Starting from the Collapse World, I became the behind-the-scenes boss

Looking up, Kiana noticed that the bright full moon in the sky was now radiating a light comparable to the sun, and it even had golden lines on it, like a giant holy mark!

P.S. There's only one way to save the world: boil Durandal into soup...

Chapter 224 The Snake Shadow Fades, the Youth Raises His Whip

Earlier, at the World Snake Base headquarters.

Leaving the deepest paradise of the past, Mei and Durandal still met Kevin in the almost unchanging audience hall.

Looking at the white-haired youth who remained seated on the Iron Throne like an iceberg, Mei couldn't help but feel a little dazed.

Although Paradise Kevin and the real Kevin had lost all contact 50,000 years ago, she had come to understand why Kevin had become the way he was today through the shadow he left behind 50,000 years ago.

While silently sighing to herself, Mei maintained a calm expression and said, "The Corruptor has been eliminated, and we now know the truth about the Thirteenth Herrscher."

"Ah."

Kevin nodded and responded indifferently, his face still as cold as an iceberg.

"It's just that... the Pure Land of the Past was accidentally destroyed in the process."

Blushing, she added, while Durandal's gaze involuntarily shifted slightly.

Even if the destruction of the Paradise of the Past was due to some force majeure, she and Mei should still bear some responsibility for it.

Thinking back to how she had been docked three months' salary for blowing up the Paradise Kitchen, Knight Ji still felt somewhat guilty and uneasy.

"…I see."

After a few seconds of silence, Kevin replied, his tone still as cold as ice.

"Huh? Aren't there any punishments or anything?"

Durandal was somewhat surprised to see Kevin's seemingly indifferent attitude.

She believed that if it were a certain white-masked person, they would probably deduct all of her salary from the past hundred years, and even deduct her salary as the assistant to the Bishop of Destiny.

"Now that you know the truth about the Thirteenth Herrscher, you should understand that the Paradise of the Past has completed its true mission."

Kevin explained calmly.

As the nominal lord of the World Serpent, and having been informed by the boy in advance, he knew some of the truth about the Paradise incident.

Even if the paradise of the past were truly gone, his attitude would still be the same.

Because from beginning to end, he only regarded the Paradise of the Past as a precious and fragile treasure, and never expected it to play any practical role in the fight against the Honkai.

"..."

Hearing this, Durandal's face showed some relief, and her gaze unconsciously turned to Mei beside her.

She remembered clearly that in the truth Alicia revealed to them, the other party had asked Kevin to allow the Herrscher of Humanity from the future to go to Paradise to meet her.

In other words, the ultimate goal of the Paradise of the Past, which has been protected and operated by the World Serpent for 50,000 years, is to achieve such an agreement—to let Alicia from 50,000 years ago know that her sacrifice was not in vain, but achieved an incomparably great result.

When do you plan to start the Stigmata Project?

Undistracted by Durandal's gaze, Mei looked up and stared directly at Kevin, asking a question.

Although she was equally moved by the truth behind why the Paradise of the Past had lasted for 50,000 years, after learning about the cruelty of reality from the boy from the future, she only had one thought left in her mind: how to defeat the Honkai and [Walter White].

"Project Stigmata, it was completed long ago."

Kevin met Mei's sharp gaze with complete composure and answered calmly.

"..."

Mei's hand tightened involuntarily, and she took a deep breath before continuing, "What about [Walter White]? Where is he now?"

Since the Stigmata Project was as inevitable as the future boy said, she had to at least try to reverse the worst possible outcome—in the future boy's timeline, [Walter White] jumped out at the crucial moment of their battle with Kevin, betrayed Kevin, seized his authority, and thus gained the power to overturn the world.

"This is not something you should be concerned with."

When faced with Mei's question, Kevin simply gave the girl a deep look, his tone remaining as cold as ice.

"But this is something we must get involved in!"

"I don't know what agreement you and Walter White reached, but you must understand that he has never had any good intentions. Even if there is only the slightest possibility, he will definitely choose to betray you."

In the future boy's timeline, [Walter White] was such a vicious and ruthless person, and Mei naturally didn't think that the White Mask in this world would be any different.

Or rather, anything associated with [Walter White] is basically a bad thing.

Seeing Mei's expression, as if she wanted to devour [Walter White] alive, Durandal instinctively opened her mouth, but ultimately couldn't utter a word in rebuttal.

After all, even in her own heart, she didn't believe that [Walter White] would give up his own pursuit and willingly become Kevin's pawn to carry out the Stigmata Project for him.

If [Walter White] is truly like that, then the other party is unworthy of the white mask he wears.

"……I see."

Kevin responded to Mei's stern warning with a lukewarm attitude.

Seeing Kevin's attitude, Mei became even more anxious: "No! You don't understand at all, that guy..."

"Raiden Mei, World Serpent has been disbanded."

Without waiting for Mei to continue explaining, Kevin said calmly, "From this moment on, none of you are members of World Serpent anymore, and you do not need to report your actions to me."

"Huh? World Serpent... disbanded?"

Upon hearing this, Durandal instantly felt hatred.

Although she didn't really like World Serpent, wouldn't disbanding such a large organization cause a lot of problems?

“That’s right. The World Serpent has no meaning for this world anymore.”

Kevin added calmly.

At least on the surface, that is indeed the case.

As for where the World Serpent will go after everything is over... that's a question for the young man to ponder.

Upon hearing this, Mei and Durandal both fell silent.

