Late 15th century.
As the Honkai spread across Europe, the world's largest anti-Honkai organization, "Schicksal," intervened in European politics under the pretense of protection.
The expansion of their power brought greater prestige and authority, but gradually corrupted the will of Schicksal's bishops.
The original intention of guarding humanity against the Honkai was slowly replaced by ambition and greed. To annex more nations, Schicksal's leaders planned a massive eastern expedition.
The history of the Honkai world bore striking similarities to the Crusades on Earth.
But with the aid of Honkai energy, they went even further.
After several skirmishes, the Schicksal legion clashed with the Ming Empire, which held dominion over the land of Shenzhou.
The two sides engaged in a strategic decisive battle on the Kipchak Steppe.
"Ohhh, natives fighting… how nostalgic."
From a ship beyond Earth's orbit, Setsuna and the shipgirls looked down with keen interest at the scene below.
Fully armed Schicksal knights charged at the Ming Empire's army.
Blades, spears, and arrows intertwined.
The East and West's greatest powers faced off here in a battle for supremacy.
Against the ancient eastern dynasty, Schicksal's legion mobilized almost entirely, sending forth its most elite forces.
Wave after wave of their knights crashed upon the Ming army.
Even so, the knights that once swept across the Eurasian continent fell into a bitter struggle.
Risking the erosion of Honkai, they activated Honkai-powered weapons, barely holding off the Ming's counterattack.
The strength of ordinary soldiers was not on the same level. Even regular Ming soldiers possessed the ability to contend with Schicksal knights.
In addition, countless "martial sects"—independent groups of the martial world—stood on the frontlines against the invaders, refusing to back down.
Masters from all directions beat Schicksal's troops into disarray, leaving their bishops and commanders questioning reality.
What was going on with this eastern empire?!
Why did their army still crumble like clay chickens despite Honkai augmentation?!
Where had so many martial masters come from?!
The Seven Swords of Taxiuan also joined the battlefield. The first disciple, Lin Zhaoyu, wielded the Xuanyuan Sword "Light-Dust Willow," cutting through Schicksal's forces as if into an unguarded land.
The two-foot-four-inch blade reaped knights' lives like grass.
"Barbarians! Face my sword!!"
Brilliant sword-light shredded Schicksal's troops apart.
Almost no one could withstand a single strike from her.
Under this overwhelming disadvantage, Schicksal's crusading force decided to deploy their ultimate weapon.
Kallen Kaslana.
Shwoosh—
In the eyes of the Ming soldiers—
A white-haired, blue-eyed girl descended onto the battlefield, wielding a bizarre cross-shaped weapon.
With ease, she suppressed thousands of soldiers. Even united, the martial masters could not match her.
"So strong!—"
All eyes fixed upon the dark, cross-shaped weapon in her hands.
Oath of Judah.
The Eleventh Divine Key—the Key of Binding.
A weapon created by Mei, top scientist of the Previous Era, forged from a Herrscher Core.
"Tch—"
Lin Zhaoyu thrust her sword straight at Kallen.
The Xuanyuan Sword clashed against the Divine Key, releasing an ear-splitting hum.
The massive recoil sent out a shockwave across the battlefield, forcing both to retreat and widen their distance.
Boom—
Kallen drove the Oath of Judah once more, preparing to pursue Lin Zhaoyu.
The knights, encouraged, surged forward alongside Valkyries, unleashing a fiercer, more brutal assault against the Ming.
The battle seemed on the verge of turning.
At that moment—
Hum—
Crackkk—
The sound of space tearing echoed through the skies. The earth trembled violently.
Though it was midday, with the sun blazing overhead—
The heavens suddenly went dark.
Everyone instinctively looked up.
A colossal, shadow-grey starship tore through the clouds, descending slowly from the high heavens.
Its sheer size blanketed the entire battlefield. Even the distant Schicksal and Ming Empire command posts were shrouded under its shadow.
"This…"
Kallen looked up. Even separated by great distance, she could feel the heat radiating from the ship's engines.
A crushing pressure swept over the battlefield. Both sides unconsciously lowered their weapons, staring blankly at the sky.
