In the Dubbing Room.
The dubbing room had been built quite spacious — after all, Luo Mo could never be sure how many people he'd need for dubbing in the future. The system strongly recommended original voice actresses, which meant a lot of manpower would be required.
And as it turned out, at least for now, he had made it far too big — so big that they could even set up a living room inside without affecting the dubbing work at all.
And indeed, that's exactly what he had done — dividing the space into two rooms, with a lounge area in front. He often came here even in his free time.
At first, it had been to watch beautiful girls. Then, to watch beautiful girls get flustered. And later… well, it had simply become a habit.
At that moment, a startled exclamation came from inside the room.
"So Finality… is time?!"
Kiana's eyes widened in shock — she had clearly never imagined such an answer.
In this final part of the Finality story, in order to keep up with the script's pace before the Stigmata plan, and also to indulge Luo Mo's little personal whims, their dubbing had been somewhat chaotic. In fact, parts of it had been done using Vill-V's AI voice module directly.
So it was perfectly normal that she didn't quite grasp it.
"Ah — Finality? Time? How are we supposed to fight that?! Are we going to pull an Otto and reverse time or something?"
The Herrscher of Sentience was momentarily at a loss. No wonder the stubborn old Timer in her memories had never seen Finality's true form — in that meteor crater, was that shape really all there was?
To her, such a vague, intangible concept felt impossible to attack.
"A cycle… time? No wonder!"
Fu Hua let out a quiet breath, her thoughts swirling, recalling countless events.
The previous civilization and the current one were both part of an inescapable cycle. Back then, the silence and despair of Dr. MEI and Kevin had already said it all.
It was indeed the kind of truth that weighed heavily on the heart.
Though it was still a Herrscher, the Herrscher of Finality was unlike any other.
"Boss…"
Bronya hesitated, looking at Luo Mo, who remained as calm as ever, with a faint sense of expectation in her heart.
It was precisely because she was the Herrscher of Reason that she knew just how difficult it would be to ultimately defeat Finality.
This wasn't just about raw power or a sudden burst of fighting spirit—it was the lack of a clear and precise plan that made things truly hard.
Luo Mo, on the other hand, remained calm because he had already done everything within his power.
Besides, he had the distinct feeling that the Flame-Chaser on the other side was secretly in talks with World Serpent.
If there was anyone who could make Kevin abandon the Stigmata Project, there was only one other plan that could possibly work.
And the one to bring it up had to be someone Kevin would actually trust.
That meant there weren't many candidates left to choose from.
If they were comrades standing on the same battlefield, Luo Mo still felt they were reliable enough—for now.
But facing the people in front of him, he could only smile helplessly and reassure them:
"It's fine. We still have Kiana. When the time comes, we'll just rely on her protagonist's halo."
"Uh… well… that's nice and all, but this isn't actually a game, boss," Kiana muttered.
Kiana drooped slightly, looking at Luo Mo with a mix of grievance and uncertainty.
It was nice that the boss believed in her, but did he have to trust her that much…?
Surely there was a backup plan, right? There had to be…
If it were some strong enemy, she could promise she would never back down—not even against Kevin—she would fight to make him see her resolve.
But Finality …
She wasn't afraid, but she couldn't accept a future where she failed.
----
Schicksal Headquarters – Inside the high-rise building.
Rita was slightly stunned, her lips parting in surprise.
The woman who was always known for her calm elegance now showed a rare change in expression—because the final enemy of their era had arrived far sooner than expected.
This was even more shocking to her than any twist she had ever read in the original "script."
Kallen felt a heavy weight in her chest.
Luo Mo had already reported this matter to her in advance.
It wasn't beyond her expectations, but she still couldn't shake the feeling of helplessness.
Compared to the Herrscher before them, who could deal devastating blows to civilization, the Herrscher of Finality was silent and wordless in her destruction.
Perfectly impartial—erasing everything and starting over.
It wasn't drenched in blood, but it was cold to the very core.
----
Inside the game.
