"Where did you find this?"
Black Swan pressed.
"The Emanator of Remembrance was carrying it. It was loot from the boss fight."
Leon answered truthfully.
"What exactly is stored in this Memory Bubble of yours?"
As someone who had just personally explored it, he still had no idea what was sealed inside the Memory Bubble.
A spirit of a beautiful girl in a ring, like those old masters in tales?
That would be quite something.
"I don't know."
Black Swan shook her head. "I was ambushed by the 'Cremators' right after I got it. I never had a chance to look."
"Then take a look now."
Black Swan nodded, not refusing.
She closed her eyes and placed her hands on the Memory Bubble. The bubble began to pulse with a faint, dusky purple light.
After a moment, she opened her eyes.
Her expression had become somewhat complex, her gaze turning serious.
"What is it?" Leon asked, as expected.
"It's nothing. It's just that what's stored inside is not what I expected," Black Swan said, sounding quite surprised.
"What's inside?"
"This Memory Bubble contains no 'Memories.' It only records a legend about a place called 'Amphoreus.'"
Black Swan spoke gravely.
"Amphoreus?"
What the hell? Is that right?
That's completely different from what Leon saw!
"Didn't you hear a voice or see a figure?"
Leon asked, hoping to hear confirmation of what he'd experienced.
"What voice? What figure?"
Black Swan looked completely baffled.
"You know, the kind..."
Leon searched for the right words. "...a haunting voice, like a ghost girl's, and the figure of someone short, less than 1.6 meters tall."
"You mean like this?"
Black Swan nodded and, from out of nowhere, produced a sketchbook and pencil. She drew a short stick figure with a speech bubble filled with the characters for "haunting."
"No, no, no, she was a beautiful girl."
Leon corrected her.
Black Swan nodded again and added some more ink to the chest area.
"Not that big, and she has pink hair. Pink hair."
Leon stressed the feature.
With a look of understanding, Black Swan waved her hand over the stick figure's head, and the drawing instantly turned pink.
"Are you serious?"
Leon looked at her, slightly speechless.
"Just a little joke."
Black Swan smiled playfully, and the sketchbook vanished in an instant.
"But I really didn't see what you're describing."
"This Memory Bubble has special encryption. No one outside the Path of 'Remembrance' can perceive its true contents."
"If an outsider tries to probe it, their consciousness is immediately connected to a random Memoria space."
Judging by Leon's tone, he must have already probed the Memory Bubble, otherwise he wouldn't be asking these questions.
"I'm afraid you were one of those stopped by the firewall."
Black Swan mused, offering a reasonable explanation.
"Impressive."
You guys even guard against gentlemen, Leon thought.
"If you want to understand, why not tell me exactly what happened?"
"The Garden of Recollection specializes in all complex matters related to 'Memory.' Tell me, and I can give you a more accurate diagnosis."
Black Swan suggested.
Hearing this, Leon briefly recounted the entire sequence of events.
"I see."
Black Swan had a look of understanding.
"You get it already?" Leon retorted dryly.
"The situation you described was likely caused by your 'Emanator' soul being too resilient."
"Your consciousness refused to be swept away, so even when the protection mechanism was triggered, you didn't go to another 'Memoria' space but remained within this Memory Bubble."
Black Swan made an accurate assessment of his situation.
"But as I just said, the true contents of this Memory Bubble are only open to those of the 'Remembrance' Path."
"You were unwilling to go and unwilling to leave, stuck in limbo."
"The Memory Bubble's protection mechanism had no choice but to block you at its source—the pitch-black space you mentioned."
"As for the girl you mentioned, I'm inclined to believe you caused a bug in the Memory Bubble's protection mechanism."
"You didn't go to the intended 'Memoria' space, so the connection between it and the Memory Bubble remained active."
"This allowed you to hear the voice from that other space," Black Swan stated her conclusion.
"Now that's a veteran Memokeeper!"
Leon gave a thumbs-up for the logical diagnosis.
"Right, let me ask one more thing."
After the praise, he recalled the words at the exit of the illusion and decided to ask about it.
"If all the 'Memoria' in this Garden of Recollection were concentrated into a single Memory Bubble, could it do something extraordinary, like connecting two very distant spaces?"
Black Swan's hypothesis was perfect. If this last piece of the puzzle could be solved, then everything would make sense.
"That disturbance from before... was that you?"
Hearing his example, Black Swan was immediately taken aback.
"Was it me?"
"Wasn't it?"
"Did I really do it?"
"You're saying you didn't?"
"Alright, I admit it might have had something to do with me, but I didn't do it intentionally."
Leon said very seriously.
"So, what's the answer?"
"The answer is, of course it's possible."
