Note:
Sorry for the long update.
A lot of things happened in real life and this chapter was a bit difficult to /
I had to scrap my initial draft since I was discontent with the quality of the writing and I had to revamp it from scratch. So it took a while for me to finish it.
And I didn't expect the chapter to get this long either but it is what it is.
Chapter 2: "Connect"
The ruler cast its gaze on the human standing beneath it. The inner machinations of its thoughts were incomprehensible to all living beings. A single absolute thought exists in its mind: to conquer and destroy everything in this new universe it had stumbled upon.
The Herrscher of Finality could only watch as the Ruler tried to claw its way into this world from the cracks in the middle of space. Even with the Authority of Binding, she couldn't bind that monster for too long.
Kyuushou was right. This being was on a whole other level. Kiana had never felt such hostility before; even the Cocoon had never borne such hostility toward humanity.
Kiana had the power of god at her fingertips, an Authority that could mold the world around her to whatever she wished. Yet the Herrscher of Finality still felt nervous.
Kiana knew the Ruler's enormous power. She started to doubt that she could ever beat this thing. Would their plan even work? No, it had to work. 40 years of constant battle should've at least weakened it to a reasonable degree.
Their battle might've been longer than 40 years as time might work differently in the Ruler's home world.
Kiana raised her hand to her ear, putting her finger on the small communication device. "Auntie! The ruler is here! I've immobilized it, but I don't think it'll last long," the Herrscher shouted into her earpiece.
…
…
…
But no response came from the other side.
"Auntie?"
Was her communication device malfunctioning? Kiana decided to check if that was true by using the Authority of Reason, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. Her device was functioning properly.
"But why's there no response?" Now that she thought about it, she couldn't hear any static from it either. If the signal was jammed or interrupted she would've been getting static but there's simply nothing from the other side.
"This can't be right! Why am I not getting any signal? Ugh, let's try something else"
"Mei? Bronya? Senti! Aunt Teri!" Kiana tried to contact the other Herrschers, using their Herrscher cores to communicate. "Seele!? Adam!? Timido!" To her horror, no response came from any of them.
She could feel their Herrscher cores just fine, although something seemed to be blocking her communications with them. She couldn't even use the Authority of the Void to return to Earth.
As if that weren't enough, Kiana glanced for a second to see how her planet was holding up only to see it burning to the ground as multiple Honkai impacts and nuclear explosions simultaneously happened everywhere at once.
She was now alone. The Ruler had isolated her and the Cocoon's influence from the rest of Earth. Kiana could only hope that her friends could handle their problems on Earth. But against the other Rulers, does Earth truly stand a chance? The Herrschers might, but civilization as they know it might not survive.
Kiana grits her teeth. Is there a way she could indirectly help her friends from here? She couldn't leave the moon alone as people were living in New Atra. Most of them were Schicksal staff members, and who knew what the Ruler might do to the Cocoon if it got their hands on it.
Brute force was her only option here. Thankfully, no Honkai beasts spawned here on the moon. The only enemy she'd face was that giant eldritch monster before her.
"Ow, my head." Kiana perked up. Did she hear that correctly? Someone was groaning, a woman to be exact. But why did her voice sound familiar?
"Oh!" Now Kiana remembers. That voice must've been from the two figures she saw falling to the moon earlier when the Ruler of Will arrived. "Wait. They came from the cracks, didn't they? Crap, do I have to fight a 3v1?"
Kiana had to make a decision fast. She took a short glance at the Ruler currently still stuck. With that, her decision was made.
The Herrscher of Finality created a void portal and appeared in front of the two unknown figures, ready to pull the trigger.
"!" Her finger stopped at the trigger. She couldn't believe she almost shot another human!
Their Honkai signature felt so alien that Kiana mistook them as an enemy, but they were actually human like her.
"Kiana-chan?" The purple-haired girl looks confused
"Huh? Isn't that another me?" While the white-haired one looked baffled and pointed her finger at Kiana.
These two figures look exactly like her friend, Raiden Mei, and herself. Kiana wondered if she were meeting her other world counterpart like Kyuushou had previously mentioned in her dreams. They were Kyuushou's friends were they not?
Both of them were wearing a dress. The Herrscher of the End or "Kiana" had a white dress while the Herrscher of Thunder or "Mei" had a black one. The dresses compliment the two women's looks, showing their elegant side while allowing them to move freely.
A loud roar caught their attention. The Ruler of Will was starting to break through the chains with which the Herrscher of Finality binds them. All of them put their doubts aside for now as they have a bigger problem that needs to be dealt with quickly.
"Ugh. So tenacious." The Herrscher of the End let out a frustrated sigh. "Yo, other me. Sorry to drag you into our problems but could you lend us a hand?" The Herrscher gazed at her other self as she summoned two pistols in her hands.
"I was about to ask for your help. People are living nearby. We should drag that thing towards the dark side of the moon and let's try to end this quick. My home's in trouble." The Herrscher of Finality gazes upwards. Her gaze was undeterred, she threw away any seeds of doubt that had been planted in her mind.
The other two Herrschers took a quick peek at Earth and realized the severity of their situation. Their heart sank as they saw the horrifying scene. Someone else's home was now being invaded by the same enemy they were supposed to subjugate. Guilt racked up in their heart, if only they were stronger.
"You two. Focus." The other two Herrschers looked at the back of the Herrscher of Finality. Despite knowing all of that, the Herrscher of Finality stayed strong. The two felt her fiery determination to save her home and smiled. They couldn't help but admire her passion.
The Herrscher of The End couldn't help but smile at her counterpart's determination. "Yeah. Let's finish this." The Herrscher of the End replies. With their respective weapons at hand, The three Herrschers jumped.
The Ruler broke away from its restraint as it let out another roar. Their clash was inevitable as It shook the entire moon, signaling the clash between multiple gods.
