CHIH 361-370 (Patreon)

[Chapter 361: Playing Chess with a Genius]For some inexplicable reason, Herta found herself sitting in the Golden Courtyard, quietly watching everyone continue the game.Regarding supplies, Su only asked for some food and symbolically took a few general-purpose high-energy batteries, which he tossed into the Golden Courtyard. It was said that they would provide energy to the Golden Courtyard, allowing the chess pieces to move further.Herta was very curious about where the energy from these high-energy batteries went. The energy had indeed disappeared, and the corresponding chess pieces had moved further, but she still couldn't find the core of the game.“Personally, I don't think letting Herta into the Golden Courtyard is a good choice. Something bad might happen,” Bronie said after entering the Golden Courtyard and seeing Herta for the first time.“Oh? Do you have some special insights?”Herta was unconvinced and immediately perked up after hearing Bronie's words.Why shouldn't she be allowed to participate in such a fun game?“I became an assistant because of Elysia’s wish, and frankly, I can’t guarantee what will happen if a stranger enters the Golden Courtyard and participates in the game. Maybe they’ll be considered cheaters?”Bronie’s analysis wasn’t wrong, but Herta was fearless. So what if she was considered a cheater?She was a genius and an Emanator of Nous and had studied so many things; there weren’t many things that could stump her.Even if she were caught cheating and triggered the cheating penalty, Herta believed she could handle it calmly.“Whatever. Who’s next? I’ve already started dealing with the Six-Phase Ice. You guys start the game!”Saying this, Herta sat down next to the Herrscher of Sentience, seemingly melting the Six-Phase Ice, but her attention was focused on the game.“Next is Fu Hua.”“Yes, next is me. But my luck is usually not very good, so the events I trigger might involve some unpleasant things.” Fu Hua stood there quietly, startling Herta even more.“When did you get there?!”“I've been here the whole time.”“None of you seem to be ordinary people... To be honest, I’m a little interested. But let’s play the game first! Hurry up, or do you want me to pull the lever for you?”After briefly understanding the game’s mechanics, Herta was becoming increasingly impatient.She didn’t care about the nearby Heliobus or the Antimatter Legion; she only cared about one thing: the Aeons.“I’ll do it. We’ve already tried it; unless it’s a player’s turn, they can’t pull the lever.”Fu Hua had no objection to Herta joining in. Although Herta used a puppet’s body, she was actually a member of the legendary Genius Society.With so many people in the galaxy, to form a society of geniuses watched over by the Aeon, Fu Hua highly respected her abilities.In fact, this seemingly insurmountable game had a turning point; perhaps another method could be used to completely crack it.In the game, events could be malicious or benevolent, and Fu Hua still couldn’t figure out what the other party was really up to.But she still harbored suspicions about this Bronie.This Bronie was acting strangely in many ways.Perhaps everything would become clear once the Herrscher of Sentience was unfrozen?Fu Hua slowly pulled the lever, and the numbers began to jump again.Finally, the old mechanical dial stopped at five o’clock.“Hmm, looks like my luck is pretty good?”A note popped out.[The Weeping Angel visits the Golden Courtyard. She will seize the ability to devour the other party's story-writing abilities and steal their time.]“No reward, no punishment. The Weeping Angel? What is that?”While the synesthesia beacon could indeed bypass language and cultural differences, making communication easier, the term “angel” still needed an explanation.“Angels—shouldn’t they be friendly creatures? Why is it a weeping angel? It seizes and devours the ability to write stories and steals time—what does that mean?” Ellie was also puzzled.Why would an angel weep? Why would it appear in the Golden Courtyard? How did it devour the ability to write stories? And how did it steal time?Aponia explained the meaning of angels to Herta, describing them from a religious perspective.Of course, this angel probably referred to angels in Christianity within this civilization.“A winged bird-man? Sounds a bit boring, but I sense memetic activity.”“Tsk, a weeping angel. Okay, if anyone sees an angel sculpture, be sure to tell everyone. Also, don’t blink when staring at the statue, and don’t get too close!”Bronie clearly knew something, and Herta looked at her.“What do you know?”“Why don’t you use your genius brain to think about it?”“Were you ever discouraged by a genius when you were a child?”Herta thought this was probably the reason for Bronie’s hostility.“No, not at all. I just don’t like you. So, do you want to give it a try?”“Hmph. Let me go see what this so-called Weeping Angel is all about.” Herta knew Bronie’s suggestion to approach it was definitely not a good idea.Since Bronie wanted to have fun with her, all she had to do was take care of the Weeping Angel and prevent Bronie from seeing what she wanted to see. Wasn’t that enough?Herta also disliked Bronie for calling her an old woman and needed to get revenge.The first to notice the anomaly inside the Golden Courtyard was Su.Using his Eye of Bodhi and mental power, Su easily detected the foreign object entering the Golden Courtyard, much like antivirus software.“The basement. If you’re going to look for it, be careful not to blink.”Su’s voice reached Herta, who was also baffled. Was it really safe just by keeping an eye on it?The universe was vast, and strange things abounded, but could something of an unexplainable nature really have been born naturally?Herta thought it was impossible.In other words, this game created something called the Weeping Angel and placed it in the Golden Courtyard, posing a threat to everyone.So Herta arrived at the basement door.Upon opening the door, there stood a sculpture of a weeping angel, its face covered, looking rather...“Disgusting.”The scanning devices mounted on Herta’s doll operated continuously, emitting dense and chaotic imaginary energy along with various memes constructed from Ether energy.This twisted and chaotic creation had suddenly appeared in the basement and the moment Herta opened the door, it lost all ability to move.“It also carries memes, and it’s contagious. While the infection rate isn’t fast, it’s extremely troublesome. I really don’t know what your creator was thinking, creating such an ugly thing…”Herta spoke with a look of disgust. Bronie, standing nearby, added.“This kind of latent memetic contamination takes time to spread and can recover naturally, but if you keep an eye on it, you’ll get infected; if you don’t, you’ll be preyed upon. So do you have any solutions? The quantum-locked Weeping Angel is practically the most indestructible thing in the world. In the military field, it might be able to create the strongest shield.”“Just blast it to pieces with imaginary energy, then use meme eradication. It’s a bit troublesome, but I don’t think this thing is that scary.”“Really? The Golden Courtyard isn’t the Herta Space Station, and the farthest place they’ve ever reached from their previous planet is only 500,000 kilometers away. They don’t have that many instruments available for you to use.”Hearing Bronie say this, Herta felt her blood pressure rise.How could a planet with such a low level of civilization, one that hadn’t even left its own star system, encounter something so absurd?Were these people special?“Hmph, I’m the 83rd seat of the Genius Society, Herta. This kind of troublesome matter is nothing to me. But this thing’s hunting mechanism might be quite interesting...”The ability to devour story-writing abilities might mean death for ordinary people, but the process of dying would be incredibly interesting.Perhaps it would be complete disappearance, forgotten by everyone.Or perhaps it would leave behind a tiny bit of ability, only enough to write a mediocre remaining life before finally dying.In any case, this mechanism essentially required touching the Imaginary Tree, making contact with the entire world—even time itself.After all, the note mentioned it would steal the prey’s time.So without a doubt, the Weeping Angel did indeed pose a threat to Herta, just as Bronie had expected, and even made her feel somewhat embarrassed.But was Herta the kind of person who easily admitted defeat?No. Her expression remained tense, still full of confidence, and she even reached out to the Weeping Angel, lifting the heavy statue.“I’ll throw it out right now. But speaking of which, have you encountered anything like this before?”“Anything can appear in the Sea of Quanta.” Bronie shrugged, not denying the question.“So there’s only one Weeping Angel in this house?”“Yes. The most troublesome situation is encountering only one. If there are two or more, the memetic contamination will accelerate, but it’s also easier to handle.”“That makes sense.” Herta immediately understood why multiple Weeping Angels would be easier to deal with.Because Weeping Angels always kept their faces covered, this prevented them from making eye contact with other Weeping Angels.If they successfully forced a Weeping Angel into eye contact with another, after they looked at each other, they would form a permanent cage.After that, the Weeping Angels would lose all threat.Therefore, Herta didn’t deny Bronie’s statement that a single Weeping Angel was the most troublesome situation.“If you handle this incident, it might trigger the Jumanji’s punishment mechanism. I don’t know the specifics, but I hope you don’t spill blood on Elysia.”“Are you close to her?”“Otherwise? Elysia made a wish and called me as her companion. Why would she choose me if we weren’t close?”“Is that so?” Even though she only saw the others’ wariness toward Bronie, the clever Herta clearly sensed something was off about this brat.The essence of some things was absolutely invisible to ordinary eyes but Herta also felt that Bronie’s ability to manipulate Ether was indeed quite impressive, as well as the energy leaking from all around were the same readings.She was just hiding too much.“I smell something very unpleasant, like those annoying Masked Fools. This Weeping Angel is a bit heavy. You keep a close eye on it!”Herta grabbed the Weeping Angel, trying to pull it out and throw it outside the Golden Courtyard.As they walked along the road, everyone stared in astonishment at the Weeping Angel.“Is this the statue?” Ellie asked curiously.“It only takes on the statue’s appearance when it’s being observed. In reality, the moment we close our eyes, the Weeping Angel loses its fixed form and begins hunting us. It’s very dangerous!”Herta glanced subtly at Su.“Looks like your eyes are worth studying too.”Su immediately broke out in a cold sweat.A member of the Genius Society…Based on Ellie’s description, Emperor Rupert alone had caused such outrageous trouble; the members must be anything but ordinary!And Herta’s interest in him gave him a strange feeling of being targeted by Mobius.“Well, never mind. Come visit my space station sometime. Just tell me what you want, and I promise you won’t lose out.”With that, the small Herta doll dragged the enormous Weeping Angel statue to the entrance of the Golden Courtyard.“Who’s going to help? Just watch?”“I’ll do it.” Fu Hua volunteered.After all, she was the one who had triggered this thing, so it wasn’t a problem for her to clean it up.This Weeping Angel gave off a very bad feeling. Even members of the Genius Society had mentioned its danger, so everyone wanted to avoid causing trouble and kept their distance.But now it was less dangerous?Fu Hua punched the statue. The recoil bruised her fist. It was a full-force punch, but surprisingly, it didn’t damage the Weeping Angel.“Not bad strength. Sure enough, this kind of game isn’t for ordinary people. I’ve figured it out; you all have some special skills.” Herta watched the statue fly far away and quickly disappear from view, then turned back with relief.Fu Hua slowly closed the gate of the Golden Courtyard, letting out a sigh of relief.“Thankfully, there weren’t too many losses. That Weeping Angel seems extremely dangerous... Speaking of which, does Bronie know about the Weeping Angel’s abilities?”“I’ve heard about it by chance~” Bronie was starting to get used to Fu Hua’s wariness. She didn’t care about any kind of probing; after all, she was a great detective—it was an old professional habit.“No wonder you described the Weeping Angel’s weakness so clearly right away. Without your information, we might have suffered casualties. Is this game getting increasingly malicious?”“Is it possible that the game’s creator considered all the candidates’ situations?”Fu Hua fell silent at Bronie’s words. So she even suspected that Herta’s entry into the Golden Courtyard had also been within the mastermind’s calculations.If that were true, their situation would become extremely dangerous.Burying her fear deep inside, Fu Hua looked at Senti with concern, then asked Herta, “By the way, Miss Herta, does Six-Phase Ice melt naturally, or does it take a considerable amount of time to melt?”“Hm? Melt naturally? Are you kidding me? Creations based on the rules of imaginary numbers are difficult to alter regardless of the rules. Even if I did it myself, it would still take more than an hour. Natural melting is practically impossible!”“I see. So the reason you were allowed to participate in the game is because you need to melt the Six-Phase Ice?”Hearing this, Herta was also somewhat incredulous.What kind of bastard actually dared to plot against me?“Then I won’t melt it. I’ll wait until you’ve completed the three rounds of the game and see if that guy has any weaknesses!”“But what if the three rounds of the game simply end?” Hearing Elysia’s question, Herta was slightly annoyed.“I know! So I’ll wait.”She would wait for the one behind the game to truly make a move; only then could she catch them red-handed.The deployment of the Weeping Angel had allowed the opponent to escape once. This time, Herta wouldn’t let them escape.Although she didn’t know why the Golden Courtyard was now hundreds of light-years away from the space station, it didn’t affect Herta’s control over the puppet.Now she was completely focused, even summoning Screwllum with her main body.She would solve this Game of the Brave no matter what!