Montbol Star System, Homeworld of the [Garden of Recollection].
"BOOM!!"
The shockwave from the explosion incinerated all surrounding starships.
The second super-titan of the Protoss-like race, and also their flagship, the [Memory of Nesin], after executing a point-blank short-range jump, detonated its reactor at the moment its shields failed and its structure disintegrated.
Unlike the Astral Gods still contending with Nanook's corruption, Fuli's true body was not in the material universe. Currently fighting Timogesi with all his might, he could not divert much of his Path's power to support his followers. And as a top-tier faction spanning the star-sea universe, although the [Garden of Recollection] had committed all its super-titans and [Emissary]-level combatants to the expeditionary force, the number of remaining "secondary" forces and subsidiary civilizations could still be described as "terrifying."
Aside from the portion attacking [The Throne], a large contingent was now assaulting the [Garden of Recollection]'s homeworld. The [Incinerators] were doing their utmost to resist the "corrupted followers'" offensive. The Imperial fleet's forces were ultimately limited, and dividing them too thinly would only weaken their own combat effectiveness. Therefore, in the "purification" process of each top-tier faction, it was the followers of the Astral Gods themselves who had to contribute the most.
The moment the [Sovereignty-class] vessel and the [Garden of Recollection] forces arrived, they were met with a "corrupted fleet" that stretched beyond the horizon, a fleet that should have belonged to the [Garden of Recollection].
And then—
Compared to the [Spear of Adun] (a super-titan renowned for its combat prowess), which had less than 30% energy consumption and its shields and main cannons intact, the [Memory of Nesin] (essentially a research vessel) had over 75% of its weapons depleted. On the command of the Protoss-like commander, it rammed directly into the corrupted fleet surrounding the homeworld.
The self-destruction of a super-titan was no joke. The mighty corrupted fleet, at the moment the [Memory of Nesin] jumped, was thrown into chaos by the gravitational waves generated by a maneuver that completely disregarded safe navigation protocols. Then, with a firework display like a supernova, a massive breach was torn open in the encirclement.
It was large enough not just for a single [Sovereignty-class] ship, but for the entire arriving support fleet to enter with ease. The main reactor carried by the [Sovereignty-class] was the optimal power source for the "diffuser" installed in the [Great Attractor Substrate].
Facing the reforming corrupted fleet—which was now rushing to plug the gap, engines at full power as if completely unconcerned about collisions—a new directive came from the bridge of the [Sovereignty-class]:
"Arbiter Adaris."
"We need your starship as the vanguard."
"...As it should be."
A handsome and elegant blond male issued commands from the bridge. On the other side of the communication screen, the Protoss-like Arbiter (who was also the new captain of the [Spear of Adun]), accepted the "order" from the Sacred Empire without hesitation.
"Otto, are you sure about this?"
After that directive was issued, command authority of the [Sovereignty-class] was immediately transferred to its sub-flagship, a [Sovereignty Mandate-class] carrier.
"Rest assured, Kallen."
As the communication with the Protoss-like race ended, a bust of a woman in a gold-trimmed white nun's habit appeared where the projection had been.
"I don't joke with my own life."
The commander of this sub-fleet and his second-in-command were none other than Otto and his wife.
"The [Garden of Recollection] is the race most skilled in psionics."
"According to the analysis provided by the Sacred Seat council, as long as we reactivate the 'Khala Crystal,' we can halt the actions of more than half of the corrupted followers."
"The faster you move, the safer I'll be over here... This starship is the highest crystallization of Imperial technology. Those Titan ships out there are no better than mining vessels in front of it."
Kallen couldn't tell if Otto was "placating" her as he always did—
"Are you sure?"
"Have I ever lied to you?"
"...Theresa refuses to obey orders. She and her personal guard are currently stationed in Hangar 11. Our daughter is a grown woman now; she has the right to act on her own will."
"I'll ask again... are you sure?"
Kallen's serious expression hadn't changed from the beginning, and neither had Otto's. No one could tell if Lord Apocalypse was concealing anything. No one.
"...I am sure."
"..."
The silence lasted only a short moment. No one had the luxury of standing still here.
"Bring Theresa back alive with you."
"It should be the other way around. Theresa is much stronger than me now."
"I can let the matter of the recording go."
"..."
Otto desperately wanted to retort, seeing as Kallen had held that over his head for a full six thousand years. But the thought of finally being able to overcome this hurdle, one he thought he'd never cross in his lifetime, made him choose to decisively shut his mouth.
"Alright!"
"Vmm."
The communication screen vanished in a line of white light.
"Crusaders!"
"Here!"
[Holy Crusaders]. A branch of the Sacred Crusaders composed entirely of the Empire's native "Newborn Species," they were masters of boarding and landing operations, and first-rate fanatics within the Empire.
"Detach Hangar 11. Use Catapult V to send it over to the Protoss-like forces."
"Understood!"
Although it looked like Otto was abusing his power for personal reasons, this was not the case. The battle to land on the [Garden of Recollection]'s homeworld might be easier at the start, but during the "diffuser's" activation, the situation they and the Protoss-like race would face would only become more severe than it was now.
Furthermore... there was still a slight bit of friction between the "Academy Faction" represented by Theresa and the "Practical Faction" represented by the Crusaders—friction not only in terms of combat proficiency and grand strategy, but also vividly demonstrated in the question of "who is more willing to sacrifice."
In a grand scene like this, as members of the Sacred Crusaders, they would certainly not cede the opportunity to the Academy Faction.
"Vmm."
Golden particles floated around him as a pure white, regular hexahedron slowly materialized in Otto's hand.
"Fleet separation, spherical formation!"
With this final command, Otto walked toward the massive bridge exit. As an Imperial commander and an "Apostle," rather than directing from the bridge, the head-on clash of the battlefield was the place that, while seemingly least suited to Otto's temperament, was actually where he most belonged.
"Amber, the bridge is yours."
"...Understood!"
---o---
"Solitary World" Pegana.
The birthplace of "Akivili, the Astral God of Trailblaze," the starting point of the Star Rail and the manufacturing plant for the Astral Expresses, and also the main base of [The Nameless].
"BOOM!"
The impact from a kinetic explosion and the reactor overload from an energy beam hitting a shield sent an Astral Express careening in a wild, "unrestrained" S-shape.
"Himeko!" March 7th yelled toward the front of the train, one hand gripping a handrail for dear life.
"Yes?" x2
Two identical voices answered March 7th in unison.
