Outside.
Looking at Theresa, who had transformed into the Twilight Knight, everyone's eyes widened involuntarily.
That speed and power beyond limits were unleashed simultaneously with the darkness stirring in her heart!
The sky seemed to be graced by a crescent moon. Under the moonlight, the Knight's judgment killed with the twilight!
Blade after blade of Twilight Daggers, like Shadow Saints, inflicted the Echo of Judgment upon Sirin!
That ethereal, ghostly aura made the Theresa outside feel her heart pounding wildly.
"So cool! Blood Knight Phase Four... It's like standing in the twilight, watching the blood-red darkness press down layer by layer on the horizon. A Knight in Perpetual Night delivering judgment and execution to the bad guys! It's exactly like a scene from an adventure novel!"
Theresa's eyes shone brightly, wishing she could dive into the screen and take her place!
"Wait, wait~ How did Aunt instantly change clothes and tie up her hair on the side? I didn't see that wrong, did I?"
Kiana raised an eyebrow, noticing something amiss.
"She didn't have that hairstyle a moment ago. Changing a hairstyle takes at least ten minutes, right? Why can she transform in one second?" She vaguely sensed how ridiculous this was.
She's not a Magical Girl, so how can she change outfits instantly?
Oh~ Theresa is Magical Girl Teriri, then everything is fine.
"Hey! Kiana, what kind of expression is that? Watch out, or I'll hit you!"
Theresa huffed in dissatisfaction, puffing out her cheeks like a little hamster stuffed with pine nuts, her face bulging.
"Ehehe~ You really are handsome, the world's most handsome Aunt. Just forgive me this once, okay?" Kiana pleaded cautiously upon hearing this, feeling more and more that her Aunt was a volatile loli who would transform at the drop of a hat.
"At worst, I'll just give you a huge, huge cake for your fiftieth birthday..."
Theresa: "..."
At this moment, she was nearly driven mad by her wretched niece; the Vishnu genes inside her body were on the verge of going berserk.
Normally, Rozaliya would certainly be surprised by Theresa's age, realizing they weren't peers.
But now, she didn't have the mind to care about that.
Gazing at the frozen image, the thoughts in her mind drifted far away.
"I can't live without Liliya, and Liliya can't live without me!"
"If Liliya wasn't here... I, I would be very lonely!"
Suddenly, two slightly cool, low whispers sounded in Rozaliya's ears.
The voice was utterly childish yet so gentle.
It was Liliya's voice.
"Liliya, I... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have—"
Her mouth unconsciously spoke the thoughts in her heart. Rozaliya quickly hugged Liliya tightly, rubbing her head against her body.
When she smelled the sweet scent of blueberries, tears welled up in Rozaliya's eyes.
So warm. She could never leave Liliya for the rest of her life!
Before the little pink-haired girl could finish speaking, Liliya reached out and gently comforted her, saying in a soft, childish voice, "It's okay. Liliya was never angry. I just hope Rozaliya pays more attention to Liliya, and also... don't run under the bed with strangers when playing hide-and-seek."
Hearing their conversation, a huge question mark flashed in Bronya's eyes.
What was that about running under the bed with strangers to play hide-and-seek?
But seeing the two little girls embracing and crying bitterly together, she reluctantly held her tongue.
"Hey~ the scene flashed back! Look!"
Kiana's shout drew the attention of everyone talking.
The scene, which had just been focused on Rozaliya, now returned to Seele... inside the Sea of Quanta, within a World Bubble. Following Sakura's passing.
Seele's sobs disappeared into the darkness.
In the darkness, a mysterious male voice suddenly rang out.
Deep and calm, it sounded as if it were recounting the demise of an epic.
"Hector knew the kingdom would eventually fall, and Achilles understood that he was walking toward death."
"But both of them still marched resolutely onto the battlefield."
"In this story, which was destined to be a tragedy from the start, no one ever hesitated or wavered."
"They were like this, and we, too, are like this."
Theirs is the story of the Trojan Horse.
Ours is the story of the Flame-Chasers.
Seele was startled, stopping her sobbing, and asked in panic, "Who, who is speaking?"
"I brought her remains back to our homeland, but when I arrived there..."
"All I saw was a barren wasteland."
"The Herrscher manipulated the launch silos and used nuclear bombs to completely destroy the only three remaining human cities."
"I stood in the square that had turned into ruins, and in my eyes, I couldn't see a single cherry blossom."
The male voice drifted from the air, recounting that painful past.
However, his voice no longer held the sorrow of the past.
Five thousand years had passed since these events.
A cherry blossom petal fluttered past Seele's eyes.
She could smell the faint floral fragrance.
But suddenly, ten thousand petals descended, forming a sea of flowers!
Seele was startled and closed her eyes in panic.
When she opened her eyes again, she vaguely saw a cherry blossom tree.
It was breathtakingly beautiful!
The clusters of cherry-colored flowers resembled a flowing river, as if all life in the world had been stained by this promise.
In that instant, in Seele's hazy eyes, which were as clear as pure honey.
The bright pink flowers blooming on it were the most beautiful sight she had ever witnessed in her life.
Seele was stunned. Turning her head, she suddenly realized a familiar person was standing under the cherry blossom tree.
Kevin, wearing the Flame-Chasers cloak, stood with his back to Seele and sighed, "On the scorched earth, I made a promise to her, and to everyone."
"No matter the cost..."
"Humanity will definitely defeat Honkai!"
"..."
The powerful, resonant tone startled Seele out of her shock.
She shook her head, her consciousness clearing slightly, and whispered suspiciously, "You are the Serpent. This World Bubble was created by you!"
So that was it. No wonder the World Serpent was an extremist organization willing to do anything to eliminate Honkai.
It was all because of Kevin's will.
No matter the cost.
Hearing Seele's words, Kevin turned around and slowly said, "That is my memory, the promise I failed to keep."
"Memories with comrades, the entrusted will, the future promised to everyone."
"They appear before my eyes day after day, like fleeting illusions, only to turn into nothingness."
"It is as if they are reminding me, over and over, of the reality that humanity was once wiped out by Honkai."
Obsession turned into shadow.
Countless hopes and awakenings ultimately devolved into a disillusioned World Bubble.
This was the root of his pain, the past that bred the Serpent, which views Honkai as a natural enemy.
Seele took half a step back and murmured, "Humanity... wiped out by Honkai?"
Right at this moment.
Suddenly!
Accompanied by the roaring engine tearing through space, Bronya sped down from the sky, cutting across the space between the two.
"Seele, quickly get away from him!"
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