She had met many who had once helped her.
Mei had once thought of ignoring the world entirely, becoming a hero only for Kiana alone.
Bronya had once said: a hero is simply the will that any ordinary person in this world can have.
Fu Hua had once taught her that there are things truly more important than life, and that one should fight for the beauty that exists in this world.
The Nightmare had told her she must face her true self.
The Flames had told her that to grow is to lose something.
Malice had told her that kindness cannot withstand a single blow.
But all of those were merely scenery along her journey—shadows scattered under the sun.
Before the warm light of dawn, they were but the last traces of darkness before sunrise—pretending to be powerful, but in truth only disguising themselves as the darkness.
In the room, no one spoke further. They all focused intently on this decisive moment. Perhaps, in the not-so-distant future, they too would follow the same path toward the Cocoon.
---
In the Golden Courtyard
"Let me think… isn't this what they call… those who follow the Way have many allies, those who lose it have none? Kevin, you're about to become the enemy of the whole world."
Elysia's eyes sparkled as she looked upon the scene. This was exactly like the dream she'd always had—everyone working together toward a single cause, each completing their own part, then passing it on to the next companion without a second thought.
Absolute trust—such a rare thing.
Back in the Flame-Chasers' era, what they lacked most… was trust.
"...Regardless, my position is different from theirs," Kevin said calmly. Time would prove everything, and the notions of right and wrong only belonged in childhood fairy tales.
Considering that Elysia's name itself came from such a fairy tale, he didn't think her way of thinking was necessarily wrong.
"To become the enemy of an entire civilization… salvation turning into destruction… doesn't that feel like a strange, almost magical contrast? Though I have to say, Kevin, you lack Mobius' intimidating presence." Vill-V chuckled as she brushed the back of her hand against his.
Kevin's armor was long gone. Now, what they were aiming for was his world.
"…Do I really look that scary?" Mobius muttered resentfully, a little dissatisfied.
"You actually look quite cute—so long as you're not talking about Honkai and ruin yourself," Elysia replied honestly.
Seeing the bright clarity in her eyes, Mobius instinctively lost the desire to continue the conversation.
"You're not thinking the Memory Shell could still merge with some Honkai Beast genes, are you? Even for me, that'd be hard to pull off~"
"Vishnu, Theresa… in this world, Theresa's just an ordinary human." Her voice dropped, disappointment written all over her face.
"Mm… actually, that just means it's even harder for her to grow stronger with this method." Elysia tilted her head toward the ceiling, a hint of disappointment in her own tone.
---
In the Game
It didn't take long for the three to reach a conclusion.
"Of course Kevin can control the power of Finality. Who says there can only be one Herrscher of Finality?" Mei smiled, continuing, "If we can connect all Herrscher powers together, then even if it's one person, it would represent all of us."
"If all restraints really do need to be placed on one person, then naturally I will take the responsibility," she said without hesitation.
They didn't overthink it—this choice was obvious.
The first… was Raiden Mei, the Herrscher of Origin. Aside from her, no one else was more convincing.
She had walked this path together with her.
Kiana, Mei, and Bronya exchanged glances, their eyes locking. Kiana nodded firmly, her face lighting up with that radiant smile she once had—as if to say: From here on, leave it to me.
Whether she stood alone, or carried everyone with her—she would bear their will forward, push through the night of Serenity, and greet the dawn of victory.
...
What was the power of the Finality?
The very first Herrscher of Humanity had no intention of explaining it in words.
"Cold knowledge and technique—let textbooks teach that," she had once said.
"Later, you will see the footprints of our lives, the imprints of our souls—and in them, find the answers you seek."
"Kiana… hold this sword tight, then close your eyes." Mei took a deep breath, offering the sword to her—just like the time she had forged a weapon for her before.
The trust between them needed no words. Their bond required no explanation.
Kiana took the sword as she had before, without a single doubt.
The scene before her blurred, and her heart seemed to step into a realm of wonder. Without fully understanding, she found herself in a strange, dreamlike world.
Above her, a magnificent starry night stirred the constellations.
Beneath her, cool water reflected an ethereal image.
It was a sight she had never seen before—one that seemed to gather every beauty mankind had ever longed for.
