It had been quite some time since John Y/n witnessed his homeworld's destruction, he still hadn't gotten over it yet, Sa knew it also, because he had stopped showering her with his love all day...

He just went out to scavenge some bubble worlds and Sea anomalies, with Sa still observing his actions while constructing Phosphorus from scratch.

Sa... Being a Higher Existence, could briefly recall her feelings back then... How exactly did she cope with the loss of her home and her people? Not sure why but she does feel something urging her to help you cope with it...

Meanwhile, in the Sea of Quanta...

John Y/n just prevented the total collapsing of yet another bubble world... Using Sa's powers to patch it up, allowing it to survive yet another day, he felt exhausted, and sat down on a floating tree branch nearby that is being broken down and consumed by the Sea.

He sighed, as he lay his back on the branch, it has been quite a while now, yet he could not truly shake it off, the image of destruction upon his world, the imagination of how horrifying it must have been for everyone there...

"No... No..." - You sat up, clearly struggling with all these negative emotions chipping your mind... "Damn it... Focus, Y/n... Focus."

It was possible, and before you realize it, several days have already passed in the Sea. You didn't notice it because you barely felt hungry or thirsty at all, only exhaustion - the only thing Adaptation cannot overcome.

And so, with a heavy body, you decided to return to Sa.

"You have returned."

She spoke, and slowly turned off some of the tablets as she turned around, facing you directly.

"I have indeed... My beloved Sa." - Same words, different tones, your love and affection towards her did not feel heated up anymore, but more like awkward words that will soon be extinguished.

Sa knew how he felt, but she did not know how to cheer him up, calling him back for another mission was just an excuse to confront him about these feelings, she knew she had to be straightforward with him here and now.

"Here."

Sa handed him a tablet, which had a video on it, waiting to be played.

"... This is...?"

"..."

Sa did not say anything, after a bit, you took the tablet and played the video... The quality was awful at first, and after a few times of refreshing, the quality became sharper, and you immediately recognised it, the same entity that had destroyed Earth, battling someone on the Moon...

Someone so insignificant in size compared to her, yet the entity was still focusing all their might on the Moon.

It was clear that this is the proof, that someone still stood their ground against such unimaginable odds, and if there are people who could do such a thing, you know exactly who.

"..."

For a slight moment, the entity's movement was restricted, even you, who watched the whole thing unveiled on a video could feel that it has lost all of its powers for an instant, but it was more than enough for the defenders to land a critical hit on her.

A fiery slash burning as bright as the Sun injured her, you immediately realized it, and shouted the name of the only person who could have pulled it off.

"Kevin!"

The entity's movement then was frozen... Then the video ended, Sa took the tablet back from your hand, your eyes now have changed, that has a bit of hope in it.

"They fought well, until the very end. I could not be sure of anything, but one thing is clear as you have seen, they resisted the inevitable." - Sa said, those words have changed your prescriptive, it wasn't a total despair, even if they died, they died with no regrets.

Sa looked back at you.

"I know what is going through your mind now." - Sa said, as she looked at you, scanning every facial expression, but you didn't feel like she was using her abilities to look through you, because she truly understood. "We are not so different, Y/n."

You looked at her, confused.

"My home, Purusha, was also subjected to the same fate. We were just like you, fighting against it with all that we had."

"..."

"Each of us desperately tried to fight the invading abyss that sought our kind's extinction, we tried various methods, millions died to defend our home with each Herrscher that descended."

"..."

"We were actually doing well, they fought hard, we countered them, and adapted to their strategy, yet, they also learned and adapted."

"..."

"The 12th Herrscher was the anathema to our best efforts, it single handedly ended my kind. I... Couldn't do anything. Only watched it destroy my only home." - Sa's voice was getting slightly more emotional as she talked about it, you can feel her pain, her hatred carried by each word. She looked away.

You finally understood her, she was not a god before, she was just like you now.

"I know what you felt." - She said, and then looked back at you into your eyes. "But I got past it, and so should you. Whether you grieve for it or not, it's still gone. And your kind, lost to the Cocoon."

She turned around, with the coldness returning to her tone. She glanced at you. "I accepted your help to my cause because you have proven yourself, but now, if all you can do is to cry about it, then I will personally eject you out to the Sea."

She turned on the tablets again, about to return to her work, as uncaring as a god-like entity that she is, completely no longer wanting to tolerate how you feel.

But deep down, you know she is right.

"I get it."

"..."

Sa glanced back at you.

"I'm sorry. It's just... But now I know."

She still observes you.

"You are right, Sa. But there is one thing that you get wrong."

She didn't react, because she knew what you were going to say next.

"We haven't lost yet. I'm still standing here. We're still standing here aren't we? We haven't lost at all."

She turned around, hiding her smile from you.

"Good." - She said. "That's what I expected from you, now, set out, new missions await you."

"Yes... Sa." - You smiled.