Golden insects slowly turned into feathers, dispersing completely into the cosmos.
Alongside their disappearance was the laughter that hadn't ceased since the seven-colored brilliance first shone.
AHA had witnessed the most anticipated amusement of recent times. HOOH—the Blockhead—had meticulously manipulated everything, all to achieve a certain goal.
Yet at the very end, just before success, all THEIR painstaking efforts crumbled.
Nothing succeeded. The long-anticipated scene of the old and new bugs clashing never materialized.
But even though it didn't happen, isn't this still incredibly fun?
AHA thought the whole situation was extremely amusing. Right now, AHA desperately wanted to know what HOOH was thinking.
[BLOCKHEAD, WHAT NOW, WHAT NOW? THE OLD BUG IS DEAD, BUT THE NEW ONE IS STILL ALIVE...]
AHA's voice was filled with fearful anxiety:
[LET'S GO FIND ROCKY TOGETHER. HIS HAMMER CAN DEFINITELY SQUASH THEM FLAT!]
AHA behaved exactly like someone who discovered cockroaches at home, wanting to completely eradicate every single one of them.
Yet Titania's revival had been personally engineered by AHA.
But the stone figure, hands clasped together, did not respond as AHA had hoped. Instead, THEY calmly uttered a single word:
[EQUILIBRIUM. (MY OBJECTIVE HAS BEEN ACHIEVED.)]
AHA momentarily couldn't understand their words.
[BLOCKHEAD, HAVE YOU GONE SENILE? HOW EXACTLY HAS YOUR OBJECTIVE BEEN ACHIEVED?]
Wasn't HOOH's purpose precisely to create two species subject to the grand environment, which would instinctively slaughter each other whenever one grew excessive, restoring balance?
The scene before THEM hadn't fulfilled THEIR original vision at all.
[EQUILIBIRUM. (EVEN IF THE ULTIMATE GOAL WASN'T REACHED, IT'S WITHIN AN ACCEPTABLE RANGE.)]
HOOH's indifferent gaze briefly passed over AHA. THEIR initial purpose for coming here had always been to restrain this guy.
Precisely because this guy wanted to revive an AEON, HOOH had appeared here in the first place.
The two species killing each other had simply been the most ideal outcome.
Right now, because Titania's power had been excessively devoured, her remaining strength wasn't even one percent of what she'd possessed upon revival.
She no longer had enough power to upset the balance of the cosmos.
[BUT—BUT SO MANY OF THE BUGS DIED! THEY WERE ALL INNOCENT!]
AHA sorrowfully defended those dead bugs.
The True Stings shouldn't have appeared here. They should've ravaged other star systems, but because of the Emanator's summons, they had come to this place.
Thus, they died here—somewhere they weren't supposed to die.
According to the path HOOH had laid out, those little bugs shouldn't have perished here.
They hadn't yet destroyed the star systems that should've been destroyed, nor had they tasted the thrill of planetary annihilation before prematurely falling here.
[WAAAAAAAH~~ LITTLE BUGS, POOR ADORABLE LITTLE BUGS!]
AHA's mournful cries rang out like a child losing a long-cherished toy.
Unfortunately, THEIR ever-smiling visage didn't convey the slightest genuine sadness.
HOOH remained unaffected by THEIR old friend's antics, silently observing the utterly ridiculous performance.
Suddenly, AHA seemed to realize something. With a shake, THEY instantly returned to normal as if THEY'D never wept.
[AHAHAHA! I ALMOST FORGOT—BLOCKHEAD, YOU LOVE RIGGIN THINGS BEHIND THE SCENES THE MOST!] AHA burst into hearty laughter again.
HOOH's specialty had always been accomplishing tasks unseen. Everything appeared completely natural, without any interference.
Yet, in truth, THEY had embedded THEIR hands deeply into every inch of the cosmos long ago.
Every seemingly accidental event had long been within THEIR control.
