Log 1, 24/12/20, 0933: Added reviews response and changed grammar.
Responding to reviews 101:
Dcarus: Personally, I wouldn't mesh the two together. Not saying that they're bad series, the characters would most definitely be interesting to write but I haven't got the motivation for it.
unnoticed reader: Yes, Su is an actual character and it's alright. I do think that it is a sin if games put crucial information about the story in sources that aren't in the game anyway, even if Su is an OC because in the end, without the manga, we wouldn't know how Kevin became more cynical until the newest chapters.
ptl: The way I interpret it, the Counter Force acts in two ways. Empower someone, or send a Counter Guardian to destroy anything related to the threat. Empowering someone wouldn't be enough, because the Honkai still has a chance to win in terms of mental corruption anyway and I think there is more negativity that the Honkai can exploit. Sending a Counter Guardian isn't feasible because the Honkai only exists due to human civilization existing in the first place. As for having other playable valkyries summoned? Maybe.
The Tree grows, yet the Sea continues to surge.
Kirigitsu's POV
Saber, summoned. Although, he sure as hell wasn't expecting a girl to be the fabled King of all people. Then again, there was the part where Uther requested for Merlin to take away Arthur when he had just been born. It does not matter. As long as she wins them the War, that is all that matters.
Thompson Contender, his personal mystic code. Origin Bullets, twelve of them. Two for each master. Secured in his coat. The Origin Bullets are tools to kill or at the very least, cripple any magus. Due to their unique nature and the relationship between Servant and Master, a single bullet that connects will most likely guarantee their exit from the War should he fire it off at an opportune timing but it never hurts to have extra as a backup.
Calico M950. A submachine gun, typically used as his reserve sidearm. Also used as a feint for his Origin Bullets.
Walther WA2000. His semi-automatic sniper rifle. For him to snipe from far, as well as keeping watch on any servants or masters in the vicinity with the scopes that he personally picked out for the War while Iri and Saber fight in the frontlines.
Maiya is already in place at the docks, where the challenge has been issued. He is heading not towards the docks, but towards a vantage spot that he personally picked out that is the best for his situation. Assassin is said to have been eliminated, but something tells him that he cannot trust the priest. Tonight's vantage point would prove all the more important, should Assassin still show up.
He exhales, beginning to peer through the scope. Saber and Lancer have met, they're about to begin engaging.
Lancer's Master has been marked by him already. The man probably protected himself with various wards and intends to hold there should he get attacked. Unfortunately, it does not help against the latest infrared technology.
His instincts, honed through years of combat, make him note a certain direction.
To the left! From the bridge. He shifts his rifle to get a better view through the scopes. Two people. One distinctly taller than the other. The shorter one appears to be panicked, while the taller one is calm. He switches from his thermal vision scope to his infrared one, to confirm if they are truly there. One can mask heat signatures with a simple spell and it is typically used by magi due to how several of them favour using heat signatures to track people, but it is harder to guard against infrared technology.
All of a sudden, it feels as if he is being looked at. Impossible. But his scope shows him nothing but the truth, as the taller heat signature is facing him. How?! He knew servants were capable of such feats, but only Tohsaka's Servant would have this level of eyesight.
Surprisingly, nothing happens. He watches as they descend, landing on the edge of the docks and interrupting the fight between Saber and Lancer.
A cold breeze blows from behind. Who? That kind of wind can only be generated by someone moving at high speeds. Either a magus who made use of reinforcement or another spell, or... a Servant. He swings his scope to the crane.
Assassin! Tch. So as expected, the Servant didn't die. "Maiya. The top of the crane. Assassin."
Taking down Lancer's Master, the Lord of the El-Melloi House? As much as Maiya's offer is tempting, they cannot afford to ignore Assassin and go in for the kill just like that. Such a move can easily cost their participation in the War just like that, a consequence that he doesn't wish to see. Not even including Assassin into the equation, the opposing magus has surely put up a few barriers to deal with his magic and he does not dare to guarantee that he can hit Kayneth with an Origin Bullet at this distance.
He sighs, taking his time to watch the epic battle that unfolds between Saber and Lancer.
Raiden Mei's POV
Waver Velvet is... she doesn't really have the proper words to describe him. He clearly isn't exactly incompetent. From what she has observed, he is certainly a diligent student in the subject of magecraft. Well, it's more like magic, but from the notes that she has managed to skim through in her astral form, it is more of reproducing feats that can be done by humans.
