Kevin's Account, the Ascension Scene. 6K

Sea of Quanta.

At this moment, Raiden Mei was still searching for the whereabouts of the other Flame-Chasers, completely unaware that the outside world had become a strange and bizarre world, and that her companions from various timelines were flocking to her.

Time becomes blurred in this tiny world without day or night, conquering countless times through the corridors of memory like a ghost or god. The girl, who has won victory time and time again, drags her weary mind and body back to the Golden Courtyard for a moment of rest.

Looking around at the desolate emptiness, she felt a rare surge of loneliness and a sense of emptiness, as if she were adrift in the deep sea, welling up from the depths of her chest in the absence of anyone.

Half a year has passed in the blink of an eye.

Perhaps in this world where time is not clearly defined, even one's own estimate of six months is just a psychological comfort, a false number that needs to be questioned and challenged.

Raiden Mei didn't want to ask Elysia or the other Flame-Chasers here how much time had passed since she arrived in the Sea of Quanta.

Firstly, for these beings living in the Sea of Quanta, the passage of time is meaningless. They are destined to live only by chewing on the past, and there is no future for them. Naturally, they will not care much about specific time scales.

For example, Chrono-Chaos, she highly doubted that this person could possibly fight for years within the corridors of memory.

As for the second reason, Raiden Mei believes that this is a balance that needs to be weighed and controlled by oneself, and it is safest and most reliable to have it in one's own hands.

Even now, she is unwilling to fully trust that Pink Fairy Lady.

Moreover, even disregarding the mystique created by the personal atmosphere and information asymmetry, it is highly questionable whether the problems in the Sea of Quanta have internal causes.

This is the core reason why she was so determined to meet Mobius and Kevin first before trying to find [[Ashes]] and obtain the solution from them.

Raiden Mei was simply executing the plan with the highest success rate of leaving this place.

Of course, without sufficient reason and information, she personally believes that there has been a subtle shift between the external environment and the facilities of the Sea of Quanta, and that it has nothing to do with Flame-Chasers here.

Whether it was the information she received from Klein that everything in the Elysian Realm was normal, or the fact that the Flame-Chasers had no ulterior motive to trap it, neither of these things prevented her from falling into a state of conspiracy theory-like confusion.

However, on the other hand, this possibility cannot be completely ruled out.

Therefore, for Raiden Mei, the most real and necessary thing right now is still to improve her personal strength, and the mark of the Flame-Chasers can serve this purpose.

The wars and cruelty she experienced, as well as the experience she accumulated along the way, are incomparable to any Flame-Chasers in the Sea of Quanta.

In a sense, Raiden Mei had to admit that it was normal for Kevin to show her contempt.

A seeker who has survived for over 55,000 years and holds the embers of civilization, views his own thoughts as those of a young girl who, apart from acquiring the Herrscher Authority, possesses only commendable courage and a natural, top-down perspective.

Raiden Mei didn't see any contempt or arrogance in Kevin, which was enough to prove that Kevin possessed an extremely resilient character.

On the other hand, she didn't see any respect for her from him either; Kevin's attitude could be summed up by the words she had once said to Sakura.

--Would you consider the knife at your waist a companion or a tool?

At least for now, that's Raiden Mei's opinion.

Even though Kevin agreed to come to the Sea of Quanta, it was essentially just to hone the sharpness of his tools.

However, this very idea is also the fundamental reason why the girl has no doubts about it; she cannot figure out Kevin's motive for locking himself inside.

Raiden Mei walked to the rest area of this Golden Courtyard, an area with almost everything she could need, which was almost entirely dependent on Eden's wealth and her own generosity.

This area best embodies the "golden" meaning of the Golden Courtyard, as it is filled with Eden's personal collection.

A dazzling array of gems and works of art, as well as highly collectible records and a wide variety of fine wines.

Of course, in addition to these, the various facilities for rest and recreation are also very exquisite and expensive. The overall feeling of walking in is like a castle built of gold, but it is more understated and elegant than that metaphor suggests.

But to be honest, she guessed that in the previous era, the Flame-Chasers didn't have much time to enjoy this luxurious and complete facility.

The war against the thirteen Herrscher and the Finality ended in just a few short years, with Fuxi, who seemed to have never existed, also involved. The time left for civilization was too short, especially for these always wounded Flame-Chasers.

