In the depths of the earth, the girl dreamt fragmented dreams. In the gaps between each dream, impermanent poems are scattered.

The flower that smiles today

Tomorrow dies;

All that we wish to stay,

Tempts and then flies.

What is this world's delight? Lightning that mocks the night,

Brief even as bright.

Virtue, how frail it is!

Friendship how rare!

Love, how it sells poor bliss

For proud despair!

But we, though soon they fall, Survive their joy and all

Which ours we call.

Whilst skies are blue and bright,

Whilst flowers are gay,

Whilst eyes that change ere night

Make glad the day,

Whilst yet the calm hours creep, Dream thou – and from thy sleep

Then wake to weep.

The dream gradually disappeared like a bubble at dawn. The girl felt the fresh air coming into her lungs. Her eyelids were heavy, and her limbs didn’t want to wake up. She tried to fight off the drowsiness in her mind, and struggled for control for three minutes… Or maybe it was half an hour. Ah... Please don’t move yet, Bianka-sama. You were in a coma for about 3 hours and 45 minutes - This is the last shot of the treatment. So until the injection is completed, please maintain a supine position. Uh… This is the kind of medicine that the Overseer told you to bring before we set off... I remember the principle behind it was… Holy Blood diluted to a very low concentration-- Shhh… I will now give you an intravenous injection, so I need you to be as quiet and relaxed as possible. Ah… I’m sorry. In that case… I only want to confirm one thing... The plan to cut the Bubble Universe… was it successful? ...The cutting itself can be said to have been very successful. Only-- --There may be some remaining problems we need to solve. So please, cooperate with the treatment for now. It’s ok. It’ll be over soon. ...This medicine is really powerful. I feel like I’m healthier than before I collapsed. So what’s the situation now? And... where are we? This is the infirmary of the “Fortress Command Center” deep underground. We are now at the closest point to the “Anchor Point”. The “Operation Pachakutiq” that you participated in to cut the Bubble Universe has ended. According to preliminary statistics from the chairwoman, 378 people were killed or are missing in action... ...Including the first mate of Caledonia, “Jeanna François Champollion”. --What? Why would she... “Champollion” is her pseudonym. According to Dr. Schrodinger, the archeologist is actually a “Star Whisperer” born from information fragments of the collective “Napoleon”. ...What? Roughly speaking, she is another Napoleon that exists in this world - In fact, her personality is closer to the one we learn about from textbooks in our world. After the Bubble Universe was cut, the Honkai Beasts remaining on the fragments of Europe formed an aggregate of Napoleon’s will, captured the most important Anchor Channel of the island, and cut off our lines of communication. In order to prevent the annihilation of the more than 3000 people on the island, “Champollion” chose to die with “Napoleon” - She used the Anchor to turn herself into a special attack weapon, and annihilated the “Napoleon parts” in the Honkai Beast Aggregate. She used her own sacrifice to save the remaining two thousand people, and saved the seriously wounded General Draculesti, General Sanada Yukimura, and Miss Caravaggio... ...It also avoided the need to forcibly activate the Genius to bring you back to our original world. …… However, although the Honkai Beast Aggregate no longer exists, its Honkai Energy has not completely disappeared. Not far from where it was defeated, Dr. Schrodinger found some newly formed giant crystals. For this reason, Dr. Schrodinger herself, Shigure Kira-senpai and Rowland-sama are still staying on the island for surveillance. ...This is the “remaining problem” I mentioned before, and it might need our help. ...What do we need to do? Use a Honkai Energy attack to test the crystal’s stability. If the crystals are stable, it’s a good idea to bury them deep underground or throw them into space. ...And what if the crystals are fragile and easily leak Honkai Energy? Then we blow them all up. That’s… How do we do that? Hehehe… that’s where I come in, of course. Are you… Dudu? Yes, of course it’s me! The only member of the mechanical race in Caledonia, Matteo Maria Boiard Ludwig Aristotle XII! Oh, I just made that name up on the spot, so don’t think too much about it. In short, this is the anthropomorphic form I can use after having all of my functions restored. Isn’t it a lot more prestigious than before? ...Yeah, kinda. I