Schicksal Headquarters
The resurrected Cecilia…
The Second Herrscher, Sirin…
The overwhelmingly powerful Fourth Herrscher, Wendy…
The mysterious girl known as the "Savior," Jiu Xiao…
Fu Hua—revived, yet acting like a completely different person…
And the Honkai Will itself appears unprovoked, saying nothing at all…
After listening to Rita's detailed report of everything that had occurred in Sky Dome City, Otto sat alone in the dim room, sorting the chaos in his mind.
To his surprise, every single anomaly…
had appeared after the Fourth Herrscher's birth.
Yet none of these incidents seemed directly connected.
"Will of Honkai… is this what you were trying to show me?"
Otto murmured.
From Wendy's existence alone, he knew something crucial:
The Will of Honkai does not fully control its Herrschers.
If a Herrscher refused its commands, the Will seemed powerless.
And more importantly—
If the Honkai Will could intervene directly in reality, humanity would've been wiped out long ago.
So…
Was the Will trying to use him to accomplish something it could not?
A possibility surfaced.
A frightening one.
Otto tapped the table lightly.
Perhaps… the Honkai Will was not omnipotent.
Perhaps it was only a subset of the Imaginary Tree.
Perhaps even it had limitations.
He recalled the last time he had seen it.
Back then, he had hypnotized the Second Herrscher using Xuanyuan Sword's Mirage, and through Sirin he glimpsed the Will.
Which meant…
Every Herrscher could perceive the Will of Honkai.
His eyes widened.
The Herrscher Core wasn't just a conduit for Honkai energy—
It was the bridge linking a Herrscher to the Honkai Will.
Then logically…
This latest "silent visitation" occurred because Otto possessed no Herrscher Core.
He was not connected—so Will could not "speak."
Otto stood abruptly…
then slowly sat down again, expression returning to calm.
To observe the link, he would need a Herrscher Core while it was still connected to its host.
A near-impossible task.
"No matter. I'll wait for the next Herrscher to emerge."
For now, he set aside the puzzle of the Will.
He had more immediate concerns:
The ice cream.
And the chosen girl — Jiu Xiao.
Otto rose sharply.
He had much to prepare.
Changkong City — Hyperion
"Big Aunt… where's Mei?
Where did she go?"
Kiana—finally awake—sat up on the infirmary bed, her eyes anxious.
"Mei… she…"
Teresa hesitated, lips tightening.
She didn't know how to tell Kiana that Mei had joined the World Serpent…
or that she was now a complete Herrscher.
From Anti-Entropy's satellite footage, they knew Mei had absorbed the massive Honkai overflow left behind by the Changkong experiment—
and awakened fully as the Herrscher of Thunder.
Should she tell Kiana?
If the two met now… it would only end in heartbreak. Or worse.
"Big Auntie, what's wrong?
What happened to Mei? Please don't hide it from me."
Seeing Teresa struggle, Kiana's worry only grew.
"Mei… she…"
"Teresa, Mei Raiden has requested to meet you."
Einstein arrived at the door.
Mei?
That fast?
But…
Perhaps Kiana was exactly the person who could pull Mei back from the edge.
"Where is she?"
Kiana jumped out of bed instantly.
"Thank you, Einstein.
Kiana—come with me."
With no other choice, Teresa led Kiana outside.
Outside Hyperion
I wonder if the Headmistress got Kiana back…
I hope they're alright…
Mei stood alone near the landing area, purple lightning faintly rippling across her clothes.
Her expression was calm—but her heart was not.
After absorbing the Honkai overflow and becoming a complete Herrscher, Kevin had told her everything:
Sirin had appeared.
Teresa's group had fought her.
There was danger, confusion, chaos.
So Mei rushed here immediately—
not just for Kiana,
but also out of concern for everyone else.
She knew how strong the Second Herrscher truly was.
And her own new power—only a few thousand HW—was nothing compared to Sirin's terrifying tens of thousands.
