95. Skyfall Meteor, Kiana's Kiss, Blessing of the True Self
Midnight had arrived, but the neon-bright metropolis of Arc City was no more. The entire city was plunged into darkness and silence.
Amidst the massive blackout, only critical facilities like hospitals were connected to temporary power systems. Their sporadic lights only served to accentuate the deepening gloom of the city.
Yet, it was this very darkness that made the stars in the sky and that full moon appear all the more brilliant.
Finally, when the light of human civilization temporarily dimmed, the sky and earth revealed their original visage once more.
Perhaps the Honkai itself, the force that destroys civilizations, was Earth's retaliation against humanity, this parasite? Or a divine punishment for humanity's transgressions?
In truth, ever since the concept of the "Honkai" was fully exposed to humanity three years ago during the Third Honkai Eruption, many former environmentalists or religious fanatics had proposed similar theories.
Bullshit!
Humans are the crown of all creation, the children of Earth! The flame of civilization shines brilliantly within the cosmos. What nonsense about being parasites!
This so-called Honkai is merely an event similar to the mass extinctions in Earth's history. If humans, upon encountering an enemy they cannot comprehend, one so powerful they can barely resist, immediately start believing it's divine retribution... then they might as well have never come down from the trees and stayed monkeys!
Humanity's fate absolutely cannot be handed over to any external force!
The Honkai is humanity's enemy. The Herrschers are traitors who have surrendered to the Honkai. No matter the cost, humanity **must** defeat the Honkai! **Must** eliminate all Herrschers, and reclaim this world for mankind!
This... is the will of World Serpent. The sole purpose of this organization that has lain dormant for centuries is to eradicate the Honkai!
This is the will of the Serpent's Sovereign, the only reason for World Serpent's existence. No one can stop it!
For this, all warriors of World Serpent are willing to sacrifice everything!
**BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!**
"Open fire! Open fire! Box them in! There are only four of them! The Honkai Reactor has entered the overload sequence! If we hold for just three more minutes, World Serpent's great undertaking will be complete!"
Unlike the pitch-black sky, the light within Arc City's Central Signal Tower was blindingly bright at this moment—the light of artillery fire, of lasers and Honkai energy effects.
Nearly a hundred various mechs: close-combat Titan models, long-range Magnetic Storm models, even self-destructing Poison Spider mechs, and Shaman mechs that could trap people in Time Fractures while buffing the attack speed of nearby Titans.
*Who knows how those mechs manage a group attack speed buff. By chanting binary code?*
But no matter how strange, the combat power of this arsenal far exceeded that possessed by ordinary nations.
Although the designs of these mechs were "borrowed" from Anti-Entropy, they were still top-tier forces. This garrison defending the Skyfall City Signal Tower, preparing for the Honkai energy eruption, consisted of elites World Serpent had accumulated over the years.
Amidst the roar of cannons and spray of sparks, not only mech units but also many warriors with abilities far surpassing ordinary humans, clad in powered armor and wielding firearms, aimed at those figures constantly leaping among the steel girders and pulled their triggers.
They were all elite warriors who had undergone basic biological modification. Though they couldn't compare to the "MANTIS" transformations received by a few key agents, their skills were on par with Valkyries of C-rank, and the special bullets fired from their weapons could rapidly inject neutralizing serum.
Faced with such elite forces, an ordinary Valkyrie squad would likely suffer. Moreover, the presence of that black-clad, black-feathered agent had injected a potent stimulant into the morale of the World Serpent fighters.
But... unfortunately, the "enemies" they faced were far more formidable than Valkyries.
The Central Signal Tower of Arc City stood over 700 meters tall, reinforced purely with strengthened alloys. In the megacities of the Honkai era, only the high-power output of such signal towers could penetrate the Honkai-affected zones between cities, connecting several urban centers.
***HUM—***
"Mei, careful!"
An Imaginary Door snapped open. Kiana pulled a baseball bat from her storage in Imaginary Space, enchanted it with Herrscher power, and with a single swing, smacked away a missile flying towards her.
Because the Honkai Reactor at the tower's peak was overloading, the Honkai energy density here was extraordinary. If Kiana were truly a Herrscher, she would be in her element here; the forces before her would be like clay chickens and pottery dogs, shattered with a snap of her fingers.
But Kiana was not a Herrscher, and she absolutely did not want to become one. She constantly resisted the Honkai energy surging into her from her surroundings, preventing her transformation into the Herrscher of the Void state. This, however, left her feeling unusually weak.
"That bastard Gao Qi stirs the pot, and you just follow along, huh, Mei? I was trying to keep my distance from you all *because* I didn't want to hurt you! Why do you keep coming after me!"
Glaring fiercely at Gao Qi not far away, Kiana protectively positioned herself beside Mitsuha.
"Do you really think I'm safe just because you're not by my side? Do you think I'd refuse you because I'm afraid of getting hurt? Don't forget, I was once a Herrscher too! Back then, did you abandon me? Did *he* abandon me!"
Beside her, Raiden Mei, clad in her Battlesuit, was also pushing herself to the limit, bursting with all her strength to keep pace with Kiana.
She knew her talent couldn't match that of Rita, the S-rank Valkyrie beside her. Having lost the Gem of Conquest, she couldn't hope to rival Kiana, who was a Herrscher. Her current power was merely above average among A-rank Valkyries.
Faced with the overwhelming barrage of attacks, her role as a Valkyrie wasn't significant.
