Fu Hua knew her goal. The so-called imprisonment was merely her hope that someone would acknowledge her.
Now…
In the entire Elysian Realm, only she and Eden remained among the living Flame-Chasers.
Eden's whereabouts were still unknown. Only she could satisfy the Herrscher of Corruption.
Fu Hua said: "If you only want me to admit that you are right, then spare your breath. Between us, there has never been a question of right or wrong, but from the very beginning, there was also never any possibility of convincing the other."
"Beyond both being weak, we walk completely different paths."
"Both being… weak?" These words made the Herrscher of Corruption frown. Then she still imitated Elysia's tone: "Fu Hua, you can't talk about yourself like that. To persist until now… you've already done incredibly well."
Fu Hua said seriously: "This is precisely… the reason we can never convince each other."
"You cannot understand this feeling. As fellow weak beings, your choice was to make yourself stronger."
"And humanity's choice… is to join hands with other weak beings."
"Sacrifice is merely one of the means. It is nothing special."
The Herrscher of Corruption asked: "So then, Fu Hua, are you trying to compare… which of these two ways is the correct one?"
Fu Hua said: "There is no need for comparison. The two are fundamentally different in essence."
"What you chose is called survival. And what humanity chose…"
"…is called civilization."
"I am merely answering your question."
"Since this is the choice they made, then…"
"…my choice will naturally be the same."
"Fenghuang Down… help me one more time. Then I will understand… what I can do…"
"First rated power…"
"Let me once again…
"…break free from restraint!"
Fu Hua burned everything she had, transforming into a greatsword descending from the sky.
It leveled everything—even herself.
As the final straw, this was truly too grand.
The Herrscher of Corruption was heavily wounded once again by this strike: "You… wanted to do this all along?"
Fu Hua said: "I was merely inspired by Kosma and Griseo."
"Fenghuang Down's first rated power requires burning memories as the price to be used."
"But… in a space constructed of memories, that is equivalent to burning one's entire self."
"Of course, I had no absolute certainty."
The Herrscher of Corruption said: "But you should also know—I… cannot be completely eradicated."
"You made your resolve, poured out everything, and in the end, the only obstacle you erased was—"
"yourself."
Fu Hua looked at her: "Indeed. However… Herrscher of Corruption, now… you should have noticed as well. You can no longer maintain Elysia's appearance."
"…?!" Only then did the Herrscher of Corruption realize.
Due to consecutive heavy blows, the current Herrscher of Corruption had reverted to her original virus state.
Fu Hua continued: "Herrscher of Corruption, this… is our true objective."
The Herrscher of Corruption was completely enraged: "What… have you all done?!"
Fu Hua said: "Just as you said—removing the only obstacle to victory—ourselves."
"To seize control of Model 666, you made yourself into Elysia."
"And without eroding Elysia herself, the only way to achieve that was by continuously acquiring the memories of other Flame-Chasers and weaving them together."
The Herrscher of Corruption angrily demanded: "You all knew from the beginning? So back then… Griseo and Kosma choosing to erase themselves wasn't because they feared my power would increase, but…"
Fu Hua nodded: "Yes. We absolutely could not allow you to approach Elysia again."
"And now, when already-eroded Flame-Chasers use some method to burn their own data to ashes, you… will even suffer regression."
"I don't understand!"
The Herrscher of Corruption truly could not comprehend. She looked at Fu Hua and asked: "Just for such a reason, you are willing to abandon your entire life?"
"If I cannot become her, if I cannot bring Elysia back into the world…"
"Then on what grounds can the Herrscher of Thunder… succeed?"
"As long as that program cannot be activated, I… will still be the victorious side."
Fu Hua said: "I am not the planner of this scheme, so of course I have no certainty either."
"But I am willing to believe in her."
"Because… unlike you, she possesses more than just data."
"She possesses memories."
"Now, the path to the outside world, the chance to stop Mei, and the means to seize the program… you have lost them all."
"And the change Elysia brought to Mei, the traces she left on her… that is the true key to her surpassing you."
"Surpassing me? That… remains to be seen." The Herrscher of Corruption burst into wild laughter. She was utterly confident.
Just like she had done to the other Flame-Chasers before, she began to spread and extend herself. By repeating this process, she could still weave Elysia's form from the limited remaining data.
At the same time, she decided to seize this final opportunity—before the other was completely burned away—to make her become part of herself.
"You… had better not think things are too simple."
"Since I could do it once, then… I can do it a second time."
"I will not allow you to die… I will make you live on, witness my victory, and then… admit that between us… there truly is a distinction of right and wrong."
"Too late." Fu Hua suddenly clenched both fists.
Yet no signs of erosion appeared on her body.
In the instant her Authority took effect, all her data… was finally about to dissipate completely.
In this Elysian Realm built from their memories, of the thirteen who failed to become heroes, now… only one remained.
And the title of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers was about to become history.
And yet, from any perspective, this ending symbolized utter failure. That warrior who had served as the boundary marker and personally written her own final period left behind one last message—
"As far as the past is concerned, we were indeed failures."
"But for the future… Herrscher of Corruption, the confrontation that allowed us to become pioneers…"
"…is only just beginning now…"
With that, every trace of Fu Hua scattered completely.
…
Seeing this.
The entire nation fell silent.
