Chapter 514

"Yes, isn't this the difference that comes from different perspectives? What is civilization, anyway? As times change and generations pass by, different faces and similar stories flash by, abstracted into vague consciousness and concepts. In the end, faces become blurred, stories are lost, simplified like those Archetype Seed into existences without definite individuality... And your dispute with the World Serpent lies in whether you regard this existence as the appearance of civilization or the essence of civilization."

Yu Tu, mimicking Kiana, crossed her arms and spoke of the fundamental difference between them and World Serpent. This difference stemmed from their differing stances. After experiencing the Finality, Kevin decided to implement the Stigmata Plan, while those who had not experienced Kevin Finality held completely different beliefs. Isn't this battle on the moon a clash between these two ideologies?

"We just want to take back a normal life."

Bronya said that no one had the right to make decisions for them, Kevin was no exception.

"Yes, but childhood always ends, and adults must ultimately take responsibility for the world."

Turning to Bronya, Yuto smiled and replied, "Wanting to regain a normal life is certainly not wrong, but being responsible for the world is also a responsibility that 'adults' need to fulfill."

"If that's the case, then the Stigmata Plan is truly a terrible way to be responsible."

This idea is unacceptable. Using this "Songstress Project" to take responsibility for the world is a terrible approach. At best, this method will only get you a passing grade. Although she's a poor student, Kiana now wants to strive for a perfect score. After all, she's not the same person she used to be. Now, she's Himeko's proudest student and her best class representative.

"But it's fair enough. Haven't you heard the saying that people can only choose one between freedom and fairness?"

Yutu said this, and Bronya immediately retorted.

"Freedom and fairness are not absolute. And the reason people cannot accept the Stigmata Plan is precisely because of its absoluteness."

The rebuttal was quite sharp, but Yutu remained calm and composed. She seemed to enjoy communicating with people like this. As expected of Bronya, she is so young, yet she knows so much.

"This is actually a technical issue, Bronya... because it has the strongest operability. For example, the Stigmata Plan will not simply exclude someone from the scope of civilization just because they are a bad person or an act is evil. The Stigmata will record all the ideas created through human interaction, regardless of their value, and above that... if human civilization is good, then the integration brought about by the Stigmata Plan will also be good."

He explained the end of the Stigmata Plan to them, a fair Stigmata Plan, which was indeed a solution. Shen Gonglin was completely numb from listening, but it didn't matter. His Valkyrie were very intelligent, and they would definitely be able to give him an answer.

Chapter 382 New World

"Oh? So according to you, even if no one else can experience this beauty now?"

Hearing this, Mei couldn't help but speak sarcastically. If even the people who appreciate and enjoy this beauty are gone, what's the point of preserving it? Mei didn't understand.

"How could that be? Whether you were once Herrscher, Durandal and Li Sushang, or of course me... everyone can continue their lives in the new world, right? You just need to wait for Earth to be rebuilt by the Stigmata Plan. The only difference is that in that newborn world... its infants won't need to go through a long period of learning and growth like human children before they can stand on their own."

Yuto shook her head, denying Mei's statement. How could no one experience that beauty? Aren't they all people who can experience the new world? After saying this, the Valkyrie's expressions changed, but Yuto didn't hide anything and continued to speak.

"People of the New World, from the moment they are born, they will perceive everything known in the world through the Stigmata —things you call ideas, knowledge, and will. As far as I know, those are treasures that many humans seek throughout their lives, aren't they?"

Yuto said this, "Memory inheritance, shared thoughts... it sounds like a very advanced cosmic civilization. But isn't this really some kind of Human Instrumentality Project? Simply put, it's everyone understanding the same things, mutual understanding... Shen Gonglin feels like only villains would have such a plan."

"You can't make someone grow up overnight."

Kiana quietly shook her head. It did sound impressive, but Kiana understood that it was something humans could and should not do. Although she couldn't find the words to refute it, that was her opinion.

"Of course. But that only applies to humans. For life forms that use Stigmata as their underlying code, they simply stood on the shoulders of humanity from the very beginning and continued to advance into the unknown. This is what is meant by... ending the childhood of civilization."