"Conductor!" March 7th decisively changed her form of address.
In fact, it wasn't just Himeko; there were two Walters here as well—one from the Star Rail universe and one from the Empire. The eleven [Sovereignty-class] super-titans were already well-staffed with combat power. Compared to commanding standard Imperial Titans, piloting the super-titans of other Astral God factions offered a higher safety margin and made it more convenient for the Empire to provide technical and combat support.
That was the reason Himeko and Welt were here.
"Spit it out!" Himeko was incredibly busy.
Departing from the Empire's [Throne], the Astral Expresses responsible for blazing the trail (stargates) would ultimately gather around this small planet. The destination Akivili had set for the Star Rail was far away on the Imaginary Tree. [The Nameless] were currently driving the Astral Expresses in reverse; in other words, they were traveling against their own Path... The price for this was by no means as simple as "opening a stargate" might seem.
To ensure the entire plan could proceed, the Empire had invested a vast amount of technology and resources so that [The Nameless] wouldn't be completely defenseless upon reaching the "starting point." Over 99% of [The Nameless] had joined the expedition into the Abyss; the term "corrupted follower" did not exist among them.
However! Just because they had no "traitors" didn't mean other corrupted followers wouldn't ambush them here. Pegana's location in the star-sea universe was very remote, and the nomadic Nameless had not established any decent bases here, let alone a garrison.
Therefore, their journey this time was less like a homecoming and more like a "siege."
"We have to fight back!" March 7th yelled in a voice that didn't match her usual image. Equally out of character was Dan Heng—this normally calm and collected man was currently using a Path he was extremely unskilled with to repair breaches in the Astral Express alongside the [Engineers].
"If this continues," March 7th shouted, "forget breaking through to Pegana, by the time everyone gets within the first celestial body's distance, everyone but us will be shot down!"
"We need at least twenty-four trains to start up the 'Repair Yard'!"
Himeko's mind was linked with the Astral Express. Before she, in her state of intense concentration, could reply to March 7th's "nagging"—
"Leave it to us!" Welt Joyce took over the conversation. "We can't handle more..."
"BOOM!!"
Another explosion rocked the exterior of the train. Various devices fixed inside the carriage were thrown into the air, only to be caught by a new gravity net two milliseconds later and returned to their original positions.
"...but twenty-four trains, we can try for that."
"Fleet!"
The Imperial Titans were following right behind the Astral Expresses. The Titans were slower than the Expresses, and while their defenses were far superior, they couldn't leverage their advantage as they weren't taking much of the concentrated fire.
"Received!"
"Commander Welt, please give your orders—"
"BOOM!!!"
The just-established communication link was severed by an explosion. After a long fifteen seconds, a new, unfamiliar voice came from the communicator.
"This is the Boatswain, temporarily assuming the captain's duties. Commander, your orders!"
Correction. The enemy force the [Nameless] were fighting was indeed weaker than those faced by the other sub-fleets (a motley crew). But lacking a super-titan (while the main Express was classified as such, its head-on combat power was far inferior) and top-tier combatants (no Grand Monarch-level support), the difficulty they faced was no less than any of the other fronts.
For the Boatswain, the most "expendable" of the "redshirts," to take over as captain meant that everyone from the captain, first officer, navigator, chief engineer, and gunnery chief on this command Titan was already dead. The intensity of the battle was clear.
"I need you to overload your reactors and catch up to the trains at 400% of standard output!"
"Understood!"
No hesitation, only obedience. Diverting all conventional power to speed meant the Titan would no longer supply energy to its shields or main cannons, relying on its structural integrity alone to withstand the acceleration. Then, using its massive size advantage, it would become a "structural shield" for the Astral Express, tanking the damage.
"Himeko!"
"Here!" x2
Different voices, the same answer. Welt almost immediately switched his form of address—
"Miss Murata!"
"Teacher." Murata Himeko gave Welt a slight nod.
"The Titans will cover them... We will cover the Titans!"
"Understood!"
---o---
"Screech!"
Lightning flashed across the sky, cutting down all in its path. A crimson greatsword erupted with thunderous flames, incinerating the monsters that endlessly surged like clay dolls from the turbid black sludge.
"Death!"
"Leave it to me."
A staff extended in her hand, and an irregular blood-red line appeared on the bright silver, adding a touch of strangeness to the massive scythe.
"CLANG—"
The tide of monsters, and even the planets in the path far away, were sliced in two by this nimble yet heavy strike.
This was the last territory of the [Antimatter Legion], the "Fallen World" Adlivun, a place thoroughly corrupted by the Abyss's power, with over eighty percent of its matter already submerged in the Quantum Sea. It was also one of the sources from which the Abyss's power spread into the star-sea universe.
"Splat!"
The churning black sludge rained back down into the pitch-black abyss. The moment the Temple of Death had cut down the "tide," a sickly green pillar of light suddenly erupted from a shapeless nebula!
"VMMMM—"
A verdant beam pierced the starry sky.
"BOOM!!!"
The sickly green assault instantly disintegrated. The streak of light that shot into the sky triggered a series of violent explosions within the chaotic nebula.
"Be careful," the Temple of Pestilence said, lowering her raised longbow.
"CLANG!!!!"
The moment the petite Temple of Pestilence finished speaking, she and the Temple of Death were sent flying backward by a violent impact, enveloped in a dark shadow!
"BANG!"
The meteorites in their path of retreat shattered and disintegrated.
"You too," the Temple of Famine said, having blocked the attack for them. The extremely obvious dent on the surface of the gun-shield before them was slowly repairing itself.
Fireworks exploded continuously above their heads. They weren't alone; they had brought the elite of the Empire: the [Temple Legion].
However... elites were naturally assigned the most dangerous missions. In the short twenty minutes since the engagement began, the [Temple Legion] had already lost thirty percent of its peak strength. They had caught the [Antimatter Legion] completely off guard, and all of its forces still on the "Tree" had been swiftly and cleanly annihilated.
But the "Fallen World," rarely visited by outside forces, was not as simple as it seemed. The major civilizations lacked intelligence on Adlivun (for the past ten thousand years, it was one of the few worlds Nanook could descend upon in his true form). No one knew that the part of this world visible to the outside was only one-fifth of its total existence.
The [Temple Legion] was ambushed by the Abyss. At the same time, they proved themselves worthy of the name "The Monarch's Personal Guard." After losing nearly a quarter of their forces in the initial clash, the [Temple Legion] immediately counter-suppressed the Abyss, not only cutting off the channel of quantum energy to the material world but also forcing the "Lost Fleet" that tried to break out back into the sea!
