Honkai: Strijder
Chapter 456: The Final Struggle
Clang!
Chains descended from the void, plunging into the ground and forming a dense, golden, glittering net of confinement across the surface.
Himeko was bound at all four limbs, suspended in midair, and dragged in front of Theresa.
Sharing the same fate was Hera, who wore a helpless expression.
Himeko knew she was completely powerless now. Her stamina was exhausted, Judah had been knocked away during the clash, and she couldn't sense even a trace of Honkai energy anymore. It felt as if her internal organs were burning—she had truly done everything she could. As for Hera… Himeko suspected she might be acting, but she had no proof.
"Ugh!!!"
Summoning the last of her strength, Himeko tried to break free from the chains. But her weakened power was no match for a Herrscher's weapon—it was utterly futile.
In the end, she panted heavily and stopped struggling, allowing the chains to slowly drag her before Theresa. In her heart, she prayed that Hera still had some backup plan; otherwise, things would become truly troublesome.
"Well, well, isn't this my cute and charming good friend, Himeko? How did you end up in such a sorry state?"
Himeko had braced herself for being torn apart or something similar. But unexpectedly, Theresa wasn't as murderous as she had been at the beginning. Himeko felt her chin being lifted, forcing her to meet Theresa's delicate, youthful face directly.
At that moment, Theresa wore a dangerous smile—part confident, as if victory was already hers, and part as if she were scheming something wicked. Though adorable, it gave off a deeply unsettling feeling.
Most importantly, in those golden eyes, Himeko could no longer see the familiar cunning and warmth. Instead, there was a strange… aloofness? Something like that.
"Theresa, you—"
"—Shh! Don't make noise. I'm trying to adapt to my new identity, new power, and a brand-new self. So don't distract me, or else you'll end up like that shredded chicken dish you had at the restaurant the other day—rip!—and stain my clothes red."
Theresa's pink fingernail lightly traced across Himeko's face, leaving behind a streak of blood. Then she burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Amazing! Truly amazing! I feel incredibly free right now—I can do anything! Yes, this is the real me! Someone who can shape the world into whatever I want, not some pathetic fool who gets played like a puppet and doesn't even dare face reality!"
As she laughed, her eyes remained cold and emotionless, yet tears streamed from their corners.
"Hm? That's strange. Why am I crying? Could this be tears of joy?"
Theresa caught a teardrop on her fingertip, smiling as she murmured to herself with an indifferent gaze.
Then Hera let out a soft laugh.
"As expected of little Theresa, stabilizing your Herrscher persona so quickly after the initial mental chaos. Your talent truly is remarkable! What a pity… if I hadn't made that choice back then, perhaps the strongest Valkyrie of Schicksal today wouldn't be Durandal, but you."
"Shut up! What right do you have to say that name?!"
Theresa's smile vanished instantly. With icy killing intent, she glared at Hera. Four chains shot out from the void, piercing through Hera's abdomen in an instant before plunging deep into the ground.
Boom!!!
After the thunderous impact, Hera's slender waist was impaled by four chains, her body looking as though it might split apart at any moment. Blood flowed freely, and broken gasps escaped her pale lips.
Himeko's pupils shrank.
'It's over!'
Whether Hera had any contingency plan or not, in her current state, it was impossible to rely on it anymore.
As panic rose in Himeko's heart, Theresa reached out and grabbed Hera's pale face.
"Don't treat me like that weak, soft-hearted coward! Grandfather, in the world I'm going to create, there's no seat reserved for you. I know this is just one of your avatars, so this is only the appetizer. After today, I'll find every single one of your bodies and grind them into pulp, one by one! Grandfather, I know you love me the most, so cooperate nicely, will you? I'll be grateful—hahaha!"
"Cough… such fiery enthusiasm. Quite different from my obedient little granddaughter…"
"I should thank you and Sigurd for giving me this opportunity. If not for you, I would never have realized what my true self should be!"
"…Little Theresa, listen to your grandfather's advice. It's fine to be smug in front of me, but don't act arrogant in front of Sigurd—he's petty, and he will get revenge. Cough!"
Hera coughed up blood as she spoke, yet still wore a smiling expression as she offered her warning.
Theresa seemed to lose patience. With a snap of her fingers, a massive golden gear descended from the sky, smashing Hera's already mangled body—worse than many corpses—deep into the ground.
Boom!!!
Smoke billowed outward, but as it approached Theresa and Himeko, it dissipated, leaving their space undisturbed.
Then Theresa raised a finger again, lightly lifting Himeko's chin as she smiled.
"Himeko, my dear friend, you now have two choices. One is to kneel before me and follow me into the new world I will create. The other… well, this place has quite nice scenery. It would make a fine grave. I'll remember you fondly."
"A new world… sounds tempting. But what exactly will your new world be like, Principal? You should at least explain it. Even if it's not pay-on-delivery, I should at least know the quality of the product, right?"
Himeko panted, forcing herself to sound composed as she asked.
Theresa stroked her chin and tilted her head.
