"I stand in the square that has already turned to ruins..."
"In my eyes, not a single cherry blossom can be seen."
The surrounding darkness gradually dissipated. Countless cherry blossoms gathered in this Sea of Quanta, finally forming a blooming cherry blossom tree.
Under the tree, Kevin gazed at the cherry blossom tree and continued: "On the scorched earth, I make a vow to her, to everyone—no matter the cost..."
"Humanity will surely defeat Honkai!"
At this moment, Seele also reacted: "You are the serpent... This entire world was created by you!"
Kevin answered: "Those are my memories—my unfulfilled promise, recollections with companions, the will entrusted to me, the future expected by everyone."
"They are like illusory bubbles, appearing before my eyes day after day, only to turn into nothingness."
"As if reminding me over and over of the fact that humanity was once extinguished by Honkai."
Seele's eyes widened.
In disbelief—humanity was once extinguished by Honkai?
"Seele, get away from that man quickly!" Accompanied by the engine roar tearing through space, Bronya sped down from the sky, positioning herself between the two.
Seele shouted in surprise: "Big sister Bronya!"
Bronya was also somewhat happy: "Seele, great—you're okay!"
Then, she turned to Kevin: "Mr. Welt, that man is the serpent?"
Welt said: "This is also the first time I've seen his true appearance, but his aura is undoubtedly the serpent I sensed in the Sea of Quanta."
Kevin spoke: "We meet again, Herrscher of Reason, and... his successor."
Welt was directly frightened: "He's talking to me... He can sense my existence?"
Kevin continued: "I originally thought you were an apostle of Honkai, but in that labyrinth, I saw your past. Your will is not disguised. As a Herrscher, you are indeed fighting for humanity."
"So I helped that girl, hoping she would bring you before me."
"Fighting against Honkai is our common mission. I have no intention of being your enemy."
Bronya didn't believe him at all: "Sweet words. We won't let you leave here!"
"Can you stop me?"
Black tides sprayed out from the cracks, obscuring the man's figure.
They spread and writhed in the air, like an invisible monster.
In contrast, the energy in space continuously gathered, surging toward Kevin's palm, forming a emerald green gem.
Bronya frowned instantly: "That's... the Desire Gem!"
This was one of her goals for this trip!
Kevin said: "I have slumbered in this ocean for 1500 years. During these 1500 years, Honkai raged unchecked, while I could only sleep in memories of the past, powerless."
"But now, the time for the serpent's return has come."
"Whether you accept it or not, I will fulfill the duty I was meant to complete!"
Bronya also activated the power of the Herrscher of Reason: "Bronya will absolutely not let you succeed!"
Azure cannon fire bombarded the space, tearing the surging quantum shadows into fragments. Bronya rode her vehicle, leaping over the frenzy of dark shadows, charging straight toward Kevin—
Seemingly wanting to kill him just like the previous monster.
—However, things went against her wishes.
Kevin merely waved his hand, and the Core of the Herrscher of Reason was stripped from her body, falling into his palm.
"Bronya Zaychik, you have traversed countless world bubbles, bearing a tremendous burden to come here. Your body has long been unable to keep up with your will."
"Hm?"
The Core of the Herrscher of Reason in Kevin's hand suddenly vanished.
"Don't you dare touch her!" It was Welt. He used the power of the Core of the Herrscher of Reason to reconstruct his own body and lunged toward the Desire Gem, but was struck by an invisible force and sent flying.
Clearly no attack motion was seen from Kevin, yet a sudden impact assaulted every corner of the body—just like when Bronya was defeated.
Kevin looked at him: "To protect that girl, you reconstructed your flesh using the Herrscher of Reason's ability? Your power has grown too."
"But with that broken body, what can you do?"
"Whether it's you or those two girls, you all still have potential. World Serpent needs people like you."
Welt decisively refused: "Don't joke. We will never agree with your methods!"
Kevin said: "You don't need to answer now. One day, you will understand."
"I express my respect to you. In this era, there are still a group of heroes who firmly hold ideals and fight for humanity. It's just that you are still too naive—naive to the point of being killed by your ideals."
"—You know nothing about Honkai."
"I will lead and guide humanity to complete the true mission of the pioneers."
"Let us meet again in reality."
Kevin turned and disappeared into the Sea of Quanta.
Seeing this, many viewers began discussing Kevin's character.
The first to post in the official fan group was Kosma: "Cool! This Kevin is way too cool—he's simply a true hero!"