Earth, Hours after the initial impact
Human civilization is crumbling, One by one another city succumbs to total destruction. Unlike Schicksal, the world governments aren't as prepared to deal with such threats, Despite the new anti-Honkai weaponry they have developed.
Hordes of Zombies and the Will's parasites, a Honkai being that looks like a human-sized virus. It has a cube-like shape as a head and tentacles as its limbs. They became a major problem for Schicksal and the remaining major powers of the world.
Though ironically these foreign Honkai invaders were also attacked by their own kind. The Cocoon's Honkai beasts and the Ruler's army of zombies always clashed with one another whenever they met. If it wasn't for that, human civilization would've ended much sooner.
Inside the overseer's sanctorum the small Schicksal's overseer, Theresa Apocalypse sat on her desk. She frowned every time she read the news report. A large amount of human casualties are to be expected each time she opens one.
Frustrated over their current situation, Theresa let out a big sigh as she rested her entire body onto the cozy armchair.
Admittedly there's nothing much that she could do. As much as she wanted to send some forces out to help out, their main headquarters in Salt Lake City was constantly under siege by the Ruler of Will's forces.
Because of that, every Herrscher including herself is unable to leave this base. All of Schicksal's best personnel are needed here as well, leaving the entire world to fend for themselves.
Valkyries below A rank would be canon fodder if they ever encounter any of the Will's parasites. So the overseer entrusted most of them to be on guard duty in Salt Lake City's bunker, where they housed every non-combatant personnel as well as the citizens of the city and the families of the Valkyries.
She could only hope that the other major Schicksal bunkers can hold out until the end. But with this war of attrition can Humanity truly hold until the end? While the Ruler's Honkai doesn't seem to be getting stronger with each passing moment they aren't getting weaker either.
Sure they get a bit weaker each time humanity manages to take down a Ruler of Will. But the loss on their side made it far too costly for a single victory.
The worst part isn't just their death toll. Schicksal has lost all forms of communication with its biggest asset, The Herrscher of Finality from the start of the war.
For hours they have tried every method of contact, yet nothing worked. They also couldn't contact their new allies from the other world. The Ruler of Will had systematically isolated their world from Honkai Gakuen's world and the moon.
"Theresa sama." A woman said out of concern for her leader's mental stability. She is Theresa's assistant/secretary. The woman has long white hair and beautiful blue eyes like her overseer, though she covered those beautiful blue eyes behind an orange visor.
"I'm fine, Amber," Theresa replied to her assistant. "What's the status of Kiana or Honkai Gakuen's headmaster, Houraiji Kyuushou?" She asked.
Amber sighed. "Still zero progress on contacting them, Theresa Sama."
"I see." Theresa closes her eyes. Yeah, what did she expect? Unless they can create a miracle. This situation wouldn't change. Still, Theresa had hope that her niece would be fine even if they didn't help her.
"Amber, you don't have to speak formally to me when we're alone, you know that right?"
"I'm sorry. Old habits die hard it seems." Amber awkwardly replied.
"It's fine, Amber." Though onto more pressing matters. "Amber, what's the status on our frontlines?" Theresa asked.
Her assistant quickly began to work. She tapped away on the holographic screen in front of her as she scoured through their database to find any relevant information on the matter.
"The Eastern Front is holding. Fu Hua, Griseo, and the Herrscher of sentience are doing well against the endless wave of zombies." Amber swiped the holographic screen and in an instant, all of the relevant data appeared on Theresa's computer.
Through the live footage on Griseo's bodycam, she saw how her Valkyries were holding up. Without rest, these MANTISes swept away the battlefield as they cleared out hordes of zombies with relative ease.
With only B-rank Valkyries as their long-range support, the front still held on quite well despite the onslaught of zombies rushing through. Theresa noticed the lack of frontline support for those 3. "Unfortunately, the other melee fighters are too tired or too injured to continue," Amber commented on the situation.
"These 3 shouldn't have any issues as of now. But wouldn't they get tired if this drags out?"
"Yes, our only option is to preemptively strike cities that were about to fall or already fallen to the hands of the Ruler to prevent any zombies that had accumulated there from going to other cities or here."
Theresa grimaced at the thought. Is it really their only viable option? She hated using weapons of mass destruction, especially with how Otto had abused it in the past but on the other hand, she knew why Amber had stated that as an option. To reduce the number of casualties on their side and reduce the burdens of those Valkyries who are valiantly fighting on the frontlines.
As much as she wants to look at the positives. Realistically there shouldn't be any survivors in those cities. Even if there is, they wouldn't be able to last long either without food, water, or medication available, and with the amount of Honkai beasts nearby, it'd be impossible to send in any aid.
"But wouldn't that make me the same as Grandpa if I ordered it?" It is a very extreme method, but the benefit outweighs the cost. Rationally speaking it is the best decision she could make in this situation. She would also potentially save a lot of her own people in the process.
Theresa closes her eyes. Millions of possible scenarios played in her head. As the overseer of Schicksal, She must ensure humanity's survival. That is her top priority, the problem regarding reclamation can be dealt with later after this war has ended.
"I don't have much of a choice do I?" Theresa whispered under her breath. Eventually, Theresa gave up on trying to look for another solution and gave her order.
"Send in the nukes, Amber." Her people were giving their all in this war. She has to lessen their burdens somehow.
Amber nodded, she laid her finger on the button but before she sent those weapons of mass destruction, she needed to confirm one thing. "Where do you want me to send them?"
"Provinces nearby that have fallen to the Ruler's control. Additionally, if you spot a wave of Will's Parasites or a Ruler of Will themselves, target them as well." Theresa answered.
"Understood." Amber carried out her order. Without hesitation, she pushes the button, activating all of the available ICBM. Missile silos from across the globe opened their hatch and unleashed humanity's doomsday machines onto the world.
