"...Losing to two people at the same time—I'm quite the failure as a Herrscher." The Eighth Herrscher rested her chin on her fist. "But thinking about it, my 'sisters' all lost to humans too, so maybe it's fine? Humans are getting more terrifying; there are even cases of individuals surpassing Herrschers. I wonder if my 'younger sisters' will have one..."
"But it looks like I don't have time to think about the future anymore. What a terrifying gaze."
Su stared at the Eighth Herrscher with a gaze as sharp and lethal as a physical blade. Only after experiencing the dream himself did Su understand what she had truly done.
The so-called dream was actually a cage. It did contain the dreamer's ideal world, but the dreamer could not leave it of their own accord.
And once they attempted to wake up, they would be forcibly suppressed by the Eighth Herrscher. Her claim of "no force" was nothing but empty talk.
She never gave them a choice; she only wanted their consciousnesses to drown in the dream.
The Eighth Herrscher tilted her head. Regarding Su's rare, furious gaze, she felt very little... or rather, she possessed no emotions or humanity herself. No matter how she modeled herself after a human, she was fundamentally a different species.
Thus, two species who harbored hostility and could not understand each other needed no more words. In the next moment, the battle began within this conscious world.
...
"Time's up."
Yama suddenly leaped out of the sea. The seawater on her body evaporated instantly from the high heat within her. Hovering above the waves, her eyes turned into brilliant rainbow pupils.
"...Is this really necessary?" He sighed in her ear. "Even if we fail this time, there is always a next time. There are countless parallel worlds on the branches of the Imaginary Tree. Why go to this extent?"
"To you, there might be a next time. No... as far as this individual is concerned, you'd probably just need to spend another tens of thousands of years to find another, with endless chances for trial and error."
Yama flew to land and picked up Abyss Flower. Her expression was indifferent as she looked up at this empty world where she was the only one left.
"But he made a promise to me, and I will not give up my persistence. That leaves only two possibilities."
"Either I kill him just like every other Lin in the past to prove that the future cannot be changed, or he tramples over me to prove that your theory is feasible. Regardless of which occurs, I can no longer cooperate with you."
Hearing Yama's unwavering voice, he didn't know what to say.
"You are already different from us. Ten thousand years is enough to change a person." Yama's words struck a nerve.
Change...
After a long silence, he said softly, "Wait a few thousand more years, and perhaps you'll become like me."
"But at least for now, I am not."
After her sharp reply, Yama prepared to head toward the location of the Second Divine Key, but he called out to her.
"Wait. Since that's the case, do me a favor."
"What?"
"I'll lend you something for you to use on Lin." He paused, speaking in a joking tone. "Because your civilization ended after the Eleventh Honkai, you didn't see this thing's debut. Let me introduce it."
As his voice rose gently, a massive golden object fell from above Yama's head, descending before her like a meteor.
"This is a Divine Key made from the core of humanity's 'most terrifying' enemy. It was once my weapon."
It was a magnificent golden... cross.
...
Thud!
As Lin exited the observation instrument, his weakened consciousness failed him, and he collapsed to the floor. Seeing this, Vill-V immediately dropped her measurements and helped him up.
Lin brain felt empty, and phantom pains lingered throughout his body.
External injuries to a conscious form do not affect the physical body, but this time Lin had not only received consciousness energy from Aponia and Yama but had also suffered severe damage to his consciousness. Even without major issues, it would still affect his spirit.
Unlike traveling to parallel worlds or his own conscious world, this was the conscious world of a genuine Herrscher.
"Hah... hah..." Lin pupils constricted and dilated rapidly. His body was in an abnormal state, and his internal secretions were likely out of balance.
"Dystopia has been sent to the medical department. Wait a moment, I'll have the ELF..."
"...Kevin... where are they?"
Lin shook his head, enduring the discomfort. He looked around with vision full of afterimages and found that aside from Su, who was still in the instrument, and Einstein working nearby, some people were no longer there.
"MEI, Kevin, and Mobius are heading to the Eighth Herrscher's real-world coordinates. Dystopia, Kosma, and Spaciel are in the medical department attempting to save Dystopia." Vill-V quickly explained the situation. "Su is still fighting the Eighth Herrscher in the conscious world, preventing most of her consciousness from returning to reality or transferring."
Su...
Lin turned to look at Su, still inside the machine.
He's still fighting...
Lin grit his teeth, pushed Vill-V away, and stood up.
The battle with the Eighth Herrscher was nearing its end. All that was needed was for Kevin and the others to find her physical location, then...
Click.
...No.
Lin and Vill-V looked at each other simultaneously. At that moment, a thought occurred to them both.
According to Aponia, the Eighth Herrscher could split her consciousness into different parts. If that was the case...
...
Three minutes left!
The Eighth Herrscher stared calmly at the screen. In three minutes, she could pollute the consciousness of all humanity, then transfer her own consciousness to another corner of the world. By then, Fire Moth would never find her!
But that Su... that MANTIS was still in her conscious world. She had to use most of her authority to deal with him!
As long as he was dragging down most of her consciousness, she couldn't transfer herself even after completing the pollution.
Furthermore, she knew Kevin was nearby; he was definitely rushing here at maximum speed!
What to do...
What to do...
What... to do?
A smile appeared on the Eighth Herrscher's face.
...
Click.
Vill-V turned her head sharply and saw Sakura standing at the entrance of the Spiral Workshop. But her face did not bear its usual calm expression; instead, it held a twisted smile.
She drew the frost blade at her waist, leaped into the air, and lunged toward Su in the instrument!
Vill-V mind went blank. She took a step across, blocking the machine.
Squelch!
The blade pierced through flesh, taking blood and warmth with it.