Lumine quickened her pace and rushed inside, discovering a colossal flower bud formed from the purest pink crystal. Its tightly layered petals seemed to guard an ancient secret.
As she drew closer, she sensed a warm, nurturing energy pulsating from within, tinged with a hint of sorrow—like the heartbeat of a mother watching over her sleeping child.
Finally, she stood before the bud.
Upon closer inspection, she realized it wasn't solid crystal but rather a solidified radiance, translucent and shimmering with iridescent light.
Despite its semi-transparency, the layers were so dense she couldn't see inside, leaving her uncertain whether the Goddess truly lay within.
Lumine took a deep breath, slowly raised her hand, and with trembling fingertips, gently touched the cool, smooth surface.
The moment her fingers made contact—
Hum...
The massive flower bud trembled briefly before falling still. Simultaneously, a colossal stone slab rose from the ground where Lumine stood, lifting her into the air.
Caught off guard, Lumine startled and was immediately airborne.
Once she grasped what was happening below, she paused in surprise.
At the center of the raised stone slab was a distinct gap. Lumine glanced from the gap to the Unrelenting Will clutched in her hand.
Awakening the Goddess... So this is how it's done...
Lumine noticed a natural fissure in the massive boulder, its shape perfectly matching the blade of the sword in her hand.
Without hesitation, she leaped down and precisely plunged the longsword into the fissure.
The blade slid in effortlessly, as if the sword and the fissure were meant to be one and the same.
But the moment the entire sword vanished into the fissure, a tremendous recoil erupted, sending Lumine staggering backward.
The force hurled her far away, yet Lumine distinctly remembered that the roots of the Giant Pink Crystal Tree were right behind her. How could she have been thrown so far?!
Regaining her balance, Lumine looked around and realized the scenery had changed again.
She now stood in a vast sea of pink flowers, with a winding path snaking through the middle. And Lumine... was standing right on that path.
"Where is this...?"
Frowning, Lumine surveyed the surroundings in vain. She had no choice but to follow the path forward.
After walking about a dozen steps, the scene transformed before her eyes into a vibrant Cecilia Garden. Windmills turned slowly in the distance, and the air was thick with the scent of freedom and dandelions.
Lumine froze in her tracks. There, standing among the flowers, was a girl... Rola!
"Long time no see, Lumine~"
The girl who always shone like a little sun stood among the blossoms, her signature radiant smile—the kind that could dispel any darkness—lighting up the scene.
[ Ah, Rola, my Rola! ]
[ Waaah, I finally get to see Rola again! Waaah... ]
[ Rola is so cute! ]
[ Is this a flashback montage? ]
[ No, it's a tearjerker. I'm already losing control of my tears before it even starts! This is cruel!]
-
"I know you're anxious, but please don't rush. Time flows differently here compared to the outside world. Since you entered this space, time outside has practically frozen for you."
Rola slowly approached Lumine and gently wiped away the tears from the corner of her eye. "Judging by your expression, you must have endured tremendous hardship..."
As soon as Rola finished speaking, fresh tears streamed down Lumine's face, despite the ones she had just wiped away.
Rola pulled Lumine into a warm embrace, gently patting her back. Then, taking Lumine's hand, she pointed around them.
"The wind here is so gentle, isn't it? Just like when you carried me flying over Starsnatch Cliff!"
"Don't cry, Lumine. Though my life was short, it was as free as the wind and as brilliant as a blooming flower. That's enough for me."
"I'm so happy to have been a part of your journey! Keep going, carrying this joy with you, and see even more wonderful sights!"
Rola's figure began to dissipate. Lumine reached out to grab her, but Rola's form dissolved into countless shimmering cyan motes, like dandelion seeds scattered by the wind.
"Goodbye, my most formidable friend! Smile!"
As Rola's laughing farewell faded completely, the scene abruptly shifted.
-
A chilling wind swept through the battlefield of The Chasm, where crumbling walls and shattered ruins lay scattered across the landscape.
Mu Qingge, clad in her tattered yet still majestic armor, stood with her back to Lumine, gazing into the distance.
She slowly turned, a warm smile softening her resolute face.
"Lumine, you've come this far. Excellent."
Her voice was steady and powerful. "I once guarded the myriad lights of Liyue. Now, my mission has ended, but your path stretches far ahead."
Qingge stepped forward and lightly placed her hand on Lumine's shoulder, her eyes sharp yet brimming with trust.
"You possess the most resilient soul I have ever witnessed. Do not let the shadows of the past hold you back. We are the bedrock beneath your feet, not chains to bind your progress. Carry our will with you and win the battles you must win!"
As her words faded, the general's form crumbled like bedrock, dissolving into golden dust that sank into the earth.
Lumine stared blankly, not uttering a single word from beginning to end.
Perhaps she didn't know what to say, or perhaps their time together was too fleeting, and she wanted to dedicate every moment to them.
Win the battles I must win...
I will!
-
The intense aroma of food flooded Lumine's senses, and the scene shifted to the bustling streets of Inazuma City, where wisps of steam curled upward from snack stalls.
Yuna, wearing an apron, held out a steaming bowl of Sakura Mochi Soup, her signature wide smile radiating warmth and a hint of pride.
"Welcome, esteemed guest! Ah, it's Lumine!" Her eyes curved into crescent moons. "Quick, try this! It's my latest creation, the 'Courage Miso Soup'! I heard you're about to do something incredible. One sip, and your courage will surpass even mine!"
Her smile softened, becoming gentle and transparent.
"Don't be sad for me. I've never been afraid of a challenge. Helping you in my own way makes me feel so incredibly cool! Go forth, just like you dismantled the Vision Hunt Decree. Create another miracle for us to witness!"
Gazing at the girl before her, Lumine recalled her tragic death. The tears she had held back with Qingge now overflowed.
"Yuna..."
Before Lumine could react, Yuna and her stall began to fade into the rising, warm steam, leaving behind only the lingering aroma of food and a current of fearless warmth.
Lumine pursed her lips and nodded firmly.
I'll win. I'll definitely win!
-
[ When will I be able to see Yuna without crying...? ]
[ This is too cruel! Yuna, you've suffered so much! ]
[ She's still making delicious food... sniffle We miss you so much, Yuna! ]
-
The environment transformed into a profound, silent space, where towering bookshelves spiraled upward, their shelves overflowing with countless volumes.
Silaya chewed on a pen, idly twirling it between her fingers. When she spotted Lumine, her eyes lit up:
"Lumine, I knew I hadn't misjudged you. You actually did it."
"Don't look at me with such sorrowful eyes. Extinction is merely an inefficient form of cognition."
She snapped her fingers, and intricate patterns of light bloomed from her fingertips.
"We've simply completed a phase transition from individual entities to a collective informational state."
Her figure began to dissolve into streams of flowing data and flickering runes. She flashed Lumine a knowing, slightly mischievous smile:
"So, stop dwelling on what you've lost. You're now carrying seven top-tier consciousness modules—a Walking Server."
"Go fulfill your final directive, Miss Host."
As her words faded, everything before Lumine vanished once more, leaving only crystal-clear logic and a faint trace of melancholy, diluted by Silaya's peculiar manner.