Super God Academy: Kabuto

In an unknown dimension, in an eternal void, a figure in a long black overcoat stood silently, the hem of his coat fluttering even without wind. His face was identical to the two Lin Yus, but his eyes were so deep that they seemed to contain the birth and death of countless worlds. They held an indifference and... a barely perceptible gentleness that had settled after experiencing an unimaginable long period of time and an endless journey.

A mirror, flowing like mercury, floated in front of him, reflecting the scene in the Winter Cherry Blossom World where the two Lin Yus parted ways after a brief conversation.

Looking at "himself" in the mirror, Lin Yu, dressed in black, murmured almost inaudibly: "The speed of response is acceptable... the will to protect is firm enough... you have grown a lot." His evaluation was like an assessment, or a statement of fact.

Just then, a dreamlike, colorful ripple spread across the void around him, and a figure composed of constantly shifting, soft colored light slowly emerged. This figure had no fixed form, only a warm feeling, full of life and creative energy.

"Although I know about your special nature from the 'records'..." Lingyue's voice was like a superposition of multiple melodies, ethereal and peculiar, "but this is the first time I've personally witnessed three 'yous' resonating on different 'strings' at the same time. The you of the past, the you of the present, and... the you who chose to step into the 'Abyss'."

Lin Yu, dressed in black, shifted his dark pupils slightly, finally looking away from the scene in the Winter Cherry Blossom Small World and towards something further away—the battlefield of the known universe, the clash between angels and triangular bodies; the gradually tearing passage near Emerald Star; the frantic calculations beneath Karl's calm facade at Death Song Academy; and Hua Ye's greedy, restless gaze.

"Hopefully things can change." Lin Yu's voice was soft, yet carried immense weight. He slowly raised his hand, palm facing upward. A glimmer of light appeared, then transformed into a strange flower. Most of the flower, from stem to leaves, was shrouded in an intense, almost impenetrable blackness, a blackness that seemed to absorb souls, even subtly flowing, as if alive. Yet, atop this ominous blackness, three petals stubbornly bloomed. The petals shimmered with iridescent light, creating a stark yet beautiful contrast with the darkness below.

The colors of the moon flowed toward the flower, circling it for a moment before letting out a soft sigh, a sigh carrying a complex meaning, seemingly regretful yet knowing: "A rather beautiful flower. The 'End's Bud' that blooms by drawing upon 'hope,' 'bonds,' and 'existence' itself... But, what a pity."

"Lingyue." Lin Yu, dressed in black, suddenly turned his head, his pure black eyes staring directly at her, her gaze seemingly piercing through appearances to reach her core. "Could you... help me protect them?"

It was not an order, not a transaction, not even a plea; it was more like entrusting something extremely important to the only being that could understand and respond to this "nothingness."

The shifting colors of the moonlight abruptly halted for a moment, as if time itself had momentarily paused there. Various flickering lights collided and mingled fiercely on Him, revealing the intense turmoil within. A long silence spread through this land of nothingness, the silence itself seeming to acquire weight.

Finally, all the colors gradually subsided, returning to a more restrained and profound flow pattern.

"Okay." Lingyue's voice returned to its ethereal quality, but with an added touch of indescribable solemnity.

But then, He couldn't help but ask, His overlay of sound filled with genuine bewilderment: "But, was what you did... worth it? Time can wash everything away; even the most brilliant civilizations and the most unforgettable emotions are but insignificant ripples on an endless scale. Were they... really worth your longing? Worth paying such a 'price' to gamble on a future that isn't even a 'possibility'?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Yu, dressed in black, subtly and almost imperceptibly raised the corners of his mouth, a gesture that had remained expressionless throughout. It wasn't a smile, but rather a gentle imprint etched deep within his soul, one that even the endless darkness couldn't erase. His gaze once again pierced through dimensions, landing on the three women whose fates were inextricably linked to his—Keisha, calmly strategizing in the Heavenly Court of Merlo; He Xi, nurturing new life in the Winter Cherry Blossom World; and Qi Lin, playing with her teammates on the Mangdang Mountain.

"Yes." He gave the simplest, yet most resolute, answer.

Then, his gaze sharpened and became resolute as he looked toward the deeper source of darkness pointed to by the "End's Bud," the abyss where even the three Void races feared to offer sacrifices, the ultimate place that sealed the Watchers and the more ancient ones.

"I have to go and see." His voice lowered, as if he were struggling against some immense gravitational pull. "That thing is targeting them. There must be something on them that it needs."

As his words fell, on the strange flower in his palm, one of the three brilliant petals began to be quietly stained with an absolute blackness at its edge. The blackness, like a living thing, slowly but irresistibly spread towards the center of the petal, as if symbolizing that some kind of "connection" was being covered or transformed by a deeper "price".

"Okay." Lingyue didn't try to persuade her again, but simply agreed once more, her expression slightly changing, as if making a silent promise.

The next moment, Lin Yu's figure in black began to fade, like ink dripping into water, slowly dissipating into this "nothingness".

Lingyue remained alone in this absolute "nothingness." The colors flowing around her slowed and deepened, as if in thought, or perhaps in remembrance. After a long while, a barely audible whisper, a mixture of sigh and certain resolve, miraculously lingered for a moment in this place where even sound should have been swallowed up:

"I will protect them."

With that whisper, Lingyue's vibrant figure gradually faded, merging into the surrounding "nothingness." But before completely disappearing, an extremely subtle, almost imperceptible stream of colored light, like a living thread, quietly pierced the boundary of "nothingness," drifting "below"—towards the fragile and precious "known universe" and "Winter Cherry Blossom Small World" composed of Lin Yu, He Xi, Keisha, Qi Lin, Kadoya Tsukasa... and all the lives that were fighting or struggling.

Beneath the cherry blossom trees in the Winter Cherry Blossom World, Lin Yu (the current Lin Yu), who was helping He Xi back to her room, suddenly paused slightly. A faint, almost imperceptible tremor ran through his heart, as if something crucial yet too distant to touch had just been gently stirred. He subconsciously looked up at the ever-bright sky of the world, where only cherry blossoms bloomed, and nothing seemed amiss.

"What's wrong?" He Xi noticed his unusual behavior.

Lin Yu withdrew his gaze, shook his head, suppressed the inexplicable emotions in his heart, and gave a reassuring smile: "It's nothing. I just think... the cherry blossoms seem especially beautiful today."

He gripped He Xi's hand tightly, as if trying to hold onto the warmth and reality that was within reach.

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