This was also a part of the Eternal Snowfall.
Within the Juggernaut docks rested countless conventional starships.
If necessary, Setsuna could sortie in a Titan, battleship, cruiser, or destroyer.
"Capture them. Bring Kallen back."
Setsuna issued the order succinctly.
"Understood, Master."
Ikaros nodded.
Clack—
From the ship's underside, the hatch opened.
Tens of thousands of Angeloids burst forth, wings flaring as they dove toward the Schicksal legion.
High-energy beams crisscrossed the air like spiderwebs, reducing enemies to ash.
The close-combat models struck terror into Schicksal's ranks.
"Angels!!"
"They're angels!!!"
The Angeloids bore great resemblance to the angels of human belief.
In the fifteenth century, the power of religion was at its peak. Many devout believers, upon seeing the angels, collapsed mentally in an instant.
They fell to their knees, reciting scripture in trembling voices.
The Ming soldiers were equally stunned.
Though the angels had not yet turned on them, watching the Schicksal forces being mercilessly crushed made them realize their own fates would be no better should battle turn.
Suddenly—
Lin Zhaoyu spotted a familiar figure on the outer bridge of the starship.
"Master??!"
Fu Hua was observing the scene below, not noticing her.
"Your master? The Immortal Phoenix?!"
The martial artists nearby all looked at Lin Zhaoyu.
They couldn't help but think—the Immortal's entrance was a little unusual.
Yes, powerful indeed.
But who had ever heard of an immortal arriving aboard a starship to thrash her foes?
Meanwhile—
The Angeloids swept across the battlefield like thunder and storm.
Kallen, supported by the Divine Key, barely resisted their assault.
"What is going on…"
"A starship? Angels? Where did they come from?! Could it be the Ming Empire?!…"
Fending off the Angeloids, she staggered back.
Just as she prepared to unleash greater power from the Oath of Judah—
"Hey hey hey, little girl, you're pretty tough, huh."
"But this ends here. Don't cause trouble for the commander, alright?!"
A voice suddenly spoke from behind.
She turned—
A dragon girl smiled at her with narrowed eyes.
"You are?!"
Before Kallen could react, Tohru pressed a finger to her forehead. A red magic circle flared at her fingertip.
Shwoosh—
The girl's body went limp instantly, collapsing into Tohru's arms.
...
A few minutes later—
Tohru carried Kallen back, laying her before Setsuna.
"Mm…"
Kallen slowly opened her eyes, kneeling weakly, her body still drained by the spell.
She didn't know where she was, nor who the girls beside Setsuna were.
But upon seeing the Immortal Phoenix, she understood one thing.
She had been defeated and captured.
"You are… the Ming Empire?"
Kallen glanced around. The ship's interior was so futuristic it was beyond comprehension.
She had once thought Schicksal's technology was unmatched in the world. Compared to this starship of the Ming? Nothing at all.
"No, no. We come from somewhere much farther—outside this universe."
Setsuna answered with a smile.
"…"
"Then… will you kill me?"
Kallen asked, lifting her gaze.
She didn't understand the concept of the Starsea Empire. Her concern was with more immediate matters.
"Of course not. We intend to study Honkai energy and the Divine Keys. You're an important subject of that research."
Setsuna stood, patting her shoulder.
Then he crossed Kallen's name off his list.
In the Saga of Shattered Swords, there weren't many girls of value—soon, he'd collect them all.
In a sense, she was also the "starting point" of many subsequent events in the Honkai world.
Taking her away would itself become an interesting observation.
"…"
"Tch. Next one."
Setsuna marked a location on the holographic interface, sending the updated list to the shipgirls.
"Come on, let's grab Yae Miko—no, the Yae Sakura sisters."
"Ikaros, bring Hellmaru over."
"Also, Yat Sen is nearby… There's not much to do here. We'll wrap this up soon."
"Eh?"
Tohru blinked in surprise.
"Commander, we're not going to fully conquer this world?"
"Not yet."
Setsuna thought for a moment.
"The real focus of the Honkai world is in the Previous and Current Eras. We're just passing through the Saga of Shattered Swords—taking what we need and moving on."
