Chapter 255: Old Yang's PTSD Triggers! The Most Serious Gathering Yet!
"I'll help," Black Swan offered proactively. "That way, we can focus more intently on watching this video."
Acheron nodded.
Regarding her past… regarding Izumo… though that place had completely returned to Nothingness, as she drifted further down the path of 'Nihility' forgetting more and more things… if something in reality could still record it, it would not be a misfortune. At least, it served as evidence that Izumo once existed.
Black Swan had already constructed a formation, allowing the video's content to be projected before the three of them while shielding it from outside eyes.
With a sudden roar of thunder, a man's voice asked, "Do you still remember why Izumo had to forge these blades?"
The image before them showed a sword grave as massive as a mountain. A young girl stood before the crumbling mound of blades.
Welt Yang's spirit jolted! That voice! That tone! It was familiar—too familiar! It was clearly that man…!
Black Swan watched the screen with excitement; her curiosity and desire for exploration had reached their peak. What exactly had happened on this planet called Izumo? And how did this young girl step, stage by stage, into Nothingness?
The camera zoomed in. Acheron's pupils contracted.
"This is… the me of the past…"
On the scale of time, it wasn't actually that long ago. But seeing herself again, dressed in white and wearing geta… Acheron couldn't help but feel a momentary trance.
"Because in times past, when the Yaoyorozu-no-Kami descended here, they wrought death and disaster on this world and its people."
In the footage, Acheron's condition was poor. Clutching her wounded right arm, she trudged through the rain. Her white clothes were stained with blood, and more blood dripped from her heels, blooming like red petals on the ground. She looked up, her pale face covered in dried blood. On her forehead, a pair of red horns was strikingly prominent.
"The Herrscher of Thunder…!?" Welt blurted out.
Acheron glanced at Welt. Her look said: What Herrscher of Thunder? I have no idea.
At that moment, the ruins of a massive city appeared on screen, shrouded in a red light and looking utterly desolate.
"To save the world, Izumo shattered seventy thousand and thirty-three blades. From them, twelve Sentinel Sentinels were forged to protect the realm."
As Acheron narrated, the scene shifted rapidly, showing Izumo during its prosperous period. Massive skyscrapers lined the streets… a single frame was enough for Welt and Black Swan to imagine Izumo's former glory.
Vwoom!
Suddenly, from the fractured void, a massive blue blade descended! The blade was incredibly heavy, crashing down like an interstellar warship!
"The first was 'Truth,' forged from the slaying of Tsumugari-no-Kami. It allowed mortals to perceive the laws of the universe, deconstruct all phenomena, and recreate miracles."
A monster that looked as if it were cast from rock was pierced by this giant blue blade, matching Acheron's narration in the background.
Black Swan was marvelling. "Just this one impactful image allows one to imagine the grandeur of this battle…"
But Welt's brow was furrowed tight! The more he heard, the more wrong it felt!
"Perceive the laws?" "Deconstruct all phenomena?" "Recreate miracles?!"
Why were these terms so familiar! Oh, right—those are the abilities of the First Herrscher, the Herrscher of Reason!
However, in Izumo's history, there seemed to be no mention of 'Herrschers.' Instead, they were 'Sentinels.'
This… must be a coincidence, Welt reasoned internally. After all, the power of Truth exists in all things. It's only natural that a hero from another world would understand it and incorporate it into weapon-making. Speaking of which, the first Divine Key, Void Archives, possesses similar capabilities…
Welt gave himself a rational explanation, but there wasn't much time to think. The description of the second blade came—
"The second was 'Sky,' forged from the slaying of Amakotodachi-no-Mikoto. It could turn the high heavens into a wall, making it difficult for the Magatsu-no-Kami to traverse."
"???" Welt.
The second is 'Sky'? The Herrscher of the Void! The attributes matched again! And in the video, scenes similar to the Herrscher of the Void opening imaginary spaces appeared! This blade had lost the traditional shape of a 'sword'; its body was composed entirely of red light beams.
Next was the third…
"The third was 'Thunder,' which could call forth lightning to tear the sky, striking like a falling star to deliver heavenly punishment."
Fine, fine… if the first two were coincidences… this third one could no longer be explained away as a 'coincidence'! No matter how coincidental, it shouldn't match the order and abilities of the Herrschers perfectly!
Sure enough! Honkai! It's *** still chasing me!
"The fourth was 'Storm,' which could let the rending winds crush the earth, with clouds rushing and rain howling in an unending gale."
"The fifth was 'Frost,' freezing the land in an instant."
"The sixth was 'Life,' where life and death circulate without end."
"And then there were Blaze, Sense, Foundation, Binding, Maw…"
One uniquely shaped blade after another flashed across the screen. Black Swan was mesmerized! These were all unprecedented memories! In that place called Izumo, such a prosperous civilization had once flourished! It was a great pity that it hadn't been fully recorded by the Garden of Recollection. But now, she might have the chance to complete it…
Beside her, Welt's heart sank further the more he watched! Every blade's name, including the derived effects and abilities… they all perfectly corresponded to the Herrscher abilities from the Honkai era!
Coincidence? I think not! This was entirely another world's Earth!
At this moment, the hair on Welt's arms stood on end! This feeling… was indescribable! Only he understood! He even felt an urge to scream! For the steady and mature Welt to feel this way showed the impact this video had on him.
Following Acheron's narration, the scenes of fighting Honkai seemed to jump out one by one! Flashing before his eyes!
Acheron saw Welt trembling beside her… sometimes excited, sometimes sorrowful… she was a bit confused.
Is this my experience or yours…? Why are you watching this so intensely? So seriously? You're even sweating buckets?
The video continued—
"With these twelve Sentinels, we held the hope for tomorrow in our hands. We secured victory after victory. Until…"
In the background, the man's voice rang out.
"…all of them shattered! The price of every victory was the entirety of the mortal world."
The hands holding the blades had all turned black. Dark, twisted. Like demons!
In Welt's view, this likely meant Acheron's former comrades had all been eroded by Honkai.
"And in the end, that entirety was also lost. And so, Izumo shattered twelve Sentinels… Finally, the Bearer Sentinels were forged… two of them."
"The first was 'Origin.'"
"The second was 'Finality.'"
Hearing these two names, Welt felt like he'd been struck by lightning!
Is there more? Now you're not even trying to hide it, are you!
Origin and Finality! Another perfect correspondence! Welt didn't know what to say anymore… a short video of a few minutes was practically a reenactment of Earth's chronicle of fighting Honkai!
The man's voice continued: "The world forged seventy thousand and forty-seven blades. Only one could save Izumo. But you and I already knew. That path of salvation does not exist. And tomorrow is nowhere to be found."
Salvation! This keyword was instantly caught by Welt!
Fine! Great! Now even the owner of the voice corresponds!
Kevin… I didn't expect to see someone with the same philosophy as you here!
Next, is it time to preserve life into the chamber?