods, but half of them had personalities the gods simply couldn't mesh with.

The Aeons of Nihility, Enigmata, Harmony, Finality, and Voracity—these were personifications of cosmic phenomena or primordial beasts, their minds utterly misaligned with intelligent life.

But the rest of the Aeons could communicate normally.

"Hahahaha! Looks like everyone's been waiting for me~"

Just as the gods and Aeons were exchanging greetings, a familiar, brazen voice rang out.

All eyes turned, and they saw a starship sailing toward them, a silver trail gleaming in its wake.

The silver trail transcended time, space, and causality, as though a higher god had drawn a straight line across the cosmos.

At the prow stood a golden-haired girl, hands on her hips, chest thrust out, her posture radiating arrogance.

"As expected, she's the last to arrive. Truly infuriating. If not for the fact I can't beat her, I—Yae Miko—would surely spank her soundly."

Yae Miko narrowed her eyes at the flamboyantly arriving girl.

Nahida nodded. "Well, she is the Traveler. Naturally, the protagonist always arrives last."

Venti spread his hands. "Ah~ but of course. The Traveler is Teyvat's greatest connection. Her brother is the Abyssal Sovereign, and she shares sisterhood with the Sustainer of Heavenly Principle."

"And now she herself is a Lawbearer, opening star routes for countless worlds. Her achievements practically shine."

"We may as well step aside and let her through~"

Athena laughed lightly. "Overwhelming accomplishments naturally grant the right to stand above all."

She herself was proof—rising from an obscure deity to the leader of her Divine Collective, now standing as a cosmic powerhouse.

Among her own gods, she was even prouder than Lumine.

Raiden Makoto nodded. "By paving roads across all of Teyvat, linking countless universes and worlds, every Collective and every god has benefited. Every life that has walked the paths she opened owes her a debt of gratitude, more or less."

At present, none could deny that the one who had contributed most to Teyvat was the Traveler—Lumine, Lord of Law/Lawbearer.

The Star Rails linking worlds were indispensable to the Collectives. Now all of them relied heavily on those pathways.

Time and space had been shattered.

Even worlds infinitely distant from the Main Universe could be reached in mere moments through the Star Rails, reducing the cost of managing worlds to almost nothing.

Thus, all Collectives were indebted to Lumine, and all would give her face. Even if she acted willfully, they would tolerate it.

In Teyvat, merit decided status. Strength? That was not the absolute measure.

The starship vanished, and Lumine flipped gracefully through the air, landing elegantly before the gathered gods, arms outstretched as if awaiting applause.

But the gods only stared in silence.

Lumine frowned. "Excuse me, but why is there no applause for such a dazzling entrance by a Lawbearer like me?"

"My friends, where is the applause?"

Zhongli shook his head helplessly, clapping like one humoring a mischievous junior.

"Ah~ The Traveler's entrance this time—if I had ten points to give, I'd give her a hundred." Venti, shameless as ever, clapped loudly.

Furina, Nahida, and Raiden Makoto—close friends of Lumine—also humored her with applause.

With the leaders clapping, the rest of the gods naturally joined in.

Even the Aeons, exchanging glances, could not resist clapping in the collective mood.

"Rise, my beloved subjects~" Lumine placed her hands on her hips, chin held high, intoxicated with herself.

"Look at you, so pleased with yourself," Yae Miko cut in drily. "Careful, or the ones above might think you're overstepping and provoking them."

Lumine's expression stiffened. She suddenly remembered the last time she had been beaten by Asmoday for daring to grumble at them. She quickly waved her hands.

"Impossible. I'm already a Lawbearer—just half a rank lower than the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles."

Those four Sustainers were also merely Lawbearers, though stronger than her. Status-wise, she wasn't far behind.

She was now a high-tier strong single-universe, her strength equal to hundreds of standard universes in mass.

And as she continued increasing her Law mass, her power grew swiftly.

Not to target anyone in particular—but really, everyone present was nothing more than rabble, worthless and laughable.

"Ahem~ Traveler, we're friends, right? Could you maybe tell us how wide the gap really is between a Lawbearer and us?" Venti whispered.

The ranks beyond single-universe were clearly defined, but none of them had any sense of what such power meant.

After all, how could they imagine a tier of strength they had never touched?

Lumine waved her hand carelessly. "Ah, Lawbearer? Nothing special. I could swat aside a few hundred Barbatos with no trouble at all."

She patted Venti's shoulder as she spoke, letting a faint trace of Law's aura spill forth.

An overwhelming pressure burst outward for just a second, forcing the gods back a step.

And in that instant, they glimpsed the essence behind that pressure.

Hundreds, nearly a thousand great universes stacked together like glass beads—yet all of them were held in a single palm.

And the owner of that palm looked down at them coldly, as if they were ants—ready to crush them with a flick of a finger at the slightest displeasure.

The infinite, terrifying pressure shattered the composure of the weaker gods instantly.

But only for a moment. In the next instant, the aura vanished.

All gods except the Seven Archons felt their very souls quake, their eyes briefly vacant, their divine bodies trembling lightly as they came back to themselves.

Odin's teeth ached as he muttered: "Th-this is a Lawbearer… Such terrifying power… Is this truly the rank just beneath the Eternal Throne…?"

Yae Miko smoothed her fox ears, which had bristled up. Though shaken, she quickly regained composure. After all, Lawbearer or not, she bore the mark of Heavenly Principle—her future was to climb to that same level.

Venti pulled a small handkerchief from nowhere, wiping nonexistent sweat from his brow. "Hiss… That's nearly a thousandfold single-universe… The power of Law is absurd."

Furina muttered enviously: "Indeed… to become a Lawbearer is to instantly rise to high-tier strong single-universe."

Still, she only envied briefly. A bearer of Cosmology was no weaker than a Lord of Law—perhaps even surpassing them in the far future.

Lumine feigned nonchalance. "Ah~ That's all it is. I'm still weak. Only a little bit stronger than you all."

She pinched her fingers together, forming a tiny "universe" between thumb and forefinger.

"My fists are clenching! I can't take this!" Tet growled, clenching her hand tight.

Such cheap humility—so infuriating.

Furina pouted. "You're no better. You, Lumine, and Venti—you three are called the Teyvat Three Scoundrels."

"Huh? What? Furina, why are you mumbling?"

Lumine blinked innocently. Just as Furina was about to retort, Lumine's eyes lit up as she turned toward the Aeon of Trailblaze, Himeko, smiling mischievously.

"Well, well The Aeon of Trailblaze, huh? I am the bearer of the Principle of Trailblaze, and you're part of my faction. Red-haired onee-san, come, introduce yourself"

In that moment, Lumine looked exactly like a street punk harassing a respectable lady.

But it wasn't some strange switch flipped—it was simply her excitement at gaining a powerful subordinate.

Chapter 72: The Final Night, The Final Battle! Step Forth!!

"Foolish delusion!!"

Shriek—!

Upon hearing the matter, the Thunderbird let out another furious cry. The gale from its breath blew through the violet-haired woman's bangs and kimono like a roaring fan.

"This vessel is not negotiating with you."

The Shogun raised her hand, brushing aside her wind-tossed bangs with delicate fingers, her cold voice cutting through the storm.

"Hmph! You still owe me for that arrow you shot. And now you dare ask my aid? Beelzebul… have you grown addled by your own lightning these years? Hm~?"

The Thunderbird thrust its beak close to her face, lightning sparking in its eyes as they locked upon her, as though seeking some hidden truth.

"Twisting words."

The Shogun's tone never faltered. Though her figure was diminutive before the great beast, every word she spoke pressed back against its overwhelming aura.

"What did you say?!"

"In your rage, you lost all reason. Your fury was beyond mortal endurance. You destroyed Tsurumi Island, and sought to lay waste to Narukami and Seirai. For that, you had no choice but to atone in death. That this vessel struck you down was only just."

Arms crossed, eyes closed, her voice was cold and commanding.

"…Was it not those wretched humans who—who killed that child—!!"

"That child? Who?"

Her eyes opened, her question sharp.

"Hmph… none of your concern!"

The Thunderbird turned away, stubborn.

"Haa… This vessel has told you what is needed. Tomorrow, I will summon you again. You will fight alongside me."

She did not pursue the matter further, only sighing softly before delivering her decree. To her, the Thunderbird's silence was already tacit agreement.

"When did I ever say I would help you?"

The bird blinked in surprise before snapping back with disdain.

"Because you did not refuse."

The Shogun met its gaze calmly.

"I refuse!"

"You may not."

"What?!"

"You have no right to refuse. I have told you—I am not negotiating. You will aid me, whether you wish it or not."

Her violet eyes glimmered with the light of thunder, her tone growing colder. One more protest, and she would strike it down once again.

The Thunderbird inhaled deeply, as if to force its anger down. Its blood boiled, but what use was it? It could not defeat her. Endure it, then.

It spread its crackling wings, preening with its beak, then took a few slow steps aside.

Rustle—!

Rain poured around them as the beast stared upward, its eyes narrowing with thought.

The Shogun remained silent, arms folded, watching. She knew it was weighing its choice.

"…I can aid you. But—"

It turned back to her.

"I have one condition. You must grant me a favor, someday."

Its feminine voice rang with an ethereal echo, clear in her ears.

"…Speak."

The Shogun had expected as much. Her expression remained unchanged, her answer brisk.

"One of my feathers, steeped in my divine power, fell upon Seirai Island when you struck me down. It summons storms wherever it lies. Find it for me."

Its voice was calm now, nothing like its earlier rage.

"This vessel accepts. And when I find it, shall I return it to you?"

Such a request was trivial. A trip to Seirai to collect it—and perhaps to quell its storms—was no great burden.

"No. Keep it. Guard it well."

The Thunderbird narrowed its eyes as it spoke.

"Understood."

The Shogun replied simply.

"And one more thing. Do not entrust Seirai to others. I demand that you, Beelzebul, go there yourself. I trust no humans."

Its words were solemn, its tone heavy, its steps carrying it closer—near enough that their faces almost touched.

"…Are you implying that I alone am worthy of trust?"

The Shogun asked with a hint of mockery.

"I only mean… compared to humans, you are at least tolerable."

The Thunderbird turned aside.

"…As ever, you speak against your heart."

The Shogun let out a soft sigh as she answered.

"Hmph… you are insufferable, as always."

The Thunderbird snapped back at her, but its voice no longer carried rage—rather, a faint hint of amusement.

"I've accepted your request. And in return… what of you?"

The Shogun asked pointedly.

"…Fine. Then I'll reluctantly lend you my strength for a time. But don't expect such generosity twice!"

"Deal."

The Shogun extended her hand.

"…Hmph."

The Thunderbird eyed her pale hand with disdain, then glanced at its own wing. At last, it brushed its feathers against her fingertips with a sharp whoosh.

Buzz~!

Moments later, the Thunderbird dissolved into motes of light and vanished.

[Haa… feels like you just got yourself into trouble again…]

Ei muttered irritably.

"It'll be me going, not you. What are you complaining about?"

[Even so… I don't feel at ease. At least take someone with you.]

She urged her firmly.

'Haa… I'm not a child anymore.'

[To me, you'll always be a child.]

'…'

Forget it. She would think about it later. For now, she yielded.

Buzz~

Violet motes reformed in the dim corner of the room, reshaping into the Shogun's body. She stepped softly to the bedside, relief flickering across her face when she saw the girl still sleeping soundly. It seemed the earlier commotion had not disturbed her—her choice of location had been wise.

Outside, the rain continued to fall, but the thunder had begun to fade.

"Mm…"

The girl stirred faintly, curling like a kitten beneath the blanket. A lazy murmur slipped from her lips.

"…Shogun…"

She seemed to call for her even in her dreams. The Shogun leaned closer, finding her eyes still closed, though a faint smile curved her lips.

[Even in sleep, she calls your name. Truly, you draw bees and butterflies alike…]

Ei's voice carried a sudden edge of irritation.

"If we're talking about attracting bees and butterflies… Ei, doesn't that apply to you as well?"

[Perhaps. But we are not the same.]

'How so?'

[Because what lies within us differs.]

'Within… yet I am only a puppet.'

[Not this again. Shogun, you are no ordinary puppet. You have a soul, a will. You are your own being—just as I am.]

'Is this… meant to comfort me?'

[Not only comfort. Guidance as well. Strange, isn't it?]

'Not strange…'

For she had long since grown used to Ei's presence—since the moment of her creation.

...

The twilight sky blazed with fiery clouds, as if cradling the breath of night within. Draped across the endless heavens, it was not a herald of hope, but the prelude to strife. Golden light spread across Trifas, the border forests, and the Fortress of Millennia. It was not dawn, but the beginning of conflict.

A cool night breeze stirred, rustling the leaves below, tugging at the kimono and hair of the woman upon the wall. The noble beauty of her gentian-patterned attire fluttered, revealing flawless thighs and the rest of her legs wrapped in dark violet stockings.

Finding her hair slightly disheveled, she raised her hand to smooth the strands across her forehead. Her long braid behind, weighted and tied low, was untouched by the wind.

For her, this twilight might well be the last she would see in this world. Her violet eyes swept across the scenery, committing everything before her to memory.

"…Shogun? Hehe… I knew I'd find you here."

The familiar voice behind made her turn her head slightly. Fiore had wheeled herself to her side.

"When I saw you staring into the distance, I worried I might disturb you. But… since this might be our last day together, I couldn't resist."

The girl's voice was soft as she explained.

"It is no disturbance. This vessel merely sought to etch the view into memory. Your timing is apt."

The Shogun replied in her usual cold, melodious tone.

"Eh?"

Fiore blinked, puzzled.

"Because you are part of this 'scenery' as well. One worth remembering."

She lowered her gaze, her words bringing a flush to Fiore's cheeks. The girl's face reddened, while the Shogun's expression remained unchanged, as though she had spoken something entirely ordinary.

"Mmm… Really… saying things like that all of a sudden, Shogun… how sly~"

Flustered, Fiore pinched at her skirt, averting her gaze from those captivating violet eyes and the small beauty mark beneath them. Her voice was as soft as a kitten's complaint.

[Shogun… I'm still here, you know.]

Ei's voice chimed in, tinged with jealousy. She had let much slide already, but this was pushing it. If the Shogun wasn't careful, she would find her "functions" undergoing some adjustment later.

The Shogun stiffened at the words, her thoughts momentarily muddled. What had she said just now?

"…Was that… strange to say?"

She asked Fiore, puzzled by her bashfulness.

"N-no… not at all… I… I'm very happy."

Fiore shook her head quickly, cheeks still crimson. Strange? Hardly. She had longed to hear such words. Even if the Shogun had spoken them without intent, her heart overflowed with joy.

"…Good. Then it is well."

The Shogun exhaled inwardly in relief. She had worried she might have spoken out of place. As long as Fiore took no offense, all was fine. As for Ei… they would settle that privately.

"You came here alone?"

Her keen senses had picked up something, and she narrowed her eyes at the sight of the girl in her wheelchair.

"Eh… yes…"

Fiore glanced at her legs and nodded faintly.

"You once said… your wish was to walk again, to stand upon the earth?"

"Mm… compared to others, it's a small wish. I've said so before, hehe."

She gave a bitter smile.

"It matters not. I will aid you. I will see you claim the Grail. That is our vow."

"…Thank you. Haa… and yet, I can't help but feel reluctant."

A faint sting welled in her nose.

"Reluctant?"

"Yes… when tonight ends, I may have to part with you. That thought… it pains me."

Fiore's honesty shone through. At such a moment, there was no room for shyness.

"All banquets end in parting. Separation is only for a time. We shall meet again."

"Truly…?"

Her eyes shimmered, voice trembling on the verge of tears.

"When have I ever lied? Did you not say you wished to see Inazuma? When the time comes, I will invite you—as a friend of this vessel."

"Shogun…"

Knock knock…

Click…

At that moment, a maid entered after knocking, bowing to them before speaking:

"Lady Saber, Lady Fiore… it is nearly time to depart. Lord Caules and Lord Gordes await outside."

"Very well… we'll be right there."

Fiore quickly composed herself, answering in a formal tone.

"Yes, my lady."

The maid retreated.

"The time has come. It is the hour of battle."

The Shogun's eyes fell briefly on the girl in the wheelchair. Seeing her resolute nod, she placed her hand upon it.

Crackle—!

In an instant, they vanished into lightning, both girl and chair.

At the gates of the Black Faction's fortress, everyone had gathered: Chiron, Astolfo, Jeanne, Sieg, Caules, and Gordes—along with a number of maids and homunculi.

"What are Fiore and Saber doing? It's almost time."

Gordes glanced at his watch, restless.

"Let's give Sister a little more time, Uncle. She cares deeply for Saber."

After all, today might be their last together.

"When I win the Grail, I'll wish for a body of my own!"

Astolfo exclaimed cheerfully.

Crackle!

A flash of lightning split the air—suddenly, the Shogun appeared with Fiore seated in her chair.

"Wah!" ×N

Several cried out in surprise.

Fiore blushed, quickly brushing her disheveled hair back into place.

"I-I'm sorry, everyone… we kept you waiting."

She apologized softly.

Astolfo, grinning, pointed toward the Shogun with a teasing gesture.

"Late again~! Everyone was waiting for you, you silly gir—"

Before he could finish, the Shogun's violet eyes flared with oppressive force, silencing him instantly.

"Eep—!"

He darted behind Sieg for cover.

"…Haa."

Caules sighed, exasperated.

Moments later, preparations were complete. It was time to move.

"Uncle Gordes, I leave the castle to you."

Fiore addressed the stout man standing with the maids.

This time, Gordes would not fight. He was tasked with tending to the wounded and guarding the keep. His combat ability was unremarkable—better to remain than to throw his life away. This had been agreed upon beforehand. Already, he had exhausted all his Command Seals to empower Archer.

"Mm… and… well… just… come back alive, all of you!"

The man stammered gruffly, his words betraying his true concern and blessing.

"Yes… we will."

Fiore smiled gently in reply.

"And Saber… I entrust this girl to you. Keep her safe, no matter what."

Gordes' gaze was firm upon the Shogun. With so few of their family left, he could not bear to see his beloved niece harmed.

"U-uncle… I'll be fine! Please don't burden Shogun with too much worry…"

Fiore waved her hands quickly.

"It matters not. This vessel knows. Her safety is assured."

The Shogun replied calmly, arms folded.

"…Good. Then I wish you victory."

Gordes and the maids bowed in blessing.

And so—

The final battle against the Red Faction was about to begin.

The battle that would decide everything… tonight!

Chapter 85: Scolding Myself

The war chariot that crashed down with thunder was driven by a red-haired giant of a man.

His face carried a trace of surprise as he looked upon Saber's stern gaze and her radiant Noble Phantasm, then glanced at the expressionless black-clad Servant nearby. Stroking his red beard with hands like gnarled branches, he prepared to speak.

"King of Conquerors, Iskandar?" Satsuki's Tenseigan flicked over him indifferently. "As Rider, to forgo the chance for a charging assault and instead place your chariot squarely between Saber and me—clearly, you did not come here seeking battle."

"Oh? So you possess the ability to pierce a Servant's true name? That spares me a great deal of trouble."

The red-haired Conqueror King sat proudly upon his chariot. His features were of a classic European mold: red hair, beard, and eyes, his rugged muscles barely contained even beneath a great crimson cloak.

His temperament matched his appearance—boisterous and open. He cared nothing for his true name being spoken aloud before all.

On the battlefield of the Grail, a Servant's true name was critical intelligence. It revealed their abilities and Noble Phantasms. If the Conqueror King truly possessed the strategic cunning history attributed to him, such carelessness would have been unthinkable, no matter his character.

Was this kingly bearing? To Satsuki, it seemed more akin to willful arrogance.

But in this world of fantasy, she held no illusions about the intelligence of its people—just as in the shinobi world of her past.

She herself was the embodiment of emptiness, and so her perspective was already far removed from theirs.

Yet that did not mean this giant intruder lacked charisma.

"What are you thinking? Why did you suddenly rush in here?"

His Master, Waver, was visibly uncomfortable with the giant's antics. But clearly, the Conqueror King had no time for his small Master. Instead, the bulls harnessed to the chariot snorted thunderously, silencing Waver's protest. Then the giant's booming voice rose once more:

"Though fate decrees we vie for the Grail, I must ask one question." He lifted his head high, his voice overflowing with vigor as his cloak billowed wide. "Will you join me, surrendering the Grail to my hand? If so, I shall treat you as comrades, and together we shall revel in the joy of conquering the world!"

Satsuki suddenly found her breath stifled. The entire shore seemed choked with the stench of something called 'foolishness.'

Did the Conqueror King share blood with some shameless trickster? To dress up blatant mooching in such righteous words—rare indeed. Worst of all, he seemed utterly convinced of himself.

"You interrupted our battle to spout such nonsense?" The Knight King's fury was provoked at once. "As a knight, this insult is unforgivable."

"Is that so?"

With slight regret, his gaze shifted toward Satsuki, whose brow furrowed faintly. Just as he was about to speak, a deadly killing intent skimmed along his throat. The bulls pulling his chariot reared in panic, their thunderous power nearly lashing back upon their own master.

But the Conqueror King merely reached up with grave composure, brushing a lock of red hair at his temple—where a razor-thin mark now lay.

"Before you speak, best consider the consequences first."

The cold, ethereal voice that shattered the tension belonged to Satsuki, who had unleashed the killing intent.

Though her state of mind had neared emptiness, her distaste for 'foolishness' was etched in her very bones, impossible to erase.

"A harsh rejection. Quite unlike your outward appearance." Iskandar muttered under his breath. "Very well, it seems this carefully prepared negotiation has failed."

"What careful preparation!?" Waver stuck his head halfway out from behind a wheel. "Are you really the Conqueror King of history? Rider!!"

"Could such a man truly have conquered the world?" Even the distant observer was left speechless by this ridiculous interloper.

Aside from conquest, war, and plunder, perhaps this Conqueror King ought to consider a career in comedy during his leisure time.

But just then, another voice intruded upon the scene.

—"Lady Satsuki! Are you here?"

All present turned toward the source of the voice—it was the Chaldean group that had been with Kayneth earlier.

"Kayneth went to the Church?" Seeing that both Karna and Kayneth were absent, Satsuki immediately guessed their intention.

By principle, the Holy Grail War should not involve ordinary people. It was a contest between magi and magi, between Servants and Servants. Yet Kiritsugu Emiya's methods utterly broke that rule.

It was like deploying 'weapons of mass destruction' on the battlefield. Not because others lacked the ability, but because doing so would set disastrous precedent.

If one could win by any means—today it might be a bombing strike on an enemy's base. Then tomorrow, one could simply summon all Masters into the radius of a nuclear blast, build a personal shelter in advance, and detonate at the appointed time. The Servants might survive—but what of the Masters? Wouldn't that make victory far easier?

Thus, if Kayneth reported Emiya's actions to the Church, the arbiters of the rules would be compelled to act against him. Even though with Satsuki's intervention no great casualties had occurred, the sheer malice of the act had already surpassed any tolerable limit.

Though the Holy Grail War was a battlefield of life and death, maintaining certain boundaries was not weakness. It was, in its way, protection of the greater whole.

"Yes, Lady Satsuki," Ritsuka Fujimaru answered loudly. After learning from Kayneth that the earlier events had been Satsuki's doing, his view of her shifted drastically. From seeing her as a cold and ruthless Servant, in a blink he now regarded her as a stern but kind protector. He even willingly began to address her as 'Lady.'

The lingering waves of mana in the air did not dissipate so easily. The sea, split open by the clash of sword pressure, only now began to slowly close again.

"Senpai, were you fighting here?" Mash, clad once more in her armor and carrying her great shield, rushed to Satsuki's side. Her eyes stayed wary as they flicked between the Rider on his chariot and Saber.

"Fou Fou"

The little white creature scampered up onto Satsuki's shoulder, as though pleased with her earlier actions.

But then, to everyone's surprise, El-Melloi—usually calm and calculating—suddenly seemed to spot something that filled him with fury.

His face twisted with anger as he glared at the dejected Waver seated on the chariot, and shouted: "You fool! Did you really think with such third-rate abilities you could surpass other Masters?"

Waver looked around in bewilderment, only realizing after a moment that the long-haired, effeminate man was pointing at him. Still dazed from the jolting ride and Rider's antics, he hadn't yet regained his bearings.

"You… you… who even are you? What gives you the right to start cursing me the moment we meet!?"

What followed left everyone present utterly bewildered.

El-Melloi glared at the timid youth standing nervously beside Rider with an expression of bitter disappointment, as though hating iron for not becoming steel. "Shouldn't you be scolded? Don't you realize how reckless it is for you to be here? A single stray aftershock from a battle like this could kill you dozens of times over. Who do you think you are, barging straight into the center of the battlefield?"

"You… you, you, you, you…"

The young man stammered, unable to find words to retort. His darting eyes betrayed his own guilty conscience. As a Master, of course he understood how dangerous this was. From the beginning, he had opposed Rider's reckless intrusion into the battlefield.

But—what could he do? In the face of the giant called Iskandar, his opinions had always been ignored. His so-called rational actions had been dismissed outright.

Faced with a Servant so utterly incompatible with himself, one who acted on his own code of conduct, this half-trained magus had no means to restrain him.

"Not just this time—before and after as well! Every danger you survived was thanks only to your ridiculous luck!"

"And every time you had the slightest success, you naively mistook it for your own ability!"

"Always the same! No wonder you've never grown at all! Don't tell me you haven't realized this yourself, huh?!"

Three blows straight to the heart.

It wasn't only Waver, the one being berated, who was stunned. Even the surrounding Servants, Ritsuka Fujimaru, and Mash were left dumbfounded by El-Melloi's tone. Only Satsuki, with her Tenseigan and keen mind, quickly discerned the true reason behind this strange outburst.

But she said nothing, silently standing by, watching the spectacle. After all, this development was rather amusing.

Anyone with sense could hear it—behind those harsh words lay something far more complex.

But the young and inexperienced Waver, caught in the middle of a dangerous battlefield, simply couldn't keep his composure.

"Wait a second! Why do I have to be lectured the moment we meet? Who even are you!?"

His childish response only further enraged El-Melloi. "Are you stupid? With that attitude, you dare waltz into a Holy Grail War? Ahhhhh! How can anyone be this foolish? You're so stupid, you deserve to choke to death on unagi tamago don!"

"Uh…" Mash, leaning on her shield, muttered in a small voice to her Master with an expression that seemed unsure whether to laugh or cry. "Senpai, it seems… Lord El-Melloi has flipped some strange switch. His personality's completely changed…"

"Fou↑ Fou↓." Even the little white beast's cry carried the tone of an exasperated aside.

Ritsuka, at least, kept his wits about him. Having survived multiple time-travel ordeals, he had seen far greater storms. This was nothing but a small scene.

Still—

"Mash, this looks interesting. Let's not interfere—just keep watching." A mischievous smile crossed his face. "Look, even Lady Satsuki seems entertained."

Among those present, only Waver failed to notice. Even the King of Knights sensed that between the scolder and the scolded lay a subtle, intricate bond. No doubt her Instinct played some part.

But for the hapless Waver, being so thoroughly scolded left him no rationality to cling to.

"You… who the hell are you? What right do you have?" In a fit of anger, Waver tried to use his Master's ability to analyze Servants. "From the look of you, you're just a Caster, aren't you? Is it you? Are you the one we've been ordered to fight against?"

Convinced he had found his opponent's weak point, Waver puffed up proudly. "It's because you keep breaking the rules of the Grail War and committing foul acts that the Overseer has marked you, isn't it?"

"Bullshit!"

El-Melloi exploded in fury, swearing outright. "If you can see attributes, then at least pay attention to the fact I'm a pseudo-Servant! Ahhhhh, how shameful! The Command Seals etched on your hand must be weeping from being so utterly wasted!"

"Pseudo-what?"

Waver faltered, embarrassed.

"Hold a moment, boy. Though his class may be Caster, I, Iskandar the Conqueror, who have met countless men, can say this one is not the sort of Heroic Spirit who would stoop to such deeds."

"Eh? Why not?" Waver's voice turned petulant. "Just look at him—so strange! A man with such long hair, it's suspicious!"

"Hmph!"

Perhaps because Rider had spoken, El-Melloi's furious expression softened somewhat, though he still seemed unwilling to meet Rider's gaze directly.

And once Rider began speaking, it was clear he had seized the rhythm of this absurd exchange.

"That gloomy-faced fellow over there."

"W-what is it?"

In an instant, El-Melloi's tone lost all the confidence it had carried when he was scolding Waver.

"From the start, you've been picking fights with my boy."

A dangerous grin spread across the Conqueror King's face. "Does that mean you're prepared to face me in battle?"

"Wha…? How did you reach that conclusion?" El-Melloi's expression twisted into aggrieved frustration. "Surely even you can see who's really in the wrong here."

"Hahahaha!"

The Conqueror King roared with laughter. "Because all those reckless acts you berated him for were my doing! But no matter what, he is my Master. If you pick a fight with him, how could I, his Servant, possibly stand by?"

As his words fell, a crushing aura burst from his blazing eyes, bearing down on El-Melloi. Fortunately, Mash stepped in, planting her shield before him to stem the pressure.

Waver, hearing Rider's declaration, stared in shock at the giant beside him as though meeting him for the first time.

"Damn it…"

El-Melloi swallowed his protest in silence.

"Lord El-Melloi, surely your plan here was not to pick a fight with Rider," even Mash remarked, sensing the subtle bond between the two.

"Withdraw—we can't afford to escalate this."

"Che, how boring. I thought you had more backbone."

The Conqueror King rubbed salt into El-Melloi's wound. Meanwhile, Waver puffed himself up proudly beside Rider, as if to say, I have a Servant, therefore I am strong.

"Hmph! Big words, but in the end you run. Coward~."

Truly, what one cannot have always stirs unrest; what is favored grows arrogant.

But Iskandar was Iskandar. He immediately turned and scolded his own Master. "Don't get carried away, boy."

Then with a snap of his fingers, he flicked the smug Waver into unconsciousness on the chariot bench.

"Enough. This farce has dragged on long enough." At last, Satsuki spoke. "This battle has gone on for quite some time. With such immense surges of mana, it's inevitable other Servants will be drawn here."

Her cold gaze turned toward the top of a tall streetlight. "You there. You've been watching for quite some time. Will you not descend and join this feast? Or has your self-assessment led you to wisely remain in hiding?"

In response to Satsuki's provocation, another Servant appeared in a blaze of golden light.

Clad head to toe in magnificent golden armor, his hair was gold, his face strikingly handsome—but his words cast doubt on whether his homeland might secretly be Zaun:

"Unknown mongrel… your gaze displeases me."

Chapter 172: The Grand Stage of Eastern Europe—If You Dare, Come

Clang! Clang, clang, clang—

Lances crossed, crisp metallic clashes rang rhythmically as Vela passed through the honor guard of armored Knightmare Frames, bathed in warm sunlight that seemed to cast a golden halo. She walked toward the row of officials lined neatly at the end of the red carpet.

"Lord Moltke."

"Lord Manfredi."

"Lord Shaing."

Her gaze moved past the Fifth Knight of the Round, Lord Moltke, and the Commander of the Michael Knights, Michele Manfredi, before finally resting on the adopted son of the Shaing family from the Far East.

This Shin Hyuga Shaing—originally named Makihara Shin, a descendant of samurai—wore his long dark-blue hair tied into a ponytail with a purple ribbon. His sidelocks hung down to his collarbones. Slender in figure, with green eyes and strikingly handsome features, he even bore something of a feminine aspect.

He wore a sleeveless vest of white trimmed with gold, a matching cross-front tailcoat beneath, fingers bound with metal guards, and tall boots on his feet.

At his waist hung a three-foot-long sword in a white-and-gold scabbard.

Imposing in every detail.

Truly, the very image of a gallant "last Eastern samurai."

Before Suzaku Kururugi's meteoric rise, he had likely been the highest-ranking, fastest-climbing Numbered citizen.

No one knew whether he truly had no parents, or if he was an orphan of a family he had himself annihilated.

Vela recalled his history.

Discovered by Manfredi due to his outstanding martial ability, he was taken into the military and later adopted by the childless Shaing family, renamed Shin Hyuga Shaing.

Because Britannia's rule held that "so long as one has ability, even a Numbered citizen can achieve greatness," and with the backing of the impartial Manfredi and the noble Shaing family, he rose swiftly through the ranks of the Knights. Engaged to the Shaing family's only daughter, he was set to become the next head of the family, formally entering the core of Imperial high society.

To this, Vela was indifferent.

No one is a saint—who does not wish to advance?

The only condition: do not obstruct her path.

Under Vela's faintly amused scrutiny, Shin Hyuga Shaing seemed to sense something. He raised his hand respectfully to his chest in salute, bowing his head even lower.

"With fervent devotion, we welcome Your Highness' return."

Rustle. At once, with Lord Moltke in the lead, the assembled crowd lowered themselves to one knee in respect.

Vela lifted her hand, gesturing for them to rise.

Her gaze moved from the so-called "Eastern Samurai of Britannia" to Lord Moltke, the Round Table Knight who had openly stood in support of her.

This new military noble, born to a Junker landowning family in the Americas, did not possess the obvious physical strength of Lord Lohengramm, the Eighth Knight and fellow supporter of the Third Princess.

Looking about forty, with broad shoulders but a lean frame, his beard was kept thin and short, his hazel hair neatly combed, his skin smooth. He gave the impression of a classical philosopher more than of a general who commanded armies across Africa with thunderous might.

And in truth, that was accurate.

Unlike Lohengramm, famed for his powerful physique, mastery of weapons and martial arts, and lightning-fast charges in close combat with his Knight of the Round's personal frame—

Lord Moltke was not known for physical prowess.

The development of his personal unit leaned instead toward that of a frontline command center and heavy-firepower platform.

Less demanding in terms of bodily strength, but requiring immense intellect, command experience, adaptability, battlefield awareness, and instinct for piloting Knightmares.

In Euro Britannia's development bureau, directly under Vela, his upgraded Knight of V was designed to carry specialized intelligence analysis systems, cutting-edge communications, and advanced anti-interference and anti-eavesdropping electronics. Heavily armored, it was also packed with experimental systems: FLOAT System, Wide-Area Energy Shield System, Multifunction Folding Shields, High-Power Hadron Cannon, and a Hive Missile System—all crammed in at Vela's insistence.

Meanwhile, in Area 11, Lord Lohengramm naturally also had a new unit.

But compared with the lavishly crafted, cost-no-object technological iteration of Moltke's new frame, Lohengramm's new mount seemed almost "ordinary."

The former suited Vela's style more, and it also paved the way for designing her own customized Knightmare.

At the same time, it was also by Lord Lohengramm's own request. His piloting style emphasized agility and ferocity, and his new mount was about average to above-average for the Knights of the Round in terms of upgrades.

Vela spoke solemnly: "Lord Moltke, are you ready to wield the blade I have sharpened for you?"

"I will wield it rightly."

Lord Moltke merely crossed his arm calmly over his heart. "I shall not betray the trust placed in me."

His tone carried an unhurried but unshakable confidence.

If his princess, his liege, his second loyalty after the Emperor wished to fight, then he would fight. All that remained was to give his utmost, even unto death.

Hearing this, Vela nodded, then smiled.

"In the name of iron and blood, Britannia's iron cavalry will trample all of Europe."

"The eagle of Brandenburg will tear out the throat of that hollow French cock."

She said no more. Tilting her head with a glance of personal closeness, she moved on to the next subject of inspection.

As the Third Princess' upright and majestic figure passed him, Moltke lowered his arm from salute. A trace of relief glimmered in his eyes, and for once his face managed a smile.

It was an unhidden, heartfelt smile, flowing with the purest pride and joy.

Who would have thought His Majesty Emperor Charles truly dispatched both him and Lohengramm under the Third Princess' command…

Though in fact, both he and Lohengramm had once served as Princess Vela's military tutors in the Gemini Palaces, in a sense having watched her grow up under the Hohenzollern household and the Imperial Royal Family. They were steadfast loyalists of the "Third Princess' Faction."

One had to remember, Knights of the Round historically belonged directly to the Emperor.

Yes, there were occasions of being dispatched under a prince, a governor, or a front-line commander—but most were temporary assignments.

Even long-term deployments to borders, war zones, or colonies required rotation.

This had been the unwritten rule since before the 1998 [Emblem of Blood Rebellion].

By that logic, Lohengramm, stationed in Euro Britannia for the past two years, should have returned home this year.

Yet interestingly, not only was Moltke now dispatched as well, Lohengramm had not been rotated out…

Still, it was understandable.

The Knights of the Round were no longer at full strength.

With Britannia striking globally and stretching its reach ever wider, there were not enough to cover both expansion and rotation.

The shadow of the [Emblem of Blood Rebellion] lingered still.

Back in 1998, the Knights of the Round had been at full complement.

Six Knights, including the former First Knight, were killed during the rebellion. Three others, for sitting on the fence, were executed in the aftermath.

Thus, the Knights of the Round were left critically undermanned.

