Life is always full of the unexpected.
Some of these surprises occur naturally. Others... are the product of deliberate orchestration.
Today was an unprecedentedly unpredictable day for the two Kevins, for MEI, and for Raiden Mei.
Right now, outside Nagazora International Airport...
"Hm?"
The moment MEI laid eyes on the girl who looked far too much like herself, the other girl clearly noticed her in return.
For a moment...
"..."
"..."
Both of them stopped in their tracks.
Neither said a word.
Just a moment ago, MEI could have reflexively blurted out, Who are you?
But now, caught in the other girl's gaze, she found the words dying in her throat. She had no idea how to even open her mouth.
Likewise...
Having never anticipated stumbling into such a bizarre encounter, Raiden Mei was just as thoroughly dumbfounded.
It couldn't be helped. Back when the Current Era had yet to be completely destroyed, during her stint in World Serpent, she never had any real access to information regarding "Dr. MEI."
The Elysian Realm didn't exactly keep detailed records of this sort of thing... or, at the very least, it didn't hold a single surviving photograph of "The Last Leader of Human Civilization."
And Kevin, that insufferable riddler... he clearly wasn't going to voluntarily bring up his own tragic backstory when he was pouring every ounce of his energy into Project Stigma.
In short, from start to finish, Raiden Mei remained completely oblivious to the fact that she looked exactly like the MEI of the Previous Era—who was, currently, the MEI of this time period.
Hell, the reality of it was that even now, standing face-to-face with the person in question, she still hadn't figured out the true identity of the bespectacled girl in front of her.
Had she known, Raiden Mei probably would have followed the returning Kevin Kaslana's example and made an effort to hide her real face while moving around outside.
It would have saved her—and everyone else—a whole lot of trouble.
But for now...
"Who are you?"
They stood facing each other, coming to a halt with several meters of dead space still between them.
Stepping closer would have made it easier to talk, but neither made a move to close the gap.
Both remained highly on guard.
Fortunately, Raiden Mei knew they couldn't just stand there in a stalemate forever. After a brief silence, having weighed her options, she took the initiative to speak.
In response...
"Before I answer that, could you tell me your name first?"
Clearly, the current MEI wasn't yet the Last Leader of Human Civilization she would one day become—she lacked that absolute, decisive rationality, the myriad of backup plans, and that twisted, so-called romantic sensibility.
But even so, she was already showing flashes of that potential. The early signs were there.
She refused to march to Raiden Mei's beat. Instead, she was trying to seize control of the conversation.
Faced with this...
"..."
Raiden Mei fell silent once more.
Her mind raced. After a rapid flurry of thought...
"I'm Hokushin," she finally answered. "Just a solo traveler wandering the world."
-
Meanwhile, a short distance away...
"..."
Clad in a hoodie and a face mask, Kevin Kaslana watched the two purple-haired girls cross paths. His fists clenched on instinct, a violent storm of emotions churning beneath his stoic exterior.
He was too late.
No... timing this perfect had to be calculated.
"Ling Ke, what exactly are you trying to do?"
Kevin's expression was glacial, a sharp, killing intent flashing in his eyes.
Right then—
"It makes things so much more interesting, don't you think?"
A girl's wicked voice whispered right by his ear.
Kevin's body immediately went taut, but he quickly forced himself to relax.
This wasn't the place to pick a fight.
For one, Meike was just a stone's throw away.
Furthermore, as a "Returnee," he couldn't afford to draw unwanted attention.
Most importantly, he couldn't risk dragging MEI into danger because of his own recklessness.
He threw a cold glare over his shoulder. Standing there was none other than a Puppet of Domination: Sparkle.
As if reading the question right off his face, the petite puppet narrowed her eyes and cheerfully answered unprompted. "We both know full well that ever since the Cocoon of Finality descended, the so-called human civilization on Earth has, from start to finish, always been part of the exact same 'batch'."
"The humans living on this planet are just a sequence of test subjects in the hands of some higher intelligence, being 'reset' over and over again."
"The Cocoon of Finality couldn't care less about your opinions. The moment It feels dissatisfied, everything gets wiped clean, right back to square one."
At this, she lifted a hand, pointing toward the two figures standing face-to-face a short distance away. "And now, because my original body let a very specific group of people slip the bonds of time and return to the past—or rather, the present—we get to witness this wonderfully rare little spectacle."
"Just look! The same Far East, the same Nagazora, the same Third Honkai Eruption slowly creeping up on us."
"And... MEI and Mei, looking for all the world like twins."
Puppet of Domination: Sparkle threw her arms wide, spinning in a lazy, theatrical circle right in front of Kevin. Coming to a stop, she clasped her hands behind her back and flashed him a grinning, inquisitive look. "Aren't you even a little curious? When two 'isotopes' like them finally cross paths, what in the world do they talk about?"
"Especially when both sides are practically 'enemies.'"
