The Moth Who Chases the Flames

"The Moth Who Chases the Flames… that's an interesting title. I wonder what that means," Kiana said wonderingly.

"That's another name for Fire Moth, usually people from that organization always introduce themselves using those words," explained Hua.

"It seems like they are acting dramatically to me," snorted Kiana, Hua just chuckled at that.

"By the way, why the Moth of all animals? Is that an abbreviation or something?" Bronya asked curiously.

Hua didn't answer immediately but crossed her arms while thinking, after a few seconds of thinking she gave up and turned to Kevin for help.

Kevin pondered for a moment before opening his mouth, "MOTH is an abbreviation, but I don't remember what it stands for. Maybe MOBIUS knows about it."

"I think so, considering she's one of the top officials of the organization," Hua said nodding. "Maybe you guys can ask her later?"

"That green haired woman? I don't know if I can do it, her tone makes me uncomfortable," Kiana said uncertainly.

"I have to agree with you, even if we were sitting far away from her, I could see her gaze on everyone like a predator stalking its prey. That gaze was even stronger when she saw Sirin," said Bronya.

"Well, you guys aren't wrong about that. When I first met her, she tried to do some pretty crazy experiments on me. Luckily, I was still able to escape," said Mei, smiling bitterly.

"I wasn't going to ask what kind of experiment it was, but I could tell that it was something that Dr. MOBIUS when she finds someone who catches her eye," Hua said.

"Then we have to keep Sirin away from her," Kiana said seriously. Nobody complained about that.

Bianka watched MOTH's truck walk away, Bianka's gaze was blank when she saw the truck getting further away and no longer visible. Bianka just stood there silently for a few minutes before she decided to go home.

"…"

It didn't take long for several people to figure out what had happened, Bianka standing still with a blank look was proof enough. But there are also some of them who don't understand.

"Um, what happened? Didn't the previous video show Durandal's determination to save Annie? Now suddenly she has become so gloomy," said Kiana (2016) confused.

"You don't understand? Durandal's appearance is enough to explain everything," said Bronya (2016) a little mockingly.

Kiana (2016) pouted, "Just say it quickly, Bratnya."

"Kiana-chan," said Mei (2016) with a sad expression. "That little girl, Annie, is dead."

"What…?" said Kiana stunned, she didn't expect what she heard.

"That's true," said Theresa (2016). "That girl has reached a stage where she can no longer be helped, no matter how hard Durandal tries to help her, in the end it's in vain."

"I see…" said Kiana (2016) wearily. Struggling as hard as she could but not being able to save someone, she didn't like that kind of ending at all. A Kaslana like herself didn't want that to happen. If she couldn't save a single person, then she didn't know the meaning of her existence.

"Cheer up, girl," said Himeko suddenly while giving Kiana (2016) a gentle pat on the head.

"Himeko-sensei?"

"I'm happy to see you sad seeing someone who failed to save another person, it means that you still have a conscience in your heart. But you know, failure is not the end of everything."

Himeko stopped for a moment and smiled a little, "Don't make failure the end of everything, on the contrary, make failure a stepping stone to make yourself better. The best example is just look at yourself, I still remember how terrible your exam score was, but you didn't feel sad and brag that you would definitely get a better score. And you finally did, didn't you? You end up getting a high enough score that you don't need to retake the test, even if it's just once."

"Ugh, you don't have to set an example like that, sensei," Kiana (2016) groaned before she sighed. "But yeah, I think what you said is right."

Himeko just snorted with a small smile, "Of course."

"Bronya was surprised, it turns out that Himeko-sensei can also make wise words like that," said Bronya (2016) looking at Himeko with new eyes.

"G-Gah! What does that mean, Bronya?" Himeko asked, wincing at her student's piercing words.

"Well, considering your habit of drinking and flirting with men, it's natural for them to think like that," said Theresa (2016) flatly, making Himeko even worse.

"But don't worry Sensei, to me you still look like a teacher," said Mei (2016) trying to cheer up.

"That doesn't help at all, Mei…" Himeko said weakly while Kiana (2016) and the others laughed.

Arriving home, Bianka immediately went to the bathroom to wash her face, her gaze still lifeless while she did that. Then suddenly Bianka punched the mirror in front of her until it broke.

"Dammit! She was just 10 years old," Bianka said gritting her teeth. "I was supposed to be a Doctor! Yet I failed to save anyone in the past 2 years."

No one was surprised by Bianka's angry outburst, they had all predicted that the girl had been holding back her sadness and anger since seeing the MOTH truck leave.

"It's rare for me to see you angry like this, Durandal-sama. But I can understand the reason for your anger," Rita said with sympathy.

"About two years have passed since that incident but I can still feel the feelings I went through at that time. It was very painful," said Bianka while reminiscing about the past.

"And Pioneer Su has been doing this job for two years, he has gone through a lot of tough and mentally draining problems."

"Yeah, he has a strong determination to get through it all."

That's right, the reason Bianka was so discouraged today was because she failed to save someone again. Annie, the girl she had been taking care of recently had just died, even though she had promised to save the little girl, but still she failed to save her. That fact really broke her heart as a doctor.

"I understand how she feels," thought Cecilia sympathetically. As the strongest Valkyrie, she bears a lot of burden to save everyone. Many people put hope in her to bring victory in every battle she goes through.

But even so, she is still an ordinary human being.

