Heart dead as ash, all things collapsing and wailing.
The Herrscher of Evolution—or rather, Vakh Cioara, whose evolutionary shell and barrier of reason were completely pierced by the name "Natasha"—was kneeling amidst the filth of the ruins and eyeball fungus carpet he created with his own hands.
He still hugged his sister tightly, whose breathing was weak and whose life fire was like a candle in the wind. His body was stiff as a dead statue.
The Honkai energy around him poured out uncontrollably.
However, they couldn't find where to go, nor the target to attack.
Rather than attacking, this was [Vakh] seeking a physical outlet for the abyss-like despair and desire for self-destruction in his heart.
Eternity, evolution, power... these concepts that once supported and defined him had become illusory bubbles at this moment.
And in this falsehood, the only thing vivid was the pain close to lingchi brought by this rapidly cooling body in his arms.
Then, he felt it.
It was a grand change seemingly originating from the root.
Something went wrong with the world. The flow of time showed an extremely subtle but unignorable "stagnation."
Space began to undergo indescribable "loosening," as if an invisible giant hand pressed the "rewind" button of the entire world videotape. Although slow, it was unwavering.
Reincarnation.
In just an instant, Evolution understood the answer he had been seeking not long ago.
Different from "evolution," this was another authority used to distort reality and tamper with causality.
As a Herrscher who also possessed authority, his authority "Evolution" itself contained powerful resistance and adaptability to "abnormal states."
And because he had just experienced violent fluctuations in the foundation of his existence, at this moment he was unusually sensitive to this power involving "existence definition" and "causality sequence."
He could resist.
Even if not completely immune, he could mobilize the "Evolution" authority in the first instance, trying to conduct the most fundamental confrontation and cancellation against this "reality reset" authority.
Like using a chisel constantly evolving itself to find weaknesses against a closing eraser.
He might not win, but he could definitely weaken the impact of this reincarnation on himself to a great extent, retaining a considerable part of memories, power states, and even possibly "anchoring" himself in reality, not completely drifting with the tide.
This thought flashed through his consciousness, accompanied by the throbbing of "Evolution" instinct almost starting automatically.
But right at this moment.
On Natasha's cheek in his arms, pale to near transparency, the purple-black Honkai energy patterns originally spreading hideously like living things and eroding her vitality, suddenly extremely slightly... flickered.
Not deepening.
But... fading a trace.
Extremely subtle, almost undetectable, but for Vakh who tied all his mind to her, this was no less than a lightning bolt in the dark night!
Immediately after, that pattern faded another trace, as if gently wiped a little edge by an invisible eraser.
This power of reincarnation... is reversing the Honkai energy erosion on her?
Like a thunderclap, it shattered all his thoughts of resistance in an instant, and also emptied the calculation and self-preservation instinct belonging to the "Herrscher of Evolution" he had just gathered, even if just a tiny bit.
Resist? Cancel? Retain self?
No... it doesn't matter.
It doesn't matter at all.
If this reincarnation can save her...
If reversing time can make that damn erosion disappear...
If she can return to... even just return to before the injury...
Then, so what if reset?
So what if losing power?
Even... so what if the existence "Vakh Cioara" itself is blurred and overwritten?
He lowered his head, dead eyes staring fixedly at the purple patterns on Natasha's face fading bit by bit, slowly but truly.
All the madness, pain, and despair in those eyes began to fade along with those purple patterns, leaving only a nearly hollow but incomparably pure plea.
Just like "he" once prayed to gods in despair.
And this time, the god was no longer "himself."
He hugged her tightly, burying his face in her blood-stained hair, using all his strength, yet careful not to hurt her.
Then, he completely abandoned the operation of all authority, removed all instinctive protection, opening his heart like the most pious believer, and actively releasing the anchor chain like a drifting solitary boat.
Take everything away.
As long as... give her back to me.
He prayed silently, actively welcoming his consciousness towards that space-time countercurrent sweeping everything, letting it dilute, dilute, and involve his sense of existence into that chaotic flood.
And his only obsession turned into the last information reverberation.
Natasha... live on...
—
"...Therefore, the last step of the plan, also the most critical link, does not rely on any weapons or technology, but lies in 'people'."
Otto's voice echoed in the temporary command point. The light screen in front of him was no longer a complex data model, but several simple yet core names and relationship lines.
Everyone present knew every person on this list. For most people "on the list," the crowd had no objection.
But... there was one person whose appearance made everyone, especially Himeko, fall into silence.
Not misunderstanding, but a kind of... resistance originating from personality.
Otto seemed completely unconcerned about Himeko's strangeness. He pointed to the nodes representing Natasha and Himeko.
"Natasha and the Herrscher of Evolution—or rather, Vakh... The twisted yet indestructible bond between them is the biggest 'variable' in this plan, and also the biggest 'lever.'
"We need him to become that lever, and Natasha is the way for us to obtain this lever.
"And Major Himeko..." He looked at the frowning Himeko. After a pause, Otto sighed, "We need you even more."
Himeko crossed her arms, fingertips unconsciously tapping on her arm.
After a long time, she slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air. That sigh was full of heavy responsibility and a trace of imperceptible gloom.
She didn't look at Otto, but at Natasha's weak yet still calm face in the remote projection, and the comatose Kallen beside her.
"I understand." Himeko's voice was low and firm, without grand words, only a determination after accepting the cruel reality.
"My task is not difficult. I will definitely complete it..."
She kept her head down, fists clenched unconsciously, but could only loosen them.
"As long as the plan can succeed, as long as... can save more people..."
Just then, that familiar trembling sensation originating from the bottom of the world descended again!
Everyone's body shook.