Entropy, through deciphering the strange electromagnetic waves transmitted from the Moon, intercepted Xilin's message.
Within the seventy-two-hour deadline, Zephyr and Walter boarded the Alarato and, at the very last moment, successfully reached the Moon.
The massive mech kneeled, landing steadily on the lunar surface.
Walter stepped out alone and finally met Bella, who had been waiting patiently.
As a Lawgiver, Bella could ignore the vacuum of space. But without a medium to carry sound, her voice reached Walter directly in his mind:
"First Lawgiver, Sister has been waiting a long time. Let me guide you."
Walter took in the sight of the winged girl, a form between Corruption Beast and Lawgiver. He had never seen such a creature.
"Sister says she wants to meet only you," Bella continued.
"First Lawgiver, please follow me."
Walter steeled himself for a suicide mission and followed her directions.
Seeing both leave, Zephyr donned his space suit and stepped out to carry out his own mission.
The Lunar Ruins Center
Xilin sat on a stone throne, awaiting Walter.
"Finally, you have arrived, First Lawgiver. I have waited for you," she said.
"I didn't expect you would come all the way to the Moon for mere ants."
"Are you prepared to trade your life for theirs?"
Now Xilin revealed her full power. Three pairs of angelic wings and a strange aura appeared before Walter's eyes.
Walter did not interrupt her display. He waited silently.
"Heh, afraid yet, traitor? This is the true power of God's Apostle," she said.
"If you obey me and serve my will, I might consider sparing you," she added.
Once Xilin finished her performance, Walter mocked her lightly and formed the Eden Star.
"Haha, I thought after all this time apart, you might have grown," he said.
"Let me teach you, then the wisdom of humanity."
"Bold words. I hope you can keep me entertained for a while."
Several massive Subspace Spears shot at Walter, but he easily dodged them.
"Of course, but attacks this slow won't hit anyone," Walter said, rising theatrically into the sky and fleeing rapidly.
"You'll need to be faster than that to hit me."
Xilin watched him escape and felt tricked. Her anger flared, and she called Bella to pursue.
"Hmph! This is what you call human wisdom? If you've got the skill, don't run! Bella, let's go!"
"Yes, Sister."
Once the pair left, Zephyr quietly approached the center of the lunar ruins and began the grueling labor of excavating Soul Steel.
Walter's task was simple: buy just half an hour of delay to ensure Zephyr's mission succeeded.
After a short pursuit, Xilin realized Walter was merely distracting her. She unleashed her spatial powers, teleporting Walter back in an instant.
"Now, you can't escape," she said.
"That's perfect. The one who can't escape is you, Second Lawgiver," Walter replied.
Pseudo Black Hole
"Hmph! Do you think you can defeat me like last time?"
Xilin forced the pseudo-black hole toward Walter with her powers.
"No wonder you ran when you saw me. Your strength isn't even half of last time," Walter said, stunned by her evolution. She could now suppress a pseudo-black hole by force.
"Hold on a little longer, my body," he thought.
Walter had to buy Zephyr enough time, even if it meant death.
Fifty-eight minutes later, Zephyr completed the collection task and returned to the Alarato, ready to leave.
Before leaving the Moon, Zephyr wanted to confront the Second Lawgiver with Walter.
Walter refused and posed a moral question:
"What matters more to you the survival of humanity, or the life of one person?"
Faced with a choice between one life and millions, Zephyr once again made the decision he had faced with Cecilia.
Now, Zephyr Caslana abandoned personal glory and activated the Alarato's return program alone.
Humanity's hope, flowing with blood, was returning to Earth. Yet every human step carries sacrifice, and civilization never forgets those who gave their lives.
Near the Pseudo Black Hole
"Not bad, you've lasted a minute. Too bad the game is almost over," Xilin said.
Walter, exhausted, smiled victoriously.
"What…? I felt something leave the Moon just now," she said, annoyed.
"Damn! What trick are you playing now?"
"Time's up!"
Xilin shattered the simulated Eden Star completely. The pseudo-black hole vanished, and Walter crashed against the lunar surface with a massive impact.
Fallen in the Endfall Crater, Walter had won his small victory.
"…Well done, Zephyr," he muttered.
Bella rushed to Xilin's side to report.
"Sister… I'm so glad you're okay. You've been holding out against that traitor for over an hour," she said.
"What? That's impossible! I couldn't have even lasted a minute…" Xilin exclaimed.
"Traitor! What did you do?"
Walter, lying on the ground, said nothing. Black hole effects can even alter time; a final heroic line seemed fitting.
"This is… human wisdom," he thought.
The first part of the plan was complete. The rest was left to Tesla and Einstein.
"Sister, the ant has already flown away. If we pursue…" Bella said.
"Don't worry. It's just an ant."
"Today's main course is that traitor!"
Walter struggled to rise, choosing to play along to buy extra time. He knelt on the ground, abandoning dignity no one was watching anyway.
"Traitor, what are you doing?" Xilin demanded.
"I waited three days, and now you can't even stand?"
Furious, Xilin raised massive stone pillars, demonstrating her power to Walter.
"You disappoint me!" she shouted.
"What are you doing? You said… if I came to the Moon… you wouldn't…"
Walter's performance convinced Xilin she was witnessing a true failure.
"I've changed my mind. Let's have some fun. I want to see your helpless face as meteors fall toward Earth," she said.
Seeing Walter rise and summon a weapon, Xilin's desire to dominate was satisfied.
"Still have the strength to stand? Good. Let's play. Entertain me fully."
"Let's see which is faster the meteors I throw, or the bullets from your toys!"
"Come, Second Lawgiver. This is my final battle…"
"I am proud. Even at the last moment, I can fight to protect this world," Walter said.
He unleashed his full power. After a bombardment, the battlefield lay in chaos.
"Well done. I didn't expect you could bring down all four stones," Xilin said.
"But it looks like you've used all your strength. The game is over."
Xilin slowly descended beside the kneeling Walter, reaching for his chest.
"Then let me claim my prize. Once I have it, my brother will return, and I can…"
Walter, seemingly powerless, suddenly grasped Xilin's arm.
"…Still resisting? What is this!?"
"What are you doing again, Second Lawgiver?"
Excessive Corruption Energy began consuming both their bodies, forming purple grid-like stripes.
Walter's Lawgiver Core simulated stellar collapse, compressing all Corruption Energy into a fusion stage. The core would convert into pure Corruption Energy, triggering a massive explosion and reducing everything to dust.
Tesla theorized that Xilin's Lawgiver Core could be drawn into the same fusion.
"You've hidden such a trump card… this power is intimidating even to me," Bella said, immobilized by the immense, active Corruption Energy.
"Interesting. I accept your challenge, traitor!" Xilin shouted.
"Second Lawgiver, let's turn into stardust together!"