There are a few essays scattered over his desks, showing his status as a student. All graded as a bare pass, for some odd reason despite said essays having some form of structure to it. It didn't take long before she figured out why.
There was a book dedicated to what appears to be the politics of the place he's studying at, which talks about the structure of the organization known as the "Clocktower". Turns out, there are aristocrats in this organization and they tend to adopt the attitude of snubbing others for the sake of getting an edge over each other. The non-aristocrats suffer from this in exchange as they are caught in the crossfire, from what she can guess. Also, it might be due to the fact that they don't like to be told that they're wrong, given how some of the comments written seem to be rather opinionated, to say the least.
Enough about her Master. All she needs to focus on is the enemy that they're approaching. They land on the wharf. "So, who was the one to challenge me?" She makes her stand, just as Waver Velvet lands on her side, still stupified by how they flew all the way here seemingly without any mount or wings.
"I'm afraid I'm currently engaged in a battle, as you can see."
"So be it. I'll take the two of you on at once." She can feel her heart nearly leap out of her mouth, for even working up the courage to say those words. Against two legends of humanity, both who made their mark, can she really take them on? Legends that are most likely on the level of Cecilia Scharic and Kevin Kaslana, some of the most powerful figures when compared to even the previous generation of warriors.
Play Yakuza 6: The Song of Life OST [Bloodstained Philosophy]
It's surprising how her body immediately moves, seeking to already attack the man with the dual spears. Strangely, there is some sort of charm on his face, but she easily resists it. The man can barely bring up his dual spears to block. Domain of Sanction and the spears are forced into a deadlock, with neither side seemingly wanting to give way.
"You didn't fall for his charm magic?"
"As if I could fall for such a puny thing." She scoffs. She did note how the man's face was supposed to be more attractive than other men, but letting herself get distracted by such pointless details is no longer in her nature. This is no doubt a dangerous fight, as Saber may or may not attack her any time. but even then, she still has a surprise waiting for them.
She breaks the deadlock with electricity crackling, threatening to leap onto the Servant to debilitate him while using his spears as a conduit. Lancer immediately recognizes the threat, forcing himself to retreat. A clear humiliation to his pride, as well as a defeat to their first clash.
"Lancer! See if you can ally with Saber to defeat her!" Must be the Master of Lancer.
"Well, are you up to the challenge?" Lancer's question for Saber is the response to his Master's command.
"She challenged me as well, after all."
"Rider! Don't take them if you can't handle it!" Immediately, she ignores Lancer, using her skills to unleash part of her combo, Tsukuyomi's Edge, on him to disengage from him for a moment, before reappearing after a flurry of slashes, clashing with Saber this time round as she appears in front of her.
"Don-" Before Lancer can make use of that A rank Agility of his, Kagutsuchi's Avatar appears, its katana bearing over him, ready to chop it down in an instant, the signature Itto-Ryu style coming into play.
"What?!" It was either be cut in his futile attempt to chase Rider, or defend. And defend did he attempt to do so. In that deadlock, Lancer cannot use his spears at all, all he can do is try to push away the Katana bearing down on him in a futile effort.
"You are a strong opponent, Rider." Saber begrudgingly admits. Despite that, Saber is no less of a strong one herself too. Despite that clear wound on one of her arms and being forced into the defensive with that disadvantage, she has managed to skillfully guard against every attack Mei's made against her so far. Just a bit more, and she would almost certainly be able to score a hit. "Would you honor me with your name?"
Name. It has been a long time since somebody's properly asked for her name. But her name isn't something easily given, nor is it easily earned. Not anymore. She stopped being that foolish little girl who would mingle with those people who discarded their friendship at a moment's notice when her father found herself in hot soup.
"I do not easily give out my name. Earn it." Durandal, no. Bianca is truly one of the few who had her respect. Not just as an S-rank Valkyrie, but as someone who remains steadfast even in times of crisis.
Some say one might know another, just by clashing against each other. Is Saber is someone strong? Most definitely. Is she determined to fight? Of course. But only time can truly tell her character. Based on her character, it feels like she is a Knight. A Knight with a purpose. Perhaps, those with a clear, defined goal that is willing to give it their all might just be the most dangerous, but Saber lacks that feeling of desperation to do anything that would go against her moral code.
