"The ' Dream Master's ' fiery strike, like a torrent of water, is hidden behind the stained-glass window, waiting to be punctured and unleash another Swarm Disaster." The voice of the Dominicus resounded throughout the hall.
Firefly seemed to sense something. "... How could the Dream Master be so powerful?" She then looked at Dominicus: "We have to stop him." Dominicus shook his head. "Perhaps, he should stop me." Although they already had a guess in their hearts, Hanxing and the other person couldn't help but stare at Dominicus more cautiously.
"I will settle this matter for him—this thought, along with the power outside the window, constitutes the complete ' Dominicus.'" The Dominicus turned to look, staring at the stained-glass window. "... Dominicus?" Firefly stared intently at him as he turned away. "Everything I saw along the way was not prepared for you, but for me—to give you justice."
"I don't see where the fairness lies," Hanxing's voice was icy. Dominicus chuckled softly, "Ms. Firefly, Mr. Hanxing, surely you've both pondered fate?" Dominicus changed the subject. "That can't be used as an excuse," Hanxing's tone was even colder, "Both the outcome and the process depend on our choices."
"This is nothing but self-deception—you haven't changed anything." The Dominicus looked at the pupa hanging from the ceiling. "Standing before a choice, no matter how many times we start over, we will only make the same decision—at that moment, we have already been shaped by the past, believing that it is the only correct path."
"All the past you've left behind has already determined your future." The Dominicus looked at Firefly, a hint of pity flashing in his eyes. "Your friend tried to escape fate, only to meet the same end. And now, so are you."
"But the person you meet today is precisely someone who has rewritten their destiny." The Firefly met the Dream Master's gaze without fear. "Then, I offer my sympathy, hunter—as far as I know, there is only one way to rewrite destiny: abandon your true desires, cease acting according to your own will. In that case, your fate will indeed be different, perhaps even able to influence the direction of the world. But from that moment on, you will have killed yourself, living a life that is no different from being dead."
"To defy fate, someone always has to pay the price. If I am one of those price, I will not surrender." Hanxing met Dominicus's eyes without flinching. "Anyone has the ability to understand the world and then bear its weight; that is the meaning of sacrifice." The two walked forward together, willing to face death together even if it meant their own demise.
"I admire your resolve. Since you don't mind the sacrifice—that's enough of the argument. Retreat, hunters, you cannot withstand that blow." "We will not let you succeed," Firefly said coldly. "Is that so?" " Harmony " spreads cancer throughout the world, so why would it succeed? The Dominicus retorted, a strange melody spreading around them.
"Alright, how many more times are you going to pull these tricks?" Hanxing stared at the Dominicus, his powerful Harmony force erupting and covering the entire hall, suppressing all dissonance and rendering the Tuning ineffective. "You know, if I wanted to, you could turn to ashes in the blink of an eye."
"Admirable," for some reason, the Dominicus clapped. "But do you really think you can beat me?" "No matter how swift your movements, no one will be hurt in this dream." Hanxing finished speaking and reached out to protect Firefly beside her. "Your courage shines like pure gold, however—" the Dominicus paused, "11:45 Paradise will eventually fall into the sorrowful world, and once dawn rises, it will be destroyed by daylight. How can anything of gold retain its brilliance forever?"
"Step forward and pay homage, you from another world, the last descendants of the empire. I grant you permission to reveal the true face of Order to me—I grant you permission to create a god for me with human hands!" Firefly took out her transformation device, surrounded by flames. The Hanxing Embroidered Spring Blade was drawn, and four kinds of light—red, gold, black, and white—rose from the ground.
"The chirping of insects will once again devour all things... filling the hearts of the lost with fear." The Dominicus turned away, Hanxing secretly exerted his power, his silhouette turning to ash inch by inch. "--Someone must first unleash His wrath on His behalf. All living things will perish." A gigantic hand pierced the stained-glass window. "If death is inevitable, then I will accept it." Hanxing's eyes showed no fear, standing like a wall before Firefly. "But the arrival of that 'death' is precisely because you, among the crowd... were the first to seek 'life'."
"There is a time to be born, and a time to die." The Dream Master's last words faded away. Firefly looked around with some joy. The mansion had already collapsed, but the Aeon's attack had not yet arrived: "It succeeded. He dissipated first, causing that power to lose control." "Don't be too happy yet." Hanxing's voice became wary, followed by the chirping of insects.
"His attack wasn't meant to kill us, but for the Swarm Disaster: 'Fate has aligned with its omens, arriving at the opportune moment.'" Firefly turned around, and a strange, black and red Glamoth Iron Cavalry stood before them. "You... how..." Firefly looked back in surprise; of all the Iron Cavalry present, only AR-214 remained.
"Where... is this?" In an instant, black and white swept through the dream. Hanxing looked around and knew that Acheron had made his move. And everything would be settled here.
"A moth flies into a flame, not because it craves light." Hanxing knew it was Firefly's voice, but he didn't turn around, only listening to Firefly's self-talk with his back turned. "It's to pass through the flame, to ignite oneself, and to emit the most intense light. My destiny will not fall into darkness, I will... illuminate everyone around me!" The darkness dissipated, and the two reappeared in the mansion.
"As long as the clock keeps ticking, there is a time to die and a time to live. My world is always burned to ashes, so let it burn." The Firefly's eyes grew even more determined. "As long as I can keep burning, the place I am will be 'raging fire,' not 'ashes.' Actually, I used to envy you. Even if you were born into a disaster, you wouldn't feel any pain in your heart."
"But now... you should yearn for me. I don't want to face death, nor do I want to continue fighting. But in the face of fate... I will never run away."
"Ready, Ying?" Hanxing's embroidered spring knife flashed, and her trench coat fluttered in the wind. "Let's go together, Xing!" Firefly looked resolutely at 214, who was being corrupted by Propagation: "This time, I will not run away!"