It was a memory of a long time ago.
Hua does not fully remember what happened back then. The memories of the time he left was a huge mess.
One week turned into a month.
One month turned into a year.
They believed he would return, but to no avail. It was a huge blow to their morale.
Kurumi, for instance, disappeared three months after he left. Nobody knew where she went.
Gradually, Aleph's previous influence began to weaken. They faced more complications—from their fellow humans and honkai alike—until they were defeated by the End. The only accomplishment they could name was facing the End without any missing member of their group.
After this, more than half of them died.
It was then did they realize how it was to be Aleph and the burdens he carried for them.
"Ah."
A dozen seconds passed by peacefully. Hua did not notice her surroundings changing.
Whenever she advanced a step, an illusory background became clearer. The plaque over the ruined dojo as well as the different air pressure made it clear it was a mountain.
All of this was seen by Aleph.
'Taixuan… She carried on her will. Why..?'
Countless doubts began appearing inside Aleph's mind. It served to reason that Hua has the knowledge of the future. She would be so reckless as to establish the Taixuan School without precautions over her "disciples".
He resolved these doubts deep within himself.
Aleph noticed Hua's changes. It wasn't particularly drastic. Her appearance was the exact same as now. Her atmosphere and pure crimson pupils were her biggest changes.
He knew exactly who "Hua" was.
"It should be a long time since we last met."
His words finally broke her silence.
"This is real… but how..?"
Fifty thousand years were present to her, yet "Hua" could not find an explanation to the things she was seeing now. The shock she felt was the strongest over all these years.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Soon, Aleph crossed over the boundary between the illusion and reality. He arrived on the parallel world created by the Cocoon.
Aleph was now stepping on the soil of the mountain, not the ruined city he arrived in.
'External influence… I am right. This is the Cocoon's doing.'
Aside from possessing the authorities of the previous Herrschers, the Herrscher of the End held the authority over time. This fact was then used to establish how the Cocoon should also have a power over it.
His sight was filled with nothing but pure white light. It was of the same nature as the white dot that he saw on the sixth Herrscher before.
While he was deliberating, he was also aware of his surroundings. Hua's crimson pupils stared directly at his eyes. She was still in so much shock she froze in her place.
Her tense body was calmed down by a single pat to her head. A plethora of emotions surged over like a tide. Her sight became blurry due to the tears on her eyes.
The same figure.
The same aura.
The same look.
She could forget every memory of hers, but not this.
Hua no longer cared whether it was real or fake. She immediately locked the man in front of her with her arms. Fire MOTH's uniform, which consisted of long sleeves and an overcoat, was drawn into a mess with her tears.
Aleph did not care about that.
His heart tightened as he saw her entire body trembling. The occasional sobs that escaped her mouth, the wetness of her tears…
'I'll come back, no matter what. No matter what…'
It was for the world at first. Aleph feared the world would be destroyed when he was gone.
Now, it's all about them. The friends and people he met during this chaotic year and a half long journey…
He will fight for their sake.
"Aleph… It's really you..?"
"It's me."
"Don't go. Please."
Hua, or rather, the Herrscher of Sentience, grasped the back of his coat with her fists.
"Don't disappear again. Don't leave…"
Her words were incoherent on some parts, though it was all about not leaving.
Senti's muffled voice kept coming on his chest.
"No matter what, don't go to the Moon. You won't come back…"
"...I still need to go."
"..!"
She looked up to Aleph's face with a desperate look. Her hands became cold in an instant.
"Aleph. I can't lose you again…" Desperate ideas began popping up in her mind. "We can figure things out later. You don't have to go now. You can also bring me with you when it comes!"
Aleph's heart sank even further. Even though he knew that the parallel world where Senti came was a "fake", it was hard for him to see her like this. It was as if he was shown the worst possibility that could happen.
It was as if he was seeing a reenactment of the original Previous Era—a story built up from the failures of humanity, in turn affecting its heroes. It was a tragedy that Aleph sought to change from the beginning.
"There are things that must be done, Hua."
"But..!"
"I will definitely come back."
"Aleph—"
Before she could say anything, their surroundings changed. Aleph's domain appeared once again.
"I am sorry, Hua."
That was the last thing Senti heard as she lost consciousness.
By the time the domain was canceled, Aleph was holding two Huas in his arms. One of them was sleeping peacefully while the other stared at him with her blue pupils.
Consequently, the illusory mountain slowly disappeared. The trio returned to the real world.
"Aleph…"
The real Hua called him out.
"It worked. You are two different people…" Aleph then explained, "I used Yamato to separate the two of you. She might be residing permanently. She will be in your care for a while, Hua."
He let Hua stand up before he slid his vacant arm behind her knees. He carried Senti before giving her to Hua.
Aleph saw the look in her eyes and reassured her.
"That was a false world. The Cocoon made it up completely. Nobody knows what will happen this time around."
She stared at him for a while longer before letting out a complicated look.
"We will wait for you."
That was responded to by a kiss on her lips.
"Let's continue this next time."
After a final headpat, Aleph disappeared from her sight.