I Am Honkai

"Why do this?"

"For coordinates."

Feeling the intent conveyed by the Will of Honkai, Selene responded in a detached tone.

A tide of Lesser Honkai Beasts born solely from 1000 HW of energy, without the leadership of higher-tier entities, would do little more than cull the population and spread global panic. In terms of real impact, it was negligible.

Would Selene really waste such a vast amount of Honkai energy on creating mere Lesser Beasts without further action? That seemed inconsistent with how other Herrschers typically behaved.

"I've dabbled in the art of spatial manipulation," Selene explained lightly.

"Using Honkai to expand its influence and increase energy concentration across a broader range—it's low-tier, but it's sufficient to stabilize small spatial rifts. Sending a few gifts through? That's easily done."

Her smile grew sharper. "You see, Honkai Beasts have never been my primary military force."

The pure white figure, representing the Will of Honkai, faltered. It regarded this daughter of its domain—Selene—with an intensity that belied its lack of features.

Over countless cycles, it had chosen innumerable Herrscher candidates, each with their unique dispositions:

• Those who brimmed with hatred for humanity.

• Those who despised the Honkai itself.

• Those who raged at the world.

• Those who sought salvation.

• Those who dreamed of banishing the Honkai forever.

All these candidates, despite their divergent paths, shared a remarkable purity in their souls—untainted, unwavering, and absolute in will.

But Selene was different.

This daughter, who had departed from its direct influence, stood apart from all it had ever known.

Selene's once-pristine soul shimmered with an iridescent chaos, stained by an unending kaleidoscope of desires:

• Ruthlessness and compassion.

• Destruction and creation.

• Extinction and salvation.

• Revered by some, hated by others.

• Worshipped by a few, cursed by many.

The collision of such opposing forces within her should have created dissonance, yet they harmonized. She wielded these contradictions with ease.

"Such a colorful existence," the Will of Honkai mused silently.

Strangely, of all the desires pulsing within Selene, the Will noticed the faintest trace of indulgence—a small, almost negligible flicker of self-restraint when it came to lust.

Selene's lips curled into a faint smirk as she spoke again.

"I wonder. They claim to fight for humanity, for a better world. But what if their enemies are also human? What if their enemies, too, fight for their vision of a better future?"

Her voice grew softer, tinged with an almost playful menace.

"Ah, how intriguing this will be...."

As Selene's words trailed off, her projection—formed from her secondary consciousness—shattered into streaks of light, dissipating into the void.

The Will of Honkai lingered a moment longer, its form flickering before it too began to dissolve. Silence reclaimed the surreal space, save for the brief flash of a dark serpentine shadow slipping into the distance.

Back in the Liuli Palace

Selene opened her eyes.

"Summon them," she said softly.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

From the shadows, a servant emerged, bowing deeply before retreating to relay the command.

Moments later, footsteps echoed in the hall.

"Your Majesty, what is your command?"

The returning voice belonged to Alyssa, who, after a day of frolicking with her newfound mermaid friend, had just entered the chamber. Her excitement bubbled over as she hurried to Selene's side, her eyes alight with anticipation.

"Do you have something for me to do?"

Selene arched an eyebrow, waving the servant away as she regarded the eager Alyssa. Gently, she pinched the young girl's cheeks, causing her to let out muffled protests.

"And what exactly can you do?" Selene teased with mock seriousness.

"Mmm! You're mean!" Alyssa pouted. "Why does the Queen say I'm useless? That's not fair!"

Amused by the girl's indignation, Selene hummed thoughtfully, her mind racing.

"Hmm... let me think.... Ah! How about this: I'll send you somewhere."

Selene's smile widened.

"You'll act as my vanguard—fly around the world a few times. That should suffice."

Alyssa tilted her head, her pout fading into curiosity.

"What exactly am I supposed to do, Your Majesty?"

"What, indeed...." Selene leaned on her palm, her crimson eyes glinting mischievously.

"Think of it this way—you'll deliver my blessings ahead of time to this wonderful world."

Selene snapped her fingers.

CRACK!

A tear in space appeared, an inky black rift swirling with chromatic hues. Without another word, Selene lifted Alyssa into her arms and stepped into the breach.

As Selene departed, the Empire's immense military apparatus roared to life.

Selene's orders, unquestionable and absolute, were swiftly disseminated through imperial channels. Within mere moments, the commands reached every Astartes legion and their respective fleet commanders.

Boom!

The Star Gates roared open.

From every orbital dock and fortress, streams of light pierced the void as warships ascended, their metallic hulls glinting like a second sun. The Empire's vast fleets mobilized with precision, their purpose clear.

Deep within the heart of every Honkai disaster zone, an unseen hand began weaving the strands of energy.

Hummm....

The air vibrated as Honkai energy pooled and coalesced, growing denser with each passing moment.

Finally, with a soft "crack," the accumulated energy burst.

At each critical node, the concentrated Honkai power ruptured into faintly glowing purple spheres. These spheres imploded soundlessly, leaving behind spatial rifts just under four meters in diameter.

Despite the small scale of these rifts, they emanated a sinister pull, their energies carefully concealed beneath the chaos of the ongoing beast tides. Neither satellites nor specialized detection systems picked up the anomalies.

Far from prying eyes, the quiet Austrian town of Klosterneuburg slumbered beneath the weight of centuries.

Once the headquarters of Schicksal 500 years ago, the town now lay abandoned—its ancient buildings crumbling under the weight of time. Ivy crept along the walls, and the pervasive stench of decay clung to the air.

High above the desolate streets, the Hyperion hovered in eerie silence.

Its sleek, white frame stretched 278.5 meters in length, with a flight deck extending 182 meters. The ship's arrowhead-like design gleamed under the pale moonlight, exuding a grace unmatched by the brutish warships of Selene's Empire.