woke up 35 minutes and 28 seconds earlier than my master, so I already set up the crystal purification procedures for you. So without further ado, should we get going? Ah, is your body fine now? Captain! Old man! Are you safe? Yes, we were well protected… thanks to the heroes who shed their blood and sacrificed their lives. ...So, are you going back to the battlefield with the “Holy Sword”? Yes. Dudu said it has the ability to deal with the residual Honkai Energy. Then go ahead. This is probably the best thing that only you can do. …… I heard that there is a saying in Eastern philosophy that everyone is born with a “fate”. However, unlike the “fate” from prophecies, this kind of “fate” is almost always buried by trivial life. Only those with true wisdom and bravery can perceive their “fate” on a once in a lifetime chance-- --And use it to create something that will be called “impossible” or “a miracle” by outsiders. Perhaps, sometimes this “miracle” comes at a heavy price; Perhaps, sometimes realizing our “fate” will make us sigh and grieve; But it is still the history chosen by this world, from countless possibilities, because of various coincidences, that finally became our “destiny”. Kid, what I really want to say is... No matter the philosophy, “changing fate” is far more important than “praying for fate” or “cursing fate”. Time can’t go backwards. The world can’t be reset. Rather than talking about your reasons of sadness, it’s better to count the things that can be done. Kid, your journey has only begun… Maybe there are countless worlds and countless obstacles still waiting for you. So do your best. The best way to commemorate the deceased is to go forward on the path they have opened up. ...I will! Thank you very much, Sir Cervantes. Although I’ve been here before… It still surprises me how big the central fortress to defend the “Anchor Point” is. Oh, good, I caught up! ...Rowland? Did you come back from the Honkai Crystal site? Rowland-sama, could it be that an accident happened? Ah, no - It’s nothing so big like an “accident”. It’s just that Dr. Schrodinger detected abnormal fluctuations in the Honkai Energy of the crystals, so she sent me back to discuss countermeasures with the Chairwoman. The world is still in an unstable state after the cutting operation, and the communication with the island hasn’t been restored - So we need to use human power to deliver these messages. ...Wait, could you help with the Honkai site now? Of course, we planned on that anyway. That’s great. If Miss Bianka is present, then Shigure Kira would also... Ah, no, it’s nothing. I’m just worrying too much. ……？ She got accidentally “burned” while investigating the crystals, and her eyes and arms seemed to show some sign of corruption. She said she was fine, but... …… That’s a problem... Rowland, please report it to the Chairwoman what happened. Rita and I are heading directly to Shigure Kira! Could that be serious? ...Then after reporting to the Chairwoman, should I get everyone available to rush over there? Yes, please! In the East there is a term for drought, “Thousands of miles of red land”. And now, this small island in the North Sea has turned into a purgatory because of the action of cutting the Bubble Universe and the subsequent melee- --The overflowing of lava makes one think of that idiom. …… That- is that-- Hold on tightly! Shigure Kira! Don’t let the Honkai erode your will! Calm down, Bianka! You got the wrong idea! I haven’t been corrupted by the Honkai! Senior Kira! Your body has been badly corrupted! Can’t you even see it yourself? Where am I being corrupted? Do I have... (...Tsk. So that’s what it is) (Although it will only waste more time… It can’t be helped, I have to explain it) Listen up, self-righteous junior! It’s not Honkai that is covering my body! It’s a living alien, I call it by the second half of the name of my comrade-in-arms -- --”Niggurath”! ……？！ “Niggurath”... Does this name come from “Shub Niggurath” who belonged to the Snow Wolf Squad alongside you? --The Valkyrie who is rumoured to have “resurrected” several times? ...Yes. This child can use its own cell repair to replace damaged organs and tissues of the host - That is the secret behind “Shub Niggurath”’s several resurrections. What did you say? Don’t be surprised yet… Listen to me first. Although Niggurath can enhance the vitality of the chosen person, its own survival also depends on the host itself. On the battlefield of the Second Eruption, when “Shub Niggurath”’s body completely collapsed… It chose me. At the time I had lost consciousness, so I didn’t know what happened. When I woke up, I was in another world. And Niggurath’s “Consciousness” or “Emotions”... Began to resonate in my mind. It’s difficult to describe this feeling, because Niggurath is not a creature with complex thinking. It just projects its various instincts on the human consciousness. All I know is… It brought me to this world to avoid risks, and it's surprisingly compatible with my body. People in this world regarded me as a “Star Whisperer” copied by the “Ether Anchor”, and I accepted my new identity along the way. After all… After experiencing such a cruel war... ...To be honest, I don’t really want to go back to my original world. So… You have been here… Ever since. ...Oops, now is not the time to go over those things. I only explained this much to show that I have not been corrupted by the Honkai Energy-- It’s just that I was hit by a sudden shockwave and lost consciousness, causing Niggurath in my body to produce a stress response. ...A sudden shockwave? Yes. It’s shameful to say it, but I didn’t even get close to the crystals. I lost consciousness without knowing what happened. ...When I woke up, I found myself floating in lava under Niggurath’s protection. Miss Rowland and Dr. Schrodinger were also missing. I worry that they are already... This isn't good! What’s the matter, Rita? Bianka-sama, did you forget? We met Rowland-sama not long ago... Ah! How can that be? She got accidentally “burned” while investigating the crystals, and her eyes and arms seemed to show some sign of corruption. She said she was fine, but... ...I’m afraid that the person who had their will corrupted by the Honkai was Miss Rowland herself. Doc! You’re ok? I’m fine. Although this body is prone to losing unity after energy impacts, it’s not easy to leave irreversible damage. ...It just takes some time to condense back to this human form. I heard your conversation just now. Let me add a testimony-- The shockwave that hit Kira and me was released by Rowland herself. It clung to my body and blasted me to pieces. No, that’s impossible... …… Rowland has no reason to do this… Unless-- --Unless she was corrupted by Honkai. I searched the entire island while gathering my body. The crystals we monitored before are nowhere to be seen. Then… Could it be that... Rowland... Oh my god! We carelessly let her into the fortress! A few minutes ago. The “woman” walked unhurriedly on the empty corridor of the fortress. Her goal is very clear, and there is no hesitation in her heart. She knew that in this battered world, she is a unique and noble existence. Yes, she did originate from humans-- But just like humans don’t think of apes as their own kind, she doesn’t see any difference between the “naked apes” and “ants”. To her, even Napoleon was nothing more than a stale and stubborn old father. ...This body is the crystallization of the coevolution of tens of thousands of wills. They got rid of the “mastermind” biding their freedom, they got rid of the ugly monstrous form-- --The Son of God, through the inherently incomplete “Star Whisperer”’s body, finally came to this world. ...Yes, she still thinks she is just a “Son of God”. She is not strong enough yet, so a little trick has to be used. When she is sure that she will succeed, the disguise will be unnecessary. …”Rowland”’s consciousness is still alive in her body. But it is just a trivial nerve cell, a part of the body which does not represent the soul. All nighters don’t care about dry eyes. Marathon runners don’t care about muscle soreness-- No matter how much the mantis swings its forelimbs, the direction of the wind will not change. ...The Son of God was enjoying this small struggle in her body, and leisurely walked in the empty corridors of the fortress. Huh? Rowland? Did something happen? No, everything is fine, Chairwoman. It’s just that we got the reinforcement of the two Valkyries, so Dr. Schrodinger sent me back. Well, that’s fine. After all, as an incomplete “Star Whisperer”, your Honkai Resistance is not as good as theirs. Alas… We made such a big mess ourselves, but we still need the help of others to clear up the aftermath. Well… Many unpredictable things did happen... But I think you should be happy, Chairwoman and Commander. ……？ We don’t think this is a bad result at all. Because - Hasn't the most wonderful form of life been born in front of you? Gu… Uh... Awww, it must be painful to have your neck clenched. Should we be sorry? Since you may be the person who understands us best in this world... ...We don’t want you to die without knowing anything like the Chairwoman. Huh... Fufufufu… Yes, show us more expressions of pain, helplessness, despair, astonishment and anger. Otherwise, where should we start? A self-introduction? Yes, yes. It’s polite to introduce yourself during the first meeting. Hmm… But in that case, we have to give ourselves a name, right? So… Commander onee-san, do you think… Is there a name suitable for us, the “Son of God”? Don’t stay there in a daze, Valkyries! Let’s head back to headquarters! I worry that it's already too late! ！ Shigure Kira! Watch your feet! ？！ Thi-This is... ...Earthquake? Or a volcanic eruption? ...That’s not it. It seems like things are getting more and more out of control. What happened, Dr. Schrodinger? I’m not sure, but whatever it is... ...Some kind of power, right now, is eroding the “Ether Anchor” itself. For this Bubble Universe - It means the “end of the world”. Are you saying… This Bubble Universe will become a sea of fire? Like here? That’s uncertain. In fact, I think most areas won’t. In this case, if the special “Anchor Point” system collapses… The Bubble Universe will likely become space-time fragments that will eventually decay and disappear. At the bottom of the Sea of Quanta, there are many such World Fragments. It would be like… If people could only live in the wreckage of a building like prisoners, repeating the same day endlessly. That’s... Hello! Now is not the time to share this kind of knowledge! Did you not just tell me to not stay in a daze? Doctor, this “power” that you said is eroding the “Ether Anchor”, can we stop it? ...Theoretically. However, now that the “Anchor Point” channel has become unstable, it’s difficult for us to even return there to solve the problem. Didn’t I just jump from here? That was when the Anchor was stable! Now the energy fluctuations are so intense, how could we ever adjust flexibly in the air to not be torn apart by the rifts of time and space? Even though-- Everyone, look! Something is flying towards here! Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Valkyries, travelers! Do you face any crisis? Do you need help? Brigadier General Bertrand, turned dragon, is reporting! I feel like I get 20 years younger every day! General Dragon? Great, you arrived at the perfect time! But… Why are you here? I felt the abnormal Honkai Energy fluctuations from the Yucatan, and was worried that you had already gone to war with the emperor-- --Unexpectedly, I fell into the cracks of the world while flying! And after crawling out of it, the sight of purgatory was in front of me! --So is there really a problem? ...Long story short, General Dragon! Now we need to break into a fortress to save the world, but the space tunnel is very unstable, so we can’t just jump in it! Hmm… Although I’m not sure what to do... ...But in return for your kindness, I think there should be no problem with carrying a few people through the “space tunnel”! Thank you! We’ll get on you right away! Ah, wait-- --What? --You still have other allies heading here. ...Look. Bianka, long time no see! Jimmy? And Mr. Pilot? Haha, these are merely space fluctuations, how could it stop the wings of the “Red Baron”? But the machine is not as flexible as a real dragon… We were flying ahead of him, but it took longer to find a place to land. It doesn’t matter! We didn’t even expect you to be here at all! Bianka, Doctor - What is the current situation? We have to cross the “Anchor Point” and return to the core area of the “Huaca Tunnel”! Right, Dr. Schrodinger? ...Yes. Before it’s too late. You and Rita go back with the help of General Bertrand, Shigure Kira and I will board on the improved “Red Baron”-- --No matter who arrives first, give priority to the issue and search for Rowland’s whereabouts! This is a race against time. This may be our last shot at saving this world! Any remaining questions will be answered later! ...Everything is impermanent. So many things happened in less than a day’s work. Although it’s too late, I still would like to say some things to His Majesty the Emperor-- --That sure enough, the “Bonaparte” from your youth, has always been in the depths of your heart. …… Ah, youngsters, you don’t need to get sentimental over an old man like me. Although we have both lost someone close to us, my story has little to no ups and downs now, while yours has, in fact, only begun. …… When the Emperor was still the emperor, as long as he was working, you would not find the emotion called “sadness” in him. He said that the greatest kind of people in this world are the “Positively acting pessimists”. He was the greatest of