Chapter 77: The Shattering of Faith

[Unfortunately, Rin's life also came to an end at this moment. Her pupils were dilated and she lost consciousness.]

　　[The people around turned a deaf ear to them. They took the firewood and planks that had been prepared long ago, poured flammable oil on them, prepared lighters, and retreated far away. Before leaving, they did not forget to stab the girl's body twice with their bayonets.]

　　[The fire was lit. They cheered and were excited. Their faces were ferocious, but they also had ecstatic smiles, as if they had defeated a 'Herrscher' by themselves as if they had killed a 'monster' that had harmed humanity, as if this would free them from the fear in their hearts.]

　　[Then, their expressions also froze at this moment.]

　　[Their actions released the true 'Twelfth Herrscher.' The horrific virus instantly eroded their lives and took control of all the equipment around them.]

　　[Flames suddenly ignite around you, blocking the possibility of the virus invading you, and the 'Herrscher' sees this and quickly leaves... Rather than fighting you here, it is better to kill others. This is her 'mission.']

　　[At this moment, Sakura arrives late, and her blade is almost instantly placed on your neck. She orders you, she threatens you, don't hurt Rin, she wants to take Rin away.]

　　[But you can't respond to her.]

　　[!!!]

　　[At this moment, Sakura also saw the scene in the room. The horrifying scene made her lose the strength to hold the knife. She just knelt on the ground in a daze, staring blankly at Rin's broken body.]

　　["......"]

　　[Finally, you took action, taking heavy steps, slowly, step by step, towards the girl's body.]

　　["That's enough, stop going forward! Isn't it enough to torture Rin like this?!" - Sakura scolded with a voice full of resentment and hatred.]

　　[In her opinion, it was you who instigated all this, and it was you who caused all this because you once said that you would come to 'attack Rin' in three days. She also wanted to take Rin away in advance, but she was delayed on the first day, detained on the second day, and restrained by Kevin and Hua on the third day, and finally it was delayed until this time.]

　　[She came here in such a hurry just to take Rin away. At the very least, she had to stand in front of Rin.]

　　[In her opinion, your method is nothing more than burning them with fire, letting them die in the burning flames. If she and Rin hug each other and die in the flames together, she will accept it.]

　　[But she didn't know that you would allow people to torture Rin like this... This is simply unreasonable!]

　　["Stop!"——Hate drove her to stand up again, the cold blade attacked, the target was the back of your neck, the purpose was to cut off your neck.]

　　[However, before the cold cherry blossoms got close, they were burned by the flames. The hands holding the sword felt a distorted burning sensation, and the sword that she often used was burned by the flames.]

　　[It was a short journey, but it seemed very long. She tried her best to stop you, but with the blade burning and her body being tortured by the burning sensation, Sakura could only fall to the ground helplessly.]

　　[Actually, she can still fight.]

　　[Actually, she can still stand up.]

　　[However, her spirit had already been shattered and completely disappeared when she saw Rin's body.]

　　[However, she suddenly remembered something that was recognized by everyone in the Flame Chasers - if you want to do something, no one can stop you except 'Her.']

　　[She can only beg you not to insult Rin's body again and beg you to show some mercy.]

　　[But... you just came to the girl tied to the cross, carefully wiped the blood off her face, freed her from the cross of sin, held her, gently, and slowly knelt down in a clean place.]

　　[You put the sword at your waist aside, and did not hold the pendant in front of your chest tightly. You just held her gently in your arms and whispered words that Sakura could not understand.]

　　[The flames quietly ignited and enveloped the girl's body, but you turned a deaf ear to them. You just held the girl's body and chanted the eulogy over and over again.]

　　[This time the flames were not fierce, but bright and warm, like the warm sun in spring or a bonfire on a snowy night.]

　　[You gently stroked the girl's back, as if she was just asleep, as if she was not dead yet.]

　　["......"——Sakura opened her mouth, but the words got stuck in her throat.]

