Whether it was the earlier great battle with Leviathan or the recent action of flying across most of Rinascita, both were enough to draw the attention of the entire Rinascita.
If Imperator still had even a sliver of consciousness—just one sliver—it would absolutely be watching every move Noah made.
If it had guarded the underlying data as in the original plot, if it had not been completely assimilated by the Threnodian, if it truly still retained consciousness...
Noah was uncertain. He could only gamble—gamble that Imperator could hear him speak.
A gentle breeze carrying leaves lightly brushed past.
Noah felt his consciousness seemingly separated from his body, ascending into the high heavens.
Before him, above the white clouds, a tall unicorn white horse faintly glowed with dim light.
"Righteous One, as you see, I am the Sentinel of Rinascita—Imperator."
The tall unicorn steed spoke in a deep voice:
"Apologies for meeting you in this manner. After my body and power were devoured by the Threnodian, only this final incomplete frequency remains."
"All this time, since you arrived in Rinascita, I have witnessed all your efforts. I am deeply grateful for your help to Rinascita."
"Upon learning you wished to speak with me, I used my final strength to meet you. May I ask—what do you wish to know?"
At this moment, Imperator was indescribably fragile.
As it said, pulling Noah's consciousness into the high heavens for this conversation had already consumed all its remaining strength.
Once the dialogue ended, even this last incomplete frequency would dissipate entirely, falling into true death.
High in the skies, Noah's consciousness looked around, thought briefly, and asked the first question:
"...First, I want to know—why do you remember Rover?"
"You even know of my Arbiter?"
Imperator did not remain puzzled for long and quickly answered.
"To be honest, I was once devoured and fused by Leviathan, bitterly fighting Fleurdelys."
"It and I contested control of the body, and multiple times in battle, I narrowly saved Fleurdelys."
"To disrupt my will to fight, Leviathan repeatedly mentioned the Arbiter, pointing out that the Arbiter was in great crisis. Thus, I was able to recall the Arbiter from sealed memories."
Rover is in great crisis?
This statement made Noah's brows furrow involuntarily:
"Can you be more specific?"
"Leviathan did not elaborate, but I believe this was a lie to deceive me. The Arbiter could never possibly be trapped in crisis."
Old horse! Old horse!
Why didn't you ask more?
Noah gritted his teeth in frustration, yet there was nothing he could do. Even if Imperator had asked, Leviathan probably wouldn't have answered.
He continued:
"Then why did you order Cantarella to search for Rover?"
"At that time, Cantarella successfully achieved secondary resonance with me, becoming my Resonator."
Imperator answered truthfully:
"Then, Leviathan noticed Cantarella's consciousness arriving in that inverted tower area and took the opportunity to throw the Threnodian artifact Decree-defiling Mirror of Nightmare out of the inverted tower."
"It proclaimed it would use the Decree-defiling Mirror of Nightmare to recast its shell in Rinascita. Therefore, I ordered Cantarella to find the Arbiter at all costs and have the Arbiter draw the Divine Authority Sword."
"As long as the Arbiter drew the sword, they could see the clue I left and prevent Leviathan from reshaping its shell through the Threnodian artifact."
Saying this, Imperator felt somewhat embarrassed.
The Arbiter it awaited never came; instead, Noah faced a catastrophic opening upon first arriving in Rinascita.
"Thank you once again for stopping Leviathan from reshaping its body. You have shown Rinascita the grace of rebirth. Thank you."
Imperator's gratitude was sincere, its words utterly earnest, even displaying some humility.
"You're welcome. I have one last question."
Noah asked:
"You were once fused with Leviathan—do you know what Threnodian artifacts truly are?"
"Yes."
Imperator answered solemnly:
"During the fusion with Leviathan, I secretly learned that Threnodian artifacts are tools bestowed upon Threnodians by an existence one level higher."
"Each Threnodian artifact is created to address their shortcomings, serving as tremendous aid in destroying civilizations."
"I once tried to probe the specific information of this higher existence, but it was sealed by Leviathan's secret authority—I could not learn it."
So that's how it is.
Noah fell into brief contemplation.
The Jinzhou Sentinel Jué had once said that after Rover's last disappearance, Solaris-3 seemed invaded by a strange power, and the strength of various Threnodians had been enhanced to varying degrees.
According to Jué, Threnodian artifacts were tools separated from the Threnodians' own power.
Yet according to Imperator, Threnodian artifacts were instruments given by a higher existence to compensate for Threnodian deficiencies.
Which was correct? Or were both right?
Jué's view might be limited by perspective and thus flawed; Imperator's might be a deception fabricated by Leviathan.
For a moment, Noah's head ached.
"Righteous One, I have one request."
Imperator spoke earnestly:
"Previously, the Arbiter tasked me with using separation authority to analyze Threnodians and find their essence. For this, I requested permission from the Arbiter for free action and secondary resonance authorization."
"Later, when the first Black Tide descended on Rinascita, I was unable to defeat Leviathan and was fused by it. After being tainted by the Threnodian, through analysis, I reached a conclusion."
