The Truth of That Night

Elysia's happiness was indeed palpable. Although most people facing the Herrscher of Corruption would think it impossible for her to be Elysia, not many would have the courage to confront her about it.

And now, the one who had resolved her lingering regrets happened to be Mei.

A double blessing.

---

On the so-called final secret island, only fiber-optic projections covered the ground, with wooden crates lying quietly, and the place otherwise empty.

This island, supposedly housing the ultimate secret, presented such a desolate scene.

There was nothing.

Mei and the Herrscher of Corruption faced each other across some distance, the winds carrying an increasingly deadly tension. After being called an "imposter," the Herrscher's expression shifted between dark and uncertain, eventually forcing a strained smile.

For that one sentence alone, she felt an uncontainable anger.

"Mei… Do you know that your words really hurt me?"

Her eyes turned cold as she glared at Mei with chilling intensity.

What made her fall short of that woman?

And why… why was she always denied like this?

The Herrscher of Corruption couldn't understand Mei's thoughts. She was merely a being made of data, she had already tried her best to imitate her. Was that still not enough?

Why, why was that deleted memory body always more important?

But she knew this: the fight could no longer be avoided. She thought Mei had finally learned her lesson.

Feigning helplessness, she sighed repeatedly, raising her hand gently. Several Honkai beasts surrounded Mei. As the Herrscher of Corruption, she possessed this authority.

She was determined to teach Mei a lesson.

In the battle against the faded monsters, Mei's gaze sharpened.

With a thunderous strike, she split the ground in two, leaving behind a massive fissure. Icy-blue streams of data flickered within.

Using Kevin's brute force style that she learned, she tore apart a corner of the Elysian Realm.

Ever since the Elysian Realm was corrupted, her previous attempts had yielded the same conclusion, the realm's space was no longer as stable as before.

In Vill-V's space, she had always been curious about what Kevin had done to force the cautious Herrscher of Corruption to prioritize dealing with him first.

But no matter how she thought about it, her only conclusion was… violence!

That was also what that man excelled at most. Memory constructs were inherently incapable of inflicting fatal damage on the Herrscher of Corruption due to their natural incompatibility. However, this didn't mean they couldn't harm the Elysian Realm, which was also built on memory.

When Mei saw the Herrscher of Corruption's stiff expression, she knew she had bet correctly.

Damaging the Elysian Realm could indeed weaken her opponent's power.

But that was all it could do.

The Herrscher of Corruption raised her hand, and the massive fissure in the ground restored itself as if it had never existed. She raised an eyebrow, mildly impressed by Mei's sharpness.

But for an attack Mei had unleashed with all her strength to be undone so easily… the outcome of a prolonged battle seemed obvious.

Mei didn't mind; this wasn't her true objective.

One person's strength couldn't defeat a Herrscher, Mei understood this well from her journey.

Thus, the ripple she had caused in the Elysian Realm with her full-force strike had already spread to every corner of the realm.

And it had also reached the hands of those who were supposed to receive the signal.

"A response has arrived." Mei's lips curved into a smile; she hadn't misunderstood Vill-V's intentions.

In the distance, a light shone.

Illuminating a girl with similarly pink hair, who had disappeared at the very beginning, now suddenly reappearing from afar.

"…Thankfully, I'm not too late."

Sakura tightly gripped her Tsurugi-no-Yurikago (Mask), her gaze lowered to hide the killing intent in her eyes.

"Then let's start over… Herrscher of Corruption."

Sakura spoke coldly, her words steeped in frost.

The hatred and regret spanning 50,000 years might finally be resolved in this battle. Endless nightmares in the Elysian Realm, Rin's scarred body, the Herrscher of Corruption's return…

Nothing could be more fitting. Although it was selfish, she thought to herself—

She didn't want it to end with her having done nothing for Rin.

After all, she was her sister.

-------------

The Golden Courtyard,

"Why is it always said that Mei is suitable for the Herrscher of Reason's position? …Is it because Bronya's just too weak?"

