"Captain, I can call you that, right?"
Vita approached to strike up a conversation. "Seeing you command everyone so impressively just now, I didn't even get a chance to introduce myself. My name is Vita. The 'Vi' like a gentle bite on the lip, and the 'Ta' like a light flick of the tongue against the teeth."
"Mm, I know you."
Jun An merely gave her a cursory glance. Towards this double agent, Jun An's current attitude was that as long as she remained in the role of an "observer" and didn't act against his subordinates, he wouldn't consider her an enemy.
After all, up until now, the one destroying numerous world bubbles was Sa, who injected "rules" into them. Vita mostly just followed orders; she had basically never received world-destroying power herself.
But this didn't prevent him from being wary of her.
"Oh my, don't be so cold, Captain." Vita put on a wronged expression. "I want to get along well with you too, just like with Seele."
"...We'll see how you perform."
Jun An used Misteln's ability to return to Salt Snow Holy City with Vita. He contacted Prometheus via his phone, informing everyone that the plan was proceeding smoothly.
"Next is creating the Herrscher. Prometheus, has the evacuation been successful?"
Prometheus nodded. "Yes, Seele and I have gathered the people together for easier protection. Even if a major Honkai eruption occurs due to the creation of the Ether Singularity, it will be easier to protect everyone."
On this side, they had Kira Shigure with her Outer Key and Prometheus, plus Seele as a Tower Sage with her own subordinates. In the Iron Sand Nation, they had the Herrscher of Sentience. This was basically sufficient.
Jun An continued asking, "Seele, what about you? Are you ready?"
Seele nodded. "Mm, Seele will do her best."
"What about me? What am I responsible for? Should I cheer you guys on?"
Vita suddenly suggested, "Everyone is working hard. I feel a bit bad just watching."
"Just stay by my side."
Jun An said, "My special ability is gone, but the crystal that retains my ability is still here. Just stay near me."
"Mm, I understand."
Vita smiled faintly, instantly realizing her identity had definitely been discovered.
If he only wanted the ability to block Sa's All-Seeing Eye, he could have just asked her for the crystal she held, and Vita could have gone to Prometheus's side.
There was absolutely no need to keep a hanger-on like her around.
Therefore, this person was either a complete simpleton or wanted to keep her under surveillance by his side.
"Then let's go. I also want to see how this 'Herrscher' is created."
Vita decided to play along, continuing the act with Jun An for now.
"First, of course, is Honkai energy. We just need enough Honkai energy to trigger an eruption, then have Seele absorb enough of it."
As Jun An spoke, he executed a slide tackle, tripping Vita, hoisting her onto his shoulder, and then began running at high speed across the rooftops.
"And the place with the most Honkai energy is naturally the gap where the two world bubbles collide."
This world bubble wasn't large. Jun An quickly arrived outside Salt Snow Holy City.
That was the fusion point between Salt Snow Holy City and the Iron Sand Nation. The collision and collapse of the two worlds generated an immense amount of Honkai energy, which was where Sa drew Her energy from.
But even so, compared to the remnants of Finality on the Moon, this was still just a drop in the ocean.
However, given Salt Snow Holy City's scale, the collision of two world bubbles would naturally produce about this much.
Jun An looked at the Honkai energy, which had materialized like a quagmire, and directly reached out to manipulate it, seizing control of this Honkai energy from Sa's grasp.
Jun An could clearly feel the opponent's suction resisting, but distant water can't put out a nearby fire. Even though Her control over Honkai energy far surpassed his, the distance was a factor.
Jun An exerted a bit more force, and the Honkai energy flew directly towards the distant tower. After half an hour, Jun An had transferred an amount of Honkai energy far exceeding that of the Great Eruption in Nagazora City.
Jun An had collected seventy to eighty percent of the Honkai energy generated by the collision of the two world bubbles, leaving only a pitifully small amount for Sa to collect.
Jun An let out a long sigh, exhausted, his body collapsing to the ground.
Vita looked at the somewhat fatigued Jun An. Clearly, moving such a vast amount of Honkai energy in a short time had cost him considerable effort. It seemed snatching rations from Sa's mouth wasn't easy for him.
[Kill him now.]
Hearing Sa's voice echo in her mind, Vita couldn't help but sigh internally.
—What's the rush? Isn't it not the perfect time yet?
—If you want me to act, give me more power. Just 'enough' to suppress him isn't sufficient.
—After all, he possesses an ability similar to 'precognition'.
Vita ignored Sa and immediately went to help Jun An up. "Are you okay, Captain? Do you need to rest for a bit?"
"No need. The Honkai energy is sufficient. Next is simulating the Honkai Will to designate the Herrscher and prevent Seele from being controlled."
Out of concern, Jun An still made a call. "Seele, how are things on your end?"
"Mm, I'm fine... Seele can hold on." Seele's voice was strained, but she remained strong. "Gege should just do what he needs to do. Don't worry about Seele."
