Volume 4, Chapter 26: Matters Concluded

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Time swiftly moved into March 2016.

Xia Chen had spent over a month in the Elysian Realm.

Compared to Herrscher of Sentience obtaining a new body, little else seemed noteworthy afterward. Ellie and the Herrscher formed a dynamic duo in the Garden, often infuriating Mobius.

Meanwhile, Kalpas' combative nature led to frequent clashes with the Herrscher of Sentience, causing tremors throughout the entire Elysian Realm.

Few dared to intervene during these confrontations, allowing them to continue until both combatants were utterly exhausted and ceased fighting.

The Herrscher of Sentience was highly satisfied with her new body. It remained unclear how Mobius managed to conduct such complex experiments within the constraints of the Elysian Realm, akin to fusion surgery procedures. Ultimately, by replacing the original Transcendence Factor with the Herrscher's blood, she became quite fond of it.

Concerned about potential loss of control over the Herrscher of Sentience, Fu Hua was entrusted with another crucial responsibility.

"Ta-da! Here's a book I borrowed from one of the other officers, Hua. Make sure you give it a good read."

"This is... 'One Hundred Tips for Managing Infant Emotions'?"

When Ellie presented a book on infant care, Fu Hua was taken aback, leaving Xia Chen equally puzzled at first.

However, Xia Chen quickly realized the significance: The Herrscher of Sentience recognized only Fu Hua, meaning the task of caring for her fell solely upon Fu Hua.

"Eagerly nodding," Ellie said with a warm smile, genuinely considering Fu Hua's well-being, "Once you learn from this, Hua, you won't feel lonely outside anymore."

After accepting the books, Fu Hua departed from the Elysian Realm with the Herrscher of Sentience.

The key to gaining obedience from the Herrscher actually lay within the Book of Fuxi. Somehow, this tiny doll managed to make the Herrscher almost completely deferential to her commands.

Before leaving, Fu Hua specifically bid farewell to Xia Chen and advised him, "This Garden is not meant for long-term stay. If possible, leave as soon as you can."

Xia Chen took these words to heart.

In the Elysian Realm, apart from Sakura's openness due to Rin's influence, everyone else harbored their own thoughts and intentions. Xia Chen didn't particularly mind; after all, strictly speaking, they were just consciousnesses now. These collective consciousnesses, akin to stigma spaces, undoubtedly held immense power. However, with Sirin's assistance, he could leverage the transition between reality and illusion to escape directly.

Similarly, among the Heroic Spirits in the Garden, aside from Mobius showing unabashed interest in him, the others remained largely indifferent.

When Xia Chen encountered Rin, whose presence closely matched his memories, he knew it was time to depart from the Elysian Realm.

"Hey, didn't expect you to return with a little girl."

At the World Serpent's base, Raven glanced at Rin hiding behind Xia Chen and teased, "Suddenly gaining a sister? Have you thought about how to explain this to your girlfriend?"

"Don't worry about that. Shouldn't you consider how to explain scaring Rin to Sakura?"

Having now left the Elysian Realm, Xia Chen responded sarcastically to Raven's remark.

"Huh, how did I scare her?"

"Your cloak spooked her."

Raven fell silent for a moment, then looked towards Rin, noticing a hint of fear in her eyes.

Although Rin had experienced much, she had always lived in a protected environment. Being separated from Sakura naturally made her feel apprehensive.

"Alright." With a slight sense of resignation, Raven removed her hood, revealing a youthful and clean face. "Is this better?"

Xia Chen's gaze held a touch of surprise; it was undeniable that Raven showed remarkable patience with children. Perhaps it stemmed from maternal instincts?

"Oh right, there's one more thing I think you should know." Raven paused, looking at Xia Chen. "The Lord has returned."

"Returned?" Xia Chen was taken aback, clearly astonished by this news.

Meanwhile, at Schicksal Headquarters.

After many days, Raiden Mei and Bronya returned once again, accompanied by a girl named Seele.

Bronya's sudden disappearance and reappearance quickly caught the attention of Schicksal personnel. Surprisingly, they detected the presence of a Herrscher aura from her as well.

If not for Durandal's timely intervention, they likely would have been confined to prison by now.

This incident also led to Durandal receiving crucial information:

A monstrous entity wandering within the Sea of Quanta had breached the world's barriers and descended upon Earth. This creature bore a human name - Kevin Kaslana.

Alongside this revelation, a new power gradually emerged before the world.

"Herrscher of Thunder, Herrscher of Reason, Herrscher of the Void, Herrscher of Wind..."

At the Immortal Blades' training ground, Susannah murmured to herself.

Observing her with curiosity, Ana asked, "What are you reciting?"

"Nothing much, just wondering if you've heard about the appearance of the Herrscher of Reason at Schicksal Headquarters," Susannah blinked. "Have you noticed? It seems like almost all the Herrschers are now aligned with humanity."

Susannah seemed to have a vivid imagination. "Do you think these Herrschers might actually like humans?"

"But each Herrscher's birth is accompanied by large-scale Honkai Disasters..." Ana responded casually.

She abruptly stopped mid-sentence, realizing Susannah's point held some truth. Among the current Herrschers, aside from the Herrscher of Dominance who harbored hostility towards humanity, the rest indeed stood with them.

Suddenly, she felt her past nightmares didn't seem quite as terrifying anymore.

Susannah continued nonchalantly, "Honkai Disasters are caused by Honkai itself; what does it have to do with Herrschers? Do you think we could persuade all Herrschers to join our side? If so, dealing with Honkai wouldn't be such a daunting task. After all, times change."

"Actually, it might be worth trying," Ana murmured, her eyes flickering as if deep in thought.

Susannah's mind jumped quickly from one topic to another, swiftly shifting away from Herrschers and onto the future. "Once all Herrschers are on our side, defeating Honkai should become much easier. Then, perhaps everyone's lives can return to normal, right?"

Ana nodded. "It should be like that."

Currently, no one could clearly foresee the future. However, with already four Herrschers standing alongside humanity, Schicksal's Valkyries began to harbor hopes and expectations for what lay ahead.

At that moment, Ana's communicator beeped.

After answering it, she saw Xia Chen on the screen, simply stating, "I'm coming back soon."

A hint of joy involuntarily appeared on the girl's cheeks. "When? I'll come to meet you."