The bugs had appeared to prematurely perish here, saving star systems that should've been destroyed, allowing those who should've died under the swarm to survive.
But in reality, THEY'D simply exchanged these deaths elsewhere.
Looking around, within hundreds of light-years, hardly any intact planets remained. Apart from stars, everything had been annihilated in the swarm disaster.
Star systems here were destroyed, allowing those elsewhere to remain untouched.
Lives here ended in catastrophe, allowing people elsewhere who should've died to continue existing.
Some catastrophes perhaps shouldn't have occurred; they'd hidden themselves so very well.
Yet some bugs "accidentally" noticed these hidden places at just the right moment.
Therefore, despite the swarm being greatly weakened, reduced by over seventy percent, the star systems and people fated for destruction had still remained in equilibrium.
AHA discovered this balance and found it terribly amusing. HOOH truly lived up to THEIR name.
Yet it wasn't enough—not quite enough. Even though they hadn't seen each other for ages, THEIR techniques hadn't rusted at all.
HOOH's balancing reminded AHA of previous times when THEY'D been disappointed.
But it had been so long since THEY'D last been disappointed that now, ironically, THEY found it rather amusing.
HOOH's form gradually vanished, departing from this place. After balancing, the cosmos returned to equilibrium once more.
Nothing had changed. THEY merely maintained the scales, ensuring both sides remained equal.
This equilibrium would persist until...
In the pitch-black depths of the cosmos, seven-colored radiance illuminated those shattered planets.
AHA laughed even more cheerfully now that HOOH had vanished.
Faced with such power, Blockhead chose to intervene personally!
...
Seven-colored, glass-like radiance erupted. Feathers around gathered as if summoned to a single spot.
The feathers piled together like kindling, causing the seven-colored brilliance to expand even further.
Initially mere specks of starlight, it gradually lit up all the fragmented planets around.
Sora lifted his right hand high. The feathers gathering there shone brilliantly, like a miniature sun.
"With this much life energy... maybe I really can revive them."
Sora intended to use the power of Infinite to resurrect those who died from the swarm invasion, those who died resisting the swarm, and those who'd died helping him.
Initially, he'd doubted it was possible. But now, holding these feathers transformed from absorbing so many of the swarm—
With this much power, he might really succeed!
Seven-colored radiance spread outward from the horn.
Yet just as Sora's power was about to radiate out across these light-years, an invisible force quietly intervened, trying to stop everything from unfolding.
It wasn't an external power—but a fundamental law of the cosmos itself—the rule that life couldn't casually cross the boundary between death and rebirth.
A force from the depths of space surged, completely covering this hundred-light-year region, halting the spread of brilliance in its tracks.
People outside continued as usual, unaware that within this region, everything had come to an absolute standstill.
From outside, this place appeared as black as ever, the dazzling brilliance halted before fully illuminating it.
Sensing this, Sora opened his eyes, seeing a colossal stone sculpture silently observing him from within the cosmos.
Its form spanned multiple light-years; compared to it, Sora was merely a speck of dust.
The radiance illuminated its entire form clearly to him.
"You're..."
HOOH sensed the strange, marvelous power shining in Sora's hand.
This power, completely unfamiliar even to THEM, seemed filled with countless possibilities, perhaps even capable of truly bringing back the deceased.
Thus, THEY personally froze hundreds of light-years, halting the process.
Too many lives would disrupt the equilibrium. One who had previously achieved such a feat became the AEON of PROPAGATION—TAZZYRONTH.
TAZZYRONTH had nearly destabilized the entire cosmos—an alarm that still rang clearly in HOOH's mind.
Thus, facing such power, THEY chose to intervene personally at this moment.
A certain force surged from THEIR body, enveloping Sora.
Within Sora's palm, the seven-colored feather condensed the essence of life force.
This feather, formed from the swarm, was crucial for resurrecting those lost.
HOOH needed only to add a tiny something to disrupt Sora's ritual completely.
But right then, THEY noticed that Sora, despite being immobilized, seemed to twitch slightly.