"Threnodians cannot be completely eradicated. As long as civilization endures, Threnodians persist. Even they themselves do not know how they can be destroyed, but... shackles can be placed upon Threnodians."
To complete the task entrusted by Rover, Imperator threw itself into the fray.
It sacrificed its body and life, enduring centuries of torment and pain, paying an immense cost to finally obtain this answer.
Though it was an imperfect, even disappointing answer.
The process was tortuous, circumstances forced its hand—Imperator had already done the best it could under helplessness.
"Righteous One, I have little time left. I beg you—please convey this answer to the Arbiter."
In the centuries of being continuously devoured and fused by Leviathan, Imperator doubted whether its persistence was right or wrong, questioning itself countless times whether it had betrayed the Arbiter's trust.
It feared this answer would not satisfy the Arbiter, guilty for tarnishing the glory bestowed by the Arbiter.
In Noah's eyes, Imperator's light at this moment was dim and utterly pitiable:
"Righteous One, I do not know if I did wrong..."
"If possible... please ask the Arbiter on my behalf..."
"Has Imperator lived up to the trust?"
High in the heavens, Noah's consciousness gently shook its head:
"This question—you should ask him yourself!"
"What?"
Imperator was stunned.
At the same time, on the ground, Noah suddenly opened his eyes, a smile rising on his face:
"Searched everywhere—finally found you!"
He raised his head, reaching out toward the empty high sky. An invisible giant hand extended with his motion, rapidly stretching upward, piercing through layers of white clouds, grasping into the heights.
"Come!"
The large hand scooped, seizing Imperator's remaining frequency in its grasp.
Before Imperator could react, its vision blurred—it was instantly grabbed to the ground by that giant hand, landing in Noah's palm, unable to escape.
"Righteous One, what is the meaning of this?"
Noah ignored the panicked Imperator and frantically visualized in his mind the image of the noble unicorn steed he had seen earlier in the heavens.
I have the Sentinel Imperator's body in front of me! I have the Sentinel Imperator's body in front of me! I have the Sentinel Imperator's body in front of me!
I say it exists—so it exists!!!
Fantasy manifestation!
The Echo on his upper back shone with golden light. A pair of sheep horns uncontrollably sprouted from Noah's head. Resonance energy in his body was consumed at a terrifying rate.
But—in front of him, the body of a tall unicorn steed was slowly materializing—precisely Imperator's body!
"Righteous One, could it be that you?"
Imperator guessed something and cried out in shock:
"It won't work. My frequency is incomplete—it's impossible to fuse with a body like Cartethyia did. The body you create is far insufficient to contain me."
"I say it works—so it works!"
Noah switched to Cartethyia, activating Fusion authority, forcefully stuffing Imperator's frequency into the unicorn steed's body.
In an instant, the steed's body trembled violently. Intense rejection caused the originally massive body to shrink rapidly like deflating, soon becoming palm-sized.
Noah's expression changed. He held Imperator in his palm, switched to Encore, closed his eyes, and perceived the incomplete frequencies inside Imperator, repeating the same method.
This part is complete! This part is complete! This part is complete!
He didn't know what Imperator's missing frequencies should look like, nor how complex and intricate they would be—but what did that matter?
He was going to—create something from nothing!
"It won't work." Immense pain caused Imperator to wail: "This completely violates the boundaries of science."
"Science... what even is science?"
Noah gritted his teeth fiercely. Glowing cracks spread from the Tacet Mark on his back. Tearing pain radiated through his body, making him tremble wildly.
Using Encore's fantasy manifestation to revive a Sentinel caused him—for the first time while using Encore—to enter overclocking.
Reviving Imperator consumed far more from him than reviving Cartethyia.
"I damn well think it works—so it works!"
"Old horse—"
"Win your revival match!!!"
Finally, the broken frequencies were dominated by the barbaric fantasy-type resonance ability, automatically generating, filling, becoming ever more complete!
Imperator's body finally showed no further rejection. Though weakened, a divine-like pressure still spread from its form.
A gentle breeze stirred by its palm-sized body swept in all directions, swaying the surrounding laurel branches. A Red Spider Lily petal slowly drifted down.
Before Noah could rejoice, he sensed Imperator's now-complete frequency beginning to destabilize and fade.
Not only it—Cartethyia and Cantarella's frequencies were also fading at this moment, all plunging into immense pain.
For the same individual, only one Resonator can exist at the same time; otherwise, all possessing that frequency will die in depletion—this is an iron law of Solaris-3.
Noah took a deep breath, closed his eyes again, enduring the torment of overclocking, reconstructing his thoughts in his mind, preparing to defy this iron law.
"Rest a bit."
A hand gently rested on his shoulder. Interrupted, Noah turned to see Cantarella lightly shaking her head at him.
"Don't push yourself anymore, Noah—you're already severely overclocked."
Cantarella reached out, carefully taking Imperator from Noah's hand:
"From here on—it's my style to handle it!"