"Where are we going next? Are we going straight to Schicksal?"
After bidding farewell to Raven once again, Yuno seemed to have become much more eager, unable to resist asking Lin Wei this question in his ear.
"What, getting anxious?"
Lin Wei put away the Third Divine Key he had been toying with along the way and looked at Yuno's serious little face, asking, "Or are you feeling a bit nervous?"
"Mm... a bit of both. Because Ana is still there, I don't know how she is now."
Yuno frowned and thought for a moment before saying, "And, Captain Durandal... is very strong."
After waking up this time, her aura seemed slightly more vibrant, like the joy and ease of feeling her body gradually recover and her vitality return bit by bit after a long illness.
"Durandal... I remember she always thought highly of you. It's no wonder you're still willing to call her 'Captain'."
Lin Wei tactfully skipped over the matter of Ana and said with a smile, "But this time, she, and the rest of Schicksal, will probably really be standing on the opposite side of us—how about it, nervous?"
"Mm."
Yuno nodded.
"Then what are you in such a hurry for?"
She was about to say something else, like "I'm ready" or "I'm not afraid," when Lin Wei tapped her head lightly with the Third Divine Key in his hand, as if it were a stick, and said irritably, "In your current weak state, are you coming with me to die?"
"..."
Hearing Lin Wei say this, Yuno lowered her head and fell silent.
"Hey, this thing is being disobedient again!"
Suddenly hearing Lin Wei's somewhat exasperated voice, Yuno tensed up for a moment, thinking her recent performance had angered him again. She quickly looked up, only to find Lin Wei struggling with the black and purple Third Divine Key in his hand.
"I just used you as a stick, it's not a big deal. Why such a big temper?"
Lin Wei felt the constant slight vibration of the Divine Key in his hand and saw the crackling arcs of electricity and flowing light on it, as if it were furious with him. He pursed his lips and said irritably, "I can't handle this thing. Sakura, I'll leave it to you to deal with!"
As his voice fell, Yae Sakura, with her sakura-pink hair, long ears, and Miko attire, appeared silently beside Lin Wei. She glanced at Lin Wei with some helplessness, then gently raised her hand and took the restless Divine Key from Lin Wei's hand.
Then, a magical scene occurred—as soon as the Third Divine Key was in Yae Sakura's grasp, the faintly crackling electric arcs vanished, but the flowing light on it suddenly became brighter. After a flash, it transformed from its short staff form into a gleaming tachi, lying quietly in Yae Sakura's hands.
"How interesting. It becomes so obedient in your hands."
Lin Wei clicked his tongue in sincere admiration.
"It probably mistook me for its former master..."
Yae Sakura gently caressed the magnificent longsword with some emotion. The feeling of holding it was no different from when she was in the Elysian Realm.
This was the first time she had truly touched this Divine Key she had once used in reality, giving her a feeling of being in a different world for a moment. Inside the Elysian Realm, outside the Elysian Realm—it was just a door's separation, yet it felt as if she had truly crossed a long span of time and reunited with an old friend from fifty thousand years ago.
This feeling was very familiar to her; after all, she had truly crossed five hundred years of time. Yet, it was also subtly different. After all, this time, she was stepping into another person's story.
"Divine Keys all have tempers. You're not unaware of this, after all, Pandora has been with you for so long."
Yae Sakura handed the now-quiet Third Divine Key back to Lin Wei.
"Even if you want to deal with it, you should use a gentler method..."
"I was in a hurry... and besides, aren't you here?"
Lin Wei's smile was a bit punchable.
"See, significant results!"
"You..."
Yae Sakura turned the sword around and lightly tapped Lin Wei's arm with the scabbard, then handed it back to him. She nodded slightly to Yuno before quickly fading into the air and disappearing.
"She's really amazing..."
Although Yuno had long known the truth of Yae Sakura's existence, every time she saw her appear and disappear out of thin air, she felt it was incredible.
"Hehe, yeah."
Lin Wei rubbed the part of his arm that had just been tapped. It didn't hurt, but the sensation still lingered on his skin. Then he turned his head and smiled at Yuno.
"You see, one of you, one of it..."
Lin Wei waved the longsword in his hand and said, "There are still such big problems with getting along. Do you think we can rush?"
