"Very good, very powerful."
Setsuna was quite satisfied with the Herrscher of Corruption's authority.
By corrupting living beings, he could control them and turn them into Honkai Beasts or zombies.
By corrupting electronic systems or robots, the effect was similar to hacking.
The difference was that Nimph's kind of electronic warfare was a technical craft, while corruption was brute-force intrusion.
The Herrscher Core Drive Module on the Eternal Snowfall was also very convenient.
Catch a Herrscher, slot in her core, and he could immediately gain her authority.
And with the starship's blessings, wielding the Herrscher core in his hands produced even greater power than the original Herrscher.
Brute force makes miracles.
Gather all twelve Herrscher cores, and perhaps he could even synthesize Finality.
"Take these Honkai Beasts away for research. Under my control, they won't rebel."
Setsuna jerked his chin.
The Angeloid and some research lolis happily led the Honkai Beasts away.
The Honkai Beasts born on Earth in this era were not very strong, and the lolis said researching them was boring.
In the future, if they needed Honkai Beasts, they could just grab some Danger Beasts or magical creatures and let the Commander handcraft them.
"Guess we're colleagues from now on."
He patted Senti.
The Herrscher of Sentience's emotions were unstable.
"Hey! You're not gonna one day kill me in my sleep and shove my Herrscher core into your ship, right?!"
"How could I?!"
Setsuna ruffled her hair.
"If I kill anyone, it'll be those old Herrschers of the Previous Era. You, you're staying to warm my bed."
"Hah?"
"Dream on. Go find your old relic."
Senti turned her head away.
"..."
"What the Commander means is… both of you together."
Grey poked her head in.
"???"
"Hah?"
The Herrscher of Sentience seriously considered whether to fight the nanobot.
But then she realized it was artificial intelligence—immune to her powers—and she couldn't beat it physically either.
So she let it go.
"Commander, after becoming a Herrscher, has your body changed in other ways?"
Kayo Senju led a few research lolis over.
"Changes?"
Setsuna stretched out his hand, clenching his fist.
"In terms of strength, yes—it has grown a little. Beyond the Wisdom Cube and the Allspark, I now wield Honkai energy."
"And I've gained the Herrscher of Corruption's authority? Though I'm still clumsy with it."
"Nothing else."
He condensed Honkai energy and dispersed it again. His situation was similar to Dr. Mei's when she used the Key of Blankness.
But with the Eternal Snowfall linked to him, plus his exceptional physique and compatibility, he could fully integrate Herrscher cores into his body.
Unlike Dr. Mei, he didn't suffer side effects from driving the cores. Even loading several at once was no issue.
"Ooooh—"
The research lolis ran full scans with their devices.
As always, his data was so far off the charts it made no sense.
The Allspark provided near-infinite creation energy, and combined with Honkai energy, his values couldn't even be measured.
"The Herrscher of Corruption's core is now part of you. It gave you control over Honkai energy."
"From now on, every core installed will expand your control over Honkai energy and grant you new authority."
Kayo Senju read the rolling numbers on the holographic display.
"Tch, shame there aren't more Herrschers in this era. And the current civilization's Herrschers… most of them I want to recruit, not harvest."
Setsuna sounded regretful.
The only Herrscher to appear was Senti, and she had been born by Fu Hua's curiosity.
"Hmm…"
The nanobot studied Setsuna and the Honkai energy in his hand, thinking for a while.
"Commander, since you've become a Herrscher, I think we can attempt time-jumping in this world now."
"Huh? You mean using the spiritron transfer device?"
Setsuna froze.
That thing hadn't been used often since it was built. Once to abduct Spirits, another time to visit the Heaven's Lost Property world.
Using the spiritron transfer device to cross worlds required constructing beacons and consuming massive amounts of energy.
Previously, its jumps usually spanned decades. Compared to the fifty-thousand-year gap in the Honkai world, that wasn't nearly enough.
So Setsuna had long ordered the Siren girls and the research division to keep improving the transfer device.
"Haven't those Siren girls been upgrading it all this time? They've been iterating on it for years. In this universe, we could run an experiment."
Grey scratched her head.
"Now that you've mastered Honkai energy, you can draw from Imaginary Space. That should boost its output, right?"
Setsuna understood what she meant.
According to Dr. Mei's law, Herrschers' Honkai energy existed within Imaginary Space, and Herrscher cores were the keys to open it.
Now that he had become a Herrscher, he could use Honkai energy to charge the transfer device—fleecing the Will of the Honkai itself…
"Time travel? Now? Back to the Previous Era?!"
Fu Hua was startled.
"Uh… calm down. The first jump will be experimental—we won't pick a span as long as fifty thousand years."
