Imaginary Tree

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Appearances

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Manga

Second Key (mentioned)

The Imaginary Tree, also known as the Tree,^{[note 1]} is an important place in the Honkai Impact 3rd series. It is the origin of life itself, as all universes and bubble worlds are born there.^[1]

Description

The concept of the Imaginary Tree was originally formed by Otto Apocalypse after over 500 years of researching the Honkai.^[2]

The Imaginary Tree emerged from Sea of Quanta. Since the Imaginary Tree and Sea of Quanta are alone in the universe, they have an unending rivalry. The Sea Of Quanta swells while the Imaginary Tree extends its roots. The Sea of Quanta wants to flood the Tree. Meanwhile, the Imaginary Tree wants to absorb the Sea.^[1]

The Tree has drank from the Sea, endured an asamkhya (innumerable amount of time), and grown a nayuta (numerical unit of one hundred billion or ten million) of branches and leaves. During this seemingly endless time, a branch grew a new bud. This was the birth of human civilization.^[1] Time flows in the trunk of the Imaginary Tree and branches out into an infinity of worlds. Every branch is a form of civilization, while every bud is their past and present etched onto the dimension of time.^[3] Each twig is a world line and each leaf is a bubble universe.^{[citation needed]}

The growth of the Imaginary Tree, meaning the growth of civilization, is naturally countered by a selective and corrective system in its rivalry with the Sea of Quanta. This system is based on Imaginary mechanics and breeds, nurtures, tests, and removes civilizations. This system is called Honkai by humanity. The removal of civilizations results in them falling into the Sea of Quanta.^[3]

History

Main article: Timeline

Spoilers Ahead, You Sure Wanna See Them?

The content below contains major unmarked spoilers. Don't say we didn't warn you, Captain~

Unknown period

Creation of the universe: the Sea of Quanta and Imaginary Tree are born.^[4]^[1]

Trivia

The 2nd Divine Key is capable of analyzing parallel universes^[5] and multiple bubble universes^[6] on the Imaginary Tree.

Speculations

Speculations Ahead, Let's Talk Them Out

"Speculations" on this wiki refers to commentary or theories that seem plausible enough, but lack outright official confirmation.
As this content might be questioned by the community, information from this section shouldn't be quoted or referenced as if it was factual on other pages and, when referenced, it should be placed under a Speculations header there as well.

The Imaginary Tree is most likely based on Yggdrasil, the World Tree of Norse Mythology. Although Yggdrasil only has nine worlds rather than an infinite amount.

Other Languages

Language	Official NameOfficial Name		Literal TranslationLiteral Translation
English	Imaginary Tree		—

Notes

↑ The capitalization of "Tree" is what denotes it as a reference to the Imaginary Tree, which otherwise requires context to avoid confusion with a literal tree.

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Chapter XVII, Extra Cutscene 3
"Let us now imagine a tree — the Imaginary Tree."

"A massive tree whose crown cannot be seen, whose canopy of branches and leaves blots out the sky."

"The Tree emerged from an endless Sea of unfathomable depths and boundaries."

"The Tree and Sea are alone in the Universe. Thus began their never-ending rivalry."

"The Sea swells while the Tree extends its roots. One seeks to flood. The other seeks to absorb."

"The Tree has drunk from the Sea and endured an asamkhya of time and grown a nayuta of branches, and leaves."

"And it was during this seemingly endless time that an unassuming branch grew a new bud."

"This was the birth of human civilization."
↑ Chapter XVII, Extra Cutscene 3
"What is the Honkai?"

Otto spent many years searching for an answer to this question.

The search spanned 5 centuries and 2 eras. He knew more about the Honkai than the other 7 billion lives on Earth.

[...]

Over 500 years had passed. The hypotheses he tested and rejected were beyond counting.

Answers were transposed, adjusted, combined, and taken apart. The cycle was repeated. The tapestry remained broken.

But after enough cycles, an image began to appear in the obscure sea.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 Chapter XVII, Extra Cutscene 3
"Time flows in the trunk of the Imaginary Tree and branches out into an infinity of worlds."

"Every branch is a form of civilization. Every bud is their past and present etched onto the dimension of time."