Kiana asked with mock seriousness.

In their earlier conversation, the Herrscher of Corruption had once again implied that Mei was well-suited to be the Herrscher of Reason. Just a few hints from Vill-V had given them useful information to work with, and they had begun to experiment.

One strike had exposed the Herrscher of Corruption's weakness.

Although this weakness seemed difficult to exploit, it undeniably proved that MK 666 could potentially disrupt her thought processes.

"…Idiot Kiana, that's because Bronya hasn't even made an appearance yet. Plus, the Flame-Chasers are too strong."

Bronya immediately retorted, attributing the situation to the Thunder Herrscher being outmatched by the Flame-Chasers. Of course, when it came to Mei, she wasn't as blunt as she was with Kiana, merely hinting that power alone wasn't enough to achieve one's goals in this scenario.

Thus, intelligence was necessary.

She mistakenly thought that it was only because she hadn't appeared yet. If she did, and they still thought the same…

That would never happen.

Bronya silently vowed to herself.

"So it's Sakura's turn now? Looks like new grudges and old hatreds are being settled at the same time… Wait, she's even wearing my face right now?~"

Elysia had been happily watching the spectacle until she suddenly realized.

Didn't that mean she was indirectly being attacked as well?

Well, not really… Clearly, the Herrscher of Corruption had the upper hand. Being a cute and charming villainous role wasn't a bad deal.

Although the Herrscher of Corruption was only cute in appearance and charming on the outside.

"Not much can be done. Or, if it's you facing her, you could try leading her to change her face. After all, she can morph into other Flame-Chasers' appearances," Luo Mo suggested with a shrug.

"If it were me on the other side, I wouldn't want to fight my comrades either… Can't she just use your face instead, Luo Mo~?"

Elysia said with a slight dilemma.

"???"

"Do you have something against me?"

Luo Mo responded, displeased. Was she being that direct now?

"Sigh, Luo Mo, do you know what Sakura's appearance here signifies? Although it's partly about her seeking revenge, it also means she won't back down anymore. I can almost foresee Sakura's death now," Elysia sighed.

"…Indeed. This battle is one I've long awaited," Sakura nodded in agreement.

Nearby, Fu Hua and the Herrscher of Sentience whispered conspiratorially,

"Old Timer, I completely understand how deadly the imposter's words can be. See? Even the Herrscher of Corruption couldn't hold back and immediately started fighting. And she's even using Elysia's personality!"

"Next time, you should be more careful with your phrasing. Stop calling me 'imposter' all the time..."

Fu Hua glanced at her helplessly. "Senti... do you think there will be a next time? Also... I've never called you that. I only said you are not Fu Hua or Chiyuan."

"Isn't that the same thing?!"

"And what if something happens, like a memory recall or something? You... you should reflect on this!" Senti retorted stubbornly.

Fu Hua could only nod along, confused as to why she had become the victim of this baseless frustration.

---

This was before the 'incident' happened, back in the secrets of the Elysian Realm archives.

Sakura stood outside the archives. The thin glass couldn't conceal her figure at all, and the outline of the weapon at her waist was unmistakably prominent.

It was the Tsurugi-no-Yurikago, a blade that would only strike her enemies.

Elysia watched her companion silently from inside the room. She understood Sakura's thoughts but was reluctant to respond.

Sakura had found the archives, but she couldn't avoid facing them again.

Sakura was here simply to seek an answer. Elysia might avoid the topic, but she would never lie. However, was her continued silence fair to Sakura?

Sakura spoke softly. Elysia didn't deny her words but instead gazed at her through the door, sadness filling her eyes. She didn't know how to respond to what Sakura was about to say.

"Due to my past experiences, I am the one among the memories with the most cognitive gaps. Thankfully, everyone can share information, so it hasn't caused too many issues or misunderstandings."

"But there's one exception."

Sakura paused briefly before continuing,

"…For a long time, I've found myself trapped in an identical dream. In that dream, there is nothing but a desolate void and a lone girl sitting there, crying with hatred in her heart."