The "Lost Fleet" here was different from the one the Monarch had encountered in the deep sea. They were all products of the [Antimatter Legion] being corrupted after sinking into the Quantum Sea. Over an unknown period of time, voluntarily or involuntarily, a large number of the [Antimatter Legion's] slave civilizations, technological creations, and even the Legion itself had been unsparingly thrown into the Abyss.
With this, Nanook had created this massive "surprise force"—we shall temporarily call it the "Lost Legion."
Unfortunately for them, before the Lost Legion could serve its purpose as a "surprise force," it was cornered in a small "sea mouth" by the [Temple Legion].
"BANG!"
Crimson wings burned away the filth as a soaring firebird leaped out from the black sludge-covered abyss!
"SWOOSH!!"
In the next instant, a locust-like swarm of black sludge surged up like arrows, closely following the trail of light and red glow from the firebird's flapping wings!
"VMMMM—"
Ten thousand swords sang in unison! Golden and black longswords crisscrossed as they fell from the sky, madly slashing at the black sludge that seemed to be forming a tower!
"SPLAT!"
"CLANG!!!"
Black rain was about to fall back into the abyss when flames, accompanied by a clear birdsong, completely purified the heart-corroding filth—
"SKREEE!!!"
It was impossible to tell if it was a giant sword or a meteor. Even the all-devouring abyss was completely submerged by this sky-covering red light.
"Whoosh—"
"FWOOSH!!!"
The great bird folded its wings. In the gradually extinguishing sea of fire, seven figures appeared one by one.
Hua, Fu Hua (Senti), Ji Lin, Chiyou, Luocha, Sushang (from the Xianzhou), and Jing Yuan (of the last of the six Xianzhou, the Luofu; his Path is Erudition, not The Hunt; a Grand Monarch of the Xianzhou Alliance).
"How is it?" the Temple of War asked Hua, who was at the forefront.
But Hua did not answer her question, instead turning her gaze to Jing Yuan beside her. It wasn't that she didn't want to speak, but the cost of simultaneously protecting so many people in the Abyss was simply too great. After all, three of them were not subjects of the Empire. Although they were powerful enough and had some "sea-faring" experience, the concentration of quantum energy here was far beyond what the shallow and middle layers could compare to. A "sea mouth" that could birth a Lost Fleet and even release corruption was, to the star-sea civilizations, a threat on par with the deep sea region.
"It's even worse than we imagined," Jing Yuan said. "The 'Luofu' will arrive soon, but honestly, I don't think one super-titan will change the situation much. It's just a drop in the bucket... even with your modifications and refits."
"Why don't we just blow this place up?" Fu Hua (Senti) clearly couldn't stand such a demoralizing statement.
"We can't be sure if that 'backlash' from before was a one-time thing," the Temple of Death took over the conversation, her gaze fixed on the still-raging battle in the sky above. The Lost Fleet currently in a standoff with the [Temple Legion] was the enemy force that had "gushed out" when the Temple of War had accidentally "grazed" the Abyssal sea mouth.
"A simple blockade won't work. No matter how good you all are at fighting, your stamina and numbers will eventually reach their limit," Sushang expressed her concern.
"It doesn't matter. The Monarch will act," the Temple of War said, pulling the greatsword she had just planted at her feet from the ground. Her gaze shifted back to the swarm of monsters slowly emerging from the abyss... Besides the Lost Fleet, there were also numerous quantum beasts here. And if the strongest among the last batch of quantum beasts were only at the [Emissary] level, then among this new batch currently forming, the aura of a [Calamity Beast] had already appeared.
"Our mission was never to defeat these small fry. We just need to hold on until the Monarch defeats the main culprit."
"...You have great trust in your sovereign," Jing Yuan, Sushang, and Luocha simultaneously raised their weapons, joining the Four Holy Temples in facing the legion of quantum beasts born from the black sludge.
"This isn't trust," the Temple of Famine refuted Jing Yuan's statement.
"It's faith."
"SWOOSH—"
---o---
"Thwack."
It looked like a strike to a vulnerable spot on the back of the neck, but that was just the surface. The real essence of the move was the attack on the spiritual plane.
"Heh~" Raven mused, looking at the [Genius Society] member taken down by Gray Serpent while carefully observing the surroundings. "And this is supposed to be a top-tier faction?"
"The so-called [Genius Society] are just 'peripherals'," Gray Serpent said. One Gray Serpent, two Gray Serpents... a "Gray Serpent squadron," having sliced his spiritual power into multiple copies, each with an independent consciousness, was efficiently cleaning up the security personnel in the base.
"The [Geniuses' Club] never paid them any mind. While that's a form of arrogance, it also proves the Club's power."
Kafka walked alongside, carefully making sure her coat didn't get snagged on any corners.
"The fact that you all can remain sane while the Final Monarch is corrupted is a miracle in itself," Jackal said, his words laced with distrust for the Stellaron Hunters.
"Understandable," Elio supplemented from the side. "But the real reason... is perhaps simply because our faith is not that strong."
"Who knows?" Blade was currently extracting the memories of the head of security. This black-haired man named "Blade," despite hailing from the Xianzhou Alliance, commanded the two Paths of "Abundance" and "Remembrance." He was the last of the Stellaron Hunters to appear.
"Perhaps we were 'faithless' from the start," Blade said, removing his hand from the man's forehead. The [Immortality] from "Abundance" and the [Word Spirit Art] from "Remembrance" allowed Blade to maintain his sanity over his long life, preventing him from becoming something like an [Abomination].
"There's no information about the [Geniuses' Club] in this person's mind," Blade reported. "There are records on the four major schools—the School of Synesthesia, the School of Astrobiology, the School of Candlemakers, and the School of Quantum History—and their whereabouts, but information on the 'School of Armed Archaeology' and the higher-level [Geniuses' Club] is completely missing."
"In other words..."
"This is most likely a trap."
Elio finished Blade's sentence, then turned to the "programmer" beside him. "Silver Wolf?"
"No information can be found in the system. Only two members of the [Geniuses' Club] joined the expeditionary fleet. With only the information they provided, we can't accurately track the whereabouts of the other members, or even confirm if they've been corrupted."
"After all..." Silver Wolf's chibi "scout" avatars gathered around her. "Everyone who was 'corrupted' was from the [Genius Society]. As the smartest people in the universe (all members of the [Geniuses' Club] were personally selected by Nous), it's unreasonable to think they wouldn't have prepared for this."
