No Other Choice

"All right."

Sera pretended to look disappointed, but he couldn't keep it up for more than a second.

"Haha, don't worry. I won't hold the exam early unless I absolutely have to."

"..." Welt watched him silently through the screen, then sighed.

"As long as you know what you're doing."

"Don't worry."

Sera raised his head confidently.

"I am the Honkai of this galaxy itself. I'll make sure this world makes it past Finality."

Welt nodded and said no more.

"By the way, how many people are in your Astral Express Crew?"

Sera looked at the crew, noticing that a gray-haired figure was missing, and asked in confusion.

"Six! Everyone on the Express is here except the Conductor."

March 7th answered before anyone else could.

Sera nodded, looking as though he had asked out of mere curiosity.

The crew thought nothing of it.

Sera's face remained impassive, but turmoil raged within him.

This timeline is a dead end...

It's all right.

I'm here.

I'll bring Honkai down upon that timeline.

Perhaps I wouldn't have brought Honkai down upon it otherwise, but the galaxy in this timeline has no other choice.

Black Tomb saw the emotions hidden beneath Sera's impassive face. Without a word, she silently took his hand with her puppet's hand.

Sera was stunned for a moment, then clasped Black Tomb's hand in return, their fingers interlacing.

Feiying stood behind Sera, gazing resentfully at their interlocked hands. She was a fox, all right, but that didn't mean she could stomach this dog food!

"I've thought it over again and again, and in the end, I decided I had to tell you."

Sera looked at Himeko, the navigator, and the rest of the Astral Express Crew.

"The timeline you're in is... a time when even Terminus is powerless to prevent Their own birth.

"In short, Finality is inevitable, and Terminus has already given up.

"So I'm returning the choice to you. I can't stand above you like some god and decide your fate as I please.

"Choose: accept the trial of Honkai, or enter Finality."

"We Stellaron Hunters have come to convey Terminus's wishes. They've agreed, so... boss from the other timeline?"

Kafka walked over with a black cat in her arms, followed by the rest of the hunters.

"Bring down the trial," They said.

"Stellaron Hunters?" Navigator Himeko's brow furrowed. When Dan Heng saw Blade, he instinctively drew Cloud-Piercer and watched him warily.

"Yingxing..." Busitu looked at Blade.

"Mr. La Mancha from the other timeline, it's been a long time." Blade paid no mind to Cloud-Piercer being pointed at him. He merely glanced at Dan Heng before greeting Busitu.

"Is there really no other choice?" Welt Yang looked troubled. He knew all too well what Honkai was like and how lucky they had been to overcome it.

"We have no other choice." The black cat, or rather Elio, jumped down from Kafka's arms and walked up to the screen, looking at Sera as he answered Welt's question.

"This is our first meeting, isn't it, Elio? Though you're not the one from my side."

Sera sized up the cat that could hiss at anyone.

"First meeting."

Elio nodded his feline head.

"I agree in my capacity as Terminus."

"...?!" Everyone wore a shocked expression, except Sera and the Stellaron Hunters, who already knew, and the carefree March 7th.

Black Tomb had been mentally prepared, but she had only thought Elio was an Emanator of Finality. A hint of surprise appeared on her face.

"There's no need to ask the other factions. Qlipoth, Xipe, and the others have agreed as well."

"...?!" Just as Jade heard what Elio said, instructions came through her earpiece.

"The company will abide by the Amber Lord's decision."

Navigator Himeko looked questioningly at the members of the Astral Express Crew. Even the silly March 7th understood the gravity of the situation and nodded. Aside from Pom-Pom, who wasn't present, the vote was unanimous.

"The Astral Express agrees too."

Old Yang finally nodded, having come to terms with it.

"Why are you looking at me?" Black Tomb folded her arms, feeling somewhat helpless. She was already holding Sera's hand, so how could he still not understand what she meant?

"Are you an idiot?" Is his emotional intelligence actually negative? Ms. Black Tomb couldn't help criticizing Sera.

"All right, got it."

Sera nodded.

"First, announce the news to the galaxy. As for what to say, I trust Mr. Welt will handle it.

"Once you're ready, you'll face Finality directly."

"?"

Welt Yang wondered if he had misheard.

Even on their Earth, they had only defeated Finality with Finality after stealing the power of Finality.

Only Kevin himself knew just how much he had held back.

"The Aeons will not intervene, ensuring that Finality does not descend with the power of an Aeon."

So said Elio.

"They will also ensure that no other Aeons interfere. What you will face is a Finality on the verge of reaching the level of an Aeon."

"Don't worry." Sera smiled.

"You'll only be facing a mass-produced Finality, and I'll lend you a hand as well.

"They will only use thirteen authorities.

"They are Reason, Void, Thunder, Wind, Ice, Death, Flames, Sentience, Rock, Domination, Binding, the Corruption I possess-though Theirs is a weakened version of mine-and the final authority: Time."

"They can use Time? How are we supposed to fight that?" Silver Wolf couldn't hold back. "We're fighting the final boss, and They're using cheats?!"

Her voice was somewhat through gritted teeth. Perhaps she was thinking of a certain someone who had used time-stop cheats to beat her at games.

"Baby, don't panic." Kafka patted Silver Wolf's head.

"That's how our Honkai works. It has every kind of authority, and it always gives out the most suitable ones.

"But really, don't panic. Finality will only use Time to restart the cycle after a failed trial, until you pass.

"What I can do is bear the power of Finality myself and weaken Them as much as possible. You must overcome Them before I can no longer endure it."

"Mr. Welt, I imagine you'll need this gentleman's help." Kafka's voice rang out as Sam handed Welt Yang a golden cube.

"This is... Void Archives." A faint smile tugged at Welt Yang's lips, but he did everything he could to keep a straight face.

"I can use Void Archives to do my best to mimic the Moonlight Throne and weaken the Herrscher of Finality's energy." Welt Yang composed himself.

"Keep in mind, you can only make one," Sera warned.

"Otherwise, Finality will use the authority of Time to punish a civilization that tries to cheat."

"Understood."

"Make your preparations. I'll come over to your side in one system hour."

Sera had yet to formally embrace the Cocoon, nor was he ready to bear the power of Finality.

Ever since coming to this world, he had never been in a fight that injured him. He couldn't be sure whether he could endure the agony of the power of Finality corroding his body.

What the Cocoon of Finality had given Sera was the privilege of being embraced. Whether he could make it through was up to him.

And he had no time left to prepare.

This was not only a trial for the timeline Black Tomb belonged to, but also a way for Sera to prepare a fallback for the Dual-Phase Paradise. He wouldn't fight a battle he wasn't confident of winning, but this time, he had no other choice.

This was Sera's best chance to test it.