The Final Chapter • The Sea Breeze of St. Freya Still Blows

It felt like slowly rising and falling from a dark ocean, a chilling cold seeping into my entire body, and it felt like an eternity...

The boy's consciousness was successfully awakened.

This wasn't his first time in this place.

The boundary between nothingness and reality is devoid of color and tactile sensation; a strange division severs all perception, leaving only darkness and desolation as companions.

It's so cold and so dark.

Su Qing'an suddenly realized.

So even death couldn't bring him peace.

A familiar yet unfamiliar voice entered my mind.

That was Atropos.

[Congratulations on surviving your third death. Your golden soul, your foolish selflessness, and your unwavering determination to fight to the death have earned you the right to be reborn.]

[Would you like to continue with the third journey, player?]

[Clearance condition: Personally defeat the Honkai of Civilization Plus One.]

Su Qing'an murmured silently:

"If it doesn't start, will the world line restart?"

Atropos understood the weariness hidden in the boy's words, and it knew the reason for this weariness.

For Su Qing'an, no matter how much regret and remorse accumulated, his so-called life should rightfully come to an end here.

If given a real choice, would Su Qing'an still choose to continue on the unknown journey home?

Even knowing that all that lies ahead is hopeless despair and sorrow, is he still willing to bear all the pain alone, enduring utter helplessness, in order to find an ending whose outcome is unknown?

An ordinary person would think that the best course of action is to continue living, but for Su Qing'an, who has a tendency toward self-destruction, continuing on her journey is something she needs to hesitate about.

Perhaps only true death can give him a peaceful resting place; a gentle eternal sleep will deprive him of the right to think and the lingering memories, and naturally there will be no more sorrow and pain.

[The gods themselves will not force you to participate in the game again, because they don't need players who give up on themselves and lack self-will. What they need is a brave person who chooses to face everything even under strong ominous signs of death.]

Brave one.

He hated that statement.

But Su Qing'an still understood what the other person meant: what if she said she was tired now?

Then annihilation will completely surround him on his journey to eternal sleep.

Su Qing'an has a choice, at least...

He has the right to choose death.

[... The gods have bestowed a gift upon you, player.]

[Perhaps you can find your own answer here.]

The boy whispered in confusion:

"A gift?"

This is a kaleidoscope created for you by the gods.

[Go and see, the future that follows this timeline before it restarts.]

And then, light appeared.

A myriad of images flooded my mind...

On that day, Murata Himeko was floating on a piece of wood in a sea area beneath the Hyperion. She was rescued by Kiana and the others who had escaped from the seabed. During the transport back to the St. Freya Academy, the medical team discovered that her Honkai Energy had almost completely disappeared and her body organs were almost brand new.

The degree of Honkai Energy erosion has been reduced to a level lower than that of the initial transplanted Artificial Stigmata.

Su Qing'an's final embrace granted her an extra ten years of life.

The continuous fusion of natural Stigmata will further extend and lengthen this number.

That was also that day.

The Xuanyuan Sword and the boy's remains fell into the place he knew best in this world.

St. Freya Academy.

Cemetery.

The immortal looked at the boy's clean face in the ice coffin. The plain white ancient clothes covered the wounded and blood-stained body, and the sleeves were empty, indicating the incompleteness of the remains.

She wiped away the bloodstains with her own hands, and the clothes were changed by the young girl. It seemed like she hadn't done these old-fashioned things in a long time, but compared to the wonder that doing these things might bring, the emptiness and sorrow were much heavier.

Her eyes were like a still, lifeless sea, devoid of any ripples.

The man on the other end of the communicator whispered:

"He said he wanted to be thrown into the sea at St. Freya after he died."

But what the man didn't say was that he probably understood what Su Qing'an meant.

Because that person wouldn't care much about their fate after death.

Su Qing'an's reason for wanting to be buried at sea is very simple.

Fu Hua loves the sea, so he wanted to be closer to her, even if it was in this way.

The girl stood in front of the cemetery for a very long time.

Finally, she placed the Xuanyuan Sword and the [Calming the Tempest] beside the unbuilt stone tablet and left silently.

She did not respond to Otto.

But at the Schicksal Headquarters that day, Otto lost a physical body.

Even with so many constraints and a sense of duty, Fu Hua couldn't bring herself to break free of her last shred of pretense.

But she couldn't control the impulse.

Perhaps... it's uncontrollable.

After seeing the boy's eyes lose their light, the momentary blankness she experienced made her understand many answers.

Although it was only a little bit.

However... some things are already beyond doubt.

Fu Hua likes Su Qing'an.

Because the immortal rode the Honkai Energy form a sword aura and slashed through the sky to leave alone, no one knew about his journey.

Therefore, in Theresa's eyes on the Hyperion, it was as if Chi You's vital signs had completely disappeared just one hour after the team lost contact.