Even though she has very strong powers compared to other Valkyries, she cannot save everyone. That's what she felt in every mission she went on, there were always people she couldn't save.

That feeling always weighed on her, but thanks to Siegfried who was always there for her. She could still move forward.

"After all, she has one too, right?" Cecilia thought smiling while looking at Bianka on the screen.

Someone who will always support her.

It took Bianka several hours to calm down, and before she knew it it was already evening. After showering, Bianka returned to her study table to continue her research.

"Time to stop feeling sorry. I need to catch up on my studies. Hopefully there's something worthwhile in the post-mortem from last night," Bianka said, strengthening herself. But before she started, her phone rang and it showed Ragna calling her.

Everyone straightened their bodies while staring at the screen, they were curious about what happened to Ragna after Su's previous actions.

"Director Ragna? What is it?"

"Sorry for waking you up from your beauty sleep, Bianka."

"She looks normal to me," said Tesla (2000) squinting her eyes to observe.

"You're right, that adds to the mystery of what the Pioneer was doing," said Einstein (2000).

"We just haven't seen it yet. Pioneer Su said that he would erase the girl, maybe he would show it in another way," said Welt (2000).

"This reminds me that all this is just a test, not real life."

"That means eliminating this woman named Ragna is also a test," Tesla (2000) concluded.

"Possibly so."

"Oh, no. It's fine. I wasn't asleep."

"Still studying the Honkai Sickness, I guess. I don't like to nag, Bianka, but your youth won't last forever. Try to get that sleep, you hear?" Ragna scolded. "I know you had it hard today, but do listen to my advice for once, okay?"

"Alright, Ragna. I hear ya. Thanks for caring," Bianka said with a sigh while compiling the documents.

"There's one more thing, Bianka."

"Go ahead. I'm all ears," Bianka said, but she was confused by Ragna who didn't say anything. "Ragna? Hello? I'm still on the line. Is there something you want to tell me?"

"No, it's alright, I'm just…" Ragna was silent for a moment, her gaze fell on her hand which was… gnawed by purple lines. "Just keep working at it when you fell better, Bianka."

"…"

Everyone fell silent when they saw the purple lines running down Ragna's arm, now they understood what Su had done in the previous video.

"I see. So that's what he did," Welt said while pushing up his glasses.

"She is in good health and has no symptoms of infection, it is impossible for her to get an infection of that degree in such a short time," Tesla said crossing her arms.

"Unless there is a Honkai eruption, but I don't see that happening at all, so this only leaves one conclusion," said Einstein.

"This is all the Pioneer's doing, huh," said Siegfried summing up their observations.

.

"How long can she survive with that level of infection?" Himeko asked uncomfortable.

"From my experience, she can only last for a few hours," answered Theresa (2016) bitterly.

"Damn, what exactly is that Pioneer's goal!?" Himeko grumbled. Even though she knew that the Ragna on screen was not the Ragna she knew, the resemblance between her and Ragna was very identical, from her appearance to her behavior, making Himeko think that they were the same person.

"All of this was to test Durandal, that's what we know at the moment."

"That doesn't mean he can just play around with someone's life," said Kiana (2016) sullenly, she didn't like Su's actions on screen at all.

"This is just a simulation, Kiana. No one really dies here," reminded Bronya (2016).

"Ah, that's right," said Kiana (2016) realizing, but then her expression turned sullen again. "I still don't like it."

"Bronya can't blame you there."

"I feel better already, Ragna. Take care," Bianka said. After that they hung up the phone, Ragna sighed while looking at her hands.

"And I thought you wanted to tell your cute protégé to give up studying the Honkai Sickness. What changed? And why didn't you tell her?" said a blonde man standing in front of Ragna.

Everyone's expression immediately changed when they heard that voice, some remained calm and some showed displeasure, most of them were in the latter group.

"What is that bastard doing there," said Siegfried displeased.

"Maybe he is the same as Rita and Ragna, people who are considered close to Bianka," said Theresa.

"I guess you're right," said Siegfried taking a deep breath to calm himself. Really, he couldn't control his emotions every time the former Overseer appeared.

.

"So Otto-sama is also included in this simulation, what is his role, Durandal-sama?" Rita (2016) asked curiously.

Durandal crossed her arms while thinking, "To me he looks like a mentor here, someone who guides his subordinates in an unconventional way."

"Hm, that sounds like the usual Otto-sama."

"But of course they have some differences, you might be able to judge for yourself when you look further."

"Okay, I understand."

"You'll know once you meet the girl in person. She isn't the type who'll give up that easily," Ragna answered calmly, not at all surprised by the man's presence. "Now you tell me, Professor… How much time do I have left?"

"Six hours, Ragna," the man answered. "From what I'm seeing on your arms, Honkai radiation will infect your organ systems within 6 hours. Sorry, my old friend."

"Six hours, huh. Why didn't she say anything to Bianka-san earlier? This could be their last conversation," said Lixue, slightly regretting Ragna's actions.

"Maybe because she didn't want to, Bianka had just lost a patient who was quite close to her. Ragna didn't want to add to her sadness, so instead of saying goodbye, she chose to encourage Bianka," Cecilia said softly.

"I see, but she will definitely be sad when she finds out the truth."

"Indeed, but that's why Ragna gave words of encouragement in their last conversation," said Cecilia with a small smile.

"I still don't understand," Lixue said confusedly.

"Maybe we'll see about it later. If my guess is correct, then Bianka will be much more determined than before."

