Herrscher of Reason, Confirmed Dead

The girl's rigidity seemed to be fully displayed at this moment, which manifested in reality as the phrase that was repeated twice.

The sound of the high-speed electric motor gradually faded away as the subway moved on, disappearing from his ears. Su Qing'an glanced at the receding scenery outside, but his gaze lingered on the face of the person standing next to him. After thinking for a moment, he still thought Fu Hua in front of him was quite cute, so he commented:

"So cute."

Fu Hua pondered her words and actions for a while, but couldn't come up with an answer. She asked:

"What's cute about it?"

Su Qing'an found it difficult to explain to her, so under her questioning gaze, he patted her head.

This action, which resembled petting a small animal's fur, continued for about three minutes before eliciting a subtle resistance from the girl.

Fu Hua gazed at his serene and beautiful profile, and couldn't resist pinching his cheek. Noticing his slight hesitation, she found it a little amusing and said:

If you don't know how to say it, then don't say it.

Su Qing'an let her cool fingertips knead his cheeks, and corrected her in a serious tone:

"I'm sorry."

"... Same."

What are we going to do?

The little girl silently intensified her pinching motion on her cheek, wondering why this person had asked her out and then asked her this question.

She gently removed the boy's hand, which he was still stroking, and said:

Haven't you thought it through?

Su Qing'an was silent for a moment, then said:

"Because I'm so bored."

The implication was that he was bored and wanted to ask her out, but hadn't decided where to go.

Fu Hua understood completely. She temporarily gave up pinching his face and instead gently kicked the boy's calf with her square-toed leather shoes.

After ignoring his emotionless remark about the pain, she asked:

"Then why are we taking the subway?"

Su Qing'an thought for a moment and said:

I want to go far away.

"Taking the subway is not as fast as flying."

He was silent for a moment, then said:

"I remember there's McDonald's's at the subway station up ahead."

"Then what?"

"They've released a new product."

Fu Hua's lips curved into a beautiful smile, and she nodded, saying:

That is indeed very important.

Su Qing'an felt it necessary to clarify that he was not really that naive, and he said earnestly:

"The toy I gave you last time was taken by the cat."

The girl's gaze shifted subtly by one degree as she explained:

"That was carelessness; who knew a cat would like to steal toys?"

Su Qing'an didn't care about these details, he said:

"The new product comes with that toy."

Upon hearing this, she thought for a moment, then reached out and pinched his cheek, but with very gentle pressure.

"Buy it for me?"

"I'll buy it for you."

Although it was childish in many ways, the little girl couldn't help but feel happy. She blinked and said:

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Su Qing'an took her hand and walked to the platform. As the subway slowly drove away behind them, the wind whipped up the hem of his clothes and the ends of his hair. He looked back in the opposite direction.

This is a rare platform where you can see the sea and planes taking off and landing. The place where the sea and sky meet is like a picture frozen in a film.

Although the atmosphere between the two was still the same as before, and they felt natural and comfortable without having to speak, Su Qing'an felt that she should not remain silent now.

He thought for a moment and asked:

"We're graduating soon, Hua, what do you think everyone will become?"

Fu Hua thought for a moment and said:

"If Kiana doesn't repeat a grade, she'll probably go to a university jointly run by the Schicksal Foundation and the government?"

"It's probably similar for other people."

Su Qing'an thought of the white fluffy little thing diligently studying at its desk, trying not to fail a grade, and felt it was worth recording. A smile played on his lips as he continued, "..."

"And what about after graduating from university?"

The girl counted on her fingers:

"Kiana loves to slack off. She probably won't go to a regular job. Anyway, this kid can make a living just by helping people with their lottery draws and doing some live streaming."

"Mei and Ms. Kanbara both come from wealthy families, so they're probably preparing to inherit the conglomerate and company."

"Bronya bought the Honkai Divine Realm company when she was investing in stocks last year. It seems like she can just do nothing, just like Kiana. I feel like it would be really interesting if these two collaborated and debuted."

"Carole will become a fashion designer, Qiluo will become an idol, Yuno might become an art teacher."

"The teachers at the academy need no introduction, and the other students will also have their own opportunities and aspirations in the future."

Su Qing'an asked:

"What about Hua?"

Fu Hua gazed at the waterbirds circling above the sea, thought for a moment, and said:

"Have no idea."

"Have no idea?"

"Yes, but wherever you go, I'll go."

The boy was a little embarrassed. He felt the warmth from the other person's hand, glanced away, looked at the sea, and said softly:

"... Aren't you shy?"

"A little bit."

The girl gazed at the sea reflected in his eyes, her lips parted, and she continued:

"But it's okay."

Su Qing'an silently pulled her towards the escalator and said:

Let's go eat McDonald's's.

"Are you shy?"

The teenager changed the subject:

"Would you like a McFlurry or an ice cream cone?"

Fu Hua decided to let bygones be bygones and stop arguing with him about this issue for the time being, otherwise it would never end.

She thought for a moment and answered honestly:

"Strawberry Christmas."

Su Qing'an opened his phone and accessed the app's daily package push notification. The dazzling array of meticulously edited photos inside was incredibly tempting, but his gaze remained purely fixed on his original goal.

