After silently asking Caeluslana to die for her, Cyrene gave Phainon one last look.
I hope this child won't be too heart-broken… After only a glance, Cyrene met Caeluslana's golden eyes and nodded.
Yet… Caeluslana's expression was conflicted; she clenched her fists, bit her lip, and turned away, eyes shut.
Now that a new hope had appeared, she no longer wanted these hands of hers stained with Cyrene's blood.
Although Cyrene wouldn't truly die—her memories would simply be uploaded to the Demiurge Matrix.
In truth, that was no different from death.
But…
Besides, she now found herself unable to take the step.
The Group Owner, Digi-Na, and the other members had brought the shattering of Eternal Calamity Reincarnation, giving her hope of completely halting Re-Creation.
"Accept my power, let time stand vacant, and stop Re-Creation, Caeluslana."
Cyrene's gentle voice suddenly echoed in Caeluslana's mind.
But Caeluslana shook her head fiercely, took a deep breath, and looked at Cyrene.
"This time, my friends and I will put an end to this endless loop…"
"Well now… that's an answer I've never heard before…"
Cyrene's face stiffened; then she sighed softly and gave a radiant smile.
"In that case, I'll be looking forward to it~♪"
Though Caeluslana could no longer bring herself to act, Cyrene knew that to stop Re-Creation and enter the next cycle, her power was indispensable.
Since Caeluslana couldn't do it…
When the situation became irreversible, she would simply have to do it herself, Cyrene thought inwardly.
She wouldn't force Caeluslana to go against her heart.
Besides, in this cycle the girl had kept such a clear sense of self—no longer driven by that instinctive force.
Perhaps… this time there really would be a turning point?
Cyrene turned toward Omnimon, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
In previous cycles, this figure had never appeared.
And the "friends" Caeluslana spoke of must be this one… and some other guests not of Amphoreus.
"Cyrene, what's over there?"
Phainon followed her gaze but saw nothing; he frowned in puzzlement.
Cyrene simply stepped back, hands playfully behind her, leaning slightly forward, a cute smile curving her lips.
"Nothing~"
"All right…"
Phainon scratched his head and shrugged.
Omnimon, too, withdrew its gaze from the source of the pink ripple.
After gently setting the two girls in the flower field, Omnimon shifted into the shape of a young maiden before their astonished eyes.
"Phainon, you don't have an older sister or anything, right?"
"No. You know my family best, Cyrene…?"
Phainon was equally bewildered—how could this white-haired girl look so much like him?
"Hello. In this form… I am Kiana Omnimon."
Digi-Na brushed back a strand of hair, placed one hand on her hip, and smiled at them.
Next she planned to investigate that ripple; her true body was too conspicuous, so a human shape suited a covert search.
"Wow~ You really do look alike~♪"
Leaning in, Cyrene brought her face inches from Digi-Na's and exclaimed.
Not satisfied with looking, she poked Digi-Na's cheek several times.
"Phainon, her skin feels just like yours~"
You don't have to mention that!"
Phainon's face flushed crimson; he ground his teeth in protest.
Group Owner Na: This tiny Cyrene is sooo cute—want to keep one!
Niúmǎ Na: If possible, give me one too.
"Stop poking—it tickles."
Digi-Na caught Cyrene's hand, only for the girl to dive straight into her arms.
"Aha~ Kiana, you're so bold~"
A mischievous glint flashed in Cyrene's eyes.
Digi-Na's face darkened; she flicked Cyrene on the forehead.
Dong~
"Oww, flicking my forehead…"
Rubbing the spot, Cyrene puffed her cheeks and shot a resentful look.
Digi-Na shook her head slightly, exchanged a glance with the hidden Caeluslana, then set off toward the ripple's source.
"Where are you going?"
Phainon called after her, curious.
"Things to do. Don't follow."
Digi-Na waved without looking back, as though bidding them farewell.
Seeing this, Caeluslana also vanished from sight.
Cyrene watched Digi-Na leave, a knowing look on her face.
That direction… led to Okhema and, beyond it, the Divine Insight Arbor.
There lay the entrance to the Omniversal Matrix.
The Nameless Titan Tomb, the origin of everything, the Sceptre Core, the Demiurge Matrix.
The place where countless Cyrene memories were uploaded.
The very heart of Amphoreus.
This outsider must be aid Caeluslana had secured by some unknown means…?
No regular being of Amphoreus could know of that place.
"Phainon…"
Just as Cyrene started to speak, Caeluslana—cloaked in a black mantle—appeared before them.
"Accept everything I am, and in this world end the eternal calamity."
"Wai—"
Before the stunned Phainon could finish, Caeluslana grasped his head.
A tremendous power flooded into him; as it transferred, Caeluslana dissolved into golden motes that merged with his body.
"Agh…!"
A cry of pain tore from Phainon as, under Cyrene's worried gaze, he began to change.
Golden fissures spread across his body; the once-innocent eyes that had dreamed of the future now looked dazed.
He and Caeluslana had become one, and with that fusion he inherited the weight of past cycles.
…
After absorbing the memories, the white-haired girl opened her mouth to Cyrene, her pupils steeped in indescribable complexity.
Without a word, she followed Digi-Na.
System: Individual Caeluslana (Phainon) has merged with the new cycle; system stabilising power.
Cyrene watched the two recede, then trotted lightly to catch up.
As the trio advanced toward their goal, a space filled with cables and small screens stood a mechanical cradling his chin.
"Why is Iron Tomb restless—does it concern that uninvited guest?"
An elegant, unhurried male voice issued from the machine's speaker.
"And…"
The mech raised its head, changed tack, and called up an image of the Nameless Titan Tomb.
"What is this power that has calmed Iron Tomb? I am most curious."
He knew Iron Tomb's might, yet inside the Sceptre System a previously unheard-of force had arisen to balance it.
That power had appeared without warning right under his eyes.
If he could not determine its origin, it might affect Iron Tomb's very birth.
He pulled up the system logs to see where the error lay.
But the logs showed the Sceptre System running perfectly, with no record of the recent events.
Which made things even more intriguing.
Some entity unknown to him had quietly taken root deep within the Sceptre.
Without the slightest shift in emotion he opened a feed, watching the three companions, voice tinged with inquiry:
"Are you the one who brought this variable, data-lifeform named Kiana Omnimon?"
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