Otto's heart sank the moment Kallen mentioned "rewarding" him.
I should've kept my mouth shut.
Another round of painkillers it was.
Though he knew her cooking was lethal, he couldn't refuse her.
Stomach: "So I'm the side chick now? The one who's unloved is always the third wheel."
...
"Who... am I?"
"I am the Immortal Phoenix."
"Then who is the Immortal Phoenix?"
"The me of the past."
"...The me now has long surpassed that past!"
CRACK!
The glass capsule shattered.
A drenched woman emerged—her expression wild, triumphant.
"My old friend, you've finally awakened. Do you remember me?"
Otto stepped forward, applauding her "birth."
Hearing his voice, the woman turned—and her eyes narrowed.
"I remember. You killed me. Didn't expect me back, did you, Otto?"
She grabbed his face, fingers digging in.
But Otto just smiled, spreading his arms.
"My friend, your memories are incomplete. Review them carefully—you'll understand why I acted as I did."
"???"
"Let me check."
Realizing gaps in her memory, she closed her eyes—
And five millennia of recollections flooded in.
From teaching primitive humans... to her recent "death."
Every moment was hers.
Yet the truth made her stagger.
"No! These aren't real! I'm not the Herrscher of Sentience—I'm Fu Hua! The real Fu Hua!"
The memories showed her "rebirth" was planned.
Her true identity? A Herrscher.
But she refused to believe it. Her memories were Hua's—the MANTIS warrior's!
"Believe it or not, this is your truth. Or ask them."
As Otto spoke, figures emerged behind him:
Fu Hua. Chang Yuan. Elysia. Kevin.
"You've seen the script. Accept who you are. We don't judge you—never have. Elysia sacrificed herself so Herrschers like you could be free from the Honkai's control."
"Join us. Help us. Please... Senti."
Fu Hua stepped forward.
Instinctively, the Herrscher recoiled.
"Stay back! Liars! You're the Herrschers—fakes messing with my mind!"
She shook her head violently.
A MANTIS warrior? A Herrscher? Impossible!
There was only one explanation:
They were the illusions.
"Hah! I'm the fake? You're the ones controlling me! I'll crush you all!"
A dark-red spear materialized in her grip as she lunged.
The group exchanged glances—reasoning would have to wait.
With a sigh, Fu Hua prepared to play the villain.
"Very well. Let's test that theory."
In a flash, Fu Hua punched the spear's tip—
The shockwave rattled the entire floating island.
Senti's eyes widened.
She blocked it?!
Quickly, her spear morphed into a whip, wrapping around Fu Hua's wrist.
A yank—Fu Hua stumbled forward—
BAM!
A fist aimed for her face.
Fu Hua caught it mid-air, twisted—
CRACK!
"Ghk—!"
Senti spun with the motion, delivering a kick—
Only for Fu Hua to intercept it with her free hand.
Now gripping both wrist and ankle, Fu Hua slammed Senti into the ground—
BOOM!
The impact cratered the wall.
Dust billowed—
Then crimson beams shot through the haze!
WHOOSH!
Fu Hua tilted her head, dodging effortlessly.
As the smoke cleared, Senti's attire had transformed:
A black asymmetrical dress adorned with dragon-and-cloud motifs, a golden waist clasp, and a crimson gem pendant on her forehead.
"You wield a Herrscher's power yet deny it?"
"YOU'RE THE HERRSCHERS!"
With a roar, the scattered beams multiplied—thousands converging into a single, colossal blade.
A sinister violet aura engulfed the sky.
"Edge of Taixuan? Then I'll defeat you with the same technique."
Fu Hua chanted under her breath—
A golden-red sword materialized opposite the violet one.
CLASH!
The collision quaked the island—
Senti's blade morphed into a violet phoenix, while Fu Hua's remained a steadfast sword.
For a moment, the two forces held—
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
The violet phoenix shattered.
A black silhouette plummeted from the sky.
Fu Hua, still grounded, didn't need to look up to know who it was.
"I'm... not the Herrscher of Sentience... I'm... the real Fu Hua..."