---
For the first time, he saw her smile through tears.
"At last I see you… Human, I've always… always wanted to meet you."
"You… in my heart, you've always been someone truly special. No matter how you disguise yourself, I could sense it—just by a hint of your scent."
"I knew you wouldn't give up… I knew you were looking for me—so I kept… I kept running away from you…"
"But we agreed we'd meet again, right? We said we would say goodbye… and then not meet again."
"It was so hard for me to decide to leave, so hard to cut the thread of fate… Why couldn't you keep your promise to me?"
"As long as you remember me fondly…
As long as you can say my name…
As long as you can live well…
That's enough…"
"Even knowing we couldn't meet, I couldn't stop…
Imagining we would meet again, time after time."
"Human, I miss you so much. Every part of me—every second—I miss you."
"Hold me again… Until this cursed fate arrives."
"Don't be afraid. The curse is already gone."
You gently pat her on the back, doing your best to console her.
"Ah… It's already been so long?"
"But Human, you still look exactly the same…
Your scent, your warmth… It hasn't changed."
"Wait."
"Can I… look a little different? Do you… like this new me?"
The girl suddenly sat up, embarrassed.
She unraveled her feathery puppet costume a bit, face turning bright red.
Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him sideways, hoping.
Her heart started racing… She anxiously waited for an answer.
"Of course… I like you more."
You answered firmly.
"R-Really? You're not just saying that? I'll take it as the truth."
Her eyes lit up with joy. She smiled, eyebrows raised in that expressive, lively way—
as if years of worry and doubt dissolved in an instant.
"I know how you feel.
You want to bring me back from this world… right? But…"
"I'm sorry. Even if there's even a one-in-ten-thousand chance… I don't want you to become a target of the world's rules again. It's time for us to let go…"
Still, neither of you let go.
Only tightened the embrace.
You both walked so far… How could you let go now?
"Let me go… No need to be so free and unruly, Human."
(T/C: shut the F** up and accept. I can't take it anymore!)
"I won't!"
You only hugged harder, looking through the puppet costume into her eyes.
"Please… Don't let go… If this continues… I will waver… Human…"
"...I want to hear your honest words."
"I…"
The girl paused, tears shimmering in her eyes.
Her gaze glowed with affection, recalling the one she loves.
Her emotions surged.
"I think… being with you…
I really want it. Really want it… so much…"
"Here… every minute, every second… I can't help remembering you."
"Whenever I think of you…
My heart races— It's the only way I know I'm alive."
"You—you are the reason for my existence here.
How could I bear to be separated from you…"
Her voice fell to a nearly inaudible whisper, but felt like a shout from her heart.
She spoke every feeling gently—
tears falling like crystal beads onto the puppet's furry chest.
Her love was intense and genuine.
"Then come back with me.
This time—let me lead us.
Luna…"
"Yes…"
"Human… it's because of you—over and over—
That I made choices against my conscience."
"You broke my resolve…
Made me careless, made me greedy."
"So please… promise me, Once we return, I don't want to be parted from you again."
"...Will you, Human?"
Her eyes glowed rosy—the sight of it brought back something familiar for you.
as if, on that midsummer night, you were seeing the fragile girl who had once collapsed to the ground.
Their figures overlapped across time itself,
and after such a long, long distance,
she had finally returned to stand by your side.
"Okay… I promise you."
You held her hand tightly, a sense of fulfillment rising in your chest.
Just like you said—you wouldn't abandon anyone.
Now, the only thing left was to defeat the final ferryman.
At that moment, within the space of ideal construction, Irene, Kongming, Bronie and the others were still engaged in a desperate fight.
Until eventually, cracks began forming in the narrow confines of that world,
and the central connection holding that space together vanished without a trace.
The captain returned once more to reality.
Standing beside him Luna, the reversed, incomplete clock could no longer defy reality.
And when the narrow rift could no longer absorb energy to weaken them—
with the powerful Luna entering the fight—
the scales of victory finally tipped in their favor.
