I Am Honkai

"Elysian Realm... What a poetic name. Nestled between the roots of the world and the folds of imaginary space, a convergence of illusion and reality. Truly, a masterful construct."

Selene's extended Will of Finality weaved through the dim corridors of a secluded shrine within the World Serpent headquarters, descending into a massive subterranean facility.

"Memory archives, consciousness spaces, fused Honkai beast DNA, fusion warriors... the Thirteen Flame-Chasers. Their ingenuity knows no bounds, doesn't it?"

Retracting her gaze, Selene turned to the figure bound tightly at her side. Her captive, a proud and elegant woman, glared at her with palpable humiliation. Amusement sparked in Selene's eyes as she tilted the woman's smooth, alluring chin, her voice laced with playful mischief.

"Wouldn't you agree, Rita Rossweisse?"

Graceful in demeanor, with ash-golden short hair covering her left eye, and wine-red irises that held a captivating depth. Her delicate skin gleamed under the dim light, accentuating her enviable figure—a combination of elegance and allure.

This was none other than Rita Rossweisse, the vice-captain of the Immortal Blades, the strongest Valkyrie squad in Schicksal. Trusted aide to Durandal and a cunning strategist, Rita was as formidable with her mind as she was with her scythe.

Not long ago, Selene had undertaken a thorough sweep of the imaginary space and the shallow layers of the Quantum Sea, treating them like her personal backyard.

What she found made her chuckle. This supposed secure space was more like a crowded bus station, filled with lingering consciousness fragments, stored memories, and unfinished contingencies left behind by various entities—Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, World Serpent, you name it.

Selene pulled everything out. Anything useful was kept for analysis, while the useless remnants were mercilessly obliterated.

Among her discoveries was a consciousness remnant connected to Rita—a trail left from her communication with Durandal in the imaginary space. What a delightful surprise.

Selene, on her way to the World Serpent headquarters, didn't hesitate to tear open a rift and pull Rita directly into her grasp. Capturing the S-rank Valkyrie was almost laughably easy for someone of Selene's stature.

"Mmmph! Mmph!"

Bound tightly by Selene's crimson-hued Honkai energy restraints, Rita's entire body was immobilized, even her mouth silenced by the searing energy. The bindings emphasized the elegant curves of her figure, heightening her natural allure. Her usual poise now radiated a provocative charm, captivating yet vulnerable.

Selene leaned in closer, her crimson, diamond-shaped pupils narrowing with amusement as she studied Rita's features. Her gaze lingered, savoring the Valkyrie's rare disarray. The faint, sweet scent of Rita's perfume lingered in the air, an intoxicating allure like forbidden nectar that deepened Selene's wicked grin.

Rita was a vision—a defiant bloom, exuding an irresistible allure that stirred something primal within Selene.

"Such a delectable beauty," Selene murmured, her voice low and smooth, each syllable dripping with teasing delight.

Tilting Rita's chin closer, Selene brought her crimson, diamond-shaped pupils mere inches away from Rita's wine-red irises. She could feel the warmth radiating from the Valkyrie's flushed skin, a blend of indignation, vulnerability, and—dare she admit it—grace under duress.

This wasn't the first time Rita had been in a situation with a certain imbalance of power; she was known to tease even Durandal in such roles. But now, the tables had turned dramatically.

Selene was the mischievous heiress, and Rita... well, she was the hapless noblewoman caught in the heiress's clutches.

Her complexion bore a soft crimson tint—whether from shame, shyness, anger, or the effects of her restraints depriving her of air, it was hard to tell.

Selene's grin grew even more wicked. A laugh escaped her lips, playful and teasing, as though reveling in the sheer absurdity of the situation.

Her laugh, her stance, her audacious demeanor—all screamed scandalous mischief.

If her butler, Sebas, had been present, he would undoubtedly spend the entire night reprimanding Selene for her lack of decorum and moral propriety. But that only made the moment more thrilling.

Finally, shaking her head in amusement, Selene pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "What was I even thinking?" she muttered under her breath.

Her body had acted before her mind. Could it be... this was her true nature? A raw, unrestrained part of her that had been suppressed by her rationality?

No, impossible.

"It's Rita's fault," she justified with an exaggerated nod. "That damnably alluring aura of hers... even without trying!"

With a sharp snap of her fingers, the crimson gag disintegrated into particles, allowing Rita to breathe freely again.

"Haaah—!" Rita inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with sweet, unimpeded air. Overeager, she coughed briefly, the sharp sensation of cool air filling her chest causing her to wince.

Still bound, unable to adjust her posture, Rita raised her head, her face regaining a semblance of calm. Yet the faint traces of indignation and vulnerability lingered in her gaze as she regarded Selene.

"Why..." she began, her voice a blend of irritation and confusion. "Why have you brought me here? I sense no immediate hostility from you"—(I absolutely feel hostility, she thought)—"Are you perhaps... of the Schariac family?"

"Ah~ already guessing my identity?" Selene teased, her tone dripping with faux praise. "Truly, your reputation precedes you, Rita. So capable."

Selene's impish grin morphed into a demure smile as her crimson pupils narrowed into crescents, her head tilting ever so slightly. She clapped her hands together in a mockery of genteel applause.

"..."

Rita's expression froze.

This tone, this demeanor—it was a mirror of her own. For the first time, she realized: she had met her match.

In her mind, Rita screamed. Impossible! How dare she! I'm the one who teases people, even Durandal! Yet today, I'm the one being teased?!

"Such flattery," Rita replied smoothly, maintaining her polished demeanor despite her bound state. "But I am merely a servant. Might I ask for your name, Lady Schariac?"

