Chapter 268

Hua sighed and slowly closed his eyes.

Before the Herrscher of Corruption could take effect, her body disintegrated. Just a second later, the Herrscher of Corruption was able to erode her data and save Hua's life.

In a Setsuna moment, life and death are forever separated.

Of the thirteen Flame-Chaser, only one remains: Signet of Vicissitude, who uses his life to prove his defeat.

The video ends here.

Chapter 435 Hua: A Vicissitude Dream, Yet in Retrospect, Eternity Has Passed

Himeko Murata: "The will of the Flame-Chasers is pure and great, and the Herrscher of Corruption cannot understand the continuation of human civilization. That's the logic... but why do I always feel like something's not quite right?"

It was a very touching scene, but Teacher Himeko felt that something was off.

It seems like... the Herrscher of Corruption is desperately trying to save her, while Hua is desperately trying to sacrifice herself.

If Hua's dissipation had been even a second slower, the Herrscher of Corruption could have brought her back.

Bronya: "Bronya also finds it strange. Even though they're already severely injured, the Herrscher of Corruption still won't give up on saving the class monitor. What's their mentality?"

Having withstood Kevin's full-force attack, Hua then unleashed a Sword God strike, leaving the Herrscher of Corruption unable to even maintain its form after being hit by a combo.

To be honest, she must be extremely irritable and furious right now.

But the pain and failure only fueled her desire to save Hua's life and grant him immortality, all for the sake of finding an answer to right and wrong.

The Herrscher of Corruption is really just a child who can't reason with people.

Pardofelis: "Hua, you died so tragically, waaaaah, what will we do without you?"

Hua chose to commit suicide at the last moment, turning into starlight and dissipating completely. Even knowing this was the outcome, Pardofelis still couldn't help but cry.

Fu Hua: "Pardo, I'm not dead, I'm still here."

Startled by Pardofelis's mournful voice, Fu Hua couldn't help but twitch her lips. The feeling of someone making her mourn right next to her wasn't pleasant.

Pardofelis: "No way, Hua, how could you just leave like this? I haven't even sold any goods... cough cough, I mean, I haven't even given you a gift!"

As she said this, Pardofelis wiped away the tears that had welled up in her eyes and came to Fu Hua's side, carrying a wooden plaque.

Fu Hua frowned as she looked at the black sign. The words engraved on it were crooked and illegible, and there were also typos.

It looks a bit like a tombstone.

No, not just a little, Fu Hua was absolutely certain that this was a tombstone.

Fu Hua: "Pardo, is this the gift you mentioned?"

Pardofelis: "Yes, I heard from Danzhu that people in your Current Era Shenzhou like to make this kind of thing, don't they?"

Pardofelis: "For offerings to immortals and ancestors, you need this big wooden plaque, and Hua, you are the genuine Immortal Crimson Bird."

Pardofelis: "Knowing that Hua went through so much trouble to come here, I made one especially for you."

Fu Hua: "..."

Thank you so much, Pardofelis!

Fu Hua knew that the Longevity Stele, which was used to worship immortals, did exist in Shenzhou, but it was definitely not the same thing as the wooden board in Pardofelis's hand.

I wonder what strange knowledge Danzhu and Cang Xuan taught Pardo.

Pardofelis: "Hua, do you want it? I spent the whole afternoon working on it."

Finding the right wooden board, carving the lettering, and polishing it all took Pardofelis a lot of effort.

Fu Hua: "Well... okay."

Pardofelis: "Hmm! Considering it's rare for me to see Hua, I'll give it to you for free this time. If there's a next time, you must patronize my business."

Fu Hua: "Hmm."

Ultimately, it was a gift from an old friend. Looking at Pardofelis's pitiful eyes and the scratches on her fingers, Fu Hua couldn't bring herself to refuse.

Pardofelis meant well; this was a misunderstanding caused by Danzhu and Cang Xuan.

Fu Hua accepted the tombstone made by Pardofelis and held it in her arms. The Flame-Chasers around her didn't seem to find this strange.

There was a generational gap, and among the Flame-Chasers, there were few Shenzhou, so only a handful of people could discern the underlying reasons.

Meanwhile, Cang Xuan and Danzhu, the instigators, were suppressing their laughter, their eyes fixed on the words on the tombstone.

If Fu Hua hadn't been there, the two of them would probably be laughing their heads off.

Fu Hua glared at them, originally intending to grab Cang Xuan and Danzhu and start lecturing them, just like she had done back at Mount Tai Xu.

However, considering that his time in the Death Space was almost up, all his emotions turned into a sense of helplessness, which he slowly exhaled from his mouth.

"Why."

Fu Hua opened her coat and put the wooden plaque inside. Although the words carved on it weren't very pretty, it was still a keepsake.

The so-called Signet of Vicissitude is to bear a mission, throw oneself into the fleeting Vicissitude, experience the long years, see all the lights of countless homes, and only in the end can one realize that all living beings eventually come to an end.

The mortal body cannot last forever. No matter how reluctant we are to part with it, or how helpless we feel, it is all but a Vicissitude dream.

Elysia: "Hua, how about we take a picture together? I look super photogenic today, and so does Hua."

In a daze, Fu Hua suddenly felt someone tap her on the shoulder. Turning around, she saw Elysia looking at her with a smile.

In an instant, she composed herself, swept away the gloom in her heart, and put on a smile again.

Fu Hua: "Sure, but could I keep a copy of the photo?"

Elysia: "Of course, let's take a few more pictures... but we don't seem to have enough film."

Pardofelis: "Me! Me! Sister Elysia, I have some here. Count me in for the photo, and I'll give you a 20% discount!"

Elysia: "Let's come together!"