But... Mei didn't want to be left behind by Kiana. No matter how perilous the crisis Kiana faced now, Mei had to face it with her.
Because...
"I've already lost one important person. I absolutely will not lose you now. I won't let you go, Kiana!"
Her eyes slightly red, Mei roared her answer at Kiana over the din of the artillery fire.
Her high-frequency blade gleaming coldly, Mei pushed her ordinary third-generation Valkyrie uniform to its limits. Where the blade passed, two mechs on the signal tower platform instantly lost combat capability.
Three years ago, the older brother and lover who had been with her for ten years turned to ashes under her lightning, using his death to awaken her from her Herrscher state and bring about her rebirth.
For these three years, she had missed him every moment. But the dead were gone forever. Mei knew she had to look forward, to live well, to not betray her brother's love and sacrifice.
It was precisely because of this that she poured all the affection she could no longer give back to her brother into Kiana and Bronya.
Therefore, she absolutely could not let Kiana wander alone again! No matter what happened, they would bear it together!
"You're a Herrscher, I was once a Herrscher. If you're afraid of hurting others, then I'll leave with you! Don't think you can shake me off!"
Mei had learned many things from her brother, and tenacity and never giving up were among the best qualities. Whenever Mei had a tiff with him, he would find various ways to stay by her side, using all sorts of methods to apologize until Mei, blushing, forgave him.
Mei understood that only through constant communication could she truly change Kiana's mind. If she let Kiana leave again, severing the bridge of communication, she might lose her forever.
As she spoke, another Titan charged at Mei, but it was instantly smashed in the legs by a baseball bat wrapped in Imaginary energy and paralyzed on the spot.
"No, don't! You... you're being sophistical! Mei, you don't understand! Back then, you were only a Pseudo-Herrscher. The Herrscher will born from the Gem of Conquest wasn't that strong. But within my body, the Herrscher of the Void wants to destroy the entire world! You don't know what that feels like!"
Looking at the stubborn Mei, Kiana was also deeply conflicted. During her journey, she had missed her father and the friends she'd met constantly. But the thoughts during the time she was controlled by the Herrscher were too terrifying. If it weren't for Class Monitor Fu Hua, she probably would have completely fallen into becoming a Herrscher!
"I harbor absolute killing intent towards all humans. Even though she's temporarily sealed now, the Herrscher of the Void still influences me—I *hurt* you all!"
Ahead, several World Serpent warriors fearlessly attacked Kiana. Bullets tipped with neutralizing serum shot towards their vital points but were instantly swallowed by several small portals.
The next instant, almost subconsciously, Kiana opened the exit portals for those bullets right behind the attackers' heads. Startled, she immediately adjusted the portals' directions, letting the bullets pierce their ankles instead.
Even against these bastards about to sacrifice an entire city's populace, Kiana absolutely could not kill them. Not out of mercy, but because Kiana didn't want to get used to killing, to gradually become a demon.
"Does just running away like this mean we won't face danger? After I left the Hyperion, Anti-Entropy's Sea of Quanta base was attacked by World Serpent! The Principal contained the situation, but Bronya and Seele fell into the Sea of Quanta! Even without you here, we still face danger! Why can't we face it together!"
Struggling to convince Kiana, Mei suddenly felt a burning, searing heat flare up on her back.
Ever since the Gem of Conquest was taken by the Herrscher of the Void and merged into Kiana's body, Mei's Stigmata had fallen silent. She had also lost her ability to wield lightning. But now, her Stigmata suddenly became active again.
"What, Bronya she— No, I can't go back! Don't say anymore, Mei, please!"
Kiana was shocked, but she ultimately shook her head. Anti-Entropy already had enough trouble. Her going there now would only add fuel to the fire.
Two Valkyries, two former and current Herrschers, also best friends, were now—amidst the most critical and tense moment—fighting while debating their separation.
"These two Valkyries... are still discussing *this* now?"
Their behavior left Rita, who was still clad in her Phantom Iron armor and had summoned "Carbon Hunter," utterly astonished.
The "Gene Reaper" danced, blocking all bullets aimed at her. The mechanical dog beside her instantly pounced, taking down the mech before it and tearing it apart. The Shadow Dash: Shadow Iron armor, this "civil war specialist" suit optimized for anti-personnel combat, was surprisingly effective in the current situation.
Its detection capabilities for carbon-based lifeforms pinpointed the locations of humans hidden within this metal tower, even inside mechs, and could even sync the data to Gao Qi beside her.
Rita's combat power was limited at the moment, so she stayed close to Gao Qi, hoping to help this "not very combat-capable" man who could only rely on powered armor for protection ward off potential threats.
Rita didn't know why this logistics staff member could remain so calm, even joking with her while facing a Herrscher. Was he just that brave?
Moreover, although Gao Qi didn't seem to be doing much, Rita had a feeling it was he who had facilitated the alliance between herself, the Herrscher of the Void, and even the Far East Branch—that was quite a talent too!
However, at such a critical juncture, Kiana and Mei were still arguing over such trivial matters, which Rita found particularly hard to understand.
*These girls are so... finicky. Are all young ladies like this nowadays?*
"This is the youth of beautiful girls, Miss Rita. Even an upright official finds it hard to settle family disputes; let's not get involved~~"
Beside her, Gao Qi operated his powered armor, cutting through the World Serpent forces like a hot knife through butter while watching the two beauties' argument with satisfaction—communication was always good.
