Early Summer.
11:00 AM.
The sun was at its most intense.
Gyakushinn Miko, Yae Sakura, stood atop a broken lamppost, her gaze fixed on Senba High School ahead.
If the St. Freya science department could detect the Pseudo-Herrscher's energy fluctuations, then Yae Sakura and Higokumaru, being right there in Nagazora City, had naturally discovered it at the first possible moment.
"A Pseudo-Herrscher really did appear. Can that guy truly predict the future?" Higokumaru's voice buzzed, her apprehension toward Ye Feng deepening.
Yae Sakura was indifferent to this; she only needed to complete the mission Ye Feng had arranged.
"Lend me your strength in a moment. But remember to leave her alive."
This, too, was naturally one of Ye Feng's requirements.
Whether they were Pseudo-Herrschers or actual Herrschers, those who were chosen were always beautiful girls.
"Hmph. Why should I help you? Don't forget, Yae Sakura, we are enemies."
"Then you can just keep waddling around with that big belly."
"…"
With that parting shot, Yae Sakura's tachi, Sakura Fubuki, left its sheath, its snow-like cold gleam reflecting the scorching sun.
The Gyakushinn Miko vanished from the lamppost in a flash step.
Higokumaru, attached to Yae Sakura, hesitated inwardly.
Ye Feng had indeed said that if she assisted Yae Sakura, he would help alleviate her pregnant belly buff.
Tch, what is this supposed to be?
Does he think I'm some little puppy? Give me a reward for wagging my tail to please him, and punish me if I displease him in the slightest?
Higokumaru was not a spineless Herrscher!
She shrank behind Yae Sakura, watching with a cold and detached eye.
The two Pseudo-Herrschers had no exchange; they immediately began to fight upon meeting.
Everything unfolded just as Ye Feng had shown. The Pseudo-Herrscher named "Yuno" wielded vines and was skilled with poison.
Yae Sakura was locked in a fierce battle with her, and for a short time, no clear winner could be decided.
---o---
On the other side.
Ye Feng had been busy with Kiana's educational guidance recently and hadn't spent much time on the new map.
He finally remembered it now. He opened the Map, which displayed St. Freya High School and Senba High School.
But the two maps were not connected. They were like two isolated islands in a dark fog. To travel to Senba High School, Ye Feng could only use the Teleport function to jump between maps.
On the entire character panel for Senba High School, there was only one NPC: Yuno.
"There's no last name displayed here either? I wonder if it's Gasai. But it really is 'Yuno', about the same age as my dear Mei."
Ye Feng leisurely fiddled with her settings, then helped her Change Outfit, tidied her hairstyle, and even adjusted her hair color.
Of course, the hair down below could also be adjusted. Ye Feng selected None, then changed the color to Pink.
"She really does look quite similar."
After changing Yuno's hair color to pink and tying it into twin tails, she bore a nine-tenths, if not a perfect, resemblance to the Yuno Gasai from Ye Feng's memory.
Ye Feng brought her to the classic school rooftop, stared at Yuno for a long while, and then nodded.
"From now on, your name is Yuno Gasai. Mmm, not bad at all. Let's have a taste first."
Ye Feng suspected that the "Yuno" in the manga was based on the character from Future Diary.
---o---
Reality.
Senba High School.
A series of dense explosions rang out, filling the air with dust and smoke, as tentacle-like vines writhed madly within.
Yae Sakura sliced through an oncoming vine and looked toward the distant sky.
A massive shadow drifted in from the edge of the blue sky.
Yuno also paused her actions, squinting as she looked over.
Soon, they could make out a silvery-white warship.
The Hyperion.
Theresa had flown the warship directly over, bringing Kiana and Himeko with her.
Theresa sat in the captain's chair on the bridge, before her a massive, semi-elliptical screen. The Valkyries of the engineering and communications teams sat in an orderly fashion before their instruments.
The screen was broadcasting a real-time feed of Senba High School.