The three stood in the garden, set the camera in the distance, and then Fu Hua squatted down. Elysia made a heart shape with her hands, and Pardofelis brought over the Canned Food. They took a group photo.

Thanks to Vill-V's cutting-edge technology, the photos were developed very quickly.

Looking at her stiff expression in the photo, Fu Hua couldn't help but find it a little funny. But when she came to her senses, she noticed that there were two water stains on the photo.

I didn't even realize when I started crying.

Fu Hua stretched out her hand, staring blankly at the teardrops that had fallen into her palm.

Fenghuang Down dissipated in his chest, and the past resurfaced in his mind once again.

Himiko's death, the ruins beneath the cherry blossom tree, and the standing tombstone with Sakura's name engraved on it.

And... Elysia's ball, Kevin's flames pierced Elysia's chest.

The thirteen had fought side by side; though not exactly united, they shared a common goal.

Together they defeated the Honkai Beast, together they killed the terrifying Herrscher, they also fought each other, drawing swords against their friends, and they also raised their knives against those who loved them deeply.

They were all losers before, but now they have the opportunity to change everything and start over.

But now Fu Hua is stuck Fifty Thousand Years in the future, unable to turn back.

A crimson feather shimmered on her chest.

Memories erased by Fenghuang Down over five thousand years broke free of the Shackles of her mind at this moment, flooding into Fu Hua's mind scene by scene.

Overwhelmed by grief, Fu Hua never imagined that the process of regaining her memories would be so heart-wrenching.

But she could only remain silent, hiding secretly in a corner, afraid of disturbing others.

Chapter 436 the False Canary

In the Death Space, in Elysia's garden, the Flame-Chasers had silently departed, leaving only Fu Hua behind.

'I'm sorry, Sakura, Elysia, Eden... This time I have to be a traitor too, but I really... I really can't bear to leave you all!'

Fu Hua clutched her chest, enduring excruciating pain that felt like it was being torn apart, and could only use the power of Fenghuang Down to fight off the sorrow in her heart.

She has already left her mark on the future: Kiana, Teacher Himeko, Bronya, Theresa... each and every one of them is someone she can't let go of.

Compared to the Flame-Chasers, the students of the St. Freya Academy need their own strength more.

Fu Hua didn't want to make a choice, but she had no choice.

Time will force her to take that hesitant step.

How can one have it all in this world?

Eden once abandoned the Kindling Project, betraying the future. Therefore, Hua, who accepted the Kindling Project and chose to guide the Current Era plan, will inevitably betray the past as well.

Unlike Sakura, unlike Elysia, she is a true traitor.

She betrayed her trusted companions, betrayed the hopes of the Previous Era, and betrayed her former self.

Fu Hua hid alone in a corner, trying to conceal her unusual behavior, but the rustling of leaves and the movement of the grass were not unseen by the Flame-Chasers.

Elysia stopped outside the garden, and led Pardofelis, whose face was also red from crying, to the side, patting her on the shoulder.

"Sister Elysia, is there really no way to have the best of both worlds? You're so smart, if all else fails, let's ask Sister Snake for help, or Sister Vill-V for assistance. There must be a way..."

"Seeing Hua like this really breaks my heart. Hua has never cried before."

Pardofelis wiped away her tears repeatedly, lowering her voice; the sleeves of her clothes were already soaked.

"Pardofelis, this is Hua's own choice. No matter what she thinks, we should support her. We should be happy, shouldn't we?"

Elysia shook her head, a smile still on her face.

What she thought was true, and as she said, that Hua was able to move towards the future, towards a completely new self, unlike the Flame-Chasers buried in the past, was something to be happy about.

"But, but why make Hua make such a cruel choice!"

Pardofelis crouched on the ground, covering her head with her hands.

"We're in a bind now, she... she might as well not have come back!"

In a corner of the garden, Fu Hua leaned against the wall with one hand, bent over and weeping bitterly. The cold wall had become a prison, completely isolating her from the Flame-Chasers outside.

They were from two different worlds.

Griseo: "Cosmo, my painting is finished."

Cosmo: "What did you draw? It's a... How about I give it to Hua as a gift?"

Griseo: "Yes, that's what I think too."

After taking the canvas down from the flower stand, Cosmo led her toward Elysia's garden. During this time, Fu Hua had cried her eyes out and used Fenghuang Down to temporarily calm herself down.

Fu Hua put on a smile and, together with Elysia and the others, unfurled the scroll.

The painting depicts a flock of canaries trapped in a huge birdcage, surrounded by thorny vines with dried bloodstains on the thorns.

The most striking feature was a strange canary in the cage, easily distinguishable from the others.

It has the color of a canary, but resembles Chi Yuan.

The Chi Yuan broke through the thorns, her body covered in blood and wounds, yet she was stained with gold, which covered the bloodstains on her wings, making her one of the caged birds.

Upon seeing the content of the painting, the Flame-Chasers reacted with varying expressions.

Vill-V: "Hmm... it's a good painting, but what should we call it?"

Elysia: "How about 'The False Canary'?"

It wasn't a painting with a beautiful meaning, but the Flame-Chasers were used to it; most of Griseo's transformations were in a similar style.

Cosmo: "Griseo, how did you come up with the idea to draw this?"

Griseo: "Hmm... the little bird can't find its home. It can't go back. The cage is full of friends like it."

Vill-V: "I see... then it really is a meaningful painting."

The False Canary.

She wasn't a canary, but all the canaries thought she was.

Being confined in a cage, it seemed so out of place, but in the canary's eyes, it was already one of its own kind.

The outside world is full of thorns, and she can no longer find her way home. The birdcage is full of her friends, and she no longer has the heart to shed her golden color.

But one day, the birdcage will rust, and thorns will spread.