In the present-day Elysian Realm, Aponia was without question the most unique existence.
Because every other Flame-Chaser, Elysia included, was a memory body.
Only she was the actual person, integrated into this place in body and soul.
And on her person was a coordinate that could serve as an anchor-point medium.
Using it, and setting aside the question of 'cost' for now, Ling Ke could, just like the Otto of the original storyline working with Klostern, precisely locate a specific moment in the Previous Civilization Era.
Specifically, the eve of that era's Third Honkai Eruption.
Of course, by normal logic, anyone who had personally lived through that period should carry a similar coordinate on them.
For instance, Kevin and Fu Hua, both currently outside the Elysian Realm, and Griseo, still drifting somewhere up in the sky.
So setting aside Fu Hua, who was now firmly on the opposing side, and Griseo, who couldn't be found at the moment, why hadn't Ling Ke just asked Kevin for this favor directly?
The reason was simple.
Because Kevin, Fu Hua, and Griseo, the three Flame-Chasers who had survived into the Current Civilization Era, had all had their consciousness 'dormant' at some point.
The 'time' traces left on them were nowhere near as clear as those on Aponia, who had stayed 'awake' the whole way through.
There was also the Armed Puppet Klein inside the Elysian Realm, who'd been running around the clock for tens of thousands of years.
But unfortunately, she'd only been created after the Tenth Honkai Eruption of the Previous Civilization Era.
The timing didn't line up.
Only Aponia. To remember everything about her dearest friend Elysia. To remember her past. How she lived, how she fought, how she walked through the mire, how she crowned herself with thorns. Until finally, attending her own last banquet, dressed in her finest.
To remember everything about the 'Daughter of God,' the nun had stayed alone through the long ages.
From over fifty thousand years ago, all the way to today.
So only Aponia could provide the most precise 'coordinate.' Only she was qualified to be the 'anchor.'
Ling Ke, who had just finished his exchange with the so-called Honkai Will and had similarly had a flood of knowledge poured into his head, understood this clearly.
He admired the kind of resilient willpower it took to remain alone in the deepest darkness for fifty thousand years.
Because he couldn't have done it.
But precisely because Aponia had done it…
Today, carried alongside the 'malice' Ling Ke had brought, the Previous Civilization Era could finally have its 'second chance.'
In any case…
"So there it is. The 'second chance' for your era, right in front of you."
Inside the hall of the Realm, Domination Puppet Ling Ke stood before Aponia, voice calm, restating this for who-knew-how-many times. "Will you seize this once-in-a-thousand-year, no, once-in-ten-thousand-year opportunity? Or will you be the funeral offering this era gets buried with?"
When Aponia didn't respond right away, Domination Puppet Ling Ke went on without waiting. "If it were me, even the naive version of me from before, I'd accept this deal without hesitation."
"After all, whether or not this era has a future, it's ultimately not the era I lived in."
"And as long as my 'home' still has a sliver of hope, I wouldn't think twice about playing the villain for it."
"Not to mention…"
Domination Puppet Ling Ke laughed coldly. "Even if you refuse, this era has no future."
"My setup is complete. Thirteen hours from now, one way or another, my revenge will succeed."
"It's only a question of how."
Hearing that…
"Haa…"
A long sigh rang out not far off.
A pink-haired figure finally stepped into view.
Elysia, the second of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers, bearing the emblem of True Self. The goddess's daughter who loved everyone. The thing she'd least wanted to see in this world was the birth of someone like Ling Ke, a person consumed by revenge.
She'd already heard everything about Ling Ke in detail from Raiden Mei.
If at all possible, she genuinely hoped he could step out from the shadow of his past.
But the reason she hadn't revealed herself sooner was because the moment she'd observed Domination Puppet Ling Ke from the shadows, even at a single glance, she'd arrived at the same cruel conclusion as her friend Eden.
This black-haired young man's 'heart' had been broken beyond repair a long time ago.
If the water had already spilled past any hope of gathering, how could she even speak of drawing him out of the shadow?
For the first time, she had no idea how to persuade someone.
Because the Ling Ke of now was more Herrscher-like than any Herrscher of the Previous Civilization Era had been.
It was at this moment…
"Pretty Herrscher, I've got a question."
A voice deliberately laced with a hint of flirtation reached Domination Puppet Ling Ke's ears.
He turned toward the sound and saw, from another direction, a petite green-haired figure perched on a floating suitcase.
The tenth of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers, bearing the emblem of Infinity. Mobius.
This memory body who dared to scheme against her own main body had just one question right now.
