Forget-me-not

To the solemn and austere Fusion Warriors, Elysia could be considered an oddity. Her "unrestrained" behavior always brought a hint of ease to the pessimistic Fusion Warriors.

"That's right, Sakura... the Fusion Warriors still have ample strength." Through the crack in the door, Dr. Mei's cool voice gradually became clearer.

"We were fortunate to defeat the Eleventh Law-Ruler, whose abilities were unusual, without paying too heavy a price. The Fusion Warriors are still expanding."

"Besides, judging by the current situation, Honkai seems capable of adapting specifically to us. Whether the Fusion Warriors can still be as effective against the coming Law-Rulers... is difficult to say."

"If that's the case... Dr. Mei, should the veteran Fusion Warriors form a vanguard unit?" Sakura pinched her chin, resting one elbow on the back of her other hand.

"Of course. I was thinking the same thing. You are Fire Moth's most precious fighting force. In many situations, only you can respond. Those recruits, meanwhile, need continuous training and battle before they can become blades capable of standing on their own."

"Besides, I'm not the only one proposing that you form a separate squad. She also believes my proposal has merit."

"She?"

"Why, me, of course." It was a cheerful, carefree voice. Elysia pushed open the door and walked in.

"Other than me, is there anyone else who truly cares about the fate of us Fusion Warriors? What do you think, Sakura?"

"Elysia..." Sakura rubbed her forehead helplessly. Apart from her younger sister, Elysia was the only person who could make her wear such an expression.

"If I remember correctly, you should be three thousand kilometers away, tracking an abnormal concentration of Honkai energy." Clearly, Elysia's capricious image had already been deeply ingrained in Sakura's mind.

"Oh my, Sakura, I never thought you cared about me so much. How embarrassing."

"But compared to this proposal, which might unite us all, that's just a minor issue."

"So, Sakura, will you join?"

"..." Sakura hesitated for a moment before saying, "Sorry, I'm already used to..."

"Wait, don't rush to refuse." Elysia wrapped an arm around Sakura's waist, pulling their bodies dangerously close. As though biting Sakura's ear, Elysia whispered beside it, "Sakura... the situation is urgent. I'll only say this once. Control yourself, and don't look too surprised."

Speaking at an incredible speed, Elysia said in a voice only Fusion Warriors could hear, "I deliberately went three thousand kilometers away. The source of the Honkai energy is the next Law-Ruler, and she isn't there." A high concentration of Honkai energy could have many causes. It might herald the birth of an Emperor-class Honkai Beast, or signal that a swarm of Honkai Beasts was preparing to attack. Of course, it might also be the first cry of the next Law-Ruler.

"For now, only I know about this. We still have a chance. The next Law-Ruler, she..."

"She is your younger sister."

The atmosphere froze for a second or two. Sakura nodded dully. She truly showed no surprise, not even the slightest trace of sorrow. She merely nodded and continued Elysia's usual playful conversation. Sakura did not remember when Dr. Mei and Elysia left the room; she only remembered that she had been the last to leave.

As usual, she walked down the long corridor, greeted her companions, and returned to her room. She looked clear-headed, but her mind was as muddled as if she were drunk and feverish. Everything was a blur, and only one thought lingered in her heart: What have you protected!

Poisoned Cocoon was the hidden blade in Fire Moth's sleeve. It never revealed itself beneath the sun; it existed only in the shadows. Even when drawn, sunlight could not pierce the blackened, dried blood upon its blade. Poisoned Cocoon used the most violent and direct methods to resolve every problem Fire Moth deemed a "nuisance"—purging Honkai energy-infected people or assassinating Fire Moth's political enemies, among other things.

Moreover, they possessed the supreme power to escape legal punishment, because their master was the one who made the laws. Though such an organization had already been dissolved.

Likewise, Sakura, a former member of Poisoned Cocoon, had blood and guilt staining both her hands. The blood of evil people, the blood of good people, the blood of everyone who stood in humanity's path forward. When Sakura slit the throat of her first Honkai energy-infected person, death in the final moment had been the best ending for her.

But Sakura had never imagined that her suffering would descend upon her younger sister in this form. When her butcher's blade was about to fall upon the family member she had fought for day and night, waves of regret and self-blame washed away every creed she had held in her heart.

Only death one chose for oneself could be called sacrifice. "Sacrificing" others was merely murder with a prettier name. And murdering those doomed to die was still murder. Countless people had to spend long years and pay an immense price before engraving such a simple truth into their hearts.

A long scream rose from within Sakura's heart, followed by the accusations of the innocent. Countless faces cursed, questioned, and wept.

"What have you protected! I can't think of a single thing you can claim to have protected!" Yet the final face to emerge in Sakura's mind was her own, her original face. "Sakura" glared at her with harsh eyes. "You have brought nothing but mountains of corpses and seas of blood!"

Helplessly, Sakura knelt beneath the cold stares of the dead, letting the departed curse her actions, question the meaning of their sacrifices, and wail over their worthless deaths.

Her former courage had decayed into ruthlessness, her wisdom into recklessness. Her pure white soul had been nourished by schemes and cruelty, blood and slaughter, until it became a gleaming killing machine that shouted "for everyone" while killing everyone. Anyone who willingly supported authoritarian tyranny did so only because the guns of that tyranny were not pointed at them.

As regret swept through her mind, sorrow fell like rain upon its sea. Sakura's thoughts were chaotic, grief and remorse tangled together.

—Should I spare my younger sister?

If she spared her younger sister after she became a Law-Ruler, then what had everything she did before amounted to? She had once convinced herself that killing innocent people was to protect more innocent people. Now, to protect more innocent people, she should kill her own younger sister. Because no Law-Ruler was harmless!

—But she is your family!

Had she not fought her entire life, bathed in the blood of countless innocents, all for her younger sister? A demon whispered to her, trying to turn her into a cruel and hypocritical servant.

No, I will never spare my younger sister, Sakura answered through sobs in her heart.

I made countless wrong choices before... Now, I won't make such a mistake again.

Sakura understood that she was not worthy of forgiveness, nor did she deserve to ask the departed souls to forgive her. The only things she could do were turn back and make amends.

Sakura's dream was to protect those closest to her, but for Ling's sake, how many other people's loved ones had she killed? Did they not also want to protect their brothers and sisters? Why was only her younger sister worth protecting? Were others' brothers and sisters unworthy of it?

As Sakura came to her realization, the souls shrouded in ice departed. The demon vanished without a trace, and the whispers that had haunted her faded into nothingness.

At last, Sakura could no longer hide her sorrow in reality. Like a helpless little girl, she covered her face and wept. Her long ears drooped lifelessly. Crystal tears slid down her cheeks and trembling hands, falling onto the blue carpet and leaving damp trails like blooming flowers—forget-me-nots.

To Sakura, the meaning of forget-me-nots was: do not forget who you truly are.

P.S. Chapter 39 has been revised a little. Remember to go take a look.