That is, the toy that was given away as a free gift.

Collecting toys wasn't actually his hobby; those freebie toys piled up on the coffee shop counter, subtly out of place with the fancy decor, were just things that had accumulated unintentionally.

Its very existence serves as a more vivid note and proof.

Su Qing'an vaguely remembered that not long after his birthday, he and Fu Hua ordered a two-person meal at McDonald's's and then received a toy that was neither here nor there.

Out of a habit of not throwing things away carelessly and out of a sense of remembrance, I placed it in the corner of the bar.

But ever since that day, a clear voice has been echoing in Su Qing'an's heart, like a gentle breeze caressing the surface of her skin, always bringing a slight coolness that is impossible to ignore.

This made the boy perceive the falseness and emptiness, so he began to collect those childish toys, intentionally or unintentionally, as if to prove that time had truly accumulated. As a result, the voice became increasingly faint, like the morning mist blown away.

As time went by, the bar counter became filled with childish toys, as if the entire coffee shop existed solely as a giant toy box.

A year is both long and short. All the experiences were so vivid and clear, yet they still vanished in an instant, like a dream.

The deadline is finally approaching. Just like a warehouse has a limited capacity, vacuum-packed canned Canned Food also have their own shelf life.

The voice within the boy's heart suddenly roared at a certain moment, foreshadowing the arrival of the end.

That's why he called Fu Hua and invited her to this random date.

Su Qing'an gazed at the girl's profile. Her eyes were lowered, her eyelashes fluttered, and her skin, which appeared even whiter in the sunlight, made one want to touch it. Her moist lips were painted with light-colored lipstick, and with each movement, the curve of her lips rose, revealing a bright smile.

The escalator moved downwards automatically, and the wind and snow that swept past our ears grew even stronger.

"Hua," he said.

"Hmm?" She turned her head to look back into the boy's eyes.

Su Qing'an stated:

"I like you."

Fu Hua responded:

"I know."

He listened to the breath of the wind and snow, and whispered:

"So I'll get you the toy next time."

She gazed into those dark eyes and asked softly:

"Does it have to be next time?"

The platform behind me had become a mere illusion, and the distant sea and sky had also crumbled into pieces.

Su Qing'an glanced at the scene that seemed to tear the past apart, then gazed into her eyes and said:

"Yes, because I like you, I definitely want to do it next time."

The girl interlocked her fingers with his, the key on the red string on her fair wrist swayed slightly, and she pursed her lips and said:

"Then I want two toys."

"Good."

"Strawberry sundae again next time."

"Um."

Her tone paused unconsciously, her gaze wandering yet remaining fixed on the other person. Her lips parted, and with a smile, she uttered words of magical power:

Finally, please always love me.

Su Qing'an watched the girl slowly walk towards the illusory scene as if a frame had dropped, and she found the constraint imposed upon her sweet.

The next instant, the boy felt the warmth fading from his palm. Looking up, he saw the hand he had been holding vanish like a bubble, and the person beside him drifted away like dust in the wind. The red rope slowly fell, and the metal key swayed slightly in the knot before finally cracking into fragmented arcs of light...

The boy lowered his eyes, staring at the red rope on his wrist that had disintegrated on its own and the lock scattered in the air, and softly replied:

Yes, I will always love you.

The dream world created by those Herrscher of Reason is thus headed for utter destruction.

Just as the Eighth Herrscher had predicted, Su Qing'an's soul was an extremely special existence.

Even if one's own will is distorted and corrected to the point of ignoring all sense of incongruity and strangeness, making one willing to succumb to this, and even spend a whole year in it.

However, the power of the soul still caused it to generate real-world memories that shouldn't exist, indirectly leading to the shattering of the dream.

The most fundamental source of this lies in the fact that half of the Herrscher of Death's power resides in the Soul Hall.

Just as Su Qing'an was unable to use [Power] to interfere with Satou Yunona was linked to the power, the power of the Herrscher of Consciousness had to directly confront the Abyss Flower Domain located in the Soul Hall if it wanted to interfere with him.

Unlike the Herrscher who merely establish a link with authority, the boy's soul possesses a vast authority that transcends mountains and seas. Even if it is not complete, it is enough to withstand many attacks originating from this aspect.

The Eighth Herrscher had done everything in its power, but in the end, the restraining and corrective forces that had penetrated through her authority were still less than one-tenth of what they had.

With such a huge advantage, if Su Qing'an herself did not have any inner conflicts, the years she spent immersed in the dream would not last long before they would shatter on their own.

But perhaps, as Su Muxi said, taking a break in a dream isn't such a bad thing.

All he's ever needed is a period of time to clear his mind.

This should have been an impossible solace and moment of peace, but it was achieved by a twist of fate in a virtual world.

The boy's eyelashes fluttered, shaking off a few snowflakes.

His eyes slowly opened, and he regained consciousness.

Even a year feels somewhat long, even if it's unreal. Only after the pure white world came into view were my memories fully awakened to their initial stage.

Su Qing'an breathed in the biting air of the strong wind, staring indifferently at the thin red line stretching into the infinite distance.