In truth, Schicksal's powered armor wasn't particularly strong. Although it was top-of-the-line experimental equipment, if Gao Qi relied solely on its functions, his speed definitely couldn't keep up with the two girls, not even the weakened Rita.
However, with this armor on, Gao Qi could conceal many of his inherent powers. Coupled with the increasingly dense Honkai energy in the surroundings and the influence of Kiana's power, Gao Qi could freely exercise his various Authorities.
***BANG—***
Gao Qi's muscles were fully tensed, his MANTIS power erupting completely. With one punch, the Poison Spider mech pouncing at him was sent flying.
But if one observed the internal structure of the Poison Spider mech now, they would find a terrifyingly precise electric current had completely fried all its internal electronic components, turning it into a large hunk of scrap metal.
Compared to the world-ending Herrschers and quantum monsters from the simulations, these enemies were clearly not much to look at. But for the current Gao Qi, who couldn't burn his life force—this level of enemy was just right!
***THUD—BANG!***
Nimbly leaping and flipping among the steel girders, Gao Qi skillfully concealed and unleashed various power effects he usually kept restrained.
One punch, and the Authority of the Herrscher of Ice froze the pilots inside two mechs unconscious, while the Authority of the Herrscher of Thunder began disabling all of World Serpent's machinery.
As for the Authority of Death, Gao Qi still had some reservations about using apoptosis powers on living people. But the power of Creation could use surging vitality to render healthy individuals receiving treatment unconscious due to *excessive* life force!
Thus, the World Serpent warriors watched in astonishment as the man in black armor, with seemingly ordinary movements, effortlessly destroyed mech after mech.
And clearly, he wasn't a Valkyrie—Valkyries all wore stockings or had bare legs! He was just wearing powered armor!
*Are Schicksal's logistics staff all monsters?!*
"Oh? Mr. Gao Qi, in your eyes, do I not count as a beautiful girl?"
Her gaze fixed on Gao Qi's agile, nimble movements, his sharp attacks left Rita quite impressed. But given Gao Qi's previous groundwork, she, a Valkyrie who knew nothing about technology, simply attributed it to a combination of Schicksal's advanced tech and Gao Qi's good skills.
Even in battle, Rita maintained her smile, calmly dealing with enemies while seizing on the flaw in Gao Qi's words.
"Ah, well, a beauty, of course you're a beauty. Like countless Schicksal employees, I'm a fan of yours, Miss Rita. But as for being a *girl*— Ah! The Light! That enemy is worth fighting!"
Faced with Rita's terrifying trap of a question, Gao Qi could only shrug, then immediately pointed forward and accelerated his charge towards the top of the signal tower.
"Heh, don't think you can escape now. I won't let you off the hook after this is over~~"
Rita merely chuckled. Green lightning instantly surged around her body. Although she had only recovered less than half her strength, bearing the lives of millions on her shoulders, Rita activated the overload mode that placed immense strain on her body without hesitation.
Instantly, the Phantom Iron armor greatly enhanced Rita's physical abilities and sensory speed. Everything before her seemed to slow down—not due to a Time Fracture system, but purely a boost in bodily functions!
Behind Rita, green lightning carved a thunder-forged corridor across the metal framework. She began gracefully dodging shell after shell.
But when she saw Gao Qi's figure, she was still stunned—even now, in her eyes, Gao Qi's speed could still leave behind afterimages.
*He's—that fast?*
Amidst a series of crisp collision sounds, Gao Qi accelerated sharply. A quantum halo was cleverly concealed as he rushed before Kiana and Mei.
***SWOOSH—TING! TING TING!***
Crossing his arms in front, three sharp raven feathers embedded themselves in the black armor. Gao Qi's Authority of Thunder easily prevented the feathers' subsequent explosions.
"Alright, you two young ladies, save the lover's spat for later~~ Let's take care of business first."
Turning back, Gao Qi glanced at Kiana, who was already preparing a defense, and Mei, who hadn't detected the attack. He winked at his "daughter" and "girlfriend," then looked towards the cold figure hidden in the darkness, radiating palpable killing intent.
"Yo, Miss Raven. Isn't this peak hour at the bar? Shouldn't you be working at Raven's? I was planning to grab a drink later. Want to fix me a Midnight Absinthe here?"
Waving to the three girls behind him, Gao Qi signaled that he would handle Raven.
Around them, the pale yellow mist of neutralizing serum was inescapable. Kiana, Mei, and Rita couldn't avoid its effects either; their abilities began to be suppressed. Having them deal with Raven would definitely be more troublesome for them than for Gao Qi.
Also, most importantly... Raven was, after all, an acquaintance. Although World Serpent was inhumane, Gao Qi didn't want to hurt her.
"Ha... I knew you'd show up, you guy."
Seeing Gao Qi's familiar appearance, Raven's wine-red eyes narrowed slightly. The veins on her neck bulged faintly blue—clearly, she had just injected herself with the antidote to the neutralizing serum.
Standing on the observation deck in the middle section of the signal tower, her crimson cloak fluttering in the wind, Raven was no longer dressed in the bartender outfit from that day, but in a form-fitting combat uniform that accentuated her figure—Midnight Absinthe, Raven's combat attire.
One of her hands was covered by a massive claw, while the other held a black bow streaked with crimson, a bright red energy arrow nocked and aimed at Gao Qi's vitals.
Though slightly abrupt was that a... slingshot? tucked at her slender waist. But thinking for a moment, Gao Qi realized it was probably the 3rd Divine Key. *This lady isn't in a mood to work today, it seems.* Gao Qi felt the pressure lessen slightly.
