The fiery self-destruction of Noah's Ark filled the entire space with blinding light. Amidst the inferno, a golden sphere suddenly shot forth.
The sphere pierced through layer upon layer of space, the surrounding scenery shifting rapidly, until it finally hovered above an endless expanse of sea.
As the golden light gradually faded, the figures of Rene and Jacob were revealed within.
Beneath them lay a bloodied corpse, its appearance utterly wretched.
Before them floated a luminous rod.
"Monsieur Alva..."
Rene's voice was thick with sorrow, an emotion he hadn't felt so keenly in years. Yet now, at the passing of their Team Leader, whom he had only known for a few days, the grief in his heart was overwhelming.
The man's personality had been so vivid and distinctive; gazing upon his lifeless form now, Rene felt a profound sense of unreality.
Recalling Alva's final words, Rene's grief deepened.
In his last moments, Alva had told him not to revive him.
Rene couldn't fathom the serene spirit that had allowed Alva to speak those words. It was as if Alva had peered into the depths of his mind and understood his every thought at that moment.
Rene had indeed planned to revive Alva using the Primordial Sea Water, but he abandoned the idea as soon as Alva spoke.
No matter how desperately the world needed Alva, Rene resolved to honor his mentor and friend's wish to depart peacefully.
Jacob stood beside Rene, his gaze fixed on Alva's lifeless body, his eyes brimming with profound sorrow.
Alva had been the first person besides Rene and Alain to earn Jacob's genuine admiration. How he wished Alva had been born in their era, as one of the children of the Narzissenkreuz Institute.
They had striven to find a glimmer of hope for the world, only to see that hope crushed by the foolish nobles.
This realization made Jacob question the very purpose of his and Rene's efforts thus far, his eyes burning with rage and confusion.
"Rene, is it really worth saving these people anymore?"
"Maybe I've been too deeply influenced by the Abyssal power... all I want now is to kill..."
Faced with Jacob's inquiry, Rene remained silent for a moment before slowly replying.
"I will still seek a way to save this world, but those people won't be among the ones I save."
"As for you, Jacob,"
"Do whatever you wish. No matter the consequences, I will bear them with you."
"I won't tell you what's right or wrong. I've realized I've been walking down the wrong path all along."
"This time, you must decide for yourself. You are my friend, and I will support every choice you make."
After speaking these words, Rene gazed at the rod floating before him and tightly grasped it with his small, round hand.
Rene had never imagined that he and Jacob could survive. The self-destruction of Noah's Ark unleashed an impact far greater than the Pneumousia Obliteration Bomb, and they had been at the epicenter of the explosion.
The only thing Rene could imagine that could protect them from such an explosion and transport them out of that space was an Authority.
Coincidentally, that was precisely what he sensed emanating from the golden rod radiating light before him.
The aura emanating from the staff was strikingly similar to that of the Holy Sword, but Rene knew it was no mere replica. This was Alva's creation, an imitation of the Holy Sword.
Anyone who heard Rene's thoughts at that moment would surely think he had lost his mind.
Artificial Authority—no one believed such a thing was possible.
But Rene knew Alva could achieve it. Alva was a genius who effortlessly transformed the impossible into reality, and this staff was his gift to Rene.
Gazing at the glowing rod before him, Rene couldn't help but recall certain scenes.
Alva had wanted to return the Holy Sword to him, but Rene refused to dismantle Noah's Ark. Thus, Alva had begun to replicate the sword in secret, likely during his "rest" time at home.
For someone like Alva, who even slacked off during work hours, to dedicate his precious downtime to meticulously prepare such an unimaginably precious gift... Rene was speechless.
"Monsieur Alva, I believe in you."
"No matter how long the night, dawn will eventually break."
"I believe in the existence of light. If there is no light, then I shall become that ray of light!"
Rene vowed to forever cherish Alva's heartfelt sentiments.
He would inherit Alva's will and carry it forward!
