Chapter 103: Let Me See What This Is All About
"Then I will trouble you, Teacher Welt." Irene nodded. It seemed things were going a bit smoother than she had anticipated; she had thought Welt would rather die than let anyone go.
"But not right now. You all might have to wait for a while." Welt changed the subject. "There is a certain guy watching nearby."
"When I let you out, there is bound to be some fluctuation. He will very likely seize this opportunity to forcibly break in. I must eliminate this possibility."
"I know who you are talking about. I will handle this matter." Irene nodded to Welt. "You just need to send Seele out."
"Hey, you don't understand how formidable he is at all."
"Rest assured, compared to you, I know much, much more." Irene patted Welt on the shoulder. "You just need to send Seele out. Don't worry about the rest."
"No, you absolutely don't know his power." Welt shook his head firmly. "His combat power isn't that of a Valk..."
Before Welt could finish, he saw Irene raise her hand. White mist and black mist surged from Irene's hand, accompanied by a special fluctuation.
"I am no ordinary Valkyrie." Irene looked at Welt and smiled. "I am the Herrscher of Death of this century. How about it? Surprised?"
"...In that case, I can't let Miss Irene go over there even more." Welt continued to shake his head firmly. He had discovered that the man held a peculiar hatred for Herrschers; he was a warrior of the Previous Era.
If she were a Valkyrie, perhaps he might spare her life. But if she was a Herrscher... if Irene was exposed, she might be cut down by the opponent first before being asked questions. Oh, wait, there probably wouldn't be a 'questioning' phase.
"Don't worry, I have other methods." Irene looked at Welt. "Don't forget, 'beware of white.' I was the one who told you that. Of course, seeing you now, you still don't seem to have reacted. What was the 'white' I told you to beware of?"
"...You knew from the very beginning..." Welt had indeed been bewildered by the beating at the start. Although he had seen the opponent's appearance, he truly hadn't immediately connected him to the so-called 'white.'
Even though the opponent had white hair, after Irene mentioned it, no matter how fiercely Welt had been beaten, he instantly understood. What did the 'white' Irene spoke of refer to?
"Sigh, I didn't expect you to be this dense." Irene shook her head with some regret. "Anyway, don't worry. Mr. Kevin and I can be considered acquaintances. I will make him stay here for at least a year. As long as no problems arise, he won't come over to disturb you."
"..." After remaining silent for a while, Welt asked, "Tell me first, what are you going to do?"
"Even if I told you, you wouldn't understand. In short, believe in me." Irene patted the somewhat worried Seele beside her, and finally bent down to speak.
"This uncle will send you back. I will take you to see your Elder Sister Bronya very soon. It won't take more than half an hour."
"Then Seele will wait for you here." Seele looked at Irene with concern. The words Irene spoke right now sounded very much like those supporting characters in novels or comics who set up death flags, and in such situations, they usually never came back.
"Anyway, having waited for so long, Seele doesn't care about this half-hour." Seele looked at Irene, a trace of determination flashing in her eyes. She didn't want this sister who came to save her to be trapped in the Sea of Quanta, or even die, because of her.
"That works too." Irene patted Seele's head, then looked at Welt one last time. "I leave this child to you. I'll be right back."
As soon as she finished speaking, Irene turned and rushed out of the Bubble Universe again, looking at Kevin, who seemed to have been following her to this vicinity since earlier.
"I guess, Mr. Kevin, you are waiting for me to activate the Cosmic Juggernaut, right?"
"Yes." Kevin nodded without concealing anything. "Since you are Su's successor, then you should have already learned about Project Stigma from him."
"So I am going to prepare to complete it. Are you going to stop this matter?"
"Correct." Irene nodded. "It is not yet time for you to take the stage, Mr. Kevin. I can only trouble you to stay in this Sea of Quanta for a while longer."
"You cannot stop me." Kevin could sense that the young girl before him, as the Herrscher of Death, should have decent combat power. But even though he was somewhat weak, he could judge that this girl before him could not block him.
Irene spread her hands, looking at Kevin with a smile, while the hand in her pocket touched a few cards.
"How do you know if you don't try?"
