"You all are so boring. Can't you ask him a question with a bit more originality? That trope has been used hundreds of times in people's stories! Even if it's to test his true intentions... No, wait. Does he even have the right to choose? Isn't he the person you all selected together? Hahahaha! This is killing me! He's actually not the person you chose!"
In the dark side of the universe, the figure behind a pile of masks clutched its stomach, laughing hysterically, as if it had just heard the greatest joke in existence. Though for It, this joke was probably funnier than "world-shattering," but that didn't matter. It now just hoped that the two beings before It could provide an "answer" that would make this fun even richer.
"...."
A pair of colossal eyes lowered, seemingly in deep thought, and did not offer an answer.
"We did not choose him. We have never made a choice, nor do we have the power to choose... The one who chose him, was himself."
[Equilibrium] replied as such. Its words were ambiguous, as if... It did not know the reason either.
"Hahahaha! I thought the last part was the biggest joke, but it turns out you all are the biggest joke! Hahahaha!"
The figure behind the masks laughed heartily. The two figures before It remained as they were, motionless, allowing the [Elation] before them to mock them. They were already used to it, and besides...
There was still one [*] who had yet to ask a question.
---o---
"Third question."
The scene before Wende's eyes vanished in an instant, and the world returned to the vast snowfield. The machine before him continued to ask him bizarre questions in its emotionless voice.
"Who are you?"
This was a classic philosophical question, but it was clear that the robot before him wasn't asking a question without an answer.
Glancing around, Wende saw that the snowfield remained unchanged. He focused his gaze once more on the machine's question.
"Who am I?"
Stroking his chin, thousands of thoughts flashed through Wende's mind. If the answer was simply "I am me," then the question itself would lose all meaning. So it couldn't possibly be that simple.
But this question...
Wende couldn't help but fall into recollection: himself in his past life, studying so hard for a qualification certificate that his hair was falling out; himself when he had just transmigrated to Star Rail, still buzzing with excitement; the "disciple" version of himself from his memories; and now, himself as the logistics officer and part-time doctor of the Astral Express...
There was also Wendy's rehabilitation therapist, the savior from the Mara-Struck, the number one person people went crazy for in reality, the assassin who took out Cocolia... uh, maybe that last one didn't count...
Without realizing it, had he already accumulated so many identities?
So who was he?
Wende raised his head again, staring at the question on the machine. He closed his eyes, contemplated for a moment, and finally gave his answer.
"I am Wende. That's all."
Wende crossed his arms, delivering his final answer.
Although this answer didn't seem much different from "I am me," and might even look like a simple self-introduction, he was only the person he was now. But "Wende"... that name spanned across every version of himself, across any time period... No answer was more fitting for this question.
"...."
"You answered well. Next time, don't answer."
The machine fell silent for a moment. Then, a voice completely different from the previous electronic tone emanated from it.
It was a steady and ancient voice, one that seemed to have witnessed the shifting of seas and stars, like a calm, ancient ocean, restraining its emotions.
But Wende felt like the voice was struggling to maintain its composure. Was there a problem with his answer? His answer should have been brilliant.
"Who are you?"
Wende's brows furrowed. The Yang Sword in his hand was pointed directly at the machine, ready to cleave it in two at the slightest movement.
"Me? You need not know. You should go and rescue your companions first. They too are trapped in their own illusions, unable to extricate themselves. But from the looks of it, you are the only one who can save them. After all, those illusions are so happy and beautiful..."
The machine sighed with great emotion. Then, a series of shattering sounds echoed around Wende. The snowfield broke apart like glass, dissipating into cosmic dust. Before him, March 7th was curled up like a sleeping child, a serene smile on her face as if she were having a wonderful dream.
Her body was enveloped in a pink, mist-like substance. Under its effect, she slept exceptionally soundly. But as March's consciousness gradually sank deeper, that pink substance began to twist and fragment, as if the data had been corrupted. Dense strings of characters began to erode her body, yet she continued to dream.
"March? March! Wake up!"
Watching March being consumed by the characters, Wende had no time to ponder who the voice belonged to. He immediately shouted at March, who was floating not far in front of him.
But his shouts seemed to not reach her at all. Her smile remained just as brilliant and sweet.
"It seems I can't wake her with my voice directly. Is it because sound can't travel in a vacuum?"
Seeing that calling out was useless, Wende decided to take the initiative. He floated in space, propelling himself with the power of Primordial Chaos, slowly approaching March. He reached out, his hand passing through the chaotic code, through the strange mist, and directly grasped March's wrist...
At that moment, the world began to change once again...
---o---
"Wende! I'm so hungry! Come on..."
March, having just woken up, rubbed her drowsy eyes. She walked brazenly to Wende's bedroom and pushed the door open, intending to call him to make breakfast.
But the scene that followed made March's jaw drop, her face a mask of shock.
"Th-There are two Wendes here? I must still be dreaming. I should just go back to sleep..."
The clever March immediately concluded that she was most likely in a dream, because it was impossible for two Wendes to exist at the same time. After all, how could the Astral Express possibly be haunted...
Just as she was thinking this, she saw one of the "Wendes" before her suddenly transform into a Punklorde monster and lunge at her with a ferocious expression.