Ragna didn't say anything, she just looked at her irradiated arm sadly, "One last wish, Professor, if you're willing to hear me out. Please take care of Bianka for me."

- The next day -

"Huh?! What's going on?" Bianka asked confusedly. In the morning when she went to work as usual, she was confused by the police line across the front of the hospital.

Some people could feel their bodies tense with what was about to happen, the situation on screen already showed that what they feared had happened.

"Thinking about it, this is quite sad, she had just recovered from her sadness after Annie died, but the next day she found out that the people closest to her had also suffered the same fate," said ELYSIA sadly.

"Yeah, I agree with you, Ellie. But do you think she will give up?" EDEN asked with a small smile.

ELYSIA giggled a little, "No, she won't give up. I just got to know that girl but I know that she is a person who doesn't give up easily."

"This place is now off-limits, Doctor Bianka," said Paul Long walking over. "We, the MOTH, have quarantined this hospital to contain the Honkai outbreak. Don't worry, all patients have been transferred to our HQ for further treatment."

"This is just too unexpected. I'm calling Director Ragna," Bianka said. But to her disappointment, only static sound from customer service came out. Bianka wanted to try calling again, but a voice called her before she tried calling.

"Excuse me, Miss. Are you Doctor Bianka?"

Bianka turned her attention to the source of the sound, she saw a blonde man walking towards her, what caught her attention was the man's missing left hand.

"It's unusual for me to see Otto lose an arm like this," Kallen said a little uncomfortable.

"Me too, I can't even imagine that he could get hurt, because he is always in the safest place," Lixue said.

"Oh, he didn't come to the front line?" Kallen asked curiously. The Otto she knows always travels with her whenever she takes action, even though Otto plays more of a supporting role.

"It's not that he doesn't want to, but we all forbade him, considering that his position is very important in Schicksal, it would be very dangerous for him if he went to the front line," explained Lixue.

"I see…" Kallen said with concern. She clearly doesn't want to be in Otto's position because she is a free person, doesn't want to be bound by rules.

"But sometimes he manages to escape and wander out there, putting the whole of Schicksal in a state of panic."

Kallen chuckled at that, happy that her friend was still a free spirit.

"I'm Otto Apocalypse from MOTH. Director Ragna is an old friend of mine. I can take you to her," the man named Otto said to her.

"I never knew that Director Ragna has friends in MOTH," Bianka said in surprise.

"Hah. I guess she never told you about me. Come on in. Let's not keep her waiting."

Bianka then followed Otto into the building and through the hospital hallway.

"Doctor Bianka, I heard you've been studying the Honkai Sickness on your own. The treatment regimen you developed managed to stall disease progression in a young girl. Quite an impressive feat, I must say," said Otto in praise.

"That was not a feat. All that did was delay the sickness. It failed to save her, and that's what really matters. I failed them all. Not one of my 52 patients made it," Bianka said with regret.

"52 patients… that's a lot," said Hua (2016) a little surprised.

"And she can still rise above all those failures, she has a strong determination," praised Himeko.

"That is the job of a doctor, they must have determination and a strong mentality. If just one patient dying can make them worse off, then who will be able to save the other patients?" said Theresa (2016) crossing her arms.

Nothing, even a nurse who is great at medicine still needs a doctor to give direction. This proves how important a doctor is for human health, without them there would be many victims from all walks of life even though they only suffer from minor illnesses.

"Yeah, you're right, Principal."

"You're being too hard on yourself, Bianka. You did amazing things. MOTH spent 5 years and we still couldm't find a cure," said Otto when they arrived in front of a door. He then typed in the password on the device next to the door.

"But we did identify the cause of the disease. Most infectious diseases are caused by a pathogen. Usually bacterial or viral," Otto continued. "We can limit the spread of these contagions by avoiding contact or by wearing protective gear such as gloves or masks."

Then he turned to Bianka, "There was a time when we believed that the great plagues in our history can be beaten by modern science. But this sickness taught us that we've been blinded by pride and arrogance."

The door opened, Otto stepped aside to let Bianka enter first.

"The rider of the pale horse rideth still. Humanity and its civilization are still at the mercy of many diseases."

Out of curiosity, Bianka entered the room but when she arrived inside, she was shocked by the sight in front of her.

It didn't take long for them to figure out what had shocked Bianka because they had expected this to happen, instead they just gave the girl sympathetic looks.

"!"

In front of her was an isolation capsule in which there was a bed. The capsule itself was not very important to Bianka but the occupants inside made the world around her collapse.

In the capsule there was a woman that Bianka knew, but different from the energetic and happy attitude that Bianka usually saw, the woman now just lay quietly on the bed, her body covered in purple lines that Bianka really hated. Seeing this scene, Bianka finally accepted a very painful reality.

Director Ragna, someone who always advised her and gave her encouragement, has died from a disease called Honkai Sickness.

Rita, Bianka and Himeko couldn't help the wrinkles on their faces when they saw Ragna on the screen, even though they knew that she wasn't the Ragna they knew, but when they saw the dead Ragna on the screen it made bad memories for them.

"Director Ragna… How did this happen?" Bianka said weakly. Her body couldn't stand anymore and she fell on her knees in front of Ragna's capsule. Her mind was filled with great sadness, and she didn't even listen to Otto when the man chattered behind her.

