"No matter how many times I experience it, it still feels incredible. Truly an unimaginable sensation. A gray-white world after time has stopped, where only you and I can move freely."
After five nonexistent hours passed.
Color returned to the world. Elias and the Herrscher of Finality lay side by side on a long bench, both utterly satisfied. A tempting blush lingered on their peerlessly beautiful faces.
The people of the world had no idea that time had just been halted for five hours. During that span, the Savior and the Goddess of Honkai had engaged in a heaven-shaking battle.
Back and forth they fought, thoroughly and joyfully.
And in the end, the result was actually a draw!
"Excellent! Since the day I descended upon this world, my dear goddess, you are the first who has truly allowed me to fight to my heart's content."
"Hmph! Your strength is impressive as well, Elias. As expected of the formidable rival I chose. Shall we continue tonight?"
"No problem! Come at me anytime."
Excitement gleamed within Elias' golden eyes. The indescribable sense of fulfillment left him immersed in bliss. Simply put—he had never experienced anything so wonderfully satisfying.
Although the Herrscher of Finality relied on the power of Finality like a cheat, she had genuinely fought Elias to a standstill. She had accomplished what Mei, Elysia, and the others had never managed.
That was also why the groups from the Previous Era and the Current Era had recently become increasingly united. On average, each of them could only last a little longer than Ultraman—about five minutes.
But Finality started at a minimum of five hours. The omnipotent power of Finality reduced every single strike from Elias to a level she could withstand. There was no damage—only enjoyment.
Herrscher of Finality: "Fighting... feels good!"
Elias: "Emmm... I guess that's not wrong."
However, there was still one other person who could satisfy him.
That was Jyahnar.
But what she relied on was pure physical prowess.
After coming into contact with the Flame-Chasers of the Previous Era, Jyahnar had gained inspiration. She directly reconstructed her human body using the genes of her original Planet-class ray Honkai Beast form.
Not only did she become the Herrscher of the Sea, she also turned herself into a unique Planet-class MANTIS.
Relying purely on overwhelming physical strength, she was actually the only woman who could truly clash head-on with Elias.
Ever since Elias had opened that particular door for the two of them, Finality and Jyahnar had become completely addicted. Twenty-four hours a day was hardly enough.
But time authority was simply too convenient.
As long as the Herrscher of Finality wished it, she could stretch a single day infinitely. In the eyes of outsiders, a day still lasted twenty-four hours—but for Elias, a day could become a sideways eight.
Elias: "This is great~ Ever since Finality has been with me, there's always enough time. I love Finality. Long live time stop."
Finality: "If that is the case, shall I permanently freeze time in this world? If it is with you, then living forever in that gray world would not be so bad."
The goddess lifted a lock of the boy's white hair, gazing at the only splash of color in that frozen world.
The Herrscher of Finality felt immense pleasure. At least in that gray world, Elias belonged solely to her.
"Uh, let's not. I still prefer living in a colorful world. Although the frozen world is kind of cool~ it feels like stepping into an old black-and-white movie."
Elias shook his head and declined her offer.
"By the way, you can actually freeze time forever? What about the cost? Does Honkai energy support it?"
"My recovery precisely equals my expenditure."
"Holy— that exaggerated?!"
Elias leaned back in tactical shock. A sustained ultimate move capable of freezing an entire world would undoubtedly require an unimaginable amount of Honkai energy per second.
Even with his current Honkai energy exceeding 3,000,000 HW, he could likely maintain it for only two or three hours at most. Yet the Herrscher of Finality could sustain it purely through her per-second natural regeneration.
"Hmph~"
Seeing the admiration and envy in the white-haired boy's eyes, the Herrscher of Finality proudly puffed out her ample chest.
(As expected, I am the one most compatible with Elias. Whether it is that Origin girl or that little Raiden Mei, or anyone else—they are no cause for concern!)
The Herrscher of Finality thought confidently.
Originally, this Goddess of Honkai had no intention of participating in any sort of romantic war. But in the end, she succumbed to the true fragrance. After all, that was an indispensable part of the Valkyrie dormitory experience.
Although her affection level had only just begun, her hardware specifications were simply too outrageous. For a time, she suppressed seasoned powerhouses like Mei.