Come! She mutters in her mind. Kagutsuchi's Avatar breaks the deadlock with Lancer, before performing a sweeping 180 degrees attack that catches Saber off guard, while Lancer guards against it still. A deep gouge is left on the ground, with the force of that one attack.
Whatever skill Saber had to predict her attacks from before and defend against, it did not work on Kagutsuchi's Avatar.
[OST End]
"You're good... Are the arms a part of your mount?"
"No." She answers frankly.
"They're your Noble Phantasm then. A type of solid construct. Otherwise, my spear would have gone through it." The man must have some sort of magic-negating property imbued into his weapon then.
"That's not all up my sleeve."
"You can manipulate electricity too. Are you Minamoto no Yorimitsu?" Lancer takes a shot in the dark, but it is off the mark.
"No."
"True. The horns on your head wouldn't make sense. You must be an oni who can manipulate electricity, yet nothing comes to mind. You are a Rider, yet you fight like a Saber. Are you sure you were summoned into the correct class?"
"Yes. I merely have the skill of 'Double Summon'."
Her head swings to face the new signature she detected. A man, wearing golden armor. Crimson eyes, locked onto her. Then he laughs.
In a dark room, a serial killer stands, having drawn a circle.
In the void, she hears two voices. A plea for help. And a sadistic call for a demon. She opens her eyes. When was the last time had she ever heard such a cry for help?
Right. That had come out of her own lips before as well when she begged for them to stop.
She can feel how one desire is far more deeply entrenched than the other. She'll answer both calls. To be a helper, as well as a demon.
She appears in a dark room. Floating. A circle is underneath her.
She takes in the sight presented to her. The walls are splattered with blood. A child is frightened out of his mind. Standing, shivering at the side, snot running down his nose. Most importantly, there is a deranged man standing in front of her. Holding a book.
"You disgust me, insect." Those were the first words she uttered. As well as the last words Uryuu Ryuunosuke would ever hear. Not even wanting to hear his voice, a portal appears, from which a lance shoots out at incredible speeds, instantly taking the serial killer's head with it, impaling the wall with more blood.
Another scum no longer walks on this Earth.
Upon seeing more blood, the child begins to bawl out loud. "Hush, child." It wasn't a statement, but rather an order that was given. An order that was followed obediently, as the kid immediately quietens down. Normally, she wouldn't even bother speaking to him. Yet, the child somewhat reminded her of the terrible past she once had. She used to be human too, after all. And she should not be human.
Yet, the voices of the Honkai no longer echo within her mind, whispering for her to unleash vengeance upon the entire human race. She can still tap into the power she used to wield. Is she truly free now?
"U-um..."
"What is it?"
"W-what is your name?"
Name. When was the last time she had been asked properly for a name? When was the last time someone actually bothered to try and get to know her rather than simply calling her a test subject? A title echoes in her mind this time around. Yes, it would do perfectly. "My name is... Sirin. But you will do well to call me Avenger." Another voice, different from the Honkai, echoes in her head this time. Whispering for her to take part.
She briefly considers the proposal for a moment. Then the grand prize is revealed and no further convincing is needed.
"My revenge will not be denied this time!"
"So, what now?" That's the question that echoes in his mind. It is a simple thought, yet with no answer in sight.
Su stares at the tree in his mind. The one leaf that was the hope. He has to protect that fragile hope before he takes his rest. Kevin knows of the role Su plays in the Seed of Sumeru. Find a universe where there is a chance to defeat the Honkai. Who knows, Kevin might have a way to survey if Su has taken any new action or not.
As much as Su does not want to do so for the sake of old friendships, he would have to go against Kevin again at some point, just like in the past. Kevin has gone too far. Drowned, too far deep to see the surface. Kevin believes that he must be the one to defeat the Honkai. No one else. That was the very same obsession that took root and made Kevin experiment on several innocent villages with Project STIGMA. Unfortunately, he doesn't have much time. This backup of the Seed of Sumeru can only last for so long before he is incapable of traveling anymore.
Yes, his friend might have been trapped in the Sea of Quanta, but there's no doubt he's resurfaced, with the organization, World Serpent, becoming active once more. Although he might be isolated, he can still observe his own universe. If he didn't know Kevin that well, how would he have prepared a backup of the Seed of Sumeru? Not even Kevin, MEI, or Hua know of this backup. The actions Kevin are taking... they go against what Bianca believes, as well as his conclusion.
