To be able to fly is a necessity. That is reality.
To want to fly. That is romance.
The former is the cold reality that adults like them must face.
Living on this planet, one could be attacked by the Honkai at any moment. Without sufficient Honkai resistance, one would contract the Honkai sickness.
Those who receive timely and effective treatment can continue to live, participating in the next round of elimination based on Honkai resistance; those who lack sufficient Honkai resistance and cannot get effective treatment can only die in pain and despair.
The harsh lesson of reality is just that simple and brutal.
Those who pass, live. Those who don't, die.
The latter is the romance of idealism, even carrying the idealistic notion that consciousness determines matter.
The structure of reality dictates that such things cannot happen, but in order to protect the mental health of the children and let them grow into kind and upright adults, one can only use such romanticized language.
Just as woodpeckers in textbooks are always portrayed as helpful friends who eliminate insects for the great trees, the textbooks will never mention that woodpeckers also deliberately chisel holes in healthy trees to cultivate future food for themselves.
"Yes, I hope so too."
Looking up at the starry sky, the white-haired man's figure blurred and changed behind Raven's back.
It felt like a pile of parts on the verge of being scrapped, waiting to be collected by a scavenger.
Cold, silent, fragmented...
He already knew his future and had seen his only ending.
"An ancient once told me that every star in the sky is an enemy."
"At that time, I didn't understand that sentence and thought she was being a bit too radical and alarmist."
"But my experiences after that taught me that if humanity doesn't measure this world with the most pessimistic and conservative attitude, it will surely meet its doom."
His gaze was exceptionally calm, only the round moon reflecting the sun's brilliance in his eyes.
His line of sight was unfocused, as if he were seeing the near future through this satellite, which had barely changed compared to fifty thousand years ago.
"Must be able to fly, or want to fly..."
"Hope..."
The sound of the wind drowned out the man's voice.
----------------------------------
Schicksal Headquarters...
"Hi♪, my dear Mei, did you miss me?"
A faint breeze stirred the pink-haired beautiful girl's hair as her delicate, art-like hands waved in the air.
The moment this pure and flawless girl appeared at Schicksal Headquarters, she became like a global superstar on stage, attracting everyone's attention.
But to Raiden Mei, who was already familiar with this woman...
"Elysia, why are you here?"
She's a huge threat!
An unprecedentedly powerful threat!
An unparalleled sense of crisis arose in Raiden Mei's heart. No woman had ever made her feel this way.
The reason was simple: this woman's personality was like that of a compassionate goddess, full of universal love for all living things.
Even she herself felt a little inadequate in the face of her beauty; she was as perfect as a beloved daughter of the gods.
The combination of these two factors filled the man she had claimed as her own with the desire to profane her, to never tire of playing with her, no matter how many times.
But she was a rational person and knew she shouldn't show her hostility towards Elysia here.
"Mei, can't I have just missed you?" Her slightly petulant expression could soften anyone's heart, making them want to surrender to her sweet words.
Her charm, which worked on both men and women, was just too unfair.
Even if one was wary and hostile towards her, one would gradually melt under her offensive.
Raiden Mei's gaze shifted to the man who had arrived right behind Elysia.
"What's going on? Isn't Elysia..."
A female ghost trapped in the Elysian Realm had appeared in the real world. The only one who could accomplish such a thing was the Herrscher of Death, who could grant her a physical body again.
The black-haired youth walked closer and explained, "If we want to stop Kevin's Stigma Project, Elysia's power is indispensable."
"Without her, we would only end up with a Herrscher possessing the authorities of all other Herrschers, which would have no effect on the future's direction."
"You mean..." Raiden Mei realized the key point.
Thanks to Theresa, the white-haired old hag who inherited the title of Schicksal Overseer, the Anti-Entropy organization was showing signs of returning to Schicksal. The two major organizations had begun comprehensive cooperation for the sake of the future.
The Schicksal organization was focusing on the 'World Island' project. Their research on Imaginary Renormalization could allow a region to detach from the Real World, preserving the last spark of humanity.
Anti-Entropy's goal had never changed. The core objective of the 'Moonlight Throne Project' was to have Kiana Kaslana, as Sirin's successor, obtain all Herrscher authorities, become the Herrscher of the End, and then protect humanity.
However...
"The 'World Island' project is proceeding step by step. Arrangements have already been completed at Schicksal Headquarters and the Anti-Entropy Salt Lake Base."
"As for the doctors' 'Moonlight Throne Project'..."
The black-haired youth shrugged, and Raiden Mei also gave a somewhat awkward smile.
