The camera froze on March 7th's face. March's expression remained as natural as ever.
To her, saying these words was only natural. But the audience felt a warm current flow through their hearts.
"My two most, most important friends have already set off ahead of me. Their destination is Amphoreus."
March 7th looked at the light gate, imagining what her companions were experiencing inside, and said absentmindedly, "Two of my closest friends are already on their way to Amphoreus. They may seem capable, but only I know..."
"They're absolute disasters waiting to happen! They won't last five minutes in a new world without me!"
"That's why I need to go through... Amphoreus or not. When the three of us are together, there's nothing we can't handle."
"We'll explore, understand, establish, and connect, after that, we'll find our way home together!"
By the end, March's eyes were filled with hope and light and the audience's eyes gradually grew warm.
...
: Wuuuuuu, the best Trailblazing trio!
: My name is March 7th! I side with my friends, not reason! This is the Express's ray of sunshine!
: You three have to stay together on the Astral Express for the rest of your lives, wuuuu.
: March finally appears again after so long, and it's still as heartwarming as ever! I'm crying!
: The Trailblazing squad will definitely make it home safely QAQ, and so will the Chrysos Heirs!
...
Everyone's hearts had been warmed by March. And Cyrene was moved by her as well.
"...I see. You've got people who mean the world to you too."
Cyrene stared at March, then suddenly chuckled. "Just hearing that makes my heart go thump-thump. March, since this is your decision, I'll definitely stand by your side."
"Birds of a feather we are! Looking all sweet and innocent, but with hearts of fire!"
Things had already reached this point. There was no longer any need for Cyrene to dissuade her.
"Do you think... we'll see each other again?"
March walked up to the light gate and turned her head to ask.
"Who knows!"
Cyrene shook her head and chuckled. "But don't worry about me! After all this time here, I've grown quite used to chatting with my imaginary friends."
Hearing this, March 7th's expression froze. No one knew how long this pink-haired girl had been here.
All alone... She could even only talk to friends she had imagined herself.
March looked at Cyrene with some heartache. "Since Amphoreus is your homeland... if there's a way to help you, my companions and I will do everything we can."
"Then I'll look forward to that day!"
Cyrene nodded vigorously. Afterward, she watched as March 7th walked into the light gate.
"Your story awaits, March. Make it an epic one♪"
The light gate disappeared. The appearance of this space rapidly faded away, once again returning to darkness.
...
: So this was the beginning of March stepping into Amphoreus...
: So March entering Amphoreus wasn't because of some conspiracy or danger at all. She simply wanted to stay together with her companions!
: Wuuuu, I'm crying so hard.
: Cyrene is so pitiful too.
: She said, 'You also have companions more important than life itself.' Was she referring to Phainon? It could only be Phainon, right?
: What exactly happened between those two back in Aedes Elysiae?
: But from Phainon's perspective, Cyrene had actually died long ago, right...?
: Maybe Cyrene is also related to memories.
...
The audience speculated endlessly.
On screen, as March 7th stepped through the light gate, the scene switched once again, and the perspective returned to Okhema.
After Stelle decided to remain behind in Okhema, she wandered around alone and, without realizing it, ended up back at the Vortex of Genesis.
Interestingly enough, entering the Vortex of Genesis required using the Chalice of Phagousa.
But with the spirit water dried up, that method no longer worked.
Phainon had entered the Vortex with Trinnon opening the way for him. And right now, Trinnon still needed to open the way to send Dan Heng away.
The Vortex had effectively become an inaccessible dead end. But when Stelle stood before the Overflowing Chalice, pondering how she could force her way inside...
She really did smash her way in!
That's right. She smashed right through! Stelle felt as though she had transformed into a train.
The barrier formed by the Vortex of Genesis's unique space and the boundary constructed by the priests of Phagousa were all reduced to scraps of paper before the power of Trailblaze.