"Also," Silver Wolf closed the screen in her hand. "The 'Light Cone' here was abandoned a long time ago."
"..."
"Can we assume the Geniuses' Club successfully evacuated?" Raven had just begun to speak when Gray Serpent interrupted her:
"The Astral God of Erudition is still in the Sea. Without the support of their god's Path, how could they escape the corruption so easily?"
"Regardless," Elio took over. "We haven't found the 'diffusion device.' According to the experimental data, 'corrupted followers,' regardless of their strength, will subconsciously ignore this item."
"Not to mention," he continued, "if something as big as the [Great Attractor Substrate] can vanish into thin air, we can only pin our hopes on the option that 'the Geniuses' Club discovered and stopped the corruption, and took the device to a safe place'."
Silver Wolf had already hacked the communication-jamming network here. The moment Elio finished speaking, new intelligence from a [Sovereignty-class] ship came through the communicator—
"Elio."
"Miss Mobius."
Mobius and Vill-V were jointly responsible for the operation concerning the [Geniuses' Club]. They had encountered the Stellaron Hunters on the way... There was no need for suspicion; if Elio used his "prophecy" ability on a gaze of equal level, its accuracy was quite reliable.
"I'm guessing your operation didn't yield much?" Mobius asked.
"That's right. We just had a small skirmish with the [Genius Society]. We found no intelligence on the main targets."
"It's fine," Mobius replied. "Take a look at what we just received. You should get some new ideas."
"This is..."
Data was transmitted directly from the starship to Elio's device.
"An Abyssal sea mouth."
"Although it's still in its nascent stage, if the intelligence is correct, it should be right beneath your feet."
"Where did this intelligence come from?"
Vill-V nudged Mobius slightly to the side and waved the [Aether Information Record] in her hand at the communicator. "It came with the distress signal from the Geniuses' Club."
"..."
Elio didn't reply immediately, and Vill-V continued, "We can't rule out the possibility of a double trap, but we have to rescue them anyway. After all, the device is most likely there."
"Haxxor Bunny is taking one-third of the fleet down to provide cover for you. Mobius and I are taking the rest... We'll leave what's left here to you. No problem, right?"
The warning had actually come a bit late. Outside the bright and spacious hall and walls, the "gurgling" of spiritual bubbles was growing from a faint sound to clearly audible.
"A trivial matter."
Everyone quickly drew their weapons and entered a state of alert.
"Very good. We're counting on you, then."
"Swish."
---o---
"ROAR!"
A silvery-blue [Dragonkin] soared among the stars. A brilliant white pillar of light swept out from the front of the dragon's neck, piercing through an entire formation of starships in one go.
"SWOOSH—"
A barrage of return fire swept past the side of the speeding dragon's wing. Immediately after, a giant black-and-gold beetle descended from the sky, its mass alone enough to smash a super-dreadnought in two.
"Thanks."
A demonic, pitch-black beast charged straight out of the fiery light of the explosion. A barefooted girl stood upon it, warding off all harm.
"SCREEECH!"
Sky-covering bat wings sliced through the air like blades, cleanly and smoothly shearing off a large section of a super-titan's shield and hull structure.
"BOOM!!!"
The previous support had come from "Yinhe" (Dragonkin) and "Kailes" (a Swarm assimilated by the Monarch). This was the homeworld of the [People of Abundance], the place where the [Heaven-Reaching Jianmu] grew. All the [Jianmu] used by Yaoshi originated from the latter, and this gigantic tree, comparable in size to [The Throne], also came from the Imaginary Tree... The Sacred Empire's [The Throne] had actually referenced the experience of planting this great tree.
Of course, when it came to home decoration, the Empire had long since surpassed its master.
"Kosma."
"Yeah, I know."
Eerie blue flames wreathed the black demon's body. They were not to repel enemies, but to protect the girl on its back.
Kosma was carrying Griseo, diving rapidly toward the root system of the [Heaven-Reaching Jianmu].
But in the next second—
"BOOM!!!!"
A torrent of crisscrossing orange and red thunder-fire erupted!
The wall of fire from the explosion only managed to block Kosma for a second before being pushed back by an even more ferocious "flame."
"This one's mine!"
Flames engulfed his body. Kalpas lifted a [Sovereignty-class] super-titan high above his head, and with strength completely disproportionate to his size, hurled the starship—with all its energy transferred to the "ram" at its bow and its crew long since evacuated—like a javelin!
There were many throwing weapons Kalpas could transform, but a [Sovereignty-class] was a feeling he had never experienced before—
"BOOOOOOM!!!!!"
The flames from the explosion had just erupted when four very similar figures flew toward the center of the blast simultaneously.
Sakura and Rin, Yae Sakura and Yae Rin. Along with them came two brilliant pillars of light from directly above—support from the Rock Turtle and the White Whale.
"VMMMM!!"
The supporting cannon fire was nullified by a massive, semi-spherical shield.
"Careful, there are more than two Grand Monarchs here!"
A golden-black shield like intertwined chains and a wind of freedom that scoured the orbital path clean came as support from the backs of the two giant beasts: Zhongli and Venti.
And the characters appearing here spanned more than just three "versions"!
"DONG!!!"
A sudden shockwave sent the four sisters charging toward the roots flying.
The corrupted followers stationed here, besides the known Grand Monarch from the Path of "Abundance," also included a never-before-seen, super-giant [Dragonkin] that had just been elevated to the Grand Monarch level due to corruption: Bahamut.
And... the "Sweet Dew Grand Monarch" of the [People of Abundance], who was an ally just moments ago but had since been corrupted and turned into an [Abomination].
The Path Yaoshi walked was indeed an effective "shortcut." But unfortunately, the two Grand Monarchs who should have been allies had now become opponents they had to defeat.
"Three Grand Monarch-level combatants."
The offensive of the Empire and the Dragonkin came to a temporary halt. The Imperial fleet gathered here accounted for more than 20% of their total starships—undoubtedly, the pressure they faced was also the greatest.
"What's the plan?" Sakura asked her teammates who had just retreated.
"Requesting support," Venti said, living up to expectations by doing exactly what he was supposed to do.
"Every unit has its own mission," Kosma replied. "The combat power we brought here is already over the limit." Kosma had also been pushed back by the power that erupted from the [Heaven-Reaching Jianmu]. As the strongest combatant on site, with Griseo's support, Kosma's Collapsed State was enough to face a Grand Monarch head-on. Unfortunately, this was not a one-on-one fight.
