Honkai Impact: I, The Herrscher of Ice, Am Loved By Players

Please support me on Patreon, where you can read a bunch of extra chapters, not just for this novel, but for all the novels I'm working on. I upload at least 2 times daily for most novels - There are at least twice as many available chapters on Patreon, compared to here on Webnovel.

Additionally, there are also free extra chapters available for Free Members, so head on over:

Patreon.com/ThatGreatStuff

******

A little later.

"Hello, Miss Ana, congratulations on becoming the Herrscher of Wind."

Otto's holographic image appeared before Ana, and upon seeing him, Cang Luan frowned behind her.

"My lady, I despise this fellow."

Compared to her reaction when encountering Gray Serpent previously, Cang Luan's response was even more forthright, indicating her stronger disdain for Otto than Gray Serpent.

Naturally, Cang Luan's feelings and perceptions were influenced by Ana herself. In other words, Ana's dislike for Otto surpassed her feelings towards Gray Serpent.

This was understandable, given their limited interaction with Gray Serpent. Moreover, in the storyline, to prevent the spread of the Herrscher of Corruption's clones, Gray Serpent chose to end his own life. It should be noted that if he didn't wish to die, there was no way anyone could kill him.

"Ah, who might this lovely young woman be?" asked Otto, showing no offense from Cang Luan's disapproval. Instead, he became intrigued by her voice, which starkly contrasted with her appearance.

"My companion, Cang Luan," Ana replied succinctly.

"Aha, so my Empress, what brings you to seek out this busy researcher?"

Through the holographic image, Ana could observe Unnamed Locomotive behind Otto. With her assistance, his progress had been swift; however, he was nearing a bottleneck.

Ana only held partial control over the Unnamed Locomotive, with most access points managed by the World Serpent. Initially, she planned to negotiate early access from them, but the issue was that those controls were actually under Kevin's purview.

Thus, eventually, Ana would still need to strike a deal directly with Kevin. A confrontation seemed inevitable.

However, this matter could potentially be handled through Otto instead.

Kevin, being straightforward and honorable, disdains using petty tactics. As for Otto, driven by his goals, he wouldn't hesitate either. After all, Ana possesses more knowledge, albeit without direct control over the Void Archives' access points.

"It seems you're getting closer to your objective."

With arms crossed, Ana remarked casually. She noticed Bianka's figure behind Otto, clearly indicating that he had reassigned Bianka to assist with the experiments.

Consequently, at Schicksal, Rita and Amber now formed a new partnership.

What a pity...

"I need your assistance," Ana stated directly, without beating around the bush.

"I require you to issue an order in your name, requesting Rita to visit Tianqiong City under the guise of inspecting our partner enterprises. Her mission will be to track down K423, taking appropriate actions to protect this city as much as possible."

Since Ana had effectively become Schicksal's leader, but Otto still maintained his public role, she needed to advance the plot herself, using Otto's authority as a facade.

Why borrow Otto's hand for this task? Naturally, it was to convince World Serpent that she would not personally appear in Tianqiong City.

Moreover, given Kevin's habits, he is likely to come searching for me.

Judgment of Shamash holds immense significance for Kevin, but not so much for Ana. Once she becomes the Herrscher of Ice, her offensive capabilities will be fully realized, complemented by her possession of Abyss Flower and the Key of Domination.

In Ana's hands, Judgment of Shamash indeed feels underutilized, while it remains Kevin's most favored weapon. Based on Kevin's usual behavior, even if he encounters me, he wouldn't bother holding me back just for experimentation. Therefore, in Tianqiong City, she will operate covertly.

Why not directly sabotage Divine City Pharmaceuticals in Tianqiong City? Consider why during the Cold War, the US and USSR engaged in proxy conflicts rather than direct confrontation.

Operating covertly, her actions would remain untraceable, as World Serpent's clandestine nature already raises suspicions.

However, taking overt action wouldn't merely be a subtle jab at Kevin; it would be a direct slap in the face.

Moreover, the Tianqiong City experiment isn't crucial to Project Stigma. Regardless of its outcome, Kevin won't halt the project altogether.