"Hmph, Gao Qi, during an operation, subordinates don't give orders to their captain."
However, before Gao Qi could reply, Rita's figure behind him transformed into a green afterimage. She stomped on the steel girder beneath her and charged at Raven—aside from Kiana, only she could handle Raven here. Letting Gao Qi deal with someone so strong was something Rita couldn't allow.
But within seconds, Rita, charging at Raven, was repelled after a few exchanges, her "Carbon Hunter" shattered by several raven feathers.
"Hmph."
Raven glanced contemptuously at the S-rank Valkyrie, now much weaker than her, and her bow began firing at Kiana.
Although only a few minutes had passed since the fight began, the environment saturated with neutralizing serum had reduced Rita to an ordinary person once more.
She fell somewhat gracelessly towards the ground hundreds of meters below. The next instant, she was caught in the arms of Gao Qi, who had lunged after her.
"This is the third time, Miss Rita. I think you're even more trouble than Lady Durandal."
Looking at Rita in his arms—breathing rapidly, face pale, her Valkyrie armor emitting white steam, already unconscious—Gao Qi knew she must have pushed herself to exhaustion multiple times in this short span.
She was now driving the Shadow Iron armor purely with an ordinary person's body. A quick check told Gao Qi the overload mode's strain was already damaging Rita's internal organs.
*Sigh, this is a Valkyrie fighting for humanity. Truly giving her all.*
Gao Qi began using the power of Creation to repair the damage in Rita's body. Leaping with Kiana and Mei onto the middle platform where Raven stood, during the brief moment before World Serpent combatants and mechs caught up, Raven suddenly lowered her voice, looking at the four before her, and lowered her bow.
"You lot, I have a deal to make. I can give you the decryption key to disable the Honkai Reactor core. But on one condition: the Herrscher of the Void must stay—to answer for her crimes."
Pulling a dagger-like decoding device from her pocket, Raven shot a hateful glance at Kiana.
"I can see a trace of humanity's rationality left in you. In 2000, you destroyed all of Siberia. Months ago, your influence nearly swept across the entire world. I have two scores to settle with you."
Unable to resist glancing at Gao Qi, who was princess-carrying Rita, and at Rita herself, unconscious and pressed against his chest, Raven, for some reason, suddenly couldn't help but curl her lip slightly, feeling a twinge of... displeasure.
"My target is only the Herrscher. Whether it's Schicksal or Anti-Entropy, I don't wish to be your enemy. I can allow you to go disable the Honkai Reactor."
In a spot where her comrades couldn't hear, Raven removed her earpiece and shook the decryption key in her hand.
"Factions exist within World Serpent as well. Not all Sovereigns agree with the Stigma Project. It's merely humanity's final desperate means to resist the Honkai. To prevent that day from coming, all Herrschers must be eliminated."
Her tone was sincere. Thanks to a certain bastard mercenary, Raven was now quite adept at calmly communicating and negotiating.
"Of course, Herrscher of the Void, I don't intend for you to simply bow your head and accept death. I seek only one chance: a one-on-one duel between you and me."
Her wine-red eyes fixed on Kiana, Raven felt she had never been this close to revenge—not just for her own grievances, but also for the stable future of the children she had taken in.
Eliminating the Herrscher of the Void was just the first step; other Herrschers awaited. Giving the children a safe future was, aside from finding "Zero," Raven's greatest obsession.
"Don't listen to her! Who would believe your nonsense? World Serpent is just a bunch of terrorists! We can stop the reactor overload process. The EOS is approaching this area; we can airlift the reactor to the open sea—"
"I accept. I don't seek any fair duel either. Let Mei, Gao Qi, and the other three go past. I'll deal with all of you."
Mei immediately tried to refuse, but Kiana stepped in front of her and directly agreed to Raven's terms.
"Raven is right. Even if I'm normal now, I can't guarantee I'll remain lucid at all times. I am, in essence, an unstable factor for this world. It's time to settle this!"
Hearing this, Raven was somewhat surprised.
"Fine. Since that's the case, you stay. I'll give the key to that bastard named Gao Qi over there. You all can go."
The Herrscher of the Void offered no resistance, no objection, but accepted the almost certain death without hesitation—the neutralizing serum was particularly effective on her current state. She hadn't hesitated in the slightest.
Raven had come with the mindset of ridding the world of a scourge, but seeing things like this, she suddenly felt... like the villain.
*That Saintess Project cooked up is truly despicable.* While following one Sovereign's orders, Raven had also been tasked by another to hinder this plan. It was understandable for Schicksal and Anti-Entropy to stop it, but why was a *Herrscher* getting involved?
But no matter what, Herrschers had to die. Their very existence was the greatest threat to this world.
In the white-haired girl before her, Raven sensed a quality somewhat similar to Bronya's. But she immediately dismissed the thought. She would show no mercy to a Herrscher.
However, just as Kiana agreed, both she and Raven saw Gao Qi place the unconscious Rita in Mitsuha's arms and point upwards.
"Miss Mei, please look after her for now. I'll—talk some sense into Raven and Kiana!"
Patting Mei's shoulder and infusing a portion of his Authority of Thunder into her body to ensure her safety, Gao Qi, before anyone could react, stomped the ground.
MANTIS power combined with a burst from the thrusters on his back. With lightning speed, he swept up Kiana by her slender waist and simultaneously rushed before Raven.