Yu Tu spoke slowly, and upon hearing this news, the Valkyrie remained silent for a moment. The white-haired girl in front of them was not on the same side as them. They had not forgotten the opening remarks Yu Tu made when they first met her. From the very beginning, they had not been speaking from the same perspective.

"Everyone, please don't forget my opening remarks... I am not human, but a completely new species brought to this world by the Stigmata Plan. To me, those static, dull-witted Archetype Seed are not much different from Archaeopteryx and Australopithecus..."

She emphasized the self-introduction she had given them at the beginning: she was not human, but a crystallization of the Stigmata, so it was only natural that her way of thinking was different from theirs. Saying such things meant that they didn't expect her to understand their beliefs, or that she only regarded them as beliefs.

"Alright, discussing my own topics too much seems to be far removed from your original intentions. I fully understand that you will defend the story of humanity, rather than focusing on defending the story itself. This is certainly very different from my way of being... But I do look forward to seeing what kind of results your efforts will yield, for example, to go further beyond the concept of transcendence itself."

While the words were somewhat convoluted, Shen Gonglin understood them this time. In simple terms, the Stigmata Plan was about Super Saiyan, and what they needed to do was create Super Saiyan that surpassed the Super Saiyan, or Super Saiyan 2 for short. Once she thought about it that way, Shen Gonglin understood.

"You mean..."

Bronya seemed to sense something, but before she could finish speaking, Yutu smiled and shook her head.

"Hehe. I didn't actually say anything. It's just that I already believe that you can achieve something of your own on the main battlefield of Stigmata Plan."

She said those words out of the blue, but Kiana keenly grasped a piece of information in her words: the main battlefield of the Stigmata Plan. Was she referring to... Earth?

"You guessed right, the ultimate answer to all the secrets lies there... not on this long-dead planet. If you don't want humanity to be bound by the Stigmata Plan, then break through the final blockade and head there. As long as you can seize this necessary opportunity."

It seemed as if she was encouraging Shen Gonglin to do this, but Hato's behavior left the girls somewhat confused. They had already said she wasn't a stigmata user, but rather a crystallization of the Stigmata, and now she was acting like this...

"Why are you telling us this? It seems to contradict your stance on this matter."

Mei questioned, "She is the crystallization of the Stigmata, a cadre of World Serpent, and Kevin's subordinate. No matter what their identities are, they should be enemies. Although World Serpent already has the precedent of Raven being a traitor, is it really necessary for another one to appear?"

"Standing? Ah, you've probably misunderstood something. The reason I assisted World Serpent in completing the Stigmata Plan... stemmed from a somewhat absurd deal."

Did they misunderstand something? I didn't become a fanatical follower of World Serpent or Kevin because of my beliefs or anything else. I only became a member of World Serpent's leadership because of some transactions. But now is not the time to explain that reason.

"Looks like you have quite a few secrets too."

Bronya crossed her arms and sighed. The people in the World Serpent were all strange. What exactly was this Feathered Rabbit planning? It was truly a mystery.

"Strictly speaking, they don't belong to me now. In any case, compared to your stories, those old stories are meaningless."

See? The World Serpent's usual problem has struck again. With her riddle-like nature, she's clearly a senior member of the World Serpent. It's that riddle-like tactic of hersing halfway through her sentences again. Shen Gonglin is about to put on a mask of pain. But it seems like Yuto is doing it on purpose. Shen Gonglin even saw her wink at her. This girl is definitely doing it on purpose!

Bronya cautiously fell silent, the girl watching the other girl warily, seemingly assessing the truthfulness of her words. Yuto, belatedly realizing what was happening, let out another low sigh. The girl remained silent, and for a moment, an almost eerie silence fell between them.

Chapter 383

"Shen Gonglin, Mei, Bronya, what do you guys think?"

Keeping a slight distance, Kiana watched Yuto over there and began to whisper and plot. Of course, they wouldn't believe everything Yuto said; they wanted to analyze her words to figure out what they truly needed. They still knew too little about the World Serpent.

"... We couldn't find any flaws, nor did we find any truly useful information."

