Once upon a ti, Ling ke still dread.
In his dreams, he lived under the sun, free from the tornt of endless interrogations, not a piece of experintal flesh.
His initial sincerity... or perhaps naivety, was not betrayed.
Raiden i chose to believe him, simply because she sensed no malice from him.
Cocolia was not omnipotent.
Because back then, her artificial Honkai project had not fully launched, and Raiden Ryoma was still his daughter's protector.
The spies she had planted in Nagazora City were not as nurous as one might think.
So, even though Raiden Ryoma was swamped during that period, upon receiving a ssage from Raiden i, he rushed ho in a hurry, after a long absence.
Not as the masked "Homu Sword Saint."
But as a "father."
He resolutely stood against Cocolia, the radical faction of Anti-Entropy.
Using the "leverage" he held, he threatened her to back down.
In the end, Cocolia had no choice but to compromise.
And thus, she harbored a grudge against that black-haired young man who seed to have co out of nowhere.
Yet, in the face of such malice, his earnest heart remained unextinguished, and he still had the courage to move forward.
Nagazora City was saved, and millions avoided the cruel fate of untily death.
He and i beca close friends.
Later, he t the white-haired ball of energy who called herself "this young lady"—Kiana Kaslana.
And the one secretly sent by Cocolia, who ended up getting herself involved—Bronya Zaychik.
"Bronya, you wouldn't want Seele to remain unsaved, would you?"
At the ti, he had jokingly teased her like this.
But in the end, he kept his promise.
As the "Savior Player," he saved all those who were on the brink of death and "brought back" all those who had already passed.
In his presence, there were no tragedies in this world.
A certain pink fairy girl said that he had created a true "Elysium."
A certain stubborn snake-like doctor said that he had ascended to the true "Throne of God."
Everyone who was willing to believe in him had a good ending.
And then...
The dream ended.
Once, what filled his vision was the cold prison cell, the blinding fluorescent lights, and the eyes that saw him as nothing more than expendable material.
Now, it was the mont after the farewell...
"..."
North Africa, the Sahara Desert.
The ti is: the Previous Era.
There are... 208 days left until the Third Honkai Eruption.
Here, there is no so-called World Serpent headquarters base.
It is just an ordinary night.
Ling ke lies alone in the sand, silent.
The next mont...
"What a ridiculous, laughable, and utterly disgusting 'nightmare.'"
"The 'Enlightened One' who ascended... you, who can observe the tiline but cannot interfere with the world, are unexpectedly mischievous."
"These 'what ifs,' those 'supposes,' for them (my enemies), are like knives stabbing straight into their hearts."
"Hmm, it's just that the timing of the 'drama' arrangent was a bit off, sowhat stiff, and didn't fully bring out the ironic flavor."
Thinking this, as if suffering from "occupational disease," he gave a brief critique before letting out a big yawn.
Clearly, he didn't care about those "what ifs" and "supposes."
But he knew very well that while he didn't care, so people definitely would...
"Heh~"
Not to ntion, after being played like this by the "Enlightened One," he was in a pretty good mood now.
Because this was the first ti he hadn't arranged anything, yet soone was about to be emotionally destroyed.
Truly satisfying.
"But that last scene, why did it feel so much like the ending of Evangelion?"
Lingke couldn't help but complain.
As if he wasn't comnting on "himself."
Well, the so-called "Savior Player" could no longer be him.
As the na suggests, it was—a nonexistent mory.
At this mont, he was still wearing that neat evening suit, but he had no intention of maintaining an elegant image.
Having long resided in the "Theater," he no longer needed to "perform."
He just lay there, completely relaxed.
Letting so sand slip into his sleeves and the back of his collar due to his exaggerated movents.
The sand at night was cold.
But he was still too lazy to move his body.
Only because what he saw before his eyes was... too beautiful.
Forcing ti to revert over 50,000 years... such an outrageous feat, he had accomplished it.
The price he paid was different from Otto's.
It was rely that his Domination Theater... the "Rebirth Chamber," now had a bonsai-like sapling.
A sapling of the Imaginary Tree.
It... or rather, "He," felt that this was the safest place.
A pure land free from the erosion of the Quantum Sea, capable of sustaining His eternal existence.
If, one day in the future, the true, massive Imaginary Tree were to collapse, this would be His "second chance."
To put it bluntly, in Ling ke's understanding... that little sapling, clinging to his leg like a child, constantly radiating goodwill, was like... the Honkai Impact 3rd world's plus-pro-max-super version of—Little Lord Kusanali?
Or perhaps...
"Like having a slightly special little pet?"
Lingke complained in his heart.
As for this little uninvited guest, he didn't mind its arrival.
Because now, he felt only gratitude toward the Honkai and the Imaginary Tree.
Even toward the belated "system"...
"I hate you, 'Creator,' for making endure pain and suffering."
"I also thank you, 'Creator,' for granting the power of revenge."
"But, no matter what..."
"I still praise you, great 'Creator.'"
He murmured to himself.
Of course, if we're talking about "pets"...
Now, in his Domination Theater, there were over a dozen "electronic pets."
They were also the "audience" for the upcoming acts.
Or perhaps even "participants."
As for them, in Ling ke's heart...
No hatred, but resentnt.
Because they had helped Raiden i.
And that punch from Kalpas, though it didn't land on his (true form's) face...
Ling ke was quite petty and held grudges.
(TL/N: WE KNOW!)
"If Raiden i truly decides to destroy your era's 'second chance' for the sake of her own era..."