The girls: "Damn it! Just you wait. No matter the cost, humanity will defeat Honkai!"
Finality: "Heh~ How laughable. Do you even have the qualifications to shout that slogan anymore?"
The current Herrscher Academy—no, St. Freya Academy—had essentially become synonymous with Honkai.
Valkyries, MANTISes, Honkai Beasts, Herrschers—it had everything. There was no place on Earth more Honkai than St. Freya Academy. It was absurd beyond reason.
"Oh right, Finality, if you freeze time again... actually, never mind. I'll just ask directly."
"Hm? What is it, Elias?"
The Herrscher of Finality blinked in slight surprise. Though they had not been together long, she knew the white-haired boy before her was not the type to change his mind suddenly.
Elias glanced around before speaking.
"I know your Authority can reverse time. In that case... can you use time reversal to return the dead to a living state?"
He asked with utmost seriousness.
This was not a question to be discussed lightly. It concerned life, death, and resurrection—a taboo topic.
"..."
The Herrscher of Finality fell silent for a long while. If a certain lucky gambler were present, those few seconds of silence would have felt like an eternity.
In the end... the goddess shook her head.
"No. The dead cannot be revived."
"...As expected."
Elias sighed softly, unsurprised.
"Yes. Although I can reverse time and return a particular state of existence to the past—for example, turning an elderly human back into a child, or restoring human civilization to its initial state... I cannot revive the dead."
The Herrscher of Finality shook her head as she spoke. It was the first time she had admitted there was something she could not do.
"Because at the moment of death, the soul separates from the body and travels to an unknown new world. Even freezing time cannot hold it back."
"Really? But Mobius and I..."
"The genes of the Shesha Honkai Beast can allow the soul to remain within the body for a little longer. What you call resurrection was merely regenerating the body before the soul fully departed."
The Herrscher of Finality gently stroked Elias' body as she explained. In her view, Shesha's rating should actually be Vipralopa-class. Anything involving the soul deserved that classification.
"Alright. But I remember that at the dawn of the Previous Era and the Current Era, the first humans born in each civilization were completely identical in appearance. Doesn't that prove your Authority over time is enough to resurrect the dead?"
"No. That is different. The humans born at the beginning of civilization looked the same only because the environmental conditions at that time could produce only that form of humanity. It has nothing to do with my Authority. Moreover, their souls are entirely different existences."
The Herrscher of Finality shook her head. Though she lacked common human sense, she thoroughly understood her own Authority.
"After all, if even their souls were completely identical, then there would be no meaning in Honkai repeatedly resetting civilization. Because even after a reset, the result would merely be the exact same civilization as before."
"The Cocoon of Finality seeks a civilization capable of embracing Honkai. Such a civilization would never be born."
"Let me give another example. In this Current Era, are there not many people who look identical to those of the Previous Era? For instance, Raiden Mei and MEI, Seele and Sheele. Do you think they are the same person?"
Faced with the Herrscher of Finality's question, Elias gave a bitter smile and shook his head. That alone was definitive proof.
If their souls were identical, then the counterparts from the Previous Era and the Current Era—Mei and MEI, Seele and Sheele—would have identical personalities, abilities, and life experiences without the slightest deviation.
It was precisely because their souls were different that, despite sharing the same appearance, they ultimately became different individuals. For example, MEI could not cook, while Mei's cooking was exceptional.
Thus, the conclusion was clear.
Even by using the Herrscher of Finality's Authority over time to rewind the timeline, the dead could not be brought back to life. That was an absolute impossibility—even for the Goddess of Honkai.
"However, although that is the case, if someone were to reach that Tree of Existence—what you call the Imaginary Tree—then even the dead could be completely revived."
The Herrscher of Finality sighed softly. Elias nodded.
"Yes. I know that."
"What? You know?"
"Yeah. Because fifty thousand years ago, I already charged the Imaginary Tree once. Oh, right—you don't have that part of my memory. Heh. That experience was truly thrilling."
Elias smiled faintly and took a sip of his coffee, recalling the experience of charging toward the Tree. Even he had nearly failed back then.
"..."
The Herrscher of Finality stared at Elias speechlessly.
The Authority over time she possessed as the ultimate god of Honkai was, in truth, merely an inferior imitation of the Imaginary Tree.
