Siegfried, having taken the Honkai Energy blast with his face, was now of course...
—perfectly fine.
Having already sensed that something was wrong, Siegfried had put up his defenses at the first possible moment.
Even if Siegfried's current strength was a far cry from his peak, he was still the strongest of the Kaslana clan.
With his powerful [Honkai Energy Adaptability], there was no way Siegfried would be turned into a Honkai Zombie just because his own power had been weakened.
But, even though Siegfried had blocked the initial blast, he still felt a massive headache coming on.
"Ha... that coward."
Amidst the dust and smoke, the girl named Raiden Mei was already slowly floating into mid-air.
"Constantly living in worry and fear... Heh, for her to last this long, I'll give her a little praise."
But now, seeing the wings of lightning slowly materialize behind Raiden Mei, Siegfried, no matter how optimistic his personality, couldn't bring himself to smile anymore.
The despair and unease on Raiden Mei's face had, of course, completely vanished.
But at the same time, on the face of his old friend's daughter, Siegfried saw an expression he had once seen on someone else.
A lofty disdain, a disgust for all things in the world, coupled with an extremely confident smile...
The expression on Mei's face right now was practically identical to Sirin's during the Second Eruption.
Moreover, as a powerful Honkai Energy warrior, Siegfried could naturally judge an opponent's strength by sensing their Honkai Energy intensity.
He couldn't precisely determine whether Mei's Honkai Energy intensity after this outbreak was 2000HW or higher, but the point was—her current Honkai Energy level was no less than that of Sirin during her duel with Welt.
Damn it, by implanting the Gem in advance, has Mei also adapted to this Herrscher Core ahead of time?
Is that why, despite having just awakened, her power has already reached the average level for a Herrscher... Hmm, wait a minute?
Glancing around with the corner of his eye, Siegfried realized the situation might not be as bad as he thought.
Originally, upon confirming the Herrscher's awakening, Siegfried had thought that the unlucky common folk of Nagazora City were probably done for.
But now, his surroundings told Siegfried that, when it came to the safety of the civilians, he could afford to be a bit more optimistic.
The surrounding buildings had been blown away, that was true, and the few unlucky employees at the gas station had been vaporized as a result.
However, apart from the people and things in the immediate vicinity, the buildings further away were currently unharmed?
The powerful Honkai Energy shockwave, which should have been able to kill an entire city's population in an instant, was currently being contained within this area.
But outside the area immediately surrounding the two of them, the speed at which the Honkai Energy was spreading wasn't as fast as Siegfried had imagined.
The factory not far away is also finished, but I checked when I came here earlier, and there weren't many people inside.
And at this rate of diffusion... heh, this means there's still a chance to fight, doesn't it?
Staring at Mei before him, Siegfried silently drew his Judgment of Shamash and held it in his hand.
"Oh? Interesting."
Noticing the weapon in Siegfried's hand, the Herrscher of Thunder's gaze towards her enemy now held a hint of amusement.
"A Herrscher Core... If I remember correctly, Flame shouldn't have awakened yet."
"To think that you would forge the cores gifted to us by God into weapons. Humans, you truly are amusing."
Good.
The Honkai Energy isn't spreading that fast, likely because Mei hasn't completely despaired yet, so she's still inside the Herrscher of Thunder, trying to stop all of this.
And the Herrscher of Thunder doesn't know about me or the Judgment of Shamash, and is even careless enough not to launch a preemptive strike right now.
Remembering how Sirin had immediately hit him with a Lance of the Void upon seeing him, Siegfried actually felt that the Herrscher of Thunder before him... was surprisingly gentle?
Mei is suppressing the power of the Herrscher Core, preventing a large-scale Honkai Eruption from spreading at its fastest rate.
So now, as long as I can knock her out and give Mei a chance to regain control of her body, the remaining Honkai Energy...
"You dare to get distracted?"
Looking at the man before her, the Herrscher of Thunder's expression suddenly changed.
Then, with a light snap of her fingers, a bolt of lightning instantly descended from the sky, striking the spot where Siegfried stood.