What should I do now? This question filled Bianka's mind, all this time she had been studying about Honkai Disease and she had never succeeded in solving the mystery or making a cure to deny the disease. And now someone important to her was lying lifeless in front of her.

"This is one of the tests she has to pass," SU thought with concern. He had been through this in the past and he still remembered it even now as if it had just happened a few days ago.

SU will always remember this incident because this was the point where his monotonous life changed so that he could become who he is today. Without this incident, he would still have to fight to save his patients every day without definite progress.

"Now Bianka, show me what path you will choose from here," thought SU with great anticipation. He wanted to see what path the person who was the key to defeating Honkai would choose.

Therefore SU stared at the screen with his eyes fully open, wanting to see directly with his own eyes.

Even though deep down he already knew what Bianka would choose...

The feeling of helplessness at not being able to help her friend made Bianka want to cry, but then she remembered Ragna's words when they spoke earlier.

keep working, Bianka…

This memory brought Bianka back to consciousness. That's right, she can't give up now, just like Ragna who continues to encourage her, Bianka will continue to fight as best she can so that she doesn't disappoint the people who support her.

"I see, so this is what you meant earlier, Cecilia-sama. I understand now," Lixue said enlightened.

"Yes, Ragna didn't want to leave any parting words because she didn't want Bianka to get worse. She left behind the passionate words she usually uses as a catalyst for Bianka to get up and be determined again," said Cecilia with a small smile.

"Even when death was very close to her, she still thought of others. She really is an extraordinary person," said Kallen in praise.

"But I have some good news for you, Doctor Bianka," said Otto, she could hear the man's voice again. "From this day forth, every Honkai victim will only be treated at MOTH facilities. You'll no longer need to deal with them. You will be safe."

"Tch, that doesn't make her feel better at all." said Tesla (2000) clicking her tongue.

"Yes, but from a researcher's point of view, problems like this should be handled by more experienced people from the start," said Einstein (2000).

"Which means she only has one way to continue what she started from the beginning," said Welt (2000).

"Yes, this is an important point in her life, whatever choice she chooses will make a big change in her life."

"…"

Bianka didn't say anything, because her strength had recovered, she stood up again and looked at Otto with determination.

"Mr. Otto, do let me join the MOTH. I'll do whatever I can to defeat the Honkai!"

Many smiled with satisfaction at Bianka's choice, even though she had been faced with failure many times, she always got up and stood up again.

"Yeah, we really look alike," SU thought with a small smile. So far Bianka had done the exact same thing as his past self and he was happy that his future self chose this girl as his successor.

And that all added to his curiosity, a curiosity that he really wanted to know the answer to.

How similar are they?

Otto just sighed and shook his head, not impressed with Bianka's determination, "You just placed me in a very difficult position, Doctor Bianka. Yet I have no choice but to turn you down. Your medical expertise is far too limited to help the MOTH in any way."

"Huh? Why did he reject it?" Kiana asked with raised eyebrows.

"MOTH can't just accept members randomly, they have to go through several procedures and meet the qualities that the higher-ups want. Even though sometimes there are some people who don't need to go through all that because their abilities are guaranteed," explained Hua.

"I see, what a nuisance. I think being a Valkyrie is easier for me," said Kiana.

"We're also a special case, you know? Without the Nagazora incident, we would definitely have to follow the registration procedures like other Valkyries," reminded Bronya.

"Ah, you're right. We were lucky to meet Theresa and Himeko-sensei at that time," said Kiana while remembering the past.

Mei smiled slightly while remembering the past like her two friends, then she turned to Fu Hua, "Back to topic, why do you think Durandal was rejected, Class Monitor? I firmly believe the reason is not her lack of medical skills."

Hua crossed her arms as she pondered, "I think her abilities are enough to prove that she is suitable to be a member of MOTH, but… what do you think, Kevin?"

"I think so too, the only reason she hasn't been accepted is probably because the Professor wants to test herself first, because as we know, MOTH is not a place for naïve people like her," said Kevin.

"Naive, huh. I can understand what you mean," Mei said. Seeing as MOTH was filled with people like Mobius and Kalpas, someone like Su really looked out of place.

Otto then grinned a little, "We are the Moth Who Chases the Flames, Elite defenders of the human world. We have no space for ordinary civilians like you."


"Doctor Bianka went home, Professor Otto," Paul Long said. "But why turn her down? She has the best medical skills of this entire hospital, and…"

"Thanks for the obvious, Mr. Paul Long. Shut up and keep those opinions to yourself," said Otto, interrupting Paul's words.

He then took out a drinking bottle hidden under his jacket and drank from it, "You're totally right, old friend," thought Otto while remembering his meeting with Bianka.

"Meeting the girl in person is indeed your best argument. She definitely isn't the type who'll give up that easily," said Otto with a small grin.

"Hmph, what does he want now? That grin isn't a good sign when it comes from this cunning fellow," Senti said crossing her arms unhappily.

"Oh, is the great Miss Herrscher of Sentience afraid? I just found out about this," said a voice mockingly.

Senti couldn't help the frown on her face and she turned to the source of the voice with trembling eyebrows, the owner of the voice was SEELE who was looking at her with a small grin.

"What do you want this time, SEELE? Are you so lonely that you keep bothering me? Fine, if that's what you want then I'll be willing to listen to you."

"Haaah!? Who's lonely? If I wanted to, I could have talked to someone other than you," SEELE argued.

"Then why don't you do it?"

"T-That…" SEELE immediately stuttered and she turned her attention away.

