I still underestimated what ten years could do to others. I did not feel it from Kiana, Seele, and Fu Hua. The former is practically living in seclusion. The latter two spent hundreds/thousands of years to see any visible changes.
It was Bronya that opened my eyes.
From an inexperienced girl with a low emotional quotient, she became a well-spoken corporate leader. Her calm and composed disposition contrasted the Bronya I knew back then.
The passage of time…
Rather, it is the reality from my previous life. I never bothered about long-term developments—not until the Honkai was defeated. Without its threat, everyone around me experiences growth.
"So, have you talked to Mister Siegfried and the Principal? They wanted to make some things clear."
This time, I was really caught off guard. Bronya's maturity is way beyond my expectations.
"Not yet."
Her silver eyes stared deeply into mine.
"I put you in a bad spot. Sorry."
"It's nothing. From what I could see, you are also being put in a bad spot."
"..."
Bronya saw many things on my personal problems. She did not hesitate to give this advice even if it ran the risk of my bad reaction.
"Thanks. You always tried to help us from way back then."
I gave my sincerest thanks to her.
Her eyes flickered. She blinked several times in an attempt to process things. It ultimately turned into a satisfied look, one reminiscent of joy.
"Seele didn't give you a hard time, no?" She asked.
Bronya even predicted this part…
"Her emotions are overwhelming. She doesn't know how to express it all."
Seven hundred years of longing.
To say I wasn't affected by it is the highest form of lying. Being on the receiving end of Seele's boundless affection cannot be explained in a few words. All I know is I love her so bad I wanted to show it to her.
Unfortunately, her overwhelming exhausted Seele. I left her sleeping back on her lodging.
"Can I help?"
I thought for a moment and responded.
"You are her best friend. If she comes over for your advice, feel free to speak out your thoughts."
"You really trust me with this?"
"Why not?"
*****
'He also changed.'
Twelve long years had passed. Serving as the Wushi Dao Sect's Vice Sect Master undoubtedly led to a lot of opportunities and interactions. Bronya learned what was right and wrong. Her flaws from the past turned into lessons she would never forget.
She never forgot where she started.
Meeting Shi Tian was a chance encounter. Cocolia sent Bronya to establish a connection with them. Cocolia did not mind the extra tag-alongs in her orphanage.
That ended up as the most important turning point in her life. Through it, she saw what the person named 'Shi Tian' entailed.
He treaded the path opposite to hers. He learned how to fight to protect what's beautiful. Bronya, on the other hand, wanted to appreciate a normal life from being a child soldier.
Opposite paths, yet they ended up at the same destination:
To become someone who appreciates life and fights for it.
'I wanted to be like him.'
And so she did. She spent more time with Seele. She learned what the world entailed. Her mentor, Welt Yang, taught her everything he knew. That included his view of humanity, of the weight they held, and the beautiful life they exhibited.
At last, Bronya reached her destination. She saw the man that sparked changes in her once again.
An explicable feeling emerged.
The travelers who once crossed paths had reached their destinations.
Was that the end?
Shi Tian's eyes betrayed her initial thoughts.
It is not.
'He used to handle things by himself… to keep others out of harm's way…'
It is different now.
Shi Tian learned how to fully trust others. His trust towards Bronya is not limited to giving Seele healthy relationship advice. He trusts her enough to be with him when shit hits the fan.
'A new destination…'
A thin smile appeared on her lips.
"Since you trust me so much, I will do my best."
*****
The Imaginary Space is a chaotic "place" where all dimensions coincide. Without a proper anchor, one would get lost, never to return back to the real world.
The twizzling lights and numerous cracks are destined to not be seen by anyone. The combination of the two produced a spirit vein of the seventh grade. The surroundings turned into a vast expanse of mountains, then icebergs, a desert…
It halted when everything reverted to normal.
"Directly affecting the imaginary space… You are better suited to Project STIGMA than I."
"I don't want that lousy plan."
Sin Mal immediately rejected Hare's suggestion.
When the Project STIGMA was enacted, Misteln Schariac disappeared. All that remained was Hare. It wasn't wrong to think of her as the vestiges left from the Schariac Stigma Space.
After a lot of twists and turns, she ended up exploring the imaginary space with Sin Mal. The girl's talents, coupled with her comprehension of the Blade Mantra to the [Heart Intention] level, gave power completely incomparable from the Herrschers themselves.
"Would I win?"
Hare knew what she asked about.
Kiana's slumber left Earth with them. They are aware, however, of the latent danger on Venus. To be exact, the high-dimensional entity connected to it.
Though Kiana could beat her with some effort, Sin Mal tried her best to become stronger and beat it herself.
"No. It is connected to the Sea of Quanta. As long as the battlefield is not here, you will face a sharp drop of combat power."
"..."
A trace of shame appeared on Sin Mal's eyes.
"What if I…"
"We talked about this before. Are you fine with spending your life for momentary brilliance? More so if it is purely unnecessary?"
"Kuh..!"
Sin Mal knew her actions were "pointless". Why struggle when there is Kiana?
However…
It is precisely because of that that she wants to struggle pointlessly. Sin Mal wanted to prove herself.
'When he tried to handle everything by himself…'
Shi Tian's actions did not remain private. He cut down the Theater's anchor to isolate himself from Earth. Only Seele and Kiana caught onto him.
Such a huge crisis, yet she remained unaware of it. Sin Mal's prior accomplishments felt useless.
'If I can't be at his side… at his level..!'
Her 'crazed' attempts to become stronger lay on it. Her thoughts became absurdly pure, to the point she comprehended the fifth level Tao Heart without anyone else's assistance.
Recalling that very beautiful light she had seen…
'I want to…'
*****
A/N: We reached 500 PS last week. There'll be 2 bonus chapters. It might be uploaded tomorrow at latest; the next two days at most. The extra bonus chapters for the powerstones are still in effect for this week. Happy holidays y'all ;)