Soon after, the Valkyrie squad returned unharmed, carrying the unconscious but unharmed Murata Himeko.

Even though the mission seemed to have failed, Theresa still felt a sense of relief.

But she immediately realized that someone was missing, and her sense of relief was extinguished by the cold reality.

The person who disappeared was Su Qing'an, who chose to enter the Nine Nether without ever contacting her.

She looked at the several girls, who had just stepped onto the bridge, their bodies covered in the icy Seawater, their pale cheeks streaked with water droplets of indistinguishable substance, which trickled silently down their faces.

The moment Chi You's vital signs disappeared, the underwater ruins completely collapsed, and the endless eddies and overflowing Honkai Energy the sea surface appear exceptionally magnificent.

Kiana, cradling the still unconscious Satou Yunona, looked at the scene with a bewildered expression.

I feel so cold all over.

The Seawater must be too cold.

She trembled all over, and a blush crept onto her pale cheeks.

Immediately, amidst Mei's panicked and worried cries, Kiana lost consciousness.

Theresa didn't immediately ask what had happened. Perhaps she already guessed the answer, but her elder's gentleness suppressed her intense unease, and she chose to first arrange for the medical team to begin treating the wounded.

In fact, all of them were injured to varying degrees. After Mei swung that final, unrestrained strike, her arm suffered from severe muscle fatigue and dislocation. According to the medical department's analysis, the neurons in her arm also exhibited a strange disorder.

Kiana almost awakened as Herrscher, which increased the concentration of Honkai Energy in her body, causing her body temperature to be extremely high, which manifested externally as a persistent fever.

The same goes for Satou Yunona; the onslaught of power and the Honkai Consciousness is overwhelming her, and it will be difficult for her to Awakened in the short term.

Bronya, being a ranged attacker, did not suffer much damage.

At this moment, the little girl was wearing the smallest size uniform of St. Freya. She was quietly squatting in a corner of the wall outside the medical room, hugging HOMU doll, somewhat silent.

Her gray hair was combed into long strands that cascaded down her back, still damp as if it hadn't been dried with a hairdryer.

Theresa held a dry towel and gently dried Bronya's hair without saying a word. After drying it slightly, she picked up a silent hairdryer and dried the girl's hair.

Bronya obediently did not object to Theresa's actions. She listened to the soft sound of the wind blowing past her ears without any noise, but in a daze, she thought that person was still beside her, holding a sword, embarking on a long journey.

She unzipped the HOMU doll, revealing a built-in storage space for some items.

Bronya reached out and took out a colorful candy with a translucent outer shell. She carefully placed it in her palm and said to Theresa, who had been silent all along:

"Headmaster Theresa, Bronya... will never be able to eat the candy that Su gave her again."

--.

The hairdryer fell to the floor, and a suffocating silence engulfed the room.

Some things, even if you already know how they will end.

But the subconscious urge to escape and the sadness remain unavoidable.

Many people are like this, Theresa Apocalypse is no exception.

That's why the pain still seems so unexpected after everything has been torn apart by reality.

She failed to protect her students.

This is the second time.

This is also the last time.

The next day, in the afternoon.

When Murata Himeko and Satou Yunona Awakened, the funeral gradually began in earnest.

All the students of the St. Freya Academy arrived as promised and changed into nuns' robes. Whenever a student died, the academy on the island would be shrouded in a gray mist.

Their expressions were filled with sadness and desolation. The procession through the cemetery was quiet and polite, and Abyss Flower covered the steps in front of the tombstones.

Su Qing'an rarely interacts with people.

But in the coffee shop by the coastline, the sight of that boy quietly grinding coffee beans is a familiar scene at the St. Freya Academy.

Posts about him are constantly appearing on the school forum, and some students who are experts in coffee even try to guess the boy's mood and preferences by looking at the menu he customizes for the day.

Among the most liked posts was a casually updated log, whose owner was none other than the culprit who took the photos of Su Qing'an and Fu Hua watching the sea together.

The post has now stopped receiving responses, but its pageviews continue to rise.

[On the morning of [Month] [Day], Xiao Su enrolled in school. Her self-introduction consisted of only a cool and aloof statement: "My name is Su Qing'an." Thinking about it, that's definitely Xiao Su's style.]

On [Date], Xiao Su was practicing martial arts with Fu Hua.

[On [Date], Xiao Su opened a coffee shop. I go there every day, since his black coffee is always delicious.]

[On [Date], Xiao Su returned from his mission. While we won't reveal the specifics, he was unharmed, so everyone can rest assured. Well, although he's not in a great mood, running a coffee shop is something he enjoys, so please come the next day.]

[On [Month X, Day X], Xiao Su and Fu Hua were looking at the sea.]

