Once again, he challenged the Herrscher of Binding.
Elias did not give her even the slightest chance—he didn't even allow her to release her Elysion Pedion!
After extracting the Saint's consciousness with Fenghuang Down and transferring it into the new body he had prepared for her, Elias, as always, used the Schariac Holy Blood to neutralize the Honkai Eruption caused by the Herrscher's descent.
Then...
ROAAAR—!
"Human, this is the time of Binding!"
Along with the roar of her companion Honkai Beast, the Herrscher of Binding's consciousness descended upon the Saint's body.
However, just as the Beast tried to channel its Honkai energy into the Herrscher of Binding to replenish what she had failed to absorb during the Eruption, Elias immediately charmed and seized control of it.
"What a waste to give such a fine Honkai Beast to you. Come, great lion—starting today, you're my pet."
Roar...
"Y-you human! You actually tamed my companion Honkai Beast?! Impossible—give it back to me!"
The Herrscher of Binding's companion Honkai Beast was a massive, golden lion wreathed in light and flame. Unfortunately for her, it was only of Judgment-level, not Vipralopa-class.
So it couldn't even struggle.
Had it been a Vipralopa-class Beast, it might have resisted for a brief moment before submitting—but for a mere Judgment-level one, Elias subdued it in less than five seconds.
Now, the golden lion Honkai Beast abandoned the Herrscher of Binding entirely. Like a loyal hound, it trotted over to Elias' side, sat obediently, and wagged its tail.
"Hehe~ looks like your lion likes me better. But who could blame it? You're such an unqualified owner. I'll be taking this fellow now."
"Damn human... No—this can't be happening..."
The Herrscher of Binding's face turned pale.
Because she could no longer deploy Elysion Pedion.
Although that domain was famed for erasing Honkai energy and greatly weakening other forms of power, its essence was still Honkai-based—and it consumed an immense amount of it to activate.
With the Eruption neutralized by Elias' blood-soaked Abyss Flower and her energy-supplying companion Beast stolen, the Herrscher of Binding had less than 100 HW of Honkai energy left.
That pitiful amount wasn't even enough to cast a small skill, much less activate her grand ultimate barrier. All she could do now was throw tiny fists of fury—utterly powerless.
"As expected, your ability is impressive. Ah~ it's such a waste that I let you die so easily before. Not only are your powers exquisite, but the feeling is great too~"
Elias spoke as he sat atop the golden lion Honkai Beast's back.
In timelines where he had failed to stop the Herrscher of Binding from deploying Elysion Pedion, this very lion always met a tragic end.
After transferring all of its Honkai energy to her, it would die inside the very domain she created—yes, every single time, the Herrscher of Binding killed her own Beast!
It was a strong, area-of-effect type Honkai Beast—yet always perished so carelessly. Once it finished its mission as her living battery, it became the first casualty inside her domain.
Roar~
The golden lion tilted its head, then, at Elias' command, casually swatted the Herrscher of Binding into the distance.
With that roar, her body stiffened instantly—the lion's ability caused paralysis and immobilization.
"Well done. I'll have Mei arrange you a good spot in the Honkai Beast Zoo later."
Elias then invoked the Herrscher of the Void's authority, reaching into her chest and extracting the Herrscher Core. Just like that, he easily defeated the Eleventh Herrscher.
"Ahh, I am truly blessed—to witness Lord Elias' battle up close, and to receive a body personally crafted by him! What divine grace this is~"
The Saint clasped her hands together, kneeling before Elias, eyes glimmering with pure devotion.
"Uh... you don't have to exaggerate that much."
"My Lord, I will make sure your deeds are known to the world."
"There's no need. It's nothing worth making a fuss about. But thank you for the thought. Still, I'm just a human, the same as you—so don't worship me as a god."
Elias shook his head as he spoke.
He didn't mind being seen and revered as a hero—after all, a hero is still human. But a god? That title stirred nothing in him.
"Though... I might have to become something close to one soon," Elias said, scratching his head regretfully.
"Y-you plan to become a god?!"
The Saint trembled, visibly shocked.
"Mm. I believe humanity has no limits, but there are some things only a god can do. Uh... seems I said too much. If you promise to keep it secret, I won't have to erase your memory," Elias said with a wry smile.
