After he calmed down, Phainon's thoughts once again sank into stagnant water.
Every word on the script was like an imprint, seared into his soul.
Light up the dawn.
What did these four words mean? Was it the dawn of Amphoreus?
Ultimately, where would I go?
The door to the room was silently pushed open.
Tribios's figure appeared, giving Phainon a slight nod.
"Phainon."
Phainon's gaze passed over her, looking at the familiar figures beyond the door, his voice devoid of any emotion.
"Aren't you staying with them a bit longer?"
"No," Tribios's eyes held a touch of pity, "I just wanted to come out and see you, bearing everything."
Phainon paused, as if remembering something.
"The core flame, I'll return it to you."
Tribios, however, gently shook her head, refusing his offer.
"No need, Phainon. The current me cannot inherit it yet."
"...Is that so?"
Phainon understood instantly; the situation was the same as with Teacher Anaxa.
"The script of fate is more like an oracle," Tribios's voice was ethereal and distant, "It will guide your path forward."
"If the pursuit of fire is a journey of constant loss, then trailblazing is a journey of constant gain."
"I hope you don't forget."
She gazed at Phainon, seemingly wanting to see through the exhaustion deep within his soul.
"The ending is already written. Do you still have the courage to take one more step forward?"
Phainon fell silent.
After a long while, the corners of his mouth curved slightly.
"I will reach the end... and ultimately bring tomorrow to Amphoreus."
"...Mm," Tribios softly responded, "Just like every one of you in the past, always embarking on the journey."
Just then, Pom-Pom's voice rang out over the broadcast.
"All Passengers please gather in the Observation Car! We will be making our final jump and will soon arrive at the Festive Star—Penacony!"
Tribios bowed slightly, "Alright, Phainon, I wish you a pleasant journey. This time, you are not alone."
Hearing this, Phainon nodded, putting away the script.
He glanced at the system panel.
[Body meltdown 51.9998%... 51.9999%... 52%...]
The meltdown progress never stopped.
Time was truly running out.
Besides getting the surprise Sampo gave him, he also needed to ensure the entire process ended a bit faster.
—
Inside the Observation Car, everyone had already gathered.
After Pom-Pom finished explaining the precautions, it specifically looked at Phainon and earnestly instructed: "Phainon, this time in Penacony, no more picking up trash cans, or else the Conductor will really throw you out, Pom-Pom!"
Everyone chuckled, the atmosphere much lighter.
"Regarding the hotel rooms, Dan Heng will be on guard duty and won't be leaving the Astral Express for now, so one spot is open." Himeko looked at Stelle and Phainon, "Which of you two wants to go first? Don't worry, we'll process the check-in immediately afterward."
"My partner can go," Phainon said without hesitation.
This outcome was clearly within everyone's expectations.
Just as Stelle was about to say something, Phainon shook a gilded room key card in his hand.
"Actually... I have one too."
March 7th's eyes lit up: "Wow, Phainon, how do you have everything? You're like a blue fat cat!"
Phainon smiled faintly: "It's all a secret."
At this moment, Stelle leaned over suspiciously, lowering her voice, "Partner, tell me honestly."
"This time, you're not going to disappear again, only to suddenly pop up when we're in a panic and say, 'Everything's resolved,' are you?"
Phainon looked at her serious face, his gaze unusually soft for a moment.
"No. This time, I'll be with you the whole way."
"Mm."
—
The jump began.
Phainon sat beside Stelle, watching the rapidly receding streaks of light outside the window, and suddenly asked softly.
"You know, in dreams... is everything really possible?"
Stelle blinked, answering as a matter of course: "Of course, everything is possible in a beautiful dream! But a dream is just a dream after all."
"Yes..." Phainon murmured softly, no longer speaking.
A dream is just a dream.
The next moment, an endless sea of light completely swallowed the Astral Express.
Phainon slowly closed his eyes.
When he opened his eyes.
Everything around him was filtered with an unreal quality, sounds distant, light and shadow distorted.
He saw a familiar corridor.
Stelle stood not far away.
And in front of her was that woman holding a decree blade, enveloped in a void-like aura—Acheron.
He wanted to speak, wanted to rush over, but his body was pinned in time and space, becoming a mere observer.
Just then.
He felt something squirming behind him.
A shadow slowly peeled away from beneath his feet, stretched, and finally twisted into a Phainon identical to him.
Phainon turned sharply, the Dawnbreaker appearing in his hand.
"Hehehehehe..."
The 'Phainon' opposite him shook his finger at Phainon.
Then he slowly raised his hand, and with an almost elegant posture, took off the mask on his face.
Beneath the mask was a face identical to his, yet completely different.
His black hair was like night, his pupils an unfathomably deep black.
Phainon stared intently at himself before him.
"You...?!!"
That 'him' curled his lips into a chilling sneer, his smile full of the playful mockery and malice of a cat toying with a mouse.
"It's me. It's always been me."
The voice carried a sense of pleasure, enunciating each word,
"Did you really think a twenty-year-old ordinary college student could bear thirty million cycles of memory and despair in an instant?"
"And then... still maintain that ridiculous sanity?"
"You..."
"You are merely a 'Phainon' that I use to isolate pain..."
"Just a mask."
"Your existence is but a void..."