AR-214 watched the man who had suddenly appeared before her and silently took a step back.
She assumed a combat stance.
It was as if, should Leon make a move, she would immediately exchange a few blows with him and then seize the opportunity to flee.
"Tiernan told me that this Penacony is a place worthy of salvation."
Leon stood with both hands in his pockets, his gaze fixed directly on the slightly modified Sam.
In the movie, in the eyes of the audience, and even in Firefly's view, everyone assumed he was facing Firefly, who was playing the role of AR-214.
But in reality, in Leon's eyes, that was not the case.
He was not facing Firefly.
He was facing the genuine, authentic AR-214 existing in the past!
Yes, in truth, he was Li Huowang.
It was nothing much, merely a super-sized ability created by gathering four types of Paths into one body.
Brother, Leon had a whole four of these broken, cheat-like Paths on him!
"The Enigmata," "The Hunt," "Terminus."
—And the most critical one, "Remembrance."
"Terminus" was used to return to precise, critical nodes.
"The Hunt" was used to alter the causality he wished to change.
"The Enigmata" was used to impose authentication to stabilize the changes.
"Remembrance" was used to register the residence, making the changes truly exist.
Traversing the past, pre-fetching the future, controlling the present.
So what if it was something that had already become a foregone conclusion in reality?
Tragedy cannot be rewritten? If I say it can, then it can!
Firefly felt that the past was already the past, and nothing could be changed.
For an ordinary person, that was indeed true, but Leon was no ordinary person.
He was a human caught between man and god, only a single step away from becoming a god.
Things others couldn't do, if it were him, he could absolutely do them!
If you believe you can do it, then you certainly can!
Inverting cause and effect, moving against time—this was already a common occurrence for Leon.
It was completely unworthy of surprise.
"I didn't feel that way when I heard it." Leon looked at AR-214.
Just now, he had made a move, allowing her to successfully escape the "Dreammaster's" demonic claws.
She managed to escape and gained a chance to survive.
The "Dreammaster" here was, of course, not the real article; the real one had already been completely shot down by an arrow from him not long ago.
There would no longer be a "Dreammaster" existing in the world.
It was just that history possesses self-correction, so in the past, a phantom of Gopher Wood would still exist.
However, the "Dreammaster" Gopher Wood here was merely a false image fabricated using "The Enigmata."
Not only that, even the events AR-214 was supposed to experience in the original historical records were fictionalized by Leon into the appearance of the script that was about to be staged.
For example, she did not possess the ability to attract the Swarm.
It was simply that dirty water had been thrown on her; the mastermind behind everything was the Dreammaster.
He was the true culprit for why Swarms appeared so frequently in Penacony.
Mainly because the "Dreammaster," that prick, engages in "History Fictionology" every single day,
Leon felt that if he didn't "History Fictionology" him back, he wouldn't be able to get over it.
Give him a taste of his own medicine, after all.
The "Dreammaster" could not simply not exist; he was a necessary character needed to turn the fake into the real.
In order for "Remembrance" to recognize this segment of history as official history, he had to exist.
This was the reason why Leon fictionalized the "Dreammaster," and it was also where his objective lay.
"Tiernan—have you heard this name?"
In Leon's view, there was only one reason he would come to Penacony for no apparent reason.
That was because he had been entrusted by someone.
However, if it were March 7th, he felt he wouldn't have come to Penacony because of Mikhail.
Rather, he would have come for Tiernan, for this Galaxy Ranger who had already passed away.
AR-214 remained silent, shaking her head slightly.
"Never heard of him?"
Leon's tone remained normal. "To tell you the truth, I'm not familiar with this name either."
AR-214 didn't say a word.
She retracted her combat stance; she could sense that there was no hostility in the person before her.
"But the reason I came to Penacony is precisely because of his dying wish."
AR-214 waited quietly for Leon to continue.
She was now surrounded by enemies; everyone in Penacony was looking for her.
Those who had previously welcomed her into this beautiful dream with great hospitality now all wanted to drive her out and hand her over to the Dreammaster for judgment.
She could have just walked away, but she couldn't leave.
Within Penacony, "The Propagation" had not yet been resolved.
She couldn't sit back and watch; if she left now, the majority of people in Penacony would suffer disaster.
AR-214 didn't know why she wanted to care so much; judging by the current situation, there was no better choice than for her to leave directly.
Perhaps it was because death from Entropy Loss Syndrome was close at hand, or perhaps she wanted to make her death more valuable.
Perhaps it was just her nature to be a busybody.
AR-214 didn't know.
It was just that she thought, even if she had to leave, she must leave after resolving the matter completely!
She didn't like to give up halfway.
Since she chose to do this thing, chose to participate in the matter of Penacony's Swarm disaster,
Then she should draw a complete period to this matter.
