In the game.
On Earth, everyone was ready to set out.
"We're fully prepared to give everyone the best possible ending—to bring it to this world."
Kiana took a deep breath, looking at her academy's headmaster as she spoke.
"Kevin… he's probably waiting for you," Fu Hua hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"In the endless years, through unimaginable torment, he has always been waiting for our answer."
In her eyes was an inexplicable sorrow.
She knew that after this battle, no matter the outcome, she would never see Kevin again…
Even though they had fought each other countless times before.
"We'll give him an answer based on truth.
Whether it's for him, or for all those names buried by history…" Mei nodded gently.
She had inherited those heavy and conflicting thoughts, and she would make sure they all saw her answer.
And before that…
"I hope our answer can make them smile with joy."
A smile appeared on her face as she looked at everyone present, and she also recalled those companions in the peaceful realm—was this the same kind of scene Elysia and the others had before the end of the Previous Era civilization?
Seele and Bronya also said their farewells, wishing her well in the battles to come.
"Great, I finally caught up." a girl hair woman appeared.
"As this story approaches its final act, I want to join it. I want to become your strength."
Theresa looked strangely at the self-recommended newcomer before her—someone who claimed to be the "Hyperion Λ" entity.
Although she didn't look anything like Ai-chan from the Hyperion... could it be that artificial intelligences can create their own bodies?
The topic drifted a bit, but before the decisive battle, this strange person, who appeared in a form resembling a time crystal, volunteered to join them in the coming fight.
She brought with her a gift.
Because people from another dimension had witnessed this story, she brought their blessings into this world as a gift to the warriors departing for the final battlefield—those blessings would fight alongside them, and together they would witness the story's ending.
(T/C: did the writer skip Ai Hyperion & players scene😠)
That blessing was the core key of her being—her entire self. The emotions of those who had been moved by this story were all condensed into it.
Her body gradually faded, turning into a dazzling golden light. Every corner of the Earth shone with this golden glow, which then gathered in the sky above her. The entire heavens changed color in an instant.
A battleship slowly emerged from illusion into reality, bringing them to the moon for the final confrontation.
It was the Hyperion she had once spoken of—the "Eternal, Unsinkable Ship of Samsara."
----
[Kevin… he's also waiting for that answer! He's been weary for far too long; it's time for him to rest. ]
[Hyperion? Isn't that my ship?]
["Eternal, Unsinkable Ship of Samsara"... The 'unsinkable' part is easy to get, but 'Samsara'... hmm... ]
----
In the recording room.
"'Eternal, Unsinkable Ship of Samsara'? Is that the one in the game? Don't tell me little Ai-chan has actually turned into Big Ai over time?" Kiana asked with great interest.
Naturally, the one she was asking was Luo Mo.
"She said no." Luo Mo shook his head. He had, of course, asked her about it before, but she had been evasive in her reply.
If, in the original game, she was undoubtedly a being connected to another version of the Honkai world (universe)—able to see many future time-crystals, and serving as a bridge between captains and the main story—then here, Luo Mo truly could not guess what she was.
"She said no, so you just believe her? Luo Mo, don't let yourself be tricked by those bad women~" Irene watching from the side offered a "friendly" reminder. Her urgent tone did seem to carry a hint of sincerity.
"Bad women, huh... Wait, wait—when you hear that term, who's the first person you think of?"
The Herrscher of Sentience showed a mischievous grin, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
The names in Kiana's and Luo Mo's minds were vivid, but both of them stopped just short of saying them aloud. Still, they both thought of the same pink-haired girl.
"Heh, looks like we're all thinking the exact same thing. That's right—it's definitely that bad woman, Elysia." The Herrscher of Sentience proudly puffed out her chest. She knew that most of the people here could easily guess who that nickname referred to.
The one watching didn't refute it, even though in her heart she had already given that same label to both Irene and Luno. Still, she had to admit—the pink-haired woman was indeed dangerous.
"A Hyperion formed from the blessings and wishes of the whole world—it's starting to feel more and more like the proper equipment for a main character. On the moon, even if I stake my name on the fight, we won't lose!"
Kiana couldn't help but feel her confidence double.
---
In the Golden Courtyard.
"Achoo~ Who's talking about me again?"
"It just means someone's secretly thinking about me. Really, there's nothing I can do about it. Was it you, Mobius ♪~?"
Elysia wrinkled her nose, feeling a tickle. She quickly took out her handkerchief, sensing as if someone was speaking ill of her behind her back. Though her words carried suspicion, she still smiled teasingly at the other person.
"Ah—if it really were me, then you'd have to spend every moment of every day on this matter."