"Mei, you know as well as I do, they haven't even come up with a theoretical basis."
"And they're expecting me to deal with the Herrscher of the Void inside Kiana's body."
A girl with two braids peeked her head in from the door. "Eh? Did I just hear someone call my name?"
Kiana, who had just walked in scratching her head, belatedly noticed what was going on. Her eyes lit up when she saw Raiden Mei and Elysia, but her chrysanthemum couldn't help but tighten when the Inner World Protagonist came into view.
"Why are you all here?"
"Of course, we're discussing how the cutest Kiana in the world is going to save the world! ♪" The pink-haired beauty's single sentence instantly maxed out the emotional value.
It made the snow-haired, blue-eyed girl instantly straighten her slender back, almost patting her chest to guarantee it.
"Um... are you guys expecting too much from me?" Kiana said modestly.
As the central figure of Anti-Entropy's 'Moonlight Throne Project,' Kiana naturally knew the full contents of the plan.
To unify all Herrscher authorities, then become the Herrscher of the End, transforming from Earth's god of destruction to its guardian deity, ensuring the planet would never again be harmed by the Honkai.
From the plan's objective, it was indeed a very beautiful vision.
But just the part about unifying all Herrscher authorities...
"That guy Otto didn't even leave behind the Herrscher Cores, so what am I supposed to do!" Kiana muttered, complaining about how the two doctors were forcing her into an impossible situation.
In her common understanding, unifying the authorities of other Herrschers required their Herrscher Cores.
But that Old Fogey Otto took the Herrscher of Binding's core to fulfill his lifelong pursuit without a word, leaving not even a scrap behind. The situation was now stuck, unable to proceed.
And according to the now-verified theories of the two doctors from Anti-Entropy...
The other Herrscher authorities are projections of the higher-dimensional Herrscher of the End's power into the lower-dimensional world. The more Herrscher authorities one possesses, the closer one can get to the essence of Herrscher authority.
That is—
The more Herrscher authorities, the greater the probability of becoming the Herrscher of the End, but it is not strictly necessary to have all of them.
After all, a higher-dimensional projection into a lower dimension can have an infinite number of simultaneous instances. The key is Kiana's own aptitude.
Of course, these conclusions were also just theories, unverified by any means.
That's why it all felt so unreliable.
At this moment, a faint, clean fragrance approached the girl's nose. Kiana turned her head to see a pink piggy bank magnifying in her vision.
It's really big! And fat!
"If it's about this, you just need to ask Elysia for help."
One sentence ignited hope in the two girls who were still doubtful about the 'Moonlight Throne Project.'
The youth Brian explained, "I haven't introduced you yet. Elysia is the Herrscher of Origin. Her power can connect all Herrscher authorities, making the impossible 'Moonlight Throne Project' possible."
"So that means..." Kiana's eyes lit up.
Elysia put her hands on her hips proudly. "That's right! As long as you fall in love with a pure and flawless girl like me, you can gain the qualification to become the Herrscher of the End! Oh♪"
Praise me, come on, praise me!
Such a smug little expression filled Elysia's delicate face.
Even Raiden Mei, who had found this woman rather disagreeable, now felt that this extremely threatening love rival had other uses besides being locked in the basement.
"Elysia, you're so useful!" The cheerful, snow-haired girl gave a thumbs-up, then turned to the man who had created all this. "So, do you think the 'Moonlight Throne Project' will work? I think you might have more aptitude for it than I do."
The other consciousness inside her body was a sticking point in her heart.
If she became the Herrscher of the End, but the problem with the Herrscher of the Void remained unsolved...
Then it would be equivalent to installing a world-destruction button right in front of the Herrscher of the Void. Kiana had no doubt that the Herrscher of the Void would press it at the first opportunity, sending the world spiraling to heaven in the blink of an eye.
Regarding this problem...
"Can't we just find my dear Master to solve the problem?"
"..."
Aren't *you* the one who's always kissing and hugging *your* Master?
...
"Transfer the Herrscher of the Void's consciousness out?"
Upon receiving the request, the gray-haired, blue-eyed girl used her professional knowledge to make an assessment.
"This matter needs Senti to handle it. Fenghuang Down can't perform such a delicate operation."
Don't be fooled by how easily Fu Hua uses Fenghuang Down to transfer her own consciousness. That's because she has become intimately familiar with manipulating her own consciousness over fifty thousand years, and she has no intention of resisting.
This time, the target is the Herrscher of the Void. This Herrscher girl, who has always held ill will towards humanity, is accustomed to thinking of everything with a malicious mindset.