- Chapter 362: Revelation"Alright! Next up is Mr. Su! Another round of the game!"Bronie looked very excited, and Herta didn't object. After all, having just arrived in this game, Herta hoped to see more of what would follow.The Weeping Angel is a special type of monster with a near-invincible ability. Its bizarre ability easily created immense fear in this small Golden Courtyard.Although the Flamechasers present were all seasoned veterans who had seen almost everything, the series of events, coupled with the fact that they were still under someone else's control, had honestly left everyone feeling somewhat down.Mainly because of the Weeping Angel.Although explaining its ability was troublesome, after actually experiencing it and thinking about it carefully, how much panic would everyone have faced without Herta and Bronie?Su wasn't afraid of death, but he was afraid of dying without knowing why and without contributing anything.This anxiety also infected Fu Hua.Fu Hua felt that her martial arts skills were limited and couldn't be used effectively, so she appeared somewhat self-conscious.As for Aponia?Aponia was even less of a concern.Having witnessed so much of fate yet being powerless to change it, Aponia's mentality in battle had always been a problem.After a period of low spirits, Ellie suddenly spoke."How about we take a break for a while?""Huh?" Herta didn't understand."Look, it's the Antimatter Legion, the Doomsday Beast, the Weeping Angel, the Six-Phase Ice, and so on. So much has exhausted us, so we need a break. Besides, the game isn't that long, is it?"Looking closely now, the game board was already three-quarters complete. Two more rounds and maybe we could finish the game.Even more obvious was that freezing Senti this time was truly to prevent someone from disrupting the game.So who was this 'someone'?Ellie already had an initial idea."Then during the break, tell me about what happened before so I can have a general understanding of the game." Herta nodded, her clever mind quickly grasping some of Ellie's situation.It wasn't that Herta was ignorant of human relationships but rather that she disdained abiding by those rules.However, this woman called Elysia was quite interesting....no, everyone in this Golden Courtyard possessed unique skills, even the one frozen in the Six-Phase Ice, whose state was very similar to that of a Memokeeper from the Garden of Recollection, almost existing there in memetic form.If it weren't for the Six-Phase Ice, it might not have been possible to surpress the other party.After much thought, Ellie finally couldn't help but suspect the person she loved.Little rascal. As punishment, let her bear a child!But before that..."Aponia, you're the best storyteller, so I'm leaving it to you. Bronie, come this way!""Huh?"Elysia entrusted the storytelling to Aponia and then called Bronie over.The two went to the pink room, and Elysia locked the door behind her."Bronie~"The saccharine voice made Bronie's skin crawl. She backed away like a little girl being invited by an old man to see goldfish.Pitiful, helpless, weak.jpeg"What are you doing!""Have you considered winning an Oscar? Your disguise is too convincing!""What... what are you talking about!? I don't understand!""Bronie! Why was Senti frozen? Why did you suddenly disappear? Why did Aponia see the threads of fate on you? Why did this game start on the board game under the bed?""Who understands this?!""There's only one answer! Bronie is being mischievous! Reviving people through the Imaginary Tree is possible, but time travel is basically impossible! I asked Herta, and it's absolutely impossible for people from the past to reach the present!"Although Ellie spoke forcefully, she was actually lowering her voice to avoid being heard and using her actions to gradually press forward.Bronie retreated again and again, but Ellie pressed on.They eventually reached a corner.Duckling scared in the corner.jpg"That was such a good performance! Let me guess, did you suddenly gain such powerful strength because of the Aeon, or because of the Honkai?""Only...""I won't listen to lies!"With that, Ellie pressed her lips against Bronie's, using her own method to confirm Bronie's true state.That familiar taste and that familiar entanglement further confirmed Ellie's suspicions! So Ellie went even further, depriving Bronie of the right to breathe.Struggling?At first, she made a token effort, but then she stopped, seemingly giving up and beginning to enjoy it.This was the Bronie she knew.Ellie was absolutely certain.When their lips parted, Ellie noticed Bronie's eyes soften."Not acting anymore?""So everyone knows?""Hua sensed something. As for the others, they remain skeptical, but their trust in you remains unwavering..."Bronie had possessed her own mental defenses since childhood, so Su didn't probe her. Aponia, on the other hand, chose to accept whatever was happening.Senti posed a greater threat; seeing Bronie would definitely overwhelm her.Therefore, Senti was frozen, and Ellie made a wish.It was unclear whether Bronie trusted Ellie too much or trusted Ellie's feelings for her.She believed this wish would definitely be used on Bronie herself."But I have a question," Ellie suddenly asked."What?""Why would you put an action like a making a wish in the game?""It's the Aeon...""Huh?""The events I encountered weren't entirely under my control. Knowing the Aeon would create such a thing as a wish for you, I immediately thought of freezing Senti. The situation was urgent, so I revealed quite a few flaws..."Bronie was looking for fun, then became the Aeon's fun. This kind of thing was probably very common.But for some reason, Bronie always felt that Aha just wanted to ship characters.Watching the other party laughing with her game character's face on their head, Bronie couldn't stand it anymore."So why is that?" Ellie's previous question still hadn't been answered.But Ellie could tell that an Aeon was involved."I've been chosen as a Herrscher...""Hmm?""And I'm the first of the Herrscher of Dominance. Because there's a problem with the nature of my Herrscher core, my powers have changed. I almost lost my mind, but I survived. After that, I thought about using my powers to do something instead of spreading them."The normal instinct of the Herrscher of Dominance should be to constantly spread, increase companions, then create chaos as ordinary people, establish rules, and then seize the powers of weaker Herrschers.But would Bronie do that?Please, that kind of rule and instinct is incredibly boring.To become an ordinary person and then create chaos in society, spreading negative energy?To act like some online troll, inciting conflict all day?Boring.Disgusting.Pointless.Perhaps it was this kind of thinking that allowed Bronie to break free from the influence of the Will of Honkai on her mind after becoming a Herrscher.Therefore, the Herrscher powers were used in rather different ways in Bronie's hands.Ultimately, the most important aspect of the Herrscher of Dominance is their foundation in humanity, and the vast majority of them are ordinary people.The fact that they are called a mob and appear as puppets represents a philosophical concept, a widespread phenomenon.This sounded similar to the Paths.In reality, the Imaginary Tree is also a vast tree woven from human beings and stories.Stories that have happened, are happening, and are about to happen all converge. When new branches appear, the lines begin to fork.Therefore, Bronie always believed that the Herrscher of Dominance was the Herrscher closest to the Imaginary Tree.In fact, after becoming the Herrscher of Dominance, Bronie successfully verified the correctness of her conjecture.Although initially the powers or destiny of the Herrscher of Dominance didn't offer much positive impact, much like the widespread negative emotions of ordinary people, upon taking over the omnipotent power, Bronie immediately fell into a very bad state.The powers were too abstract and she didn't even know how to use them... Later, if it weren't for Aha...So Aha had already foreseen this situation, and that was why They instructed her not to leave the mask?After gradually becoming familiar with her powers, Bronie also began to use them in a more abstract and idealistic way."So in the end, you're the one taking everyone on a trip? But can a Herrscher really do that? Kiana is the Herrscher of the Void, and she couldn't take us that far!""Actually... there's a bit of a deception involved. The real Golden Courtyard is still there. We're just a quantum projection now. I'm using a little imaginary energy to make it look more realistic. Everything will return to normal when we get back.""So from now on, we can enjoy the fun of space travel anytime and anywhere without leaving home?" Ellie felt that Bronie fulfilling her dream in this way seemed pretty good.Bronie shook her head repeatedly."If it weren't for the Aeon, I definitely couldn't have done this. Easily traversing hundreds of light-years and even passing through something like the subspace crystalline wall is beyond my capabilities.""But regardless, you do now have the possibility of interstellar travel, don't you? Or is the Herta Space Station actually fake?""That's true..."But would the Interastral Peace Corporation be willing to provide her with long-distance transport technology?And then, would the energy supply keep up?Many complex issues can't be solved by a simple Herrscher.Herrschers aren't slaves endlessly performing repetitive labor without fatigue.Where in the world are there so many Herrschers to fuel you?In any case, the saying 'If you don't do it, plenty of Herrschers will' is definitely not something you would say.So to achieve interstellar travel, you naturally need certain methods.Whether it's taking shortcuts or using sheer force, as long as it works, Bronie won't mind."My brain isn't that sharp. I can't think of too many things, but should I still keep this from you?""It's up to you~" Bronie was already prepared for the game to end. If Elysia didn't want to continue, Bronie would immediately launch Herta.As for whether she would hold a grudge in the future?That wasn't Bronie's concern. If she dared to seek revenge in the future, Bronie could retaliate in kind, and there would definitely be plenty of fun then."Then let's keep playing! You've been suppressing yourself for so long. Bronie's been wanting to go crazy for a while now, right?"Elysia understood Bronie's thoughts and directly stated the real reason why Bronie was leading everyone in this game.Having gained such powerful strength, why wouldn't you use it?Besides, wasn't this also the Aeon's wish?"Although I think ending the game directly and embarrassing the Aeon would still amuse Them, since you've made up your mind, let's continue playing!""Mmm!" Bronie tried to get up and return to the living room so Su could pull the lever, but Ellie held Bronie's shoulders down, preventing her from rising."What!?""Bronie has suddenly become so cute. Is it because of the Herrscher power?"Bronie immediately clenched her buttocks and asked nervously, "Yes, is there a problem?""So cute! Play with me for a while!"Ellie gave her a bear hug, and Bronie was instantly immersed in a sea of blissful softness.While Herrschers can stop breathing, it was clear that Bronie, as a newly minted Herrscher, couldn't reach such an extreme.Her weak struggles only excited Ellie more. With more kisses and hugs, Bronie recalled that familiar feeling from the past.This was one of the things Bronie liked about Ellie.Big is good."In the future, if Ellie becomes interested in this form of me... I might be okay with it. But if you do something similar to other children because of this, I'll make sure you get a taste of jail time!""Really!?" Ellie thought Bronie would never use this form again."Hmph! If you sincerely ask, of course I won't refuse!""I see... then I'll have to hesitate a bit about having you bear children in the future...""Huh!?"---[Chapter 363: Ejecting the Herta]Seeing Ellie and Bronie emerge from the room, Su was quite puzzled."What were you two doing?""Nothing much, just a brief discussion about the current situation. After all, only Ellie has experience with wishes, and I suspect she has something special about her, but we didn't find anything. Speaking of which, where's that Herta?"Bronie hadn't expected that in just over ten minutes since she and Ellie left, Herta appeared to have vanished."Her… she went upstairs to Bronie's office with Fu Hua. She said the background of civilization might give her some inspiration, so she went to Bronie's office to take a look.""I see…" Ellie thought for a moment. Would there be anything in the office that she couldn't see?It seems there really wasn't anything of secrecy there.Just some research materials and things related to Project Stigma and the creation of Gurren Lagann.The work materials were all in Bronie's office, but for a genius from the Genius Society, these things probably weren't enough.However, Bronie seemed to value the Gurren Lagann figurines and the Puella Magi Madoka Magica figurines very much.Even though Bronie could easily project the figurines using her abilities, she insisted that those bought outside were the best.It was a rather peculiar mentality.“Then let’s continue the game after they come down!” Ellie said, while Aponia looked at Elysia with concern.“Are you sure it’s okay?”“As long as everyone’s here, it’ll definitely be fine. If I were wandering alone in space, I might quickly be overwhelmed by loneliness. I’m a little worried about Griseo.”“Don’t worry, I told you, Griseo is safe. The only problem is that she might be a bit lonely. Later, we can ask Bronie for psychological treatment. I mean, our Bronie.”Su looked at the small Bronie beside him. According to his understanding, it was impossible for a normal person to shrink in age, so Bronie’s identity remained to be observed.Fortunately, Bronie hadn't done anything to harm anyone yet; instead, she directly pointed out the Weeping Angel's weakness.In the end, Herta cleaned it up and took care of it."Bronie can definitely do it! And Griseo is very strong; she'll definitely complete the mission!" Ellie was fantasizing about whether Griseo would become even cuter as she grew up and whether she would still dislike wearing shoes.If she didn't wear shoes, would her little feet still be as soft as before?"I didn't expect this little brat to be an Emanator of Elation and had met with The Elation multiple times. She left behind a lot of information in her office. I roughly understand the reason for this game. It might not have anything to do with the a curios, but if we can complete the game, a new curios might be created."As an artifact collector, Herta was naturally very interested in artifacts and even wanted to get her hands on the chessboard after this game ended.After that…She would definitely call up her friends for a game!A game for the brave?The literal meaning is quite clear: it's likely about creating something that will instill fear in the players, and only by facing it bravely and actively can it be resolved.So, what are these geniuses afraid of?Sometimes, even Herta wonders what Screwllum might fear."You know the reason for this?""Because much of the information is related to a disaster called Honkai. While I've only learned a bit about Herrschers from snippets and Herrscher Core reports, they seem to be quite interesting!Completely detached from the Pathstriders, they're almost experimental products created by modifying abilities similar to a Star God.While calling it an 'embrace,' Herta understands the ulterior motives behind the creators of the Cocoon of Finality.Unfortunately, this weak civilization has no room for resistance, but fortunately, it seems to have already shown signs of taking action against the enemy.What can they offer in exchange for Herrscher Cores to play with?Should they personally resolve the Honkai?Or should they send the Interastral Peace Corporation to handle it?""You want to collect everything interesting you see? Are you a child?""What? Do you have a problem with that? Got the toy you wanted?""No, it's just that I'm a little annoyed with the Interastral Peace Corporation. Don't