"But what exactly is an inverse memetic..." March 7th's voice trembled. She couldn't imagine what it would be like for a living person to be "forgotten." "Why would we… forget Phainon?"
Black Swan's smile vanished, replaced by a look of gravity.
"Little girl, it's not just forgetting."
Her voice was soft,
"It's more like an erasure. A complete correction at the level of the universe's laws. Once an inverse memetic erupts, all traces of Phainon's existence, all causality, will be traced, cleared, and ultimately reduced to nothingness."
"It's as if he never existed."
"The time you spent with him will become blank, items he left behind will disappear into thin air, and even a certain thought in your mind caused by him will be logically reconstructed."
"To be forgotten by the world, even to forget oneself. That is more terrifying than death itself."
At these words, the room fell silent.
After a long while,
Himeko was the first to speak, a look of resolve flashing in her eyes.
"It seems the matter of the Watchmaker's Legacy must be put on hold."
Her voice was decisive, "Our top priority now is to bring Phainon back!"
"Agreed!" March 7th nodded vigorously, "I haven't taken many, many photos of him yet!"
"Me too!" Stelle's eyes were firm.
"We will never abandon any family member." Welt Yang's voice was deep and powerful.
Black Swan's lips curled slightly; clearly, she was pleased with this answer.
"Mm… I feel your determination, it's very good. Actually, there isn't no way to fight an inverse memetic."
These words were like a spark, igniting everyone's hope!
Black Swan explained to everyone:
"We need to construct an 'anchor point.' An absolute impression that, whenever mentioned, will point to 'Phainon.' I will solidify it with the Memokeeper's power to resist ultimate oblivion."
Everyone fell silent, beginning to search their minds for fragments about Phainon.
"Black robe, mask…" March 7th spoke, her voice a little hoarse, "And his maniacal laughter."
"His heavy past, and those eyes that have seen too much." Himeko softly added.
Welt Yang slowly spoke:
"The almost obsessive conviction he carries, the desire to save something."
Black Swan's gaze finally fell on Stelle.
"Little sleepyhead, what about you?"
"He's the partner I'll never forget." Stelle's answer was simple and direct.
But after she finished speaking, she suddenly glanced at Welt Yang.
Uncle Yang, I'm sorry.
If anyone in the world would be the last to forget Phainon, it would be Uncle Yang!
She quietly leaned into Welt's ear, and in a voice only the two of them could hear, she quickly whispered a few words.
Welt's pupils suddenly constricted.
He abruptly looked at Phainon in the Dream Pool, and in that instant, his heart felt as if it had been seized by an invisible hand, stopping their beat.
He pressed his hands tightly against his chest.
Belobog… white-robed… the figure in the posture of a god.
It really was him?!
"Hoo—"
Welt exhaled heavily, an indescribable wry smile appearing on his face.
He never dreamed that the nightmare he guarded against day and night would, at this moment, become the key to saving Phainon!
Indeed.
This imprint would be unforgettable for life.
"Alright."
Seeing this, Black Swan lightly traced her fingertip through the air.
"However, to ensure it takes effect, I must temporarily hide this 'anchor point establishment' memory. The more deliberately you try to remember, the faster the backlash of the forgetting law will be."
"Trust your subconscious, and trust your companions."
"Engrave him in the deepest part of your soul!"
Light and shadow flowed, memory matter reconstructed.
The solemnity and resolve in everyone's eyes quietly transformed into a brief bewilderment.
Black Swan took one last look at Phainon in the pool, her gaze complex.
"You truly have a group of… precious companions."
She turned, leading the Astral Express crew, who seemed as if nothing had happened, out of the room and back to the hotel lobby.
—
At the same time,
Deep within the dream, Room 0719.
[Body Meltdown: 64.831%...]
The numbers on the system's light screen continued to tick mercilessly.
Phainon's mind, however, was exceptionally clear.
The acceleration of the meltdown, the countdown to the inverse memetic eruption, and Sampo's "surprise" hidden in the shadows.
The three seemed independent, yet they were perfectly linked by Penacony, this massive dream.
To resolve the inverse memetic, the entire Penacony had to remember the name "Phainon," making his existence a grand, universally known performance.
And the larger the scale of this performance, the faster their progress, the sooner he could find the key to breaking the situation before his body completely melted down.
As for Sampo's gift… heh, perhaps he could ask the great Director Hua again.
A crazy and daring plan quickly formed in his mind.
He would turn the entire Penacony into his stage!
Phainon opened his eyes and left the room.
Outside the door, Mydei and Cipher stood silently, and not far from them, a figure stood alone.
Long purple hair, hollow and sorrowful eyes.
Acheron.
Cipher was circling Acheron, her cat tail almost spinning like a windmill, "Are you really capable of doing anything this time?"
"You, this is?" Phainon's voice sounded.
"Waiting for you, Deliverer." Mydei said concisely.
Phainon's gaze passed over the two and landed on Acheron.
A strange feeling, both unfamiliar and familiar.
As if they had already walked a long way together.
He calmly walked towards Acheron, "Hello, Miss Acheron."
Acheron looked up, and the moment she saw Phainon, a violent flicker of disorientation passed through her calm, ancient-well-like eyes.
Fragments of memory surged like a tide, yet turned into bubbles the instant they were touched.
Is it… him?
No, that's not right.
She sighed softly, a hint of wistfulness in her voice.
"So, there truly are people in the world who resemble each other so much."
She then explained, "I felt a familiar power here, and unconsciously came to this place."
"I apologize for the disturbance."
Acheron was about to turn and leave, but Phainon suddenly spoke.
"Since Miss Acheron is already here, why not act together? At least we'll have each other's backs."
Acheron's footsteps halted.
She turned her head, re-examining Phainon before her.
That familiar power was emanating from him.
She was stunned for a moment, then finally nodded slightly.
"Mm, that works."
Acheron looked at Phainon, "So, where should we go next?"