"I..."
Being told she lacked coordination, Yuno felt a wave of embarrassment but didn't know how to argue.
After all, what Lin Wei said was also the truth...
---||---
Time rewound slightly.
"I really didn't expect that after the Third Honkai Eruption, there was still such a fellow hiding in Nagazora City. I had already searched several times, yet I never discovered her existence..."
"..."
Outside the window of Yuno's room, Raven looked through the window at the somewhat dim room and said with an inscrutable expression.
"Looking at her like this, if you hadn't interrupted her back then, and she had completed her transformation and awakened safely, the children behind me who were still living in that city at the time might have been in great danger. After all, back then, I couldn't be by the children's side all the time like I am now."
"Behind you? Hehe, if Sora and the others had really followed you and me here and seen the inside of the room, they might have been psychologically scarred."
Lin Wei said softly. He hadn't let the children come with them to visit. After all, the scene in the room, just a window away, was truly bizarre—
Branches and vines were spreading, writhing, and growing everywhere on the ceiling, walls, and floor, making one feel as if they would break through the walls and "emerge from the soil" in the next second. And all the branches and vines extended from the sleeping girl on the bed, looking as if a small tree had grown from her body...
"The way she looks reminds me of cordyceps..."
Raven glanced at Lin Wei and asked.
"Is she really okay like this?"
Having spent these few short days together, she had become familiar with this girl who seemed to have a strange personality. She didn't want to see her die in such a painful and bizarre way—with such a strange Honkai Beast growing from her body.
As for her strange personality, that was nothing to her—after all, the children housed in this shelter, due to the influence of the Honkai and incomplete Stigmata, all had somewhat strange personalities.
"It's fine. Without the abundant Honkai energy and flesh and blood of Chiba Academy to nourish her, Yuno was destined not to become what she was originally. As for her now..."
Lin Wei gently caressed the glass of the windowsill, as if remotely comforting the sleeping yet struggling girl inside, and said.
"Supplementing the defects in her own genes is inherently a transformation, and it's unavoidable. Being completely fused with the genes of a Honkai Beast, when she releases her power, her form is naturally not entirely human."
"You say it so easily. Aren't you really afraid that after she wakes up, she'll lose her original consciousness and completely become an apostle of the Honkai?"
Raven said.
"Investing so much effort, and still taking such a risk in the end?"
"I've done my best to help her rediscover her 'human' feelings. The joys and sorrows of the present moment, the cherishing and nostalgia for the past, the longing and expectation for the future; these most vivid colors of the human soul, even if it's just a corner wiped clean after being covered in dust, it's still a seed, a reference point, that can prevent her from getting completely lost so easily..."
Lin Wei said.
"And, even if she really loses her consciousness completely after waking up, just like how the Flame-Chasers first lost control of their consciousness when they collapsed for humanity, with you and me here, it's enough to wake her up."
"...Is this why you deliberately placed her so far away from the children?"
Raven was speechless.
"Looks like you've already prepared for the worst."
She didn't question the phrase "you and me." After all, judging by what Lin Wei had done in Manila, even if there were some incomprehensible aspects, his own strength was undoubtedly not to be underestimated.
"I can't help it. It's a habit of mine. I always prepare for the worst expectations and possibilities."
Lin Wei spread his hands, then turned to look at Raven and said with a smile.
"But, it seems you're quite concerned about her too~ How about it, after I leave, take her in?"
He seamlessly shifted to another topic.
"...You really think this is a daycare center?"
Raven was speechless.
"Too old, not suitable. When I was her age, I was already out and about in the world."
World Serpent's demands were extremely strict, forcing her to be independent from a very early age...
"Seriously, don't talk like you're so old. You're not that old yourself. Besides, how many people are as amazing as you!"
Lin Wei smiled and flattered her, then sighed slightly.
"Besides, I have to find a place for this girl to settle down. She can't go to Anti-Entropy or Schicksal, and I don't want her to get too entangled with World Serpent—besides your place, I really can't find a second one..."
"...Why does that sound like a last wish?"
Raven was speechless.
"You're saying this, does it mean I can't refuse?"
It's already a "last wish," how can I refuse?
"Can't you say something more auspicious?"
Lin Wei rolled his eyes at her.
