Bizarre Honkai, a Wife-Chasing Crematorium

Li Mo's writing wasn't sloppy; he was simply running out of time. Each injury was swiftly healed by the Stigmata on his back, only for him to reopen the wound and write more. Three days was too long. Half a day would suffice.

"She's lively and free-spirited. The moon's solitude isn't for her. Grant her boundless freedom." He gasped, each word a struggle, each sentence a command etched onto the Cocoon of Finality, rewriting its rules.

"She has companions. After I'm gone, they'll be with her. Help them when they face those who would steal your power. Give them the strength to surpass 'Icarus.'"

Bronya and Mei were Kiana's strength, but the three of them alone couldn't defeat Kevin, the will of humanity manifested over fifty millennia. He needed to give them an edge, a push towards their "Savior" forms. They wouldn't stand a chance against Kevin, let alone gain the Cocoon's approval, without it.

"Cough… cough…" He covered his mouth, his back burning with blue-violet flames, consuming his flesh. The Stigmata, intertwined with something deep within him, twisted and faded, its crimson pattern warping into a mass of writhing snakes.

He collapsed, using his last strength to turn and sit with his back against the Cocoon, seeking a final moment of dignity.

He inhaled deeply, but his lungs no longer functioned. He was drowning, suffocating, struggling in vain.

The flames devoured him, his organs failing, his mind screaming in agony. Yet, in his fading vision, he saw her smile.

They said your life flashed before your eyes before you died. It was true. But he didn't see his entire life. Only those seven precious years.

The dawn birds in the forest, the morning mist clinging to her eyelashes, the starlight reflected in her clear eyes.

Their life together, peaceful and joyful. Working hard, playing games late into the night. Him falling asleep mid-game, waking up in bed with her curled up beside him, holding him tight.

Embraces… the simplest act, yet their most frequent and heartfelt expression of love.

Time rewound, racing back to the beginning.

The snowy wasteland, the blizzard raging. The little girl buried in the snow.

He'd brought her home, learned her story, and decided to send her away, to save her from the fate he'd resigned himself to.

He'd pushed her beyond the snow, his body broken, his spirit exhausted. And with her departure, his own icy prison had thawed.

Back at the Cocoon, Li Mo's body was engulfed in flames, reaching for his head. As death approached, he finally understood Otto's words.

Otto had pitied him, seeing his own reflection in Li Mo's sacrifice. He'd orchestrated this grand performance, a perfect tragedy.

And it had worked.

The world would be saved. His beloved girls would live in a world free from Honkai, free from the grief of loss.

Li Mo smiled, a serene, accepting smile. He coughed, writing his final words:

"Devour me, Cocoon of Finality."

"I love you, Kiana."

The dormant Cocoon opened its "eye," gazing at the burning man. It tried to erase the bloodstains, the distorted characters, but even its immense power couldn't erase them. They clung to its surface, threatening to overwrite its own rules.

Back on Earth, the alliance of St. Freya and Anti-Entropy strategized against Kevin.

"Kiana? What's wrong? You seem distracted. Are you worried about not being strong enough? Don't worry, we'll help you," Theresa asked.

St. Freya was on the verge of victory. Defeat Kevin Kaslana, and they could stop Project Stigma.

Anti-Entropy had proposed a plan: have Kiana gain the Cocoon of Finality's approval, become the true Herrscher of the End, wield the power of all Honkai, become a god.

There would be a price, but it wouldn't be her life.

The only hurdle was the Cocoon's approval.

They needed all the Herrscher powers, which the Herrscher of Sentience could provide, channeling their power to Kiana.

The second step was more elusive: a powerful emotional catalyst. A soul-shaking emotion to connect with the Cocoon.

Kevin had achieved this with the help of Prometheus and fifty millennia of unwavering will, fueled by the sacrifices of his comrades and the hopes of his loved ones.

"Kiana, don't worry. We've seen what you're capable of. The second step won't be a problem for you," Welt assured her.

"Haha, do you doubt my abilities, Kiana? Don't worry! The first step is all me! The Herrscher of Sentience can handle anything! Connecting Herrscher powers? Child's play!"

"I could even face Kevin head-on! And… stall him for half a day!"