Lord Bismarck, then Fifth Knight, was promoted to First Knight for his valiant defense of the palace gates. Another loyalist, Lord Bertorix Franx, was raised to Second Knight.

As for the rebellion's greatest hero, the Sixth Knight, Marianne—

For slaying the former First Knight and protecting the Emperor, she earned Charles' highest favor, marrying him in glory and resuming the Sixth Knight's title as Empress.

Unprecedented—the Knights of the Round reduced to only two!

Fortunately, because of the Third Princess Vela, the American Junkers led by the Hohenzollern family threw all their weight behind Charles, staking their deepest reserves to see him through. Vela's grandfather, the previous Duke of Hohenzollern, paid dearly in the effort.

It was for their distinguished service during the rebellion that Moltke and Lohengramm left such deep impressions on the Emperor, and were made Fifth and Eighth Knights, respectively.

Alongside Lord Bismarck, they were now the most senior of the current Knights of the Round.

That His Majesty Charles dispatched the two of them together to Euro Britannia was most likely expedient.

After all, they were known throughout the Empire as stalwart loyalists of the Third Princess. Why not send them out as recognition of her years of military merit?

But… what if the Emperor approved Princess Vela's request to have a third Knight of the Round stationed under her?

Moltke pondered.

Looking back at the wars Princess Vela had driven in recent years—

In 2014, she launched the Finnish War—

She had seized the Karelian Isthmus in the Finnish War of 2014—capturing Vyborg, swallowing Petsamo and Salla, securing the northern ice-free port of Murmansk, and threatening Helsinki. In total, inflicting over a hundred thousand casualties on the Finnish Iron Army and the E.U.'s elite mountain troops.

In the Crimean War of 2015—

She had successfully taken the Crimean Peninsula, broken through the Dnieper River line, and occupied the crucial western bridgehead city of Kherson.

Crossing the Black Sea, she had launched a surprise assault on Istanbul, seizing all Ottoman territory in Europe as well as part of Asia Minor along the Black Sea straits, locking down the Black Sea.

Renaming Istanbul back to Constantinople, restoring the cross atop Hagia Sophia in place of the crescent, she won the goodwill of Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania, opening the Balkan front.

In 2016, she launched a full-scale campaign against Ukraine, the most crucial wedge of the E.U.'s eastern expansion into Eastern Europe—

With innovative tactics and upgraded communication and reconnaissance systems, she smashed through the E.U.'s heavily prepared border defenses, driving deep into central Ukraine.

Exploiting the chaos of E.U. communications and troop movements, she launched a scything offensive, swiftly swallowing two eastern provinces, seizing half of southern Ukraine, and fighting repeated battles around the fortress city of Kharkov, cutting down E.U. forces by the hundreds of thousands.

Encirclement strikes, deep penetration, pincer offensives—at Kursk, Sumy, Poltava, Zaporizhzhia, Berdiansk, and more, she fought large-scale battles far beyond the scale of Area 11's policing wars, turning the fertile black earth into a hellscape.

By 2017, after the winter thaw, the Ukrainian war continued—

The E.U. army, failing in every counterattack, finally settled on a new strategy: "Come at me by a hundred roads, I strike back by only one." Their chosen breach was Narva in northeast Estonia, little more than a hundred kilometers from St. Petersburg.

It was in this Narva offensive that suicide shock tactics reappeared in Europe.

The E.U. raised the WZERO Unit from Area 11 refugees scattered across Europe, deploying them to support elite troops.

With no path of retreat, they were dropped into forested terrain by sudden airship landings, launching suicide assaults. Caught unprepared, the Raphael Knights—one of the four great knightly orders stationed there—lost several ace pilot squads, suffering grievous casualties.

At that very time, it had been months since Governor Clovis' assassination in Area 11 by the terrorist calling himself [ZERO] and the so-called Black Knights. The mourning ceremony in Pendragon was about to be held.

The Eighth Knight Lohengramm had already returned home for debriefing, but had yet to take up his new post. Princess Vela had departed St. Petersburg, residing in Murmansk's palace, preparing to return to the homeland via the Arctic route.

The E.U. had chosen their moment well…

Moltke's thoughts turned sharply, his steel-gray eyes narrowing.

And this WZERO Unit…

To avoid inflaming public opinion with mounting casualties, to reduce the losses of their own soldiers, the E.U. conscripted Area 11 refugees as disposable cannon fodder, filling the gaps?

Degenerate, these French.

It was clear: E.U. troops were weary of war, morale fading, fatigue showing.

If Britannia pressed the offensive, even without Princess Vela's reforms—pushing Euro Britannia's technical breakthroughs, industrial advances, lowering battlefield casualty rates, and raising veteran survival rates…

By the end of 2018, their Eastern European defense lines would collapse. Britannia's warhorses would drink from the Elbe.

Bearing the glory of crushing the E.U., reclaiming lost lands, trampling France—Third Princess Vela would ascend the throne!

At the thought, Moltke's gaze on Vela's radiant figure grew fevered.

It was the dream of every soldier—to carve out such immortal achievements.

Unaware of his teacher's thoughts, only sensing a heated gaze, Vela smiled faintly and turned her eyes to the Commander of the Michael Knights.

Black-haired, blue-eyed, his burly frame and rocklike features proclaimed him unmistakably a knight who had thundered across countless battlefields.

Vela stood with her hands clasped behind her back, sweeping her gaze across the assembled. Her words were terse and direct: "Lord Manfredi, time is short and the task heavy. You are being pulled from Constantinople to the Narva front to assist Lord Farnese. Immediate counterattack is required. Do you have any objections?"

Farnese was the commander of the Raphael Knights—the very order that had suffered grievous losses. He was also Manfredi's close friend.

"Nothing could please me more, Your Highness."

With a hearty smile, Manfredi struck his chest and stood tall, bowing respectfully: "Wherever Your blade points, there will our hearts follow."

Vela nodded. "Good."

Then she turned to the long-waiting Shin Hyuga Shaing.

"Lord Shaing, how much do you know of Bushido and the 'Kamikaze'?"

Lowering his gaze, Shaing raised his hand reverently to his chest and replied: "I have heard a little. Bushido means: eat your lord's bread, serve your lord's cause, shoulder your lord's burdens. As for the Kamikaze, it is said that long ago, when the horsemen who swept across all Eurasia invaded, a great storm saved the people of… Area 11."

"In that case, I can entrust this task to you without worry."

Vela seemed quite satisfied with his answer. She said: "The Eleven Expeditionary Corps—are you familiar with it?"

"Yes."

Bowing, Shaing listened intently.

"The son of Area 11's fallen Prime Minister, Suzaku Kururugi, is in the first batch of three thousand. I want you to watch him, guide him, shape him into another Eastern Samurai loyal to Britannia, as you yourself have become. You and he will shake and destroy the E.U.'s WZERO Unit. One goal: within one month, I want all rumors of the so-called 'Hannibal's Ghost' erased."

Hannibal—the Carthaginian general who once attacked ancient Rome. Since Euro Britannia liked to style itself the heir of Rome, this sudden assault on St. Petersburg was likened by some soldiers to the return of Hannibal's ghost.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Shaing simply accepted the command.

"Good. Stand down."

With a wave of her hand, Vela turned and left the red carpet, heading straight for the waiting car at the edge of the tarmac. The Fifth Knight Moltke and Lord Manfredi followed closely behind.

"Your Highness, who is the third Knight of the Round soon to arrive?"

"She was Cornelia's and my classmate at the officer academy—Nonette Enneagram, the Ninth Knight… North, Central, South. Three Army Groups. Three Knights of the Round. Perfect."

Her voice trailed away as she departed.

Shin Hyuga Shaing kept his head bowed until Vela's great entourage of attendants and guards had passed. Only when his adjutant called to him did he raise his head, carefully masking his emotions. His brows furrowed slightly as he looked southwest, toward the skies over St. Petersburg.

"Hannibal's Ghost, is it…"

Chapter 253: Winning Eden, When Whale and White Dragon Dance

Inside the Golden Courtyard.

After a delightful dinner, Eden led Elias through her collection.

Priceless gems, centuries-old sculptures, paintings he barely understood but which were insanely expensive, countless vinyl records, a super cellar holding rare wines from around the world—on and on.

One could only say Eden truly lived up to her epithet of "Gold." Her hands seemed to hold the wealth of an entire world, and with that wealth she had bought nearly every beautiful thing the world could offer.

"If Pardo were here, she'd probably be trembling with joy—no, she'd be shaking in a panic, haha~"

Thinking of his lucky cat anchor, Elias chuckled. Pardo liked to pilfer small things, but she usually only took lighters, instant noodles, and the like.

If she ever wandered into Eden's Golden Courtyard, the catgirl would be at a total loss.

Everything here was far too expensive.

Pardo could never be certain whether a trinket she snatched was worth millions or billions; if she were discovered, she'd probably wind up in prison—or working for Eden for life.

"My dear Elias, if anything here catches your eye, you're free to take it," Eden said generously.

These collections—tens of millions, hundreds of millions each—meant nothing to her. If gifting any of them earned Elias' favor, this heiress wouldn't hesitate to give him the entire Golden Courtyard.

"Really? Anything from the villa?" Elias raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Of course. And if there's a specialty you want, tell me anytime. Your wealth is my wealth. I'll buy it for you."

"Eden, you're too good to me, but I think I already possess the most precious treasure of this courtyard."

Elias smiled and slipped an arm around the beauty's slim waist, drawing her close and inhaling her scent.

Eden's cheeks flushed crimson.

Her golden goblet clattered but Elias caught it easily, gave it a slight shake, then drank. Even that rare vintage tasted not nearly as exquisite as the woman before him.

Elias wasn't naive—he could tell Eden had already fallen for him.

All the treasures in the Golden Courtyard paled beside Eden herself.

And Elias had won Eden's heart.

"Eden, I want you to sing only for me tonight."

"Yes. It would be my honor, Elias."

Fresh wine warmed their lips, and their kiss answered the promise. In the art-filled courtyard they embraced, exchanging and accepting one another's affections.

Eden felt her heart race wildly—words failed to describe her joy. Her feelings had been accepted; her yearning returned with tangible proof.

She felt like a tender, inexperienced girl. She wound her arms around Elias' neck and kissed him with eager, awkward fervor.

"Elias, please don't pity me."

"That can't be allowed—you'd be ruined."

Elias treated her like fine porcelain, gentle and careful lest he be too rough. He couldn't help it—she was fragile and beautiful.

For now, she was still merely human.

But Eden stubbornly shook her head, love's wine clouding her mind.

"It's fine. I don't mind being broken."

All she wanted now was to drown in Elias' embrace—to let her delicate mortal body test the strength before her savior.

Elias raised a brow, surprised by her words, but undeniably intrigued.

Though such behavior didn't fit his usual persona, there was a certain thrill in the thought of shattering something exquisitely beautiful. Few things in the world compared to Eden.

An irresistible curiosity stirred in him.

He couldn't help but wonder: if he were to take the supreme artwork named Eden and break her, what kind of destructive beauty would that create?

It was fine—he already had her permission.

There was no need to worry. He would play with care.

Casually, Elias picked a vinyl from Eden's collection and set it on the turntable. As the classical melody filled the air, he and Eden's figures overlapped in the candlelight.

...

By noon the next day—

The once-opulent Golden Courtyard was in shambles. Priceless artworks lay shattered across the floor.

A preliminary estimate put the damage at at least one billion from the previous night's frenzy and indulgence.

But Eden didn't care. For her, such a sum was trivial—happiness like that could never be bought, no matter the cost.

She struggled to open her eyes, even that small effort feeling heavy. The bedraggled yet still beautiful diva spoke her first words of the day:

"I must—I absolutely must become a fusion warrior!"

She was far too fragile. This frail body couldn't hold onto such blissful moments for long.

"Don't worry. I've already prepared for that."

Elias stroked Eden's hair, then pulled from Imaginary Space a glass container holding material from a Honkai Beast—a substance that looked like a gemstone.

"The Emperor-class Varuna. Of all the Honkai Beasts I've seen, it's the most radiant. Perfect for you, Eden."

"Thank you. This is the best gift I could ask for."

Eden embraced it, her face full of anticipation.

Last night had been utterly blissful.

She had to admit she'd been shallow before, believing the joy of music and spirit far surpassed any of the body.

But now her thoughts had changed. Unfortunately, her mortal frame made those moments far too brief.

So—Eden resolved she would no longer remain merely human!

Just as the two were about to reminisce a little more about last night's delight, a sudden crash resounded through the doors.

"Eli—!"

"Elias—!"

"Damn it, too late!"

"Ah, we've already lost."

Several dazzling figures barged into the Golden Courtyard uninvited.

There on the luxurious double bed lay the boy and the diva. Pink Elf, Pink Fox, Green Snake, and a Giant Moth all wailed in dismay together.

Elysia, Sakura, Mobius, and Aponia—all had dark circles under their eyes, their gazes fixed sourly upon the blissful, satisfied Eden.

They had waited with expectation all night. Yet Eden had gotten there first!

"Good morning, everyone. Oh—Dr. Mobius, may I ask a favor of you later?"

Eden blinked and smiled, already back to her calm elegance.

"Hah? A favor?"

Mobius froze, wondering if her killing intent hadn't been strong enough. Or were pop stars simply this resistant to pressure?

"Yes. Could I ask you to perform a Meta-Morph surgery? Elias has already secured the material for me."

"You think I'll agree to that?!"

Mobius gritted her teeth.

Did she look like the type to do such a stupid thing—helping a rival gain more strength and standing?

But Eden only raised a single finger, still smiling.

"One billion for the procedure."

"Eden, who do you take me for?!"

"Ten billion." Eden raised two crossed fingers.

"Money isn't everything! There are things in this world that can't be bought!"

"One hundred billion euros. And an additional ten billion per month in future investments. How about it?"

"Tch—you think Mobius can be swayed by such petty money?! Hmph! Fine, I'll do it. But don't get me wrong—I only want the data from a new material. After all, Elias' Chimera Project requires massive samples!"

Mobius folded her arms, talking tough as ever.

"..." x3

Elysia, Sakura, and Aponia stared wordlessly at the snake who had given in to money.

They felt she was beyond saving.

(Damn it! Do you think I wanted this? Mei cut my budget again and again! I haven't even paid Klein's salary for three months!)

Mobius glared back defiantly.

Inwardly she fumed: these fighters and priests could never understand a researcher's suffering!

Did they even know how hard her days were now?

She had to split one cup of instant noodles into three meals!

(And just where the hell does Vill-V get her endless sponsorship?! Always "name your price," it makes me sick!)

Thinking of that multi-personality genius, Mobius nearly split apart with jealousy.

The last time her budget was slashed again, she had stormed off to confront Mei directly, demanding to know why she was being cut so badly while Vill-V got off scot-free.

But Mei's answer had been that Fire Moth had never given Vill-V a single cent beyond her base salary. Her salary was only three times higher than Mobius', that was all.

(Mobius: "The hell?! Why?!")

Upon learning that Vill-V's unlimited resources came entirely from a mysterious mega-sponsor, Mobius nearly collapsed from sheer envy. She had gone home and popped an entire box of bubble wrap in rage, yet still couldn't calm down.

"Eden! Did you enjoy yourself last night?!" Miss Pink Elf asked darkly, a huge # symbol throbbing above her head.

"Well… all I can say is, I wish last night could have lasted forever, Elysia."

"I-I'm unfollowing you!!"

Elysia stomped her foot furiously. She was about to become Eden's first anti-fan. She had put on her best outfit last night, waiting the whole time—and ended up getting sidelined instead.

The thought of being turned into Green Elf again, yet again, was unbearable!

Eden simply lay back with serene composure, her expression saying, Get angry all you want. I've already tasted it, already had my fill.

(Yikes, so this is what women's wars look like. Better not open my mouth as the fuse here.)

Elias quietly activated his quantum ability to conceal himself. Sorry—he could maybe handle a three-person battlefield, but five women at once? Not a chance.

Of course, if things got out of hand, he would step up and draw the fire himself.

Still, looking at the gathered women before him…

(With Elysia, I feel happiest. With Sakura, most at ease. With Mobius, most thrilled. With Aponia, most out of control. With Eden, most elegant…)

So Elias thought. His heart felt fuller and fuller, caring about more and more things. The sensation was utterly wonderful!

...

Several days later—

Eden and Hua successfully completed their Meta-Morph surgeries. Neither showed signs of side effects. Unfortunately, no wings or tails sprouted.

But when they attempted artificial cascade, they shocked everyone.

First was Hua's artificial cascade.

With the Meta-Morph ICHOR from Judgment-class Garuda, Hua's body was wreathed in flames. Her hair shifted from gray to white streaked with red. This plain, low-key girl transformed into a phoenix.

Cool, beautiful, and incredibly powerful!

No one had expected that the girl who seemed the very definition of "ordinary" could change so drastically.

When the surgery ended, Hua wept with joy.

"Hua: Finally, finally it's my turn to be strengthened! Wuu… Two years! From the Fourth Herrscher all the way to the Seventh, I waited two years! At last I can stand tall!"

Elias: "Eh~ poor child."

While Hua rejoiced at her newfound strength, Elias felt sorrow for her. He could do almost anything—change even the most dangerous fates.

But even so, there were some fates that could not be changed—like Raven's exploding island, and… Hua's flat figure.

Now she was steadily walking down her destined path. Even Elias couldn't figure out how to overturn Fu Hua's fate as a flat immortal. The problem was, he couldn't even identify where the issue lay.

Sushang had proven that Edge of Taixuan wasn't the cause.

Bronya had proven that time wasn't the cause.

Griseo would prove that being a fusion warrior wasn't the cause.

Theresa had proven that genes weren't the cause.

And Ai-chan had proven that not even being human wasn't the cause.

Elias: "Ah~ such a tragic story. But maybe not so bad after all. After all, how does the saying go—flat chests can flatten the world, the bigger the bust, the worse the person! Hua, you're destined for immortality!"

Finally, when Elysia sparred with Hua, she discovered Hua's post-eruption recovery was absurdly strong—complete with Garuda's own death-lock effect. Combined with her greatly enhanced physique—

Hua's combat power skyrocketed several tiers! At last, after two years, the immortal had received an epic upgrade!

On the other hand, Eden's was even more astonishing.

"Whoa, that's enormous."

"Good thing you didn't use it back at base."

"It's actually bigger than Elias' form!"

Eden's artificial cascade manifested as a golden-pink whale, soaring freely through the skies, radiant and dazzling—nearly ten kilometers long!

Elias immediately grew excited, unleashing his own artificial cascade, transforming into a colossal white dragon.

Though Eden's starsea whale was twice his size, once he activated the [Gigantification] ability of his Chiyou gene, that difference vanished in an instant.

Thus, that day above Fire Moth's base—

A magnificent, radiant pink whale.

A mighty, awe-inspiring white dragon.

The two circled one another in the sky, dancing together, as dragon roars and whale songs resounded across heaven and earth—spectacular and dreamlike.

Chapter 559: Yukino—Did You Intentionally Let Me See This Photo?

She had never been late before, nor had she ever experienced something as ordinary as eating out with a friend.

These little experiences—things she had never known under the suffocatingly strict discipline of her mother—Kotomi Izumi seemed to bring to her naturally.

Yukino Yukinoshita stared blankly at her reflection in the mirror. She turned on the faucet and splashed her face with water. She realized that she and Kotomi had grown much closer without even noticing, and that they had already done many things together…

She wanted to do even more with Kotomi. She wanted their shared experiences to grow richer and deeper.

Such thoughts appeared in Yukino's mind more than once.

After drying her face with a tissue, Yukino left the restroom. She was about to head back the same way when she noticed a side corridor that seemed to connect to the neighboring sushi shop.

Earlier, she had heard that Tako-nee's Sukiyaki House and Salmon Madam Sushi Restaurant next door were actually under the same ownership. You could order sushi from the sukiyaki restaurant, and vice versa.

If Tako-nee's servers were this eccentric, wearing octopus headgear that made one's sanity waver, then what about Salmon Madam Sushi Restaurant next door…?

Curious, Yukino decided to take a peek. From a distance, she looked inside the sushi shop and saw people walking around in wriggling salmon sashimi costumes.

Her expression froze. At last, she understood why reviews on food sites about these two restaurants were always so polarized.

Covering her face, Yukino turned back. She wondered if the sukiyaki she and Kotomi ordered had been served yet. Instead of circling back the long way, this route seemed shorter, so naturally, Yukino chose the quicker path.

But after only a few steps, she stopped. When she had been glancing around idly just now, she had passed a wall. Hanging on that wall was a large photograph. She hadn't looked closely at the time, just given it a passing glance. But she thought she had seen someone familiar in it.

Yukino retraced her steps and looked up again. Her expression stiffened.

It was a two-person photo, blown up to the size of a poster as tall as a person. Though just two girls, they were standing very close, looking intimate—like lovers who had fallen deeply in love and vowed to be together forever.

Below the photo was a small plaque, written in elegant pen strokes by the owner of Tako-nee's Sukiyaki House and Salmon Madam Sushi Restaurant, who had been so moved by the picture that she wrote it herself:

Among the lilies blooms another kind of beauty. Not all flowers require stamens and pistils. Pistil to pistil, too, can release a fragrance. A fragrance unique and unmatched.

Every form of genuine love in this world deserves respect and blessing.

The words were beautiful. If Yukino hadn't recognized one of the girls in the photo, she would have nodded in wholehearted agreement.

But she did recognize her. One of the girls in that couple's photo was someone she knew all too well, someone waiting for her back at their table—Kotomi Izumi.

The other was a pretty, light-brown-haired girl Yukino didn't know.

"Why does Kotomi have such a photo with another girl? And those words underneath… does that mean she likes girls? That she already has a girlfriend?!"

Knowing Kotomi liked girls should have made her happy. But seeing Kotomi in a sweet couple photo with someone else made her heart sink like it was drowning in a suffocating sea. The weight of it made her want to tear that picture of Kotomi down with her own hands. She couldn't stand seeing Kotomi being that close with another girl!

Yukino took several deep breaths. She couldn't even explain why her emotions were swinging so violently. After all, her relationship with Kotomi was still just that of friends who shared a love of reading…

Why did seeing Kotomi in a photo with another girl stir such intense jealousy inside her?

Her mind, unbidden, replayed the words Kotomi had written in the letter she sent with the Kiyomizu pottery from Kyoto, making the couple photo before her eyes sting even more sharply.

"Why would Kotomi take such an intimate picture with that girl? No matter how you look at it, they look like a couple… Why did Kotomi bring me to this sukiyaki place? Was it on purpose, to make me see this photo?" Yukino murmured to herself. A sourness welled up in her chest, her eyes glistening as if brimming with tears. She hadn't even realized how much she had lost control of her emotions.

After a moment, she slowly resumed walking, heading back into the dining area toward Kotomi.

Kotomi, meanwhile, was busy on her phone, chatting with Mashiro Shiina and Ruriya Hojo. After sending a reply to Mashiro, she quickly tapped open Ruriya's chat, her small fingers flying across the keyboard to type a response.

Hearing footsteps approaching from behind, Kotomi instinctively lowered her phone and looked back.

Seeing Yukino return, Kotomi set her phone aside and smiled. "Yukino, you're back. I think I forgot to order juice earlier. What would you like to drink?"

"Water is fine," Yukino replied coolly, sitting down.

Kotomi blinked at her in confusion. She sensed Yukino's tone had suddenly grown colder.

What's going on?

Kotomi couldn't figure it out, so she assumed Yukino was just hungry.

Before long, the sukiyaki pot arrived, along with two bowls of rice, one for each of them.

For Kotomi, one bowl of rice definitely wouldn't be enough—she was already planning to order another.

As they ate, Yukino picked at her food slowly, as though lost in thought. Kotomi noticed the piece of tofu in her bowl was cooling and thought about reminding her, but in the end decided not to. Yukino seemed to be thinking about something deeply, so it was better not to disturb her.

"Kotomi," Yukino suddenly said.

"Hm?"

Kotomi paused, just as she was about to scoop up some beef and broth into her bowl. She looked up at Yukino.

"Are you… in a relationship?"

After a brief pause, Yukino Yukinoshita still voiced her question. She wanted to know the truth about that photo where Kotomi Izumi and another girl posed so intimately, almost like lovers. Was that ash-blonde girl really Kotomi's girlfriend?

If she was, then why did Kotomi bring her here? Normally, wouldn't you avoid such a place to prevent misunderstandings? Or… did Kotomi bring her here deliberately, just so she would see the photo?

These thoughts swirled in Yukino's mind, and her expression darkened.

When did you first realize you liked girls?

That question came from a novel Yukino had read long ago. At first, she thought it was just a simple love story, but upon opening it, she discovered it was about the entangled love and hate between two girls. The novel began with these lines:

When did you first realize you liked girls? Don't think of same-sex love as something cool or rebellious. It's not just a way to resist your parents during adolescence. Falling for someone of the same sex is perfectly normal, even trivial. Because love, from the very beginning, was never bound by gender.

So, set aside all the imposed ideas, and ask yourself honestly—when was the first time you realized that the person you liked, the one you admired and longed for, was the same sex as you?

Perhaps this was the author's preface.

But it had to be said—the writer's words were powerful, almost divine. With just those two paragraphs, readers were drawn into reflection, their eyes lingering on the lines.

Even those who had always considered themselves straight would, in that moment, question whether in their past they had ever admired or felt drawn to someone of the same sex.

When Yukino first read the book, she, too, paused at those words and thought:

—If I must fall in love and marry someday, I think I'd rather my partner be a girl.

That first reflection led Yukino to such a conclusion.

When she finished the story, the two heroines loved each other, but in the end they were separated. The tragic ending left a heavy sadness. For the first time, Yukino felt real dislike toward a tragic conclusion, though she had once thought tragedy was beautiful.

With this book, she found herself wishing the heroines could have stayed together. The ending was painful, but the journey had been beautiful. Months later, during the summer break after her entrance exams, she picked up the book again and reread it.

When did you first realize you liked girls?

Upon opening the book, those words met her eyes again, pulling her back into reflection.

I like girls. I want to meet someone like the heroine, someone worth loving with all my heart. But unlike the novel, I want our ending to be a happy one.

That second reflection led Yukino to a new conclusion.

And the girl worth loving with all her heart… After starting high school, every time Yukino thought about it, her gaze and her thoughts inevitably drifted toward Kotomi Izumi.

After asking Kotomi whether she had ever been in love, Yukino anxiously awaited her reply. She felt nervous—even though she was not someone easily rattled.

Kotomi listened calmly to her question. There was no trace of panic in her expression, as though she was long used to such inquiries. She hid her composure well, however, her lips curving into a faint smile. Just a light smile, yet so captivating.

"Love is one of the most beautiful emotions in the world. Who wouldn't want to meet the one waiting for them under a blooming cherry tree? To walk toward her and see the bright smile on her face? The beauty of love makes you wish again and again that such a moment could last forever."

Kotomi touched her fingertips together lightly, the smile still on her face as she continued:

"There has always been someone I liked in my heart."

Yukino's cheeks warmed. Listening to Kotomi's words, she felt her heart in disarray.

She had always liked someone.

But who was that person?

Was it a boy? Or a girl?

If it was a girl, then who?

Could it be that ash-blonde girl in the photo with her?

All these questions swirled through Yukino Yukinoshita's mind, pushing her to speak without thinking:

"Kotomi, I like girls."

The moment the words left her mouth, Yukino regretted them. She didn't even know for sure if Kotomi really liked girls. Perhaps that photo had just been a picture with a close friend, taken during some Valentine's Day-like event at the restaurant.

If Kotomi didn't like girls, and she had confessed so suddenly, how would she face her from now on?

Yukino's cheeks flushed slightly—something rare for her. She was never the type to speak impulsively. So why had she just blurted out that she liked girls?

Was there such a thing as magic that could take back words once spoken?

No. There wasn't.

Kotomi froze for a moment when she heard Yukino's sudden confession, but soon her expression softened. Her tone shifted slightly, and she smiled faintly:

"What a coincidence. So do I."

"Eh?"

...

The two of them ate the rest of their sukiyaki in quiet silence. After resting for a while, they rose and headed toward Sobu High. Since the moment Kotomi had said What a coincidence. So do I, she had worn a smile the whole time, as if genuinely happy.

Yukino walked behind her with her head lowered, her thoughts completely tangled around Kotomi, unable to let go.

She likes girls too… just like me?

In the end, Yukino still didn't get the chance to ask about the girl in that photo with Kotomi. Or rather, she didn't have the mental energy to spare for it anymore. Her mind was filled with nothing but Kotomi's words: What a coincidence. So do I.

Walking ahead, Kotomi let out a quiet sigh of relief in her heart. She had thought that after so long, the restaurant owner would surely have taken down that photo, but it was still there!

Earlier, when she went to the restroom, she had been puzzled as to why Yukino seemed gloomy and even a little jealous afterward. So instead of taking the same route back, she retraced the path Yukino had taken.

From the direction Yukino had entered the dining area, Kotomi was able to guess her route.

Sure enough, following it halfway, she saw it—the couple photo of herself and Iroha Isshiki still hanging on the wall.

The moment she saw it, Kotomi understood instantly. Yukino had seen the photo of her and Iroha!

Chapter 647: The Koprulu Sector Is Chaotic Enough, and Now This?

Terran Dominion capital, orbit of Korhal IV. Dominion secret orbital prison.

Screeech—!

In the dim cell, the twisted screech of metal joints echoed. Flickering light gathered on the warped doorframe. With his ears ringing, and the cell's soundproofing shattered, a flood of noises surged into his ears all at once.

The pup-pup-pup of C-14 'Needler' Gauss Rifles rattled endlessly, like fabric ripping, the rain of fire hammering against the prison ship's layered hull with deafening clangs.

"Open fire! Open fire, you idiots!"

"Requesting reinforcements! Requesting reinforcements!"

Terran Dominion Marines shouted frantically.

"Our orbital defense forces have been wiped out—ahh! We can't hold them, the defense modules are destroyed, evac—splurt!" Their screams mingled with the wet tearing of flesh, the sound of bodies ripped apart by large-caliber rounds.

BOOM! BOOM-BOOM—!

The muffled, hammer-like detonations that followed were different from the high-speed chatter of Marine rifles. They reverberated through the closed steel spaces like a blacksmith's hammer smashing his eardrums, making Jim Raynor reel.

Fresh from the soundproof darkness of his cell, the sudden storm of noise battered his senses. His eyes struggled with the light, his ears rang, and his heart pounded like a battering ram against a castle gate—uneven, but harder with each beat.

"Hey, who are you?"

Forcing himself to focus, Raynor squinted into the chaos and shouted his question.

At first, he had assumed it must be Sarah Kerrigan and the Raiders, or perhaps Valerian Mengsk coming up with some plan to rescue him. But it didn't look like either…

Outside the door, the armored figure stood too tall and broad for the frame, clad in ornate purple power armor trimmed with gold. The unfamiliar design made Raynor narrow his eyes.

As the founder and leader of the Raiders, his philosophy was always "freedom's fighters," rejecting Arcturus Mengsk's tyranny and fighting the Dominion's oppression. They valued simplicity and utility above all.

Yet the lavish, gilded armor before him looked even more extravagant than Arcturus' own palace guards. There was no way this was one of his men.

If one of his Raiders ever turned up like that, Raynor would kick his ass with his iron-booted foot.

Could it be Valerian Mengsk's people?

True, Arcturus' son had secretly backed Raynor's Raiders through the Moebius Foundation, despite them being branded a terrorist group by his father. He had reason to act. Was this him finally moving against Arcturus to claim the throne?

But did Valerian have the guts?

Secret support for "terrorists" was one thing. A direct assault on a Dominion prison was another. The former could be swept under the rug, since he was the only heir. The latter would cost him not just the title of crown prince—it could get him executed outright. Arcturus was only forty-four. An "old warhorse" siring more heirs wasn't impossible.

Raynor's mind raced.

"No need to be nervous, Jim Raynor, freedom fighter of the Raiders."

Thud, thud.

A deep, resonant voice rolled in his ears. The towering warrior in purple and gold armor stepped aside, making way.

"Maximum-security convict. The Dominion High Court sentenced you guilty of war crimes, treason, looting, arson, destruction, abandonment, sabotage, and damage against the state… But now, by decree of the Sacred Selene Empire, you are released on bail. You are free."

"For now," he added.

"I don't understand." Jim Raynor shook his head. "What difference does it make, one empire or another? Have I been locked up so long I've fallen out of step with the world? The Sacred Selene Empire—what kind of power is that? A 'terrorist' like me is worth breaking out?" He gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"Your value is greater than you imagine. As for the Empire—you will come to know it. To bathe in the glory of the God-Emperor is your honor. For Selene!"

The words rang with the fervor of a zealot.

Great. Another religious empire? That was Raynor's first thought. The Koprulu Sector was already chaos enough, and now this?

"If you're planning to use me to wipe out or absorb the Raiders, save your breath."

Arcturus Mengsk's transformation after toppling the Confederacy had already ruined Raynor and his men. The very word "Empire" carried too much tyranny for him to ever trust.

Watching their "big fish" sulking in the cell, too weary to even stand, the black-armored warrior frowned beneath his gilded helm.

Bzzt!

Suddenly, the power sword's field hummed to life with a thunderous crackle.

Shhhk!

Like slicing through butter, the blade carved a three-meter-wide gap into the metal wall, thick as a man's palm.

Molten red magma dripped from the edges.

As the heavy plates crashed down with a metallic clang, the towering figure's shadow engulfed Raynor.

"Oh, shit!"

"Genetically engineered?!" Raynor's eyes widened. In both the old Confederacy and the current Dominion, Marines in power armor stood around 2.2 meters. But this? The monster before him had to be over 2.7 meters tall!

In the Koprulu Sector, gene-mods meant one thing: unstable, short-lived, violent, and broken. Dominion Reapers, for example, were barely altered, yet rarely lived past two and a half years.

Otherwise, it was the fate of gangsters' enforcers, tycoons' guards, nobles' bodyguards—poor bastards with their memories erased, their bodies reworked, serving until they broke down, then replaced.

Instinctively, Raynor raised a fighter's stance.

WHAM—!

Raynor's famously strong body, one of the toughest even among the Raiders, flew like a ragdoll. The black-armored warrior swatted him aside with one hand, smashing him against the wall. Dust burst in the dim light.

"Ahh—"

Raynor groaned, trying to roll over on the floor.

"Jim Raynor. Congratulations. You still have your uses."

With noble elegance, the warrior first extended the invitation. Then, like lifting a chick, he seized Raynor in one hand and flung him out of the cell.

"Take him."

...

"Move! Evacuate! You, you—activate the escape pods! The rest of you, cover! Hurry, or we'll all die here!"

BOOM—!

"Evacuate my ass! Half the prison's already gone! They blew the central command bridge to hell! The whole station's destroyed! What escape pods?!"

"Sir, it's pointless. The enemy aren't Zerg. Why throw our lives away for Mengsk's credits? Let's just surrender."

Shouts, commands, gunfire, explosions—all melded together. The prison shuddered again as a spear of light blasted into its hull, rocking it violently.

The noise was deafening. It pulled Jim Raynor back from unconsciousness.

"Argh—"

Pain wracked his body, forcing a hiss through his teeth.

"Report: maximum-security deck cleared."

"So this is him? The fugitive Jim Raynor, publicly executed by Dominion records? Leader of the Raiders, one of the sector's major players. Hmph. Let's hope he proves useful."

The words were incomprehensible. Jim Raynor shook his head and opened his eyes. Before him stretched rows of purple-and-gold armored boots.

Not far away, several towering giants stood around a shattered central control console, their heavy helms crested with tasseled crowns, olive and laurel engravings etched into the designs. Gray-white cloaks draped from their left shoulders marked them as officers. Their deep voices conversed as intelligent drones plugged cables into ports, breaking through Dominion comms and digging into the prison's databases.

Fuck you.

Raynor forced himself to stay calm and take in the scene. He realized he couldn't even pick out the bastard who had slammed him into a wall. They were all dressed in the same gaudy, ostentatious armor.

Their sculpted plate gleamed, every chest emblazoned with the gold double-headed eagle spreading its wings. Around it swirled filigreed lightning, feathers, and cornflower wreaths. Massive left pauldrons bore snarling dragon emblems, right pauldrons the Roman numeral "III" wreathed in olive, alongside symbols of their order's duty.

Even their weapons—unknown models—were ornamented, engraved with elaborate designs all the way to the blades. Were they here for a candlelit banquet, or a war?

On a battlefield, flashing that brightly, didn't they know they'd just paint targets on themselves?

Raynor could only shake his head in disbelief.

He had thought there was just one. Instead, there was a whole squad.

And worst of all, this so-called Sacred Selene Empire had now extended its reach into the Koprulu Sector. Already a cauldron of chaos, the sector was about to boil over with yet another wild card.

The mysterious Protoss, the all-devouring Zerg, the fractured Terrans, the United Earth Directorate waiting to return, the dark fallen creator Amon that Zeratul warned of… and now, the Sacred Selene Empire.

Dammit.

The glimpse of their overwhelming power left Jim Raynor deeply unsettled.

