"Did you find anything?"
Kafka narrowed her eyes and smiled as she listened to the approaching footsteps.
Silver Wolf spread her hands, looking frustrated.
"Even with my abilities, I couldn't invade the light screen at all. I couldn't even figure out how it was created."
"I see."
Kafka propped her chin up with one hand, thoughtful.
"This thing also lies outside Elio's predictions. In none of his scripts did such a variable ever appear."
She paused slightly.
"However… the explanation given by that creature called Paimon in the chatroom isn't quite accurate."
"What do you mean?" Silver Wolf asked.
Kafka smiled faintly.
"I'm just speculating based on our situation. I suspect it's not just people on Jarilo who can see its future."
"Then who?" Silver Wolf pressed.
"I think," Kafka said slowly,
"anyone who has heard of Jarilo's existence is being pulled into this chatroom to witness its future."
"The coverage of this light screen is likely measured on a stellar-system scale."
Silver Wolf's breath hitched.
She turned sharply toward the screen.
"KAFKA—look. The visuals are starting."
[Jarilo-VI — Everwinter Ridge, Belobog]
Star, March 7th, Dan Heng, and Seele sprinted toward the mountaintop.
Along the frozen mountain path stood countless Antimatter Legion monsters—
all frozen solid, locked in ice like grotesque sculptures.
"B-b-brr… it's freezing!"
March 7th shivered uncontrollably.
"Even with a bit of Preservation power, it's not enough to fight this cold."
Dan Heng, still relatively composed, explained calmly:
"That means we're getting close to the Stellaron. This is the center of the cold wave."
March glanced at the frozen Antimatter Legion corpses and forced a laugh.
"Guess even they didn't expect to get flash-frozen while invading this world."
Star crouched down to inspect one of the frozen monsters.
March immediately stopped her.
"Hey! Don't touch that thing! Who knows if it's still alive!"
Star shrugged, smiling.
"Then maybe we should thaw it out and see?"
March rolled her eyes.
"At a time like this? Hurry up—we need to catch Cocolia and Bronya."
The four continued climbing.
Midway up the mountain, they passed beneath a massive steel hand,
a relic left behind by the Architects, discarded in the ravine.
Crossing through it, they soon reached the summit.
There—
Bronya and Cocolia stood beneath the floating Stellaron.
The core radiated a chilling, ghostly cold.
Bronya clutched her head in agony.
"No… stop…"
Cocolia showed no concern.
"Do not resist, Bronya."
"Accept the shared will."
"Look upon the future promised by the Stellaron."
"A world without poverty, without cold, without suffering."
"A world where people no longer beg like prisoners just to survive."
"A world we can protect forever."
Cocolia gazed up at the Stellaron like a devout believer.
She closed her eyes, recounting Belobog's centuries of struggle—
and humanity's helplessness.
"For seven hundred years, we resisted. We fought."
"We believed human light would guide us to revival."
"And what did it bring us?"
"Only failure."
"When facing an irrefutable power, why do humans always choose resistance instead of listening?"
"That is the ignorance and cowardice buried deep within human nature."
She turned to Bronya, eyes burning with fervor.
"You must cast off these chains, Bronya."
"The Stellaron will lead humanity toward evolution. It will—"
"So it really is showing the future…"
In Belobog's Underworld, March's eyes went wide.
Star stared at the screen, murmuring thoughtfully,
"It really does seem that way."
"We already knew the upper leadership was connected to the Stellaron," Dan Heng said quietly.
"Confronting Cocolia was the logical next step."
Bronya said nothing.
But her clenched expression betrayed the turmoil inside her.
Her mother—
the Supreme Guardian—
had entrusted Belobog's fate to the very object that brought eternal winter.
It was hard to accept.
["That's enough brainwashing, witch."]
A sharp shout rang out.
Hearing Seele's voice, Bronya's tense emotions eased slightly.
Cocolia turned, folding her arms calmly.
"So you still made it. I thought the blizzard would bury you all."
"We won't die until we beat you," Seele snapped, hands on her hips.
Turning to Bronya, she continued:
"I don't understand all that abstract nonsense you two are talking about."
"But there are two things I do understand."
"First—those three fought their way here to seal that thing called the Stellaron."
"Second—I told you before. No matter what happens, I'll come save you."
"So even if you get brainwashed and forget our promise—
I'll knock you out and drag you back."
Bronya stared blankly at Seele and the others.
Star nodded gently.
"Belobog needs you, Bronya."
Their unwavering gazes brought clarity back into her eyes.
Cocolia interrupted coldly.
"That's enough. I've given you time to say goodbye."
"Now, Bronya."
"I've told you the truth."
"What remains… is your choice."
She spoke of the past—
Of how the Stellaron first whispered to her.
