Chapter 347: Departure, Together
The official day to complete the World Anchor had been set for seven days later, at the ancient civilization's already-prepared site—the Deep Sea Altar.
"When I begin, heaven and earth will change color, the ground will shake and mountains will tremble—that's just the bare minimum. So, I'll ask one last time: have you finished all the preparations?"
"Reporting, Father Emperor: the Empire has arranged everything. There is no need for worry."
"Is that so? Good… Then, if fate allows, in a thousand years, we shall meet again."
With a single hand holding a white orb of light, Sigurd let his gaze sweep across the four of them one by one. The corners of his lips curved faintly as he spoke of their next meeting.
Though they had only spent a few short months together, it was enough for him to understand that these girls were remarkable.
He was about to shift their timeline, securing for them a millennium of development. He had also left behind reference texts such as Sociology, Complete Introduction to Science, and The Martial Arts Compendium of Shenzhou.
Sigurd truly looked forward to seeing how they would overcome the centuries and surprise him.
The words of farewell had already been spoken in the past days. Now that the moment of parting had come, Durandal, Kiana, Zhuge Kongming, and Rita found themselves speechless. With complex expressions, they saluted in unison, bowing low and remaining there for a long time without rising.
Sigurd sighed softly in his heart and waved his hand, sending the four of them away from the altar.
Afterward, only two figures remained in this space. One was Sigurd. The other was Senti, cheeks puffed as she chewed on a skewer of candied hawthorn.
"Senti, return to the consciousness space and let Fu Hua take control of the body," Sigurd instructed.
Senti blinked at him and, unmoved, asked, "Mm? Why?"
"The forging of the World Anchor will cause disturbances that may require sorcerous methods to suppress. Besides, once the ritual is complete, we'll be entering the Sea Of Quanta. In that vast, chaotic place, you're not as reliable as Fu Hua."
That last sentence made the ahoge on Senti's head stand straight up. She jabbed her candy skewer toward Sigurd in anger.
"What do you mean by that!? You're looking down on me, aren't you!?"
"Alright, Senti, just listen to Sigurd. And besides, you really haven't studied this world's sorcery."
"Old Timer, stop siding with him! Did you hear what this guy just said? He actually called me unreliable!"
"Serious matters come first. The rest can wait until the next world. Senti, be good~~"
With one body and one face, yet speaking in two entirely different tones, she carried on a back-and-forth with herself. Then, perhaps because Fu Hua had done something within the consciousness space, a faint blush surfaced on her face.
"F-f-fine! For the Old Timer's sake, I'll let it go this time— You two talk, I'm heading back!"
Stammering out her goodbye, the crimson hue of Herrscher authority in her eyes faded away, transforming into a crystalline azure like glazed glass, radiating a calm and gentle light—like a clear spring in a mountain valley.
"You may begin, Sigurd. I'll do my best to assist you."
Fu Hua's faint smile and soft voice rang like chimes of jade, soothing to the heart.
Sigurd stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"I'm actually a little curious—how did you manage to convince that little brat? Care to teach me? It looked pretty effective; I might use it myself one day."
"…Not teaching you."
"Clutching your secret like a treasure?"
"It's just… inconvenient, alright! Get on with the real business!"
Fu Hua shot Sigurd a glare, her tone tinged with playful reproach—charming in a way he had never seen before.
At least, it was the first time Sigurd had ever witnessed Fu Hua act like this.
"???"
He tilted his head slowly, not understanding why, but he didn't dwell on it. Soon enough, he nodded.
"Alright, I won't ask. Let's begin."
"Ahem—yes."
Fu Hua cleared her throat. The coquettish softness vanished in an instant, replaced by her usual calm, gentle composure.
As for the little "technique" Sigurd had asked about, it really wasn't anything complicated. She had simply acted on impulse in the mental domain and kissed Senti on the cheek. But how could she possibly let Sigurd learn such a method? If he ever used it against Senti… whether it worked or not didn't matter—kissing Senti would, in a sense, be the same as kissing… Fu Hua herself.
"Cough!"
Fu Hua lifted her hand to her lips and coughed again, trying to suppress the turmoil in her heart.
At that moment, Sigurd held the glowing sphere in his palm, its brilliance growing ever brighter.
The radiance spread across the altar and the earth, activating some dormant energy. Countless fine lines etched into the platform lit up, forming the likeness of an immense, intricate circuit—or perhaps a profound ritual array. A surge of power pierced through the barrier that held back the sea, bursting into the heavens above.
BOOM!!!
The entire altar roared like a colossal generator. A massive golden pillar of light shot straight into the sky, rising to heights unknown.
Fu Hua stood at the edge of the roaring winds and surging waves, her sleeves whipping about—but her figure remained immovable.
