Himeko and the others returned to the Astral Express first, while Hoshi stayed behind to say a final goodbye to Acheron.
"Do you remember when we first arrived in Penacony?" Acheron's voice broke the silence. "Back then, no one could have imagined that our journeys would intersect in this way."
Xing scratched his head habitually. "Indeed, seeing you sitting with the priestess at the [ The Reverie ] Hotel was quite unexpected."
"Since we're talking about the priestess, who's stronger between you and her?"
Acheron shook his head, not giving a direct answer, "Regarding [ Eternity ] and [ Nihility ], you'll have to explore them yourself to find the answer."
"So, it seems I didn't even get to give a proper self-introduction..."
Acheron seemed to be deep in thought, as if she had just realized this. She gently placed her right hand on her heart, her eyes lowered, and her voice was like jade immersed in a deep pool, calm and serene:
"Simply put, I am a Self-Annihilator cursed by [ Nihility ]. My homeland suffered annihilation long ago, and the entire world perished in its reflection."
"To combat my inevitable Self-Annihilation, I embarked on a journey to find a way to sever the [ Nihility ]. And after a long search, I became certain that my true home lay deep within the [ Black Net ] that separates reality from Nihility."
"There lies a secret called [ Device IX ]. One day, I will reach its location."
"Then... will we meet again?" Xing asked.
Acheron remained silent for a moment, his eyes fixed quietly on the stars. "The starry sea is vast. As for the purpose of our journey, I'm afraid we'll have very little chance of crossing paths again."
However, as she changed the subject, a very subtle smile appeared on her lips.
"But the path Trailblaze is fraught with unknowns, and my blade is sharp enough to sever one's Path..." Acheron gently stroked the hilt of his sword. "As long as we retain our initial aspirations for this journey, I believe that one day we will meet again."
Acheron seemed to suddenly remember something, and a very faint hint of apology flashed across his expression:
"Ah... in that case, I must apologize for my rudeness. Do you remember when we first met?"
"I once said that you remind me of someone from the past." She closed her eyes slightly, as if trying to capture those fragments of Remembrance that had long since faded and scattered.
"Because of the curse of ' Self-Annihilation,' my Remembrance have been peeled away piece by piece, and the past has become blurred and indistinct. After walking this path with you, I can be sure... that the vague feeling back then was just an illusion, and we really were meeting for the first time."
Xing smiled slightly, "This time we met, next time we'll meet again."
Acheron's response was a similarly gentle yet genuine smile, the corners of her eyes softly relaxing.
"Yes, many times, what we did together is more important than who I am. I will remember this story."
What if... that wasn't an illusion?
"What does this mean?" Acheron tilted his head slightly, a strand of hair slipping down his cheek. "You shouldn't have anything to do with my past... Ah, I mean, it's beyond tracing back, only a Nihility remains."
"Who knows~" Xing blinked, her tone lighthearted and teasing. "After all, I'm practically suffering from amnesia right now, so... I might have met people who look like you."
"I see... Have you had a similar experience?" Acheron crossed her arms over her chest, a gesture that made her seem somewhat focused. "Then you should know that I am not the same person as the one you Remembrance."
Xing's tone instantly became incredibly firm. "But some things will never change."
"... Ha ha."
A light laugh escaped from Acheron's lips. Her eyebrows curved, and a genuine smile spread across her eyes—this was the first time Xing had ever seen this Self-Annihilator, burdened with the curse of [ Nihility ], display such a vivid smile.
"... Long ago, I, like you, had irreplaceable companions." Acheron's smile gradually settled into a distant nostalgia, his gaze lingering on an unknown horizon.
"We too have embarked on journeys, and at every right time, we have done our best to make the right choices."
She sighed softly, but there wasn't much bitterness in that sigh; it was more like a gentle touch on the past.
"It's a pity we didn't get the right result, but this situation... always makes me feel like they never left." Acheron's gaze refocused on Xing.
"In this universe, there are countless worlds that are similar yet different, and countless people who are similar yet different."
Acheron raised his head and looked once more at the gray dome of Dreamflux Reef, which resembled solidified smoke, his eyes empty and distant.
"I too have walked alone, encountering [old acquaintances] on a strange planet, seeing their figures overlap with my past."
Her gaze slowly lowered, fixed on Xing: "What does this feeling of déjà vu mean to you?"
"Perhaps... it's longing for someone," Xing replied softly.
"Longing, yearning, remembrance... they may all be true, but none of them are complete." Acheron paused, as if gathering his thoughts:
"I think it's not something external, but rather comes from within ourselves, an emotion that transcends time from a certain moment in the past."
"It may be warm and joyful, or it may be painful and sorrowful. Whenever we look back, we always find that what remains behind us are just these small but unforgettable moments, and some things that remain Eternity unchanged within them..."
Acheron's fingertips unconsciously traced the scabbard. "That's a summary of our lives, a microcosm of everything we've been through... proof of our journey together."
"We see ourselves in it, and then... we are able to [exist]." Acheron closed his eyes, his long eyelashes falling down, as if listening to the echoes from the depths of his heart, his expression serene and focused.
A moment later, she slowly opened her eyes and looked at the star again:
"Like everyone in this story, they passionately and bravely embark on the path of destiny for the things that give meaning to their lives."
"Embark on your journey without hesitation, Nameless on the path of Trailblaze."
Acheron gazed tenderly at Xing: "Even if the ending was already predetermined, it doesn't matter. There are too many things that people cannot change."
"But before that, on the road to the end, there is still much we can do."
"And the [ending]... will therefore take on a completely different meaning." Acheron's serene smile reappeared on his lips.
"Those beautiful things were like that before, and they are like that now, and I believe it too..."
"It will still bloom at the end of Nihility, until we meet again in the sunlight."
Earlier, at the Dreamjolt Bar
As he watched the Silver Wolf's figure disappear completely into the night, Blake's relaxed brows suddenly darkened.
His cold gaze swept over the empty seat behind him, his voice low and deep:
" Memokeeper, my friend, did your colleagues not warn you how presumptuous it is to pry into the whispers of others? Especially... Remembrance that belong to [ Eternity ]."
"I sincerely apologize for disturbing your enjoyment, Chair Blake."
Like ripples on inky black water, the silhouette of Black Swan gracefully emerges from the void.
She held a cup of sparkling milk tea lightly between her slender fingers, a faint, intrigued smile playing on her lips, savoring its dreamlike flavor.
"Hmm~ The charm of this new product... is truly captivating."