And then came the final moment.
"With the Red Moon as witness, we will never part again in this life!"
Beneath Luna, with a single strike from the Red Moon, their enemy was completely shattered and dissolved.
This hopeful constructed world collapsed along with it.
They returned once again to their worn-down battleship—the only regret was not seeing the Ferryman's figure again.
----
At Theresa's mansion.
Unquestionably, the final Luna appearance was from this version's S-rank Valkyrie.
The scenario had reached its conclusion.
The captain had successfully rescued Luna and achieved a true happy ending for everyone.
"Phew… Good thing it worked out in the end, otherwise…"
Kiana let out a breath of relief and smiled.
"This script… Bronya would rate it very highly. Truly moving."
"Right? Whether it's the young lady Luna or the captain himself…
Their bond is really something to admire."
Mei also spoke with emotion.
"So, old Timer—why is it that other people grow up properly in ten thousand years, but we can't even manage it in that time?"
"Or are you saying I need to separate from you and wait another ten thousand years?"
The Herrscher of Sentience stroked her chin, not letting go of the question.
Her tone was a bit... irreverent, even provocative.
She started to suspect there was a personal issue at play here.
Fu Hua's mouth twitched, a dark vein appearing faintly on her forehead.
"Senti, stop with those nonsense thoughts."
"Hmm… maybe it's a space-time issue,"
"This so-called end of time space… even the curse of fate can be erased in there."
"If that's the case, maybe we can erase our 'Fate Curse' too."
(T/C: she's not talking about their flat chest, right?)
"After all, ten thousand years isn't that bad. From outside time, it's just a blink…"
Senti smacked her palm like Sherlock Holmes uncovering a clue, speaking with excitement.
"Uhh… is that really the reason?"
Fu Hua looked a little shaken, momentarily doubting herself.
Don't misunderstand—she simply felt that ten thousand years still wasn't enough.
If she fought the Honkai for another ten thousand years, she'd better understand herself and the Stigmata.
So... surely she didn't actually have some kind of fate curse on her, right?
She shook her head suddenly, throwing out the thoughts Senti had planted.
Letting out a long, slow sigh—
"Senti, don't joke around like that next time."
She gave the other girl a side glance.
Seeing her scratch her head in embarrassment, Fu Hua could only sigh helplessly.
"Ahem… don't misunderstand. At most, I just amplified a little thought you already had. You definitely thought about it yourself, too."
She replied in a roundabout but confident way.
Surely no one believed the Herrscher of Sentience could so easily manipulate a MANTIS's thoughts... right?
As soon as Senti mentioned the words "Fate Curse,"
many people in the room instinctively glanced at Fu Hua and Senti's chests—only to immediately look away and avoid eye contact, awkwardly sharing glances and laughing it off.
They all clearly knew what that "fate curse" referred to.
Still, Senti had obviously picked up bad habits from the internet!
No doubt about that.
But for the two people involved,
the atmosphere was clearly… a bit different.
(T/C: I wonder if HSR Fu Hua will be different)
....
On Luo Mo's side, he was now completely surrounded by Luna, Kongming, Irene, with Bronie also fanning the flames not far away.
"Human… promise me… to be together forever."
Taking advantage of the lingering emotions before the script ended, Luna launched a powerful offensive.
She blinked twice, her red irises full of feeling as she looked at him.
Grabbing Luo Mo's left arm with both hands, she shook it continuously, trying to lower his guard with her casual playfulness.
"Just like I said before—'in this life, we'll never be apart…!'"
She urged, ready to take the win while everyone else was distracted.
Kongming hesitated.
With the plot and home-field advantage on her side, these words didn't come off as abrupt at all.
Besides, she had already dropped all pretenses of being reasonable.
There was no point trying to fight back the same way.
"Miss Luna, you're joking. No matter what, we're all on the same battleship, so naturally, we'll always be together."