In fact, thousands of years ago, Kevin initiated experiments for Project Stigma in Great Britain, leading to the legendary tales of King Arthur and other mythologies.

Additionally, Ana intends to observe Kiana discreetly from the shadows, offering assistance based on her own experiences when necessary.

Of course, she trusts Goddess Red Kite implicitly, but as the current second Herrscher of Human, Ana believes she has a say in matters. Furthermore, being the strongest among the Herrschers of Human is not solely due to Ascension. The Herrscher of Reason requires synchronizing with thirty thousand individuals' wills, while the Herrscher of the Void needed reconciliation with Sirin. In contrast, Ana directly conquered the core—her approach is even more ruthless than the Herrscher of Thunder, who embodies the Authority of Conquest.

"No problem, come to think of it, I am indeed curious about what this lurking snake intends to do." Otto smiled, genuinely intrigued by World Serpent's plans.

"They aim to execute Project Stigma, transforming humans into carriers for Stigmata, allowing the Stigmata to replace individuals as a means to survive Honkai's trials," Ana disclosed without any reservations.

With Otto, the more you reveal, the greater his trust becomes. And ideally, adding a touch of humor helps—

"Ah, then Holy Mark Kallen can be with Holy Mark Yae Sakura forever. Only that certain great inventor is the clown here, since he lacks a Stigma form."

Indeed, although it might sound exaggerated, a brief explanation clarifies the situation.

Currently, Otto is barely hanging on; his original body is already gone, and he relies entirely on Soulium techniques, making him ineligible for Project Stigma's benefits. Of course, if the project were truly implemented, he wouldn't meet his demise either.

Presently, he somewhat resembles the Void Archives, distinct from both Herrschers and innate Stigma Awakeners.

"..."

Otto fell silent, but judging by his expression, he was undoubtedly feeling a bit heated.

Ana was certain that in the original storyline, Otto remained unaware of Project Stigma's ultimate goal. Only Kevin, Gray Serpent, and Hare, as core Enforcers, truly knew its endgame.

At that time, Otto's sole focus was on resurrecting Kallen; otherwise, he would have vehemently opposed Project Stigma.

Seriously, his body hadn't even cooled down after creating a world line where Kallen could survive, only for you, Kevin, to pull this underhanded stunt? What gives?!

"Excellent. It seems you fully understand and support my proposal."

Ana chuckled lightly.

"Rest assured, old friend, I will definitely stop him. Currently, I have at least a fifty percent chance of success. With your cooperation, we can increase it by another ten percent."

Ana didn't commit definitively, but for a gambler like Otto, having a fifty percent chance is enough to place his bet. Sixty percent?! Isn't that practically guaranteed victory?

"And your long-held wish shall also come true," Ana hastily added, fearing that without reassurance, Otto might succumb to obsession and seriously consider becoming "the first greenhorn." Jokes aside, she didn't want him taking such matters too far.

"I understand, my friend. Rest assured!" Without waiting for Ana's response, Otto promptly ended the communication, leaving her to merely shake her head.

What could she say? She wasn't joking at all.

On the other side, Otto silently stewed in his frustration for quite some time, genuinely incensed by the situation. Although he had already given up on winning Kallen's love, if what Ana suggested were true...

Regardless, he still couldn't comprehend why Kallen would fall for a Pseudo-Herrscher. Even after pondering it for five hundred years, he remained baffled.

Otto's grim expression made the researchers and Valkyries assisting with the experiment hesitant to speak loudly; it was truly intimidating, as they rarely ever witnessed such a demeanor from him.

Meanwhile, after ending the communication, Ana vanished within Tianqiong City. Concealed high above, she sat atop Cang Luan's back.

Unbeknownst to them, within this city they believed to be safe, two powerful Herrschers were hidden: one Archon-level Honkai Beast, an Elder Immortal of Shenzhou, Little Miss Blasta from the boutique island, and a formidable Honkai Reactor.

It was fair to say that any combination of just two entities among these could destroy all of Tianqiong City. Yet despite their presence, Tianqiong City remained unscathed—a remarkable feat beyond mere ancestral blessings.