"The rest will be left to the science division: researching Honkai energy, guiding history, and observing the natives."
By rights, his meddling would affect this world's future.
But Setsuna believed that with the ability of an interstellar civilization, making small corrections to the timeline later would not be difficult.
"Mm… perhaps when humanity here first reaches space, they'll look up—and find a fatherly alien observation station above their heads?"
...
At Setsuna's command, the shipgirls and companions swiftly began seeking their targets across this world.
With sophon providing coordinates and foreknowledge of the original storyline, their actions became incredibly efficient.
—Europe, Schicksal Headquarters.
News of the eastern expedition's defeat had already arrived.
From the rumors spreading from the frontlines, Schicksal's higher-ups learned something utterly unbelievable:
A space warship of unknown origin had released countless combat angels, sweeping across the entire Schicksal legion.
Their strongest Valkyrie, Kallen Kaslana, had been captured.
The ones aboard the ship belonged to an unknown organization… and Shenzhou's Immortal Phoenix?!
This absurd conclusion left the high command reeling.
With a crushing defeat at hand, society inevitably slipped into turmoil. To prevent the Ming Empire's retaliation—or worse—a counterstrike, the bishops ordered further research into the "Black Box."
—At the center of the city, inside a lavish mansion.
In the underground chamber, several girls, half-dead, were bound to crosses.
Some had already perished. Judging from their clothing, most were commoners, and all bore signs of torment.
A Schicksal cleric in ornate robes scribbled on parchment, occasionally glancing coldly at the captives.
His eyes lingered on the black box resting atop a stone altar.
"Still nothing…?"
Viktor grew impatient.
Tasked by the bishop, he was to study the "Black Box."
In the Previous Era, after the Herrscher of Corruption was defeated, they had attempted to forge a Divine Key from its core. The attempt failed, and the remnant was sealed inside this box.
After passing through many hands, the Black Box now belonged to Schicksal.
Faced with such a treasure—and the current threat—Schicksal would go to any lengths to exploit its power.
Even human experimentation was acceptable.
To the nobles and clergy, the lives of commoners were worth less than nothing.
"Dispose of the corpses. Find new test subjects."
Viktor ordered irritably, summoning a servant.
"Yes, my lord."
The servant bowed, about to leave.
At that moment—
A mechanical voice resounded overhead.
[Target located.]
[Mission objective: Retrieve "Hellmaru."]
[Authorization granted to eliminate all resistance. Commence operation.]
"?"
Before anyone could react—
Shwoosh—
A high-energy beam pierced the mansion roof, blasting a hole open.
From a small starship above, dozens of Angeloids descended.
They streamed through the breach in formation.
"What?!"
Before Viktor or his guards could respond—
Bang!—
In a single instant, plasma fire reduced them to ashes.
[Warning: Object may corrupt electronic systems. Maintain distance. Avoid direct contact.]
The Angeloids cleanly isolated the Black Box using force-field equipment.
With their prize secured, they re-boarded their craft and departed for the next mission.
[Next target: Retrieve war orphan, Vera.]
[Location: Geneva, 12 kilometers southwest suburbs.]
Shwoosh—
Without pause, the Angeloids continued their efficient sweep.
...
—Far East.
In Shinano, within a remote mountain hamlet—Yae Village.
Before the shrine, a crowd gathered.
Villagers, eyes burning with near-fanatical expectation, awaited today's ritual.
For generations, the village had worshiped a deity—the Fox God. By offering sacrifices, they prayed for its manifestation to bring rain.
In rain-scarce Shinano, the Fox God was the villagers' sole hope for a good harvest.
But at the last festival, after the offering, no blessed rainfall had come.
After long discussion, the elders reached a grim decision: they would repeat the ritual from ten years ago—by sacrificing a girl with shrine maiden blood.
This time, it would be the second daughter of the Yae shrine's head priest—Yae Rin.
Frail and sickly, unable to leave home, relying on daily medicine… In their eyes, she was the perfect choice as an offering.
"…"
Away from the noisy crowd—
A pink-haired, blue-eyed girl in a shrine maiden's outfit quietly packed her belongings.
