Recalling the events of the Second Eruption, even though she knew that the Elias of that time had nothing to do with the Previous Era, the way he sacrificed himself for the sake of a beautiful ending—Fu Hua recognized it at a glance.
That was the kind of story she never wanted to experience a second time. To make her face Elias' death once again, and remain indifferent to it... that would have been a cruel torment.
Fu Hua: "Fifty thousand years ago, I could do nothing. And fifty thousand years later... I still can do nothing."
Watching Elias—battered by the Honkai Fissile Bomb—struggling alone against Schicksal to rescue the real Kiana, who was actually Durandal, Fu Hua felt an overwhelming impulse.
No matter what changes the future would bring.
No matter what conflicts history might face.
As long as she could protect Elias at that moment, any price would have been worth it.
But then... that day, Fu Hua realized that there was a hidden [Discipline] within herself that she had never been aware of.
Although it was thanks to that [Discipline] that she barely managed to restrain herself from breaking the "script," she later returned to the Elysian Realm—and this honest old soul nearly ended up fighting Aponia.
Though, whether they actually fought didn't really matter.
Because instead of resorting to violence, Fu Hua chose a far crueler form of "revenge"—she shared her memories with Aponia.
Unfortunately, there was a slight mishap.
Elysia also happened to see those memories.
The result...
The Flame-Chasers nearly went berserk.
They almost tore Otto Apocalypse apart.
Fu Hua: "At that time, I truly lost myself to anger and grief. If not for the Elysian Realm's forced stasis protocol, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
Remembering it now, Fu Hua still felt a chill.
She saw Eden crush her golden goblet, elegance replaced by madness.
She saw Aponia lose her mercy, crimson eyes brimming with ruthlessness.
She saw Kalpas erupt in wrath, tears slipping from behind the mask of a raging king.
And as for Elysia...
She turned from a Pink Elf into a Dark Elf, nearly transforming from the Herrscher of Human into the Herrscher of Demon—teetering on the brink of corruption.
It was understandable, though. During the Second Eruption, Elias had still been a child. Compared to his later, handsome youth, back then he was more cute and innocent—almost comparable to Griseo from fifty thousand years ago.
But fate is cruel beyond words. Perhaps borrowing the knife-work of a certain "miHoYo," destiny shattered the beauty of that moment with merciless precision.
When the fourteen Flame-Chasers saw that young white-haired boy—no older than ten—standing alone against Schicksal's missiles, his small body engulfed by the blast of the Honkai Fissile Bomb... their hearts collectively broke.
Otto Apocalypse was intelligent, yes—but also a fool.
Because he had no idea what he was striking at.
That child was the hope of an era, a hero, a savior.
A boy loved and even worshiped by an entire civilization.
The moment Otto Apocalypse raised his hand against Elias, his fate was sealed. He would never die a peaceful death—for the eight billion souls of the Previous Era would forever curse his name.
...
"At last, I can finally tell everyone."
After hearing Elias recount what had happened in the Previous Era, Fu Hua finally understood—she could reveal herself to him again. Before, she had pretended not to know him, for fear of altering history.
But now that Elias had returned to the Current Era, it no longer mattered. The Elysian Realm could finally be unsealed. The Flame-Chasers of the Previous Era would soon reappear in this world.
Fu Hua took out a communicator bearing the emblem of Fire Moth, ready to contact the Elysian Realm.
But before she could press the button—
"It's been a long time, Hua... or should I call you Fu Hua now?"
A noble, elegant figure dressed in white appeared before her. Fu Hua's heart skipped a beat—she hadn't even sensed her presence.
But soon, she relaxed.
Because she knew exactly who it was.
It was a familiar face—not one of the Flame-Chasers, but someone whose bond with Elias was, in many ways, even closer than most of them.
"Yes, it's been a long time, Misteln."
"Eh~ I really didn't expect this. When I woke up, Master had already returned to the Current Era. Back then, to keep me from being worn down by time, that person forced me into a deep sleep."
Misteln spoke with a bitter smile. Though she could still access those memories through Elias' recollections, that wasn't what she wanted. What she desired wasn't knowledge—it was companionship.
But her beloved Master hadn't given her that chance.
"That really does sound like something Elias would do," Fu Hua replied, momentarily stunned before letting out a weary chuckle.
She had guarded Shenzhou since ancient times, and she understood well the terror of time—how easily loneliness could corrode one's will if left unchecked.
Unlike Elias, who could find solace in solitude, Fu Hua could only endure it. These five millennia had been a trial of endurance rather than peace.
But from now on, that would no longer be the case. The past and present had finally been bridged, and her old comrades were soon to walk the world again.