Meanwhile, at the World Serpent's Northern Africa base, Gray Serpent arrived promptly. In the ancient and worn-out main hall, Kevin sat on his throne beneath the emblem of the World Serpent, resembling a statue.

As expected, following the original storyline, Gray Serpent delivered the same speech. It seemed he favored elegance but lacked creativity.

However, towards the end, after mentioning the gift, he added with a slight twist:

"But, my Lord, this particular gift requires your personal request. Please forgive my inadequacy."

"Hmm."

Initially expecting some reaction from Kevin, it came as a surprise when he remained completely unfazed. Though rather than unexpected, this stoicism truly embodied the essence of Kevin himself.

Kevin's immense power stemmed from his own abilities, not solely reliance on Judgment of Shamash. Although wielding it amplified his might significantly.

"Lord, are you not interested?" Gray Serpent cautiously inquired.

"The Queen mentioned that if you desire this gift, you must personally request it."

The vast hall remained deathly silent. Kevin sat upon the Throne, his azure eyes devoid of any emotion; no one could discern what he was thinking.

Even Gray Serpent, unsure, patiently awaited Lord's decision.

"The Queen of Wind." Suddenly, Kevin spoke, his voice still devoid of emotion, as if merely stating a fact. "She is indeed worthy of my personal invitation."

Yes, Kevin could sense Ana's presence. She hadn't intentionally concealed herself, and given her ability to create Ideal Fluids—which do not dissipate but persist within the atmosphere, spreading across Earth—it was clear from the start that Ana intended to provoke him.

After all, if Kevin had confronted Ana directly after emerging from the Sea of Quanta, she likely would have prevented him from even using artificial destabilization.

It highlighted just how weak Kevin was at that time, yet despite his diminished state, he still posed an insurmountable challenge to both Herrschers of Reason. This clearly demonstrated the significant power gap between the Herrscher of Reason and the Herrscher of Wind.

The Herrscher of Reason required extensive development; the second Herrscher spent countless years focused on unraveling the mysteries of Creation. As for the third Herrscher, she was a young Valkyrie whose mastery lay solely in hacking technology.

Unless she could transform the entire world into a digital realm, her hacking abilities held no value for the Herrscher of Reason. Moreover, altering the world itself exceeded even the maximum output capabilities of the Herrscher of Reason.

In comparison, the output power of Herrschers in the Honkai World is generally low, despite their formidable Authorities. It becomes evident that among Herrschers, those truly powerful are often those who can harness existing forces effectively, albeit requiring long periods of development as well.

With that, Kevin rose from his seat.

Observing their leader, Gray Serpent's gaze held intense fervor. Outside the hall, numerous followers had gathered in response to the call, reflecting the immense reach and influence of the World Serpent, the oldest organization known.

Bound by shared faith, they rallied around their Lord. In essence, Kevin's presence served as the guarantee for everything they sought.

"Commence the operation!" Kevin commanded indifferently, gazing at the ceiling, signaling the beginning of the Tianqiong City experiment.

"Yes, sir." Gray Serpent responded respectfully, kneeling on one knee.

He couldn't fathom what exactly Kevin was looking at or thinking about. As a reliable and devoted subordinate, facing humanity's hope and its leader, all he could do was obey.

In truth, Kevin's gaze wasn't aimlessly fixed on the ceiling; rather, it was directed towards...

Above Tianqiong City, high in the sky.

Ana sat gracefully atop Cang Luan's back. Affected by her Herrscher transformation, she exuded an equally aloof and majestic aura, resembling an Elven Empress—and indeed, she could be considered the Empress of Wind Spirits.

These so-called wind spirits were ideal fluids created through her Authority. As her power radiated, these ideal fluids scattered across various locations worldwide, acting like Ana's own eyes, observing everything.

At that moment, in Northern Africa, she was gazing at Kevin through one such Ideal Fluid.

While it may sound unbelievable, even to Kevin himself, there's nothing inherently surprising about this phenomenon. In the previous civilization, Kevin led the campaign against the Herrscher of Wind before becoming a MANTIS Fusion Warrior.

The Ideal Fluid contained traces of her Authority and faint Honkai Energy, imperceptible by conventional instruments. However, Brahma's Hundred Beasts transcend ordinary reasoning.