This was the way of death she had chosen for herself in the end!
"Tiernan, a dead Galaxy Ranger."
Leon spoke unhurriedly, "I saw his Blood Sin Spirit."
"I saw it, his obsession."
Stopping at the right point; with this, the audience already understood why he had come.
"The official authority of The Family is very great."
"As a builder of Penacony, he had wanted to return to Penacony several times, but was shut out every time."
Leon continued, "He didn't want property, status, or position."
"He could do without a single needle or thread from Penacony."
"He just wanted to see his good friend one more time, just wanted to know his current status."
AR-214 did not make any comments, acting as a good listener.
"In Penacony's most desolate times,"
"Tiernan came. He stayed for the first half of his life. No matter what turmoil occurred during that period, he never left this land."
It cannot be denied that Gopher Wood was indeed good from the beginning.
"But when Penacony became prosperous day by day, and even had a beautiful reputation of its own, it began to disdain the builder instead, disdaining his dirtiness."
"Wanting to bury the entire past, treating it as if it never existed."
But it must also be admitted that Gopher Wood had indeed committed acts of ingratitude.
"Tiernan could have blown up at The Family, but he chose not to do so."
"...Why?"
AR-214 felt that the person he was talking about was not someone else, but herself.
"Why?"
A powerful Pathstrider, while unable to bring any massive trouble to The Family,
The Family shouldn't think of quieting him so easily either.
"Because this is a place he raised up with his own hands."
One could only say that Tiernan's morals were simply too high.
Or perhaps the lineage of "The Hunt" is all like this. In the Path simulated by Lycus,
The driving force of "The Hunt" is related to restraint.
"He finally died in obscurity in a corner, never seeing his good friend again until death."
Leon slowly recounted the life of this Galaxy Ranger.
"Ending his life in such depression, it wouldn't be a problem even if he hated Penacony when he died, right?"
"But he didn't."
Leon's gaze met the eyes of the pilot behind the layer of the Iron Cavalry suit.
"Even so, Tiernan never hated Penacony or even the Dreammaster by half a bit."
Because in his eyes, whether it was Penacony or the Dreammaster, they were still the way he knew them.
It must be The Family causing trouble within.
"His Blood Sin Spirit."
"The obsession that constitutes it is nothing else but the concern for Penacony that he couldn't let go of."
AR-214 was a bit dazed, not knowing what she had thought of.
"I came to see him off."
Leon spoke again, "Do you know?"
"The thing you are doing was originally my mission."
He was referring to fighting the Swarm.
Tiernan couldn't let go of Penacony, so naturally, he hoped a successor would act when Penacony encountered danger.
This was his dying wish.
"You clearly saved Penacony, yet the people you saved treat you like this."
Leon began to get to the main topic. "I really want to know, what are your thoughts on this?"
"I can uphold justice for your unfair treatment."
He said, "But the premise is that you feel it is unfair."
AR-214 fell silent for a long time.
She didn't speak, and Leon didn't speak either, acting like a master.
Just watching to see who would speak first.
"...Thank you, but I do not feel it is unfair."
AR-214 shook her head, evidently making the same decision as the Tiernan he spoke of.
"From beginning to end, I never expected others to necessarily hold gratitude towards me."
This question... the answer...
Existed the moment AR-214 chose to charge into the Penacony Swarm disaster.
"I do these things only for myself, not for anyone else."
AR-214 said with incomparable seriousness.
"Moreover, most people here are just being incited."
Leon.
Did he need to enlighten AR-214 and point out the path for her?
According to what Robin wanted to display, it was needed, but he felt it wasn't needed.
Enlightenment? What enlightenment? One walks their own path.
Having chosen this long road of life, then persist in walking this path to the end.
This is what a Pathstrider is.
Leon never felt that mere words could make a Pathstrider change direction casually.
Unless one used overwhelming power and despair.
"Then, do what you believe is right."
Having said that, Leon turned and vanished into the long night.
Leaving AR-214 standing alone in place.
Whether in the movie or in the past synchronized by Leon, the subsequent development was very simple.
AR-214 found the reason why the Swarm attacked frequently and also saw through the "Dreammaster's" conspiracy.
From beginning to end, the only one who wanted to harm Penacony was him.
AR-214 faced the trap he had set directly.
In the end, AR-214 shattered the "Dreammaster's" plan.
Bearing the infamy, she saved Penacony from deep waters and scorching fire.
High EQ: Still sticking to Firefly's script in this part.
Low EQ: Plagiarism.
One couldn't really call it plagiarism; it could be counted as seeking truth from facts.
After all, isn't the best ending for the Glamoth Iron Cavalry right now Firefly?
Modifying AR-214's ending using her as a template was indeed no problem.
