7 hours remain until the arrival of Finality.
Before the Pisces constellation fissure, the Heavy Armor Giant Rabbit 900000P! had already aimed all of its armaments in the direction of the fissure.
A full-power volley from the eighteen [God of War] railguns—this was the gift Haxxor Bunny had prepared for the twelfth Companion Honkai Beast of Finality.
Without a doubt, this was an attack that even the Monarch would need to treat with caution.
To prevent the twelfth Companion Beast from pulling any tricks, the Monarch had also specifically stationed Aponia, in her "Nai'a" Collapsed State, by Haxxor Bunny's side.
"We are very much alike."
The two had maintained this state for a long time. Finally, it was Aponia who initiated the conversation.
"You could say that."
"My soul was created by the Monarch, and your body originates from the Monarch's Authority."
Haxxor Bunny's voice was completely mechanical, devoid of any cadence or inflection. Aponia, who had not yet recovered all her memories, was not much different. Although her tone was as gentle and soft as ever, it was difficult to replicate the unique charm she once possessed.
After all—fundamentally speaking, Nai'a was merely a Primordial Species Honkai Beast who possessed the human memories of someone named "Aponia."
"According to the human definition of the word 'child,' it wouldn't be wrong for us to call the Monarch, our creator, 'Father'."
"…"
Haxxor Bunny's logic in matters of common sense was clearly very different from that of humans, or even other Retainers.
"Do you still remember things from when you were 'Prometheus'?"
"I do."
"All of it is filed away in my database."
Aponia had actually just asked casually. She had expected Haxxor Bunny to hedge with a reply like "No data found," but she hadn't thought the other would actually have memories of that time.
"The Monarch is well aware of the existence of this data."
"But aside from ordering me to delete necessary information regarding the 'Stigmata Project,' he never said how to dispose of the rest of it…"
"In His words—"
Although Aponia's phrasing was somewhat roundabout, Haxxor Bunny was still able to deduce the answer she was looking for:
"Only by possessing the past can one see the future."
As Haxxor Bunny answered, the faint blue streams of light covering her mechanical body began to glow even more brightly.
"If you have no past…"
Haxxor Bunny added, while Aponia was in a slight daze.
"Then create one now. A past that belongs to the future."
"Do not concern yourself with what you are."
"You are no different from us (and not just me)."
---o---
6 hours remain until the arrival of Finality.
"I heard your dream was to become a doctor?"
"That's right. A doctor who could cure Honkai Sickness."
Chenling, floating before the Aquarius constellation fissure, directed the question at the great peacock beside her with a hint of mockery. Unfortunately for her, her target's mind showed no fluctuations whatsoever as he answered, as if he hadn't caught the underlying meaning at all.
"In that case, it seems your dream was shattered by the Monarch."
"Indeed, it was."
"The Monarch shattered my dream. He taught me a lesson through his actions: studying medicine cannot save the people of Earth."
The great peacock's eyes remained tightly shut. But the nearly thousand magnificent plumes of his tail all radiated an aquamarine light, like fully opened eyes.
"…"
"Has no one ever told you that you're a bit boring?"
"They have."
"But ever since I started carrying… (that flask), I ceased to care much about such things."
Su's voice was as tranquil as ever.
"Lady Chenling."
"I am well aware of the reason you target me. We met once, in Instructor Supasi's laboratory."
"…"
"Is that so."
Indeed, this was their twisted fate.
Supasi had established a dedicated laboratory for researching Honkai Sickness, but its value was limited to alleviating the suffering of a small number of people.
This society was fundamentally unjust. Supasi could perhaps be called a hero, but not everyone in the entire laboratory shared his noble purpose. Su had once been disgusted by these matters, but he had not intervened… whether because he couldn't or because he wouldn't.
To witness evil and not stop it is to be complicit in it.
A portion—a very large portion, in fact—of the Honkai Sickness patients, after they had lost their research value, were secretly sold off to various new "research institutions."
And the Loli Demon God, whom the Monarch had discovered inside the "Cyclops," was one of them.
Regardless of what punishment those people received afterward, or if the "justice required by law" was never meted out at all.
For her, who was now Chenling—
"You are wrong about one thing."
"I am not targeting you."
"After all, the little girl who dreamed of being saved by a hero vanished from this world long ago."
"Quite the opposite."
The Loli Demon God gave a light twirl in the starry sky. Her princess dress, adorned with lace and floral decorations, billowed without wind under the effect of Honkai energy.
"I have to thank you."
"It is precisely because the 'hero' of that time did not act."
"That I was able to make such a beautiful dress with my own hands. For that 'child' who was chosen from the refugee camp…"
"Her dream has already come true."
Chenling's voice returned to the unique sweetness of a child.
"This world is beautiful."
"The most painful part of life—old age and sickness—has been completely erased under the shroud of the Monarch's Authority."
The world the Monarch wanted to create was not one of absolute fairness. But for the "other Chenling," who had experienced the ugliness of humanity at such a young age, this was already a place like paradise.
"Some people believe that old age and sickness are rehearsals for death."
"To those people…"
"I can only say they have probably never experienced true hardship."
"…"
Su's psychic energy still showed no fluctuations, but his state of mind was no longer as tranquil as it had been moments ago.
"So."
"O, hero standing beside me—"
"No matter who wishes to destroy this world… be it the Herrscher of Finality or something else, I will wager everything to fight them."
"Have you…"
"Prepared yourself for such a resolve?"
---o---
5 hours remain until the arrival of Finality.
Beside the Scorpio constellation fissure, a silent Famine Temple sat atop a colossal "Babbage." To this day, no one knew if this was Vill-V's Collapsed State, or a new type of "Anti-Kevin Armament" she had created.
---o---
4 hours remain until the arrival of Finality.
Around the Virgo constellation fissure, the Death Temple and Kalpas were "rehearsing" their upcoming battle. Aside from their blows being a little too heavy, there were no other problems—the Honkai energy that permeated deep space and enveloped the Earth was certainly more than enough for the two of them to squander ahead of time.
---o---
…
Only 3 hours remain until the arrival of Finality.