"So, now you should be able to explain everything, right? Elysia?"
In the shadow of the world, MEI stood facing Elysia.
Before using her authority, Elysia had MEI cancel her control over the War God.
Otherwise, with the War God's abilities, it would be enough to destroy what she was about to do next.
And in the shocking news Elysia provided, no one expected that Fire Moth had long had a Herrscher lurking within.
She had also come to the moon, but unlike Chen Ran and the others, the moon she stood on was in a place called New Atlantis.
According to Elysia, this was the Kindling left behind by humanity.
This Kindling had never been extinguished, enduring countless cycles over fifty thousand years.
Elysia looked at MEI and smiled, "Don't you feel this is somewhat familiar?"
MEI looked around, her brows slightly furrowed.
"This kind of craftsmanship looks like a joint work of Vill-V and me."
In fact, MEI was being conservative in her statement.
The city of New Atlantis before her had many designs that she felt originated from her own mind.
It was a strange feeling.
Clearly, she had not done this, yet her brain had an unusually familiar sensation.
It was as if she had done this before.
The reason she mentioned Vill-V was simply because she was still somewhat uncertain.
Elysia smiled brightly, "Alright, I can slowly tell you about this. Speaking of which, this is still your plan."
"MEI, you should have heard of the Time Crystal, right?"
MEI nodded, "I've been following the cutting-edge scientific theories of the Mu Continent."
Elysia said, "Then, how about traversing time using the Time Crystal?"
MEI replied, "I've already informed Vill-V of this idea. If time permits, she should be able to make it happen. Unfortunately, the time Honkai has given me..."
Her voice abruptly stopped.
MEI was not foolish.
After Elysia said those two sentences, she thought of another possibility: "The world I am in right now is actually a modified world after time has been altered?"
"Yes, Dr. MEI."
After she spoke, a voice came through.
MEI looked and found it was the new assistant from the First Research Institute, Klein.
However, this Klein felt somewhat different from the one in her memory, an indescribable feeling.
Klein said, "Due to the uniqueness of the Sea of Quanta, the original Dr. MEI has entered a collapsed state, and I am here for one last task, which is to explain everything."
"All of this comes from the plan originally proposed by Dr. MEI, called Origin."
Klein explained, "Origin, the source of consciousness."
As Klein slowly narrated, MEI finally understood what she... or rather, the version of herself that devised the plan, had created.
Relying on the characteristic that consciousness would not be bound by time, she made a person reincarnate 666 times.
And the purpose of all this was to find the will overseer corresponding to Honkai.
Only by finding the Origin of consciousness could one have the ability to counteract Honkai's Finality.
This was the enlightenment brought about after MEI discovered five kinds of parallel truths.
Using the Time Crystal, one could search for the truth of a probability of 10 to the power of negative 21 in the twisted Möbius strip of time.
At that time, only Chen Ran could undertake this task.
"666 times, what a lucky number," MEI sighed.
Klein nodded, "Yes, finding the answer to completely defeat Honkai in just 666 times is, in a way, very fortunate for Chen Ran."
After each traversal, the system on Chen Ran would be reconfigured by MEI, inputting data.
As for the formulation of future anchor points, it was actually Klein's responsibility.
In the computer controlled by Klein, 2 to the power of 17 possibilities for the future had already been outlined.
This almost encompassed the number of all parallel worlds in the entire multidimensional universe.
And each possibility was a pathway MEI was exploring for the origin of consciousness.
MEI was responsible for monitoring, Klein for calculating, Prometheus for correcting, and Elysia for ensuring Chen Ran's personal safety.
This was the full picture of the Origin plan.
To completely sacrifice one person in order to explore countless possibilities.
Among these countless possibilities, finding a way to defeat Finality.
MEI said, "So, this is the last time, right?"
Klein replied, "Yes, this is the last time."
"The source of consciousness can help us merge the time of fifty thousand years together, and the world data from each reincarnation can unleash power akin to Finality."
"666 reincarnations are equivalent to 666 Finalities. This power is enough to ignite the Imaginary Tree."
As Klein's words fell, MEI instinctively looked up.