Both Su and Kevin are relics of the past. The people of today do not need those of yesterday to carve a path to tomorrow. At best, simply providing a bit of assistance here and there is more than enough. That's the conclusion he's arrived at. Even so, Kevin would still interfere. He can only pray that his gift to the girl can help somewhat. Yet, it appears that the world has a glimmer of hope with both his and Kevin's interferences. So, in the end, is Durandal truly right about it?
Or perhaps, is it really the right future? Is Kevin's interference truly needed for that one slim chance? Was his friend truly right? Does
It might be the correct answer. It might not be. It isn't a perfect one. Everything he has found out over time seems to contradict each other Perhaps, he is doomed to never find an answer.
"Just one last thing. Whether they can do it... it depends on them. Most of them might not be like the heroes of old, but they certainly have the heart to match up." An array of items lay in front of him. A fragment of armor. A shard of a shield. A purple cloth. An inari mask. A blue head ornament. A butterfly hairpin. A thorny rose. All for the sake of evening the odds.
Servant Class: Avenger
Servant True Name: Sirin
Title: Herrscher of the Void
Gender: Female
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Strength: C
Agility: C
Endurance: B
Luck: C
Mana: EX
Class Skills:
Oblivion Correction C: People are creatures that forget many things, but an Avenger never forgets.
Avenger B: Exposed to negative emotions from a young age, she is determined to not only avenge herself but the others who found themselves experimented on by Shicksal as well. The more hatred and negative emotions she accumulates, the stronger she becomes.
Self-Replenishment (Mana) C: Until her revenge is complete, she will never stop. Allows her to continue existing even without a Master. Using Noble Phantasms is possible without a Master's support due to her Mana being at EX.
Personal Skills:
Herrscher of the Void EX: The ability granted by the Gem of Serenity. Allows Sirin to manipulate space-time itself in various manners, such as unleashing barrages of raw energy from the Imaginary Space, teleportation, and opening portals. Her complete scope of powers is still unknown.
Honkai Corruption EX: Sirin was corrupted by the Honkai, the force having preyed on her emotions back in her time in Schicksal. Grants her the ability to resist any form of mental attacks or corruption.
Ruler of Honkai A: With this ability, Sirin gains the ability to summon and command the Honkai. The Honkai will take back this ability from her should she show any signs of rebelling and turn any Honkai beasts and other Herrschers under their influence against them.
Noble Phantasms:
Void Unleashed - Rank A++(Anti-Fortress): Rip apart the fabric of spacetime to unleash a barrage of raw energy over an area. This Noble Phantasm is essentially Sirin's no holes barred, as it does not care for either ally or foe. It will utterly destroy anything and everything in its path and only a Noble Phantasm of similar rank might have a chance of stopping it.
Domain of the Void - Rank A(Anti-Army): The oddly shaped pistols are not actual pistols, but rather "commandments" of the Void that continuously mutated and grow under the influence of the 2nd Herrscher. The weapons help to further refine her manipulation and destructiveness of her ability as Herrscher of the Void, capable of spawning Implosion Cores that explode when she activates them.
[REDACTED] - RANK UNKNOWN
Biography
A young girl who got dealt a bad card in life.
Sirin lived in an orphanage, ever since her mother's death, leaving her with few pleasant memories. Things took a turn for the worse when she was taken from the orphanage, to be experimented on by scientists. The scientists were part of Schicksal, who found candidates in the form of orphans for their experiments of artificial stigmata, as no one would bother looking for them. Sirin was cruelly treated from day to night, forced into countless experiments.
It was on that day that she turned her back on humanity and discarded her humanity.
It was after seeing her friends at the lab die in front of her that the Honkai struck, granting her dominion over Void and unleashing the Second Eruption over the world. She was forced to retreat to the Moon after a tough fight, but with new powers granted to her by the Honkai, she headed back to Earth to finish what she set out to do: destroy Schicksal. She brought her friends back to life, to wreak even more havoc and her loyal pet, Benares, stood beside her.
She ended up getting trapped in an illusion caused by Fu Hua with the 8th Divine Key rather than being killed outright due to Otto's obsession of wanting to revive Kallen and Sirin held the means. In the end, she looked up to the sky, embraced by Cecilia, who acted like a parent in the illusion, as the entirety of Siberia was nuked to oblivion.
