O Holy Lance~

The stench of rot filled their nostrils.

Golden branches tangled in the air. The thousand-faced monstrous tree bore countless heads, its roots plunged deep into the earth.

"I am Shuhu, I am eternity. Starting with me, you shall attain true immortality."

Shuhu looked at Feiying among the group.

"Fellow traveler, why do you turn your blade against me? We are both Emanators under Yaoshi. Why not become one with me and join me in this immortality?"

"Who's a fellow traveler with someone like you?!"

Shuhu's words seemed to anger Feiying. Gripping her ruler blade, she tried to charge over and strike him.

Sera reached out to stop her. "Don't go over there."

Shuhu was too big a target, and he had sent plenty of roots up from underground. They needed to be cleared away, or Shuhu would keep absorbing the land's life force, not to mention that Feiying's true body was also rooted in this land.

Yaoguang stepped back, placing the others in front of her so she could protect them.

"I'll open a Dharma realm to help you find the roots' weak points, but... Shuhu's true body..."

"I'll keep him occupied. You all deal with the roots quickly."

Sera didn't hesitate. After all, Feiying was the Ambrosial Arbor, and it would be trouble if Shuhu swallowed her. Busitu's shadow could also easily go out of control if left for too long.

As for Himeko, Suzi, and the others holding Shuhu off?

Himeko/Suzi: Me, fight Shuhu? Seriously?!

Yaoguang was a diviner and could only provide support. Unless she wanted to call down an arrow from the Celestial Bow and perish together with him, she didn't have much fighting power.

With that, Sera raised his lance and faced Shuhu.

Meeting someone's gaze was an act that, between people who liked each other, was a kiss without lust. But between enemies, it was a provocation.

Looking at Shuhu, who met his gaze, Sera naturally assumed he was provoking him.

He raised his lance and slashed at Shuhu, but Shuhu neither dodged nor blocked, allowing Sera to sever his branches.

"Hehehe..." Shuhu suddenly laughed as he looked at Sera.

The Bloodstained Hellscape enveloped Sera.

"..."

Sera frowned. "Are you trying to bewitch me?"

Sera felt as though something inside him was being pulled.

"Bewitch?"

The heads on Shuhu's branches shook, and the thousand-faced giant tree spoke along with them.

Sera couldn't help feeling sick. After all, he hadn't even killed a single person. The stench coming from the branches and the bizarre sight of Shuhu speaking were truly nauseating.

"I prefer to call it helping you question your own heart."

"...?!" Sera stared in shock at the person before him, who looked like him but was a woman.

"Nice to meet you, my other self~"

'Seraphis' looked at Sera with a somewhat dangerous smile and gently cupped his face.

"Though the circumstances of our first meeting are a little... nauseating..."

'Seraphis' looked at Shuhu with disgust, but still wrapped both hands around Sera's hand on the lance.

She whispered in Sera's ear, her warm breath brushing against it and making its tip redden involuntarily.

"Before we chat, let's get rid of this pesky bug~"

"?" The smile on Shuhu's face froze.

"You're the evil thoughts I awakened. Shouldn't you be trying to seize his body?"

"Noisy."

Honkai Energy gathered continuously into the lance. Then the lance pierced Shuhu, and the Honkai Energy corroded him through the wound.

Shuhu's body kept healing, but it quickly broke down again.

With Yaoguang's help, the others also severed the roots Shuhu had spread throughout the ground to draw life force.

The group soon gathered together again.

"Next is Shuhu's true body."

A smile touched Yaoguang's lips as she looked at the lance pinning Shuhu down inside the blood-colored domain.

"Didn't you say so?"

'Seraphis' raised her hand.

"The authority of Corruption can corrupt anything~"

'Seraphis' modified Shuhu's code. The Bloodstained Hellscape dissipated, and the revived Shuhu was shrunk into a ball.

Sera asked no questions. He took the ball 'Seraphis' handed him and looked at the others, who were still bewildered.

"Busitu."

"Oh... oh!" Busitu caught Shuhu when Sera tossed the ball over and swallowed Him with the shadow.

"See you in a dream." With those words, 'Seraphis' dissipated.

Though Sera was full of questions too, he put his curiosity aside for the moment.

Sera reclaimed the Honkai Energy that had dispersed into the air, only relaxing once he had made sure nothing was amiss.

Yaoguang and the others looked at Sera but didn't ask anything. After all, it wasn't their place to question what Sera had done.

Yaoguang took out her Jade Abacus, stepped aside, and began sending news of their victory to the Alliance.

Busitu had just finished suppressing the restless arm and was already thinking about someone again.

Feiying moved up in front of Sera.

"Whoa! White Kitty, what was that move you just used called?

That was so amazing-the one where you pinned Shuhu down with your lance!"

Feiying blinked, her sparkling eyes fixed on Sera.

"I don't know."

Sera shook his head.

"Then how about..." Feiying thought for a moment. "Let's call it Holy Lance -- Liberation!"

"Whatever you like." Sera's lips twitched. Feiying had eased his complicated feelings somewhat.

Himeko was drawing something at high speed while Suzi watched from beside her.

"Done!"

Himeko cheered and framed the picture.

Then she put it away.

"Come on, let's head back to Two-Dimensional City."

Sera waved his hand.

After the group returned to Two-Dimensional City by train.

"It's still only afternoon?"

Walking at the front, Sera checked the time.

Night was still a long way off.

"Himeko, come to the café with us. There's something we need to tell you."

Himeko blinked. Though a little puzzled, she nodded.

Before entering the café, Sera switched on the Cognition Filter with practiced ease, as always.

"How should I put this..."

Sera looked at Himeko.

"Himeko, I already told you that Finality is Wojian.

But I'm sorry. We were busy dealing with Shuhu then, and now we finally have time to tell you..."

As Sera spoke, he silently exchanged glances with Busitu and Yaoguang.

Yaoguang and Busitu quietly prepared themselves.

"Himeko, your father, Ryusuke, died a long time ago."

Clatter. The coffee cup in Himeko's hand fell to the ground, spilling coffee across the floor.

Suzi quickly took Himeko's hand in hers.

"Did you cut yourself, Himeko?"

"I'm fine..." Himeko came back to her senses, the smile on her face a little forced. She seemed to have already guessed something.

"Before you ever met your father, he had already died at Finality's hands.

The father you know has been Finality in disguise from the very beginning."

As Sera spoke, he raised his lance. Yaoguang formed a rune with her fingers, and Busitu stood up, gripping the cane.

"You've listened for so long. Why not show yourself and explain in person? Lord Ravager-Finality."

"Hahaha..."

Ryusuke-or rather, Finality wearing Ryusuke's face-appeared before them.

Though weapons were pointed at him, Finality still spoke in that unhurried tone.

"Young people, why expose my mask? I wanted to play father and daughter with my dear daughter a little longer~"