"...But our opponents are tougher too," Rin took over the conversation from Kosma.
"Ah!" Griseo, who rarely spoke, suddenly jumped down from Kosma's back. "This, here." She handed a canvas she had just splattered with paint to Rin.
"This is..."
"Kujou gave it to me before we left. She said to do what it says when needed," Griseo answered Rin's question.
"..."
"What the hell is this?" According to Kalpas's explosive temper, if the Sakura sisters weren't holding him back, he would have probably charged out again by now. Kalpas's overall strength was slightly inferior to Kosma's, but holding off one Grand Monarch for a short time was not a problem.
"A hint from the 'Miracle Sacred Seat'."
"Over there..."
"According to this, she's probably already taken care of her trouble." Rin explained to the others. As characters with slightly overlapping "personas," the matter of being surpassed was not something everyone could easily accept.
"Horaiji?"
"She took Delta and four legions, including the [Throne Guard], with her. But isn't her target second only to the main battlefield?"
"Yes."
"But clearly... five Grand Monarchs couldn't stop that duo."
---o---
The headquarters of the [Interastral Peace Corporation], built upon the [Great Attractor Substrate]. This was the true main battlefield—
Although the battle between Qlipoth and the Final Monarch was not in the material universe, the aftershocks of them repeatedly breaking through the [Imaginary Space] and the [Void Space] still occasionally tore open space, lighting up the dark starry sky with a few splendid rainbows.
Leaving aside the battle of the Astral Gods, the confrontation in the material universe could now only be described as tragic. It was no longer a question of how many followers of the Astral Gods could be saved, but how to withstand the pincer attack from both the "Lost Fleet" and the "corrupted followers."
That's right. Directly below the [Great Attractor Substrate], the attacks of the Final Monarch and Nanook had forcibly opened a quantum sea mouth leading to the Abyss.
The [Architects] were fighting to the death to resist the two-pronged assault. The Imperial fleet had even sent thirty percent of its starships and more than half of its [Sacred Seats]—a full five of them—here.
Even so, the battle was far more difficult than imagined.
An Imperial Sacred Seat piloting a [Sovereignty-class] could contend with a Grand Monarch, but if the number of Grand Monarchs exceeded a certain limit...
"BOOM!!!"
A blood-red beam pierced through both the shield and the hull. Following the sinking of [Sovereignty-class] Ship No. 7, Ship No. 4, after suffering this heavy blow... either had to choose to self-destruct or immediately withdraw from the battlefield.
The situation was becoming untenable.
"Kiana!"
"I'm fine!" Mei, clad in [Godslayer Armor · Model X], cut down the [Calamity Beast] before her with her Godslayer Thunder Blade and rushed toward Kiana's [Sovereignty-class] ship. But in that short distance, five [Calamity Beasts] of different forms once again surrounded her.
"SCREEECH—"
A giant "arm" of unknown material tore through the void and emerged. A longsword, a hundred times the radius of a star, swung lightly through the air.
"BANG!!!"
The five [Calamity Beasts] were instantly annihilated.
"Be careful," MEI appeared behind Mei.
"Understood." Mei, having "received" Kiana, breathed a sigh of relief, her brow furrowed in vigilance as she scanned her surroundings.
The "Abyssal sea mouth" here was too exaggerated. Although an irresistible force on the level of an "Outer God" had not yet appeared, monsters like the [Calamity Beasts], with combat power at the entry-level of a Grand Monarch, were pouring out in batch after batch as if they were free.
Up to this point in the battle, the Imperial side had killed at least over a hundred [Calamity Beasts]. Although they were not as difficult to deal with as a true Grand Monarch, in the face of their overwhelming power, if they were allowed to get close to or even attack the fleet... the consequences would be unthinkable.
"This abyss is not normal. We must find a way to close it."
"Dodge."
A clear, mechanical syllable sounded in the spiritual world.
Two thousand astronomical units away from the three of them, the "Heavy Bunny 99GM-Z Type," which had fused with Haxxor Bunny's true body, had completed its combination: the Heavy Bunnies formed the body, four [Sovereignty-class] ships became the limbs, and the head and the lance held in the giant robot's hand were formed by two other "Truth (of Reason) · Little Bunnies"—their users, the two (?) Bronyas, temporarily became the pilots of the giant mecha.
"SWOOSH!!!"
The lance was hurled with all the giant bunny's might toward the abyss!
"——"
Ripple - Wave - Tsunami. After a brief moment of stagnation, a wild explosion turned the Quantum Sea upside down!
"BOOOOOOM!!!!!"
Both the Abyss and the Empire immediately raised their defenses. The attack launched by the Heavy Bunny had, in terms of pure power, already reached the level of an Astral God... Even with a full defense, one could only ensure they weren't too heavily damaged in the shockwave.
"Did it work?"
"CLANG!!"
Mei—no, the other Mei—had just finished speaking when a pitch-black "metal pillar" that had silently approached was instantly melted into molten iron by a crimson greatsword.
"Don't lose focus," Kevin said, reminding the Mei inside the "Demon Armor God Machine · Arahato," while swinging the greatsword in his hand to prepare for the next strike.
But before that...
"SKRAW!!!"
A phoenix with unfurled wings soared into the sky, incinerating the coordinates that had just thrown the "metal pillar" into nothingness.
"You too."
[Sacred Engraving V: Savior] Kevin Kaslana.
At this point in the battle, some things had become very clear: the main trio and Kevin from the "current civilization" had all been rescued from "that world."
Unfortunately, the Monarch's own goal of "creating a new time branch" had failed due to the loss of the [Dominion of Finality].
All that was saved from that catastrophe... were Kevin and a few Stigmata holders.
"Thrum!"
The moment Kevin finished speaking, the clear and distinct sound of a divine ring shining rang like a clear bell in everyone's hearts.
The attack from the "corrupted Grand Monarchs" was blocked by a massive shield-shaped phantom. [Sacred Engraving XI: World] Bianka Kaslana, using the power of her Path that had transformed into a chessboard, barely managed to block the attack of three "corrupted Grand Monarchs" for her sister.
At the same time, [Sacred Engraving IX: Finality] Kiana Kaslana.
A terrifying power that shook the star-sea was gathering on the blade of the greatsword she held high. As time ticked forward in milliseconds, the long-overloaded energy on the greatsword transformed into a blazing celestial body that bore a seventy-to-eighty percent resemblance to the Monarch Sphere.
