"I've reviewed Heavy Bunny's data. It contains some records about Bronya... This control chip seems to have been... installed at Bronya's own request. Heavy Bunny's data includes the following entry: 'I can no longer endure life without Seele... Control me like this until I can save Seele...'"
The three of them fell silent after hearing this. To Bronya, Seele might be more precious than her own life...
"Ah... there's one more thing. Bronya's brain and legs have suffered varying degrees of damage... Her emotional module might be missing. Coupled with the time she spent under the control chip's influence, this has caused her current confusion in thought and memory... However, these will gradually recover over time."
Mei gently stroked Bronya's head, turning to Kiana and Sparkle. "This poor child... Let's take her with us. I'll take care of her..."
Watching Mei's tender and considerate demeanor, Kiana felt as though she were witnessing a great mother. "Mei will definitely be a wonderful mother someday... The radiance of maternal love is so dazzling~"
"What nonsense are you talking about, Kiana?!" Mei blushed at Kiana's words.
Sparkle picked up several cans of food and placed them in Kiana's arms. "Alright, alright, Mei will take care of Bronya. Let's rest for a bit and then prepare to continue our journey. We'll head to the safe zone Schicksal mentioned to prepare for evacuation. Nagazora City is now completely overrun by Honkai Beasts and Dead Soldiers."
"But what about Ryn? He told us to wait for him!" Kiana shook her head, refusing to leave.
"Cortana's core is with him. The moment he appears, we can pinpoint his location. And with Schicksal's equipment, we can support him faster and more effectively. Otherwise, as we are now, even if Ryn shows up, we won't reach him in time, let alone handle any crisis that might arise. Even our own lives are in danger right now." Sparkle didn't want to leave either, but the group was in poor condition. If a powerful Honkai Beast appeared, they'd all be in mortal peril. Kiana's injury hurt him more than Ryn's own wounds, so he decided to prioritize her safety and retreat.
"Alright... fine..." Kiana didn't argue further, considering they were also carrying a wounded comrade.
So, Kiana and the others headed towards the safe zone designated by Schicksal, where a ship from the Far East Branch would be waiting to evacuate survivors. As for the Anti-Entropy members who had been captured and humiliated, Kiana released their bonds and informed them of Schicksal's evacuation point. Whether they chose to go was up to them; the group had no interest in helping those who had tried to harm them. Bronya was the exception, as she was a child under mind control.
Back on the Ryn's side...
Light engulfed Ryn and Seele, and together they vanished from Seele's timeline. The Sea began reshaping Seele's body, using Ryn as its anchor, and bestowed upon her the Sea's blessing. The Tree also began to exert its power, cramming all sorts of powers into Ryn's body—nothing less than what the Sea was giving Seele. The two supreme beings' strange competitive streak flared up again. Seeing the Tree working so hard, the Sea started stuffing Seele with even more gifts.
"Here, have some Authority."
"No need. You've already given her the Authority over life and death, which is already excessive."
"So what? I want to. I like it. You got a problem with that?"
"Do whatever you want. I don't care how many people you bring back — when their world order collapses, it's going to be your problem anyway. But bring this kid back too. It's rare to find someone I actually like. If that Honkai guy ends up playing him to death, it'll be a pain."
"Tsk tsk tsk, just like the current Seele — can be revived once every so often, but only up to the point before he inherits the power of that girl named Jyahnar. Honestly, that Honkai guy must've lost it. Making a Jyahnar was bad enough, but then he created a Will of Honkai too. Now everything's beyond his control. If those two kids from the future hadn't become gods and turned into rules themselves to defeat the Will of Honkai, we'd have had to clean up his mess again."
"It's fine. An unchanging Eternal Order is boring anyway. Besides, have you been corrupted by those World Bubbles? Why are you talking like that?"
"None of your business."
"..."
I don't know how long later, but when Ryn woke up, he found himself back in his own body. Seele had also gained a physical form and was still asleep, curled up on top of him.
Ryn felt his mind clearer than ever before. Boundless power surged into his body from the Sea of Quanta and Imaginary Space, as if he now possessed the strength to grasp the sun and moon and reverse the heavens and earth.
"..."
Wait... I think I actually can reverse the heavens and earth...
"Stigmata! Come out and explain this! Where's my Authority of the Law of Reason? Why do I feel like my Authority is gravity manipulation?!"
[Hehe... Isn't the First Herrscher's Authority gravity manipulation?]
"Damn it! I remember the First Herrscher was the Herrscher of Reason! His power was supposed to be understanding and reconstruction! Why gravity manipulation?!"
[Well, how do I put this... That Herrscher of Reason, the First Herrscher from your world... In the records of the Tree and the Sea... he seems to have been more of a gravity manipulator. His understanding and reconstruction abilities were rather mediocre... but he really mastered gravity.]
Originally, I had been granted the Authority of Reason. But Sea said my mind wasn't up to it, and that even if I were given the Authority of the Law of Reason, I'd probably end up like Welt—mediocre at Conceptual Reconstruction, unable to replicate powerful concepts, and finding weak ones useless.
Coincidentally, my world also had a Welt, who was also the First Herrscher, but his Authority was gravity...
"Besides, Sea said In most timelines, they all wield gravity. So if you're a First Herrscher but don't have gravity powers—it just doesn't feel right. So Sea went ahead and swapped your authority, giving you the power to control gravity instead."
"My IQ is up to the author, not me. And why didn't you ask for my opinion before switching it..."
"Well, you were the one who talked back earlier — Sea doesn't have the best temper, and the Tree was right there fanning the flames... Anyway, you're basically their child now, in a sense. Listening to your 'parents' probably isn't the worst idea... right?"
Ryn didn't want to argue. He knew he'd eventually gain an Authority anyway; it was just a matter of time. So, gravity it was... He had originally planned to craft a Valkyrie armor for Kiana by hand, but that would have to wait.
Still... being a Herrscher felt amazing. Within the reach of my will, everything became my kingdom. I could manipulate all the Honkai Energy within it, changing the heavens and earth with a single thought, rewriting concepts with a single idea.