Setsuna patted her shoulder, then turned to Grey:
"By running experimental time jumps, we can determine how much power worldline travel requires here, right?"
The nanobot and the research lolis nodded.
"For example, we could try a jump of a few thousand years first. Then, based on energy consumption, we estimate how much would be needed for fifty thousand years."
"Heh, we might even have to drain a few stars someday."
"That's a minor issue—let the Bulins handle it."
After a moment's thought, Setsuna decisively agreed.
"As for the target time… let's set it at 2100 BC."
He issued the order to the research division.
"You mean…?"
Fu Hua froze.
"Bring back Cangxuan and Dan Zhu. Wasn't there a Judgment-class Honkai Beast rampaging then too?"
Setsuna stroked his chin.
Only two Judgment-class Honkai Beasts had ever appeared in Honkai history—Chiyou and Benares.
He couldn't yet jump forward in time, but he could grab Chiyou from the past.
To the research division, a Judgment-class Honkai Beast was a priceless treasure. Its DNA could be extracted to make stronger fusion warriors.
And with Setsuna's power to summon Honkai Beasts, they could splice its genetic factors together for a Chimera project.
If nothing else, it could even serve as a pet.
"Thank you."
Fu Hua sincerely thanked Setsuna. Cangxuan and Dan Zhu were a knot in her heart.
If Setsuna could save them, nothing would be better.
"It's just a side task. Sooner or later, we'll have to attempt time travel anyway."
Setsuna waved his hand.
"Besides, there's one more thing to do before we depart."
"A few days ago, the research lolis said that in order to study the Sea of Quanta and traverse worlds, they needed an important tool, and asked me to find it."
"What?"
Fu Hua asked instinctively.
"'The Cosmic Juggernaut.' We want to charge into the Imaginary Tree… oh no, I mean, we want to visit the Imaginary Tree."
The Cosmic Juggernaut.
A Divine Key forged by Fire Moth using the Second Herrscher—the Herrscher of the Void's core—it could manipulate space and open passages into the Sea of Quanta.
It was created to replicate the Herrscher of the Void's power—to open a gateway to the Imaginary Tree.
When activated at its zero-rated power, it could open a path leading directly to the Imaginary Tree.
It also had functions such as horizon inversion, sinking entire world bubbles into the depths of the Sea of Quanta.
In addition, the Cosmic Juggernaut could observe parallel worlds within the Imaginary Tree system and even create world bubbles.
In the original storyline, charging the tree required this tool.
"..."
Hearing Setsuna mention the name, Fu Hua was momentarily dazed.
"It should be in Su's hands, carrying out the Project VALUKA."
"I know. The Sophons can pinpoint it."
Setsuna nodded.
The Project VALUKA was an attempt to use the Cosmic Juggernaut's power to observe parallel worlds and search the Imaginary Tree for worlds and powers that surpassed the Honkai.
It was also one of humanity's salvation projects.
"Hmm… we could go talk to him. He should be willing to hand the Cosmic Juggernaut to you."
Fu Hua had just spoken when her expression turned awkward.
"No… I haven't contacted Su or Kevin in a long time."
"After the failure of the Project EMBER and the Project ARK, Kevin said he would initiate the Project STIGMA. After that… I don't know much."
"Kevin is now sealed deep in the Sea of Quanta, while Su is holed up inside the Cosmic Juggernaut."
Setsuna chuckled.
"Su has been observing for ages without results. According to the current timeline, around the 5th century AD, after the Ark went missing and Fu Hua's Project EMBER failed, Kevin decided to carry out the Project STIGMA—a plan much like a Human Instrumentality Project.
Redefining 'human,' evolving mankind into a species adapted to Honkai, granting power through awakening Stigmata.
The process could wipe out nine-tenths of humanity, turning them into another species entirely. But to preserve civilization, it was a desperate necessity.
This caused a rift between him and Su. Using the Cosmic Juggernaut, Su sank Kevin into the Sea of Quanta, while he remained inside, observing parallel worlds."
"You really know a lot about this world…"
Fu Hua listened to Setsuna speak smoothly, her face filled with astonishment.
As a Fire Moth comrade, she realized that Setsuna understood their companions better than she did.
He not only knew of the Ark Project, but could locate Griseo precisely, and even had a clear grasp of the others' fates.
"Cough, cough—second run, speedrun, second run, speedrun."
Setsuna coughed lightly.
"Let's go. That thing is enormous."
...
Above Britain.
A small spacecraft descended over the Thames.
At this time, it was still the Tudor era, the architecture strikingly old-fashioned.