Thanks to her unique connection with Fu Hua, and the special nature of her current self, the Herrscher of Sentience was able to quickly reach Fu Hua's side.
Kiana and the others, however, had no such convenient method.
Even though they knew Fu Hua was somewhere deep within the passage, the chaotic nature of the virtual space on the Moon made teleportation highly unstable.
In the end, they had no choice but to take an old-fashioned approach—by riding the elevator.
"Is this… really normal? Suddenly black flames appear, the elevator refuses to land, and then the space suddenly warps…" Li Sushang stood with her arms crossed over her dress, her eyes full of bewilderment.
Forgive her for saying so, but even in the five hundred years of her long life, she had never seen something so strange—sliding down from an elevator into a labyrinth, a flash of white light, and then the whole world spinning in confusion.
If it weren't for her companions standing around her, she might have suspected she was dreaming.
Sure enough, in a virtual space, there's no shortage of bizarre phenomena.
Sushang was shaken, but the others weren't doing much better.
This labyrinth was clearly no accident—there was no reason for it to suddenly manifest the moment they entered unless someone else was interfering.
They had no choice but to try exploring this endless maze, but soon realized it was somewhat like the Herrscher of the Void's infinite corridor—except not entirely the same.
It carried a strange, eerie feeling.
Even spatial powers couldn't breach its boundaries.
They could see the edges of the maze, but walking toward them only led to… more maze.
They quickly realized that if even spatial powers couldn't touch the boundaries, then something else must be influencing this area.
It was the combined interference of the Stigmata Awakened and the Herrscher's powers—two entirely different forces—creating a labyrinth similar to an electromagnetic field.
Every time they moved, the space shifted and rearranged itself.
Breaking it would be simple—so long as the Stigmata Awakened and the Herrscher were separated far enough apart, the maze would collapse.
After some discussion, they decided that Kiana's team of three would head toward Kevin, while Durandal, Seele, and Sushang would make their way back to Earth.
Because of these different paths, each group encountered a mysterious figure along the way.
Durandal met a being who called herself Ai of the Hyperion ∧ Mechanical Lifeform, claiming she could see the future.
"When it comes to Finality, and to the Stigmata Project … the world itself is a stage. The former cares about the ending of an old story, while the latter cares about its continuation."
"…The so-called 'role' a person plays… isn't actually important to them."
She smiled beautifully, explaining her perspective.
Though to an ordinary person, her words might sound disturbing.
"To you, of course, this is a painful outcome. But the cause behind such things… it's not because they don't care about people. Quite the opposite—"
"It's because that primal power wants us to embrace it—to use a concept beyond humanity to love every single person…"
"That is why, long ago, the Origin could betray Finality. And that's why the Stigmata Project is, in truth, the most powerless plan of all."
And from the depths of her heart, she added:
"I hope each of you can have a story that truly belongs to you."
She had dreamed of the fates of the Origin and Finality, dreamed of the bell at the world's end that marked salvation.
To her, the world was like a stage that changed the moment the script was altered—she could see the curves of futures not yet born.
And yet… the real world's stage still managed to surprise her every single second.
She yearned to witness with her own eyes the stories that belonged to people.
----
[ Origin… I love you!! ]
[ I didn't understand all that you said before, but I understand love—you are the light, the beauty of all the world, eternal in our hearts ]
[ Finality … our world will surely win against this cycle ]
[ Kiana, move out! ]
----
In the Recording Room.
"This Miss Ai… she kept showing up at key coordinates during the battle against Finality. Looks like… she really is one of the critical players in resisting Finality."
Kongming frowned slightly as she analyzed the data, the small round lens in her hand glinting faintly as it spun.
She had arrived in this world and only afterward came into contact with the Honkai, but she already understood deeply how troublesome it was.
For this world, and for the people she cared about in it, overcoming the Honkai was absolutely essential.
If the Stigmata Project were to be set in motion... then... she feared she would only be able to meet Luo Mo again in dreams.
Honestly, meeting occasionally was fine, but for it to become their future—better to forget it.