Soon those cities will be set ablaze. No, more accurately they'll be evaporated from the face of the Earth and only ashes will remain in its place. These Honkai-powered nukes are humanity's greatest weapon. A bomb so powerful that it could even kill a Herrscher and left no trace of its existence.
"..." Theresa lowered her gaze as she witnessed the destruction live from the screen of her computer. She has become a destroyer of the world.
"Theresa?" Amber asked, concerned about her Overseer's mental health. Perhaps she shouldn't have suggested that.
Amber noticed Theresa's hands were shaking a little. Despite Theresa's best efforts to calm herself down, the pent-up stress has caught up to her. The losses and the drastic measures they must take to survive this cruel world have taken their toll on the overseer's mind.
"Cecilia, I'm sorry, I've failed. In the end, I'm not even that different than Grandpa." Theresa covered her face with her hands. "We've lost too many. I should've been more firm from the start… If I were smarter, I could've thought about a better way and save those innocent lives, I could've… "
SLAP–
The sound of a single slap rang throughout the room. "Theresa!" In a state of shock, Theresa's gaze turned towards Amber as she caressed her cheek. Never in a lifetime would she expect Amber to do that.
She has always been like a maid and obediently does her tasks. Amber rarely speaks against her overseer even during Theresa's reign. She's always loyal to the current overseer. She trusted them to be a competent leader that Amber could follow. And because of that unwavering loyalty, the obedient secretary stepped up and gave her leader a hard slap.
"I apologize for my rude behavior just then. But what has been done has been done. Don't let the past be a burden to you, Theresa." Amber firmly grabs Theresa's shoulder.
"Without a strong leader like you, we wouldn't have survived for this long. So please don't blame yourself for what had happened. You did what you could."
"Don't concern yourself over the matter of 'what ifs'. Let the past stay in the past. What matters is the decision we make for the future. Isn't that why you set up St. Freya in the first place? To create a better present and future for the Valkyries?"
"I'm going to make a school for Valkyries. A high school for upcoming Valkyries and have them enjoy their adolescent days." Cecilia stated to Theresa. It was a noble idea. It was an idea that bloomed after she experienced what the outside world had to offer.
If it wasn't for Siegfried, Cecilia might not have continued to live a sheltered life. Siegfried changed her life and Theresa saw that change in her friend's eyes. That passionate gaze never left her eyes till the very end.
"..." Her firm gaze soothes Theresa's anxious heart a bit. The determination she felt from Amber's gaze reminded her of her friend's determination to change her world.
"It was Cecilia's Idea but just like her. I also wanted to create a better future for them." the petite overseer smiled at her secretary. Her will to fight has been rekindled as remembers the reason why she continues to struggle.
For a better future, Theresa must press on. she can't let her guilt burden her. She can't let those who have sacrificed themselves die in vain. As their leader, she must see it through to the end.
Her people, her fellow sisters must've felt the same burden when they saw their comrades sacrifice themselves so that they could live on and continue the fight.
"Thank you for reminding me, Amber."
"I'm happy that it helped," Amber replied with a warm smile. She's happy that her overseer managed to come back to her senses.
However, their brief moment of peace didn't last very long as they received a very chilling alarm.
Theresa immediately stood up. Hearing that alarm means only one thing, a frontline is starting to collapse.
Amber immediately picked up her tablet that was sitting on the table. "It's the western front." She said as she read out the report. "They're requesting immediate backup." The western front is the front where the Herrscher of Rebirth Seele Vollerei and the immortal blades are located as well as many other elite A-rank squads.
"Unfortunately, there are no other available A-rank squads to provide them any assistance. Should we move some of the squads from the Eastern Front to the Western Front? Or perhaps we should make all of the A-rank squadrons that are currently in charge of defending the bunker to the Western Front and let all of the B-rank squadrons defend that position?"
Both are good suggestions but if Theresa chose one or the other, that would severely weaken the bunker's defense forces or put more burden on Fu Hua to guard the Eastern Frontline.
If the frontline collapses, someone or something needs to defend the bunker as the inhabitants of the bunker wouldn't be able to fight the incoming wave themselves, if the Honkai broke through their last line of defense.
But is that really her only option? Fortunately for her, it isn't as there's still one more Herrscher who hasn't been deployed yet and that is herself.
"I'll go." As a Herrscher she's more than capable of carrying the responsibilities of many A-rank Valkyries on her back. Sending her would be the most effective way to reduce the burdens on the Herrscher of Rebirth and stabilize the front.
"Theresa…" Amber looked worried.' Was she still blaming herself?' Amber thought to herself.
"Amber. Sorry, but I can't compromise our defenses by sending out those A-rank squadrons."
"But then who'll lead Schicksal if you went to the frontlines?" A valid question from her secretary. Without a leader to lead them, chaos would ensue but thankfully Theresa had thought about an alternative.
"I'll entrust them to you, Amber. You'll be given command over our Valkyries as a temporary overseer."
"Me?" Amber points at herself. "But I have no prior experience in leading such a massive organization."
"You are the secretary of Otto and Me, aren't you? Even without firsthand experience, you've seen how the overseer manages things up close and personal. So, Amber, I have faith in you." Theresa gave her an encouraging smile.
Amber wanted to reject it. But It would be selfish of her if she did that. Right now Theresa is needed elsewhere and it is her job to help the current overseer in any way she could.
So reluctantly Amber nods. "If that's your order then I'll try my best."
With that Theresa immediately picked up her weapon, The Oath of Judah, and bolted out of the room.
"Stay safe, Theresa," Amber said with a slight bow. It saddens her that she had to see her overseer leave. "Ehre Sei Der Menschheit." Amber uttered quietly as she sat back on her desk.
"To all personnel. This is your overseer speaking." Theresa spoke through her communication device. With every single one of her Valkyries and Knights listening in, she kept the message brief and simple. "I will be joining the battlefield. From this point onwards, Amber, My secretary will assume the role of a commander. This war will be won in our victory, EHRE SEI DER MENSCHHEIT!"