"Heh, look~, you can't reply at all. That means what I said was true," said Senti, grinning triumphantly.

"S-Shut up, who wants to hear what you say. I'm sure other people can't stand talking to your stupid self either."

"What did you say!?" Senti snapped.

"Okay enough, stop making a fuss."

"SEELE, you too. Don't bother Senti-san."

SEELE and Senti glared at each other before they looked away, Seele and Hua sighed at their other self behavior but in their hearts they were happy with the development of their relationship.

"Ahem, Professor Otto, didn't you say that you're going to quit drinking?"

"Shut yer mouth, Paul."

.

..

Meanwhile, in an unknown place, Su observed everything that was happening through the virtual screen in front of him.

"Otto Apocalypse, the Overseer of Schicksal," Su said coldly as he placed his hand on the screen.

"So this is what she thinks of you."

"From his tone, it seemed like he knew Otto's true identity," said Welt.

"Of course, he has a second key in his hand through which he can see many things. Seeing Otto's actions during his life must have been easy for him," said Einstein.

Tesla snorted derisively, "I definitely feel disgusted seeing that sneaky blondie act like a good guy, he doesn't deserve to act like that at all."

"Heh, I agree with you," said Siegfried unable to hold back his insult, Sirin nodded in complete agreement.

After all, they hated Otto to the core.

"We're going into the usual short video, everyone," Eve announced.

Everyone only needed a few seconds to rest and look back at the screen, but no one complained, instead they were curious about who the short video was about this time.

"Eve, who is this video about?" said ELYSIA which represented everyone's questions.

"Ah, this time it's still about EDEN."

"Me?" EDEN said, a little surprised because the short video was still talking about her.

"Yeah, I see a lot of you were confused about the previous short video. Well, this short video will be the answer to your confusion."

Some people straightened their bodies after hearing that, for them the previous short video had a gloomy atmosphere but they didn't understand why they felt that way, even the conversation between Mobius and Eden on the screen didn't answer their confusion.

However a different reaction could be seen for those who understood the conversation, their bodies felt tense and full of anticipation for what they were about to watch. They knew that this video would be proof of their anxiety as they would see the end of someone they knew.

EDEN leaned back in the chair and sighed, she couldn't bear to see her friends' faces because it might break her heart. She focused her gaze on the screen, she also wanted to know the reason, the reason her future self didn't come to the Next Era with Kevin and the others.

She hopes this short video can answer her question.

The Final Scene

"Final Scene… so will I see the truth about what happened to EDEN?" Mei thought curiously. When she was still in the Elysian Realm, the memories of the Flame-Chasers that were there no one knew how they died, because they were all memories of the original Flame-Chasers still alive, so of course they had no memories of their deaths.

EDEN is one of them, she doesn't know when and how she died, but even so EDEN already knows that she won't exist in the Next Era. Mei didn't know where the woman's confidence came from, the only answer she got was 'My existence is no longer needed'.

"I wish I could see the truth," Mei thought as she stared at the screen.

"The cryopods are ready." Mobius shifted her gaze from the display to the people in the room.

"Hm?" Kevin who was crossing his arms blinked when he saw the screen, his mind immediately concluded that this happened after the battle against the Final Herrscher, because that was the only time they used the Cryopod.

But for him that wasn't what was most important, but rather the scene that would happen after this.

"Kevin, this…" It seemed Hua thought the same as him because she straightened her body and stared at the screen with slightly widened eyes.

"Yeah, this will likely cover what happens after we get into the Cryopods."

"About what happened to those two…"

This is a mystery for Kevin and Hua because they don't know what happened to Mobius and Eden after they entered the Cryopod, all they know is that the two women did not survive to enter the Next Era.

"Understood," replied Hua.

"It looks like this video is close to the previous video, when Kevin and Hua wanted to enter Cryo," concluded VILL-V.

"Yes, judging from their clothes and where they are. And I think the setting is also before the previous video because we don't see Dr. Mobius when they entered the Cryopod," said MEI nodding slightly.

"..." Kevin looked around the room. "Where's Eden?"

Kevin's question caught everyone's attention, they were reminded that this short video focused on Eden. EDEN herself felt her body tense slightly as she was getting closer to the answer she wanted to find.

"She... is probably outside," suggested Mobius.

"Eh, why are you outside, EDEN-nee chan? Isn't our era coming to an end?" PARDO asked, a note of worry in her voice.

"That's right, EDEN. It's dangerous outside," said HUA, expressing the same concerns as PARDO.

EDEN could only give a sad smile seeing the worry of the two of them, she was happy that her friends felt worried about her but she was also sad thinking about their reaction when they found out the truth. But there's nothing she can do right now because this video takes place in the future.

"Take it easy, both of you. Everything will be fine," EDEN said softly, they only gave confused looks in return. EDEN didn't say anything after that and looked back at the screen, she would just let the screen explain everything.

Unbeknownst to EDEN, MOBIUS looked at her from the corner of her eye before she closed her eyes and sighed. She felt like she wouldn't like the talk she was going to have with EDEN because it would likely show her weak side to everyone.

"I'll go get her." Kevin headed toward the door.

"No," interjected Mobius, "I'll do it..."

Outside the base, a record player was nonchalantly playing a tune, as if it did not know that its era had ended. Eden stood next to it, swirling the wine in her glass and humming along to the old music.