Her resemblance to Theresa Kaslana had made him drop his guard—and accidentally let something slip.
The Saint nodded rapidly, mimicking a pecking chick, then covered her mouth as a promise that she would never tell a soul.
Elias smiled faintly. In truth, even if she told someone, it wouldn't make any difference. Neither the Previous nor the Current Era possessed anyone capable of stopping him.
"Well then, I'll be going. We'll meet again if fate allows."
"Yes, farewell, Lord Elias."
The Saint gave a graceful bow, but when she looked at his departing figure—carrying the Herrscher of Binding on his shoulder with the golden lion Honkai Beast at his side—her eyes glazed over.
(Is it just my imagination... or did Lord Elias seem rather unwilling about becoming a god?)
Her intuition was not wrong. For someone like Elias, becoming a god would be a kind of fall from grace.
...
In the Deep End.
"What in the world... is going on here?"
"You'll get used to it eventually."
The Herrscher of Binding's face darkened. Before her stood one thousand and nine Herrschers—all wearing maid outfits. It felt like the most absurd nightmare imaginable.
On the other hand, the Herrschers of Reason and the others were already used to it. Seeing her stunned expression, they instinctively used their weakened powers to manifest a maid uniform for her as well.
By now, the Deep End was less a Herrscher prison and more... the personal maid factory of a certain savior.
"Ahem! Let's welcome our final resident of the Deep End. Do your best to fit in with the family, Binding." Elias grinned brightly.
Though he wanted to linger and enjoy the sight for a while longer, he knew the countdown had begun. The next to appear would be the Herrscher of Corruption—and after her, the Herrscher of Finality.
And the gap between them would be no more than a single day.
Even after twelve cycles, the final stage demanded his full attention—it was, after all, the ultimate boss.
So, after leaving the Deep End, Elias hurried straight to Vill-V's Helixcraft.
"Hey, Vill-V. How's the preparation for the Divine Keys coming along? And the final adjustments on the Moonlight Throne battleship?"
"Relax, Elias—it's all done. Strangely enough, making these Divine Keys felt really familiar, like I'd built them countless times before without realizing it."
"Haha, maybe that's exactly it."
Elias looked around the warehouse filled with Divine Keys:
1st Divine Key: Void Archives / Codex of Truth
2nd Divine Key: Cosmic Juggernaut / Hand of the Void
3rd Divine Key: Seven Thunders of Retribution
4th Divine Key: Echo of the Sky / Unnamed Satellite
5th Divine Key: The Great Hibernation / Annihilation of All
6th Divine Key: Abyss Flower
7th Divine Key: Judgment of Shamash
8th Divine Key: Fenghuang Down
9th Divine Key: Cosmic Harmony (Star of Eden)
10th Divine Key: Sword of Domination ×1000
11th Divine Key: Oath of Judah (Coreless)
12th Divine Key: Jizo Mitama (Coreless)
Aside from the Codex Arsenal and the World Portal, every Divine Key was assembled and ready.
Among them, the Oath of Judah and Jizo Mitama had been pre-designed by Elias, who had given Vill-V the blueprints in advance so she could forge the soulium shells first. That way, once the Cores were obtained, they could be inserted directly for immediate use.
Elias tossed the Gem of Binding—the Herrscher of Binding's Core—lightly in his hand, then placed it into the Oath of Judah. In that moment, the Divine Key was finally complete.
The only one left unfinished was Jizo Mitama, which still lacked the Core of the Herrscher of Corruption.
(If I wait until after dealing with the Herrscher of Corruption to start building Jizo Mitama, it won't be ready in time for the battle against Finality... Though, truth be told, I didn't have Vill-V craft them just for that fight.)
Elias ran his hand along each Divine Key, each one brimming with the heartfelt craftsmanship of a maiden. This wasn't merely about enhancing his strength—it was also to ensure that the Current Era's history would remain intact.
After all, without these Divine Keys of the Previous Era, who knew how much history would be altered.
"Elias, can I ask you something?"
Vill-V lifted the Fifth Divine Key, Annihilation of All, shaped like a crown, and gently placed it on the white-haired boy's head.