The audience stared in stunned disbelief. Strictly speaking, the Vortex of Genesis had more than just these obstacles. Because it was a world inside the Scepter, a world composed of code and data, there were even more abstract difficulties involved.
But Trailblaze simply smashed through them.
All one could say was... The power of Stelle and Trailblaze together was terrifying indeed!
The priests of Phagousa cried in fear when they watched this episode as children.
...
: It can defend against the entire world of Amphoreus, but it can't defend against the Galactic Baseballer!
: Interesting. When Stelle and Dan Heng first arrived here, the power of Trailblaze didn't seem particularly prominent. Could it be that now, because the apocalypse has arrived, the firewall or whatever has weakened?
: It's also possible Stelle simply never thought Trailblaze could be used somewhere like this! Hahaha!
: Before this, they always obediently followed the Chrysos Heirs' methods to enter the Vortex.
: Damn, rules are made to be broken!
...
The barrier was shattered. Stelle successfully entered the Vortex.
She also saw the scenery that Lygus and Phainon had seen before.
Blue ruins resembling projections were scattered throughout the Vortex, covering the entire place in an air of desolation.
Stelle seemed lost in thought. Mem appeared beside her. " ...You okay there, friend? Something seems to be bothering you."
"Nothing..."
Stelle shook her head. "Even this place has changed..."
"I wonder if Phainon... is he ready for Era Nova?"
But no matter what, she had already chosen to stay here, so she would definitely see things through to the end.
Hearing Stelle's words, Mem also became somewhat emotional. "Yeah... we've come such a long way..."
"If what that machine gentleman said is true, if Amphoreus is destined for destruction... then I'll stay by your side until the very end."
"Like how you and Dan Heng treasure the Express... Amphoreus means everything to me."
Stelle stroked Mem's fluffy head.
"Time to see the Era Nova begin."
Stelle stepped forward, climbing the stairs one step at a time.
"Mem! Right! Time to see the last Coreflame restored!"
As her field of vision rose, Phainon, Lygus, and the Overflowing Chalice gradually came into view.
Seeing Phainon again, Stelle naturally didn't have much of a reaction.
But for the audience, it was extraordinarily exciting!
Only a few weeks had passed between Episode 3 and Episode 4, yet to them, it felt like ages!
They could finally see Phainon again!
"Look, Phainon is over there! Huh... the one over there is..."Mem also waved excitedly after seeing Phainon.
But immediately afterward, it noticed Lygus beside Phainon.
"Look, there's Phainon! And... wait!"
Seeing Lygus standing beside Phainon, and remembering the warning Screwllum, Stelle became a bit more cautious.
With that said, she quickly rushed toward Phainon.
Meanwhile, beside the Overflowing Cup, Lygus had just finished speaking.
"...And you, Lord Phainon, will wield that Coreflame to bury this ancient world, plunging everything into the gray unknown-"
"None of that matters now. This brutal Flame-Chase Journey has stripped away my delusions. I know the future isn't some peaceful paradise with gentle west winds, just waiting to welcome us to step in..."
Amid this exchange, these familiar lines were precisely the final segment of Phainon's storyline in Episode 3.
On screen, Phainon placed one hand over his chest and said with a resolute gaze, "If what lies ahead is a mass of chaos, I shall cut through it myself... and usher in the first ray of blazing sunlight."
The moment he finished speaking,Phainon heard movement behind him.
"...Is it you?" He turned his head.
This familiar scene instantly made the audience understand.
After Phainon entered the Vortex of Genesis, Stelle and Dan Heng had encountered those events outside at the same time.
And now, Stelle had just entered the Vortex of Genesis.
Phainon turned around and asked, "...Is it you?"
It matched perfectly! Because they were so excited to see Phainon, the audience hadn't noticed the crucial difference hidden within this familiarity.
Not until Phainon turned his head and saw Stelle standing behind him with Mem.
Exactly the same lines. Exactly the same camera transitions. But after Stelle appeared, the audience suddenly shuddered.