Audiences had imagined countless reasons for the Flame-Chasers sacrificing themselves—some thought they had to use their bodies to block the Herrscher of Corruption, others believed it was to buy time for Mei.
But now… everyone finally understood. In Vill-V's plan from the very beginning, the intent was to have all the Flame-Chasers die, thereby weakening the Herrscher of Corruption and preventing her from gaining authority over Kevin's armament Model 666.
In this journey where death was certain from the start, not a single person questioned the reason. Not a single person doubted the plan itself. All of them acted in complete accordance with it, willingly giving their lives.
By contrast, from the moment the Herrscher of Corruption appeared, her only thought was to survive. For that, she continuously eroded others, continuously strengthened herself, and used every means necessary to destroy any threat.
And precisely because of this, she became so furious at the Flame-Chasers' willingness to so easily abandon their lives.
It was this very contrast.
That made the audience feel the greatness of the Flame-Chasers and truly understand the meaning of the word "hero."
At this moment, seeing Fu Hua's data completely disappear,
the sorrow was naturally impossible to suppress.
But the drama gave the audience little time for grief.
The scene immediately cut to Mei's side.
An endless white enveloped her, carrying her toward a realm that could neither be said to exist nor to not exist.
Scattered thoughts drifted in the void, converging into a path with neither beginning nor end.
"Here… is within my memories…"
Tiny specks of light swirled around her, flickering in and out. From within came fragmented voices—
[Just as at the founding of the Elysian Realm, I will allow your mind to unfold in the Realm in the form of a memory body… no, a memory space, just like the Flame-Chasers. Only in this way can we… bring Elysia back.]
Then the voice gradually faded. Almost inaudible… until finally, only she remained.
"Sitting on a roller coaster and eating peanuts with your eyes…"
"I have to admit, it really is a very fitting metaphor."
Mei sighed softly.
She walked forward.
Every scene she had shared with Elysia surfaced before her eyes—from their first meeting, to fighting together, to doubt, to understanding…
Every memory tugged at Mei's heart.
Every memory made the audience ache unbearably.
Once…
Many viewers had said that Elysia was actually "pink cutting black" (a fan turning dark/evil).
Now…
She had truly been cut apart, her entire inner self laid bare in these memories.
But…
the audience discovered that her heart had been pink from the very beginning. Yet by the time they understood this, it was already impossible to piece her back together…
"Ely… sia…"
Across the nation, audiences called her name in grief.
A familiar voice appeared: "Hi there, cute human! So this is where you were hiding?"
"…?"
Miraculously, the vision blurred by pain began to clear.
"Fairy Ellie?" Fairy Ellie appeared before her.
Fairy Ellie said: "Good thing I sensed you calling for me, or who knows how long you would've stayed hidden!"
"Seriously! We agreed to play hide-and-seek together! But you all ran off and left us searching forever!"
"We…?" Mei still hadn't grasped the situation.
Fairy Ellie said: "That's right! And my helper too—look, she's right here—"
"I've kept you waiting, Miss Mei."
A gentle call, like a drop of dew falling into white stone.
And then, it stirred up an ocean of radiance—
"…Eden?"
In the pure white space ahead, Eden sat at a table holding a golden wine glass.
Eden said: "Please forgive me for being unable to freely traverse your memory space. I had to ask Fairy Ellie to act on my behalf."
Mei felt relieved: "Eden… thank goodness you're safe. So this was also part of Su's arrangement?"
Eden gave a light nod: "Yes. I already know everything that has happened so far."
"And now, among the remaining memory bodies in the Elysian Realm… I suppose I am the only one left."
"…"
Hearing this, sorrow surged in Mei's heart. She lowered her head in guilt: "I'm sorry… it's my fault. If only I had been a little faster…"
Eden said: "Please don't blame yourself, Miss Mei. Elysia's life was so vibrant and full. Asking you to reconstruct her complete memories from the brief time you spent in the Elysian Realm was always asking too much."
"That you reached this place already means you did your very best. Now… let us fulfill our own duty."
"A missing memory must naturally be filled by another memory."
"You have taken the ninety-nine steps toward Elysia. This final step… let Fairy Ellie and I take it in your place."
Fairy Ellie nodded: "That's right! After all, she's the grown-up version of me."
Eden smiled gently: "Indeed. Since she was a doll created by Elysia in her own image, she is essentially Elysia's incarnation, possessing emotions identical to hers."
"And I, as Elysia's friend and the one who spent the longest time by her side, all the long years we spent together, all the precious memories we shared… will now become the path forward for you."
"Completing the memories…" Mei pondered. A memory body's memories were equivalent to its life force: "But if you use your own memories to complete Elysia's existence, then you will…"
Eden smiled with happiness: "Then I will forever become a part of her."
"Isn't that… an incredibly romantic thing?"
Mei was filled with sorrow: "Eden…"
Eden said: "Please don't worry about me, Miss Mei. I have never feared any form of death. To me, life is merely a long, grand drama."
"As long as one can make the most beautiful curtain call at the most fitting moment, then the performance is perfect."
"That was also her wish."
"So, let us begin. The moment for them to bloom has finally arrived."
Eden opened her palm. Bright light overflowed from it, gradually converging into a crystal flower of gold and purple.
"Four crystal flowers, four keys…"
Mei also extended her hand. The flower in her palm shone with black and blue, identical to the one in Eden's: "Guarding the same past together…"