Kiana quickly nodded and said, "Yeah… I don't even fully understand what exactly happened between you and her."
"But… the current Bronya is a complete Herrscher of Reason, right?"
Hearing this, Bronya simply looked over her own body but showed no special reaction.
"…Mm."
Recalling the similar situation from last time, the girl couldn't help but look to her side.
After recondensing the Herrscher core, she had immediately constructed a new vessel for her companion.
Project Bunny hovered quietly there, vastly different from before.
Yet it also seemed like it had never changed.
Change without changing—this was precisely the key to Bronya's victory earlier.
After coming back to her senses, Bronya spoke, "Alright, let's first help…"
Before she could finish, a familiar figure ran over and hugged the petite Bronya tightly.
"Bronya sister!"
While hugging her, Seele shouted with excitement and joy.
Bronya also showed a smile and said, "…Seele?"
Seele continued happily, "Thank goodness… Bronya sister is okay!"
Seeing this scene, audiences across the country unanimously started posting in their group chats.
"Yay, it's beautiful girls hugging! Bronya and Seele score big!"
"Seele and Bronya, this is way too sweet!"
"Let me guess, you're lying in bed with your phone charging, showing a perverted auntie smile, right?"
"It's really so shippable. When will Bronya drive Project Bunny to take Seele for a ride?"
"..."
Of course, no matter how much the audience shipped this CP, the plot on TV continued.
Bronya said, "Thank you, but how did you…"
Senti's figure suddenly appeared. With one hand on her hip, she said, "Of course it was me who called her over!"
"You guys made such a big commotion and didn't even include me. Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"
Then the awakened Fu Hua spoke, "Mm… Senti, now isn't the time for jokes."
"We still have a lot of things to do next."
Kiana said in surprise, "Class president?!"
"Great, you're finally awake."
Fu Hua nodded, "Mm, long time no see, Kiana, Mei, Bronya, and Seele."
Mei responded, "Long time no see, Class President."
Senti was unhappy and quickly asked, "…Wait, what about me?"
Fu Hua chuckled lightly and said, "You helped me a lot. Later, I must thank you properly in private."
Senti was instantly defeated and could barely speak, "Uh—Old… You…"
Seeing the other party unable to even speak properly, a question mark appeared above Fu Hua's head.
But overall, the reunited group calmed their emotions and shared their respective situations with each other.
Fu Hua sighed and said, "…I see."
"Perfect, now it's my turn to report the situation."
"First, as you can see—Kevin has already left the Moon."
"Without encountering many real challenges, he set off to carry out the next step of his plan."
"Of course… from his perspective, whether we are his enemies or not is actually up to us to decide."
Mei asked, "…The next step of the plan?"
Senti said impatiently, "Isn't it obvious?"
"Kevin doesn't care about this place at all. The reason he stopped for a bit was just to show us how capable he is."
Mei was silent for a moment before saying, "…He's not someone with that much free time."
Senti curled her lips, "You think you understand Kevin better than me?"
"..."
Mei fell silent, not because she was convinced, but because she didn't want to engage in pointless arguments.
She then turned her gaze to Fu Hua. In their brief eye contact, they confirmed some implications they had already sensed earlier.
Fu Hua took the initiative and said, "I think Kevin… wanted to find something from you all."
"To that end, he repeatedly set up obstacles for you and personally confirmed your fighting will and combat ability."
"He went all out, yet also gave us some leeway."
"He even proactively told the Herrscher of Sentience the method to return to Earth from here."
Bronya's eyes sharpened, "…What?"
Senti waved her hand, "Hah, isn't he just looking down on us?"
"Although I can't exactly say I'm on your side either."
"Ahem, at the time I saw I couldn't beat him, so I pretended to surrender."
"That guy probably wanted to show his generosity, so he told me quite a few things related to this Moon."
"Like the effects of Stigmata Awakened on space, the World Bubble that can trap Herrschers, and that bug hole thing everyone can use…"
Bronya asked doubtfully, "You mean… wormhole?"
Senti quickly corrected herself, "Ah yes yes, it's this place where you were fighting just now."
"It was originally a stargate built by Fire Moth for travel between Earth and the Moon."
"Unfortunately, it was already destroyed before the arrival of the Finality back then."
"But that ice stick also left a message, saying that if you develop the power of the Herrscher of Reason to its limit."
"Then the mere Moon would not be able to serve as a prison to confine Herrschers."
"What? From the looks of it, you want to try what he said?"
Ignoring the nickname "ice stick" Senti gave Kevin, Bronya said calmly, "If we don't even dare to try."
"Then we would really be looked down on by World Serpent."
Seele said worriedly, "Bronya sister, you won't push yourself too hard, right?"
Hearing about opening a passage again after Kolosten, Seele almost instinctively felt a wave of fear.
Bronya comforted her, "Don't worry, Seele. The current Bronya…"
"Is stronger than all previous Herrschers of Reason."
Hearing Bronya speak with such confidence, Seele didn't say anything more.
Afterward, Bronya stepped in front of everyone and looked at the building ahead, saying, "…Einstein Space Bridge, perception confirmed."
"Gravity anomaly detected. Beginning to inject exotic matter."
"Three, two, one. Stargate core components repaired. Preparing for activation."
As Bronya's words continued, the originally abandoned and ruined stargate.
It was as if an invisible pair of hands used miraculous means to repair it bit by bit to perfection.
At this time, Seele and the others quickly followed. Bronya gave Seele a smile.
Kiana praised, "Well done, Bronya!"
Senti couldn't help but say, "That's too ridiculous. Are you performing magic?"
