Meanwhile, inside Hyperion's data space…
The ruins of New Zealand vanished in an instant.
In their place, a new world formed., the sky turned dark. A freezing wind howled endlessly across a barren, snow-covered land.
Bronya stood still, her eyes widening slightly.
Bronya : "Snow. It's snowing."
Gray Serpent's voice echoed through the storm.
Gray Serpent : "This is your birthplace. The West Siberian Plain, ravaged by the 2nd Honkai Eruption. Do you remember, Bronya?"
Bronya answered without hesitation.
Bronya : "Bronya remembers."
The wind intensified, carrying fragments of memory with it.
Gray Serpent : "Right here, a helpless orphan named Bronya was turned into a trained killer."
Bronya's gaze lowered slightly.
Memories surfaced—
faces she could never forget.
Bronya : "Seele... and my friends at the Orphanage."
Suddenly a sharp pain struck her mind.
Fragments of a distant tragedy resurfaced, tearing through her consciousness.
Gray Serpent's voice grew colder.
Gray Serpent : "Remember it? The experiments you endured? Project X-10 took away your butterfly."
Bronya resisted, forcing herself to stand firm as she glared at him.
Gray Serpent : "Perhaps you don't. It's nothing but pain."
Bronya responded, her tone steady.
Bronya : "Bronya's emotive center was damaged. Bronya does not feel pain."
A low chuckle from Gray Serpent followed.
Gray Serpent : "Some feelings go beyond the brain. They're part of your pathetic soul. Enjoy your painful memories and savor your helplessness. "
The world twisted again.
Memories flooded in—merciless, overwhelming.
Her failure.
Her helplessness.
The moment she lost Seele.
Bronya dropped to one knee, struggling against the surge.
Bronya : "...These are... illusions."
Gray Serpent's voice softened—mockingly.
Gray Serpent: " Does your past disturb you? The Serpent shall embrace you and end this agony, Bronya. You're the chosen one. You survived Project X-10. You're the only one who returned with the Sea of Quanta's gift. You're fated to be the heir to the Serpent."
Bronya lifted her head, her eyes sharp despite the pressure.
Bronya: "The Bronya refuses!"
Gray Serpent's tone darkened.
Gray Serpent: "Don't be stubborn, child. I know the pain that burns within you."
The world shattered again—
and was replaced by darkness.
Black void.
Crimson lines spread across the space like veins.
Gray Serpent stepped forward slowly, his presence suffocating.
Gray Serpent: "Remember the control switch that Cocolia planted in your brain?"
Bronya answered immediately.
Bronya: "It was burnt out."
Gray Serpent nodded slightly.
Gray Serpent: "You're right. The chip was broken easily."
With a flick of his hand, multiple figures appeared.
Dozens of Bronya copies, all clad in the Black Nucleus battlesuit, surrounded her.
Gray Serpent's voice echoed from all directions.
Gray Serpent: "But the pain it had caused might be harder to shake off."
His eyes glowed a deep crimson as he advanced.
Gray Serpent : "It's time, Bronya Zaychik."
Gray Serpent: "Submit to your own guilt."
In the real world…
Bronya sat motionless, her consciousness still trapped within the digital realm.
At her side neck, the blue crystal necklace Kouga had given her began to glow.
Back in the data space…
That same light manifested behind Bronya.
A figure began to form—
calm, radiant, and powerful.
With a simple wave of his hand—
every Black Nucleus clone shattered like glass.
The shockwave forced Gray Serpent backward.
Gray Serpent : "What ?"
Bronya looked up, startled.
Then she felt a warm hand resting gently on her shoulder.
She turned and saw him.
Kamen Rider Zero-Two.
Her voice was quiet, almost instinctive.
Bronya : "Subject Kouga."
Zero-Two stepped forward.
He extended his hand, as if grasping something invisible.
At that exact moment—
Gray Serpent's body jerked violently.
It was as if an unseen force had seized him.
Electricity surged across his form, tearing through him.
Gray Serpent : "AAAHHHH"
He struggled, barely able to move, his voice breaking under the pressure.
Gray Serpent : "To think .... Such ... A Being... Exist... AAAHHH"
Even so, he forced himself to speak.
Gray Serpent : "No matter ... I've acquired ... what I want. Farewell, Bronya... Have fun ... in this Illusory labyrinth... for all eternity."
Before Zero-Two could finish him—
Gray Serpent's form flickered and vanished.
The illusions collapsed.
Reality began to dissolve into raw data.
A violent tide of information surged toward Bronya, threatening to overwhelm her.
Zero-Two quickly pulled Bronya into his arms, shielding her completely.
A digital barrier formed around them, holding back the raging torrent.