89. True Thunder Battle, I Love You, Don't Forget Me. 13,000
"Hey, look, look! Those old fogies might have locked me up in this pitch-black place, but when there's trouble, they still have to come begging me. Here, take this. Be careful not to get an electric shock."
"You know what? I don't really like turning all the Herrscher Cores into weapons. I value diversity in inventions! Just like a multi-functional entrenching tool—being a weapon is just one of its functions!"
"But look, just like the Core of the Herrscher of Flame, the Core of the Herrscher of Thunder inherently represents pure destructive power. It can control all electromagnetic forces—macroscopic electromagnetic effects, microscopic van der Waals forces, even protons and electrons. Once their balance collapses... ah, it would absolutely be a weapon as terrifying as the Judgment of Shamash."
"What? You said it could be made into a transforming weapon, like those 'Thousand Mechanisms' boxes in games? Oh—brilliant! You're a genius! I agree to lend you my 'genius' title for a day!"
"Let me think... As a weapon, it definitely needs both melee and ranged forms. Later, whichever style you think looks good, sketch a draft for me. And then, we need some practical modes... lipstick, that's a good idea. And something with a childish charm... a slingshot, how about that?"
"Finally... there's still one missing... Come here, come here, come here. Don't be nervous, I won't eat you. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't do it here. Come on, stretch out your hand, take the measuring tape. Let me measure your arm—hey, stop squirming! I just want to feel it! Let me touch your horns!"
"What for? Hehe, as the assistant to the Great Magician, the apprentice of the Great Mechanic, the steward of the Great Scholar... you naturally deserve better benefits. I'm planning to tailor a mode just for you, one that only works for you. I remember you're quite skilled in martial arts. How about a pair of gauntlets?"
"Of course, payment is definitely required. Let me think... I'll give you a discount. One kiss will be enough, how about that~~"
---
A bolt of crimson lightning, red as fresh blood, streaked across the sky over Nagazora.
The scarlet electricity surged within Gao Qi's body. The Herrscher Core, extracted from a Herrscher 50,000 years ago and forged into a Divine Key, was now erupting with a radiance it had never shown before.
Torrents of Honkai energy continuously flowed into Gao Qi. His vision was filled with nothing but sheets of crimson thunder.
Within the lightning, fragmented images seemed to flash by rapidly, accompanied by indistinct, cheerful whispers in his ears.
However, they were too fast. Gao Qi couldn't make out the content of those fragments. They seemed to be records of past information left within the Thunder Herrscher's Core, but they had become severely damaged over the long years.
Still, as a former MANTIS, Gao Qi could distinguish the voice of one person from those damaged remnants.
"Hey, Vill-V, truly amazing."
Gao Qi could tell this was Vill-V's voice. He wasn't very familiar with this Fire MOTH engineer. She spent most of her time in the "Deep End." Only a few times had Mobius sent Gao Qi to find her, and the two geniuses collaborated on several interesting projects.
However, Gao Qi himself wasn't particularly close to Vill-V. Even so, hearing the fragmented words left by this former MANTIS comrade within the Divine Key still filled him with a sense of nostalgia.
Meeting an old friend in a distant land—perhaps this was that feeling, especially across a span of 50,000 years.
But luckily, next time if Gao Qi could enter a Previous Era simulation instance, he might be able to properly thank her.
On Gao Qi's body, the Seventh Serenade had completely lost the form of a sniper rifle.
The blue-black gun body had now begun to melt and decompose, constantly changing shape like nanomachines, covering Gao Qi's body and continuing to spread.
Houkai G3, the best memory metal for bearing Honkai energy—even Otto gave it his seal of approval. This miraculous item, which Gao Qi had farmed who knows how many times in co-op mode, was now transforming according to its design from 50,000 years ago. It became a pair of gauntlets, covering Gao Qi's arms and chest.
Finally, it seemed Gao Qi's entire body was enveloped in a thin layer of Houkai G3 armor.
"Ha, now I really look like a Kamen Rider. This weapon was practically tailor-made for me!"
Feeling the terrifying power emanating from the Seventh Serenade, Gao Qi was ecstatic.
Originally, he thought that without the Blank Key's function, even by sacrificing his lifespan, he shouldn't be able to fully unleash the Thunder Herrscher Core's power like he did last time with the Death Herrscher Core.
But now, Gao Qi felt the energy resonance between himself and the Thunder Herrscher Core was even stronger than when he used the Blank Key to fight the Herrscher of Dominance!
This... shouldn't be happening. Although Sequence Divine Keys could unleash a portion of the corresponding Herrscher's power, due to the limited capacity of the Herrscher Core to store Honkai energy, Divine Keys couldn't output for long periods or at high power.
To solve this problem, Dr. Mei created the "Blank Key," which didn't have a fixed Herrscher Core. Its concept was to connect the human body to the Herrscher Core and the Imaginary Space through the armor, thereby obtaining a continuous supply of Honkai energy.
More bluntly, it was to allow a human to become a Herrscher for a short time—at the cost of the user's life. Mei died young because of this.