"Perhaps because of my missing memories, I've never been able to recall who she is. Every time I approach her, I wake up abruptly from the dream."

"This dream shows no signs of disappearing. Instead, it's becoming more frequent."

"Even though so much time has passed since I learned... since I learned that Rin was killed as the Herrscher of Corruption."

Inside the room, Elysia couldn't see Sakura's expression, but her eyes widened in disbelief.

"What... so much time has passed? Sakura, you...?"

Elysia pushed the door open, locking eyes with Sakura. The moonlit clarity that always lingered in Sakura's gaze seemed to dim.

Her hand rested on the hilt of her sword but didn't draw it.

"Yes... I've always known."

Sakura lifted her head, her gaze filled with complicated emotions as she looked at Elysia's face, the one person she knew would never lie.

She had already understood that unspeakable truth.

Elysia felt a pang of sadness, biting her lip.

"Sakura... is that so? While everyone was keeping this from you out of kindness, were you doing the same for them?"

Sakura was equally gentle.

And just as sharp as any assassin.

"Is it surprising?"

"No, Sakura, you've never surprised me. It's just... it must have been unbearably painful for you."

Elysia shook her head, speaking earnestly.

"Painful... I can't accept simply letting it go, but revenge has long since lost its meaning."

Sakura smiled bitterly, her tone tinged with self-mockery.

"Who could I even take revenge on? On the culprits who died thousands of years ago? Or on Aponia, who has also passed and left only a fragment of her memory behind?"

"Eden always says she wishes time could stand still. But I'm the one who truly wishes it could stop. Some things should end where they are, so that fleeting moments of beauty can endure."

"...To me, Honkai feels like that sort of existence. No one has ever truly done wrong, yet everyone must lose everything."

She concluded with a helpless sigh.

Revenge was meaningless to her. The past was long and irretrievable. She could only guard the endless nights, reliving memories in her dreams.

The more she remembered, the more it hurt.

"But that's not why I came here today. Elysia, I found something in this typewriter... fragments of memories I had already 'forgotten'—including that night when I said goodbye to you."

Sakura's expression grew serious.

"Before Rin was taken by Fire Moth, I had a chance to take her away. But... Rin refused."

"Rin... she trusted MEI, trusted Fire Moth at the time. Compared to the legal battles outside, she understood her situation, and perhaps feared her own instability more than Fire Moth did."

"She had seen disaster and didn't want to become the cause of another one."

"In recovering this memory, I've realized... the girl who appears in my dreams isn't Rin."

"....It's me."

She gave a bitter smile as she spoke.

"Just as I mistakenly thought I was always protecting Rin. But when I defied Rin's wishes to save her, it was she who was protecting... me."

"The one who couldn't leave her... was me."

"The one who couldn't let go of hatred and pain... was also me."

"But... I can't let Rin down again. After all... as her sister, I must set a proper example, right?"

Sakura's face was filled with guilt. She wouldn't seek revenge because she didn't want to tarnish Rin's efforts and wouldn't allow herself to become an uncontrollable warrior.

While she fought for her sister, her sister had also been thinking of her.

The older sister believed she was protecting the younger one...

In that moment, Elysia finally understood. The girl before her had never let go, nor had she ever forgiven herself.

"So, Elysia, I just want to confirm one thing."

"After deciding to defy Rin's wishes... in the end, did I... make the right choice?"

Elysia looked at Sakura and remembered how she had defended the pride of being an elder sister with her life.

And how the girl, chosen tragically by the Honkai, proved her resolve in the end with a fleeting miracle.

Suddenly, Elysia stepped forward and gently embraced Sakura, her feather-light breath brushing past her ear with soft and tender words,

"You've both done your best and given it your all."

Elysia offered her an answer that wasn't really an answer. In an instant, Sakura's heart settled, and the weight on her mind lifted.

For a long time, silence reigned. Then, somewhere, a soft sobbing began, breaking the quiet.

