"Takatsuki, they look so pained."
Seele leaned beside Takatsuki. Not wanting to hinder Takatsuki from treating the injured, she didn't cling to him as usual. When she saw the miners on the ground groaning in pain from their injuries, her kind heart always made her involuntarily worry along with them.
"That's why we need to save them."
Looking at the injured lying haphazardly around, Takatsuki said to Seele.
"Seele, you can try to use your power to heal them."
"Heal?"
Seele blinked. Although she hadn't told Takatsuki about her Stigmata's ability, after seeing so many of Takatsuki's miraculous methods, Seele was no longer surprised that Takatsuki knew about her Stigmata's ability.
"But, how should Seele do it?"
Seele was not a person who pursued power, nor would she constantly develop her abilities and potential like Dio.
So, although she possessed immense power, Seele didn't know how to use it, or rather, only the most rudimentary methods of use.
"The Stigmata on you is the mark of the Herrscher of Death from the Previous Era. Of course, the Herrscher's true authority encompasses both creation and withering. It's just that the Herrscher of Death from the Previous Era only used the ability of withering, so she was named the Herrscher of Death."
Takatsuki recalled the information he had seen about Seele while combining it with his own understanding.
"So, although this Stigmata is not as powerful as the Herrscher herself, it should possess both creation and withering abilities. Your other self is more skilled in combat and should wield the withering ability, while Seele, I think you should be able to master the power of creation."
Seele looked down at her chest. Although still young, her chest already had a certain fullness, and in the center, there was a purple symbol.
Stigmata... This was a power Seele had possessed since she could remember.
But she had never tried to master that part of the power. That power had always been in the hands of her other self, whom she once regarded as a demon.
Because it was a power that harmed others, and she had always thought that power belonged to her other self.
"Takatsuki, do you know what this Stigmata is?"
Seele wanted to understand the essence of this innate power...
"Yes, it was created by someone named Mei from the Previous Era, a power that allows people to adapt to Honkai and fight against it. Dr. MEI sealed the wisdom and power of the Previous Era within the Stigmata, passing it down through bloodlines. I've met another person with Stigmata, named Raiden Mei, whose Stigmata possesses the power of the Herrscher of Thunder."
"Dr. MEI, huh..."
This was the first time Seele had heard that name, but she still breathed a sigh of relief knowing that the ability she possessed was not some evil power.
"By the way, regarding your other self, in my opinion, she wasn't naturally present within the Stigmata. Instead, she was a consciousness born through the Stigmata's power to protect you, Seele. She is both you and not you, just like creation and withering, life and death—they are opposite yet two sides of the same coin."
Regarding Veliona inside Seele, Takatsuki had once heard that she was the consciousness of the Herrscher of Death from the Previous Era. However, neither her performance in the plot nor Takatsuki's interactions during this period showed that Veliona had any so-called memories of the Previous Era. Her memories, like Seele's, were somewhat similar to the Herrscher consciousness in Mei, but she was not controlled by the Honkai consciousness. She could be entirely described as a Seele with a different personality.
"You bastard! What nonsense are you telling Seele!"
As soon as Takatsuki finished speaking, Seele's eyes suddenly turned red, and she grabbed Takatsuki.
"Long time no see, Seele."
Takatsuki was not afraid of Veliona's "threat" at all, and even greeted her leisurely.
"What do you know about me? You know nothing! I..."
"I know a lot."
Takatsuki suddenly interrupted Veliona, forcefully pressing his hand on her head: "She is Seele, and you are Seele. You are both Seele, isn't that enough? Or? Do you want a name of your own so I can distinguish you?"
"Seele, she is growing up day by day. This power is also her power. Sooner or later, she will no longer need me and will fully master this power. Once she can fully master the power of this body, I will..."
"Do you want to separate from Seele? If that day comes, I'll prepare a new body for you."
Looking at Veliona's somewhat surprised eyes, Takatsuki smiled: "Or do you think I can't do it?"
"Or? Do you want to be treated as an independent existence? Just like Big Seele and Seele, you two are opposite yet one. Let's call you Veliona and Seele."
"What are you talking about, you bastard! Can't you listen properly! Forget it! I'm not talking to you anymore!"
Veliona anxiously dropped a sentence and then disappeared, her pupils returning to their original blue.
"So, Takatsuki and Seele have already become so close?"
[Who's close to him!]
"More or less. After all, when you were asleep, Veliona often came to 'talk' with me."
[Who came to talk to you!]
Listening to Veliona's outwardly fierce but inwardly timid voice from within her mental space, Seele also smiled.
"I was worried that Takatsuki wouldn't be able to accept Seele's situation."
"How could that be? There are several people like you at St. Freya Academy. You'll know when I take you back."
Takatsuki stroked Seele's head: "More importantly, the injured are still waiting to be treated. Can Seele control the power of creation?"
"Seele will try her best!"
Veliona had always only used the withering aspect of her power, simply put, the power to harm others.
So Seele had never tried to master that part of the power, but after hearing Takatsuki's words, Seele knew that this power was not just for harming others.
Unfortunately, even though Honkai's power is somewhat subjective, it cannot be achieved overnight. Seele tried for a long time but couldn't use the power of creation.
And Takatsuki and Natasha had already bandaged all the injured.
Seeing that Takatsuki and Natasha had completed their task, Seele said to Takatsuki with some apology.
"I'm sorry, Takatsuki, I failed."