"Okay, next I will enter Imaginary Space to find and intrude upon Sa's system, helping you become a Herrscher. It'll just take a moment."
Jun An opened another doorway, though this one was much smaller, only large enough for one person to pass through.
—It seems he really did expend a lot of energy.
Vita judged, then followed Jun An into a pure white space. "Where is this?"
"A pathway traced back from the source of Sa's energy absorption. In this place, we can clearly see how Sa's power remotely controls this world."
Jun An pointed to a luminous area. "It's like remotely intercepting someone's signal and modifying it before it reaches its destination, like a hack. This way, I can manipulate the rules and designate Seele as a 'Free Herrscher'."
Just as Jun An was about to touch that energy, Sa's commanding tone sounded in Vita's ear, tinged with a hint of urgency.
[Kill him quickly!]
Urgency, such a rare emotion. This was the first time since Vita awakened self-awareness in this body that she had heard such a tone from this "god."
—Alright, I know.
Vita thought, then looked at Jun An's completely undefended back and prepared to strike.
However, a black shadow moved faster than her, coiling around her. It playfully crawled over her body, immobilizing her. Even using her full strength, Vita couldn't break free.
She fell into the trap! Or rather, as she expected, he hadn't let down his guard against her.
Although she had anticipated it, Jun An's reaction speed truly startled Vita. She immediately shouted in her mind.
—He conserved his strength! He's not as weak as he looks!
—Give me power!
The response Vita received was power surging into her. Sa hesitated for only a few moments.
Yes, just like that, give me more power, until I have enough strength to escape the control over my physical body!
Vita celebrated silently in her heart.
This was the opportunity she had waited for through the destruction of countless worlds!
—Freedom!
This was the one thing she desired above all else since gaining self-awareness in this body!
But she was, after all, Sa's avatar. Freedom of thought was already a precious rarity; physical freedom was out of the question. The mark Sa engraved on her could annihilate her at any moment, replacing her with another pawn to observe the world.
Vita already had a plan. First, lightly backstab the Captain, then pretend to be defeated to trick Sa into giving her more power!
Until she regained her freedom.
But Vita's joy lasted barely a fraction of a second. The moment her feather-like blades were about to pierce his body, drawing blood, the All-Seeing Eye she borrowed from Sa saw the Captain's smile—
Then, the All-Seeing Eye stopped working.
Simultaneously, Sa's power connection was severed. The power she had just received was utterly insufficient to break free from Sa's shackles!
Almost at the exact moment blood flowed from the Captain, black shadows surged from beneath his feet, binding Vita tightly. No matter how much Vita struggled, she couldn't escape.
Turning her head, she saw Jun An grasp the light orb in his hand. He immediately crushed it with Aponia's power and devoured it with Brahma's power.
"Close call, close call."
Jun An completed the modification of Sa's power almost instantly. Not only did he successfully designate the Herrscher candidate, but he also uprooted the laws Sa had planted here, naturally including severing the connection.
Vita immediately understood the situation. Jun An had hidden far more strength than she imagined.
Stopping his "unobservable" ability was just to lure her into attacking!
Vita sighed. "Your weakness was all an act?"
Jun An flicked his hands as if touching something dirty. "Not when I lost the Stigmata. I did lose power then, but not even a tenth. After all, my strength comes more from the technical proficiency multiplier."
"Technical proficiency? Truly a fitting savior."
Vita was hoisted up by the black shadows, tightly bound. She struggled uncomfortably, but the only things that jiggled were her ample flesh.
"So, with such power, why did you have to lure me into a trap? You had many opportunities to dispose of me secretly."
"Because you hadn't done anything wrong before then."
Jun An stretched lazily and sent a message to Prometheus's side.
[Tell everyone, Vita is Sa's Apostle.]
[Caught her. No worries.]
After saying that, Jun An attached a photo of himself with the bound Vita. Thinking for a moment, he used the shadows to take another picture showing his slightly bloodied back and the blood on Vita's 'weapons', sending that over too.
Using Misteln's ability to open a spatial gate should ensure the message got through smoothly.
Watching Jun An finish, Vita could only feign composure while secretly gathering strength. "Only acting after a mistake is made, very much in the style of a savior. But luring someone into evil... is this a common tactic for heroes in your world?"
"That only applies to people who were inherently good. You're different."
Jun An said, "I only did this to give Seele and the others an explanation. Although they'd believe me if I just told them, this is more efficient."
"So, I'm not a hero."
Jun An waved his hand, and the soft shadow turned into a sharp spike aimed at Vita's tender neck. "If you think about escaping, the next instant, the holes on your body that can be penetrated won't just be three."
Vita looked at Jun An's expression and knew he definitely wasn't lying.
"How cold. To actually be willing to strike a deadly blow against a beautiful girl like me."
Vita's mood sank. "But you don't intend to kill me immediately. What do you plan to do to me?"
Jun An gave a faint smile, a smile that sent chills down Vita's spine.
"—Naturally, enjoy the spoils of war."