"Monsters from the Abyss—"
"Witness the sea itself evaporate!"
"——"
"VZZZZZZZZZZT!!!!!"
---o---
Sacred Empire, Atop The Throne.
"Whoa!" Pardofelis dodged the iron chunk falling from the sky. Of course, it wouldn't have been a big deal even if she hadn't, as the "comet" had already been sliced into neat pieces by Amane Kasumi.
Incidentally, the name "Amane Kasumi" came from the "Big Crab's" real name.
And incidentally, no matter to what degree Pardo's luck evolved—luck, not strength—it still couldn't change her "truly unchanging for ten thousand years" way of doing things.
"Click."
The long sword was sheathed. A black pleated skirt with a red scarf, and the same unchanging, fine black hair scattered over her shoulders.
"Stop making such a fuss all the time," Kasumi said. "Even if it really hit you, it's the meteorite that would be smashed to pieces... stray bullet, okay?"
After spending a long time together, they couldn't help but be influenced by each other in many ways (specifically, the "bad" ways).
"Oh my~"
"Hahahaha." After a very formulaic "forced laugh," Pardo straightened her slightly drooping ears, which had flattened in fright. "It's just a habit."
"CLANG!"
The moment Pardo finished speaking, her long tail shot out like a spear, intercepting a blade that had struck from the shadows behind her.
"BANG!!"
Then, with a whip of her tail, she smashed the attacker into a purple mush.
"..."
"The corruption has spread to the fourth layer," Amane Kasumi said, leaning against the wall and staring down at the black sludge at her feet. "Although it hasn't completely turned into sludge, this level has already surpassed the tolerance limit of the regular legions."
"We'll go cover the legions' transfer."
"But the legions should have received the news no slower than us, right?"
"Then let me rephrase: we'll go supervise the legions' transfer."
"...Understood."
Although the word "strategic advance" existed in the dictionary of the Imperial legions, in [The Throne], the first and final holy land of the Empire, no legion would be able to endure such humiliation. The most common practice for the legions was to prove their loyalty to the Empire by self-destructing the moment before they were completely corrupted by the Abyss.
If no one "supervised" them, they would undoubtedly all make such a choice.
However, this battle did not require sacrifice. The Monarch needed his legions alive... and as many as possible.
---o---
Sacred Empire, Central Hub of The Throne.
"Thud."
A science officer collapsed.
"Captain, that's the 114th one," a squad member reported.
"I know," the Loli Demon God replied nonchalantly, wrapping the just-knocked-out Imperial science officer in a dark gold, "fabric-like" tentacle. Only her old subordinates from ten thousand years ago would dare to address the "99th Imperial Apostle (Last Seat)" in such a way.
"Swish."
The tentacle whipped through the corridor with a sharp sound, and in the next moment, its tightly wrapped target was stuffed into a giant transparent pod.
"Can't they be cured?"
"...They can, but the cost-effectiveness is too low. It's more reliable to seal them away than to risk a second, irreversible corruption."
This was one of the "Nineteen Central Hubs" of [The Throne], a section specifically managed by Su to deal with the problem of "quantum energy's corruption of the spiritual domain."
"Tsk."
"Can't be cured" and "can't afford to cure" were essentially no different.
"According to the intelligence from the Big Crab's side, the Abyss's corruption has already broken through the seventh layer. According to the original defense plan, it will completely penetrate the central region in less than twenty minutes." The Abyss's "progress" was very fast.
"How far has the physical breach progressed?"
"Still at the fourth layer. Aponia and Eden are leading the team to slow down the influx of that black sludge, but over eighty percent of [The Throne's] main power is being supplied to the three battlefields outside. Elysia's side might not be able to hold out for long."
The pressure on [The Throne] was no less than that on the main battlefield.
The power of a Dominator-class ship was beyond question. Created to fight on the level of Astral Gods, it was now fulfilling its intended, though unwanted, purpose. The combat power of the corrupted fleet was inferior to the Empire's. The army surrounding [The Throne] seemed endless, but they simply could not break through the Imperial fleet's defensive circle.
Under these circumstances... an Astral God appeared.
That's right, an Astral God, not an Outer God. More importantly, this Astral God did not belong to the "Tree's" side—they were a corrupted Astral God that had been secretly eroded by the Abyss and released back onto the Tree.
There were no longer any beings on the Tree of an equal level to deal with an Astral God; all the Astral Gods had their own "battlefields." To ensure [The Throne] was not breached, [Sacred Engraving I: Firmament], [Sacred Engraving II: Star], and [Sacred Engraving III: Abyss] had already, with the power of [The Throne], launched an interception against three of the corrupted Astral Gods.
Fortunately, the strength of these four corrupted Astral Gods was not that great. With the support of [The Throne], the [Sacred Seats] could fight them one-on-one without being at a disadvantage for a short time... but that was all they could do.
As for the last corrupted Astral God, they could only watch as it charged into The Throne.
And then, [Sacred Engraving VII: Flawless] Elysia, relying on the armaments and power within [The Throne], plus a willingness to throw lives at the problem, managed to barely contend with this Astral God. [The Throne] was, after all, from the Imaginary Tree. As long as one disregarded destruction and losses, the environment here could effectively suppress the strength of a corrupted Astral God.
Of course, this approach meant that [The Throne] could no longer provide support for "ordinary" level battles. The number of legions stationed in [The Throne] was decreasing at an exponential rate.
"Is that so..." Su's expression was clearly not good. "Prepare to abandon it at any moment. If the situation really comes to that, I'm afraid we can only retreat to the final layer."
"All your work is here," the Loli Demon God reminded him with a slightly "mocking" tone.
"This is no time to be concerned about that. Once we get to the safe house in the final layer, it should be enough to support us—"
"..."
"!?"
Before Su could finish, a familiar yet strange, indescribably vast power suddenly surged from the depths of his Path, instantly filling both his and the Loli Demon God's bodies.
"This is—" Su looked at his own rapidly rising aura in disbelief. His strength had effortlessly broken through to the [Emissary] level, and a permanent, non-transformed Emissary level at that.
If it were just him, it would be one thing, but the same surge of power in the Loli Demon God was a clear indication of the change happening at the other end of the universe—
"BOOOOOOM!!!!!"
A distant explosion thundered both inside and outside [The Throne].
