The wedding night was bound to be long.
As Zeke entered the bedroom, he realized this fact clearly.
It was only natural, considering he had four partners. Apart from Bronya, whose physique approached S-rank Valkyrie standards, the other three were MANTIS-Herrschers. In short, all possessed extraordinary endurance for combat.
Fortunately for Zeke, there's no one more extraordinary on this planet than him.
He first turned to Fu Hua, clearly the most anxious and embarrassed among them.
"Would you like me to arrange a separate room just for you?" Zeke asked calmly, his lips subtly curling upwards with amusement.
The other three girls, seated beside her on the bed, simultaneously twisted their heads, observing Fu Hua with curious yet teasing gazes.
Under their collective attention, Fu Hua, still untouched by worldly experiences, instantly felt steam rising from her head as she stammered:
"I...I...I want..."
"That means you don't need it then."
"Hm... Wait?!?"
"You'll have to get used to it eventually, just like they did. It's getting late now, Hua."
Zeke dropped her surname and called her by her given name, gently lifting her chin so that she had no choice but to meet his gaze, blushing deeply.
In the previous civilization, "Hua" was how Heroic Spirits and Fuxi Nuwa referred to her.
However, Zeke's use of "Hua" carried a different weight—it was the affectionate nickname a husband would address his wife after formally tying the knot.
This intimate term further intensified Fu Hua's heart palpitations; her ears and cheeks felt as if they were burning, even her pupils seemed to tremble.
Zeke, with a delighted grin, held Fu Hua's chin firmly. As she blushed, feeling flustered and helpless under the watchful eyes of her disciples and students, he assertively pressed his lips against hers...
What followed was a chaotic and lengthy tale, which we'll briefly skip over, sparing you tens of thousands of straightforward narration.
Of course, there were some unexpected twists.
For instance, due to overwhelming shame from experiencing intimacy for the first time alongside dancing with her teacher and students, Fu Hua inadvertently entered mental hibernation midway through, catching Senti off guard as she suddenly took control.
Another example involved Kiana, who, reaching both physical and emotional limits, mimicking what she'd witnessed earlier, resigned herself and unexpectedly tossed Sirin—currently cowering defensively within the mental realm—to take over.
Facing these minor surprises, Zeke hesitated momentarily before decisively pushing forward.
While Zeke never equated Senti or Sirin with his two brides, recognizing them deeply as individuals with independent personalities and wills, their shared origins with Fu Hua and Kiana inevitably bound all five souls together forever.
Given his feelings for Fu Hua and Kiana, Zeke could no longer tolerate Senti or Sirin falling into others' arms. In such circumstances—using swift action to cut through entanglements, with brute force yielding miracles, seemed like an efficient solution.
Naturally, the consequences of this approach were evident.
The next evening, as Bronya and Sin had already woken up, leaning against Zeke while enjoying being fed, Fu Hua and Kiana continued frowning deeply in their slumber.
"Bronya senses that they might be having nightmares?" Bronya raised her eyebrows, eyes shifting upward cunningly as she glanced at Zeke.
Zeke casually offered her a piece of fruit, then caressed her tender waist, soft as water, saying: "Don't play dumb; they indeed are experiencing nightmares—the kind where confronting another version of themselves leaves them feeling guilty."
"How twisted, Zeke!"
"Are you dissatisfied?"
"No, Bronya likes it~"
Like a contented kitten after a hearty meal, Bronya narrowed her eyes, curling even closer to her master's chest, unabashedly expressing her affection and attachment in a slightly husky, childlike voice.
Zeke chuckled delightedly.
With Bronya and Sin fully satisfied, it was now time for him to indulge in some "small delights," right?
After marriage comes the honeymoon.
In short, many unspeakable events transpired during this period. Meanwhile, Kiana and Fu Hua's "personal" issues remained unresolved amidst mounting external pressures, leaving them restless throughout their nights.
Following days of blissful intimacy, one early morning, Zeke rose from bed.
"Zeke, lift your arms."
Bronya held up his dark blue coat, skillfully helping him put it on. After tidying him up with meticulous care, she stood before Zeke, wearing a contented smile.
"All set. You look incredibly dashing, Zeke."
Bronya praised him warmly, then tiptoed to plant a gentle kiss on his cheek.
Moments later, the bedroom door opened, and Kiana, Fu Hua, and Sin entered one by one, carrying Herrscher Cores obtained at varying levels of weakness from each Herrscher, along with numerous Divine Keys.
With a wave of his hand, Zeke absorbed these powers into his palm, causing his ice-blue eyes, clear as a cloudless sky, to transform into pure golden hues.
"I'll be back soon; wait for me here at home," Zeke reassured his wives, sensing their hidden unease, maintaining his usual calm demeanor. He gently kissed each of them on the lips.
Having bid farewell, Zeke vanished with a smile before their eyes.
Simultaneously departing the physical world was Ying Long, its colossal form spanning half the planet's sky as it soared through space.
"ROAR!!!"
A thunderous mechanical dragon's roar reverberated throughout the dimensional realm transcending all realities, including Virtual Space, Quantum Worlds, and every other dimension.