Therefore, the Flame-Chasers probably spent less time in this courtyard and rest area than in the treatment ward. To put it more bluntly, they may have spent more time in the Sea of Quanta than in Flame-Chasers previous lives.

And whenever Raiden Mei thinks of this, she can hardly help but marvel at the weight and significance of the words "[Flame-Chasers]". Regardless of their stance or reasons, these people had all struggled and fought against the oppression they faced in that era.

The Thirteen Flame-Chasers, and... [[Ashes]].

They were the beacons that the common people of that era needed to see.

Without this ray of light, perhaps before the Finality truly arrives, civilization would no longer have the meaning of being called civilization.

For this reason, Raiden Mei's vigilance was mainly directed at a few individuals. To those who resembled Flame-Chasers, her attitude was gentle and polite, just as she always had, as well-mannered and knowledgeable as ever.

--For example, characters like Sakura, Eden, SU, and Hua.

Even with the icy Kevin, the eccentric Mobius, and even the Chrono-Chaos Tribulations who only knew how to fight and go mad, her attitude was merely a kind of "compliance" based on each person's attitude and personality.

Ultimately, Raiden Mei's current personality is largely influenced by the Herrscher Persona within the Gem of Conquest, just like Satou Yunona back then; it's not entirely her true nature.

At least, Kiana probably couldn't imagine the scene of Raiden Mei and Mobius exchanging barbs.

These two white fluffy balls are completely outside of Mei's comprehension.

The girl's original self remains intact, only now it wears a colder exterior. Her nature is still gentle and kind, and she is very considerate and thoughtful towards others.

However, in this past Sea of Quanta full of riddle-solving people, there are indeed few opportunities for the other party to reveal this personality trait...

The young woman walked slowly to the red sofa that had gradually become familiar to her over the days. The design style here was quite warm and inviting. As a former pampered young lady, she could tell that the layout and furniture here had been carefully arranged and she could give an accurate assessment of it.

Hearing that these were all matters personally handled by Eden, in a sense, highlights her truly remarkable aesthetic sense as an artist.

The natural oak, in shades of gray or white, complements materials such as matte lacquer, chrome-plated steel, and cast aluminum. A range of leathers and fabrics create a stylish look for upholstered furniture. Whether it's the materials, colors, spatial arrangement, or layout, everything exudes a quiet luxury with a timeless feel.

Time here stopped completely 55,000 years ago, yet it inadvertently and wonderfully corresponds to this style.

However, this was different from the usual situation, except for a certain Pink Elf and those who came to rest.

Raiden Mei silently watched the man sitting on the sofa, as cold and hard as an ice cube, slowly eating his soup noodles. For a moment, her habitually solemn expression cracked slightly.

Why is it that after searching for so long without finding them, I suddenly see them eating noodles here when I'm about to rest?

The girl's initial joy at finding the other person was largely overshadowed by an inexplicable melancholy. However, her rationality immediately took over her mind and body, turning her back into an emotionless clue-hunting machine. She immediately struck up a conversation:

"Long time no see, Kevin."

Actually, Raiden Mei really didn't want to take the initiative to greet people, but based on past experiences, if she didn't say anything, the other person would just finish eating their noodles and then sit there in a daze for ages, or simply leave on their own, with absolutely no chance of her starting a conversation.

Kevin silently swallowed his food, then glanced at the girl.

"..."

Raiden Mei was already used to this, and she believed that Kevin and [[Ashes]] had different difficulties in communicating with each other.

The former lies in the indifferent and mostly silent attitude and the tone of communication with the riddle person, while the latter's difficulty lies mainly in how to bypass the cognitive shield and existence erasure of [[Ashes]]. If one can truly recognize the other party and communicate with them, based on the information obtained, the other party is very polite and easy to talk to.

She went straight to the point:

I have something to ask.

Kevin said calmly:

"What's up?"

Raiden Mei responded in the same tone:

"[[Ashes]]."

Kevin was silent for a moment, then said indifferently:

You don't need to know this.

Raiden Mei stated:

"You should be aware of my current situation, Kevin."

"The one outside wouldn't have locked me up in Sea of Quanta for no reason. I can only assume that something went wrong at the headquarters of the World Serpent, causing Elysian Realm's facilities to be isolated from the outside world."

"In the past six months, I have gotten the answer I wanted."

