Chapter 243: Just [Move Forward], and Only [Move Forward]

The transparent raindrops connected together, covering the entire vision with a layer of white curtain. The fierce rain made it difficult for everyone to see what was in front of them. Everything fifty meters away was blocked by the rain curtain, making people subconsciously nervous... That was people's instinctive fear of the unknown.

But that only applies to other people. For Nozomi, this situation does not exist at all. On the contrary, everything covered by rain appears exceptionally clear in his perception.

And in the rain, there is a huge "empty" area - that's where it is.

With it as the center, within a radius of nine hundred meters, everything became hot, and the strange flames burned silently. The raindrops falling from the sky would evaporate in the air, and the water flowing on the ground would boil in an instant and then disappear, making it difficult to spread in.

Come to think of it, after all, it opened the [Door], which is not a place that can be changed at will.

But... it doesn't matter, Nozomi knows what to do.

"Hiss… huh…"

His breathing was so clear amid the noisy rain.

The rain quietly caressed his body, conveying emotions of worry and heartache, while the burns on his body quickly faded and eventually disappeared.

However, the blood flowing from his wound, which should have been bright red and vivid, gradually... turned into a gorgeous deep blue like the seawater.

Tick-tock—

It was the sound of a drop of dark blue "blood" falling to the ground and into the puddles. It was just an ordinary thing. Amid the noisy rain, such a light sound would not be heard by anyone.

However, that drop of deep blue "blood" did not disappear or fade in the accumulated water. Instead, it seemed to come alive and began to frantically absorb the surrounding Honkai energy. Finally, it began to expand, spread, and twist, and finally... turned into a strange Houkai beast with blue and white as the main colors.

[......]

At this moment, it seemed a little surprised. It stopped its action of turning another scale and turned to "look" at Nozomi... Although it could not make its perception penetrate the rain curtain, it knew that Nozomi did not move and he was still standing in the original position.

"...You seem surprised that I can do such a thing, [Sister]."

Nozomi's voice penetrated the noisy sound of rain and surrounded it.

"But isn't this what you want? To make me look like this again."

He approached, inching toward the edge.

On one side, there is an area that is difficult to change and is revealed by opening the [Door]. It is a "realm" shrouded in flames. It is a place used to punish "evil people". Apart from pain and fear, there is nothing else.

On the other side, there was a vast expanse of white rain curtain. Unlike the dryness and heat around it, Nozomi felt damp and cold all around.

"Come to think of it, at the very end, I bit off most of Gabriel's body... Well, thinking about it this way, I should also be considered to have eaten it. If that's the case, then is it strange that I can do something similar to it?"

"Ahh... Thinking back on it, Gabriel should be considered my elder sister, just like you... I was a little too harsh in treating her like that."

"But... she doesn't seem to mind me doing this."

"After all, if it weren't for this, I..."

Nozomi raised his hand, wiped the "blood" off his face, and then threw it into the puddle on the ground.

"How could I become like this? How could I do all this?"

Almost in an instant, several more blue and white Houkai beasts appeared, with strange and twisted bodies, running happily in the rain, but they did not attack it. Instead, they continued to absorb the surrounding Honkai energy and then began to split themselves. The number grew exponentially and soon became a large group.

And then... they seemed to have received some orders and scattered around, running towards the streets and buildings that had long been empty, carrying out some useless destruction, and even jumping back and forth in the ruins, as if they were "playing."

After all, the show has to be done thoroughly. Since Vill-V covered for him, Nozomi naturally had to cover for Vill-V as well.

After all... Nozomi is the only one needed here.

"Oh, by the way, let me tell you something, [Sister]."

Nozomi smiled and took a step towards the dry, flame-filled place.

"Everything you just presented to me... is very good, very good."

"But..."

Step down heavily!

The rain falling from the sky froze in mid-air for an instant, and everyone could even see the transparent raindrops stagnant in the air.

After that... the rain continued to fall even more violently.

The accumulated water on the ground turned into a sea-like blue color in an instant, as calm as a mirror. Even the rain falling from the sky could not leave any ripples on it. At the same time, it spread towards it in a gentle, rapid, and irresistible manner.

And before it could forcibly move the ground under its feet, Nozomi's figure suddenly disappeared. Only a section of blue water could be seen flowing rapidly in the air. Even the raging flames could not stop it.

And Nozomi also came in front of it in an instant with the help of this flowing water.