"Sure, want me to prepare a couple of bottles of wine for you in advance?"
Raven looked Lin Wei up and down, pursed her lips.
"But with your alcohol tolerance, it seems you won't need that much."
She remembered the comical sight of Lin Wei passing out after one drink, as if he had come to ruin his own reputation...
"..."
Lin Wei really wanted to ask if this wine was for "celebration" or for "sending off."
But after thinking about it, he didn't open his mouth. After all, as a "guest under someone else's roof," some things didn't need to be made so clear.
As they spoke, the vines on Yuno's body, which had been constantly extending, suddenly trembled in unison, then began to retract at a visible speed.
"Looks like she's about to wake up."
Lin Wei and Raven exchanged a look, both knowing this well.
"Ugh..."
Yuno slowly opened her eyes, as if she had slept for a lifetime, sweeping away the long-accumulated fatigue and pressure. She felt that her body had never been so relaxed.
For a moment, she hadn't completely come back to her senses, her eyes as dazed and blank as a newborn baby's.
"Where am I?"
Yuno thought blankly.
"Yuno, how are you feeling?"
Lin Wei picked up a communicator, and his voice came from Yuno's room through the wall.
"Sorry, I don't know if the air in your room is toxic, so I won't come in for now."
He wanted to try asking first, to see if Yuno's consciousness was still clear. Otherwise, he would have to consider taking alternative measures.
"It's fine, I'm fine too..."
Yuno jolted back to her senses and said quickly.
Then, to prove she was really fine, she tried to get out of bed, but the moment she stood up, her legs gave way and she fell to the ground, her mind going blank.
"How... did I become so weak?"
She struggled to lift a hand, trying to summon the vines that were once like an extension of her limbs, but found that even with her face flushed from effort, nothing happened, as if the familiar abilities in her memory were just a false dream.
"How could this be?"
Yuno felt a wave of disbelief, and at the same time, a wave of panic.
She hated her form, and by extension, she hated the power she possessed. But now, when she found that she seemed to have truly gotten rid of it all as she had wished, she didn't feel relieved. Instead, she felt a strong sense of unease.
Only at this moment did she understand how strong a sense of security this power she loathed had given her. It was no wonder Durandal had called it a "gift of fate."
In the past, Yuno had been dismissive of this statement, but now, she seemed to begin to understand this truth—without the support of this power, she seemed to not even have the strength to stand up from the ground. She couldn't even imagine how she would face this perilous world after losing that power...
"Hmm?"
Lin Wei's brows furrowed. He hadn't expected Yuno to suddenly become like this. He couldn't help but ask Raven with his eyes.
"What do you think?"
Raven was also scratching her head. This was the first time she had seen such a situation—just a moment ago, she looked so imposing, how could she suddenly look as if her character had been deleted?
She had never seen this in her life. She couldn't help but return Lin Wei's gaze with her own.
"You person, you really have a lot of strange things going on!"
"..."
Lin Wei was speechless. What does this have to do with me?
An unexpected situation had occurred. Lin Wei thought for a moment, picked up the communicator, and asked,
"Yuno, are there any other uncomfortable places?"
Yuno's slender arms trembled as she struggled to support her body, then she fell back down dejectedly.
"I... can't stand up..."
She felt very ashamed, but didn't know why she was so ashamed. Perhaps she was ashamed of her own weakness, perhaps she was ashamed of her past narrow-mindedness, perhaps she was ashamed of failing to live up to Lin Wei's expectations—although besides some simple things, he had never asked anything of her.
"Are there any other uncomfortable places besides that?"
Lin Wei asked.
"..."
Yuno felt for a moment, then shook her head.
"Is that so?"
Lin Wei nodded and said.
"In that case, I'm relieved. It's also time for me to leave and do other things."
He actually intended to say goodbye now.
"Wait... wait a minute!"
Yuno raised her head anxiously.
"Take me with you, we agreed!"
In that instant, she felt a sense of panic, of being abandoned.
"Why?"
Lin Wei wasn't angry, just asked in a puzzled tone.
"In your current weak state, you shouldn't be doing anything dangerous."
"It's not like that, this is just temporary..."
Yuno struggled a few more times, but still to no avail. Then she struggled to move again, her hands climbing the edge of the bed to sit back up, and murmured.
