Shu frowned at the conclusion reached by his absolute rationality. He wasn't very satisfied with this result.
Kai was one thing; he was already the best helper Shu could think of. But Cocolia and Noah...
Shu silently waved his hand. A figure of Noah appeared outside the canopy. The real Noah's eyes, already not small, widened even further.
He watched as his other self raised a hand and slowly reached for the canopy.
When the hand was about a centimeter away, a portion of the canopy extended, actively meeting Noah's hand. Then, Noah passed through the canopy without any resistance.
Shu glanced at Kiana and the others on the other side. Seeing no reaction from them, Shu narrowed his eyes slightly.
The next moment, the figure outside the canopy became Shu. The aura around him began to surge, infinitely approaching Noah's.
He then reached his hand toward the canopy. At the same distance, the canopy began to actively welcome him. Shu slowly moved into the canopy, and soon his entire hand was inside.
But the moment his chest touched the canopy, Shu sensed the faint light that had been accommodating "him" pause for a moment, followed by a pathetically weak repulsive force rushing toward him.
This force was so faint it shattered against Shu's body. Then, as usual, the canopy began to self-destruct.
Shu raised his hand to stop everything, then waved to reset the scene before him. He then touched his chest, his expression grim.
Aura, power... he could imitate Noah's, but the fundamental nature of his core couldn't be changed. He still couldn't pass through the canopy...
What if the core was real, too?
Shu glanced at Noah. The core was inside his body. Right now, Shu was fully capable of taking the boy's core for his own.
The hand on his chest could feel his own heartbeat. Its somewhat rapid frequency made his already cold expression even worse.
My body should... still be able to handle one more core, right...?
"Do you want us to go in?" Just as he was pondering how long he could withstand three cores, and whether that core could deceive the canopy along with his other cores, Cocolia suddenly spoke.
Cocolia had watched the entire process from the side. The logic Shu had worked through wasn't complicated; any normal person could understand it.
Right now, Shu needed help to get inside the canopy he didn't dare to break, and once inside, to use special weapons to sever the threads connected to his teammates.
And Noah had the ability to enter that canopy without causing any effect. The personnel were practically decided.
But there seemed to be a reason for this. Cocolia guessed the reason lay in the "Herrscher Core" Shu had mentioned earlier.
He had the ability to remove the core, but if he did... Noah would die.
Seeing Shu lost in thought, Cocolia knew she had to speak up. His current state was not right. Cocolia had no doubt that he would actually make a move to snatch the core.
Even if his image had always been that of a very agreeable, good person.
Shu didn't answer, merely raising his eyes to glance at Cocolia.
"I was among the people you selected, right? Since you need me, then let me carry out your plan," Cocolia said, placing a hand on her chest.
Shu's gaze was terrifyingly cold, devoid of any emotional fluctuation.
"You are not trustworthy." It was a statement, a final verdict with no room for discussion.
But Cocolia took a step forward. "I assume you've heard some things. It's true, I'm good at betrayal, and I'm good at turning on my own people. Perhaps my perspective on things is different from a normal person's, and even more incompatible with yours."
"But compared to you, my concern for Bronya is by no means less. I even care for her more than you—" Cocolia abruptly stopped herself. Her lips twitched as she forced the words back down.
This was not the time to say such things. Cocolia didn't even dare to clench her fists, merely watching Shu's expression.
It was too cold... That expression was like ten-thousand-year-old ice that had seen all of life and death. It was a gaze one could only have after stepping into despair.
At that moment, Cocolia suddenly thought of Shu's past. Perhaps he hadn't had it as easy as the Fire Moth's broadcasts made it seem. He might have lost many, many things he couldn't afford to lose on his path of growth.
But at that moment, an irrepressible smile appeared on Cocolia's lips.
She knew her request was a sure thing.
Shu would definitely agree. Definitely.
Upon hearing Cocolia's unfinished sentence, Shu's eyelashes fluttered. Evolution's mockery echoed in his ears for a moment.
A crack appeared in Shu's expression. He lowered his eyes, sighed, and reined in some of his sharpness.
Cocolia's character was questionable, her methods even more despicable. But while Shu could question her moral fiber, he truly could not doubt her concern for Bronya and the others.
Even if it was twisted...
And Noah... his identity made Shu unwilling to trust him. But if he really wanted to cooperate with Cocolia, then he couldn't touch Noah. They still needed Noah to get through the canopy.
Did he really have to trust these two?
Could there be a better way? Was entrusting it to himself the best method?
But what if his core still couldn't pass through? That was the last resort, draining the pond to catch the fish. If even that method didn't work, then he would truly have to... rewind again.
The moment the thought returned to "rewind again," a tiny bit of confidence appeared in the emptiness of Shu's heart.
Right now, there were only these two solutions. And he had the chance to rewind. So he would try both methods! He would definitely find the optimal solution...
"Alright." When he spoke, he only then noticed that his voice was already hoarse beyond recognition. Cocolia's tense body relaxed, and she looked at the scenes around Shu.
"Explain it in detail... What do you need us to do?"
"You need to sever the threads on three people at the same time. The only weapons that can sever the threads are these—" Shu waved his hand, displaying three model images.
The pseudo-Xuanxuan, the Key of Remembrance, and the Key of Genesis.
In addition, there was a picture of Sirin. "And she can do it too... Noah might be able to as well. Remember, you must sever them at the exact same time. If the timing is off, the person who hasn't been freed from control will die instantly."
Cocolia nodded with a grave expression. With the addition of the "simultaneously" requirement, the difficulty of the mission was already suffocating.
"And now, I will tell you about that Herrscher's abilities."