By burning memories to elevate her spiritual strength, initiating Artificial Collapse for ultimate physical enhancement, and absorbing vast amounts of Senti's Herrscher power for energy, Fu Hua held nothing back. She tapped into every potential within herself, relentlessly striving towards surpassing any previous stage of her being.
Zeke, holding Kiana horizontally in his arms, looked down as surging energies caused the Abyss below to tremble. Suddenly, the sky lit up as a golden-red divine bird burst forth, akin to a soaring golden crow, its radiant sunlight illuminating the world.
"Fu Hua!" Zeke's expression darkened instantly.
Not because of Fu Hua's immense display of power, but rather because he understood the heavy price behind such strength.
"Zeke, this is...my resolve."
Fu Hua's ethereal voice echoed in Zeke's mind, serving as her final warning.
In the next moment, beneath the pitch-black starry sky, the crimson divine bird's feathers seemed to ignite fiercely, emitting an increasingly brilliant and pure pale-red radiance.
The Void Sword God represented humanity's pinnacle within the realm of spirit. Since Fu Hua first comprehended this sword technique millennia ago, it had remained an insurmountable force.
But now, Fu Hua surpassed even that.
"Kreeee—"
With a soul-piercing cry, the divine bird descended from the heavens, transforming its entire essence into a powerful mental sword energy.
In the real world, all luminosity and energy fluctuations vanished instantly without a trace.
Within the mental domain, Zeke witnessed a colossal red sword, akin to a planet bearing down upon him, descending irresistibly.
Zeke silently looked down at Kiana cradled in his arms.
Fu Hua's attack was no longer confined to targeting individual astral bodies; instead, every conscious being along her path would suffer the devastating impact.
"So, is this your attempt to eliminate me amidst the chaos as a rival in love?" Zeke sighed helplessly.
Of course, he knew Fu Hua couldn't harbor such intentions; these words merely expressed his own sense of resignation.
Whether intentional or not, Fu Hua had pinpointed Zeke's vulnerabilities at this moment. With no other choice, whether to minimize the backlash on Fu Hua from using such a move or to protect Kiana in his arms, Zeke resolved to confront it head-on, disregarding any consequences.
Within the mental world, instead of countering with the simplified version of the Sword Goddess simulation, Zeke merely spread his arms wide and, with a sigh, faced the colossal red sword poised to crush the world.
"Ah..."
"BOOM!!"
The world shattered and ignited.
Zeke had never witnessed anything like this before. From thoughts to ideas, memories to emotions—every element constituting the mental domain disintegrated as if turning into tangible fragments, scattering around him and bursting into flames.
He didn't feel pain, only a peculiar sensation of emptiness spreading throughout every corner his consciousness could reach.
"So this is... your progress..." Zeke murmured.
In the mental realm, Fu Hua's pale silhouette gently descended, embraced Zeke, and smiled warmly, saying, "I've prepared for this moment for so long. I must also thank you; without Zeke guiding my life back onto the right path, without you giving me a new beginning, I likely would have never transcended the limitations of the Sword Goddess."
"Indeed, it's truly remarkable."
"Thank you. So... let's go home—back to being the Zeke we loved and trusted before, alright?"
"You..."
Before Zeke could respond, a sense of emptiness overwhelmed his rational thoughts, plunging him into infinite sluggishness.
Then, Fu Hua's final strength dissipated. Her gentle, picture-perfect smile and tender gaze vanished from Zeke's sight, like a shattered mirage fading away.
Moments later, Zeke lost consciousness completely.
When Zeke regained consciousness, he saw a golden clock face reversing behind him, slowly fading away.
"We're all fools," Zeke sighed with mixed emotions.
At the same time, he felt an increasing agitation within the Herrscher of the Void's Core inside his body.
It seemed Otto's contingency plan was more than just an energy issue.
However, no matter how formidable the obstacles reality presented, they couldn't deter his resolve. Worst-case scenario, he would simply fight through them all.
The only thing that could truly shake Zeke were Kiana and Fu Hua—their unwavering determination and steadfastness.
Ultimately, striving for a future where everyone emerged unscathed was for their sake. But if it was a future they would never accept, what meaning did any of this hold?
With a somber expression, Zeke adjusted his grip to cradle Kiana with one arm while reaching out with the other to catch Fu Hua gently descending from above. Holding both girls securely, Zeke planned to pause momentarily, contemplating his next move.
Suddenly, amidst Kiana's faint Honkai Energy aura, a surge of frenzied power erupted.
"Sirin?"
"Hahaha! That idiot wanted me to tell you: if you dare dodge this time, she'll never speak to you again!" Sirin cackled, one hand gripping Zeke's collar and the other choking Fu Hua.