"I heard everything you guys said just now... You alone, you'll be in danger. Ana, she's still waiting for me..."
She couldn't bear to be so weak as she was now, powerless to do anything.
"I'm grateful for your sentiment."
Lin Wei said calmly.
"But in your current state, what can you do?"
"I..."
Yuno was at a loss for words, her mouth dry. She looked around anxiously. Then she bent down, grabbed the bedside lamp next to her, and smashed it on the ground. The light bulb shattered with a "pop." She picked up the largest piece of glass from the floor and, without hesitation, slashed it across her arm.
Seeing this scene of self-harm, Raven couldn't help but glance at Lin Wei. The latter just watched Yuno quietly, not stopping her.
"To break through the barriers, to break out of the cocoon, she can only rely on herself."
Lin Wei said calmly.
"Things like courage and faith can only be found by herself."
"You're really strict."
Raven pursed her lips.
"Aren't you afraid..."
"Afraid of what?"
Lin Wei said.
"You saw that scene just now. Those things are buried in her body. It just depends on whether she can find them again."
Lin Wei believed that what she possessed was always there, just needed to be re-excavated.
"Ugh..."
The glass shard pierced deeply into Yuno's arm, revealing crimson blood different from the purplish-red of the past. Yuno couldn't help but be stunned for a moment, then she gritted her teeth and fiercely slashed downwards.
"Ugh... it hurts so much..."
Blood flowed, skin and flesh split open. Yuno, for the first time, or rather, after a long time, felt pain again—a pure, unbearable pain, different from the kind she used to feel from self-harm and self-destruction. It made Yuno's vision go black, her face turning pale.
But soon, Yuno couldn't help but smile happily.
"Hahahaha..."
Because, she saw that although her body was now extremely weak, although her blood had become the same crimson as an ordinary person's, she could still clearly see that the hideous wound on her arm was, just as in her memory, rapidly healing at a visible speed.
This feeling of having lost and then regained something made her feel a sincere joy.
"How about it, can you stand up now?"
Lin Wei asked.
"I can, Mr. Lin Wei, I can!"
Yuno was so happy she almost cried. She gently caressed the wound that had just brought her great pain, feeling this pure, endless pain, enjoying this pure, infinite joy. After a moment, she stretched out her hand for a third time, her little face flushed, using all her strength to make her lost vines spread out again.
One second, two seconds, three seconds...
"I did it!"
Yuno shouted happily. Lin Wei saw a slender sprout emerge from her fingertip, emerald green, delicate, yet filled with a strong life force, like a re-blossoming after surviving the harshest winter, heralding the arrival of spring.
Thus, as a response and a reward, after she regained her strength, Lin Wei took her along on a new journey.
Remembering that brief yet deeply impressive experience, Yuno couldn't help but stretch out her hand. A slender vine extended from her elbow, wrapped around her arm, and poked its head out at her fingertip.
In the past, although she could use it without hindrance, she was full of loathing for it. But now, she could appreciate every inch of its texture, every branch, with some fascination.
"Oh? It can grow such a long vine?"
Lin Wei said timely.
"Not bad, rapid progress. Keep up the good work."
"..."
Yuno's little face flushed, and she quickly retracted it, even hiding both her arms behind her back, and said stammering.
"Don't laugh at me, please..."
Compared to the wild posture of the past, now, even with all her strength, she could only extend a few slender vines.
"It's really rapid progress. Where am I laughing at you?"
Lin Wei smiled and said.
"Those powers have always been in your body. It's just that now you have to re-integrate and excavate them, and then you can better control and use them, instead of being swept forward by your own power like in the past."
"Mm."
Yuno nodded and obediently followed behind Lin Wei, taking his words to heart even more carefully.
"But, this isn't enough, right?"
Yuno followed closely by Lin Wei's side and said with some worry.
"With this little power, if we face Schicksal, I'm worried it won't be of much use..."
"You know that too?"
Lin Wei smiled and ruffled her hair.
"There's still a little time left. Keep it up, I believe you can do it."
"Mm!"
Yuno nodded, relieved.
After this "rebirth," her admiration and trust in Lin Wei grew even stronger. Because she knew that he had truly given her another new life.
So, since he believed she could do it, then she definitely could.