"Masks? And nine of them?"
Though Liver found it strange that such objects could interest someone of Selene's stature—a Great General of the Empire—his instincts as a subordinate told him not to ask unnecessary questions.
All he needed to know was what the mission required of him and where it would take place. The difficulty, the enemies, and the danger were not his to worry about.
"Miss, where exactly are these masks located? What do they look like? Are the nine of them kept together or scattered? And how much time am I given for this mission—"
Snap!
Selene gave a slight nod of approval. As expected of a man who, after being recruited by Esdeath, had served her with unwavering loyalty—even unto death. With a sharp snap of her fingers, a dark portal wreathed in violet light appeared before Liver.
"This is..." He gazed at the swirling black void, its edges corroding the surrounding space with an ominous aura. Slowly, he lifted his head. "Miss, is this... also the power of your Teigu?"
"No. This is a small ability that comes naturally to me. The details of your mission will be clear once you enter."
Without hesitation, Liver obeyed.
As he stepped into the darkness, his sense of direction immediately vanished. His vision was consumed by blackness, and he felt something like fine dust brushing across his face.
Gradually, faint strands of crimson-violet light emerged, restoring his sight.
He found himself in a bizarre and alien world. The sky above glowed in a constant violet-red hue, twisted streaks and patterns rippling through the atmosphere in chaotic formations.
The ground and air themselves were composed of condensed, tangible particles of that same violet-red light. As Liver reached out to touch them, he felt an inexplicable sense of exhilaration coursing through his body. His muscles tightened; his heartbeat quickened. He could feel himself growing stronger with every passing moment.
As the energy coursed through him, Selene's voice echoed in his mind. "Do not resist. The Honkai particles are enhancing your body. Once they finish synchronizing with your energy signature, I'll be able to transport you without harm."
"Oh—and I'll ask one last time. Are you certain you accept this mission? You may die."
"Yes, I accept," Liver replied firmly.
"Then I respect your choice. Focus—your mission details should already be manifesting in your consciousness."
Liver closed his eyes, and suddenly a flood of information surged into his mind.
Shadowkhan... Nine Oni Masks... Nine Oni Generals... Eight Demon Sorcerers... Shendu... Talismans... Immortals... Wizards... Chi and Qi... Yin and Yang... San Francisco... Uncle's Rare Finds...
To conquer a world?!
So this was the true scope of his mistress' power? The thought filled him with awe and excitement.
...
Phasing into the Imaginary Space, Selene stood before the swirling form of Liver, whose body was now being reshaped by Honkai energy. "I've been eyeing that world for a long time," she murmured softly. "It's finally time to reap it."
She recalled the moment of her rebirth—how she had drifted through the vast expanse of the macrocosm, half-conscious, and caught a fleeting signal from another world.
"How nostalgic... the Shadowkhan..."
When she sensed that Liver's body had been completely enveloped by the violet-red Honkai particles, Selene knew the moment had come.
"Void Gate."
At her command, the very fabric of the Imaginary Space began to stir. All surrounding Honkai particles were drawn toward her, spiraling into a massive vortex.
The crimson light gathered at her outstretched fingertips, swirling into a radiant ring as countless particles converged.
"Condense."
With a sharp cry, Selene unleashed her power. The void itself roared in response. The entire Imaginary Space trembled violently as the ring flared with blinding light.
At that instant, every sentient being in the Empire—no, in the world—felt a faint shiver deep within their hearts.
Across the land, countless people paused for a brief moment, feeling an unseen presence gaze upon them. The sensation faded as quickly as it came, lost to the urgency of daily life.
But in the Imperial Palace, the young Emperor—studying quietly in his chamber—felt it far more sharply. A stabbing pain pierced his chest, and his breath caught in his throat.
"It feels... as though I've lost something..." he whispered.
...
After a long while, the tremors ceased and the light dimmed. Before Selene now floated a vortex hundreds of meters wide—an enormous rift of swirling space-time, suspended in the heart of the Imaginary Space. Violet light surged around its edges, radiating immense power, while its pitch-black core emanated an aura of unfathomable danger.
Just moments ago, the portal had still been unstable—difficult to sense clearly. But now that it had fully stabilized, Selene could feel it distinctly: that strange, incomprehensible sensation of the space-time rift before her. The gate seemed to exist right before her eyes, yet also impossibly far away. It was tangible and intangible, real and unreal, all at once.
"Coordinate synchronization. Begin energy infusion."
Sensing that Liver's body had reached optimal resonance, Selene raised her right hand. A concentrated beam of violet light shot forth, striking the glowing cocoon that enveloped him. The moment the energy transfer completed, the cocoon expanded severalfold, blazing with a radiant, pulsating brilliance.
"Go."
At Selene's command, the cocoon surged forward, streaking across the void like a comet. A long violet trail flared behind it as it vanished into the swirling darkness of the Void Gate, leaving ripples of energy in its wake.
Unlike her own direct dimensional jumps, this was a test—a small experiment in transmitting a non-Honkai lifeform safely across the interdimensional barrier.
As Selene extended her hand to touch the surface of the shimmering gate, a faint smile curved her lips. "Now then... let the game begin."
...
Meanwhile, in another world—San Francisco, Uncle's Rare Finds antique shop.
"Columbia?"
A short-haired girl wearing a white shirt under an orange hoodie slumped wearily across the table, sighing in defeat.
Across from her, a tan-skinned man in a blue knit shirt, khaki pants, and brown shoes sighed as he covered his face with one hand. "No, Jade. The capital of Georgia is Atlanta. Please, focus—you have your geography test tomorrow. Alright, let's try again... Oregon."
"Ughhh... Uncle, why does Tohru get to learn the fun stuff?" Jade groaned, shooting an envious glance toward the pair at the back of the shop.
"Tohru! Old man waiting for you! What is this?!"
From a few meters away, an elderly Chinese man wearing a white shirt and yellow vest was seated at a cluttered desk, holding up a card covered in mystical symbols. He was glaring at his enormous student—a burly Japanese ex-sumo wrestler in black-and-white work clothes.
"Uh... I know this one..." Tohru muttered, scratching his head as he tried to recall what he'd memorized earlier. "This... symbol means magic. To make it work, you add garlic and... uh..."
"Yes, correct," said the old man—calmly at first.
Then he slammed the card down. "Correct, my foot! You trying to make dumplings?!"
Adjusting his glasses irritably, the old man leaned forward on the table, his tone turning solemn. "Tohru, if you truly wish to become a Chi Wizard, you must train harder! The day will come when a new demon rises in our—"
He froze mid-sentence, his expression twisting.
"Aiyah! A new demon has appeared!!"