“How much?! Over 5,800 HW?!”
In the air roughly 100 kilometers from Schicksal Headquarters, Sirin, having just teleported here, doubted her own ears upon hearing Enoxia’s words.
Since Enoxia had used the Authority of the Herrscher of Corruption to add them both to the whitelist beforehand, neither Schicksal’s nor Anti-Entropy’s equipment could detect their presence at all.
“Sirin, you heard correctly. It’s 5,885 HW.”
Under normal circumstances, Honkai energy levels exceeding 1 HW can infect ordinary people with low resistance. Even with protective gear, if the intensity surpasses 10 HW, there’s an extremely high risk of an ordinary person turning into a zombie.
The Honkai energy intensity, of course, also varies among different Honkai beasts.
According to the three major organizations’ research, zombies generally register below 10 HW. Anything exceeding 1,000 HW usually indicates a pseudo-Herrscher, a Judgment-class, or a Vipralopa-class Honkai beast.
If a Judgment-class Honkai beast is also a pseudo-Herrscher, it naturally becomes even stronger, like Reanna and Bella. Enoxia had once tested Bella’s full-power strike, which reached 2,000 HW. Reanna’s hasn’t been measured, but it’s probably not far off.
Above 2,000 HW is the Herrscher level. Of course, different Herrschers possess different strengths. For example, the Herrscher of Death and the Herrscher of Wind that appeared in 2000 barely exceeded 2,000 HW.
A Herrscher with higher compatibility with their core, like Raiden Mei, can unleash a full-power strike of about 3,200 HW. Wendy, during her showdown with Kevin, was at a similar level. Enoxia hasn’t measured it, but she estimates her own full strength would also exceed 3,000 HW.
Finally, there’s the most unique case, Sirin. Although she has an affinity with multiple Herrscher cores, this doesn’t mean her Honkai energy intensity multiplies exponentially—like 3,000 HW per core, making 6,000 HW for two. Among all her cores, the Herrscher of the Void’s core has the highest compatibility with her.
Currently, with two Herrscher cores inside her, Sirin’s normal intensity is around 4,800 HW, about 1,000 HW lower than the Herrscher of Ice below. However, if she goes all out, exceeding 5,000 HW shouldn’t be a problem.
This is precisely why Sirin feels so frustrated right now. Judging purely by the numbers, even as a dual-core Herrscher, she seems weaker than a single-core Herrscher of Ice, which dealt her a significant blow to her pride.
“I believe anyone can see that a single-core Herrscher reaching this energy level is clearly abnormal… Sirin, you know my Authority allows me to see the essence of things to a certain extent. This Herrscher of Ice in front of us… how should I put it, although the numbers have indeed gone up, I can’t help feeling… she’s somewhat lacking in genuine substance…”
“Forget all those messy settings. Given the current situation, shouldn’t we intervene? Looking at it now, neither Schicksal nor Anti-Entropy seems capable of stopping her.”
Enoxia raised her hand.
“Not yet. Wait a bit longer… Schicksal and Anti-Entropy… haven’t reached their breaking point yet. An important event also hasn’t occurred yet… Also, Sirin, when we make our move later, you don’t need to keep everything bottled up. Beyond those basic principles, you can do what you truly want to do…”
Back on the battlefield between the Second Laboratory and the Second Spaceport, facing the suddenly strengthened Herrscher of Ice, Fu Hua found herself completely on the back foot. Ice chips covered her from head to toe, making her look utterly disheveled.
“Why did it suddenly get stronger… No, this isn’t the time to dwell on that. If I don’t stop it here, Mei and the Principal will…”
Without any hesitation, Fu Hua brought out the Fenghuang Down. Just as she was about to activate its Zeroth Power, an ice spike pierced her left arm. It seemed the Herrscher of Ice had seen through her intention and wanted to interrupt her.
The ice spike that impaled Fu Hua exploded before she could take her next step. Although the explosion itself didn’t inflict any substantial physical damage, the cold, reaching below minus 70 degrees Celsius, seeped deep into her bones, sending an involuntary shiver through her body.
However, an injury of this caliber couldn’t halt Fu Hua’s actions. Just as she prepared to continue her attack, a crisp sound came from beneath her feet.