Making a human into a Herrscher—this was a function unique to the Blank Key. But now, the purely weaponized Third Divine Key possessed the same utility as the Blank Key.
No, even in Gao Qi's experience of having used the Blank Key, this power felt—even more suitable for him!
The next second, Gao Qi suddenly discovered that several vials, always hidden within the Divine Key and completely undetected by World Serpent, ejected from his left wrist, injecting one of them into his arm.
Blood circulated, the reagent took effect. Feeling another awakened power within his body, Gao Qi's expression grew even stranger.
"Wait, Meta-Morph... How could this reagent—"
Boom!
Crimson lightning struck the ground of the Nagazora shrine, violent bolts of electricity scattering.
Gao Qi's figure was now completely enveloped in blue-black armor. From the right side of his forehead, a pure black, sharp, slender, and twisted horn extended. The exposed skin on his body was now covered with what looked like a Honkai Beast's carapace.
"Haa—Roar—"
Gao Qi opened his mouth. Along with a low growl, mist mixed with electrical sparks drifted out. He was somewhat surprised to find he had entered a state of Artifical Stigma Overload.
Because Gao Qi's body underwent an incomplete MANTIS transformation, making him weaker than other MANTIS by half, his Artifical Stigma Overload degree was also lower. He could still maintain a humanoid form and human rationality.
If Gao Qi could fully activate the MANTIS power, this single horn would probably become a pair!
If it were the Artifical Stigma Overload of other MANTIS, they would undoubtedly turn into terrifying Honkai Beasts. Gao Qi's current overload level was basically similar to Siegfried's berserk state.
Did the Seventh Serenade also hide Dr. Mei's Meta-Morph serum? Was it left by Vill-V? Or was it left by Kevin in the New Era, before Su sealed him away?
Gao Qi only knew that now, his originally ordinary body had received a comprehensive reinforcement through this highly targeted enhancement!
The powerful physical strength after Artifical Stigma Overload perfectly bore the Herrscher-transformed Honkai energy. The crimson thunder was now tightly bound to Gao Qi's human body, not leaking out at all.
This Divine Key, once in World Serpent's hands, seemed as if it was deliberately prepared for Gao Qi. Upon contact, it increased Gao Qi's power by who knows how many times.
[Could it be because I'm also a MANTIS? That makes sense. Even Su, whose combat power isn't strong outside the mental plane, can skillfully operate various Divine Keys...]
However, Gao Qi had no time to ponder these things. This power had a time limit. Artifical Stigma Overload meant he had entered a state of burning his lifespan again.
In this brief time, Gao Qi needed to—defeat the Herrscher of Thunder and bring Mei back!
"Ah, you've returned. Good. Your earlier cowardly act displeased me greatly. I was just about to reduce this city to atomic-level debris—you've extended their lifespan slightly."
Holding a sword forged from lightning, her body wrapped in purple demonic armor, the Herrscher of Thunder, who had just been gathering power, saw Gao Qi return. Her previously somewhat irritated expression was replaced once more by an elegant smile.
"What, have you realized the gap between us and decided to bow before me? You missed one chance to kneel before me—don't think you can gain my forgiveness now."
Purple lightning danced around her. The Herrscher of Thunder sensed the change in Gao Qi. Now wrapped in blue-black soft armor, surrounded by crimson thunder, but the Queen still held absolute confidence in herself.
Looking at the Thunder Herrscher Core on the back of Gao Qi's hand, the Herrscher of Thunder revealed a contemptuous smile.
"You've grown a horn. How amusing. As a clown and a jester to amuse me, perhaps you are quite suitable."
The reason was simple: a major Honkai eruption had now begun. The entire surrounding environment, under the control of the Honkai Will, was aiding the Herrscher of Thunder. Her power was endless. No matter how strong Gao Qi was, his power was finite.
"That's the core of the previous Herrscher of Thunder, right? A failure from 50,000 years ago. You don't actually think her weak power can contend with me now, do you?"
Crackle—
With a flick of her finger, a bolt of purple lightning shot towards Gao Qi to attack. Wherever the lightning passed, the bluestone slabs of the shrine floor instantly decomposed into fine powder.
But immediately, a bolt of crimson thunder met the purple lightning head-on. Although the power contained within wasn't strong, it also possessed the ability to control electromagnetic forces.
Boom————
Another deafening thunderclap rang out. The two bolts of lightning collided. Though the purple lightning seemed imposing, it was dissipated and neutralized by the crimson lightning in a clever and precise manner.
"Ah, of course I wouldn't dare, Your Majesty. I'm not some white-haired MANTIS; I can't compare to their plot armor. But—I'd still like to give it a little try, the power of love."
Under the cover of the lightning, Gao Qi's figure emerged. The pure black horn on his head was now beginning to turn red, entwined with the lingering crimson thunder from the recent attack. He was naturally unscathed.
"The power of love is quite strong, Your Majesty—if you want to destroy the world because you're jealous of Mei, maybe I can let you be a concubine?"
