The words hung in the air.
Herta's earth-shattering declaration—"Who is the real, main wife"—detonated in everyone's ears.
Each word seemed imbued with magic, stirring up a wave more turbulent than any energy tide on this shattered dreamscape battlefield.
Robin's translucent, emerald eyes widened to their absolute limit. A stunning crimson blush spread rapidly from her delicate neck to the tips of her ears, making even her small earlobes glow.
Her cherry-pink lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but she was struck dumb by the sudden, almost warlike confrontation.
The resolve and determination she had just forged in the crucible of a life-and-death battle were now involuntarily mixed with a maiden's characteristic confusion and panic when faced with the unknown territory of emotions.
In Black Swan's enchanting purple eyes, a gleam of keen interest flashed by.
Her long, narrow, phoenix-like eyes squinted slightly, the upward curve at the corners outlining a fatal temptation. The smile on her lips, already captivating enough to topple nations, now held an extra layer of amusement and anticipation.
Firefly's snow-white skin, already flushed from the previous fierce battle, instantly seemed to have been scorched by a blazing fire under Herta's declaration, blooming into an even more delicate and alluring rosy pink.
She almost instinctively wrapped her arms tightly around herself, trying to hide her inescapable shyness, only to find it was a futile effort.
She looked at the imperious Herta, then helplessly at Daziel, who had been pushed into the eye of the storm. She bit her lower lip, looking utterly pitiful.
The air seemed to completely solidify in that instant. Every speck of dust hung suspended, filled with a suffocating, subtle tension.
After a brief silence, so quiet one could almost hear their hearts pounding like war drums.
It was, in the end, Black Swan, the ever-composed Memokeeper, who was the first to break the atmosphere of this volatile battlefield of lovers.
Her red lips parted, letting out a soft laugh like silk brushing against the heart, her voice laced with a perfectly measured laziness and charm.
"Oh my, my, Big Sister Herta… since you were the first to arrive, how could we, who came later, dare to have any objections?"
Her tone held not a trace of displeasure at being provoked. Instead, it was filled with an inscrutable teasing and ambiguity, as if she were playing along with Herta in a well-staged play.
Before Herta's eyes, which were sparkling with triumph and provocation, could lock onto their next target, Daziel felt his scalp tingle and his temples throb wildly. He rushed forward in a single step.
He almost roughly grabbed Herta's slender arm, his voice a low roar filled with suppressed urgency and pleading:
"For heaven's sake! We have a great enemy before us! Can we please forget about who the main wife is for a moment and deal with that big guy over there first?!"
If this tense, confrontational atmosphere were allowed to develop any further, it would probably be more of a headache than facing the Divine Lord of the Chorus.
Being pulled like that by Daziel, Herta just gave him a nonchalant glance, her eyes seeming to say, "You know what's good for you." She did not press the attack, slightly retracting her "main wife's authority."
Her gaze, like two tangible data streams, pierced through the layers of the dream's mist, precisely locking onto the "Philosophical Embryo" in the distance, which still exuded a world-endingly terrifying aura.
Herta's tone suddenly became light and dismissive, as if the behemoth that had once driven them all to despair was nothing more than an insignificant, poorly made toy from her lab, waiting to be dismantled.
"Simple to the extreme."
A confident smile, as if she held all the cards, touched Herta's lips.
"There may be thousands of riddles, but the answer is… nothingness."
"I was wondering what kind of incredible existence it was. Turns out, it's just the decrepit remains of a fallen Aeon, being used by a little fool."
Before her words had faded, Herta's slender, jade-like fingertips tapped lightly in the void. The gesture was elegant and free, yet it contained an unimaginable, immense power.
In an instant, the surrounding laws of the dreamscape, which had been shattered by the previous fierce battle, began to re-weave and restructure themselves in an unbelievable, reverse manner with Herta as the absolute center.
Countless profound, esoteric runes, shimmering with a faint blue light, emerged from the void as if given life. They connected and intertwined, instantly weaving into a giant net of law that covered the sky and the earth.
"Since it is a dead thing that has long since decayed and vanished, then let it return, completely and cleanly, to eternal nothingness and silence."