"Didn't you say Schicksal was incompetent and Anti-Entropy was corrupt, and only you and Kevin were evenly matched?" Fu Hua asked dryly.

"Old timer! Why bring that up?! How was I supposed to know he was that strong? Give me the Herrscher of the End's power, and I'll crush him!"

The Herrscher of Sentience's ramblings eased the tension, but Kiana clutched her chest, a sense of foreboding washing over her.

Mei placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Kiana, don't worry. You're not alone. We're with you. The three of us, together."

"We won't lose," Bronya added. "Think of him. He's waiting for you. You promised him a surprise."

The thought of Li Mo brought a faint smile to Kiana's face.

"I promised him I'd save everyone."

Seeing her renewed determination, the others smiled in relief.

Meanwhile, in a distant corner of the galaxy, the Cocoon of Finality devoured Li Mo, piece by piece. His blood stained its surface, the distorted characters fading slowly.

Only his head remained, untouched by the flames, his face a mask of Honkai corruption, yet strangely serene.

He was smiling.

He knew his beloved girl would live in a better world. Her dream would come true. Everyone would be saved. She would stand on that stage, bathed in light, a radiant god worshipped by all.

But Li Mo's world had faded to black. There would be no waking up, no more seeing the beauty of this world.

He remained there, in a place beyond return. No cries of newborns, no symphonies of sorrow, no walls of suffering, no castles of desire…

Where was this place?

The land of no return.

On the battlefield of Finality:

"Come forth! This is… the inscription of Deliverance!"

Kiana, Mei, and Bronya struggled against Kevin. Despite Kiana's fierce attacks, her relentless pursuit of every opening, abandoning defense for all-out offense, the gap in power was too vast.

They were losing.

Li Mo's final act took effect.

The Cocoon of Finality guided Mei and Bronya towards their Herrscher forms: Herrscher of Origin and Herrscher of Truth. They weren't ready, but there was no time. Their powers were forcefully awakened, the price already paid by Li Mo.

Finally, at the Cocoon of Finality, Kiana faced Kevin in a simple contest of wills, a clash of their core beliefs.

Kevin wasn't fighting to save the world, but to save one person.

Kiana was the same. Saving the world was secondary.

Kevin's heart had frozen over after fifty millennia of suffering.

Kiana's heart still burned. She would defeat the Honkai and return home, to Li Mo.

"You win," Kevin whispered, his face etched with exhaustion, a flicker of peace in his eyes. "The world is yours."

"The world doesn't belong to anyone. Not even me."

"But I belong to someone," Kiana said firmly.

Kevin's eyes widened in understanding. "I see…" he murmured before fading away.

Kevin Kaslana had died long ago. On the moon. On the battlefield. At Mei's funeral.

He was Icarus now. Not Kevin Kaslana.

Kiana approached the Cocoon, her heart pounding. One step away from her dream, from saving everyone…

She knew she'd be trapped on the moon, but as long as Li Mo was alive…

She smiled.

"Will he come to the moon with me?"

"This time, we'll do it right. We'll have a real relationship. And we'll never be apart again…"

She reached out, touching the Cocoon.

She possessed all Herrscher powers. Now, she needed a powerful emotion. She wasn't sure what kind, but she had plenty.

She felt the Cocoon resonate with her, a painless process, a gentle touch left behind by someone.

She felt… peaceful. Like…

Curling up in Li Mo's arms, warm and safe.

Back on Earth, the alliance faced a problem.

"Uh oh…" Tesla muttered.

"What is it?" Theresa asked.

"We misjudged the kind of emotion the Cocoon needs. We just deciphered the runes. It needs something… extreme. Something humans might not be capable of. Similar, perhaps, but not the same."

"Our petty human emotions aren't even enough to make it open its eyes."

"In other words," Einstein said, "we lack the anchor for the second step. Human emotions, even the most intense, are different from what the Cocoon needs. Unless…"

"Unless what?! Tell me!" Theresa was frantic.

"Unless the Cocoon itself has undergone a change. A change that aligns with Kiana's emotions. Of course, we could be wrong. We'll see. As long as Kevin is defeated, we have time to figure this out."