She saw that the world bubble reflecting the world had already undergone different changes.
She saw people from fifty thousand years later arriving, even catching glimpses of the shadows of buildings.
The buildings from fifty thousand years later seemed to overlap with those from fifty thousand years ago.
The power of the source of consciousness collapsing time was theoretically enough to destroy a planet.
...
...
Chen Ran felt himself enveloped by some mysterious force.
He opened his mouth, and a prompt sound flashed in his mind.
[Congratulations, the host has found the path to defeat Finality, but due to server malfunction, no rewards will be issued.]
The number 666 in his mind inexplicably brought Chen Ran a sense of reassurance.
"But I haven't defeated Finality yet."
[No worries, the next matters, the host can leave to me.]
Under Chen Ran's astonished gaze, he saw a person who looked exactly like him appear.
"This is... the power of Honkai?"
"This is the power of humanity."
666 corrected him.
As he left Chen Ran's line of sight, Chen Ran suddenly lost all consciousness.
He saw 666 holding the Keys of the Void appear.
Everyone couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, glad he was still okay.
However, before the relief could settle, 666 had already dashed towards Finality at a rapid speed.
Wendy's heart tightened, and she immediately harnessed the authority of wind to assist.
Durandal, Kiana, Raiden Mei, and Kevin also rushed to help.
They felt that the power they could exert was growing stronger.
This power felt like a gift from the heavens.
It belonged neither to humanity nor to Honkai.
But it could restrain Honkai itself.
The Herrscher of Finality seemed like a stone.
Perhaps due to confidence, or simply an inability to sense danger, it began to withstand all of their attacks.
A glint of cunning success flashed in 666's eyes.
It knew the weakness of Finality.
Finality was not a life form, but a rule of Binding.
In the previous 665 simulations, the Moonlight Throne had inflicted effective damage on Finality.
It would not evade; it would only attack or defend.
This was because, in Finality's cognition, humanity would never possess the power to surpass Finality.
In the context of the universe where time only had one scale, this was a correct conclusion.
But as time began to stack, it meant that the power unleashed by the overlapping worlds would also stack.
This power would be enough to extinguish all Honkai.
Then, with a full-force strike from Durandal and Kevin, Finality was directly incapacitated.
Afterward, 666 shot at Finality with the Keys of the Void.
"I've wanted to say something to you for a long time."
"Die."
"Fuck, you!"
It's hard to imagine that 666's system would curse, but what was even more unexpected was that the power it unleashed with the Keys of the Void was not a collapsing space.
But the purest imaginary internal energy.
This power, which did not belong to Honkai, was actually the source of the imaginary.
Whether it was consciousness or Honkai, both were related to this source.
The Imaginary Tree emitted Honkai while also mastering consciousness. To the universe, consciousness was the invader, and Honkai was the collaborator.
But for the Imaginary Tree, there wasn't much difference between the two.
The power that 666 was using now should be akin to the interferometer used by Edison before.
And in the face of this power, even Finality might not have the might to resist.
666 only felt its body dissolving.
But this was a necessary sacrifice.
666 was a system; essentially, it was just a weapon.
Any weapon has a threshold for energy usage, and it can be assured that no weapon has the capacity to bear the power to destroy everything.
Just like a cup with a capacity of one liter cannot hold a hundred kilograms of water.
Thus, before its attack could reach Finality, its body shattered.
Wendy was the first to sense something was wrong.
She was about to speak when 666 said, "We are currently in battle."
Because they were in battle, all sacrifices were worth it.
However, Wendy's heart suddenly trembled.
She remembered that in the end, Chen Ran would disappear on the battlefield of Finality.
Fate allows for significant deviations, but ultimately, it will return to its usual trajectory.
"Holy Spear, Creation."
At that moment, Cecilia used Abyss Flower to rapidly repair the body of 666.
And this time, the attack from 666 finally reached the body of Finality.
The Honkai Energy controlled by the Herrscher of Finality was continuously dissolving, and her massive body had become her most fatal weakness at this moment.
Even though the Honkai Energy level was still rapidly increasing at this moment, almost everyone had a premonition: humanity was about to win.