"Additionally, seeing as it is not yet time for Mr. Kevin to make his debut outside, I want to discuss something with you, or perhaps make a bet."
"What is it?" Kevin swept a glance at Irene. He could sense there was something in the hand she kept in her pocket, but he still felt that such a thing couldn't threaten him.
"To lighten Mr. Welt's burden, if Mr. Kevin can acknowledge my strength within the next ten minutes, you must not leave the Sea of Quanta for one year."
"Agreed." Kevin nodded without much thought. It was the same sentence again: he didn't believe the girl before him could achieve anything.
But if the other party could truly make him acknowledge her strength within ten minutes, then giving her a year's time would be harmless.
According to the intelligence provided by Gray Serpent during their last brief contact, the outside world had at most reached the Third Herrscher. Not even the Fourth Herrscher had appeared. There was indeed no need to be so anxious.
"You said this yourself, Mr. Kevin." Irene smiled, her gaze sweeping over the cards in her hand. "Additionally, I want to ask Kevin: do you believe Project Stigma is a justice that is necessary right now?"
"Yes." Kevin nodded without hesitation. "Even if this justice invites resistance from many people, it is an absolutely necessary justice."
"Someone has to do it—that final plan that no one is willing to execute."
"Civilization needs this justice." Kevin's eyes were incomparably firm. "I cannot see the possibility of the Current Era defeating the Honkai, so I will go and implement Project Stigma."
"So prove it to me. If you can make me acknowledge your strength, I can stay here for a year without going out."
"You also don't need to worry that I will go trouble that Herrscher of Reason. Quite the opposite, I will only make him go to a place that is very beneficial for him."
"Then, there is nothing more to say, right?"
"You said it~" A trace of a mischievous smile flashed at the corner of Irene's mouth. Subsequently, she directly snapped the card in her hand. A burst of pink radiance instantly flew out from the broken card.
Kevin frowned slightly as he watched that pink radiance. For some reason, he suddenly felt a trace of ominous foreboding. No, this era shouldn't have anything that could make him feel...
In Kevin's gaze, the pink light gradually condensed into form, revealing the appearance of Elysia.
"Hi! I didn't expect Little Corruption and Irene to call me over so quickly. Did you miss me?" Elysia subconsciously looked toward Irene immediately after greeting, but then noticed the familiar aura behind her.
"Oh, hi~ Kevin, long time no see. Did you miss me?" Elysia turned her head very naturally, looking at Kevin who was stunned in place. "Could it be that you were bullying Little Corruption and Irene?"
"No, no, I didn't." Kevin shook his head in a bit of a panic. Then, as if noticing something, he asked, "You are the Elysia from the Realm?"
"Who knows~ You can't pursue a girl's secrets to the end, you know." Elysia smiled playfully. "So, what is the situation now?"
"Mm, nothing much. It's just that I need Mr. Kevin to stay here for a year."
Irene explained the bet between them to Elysia.
"Because I feel I can't beat Mr. Kevin, I decided to pull Miss Elysia over too. We are now a righteous two-versus-one."
Kevin, on the side, listened to Irene's idea of an open and aboveboard two-versus-one, but he showed no fluctuation. His gaze was locked tightly onto Elysia. He looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't know if he should say it.
To be honest, if there was one person he didn't want to face right now, aside from Su, it would definitely be Elysia. He understood that Elysia didn't like Project Stigma.
Because Project Stigma was simply too cruel. For Elysia, that was an unacceptable price. Kevin knew this clearly, so Kevin didn't want to disappoint her. That was why he had originally decided never to enter the Elysian Realm.
Even if Elysia would know about Project Stigma, he didn't want to see Elysia. Yes, Kevin had chickened out.
Because Kevin knew that with Elysia's personality, although she wouldn't agree with Project Stigma, she understood that if there were no other way, Project Stigma was the final resort.
So if he saw Elysia, Elysia would understand why he was doing this, and would also be able to understand the necessity of why it had to be done.
Subsequently, Elysia would definitely use a look that was somewhat regretful, yet encouraging, to support the decision he had made.
But he dared not face that look. Even though he had already imagined that look, he dared not face it in reality.