"Oh? You mean you think about me every moment of every day? That's quite the impulsive confession!" Elysia said, a little surprised.
"I mean I'm cursing you every moment of every day." Mobius said flatly, without expression.
"I'll take it as meaning the same thing. After all, it's coming from the hardest mouth in the world ♪~"
"We're down to only Kevin as the final enemy now. How does it feel, being regarded as the enemy of civilization?" Elysia asked cheerfully, unaffected by Mobius's harsh words.
"If you can surpass me, then so be it. Failure is just another name for victory." Kevin replied calmly.
"...You're too lazy, Kevin. Stop trying to fool yourself."
---
In the game.
The Hyperion's cannons could wipe out most Honkai Beasts. On the way to the moon, before Kiana and the others even needed to lift a finger, the ship's main guns handled most incoming enemies.
All they had to do was prepare for the final battle and get ready for that last opponent.
At the lunar base, the stillness once again gave way to a charged atmosphere—heat and pressure, the quiet before a great storm.
A battle between them was inevitable—one that would either mark humanity's farewell to its childhood or let humanity decide its own future.
No more arguing over ideals—only swords in hand, speaking with strength, to claim the final crown.
Kevin had taken on the form of an asura, with fierce twin horns atop his head and eyes as cold as ice. From above, he stared down at the three who pursued him.
"It seems you truly do possess the qualifications."
He rose slowly, his right hand gripping his sword's hilt. Scorching flames surged along the blade but were suppressed by his calm will.
"Finality authority. The cycles of the world... all are before you."
"This is the opportunity you fought for yourselves."
He lowered his gaze, looking straight at the three who stood before him.
Behind him, a red-purple, vine-like mass of fleshy tendrils coiled upward, and from the ground, the massive body of a Honkai Beast emerged. A gigantic claw slammed into the ground, dragging molten lava and shattering the earth as it lunged straight toward Kiana and the others.
The collapsing terrain forced the three to retreat and split apart, each landing on a separate broken platform. Only now did the enormous monster's form fully reveal itself—a "Chimera," an ultimate fusion-type Honkai Beast. Its rotating body was covered in countless tentacles, surrounded by a menacing purple halo that radiated pure fear. Three massive, predatory arms extended, each one targeting one of the three girls.
Like a wild beast, every distinctive trait of the various Honkai Beasts it was fused from manifested on its body—its appearance almost demonic.
"But you must also have the ability…"
"To bear it."
As his voice fell, each of the three massive arms summoned a lantern-bearing monster and slammed toward the girls. On top of that, the Chimera brought forth an endless horde of other creatures—the crystallized remains of ancient primordial Honkai Beasts—relentlessly harassing Kiana's group.
"Childhood will end eventually; the road ahead can be counted on one hand."
Kevin's voice still echoed from above as he stood in a vital position on the Chimera's body, cold eyes watching this trial battle unfold.
"All life… is but a bird in a cage."
"Haaah!"
Kiana raised her short sword high, unleashing a surge of newly gained power from her core. She dashed in, striking whenever an arm descended, leaving wound after wound. As she adapted more to the borrowed strength, her strikes began to flow naturally, almost as if the weapon were part of her arm. Her eyes darted around, searching for Mei and Bronya—she had to regroup with them.
Only by uniting the strength of all three could they find another way to counter Kevin.
"Civilizations create the Honkai; the Honkai destroys civilizations."
The solemn words still reverberated—it was the battle that determined their path.
One massive arm rose again; the object it held shattered into fragments, morphing into floating Honkai Beasts that fired streaks of violet light.
"Weight of the World—Release!"
Kiana's eyes flashed; she seized the perfect moment to activate the power of the Weight of the World, shattering the arm before her and preventing it from regenerating for a short time. Without hesitation, she sprinted toward the other battlefields to help Mei and Bronya.
Once they each dismantled the remaining claws, the three joined forces, withstanding Kevin's assaults. Clearing away the flying rubble, they waited for the right moment.
"Break!"
Mei and Bronya launched Kiana forward, concentrating all three of their powers into her alone. With a sharp cry, Kiana struck the Chimera's core dead-on with her weapon. Time itself seemed to stop—then the world erupted in blinding white light, heralding destruction.
The massive Honkai Beast collapsed from the sky, raising a cloud of ancient dust. Its towering body lay still, unable to rise again, its breath forever gone.
---
At the recording room.
"Looks like even Senti couldn't really complete that 'fifty fifty plan' she boasted about. Kevin… never fought seriously against her at all," Kiana said with a complicated expression.
Only now did she truly realize how much Kevin had been holding back. He had never unleashed such force before the final battle. He had deliberately pushed them to grow, to approach the Cocoon of Finality, to attempt the "beyond-the-Sanctuary" test within his heart.