"Hey, hey, hey! Don't just touch me like that, you! What are you doing?!"
Kiana instinctively wanted to resist but ultimately didn't act.
With Rita unconscious, Gao Qi no longer needed to hold back. At full power, before Raven could react, he also swept her slender waist into his embrace.
"Embracing beauties left and right," Gao Qi accelerated once more, at a speed far surpassing before, charging towards the top of the signal tower.
"Eh—Kiana? Hey! You!"
Holding Rita, Mei watched Kiana being taken away and panicked. Ignoring the mechs and soldiers pursuing from below, she mustered all her strength and chased after the rapidly moving figure, only to see them getting farther and farther towards the tower top.
"Ugh... I... I can't do anything..."
A sense of powerlessness suddenly flooded Mei's mind. Recalling her own helplessness when Kiana became a Herrscher, Mei couldn't help but feel sorrow rising.
"Brother... Gao Qi... Brother... Where are you..."
The Stigmata on her back grew hotter. Mei called out for her most important person, the man whose name she had even forgotten due to memory loss from her own Herrscher transformation. But suddenly, as if by instinct, she remembered his name.
"Gao Qi, yes, Brother Gao Qi—Brother Gao Qi!"
Behind Mei, the purple pentagram stigmata that had been dormant for months after the Thunder Queen's will was eroded by the Void Drifter suddenly flashed with a streak of lightning in this highly concentrated Honkai energy environment—the Herrscher energy injected by Gao Qi completely activated Mei's stigmata.
A purple light flickered in her eyes, and Mei suddenly felt that many memories that had become blurred or even lost returned to her mind.
"You... really came looking for me!"
The next second—
Boom!
In the clear sky, a purple bolt of lightning flashed. The sorrow and despair on Mei's face disappeared, replaced by unstoppable joy and a hint of helplessness.
Purple lightning wings materialized beside Mei, but this time, she didn't hear the annoying voice of the Herrscher in her ears.
"Bronya's speculation... was correct. We succeeded."
Mei couldn't help but look up, then smiled and drew a lightning sword. With one arm holding Rita, she raised the sword with the other hand, pointing it at the mecha Titans climbing onto the platform.
At this moment, she seemed to have transformed once again from that purple-haired background character, the St. Freya cooking lady, back into the confident and powerful—Thunder Queen!
"Sorry, members of World Serpent, this place—no trespassing!"
————————
As the lightning flashed, Gao Qi had already used the thrusters on his back to climb the steel frame structure beneath his feet, bringing Raven and Kiana to the top of the signal tower.
Both girls tried to struggle, but Raven's physical strength wasn't particularly strong, and Kiana had absorbed too much neutralization serum. Neither could break free from Gao Qi's iron-like arms, reinforced by his MANTIS physique and exoskeleton armor.
"Sorry, everyone, you'll have to stay down for a while."
With a few swift kicks, Gao Qi sent the World Serpent mechs stationed on the tower top tumbling off—hopefully, they had time to eject and parachute.
"Alright, two beautiful and kind young ladies, both concerned about the people of Arc City, how about we have a good talk?"
Among countless satellite dishes used to transmit information, a massive device covered with various pipelines stood at the center of the tower top. Gao Qi's exoskeleton immediately emitted a loud Honkai energy alarm, the Geiger counter buzzing like a hornet.
On the device, the detonation countdown had only eight minutes left—clearly, Raven had extended the time.
"You, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and get this bomb out of here!"
Seeing the terrifying Honkai energy emanating from the device, Kiana grew anxious. She could sense the horrifying Honkai energy inside.
"Don't even think about it—the key in my hand can either disarm or detonate it immediately. You're fast, but you can't outpace my finger!"
Raven, however, broke free from Gao Qi's grip with effort and glared warily at the two.
"The Herrscher must die. Otherwise, her existence is more dangerous than the Honkai reactor in front of us!"
Clearly, Raven felt nothing but hatred for the Herrscher before her.
Originally, she had planned to use the transported Honkai waste, with its powerful Honkai energy, to lure the Herrscher. But after hearing that she had escaped, Raven waited with her people near the bomb intended for the Stigma Project.
"That's why we need to discuss. Look, the girl beside me is Kiana Kaslana. The culprit behind the Second Eruption was the inhumane experiments conducted by Schicksal on test subjects in the Babylon Laboratory in Siberia, which turned a child named Sirin into a Herrscher filled with hatred for humanity—half the blame for the Second Eruption lies with Honkai, and half with Schicksal."
Patting Kiana's shoulder, Gao Qi, this "Schicksal member," seriously explained Kiana's innocence to Raven and Kiana, both of whom looked surprised.
"This time, it's also that old bastard Otto who implanted a Herrscher gem into Kiana, forcing her to awaken as the Second Herrscher. She and Sirin are not the same person, Miss Raven. Your grudge shouldn't be taken out on her—she's just an ordinary Valkyrie, a child caught up in a conspiracy."
Gao Qi knew Raven's temperament. If he tried to stop her, she would fight to the death, resulting in a lose-lose situation for everyone.
But Raven was also someone who responded better to reason than force. As long as Gaoqi spoke calmly and made her understand that Kiana was just an innocent child, Raven would surely see reason.
Kiana, meanwhile, stared in shock at this Schicksal employee beside her—how did he know so much about Otto's misdeeds? She had only learned these things from Class Monitor Fu Hua!