In her eyes, transferring her consciousness is merely a prelude to her elimination, and it will surely provoke fierce resistance.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Master."
"..." Fu Hua rolled her eyes, feeling as if her B-cup chest had grown a size from the anger caused by this impudent, master-assaulting rebellious disciple.
He spoke with the utmost propriety, but when it came to action, he took every advantage.
But since she had already been dyed by this guy from the inside out, she didn't mind a little bit of groping.
'Senti, I need your help with something.' The mental link was instantly conveyed.
'What is it?'
'Transfer the Herrscher of the Void's consciousness out. We need to prepare for the 'Moonlight Throne Project.''
'Are you sure this master-assaulting rebellious disciple isn't trying to bang me?'
Fu Hua: "..."
'He's not.'
'Alright, I'll trust you this once.'
The honest Fu Hua's credibility was trustworthy!
Soon, a gray-haired, red-eyed girl appeared at Schicksal Headquarters.
"The great Lady Herrscher of Sentience has received your request. You can say when we start."
"Of course, it's now." As he spoke, a drop of blood floated out from Kiana's body.
The power of the Herrscher of Death was activated. A body as perfect as a moon goddess went through the stages of embryo, child, and maiden in the blink of an eye, becoming identical in appearance to Kiana.
"Swift!"
In the next instant, the Herrscher of Sentience activated her power, pulling a struggling consciousness from Kiana's body and inserting it into this brand-new vessel.
Eyelashes fluttered, eyelids slightly parted...
From a vegetative state with only basic physiological functions to a living human being, it took only a moment.
But the first reaction of the reborn Herrscher of the Void was not to thank the beings who had given her a body, but to stare daggers at that man.
"You bastard!"
She had gained a new body but lost all her power, as well as the opportunity to take revenge on this world in the future.
And...
A cold breeze made the Herrscher of the Void instinctively cover the delicate skin of her new body, feeling waves of shame pulsating in her lower abdomen.
It's the Honeysuckle Crest!
Even with a new body, she couldn't get rid of this thing.
And being watched by so many detestable people made it even more excited!
This was an utter humiliation!
She even already knew what would happen to her next—nothing more than being played with by that man who had forced himself on her until her eyes went blank and her legs spread apart.
And this humiliation would become the driving force for her revenge. She would definitely make this foolish world pay this blood debt!
The girl proudly lifted her neck, like a warrior who remained unyielding in the face of humiliation and suffering.
Her appearance made it hard to tell for a moment who the truly evil side was.
Kiana was the first to react, wrapping a piece of clothing around the Herrscher of the Void's body. "I'll handle things from here. You all have more important things to do, don't you?"
The others understood.
"Yes, we'll leave this to you."
The crowd dispersed.
...
In the empty space, the two snow-haired girls silently stared at each other, not saying a word for a long time.
One was wrapped only in an ill-fitting piece of clothing, with nothing underneath, her skin as tender as a newborn's.
The other was heroic and valiant. If not for the two pigtails that gave her a silly look, she would truly be a powerful Valkyrie.
After a long while, the Herrscher of the Void could no longer stand the paramecium's gaze.
"Why are you protecting me?"
She had clearly prepared herself to endure everything with her body, yet for the first time, she was being protected by someone.
There was nothing like this in Sirin's memories, nor had she felt anything like it since her birth.
That weakening sense of security... It was detestable!
Kiana didn't seem to notice the Herrscher of the Void's complex feelings and just scratched her head with a silly grin. "Because we're sisters. For us, there's no one in this world closer to us than each other."
"Hah, sisters?" The Herrscher of the Void sneered in disdain. "Have you ever seen a sister who wants to kill you and then destroy the world?"
"That's not important. Everyone has their own pursuits, just like that guy Otto who was willing to sacrifice everything for his fiancée. Everyone has their own pursuits and ideas."
"I don't care what you think, but I must protect you!" Patting her chest, Kiana promised her princess like a knight.
"You... are foolish!" The snow-haired, golden-eyed girl found this person utterly unreasonable.
But even she had to admit that her heart had truly fluttered in that instant.
That unparalleled sense of security made her feel a warmth she had never experienced before.
Almost... equal to the embrace of that woman in her memories.
But she would never submit! The humiliation suffered by the great Queen of the Void must be avenged upon this world!
Gritting her teeth, the Herrscher of the Void made a promise in her heart.
A sudden force came upon her. A combination of forces at the back of her knees and her back formed a perfect princess carry.
When the Herrscher of the Void came to her senses, she saw Kiana's detestable face.
She was grinning foolishly. "Let's go, I'm taking my princess home."
"Bastard, put me down!"