But then Irene suddenly interjected with a well-timed comment, lightly reversing the meaning.
She smiled with squinted eyes and looked toward Luna, who turned back and gently nodded, as if agreeing with her words.
Between the two of them—and everyone else—there was a huge gap in compatibility.
Luna pouted slightly, clearly displeased,
but it wasn't convenient for her to argue.
Luo Mo could only smile and play along, replying with "yes yes yes," "sure sure sure," etc.
Thanks to the "third party" intervening, the danger level had dropped significantly.
"Exactly. We'll be traveling together for a long time from now on—no need to make such a big deal about it."
Kongming fanned herself lightly and let out a soft breath, giving Irene a look of approval.
"Eh? But you know, there's a difference between 'traveling together' and… well, together-together.
Like—who came first, and who came after, right?"
Bronie snickered from the sidelines, enjoying the show.
"I'll treat everyone the same, no need to worry about that."
Luo Mo pretended to play dumb. This wasn't something he could actually explain.
Because what the hell would "different treatment" even mean here?
If they pressed him about how things differed and what actions he'd take… he'd be doomed.
"Treat everyone the same, huh…
So you feel the same way about Delta and Kongming?"
Bronie tilted her head, speaking to herself.
"...You! Why don't you mention yourself!?"
Delta's brows shot up as she snapped at her.
"Hmm… I just think I'm too ordinary.
Not enough to stand out and be clearly categorized."
She whistled calmly, pretending she had everything figured out.
Delta clearly didn't accept that explanation.
The two of them quickly started bickering again.
------
Elsewhere—
There was no sound.
No light.
The captain and Irene had returned to that place once more—
only to discover an unexpected development.
That door which previously wouldn't open no matter what… was now wide open without resistance.
If it were the Hyperion, then upon entering the docking platform, that familiar AI voice would have surely rung out.
But here—only dim, flickering lights barely illuminated the space.
The Ferryman was collapsed weakly on the ship's deck.
His lips moved faintly, his whole body limp and helpless.
"You finally came."
"Now talk. Where are those fragments from the Ether Anchor you took?"
The Ferryman leaned weakly against the railing, but didn't answer.
His empty eyes just stared at the Captain—unmoving.
"I've been waiting for you… Waiting for you to follow the clues I left, trace the trail of my intentions, find Luna, and come here, to this very ship—to give it everything you've got and face me in battle."
"You really didn't let me down."
"No… to be more precise, 'I' didn't let me down."
"...So that's it. You're..."
The Captain wasn't surprised.
Even a fool should've realized by now how many coincidences had piled up. There really must be some connection between him and the Ferryman.
"You've probably realized it by now. The structure of this ship is so familiar. You might not know it yet—it even shares the same name: Hyperion."
"But I'm not your future, and you're not my past."
"To be precise, you are the part of me that abandoned my original intent, the hope I failed to realize—one of the many unchosen answers in countless selections I once faced."
"Back then, I focused solely on traversing through each world phase, trying to create a place called home for those who had lost any place to belong."
"You know, when the Hyperion could no longer carry that burden, I really needed a method that could save everyone."
"I tried every way I could think of, but nothing ever went the way I wanted. It's like trying to lift a heavy trunk—you have to remove the glass aquarium on top first before you can even begin."
"But… by the time I realized this, I had already strayed too far from my intended path. The old friends who had been with me... were already few and far between."
"And I no longer had the chance to turn back."
"For the sake of my promise, and to give everyone… a home—we made too many sacrifices. So I absolutely could not stop."
"I carried their will, their wishes. So even knowing the abyss had no end, I still had to move forward."
"And you... that's when we parted ways."
"At the time, I thought you were just a fragile, chance-born life form. Ignoring you wouldn't affect my plan."
"But you were unexpectedly resilient—more than I had anticipated."
His voice carried a note of uncertainty, mixed with a touch of surprise—perhaps even joy. When there's no way out, even unexpected events can bring hope.
