"Cough, cough. In short—if there really is a great battle ahead, then all the more reason you shouldn't go around inflating other people's morale while crushing your own. What kind of example would that be?"
The Herrscher of Sentience made a sloppy, half-hearted attempt to gloss things over, admitting that she might have jumped in a bit too early.
When it came to Li Sushang, she really wasn't in a good mood—especially after hearing that Otto had fought her and that this girl had even sparred with the old Timer. Add in some old history from five hundred years ago, and she couldn't help but direct a bit of her irritation at her.
But so what?
Expect her to have good intentions toward those unruly disciples and their students? Ha! Dream on.
She didn't deny that she was carrying some personal grudges.
"...Herrscher of Sentience, it's not that we're afraid of Kevin. We're just seriously and honestly discussing possible strategies."
Durandal spoke more seriously than usual.
Little Senti was just about to retort when her expression suddenly froze, as if something had happened somewhere else that caught her completely off guard.
Her eyes widened in disbelief, like she had just seen something unimaginable.
"Gotta go, gotta go. I have something to take care of—won't be waiting around with you lot."
She gave a casual wave of her sleeve, disappearing in a flash of white light—so quickly it almost looked hasty.
Kiana found it strange. No matter what, Senti wouldn't just leave halfway through talking.
This really wasn't her style.
Then, all of a sudden, it happened in an instant—an overwhelming power, like a roaring vortex, erupted openly from the Moon's facility, silently making it clear to everyone present: you cannot win.
...
At the end of that corridor stood Kevin.
And that battle presence accompanying him was also familiar to them—it was Fu Hua.
----
In the Recording studio.
Kiana didn't forget to wink at the Herrscher of Sentience, which made the little Senti turn her back in annoyance, refusing to acknowledge her.
Of course, she understood what the wink meant—wasn't it basically saying she was still the same tsundere personality? Obviously still concerned about Hua…
Wait—who's concerned about her?!
The Herrscher of Sentience glared fiercely at Kiana.
"But really, the fact that 'the skirt' appeared in this world at all is already a huge difference."
Fu Hua frowned slightly, falling into silent thought.
She had originally assumed Li Sushang's appearance was just in that scene with Otto. She hadn't expected her to still have another "exit" scene afterwards. No matter what, she would have to remain cautious of such a formidable foe.
If the game's version of events was good enough, perhaps it could even be used as a model.
The Red immortal always had her reasons.
"She's not a Herrscher, just another combat unit… Just drag someone out—Cecilia, maybe—let one of that bunch of old friends make a move."
The Herrscher of Sentience huffed, shooting Hua a sideways glance, annoyed that she didn't hold grudges. It only made her seem small-minded in comparison.
After all, no matter how you looked at it, the whole reason "the skirt" was behaving oddly in the game was essentially because she was venting Hua's anger for her.
"Exactly. Aside from the main trio, we can only hope we're as strong as the version shown in the video. As for 'the skirt'—this world doesn't have Void Archives' tech, so there's nothing to be done about that."
Luo Mo tried to reassure her.
"Hey, hey, boss, what do you mean 'aside from the three of us'? We've been training hard, and the synergy between the three of us in Saint Freya is getting better and better."
Kiana arched her brows, unwilling to be spoken down to.
She wasn't about to accept the boss's words implying they were just baggage compared to those other three.
"That's great, then. We'll count on you, Kiana—go get 'em."
Luo Mo pretended to relax and smiled encouragingly at her.
"...Why do I feel like something's off? Boss, are you tricking me again?"
Kiana put a hand on her hip, narrowing her eyes at Luo Mo suspiciously.
She was starting to feel like she was being treated as the team's attack dog.
"Of course not. Oh right, weren't we just talking about the little Senti? We're about to see her in 'fifty-fifty' mode, right?"
There was a subtle flicker in Luo Mo's eyes—he had to admit Kiana's instincts were sharp.
Then, without wasting words, he looked toward the little Senti, who had her back to them. Her shoulders trembled slightly; she sensed trouble.
"What a clumsy way to change the subject…"
Kiana muttered under her breath.
The little Senti, meanwhile, was seriously calculating in her mind how far she could go in a fight against Kevin. She admitted that "fifty-fifty'" was a bit of an exaggeration, but no way would she say she'd get one-shotted.
Impossible!
The more she thought about it, the more she straightened her back, her spirit burning bright.
---
In the Game.
Time rewinds to not long ago.
Just as the secret MEI mentioned before revealed, she and Kevin had a promise: every year, on this exact day, they would meet in a quiet place on the Moon.
No matter how busy that day was, they would refuse all other matters to be there.
Coincidentally, they were both people who kept their word.
For MEI, this day carried deep meaning—and for Kevin, it was the same.
On the silent lunar surface, a man sat quietly. But unlike countless times before when he sat in peace, this time he welcomed an uninvited guest—or rather, an old acquaintance.
Kevin wasn't surprised; he simply sighed softly.
"Hua. You came. You knew I'd be here."
"MEI… mentioned it to me by accident."
Fu Hua walked forward slowly, speaking softly without breaking the surrounding stillness.
"She said… every year on this day, no matter what else was more important, no matter how urgent it was to use the Second God Key and what kind of strain it put on your body… you would still come here alone."
"...You'd look upon the remnants of the Herrscher of the End for an entire day."
"It was a promise. I must keep it."
Kevin spoke calmly, not surprised she had come.
The two standing there were survivors from two different eras, each carrying the longest lives and the farthest-reaching memories of humanity.
But aside from the barren wasteland before them, they had nothing left.
"Hua. The Elysian Realm no longer exists."
"…?"
Fu Hua didn't answer. She had lost many memories, and couldn't even connect his words to their meaning.
His solitude was unshakable—like ice that would never melt.
After so many years, perhaps he no longer counted himself as part of humanity.
But as he said, considering someone as a companion wasn't hard—the hard part was letting go.
"Do you… still hate yourself as much as before?"
"…"
"I don't know."
The man exhaled slowly. Only in front of an old friend like her could he lower that cold mask.
Fifty thousand years had passed—Hua might no longer be the same Hua she was back then.
But Kevin… was still Kevin.
He wouldn't allow himself to change, nor to turn back.
He was the final monument left from the age of the Previous Era—standing in the war-scorched wasteland, marking where that glorious civilization and its history were buried.
To merge into the new civilization was never his choice—but he could still be happy for his old comrades.
Fu Hua stepped forward, circling past the figure that symbolized "unbeatable," lowering her head as she saw his expression for the first time.
"…Kevin, you're looking for your own grave, aren't you?"
The white-haired man didn't answer, but his face showed emotions Hua had seen before—frailty, loneliness, and… despair.
Yes, despair. Facing an undefeatable enemy, he had never despaired.
Even when his brilliant civilization crumbled like sand, he had never despaired.
But now, on the brink of completing his great work, he showed despair. Hua knew exactly where that despair came from.
Kevin stayed silent—but it was a silence heavy with weight.
"I won't deny it—despairing and winning… is still winning."
His voice was cold and steady.
Fu Hua also fell silent. She had expected that silence would dominate most of their conversation today. She hadn't come to persuade Kevin to turn back—because that was impossible.
But this man… perhaps he had been alone for far too long, to the point where everyone had forgotten—
He, too, needed a friend.
She was simply someone who could be considered a comrade-in-arms, a like-minded soul. Nothing more.
Even now, she remained the only one able to reach that place in his heart.
She couldn't help but recall something Su once said—
"Not being able to die under the shade of the Bell of Tranquility… that is Kevin's greatest regret."
Looking at it now, that regret wasn't referring only to Dr. MEI. It also included the prophecy Su had made—
In the very moment he became the victor, Kevin would also personally destroy the savior who had proven him right.
Only now did she truly understand the weight pressing on Kevin's shoulders—
That suffocating burden called the Stigmata Project.
"You know… we must win."
At that moment, the Bell of Tranquility's shadow rose together with the man.
The faint trace of weakness on his face flickered, then vanished—
What replaced it was ice-cold resolve.
He straightened his back, his hand closing around the hilt of the blazing greatsword.
"It's time to choose, Fu Hua… Friend or foe—choose."
Rarely, he called her by her real name.