[On [Date], Xiao Su fell asleep. I don't know when she'll Awakened. I sent her a bouquet of flowers; that's all I could do.]

[On [Month] [Day], Xiao Su woke up. It's good that he's alright.]

[On [Month X, Day X], although there were rumors that Xiao Su and Fu Hua went to Shenzhou to get engaged, I think they probably just happened to be on their way there for a vacation.]

The last post appeared after the funeral.

On [Date], Xiao Su died.

The poster then deleted their account, and their profile picture, just like the last sentence, turned completely gray.

Satou Yunona lost her phone in the heavy rain. She looked up at the raindrops falling into her pupils, her turquoise eyes reflecting the seemingly dead sky.

The black umbrella fell to the ground.

The nun's habit, soaking wet, clung to the curves of the girl's body; the rain had chilled her to the bone.

It seems like nothing matters anymore.

Throughout the day since Awakened and just now, the Honkai Consciousness has linked with Satou Yunona seven times in succession through the ocean of emotions.

Become Herrscher.

Satou Yunona wondered, if she had chosen to become Herrscher that day, would she have had enough power to change the outcome?

It might get worse, or it might get better.

But that doesn't matter anymore.

Even if I become Herrscher now, it's nothing more than trampling on that person's will.

Su Qing'an didn't want to see herself like that, so she couldn't go against his wishes no matter what.

Therefore, bearing the immense pressure, she forcefully severed the seventh link to the Honkai Consciousness.

It was as if something deeper and darker had been added to her steely will, making the girl unwavering.

You see, a person's death really can change a lot of things.

He transformed a girl who used to cry even if she cut her finger while cooking into someone so resilient that even Honkai Consciousness couldn't overcome her.

Rita held an umbrella over Fu Hua; now no one remained in this desolate cemetery.

Even Kiana and Bronya were persuaded to leave by Mei.

Fu Hua stared silently at the words inscribed on the tombstone, saying nothing.

After this, she will never come to the St. Freya Academy again.

The way the girl returned Su Qing'an's remains made no attempt to conceal her identity. Although she and Headmaster Theresa were currently maintaining a tacit understanding, staying any longer under these circumstances would not be a good thing.

She will no longer carry out the tasks Otto assigned her at St. Freya.

She didn't want to see the ancient tree where the boy practiced martial arts, she didn't want to see the coffee shop he ran, and she didn't want to see the sea they had seen together.

She didn't want to see that tombstone again.

The rain gradually stopped, and raindrops dripped down the tip of the umbrella.

The maid whispered:

"Lord Fu Hua, the rain has stopped."

The immortal gazed at the sky, which was gradually clearing of its gloom, and reached out to catch a raindrop, whispering:

No, the rain hasn't stopped.

Humanity will surely defeat the Honkai.

No matter the cost...

Rita didn't leave. Holding the sword case the boy had given her before he left, she knocked on the door.

Murata Himeko opened the door. Her usually resolute and dignified demeanor had been completely replaced by dejection and drowsiness. The woman's Amber eyes were somewhat dull, and the redness around her eyes proved that tears had fallen.

Her gaze changed when it fell on the sword case in the maid's arms.

Rita explained:

"Major Himeko, these are things Mr. Su asked me to take back to the St. Freya Academy before he left."

"Please have him and his friend keep it safe. Mr. Su said there are very important things inside."

The maid handed the sword case to Himeko with both hands, then bowed and stepped into the gradually easing drizzle.

On the sofa in the lobby.

The group of people who had all arrived looked at the sword case on the table and fell silent.

Murata Himeko opened the sword case; her fingertips touched the groove, and the silver sword case opened.

Su Qing'an had long known that, given her lifespan, she would one day die long before the others.

So on the very first day he received the sword box, he set it so that they could unlock it with their fingerprints.

And the scene that appeared after the sword box was unlocked, not by his fingerprint, was exactly what they saw.

A letter handwritten by Su Qing'an from a very, very long time ago.

Four slips of paper, a key, and a card.

The letter was for Himeko, and it contained the boy's sincere apology.

Because until he died in that endless deep sea, Murata Himeko never knew that Su Qing'an had already undergone Artificial Stigmata transplantation and had less than ten years left to live.

In addition, Su Qing'an wrote a lot of rambling, aimless things, which was completely unlike his usual quiet and reserved self.

He said that drinking is okay, but it should be done in moderation.

He said he was a coward, and just imagining her possibly crying because of this made him unable to say anything, so he was sorry.

He said that if he gets better, he should go find love, get married, or even get married and have children; being single is fine too.

In short, it would be quite nice to retire peacefully and hang out with Kiana and the others Tiāntiān.

Don't be too sad about his situation, and don't be too sad about your own cause of death.

Even at the very end, Su Qing'an remained as clumsy as ever, unable to comfort anyone.