"For a young vampire girl, for a future where everyone could survive—you ran diagnostics again and again."
"You don't understand giving up, and you don't know how to accept a predetermined, imperfect ending."
"Seeing you like that, I suddenly had a thought—'What if I had made a different choice back then? What would things look like now?'"
"Maybe... you could achieve something I never could."
"So I decided to continue watching you, and arranged for Rita to stay by your side. What happened afterward—you already know."
"Other than that, I didn't interfere much in your actions. On your own strength, you've struggled all the way here and grown into someone completely different from me."
At this point, the ferryman let out a hoarse, mournful laugh.
"And I… ha..."
"Endless nonsense, estranged from my comrades, betraying them— I even gave poison to the last of my friends, hoping from the bottom of their hearts... they'd give up on me."
"I wronged them. And I couldn't save anyone."
The captain listened in silence. Somehow, everything the ferryman had just said didn't feel like a lie. Irene's earlier remarks only served to highlight how genuine these words were.
"Truly pathetic… But even so, you shouldn't have used such cruel methods to break their hearts! If you really want to apologize, then go stand in front of Delta and the others and say everything clearly!"
"What good does it do to sit here rambling on like this? Tell them, not just me!"
He grabbed the Ferryman's collar, but the man didn't resist at all—he'd completely given up. He let the captain pull him, but as if suddenly overwhelmed by fatigue, his stance faltered—and in the next second, the Captain was pulled to the ground.
From beneath his black robe, several Ether Anchor fragments spilled out, each piece protected in a translucent casing, completely intact.
Something about his condition... felt off.
Instinctively, the captain stepped back. Irene quickly stepped forward to shield him.
The black robe fell open, revealing a recorder device strapped to the Ferryman's chest. Despite the scuffle, it remained intact—still playing, intermittently transmitting a fragmented, sorrowful message, full of hopelessness.
"Have you… ever observed an ant?"
"Carrying hope and expectations, falling again and again into hopeless conclusions..."
"Always thinking you've gone far, only to turn around and realize…"
"I'm just another ant in fate's circle—running in circles, exhausted."
Beneath the robe, the Ferryman's body had long since turned to dust. Only the recorder remained, playing the last remnants of his voice through its remaining battery.
"I believe in you…"
"You will surely reach that future… that never had the chance to bloom."
.....
The Captain returned to the beach, his heart heavy with complex thoughts.
As he walked past the many familiar faces, everyone was chatting and laughing together—finally relieved—except Delta and the quiet ninja beside her.
They were silent, acting somewhat recklessly, as if grieving or perhaps reminiscing.
The tide had receded.
Though it left damp traces in the sand, time would eventually wash away even these marks.
------
Inside Theresa's mansion.
"So it seems, his arrangements for Delta and Kasumi were deliberate after all."
Kallen stood in silence for a moment, then looked at Theresa with a slightly shocked expression. "This too… was a form of teaching, I suppose."
To understand someone's motives and goals—that kind of insight was crucial.
"To think… that someone like this actually exists. But what's the point of doing all this evil quietly, in silence? Wouldn't it be better to face everything together, openly and honestly?"
Clearly, Theresa agreed more with the Captain's approach rather than all the twists and turns and manipulations.
"Well, I guess my own judgment wasn't so bad after all." Delta crossed her arms, her heterochromatic eyes fixed on the screen. The words spoken earlier had clearly put her in a better mood.
"Still... he failed in the end. All of them… people with no place to call home." Kasumi sighed, her expression a little complicated.
"What's the point in overthinking it?" Bronie smirked. "Look at us now. From the very beginning, we've stuck together. Hey—you guys aren't spies or anything, are you? Just saying—come clean and we'll go easy on you. Resist, and we'll show no mercy."
"...Running into you the moment I stepped out—what is there to say? Just chalk it up to bad luck." Delta's brow twitched as she replied in a cold, slightly provocative tone.