"Don't show it to me next time."

Boom!!!

Nozomi's words and the kick arrived almost at the same time. The moment Nozomi's voice fell, its body was instantly kicked away, forcing it to flap its wings several times before it could barely stabilize itself.

Some arcs of electricity flickered on the wings, and purple lightning burst out instantly, sweeping everything around. The flames were still burning and had not stopped.

The Key fell a little bit again and tried to turn to the side as if it wanted to turn another scale.

However, in such rain, it seems futile.

On the ground, the azure water was still flowing and spreading. Even though it was evaporated by the flames and disintegrated by the lightning, it was still spreading silently.

"Those things..."

He gently patted the flames that remained on his body to extinguish them, and Nozomi's voice was indifferent and calm.

"You don't need to tell me at all."

His voice shifted from the front to the top in an instant.

A huge force came down along with the water flow, knocking it out of the air.

'I understand, of course, I understand.'

'If it was the "first time," I would still have some luck and regard everything that had happened as a "simulation." After all, there was nothing to compare it to, so it was okay for me to make such an inference.'

'Not to mention, I would never admit to such an ending.'

Before its body touched the ground, Nozomi had already arrived and kicked it away again... As the Angel of the Earth, Nozomi would not let it touch the ground.

'Yes, I know, I understand. In such a desperate situation, not going crazy prematurely was already a manifestation of my strong will... No, just like Su said at that time, maybe I had already gone crazy a long time ago but was just pretending to be a normal person.'

'I understand why I did that and why I made that choice... after all, it was my own choice.'

'Even if it was due to my own fault, back then left me with an "abyss" that is almost impossible to change and that I have to face every time, and I will not complain about it.'

'After all, it's all me.'

'I deserve it.'

He raised his hand, causing the rain to gather, compressing its "territory" and limiting its lightning and flames.

'That's why I wanted to treat everything as a "simulation" at that time and comfort myself that everything was "fake," because only in this way could I cover up my faults a little bit.'

The azure blue water flowed on the ground and circulated in the air, bringing Nozomi's figure to its front. Ignoring the oncoming lightning and the sudden flames, he clenched his fist and then... struck out!

'But after the "second time," after I discovered the "second time," when I had a vague feeling when I met Sakura again, I understood, I knew it.'

'Everything that was... everything that is before my eyes… is definitely not a "simulation."'

'I knew it from that time on, everything must have happened.'

'But I don't want to admit it, I dare not admit it, and I cannot admit it.'

'From the "first time" when I actively destroyed everything to the "second time" when I put shackles on myself and watched everything happen as a bystander... Is there any progress? Is there any change?'

'Still, nothing has been done?!'

'So, I will never admit it!'

He raised his hand, causing the water to flow, blocking the incoming flames and lightning, and quietly waved his other hand, causing the water to rush, passing through the lightning from the other side and hitting its wings directly.

'Therefore, at that time, I still regarded it as a "simulation" because only in this way could I feel better, prevent myself from completely collapsing, and make me want to continue.'

'After all, I can change everything, and this ability to "start over" is my capital.'

'And it turns out... I did it, on the "third time," I did it.'

'The "patterns" that surround the planet are transformed into a "song" that flows through the world.'

'If I stop there, it's actually fine.'

'But it doesn't work.'

'I made her, made them wait for too long, made them sad for too long... Fifty thousand years, a full fifty thousand years of longing, both for me and them.'

'I want this [story] to continue, I want to continue to be with them, I want to be with the people I love.'

'I...want to save more people and change more things.'

'I know, I can definitely do it... I can even reverse the "pattern" that destroys the world, so what else can't I do?'

'So... come again, come again!'

'I can definitely do better!'

"This place should be the sea."

Nozomi murmured softly, and at this moment the ground was completely occupied by azure blue water.

He raised his leg and kicked it in the air. Blue water gushed out from the ground, turning into spikes and piercing its wings.

'But the "fourth time," something went wrong. Although a lot was changed and a lot was saved, the way it was done was particularly strange.'

'Yes, the scene you presented to me before, yes, that was indeed what I was worried about.'

'What if I was just hallucinating? What if I was just hallucinating? What if I was just wishful thinking and it turned out that I was the one who destroyed the world and killed everyone?'

'Yes, I admit that I have had such concerns and thoughts, and there is nothing to be ashamed of.'

'But I know that none of this happened in the end. The [ending] I had was another one, another [ending] that was weird but still good.'

