บท 52: Chapter 52: Falling Like Flying Flowers

[Perhaps it was the arrival of Elysia that made you regain some of your consciousness as a "human", and you finally stopped "hunting"]

[Of course, this does not mean that the "hunt" is over, it is just slightly delayed.]

「But it's still the same sentence. Here, at this moment, the only ones you care about are Elysia and Griseo... For this reason, you are no longer willing to be separated from her and them.」

[Anyone who comes to dissuade or persuade you will be attacked by you... If it weren't for Griseo, you would have launched a "hunt" on them. If it weren't for Elysia being by your side, your attacks would have been blocked by her, and they would have died, and finally turned into foam in the water, leaving no trace.]

[And now the Fire Moth doesn't know how to deal with you... It's not true that they judged you as a "Herrscher" and sent you to attack. After all, you haven't actually become a "Herrscher". Your situation is the same as Rin's. You both maintain your consciousness as a "human". You are just judged as a "suspected Herrscher". Therefore, you should be regarded as a "high threat person"]

[Besides, with the situation of the "Twelfth Herrscher" in the past, they dare not defeat you... What if they defeat you and release the real "Herrscher", then won't they repeat the incident of Rin?]

[But as for imprisoning you... no one suggested this, because if you imprison you, then Elysia and Griseo must also be sent there. Right now, only the two of them can maintain your mental state to a certain extent. If any one of them is missing, your mental state will become unstable.]

[As for judging you as a companion rather than a Herrscher... then most people would not agree. You have shown strong malice and murderous intent towards the Fire Moths and even towards humans, and you are constantly wavering on whether you are a "human". Therefore, it is not appropriate to regard you as a companion.]

[But one thing is certain, your situation is similar to Rin's... You will definitely become a Herrscher.]

[And now, according to the news Mei brought back, there are only two left before the arrival of the "Final Herrscher". Including you, there is only one "Herrscher" left, and the fate of the Herrscher is unknown.]

[This is good news that is not good news... After all, it is always good to know the enemy's intelligence in advance, but this also means that the final moment is coming soon.]

[However, at this moment, there is another piece of bad news - when Mei was looking through everyone's past experience data, she noticed something unusual about Elysia and your identities.]

[Both of them appeared suddenly, both had no birth certificate and parents, and both were adopted, but their experiences were completely opposite]

[Combined with Elysia's strange attitude towards you and your abnormality... Elysia is likely another "Herrscher"]

[A closer look reveals that there are very few physical examination reports on Elysia, and in many cases, there is no report at all. There is not even a report on the "Fusion Warrior Surgery" that Mobius performed on Elysia. Even Mobius' memory of the surgery process on Elysia is not very clear, which further deepens the issue of Elysia's identity.]

[In this regard, you are completely the opposite. You have a lot of physical reports, and no major problems have been found. Except for that strange "abnormality", it is almost entirely "human" data. But this "abnormality" is so obvious now that it seems to be evidence that you were "non-human" from the beginning.]

[For this reason, Mei initiated a meeting against you and Elysia. The participants of the meeting were the remaining fusion warriors except you, Elysia, and Griseo.]

[Although a lot of information can show that there are abnormalities between you and Elysia, at the end of the meeting, everyone still believes that Elysia should not be a "Herrscher", but just has some "little secrets"... After all, she is Elysia, and they are willing to trust her.]

[As for the conclusion about you, it is left unresolved. After all, no matter what your original situation was, your current identity as a "suspected Herrscher" cannot be erased.]

[You and Elysia naturally knew about this meeting, but you didn't care about it. After you denied yourself as a "human", your spirit was on the verge of breaking, and you could only rely on your attention to Elysia and Griseo to maintain it.]

[But after Elysia learned about this, she decided to do something]

————————

"Eden looks really beautiful now, doesn't she, Mei?"

Elysia looked out the window. Under the silver moon and in the drizzle, a huge aquatic creature like a whale was swimming in the sky. It was surrounded by melodious singing, emitting a soothing melody.

"What a pity~ We only stayed up there for a while before coming down... I wanted to listen to Eden's singing more and enjoy the night view up there~"

"In fact, you can do the same, Elysia."

Mei slowly sorted out the physical data about Elysia - these were all the results of the examination.

"You don't have to come at all."

"That won't work. After all, this is a very important matter. It's important to everyone."