Crack, crack… Crash…
The pathway between the Second Laboratory and the Second Spaceport collapsed. Fu Hua instinctively leaped, activating the flight mode of her battlesuit, the Shadow Knight – Moonblade.
Through the hazy ice mist, Fu Hua vaguely saw a massive silhouette appear on the wall opposite her. A sudden realization struck her.
“Just now, the ambient Honkai energy concentration spiked rapidly… So, what broke the passage must be an Emperor-class or even Judgment-class Honkai beast born from the Herrscher of Ice’s influence…”
Up ahead, ice spikes rained down once more. Fu Hua dodged left and right, her agile movements ensuring none of the countless spikes found their mark. But by the time she pursued further, the Herrscher of Ice had vanished again.
“From my battle and Lixue’s battle with it, it’s consistently avoided engaging others… Or rather, it’s extremely afraid of being delayed. What could its target possibly be, making it so frantic?”
Fu Hua flew into the Second Spaceport. Due to the Herrscher of Ice’s visit, the surroundings had already transformed into a frozen world. Valkyries and headquarters staff who hadn’t managed to escape in time were forever frozen in place.
Fu Hua entered the control tower. Thankfully, some equipment here still functioned. She pulled up the surveillance footage to trace the Herrscher of Ice’s path, but discovered that Raiden Mei and Theresa had passed through here earlier. Their current location perfectly coincided with the Herrscher of Ice’s trajectory.
“Could it be… its target is… Oh no!”
Fu Hua immediately set off, but hadn’t gone far when a familiar voice stopped her.
“Old friend, there’s no need to be so hasty…”
Otto looked at Fu Hua leisurely, as if the damage caused by the Herrscher of Ice had absolutely nothing to do with him.
“Otto…”
Fu Hua had just begun to speak when Otto raised his hand, indicating she didn’t need to continue.
“Old friend, I know what you’re going to say. Barring any surprises, Theresa and the others have already engaged the Herrscher…”
“As long as I keep you here, their battle won’t have any outside interference… Their fight will proceed to its very end.”
Watching Otto’s profoundly meaningful smile, Fu Hua’s face filled with bewilderment.
“You… What did you say?!”
“Oh, right, there’s something I haven’t told you yet… Don’t look at me like that. Rest assured, for you, it’s definitely good news.”
“K423’s self-awareness hasn’t dissipated. In other words, she’s not dead. Furthermore, in my plan, I also need her to continue living.”
“Right now, two consciousnesses reside within that body. The one you all call ‘Kiana’—the K423 consciousness—and the self-awareness of the Herrscher of Ice from 17 years ago. Well, my old friend, doesn’t that differ somewhat from your understanding?”
“After absorbing a high concentration of Honkai energy, the Herrscher consciousness originally residing within K423’s body regained its activity and smoothly seized control of the body. Ultimately, this led to the reawakening of the Herrscher of Ice.”
“But this isn’t the result I wanted. Up to this point, my plan has only completed its first phase. What comes next is the true experiment.”
“K423 fell into a deep sleep because of the Herrscher’s awakening, but she hasn’t disappeared. So, what if the opposite happens? What if K423’s consciousness triumphs over the Herrscher of Ice’s consciousness? What would occur then?”
“The answer is simple: a human wielding the power of a Herrscher would be born!”
“This can be corroborated, whether by the Herrscher of the Void from 17 years ago, the Herrscher of Corruption, or the current Herrscher of Thunder.”
“Even if the Herrscher consciousness that seeks to destroy everything ceases to exist, the Herrscher’s power won’t vanish. And manipulating a human is far easier than manipulating a Herrscher.”
“Although I don’t know why the Herrscher of Ice’s Honkai energy intensity suddenly became so powerful, just imagine what would happen if such a mighty Herrscher could be used by me.”
“Of course, I also understand that having K423’s consciousness overpower the Herrscher consciousness is no easy feat, but it’s not entirely impossible either.”
“Old friend, I believe you’ve already guessed it. It’s emotion. Emotion… can create miracles.”
Fu Hua’s eyes widened, her expression shifting from shock to urgency.