"You have eye problems? Kevin a hero? This guy's hatred for Honkai has made him somewhat obsessed."
"Exactly. I admit Honkai has caused countless tragedies, but the main group is also working hard to fight it. The moment this guy appears, he's a villain."
"Don't forget—the incident with Kiana in Arc City was leaked by World Serpent. He's definitely a villain."
"It's a pity he's so cool and incredibly strong, but his personality is too bad."
"Even Welt was agitated saying his methods are problematic—you can imagine how extreme he is."
"But I have to say, this character's aura is maxed out. I wonder what the director created him for."
"Just keep watching and we'll find out. I just feel bad for my SAKURA—she died just like that."
"..."
Almost everyone's first impression of Kevin was similar: this character is too pretentious, and seems very obsessive, extraordinarily fixated on Honkai.
And the plot continued.
Seele rushed to Bronya's side, constantly calling her.
Bronya also woke up, struggling painfully on the ground, trying hard to stand, but blood instead overflowed from her mouth.
Not just wounds from the battle—her body was suffering fatal damage, the erosion left by the Core of the Herrscher of Reason.
"The space is shaking...! Bad!"
Welt's urgent voice came through.
This was precisely after Kevin's departure—the surrounding everything lost the support of his power and began collapsing.
The massive rocks floating in the air shattered, separating him from the two.
The boulders tumbled, cracked, dissolved, and dissipated in the chaos, merging with the bottomless dark tides.
—Suddenly, a figure appeared from those dark tides.
Einstein's voice also came through: "Bronya, can you hear me!"
Bronya said weakly: "Dr. Einstein... Doctor... we failed... the serpent took the Desire Gem... and left the Sea of Quanta."
Einstein said: "Don't talk! I've already activated the Eye of the Abyss. You two hurry along the nearest passage back to reality!"
Bronya continued: "Welt is still alive, but he's too far from us."
"Yang?!" Even the usually calm and steady Einstein lost composure for a moment, then urgently said: "You withdraw first. I'll have others cover his escape! Go quickly—you must survive!"
Bronya nodded.
Grabbing Seele's arm, she ran toward the passage location.
Surging, cracking, tilting, howling.
Space wailed, like a raging sea sweeping everything within—
Bronya could only pull Seele and keep running, while countless quantum shadows drilled out from everywhere, turning into arms trying to hold the two back.
After evading several arms, even more grabbed Seele's legs, pulling her back.
"Seele!"
Bronya hurriedly turned back, using the dagger in her hand to cut all these arms.
Pulling Seele toward the passage.
But even more arms clung like maggots on bones, wrapping and tugging the two.
Bronya knew that in this situation, it was impossible for both to escape. She had promised to definitely bring Seele out, to never let her return to that terrifying darkness again.
She used her final strength to throw Seele toward the passage.
Under the passage's pull, Seele was gradually sucked in.
"Seele... sorry."
Bronya cut the last quantum shadows. Seele was directly swallowed into the passage, leaving the Sea of Quanta.
"Big sister Bronya!!!"
The passage completely closed!
Seele weakly fell onto the platform.
Below was her big sister Bronya, but now the passage to the Sea of Quanta was thoroughly closed. She could no longer see the sister she loved.
"Big sister Bronya... big sister Bronya... why..."
Seele cried and pounded the ground, questioning over and over.
Her fingernails oozed unwilling blood.
Dark Seele was also very sad at this time, but still said: "It's over. You can't do anything! The door can't be opened anymore! You can't save her!"
Seele was unwilling. She punched the ground fist after fist.
Tears dripped onto the platform.
At this moment, she completely understood SAKURA's feelings back then, and also understood the meaning of those words SAKURA had once said to her.
"We clearly said... we would go see the sea together..."
"Move already!"
"You... coward!"
Seele used all her strength for a final smash toward the ground. The originally tightly closed, impossible-to-open passage was actually smashed open by her fists.
She fell back into the Sea of Quanta once more.
But unlike before, she was no longer timid, no longer afraid.
She only wanted to save her sister!
Facing the quantum shadows she had once feared, she easily tore them apart.
As more and more quantum shadows appeared, she began to falter, but still didn't give up, instead pleading: "Please, the other me. Let's go save together... that sister who has always... always been protecting us!"
"Really, can't do anything with you." Dark Seele smiled. She took over Seele's body. The power of the stigmata activated, gathering into a scythe.
With just one swing, all the quantum shadows were eliminated.
And delving deeper into the Sea of Quanta, she found Bronya trapped within, taking her and leaving the Sea of Quanta...