Elysia shook her head, smiled, and returned to Mei, picked up the information about Nozomi that Mei had prepared for herself, and read it carefully - these were all pieced together bit by bit by Mei from the fragmentary information left by [Poison Pupa].

"And I finally managed to calm Nozomi down, but we have to hurry up… We can't hold out for long with just Griseo and Eden, we have to hurry up~"

"Indeed."

Mei nodded, then reviewed Elysia's physical data again and sighed.

"…But it turns out that you really is… a natural-born Herrscher."

"You never expected it, right? This is the secret I have been keeping for a long time. Unfortunately, you have finally discovered it."

"So... Nozomi, is he the same?"

"…I think so~"

"Why aren't you sure yourself?"

"Because I really didn't expect that someone as special as me would have a [companion]~"

Elysia put down the information in her hand - she had finished reading it. Although the information in it allowed her to know more about what Nozomi had experienced, those experiences... were not very pleasant.

"And Nozomi is even more special than me. When we first met, I did feel that he was similar to me, but... we separated after that. When we met again, I didn't have that feeling anymore."

"Now that I think about it, I should have worked harder..."

"…More special than you?"

Mei raised an eyebrow and wanted to move closer to Elysia to discuss the matter further, but her weak body forced her to only move forward a short distance before she had to sit down again.

"Yes~ I only discovered this later."

Seeing this, Elysia took the initiative to come and sit in front of Mei, and covered Mei with a coat.

"If I consider myself a Herrscher who is a human being... then Nozomi should be considered a Herrscher who has become a human being... After all, as you can see, no matter how you examine his condition, he is just a somewhat special person, and I only need to do a physical examination to immediately find out that I am a Herrscher."

"In this regard, Nozomi is even better than me. He trusts humans so much that he is willing to give up everything he has as a Herrscher, leaving only a few special features. I still have the power of a Herrscher... Of course, these are just my guesses."

Elysia said with a smile, then glanced at the information just now, her eyes drooped slightly, and she felt a little depressed.

"It's a pity that he's not as lucky as I am... and he can't do anything without his power."

"Come on, Mei, you've seen Nozomi's profile, right? What do you think he looks like?"

"Like what?"

"Yes, for example, I am a lovely girl who is as gorgeous as a flying flower, isn't it? What do you think I look like?"

Elysia said with a smile.

"Let me start by saying it. Nozomi is like a mirror in my eyes. A magical mirror with self-awareness and tendencies. He will become like whoever he stays with. When he stays with people, he will be like a person. When he stays with Honkai Beasts, he will be like Honkai Beasts."

"If you say so, he should be more inclined to be a Herrscher if he stays by your side."

"That's why I said it was a [biased mirror]~ If he wants to insist, he can also resist reflecting the existence around him~ And I think I am a [human]~"

"Is that so... As expected of you, Elysia."

Mei smiled helplessly.

"However, based on your idea... it does confirm one thing for me."

"Hmm?"

"Elysia, you regard Nozomi as a mirror. I don't think it's wrong, because this can also explain why Griseo is so close to him, even after becoming a fusion warrior. But... in my eyes, he is more like a book, a book that is recording everything he has experienced."

Mei spoke slowly.

"He has a good memory, doesn't he? Just like a written diary, he writes down everything that is worth noting, whether good or bad. He briefly skips over things that are not worth noting, but he will eventually write them down... He will write down everything he experiences, and the emotions that arise along the way will also be written down by him. They accumulate little by little, and finally, at a certain point... they explode."

"Elysia, you are a natural Herrscher, but correspondingly, this also means that you should be the First Herrscher. The First Herrscher we recorded on the surface is actually the Second Herrscher. All subsequent Herrschers should step back one position, so... Nozomi should now be the Fourteenth Herrscher."

"In other words, when Nozomi denies his own existence as a human being and even desires to become a Herrscher, we... have already entered the countdown."

Mei looked out the window. The whale-like creature transformed by Eden was still flying in the sky, and the drizzle was still there.

"Of course, according to what you said before, he should just be regaining his power and restoring his identity as a Herrscher."

"..."

Elysia was speechless for a moment.

"Elysia, you know, after learning about your situation, I have a guess... Maybe [Honkai Impact] is really a test for our civilization."

"Since the [First Great Collapse], every [Great Collapse] has been a test for us, the most obvious being the [Eighth] and [Tenth]."