The intricate complexity and vastness of this structure were beyond human comprehension. To Zeke's eyes alone, it appeared as an endless expanse of blood-red earth. At the farthest reaches of this infinite world, an immense golden trunk pierced through the ground from an incomprehensible height—symbolizing boundless magnitude and energy, it was a part of the Imaginary Tree itself.
"ROAR!!!" ×N
Familiar mechanical roars echoed from all directions.
Zeke stood atop Ying Long's broad horn, observing countless instances of himself and the dragons materializing around the world.
He raised his hand, summoning a pure-white Greatsword. The massive Ying Long beneath him merged into the blade amidst space distortions, illuminating the boundless world with gentle white light.
"Perhaps during the first cycle, 'I' made a desperate choice bordering on madness after exhausting all options. But as the Herrscher of Time, regardless of intent, these cycles have forged our collective strength."
"Isolating just one timeline from a Leaf World holds no significance. However, with careful planning, a single timeline can become a leaf—a healthy leaf that has survived Honkai's selection."
"The leaves multiply infinitely, and so do 'we.' Like cancer cells within a body, endlessly absorbing nutrients and proliferating, there will come a day when the number of our leaves surpasses even the main trunk's capacity to resist. At that moment—will it be you representing the Imaginary Tree's will or 'us'? Isn't this truly an intriguing question?"
Zeke posed thoughtfully, his sword's white glow dispersing all the phantom replicas like smoke. Now, only he faced the branch.
The Zeke standing here represented far more than just himself.
And those phantoms were no longer on equal footing with him.
This was a dialogue between the Zekes and the Imaginary Tree; other external forces had no right to participate.
Perhaps the first cycle was indeed accidental. After losing Kiana, Zeke exhausted all means to revive her as the Finality without success. Consequently, he defied temporal laws, creating a new timeline where the second Kiana inherited the Power of Doomsday, thereby enabling the resurrection of the original.
Creating a new Kiana solely to bear this suffering was uncharacteristic of Zeke; it represented too much compromise and weakness.
However, if pushed to the brink of despair, even Zeke had to admit that resorting to such actions wouldn't be surprising.
But once this cycle began, it was destined to repeat endlessly.
Since Kiana is the vessel for the Finality, she inevitably must die.
And as the Herrscher of Time, regardless of Otto's assistance or not, Zeke would ultimately find this singular solution to save his Kiana, thus initiating each new cycle.
Thus, cycles unfolded repeatedly, spawning fresh timelines continuously. The development of time-manipulating abilities by various Zekes allowed them to establish certain connections with one another—this enabled them to transcend their worlds, reaching a higher plane of existence.
And with that, a new plan took shape.
Each completed cycle would mold a Leaf World where Honkai had been fully endured—a deception not only against the mechanisms of Honkai but also the Imaginary Tree itself, drawing sustenance while connected to its virtual branches.
Thus, cycles ceased being mere creations of new timelines and instead fostered the birth of fresh Leaf Worlds.
A thousand times, ten thousand times, one hundred million times, until reaching infinity.
The Zeke's Leaf Worlds would continually multiply, eventually amassing enough power to surpass the Imaginary Tree itself.
At that moment, as creators and masters of these worlds, the collective will of the Zekes would transcend the Imaginary Tree's own.
This was true freedom—surpassing the very foundation of the multiverse, allowing Zeke's will alone to dictate the functioning of the World Tree.
"A brilliant plan, both feasible and promising." Zeke sighed, gazing at the greatsword he had shaped, feeling an inexhaustible surge of power within it, fueled by countless worlds' support.
Then, he looked towards the branches of the World Tree, which nourished myriad Leaf Worlds, and softly sighed once more:
"Though our plan is sound, you aren't merely an inert entity. 'We' have created a bug, but who can predict when you might develop new mechanisms to counter and eliminate it? Until we reach the end, please close your eyes momentarily and remain indifferent... to our audacity!"
"With this strike, may I bid thee farewell, God! Close your eyes forevermore!"
Zeke waved his hand, sending pure white sword energy slicing silently through the golden tree's trunk.
Moments later, the massive trunk dimmed its golden glow.
Zeke gradually faded from this world, a faint smile gracing his lips.
In the final moment before departing, he witnessed the tree trunk rekindling with a light that illuminated the entire realm. However, the radiance was no longer pristine gold; instead, it became a hazy yet gentle pure white.
On this day, God closed His eyes upon this particular branch.
"Zeke!"
"Zeke!"
"Zeeeke?"
"Zekeeeee!"
Upon returning to the observation deck high up in the imperial palace, Kiana and Sin rushed to tackle Zeke first.
Kiana wrapped her arms tightly around his head.
Sin clung to his waist, limbs entwined like a sloth.
"Heh heh~" x 2
"Sigh..."
Zeke endured their enthusiastic embrace for quite some time, but seeing no sign of them letting go, he let out a resigned breath.
"Pffft! Pffft!"
"Waaaaah!" x 2
The two girls cowered aside, holding their heads with teary eyes and gasping sobs.
Without sparing them a glance, Zeke walked past them, took a seat at the pavilion, and picked up the tea Fu Hua had prepared.
Surveying those gathered around him—the affectionate Bronya, gentle as flowing water; the serene Fu Hua; and the grinning, clingy duo of Kiana and Sin—Zeke calmly sipped his tea and said, unruffled, "Yes, I'm back."