Chapter 529

Yu Tu smiled, feeling a surge of joy. What kind of power could rival the entirety of her life experiences recorded after traversing this land?

Without a doubt, this is ascension.

Misterin knew the answer, but this was truly the first time she had witnessed it firsthand. She felt that the part of herself she had once regretted now had its answer. Humans could not only change Stigmata ... they could even change Herrscher. And this new power naturally represented something else entirely.

I will preserve their past, even if it robs them of their future.

This was the answer given by her former self, the former Misterin. She transcribed everything she had encountered along the way, and another person...

I want to give them the future, even if they have no past to remember.

This is Alexandra, who was willing to sacrifice her life for her child.

I want to create a future for them, even if it means sacrificing my own present.

This is the belief of someone, the first Herrscher of Reason.

But just now, what helped Bronya wasn't these answers of choosing the lesser of two evils; those answers, consigned to the past, cannot be used to overcome the present. If a person cannot accept the loss of something, then he lacks the capacity to truly possess that thing. This is something Bronya once said.

In that instant, she recalled Joyce's end... and also Joachim's beginning, which finally made her realize... the so-called inheritance.

It is something that proves its existence through disappearance. The past is ultimately just a warehouse, a mirror. Only the future can overcome the present. The 300,000 fragments of thought belonging to the Herrscher of Reason are ultimately just echoes of history, unable to solve all unknown problems. Shen Gonglin's Herrscher of Reason Core is so pure that even without the support of those 300,000 fragments of thought, she can unleash Herrscher of Reason abilities even more powerful than Bronya before, and that is the reason.

When we expand the scale of time and space, this principle becomes crystal clear. Those who actively isolate themselves cannot comprehend the rapid changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution; even the valiant Zulu warriors ultimately could not overcome the relentless barrage of machine gun fire. When civilization freezes at a certain moment, it loses the power to conquer the future, and for those Herrscher of Reason ...

If it doesn't absorb those 300,000 thoughts, and if it doesn't complete its ascension, this power cannot become a force worthy of fighting against the Stigmata Plan and Adam the God.

Presenting a brand new image, Bronya, the Herrscher of Truth, felt as if she were amidst swaying grass and trees, and appearing before the girl was a senior she admired, the starting point of all this inheritance. In the past, that was also someone she, and even Joachim, knew they could not reach, yet still tried their best to approach.

Now, they can finally stand side by side, but the 300,000 points of thought from the membership fee have been swallowed up by the core of the ascension. This will be the last fleeting image of the other party left in the world. Now, I should say something.

"I'm sorry, in order to reach tomorrow, Bronya overturned the past you left behind. However, as the Herrscher of Reason, Bronya has no regrets. After all... the only unchanging truth of humanity is that humanity's truth will inevitably change."

Joyce spoke softly, but Welt on the other side did not speak. As always, he remained silent, just like Bronya had seen him in her dreams before. This time, however, the smile on his face was even brighter than before, a smile that represented the highest level of approval.

"... Farewell, Welt Joyce. Bronya is honored... to bear your legacy."

I softly thank this sage. The Herrscher of Reason is never just a piece of history. Starting from one three hundred thousandth, its entirety has come back to life in the present, far surpassing all that has been before.

Bronya!

As the vegetation faded away, Bronya's consciousness returned to the present after bidding a final farewell to the first Herrscher of Reason. Then, the calls of her companions came from behind her. The girl turned slightly and winked at them. Look, Bronya has also completed her ascension. Now she has finally caught up with Kiana and Mei. It feels like Shen Gonglin can really praise herself. This time, she defeated Yuuto all by herself. Now he can't say that she was bad, right?

Unfortunately, Kiana and Mei are both here now, so it's a bit difficult to act cute.

"The outcome is already decided, no need to worry."

Responding to her companions' concern, Bronya turned her gaze back to Yuto, the exhausted loser who didn't seem particularly dejected. Considering Yuto's actions—seemingly trying to stop her, but the ultimate outcome... —Bronya couldn't help but think further.

"You... did you do this on purpose?"

The girl stepped forward and asked her question. The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. The other person's actions seemed to be guiding her to complete her true ascension. Considering the common problems of World Serpent members, and thinking about Mei and Raven, this possibility... was not out of the question.

Is he a traitor?

Chapter 439 It was all Kevin's doing.

"Oh? What do you mean?"

Yu Tu wore a faint smile. She didn't care about her failure, or rather, her failure made her feel quite good and relaxed.

Bronya didn't respond immediately; the girl sensed her Herrscher Core once more. Compared to Kiana and Mei, her ascension this time was surprisingly smooth. Considering Kiana's love-hate relationship with the Herrscher of the Void, hers was probably the easiest one yet.

"First comes darkness, then comes birth. Just as Bronya devised a winning strategy before the war began, you have indeed carried out your plan, haven't you?"

