Honkai: Oh No, I’ve Become the Herrscher of Corruption?! - Chapter 36

“So this is why it stopped running—it found the perfect hiding spot.” Tesla slammed her fist on the table as she watched the Herrscher of Ice retreat to the depths of Lake Baikal after its failed attack.

Except for Welt, who could move freely in the air, everyone else had to stay on the vines. To protect the vines from being destroyed, Cecilia had to focus entirely on controlling the Black Abyss and White Flower, leaving her unable to fight for the moment.

Then, without warning, the clear skies above Lake Baikal darkened. Within minutes, thick icy mist enveloped the vines, severely impairing visibility and the accuracy of their attacks. Even if the Herrscher struck now, Siegfried and the others couldn’t guarantee a hit.

Welt frowned as the Herrscher stubbornly remained hidden at the bottom of the lake. Theoretically, the only way to force it out was to drain the entire lake—but doing so would cause irreversible ecological damage. Besides, after recently using a pseudo-black hole, did he even have the strength left to pull off such a feat and finish the Herrscher off?

Fortunately, the Herrscher had another opponent from the very beginning.

[Listen to me. Get out.]
[Out!]
[Out!]

Like a fish leaping from water, the Herrscher of Ice burst through the frozen surface—only to dive back into the lake immediately.

“Damn it… You’re a Herrscher too, but unlike the Herrscher of Death, you want to live. What a pain.”

Deep within the Herrscher’s consciousness, Enoxia—who had partially infiltrated its mind—kept trying to imprint the command to surface. But the Herrscher’s own will resisted fiercely.

Haaah… Can’t rush this. Welt must’ve noticed my interference just now. I should let them prepare first. If I want to break through, I’ll need to coordinate with the others outside.

Enoxia eased her control momentarily, diving deeper into the Herrscher’s psyche.

Just as she expected, Welt shared his theory with the group.

“The Herrscher of Corruption’s assistance has given us a precious opportunity. We must act quickly and come up with a plan—we can’t let her efforts go to waste.”

Normally, Cecilia would lead Schicksal’s forces. But this time, the three A-rank Valkyries—Cheng Lixue, Shigure Kira, and Niggurath—stood firm and proposed their own strategy.

“No! It’s too dangerous! Salome and Patricia have already fallen. As your captain, I can’t keep watching my squad throw their lives away!”

The three Valkyries exchanged glances. Since the Snowwolf Squad’s formation in 1996, this was the first time they’d seen their captain so emotional. Clearly, their fallen comrades weighed heavily on her heart.

“Captain, even the slowest of us understands now—A-rank Valkyries are nothing before a Herrscher. The only weapons capable of dealing a fatal blow are your and Siegfried’s Judgement of Shamash. But the Overseer still sent us with you. You know why. Using our lives to create an opening… is the most valuable thing we can do.”

“Lixue, I…” Cecilia’s protest died in her throat under Lixue’s resolute words.

“Please, Lady Cecilia. Even against a Herrscher, let us contribute something.” Kira raised her sniper rifle, her voice steady.

The Herrscher of Ice was weakened now—but no one knew how long that would last. Its terrifying regenerative abilities could restore it at any moment. And from the battle so far, it had shown frightening combat intelligence since awakening. If it escaped now, the consequences would be catastrophic.

In the end, duty as a Valkyrie forced Cecilia to silently accept their plan.

…

For any sentient being, emotions naturally arise from experiences—some memories carve themselves deeper than others.

Hmm… Even with severe memory loss, it’s just like humans. The most unforgettable moments are the ones that push emotions to extremes—rage, joy, sorrow, excitement… Good. That makes this easier.

Unlike machines, when corrupting a living being, the stronger the will and the greater the changes attempted, the stronger the resistance. So when manipulating a Herrscher of her own caliber, Enoxia preferred an indirect approach.

She didn’t alter its memories or perceptions. Instead, she stimulated its mind, forcing it to relive its most visceral experiences—swinging its emotions between extremes, bending its will like a wire until it snapped. Only then could she slip into the cracks.

Sigh… Even for the Herrscher of Corruption, rewriting another Herrscher’s data is exhausting. They should’ve finalized their plan by now, right?

[Get. OUT.]

Under Enoxia’s influence, the Herrscher of Ice burst from the lake like a koi leaping over the Dragon Gate. But before it could dive back in, its body lurched upward—Welt had altered gravity, trapping it midair.

Yet that was all he could do. The Herrscher’s powers remained unchecked. Welt suspected its prior absorption of him had granted some resistance to his abilities. If they wanted a killing blow, it was up to those two.

Countless ice spikes shot toward Welt, but his summoned artillery shattered them before they reached him.

The real threats were the five ice needles and the two lanterns. After losing the Core of Earth, the lanterns had shrunk—but they still sent Valkyries flying like spinning tops.

Cheng Lixue watched as both lanterns hurtled toward her from opposite sides. She sheathed Ruoshui and took a deep breath.

“Let the strong be strong, like the breeze over the mountain;
Let the fierce be fierce, like the moon on the river.”

Facing the same lanterns that had killed an A-rank Valkyrie, Cheng Lixue’s mind entered a state of absolute stillness—Serenity Extreme.

[Soft Force: Lotus], [Soft Force: Willow], [Soft Force: Pine], [Soft Force: Bamboo]

In this hyper-focused state, she didn’t meet force with force. Instead, she redirected the lanterns’ momentum with precise, flowing movements, sending them spinning away.

Welt adjusted gravity just enough for Niggurath to leap from the vines—landing perfectly on one of the deflected lanterns before launching herself at the Herrscher.

The five ice needles shot toward her, but Niggurath didn’t flinch. She charged forward.

Kira followed, jumping from the vines and pulling the trigger despite the thick fog.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

Three bullets struck, altering the needles’ trajectories just enough for them to collide midair. Niggurath used the clashing debris as another foothold, vanishing into the mist. Like Cheng Lixue, Shigure Kira landed safely on the ice.

“Niggurath… It’s all up to you now.”