"Uh, what…?" PARDO subconsciously voiced her surprise, but not only her, all the members of the Flame-Chasers were shocked by what they saw. What surprised them was not Eden's appearance or the record player on the screen, but the environment around the woman.

As members of an organization, of course they had to remember the layout of their base, but what they saw on the screen was not the base they remembered.

"As far as I remember, there was still an urban area around the base, but now it only consists of desert and ruins," said SAKURA, who didn't expect the changes she saw.

"Yeah, I remember that too. The field that children usually use to play has also turned into a desert, what is happening here?" KOSMA asked narrowing his eyes.

"Well, since this happened in the future, something we don't know about must have caused this all. I wouldn't even be surprised if this was all Herrscher's doing," said VILL-V.

"Herrscher, huh. So far we know only Herrscher of Corruption will appear in the future, how many more do you think will appear, VILL-V?" SU asked.

"You forgot the Final Herrscher, SU. I don't know how many Herrschers will appear because the possibilities are endless, but I hope they don't appear at all."

"Ah, you're right. I also hope so."

No one expected the presence of a Herrscher, even though they currently didn't know what a Herrscher of Corruption looked like, but they knew that the level of danger a Herrscher posed was not something that could be underestimated.

"I haven't hear this for a long time," commented Mobius. "I remember this is a song from your homeland."

"Oh~."

"Tch!"

Two different reactions were immediately made by two particular women, the first was ELYSIA who felt happy with the new information she knew while the second was MOBIUS who felt annoyed with ELYSIA's reaction.

"Hey, MOBIUS~," called ELYSIA with a bright smile.

MOBIUS sighed tiredly and annoyed, "What do you want this time, ELYSIA? If you want to ask about music, then I'm not interested in discussing that."

"You say that but your actions on screen say otherwise," said ELYSIA with amusement.

"How would I know, it all happened in the future. So the current me has nothing to do with that," said MOBIUS while snorting and looking away.

ELYSIA giggled and didn't discuss it further, she knew that MOBIUS wouldn't want to admit anything right now, especially in front of this many people. She was quite satisfied with the new information she got, that even though the green-haired woman was often indifferent to everyone, deep down she always cared about her friends.

Although only a handful of people the green-haired Scientist recognized as friends.

"Doctor, I thought you can't remember any music not made by your devices."

"Come back, Eden. The cryopods are ready. Staying out here is bad for you. You know this place is thick with radiation."

"Radiation?" SAKURA said confusedly, her confusion was also shared by the other Previous Era groups because they didn't remember that the area around them was filled with radiation.

"What happened? I'm very sure there is no dangerous radiation around the base because I often wander around there," said PARDO, frowning.

"Yes, ordinary residents also carry out many of their activities there," said HUA, who also expressed her confusion.

"Could this be the work of another Herrscher?" KOSMA asked.

"That's a possibility, we also shouldn't rule out the Herrscher of Corruption because we don't know what the Herrscher's abilities are," said MEI narrowing her eyes.

"Tch, there are a lot of useless people in the future, I really want to kill those who caused all this chaos," growled KALPAS behind his mask.

"You can do that when the time comes," SAKURA said.

Among them, there was one person who ignored everyone's conversation and was lost in her own thoughts, VILL-V crossed her legs while staring at the screen in contemplation.

"Radiation, huh…" mused VILL-V. Ever since she heard those words, she couldn't get them out of her mind, therefore she mulled over the matter in her head and didn't engage in conversation with her friends.

It is true as they say that Herrscher could be the perpetrator who caused the radiation, but it does not rule out the possibility that humans themselves were the cause. Because they have a super weapon capable of causing a similar disaster.

Nuclear Bomb.

It is a weapon of mass destruction and has a very high explosive power, the weapon is capable of destroying a city or even a country depending on the type and power. Worst of all, nuclear explosion sites have radiation that is very deadly to living creatures.

And that terrible weapon was designed by VILL-V.

"What if it's my fault?" thought VILL-V frowning. But then she immediately discarded that thought and shook her head. "There's no point thinking about that now. Even if this is all my fault, then I will think of a way to stop it."

Now that her mind was clear again, the woman returned to staring at the screen in her usual manner.

"... Kevin sent you, didn't he?"

"Well..."

"Then you already know my answer, Mobius."

"...I know."

"Answer? What answer?" PARDO asked frowning.

"Keep watching, PARDO. Later you will understand," said EDEN gently.

"Uh, okay…" said PARDO confused, she didn't know why but she felt an uneasy feeling.

"…"

"…"

"…"

Those in the theater also felt the silence on the screen. The atmosphere on the screen was so gloomy that those in the theater didn't know what to say.

"So quiet… is this what it feels like when we are about to face the end of the world?" muttered Kallen melancholy.

The land has turned into a desert, buildings are now in ruins, the air is contaminated with dangerous radiation, and the night sky is beautiful but gives an eerie atmosphere.

It's a scary experience to go through. Kallen's respect for her ancestors and friends increased after thinking that.

They remained silent for a while. The record came to an abrupt stop, and the sound of applause faded.

"How strange." Eden sounded wistful. "I'm sure this place would be much livelier if Ellie was around."

ELYSIA's eyes widened for a moment before she smiled sadly, "That's right, I'm already dead at this point."

Thinking that she was dead of course made her sad, she still wanted to fight with them, have fun together and make precious memories that would never be forgotten.

The thought of that made ELYSIA's desire to stay alive stronger, she didn't want to die and leave her friends sad like this.

