Seele's Letter

The satellite and nearby electronic equipment were still being interfered with. The surrounding fog dissipated, and the bright sunlight shone on the empty streets. The boy, bathed in blood, was surrounded by a sea of Jacaranda and drifted off to sleep.

The corpses that should have existed were completely destroyed by Seele in order to preserve the special nature of her powers. The only thing that could prove that she had existed in this world was the jewel-like Herrscher Core.

Its tangerine blue hue appears dull under the light, while its texture becomes even more translucent, as if something was forcibly taken away along with the girl's choices and sacrifices.

His dying body seemed to spring back to life, and an incredible power began to mend all the defects from the root. Within the burning flesh and blood, the Stigmata substance that had been integrated with it earlier absorbed the souls that had scattered in the thousands of flames, gradually recreating the scene of the birth of the Herrscher of Death.

Thin streaks of light and flames meandered through the sea of Jacaranda, eventually converging into a few simple crimson lines on the spine, never to rise again.

Everything about the Herrscher of Death's Honkai Energy literacy has been perfectly reproduced.

Thus, the initial item leading to the Fourth Ending was completed at the cost of everything she had.

Under the immense power of the rules, Su Qing'an's life force was restored to its original, even truly intact, state. The failing organs, the stopped beating heart, and the organs that had turned to [Ashes] were completely repaired. Honkai Energy was no longer a deadly poison, but instead became the core energy source driving this healing process.

A long time.

The Honkai Energy field that had been interfering with nearby signals dissipated, and the stage play ended perfectly.

Early morning, on the north bank of the river in Brisbane.

Following the Fifth Herrscher and the Judgment-class Honkai Beast Martial Immortal successfully slew the Herrscher of Death.

A distinguished record and a glorious achievement.

Beneath this facade of brilliance and reality, the stage play that deceived the entire world came to an end.

The more than 100,000 "deaths" caused by the Herrscher of Death that day were all saved from danger thanks to the potion developed by Dr. Mei within an hour.

Based on the premise that the Herrscher of Death is already dead, all negative effects are suppressed to a minimum.

Rumors circulated that the battle was not as large-scale as before because of the various methods and restrictions Dr. Mei imposed during his live experiments.

The higher-ups' understanding of this matter was roughly limited to this, so this farcical escape of the living Herrscher only further proved Dr. Mei's abilities.

According to the higher-ups, the rule that the Herrscher are getting stronger and stronger has always been unbreakable.

Therefore, the reason why Su Qing'an was able to kill the Sixth Herrscher and still survive must have involved Mei's influence. In addition, no civilian lives were endangered, and only some areas of the city were temporarily paralyzed. The authorities did not hold anyone accountable for this.

The speed at which this crisis was resolved also resulted in excellent public relations management; the previous altar plan did not fail, and even progressed to the next level.

People who can perfectly compensate for their failures are often more likely to gain trust than those who are always successful in an absolute sense.

That day.

Upon meeting Su Qing'an, Mei finally understood the significance of Seele's actions. She had long suspected that the failure of the Grafting Project might be due to the Honkai Consciousness tampering with it.

If this plan succeeds, all previous efforts will be in vain, which is why she was willing to pay such a price to make that final effort.

But in the end, the missing element was perfectly achieved by that girl in this way.

The Grafting Project of the perfect Stigmata was a success, and the boy gained terrifying abilities at the level of Honkai Energy immunity. Compared to his previous predicament, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a meteoric rise.

This should be something to celebrate, something to be happy about, right?

Mei, who never broke down, tried her best to suppress all her emotions.

The girl's fingertips brushed across the crimson lines that snaked across her back, like two intertwined spider lilies falling. She had never imagined that the so-called Stigmata would be such a sorrowful, beautiful, and tortuous thing.

A cool sensation suddenly traveled along the skin's edge and into her mind, and in a daze, she saw the girl's slender figure gradually fading into the distance.

But in the blink of an eye, the scene vanished from sight, leaving no trace.

But that soft, almost inaudible "I'm sorry" transformed into a devastating torrent as it fell, overwhelming all her resolve. The grief that had been building up until now could no longer be contained. She clutched the front of her dress, collapsed to her knees, and her hoarse voice trembled with heavy sobs.

"Saying sorry is useless unless you say it in person."

Kevin, standing beside her, stared at the tears that fell to the ground, momentarily stunned and somewhat dazed.

This was the first time he had ever seen her cry since they had known each other for so long.

Mei is always so strong that she seems to lack a human heart and is devoid of any emotions. She is like a cold machine that never needs to rest, silently shouldering all the responsibilities and the expectations of millions of people.

Even real machines wear out and break down eventually, and besides, he knew that Mei wasn't a cold-hearted person to begin with.

The image that the girl has created is built on the wear and tear of herself and the forced distortion of her self. Perhaps one day she will completely collapse and fall down.