Still spouting trash talk without hesitation, Gao Qi began provoking the Herrscher of Thunder again. At the same time, his blue-black armored fists assumed the starting stance of Inch Heart Fist.
Gao Qi's posturing had clearly infuriated the Queen of Lightning completely. Her eyes instantly blazed with dazzling light.
"Is that so? Then come and try! Let's see how long you can last under my thunder!"
Lightning flashed. Now, the Queen of Lightning, completely free from Mei's will's restraints, had entered her full Herrscher form. She leaped high into the air, accompanied by countless bolts of lightning falling from the sky, looking down from above upon this blasphemer who dared challenge the majesty of a god.
And just as the battle between man and "god" was about to erupt, suddenly, a giant battleship, accelerating at high speed, finally broke through the lightning barrier and approached Gao Qi and the Herrscher of Thunder.
"Fleet has arrived. Detecting Honkai energy fluctuations at level twelve. Target confirmed as the Third Herrscher!"
"Open fire immediately! Do not let her continue absorbing Honkai energy! Main railgun, fire!"
At this moment, command of the Hyperion had been delegated to the flight crew. Following the experience left from the Second Honkai War for combating Herrschers, they opened fire without hesitation.
The fusion reactor lowered power output, channeling all attack energy into the ship's bow main macro-cannon. This electromagnetic railgun weapon could rely on pure kinetic energy to pierce the armor of a Emperor-class Honkai Beast and trigger a Honkai energy explosion within it.
Hum—Boom!
A conical projectile was instantly launched by rail acceleration under the Lorentz force. The intense heat generated by friction with the air even made the projectile glow with a brilliance not inferior to the lightning.
Snap. But one second later, several lightning bolts transformed into purple chains. Using the repulsive and attractive forces of electromagnetic effects, they instantly arrested the steaming, heat-waved projectile beside the Herrscher of Thunder.
Immediately after, the Herrscher of Thunder's mocking laughter transformed into rolling thunder, echoing across the sky of Nagazora.
"Is this the strongest weapon you've developed to this day? One after another, you all want to use my authority against me? You humans are nothing but ants stealing the authority of gods. Let me show you what a true weapon is!"
With that, countless bolts of lightning from the Herrscher of Thunder's hands began creating magnetic fields around the railgun shell, intending to launch it back. And this shot would undoubtedly be more terrifying than the Hyperion's attack!
But the next second, crimson lightning flashed, striking the shell. The already unstable Honkai energy shell instantly triggered a massive explosion. The shockwave was immediately covered by a large net constructed from purple lightning. The Herrscher of Thunder's gaze shifted back to the source of this attack.
"Alright, enough, stop being embarrassing—is bullying children fun? Don't you know the Hyperion's Captain isn't even as tall as your chest?"
Gao Qi shrugged, waving towards the not-so-distant Hyperion and the Anti-Entropy mecha cluster. The upcoming battle would still require their help, but... not now.
"Ha, it seems you truly wish for me to kill you—then come! The first to receive divine punishment shall be you!"
Her long sword swept fiercely towards Gao Qi. Several bolts of lightning capable of reducing everything to dust slashed towards him.
"All Things—Turn to Ash!"
And Gao Qi also sharply raised his head, his eyes now only filled with crimson lightning!
"Roar!!!"
He opened his mouth wide, emitting a roar like a Honkai Beast. The crimson lightning transformed into a beam—not shooting from the Divine Key, but rather as if—roaring from his mouth!
With his current appearance, he really did look somewhat like a certain substitute Soul Reaper after transforming into a bull-headed Hollow—Gao Qi's mouth could also spew red Cero now!
Whoosh—Boom!
Decomposition, decomposition, decomposition. Purple and crimson electric lights entangled and wrapped around each other. The same nature of power caused them to continuously cancel and decompose the electromagnetic forces on each other.
But the crimson thunder was ultimately weaker. Under the boost of the Honkai Will, which was determined to expel Gao Qi from this world, the Herrscher of Thunder's power increased to an unimaginable degree.
Originally, if the berserk Mei had been successfully subdued by Gao Qi, the Honkai Will would only have tried to awaken the subsequent Wind and Ice Herrschers. But now, since the Herrscher had been reawakened, it absolutely would not give up this chance.
Finally, in the attrition of one waning and the other waxing, the crimson thunder completely vanished, and the Herrscher of Thunder laughed heartily.
"See? This is the difference between us. Like the sky and the earth—Huh?"
Boom!!!
But before the Herrscher of Thunder could finish, immediately after, from within the purple lightning, a figure charred like coal charged through her attack that decomposed everything, breaking through and rushing towards her!
Crimson electric light formed armor, protecting his body. Occasionally, a few strands of purple lightning would leak through, instantly decomposing parts of Gao Qi's body. But immediately, the Death Herrscher's power of creation and restorative power would roughly repair Gao Qi's body.
And the Third Divine Key, under the lightning assault, though occasionally scattered, would immediately reform from its Houkai G3 material, like Spider-Man's symbiote suit.
Gao Qi thought to himself, after this simulation ended, he must find a way to trick Raven out of her Seventh Serenade. This weapon was practically tailor-designed for Gao Qi, a weapon specifically for desperate life-or-death struggles!