"The energy of a world… Even if it's just a tiny drifting bubble in the Sea Of Quanta, it is still worthy of awe."
With a soft sigh, Fu Hua brought her hands together into a mudra. Her icy-blue eyes shimmered with a faint crimson glow.
"Form the array!"
Her voice rang out. Above the sea, centered on the pillar of light, an immense, multicolored formation spread across the sky, so vast that half the Empire could see its edges when they looked up.
"We can't simply suppress or disperse it by force. The world's power… should return to life itself."
Her fingers shifted, the mudra turning. The immense energy rippling outward from the altar was caught in her array, transformed into countless golden motes that rained down upon the land of Emberya.
With them, dead wood sprouted anew, withered grass turned green again, and plagues withered away.
Beneath the golden light, the Empire bathed in blessings that left its people speechless in awe.
It lasted for nearly half an hour. Then, the pillar of light receded, and the grand formation covering half the Empire slowly dissolved.
Afterward, Empress Durandal proclaimed to the world: the Holy Emperor Sigurd and the Immortal Fu Hua had walked the Great Way together, achieved perfect merit, and ascended hand in hand to the celestial realm.
From that moment on, the Emberya Empire officially entered a new era—Empress Durandal holding the mandate of heaven, with the Three Pillars as her ministers, guiding the realm into a chapter of rapid development.
…
Chaos. Rifts. Layer upon layer of unseen waves that seemed intent on dissolving both body and soul alike. It was, without question, a dead end for any living being.
Sigurd walked through the void, Fu Hua by his side.
"Now that you've fused with the world's core and become its anchor, how does it feel? Any discomfort?"
"Nothing I can't adapt to. The most obvious change is—my energy has grown stronger."
"How so?"
"The Imaginary branches carry the elements that keep the world stable. Those elements flow into the bubble world through me, as a medium, gradually strengthening it. Its quality and quantity are no longer declining—they're rising. And since the bubble's core rests in me, I can channel its power. It's a positive cycle: the world grows stronger through me, and the energy I can wield grows as well. But it's a long-term process. Even when the final battle comes, the aid this bubble can give me will be limited. Don't expect too much."
At that moment, a colossal quantum beast loomed out of the darkness, towering like a mountain, its abyssal jaws opening wide to swallow them both.
Sigurd glanced at it, his gaze calm and unreadable.
In the very next instant, the beast's eyes went dull, and its massive frame disintegrated into nothingness.
Fu Hua never even looked at the creature. She simply followed Sigurd's stride, and after a moment of thought, smiled.
"In any case, improvement is a good thing. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Victory is built up little by little, after all."
"You're right. By the way, that trick you used to calm down that mischievous brat—you really won't tell me?"
"…I just kissed her, that's all. Would you dare try it?"
Fu Hua rolled her eyes, but at last she admitted it.
On reflection, it wasn't that embarrassing. Like an older sister to a younger one, that sort of affection wasn't unusual. Besides, Fu Hua realized she could hardly resist Sigurd's persistence. She had no real reason to keep it secret.
Sigurd gave it serious thought, then shook his head.
"With Kiana and the others, sure—it might work. But with your brat? Forget it. I'd rather rely on brains or brute force."
"Ah, best watch your words. Senti can hear you."
"It's fine. I can handle her."
"Well, I can't do anything about you anyway. So then—have you chosen the next bubble world? And how much time are you planning to spend on experimentation? Do you have a rough plan?"
Fu Hua asked with a gentle smile. For a fleeting moment, a trace of melancholy flickered in her eyes, but it vanished without a ripple, leaving only her calm and serene demeanor.
Sigurd turned his head toward her.
"Time is a vague concept in the Sea Of Quanta. We can always return to reality at the right moment, so there's no need to worry about wasting it. But… if you don't want to spend it with me, you can return to the Cosmic Juggernaut or the real world. Senti's training is almost complete. I can handle what comes next alone."
"No. Let's stay together."
Fu Hua smiled, though she offered no explanation.
Sigurd didn't press further. He lifted his hand, where a cluster of black motes gathered, swirling chaotically.
After a moment, he locked onto a direction. Together, he and Fu Hua continued onward, their figures fading deeper and deeper into the sweeping darkness—until they vanished without a trace.
<+>
Tn: If you want to see more chapter of this story, please go to my Patreon[1], just for $5 each month, you can read till the latest chapter.
Latest Chapter in Patreon: Chapter 399: Operation[2]
Link to the latest chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/honkai-strijder-145129735[3]
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/collection/95348?view=condensed[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/collection/95348?view=condensed
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/honkai-strijder-145129735
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/honkai-strijder-145129735
[4] https://www.patreon.com/collection/95348?view=condensed