'Now Vill-V is the proof of everything!!!'

Move with the water flow and arrive in front of it in a flash!

'I can do it, I can do it! Change it all, turn it all around!'

'I already know what to do!'

Relax your five fingers, bring up five streams of water, and swing them from bottom to top! Let the water tear its wings apart!

'So, there's no need for that at all! You tell me!'

Reaching out, grabbing its body, it still wanted to turn the engraved 'Key' again.

''For the first time', I will cross the 'abyss' that I created for myself. Even if I fall into it, I will climb out by myself.'

'Because I can do it, I have done it!'

''The second time', I will keep in mind the belief I left for myself and the promise I made to myself!'

'I will make it happen because I can!'

''The Third Time', the grace I left for myself, I will also carve it in my mind and engrave it on my soul!'

'Whether it is the beautiful memories between me and them, or the 'songs' I left behind, they are my capital to deal with everything and the reason for my firm belief!'

''The fourth time', although there were some accidents, but I did achieve something and saved mankind in an alternative way... Haha, as for the subsequent judgment, don't worry about it!'

'And because of this, I am sure that I can do better! I am moving forward little by little, and I am changing little by little.'

'This [story] should have a shattered, incomplete, terrible, sad [ending], but I do have the ability to distort it in another direction!'

'In that case, let's continue!'

'Try again! Try again!'

'I, we! Will definitely do better!'

'I'm greedy so greedy! I will admit everything in the past and admit all the mistakes I made!'

'Because I know that I have come to this moment after going through the pain in the past.'

'Everything that happened in the past, if I had taken a wrong step, it would have resulted in none of this happening, and I would have been unable to do any of this.'

Force it to the ground, or rather, it is still occupied by the blue water and turned into the 'sea surface'.

It cannot reach the ground because there is a layer of water in between.

This is the [sea], and what it touches is the 'sea surface' rather than the ground.

'Like the 'first time', if I had not kept my promise, and had persisted for tens of thousands of years for just a word, for a candle that was just a figment of my own imagination, for a pillar that was about to break, I would not have been able to have a moment of clarity the 'second time' and realize my 'judgment' on myself.'

'Furthermore, I would not have saved all my comrades in the crusade against the Ninth Herrscher the third time, nor would I have smoothed out all the secondary disasters that might have been caused to the Mu Continent... If I had not done all this that time, the subsequent support from others would not have been so strong.'

'Even if the trust was broken later, so what? I can understand that, of course, I know that! After all, no one is willing to take the gamble, not even me!'

'If I had not been willing to give up everything and immerse myself in the 'song' the 'third time', then I would not have had the capital to 'save' the world the 'fourth time'.'

'If I hadn't been able to strengthen my heart 'the fourth time' if I hadn't been able to respond to Vill-V's trust and let her support me, how could I have gotten her help 'this time'?!'

'If I didn't have everything I left behind in the 'past', how would I be here now?!'

'I know better than you all, and I understand more clearly than you all why I have come to this point! And what kind of [Ending] should I pursue in the end!'

'I know! Of course, I know! If I hadn't held on! If I hadn't done all that, I definitely wouldn't have gotten this far! Just like I knew from the beginning, this isn't a [Simulation] at all!'

He raised his hand, causing the water to gather and smash down heavily!

'I just didn't want to admit it at first!'

'I just didn't dare to admit it at first!'

'But I know! I've known it for a long time! Nothing can be changed! What has been done is done, there is no way to correct it, just like [time] can only move forward but not backward, there is no way for me to go back to the [past]! To correct my mistakes!'

With a wave of his hand, the rain turned into sharp blades and spikes, piercing through its entire body!

'The only thing I can be thankful for is that I can [make amends]! To [change]! Make everything not as miserable as before!'

'I knew it all along!'

'That's why I've come this far!'

He clenched his fist, and then smashed it down hard, causing the water to fly and cracks to appear on its body!

'sigh...'

Nozomi Adjusted his breathing and stood up straight again.

'What I know, what I understand, everything I have experienced, my past will eventually overlap and become my strength, the power to change everything.'

His eyes were still as calm as water.

'I still know what I want my future to be like, what I want the [ending] to be like, and I will accomplish it, even if it costs me everything.'

'And I just have to keep [moving forward], and I can only [move forward].'

'That's all.'

[......]