However...
"Eh~ Fifty thousand years, and you're still the same honest person, Fu Hua. Not a single wicked thought in you, huh?"
"Misteln, what are you doing?"
Fu Hua blinked in surprise as Misteln suddenly snatched the communicator from her hand.
Then she remembered—this companion of hers, despite having the appearance of a saintess, was far from pure white inside. Whenever she crafted dreams for anyone other than Elias, even her "sweet dreams" had a sharp edge hidden within.
"Oh my~ Fu Hua, don't look at me like that. I'm just telling you—it's a good opportunity right now."
"A good opportunity? What kind of opportunity?"
"What else could it be? Of course it's your chance to end that fifty-thousand-year unrequited love and finally rise to the top!"
"...!!!"
Fu Hua's heart gave a violent jolt. She felt as though she'd just been stabbed—hard—and almost coughed up blood.
She had been among the very first to appear, both in the Previous and Current Eras.
And yet? Among all the female Flame-Chasers, only she, Pardofelis, and Griseo hadn't ended up in a romantic relationship with that man.
But Pardofelis was practically a pet girl! And Griseo, fifty thousand years ago, had been just a twelve-year-old child!
To be ranked alongside those two made Fu Hua feel weak and defeated. Maybe Elias just didn't like women like her...
Come to think of it, maybe that really was the case. After all, Elysia, Eden, Aponia—each one of them was massive.
"..."
The Immortal Phoenix raised her hand to her flat chest, her expression darkening with every passing second. Fifty thousand years—fifty thousand years!—and not even the slightest bit of growth!
After all this time, even the barefoot loli Griseo had grown into a stunning, statuesque beauty with proportions that defied mortal comprehension.
Fu Hua couldn't help but question her very existence.
She would never forget the moment she returned to the Elysian Realm after only a few decades away—only to find that the once tiny Griseo had transformed into someone she barely recognized!
Everything else could be overlooked... but those two E-cup slime orbs on her chest had completely shattered Fu Hua's mental defenses.
(Haha... haha... maybe I've found my own kind of eternity. Maybe Elias should give me his [Eternity] Inscription—I think it suits me pretty well...)
"Uh, Fu Hua, are you okay?"
Misteln quietly took a step back. She could almost see the dark aura radiating from Fu Hua's body.
Five thousand years ago, she might have stood a chance against her, but now—after fifty thousand years of training under the effects of SWARA without any side effects—Fu Hua's strength had become downright terrifying, even if her figure hadn't developed at all.
"...I'm fine, Misteln. Go on—what exactly do you mean by a 'good opportunity'?"
"Cough, cough. Simple! As long as you don't tell anyone in the Elysian Realm that Elias has already traveled back to the Current Era, you can have him all to yourself! Trust me, Fu Hua—this is your best chance to rise to the top."
"But... but wouldn't that be wrong?"
Fu Hua swallowed hard. Her heart wavered violently.
As an honest person, she had never entertained such a thought before—but after Misteln's words, she realized this was indeed a once-in-a-ten-thousand-years opportunity!
Elias had now completed his journey through the Previous Era. Although she hadn't managed to "rise to the top" through twelve entire loops, their bond had long since grown beyond simple friendship or camaraderie.
As long as certain troublesome people—like Miss Pink Elf, that green serpent Mobius, the foxy Vill-V, and that giant butterfly—didn't get in the way, wouldn't her chances of success be sky-high?
Still... her conscience felt uneasy.
"Of course it's not a good thing to do~ But love is inherently greedy and selfish. I'm just giving you some advice as a friend. Whether you act on it or not—that's up to you," Misteln said, handing the communicator back to Fu Hua.
"...What's your real goal, Misteln?"
"I want to sneak out~"
"...You admitted that awfully fast."
Fu Hua's eye twitched as she watched the sparkle in Misteln's gaze. She suddenly realized why she had failed to "rise to the top" after all these years—she simply didn't have the same shamelessness as these women.
Fu Hua sighed inwardly.
She could fight a Vipralopa-class Honkai Beast single-handedly, yet she couldn't muster the courage to confess to Elias.
In the first loop, she had only managed to reveal her feelings through the trickery of Fenghuang Down.
But too many things had happened afterward. Elias never had time to respond, and once the cycle began anew, Fu Hua herself forgot that she had ever loved him.
"So," Misteln continued with a radiant saintly smile, "don't you think this is a great idea? While those wicked women in the Elysian Realm are still sealed away, why don't the two of us have Elias all to ourselves~?"