Crowds bustled along the streets, oblivious to the cloaked starship above, hidden by optical camouflage.
"It's here."
Setsuna tapped open a holographic interface.
To the naked eye, there was nothing but blue sky and white clouds above London Bridge.
But the starship's sensors showed a warped section of space.
Someone had deliberately hidden something here.
If not for Schicksal's echolocation systems five hundred years later, the Cosmic Juggernaut could have remained hidden here indefinitely.
"Activate spatial disturbance device."
Setsuna tapped a few commands into the console.
Bzz—
The starship fired several gravitational waves downward.
The space above the Thames twisted and warped.
With a sound like shattering glass, a massive train-engine-like structure appeared in the sky.
Its body was forged entirely of metal, in black and gray tones, with brass components mounted along its midsection.
Its head was angular, followed by a massive cylindrical connector.
Its size was enormous, nearly equal to that of a shuttlecraft.
"Damn, to craft a Divine Key into something like this—that's some imagination."
Grey praised sincerely.
After seeing Fu Hua, Kallen, and the Scarlet Gem, she had assumed Divine Keys were mostly weapons.
The sudden appearance of a locomotive was startling.
Clatter—
From the warped space emerged an armed puppet, lunging at the starship.
"Oh, is this the same thing Durandal once fought?"
Boom—
A high-energy beam from the starship instantly reduced the puppet to nothingness.
Then, Setsuna patted Mio, who stood beside him, and pointed at the train's head.
"There should be someone inside. Can you pull him out for me?"
According to the original storyline, one would be drawn into Su's Seed of Sumeru world, tested with the Second Divine Key's power, and only after passing would inherit his legacy.
Setsuna clearly had no patience for that hassle.
"Alright."
The Spirit of Origin stepped forward.
[Paradise of Samsara (Ain Soph)]
The world instantly turned black and white.
Within her domain, space and time themselves froze.
Inside the Second Divine Key—
A man in short sleeves, observing other worlds, suddenly felt a great force drag him out.
In the blink of an eye, the scene before him transformed into the unfamiliar interior of a starship.
"???"
Su stood dumbfounded, staring around.
He hadn't processed what was happening, thinking he had hallucinated after too long observing parallel worlds.
"Ahem, I'll make this quick."
Setsuna clapped his shoulder.
"We're from another civilization, here to rule—no, to save the Honkai world."
"I'm requisitioning the Cosmic Juggernaut. After all, you've been researching it for millennia without much result."
"Details will be explained by Fu Hua and the Angeloid. From now on, you can retire here in Britain. We'll take care of the rest."
"???"
It took Su a long while to regain his senses.
His first glance had already fallen upon Fu Hua and Griseo standing by Setsuna's side.
"Hua? And Griseo?!"
"How are you two here?!"
...
About fifteen minutes later.
Inside the starship's command chamber, after Fu Hua filled him in, Su finally understood.
An advanced interstellar civilization had come to save the Honkai world.
To further research the Imaginary Tree and the Sea of Quanta, they required the Second Divine Key—the Cosmic Juggernaut.
The Starsea Empire's technology far surpassed the Previous Era's. The Eternal Snowfall carried weapons that could reduce the Final Herrscher and the entire solar system to molecules.
With two comrades from the previous era vouching for Setsuna—Fu Hua and Griseo—who both held him in high regard…
Out of trust for his friends, Su agreed without much difficulty.
"I can give you the Cosmic Juggernaut. But… may I ask two questions?"
"Go ahead."
Setsuna gestured magnanimously.
"I observed countless parallel worlds inside it. Why did I never find your universe?"
"The Starsea Empire lies outside the Tree system. It isn't within the Cosmic Juggernaut's scope of observation."
He answered succinctly.
"Oh…"
Su pondered for a moment, seeming enlightened.
"Then what do you intend to do with it? I've observed countless parallel universes, but found no answer to counter the Honkai or Finality."
"Perhaps your observation efficiency was too low."
Kayo Senju suddenly raised her hand.
"I believe that since the Cosmic Juggernaut can observe parallel worlds within the Tree system, and since it takes the form of a locomotive… it implies it has driving capability."
"With slight modifications, it could become a vessel to traverse between Tree-system worlds."
"???"
Su was stunned.
"Traverse the Tree-system worlds? The world bubbles? What are you talking about?"
"I think so too."
Setsuna nodded, agreeing with the research loli's conclusion.
"The Cosmic Juggernaut's design resembles something made for inter-world travel. Its powers are also similar… we can make it into that."
"In the future, we'll rely on it to journey across the Tree-system universes."
"What?"
Fu Hua, Su, Griseo, and the others looked on in growing curiosity.
"The Astral Express."
—
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