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Haha, but you know how early the Messengers leave. If you want to hitch a ride, you gotta head there early.

Oh, don't be like that. We just won't get to see each other for a while. You can come visit me any time.

Oh, and be sure to tell Fang I said hello. I wonder how she's doing these days...

Yeah.

Hehe.

Okay, here's your luggage. I got it all packed up for you.

Yeah.

Alright, enough with the sad face. Smile! You'll get to see Fang real soon!

Be sure to bring me some Columbian souvenirs!

...Yeah!

See you, Kroos!

We'll meet again, Beagle—

See you. We'll meet again.

You know that's not how things will end.

What you will face on the path ahead will be far worse.

I... knew you'd be here. Sorry, but I won't let you pass. No matter what.

What...? Did I just...

...Finally awake, huh?

We've been stuck here for a long time... Looks like you had a pretty sweet dream, though.

...Sorry.

It's nothing to apologize for... but we're running out of rations, Kroos.

We gotta give it a shot, head to the other side of the valley and see what's going on there.

It's been way too long since we heard anything from the Bolívarian army. Did they change their route or something?

Beagle...

Anyway, we gotta leave. The mission was over a long time ago... We need to report back to Rhodes Island as well...

No, this isn't right.

This isn't... This makes no sense...! The emergency comms aren't working!

B-But their camp shouldn't be that far away, going by the operation's map!

Hey—! Where are you guys?!

T-This...

...Beagle...? Are you sure it's her?

N-No way! How come?!

...We'll have a detailed report later on.

And well... Kroos, we probably shouldn't get too involved in this mess... If Bolívar's really this complicated... there's nothing we can do for her.

We need to head back to the Rhodes Island landship...

You want me to stand by and watch her—

—No, I... I... I should've stopped her! I should've stopped her, whatever it took...!

Hey, Kroos.

...Sorry, Nian, but I'm not in the mood to...

Okay. Huh. Turns out Dusk couldn't have given you guys a better life, even in your dreams.

All she did was draw the rest of your lives out in the painting and let them play out again from the beginning. It's all fake anyway. Couldn't you have picked a better ending?

What are you talking about—

Don't worry, don't worry. Nian's here to save the day.

I'm her big sister, after all.

Kroos! Mr. Nothing!

It's so dark here... What's going on...?

I thought I saw the Umbrella-Boiler... put out the flames that he just lit up...?

...What's going on...?

Hm, I wonder how things are going with Saga...

...There's ground beneath my feet, at least, but I gotta be careful...

Lava.

Waaahhh?!

N-Nian?! What are you doing here?

Oh, don't worry. I'm the real, 100% legit Nian you know and love, here to save you guys' asses.

It's just, uh, how should I put this. She sure threw you for a loop...?

I can't see anything—

—Hold up, I can kinda make something out... Is there someone over there?

That's a trap.

She noticed what that thing I gave you is for, so she put all of you in some far-fetched, otherworldly dream right away. Too bad... got here a bit too late.

How do you even do this?!

No idea. It's not that hard to carve a person's consciousness out of their minds. After all, the point wasn't to give you guys a second life. Fundamentally, it's more like... a kaleidoscope for you to reflect on and question yourself.

Whether it's a large mirror, a huge lake, or a vast sky full of stars, once you enter the painting, there is no way out. This is that almighty.

I wonder why you alone are an exception, though. Oh, maybe it's cause we had all that hotpot together...?

Don't drag me into a mess like this for a reason like that. Anyway, thanks.

Nian?

...Hm? Oh, it's nothing.

Wanna hear another story? Unlike Dusk, I'm not some uptight shut-in who hates the outdoors. This one isn't going to be nearly as boring.

Given the circumstances, I think we should worry about how to get out—

Eh, you don't want to learn about how these people from the olden days fought off those Feranmuts when they were years behind with their industries, populations, and Originium Arts?

The last time you changed the conversation like that, we ended up with the Dark Devastator stuff.

Well, looks like you're interested.

I... Whatever, go ahead...

A long time ago, there existed many gods in the lands of Yan.

The Yan emperor at the time saw his territory prosper, but his people suffered disasters and misfortunes one after another. He lamented this vicious cycle, and spent a long time to come up with a solution.

He was the True Lung. Likely one of the most controversial men in Yan history, he was at the time still young in years, and his passion was unrivaled. As the emperor of Yan, he turned to his trusted retinue and told them this—

All the lands under heaven belong to the throne, and all men are my servants. Why then do the divinities above listen not to the will of the people of Great Yan and deprive our lands of their protection?

...As you probably know, when the 'gods' are brought up in certain countries' folklore or history, they aren't necessarily merely philosophical concepts. That said, they aren't exactly all that mighty and revered either.

Case in point, the Lung found one such god deep in the mountains. A prideful and disdainful god.

Yan's long history was a brief stretch of time to him... Naturally, he didn't give any thought to the Lung's opinions, and he had no reason to care about the lives of mere mortals.

Now, this is where the problem lies. The Lung was too concerned with his subjects and his country.

He issued and personally led his entire military, joined by many a formidable fighter, to take to the mountains on this wild hunt—

And... beyond anyone's expectations, being that the Lung first uncovered there decided to betray his kin and his fellow deities. It divided up its own strength, and participated in this once-in-a-lifetime wild hunt.

After this great wild hunt, Yan slayed several of these 'gods' who dared to stand up against the Lung, and all those unwilling to submit to his rule were exiled.

Much blood was shed, and many lives were lost. Yan paid a dear price, and that's how this controversy surrounding the True Lung came to be.

But he personally didn't care about this, and his campaign continued for as long as the Lung lived.

When he was finally old and frail, he found the last such being remaining in Yan's lands. The most ancient and the most sacred. The eternal being that chose to betray its kin for the Lung's cause.

The traitor had already received the justice it deserved. When its kin left the lands of Yan, they also took care to put out its flames of arrogance. Thus, its true nature was laid bare to the emperor—

Anyway, its contributions had more than earned it the Lung's mercy. Nonetheless, the Lung forced it to serve Yan. To serve heaven, the lands, and its people to keep the world at peace.

Ever since, the fortunes of Yan have always belonged to the True Lung and his subjects.

And at the same time, the so-called 'gods'—Though they had existed long before all the nations in the world came to be, they chose to hide themselves. They spread their own seeds across the land, placed the broken shards of their power and souls, and let them take root in this world in their place.

They still exist in all shapes and forms across Terra, though their numbers are nowhere as great as before.

But they all learned their lesson. Now, they're living across the world with everyone like one big family. Yep, it's a pretty good ending, don't you think?

You...

...Many nations have risen in Terra, and each one went through major changes throughout history. Yet, beyond Yan, there isn't a dynasty, a human who can tell this tale of the ennobling of the gods.

Yan is a real scary place.

Eh, anyway, let's blow this joint. I don't wanna stay here any longer.

This painting is Dusk's trump card. We've got her indecisiveness to thank though. We wouldn't have a way out otherwise.

...H-How are you going to do that...?

What... What happened to us...?

Mnn, my brain hurts... Hmm? My benefactor, Kroos?