This nonexistent memory came to an end. Enoxia stood frozen in place, admitting to herself that this memory—which didn’t truly belong to her—had left her young mind utterly shaken.
Some parts of it were simply too absurd, too unimaginable.
“As expected of the yandere, jealous version of me… Unable to accept Elysia’s death, she would occasionally dress up as Elysia and alter her own perception to deceive herself…”
“The premise itself isn’t the issue. The only problem is—in this memory, Elysia was the bona fide Herrscher of Origin, a MANTIS warrior. Not everyone is like Sirin, a four-core Herrscher who somehow got countered by a single-core one… But this version of Elysia seems way too weak, doesn’t she?”
She wasn’t entirely sure what the exact authority of the Herrscher of Origin entailed, but she was certain of one thing: the Herrscher of Origin stood second only to the Herrscher of the End, far surpassing the other twelve Herrschers in status.
Not to mention, as a MANTIS warrior whose combat prowess was second only to Kevin among the Thirteen Flame-Chasers, Elysia’s body also carried the genetic factor of the End-Class Honkai Beast, MahāĪśvara.
So even if Elysia had been unwilling to hurt her, even if she had lost control and gone berserk, facing such an Elysia should have ended with her being completely overpowered.
Moreover, the Herrscher core of the Herrscher of Corruption was different from ordinary Herrschers. Having died once before, Enoxia knew full well that even if her Herrscher core were shattered, as long as she could revive, her resurrected body would naturally still possess an intact core. Even if she had gone berserk, she would have chosen to kill herself before losing control entirely—or had someone else do it if she couldn’t. Not run off to some deserted area to stage a poorly written tragedy.
And another thing… Kiana lost control because the consciousness of the Herrscher of the Void was fighting her for dominance. But Enoxia was the Herrscher’s consciousness. How could she have inexplicably lost control like that?
Still, after this memory surfaced in her mind, Enoxia felt an itch in her heart. She wanted to do the same as the other “her”—to dress herself up exactly like Elysia.
Not because she wanted to become Elysia, but because she suddenly realized: if she were to cosplay as Elysia, there would be no one in the world more perfect for the role than herself.
“Seems like you find this memory full of plot holes.”
Hearing [Enoxia]’s voice echo from the distance, Enoxia let out a soft laugh.
“It’s not just me. The scenario you constructed is simply too ridiculous. This isn’t the yandere version of me—it’s the yandere version of you making choices based on my experiences. We may share many similarities, but we’re still two different people. Hurry up and make your next move.”
Faced with Enoxia’s unshaken composure, [Enoxia] only grew more puzzled.
“I’m curious… What exactly are you hiding in that small part you’ve been blocking me from seeing? What makes you so certain it can turn the tables? …Never mind. Maybe we’re actually thinking of the same thing.”
A blue flame, slightly different from before, materialized in [Enoxia]’s hand without warning and shot straight into her forehead. Unlike the previous sensation of impending mental fracture, Enoxia now only felt an overwhelming drowsiness and weakness wash over her.
“So sleepy… so tired…”
(Switching to Sirin’s perspective…)
Teleported to the designated coordinates, Sirin glanced around—only to find an empty expanse of blue sky and drifting white clouds. Her first thought was that she had been tricked.
But before anger could take hold, she quickly noticed something amiss. In this seemingly empty space, her Herrscher authority was being subtly suppressed. After several attempts at teleportation, she realized that no matter where she tried to go, her landing point was always significantly off the intended coordinates.
“In the Sea of Quanta, anything can happen. If the space itself is anomalous and doesn’t follow normal spatial rules, approaching it from the perspective of ordinary space will naturally result in deviations. If this happens, don’t panic. First, try to figure out where exactly the anomaly lies and how large the margin of error is.”
Enoxia’s words echoed in her mind, gradually calming Sirin down. She began using the Herrscher of the Void’s authority to sense the surrounding space.
And then—a flood of information overwhelmed Sirin’s mind. Faced with countless incomprehensible parameters, her vision darkened, and she nearly passed out.
Forcing herself to stay conscious, Sirin tried again to perceive the space… only for her brain to short-circuit entirely, leaving her dazed and steaming.
“Dammit! Enoxia’s probably being eroded by [her] right now, in mortal danger at any moment… and here I am, completely useless!”
(Password correct, but no device detected.)
Sirin didn’t gain any miraculous power, but her gaze soon fell upon a familiar figure.
“Your Majesty! Thank goodness you’re alright!”
Bella flew to Sirin’s side at full speed, kneeling before her with eyes brimming with excitement. Sirin patted her head, her own mood lifting slightly at Bella’s joy—until the headache from all those chaotic parameters returned. Turning back to Bella, she noticed her servant’s eyes filled with astonishment.
“Bella, what is it?”
“Your Majesty, you know of my abilities. The magnetic field here… is abnormal.”
Perhaps due to mental exhaustion, or perhaps because Sirin had never been the sharpest tool in the shed, she blinked blankly in response.
Reading her blinking rate, Bella understood.
“You’re asking what the abnormal magnetic field has to do with the Herrscher of Corruption and our current situation, right? Well… Your Majesty, if I push myself… I might be able to… correct the distorted magnetic field.”
Bella’s voice grew quieter, but Sirin’s eyes only widened further. She pulled Bella into an embrace, pressing a hand against her back.
“Don’t worry. If you’re running low on Honkai energy, use mine. Bella… saving Enoxia might just depend on you now.”
…..
At the edge of Atlantis, the rising sun dyed the land crimson. Yet, in K423’s arms, only one person remained.
“For the first time, the night felt so long… and yet, I don’t want the sun to rise. How much time do you… have left?”
The bold, cheerful Enoxia tilted her head slightly.
“Worst case? Three or four hours. Best case? Who knows?”
K423 chuckled softly.
“So you’re counting on Sirin too.”
Meeting her gaze, the bold Enoxia brushed a strand of hair aside.
“Mhm. After all… she might just be the one who can truly ‘kill’ the real me.”