"Whoa, how scary, how scary."
Siegfried, who had long since detected the flow of Honkai Energy, was naturally not foolish enough to stand there and get struck by lightning.
With a roll, he had already dodged the blow with great ease.
Although Herrschers are beings of terrifying power, at the end of the day, they were only human before their awakening.
Even Sirin, who possessed six cores at the time, was so panicked when I pursued her after awakening the [Power of Salvation] that she forgot to use the Herrscher of the Void's power to teleport herself, and was ultimately defeated by me on the spot.
In other words, their greatest flaw lies in their arrogant personalities and their combat experience, which is almost a blank slate...
Dammit, I'm pissed.
If Otto hadn't sent people to provoke Kiana back then, things would be much easier now if I had two hands to use.
Aiming the Judgment of Shamash at the Herrscher of Thunder, Siegfried pulled the trigger with a smirk.
"But an attack of this level won't be enough to kill me, you know, Mei."
"Hmph, boring."
Faced with the blast from the Judgment of Shamash, the Herrscher of Thunder didn't even bother to dodge.
Herrschers all come with a Honkai Energy shield, which varies in its properties depending on the authority they control.
As a true apostle of God, the Herrscher of Thunder naturally possessed this ability as well.
And it was for this very reason that she was so arrogant as to not even dodge, choosing to take the hit head-on.
However, as the bullet neared the Herrscher of Thunder, her expression suddenly changed.
"Wha—!"
Realizing what a foolish decision she had made, the Herrscher of Thunder found that, due to her earlier arrogance, she could no longer dodge this bullet.
As the pistol-form Judgment of Shamash completed its blast, the Herrscher of Thunder looked at her shield and the Wings of Thunder behind her, her eyes filled with shock.
Seeing that both the Herrscher of Thunder's shield and her Wings of Thunder had been pierced by that single bullet, the smile on Siegfried's face grew wider.
Excellent. The information Welt left in the Anti-Entropy database was correct after all.
A Herrscher's shield is powerful, but by using the power of a Herrscher Core, that power can be neutralized.
And while the bullets from the Judgment of Shamash aren't cores themselves, they are fired using the explosive power of a core.
Coupled with the fact that the Judgment of Shamash is the [Key of Destruction], the most destructive of the Divine Keys, the shield and energy wings that should have been neutralized and then disintegrated were instead destroyed even more directly.
Next, all I have to do is...
"You maggot... you have some nerve!"
Although her body was unharmed, having her shield and wings pierced by an enemy's attack meant that the opponent's attacks could truly harm her body.
Confirming this fact, the Herrscher of Thunder was utterly enraged.
"A mere human, after stealing the power of God, you dare to treat an apostle of God in such a manner?"
"Ah, what, are you dissatisfied?"
At that moment, Siegfried, while continuously firing with one hand, spoke to the girl before him with a cold smile.
"How dare you raise a hand against your uncle. Mei, Uncle here is getting really angry."
"You maggot...!"
Good, she took the bait.
Just a few taunts and she's already lost her temper.
Just like Sirin back then.
They both possess immense power, but lack sufficient combat experience and mental fortitude.
So even if she's strong now, she's still full of openings.
Glancing at the other Judgment of Shamash at his waist, Siegfried had already made a decision.
If I activate Judgment of Shamash Unleashed with my body... I probably won't die.
But I'll definitely be half-dead.
And given the nature of its Zeroth Power, it's destined to be a one-shot opportunity.
I can't be hasty. I must wait patiently for an opportunity.
As for what Otto's dispatched personnel will do... I can't worry about that anymore.
Damn it, I can't just stand by and watch Ryoma's daughter fully transform into a Herrscher and start a massacre.
I'll deal with what comes after later. The most important thing for me to do right now is...
—to act as a warrior of the Kaslana clan and protect those innocent civilians!
...
Schicksal HQ
Within Schicksal HQ, Otto watched the red dot flashing on the light screen before him and nodded slightly.