In the next instant, countless golden ripples radiated around them, connecting to strategic weapon ports far across the globe.
An endless barrage of beams emerged from these spatial distortions. Even without Zeke's heightened senses, anyone could grasp the absurd amount of energy concealed within.
"Hahaha! Didn't expect your day would come so soon, did you? Savor the pain, bastard!"
Sirin laughed maniacally, her usually icy or rage-filled golden eyes now overflowing with pure delight—she had dreamed of giving Zeke a sound beating, knowing full well such an opportunity was exceedingly rare. Yet here it was, finally coming true!
Zeke gazed at the familiar face wearing an unfamiliar smile and calmly asked, "Is this Otto's plan, or Kiana's?"
"Hah? At a time like this, still concerned about trivial matters?"
"Answer me: Whose plan was this?" Zeke coldly repeated.
By including both Kiana and Fu Hua within their attack range and forcing him to confront them head-on—whether this idea originated from Kiana or someone else would determine how Zeke perceived the situation.
If it was Kiana's doing, he could dismiss it as another one of her reckless stunts.
But if it was someone else...
An incredibly menacing aura emanated from Zeke's expressionless face.
"Uh... well, that idiot told me about it, but I don't know who exactly came up with the plan."
Sensing the familiar murderous intent, Sirin nearly felt her heart stop. Instinctively, she responded, her voice unintentionally taking on a submissive tone even she didn't notice.
Then, agitated, she grabbed Zeke by the collar.
"Hey! Who do you think you're talking to? Let me tell you, I'm not afraid of you!"
Only Zeke, gazing directly at her, saw through the stubborn facade. The Herrscher of the Void was merely a flustered kitten, completely unable to conceal her vulnerability beneath her bluster.
Zeke remained silent, his gaze fixed ahead, observing the concentrated firepower representing perhaps the majority of humanity's current technological might.
Zeke remained silent, looking straight ahead instead to witness the concentrated firepower representing much of humanity's current technological prowess.
As they approached the barrage's impact point, with the Herrscher of the Void's Core becoming increasingly unstable, he continued grappling with his inner doubts.
Should I truly continue down this path?
So far, this world had presented him with no shortage of surprises.
Most importantly, Kiana and Fu Hua's steadfastness never wavered; their unwavering commitment to principles like morality and justice was unyielding. If he were to cross that line, would there still be any chance for redemption?
Was it better to protect them most safely or take another gamble—betting on his ability to safeguard them while creating the world they desire?
"I really hate these troublesome dilemmas..." In the final moment, Zeke seemed to relinquish something, closing his eyes somewhat dejectedly. Simultaneously, he embraced Sirin, Kiana—who shared the same body—and the unconscious Fu Hua, shielding them with all his might.
Instantly, light and heat dominated the confined space as ten thousand miles of lunar surface turned day from night.
"Glug!"
Inside the massive transparent tank, bubbles burst with a series of gurgling sounds.
Amber, monitoring some firepower output data, turned her head. The golden eyepatch gleamed, and beneath it, her blue eyes watched the embryonic form floating within the liquid chamber. Her crimson lips parted slightly.
"Lord...Otto?"
No response greeted Amber's call.
She lowered her gaze momentarily, a hint of disappointment flickering across her composed features.
Amber was aware that the aftermath of Otto's strike against the fake god was severe; even his clones left as life insurance disintegrated instantly. With no other choice, she initiated the body cultivation program Otto had prepared to create a new physical vessel for him.
Simultaneously, Amber extracted the fully separated fragment of consciousness Otto entrusted to her earlier and transferred it into the new body.
Despite this, the brand-new form still suffered backlash, resulting in repeated cycles of death and resurrection.
In the end, all that remained was this embryo barely maintaining its heartbeat inside the fluid-filled tank.
Amber knew that Otto had survived. Given his abilities, recovery was merely a matter of time, as long as he wasn't completely destroyed.
Thus, Amber's despondency wasn't due to Otto's current state but rather...
"Director Otto, have you...already decided to leave?"
"And where will I go then, Amber?"
Her delicate fingers traced the cold glass dome as she bowed her head, no longer hiding her distraught emotions.
She had grown accustomed to living for Otto. Amber once imagined what it would be like to experience freedom, independence, and forging her own path, even envying Theresa's courage to resolutely step away from Schicksal.
But time passed, and ultimately, only by staying close to Otto could Amber find solace and peace of mind.
"Sigh..."
With a soft sigh, carrying hints of confusion and indescribable melancholy, Amber left the laboratory to attend to more tasks that awaited her.
In the empty laboratory, after a long moment, the embryonic figure suspended in the fluid stirred slightly. Its underdeveloped hands moved, causing a flurry of bubbles within the tank.
"Gurgle!"
However, shortly afterward, everything fell silent again.