"Take him. Transfer him to the fleet flagship." One of the black-armored officers turned and ordered, noticing Raynor had awakened.

Dragged back to his feet, aching and weary, Jim Raynor was pushed into line. A squad of these black-armored warriors escorted him toward a teleport array deployed after the landing.

All along the path lay devastation: twisted decks, bulkheads melted by unimaginable heat, streams of molten metal still glowing red-hot as they dripped and cooled. Corpses littered the corridors, bodies mangled and broken.

Fragments of CMC-300 armor scattered like paper scraps across the floor. Entrails, bone, and gore painted the halls. The carnage was overwhelming.

"These weapons… direct penetration, then secondary explosions," Raynor muttered, his eyes falling on one of their sidearms—a massive, ornate handgun hanging at the warrior's hip, its surface etched with finery, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen.

Prison guards and Marines who hadn't been slain outright were rounded up, disarmed, and forced into work crews, repurposed as technicians to repair the damage. The invaders showed no fear of mutiny, so absolute was their confidence.

Perhaps it was justified. Just like when the UED briefly seized Korhal IV, so long as the conquerors were human and orderly, most Dominion troops wouldn't fight to the death. Against Zerg, perhaps. But humans? Most would fold.

Arcturus Mengsk might be a bastard, but at least he was still human. The Zerg were monsters.

Passing an outer corridor, Raynor caught sight through a reinforced viewport: an entire section of the prison ship was simply gone. Melted, twisted, blackened into skeletal ruins.

Thud, thud.

He stopped in his tracks. Even prepared, the sheer devastation made his heart clench.

He was no stranger to hell. Decades of war had hardened him. Yet even he could not look on such sights without dread.

Though the corridor was silent, in his ears thunder roared.

BZZZZT—!

BOOOOM!

Orbital defense platforms flared as colossal cannon shells slammed into shimmering shields. Light lances and lasers streaked across the void, colliding in storms of fire over Korhal's moons and fortresses.

In orbit, a fleet vast as the stars themselves prowled. Warships like steel predators bared their fangs at the Dominion's capital world.

The heavens burned as firestorms rained down. Korhal IV's skies split with meteors of flame, the atmosphere shrieking as the invaders fell.

Raynor closed his eyes and whispered bitterly, "Mengsk's dynasty is finished. And Korhal… is finished."

He had helped build this empire from the ashes of nuclear fire. And now he watched it fall.

Chapter 577: Arena Battles

Aside from those members who had good luck, the other winners were basically those skilled in combat.

For example, Miko Yotsuya's opponent had been Fumino Furuhashi. After a sloppy exchange of blows, it was Miko, with her stronger mental resilience, who ultimately claimed victory.

Just like that, day by day passed, and by the end of the sixth day, the third round—fourteen into seven—was completed.

The seven members who emerged victorious were Luo Cuilian, Jibril, Milim, Tatsumaki, Natsuki Minamiya, Kureha, and Erica.

As for Frieren, Ais, Lala, Kyoko, Rias, Kanae, and Elaina, they stopped at the third round and would each receive 3 million group points as their reward.

On the morning of the seventh day, everyone gathered at the arena once again. Today, the final top three would be decided.

Since there were seven participants left—an odd number—the original rules required a bye to be drawn, allowing one member to advance directly to the next round.

But just as Aoi Kujou was about to begin the selection, Eriri interrupted her.

"Aoi-nee, wait a moment."

Her voice carried across the arena, and immediately, all attention shifted to her. Not a single person ignored her words.

Aoi swallowed back what she was about to say, waiting quietly for Eriri's instructions.

"Luck is also a part of strength, sure. But since we're at the final stage, why not make things a little more exciting?"

Her suggestion immediately piqued everyone's interest, especially the seven members about to fight today.

"Let's decide the top three using an arena-defense system. I'll divide the arena into three separate platforms."

"Each platform will have a defender. The other four members can challenge them one by one. If the challenger wins, they become the new defender of that platform."

"But keep this in mind—if you lose, you cannot challenge the same person again."

"Once no one is able to continue challenging, the three members who successfully defend their platforms will be the final top three."

"Of course, since the rules have changed, there will also be extra rewards. Every time you successfully seize or defend a platform, you'll earn an extra 1 million points."

"Do any of you seven have objections?"

Eriri's gaze swept across Luo Cuilian, Natsuki Minamiya, and the others.

None of them objected to her sudden change of rules.

Though it was now an arena-defense format, at its core, it was still one-on-one battles. The only difference was that the number of matches—and therefore opportunities—was greater.

That was only beneficial to them.

Besides, among the seven, aside from Natsuki Minamiya and Kureha, the other five genuinely loved fighting—especially the previous top three: Luo Cuilian, Jibril, and Milim.

For them, having more chances to spar was far more appealing.

Seeing no opposition, Eriri snapped her fingers. The single massive arena immediately shifted, dividing into three enormous square platforms, each large enough to accommodate full battles.

"Alright, the matches begin now. Go and claim the platforms."

At her words, Luo Cuilian and the others wasted no time, flying straight toward the platforms. Natsuki Minamiya used her spatial ability to instantly appear on one.

After that, Milim and Tatsumaki each claimed one of the other platforms, becoming the first defenders.

Since each platform only allowed two combatants at a time, once Jibril, Erica, and Luo Cuilian joined the three platforms, only Kureha was left without a place.

Helpless, she returned to her seat, waiting for a battle to end before she could challenge.

On Platform One, Natsuki Minamiya and Erica had already clashed, dazzling skills and chains dancing wildly across the stage, creating a stunning visual spectacle.

Although Natsuki Minamiya's combat experience wasn't bad and her mastery of space was quite decent, if her opponent had been Erica from when she first joined the group, she might have stood a good chance.

But against the Erica of today, her skills were simply insufficient.

After a year of intense training, Erica's combat experience was leagues beyond what it had been the previous year. She wielded her authority with practiced precision, forcing Natsuki onto the defensive and leaving her struggling to cope.

After more than an hour of fighting, Natsuki could no longer hold on and was finally defeated.

"I lost."

Natsuki looked regretfully at Erica across from her.

"I really wanted to last at least one round and earn that extra million points. Looks like that's not happening after all."

Glancing at the other two platforms, where battles still raged, she quickly lost any thought of challenging again.

No matter who won on those stages, she knew she had no chance of beating them.

"It's fine. You can always try again in the next tournament," Erica said with a smile.

She didn't tell Natsuki to keep pushing herself, since she also knew that the opponents on the other two platforms weren't people to be trifled with. Even she didn't feel confident about defeating them.

Natsuki gave a bitter smile and shook her head. She had no confidence in ever defeating those monsters in the future.

"Forget it. I'll step down first. I hope you can hold your platform successfully."

"Thanks, I'll take your blessing," Erica replied.

After wishing Erica good luck, Natsuki returned to the stands.

Seeing Platform One empty, Kureha immediately flew over without hesitation.

But an hour later, she too followed in Natsuki's footsteps, losing to Erica.

By then, nearly three hours had passed since the start of the arena battles, yet Platforms Two and Three still had not produced a victor.

On Platform Two, Milim and Luo Cuilian clashed.

They were old rivals. Back in the first tournament, they had fought for over four hours for second place, with Milim narrowly emerging victorious.

But after a year of rigorous training in the Virtual Arena, Luo Cuilian was no longer the same as before.

Milim, on the other hand, had hardly spent any time training, preferring to play around all year. Her battle experience had barely changed at all.

As a result, the positions had reversed—now Luo Cuilian pressed Milim slightly.

The difference was tiny, though, and it was clear their fight would take a long time to resolve.

Meanwhile, Platform Three's match between Tatsumaki and Jibril was turning out strange.

As the champion of the first Martial Arts Tournament, Jibril's abilities were beyond doubt.

By all rights, with Tatsumaki's level of skill, she shouldn't have been able to last this long. Yet here they were, exchanging blows evenly, as though on equal footing.

But to those who understood Jibril, it wasn't hard to see that she wasn't using her full strength at all. She was just playing around.

Tatsumaki, already growing furious, had noticed this too.

"Hey! Jibril, are you looking down on me?!" Tatsumaki shouted angrily.

Her powerful psychic force crushed wildly toward Jibril.

But with just a light flick of her small wings, Jibril slipped free of the telekinetic field.

Then, swinging the massive black scythe in her hands, she launched a huge energy wave hurtling toward Tatsumaki.

"Oh my, what are you talking about? I don't understand~"

In her young girl form, Jibril hovered in midair, balancing the enormous scythe—two or three times her size—on her small shoulder.

She feigned innocence as she looked at Tatsumaki, who was also floating in the air, her body glowing with green psychic energy.

Hearing the soft, cute loli voice from Jibril's mouth only made Tatsumaki even angrier.

"You little…!"

Faced with Jibril acting this way, Tatsumaki had no means of dealing with her except to attack with all her strength, hoping to force out Jibril's true power.

Unfortunately, their gap in strength was too great. No matter how hard Tatsumaki tried, she couldn't change the situation.

Time slipped by, and before long, another three hours had passed. It was already past three in the afternoon.

Since the other two platforms still hadn't finished their battles, Erica returned to the stands, deciding to wait until one ended before taking the stage again. She didn't want to just stand idly on the platform by herself.

At that point, the fight on Platform Two finally came to an end.

After over six hours of fierce combat, Luo Cuilian seized an opening to break through Milim's defenses, securing her victory.

Meanwhile, even while toying with Tatsumaki, Jibril had been keeping an eye on the battle at Platform Two.

Once that match ended, she no longer bothered playing around with Tatsumaki.

She halted her attacks and smirked arrogantly.

"Tatsumaki, didn't you want me to fight seriously? Then I'll show you now."

Before Tatsumaki could react, Jibril shot high into the sky, gathering all her energy.

In an instant, the halo above her head expanded dozens of times over, transforming into a purple-black ring brimming with destructive aura.

Dozens of dark purple energy pillars pierced upward as the halo rotated slowly in the air above her.

A violent storm of energy swirled around her, lifting her hair upright in the gale.

The crowd stirred with excitement at the familiar sight. In the first Martial Arts Tournament, Jibril had used this very move to one-shot Milim and claim victory.

Those who hadn't witnessed the previous tournament stared in curiosity and anticipation, eager to see what would happen next.

Tatsumaki's face turned solemn. She knew this move well—she had seen it with her own eyes at the last tournament.

Not daring to be careless, she poured all her psychic power into forming the strongest defense possible around her body.

She knew that if she could endure this one strike, victory would be hers.

Jibril, floating in midair, saw through her intent but didn't care.

Not only had Tatsumaki's power been heavily drained after six hours of fighting, but Jibril also had absolute confidence in her ultimate move.

A victorious smile spread across her delicate face as she opened her mouth.

"Heavenly Smite!"

At her chant, a massive orb of purple energy condensed above the halo and shot downward toward Tatsumaki.

As Jibril expected, even though Tatsumaki had layered herself in powerful psychic defenses, under the cataclysmic force of Heavenly Smite, her barrier collapsed within seconds.

Her body was instantly vaporized by the blast.

At the same time, Jibril's own energy was completely drained, leaving her to fall slowly from the sky.

Thus ended the first battle of Platform Three.

As the match concluded, Tatsumaki's vaporized body reformed intact, while Jibril's energy reserves refilled to full.

"So, Tatsumaki, how did you like my Heavenly Smite?"

Jibril asked with a mischievous smile, floating in front of her.

Though Tatsumaki was petite, Jibril's young girl form was even smaller. It really looked like two little girls had been fighting.

"Hmph, it's nothing special. If my psychic power hadn't been drained so much earlier, you wouldn't have broken through my defense!"

Tatsumaki crossed her arms and snapped, then floated off toward the stands without another word.

By then, Platform One had been claimed by Milim after her earlier fight, while Platform Two had been seized by the fearless Kureha.

So Tatsumaki could only retreat to the stands for the time being.

Chapter 332: Let Me Be an Ancestor Too…

Zzzla—

As Cangxuan and Dan Zhu stood stunned, a blinding arc of lightning fired from the turrets beneath the starship.

Brilliant thunderbolts, like heavenly tribulation, crashed down from the skies, striking directly at the rampaging Chiyou.

Violet lightning slithered like serpents, crackling with ionized radiation as it filled the air.

"Divine thunder! It's divine thunder!"

From afar, Shenzhou's primitive humans shouted in awe.

At this time, the land was still in the mythic age. To them, the starship was incomprehensible—only the descent of a god.

Under the overwhelming discharge, Chiyou's armored hide blackened and charred. Its massive body convulsed, collapsing stiffly to the ground.

Boom—

Its towering form fell like a mountain sliding down, sending dust and rocks flying as the earth split in a web of fractures stretching for miles.

"So strong!!"

"Even stronger than the Previous Era's weapons!"

Cangxuan and Dan Zhu gasped in awe, then quickly drew their weapons again.

"Now, while it's down—finish it!!!"

The three girls prepared to strike when Setsuna stopped them.

"No need. Stand back."

"Leave this to me."

Shua—

He and Fu Hua dropped lightly from the sky, landing before Chiyou.

Setsuna gazed at the beast.

"Tsk, a Judgment-class Honkai Beast…"

"With you, maybe our Chimera Project will create even stronger fusion warriors."

He extended his hand, summoning the Herrscher of Corruption's power.

Normally, Herrscher beasts could not be controlled by other Herrschers. They were born from self-transformation or as companions to Honkai eruptions.

But Chiyou was wild-born. With brute strength and sheer will, Setsuna decided to try.

Black streams of Honkai energy surged from the ground, winding into Chiyou's body, seeping from skin to core.

This was an erosion aimed at seizing control—not transformation.

Setsuna wanted to see the true limit of his authority.

"Honkai energy!!! Herrscher of Corruption!!!"

"And it's a man Herrscher!!!"

Cangxuan and Dan Zhu were utterly shaken.

From his methods alone, there was no mistaking Setsuna was a Herrscher.

They knew the devastation the Herrscher of Corruption had brought in the Previous Era.

Weapons clattered into their hands, aimed at Setsuna.

A male Herrscher controlling corruption, flying starships—

This world was beyond bizarre.

"Lower your weapons. Setsuna… is our friend."

Fu Hua pressed their hands down.

"Eh?"

"What?!"

The two were stunned.

"You even made friends with a Herrscher?"

Cangxuan blinked.

Fu Hua had always been aloof. In this world, her friends could be counted on one hand.

And now she called a Herrscher her friend?!

From any angle, it was absurd.

"Has society developed too fast, and I fell behind? No, wait—it's only this era!!!"

Dan Zhu groaned, knocking her head in frustration.

"The times have changed."

Fu Hua recalled Setsuna's words, giving the shortest explanation.

"???"

Meanwhile—

Setsuna poured torrents of corrosive power into Chiyou.

He felt the monster resisting with raw Honkai energy and its own will, straining against his invasion.

Born naturally of Honkai, not crafted as his minion, its rebellion was fierce.

But against near-limitless power, even a Judgment-class beast was insignificant.

Corruption spread through its every vein, its flesh, its core, its very heart…

The Herrscher's power suppressed the beast completely.

Minutes later—

Chiyou slowly rose to its feet.

Rooar—

It let out a low growl, then lowered its head in submission before Setsuna.

"Good. Stay put. Don't cause trouble."

Setsuna turned.

The starship slowly descended to the ground.

Thump—Thump—Thump—

The colossal beast stepped heavily aboard the interstellar battleship.

Under the power of erosion, its will and spirit were fully under control.

The sheer size of the Judgment-class Honkai Beast made the entire ship tremble as it entered, cramming the cargo bay to its limit.

"Aba aba…"

Cangxuan and Dan Zhu stood frozen, dumbfounded by the sight.

What the hell?

A Judgment-class Honkai Beast!! What was he going to do with it—keep it as a pet?!

Wasn't this a bit too insane?!

"Next… is the three of you…"

Setsuna cleared his throat, turning toward them.

"Waaah!!!"

Cangxuan and Dan Zhu shrieked, hiding behind Fu Hua.

"Don't come any closer!!! Jingwei, help us!!!"

...

Ten minutes later.

"Thank you so, so much!!!"

"And… we're very sorry!!!"

In the starship's control room, the two girls bowed deeply to Setsuna, both in thanks and apology.

Thanks—for saving their lives.

Apology—for instinctively trying to attack the Honkai and Herrscher.

Beside them, Jilin sat in a daze.

As a pure native girl, she had never seen high technology before.

Cangxuan and Dan Zhu were from the Previous Era, so at least they had some mental preparation for things like spaceships and advanced machinery.

"So, that's the situation."

"We came from 3500 years in the future—to save you, to take Chiyou back for study, and also to test our time-jump technology."

Setsuna gave them a brief explanation.

"Is that… true?!"

The two were wide-eyed with shock.

"You'll know when the time comes. You can come with us and see for yourselves."

Fu Hua nodded.

"Oh?!…"

Cangxuan paused.

She and Dan Zhu often said Fu Hua was rigid and dull, but they also knew she never joked, and never lied.

With her assurance, the truth was easier to accept.

"Since you're from 3000 years later, what happened to us in the future?"

Dan Zhu tilted her head curiously.

Setsuna answered bluntly:

"Originally, the three of you died in battle to seal Chiyou."

"And since I was far away, I couldn't intervene. I'm sorry."

Fu Hua closed her eyes as she spoke.

"Oh…"

The three thought back to their recent desperate struggle. It wasn't surprising.

Against such a monster, mutual destruction was the best possible outcome.

"Then what happened after we died? What about Fu Hua?!"

Cangxuan suddenly grew curious about that other worldline, tugging at Setsuna for answers.

"You two left her the Book of Fuxi, right? She lived with it for over a thousand years."

"When Little Fuxi's energy finally ran out, Hua went mad, becoming an unfeeling anti-Honkai fanatic."

"Thankfully, we arrived early, or things would've gotten messy."

Setsuna casually revealed Fu Hua's dark history.

"Hey!"

"Blade Mantra has already been cured, alright!!"

The immortal pinched Setsuna sharply, scolding in protest.

...

"Hmph, just as I thought—without anyone beside you, you'd stray off the path."

Dan Zhu nodded sagely, lecturing Fu Hua from above.

"But now, with someone by your side, you're much more normal than before."

"Eh?"

Fu Hua blinked, confused.

"You're such a blockhead."

Cangxuan glanced at Fu Hua, then at Setsuna, and pouted.

"But if you save us here and change the worldline, won't that cause a butterfly effect and alter the future?"

Dan Zhu asked, frowning.

"No."

Setsuna thought a moment, then explained.

"In the original worldline, the three of you perished with Chiyou."

"Now, by bringing both you and Chiyou back, the end result in this world is the same—you're gone."

"As for small bugs, our research division can use mathematical laws to intervene and correct the worldline locally."

"So it won't matter."

"Oh, that makes sense."

Cangxuan and Dan Zhu nodded in sudden realization.

Jilin, meanwhile, was still lost.

"Me? Am I going too?"

"Of course. If you stay, it'll create a bug."

Setsuna tapped the table.

"According to the original line… you awakened your stigmata, temporarily repelled Chiyou, forced it back into Jiuyou. Many years later, after your tribe grew strong, you went into Jiuyou and sealed it with your life."

"The Youxiong tribe will be short a chief for now, but I'll arrange a replacement. Besides, don't you want to see Shenzhou thousands of years in the future?"

The proposal was far too tempting. Neither Cangxuan, Dan Zhu, nor Jilin could refuse.

After a little thought, they agreed.

"Excellent."

Setsuna connected to the observation station.

"I have successfully captured Nuwa, Fuxi, and the Yellow Emperor. Beginning worldline observation and correction. Preparing to return."

...

"We are currently conducting worldline observation and deduction. Please wait a moment, Commander."

The research division's reply appeared on the holographic interface.

"Constructing mathematical models of the Commander's era, formulating a worldline correction plan…"

Inside the space station—

Hundreds of research lolis opened countless complex calculation windows on the holographic screens,

Running computations at dizzying speed.

"Hmm, this time Chiyou was subdued several years earlier than the original timeline's slaying. Its destruction amounted to only three percent of estimates…"

"To ensure Shenzhou's development remains unchanged, we must set seven correction points… specific plans as follows…"

The lolis dove into intense calculations, leaving Cangxuan and Dan Zhu staring in wonder.

"What is this…?"

"Using mathematical laws to deduce the future."

Setsuna explained.

"Although bringing you and Chiyou along makes the outcome the same as the original worldline, across a span of thousands of years, even the smallest change could cause enormous differences."

"To minimize changes after a time jump, we use mathematical law weapons to simulate world development."

"If anomalies appear, we can correct them in time."

"Oh…"

The two girls exchanged glances, sighing with admiration:

"Deducing the future?! Amazing, your civilization has mastered such a technique…"

"Truly indistinguishable from the gods."

"This technology indeed comes from another godlike civilization, the Zero-Homer."

Setsuna smiled.

"When mathematical law weapons are mastered to the extreme, all things can be solved—we can deduce from the birth of the universe to its very end."

"When performing time travel, nothing is more suitable for correcting the worldline."

In the past, the spiritron transfer device couldn't be used recklessly for fear of unpredictable changes to the future once the past was altered.

But with mastery over mathematical laws, they could preemptively correct the worldline, ensuring the future developed as desired.

"Incredible."

Cangxuan fiddled with her scroll, then poked Fu Hua.

"Didn't expect your friend to be this amazing—greater even than the humans of the Previous Era!"

"Not only can he travel back through time to save us, he can also repair the worldline. Tsk, too strong."

"…"

Fu Hua fell silent, thinking: You haven't even seen the Eternal Snowfall in its full form yet.

Setsuna had only taken a small craft from the Juggernaut. If they saw the colossal warship larger than an asteroid, every person from the previous civilization would tremble.

While the lolis simulated the worldline, Setsuna chatted casually with Cangxuan and Dan Zhu.

Compared to Fu Hua, these two ancestors of humanity were far more lively.

Both came from the Previous Era, and were brimming with curiosity about new technologies.

"When civilization was still in its infancy, teaching them math or physics was like playing music to cattle. So we could only spread knowledge through legends."

Cangxuan sat cross-legged on the sofa, stroking Little Fuxi's head as she spoke.

"Things like opening the heavens, patching the sky, gods descending to the mortal world. Bit by bit, we became the gods of myth."

"If people thousands of years later learned their ancestors of Shenzhou were actually the two of us, wouldn't they be disillusioned?"

Pfft—

Setsuna chuckled.

"It doesn't matter. Each universe has its own case. In another, there are cute girl versions of King Arthur, Nero, and even a mechanized, ascended First Emperor."

"King Arthur? You mean the Arthurian legends? That's tied to the West…"

Fu Hua looked puzzled.

"No no, I mean the one who fought in the Holy Grail War. Like you, she didn't understand people's hearts."

Setsuna realized Fu Hua and the ahoge king had something in common.

"Right, you saved our lives, but I have nothing to repay you with. Let me give you a figurine."

Dan Zhu suddenly remembered something.

She rummaged through her pocket and pulled out a clay figurine, placing it on the table.

It was about the size of two palms, shaped exactly like the immortal Phoenix. The craftsmanship was exquisite, even her expression vividly captured.

"Jingwei is usually too serious, so to better spread culture, we made some figurines."

"Here, this is my best one. I'll give it to you!"

Dan Zhu quickly painted it, making it look nearly identical to Fu Hua herself.

The only difference was the proportions.

"Of course, I made her pitiful figure a little more attractive. This way, at least it's more pleasing to the eye, right?"

"…"

Setsuna stared at the figurine's nearly D-sized proportions, feeling a powerful sense of dissonance.

"Dan Zhu, that feels like a personal attack."

Fu Hua cracked her knuckles.

"Or do you prefer flat? I can file it down for you?"

The black-haired, red-eyed girl pulled out a file, tilting her head.

"I'll take it as is!"

Setsuna accepted without hesitation.

"Mm, true enough—art imitates life, but also goes beyond it."

Dan Zhu nodded knowingly.

"…"

Fu Hua suddenly felt like using Dan Zhu and Setsuna as her practice dummies…

She couldn't beat Setsuna, but Dan Zhu was fair game.

...

The group chatted a little longer.

Setsuna learned about Cangxuan and Dan Zhu's situation.

It was much as he already knew: the two were working with Fu Hua on the Project EMBER, imparting knowledge to humanity of the current era.

The plan's intent had been to accelerate the new civilization to the level of the Previous Era.

But as they passed on more and more advanced knowledge, they realized each time the technology exceeded the era's limits, Honkai emerged.

Smaller Honkai incidents at first were dismissed, easily handled by the three of them.

But when Judgment-class Honkai Beasts were born from overly advanced teachings, it was too late to stop.

"So in this world's rules, the Project EMBER was doomed from the beginning…"

"Everything we've done was meaningless…"

Cangxuan rubbed her temples, biting her lip.

"Even proving a wrong path is still a contribution to fighting Honkai."

Fu Hua answered calmly.

"…"

As they spoke, a communication from the research division came through.

"Commander, we've simulated the current timeline and its development. The changes to the worldline are minor."

"However, to ensure Shenzhou's civilization evolves correctly, we need you to fix one small issue."

"Go ahead."

Setsuna gestured.

"It's like this."

Kayo Senju paused.

"In the original timeline, after awakening her stigmata and temporarily repelling Chiyou, Jilin drew all of Shenzhou's tribes to the Youxiong clan and was revered as the Yellow Emperor."

"From then on, Shenzhou's people traced their lineage to the Yellow Emperor's tribe. But since you took her away early…"

"We'll need to provide Shenzhou's early humans with some foundational technology, helping them form the prototype of a nation."

"Oh."

Setsuna looked at Jilin, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

If he was taking Shenzhou's ancestor away, naturally he had to help settle her tribe first.

"How do we do that?"

He asked again.

"Well… considering local traditions, the best way would be through myth and legend…"

Grey thought aloud.

"Why not become an ancestor of Shenzhou yourself, just this once?"

"Maybe after this time jump, Earth's archaeologists will dig up artifacts you left behind."

"???"

Chapter 331: Aeons? Time to Make Some Good Friends

Venti slumped his shoulders. "Tell me, just what sort of image do I have in the eyes of my friends? I'm still the leader of a Divine Collective, could you at least give me a little face?"

Over the past ten thousand years, Barbatos' reputation among his peers had fallen lower and lower, almost to the point of being on par with Tet.

Furina teased: "Barbatos, you'd better accept your fate. Besides, there are no juniors here, so why worry about face? Even if there were, your face was already lost long ago."

Though the high-level gods of the Divine Collectives often joked at each other's expense, they had never once doubted one another's strength.

Barbatos' image may have seemed pathetic to them, but his power had never been lacking.

And it depended on the company. Only the top tiers of Teyvat dared speak to Barbatos this way. Let a small god without even single-universe strength try it—Barbatos could blow them into another universe with a single breath.

Rubbing his eyes in mock tears, Barbatos whimpered: "Uuuu, this poor bard is too miserable. I barely said a word before you started bullying me. Ah~ but what can I do? I am the weakest leader among the Divine Collectives."

Athena walked over. "Lord Barbatos, you really do like keeping a low profile. To put it another way, you are well-versed in the art of survival. If we must speak of the weakest leader, that should be me."

The Greek Divine Collective was indeed a major one, but she truly was its weakest leader.

As for the Solar King Collective? They didn't even have a proper leader. Shakyamuni and the Hindu Trimurti had only barely reached weak single-universe.

Thus, they stayed at the back, not daring to come forward.

Their Collective had offended nearly every other Divine Collective in some way or another, leaving them unwelcome everywhere.

Without a proper leader, their development lagged behind severely.

The Greek Collective, aside from Athena—who was close to double single-universe strength—still had the Four Primordial Gods, plus Zeus, who had reached weak single-universe.

Hearing Athena's words, Venti immediately cried out in protest: "No, Athena, you're wronging me! I really am the weakest, fragile as a feather. What do I know of survival tactics? I'm only ten thousand years old—I don't understand any of that!"

Jean watched her own leader sulking like a child and smiled faintly, though her heart let out a soft sigh.

This had been the way of her leader for nearly ten thousand years.

Though Barbatos appeared unreliable on the surface, Mondstadt still remained safe under his protection.

It could even be said the Mondstadt Collective was the most livable in all of Teyvat.

"Barbatos, you really have no shame. If anyone is the youngest, it's me."

Tet floated cross-legged through the air toward the gathering of gods, patting her modest chest.

"I haven't even reached ten thousand years yet. I'm only a bit over eight thousand, making me the youngest of us all. No objections accepted."

Furina sighed: "Why are we back to talking about age again?"

Meanwhile, watching the front where the great Collectives conversed warmly, at the very back—and far apart—Shakyamuni, Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva all wore bitter expressions.

"Why is it that we are treated like outcasts?"

"I just tried greeting Athena, but she didn't even look at me. Far too disdainful."

Even Shakyamuni nearly lost his Buddha-heart, rolling his prayer beads between his fingers. "Amitabha."

"Exactly! It's not as if we did anything worse than bending the rules a little when pioneering civilizations. The rest of you could have done the same."

"So what do we do now?"

"What else? Without a leader for our Collective, there's nothing to be done."

"The other Collectives have so many more Almighty Gods than we do…"

At present—

The Liyue Collective had not only Zhongli and Hu Tao, both double single-universel, but also numerous Almighty Gods at weak single-universe and above: Guizhong the Dust God, Marchosius the Stove God, Azhdaha the Geo Dragon King, the Adepti, and the four Yaksha leaders.

Among the divine systems under its command, those who had reached weak single-universe included the Jade Emperor, the Three Pure Ones, and Indra.

In the Fontaine Collective, besides Furina, Focalors, and Neuvillette—each having reached double single-universe strength—there were also other gods who had attained weak single-universe: the God of War, Artosh, and the God of Forge, Ocain.

Within its divine systems, there was the Celtic King of Gods Nuada, as well as Mithra of Zoroastrianism.

Yes, the first to reach weak single-universe was not Ahura or Angra Mainyu, but Mithra, the Sun God.

This was thanks to the blessing of Pan-Human History—just as Marchosius, guardian of the Sacred Flame of civilization, had been empowered, Mithra's guardianship of Zoroastrian civilization's flame granted him strength.

The Sumeru Pantheon was even more astonishing. Though Greater Lord Rukkhadevata had already become a Truth and no longer directly managed her Collective, her presence still mattered greatly.

Moreover, she had entrusted the Pseudo Star Map Creation Askr Yggdrasil, to Nahida.

For her, now as a Truth, the Pseudo Star Map Creation was useless—merely an ornament.

But with it, Nahida directly possessed double single-universe strength.

Beneath her, the Norse King of Gods Odin had also reached weak single-universe. Possessing a Pseudo Star Map Creation of his own, his power equaled that of a standard single-universe plus weak single-universe combined. There was also Amun-Ra, the Egyptian Sun and Creator God, who had fully reached standard single-universe.

Though their high-end power was not numerous, their background was formidable.

Inazuma's Collective was more moderate by comparison.

Besides Raiden Makoto and Raiden Ei, both at double single-universe, there were many who had attained weak single-universe.

Among them was Amaterasu of the Takamagahara Pantheon, and all the goddesses who had once shared joy with Noah had also reached weak single-universe.

As the highest deity recognized by all fox clans of Teyvat, Yae Miko held her head high, her fox ears twitching upward with pride.

Behind her followed Kamisato Ayaka, Shinobu Kocho, and Kanae Kocho.

The weakest Collectives in terms of mid-level strength were Mondstadt and Snezhnaya.

Besides their leaders, they had only a single weak single-universe god each: Jean for Mondstadt, and Arlecchino for Snezhnaya.

Just as the gods were happily conversing, they suddenly sensed something. Turning their heads, they saw over a dozen unfamiliar single-universe auras rapidly approaching.

These auras were incredibly powerful—among single-universe gods, they ranked at the forefront, second only to the wielders of Pseudo Star Map Creations.

Zhongli, hands folded behind his back, gazed at the approaching lights streaking like meteors, his golden eyes glinting.

"Ah, are those the Aeons of that universe? The bearers of the Paths. These are friends worth making."

Barbatos' eyes also sparkled: "Mhm, the old man is right. After all, you can never have too many friends."

"Since they are masters of the Paths, able to climb to higher realms, inevitably we will have dealings with them in the future."

Nahida looked toward the streaking meteors.

Zhongli, hands folded behind his back, spoke steadily.

"Although after ascending to multiverse, all divine systems can attempt to push their limits through infinite expansion, the simplest path is still to walk the road of Truth—step by step."

The road of truth meant following the Laws upstream, comprehending Laws and Truths, and forging one's own Path.

But the leaders of the Divine Collectives would not walk such a road.

Their foundation was the Primordial Universe. The Laws and Truths they grasped would feed back into the Primordial Universe, elevating its rank.

In short, walking the road of Truth meant diffusing outward into infinite multiverses, while the path of the Divine Collectives meant expanding inward.

Neither was superior nor inferior—one emphasized individual power, the other collective strength.

A paradox: the road of Truth pursued personal power, yet manifested as quantity; the Collective's path pursued group power, yet manifested as quality.

With Teyvat's ascension to multiverse, the leaders of the Collectives were naturally far stronger than the bearers of Paths.

At that point, the Primordial Universe's limit would reach super single-universe, and the leaders of Collectives too would reach super single-universe. But the Pathbearers could only rise to high-tier strong single-universe at most.

Ordinary Lawbearers would also reach super single-universe, while a leader of a Collective was comparable to a Lawbearer.

This information descended to any god upon their ascension to weak single-universe.

Such knowledge was only available above weak single-universe, belonging to the highest tier.

"Make friends? Go ahead. I won't be befriending them. I doubt they'd want to see me either."

The Abyssal Sovereign, Aether, gave a flat glance and continued walking up the steps without looking back.

He had just given that group a thorough beating. Friends? For the Abyssal Sovereign, the seven Archons were already his earliest friends.

Besides, those Aeons were not yet qualified to be his friends.

This time, having consolidated the rewards from reclaiming a great universe, he now possessed the power of six universes. With a few thousand more years of effort, he might reach mid-tier strong single-universe.

"Eh~ Good friend! Leaving already? Better to resolve enmity than to deepen it." Venti waved at Aether's retreating back, but when there was no response, he simply spread his hands.

"Ah, he's still the same as ever. Who knows what happened between him and the Aeons?"

Furina remarked: "Clearly something unpleasant. To annex a great universe naturally brings sieges, but from the looks of it, the Abyss won a crushing victory."

Malikata smiled. "Since the souls of that universe's beings have entered the Underworld, I am aware of what occurred."

Raiden Makoto asked quickly: "Oh? Malikata, do tell us."

Venti leaned in curiously: "A tale of a great universe! As Teyvat's greatest bard, I must certainly compose and sing of it."

Malikata shook her head. "There's nothing much to say—everyone has already guessed."

"When the Abyss moves, it cleanses an entire great universe. Over ninety percent of that universe's civilizations were wiped out. The Aeons did not act directly—they were most likely suppressed by the Abyssal Sovereign."

"There was also a change of old and new Aeons. A few fell."

Odin shuddered. "Fallen? Even such beings can fall?"

The Pathbearers were at least standard single-universe, with the potential to reach power equivalent to countless stacked great universes.

Zhongli cast a glance at Odin. "No matter how high the being, under certain conditions, they can still fall. I believe even those at multiverse level have the possibility of falling."

The four juniors of the Solar King Collective swallowed hard, their eyes full of envy and resentment.

Latecomers were already far stronger than them. It stung deeply.

If only their Collective had a proper leader…

Clearly, the Pseudo Star Map Creations had appeared for so long, yet not a single god had managed to pass their trials.

Of course, none of them considered that they themselves longed for the Pseudo Star Map Creations. Even if they failed the trial, they would clutch them tightly and challenge again and again.

They even feared that outsiders might succeed in the trials, threatening their authority as supreme gods.

Sixteen lights of the Paths descended upon the steps, not far from the gathered gods.

A blue-haired youth carrying a bow stepped out first. His appearance was not much different from that of a Liyue native. Auras slightly above standard single-universe radiated from him—about great universe in total mass.

The youth greeted the unfamiliar gods with a dashing wave.

"Friends of this world, my name is Lan, the Aeon of the Hunt. It is my first time meeting you all. Please look after me."

Behind him, one figure after another emerged from the lights of the Paths. Each bore a different temperament, but all fifteen of them carried power just above a single-universe mass, though none had reached double single-universe.

But among them was one Aeon whose aura had already reached double single-universe, and was not far from triple.

This power surpassed even that of most Divine Collective leaders, leaving all present astonished.

"Everything… is meaningless…"

There was no expression, not even light in the eyes. Except for the head, the rest of his body was pitch black, like a crudely made mannequin. His hollow voice echoed as he spoke.

Afterward, he ignored everyone, his empty eyes revealing no presence at all, as he walked toward the Hall of Gods.

The gods quickly reacted, instinctively giving way to this Aeon as he passed.

"Nihilism?" Zhongli stepped aside slightly, not attempting conversation. "The Path of Nihility… no wonder."

"Ahhh~ So strong!" Venti gasped deeply as the Aeon of Nihility walked past.