He didn't want to disappoint her, or rather, he dared not face that look of disappointment mixed with encouragement.
"Sure enough, Kevin. Did you ultimately choose to go and execute it?" Just as expected, Elysia revealed a look that was somewhat regretful but carried a hint of encouragement as she looked at Kevin.
Kevin took a deep breath and looked at Elysia. "I'm sorry. Until now, I still do not believe the Current Era can span over the Finality that we failed to span."
"I cannot let everyone's efforts go to waste again. No matter how much of a price must be paid, humanity will definitely defeat the Honkai. This is my promise. No matter what price needs to be paid."
"Yes, that is what you would do." Elysia nodded. "Alright, don't keep your face so icy. Smile a bit, okay? I don't mean to blame you."
"I know." Kevin nodded, but he would rather Elysia blame him, scold him, or even be hostile to him right now. That might make him feel a bit better inside.
He wasn't afraid of being hostile to everyone. Over these years, he had long built up enough psychological preparation for himself. No matter what he had to face, he would walk in that direction.
But he truly couldn't face Elysia's eyes at this moment.
"But even if the two of you come at me together, I will still test your abilities." Kevin shifted his gaze to Irene, as if trying to escape.
"Prove to me that you have the ability to be looked forward to. Otherwise, I will definitely follow you back to the Proper World to execute Project Stigma. Prove it or accept it—this is the only thing you can do."
But Irene still didn't seem prepared to fight him. He watched as she took out a card and stuck it onto her body. Amidst surging light...
Irene turned into a differently colored version of Elysia. No, that wasn't right...
Kevin looked at Irene in this moment. After sensing the information the other party had been broadcasting since appearing, he immediately distinguished it: this was the Herrscher of Corruption.
Does she have two Herrscher Cores?
And just as Kevin was still somewhat puzzled, as if finally having finished setting something up, Irene opened her hands. Several rays of light flew out from Irene's body, constructing three human figures in front of Kevin.
And every single figure caused Kevin's eyes to tremble.
"Good morning, or good evening, Boss Kevin." Pardo waved her hand at Kevin, her face carrying a hint of the feeling of a long-awaited reunion.
"Good morning, or good evening, Mr. Kevin. Greetings to you." Fuxi looked at Kevin politely, bowing slightly to pay her respects.
"Good morning, or good evening." Nuwa's appearance seemed much more casual. "Ah, don't worry, we are all alive. Mm, considered alive."
"...I can see that." Kevin nodded somewhat stiffly. He already felt like he couldn't process the situation. What was going on now?
Elysia coming out of the Realm was one thing; after all, if Irene really was the Herrscher of Corruption, it wouldn't be strange for her to achieve this.
Although he didn't know why a Herrscher of Corruption would be born at this time. Clearly, when he communicated with that Herrscher of Reason earlier, he had heard that the current time was at most in the period of the Herrscher of Thunder, and even the Herrscher of Wind hadn't been born yet.
It was one thing for Irene to be the Herrscher of Death, but for her to also potentially be the Herrscher of Corruption... hadn't they already anchored the Herrschers through Prometheus?
And compared to Elysia, the Pardo, Fuxi, and Nuwa before him were all living people. Although only souls, he would absolutely not mistake that aura. They were, in a certain sense, still alive.
"Hehe, there's more than just this." Irene looked at the somewhat shocked Kevin, a smile of even greater bad taste rising on her face. She suddenly turned her head to look at Elysia.
"Speaking of which, how is Rin playing with Sakura over there?"
Sure enough, before Elysia could reply, Kevin, having been stabbed by a certain keyword, immediately looked at Irene. "Wait, who did you just say? Rin?!"
One couldn't blame Kevin for being so agitated. To him, Sakura's matter was forever a thorn stuck in his throat. If he hadn't stopped Sakura back then, perhaps the subsequent events wouldn't have happened.
To him, the matter of the Sakura and Rin sisters was undoubtedly a thorn traveling in his heart.
"Rin." Irene looked at the rarely agitated Kevin with a smile. "The Rin inside the Black Box. I saved Rin, and she is currently playing with Miss Sakura."
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