Bronya shook her head. Although the other party seemed to have said a lot, upon closer inspection, it didn't seem to be of any help to their current situation. It was impressive but unclear, which perfectly described their current situation.

"Indeed, while everything she said was astonishing, it didn't have much practical value."

Mei gave the same attitude, and Shen Gonglin did not comment on it. Now a new problem was in front of them. If she said that this kind of thing was worthless... well, not worthless, but rather temporarily useless, then what was her intention in telling them this?

The girls were deep in thought, while Yuto, not far away, wore an almost bitter smile. She waved in their direction and slowly walked over.

"Being suddenly excluded like this is indeed quite uncomfortable. It seems gaining your trust is a real challenge. Yes... From a human perspective, everything I've done and the consequences are certainly unforgivable. Even if I explain further... their benefits are indeed of little concern to humanity itself."

Yuto walked over and joined the small group of Shen Gonglin and the others. She couldn't help but sigh. It seemed that there were no obstacles in the communication just now, but neither Shen Gonglin nor these girls seemed to agree with her. However, this was understandable. The things she just said were of no benefit to humanity itself. They only targeted the world and did not include humanity itself. So why couldn't she get their support?

"It's good that you know."

Aside from people she's familiar with, Mei's attitude towards others can now be described as cold. Hopefully, Yuuto will realize her mistake and stop trying to confuse them with those words.

"A long time ago, someone told me that as long as you wholeheartedly consider someone, even if you make a choice that is not the best for her, that person will eventually understand... The current situation is probably because I don't really understand Renren."

Yuto sighed, and upon hearing her words, the Valkyrie's expressions suddenly turned strange. This kind of thing... they were familiar with it. The girls unconsciously shifted their gaze to Shen Gonglin. Back during the War of Schicksal, Durandal and the Class President, then under Otto's command, had done something to Shen Gonglin with the excuse of "I'm doing this for your own good," thus placing themselves on the opposite side of Shen Gonglin at that time. And the result...

It took them so long to completely erase their past as ex-girlfriends. Learning from their mistakes, these girls are very sensitive to this kind of "I'm doing this for your own good" talk.

Yuto lowered her eyes, seemingly lost in some kind of memory. Then, the girl raised her head and looked at Shen Gonglin and the others with some hope.

"If I help you a little more, will the trust between us become clearer? I know you want to confront the Lord face to face... and he is waiting for you to arrive. But even if you only intend to communicate... given your current situation, it will be difficult to gain anything. Apart from Shen Gonglin, none of you... are a match for the Lord."

Trust is built up over time, and Yuto knew what they wanted to do. But in her understanding, apart from Shen Gonglin being able to fight the Lord in a way that could be called a battle, the other girls seemed to be lacking something. These words also provoked Kiana, who raised her eyebrows, feeling that she was being looked down upon.

"That's not necessarily true..."

Before she could finish speaking, a muffled gasp interrupted her. Without any warning, Yuto suddenly pointed at Bronya, and a strange power emanated from her. Bronya felt a strange sensation in her body, as if the seal that had been binding her power had been suddenly broken. Mei beside her experienced a similar situation, and Bronya 'Kiana exclamation and questioning also came through. The familiar power flowed through her body again, and within this vortex of power, Yuto's voice still echoed calmly in Bronya's ears.

"If you insist on seeing him, if you insist on putting yourselves in danger... then before that, please let me release you from the shackles imposed on you by the Stigmata Plan... Ouch, that hurts."

The dull pain and shock gradually subsided. Looking at their companions, the girls saw the same look of astonishment in each other's eyes. Bronya first glanced down at her own condition; the blue and white dress on her body proved the restoration of her Herrscher Authority, while Mei beside her...

"Mei, you... you've fully recovered too?"

The girl named Raiden was now crackling with electricity. The mental shackles had completely vanished? Under her equally astonished gaze, Bronya subconsciously looked at her own hands. Mei had regained her powers, so so had she...

