Honkai: Oh No, I’ve Become the Herrscher of Corruption?! - Chapter 9

February 6, 2000 – Dawn

Sirin’s consciousness slowly returned. As she stirred, she could feel a new power coursing through her veins. When she opened her eyes, she saw Enoxia sitting nearby, waving at her with a cheerful smile.

“Hey there~ Long time no see. How are you feeling?”

Sirin looked down at her hands, where arcs of electricity danced between her fingertips.

“What did you do to me?”

“I borrowed the Core of Thunder from Schicksal HQ. The moment it touched you, you absorbed it automatically. Now you’ve got a shiny new power—Herrscher of the Void and Thunder.”

“Why didn’t you take it for yourself?” Sirin frowned.

“Do you think Herrscher Cores are candy? There are only a handful of people in the world who can even become Herrschers, let alone handle two Cores at once. You’re one of a kind.” Enoxia pouted, unable to hide her envy.

Sirin’s gaze shifted to Benares lying motionless nearby. The dragon had been gravely injured by Welt’s simulated Divine Key, then pushed herself to the brink carrying Sirin to safety. Only a Judgment-class Honkai beast could have survived such punishment.

Rushing to her side, Sirin channeled a surge of Honkai energy into Benares. Slowly, the dragon stirred—her form shifting into that of a human girl.

Long gray hair, sky-blue eyes, and feather-like ornaments matching Sirin’s own. She wore a white crop top with a purple star emblem, black fingerless gloves with white armor plating, and a pair of thigh-high white stockings leading into purple heels. Most strikingly, a pair of elegant purple wings extended from her back, retractable at will.

“Ugh… I’ve been single too long. Even a dragon looks cute to me now,” Enoxia thought, eyeing Benares with unexpected appreciation. “I want a Judgment-class pet too…”

“I… I’m alive?” Benares—now Bella—blinked in astonishment, marveling at her human form and newfound capacity for complex thought.

“Mm… From now on, your name is Bella.” Sirin nodded approvingly at the dazed girl.

“Yes, my Queen!” Bella dropped to one knee in reverence. To her, this gift of form and identity was priceless.

“What about Schicksal?” Sirin knew they should have found her by now.

“Relax. I tweaked all their detection systems. As long as you don’t flaunt your powers, every scanner in the world will read you as just a girl with high Honkai resistance.”

Sirin’s face fell. “I didn’t want to rely on you. If I hadn’t gotten careless, that Herrscher of Reason would’ve—”

“Oh please,” Enoxia cut her off with an eye roll. “He’s Anti-Entropy’s leader—Schicksal’s enemy. He only fought you to protect civilians. But no, after beating Theresa, you thought you were invincible.”

“Tch. Fine, a bet’s a bet. Where are you taking me?”

“The Sea of Quanta. But patience—we can’t just waltz in. We’ll need an opportunity.” Enoxia’s smile turned cryptic. “First, we need a hideout. While I’ve hacked the scanners, changing human memories is harder. Too many Valkyries know your face.”

Babylon Tower

After three days of intensive recovery, Welt Yang—master of the tactical “sit-up”—was back on his feet. Theresa and Siegfrief, having developed a rapport with Anti-Entropy, shared intel from Schicksal HQ freely.

“With the Herrschers of Void and Erosion lying low, we should take our leave. Thank you for your hospitality.” Welt shook Siegfried’s hand firmly.

“The thanks go to you. Without your help, Babylon Tower would be rubble—and countless lives lost.”

Nearby, Salome and Shub nodded in agreement. The First Herrscher’s power had left a lasting impression on these elite Snow Wolf operatives.

“Safe travels. Let’s collaborate again soon.”

As Anti-Entropy’s trio vanished into the snowy wilderness, Theresa turned to her team.

“Siegfried, Salome, Shub—we’re returning to HQ. Siberia Branch will handle cleanup.”

She addressed the newly arrived A-rank Valkyrie Hu Bufan and his squad:

“The mopping-up is yours.”

“No trouble at all! Just routine hazard checks. With the crisis over, this should wrap up quickly.” Hu rubbed his head sheepishly. “Truth is, I’m embarrassed—Siberia’s biggest incident in decades, and all I took out were some grunts. The real credit goes to you all.”

…

En Route to Schicksal HQ

“Aaaah~ Mission accomplished!” Shub stretched luxuriously in the transport plane’s seat.

Salome, however, remained deep in thought.

“Come on, Salome! Stop overthinking. Let’s grab drinks after debriefing!” Shub gave her a playful nudge.

“Our next assignment is searching for the missing Immortal in South America. She’s Cheng Lixue’s mentor—if something could trap her, we need to prepare.”

Shub waved it off.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. No use worrying now—we won’t know what we’re dealing with until we’re there. Might as well enjoy the downtime!”

Salome could only sigh. As usual, contingency planning would fall entirely to her.

But after years together, she’d grown used to it.