Crack—Crack-crack!
Muscles strengthened under the excessive Meta-Morph transformation, coupled with the Divine Key's enhancement, produced sounds not inferior to thunder. Bones and tendons resonated together, tiger roars and dragon sounds. Gao Qi endured the Herrscher of Thunder's bombardment, closing in right in front of her!
"Break!"
Accompanied by a shrieking sonic boom, Gao Qi's fist shot out with the momentum of a White Tiger listening to the wind. This ordinary boxing technique passed down through the Fu family, empowered by thunder, gained earth-shaking force.
Thud—
This strike aimed directly for the Herrscher of Thunder's abdomen. If it hit, even a Herrscher would suffer—after all, they were still based on human bodies.
"You dare!"
Her willow-leaf eyebrows furrowed. The Herrscher of Thunder didn't expect Gao Qi, who had been so protective of this body earlier, completely unwilling to harm it, would now truly attack her with a deathblow without holding back, unafraid of his own annihilation.
A net of purple lightning formed before her, stopping Gao Qi's fist momentum right in front of her. The anger on the Herrscher of Thunder's face intensified.
"You dare harm me? Dare attack Mei's body?!"
The lightning-forged net instantly broke through the Divine Key's defense, turning Gao Qi's left hand into powder.
To this, Gao Qi instead seemed amused.
"It's the 21st century, Miss Herrscher. I'm hitting you, not Mei. You treat me like this and still expect me to be gentle with you? Really think you're a little princess? Surrender now, and I can still consider you a good, obedient Queen!"
Aiming at the moment when the Herrscher of Thunder's old force was spent and new force hadn't formed, Gao Qi's arm instantly repaired. The Seventh Serenade also extended over it, automatically adjusting according to the enemy's defense strength, adding a knuckle duster to Gao Qi's fist!
Human wisdom, the work of a great inventor—there was no reason it couldn't defeat a so-called Herrscher!
"I'll teach you now what's called—gender equality!"
Gao Qi stopped competing with the Herrscher of Thunder over who had more total Honkai energy. Instead, he began compressing the thunder authority he could control, abandoning defense, concentrating it on his fists—focus on a single point! Reach the pinnacle!
He didn't care if he would die. What was important was—toppling this self-important Queen from her throne!
"Skybreaker!"
Finally, at the moment his right half was annihilated by lightning, Gao Qi's left fist broke through the Herrscher of Thunder's defense, imprinting itself on her abdomen.
Thud—Boom-boom-boom!
Immediately, accompanied by a massive impact, the Herrscher of Thunder's figure was sent flying backward, bursting out several sonic booms in the air, smashing through several buildings before barely stopping.
But Gao Qi was well-versed in the principle of "kick them when they're down." There was no reason to wait for the Herrscher to recover after achieving a stagger. Thunder surged under his feet as he dove straight towards her.
Boom-boom-boom-boom-boom!
Fist strikes fell like bullets upon the Herrscher of Thunder. Though not a thousand blows in an instant, under the Artifical Stigma Overload and pseudo-Herrscher state, Gao Qi's thoughts and movements were indeed as fast as lightning—this was Extreme Speed Bullet Fist!
Thud!
Another strong-handed skull-cracker. Gao Qi slammed a fist into the Herrscher of Thunder's face, sending her tumbling several times in the air. But his own body was now almost scattered by the lightning, forcing him to gather his offensive and barely recover using the power of creation.
"Enough! Is this what you call love? Ridiculous! I am a god!"
Barely stopping her figure, the Herrscher of Thunder's rage, accompanied by lightning, instantly began indiscriminate bombardment. The lightning in the sky, no longer conforming to natural laws, began sustained output—no longer just millisecond arcs, but continuously existing pillars of light sweeping across the earth!
"Tsk tsk tsk, getting flustered, getting flustered is good. Honestly, you don't really think your charm is greater than Mei's, do you? Even if you stripped naked right now and begged me to make you a woman, I wouldn't get hard, really."
In an instant, Gao Qi evaded the rampaging lightning pillars, driving crimson thunder, arriving in front of the Herrscher of Thunder. He grabbed her slender wrist and slammed her into the wall of a skyscraper.
"Tsk, what a weak god."
Shaking his head disdainfully, Gao Qi backed away a few steps in the air, continuously provoking the Herrscher of Thunder.
"How about this? This time, I won't resort to any underhanded sneak attacks. You and me, a direct, head-on clash. Let's see who's inferior, how about it?"
With that, Gao Qi actually voluntarily abandoned his advantage in close-quarters combat, spreading his hands as if to fairly compete with the Herrscher of Thunder in lightning power.
"Hah? Who cares about you, you cunning insect! No matter what, I will kill you!"
This time, the Herrscher of Thunder wasn't planning to waste words with Gao Qi anymore. Through the series of battles just now, she had deeply understood how tough this man was. The Honkai Beast strength brought by Artifical Stigma Overload, combined with the same-source ability, made it very difficult for her to completely annihilate him. He would recover quickly.