"Schicksal, how do you—fine, I won't pry into your identity. But Herrschers are Herrschers, regardless of their past. The Herrscher of the Void is the Herrscher of the Void. The one before you is just pretending. Humans and Herrschers can never coexist peacefully..."
Raven paused, then immediately refuted.
"That's not true either. The first Herrscher, Welt Joyce, died in 1955 protecting New York from a Honkai fission bomb launched by Otto. The second Herrscher of the first generation, Welt Yang, played a crucial role in the Second Honkai War, sacrificing himself repeatedly, doing sit-ups in his coffin, successfully suppressing the Second Herrscher, Sirin—and the Third Herrscher is Raiden Mei, whom you just thought was an ordinary person. She's still fighting to save the world. I don't believe you're unaware of these things."
Gao Qi casually listed examples of Herrschers. In the current civilization, aside from Sirin and Wendy, who were "bad kids," almost all Herrschers had sided with humanity. World Serpent's stance lacked justification.
"I... of course I know. But didn't you experience the honkai eruption a few months ago? That was the work of the Herrscher of the Void! Are you going to let her—"
"Void Drifter, Void Drifter. You always call her that, unwilling to even look into her past. She was born in 1998. Her father is Siegfried, a great hero of Schicksal, and her mother is the legendary strongest S-rank Valkyrie, Cecilia Schariac."
Gao Qi looked at the wavering Raven and calmly revealed what she didn't know.
"In the Second Honkai War, she sacrificed her life, using a Divine Key and her own blood to activate 'White Flower Crimson Blood,' saving hundreds of thousands of Honkai-infected residents in Siberia... Surely World Serpent knows about this?"
Gao Qi stepped between Mei and Kiana, glancing at both.
"Including you, Natasha Cioara. Kiana's mother was your savior—she traded your life for her daughter's. Is that acceptable? Give Kiana a chance. I believe she will fight for humanity."
Beside him, Kiana was momentarily stunned. She wanted to emphasize that she was a clone, that she had a father, and that Aunt Cecilia was merely an idol she admired. But the clever girl quickly closed her mouth, saying nothing more.
"She... is Valkyrie Cecilia's daughter?"
Although somewhat incredulous, after piecing together the information she knew, Raven had to admit that the man's words might be true—it felt absurd and ironic that a Schicksal employee was revealing Schicksal's dark secrets.
But for some reason, Raven chose to believe Gao Qi. It was almost an instinctive trust. Looking at this man who might be younger than her, she felt... somewhat familiar?
"Enough, don't say anymore—take it. I won't kill the Herrscher of the Void, at least not today. But I'll be watching you."
Finally, she relented. Whether it was to face the children in the future or because of that elusive, unforgettable crush lost in the Sea of Quanta, Raven didn't want her hands stained with the blood of a million people. She tossed the decoder to Gao Qi.
"See, that's better. No need for all this fighting and killing."
Gao Qi sighed in relief, took the decoder dagger, and walked toward the Honkai detonation device counting down from five minutes. Everything was as he predicted—there was plenty of time.
After all, having seen the original story, Gao Qi already knew the Honkai energy engine was set up on the central tower. And Raven's personality meant that if he reasoned with her properly, she would inevitably stop World Serpent's absurd plan.
What surprised Gao Qi was that Raven agreed more easily than expected. She seemed even more opposed to the Stigma Project than he remembered?
"Whatever, it's for the best."
Thinking this, Gao Qi inserted the decoder dagger into the controller of the detonation device, planning to disarm it and let Schicksal handle the Honkai reactors—though not yet fully overloaded, the energy leaking from these reactors alone made Gao Qi uncomfortable in his radiation-proof power armor.
If he were truly an ordinary person, he'd likely contract Honkai sickness upon returning. Fortunately, his MANTIS physique could withstand this level of radiation—this half-baked MANTIS was somewhat similar to Raven beside him.
Regardless, Gao Qi didn't want the "Meteoric Salvation" incident to happen. For Kiana, who was rejecting her Herrscher power, if she exerted herself to throw the Honkai reactor into outer space and faced its explosion head-on... her condition would definitely worsen.
"You're called Raven, right? You have a deep hatred for the Herrscher of the Void. Coincidentally—so do I. I wish she'd die sooner, of course, preferably without me dying. You can keep an eye on me. If I'm no longer Kiana, you can kill me. How about that?"
With the situation nearly resolved, Kiana also let out a sigh of relief, smiled, and extended her hand to Raven beside her, nodding to the illusory Fu Hua.
"Tell your people to stop chasing Mei. It's best if we can resolve this peacefully. After all, we're all companions fighting against Honkai—thanks, Gao Qi!"
Looking at the relaxed, smiling girl beside her, Raven hesitated for a moment, then reached out and shook her hand.
This girl was far from the Herrscher in her memory, instead resembling the children who grew up in the orphanage.
"Maybe, I can..."
Before she could finish, both suddenly felt the surrounding Honkai energy concentration drop sharply.
"Whoa—ladies, I think we're in big trouble."
Stopping the detonation device, Gao Qi intended to open the casing of the Honkai reactor to check the state of its core. But upon opening it, he only saw... a pile of junk.
Drawing on his knowledge of logistics engineering, Gao Qi recognized these as several hundred old-model, portable Valkyrie Honkai reactors crudely connected by energy conduits.
These reactor models were so outdated that Gao Qi hadn't seen them on any Schicksal Valkyrie. Thinking back, he recalled encountering these old portable Honkai reactors in the simulation system when he worked for Schicksal in 2007.
