"This... huh..."
Outside, Su's eyes widened. This wasn't how things were supposed to go... Shouldn't Durandal have sealed Ryn (Kevin) into the Sea of Quanta, just like he did?
"Bianka should know the immense cost of the Stigmata Project... how could she..."
"Hah—"
The sleeping Durandal suddenly erupted, kneeing Su and sending him flying dozens of meters away.
"Your mental attack was quite good. Even with my special training, I still fell into your illusion." Durandal stretched her limbs. Having spent thousands of years in the illusion, it took her a moment to adjust.
"But you wavered at the end, which allowed me to wake up." Durandal reached out and helped Su up.
"Why have you stopped attacking?" Su wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
"No more. We aren't true enemies. Consider that last hit the price for forcibly pulling me into your trial."
"In that case, I truly deserved that blow. I apologize for my rudeness, but for the sake of the legacy, I had to test you..."
"By the way, in the illusion, you said, 'The fate of this era should be decided by humanity itself.'" Durandal suddenly became excited and said to Su.
"I think that is the belief you truly wanted to convey to me! If I had done the same thing as you and sealed Ryn in the Sea of Quanta, then I would be nothing more than a puppet."
Su awkwardly shuffled his feet. It was clear that what Durandal had concluded was completely different from the answer to his test...
Durandal didn't notice Su's awkwardness and continued to speak righteously.
"What is right, what is wrong, what is justice, what is evil... these are not things for us to decide.
Even if there were a self-proclaimed god who claimed to be able to define all of this, I would only consider its words as advice and then decide for myself what to do. At least in my eyes, this is a responsibility we must bear as human beings."
Durandal placed one hand on her hip and pointed at Su with the other, admonishing him: "Su, you've lived your life far too conflicted!"
"To think that I've been outmaneuvered by Miss Bianka... To be honest, you've startled me. I once thought you were very similar to my past self." Su raised his hand, and on a single leaf, countless lifetimes of Durandal were displayed.
Su let go of his hand, and the leaf drifted away with the wind.
"But now I understand. You have been far more free-spirited than me from the very beginning. Moreover, you are different from us.
We only had that one choice, but you, in this era, can forge a new path entirely.
To say that the fate of this era should be entrusted to the people of this era, yet to presumptuously equate my own standpoint with yours.
Lost in the long river of time, perhaps the one who truly needs to be tested is myself."
Su's state of mind changed, and his whole demeanor was no longer as sorrowful as before. He smiled and handed the Sumeru in his hand to Durandal.
"You are indeed the only one among the thousands of Biankas worthy of being entrusted with the Second Divine Key... but before that, let me give you a gift first."
Su waved his hand, and the Sumeru transformed into illusory leaves that merged into Durandal's body.
"Miss Bianka, the Bubble Universe inside you is very unstable. My Sumeru can help you control its power. Consider this my apology for forcing you into the trial. Now, by using the Bubble Universe inside you, you can leave this place on your own."
The leaves scattered. Durandal, who had been wearing the Bright Knight: Excelsis battlesuit, was now clad in a brand new set of armor—Dea Anchora.
"And I, along with this Bubble Universe, will sink into the Sea of Quanta. My mission is complete, and it is time for me to depart..."
Su handed a leaf made from a Soulium computer to Durandal.
"Project Valuka has finally found its answer. The people of this era possess the wisdom to choose their own path, the courage to embark on their own path, and the strength to complete their own path.
This leaf records some information about parallel worlds. Please help me deliver it to your Overseer. I believe this information will be helpful in the future battles against the Honkai."
Durandal solemnly accepted the leaf. Having experienced the illusion, she knew the heavy weight this leaf carried.
"Alright, we're done talking about our matters. So, what about Ryn? Where did you send him?" Durandal looked left and right but couldn't find any sign of Ryn in Sumeru.
She had spent millennia, even tens of millennia, with Ryn in the illusion, and now she kind of missed him. But Durandal didn't have any excessive thoughts.
After all, although he looked like Ryn, he wasn't Ryn. Just like Otto, Rita, and the other familiar faces—they looked the same as the people she knew, but their names and personalities were completely different. Just as Ryn played the role of Kevin, Rita played Dr. MEI, and she herself played Su...
"Yes, he will be fine. I sent him to Kevin's place. You should go first. I will send him back to your world shortly."
Durandal nodded. She had been in the illusion for so long and knew that Kevin's strength was immense, but it was clear that Ryn was no pushover either. Moreover, the two were not enemies, so they probably wouldn't fight.
———————————————————
Su appeared where Kevin was, but at this moment, Su couldn't even stand steadily.
This space had no Honkai energy. Su, who had been clinging to life with Honkai energy, was now reaching the end of his life.
"You are dying." Kevin stood not far from Su, watching him.
Kevin really wanted to go and support Su, but the dying Su, having lost his Honkai energy, couldn't withstand his low temperature. Kevin could only watch him silently from a distance.
"My dear friend... to think I could see you one last time at my end." Su sat on the ground, no longer having the strength to even smile at Kevin.
"If you hadn't come here, you could have lived a while longer."
"Just prolonging the inevitable, what's the point? Kevin, where is Ryn? They will be the key to the new era. Humanity needs him."
A rare hint of emotion flickered across Kevin's icy face. Kevin suddenly didn't know how to describe Ryn. He had been able to completely suppress him before, yet he had killed himself out of shame?
"I don't think he will be humanity's hope."
"Kevin... why do you think so? Did he do something he shouldn't have during your time alone?"
"No." Kevin shook his head, then pointed to the frozen throne made of ice and snow.
Su followed Kevin's finger and looked over. All he saw was a pair of frozen pants...
After a brief silence, Su's eyes widened in disbelief.
"How could you kill him!!"
"No, he commi—"
Kevin didn't finish his sentence, because Su was already dead.
Kevin could only silently lift Su's body and place it inside an ice coffin he had made.
Then he sat alone on his frozen throne, without a word.