"He's stronger than me! How is that possible? Why is he so strong? Ridiculous!"

"Oh my Lord Heavenly Principle, could something have gone wrong??"

Seeing the sudden chill settle over the gathering, Lan, the Hunt Aeon, quickly stepped forward and said: "Ah, friends, please don't mind him. That Aeon is Nihility IX. He's always like that. Best just not to pay him any heed."

Chapter 71: The Great Thunderbird — Kanna Kapatcir

After Fiore had calmed down, she told the Shogun everything. To her, the Shogun was not an outsider, but someone she trusted and even admired. There was nothing she could hide from her.

"Haa… so that's how it is. I understand."

The Shogun, arms folded, sat on the bed's edge and nodded slightly.

"This state of mind is inevitable for someone like you. The Black Faction has lost too many—both in manpower and strength. For one as young as you to shoulder such a burden is indeed far too heavy."

"..."

Fiore sat obediently before her, head lowered like a student being scolded. She couldn't refute the Shogun's words—because they were all true.

"Moreover… you are kind by nature. You value life, dislike conflict and killing. With such a disposition, it's only natural that you would fall into confusion."

The Shogun continued.

"…I-I'm sorry… Shogun…"

Fiore apologized in a tiny, pitiful voice. She felt utterly mismatched with her Servant—how could someone like her be Master to the Shogun? And yet… the Shogun had never once argued with her.

"Why apologize? I am not reproaching you. On the contrary… seeing you like this, I worry."

The Shogun sighed softly.

"Because… I have always been lost. Whenever I see your figure and your deeds, Shogun… I feel so useless. To think I am your Master, yet so incompetent…"

Fiore's voice quavered with self-doubt.

"Haa…"

The Shogun sighed again.

"I do not know this world well, nor the knowledge of the Grail… nor even what a Master ought to do. But from my perspective, you have already fulfilled your duty. I have told you before—this vessel… is very satisfied with you."

"Shogun…"

Fiore's eyes shimmered again, on the verge of tears. When had she become such a crybaby?

"Character is innate. A kind heart is no flaw. As you said… magi are cold and ruthless. But you are different. You are like a lotus in the mud—untainted, pure. That is your fortune… Fiore."

She could tell the girl was beginning to sink into inferiority. The only thing she could do now was help her regain her confidence, starting with her heart—guiding her to recognize herself and cease her doubts.

The girl blushed deeply at the words, biting her lip in shy embarrassment.

From the beginning, Fiore had been lost. Since childhood she had forced herself to act strong before her family. As heir to the clan, she had no choice. She still remembered the day she was made to sacrifice her beloved pet to the abyss of magecraft—suppressing her tears before others, only to cry all night once back in her room. Even now, that purity and kindness had never changed.

"You're still forcing yourself, aren't you?"

The Shogun asked gently.

Without knowing why, Fiore nodded meekly. Only afterward did she realize it, flushing with shame.

"Clinging too tightly to something will only wound yourself. Sometimes, letting go is also a choice. Of course… this is but my own opinion. In the end, it must be your decision."

The room was dim, lit only by the warm glow of a bedside lamp. The quiet was filled only by their soft voices, speaking heart to heart. In truth, most of the talking came from the Shogun—patiently soothing, guiding the fragile heart of the girl before her.

"If I…"

If I gave up… If I let go… would the Shogun hate me? Would she be disappointed in me?

The words caught in her throat. Fear lingered in Fiore's heart—fear of the answer.

"No."

"Eh?"

Yet the Shogun spoke first, as if she had already known.

"This vessel… will not be disappointed in you."

That was her answer.

Fiore was not suited to be a magus. Forcing herself would only make that chain strangle her, consuming her life one day—that was the Shogun's view.

"..."

After nearly a minute of silence, the girl in the wheelchair finally raised her eyes to the Shogun and nodded slowly. This was her "concession." She chose to stop forcing herself. She would no longer push on recklessly, ignoring her mind and body.

Though her magic circuits were exceptionally gifted, her kind and pure nature had made her "fail" on the path of a magus. Meanwhile, Caules, though ordinary in circuits, had already reached the mindset of a true magus. Thus he had "succeeded."

Such was fate—contradictory, yet dramatic.

By giving up the burden she had carried since birth, Fiore had also relinquished her position as head of the family. By rule, the role now passed to the second heir—Caules.

'Sister… just stay as you are. Leave the rest to me.'

He had once told her so… and now he truly fulfilled that promise.

Lying beside her brother, Fiore's expression was complicated. Perhaps this choice would place him in danger. Even so, this was Caules' lifelong wish. Since Fiore had stepped back, he would take the role.

"Are you uneasy, Caules?"

Fiore turned her head slightly and asked.

"As a mortal, of course I'm a little…"

Though filled with anticipation, Caules could not help the tension in his voice.

"Stay strong. When the ritual is complete, you will be the head of Yggdmillennia."

Fiore said softly.

"Yeah. Maybe this was decided in childhood already, Sister."

Caules gave a small laugh.

"…Perhaps."

Fiore sighed faintly. She hardly felt like an elder sister at all. Glancing toward the Shogun in the corner, she saw her give a slight nod, and with that she found the courage to smile again.

This was not the parlor, nor a bedroom, but an underground chamber prepared for the Crest Transfer ritual. Four yellow candles burned at the corners of the white bed, where the siblings lay side by side.

The Shogun rose slightly and walked to Chiron's side.

"How long will it take?"

She asked.

"Normally… transferring the Magic Crest should be done slowly. But due to time constraints, we'll use a faster method. It will be more painful, however."

Chiron replied calmly.

Indeed, what they were about to perform was the transfer of the family's Magic Crest. As the head, Fiore would pass it on to Caules. This was something Caules himself had requested—even knowing the risk, he insisted.

The Shogun did not care to ask what exactly a Magic Crest was. Knowing the general outline was enough.

"There's no choice… Time is too short."

Caules muttered with resignation.

"Archer… please begin."

Fiore exhaled lightly and closed her eyes, reassured by the Shogun's watchful presence.

"Very well, then I'll commence the Crest Transfer ritual."

Buzz~!

At Chiron's gesture, a pale green light spread through the chamber. A magic circle appeared on the ground, and glowing patterns emerged across the siblings' bodies.

Crackle…

A sound like clashing currents hissed through the air.

"Ugh! Aaaahhh!!!"

Fiore felt little, but Caules immediately cried out. His entire body was covered in Crest patterns, even his face. He convulsed, screaming as the pain wracked him.

Hearing his cries, Fiore's eyes snapped open. Seeing his twisted expression, her heart clenched.

"Caules! The flow is too fast! Calm yourself!"

She pleaded, trying to steady him. His heart was pounding violently.

"What's happening?"

The Shogun turned to Chiron.

"His body is rejecting the foreign Crest!"

Fiore's Crest was flawless, but for an ordinary body like Caules', it was far too heavy. Severe rejection struck him, the pain like insects biting every inch of him.

"Aaaahhh!!!!"

Caules' eyes rolled back.

"Caules! Caules! Calm down! If this continues it'll only get worse!!"

"Aaaahhh!!!"

He could no longer hear her. His body twisted in agony, drool running down his chin as he convulsed.

"..."

The Shogun frowned slightly, irritated by the noise. She raised her hand, a spark of lightning flashing across her palm, then pressed it firmly against his forehead.

Snap!!

A crisp sound rang out.

"..." ×N

Silence returned.

The screaming boy had fainted instantly. The Crest Transfer continued nonetheless.

"…Noisy."

The Shogun muttered coldly, answering the looks from the other two.

"Haa…"

Fiore let out a long sigh of relief. Thank goodness the Shogun had acted swiftly—otherwise, her brother might not have survived this night.

After completing the Magic Crest transfer, Fiore was brought back to her room. Watching her settle once more into bed, the Shogun knelt on the cushion beside it, gazing quietly at the girl lying beneath the covers.

Fiore was still somewhat weak, likely from the ritual's side effects, but overall she fared far better than Caules.

"Do you feel unwell?"

She asked with concern.

"No… just a little tired. A good sleep will be enough."

Fiore curled into the blanket, lying on her side and facing her, replying softly. Compared to her brother, this was nothing.

"I see… then this will at least ease your burden a little?"

"Mm… but I won't just push everything onto him. The situation doesn't allow me to relax. I'm still the Shogun's Master. I still bear the responsibility of leading the Black Faction to victory. Even so, I will not neglect it."

Her voice was firm, her gaze locked with the Shogun's violet eyes.

"Do you remember the contract between this vessel and you?"

The Shogun asked, closing her eyes slightly.

"Of course… how could I forget my contract with you?"

It was the foremost thing in her heart.

"I will lead you to victory. All you must do is follow behind me. There is no need for you to risk yourself."

"But… but I also want to do something for you, Shogun…"

Her voice grew muffled, like a child sulking—yet only toward one she adored.

"..."

The Shogun fell silent.

"If you insist that much, then do as you wish."

It mattered little to her… she would deal with it when the time came.

"It's late. Your body and mind are weary—rest now."

She lifted the blanket that Fiore had not fully covered herself with, pulling it higher and tucking it in with practiced ease, all with one hand. The smoothness of her motion left Fiore momentarily dazed.

Why was the Shogun so skilled at this? Had she done the same for someone else before?

The thought stirred her curiosity, though she hesitated to ask, unsure if it would trespass on the Shogun's privacy.

"Shogun…"

Unable to hold back, she finally asked in a small voice. In the quiet room lit only by the bedside lamp, her words were crystal clear.

"…What is it?"

"…Have you ever had the experience of putting someone to bed before? You seemed… very practiced."

At that, the Shogun's hand stilled briefly before resuming. She could tell the girl was being cautious, but this was hardly a secret—it mattered little to say.

"Something like that. Long ago, I often accompanied a child. She was still young. Her family had met with misfortune—both parents passed away, and her elder brother was always away, leaving her alone."

Recalling the distant past, the Shogun's expression softened. That child was none other than a certain daughter of the Tenryou Commission in Inazuma.

"I see…"

Fiore understood. That even a god would personally watch over a child puzzled her, but… her knowledge of the Shogun had deepened once more. And she felt no jealousy that the Shogun had once cared for someone else. She was not that kind of person. Instead, she was glad—for it meant she too was now treasured by the Shogun.

Though the Shogun's bond with that girl might have been deeper, it didn't matter. Fiore was already content. If, when the Shogun returned to her own world, she still remembered her, that alone would be enough.

For now, she would simply cherish the fleeting moments they had together, and accept the Shogun's warmth.

"Sleep now. Look at you… you can barely keep your eyes open."

The Shogun's hand brushed gently across the girl's cheek, then tenderly tucked the strands of hair at her ear behind it.

"…Mm///… Shogun… good night."

Fiore's face glowed with both shyness and happiness as she slowly closed her eyes.

"Good night."

...

About an hour later—

The room was quiet save for the muffled sound of thunder and rain outside, and the soft breaths of the girl asleep. Fiore lay nestled in the pillows, wrapped in blankets, sleeping deeply—for the first time in days. Perhaps it was the comfort of companionship, or perhaps sheer exhaustion.

The warm bedside lamp cast a golden veil across her pale cheeks. Half her face was shadowed by her bangs, dividing her beauty with a touch of mystery.

A flash of lightning lit the window, followed seconds later by the low rumble of thunder. Rain pattered dully against the glass.

The Shogun rose silently and reached toward the lamp's switch. Yet—

She paused, glancing once at the lightning outside, then lowering her gaze to the sleeping girl's face. She chose not to turn it off, leaving the room in its gentle glow to ensure the girl slept peacefully. Then her body dissolved into violet light and vanished.

Boom!

Thunder split the stormy sky. No one could have predicted such a night of lashing rain and rolling thunder. Perhaps it was an omen, a sign of what tomorrow would bring.

But to the Shogun, the environment was perfect. She was the God of Thunder—storms were her blessing, her strength.

She now stood deep in a forest far from the castle… a place where she could act freely, unnoticed.

[You really intend to summon it?]

Ei's voice echoed.

"To break through the fortress in the sky, this is the best way."

[But… I feel that bird would rather tear us apart.]

"It lacks that ability."

[Since you're so certain… then try. Summon that Great Thunderbird from beyond.]

Crackle~!

Lightning surged across her body, her movements echoing those she used when summoning Orobashi—yet with subtle differences.

The Eye of Stormy Judgment opened above, tearing space as storms brewed. Unlike Orobashi's tide of endless water, this time a maelstrom of thunder coiled across the sky. Thick clouds spun into a vast vortex, arcs of violet lightning converging like a reactor.

The Thunderbird was a being of pure Electro. With her own power amplifying it, the storm shook the very fabric of space.

Shriek—!

A piercing cry rolled through the sky.

BOOM!!

From the eye of the storm emerged a colossal, dragon-like head, its gaze locked fiercely on the woman below.

ROAR!!

It opened its jaws, loosing another bellow.

CRASH!!

Breaking free of its confines, the creature emerged in full—a massive avian dragon, wings wreathed in lightning as it soared across the sky.

"Beelzebul!!!"

Its shriek thundered as it dove at her, currents of electricity distorting the air, shaking the trees of the forest.

"Die!!"

ROAR!!

Its maw, brimming with lightning, lunged to swallow her whole.

"…Haa."

The Shogun exhaled softly and raised her hand.

Thump!

A heavy Electro shield wrapped around her body, expanding just as its fangs reached her.

Crackkk!!

The beast's fangs scraped violently against the barrier, sparks flying with shrill screeches. Yet the shield held firm. They remained locked in that strange deadlock for several seconds.

Then—

BOOM!!

With a downward sweep of her palm, thunder burst across the Thunderbird's entire body, forcing it to the ground. Like a guillotine, forks of lightning clamped its neck, pinning it to the earth.

Shriek—!

The dragon-bird thrashed like a rabid hound, snapping at empty air, desperate to break free.

Minutes passed… at last, it grew still, glaring with seething hostility at the kimono-clad woman before it.

"Done struggling?"

The Shogun folded her arms, her eyes cool upon the subdued beast.

"Hmph… I had hoped to tear you apart this time. But as ever, you are not so easily dealt with. Hah… Foolish of me to fight knowing the outcome."

Its voice was high and clear—female in tone—yet dripping with disdain.

Chapter 84: Victory and the Sword of Oath

"King of Knights, even if you possess an extraordinary Saint Graph and the strongest Saber class, I must still remind you—do not ignore your surroundings."

"Are you referring to my Master's safety?" Artoria's resolute gaze showed no wavering. "My instincts tell me that once our battle ends, he will be safe."

Satsuki nodded lightly. "In a sense, that really is a convenient ability. As expected of the King of Knights."

The waves crashed slowly against the shore. The girl in a kimono and the knightly swordswoman faced each other in silence, the atmosphere growing tense in an instant.

Then—magical energy erupted!

Both stomped forward at once. In a flash, the two Heroic Spirits of myth charged at each other at speeds sharp enough to cause a sonic boom.

The invisible sword and the black sword collided. The sheer wind pressure from the clash alone gouged several craters in the ground around them.

As the smoke cleared, the two locked eyes, not in the hatred of mortal enemies, but in mutual respect.

This was a long-awaited battle, a tribute to each other's journeys. Though they hailed from worlds apart, the instant they met, they understood—they were the same kind of being.

The King of Knights of Britain was clad in gleaming blue armor: medieval European plate on her arms and a blue skirt-armor upon her body. Yet the crown of stars upon her head and the blue cloak behind her did not fade. Like a lion's mane, like a red dragon's horns, they were symbols of kingship and glory—things no true ruler would relinquish.

Then came dazzling exchanges of slashes, thrusts, feints, and renewed charges…

Even though she had seen battles of this level before, the distant observer—Maiya Hisau—was still stunned by the brilliance of legend made reality.

The wind and air themselves were torn apart. A mere leak of magical energy sent waves surging dozens of meters high across the sea.

Even as a magus, Irisviel could only retreat farther and farther. Her instincts screamed that this was no battle mortals could intervene in. Not even as a magus, not even as the 'Little Grail,' could she do more than watch from afar.

Sword light clashed beneath the moon, roaring like waterfalls plunging from the heavens, mercilessly striking toward the other. The wind pressure alone split the earth.

Sparks leapt between their brows as blades collided, followed by surges of magical power that made the land itself tremble.

Saber's swordsmanship was laid bare before Satsuki—strength, technique, reaction, all not inferior in the slightest to that sun-like warrior Karna.

The invisible sword gave Saber subtle advantages in close combat, forcing Satsuki to restrain her attacks and never leave her guard open.

At the same time, the Knight King's instinctive predictions and sensitivity to shifts in power went beyond reason, making Satsuki's every strike constrained.

So this is the power worthy of the title "strongest class—Saber."

Satsuki sighed inwardly.

But as the battle grew fiercer, the knight—whose true name was Artoria—grew dissatisfied with Satsuki's fighting spirit.

Even as she swung her invisible blade with untraceable speed, she could clearly see the calm composure deep within her opponent's eyes. This Servant faced her sword with ease.

This was an opponent worthy of a king's respect—and it roused the swordswoman's will to win.

"Show me your true strength, mysterious Servant. This kind of play is beneath you."

Play? From afar, hearing Saber's words, Irisviel could not suppress her sense of powerlessness. A battle of this magnitude already surpassed what any magus could reach in a lifetime—yet to the two Heroic Spirits, it was nothing more than a warm-up.

"So this is what battles between Servants are like…"

Irisviel, faced with a world she had never imagined, could only stand frozen, watching intently.

The knight's words were not baseless.

The strength transmitted through her hands was clearly different from what she had seen before. This opponent was someone who could suppress Lancer in close combat completely, and as one of the Three Knights herself, it was natural that she could not gain the upper hand so easily.

Oh?

The girl in a black kimono seemed almost to merge with the night itself. Her dazzling golden eyes remained calm and indifferent—until she heard the knight's invitation. In that instant, something shifted within their still depths.

She swung her sword. The force was immense, the speed unparalleled, utterly unlike any of her previous strikes.

That single arc of black sword-light stirred in the King of Knights a sense of irresistible pressure. It felt as though the heavens and earth themselves pressed down upon her position. No change in posture, no shift in stance, no adjustment of force could fully counter it. For the first time in this battle, the King of Knights was forced back.

The aftershock of the black blade surged unstoppably toward the sea, carving a hundred-meter-long fissure into the water's surface. The lasting pressure of the sword divided the waves outward, like Moses parting the sea—a miracle displayed once more.

Yet what shocked the onlookers most was this: that strike was only Satsuki's prelude.

Immediately after, the entire beach began to tremble and roar under the pull of some overwhelming power. It was as though countless explosives had erupted beneath the sand. But both the King of Knights and Irisviel knew the truth. These were merely phenomena born of the Servant's magic surging to the surface.

"Irisviel, get away from here."

There was only time to warn her Master. Even after countless battles in Britain and the guidance of Merlin himself, never had the Knight King witnessed such scale of magical outpour. Her expression grew grave, her eyes never daring to leave her foe for even an instant.

"I truly don't know whether this is fortunate or unfortunate, King of Knights. Even without using these eyes, your sword has already been laid bare before me."

Satsuki's robes billowed under the torrent of mana. From the patterns upon them, a golden dragon stirred awake, its form manifesting as a phantom that merged into her black sword. The dark blade transformed into a radiant, resplendent longsword.

"And it seems I hold some advantage against one who bears the blood of dragons. Even so—will you still accept this challenge?"

Staring at the sword, Artoria's Instinct blared unceasing alarm. Her wariness rose to its utmost, for she clearly perceived that this weapon could pierce her armor with ease, a single strike enough to gravely wound her.

It was a blade of extraordinary power against dragonkind, a weapon whose affinity was fatally aligned against her.

Even Irisviel could not hide her worry. The words slipped from her lips: "Saber…"

Yet—

"Such a challenge is not enough to halt the steps of the King of Knights."

Artoria Pendragon, sovereign of Britain, bore herself with regal grace. Her resolute gaze did not waver in the slightest.

Magic rivaling that of dragons surged within her body. The winds themselves were torn apart by the invisible sword she gripped. Above her head, the crown of stars shone more brilliantly than ever.

"I accept this challenge. Only this is worthy of being called a battle between kings. And for that—by my sword, I swear victory."

The knight raised both hands high above her head. A torrent of energy burst outward from her blade, and at last, the invisible sword shattered its concealment. In a blaze of golden radiance, it revealed its true form.

It was a weapon forged from crystallized prayers within the planet itself, one of the ultimate god-forged armaments, the "strongest of phantasms."

—Excalibur, the Sword of Promised Victory.

"A fine sword."

Satsuki pressed down with her resplendent black dragon-slaying blade, the surge of sword pressure and mana setting the ground around them into a restless roar.

"If I'm not mistaken, you haven't drawn your strongest weapon yet, Servant of the Night."

Saber's eyes gleamed with unusual sharpness. "Your strength and your perception form a towering wall, preventing other Servants from discerning the truth—that swordsmanship is not your true forte."

The King of Knights lowered her golden sword in kind. It was the salute of two warriors who respected each other before true battle.

"As expected of the King of Knights of Britain—you see through me clearly. Is that your Instinct at work?"

"Not Instinct. It is because, while your swordplay is as direct as mine and backed by unreasonable strength, it always carries caution and restraint. That is the mark of one who does not fully trust in the sword."

As Satsuki walked slowly toward the Knight King, she spoke evenly: "Consider it a personal habit. I didn't expect such subtle shifts of force would be noticed by you."

In Saber's emerald eyes, golden light mingled with her commanding aura, like a radiant Valkyrie of gold. "Then will you not consider showing me your true ability?"

Even as they conversed, the two drew steadily closer, like twin storm-eyes converging.

The storm of mana flared violently as they neared, the oppressive atmosphere like a beast behind a curtain, preparing its first roar.

Even having retreated hundreds of meters, Irisviel still felt the crushing weight of Saber and the unknown Servant's standoff. She could only stare wide-eyed as legend transformed into myth before her.

Closer. Still closer.

At last, the two legendary Heroic Spirits stood only two meters apart. They raised their blades and struck them together in midair.

At that moment, Satsuki answered softly: "If necessary."

The swords locked—and both unleashed their power.

Sword pressure erupted outward, slicing through parasol frames at the shore before tearing them apart with raw magical fury.

A step forward—their figures crossed amid sparks and flashing blades.

A turn—their gazes clashed in the mirrored steel of each other's weapons.

Another charge—their close-quarters battle summoned a vortex of mana, exploding around them. A clash fit only for myth was reborn in reality.

The black blade and the golden divine armament contested fiercely, no longer probing but fully committed. Each strike now carried speed and force far beyond their earlier exchanges.

The two blades shone like stars racing across the sky, colliding in their brilliance.

To Irisviel, watching as Master, and to Maiya Hisau, watching as observer, this moment was intoxicating—the dance of swords between life and death.

"So this is your true strength, Saber?"

Amid battle, Satsuki's indifferent voice carried a faint taunt. After sidestepping Saber's direct attacks for the sixteenth time, she finally grew weary of the straightforward swordplay.

An overwhelming surge of power coursed through her arm, flowing into the black blade. She attempted to suppress the knight's two-handed sword with a single hand.

Such confidence—such audacity. Yet forced to block with both hands across her chest, the King of Knights felt a force from that black sword nearly impossible to resist.

"Truly… a way of fighting at odds with your appearance."

The thought flashed briefly through the battle-hardened knight's mind. In the same instant, her grip on the hilt shifted with flawless timing. She reversed her sword from normal grip to backhand, diverting the black blade aside. Following its downward arc, her golden sword slid free, then slashed upward in a counterattack.

Such technique was only possible because, at this range, the King's blade held the advantage. Her instinctive judgment of distance was honed into her very bones.

Saber's Instinct and combat experience told her clearly: that black blade would only graze down her chestplate, then sweep along her skirt armor to strike her left leg.

Her next move was a half-step back with her left leg, drawing power from the ground for an upward diagonal slash. Timed precisely, it would evade her foe's sword point. Even a dragon-slaying blade was useless without landing a strike. And with her counter cut—there would be nowhere for her enemy to escape!

Yet—

Clang~!

Metal rang sharply. A cyclone of sword pressure exploded from the clash of their blades, cracking the ground around them into a web of fissures.

Golden hair whipped in the gale as the King of Knights blinked rapidly in shock. What had she just seen?

The black blade, which should have been forced into the ground by sheer momentum, reappeared before her in an instant—blocking her near-certain strike!

Impossible.

She still had such unfathomable strength in reserve?

But Satsuki's calm eyes betrayed no ripple of emotion. This was not the first time she had displayed such abnormal, rule-breaking swordplay. When parrying Karna's assault, she had already used this technique.

No—calling it swordplay was too generous.

Satsuki knew it was not a skill tempered through endless training. This swordwork that defied all reason had a simple basis—she was no ordinary being.

The Tenseigan had long since granted her more than the mere power of destruction and creation. It gave her an understanding of space itself.

In her eyes, distances between points in space were utterly unlike how mortals perceived them.

She could not teleport freely across great distances in this world. But within her visible range, she could manipulate frames of time and phases of space in an instant. To her, such things were not difficult.

Rules existed to bind ordinary people. Just as human order was meant for humans alone.

She—was not bound by them.

Her wrist trembled. The shockwave of compressed air grazed the crown of stars upon the King's brow. A mysterious force struck Saber's wrists, the grip on her hilt numbed with pain.

A master of swordsmanship, Saber knew this was the precursor to her guard being broken. She had no choice but to retreat momentarily and gather strength once more.

It was the perfect chance to press the attack. Yet Satsuki merely stood her ground.

"That last strike—if you had attacked instead, I would already be gravely wounded. Why choose defense?"

The King of Britain sensed her opponent's mercy, and it displeased her.

But the other Servant only answered lightly: "If necessary, I will."

"Arrogant fool."

With stubborn resolve in her eyes, the King of Knights surged forward once more. She charged like a dragon, storms whipping from her passage, embodying the momentum of a sovereign who pressed ever onward.

Satsuki's lips curved faintly. Her stance was immovable, like granite beneath a waterfall.

She raised her black blade and casually blocked the piercing strike that surpassed imagination.

Before the sparks even faded, Satsuki twisted her wrist, redirecting the force. As Saber herself had said—her sword was direct and unyielding. Once her power was deflected, she could not shift between attack and defense as swiftly as Satsuki.

Thus, she could not stop Satsuki's following thrust.

Yet this strike too fell short—Saber's agility and extraordinary Instinct predicted the blade's path and speed. With perfect timing, she twisted aside, the black sword scraping only sparks along her waist armor.

Riding the momentum of the black sword's thrust, Saber spun midair. Her golden blade, freed by the redirection, swept along her body like a rotating saw, slashing toward Satsuki's side.

This time, Satsuki chose to yield.

With a kick, she leapt back, the two figures once more separating.

Two exchanges. Simple, direct. No excess probing, no wasted motion. Yet every instant had been a leap across the cliff's edge of life and death.

This was the battle of legends. A glimpse into myth.

Dancing upon the border of death, leaping upon the edge of despair, carrying no fear of mortality—only the unyielding will to fight.

"So that's it."

Saber's voice carried sudden realization. Only after meeting her foe's direct thrust had she discovered the shocking truth—

This Servant was learning her swordsmanship in the very midst of battle.

The technique of redirecting force, the footwork for building momentum—her opponent was already mirroring them flawlessly.

Yet Saber did not resist this. On the contrary, her fighting spirit flared even hotter.

Then the King of Knights began her own form of "teaching."

She released one hand from her grip.

She too wielded her sword with one hand! In the same instant, her feet struck the ground, and she leapt high into the air.

"An astonishing choice—"

Satsuki whispered inwardly.

In a blade-to-blade duel, this was absolutely taboo. In midair, one could not shift direction, had no footing to draw strength, and a failed strike left a fatal opening that was tantamount to handing one's life to the enemy.

But Heroic Spirits were not ordinary mortals. What mortals could never achieve, they performed as naturally as breathing.

Thus Saber showed Satsuki her truth: to battle as a Heroic Spirit meant one thing above all—cast aside common sense!

The golden sword raised high pointed straight at Satsuki's forehead. The sword pressure alone sent her black hair streaming outward. It was a strike full of flaws—and filled with murderous intent.

Satsuki only gazed upward at the soaring King of Knights. Then she too pushed off with both feet, leaping without hesitation to meet her.

In the instant their distance vanished, flashing blades clashed again midair, dazzling light bursting forth above…

As the two Servants fought savagely in the sky, streaks of lightning carved across the heavens.

The air was sharp, cold, and tense with dread.

Then—a thunderclap split the night, tearing through their battle.

"!?"

Both split apart midair, halting instantly.

At the same moment, Saber and Irisviel turned their eyes southeast—

There, a flying object streaked across the sky like a bolt of lightning, racing toward them, scattering blue sparks across the night as it came.

Irisviel gaped in shock, her mouth falling open.

"A chariot?"

Its form was that of an antique two-wheeled war chariot. But instead of horses, two mighty bulls, draped in resplendent red cloth, were harnessed at its front. Their hooves pounded the void itself, pulling the chariot across the heavens with a thundering roar.

With every strike of hoof and wheel against the empty sky, purple lightning flared, spiderweb tendrils splitting the air, shaking the atmosphere with deafening roars.

Boom~!

Like thunder crashing to earth, the magic-soaked war chariot slammed into the ground. The gale-force shockwave tore through the beach, whipping Satsuki's kimono and scattering her black hair wildly.

From atop the vehicle came a bold, booming voice:

"Cease this at once."

Chapter 171: Coming and Going

The three-and-a-half-day journey home had come to an end.

After bidding farewell to her mother, Vela left Camelot Palace. At the palace helipad, she greeted the First Prince Odysseus, Second Prince Schneizel, First Princess Guinevere, Sixth Princess Carine, and other siblings with whom she shared close ties. Then, she boarded the special plane returning to Euro Britannia.

Until the mask is torn off, cordiality on the surface is still cordiality.

This trip back to Pendragon, apart from attending the final mourning ceremony for her half-brother, the artist Clovis, was mainly for building connections—with her mother, her uncle, her supporters, her blood relatives, and the young talents of her faction. But most importantly, it was with her father in this world, Emperor Charles.

In addition to properly reporting military and political matters such as Euro Britannia's military reform strategies, communications upgrades, high-tech industrial planning, and the 2017 Imperial military strategy outline, she naturally obtained greater authority.

Among them were: continued extraction of Honorary Numbered Citizens from Area 11 to form a special line-filling corps for the E.U. front; partial interference and command authority over imperial internal security and foreign intelligence in Europe; an increase in high-purity Sakuradite quotas; and the request to station a Knight of the Round…

Sinking deep into the leather backrest of the aircraft seat, Vela's indigo eyes gazed out at the vast sea of clouds and the magnificent landscape beyond the window. Her fingers tapped rhythmically against her knee. Her thoughts detached from the trivialities of Pendragon and turned toward the Eastern European battlefield. After much consideration, she settled on her counterplan against the E.U.'s suicide-special-unit tactic: first, to provoke Area 11 refugees in Europe and the WZERO Unit.

"Order the Michael Knights to meet the plane."

"Have Lord Manfredi bring along that so-called 'last Eastern samurai' he values so highly."

...

The next day. Area 11, Tokyo Settlement, Britannian military base.

Buzz… buzz…

The engines roared, and the shadows of V-TOL transport planes blotted out the runway.

At the edge of the airfield, First Private Suzaku Kururugi of the Technical Division lifted his head to watch the unexpected guests from Euro Britannia.

Guided by the signals of the ground controller, the delegation from the Eastern Front disembarked.

Officers of Britannia's 11th Army saluted with sabers at their sides.

Greetings and exchanges quickly began.

At the same time, material transfer work proceeded. Forklifts and trailers moved in and out of the aircraft cargo holds, unloading stacks of neatly piled polymer crates and large sealed containers.

Inside were small machines with propellers, winged and tailed missile-like craft with mounting slots, and sealed metal constructs of various heights and widths.

As Suzaku wondered about their purpose, a frivolous male voice sounded behind him: "Oh my, military test products from Euro Britannia."

Recognizing the voice, Suzaku sighed softly and turned around—

A slender man approached, silver-gray hair parted 2:8, blue eyes behind rimless glasses on a youthful, doll-like face. He wore a specially tailored, high-collared white coat, his tall frame moving with a languid gait.

Without proper posture, he leaned close beside Suzaku, hand shading his brow as though scanning the soldiers from Euro Britannia, occasionally letting out inexplicable sighs.

"Lord Lloyd, I'm sorry, but I must withdraw from the special assignment."

Suzaku spoke apologetically: "The formal military order has arrived. After post-flight checks, I'll be accompanying this transport squadron to the Eastern Front."

The boy bowed deeply to the researcher named Lloyd in thanks.

Lloyd Asplund.

Though he often gave off the impression of being harmless, even laughably eccentric at times, he was in fact a hereditary Earl of Britannia.

Holding the rank of Major, he currently served as Director of the Special Dispatch Guidance and Technology Division in Area 11, leading the development of new-generation frames. In terms of political ties, he belonged to the faction of Second Prince Schneizel. And in truth, he was a top Knightmare designer, master of cutting-edge weapons technology.

It was also he who had saved Suzaku Kururugi, the lowly foot soldier felled by gunfire in the Shinjuku Incident, and afterward made him the test pilot for the new Seventh-Generation customized unit, Lancelot.

Yes, quite a peculiar person.

Without him, Suzaku would be dead.

Even if by chance he had survived, he would likely still be wasting away in an infantry squad, far from worthy of becoming a pilot.

Thus, Suzaku felt deep gratitude toward the Special Dispatch team. Even if many colleagues still sneered at him as nothing more than a "spare part," he owed them much.

Lloyd remained silent, gazing at the delegation, thoughts unknown.

"At a time like this, still teasing Suzaku-kun, Lloyd?"

Step, step.

A woman approached carrying a data tablet. With purple hair and violet eyes, she exuded a gentle and graceful air. She chided softly: "Weren't you in a frenzy in the repair bay, unwilling to part with Suzaku-kun?"

"Miss Cecile."

Lifting his head, Suzaku looked gratefully at Lieutenant Cecile Croomy, Earl Lloyd's assistant and fellow member of the Lancelot development team.

She was one of the only two in the unit who never looked down on him.

"Aaahhh—"

At Cecile's words, Lloyd suddenly lost composure. He spun around, grabbed Suzaku's shoulders, and shook him violently, shouting in anguish: "Such waste, such a terrible waste! Utterly unforgivable!"

"Suzaku is an elite pilot, able to withstand and perfectly operate the Z-01 prototype!!"

"It took me so long to find someone with this explosive physical ability, lightning reflexes, and that natural affinity for operating a Knightmare! Given time, he could even rival a Knight of the Round!"

"And yet the Third Princess would send him to the Eastern Front as line-filler cannon fodder? Or worse, to carry out suicide attacks? Oh no—! Absolutely not! I will never allow it. Suzaku, a spare part of such extraordinary quality, must help me refine the Z-01. The Seventh Generation is not the end!"

After his outburst, full of exaggerated expressions and wild gestures, Lloyd finally released Suzaku's shoulders, flung his arms wide, and leaned back with dramatic flair: "I've decided! Cecile!"

"I'm here."

She answered with a smile and a nod.

"Our Special Dispatch is going to the Eastern Front as well!"

Lloyd's eyes gleamed. "Testing the Z-01 is testing all the same—wherever it may be. Suzaku was not easily found. I won't let the Third Princess burn him up like firewood!"

"Eh?"

Suzaku gaped, stunned.

This abrupt decision left him at a loss.

"I…"

"That's enough, Suzaku-kun. Lloyd has long been curious about Princess Vela's military reforms and new industrial zone plans. This is merely going with the flow. Still, the intensity of war on the Eastern Front is not at all the small skirmishes of Area 11's policing actions. We'll be safe in the rear, but you must be mentally prepared for everything."

Cecile's firm words cut off Suzaku's protest. He turned to her, paused, then nodded solemnly.

The calmed Lloyd made no rebuttal. Instead, rubbing his chin, he beamed as he studied the "imports" brought from Euro Britannia. Cornelia's Royal Guard had arrived as well, to take delivery of some Knightmare unit shrouded under canvas.

As an expert, Lloyd recognized it at a glance.

The silhouette matched no current Imperial model. Larger than the Sutherland, and important enough for the Governor-General's own guard to receive it personally—a gift from the Third Princess herself. It was most likely no Sixth Generation, but a Seventh—!

"This settles it—we must go."

Lloyd's eyes blazed with excitement.

But Suzaku and Cecile's attention was caught by another, far more ordinary-looking group.

Heavily armed, clad in reinforced combat uniforms, metal-plated armor over their torsos, weapons never leaving their hands.

Their exposed skin showed no flesh tones. Standing by the hangar wall, chatting casually, they nevertheless swept their crimson-lit eyes from beneath helmet brims, scanning every passerby and every contour of terrain with meticulous precision.

As Suzaku puzzled over their identity—

Vroom… The rumble of engines filled the airfield as military trucks rolled in.

It was the first contingent of Eleven Expeditionary Corps, fully mustered at 3,000 men.