Inside the Hyperion's command deck, the tension was palpable. The orange warning lights pulsed like a heartbeat, casting sharp shadows across the walls.

Crew members moved with practiced urgency, their hands deftly operating consoles as the looming storm of catastrophe approached.

"Report: Information from the Schicksal headquarters. A new large-scale Honkai disaster is imminent. Honkai Beast activity is intensifying across global Honkai disaster zones. Projections indicate a high probability of a new Herrscher emerging!"

Beep—beep—beep—!

As the report flashed on the system display, a flood of red warning windows popped up across the central monitor. A communications officer at a small floating control console hurriedly relayed the update:

"These are data logs from the headquarters' observers. Theresa-sama, please issue instructions."

"Show me the video feed from the Siberian disaster zone," Theresa commanded.

"Understood! The footage is being transmitted now!"

Moments later, encrypted data from Schicksal headquarters appeared on the central screen of the ship's bridge. The first image displayed was of a truly ominous silhouette—

"Damn it! Why now, of all times?! What rotten luck!"

A petite woman with crimson twin tails and a mechanical arm on her left hand slammed her fist on the console, her frustration echoing through the bridge. She turned to a girl with messy light-blue curls and a disheveled appearance, shouting loudly:

"Hey, bird's-nest head! Think of something! How do we break through Otto's damned turtle shell?"

The girl, her frazzled appearance betraying her youth, replied calmly despite the accusation.

"There's no way. Breaking through Otto's defenses in a short time is almost impossible. Even the Moonlight Throne's standard output might not be enough...."

"Then think harder!"

"Panicking won't help."

Ignoring Tesla's outburst, Einstein studied the screen intently. Then, she turned to Theresa and offered a grim hypothesis:

"Theresa, could this be related to Otto? The barrier he's using might involve Herrscher powers."

The central monitor displayed the church where Otto resided. Encased in a dome-shaped golden barrier, it stood like a fortress impervious to assault.

Einstein continued:

"From Kiana's description, the barrier seems to suppress Herrscher powers, potentially indicating the influence of the Herrscher of Binding. According to the Honkai's sequence of descent, the Herrscher of Binding follows the Herrscher of Domination."

Theresa's soft voice trembled slightly as she whispered,

"Otto... did he become a Herrscher...."

Theresa Apocalypse, a diminutive yet commanding figure with silvery white hair, stood at the heart of the bridge. Despite her angelic visage, the weight of her responsibilities as Saint Freya Academy's principal and Schicksal's Far East branch leader showed in her troubled expression.

She was Otto Apocalypse's rebellious "granddaughter" and his chosen successor as Schicksal's Overseer.

"That's a distinct possibility, but it doesn't entirely add up," Einstein said, exchanging a look with Tesla before continuing.

"Logically, the emergence of a single Herrscher should trigger a localized large-scale Honkai outbreak. But here, there's no clear indication of such an event."

Her gaze returned to the screen.

"Across global Honkai disaster zones, Honkai energy levels are increasing, but they're averaging below 700 HW. Even Siberia, the highest concentration, has only reached around 900 HW—short of the 1000 HW threshold needed for Herrscher manifestation."

Pausing, she shifted her focus to Theresa, her expression thoughtful.

The meaning was clear: this anomaly was more likely Otto's machinations than the emergence of a new Herrscher.

Einstein elaborated:

"Otto's five centuries of planning and preparation—who can fathom the depth of his schemes? It's entirely plausible that he used his authority during his tenure as Overseer to leave behind contingencies in the world's disaster zones. Leaking Honkai energy, awakening and enraging Honkai Beasts...."

Her tone darkened.

"If we think of it that way, it explains a lot. Who else would we suspect but Otto?"

Theresa clenched her fists and issued her next command:

"Kiana, proceed with the original plan. Prepare for engagement."

"Understood!"

"Bronya acknowledges."

Turning off the comms, Theresa frowned and addressed Einstein,

"If—hypothetically—the Moonlight Throne doesn't have sufficient output to breach the barrier, what then?"

Einstein, unfazed, replied in her characteristically dry tone:

"Then we'll have to find another way."

Tesla, clearly agitated, stomped her foot and growled,

"We can't keep dragging this out! The Honkai disasters are intensifying. If this really is the emergence of a new Herrscher, we're out of time!"

Her words hung heavy in the air.

If the global rise in Honkai energy wasn't Otto's doing and signaled a new Herrscher's arrival... even the mere precursor events were catastrophic.

The realization sent a chill down Einstein's spine. The potential parallels to the Second Honkai Eruption—caused by Sirin—loomed large in her mind.

"Damn it!" Einstein swore internally. She had always been composed, but the timing of this crisis was maddeningly precise—occurring when they were least prepared.

"No matter the truth, our plan remains sound. We don't have many options." Theresa's voice steadied as she made her decision.

"I'll rendezvous with Kiana and Bronya. The Moonlight Throne's power settings and preparations are in your hands. If necessary, authorize maximum output."

With that, Theresa hurriedly left the bridge.

"No problem! It's not rocket science." Tesla waved dismissively but immediately dropped her cheerful facade the moment Theresa vanished through the metal doors.

She sighed heavily and asked,

"Hey, bird's-nest head, do you think this will work?"

Einstein didn't look up, instead continuing to oversee the activation of the Moonlight Throne's main cannon.

"It doesn't matter whether it will or not. We have to act faster."

The ship hummed as the anti-Herrscher weapon, the Moonlight Throne, began its charging sequence. The sound of turbines spinning filled the air, resonating with growing intensity.

As the golden barrier surrounding the distant church glinted on the central screen, Einstein murmured under her breath,

"Honestly... I almost hope Otto is behind this."

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