Seeing him admit it, Black Swan was surprised he was capable of something so big behind the scenes.
"No wonder all the 'Memoria' in this Garden disappeared. It seems you took it all."
"Would you believe me if I said the Memory Bubble in my hand did it?"
Black Swan just smiled without a word.
"I'm not lying to you. The 'Memoria' was all consumed by the Memory Bubble in your hand."
Although Leon himself didn't know who started it.
Was it the Memory Bubble, or was it him?
He felt it was the bubble.
He was a pure follower of 'The Hunt,' through and through.
He had absolutely nothing to do with the Path of 'Remembrance.' How could he possibly absorb 'Memoria'? That would be absurd.
"Rather than saying I took it, it's more accurate to say it took it."
"Why are you telling me all this? I'm not looking for trouble with you."
What a joke. Even if you gave Black Swan a hundred times the courage, she wouldn't dare pick a fight with the statistical anomaly standing before her.
The fate of "Oblivion" was still fresh in her mind. That Emanator had just died not long ago, and she had no desire to follow in their footsteps.
Hearing this, Leon changed the subject.
"So, how do we get to Amphoreus?"
"I don't know yet, but it will definitely require the power of 'Remembrance.' I'll have to take the Memory Bubble back to the Garden of Recollection and study it for a while."
Black Swan shook her head.
"When you figure it out, remember to give me the intel firsthand."
"Hm? You're very interested in Amphoreus?"
"The name sounds like a place full of trouble. My hands are getting itchy, you know?" Leon said.
"Alright. When I have news, I'll let you know."
Black Swan didn't refuse.
Wanting to stay on his good side was one reason. Another was that she felt Amphoreus was a deep and dangerous place, thick with conspiracy.
It's better to be prepared. Finding someone who could carry the whole team as insurance was by no means a loss.
"What are you two talkin' about? Protection mechanisms, 'Memoria' spaces... By the Babe, I didn't understand a single word."
Boothill scratched his head in frustration, his righteous brain starting to overheat.
"Nothing much. Just talking about our plans after we're done with the Garden."
Leon was really preparing to go solo again, so he took this opportunity to make arrangements.
"Once this is over, I'll leave all the Memory Bubbles with you to return to their owners. Any problem with that?"
"Sure, small thing. You can count on me."
Boothill nodded, with no reluctance.
Partings are normal among Rangers.
Most people in this line of work prefer to act alone, only teaming up when a specific mission requires it.
The Garden of Recollection was clearly one of those missions.
Since it was coming to an end, it was indeed time for the two of them to part ways.
Besides, with Leon around, Boothill couldn't get any effective training.
Having someone to back him up would dull his gunslinging, and his mindset would gradually shift towards dependency.
That's not what makes a true Ranger.
Boothill also felt it was time for them both to return to solo operations.
Treading the same path, no matter how vast the universe, they wouldn't worry about a lack of chances to meet again.
"I'm counting on you, then."
Leon nodded and stepped forward.
"Let's go. Once we're done with this Garden, everything will be sett..."
As he walked, Leon suddenly stopped, his words trailing off.
"Are you sure you've collected every Memory Bubble in the whole Garden?"
Leon's gaze was fixed in one direction as he abruptly asked Black Swan beside him.
"I can no longer sense the presence of any Memory Bubbles in the Garden. Logically, there shouldn't be any left."
Black Swan considered this seriously.
"What about specially hidden ones, like that one in the mausoleum before? Can you usually sense those?"
Leon asked again.
His intuition told him there was something nearby with a deep connection to 'The Hunt.'
This was the Garden of Recollection, which meant there had to be a corresponding Memory Bubble.
"I can only sense those faintly, at best. I can't be completely sure," Black Swan shook her head.
"Hmm... You two go on ahead. I think I have something else to take care of."
Leon said, walking in the direction his intuition guided him.
"Hey, where are you off to, buddy!"
Boothill called out, raising a hand, looking as if he wanted to go with him.
"I don't know. But since something is calling to me, I have to go see what it is."
Leon waved his hand, signaling for them not to follow.
"There's probably going to be some turbulence here soon. You should leave first."
Black Swan and Boothill looked at each other.
Since he'd said that, the two of them had no choice but to leave.
It's not like they had to worry about his safety anyway.
There was no one here with higher stats than him.
No one could pose a threat to him. For the two of them to stay would be an understatement to call it redundant.
...
Tap, tap, tap.
Steady footsteps echoed down the narrow corridor.
Leon quickly followed his intuition to the end.
There was a pedestal, and on it, a Memory Bubble was held up reverently, as if waiting silently for someone to take it.
It was a little too deliberate.
Leon wasn't so naive that he couldn't see this was bait carefully prepared for him.