take a toy from someone's house and then poop and pee on it. That's basic manners.""Hmph! I know that without you telling me! I'm just thinking about what you need. List it out for me, then bring me what I want in exchange!"Herta couldn't help but laugh when she heard Bronie describe the Interastral Peace Corporation.However, for a weak civilization, the Interastral Peace Corporation was indeed a piece of trash that was difficult to clean up. If she went there and took something, then expected the Interastral Peace Corporation to pay for it, the outcome was predictable.And then, being targeted by the Emanator of Elation, would she still be able to continue her simulated universe project?She had to give the Emanator some face, after all."What do you need? I'm not entirely sure either; after all, I'm just a random Sea of Quanta traveler passing through. But let's get started on the game!"Su realized what was going on after hearing this.Rushing into contact with the Interastral Peace Corporation and Herta, Su wasn't sure what kind of changes it would bring to his civilization. After all, he'd been implementing the Project Velaka for so long, and he'd never seen anything like this before.Without a doubt, when a weak civilization encounters a powerful one, it rarely ends well. While the IPC claims to be peaceful, unfortunately, they had triggered wars on a scale comparable to the Swarm Disaster during its expansion.It could only be said that they hadn't done much good during this time."Alright, but I have a bad feeling about this, so everyone please be careful." Su said as he approached the chessboard.Herta, however, didn't care. What hadn't she seen?In fact, if the chessboard really did unleash a big attack, she would find a way to deal with it.Besides, they had more than one genius watching this place. Even if they suffered a setback, they would get their revenge sooner or later."Hurry up!" Herta urged.Su didn't hesitate any longer. The moment he pulled the lever, the chessboard began to move."So the house started moving when the chessboard moved... I was so focused on the chessboard that I didn't even notice." Herta stopped looking at the chessboard and looked out the window.The house looked like it had entered warp drive, like the Astral Express.Unfortunately, the Astral Express had disappeared for a while, and no one knew where the Aeon of Trailblaze had gone."A simple magic trick. It'snot worth mentioning."Bronie's words had barely faded when the Golden Courtyard stopped, and a note popped out."Intruder detected, ejection in progress."Su read the note aloud, and Herta was stunned.In that instant, a sudden gust of wind began to rip at Herta, even tearing a huge hole in the ceiling.The vast difference between the vacuum outside and the normal air pressure inside the building created an ejection effect.It was like being ejected from a spaceship, akin to being thrown into space.The vacuum, the harsh cosmic radiation, and the frigid temperature loomed.Fortunately, the Golden Courtyard was three stories high. Herta managed to grab onto the ceiling of the second floor in time, but the wind was ridiculously strong.Ellie reacted just as quickly, jumping up and grabbing Herta's hand, pulling her into her arms.The strong wind didn't last long. When everything returned to calm, Herta lay motionless in Ellie's arms."Wow, that was quite a commotion..." Bronie exclaimed. That gust of wind was really thrilling; one wrong move and she might have experienced what it's like to be Kars.“Strange…” Ellie looked at the motionless Herta in her arms, feeling very strange.Bronie came up to Ellie.“What? Did that gust of wind blow Herta’s soul away?”“I don’t know~” Ellie knew that Bronie must have disliked Herta and kicked her out.After all, Herta was practically a destructive disaster for the entire Jumanji game; giving her more time would only lead to predictable consequences.But Ellie still chose to play along with Bronie’s act.“Hey, what are you doing!” Ellie saw Bronie pinch Herta’s cheek and quickly stopped her.“I’m just checking her physical condition! Checking her data and the degree of her bionic abilities…” Pinching her cheek, Bronie then stuck her thumb into the doll’s mouth.“How is it?”“Hmm~” Bronie made a meaningful sound."That's so rude! And what does this... mean?!"Ellie couldn't help but complain. What had she just seen?Bronie stuck her thumb into Herta's mouth and even stirred it around."It doesn't have an eating function; it's just a simple android! And look, it's clean!""I see... wait! So Herta is offline now? What do we do now?!"Ellie was a little lost. Herta was quite cute, but having this android at home felt a bit off.What if Herta suddenly connected with this android one day? Wouldn't that cause a lot of trouble?Ellie understood Herta's independent personality. While it was a cute trait, if she did too many troublesome things, Ellie would also have a headache.It seemed like she was the kind of girl who would take a long time to get to know.Geniuses have very clear goals, and most of them focus entirely on scientific research. Unless someone was on a similar path, getting close to her would be quite difficult. So carrying Herta wasn't ideal, but not carrying her seemed like she might hold a grudge, and it would be awkward if they ran into each other again.After thinking it over, Ellie decided it was Bronie's decision."Let's leave it for now and continue the game. The popsicles over there won't defrost for now, and the game has to go on. Who's next?" Bronie shrugged, looking quite helpless. However, the situation was back under her control, which made Su frown.Bronie was completely unconcerned and even started to fidget with the Herta doll.She projected watercolors, preparing to create art on Herta's face, but discovered that the ink wouldn't adhere."Me! It's my turn again!" Ellie raised her hand, looking excited about what would happen next.Bronie turned back, temporarily abandoning her antics with Herta, and went to the window."What's wrong?" Aponia asked, finding Bronie's behavior rather strange.Bronie spoke. "While I may not be chosen by Nous, nor do I possess the superhuman thinking of a genius, I still have my own methods. I'll observe how this structure beneath our feet navigates space. If I learn from it, can't I also adventure in space?""I see." Aponia nodded. She knew Bronie's desire—to adventure and explore the universe.Although she had no evidence, Aponia had already accused the real Bronie of being the mastermind.She didn't know how Bronie had shrunk, but after shrinking, even her behavior became young.So, Aponia had no objection to playing along with Bronie."This time, I'm going to throw out a huge number! A super huge number!" Ellie declared, then pulled the lever.The number started jumping again and finally settled on 900."Ah~" Ellie looked disappointed, but compared to a six-sided die, this number wasn't small.It was still a little short of the 12 she'd rolled before.The pink crystal flower began to move forward. The sound of gears and springs turning was filled with a retro feel and always evoked childhood memories.Then a piece of paper popped out."Encountered the party ship of Duke Inferno. The Annihilation Gang's carnival is set on the Golden Courtyard. Enter battle. Victory will reward you with a fragment of the universe?""Oh no!"After hearing Ellie read the words on the paper, Su immediately understood what they were about to face.Ellie also knew those guys, and a grim expression appeared on her face.The Annihilation Gang were a bunch of lunatics, but in reality, they were just using the banner of destruction to do their own selfish things. The Aeon wouldn't even glance at their destructive ideology. At most, they were just elite monsters with some strength.Encountering them was never a good thing unless they truly embraced destruction.Bronie's assessment of the Annihilation Gang back then was something like this.So, Ellie thinks these guys might be a little difficult to get along with?They seem a bit off...---[Chapter 364: Eating Hot Pot and Singing Songs]"Look! An unexpected intruder at the banquet! A perfect appetizer for our destruction, isn't it?"The Annihilation Gang discovered a house floating in space.No one knew its origins, but that didn't stop them from destroying it.They were a bunch of madmen, but also loyal to their own desires. Destruction was merely a means, not an end, so they would never get a glimpse of Nanook's destruction.However, they could still mutually exploit each other.For example, summoning some members of the Antimatter Legion to wreak havoc."The Antimatter Legion again?" Su felt completely numb.It has to be said that the Antimatter Legion is extremely troublesome to deal with.All their actions are aimed at destroying everything, so their main focus in battle is destructive power.The Golden Courtyard has been destroyed many times, something no one could avoid, so Su still didn't want to see any members of the Antimatter Legion.“In the past, the Universal Swarm Disaster was followed by the Corporate Wars and the Emperor Wars. Now, a new storm is brewing, and its source lies in the destruction of Nanook. There's no way around it; Nanook chose to destroy everything, destined to be an enemy of everyone.”Bronie stood by the window, quietly watching the centaur-like monsters descend through the air, followed by even more soldiers from the Antimatter Legion.“Are we really in the midst of such a massive event?” Su had considered that the vastness and magnificence of the universe were beyond his imagination.But he hadn't expected that this simple game of the brave would lead them to face such a massive event.“Actually, both the Universal Swarm Disaster and the Corporate Wars lasted for hundreds of Amber Ages before ending. An ordinary person's life is only about a hundred years; they might not even live through many Amber Ages.”Bronie shrugged, seemingly indifferent. Su then realized that the disasters created by the Aeons had lasted for such a long time.Compared to the Honkai, the Honkai was truly insignificant.And Herta's promise to resolve the Honkai might actually be fulfilled!However, Su wasn't entirely sure if he could afford the price of resolving the Honkai."The stars in the sky are all enemies, Mei once said," echoing Ellie's sentiment."Unfortunately, now is not the time for reflections. Everyone, prepare for battle." Aponia began to pray on the spot, wiping out all the vanguard Antimatter Legion soldiers.Perhaps the brief rest earlier had given Aponia ample time to recover, making this attack exceptionally fierce.Bronie, on the other hand, was behaving as usual.Any approaching phantom units were instantly compressed into Ether files and thrown out, followed by an endless sea of drones.This was the fighting style Bronie had used since childhood.AI-controlled drones provided barrage fire, perfectly alleviating Bronie's fear of insufficient firepower.Furthermore, it could mimic Gilgamesh's Gate of Babylon, unleashing a massive barrage of firepower—a rather cool sight.Later, Bronie's mindset shifted. She believed good steel should be used where it counts, so she switched to drills.Drills are pretty cool.Of course, giant robots are even cooler.If possible, Bronie hoped to create a giant robot the size of the moon. Aren't Emanators said to possess planet-destroying power?If she created a moon-sized robot, wouldn't that mean she would have planet-destroying power with ease?While Bronie was lost in thought, beautiful fireworks bloomed once more in the universe.The material for these fireworks was, naturally, the Voidrangers from the Antimatter Legion.The Voidrangers were almost entirely irrational; they only destroyed everything around them. Perhaps due to production and quantity limitations, while each individual Voidranger possessed decent combat power, on average they were only comparable to a tank-class Honkai Beast.For Bronie, the only problem was their sheer number.Fortunately, these problems were mostly resolved by the drones' firepower.Only Duke Inferno watched from the sidelines, utterly bewildered.He was enjoying hot pot, singing songs, and partying in space with his Everflame Manor subordinates.How could some fool allow such an ugly house to appear before him?Wouldn't this make these Annihilation Gang lunatics itch?As for the opponent's power?Duke Inferno himself was a half-energy life form, a rather special branch that split off from the Phase Flame, making his sensitivity to energy incredibly acute!Although the Annihilation Gang members were all lunatics, they knew to pick on the weak.They wouldn't do anything pointless or suicidal; their tasks were usually carefully considered by Duke Inferno before being undertaken.Although their slogans were loud and clear, constantly proclaiming that their missions had no turning back and that they must gain the attention of the Destroyer Nanook, what was the reality?Duke Inferno was incredibly cunning.So, when he saw the Golden Courtyard appear, to be honest, Duke Inferno thought it was an easy target.He was particularly interested in why it was appearing in front of everyone.So he planned to first send out his captured Heliobus to wreak havoc, then finish his meal and enjoy some trash-building.Finding treasure amidst the destruction was a bit of a thrill, a sort of after-dinner activity.But what happened?Fireworks filled the sky, countless drones launched. A scene resembling war was frantically consuming Duke Inferno's captured heliobi.What? If consuming them isn't working, then don't release them at all?Doesn't Duke Inferno have any pride?Besides, in front of so many people, he had said he would have a grand celebration, but the current situation is a bit off.So Duke Inferno tried his best to continue releasing his phantoms, forcing a smile and pretending it was just a minor drain to save face.But in reality… Duke Inferno had decided to send out his clone to punish these reckless fools!His perception of energy was correct. Why had they persisted until now?Unable to understand, Duke Inferno decided to investigate personally, sending out his strong fire clone.The moment the fiery clone appeared, a gigantic eyeball stared at him.Duke Inferno was instantly drenched in sweat.Following this was a barrage of lightning strikes and crystal arrows, obliterating everything, tangible and intangible.The Eye of Bodhi marked a location, and then two skilled ranged attackers unleashed a devastating attack.At this moment, Duke Inferno realized that it wasn't that the opponent lacked energy, but rather that they possessed a type of energy he had never seen before.An energy similar to imaginary energy, yet different.Then a massive explosion erupted on Duke Inferno's spaceship.A huge crater.The silent universe was now similar to his spaceship, with a bite taken out of it. This left Duke Inferno speechless at the sight.The drones hadn't stopped; they were already painting artwork on the remaining surface of the spaceship.A raised middle finger seemed to convey a highly impolite meaning.Then a large Haxxor Bunny emblem was imprinted on it, clearly identifying the perpetrator of the explosion.Then the Golden Courtyard vanished before Duke Inferno's eyes, leaving only a scene of devastation.He was enjoying hot pot and singing songs when suddenly his spaceship was blown to