Ling Ke felt that the original "Herrscher of a Thousand Talents" was neither evil enough… nor ruthless enough!
That's why they were just a bunch of rabble.
But he himself...
[Game Character Template: Symphony of the Sixth Night][From: "Honkai Impact 3rd"]
[Character Traits: level system, health gauge, unlimited stamina, complete equipment, superpower attributes, damaged ice core, freezing core, floating core, spacetime core, character swap...]
[In-game Skills: Normal Attack – Twilight Nocturne; Dodge – Raven Wing; Special Attack – Lightless Tide; Ultimate – Nocturnal Instant; Leader Skill – Curtain of Shadows...]
[Background Talent: High Honkai adaptability, Kaslana family bloodline, unknown power, Kaslana shooting skills, phantom thief...]
[Summary: Full Name – Kallen Kaslana. Realizing she could not change the rotten fate from within, she became the "Purple Comet Phantom Thief" to help the common people...]
Without a doubt, if he chose to load that character template, what would follow in the world would be:
The former Saint of Destiny, Kallen Kaslana, would become an executioner—feared, hated, and cursed by the world.
That "her" would have blood-stained hands—the blood of hundreds of millions of people.
She, who had been dead for centuries, whose name had been redeemed after Otto rose to power... in this long tale of world conquest, her crimes would be countless, and her infamy eternally engraved...
—Otto, Otto… Is your plan to reach the Tree of Origin to create a new Kallen? She's still alive and belongs to her own time and space.
—But if, in this original time and space, Kallen becomes the target of hatred for hundreds of millions...
—Will you just watch it unfold and do nothing?
—What will you choose? You, the world's most selfish warrior of pure love?
Ling Ke was already expecting this outcome.
To be honest, he didn't bother to judge Otto as a person.
Good and evil, right and wrong, merits and faults... none of that mattered to him.
The only thing he knew was that, thanks to the "noble example" of Destiny's Archbishop, cruel human experimentation within the organization had become customary.
In fact, it had been normalized.
There was no need to say more.
After all, it was just karma.
Ling Ke didn't intend to grieve for the other victims either.
If others suffered, it was up to them to collect their own debts.
If they couldn't, it was simply because they still didn't have enough "power."
He, fortunately, was a debt collector who lived for himself.
On that basis...
Since Otto had sinned...
Then he would exact vengeance.
He would never allow Otto's plan to reach the Tree of Origin to succeed.
You want to save Kallen, your most sacred faith?
Then I'll utterly destroy it. I'll turn all your hope... into despair.
—As long as I exist, you will never achieve your cherished wish.
—Fight. Repent. Just as it was five hundred years ago.
—Once again, Kallen Kaslana is caught in your stubbornness.
—Nothing has changed!
World Serpent Headquarters
As a new member of the organization for just a few months, Raiden Mei had recently been acting alongside Natasha Cioara... or rather, with the agent code-named "Raven."
In recent days, thanks to her formidable status as the third fully-formed Herrscher, Raiden Mei had successfully completed numerous missions.
For instance: assisting her team in investigating various Honkai-related incidents.
Or: eliminating enemies of World Serpent.
Today...
—Well, if it isn't the big celebrity around here!
—You're so busy, it's nearly impossible to find you.
Just as Raiden Mei was returning to the central base, she heard a sarcastic, mocking voice.
It was "Jackal" Cleo, another high-ranking member of World Serpent.
In Mei's mind, this woman was a true villain.
What she had seen in the underground base of Tianqiong City… those girls turned into "modified humans" was more than enough proof.
But now, that person… was her comrade.
—What do you want?
In front of "Jackal," Raiden Mei's attitude was clearly cold.
One might even say: openly hostile.
Of course, Jackal knew why.
And precisely because of that...
—I recently came across something interesting.
Saying that, Jackal handed Mei a tablet.
—This is information Destiny shared recently.
—There are updates regarding Anti-Entropy.
—I think you'll be interested.
At that moment, as Mei reached out to take the device, Jackal smiled sarcastically and began muttering to herself:
—To be honest, I used to think you were different from the rest of us here.
—After all, you were an innocent, kind-hearted girl. Even with the karma of millions of deaths in Changkong City on your shoulders, it wasn't your original intent...
—You really weren't suited to stay in World Serpent.
—But now… hahaha. I must say, our Lord was right.
—His vision, which spans tens of thousands of years, can see the essence of more things… and more people.
—You're just like us.
—No different!
—You stayed in the sunlight too long… and forgot you were already infected by darkness.
At that moment...
Raiden Mei fell silent.
She stared at a face not very familiar… but deeply imprinted in her memory.
Atomized.
The dark-haired boy who had suddenly appeared before her, warning of an impending tragedy, only to vanish without a trace.
She had thought that, like millions of other innocents in Changkong City, he had also perished in the third Honkai Impact.
But no.
—Captured by Cocolia and tortured for over half a year.
—Then handed over to Destiny's research team, transferred to the West Asia branch, and turned into a disposable test subject...
—And now… has become the Tenth Herrscher of this era?
—Seeking revenge on everyone?
Mei gripped the tablet tightly in her hands.
Crack~
The pressure caused the screen to start cracking.
It was clear her emotions were in turmoil.
And yes… the current Raiden Mei had changed a lot.
Ever since regaining her identity as the true Herrscher of Thunder, Thunder Mei's personality had vanished—or rather, fused completely with her. She was no longer the gentle girl she once was.
Even so...
—Because of my ignorance and lack of trust… that emergency call was intercepted by Cocolia.
—The one who captured him was Bronia!
—It was all my fault...
At that moment, Jackal didn't hold back.
—How impressive.
—With just a single phone call, you created a Herrscher.
—That level of experimental efficiency is beyond me. I must say, I admire you!
Crossing her arms, she sneered:
—Maybe if you dropped the blade and picked up a notebook, you'd become a top researcher.
—What do you say? Tempted?
—Are you done?
Thunder Mei coldly interrupted Jackal's monologue.
—At the very least, I left back then.
With that, she didn't wait for a response and turned away.
She didn't return the tablet in her hands.
Jackal watched her leave, and the corners of her mouth, hidden beneath her mask, curled into a smile.
From her angle, she could see Raiden Mei quickening her pace.
Clearly, she wanted to return to her room as soon as possible.
To remember the past...
The tragedy of Changkong City. If Kiana hadn't been present at that moment… If the person who held the most important place in her heart hadn't appeared, she would have fallen long ago.
But she had Kiana… and Ling Ke?
He was alone. He had no one.
He bore the hatred of everyone.
That feeling of despair… what must it be like?
Thunder Mei trembled just imagining it.
If the third Honkai Impact was Cocolia's fault, her creator, and she bore the greatest sin...
Then Ling Ke...
No. Precisely because of his existence, he was the one who risked his life to warn them of everything to come. He was the one who dared to take the first step.
And her ignorance was what hurt him.
It hurt millions of innocent people in Changkong… indirectly.
She could have changed everything.
But it was she who let him slip away.
And now he had returned from hell… to exact his revenge.
If he were just a normal enemy, she would kill him without hesitation.
But this boy...
She didn't know how to face him.
—Why did he become like this?
Raiden Mei's heart was in agony.
—What… what should I do?