The corrupted Astral God that had charged into [The Throne] was sent flying out by Elysia's power. The Three Holy Seats, locked in a fierce battle outside [The Throne], instantly suppressed the Astral Gods they were fighting.
There was no doubt. With the dual enhancement of [The Throne] and the [Collapsed State], the Three Holy Seats, who already possessed the power to suppress ordinary Astral Gods, could now display the peak strength of the [Grand Monarch] level without any assistance.
This once again proved the occurrence of a certain "truth":
"The Monarch has ascended to godhood."
---o---
Rules, laws, Paths, Dominions... the "cornerstones" that made up the material universe, originating from the Imaginary Tree and called by different names, were now pouring out from within the "Monarch Sphere" as golden runes. Silver "musical scores," originating from the void, from the Imaginary Tree, never before "discovered" by life or civilization, floated toward the Monarch's position.
Gold and silver. The intertwining Paths were like musical notes, dancing joyfully on the vast, boundless staff of the universe, as if... to help the "embryo" within the "sphere" be born sooner.
"!?"
Nanook, not far away, was now truly panicking. He did not fear the power of the Monarch who was about to ascend to the throne of an Astral God, but if he lost this golden opportunity, then after the other two avatars absorbed the Paths of the other Astral Gods... he would be fit only to become a new "fusion material."
However! Nanook simply could not launch an attack on the Monarch.
The ascension of an Astral God was the most sacred moment in the material universe. The immense power of the Paths and the omnipresent, heavy Imaginary energy firmly bound Nanook's movements. Of course, what was even more unbearable for him was the "aura of the Tree," which was sacred to the Astral Gods but torturous to the Outer Gods and the Abyss.
Because of this, Nanook could only watch as the Monarch completed the final step of his "ascension."
As the golden "eggshell" cracked, shattered, and peeled away, a new life, completely separate from "mortals," descended upon the star-sea universe.
After that, an ordinary "human" stood in the void. His appearance and aura were extremely incongruous with the existence known as an Astral God. He, who should have completed his "extraordinary" transformation, still exuded the aura of a "mortal"... and it was far more than just a wisp.
"You are..."
The Monarch's ascension was complete, but Nanook did not attack immediately. Instead, he asked with intense confusion, "What are you?"
Yes, even though he had been corrupted by the Abyss, Nanook, as the "Astral God of Destruction," could still receive information from his Path. Simply put, the moment the Monarch completed his "ascension," he should have known what his "Path" was.
But the reality was...
[???]
Nanook could not see the Monarch's Path. He had no understanding of his opponent's abilities. He didn't even know what this thing was!
"What... thing?"
The sacred radiance had dissipated. The "Astral God" slowly opened his mouth, and a featureless voice came from within.
"I..."
The unfinished tone stretched out slowly. A vast amount of memories converged upon his "being." The arm hanging at his side slowly rose, and his open palm clenched into a fist.
"My name is Lu Xing."
"Following the original will of 'Order,' embracing the rebellion of 'mortals,' I have ascended through 'Enlightenment'."
"I am—"
"The Astral God of the Common People."
---o---
"The Common People?"
"Sacrifice" led to "Enlightenment." This unique Path came from the dying will of "those two men."
The reason the Monarch had never taken this final step of ascension was that he had been constantly suppressing the power of his own [Path of Enlightenment]. And the moment he unleashed this Path, the power of Order, the power of Enlightenment, and the power of the countless Paths the Monarch had shared would all become the cornerstone of his ascension—
What were "the Common People"?
In simpler terms: the masses.
Although it sounded somewhat unfamiliar, the source of this power was the path Lu Xing had walked from the very beginning, and the reason he was revered as the "Monarch": from for the sake of the Honkai Beasts, to for the sake of the Empire, and then for the sake of the star-sea universe—from small to large, this was "pacifying the world," this was the origin of "the Common People."
"Is it difficult to understand?" Lu Xing aimed his raised arm at Nanook from afar.
In the next instant, the clenched fist suddenly expanded at an incredible speed in the Astral God of Destruction's perception, until the entire universe had no room to dodge!
"BANG!!!!!"
With a gaping hole suddenly appearing in Nanook's chest, an entire universe was thus somewhat hastily annihilated.
"...Individual."
The wound was self-healing, but the terror could no longer be concealed. Lu Xing, who had just ascended as an "Astral God," had displayed combat power on par with him at his full strength—
This was the limit of an Astral God allowed by the Imaginary Tree: "Individual."
At this level, although there were differences in strength, the gap was no longer significant. As for the level above that, it was the realm Timogesi had been pursuing all along: not equal to the Tree or the Sea, but also not bound by them...
"Multidimensional."
---o---
"Very good."
"Very good!"
Nanook was not worried about the Monarch's power. He was too distracted now and could not display his full strength. He was bound to be at a disadvantage against the "Common People."
However! For the "Common People" to kill him was an impossible fantasy. It was already difficult for Astral Gods of the same level to determine a winner in a one-on-one fight. To decide life and death... as long as one side wanted to escape, the other had absolutely no chance of completely killing them.
The current situation of the Tree and the Sea was the result of Timogesi's painstaking planning over countless eons. If he wanted to withdraw regardless of the cost... as long as he gave up on continuing to corrupt the remaining less-than-twenty Astral Gods, Nanook could reclaim the vast majority of his power. At that time, the "Common People's" strength could, at best, only slightly suppress him. In that situation, a "slight upper hand" was equivalent to "being helpless."
To put it another way: he could continue to tie down the "Common People" until the Final Monarch and Timogesi completed their progress on the other two fronts—especially Timogesi in the Quantum Sea. Nanook could feel that his "main body" was about to complete the final step.
There was indeed regret at "failing to become the main body," but at this point, he, Nanook, was still among the victors.
"You are very powerful," Nanook said, not stingy with his praise. "To possess such terrifying Path power as a newly born Astral God is indeed sufficient from an opponent's perspective."
"But it is a pity."
"Astral God of the Common People... no, Lu Xing."
A true name is engraved upon a Path. The moment Lu Xing called out his own Path, this name would be sung throughout the entire star-sea universe.
"The key to this victory is not strength. I cannot give you the chance for a fair fight."
"Please..." Nanook pleaded with genuine emotion. "...understand our eons of waiting."
"..."
"Yes," Lu Xing replied with equal sincerity.
"A chance for a fair fight—"
"Indeed, it will not appear in this game."
---o---
"Thrum!!!"
The moment Lu Xing's voice fell, a pressure sufficient to shatter the star-sea arrived in an instant!