smithereens, and most of his wild Voidrangers were wiped out. He had certainly lost face within the Annihilation Gang.Very well, Duke Inferno had thoroughly memorized that emblem.If he remembered correctly, this emblem belonged to Haxxor Bunny, a game developer who had recently become quite famous online and a new member of the Masked Fool.In the end, Duke Inferno could only rage helplessly online for a while, leaving behind a rather amusing tavern joke that circulated in the Tavern of Elation.Furthermore, countless Masked Fools became interested in this new Emanator of Elation.Everyone knew that the child lived in some unknown, remote civilization that hadn't yet left its home planet and hadn't even ventured beyond its own star system. Even the Interastral Peace Corporation hadn't been able to locate this so-called civilization.But unexpectedly, this person made a big splash right from the start.It's said that old Sampo went to check things out but couldn't find the other party, and it's unclear what her attitude was toward her fellow Masked Fools.But judging from her games, she must be a very promising child.Whether it's the simple Undertale, the much-discussed Getting Over It, or even the various masterpieces that followed,it's hard to imagine that a child who hasn't even left their home planet's civilization could have so many imaginative ideas and create so many innovative games.Perhaps this child was born to work for the Interastral Peace Corporation or the Tavern."I didn't expect it to be another energy life form. Are these things very common in the cosmic universe? I must tell Vill-V about this when I get back."Su located the avatar of Duke Inferno, and just one glance was enough to tell that his combat power was terrifying.For Earth's civilization, Duke Inferno was probably even more frightening than a fully developed Herrscher of Flame. The energy he unleashed could easily turn the Asian continent into a sea of fire.Most importantly, the flames didn't just possess destructive power; they could also freely traverse space, burning soldiers from outer space."Very rare, isn't it? I hacked some data back from the Herta Space Station. There are indeed many types of energy life forms, but Duke Inferno, a branch of the Phase Flame, is a rather special type. I can only say that anything can happen in the vast universe, so we might need to try to get used to these things."Bronie offered this consolation, but Su felt no comfort whatsoever.Once is fine, but how many times has this happened?A low-probability event?Su completely disbelieved Bronie's nonsense, but it was possible that everything was related to the chessboard, so Su didn't have many ways to deal with this.A battle?How long would the battle last?The pawns were endless; if this continued, everyone would collapse sooner or later.Aponia remained silent, staring at the note that had just popped up.If Aponia hadn't pulled the lever, Duke Inferno's retaliation would likely have arrived soon. Realizing what was happening, Aponia immediately pulled the lever, allowing the Golden Courtyard to continue its advance.Fortunately, the finish line wasn't far off!"Encountered a ghostly Xianzhou vessel containing a chaotic mass of Denizens of Abundance, +100 cosmic fragments. Looks like some unpleasant things again...""Good and bad are relative. The Aeon of Abundance is the most generous of all. If you can find Them and pray for immortality, you will surely receive blessings. However, a long lifespan can't withstand the pressure of accumulated emotions, ultimately turning one into a madman. Isn't that a good thing? Capture one and study how to achieve immortality."Immortality!That word sounds so tempting...But Ellie chopped Bronie on the head."Alright! I think Mobius is indeed interested, but taking a small piece of tissue is enough. Bringing the whole body back might bring back some cosmic virus or some strange infectious disease, so let's not mess around!"It was like treating a child.Bronie, rubbing her head in annoyance, said, "Thousands of years of lifespan... never aging, never dying easily, an active life with even greater potential. If one continues to selflessly dedicate oneself to the Path of Abundance, perhaps one can go even further."The Blessing of Abundance is indiscriminate. This power can be used for evil or good, but one thing is certain: the inclination toward good and evil on the Path of Abundance leans more toward good.If this psychology is utilized properly, achieving immortality is indeed a possibility.Didn't the Xianzhou also build a powerful civilization unique to them? Even the IPC doesn't dare to casually attack the Xianzhou civilization!"I used to be a doctor, so I naturally know what this means. But I don't want people to obtain these things too easily. This requires long-term verification and experimentation. Besides, the Xianzhou you mentioned eventually ended up on the path of conflict with Abundance, didn't it? So at least the Xianzhou's situation is a warning us that the Path of Abundance is not simple."Humans cannot suppress their desires. Even if everyone achieves immortality, social and class contradictions will still exist. Latent dark emotions will still accumulate and eventually erupt, perhaps as Bronie described—the Mara-Struck."Then take a look at what the Denizens of Abundance are like. See them clearly before considering anything else. Unfamiliar things always arouse human curiosity, don't they? If you completely reject them from the start, wouldn't that be too boring? So look at these weak Denizens of Abundance. As a medical student, you'll surely marvel at the miracle of Abundance!"---[Chapter 365: Return Journey]Nothing too terrifying happened on Fu Hua's chessboard afterward, as if the game was nearing its end and rewards were being given to the players.The vastness of the universe, with countless beautiful landscapes viewed up close, was truly breathtaking.The rest after the adventure allowed Su to understand Bronie's thoughts.That dream was still quite bright…The dream of adventuring in the universe.On the chessboard, Senti's piece was at the very end, while Elysia's piece was at the very front.It seemed like an unintentional arrangement, yet also like a deliberate one.Only Bronie could show such favoritism toward Elysia.Should they reveal their hand?The final moment.Su looked at Aponia, who simply smiled in response. Su immediately understood Aponia's stance.Undoubtedly, Bronie was loved. Aponia was like a gentle mother spoiling a well-behaved child who suddenly felt like being mischievous.As for Fu Hua? Fu Hua was a blockhead. Although she had figured something out, she completely missed Su's subtle hint to "read my eyes."While Su usually squinted, there was still a difference.So, in the end, Su looked at Ellie.Ellie gave a playful wink.Fine!Su had no choice but to continue playing with Bronie."Speaking of which, Bronie,"Fu Hua spoke up at this inopportune moment."Hmm? Is something wrong?""No, nothing."Fu Hua shook her head, but her expression relaxed slightly.She seemed lost in thought, as if she had guessed something."All right, let's continue the game~"Su pulled the lever.The piece stopped on the last square before the finish line."Oh dear! What a pity~"Although she had passed Ellie, she hadn't reached the finish line.It was a bit of a shame, but the good news was that even if everyone didn't reach the finish line, the game would definitely end after the next round.It looked like Bronie might have had enough."The air conditioner is broken, the temperature is dropping. Let's burn the sofa." Su saw the note and decided to burn the sofa without hesitation."Hey! No way! This sofa looks pretty good! Why burn the sofa of all things!?" Bronie immediately stood up, looking like she wanted to stop him.Su immediately laughed.Aside from the various collectibles upstairs, Bronie's favorite thing was the sofa in the living room. No one knew what Bronie used to make it, but the material was truly impeccable.Of course, the design was done by Eden, very much in the style of the lounge in the Elysian Realm—elegant, dignified, and exuding an air of wealth.Bronie loved it and would occasionally lie on the sofa to play games or work.So most of the time, this sofa was Bronie's exclusive territory, just like a cat's."Because we need to act quickly to face the potential crisis, we can't hesitate."With that, Su pulled a lighter from his pocket and set the sofa ablaze.The flames illuminated Aponia's face, and Ellie saw that she was smiling in the mirror nearby.At that moment, Ellie realized that they probably all knew.Even Fu Hua.Although Fu Hua usually acted like a block of wood, she had accumulated a lot of experience in human relationships through her long life.She couldn't understand Su's expression?That was fine. Fu Hua's only thought was that freezing Senti directly was a bit too cruel.You know, Senti is very playful.Everyone looked at Bronie's reaction.Bronie took a deep breath and said, "Add more fuel to the fire, add more gasoline, but be careful not to get carbon monoxide poisoning.""Next, it's my turn!"Ellie went to the chessboard, while Bronie seemed to be planning to go upstairs to find some flammable material.The step she was about to take suddenly stopped.She turned around.Ellie had already pulled the lever!"Yay! We've reached the finish line!"Su showed an expression of unsurprised surprise. Aponia released her hands, which had been clasped in prayer, and clapped.Fu Hua looked at the just-thawed Senti with a blank expression."Hey! No one can freeze the invincible Herrscher of Sentience!""Huh? It's over!?"Bronie thought there would be another round. Although there wasn't much interesting scenery outside and she was starting to get bored, she never expected it to end so quickly."So, Bronie, what exactly did you become?""Huh!? Bronie? When did you get here?"Fu Hua's voice attracted Senti's attention. Only then did Senti notice that Bronie was actually here.Wait, why did Bronie look so small!?Was this Bronie?It seems like something happening again…Bronie paused, looking at everyone's gazes.Except for the dazed Senti, no one showed any surprise.Bronie immediately realized that she had exposed her disguise at some point.Tsk, this wasn't something a proper Masked Fool would do…Was it because they were too familiar of her?Bronie gave quick summary of the incident, then... “A Herrscher. You accidentally become a Herrscher after a nap, and then you became a Pathstrider. For now… you're being a…”“Hahahaha! What did I tell you? You're born to be a Herrscher! You definitely have the talent!”Senti laughed heartlessly after hearing Bronie's slightly embarrassed statement. But why had the Golden Courtyard changed so much?Wait, why had Elysia's pawn reached the finish line so quickly!?Could it be…“What Herrscher?” Su asked.“A Herrscher of Dominance…”“That doesn't make sense…”Su had never seen a Herrscher of Dominance use such abilities to lead everyone through space.Bronie shrugged and explained, “Actually, it’s just a more abstract application of power. Just as space can be linked to time and there are countless ways and paths to find pleasure, strictly speaking, the power of the Herrscher of Dominance is more like the creation of rules—the writing and performance of a script.”“Create rules? Write and perform a script?”Wasn’t that a bit too abstract?“The mob defines the word ‘ordinary’ to form rules, binding ordinary people to the ordinary, creating a drama called ‘Ordinary Life.’The ordinariness in the development of our civilized society, the moral concepts, customs, and ways of thinking that normal people should have—life performed within this framework—that’s the script and the performance, although the performance of ordinary people is quite boring…”Su’s lips twitched involuntarily. After hearing Bronie’s explanation, it felt even more abstract.Fortunately, before Su sank Kevin into the Sea of Quanta, and as he was observing parallel worlds in that era until the current era, he had studied relevant content to understand the development of civilizational thought and philosophy.Therefore, Bronie’s explanation helped Su understand her application of this abstract concept."So I was just kicked out of the game like that and only released after the game ended?" Senti's face turned black at the realization."Exactly, Bronie, you really didn't need to do that." Fu Hua chimed in.How much had this hurt Senti?"But Senti is obviously someone who can't keep secrets..."The card wasn't made by Bronie but by Aha. She herself had become a source of amusement in the game.To avoid losing her fun, she could only tease Senti a bit and then make it up to her later.Kids don't hold grudges. After a while, she would be lively and energetic again.That was what Bronie originally thought."What kind of compensation?" Senti sensed some of Bronie's thoughts and immediately became curious."Well... what kind of thing do you want? As long as the wish isn't too outrageous, I can grant it within my power!""Hmm... it doesn't seem like there's anything..." Senti was usually carefree, eating, drinking, and playing. All she needed to do was enjoy life.After all, most of Fu Hua's memories were too bitter—so bitter that Senti felt only creating good memories could balance them out.Therefore, Senti was more concerned with happiness than anger."How about I take you to beat up Otto again?""Soul Steel is too hard, no way!""Then something delicious? Or something fun?""So you're already a Herrscher and even an Emanator of Elation. Isn't it possible that you're better at providing me with entertainment?"Upon hearing Senti's words, Bronie fell silent for a moment."I can't possibly make another game, can I? I haven't had any ideas lately, and I finally got to go out and have some fun. Now I'm going to be busy again. How about I give you one of these?"As she spoke, Bronie projected a miniature Herta figure. Of course, compared to a real Herta doll, the technology might not be as advanced, but it could still be used as a costume for Senti.Going out to cause trouble while dressed as Herta was a great way to provoke her. It would be incredibly exciting to have an angry Herta chasing after her.Bronie, however, was eager to test her skills and see what this so-called genius was capable of."No way!" Senti exclaimed with disdain. This doll felt strange, and wasn't her own face pretty enough? Why would she need this, to go out and play?"Fine, my promise to you will always be kept. If I can think of something, I'll definitely fulfill it! So, Ellie, let's see what's on the card at the finish line. If I remember correctly, the thing I left behind should be 'Return Home,' but why is it a golden card?"Bronie remembered that the card should have an appearance of a starry sky, which would fit the overall tone and romance of the game.Ellie grinned mischievously. "You haven't seen this before, have you?""Huh!?""Return Home. Receive a medal of honor and a chance to command the Masked Fool Haxxor."As long as she held this ticket and gave Haxxor Bunny a command, Haxxor Bunny would do it no matter what.This thought crossed Ellie's mind, and Bronie felt the same way, as if holding this golden ticket would grant her the power to command anyone.Bronie's smile vanished instantly."This is truly the best gift ever! Bronie~"The cloying voice instantly sent