The Herrscher has already received the relevant script. It only needs two hours to overcome this anchor...
Wait... why two hours?
The moment he touched the light emanating from the scepter, a burning sensation made the Herrscher frown.
Isn't this time a bit too certain? It's almost as if it's convinced it can break this anchor after two hours...
The Herrscher instinctively sensed that something was amiss. He withdrew his hand, took two steps back, and didn't act immediately.
Is it a trap? Or is there another motive? Or perhaps this is actually to delay time? What will happen in these two hours?
The Herrscher's brow furrowed. He felt that perhaps he shouldn't be wasting time with this anchor right now. Although he currently had no way of knowing what was happening because of this anchor, if he went out now, he could still quickly scan the entire orphanage with his own power.
But such a scan wouldn't be complete... There are always details in a play that the audience can't see. A single person's perspective can't see everything. Only a full theater can bring the most perfect plot to life.
The Herrscher stood there silently. After a long while, a smile suddenly appeared on his face.
"The most perfect drama... is never completely under control." He tilted his head back and looked at the scepter.
"Shu—come on, let me see what surprises you have prepared for me!"
"Only a plot that can make one's eyes light up! Is worthy of reaching the peak!" He laughed heartily, took a fierce step forward, and grabbed the scepter with both hands.
The scepter erupted with a brilliant light, as if to wash away all the surrounding darkness.
The Herrscher's hands were held ten centimeters from the scepter. The light passed over his body, peeling away his skin and flesh. Then, the Herrscher's chest revealed its edge.
Honkai energy surged from the core, filling the missing parts of the Herrscher's body, replacing the weak flesh.
His script indicated that he could complete the objective of overcoming the anchor within two hours. So, no matter what struggles the other side put up during this process, he could come up with a corresponding method to resolve it.
Perhaps the power remaining on the anchor would cause him some trouble, but it was just a remnant, a separated mass of Honkai energy with a predetermined program.
There wasn't even a shred of true power here! Once the Honkai energy with its preset resistance program was exhausted, the anchor would be completely destroyed by him.
Even if the amount of Honkai energy left behind was greater than his entire being! But within the script, only power had the ability to rewrite the script!
The suddenly erupting light pierced his body like a sharp sword, yet he laughed even more wantonly.
The dazzling light shot up into the sky, like a small sun, instantly enveloping the entire world within the canopy.
This light illuminated every corner of the orphanage. It even penetrated the walls of the cave, illuminating the world within.
Schrodinger leaned against the cave wall, looking at the light.
Even though she was facing the light, Schrodinger didn't feel it was glaring at all.
She consciously ignored the fact that this light had penetrated the cave wall, simply looking at the gradually weakening light with a wistful expression.
"It really is... a light that's hard to hate."
Time remaining until the end of the countdown—one hour and thirty minutes.
---||---
"Found her," Sin Mal said, squatting in a corner. She took out a pocket watch from her pocket and raised an eyebrow at the time.
"You still have about an hour to rest," Sin Mal said, putting away the pocket watch and looking at the dazed Frélle standing in the ruins before turning to Sirin behind her.
"You're the one who can't even stand steady right now!" Sirin leaned against the wall, crossed her arms, and shot Sin Mal a disdainful look.
"You'd better hide yourself well in a bit. Otherwise, I'll have to protect you, and I'm very tired!"
"What?!" Sin Mal looked at Sirin's slightly trembling legs in disbelief. "You should just focus on your own business! All you need to do is make the final move. Leave the rest to me!"
"How can I leave everything to you?! What if you mess up... no, what if you... that's not right either..." Sirin wanted to say something, but as soon as the words left her mouth, she realized something was wrong.
She couldn't say that at a time like this!
Sirin began to think deeply, and then she knew how to save face.
"What if you, you idiot, are too amazing and there's no room for me to shine?"
Sin Mal: "..."
It was clear she was really flustered.
Not only that, but she was flustered without losing her head, and was still trying to stand up for herself. This look...
Rozaliya's eyes must be broken. There's no way I'm like this.
"Tch, you just wait to collect your merits while lying down at the celebration party!" Despite her speechlessness, Sin Mal still had to retort.
The two looked at each other, then turned away in perfect sync once more.
Time remaining until the end of the countdown—one hour.
---||---
"Bronya-oneechan..." Seele said, looking at Bronya curled up in a corner, carefully hidden.
"'How rare...'" the voice in her mind murmured. "'For Big Sister to become like this...'"
"I've never seen Bronya-oneechan like this before," Seele said, shaking her head. There was no one around, so she just spoke softly to herself.
Although she could just think it in her mind, Seele still felt that speaking it out loud was truly communicating with the other.
"'Yeah, she used to be the epitome of strength. The only one who would hide in a little corner like this is a crybaby,'" the voice said with deep conviction.
"I..." Seele was suddenly mentioned, and her cheeks flushed. She tried to defend herself in a small voice, but she didn't have Sin Mal's righteous confidence. "I'm just... I..."
"'Heh, do you want me to mention that time you secretly cried and made up for it because you were careless and didn't get a perfect score on the exam?'"
"Ah... huh?" Seele was taken aback.
"'Or should I talk about you secretly wiping away tears because Rozaliya accidentally broke your handmade paper flower?'"
"No, that time I didn't..." Seele's face turned even redder.
"'Oh~ then it must have been when you burned your finger while making a chocolate cake for Big Sister and could only suck on your index finger while crying...'"
"Why... do you remember it so clearly?" Seele suddenly fell silent for a moment, because she couldn't recall when that had happened even after thinking for a while.
"'That's because these are all of Seele's cut... I... uh... cu—comical moments! Haha, hahaha.'"
What a stiff cover-up, what an awkward laugh...
Time remaining until the end of the countdown—thirty minutes.
---||---
Mei walked out from her hiding place, holding the pseudo-Xuanxuan sword, and stood before Kiana.
"Kiana... I will save you."
"No matter the cost."