Even though the boy tried his best to choose his words carefully, he still made Himeko sad.

The red-haired woman, tears streaming down her face, suppressed a sob as she spoke:

"This is an adult matter, what right do you have to preach about it?"

"Honestly, why are they still so disobedient at the very end?"

The group silently picked up the papers with their names written on them, and she looked at the words on them.

[That's the key to the coffee shop, it's for you. If you like, you can run it occasionally.]

[Take good care of yourself.]

Kiana's eyes reddened, and she muttered a complaint:

"Say a few more words... Idiot Shopkeeper."

Her fingertips gently twirled the paper, as if handling a fragile treasure.

The little girl looked at the words above:

[Your birthday is coming soon. Your gift is in the coffee shop, behind the coffee machine, on the third row from the bottom.]

[Just wanted to say in advance, happy birthday, Bronya.]

[Also, expired candy doesn't taste good.]

She held the candy the boy had given her from her small bag, remaining silent for a moment.

Xiao Su is an idiot.

Raiden Mei remained silent and looked at the note.

[I'm sorry, if I die, Mei will suffer the most.]

[That card contains my inheritance. I know Himeko- nee doesn't lack money, and neither do you, but you might need it someday, so please accept it.]

[Finally... it's exhausting to constantly pay attention to other people's feelings. Take a break from time to time, Mei.]

Isn't this a complete and utter exposure?

She was stunned and speechless, a suppressed, phantom pain in her chest followed by a mix of emotions.

Satou Yunona's soaking wet nun's habit had been dried directly by the Honkai Energy converted into heat. Her hair was still a little damp, and her beautiful face was pale from the cold.

She hesitated for a moment, then opened the note.

The above consists of only two brief sentences.

[Yuno, go find Xiao Xi.]

I gave you a gift; I left it with her.

The girl whispered helplessly:

"Did you leave a gift with Xiao Xi?"

"How cunning! How can anyone be happy to receive a gift in this way?"

Two days later.

The girl looked at the scene before her and fell silent.

Hanging on the wooden frame is a kimono that resembles a work of art.

The exquisite craftsmanship and lifelike patterns that almost leap out of the picture testify to the origin of this kimono.

Kambara Yuu said softly:

"Su-kun, a long time ago, Sister Yunona's appearance and personality were used as the Flower Master, and the final product made by the master craftsman was this kimono."

"This Kyo-Yuzen."

The girl couldn't help but cry; the mix of joy and sorrow was overwhelming.

She knew exactly how long it would take for a Kyo-Yuzen to go from existence to non-existence.

Su Qing'an had already made arrangements with Kambara Yuu in the days leading up to their departure from Kambara Village.

Satou Yunona still couldn't get the Kyo-Yuzen that Satou Natsuno had promised, but she did get the Kyo-Yuzen given to her by Su Qing'an.

It was like an unexpected intersection on the path of time, bestowing upon the girl a few moments of tenderness.

Why is this person always like this?

That day, Satou Yunona hugged Kambara Yuu and cried for a long time.

On the third day after Su Qing'an died.

[Calming the Tempest] was sent back to that misty, rainy town in Jiangnan by the immortals.

The old man gazed at the brand-new yet completely different blade and fell silent.

As an elderly man burying his young son, he recalled the light in his eyes when he was a boy who had mastered martial arts, and a smile appeared on his lips.

... Perhaps, one person's death can truly change many people.

That day, Chen Junxuan entered the still water.

But at the same time, it shattered the sword's heart.

Otto didn't actually dislike Su Qing'an.

Such an ending always left him with a strange feeling.

Kallen Kaslana.

The man murmured the name of his beloved, gazing at the huge billboard outside the window. Suddenly, he remembered the conversation he had with the boy that day.

He had already prepared the wedding photos, it's just a pity...

There's no need to release it.

Even if the news spreads throughout the world, what use is it if that person's soul has already perished?

Before Fu Hua left, Theresa handed her a photograph.

That was a scene of the two walking together on the Walking Marriage Bridge.

The immortal did not speak, but the corners of his lips softened slightly.

Rita had intended to relay Su Qing'an's last words, but Fu Hua seemed to have known everything beforehand and said something.

That sentence was very short, just one word.

Theresa's office was filled with HOMU dolls and local specialties given to her by Su Qing'an. Her gaze would occasionally drift into the distance, as if she were tracing something back.

This wasn't the first time Nishikujo Sara had experienced something like this, but she still couldn't get used to it. The woman smoked a Marlboro cigarette, looking out at the shimmering sea.

I don't know why, but this time I really want to smoke a stronger cigarette.

Perhaps that child is more unforgettable than others.

But in the end, she stubbed out the cigarette, and the few remaining embers quietly died out.

The sea breeze still blows over St. Freya Academy, listening to countless stories of the past.