shivers down Bronie's spine."Ellie, you must love me, right?""Of course!""Then I believe you wouldn't use this to order me to do anything weird, right?"Ellie whispered in Bronie's ear, "You'll have the baby."Bronie leaned back, her face pale while her cheeks flushed rosy."Aaaaaah! Old fogey, old fogey, I... they... Aaaaaah!!!! Don't show off your love in front of me!"For the first time, Senti hated her ears. She never imagined that Ellie and Bronie would even be planning to have a child!Su raised an eyebrow, then turned away, pretending she hadn't seen anything. The scenery outside the window returned to normal. They were back at earth.The bustling outside seemed completely oblivious to the abnormality in the Golden Courtyard. The burning sofa was now back to normal, as if nothing had happened.If it weren't for the Herta doll standing quietly in the corner, Su would have begun to suspect that Bronie hadn't actually transformed into a Herrscher of Dominance but rather into the Herrscher of Sentience with terrifying power.This wasn't a dream.Aponia slowly stood up and said, "I'm a little tired for now. I'll go back and rest for a while.""I'm going to deliver the samples we got. Hopefully, Mobius can research something useful for the Honkai from them."Su felt like a third wheel."Su, let me help you." Fu Hua knew it was inappropriate for her to stay here.Although she didn't know what Ellie and Bronie had said, seeing Bronie's face turn red, they were probably about to do something intimate.Well… as long as Ellie was happy."I'm going too!"Senti also felt she couldn't stay here any longer, so even if it meant listening to the old timers' ramblings, she absolutely wouldn't watch the two of them showing affection.More importantly, having a baby!Too… too shameless!"It just so happens that Himiko missed you. A trip to the Elysian Realm isn't a problem, but Bronie… you probably don't need our protection anymore, right?"Fu Hua knew Bronie's genius mind. To be able to manipulate the powers of the Legion Herrscher like this meant her strength had likely evolved further.Perhaps Bronie's dream of creating a moon-sized Gurren Lagann wouldn't be so difficult after all."No problem. Next, I'll try to guide the subconscious of human civilization toward a more positive and upward direction. This is what the Herrscher of Dominance was originally better at. Perhaps this kind of action will also help break through Project Stigma from within in the future.""It feels a bit like the Phantom Thieves of Hearts~"Ellie couldn't help but comment. This content was a bit like the Phantom Thieves of Hearts raiding a dungeon, and Bronie was planning to enter the human subconscious to remove the mask from the monster inside."Yes, from now on you're no longer the Masked Fool Hare but Hare, the leader of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts! Come on, let me see the treasure in your heart. Is it the same as Kamoshida's?""Hmph! Then I'll let you taste what Kamoshida imagines students will face!"--

[Chapter 366: Chapter 365 Otto Avenue Project Under Construction]It has to be said, when Bronie, who wore a sailor uniform that would expose her with the slightest movement, faced Ellie in her business attire of black stockings and a pencil skirt...What happened that night was truly damn exciting.She questioned Kamoshida since childhood, and now she understood him, but it was still better not to become like him.After all, that’s a crime.However, if it was just play, then it wasn’t such a big problem!Seeing Bronie’s pitiful gaze, her stubborn little eyes, her impeccable acting, and her initial arrogant demeanor...This performance was undoubtedly a great success.The little tiger transformed into a kitten, and Ellie experienced something unique and unforgettable.The next day, however, she noticed dark circles under Aponia’s eyes.In the morning, she expressed regret for not having gone out with Fu Hua the previous day.Aponia was starting to regret her habit of staying indoors.She was supposed to report to St. Freya Academy today and treat the young Valkyries who might have psychological issues. Because of this, she stayed in the Golden Courtyard and couldn’t go to the Elysian Realm with Fu Hua.After returning, Aponia heard about Mei’s performance in the Elysian Realm. It had to be said that she was indeed a very good child.Ever since Bronie said, “You can’t do anything,” at Schicksal headquarters, Mei’s power had been on a meteoric rise as if she had unlocked a cheat code.Mei’s Herrscher powers had become so strong that they posed a real threat to human civilization.Fortunately, she still retained her humanity and had clear beliefs.Simply put, she had grown up.“Good times are always fleeting. Otto’s plan is basically complete; all that’s missing is this final opportunity I’ll give! Soon, the heroes of the Elysian Realm will return. With the power of an Emanator and the chance to contact the Imaginary Tree, I can truly do what I want! I can even bring back Dr. Mei!”“If Kevin heard this... he’d be very happy, wouldn’t he?” Ellie paused, then realized that this plan might significantly impact Kevin’s Project Stigma.But so what?After all, Ellie didn’t support Project Stigma under any circumstances.If it weren’t for her, Kevin, who had already returned, would probably have plunged all of humanity into a dream world."Maybe... that sunny, cheerful boy might really come back, so I’ll start packing in a while.”“Wait! Bronie, are you really going to go like this?” Ellie was pointing at Bronie’s childhood appearance.“A younger body has more energy, and an active brain allows me to think about more things. Of course, if you get tired of that, I can become bigger. Do you know why Lady Herta chose to revert to childhood?”“I see...”“At the same time, I’ll have two identities!”Disguise and impersonation is a basic skill of the Masked Fool. The moment Bronie put on the mask, she'll possess an absurdly powerful ability to disguise herself.Of course, if she used Ether Editing technology for disguise, the problem wouldn’t be too big either; it would just be easy to be exposed when touching certain things.“Bronie, what do you want to do with two identities?”“Hmm... like when I suddenly feel like playing cards one day.”“Hmm?”“I can make them look down on my skills, and after I crush them, I can utterly humiliate them, constantly saying ‘noob noob.’ That feeling is so much fun!”Thinking about how pathetic Bronie looked last night, Ellie couldn’t help but feel a surge of malice.And the result, of course, went without saying.Before, she didn’t act only because Bronie was young.But now Bronie had willingly become young, so she wouldn’t hold back!“I didn’t expect you to be so wicked. I’m starting to feel sorry for your card-playing friends~”Ellie feigned disappointment, but Bronie knew perfectly well that Ellie was secretly relieved.Only Ellie had crushed the little brat Bronie; that feeling... well, Ellie was quite happy.“After all, my time is limited, so this is the only way I can make a lasting impression. Besides, my body is a bit too plump now that I’m older, which attracts a lot of attention. Dealing with flirtations is a waste of time.”Even a second felt like a waste for Bronie, so the advantages of a smaller body came in handy.Plus, she didn’t have to worry about her chest when exercising, which Bronie found quite appealing.Big had its advantages, and small had its merits.But when it came to practical matters, Bronie thought a smaller body might be more convenient.“Bronie is as popular as ever As expected of Bronie”“I’ve already messaged Otto. I reckon if I don’t go to Schicksal headquarters soon, Otto will probably be unable to sleep for days. And you’re probably eager to see Eden return, right?”“Will it be dangerous?”“Probably...” Bronie paused for a moment. This plan was an unprecedented heist, and for Bronie, the level of danger was indeed extremely high.Having learned from their first experience, Bronie and Vill-V discussed many solutions, and Mobius prepared a considerable amount of regeants for Bronie.This specially made regeant was especially significant because after becoming a Herrscher, Bronie possessed entirely new possibilities.It contained limitless power, almost a condensation of Mobius’s complete understanding of life.“Can I participate?”Bronie shook her head.“No ticket, no participation. This is Otto and my stage.”Although Otto was a scoundrel and did nothing right, that couldn’t erase the seeds he left for civilization.The Schicksal he built would become a powerful tool against the Honkai, and Otto deserved a large part of the credit for guiding human civilization to this point.At least so far, Otto hadn’t caused much harm to those around him, so Bronie had little reason to be hostile toward him.“That’s a real shame...” Ellie was slightly disappointed but still came to Bronie, placing her hands under her armpits and lifting her high.“Hey!!” Bronie really disliked being treated like a child.But Ellie just gave her a hug.“Didn’t we agree? You’d definitely give birth!”“Okay, okay...”Suddenly, Bronie felt a sudden urge to leave. What to do?After a brief tiff, Bronie set off immediately.Without much hesitation and without giving herself much rest, the Game of Jumanji was just short-term entertainment; the Aeon was always watching the entire game.Strictly speaking, she had relaxed enough.So Bronie flew directly to Schicksal’s old headquarters—Kolosten—to prepare for the final plan with Otto.“Hasn’t seen you for a while? Haxxor, you seem to have changed quite a bit.” Otto never expected that Bronie would reappear before him looking so young again.If he hadn’t seen Bronie’s youthful appearance when presenting Haxxor with the game award before, Otto would have wondered when Bronie had given birth to a child.However, forcing a child to have a child—such a beastly thing shouldn’t be something anyone could force Bronie to do.“As you can see, the core of the Herrscher of Dominance is indeed in my hands, and I’m just the unlucky chosen one. However, I managed to control the influence of the Honkai on me in time and then conducted a series of experiments.”“Want me to give you a medal?”“Huh?”“You know, the Honkai calamity is almost impossible to hide, but the number of Herrschers left to be born is getting smaller and smaller. So in a sense, you have successfully made a great contribution to humanity’s fight against the Honkai. Whether it’s the Herrscher of the Star, the Herrscher of Ice, or now the Herrscher of Dominance, countless people have been saved because of your actions.”“It’s boring. Let’s not bother with such troublesome things.” Bronie shrugged. She didn’t like this kind of pointless waste of time.“That’s true. Bronie, you’ve always been decisive and efficient, but I still didn’t expect that humanity could actually go this far.”“Fooling the world, deceiving the past, changing the present—it certainly seems like something out of a novel. But the more you study Etheric energy and imaginary energy, the more you discover that perpetual motion machines can exist in this world. Since perpetual motion machines can exist, why can’t we save someone from history?”“Originally, I thought the laws of the world wouldn’t allow this to happen. The more I studied the rules of this world, the more desperate I felt. But you did it.”“No, it was the Aeon who did it, not me.”Without the Aeon, to be honest, Bronie wouldn’t have had much confidence, even if she knew the true direction.“Don’t worry. In the instant I transform into a false god, becoming a servant of imaginary numbers, the energy I possess will be absolutely limitless. The moment that infinite power touches the Imaginary Tree, the instant the false god falls, that brief moment of transition between infinity and the finite will be my only chance to forge a path between the past and the present!” Otto couldn’t maintain his composure; even his speech quickened.“Then I will pull out your Kallen and simultaneously use your portal to connect to an even more distant past.”“Can you do that? Fifty thousand years?”“But it’s still less costly than directly creating a new world; I understand that.”“You trust me that much?” Otto had deceived countless people. His credibility was long gone, yet Bronie still chose to trust him at this final moment.“So you think creating a world with Kallen would be more suitable? Even if it means facing the Honkai crisis again, she might not actually be able to solve it. You know, letting her live in that era, she could still face the same fate in the end.” Hearing Bronie say this, Otto began to recall everything he had experienced in the past.The world where Kallen still existed, and the world after Kallen was gone.The destiny of that time...“You’re right. Even if you seize a miracle, that miracle is fleeting. Only you can preserve that miracle.”Bronie and Otto talked as they walked, gradually arriving at a plaza on a hillside.From here, they could see the entirety of Kolosten. Many buildings from five hundred years ago were still preserved, striving to maintain their appearance from five hundred years ago.“The power of the Herrscher of Dominance is the closest to the power of the Imaginary Tree. Using this Herrscher core as an anchor, after Prometheus locks onto you, it triggers the Cocoon of Finality to generate an Imaginary Singularity.”Otto then continued, picking up where Bronie left off, “Then we use the power of the Herrscher of Dominance to amplify the power of a new Herrscher, thereby touching upon the rules of the Imaginary Tree.”“Entering a state similar to baby Aeon... Well, there’s only one problem.”“What?”Hearing Bronie say there was a problem with the plan, Otto listened carefully and wanted to find a solution.“The Aeon walks Their own path of destiny, Their thoughts perfectly aligned with it. But you entered a random pathway midway, so your thoughts may not align with your own. Therefore, after becoming the false god, your personal thoughts are likely to be influenced by the destiny woven from infinite imaginary energy.”“I know that the original Herrscher’s powers will be disrupted. The Imaginary Singularity will transform into imaginary energy, forming a specific state and ultimately becoming puppets on the Imaginary Tree, bound by that Etheric destiny. So, in that state, I need to be defeated by you.”“The original heroes were actually Durandal and Kiana, right?” Otto smiled after hearing Bronie’s words.“Yes, I always believed they possessed that power until I met you. Your appearance disrupted countless of my plans, yet it still led to the ending I hoped for. Is this the joke of the Masked Fool?”“Back then, I wasn’t the Masked Fool. I was given the mask after Persona appeared.”“But you were already ahead of countless others. But Persona... has it been so long? The game is great! The positive and uplifting spirit it conveys always reminds me of Kallen.”The Phantom Thieves’ lively personalities were very much like Kallen’s back then.They had beautiful dreams about everything and a desire to fight against all injustice.They wanted to create a better world with their own hands!“You’ll see your Kallen soon, but the power of the Herrscher of Dominance can indeed influence the human subconscious to some extent, so how about trying to get Kallen to form the Phantom Thieves of Hearts?”