"Humans, your existence is a mistake. War, cheating, jealously, greed. You once made me lose everything. But now I'll devour everything. Because I am the Honkai."
Sirin's consciousness would be trapped in the Gem of Serenity, before being secretly placed into K-423's body, the person whom we know as Kiana Kaslana and a clone created by Otto Apocalypse. When Kiana was kidnapped, she was able to wrestle control of Kiana's body and also wreak havoc on Schicksal HQ as well as decimate the Anti-Entropy forces. Her consciousness was sealed once more after Himeko sacrificed her life to inject a serum that would allow Kiana's consciousness to return to being the dominant one.
Terms used:
Honkai: Basically, they are a "corrective force" that seeks to exterminate humanity. Read the first chapter for more information.
Herrscher: Translates to Ruler. Herrschers refer to people who have been "chosen' by the Honkai. The Honkai will try to corrupt a potential Herrscher and bend them to their will to aid in destroying humanity, most of the time preying on the negative feelings of selected hosts and corrupting them through feeding them power. However, it is possible to overcome the will of the Honkai and resist it, as shown by each generation of the Herrscher of Reason. Each Herrscher has an ability that relates to their title. In Mei's case, she has the ability to control electromagnetic fields rather than simply electricity. According to DR MEI, Herrschers use a Gem as a medium to tap into the "Imaginary Space" to wield their powers.
Seed of Sumeru: While it is largely unknown what other capabilities this is capable of, it has granted Su the ability to peer into other worlds, while also protecting people from the Sea of Quanta's harmful influences as most of the time, it is nigh impossible for anyone to survive in it for long periods of time without some form of protection or becoming a special existence.
Sea of Quanta: A Sea, said to hold infinite possibilities. It contains bubble universes of all kinds, showcasing different possibilities.
People:
Su: Su is a person belonging to the previous era, the same as Kevin and DR MEI. When the previous era ended, he went into cryogenic storage so that humanity could survive and pass on their knowledge to the current era. When he awoke, he took on Project: Valuka, a project of seeking out a future in that which they might defeat the Honkai through the Seed of Sumeru. Su would also eventually go on to become the Merlin of the new era.
Kevin: Kevin is also a person belonging to the previous era, as well as the strongest MANTIS warrior of that time. As a MANTIS, he was fused with the DNA of Parvati, giving him the low body temperature needed to survive using the Cleaver of Shamash. When the previous era ended, he went into cryogenic storage so that humanity could survive and pass on their knowledge to the current era. When the current era started, he embarked on a different route, starting Project STIGMA to find suitable hosts for Stigmata which allowed the people to fight against the Honkai, which also had the side effect of turning those who weren't compatible into zombies, thereby showcasing his cynical attitude after his loved one died.
DR MEI: DR MEI is a person belonging to the previous era, not to be confused with Raiden Mei. DR MEI was known as an amazing scientist as she was the one who came up with the idea to use the Herrscher cores and forge them into Divine Keys as weapons to help combat the Honkai, as well as setting up protocols such as having their MANTIS warriors enter cryostasis to make sure that humanity survived to the next era. She eventually died, as her body was unable to bear the burden of using the Key of the Void(not to be confused with Keys of the Void) to fight off the 10th Herrscher.
A/N: I AM THE STORM THAT IS APPROAC- jk. In all seriousness though, part of the reason why I didn't update any of my stories is because I've been playing Vergil ever since his DLC came out. Also a lot of work happened. This chapter ain't perfect, I guess but I'm satisfied with this for now, mostly because the character development before the war begins in the anime isn't going to do much here because the characters have already been generally established well enough that I don't see the need to write any more about it.
Now some might be wondering: Why am I writing about this world in such a way that it hasn't been invaded by the Honkai yet? Hear me out for a bit, yeah? To put it simply, the more advanced the civilization is, the higher chance there is of a Honkai Eruption occurring. However(this is my theory), because Magi still exist, and they are particularly set in the old ways. Since Magecraft has its roots dating back to the Age of the Gods, this is what is basically helping to offset the chance of a Honkai Eruption happening. It's just my theory, don't complain too much bout it.
Anyway, that's all for this chapter. This chapter came way later than I hoped, mostly because work and the festive season approaching. It gets rather busy at the end of the year, so yeah. Not to mention Chinese New Year in another two, three months. When and which story will I update again? I don't really know. So yeah.
I hoped you guys enjoyed this chapter and do leave a review~
322n