Chapter 4: Second Honkai War II

Schicksal HQ, Command Room

[ALARM] [ALARM] [ALARM] WARNING: UNKNOWN OBJECT APPROACHING FROM HIGH ATMOSPHERE. ORIGIN: FAR SIDE OF MOON. DEPLOYING HEADQUARTERS' BARRIER SYSTEM. DEFENCE SUCCESSFUL. METEOR SHATTERED ON CONTACT.

WARNING: MORE METEORS HAVE BEEN OBSERVED ENTERING ATMOSPHERE. CALCULATION OF POSSIBLE TRAJECTORIES: FORMER NORTH AMERICAN BRANCH (NOW ANTI-ENTROPY HEADQUARTERS), CONSTRUCTION SITE OF FAR EAST BRANCH, NORTH-AMERICAN ANTI-ENTROPY MILITARY BASE, SIBERIAN BRANCH (TOWER OF BABYLON LABS), FAR NORTH BRANCH…

As Otto Apocalypse sat in his commanding throne and listened to the announcements droning on, he idly noted that the Second Herrscher had very clearly started targeting his organisation's assets with her lunar meteors while she was still on the Moon. "Well, at least she also targets Anti-Entropy's facilities as well… there is a bright side to this conundrum. I wonder how they will respond to this…"

Tower of Babylon Labs, Command Room

"Dr Einstein, we've just received word from NA Branch (Anti-Entropy North America). They've launched anti-missile systems to defend Anti-Entropy HQ and fired SILVER BULLETs to intercept the meteors on course to impact the AE Military Base and this location. More payloads are being kept in reserve in case the facilities are targeted again."

The blue-haired scientist nodded absently as she was studying two slowly degrading swords. "Noted. Please inform the Sovereign. Also, continue to monitor the redheaded boy he brought back with him from the battlefield, and let me know when his blood samples are finished being analysed."

Meanwhile, Siegfried was having a call with Schicksal's Overseer… or at least he was attempting to. "Master Siegfried, Our Lord Overseer is trying to come up with a plan. The Schicksal HQ's defences are holding up well, so there is no need to worry for now. All forces are to evacuate underground at other facilities and wait for further orders."

"Damnit, Amber! Just link me up with Otto right now! There's a crazy girl on the Moon throwing space rocks at us! We need to attack now, before HQ's defences fail! Cecilla and Kiana are still there!" the Kaslana exclaimed to the Overseer's assistant in frustration.

"Please exercise patience, Master Siegfried. Amber out." With those last words, she cut the call. "Damn you, Otto…" Rushing out of the room, Siegfried slammed open the door to the Medibay. "Welt! You're the Sovereign of Anti-Entropy! That lunatic is raining flaming meteors on BOTH Schicksal & Anti-Entropy facilities! Are you just going to lie here all day and do nothing?!"

"Be quiet, caveman. The patient is trying to rest." That statement came from Dr Tesla, who had finally been allowed to enter Babylon Labs. She was currently sitting at Welt's bedside and peeling an apple.

"What? Caveman? Me?" the white-haired man mumbled in confusion.

"Siegfried, I'm sorry I can't do more right now, I really am. But my Herrscher powers are currently spent, and I'm out of Honkai energy that I need in order to construct a viable counteroffensive. Especially with what that boy did… Speaking of which, you might want to watch your language when referring to the Second Herrscher around here. Shirou's in the next room over, after all."

In Shirou's Mindscape

As the redhead slowly stirred once more, he found himself standing in the barren plain of dust. "Seems I've returned here again… But have those dust clouds shrunk a little?"

"You are unconscious right now, boy. You strained your body and circuits too much in such a short period of time. It was made even worse when you activated that Divine Key's Zeroth power."

Shirou remembered this voice, when he had uttered his trigger [Trace. On.] and activated his magic circuits and Reinforcement for the first time. "It's you again… From before, when I was asking for power to save Sirin. You have my thanks–"

"You misunderstand. That power was always yours, merely hidden in the depths of your soul. I only served as a way for you to unlock and access your magic circuits in this body."

"Even so, thank you. I needed to become stronger, to challenge Sirin's current view of the world, to make her see not to kill Humanity… But now she's escaped. I fear that I might have to meet her on the battlefield soon…"

"Hmph. You nearly killed yourself previously. Our Traced version of Elysian Pedion is weaker than the original, so it didn't nullify electricity and bio-electricity in its range. But the activation still causes all Honkai energy to be nullified, meaning you were maintaining the Divine Key with only a small mana/prana reserve. You nearly burnt yourself out."

"I think I understand. So I should avoid using that in the future… Is there anything else I can Trace?"

"You have that training sword, don't you? The spears and chains of that Judah were also recorded here. However… Now that your magic circuits are activated, some memories of your fights in the 5th Holy Grail War will begin to return. There aren't many Noble Phantasms that you recorded in the past and will have access to later, but I guess you'll be more equipped than you think."

"Noble Phantasms? What are those? Why do they sound so familiar…?"

"That's not important right now. After you wake up, train yourself more. You're about to face a lot more battles in the future. Try not to die, got it? You're a unique existence… In your last life and this one."