Heads up! The wheels are spinning!
Across the plains, in valleys deep,
Herta: ?
Following Lumina through the "door," Herta entered Ena's Dream. Watching the group confront Sunday on the battlefield while hearing the song in her ears, a question mark slowly materialized above her head.
"Why does the final boss fight have its own music?"
"You wouldn't understand," Lumina chuckled, then explained, "If there's no unique 'execution BGM' during the final boss fight, do you know what that means?"
"What does it mean?" Herta raised an eyebrow, genuinely intrigued. Lumina's question had stumbled upon a blind spot in her knowledge.
"It means this boss isn't the true final boss, or rather, this isn't the ultimate showdown," Lumina replied truthfully.
"Huh? I never knew that! What's the basis for this?"
"Isn't it like that everywhere? Why would we need a basis?" Lumina shrugged. As for Herta's demand for proof, she pointed to the robin singing high in the sky. "Besides, even if you want proof, look! Isn't this proof enough?"
"That's just a special case, okay?" Herta shot her a speechless look.
When you're fighting a big boss, who would just start singing?
Only Robin has a special reason—she needs to sing to transmit the voice of Harmony. Who else would sing in the middle of a battle?
I wonder what's poisoned Lumina's mind so badly.
"You don't understand," Lumina sighed, shaking her head in response to Herta's exasperated stare. "Ah... you'll never truly understand me."
"I understand, I understand. I understand you perfectly," Herta replied dismissively.
It was clear Lumina had been deeply poisoned by something.
When you're in a fight, why would there be background music unless singing was necessary?
This Little Lumina... hasn't she been watching too much anime?
"No, you don't understand!" Lumina clutched her chest, as if struck by heartache.
"Oh."
"So heartless," Little Lumina murmured.
"Oh," Herta replied, utterly dismissive and disinterested, clearly still poisoned by her animated shows.
Lumina paid her no mind, her gaze fixed on the battlefield.
Sunday was still in his Harmonious Choir form, not yet having transformed into his final state. Under Robin's Harmony influence, he had been relentlessly suppressed by the Astral Express Crew throughout the battle.
"Sunday's current state likely surpasses that of a typical Emanator," Herta observed after briefly assessing the battlefield.
If a standard Emanator were rated as 1, Sunday in his Harmonious Choir form would be around 1.1.
However, the true measure of an Emanator's strength lies primarily in the power granted by their Aeon and the Path they follow.
For instance, Emanators of Abundance are typically near-immortal, possessing immense regenerative capabilities but limited offensive power. Well... except for Lumina, who is a special case.
Herta's assessment that the Harmonious Choir surpassed a typical Emanator was based solely on the energy it contained, not necessarily its actual combat prowess.
Possessing the combined powers of Order and Harmony, and fighting on his home turf within Ena's Dream, even an ordinary Emanator would struggle to defeat him in a one-on-one battle.
Consider Acheron, for example. She currently needs to resist the influence Ena's Dream is exerting on the Asdana Star System. Without the Astral Express Crew, Robin, and the Galaxy Rangers, Acheron alone would likely have been forced to retreat in shame.
This isn't because Herta doubts Acheron's strength. As the Emanator of Nihility, Acheron lacks the support to use her preferred method—cleaving Ena's Dream with a single strike. Without assistance, most of its inhabitants would likely perish.
"Madam Herta, Sunday is Sunday, and God Sunday is God Sunday," Lumina reminded her, nudging her elbow. "Even if they're technically the same person, we should still distinguish between the names."
"Is there even a difference?" Herta rolled her eyes and elbowed Lumina back.
I'll never understand why Little Lumina loves elbowing people so much. Does she have some strange obsession with that motion?
"Even if there's no difference, we should still keep the names separate, right?" Lumina said with a smile, then circled back to Herta's earlier point.
"Sunday's current state isn't his final phase. How could someone wielding the Path powers of both Order and Harmony be suppressed by the Astral Express Crew?"
"He wasn't suppressed by the Astral Express Crew; he was suppressed by his own sister. He still can't bring himself to harm her."
"But judging by the situation, Sunday will have to resort to his ultimate phase."
Lumina propped her chin on her hand, musing aloud.
If I were Sunday, she thought, I'd have ruthlessly knocked Robin unconscious and hidden her away. Why face all this trouble? A swift solution is better than prolonged agony. Rather than fighting my sister later, I'd eliminate the problem at its root.
Sunday had resolved the issue with Robin using such methods... but his approach hadn't been thorough enough.
If Lumina had taken charge, she would have done things properly.
For example, after knocking Robin unconscious, she wouldn't just hide her in a secret location. She'd shackle her there, then...
Ahem... that might be a bit twisted.
"If you and I were never lonely, how could we have embarked on these ever-diverging paths?"
"Let this be the final peace talks."
On the battlefield, as Sunday uttered these words, an immense power gradually coalesced around him.
"Hmm? What's this...?" Sensing the surge of energy, a flicker of shock appeared deep within Herta's eyes.
"This is... the aura of a god..."