Honkai, why do you only throw me into high-level battles?

Rin, having just unleashed her fury, was in a state of post-climax exhaustion. Though she seethed at Lin Wei's audacity, she couldn't muster the energy to attack him again.

It was pointless, self-defeating. She knew that.

Lin Wei was right. They'd played all their cards.

He'd never had any to begin with, and she'd exhausted her arsenal to no effect.

I'm tired. Just end it already. She couldn't believe this was happening.

Whether she admitted it or not, she was now forced into a "negotiation" with Lin Wei, unless she wanted to continue this farce.

A mere human, daring to treat her, a god, as an equal? It was a bitter pill to swallow.

She glared at him, silent.

She dropped the Lin Wei disguise. It had been meant to humiliate him, but now it only served to make her look foolish. Unsure what form to take, she reverted to the indistinct black figure.

"Rin, you've seen my memories, and I've felt your pain. We're even now, aren't we?"

Seeing her reluctance to speak, Lin Wei smiled, breaking the silence.

Winners exuded calm.

He'd achieved his goal. If she refused to yield, he would.

After all, gaining the upper hand against a Herrscher as a mere human was a feat worthy of some concessions.

Even if it was a dirty victory, it was still a victory. An undeniable fact.

He was sure Otto Apocalypse, somewhere on the other side of the planet, would agree.

"Even? Heh! Lin Wei, you despicable, shameless wretch!"

The Herrscher couldn't even bring herself to use any creative insults. Any bluster would only highlight her weakened state, making her a laughingstock.

She was furious. How could someone be so… infuriating?

Why don't we have a fair fight? she thought bitterly.

Do you think I'm stupid?

Lin Wei rolled his eyes internally. He knew her frustration. This had never been a fair fight. He'd had to resort to unconventional tactics to survive.

He'd used Fu Hua's influence to force her into a compromise in the real world. But here, in her domain, she would retaliate with a vengeance.

And here, he was alone, without any help.

He had to face her consciousness, defeat her, and force her into a second compromise. There was no other way.

Who said "weakness" wasn't a weapon? It all depended on how you used it, and how shameless you were willing to be.

Lin Wei had no other choice. He was sorry, but he had to do this.

"Yes, I'm despicable. I apologize. But, Rin, you're a Herrscher, I'm human. This fight was never fair. If the gap between us wasn't so vast, I wouldn't resort to such underhanded methods."

You know you're underhanded! Rin knew he was right. She seethed, but remained silent.

She hadn't taken him seriously before, only wanting to torment him. Now, though she hated to admit it, they were on equal footing. She couldn't touch him. And despite her resentment, his words carried weight.

But she was still unwilling to accept it.

"Now, Rin, can we continue our negotiation?" Lin Wei got straight to the point, reiterating the terms. "You give me the Stigmata, I send you to the Elysian Realm."

"I get to live, you get to go home. How about it? You read my memories. You know I'm not lying."

Rin chuckled coldly, her voice laced with sarcasm.

"Send me home? Are you pitying me, Lin Wei?"

"Yes. Is there something wrong with that?"

Though he couldn't see her expression on her featureless face, he sensed her displeasure. He continued calmly,

"You've seen my memories. You know I'm homeless. I know what loneliness feels like." He empathized, bridging the gap between them.

"And, for reasons you're aware of, I know your story. I've always felt sympathy for you, even during our little… confrontation. If anything has changed, it's that you were a character in a story, and now you're a living person I'm talking to. It's… strange."

Lin Wei pulled up the chair again and sat, showing he meant no harm.

"And, for me, it has another meaning now."

He met her gaze.

"I'm homeless in this world. I want to help you, someone who could have a home, find your way back. Maybe that will give me some peace of mind. So, Rin, it's not so much pity for you as it is pity for myself."

"I can accept unavoidable tragedies. I've accepted that I can't go back. I have to find my own meaning in this world, alone."

"But I can't accept near misses! Rin, your home is right there. Your sister is there. The Elysian Realm holds everything you know, your family, your friends, your enemies, everything you loved and hated. It was your home once. Maybe it isn't anymore, but it's still there. You should see it again. Even if you leave, it shouldn't be because of ignorance."

"Wouldn't that be a tragedy? For you, for me, for your sister, for this world?"

"I felt your pain. It was heartbreaking. But, Rin, what is it that you cling to so desperately, that you've endured this pain for fifty thousand years, that you still hate, or perhaps… miss?"

"The era you destroyed is gone. Those who hurt you, betrayed you, deceived you… they're all dead. It's over."

"So what are you still hating?"

"Or perhaps… even you don't know anymore?"