"Guh...! You do realize Elysia and the others have been waiting for this day for ages, right? As comrades—"
The flat-chested immortal's hand trembled as she gripped the communicator. It was clear she was already wavering.
"Eh~ Fu Hua, you're just too honest. Sure, we're comrades, but love is a battlefield where everyone fights alone—unless the other person's your strategist."
"And besides," Misteln continued slyly, "precisely because Elysia and the others have waited so long, you can't tell them about this yet. Just think about it—those women have already succeeded once, loved Elias to death, and waited fifty thousand years to see him again."
"Fu Hua, do you really think you'd stand a chance if they showed up now? They'd cling to him twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week."
"Right now is your best—and only—chance. Once you've confessed successfully, then you can tell everyone." Misteln placed both hands on Fu Hua's shoulders, smiling gently yet devilishly.
Her own goal, of course, was quite simple: to sneak out while the bad women of the Elysian Realm were still sealed away... and steal some alone time for herself.
As for Raiden Mei, Kiana, and Bronya—the Current Era trio—the [Idea] lady hardly paid them any mind.
True, they'd met Elias first, but the difference in time spent together was astronomical!
Unless... the Current Era girls had some secret trump card to turn the tables.
"...Fine. I'll do it," Fu Hua said at last, taking a deep breath. "But once I've... confessed... successfully, I'll tell everyone right away that they can come find Elias."
"Mhm~ A wise decision. I knew you wouldn't disappoint me, Fu Hua. Let's make this a win-win, shall we?"
"Heh... To think, Misteln, back in Fire Moth you were called the saintess by everyone."
"Well, that's true~ But so what?"
Misteln chuckled softly, shrugging her shoulders.
"It was only because Elias liked that version of me that I acted that way. I never called myself a saintess. Because I've always known..."
"Exactly what kind of bad woman I am."
If Misteln had been one of the Flame-Chasers, her [Signet] would undoubtedly have been called [Saintess].
However, in Misteln's heart, she thought that she should be called [Witch] rather than [Saintess]—for she had never cared about anyone other than Elias.
Without another word, Misteln turned and walked away. Her goal had already been achieved.
Now, she only needed to think about how to make the most of this rare time—without Elysia, Mobius, Aponia, Sakura, Mei, or Vill-V around—and enjoy it to the fullest.
"Anyway, Fu Hua, do your best. Even if we try to hide this, we won't be able to for long. The Elysian Realm will find out eventually, so you'd better move fast."
"I... I understand..."
Fu Hua nodded seriously.
Both she and Misteln knew that once this was exposed, the consequences would be dire.
But risk and reward were always proportional!
The two of them had already steeled themselves for what would come when they were inevitably caught—and punished by the women of the Elysian Realm.
Misteln (thinking): You all underestimated me. You sent Fu Hua to monitor Elias because you thought the honest one wouldn't sneak around, right? But... a girl who's been in love for fifty thousand years—no matter how honest—can't hold back forever.
A week, a month, or maybe longer—Misteln didn't know how long they could keep the secret.
She only knew that for every extra day it stayed hidden, she could enjoy one more day of bliss.
However...
The [Idea] never realized that the truth would come out far sooner than she expected.
...
Meanwhile, inside the Valkyrie dormitory.
After recounting the events of the Previous Era, Elias felt a wave of drowsiness wash over him—not from boredom, but from pure exhaustion.
After completing his twelve-loop journey through the Previous Era, he had finally achieved all his goals. The weight on his shoulders was gone... but now all that built-up fatigue came crashing down at once.
(I still need to let the Elysian Realm know that they can reunite with me... but Hua's aura is just outside the door. She'll probably tell them herself. No need to trouble myself, then.)
Elias' eyelids drooped. He shifted to lie on his side, resting his head on Mei's lap, and let the drowsiness pull him under.
"Mei... let me sleep for a while."
"Mhm. Rest well, Elias."
Zzzzzz~
Mei's slender fingers gently brushed through the boy's white hair. The silky softness of it made her reluctant to let go.
But at that moment, her eyes—and those of Kiana, Bronya, Seele, Himeko, Sirin, and Bella—suddenly changed.
After inheriting the memories of their counterparts from parallel worlds, they had not developed second personalities—since they were, in essence, the same people—but those memories had nonetheless left a deep impact.
They now knew the despair that came with losing him.
And because of that, they cherished the Elias before them all the more.
Only... perhaps their brakes no longer worked so well.
All the girls: "Haaa... haa... haa..."
Rita: "Somehow, I have a bad feeling about leaving Miss Mei and the others alone with Lord Elias."
Raven: "Agreed! Damn it, my confession was interrupted by them!"