He whispered:

"The connection is about to break."

Su Qing'an didn't know how long he had been unconscious, but he could only attribute his current safety to Su Muxi.

Although he understood that Udu-dust's abilities after emerging from his cocoon were sufficient to help him in crucial moments, he still hadn't expected them to play such a significant role.

The moment Su Qing'an regained consciousness, she could sense the Udu-dust drifting further away and the connection becoming increasingly weak.

Udu-dust is a strange, formless and colorless entity that can sense, forcibly interfere with, and even plunder.

It can only be the Eighth Herrscher.

There's no time to waste, he thought.

The boy gazed at the nun sleeping peacefully not far ahead, and roughly guessed what method Xiao Xi had used. He focused his mind, gripped the hilt of his sword, and walked towards her.

The sticky feeling and the lingering smell of blood in the nasal cavity still remained, but they had faded like a thin mist, like the strong scent of cherry blossoms lingering around, hardly disturbing the mind anymore.

Having had ample time to rest, the sword heart that once required self-imposed restraint no longer needed to be maintained and could exist on its own.

It really felt like I had a very long dream.

Thinking this, Su Qing'an drew his sword and cut down the wind and snow on the island.

The sword energy, converging into a single line, severed the connection between heaven and earth. The nun's body decayed into fine dust the instant the wind and snow ceased, and was then completely washed away in the flowing ink.

June in Greenland is just like any other month.

Bathed in the warm sunlight, the boy sensed the path guided by his Soul Link and walked towards the location of the Eighth Herrscher.

Prometheus received the news that Su Qing'an had successfully Awakened on her own, but considering the Eighth Herrscher's ability to corrupt words, it did not speak out because it was unwilling to become a medium for transmitting the other party's power again.

Therefore, artificial intelligence simply sent the current situation information to the group of people and Mei who were rushing towards them from afar in an encrypted form.

Meanwhile, in the distance, the girl conducting a gene fusion experiment inside the Soul Steel Cube made a move.

Garuda's genes gradually clashed fiercely with his original form, and this warrior thus entered the most critical and deadliest stage of the fusion experiment.

Flesh and bone, and even deeper things, constantly undergo withering, decline, and rebirth during this stage.

The slumber of consciousness and coma will be forced to end at this moment, as they face the terror and trials that transcend life and death.

Such an agonizing experience is enough to break a person's will, and even Kevin himself, who successfully withstood such a trial, would not want to repeat such suffering again.

The girl named Yae Sakura was able to truly Awakened her consciousness the moment her genes were severed.

Her eyes opened, revealing blood vessels spreading like branches and leaves within her indigo pupils, staining every corner of her iris and even the whites of her eyes with a bewitching crimson hue.

The capillaries in the eyeballs were bursting, and blood was seeping out uncontrollably, completely obscuring the field of vision, leaving only a deep, dark void.

The chilling bone spurs sprouted from the shoulder blades like flower buds, the flesh on the arms swelled and twisted and burst into an ugly mass, the organs sometimes withered and died, and sometimes inexplicably swelled up to burst through the torso, the vocal cords and throat were burned and damaged by the subtle vortex of Honkai Energy, and every corner of the body was undergoing inhuman transformation.

The footage recorded from the experiment shows that Yae Sakura only survived for a dozen minutes at this stage before completely transforming into an alien monster. It's hard to imagine that this repulsive figure in the Soul Steel Cube was a slender and beautiful girl not long ago.

This is the necessary path to becoming Fusion Warrior.

To fuse the genes of Emperor-class Honkai Beast into a human body and create a sublimated mutation, thereby gaining enough power to resist Herrscher, one must bear terrifying risks and intense suffering.

Perhaps in the future, Mei, having thoroughly researched and perfected the Hyper-Mutation Factor, will be able to skip the intermediate process, but at least at this stage, the technology can only support the logic of this framework.

Right now, Yae Sakura has no choice but to embark on this arduous path, trying to grasp the answers and future she hopes for.

Whether one becomes a mindless monster, loses their life and future, or becomes Fusion Warrior, it all depends on their own will and a fleeting bit of luck.

In the dimly lit laboratory, the figures among the Soul Steel cubes gradually returned to their original human forms, a sign of initial genetic fusion, indicating a higher chance of the experiment succeeding.

However, the initial fusion means extreme instability. Before long, she will continue to be molded into a strange and ugly shape by the genes of the Emperor-class Honkai Beast, and will be bound back to her original human form.

Only when this process is repeated until the genes are stable and the individual remains viable can the experiment on the Fusion Warrior be considered a true success.

Even after success, one must maintain one's original will and not be driven to madness by the terror and suffering during the experiment.

Yae Sakura's location is a base specifically for experiments, located far from Mei and even the city center. The reason for its establishment here is to prevent similar incidents from happening, as a preventative measure.

It's easy to imagine that Mei was well aware of what was about to happen inside.

Su Qing'an stood on the boundless sea, gently stroking the Little Feather in his palm, his expression serene.

June 12th, midsummer.

The global Sleeping Sickness has come to an end.

The Eighth Herrscher has been confirmed dead.