Beside him, Amber looked at the screen full of [Lost] signals, a worried expression on her face.
"Although the Honkai Energy is spreading slowly, this reaction confirms that the Third Eruption has indeed begun."
"Lord Otto, due to the Herrscher of Thunder's authority, we have lost contact with all our main forces in Nagazora City."
"The surveillance systems we worked so hard to reclaim are also about to become useless due to the spreading electromagnetic waves."
"It doesn't matter. These are all minor issues."
Looking at all the information on the light screen, Otto said with an air of composure.
"The plan has already been set. Rita is smart, Durandal is obedient, and while Theresa likes to mess around, I had the Hyperion accompany her this time precisely to make her restrain herself a bit."
"No matter how much she usually fools around, when her subordinates are also on the battlefield, she'll still get a little more serious."
"After all, my granddaughter is sentimental. No matter how dissatisfied she is with me, she will still fight to protect her subordinates."
"Three S-rank Valkyries, two of whom have Divine Keys. And as for the Hyperion... Heh, as long as Ryusuke's daughter uses the Nexus System, she can integrate the Hyperion's combat power and maximize the battleship's 1380HW Honkai Energy rating."
"By this calculation, that's two and a half Herrscher-level combatants. The small fry can be left to Rita, the other Valkyries, and the Schicksal's Mechanized Units. No matter how you look at it, this should be a sure win."
But, this isn't enough.
K423 is over there. I can't let anything happen to her.
"Amber, contact that old friend of mine."
Deciding to add more stakes to Nagazora City, Otto said to Amber beside him.
"Before the turmoil in Nagazora City began, I should have already assigned her a 'mission'."
"I understand, Lord Otto."
After a few light taps on Amber's tactical terminal, a new light screen appeared in front of Otto.
Within the screen, a gray-haired girl wearing red glasses quietly stared at Otto.
"Yo, old friend. Why are you looking at me like that?"
Otto gazed at his old friend before him and said with a helpless tone.
"I haven't done anything. This incident really has nothing to do with me."
"...I am naturally aware of that, Bishop Otto."
"Ha, there's no need to be so formal in private, old friend."
Looking at the detestable face before her, the gray-haired Valkyrie, currently on standby in a base near Nagazora City, didn't change her expression because of Otto's words.
After all, even after burning her memories, Fu Hua simply couldn't muster any goodwill towards the man before her.
"Alright, alright, you're as boring as ever."
Seeing that Fu Hua didn't want to say much, Otto couldn't be bothered to continue the idle chatter either.
"There's a matter I need your help with this time."
"The Third Eruption has broken out in Nagazora City. You must have felt it."
"Ah, of course I felt it."
That fool Cocolia...!
"Well, you see, the situation is so chaotic right now, I think I should play it safe."
"K423 is in Nagazora City. I personally hope she can grow up strong and not kick the bucket halfway through."
"I understand, Bishop Otto."
Fu Hua stood up and said to Otto.
"I will complete the mission."
"But during the mission..."
"Yes, yes, do as you please. As if I could control the great Immortal Red Kite?"
Seeing Fu Hua's serious expression, Otto said with a smile.
"Also, Moon Wheel is already in the testing phase. The teleportation program has been unlocked, so you can test the fourth-generation Godsbane Armor I developed for you at any time."
"I understand. If there's nothing else, I'll be hanging up now."
After seeing the other side proactively end the conversation, Otto shrugged helplessly.
"You see, Amber? I did nothing wrong this time, yet my old friend still seems to hold a grudge against me."
"Sigh, even though I know my reputation in their eyes is terrible, this large-scale Honkai Eruption really had nothing to do with me."
......
Nagazora City
After tricking Kiana with his great deception skills, Leo Ash successfully began to escape from Nagazora City with Kiana on a motorcycle.
Along the way, Kiana said nothing more.
But for Leo Ash, Kiana's willingness to obediently follow him was enough.
Leo Ash lying, PUA-ing, playing the victim, and being a big scammer—to put it bluntly, it was all so he could survive.