"But growth is countered by a force — a selective and corrective system in the Tree's rivalry against the Sea."

"A natural system based upon the Imaginary mechanics. It breeds, nurtures, tests, and removes."

"This is what humanity describes as the Honkai."

"Indeed. Humanity will never escape the Honkai."

"We must press forward because the Tree must grow. Those who fail become wilted shadows in the Sea of Quanta."

"To achieve everlasting peace, we must reach the origin of civilization and return to the Imaginary realms."
↑ (GLB) Honkai Impact 3 Official Site, Scenes, From the Deep Ocean, Sea of Quanta
Sea of Quanta

[...] It has existed since the creation of the universe, but most of the time, it is just as barren as when the universe was created.
↑ Second Key, chapter 1, page 11
Otto Apocalypse: FOR THE PAST 4500 YEARS, THIS KEY HAS BEEN USED FOR...

Otto Apocalypse: ... ANALYZING OTHER PARALLEL UNIVERSES ON AN IMAGINARY TREE...
↑ Second Key, chapter 2, page 7
RECORDS SAID THAT THE 2ND KEY ANALYZES MULTIPLE BUBBLE UNIVERSES ON AN IMAGINARY TREE...

CAN THIS BE ONE OF THEM?

AND WHY IS THERE JUST A SINGLE BUBBLE?

[1] The capitalization of "Tree" is what denotes it as a reference to the Imaginary Tree, which otherwise requires context to avoid confusion with a literal tree.

[CH17-2] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Chapter XVII, Extra Cutscene 3
"Let us now imagine a tree — the Imaginary Tree."

"A massive tree whose crown cannot be seen, whose canopy of branches and leaves blots out the sky."

"The Tree emerged from an endless Sea of unfathomable depths and boundaries."

"The Tree and Sea are alone in the Universe. Thus began their never-ending rivalry."

"The Sea swells while the Tree extends its roots. One seeks to flood. The other seeks to absorb."

"The Tree has drunk from the Sea and endured an asamkhya of time and grown a nayuta of branches, and leaves."

"And it was during this seemingly endless time that an unassuming branch grew a new bud."

"This was the birth of human civilization."

[3] Chapter XVII, Extra Cutscene 3
"What is the Honkai?"

Otto spent many years searching for an answer to this question.

The search spanned 5 centuries and 2 eras. He knew more about the Honkai than the other 7 billion lives on Earth.

[...]

Over 500 years had passed. The hypotheses he tested and rejected were beyond counting.

Answers were transposed, adjusted, combined, and taken apart. The cycle was repeated. The tapestry remained broken.

But after enough cycles, an image began to appear in the obscure sea.

[P2-4] 3.0 ^3.1 Chapter XVII, Extra Cutscene 3
"Time flows in the trunk of the Imaginary Tree and branches out into an infinity of worlds."

"Every branch is a form of civilization. Every bud is their past and present etched onto the dimension of time."

"But growth is countered by a force — a selective and corrective system in the Tree's rivalry against the Sea."

"A natural system based upon the Imaginary mechanics. It breeds, nurtures, tests, and removes."

"This is what humanity describes as the Honkai."

"Indeed. Humanity will never escape the Honkai."

"We must press forward because the Tree must grow. Those who fail become wilted shadows in the Sea of Quanta."

"To achieve everlasting peace, we must reach the origin of civilization and return to the Imaginary realms."

[5] (GLB) Honkai Impact 3 Official Site, Scenes, From the Deep Ocean, Sea of Quanta
Sea of Quanta

[...] It has existed since the creation of the universe, but most of the time, it is just as barren as when the universe was created.

[6] Second Key, chapter 1, page 11
Otto Apocalypse: FOR THE PAST 4500 YEARS, THIS KEY HAS BEEN USED FOR...

Otto Apocalypse: ... ANALYZING OTHER PARALLEL UNIVERSES ON AN IMAGINARY TREE...

[7] Second Key, chapter 2, page 7
RECORDS SAID THAT THE 2ND KEY ANALYZES MULTIPLE BUBBLE UNIVERSES ON AN IMAGINARY TREE...

CAN THIS BE ONE OF THEM?

AND WHY IS THERE JUST A SINGLE BUBBLE?

[note 1]

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