He gave his comrade a choice, even though he already knew what she would pick.
Loneliness—he would carry it to the very end.
---
In the Golden Courtyard
"It seems… the little soldier has resolved to walk the rest of the path alone."
"MEI truly wasn't wrong—Kevin might not be the ideal candidate for the Stigmata Project… but he is the only truly fitting one."
Mobius spoke slowly, her expression calm, impossible to read.
"Is the Stigmata Project that Kevin's executing… really that painful? Can't he just not do it?"
Pardo—looked around at her companions, scratching her head in confusion.
To her, if you didn't want to do something, you simply didn't do it.
And Kevin was so much stronger than her—surely no one could force him, right?
She furrowed her brows, racking her brain, but no matter how hard she thought, she couldn't imagine anyone capable of making such a demand.
"Ah, Little Pardo, that's because this is his duty—and it was MEI who personally entrusted it to him."
Vill-V smiled, resting her chin on one hand, her heterochromatic eyes locking onto Pardo.
"Maybe so, but isn't MEI currently helping Kiana and the others fight against the Stigmata Project?"
Now Pardo was even more puzzled.
"That's because she's no longer the leader of the Previous Era—she's just MeI~ ♪"
Elysia let out a soft breath, her smile tinged with complexity.
"A leader of the Previous Era had to defeat the Honkai. But without that responsibility… she's allowed to be a little more sentimental~"
"Ah… I see."
"Then why did the Boss say… the Stigmata Project is a victory steeped in despair?"
Pardo had clearly never been involved in the project.
She knew some of the Flame-Chasers despised it—Elysia among them—but to think that someone carrying out the plan would feel despair even at the moment of success… that thought unsettled her.
"Well… isn't there someone here who's part of the Stigmata Project to explain?"
Vill-V's eyes gleamed as she looked around, tossing the question over to Mobius.
"Hmph…"
Mobius wrinkled her nose, unfazed.
She understood why most people disliked the plan—but if you wanted to know why she proposed it in the first place, you'd have to go back to a fundamental question.
"Pardo, tell me—what is humanity?"
Her narrow eyes fixed on Pardo, her voice guiding, deep, and mysterious.
"Huh? Isn't humanity just… people like us? Uh…"
Little Pardo froze, suddenly unable to answer—not because the question was too hard, but because she couldn't find the words.
"Exactly. Memory clones, Stigmata units, androids, fusion MANTIS … Are they human? Is it the soul, the body, or self-perception that matters?"
"Only when you define humanity can you decide whether the Stigmata Project is a total failure… or only a partial one.
But of course—right now, we don't need to dwell on that."
"The Stigmata Project… is already a thing of the past."
With just a few casual sentences, Mobius made Pardo's entire body tremble.
She stared at Mobius in shock, unconsciously taking several steps back.
In everyday life, she wasn't afraid of "Sister Snake"—
But now she remembered the malicious whispers about Mobius back in Fire Moth's base.
Sister Snake… she'd been smiling the entire time!
Terrifying… truly terrifying…
(T/C: what is humanity? Simple, beings who can walk unlimit different paths)
-------
In the Dubbing Room.
Fu Hua fell silent, staring at the lines of dialogue between her and Kevin.
So… Kevin could show such an expression?
Once, he had always stood before everyone, showing only an unwavering back.
It made people believe he was a soldier who would never retreat.
"This promise… even if they've never met, they've both held onto it."
Kiana sighed, her gaze slightly complicated.
Though Kevin seemed like a villain, and often acted like one, he didn't quite fit the mold of the "traditional" villains you saw in manga.
Uh… although having your own ancestor be a villain still felt pretty awkward.
"Dr. MEI and Kevin… they clearly care so much about each other. They should have been…"
Seele's eyes grew misty.
A promise that crossed both time and space, with both sides honoring it—
Such a setup was almost too much for the girl's heart to take.
She could only force herself to hold back, not letting anyone see her reddened eyes.
"That's Kevin—A will strong enough to shoulder everything, and to carry out his plan flawlessly to the very end."
Luo Mo's voice carried deep respect. Kevin's resolve was unshakable—
From the very start, Luo Mo had prepared himself for the clash between them.