Listening to her prattle, Kevin's response was flat. "Not interested."
What he actually felt, however, was anyone's guess.
But regardless of his internal state...
"You shouldn't have dragged MEI into this," Kevin said, his voice dropping to a freezing chill.
He fixed her with a dead stare, the warning unmistakable.
Unfortunately for him...
"Oho~ Are you mad?"
Puppet of Domination: Sparkle tilted her head, deliberately leaning into the absolute worst facets of her personality. "Strange. Didn't you know from the very beginning that 'our' reason for 'saving' this era was never out of some bleeding-heart goodwill? We aren't exactly striving for a happily-ever-after."
"'We' gave this era a 'second chance,' sure, but we never promised we wouldn't exploit it."
Hearing this...
"And I said," Kevin replied, "that this time, I will protect this era."
"I don't care who tries to destroy it. Even if it's you, the one who gave it that 'second chance'—I will not stand by and let it happen."
Kevin's expression was absolute ice.
Seeing his reaction...
"Oh~ So that's how it is."
Puppet of Domination: Sparkle deliberately dragged out her words, clapping her hands together before nodding to herself. "You're starting to get fed up with us!"
"Which is perfectly normal. Understandable, even. But... it's also very amusing."
She narrowed her eyes at Kevin, her gaze brimming with open mockery. "It seems you've fundamentally misunderstood something."
"When it comes down to it, are you going to keep hating the Cocoon of Finality forever? Hating It for ruthlessly erasing everything, for resetting Earth's human civilization time and time again?"
"No, you haven't held onto that feeling."
"Even if you hated It once, eons have passed. The seas have turned to dust. Among whatever emotions you have left, the loudest one is just—powerlessness."
"That's why you blame yourself, rather than lashing out in resentment."
"That's why you agonize on the inside, with absolutely no target left to vent on."
"And that is why you carry out Project Stigma—a grand scheme that essentially boils down to cutting class."
"Because after failure upon failure, after every crushing defeat, you and everyone around you were forced to accept a harsh reality—"
"Before the Cocoon of Finality... and the Imaginary Tree itself... just how utterly insignificant a few billion earthlings truly are."
"They are untouchable."
"And so... you developed this little obsession."
"Instead of trying to destroy the Cocoon of Finality, you bowed your head and played along."
"Yes, you... and Dr. MEI too. You all treated the Cocoon of Finality as some sort of grand trial. To you, it was just the proctor writing the test, an entity that never actually had to step foot inside the exam hall."
"It's because of that exact mindset that, even while it was committing the most ruthless, horrific atrocities against humanity, the primary emotion you felt toward it wasn't hatred or hostility. It was... reverence and fear."
"Isn't that just laughable?"
"You endlessly preach about defying fate and surpassing all limits, yet you choose to turn a blind eye to the very source of it all."
The Puppet of Domination, Sparkle, shook her head with a theatrical sigh. "My, my~ truly ironic."
"The Cocoon of Finality has always treated this planet as its own personal petri dish, toying with it on a whim. 'We' are simply doing the exact same thing now—using the 'second chance' we earned for ourselves, mind you—and with far gentler methods."
"Oh, Kevin, Kevin..."
Sparkle's next words carried a spine-chilling weight. "After seeing 'Plucking the Branch' with your own eyes, you really should have dropped your old prejudices about 'us' a long time ago."
"Consider this a friendly reminder..."
"From now on, you'd do well to look up to us just as you would the Cocoon of Finality... or even the Imaginary Tree itself."
"Don't mistake our ability to hold a conversation—or our little displays of humanity—for equality."
"You're standing before me right now not because you earned an audience, but simply because I had the spare time to grace you with my presence."
"Make sure you don't confuse the two."
At this, she pointed back and forth between the two of them, her implication crystal clear.
A faint smirk curled her lips.
"You've seen that 'non-existent memory' too."
"When the old 'me' first arrived, I was still naive enough to play the fool. I actually believed that just because we looked alike, we were the same kind of being—even if we hailed from completely different places."
"But now... this newborn me, this god, has attained true clarity. I am no longer lost, and I am no longer blinded by such superficial illusions."
"I certainly won't be sparing another thought for the feelings of *ants* like you."
"Higher-dimensional beings and lower-dimensional mortals simply cannot be lumped together, after all."
Hearing this, Kevin's brow locked into a heavy scowl.
But the Puppet of Domination: Sparkle wasn't finished delivering her true warning.
She held up her right hand, squinting lazily at the sunlight bleeding through her fingers, completely absorbed in her own ego.
"Today, it is I, a god, who uses this 'world' as a personal stage. I do whatever I want, whatever I like, and whatever amuses me."
"Perhaps, on a whim, I'll shower boundless favor and privilege upon whoever catches my eye and pleases me."