“Hahaha, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts? That’s interesting, but it’s not something I need to consider anymore. So I’ll announce my retirement now. If you’re bored, I think Miss Li Sushang might bring you a different kind of fun. She’s from five hundred years ago, a child I met by chance in Shenzhou, and she’s currently confused about the changes of the times.”---[Chapter 367: Li Sushang Is Addicted to Games]“Friends all over the world, hello. I am the Archbishop of the Schicksal Organization, Otto Apocalypse.As some of you know, on this Earth we live on, a catastrophe called ‘Honkai’ occurs periodically.Yes, for the sake of secrecy, it was previously referred to in the news as an unidentified disaster.However, according to the Schicksal Organization, Honkai is a catastrophic phenomenon that accompanies civilization, grows stronger alongside civilization, and has the ability to shatter civilization itself.But there is no need to panic. Just recently, in September, the Far East Branch of the Schicksal Organization cooperated with the American Anti-Entropy organization to eliminate the latest Honkai Apostles, namely the Herrscher of Ice and the Herrscher of the Star.Since the events of the past month, the global Honkai calamity has significantly decreased, as you have likely felt in your daily lives. In my view, this perhaps marks a new era in the struggle between human civilization and the Honkai—an era in which humanity has shifted from defense to offense, completely expelling the Honkai from our world.The Honkai is running out of steam, while a new generation of heroes is emerging among humanity. At this critical juncture, everyone needs the truth about the world, and Schicksal also needs fresh blood.Therefore, I, Otto Apocalypse, hereby resign from my position as Bishop of Schicksal and completely withdraw from the organization. My successor, Theresa Apocalypse, leader of the Far East Branch, will soon assume the position of Bishop and take full command of the Schicksal Organization.I believe that under her leadership, both the world and the Schicksal Organization will have a brighter future.”Otto announced this news to the world, and the existence of the Honkai calamity could no longer be concealed.“You abdicated, fine, but why did you release my Gurren Lagann?”Bronie naturally remained behind the scenes, occasionally projecting devices to help Otto prepare his plan.Li Sushang, standing to the side, was curious about everything, but her main focus was learning the common sense of the current era.“Of course it’s because your Gurren Lagann easily attracts attention. Wouldn’t the appearance of such a large robot be even more inspiring? Besides, if the children see it, they will definitely take it as their goal, and Schicksal’s future will have more fresh blood.”“You really care about your granddaughter… are you already making arrangements for your funeral?”“Yes~” Otto sighed slightly before immediately starting preparations.A huge shield of imaginary energy had already enveloped Kolosten. Within it, Honkai Beasts began to roam, and occasionally some imaginary creations could be seen.Otto, believing he did not have many powerful Valkyries under his command, decided to use his resources wisely. For now, he would have Li Sushang clear out the Honkai Beasts around Kolosten and familiarize herself with the Schicksal framework and the current state of the era.“Speaking of Bronie,” Li Shushang spoke while walking through the streets of Kolosten.Occasionally, she saw stacks of Valkyries’ supplies. If any Honkai Beasts were nearby, Li Sushang’s sword would never let them escape.However, she truly had not expected that the Rakshasa would still have such a young friend five hundred years later. Judging from their interaction, it seemed to be an equal exchange.What was Otto’s status?In the past, he would have been at least an emperor. And Bronie?“Hmm?”“How did you and Otto meet?”“About six years ago, I think. At first, I was just looking up information online, like who was the richest and most powerful in this civilization. Then I set my sights on that old bastard and thought about extorting some money from him.”“Huh? How old are you now? Six years ago? You were even younger than you are now?”“Honkai energy is amazing, right? If used properly, you can even experience rejuvenation. My original appearance was very eye-catching around the world, so no one would have guessed that the Haxxor Bunny piloting the Gurren Lagann had actually experienced rejuvenation.”“Really? You cultivated to become an immortal?”Forgive my ignorance, but in this Honkai world, immortals are truly real.Although the Divine Continent civilization has only had one immortal in all these years, Bronie’s existence seems to prove that cultivation is probably real.“Cultivation? Maybe…”If Honkai can cultivate immortality, maybe it really can lead to immortality. Even by using the Black Abyss White Flower, they indeed created a Tesla and an Einstein; their lifespan limits remain unknown.Bronie wandered aimlessly through Kolosten and finally stopped in a corner of the town.“What’s wrong? Did you find something? This town is deserted, isn’t it?”“I just saw traces left by Jingwei. She must have lived here for a while.”“Grandmaster?”“Fenghuang Down, a Divine Key modified from the Herrscher core of the previous era. It can turn one’s memories into feathers and leave them in certain places. However, shedding feathers everywhere is not a good habit. Are you trying to sever ties with the past?”This was a common occurrence. To avoid returning to a certain place, or because the memories of that place had little to do with her, Fu Hua would always use Fenghuang Down to turn those memories into feathers and leave them there.“Shedding feathers everywhere? Bronie, you’re exaggerating a bit…”“What? She’s just a Phoenix who likes to shed feathers. After the Honkai ends, let Fu Hua travel the world and see where her feathers are still there. I’ll keep these for her for now.”“Pfft, Miss Bronie has quite a sense of humor! But we’ve basically cleared out most of the monsters in this town, right? Are we still going to stay here? The Rakshasa said you could give me some…”“Guidance?”“That’s right! Who knew that 520 years would pass in the blink of an eye? To integrate into everyone’s lives in the future, I still need to work hard.”It seemed Li Sushang was quite studious.Why did Bronie remember Li Sushang as someone who would fall asleep at the sight of words?“If you want to learn a language, the best way is to learn the swear words first. If you want to understand an era, the best way is naturally to start with its most distinctive features. Our civilization has entered the information age, and its biggest characteristic is the incredibly fast spread of information. So, if you want to understand this era, the best channel is to start with the internet.”“Wow! That’s an old gentleman’s style! Miss Bronie, you didn’t actually work as a teacher before, did you?”“I had several adopted children. Some were a bit slow, some were quite smart, so naturally, I became quite experienced through long-term practice.”As she spoke, Bronie projected a phone and handed it to Li Sushang.“Otto was so busy giving you the Valkyrie battlesuit that he did not even bother to prepare a phone or anything for connecting to the internet. He probably thought you would not be able to learn it yet. That guy just likes to be a hands-off parent. Let’s start by learning about world history through the game Civilization and see what you’ve missed.”“Oh?”Bronie’s port of the game to mobile was fairly successful. The only problem was the small screen, so much of the data and information was compressed.The game felt much cheaper, although it still had all the essential functions.The only redeeming feature was that the important Civilization Encyclopedia was still within the game, and this Civilization Encyclopedia was Bronie’s teaching material for Li Sushang.“Wow, I didn’t expect this game to have such a deep understanding of things. Building cities, training troops, and then conquering the world? Is that how the whole world has always done it?”“Of course.”After Otto announced the news to the world yesterday, Bronie immediately revised the Civilization Encyclopedia and added all the information related to Honkai, including historical anecdotes.Of course, Bronie did not write about the friction between Anti-Entropy and Schicksal, but all the older, historically unverifiable things related to the Honkai were included.It could only be said that Bronie had been planning this for a long time.However, no one knew about this change yet. Only players who continued playing Civilization heard that it had been updated yesterday, but it only mentioned that the Civilization Encyclopedia content had been corrected.Not many people took it seriously.Soon, Li Sushang became completely immersed in the game.After the most basic tutorial, she followed it step by step, watching her city grow bigger and bigger and her troops increase. For the first time, Li Sushang experienced the feeling of sleep deprivation after staying up all night.She could not help it. Li Sushang did not know why; she just wanted to click “next turn” to see what would happen next.Before she knew it, this was how it turned out.Fortunately, it would take at least two days for the Hyperion to reach Kolosten, so Li Sushang quickly adjusted her mindset.However, Otto was not just preparing his Kallen resurrection plan. While waiting for Theresa’s arrival, he even helped Durandal connect the World Bubble within her to the Imaginary Tree.This action effectively freed the Holy Sword within Durandal and granted her Golden Swan form even greater power.The situation was rather dire; otherwise, Durandal would probably have immediately sought out Bronie for a duel.After all, Bronie’s combat strength was undeniably formidable. Facing the combined attack of two Herrschers, Durandal felt she would not be able to easily neutralize it. She had also incidentally saved the old Nagazora City beneath her.Watching the Hyperion slowly descend onto the edge of the Kolosten Mountains, Bronie knew the actors were almost in position.As for how Otto had lured them here…Bronie’s connection was probably the new Herrscher core—herself.“Li Sushang, I’m going to pick up my charge. You go and do your own thing, but don’t put all your energy into games. And remember to go easy on me when you’re hitting someone.”“Ahem, I won’t let myself be distracted by games! I still know what important things to do, so don’t worry about me!”Then, to Li Sushang’s bewilderment, Bronie slowly put on the mask given to her by the Aeon.“The next show at the Dominion Theater is about to begin The actors are almost ready. Look forward to the good show to come”After saying that, Bronie vanished in front of Li Sushang, leaving her completely bewildered.This Rakshasa and Bronie—everything about them was strange.She was working here entirely to repay a favor to the Rakshasa. After all, he saved her, so it was only natural for her to do something for him.But Bronie’s existence truly baffled Li Sushang.Bronie repeatedly emphasized that she was an adult, but her playful nature and capricious attitude when dealing with monsters did not seem like those of a proper adult.The key point was that Bronie and Otto had indeed known each other for several years, and Bronie seemed to have actually adopted a child.If this was a lie, what was the point of saying it?Therefore, Li Sushang thought it over and concluded that Bronie was truly a strange person.Could it be that the Rakshasa simply liked to befriend strange people?…“Bronie!”Originally, the mission to escort St. Freya Academy was Durandal’s, but seeing little Bronie arrive, she also felt an itch to get involved.Even though she was trying her best to avoid meeting Bronie, the heart of a powerful being kept pounding.“Hey, I’ve come to see how my little rascal is doing lately. I hope I’m not bothering you.”“No, Miss Bronie. Rather, I’m worried I might be interfering with your work. How is Kolosten doing?”“It’s like someone punched the world, and the world swelled up. It’s not dangerous, but if left unattended, some bad things might happen. So I’ll need your help.”“It’s my duty! But Miss Bronie, your body…”“It’s nothing, just a minor change. Don’t worry about me. I can shrink and then grow back. Besides, I quite like my current state. If I beat you in this form, wouldn’t you become nothing but cannon fodder?”“Miss Bronie, your fighting style isn’t physical, so the size change doesn’t significantly affect your combat power. Also, Lady Theresa is here. Should we greet her?” Durandal’s gaze was fixed ahead. Theresa, clad in Valkyrie battlesuit, seemed wary of everyone from Schicksal.“You don’t need to worry about me. Just treat me as if I’m invisible, or like a stranger. Just don’t mention my existence.”“Huh?” Just as Durandal was trying to understand Bronie’s words, her figure began to blur.It was the kind of situation where you only remembered Bronie when you were looking at her. When you were not looking, you seemed to have forgotten her existence.Something’s wrong. She looked again.Then she looked at Theresa. Durandal felt like she had forgotten something again.“Captain Durandal of the Immortal Blades, by order of Bishop Otto Apocalypse, here to greet Lady Theresa Apocalypse of the Far East Branch.”“Was there something over there just now?” Theresa looked at Durandal strangely.Even the usually meticulous and serious Durandal could have a moment of distraction?“Sorry, I might be a little too tired. The situation in Kolosten is complicated. The power of the Herrscher core is constantly invading this area, and many spacetime illusions have appeared, some from 500 years ago and some from 50,000 years ago. Maybe I just saw one of those illusions?”---[Chapter 368: The Convergence of Time and Space]Tired?Since she first met Durandal, Theresa had never heard Durandal complain about being tired.However, Theresa ultimately decided to abandon her wild thoughts and instead focus her attention on Kolosten.A phantom from five hundred years ago, or even a time-space phantom from fifty thousand years ago, could actually be born because of a newly born Herrscher?This Herrscher is truly quite special, isn’t she?“According to the records of the Previous Era, the Herrscher of Dominance should have infiltrated ordinary people to assassinate organizations and key figures fighting the Honkai. But Otto says that this time the Herrscher of Dominance has acted differently. I suspect it’s all related to Otto.”Einstein ignored Durandal’s unusual behavior and began to analyze what Otto had prepared for everyone this time.Why reveal the Honkai?And why bring Theresa to this place?Kolosten had long been transformed into a scenic area, but due to the Honkai, it was deserted.Some Valkyries were diligently transporting unknown supplies and constantly guarding the edge of the area.“Ein, when did you start spouting nonsense? The Herrscher didn’t cause any trouble, yet Otto found her and sent her here. That’s really suspicious!”“But I don’t think this is just about Otto.”“Huh?”