"The Eighth Herrscher asked us to choose between the illusory beauty and the cruel reality, testing whether we were firm enough, but obviously we were not... The psychological trauma left by the Eighth Herrscher is still affecting everyone, and even because of the increasingly tense environment, this trauma is getting worse. In the end, we had to let Aponia use the Discipline to make up for this trauma... But this led to even more tragic consequences."

"The Tenth Herrscher asked us to choose between doubt and trust, testing our faith and cohesion... But obviously, we are now fragmented, and the seeds of doubt have taken root in everyone's heart, which further led to the incident of Rin."

"And in this process, what are your and Nozomi's responsibilities?"

Mei withdrew her gaze and leaned back in her chair.

"You, Elysia, as the [First Herrscher], a natural [Herrscher], your duties seem simple. You accompany us in our growth, give us help, and help us get through the subsequent [Herrschers] one by one. In the end, that is, now, your identity has been exposed to us, and we will also face a test - whether we are willing to trust you as a [Herrscher]."

"This is completely different from Rin's situation. After all, Rin is only a [Suspected Herrscher]. As long as she is alive, the [Twelfth Herrscher] will never appear. And you are a natural, true [Herrscher]."

"Then... what about Nozomi, who appeared just as early as you and can now be considered the [Final Herrscher]?"

Mei looked at the ceiling and expressed her speculation bit by bit.

"He accompanied us as a human being, experienced everything among us, and then recorded it one by one, engraved it in his mind until the final moment came."

"At this moment, he will become a mirror just as you said, returning everything he has recorded and experienced to us... just like now."

"You two Herrschers are like the beginning and the end of a story. You will bring us the initial convenience and provide us with the initial strength to resist the collapse... and he, after experiencing everything, will decide our ending."

"But now it seems... our [end] may not be a happy one."

Mei sighed.

Everything is too late. When Nozomi denies his own existence as a "human" and begins to identify with and lean towards the "Herrscher" with murderous intent and resentment towards humans, the "end" of this era has already begun to be written.

"…But now's not the time to give up, is it, Mei?"

Elysia said with a smile, her tone normal.

"Even Nozomi is like that, huh? He… actually values his identity as a human being very much, huh? Otherwise… even I, even Griseo, wouldn't be able to support him."

"…Yeah, that's right."

Mei acknowledged this with a slight nod.

If Nozomi really wanted to completely deny his identity as a human being, he would not stop because of Elysia's dissuasion... He still maintained his identity as a human being, even though it was very fragile, but he did persist.

Mei wasn't quite sure why...but she felt that it was probably due to Sakura and Elysia's efforts, as well as Rin and Griseo's.

However, Nozomi's fragile persistence was doomed to be short-lived, and the [ending] of this generation was already determined.

"But... it's not time to give up yet."

"Yeah, that's right~ It's not time to give up yet. We still have a lot to do~"

Elysia blinked and suggested to Mei.

"Then... Mei, what do you think... if all Herrschers could be like me, like us, wouldn't it be better~"

"...what are you up to?"

"It's just an idea. And it's something only I can do."

Elysia smiled and told Mei her thoughts.

Yes, the [ending] of this generation is already determined and cannot be changed now, but the future... is still full of possibilities.

...

No one knew about the subsequent conversation, but a few days later, the [Ark Project] was officially launched and Griseo was designated as the executor.

Everyone who knew the situation understood what this meant... Mei had already begun preparing to deal with Nozomi. Griseo was sent away to avoid participating in the battle—Mei was not so crazy as to let the little girl go to the battlefield, not to mention that Griseo didn't even know how to use her abilities to fight.

On the day of separation, Griseo hugged Nozomi gently.

"Look, brother...goodbye..."

She spoke very seriously as if she believed that she and Nozomi would definitely meet again.

Then, Griseo stepped into the [Ark] and flew into the universe.

After that day, Nozomi's mental state began to slowly become unstable. Although he was still normal when he was with Elysia, once Elysia left, he would quickly show a "hunting" attitude.

He was not crazy, nor did he become a Herrscher. He simply released the repressed hatred in his heart. He behaved normally around Elysia... only because he did not want to show that kind of self in front of Elysia.

And Elysia was also aware of this, and she stayed by his side for some time, occasionally bringing Eden with her and asking Eden to sing for her... Gentle music can always soothe people's hearts, even if the effect on Nozomi was minimal.

Elysia was still as lively as ever, as if everything around her had no effect on her. She took Nozomi out for a walk, trying her best to soothe him.