The biggest flaw of these reactors was their massive energy leakage and rapid degradation. Valkyries had to replace them after just one or two missions, and they placed great strain on the body. They were completely obsolete a decade later.
But if many of these reactors were connected and activated simultaneously, running idle without doing any work... they could produce massive Honkai energy leakage!
However, using these few hundred old small reactors to trigger a city-wide Honkai eruption—absolutely impossible!
"What? This... this is the Honkai waste I transported to lure the Herrscher of the Void—damn it! Howler swapped the reactors!"
Behind Gao Qi, Raven took one look and knew that the "bait" she transported and the real Honkai reactor had likely been swapped—that woman didn't trust her!
"What—then the real Honkai reactor must be where you transported the bait. Tell us where it is!"
The plot had suddenly changed from the original story, with the location of the large Honkai reactor altered. This momentarily stunned Gao Qi, but he quickly calmed down and deduced its location.
"I know, I'll show you!"
Raven was also nervous now. As a MANTIS, she might not fear Honkai, but she couldn't allow a million people to die because of this!
"Right, it's here, right? Okay, I'll go send it away! Don't follow me, it's dangerous—coughcough, don't you have an antidote? Give me a dose."
Upon learning the location, Kiana immediately opened a portal but coughed violently due to inhaling too much neutralization serum.
"I... I only have one dose, to prevent you from stealing it—use my blood. This serum metabolizes slowly. Take me with you; I can give you blood!"
Raven realized that this terrible situation might be the consequence of her hatred for the Herrscher. If she hadn't been solely focused on killing the Herrscher, Howler might not have swapped the reactors.
Thinking this, she drew her dagger without hesitation and aimed for her own artery. For a half-baked MANTIS, this might not be fatal, but it would be excruciating.
"Wait, this isn't just about the serum anymore. In such a short time, I can't make it—I can unleash the Void Drifter's power. If I go berserk, you must kill me."
Kiana exchanged a glance with the illusory Fu Hua, preparing to release the seal on the Void Drifter once more.
"No, no, no—you're all more ruthless than the last. Leave it to me, ladies."
But before Kiana could even start, Gao Qi grabbed her wrist. At the same time, another large hand plucked the small slingshot from Raven's waist.
"Third Divine Key, Seven Thunders of Retribution—lend it to me. Don't worry, I'll return it."
"Vzzz—"
Then, under Raven's stunned gaze, the Seven Thunders of Retribution, which had just completely refused her commands, now turned into a docile lamb, obediently transforming for this stranger.
The Seven Thunders of Retribution turned into a pair of gauntlets covering Gao Qi's hands, extending upward and perfectly merging with his black exoskeleton, as if donning a layer of magnificent, lightning-like blue-purple armor.
"Don't tell Miss Rita about this, okay? It's our secret."
Reconnecting with the Herrscher core from the previous era, the terrifying and surging Honkai energy within Gao Qi erupted once more, crimson lightning coursing through him—kill, kill, kill, kill, kill!
Vzzz—
"Eh? My body—Gem of Conquest?"
Then, as if resonating with Gao Qi, the dormant Honkai gem within Kiana suddenly stirred. Purple lightning enveloped Kiana, and she felt as if she had regained the authority Mei had bestowed upon her over a year ago during Anti-Entropy's invasion of St. Freya to deal with that strange clone.
In an instant, Kiana's Sky Ranger jacket was shattered by lightning, replaced by her White Comet battlesuit. Deep purple lightning wings unfurled behind her.
"This is... Lightning Empress's? You—"
Completely unexpected that her armor's Moonlight mode had been activated, Kiana felt the stigmata on her chest grow increasingly hot and looked curiously at the man in the cool armor beside her.
She felt... she knew him very well.
"There'll be plenty of time to ask later. Don't waste time, beautiful princess. Take us there!"
Flattered, Kiana's cheeks flushed slightly. She then took Gao Qi's hand and opened a portal—this time, her portal wasn't golden but resembled... pure lightning.
As if struck by lightning for just a moment, Gao Qi and Kiana had already teleported dozens of kilometers away. On a small hill, they saw an abandoned large truck.
Boom—
Lightning swept past, instantly tearing open the truck's shell. Kiana and Gao Qi saw the large Honkai reactor inside, and the ensuing Honkai energy burst forced both to step back.
This reactor had a mine-like shell, with numerous access ports leaking terrifying energy. Each surge of energy could likely power a city of millions for minutes.
This was the real thing meant to trigger a Honkai eruption—a terrifying human creation capable of devastating destruction. While it couldn't create a Herrscher, it was more than enough to cause a city-wide Honkai collapse.
Normally, such a reactor would be placed within thick radiation-shielding armor, constantly cooled by flowing water. But now... it had been activated into an overload sequence.
Most importantly, this thing was three to four times larger than the Honkai reactor on the EOS ship in Gao Qi's memory of the original story!
Instinctively, Gao Qi stepped in front of Kiana. The Third Divine Key provided excellent radiation protection, and he extended his hand to protect Kiana's body with his power of creation. But Kiana stepped around him and walked forward.
"This time, I won't say 'let me handle this alone.' Let's do it together, Gao Qi—by the way, helping me this much, you're not expecting me to marry you, are you?"
Approaching the reactor, purple patterns appeared and disappeared on Kiana's body. Honkai particle streams even manifested physically around her. But this time, Kiana smiled brightly.
She felt as if her father were beside her now—the man who sacrificed himself for her, the one she respected and loved most, was here encouraging her.