But... this power must have limits. A pseudo-Herrscher could never contend with a true Herrscher. As long as the Herrscher of Thunder used her most powerful force to completely annihilate him, this bastard couldn't possibly revive!
Her body began accumulating a terrifying strike. The Herrscher of Thunder stopped moving, no longer provoked by Gao Qi's words. She just stared fixedly at him, shielding herself completely with purple lightning.
This strike would be unavoidable, unblockable—only death awaited!
"Enjoy the last few seconds of your life! Insect!"
The thunder sword in her hand continuously lengthened, the accumulated momentum growing increasingly terrifying. The Herrscher of Thunder condensed her entire understanding of her own authority into this single strike!
This sword strike would even frighten herself!
She looked at Gao Qi, hoping to find fear before a god and helplessness before death on his face. But what she received was still Gao Qi's smile—no different from before.
"Move."
Through the quantum field, Gao Qi transmitted two words into the distance.
"Understood, Father! Accelerating now!"
The next second, on the Hyperion, still struggling under the lightning bombardment, Bronya and Seele together nodded towards Cocolia, who had already appeared on the deck.
"Alright, move out. I don't know how you woman know Gao Qi, but I'll ask him properly—he is the father of my children! That fact will never change!"
With a wave of her hand, Cocolia commanded the Titan mecha units to deploy a shield layer on the bridge surface, barely resisting the lightning strikes, while glancing at the not-so-distant young, irritable woman..
Meanwhile, the Hyperion suddenly abandoned defense, channeling all power into the propulsion system and—the Nexus System!
Hum-hum-hum-hum—
Nuclear and Honkai energy surged, converging through thick cables into the crimson bodysuit equipped with heavy mechanical exoskeleton.
"Ha, you Anti-Entropy bitch. If it weren't for the Herrscher right now, I'd slash my sword right at your head."
Her entire body filled with Honkai energy fluctuations, Murata Himeko, this not-exactly-top-tier A-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal, now bore the massive, Herrscher-rivaling energy with a fierce expression.
"Gao Qi is mine, the man destined for me. I don't know when he had daughters. You just wait. After I deal with the Herrscher, I'll settle things with you properly!"
On her other side, Raven stood somewhat awkwardly with arms crossed, staring fixedly at the collision point of the purple and crimson thunder.
Nearby, one tall, one short, two white-haired girls wore awkward expressions.
"No way, another stepmom... isn't that a bit too many? Will we even have enough room to sleep at home?"
Kiana stuck out her tongue but tightened her grip on the handgun and baseball bat in her hands. Her dad had told her that the upcoming battle would require her participation as well.
He said that within her lay the power that had erupted during her last rampage—a force of destruction, yet also one of redemption. It all depended on whether she could harness it properly.
And now, in this environment saturated with Honkai energy, Kiana truly seemed to sense it: her body was brimming with a certain power—she just needed to tap into it!
"Alright, enough chit-chat. Why does everyone here know Gao Qi except me? You all act like I should know him too, making me look like an idiot!"
Beside her, Theresa sighed helplessly, holding her head in her hands while the glowing Oath of Judah floated nearby. She genuinely had no idea who Gao Qi was!
Meanwhile, Murata Himeko simply grinned, raising the giant sword in her hands.
"Heh, we can talk about that later—after I ask Gao Qi myself. *Meltdown—*"
Finally, the Hyperion, braving the rolling thunder, accelerated to its maximum output and closed in on the Herrscher of Thunder, who was gathering her power.
The most advanced battleship transformed into the most ancient cavalry, carrying the crimson-haired knight on its deck as she charged forth like a lancer!
"Oh? Vermin shouldn't interfere in a battle of this level—perish!"
The Herrscher of Thunder caught a glimpse of the massive battleship hurtling toward her but paid it no mind. Distracted only slightly, she casually flicked a bolt of lightning toward the Hyperion.
In her eyes, this ship was nothing but a large, useless hulk. Their utilization of Honkai energy was far too primitive; their weapons couldn't possibly harm her—or so she thought!
But when the enormous, nearly 100-meter-long energy greatsword materialized above the battleship, the Herrscher of Thunder realized she was mistaken.
"*—Burst!*"
Roaring with fury, Murata Himeko dashed to the bow of the ship and swung the sword down at the Herrscher. In that instant, the entire Hyperion, even its power systems, shut down completely, channeling all its energy to Himeko.
This was a strike rivaling that of a Herrscher—a crystallization of human ingenuity. Gao Qi had never met this woman named Murata Himeko, but... he trusted her. He trusted in her greatness and fearlessness, in her courage as a human, in this very strike of hers.
The lightning bolt casually unleashed by the Herrscher of Thunder was instantly neutralized and vanished before the pure Honkai energy concentrated from the entire battleship's power. The strike seemed capable of splitting the thick clouds in the sky and dispersing all the thunder.
This was one of the plans Gao Qi had asked Bronya and the others to relay—a system classified as an A.E. secret that Gao Qi had long been aware of.
