Forget it, it doesn't matter.
After a few brief attempts, Bai Luan decisively abandoned the naive plan of "undergoing special training with Herta in the Little Black Room to improve resistance of '1 hit Toughness break' and thus calmly facing Herta in reality."
The power of that Sentence was simply too much.
It was not something one could adapt to or even develop any effective resistance against in a short time.
He couldn't take it, he simply couldn't!
Go find Herta in the Little Black Room for special training?
That would just be changing the location, changing the Herta to Broke him again.
What was most despairing was that even after being Super Broken by this Divine Utterance, the minuscule increase in resistance it brought was almost negligible, practically non-existent.
Herta went to a show and came back with a Super Break kit specifically designed to target him.
Bai Luan felt a deep sense of powerlessness.
He even regretted telling Herta in the Little Black Room about this.
Originally, he only had to face the Shatter Divine Utterance offensive from Herta in reality.
Now, he had to simultaneously face the repeated bombardment of combo from two Hertas, one in the Little Black Room and one in reality!
...Can I... really endure it?
I'll break down, right... I'll definitely break down, right?
There was no future more despairing than this.
Even though Bai Luan was not a walker of Finality now, he seemed to see his own future.
It was truly predictable at a glance.
And the most terrifying thing was that he was powerless to do anything about it.
Herta... she should... pay attention to controlling herself, right?
As things stood, Bai Luan could only pin his slim hope on Herta's equally elusive self-control.
She shouldn't... frequently use this new ultimate just because she wants to see my pathetic appearance after being Broken, right?
She... should... pay attention... right?
『Incompetent Bai Luan and Super Competent Herta—how's that combination?』
"I'm just saying,"
Bai Luan complained weakly.
"Can you be a little more serious..."
『Alright, alright.』
The system's electronic voice slightly reined in its playfulness.
『Then I'll be serious』
『There are some things I think you should know sooner rather than later』
"What things?"
Bai Luan perked up a little.
『I've decided to tell you about some... future directions of certain timelines before you came to this world』
Bai Luan was silent for a few seconds, digesting the somewhat convoluted sentence, then couldn't help but retort:
"Isn't it just that the game's main story has been updated? Why use such a roundabout way of saying it?"
『(≖_≖)』
『Doesn't that make it sound more profound and mysterious?』
Bai Luan's face showed a smile that implied "I know you too well," and he said:
"System, I can tell you're spouting nonsense at a glance, tell me the truth."
『Alright, alright』
The system seemed to throw its hands up in surrender.
『It makes the essay look like it has more words, alright?』
Hearing this incredibly honest answer, Bai Luan nodded in satisfaction.
That's more like it.
"So, what exactly do you want to tell me?"
He asked again.
『Oh, I'm going to tell you some things that... you'll most likely be shocked by after seeing them』
The system's tone carried a subtle sense of premonition.
"Are you looking down on me? What could possibly scare me now?"
『Hard to say』
The system said no more, opening a clear holographic screen in front of Bai Luan that only he could see.
The screen began to play the content of [Myriad Celestia Trailer] — "Exotale: Scene 8"
On the screen, Silver Wolf was carefully placing Firefly into a medical pod that shimmered with a soft blue light, then she turned to the elegantly standing Kafka, asking about Amphoreus's situation, and if she needed her help.
Bai Luan's heart stirred slightly as he saw Firefly lying quietly in the medical pod.
'If it were Firefly in this world, influenced by me... she shouldn't have to lie in a medical pod now, but rather be standing with her companions, smiling happily, right?'
'Thinking this way, I truly have accumulated a lot of merit...' when he thought of those whose unfortunate fates had changed because of his existence, and who were now enjoying peaceful or happy lives.
Bai Luan couldn't help but show a relieved, warm smile on his face.
As the camera turned to Kafka, elegantly sipping red wine with a mysterious aura, Bai Luan's attention was drawn to the existence named Amphoreus in the background of the screen.
Amphoreus... when Bai Luan was sent to this world by the system, the plot concerning Amphoreus had only just revealed the tip of the iceberg.
Moreover, at that time, he himself was deeply tormented by illness, so his attention to the plot was limited, and he didn't know much.
'However, since the system could even show me the PV, then I'll just ask the system to show me what exactly happened with Amphoreus later.'
He mused to himself.
Just then, the PV screen switched, and a completely black, nimble-eyed... little black cat appeared.
Bai Luan's lips unconsciously curved upwards.
Hello, Elio.
Thanks to you, Elio... if you weren't silently orchestrating behind the scenes, calming the butterfly effects I stirred up, and guiding the script of fate, I wouldn't have been able to enjoy the plot benefits of being a transmigrator so smoothly... As the content of the [Myriad Celestia] PV continued to advance, Bai Luan's brain also began to operate rapidly, planning and deducing based on the information before him.
Although the system usually acted like an unreliable college buddy, constantly joking around and never being serious.
But this meant that the system had no ill intentions.
Since the system specifically showed him this PV, it meant that the information contained within this PV was crucial to him.
Ocean planet... Rusalka?
This place... seems to be Mikhail's hometown?
Bai Luan recalled the setting.
Did the Astral Express travel to the hometown of this former Nameless in one timeline?
That's good, he could also commemorate Mikhail...
He was thinking along this line when Silver Wolf said in a calm yet immensely informative tone:
"...But many years later, the Garden will break the confines of Amphoreus... With Herta paying the tragic price."
?
The relaxed expression on Bai Luan's face instantly froze.
Who the hell are you telling me suffered!?
His brows furrowed sharply, his complexion visibly becoming extremely solemn, his gaze locked onto the continuing PV screen.
Kafka's voice took over from Silver Wolf, continuing:
"In destiny's worst outcome, a genius will meet a premature fall, and embark on a blood-soaked campaign in the name of the Third Emperor."
Bai Luan looked at Herta's eerie figure, completely stunned.
For several seconds, he had no reaction, just staring intently.
Then, Bai Luan let out the sharpest shriek of his life.
In that instant, many thoughts raced through his mind.
What Herta had gone through to become like this, and what Emperor III meant for the entire universe... At the same time, Ark, who was diligently observing all beings and weaving paths: ?
Ark keenly perceived the unusual behavior of his creator, and His attention temporarily shifted from observing all beings, focusing more on Bai Luan.
Then He knew what Bai Luan had seen... Ark's computational core erupted with a crimson glow, more intensely than ever before.
After letting out that startled shriek, Bai Luan took a deep breath and put on his cyber mask.
He needed this mask to suppress the overwhelming tidal wave that was almost crashing through his sanity, forcing himself to analyze the horrifying content of the PV in the calmest, most rational state.
His mind began to operate coldly at an unprecedented speed:
Firstly, this was just an 'if' line, one of countless possibilities, a story outside of what had happened.
In this world with him, it could never happen.
Even if it came to the worst outcome, even if his head was taken by the iron tomb, he would not let Herta be harmed.
Secondly,
His gaze pierced through the mask, locking onto the ominous figure foreshadowed in the PV.
So, you're the iron tomb?
Let me think about how to kill you...