"Sorry to keep you waiting, Kallen! Let's fight side-by-side now!"
A fierce sword light radiated outwards, sakura-red energy instantly blanketing the heavens and earth.
The scorching fireballs Higokumaru had frantically launched were utterly obliterated in an instant. The sakura-haired miko, clad in her red-and-white attire, leaped gracefully across the scattered embers dotting the sky, landing nimbly beside Kallen Kaslana, who had been caught in a difficult battle.
Gazing at the familiar, beautiful face of the white-haired girl beside her, even amidst the harsh battlefield, Yae Sakura couldn't help but bloom into a gentle smile.
"Sakura! Are you finally back to normal?!"
Seeing Yae Sakura's eyes, no longer filled with crimson rage but restored to their usual gentle and clear blue, Kallen, slightly disheveled from her fight with Higokumaru, broke into a genuinely joyous smile.
"Ya—e— Saku—ra—!!! What have you done?!!"
Higokumaru was initially stunned to see Yae Sakura, whose power she should have drained when possessing her, now full of vigor. However, upon closer inspection and recognizing Sakura's current state, Higokumaru's crimson fox eyes widened to their absolute limit. A furious roar erupted from her throat.
Since being sealed along with the possessed Yae Sakura inside the Soulium black box by Kallen Kaslana using the power of the Key of Binding five hundred years ago, Higokumaru had been forced into symbiosis with Sakura. Over the five centuries, their existences became increasingly intertwined and inseparable, to the point where it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they had become one and the same.
The power sustaining this special Stigma Space came not only from Yae Sakura but also partially from the Herrscher of Corruption, Higokumaru. If the seal were ever broken, it wouldn't be just Yae Sakura or Higokumaru emerging from the Soulium black box, but both of them regaining freedom together. This was the strange symbiotic state between Yae Sakura and the Herrscher of Corruption, Higokumaru.
Yet, just moments ago, Yae Sakura had transformed her entire spirit and power into a Stigma, gifting it to Ren Amamiya, becoming his Persona. Higokumaru, whose existence was intrinsically linked to Yae Sakura, suddenly felt her own power drain significantly, experiencing a long-forgotten sensation of fatigue and weakness.
"I see... So there's this method too. The Path of Origin [same as Durandal Tianyuan (origin-the Source) path or in EN localize as Palatinus Equinox]... I never thought Joker would choose such a thorny and arduous path. Though difficult and fraught with hardship, the end of this path holds immense power, perhaps even enough to contend with that 'Evil God'!"
Watching Yae Sakura, wielding her spirit blade Sakura Fubuki, join the battle, entrusting herself to Joker's heart, intimately connected to Ren, radiating imposing might—Hare, realizing what had transpired between Sakura and Ren, felt her violet-blue eyes sparkle even brighter.
"I think I'm beginning to understand now... what Joker told me before, the meaning of 'Myriad Truths' ['like founding a nation']."
Hare felt like she was starting to grasp everything. The so-called Path of Origin involved not relying solely on one's own single Stigmata power, but layering the power of two or more Stigmata. It was a thorny path where one used their original Stigmata power as the core to guide and enhance the combined strength.
Hare had initially thought Ren's method of Stigmata awakening was misguided, a dead end taken in search of a shortcut to power. But looking at it now... although it seemed like a dead end on the surface, Ren had clearly possessed the resolve from the beginning to shatter the wall at the end of that path, stubbornly forging ahead towards the distant horizon, creating a unique path entirely his own.
Fully awakening one's own inherent Stigmata was already a miracle; across the entire world, those capable of achieving it could be counted on one hand. Yet, Ren, besides fully awakening his own Stigmata, had set his sights on the power of other Stigmata as well.
Only now did Hare fully understand why Ren had been so persistent in exploring so-called Palaces. He was clearly seeking the acknowledgment of the Stigmata Wills residing within those Stigma Spaces, inheriting their great power to tread the Path of Origin!