Following the warmth and gentle guidance in her heart, she stepped deeper into the Sea of Stars. Time seemed to stop entirely.
Along the way, she saw everything of the Herrscher of Origin.
At the journey's end, she understood the source of the Herrscher of Thunder.
And when the vision ended, in that moment where her body felt almost weightless—
She once again… reunited with her companion named Raiden Mei.
Their minds were connected, each moment sharing one another's joy and excitement. It all happened naturally, like night falling or the sun setting in the west. And just as naturally, things came to an end.
"How does it feel?" Mei asked with a smile.
"It's amazing… feels like I have a hundred and one of my own strengths in my body!" Kiana stood with one hand on her hip, smiling with bright, sunny beauty, and spoke those words full of her original optimism — words that echoed the start of the story.
— With Mei by my side, it's like having the strength of a hundred people!
Only this time, Mei didn't blush awkwardly. The two of them might very well believe that this sentence was true.
"What's that? If it were me, Kiana would have at least a thousand and one strengths of her own!" The Herrscher of Sentience abruptly broke the warm, lyrical moment.
---
[Land of Origins… ah, Ai-chan]
[Too bad Elysia isn't here right now, or we could have another girls' tea party — she'd be delighted]
[Kiana: Somehow this feels weird. What did you and that Elysia woman do?]
[A thousand? I get it. The little miss won't admit it, but she just wants to become the Herrscher of Humanity]
----
In the Recording studio.
"Ugh, her again… that annoying woman," Kiana muttered bitterly. Was she receiving Mei's power, or Elysia's power? Two beauties, yet somehow there was always someone jumping in between. If she were just trying to flirt with her, that'd be one thing — but this felt more like trying to steal her away… infuriating.
"Kiana still hasn't forgotten that line, has she~" Mei's face carried a hint of nostalgia. At the start of the recording, she thought the line was over-the-top, but seeing the path Kiana had taken — if she could stay by her side the whole time… she really would give her tremendous strength. A hundred people… ah, to Kiana, that was like a magic spell.
"How could I forget? It's very important!" Kiana widened her eyes, as if to add conviction to her sincerity.
"Cough, cough — I didn't know you two had that line before." The Herrscher of Sentience's gaze drifted aimlessly as she tried to make excuses for her own poorly timed comment in the video. Didn't that just make her look like a clown?
"As expected, there are always moments when Bronya realizes she's unnecessary," Bronya said flatly, curling her lips.
"Anyway, three's a good number~ Speaking of which, you and Seele are technically three people too," teased Luo Mo.
"And you, boss? How many people are you?"
"…Tsk." Under Dark Seele's icy glare, Luo Mo dared not make another sound.
——
In the Golden Courtyard.
"A hundred and one strengths? There's a bit of my help in there too, you know. You'd better appreciate the heartfelt gift of a beautiful young lady ♪~"
"I wonder how big my share is? I'm really curious." Someone hoped to measure feelings with numbers, but that question could never have a certain answer.
"Hmph — I could say the same thing. With me here, Elysia, you'd have the strength of ten people. Not an exaggeration at all," Vill-V said with a playful wag of her finger and a smile.
"Ah, now that's absolutely true," Elysia had to admit.
"Ha — you're too honest. Even adding you, the numbers might go up, but the actual strength? Who knows." Kalpas had a different attitude toward this colleague.
Vill-V only shrugged and smiled.
——
In the game.
Next up was Bronya.
The Herrscher of Reason's power was special. It felt like nothingness, like chaos. It had no true source of strength, only fragmented, chaotic images of human history.
Words of countless eras flowed from its core — civilization, history, void, life… Their meanings merged with humanity's answers into one, and yet when you tried to grasp them, they slipped away underfoot.
Before Kiana could understand these puzzling words, the power exchange between the two was already over.
"That was fast! And to put it simply… it's like there was nothing there at all?" Kiana felt a little unsure. It was light and effortless, without hardship or unusual trials.
Bronya firmly nodded her small head and explained, "The Herrscher of Reason simply inherits the logic of civilization's evolution."
"So for other Herrschers, combining with the Herrscher of Reason's power… in truth, nothing really changes — because it belongs to the miracles of mortals."
Civilization may come to an end, and so may the Herrscher of Reason. That power was, from the start, the closest thing to humanity's own creative force.