Hmm?!
HOOH was puzzled, sensing another power surging within Sora, constantly climbing higher.
It felt as if Sora's body was evolving, adapting.
Evolving to what? Adapting to what? Of course—to this halted universe itself!
Sora's body continued evolving infinitely. Even if paused, he'd evolve until he ignored the pause entirely.
"What exactly are you trying to do?"
At first, only his fingers twitched lightly. Then his entire body moved. Sora was adapting faster than HOOH anticipated.
Before THEY could even act, the other had nearly adapted to movement within this paused cosmos.
And the power kept growing continuously. If this continued, the young man before THEM might shatter biological equilibrium altogether, entering an entirely new state.
As for what the next stage of continuously increasing power might be—HOOH THEMSELF was living proof.
The ability Sora previously used—transforming countless bugs into feathers—had deeply alarmed THEM.
This power might surpass even TAZZYRONTH THEMSELF. If Sora ascended to AEONHOOD, no one knew what would happen.
Thus, before understanding Sora's beliefs, HOOH chose negotiation.
[EQUILIBRIUM. (LIFE AND DEATH ARE BOTH INTEGRAL TO COSMIC EQUILIBRIUM. ANY ACT BREAKING THIS BALANCE WILL RESULT IN UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCES.)]
HOOH spoke only one word, but Sora understood clearly.
Human decline, shattered families, exploding ships, annihilated planets, cosmic catastrophes...
These scenes flashed vividly through Sora's mind—all caused by disrupted equilibrium.
"You want me to abandon reviving them?"
The brilliance had already frozen; the resurrection halted at this very instant.
[IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAVE EVERYTHING. THUS, EVERYTHING MUST REMAIN IN BALANCE.]
Maintaining everything in balance—that was how the cosmos could continue its winding journey through eternity.
Breaking equilibrium even briefly could plunge events into an uncontrollable abyss, and at that point, many more would die.
The past had shown countless examples validating THEIR stance:
Whether it was the Dusk War or the birth of PROPAGATION…
Everything seemed to demonstrate that the path THEY walked was correct.
Precisely because this path was correct, no further explanation was necessary!
HOOH said nothing more, manipulating THEIR power to envelop the seven-colored feather.
But at that very moment, Sora clenched his fist, directly expelling HOOH's force and pushing his own power to the peak!
HOOH also heard a voice filled with furious defiance at this instant:
"So this is your excuse for toying with lives?"
"Just what exactly do you think life is?!"
Alongside his surging emotions came renewed power; the frozen brilliance once again illuminated the devastated star system.
Krr-krr-CRACK—!
Wherever the radiance touched, countless shattering sounds rang out—as if some oppressive force was being swept away.
But in the next instant, innumerable obstacles descended again, the fundamental principles of the universe itself moving against him.
It wasn't only physical laws—obstructions came from Imaginary Numbers, Quantum states, and even the Paths of destiny themselves.
[BREAKING EQUILIBRIUM FOR THIS MOMENT COULD INVITE GREATER CALAMITIES. AT THAT TIME, EVEN MORE LIVES WILL BE LOST.]
HOOH spoke plainly: [CAN YOU TRULY ACCEPT IT?]
Wasn't your goal to save more lives? Wasn't your intention to rescue more people?
If you resurrect these few now, many others may perish because of your actions—are those consequences something you truly desire?
HOOH intensified THEIR power further, striving to suppress the spreading brilliance.
If THEY could repress this and eliminate that seven-colored feather, the threat to cosmic EQUILIBRIUM would vanish instantly.
Yet, just when HOOH believed THEY had successfully upheld the balance, Sora spoke again.
"I don't know if rescuing these people will bring disaster."
Sora's tone had become exceedingly calm, as he looked upon the immense stone sculpture before him, saying quietly:
"But there's one thing I know clearly..."
"If I have the power to save them but choose not to, I'll never be able to forgive myself for the rest of my life."