"Ai Hyperion... every time I hear that name, it still surprises me a little. Just like the Hyperion ship in the game."
Kiana frowned, hands on her hips, and asked Luo Mo, "Are you sure there's really no connection?"
"Maybe it's just an evolved artificial intelligence that's grown more advanced?"
Luo Mo followed their train of thought, quietly grumbling in his heart.
"Speaking badly about someone behind their back isn't a good thing."
A green figure suddenly appeared out of thin air, tinged with a faintly resentful air.
The great Ai manifested directly in the voice-acting studio.
"Mechanical lifeforms... temporal crystals... that's not exactly something that fits with ordinary common sense."
Bronya, ever calm, analyzed from the back, her gray eyes fixed on the area where the figure appeared.
"But in this world, maybe ordinary people can understand... after all, in the game, everything was real, right?"
Ai didn't mind her probing, replying with a soft smile.
Then, her golden eyes turned toward Luo Mo. "Captain, you shouldn't spread rumors about girls behind their backs~"
"..."
Luo Mo couldn't quite figure out what his relationship with her was supposed to be, but after so many years, he'd grown thick-skinned enough to handle it.
He simply turned his gaze lightly to another corner, as if there were some breathtaking scenery there.
This made Ai puff her cheeks in frustration, but all she could do was sigh.
"But, speaking seriously—the reason I appeared in the game was because the Stigmata Project rewrote the world once again, and time became non-linear. Within that..."
Mei paused, her amethyst eyes flickering faintly.
She was a little curious why this version of Ai was so different from the one in the game.
"That... of course, there's a reason. Something about my existence changed. And just like in the game, the assistance I provided back then... now, I might not be able to offer."
Her cheeks flushed red as she scratched her head, her eyes darting nervously, but she couldn't quite avoid Mei's gaze, so she had no choice but to admit the truth.
"That thing you call a 'Finality embrace'... what exactly is it?"
Mei asked bluntly, without reservation.
If the so-called Finality embrace was the goal of transcending the cycle, then being able to complete it should be the best way to surpass it.
"Uh..."
Ai looked troubled. She glanced at Luo Mo, but he was equally unhelpful in avoiding the question—clearly, explaining this was a bit awkward.
"It's hard to clearly define. Maybe it simply refers to the Herrscher of the End's way of facing humanity. The first embrace gave rise to the human Herrscher, Elysia."
"But to embrace, you must at least reach equal standing with the one you're embracing..."
Luo Mo hesitated, afraid that his words might mislead them.
The girls trusted him deeply, but when it came to this final matter, he wasn't entirely sure whether his knowledge matched that of the original world.
(T/N: Theories that Ai, is a manifestation of all Captain's Ai, thanks to Cacoon of Finality breaking the 4th wall. Doesn't that mean Luo Mo is the manifestation of all Captain "players")
----
In the game.
On the Herrscher team's side, Kiana and the others encountered a strange woman.
No aura, no warning—she appeared before them out of nowhere.
She sat calmly amid the ruins on the moon, her posture relaxed and serene.
Hair as white as moonlight, a ribbon of dreamy violet, a delicate pale dress—her whole being seemed like someone who had stepped out of a dream, beautiful beyond human likeness.
And indeed, she wasn't human.
She called herself Misteln Schariac, code name "Hare," in charge of the Project Stigma.
"Schariac..."
Kiana frowned slightly. That surname was familiar.
Schariac... Stigmata... a crystallization?
What was that supposed to mean?
But Hare didn't elaborate on her origins, and Kiana had no choice but to set her questions aside—this wasn't the time.
Hare explained some basic concepts: the Project Stigma was born from the dreams of ordinary people, producing a conceptual lifeform suited to surpass the End, carrying within it the accumulated civilizations of humanity.
The Stigmata Project wasn't a scheme to fight against the Finality —it was a way to possibly reach the conclusion... to embrace, and in doing so, transcend it.
When questioned by Kiana and the others, she didn't get angry. Instead, she nodded, admitting that World Serpent had indeed failed to find a way for ordinary humans to surpass the End.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have resorted to the Stigma Project as such a reluctant solution.