Next was the Herrscher of Sentience.
"Huh? —" She looked completely bewildered, clearly not understanding what they meant. After sweeping her gaze strangely over them, convinced they weren't joking, she simply waved her hand, signaling to get on with it.
Moments later, her link was complete — even faster than Bronya's.
"Eh—" Kiana let out a short sound of surprise.
The Herrscher of Sentience rolled her eyes, baffled by the other three's confusion, then looked toward Mei and sighed.
"Didn't I just give you a shortcut earlier? You really don't know why?"
Mei honestly didn't fully understand the problem, but she knew there was only one thing it could be — the Herrscher of Origin's power she had just obtained. She frowned in thought, but was interrupted.
"Exactly. If your Herrscher power links with all other Herrscher powers…"
The Herrscher of Sentience pointed to the strange energy welling up around them — and the familiar powers rushing in from afar, unstoppable and fierce.
"—Then why are all those we were just talking about now charging at us from all directions without a word?"
It was only now that the three, lost in their own worlds, noticed the indescribable changes all around them.
Boom—
A ringing in their ears, and the scene before them completely changed.
A structure resembling a vast train station slowly unfolded before them — one that in Mei's memory matched exactly the platform at the Sea of Quanta's station, down to the details.
---
In the Recording studio.
"Does the Herrscher of Reason always talk with such a hard mouth?" Kiana scratched her head, still feeling completely lost. As expected of someone known as the most knowledgeable Herrscher, you really can't deal with her without a solid grasp of knowledge.
"Hard to say." The Herrscher of Sentience nodded solemnly, spitting out two words with perfect timing to match Kiana's actions.
"You two… seriously, enough already. The Herrscher of Reason isn't that complicated." Bronya shot the two of them a look, "At least, it's not the way you think — all philosophy and mathematics and such." Her Herrscher powers were linked together in a way completely different from Mei's.
"Well, every kind of 'li' is 'reason,' right? Physics is also li. Who knows which li the Herrscher of Reason actually is?" The Herrscher of Sentience chuckled.
"Maybe… the two aren't that different?" Luo Mo suggested from another angle.
Little Senti frowned, thought for a moment, clapped her hands, and said, "Exactly… Whoever understands physics also understands reason. Perfect explanation."
"Haha… Bronya has reason to suspect you two hold some very strong opinions about the Herrscher of Reason."
(ᗜ ˰ ᗜ)
---
In the Golden Courtyard.
"Connecting with all the other Herrscher powers… Elysia, you really didn't mention that at all~" Mobius whispered slyly in her ear. She really had been deceived badly this time.
If there hadn't been no good chance to ask before, she might have been tricked again this time.
"Ah… I didn't know, Elysia didn't know." Elysia's eyes darted around, glancing left and right as she spoke.
"Think about it — in the previous civilization, I never had a chance to link with other Herrscher powers, right? If I have to say it, it was only that last time when I ate the Chrysalis of Serenity, changing the future."
"But that time you weren't there, Mobius… it made me sad for so long ♪~"
Remembering something, Elysia suddenly said it with confidence, feeling she had a solid reason.
"So it's my fault, then… Well, your power is quite special, so it's normal you wouldn't understand." Mobius put on a show of magnanimity and tolerance.
But that only hurt Elysia even more, her expression like someone with an arrow lodged in their back, silently suffering.
What do you mean, 'it's normal you wouldn't understand'? She merely had an irresistible attraction toward beautiful girls, that's all.
------
In the game.
At the station.
"If the responsibility can be shared equally between everyone and Kevin… then of course I won't refuse any help offered to me." Kiana said seriously. She no longer casually turned down her friends' help — she had truly matured.
Before her, the white mist swirled and shifted, drawing in one Herrscher's will after another.
All Kiana needed to do now was move forward.
As she ran toward the distant unknown, her vision was swept clean, like the snow on an old black-and-white TV screen dissolving into static — the chaos bringing a strange, buzzing sensation to her head. The images lagged.
Herrscher of Corruption.
"It's… the Herrscher of Corruption…"
Kiana didn't stop walking. In her mind surfaced a fragment of Mei's memory, and she understood both what she sought and what she could not have.
Because its existence was not real, she longed for something that truly existed.