Wanting to confirm her suspicions, Bronya raised this question, and it all seemed to be part of Yuto's plan.

"Oh? You remember that casual remark I made? It even rhymed, didn't it?"

It was as if Bronya had been fought by a completely different person. Yu Tu looked at the girl in front of her with a smile in her eyes. That new attitude represented a new belief. In that case, they might be able to accomplish the great feat that no one had ever done before.

"... Bronya was just giving a random example, just like the meaning of this sentence... Although you are an adversary, you seem to have been intentionally or unintentionally giving Bronya the right guidance all along. As a result, this situation has come to be what it is now."

Bronya analyzed the current situation and offered this conjecture, which seemed to amuse Yuto, as the girl chuckled and raised her finger.

"Hehe, don't overthink it. You think I'd cause this situation where I get beaten up? I'm still in pain. I'm not the same person I was a decade or so ago; I don't have any weird fetishes... Shen Gonglin knows that. You might not know, but I'm the second Feather Rabbit created by the Stigmata Plan. Strictly speaking, I'm not the pitiful and hateful being you remember. But speaking of which... I'm actually a little curious, how exactly do humans manage to do something like this?"

She didn't want to end up being beaten up like this. If possible, she would prefer to be treated gently. Yu Tu shrugged and asked the question. Although everything was going according to plan, she really didn't understand the underlying principles.

"You mean... the core of the Herrscher of Reason has been re-formed?"

"No, you already gained the approval of those 300,000 thoughts, so it's not surprising that you could do that. What I'm really concerned about is... You don't have the ability to erase any fragments of consciousness from the core. That's not the power of the Herrscher of Reason, and you haven't even reached that level. Did you not use the core, but instead completely rely on your own will to memorize those 300,000 thoughts? Or did the Herrscher of Reason's core sense your will and automatically do this for you?"

She raised her question, which seemed impossible to Yu Tu, so she wanted to get the answer.

"... From Bronya's personal experience, the latter is probably closer to the truth. To be honest, Bronya didn't think that much at the time. If the core of Herrscher has a predetermined capacity, then in order to carry the ever-growing past and always be able to move towards the future... Bronya could only make herself another core. What happened later was more of a natural progression for Herrscher."

She explained her feelings about it. Facing this "enemy," Bronya indeed found it difficult to feel any ill will.

"Bronya felt that...they had become a part of Bronya in another form, and would adapt to the future as Bronya changed."

"... Ha. Is this what they call hindsight? You don't need to be modest. As far as I know, your ascension was smoother than any other Herrscher. Three hundred thousand thoughts... even if they weren't active wills, they would be enough to overwhelm any human brain. Not to mention changing their form of existence. But... this is you, Bronya. Thank you for letting me witness what Herrscher of Reason. Although this victory seems like a coincidence, as the key to its realization, it was also inevitable."

Having acknowledged Bronya's victory, just as Yuuto had said before, if this were all viewed as a level-based game, then they had indeed overcome their own obstacle. As for the defeated boss...

"Let me make this clear first, I don't have the ability to reverse the Stigmata Plan, nor does my Lord. However, given how things have come to this, I really can't continue to stand in your way. As for what happens next, go ask your Class President. Bronya ... Bronya Zaychek, your growth has exceeded everyone's expectations... including hers. If we meet again, you can call me Auntie. Shen Gonglin, please explain this to me, I'm really too lazy to explain."

Seeing that Fu Hua had awakened, Yu Tu knew it was time to leave. Before parting, Yu Tu winked at Bronya, a title she was quite looking forward to.

Aunt?

Everyone looked at Shen Gonglin. What did this mean? Why could Shen Gonglin explain? It seemed that there was some secret between Shen Gonglin and Hato. Hato had disappeared, and the only one who could give an answer was Shen Gonglin. Stared at by several pairs of eyes, Shen Gonglin felt a little flustered. What did this scrutinizing gaze mean? She and Hato really had nothing between them.

"Someone explain to me what happened... Why does my chest hurt so much? Kevin... Has he become a scumbag who would prey on women in such a compromising situation?"

Fu Hua, now awake, walked to the front of the group. Her thoughts were still on the moment she pulled Kevin into the black hole, and the "injuries" she was now wearing must have been caused by Kevin, right? It couldn't have been from falling face-first to the ground, could it?

"Yeah, that's right, it was Kevin who did it. That guy is inhuman."

Amidst the speechless gazes of everyone, Shen Gonglin, without batting an eye, shifted the blame to Kevin. It wasn't that she had hurt her while performing CPR; it was definitely because of that villain, Kevin.

"Really? It's hard to believe... Kevin, is that kind of person?"

The straightforward Class President was fooled by Shen Gonglin, but even so... why does this feeling feel so familiar, as if I have experienced something similar, and my only experience... Fu Hua looked at Shen Gonglin suspiciously, he was the only one.