Glory to Mankind
For our Motherland.
Humanity shall prevail, at all costs.
Western Front
Things were starting to get dire. The Herrscher of Rebirth, Seele Völlerei was regarded as one of the main pillars that kept this whole frontline working in the first place and is now reaching her limit due to the constant attacks by the Ruler's side.
She was the sole reason why there haven't been many casualties in the Western theatre. Her powers to heal any wounds have helped numerous A-Rank Valkyries to continue fighting in this war.
While the Immortal Blades do contribute a lot to their defensive efforts. It is undeniable that without the Authority of Rebirth, this front would've been impossible to defend as there were simply not enough Valkyries that had the strength that could be considered an S-Rank.
If they send in more Herrschers then the Northern front would collapse as they're facing a much deadlier threat than the Will's Parasites and that is the Rulers themselves. This was the best compromise they had and unfortunately, it didn't occur to anyone at the time that the Ruler's army would relentlessly attack all the time and not give them any room to breathe.
It was as if the Rulers were desperate to seize this one and only chance for an easy victory over the humans.
Seele Vollerei fell down onto her knees as blood dripped out of her nose and the corners of her lips. She's pushing herself way past her limit. If there were only a few people injured it'll be fine but she has to constantly heal a dozen or more people simultaneously throughout the invasion.
'Not yet.' Seele thought to herself. She can't disappoint her other self, Seele Veliona who's fighting valiantly with the rest of the Valkyries. She had to endure it.
Using her scythe as a support she's barely able to stand up. But her will to fight didn't falter. Even with her current condition, the Herrscher of Rebirth still forces herself to take action.
"Seele. That's enough." She heard a familiar voice right beside her.
"He-Head master Th-Theresa!" Seele replied. She was shocked to see her here.
"Leave things to me. You've done well." Theresa smiled. The petite overseer gave her former student a light tap on her back before moving forward.
"B-But!" Seele tried to argue but the overseer didn't budge.
"Seele. Don't be stubborn. Listen your help is still needed but if you continue to cripple yourself like this then it'll be hard for you to give us any support. Do you understand?" Theresa left the part where it was the other Seele that called her here. She'd hoped that Seele would understand her situation.
And fortunately for Theresa, Seele understood. The Herrscher of Rebirth then nodded her head in response.
"Good, stay back and rest." Theresa gave her a reassuring smile. "You deserve it, Seele."
The petite overseer then stabs the ground with the Oath of Judah. Now that she has the Authority of Binding and the Oath of Judah itself, Once the Grace Field is active she could control the nullification effect of the field.
Essentially as the Herrscher of Binding, she's able to create a field where her allies can fight with all of their powers while stripping the enemies of their powers by nullifying their Honkai energy.
[Zeroth Power: Elysion Pedion] Theresa activated her Divine Key as multiple mechanical golden gears materialized in the sky, creating a large dome structure. The gears ticked the field's effects were felt across most of the Western Theatre.
Honkai beasts began to lose the energy to fight, While the Will's parasites lost their ability to float up in the air making them all plummet to the ground. Using this opportunity all the Valkyries immediately went for the high-priority targets killing them with ease.
Underneath this field effects they were relatively safe from the Will's army but unfortunately, Theresa couldn't keep it up forever over a wide distance. If she was alone, perhaps she could let her powers loose and kill every Honkai beast within her vicinity, but that would leave her alone without any backup.
Controlling the field nullification effects was harder than it seemed. At best, she could only keep it up for a few minutes but that would be enough for the Valkyries to rest and reorganize themselves.
"Valkyries! Knights! Prepare for combat! Don't be reckless and focus on the defending! The Grace Field will deactivate in 3…" Theresa said as all the Valkyries in the area immediately prepared themselves for the upcoming invasion. the Ruler's army patiently waited for the Herrscher of Binding to deactivate her field. The Ruler's intelligence was proven to be an annoyance in a time like this.
"2…1!" As the countdown ended. The field nullification effects were gone in an instant and soon a horde of Emperor Class Honkai beasts rushed forward. Heating up the battlefield once again.
Meanwhile, On the Northern Front
Unlike, the other fronts. The Northern Front was hit the worst as the Ruler of Will themselves attacked from this front. So Schicksal sent the remaining Herrschers to defend it and some A-Rank Squadrons to take care of the zombies and other Honkai beasts that passed through.
Every Ruler of Will they've encountered also varied in terms of power and appearance.
The four Herrschers gathered around a giant Ruler's corpse that they had just subjugated and reorganized themselves. "Any injuries?" Raiden Mei asked, she was the leader of the group.
"No permanent injuries sustained on Bronya. Internal organs are still functioning perfectly. There are some scratches and bruises but nothing that Bronya couldn't heal. I'll take a look around to see if there are still any enemies in the area." Bronya replied before leaving the group for a while to patrol the area. Making sure they wouldn't suddenly get ambushed while resting by a random Honkai beasts.
Mei nodded and focused her attention on the other 2 Herrschers. They were tired, Mei could visibly see that. Unlike her and Bronya who had become Herrschers for a long period, Adam and Timido only became one recently as such They didn't have the experience Mei had.
Their use of their abilities is obviously less efficient. The circumstances are also very unfavorable as the Rulers weren't giving them any time to relax. Sooner or later these two wouldn't be able to fight due to sheer exhaustion and unfortunately, there's no one else that could replace their position.
"Only cuts and bruises captain. But it'll heal. Though my muscles are all sore." Adam was the first one to reply. He was sitting down while resting his back against the Ruler's corpse. The Black haired young man looked really out of breath.
Adam is the Herrscher of Flames. He uses a Great sword called the Labor of Olympus as his weapon of choice. Being the Herrscher of Flames means that he'd be able to withstand the heat that the weapon produces when it's charged with Honkai energy.