"I'm afraid not." Selene leaned closer, her smirk widening. "I may share a connection with the Schariac bloodline, but I am no Valkyrie."

The playful warmth in Selene's voice faded as she whispered her next words, her smile sharp enough to cut:

"On the contrary... I am a Herrscher. The Fourteenth Herrscher—the Herrscher of Finality."

The weight of her words hit like a falling mountain.

Rita froze, her wine-red eyes widening in shock, her body trembling. Her mind raced, struggling to reconcile the revelation with the impossible presence before her.

"You... you're joking," she stammered, her voice quivering. "Please, don't jest. I'm not very brave..."

Selene's eyes gleamed with amusement as Rita's calm facade crumbled, replaced by an uncharacteristic panic.

The predator had its prey exactly where it wanted.

"Not at all—it's the truth. My very purpose is to destroy this world, to eradicate all of humankind in this era, and to annihilate every last trace of civilization."

Words of extreme gravity fell casually from Selene's lips, her fingertip lightly brushing her own as she spoke. Opening her eyes once more, the crimson glow in her irises now bore a faint golden halo.

"You... you..."

"What? Are you afraid? Hahaha... You should thank me. I do admire you, Valkyries of Schicksal—fighting for a beautiful world."

"Though the ideal itself is naive, I can't deny that I appreciate it. It's not the kind of person I wish to become, but I don't oppose it either."

As she spoke, Selene lowered her hands, her expression returning to a serene calmness. The speed of the shift left even Rita Rossweisse marveling—it was clear now: Selene was a masterful actor. For someone like her, one could hardly discern genuine emotions from mere pretense.

"Save me? What does the Herrscher mean by that?"

"Exactly what it sounds like. Save you, because you have value. I want you."

Rita Rossweisse represented a perfect microcosm of Schicksal's Valkyrie forces. They were ordinary warriors without the advantages of special bloodlines or Herrscher powers—just people fighting for their ideals. They prioritized protecting the lives of civilians above victory and continued their missions even when unable to fight, refusing to rely solely on others who might not arrive in time.

To Selene and her empire, such an ethos was invaluable. The Valkyries could serve as a lubricant to soften the brutal image of the empire's conquests, tempering the terror of their overwhelming power.

While the Imperium of Selene had Astartes legions like the Dark Angels, the Black Templars, the Blood Angels and the Ultramarines, known for their restraint, the majority of the empire's forces were led by staunch iron-blooded hawks. Chief among these was Bugo, the High General overseeing the relentless Disciples of Vengeance—Astartes Legion II.

The most infamous of all were the World Eaters, the berserkers of Astartes Legion XII. Their massacres had drawn relentless impeachment from all corners of the empire's central bureaucracy.

Selene understood that sheer dominance could sustain a reign, but it would breed ceaseless resistance. Though once indifferent, she had begun to see the merit in balancing punishment with persuasion—a shift subtly influenced by figures like Sebas and other central officials.

It was Sebas who first emphasized that a society bound solely by fear and discipline, while robust, lacked the cultural grace and goodwill needed to endure. Listening to his advice—and seeing an opportunity to fulfill the request of the "Honkai Mother"—Selene set her sights on the Valkyries of Schicksal.

After all, juxtaposed with her soldiers shouting, "For Selene!" "Glory is loyalty!" "Blood for the Golden Throne!" and "Burn the stars in her name!" the Valkyries' motto of "Fighting for a beautiful world" offered a refreshing contrast that could reshape public perception.

"Ah, we've arrived," Selene said suddenly, raising her gaze. Her diamond-shaped crimson pupils seemed to pierce through the boundless void of the Imaginary Space.

Seeing Rita's confused expression, Selene raised a hand and tore open a spatial rift.

Tear—!

"This... this is also the power of the Void Herrscher?!"

Meanwhile, in Earth's outer space, ripples of time and space appeared along the Earth-Moon orbital plane. The vast void of the cosmos seemed to shatter into a dazzling cascade of vibrant fragments, the sunlight itself dimming beneath a veil of multicolored streaks.

An awe-inspiring, surreal tableau unfolded across the heavens, expanding rapidly. Energy coalesced into waves, surging in tides and tearing through the very fabric of reality with twisted, branch-like tendrils.

"Indeed. This is one way to manipulate spacetime: the Honkai Hyperdimensional Network."

As if answering Selene's call, countless specks of light flooded the void. The heavens filled with the thunderous roar of engines as imperial warships and orbital fortresses emerged en masse, their sheer scale blanketing Earth's near orbit.

"Look to the sky! What is that?!"

"Oh my God!"

"Is it an alien invasion? Or some kind of armada?"

"Lord have mercy on us!"

"These are your doing?" Rita turned to Selene, her voice trembling with incredulity.

"This," Selene replied, "is why I've come to save you. The stage has been set."

True to imperial doctrine, the fleet entered orbit and commenced precision orbital bombardments, their fiery contrails igniting Earth's upper atmosphere. Moments later, boarding pods rained down like a meteor shower, hurtling toward every major city on the planet.

Terrified citizens screamed and fled, while the global branches of Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, and World Serpent stood frozen, powerless against the onslaught. For the first time, these mighty factions realized their utter helplessness.

At the World Serpent's Headquarters...

Sitting on his throne, Kevin Kaslana, the leader of World Serpent, rose abruptly as projections of the scene unfolded before him. His pale silver hair gleamed under the dim light, his piercing gaze fixated on the golden, lattice-like sigil appearing in the skies amidst the stellar armada.

"That symbol..." His calm demeanor cracked, and his fists clenched. It was the emblem of extinction he had never forgotten—the herald of humanity's doom in the Previous Era.

"Finality!!!"

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