This strike was several times more powerful than the one used against the Pseudo-Herrscher Mei in the original timeline. Gao Qi had even advised Murata Himeko to hold back a little, but clearly, she hadn't listened.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Scared, are you? Are you afraid now? It's two against one."
Meanwhile, Gao Qi had already distanced himself, his trash talk flowing incessantly.
"What—enough! Since you're so eager to die, you can all perish together!"
Completely unprepared for humanity to possess such formidable power, the Herrscher of Thunder panicked momentarily upon sensing the threat in that blade of light. After a brief hesitation, she made a fatal decision.
She split the power she had gathered in two, simultaneously attacking both Gaoqi and the Hyperion!
And Gao Qi knew—the Divine Voice seemed to have taken effect once again.
Boom—
The massive Meltdown greatsword clashed with the surging lightning. However, the greatsword didn't seem intent on a direct confrontation. Instead, it angled itself slightly, deflecting the torrent of lightning upward.
At the same time, the Hyperion, now powerless, began to plummet rapidly under gravity, gliding forward and narrowly evading the lightning.
The Hyperion had actually withstood a prepared strike from the Herrscher—no, it seemed even easier than expected!
As for Gao Qi, he was clearly the Herrscher's main target. His figure flickered continuously, but the Herrscher of Thunder kept him firmly in her sights. Finally, with no room left to dodge, the purple torrent of lightning collided with the crimson thunder enveloping him.
"Ha, you fool! Did you really think I'd split my power in half? If I'm killing anyone, it's you first!"
The attack aimed at the Hyperion was merely a feint. Almost all of the Herrscher of Thunder's power was directed at Gao Qi.
But the moment the lightning struck Gao Qi, a dark green flash materialized around him, to the Herrscher's astonishment.
A coiled serpent enveloped Gao Qi in a cocoon-like shield. Although the full-power strike of a MANTIS had its limits, it might not necessarily lose to a Herrscher!
*Signet· Infinity [X]*
Bang!
The cocoon's defense lasted only an instant, but it was enough to create an opportunity for Gao Qi to escape.
"Thanks, Mobius. I love you to death."
Gao Qi silently thanked Mobius before shouting aloud.
"This is exactly what I used the Divine Voice to make you do! Now—attack!"
The next second, a small figure rushed out from the Hyperion as it descended toward the two combatants!
"You damned Herrscher, surrender quietly!"
Unleashing the full power of the Honkai beast within her, Theresa easily broke the sound barrier, brandishing Judah as she slammed it toward the Herrscher.
An S-rank Valkyrie was no pushover! Even as a former S-rank, she was certainly not just St. Freya's mascot.
"Wha—what is this?!"
Golden chains instantly bound the Herrscher of Thunder. The power of the Binding Key began to obstruct the flow of Honkai energy within her body. Shocked, she tried to destroy the chains with lightning, but the effect was far from ideal.
"It's called the *Oath of Judah!*"
Her slender hands erupted with terrifying strength as Theresa gripped one end of Judah and swung the heavier end hard toward the Herrscher of Thunder.
Bang!
This powerful strike wasn't the intended use of the Binding Key—Theresa had originally planned to activate its 0th Power: Divine Prayer Sanctuary. But Kiana had just relayed that her dad strictly forbade her from using that move, as it would harm both friend and foe, likely causing everyone to perish.
How did this man named Gao Qi even know such crucial secrets? Who was he?
Reluctantly, Theresa resorted to the most convenient technique: the *Teri Teri Smash!*
"Raaaaaaagh!"
At the same time, the massive energy sword in Murata Himeko's hands swung toward the Herrscher of Thunder. The earlier "feint" had finally been broken through by Himeko. Now, completely disregarding the strain on her body, she unleashed her full power, directing the last of her energy in a slash at the Herrscher of Thunder.
Boom!
A deafening roar echoed as the battered Herrscher of Thunder plummeted from the sky toward the ground.
"You insects—!"
The series of attacks had caught the Herrscher of Thunder off guard. She wanted to quickly recalibrate her power; these minor injuries would heal soon enough. Once she gathered her strength again, she could easily kill—
"Don't even think—"
"—about hurting Dad!"
The next moment, accompanied by fluttering butterflies, Seele and Bronya risked approaching the Herrscher of Thunder—were they not afraid of death?
Yes, of course they were. But if their father's other daughter was willing to risk her life, they couldn't fall behind!
"Ugh, Dad has done so much and still has to deal with you Herrschers. So annoying! Can't he just relax and stay by my side forever?!"
Behind them, Kiana, now holding a baseball bat, leaped directly toward the rapidly descending Herrscher.
"Give back my Mei-sis and my future stepmom!"
For her dad's happiness, to rescue her beloved sister and future stepmother, Kiana pushed her abilities to the limit. In this environment of extremely high Honkai energy concentration, she seemed to recall—no, she finally remembered... the power she had once wielded.
One of Kiana's eyes turned brilliant gold!
Hum—
A gateway to the Imaginary Space opened instinctively as Kiana summoned a Void Lance. Striking it with the baseball bat, she sent it piercing toward the Herrscher of Thunder, neutralizing a portion of her power and further terrifying the Herrscher.