"A... seed of original intent? The initial seed that leads toward one of countless possible futures? That's quite an interesting setup~" Irene paused, then smiled.
Of course, she had been part of the voice acting. She wasn't particularly shocked by any of what happened—except perhaps that heartfelt confession between the Captain and Luna in the narrow world, which made her a little jealous.
But as for the Ferryman's final revelation of the truth—she seemed thoughtful. Her gaze lingered on Luo Mo.
"Captain… what are your thoughts right now?"
____________
____________
Interlude Chapter – The Person and the Story of the Old Warship
(Roughly equivalent to a filler update while the author struggles with their thesis lately)
A delicately sealed envelope enclosed the laptop. As the cover was flipped open, yellowed pages of a notebook appeared inside.
The Captain carefully read its contents and discovered that it was someone's handwritten notes.
Maybe it should be called:
"A Hero's Journal of Becoming a Dark Dragon",
—or perhaps, just the story of a hero who ultimately couldn't save anything.
---
Notebook Entry One:
"How long have I been observing this world?
1,344 days? Or was it 1,345? I can't quite remember anymore."
"But that doesn't matter. There's no time to dwell on the past. I must prepare to face the future once again."
"The distance between the earth and the sky has closed by another seven centimeters.
The scar in the sky above the western refuge has been widened by four more centimeters thanks to him."
"The hour hand on my right arm has now completely pierced through the scar in the sky.
Looks like the clock has discovered this world again.
The next time-cleansing event will probably come no later than seven months from now."
"The Stigma Core is nearing its limit—I must find a way to heal the sky before the hour hand strikes down again."
"So, Hyperion, let us set sail once more."
"Take me to worlds beyond this one—to other worlds."
"Among the countless worlds, there must be one where I can find a way to mend the scar in the sky...
To restore this world to how it once was."
"And after that, give everyone a place to call home."
"I will make it happen."
---
Notebook Entry Two:
"As expected, each world is just as small and fragile as the last."
"Worlds are not connected by tunnels like some expect, but are instead scattered like bubbles in an endless ocean."
"In that sea, a world is merely an insignificant speck of foam—fragile and fleeting, crumbling the moment it's touched."
"The seawater constantly erodes the edges of these bubbles, and that's why our world is growing smaller and smaller, even developing wounds.
The clock hands—those hunters from the sea—are born from this."
"Hyperion and I have sailed through this sea for four months, yet still haven't found a single intact world."
"If they're not already destroyed, then they're on the verge of collapse."
"So, does that mean every world is doomed to share the same fate in the end?"
"..."
"No. That can't be. How could I possibly believe in something like fate? I'm sure I can still find a place for everyone to call home."
"The hour hand is nearing. I must return one more time. I'll prove to you all that humanity is not as insignificant as specks of dust—
not something to be trampled on at your whim."
"I'll protect everything with all I have.
No matter what kind of divine being brings destruction,
I will drive you away."
"I will give everyone…
a safe haven to call home."
"I will make it happen."
---
Notebook Entry Three:
(...)
---
Notebook Entry Four:
"I rode the towering wave that could devour the heavens, and carried the world back to its eternal origin."
"Fate is like a black hole in the heart of the universe—slowly swallowing every last speck of light."
"So is the pursuit of light really just a form of suffering?
What a cruel yet strangely accurate description."
"If the final outcome of fate is darkness…
then I will become the only light that remains."
"I will lead you all…
to a perfect new world."
"Yes.
All our sacrifices—
they were for that moment to arrive."
"I will make it happen."
------
Inside Theresa's mansion.
"These notebooks..."
Kongming hesitated as she spoke, the feather fan in her hand stirring slightly.
"Even though they're only a few lines," Irene said with a faint smile, "they still manage to paint a story that's not exactly... heartwarming."
"If this really is the captain's writing, I wouldn't be surprised,"
"But if it's from that Ferryman, then..."