That was also why Finality could not resurrect the dead, while the Imaginary Tree could. The latter was essentially a world editor. So long as one reached it, one could freely rewrite the world into any desired form.
She had not expected Elias to have already achieved such a feat. If that news spread, it would shake the entire cosmos.
"Elias, tell me in detail—what did you see when you touched the Imaginary Tree?"
"Emmm... it's a feeling that cannot be described with words. I can only say... I saw the truth of the world. The past, the future, and everything in the present... though it was so overwhelmingly complex that I've forgotten most of it by now."
Excitement flickered within Elias' golden eyes. Cracks even formed along the cup in his hand, revealing that his heart was far less calm than he appeared.
"And after I touched the trunk of the Imaginary Tree, I underwent a kind of sublimation. It felt as though, if I had persisted just a little longer, I would have become a true god completely beyond humanity. My very existence would have been branded upon the world itself, turning me into the embodiment of... a concept."
Elias carefully chose his words.
"Then why didn't you become one?!"
The divine heart beneath the Herrscher of Finality's chest pounded violently. She was certain that if Elias had completed that sublimation, he would have surpassed even her.
Such a precious opportunity!
How could he have let it go so easily?
"Hey, calm down. Becoming that kind of god isn't all that great~ Aside from gaining the effortless power to destroy stars, I would have lost something far more important to me."
"And what would that be?"
"I would have lost my humanity... At that time, I could feel it. If I had used the Imaginary Tree to become a complete god, from that moment onward I would have lost my humanity and become an emotionless entity focused solely on the concept I symbolized."
Elias shook his head. He had no desire to become such an existence. What was the point of overwhelming power if it cost him that?
Unless he became a god symbolizing [Stars], he might even lose the motivation for certain earthly pleasures.
"..."
The Herrscher of Finality fell silent once more. She still felt it was an incredible pity. The opportunity Elias had abandoned was undoubtedly something countless beings across the cosmos would crave beyond measure.
Charging to the Imaginary Tree only to return to the past and save a single person—if that story were told, most would likely consider it wasteful rather than romantic.
That was the Imaginary Tree.
The law governing the cosmos. The mystery of life's cycle. The eternal instant. The origin of the end. The birthplace of all truths and laws.
Elias had reached the root of existence itself—a realm countless beings would not even dare dream of—yet all he did was alter a parallel world and send himself back fifty thousand years.
It was like someone struggling through unimaginable hardship to find the greatest treasure in the universe, only to pick up a few coins from the ground, buy a bottle of mineral water, and then leave.
Such an outrageous waste!
"Alright, alright~ Don't think too much about it. When I charged the Tree back then, my only goal was to save my Ely. Whether it was becoming a god or changing the world, those things were trivial details to me."
"...That Origin girl truly makes one jealous! Where is she now? After everything you've done for her, even if she devoted her entire life to you, it wouldn't be enough!"
"No idea. Eden and the others said Elysia is traveling the world right now. I think I'll see her again before long. And really, it's no big deal. If there's a need in the future, I can just go to the Imaginary Tree again."
Those words caused the Herrscher of Finality's mind to completely freeze. She stared blankly at the white-haired boy before her.
"Y-you can go to the Imaginary Tree again?"
"Mm-hm~ I've already been there once. The second time will definitely be smoother. And my intuition tells me the Imaginary Tree seems to like me. If I charge it again in the future, perhaps there won't even be Imaginary puppets blocking my path."
Elias smiled and shrugged. Back then, he had indeed felt acknowledged by the Imaginary Tree—though so far that recognition had not manifested any tangible benefit.
"Alright, let's end this topic here~ It's getting late. We should head back to the academy."
"...Alright."
Elias stretched lazily. Before leaving, he glanced at a drone hidden in the shadows.
A faint smile curled at the corner of the white-haired boy's lips.
...
At the same time, at Schicksal Headquarters.
"The Imaginary Tree... the Imaginary Tree!!"
Otto Apocalypse covered half his face with one hand, his eyes wide open.
At this moment, his entire body trembled with excitement. His cold mechanical body grew unbearably hot, nearly overloading.
Otto: "Just as I thought, the Imaginary Tree truly can revive the dead. How wonderful!"
"However, Elias... you said that deliberately for me to hear, didn't you? What... exactly is your purpose?"