Chapter 440

"Um, Bronya, what happened just now was..."

Yuuto has left the stage. Kiana, full of questions, finally has time to focus her attention on Bronya. The girl is now presenting a completely new image to everyone. Has she started wearing a high ponytail now? She seems much more mature, but that's her signature look.

"Hmm? Is something wrong?"

Bronya didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with her current form. Although the double helix Roman curls were her signature feature, she looked pretty good as she did now. Having evolved from the Herrscher of Reason to the Herrscher of Truth, Bronya generously displayed her current form to Shen Gonglin and the others. She must look quite pretty and cute.

"There are probably too many things that don't seem right."

Mei also joined the conversation. Like Kiana, she was extremely curious about Bronya's current state and had many questions to ask. Bronya didn't seem to be doing anything wrong, so was the problem with them or with her?

"Mei is right... I don't even understand what happened between you and her. But... Bronya is the complete Herrscher of Reason now, right?"

Having raised this question, Bronya briefly examined her own body, but offered no particular reaction, simply humming in response. Recalling a similar situation from the past, Bronya glanced around. After re-condensing the Herrscher Core, she immediately constructed new mechs for her companions; Heavy-duty Rabbit was still there.

The half-body mech hovered there silently, vastly different from before, yet seemingly unchanged. This change within the change was precisely the key to Bronya's victory. However, now was not the time to boast about her strategy; now was the time to...

"Sister Bronya!"

Just then, a scream full of surprise suddenly rang out from afar. Before Bronya could react, a familiar embrace suddenly hugged her. Feeling that familiar presence, Bronya's expression softened. However, Shen Gonglin. Why did it seem like they all had romantic partners? And her own partner... well, it was still the Class President after all.

Fu Hua was flattered and surprised when the Class President quietly hugged her. What's wrong? Is Shen Gonglin suddenly trying to act cute?

"Seele?"

Bronya knew who the girl holding her was, but Bronya couldn't understand why she was there. Shouldn't Seele be on guard duty on the moon? Why was she...?

"Thank goodness... Sister Bronya is alright!"

The girl's voice was full of surprise. She held Bronya tightly and didn't want to let go. Bronya was also happy about her sister's closeness, but this was in front of so many people... Why is Shen Gonglin also secretly hugging the Class President? She really does follow the example of others.

"Thank you. But how could you possibly..."

After gently easing Seele's tension and comforting her sister, Bronya asked the question: How did Seele get here? Could something have happened to her?

"Of course I called her. You guys made such a big fuss but didn't include me. That's a bit inappropriate."

A rather arrogant voice rang out, and the Herrscher of Consciousness appeared before everyone with her hands on her hips. Of course, she was the one who did this; gathering everyone together made it more lively, and besides, it was quite necessary.

"Hmm... Little Herrscher of Consciousness, now is not the time for jokes. We still have a lot to do."

Although being held by Shen Gonglin felt quite comfortable, the subtle gaze coming from Bronya made Fu Hua, the honest girl, feel uneasy. With the important matter at hand, she stepped forward, giving everyone a sense of security. What followed was equally challenging.

She finally woke up. Seeing Fu Hua right in front of her, Kiana breathed a sigh of relief. The Class President always gave people this feeling, as if as long as she was there, nothing would be a problem.

"Long time no see, Kiana, Mei, Bronya, and Seele."

She greeted everyone, "It's been a long time!" After the Stigmata Plan began, she used some means to get to Kevin and then used a simulated black hole to trap him. Now she could finally stand in front of them and have a proper talk with them... As for Shen Gonglin, she was family, so there was no need for special greetings.

"Yeah, long time no see, Class President."

Mei and Fu Hua hadn't seen each other for a long time. Looking at her Class President, Mei connected her with Fu Hua, one of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers. It really had been a long time.

"Wait a minute, what about me? Why didn't you say hello to me?"

Xiao Little Herrscher of Consciousness, ever the talkative one, interrupted the conversation again, greeting them all. Why did she forget about her when they were alone? Could this old fogey have forgotten who saved her? What a heartless fellow.

"You've helped me a lot. I must thank you separately later."

Turning to the Herrscher of Consciousness and smiling, this obvious "special treatment" left Little Herrscher of Consciousness somewhat bewildered. Uh... what exactly did this old relic mean by "thank you"? Did he mean to pack Shen Gonglin as a gift and send it to her? If that was the kind of gratitude, then the Herrscher of Consciousness felt she could certainly accept it gladly.

In short, the group composed themselves and then shared their experiences. This gave them a basic understanding of each other's situations.

"...I see. Perfect, now it's my turn to report. First, as you know, Kevin has now left the moon. Without encountering many challenges, he has set off to execute the next step of the plan. Of course...whether we are his enemies or not is ultimately up to us."