"I can only say — time really is a terrifying thing," said Bronie with a sigh, shaking her head in mild unease.
What could have turned that once pure, straightforward young man with such firm values… into that?
"Human, you won't also end up changing that much in the future, will you?" Luna asked, a little worried.
"Probably... not," Luo Mo replied, slightly embarrassed.
---
They walked over to another exhibit on display.
In front of them were several exquisitely crafted medals arranged on a display stage.
On closer inspection, each medal had a different engraved design.
"Captain, are you interested in these medals?"
Irene gently made a welcoming gesture.
"To be honest, the original designs of these medals — were all created by me."
"I see. Could you tell me more about their origins?"
This time, the captain was clearly intrigued.
After all, he didn't know much about the people who had once served on this very ship.
"Of course. These medals belonged to those who once served — or are still serving — on this warship."
"Which one would you like to hear the story behind first?"
---
[Inspecting Medal One]
A purple medal with a flower engraved on it — immediately giving away that it belonged to Irene herself.
"This one's yours?" the Captain asked, pointing at it. That bouquet design looked extremely familiar.
"That's right," Irene said, filled with nostalgia.
"As the original designer of the medals, the very first one naturally belongs to me."
---
[Inspecting Medal Two]
A fiery red medal.
Engraved on it were tiny, familiar-looking mechanical figures — One of them was a small robot, facing off with a meteorite with its iron fists.
"This medal belonged to a brilliant scientist.
Most of the systems installed on this ship were her work," Irene explained.
"Even the stars in the sky couldn't match her intellect."
"She referenced the consciousness projection technology of the Hyperion and developed a new type of AI — a robot capable of anchoring to a specific time-point and projecting human consciousness into it."
"Consciousness projection... That sounds familiar," The Captain recalled the unique little robot from one of the parallel worlds — the one with the iron fists.
"Yes... When the scientist pushed the performance of consciousness projection to its absolute limit, she also discovered a troubling side effect — the projected consciousness would retain residual memories."
"To prevent issues, she issued a strict ban on consciousness projection.
But then... to save certain things, there was no choice but to use it again."
"She discovered that the Ferryman had been secretly using projection.
Though she could understand the pain he was enduring... she couldn't condone his actions."
"To address the side effects, the scientist conducted secret experiments on herself.
But eventually, she became lost — drowning in the sea of residual memories and falling into an eternal slumber."
"When we finally found her, there was only the little robot beside her, relating the entire story in her voice — She had pre-recorded everything into the robot beforehand."
"That robot... it was Terir, wasn't it?"
Irene nodded, confirming his guess.
"So originally, it was the ferryman who left Little Special with me. But why did he help me?" the Captain asked.
"I'm sorry. I could never fully understand what that man was thinking," Irene replied.
"Maybe... he no longer believed there truly was a way to escape that inevitable end."
The Captain responded:
"But if from the beginning you never believed...
then you don't even have the right to judge whether success is possible or not."
"What you said is absolutely right, Captain," Irene said softly.
"That's exactly why you are more qualified than he ever was…to reach that opportunity."
"That opportunity to become... 『The One Who Protects Others』."
---
Inside Theresa's mansion.
"Although I had long suspected it… so it's true after all…"
Luo Mo took a deep breath.
"Mr. Iron Fist really was left behind by the Ferryman."
"Huh? Then judging by the similarity in design, wouldn't that mean the one this medal represents is Dr. Tesla?" Kiana exclaimed in surprise.
To be honest, in her heart, Tesla had always seemed a bit… less dependable than Einstein —
Not by a small margin either.
Even though most of her impressions came from game introductions, and although she had encountered Tesla a few times in person, none of those interactions had convinced her otherwise.
Compared to believing Tesla created the robot, it was harder for her to accept that Tesla had ever even been a crew member of the ship.
"Although Bronya would like to argue that maybe Dr. Einstein could also build a robot like Little Teriri… But judging by the imagery on that medal… there's no way," Bronya said regretfully.