She continued to calmly explain the pros and cons:

"So continuing to waste time here is something neither of us wants to see."

"After all, the fact that he invited me to join World Serpent must mean he has a certain purpose in using me as a tool, and you don't know if Kevin outside has any pre-arranged plans for me, do you?"

"The powers of the Third Herrscher might be related to something you're plotting."

"Whatever [[Ashes]] means to you, it is ultimately a thing of the past. If it can help me break free from this confinement, I don't think there's any need to keep it hidden any longer."

The girl's brows and eyes were aloof, her lips slightly upturned, and she spoke softly:

"Besides, what you don't want me to know, I may already know from the other Flame-Chasers."

Kevin responded:

"The anomalies in the Sea of Quanta have nothing to do with [[Ashes]]."

"No matter what heights he reached in his past life, he is now merely a memory, just like us, existing in this Sea of Quanta."

He said calmly:

"You're obsessed, Raiden Mei."

This won't be the answer you're looking for.

Raiden Mei remained unmoved:

"Whether this is the answer I need, I need to see for myself to verify and judge."

She glanced at the soup noodles the other person had placed on the table and said quietly:

"I just need information about [[Ashes]]. Once you've finished speaking, I'll leave, and then you can continue eating your noodles."

Kevin's icy blue eyes stared directly at the girl before him, who resembled someone he had once loved. He couldn't help but recall his teacher's words about the soul because of her.

In fact, the existence of Fuxi, the successful experiment of that person, and even the soul detection device developed by Mei himself all prove that this thing, which was once regarded as ethereal, does indeed exist.

Even when he directly confronted the power of the Eighth Herrscher, he had gained an incredible intuition about the soul due to the training he had received under the pressure of the soul in the past.

There truly is reincarnation in this world.

Even though it was just a memory, Kevin could still sense Raiden Mei...

At least in spirit, he is no different from Mei.

Even knowing this, Kevin felt little emotion; his beloved had been buried in that desolate and nonexistent era.

So what if Raiden Mei shares the same soul as Mei?

In a man's eyes, similarities in soul and certain traits mean nothing; the two are already completely different individuals.

However, it cannot be denied that the reason why Flame-Chasers is so interested in Raiden Mei is also due to similar reasons.

Even Elysia was probably so enthusiastic and proactive from the beginning because she wanted to see what kind of person this girl who looked just like Mei was.

But the Flame-Chasers, including Kevin himself, have a high degree of discernment in this regard. Anyone can see at a glance that no matter how similar they are in appearance and some traits, Raiden Mei is Raiden Mei.

And Mei... is Mei.

Rather, if these two people truly shared a fundamental and core similarity, then the Sea of Quanta wouldn't be so peaceful and serene today.

He responded coldly:

What do you want to know?

Raiden Mei secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Despite his many flaws, Kevin wasn't the unreasonable type like Chrono-Chaos and Mobius. Even though the initial communication was fraught with difficulties and troubles, once the connection was established, all that was needed was to confront the riddle-maker's answer and analyze it.

The girl said softly:

"I learned about [[Ashes]] from Elysia, Eden, and Sakura. I'd like to know anything else you know, and... your thoughts on [[Ashes]]."

Kevin glanced at the mark on the back of her hand and said calmly:

Even if you obtain the [[Floating Life]] imprint, getting close to [[Ashes]] is still not an easy task.

Raiden Mei frowned and asked:

"Even you can't see through [[Ashes]]'s cognitive impairment?"

Kevin said softly:

"Maybe it's possible, maybe it's not."

"But even if you can see through the illusions that Udu-dust creates, there is still no hope of entering the isolated island that person has painted for himself."

"Even Aponia and SU, who are Mental Perception Type, might not be able to do that."

Raiden Mei steered the conversation back on track, saying earnestly:

"This is something I will have to face myself when the time comes. The [[Ashes]] in this Sea of Quanta are ultimately just memories, not the original him in reality."

"Moreover, I had no other choice."

Kevin remained silent and met the girl's eyes for a moment.

Even when gazing for a long time at what appeared to be the reincarnation of a former lover, those icy blue eyes remained like an immortal lake frozen in time, deathly still and cold.

The man saw the burning passion and obsession in the other's eyes and responded:

"[[Ashes]] once taught me some techniques for applying Honkai Energy, and also tempered my will and spirit in his unique way."