Herta's voice was calm and steady, yet it carried an absolute authority that could not be questioned or resisted, as if she were proclaiming the final judgment of the universe.
"Concept Separation—Existential Negation!"
As her cold words fell, the rune-chains constructed from law instantly transformed into billions of tiny yet incomparably sharp energy threads, shimmering with the faint light of annihilation.
They ignored the barrier of space, ignored the barrier of energy, passing straight through everything. Like maggots on a bone, they shot with perfect precision towards Dominicus's massive body.
These energy threads were not aimed at destruction on a physical level, but at completely deconstructing the "reasonableness" of Dominicus from the very root of its existence, modifying the entire foundation of its being as a "life" or "conscious entity."
The mountainous, majestic body of Dominicus, for the first time, erupted in an unprecedented, violent tremor.
It was no longer the roar and pressure born of anger from before, but a…
A deep-seated, ultimate panic and trembling from its very core, at the impending, complete "non-existence" and dissolution.
The cold and indifferent, oracle-like voice of the Divine Lord of the Chorus finally revealed a trace of incredulous rage and panic.
"Insignificant ants! You… you dare to desecrate the supreme sanctity of 'Order'!"
"Sanctity?"
Hearing this, a sneer of utmost mockery lifted Herta's lips. The laugh was crisp, yet it was like the sharpest icicle, viciously stabbing into the Divine Lord's illusory dignity.
"It's just a shroud used to wrap up rotten rules and cover up the fact of your decay. You dare speak of sanctity?"
Before her words had faded, the mysterious crystal inlaid at the top of the antique staff in Herta's hand suddenly erupted with a light a billion times more dazzling than the sun. The light was so intense that even the surrounding dream fragments began to melt.
"Dimensional Collapse—Singularity Eruption!"
A tiny, almost invisible, yet containing extremely compressed energy and terrifying gravity, a pitch-black singularity silently formed at the top of Dominicus's giant head.
The moment the singularity appeared, it began to crazily and indiscriminately pull in all surrounding matter and energy, including light, including the fragments of the dream, and even including the divine power of "Order" emanating from Dominicus's body.
"I'll be damned! This… this little dame is too damn fierce!"
Boothill's eyes were about to pop out of their sockets. His mouth, full of shark-like teeth, was agape, wide enough to fit a fist. The six chambers of his revolver, though fully loaded, were not closed.
The world-ending, god-like battle scene before him had far surpassed the limits of his cognition and understanding as a Galaxy Ranger.
The countless black, eerie lotuses surrounding Phantylia also began to spin wildly upon sensing Herta's purely "Erudition"-based attack. Her will of "Destruction" soared to an unprecedented height.
Countless condensed, tangible black lotus petals instantly transformed into billions of sharp blades gleaming with a cold light, and with a resolute aura, they crazily cut at the unbreakable radiant barrier composed of musical notes on Dominicus's surface.
The silver mech that Firefly had transformed into—Sam—the energy core in its chest, which had already dimmed somewhat, once again erupted with a brilliant, dazzling light.
"DHGDR—Supernova Overload!"
An indomitable will burst forth from her petite body. Without any hesitation or reservation, she gathered all the remaining energy within the Sam mech to a single point.
A beam of energy, more condensed, hotter, and more dazzling than before, like the spear of divine judgment, tore through the layers of the dream's barrier.
She precisely coordinated with Herta's subversive attack, viciously blasting the weak point of Dominicus's defense that had been exposed by the singularity's pull.
At Black Swan's slender fingertips, the tarot cards danced up and down like living butterflies.
As she chanted an obscure and ancient incantation, the cards shimmering with mysterious runes instantly transformed into countless iridescent memory fragments.
These memory fragments were not physical attacks, but rather like billions of prisms, constructing a bizarre, indistinguishable labyrinth of memories around Dominicus.
They continuously refracted, distorted, and interfered with Dominicus's sensory system and logical core, making its core of "Order," which was already in chaos due to Herta's conceptual attack, even more confused, to the point where it even began to show signs of self-negation.
Daziel took a deep breath of the cold, gunpowder-tinged air, clearly feeling the plain top hat on his head continuously transmitting a warm, jade-like, all-encompassing strange power.