However, before she could even rejoice at the restoration of her driver's license, a sudden emptiness assailed Bronya. She felt as if she had become a leaky balloon; a vast, overwhelming power surged into her body, only to vanish without a trace in an instant. Countless noisy and chaotic voices clamored deep within her consciousness—the past and will sealed within the Herrscher of Reason Core. What... what was happening?

Bronya was breathing heavily. The current situation was as uncomfortable as being in volcanic lava. But what bothered Bronya the most was... that the Herrscher Core had rejected her?

With the Herrscher's power gone, Bronya reverted to her previous form. The girl weakly opened her eyes, only to be met with two pairs of concerned eyes. As for Shen Gonglin... hmm? Why was he over there, grabbing Hato's collar and pinning her against the wall?

However... seeing that Mei was in normal condition, Bronya breathed a sigh of relief, at least she didn't have the same situation as herself.

Chapter 384 Facing the Enemy Directly

Bronya, are you alright?

Mei asked with some concern. Bronya's condition seemed very abnormal no matter how you looked at it. She should have recovered her Herrscher Authority just now, just like herself. But in the blink of an eye, the Herrscher Authority on this girl disappeared like a fleeting spark. And with her unwell state, what's wrong with Bronya?

The girl shook her head silently. She was indeed not in a good state. Bronya looked down at her hands and tried to mobilize the power within her body, but the feedback was still the same. Sure enough, she was still in a state of lack of power. What was going on? Bronya looked up at Yuto again. Did she know what was going on?

"I'm sorry... Judging from the current situation, it seems there's nothing more I can do to help you. I've already broken the mental shackles that bound you, and you should have returned to your original state before you fell to the moon, just like Miss Mei. The reason why reality is contrary to this, I think... the problem lies in the origin of this power."

At this point, Yu Tu glanced meaningfully at Bronya. The restraints had been lifted, but Bronya's condition had not recovered, which meant it wasn't due to the restraints. Bronya remained silent upon hearing this, because she knew that Yu Tu was right. Indeed, as Yu Tu said, Bronya had indeed felt the Herrscher Core's rejection of her.

But what's going on? This has never happened before... We've been using the Herrscher Core for so long, why is this happening now?

The girl looked up with some confusion, just as Yu Tu's eyes met hers. The World Serpent executive blinked calmly, then revealed a placid smile. This smile made Bronya absolutely certain that this was not her imagination; she was hiding something from them.

Bronya?

Kiana was very worried about the girl's condition and asked with concern. The girl also put aside her complicated thoughts and turned around to force a smile at her comrades.

"It's alright, Bronya is fine. At worst, she'll just return to her previous state. But you guys, Kiana, Mei, are you... ready? And Shen Gonglin, what's going on with you?"

Not wanting her companions to worry about her, she needed to calmly face the situation ahead. As she said, even at worst, it would just be a return to her previous state. However, she feared that the burden would fall on their shoulders. Bronya was more worried about them than herself. However, Shen Gonglin's actions made Bronya's eyes widen slightly. Blue constructive power swirled between Shen Gonglin's fingers. How could he do that? Even as the Herrscher of Reason, she couldn't use her powers, so how could he?

"In short, I don't seem to be affected by anything... I just overused my Herrscher Authority for some reason before, and I've recovered a lot now... Bronya, why are you looking at me like that? Are you jealous because you can't use it yourself but others can? I don't remember you being such a naughty loli."

Withdrawing the Herrscher of Reason power from her fingers, Shen Gonglin said with a hint of smugness. Bronya turned her head to compose herself. Shen Gonglin was really infuriating. "Don't be angry, don't be angry. If I lose my temper over something like this, I'll probably only have anger left in my life. Now is not the time to be angry with Shen Gonglin." The emotionless loli ignored Shen Gonglin and looked at her two comrades. They should be ready, right? When she couldn't replace all the fighting power, their burden would obviously be heavier.

Realizing Bronya's meaning, the girls were taken aback for a moment, then smiled knowingly. Needless to say, of course.

"Although I shouldn't be saying this,... in your current state, facing the Lord of the World Serpent... you have absolutely no chance of winning. Even with Shen Gonglin added, it's the same. If you choose to recuperate, I will create a suitable space for you, and I think he would be happy to wait. As long as the Stigmata Plan hasn't completely transformed Earth. So... what's your choice? Do you still insist on speaking to him now?"

