Chapter 1357: Wengfaluosi 3.4 (392)

"…One hundred thirty-four." Ka'esilan'na spoke calmly.

Nakexia froze: "What…?"

"This is my 134th reincarnation. The number of fire seeds I bear is…"

"…One thousand five hundred ninety-six."

"…Mm."

Batelusi also went dumb: "Over a thousand fire seeds, and just a mere Golden Heir… How is that possible?!"

Ka'esilan'na clutched his constantly burning chest, gritted his teeth, and said: "Making it this far is proof."

"But someday… you will be burned to ashes."

"Of course, the divine fire will one day burn my eyeballs, leaving me blind… but before that, they can still temper Qinshen. That way, when I split open your stomach pouch, you won't feel pain."

"You… you…"

Ka'esilan'na's voice turned icy: "This is an ultimatum."

"Heh heh heh… good, good…" Batelusi saw Baie's attitude and gritted his teeth in anger: "Assuming this world has a hundred million possible futures, no matter how you look at it, ninety‑nine million nine hundred ninety‑nine thousand nine hundred ninety‑nine of them point to the 'destruction' ending… Even so, I, the great lord, will use the divine power despised by mankind to realize that one‑in‑a‑hundred‑million chance."

"You little brat… if you've got the guts, first step over my corpse…!"

Batelusi decided to hold Ka'esilan'na back, then turned and shouted at the distant shadow: "Heh heh heh! Cat‑ear thief, run quick, find Aglaea… this brat… is absolutely not a threat you two can handle together…!"

However, before its words even fell, Qinshen had already pierced its stomach pouch, and Baie directly scooped out the fire seeds inside its belly.

Batelusi's body turned into golden dust, gradually fading away in the air…

Looking at the familiar fire seed before him, Nakexia let out a deep sigh: "Ha, how absurd…"

Ka'esilan'na spoke wearily: "In my memory, Zhagesi always repeats his own ending… his departure no longer stirs any waves in my heart."

"This 'Rational' fire seed before us is a counterfeit—obvious at a glance."

"I know, it always happens. Under the cover of the thieving spirits, the Deceit Demigod will flee with two fire seeds…" Ka'esilan'na said without turning his head, "…and then, out of unwillingness or hatred, he will stand before me again."

"Just like the countless ones I've known before… both cunning and innocent."

——

Honkai 3.

Looking at Ka'esilan'na in the sky, his tone gradually turned indifferent, the light in his eyes dimming… Su seemed to be reviewing once again the major experiences and changes of Kevin over the years.

As his close friend, he understood this change all too well.

Over and over he lost comrades, watching them die helplessly, shouldering an unsolvable fate and a heavy mission. The youth who once rested in the wheat fields of Aolixie began to shed all tenderness, retract all emotion… from Baie to Ka'esilan'na, from fervent openness to silent reserve, from vibrant fervor to cold hardness.

If Kevin is a lone, warmth‑less ice peak, then Baie has gradually become an island floating in lava.

"Kevin… are you still okay?"

Ailixiya's voice was soft, like a petal falling onto a deep pool, careful and delicate.

She knew it well.

She knew better than anyone—watching another "herself" retread the oppressive despair of the "negative world," for Kevin it was not a memory, not a bystander's view, but a torture of being forced into the audience seats, eyes wide open as every wound was sliced open again and again.

Those things he had barely managed to suppress in his heart after countless silent days and nights were now being reenacted before Kevin's eyes through another person's guise.

Silence.

A very long, very long silence. So long that Ailixiya thought Kevin would never reply, yet suddenly the man spoke.

"……I've grown used to it, Ailixiya."

He paused. Ailixiya saw his Adam's apple twitch slightly, as if swallowing something even heavier.

"Ka'esilan'na, since he too walks a path of 'salvation,' I will believe him… without hesitation."

——

"……."

"Just as Ka'esilan'na said, Saifeier appeared behind the two of them."

"Watching Batelusi's body gradually dissipate, the girl swallowed her sorrow, gritted her teeth, and said word by word: "Since the same scene has played out countless times before your eyes, tell me… will you next dig the Deceit's fire seed from my chest?"

"…It depends on your attitude. At least so far, in those cycles where you asked this question, the outcome hasn't been that cruel."

"Hmph… thanks, then. But I likewise believe you won't catch me this time—no one can catch me; I've long stopped running for the sake of escape."

"Whether you believe it or not, I'll tell you this is a mistaken decision."

"Fine, then let's give it a try—"

Seeing the two about to fight before him, Nakexia shouted loudly: "——Silence."

Ka'esilan'na shook his head: "Ah… this is the first time."

"…One‑eyed boy, what act are you putting on now?"

"Go on, Safaliya. Give us some private time." Nakexia turned around: "This isn't for her, but for you. You've gone too far down this road; it's time to discuss a possibility: maybe what you're doing isn't the path of salvation at all, but simply dragging this world into a sea of fire."

"For the sake of our former teacher‑student bond, turn back. I don't care how many times you've tried, because one thing is crystal clear to me—your savior complex has made you no different from the cold‑eyed god you speak of. Those you swore to save… in your eyes, their lives are probably no better than ants, right?"

"Ha, no wonder." Saifeier sneered: "Every day I wonder what kind of demon could burn my hometown to ashes in an instant without blinking… Now I've found the answer. Turns out that all‑flaming demon, his mind full of fantasies, just wants to become a 'savior'!"

"……."

Ka'esilan'na took a deep breath, slowly closed his eyes. This time he remained silent for a long while.

"I no longer wish to argue anything. No matter how much effort I put in, the outcome won't change. Give it your utmost resistance, or accept fate and hand over the fire seeds to me… even if it's futile, you… we, still have the right to choose."

【55】 "I no longer wish to argue anything. No matter how much effort I put in, the outcome won't change. Give it your utmost resistance, or accept fate and hand over the fire seeds to me… even if it's futile, you… we, still have the right to choose."