Just as some chose to resist to the death, others had resigned themselves. Still others, desperate to climb upward, willing to do anything for that slim chance at survival. All too eager to advance.

Before long, the post-flight inspections concluded. A coarse officer's voice boomed through the loudspeakers by Suzaku's ears—

"Board the plane!"

...

Meanwhile, in St. Petersburg—

Vela descended slowly from the V-TOL transport. From her elevated vantage, the first sight before her was the rows of armored Knightmare honor guards.

And at the end of the red carpet, the welcoming dignitaries awaited respectfully.

Her gaze swept the crowd, locking onto one face that stood apart from the rest—a visage unmistakably different, with makeup and hairstyle marked by vivid Japanese style.

Shin Hyuga Shaing.

Chapter 252: Elias and Eden’s Candlelight Dinner

"Done and dusted~ Against these thick-skinned, hard-to-kill enemies, the Seven Thunders of Retribution is really useful!"

Elias looked with satisfaction at the fallen Garuda.

Although every use of this ultimate mode required repairs on the Divine Key, its power was well worth the cost.

Sitting on the ground, Elias began repairing the smoking Seven Thunders of Retribution. The four people beside him were completely dumbfounded.

Watching their headache of a Judgment-level Honkai Beast, Garuda, get one-shotted by Elias, they felt as if all their earlier efforts had been for nothing—hard to accept.

And this wasn't just any kill.

Garuda's body was disintegrating, quickly turning to nothing, not even ash remaining. Kevin and the others stared in horror at Elias and the Seven Thunders of Retribution in his hand, swallowing hard in unison.

"You… you solved it just like that?"

"Mm~ otherwise what, keep playing around with it?"

"No, I mean, this Divine Key is too outrageous! One shot to instantly kill a Judgment-level Honkai Beast! Elias, my good brother, lend it to me for a spin!"

Kevin's eyes lit up. What guy didn't like a sniper? Especially one that looked so cool and had such explosive firepower!

Elias raised his brow, then generously handed the Seven Thunders of Retribution over.

"Sure, give it a try."

"Haha~ thanks, I'll treat you to noodles later!"

Kevin grabbed the weapon excitedly. But before he could even aim at a target, the Divine Key of Judgment started morphing and reconstructed itself into a tiny slingshot.

Kevin: "???" (._.)

Elias: "Pfft—hahahaha~!"

Ely: "Oh my, what's going on here?"

From a badass sniper rifle that had just one-shotted a Judgment-level Honkai Beast, it had suddenly become a simple little slingshot. The contrast was so absurd that everyone except Elias was left dumbstruck.

"Looks like the Seven Thunders of Retribution rejected you, Kevin."

"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

"This Divine Key created by Vill-V, just like the Herrscher of Thunder who powered it, is an arrogant queen. If she disdains her wielder, she'll transform into slingshot form."

Elias said as he took the Divine Key of Judgment back.

The instant it returned to his hands, the Seven Thunders of Retribution became a sniper rifle again. Then, as if to show off, it transformed into a katana, a whip, a scythe, a kitchen knife, and even lipstick.

"Uh… just from its forms alone, I can already guess who its creator was."

"Vill-V really does love adding all kinds of meaningless features to her inventions."

"Is that so? I quite like it."

Elias said as he picked up the lipstick-shaped Seven Thunders of Retribution and lifted Elysia's chin, applying it lightly to her lips. Miss Pink Elf pulled out a small mirror to check the effect, very pleased.

"Wow~ it's so pretty! I love this Divine Key! If only it were pink."

"Haha, that's exactly the kind of answer I expected from you."

Elias pinched Miss Pink Elf's cheek. The soft feel in his hand was far too addictive.

"Anyway, the Seven Thunders of Retribution was designed by Vill-V specifically for me—so I'd always have a suitable weapon for battle no matter the situation. Uh…"

As he said this, Elias suddenly realized—come to think of it, all of Vill-V's Divine Keys lately had been designed just for him.

"Ahem… in sniper rifle form, it has an ultimate mode. By overloading the Divine Key to the point of destruction, it can fire a bullet that disintegrates matter into atoms. And it's nearly impossible to dodge."

Elias lovingly caressed the Seven Thunders of Retribution, especially the sniper scope. It allowed his vision to surpass three-dimensional perception, leaving nothing hidden!

Sniping a target's head from thousand meters away wasn't a problem!

Whoever held the sniper form of the Seven Thunders of Retribution was the most terrifying sniper in the world.

And with Elias' ability to become a quantum ghost, he would be the most terrifying assassin in existence.

"Phew~ thanks to Sakura cutting off half of Garuda earlier, otherwise I couldn't have fired that shot. After all, if it were disintegrated into atoms, we wouldn't be able to collect the DNA of that Honkai Beast."

Elias looked at Garuda's half-severed body in the distance, thinking Hua's Meta-Morph surgery finally had its material.

He could hardly wait to see what Hua would look like after fusion—the Garuda form would be stunning!

Thus, the Seventh Eruption had completely ended.

The Herrscher of Fire, Himiko—captured alive.

The companion Honkai Beast, Garuda—defeated.

Honkai Eruption casualties: 0.

Even to call this a perfect result seemed inadequate. Calling it a miracle was no exaggeration.

Elias narrowed his eyes, thinking briefly of the [Miracle] entry he bore, then shook his head and straightened, gazing proudly upon the land he had saved.

Gods create heaven and earth. Humanity creates miracles.

This wasn't the power of some entry—it was the result he had forged with his own hands, giving his all.

"So, what will you do next, Elias? Head back to base for a good rest?"

"No, I plan to continue the concert with Eden."

"Eh?"

At his words, everyone showed astonishment—especially Eden, whose lips parted in surprise, at a loss for what to say.

"Eh what? Since when did concerts end after just two songs—uh, three songs? My dear Eden, surely you don't want the fans all shouting for refunds, right?"

"Uh, Elias, aren't you tired?"

Kevin couldn't help but ask. The great deeds Elias had accomplished today were seen by the whole world.

No one on earth would dare demand he continue a concert after this. If anyone shouted for refunds under such circumstances, the people of Australia would beat them to death.

Eden herself, though she had intended to keep singing, never expected Elias to join her. In fact, her heart wished he would rest well now.

Yet Elias shook his head.

"To be honest, I am a little tired. But compared to that trivial matter, performing with Eden is more important. After all, we fought hard to protect this stage—we should sing to our heart's content."

"..."

Hearing this, the diva fell silent.

"Hmm? Eden, why aren't you saying anything? Ah—if you're tired, then forget I said anything. Actually… I don't especially want to continue either." Elias realized his mistake.

Eden wasn't a fusion warrior. She was still a normal human. Even he felt somewhat tired after doing so much. Surely she must be at her limit.

"No, I'm not tired. Let's continue the concert," Eden said firmly, gripping Elias' hand.

She would sing—not for the audience, nor even for herself, but for the one before her. At that thought, Eden smiled radiantly.

From now on, she had a new reason to stand on the stage.

However…

"Mm, hisss!"

Eden had barely taken a step before nearly stumbling. Elias was startled, noticing her ankle was swollen.

"You're hurt?!"

"Don't worry, Elias. I just twisted it earlier when I jumped down from the stage."

Eden forced a smile. She was only an ordinary person, without great physical strength. To leap down from a stage several meters high in high heels—escaping with only a sprain was already fortunate.

And in her mind, perhaps this was simply the price.

To outsiders, Eden was a distant, unattainable highland flower—an artistic goddess, unmatched by any man.

But Eden knew clearly: with only great wealth and a heavenly voice, she had no qualification to stand beside Elias.

She was only a singer.

But the boy was a savior.

Between them yawned a chasm as wide as heaven and earth. Only because Elias was so generous—like the sun, selflessly giving light to all—could she stand so near him.

To chase after Elias, if the price was only a wounded foot, it was trivial. After all, when she resolved to pursue him…

She had already prepared to wager even her life.

"Eden, you're far too reckless."

"Hehe~ you're the last person I want to hear that from."

Eden smiled lightly. She had only jumped down from a few meters of stage height, but Elias had stained the white flowers red with his blood to save all lives.

Between the two of them, who had really been reckless?

"Uh…"

Elias scratched his head awkwardly.

Suddenly, he noticed Eden's disheveled state.

Her wine-red hair was messy, her clothes torn, her feet bare—her silk-stockinged toes dirtied by the earth.

She looked so ragged, so unlike her usual image. Eden was supposed to be the woman who could sing gracefully even at the world's end, then bow elegantly to the curtain call.

This woman who shone like gold, beautiful like a jewel that stole one's breath.

And yet, now she had become sullied and bedraggled, all just to reach him.

"Eden, could you not look at me like that?"

Eden lowered her head in embarrassment.

When she kicked off her heels to chase after him, she had already abandoned her graceful image. But to let the boy she admired see her in this state still made her nervous. Yet Elias gently cupped her face, not a trace of disdain in his eyes.

"Why wouldn't I look? Eden, you're beautiful."

A precious jewel thrown into the dirt does not lose its value. And a true star's brilliance cannot be veiled, even if the sky is shrouded in clouds.

Elias lifted her into a princess carry.

White flowers of creation bloomed upon the singer, healing her weary, injured body. At the same time, the Herrscher of Reason's authority weaved a brand-new, dazzling performance dress upon her.

"This really is like Cinderella's magic."

Eden marveled, gazing at her new attire.

"Hehe, but you're no Cinderella, my dear great artist. Come, the audience is waiting for us."

Behind Elias, white dragon wings unfurled. Holding Eden in his arms, he soared swiftly toward the stadium. As they descended onto the stage from the dome above, singing together—

"Uoooooohhhhhh——!!"

The deafening roar of the crowd exploded.

Even after the two had left, no one had departed the venue. They had waited in silence. Now, the audience erupted with thunderous cheers like rolling thunder!

They waved their glowsticks madly, calling out for Elias and Eden with all their might. Though the crisis today had nearly killed them, they felt only blessed instead.

Eden's voice had shaken their souls. The Herrscher's arrival had nearly taken their lives. Yet they had witnessed the hero's gallant figure saving them all!

Already, that alone had filled them with satisfaction.

But now—the concert continued!

"No more words—Lord Elias! Miss Eden! Long live!!"

"I'm crying, this is too moving! I'll only ever ship this pair in my life! They're incredible!"

"Yeah! We're the luckiest people alive to be here today!"

...

"Elysia, you don't mind this?"

Even from kilometers away, Sakura could hear the cheers from the venue. She glanced at Elysia, who was watching the livestream intently while cheering remotely.

"Of course not~ I'm Elias' number one fan, and also Eden's. As a fan, seeing your idol shine like this—how could I not be happy?"

Elysia's words were utterly sincere. She truly meant it, and even felt a bit grateful to Eden.

After all, although Miss Pink Elf was the cutest in the world, even she couldn't give the white-haired boy such a grand stage, couldn't show his musical talent to the world.

But Eden, a diva of the age, could. She had shared her stage with him, displaying the boy's hidden musical brilliance for all to see.

For that, Elysia was thankful—and even willing to let Eden have the heroine's role for now.

But! Not! Forever!

"But only temporarily! Once Elias steps off that stage, he's still mine. Oh right, I'd better hurry back and get ready—tonight I'll make sure Elias relaxes properly!"

Elysia clenched her fist with determination. She remembered the special outfits she'd ordered had finally arrived—tonight was the night to show them off.

"C-Count me in too…"

Sakura's fox ears twitched upright. She recalled the shrine maiden outfit she had brought from her hometown, tucked in her luggage. She hadn't worn it in ages, but she was confident!

"No way~ I'm not letting you join in, you sly fox!"

"Elysia… just this once."

"Not even once! If I let you, Sakura, you'd definitely seize the chance to climb up the ranks. I'm not that careless!"

Elysia stood with hands on hips, resolute. She was no gullible housewife—she would guard her place strictly.

"In that case, maybe I should learn from Mobius. Just take him by force—it's simpler."

Sakura narrowed her eyes, no longer polite. Her hand rested on Frozen Naraka's hilt, considering from which angle she should knock out the pink elf.

"Oh? Sakura, you've gotten bold~"

"Elysia, maybe it's you who's too overconfident."

"Then let's see whose claim is stronger. Today, Sakura, I'll show you the true power of the main heroine!"

Miss Pink Elf and the foxy lady faced off, battle intent blazing in both their eyes. However…

That night, they would both be losers!

...

That evening, in one of Eden's luxurious villas.

Warm candlelight glowed over the dinner table. Though technology was advanced, Eden preferred the timeless charm of classical romance.

The flickering fire illuminated only a small circle around them, enclosing just herself and Elias—as though the world beyond no longer existed, leaving only the two of them in this beautiful moment.

"To celebrate your victory, Elias—cheers."

"To celebrate your radiance, Eden—cheers."

Before them, exquisite cuisine crafted by a master chef was laid out. Their glasses clinked with a crisp ding~, and they each took a sip of wine.

"Mmm~ this is the best wine I've ever tasted."

Elias sighed in amazement.

"I'm glad you like it. This is a vintage made from orchis mascula of the last century—there is only one such bottle in the world. For it to be enjoyed by you, Elias, is this wine's greatest honor."

Eden's cellar never lacked fine vintages. In fact, she had collected nearly all the world's rarest wines. Yet even among them, this was one of the most precious.

"Eden, I really love hearing you speak."

"But it's true. For this wine to enter your lips is its fortune. And to celebrate both your victory and our concert's success, nothing less than this level of wine would suffice. Now, tonight—please enjoy to your heart's content."

"Alright then, I won't refuse."

Elias propped his head on his hand and savored another sip.

To celebrate the perfect resolution of the Seventh Eruption, and the flawless success of their concert, Eden had invited Elias to her villa for dinner. Naturally, he had accepted.

By the way, this villa was named the "Golden Courtyard." In the future, it would be known as the "Elysian Realm."

Chapter 558: The Girl I Met at the Bookstore That Year

During his second life as Ailun, he really did go through a period of hardship. But after he met her, his life became much easier.

It wasn't like some ridiculous light novel encounter—'My Deskmate Is a Rich Ojou-sama.' How could the daughter of a wealthy family possibly attend the ordinary high school he went to back then?

Just how ordinary was Ailun's high school? Twelve years ago, a student got accepted into Peking University, and the school bragged about it for twelve years straight. At every teacher-student assembly, the principal would start by boasting about that student who got into Peking University twelve years ago. Even though that student had never once returned to visit the school since graduating.

If one had to describe it, the woman he met wasn't some ojou-sama at all—it would be more accurate to call her the ojou-sama's mother.

Back then, while working part-time at a bookstore, there was a woman in her thirties who often came by to buy books. The books she bought were mostly magazines and novels that were good for killing time and relieving boredom.

Around thirty-something, her thin lips carried a faint allure, her narrow eyes holding a mature charm. Her beautiful legs, wrapped in black stockings, had already stolen countless glances the moment she stepped out of her car. Even though she dressed modestly, her demeanor and speech made it obvious she was the wife of a wealthy family.

After all, every time she came to the bookstore, a Bentley would be parked at the entrance.

Ailun was somewhat handsome. Every feature of his face just happened to be the type most girls liked. Girls who secretly admired him, sent him love letters, or asked classmates about his QQ number or phone number were never in short supply.

But unfortunately, at that time, Ailun only cared about studying. No joke—his goal back then was to get into a good university. He even hoped that his future mother-in-law would still be carrying a schoolbag, just entering junior high.

Ailun always thought he only had popularity among girls his own age. He never expected that even older women would be drawn to him as well.

After visiting the bookstore many times, they eventually grew familiar. That was when Ailun learned her name: Xu Shaoxin, age 39.

Her husband had once been a well-known businessman. After they married, he was always busy with business, so despite being married for years, they still didn't have a child. Just when they were discussing having one, her husband died in a plane crash.

Most of the family assets were seized by her husband's relatives, leaving her with only a small portion. Even so, that small portion still included a villa with a garden, a Bentley, and one hundred million yuan in cash.

As for the businesses her husband had left behind, his relatives took them all. She wasn't skilled in business, and she felt that if she managed them herself, she'd probably lose everything. So when it came to inheritance, she was very generous.

So generous that her husband's relatives even felt a little guilty, planning to leave her with some businesses after all.

But she told them: "You can take all the businesses. The house, car, and money he left me aren't much, but it's enough for me to live comfortably for the rest of my life. I have no ambitions—I only want to spend the rest of my days in peace."

Not short on money, with a house to live in, Xu Shaoxin lived a very idle life. That was why she developed a fondness for reading, driving around the city to browse various bookstores.

By chance, she stopped by the bookstore where Ailun worked. She had only planned to buy a book once and visit another shop next time. But when she picked out her book and went to the counter, she saw Ailun standing behind it, smiling wearily as he handled the register. For some reason, Xu Shaoxin felt a sudden stir in her heart.

From then on, that bookstore became her regular stop. Every time, she would first stand at the entrance, peeking inside to check if Ailun was there. Only if she saw him would she go in.

Don't underestimate the determination of a woman in her thirties. After meeting five times, she drove to Ailun's school and picked him up, taking him to eat at his favorite restaurant.

On Sundays, she would also use various excuses to ask him to go shopping with her. At first, Ailun wanted to refuse. But when she said she'd pay him 5,000 yuan if he accompanied her for a day of shopping, he had no choice but to agree.

In the end, it didn't feel like he was accompanying her shopping at all. Rather, it was Xu Shaoxin buying new clothes for him the whole time.

Eating meals, buying clothes, buying shoes, strolling through shops—she handled all the buying, while he carried the bags. It almost felt like a mother taking her son out shopping on a Sunday.

Two months after their first encounter, Ailun and Xu Shaoxin slept together. To call it dating wasn't quite accurate—it was closer to being kept. Both sides were getting what they wanted. He wanted money, she wanted companionship.

During the time Xu Shaoxin supported him, it was the most relaxed period of his life. No need to work part-time, only needing to focus on studying. Once, Xu Shaoxin asked him: "Do you plan on going for a PhD in the future?"

Ailun replied: "If I study for a PhD, the tuition would be too expensive. And besides, I can't even be sure I'll get into graduate school yet."

Xu Shaoxin chuckled softly, placing a piece of steak she had cut with knife and fork onto Ailun's plate. "What's money, really? Once you get into university, I'll send you to study abroad at a prestigious school. I'll go with you too. The last time I went overseas was ten years ago, to Paris. Is it tasty?"

"Tasty."

"Eat more Once you're full, I'll eat you"

With Xu Shaoxin supporting him, Ailun no longer had to worry about tuition or work part-time jobs. He could finally go to bed early and rest.

Every morning, Xu Shaoxin would drive her Bentley to drop him off at school. But she was careful about appearances—she would always stop one traffic light away from the school gate and let him out there.

In her words: if the schoolgirls saw him being picked up and dropped off every day by a woman in her thirties who was clearly not a relative, their hearts would probably shatter.

At those times, Xu Shaoxin loved being on top of him, stroking his face while reading aloud from the love letters secretly written to him by female classmates, deliberately quoting a few lines to tease him.

Those days were carefree, though sometimes a little tiring… If not for that unexpected car accident, perhaps Ailun and Xu Shaoxin would still be living in that kind of relationship even now.

Kotomi bit through the last strand of noodle in her mouth. She wondered how Xu Shaoxin was doing now. When she had lived in China, that was Parallel World A. Now she lived in Parallel World B. Two worlds, the same yet different…

She still hadn't figured out the exact time discrepancy between the two worlds. She wanted to see Xu Shaoxin again, but she didn't know what she could possibly say if they met. After all, she was no longer Ailun—her soul had returned to its true body, Kotomi Izumi. She had become a girl once more.

Kazumi had explained it to her before: her second life as Ailun was like an avatar that allowed her to live in Parallel World A. Now that her soul had returned to her original self, that avatar had naturally dissipated.

It wasn't like some invisible hand erased everyone's memories of Ailun. Rather, things resolved themselves in a believable way—those who had known him simply accepted that he was gone, like in the case of a fatal car accident.

By now, Xu Shaoxin should know that he had died in a car crash. Would she cry? Though the two of them had never truly been in love, and only sought what they needed from each other at night, even when she was supporting Ailun, Xu Shaoxin never stopped him from pursuing romance. She had even thought of introducing him to someone.

One night, after a few drinks, she leaned on Ailun in bed, her cheeks flushed red, and said:

"It's a pity that after getting married, I never had a child with my husband. If I had one, I'd want a daughter. I'd want you to be my son-in-law. Anyway, I have money. You wouldn't need to pay a penny in bride price. As for the dowry, you and my daughter could just pick a house. Any city you like—choose the house, then tell me, and I'll buy it for you.

"Then I'll buy two cars, one for each of you. As for children, that's up to you—have one if you want one, or more if you want several. I'll come over and help take care of them. I wonder what it would feel like to be a grandmother?

"Hehe, I'm just joking… Have you rested enough? If so, let's go another five or six rounds, and then we'll sleep."

Kotomi finished the last sip of broth from her egg noodles, gazing absentmindedly out the window. A heavy rain had fallen last night, and the sky still hadn't completely cleared.

After graduating from high school, she wanted to find a time to fly back to China for a visit… Kotomi thought once more to herself.

"All done. Let me handle the dishes," Kotomi said after finishing all the egg noodles in the pot, dabbing at her lips with a napkin.

"I'll wash them with you."

Yukino Yukinoshita didn't let Kotomi do it alone. The two of them stood side by side at the sink, washing dishes together. There weren't many—two bowls, two pairs of chopsticks, and one pot.

Having already taken the morning off, Kotomi Izumi and Yukino Yukinoshita, after finishing breakfast, lazily sprawled out on the sofa.

Yukino flipped through the book in her hands. She was nearly finished with A Tale of Two Cities.

Kotomi, on the other hand, played on her phone, pre-ordering a few games for herself. She saw that Dying Light 2 had its release confirmed for next month and that pre-orders had officially opened.

Because she had such a good impression of the first game, Kotomi didn't hesitate at all. She immediately pre-ordered the Ultimate Edition of Dying Light 2 at full price.

Although the early game had been terrifying—her first encounter with the Volatiles had scared her so badly she didn't even know where to run, ending up leaping into a lake—once she got the grappling hook and stronger weapons, the experience improved dramatically. It was like Warriors: Harran Edition after that, and she had an absolute blast.

After placing her order, her eyes wandered longingly to the PS5 for a while.

The leisurely morning slipped by, and around 11:00 a.m., Yukino stood up. Not only had she finished A Tale of Two Cities, she had already started reading another book.

"Let's eat out for lunch. Afterward, we can head straight to school. What do you want to eat?" Yukino asked.

"Let's have sukiyaki."

Kotomi thought for a moment. She really wanted to eat sukiyaki beef dipped in raw egg today, and then pile the broth-soaked beef over rice for a mouthful of pure bliss…

"Sukiyaki? Have you decided which restaurant? If I remember correctly, one of the more popular sukiyaki places in Chiba is called 'Tako-nee's Sukiyaki House.'"

"I've been to that one a few times. The flavor's really good. But it's a bit far, isn't it?"

"It's only 11 o'clock now. The first afternoon class starts at 2:30. We'll have enough time to eat, rest a little, and then walk to Sobu High."

After checking the time on her phone, Yukino placed the two books she had been reading back in the bedroom. Picking up her prepared schoolbag, she slipped on her school uniform jacket.

"Alright then, let's go to Tako-nee's Sukiyaki House."

Kotomi nodded. She hadn't brought her bag or her school uniform at all.

Not wearing the uniform would definitely get her stopped by the discipline committee at the school gate. But Kotomi wasn't fazed in the slightest—after all, she was ranked number one in her school, and even number one in all of Tokyo. If she got stopped just for not wearing her uniform, wouldn't that be way too embarrassing?

Besides, she had already taken the precaution of building good relationships with the members of the discipline committee. Even if she didn't wear her uniform, they wouldn't bother her—at most, they'd pretend to remind her casually, without even bothering to take out their violation notebook.

As for her schoolbag?

Kotomi remembered that Monday afternoons had physics class and self-study. Self-study was easy enough—the supervising teacher usually just sat at the podium, occasionally strolling through the classroom a couple of times. During the rest of the period, students would sneak novels or secretly play on their phones.

Physics was another matter—there was a unit test in the afternoon, so textbooks weren't allowed anyway.

Seeing that she wouldn't need her bag for either class, Kotomi didn't bother going back home to get it.

Besides, if she suddenly went home at noon, her mom would definitely start asking questions.

If she said she and Yukino hadn't set an alarm and overslept, her mom wouldn't scold her. Instead, her imagination would run wild, filling in a million words' worth of skipped details.

Locking the door, Kotomi and Yukino left Gegu Apartments together and walked toward Tako-nee's Sukiyaki House.

Right next door to it was Salmon Madam Sushi. The two restaurants were like a pair of hidden dragons and crouching tigers on that shopping street.

Yukino had only heard of the sukiyaki place by reputation before—Tako-nee's Sukiyaki House in Chiba was said to be very delicious. But she hadn't known anything about the quirks of the restaurant—or its neighboring sushi shop.

This was Yukino's first time at Tako-nee's Sukiyaki House.

The moment they pushed the door open, they saw all the servers walking around inside wearing colorful octopus headgear. Even Yukino's normally calm expression twitched slightly. It felt like her sanity meter had plummeted straight into R'lyeh.

What kind of genius of an owner had come up with the idea of making all the waitstaff wear octopus headgear?

Kotomi was already used to Yukino Yukinoshita's reaction. The first time she came here with Iroha Isshiki, her expression had been exactly the same. Afterward, Kotomi even wondered if that little devil had deliberately chosen this restaurant just to see her dumbfounded face when she saw all the servers in octopus headgear.

Kotomi couldn't figure it out. She even asked Iroha several times over the phone and on LINE: "Iroha, when you took me to Tako-nee's Sukiyaki House, was it because you wanted to see my shocked expression when I saw the waiters wearing octopus headgear?"

That simple question made Iroha twitch the corner of her mouth helplessly. Finally, Kotomi got the reply: Senpai, do you want me to call you a big idiot, or a little fool?

"Welcome, how many?"

"Two."

Kotomi held up two fingers with a little wave. Coincidentally, the server wearing the octopus headgear was the same young lady who had attended to her and Iroha on their first visit.

Because Kotomi was so stun—no, so beautiful, the server remembered her clearly. The moment she saw Kotomi again, she recalled everything within seconds.

What's more, on the wall inside Tako-nee's Sukiyaki House, there was still a couple's photo of Kotomi and Iroha. The owner had been so touched by them that she decided to hang their photo permanently.

But today, the girl by Kotomi's side wasn't the pretty, light-brown-haired beauty from that photo.

This immediately made the server think Kotomi was two-timing, dating both girls at once! But then again—maybe not. They could just be friends. Friends going out for sukiyaki wasn't strange at all. Perhaps this long-haired, black-haired ice queen was simply a friend. Maybe they just happened to be passing by, got hungry, and came in to eat.

The server led Kotomi and Yukino to a relatively quiet spot. It was already past 11 a.m., prime lunch hour, so the place was packed and a bit noisy.

Ironically, the seats they were given were right next to the spot where Kotomi and Iroha had first sat. On the table seemed to be a little placard that read something like: The Blessing of Cupid Descends Here.

Kotomi was just glad she wasn't drinking water, or she definitely would've spat it out after reading that line.

Once they sat down and ordered, Yukino picked up her phone and said to Kotomi:

"Kotomi, watch my bag for me. I'm going to the restroom."

"Sure, no problem."

Chapter 646: I Don’t Care, I’m Going to Kill Him!

"Try to communicate?"

Kerrigan seemed amused by the words of the stubborn Dark Templar. She tilted her head back, her face traced with violet veins glowing faintly with psionic light, and shook it with a self-mocking smile.

The idea of cooperating with humans had long since been abandoned, ever since her lover, Jim Raynor, was captured by the Terran Dominion. From the moment she chose to return to the Swarm and once more become the Queen of Blades, she had never entertained such unrealistic fantasies.

Not to mention that in all the years Kerrigan had reigned as the Queen of Blades, she had slaughtered billions of Terrans and destroyed countless settlements and military forces across the Koprulu Sector.

Ah, yes.

Back when the Overmind first transformed her, she had lost—or rather, had been stripped of—the part of her memory that was human. What remained was her burning hatred for Arcturus Mengsk and his "Sons of Korhal," now the Dominion.

Killing had never been her true intent—she had been a victim too.

But try telling that to those who lived trembling under the terror of the Queen of Blades for years. Try saying it to those who lost their families, homes, and livelihoods in the wars against the Zerg.

Would they forgive her?

The hatred had already grown boundless.

Even among the Rangers who followed Jim Raynor to rescue her and purify her back into a human, many had carried the intent to kill her. Of this, the former human Kerrigan was all too aware.

And now this alien Protoss had suddenly appeared, speaking of imminent threats, prophecies, the return of creators, and burning stars. With reason, perhaps some would listen.

But the common soldiers? They only knew this: it was you who killed their parents, you who robbed them of peace… you who were a monster.

Especially when you still wielded overwhelming power, and were far from desperate.

"You won't know unless you try."

Zeratul looked at Kerrigan. He still held onto hope.

"Then you go and try. Zeratul, if you're captured or killed, don't expect me to save you or avenge you—even if you have helped me."

Kerrigan had no intention of persuading this stubborn old Protoss.

"The Swarm is already assembled. The vanguard is ready to depart. The rift leading to Korhal IV, the Dominion's capital, has been prepared. I can't wait to crush that decrepit old bastard Arcturus on the toilet in Augustgrad Palace—the Dominion's imperial palace, named after his grandfather, Orestes!"

"This is the time to gather every ounce of strength. If that alien fleet truly comes from the United Earth Directorate, who do you think they'll help, and who do you think they'll strike…?"

"Enough! You understand me, Zeratul."

Kerrigan stubbornly rejected his proposal. She restrained her fury and raised a hand to calm the guardian Zerg that bristled at the Dark Templar who had angered their queen.

"Jim is still imprisoned in that decrepit tyrant's secret orbital prison. I will rescue him!"

"This is the path Arcturus chose! And I will follow it to the end!"

In truth, Kerrigan understood well the prophecy Zeratul spoke of. Thanks to the Overmind's "legacy," her insight ran deeper even than his. But—

Kerrigan chose vengeance.

Call it selfishness, call it unworthiness.

Ever since the research base on Umojan had been attacked once again by Arcturus Mengsk's men, separating her from Jim Raynor, Kerrigan had sworn: no matter the cost, she would slaughter Arcturus Mengsk and his wretched empire! (At the time, she believed Raynor had died protecting her. Only later, after he painstakingly purified her, did she choose to willingly become the Queen of Blades once more.)

Even after Zeratul later brought word that Jim Raynor yet lived, Kerrigan had no intention of changing her plan.

I am the Swarm's weapon against Amon? Zeratul's so-called indispensable savior? The one who must take it upon herself to resist the great enemy in the dark—Amon?

Fine. All of it. No problem.

To fight for the beings of the Koprulu Sector, to fight for the survival of the universe—that much she could accept. She had no shortage of devotion or responsibility.

But only after she killed Arcturus Mengsk!

Otherwise, she could never rest easy. That old bastard had ambushed her again and again, always scheming for her death. Kerrigan would never trust him.

In short: Arcturus Mengsk must die!

This had become her obsession.

"Either he dies, or I do!"

Throwing down the words, Kerrigan's face twisted with a grimace as she cast one last glance at the overly idealistic, stubborn Protoss before turning and vanishing into the dark organic passages of the Leviathan.

"…May you succeed, Zeratul. You're a good man. But this is my choice."

Her final hoarse words lingered, echoing within the chamber.

"Wait! Kerrigan, anger and hatred will only bring greater—"

Zeratul, far from pleased by her words, grew all the more troubled. He tried to continue his plea, but the Swarm barred his way. Hydralisks raised their ridged spines and hissed menacingly, while a broodmother stepped forward, making a clear gesture for him to leave.

Szzzt!

As though answering him directly, a purple arc of fire ignited in the skies above Char's orbit, spreading over the assembled Swarm.

It was a massive living gateway formed by Leviathan-class bio-ships, opening like a monstrous scythe lined with teeth and throats, fused together under one will.

Their fleshy seams writhed, their gnashing maws pulsating with organic motion. Unified under a single will, the vast Leviathans moved as one.

They would unleash a storm of Zerg—for their queen's fury and vengeance!

Zeratul's heart sank. Through the translucent membrane, he looked out at space. One after another, Kerrigan's warp conduits activated. A strange purple rift widened steadily, swelling larger with every beat.

The arc-shaped veil of violet fire grew brighter, twisted, and warped, birthing visions in its glow.

Then, as the rift pulsed and stabilized—the Swarm surged forward!

Like a tide, they poured in.

...

Koprulu Sector. Terran Dominion capital. Orbit of Korhal IV. Dominion secret orbital prison.

A ragged man sat silently in the shadows of a lower-level cell. His head hung low, his faint snores betraying exhaustion.

Jim.

"Ah—no!"

The man jolted awake. His robust body nearly leapt upright.

His limbs were powerfully built, upper arms bulging with muscle, shoulders broad as pillars, chest like a wall of iron. Every muscle line was thick, solid, unyielding—like steel beams forged together. His rolled sleeves could have easily held a pack of cigarettes.

When his dazed eyes refocused and he realized it had only been a nightmare, he clenched his fists, flexed his arms, then dragged a hand through his sweat-soaked hair. Finally, he tilted sideways and collapsed with a heavy thud onto the floor.

In the silence of the prison, the sound was enough to draw the attention of the Dominion guards outside.

Thump, thump!

Clang!

"Prisoner Jim Raynor!"

Following the pounding on the heavy metal door, the viewing slot scraped open, revealing a Dominion guard clad in crimson CMC-300 power armor. His rough voice barked a warning: "Cease your pointless resistance. You cannot defy the will of His Majesty, Arcturus I…"

Then his voice lowered suddenly. "Jim Raynor… don't make this harder on us."

"Alright, alright… tell me, are you people overreacting a bit? The conditions here are terrible—I can't sleep, so I had a nightmare, so what? You're the ones in tin cans, I'm just flesh and blood. What are you so afraid of?"

(PS: Since CMC-300 power armor is a standard necessity for everyday Terran troops, its defensive capacity in real combat is laughably poor against Zerg and Protoss attacks. Thus, Marines mockingly call it 'tin can.')

Jim Raynor lay flat on the cell floor, staring up at the riveted gray metal ceiling. He forced a crooked smile and let out a dry chuckle.

As a high-security prisoner, it was rare for him to make noise at all. Now he shouted with a mock bravado, playing the part of a pig unafraid of boiling water.

"..."

Clang!

Surprisingly, the prison guards didn't retaliate against his taunts. Instead, they quietly shut the viewing slot.

Normally, prison guards would answer a convict's provocation with blood and brutality. But this time was different—unless the prisoner had a name too big to touch…

And indeed he did.

Jim Raynor. From the days of the Sons of Korhal, he was already a hero renowned across Terran space. Founder and commander of Raynor's Raiders. Once the close comrade of Emperor Arcturus I… once. A founding hero of the Terran Dominion… once.

Because of irreconcilable ideals, he split with Arcturus, and in the Dominion's propaganda became the greatest terrorist, public enemy number one.

No matter what, Jim Raynor was a name known throughout the Terran Dominion and the entire Koprulu Sector.

Media spin and propaganda were one thing. Belief was another.

Especially after Raynor and his Raiders raided UNN's broadcast tower, exposing Arcturus Mengsk's crime of unleashing the Zerg on Tarsonis—the capital of the Terran Confederacy. When that evidence spread across the Dominion, Mengsk's approval rating plummeted to as low as 14%. Though he later clawed much of it back, the damage was undeniable. And everyone here was no fool.

Raynor had been captured, yet despite the broadcasts declaring his public execution, he was hidden away in a secret orbital prison instead of killed.

That was worth questioning.

The Dominion was only a few years old. Raynor's Raiders were already a force to be reckoned with. Who could say when Arcturus might be toppled? If those above didn't dare execute this hot potato, why should lowly guards risk themselves with torture? What if the tables turned?

A few hundred credits weren't worth one's neck.

So they looked the other way. As long as he didn't escape, all was fine.

Even small men had their wisdom.

Once more, silence fell over the cell.

The forced smile soon faded, replaced by exhaustion. Though his adrenaline still surged from the nightmare, the memory of what he saw made him want to laugh bitterly.

In his dream, Sarah—Kerrigan—had become the Queen of Blades again…

If that really happened, wouldn't it drive him mad? He had nearly died retrieving the Xel'Naga artifact to purify her, hoping someday to retire together into a life of peace.

"Sarah… please don't do anything reckless," Jim Raynor murmured, lifting his head with weary eyes.

Wooop! Wooop-wooopp—!

Suddenly, piercing alarms shrieked through the prison, snapping him from his thoughts.

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Korhal IV is under assault by an unknown fleet, please—zzzt—"

Thud-thud!

The rapid pounding of steel boots echoed.

"Form up!"

"Check weapons!"

"Seal the prison gates, layer defenses! Move!"

...