As for other things...
Does the weak have the right to consider them?
But just at that moment, Leo Ash suddenly heard the narration from the System.
[A high-energy reaction appears ahead, and you immediately slam on the brakes, halting your advance.]
[Although this energy is spreading slowly, you are certain that this is, without a doubt, the Honkai Energy from the Third Eruption.]
[Even though the diffusion speed of the Honkai Energy has slowed down considerably this time, at this rate, the urban area of Nagazora City will still be covered in about three days to a week.]
[Realizing this, you even notice that in the sky not far away, lightning and flames have suddenly begun to erupt.]
[You can even feel that the figure within the lightning has already locked onto your position. As soon as she's free, she will undoubtedly come looking for you.]
[After confirming these facts, you decide to—turn tail and run!]
[As long as the green hills remain, there will be no shortage of firewood. Just because you can't win now doesn't mean you can't win in the future. With Siegfried buying you time, you should be counting your lucky stars.]
[As for whether Siegfried will die, what does that have to do with you?]
[If he really dies in battle, at worst you can just take his place and take good care of his two lovely daughters, let them feel what true love is. Heh.]
...
Hey, have you switched from the Abstract System to the Asshole System?
Siegfried went easy on me earlier. It's one thing that I don't have the ability to help him now, but you're here suggesting I 'repay' him by making a move on his two daughters after he dies?
[Hehehe, you're not going to do what the System says anyway, so what's wrong with the System just shooting its mouth off.]
[The question is, are you running or not? It's already a fact that the Herrscher of Thunder will come looking for you. If you run now, you still have a chance.]
There's a chance... my ass.
"Um, Senior?"
Looking at the energy ahead, Kiana said cautiously.
"This is... Honkai Energy, right?"
Kiana is still behind me.
If she comes into contact with the Herrscher of Thunder... okay, it might not necessarily cause her to awaken.
But the probability exists.
And if the Herrscher of Thunder comes over, it means Siegfried is already a goner.
If Siegfried's dead, and the Herrscher of Thunder has the kind of personality that loves to taunt people...
If the Herrscher of Thunder runs her mouth, and even brings Siegfried's Judgment of Shamash for Kiana to see...
It would be a miracle if Sirin *doesn't* awaken.
My head hurts.
A solution, a solution... I'm not some genius. What kind of solution could I possibly have at a time like this?
No, there actually is a way.
Although the fight between Siegfried and the Herrscher of Thunder, and a potential fight between the Herrscher of Thunder and the Herrscher of the Void, are both battles I can't interfere in, that's true.
But the former and the latter are completely different in terms of the combatants involved.
Although Siegfried dislikes Schicksal, he held back against me. He's a hero on the side of humanity.
As for Sirin... Sirin would want nothing more than to kill me, a human, on sight.
If I go help Siegfried now, although it's very dangerous, there's still a sliver of hope.
If Siegfried really dies and the Herrscher of Thunder comes after me, then I'll be facing certain death.
As for how I can help Siegfried... the HSN serum.
This thing is certified as the real deal by the System. As long as I inject it into Mei's body, even if it can't directly nullify the Herrscher of Thunder's power, it can suppress her Honkai Energy.
At that point, Siegfried's chances of winning the battle would be much higher.
"Senior! The Honkai Energy is coming!"
"Yeah, I know."
Leo Ash got off the bike and said to Kiana.
"The motorcycle is yours now. Right now, run into the city without looking back."
"Eh??????"
Seeing Leo Ash's resolute expression, Kiana cried out in shock.
"Didn't you say this was a large-scale Honkai Eruption as terrifying as the Second Eruption?"
"Senior, are you really..."
"Out of your mind?!"
"Out of my mind? Ha, how could I be."
Forcing himself to calm down and charge forward, Leo Ash activated Mind Like Still Water, then turned back to Kiana and said.
"Don't worry, Kiana."
"I'm a member of Schicksal. When it comes to fighting the Honkai..."
"I'm no amateur. I'm a professional."
......