Even so, Kevin couldn't choose to stop the other person's wishes and beliefs, perhaps in this respect he and Su Qing'an shared a similarity.

This also means that such people will only try to find faults and reasons within themselves that may not even exist.

A suffocating sorrow gripped his heart. Kevin gazed silently at the girl's trembling shoulders and the tears streaming down her face.

If... I were a little stronger.

Would neither the teacher nor Mei then lose anything important as a result?

This is the only way to think, and only by thinking this way can I prove that I still have a chance to salvage things in the future.

Therefore, Kevin Kaslana will eventually walk down a desolate path, until the world reaches its darkest end.

The Sixth Herrscher died at the hands of Su Qing'an.

Fu Hua couldn't think of any words to express her feelings. Should she say she was sad? Or sorrowful? Perhaps she felt confused, resentful, desperate, or even pained—a variety of emotions were stuck in her chest, swollen and chaotic, making it impossible for her to express a concrete reaction.

The girl had not been unaware of such possibilities and the future.

Born from the will of Honkai, even if Herrscher briefly escapes His control and gains some freedom, it does not mean that he is free from all worries.

A single accident can completely destroy all the careful management and hard work.

She understood, and therefore deeply comprehended the necessity for Seele to live in Soul Steel Prison.

That is precisely why Fu Hua did not go on any missions after Seele became the Sixth Herrscher.

She hoped to spend as much time with him as possible before that uncertain accident happened, cherishing this period that was destined to be turbulent and unpredictable.

Even so, Fu Hua couldn't help but harbor expectations.

I hope that although there will be twists and turns in the future, they will be enough to make up for it. I hope that even if there are unexpected events, the worst outcome will not happen. I hope that the little girl I cherish in my heart can find true happiness. I hope that Seele, Master Su, and I can live happily together forever.

But all those expectations were shattered on this bright, sunny day with not a cloud in the sky.

Did Su Qing'an really kill Seele with his own hands?

She thought that if this were true, then perhaps she would never find anything more cruel to that person.

Regardless of the choices, judgments, or emotional journeys they went through, or even if it was just a simple accident, the boy who achieved this will never forgive himself.

The gentler a person is, the more they will shoulder all sins and burdens.

But Master Su really couldn't bear the extra weight anymore. The personality disorder he suffered during the time he woke up in the medical ward is the best proof of that.

Su Qing'an is not omnipotent; his resilience and strength are not without limits.

Having a deep understanding of this, she couldn't imagine whether the other person's mental state would remain normal after waking up, but how could she expect them to continue to be strong?

Fu Hua felt that it was very unreasonable. She felt that Su Qing'an could be useless at all, even if he was weak, even if he was stupid and couldn't do anything, even if he wasn't a master, Martial Immortal, or a hero.

That gives you a reason to run away, right?

Because it's ordinary, because it's inherently impossible, because this is the limit of one's nature, because all natural disasters and despair are too lofty to reach, one can accept the limits of one's abilities with peace of mind, and still not feel sorrow for them.

She thought that perhaps it was because he was too strong that he was so sad.

Fu Hua didn't want him to be so sad. Even though she couldn't control her own emotions, she still worried about the boy first.

Is this beyond redemption?

She thought it wouldn't matter if it were counted.

If it's about that person, even if they're beyond redemption, it's not necessarily a bad thing.

Filled with extremely complex emotions, a distraught Fu Hua returned to Soul Steel Prison with Himeko's permission.

With the death of the Sixth Herrscher, this Soul Steel Prison no longer needs to exist. At fixed intervals, the remaining Soul Steel will be transported to other fronts for actual recycling.

The large number of Mechanical Force gradually withdrew from the area, and the remaining research institutes were relocated to the vicinity of the Australian branch.

That is, Mei's original workplace.

The Soul Steel Prison is gradually becoming less heavily guarded and is beginning to revert to its original state as a residential area. Seele's departure was not gentle, but it only affected a part of her own home; the impact on the entire residential area was negligible.

According to the message Dr. Mei just sent her, Su Qing'an is currently undergoing physical monitoring and treatment at the research institute. Since the current results show that there are no problems, the girl does not plan to visit her immediately.

It's hard for me to control my emotions these days. If Master Su happens to Awakened, I, who am always used to relying on him, wouldn't be surprised if I tried to comfort him instead, or even if I was the one being comforted.

It's likely that just seeing the unconscious opponent would have made it difficult for Fu Hua to maintain her taut nerves.

All my emotions are now trapped here, unable to find any effective outlet.

She could neither be indifferent to the fact that she had lost her family, nor could she completely collapse and become numb. This disorienting confusion turned into an invisible container that contained all the emotions that arose from it, causing her judgment and actions to seem to remain normal.

But once the dam in one's heart breaks under the torrent of emotions, this false composure and unperturbed facade will be completely torn apart.

To prevent any potential loss of composure in front of Su Qing'an, the girl, unsure of what to do, chose to return to her now-empty home.