“You!”
But Otto continued on, seemingly oblivious to Fu Hua’s changing expression and her clenched fists.
“I have always firmly believed that the bonds between people transform into the purest and most powerful force. During the two and a half years K423 attended St. Freya Academy, the connections she forged with Theresa, Raiden Mei, and so many others have become unbreakable ties.”
“These happy memories will become K423’s strength, tearing apart the heart of a Herrscher that knows not what love is.”
Fu Hua’s heartbeat quickened with Otto’s words, her breathing becoming ragged.
“If that happens, they… will be killed!”
Otto shrugged.
“I understand. The disparity in combat power is obvious for all to see. But I cannot provide them with any help. No outsider can intervene in this sacred battle. It is precisely in such a desperate situation that humanity can burst forth with its most dazzling radiance.”
“According to my calculations… the moment a sacrifice occurs, K423 will reclaim her body.”
“I believe in Theresa, and I believe in her students.”
“To kill a Herrscher with love — this is a great feat that only they can accomplish!”
Fu Hua remained silent. In her mind, there was only one thought:
Insanity. The man before her has completely lost his mind!
No, rather, he had been a complete and utter madman from the very beginning. From the moment she met him 500 years ago until now, he had never changed.
“Heh heh… Hahahaha…”
From 50,000 years ago until Otto finished speaking, Fu Hua had never thought such laughter could escape her lips.
“My old friend, I’m asking you now, in all seriousness. Your current actions have moved beyond my control, which is why I’m choosing to tell you everything. Even so, do you still wish to resist me? Do you… still intend to stop me?”
After a few seconds of silence, an expression of extreme anger surfaced on Fu Hua’s face—an expression that, likewise, shouldn’t have appeared there. Then, as if mustering every ounce of her strength, she gave her answer.
“…Friend? In your words, there’s not a shred of conscience… only bottomless selfishness and lies… Trampling on others’ feelings, toying with their fates… Not even for a single moment… have you considered yourself a villain!”
“Otto Apocalypse… from the very depths of my heart… you fill me with pity… and loathing…”
At that moment, thunder flashed across the horizon. Darkness shrouded the sky, concealing Otto Apocalypse’s face as well.
From the moment Otto revealed his plan, Fu Hua had made her decision. Under normal circumstances, she would still need to guard against the Void Archives in his possession—a Divine Key capable of mimicking any other Divine Key. One moment of carelessness, and she might truly fall into his trap.
But now was different. Fu Hua knew that to obtain the Cosmic Juggernaut, the man before her had traded the Void Archives to World Serpent. And based on her understanding of him, he must have already calculated her reaction before he even began speaking.
So she couldn’t understand where this man’s confidence came from. Even if she couldn’t use her full power, even if she had just fought a Herrscher, she was still dealing with someone who was neither a Herrscher nor currently wielding a Divine Key…
Bang!
A crisp sound echoed across the sky as a bullet accurately struck Fu Hua in the head.
What she didn’t know was that even without the Void Archives, Otto had still prepared a weapon capable of killing her… One could say, that weapon was invented specifically to deal with her.
Since the Second Honkai War, Schicksal understood that while Honkai Fission Warheads had immense power, as long as a Herrscher wasn’t blind, they could see it flying towards them with the naked eye. And even if it hit, the risk of friendly fire was extremely high.
So, could a high-yield weapon be miniaturized? For instance, could they manufacture a bullet theoretically capable of severely wounding a Herrscher? After 17 years of effort, Schicksal had achieved half-success.
It’s considered half-success because, while the newest weapon’s reduced size did solve the two main drawbacks of the Fission Warhead, it was, after all, just a bullet. All Herrschers have Authorities. As long as they can construct a barrier with their Authority before the bullet hits, its effectiveness would be greatly reduced.
But Fu Hua was not a Herrscher. This half-successful anti-Herrscher weapon was perfectly suited for use against her in this state.
Watching Fu Hua slowly collapse, countless images flickered rapidly through Otto’s mind. Memories spanning 500 years, like illusory bubbles, dissipated one by one before his eyes, turning into nothingness.
“…Red Kite Immortal… I did not lie…”