Even as a Herrscher of Consciousness—no, precisely because she was the Herrscher of Sentience—Senti was shocked by Bronya's actions.
Seele said happily, "Bronya sister… this time you really didn't push yourself."
Bronya responded, "Mm, Bronya keeps her word."
After a moment of silence, Fu Hua took the initiative to speak, "…It's really emotional. This is actually the first time I've seen it operating normally."
"..."
Mei recalled the past and said, "So this is the one built back then by Mobius and Gray Serpent…"
Fu Hua nodded, "…Yes."
Kiana said, "But… if that's the case, what about the people of New Atla?"
"Although that Finality wreckage is unlikely to recover, still…"
Hearing this question, Seele also looked troubled, "Mm…"
The gentle girl seemed quite hesitant at the moment, because she was indeed worried about Little Sky and Lyle and the others.
However…
Seele said proactively, "At a time like this, we should trust Klein, right?"
"Besides, given Earth's current situation, it would actually be safer for Little Sky and the others to stay on the Moon."
Mei looked somewhat puzzled, especially at the name Klein.
Seele continued, "Mm. Although she seems to be a robot made by World Serpent… she's really capable at everything!"
Mei understood in her heart and said, "So that's how it is… She still found her…"
The thought flashed through her mind and disappeared. Mei then said, "…Indeed, I learned about Klein's character in World Serpent. You can trust her."
Bronya continued, "Then… next, we will return to Earth to fight."
"Are you all ready to seize your own future from Kevin and Finality?"
Before her words finished, the girl with the single helix ponytail proactively extended her soft hand covered by the gauntlet.
Seeing this, the other girls tacitly placed their hands on top.
"Of course!" ×4
Kiana, Mei, Fu Hua, and Seele said in unison.
Senti had disappeared at some point, or rather, returned into Fu Hua's body.
A surging power emanated from the five girls, and the repaired stargate fully activated.
After Kiana and Bronya completely left the Moon.
...
Prometheus said in realization, "…I see."
"Incubation… so that was your goal?"
Hare said with relief, "You're starting to understand me, right?"
Prometheus said calmly, "You didn't force Bronya to view the final memories."
"That already shows you are not the same existence as that disaster-ridden crystal from the past."
"Her past experiences—whether pain or jealousy… to you they are like another person's emotions. You can't fully empathize."
"Even… your disappointment toward the Herrscher of Reason was merely an act."
"Yet even with such insufficient motivation, you still went all out in battle."
Hare smiled and said, "Don't say it like that, it makes me sound like a weirdo."
Prometheus asked, "…Are you really not planning to tell her that story?"
"No matter what, she is a party involved and therefore has the right to know the truth."
"..."
Hare thought for a moment and said, "When everything has become history and all conflicts have ended…"
"If there is a chance, I will."
"—But before she issues her challenge, I absolutely cannot do that."
"Your Dr. MEI said it well: the essence of humanity is to offer one's life for something that does not belong to oneself."
"If the reason she challenges me shifts from Herrscher authority that originally had nothing to do with her to personal feelings that seem to give her more reason to get involved…"
"Then she would instead be unable to come up with a sure-win strategy and could only rely on her companions' power to defeat me."
Prometheus said as if lamented, "…In the end, you're still so arrogant."
Hare said in surprise, "Hmm? Isn't that a view only humans would have?"
"The faster the program that constitutes you evolves, the better."
For some reason, the delight in the other party's tone was rather worrying.
At the very least, Prometheus took half a step back because of it.
"Speaking of which… you actually wanted to ensure that the final victor would be her right from the beginning?"
Feeling the atmosphere was a bit awkward, Prometheus changed the subject with a straight face.
Hare said, "Why? Is that strange? After all, I need to give my past self a proper conclusion."
"The curse she left behind has finally turned into a gift—isn't that wonderful?"
Prometheus said silently, "…I somewhat understand now why the past you could get along with that Kevin without conflict."
Hare answered off-topic, "Venice has changed beyond recognition, and the best Greek islands are rapidly sinking."
"But it is precisely having, not preserving, that is worth cherishing."
Prometheus said thoughtfully, "The difference between having and preserving…"
"..."
"Wait, so you…"
Only then did Prometheus suddenly realize that the other party's frank interest in incubation seemed to imply something else.
Hare readily admitted, "Yes. No matter what, the Stigmata Plan no longer has anything to do with me."
"Whether for Herrschers who fight for humanity, for Kevin himself, or even for a certain Gray Serpent…"
"We are more suited to be pure observers, aren't we?"
At the same time, on the other side of the same night sky.
That lonely, dim blue dot was calling to another person embarking on the journey home.
At this moment, under the push of the Stigmata Plan, Earth had not only evolved into an unrecognizable appearance.
It was also still continuously merging with the fictional without pause.
On the TV screen, the Moon observed from outer space had a surface that looked more like a pupil.
Two rings of patterns resembling unknown script formed one layer, with a total of three layers surrounding the glowing center.
And in this former home of humanity, the followers of the serpent were tirelessly extracting all visible nutrients.
Pouring them into the bloodline of this alien star.
All things return to one—this was exactly the meaning of embrace.
However, among these followers…
Several Adams who had once declared their spirits and descended were missing.
And the Gray Serpent numbered 1904 had just collected a favor.
With a satisfied expression, he gazed at his homeland from the Moon.
"Raising children is ultimately much more interesting than fighting and killing."
Gray Serpent No. 1904 said so.
The similar words spoken once again at this moment already carried vastly different meaning.
Or rather, they had just been revealed.
"The Stigmata Plan can of course be carried out through others."
"But to ignite the entire planet with the spark, that requires much more effort…"
"…My lord."