Yae Sakura had no intention of letting her younger sister become a sacrifice.
Especially when she herself had been chosen to preside over the ritual—forcing her to kill Rin, who had always been by her side, was unimaginable.
Thus, from the moment the village decided Rin would be the offering, Sakura began planning their escape.
"I'll cure Rin's illness… We'll go see the cherry blossoms together, eat the most delicious foods…"
She whispered to herself for courage, preparing to flee with Rin.
But—
As she avoided the villagers and searched for her sister's whereabouts—
She stumbled upon a scene of despair.
The ritual had already begun.
"Sakura? What are you doing here?!"
The shrine head priest seized her and dragged her to the altar—before Yae Rin.
To prevent the sacrifice from escaping, Rin's tendons in her hands and feet had been severed.
The girl lay limp on the ground, bloodstains on her clothes, utterly unable to move.
"You will preside over the offering."
The head priest thrust a blade into Sakura's hands.
"!!!"
Sakura's mind went blank. She nearly collapsed.
All her plans, all her hopes for the future, shattered in an instant.
She stood frozen, staring at Rin.
"To help you, even at the end… Rin is happy…"
Rin forced herself to smile through the pain, speaking in broken whispers.
"I'm sorry… I can't go see the cherry blossoms with you…
"Big sister… you must become a great shrine maiden…!
"Sakura, quickly!"
"Don't miss the auspicious time!"
The priest, seeing Sakura motionless, seized her hand holding the blade, intending to carry out the ritual himself.
Suddenly—
[Target located.]
[Mission objective: Retrieve Yae Sakura, Yae Rin.]
[Ensure targets' safety. Authorized to eliminate all resistance.]
Boom!!—
Angeloids roared down from the skies on hurricane winds.
Slash—
Astraea drove her plasma blade straight through the priest's chest.
With a flick, she tossed his lifeless body aside like a rag doll.
"Don't worry. Master has come to save you."
"Yae Sakura, Yae Rin, come with me."
The golden-haired angel patted Sakura's head and lifted Rin into her arms.
"Ah…"
Sakura's mind, overwhelmed, shut down momentarily.
"Master…? Who is that?"
Cradled in Astraea's arms, Rin looked up and asked weakly.
"He's the Commander!"
Astraea, delighted, immediately contacted Setsuna.
"Master, we've found the Yae sisters. Rin is injured, though."
"Bring them back. Have the medical-type Agenloids heal her."
Setsuna opened the starship's hatch.
With the Starsea Empire's medical capabilities, Rin's frailty and severed tendons were trivial.
Even shattered organs could be restored.
Before leaving—
Nymph and Ikaros glanced back at the shrine's Fox God statue.
"Master, I don't think these villagers—or their god—are good people."
"…Do as you like."
"Apollon!!!"
"Not that one!!! Pick another!!!"
...
Onboard the ship—
Fu Hua watched in astonishment as Setsuna, within two days, methodically completed one mission after another.
The sealing of the Herrscher of Corruption's Black Box—she hadn't even known it was in Schicksal's possession. Setsuna and the Angeloids had struck with surgical precision.
As for saving the Yae sisters…
She couldn't understand why Setsuna would intervene for two shrine maidens in a fishing village. But true to her immortal nature, she did not pry.
This man's understanding of the world far surpassed her own.
"Yae sisters, Kallen, Hellmaru, Vera…"
"Mm, nearly all accounted for. Vera can be sent back to school later."
Setsuna crossed more names off his notebook.
"You came prepared? What's your next step?"
Fu Hua asked curiously.
She had followed Setsuna partly out of curiosity, partly to monitor him—to ensure he would not endanger Shenzhou.
Should he show the slightest sign of Honkai corruption, she would act without hesitation.
Whether or not she could defeat him was irrelevant. It was her duty.
Moreover, the Black Box weighed heavily on her mind.
"Of course."
Setsuna checked his mission list, then looked seriously at Fu Hua.
"The simple matters are done. Kallen and the Yae sisters will be cared for by the shipgirls and Angeloids."
"Next… it's your turn, Hua."
...
—
—
40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven