"Combat Continuation EX" activated.
Duration countdown: 5 hours.
Byakuya calculated his remaining time and slightly relaxed. Thankfully, he still had enough time to make the story more perfect, although he wasn't sure if what he was doing now was perfect.
It should be.
Byakuya was very clear that he was just a time traveler now. Even if he suffered more injuries, even if he truly died, it would not affect his original timeline self.
And he successfully saved everyone who should have sacrificed in the Second Honkai Eruption, concentrating all the pain and suffering on this body that didn't matter whether it lived or died.
Thinking about it, he should have made a big profit.
It's just... he still felt a little sad and wronged.
Byakuya arduously turned his head to look at Cecilia. The Saintess was holding him tightly in her arms, desperately urging Black Abyss White Flower to heal his injuries.
Although this was a futile effort, the Sixth Divine Key, Black Abyss White Flower, a Divine Key created from the Herrscher of Death's herrscher core of the Previous Era, indeed had the ability to bring the dead back to life and regrow flesh on bones.
But the moment Byakuya's "Combat Continuation EX" activated, it meant he had already died. He was merely holding on by his last breath now.
Although this last breath was a bit long, a full five hours. (laughs)
"Cough cough, why did it turn out like this?"
"Herrscher of the Void, don't talk anymore, I will definitely heal you, definitely..."
"I know my own body. Also, my name is Byakuya. None of you seem to have ever asked my name. Herrscher of the Void or whatever, that's not my name, cough cough, cough cough cough!"
"...I'm sorry."
Cecilia said with self-reproach and guilt.
A name is a very important thing. A person's name is proof of their being human.
The boy in her arms insisted on his human name, because even after becoming a Herrscher, he believed he was still human.
But everyone, including herself, except for his few companions, only called him Herrscher of the Void, as if subconsciously they no longer regarded him as human.
Cecilia showed shame.
She hugged Byakuya tightly, because all she could do now was to warm the boy's cold body as much as possible.
"Your name is Cecilia, right? Please tell me, is our wish really too much?"
"Sirin and I just want to live well; we don't want to hurt anyone."
"We just want to find a warm and beautiful place, Build a small home, and live."
"Is even such a wish too much for us to ask?"
Byakuya clenched his fists. His initial plan was to ignore Schicksal and Anti-Entropy, take the girls to a warm home, and live peacefully until the simulation ended.
However, reality was so cruel.
"I'm sorry, it's all the fault of us adults. You should have lived that kind of life, all of you should have lived that kind of life."
Cecilia said sadly, and the surrounding Valkyries also shed tears.
The boy's wish was not excessive at all, as kind as he was, deserving of everyone's gentle treatment.
"......"
Byakuya took a deep breath.
He arduously manipulated this scarred and exhausted body. He broke free from Cecilia's embrace and placed his hands on the Saintess's shoulders.
"...Cecilia, you must be a very good person, a very good mother, right? If so, can I ask you one thing? Please take care of Sirin and the others for me in the future. I'll give you my remaining herrscher core as compensation."
"I promise you, but you don't need to give me any compensation. All of us were saved by you; all of us owe you a life."
Even if it weren't so, I would still try my best to help you, Cecilia's voice trembled. She pulled Byakuya back into her embrace, feeling immense heartache.
"...Thank you, cough cough, I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone would actually help us without compensation. In Babylon, even a single bite of food required a price."
Byakuya didn't struggle this time. Cecilia's embrace made him feel less cold. The Saintess's warmth and softness made his body not hurt as much.
But he only enjoyed it for a short while. Although he really wanted to sleep deeply, he really, really wanted to spend all his remaining time on this.
Because Byakuya was experiencing the warmth of maternal love for the first time, something he had yearned for deep in his heart but had never found in two lifetimes.
At the same time, he felt relieved.
Byakuya believed that after entrusting Sirin and the others to Cecilia, they would be safe even if he was gone. This gentle mother would treat them well.
After all, she was a Saintess willing to sacrifice all her blood to save the residents of Siberia, and even at the end of the original plot, when she was about to be killed, she was willing to warm Sirin, who was deeply entrenched in darkness, lighting a ray of light in her life.
"Thank you for holding me like this. It's very warm."
"Huh? Why..."
Cecilia was stunned for a moment.
Byakuya's expression, as if he had received something precious, made her wonder what she had done to satisfy the boy.
She had just held him the same way she held Kiana.
"I... I don't have parents."
"!!!"
"If only you could be my mother, cough, hey~ that hurts. Even if I can still move, I can't fight like I used to."
Byakuya frowned, trying to adapt to his tattered body, secretly glad that a Herrscher didn't rely on their physical body for combat, otherwise it would have been truly difficult.
"...How could this happen?" Cecilia felt an unbearable heartache.
Why was this world so cruel to him? She truly wanted to say yes at this moment, as long as he didn't mind, she would be honored to be his mother.
"I'm sorry, Sirin, the promise we made might not be fulfilled. I can't go find a new home with you," Byakuya said sadly, stroking the purple-haired girl in his arms.
Sirin hugged his neck tightly, burying her tear-streaked face in his chest, as if afraid he would leave.
"I don't believe it. You never lie to me. You said we would start a new life together. Byakuya never breaks his promises to Sirin, so, so... we can definitely live together, right?"
"Listen to me, Sirin, Cecilia is a very good person. She will definitely..."
"No! I only want you by my side! You are more important to me than anyone else, and, although your wish, Byakuya, is for all of us to live together, I also have my own wish. What I want is... for you to live and smile at me. That's all I need."
The heartbroken Sirin cried out.
Her wish was so simple.
She just hoped Byakuya could live.
She just hoped this person could continue to smile.
"I really, really want to hear you sing one more time, I really want to hear you tell a story one more time. This time I will definitely not let go of you, so... please, Byakuya, don't abandon me," Sirin pleaded.
"...In the future, we will meet again. It might take several years, but I promise, we will definitely meet again in the future, Sirin, truly, so..."
Byakuya gently deprived Sirin of her consciousness.
"This isn't goodbye, just a temporary separation."
However, just as Byakuya was about to put down the girl in his arms, he found that even in an unconscious state, Sirin still held him tightly.
It was hard to imagine this was the strength of a 14-year-old girl.
But this was Sirin's determination not to let him go, as if saying that unless these two arms were severed, she would never let Byakuya leave her.
Finally, Byakuya even used the authority of the Herrscher of the Void to successfully break free from Sirin's embrace.
He kissed the girl's forehead.
"Sirin, when you wake up, you'll find everything has changed. You might feel lost, you might feel confused, but... never give up, never give up."
"This is a brand new future I've opened up for you. Live well with my blessings, and in doing so, we will eventually meet again one day in the future."
Sirin had already escaped her original fate.
She had survived the Second Honkai Eruption.
The girl's future was extended; as long as Sirin continued forward, the two would eventually meet in the original timeline.
Byakuya knew it would take a long time, but the worst fate had been rewritten by him. Sirin, Cecilia, they all survived the 'Second Honkai Eruption'.
The time of these people, which should have ended, was extended into the future because of his existence. He changed these tragedies, and... now he was trying to do even better.
After finally stroking the girl's purple hair, Byakuya handed her over to Cecilia and walked away.
"Where are you going?"
"That goes without saying. It's not my style to be beaten up like this and not say a word. We have an old saying in Shenzhou: a drop of kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring, and an arrow of hatred should lead to the slaughter of their entire family! While I can still move for a while, of course I'm going to have a good chat with that scoundrel, Otto."
After getting the coordinates of Schicksal from Siegfried, Byakuya immediately called Bella over.
"Roar, roar, roar—!"
The white dragon carried her master into the sky, flying at supersonic speed towards Destiny Floating Island.
Only Cecilia, Siegfried, Theresa, and a group of Destiny Valkyries remained.
Recalling Byakuya's inquiry about her information, Cecilia controlled the urge to cry. Regardless of success or failure, she would offer Byakuya her most sincere gratitude.
"We should also decide our next path."
Cecilia gazed in the direction Byakuya left, clenching the Black Abyss White Flower in her hand, muttering to herself.
............
In the sky.
"It seems there's really nothing left. He's already this close and hasn't done anything." Byakuya, riding Bella, quickly flew near Schicksal's Floating Island.
There was no interception throughout the entire journey, which was abnormally smooth, but it made sense when he thought about it—it was probably not that they didn't want to intercept, but that they truly couldn't.
To kill Byakuya, Otto had used up all of Schicksal's missiles; truly, not a single one was left.
"Roar, roar, roar, roar—!"
Seeing that scoundrel's headquarters right in front of them, Bella impatiently let out a roar of hatred.
She couldn't wait to cause havoc and kill that golden-haired scoundrel who hurt her master a thousand times over.
However.
"Bella, you go back too."
"Master?"
The white dragon transformed back into her silver-haired girl form. Bella looked at Byakuya in confusion, as if she didn't understand his command.
"Not just Sirin, as my companion Honkai Beast, Bella, you are also my family, so you must also live well and freely, understand?" Byakuya said gently, raising his hand to stroke Bella's cheek.
Benares, with her Pseudo-Herrscher Core and human body, had transformed from a Honkai Beast into a Pseudo-Herrscher.
But she could still go further.
From a Pseudo-Herrscher to a true human.
As the master who bestowed upon her life, power, thought, and existence, Byakuya never regarded Bella as his servant, but rather as family worthy of his protection.
"No, don't. Bella only wants to be with you forever, to forever follow your will!" Bella immediately panicked. For the first time since her birth, she refused Byakuya's will.
"Thank you, Bella, but... this is my selfishness. I hope the people I love have a beautiful future. Alright, don't make that face."
"But protecting you is the meaning of my existence, and I don't want to see you hurt anymore, and even less do I want you to... die," Bella said, lowering her head and clenching her small hands.
"Then, how about this, Bella, I command you to live freely, until the time we meet again in the future. Your master won't die, truly, I never lie."
Byakuya raised his hand to wipe away Bella's tears, gently coaxing the beautiful little dragon girl, while calculating the time until the Third Honkai Eruption.
"About 15 years? Hmm, I'll be back by then."
"Master, is that true?"
"Of course, we have a promise. Convey this to Sirin and the others too. Until then, you protect everyone for me, and then... fly freely to your heart's content."
"...Yes, Master, Bella will wait for you to return. Whether it's 15 years or longer, Bella will wait forever and ever for the day of your return!"
Promising to meet again, Bella agreed to Byakuya.
The dragon spread her wings and flew towards the distant horizon.
The golden-red twilight afterglow fell upon her dragon body, looking so beautiful.
Byakuya let out a sigh of relief. He glanced at the remaining two hours of his 'Combat Continuation EX' duration, then refocused his gaze on Schicksal's Floating Island.
"Alright, Otto Apocalypse, now receive a Herrscher's retribution."
Countless portals appeared behind Byakuya.
Numerous Honkai Beasts poured out from them, quickly forming a terrifying Honkai army of nearly ten thousand, almost entirely composed of Saint-Class Honkai Beasts.
Boom—!
The Herrscher of Flame's authority activated, and a strike comparable to Judgement of Shamash: Emission landed on Schicksal's shield, instantly burning and destroying it.
Byakuya spoke coldly.
"All forces, attack!!"