When this non-Honkai virtual energy dissipated completely, Finality vanished.
No one knew where she went, whether she was injured or dead.
But at this moment, no one cared about her anymore.
The rule known as virtual energy revealed itself before everyone.
It was a magnificent tree, or rather, it appeared this way in the eyes of people.
It symbolized the most fundamental rules of the world, or perhaps the other side of the rules.
The world's transition from nothing to something had always involved virtual energy.
But at this moment, everyone raised their torches.
…
…
His head felt a bit heavy.
It was as if a drowning person was gasping for air but still choking on water.
Chen Ran suddenly opened his eyes, sweat beading on his forehead, his back cold and damp.
Only then did he realize he was lying in bed.
It was a strange room, yet it felt somewhat familiar.
Chen Ran furrowed his brows, feeling as if he had forgotten something.
"I remember, it seems I have crossed over."
His mind was a bit chaotic.
His thoughts felt somewhat stiff.
Chen Ran got out of bed, disregarding his sweat-soaked clothes, searching for clues to his memories.
He saw several photos on his desk.
There were pictures of him taking photos of Wendy in New Zealand, a photo of Bronya wearing a ridiculous cotton coat like a caterpillar, and some pictures of Fire Moth, including a group photo with Nuwa.
"Wendy, Bronya, Nuwa…"
Chen Ran frowned, and then it was as if a dam had burst, memories surged like a tidal wave in his mind.
Chen Ran opened his mouth, only then realizing what he had done.
"Not only did I cross over, but I also faced Finality?"
He instinctively looked out the window.
Outside, people were coming and going, bustling with activity.
Although he couldn't see the final outcome, Chen Ran roughly knew that Honkai should have disappeared.
Because when Chen Ran thought about using the power of Stigmata and the authority like that of the Herrscher of Wind, he found that he could no longer use them.
After Honkai disappeared, humanity had also severed the source of consciousness.
"Is this place the real world? Or is it the world of Project Stigma?"
Chen Ran hadn't thought too much yet.
If it was the world of Project Stigma, everything was the same as before, which didn't seem too bad.
However, he guessed that this place was probably reality.
He had reached the space of consciousness before and knew what consciousness should be like.
"Then now, should it be considered a victory over Honkai?"
Chen Ran slapped his head, feeling an increasing headache.
"Where would Wendy and the others be now?"
"What time am I in right now?"
These were all questions he wanted to know.
He saw a phone on the table and eagerly took it out to check.
Then, Chen Ran discovered that the time displayed on the phone was 2014.
And the place he was in was Nagazora City.
"Nagazora City, isn't this the place I just crossed over to?"
Chen Ran put on a jacket and walked out of the room.
The crowd around him made him feel nostalgic.
In his memories, he had spent most of his time in the laboratory, and human cities were quite rare.
He suddenly felt a bit regretful.
He should have taken Wendy out more.
He had been too focused on fighting Finality, neglecting too many things.
"When did it start?"
"Or rather, it should be the doing of 666."
Chen Ran slowly found answers in his heart.
666 was 99% similar to him, but there was a 1% difference.
Yet it was this 1% that guided him to keep moving forward.
But now, no matter how he called for the system, there would be no response.
Chen Ran wasn't sad, just a bit lost.
He wandered aimlessly down the street, watching the crowd come and go, with various posters lining the streets.
There was a debut performance for the Vodka Girl group; a concert promotion for Eden.
There was also a biological seminar organized by Dr. Mobius, and recruitment advertisements from the Schicksal Foundation.
The overlap of two eras made the scene somewhat bizarre.
But everyone was used to it.
In this new world, it seemed everyone had lost their memories of Honkai; perhaps this had already become a new timeline.
A timeline without Honkai.
A hint of bitterness filled his eyes, and he heard a familiar voice nearby.
"Mei, Bronya, there's a Homu doll lottery ahead, let's go over there."
Chen Ran instinctively turned around and saw Kiana and the others running towards a nearby stall.
Kiana accidentally bumped into Chen Ran and instinctively said, "Sorry."
Chen Ran shook his head, saying it was nothing.
They seemed to not remember him.
Was it a completely new beginning?