"Void? How is this possible? How can you... How can you stand on humanity's side?!"
"Who cares?! I'm not even talking to you!"
Kiana clumsily manipulated the Herrscher's power, swinging the baseball bat as she attacked the Herrscher of Thunder.
In the next moment, from a perspective visible only to the Herrscher of Thunder—unnoticed even by Gao Qi—a flower-like stigma on Kiana's chest began to slowly bloom.
Then, a drop of bright red blood from Kiana's fingertip fell onto the Herrscher of Thunder.
Immediately after, amidst quantum fluctuations, Gao Qi appeared, shielding Kiana and tossing her skyward. Seeing the fading lightning around the Herrscher of Thunder, even Gao Qi was surprised at how effective Kiana's Herrscher power was.
After all, in the original timeline, it was Kiana who calmed Mei down. This time, Kiana had once again played a crucial role!
Clenching his fist, Gao Qi's arm finally gave way, beginning to crumble.
"Next, it's time for the power of love to shine. Watch closely, Mei."
Pressing his fist against the still-resisting body of the Herrscher of Thunder, Gao Qi flashed a brilliant smile.
"The name of this punch is—"
By now, the Herrscher of Thunder had no strength left to resist. The series of attacks had overwhelmed her, and the Divine Key chains binding her were unbreakable. Instead, she seemed to resign herself, revealing a helpless smile—
"I remember you. Just wait—I'll be back. But you... you're already doomed. Was it really worth it?"
However, the Herrscher of Thunder soon seemed to notice something, her eyes widening in surprise.
"Wait, this mark... This is the mark of the Herrscher of Thunder. Not from this core, but the true Herrscher. You've met her... You've lived for fifty thousand years!"
Raising her hand, she directed a bolt of lightning into Gao Qi's body—the last of her power. The Herrscher of Thunder smiled beautifully, her queenly demeanor undiminished by her defeat.
"Sorry, but orders are orders. You've said far too much this time. My power will destroy you, and His power will erase all traces of you. Now I'm curious—what exactly is this 'power of love' you speak of?"
Gao Qi answered with action, the most fitting response of all.
"Heh, you're much cuter like this now. Then, this move is called—*Super Invincible, I Love You!*"
With that name, crimson true thunder split the heavens and earth. The purple lightning and thick fog completely dissipated under this strike.
The sky over Nagazora cleared once more, reminding everyone that it was still daytime.
Extracting the remaining power from the Herrscher of Thunder, Gao Qi threw a punch with his own dwindling strength, scattering the electrical remnants.
Simultaneously, Gao Qi used his own power to fully seal the Herrscher of Thunder. Even if she awakened again, she would be entirely subject to Mei's control.
Seconds later, the Herrscher of Thunder could no longer sustain her existence and closed her eyes. Gao Qi, holding the slowly awakening Mei, landed on the ground.
He sat down, exhaling wearily. The Honkai beast horns on his head shattered and fell off, while the Seven Thunders of Retribution lost its power, reverting to its original cube form.
Gao Qi's body also began to slowly disintegrate.
From a distance, Gao Qi looked at the girls approaching him. Kiana, still cheerful, waved energetically at her dad. But Bronya and Seele noticed the change in their father and rushed over.
The power of the Herrscher of Thunder was ultimately beyond Gao Qi's ability to withstand. The Power of Creation couldn't fully repair his body. In truth, Gao Qi had barely held his ashen form together, molding it into a usable, if crumbling, shell.
Now, Gao Qi's power was spent, and he would truly return to dust.
"Gao Qi... you—what's happening to you?!"
Mei opened her eyes as if waking from a long dream. Immediately, she clung to Gao Qi, only to discover in shock that his body seemed to have turned to powder, crumbling at her touch.
"Shh, don't speak, Mei. I'm sorry. I love you."
Gently kissing Mei's lips, Gao Qi smiled helplessly, lacking the time for explanations.
"If you have any questions later, ask Kiana and Bronya. They're good kids; you can learn everything about me from them. Don't worry—this won't be our last meeting. I still plan to marry you, after all."
Mei, still unclear about what had transpired, only knew that Gao Qi was in a dire state. She held him tightly, unwilling to let him go.
"No, no... don't go. Don't leave me. It's my fault. I was wrong. Please, Gao Qi, don't leave. We still have so much to do..."
Tears streamed down Mei's face as Kiana, Bronya, and Seele hurried over in a panic.
"Wait, Dad, stop joking! What's wrong? A doctor—call a doctor!"
Seeing Gao Qi's condition, Kiana immediately cried out. Bronya, however, held a stunned Seele close. Though her face was etched with sorrow, she remained calm.
"Father, is this what you meant by... the Honkai's malice toward you?"
Her keen mind had sensed something amiss. The Herrscher of Thunder's hatred for Gao Qi seemed excessively intense—as if her sole purpose for appearing in this world was to kill one man.