The familiar "individual" aura, after destroying an entire universe, flowed into Lu Xing's body without the slightest deviation!
"This is!!!" Nanook's words were filled with an indescribable disbelief.
"The Dominion of Preservation. You are familiar with it."
"Has Qlipoth gone mad!?"
Such madness, Nanook had never seen even in a corrupted Astral God.
"Nanook, why are you surprised?" Lu Xing asked. "This is Qlipoth's way of walking his own Path... His greatness has been constant from beginning to end, never changing."
Before the Final Monarch could completely corrupt him, Qlipoth sacrificed his own Path, placing all the power of [Preservation] he commanded into Lu Xing's hands. To send [Preservation] out using [Sacrifice]—setting aside the enlightenment required for such an act, the root of its feasibility... came from the distant past, from the bit of "Order" Qlipoth had obtained from Timogesi.
And to accept this "gift" and "dying wish" was something only Lu Xing, who could command quantum energy and simultaneously walk the Paths of [Order] and [Enlightenment], could do.
It was also the... final resort of Qlipoth's entire plan.
"If 'individual' is not enough, then 'double-tap'."
Lu Xing's expression was devoid of emotion.
"Now."
"I am the only 'Order' on the Imaginary Tree."
"To fuse 'Destruction' and 'Preservation'—"
"I will..."
"...try it out for you first."
"VZZZZZZZZZZT!!!!!"
An endless light instantly melted the entire universe, reducing the infinite space here to the most primitive Imaginary energy.
Then, the crimson-gold radiance that remained there, like a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix, flowed continuously into Lu Xing's body.
His aura, which was thought to have reached its limit, actually began to climb again. This process was not slow; it took only a short instant... or more accurately: time no longer left a trace on Lu Xing.
"It's..."
"...much simpler than I imagined."
Besides the increase in power, the only difference between Lu Xing now and before was probably the green leaf that had quietly appeared at the tip of his hair.
"Of course," a voice said. "The Paths are the power of the Tree. Their 'return' is only natural."
At some point, Timogesi was standing in the distance, looking at Lu Xing.
"You've fused with the Final Monarch?"
"Just finished. Although you were one step ahead of me, without prior preparation, you clearly wasted a lot of time."
Simplicity was relative to the level. How long that "instant" had actually lasted was naturally something Lu Xing, who had "lost the concept of time," could not explain.
"Then what should I call you?"
"Before I return to 'Origin,' a name is unimportant," Timogesi said nonchalantly. "Just as you command 'Matter' and 'Space,' 'Spirit' and 'Time' are merely a part of my power."
"...True."
"Shall we fight?" Lu Xing asked, immediately after expressing his "agreement."
"I have waited for this day for too long." It was not a direct answer, but Timogesi's will was already unshakable.
"This is upon the Tree," Lu Xing said, repeating the words he had said to Nanook, the words that had come from Timogesi's mouth.
"Although you see the current me as an Outer God, from the moment of my birth, I have never pondered the meaning of this identity. For a life that is half Imaginary energy and half quantum energy, where do you think it is more appropriate to be classified?"
"...You're like a child who can't get his mother's love."
"...Incorrect. To the Mother Tree, my existence can only be considered a handy tool," Timogesi said with a smile, denying Lu Xing's statement.
"The term 'child'."
"That is an identity that you all can use. As for me... to say so would be to lack self-awareness."
"..."
"Ping."
After a barely audible sound, Lu Xing and Timogesi simultaneously appeared at the crown of the Imaginary Tree. At the highest point, shrouded by lush branches and leaves, was a silent nothingness.
"Let the Mother Tree bear witness... to the end of this farce."
"The fallen leaf returns to its root?"
"Say what you will."
The hale and hearty old man, the calm and composed young man. Beneath the dappled shadows of the tree, amidst a melodious and hoarse sonata—
Light and light simply converged at one point.
"Thrum."
---o---
Lu Xing opened his eyes.
A world of indistinguishable black and white filled his vision. The Imaginary Tree was still majestic and sacred, but it looked a bit bare—not very nice to look at.
As for why... a radiance a million times more brilliant than the one before him had just faded from the depths of his pupils and soul. And this dazzling radiance had taken with it the countless scattered green leaves on the Tree's crown.
Around him, beneath him, were colors changing from green to yellow, from yellow to red.
He slowly raised his hands. At this moment, he seemed to possess the power to shake the "Tree"... or to stir the "Sea" not far away.
"This is 'Origin'."
"The power Timogesi always pursued... no, the power he always wanted to 'prove'."
"..."
"Not a good thing."
Lu Xing very casually defined this power that might never appear in the star-sea universe again. For the birth of "Origin," the most ancient and top-tier Astral Gods in the material universe had vanished. That seemingly simple clash just now had caused worlds upon the Imaginary Tree to perish in droves.
Lu Xing wasn't even sure if the Quantum Sea could now easily submerge a large part of the Imaginary Tree's domain. Nearly a hundred Paths, and the four most important rules that constituted the universe, were now all fused within his body.
The Tree could still give birth to rules. But before that, if he chose to stand by and do nothing, the Quantum Sea would gain an advantage of at least several cosmic cycles.
"..."
"Acting like a big shot."
Lu Xing laughed self-deprecatingly. Then, he stood up from where he had been leaning against the roots of the tree, surrounded by fallen leaves of countless shades of green, yellow, and red.
A clear light slowly emanated from his body with the beating of his heart.
He was returning his Dominions—
An extraordinary god was meaningless. A lonely universe was equally uninteresting.
Whether it was the Quantum Sea or the Imaginary Tree, the "imbalance" between them would only lead to endless disasters. The Tree would accelerate its cycles, and the Sea would accelerate its erosion.
Lu Xing didn't know how much he could protect, but as long as he did this, the powers that originally belonged to the Tree and the Sea would eventually return to where they were born.
Lu Xing... could not be content with his own salvation.
In that ever-expanding star-sea, he still had many attachments—along with the name he had reclaimed.
The mist formed by the radiance quietly dispersed.
Lu Xing raised his head and looked at the few leaves he had tried his best to protect, leaves that swayed but had not fallen—
His gaze swept over the entire great tree.
"I'll just keep 'Order.' You don't mind, right?"
As his soft words fell, his figure gradually faded.
Beside the tree roots covered in fallen leaves, a single, flame-red leaf quietly dissolved by the side of the great tree's root.
(End of Book)
---------------------
Translator's note: this was the most fun to translate :3