That will of "Harmony" from the Aeon Xipe flowed quietly in the depths of his soul like a gurgling stream, nourishing his spirit, which was exhausted from the series of bitter battles.
He suddenly turned his head, his burning gaze meeting Robin's. The moment their eyes met, without any words, they instantly understood the shared resolve and tacit understanding in each other's hearts.
"Robin!" Daziel shouted in a low voice.
Robin nodded heavily in response.
Her cherry lips parted, and her ethereal, pure, and heavenly voice once again rang out over this shattered battlefield.
But this time, it was no longer the soothing children's rhyme from before, which carried a child's innocence and wonder.
In its place was a winding, lingering, mysterious melody, filled with ultimate charm and a primal rhythm of life.
Each note seemed to carry a strong suggestion and temptation, striking directly at the deepest desires of the soul.
It was the sound of blessing unique to Xipe, the Aeon of Harmony, heard only in ancient legends. At this moment, on this final battlefield that would decide the fate of Penacony, it echoed with solemnity and enchantment.
In an instant, the already bizarre and shattered sky of Penacony seemed to be completely torn apart by this magical song.
Countless seven-colored ribbons of light, like tangible silk, poured down from the tear in the sky. They were flexible and warm, circling and dancing around Daziel and Robin.
One of the thickest, most dazzling seven-colored ribbons of light descended like a sacred pillar connecting heaven and earth, landing steadily in front of the two of them.
Daziel reached out without hesitation, tightly gripping the seven-colored pillar of light that radiated warmth and immense power.
Then, his burning gaze fell on Robin, and he extended his other hand to her.
Robin's cheeks were already as red as ripe apples, and even her delicate collarbones were tinged with a charming pink. But the light in her eyes was even more resolute, even burning with an almost pious flame.
She placed her soft, boneless, slightly sweaty little hand gently into Daziel's broad, warm palm.
The two of them looked into each other's eyes. In that moment, it was as if the whole world had faded away, leaving only the sparkling light in each other's eyes, and that deep, soul-level tacit understanding that needed no words.
With the seven-colored pillar of light that pierced heaven and earth as their center, they began to dance, a strange and ambiguous, yet sacred dance filled with primal life force.
Every one of their movements, every rotation, every meeting of their eyes, every light touch of their bodies, was filled with ultimate teasing and perfect harmony.
Daziel's movements were strong and powerful, filled with a masculine, all-encompassing presence. Each of his steps seemed to land on the beat of the universe.
Robin's posture was light and gentle, like a delicate flower swaying in the wind. Every turn of her head, every smile, exuded an intoxicating charm.
Their souls, in this moment, seemed to have completely broken free from the shackles of their bodies. Under the illumination of the seven-colored light, they perfectly merged, together channeling the supreme power of "Harmony" from the highest dimension of the universe.
The hat on Daziel's head, which had received the blessing of Xipe, the Aeon of Harmony, in the consciousness space, now erupted with an unprecedented, dazzling Imaginary brilliance, completely enveloping the two of them.
"What… what in the unholy hell is this?! In broad daylight, simply… simply shameless! A pole dance during the final battle? What kind of dream am I having?!"
Boothill's eyes were wide, almost bulging out of their sockets. He felt his worldview being violently shattered at this moment. This scene…
This scene was too damn stimulating, and too damn weird!
Even Black Swan, who always delighted in bewitching all living beings, and Herta, who had always been known for her rationality and wisdom, now looked at the two figures dancing gracefully and intertwined in the seven-colored light with an indescribable strangeness and amazement in their eyes.
The massive body of the Divine Lord of the Chorus trembled violently. It let out a roar of extreme anger, even a hint of exasperation.
"Blasphemers! Despicable ants! You… you dare to use such… such a filthy! Such a decadent method to fight against my sacred 'Order'!"
It frantically tried to mobilize the remaining divine power of "Dominicus" within its body, wanting to stop this bizarre and profane "ritual," wanting to blast the shameless pair to smithereens.
However, Herta's magic, like a maggot on a bone, had already firmly clamped down on its power core.
"The ramparts of this empty domain, collapse now."
She whispered gently.
The conceptual-level attacks, which were everywhere, were causing its law of "Order" to disintegrate at a visible rate, teetering on the verge of collapse.