Of how she once clung to the Architects' so-called Preservation.
"Until a new choice appeared."
"One that would overturn the old order and welcome a new world."
"Compared to the fading, intangible Preservation—
this power was real."
She looked at Bronya with restrained desperation.
"I wanted you by my side to guard this new world."
"Choose, my daughter."
Bronya was silent.
She respected Cocolia.
She was grateful to her.
But now… her mother felt like a stranger.
Bronya pressed a hand to her chest and spoke.
"Supreme Guardian… thank you for raising me."
"Thank you for giving me the freedom to choose."
"But I'm sorry, Mother."
"This time… I cannot stand with you."
"Humanity may be weak. Despair may reveal darkness."
"But you ignored those who still fight to live."
"I saw their light—in the frontlines, in the Underworld."
"Our ancestors built this city with their hands."
"Even if this world is destined to collapse, its path should be paved by humanity itself."
"Not entrusted to the Stellaron—this calamity!"
Her voice rose with emotion.
"We are guardians chosen by the people!"
"Our duty is to protect a world built by humans—
not to judge them!"
Silence fell.
After a long pause, Cocolia spoke softly.
"I see… so this is your choice."
"You truly cannot break free from your mental shackles."
"What a shame."
"You should have been the world's next mother."
The ground shook violently.
Dan Heng, March, and Star formed a defensive formation.
"The ground—what's happening?" March shouted.
Cocolia raised her arm.
"This city's fate is sealed."
"To destroy the old, one must build the new."
Her voice echoed.
"I command you as Supreme Guardian—
rise, Engine of Creation."
The earth roared.
A colossal steel arm burst from the ground.
"The Architects' ancient weapon—watch out!"
The massive arm swung.
They scattered.
When the dust settled—
Cocolia floated midair.
Behind her stood a mechanical giant larger than a mountain.
March gasped.
"It's… it's like a robot ten thousand times bigger than Svarog!"
Belobog.
Cocolia watched the future unfold in silence, sorrow flickering in her eyes.
"So… Bronya chose to stand against me."
In the Underworld, the group stared at the screen in shock.
"So we go back to the upper city… and fight Cocolia to the death?" March muttered.
Bronya looked nothing like her future self—
her resolve wavered.
Seele noticed immediately.
"Bronya… are you okay?"
She nodded softly.
"I just didn't expect it to come to this."
She didn't dare imagine the ending.
Whether her mother would die—
or whether she would be forced to kill her.
Star, however, spoke after a long silence.
"Didn't the chat say a terrifying being already arrived on Jarilo?"
"What is it?"
"Is it worse than the Stellaron?"
"Hey—don't scare people at a time like this!" March interrupted.
"That weird Paimon might be wrong!"
Dan Heng frowned thoughtfully.
"The people of Teyvat are strange."
"They don't seem interested in the Stellaron at all."
"They're completely focused on the Engine of Creation."
The chat logs confirmed it.
The people of Teyvat were marveling at Jarilo's engineering.
They even compared it to Khaenri'ah's giant war machines.
The battle intensified.
Laser beams carved deep trenches through the mountain.
"To stop it, we have to defeat Cocolia!" Seele shouted.
Star stared up at the colossal engine.
Cocolia stood on its shoulder.
Climbing it while dodging attacks felt impossible.
Then—
A laser descended from the sky.
It struck the raised arm of the Engine of Creation directly.
A thunderous explosion followed.
The engine collapsed, immobilized.
"It's Himeko!" March cheered.
A familiar voice crackled through Star's communicator.
"Hello—can you hear me?"
"Himeko!" March beamed.
"We've been watching from orbit," Himeko laughed.
"Now finish it."
In Teyvat—
Cloud Retainer frowned.
"What's an orbit?"
Shenhe and Ganyu shook their heads.
"Should we ask in the group?" someone suggested.
Cloud Retainer blushed instantly.
"That would be embarrassing! What if they laugh at us? Our worth in the Lord's eyes would drop!"
She thought hard.
"Lumine travels the stars—she must know."
[March 7th]: "That was Himeko's orbital cannon—terrifying!"
[Himeko]: "Calm down, March. Don't let our Teyvat friends laugh at us."
[Morax]: "No, we sincerely believe Jarilo is powerful."
[Barbatos]: "Indeed! The Engine of Creation is formidable—and your cannon destroyed it in one strike."
[Barbatos]: "If not for Lord Aerin becoming our world's new master, we'd be utterly outclassed."
[Cocolia]: "What? Your world has a master? And you replaced one?"
[Furina]: "Is that surprising? With our lord's power, it's our honor."
[Cocolia]: "…Did your lord also use the Stellaron?"
[Paimon]: "We'll have to wait for Bella to show up… otherwise I don't know how to explain this."
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