A Battle of Words

And my area of expertise... is the soul.

As he spoke, Gwen raised his hand, a wisp of eerie blue Corpse Qi dancing between his fingers.

"But here, I can neither awaken Yae Sakura nor slow down the effects on you."

Even my own perception is constantly changing.

So much so that... I almost forgot where my strongest area was..."

Hearing Gwen's words, the three Eden beside him, some lying down and some leaning against him, couldn't help but show thoughtful expressions. They seemed to have thought of something, but they couldn't grasp that fleeting inspiration.

However, Gwen didn't wait for the three to answer before looking at Eden, who was leaning on his shoulder—

"Eden, who's up there?"

"Elysia..."

Eden was taken aback for a moment, then spoke naturally.

"Um..."

Gwen nodded, a relaxed smile spreading across his face.

"So, I was able to easily pass the dungeon over there, but I couldn't have a vague understanding of myself and you. This is the reason why I have made achievements in my area of expertise."

"What?"

Danzhu asked curiously, her eyes sparkling.

Although she didn't want to be unconsciously subjected to this or that, if possible, Danzhu would prefer to be on a clean and tidy... at least soft bed, instead of on this ash-covered stone floor.

"Everything here, including you and me, is fake."

Gwen flicked his finger around Danzhu's delicate nose and uttered a reply that sent shockwaves through the three of them—

Even the most skilled person in understanding the soul is helpless against a false soul.

At least I'm not capable of creating something from nothing.

"Can...

If we, even you, are all fake, then where is the truth?

Although Cang Xuan instinctively wanted to refute, he managed to suppress the impulse and asked in confusion.

"Heh... who knows?"

Gwen shook his head, but the smile on his face was still so bright.

"All right..."

Realizing that her false self had likely become a pawn of the enemy, Danzhu fell silent, simply wrapping her arms around Gwen's waist, searching for a sliver of genuine warmth amidst the illusion.

"You guys sit here for a bit, I'm going out for a walk to think about how to break this deadlock next time..."

Gwyn lowered his head and gently kissed Danzhu's forehead, then casually added fire to the Crimson Gwen Crimson Sakura, which had already transformed into a spiral sword, before leaving the somewhat dimly Bonfire Altar.

"Hmm... The sun, which is the embodiment of the Solar Divinity, is real; this is something that the Inner Demon of the fourth generation cannot change."

So where do these false illusions begin?

After entering the Stigmata Space, I first steadied myself and observed the surroundings, and then I saw Elysia posing as Fenrir ..."

Looking up at the sun, which was the manifestation of divinity and whose influence was gradually fading, Gwen recounted his experience of entering the Stigmata Space. He found himself in what should have been the Fire Keeper's corpse Bonfire Altar, but now it had become Fenrir's bedroom in the Oswald's City.

"So... it's here..."

Looking at Elysia above, who had changed into a gorgeous white dress with intricate gold patterns, her haggard face bearing cracks like the broken eggshell in her arms, and her pink hair now showing signs of decline, Gwen murmured to himself and stepped forward.

"..."

Gwyn took one last deep look at Elysia before him, Gwen his hand, ignoring the undead CG flashing through his mind, and reached for the eggshell that seemed to hold endless darkness...

Light!

Endless light burst forth from the darkness within the eggshell, filling Gwen's entire field of vision.

Gwen did not look away, nor did he focus his gaze on it; he simply watched the endless light quietly.

A moment later, the blinding light slowly dimmed, and Gwen's vision returned.

There was no Princess's boudoir, nor any living dead Princess, only a haggard-looking Elysia looking at him with a smile.

"You're finally here~~"

Her voice trembled slightly, carrying a hint of unconcealed exhaustion, but Elysia still spoke cheerfully in the tone Gwen knew best—

"Now it's up to you to do it!"

As she spoke, Elysia, who seemed to have not been active for a very long time, opened her arms with some difficulty.

"Okay, leave it to me."

Gwen embraced the girl, who was dressed in a gorgeous gown that resembled a wedding dress, yet whose face was as pale as paper. He bent down and gently but firmly held her soft, limp body.

A moment later, hearing even breathing in his ear, Gwen gently released the girl from his arms.

"..."

Looking at Elysia, who seemed to be fast asleep, Gwen took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders, then gently kissed the girl's forehead.

Gwen left enough marks to ensure the girl's safety, then looked up at what was behind Elysia—

The sword rack that used to hold the Kusanagi is now empty.

Clearly, Ling and Kusanagi, which disappeared in the illusion, were truly taken away by the Inner Demon.

In that recent embrace, utterly exhausted, Elysia revealed the truth to him—

When the danger of the Solar Divinity disappeared and Elysia relaxed her guard, her Inner Demon struck.

While Elysia was barely able to protect Eden and the others, the Inner Demon Kusanagi and tried to use its corrupting power to take down everyone, but Elysia had also activated her own power, blocked it.

However, although he couldn't defeat Elysia, the Inner Demon still managed to influence Eden and the others by using the Kusanagi. Furthermore, he used the identity of the original owner of the Yae Sakura Stigmata to create a trap in this Stigmata Space, waiting for Gwen to step into it.