Please… let everyone be alright.
Footsteps approached.
Mei turned—
"…Kiana?"
Her eyes widened.
"Mei!"
Kiana ran toward her, relief flooding her face.
Teresa, following behind, sighed internally.
Mei was now unmistakably a Herrscher.
And nothing she could say would undo it.
"I'm glad you're safe… Kiana."
Mei forced her voice to remain calm and distant.
Because she must not waver—
not after the decision she had made.
Mei had chosen her path:
To join World Serpent.
To suppress the growth of the Herrscher of the Void.
To protect Kiana—by force, if necessary.
To help Kevin end Honkai once and for all.
Even if she had to stand opposite Kiana.
"Mei… why do you look like this?
Why did you become a Herrscher again?"
Kiana's voice trembled slightly.
"This was my own choice, Kiana.
You don't need to worry about me."
Mei shook her head.
Her tone was cool, controlled—almost painfully so.
"And…"
She glanced toward the horizon.
"I will soon return to World Serpent.
If you have anything to ask, say it now."
"World… Serpent?
Mei—why?!
Why would you join them??"
The disbelief, the hurt, the confusion—
they all poured out of Kiana at once.
"There is no why."
Mei's gaze hardened.
"…My time is up. Goodbye, Kiana."
She turned to leave.
"Stop right there!"
Kiana raised her pistols—
not to shoot,
but to block.
She would not let Mei walk away.
Not without answers.
"Mei, I'm not letting you go!"
"You're too naïve, Kiana."
Mei lifted her hand, ready to disable her and leave—
"Hey!
You two—
don't ignore your Headmistress!"
Teresa rushed forward, desperate to stop this spiraling confrontation.
But then—
Her eyes caught movement in the distance.
A man stood atop the ruined scaffolding.
White hair.
Cold gaze.
Icy mist swirling at his feet.
Kevin…!
And before Teresa could react—
CRACK—
Frost surged around her.
Kevin froze Teresa in place with a single gesture.
He did not want her to interfere.
Kiana and Mei needed to sever their paths now—
or they would both destroy themselves later.
Kiana lunged.
Mei met her.
CLASH—
But—
Mei gasped.
Her Honkai energy—
it was weakening.
Rapidly.
Just from touching Kiana.
What…?
My core—
Why is my connection fading?
Panicked, Mei pulled back, widening the distance.
"Mei…
I'm not letting you leave."
Kiana's eyes burned with determination.
From above, Kevin narrowed his eyes.
This reaction…
Just now—
he had felt it clearly.
The moment Kiana touched Mei, the Herrscher energy began collapsing.
Suppressing.
Purifying.
Is this…
the power of the Saint?
Kiana's mysterious ability—
the same that once halted Sirin's core—
was acting again.
Kevin stared intently.
Kiana blurred forward.
"Mei…
Come back to us!"
White light surged around Kiana—
gentle yet absolute.
The Saint's Power—
overflowing.
Her arms wrapped tightly around Mei,
and Mei felt her core dim,
her Herrscher connection fading—
No…
no, not now…
Kevin moved.
He could not allow Mei's core to collapse.
He darted forward—
a blur of cold.
"KIANA! LOOK OUT—!"
Mei tried to warn her, panic rising—
But Kiana didn't even turn.
She only held Mei tighter.
And just as Kevin's hand reached for her—
A gale swept through.
Kiana vanished.
"What the—?"
Mei whipped around.
Kevin stopped mid-air.
Both stared upward.
On a nearby rooftop,
Wendy hovered lazily,
arms crossed,
cheek puffed in irritation.
She held the unconscious Kiana like a grumpy cat.
"Seriously?
You humans are unbelievable."
Wendy clicked her tongue.
"Wendy just brought her back,
and you try to snatch her again?"
Her green eyes narrowed.
"If you want to fight over her—
I won't mind crushing you all."
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