"Two strong reaction sources… there are actually two Pseudo-Herrschers! …And they're fighting each other?"
"Well now, this is a first. So Herrschers fight amongst themselves. How interesting."
Himeko stood beside Theresa, shouldering her greatsword. Although she was the captain of the Hyperion, when the head of the Far East Branch was aboard, the main seat had to be relinquished.
Kiana stared at Yae Sakura, finding her somewhat familiar.
"Huh, that pink-haired Pseudo-Herrscher with the long ears… I think I've seen her before…"
"Where have you seen her?"
"In the Stigma Space."
Theresa and Himeko fell into thoughtful silence. She appeared in the Stigma Space? Is there some connection between the two?
"Compared to the other NPCs in the Stigma Space, was there anything special about her?"
Kiana shook her head. "No, she was just like everyone else. She didn't react to me, followed a set trajectory, and just stood under the cherry blossom tree in the corner of the plaza in a daze all day. Oh, right, she was always followed by a girl with a big belly…"
"A girl with a big belly?"
The words had barely left her mouth when, in the real-time feed, a fox the size of a building suddenly appeared. Even though it was wreathed in crimson flames, the flames still couldn't conceal its protruding lower abdomen.
"Honkai energy levels rising rapidly! 500 HW! 800 HW! Surpassing 1000 HW!"
"What?!"
Everyone's eyes went wide.
When the instantaneous power of a Honkai eruption exceeds 1000 HW, there is a chance for a being known as a "Herrscher" to be born in the disaster zone.
Although it wasn't a certainty, it could be used as a benchmark.
"That fox with the big belly… could it be a Herrscher?"
But the flame-wreathed fox was only a fleeting sight. It swallowed the vine-wielding Pseudo-Herrscher in one gulp and then vanished in an instant.
"?"
A Herrscher swallowed a Pseudo-Herrscher and then just disappeared?
Everyone stared at each other, unable to comprehend the phenomenon.
By the time they came to their senses, the long-eared, pink-haired Pseudo-Herrscher was also gone, leaving behind only scorched ruins…
"Those were fox ears, right? They must be… on the same side?"
Himeko now noticed another problem. "Wait. Kiana, didn't you say the 'Stigma Space' was a one-to-one replica of St. Freya High School? Why would someone we don't recognize appear? Also, since an 'abnormality' appeared, why didn't you report it or ask 'Ye Feng' about it?"
Now, a character from the Stigma Space had appeared in reality, and she was the very Pseudo-Herrscher that "Ye Feng" had predicted. Himeko found it impossible to believe there wasn't a connection.
"…"
Kiana was silent for a moment. Because recently, every time I go in, I'm either receiving educational guidance or getting bent over.
Kiana could only scratch the back of her head awkwardly.
"Aihei."
---o---
Late that night, Kiana couldn't wait to enter the dream world and find Ye Feng.
"Ye Feng, who is she?"
"Hmm? Why the sudden question? Oh, I see. You must have met her."
Kiana looked at the miko under the cherry blossom tree. "Just like you said, Auntie Himeko, great-aunt, and I all went to Senba High School. We saw her there."
"Mhm. Want to know? As per tradition, you have to satisfy one of my requests."
"Aah, I know, I know."
The Tuna bent down, a look of disgust on her face as she began to take off her skirt.
"??"
Ye Feng took a step back, a look of utter shock on his face.
"What… what are you doing?"
Hearing this, Kiana wanted to die from shame and indignation.
What do you mean, what am I doing?
Don't you know, you beast?!
But on the surface, Kiana remained calm, her tone indifferent. "Get it over with quickly."
"Get what over with?"
"Heh."
Ye Feng said, "Do I look like a bad guy who 'coerces others'? How rude. I'm a man of pure love, you know."
Kiana tossed her skirt aside. Her smooth, beautiful legs were wrapped in vine-like adornments. She looked up and asked, "What is it you really want?"
"Let's kiss, Tuna."
"…?"
Kiana froze on the spot, a flicker of panic in her eyes.