The solid barrier composed of countless musical notes on its surface continuously let out wails of being overwhelmed under Herta's seemingly light yet profound attacks, then shattered inch by inch, turning to dust.
The countless black, eerie lotuses propelled by Phantylia, like sharks that had smelled blood, took advantage of the collapse of Dominicus's defense system, crazily drilling in through the cracks, mercilessly eroding the core area of its massive body.
The supernova overload beam shot by the Sam mech piloted by Firefly was like a red-hot iron piercing through butter, tearing hideous, bone-deep gashes in Dominicus's body.
The memory mist woven by Black Swan, like the most insidious poison, plunged it into a deep cognitive dissonance and logical paradox, constantly questioning the meaning of its own existence.
At the same time, the dance of Daziel and Robin became faster, more unrestrained, more entwined.
Every meeting of their eyes seemed to shoot out billions of volts of electricity, making each other's souls tremble.
Every touch of their bodies was like throwing fire on dry wood, igniting even hotter emotions and energy.
The mysterious power from the Aeon of Harmony between them was growing at a terrifying, geometric rate, climbing to an unprecedented, heart-stopping height.
The seven-colored pillar of light connecting heaven and earth now erupted with an unimaginable, almost greedy, terrifying suction, like a bottomless black hole, crazily devouring the divine power of "Order" emanating from Dominicus.
"No… this is impossible! My 'Order'… is the only truth that can save the universe! It is an eternal, indestructible existence!"
The voice of the Divine Lord of the Chorus finally revealed a trace of unconcealable despair and collapse.
It could clearly feel that the power of "Order" it relied on for survival, that it was so proud of, was rapidly draining away in an irresistible, incomprehensible manner, being mercilessly sucked away and devoured by the dancing pair, by the bizarre seven-colored pillar of light.
What made it feel even more terrified and on the verge of collapse was that the dance performed by the pair, the very "harmonious" intent contained within the dance itself, that which embraced all differences and eliminated all opposition, was dissolving and disintegrating the very foundation of its existence, its "absolute Order," from the root!
"Brother…"
Robin's ethereal and melodious singing voice sounded clearly in the soaring music. Her voice was filled with an ineffable pity and relief.
"The end of 'Order' was never meant to be a tool for the powerful to satisfy their selfish desires, nor a cage of desire to imprison all hearts."
"What can truly save Penacony is a true harmony that comes from the heart, a selfless love that embraces all life and respects the will of every individual."
The dance reached its climax, the passion was at its peak, the music soared to its highest point!
Daziel felt as if all the blood in his body was on fire. An ineffable impulse and love filled his entire soul.
He fiercely pulled the soft, fragrant, and boneless body in his arms even tighter into his embrace.
Under the thousands of Imaginary lights shed by the mysterious top hat, as brilliant as a billion stars.
He lowered his head, his gaze burning and deep as he stared at Robin's azure-green eyes, which were shimmering with moisture from excitement and shyness. At her trembling, scarlet lips, stained with crystal beads of sweat, he did not hesitate, and kissed her deeply!
"BOOM—!!!!!!"
An earth-shattering, cosmic boom, as if it would completely shatter the entire dream of Penacony, suddenly erupted!
But this was not the boom of an energy explosion, but something…
The sound of a core law at the very source of the universe completely collapsing and disintegrating!
The massive body of Dominicus, which was like a mountain range, representing the "Philosophical Embryo," suddenly froze in place, as if the pause button had been pressed.
The radiant glow on its surface, composed of countless sacred musical notes, receded like a tide at a visible speed, revealing its mottled, cracked essence beneath.
The light in its huge eyes, which had been indifferently looking down on all living beings, filled with absolute "Order" and cold rationality, was rapidly dimming and extinguishing in an irreversible way.
Its giant head, which had always been held high, symbolizing its unquestionable authority, now, finally, drooped powerlessly and slowly.
The drooping posture seemed to carry an endless fatigue and relief, and also a hint of unspeakable confusion and unwillingness regarding its own fate.
Then, its massive, despair-inducing body began to disintegrate from the finest particle level, inch by inch, turning into a sky full of colorful points of light, like a magnificent yet tragic meteor shower.