Wrong!! At the end of Episode 3, with the exact same lines and from the exact same perspective, the person who appeared was Cyrene!
Not Stelle! Goosebumps instantly erupted across the audience's bodies.
The exact same scene and dialogue, yet at the very end, the person who appeared wasn't the same.
This was... from a different cycle!?
...
: It's... a different Phainon!
: At the end of Episode 3, we were already guessing that it might be another Phainon. After all, his tone and expression were much more... numb.
: Damn! I was so excited to see Phainon that I subconsciously overlooked that! This Phainon's expression is obviously more relaxed.
: Two identical scenes, this has to be a manifestation of the cycle, right?!
: A-Although we'd already guessed there was a cycle, actually having it confirmed still gives me chills.
: Yeah, who can understand this feeling? It's so obvious, especially with the two Phainons, in the same place, in the same situation, saying the exact same words, yet being greeted by different people...
: It's like... a life that was already written in advance.
...
The cycle... wasn't merely a setting, but a phenomenon.
For the audience, it meant that the person they knew and loved at this very moment... might not be the only one.
At the same time, that suffocating feeling brought by the prophecy, or rather, fate, appeared once again.
Completely identical scenes and encounters. It was almost like a life that had already been arranged.
And both Phainons... had met the same person.
Lygus. The audience recalled the previous plot involving Lygus and felt a deep chill.
This guy actually knew everything, yet he merely watched coldly as everything happened all over again.
Who knew how long ago, had he watched another Phainon, one suspected of being a Flame Reaver, arrive here and begin the Re-genesis with the same feelings and gaze? Back then, had he also spoken the same words?
Then... was Lygus actually within this cycle, or outside of it? The audience members all widened their eyes.
From the beginning of Episode 4 until now, their emotions had continued to rise. They were waiting for an answer.
...
Inside the Vortex of Genesis, Lygus also turned around.
Upon seeing Stelle, he showed no surprise whatsoever. Instead, he praised her:
"With one last chance to turn back, you still step forward."
"...How befitting of a Trailblazer."
Stelle was exceptionally wary of Lygus. Hearing this, she snorted coldly. "Hmph, spare me your mockery."
Lygus couldn't help but laugh.
"Hehe, you misunderstand."
"As our world nears its end, the ones who walk the infinite paths (Tribios) have embraced their destiny..."
"As the Theoros, it is my duty to witness the world's future and oversee this final Coreflame ritual on their behalf-"
At this point, Lygus looked toward the Coreflames on the wall of light behind the cliff and enunciated each word:
"The Trial of Worldbearing - The ritual of Era Nova."
The mysterious and cryptic Lygus still insisted that he was a Theoros.
But Stelle had completely lost her patience. She frowned at Lygus and questioned him, "Screwllum says you're behind all this."
Lygus shook his head with an amused smile. "Ah, I see. So you met my kindred spirit before I could erase his traces."
Seeing Stelle's vigilance and wariness toward Lygus, Phainon couldn't quite understand the situation.
"Stelle, what are you saying?"
As far as he was concerned, Lygus was a Theoros, someone who bore witness to the Recreation of the World.
No matter how one looked at it, his position should at least be neutral. Yet the partner he trusted most had suddenly changed her attitude.
"This one knows more than he's telling."
Stelle looked at Phainon and said seriously, "Time to make him talk!"
"..." Phainon fell silent. Then, his gaze locked onto Lygus.
Who should he choose to trust? For Phainon, this was never a multiple-choice question. It was a single-choice question.
There was no need for lengthy persuasion or explanations. All it took was one sentence from Stelle for Phainon's evaluation of Lygus to shift from neutral to suspicious.
He had already harbored doubts about certain things concerning Lygus.
For example, why would a Theoros know how to repair vehicles from beyond the heavens? Or, as a Theoros, what position did he truly stand on?
Before the Recreation of the World, he could turn a blind eye to these many questions.
However, now that Stelle stood here questioning Lygus, Phainon naturally stood on Stelle's side as well.