The urgent alarms, the tramp of boots, the static-hissed announcements from damaged speakers, the shouted orders of guards—together, they wove the soundscape of a fortress bracing for war.

"Hey, what's happening?"

Raynor called, lifting his head. No answer came.

Moments later—BOOM!

A deafening blast rocked the prison, its steel bones groaning. The world spun, and Raynor—already weakened—was hurled across the cell. Thud! He slammed hard against the wall, dazed.

"Fuck you!"

The impact rattled his skull. It took two full seconds before he slid down from the wall like a rag doll, vision swimming.

"Is it the Raiders, or Sarah, come to break me out?"

No one answered. He could only wait.

BOOM! BOOM-BOOM-BOOM—!

Rumble!

Rat-tat-tat…

He lost track of time amid the pounding explosions and the rattle of heavy guns. The rivets around him rattled loose, the ship shuddering with every strike.

Thud. Thud.

Suddenly, heavier footsteps echoed, far weightier than the Dominion guards. A chainsaw's roar mixed with crackling arcs of electricity. Somewhere close, a cannon thudded like a heartbeat.

Thud.

The steps halted at his cell. A colossal shadow blotted out the light. Raynor held his breath.

CLANG!

With the teeth-grinding screech of tearing metal, the reinforced door was ripped free and hurled aside, slamming against the opposite wall in pieces.

Long-blinded eyes squinted at the sudden light. Through the twisted frame, Jim Raynor saw it.

The golden emblem of a double-headed eagle.

Chapter 576: The Second Martial Arts Tournament

Very quickly, the time came to the next day.

Early in the morning, Eriri brought everyone from her household, including over one hundred artificial maids, and headed for the Martial Arts Tournament World.

Aside from her household, D from the So I'm a Spider, So What? world, who lived as a shut-in, and Haruna Sairenji and Tearju from the To Love Ru world, also came to the Saekano world early in the morning. Together, they followed Eriri to the Martial Arts Tournament World.

Even Shiraori and Mirei Shinohara were dragged back by Eriri from their otherworldly travels, and even the Reincarnators had their missions forcibly paused by her.

When Eriri and the others appeared in the Martial Arts Tournament World, they were greeted by Shirahoshi and the mermaid girls Eriri had once brought over from the One Piece world.

Of course, not all mermaids came to greet them, only some representatives who welcomed everyone's arrival.

As permanent residents of this world, their role was like that of hosts, welcoming all the guests who arrived. But in their hearts, Eriri would always be the true owner of this world.

After a year of development, the Martial Arts Tournament World had undergone many changes.

The seaside buildings and scenery were more or less influenced by the mermaids, as that was where they lived. However, the massive central arena and the surrounding housing used during the tournament had remained unchanged.

Not long after Eriri and her group arrived, other group members also came one after another, each bringing their own friends and family through the World Gate.

Of course, some had arrived even earlier than Eriri and were already exploring this world.

The schedule for this Martial Arts Tournament was nearly the same as the previous one: the first day was for free activities, the second day marked the official start of the matches between group members. After the matches between group members, there would be a free sparring session for non-members, followed by a day-long victory banquet.

After the banquet, the Martial Arts Tournament would officially be declared over.

Compared with the first tournament, this time there were far more participants, which meant it would last longer.

Fortunately, the group members could freely pause the flow of time in their own worlds, otherwise many would not have been able to endure the extended schedule.

...

The next morning, after breakfast, everyone gathered at the arena and took their seats in the stands.

Not only were there far more participants this time, but also the number of spectators had multiplied by dozens. Just the thousands of mermaids alone were enough to make the stands lively and crowded.

As in the first Martial Arts Tournament, Eriri sat in the center of the crowd with Ophis in her arms, surrounded by Arifureta, Shinobu, and the others.

Even with thousands of mermaids present, compared to the vast spectator stands, they were still pitifully few. Together, they occupied less than one-tenth of a single side of the viewing area.

Filling the stands entirely would take many more years of accumulation.

Once all participants had gathered, the host, Aoi Kujou, appeared hovering above the arena. Soon, her cold voice rang out:

"Welcome, group members, and your friends and family, to the 'Second Multiverse Same-Sex ♀ Friendship Group Martial Arts Tournament,' hosted by my lady."

"The rules of this tournament are basically the same as last time. All participants' power will be restricted to Level 4, Stage 1, and weapons used cannot exceed Level 4, Stage 1."

"All group members will face off in one-on-one duels. If the number of participants is odd, a bye will be drawn, allowing one participant to advance directly to the next round. In the end, the top three and the overall champion of the Martial Arts Tournament will be decided."

"In each duel, once a participant loses the ability to resist or voluntarily surrenders, they will be eliminated."

"As for the rewards for this tournament, aside from the 100 million, 50 million, and 10 million group points for the top three, the rewards for other participants have been slightly changed."

"The participation prize will still be 1 million group points. However, each time you successfully advance to the next round, your reward will increase by another 1 million points, continuing until the top three are decided."

As Aoi Kujou finished her opening announcement, a wave of noise immediately erupted from the viewing stands.

The voices mostly came from group members, since this advancement reward system was something they were hearing for the first time. Eriri had never mentioned it in the chat group beforehand.

But this sudden change instantly boosted many members' enthusiasm.

Originally, aside from the top three, everyone else only received the 1 million points participation prize. Many who thought they had no chance of reaching the top three planned to just go through the motions and be done.

Now that advancement came with additional rewards, their attitudes changed. Winning just once would double the prize. That was much easier than competing for the top three.

For members badly in need of points, like Natsuki Minamiya and Kyoko, this was without a doubt their best chance to earn more.

Aside from Eriri and Gabriel, who had no real interest in fighting, every other group member signed up for the tournament. Even Mine joined in.

Including Akame, who had been brought into the group by Mine over half a month ago, a total of fifty-six members were participating.

Since the number was even, there was no need for a bye round in the first stage, unlike the previous tournament.

As two transparent illusory figures appeared above the arena, the first match of the Second Martial Arts Tournament officially began.

The two figures were none other than Kureha and Chika Fujiwara.

"Eh? Why am I the first one up again?! And my opponent is Kureha…"

Looking at her projected image on the arena, Chika Fujiwara, sitting with her sisters, felt a wave of gloom.

Especially seeing that her opponent was Kureha, a master of swordsmanship, her pretty little face collapsed instantly.

Though she had shouted in the group about seizing first place in the Martial Arts Tournament, that was nothing more than her usual empty boasting.

She was very clear about her actual combat abilities.

Perhaps her practical skills had improved a lot compared to last year, but against true experts, she was still far behind.

Seeing her sister like this, Moeha Fujiwara spread her hands helplessly and said:

"Chika-nee, I told you not to brag in the group. Now look—you're definitely going to be instantly defeated by Kureha-onee."

Hearing her little sister's words, Chika Fujiwara immediately protested.

"Moeha, you're underestimating me too much. As long as I pay attention, I definitely won't be one-shotted."

On the side, Toyomi Fujiwara only smiled, gently patting Chika's head in comfort.

"It's fine. As long as you try your best, it's enough."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the stands, Flare was raising her small, white fist with a pure expression, cheering adorably for her sister Kureha.

"Sister, do your best in the match!"

"Mhm. I'll be going now."

Kureha smiled and stroked Flare's head, then with a flash appeared on the arena.

Moments later, Chika Fujiwara's figure also appeared, standing opposite Kureha.

"Chika-chan, I'm sorry, but this is where your journey ends."

Kureha looked at her seriously, right hand gripping her sword hilt, ready to draw at any moment.

Since the match gave five minutes of preparation after the participants were confirmed, she didn't immediately strike.

Seeing this, Chika Fujiwara's heart jumped wildly, and she quickly said:

"Hey, hey, Kureha, do you really have to be this serious?"

Kureha only shook her head with a smile. "I've always been serious when it comes to battle."

From the memory footage, Chika had seen Kureha's swordsmanship clearly.

Facing such speed and skill, she knew that at her current level, she had no chance of victory.

Imagining the scene of her opponent's sword cutting into her body, Chika Fujiwara couldn't help but shrink her neck.

She had no idea what it would feel like to be slashed by a blade, but just thinking about it made her certain it would be unbearably painful.

The thought made her want to surrender immediately.

But surrendering before even fighting would be too humiliating, so she quickly dismissed the idea. If she was going to give up, it would at least be after the fight had started.

She pulled out a longsword from her storage system, preparing herself for battle.

Before long, the five-minute preparation time ended. With Aoi Kujou's announcement, the match officially began.

Kureha wasted no time. She drew her sword and charged at Chika with blinding speed.

Chika hurriedly drew her own sword to defend. In an instant, their blades clashed, producing an ear-piercing screech.

Both swords carried their users' power, and at the moment of impact, waves of force spread in all directions.

Fortunately, the arena floor was reinforced with powerful protection, so their blows caused no damage to it. Instead, dazzling rings of energy rippled out around them.

Though Chika had learned the Flower Breathing style from Kanae Kocho for a while and gained some understanding of swordsmanship, she hadn't studied it diligently. Very quickly, she fell into disadvantage, barely able to block Kureha's strikes.

And she knew she couldn't hold out much longer—her defense might collapse at any moment.

At that point, she gave up resisting and shouted loudly:

"I surrender!"

The moment her declaration rang out, Kureha's blade, which had been on the verge of breaking through, passed harmlessly through her body like it had sliced only air.

Neither of them was surprised. That was part of the rules—once someone surrendered, their opponent's attacks could no longer cause harm.

"Kureha wins!"

With Aoi Kujou's announcement, the viewing stands erupted into thunderous cheers.

Unlike the crowd's excitement, Chika turned toward Kureha with complaints.

"Kureha, you really went too hard. If I hadn't been quick-witted, I would've been split in two just now!"

Hearing this, Kureha showed an apologetic smile. "Sorry, sorry. But since it was a match, of course I had to be serious."

"Forget it, I'm just complaining. Don't mind me."

Chika waved her hand carelessly, then broke into a smile and congratulated her opponent.

"Kureha, congrats on making it to the second round."

"Mhm. Thanks." Kureha's face also lit up with a happy smile.

The two of them didn't linger in the arena and quickly returned to the stands.

The entire first match—from pairing to conclusion—had taken less than ten minutes.

Since there were many participants in this tournament, there were no intermissions this time, regardless of how long each match lasted.

Thus, right after Chika and Kureha returned to the stands, two new illusory figures appeared above the arena.

"The second match of the first round will be between—Kanae Kocho and Shinobu Kocho. Participants, please take the stage. The duel will begin in five minutes."

Hearing Aoi Kujou's announcement, the sisters, Kanae and Shinobu, exchanged glances, both showing expressions of surprise.

...

Half an hour later, the second match ended with the elder sister victorious.

Though Shinobu's talent in battle was no less than Kanae's, the years of difference in training—and the fact that Shinobu was raised by Kanae herself—made victory difficult.

For a disciple to surpass a teacher of equal talent was not an easy feat.

Over the next period, twelve more matches were held, completing half of the first round.

Aside from those matches where the difference in strength was overwhelming, most took several times longer than the first match.

By the time the final match of the day concluded, it was already past six in the evening.

The list of the fourteen winners who advanced was officially decided.

Among them were Kureha, Kanae Kocho, Miko Yotsuya, Echidna, Natsuki Minamiya…

Chapter 331: A Time Jump Worth Ten Thousand Starships

Ka—

The starship landed at the space station.

The Angeloid dragged the Cosmic Juggernaut out from the cabin.

"Oh oh oh—"

The research lolis crowded around the locomotive, pointing and gesturing, occasionally checking its condition with the tools in their hands.

Since it was a peaceful handover, it was preserved quite well.

"I'll leave this thing to you first."

Setsuna gestured.

"Its original function can already open the passage to the Imaginary Tree, but… we can go one step further."

"Let's work toward building a vehicle capable of traversing the Tree and Sea worlds as soon as possible."

Its appearance resembled the Astral Express, and its function bore some similarities too.

Setsuna felt like he could probably craft one himself.

"Oh—"

A little loli nodded.

"If the Tree and Sea has other parallel worlds and different world bubbles, then yes, with the Cosmic Juggernaut's power, we could travel among them."

"Mm… now I'm curious about what we'll encounter in other universes. I wonder if there are more technologically advanced civilizations out there?"

"There will be."

Setsuna nodded.

"When the time comes, we'll sit down and chat with the Xianzhou Alliance, hmm."

...

The Second Divine Key was a small interlude brought by the research division.

After leaving all follow-up matters to the researchers on the space station in charge of studying the Honkai universe, Setsuna and Grey turned to another task.

Thousands of rainbow Bulins were transferred from the base.

On one side of the space station, they began constructing a spiritron transfer device.

Unlike the previous times where only beacons were used, this time they built the spiritron transfer device itself.

Its size was about thirty stories tall, black and yellow in color, its design somewhat resembling a globe.

The metallic surface gleamed, etched with complex patterns that left one dizzy if stared at too long.

Before it floated a console crowded with innumerable holographic interfaces, operating them alone was already complicated work.

"The time travel device…"

Fu Hua looked up at it, her heart shaken.

A civilization that had mastered time travel—unbelievable.

They could return to the past at will, altering history until the future developed as they wished.

"Hohoho~"

A teasing voice sounded nearby.

"This is the plus version we spent two years upgrading. Its transmission capacity and projection range are far greater than the thing the Commander originally gave us."

"And we specially optimized it for this universe ¨. ¨. ."

Observer had come as well.

She waved her tentacle riggings, proudly introducing the Sirens' great invention to Setsuna.

"Go on, thank me properly, Commander! Even if you kneel and lick my feet, I'd accept!"

The little loli lay sprawled on her floating rigging, shoving her pale little feet in Setsuna's face.

"?"

Seeing the tentacles swaying behind her, Fu Hua looked horrified.

"Three days without a beating and you're climbing the roof again?"

Setsuna rubbed her head, then pinched Observer's cheek lightly.

He turned to look at the massive spiritron transfer device.

From the outside, it looked similar to the one back at the base, just larger, with different surface patterns.

He didn't understand the technical details, nor did he need to.

Each profession had its specialization. All he needed was results. The specifics were for his subordinates to handle.

"How long a time jump can it support?"

Setsuna asked.

"No idea!!"

Observer put her hands on her hips and replied self-righteously.

"?"

"Ha!??"

Setsuna almost choked in anger.

Bonk!—

"Ow—"

"I mean anywhere from three thousand years to three hundred thousand years."

After a flick to the head, the little loli held her head and explained.

"This thing was originally built for use in the Type-Moon world. Using it elsewhere is troublesome. We haven't tried it yet…"

"To extend its range for time travel, Purifier and I installed some experimental technology inside. Hmm… the exact results still need field testing…"

"But don't worry, Commander! There's absolutely no chance of you getting tossed into a time-space turbulence! Totally safe! I swear on my personality! If you don't believe me, I can even come along!!"

"…"

Setsuna felt uneasy at the Siren girl's guarantee.

Because this one never had much integrity to begin with.

"Fine."

After thinking it over, he still decided to test it.

It would be convenient for making larger-scale time jumps in the future.

"I'll go with you."

Fu Hua spoke up.

"I want to witness the time travel device… and make up for past regrets."

"Alright."

Setsuna nodded.

"I… I also want to see what it looked like before…"

Little Griseo tugged at Setsuna's clothes, suddenly raising her hand.

"You too?"

Setsuna patted her head.

"That's fine."

...

Building the spiritron transfer device, setting coordinates, and preparing for departure took a week.

When everything was ready—

One afternoon, Setsuna brought his companions to stand within the transfer array beneath the device.

The research lolis and the Siren girl scanned from the main control console, working on the coordinates for some time.

"Mm…"

"Honkai Universe, 2100 BC, coordinates: somewhere in the Solar System. Doesn't matter, since the Commander has a starship. Even if we drop him on Neptune, it'll be fine…"

Observer calculated on the holographic interface.

"Commander, since this time jump exceeds three thousand years, you'll need to charge the spiritron transfer device with Honkai energy."

"That's easy."

Setsuna waved his hand, letting part of the Juggernaut dock with the station. A massive surge of Honkai energy flowed over.

"Mm, with this world's energy supply, we can support a large-scale time jump. But more energy is still needed…"

"Let me calculate…"

The Siren girl's fingers clattered on the console.

"Commander, this jump requires drawing sixteen thousand Wisdom Cubes to provide auxiliary power."

"…"

Setsuna had already anticipated this.

Crossing worlds for large-scale time travel naturally demanded an unimaginable price.

Wisdom Cubes were currently the Empire's highest-grade energy source, and also the most portable.

Fortunately, the Starsea Empire had vast territory and resources—affording it was not a problem.

"Transfer some from the base."

"Hiss—"

Several shipgirls couldn't help sucking in a breath of cold air.

"That cube thing… is it expensive?"

Fu Hua asked curiously.

"It used to be very expensive, but not anymore."

Setsuna pointed upward at the patrolling Bulin fleet, thinking for a moment.

"The cost of a single cube is about the same as a small starship. Natives can't afford it."

"For us, sixteen thousand cubes isn't too much or too little. Just about two months' output of a single Bulin production team."

"What?!"

Fu Hua had been about to say she'd compensate Setsuna for the expenses of this trip.

But halfway through her words, she had to change them:

"I… I probably can't afford that. I'll find another way to repay you in the future."

"No problem."

Setsuna found her seriousness unexpectedly cute.

"Uh… by that calculation, a fifty-thousand-year jump might need around two hundred thousand cubes?"

He did some math, finding the cost within bearable range—easier than he had expected.

The Starsea Empire never lacked resources. As long as it was something that could be manufactured, with over a dozen universes backing it, they could produce as much as needed.

...

[Reverse Summon System, Start]

[Initiating Spiritron Transfer]

[Countdown to Transfer…]

5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

[Time Jump: 3575 years]

[Process Complete!]

Fueled by tens of thousands of cubes and the Eternal Snowfall's energy, the spiritron transfer device gave off a low hum.

[Transfer Ready]

Boom—

Standing within the transfer array, Setsuna, Fu Hua, and Griseo instantly turned transparent.

Their vision shrank, then expanded.

When they opened their eyes again—

Before them stretched a reddish-brown wasteland.

Above their heads, a dark starry sky.

"Where is this?"

Setsuna instinctively raised a shield, sniffed the air, and looked around.

No sign of any human civilization structures in sight.

"Current temperature: –58°C. Surface gravity: 0.37g. Air composition: 95% carbon dioxide…"

The AI provided an accurate analysis of the environment.

"???"

Opening the star map, Setsuna instantly felt the urge to flick Observer again.

"Can't you set the coordinates more accurately, damn it?!

"You threw us onto Mars!!!"

"Commander, when performing ultra-long time spiritron transfers, precise positioning is really difficult, you know.

"To save a little processing power, I just expanded the transfer range a tiny bit. Mm, I'll adjust the data so it's more accurate next time.

"Anyway, it doesn't matter to you, right? Even if you get dropped at the event horizon of a black hole, you can still warp out. And you can protect those two as well…"

Observer's lazy voice drifted over.

"…"

"Although what you said makes sense, when I get back I'm still going to spank you."

Setsuna projected a starship.

Bringing Fu Hua and Griseo aboard, he took off.

Boom—

The warship shot out a long plume of exhaust flame, heading toward Earth.

From Mars to Earth was a short distance for an FTL warship.

Minutes later—

The ship pierced through the atmosphere.

The ancient Earth appeared before them.

2100 BC.

At this time, there were barely a handful of places on Earth that could be called nations.

Human civilization was still in its infancy, with only a few cradles of civilization showing the earliest states or tribes.

Most of the world was still wild.

The starship flew east.

Soon, they entered Shenzhou.

"Ah…"

At last, seeing the familiar yet unfamiliar landscape below, Fu Hua finally felt a true sense of time travel.

Even every blade of grass and every tree looked exactly the same as she remembered.

"Do you often use time travel to change history?"

Fu Hua suddenly asked.

"No, we've only used it a few times in other worlds."

Setsuna replied.

"The Starsea Empire's history of development has no regrets. There's no need to use the spiritron transfer device to return to the past."

"Is that so? That's wonderful…"

While cruising at low altitude, before long, they reached southern Shenzhou.

"Down there!"

Little Griseo pressed against the window, pointing.

"A Honkai Beast!!!"

A colossal monster, the size of a mountain, was rampaging on the ground.

Compared to it, even the Emperor-class Honkai Beasts Setsuna had created back at the space station were nothing but tiny gnats.

Every step it took shook the earth, toppling mountains and changing the very color of the heavens.

Every breath it exhaled carried searing energy, incinerating everything within hundreds of kilometers.

With a roar, it opened its massive jaws, ripping an entire city—along with its foundations—out of the earth, swallowing it whole.

A massive pit was left behind on the ground.

Such a monster seemed possible only in myth and legend.

"Chiyou!!!"

Fu Hua instantly clenched her fists, gritting her teeth.

This was the Judgment-class Honkai Beast born because Cangxuan and Dan Zhu had imparted knowledge beyond their era to humanity.

In the entire history of the Honkai, there were only two such creatures.

...

On the ground.

Facing it were only three girls.

One girl, wielding the golden Xuanyuan Sword, stood bloodied in her ornate ancient robes, her small body blocking the behemoth's path.

She leaned on the sword just to remain standing, panting as she faced the colossal creature.

"Jilin, be careful!"

Another girl, black-haired and blue-eyed, dressed in a long white gown, cried out.

Boom!!!

Jilin barely managed to dodge to the side, narrowly escaping one of Chiyou's attacks.

Under such overwhelming size, even the shockwave from a missed strike was a mortal wound.

"Damn it, how can there be such a monster!!!"

"Could it be because…"

Cangxuan unfurled a long scroll, summoning countless armed puppets, unleashing weapons far beyond this era in a barrage against Chiyou.

Bang bang bang bang—

The firepower, enough to level mountains, was nothing more than a tickle to the Judgment-class Honkai Beast.

Crash—

Another attack sent both girls flying.

Another girl, brown-haired and red-eyed, clad in a black robe, hurried to the other two and began healing their wounds.

"Has Fu Hua not returned yet?"

Dan Zhu asked anxiously, glancing toward the distant horizon.

At this moment, Fu Hua was rushing across the land of Shenzhou, fighting Honkai wherever she could.

Chiyou's appearance was a pure accident. If Fu Hua could make it back, the battle might yet turn.

"Hold on a little longer! Wait for Fu Hua!!"

"No!!! We can't wait! In a single day, it can destroy everything here!!"

The girls rarely quarreled, but now they clashed fiercely.

To mortals, this was a war between gods.

When spreading knowledge from the Previous Era, Dan Zhu had exploited ancient humans' reverence for the supernatural, reshaping her and her partner's deeds into legendary stories.

Over time, Shenzhou came to worship Cangxuan and Dan Zhu, who had imparted knowledge, as Nüwa and Fuxi.

Jilin became the primordial ancestor of Shenzhou.

But the three's strength was still far from enough to face a Judgment-class Honkai Beast. Defeat was inevitable.

"We must… protect this place…"

Jilin raised the Xuanyuan Sword, forcing herself upright.

"We cannot let Shenzhou be destroyed by it!! Please!!"

The girl coughed up more blood.

"…"

"Fu Hua… it looks like we'll go ahead first…"

"Please, you must protect Shenzhou in the future."

Cangxuan and Dan Zhu's faces darkened. Resolved, they pushed themselves up.

The three gathered their remaining strength, prepared for a final stand.

Facing Chiyou meant certain death, but for the sake of civilization's survival, they had no choice.

Suddenly—

A firm voice rang in their ears:

"Cangxuan, Dan Zhu, take Jilin and fall back. Leave this to me."

"Jingwei!!!"

The familiar voice nearly moved them to tears.

No time to wonder how Fu Hua had arrived, the fact they could hear her meant she wasn't far.

Then, looking up—

The three girls nearly staggered in shock.

A warship, more than ten times larger than Chiyou, floated above them.

Its bluish-gray metallic hull gleamed under the sun, bristling with countless turrets and main cannons, exuding a terrifying aura.

"So this is Chiyou… heh."

Fu Hua stood at the fore of the bridge, looking down imperiously at the giant beast.

Last time, she hadn't made it in time—Cangxuan and Dan Zhu had died, and Jilin had sacrificed herself to seal it.

For the next three millennia, only she and the Cangxuan puppet had remained to guard Shenzhou.

Thanks to Setsuna, she now had the chance to redo it all.

"Wha—?!"

Cangxuan and Dan Zhu gaped at Fu Hua.

"Hua?!"

"Where did you get a starship?!"

Meanwhile, Setsuna was curiously observing the three girls below.

Nuwa, Fuxi, and Ji Xuanyuan.

Not bad—Shenzhou's ancestors were all cute girls.

Chapter 330: Greater Lord Rukkhadevata Becomes the Bearer of Truth

Noah held a faint green halo in his hand, slowly explaining the origin of this newly born Truth.

"Truth Akasha, also called the Akasha Records Multiversal Information Archive, its essential concept is the information of the entire multiverse—ranging from the movement of a single atom to the transformations of the multiverse, to the modifications made by higher gods upon world information, and so forth."

"The constant changes in the thoughts of the multiverse, the evolutionary process of rules and concepts, the progress of life's evolution, even the process by which higher gods modify world information—these, and everything else."

"In short, it is the ultimate memory of the multiverse. The Principle of Remembrance belongs to the Akasha faction."

The birth of Truth Akasha was something even Noah himself had not expected.

When he decided to fully activate Pan-Human History, Akasha was born under the combined effect of all Truths.

Yes, the number of Truths will appear by themselves according to the evolutionary stage of the world. Thus, the higher the level of the world, the more Truths there will be.

Those multiversal-level worlds never have fewer than ten Truths.

Truths that exist before the birth of a world are called Absolute Truths, such as the Kabbalah and the Ouroboros.

Truths that are self-born as the world ascends are called derivative Truths.

Human Principle Akasha belongs to this type.

The joy in Noah's eyes was impossible to conceal. According to the world information given by the system, Akasha would only be born when those top-tier weak multiverses ascended to standard multiverse.

Buer, watching Noah as he explained Truths to her, could not help placing her hands over her chest. Her heart felt like it would turn into butterflies and fly out, the love in her four-leaf-clover-shaped eyes nearly overflowing.

She had thought Lord Heavenly Principle summoned her early to the Temple of Truth in order to send her first to the Divine Assembly. She never expected he intended to entrust a Truth to her.

Though she had been the first goddess to follow Lord Heavenly Principle, in terms of affection, she had always been far below the incarnations of Truth.

After all, for Teyvat, she was not indispensable.

Yet, she did not allow herself to be overwhelmed by the sudden love.

"My lord husband, I remember you once said that only naturally sacred beings born from nothingness can bear a Truth."

"I was once the incarnation of the World Tree, but I was not born from nothingness. Am I truly qualified?"

Noah smiled: "Phanes too was not born from nothingness. Of course you can bear it."

"After all, Akasha, like Human Principle, was not born from nothingness."

"Though both derivative and absolute Truths are Truths, the requirements for bearing them are not so strict."

Saying this, Noah looked at Buer with even greater tenderness.

Greater Lord Rukkhadevata was the first goddess who had held love for him. At the time, he had even wanted to make her his Heavenly Consort.

Although there was no such title as Heavenly Consort now, and though he treated her far better than the later goddesses, still it was not quite enough.

Before, he had had no better way—after all, Sumeru could not be left unattended. Thus, he had not allowed her to become the Sustainer of Heavenly Principle.

Now, however, Nahida had already grown to nearly the same strength as Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, so Sumeru no longer needed to be worried about.

At this moment, with Akasha newly born, and with Buer herself being Teyvat's memory, she was naturally the most suitable bearer of Akasha.

Thus, she would become the fifth incarnation of Truth.

Saying this, Noah handed the halo of Truth to her.

"Now you shall bear Akasha. Only when Truth has a bearer can it have the greatest effect upon the world."

Without any hesitation, Buer stretched out her hands to receive the halo of Truth.

Though her heart brimmed with joy, it was filled even more with love for her lord husband. She belonged to him, and whatever he gave her, she would accept.

Yet, in her heart, there were still some small thoughts.

She had been the first, and yet Phanes and the others always overshadowed her. Especially Phanes, who never regarded her as one of the mistresses, only as a subordinate.

In her eyes, perhaps she, Buer, was not even considered a subordinate—merely one part of the Pan-Human History she governed.

Even so, in her heart there was still a trace of resentment.

Now I too am a bearer of Truth. Let's see how you will view me now.

She longed for flowers of recognition.

To truly stand on equal footing with Phanes gave her an inexplicable sense of exhilaration.

Buzz—

The halo of Truth transformed into countless faint green threads that merged into Buer's body.

In just an instant, her divine body was assimilated, becoming a body composed of Truth itself, exalted and sacred beyond compare.

In the truest sense, she was now supreme. Before Truth, nothing could be more sacred than her—at most, only equal to her.

Of course, Noah was the sole exception.

A faint green halo of Truth slowly manifested behind Buer.

At the same time, above the Main Universe, another halo silently appeared within its circumscribed ring.

The Laws that had originally belonged to the Akasha faction detached from the other Truths, gathering to guard this newly born halo of Truth.

"Power…"

Buer felt her strength grow without limit. Though she had been prepared, she was still shocked. Her vision expanded, and the scope of her influence now encompassed all of Teyvat.

The faint green light of Truth radiated from her, her aura swelling infinitely.

Were it not for the Temple of Truth shielding it, if this had occurred in the outside world, all universes of Teyvat would have been thrown into turmoil by the expansion of her aura, a vortex shaking the entirety of Teyvat.

Even the Main Universe itself would have suffered a shattering of its cosmic crystal walls.

Mid-tier strong single-universe.

High-tier strong single-universe.

Low-tier super single-universe.

Finally, she stopped upon touching the threshold of mid-tier super single-universe.

The total mass of Teyvat lay only between high-tier super single-universe and weak multiverse. Thus, the bearer of a single Truth could at most reach low-tier super single-universe.

Only when the world reached weak multiverse could the bearer of Truth attain high-tier super single-universe.

Sensing Teyvat's transformation and the new aura of Truth, Phanes was alarmed and appeared instantly.

Seeing that it was Greater Lord Rukkhadevata radiating the aura of Truth, she was greatly astonished, then turned her gaze to Noah.

"A new Truth? What is going on?"

At this moment, Buer, recovering from the flood of her power, looked toward Phanes with a smile.

"Phanes, I too have become a bearer of Truth. Things are no longer the same as before."

Phanes' golden eyes fell upon Buer, a trace of danger flashing within them as if her own majesty had been provoked. Yet she quickly calmed, acknowledging Buer as being of the same status as herself.

In the past, such provocation would have earned punishment without hesitation.

Although she felt displeased, she would not truly engage in conflict with Buer. If Truth were to clash against Truth, Teyvat would fall into great turmoil.

However, she was not a rigid existence. The Four Shades had each split from aspects of herself. The scheming of Istaroth, she too possessed—though it made up only a small part of her.

Moreover, as the guardian of Pan-Human History, whatever mankind understood, she too understood.

Seeing the fleeting danger in Phanes' gaze vanish, leaving behind a calm as if nothing had happened, Buer felt a rush of satisfaction.

What's more, that innate fear she once held toward Phanes had completely disappeared after becoming a bearer of Truth.

But before Buer could form her words, her expression stiffened.

"Hmph, Buer. You, who were once my creation, now flaunting such arrogance upon reaching the same status as me—it is truly laughable."

"Even if we are equal in position, as so-called bearers of Truth, you are nothing more than low-ranking."

"As a latecomer who ascended without true qualification, relying only on Heavenly Principle's favor to climb to my level—you do not humbly seek my guidance, but instead provoke me."

"Such clownish behavior."

Phanes' voice dripped with contempt and mockery, her expression the very embodiment of scorn.

It was as if she were watching a country girl, puffed up with pride because of the lord's affection, daring to provoke the mistress of the house.

Buer froze, unable to believe Phanes would ever speak in such a tone, or wear such an expression.

In her memory, Phanes had always been cold and indifferent. This moment overturned everything she knew.

Then she sensed the genuine anger behind it, and her cheeks flushed red.

"Phanes! You—!"

"Silence, Buer! I have not finished. I never imagined the being I once created could turn out so pitiful."

Phanes continued, her words striking without pause, though never containing a single vulgarity. Each sentence pierced Buer's heart.

Every word circled back to the same point: you are a latecomer, you are but a god I once created.

Lies do not wound—but truth cuts deep.

Faced with this barrage, Buer could not utter a single word. Even as the memory of the multiverse itself, she found nothing to refute.

For it was all true.

Her chest heaved with anger.

Noah rubbed his eyes, staring at Phanes spouting off endlessly, then at Buer, left speechless under the assault.

Never had he seen either of them like this. Especially Phanes—she was far too fierce.

And this scene—like the main wife catching the concubine red-handed—was overwhelming.

Seeing the faint curve at Phanes' lips, Noah knew she was savoring this.

Simple insults, maximum satisfaction, was it not?

Buer bit her lip and glanced at Noah, her eyes pleading, as if to say: look at how she's treating me.

"Hehehe…" Noah couldn't hold back, laughing outright, with no intention of helping.

No matter how it escalated, it could never become a true fight. At most, it would be an exchange of insults.

For he did not permit those of such rank to casually wield their power. If one did not wish to be bullied, either one should focus on serious work like the Infinite Dragon God and Red Dragon God Emperor—or else sharpen one's skills in argument, to prevail in quarrels.

Seeing Noah watch with interest instead of helping, Buer's expression turned resentful.

Yet this was indeed her doing. Moreover, both she and Phanes were far too important. Noah would not intervene—unless, as before, Phanes raised her hand against his other women.

It was only that she had not yet adjusted to this side of Phanes. Now, her gentle face forced a smile, soft and calm.

"Sister Phanes' lesson is well taken~ Please don't be angry anymore. Younger sister admits her mistake. Would it not be better for you to spend your energy discussing serious matters rather than scolding me?"

Phanes crossed her arms and gave a cold snort.

Noah clicked his tongue softly and said: "Heh, this tea tastes excellent—and it was brewed with the World Tree's leaves."

As he spoke, he stepped forward, one arm wrapping around Buer's waist, the other around Phanes'…

"You actually laughed at me…" Buer said helplessly, with a touch of grievance.

"Disrespectful," Phanes cast her a cold glance, as if to say: with your shallow skill, you dare provoke me?

She was the greatest—and she always would be.

"So, the Truth within Buer was catalyzed into existence when Teyvat ascended, born from the collective information of the multiverse, correct?"

"And it is a Truth complementary to Human Principle?"

Noah's hands squeezed against the waists of both Phanes and Buer, his fingers pressing firmly in. "That's right. First came Human Principle, then Akasha. That much is beyond dispute."

"With one more Truth, Teyvat becomes all the more stable."

"With Akasha, the expansion of Pan-Human History will grow steadier, and the likelihood of civilizations slipping into destruction will decrease."

"With this, the final Divine Assembly will be all the more interesting."

...

The time for the Divine Assembly had come. The highest gods of the Divine Collectives, the Underworld, and the Abyss all began making their way to Celestia.

At this moment, Celestia appeared much the same as it had in the very beginning.

But its mass was incomparably greater, for here gathered the origin of all things in Teyvat.

The spatial origin of Pan-Human History's long river of time…

Even a full-force strike from a single-universe god would leave not the slightest mark.

To leave a mark at all, one had to reach at least high-tier strong single-universe.

Though only gods at weak single-universe or higher could arrive here, their numbers were still not few. Already they numbered in the dozens. Any one Divine Collective had at least three weak single-universe gods.

At the steps of the Hall of Gods, deities arrived one after another, beginning to converse.

"Oi Old man, long time no see Your strength has grown outrageous again."

"Barbatos, only ten days ago you snuck into Wanmin Restaurant and took Xiangling's brewed spirit-fruit wine."

"Snuck? Slander, I call slander! Old man, you've slandered me! I took it fair and square! When the Anemo Archon does something, how can you call it stealing?"

"Eh? Barbatos stealing wine? Though Mondstadt has more wine than anyone could finish, with Barbatos' personality, I can't say I'd be surprised."

Chapter 70: Ei, To Accompany You… That Too Is a Kind of 'Eternity'

Knock, knock…

The sound of knocking echoed from outside the door, interrupting the two's conversation.

"Please come in…"

Fiore spoke softly.

Click… The door opened—it was Caules.

"Sister…"

The boy's voice grew quieter when he saw the Shogun also present… He suddenly felt as if he was intruding on some sort of girls' talk, though that wasn't the case at all.

"Caules? What is it?"

Fiore turned slightly, asking her younger brother gently.

"Ah… something like that. Could you come with me for a bit? I have something to tell you. Just the two of us."

Caules shot a meaningful glance at the Shogun, hinting at Fiore.

"Eh? I see…"

Fiore didn't doubt him, though she was curious about what her brother wanted to say. She turned back to the Shogun.

"Shogun… please excuse me for a while…"

After the Shogun gave a small nod, Fiore maneuvered her wheelchair toward the door. Caules naturally took over, pushing it smoothly as he closed the door behind them.