And at the very, very end, with the help of the Galaxy Ranger, the whole truth came to light.
AR-214's innocence, the Swarm's attacks, the truth about the "Dreammaster."
These were all made public.
Most people in Penacony thought AR-214 had died, leading directly into a scene of regret turned too late.
So, did AR-214 actually die?
The people of Penacony in the play appeared not to know, but the audience who had watched the previous segments all knew.
In the earlier decisive battle between AR-214 and the Dreammaster.
AR-214 and the Dreammaster, who had brought out his full strength, were in a stalemate for a long time.
Although it looked like they were evenly matched, the signs of AR-214's defeat were already obvious.
But at this moment, a seemingly non-existent breeze brushed past.
Immediately after, an invisible arrow pierced through the "Dreammaster's" chest right then and there.
AR-214 was victorious and successfully survived.
She disengaged the Iron Cavalry armor, revealing her true appearance.
Her small face, climbed over by the patterns of Entropy Loss Syndrome, lifted slightly, gazing into the distance in the direction from which that arrow had just struck.
And the camera lens of the movie, following the conclusion of the great battle, gave a view of a back figure.
[The wind today is truly clamorous.]
Simultaneously, a line of dialogue was given.
With Leon's interference, AR-214 would not, and absolutely could not, die.
The final segment of the movie.
It was AR-214 walking into the crowd.
She wandered aimlessly through Penacony, and finally, due to a glimpse out of the corner of her eye at a display stand outside a clothing store, she stopped her steps.
She saw a beautiful dress.
It was a very famous student uniform. The audience could clearly see that AR-214 was very interested.
There was longing in her eyes.
But the high price made her stop and stare.
Finally, a Galaxy Ranger stepped forward to buy it for her.
"Do you have a name?" he asked.
"I do now," AR-214 answered with a smile.
Just now, when purchasing the clothing, the young girl learned that it had a pleasant-sounding name.
Called Spring Day Souvenir.
It was also at that moment that she had her own name.
She liked the character "Chun" (Spring) very much, although she didn't know what the character "Chun" represented.
But it just fit her eyes very well.
"Xichun. This is my name."
Leon glanced at her; this name was chosen by AR-214 herself.
Whether in the movie or in reality, it was so.
Previously, when discussing the script and this segment symbolizing rebirth, asking what name would be good to use as an ending.
Firefly, as the actor for AR-214, had brought this name up.
Many people thought she had come up with it on the spot standing from AR-214's perspective, using her personality, vision, and psychology to choose this name.
But she said this was chosen by AR-214 herself.
Changing things was never random fabrication; that dress in the movie naturally existed in reality.
Before, when Leon spent money to buy clothes for them, AR-214 had indeed seen the name of this dress.
Spring Day Souvenir.
The character "Spring" hit AR-214's eye at once.
During the journey, she had asked Firefly several times about the meaning of this character.
Spring, it has always represented the beginning after the end.
Hope and expectation, vitality and future.
It was indeed suitable for the AR-214 of that time.
"It's a good name."
The Galaxy Ranger in the play said to Firefly; the Leon in reality said to AR-214.
Neither of the two spoke again, just walking side by side like that.
No one asked about the next destination; they didn't know where they were going either.
They were simply walking, walking.
As if preparing to stroll through all twelve hours.
The pace forward was neither fast nor slow; at first, they were in step without a fraction of a difference.
But soon, someone fell behind.
AR-214 stopped her steps, looking at Leon's back, and did not march forward again.
The Entropy Loss patterns crawled all over her cheeks.
Her lips parted slightly, seemingly saying something, but no sound was emitted.
Xichun, who had stopped, was crowded by the flow of people.
Amidst the crowd, she looked back and smiled, carrying relief, carrying satisfaction.
And just at this moment, a hand broke through the airtight crowd, reaching towards her.
—Entering her eyes was that Galaxy Ranger.
The image came to an abrupt halt, and the movie entered a black screen.
[Fate is hard to say as she wanders in its shadow, only because she lives freely on the stage she built]
And a commentary appeared on the black screen.
Everything ended; the movie let down the curtain right there.
No one knew what the final ending actually was.
The form it displayed gave the audience a somatic experience that had a dedicated term.
Called an open ending.
Which means it could be good, or it could be bad; it all depends on which side the audience's inclination is heavier.
However, that hand reaching towards Xichun at the end gave the audience great hope.
Perhaps history is too heavy to get a glimpse of.
But at least in the story, that young girl was given the gentlest ending.
But no matter what, this was just a movie.
It was not reality.
As for how reality was?
Let us pull the perspective back to not long ago, back to when Firefly had just finished filming the last segment of this movie.
____
New Story: Danmachi: But I am a God, time to make a family!
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