-----
[Inspecting Medal Three]
A sky-blue medal. Engraved on it — a bowl of instant noodles.
"She was a free spirit," Irene began,
"but it was precisely because she witnessed the death of freedom… that she left."
"She stopped fighting — because she had already lost the reason to fight."
"You should be able to picture her,"
"In that world, she was a battle sprite fighting to liberate the villagers oppressed by the Mountain God."
"Her final battle… was a choice between the lives of thousands of people and recovering the Ether Anchor."
"In the end, she chose to save the innocent lives —but the Ferryman forcibly retrieved the Ether Anchor anyway."
"She couldn't understand his hopes. And he, in turn, could not allow her compassion."
"So she returned her medal… and from that moment, went her separate way from all of us."
---
"Mm… you know what I'm thinking, right, Mei? Instant noodles, spirit, freedom — I'm sure you've got that person's image in your head too," Kiana said, trying hard to suppress her laughter.
The image of that hot-blooded "Spring Spirit" was vividly stirring in her mind.
Although it might just be a coincidence… she was sure it was her.
"Yeah… It's definitely her. That Herrscher without a Herrscher's skin," Mei chuckled,
"Still going strong, showing up wherever and whenever she wants."
---
[Inspecting Medal Four]
A pale blue medal.
Engraved on it — a four-leaf clover in black and white, its leaves damaged: three of them broken.
"She was born with a silver spoon, and yet… she lost everything and left."
"She was innocent and passionate, meticulous and sensitive. A girl of great fortune — always the one to help us turn crisis into safety."
"She was the last among the original trio of comrades — and the one who clashed the most fiercely with the Ferryman."
"Back then, we encountered a massive, flower-like monster in the Quantum Sea. Because the Ferryman insisted on capturing it alive, several worlds suffered near-apocalyptic devastation."
"She… changed. She screamed, questioned, even attacked the Ferryman. She tried to activate the ship's railgun to destroy the creature on the spot."
"But… I stopped her."
There was a deep, unspoken sorrow on Irene's face.
Still, she continued, voice thick with memory —
memories bubbling up like bitter wine from the bottom of her heart.
This was no warm recollection.
"She did everything she could — managing to protect just three of the fragmented worlds.
The rest were destroyed beyond recognition."
"She eventually left, battered and broken.
Her medal fell and remained here."
"Not long after, the Ferryman asked me to leave the ship as well. And since then… I never returned."
The Captain: "I think… maybe he was afraid of losing his last comrade, so he tried to make you keep your distance from him."
"Perhaps," Irene murmured, "Maybe that's true.
Maybe that's why the Ferryman treated you, Captain, the same way."
"Me?" the Captain asked.
Irene didn't answer directly.
Instead, she gently continued the thought.
"Maybe… he was just afraid of remembering his original wish —
a simple one: 『To provide a place of refuge for everyone』."
----
Inside Theresa's mansion
"Who is this?" Kiana asked curiously, as if forgetting to recall who the person in question was.
Luo Mo spread his arms.
"I don't even know myself," he replied.
"Huh? You don't even know who she is?" Kongming raised an eyebrow in disbelief.
"Well… I guess she might be Seele?? There's definitely a missing chapter in the original story—maybe there was a scene of her traveling alongside Hyperion. But what little I know from the introductions… her character just doesn't match exactly," Luo Mo answered hesitantly. After all, how could he really know that?
Although in many ways he'd done well… well, he had to avoid making stuff up now.
---
[Inspecting Medal Five]
A bicolor (red/light blue) medal with a rabbit engraved on it.
"This medal belongs to that adorable little girl. She may have been young, but her eyes already held so many secrets."
"Her past isn't known to us yet—perhaps someday she can tell you herself," Irene said.
"But I'm sure of this: she matured far sooner than expected and took on more responsibility than any of us."