"M-my heels hurt but I can still walk just fine. So everything is fi-fine" Timido, the timid girl with a short pink-haired who's currently sitting beside Adam replied. She's the new Herrscher of Ice and her weapon of choice is a Pair of Ice skates. A rather unique choice for a weapon.
Just like Adam, Timido also looked tired though much less so than the Herrscher of Flames. Overall things weren't looking good. This war had no sign of ending anytime soon and it looked like they won't be getting any backup from Honkai Gakuen too.
'Theresa-san is already holding the Western Front. If only we have a Herrscher of the Void maybe we can do something about the Honkai Gakuen's situation….' Mei sighed as she thought about her dear friend while looking up at the gray sky.
'Kiana-chan must've her own problems up there. Is there really no way for us to contact her or help? I could try using the Authority of Origin again but…' The Authority of Origin has the power to sever "threads" or connect them. That is how the three of them were able to beat Kevin 4 years ago. By creating a "link" between herself, Bronya, and Kiana.
Because of that "link", Mei and Bronya were able to match Kiana's level of power. Without it, the two of them would certainly be a burden during the fight against Deliverance Kevin. But Mei had tried using that same Authority to create a "connection" between Earth and the Moon. Unfortunately, that plan had failed as something was blocking her way whenever she tried.
The Ruler must've done something. But the Herrscher of Origin couldn't figure out what it was or a way to get around their blockade.
'I've already linked every Herrscher on Earth even linking with the hostless Herrscher cores.' Mei sighed. Doing it again felt pointless and it would be a waste of her time and energy. There must've been something else that she missed.
Her purple eyes scanned the battlefield, not really looking for anything specific. Mei's just lost in her thoughts. What else could she use her powers on? There must be something she hasn't tried yet.
Using it to connect the space between Earth and the moon? Or Earth and Houkai Gakuen? She already tried that to little to no avail. Just like she previously thought she'd need the Authority of Void to try something like that more effectively. Unfortunately, the Core of Void was on the moon with Kiana.
And then something clicked in her mind. A spark of an idea, if you will.
A lightbulb turned on inside her head, enlightening her with an idea she had never thought about. What if she severed the Ruler's connection to this world? If she did wouldn't she be able to weaken their influence?
But just like cancer that has spread locally, a stage 3 cancer or even a stage 4 cancer. It has rooted itself deep within their planetary system or perhaps even the entire solar system. The consequences of one wrong cut would be massive and maybe irreversible.
Mei doesn't want to think about the destruction she could cause, but what if the consequences were different? Right now Mei doesn't have a definitive answer for this very question. She had to experiment to find that answer.
She turned her gaze over to the Ruler's corpse. But would this method work? Or did she need a live one? Getting a live one would have its own set of complications. If Kyuushou's words were to be correct then it'd be almost impossible to use her powers on a live one without suffering any major consequence. Killing one is already hard as it is let alone capturing one.
A Ruler of Will could easily corrupt you and turn you into their puppet if they ever got their limbs, tentacles, or hands on you. Even a Herrscher isn't safe from this level of Honkai corruption.
All humans and Herrschers would turn into zombies if the Ruler ever caught them, and as far as they could tell there are no exceptions to this. Just like any zombies, they'll be impossible to save as they can't be reverted back into a normal functioning human, with only one way of finding out. Mei rested her palm on the Ruler's corpse. 'Please work...' She prayed. Mei used her Authority of Origin on the corpse to try and sever the Ruler's influence on this world.
…
…
Nothing happened. Mei let out a disappointed sigh. It seems when a Ruler dies they would no longer be a part of the hivemind anymore.
"Mei nee-san, Do you have something in mind? You looked bothered." Bronya asked. The grey-haired woman walks towards her friend. She had just finished a quick patrol.
"Oh, you're back Bronya. It's nothing much really I was trying something. It didn't work." Mei replied. She crossed her arms while staring at the corpse in front of her.
"... What were you trying to achieve?"
"A way to sever or reduce the Ruler's influence. But seems like when they're dead they're not a part of the hivemind anymore, therefore my powers wouldn't work."
"So we need a live one?"
"Mhm." Mei nods her head.
Bronya sighed. "It is too risky." The Herrscher of Truth spoke out what everyone thought at the moment.
"We don't have much of a choice. We need Kiana's help or at the very least Houraiji-san's help. Our defense won't hold much longer." Mei argued.
"But what if it doesn't work, Mei nee-san?" Bronya frowned a little. The woman was worried that something would go wrong if they tried to do something like this. There's no guarantee any of it will work.
"Then we'll just have to do our job and defend this post like before. But have a little faith, Bronya-chan, if things work out. It might even turn the tide of this war."
Bronya looked unsure. She knows that Mei is right but at the same time, she couldn't agree to this absurd idea without any contingency plans in mind. Both Adam and Timido also expressed their worries through their facial expressions though they didn't dare to speak up about their reluctance to follow through with Mei's idea.
"...We'll need to discuss and plan that out first. I suggest we wait for Theresa's orders before doing something this risky." Bronya replied.
"...I suppose you're right." Mei sighed. "Sorry for being too hasty I should've thought about it a bit more." The purple-haired woman was already mentally tired from all of this fighting. She just wished to prevent any more deaths and perhaps help her best friend a little.
"I understand Mei nee-san worries. I think it's a good idea for the gamble, but we should also consider how we could increase our odds first. To minimize the risk of our losses if it did happen. We can't afford to have the worst-case scenario play out."
"Do you have any suggestions?" Mei asked.
"Not in our current condition." Bronya looked over to the other two. Mei's lips curled down into a frown as she looked at her junior's condition. She's wondering if she should make them retreat and fight with only Bronya on her side.
Unfortunately, time wouldn't let her think about an optimal compromise as the ground beneath them started to shake. Both Adam and Timido quickly got up on their feet as Mei calmly assessed the situation. A new horde of enemies was closing in on their position.