　　[She saw the tears flowing down your face amidst the burning flames.]

　　[She heard the apology and guilt mixed in the eulogy.]

　　[She recalled what she had learned on Twilight Street when she first met you there.]

　　[You...are definitely not someone who would kill others like this.]

　　[You... punish with only fire, never with blades or anything else.]

　　[At this moment, looking around at those people with twisted, crazy smiles on their faces, Sakura seems to understand something.]

[She guessed that this was not your fault]

　　[But... she will never forgive you for this]

　　[She stood up unsteadily, looked at the gradually disappearing body in your arms, and spoke in a trance]

　　["Father, tell me, is someone like you really a messenger of God? Or does the God you speak of not love us?" — She whispered]

　　["Or maybe… the God you mentioned is just an existence that harbors ill will towards us, just like the Honkai." — She said so.]

　　["Father, do you think people like you can go to heaven? Can you enter the Garden of Eden that you mentioned?" She suddenly asked, then paused, and spoke again with a hint of sarcasm, "A person who only condones tragedy but never does anything, and even unintentionally promotes tragedy? A person who does not understand human nature? A puppet who only knows how to obey orders? That's really... ridiculous."]

　　[As ridiculous as herself]

　　["......" You didn't say anything]

　　[But her words are like a knife, cutting into your heart bit by bit, cutting your faith in "Her" into pieces]

　　[Father Sakura spoke again, "After this, burn me too."]

　　[Her voice was filled with determination and sadness]

　　["If possible... help me... let's build two tombstones under the cherry trees in my hometown."]

　　[Hearing this, your heart inexplicably tightened, and a great panic and sadness surged into your heart]

　　[But before you could respond, Sakura's voice came again.]

　　["If you don't say anything, I'll take that as your agreement"—After saying that, she turned around and left in a hurry… For her, it didn't matter whether you agreed or not]

　　[It doesn't matter anymore...]

　　[She just wants to find Rin, whether as a "sister" or as a "Fire Moth Warrior"]

　　[......]

　　[The "Twelfth Herrscher Crusade" has ended. Victory was achieved with the three remaining cities of humanity, a "Fusion Warrior", and the lives of some soldiers.]

　　[Now, what do they have left?]

　　[According to calculations, there are at least two more Herrschers. How can they... fight back? ]

　　[People have long lost the will to fight back, and their disgust towards you has reached its peak. Even though Mei finally admitted that it was her fault for not supervising properly; even though Kalpas finally confirmed that Abonia's "commandments" were also related, everyone knows that you are the "fuse", and everyone believes that you are the root cause.]

　　[Confused and bewildered, people nowadays are just like you, wandering at the crossroads called "fate", although you all know that the final outcome is the same]

　　[Finally, someone stood up]

　　[Since people think it is difficult to fight against the last two Herrschers, if there is only one left, will people be willing to give it a try? ]

　　[The answer is... yes.]

　　[After all, there is only one left~ As long as it succeeds, it will be... "hope"]

　　[So, she stood up.]

　　[So, Elysia launched a "war of conquest", and the target was... herself]

　　[Before anyone discovered and questioned her, she took the initiative to reveal her identity as the Herrscher and launched a "punitive war" called "banquet"]

　　[She gave everyone present a gorgeous crystal flower]

　　[She expressed her love for everyone]

　　[Finally, she appointed you as her "executioner"]

　　————————

　　Strolling on the empty terrace, the beautiful girl walked excitedly, taking seemingly relaxed steps, humming the unknown tune, stepping lightly on the beat, her long pink hair swaying gently behind her, her gorgeous pupils holding a smile that never faded.

　　"It's so beautiful tonight ~ the sky is so clear, I can see so many stars ~"

　　She opened her arms as if she wanted to embrace the entire beautiful starry night, but then she seemed to realize that it was impossible for her to do so, so she put her hands behind her back, turned around with brisk steps, and with the starry night as the background, she looked at him with a smile and asked him a question.