Placing the bait so blatantly on display was just short of writing "I want to catch this big fish" on it.
"Interesting."
This was the first time Leon had encountered someone who provoked him so openly.
Without any hesitation, he reached out and took the Memory Bubble from the pedestal.
"Come on, pal. Let's see what kind of pressure you can put on me."
The moment he held the Memory Bubble, a cacophony of strange, eerie laughter echoed menacingly in his ears.
"Hee hee, you're so much more interesting than that humorless fellow, 'Lan.' Ever consider switching sides?"
After he picked up the Memory Bubble as expected, a demonic voice—a mixture of men, women, old, and young—suddenly resounded directly in his mind.
"Switch sides? Trying to slander my senior again, are we?"
Leon paid it no mind, treating it as just another auditory hallucination from the Memoria.
"I've had it. 'Lan' is the one Aeon out of eighteen who is closest to their people, loves them the most, and is the handsomest of them all."
"Asking me to switch sides? Are you trying to ruin me, kid?"
After he finished speaking, the power of The Hunt began to flicker around him with a faint light, a silent deterrent.
"So fierce,"
La Mancha laughed, no longer trying to persuade him.
"Are you afraid of death?"
He looked back at the three thousand four hundred and eighty-seven Galaxy Rangers behind him, at these like-minded comrades.
They were about to throw themselves into a revolution with an uncertain outcome.
"For the ultimate Ranger, the stars are in our hearts. Our own lives have long been of no consequence!"
To this question, the three thousand four hundred and eighty-seven Galaxy Rangers answered in unison, their voices thundering, a proud smile on every face.
The ultimate Ranger, with stars in their heart.
That is, those who stand at the pinnacle of Rangers embrace a love as vast as the cosmos, having long since cast aside any thought for their own lives.
Some things must be held above all else.
"Good! Then today, let us advance and retreat as one!"
The curve of La Mancha's lips grew wider, a final omen before the coming storm.
"To live and die together!"
"To live and die together!" (xN)
The Galaxy Rangers shouted in one voice.
"Our target is the Lord Ravager, Zulo!"
"Slay Zulo and rid the universe of another disaster!" (xN)
The three thousand four hundred and eighty-seven Galaxy Rangers charged forward, shouting their unified slogan.
They did not march to their deaths with bravado, but with a sense that it was simply what had to be done.
"Is this the battle that made the Galaxy Rangers famous...?"
After they had all left, Leon, who had been mixed in with the army as an observer—unseen, as if he were completely invisible—emerged from behind the cover of the crowd.
He had heard Boothill talk about this battle not long ago.
Unfortunately, that was also just hearsay.
He'd heard the battle was incredibly brutal.
Remnants of the Swarm, Zulo without reinforcements, and a massive number of Galaxy Rangers.
Heaven, Earth, and Man—at that time, they arguably had all three advantages on their side. But even so, the Galaxy Rangers had to sacrifice a multitude of their comrades just to scrape by with a pyrrhic victory.
They arrived with 3,487 people, but likely fewer than 100 left. It was after this battle that the Galaxy Rangers gradually faded into obscurity.
This just went to show that the gap in power with an 'Emanator' is difficult to overcome with numbers alone.
If the Swarm hadn't been there to create an opportunity, all the Galaxy Rangers present would likely have fallen at Zulo's hands.
Leon watched as the battle grew more intense.
He stepped forward, wanting to intervene and end this farce directly.
Emanator versus Emanator!
That would be a fair fight.
But just as Leon reached out to steady a Ranger who was sent flying toward him, the Ranger passed right through his body and collapsed on the ground nearby.
It was as if Leon had become transparent.
He could be seen, but not touched.
It was probably because this was a scene from the past.
Leon had only ever interacted with three Memory Bubbles.
Kakamond was a powerful 'Emanator,' and Cyrene wasn't a person from within a Memory Bubble to begin with.
The two previous examples weren't very representative.
This third one was how a normal Memory Bubble operated.
The past is the past, and the future cannot be changed.
You can only watch and listen, learning the stories that have faded into the long river of time, but you cannot intervene to change them.
.
But fortunately, he had the Vanquisher.
Leon never resigned himself to fate. With the Vanquisher in hand, he was determined to fight against it.
Since he couldn't touch the enemies of the past in his current state...
...why not just erase the enemy in the past?
The way to break the deadlock was obvious.
Now Leon understood why Aha had given him this Memory Bubble.
This situation could only be broken by 'The Hunt.' No other 'Path' could do it.
—Causality.
This was a mechanism unique to 'The Hunt.'
And only this mechanism could allow one to travel back up the long river of time and, from the perspective of the future, kill an enemy who was already dead in the present but still alive in the past.
______
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