“Bronie has been quiet for too long. She hasn’t made any new games, hasn’t contacted us, and even Kiana and Bronya can't contact her. Plus, Raiden Mei has returned from the Elysian Realm. I think we can’t ignore any of her actions.”The last Gurren Lagann event caused quite a stir, leaving Schicksal and Anti-Entropy in a real bind.Ein clearly expressed her concern for Bronie. Meanwhile, as her research deepened her understanding of Imaginary Energy, Einstein gradually gained a concept of the Aeon’s data.Whether it’s Ether or Imaginary Energy, once these two accumulate to a certain level, even the rules of the world will be distorted.Perhaps perpetual motion machines really exist?“Bronya agrees with Dr. Einstein’s assessment. According to the instrument readings, while there is Honkai energy here, the energy field is even denser with imaginary energy, seemingly very similar to what Bronie encountered on the vacation island.” Bronya, sitting on Project Bunny 9c, has a wider view than everyone else.Mei’s efforts, Kiana’s recovery, and Bronya’s own path to becoming stronger are all progressing smoothly.The path Bronie has guided Bronya on is indeed largely correct, but her hesitation has slowed her progress considerably.However, Bronya’s current control over the Herrscher Core far surpasses that of Welt in the past.Bronya looked toward the town. A massive dome loomed over Kolosten, yet it didn’t affect anyone.The Valkyries bustled about the streets, completely ignoring the strange dome and setting up several defensive lines against the Honkai Beasts along its edges.Of course, the Honkai Beasts also attempted to eliminate all living things they saw, but only within the dome.It seemed that leaving the dome would lead to their complete annihilation. Upon discovering this, Bronya had many questions about Kolosten’s situation.Unfortunately, Dr. Einstein and Dr. Tesla, standing nearby, had likely seen less than she had.Following Durandal’s footsteps, the Hyperion group finally arrived before the dome.It was like a giant stage waiting for the next actors to arrive, ready to stage a performance that only Otto hoped to see.Countless drones patrolled, and the Valkyries were constantly busy.“This place…”“What’s wrong? Mei, from your Herrscher perspective, have you seen something?”Having emerged from the Elysian Realm, Mei finally possessed the ability to skillfully control her Herrscher powers. The horns on her head usually didn’t appear, only manifesting when she fully unleashed her powers.Now, Mei was in that state.“Most of them are just illusions, like videos playing on their own, with almost no harm. But why is this happening? Does the Herrscher benefit from doing this?”“No, Mei. Perhaps Otto wants to do something, which is why this is happening. Touching the Imaginary Tree might lead to godhood. Bronie said that the Paths of the Aeons is the trace left on the Imaginary Tree. Maybe Otto really wants to become a god?”“The Kolosten of five hundred years ago overlaps with the Kolosten of today. If I remember correctly, many things have happened on this land, and the change also occurred here. So, is Otto trying to undo something, or is he searching for the past?”“Undo something? Searching…?” Bronya looked at Mei in surprise.Mei’s change was too drastic!She remembered that the Elysian Realm was not this outrageous, right?“Perhaps Grandpa really did need to understand some details of the past, or maybe he wanted to undo something? I remember Grandpa had very deep feelings for Saint Kallen.”Even she, a homunculus, once thought she was Kallen or something.Theresa thought about it carefully and realized her grandfather did indeed have some kind of obsession with Kallen.“Tch, whatever his obsession, I only came here to do one thing. Whatever Otto’s schemes are, I will completely destroy them!”Tesla’s mood inevitably became somewhat irritable upon arriving here.Unavoidably, Tesla was, after all, a researcher at Schicksal and had lived here for a while.Coming here inevitably stirred up some unpleasant memories.Plus, Reanna had also lived here before.If there were any temporal illusions here, would there be a chance to see Reanna again?Even if it was just an illusion.The others, of course, were unaware of Tesla’s thoughts. They simply assumed that this was the old Schicksal headquarters and that Tesla intensely disliked Otto.“But changing history is basically impossible, right? After all, time paradoxes are destined not to work from the start. So how did Bronie manage to do it?” Mei thought for a while, then remembered something very important.That was Kallen Kaslana, who was executed in front of everyone.“Bronie didn’t elaborate. She only said that it was the power of the Aeon combined with deception and manipulation of the world. Normally, this kind of thing is as rare as the Black Abyss White Flower granting us near-eternal life. But Bronie’s actions might also indicate that what happened in the past isn’t so absolute, and the Tree of Imaginary Numbers has a higher capacity for inclusion than we imagine.” Einstein kept twirling a strand of hair around her temple with her fingers. When she started thinking, her hands would unconsciously begin to fidget.Using Bronie as an example, Einstein knew that Bronie’s understanding of imaginary energy and the Tree of Imaginary Numbers far surpassed that of scientists like herself. However, to what extent, Einstein wasn’t entirely sure.“So Otto approached Bronie, and they’re going to team up for another attack?” Tesla speculated.Durandal remained silent. She didn’t have much information, but the group’s analysis seemed quite plausible.Would this affect the Bishop’s mission?Would this affect Bronie’s plans?“These are all speculations, and there’s not much concrete evidence yet. Bronya hasn’t seen Bronie, nor has she detected any unusual Ether particle fluctuations. Maybe Bronie is on vacation somewhere with Ellie…”Looking around, the deserted streets seemed impeccably clean. It was unclear whether the Valkyries had done it or if it was regularly maintained, remaining pristine after the evacuation.After all, every action of the Honkai Beasts is accompanied by destruction. The fact that Honkai Beasts roamed the town without causing any damage was eerily suspicious in itself.This made Bronya wary. Even when she looked at Durandal and saw the undisguised worry on her face, Bronya sensed something was wrong.“Spatial disorder. There’s imaginary space intrusion. I don’t know if this is normal, but the spatial problems here are much worse than in Nagazora City!”Kiana had remained silent the whole time, and Bronya had thought she was still half asleep.But this one sentence immediately caught Mei’s attention.“Speaking of which, Kiana, when you helped Bronie with her experiments in Nagazora City, was it also related to imaginary space?”“That’s right. Later, we even encountered the Honkai Will. Bronie seemed to have really angered it! But we only conducted two experiments… Just as you said, I feel like Bronie might really be cooperating with Otto…”This was also the reason for Kiana’s disappointment after coming down from the Hyperion.The Kaslana family members are known for their incredibly accurate intuition. This isn’t some mystical phenomenon, but rather a result of their unwillingness to think deeply. Their brains, having received sufficient information, process it before acting and generate a gut feeling.In other words, the brain makes a deduction but doesn’t relay it to the body.“We walk together on the path against the Honkai. Whether it’s Overseer Otto, Bronie, you, or me, although the destination is the same, the process may not be exactly the same. Therefore, I think you can still trust Bronie.”Durandal knew that Bronie held a very deep connection with these three Valkyries. If a rift were to appear because of Otto, it would likely be detrimental.“That’s true. We were enemies in Arc City before, but our shared goal has brought our paths together again. I’m happy to see so many fellow travelers on the path against the Honkai.”“Yes! Bronie’s goal is clearly to destroy the Honkai. Perhaps she already has her own plan; she just hasn’t told us!”It seemed Kiana had recovered.“Bronya has always believed in Bronie, but now is not the time to discuss that. The important thing is to gather enough data to confirm what happened here, and most importantly, the Herrscher of Dominance. We know so little about them. We need to be careful not to encounter a ‘first-encounter kill’ mechanic like in Wild West.”“If there’s a Herrscher of Dominance, there must be many of them, right? There are hardly any people in this town. Where could they be hiding?”Having figured things out, Kiana suddenly became lively.“Kiana… don’t run too far…” Mei worriedly pulled Kiana back, and she obediently stayed beside Mei.“Don’t worry, I’ll be very careful, and I’m almost fully recovered! Even if I encounter an opponent I can’t beat, I’ll run away!”Kiana said this, but despite her usual lively demeanor, she still seemed a little uneasy.Finally, Mei sighed helplessly and said, “Alright, I believe in your strength. We are no longer who we were before. We need to have more confidence in fighting the Honkai!”“That’s right! Isn’t this much better than the situation of the Previous Era you described, Mei?”In the Elysian Realm, Mei pieced together the truth of the past from fragmented information.Every Herrscher’s arrival was a near-destructive blow to civilization, yet everyone stubbornly persevered to the very end. Sister Elysia even sacrificed her life to create the possibility of Herrschers possessing humanity!As for Project Stigma, Dr. Mobius simply copied the data and gave it to them. After analyzing it with Anti-Entropy, they realized they didn’t have many ways to stop the enemy.“Everyone, did you hear the song?”After checking several time-space illusions, they saw what had happened in this place five hundred years ago. They gained a little understanding of Otto and Kallen. He was once a good person with companions who shared his beliefs, but Kallen also died in the Honkai.Durandal was deeply moved after watching, and the image of Otto in her mind gradually became more complete. Perhaps this was also Overseer Otto’s plan?However, as she watched the illusion of time and space, a strange song began to play.Upon closer listening, the song was quite beautiful. The question was, who would be singing in this deserted town?Therefore, Durandal found it eerie.“It sounds familiar…”Mei commented while looking in the direction of the song, but unfortunately, it was blocked by other buildings, so she couldn’t see the source.“Ah? Familiar? I’ve never heard this melody before…”“Bronya also thinks it sounds familiar…”Okay, Kiana suddenly felt like she was being excluded.But seeing the expressions of the others, who seemed completely unfamiliar with the song, she immediately regained her confidence.“Then let’s go take a look!”Kiana strode toward the direction of the song. The others followed closely behind.Upon arriving at the source of the song, Kiana, Bronya, and Mei all froze in place.Because the singer they saw was none other than Eden, the Flamechaser who bears the Signet of Gold!The one who came from fifty thousand years ago!---[Chapter 369: 'Silver Wolf' Valkyrie Passing By]In the desolate ruins, a young girl gazes at the starry sky and sings.Her eyes are filled with tears, but her voice remains clear and bright.The art and language of fifty thousand years ago flow slowly from Miss Eden's lips; the emotions conveyed in her song at the final moments of civilization's destruction constantly pluck at the heartstrings of everyone present.Even Durandal is moved by what she sees.If he remembered correctly, she was Eden, the hero Bronie had brought him to the Elysian Realm to meet."Who is this?"Tesla immediately sensed something was off. Putting aside Kiana, what was going on with Durandal, Mei, and Bronya?"Eden, a MANTIS from the previous civilization, wielding the Divine Key of the Starry Harmony that manipulates gravity, also known as the Star of Eden by Anti-Entropy.""I see..."The Star of Eden was a very old research subject for Anti-Entropy, making significant contributions to research on Honkai, gravity, the Imaginary Tree, and the Sea of Quanta.Therefore, Tesla felt a little uneasy hearing Bronya's words.The time-space illusion before them presented the warrior Eden from 50,000 years ago.The emotionally charged singing seemed to transport everyone to that despairing apocalypse of civilization, but the song conveyed more than just despair; it also expressed hope for a new civilization to triumph over the Honkai.Although it was unclear how Eden was so certain that the next civilization in the cycle truly had hope of defeating the Honkai, her spirit of never giving up hope even in the face of despair deeply moved everyone."No matter what, humanity will surely defeat the Honkai... I think I understand Kevin's thoughts..."Mei finally sighed. She judged that Eden's state before her was something she had never seen in the Elysian Realm.But without a doubt, in the final moments of the apocalypse, Miss Eden sang her final song, hoping to reunite with her friend Elysia."As expected, the data is more corrupted by the Imaginary Number. It seems that not only time but even space has been distorted. Otto wouldn't do something so unnecessary, so it can only be Sister Bronie!"Bronya also sighed slightly before directly controlling Project Bunny 9c to begin examining the data at the scene.Durandal also used her Gnius to examine the surrounding spatial data.Kolosten was quite large. After exploring every corner, they discovered numerous temporal illusions.Among them were those from 500 years ago, closely related to Otto.The rest concerned the Flamechasers.After completing their investigation, Tesla and Einstein were utterly bewildered. No one knew where Eden had died, so her appearance in Kolosten was only slightly suspicious as a coincidence.But what happened next?Vill-V, Mobius, Kalpas, Kosma, and Pardofelis, who died on the moon, appeared on Earth as temporal illusions—was this normal?Then there was Sakura, one of the first thirteen Flamechasers to perish.Clearly, after the temporal illusions of the Flamechasers who died on the moon, no one believed that Sakura who appeared in Kolosten had truly died there 50,000 years ago.There were seven people in total, making up the majority of the Thirteen Flamechasers. After much deliberation, Tesla and Einstein clearly sensed Bronie and Otto's true intentions.They wanted to resurrect those who had died in the past!And through a method similar to time travel.Even though time cannot be reversed, their investigation of Kolosten revealed that Bronie and Otto's actions all pointed to a reversal of time!This seemed highly illogical!"Now we've figured out Otto's possible plan, but how to stop him—or rather, what Otto's true, complete plan is—remains unknown. So, does anyone have any leads?"Einstein returned to the Hyperion, where the warship contained the necessary equipment to help him organize and summarize the data collected from every corner of Kolosten.There were whispers from the Valkyries of the past, statements from Otto and his siblings, the people's rebellion against Schicksal following Otto, and the public's opinions of Kallen.From these fragmented pieces of information, Einstein pieced together a picture of Otto from five hundred years ago—an Otto who didn't seem so much of a scoundrel and even seemed to embody the ideals of justice upheld by Saintess