"Hey, that's not my fault. Kevin's just… not human!" Senti argued
"You still need three people. And didn't my old pal and Durandal also ambush Kevin? After that, we contributed in the battle too, so I'm roughly on par with Kiana—no problem!" Senti's peculiar "math" was as natural as breathing.
She could sigh all she wanted, but her competitive streak was carved into her bones—how could a child accept defeat? If she couldn't beat Kevin, well then, she'd just say she was "about as good" as Kiana. And if she could beat Kevin later, that meant she was about as good as herself beating Kevin!
"A miraculous equation," Luo Mo commented dryly.
"Chimera… I wonder how many Honkai Beast genes Kevin has fused," Fu Hua sighed.
She had seen the sacrifices of past civilizations, warriors who became something no longer human in their fight against the Honkai. Compared to Kevin, the three standing before him—Kiana, Mei, and Bronya—were unmistakably the protagonists, at least in appearance.
"But… has Kevin ever been this talkative before?" The Herrscher of Sentience tilted her head in doubt. In her memory, Kevin was the last person to waste words in battle. Hmm… well, unless you counted him shouting meaningless roars and killing cries for millennia.
"To highlight his presence, my dear little Senti—this is perfectly normal," Luo Mo said solemnly, earning a wide-eyed stare from her.
"…Ahem. The game really does need that kind of touch. Those lines definitely enhance the oppressive aura Kevin gives off," Bronya interjected. She, too, took note of such basic production techniques.
"No… that's not what I was thinking. I was wondering—does that title of his count as teasing an underage girl? Who told him to keep calling me 'one year old and fully grown' every day!" the Herrscher of Sentience stomped in indignation.
Of course, Luna, even Theresa wouldn't dare provoke him—so maybe that made Kevin the number one untouchable person here?
---
In the game.
The Chimera's defeat didn't mean the fight was over. Now, Kevin hovered in the air, black skeletal wings spreading behind him, radiating a cold that chilled to the bone. His gaze remained as icy as ever, showing no mercy.
"Very good. You have passed the trial of the Devil's Ordeal."
He raised his flaming greatsword, slashing it through the air. Two crossing sword arcs formed a blazing cross, tearing space like fragile paper. From the rift poured a deep, ink-black fluid from the depths of the cosmos itself.
"Come—
I will bear it all."
"No matter the choice, no matter survival—"
He stretch his hand to the rift, absorbing more Finality. Golden light seeped from the shattered cross, gradually enveloping Kevin's whole body. He leaned into a new, otherworldly form, where sacred white intertwined with wild purple across his frame.
"Now, all hopes converge into the sole, absolute wish—"
"Step forth… and hear this—
The Cry of Deliverance!"
He had become something no longer wholly human, nor entirely Honkai Beast—a being with bony wings, a powerful tail, and in his hand, a divine staff of authority—altogether resembling something almost holy demonic.
The pressure only kept doubling.
"Brahma Heaven's Hundred Beasts, add to this body... The karma demon plunges into the abyss, the savior draws the sword!!"
Now, at last, he fully revealed his complete form to the world.
Deliverance Kevin — at the absolute peak of human strength, for the first time, he unleashed his entire being without holding back.
At this moment, he would show them—
why he bore the title of Deliverance, why he was worthy of carrying the final hope of the previous civilization.
"This is the human Chimera, the final point of the Stigma, the blade that surpasses the Finality of civilization."
"Come—this time, I'll press my own life into the barrel of the gun..."
Kiana and the other two joined forces, wielding the powers they had gained through relentless struggle to confront him.
Herrscher of Reason's constructions, Herrscher of Void's spatial shifts, Herrscher of Thunder's lightning conquest...
And many more powers—Truth, End, and Origin—blossomed together in their hands.
"And I expect you... to surpass it all."
Golden walls of light from the pathfinder's binding pressure made it hard for them to even take half a step. From the sky, violet beams descended with constant threat, while Kevin's great sword brought searing waves of heat with every swing.
Their weapons clashed.
Those who commanded the powers of Finality on both sides would, today, have to decide the winner.
----
[Step forth—this is... the Light of Salvation! Deliverance!]
[In reality last time, she was the one who pressed her own life into the barrel... and in the peace beyond, he had done it once before. In reality, it's the same.]
[Crying... Kevin even hopes more than Kiana herself that they can defeat him.]
---
In the recording room.
"Deliverance Kevin... so strong. His power is downright monstrous," Herrscher of Sentience sighed.
What was there to complain about?
The opponent had hidden so much strength, and with so many phases—it was simply frightening.