And for all the other fallen researchers, the grand vision of Fontaine's future would be realized through their collective efforts!
At that moment, Rene pressed the button in the middle of the rod and shouted,
"Transform!"
A dazzling light instantly filled their vision, and Jacob witnessed the birth of another Rene—one similar yet distinctly different from the original.
Meanwhile, Neuvillette seemed to sense something amiss. But seeing the fleeing figures in the distance, he decided to prioritize the immediate situation.
He needed to ascertain the fate of the Noah's Ark and the other researchers aboard.
If he chose to think optimistically, the nobles had been outmaneuvered by the Ark's occupants and ultimately forced to slink away in disgrace.
But if he entertained darker possibilities, the Ark and its people...
Neuvillette didn't dare dwell on the possibilities. Instead, he meticulously scanned the advancing procession for hostages.
Just then, a commotion erupted at the front of the group, throwing the entire formation into chaos.
Seizing the perfect opportunity, Neuvillette made a grand entrance. With a surge of overwhelming force, he slammed all the Clockwork Mekas into the ground, immobilizing them instantly.
They're... undamaged?!
Even Neuvillette was momentarily stunned by this unexpected result. Though he had deliberately restrained his power, the outcome still astonished him. Yet he quickly regained his composure, approaching the ashen-faced nobles with an aura of supreme authority.
Observing the despair etched on their faces, Neuvillette felt a growing sense of foreboding. Yet he pressed on, asking:
"Where are the researchers now?"
"I know! I know, Monsieur Neuvillette!"
A noble shoved Duke Jared forward, his dagger pressed against the Duke's waist, never wavering.
"Monsieur Neuvillette, Duke Jared is the mastermind behind this incident! I've already captured him!"
"I was also the one who transmitted the coordinates earlier!"
"Heh."
Duke Jared didn't even bother to defend himself, merely casting a cold, dead-eyed stare at the nobles holding him captive.
They haven't even considered what they've done, yet they foolishly believe Neuvillette would spare them? How utterly naive!
The moment Duke Jared saw Neuvillette appear, he completely abandoned any pretense of resistance, knowing that any struggle would be futile. In other words, he had already accepted his fate.
"Duke Jared, do you have any explanation to offer?" Neuvillette asked sternly.
"Nothing to say," Duke Jared replied indifferently. "Do as you see fit."
"Monsieur Neuvillette, Duke Jared ordered the Gardemeks to massacre all the researchers on the Noah's Ark!"
Upon hearing this, Neuvillette momentarily lost control of his inner fury. A sliver of his suppressed power leaked out, yet even this sliver was an unbearable weight for the others.
In an instant, all the nobles present fell to their knees with a thud, cold sweat soaking through their robes. Their arms, pressed against the ground, trembled uncontrollably, and their heads slammed heavily against the floor, drawing blood instantly.
Duke Jared gasped sharply as the dagger pressed against his lower back shifted slightly, causing every muscle in his body to convulse in pain. Combined with the crushing pressure of Neuvillette's immense power, Jared felt darkness closing in on his vision.
Though he had witnessed Neuvillette's power in recordings, it was only now, facing him directly, that he truly grasped the depths of the man's terror.
Having lived a life of pampered privilege, Duke Jared had never endured such humiliation and torment. A pang of regret struck him for not having chosen death sooner. Now that Neuvillette stood before them, suicide was no longer an option.
Realizing his loss of control, Neuvillette quickly reined in his power to prevent any of the nobles from being crushed to death.
However, he didn't fully retract his power, forcing the nobles to remain kneeling with their heads bowed, unable to even lift their faces.
Neuvillette feared that if he saw their faces, he would be unable to resist crushing them utterly with his power.
"Are they all dead?"
Neuvillette still showed some restraint toward the noble who had deliberately leaked their coordinates and stirred up chaos by kidnapping Duke Jared, allowing him to at least lift his head and speak.