But even so, she still couldn't get rid of the questions that were in her head at the moment. Questions related to her future fate. A question that kept repeating itself in her head.

How could she die?

"Are you serious? Her screeching would drown out the music."

ELYSIA immediately pouted, "That's rude, MOBIUS."

"I'm just telling the truth," MOBIUS said snortingly.

"I know you don't like her, but we must admit... many of her remarks turned out to be true."

Mobius did not respond. She did not want to continue with this topic. "Eden... won't you at least think about it?"

"Mobius, you know me well. I only make thought-out decisions."

"I understand you... but are you really giving up on the next generation of humans?"

"Uh…?" PARDO involuntarily made a sound and stared at the screen with wide eyes.

It was at that moment that she and the others understood what really happened, what the previous short video meant and why people were so gloomy after watching that video.

"EDEN, you..." HUA said, not expecting it.

EDEN just gave a sad smile, "I'm sorry, I've decided."

"But why, EDEN-nee chan!? You have a chance to go to the Next Era, you have a chance to live!" PARDO said in despair, she didn't like EDEN's choice to commit suicide at all.

"PARDO..." said ELYSIA with concern. She wanted to interrupt but no sound came out, deep inside her heart he wanted EDEN to stay alive and live her life in the Next Era. But EDEN has decided her own path in life, and as her friend ELYSIA can only support her decision even though it goes against her wishes.

Meanwhile EDEN was silent and didn't say anything, she was conflicted about what she should say to her friends. Not only PARDO, she also felt her other friends looking at her to ask for answers about her decision. Even though she wanted to give an answer, she couldn't because she didn't know the answer herself.

"Ahem." In her dilemma, Eve suddenly cleared her throat making everyone turn towards her. EDEN silently thanked the Overseer because this gave her time to calm down.

"Keep watching because soon you'll see why," Eve said. Hearing that, everyone focused their attention back on the screen.

Eden smiled at Mobius, as if she was a naïve and inquisitive child.

"Mobius, do you know what Elysia told me? She told me that the people of this era grew up listening to my songs. Mobius, my singing belongs to this era. I belong to this era. This is by no means foolish vanity or cowardly surrender. This is... a kind of faith. The next generation should script their own fate and sing their own songs. New stars will certainly rise. The songs of this era... will thrive and perish with this era."

"And that's the answer," Eve said. "EDEN's actions were not based on despair or anything like that, but this was all based on her own actions, a decision she took from the bottom of her heart."

"...So that's how it is..." thought EDEN with a sigh of relief because her curiosity had been satisfied, now she understood her future self's decision and she did not deny that action at all.

Despite that, she still couldn't help but send a sad look at her friends who were drooping listlessly. She was sure that they were currently still lost in their own thoughts, so she gave them time to refresh their minds.

.

"I see…so that was the trigger for EDEN to choose this option…. It's because of my words…" ELYSIA bit her lip when she thought that. The thought that it was her words that made EDEN choose to throw away her life was painful for her, but when she looked at EDEN...

…only to find her dear friend shaking her head while giving her a gentle smile.

ELYSIA's eyes widened when she met EDEN's eyes, it didn't take long for her to interpret the implied gaze. Their close friendship means they can understand each other just by looking. Therefore, ELYSIA understands the meaning of EDEN's current gaze.

This is not your fault. This is my faith.

That is the content of the message conveyed by EDEN.

ELYSIA closed her eyes after accepting that fact. That's right, she finally realized, that's what EDEN is like. Once she decides she won't change it. This was not a choice based on other people's words, but rather a choice chosen based on her own faiths. EDEN is a woman who believes in her own faiths.

Her faith in becoming a star.

Her faith in helping others led to establishing an organization for that purpose.

Her faith in joining MOTH.

Her faith in becoming a MANTIS.

And now EDEN has the faith that the next generation must determine their own destiny, therefore she who comes from the old generation will not be involved with them.

All of EDEN's actions so far have been based on her own faiths, not influenced by other people.

"That's right, that's what you are, EDEN," thought ELYSIA, smiling a little after she realized all that.

She didn't do anything else after that apart from holding her dear friend's hand tightly.

.

Just like ELYSIA, PARDOFELIS also sank into her thoughts.

As a person who highly values her life and is afraid of death, PARDO does not like the actions of someone who throws away their life when they have a chance to live. Honestly, that's how she felt when she learned of EDEN's actions.

But when she found out EDEN's real reason, she finally realized how hypocritical she had been.

PARDO is afraid of death, this cowardly trait has been ingrained in her for a long time. But despite realizing that fact, she chose to remain a member of MOTH even though she joined the organization by accident.

She had the right to leave but she didn't, even though she mostly worked in logistics but she often took part in dangerous missions hoping to survive.

After realizing that fact, PARDO could only sigh tiredly and rub her head in frustration, she now had no right to oppose EDEN's decision when she herself also did the same thing.

Not wanting to think about the matter any longer, PARDO looked back at the screen with a bitter expression and held back her sadness.

She could only hope that these future videos could provide a better ending for all of them.

Eden gave a slight nod to Mobius before drifting away into the wasteland with a smile. Mobius knew their conversation had ended. She was not in the least surprised by Eden's choice. She turned toward the base.

Mei's eyes widened when she saw where Eden had gone, her heart was immediately filled with sadness now that she knew what had happened to the real Eden.