"I understand your wish, Herrscher of Corruption."
"We will prove to you what kind of thing is worth existing forever!"
"I have been walking this road."
No words. Silence in the space, as if nothing had happened — as if the disturbance just now had been an illusion.
But in the distance, a door had opened for her.
She stepped forward.
[The faded fairy lady ~ will never again answer your expectations (though you never expected anything)]
[There is no one who isn't Elysia — there's only Elysia, and a twisted Elysia]
[She will prove to her that she pursues both beauty and her true self]
Herrscher of Wind.
On the grassy plain, dotted with nameless flowers, the light breeze swept layer upon layer across the land, turning the green windmill floating at the center of the world — creak, creak — its sound resonating far and wide.
Kiana stepped onto it, recalling in her mind the first time they had faced a Herrscher together.
Back then, they were still immature and couldn't handle that incident perfectly.
"Wendy, even though you didn't have time to tell Bronya back then… she already knew."
"Everything we're doing now… it's because everyone's happiness is more important than the power of a Herrscher."
She bit her lower lip and kept walking.
Herrscher of the Void.
On the withered earth, low shrubs stretched endlessly, each with tiny blue flower buds that never bloomed.
The gray-white cubic structure of that space had lost its radiant brilliance, but it was still so familiar — at a glance, one could tell it belonged to her.
"It really is a familiar sight."
Of course, Kiana hadn't forgotten the battle for the Core within herself — it was hers, their shared memory.
"This is yours, isn't it? Even if I couldn't convince you back then — you still let me keep walking on the path I chose."
"You only acknowledged the possible results. Even if I think that wasn't everything, the result did still matter."
In the next instant, the buds bloomed into countless flowers called Cecilia.
This was both the name of the person dearest to her at the end of her life, and the name of the bouquet — pale white stamens covering all the black soil.
Her soul rested here.
[Ich Liebe Dich — the magic words of love]
[The voice and demeanor remain, the smile eternal]
[On the Siberian plains, flowers cover all past sins]
Herrscher of Thunder.
The steam over Nagazora City hid many things; that red-tiled arched bridge from her memories was still vivid.
It was here that they first met again, even though each of them had different thoughts back then.
"Bronya, Mei… ha ha." Kiana smiled gently.
Every time she looked back at her past self, she felt both amused and embarrassed — but those moments were still precious memories, the kind you can never return to, but always long for.
"After all this is over, let's come back to Nagazora together and take another look."
She smiled and made the decision.
It was no longer about staying in the past — she would keep moving forward, toward the next connection with another Herrscher's power.
Still the Herrscher of Ice.
Within the frozen world, stubborn flowers still bloomed.
A pendant covered in frost and dust carried the fate of two who met their end.
Though it wasn't a story she had personally witnessed…
"Those who were toyed with by fate… may you rest in peace."
Kiana closed her eyes slightly—part in mourning, part in promise.
Those sorrowful tales filled her with regret, but everything she did now was to prevent another story like that from ever happening again.
"Even if tragedy cannot be avoided, we will still fight against it—fight until the very end."
She stepped over the melted pendant that had fallen to the ground, and moved forward.
Herrscher of Sentience.
The winding mountain path of the Taixu Temple was serene. The mountain and river scenery was beautiful beyond words, the ancient buildings rich with historical charm, willows drooping gracefully, and lotus leaves lending their own quiet elegance.
At the end of the path stood a row of weapons—short crimson swords, long spears, and bladed whips—planted in the ground side by side.
"Herrscher of Sentience… after everything, she too is one of our companions."
"You've been tangled up over that question for so long…"
Kiana walked along the curved mountain path, recalling the little disputes she'd had with the girl, whose stubbornness meant she had to challenge everything. A smile appeared on Kiana's face.
That person had become an irreplaceable friend.
"There's no need to keep looking for that answer anymore, is there?"
"You are not Fu Hua—because you don't need to become Fu Hua," she whispered.
Once again, she pushed open the door and continued forward.
---
In the Recording Room.
"Ahhh, I totally agree we should have a get-together!" the Herrscher of Sentience shouted noisily.
"You are not Fu Hua—because you don't need to become Fu Hua."
See? Those words sound great, don't they? If you'd said them earlier, wouldn't everything have been solved already?
---