"Never mind that. The detonation time is almost up. Let's go!"
Blushing slightly at Kiana's teasing, Gao Qi ignored it. Together, they withstood the Honkai particle beams and reached the reactor, each grabbing one side.
"Now, let's—take off!"
The next second, blue-purple lightning and crimson lightning erupted from the ground, rising like a bolt of lightning, like a shooting star, soaring into the sky!
"Ha—aaaaaaaaah!!!"
This wasn't some natural law or divine punishment! It defied rules and principles. Two roaring humans, having usurped the authority of Honkai, launched a counterattack against this damned heavens!
Crack—boom!!!
The Valkyries of the Far East Branch and Anti-Entropy members on the EOS ship, the Immortal Blades Valkyries at the Schicksal outpost, the World Serpent soldiers retreating under the Lightning Blade, and Rita, slowly awakening from exhaustion-induced unconsciousness, all looked up and saw the lightning and meteor soaring from the ground into the sky.
"You really came back, Gao Qi, my love. I wonder if my memories this time will last until I see you again... Kiana got lucky. As her stepmother, I haven't been spared her antics over the years."
Now, the stigmata on Mei's back glowed brightly. She sheathed her lightning-forged blade, standing amidst the fallen World Serpent mechs, quietly watching the rebellious meteor in the distance, her face blooming with a smile.
"But... she's very sad right now. You should comfort her properly. As for Kiana... don't do anything strange."
This time, Mei wasn't filled with self-blame or self-pity like before. Instead, she was calmer and more composed than Rita. On her ring finger, a lightning-forged wedding band shimmered—crafted by her own hand.
"After all... I am your girlfriend, and your future wife."
————————
Meanwhile, the ascending meteor encountered obstacles. As the two broke through the atmosphere, the air temperature dropped and rose terrifyingly fast, then dropped again rapidly. Ice crystals constantly formed on their bodies, only to be crushed by the surging Honkai energy.
As the reactor neared its overload limit, massive Honkai energy erupted uncontrollably. Even Kiana and Gao Qi, using the Gem of Conquest and Thunder Herrscher core, were struggling.
Both were using superhuman Honkai abilities, making them more susceptible to Honkai erosion. They had to limit their output, but now their strength was gradually weakening.
Suddenly, a large hand covered Kiana's small one. Kiana could feel a pure, life-giving energy repairing her body and protecting damaged areas—it was Gao Qi, diverting his focus to protect her.
Why? Why had this man been so good to her since their first meeting?
This diversion also pushed Gao Qi's body into an overload state. But he pushed himself and the Herrscher core to the limit, operating at maximum power without risking Honkai corruption.
After all, this was just transporting a reactor, not fighting a Herrscher. Gao Qi didn't need to risk his life, but he still felt himself growing weaker.
[No good. The Gem of Conquest alone isn't enough. I can't let this person get hurt. Kiana, activate the Void Drifter's energy. I'll protect your mind.]
Seeing Gao Qi struggling, Fu Hua within the Feather of Xuanyuan hesitated for a moment before informing Kiana of her decision. Kiana nodded, agreeing to the Class Monitor's request, unaware that Fu Hua was about to burn this feather of hers.
Immediately, pure white, ribbon-like frills began to manifest around Kiana, and black boots covered her legs. She began reverting to her Void Drifter state.
[Wait, wait, Kiana. A power stronger than mine is erupting within you—it's your stigmata—]
But the moment this transformation began, Fu Hua, who was prepared to sacrifice herself, suddenly felt a surging power bursting—no, blooming—from Kiana's chest.
Scalding hot. By now, Kiana and Gao Qi had reached the outer atmosphere. The bright moon, 380,000 kilometers away, cast its serene light upon them. Yet Kiana still felt the scorching power in her chest.
Then, a light pink floral stigmata bloomed on Kiana's chest. Powerful energy flowed through her body, and she instantly completed her transformation into the Void Drifter.
Simultaneously, numerous blurred and lost memories flooded back into Kiana's mind.
"Da—Dad?"
Sound couldn't travel in the vacuum, but she remembered—she remembered everything.
Kiana stared blankly at the man before her, who was also raising his hands, pushing the reactor with all his might. A tear of joy welled up in her eye.
She was such an idiot, having spent so much time with her dad without remembering him. How foolish! But... Bronya's conjecture was indeed correct.
Why had he always been so good to her? Of course, because he was her dad, who loved her most!
Kiana fully transformed into the Herrscher of Void. But unlike before, her eyes were no longer golden but shone with a brilliant blue. The Herrscher of Void's gown no longer had the eerie purple of Honkai energy, nor the queenly elegance. Instead...
It was as lively as a girl's lace mini dress, yet as magnificent as a bride's wedding gown.
And at this moment, Kiana seemed to hear a playful voice in her ear.
"The stubborn flower never fades in the storm; your determination will surely bloom in adversity—go forth, successor, for the world he and I loved."
Looking at her father, who had exhausted himself due to diversion and fallen into brief unconsciousness, Kiana revealed a radiant smile.
"Dad, I'm back!"
Hurling the massive reactor into Earth's outer orbit, Kiana spread her arms and gently embraced Gao Qi, turning her back to shield him from the impending explosion.
At the same time, as she had done before, Kiana gently pressed a sweet kiss onto Gao Qi's cheek.
All her pain vanished in this moment.
The next second, millions of people in Arc City could see a bright star flashing in the brilliant night sky.
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?