Unlike recruiting Companion Honkai Beasts, which offered little boost to one's own core strength, this was like founding an unprecedented, magnificent nation.
By gaining the acknowledgment of Stigmata Wills and incorporating other Stigmata into oneself to build a new system... even Ren's own core strength, which should theoretically have plateaued, could continuously rise with each absorbed Stigma.
One day, it was theoretically entirely possible for Ren's physical capabilities to surpass even those of his Personas!
To save the world, Kevin Kaslana once risked his life, voluntarily undergoing the Chimera Project surgery, ultimately forming a vast host of Honkai Beast factors within himself, gaining the power to struggle against and survive the Final Herrscher.
And now, to oppose Kevin, to prevent him from enacting the Stigma Project and stealing humanity's freedom, Ren Amamiya has clearly embarked on a similar yet distinct path, intending to create a nation composed of Stigmata Wills within his own heart.
This... this was the true meaning of "Myriad Truths"!
"Rejoice! The great Phantom Thief Joker, destined to shine brightly in the future and achieve worldwide fame, has now taken the first step on his path to Deliverance! This is the moment he gains the willing acknowledgment and allegiance of his first Persona, Yae Sakura!!"
As if cheering for Ren's success in winning over Yae Sakura, the dream projection Hare, clad in her violet-white full-body armor, raised her spear high.
Dream-like, magnificent violet clouds veiled the azure sky. Then, erupting from the phantasmal violet clouds, came a downpour of countless violet javelins, raining down like a meteor shower.
The sharp violet javelins continuously plummeted from high above, relentlessly bombarding Higokumaru's massive white fox body, which couldn't dodge them all. Amidst Higokumaru's pained cries, the javelins added numerous long, gruesome wounds.
"Excellent! At this rate, I think we can do it!"
Seeing Higokumaru's aura significantly weakened compared to before, lacking its previous overwhelming power, Kallen's eyes lit up. She could already see the hope of victory.
"Please, lend me more strength, Judah!"
Kallen placed her hands firmly on the cold Soulium cross of the Oath of Judah, pouring her Honkai energy into it in one go. From the expanded compartments within the Oath of Judah, over a dozen golden chain-spears shot out with imposing force.
The golden Soulium chains tightly bound Higokumaru's giant white fox body. Some spear tips dug deep into the ground, pinning Higokumaru firmly in place. The remaining golden spearheads unstoppably pierced into Higokumaru's body, working in conjunction with the power of the Key of Binding to weaken Higokumaru's resistance as much as possible.
"Hachiman Funnel—Crimson Lotus Hellfire!!"
Yae Sakura slowly took her stance. In the next instant, like scattering cherry blossoms, her figure vanished.
Then, she reappeared instantly in front of the imprisoned and bound Higokumaru. Her spirit blade, Sakura Fubuki, blazed with karmic flames resembling a crimson lotus, unleashing hundreds, thousands of terrifying slashes in a mere moment.
The fiery sword light attacks, imbued with intense heat, seemed poised to shatter the very space along with Higokumaru's body. As Yae Sakura gracefully stopped behind Higokumaru's five massive tails, now lying limply on the ground, and calmly sheathed Sakura Fubuki, the immense damage inflicted upon Higokumaru erupted all at once.
With a final, unwilling roar filled with resentment, Higokumaru's body became tattered and ravaged. More than half of it dissolved into particles of light, scattering in the passing wind.
"The protagonist always makes the last entrance. I'll take the final blow! Checkmate... no, wait, this phrase is better—"
Ren twirled the now fully charged Mosin-Nagant twin pistols in his hands. Under the watchful eyes of his companions, he slowly positioned himself before the barely breathing Higokumaru lying on the ground.
A slight smile played on Ren's lips. He crossed the muzzles of the twin pistols, charging the Mosin-Nagant to its absolute limit. The surrounding air temperature rose to the point of distortion, almost seeming to catch fire.
"—Jackpot!!"