Chapter 187: To an Imperfect... Tomorrow
["Miss Firefly, have you made your resolve?"
Firefly nodded. "Yes. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have come here."
"Thank you again for your assistance to the Astral Express.
May we meet again in reality."
Firefly also bid farewell: "Goodbye, everyone. May your journey of [Trailblazing]—never end."
As the ceiling opened, everyone knew the real battle was about to begin! "Everyone, are you ready?"
Firefly took out her Sam transformation device, accompanied by streams of cyan light and blazing flames! "I dreamed of scorched earth, a new bud breaking through the soil. It bloomed facing the morning sun, whispering to me."
Then against the backdrop of an orange fountain—transformation! "A firefly darting into the flame, born toward death."
"May we meet again in the world of wakefulness."]
[Silver Wolf]:"I've seen your transformation before, but why does it feel so cool this time?"
[Stelle]:"Firefly—so cool!"
[Kosma]:"...Cool!"
[March 7th]:"I think it's cool too, but Mr. Yang's reaction is more convincing—look, he's completely mesmerized."
[Honkai: Star Rail - Welt]:"Everyone facing a powerful enemy with unwavering conviction, whether it's the transformation sequence or the fountain恰好 gushing forth at just the right moment—all these elements combined..."
[Honkai Impact 3rd - Welt]:"...It's simply perfect!"
[Siegfried]:"Hahaha, I know you well. I think you'd regret it immensely if you missed this scene."
[Inside Blade's red sports car; "Land of dreams, Penacony."
"May you find the answers you seek there... or... release."
...... "If I die now, I'm just a [weapon]. But I think... I should die as a [human]."
"Though its definition remains distant from me, isn't this what ordinary people spend their entire lives searching for? An answer that can be left on an epitaph... a brief name."
"The stone that belongs to me once bore [Glamoth Knight], now bears [Stellaron Hunter], and someday..."
"It will bear the name [Firefly], and the brilliance she displayed at life's end."
Blade remained silent, quietly driving the car.]
[March 7th]:"So this is why Miss Firefly joined the Stellaron Hunters..."
[Stelle]:"Firefly is just Firefly. Whether as a Glamoth Knight or a Stellaron Hunter, in my heart, you'll always be my friend—the Firefly who watched the scenery with me at our little secret base, willing to treat me with what little pocket money she had left!"
[Silver Wolf]:"Firefly... even among us, you're never a 'weapon'. You're our one and only companion!"
[Theresa]:"From this moment on, Firefly understood the meaning of 'three deaths', and from this moment on, she gained a past engraved with the name 'Firefly'."
[Bronya Zaychik]:"Bronya feels that in the Stellaron Hunters, everyone's past seems to be a heavy burden."
[After the Nameless departed, Gallagher came to the remains of the 'Clockmaker'. The Clockmaker lay quietly in his chair. Gallagher spoke to him as usual, but this time, the 'Clockmaker' never responded. "Never thought you'd do it, old man.
Your harebrained plan actually worked. Are all you Nameless just fools who act on impulse?"
"I can smell it—the false sweet dream is about to end. Those Nameless may be young, but they确实 have the ability to pull this off... just like you all back in the day."
"Pity you couldn't witness it yourself. Probably won't get that chance either... once something [fictional] is seen through, it might as well not exist."
"Hmph, forget the Nameless. That winged kid is just like you—stubborn, won't yield until all hope is lost... cruel twist of fate. If not for this damned Path, we might've actually gotten along."
"But in the end, we gave them hell. That feels good. Remember how those bastards cursed us back then? They said: [Go to hell, you damned traitors]..."
"Mikhail, Mikhail, I don't know if what they said is true, but if yearning for freedom deserves hell..." "Then I'll be joining you soon, old man."
"Let's have dinner together again in hell..."
"Oh, almost forgot, one more thing..."
"A toast to you with this [Sojourners' Departure]... to..." "To an imperfect... tomorrow."]
[Stelle]:"Gallagher—!"
[Rico]:"A famous magnate fulfills his final wish, his loyal hound accompanies him to the end. Brilliant, truly brilliant!"
[Sparkle]:"I bet the great director regrets not being there now~ Such perfect filming material you missed."
[Rico]:"Exactly! What a waste of a good movie!"
[Assistant Director]:"......"
[Misha]:"You've worked hard, my hound, my companion, Gallagher."
[Gallagher]:"Old man, it's just going to hell with you. I should've died long ago. Whether it's your group or the current Nameless—you're all stubborn fools who refuse to admit defeat."
[March 7th]:"Who are you calling a fool?!"
[Gallagher]:"But only because of that can you Nameless achieve such great deeds across the universe." ["How warm. You rarely see any living things by this dead sea normally. You're lucky—not only found shelter from the rain but also fresh berries. Quite remarkable."
By the bonfire, Acheron said calmly, draped in her cloak: "I simply followed the scent of [life]. In a place like this, such scents stand out clearly."
"Pity... it tastes rather bland."
The old man asked curiously: "Really? You might not know, but these berries are quite juicy. The only issue is when you chew them..."
"...they produce an extremely stimulating taste."
Acheron remained silent. The old man asked concerned: "You... have you lost your sense of taste?"
"I can still taste some flavors... like a slight [sweetness]."
Acheron didn't mind, instead comforting the worried old man: "Don't worry. Gradually losing one's self... is a reality every self-annihilator must face. At least I haven't completely lost my senses and memories yet."
"Then congratulations on adding another footnote to your journey."]
[Kiana]:"How could this be... How could Acheron lose her sense of taste!!?"
[Bronya Zaychik]:"It's like being eroded by Honkai energy, gradually losing one's perceptions."
[Honkai: Star Rail - Welt]:"It's still somewhat different. Unlike Honkai erosion which is merely an illness, [Nihility] erosion makes one gradually lose their self, with their very existence fading away bit by bit."