"And those who think it's unfair, who burn with envy, or who even dare to point their fingers at me? They are more than welcome to overestimate themselves and rebel. They can try to provoke me, just to personally experience how God's grace is as vast as the sea, and God's majesty is as terrible as hell."
Puppet of Domination: Sparkle lowered her right hand slightly, wagging a raised index finger. "Because that would a~lso be v~ery fu~n."
"It's just swapping to a slightly more violent form of entertainment, after all."
"But..." Her tone shifted sharply. "Ignorant humans who mistake themselves for brave heroes... even if you stand at the very peak of the Tower of Babel, drawing your bows against the heavens..."
"...you will never scratch a true God."
The smile vanished from her face, leaving behind nothing but a chilling apathy. "Don't get too ahead of yourself, Flame-Chaser of [Deliverance]."
"If you, a [White Piece] on the chessboard, can't even recognize who your [Black Piece] enemy truly is..."
At that exact moment, within the Theater of Domination, Ling Ke's original body sat alone upon his throne. He gently stroked the swaying branches of the [Small Imaginary Tree] beside him. His gaze narrowed, his voice dropping to a bone-chilling zero. "Then I wouldn't mind flipping this dreary chessboard over again—and countless times over—until the match I actually want to see finally takes shape."
"Just like... the Cocoon of Finality."
Simultaneously, in the outside world.
Kevin had just delivered a stark warning to the Puppet of Domination: Sparkle. Now, hearing the puppet parrot words perfectly synchronized with Ling Ke's original body, he felt it again. That same, utterly horrifying malice that had suffocated him during their very first close-quarters encounter on the Floating Island of Schicksal Headquarters.
He fell completely silent.
Of course.
Back when Operation 'Plucking the Branch' concluded and Ling Ke secured his long-awaited revenge, Kevin had warned him then, too. But the younger man's blatant disregard had led Kevin to a severe misjudgment.
Looking back on it now...
The only reason Ling Ke hadn't cared about the threat that night was probably just because he had been in a fantastic mood. He had finally shed his past obsessions and been reborn anew.
If Kevin really thought about it, Ling Ke had been dripping with absolute arrogance from the very beginning.
It was true when he negotiated terms back at Schicksal Headquarters, and it was true when he ventured into the Elysian Realm to secure the "coordinates."
Even in those "non-existent memories," that amiable "What-If Ling Ke" displayed the exact same tendencies.
Only, that version of him exuded a sort of "benevolent arrogance."
Clearly, Kevin hadn't grasped the reality of the situation until just a moment ago.
Whether walking the path of Deliverance or treading the road to ruin.
No matter what choice Ling Ke made.
He was the sole player running the board.
And...
Regarding those "non-existent memories"...
Kevin knew his best friend. He knew Su.
Su wasn't the type to kick a man when he was down.
Looking back on the situation now, Su hadn't been helping Ling Ke break his spirit. No...
He had been leaving a subtle, desperate warning for Kevin, the other recipient of that One-Way Ticket Through Time...
Do not overstep! Do not overstep!! Do not overstep!!!
And now...
"There, there. Don't look so glum."
The voice of the Puppet of Domination: Sparkle echoed in his ears once more. "It's not a bad thing to wise up early."
"However..."
That sly, wicked grin crept back onto her face. "Didn't you already know that 'we' love a good bait-and-switch?"
"So why did you let your guard down?"
"Looks like my little speech hit you pretty hard, didn't it~"
With that, she raised a finger and pointed into the distance.
"!!!"
Kevin's pupils contracted. Finally realizing what she meant, he whipped around.
In his line of sight, right where the two purple-haired girls stood, a third person had appeared.
It was the Kevin of this era. The younger Kevin.
He had just crossed paths with the two "MEIs".
In that moment...
"..."
Kevin truly felt the very thing the Puppet of Domination: Sparkle had just mentioned—powerlessness.
Up until this very second, his entire goal had been to stop his past self and the MEI of this era from ever meeting Raiden Mei.
Yet, despite all his efforts, he had accomplished absolutely nothing.
And the most chilling part? Throughout the entire ordeal, Ling Ke hadn't relied on any absurd, rule-breaking supernatural might.
All he had done was forge a passport and have the Puppet of Domination: Sparkle use her acting chops and vocal manipulation to mimic the younger Kevin's aura and tone. A single, perfectly timed phone call.
That was it. Everything fell effortlessly into place.
This wasn't a display of "Omnipotence."
Any ordinary person could have pulled off that sequence of actions.
No, what had been laid bare today was "Omniscience."
Facing an enemy like this... No, it would be best not to treat him as an enemy at all.
The vanished past—the Current Era—was a bloody testament to that fact. His ascended friend had sent the exact same signal.
With that in mind...
"Thank you for the advice."
Kevin delivered the brief word of thanks in a voice completely devoid of emotion.
And then...
"I will win this 'game'."
He forged a new vow. "I will give it everything I have. By any means necessary."