Hearing the fading footsteps and the sound of wheels rolling further away… the Shogun turned her gaze back to the window. Beyond lay the sky, heavy with looming thunderstorm clouds. The horizon was swallowed by darkness, faint rumbles of thunder stirring within.

She couldn't tell if this was the environment reacting to her own presence or merely a natural occurrence. In Inazuma, thunderstorms did not necessarily mean her mood was poor. But if she was in a poor mood, then a thunderstorm was certain to follow.

In truth, she was rarely in a bad mood… for the sake of the people of Inazuma, she controlled herself. Always.

Buzz~

Just then, a stream of soft violet light drifted out from her body… gradually gathering into the floating form of Musou Isshin. Then, once more, the particles reassembled, reforming into another woman clad in kimono. Her attire and appearance were exactly the same as the Shogun's.

The newly manifested figure quietly stepped forward, approaching the Shogun from behind. She wrapped her arms gently around her waist, pressing her cheek playfully against the Shogun's neck.

"!"

Startled, the Shogun stiffened at the sudden touch. Instinctively, she wanted to step away—but the voice from behind spoke first.

"Don't move…"

The warm tone in her ear froze her. She stopped, yielding, allowing the other to hold her close.

"What is it? Why appear so suddenly?"

The Shogun's voice softened, carrying the intimacy of family, warm and familiar.

"Nothing… Only, seeing you and that girl so close, even I began to feel uneasy."

Ei tightened her embrace slightly, murmuring in her ear like a pouting child.

"When did this vessel—"

"Don't argue."

"..."

Silence fell.

"…Fine. If you say so, then so be it."

She gave in. Ei's willfulness was nothing new—she had grown accustomed to it. It seemed that because she was a puppet, Ei felt free to act as she pleased… Truly.

And so they stayed like this for more than a minute, in that intimate pose.

"How long do you intend to hold me?"

The Shogun asked, watching the reflection of the woman behind her in the window.

"..."

Ei lifted her gaze, eyes meeting hers with a hint of dissatisfaction.

"Rare as it is to be alone with you… and you dislike it so?"

Rebellious, are you? The Shogun muttered inwardly.

"That is not what I mean. But they could return at any moment. If they saw…"

"It doesn't matter… I can vanish when the time comes."

This was Borrowed Form, the technique Ei had used just now. She no longer had a true body—the one now embracing her was but the Shogun's vessel. Normally, the Shogun commanded it. Now, Ei had manifested a temporary form through Musou Isshin.

This body could be seen, could be touched, yet was not truly flesh. Its strength was limited, relying on the Shogun's vessel as its medium—the so-called "scabbard." Still, it was thanks to this ability that the two could meet face-to-face outside the Plane of Euthymia.

Of course, not all things could take form this way. Only Engulfing Lightning and Musou Isshin, for they were divine weapons.

A minute later… Ei released her hold, dropping herself onto the edge of the bed opposite. She savored the long-forgotten sensation, and the comfortable touch made her instinctively flop down onto the mattress like a true recluse.

The Shogun was hardly surprised by her actions anymore. She also walked over to the bed and sat at the edge—precisely where Ei had fallen. She was used to quietly keeping her company like this.

"Shogun…"

Ei called to her in a muffled voice, tinged with a faint, almost imperceptible sweetness. This was Ei's true state when alone with her—setting aside every burden.

"Mm?"

The Shogun gave a soft nasal reply.

"We've been gone for so long. Do you think Inazuma has noticed? That the Shogun has disappeared, or gone missing?"

Ei lay staring at the ceiling as she asked.

She wasn't wrong. Days had already passed—it would soon be a full week. They still didn't know whether time here moved apart from or alongside Teyvat. If this continued, things would inevitably be delayed.

"They would not bring up such things. Most would assume 'Her Excellency the Shogun has secluded herself in meditation and will see no one during this time.'"

The Shogun spoke idly, chatting with the woman on the bed.

"You always understand them better than I. I've fallen behind the times…"

Ei sat up, resting her chin on the Shogun's shoulder like a cat.

"Nowadays, I handle all of Inazuma's affairs myself. Naturally, I am more familiar with my retainers than someone who stays secluded in the Plane of Euthymia."

Ei raised her gaze to meet the identical violet eyes before her. Two peerless beauties, the same face, stared at one another, their gazes entwining, unwilling to part.

"Pfft…"

Ei was the first to break into a soft laugh.

"What is it?"

The Shogun asked, puzzled.

"Nothing… Just remembering when you were first born, knowing nothing at all… your childish, innocent look at everything. And now, you've grown so much."

Her eyes flickered with complexity and guilt.

"…Leaving all these heavy burdens to you… Am I not too cruel?"

The Shogun sighed faintly.

"Why say such things? This vessel—I—have never once resented you. I was born to accompany you forever. That too… is 'eternity,' is it not?"

She placed a hand over her chest.

"There is always a voice in my heart telling me this… Strange, perhaps. But I don't dislike it."

She looked tenderly at the woman beside her, who evoked both admiration and pity, and answered softly.

Perhaps she was indeed only a 'tool' created for Ei's pursuit of eternity. But her feelings were genuine. Truthfully, as the Shogun, she had doubts about the Vision Hunt Decree. Was such a method truly correct? Yet no matter right or wrong, she would stand by Ei's side—because that was her purpose.

"Shogun…"

Ei whispered her name, voice trembling, lowering her gaze slightly. She lifted a warm hand to caress the Shogun's cheek—her own face reflected back at her.

"..."

But the next moment, she caught the sound of movement in the corridor. Their time alone was ending. Though brief, their moments together tonight still held meaning.

Buzz~

As the two continued to gaze into each other's eyes, Ei gradually dissolved into motes of light, merging once more into her body.

A few minutes earlier… inside the castle's lounge—

The hall was dimly lit, the only light coming from a small lamp on the table, its faint glow casting vague illumination over the figures of a young man and woman seated at opposite ends.

"So, Sister… what do you plan to do?"

Caules was the first to speak, his quiet words directed at the sister in the wheelchair across from him.

"..."

Fiore remained silent for a while, as though gathering her thoughts.

Seeing this, Caules didn't press her, only sighing softly before continuing,

"In just a few days, the Aerial Garden will cross the Romanian border. In other words… it will leave our territory."

At those words, Fiore's hands trembled slightly atop her lap. Her complexion was poor, likely from lack of rest and repeated insomnia. The color she had recently regained had once again paled, the weariness clear at the corners of her eyes.

"The Mage's Association won't miss this opportunity either."

Caules did not stop speaking.

The girl's blue eyes were fixed tightly on the teacup before her. In the reflection of its black tea showed her own wan face.

"…I know."

Her voice was soft, thin, almost ephemeral.

"…Yggdmillennia has sacrificed everything to this rebellion, to this war—our blood, our mana, even all our fortune."

Caules spoke again…

"..."

Fiore pressed her lips together, listening.

"If we fail… then everything will have been wasted."

Fiore closed her eyes lightly before replying,

"I understand that much…"

His words pressed down upon her like slabs of stone, suffocating, crushing her chest, leaving her unable to even stand.

"So… if we truly seek the Greater Grail as magi, then tomorrow we must depart at once—"

"I said I already know that!!"

Unable to bear it any longer, Fiore lost control of her emotions and shouted at her younger brother. Yet even her "shout" carried a naturally delicate softness, lacking any real force. What emerged instead was only her helplessness, and anger toward her own weakness.

"..."

Caules fell silent, his gaze fixed seriously on his sister's momentary loss of composure.

"!"

Realizing her outburst, Fiore instantly regretted it. Her negative emotions had welled up and spilled out, but no matter the reason, she should not have raised her voice at her own family. How awful of her. She turned her eyes aside, unable to meet his.

"Caules… what is it you really want to tell me?"

From the moment he had asked for a private talk, she had sensed it—he would ask about the matters that kept her awake at night. But knowing her brother, it wasn't only that. There was something deeper he wanted to convey…

"I think this is a watershed moment."

Caules answered simply.

"A watershed? What do you mean?"

"Whether you will be a magus… or remain human."

At last, Caules voiced the question he had long wanted to ask.

Fiore froze slightly, replaying the words in her mind.

"…Are you telling me… to stop being a magus?"

She lowered her gaze and asked softly.

"That choice is for you alone to decide."

Caules' expression was stern, cold, like a true magus. In truth, though her magic circuits were more gifted than his, Fiore knew well that in terms of resolve as a magus, her younger brother surpassed her by far—perhaps by leagues.

Was this the rift between blood relatives within the realm of magecraft?

"Isn't that only natural? How could I—"

"No, Sister. No matter the reason, you cannot bear to let anyone die, can you?"

Caules cut her short before she could reflexively argue back, striking directly at the contradiction within her heart.

"!"

Fiore trembled at his words. As expected of family—he had struck straight at her weakness, the fatal flaw for a magus.

Just as the Shogun had once pointed out to her… Fiore still had not steeled herself regarding life and death. She was still weak.

"But! This is a special case… How could I possibly—"

"No. Even now, you are the same."

"..."

She fell silent. He was right. The pain in her back at this very moment seemed to mock her stubborn pretense. It was undeniable proof.

"…Haa. So it's still no good, Sister. From the very beginning, you've never been suited to be a magus."

"..."

...

She could hardly recall how she even made it back to her room. In a daze, Fiore reached out and opened the door.

Click…

Guiding her wheelchair inside, she closed the door behind her and rolled to the bed. Sitting on its edge was the kimono-clad woman, who lifted her gaze to meet hers.

Fiore, feeling conflicted, averted her eyes. In that moment, she felt unworthy of meeting the Shogun's gaze.

"…Did something happen?"

The Shogun asked softly, sensing something was amiss.

The girl silently shook her head.

"You look pale. What did he say to you?"

The Shogun could read expressions clearly. The girl looked even more weary than before.

"N-no… it's nothing…"

Fiore weakly shook her head.

"…Haa."

The Shogun let out a helpless sigh.

"This vessel is not skilled in comforting others, but… voicing what lies in your heart is always better than burying it."

The gentle words seeped into Fiore's heart like warmth melting frozen ice.

"Uu… mm…"

At that, Fiore suddenly felt so wronged. Under the Shogun's quiet care, her eyes reddened. The feelings she had suppressed for so long overflowed, and tears slid down her cheeks. Before the Shogun, she wept pitifully, silently.

She felt so helpless. She didn't want to let the Shogun see her crying, yet no matter how stubbornly she wiped at her face with the back of her hand, the tears wouldn't stop.

The Shogun, seeing her break down, was momentarily at a loss. What was she supposed to do in this situation?

But as she watched the tears continue to flow, her first instinct was clear: she should wipe them away. Rising from the bed, she hesitated only a moment before stepping in front of Fiore. With her slender fingers, she gently brushed away the girl's tears.

Feeling the gesture awkward, she lowered herself—kneeling before the girl in the wheelchair, abandoning for once her divine bearing. She fumbled at her kimono, but of course found no handkerchief. She had no need of one. But this girl did~

With no other choice, she gathered light into her palm, forming a pale violet handkerchief adorned with natural floral patterns and fragrance. Carefully, she wiped the girl's tear-stained cheeks until at last her crying subsided.

"Mm… hic… I'm sorry… Shogun… I…"

Fiore's face, still flushed, eyes reddened from weeping, and voice tinged with nasal tone, left her wanting nothing more than to crawl into a hole.

"It matters not. Do not hold sorrow in your heart—such weight will harm your body. If you must, let it out in tears."

She placed the handkerchief into Fiore's hand, guiding her to clutch it tight. In that moment, she was not a god, but simply an elder sister listening to her troubles.

Chapter 83: Never Have I Seen Such Shamelessness

"Speaking of Miss Sola, in your study there is still—"

"Enough! Stop!"

Kayneth's expression twisted with rare savagery. Only when struck at his most vulnerable point did this genius reveal such an undignified face.

"Who exactly are you?!"

With his roar, a torrent of mana surged forth, heat rolling over the room and striking at the three people and one beast present. The air itself felt like dry tinder before a blazing fire.

"Planning to fight?" A cold voice cut across the room, carried by an overwhelming surge of power.

Under that boundless magic, the suffocating heat dissipated instantly.

"Oh? To so easily dispel my Protection of the Sun God? Another powerful Servant is here?"

With that voice, Lancer materialized fully in the room. He stepped forward, fully armed, placing himself firmly before Kayneth. His gallant figure, striking features, and piercing gaze radiated a majestic aura, matched by crushing strength.

A single glance at his bearing was enough to understand why such existences were called Heroic Spirits.

Here stood a true hero who had once strode through myth itself. In another path of fate, he could have matched even the King of Heroes head-on.

The sight made El-Melloi, Ritsuka, and Mash recall their first meeting with Kayneth. Their bodies tensed reflexively into defensive stances against this unparalleled Lancer.

But the figure who appeared next drew all eyes.

If Lancer was the blazing sun in the sky, then Satsuki was the black hole of the cosmos.

Black hair, black eyes, black garments.

Everything was black, yet she drew all gazes toward her. Part of this was her flawless beauty, but more so it was the unfathomable depth of her Saint Graph and her transcendent aura.

"We meet again, both of you."

Her presence made Karna's brow furrow. This Servant was among the few in his lifetime who could suppress him directly. Now, with her so close to his Master, the situation had become perilous in an instant.

"So it was you—the mysterious Servant who fought Lancer that night. You're aligned with them?"

Kayneth too recognized her as the one who had fought his Servant to a standstill at the harbor. The calm strength she displayed then had shaken him deeply. It was not mere attraction to her appearance, but true respect for overwhelming might.

Yet, he now seemed to misunderstand.

Satsuki said nothing, only meeting Karna's eyes, offering no explanation.

Her silence Kayneth mistook as tacit admission.

And with that, he realized just how disadvantageous this negotiation had become.

In terms of information and sheer force, he no longer held the upper hand he once assumed.

The golden Solar Shield shifted, Lancer placing it before his Master.

White-haired Lancer and Satsuki exchanged a gaze. Invisible auras clashed, spiritual pressure rising sharply.

Yet neither invoked their Noble Phantasms. Satsuki did not awaken her Tenseigan, and Karna did not conjure his spear.

They faced each other with raw presence alone—no words, no killing intent, no provocation.

It was another kind of statement. Karna's appearance was a wise move: in the wake of his Master's faltering position, he sought to regain balance through sheer strength. Normally, it would have worked.

But with Satsuki cloaked by her particle form and the Vipralopa's concealment, even Karna's Eye of the Poor could not pierce her depths. Instead of easing tensions, his intervention only made the situation tauter.

Fortunately, both negotiators were rational magi. Kayneth understood well he could no longer seize the initiative in this exchange.

"It is indeed true that I will become Lady Reines' proxy," El-Melloi's voice rang out from behind Satsuki. "But I will only be granted that title four years from now."

"And all I have said just now serves only to prove one fact."

"…Oh."

Even Kayneth was not too foolish to miss what the other was implying, though his reaction did surprise El-Melloi slightly.

"To be able to laugh off such a matter… truly befitting the head of the Archibald family."

"Lancer, stand down."

Kayneth dismissed Karna. The Servant gave a slight bow before stepping back. With Satsuki present, even he dared not fully release his manifestation.

Forcing his gaze back onto El-Melloi, Kayneth said, "This talk of time travel—I have indeed heard of researchers obsessed with such pursuits."

"Though personally, I've always considered it a fruitless, foolish endeavor… I would like you to provide an explanation sufficient for me to understand."

His shock was ebbing, replaced once more with calm. When the subject turned to magecraft, his words brimmed with confidence.

"From its effects, it borders on the domain of True Magic. Hardly something a second- or third-rate magus could ever wield alone."

Thus, the two magi exchanged a discussion on the principles of time travel.

Satsuki did not follow their technical terminology, but two key terms caught her attention: the Spiritron Transfer System of Servant summoning and the Spiritron Calculation Engine.

After several minutes, Kayneth came to a realization. "So the rumors of Atlas' experiments were true… but…"

"Yes, and all of these great magical achievements were only made possible thanks to the Archibald family."

El-Melloi began spouting nonsense with a straight face.

"Eh~"

Through the telepathic link came Ritsuka's awkward tone. Even Satsuki understood his thought: Your flattery is a bit too much, isn't it?

Mash noticed her Master's strained expression and quickly reminded him through the link: "Senpai, now's the time for a poker face."

Kayneth's eyes gleamed with doubt. "You mean to say that in the future, the Archibalds achieve such results?"

"Of course. Such great accomplishments could only be achieved thanks to Lord Kayneth's brilliant leadership and oversight. And in the years to come, your position within the Clock Tower will rise immeasurably…"

Coming from a man of the future, any amount of praise could be taken as truth. El-Melloi seemed to grasp Kayneth's pride with uncanny precision.

Even so, his flattery was so blatant that even Mash felt secondhand embarrassment.

Only now did they realize why Chaldea had sent this man—this substitute Lord who was not renowned for strength—to help deal with this aberrant history.

For in his own way, his tongue was a kind of Noble Phantasm.

Even Dr. Roman, watching from afar through Mash's shield, could not help but feel admiration for El-Melloi's eloquence: If Director Olga Marie could hear this from the afterlife, I wonder what kind of face she would make.

"Hmph. I have no ties to Atlas. In fact, I despise those fanatics. I would never cooperate with such pessimists…"

That part fit Kayneth's pride and magus' worldview perfectly.

But then his expression shifted, twisting into something absurdly smug—as though he was pleased but trying, and failing, to hide it.

The once cold, haughty face warped into something completely out of place—no, not out of place, outright broken.

"I see mm-hmm well, perhaps it isn't entirely impossible after all!"

"Eh? Eh~~~!!"

"Are all the Lords of the Clock Tower secretly like this?" Mash buried her face behind her massive shield, struggling not to laugh.

Even Karna looked at his Master with an expression that seemed to ask, Who are you, and what have you done with Kayneth?

Though Kayneth quickly composed himself, the upward curl of his lips and the pride shining in his eyes betrayed him. The sharp arrogance he once exuded was softened considerably.

It made Satsuki reassess him slightly: I didn't expect this 'genius' to be so easily swayed.

Just then, the fire alarm suddenly rang without warning.

"…What's going on? Did something happen?"

Ritsuka Fujimaru muttered nervously, confused. Just then, the phone inside the room began to ring, the caller ID showing the front desk.

Kayneth calmly picked up the receiver and listened to the staff member's words. After he hung up, the sharp light unique to magi returned to his eyes.

"It seems a fire has broken out downstairs. The reception says we must evacuate quickly."

He set down the phone and addressed El-Melloi.

"It appears to be a small fire, but the locations are highly scattered. It looks like arson."

"Seems some Master has targeted Lord Kayneth… though it could also be aimed at our group."

Kayneth snorted dismissively, the unseemly loss of composure from earlier now entirely gone.

"If they wished to strike directly, there would be no need for such theatrics." Satsuki considered briefly, then offered another possibility. "This may be a diversionary tactic, a prelude to the real assault."

El-Melloi thought for a moment, then his expression shifted in alarm. He recalled—this was the prelude to the hotel bombing.

"Lord Kayneth, you and your fiancée must leave with us immediately. Our opponent this time is a cold-blooded killer who will exploit every opportunity."

At the mention of Sola, Kayneth's expression softened noticeably.

"I am already here…"

His fiancée stepped forward: a striking beauty with short crimson hair like blazing fire, yet carrying the chilling aura of an icy queen. She looked younger than Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi, perhaps only around twenty, radiant and alluring.

"Most likely. Perhaps just some impatient fool who witnessed the Warehouse Street battle, now seeking trouble. How amusing. Lancer."

"At your command."

"Lancer, head to the lower floors and engage—"

"No. Lancer should stay to protect you. I will go." Satsuki interjected firmly. "This is clearly a trap meant to divide us. They will have prepared countermeasures for every possibility. At worst, even your well-prepared workshop may not withstand it. The safest option is for you to remain together with El-Melloi and the others."

El-Melloi nodded in agreement. "She's right. If my memory is correct, the enemy should be Kiritsugu Emiya, the so-called 'Magus Killer.' He is perhaps the most lethal opponent a magus could face."

This was not the ancient era, but the modern world armed with firearms. For someone like Kayneth, who relied solely on magecraft—times had changed.

Though retreat was not unprecedented for Kayneth, fleeing without a fight was never his or Lancer's style. Yet when his gaze fell upon his fiancée, he forced his pride down.

"Very well. My workshop has a reserved escape route through the sewers. We must go at once."

With that, Kayneth, Sola, and Lancer led the Chaldean group through the tavern's emergency passage.

Meanwhile, Satsuki's figure blurred as she broke through a window, leaping into the street outside.

The streets were filled with evacuees, while hotel staff checked names on a registry as they guided people to safety.

Then, amidst the noise of the crowd, came faint explosions. The sounds were subtle, difficult to distinguish even for Satsuki amid the chaos.

But the towering hotel groaned with the dreadful sound of concrete and steel tearing apart beneath those blasts.

The civilians realized the change at once, panic spreading as they looked up at the collapsing building. This was no mere accident—it was a full-scale terror attack.

"The hotel's collapsing! Everyone, run—stay with your families and get away!"

The once-lively night market transformed instantly into a hell of fire. Screaming crowds scattered, fleeing the flying debris hurled outward by the blasts, surging frantically toward safer ground.

Satsuki's pupils shifted into the golden glow of the Tenseigan. Sweeping her gaze swiftly across the area, she soon locked onto her target.

Two figures stood alone by the empty seaside.

One of the figures was someone Satsuki recognized well—she had even used her as the template for Angra Mainyu's outward appearance.

The woman wore a silk shawl, knee-high boots, and a silver-fox fur coat, all clearly worth a fortune. She possessed excellent magical circuits, but more importantly, Satsuki could sense a connection between her and the Holy Grail itself.

The other figure was a blonde girl.

Her attire contrasted entirely: a crown upon her head, a blue cloak draped across her shoulders, emerald eyes radiating the dignity of a king. The noble aura blazing from her seemed to ignite the very air.

Without question, this was a powerful Servant. Through the Tenseigan, her identity was laid bare layer by layer.

"We should not be meeting for the first time, should we—King of Knights of Britain?"

Satsuki slowly walked toward them, her form manifesting into solidity.

Almost the very instant she appeared, the Knight King had already stepped before the white-haired woman, one hand raised, something gripped within it.

"The mysterious Servant who fought Lancer that night? Why are you here?"

Satsuki was mildly surprised at her vigilance. That skill—Instinct—was stronger than she had expected.

It was not mere extraordinary perception, but a form of future sight, a baseless yet unerring warning of danger. At the brink of crisis, it would carve open a path of survival even from the jaws of doom.

"To think one who upholds chivalry would aid their Master in doing this."

Her words carried quiet mockery, faint disdain. "Perhaps double standards have always been some nations' traditional art."

The unflinching scorn made the Knight King tighten her grip on the object in her hand. She accepted the rebuke silently, her emerald eyes filled with fury—not directed at Satsuki, but at someone else entirely.

"No. Saber is not here tonight to fight."

The long-haired woman stepped forward. "When she learned of tonight's operation, she begged me to accompany her here, to help save those who might be caught in misfortune."

"Is that so?" Satsuki shifted her gaze away from the silent Knight King. "And you are, madam?"

"Irisviel von Einzbern, Saber's Master in the Fourth Holy Grail War."

The mysterious Servant, standing before them, heard the Knight King finally speak. Her voice matched her noble aura, both stern and gallant.

"Might I make a request of you?"

"No. I am not one to owe favors, nor to leave debts unpaid."

"But…"

Before Saber could finish, Satsuki raised her hand, cutting her off. "I act only on what lies within my own interest."

With that, she swiftly formed hand seals. The golden glow of the Tenseigan flared in her eyes, releasing power that shook the heavens.

Under this overwhelming might, shattered rubble was drawn back together. Even the hotel, its structural core ruined by C4 charges, twisted and reformed beneath her power.

"This… what is this…?"

Even Irisviel, well-versed in magecraft, was struck speechless by the sheer miracle unfolding before her.

It was the same power Satsuki had displayed when restoring the coastal warehouses after her battle with Lancer. Saber too had observed it then, and had already guessed what her request might entail.

But this time, the miracle occurred openly before all. Its impact upon ordinary people would be immense.

Satsuki, however, was unconcerned. Her power did not rely on "mystery."

With little effort, she restored the dead matter around her. Thankfully, the civilians had largely evacuated during the process, so casualties were minimal. It was, all told, a relatively "noble" resolution.

Albeit one far from what the orchestrator had desired.

"Well then, the appetizer is dealt with." Satsuki withdrew the Tenseigan's power, turning her gaze to the Knight King. "Tricks of petty villains ill suit us. But the Holy Grail War continues nonetheless."

As she spoke, battle spirit surged from her. The folding fan in her hand dissolved, reforming as a black sword, which she leveled at the Knight King.

"Now—shall we settle this?"

The Knight King saluted her opponent. In her eyes, no longer hostility, but deep admiration and burning will.

"Mysterious Servant, your deeds embody the highest code of knighthood. To fight you is my honor. Thus, I—Artoria Pendragon, King of Knights of Britain—shall meet you in fair combat."

Chapter 170: The Blade of Vela

Tokyo Settlement, Governor's Palace.

While Area 11's garrisons and Ghettos bustled under the draft for the [Honorary Eleven European Expeditionary Corps], an informal family meeting was taking place—its outcome tied to countless lives and fates.

"The Knightmare production lines in the Ural Industrial Zone have entered operation, officially linked into the Empire's logistical network. Including the currently deployed Fifth-Generation Sutherland units and Sixth-Generation Gloucester Kai models, next cycle's output is projected to rise by 46%."

The stately Governor's Office—spanning two entire floors, with lofty ceilings and lavish décor. The gold-framed paintings on the walls were remnants of the previous Governor. Three princesses sat around the table.

Two in person, one by projection.

On the silk-covered desk rested a marble-patterned holographic display.

"Expendable line-fillers are also an indispensable part of war. Corne—since you are Governor of Area 11, as compensation for drawing manpower from your jurisdiction, Lord Rohn will pass along my gift to you."

The glowing figure spoke, then paused, stirring her tea with a spoon before sipping. "Don't rush to refuse. Think of it as a technical and tactical exchange. After all, with Area 11 being the world's largest Sakuradite reserve and production site, one must grease the palm of the local governor."

"Heh~ A gift without cause means a price to pay."

Cornelia interlaced her fingers under her chin and smirked.

"You've set your sights on the upcoming Sakuradite Production Conference at Lake Kawaguchi, haven't you? I'll say this much: I can influence things from the sidelines to raise Euro Britannia's quota, but the main allotment is fixed. Don't complain if the increase is small."

Sakuradite, indispensable for producing high-temperature superconductors, was a critical strategic resource directly tied to global security. Each year, in the town of Fujikawaguchiko, the conference determined its production and distribution.

One of Britannia's chief motives for conquering Japan was this very resource. But Britannia also exported Sakuradite. At high prices, of course.

Wars raged, but trade went on—openly and covertly. Profits, alongside distant resource cultivation, were nothing to scoff at.

Would Vela, who controlled Northern Asia and most of Eastern Europe, truly lack Sakuradite?

Hardly. Just a pretext.

Even though Area 11 held 70% of global reserves, Siberia's deposits were also substantial. At current consumption rates, enough for Britannia to last centuries.

Cornelia knew well. Vela's words were just courtesy—a gesture of respect.

It also tied into Britannia's energy strategy: even with untapped reserves in the Americas and Europe, the policy was to strip colonies like Area 11 and Middle Eastern Area 18 first, then stockpile the surplus in homeworld depots.

"One can never have too much Sakuradite."

Vela smiled faintly. "But let's set Sakuradite aside. In terms of propaganda effect, the son of a fallen Prime Minister, Suzaku Kururugi, is not enough."

As she spoke, she leaned forward slightly, her indigo eyes suddenly cold.

"Sister, that so-called 'eternal imperial line,' the remnants of Japan's royal family—have they been wiped out?"

"Oh? You noticed?"

Cornelia's expression sharpened as she asked.

"Empire operatives stationed in India, where the Federation is stirring independence, report that Six Houses of Kyōto are commissioning foreign technicians to develop their own Knightmares. Their specs are said to rival the Seventh-Generation prototypes of that 'Earl of Pudding' in the Special Dispatch Guidance and Technology Division."

Vela spoke evenly: "On the surface they aid the Empire, but in secret they back Japan's underground resistance. ZERO is most likely working with them—perhaps even their creation. Clovis, that fool, left these remnants alive. Once the situation stabilized, he let them fatten instead of purging them."

She shook her head.

"That was his governorship…"

"Indeed, Clovis was a fool."

Cornelia did not ask where Vela's intelligence had come from.

The more she unraveled the mess her half-brother had left behind, the more Cornelia felt that Clovis' assassination was no accident.

Old retainers gathering, rebel remnants everywhere, local garrisons acting on their own, nobles wallowing in decadence, Pureblood cliques festering in the military, signs of infiltration from the Federation and even the E.U.'s intelligence agencies…

Even the classified research projects Clovis had funneled resources into had been sabotaged—their results reportedly stolen by terrorists?!

Ah…

This needed a thorough cleansing!

Cornelia's eyes gleamed with ruthless resolve.

"Thank you. I'll handle our incompetent brother's aftermath."

Truth or falsehood hardly mattered. In her plans, Six Houses of Kyōto were destined to be abolished.

What she lacked was the right pretext. Best not to kill without justification. Legitimacy mattered.

For now, Six Houses of Kyōto still served, nominally, as Britannia's collaborators in governing Area 11—intermediaries. If they were discarded too blatantly, it would crush the faint hopes of Elevens aspiring to become Honorary Britannians…

"Royal Sister…"

Across the desk, Euphemia looked worried at the cruelty and coldness in her elder sisters' words.

Between Britannia's two most powerful princesses, a few casual remarks had sealed the fate of families whose lineages stretched back centuries in Japanese history—the Tsuchimikado of the Heian era, the regent-governing clans of the Kamakura era. Six Houses of Kyōto were doomed to become relics of history.

How many families would be broken? How many lives condemned? She could not say.

When Vela and Cornelia shifted from Eastern Front military reforms—firepower superiority doctrine, compensation for conscription—to matters like equipping Second Princess Guinevere's guard with prototype Seventh-Generation Vincent units, then drifted to small talk of Pendragon court gossip, only then did they notice Euphemia's growing gloom.

Vela shot Cornelia a glance.

Such different sisters, in temperament.

"She, living in a world of fairy tales, is unfit for the harsh reality of Area 11. At least for what Area 11 is now."

With this gentle admonition, Vela turned to Euphemia.

"Euphie, life is no ballad. One day, you may be gravely disappointed."

"Forgive me. Euro Britannia's affairs keep me too busy to visit Area 11. And the Far East's situation is too volatile—I won't fan the flames unless it's to launch a full purge of the islands."

"If you have time, you should come to Northern Europe for a change of pace."

As she prepared to end the call, Euphemia suddenly spoke up.

"Vela, will you treat the [Honorary Eleven European Expeditionary Corps] on the Eastern Front equally?"

"…Sigh."

Cornelia rubbed her forehead, brow twitching slightly, her mature, beautiful face filled with helplessness.

On the holographic display, Vela's hand paused mid-motion. She let out a sigh, then leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs, folding her hands over her lap.

"I won't lie to you, Euphie."

Her tone was steady, unwavering.

"The answer is no. I am Britannia's Third Princess, heir to the throne, ruler and sovereign of the Britannians. Every decision I make must be from that standpoint, with reason."

"Area 11 accounts for less than one percent of the Empire's vast dominion. Aside from Sakuradite and its strategic location, its weight in imperial administration is negligible."

At her words, Euphemia's eyes dimmed.

"Royal Sister, your 'negligible' is everything they have."

"I know."

Vela sipped her tea calmly.

"That is why—I will reward merit."

"Although Honorary Britannians of Area 11 begin lower than true citizens and face harsher trials—and though ZERO's assassination of Clovis ensures their promotion ceiling won't change for years—I will still give them a chance. On the battlefield, they can prove their loyalty and courage to the Empire, become my blade, and slaughter those treacherous compatriots who chose the E.U., crushing the Empire's enemies. Forged, tempered, they will emerge reborn as true Britannians!"

"Their families will be accepted into imperial society. The rights of citizens will open to them."

"No privileges, no favoritism. But pensions, death benefits, and paths of advancement—I will personally ensure them."

Vela fixed her gaze on Euphemia, who was still processing her explanation of the Merit-Based Elevation Policy.

"Euphie, I know your compassion and kindness. These are not wrong. But kindness alone is useless."

"I want you to restrain your impulses. Some things cannot be solved in one stroke. That extraordinary right—we each only have once. Once returned, once surrendered, it is gone forever."

The cold voice from the speaker pulled Euphemia back from her secret thoughts, ones she had barely dared form, not yet shaped into a plan. Her expression wavered, eyes darting as though to hide—but in the end, she met Vela's gaze with stubborn resolve.

A strong, unyielding stare.

Vela only smiled.

"That is all. Euphie, remember these words."

The holographic board, crafted in Euro Britannia at no cost spared, replicated her features perfectly—every detail of her face, the solemn indigo of her eyes meeting Euphemia's soft violet.

"All Hail Britannia!"

Vela spoke.

Beep… Beep…

The image vanished. Vela had ended the call.

Only Euphemia remained, her shoulders trembling.

"Euphie, that 'right' Vela spoke of—do you mean to renounce your succession? For those numbered Elevens?!"

Cornelia's harsh voice cut from behind her.

The Witch of Britannia's face no longer carried its usual calm poise. Staring at her sister, she looked ready to lash out.

The right of succession—granted to every legitimate child of the royal family at birth.

It was not only the qualification to become Emperor, but a symbol of royal privilege. To hold it meant that even without inheriting the throne, you remained a royal, life secured unless you brought ruin upon yourself.

In special cases, it could be used as currency—like a royal pardon, a decree, a blank check signed by the Emperor himself.

But only once. Afterward, legally, you were no different from a commoner. How many still acknowledged you would depend on personal ties.

"Euphie, banish that thought! I won't allow it! Nor will Mother!"

Cornelia knew well her sister's anguish over Britannia's wars of conquest and its racial hierarchy. She knew Euphemia's grand wish—that all people live equally and happily.

But—

A few visits to the Ghettos, to the slums, and for Elevens who had assassinated Clovis, you would consider this?

No. Such dangerous ideas could not be allowed, not even the slightest trace.

"You're far too willful, Euphie! I'll send you back—"

"Forgive me, Sister."

Choking, Euphemia lowered her head under Cornelia's fiercest glare.

Knock, knock.

The sudden, polite knocking broke the silence.

"Your Highness, Lord Rohn has arrived."

It was Gilbert G.P. Guilford, Cornelia's Knight.

"Enter."

Taking a deep breath, Cornelia forced her composure back, though she shot Euphemia one last glare. "Reflect."

Creak—

The door opened. A bespectacled man with long black hair tied in a ponytail stepped in.

Cornelia and Euphemia turned, watching as a towering figure followed Guilford inside.

The man wore a specially tailored pure-white knight's uniform, draped with a cloak permitted only to twelve in the whole of Britannia.

His identity needed no words: the Eighth Knight of the Round, Albrecht von Lohengramm.

He hailed from the Hohenzollern-led faction of military nobility. Alongside the Fifth Knight of the Round, Moltke, he stood as one of the Empire's blades openly aligned with the Third Princess.

"Princess Cornelia, Princess Euphemia."

After saluting, Lohengramm briskly handed Cornelia a datapad.

"This is Princess Vela's list of gifts in return."

Cornelia accepted the device, scrolling through its contents.

"Seventh-Generation Vincent… What's this? A special forces unit of cybernetic soldiers, rehabilitated veterans, cyborgs? UAV operators—this reconnaissance efficiency… Hmph. Autonomous robots?"

As she read the project summaries, Cornelia's expression grew increasingly strange. Tch.

...

Meanwhile, in Pendragon.

Camelot Palace.

"All Hail Britannia."

Expressionless, Vela sipped her tea.

She was reminding Euphemia.

Do you understand where your rights and position come from, if you wish to play the great philanthropist transcending nation and race?

Compassion was not impossible—but the timing was not ripe.

Recalling Euphemia's idea: as a Britannian princess, to trade her succession rights in exchange for cabinet approval of an Administrative Special Zone. To restore the name "Japan," abolish Britannian privileges and jurisdiction within its borders.

But such a zone itself was born of privilege.

This path was unstable. Unsustainable.

Most Britannians would resent her. The Elevens would not remain grateful for long.

Desire could never be sated.

A few years of peace might follow, perhaps a decade. But when the next generation grew? Demands would rise—expand the zone's borders, loosen the eligibility, spread prosperity wider. In time, it would become a cradle of independence, and at the end, war.

Assimilation remained the true course—striking with the stick, soothing with the sweet date, breaking identities and reforging classes.

Vela bore Euphemia no malice. Kindness was precious, always. She was no hypocrite—what she believed, she would act on, and if you fell she would help you. No double standards. But realistically? A harmless ornament.

Her stage should be diplomacy, public relations, softening Britannia's image.