Having more or less understood the cruelty of the Stigmata Project, the two naturally understood what it meant for the world to no longer need the [World Serpent].

In other words, the world has completely fallen into the abyss of the Stigmata Project, and no one can change that.

“You will regret this, Kevin. The future of humanity cannot be extinguished by a mere Stigmata Project, and the path to salvation that you rely on will be completely severed by the betrayal of [Walter White].

With her gaze fixed on the white-haired youth on the Iron Throne, Mei spoke earnestly, enunciating each word clearly.

Even so, it has nothing to do with you.

Kevin raised his eyes slightly and spoke, his tone remaining unwavering.

"..."

Mei gave Kevin a deep look, then let out a cold snort before turning and walking away without looking back.

Since the other party is so stubbornly unwilling to listen to any opinions, there is naturally no need for her to try and win their favor.

In the near future, she will personally use her sword to sever all the arrogance of this strongest fusion warrior from the previous civilization.

"Raiden Mei..."

Durandal called out to Mei, but seeing the girl's unwavering back, she could only sigh helplessly. Her gaze then turned to the white-haired youth on the Iron Throne. "If the World Serpent disbands, what will happen to the other World Serpent members?"

As she asked the question, the image of Siegfried couldn't help but appear in Durandal's mind.

From beginning to end, her arrival at the World Serpent was inextricably linked to someone's kidnapping of Siegfried.

"They can choose their own path in the future. Of course, so can you."

Kevin spoke calmly, his gaze fixed on the female knight before him, his tone softening slightly.

"But for many people, they have never actually had the right to choose."

Durandal simply shook her head slightly in response to Kevin's answer.

If things had gone according to plan, she would definitely have stayed in Destiny.

After all, among the three major organizations, the anti-grassroots forces are insufficient, World Serpent has always remained hidden in the shadows, and only Schicksal possesses the power to directly confront the Honkai.

Of course, if she continues to stay in Destiny, she will probably continue to be deceived by Otto.

Thinking of this, Durandal's feelings became complicated, and her resistance to [Walter White] coercing her to leave Schicksal lessened somewhat.

"Durandal, don't be too fixated on appearances. Some things that seem undeniable to you may just be a deceptive illusion."

Kevin looked at the female knight with a touch of warmth in his eyes and said softly.

Not wanting to disrupt the boy's plans, this was all the reminder he could offer.

"Ok?"

Deep confusion welled up in her eyes, but seeing that Kevin didn't seem inclined to explain further, Durandal could only nod in bewilderment. "I'll remember that."

Although she didn't feel much affection or care from Kevin, even just from the perspective of fighting against the Honkai, he was a pioneer worthy of her respect.

"Let's go, Durandal. When we meet again, we'll be enemies."

Kevin calmly told him to leave.

“By then, I will definitely stop you, Kevin Kaslana!”

With a firm statement, Durandal nodded slightly before turning and leaving.

……

Before long, when the audience hall fell silent again, a young figure emerged from the darkness.

After tossing aside the Herrscher Core he had intercepted from Yae Sakura along the way, Shihen looked at the white-haired youth on the Iron Throne and asked, "Boss Kevin, are you sure you want to go down this path?"

For him, the Stigmata Project was the most profitable route, but it also came at the greatest cost.

Even though Kevin was already filled with the will to die, and was willing to become the cornerstone of humanity's path to the future.

Do you know the story of Icarus?

Looking at the black-haired boy in front of him, Kevin asked indifferently.

"Icarus skillfully crafted a pair of wings that enabled him to fly, but ultimately, because he reached a height that was not permitted for humans, his wings melted and he fell to his death."

Shihen answered calmly.

"It is generally believed that Icarus killed himself because of his arrogance. But from another perspective, he also broke through the limits of humanity and opened up a new possibility for those who came after him."

Kevin explained.

"It seems that Boss Kevin has already made up his mind."

With a soft sigh, Shihen then tossed the core of the Herrscher of Dominion to Kevin.

Just as Otto needed the Herrscher Core to establish a connection with the Honkai Will and thus ascend to the power of a false god.

Kevin also needs a Herrscher Core as a key to contact the Cocoon of the End and seize the power of the End from it.

Snapped!

Catching the core, Kevin looked directly at the boy and said with utmost seriousness, "I will soar into the sky and steal all the light from this world, but what does Icarus mean to you?"

Although Kevin did not doubt the boy's ability to overturn the Stigmata Project, he also knew that the boy would never follow the path he had laid out.

Once outside the scope of the Stigmata Project, the future of the world becomes something even he cannot foresee.

Meeting Kevin's heavy, scrutinizing gaze, Shi Hen smiled calmly as if he hadn't noticed anything amiss, and said, "Boss Kevin, don't you think the sun in this world is a bit too dazzling?"

Upon hearing this answer, Kevin was slightly taken aback, and after a moment, he continued, "How confident are you?"

At this moment, even as the most vengeful demon who was most determined to destroy the Honkai, he felt that the boy was being a little too radical.

"Statistically speaking, it's probably a 50/50 chance."

He spoke softly, a confident smile curving his lips, "But for me, there has never been only one future for the world."

"..."

Looking at the proudly smiling boy in front of him, Kevin finally understood why Sue described him as someone who could end all possibilities of the world.

Aside from their seemingly superhuman strength, it was their almost obsessive confidence that truly enabled them to achieve all of this.

"I look forward to the kind of future you're describing."

Nodding, Kevin's gaze softened slightly, "But as you keep moving forward, you must never forget what your most precious treasure is."