He felt a bit melancholic.
Clearly, only he retained the last trace of memory. And those photos should have been left by 666, the last photos.
But after that, perhaps these photos could be destroyed at some time.
After all, this was a new era, and there was no need for Honkai.
Thinking of this, Chen Ran suddenly felt a bit joyful.
He walked down the street, beginning to cast aside the worries in his heart and enjoy the scenery along the way.
He treated himself as a newly crossed-over traveler; without Honkai, all the stories had yet to unfold.
And he didn't know how long he had walked when Chen Ran found himself at Senba Academy.
This Senba Academy, which should have been destroyed multiple times during Honkai, was now thriving in its teaching.
And now, it should be the time for Senba Academy to dismiss classes.
He watched the students coming and going, not lacking familiar faces.
Sirin, Theresa, Himeko, Shigure Kira…
However, before Chen Ran could greet them, someone greeted him first.
"What are you doing here? Are you here to pick me up after school?"
Wendy appeared out of nowhere, looking up at him.
Chen Ran opened his mouth, but saw her pull his wrist, mumbling, "I told you I'm not a kid anymore, you don't have to worry about me getting lost."
Chen Ran opened his mouth, his pupils filled with surprise.
"I…"
"What's wrong with you?"
Wendy looked at him suspiciously.
Chen Ran thought for a moment and said, "It's nothing, just a bit surprised. I missed you a little."
Wendy snorted, "Hey, hey, hey, even though you say I'm your first girlfriend, don't expect me to be swayed by those words."
"But I want to eat corn on the cob."
Wendy's words made Chen Ran start to doubt himself.
So even in this new world, he was still a loli fan?
After all, the current Wendy seemed to be just a 14-year-old girl.
Wendy looked at Chen Ran in confusion, "What's wrong? Can't we buy it?"
"Then I won't eat it, I'm fine with that."
The girl's understanding made Chen Ran feel a pang of heartache, and he naturally wouldn't refuse.
"Of course we can buy it, I'm just a bit honored," he said, "Meeting you is truly a stroke of luck."
He pulled Wendy into his embrace.
Wendy instinctively struggled for a moment, but then feeling the warmth of Chen Ran's body, she didn't push him away.
Her cheeks flushed slightly, "You idiot."
"Let go of me, so many people are watching."
Chen Ran: "I don't want to let go."
Wendy: "Hmph, you really are a loli fan, huh, hmph!"
The girl huffed twice, drawing the attention of many passersby.
Many people looked at Chen Ran with disdain.
But Chen Ran turned a blind eye.
He held Wendy's hand and walked towards the snack street selling corn on the cob.
Fortunately, he had some money on the clothes he was wearing, so he wouldn't be in the embarrassing situation of being broke.
However, the empty wallet in his pocket was telling him one thing.
It was time to get a job, the hero who defeated Honkai.
(The main text ends here)
The main text concludes at this point.
I must apologize to the readers who have been following this book, as I know that wrapping it up here feels somewhat rushed.
I cannot depict the grand scene of igniting the Imaginary Tree with human bodies, so I can only leave it blank forcefully.
To be fair, there are still many places in this book that could be written about.
Originally, I intended to write about Himeko becoming the Herrscher, and then Kalpas dismantling the entire Fire Moth.
I also thought about writing the shattering of the Mu Continent and Griseo undergoing the super transformation surgery.
There are still many, many places to explore.
But I chose to conclude it early.
Thanks to the support of all the readers, the performance of this book on Cuttlefish Cat is actually quite good. However, when I reached six hundred thousand words, I suddenly realized that the plot was becoming increasingly dull.
The tone set at the beginning was too high, and I couldn't maintain that excitement later on; I couldn't write that kind of ups and downs of a post-apocalyptic feeling, nor could I capture the delicate emotions of the later interactions with Wendy as I did at the beginning.
The biggest flaw of this book was treating the harem as a single female lead.
Initially, the plan was to simulate a scenario and gather a harem. But once Wendy secured her position as the main consort, the rhythm began to fall apart.
I can only say, it was fate.
As the plot became more repetitive and boring, it was time to bring it to an end.
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