Honkai Impact: I, The Herrscher of Ice, Am Loved By Players

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Observing Mobius, Ana's lips curved upwards, revealing a smile.

Mobius adhered strictly to the spirit of the covenant. However, both she and Gray Serpent followed agreements only when they controlled the situation. Now, Ana held that position, and being in a dominant role...

"In no more than a month, another Herrscher will enter the Elysian Realm - a newly fully awakened Herrscher, the Herrscher of Thunder."

Looking into Mobius's eyes, Ana spoke slowly.

"When the time comes, you can harness her power to leave this place."

Ana deliberately refrained from specifying "leave the Elysian Realm," even though she knew that was what Mobius desired. She had never explicitly mentioned it before either.

This vagueness benefited their verbal agreement, as Ana held the upper hand. Ultimately, the interpretation rested solely with her.

If future Mobius wanted to find her? Sure, if she dared, she could seek her at the Cocoon of Finality or perhaps approach the Memory Fragment of Ana in the Eternal Paradise.

However, even if they connected, what purpose would it serve?

Even without updating the memories within the Elysian Realm, wielding the powers of Herrscher of Wind and Herrscher of Origin alone made it effortless for Ana to overpower Mobius, just like now.

"Hmph, I hope you're not deceiving me, Herrscher." Mobius responded coldly, showing no surprise at Ana's answer. In fact, she had prepared herself for the possibility that Ana might betray the deal; thus, being given such a dismissive response already felt unexpectedly favorable to her.

After all, Mobius never truly delivered what Ana desired.

But let's address this: Did Ana and Mobius successfully complete their transaction?

One could argue that neither party obtained exactly what they wanted, yet both still gained something valuable. However, ultimately, it was Mobius who suffered more.

In the future, Mobius would be unable to escape from this Elysian Realm, and she also endured a painful beating—though it should be noted that Ana paid a price for inflicting that punishment as well.

This scenario exemplifies the concept of having no clear winner.

Nevertheless, in the end, Ana benefited significantly because she ultimately acquired the Infinite Engraving.

Her initial purpose for entering the Elysian Realm was merely to seek assistance from psychic perception-type Fusion Fighters like Aponia and Su or guidance and experience from Herrscher Elysia.

Therefore, any additional gains within this realm were unexpected bonuses for Ana. The information about the Herrscher of Corruption may not be immediately useful now, but that's fine! There will always be opportunities in the future.

Speaking of which, Ana was even more curious about how Mobius obtained these items related to the Herrscher of Corruption. After all, the Herrscher from the previous era was...

Well, Ana decided it would be best not to delve too deeply into this matter. In the Elysian Realm, certain topics were indeed sensitive to explore extensively. Although Sakura's reaction might not have been overtly uncomfortable...it still felt somewhat uneasy.

"Since our transaction is complete, I bid you farewell!"

With that, Ana waved goodbye and activated a token she carried—a ring familiar to Captains beyond this world: the Memory Token of Unbound Emotions from the Elysian Realm.

Aponia had gifted her this token during Ana's first visit to the Elysian Realm. At the time, Aponia prophesized that Ana would return seeking her guidance, so for convenience, she bestowed upon her the Memory Token.

This meant that Ana didn't need to search for the deepest parts of the Elysian Realm herself or locate Griseo and Kosma's studio.

For both Griseo and Kosma, Aponia served as their guardian.

However, truthfully, Kosma and Hua were roughly the same age; logically, Hua should also have been under her guardianship.

As Ana activated the Memory Token, a radiant portal appeared before her.

Without any hesitation, she stepped through the gateway. After experiencing a brief sensation of distortion, everything around her suddenly brightened.

What greeted her eyes was a spacious and well-lit hall. At its center stood a colossal statue, strikingly similar to the Goddess depicted in Genshin Impact's monthly pass artwork.

In front of the statue, a figure knelt with hands clasped together, exuding an expression of compassion, seemingly deep in prayer.

A short distance away from her, a white-haired man stood with arms crossed. From his stance, it was evident he held profound disdain towards the woman kneeling before the statue.

Without a doubt, this man must be Kalpas, and the woman kneeling before the statue is Aponia.

"Long time no see, Aponia!" Ana greeted cheerfully, waving her hand while deliberately ignoring Kalpas nearby.

"Welcome back to the Elysian Realm, Miss Ana. Everything unfolds as destiny has foretold."

"Aponia, here you go again. This is clearly my own choice." Ana pouted, somewhat discontented.

Ana had always been skeptical of the Heroic Spirits' belief that character determines fate. During her previous visit to the Elysian Realm, she frequently challenged Aponia's assertions about predetermined destiny.

In Ana's view, there was a more crucial factor underlying the concept of character shaping one's fate: environment. As environments constantly change, they mold and alter personalities accordingly. While it wouldn't be entirely accurate to dismiss the role of character in determining fate—considering how Hua differs from Fu Hua—it highlights that personality itself is not fixed.

Take Ana herself as an example; her current choices were not solely driven by her personality. Many actions she took actually contradicted her inherent nature. Humans, indeed, are complex beings.

Despite their differing viewpoints, Ana firmly believed in defending one's right to express their opinions, even if she disagreed. Moreover, having a deeper understanding of fate than Aponia allowed them to maintain a harmonious relationship.

"Sniffle... Aponia, I'm so tired. Can I have a hug?"

"Of course, my friend." Smiling warmly, Aponia opened her arms, and without any hesitation, Ana embraced her fully.

