No one expected that, at the moment of the final battle, Sunday would still have the spare energy to give his sister an assist. After a moment of awe, Sparkle, for one, quickly understood his reasoning.
"The chicken-wing boy sees his own inevitable defeat and wants to use himself to pave the way for the little bird!" The young girl tapped her lip, cutting straight to the heart of Sunday's thoughts.
Before he launched his plan, Sunday's confidence and arrogance were real.
After he launched it, the despair he faced was also real.
Regardless of whether his plan was good or bad, setting aside questions of values and looking purely at its feasibility, it was actually quite high.
By using the Dream of Unity, he had bound the lives of Penacony's people to Dominicus.
By doing this, an ordinary Emanator would be unable to overcome his home-field advantage. Even an Emanator like Acheron, short of killing everyone in Penacony in one go, would have a hard time dealing with him. With his enemies' hands tied, Penacony would become a true forbidden zone.
It might even become a haven for those throughout the universe who couldn't face reality but couldn't bring themselves to end their own lives, much like a viral "suicide forest" on the net.
Even the strong-willed Firefly and Robin had to admit, the Dream of Unity was only a cage for most young people.
For the elderly on the verge of death, it was an excellent form of hospice care. After a lifetime of struggle, what was wrong with enjoying oneself in a dream?
If things went that way, with some proper arrangement, Penacony could become famous throughout the universe as the "Cradle of Slumber" or the "Graveyard of Happiness." Not only would it not incur the hostility of other factions, but it could also solve a good number of aging crises, growing bigger and stronger step by step, creating a new era of glory.
However, just as Sunday himself had judged, cold reality would not develop in such a wonderful direction.
The moment his enterprise had just begun, he encountered a fatal crisis. He had thought the most difficult person to deal with in Penacony was Su Mo, that he would only have to face a single Emanator-level existence.
It was only after he captured the avatar of Dominicus that he discovered the little world of Penacony was hiding a trove of top-tier powerhouses.
Acheron, Emanator of Nihility; Topaz, Emanator of Preservation; Firefly, Emanator of Propagation... and Su Mo, who was almost certainly an Emanator-level combatant as well.
In the realm of Emanators, fighting one against two was an incredible feat. A powerhouse capable of fighting one against three was a rarity in the world.
The good news was, Penacony did indeed have such a rare and powerful Emanator.
The bad news was, that person wasn't him.
It was Acheron, who had pledged allegiance to Su Mo.
What was there left to fight? Forget Firefly, Topaz, and Su Mo, he couldn't even beat Acheron.
After realizing that cold, cruel reality would not bend to his will, Sunday did not give up. Instead, he prepared a backup plan. If his dream could come true, all the better. If it failed, at the very least, he had to pave a path for his sister.
Although he worried that the vast difference in their statuses would make things difficult for her, since it was Robin's own choice, he could only offer his blessing.
Facing Sunday's scheme, Stelle's eyes widened. She probably figured out what was happening. March 7th, however, was led astray with an innocent, confused look.
"Sunday, stop with your twisted logic! Miss Robin is so beautiful, even I'm jealous. On what grounds do you think Lord Su Mo wouldn't like her?!" she said, filled with righteous indignation. "If I were Lord Su Mo, I wouldn't reject Miss Robin!"
At these words, all the smart people present were dumbfounded.
"That little pink-haired girl's brain really is..." Sparkle covered her mouth, stifling a laugh. "So naive, she could be sold and not even know it!"
Even Robin couldn't help but show a guilty expression. The girl was already so simple-minded, and her brother was still deceiving her. It really was a bit much.
And so, with a small sense of justice, Robin stepped forward and shook her head. "Brother, don't use these pointless words to shake my conviction, and don't use this method to force Lord Su Mo into a decision. What I want is not—"
She could feel her brother's care, but she couldn't accept this method of forcing his hand. What was the difference between a relationship born of coercion and a false dream?
However, before she could finish, Su Mo's voice suddenly cut in.
"If you're only worried that Robin will have no one to look after her in the future, I can take on that responsibility." Su Mo faced Sunday with a calm expression. "As for other matters, I will make no guarantees. You should understand that human emotions are a form of self-restraint under absolute freedom. Any external fetter is a shackle."
"..."
Hearing this, Sunday took a deep look at Su Mo. "Deal. Robin is in your care."
"Eh?" Robin was completely stunned. How did this suddenly turn into entrusting her to someone's care? What was with this atmosphere, like he was marrying her off? And, Lord Su Mo said he would take care of her?
Yay!
Although Sunday didn't get the result he most wanted, Robin's smile was far happier. With this, wasn't she getting closer and closer to Lord Su Mo?
"Brother!" She was about to speak, to use the facts before her to convince Sunday that reality could be changed.
However, Sunday had already concluded the pre-battle negotiations. The massive form lifted its head, ignoring Robin's persuasion. "Now, we will prove with strength whether you can step over my corpse and create a better ending!"
As a stubborn person, Sunday had the trait of not giving up until he was at death's door. Can't even beat Acheron? One against three is impossible? This battle is a guaranteed loss?
Hmph! If you don't fight, how can you know the outcome?
"Bearing the will of the hundred thousand members of the Oak Family, I absolutely cannot lose!"
With Dominicus's roar, the Harmonious Choir strummed its strings, initiating the final battle. This time, he was facing Su Mo directly.
Combined with a slight resentment over having his sister "stolen" and a stubborn refusal to back down, the Harmonious Choir delivered a merciless blow towards Su Mo.
"Lord Su Mo!" Topaz instantly flashed in front of Su Mo, erecting an amber-colored barrier. Though she knew he was powerful, she couldn't just stand by and watch him be attacked.
"Mr. Sunday, leave him to me!" Firefly also stepped forward, pressing her transformation device and changing into her Sam form.
"He said he wouldn't involve others..." Acheron, too, placed a hand on the hilt of her sword, showing she was ready for action.
If Sunday could keep his promise, she was confident she could cut him down before he ever touched Su Mo.
Facing the Harmonious Choir's attack, facing the defense of his three Emanator-level subordinates, Su Mo simply shook his head.
"There's no need."
He slowly raised his eyes, and the phantoms of numerous Aeons manifested behind him.
"It is just rubble."
He didn't seem to make any move, merely lifting his eyelids, and a strange ripple emanated from the divine phantoms behind him.
Ena the Order and Xipe the Harmony moved in unison. The powers of their Paths bloomed in an instant.
In the next moment, Dominicus's form disintegrated.
The Harmonious Choir was defeated.