But... the rain is still falling, with no sign of stopping.

It was another night, and Elysia brought Nozomi to the rooftop as usual. She asked him to wait there while they played, and she left for a short while, as if she was preparing something.

"..."

Nozomi was speechless. He just came to the edge of the rooftop, stood by the fence, and looked at the building not far away... There were many Fire Moth members there; they were walking back and forth in a hurry, quickly advancing various [plans].

Tick-tock

The rain dripped onto the railing, making a small hole.

Nozomi's body became increasingly damp, and a cold murderous intent began to spread. In the distance, many people with sensitive perceptions felt as if they were being targeted by a predator.

On rainy days, as long as Nozomi wanted, the rain would turn into spikes and sharp blades, quickly crossing long distances, piercing through the glass, and killing those in a hurry.

But he didn't, because Elysia told him to wait here; it didn't take too long, just a little while.

With a casual wave of his hand, the dark blue sword floating behind him danced with his gestures, drawing scratches with white waves in the air.

But please rest assured, these are just temporary entertainment and will not cause any harm... as long as no one else comes looking for him now.

Whoosh——bang!

At this moment, in the distance, at the edge of the base, a crisp sound was heard, and soon, several beautiful fireworks bloomed in the rainy night, adding some beautiful colors to the sky that had been gloomy for several days... Even if a firework is fleeting, the next one will soon follow and bloom in the sky again.

The continuous fireworks lit up the sky on the rainy night. The beautiful scenery made everyone subconsciously stop their actions, wanting to keep this rare moment in their memory.

But even facing such a beautiful scenery, Nozomi only took a quick glance and then turned his head to look at the pink girl who was secretly moving towards him.

"That's too much, Nozomi... should I pretend I don't know at this time?"

"Elysia...it's still raining."

Nozomi gave a subtle hint.

The rain was still falling, and she wasn't particularly far away from me, so I could definitely sense her.

"Forget it~ That kind of thing is not important~"

Elysia walked briskly to Nozomi, leaned forward slightly, and blinked her pink pupils.

"Want some candy?"

She handed over a small white star.

"..."

Nozomi nodded silently, took it, and put it into his mouth.

The long-lost sweetness filled the air... but Nozomi was still looking at her, his eyes never moving away.

"Why? Are you mesmerized by my cuteness? Or... have you noticed something different about me?"

"..."

Nozomi looked at her long hair, the white veil on her head, and the... similar yet different uniform on her body, and said nothing.

More importantly... the aura she exudes.

[Herrscher], there is no doubt that she is [Herrscher].

"Shh—Okay~ I know Nozomi has a lot to say, but I can't do that now~ Cute girls must be given priority now~"

Elysia tapped her finger on Nozomi's lips to stop him from speaking.

"I know~ Nozomi actually likes people, right? Just like me~"

Elysia took Nozomi's hand, held it in her palm, and spoke softly.

"Otherwise, Nozomi wouldn't have persisted all this time, right? Hmm... maybe I have contributed a little to this, right?"

"...Um."

Facing Elysia's eyes expecting an answer, Nozomi nodded slightly. As for which question he was answering... it was hard to say.

"I knew it~?"

She was very happy.

"Then... would you allow the lovely girl, that is, me, to make a small wish for you?"

"um."

"I knew it~"

She was really happy. She walked up to him and hugged him, burying her head in his arms. Rarely, she didn't look at him.

"Promise me, I hope... you will always, always persevere~"

Clack——

The pink crystals were growing, gradually wrapping around his body, but he didn't dare to resist or move... because Elysia was in his arms, and if he struggled a little or used a little strength, he would probably hurt her.

"I know, I hope you like them as much as I do~"

"Even now, Nozomi is still holding on. If it were me, I probably wouldn't be able to hold on like Nozomi until now... As expected, Nozomi is really a very strong person..."

"So, don't worry, just hold on, and then... just wait with hope in your heart~ just like your name once said."

"..."

"See?"

Elysia, who didn't get a response, raised her head slightly and looked at him, but was a little stunned for a moment... There was a rare hostility in his eyes toward her.

'Ah... this is only natural... after all, I am going too far now...'

Elysia knew very well what she was doing... She was using Nozomi's "love" for her to force him to do something, and using his unwillingness to hurt her to restrain and restrict him.

'I'm such a bad girl...'

"...um."

But in the end, he still said so and agreed.

"...I knew it~ Nozomi likes me the most ~"