all pessimists: He knows that mankind will continue to struggle to survive, and that there is no benevolent power helping us in secret. But even then he doesn’t act negatively or scared: Even if he knows he is weak, he continues to move forward towards his goal. Because he knows deep down: In this world, only actions mean anything, and only actions can change destiny. Any thought without action is just self-righteous arrogance. “It’s easier said than done”, I remember there was such a saying in the East. That’s right. The emperor often warned us before: Thought without action and action without thought - They are equally as dangerous. The former can only sit back and complain; The latter gets stubborn and fans the flames. The Emperor said that this kind of balance is difficult to grasp - He himself only performed well when compiling the “Civil Code”. He said that the “Civil Code” was the perfect combination of thought and action, and would never be abandoned by history. ...The job of a Valkyrie is to save the world. They will also not be abandoned by history. Hahahaha, you’re right. Your career is the cornerstone of everything. As long as you don’t betray it, you deserve the praise of most people. As you know, the Emperor sacrificed the entirety of Europe for his own interests, and for the interests of France… That eventually became a fatal stain on him. Beethoven even ripped off the title of the symphony composed for him and changed “Bonaparte” to “A hero”. After all… compared to the whole world, an Emperor and tens of millions of French people are just a small few. But... ...None of us can guarantee that what we are doing is in line with the interest of mankind and the progress of civilization, right? That’s a good way to think. Judging from what you reported, the emperor may have chosen to integrate with his subjects into a new form of life just to avoid that. But for what price? These subjects were his most loyal and radical servants in the past. Combining with them only allowed a group of people to rush down the road of paranoia even more quickly. Perhaps, picking up the fragments of mankind and fusing them all together is a way to transcend Honkai-- --But this example before us is definitely the worst of the worst. It’s a child born from personal and deformed desires. ...It’s a pity that His Majesty the Emperor’s other half has died with him, and the remaining parts seem to be causing an even bigger disaster. …… Master, this is not the time to be angry or sad. I know. Before we save the world… None of us can lose our cool. Bianka-sama, General Bertrand - It seems that we are very close to the entrance of the space crack. Got it. Let’s just rush straight in. Durandal, pay attention to the fluctuations of the “Anchor Point”, and correct the target position in real time. ...Leave it to me! The remains of the Star Whisperers gradually dissipated, and the central monitoring room that could control the entire Ether Anchor was silent at this moment. The demon born in the body of the old king lives in the center of the Bubble Universe like a spider, savoring its prey. You managed to find us before we bid farewell to the old world, after all. And before we become a god that transcends this world… five minutes remain. Fufu, we are very interested in seeing what else you can do. Weird… How come there’s nobody here... Bianka-sama, look over there! ？！ Bianka? Rita? How come you are on this side-- --That’s what I want to ask as well! Didn’t we divide the troops after landing to search for Rowland’s whereabouts? Why did we meet head on! This passage shouldn’t be circular! Didn’t we even leave the General Dragon and Watt behind to meet at the starting point?! …… You… didn’t meet anyone along the way? Yeah, not a single guard! But if Honkai already captured this fortress, why would the battlefield be so clean? Indeed, Honkai is not one to deliberately clean the battlefield. And since we proved with our feet that this passage is circular, there is only one possibility I can think of-- The part of the fortress where we are standing may have broken away from the normal order organized by the “Anchor”. ...What do you mean? ...Bianka, think of it like this. The underground fortress was originally built on the place closest to the “Ether Anchor”. And what is the “Anchor” itself? It’s the core that organizes this large-scale Bubble Universe, the “book spine” that organizes many different, small spaces tidely like pages. ...No, in this case, a messy data cable on a computer might be a better analogy. In short, because the fortress is too