It didn't react at all, but continued to maintain its appearance as a 'Key'. Even though its body became broken and its wings were torn, it still tried to turn itself and turn the 'Key' to the next scale.

'That's enough.'

Nozomi stepped on its body in a rather rude way.

'You just want to tell me that before the 'first time', I should have had another experience, a 'past' that I can't remember.'

'Am I right, [Sister]?'

[......]

It stopped trying.

'It's not something that's hard to guess.'

Nozomi's tone was calm, his previous anger had been mostly vented.

'From the sound of turning pages every time I "look back", and from my guess about the "record" entry, it's not difficult to conclude that [I should have a "past"].'

'The reason why I can't remember is very simple... Because Gabriel didn't appear at that time, and you might not even be there, and Mother was naturally not there either. After all, the most obvious awakening of Mother was after Gabriel appeared.'

'And since the "mother" is gone, it is only natural that the "memory" of that time was not preserved in the sea... It is not difficult to figure out all this, "sister".'

[......]

For the first time, it expressed emotion to Nozomi, an emotion full of seriousness and a sense of hearing, as if asking him why he didn't want to know the lost "once". Didn't he want to get all his "memories" back?

However, Nozomi's answer to this is...

"unnecessary."

Nozomi's tone was flat, and he even put a little more force on his feet.

"I know that the memory is with me. It will not be lost or dissipated. It will only be temporarily covered up."

"I will remember it at some point. After all, it is my power."

"After all, everything in the 'past' has already been engraved and recorded, right?"

"After all, I am the youngest among you, right?"

Nozomi leaned down, the gold and scarlet in his pupils shining brightly, and spoke word by word.

"I'm going to get this done. I'm going to do this."

"The rest, those warnings and reminders, you don't need to do it, [Sister]."

[...■■■]

It "spoke" for the first time, speaking to Nozomi, with a hint of praise and recognition in its tone.

"...snort."

Nozomi snorted softly and opened his mouth slightly. A blue "fish" quietly emerged, and a shadow enveloped its broken body.

[■■]

And it didn't resist at all, but just murmured again, with blessings and expectations for Nozomi in its tone.

Finally, Nozomi's lips and teeth closed, and its figure disappeared, leaving only some fragments floating on the blue water.

"…Tsk."

After wiping his lips slightly and feeling the battle situation on the other side with the help of the rain, Nozomi smacked his lips unconsciously... It was not that there was a problem with the battle situation, but that the "abyss" that Nozomi had created for himself in his mind came back again.

Every time he accepts this power, he must go through this kind of "test" and experience the resentment and disgust towards humans that have lasted for tens of thousands of years... Haha, it's a bit funny.

But...it doesn't matter.

Just like Nozomi himself said.

He will cross it, and even if he accidentally falls, he will climb out by himself.

This is his own problem, his own fault, and he will solve it himself.

Moreover, everything he has now and his experiences with them will anchor his cognition, and his belief in the future and the "ending" will also consolidate his consciousness.

So, this shouldn't be a big deal?

So what is the real problem?

"Hiss...How am I going to get over this with my current state?"

What Nozomi is really worried about is this problem.

After all, he is somewhat "inhuman" at this moment...

The aura and reaction belonging to the "Herrscher" is easy to deal with. After experiencing it so many times, Nozomi will find a way to cover it up. But in the current situation... as long as the rain does not stop, Hen and the others should not know.

But the question is, how to explain why he suddenly defeated such a tough Honkai beast alone? And it was in a "heavy rain" situation?

And he can't leave for the time being... After all, it has taught Nozomi a lesson this time... He needs to prepare in advance, or in other words, he needs to think ahead and do things faster, especially in terms of mental defense.

Since he has decided to change the [ending], he must also be prepared for the original [fate] to suddenly change... Before he takes everything into his hands, he should make some preparations in advance.

As for how to get around this, or come up with an explanation that can convince others...

"Hmm... Looks like I need to ask the doctor for help."

Nozomi muttered to himself.

"Well...goodbye, "Mother"."

Nozomi raised his head and said with a smile to the rain which was gradually slowing down.

"I will be back soon, back to...our [home]."

Tick-tock——

A feeling of joy came from the rain, and then... gently, she said goodbye to him.

Tick-tock——

The last drop of rain fell, and the white rain curtain quietly dissipated, revealing the warm sunshine... It seemed to be afternoon at this moment.

After a day and a night, this sudden eruption and this tortuous crusade finally came to an end.