Sora held the seven-colored feather up to his [Ghost Driver], watching it dissolve into shimmering particles.
'[CHOU DAIKAIGAN!]'
Some of the people Sora was trying to revive had died to help him; others had no connection with him at all...
But no matter what, if he now possessed the power to save everyone, he would never choose to watch these lives slip away before his eyes.
'[MUGEN!]'
If calamities arose later due to his actions, he would personally confront them. Even if it meant his death, he would have no complaints.
But now, in this moment, he had the means to restore the lives already lost—so how could he possibly ignore them?
'[GOD OMEGA DRIVE!]'
Brilliance coalesced onto his right fist, and Sora unleashed it directly into the boundless, pitch-black galaxy!
A dazzling, seven-colored Möbius ring instantly expanded, enveloping the entire galaxy.
At the Möbius ring's center, a small [Eyecon] carried infinite hope, erupting with energy.
Using the [Infinite Eyecon] as the basis, Sora forcibly initiated the resurrection!
"I'm not a god, and I'm not omnipotent. But I will reach out and save every life within my power." That's all there is to it.
HOOH's emotions remained entirely unmoved. THEY looked at the Möbius ring encompassing even THEIR own form, sensing the connection between it and Sora.
That meant—if Sora were defeated, the resurrection would halt immediately.
THEIR gaze settled on Sora, who had already undone his transformation.
Then, for the sake of cosmic EQUILIBRIUM, you shall perish here.
Sora immediately sensed extreme danger all around him. The fundamental laws of the cosmos intended to crush him utterly.
Without [Mugen Damashii], he appeared frail, vulnerable.
Yet despite all this, he showed no hint of fear.
"I still have one last option."
Sora drew forth another [Eyecon], this one crimson red, as a roguish voice echoed in his ears:
[THIS POWER FEELS VERY FAMILIAR.]
But it was futile.
HOOH manipulated the cosmic Order. Sora's body folded instantly, shrinking repeatedly until he became no larger than a palm-sized figurine.
[EVEN THOUGH YOU POSSES SUCH A SPECIAL ENERGY, YOU STILL CANNOT ACHIEVE ANYTHING.]
Next, it would suffice to utterly annihilate Sora and erase the symbol of Infinity.
HOOH again commanded Order—but this time, it had no effect whatsoever on Sora.
Instead, he returned from palm-sized stature to his normal form.
The source of all this was an extremely weak-looking book.
It floated quietly in space, appearing utterly inert.
Then, with a flash of brilliance, particles identical to the crimson Eyecon were entirely absorbed.
And the book once again transformed, becoming a brightly shining eye.
HOOH suddenly felt as though THEY were being observed simultaneously by countless existences.
[WHAT IS THIS THING?]
Sora picked up the object in surprise, quickly breaking into a faint smile.
Thank you, senpai-tachi, for lending me your strength.
"Let the soul burn bright!"
Nodding to himself, Sora placed the Eyecon into the Driver.
'[KAIGAN!]'
'[GACHIRIMINA~]'
'[GACHIRIMINA~~~]'
It sounded like the recital of a heroic epic, mixed with echoes of countless voices—men, women, and even children—chanting the hero's name!
"[Henshin!]"
'[KAMEN RIDER!]'
In that instant, innumerable silhouettes seemed to pour into Sora's body. On the distant horizon, endless radiance resonated with them!
'[NO MATTER WHEN, THE BRILLIANCE OF HEROES PROTECTS LIFE AND SMILES!]'
Throughout the starry sea, infinite lights echoed in harmony, blessing Sora's form in brilliance.
FWOOSH—!
In that instant, HOOH glimpsed flames blazing upon that figure!
What exactly was this?
This time, HOOH truly could not comprehend—why was it suddenly so noisy? What were these absurd beings?
[JUST WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU?]
At that moment, the burning presence casually waved away the surrounding flames.
"I'm just an ordinary person borrowing their strength. Remember that well."