This explains Kevin's current actions. Although he doesn't want to admit it, everything they did before, in Kevin's eyes, wasn't even a real obstacle. And if they wanted to truly stand against Kevin, they would need to make a much greater effort. Perhaps right now, he doesn't even consider them enemies.

Chapter 441 The Herrscher of Reason Who Transcends Common Sense

"What is the next step in the plan...?"

Mei asked the question because knowing how Kevin would act next was crucial for them. However, before Fu Hua could explain, the impatient Little Herrscher of Consciousness couldn't help but speak up, saying, "Isn't it obvious?"

"Isn't it obvious? Kevin doesn't care about this place at all. The only reason he stayed here for a moment was to show us how capable he is."

The Herrscher of Consciousness scoffed at Kevin's actions, thinking he was just showing off how powerful he was. Now that she knew about it, she had thought she could go toe-to-toe with him, but now there was a high chance he could beat her to a pulp in five minutes. She knew he was powerful, and he was just showing off. Putting herself in his shoes, Little Herrscher of Consciousness thought she would do the same if she were in his situation.

"... He's not the kind of person who has that much free time."

Mei doesn't quite agree with Little Herrscher of Consciousness's point of view. In Mei's opinion, Kevin never does anything unnecessary.

"Huh? You think you know Kevin better than I do? That's why I'm talking about him."

Little Herrscher of Consciousness was too lazy to argue with Mei, so she turned her gaze to Fu Hua. In a brief eye contact, they confirmed some of the unspoken meanings they had sensed before.

"I think Kevin ... is looking for something from you. To that end, he repeatedly set obstacles for you, personally verifying your fighting spirit and abilities. He went all out, yet also gave us a break, and even proactively told the Herrscher of Consciousness how to return to Earth from here."

Upon learning this information, the girls were all very surprised. Did they now have a way to return to Earth? And it was Kevin who took the initiative to tell them. Was the final battle going to take place on Earth? They were really worried about the current state of Earth.

"Look, isn't he just looking down on us? Although I can't really be considered one of your allies. Of course, seeing that I couldn't beat him, I pretended to surrender... Don't look at me like that! I was just pretending to surrender, but that guy seemed to want to show off his magnanimity, and he went on and on about several things related to the moon. Like the influence of Stigmata Awakener on space, the World Bubble that can trap Herrscher, and the wormhole that everyone can use..."

He grinned at everyone, revealing that he was only pretending to surrender. After all, the old man was unconscious at the time, and he was the only one left. How could he possibly be a match for Kevin? So he could only pretend to surrender and wait for an opportunity. As a result, that idiot Kevin revealed his entire plan. He must be what is called being both wise and brave, right?

Without my own knowledge, where would this intelligence come from?

"... You mean, wormholes?"

Bronya translated what the Herrscher of Consciousness said. The so-called wormhole should mean wormhole, right?

"Ah, right, right, this is the place where you were fighting just now. It was originally a stargate used by the Flame-Chasers to travel between Earth and the Moon, but unfortunately, it was destroyed before the Finality. However, that popsicle let slip something when I pretended to surrender, saying that if you develop the power of the Herrscher of Reason to its fullest potential, then the Moon alone cannot become a prison for the Herrscher. What, judging from this, you want to try it out as he said?"

He deliberately showed off his resourcefulness again. The Herrscher of Consciousness also saw Bronya's eager look. Although he had cleverly extracted a lot of information, he still didn't know if that popsicle had any backup plans.

"If we don't even dare to try, then we'll really be looked down upon by the World Serpent."

Bronya nodded in agreement, admitting that she wanted to try this method and push the power of the Herrscher of Reason to its limit. Bronya now felt that she could do anything.

"Sister Bronya, you're not going to force yourself, are you?"

Seele looked at Bronya with concern. Sister Bronya had always pushed herself too hard, and this time, wouldn't it be the same...? Hearing about opening pathways again after Klossen, Seele felt an almost instinctive fear. Back then, Sister Bronya had worked with Shen Gonglin to construct the main cannon of Moonlight King Cloud, Seele couldn't even imagine the pressure Sister Bronya had endured. And now, was it the same situation again?

"Don't worry, Seele, Bronya is stronger than any Herrscher of Reason in the past... And Bronya isn't working alone, she has the best partner... Sigh, Shen Gonglin, can't you have a little more teamwork? Don't look at others, who else could Bronya's best partner be but you?"

He pulled Shen Gonglin over, and during the contact, the Herrscher of Reason Core within Shen Gonglin's body was also affected, as if by an infection. Shen Gonglin's Herrscher Core seemed to be influenced by her Herrscher Core. Shen Gonglin is now the Herrscher of Truth, and he thought his ascension would be very easy, but... Shen Gonglin's ascension was much easier than his.