Only a few hundred meters away from the top of the tower, even though they couldn't see Finality Kiana's figure yet, they could already feel the pressure emanating from her.
On the path leading to the Tower of Finality, Himeko was the first to regretfully drop out. Her Honkai energy adaptability was not good enough to support her in reaching Finality Kiana's presence while enduring such a high concentration of Honkai energy.
The same went for Sin Mal... already severely eroded, she was now speaking incoherently and was no longer lucid.
Yiselian was indecisive, torn between cutting Sin Mal's connection to the Stigmata Space and leaving her to help save this world.
In the end, Seele and Kukulkan chose to stay behind to take care of Himeko and Sin Mal, while the others headed to the final battlefield.
——————————————
On the platform at the top of the tower, Kiana stood alone, calmly holding her lance, waiting at the entrance of the platform for Ryn and the others to arrive.
Mei, on the other hand, sat dejectedly on the edge of the Tower of Finality, gazing at the Earth below without a word for a long time.
"You've come..."
Kiana raised her lance, aiming it at the group running towards her from the entrance.
Ryn, Penglaiji Ryn, and the others appeared one after another to confront Kiana.
"In the beginning of the story, the heroes gathered to defeat the evil dragon, but when they came before the evil dragon, they discovered... the evil dragon was the entire world, and they were just ordinary mortals..."
Kiana waved her hand at Ryn. The Lance of Finality in Ryn's hand exploded with a bang, turning into countless particles of light that flowed back into Kiana's hand, transforming into a shimmering, phased Aegis of Finality.
With the Aegis in her left hand and the lance in her right, Kiana at this moment was like a true Valkyrie from the legends, divine and majestic.
"It seems that when you built this tower, you stopped observing us..." Ryn muttered in a low voice, then looked at Kiana with determination.
"This tower not only sealed your heart, but it also made you miss the opportunity to witness the turning point.
The memories of light and shadow inside the tower... Kiana, you saw them, right?! That is your true wish! To change this desperate ending and to be with your important person forever!"
"Heh..."
Kiana raised her lance and swung it at Ryn, a several-hundred-meter-long blade of energy tearing through space and cutting towards Ryn and the others along the trajectory of the lance.
Space was torn apart, and the powerful vacuum field it created pulled everyone towards the blade of energy.
Theresa raised the Oath of Judah, extending its chains to throw Bronya, Yiselian, and the others out of the pull's range, and used Judah's main body to try and block the blade's edge.
But the Oath of Judah, an ancient weapon created since antiquity, was as easily crushed as tofu by Kiana's casual strike.
The same feeling of powerlessness as during the Great Honkai Eruption washed over Theresa's heart. A moment of distraction had cost Theresa the chance to dodge the blade's edge.
When the blade was less than half a meter away from Theresa, Ryn stood in front of her and deflected Kiana's blade with his sword.
The deflected blade cut across the sky above the Tower of Finality, shattering countless meteorites in the distance and disappearing into the depths of the universe.
"Don't just stand there dazed. The cheerleading squad should be cheering on the sidelines!"
Then, Ryn grabbed the back of Theresa's collar and threw her towards the distant Bronya.
This was never their battlefield, and their opponent was an existence they couldn't possibly fight against.
While Ryn was busy saving people, Penglaiji Ryn, who was imbued with the power of the world, had already charged forward with her greatsword, clashing with Kiana.
Although she had the power of the world, giving her the strength to fight Kiana, how could power gained out of thin air compare to strength honed through long training?
In the few short seconds that Ryn was saving people, lances, greatswords, great hammers, shields, crosses, and all sorts of other weapons constantly changed in Kiana's hands. Her bizarre and varied combat skills caught Penglaiji Ryn completely off guard, leaving her dizzy and disoriented.
"Not bad strength, but your technique still needs refinement..."
Kiana held her shield in her left hand, protecting her chest, and slammed Penglaiji Ryn, sending her flying. At the same time, her lance transformed into a great hammer, which Kiana held as she leaped high into the air, preparing to deliver the final blow to the downed Penglaiji Ryn.
*BOOM————*
Ryn caught the falling great hammer with one hand, blocking it in front of Penglaiji Ryn.
"Her technique is lacking, which is why she needs to live on and learn slowly, isn't it?"
He clenched his fist, and the Hammer of Finality in Kiana's hand was crushed into pieces by Ryn, scattering into nothing. At the same time, Ryn swung his sword in a horizontal sweep at Kiana, forcing her back.
Kiana casually twirled her weapon, which reformed into a lance, and pointed it at Ryn: "This withered world holds not a single ray of hope. Everything you are doing now is merely repeating the tragedies of the past. This world has no salvation, nor does it need any."
"I refuse to accept that! If what you say is true, that there is no possibility of hope or salvation, then why did you appear here! Why did Janna send me here!"
Ryn helped Penglaiji Ryn up, and the two stood side by side.
"Of course this world has no hope. If it did, it wouldn't have caused you so much distress and despair! But just because this world doesn't have it, doesn't mean I don't! Come on, Kiana, I'll show you what a true savior looks like!"
Tianqi's figure appeared behind Ryn, spreading its arms slightly to embrace him from behind.
"Hehe... I've been waiting for this moment for a long time. Although I'd rather you be a great demon king than a savior, I'll indulge you this time~
"Tianqi affectionately rubbed its cheek against Ryn's, then raised its chin proudly, looking down at Finality Kiana with cold eyes.
"You coward who can't even control your own power. Kiana, you're a failure."
"Alright, alright, let's taunt her after we win... It would be awkward if we lost later."
"If you have my power and still can't beat a half-dead opponent... then you're a failure too."
Tianqi pinched Ryn's cheek with disdain, and then merged with him.
"..."
Ryn flicked his hair. His purple hair instantly turned so dark it was almost black, cascading down to the ground.
At the same time, his left eye shed a tear of blood, which slid down his cheek, leaving a deep, bloody trail.
His right hand was covered in a dark, strange energy, spreading across his entire forearm, transforming the whole arm into crimson magma, with searing hot lava flowing from it.
The power of his soul was expanding, and the powerful soul, in turn, was continuously strengthening his physical body.
Tianqi's abilities were still unknown. This power belonged neither to the Honkai nor to the Imaginary, and it certainly did not exist in the Sea of Quanta. (Because this is the power of the author~)
But at this moment, Ryn felt that he was omnipotent.