Unlike the embraces from Elysia, Rita, or Bianka, Aponia's touch felt warm and motherly. Even Ana experienced a sense of comfort in her arms, as though momentarily transformed into a carefree child.

This feeling was truly long-lost for Ana.

However, amidst this serene moment, an unsettling voice intruded—

"Hmph, so sentimental." A man's voice interrupted, causing both Ana and Aponia, who were previously enjoying the moment, to stiffen instantly. The speaker himself also felt a sudden chill.

Even this fearless man shuddered momentarily. However, Kalpas remained true to his indomitable spirit and terrifying combat determination.

"What? Got something to say about it?" He crossed his arms, feigning nonchalance.

"No specific complaints, Kalpas. I just wanted you to—please be quiet."

Instantly, a potent and enigmatic force swept towards Kalpas, enveloping him like shackles. This was none other than Commandment—the most effective means of restraining him.

Kalpas opened his mouth, wanting to protest, but found himself powerless, left only with frustration boiling inside. As for resorting to violence? Aside from aiming to have a fair fight with Ana, he knew he stood no chance against Aponia.

The Commandment's effects were far more profound than merely silencing Kalpas.

Thus, all Kalpas could do was temporarily retreat and endure for now.

Girls always have endless topics to discuss, especially when it comes to fate—Aponia can perceive threads of destiny, while Ana essentially holds the script of fate itself.

Both possess deep insights into destiny, albeit with different perspectives. For Aponia, fate is unchangeable because she has merged with the Elysian Realm, becoming another source that brings forth these miracles.

Only Ana can continue advancing, altering predetermined destinies through her own methods. And indeed, she has succeeded; she saved Wendy and Himeko.

As such, Ana shared her recent experiences with Aponia. It's remarkable how, despite being just a few months' worth, Ana's journey felt enough to fill an entire book.

Aponia listened attentively without interrupting, eyes slightly squinted and a gentle smile on her face.

Her pessimism towards fate stems solely from her inability to alter it. However, she also believes that fate can be changed, as proven by Elysia's success.

It was precisely for this reason that Aponia had chosen Ana from the beginning. In her, Aponia saw the reflection of Elysia.

And now, based on the outcome, her judgment proved entirely correct.

"Then, please accept the imprint of the Commandment."

Aponia extended her arms, transferring the power of the Commandment to Ana. As the Commandment's imprint entered Ana's body, she instantly felt an invisible shackle binding her consciousness.

This force fundamentally differed from the nature of engraving powers. Engraving powers were essentially still one's own, merely guided and directed. However, the strength Aponia bestowed came directly from her essence.

Similar to how Su had granted his power to Ana earlier.

"Aponia... you..." Ana looked at Aponia with disbelief etched across her face. Given Aponia's character, directly bestowing her own power upon Ana seemed completely out of line.

If Ana had anticipated such an offering from Aponia, she would have altered her objective within the Garden of Eden, choosing to seek out Aponia instead.

In terms of sheer power, the effect of the Commandment far surpassed Su's Karmic Wheel—it wasn't just idle talk.

"Please accept it, Ana. I believe you'll find this power useful," Aponia said gently with a smile. "To me, its significance has diminished greatly. However, if it can aid such a remarkable successor like yourself and help you break free from fate's chains, it would also serve as my defiance against destiny."

"...I'm at a loss for words." Ana didn't know how to respond fully. With Aponia's strength added to her own, her chances of successfully ascending increased significantly.

Considering all her preparations thus far, Ana now had a solid fifty percent chance of success. In practical terms, this was akin to having ninety percent certainty in most situations.

This truly felt like receiving invaluable support when needed the most.

Moreover, Aponia's power could serve as a last resort. Even if Ana failed, the future of the Honkai World would not drastically deviate beyond her expectations.

After all, everyone understood the potential impact of an unchecked Grazing Sky Herrscher on the world.

Should it come to that point, even Kevin wouldn't be able to stop Ana before she could wreak havoc across half the globe—not something to take pride in, though.

"I will wield this power wisely to shape the future everyone envisions!"

"I believe in you."

Aponia's voice remained as gentle as ever, and with that, they concluded their discussion. Aponia and Ana stood up, turning towards Kalpas nearby.

At this moment, Kalpas was no longer standing upright but crouching, seemingly sulking.

"Kalpas approached me, requesting my presence as a witness for a fair duel against you." A hint of resignation tinged Aponia's words. As a Heroic Spirit integrated into the Elysian Realm, she had a clear understanding of Ana's strength. Ana's prowess matched Kevin's; even if both revealed all their trump cards, it likely wouldn't tip the balance between them.

In comparison to Kevin, Kalpas' power fell significantly short, rendering such a battle virtually meaningless.

However, Aponia couldn't dissuade Kalpas. After all, one's character often dictates their destiny, and Kalpas' nature destined him to continue fighting relentlessly.

His request for her involvement was merely to have someone oversee the match, providing a suitable arena where he could unleash his full potential without causing catastrophic consequences within the Garden of Eden.

For Kalpas, this was indeed a rare moment of concession.

Everyone knew that Kalpas and Aponia were fundamentally incompatible, their personalities clashing by nature. In the past, news of Kalpas seeking out Aponia would have been a significant event, spreading throughout the base like wildfire.

"Alright, I can accept that." Ana shrugged; she certainly wasn't one to shy away from a fight. Although, she didn't see much point in this battle, given Aponia's involvement, they might as well proceed.