"...Yes, Monsieur Neuvillette."
This time, the noble's reply was far more hesitant. It was unclear whether this was due to being rendered powerless under the overwhelming pressure or because he realized Neuvillette would not spare him despite his actions.
"What about the Noah's Ark?"
"While Duke Jared was piloting the ship himself, he accidentally activated the self-destruct sequence. The Noah's Ark should have been reduced to dust by now..."
Upon hearing this news, Neuvillette took a deep breath and closed his eyes. An indescribable storm of complex emotions brewed within him.
In particular, a rage unlike any he had felt before surged through him, nearly driving him to pronounce Judgment upon these nobles on the spot.
But he couldn't. He was Justice, not an executioner.
Neuvillette had never before felt such a desperate urge to abandon his role as Justice and cast aside his self-imposed restraints.
Yet he also understood that if he did so, there would be no turning back.
Neuvillette was meant to be an observer, seeking meaning in the progression of human society.
But over the years, he had found himself unable to suppress his emotions, making it increasingly difficult to detach himself from human affairs.
It was precisely for this reason that he desperately wanted to know if the nobles before him truly understood the implications of their actions.
Suppressing his boundless fury, Neuvillette addressed the nobles:
"Do you realize what you've done?"
"The people you slaughtered aboard the Noah's Ark—each possessed talents beyond the reach of ordinary humans."
"Through their collective efforts, Fontaine's technological advancement surged a century's worth of progress in a single year."
"They had even devised effective countermeasures against the Prophecy's impending crisis."
The nobles froze, stunned by Neuvillette's words. They had never imagined that the people aboard the Noah's Ark were anything but ordinary citizens.
"So what? You wouldn't trust us anyway," Duke Jared retorted coldly, regaining his composure.
"Of everyone present, who was aware of such a momentous matter?"
"We are all administrators of Fontaine, yet have you ever truly valued us, Neuvillette? Have you ever truly regarded us as the stewards of this nation?"
"If I were to tell you that even I only learned of these developments just now, would you believe me?"
"What?" The nobles were stunned by Neuvillette's words.
"There is no provision in our regulations requiring scientific breakthroughs to be reported. I, too, am hearing of the vast majority of these research results for the first time."
Neuvillette shook his head. In the past, the Academy had been eager to announce even the slightest scientific advance to All of Fontaine. Now, he couldn't fathom what had gone wrong; they had become so apathetic.
Yet their research achievements far surpassed those of previous years. The news of these scientists' deaths was an unbearable tragedy for Fontaine.
It was precisely this reason why, upon hearing the news, Neuvillette had felt an overwhelming urge to crush every last one of these nobles on the spot.
"When you witnessed the emergence of Noah's Ark, your hearts should have realized this truth."
"Or perhaps you already knew it, but your arrogance and greed drove you to make foolish decisions."
"What about the purges you conducted against us earlier? Isn't that proof of your distrust?"
"I did indeed harbor suspicions about you."
Neuvillette's voice remained calm, yet one could faintly sense the suppressed fury beneath its surface.
"That's because I discovered that at least one-third of the Marechaussee Phantoms were members of the Cult of No. 6."
Neuvillette's revelation sent another shockwave through the nobles. The Marechaussee Phantoms, entirely under Neuvillette's control, had been so deeply infiltrated. No wonder he doubted their loyalty.
By now, many nobles regretted their actions. A significant number had been swayed by Duke Jared's earlier speech, never imagining the truth would be so damning.
"I never intended to rule Fontaine alone, nor did I ever seek to seize all power into my own hands."
"If I had truly desired such absolute control, you would have been powerless to resist, and I would have long since stripped you of your noble titles."
"You must realize this. Your betrayal of Fontaine wasn't driven by resentment towards me, but by your own insatiable greed."
Neuvillette gazed deeply at the nobles, their expressions a mix of shock and fear, and continued:
"Now, you will pay the full price for the consequences of your unchecked desires."