Herrscher? Herrscher!

"The following words came from Genius Society #1. In the age before Nous was born, the boundaries of knowledge were like the starry sky, inspiring longing and jubilation.

But now, truth has become an offering made to gain an audience with Them. Geniuses will say that Nous already knows. That arrogant Aeon (me) was born from humanity's primal drive to seek knowledge, yet personally blocked the path of mortal inquiry.

All I intend to do is cut down a tree of calamity that we planted.

I won't repeat the rest."

After listening quietly, Anaxa spoke. "Seraphis of Aedes Elysiae, let me ask you a question. What is the soul of an Amphorean?"

"Rationally speaking, it is only data in the Scepter. But I cannot accept the rational answer, so I will answer emotionally for now. A soul is a soul. Even a cluster of electrical signals has a soul if he has love. It is an indispensable part of a person. I invite you to join me in pursuing the resurrection of the dead."

"You should know..." Anaxa tapped the eyepatch covering his left eye. "I tried it, but I only saw my loved ones one last time. I failed, and I also succeeded."

"So I would like to invite you to try again. This time, I will extract the souls from the core layer. I had already planned to do this, for the Core Flame of Law, the authority representing Amphoreus's ultimate protocol."

"All right, I agree. But compared to that, it seems there's a lot you haven't told me."

"Indeed, there is much I have withheld. Even my teacher doesn't know. He only noticed that I was hiding something, but for some reason, he didn't look into it further.

"As for my plan, it's simple: obtain complete authority over Amphoreus. The plan has already begun. I've brought a gaze to Amphoreus..." As Sera spoke, his expression froze.

Damn, I only brought Honkai here. I didn't give the Herrschers humanity! No wonder Sera had kept feeling like he'd forgotten something. Fortunately, it wasn't too late.

Sera brought up the panel. He wondered, what was humanity? It was a difficult question to answer. So Sera chose to appoint a Herrscher himself, while preserving the Herrscher's mind and retaining complete control.

Sera looked at Anaxa, and an idea popped into his head. "Rather than listen to me talk, why don't you take part yourself and experience this authority born of Honkai?"

Hearing Sera's words, Anaxa was still pondering the Honkai he had mentioned when he suddenly sensed an unusual energy appearing around him.

"This is..." Anaxa was about to capture it with alchemy, but before he could act, purple energy began pouring into his body.

"Hmm... the energy level is quite low. I suppose you barely qualify as a Pseudo-Herrscher." Sera thought that was already pretty good. Amphoreus's civilization was at a low level, and this first Herrscher was a premature creation he had produced by drawing on his authority.

Anaxa said nothing. He closed his eyes, trying to understand the authority.

"The Herrscher of Reason..."

Anaxa constructed the Core Flame of Reason in his hand?

"Tsk." Anaxa crushed the Core Flame he had constructed. "It has the form, but not the essence. My understanding of the Reason Core Flame is still far too shallow."

"Professor Anaxa, the Herrscher of Reason's ability lies in the creativity of civilization. Whatever heights a civilization can reach, the Herrscher of Reason can reproduce in an instant. A complete Herrscher of Reason can construct something first and understand it afterward.

"But unfortunately, Amphoreus's civilization is not advanced enough to give birth to a Herrscher. Even with premature catalysis, you can barely reach half the level of a Pseudo-Herrscher, and you don't even have a core."

The power Anaxa used was essentially granted by a shadow born from Sera. After all, the Cocoon of Finality had only ever gazed upon Sera, and all the Honkai on Amphoreus came from him.

After bringing Honkai to Amphoreus, Sera had vaguely realized that it wasn't that he lacked a core, but that his core was in a space in another dimension. Since he had not manifested in physical form, his core had gone to keep the Cocoon company.

As if guessing what Anaxa was thinking, Sera added, "The more advanced a civilization is, the stronger the Honkai becomes. What the Herrscher of Reason creates also counts toward the strength of civilization. Don't go making an open-book exam harder for no reason, Pro-fes-sor An-ax-a."

Without waiting for Anaxa to reply, Sera turned and left. Of course, on his way out, he also put a lock on Anaxa's power. Anaxa was a Chrysos Heir who simulated erudition. Even if the Anaxa in the story was a good person, Sera couldn't be sure he wouldn't do something outrageous out of curiosity.

"You're out?" Cyrene had been waiting for Sera where he had left her. Hyacine was probably busy farming and had no time to rest.

"Yeah, let's go back. There are some things I want to tell you," Sera said, looking straight into Cyrene's eyes.

"Okay♪~" Cyrene's words carried a faint lilt. She was still smiling as she looked at Sera, her eyes showing no surprise, as if she knew everything.

Sera and Cyrene walked home hand in hand, the shadows of the boy and the girl (?) intertwining.

At home...

Sera and Cyrene sat facing each other. Sera closed his eyes and wrapped the room in his power.

After doing that, Sera opened his eyes and looked at Cyrene, just about to speak.

"Shh~" Cyrene pressed her index finger against Sera's lips. "Let me guess, what does my little Sera want to say~? Is it about the Scepter? Or do you want to go to the stars?"

Sera looked at Cyrene in surprise, then lowered his head, a trace of disappointment appearing on his face. How could that be? How could I have failed...

Cyrene cupped Sera's face in both hands. "Wait, wait, wait. What's with that look of failure~? I never said you failed. But as for how you did it, I'll leave that for you to figure out."

"All right, you have to take me with you to the stars this time too~"

"But you..."

"It's all right. The power of Remembrance will help me."

"Okay." Sera smiled at Cyrene.

"Hm? You want to go to the galaxy?"

"Yes, teacher, I want to go to the stars. Sorry for the trouble, but could you adjust the flow of time on Amphoreus relative to the outside? Also, I'd like to know if there's any news of the Astral Express out there."

Zandar adjusted the flow of time. "The Astral Express... there's no news. But Phantasmoon Games is about to begin in Dual-Phase Paradise on Hattrypia, where the Express crashed. That's a good stage, just what you're looking for."

"One last thing, remember this: you are the student of Genius Society #1, Zandar One Kuwabara."

Sera understood what that last sentence meant. If he ran into a major power, he didn't need to be afraid. They could see who had the stronger backing.

But...

"Phantasmoon Games..." Sera recalled an if route involving Elation.

Did this count as madness induced by the moon?

"Teacher, Cyrene will be coming with me too."

Zandar was not surprised. He merely nodded, without wondering how a cluster of electrical signals could leave.