Sakura let go of the pressure she had carried for 50,000 years, allowing her emotions to pour out freely.

But the moment couldn't last too long. Slowly, Sakura reined in her sadness.

A cloud drifted across the sky, moving toward the bright moon, momentarily dimming the surroundings.

When Sakura finished her farewell and turned to leave, Elysia had already disappeared from sight.

Yes, disappeared, before the shock could even register.

It all happened in an instant. For a moment, Sakura thought it was one of Elysia's pranks... but she quickly realized that even the leader of the Flame-Chasers wouldn't vanish without a trace while blocking her senses so completely.

Then, an overwhelming sense of dread surged forth.

In the darkness, Sakura only had time to swing her blade, pouring all her strength into that single strike.

---

[Corruption fights dirty, sneaking up on a higher being.]

[My poor Elysia and Sakura... so tragic.]

[Hmm… so not all pink-haired characters turn out evil, but they're always tragic, huh?]

[I feel even sorrier for Rin. Damn Fire Moth!]

---

In the Golden Courtyard,

"Sigh, I feel so bad for Sakura."

Elysia sighed sorrowfully, as though about to cry again.

"Damn that writer for making it so emotional! Even though these were my real experiences, re-reading them hurts even more for the characters involved."

Sakura and Rin looked at each other in silence for a moment. Then, a small smile appeared on Rin's lips.

She took a deep, relieved breath.

"Hmph—see? I told you, Sakura would never be a traitor, nor could she ever be."

Kalpas snorted, quietly watching the events unfold on the screen. He now understood why Sakura hadn't sought revenge against Aponia.

If it was for her sister, he had nothing more to say.

Because that was what Rin had wanted, Sakura would never betray her trust.

"Yes, yes, and wasn't it already established that the traitor is Vill-V? No need to keep repeating it," Mobius waved dismissively.

"Wait a second—correction, the evil Vill-V, not all of them," Vill-V interjected, clarifying the point to avoid unnecessary blame.

"Back then, you asked us to stop you from learning the truth, Sakura. But it didn't work at all, did it?" Elysia remarked.

"Yes. I'm sorry. I couldn't forget the things I've protected. But I'm glad that, in the end, my actions were still worthy of being called the pride of an elder sister."

"And Rin too… in the end, the Corruption stopped for just an instant."

Sakura smiled faintly as she reached out to pat Rin's head, her voice tinged with nostalgia.

Through the Quantum Sea events, she had indirectly seen her own ending from another perspective. Although Seele had intervened, Sakura believed the depiction hadn't deviated far from the truth.

"But, sister, don't think of me so highly. After all... you protected me far more often," Rin said seriously, shaking her head.

After all this time, she had long since become independent, even reconstructing her body through the power of Stigmata.

"But isn't that just a sister's job?"

"Then, protecting my sister is my job, too!"

Rin widened her eyes, indignant at her sister's seemingly unfair logic.

Perhaps she was simply afraid, afraid that her own existence might cause even greater harm.

"Alright, I can't stand how touching this scene is. It's such a stark contrast to the game... everyone being happy together is so nice," Elysia sighed sincerely.

As for her own death? She had accepted it long ago.

"This... is a glimpse of the previous civilization, isn't it? Even a young girl could hold such determination," Kiana reflected quietly, her heart aching at the thought.

She felt sorrow for what had unfolded but also hoped that nothing like it would happen in her world.

The little girl who trusted humanity never received the ending she deserved.

Revenge was nothing more than a distant fantasy.

"This is what happened that night. Sakura drew her sword against the Herrscher of Corruption. Did you see it?" Kalpas said gruffly.

Even though he knew it was just a virtual game, he couldn't help but remind everyone present.

He wanted justice for Sakura, even if it was only in the game or for the Sakura of the future.

---

In the World Serpent Base

Kevin watched the unfolding story and muttered quietly to himself...

"Sakura... you've never made a wrong choice, and if there's a mistake, it would never be yours."

But there was no one left to answer.

He still remember that day. The day one of his comrades died before him.

---