She silently pushed open the villa's door, gazing at the interior, which remained unchanged except for the second floor, now a complete mess. An unprecedented sense of loneliness and solitude welled up within her.

This home, which had been filled with all the beautiful memories of the past six months, became incredibly desolate in just two months. The warm and beautiful memories of the past were burned into [Ashes] scattered all over the ground under the blazing flames of reality, and could never be picked up again.

Those joyful laughter and the occasional recollections of trivial moments are like the glass in a fruit candy—I can't let go of them, I don't want to forget them, yet I feel pain because of them.

One day, perhaps both she and he will become polar bears licking blood and ice, surviving on the warmth and beauty of life, and finally dying on the cloudless glacier, their remains unseen by anyone in the deep sea.

This is clearly something that makes one feel so sad and lonely.

But Fu Hua suddenly felt that perhaps that wasn't unacceptable. Perhaps it was because wars these days always seemed to lead to unpredictable and tragic ends, or perhaps she herself had become disheartened and had little will to fight left.

Maybe it's just because Master Su would be cute as a polar bear.

The girl's swordsmanship began to stir shortly after she entered the house, and she followed this fluctuation to find her exact target.

That was because the picture frame was knocked to the ground by the aftershocks of the previous Honkai Energy.

Fu Hua hesitated for a moment, then picked it up. She had a strange premonition that the answer she was looking for might be inside.

The moment the pale fingertips touched the surface of the picture frame, the Honkai Energy that had fallen into it easily dissipated.

The resulting change was a line of small print that slowly appeared on the back of the picture frame.

[Sister Hua, let's open the photo frame and take a look?]

Fu Hua could only interpret this as something Seele had left behind before. The Herrscher's power and affinity with Honkai Energy were enough for her to perform such meticulous operations. It might have been set to automatically release Honkai Energy after death, or it might have been purely timed.

The former suggests that this might just be a suicide note written as a precaution, while the latter implies that... from the very beginning, Seele was not controlled by the Honkai Consciousness.

Therefore, the battle did not begin at home, and neither he nor Su Qing'an were attacked immediately. This also explains why the Herrscher clearly wields terrifying power, failed to kill a single person.

Whatever the reason, this calamity seems too idealistic. However, if the reason is that the instigator of the calamity never intended to kill anyone in the first place, then the whole event would seem perfectly logical.

The little girl acted for reasons she was unaware of.

And this reason is definitely very, very important.

It was so important that she was willing to give up the happiness she could have had, and even everything else, for it.

The girl's fingertips traced the surface of the photo frame, her gaze lingering on Seele's smiling face in the picture, a sharp pain shooting through her heart.

Fu Hua knew the reason behind it, and she also understood that everything was already futile. What she saw and heard now was just a record of a reality she hadn't noticed in the past.

Even so, she couldn't help but feel afraid and saddened by it.

Fu Hua feared just how heavy those truths were, and loathed herself for failing to see through the truth beneath the seemingly beautiful and peaceful everyday life.

If.

If we had known these things earlier, would the outcome have been different?

The girl feared the impending regret, yet also longed for the imaginative space to allow for remorse.

Amidst a torrent of conflicting emotions, she opened the photo frame and took out a letter hidden behind the photograph.

The paper was covered with clumsy yet earnestly written, square and rounded characters, the thin pages bearing incredibly heavy sentences.

[By the time Sister Hua sees this, I will probably be gone.]

[Sorry and apologies are probably useless, but at least within certain limits, I want to be a polite and well-mannered child, so I still want to say sorry.]

[My brother's Honkai Energy cultivation is very poor. After the fierce battle with the Fifth Herrscher and the Judgment-class Honkai Beast, his lifespan is only about one year.]

[To remedy this imperfection and reality, the death of the Herrscher of Death is inevitable. After Sister Hua saw this letter, her brother should have obtained the perfect Stigmata and overcome these problems.]

[But that still doesn't change the fact that I did something very, very wrong to my brother. Whatever the reason, he must be very upset.]

[But I don't want to be forgotten by my brother no matter what, so I'm leaving this letter for Sister Hua so that I won't be forgotten so easily.]

[Seele is selfish and wicked, but even so, I don't want my brother and Sister Hua to hate me, so please don't hate Seele, or I'll be sad.]

[Very cunning, right?]

[What a pity! I still didn't get to see my brother and Sister Hua get married, and I didn't get a chance to be a bridesmaid.]

[I still have so much to say, but I seem to be running out of paper, so... that's enough for now.]

Finally, could you please pass on a message to my brother?

[The punishment for breaking the promise is to unlock the Fourth Ending; before that, you absolutely cannot give up. This is Seele's... final wish.]

She stared at the words on the paper, blurred by tear stains and the resulting creases. Tears blurred her vision, and in the dazed blankness of her mind, her pent-up emotions finally burst forth.

Sure enough... how cunning!