"You just said you'd give our era a 'second chance.'"
Mobius narrowed those eerie snake-like eyes of hers slightly. "So, I'd like to know. Once your plan succeeds, what happens to us memory bodies?"
To that…
"Simple."
Ling Ke had clearly thought this through. Remote-controlling Domination Puppet Ling Ke from afar, he answered, "You aren't my enemies."
"So, as the two parties to this deal, I can guarantee your continued existence."
"I won't hide anything from you, either."
"For the initial period, I'll seal the entire 'Elysian Realm' inside my Theater of Domination and isolate it."
"After that… well, that falls under separate terms."
"Of course, any memory body who doesn't want to continue existing can choose to vanish along with this era."
"Personally, though, I'd advise against just washing your hands of the whole thing."
"Because next, it might be my enemies who end up trying to 'destroy the world.'"
"And among them is Raiden Mei, someone you all helped and placed so much hope in."
Hearing that answer…
"Then I'm good."
Mobius smiled, then spread her hands with a shrug. "A freebie like this, I'm not about to pass up."
She'd clearly stated her position.
As for the others…
"Haa…"
Aponia, just like Elysia a moment earlier, let out a long sigh.
She understood clearly. The Thirteen Flame-Chasers, nearly every one of them carried tremendous regrets about the past.
But this particular decision meant seizing the futures of billions of others in exchange for their own 'second chance.'
Given their characters, it was naturally hard to say out loud what they truly felt inside.
And so…
"Then let me, already weighed down by sin as I am, bear this 'karmic burden' alone."
As she said this, Aponia looked in a certain direction.
There, a fox-eared assassin had long since appeared.
She simply hadn't spoken.
Aponia still remembered the karma between them.
Over fifty thousand years ago, it was because of her 'Discipline' that this woman had died. Sakura's sister.
'This debt. I should settle it.'
Thinking that…
"I…"
"We accept your deal."
A low voice reached Aponia's ears.
Kevin. The memory body version of him inside the Realm stepped forward to stand in front of Domination Puppet Ling Ke, his expression resolute.
"As the other party to this deal, please remember, and remember forever, that this is a collective decision of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers."
"Not Aponia's call alone."
He turned to look at his comrades, all of whom had gathered without him noticing. "Sorry, everyone. From this moment on…"
"We are all sinners who've stolen others' hope with our own hands. 'World-destroying' sinners."
Hearing him speak with such finality, Elysia smiled.
At the bar counter, Eden had revealed herself. She raised her wine glass to him.
From inside the workshop, Vill-V cheered him on.
Kalpas, mobility restored, crossed his arms and gave a cold snort, saying nothing.
Su, who had appeared alongside Kevin, wore a helpless expression and shook his head with a faint laugh.
Sakura, Kosma, Mobius, Griseo, Hua. All of them had appeared.
And finally, Pardofelis, somewhat out of the loop.
"Boss Kevin, I'm not really sure what's going on exactly, but I've always got your back!"
"Uh, wait, wait a second."
The kitty suddenly scratched her head. "This time you're not gonna need a weak cat like me to put her life on the line, right? Hehe."
That interjection of hers dispersed a decent chunk of the serious mood in the room.
Watching all of this, the corners of Domination Puppet Ling Ke's mouth had curved upward, just barely perceptible.
He spoke slowly…
"Since I'm the other party to this deal, allow me to make one correction."
He was indirectly relaying the words of Ling Ke's main body. "Whatever others say, however they diminish or accuse you, I, the 'most evil' of us all, will acknowledge this."
"You are the true 'world-saving' heroes."
"Because this is what it really means to say…"
"Let me fall into darkness, so you can return to the light."
Hearing that, the Flame-Chasers froze for a moment.
But they recovered quickly.
Domination Puppet Ling Ke reshaped his shattered face back to whole, deliberately. "Then. The deal is struck. Let's begin."
He extended his right hand, palm down.
The Thirteen Flame-Chasers moved closer, each laying their right hand on top of his, one after another.
Even Mobius, who couldn't quite stomach the atmosphere, reluctance written across her face.
Even Sakura, mildly allergic to cat fur, keeping careful distance from Pardo.
Finally, it was Aponia who laid her right hand down.
In that moment…
The 'world-saving' plan that had begun with malice…
Was officially underway.
Just then…
[Congratulations, host. New Game Character Template acquired: Gilgamesh.]
Inside the Theater of Domination…
Ling Ke's main body wore an amused smile. "Oh. Now this is…"
"Pretty convenient timing."