Chapter 103: Aventurine's Past and Future
["Life is like a long-term investment—choosing the right people, doing the right things, reaching the right outcome, proving your worth to the world."
"No one makes the right decisions all their life, but luck has always been on my side.
I've never lost."
"Is it because Mother Goddess is watching over me? If so, then she must be watching me now too. I will surely succeed."
"...But then what?"
Aventurine knew that even if he succeeded, his future would be an endless cycle of one gamble after another. "Don't you have any self-awareness?"
"...Wretched gambler?"
Aventurine jolted awake at the sound of his own voice. "Am I dreaming, or have I completely lost my mind?"
"Maybe both."
"Already forgotten me? Who was it that gave you the idea when those warlords of Irimanik strapped you to the electric chair?"
Another Aventurine smiled at him. Aventurine had no desire to engage with this illusion: "Enough... I might be crazy, but I'm not stupid. Get out of my head, newborn of Harmony."]
[Raiden Mei]: "Does Harmony generate another consciousness? One that leans toward Harmony?"
[Theresa]: "Just like how Honkai generates a Herrscher consciousness within a Herrscher that leans toward Honkai."
[Herrscher of Sentience]: "Who leans toward Honkai?! The great Herrscher of Sentience is firmly against Honkai!"
[March 7th]: "So the baptism of Harmony is about making them submit to the Family? And if they don't, a different consciousness replaces them?"
[Sushang]: "That's terrifying!"
["Heh, Harmony? Don't be naive. This isn't our first meeting—no need for formalities."
"I am you. In fact, I know 'yourself' better than you do. I know exactly what you want.
You're dying, and in your final moments, you want to drag a few unlucky souls down with you... That's why you're here, isn't it?"
The other Aventurine curled his lips into a mocking smile. "...The grand opening act—do you really think you can pull it off?"
"Why not?"
"Maybe you can fool everyone else, but you can't fool yourself."
"I'll prove it to you—before you vanish completely, I'll walk this last stretch with you..." "We'll have a nice chat along the way," said Aventurine? "...Damn it, what the hell are you?"
Aventurine's weakened voice carried a hint of anger.]
[Sparkle]: "Hehe~ Someone's triggered~ Little peacock?"
[Stelle]: "Such precise weak point exploitation! This is the first time Aventurine's been this rattled since he showed up, right?"
[March 7th]: "Preservation can't block everything after all. Turns out, no one knows you better than another version of yourself."
[Bronya Rand]: "But I'm curious—when Aventurine says he's dying, does he mean he'll become another version of himself under Harmony's power? Or is he going to die in that so-called opening act?"
[Silver Wolf]: "Could be either. But what's it to me? Has anyone made a game about our world called Honkai: Star Rail? I wanna play."
[Bronya Zaychik]: "I could try making one in the future—adapting our world and your world's stories into a game. I just acquired a gaming company."
[Seele Vollerei]: "Go for it, Bronya-sis!!"
[???]: "Is that company called miHoYo?"
[Bronya Zaychik]: "How did you know?"
[The illusion claimed to be Aventurine's future—the outcome he would ultimately reach. Naturally, Aventurine didn't believe it and only scoffed internally: "First auditory hallucinations, now visual ones—fantastic.
Next thing you know, I'll get promoted to Harmony Emanator."
The place Aventurine was in now was completely empty. He had no idea how that Winged Head managed it. But ahead of him, he spotted a child. Normally, the Golden Hour strictly prohibited minors from entering, so Aventurine curiously called out: "Hey, why are you here alone?"
The moment he spoke, a sharp pain shot through his head. The child turned around, concern flashing in his eyes as he asked about Aventurine's condition. When Aventurine saw the child's face, his shock momentarily overrode the pain: "Your... eyes?"
"...That's impossible. Who are you?"
Seeing Aventurine stunned by his eye color, the young boy proudly explained: "They're beautiful, right? Big Sis says they're a gift from [Mother Fingo (Terra Mater)]. Colored eyes bring good luck."
Then, the child suddenly noticed Aventurine's eyes as well: "Ah, Mister... You have beautiful eyes too! So pretty!"]
[Fu Hua]: "Sunday wants to turn Aventurine into one of his own to make investigating easier. But first the future, and now this child—probably Aventurine's past, right?"
[Stelle]: "Sunday's nicknames so far: Sparkle's 'Chicken Wing Boy' and Aventurine's 'Winged Head.' Any better ones?"
[March 7th]: "Quit messing around—why do your comments always derail things? But why didn't Aventurine recognize that child as himself?"
[Stelle]: "In a serious group chat, who doesn't derail things?"
[Aventurine]: "You already know what my childhood was like. Back then, how would I have had a mirror to see my own face clearly?"
[March 7th]: "Ah... right..."
[Dr. Ratio]: "I must say, the caring Kakavasha as a child was far more likable than the gambler you are now."
["You... Are you alone? Where are your parents?"
Despite being the most cunning and silver-tongued of men, Aventurine stumbled over his words when facing this child who might be his kin. "They're all in this amusement park.
Mom and Dad went in first. I was just about to go find them."
"So I gotta go now! Bye, Mister! Hope you have fun too!"
The child happily waved at Aventurine before running off into the amusement park. After the boy left, Aventurine's mind swirled with thoughts. He wanted this to be real—yet he knew it couldn't be. Because— "There are no more Avgin left in this universe..."]
[Stelle]: "Pain... Too much pain!"
[March 7th]: "If only this were real... Aventurine must wish his people still existed..."
[Jing Yuan]: "In this universe, the death of a planet or civilization is nothing unusual. Like my old friend Igor—his world met disaster. To the cosmos, it's trivial. But for those who live through it? It's annihilation."
[Boothill]: "Dang nabbit! And that's not even countin' all the man-made catastrophes caused by those chuckleheads!"
[Bronya Rand]: "If we had truly perished in the Eternal Freeze... to the universe, it would be as if we never existed at all."
[Honkai Star Rail Seele]: "Enough with the doom talk! We already survived the Stellaron crisis, didn't we?!"