He knew he'd never convince Kevin to change his mind.
As for why things had ended up like this… he couldn't say.
"That's the strongest the Previous Era had to offer. What do you think?"
The Herrscher of Sentience puffed out her chest, speaking as though she were praising herself.
But the shrewd little voice in her head had already decided—If you can praise Kevin without losing face yourself, that's the best outcome.
He carried it all—completely!
----
Back in the game.
Between Kevin and Hua, their final exchange was nothing but battle — using combat to express their wills. Neither of them intended to yield to the other.
"Hua, there's no need to continue. I already understand your will."
Kevin now looked on the verge of Honkai collapse. Beneath the black skeletal frame of his left wing burned a bluish ice-flame, and in his right hand he gripped a great sword wreathed in orange fire. His gaze was cold, a pair of horns had sprouted from his head, and his ears had grown long and pointed like Elysia's.
Various traits of Honkai Beasts gathered and dissolved across his body, giving him an eerie, terrifying, yet godlike majesty.
Fu Hua could barely hold onto her sword.
The Honkai was bringing unbearable agony, steadily eating through her already exhausted body via her nerves.
Not even three minutes… that was likely the absolute limit even for someone as powerful as the great Red immortal she once was.
And yet, she still tightened her grip on her blade.
"The fight… isn't over yet!"
Her gaze was fixed on the person before her with nothing but willpower.
"...I will use my strength to show you — and the people of this era — just what they are willing to sacrifice for the things they believe in."
"I have no intention of fighting you to the death."
Kevin fell silent for a moment. There was both chill and sorrow in his eyes.
This wasn't about fighting an old comrade — it was about showing her something that, in truth, she shouldn't have had to face.
"Hua, maybe you should take a look around you."
Hua's eyes flicked to the surroundings. It wasn't negligence — she understood perfectly the gap in their power, and she trusted him. But what she saw made her uneasy: in the ruins of the moon, where once there had been only emptiness, now there were countless real Divine Keys (swords).
And she was certain — these Divine Keys should never be here.
"In the past, Su and I hid part of the truth about Finality from you."
"Before you entered the stasis chamber, we told you Finality would destroy everything — and that much was true."
"But when you awoke five thousand years ago, we told you humanity had been born anew — and that… was a lie."
There was grief in Kevin's eyes, but he knew: those who fought for the flame's survival could not be defeated by such truths.
"Humanity has only ever been born once…"
He spoke again, this time revealing the truth of Finality.
"In our time fifty thousand years ago — and in Raiden MEI's time fifty thousand years ago — humanity's ancestors were exactly the same group of beings."
"The history of human civilization… is nothing more than a fifty-thousand-year cycle."
"That is the truth of Finality."
Kevin's voice was resolute, his eyes dark and unwavering.
A world in eternal cycle — civilizations erased.
Finality was… time itself.
But Hua still did not choose to surrender. She froze for only a moment before gripping her sword firmly once more.
Fifty thousand years ago, they had still been able to preserve the flame of civilization and pass it on to the present. And now, what they protected was doing even better than they had.
That was the romance of the Flame-Chasers' plan.
Kevin would not try to persuade her further. If their beliefs could not reconcile, there was nothing left but strength to speak for them.
Fu Hua was not Kevin's match, but she used her blade to prove — the people of the future would not stop here. She was like that, and so were they.
She was swiftly defeated, and as her consciousness drifted into a haze, the question that had long lingered in her mind returned to her in the darkness — a question that had troubled her all her life.
"I want to know what I can do…"
Perhaps even now, she still could do nothing.
Or perhaps… with her actions, she had already given the answer — everything she possibly could.
"Hua…"
The girl who had endured fifty thousand years now quietly leaned against a crumbling wall, still clutching her sword.
Kevin looked at her, his expression hidden in shadow, carrying some unknown emotion.
"I promise you — you will live in a world without the Honkai."
"And the people you believe in… will receive the best ending possible."
"When that time comes… let it be you who, with your own hands, erects a proper gravestone for the era in which we died."
As always, the white-haired man gave his promise to his comrade.
(T/C: a world with no Honkai. A world with no Ending. Heh, I wonder how Long Honkai series will continue)