The same thing happened to Hua and Kevin, for thousands of years they were in the dark about the mystery of what had happened to Eden, the only thing they knew was that the woman never made it to the Next Era. And now they know that the fate that befell Eden was not a tragedy, but a faith.

"I thought that after knowing the truth I would feel relieved, but now all I feel is sadness," Hua said weakly leaning back on the chair.

"You have the right to feel sad, Hua. After all, she was our friend in the past, but remember, this is the path chosen by Eden herself. This is her faith," said Kevin.

"Yeah, I understand, Kevin."

It was all in the past and something that could not be changed, but even so, she would not forget all the memories she had gone through during her life, both sweet and bitter.

She didn't want to lose them again.

The field of golden wheat swayed

Where can the wandering rider call home

As if hypnotized, everyone stared at the screen in a daze, their bodies feeling like they were being shocked by low-pressure electricity that made them shiver. This was all because Eden's voice was so beautiful that it was difficult for them to form words.

EDEN smiled seeing everyone stunned to hear her singing, even though she never expected it, she was happy that her song could be heard by the next generation.

"Hmm, maybe I can sing a song for them later?" thought EDEN.

She suddenly heard an angelic song coming from behind. In the apocalyptic landscape where only debris and sand remained, it sounded like a gift from the heavens. Mobius looked back in surprise. It was Eden performing her last song to the vast heaven and earth.

Strange, Mobius had always thought her songs as nothing more than glorified noise. Then why did her heart now sting with grief? Was it the power of art?

Everyone understands what Mobius feels now, in fact they feel the same way now. Even though those outside the group of Flame-chasers didn't know Eden very well, they still felt sadness when someone was heading towards their death.

This is not the power of art or anything like that, this is the feeling of all of them as living creatures who respect each other.

Feelings that make them human.

Oh, my love, may we never part ways

Oh, my love, may time stay still for us

No, that was not it. Mobius denied it to herself. She assessed the situation from a purely rational perspective. It was because she was watching an era wither away.

"Still denying yourself, MOBIUS. I wonder when you will be honest with yourself," thought ELYSIA with a sigh. "But I agree, the sadness I feel is because of an era that is fading along with its star."

Before then, the collapse of an era was only an abstract concept to Mobius. It was only people dying out. It was only species becoming extinct.

But as she watched Eden disappear into the boundless wasteland, she felt something crumble for the first time.

Eden's singing belonged to this era. Eden belonged to this era. Eden was the microcosm of this era.

Yet her song wafted closer and closer to death and the end of the world. It was the last time this beautiful voice resounded through the heavens and the earth.

Everyone felt the depth of those words, and so did MOBIUS. She couldn't help but admit that EDEN's songs, which she had always considered noisy and deafening, were actually very beautiful if she intended to listen to them.

She could feel it. Her future-self regret was that she would only hear this beautiful voice once in her life, when the world would end.

"Do I have to listen to music from now on?" MOBIUS thought a little interested but she quickly shook her head. "No, ELYSIA will just mock me again."

.

..

"…Perhaps secretly it would be fine."

Oh, my love, may we never part ways

Oh, my love, may time stay still for us

"It's so beautiful…" Lixue said in awe.

"Yeah, I've never heard a voice this melodious before," said Kallen closing her eyes while enjoying, before her expression became melancholy. "Even so, this contains sadness for me."

"Yes, I feel that way too. Although I don't know why…"

"That… is probably because this is the last time that song will be played," Cecilia said, attracting the two women's attention. "Their era will soon end, and Eden-san's beautiful voice will never be heard again…"

The two women immediately remembered the situation on the screen, because they were too lulled by Eden's beautiful voice, they both forgot that the world was on the verge of destruction.

"Yes, you're right, Cecilia-sama. I forgot about that," Lixue said looking down sadly.

"It's a shame that she didn't go to Our Era, but if she has decided to entrust our fate to ourselves, then it's our job to prove her trust is true," Cecilia said with determination.

"Our own fate, huh..." Kallen thought, pursing her lips. She herself was conflicted about what she should do now, she had lost the will to live after she sealed Sakura away, but after she came here and heard the struggles her ancestors had endured, her will to live slowly returned.

The thought of what she should do from now on made Kallen's mind start to get tangled, she then rubbed her head roughly, "Mou, never mind! I'll think about that once this is all over, for now I'll just watch!"

...

Such heavenly music would never be heard again.

"…"

Everyone was silent and didn't say anything, making the theater feel quiet even though it was filled with many people. For them, this is the most emotional video they have watched because they witnessed someone they know heading to death.

Some people can't hold back their sadness, especially those who are close to EDEN.

PARDOFELIS was one of them, she tried to wipe her watery eyes but it was in vain because she couldn't close her sadness, her tears kept flowing out no matter how hard she held them back. It's natural for PARDO to feel sad, because EDEN is one of the people closest to her in MOTH, so seeing EDEN heading towards her death of course makes her sad.

EDEN, who realized PARDO's sadness, immediately pulled the girl into her arms, letting her express her sadness. Some Flame-chaser members also felt sad about EDEN's fate but they managed to control their emotions.

Seeing everyone's state, Eve decided to give them ten minutes to calm down before continuing to watch. Everyone felt relieved by the decision and let their bodies relax in their respective chairs.

After all, they need it.


Thanks for reading! Sorry if there are mistakes in words, repeated words, or language errors during writing.

See you in the next chapter.