You ask me what I think of him?

Kevin continued his statement in a calm tone:

"He was a beacon that led many in the world to believe that civilization still had hope for survival; he was an outstanding warrior who sacrificed himself for the greater good before I joined the Moth to Fire; he was a senior who fought against the Honkai when I was just a recruit; he was a martyr who gradually lost almost all of his life on the path of fighting the Honkai; and he was also... my teacher."

Raiden Mei was somewhat stunned.

Even though I knew beforehand that the other person had a good relationship with Kevin, it still felt a bit unbelievable that such a comment came from their mouth.

She said softly:

"It sounds like you respect him a lot."

Kevin responded:

"That's only natural."

"In that era, many people were willing to die one after another in order to leave hope and a better future."

"Even so, the teacher's enlightenment and ultimate outcome, amidst the myriad stars and torches falling at that time, still shone so brightly that they could not be ignored."

Raiden Mei asked:

"Because of Fuxi?"

Kevin wasn't surprised that the other party knew to this extent.

Rather, when Raiden Mei heard the name Elysia from her mouth, many things, as she said, no longer needed to be hidden.

He replied:

"The arrival of Fuxi is a highly contentious and difficult-to-confront issue for the entire Moth to Fire."

"Before a real crisis arrives, everyone will find it difficult to face and accept things that are beyond our comprehension."

"But at that time, the teacher was already making preparations in advance to deal with Fuxi. He seemed to have an innate intuition that was as accurate as if he could foresee the future. Just for the possible crisis at that time, he made a deal with Mobius in advance and participated in an extremely vicious and twisted experiment."

Mobius Experiment

Raiden Mei chewed on the key words within.

She wondered if the connection between Mobius and [[Ashes]] stemmed from this.

At this moment, Eden's assessment of the two men's positions echoed in his mind.

[But for Kevin, that building was once a landmark.]

[For Mobius, however, the building was a work of art so exquisite it could not be destroyed.]

The girl seemed to gradually understand part of the reason why [[Ashes]] was able to confront Fuxi head-on, and deduced based on the current information.

The experiment was undoubtedly a huge success, so much so that the [[Ashes]], who were originally on the same level as the rest of the population, were suddenly thrust into an equally indescribable and bizarre dimension.

--An artwork so exquisite that it cannot be damaged.

If this is indeed the case, then Eden's assessment of Mobius is perhaps most fitting.

If you just think about what kind of crazy scientist, whose outer shell is a little girl, is really like, you can understand it quite well.

She said:

"This experiment probably doesn't offer much reference value for those who come after it."

Otherwise, human civilization at that time might not have been so utterly defeated.

Kevin replied:

"That is the path to success that only teachers can take."

"And for anyone, including Mobius and me, it was simply a voluntary journey to the gates of hell to die."

Raiden Mei, recalling Sakura's description of the "training" she underwent at [[Ashes]], sighed:

"Because of the Black Abyss White Flower?"

Kevin said:

"Yes."

"At least, this is the foundation for beginners."

"Given enough time, we might also be able to deduce a method to reach the entry level by simply using technological screening without fully utilizing powers."

"But at least in the era we lived through, the time left for Mei and the others was far too short."

Raiden Mei asked:

"I think there are many elements related to [[Ashes]] itself in it."

Kevin said calmly:

"In my memory, no one but him could wield power to that extent."

"The Black Abyss White Flower's [creation] and [annihilation], in the teacher's case, allow him to ignore the cycle between life and death, especially since he can still observe and even interfere with the soul."

"Therefore, he can filter out incorrect gene fusion formulas through the cycle of death and resurrection."

"In that fire, no one knows how many times he faced death trying to find the right path."

The man's already cold and hard expression became even more somber.

"The teacher knew before participating in the experiment that, regardless of success or failure, he would no longer be able to share joys and sorrows with his loved one, and would thus lose his qualification as a human being."

"But for the sake of potential enemies, he still chose to walk this path."

Raiden Mei was silent for a moment, then said softly:

"So, he succeeded."

Kevin responded:

"I don't know your definition of success, but in the world of a thousand chariots under SU's control at that time, all parallel worlds that reflected the existence of [[Ashes]] were erasing all traces of him."

"Interpreted in a universal sense, that is the Ascension Scene."