"Well, that's one lousy plan if I've ever heard one," Kiana muttered, rubbing her forehead. She didn't like it one bit.
"But it's fair," Hare said with a smile, not refuting her dismissal.
"Have you never heard this saying? Between freedom and fairness, in the end, people can only choose the first."
"Project Stigma will record every idea humanity's history has created—no matter their value, no matter if they are good or evil."
She blinked slyly, her gaze full of expectation toward the three girls.
Whatever her reasoning, it didn't seem to match her own stance—and since she had no desire to fight, that was the main reason both sides could talk.
Still...
Why? Why was she doing this?
"The main battlefield of the Project Stigma isn't here. You'll need to break the blockade—and I won't be the one stopping you."
That was Hare's answer.
Humanity would one day perish, but civilization would not...
That was the meaning of the Project Stigma.
In the End's meteor crater, she sighed softly, telling the three Herrschers about the truth of the cycle.
The world turned again and again—destruction and rebirth...
As Herrschers, they could avoid the cycle, which was both a blessing and a sorrow.
If not for Someone (pink girl), fifty thousand years ago, severing the threads of fate—this so-called cycle might still be endlessly repeating on Earth.
Back then, the paired Flame-Chasers erased the weaving of fate, returning an unknown future to humanity.
They made the cycles fewer, filled with uncertainty.
----
[She is here? She left? No—she has always been here!]
[Ellie? She is talking about our Goddess!]
[Human civilization not belonging to humanity—how ironic.]
[Hare? Schariac? Mother-in-law?!]
-----
In the recording studio.
"It's simple—I'll just become the Herrscher of the Finality," Kiana said proudly, puffing out her chest.
She felt she'd already grasped the final answer. Becoming a Herrscher? That was something she was far too familiar with!
In fact, not long ago, Mobius had secretly given her the Herrscher of Rock core, letting her try becoming a dual-core Herrscher like in the game.
Kiana had been suspicious of Mobius' motives, but after consulting both her boss and her mom, she gave it a try and found no issues.
So in other words—she had two sets of experience. Doing it again would be no problem.
"Idiot Kiana, didn't you hear what Hare said? The Finality... by its very meaning, carries death. Becoming the Herrscher of the Finality—in her mind, that's just a fairy tale."
Bronya's voice was tinged with worry.
"You think so? Boss, speaking of an equal existence… doesn't that basically mean becoming the Herrscher of Finality?"
Kiana grinned mischievously at Luo Mo as she asked.
From what Hare revealed, the message was already very clear — if you wanted to embrace it, you had to face the Cocoon of Finality and obtain the power of Finality.
For Kiana, becoming the Herrscher of Finality was simply the one shortcut to get there.
Even though Kiana didn't completely understand why, she still brought it up, as if speaking to herself.
Maybe it was because back then, she had already been a Herrscher, and taking in the power of Finality would naturally make her the Herrscher of Finality?
Luo Mo pressed his lips together and met her clear, deep-blue eyes. He gave a slight nod, silently accepting her reasoning.
For some reason, he suddenly felt a pang of reluctance.
Because even under the best circumstances, Kiana would still have to endure a long and grueling period on the moon.
And that overwhelming power at the end… even Kevin himself couldn't bear it for long.
He could only hope that she truly carried that "main character's glow," winning more than she lost.
"The Stigmata Archon… that Hare must be one of those kinds of beings."
Kongming thought for a moment before continuing.
"Mm… yes, she is related to my mom, and still uses the Schariac family name. But in the comment section, the way they wrote 'mother-in-law'…"
Kiana furrowed her brows deeply, finding the thought difficult to swallow.
No way — the Hare didn't have children! You can't just force other people into roles just because their faces look alike!
"Letting a civilization skip childhood… it's really a miraculous existence. Kind of like that feeling when Bronie is always promoting machine ascension."
Kongming frowned slightly, as though she had just learned something new.
A lifeform capable of passing on its knowledge… that truly was miraculous.