"Well, you've stumped me there. I haven't really thought it through yet. I'll just shape it into something that looks pleasing to me! For example, a world without Grandfather. And I'll keep Kiana and Durandal by my side. Oh, and that idiot Siegfried can be erased too. As for the rest… you can imagine it yourself, or even make some suggestions. Maybe I'll accept them!"
"Heh, isn't that just empty promises and wishful thinking?"
"Mmm, I've just been reborn from the inside out, so a bit of immaturity is normal. It'll get better. Himeko, I like you, so I'm willing to keep you by my side. You'd better cherish this opportunity." Theresa said arrogantly.
"Wow, is this a confession? My standards are pretty high, you know. Even for the cutest principal, flowers, wine, and a candlelit dinner are a must!"
Himeko forced a smile, maintaining the pride of a single woman who refused to lower her standards.
Theresa smiled as well. The chains wrapped around Himeko's right arm suddenly tightened. With a sickening sound of tearing flesh and breaking bone, Himeko's right arm was completely mangled and twisted apart. Pain surged into her brain in an instant.
"AAAAAAH!!!"
Himeko screamed wildly, tears streaming down her pale face.
Meanwhile, Theresa calmly caught a silver injection tube that had fallen from Himeko's ruined hand. With a crisp crack, she crushed it, watching the pale blue liquid slip through her fingers.
"A Honkai energy inhibitor—an enhanced version specially made for Herrschers. Good stuff. But my new world won't need such things. So, what's your answer? I've been quite lenient with you, Himeko."
"Answer my—beep!!!"
Through the censored shout, Himeko struggled one last time before her body went limp, breathing heavily, her lips drained of all color.
Theresa raised an eyebrow, casually picking at her ear. She was about to snap her fingers again, intending to crush Himeko's remaining limbs all at once—when her other hand suddenly lifted and grasped the snapping hand mid-gesture.
"Hm? Is this some lingering emotion interfering? Honestly, what's there to resist? Haven't we long grown tired of this absurd world? The old me didn't dare act—but the current me fears nothing! If you won't obey, then go stay in another world!" Muttering to herself, Theresa decided to ignore the faint resistance and proceed with tearing Himeko apart.
The next second, from the direction where Hera had fallen, a silver injection tube shot through the air, aiming straight at Theresa.
"Tenacity isn't a good thing—especially in front of me!"
Theresa caught the injection and crushed it as well. She wasn't some cliché villain who had the upper hand yet carelessly allowed a reversal. Anything potentially threatening would naturally be destroyed immediately.
Crack!
The second specially-made Honkai energy inhibitor was destroyed. With a thought, chains and gears gathered in the air, ready to annihilate Hera along with every last backup dose she had in one decisive strike.
"Theresa!!!"
At the very moment before she could strike, Hera dragged her shattered upper body out of the smoke, lunging forward from behind Theresa.
"How could I let you succeed?! Die!"
Theresa turned around, coldly watching Hera's desperate struggle. The chains and gears that had already gathered force descended in an instant, suppressing the charging Hera once again.
Rumble!!!
Countless powerful attacks crashed into the ground, the earth roaring deafeningly. Yet Theresa still felt it wasn't enough—more attacks began to gather, preparing to eliminate the threat completely.
At that moment, in Theresa's blind spot behind her, Himeko saw a syringe thrown into her view. Her pupils shrank, and a smile appeared on her pale face.
Himeko's right hand was already completely ruined—what the chains bound now was nothing more than mangled flesh wrapped around shattered bones. The pain was naturally unbearable, making even breathing difficult. But at the same time, the restraint had weakened.
Himeko sensed the return of Honkai energy. She didn't know how Hera had done it, and though it was only the faintest trace—far from enough to harm Theresa in her current state—it was enough to tear apart her own limbs.
'Theresa, this is my final struggle! Wake up already!!!'
With that roar in her heart, Himeko instantly shredded the flesh and bones of her left arm and both legs, summoning the last of her strength to lunge forward.
Rip—!
Himeko broke free from the restraints, tearing apart her own bound limbs. Blood sprayed into the air as, driven by inertia, she clenched the syringe in her teeth and rushed toward the back of Theresa's neck.
Shhk!!!
The syringe pierced into Theresa's neck, and the blue liquid was injected into her body—but only a tiny amount.
Crack!
Theresa crushed the syringe embedded in her neck with a backhand motion. Turning around, she grabbed Himeko by the throat. Her face, smeared with warm blood, was utterly expressionless.
"So this is your backup plan? Good. I'm truly angry now. Himeko, you failed to cherish your chance—go reflect in another world!"
"Pff—!"
Himeko's broken body was lifted into the air. Her once beautiful and captivating form was now reduced to fragments of flesh and bone barely hanging from her limbs. In truth, Theresa didn't even need to choke her—Himeko was already on the verge of being unable to breathe.
Himeko's consciousness faded. Her dimming vision focused on Theresa's killing intent-filled face, her mind no longer capable of forming coherent thoughts.
"Ther… e… sa…" Murmuring the name almost soundlessly, darkness finally swallowed Himeko's vision completely.