As Yuta's majestic magic power illuminated the entire sky, Rikka saw it: the so-called line of light from distant ship lights suddenly expanded violently, instantly filling her entire field of vision.
Specks of golden, brilliant light seeped out from it, and Rikka's eyes shone brightly... Her eyes were already filled with Yuta; she never expected that Yuta would be willing to summon the invisible boundary line for her...
She also never expected that the invisible boundary line she had sought for so long was brought to her by Yuta.
The ocean was dyed golden, but soon, the golden ocean disappeared, and the seeping specks of starlight also scattered.
The opening of the invisible boundary line transformed this world into a sea of Stars.
A brilliantly dazzling sea of Stars, with countless bright and magnificent Stars hanging high above, and reflected below, like diamonds, like pearls.
The ocean was also enveloped by that vast sea of Stars, refracting countless splendid rays of light, making one even more infatuated, even more unable to extricate themselves.
And at the end of the sea and sky, there was a dazzling, incredibly splendid, seemingly infinitely long white line of light... That was no longer the light emitted by ships; that was the invisible boundary line, the invisible boundary line Rikka had sought for so long...
Rikka saw it, she saw the miracle Yuta had created for her.
"That light is watching you... Go express your thoughts, express the thoughts you've never been able to voice."
Rikka stared blankly at the invisible boundary line, tears already rolling down her cheeks.
She felt it, she felt the warmth and love behind that light, and her longing resided within it.
Her father must be watching her...
"Takanashi, are you ready?"
Having finally managed to pull himself away from the shock of Yuta's magic, Fang Wuwei patted his chest and looked back to his side; a transparent figure stood beside him, only that figure was even more transparent and ethereal, seemingly ready to dissipate at any moment.
That figure was still staring blankly at Rikka; after hearing Fang Wuwei's words, he turned his head, and although his features were unclear, Fang Wuwei felt that he was looking into his eyes.
Then...
Fang Wuwei took a deep breath; it was his turn to take the stage.
He specifically didn't wear an eye patch today and kept his Mangekyo active the entire time, precisely to implant the Sharingan genjutsu, the Tsukuyomi genjutsu, into Yuta and Rikka's eyes... Although it could only be used once, it was enough.
Fang Wuwei's right eye shed a line of bloody tears, feeling a slight pain, but he still needed to persevere; this was his first attempt, and it still needed some time...
On the other side, Rikka, staring blankly at the invisible boundary line, listened to Yuta's words and took that step; she sobbed, shouting out the words she had kept hidden in her heart for three years towards that infinitely warm light in the distance.
"Farewell! Papa!!"
In Rikka's mind, childhood memories, infinitely beautiful, surfaced: those thick hands, that incredibly strong shoulder that could carry the whole family, and that eternally gentle face.
She spoke her deepest love towards the light.
Suddenly, she felt her vision turn crimson, but instantly it became a bright white... The next moment, she saw it, she saw the man she longed for and deeply loved, standing before her, standing in that infinite bright light, standing at the center of her heart.
Watching her father standing there, looking at her with infinite tenderness, a moving smile on his face, Rikka's tears flowed uncontrollably...
The next moment, she saw her father slowly approach... He embraced her.
That familiar embrace, that warm chest, and those reassuring arms, Rikka's eyes instantly widened; the next moment, she buried her head deep in her father's chest, sobbing loudly.
"Rikka... You've grown up too..."
That face she had dreamed of countless times, that still gentle voice, made Rikka's mind go blank; she could only stand there blankly, trying hard to burrow into her father's arms; she felt something in her heart break, and something else was forming...
"Papa..."
"Rikka... Don't force yourself, do what you want to do, become who you want to be..."
Her father's comfort was what Rikka wanted most, and her father's embrace was what Rikka yearned for most, reassuring her and enabling her to face her true thoughts.
"Don't let worldly conventions limit your thinking, and don't constantly try to be a 'normal' child in others' eyes..."
"...I understand... I understand, Papa..."
Rikka sobbed deeply in her father's embrace; she wanted to feel more of this warmth, this warmth that most reassured her and most moved her.
"Papa hopes Rikka can be happy, Papa also hopes, Rikka, that you can be content."
Takanashi's father smiled, gently stroking Rikka's head; feeling this familiar warmth, Takanashi's father also shed tears... How much he missed his daughter, how much he loved her.
But he was already a dead man; he was already dead; if not for the help of that young man, he wouldn't even be able to see Rikka again; he needed to entrust Rikka to someone in reality.
"Togashi Yuta, right?"
Yuta on the side was dumbfounded; he truly hadn't expected to see Rikka's father... Was this the invisible boundary line? Did it really, really exist?!
But as Rikka's father called out to him, he was startled and hastily responded... This was his father-in-law; he couldn't afford to offend him.
"Rikka... I leave her to you... Treat her well."
Yuta's face instantly flushed, and even Rikka's choked sobs in his arms paused for a moment.
What was this, a personal approval from his father-in-law?
"Togashi Yuta, I know everything that's happened during this time... You've done very well, I'm at ease with Rikka being with you..."
"Papa!"
Hearing Rikka's call, Takanashi's father looked down at Rikka in his arms; at this moment, although Rikka's tears streamed down, her face was still a little flushed, exceptionally adorable.
Rikka's father's gaze slightly sharpened, he smiled deeply, and tightly embraced Rikka in his arms.
His time... was running out...
Gently stroking Rikka's small head and back, Takanashi's father spoke in a faint voice...
"Rikka... Just do what you want to do, become who you want to be, don't be afraid of fantasy, don't be afraid of words... Papa hopes that you can live this happy life cheerfully and safely...
...I will always, always, always be by your side, watching you grow, watching you grow up... Rikka, I love you..."
Rikka's emotional knot was completely untied; some things settled deep in her heart.
Takanashi turned into a cluster of light particles, dissipating into the air.
Rikka's arms instantly emptied, and she fell to the ground; before she could react, her vision instantly turned crimson again, then disappeared...
Rikka and Yuta returned to the present world; there was no galaxy, no light, only the ocean, orange-yellow from the rising sun... and the infinite hope for a renewed life.
Rikka knelt on the sand, sobbing softly...
Yuta stood behind Rikka, staring blankly at the gradually brightening sky and the sobbing Rikka...
Not far away, Fang Wuwei knelt on the ground, covering his eyes and wailing.