"Damnit" Adam cursed under his breath. Their enemies really weren't going to give them any time to recuperate. The young Herrscher tightly gripped his Greatsword.
A new Ruler of Will has appeared, This particular one has the appearance of a gorgon. A gorgon is a mythical creature from ancient Greek mythology that had the appearance of a half-snake half humanoid with the human attribute being the top half of the body while the snake part is the bottom half.
The Herrschers noticed a blindfold covering where its eyes should be. Though it doesn't seem to hinder its movements at all. Perhaps it could still see the world through other methods.
The Ruler stretched one of its giant arms and pointed at the four Herrschers. "◼️⬛⬛◼️⬛!" A horrifying and unintelligible scream came out of the Ruler's mouth. No one understood or comprehended what the Ruler of Will had just said.
Perhaps it is some sort of declaration or a command given to their zombie horde. Whatever it is the surviving humans would rather not hear the Ruler speak ever again.
"They're ignoring us?" The zombies and Honkai beasts all ran past the Herrschers. The Ruler must've ordered them to go after the A-rank Valkyries instead.
"Captain. What are your orders?" Adam asked. He looked like he was ready to go for the Zombies but he hesitated. If he goes after them now and thin out their numbers, he would be out of position and the Ruler could either pick him off or his allies would be in a weaker position in fighting the bigger threat at hand.
In a split second, Mei made her decision. "...Trust our allies. We have our own objective in front of us."
Every Herrscher prepared themselves for another fight. Their instincts told them that this wouldn't be an easy battle.
Thunder roared high above the clouds while the battle raged on down below. The Honkai energy in the area continues to rise exponentially as the battle between Humanity's Herrschers and the Will of Honkai heats up, figuratively and literally.
Honkai energy continued to gather around a single location and a pillar of flame emerged in its place. The fire burst forth from Adam's Greatsword, with a single downward strike the pillar came crashing down towards the Ruler.
Opening up a path for the other three as the Authority of Flames burns away the Ruler's summoned tentacles. "The path is clear, Captain!" Adam said breathlessly.
Mei nodded and charged forward with Bronya by her side. Timido was taking the lead, skating head first to the Ruler's position, freezing the other summoned tentacles in their path that weren't burnt to a crisp.
Utilizing the opening that her juniors created. Mei and Bronya jumped simultaneously as they each created diagonal slashes imbued with their Herrscher powers onto the Ruler, Creating a deep wound in the monster's torso.
The Ruler roared in pain and anger. Annoyed that some pesky humans managed to create such a deep wound on its body. As the Ruler opened its mouth a beam of Honkai energy shoots out at the senior Herrschers.
Both of them easily dodged the attack though they're now separated. The beam didn't stop there and continued to melt everything in its path.
Timido narrowly dodges it at the last second. If she hadn't created a small wall of ice to block the beam's path, her lower body would've been roasted. "I-I'm okay!" The Herrscher of Ice stated.
The Ruler wasn't done yet, unfortunately. It gathered Honkai energy around itself as its wounds slowly closed itself. It summoned more tendrils as it violently burst out of the ground around where the Ruler was standing.
More and more tendrils burst outwards from out of the ground creating a ring-like pattern around the Ruler. Mei and Bronya had no problem cutting them down however it made it difficult for the two to regroup with them having to constantly dodge or parry the Ruler's attacks while conserving their stamina.
"Even with that attack, the wound isn't lethal." Mei thought to herself. She wondered if she should stop conserving her stamina and try to quickly end this battle before another one showed up.
These Rulers were increasingly getting harder to subjugate as time went on. Stronger Ruler of Will are starting to show up and with their limited stamina, they're fighting a losing battle if things continue to go on like this.
"Should I try that?" Mei pondered the idea. It would help turn the tide of battle if she succeeded but what if she failed? There would be too much to lose for her.
Mei shook her head, let's play it safe for now. The battle is already challenging as it is, no need for her to add any extra risks.
The temperature of the air around the battlefield started to plummet. Ice began forming on the ground and snow fell all around the Herrscher of Origin.
Timido stomped the ground. In that instant, ice instantly froze the ground beneath them as well as the tendrils coming out of the ground. The Ruler's bottom half was also caught in the skill's range, completely immobilizing it as the snake half of its body turned into a block of ice.
Using this opportune moment, Bronya creates a big rail cannon twice the size of her body in a matter of seconds. It was the same rail cannon she had used in the battle against Kevin although this time she didn't fully utilize the Herrscher of Truth's mech form as that would use up a lot of her stamina.
She aimed the rail gun's barrel at the Ruler's torso instead of its head as it is easier to hit and it had been proven before that the Ruler's anatomy is similar to a Honkai beast rather than a Herrscher.
They could survive without their "heads" but if their core was taken out or destroyed it would immediately kill them. From their initial clashes, the Herrschers had a rough estimate of where the Ruler's core was, which lies somewhere within the upper torso.
"Fire!" Bronya said as she pulled the trigger and fired the cannon. It shot a highly concentrated blast of energy the size of a regular cannonball.
"Adam get ready to run," Mei said just as Bronya fired her shot.
"Copy that captain." The young Herrscher replied.
Seeing the projectile heading straight at them. the Ruler created another beam of highly concentrated Honkai energy out of its mouth to defend itself from the incoming energy ball. As the two energy clashed a massive explosion was created. Creating a massive crater in the ground from where the two projectiles met. A huge dust cloud emerged from the aftermath.
Adam with his greatsword lit ablaze leaped out of the dust cloud. He held his greatsword near his hip as he soared through the air, using all of that built-up momentum to deal a heavy attack on the Ruler.
Mei followed her junior's offensive with her own. Her entire body was covered in purple lightning and blitzed through the battlefield in a matter of seconds as she was now facing the Ruler's back. At that very moment, she was ready to instantly unsheath her katana.