"What is it, Vill-V?"
"Why did you specifically request a Great Hibernation pod? Elias, you wouldn't even need something like that."
The Fifth Divine Key—The Great Hibernation—was the stasis chamber that allowed the Flame-Chasers to cross fifty thousand years into the Current Era. Yet for Elias, it should have been completely unnecessary.
Though Vill-V didn't know about the system's existence, she did know that Elias had his own way of returning to the Current Era.
"Well... because there's someone who has to rely on it to reach the next age. Also, thank you, Vill-V, for always helping me make equipment. Just look at these Divine Keys—they truly deserve to be called the masterpieces of my beloved inventor."
Elias embraced Vill-V as he spoke.
"...If thanks are to be given, it should be from me."
Vill-V didn't resist his embrace, but she shook her head, as if to say that she—or rather, they—were the ones who should be expressing gratitude.
Her hair color now wasn't the usual two-toned gradient but a uniform shade of chestnut brown, meaning the personality before him was the Self. Unlike the insecure version from the original story, her eyes now shone with confidence.
The Flame-Chaser of [Helix] had once despised herself deeply. Her other personalities had all been born as means for her Self to escape from reality.
But in this timeline, things were different.
During Elias and Elysia's travels through worlds, he had found the young genius Vill-V and spent a long time encouraging and affirming her true self.
Whenever her Self denied her worth—
Elias would affirm her.
Because of his presence, his validation, his recognition—this Self, Vill-V, finally gained confidence.
"If it weren't for your encouragement back then, Elias, I don't know what kind of person I'd be now."
"You wouldn't be much different, I'm sure. Vill-V, you'd still shine just as brightly as you do now. Even when you were insecure, there was never any doubt that you were the greatest genius in the world."
"Haha, Elias, you've always trusted me too much. From the moment we met, you gave me your full faith—even when I couldn't believe in myself."
"But the facts proved me right~"
Elias reached out and patted her fluffy hair. Of course he trusted his great inventor—no one knew better than he how amazing the girl before him truly was.
"As long as you want to do something, Vill-V, you can make it happen."
Vill-V. We-are-we.
It meant: I am many.
She truly was the greatest genius of her era.
"No, that's not quite right," Vill-V said, shaking her head. "It's because you wanted it, Elias—that's why I could do it."
She had found her purpose in responding to his expectations—as a girl he had saved, and as one who had come to love him.
"Thank you, for helping me back then, Elias."
"I didn't really do anything special."
"Yeah, nothing special—because saving others is something you do as naturally as breathing. Not just me... I think everyone among the Flame-Chasers has been saved by you, right?"
Vill-V rested her chin on Elias' shoulder as she spoke. It was her intuition—not only she, but every member of the Fire Moth's Thirteen Flame-Chasers had been saved by this man.
"..."
Elias said nothing.
But the system within him silently confirmed her words.
He saved Kevin, so that the brightest of them all would not suffer the solitude of being a savior.
He saved Mei, so that the wisest would not have to strangle her own future.
He saved Aponia, so that the most compassionate would not fall victim to the manipulation of fate.
He saved Eden, so that the most graceful would never lose her pride.
He saved Vill-V, so that the most intricate would never lose her stage to perform upon.
He saved Kalpas, so that the most fervent would never discard the meaning of survival.
He saved Sakura, so that the most devoted would not lose her one and only bond.
He saved Su, so that the most enlightened would not be trapped in the obsessions of selfhood.
He saved Kosma, so that the most idealistic would not have to shatter his own dreams.
He saved Mobius, so that the most inquisitive would not fall into the endless cycle of life and death.
He saved Griseo, so that the purest would not have to wander alone through the starry darkness.
He saved Hua, so that the humblest would not seal away her precious emotions.
He saved Pardofelis, so that the most cheerful would not have to understand the true meaning of pain.
And in the future, this man would save that radiant girl who would bloom like a flying petal.
Elias smiled softly and said, "Because you all are the reason I came to this era, Vill-V. To me, each of you is far more important than the world itself."
Saving the world came second. In the Previous Era, for Elias, nothing mattered more than the fourteen Flame-Chasers.