close to the Anchor Point, it’s actually very easy for it to be disassembled into tiny independent pieces, each of which is very similar to a separate World Fragment. In order words, our encounter is a half-circle of a world in opposite directions. So… are you saying that this fortress has already been disassembled, and we got the wrong fragment? ...No. The first half of what you said is correct, but the second half isn't. Shigure Kira, the… “Niggurath” in your body… does it also have an organ that can sense Honkai Energy? Organ? It’s not always easy to get what you mean… But yes, “Niggurath” has a way to tell me the approximate distribution of Honkai Energy around me. ...Then can you detect the crystals we were investigating before? …… There is a small… vague feeling... I even think… it might be hidden behind the wall in front of us. That can’t be true. No, my “smell” tells me the same. Alright. Since it’s like this, it's very simple. Bianka-- What do I need to do? Cut the space there with the Holy Sword. The culprit we are looking for is behind this wall. Is it really that simple? It's that simple. ...Very well. Then let’s do it! Oh my. As expected of you. “La Niña” has been waiting here for a long time. You- You are-- Rowland? Ah… You mean the original owner of this body? The Star Whisperer, Knight Rowland, is just one of the thousands of cells that make up us. Nothing special, nothing meaningful. Can’t even take part in the thinking. ...That means you are just a damn parasite! Gee, what a rude little creature. All the various creatures of this world evolved from single cells like bacteria - That’s the discovery Darwin made in another world, and we think you should all be familiar with it. So, using that truth as a metaphor-- --We, “La Niña”, are the “evolution” of both the subjects of the “Napoleonic Empire” and your knight Rowland under the beautiful effect of the Honkai. She becomes our bones, and we become her wisdom. Do you think that the bones in your body are jealous of your brain? ...What the hell are you talking about? Do you think this is ridiculous, Miss Shigure Kira? Even though you survived our attack thanks to the benefit of fusing with another creature? Is it really so hard for you to understand why we are so much better than ordinary people? ...You only make me sick. Hmm, perhaps. Our birth does seem a little too wonderful. If you think about it, it is the result of so many coincidences happening one after the other-- First of all, our emperor, Mr. Napoleon. He incorporated us as part of his body so his rule could last for generations; After that, you, the republic that wanted to get rid of his threat, cut off a part of the Bubble Universe, forcing us, body and soul, to fully combine under the effects of Honkai; And after that, the opposite existence of the emperor chose to die with him, and we became the “brain in the jar”, trapped in the crystallization of Honkai Energy; And in the end, the incomplete Star Whisperer happened to appear before us, allowing us to use her body for our rebirth. What are you trying to do now! Are you trying to use our feelings for Rowland? Fufu, what an impatient little girl. You… I am not afraid to treat you like a comrade-in-arms who was corrupted by the Honkai on the battlefield! So get out of Rowland’s body quickly, or I will not hesitate to use the Holy Sword “Durandal”! Oh my, rude and impatient, like a little bandit. At least your companions have more restraint-- --But what a pity. This time you were in the right, and they were in the wrong. ...What do you mean? Hmm, do you need me to spell it out for you? While you were threatening us, the synchronization between us and the “Anchor” was quietly completed. From now on, we are the “Anchor”, and the “Anchor” is us. And you -- In order to listen to our story, just wasted the last five minutes in which you could stop “La Niña”. ...What a pity. Synchronized with the “Anchor”...? Ah, our dear doctor. Among them, you must be the one who understands the weight of that sentence the most. The “Ether Anchor” controls the world - If someone can synchronize with it, they will not only be unaffected by the laws of this world, but will even be able to use them to their advantage. In other words… We, the Son of God “La Niña”-- Have become the god of this world which you are oh so concerned about. That… That’s not possible! No one has been able to manipulate even one thousandth of the “Anchor”’s information at the same time-- --What kind of bluff are you trying to use here?! Bluff? No, you are wrong, Miss Idol. “La Niña” is not