"What would you all feel in your hearts?"
Ling ke was very curious about this.
Suddenly, he thought of that pink figure, the daughter of the gods sent by the stars and moon.
"The starry sky?"
Now, after briefly ascending to godhood, though he had shed his divine authority, his essence had reached a higher level. He appeared "ordinary," but the "starry sky" in his eyes had faded.
No longer profound.
But as his unfocused gaze shifted upward, what he saw was the real, clear, boundless starry sky stretching across the heavens.
It was so beautiful, dazzling and brilliant.
Suddenly...
"Heh, 'Ymir's Rebirth,' huh!"
Ling ke laughed.
Looking at the scene around him, as he complained about himself, it was no longer that cold, forced, twisted smile.
But a wild, utterly unrestrained one...
At this mont, he felt that this new era, for him personally, even the air was fresh.
At this mont, he truly felt that he was living for himself.
His shattered heart had been reshaped.
No longer empty.
But his eyes still lacked focus.
The eyes are the windows to the soul.
He truly, once again, had a "heart."
No longer "void."
But still "turbid."
Even so, Ling ke didn't care.
He sat up...
"Tsk~"
Reached out and grabbed a handful of fine sand.
His palm naturally opened, letting the grains slip through his fingers, carried away by the wind.
In just a few breaths, little sand remained.
Just like his once-shattered heart.
Even now, though sowhat repaired, there wasn't much left.
He spread his palm wider, letting the wind scatter the last grains of sand.
Without a trace of attachnt.
Just like those "nonexistent mories."
Because now, he knew very well... there was no need to force things that didn't belong to him.
He didn't care for them.
Of course, if he really wanted to force it... he would make the entire world (ga) revolve around him (the player).
"Heh!"
Ling ke chuckled lightly.
Then, leaning on his knees, he stood up...
"You will know you're reborn tonight~"
"Must be ragged but I'll stay by your side~"
"Even if my body is bleached to the bones~"
"I don't want to go through that ever again~"
Unconsciously, Ling ke humd a familiar, fitting song.
(TL/N: For those who not know. It's Song with title "Call of Silence")
Though without accompanint, it lacked so beauty.
But he still amused himself, celebrating this "second chance" that belonged both to this era and to him alone.
Now, he no longer needed to shut himself in the Domination Theater, sitting alone on that ornate throne.
Because after briefly ascending to godhood and then shedding it, his essence had reached a higher level. His consciousness core had rged with the "Rebirth Chamber."
Thus, he himself, like those Domination Puppets carrying various ga character templates, could die and be reborn again and again.
Or perhaps, it could be said: immortal and indestructible.
And so...
Tap~
Tap~
Tap~
Footprints were left in the soft sand, leading away.
Looking up...
The night sky seed to have a shooting star.
It was as if it symbolized this era, about to welco a glorious mont!
Perhaps this ti...
It was forcibly bestowed by "malice": eternity!
******
"Mmm~"
Raiden i had a dream.
In the dream, it was all "nonexistent mories."
They were so beautiful.
So much so that even after waking up, she still felt an overwhelming reluctance to let go.
She was lost in thought for a long ti.
Reality, as expected, was much crueler.
At this mont, she raised her head, looking around...
Under the night sky, yellow sand stretched everywhere.
Only she... was alone.
Whoosh~
The cold night breeze brushed her cheeks, stirring her hair.
(TL/N: The wind is truly paid actor 😭)
It wasn't until she felt the cool touch on the back of her hand that she realized she had already shed tears.
"So, that was the real (forr) him."
Raiden i's expression was sowhat dazed.
At one point, unconsciously, like a devout believer, she stretched out her hands, holding a handful of fine sand.
As if cradling a "spark" in her chest.
But suddenly...
Whoosh~
The night wind of the desert blew, and the sand in her hands grew less and less.
No matter how she tried to hold onto it.
She wanted to clench her hands tighter, but that only squeezed more sand out...
At this mont, she restless inexplicably.
She wanted to gather more from the side, but after this "wrong judgnt," the sand in her hands was no longer the original handful.
Nor did it belong to her.
At this mont, she broke down.
"I was wrong!"
"Really wrong!!"
"Wrong from the very beginning!!!"
"It's all because of , all because of ..."
Raiden i collapsed weakly on the spot, tears dripping onto the back of her hand, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
By now, she could no longer tell who she was apologizing to.
Was it Ling ke, whom she already felt guilty toward?
Or... that era that had already vanished?
At this mont, bowing to fate, she couldn't see the shooting star streaking across the sky.
It was so captivating.
Even though the night sky was filled with stars, the first thing you'd notice was it.
But soon, it disappeared, falling below the horizon.
Just like the lost glory, everything that was lost.
All turned into "void."
After that, who knows how much ti passed...
At so point...
Raiden i herself didn't notice...
The hair accessory that bound her hair shattered.
Her purple hair cascaded like a waterfall.
Her tears had dried.
But the tear stains on her face...
Were eerily red.
And at the tips of her hair...
Faintly, a desolate pale color seed to spread upward.
But like an illusion, it flashed and disappeared.
Volu 1 : Tarnished. Finish.
(TL/N: Now how you guys feeling? should I continue the volu 2? or this story is actually trash? well anyway see you next month. perhaps. I will update season 2 one chapter a day while surfing the internet for a new fanfic!. but please give reccond for a good fanfic so maybe I can translate it into this platform. I an it. and could you guys try comnt or sothing. I love read all your comnts tbh hehe)
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