After Bronya recovered, the group also fulfilled their promise, playing together by the seaside.
The scene then jumped to another side.
In a remote, unknown place.
In a dim, unlit corridor, Gray Serpent advanced without hindrance.
He did not light a torch, nor had he memorized the terrain here.
But whenever a fork appeared, the thought of which way to go would arise in his mind out of nowhere, as if walking a path he had trodden millions of times.
In fact, until today, this was his first time coming to this refuge.
Fifteen hundred years ago, this was the starting point for the Lord's return to the mortal world, once regarded as a holy site by followers.
But with him sealed on the other shore, this place fell into silence, its coordinates becoming a lost secret.
Now, the Lord's summons guided him here to fulfill his duty.
Gray Serpent stopped.
At the end of the path, a wall-thick golden gate blocked the way.
He waited silently for a moment.
Then, the passphrase illuminated his mind like a beam of light. Gray Serpent obediently recited it.
"Destruction and rebirth."
The massive gate panels laboriously parted to both sides, as if resisting the weight of a thousand years.
In the hall, a man leaned upon a throne, silently contemplating.
Fifteen hundred years had passed.
Power changed hands among humans, fire and sword washed the earth again and again.
On this planet, history emerged and faded, swift as a snap of fingers.
Yet compared to the last time Gray Serpent saw him, the man before him had not changed a single bit.
His will was the same.
This man transcended time, beyond reincarnation.
Only one who transcends time can defeat the destruction hidden behind history that also transcends time.
The man awoke from contemplation, casting his gaze upon his follower.
Gray Serpent couldn't help but tremble.
What eyes those were...
These eyes had witnessed miracles mortals could not dream of, and borne the sorrow of all things perishing.
But all of this—all that these eyes had witnessed—under the forging of an extraordinary will, became two pieces of merciless, indifferent ice.
"Please forgive me for not personally welcoming your return." Gray Serpent said respectfully.
Kevin asked coldly: "How are the plans progressing?"
Gray Serpent answered: "Progress is smooth. The current world now possesses all conditions needed to implement the plan. Even if the Herrscher of Reason can block your steps for a time, he cannot stop the march of history."
"Jackal's research is nearing completion—only the final verification remains."
Kevin wasted no words: "Begin the operation."
"Yes! To celebrate your return, I have a gift to offer." Gray Serpent reverently presented the Divine Key greatsword with both hands: "Only this legendary weapon is worthy of humanity's future pioneer."
On the dim sword body, the flames that once destroyed everything had now vanished, but its shape still evoked Kevin's memories.
He had once wielded this sword to slay all monsters threatening humanity, facing divine punishment head-on.
"Old friend, we meet again."
Kevin gripped the hilt, as if grasping his own past.
He gazed at the darkened blade, just as he had done countless times before battles.
The greatsword forged from souls trembled and awakened.
Its shape continuously extended and changed, responding to Kevin's surging fighting spirit.
As if it was not merely a sword, but a living being with a soul.
A beam of light burst from the core depths of the sword. Reuniting with its old master ignited its soul.
The flaming sword that guarded Eden, the divine fire that burned Sodom... Humans fortunate enough to witness this sacred relic had depicted its radiance with countless myths.
Now, a thousand years gone, myth would once again become reality.
"From now on, fight together with me!"
This command not only echoed through the hall but like silent thunder, struck across the hearts of all distant followers—
—Declaring to them that the storm was coming.
The ending theme of this episode also played here.
All the viewers in front of the television were completely shocked.
No one could have imagined that at the end of this episode, such a scene would play.
They knew Kevin was powerful—after all, Bronya as the Herrscher of Reason had displayed such terrifying combat prowess, yet was easily defeated by him.
They also recognized that sword—wasn't it the Judgment of Shamash that Kiana's father had risked his life to unleash a single strike of in the environment to save her mother?
But why...
Why was Kevin's aura so extraordinarily high?
Why did others' Judgment of Shamash seem so ordinary, yet in his hands become so obedient?
Who exactly is this man?
Why does he seem so formidable?
Why did Gray Serpent, who toyed with everyone, not dare speak loudly before him?
And what is their plan?
Who knows how long passed...
The viewers gradually recovered from this shock, and the ending theme of Honkai Impact 3rd had long finished.
Kosma was shocked for a long time. Coming back to his senses, he couldn't help shouting: "Cool!"
He even directly sat on the sofa, imitating Kevin's posture, fantasizing himself just like Kevin...