　　"Father, tell me... if someone like me exists... can I go to heaven? Can I enter the legendary Garden of Eden?"

　　Then she asked herself and answered the question.

　　"I think so, right? After all, I'm so cute~?"

　　Elysia watched Nozomi slowly pull out the unsharpened [Broken Sword], watched the patterns engraved on the sword emit a faint, fiery light, and watched him tightly grip the hot cross pendant, as if trying to press it into his flesh.

　　"Nozomi, don't worry~"

　　This time, Elysia changed the way she addressed him, calling out his name, smiling, and speaking softly.

　　"After all... this is necessary, it's a must, and it's what everyone expects~ [Eliminate the Herrscher, fight the Honkai] and so on... these are what everyone has been working hard for~ So... I can't fall behind~?"

　　"......"

　　Nozomi looked at her gorgeous white dress and said nothing.

　　"Hmm~ I feel Nozomi's gaze for the first time in a long time~ And it's been such a long time... How is it? Pretty, right? Don't be mesmerized by me now~ I'm not some seductive witch... But think about it carefully, it doesn't seem bad if it's like that?"

　　Her tone was still lighthearted, and she even seemed interested in joking.

　　And you still haven't responded to this.

　　"...Alas, Nozomi has changed a lot...Sure enough, the price you paid to change that place was really too high."

　　Seeing that he did not respond, Elysia could only sigh helplessly, and there was a trace of pity and regret in her eyes when she looked at you - she had heard about your past from Aponia, and knew how kind you used to be, and how you changed Twilight Street and turned it into the "Garden of Eden" in the hearts of some people.

　　And she... also vaguely guessed the "price" that Nozomi paid through Aponia's few words.

　　It's a pity that everything Nozomi had paid for, everything he had created... was destroyed in the end. Twilight Street disappeared completely. Whether it was Twilight Street as a "land of chaos" or as a "Garden of Eden"... it no longer existed after that incident.

　　"Nozomi... don't worry."

　　Elysia was still smiling, but her smile was no longer bright. It had become gentle and soft.

　　"Your thoughts and feelings... are still known to some people, such as... me."

　　She placed her hand gently on her chest and spoke softly.

　　"But... please don't be lenient to me because of this. After all... I also have a [duty] to fulfill. It is something I must do and something only I can do..."

　　"so..."

　　Elysia closed her eyes slightly, adjusted her breathing, and then smiled brightly as usual.

　　"Father, I am... guilty."

　　"......"

　　Nozomi looked in silence.

　　But finally, his eyes became determined, and he raised his sword, calling down the flames.

　　[Judgment] fell and the flames ignited.

　　"really..."

　　Elysia stood in the flames, looking at him and smiling.

　　"You have always... always..."

　　Flames enveloped her, but the flames were not violent, just bright and gentle. Although there was a burning pain, it was not severe. All that surrounded her body was warmth.

　　"A gentle person..."

　　The flames were burning fiercely, but she felt as if she was being gently embraced by someone. Although she could feel her consciousness fading away, she was not afraid.

　　She left quietly in the fire with a smile.

　　"......"

　　Nozomi was speechless and subconsciously sheathed his sword. He just stared blankly at the empty terrace, at the clear sky, and at the night covered with stars.

　　Tick-tock——

　　A slightly moist and warm feeling came from the palm of his hand, the sound of liquid dripping came to his ears, and a faint fishy smell came from the tip of my nose.

　　Looking down, he could see that the cross pendant in his hand was stained with blood again, but this time... it was his own.

　　The emotions surging within him could no longer be contained. Even if he adjusted his breathing, even if he repeated the Bible over and over in his mind, even if he recalled 'Her' words again and again, he could not regain his composure.

　　"......"

　　There was another silence. Nozomi looked at the starry night sky again with confused eyes. He pursed his lips, then turned and left.

　　At this point, the "Thirteenth Herrscher Suppression War" ended, with casualties of... 0."