Though their offensive was swiftly countered. The Ruler used both of its arms to block Adam's incoming attack. The young Herrscher of Flames was surprised by how durable the Ruler's lower arm was as he only managed to cut in halfway into the Ruler's limb.
It had concentrated a lot of Honkai energy into its limbs, increasing its toughness and defense.
Mei's follow-up was also halted as the Ruler's hair shot out, making her preemptively unsheath her blade to defend herself as such she was only able to deal shallow cuts on the Ruler's back. She would've been skewered if any of that hair hit her directly.
Using its other arm the Ruler throws a punch at Adam. It sent him flying at high speeds into the ground, leaving him completely battered.
Their offensive had failed. "Adam!" Mei called out for her junior and gritted her teeth. However, she wasn't out of the fryer just yet as the Ruler turned its attention onto the Herrscher of Origin.
Bronya tried to support her friend as best as she could so Mei could get out of her predicament by summoning and shooting the Ruler down with laser canons. Barraging it with superior firepower.
The Ruler's summoned tendrils made it hard for any of her shots to go through and those that got through and hit the main body weren't able to deal any significant damage to get its attention away.
The ground started to shake once more. "!" Bronya noticed a change in the air, another wave of Honkai beasts and Will's Parasites charging towards their location. "Timido patch Adam up then link up with me. We'll finish this wave quickly." Bronya ordered as the two fighters stood by each other's side.
"O-On it!" Timido replied.
"Mei-nee san please hold on for a little bit," Bronya muttered quietly under her breath as she summoned her mecha to quickly deal with the new waves of enemies
From Mei's end, The Herrscher of Origin noticed in the distance that her allies were getting attacked by another wave of enemies. The Ruler has successfully separated her from the rest of her allies.
"I've got to get back to Bronya and Timido. But there are no openings in the Ruler's defenses… I won't be able to get away if I keep trying to conserve my stamina." She had no other choice. Right now she needed to either hold her ground until the other Herrschers were able to get to her location or finish this fight all by herself.
The latter seemed very difficult to accomplish given that she wasn't in her peak condition. Thus Mei decided to put her faith in her allies and held her ground. Hoping that she could buy her allies enough time to finish their fight.
A storm brewed above them as Mei drew out more of her power. Purple lightning began to cover her entire body. "Here I go."
The fight for survival raged on.
Mei had been holding her ground for quite a while. It is an impressive feat as It shows how the human spirit hasn't died down despite facing its greatest adversary.
But even a supersoldier could only do so much against a calamity that is in front of her. Mei might've inflicted a lot of wounds on her adversary but she had wrongly judged her opponent's power.
This Ruler is much stronger than the other Rulers they've fought before. As much as she hoped that her allies would come and help her finish off this Ruler. They weren't able to.
The Ruler's army relentlessly charged at them without a care for their own survival, keeping Bronya and the rest busy. Because of that Mei had to rely on herself.
Fatigue had caught up to both of them. It is only a matter of time before one of them falls.
The Ruler continued its onslaught of attacks. Sending in her direction a barrage of energy blasts.
Mei effortlessly evaded a bunch of them as she gracefully danced in between each projectile However the Ruler didn't leave any opening that would otherwise create a path that Mei could exploit.
With one hand Mei tightly gripped her Katana. Waiting for the opportune moment to create that opening.
"Now!" With one swing of her Katana, Mei cuts open a new path. However unbeknownst to the Herrscher. She had fallen right into a trap the Ruler had set for her.
Mei was too focused on the energy projectile that she failed to notice a tendril creeping under the ground. The tendril sprung up and wrapped around one of her legs, preventing her from moving from her spot.
At the same time, the Ruler launched a stronger energy blast straight at her. Mei was forced to block it with her Katana and it had left her defenses open because of the recoil of that attack.
Unable to defend, she helplessly watched as the Ruler threw a heavy jab straight at her. The attack completely knocked her to the ground where it left a small crater from which the Ruler's fists landed.
"Ack." Mei was completely battered. Many of her bones were shattered on impact. Blood started to dripped down from her head and other parts of her body. The Herrscher of Origin lost.
The Ruler picked her up off the ground. Facing face to face against the Ruler she was now able to see the finer detail on the Ruler's face as well as the cuts she inflicted on it.
"MEI NEE-SAN!" Mei heard her friend, Bronya shout in the distance. In the face of certain death, Mei's determined eyes stared back at the Ruler.
However, the Ruler didn't intend to let Mei get off the hook that easily.
"COUGH-" Blood splattered from Mei's mouth and nose.
After all the humiliation this traitor had brought to them. She deserved a slow yet painful death.
"What is- Cough-" Mei coughed up even more blood. She struggled to breathe, every part of her body was screaming in pain. Her body was slowly degrading.
"This is… Dammit." No, she couldn't die yet. Mei continued to struggle as her brain scrambled to find any kind of useful information to help her get out of this situation.
Bright pink and purple markings began to spread all over her body.
"Otousan…"Mei quietly muttered.
"Br…Bronya…Ki...Ana." With increasing difficulty, she muttered the names of her friends. Her most important person. Her mind continued to scramble as doubts began to form.
Is this really how she's going to leave them? Is the situation truly hopeless?
Kiana…
If only I could meet her. The most important person in my life. I wished that she could be reunited with her. Have a laugh. Share more stories with her. Make something delicious for her.
Just this once.
Please.
Let me meet her last time.
"Gasp-" Mei's eyes shot open. The scenery around her had changed.
The sky had been lit up by the stars. Its pinkish gradient gave her a familiar feeling. She stood on top of a shallow pool of water, endlessly stretching towards the horizon.
Bright glowing pink sakura petals fluttered around her. Carried away by the wind. Some fell onto the surface of the water while others disappeared into the horizon.
"Mei~" A familiar voice rang.