Chapter 517 A Battle of Wits

In order to help Gwen find the right path, Elysia chooses to actively participate and reveal the path to truth to Gwen.

However, because of this, Elysia is also trapped and unable to break free on her own, and can only wait for Gwen to break the deadlock.

Fortunately, Gwen did not disappoint her; he came to her before everything was beyond repair.

After helping Elysia remove the corruption of Kusanagi, Gwen found Eden, Danzhu Cang Xuan, and Yae Sakura, who were still unconscious below, and helped them remove the corruption as well.

However, unlike Elysia, the four were deeply corrupted and probably wouldn't wake up for a while.

After providing sufficient protection for the four to prevent their Inner Demon from continuing to hold them hostage, Gwen used his own Solar Divinity, which had transformed into the sun of the Stigmata Space, to thoroughly cleanse the Stigmata Space and bring it completely under his control.

"Next, it's time to settle the accounts..."

After finishing everything, Gwen exhaled a deep breath, looked up at the sky, and took a step forward.

The scenery suddenly changed; the bright sun in the sky disappeared, replaced by a Golden Tree radiating the same color as Honkai Energy.

"Heh... it really is a case of being both right and wrong..."

With a casual sarcastic remark, Gwen slapped the monster that had jumped up to ambush him, turning it to ashes.

This time, Gwen didn't fly directly to find his Inner Demon. Instead, he killed his way through, eliminating all the monsters he saw.

As Gwen was clearing things out, five more beastly figures appeared beside him—

Flame Dragon, Wind Eagle, Black Rhinoceros, Earth Tiger, and Snow Mastiff.

As planned, Gwen successfully unified the monsters within the Stigmata Space —monsters that were manifestations of Honkai Beast factors within his bloodline—transforming them into his "Five Spirits."

When Gwen led the Five Spirits to the Elden Throne, he saw a figure sitting with his back to him on a white plastic chair at a roadside food stall.

With just one glance, Gwen confirmed the other's identity—his own Inner Demon.

"If I remember correctly, the white plastic chairs in those videos I watched seemed to be a prank?"

Upon seeing the inner Inner Demon he had longed for for so long, Gwen made a slight effort to refrain from punching it, instead crossing his arms and sneering.

"Who told someone to only watch parody videos?"

Ignoring Gwen's sarcasm, he retorted in a voice identical to Gwen's.

"Ha, what are you saying? You expect me to know everything about every game in the world... every entertainment work?"

Gwen snorted, completely ignoring the Inner Demon's mockery, and his gaze fell on the Kusanagi leaning against the white plastic chair—

"But you, you went to so much trouble, even going so far as to create a hybrid of the Dark Souls and the Elden Ring, just to get the Kusanagi?"

"The wisdom of mortals."

The Inner Demon's voice was neither cold nor devoid of emotion.

"And you?

Running left and right, are they trying to create a monkey version of the Five Spirits by creating these Five Spirits?

"If you're going to say that, at least use a somewhat emotionless voice, and wear some plain glasses, right?"

Gwen shrugged and asked in return,

Where is Ling?

Where did you take that girl?

"Oh..."

Upon hearing Gwen's question, the Inner Demon chuckled, slowly rose, and lifted the Kusanagi.

"If you want it, you have to come and get it yourself. You already know that rule."

"I knew you'd say that..."

Gwen's brow twitched, and with a backhand motion, the Corona Sword appeared in his hand—

After Gwen merged with the Solar Divinity, his fusion with Apollo seems to have been further enhanced, and now the Corona Sword can change size according to his needs.

"The Corona Sword, I thought you would bring the Heavenly Fire in with you."

The Inner Demon laughed.

"You're about to die, so I should at least play one last act with you."

Gwen smiled, but the curve of his lips was icy and chilling.

As soon as he finished speaking, Gwen had already rushed to the Inner Demon's side, bringing down the Corona Sword in his hand, while at the same time, his left fist, flashing with the light of his Cosmo, also delivered Lightning Speed Fist towards the Inner Demon.

"The world is so beautiful, yet you are so irritable."

Using the Kusanagi to block the Corona Sword, the Inner Demon casually dodged Gwen's fist—

"I thought we could talk more—"

After all, you've already pierced through many things within yourself that you were afraid to face, haven't you?

"No, all I want to do right now is kill you!"

Gwen spoke, he unleashed another Light Speed Fist at the Inner Demon's head.

"Kill me?"

Can you do it?

The Inner Demon raised his hand and gripped Gwen's fist, his expression revealing a hint of mockery against the backdrop of the golden flames emanating from his fist.

"You should be very clear about the subtle differences—"

With the same force, I can achieve a thousand effects, while you can't even do a hundred.

This is called setting.

As he spoke, the Inner Demon's longsword had already plunged into Gwen's waist, blood gushing out.

"But if you're so strong, why are you playing hide-and-seek with me?"

The excruciating pain caused Gwen's forehead veins to throb, but his expression remained calm as still water. The Corona Sword shone with a brilliant sunlight as he thrust it towards the Inner Demon's chest—

"If you really had that ability, you would have killed me long ago—"

The existence of Inner Demon is solely for the purpose of killing their host.

This is part of the setup!