She even felt a little embarrassed for Kiana, worried she might be defeated.
"Step forth—this is... the Light of Deliverance! So badass."
A trace of admiration flashed in Kiana's eyes. Sometimes the enemy's lines were so incredibly cool that even as the protagonist, she couldn't suppress the oppressive aura they gave off. It was... frustrating.
>"That thing on Kevin's back—just how heavy is it?"
Even after watching the entire recording, she still felt moved. She wondered what exactly Kevin had kept in his heart all this time, to carry him this far—
what emotions he held facing the final battle, setting down his burdens, facing his fate.
Even a defeated hero is still a hero.
"After all, he carries the past of one civilization and the promise of another. He must destroy the Honkai before he can erect his own tombstone and fulfill all his promises," Luo Mo said slowly.
He greatly respected Kevin—holding onto memories from fifty thousand years ago without letting go, even after everyone else had vanished, never allowing himself to forget.
"...Kevin."
Fu Hua lowered her head slightly, her gaze heavy with grief and unwillingness. She had wandered through so much as a confused soul, often only as a bystander, never buried as deeply as Kevin. She was someone from the previous era—Kevin was the symbol of the previous era's people.
---
In the Golden Courtyard.
"No matter the choice, no matter survival... is that it?"
A faint sorrow welled in Elysia's eyes. Kevin... he knew the ending all along.
He knew it was impossible, yet still—
Even if he fell, there would be no regret.
He truly cared nothing for his own safety; to him, there was nothing in the world he couldn't leave behind.
It was... a little heartbreaking.
Mobius fell silent. She didn't dwell on Kevin's overwhelming power—only on how pitiful it was.
Even with such immense strength, he could never obtain what he wanted—not even the smallest chance.
"It's fine. I'll give you a meaningful death," she murmured softly.
"And I'll do it in the grandest way."
Su slowly opened his eyes, gazing at this calm comrade with a complicated expression.
He had indeed changed so much.
And yet, some things had never changed.
"Boss Kevin..."
Kasmo cautiously glanced toward Kevin, fear etched all over his face.
The boss was still as powerful as ever.
But why had Su closed his eyes?
Why did the air in the courtyard feel so strange?
Wasn't this supposed to be Kevin's moment of overwhelming might?
---
In the game.
No one knew how much time had passed.
This was indeed a battle of equivalent strength—neither side had gained a clear advantage, at least not yet.
As they wore down Kevin's second health bar, Kevin floated in mid-air, his body surrounded by an almost unbreakable protective barrier. Golden characters flowed endlessly across its surface.
Kiana and the others were stunned to realize that their attacks were no longer having any effect.
That shield of his could absorb a number of hits so great they couldn't even compare.
In such a stalemate, this was essentially near-invincible defense—a massive disadvantage for them.
Kiana, Mei, and Bronya's offensive struggled to make an impact; all they could do was dodge the relentless attacks from above while searching for a new strategy.
Just as they were running out of options, Bronya considered exhausting all her remaining energy to mass-produce Moonlight Thrones—
An unexpected voice rang out.
"Bronya... Next, watch me!"
"Let me show you another way to use the Key's core!"
It was a familiar voice—Ai-chan and Big Ai. At this critical moment, she once again chose to aid them.
Countless tiny points of light gathered into streams, flowing into the Hyperion that hovered in the lunar sky.
Each light represented someone's blessing and wish.
Their words of encouragement and hopes were carried to Kiana, Mei, and Bronya's ears—some urging victory, some offering encouragement.
Their blessings, their thoughts, their emotions—
all reached the three girls.
They were not fighting alone.
Nor were they fighting for just one person.
This was a battle for humanity—
just like in that dreamscape before.
Destiny's personnel, wounded comrades, enemies, ordinary people… and even some strange and quirky names — names from Earth and even from countless parallel worlds' ordinary people — all sent their blessings across dimensions to the Captains here.
Each core key was a blessing. Every heartfelt wish gathered together could unleash unimaginable power.
The Hyperion's cannons blazed without end. Countless points of light converged into it, granting it limitless energy. It erupted at full force, its artillery wildly bombarding that shield.
One person alone might not be enough — but a group could be. The shield was quickly being worn down, its energy rapidly draining away.
And when that shield finally disappeared completely, Kiana and the other two instantly unleashed their joint technique, launching a fierce assault.
The three of them held on against Kevin, and the tide of victory was becoming clearer by the moment. Kevin gradually began to falter… until a certain instant—
–Slash!
Kiana's figure flickered through the air, moving with lightning speed. Gripping her short sword in both hands, she struck down with all her might, splitting Kevin's body cleanly in two.
She had finally won this battle.
---