Seeing the girls' preparations, Yu Tu poured cold water on them. With their current state, Yu Tu couldn't think of any chance of winning against the Lord. Even with the addition of Shen Gonglin, it would be the same. He might be able to briefly unleash power comparable to the Lord, but the Lord would surely have a way to deal with it. Therefore, she didn't think going to see the Lord now was the right choice.

However, the girls' response was, as always, exactly what she expected.

"... Just as you pointed out before, we must strive to return to Earth as soon as possible. Simply resting and recuperating won't change the power gap between us and Kevin... on the contrary..."

"On the contrary, it will make him look down on us."

That's it.

The girls made their own choices, and Shen Gonglin was already sharpening her knife. How could anyone tolerate someone saying that she was no match for Kevin? Even Little Herrscher of Consciousness had the courage to say that she and Kevin were evenly matched, so how could she be inferior? She would chop off his dog head and show them!

"Is that so...?" Yuto didn't say anything. She just stared at Bronya for a moment, then revealed a meaningful expression. In that case, she didn't need to stop her anymore.

"I see... I understand now. Then, please continue forward. He is not far below. I hope the information provided by the Lord himself will be helpful to you."

Without stopping Shen Gonglin and the others, Yuto turned and continued walking downhill. The girls took a deep breath. Although they had made their choice, they were still a little unsure about facing that man. But this was a path they had to take. They couldn't let others make choices for them about such important matters in life. A plan as bad and terrible as the Stigmata Plan was definitely not in line with their aesthetics.

Therefore, whether it's Kevin or some Finality blocking our way, it's something we absolutely cannot back down from.

Chapter 385 Reasoning

Amidst the ruins, a man named Kevin stood alone in silence. The battle with his comrades had not drained him of any strength. For him, who could control a portion of the Power of Finality, it was merely a warm-up. The man stood there silently, just as he had been accustomed to for the past fifty thousand years.

In the past, he let himself be swept away by the tides of memory and thought, repeatedly chewing on the untraceable past, repeating this for thousands of years, until now, when he no longer thinks about anything superfluous, the river of time has long since flowed into the sea, and he only needs to wait in silence.

And now, they are almost here.

The sound of high heels rang out, and Yu Tu, who had arrived earlier, broke the silence with her appearance. Kevin turned his gaze from the starry sky to his subordinate and then suddenly asked a question out of the blue.

"It's over?"

"Yes, it's over."

Yu Tu's response was also puzzling, but Kevin had already understood. He nodded slightly and remained silent, but Yu Tu couldn't help but bring up the topic again.

"Aren't you curious about what I've done? When I came to you, you seemed a little surprised. I even reminded you that Dream Catcher's help to Stigmata Plan would only go so far. Aren't you worried at all?"

She voiced her doubts, though Yu Tu didn't think Kevin would give any real response.

"...no need."

As expected, this aloof man remained as sparing with his words as ever. Yu Tu sighed and crossed her arms. Talking to him was definitely not as interesting as communicating with those cute and brave girls.

"Yes, it's unnecessary, it's all in vain. But for humanity, every futile effort has its own special meaning, doesn't it? Otherwise, what was the purpose of your actions just now?"

Yu Tu looked around. The fluctuations in the surrounding space caused by the Power of Finality had not yet completely dissipated. Wasn't this all in vain?

"That's just a way of communicating, unique to the Flame-Chasers... You may leave now, they are coming."

Sensing the approach of Shen Gonglin and the others, Kevin stopped talking and gestured for Yuto to leave. She also wisely made her temporary departure. When the Lord was around, there were indeed some things that couldn't be said to them properly. She had to find a time when he wasn't around.

Kevin is just ahead. Seeing Kevin standing quietly in the center, the girls felt a little nervous. No matter which channel they had learned from, it all indicated that the enemy in front of them was powerful. Today, they were finally going to face Kevin directly. The four of them walked over slowly, and when they saw Kevin's current appearance, the three Valkyrie all showed surprised expressions.