"Yes. You're clever enough, Bronya. You trust me enough, so I'll entrust you with a task: remember me. Use every method possible—Imaginary, Quantum, or anything else—to remember me, or to figure out what is erasing everyone's memories of me."
This parting held no sadness for Gao Qi. He knew he would return someday. Thus, he calmly analyzed what might happen after his death, even as he crumbled.
"Conduct experiments and analyze why some can remember me while others cannot. Finally, believe me, Bronya. I love you. I love all of you. Kiana, don't look so glum. Remember to comfort your Mei-sis properly."
Bidding farewell to his daughters, to the weeping Mei, and to Kiana—who fought back tears but still wept silently—Gao Qi could no longer maintain his existence.
"Apologize to everyone for me. Well then—until next time."
His body gradually turned to ashes. In his fading vision, Gao Qi seemed to catch a glimpse of Cocolia and Raven sprinting toward him. They never imagined that Gao Qi's confident plan to counter the Herrscher would cost him his life.
"Gao Qi, Gao Qi, don't scare me. You can't just—"
Finally, Gao Qi's blurry vision seemed to spot a familiar yet stranger figure, vibrant as a rose.
"Who is that...?"
His mind ceased to function. Gao Qi sighed one last time and turned into a pile of ashes.
"Ah, ahhhhhhhhh—"
Before fading completely, he heard the uncontrollable sobs of the girls and the adults.
*[How awful. This time, I made too many girls cry. I hope Bronya can explain properly. Next time, I'll definitely do better. I'll make sure to apply what I've learned... next time.]*
The next moment, Gao Qi's consciousness plunged into darkness.
This time, he didn't open his eyes immediately. Instead, he seemed to enter a bizarre, kaleidoscopic world.
He recalled that every time he died before, he would enter this world, catching a fleeting glimpse of threads entwine around him—some sturdy, others loose.
"You—anomaly—detach—"
Gao Qi seemed to see that several indestructible chains now bound his body.
A figure seemingly composed of pure light struggled to lift a blade—no, scissors? A pickaxe?—chipping away at the chains bit by bit. Upon noticing Gaoqi, it swung a panicked, furious palm, plunging Gao Qi's consciousness back into darkness.
Ultimately, the figure gave up on severing the chains. Instead, it seemed to wedge something into the gaps between them.
————————
Gao Qi awoke. The sun outside hadn't yet risen; he was still lying in his dorm room at the A.E. outpost.
"Ha—hehe, overslept. Better get up and start cooking."
Gao Qi stretched lazily, wearing his usual smile.
This simulation, Gao Qi felt, could be considered a victory. He had a hunch that all simulation worlds, at least the modern ones, were part of the same universe.
He knew they would meet again.
"Huh? Where is everyone?"
Having spent considerable time in the simulation, it took Gao Qi a moment to adjust to reality as he sat up.
Honestly, Gao Qi could no longer clearly distinguish between the "real" world and the "simulated" one.
Compared to reality, perhaps the people who mattered to him were more numerous in the simulations?
With that thought, Gao Qi shrugged and pushed open the dorm door.
To his surprise, the Valkyrie dorm doors seemed unlocked, and the place appeared empty.
Shouldn't the girls still be catching up on sleep at this hour?
Puzzled, Gao Qi headed to the dining hall, where he found a note on the table, seemingly written not long ago.
"Gao Qi, it's Alvitr. Can't believe you slept the whole day. Everyone tried to wake you this morning, but you were out cold. Knowing you've been exhausted lately, we decided to let you rest.
Miss Rita returned on the EOS. She also said to let you rest well. Tonight, we're heading to Shenzhou Pharmaceuticals with Miss Rita for an investigation. Hold down the fort; it's a simple mission. Make us a nice meal and wait for us, okay?"
After reading the note, Gao Qi's face fell completely. He glanced out the window at the sun, then checked his watch.
That wasn't the glow of dawn—it was sunset!
And Rita returning on the EOS, taking people to Shenzhou Pharmaceuticals...
"Oh no, I need to go save them!"
Slapping his forehead, Gao Qi realized that while he'd handled matters in the simulation, a whole new mess awaited him in reality.
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A massive 13,000-word chapter! This includes yesterday's 1,000 words, today's 6,000, and an extra 6,000 to fulfill a promise. Pretty impressive, right? Give me some praise!
I originally wanted to post before 6 AM, but I had a bit more to write and felt it wouldn't be right to cut it short. So I added another thousand words. Don't worry about breaking my streak—I still have a leave slip!
As for whether Kiana in Honkai Impact 3rd inherited Cecilia's Saint Blood like in Honkai Gakuen, I'm not sure. But since I'm writing it, there will be a reasonable explanation, right?
Regarding the memory loss issue, I won't just make everyone forget or remember the protagonist all at once. I've designed a clever method—it's tied to the main plot, so no spoilers!
And don't think everything's resolved just because the simulation ended. In reality, Kiana and Mei are still out there!
Note: I'm new to translating so please be kind and tell me any mistakes you all find, I will try to release a chapter a day but don't expect much
Please support the original author: warboss
Raw: 崩坏模拟器,你找的人是我么?