Upon seeing the red‑blue enamel alongside the rabbit engraving, Bronie unconsciously glanced at her companion. It didn't take any hesitation to conclude that this medal probably belonged to that person. Red and blue were earmarks of her usual palette—hair, clothing, and the look she had during her time with her little sisters. But…
-----
"A rabbit?" Bronie exclaimed softly in surprise, half in disbelief.
"Why, do you have a problem with that?" Kiana teased, "Isn't it odd how many parallels we have? You're a clan of shadows; so am I. You represent the rabbit motif; so do I. You'd never expect two people sharing such coincidental traits on the same battleship, right?"
"—Enough," Delta mumbled nonchalantly. "I'm not a clan of shadows."
-----
Elsewhere, as the Captain explores the ship's corridor—
There's a floating display: a cube-shaped horn-like structure with no apparent thickness.
It looked oddly familiar to the Hyperion's consciousness projection module—but missing the girl's smile and the strange symbol.
"Irene, what is this?" he asked.
"I'm sorry, Captain. I don't know," she replied.
"I only heard that—it connects to another world."
Even Irene didn't know its secret. The Captain, suddenly drawn by its mysterious energy, couldn't resist approaching it.
It pulsed with piercing white light—
And captured his entire attention, his every thought.
---
In the next moment, the deck of the Grand Bend Ship appeared—brand new.
Refitted, freshly equipped with aura of readiness,
as if stepping onto it again were like entering the youthful dream of becoming a hero.
You were not the same as the memory you had.
But you still believed: she is her.
Her puppet-like face chimed with surprise, delight, and recognition.
And you… smiled, stiffly, though your puppet face couldn't show it.
The joy swelled from your heart.
She responded in kind.
"Luna… long time no see."
"No matter how long it takes—
no matter where you end up—
I will bring you back."
You gripped her gently.
Later… she sighed softly,
her gaze damp with emotion.
---
On the wall in front of you, the protective building stones of the ship's entrance suddenly shimmered and revealed ancient inscriptions:
Three large stone tablets, each recording a story.
---
Tablet One
"The sky ripped open as waterfalls fell.
Great waves devoured our city.
Angel-messengers of destruction tore through the mortal realm."
"The earth cracked, homes collapsed,
mountains broke apart as if cut."
"At the brink of ending, someone reached out to us—"
"I recognized that vessel—it was a great ark of rescue. A ship that pierced through apocalypse."
"I'd never seen such a craft.
But I knew it must be Noah's Ark from legend—
A vessel that cleared the storm,
letting sunlight once again shine across the land."
"A dove returned with an olive branch in its beak.
Children presented it at the Water Gate."
"We danced, we dreamed,
waiting for tomorrow's promise."
---
Tablet Two
"...But then the rain resumed. Day after day. Year after year. Even Noah had no power to stop it this time."
"The farmland dwindled; seeds struggled to sprout. Each day brought hunger and death beyond expectation."
"So he used the remaining olive branch,
spurred by strange power, to build a magical shield—separating the rain from our homeland again."
"And in time, a new city rose over endless seas.
Noah led us with hope."
"If only we wait...wait for that ark to return from the deep…
It will surely carry us to a new world."
---
Tablet Three
"At last, the cruel Bull Titan shattered that fragile barrier. The sea flooded us again."
"Our city was destroyed once more. One by one, they were swallowed."
"I had thought I could accept that fate, until someone reached out and saved me."
"Why do you cry? You don't need to blame yourself."
"The Anchor Points… phase worlds… Sea of Quanta… destruction… I don't fully understand it. Please don't say sorry."
"Our world was destined for ruin. But you gave us hope once again. From beginning to end, we believed in you— to find a new world and build a world no longer hungry."
"So… take them with you. Carry them along with all our Anchor Points. Carry our entire world."
"Our hope is your hope. Let our world become the nourishment for something new."
"Even if you're not the story of Noah… Even if you're just the Ferryman on the seas…
You can do this—because…"
"You have always been…
Our hero."