Enough. The warning was delivered. She had done her part.

Just then, a soft rustle and a gentle woman's voice came from behind her.

"Vee, finished with your talk with little Corne and little Euphie? Then you're returning to your frontlines?"

In Camelot Palace, only one woman could speak to Vela in such a tone.

Princess Consort Victoria Adelheid.

"Yes, Mother."

Vela turned, straightened, and smiled as she embraced her.

"The night before last, what did you and your father talk about? All night without pause. And this morning you went to Avalon Palace again, only back by midday."

Victoria's delicate fingers gently straightened Vela's cravat and uniform buttons as she asked curiously.

"Some issues of military reform, and authorizations for expanding the E.U. war. I call it Grand Artillery Doctrine. Saturation bombardment. The path of automation and unmanned systems. And minor matters, like differentiated merit elevation policies."

Recalling her discussion with the old Emperor, Vela answered.

The 'artillery' in question was not just cannons and tubes.

It meant missiles, rocket barrages, multipurpose man-portable breaching warheads—faithful old chemical-explosive arms. And it meant railguns, phase-shift diffusion cannons, charged particle guns, hadron weapons—the new frontier of high-energy arms.

"Grand Artillery Doctrine…"

Victoria gave her daughter a sidelong look.

"You've always loved things grand, unified, shining bright and loud. Like a dragon."

Vela laughed it off.

Once her mother finished fastening her cloak, Vela grabbed the folder from the table, flicked her cape back, and smiled boldly.

"Mother, next time I return, I'll bring you Kyiv."

She had nearly said Warsaw, but thought better of it. Warsaw was too formidable—headquarters of the E.U. Eastern Front, fortress-city hardened for decades. Without nukes or a FLEIJA warhead, it could not be taken swiftly. So she chose Kyiv instead.

Stepping out through Camelot's gates, as her guards bowed and opened the car door, Vela glanced at the folder in her hands.

—[AREA 11 Honorary Britannian Files]—

ID: 11th Army, No. 14107.

Rank: Private First Class.

Name: Suzaku Kururugi.

Ethnicity: Former Yamato.

Sex: Male.

Date of Birth: Imperial Calendar 2000, July 10.

...

"Notify Lohengramm. Bring back my Eleven Expeditionary Corps at once. Selective, but aim to fill the first quota of 3,000."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Vela entered the car.

It was time to return to her dominion.

Chapter 251: Vill-V’s Yandere Personality, the Garuda Honkai Beast

"Of course. But aside from overwhelming firepower, the appearance is also crucial. If it's not cool enough, I won't use it."

"No problem, leave it to me. Trust in the aesthetic sense of the greatest magician of the century! Hmph, hmph, inspiration is surging, my brain is trembling! I already have a great idea, Elias—just wait a few days and come to Helixcraft to pick it up!"

Vill-V clutched the Herrscher Core like a treasure and was about to head for the transport plane, but Elias grabbed her by the collar and pointed at the speechless Himeko lying nearby.

"Don't forget to take her back."

"Oh right, right, almost forgot~"

Vill-V quickly snapped back. In her eyes, the Herrscher herself wasn't nearly as important as the Core. The former was just another inmate for her prison, while the latter was essential material for greater creations.

This great inventor was now brimming with motivation.

When she had seen Elias wield her Abyss Flower to save thirty-five million people in Australia, her heart had swelled with joy and pride.

Now she was desperate to forge more Divine Keys, just to watch Elias wield them with his brilliance~.

Suddenly, Vill-V fell into a very particular state.

(As expected, Elias really is the best! My inventions only reach perfection in his hands! Only he can wield the Divine Keys I create with such ease. Herrschers? The more the better! Hand over all your Cores—I'll craft an arsenal of Divine Keys for Elias, and then, and then I'll…)

"Hm? Vill-V, Vill-V? Are you alright?"

Elias frowned. The magician's sudden silly grin and unsettling expression sent a chill down his spine.

Did the magician personality have this kind of side too? Vill-V, your eyes were literally sparkling with hearts just now!

"Ah? Uh, I'm fine, cough. Anyway, I'll head back now. Elias, remember to come find me in a few days."

Vill-V hurriedly waved him off and dragged Himeko away, her heart pounding wildly as she shouted inwardly:

(Don't interfere with me like that, rookie!)

[Sorry, I just can't help it when I see Elias. After all, I was born for him. Forgive me, magician senpai.] A polite voice echoed in Vill-V's mind.

(It's Great Magician! And while I understand your feelings, don't go overboard. From what I know, Elias has a pretty wide acceptance range, but rookie, your personality is way too dangerous. It's better if you don't meet him yet.) The magician personality answered with a complicated expression.

[Magician, I'll kill you. Believe it or not, next time I'll tamper with your stage props, slip a Honkai energy bomb inside your escape trick.]

(…You were just calling me senpai a moment ago, and now this? Also, we share one body! If I die, won't you die too?!)

[Oh, you're right… then I'll just think of a way to kill all the other Vill-Vs in our mind until only I remain.]

"You damn yandere personality, this is exactly why we never let you out!!!"

Inside the transport plane, Vill-V bashed her head against the seat in frustration. This new personality—whether born from the Self or the Conductor—was utterly maddening.

After all, she was Vill-V, the woman with eight lunatics crammed into one body. Now nine.

But even with that, the only way to describe this newcomer was terrifyingly extreme. That alone showed how dangerous she was.

The rookie's traits: genius, and obsessed with Elias.

Sounds normal enough, right? With those two traits, the other Vill-Vs had expected a super smooth, all-around romance master. Someone with Elysia-level charm who could easily captivate Elias, help Vill-V rise to glory, maybe even challenge Miss Pink Elf's position.

However, because of limited (brain) memory, Vill-V no longer had the spare mental capacity to cut out a proper "love genius" personality.

After all, she couldn't just sacrifice one of the other personalities, right?

All of them shared one brain, and usually, the seven Vill-V personalities got along fairly well.

And to create a personality capable of surpassing even Elysia in love, they had all agreed it would take at least two or three times the usual mental capacity.

But just when the Magician, Expert, Occultist, Flavorful, and Model-15 Vill-Vs had decided to let the matter drop…

The very next day, [Yandere Genius Vill-V] was born!

Since all of them were geniuses, they instantly understood how a new genius personality had been created without expanding their shared mental capacity.

The answer: Pure Evil's mental field!

Although there were eight personalities, each of the others—Magician, Expert, and so on—only occupied one-sixteenth of the mental field. Pure Evil, however, monopolized half!

And so, [Yandere Genius Vill-V] was cut out of Pure Evil's field.

She was indeed a genius. But because Pure Evil's mental field was steeped in darkness—stuffed with extreme and negative elements—the "love" attribute twisted into "yandere."

Magician: "Confess! Which one of you did this?! Was it [Conductor] or [Self]? You two are the only ones who can open new accounts!"

Conductor: "Not me."

Self: "Not me either."

All Vill-Vs: "…" x5

Great. No way to tell who was lying. They nearly forgot—they themselves were genius fraudsters. If they said they weren't lying, even the other Vill-Vs couldn't tell for sure.

And both Conductor and Self had higher authority than the normal personalities.

Among the Vill-V collective, they were the admin-type and group-leader-type personalities. Even if the culprit was exposed, the rest had no power to punish them.

Magician: "Damn it! One day, evil will be brought to justice!"

(Pure Evil: "Bloop~")

Expert: "Ahem, given the danger of [Yandere], I recommend installing a Honkai energy bomb inside our body."

Flavorful: "While planting a bomb in ourselves is hard to comment on… maybe it really is necessary."

Model-15: "Mmhm, [Yandere] is too dangerous. By the way, when will it be my turn again? I came up with new moves I want to try against Elias."

Yandere (suddenly appearing): "Did someone mention Elias? Add me into the chat~ Hm? Model-15, you want to fight him? I'll kill you (￣︶￣)!"

Magician: "Ah, I forgot this one also has partial authority. Self, Conductor—you cut it out! But why allocate so much memory to her? Don't you realize this could cause trouble? Actually—too late, it already has!"

Although [Yandere] didn't gain admin authority, she had been cut directly from nearly half of Pure Evil's field. Her share was larger than any other Vill-V.

This allowed her to interfere whenever another personality came online—she could force her way in too, just like she had with the Magician today.

In short, [Yandere] could literally pull off, "I'm strong, so I'm online too."

Magician & Expert: "We have to find a way to deal with her, or it's too dangerous!"

Occultist & Flavorful: "You two are only panicking because you're closest to Elias. You're afraid that when you're with him doing those kinds of things, [Yandere] will suddenly take over and steal the moment!"

Yandere: "Hahaha hahahaha I'll wipe you all out sooner or later! Elias is mine!"

No matter how you looked at it, [Yandere] was unbelievably dangerous—even more than Mobius' brand of yandere! At least when you cut open that snake, she was green inside.

But [Yandere] cut open? Only black.

And she truly was capable of doing absolutely anything.

Just as she had said before, Yandere Vill-V didn't care about the Honkai at all. While ordinary people of the Previous Era feared Herrschers, she actually hoped for more of them to appear!

That way, she could gather more Herrscher Cores and craft more Divine Keys for Elias.

If the Honkai ever said to her: "Help me destroy the world, and I'll leave you and Elias alive as Adam and Eve," she might actually agree on the spot.

Magician: "She's a walking bomb! Absolutely must not let Elias see her! Honestly, this is nothing less than a black-history personality. Self! Use your authority and delete her already!"

And most importantly, just like the other Vill-Vs, the Yandere was a super genius!

She could be an engineering master like the Expert, or a biological genius like Mobius.

With three times the mental field of the others, she was easily the most talented among them all. And with no moral restraints, her mind was filled solely with thoughts of Elias.

If her danger still wasn't clear, then imagine this: if, by some chance—

Elias died.

Then [Yandere] would become another Otto in an instant!

Or worse. Because Vill-V was far more of a genius than Otto ever was.

Self: "Ah… oops. Looks like I accidentally created an incredible disaster. I'll just pretend I don't know. Though… should I tell everyone? I can't delete Yandere anymore."

The 'true Vill-V' muttered to herself in her private channel. Yes, it was she who had cut out Yandere! And she had completely lost control of it.

For now, [Yandere] wasn't completely free, since if the majority of personalities denied her, she couldn't take full control of the body.

But she was without question a massive potential threat.

Like a group chat where a new admin appeared—one who couldn't be muted, couldn't be kicked, and could even temporarily hijack other accounts to log in. Clearly, she was a bomb waiting to go off.

"Ugh, why do I always fail…"

The Self Vill-V curled up in her mental chamber, rolling around in frustration. Compared to the others' confidence and poise, her dejected, self-loathing appearance was striking.

But this was the real Vill-V.

A genius consumed by inferiority.

Though among the personalities, Elias was closest to the Magician, Expert, and Conductor, the others also liked him in their own ways.

The Self was no exception. But she was far too insecure to express her feelings openly. Instead, like before, she thought she could create a self who was skilled at love.

And once again… she had only created a lunatic.

Self: "N-no, don't panic! There must be another way. I have to deal with Yandere before Elias finds out!"

...

"Emmm, Vill-V seemed a little strange today. Could it be she cut out another new personality, and it backfired again? Haha~"

Elias looked in the direction of the departing transport, a strange sense that she was running away.

Boom—!

A massive explosion echoed across the sky.

"Oh? They're still fighting. Really slow."

While Elias fought the Herrscher of Fire, Kevin and the others were fighting the Garuda Honkai Beast.

But at this point, all four of them wanted to curse. This beast was outrageous.

Garuda still hovered in the sky, even though its lower body had been sliced off by Sakura. Yet despite being cut in half, the beast refused to die.

It spat out waves of scorching flames while dodging Elysia's crystal arrows. And all the while, its lower body was visibly regenerating.

"This is way, way, way too hard to deal with! Seriously, is this thing really the Herrscher of Fire's companion beast, and not the Herrscher of Death's?!"

Elysia couldn't help but complain as she shook out her right hand. She had already fired thousands of crystal arrows, and her fingers were sore.

...

"Good, good, good! What a perfect punching bag! Way better than that so-called Herrscher of Ice. So come on, stupid bird! Stop flying around up there—come down here and kill me if you dare!"

"Kalpas, save your strength. Elysia, looks like this one's up to you."

"Yeah, good luck. We believe in you."

Kevin and Sakura gave the pink elf a thumbs-up, then quietly switched into spectator mode.

It wasn't that they didn't want to help. They simply couldn't fly.

Ever since Garuda had tried to dive down and was sliced in half by Sakura in a single stroke, it had refused to descend again.

Among the four of them, only Elysia fought at range. Unfortunately, while her crystal arrows were extremely powerful, they were poorly suited against Garuda.

The Judgement-class beast's body was unbelievably tough, its speed high, and its regenerative powers seemingly endless. It even appeared to have some kind of death-lock ability.

Elysia: "Ughhh, how long do I have to keep scratching it like this? Damn it, come down here if you've got the guts!"

Garuda: "Screee!!" (I won't! Come up here if you've got the guts!)

Though still a beast, Garuda had a spark of intelligence. It could sense the massive threat radiating from the four humans.

That single stroke from Sakura that cleaved its body in half—it hadn't even had time to react. And the others were no weaker.

Instinct screamed at it: if it went down again, it would never rise back up.

Lucky for it these four couldn't fly!

But just then, the flaming bird suddenly felt a chill and hastily flew higher.

"Not done yet? I've already finished over here."

"Great, Elias, you're here!"

The white-haired boy strolled over leisurely. Elysia immediately dropped her bow and arrows and leapt into his arms.

"Sorry, Elias. I'm useless."

"Eh~ as you can see, it's tricky. If we can get it down to about a hundred meters, I can freeze it instantly."

"Hmph! I swear I'll break its wings!"

Sakura, Kevin, and Kalpas all felt embarrassed. They had assumed they could take down a Judgement-class beast easily, but after all this time, they still hadn't managed.

It seemed they'd have to rely on Elias after all.

"For it to last this long against you guys, it's not weak. But that's better—after all, Hua's been waiting a long time. If it were too weak, I'd feel bad."

Elias stared up at the giant flaming bird with satisfaction.

Flying gave Garuda an advantage, but surviving ten whole minutes against those four was impressive in itself.

"Elias, how are you going to deal with it? This thing's way stronger than the Herrscher of Fire. Its health is insane!"

"No problem. I'll deal with it like this."

Elias spoke as the Key of Judgment: Seven Thunders of Retribution in his hands shifted shape, transforming from a sleek scythe into a high-tech sniper rifle.

He aimed carefully at Garuda, then pulled the trigger.

Bang—!

A crack of thunder split the air. A violet bolt shot forth, too fast to dodge, and struck the giant flaming bird in the sky.

"SCREEE—!!"

Garuda shrieked as it plummeted to the earth.

Before the stunned eyes of the four warriors, it was instantly slain.

Elias: "All done. Job's finished."

Chapter 557: Shizuka Absolutely Refuses to Admit She’s Jealous

After getting out of bed, Yukino Yukinoshita gave Kotomi Izumi, who was still sitting on the mattress, a puzzled look and asked:

"Still not getting up? Even though there's plenty of time, if you don't hurry a little, by the time we finish breakfast and go to school, we'll still be cutting it close."

Kotomi scratched her cheek with her fingertip, giving an embarrassed little laugh. Then she opened her phone and showed Yukino the time.

Yukino froze when she saw it, hardly believing her eyes. She quickly grabbed her own phone to check—but the time was the same. They had overslept. Completely. They were already very late.

"Sorry, I just woke up too, I didn't notice the time. I forgot to set my alarm last night," Kotomi said apologetically. Yukino was a model student—she had never once been late.

But after spending the night with Kotomi, she was late for the first time in her life. Her very first tardy was because of Kotomi… well, that's not so bad, Yukino thought to herself. For some reason, she almost smiled, though it looked halfway like a sigh of resignation. She wasn't angry at Kotomi at all. Her voice was gentle as she said:

"Since we're already this late, we might as well forget about the morning classes. I'll make breakfast, and you call Hiratsuka-sensei to ask for leave. After lunch, we can head to school."

"Got it."

Kotomi agreed instantly, without a second thought. But as she was scrolling through her contacts to find Shizuka Hiratsuka's number, she suddenly realized something and asked curiously:

"Yukino, why are you so confident that I'll be able to get Hiratsuka-sensei to approve my leave?"

For Kotomi, getting leave from Shizuka was ridiculously easy. But only she and Shizuka knew why. How had Yukino figured it out?

"I always thought your relationship with Hiratsuka-sensei was quite good. Plus, you've ranked first in Tokyo twice now. Even if it's not through a parent, if you go directly to your homeroom teacher to ask for leave, she'd turn a blind eye and let it slide, wouldn't she?" Yukino said calmly.

"Congratulations, that's exactly right. I'll ask for leave, and I'll add your name too. I've already thought of an excuse—we'll just say we had a study session at your place all day yesterday, then spent the night, and forgot to set our alarms before bed."

Kotomi had always been good at coming up with excuses, even when they were baseless. And in this case, it wasn't entirely made up—she really had forgotten to set her alarm. She only stretched the truth by adding that she'd been at Yukino's house all day studying.

After all, aside from Yui and Yukino, no one knew she had actually gone singing at karaoke with Yui for half the day.

Scrolling through a contact list full of beautiful older sisters and thoughtful younger girls, Kotomi finally found Shizuka Hiratsuka's number.

Don't misunderstand—most of those contacts weren't ones she had added herself. It was just that she was too pretty. Whether at school or out in town, she only had to linger for a bit and countless people would strike up conversations. Faced with the enthusiasm of older sisters and younger girls alike, Kotomi felt too shy to refuse, so she simply saved them all.

While Kotomi waited for Shizuka to pick up, Yukino didn't sit idle. She went to the bathroom for a quick wash, then headed into the kitchen to cook.

Tap-tap-tap—the sound of chopping. Bubble-bubble—the sound of something boiling. Kotomi's stomach growled at the noises alone, saliva almost spilling over.

"Oi, little witch, finally awake?" came Shizuka's exasperated voice when the line connected.

It was Monday morning, and the first period had been her Japanese class.

She hadn't seen Kotomi for two whole days, and had been looking forward to today's class. She had even come in early, pretending to grade papers in the classroom just so she could watch her student a little longer.

But she had waited all morning, through first period, and still there was no sign of Kotomi. Nor of Yukino. That left Shizuka scratching her head, utterly baffled.

Both of them were top students in Class 1-F. If you had to guess which one was more likely to skip class, there was no question—it would be Kotomi Izumi.

From the very first monthly exam, it had been obvious that Kotomi wasn't just thinking about skipping class—she was figuring out how to do it openly.

But Yukino was completely different. She spent breaks quietly reading at her desk, like a silent iceberg. The only times she left were to use the restroom or buy a drink. Though she sometimes snuck peeks at books during lessons, most of the time she listened attentively. She was the perfect model student.

Kotomi being late or skipping class didn't surprise Shizuka Hiratsuka at all. But Yukino? Who would believe that?

So during break, she even asked Yui Yuigahama if she knew where they were.

Of course Yui didn't. She was staring at their empty seats with confusion herself, wondering why the two of them had both been absent on a Monday morning.

Ugh, so jealous. I wish I could be the one who's late with Kotomi! Yui thought, her heart aching with envy.

Shizuka knew Yui probably didn't know their reason. She had only asked symbolically. Originally, she considered asking Megumi Kato, but for some reason today this usually invisible girl's expression was so cold it was frightening.

It scared even Shizuka away from approaching her.

Just as she was about to call Kotomi and Yukino's parents, her phone buzzed with a call—from Kotomi herself.

Seeing Kotomi's name, Shizuka felt relieved, letting out a quiet sigh. She hadn't been at ease all morning. For all her scheming to skip class, Kotomi wouldn't ever skip without telling her. That wasn't her style.

Relief was followed by a pang of resentment. But Shizuka would never admit it was because she had walked into class Monday morning and felt disappointed not to see her little witch Kotomi there.

When the call connected, her tone was sharp, but the words might as well have been: I'm not happy.

Kotomi easily picked up on it, of course. She always could. Without wasting time, she adjusted her tone and smoothly gave the excuse she had prepared:

"Good morning, Shizuka-sensei~ No need to dwell on it, I really am late today! And Yukino's late with me too! To be honest, we just woke up."

The way Kotomi phrased it was far too easy to misinterpret. Shizuka nearly bit her tongue in shock.

Thankfully, Kotomi continued right away, filling in the rest.

Otherwise, Shizuka might actually have dragged the two of them to her office later to lecture them about prioritizing studies in high school. Love was sweet, yes, but they couldn't drown in it. There was a time and place for everything.

And… Shizuka felt just the tiniest bit jealous. Not that she would ever admit it.

"Yesterday was Sunday, right? After the midterms, I realized I had a lot of gaps in my knowledge. So I arranged with Yukino to have a study session at her house. Studying really is both grueling and fulfilling~ Without realizing it, we worked from eight in the morning until nine at night.

"Then last night, it poured rain. I had no choice but to stay over at Yukino's place.

"Before bed, we even quizzed each other on English vocabulary. We got so absorbed that when we finally turned out the lights, we completely forgot to set our alarms for the next morning."

Shizuka Hiratsuka stayed silent, listening as Kotomi rattled off her excuse from beginning to end. But when Shizuka still didn't respond, Kotomi began to feel uneasy. Was the leave approved or not?

When Kotomi finally finished, both she and Shizuka fell into silence. Kotomi thought about speaking again but hesitated, deciding instead to hold her tongue and wait for Shizuka to respond first.

After a few minutes, Shizuka cleared her throat and slowly said:

"You gave that excuse so smoothly—you must have rehearsed it in your head beforehand. I hadn't even asked yet, and you already rushed through the whole story. I couldn't get a word in. If I had spaced out for a second, I might have approved it without even realizing."

Her tone was playful, but the meaning was clear.

"So… is it approved?" Kotomi cut straight to the point.

"Nope," Shizuka teased. She thought there was nothing more entertaining than toying with Kotomi, so she pretended to deny the request, just to hear Kotomi soften her tone and beg.

"Pleaseee~ Come on, we're already late. Even if I run to school now, I still won't make it in time. It's only half a day anyway, I'll be there for the afternoon classes!"

Kotomi didn't disappoint. At once, her blunt, straightforward tone turned into soft, playful whining.

Shizuka felt a tingle of delight, thoroughly enjoying it. She loved hearing Kotomi's coquettish voice. Though of course, she would never admit it.

"Ugh… can you stop with that habit of pouting every time I say no? Out in society, people won't cut you slack just because you're cute or know how to act spoiled. That's your teacher speaking—did you hear me, Kotomi?"

Shizuka deliberately adopted the weighty tone of a teacher lecturing her student across the desk.

After the 'lesson,' she changed her tone:

"Even if I told you to hurry to school, by the time you arrived, the morning classes would already be nearly over.

If I remember right, Yukino's address in the contact book was Gegu Apartments, wasn't it? Those luxury apartments are quite a distance from school.

Fine, since you and Yukino had a study session yesterday and overdid it, I'll approve it this time. But this is the first and last. If you dare be this late again, I'll call your parents."

Of course, "calling the parents" was something Shizuka often tossed out as a joke when scolding Kotomi. She had threatened it many times but never actually done it.

Though, at the last sports festival, that "calling the parents" had turned into literally meeting the parents.

"Yay, thank you, Shizuka-sensei, love you~" Kotomi chirped, even adding a playful mua.

That simple sound, delivered through the phone, nearly made Shizuka's knees buckle in excitement, all traces of teacherly composure gone.

After hanging up, Kotomi headed to the bathroom to wash up. Fresh and invigorated, she emerged, wearing Yukino's pajamas. Last night, she had gone to bed without any clothes at all, though she hadn't told Yukino. At some point, after Yukino had fallen asleep, Kotomi had quietly woken, slipped off both her pajamas and underwear, and gone back to bed nude.

With the lights off, Yukino hadn't realized the girl holding her hand all night was completely unclothed.

As Kotomi bent to wash her face, she moved carefully. The fabric across her chest was tight—even with the buttons undone, it still strained. She had to keep her motions small, afraid that the buttons might pop off Yukino's pajamas at any moment.

As she approached the kitchen, a warm, comforting aroma drifted into her nose.

Is Yukino making noodles?

Kotomi twitched her little nose, judging from the smell that Yukino was indeed cooking noodles for her.

Soon, Yukino walked out of the kitchen carrying two bowls of steaming egg noodles. She knew very well that although Kotomi looked stunning, her appetite was far bigger than most people's.

So Kotomi's bowl wasn't just the biggest one in the house—it was filled to the brim, with three poached eggs on top.

"Kotomi, the noodles are ready. Eat slowly, they're hot."

Kotomi sat down at the dining table and picked up her chopsticks.

The noodles Yukino made gave off a rich aroma. Scallions were sprinkled as garnish, and besides the poached eggs, there were also roasted shrimp.

So that was why Kotomi had heard the oven earlier—Yukino had taken shrimp from the freezer, roasted them, and peeled them one by one.

But Yukino also knew Kotomi disliked scallions. At school, whenever Kotomi bought a lunchbox with scallions, she would always find an excuse to hand it to Yui instead.

So her bowl had no scallions. Instead, it was topped with poached eggs, blanched greens, and an abundance of shrimp.

Out of ten shrimp, nine were in Kotomi's bowl.

Even Kotomi felt a bit embarrassed. "Yukino, let me give you a few."

"No need. I don't like shrimp. You do, so eat more. If it's not enough, there's still more in the pot," Yukino said with a shake of her head.

Kotomi's bowl was massive. Most girls would be full before finishing even half of it.

But Kotomi… after finishing her bowl, she really was ready to get more from the pot.

She lifted a mouthful of noodles with her chopsticks. The rich taste of egg noodles instantly stirred memories deep within her—the memories of her second life.

In that life, she had been born and raised in a mid-sized city. The cost of living wasn't too high, but it wasn't exactly cheap either.

After her parents died, as Ailun, he had carried the burden of supporting the family alone. Getting into a top university was never his expectation—he only hoped to score well enough on the entrance exam to get into a decent one.

After school each day, he had to set aside time to work. It had been a truly grueling time—finishing classes only to head straight to work, pushing himself to earn enough so he wouldn't fall behind on tuition.

Every night he got off work close to midnight. Starving, he would stop by the supermarket to buy a bag of cheap dried noodles—enough to last several days.

At home, he'd pull a couple of eggs from the fridge, boil some water, and cook himself a simple bowl of egg noodles, with some mildly spicy pickled mustard greens on the side. And it was delicious.

The egg noodles he made in that second life were worlds apart from Yukino's. Just plain noodles and a single poached egg. Eggs were expensive; he had to ration them. If he could add a few vegetables, that would make it a luxurious bowl.

A bowl like Yukino's, with shrimp added, was something he wouldn't even have dared to dream of back then.

And yet, those humble noodles, eaten with red-oil pickles, had warmed his lonely stomach through countless nights.

As he ate, Kotomi remembered so many fragments of that life—and remembered the one he had met back then.

Whether it was because of those memories, or simply because she was starving now, Kotomi devoured every last bite of Yukino's egg noodles, down to the final drop of broth.

Chapter 645: Zeratul: Dragon! A Great Dragon!

"Zeratul, if you die, or if your Protoss' little secrets are exposed, you'll have no one to blame but yourself."

In the dark, organic chamber of the Leviathan, the former Terran Sarah Louise Kerrigan—now the Queen of Blades, Zerg's sovereign—sneered coldly at the Dark Prelate of the Protoss Nerazim, the Dark Templars.

"Kerrigan, the conflicts between us are meaningless now. Whispers echo across the stars—an unstoppable storm is forming. It will sweep through, destroying all."

"The entire galaxy will soon be consumed by fire… humans, Protoss, even Zerg. None will escape."

Zeratul said little more. He calmly walked past the bristling Hydralisks and sat down on a chair of creep-like membrane.

These structures, like networks of nerves, functioned as bio-computers, their advanced biology mimicking Protoss nerve clusters.

It was like when Zeratul slew the cerebrate Zasz of the Garm brood. Killing Zasz had triggered a psionic link between Zeratul and the Overmind. That link revealed secrets on both sides—the Overmind learned from Zeratul's mind the precise coordinates of Aiur, the Protoss homeworld. It led directly to the Battle of Aiur.

The Protoss lost. Their homeworld was ravaged. Their unity shattered.

Every recollection of that reckless act filled Zeratul with bitter regret. He understood Kerrigan's veiled warning, but… there was no time.

"The final twilight dims. Humanity's strength falters. Kerrigan… in the darkness, only we remain. Our time is short. Now is the time to unite… against the cruel fate that approaches."

Emerald eyes flashed briefly with profound pain, but Zeratul quickly contained it. He could not allow the sacrifice of the Protoss warriors to be in vain. Raising his head, he looked at the Terran woman before him.

"Do you remember our first meeting? Your future has already been foretold. You are part of the climax, but not its end. You will be shown the path forward, and you will take it. The past has been rewritten, but it no longer matters. You are not the master. Your existence is only to provide the necessary command."

"The dark echo—Amon." He spoke solemnly. "I must see for myself whether the great enemy destroying the Swarm is Amon's pawn. This is of grave importance."

"Then let us begin."

Seeing the stubborn old Protoss prepared, Kerrigan readied the connection.

She had given her warning. That was enough.

This time, her transformation into the Queen of Blades had been her choice. She still possessed human reason and emotion.

Out of consideration for Zeratul's repeated aid—and for bringing her the invaluable news that Jim Raynor still lived—Kerrigan had, perhaps sentimentally, thought for his sake.

If she were to die, or lose control of the Swarm, and this link exposed further Protoss secrets…

The Zerg's nature would broadcast shared psionic information to upper organisms. If war between Zerg and Protoss reignited, she would feel a twinge of guilt toward the old Protoss who had tried so hard to help her…

After all, Kerrigan could not force every broodmother to delete such shared data.

In the end, she had never been born Zerg.

It was the Overmind—who perished alongside Executor Tassadar—that created her.

Because of her exceptional psionic talent, the Overmind had chosen her to carry a fusion of powerful genetic material, forging her into an unstoppable psionic weapon.

To preserve Kerrigan's intelligence and tactical genius, the Overmind had not fully assimilated her into the Zerg, but left her humanity intact—her will, her freedom.

A blessing, and a curse.

Kerrigan's immense psionic presence benefited the entire Swarm. Yet divisions remained.

Though the Overmind was long dead, Kerrigan's rule over the Swarm rested on its 'will' and her ability to win the trust of the broodmothers, as well as her own overwhelming strength.

For instance, not long ago, when Kerrigan, burning with rage at Arcturus Mengsk and the Terran Dominion, returned to Char to reclaim the Swarm, she was opposed fiercely by broodmother Zagara, commander of Char's brood forces.

It was only by crushing Zagara with overwhelming psionic power that Kerrigan forced her surrender. After several campaigns destroying Dominion forces near Char, Zagara finally acknowledged Kerrigan's strength and began to support her.

There was also Abathur, one of the oldest Zerg organisms, the 'Evolution Master' responsible for guiding the Swarm's adaptation and evolution since its inception under the Overmind's command.

He was the architect who engineered the transformation of Kerrigan—from a psionically gifted Terran—into the Queen of Blades.

Against such 'old guard' figures and powerful local forces of the Swarm, Kerrigan could not command absolute control as the Overmind once had. Where the Overmind's will reached, all obeyed without question, its psionic signal binding the Swarm seamlessly.

Kerrigan, however, even to return to the Zerg's origin world, Zerus, had to rally forces, fight primal Zerg, and claim their ancient strength before becoming the Queen of Blades once more.

What kind of humiliated Swarm sovereign required such effort?

Oh, and then there was the second Overmind, captured and enslaved by the United Earth Directorate with a psi disrupter. That hardly counted.

"Hopefully, it is as I wish—some good news. At times like these, I would almost prefer it be humanity's doing," Zeratul said.

Bzzz—!

At once, with the hum of psionic signals, writhing organic structures enveloped his body. Countless neural probes pierced his flesh, sending a surge of familiar pain coursing through him. Zeratul trembled faintly.

"Mm…"

A wave of dizziness struck, cold chills creeping from his nerves into his marrow. Zeratul clenched, his hanging hands brushing his thighs, digging in slightly. The sting of pain helped dull the disorientation.

He knew he still sat upon the Leviathan's nerve-linked seat, borrowing the vast psionic signal network of the Queen of Blades' living flagship. His mind sank deeper into the immense lattice of the Swarm.

Suddenly, the world turned murky.

The dizziness fell away, replaced by unparalleled clarity. He seemed to see the once-empty Leviathan chamber brimming with psionic signals, a chaotic storm of thought and energy.

Unlike his passive, agonizing link to the Overmind, this deliberate connection to the Swarm brought a different sensation altogether.

As though… the two races were meant to unite into perfection.

Zeratul recalled ancient legends and a terrifying possibility.

The Xel'Naga had created the Zerg and Protoss: the Zerg as pure flesh, the Protoss as pure spirit and energy.

It explained why the Overmind hungered so desperately for the Protoss, striving endlessly to consume and assimilate them. Though the Protoss' might thwarted it, the drive had been clear.

So that was your hidden pursuit? Seeking every possible path to resist Amon?

As the only Protoss to have linked briefly with the Overmind, Zeratul remembered that instant vividly—the Overmind's will, roaring and crying out in despair.

"Zeratul, I will guide you. But remember—don't touch recklessly. Unless you wish to share minds with a broodmother. Many of them fought at Aiur and hold no fondness for the Protoss."

Kerrigan's echoing voice resonated in Zeratul's mind.

In psionics, Zeratul—and indeed the Protoss race—still had much Kerrigan could learn from. Her own psionic use had once been nothing but brute force, flung like bricks. It was only after study—of the Dominion's Ghost Program archives, of the Protoss' psionic storm—that Kerrigan had forged her fearsome reputation as the Queen of Blades.

Buzz! Buzz!

Faint violet lines stood out amid the chaos of the psionic web. Zeratul knew them—Kerrigan's guidance, the last signals sent from the lost broodmother and her swarm.

I must determine how far Amon's resurrection has advanced.

If his pawns could annihilate an entire brood so easily, then alliance was urgent. I might even need to persuade Kerrigan to delay her vengeance against the Dominion…

Szz!

Protoss psionics surged. At the first touch, Zeratul felt the world overturn.

ROAR—!

A massive beast loomed before him: mighty, deep blue, clad in white armor traced with azure streaks, four eyes gleaming, vast wings spread wide across the heavens.

Its sharp talons, sheathed in sapphire scales, tore apart not Zeratul, but the Overlord whose signal he traced. It ripped the brood's nerve center to shreds.

In moments, Zeratul's vision fractured a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand times.

These were the death-cries of the Overlords, their psionic messages relayed to the broodmother's Leviathan, then passed stepwise to the Queen of Blades' network.

Zeratul felt hundreds of thousands of Zerg snuffed out at once. Then—all went dark.

A searing light erupted, dazzling as a star's death. Vision smothered in white, sight overwhelmed, nothing remained but suffocating brilliance.

The Leviathan severed the link. The Swarm severed the link.

The vast psionic web of broodmother Gloria's swarm collapsed visibly in an instant. Only scattered flickers remained—dozens, then fewer—and even these soon guttered out.

This was no Zerg. Nor Protoss. Zeratul judged swiftly.

A Protoss bioweapon? Impossible. Outside the Dark Templar, the hidebound Protoss factions lacked such audacity.

Zerg? Even less so.

Humans?

Zeratul shook his head, rejecting the thought. Absurd.

And yet, when he touched the last signal of broodmother Gloria's swarm—

"Humans?!"

In the Leviathan's chamber, Zeratul's green eyes snapped open, burning with disbelief.

Calm. Be calm. He crushed down the turmoil, steeling his will.

Who were they?

The final fragments replayed.

With the great Zerg slain, even the broodmother gone, only faint scraps remained. Their signals were jagged, broken. But they painted an image:

Silver-armored soldiers storming ashore. Blades cleaving chitin as if paper. Explosions of violet-red energy. Steel titans stalking the void. Crimson lances flaring. Darkness lit by fire.

Zeratul had forced the broken signals into coherence with his psionic gift.

He staggered from the chamber, whispering, then groaning, "Terrans? No… not quite. But the double-headed eagle is undeniably a human symbol."

Jim Raynor's marines often painted such sigils on their gear and armor. Zeratul had seen it often.

"Could they be from the United Earth Directorate? Kerrigan, I do not understand your human symbols. But the golden double-headed eagle—it was the clearest mark I saw."

"The Terrans' ancestors came centuries ago from Earth, a colonial fleet abandoned by its government. Our culture has long since faded or been replaced."

Kerrigan rose from her chamber as well. Her link to Protoss psionics had given her much insight, but her face was grave.

"I vaguely recall from old texts: whether one-headed or two, the eagle was a mark of mighty empires in human antiquity. And that blue-and-white beast…"

"That creature… a dragon?" Zeratul asked. "Of Earth?"

Kerrigan hesitated, then nodded.

"Kerrigan, we must rethink our strategy. If possible, I would try to speak with them."