only one person, but one thousand, as well as a hundred thousand. You can’t begin to imagine what we can do. Rest assured, this is actually a good thing. What the Emperor did was kill the chicken to get the eggs, and the Republic’s cutting of the Bubble Universe was breaking the pot. And only we, the Holy child chosen by fate, can keep this world alive for a long time, and let it have a “tomorrow” and an “after tomorrow”. As proof of that... Yes, why don’t we copy a few of the people who just died in this world for you? What did you say-- Honkai Energy pours out from the body of “La Niña”. But the scary thing is - most of that energy did not dissipate, but condensed into both familiar and unfamiliar figures. …… …… …… Oh, it seems like something went wrong. Yes, how could I forget - These people’s minds were so delicious, that we already digested them. Now we can’t vomit them out anymore. Whatever… The “Moving goodbye” did not happen here-- --But if you were all eaten by us, couldn't everyone reunite in the same body? You’re crazy! Ah! Did you plan to win by relying on “Durandal”? --And In front of the body of “Rowland”, did you want to teach a fish how to swim? ...The sword… Broke? Did you not notice until now? That the weakness of this sword is its “complete form” itself? Well, since your friends are less skilled, let’s get rid of you first... I won’t let you! Hm? A freeze attack? What a joke-- ———— ———————— --Did you hope that this power would work on us? --We didn’t. Just like you just now, we bought her some precious time. Bianka! Use your will to move the gems of “Durandal”! You are its current owner, it will certainly respond to your will! …Yes! (Rowland’s Holy Sword...) (If you agree to let me save her honor in this world...) (If you are willing to use my body to destroy the enemy…) (...Then respond to my heartfelt call, Immortal Blade!) Impossible-- What is this? It turns out… that’s how it is... Used as a weapon, Soulium can replace the body of the Valkyrie to absorb, control, and release Honkai Energy... But conversely, a Valkyrie can also use her body to temporarily do what Soulium does! So, you who call yourself “La Niña”, the scum of this world... This is the purification program that the Holy Sword prepared for you before we set off. --Take this! --Rowland! Don’t panic, Bianka. The Honkai energy in her body was drained by you, she just passed out. Besides that... Yes… The underlying problem is still there. ……？ Dr. Schrodinger... What does that mean…? ...Your - And the Holy Sword is no exception - perception of Honkai Energy is indeed not as sensitive as mine’s or Shigure Kira’s. The purification procedure just now has indeed “erased” the consciousness mixed in the Honkai Energy. But the problem is that the Honkai Energy has been associated with the “Ether Anchor” - Even the Holy Sword can only push it deeper into the “Anchor Point”, rather than outside of the Bubble Universe. ...Just like how you can’t use washing powder to clean the water itself. So… What will happen next? The Bubble Universe will have temporary peace. However, due to the corrosive effect of the freely running Honkai on the “Anchor Point”, it will likely disintegrate completely within three to five years. ...disintegrate completely? Yes. The Bubble Universe will be broken into countless pieces and head to its own end. This process started the moment that “La Niña” died. In other words, this Bubble is slowly disintegrating as we speak. --Ho- How can that be! You’re right. No one can accept this fate. Fortunately, I can think of one solution... ...But the pros and cons weight the same, so I need your consent. It’s ok! No matter what you say, if it can completely save this world, I agree! Listen to me first. The method I just came up with isn’t an ultimate solution to the problem. It is just a substitute for the plot of “La Niña”, but it will greatly delay the death of this world. ……？ And also. Once this plan is up into action, everyone except the four of us will have to stay inside this dying Bubble Universe, whether they want it or not. The space-time cracks of this world will be completely locked from the outside. We won’t be able to say goodbye to them, and we will have no chance to tell them of what happened here. We will even lose the chance to repair the “Durandal”. --But I assure you: This world will indeed gain precious breathing time. Whether it’s me, Shigure Kira, your overseer Otto, or someone from “Anti-Entropy”, it is possible to use this time to find a permanent solution. But… since this is the only way I can think of at the moment, from a decision making perspective, none of that is the deciding factor. The deciding factor is that the fate of this world will depend on you alone from now on. Could it be that… You want me to... That’s right. You will directly replace “La Niña” as “God”, and lock the survival of this Bubble Universe within yourself-- --As long as you live, this world will exist; But on the contrary, the process of disintegration will start once again when you die. I had never expected it… But you behaved better as Durandal’s gem container than the original Soulium body. In this way, although we won’t be able to completely separate the Honkai Energy left by “La Niña” in the “Ether Anchor”-- --We can use the gems of “Durandal” to seal the entire “Anchor”, alongside the Bubble Universe itself and the Honkai Energy, inside your body. ...What? Inside my body? Literally? Exactly what I said. Just like how you used your own body to replace “Durandal”’s sword body. Just like how a geometric “inversion” can replace an object from outside the circle inside of the circle-- --Using Durandal’s energy manipulation tech, we can treat you as the circle and “invert” the Bubble Universe outside you to inside you. After the “inversion” takes effect, you can use the Genius to return to Schicksal headquarters as normal. And the Bubble Universe... Yes, from a philosophical perspective-- --Will become your personal “Little universe”. …… Of course, for you personally, it won’t just be a mental burden: You are a Valkyrie, so this may make some people from Schicksal want to conduct human experiments on you. ...But as I said earlier, this is the only way I can think of right now. Perhaps we can find another way if we sit down and research... But at that time, as the “Anchor” will be more eroded and destroyed, we might lose the chance to “Invert” the Bubble with “Durandal”’s gems like we have now. Using my “smell” of Honkai Energy to estimate… We still have a week or so until we have to decide on whether we will do the “Inversion” or not ...Doctor, I've heard enough. You just need to tell me how I can grasp this “life-saving straw” and save the world. I like a lot of people in this world. Some even gave up their lives for its future. No matter what, I don’t want to let this world end with death. Now that our journey brought us here, we must help them protect it to the end. ...Bianka, you are the bravest person I have ever met. But… How can you do it so easily… How can you decide the future of your life in one go? Won’t you shoulder the responsibility of the whole world!? ...Senpai, hasn’t the life of a Valkyrie always been like that? We are warriors, people who can die at any time, and people who will always bear the fate of everyone's lives. We had no intention of ignoring the destruction in front of us from the beginning. In fact, since then, we had already decided what our life would be like. If anyone hesitates about this... Then they haven’t carefully thought about-- --What it means to be a Valkyrie who fights for all that’s beautiful in this world. …… For the people that I like, And for the people that they like, For everyone who make “people”, be “people”-- --They have moved me, and I’m willing to dedicate everything I have to protect them. Holy Sword! If you are still conscious, if you still feel like I am a master worthy of your trust-- --Go beyond your limits with me! The shining armor that suddenly covered her whole body… Did Bianka-sama and the Holy Sword achieve a deeper fusion? The space has begun to distort! Is the thing behind her… a black hole?! No, that should be called a “horizon” - A black hole is just one way to produce them. It seems that the “Immortal Blade” understands what I meant by “inversion”. Invert the whole world… Do you mean to store the whole world in a “point” with no volume? The size of the Bubble Universe itself is pretty small. Bianka and “Durandal” can do this. Miss Rita, prepare your “Genius”. Shigure Kira, wake up your “Niggurath”. Rowland was originally a Star Whisperer born from the “Anchor”, no matter what we do, she would be forced back into the Bubble Universe. Everyone… It’s time to say goodbye. Doc... Bianka-sama? You don’t have to force yourself to speak-- It’s alright... I’m getting… more and more used to it... I can feel… The sky and the earth inside my body. Someone is welcoming a brand new blue sky… someone is hugging their friends... ...I will cherish all of them. --Rita, now! Start the “Genius”! The “Inversion” will end soon, and we will be forced into the void of the Sea of Quanta! Yes! Bianka-sama!