At Schicksal's headquarters, when Lauder and Rita watched the video that resembled a "declaration of war," both remained silent for a long time.
After a moment…
"Rita, compile this data immediately and share it simultaneously with Anti-Entropy and World Serpent."
"…Understood."
Still deep in thought, Rita couldn't help but ask:
"Sir Yolandele, I can understand sharing intel with World Serpent…"
"After all, before His Holiness disappeared, an alliance had already been formed with the other leader…"
"…Of Anti-Entropy…"
Apparently, Rita didn't fully agree with the decision.
But Yolandele stood firm:
"Rita, I know that if Bishop Otto were still here, he would never approve of this."
"But I am not Bishop Otto. I have my own way of doing things."
"Understood."
Rita didn't argue further.
She turned and left in silence, ready to carry out Yolandele's orders, even if they felt a bit "naive" in her heart.
However, as she walked away…
"That guy…"
Rita lowered her gaze slightly to the electronic tablet in her hand. On the screen, the face of the black-haired young man still lingered.
She was alert.
She hadn't forgotten that years ago, in the ruins of Changkong City, after the Third Eruption, they had extracted a special experimental subject from an underground base abandoned by Anti-Entropy.
And now…
"The 'villain' we created with our own hands?"
She whispered those words quietly. Even Rita, who had seen the darkest corners of the world, couldn't help but feel conflicted.
In the end, all her thoughts turned into a sigh.
"Fate truly plays with people…"
Her steps faded into the distance.
Shortly after...
Anti-Entropy's North American Base, Salt Lake City.
Since the "Haiyuan City Incident," the alliance leader Walter Young had officially returned, and the radicals of Anti-Entropy no longer held unchecked power.
As of now, Cocolia, representative of that faction, was imprisoned.
And Doctors Einstein and Tesla, both members of the conservative wing, had regained control.
As for the new second-generation leaders —the Talkative Master and Mr. "Abs"— they were focused on training the younger generation.
Bronya Zaychik.
This maiden, who had regained her emotions, was the chosen successor.
She was the new Herrscher of Reason, and the future leader of the Anti-Entropy Alliance.
Unless something unexpected occurred…
"Big Sis Bronya."
"Xier? Did you just get back from the training room?"
"Yeah, I tried the highest difficulty today… but I failed."
"Don't be discouraged, and don't push yourself too hard either. You're doing great, Xier."
"Hmm!"
In an ordinary corridor, two teenage girls crossed paths by chance and walked side by side.
As they chatted, they arrived in front of a room.
The electronic door was slightly ajar.
From inside, a loud voice could be heard:
"Destiny is a bunch of idiots (beep~)! Seriously, to hell with them (beep~)! And that damned Cocolia…!"
Yeah… with the censor beeps and the furious tone, there was no need to guess: a certain lobster doctor was raging again.
Bronya and Xier couldn't help but peek in.
As soon as they looked, they saw not only Dr. Tesla inside, but also Dr. Einstein at her side, holding her forehead and sighing in resignation.
"What's going on here?"
Bronya asked curiously.
Noticing her arrival, Dr. Tesla took several deep breaths, trying to calm down.
But anyone with the slightest intuition could tell she was in a terrible mood.
Looking closer… Walter Young was there too.
Seeing that Xier was with Bronya, he could only sigh:
"Xier, could you help us look after the kids at the orphanage?"
"There are certain matters… related to Bronya… that we need to discuss."
Upon hearing this…
"Okay!"
Xier was a sensible girl.
She knew that, as she was now, there were still things she couldn't understand or should not get involved in.
So, noticing Walter's intention to excuse her, she obediently said goodbye to Bronya and left on her own.
Just then…
"Well, looks like in their eyes you're still just a stranger."
A slightly sinister voice echoed in her mind.
Maybe it was just an illusion… but Xier felt a faintly twisted glee in that comment.
"Don't say that, other me."
Xier didn't dwell on it and patiently explained:
"Mr. Walter and Big Sis Bronya are seasoned veterans."
"I mustn't cause any trouble."
"Hmph~"
A cold snort echoed in her mind.
And then, silence.
In truth, neither Xier nor her "other self" knew that the reason Walter sent her away was to protect her.
Because the news they had just received was simply too bloody.
The truth behind it… was too dark.
They feared Xier wouldn't be able to handle it.
As for Bronya…
She was part of it.
Still inside the room…
"Bronya, look at this."
Walter closed the electronic door after Xier left.
He had no intention of sharing this information with anyone else.
And Bronya…
Received the report detailing the total annihilation of the West Asia base, along with the black-haired young man's "villain manifesto."
[…]
Bronya remained silent.
It was then that Dr. Einstein added:
"Based on the data in this video and after cross-referencing leftover files from previous civilizations, we can confirm that he is the tenth Herrscher of our era."
The Tenth Law: The Law of Domination.
Also known as: The Herrscher of a Thousand.
"He made no attempt to hide his identity. From the beginning, he acted openly and forcefully."
Dr. Einstein sighed:
"Moreover, according to our analysis, he's very different from Kiana… or Mei in the past."
"He doesn't seem to be influenced by the Herrscher personality. Everything he does… is by his own will."
Without a doubt, this was the worst-case scenario.
Bronya still didn't speak.
In the information received, everything about the black-haired youth had been recorded… under the name: Ling Ke.
In the autumn of 2013, he suddenly appeared in Changkong City, in the Far East.
Before that, there was no record of him.
He was captured by Cocolia, leader of Anti-Entropy's radical faction, and a few months later the Third Eruption broke out.
In April 2014, a Schicksal research team discovered him and transferred him from the ruins of Changkong to the West Asia headquarters.
And then… began his tragic experimental path, which lasted until just yesterday.
The footage of his experiments, recorded over and over, would chill anyone to the bone.
Bronya saw a picture of Ling Ke.
She remembered him.
Because back then, she had not yet met "Sister Mei" or the "Idiot Kiana," who changed her life.
They grew closer by the day.
He… tore off his own limbs and dragged her in front of Cocolia.
After that, Bronya understood nothing.
Because Cocolia immediately sent her on a new mission: to spy on the Third Herrscher —Raiden Mei.
And thus began everything that followed.
Now, she was no longer the world's number one assassin.
She had close friends, had inherited an ideal… and had saved Xier.
But now, looking back…
"Then… what happened after?"
A creeping sense of dread took root in Bronya's heart.
She immediately looked at the other three in the room.
"Mr. Walter, Dr. Einstein… and Dr. Tesla."
Bronya declared firmly:
"Bronya will go meet Mother Cocolia."
"Acum!"