It was unknown whether it was blown up by the combined efforts of everyone, or…
"Pissed to death" by the scandalous, worldview-shattering final "Harmony" dance of Daziel and Robin.
Or perhaps, its core, which had been imprisoned by "Order" for so, so long, had long since become cold and numb, was finally moved and melted by that fiery and pure "harmony" and "love" that could dissolve all barriers, and ultimately chose self-liberation…
The aftershocks of the battle gradually subsided, and the violent tide of energy also gradually calmed down.
Between the shattered, devastated ruins of the dreamscape, only the figures of the trailblazers who had fought a bloody battle and ultimately won remained, exhausted yet with a hint of relief.
Herta gracefully withdrew the staff that had been emitting a terrifying magical fluctuation. The expression on her exquisite face was as calm and composed as ever, as if she had just completed an insignificant, trivial little experiment.
Boothill let out a loud, sharp whistle. The sound was particularly abrupt on the silent battlefield, breaking the momentary silence.
"I'll be damned… finally… finally took care of that big fella raised by that little darling!"
As he spoke, he looked back and forth between Daziel and Robin, who had just stumbled out of his arms. His gaze was as strange as it could be, and as gossipy as it could be.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, the superstar of Epsilon, Miss Robin who sings 'To Make a Heart Feel No Grief,' getting involved with a man. This is going to be big news if it gets out."
Daziel's old face turned red at being looked at like that. He couldn't help but cough lightly to cover up his inner embarrassment and the lingering agitation in his heart.
Even with his thick skin, he felt his cheeks tighten slightly at this moment.
That scandalous kiss just now had invested too much emotion and consumed too much spiritual power. Now, he only felt his body was a little weak, but his soul was filled with an unprecedented fulfillment and satisfaction.
Robin was so shy that she almost buried her entire head in Daziel's chest. Her beautiful face was now as red as the most splendid sunset, and she didn't even dare to look at anyone, just tightly clutching the corner of Daziel's clothes, hiding behind him.
Her soft hair was slightly messy from the intense dance earlier. A few mischievous strands stuck to her sweat-soaked, snow-white forehead. Her even breathing was still a little rapid, her nose twitching slightly, which added a rare, heart-stirring charm and gentleness not usually seen.
Phantylia silently watched the place where the "Philosophical Embryo" had finally turned into a sky full of light points and completely dissipated. Her deep eyes, which always sparkled with the will of destruction, were now unusually soft, as if she were contemplating something.
Firefly deactivated her heavy Sam form and, with light steps, like a startled fawn, trotted to Daziel's side.
Her big, watery eyes were filled with undisguised worry. She first looked Daziel up and down to confirm that he was not injured, then, with a hint of deep curiosity and a little bit of envy, she stole a quick glance at the shy Robin hiding behind Daziel.
Under Daziel's soft comfort, Robin finally slowly stepped out from his broad embrace. She tried hard to calm her heart, which was pounding like a frightened deer, and her rapid breathing.
She raised her head, her clear yet now more experienced green eyes looking complexly at the place in the center of the Grand Theater where the "Philosophical Embryo" had finally turned into light points and completely dissipated.
Her eyes were intertwined with ineffable sadness, pity, and a hint of… relieved liberation.
Her cherry lips trembled, and she let out a barely audible yet seemingly all-encompassing whisper.
"Brother… this long, painful dream… now, it should be… over, right…"
The sky of Penacony, which had been shrouded in darkness and false prosperity for so, so long, seemed at this very moment—
To finally, with great difficulty, let through a long-awaited ray of…
The light of dawn, symbolizing hope and new birth.
__
👻 What's up, Walnut community! We have some spooktacular news!
We've released a new story, and the coolest part: it was hand-picked by one of our subscribers!
Members of "The Walnut-chan" tier can choose stories to be translated and released!
🪦 40% OFF PROMOTION! 🪦 Enjoy the discount on ALL tiers and secure your exclusive access. It's for a limited time!
Want more content for everyone? The community goals are:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone!
🎯 5 Reviews = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone!
And our main goal...
🚀 55 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters of EVERY STORY!
Your support keeps our work alive. Don't let this chance die!
Access, support, and read now: 👻 patreon.com/Walnutchan