Mei turned around and saw an old friend. Elysia, the pink-haired elf cheerfully smiled as she waved her arm. She was wearing that same beautiful white dress that Mei remembered. The dress that Elysia wore as the Herrscher of Human.
"You've grown quite beautifully~ It's been a while since we saw each other isn't Mei?" Elysia said, her voice was filled with nostalgia. Though behind that happy facade, a hint of sadness could be heard in her voice.
"I'm flattered that you've come back to see me but… Mei. You're not supposed to be here." A sad smile is seen on Elysia's face.
"... So am i-?"
Elysia shook her head before Mei could even finish her sentence.
"I see."
"Mei… It's rude to leave without saying goodbyes you know." Elysia replied. Her voice was filled with sorrow. She didn't think this would be the time that she'd meet her best friend again.
"...I know. But I ca-"
"You can." Elysia lightly grabbed both of Mei's hands. "Go. Say what you want to say to her." The pink elf smiled. Mei knew what Elysia meant by that.
So the purple-haired girl nodded her head. "Thank you, Elysia… "
Elysia smiled. The previous Herrscher of Origin was happy to see her successor's growth.
In her last act of kindness to this world. Elysia granted her best friend a new strength, from the culmination of their purest wishes, a [Miracle] was created.
A [Miracle] that would ensure humanity's survival. A power that would turn Mei's deep longing into reality.
?, Senba Academy
Dusk soon befalls the academy. Evening orange hue basks the halls and classroom of the academy.
"Hnngh. Where am I?" A white-haired girl opened her eyes in an empty classroom. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and sat back up on her chair. "O-Oh right. I must've slept in."
The girl saw a majestic sunset on the horizon. It is getting late, she should head home soon.
She got up from her chair and noticed that everyone had left. With no one around the school was very quiet.
"Did everyone seriously leave me alone here? Ah right Mei senpai! She should be waiting for-"
Her train of thought stopped. Something isn't right about this.
This uniform, this familiar environment. No this doesn't feel right. Why's she here? Why's she on Nagazora? She shouldn't even be in this place. Where is everyone? How did she even get here?
"Did the-!" The girl's thoughts were halted as soon as she felt a familiar presence. A presence that she hasn't felt in quite a long time.
The feelings of mirth erupted from within her chest as she rushed out of the classroom. Herheart continued to beat loudly. "It's her!" Her adrenaline rushed. She couldn't think of anything else other than meeting that person.
The most important person in her life. "Mei Senpai!" Kiana slammed the entrance door to the rooftop of the building as she panted, catching her breath.
There she had found her friend, Raiden Mei. She was in her Nagazora uniform just like her, smiling as she gazed upon the beautiful sunset.
"Mei senpai… I-Is that really you?" Kiana reached her hand out towards her as Mei turned around and greeted her with a smile. Though Kiana felt something was off about that smile of hers.
"Finally. We meet again, Kiana-chan." Mei stood in her spot with a satisfied smile.
"Mei senpai…" Kiana pushed her doubts aside and smiled back. "Let's go home."
However, Mei shook her head. "I'm glad we can meet again for one last time. But this is where I have to say goodbye to you, Kiana-chan." Tears of mirth fell from Raiden Mei's cheeks as her body slowly disappeared into golden balls of light.
" What? No. No! Don't leave!"
"No! Wait! Mei senpai!" Kiana ran while reaching her hand out towards her friend.
"I leave everything to you. Kiana-chan. Take care of yourself and others for me. Sorry that I wasn't able to free you from the moon." Raiden Mei's entire body soon disappeared before Kiana could even embrace her.
"Me-Mei senpai." Kiana stared in denial into her arms.
"No. No. NO!"
The scenery around her changed back into what it once was. She was back on the moon.
The place where her fight took place. The place where everything turned for the worse.
"Th-This can't be happening!" Her arms started shaking as tears welled up on her cheeks. Her mind raced to try and rationalize everything. Her heart begged for it to all be a dream.
She wasn't able to fathom what had just happened.
Kiana still had a lot of things to say to her. How her life had changed ever since they met.
She remembered the warm and gentle smile Mei always had. How patient she was towards Kiana's childish actions. Their ups and downs.
She remembered their fight. Their eventual reunion and the peace they've created.
Kiana cherished every single one of those little and mundane moments together. She always wanted to tell her how important of a friend she was. How she loved her more than anything else in the world. But now she couldn't.
Raiden Mei was no longer part of this world. She is now only a remembrance of the past.
The Herrscher of Finality lamented over the loss of her soulmate.
"Why? Why did you do that? Mei senpai you… Why did you do that!?"
Sadness and anger built up inside of her. Her wrathful eyes stare deep into the Ruler's very being.
"WHY!? WHY CAN'T I DO ANYTHING AT ALL!"
Kiana gripped her weapons tightly to the point that blood started dripping out from the palms of her hands. She was furious. Furious at the Will of Honkai for taking Mei away from her but a lot of that fury was mostly directed inward towards herself.
"I'MTHE STRONGEST HERRSCHER And yet… And yet… "
Kiana bit her lip. She had all of this power and yet she couldn't save anyone. Not even her friends. Not even Mei.
"AAAAA!" Kiana let out a war cry from the deepest pit of her soul. With only one goal in mind, The Herrscher of Finality charged forward. She won't hold back anymore.
She'll do anything to destroy the Ruler of Will. Anything.
…
…
…
Kiana, I still have a lot of important things to say to you:
.
I want you to know that.
You're my most important friend, One of the most important people in my life more than anyone or anything else in the world.
You've changed my whole life.
You gave me hope that the world isn't just a miserable place.
You gave me a reason to fight for this beautiful world.
.
This sinful wish of mine is a small price I'm willing to make.
For you and for this beautiful world you believed in.
I will do anything.
So please, My Beloved Friend.
Live.
.
I leave the future in your hands now.
[Savior of Light].