Kallen."Aren't we dealing with the Herrscher?" Kiana asked, raising her hand."I didn't expect you to bring up such a constructive topic, Kiana. So, Kiana, have you found the Herrscher?""Bronya, are you praising me or insulting me?""Eh?"Damn it! It must be an insult!Kiana was furious and decided to glare at her."If we're going to find the hidden Herrscher, then this time we'll most likely need Kiana's authority. Based on the data we just analyzed, the Herrscher is very likely hiding in the Imaginary Space, but without specific coordinates or any clues, it's very difficult to track them down. I really don't know what the Herrscher is thinking."If the newly born Herrscher is an Apostle of Honkai, then at least they should cause some major destruction, right?But if the newly minted Herrscher is a good person, why would they so easily cooperate with Otto?Turning Kolosten into this state seems completely unrelated to resolving the Honkai.Therefore, Einstein couldn't understand it."To be honest, Bronya senses something amiss with the Honkai Beasts. The feeling of the punches from Project Bunny 9c was off. The Honkai Beast corpses were even more suspicious.""Oh? You discovered something?""Although both were smashed to pieces by Project Bunny 9c's punches, Kolosten's Honkai Beasts felt solid, as if they didn't have blood flowing through them. Even the Honkai energy concentration wasn't high. Bronya initially thought it was due to Imaginary Element contamination, but now it seems unrelated.""Solid, huh… Then we'll have to start our investigation from that angle. But before that, let's split up and gather data. It seems the Herrscher we're about to face is a very cunning and dangerous type.""Exactly. Perhaps our actions are still within Bronie's or Otto's expectations. If we can't find a breakthrough in this farce, we'll eventually become Otto's stepping stones."Bronya acknowledged Einstein's assessment of the hidden Herrscher's danger and voiced her own concerns.For some reason, Bronya had a deep sense of unease. She hadn't seen Bronie yet, and perhaps soon she would become Bronie's enemy.Why?Why did it have to come to this?Why would Bronie do such a thing?Bronya couldn't understand it.After hearing the news that they were dispersing to gather information, most of the combat-capable members of the Hyperion left.They unanimously abandoned rest and the food sent by Schicksal. After a cursory exploration of Kolosten, everyone knew the seriousness of the situation. How could they sleep?Kiana and Durandal went together, while Mei believed she could find useful clues on her own.As for Bronya, she would work with the doctors and the others for the time being, since the Herrscher of Reason's abilities weren't particularly strong in combat.The group separated, and Raiden Mei, also armed with the Seven Lightning Bolts of Purification she had obtained from World Serpent, began her search.Walking the streets of Kolosten, Raiden Mei used her keen observation skills to examine every possible anomaly in her surroundings.However, in this Kolosten region shrouded in Imaginary Number Influence, many places exhibited unusual characteristics, making a thorough investigation quite tedious.Just as Mei was about to take action, the figure of a Valkyrie caught her eye.The girl, who appeared to be only a teenager, was diligently carrying a huge cardboard box.This was a common sight near Kolosten, but the crucial point was that behind the girl, a two- or three-story-tall Chariot Honkai Beast was preparing to charge."Hey! Valkyrie over there! Watch out behind you, a Tank-class Honkai Beast is about to charge!"Mei knew this move all too well. In the Elysian Realm, seeing a Tank-class Honkai Beast make this gesture meant it was about to charge.If there were other Honkai Beasts harassing her at that moment, she would definitely be caught in that charge.As a Herrscher herself, this wouldn't be a big problem, but if it were this little Valkyrie, it would be a different story."Eh!?" The Valkyrie reacted, but seemingly due to insufficient physical ability, she tossed the cardboard box high into the air and quickly rolled to dodge.It had that Elden Ring vibe—a desperate, reckless dodge.But the cardboard box wasn't so lucky. The box, tossed high into the air, landed squarely on the Honkai Beast, which then ran off with it."My…""I'll get it back!" Mei transformed into lightning, sprinted forward, and caught up to the Honkai Beast from behind.A flash of lightning, and the Honkai Beast was instantly charred and rendered incapacitated. Mei, with her agile movements, caught the falling box and landed lightly on the ground.Seeing the Valkyrie's stunned expression, Mei handed the cardboard box to her."Next time, be more careful about your surroundings. It's dangerous here.""Uh... thank you, but..."With that, the Valkyrie slowly walked to a nearby trash can and tossed the box inside.Mei fell silent."Sorry, sorry, I wasn't clear! Um... my name is Silver Wolf... thank you for your help!""Pfft... hahaha, I was presumptuous. But your name is Silver Wolf? That sounds a bit like a codename that doesn't match your appearance. My name is Raiden Mei, a Valkyrie from the Hyperion.""No wonder I've never seen you before!" Silver Wolf suddenly realized, her previously wary demeanor instantly relaxing.This left Mei somewhat amused and exasperated.She was immediately viewed with suspicion upon first meeting, yet the other believed everything she said."Due to special circumstances, I'm currently investigating the anomalies within Kolosten. Unfortunately, I haven't been here long and haven't found anything noteworthy. Have you discovered anything during this time?""Hmm... Abnormal events are happening here constantly, and there are even occasional rumors of ghosts! Some say that the Bishop did something that angered both heaven and man, which is why the old Schicksal headquarters is like this. I still haven't found the source of these rumors.""Oh? How long has this news been circulating?""About two hours? But this is exclusive news, so please don't spread it!"This... Mei hesitated.After all, the Hyperion had only been there for about four hours, and rumors detrimental to Otto had already started circulating two hours ago.Who could be behind this?"Okay, okay, I won't tell anyone, so...""Then I'll tell you another piece of news in secret! But I can't guarantee it's true. A B-rank Valkyrie encountered a very peculiar Honkai Beast. She said her Honkai Beast doll suddenly came to life and started attacking her! She tried to fight back, but instead of blood, cotton burst out when she fired a shot!"Hearing this, Mei frowned. Clearly, this was indeed an anomaly.A doll-shaped Honkai Beast?But who would be so bored as to actually make Honkai Beast-shaped dolls, aside from Bronie?While Honkai Beast dolls might seem cute to the average person unfamiliar with Honkai, for a Valkyrie, something that could potentially kill her at any moment would never be kept on her bedside table.She didn't expect to find something like this in Kolosten."Anything else?""More!? Come on, you've taken so much of my information for free. Don't you have any shame?"This left Mei speechless. Well, she didn't expect this Valkyrie named Silver Wolf to be so cunning.Was this some kind of gossip?Mei was a little exasperated but finally asked patiently, "So, what do you want?""Some exciting news! Preferably related to Lady Durandal! Hehehe, to be honest, quite a few of my comrades in the Valkyrie team are interested in Lady Durandal, like how hard and long her spear is? Hehehe. Or, for example, what kind of girls she likes?"Mei was startled, inexplicably feeling like she'd encountered Elysia in the Elysian Realm."Um... I don't know much, and I can't guarantee that the information I have will be of real value to you... You're not planning to sell that information, are you?"Suddenly, another possibility occurred to Mei. Silver Wolf's eyes darted away, avoiding eye contact.Mei immediately wondered if this Valkyrie was a little crazy.Should she just refuse to take the information?---[Chapter 370: Genius and Mortal]There was no way to hide the aura of a powerful being. Cats are inherently sensitive animals, so when Durandal approached, she was always met with their disdain.Unless someone was bored enough to transform a cat into a Honkai Beast and then eliminate the threat as a Honkai Beast, Durandal was destined to be disliked by small animals.This kind of information, if shared with the other Valkyries, would probably be fine, right?Mei wasn't entirely sure, but the information she gathered made her notice many things she hadn't noticed since arriving in Kolosten.Besides the puppet Honkai Beasts, the most important thing was that the spacetime phantoms could also materialize.Although the source of this information was still unknown, it was undoubtedly Mei's breakthrough point.However, Mei wasn't reckless, nor was she the type to shoulder everything alone and infiltrate enemy territory.So, after reporting her movements to the Hyperion, Mei chose to head in the direction Silver Wolf had indicated to investigate the puppet Honkai Beast issue.But Silver Wolf still followed behind."Why are you following me?"Silver Wolf hadn't noticed the Honkai Beasts appearing, so it was obvious the little Valkyrie before her was someone focused on her endeavors.Or perhaps a Valkyrie specializing in logistical work.To be honest, Mei didn't want to see such a young Valkyrie on the battlefield. Combat was for adults; if even children were on the battlefield, civilization was probably doomed.Even Griseo didn't appear on the battlefield much back then."I just wanted to take a break! I wanted to see if the Valkyries of your Far East Branch were really as terrifying as the legends say!""Terrifying?""Yes, yes, everyone's saying it. The Far East Branch is a den of demons, full of Herrschers!"She was unable to refute it!Mei didn't know why such a rumor had spread within Schicksal.But it really was undeniable. Herrschers were always a common sight at St. Freya Academy.For example, Wendy, the senior who had already graduated. For example, Kiana, herself, and Bronya.And then there was the history teacher, Welt.Counting carefully on her fingers, Mei realized that St. Freya Academy indeed had the most Herrschers.Even the Far East Branch was affected."So? Based on your observations, what conclusions have you drawn?"Mei looked at Silver Wolf, who was wearing the Schicksal Valkyrie uniform and looked like an ordinary C-rank Valkyrie. After all, B-rank and above would wear Valkyrie armor, and the higher the rank, the more personalized the armor.This was a unique aspect of Schicksal's culture; at least Anti-Entropy wouldn't give every Titan personalized decorations."No wonder it's the Far East's Demon Cave!""Eh!?" Mei considered herself quite friendly. Why would the other person draw such a conclusion?"Are you surprised by my thoughts? Rather, we're genuinely surprised by how terrifying your fighting power is. After all, just flooding yourself with Honkai energy like that—you might suddenly become a zombie! Without grueling training or a death-defying resolve when tackling Honkai energy, you couldn't possibly reach this level!"Mei suddenly realized that her previous combat performance had frightened Silver Wolf.This power truly didn't seem human."Indeed, my situation is relatively rare, but obtaining this power involved many twists and turns. Without the help of my friends and family, I might have truly ended up in the worst possible situation, as you said."Mei said this while secretly feeling fortunate.She met Bronie when she awakened as a Herrscher, and later at St. Freya Academy, she met Himeko, Theresa, and Medea.And even after Kiana's accident, there were still the thirteen Flamechasers who helped her dispel the fog in her heart.Now, she would definitely not be lost."Judging by your fighting strength, even an A-rank Valkyrie isn't as powerful as you. But there's been no news of a new S-rank Valkyrie emerging within Schicksal. The Far East Branch even staged a rebellion before. What's going on here? I'm very curious!"Mei was somewhat amused and exasperated as she looked at the girl staring at her with wide eyes.Otto's reputation within Schicksal was generally positive, so telling the truth might actually provoke hostility."These are very complicated matters. Just like the advancement of medicine comes with countless sacrifices, Overseer Otto's role in Schicksal is equally complex. To protect our families and friends, we have to stand against Otto."She wasn't sure if the girl understood; she had probably been quite tactful.Mei met Silver Wolf's gaze again. Her clear blue eyes didn't detect any ill intent. Seeing Silver Wolf's sudden realization and deep thought, Mei realized she had brought some prejudice into her interactions with her."This has nothing to do with us little Valkyries. They have power and influence, and you all have strength too. Forget it, let's talk about this later! This is where Susanna encountered the Honkai Beast last time!"Silver Wolf walked ahead, pointing to a dark alley. Sunlight couldn't reach it, only barely revealing traces of a battle."Susanna? The B-rank Valkyrie you mentioned before?""That's right! That girl is awful. She always says that if she doesn't do well as a Valkyrie, she'll have to go back home and inherit the family fortune. Her family owns an entire jewelry business! But when it came to selling information about Lady Durandal, she was quite generous, hehehe~"Greedy, gossipy, and seemingly experienced in many storms.Mei finally had a deeper understanding of the Valkyrie before her.There are so many Valkyries in Schicksal; encountering this type is honestly quite strange.While normal Valkyries are few and far between, this was the first time Mei had encountered such an oddball.Followed by disappointment.Indeed, the Valkyrie profession is a highly noble one. They burn their lives to fight the Honkai, paving the way for humanity's future.However, along this path, there are also some girls whose ambitions lie elsewhere.Silver Wolf was clearly one of them.A sliver of sunlight illuminated the alleyway's entrance, making the depths appear even darker in comparison.Mei slowly walked into the alley, her right hand firmly resting on the hilt of her sword, constantly on guard against any potential attack.Bullet holes in the walls and scratch marks on the ground—it seemed a fierce battle had taken place here, but the Honkai Beasts didn't seem particularly strong."Watch out! Something's coming out!""Hmm? But I didn't sense anything..."Mei frowned upon hearing Silver Wolf's voice. Her electromagnetic wave detection hadn't detected anything in front of her.Only after Silver Wolf's warning did Mei see what appeared to be a figure in the darkness.A tiny, palm-sized, charging Honkai Beast dragged its battered body and let out a cute yet menacing roar.The exposed cotton in its wounds suggested that this Honkai Beast wasn't actually a silicon-based life form, but rather a real doll."Pfft... What is this!?" Mei was amused by the tiny Honkai Beast."I don't know. I only know that Susanna was terrified by this thing. Although she wasn't seriously injured, she emptied at least one magazine and then never found it again."So, the Valkyrie named Susanna was also a problem child?Mei couldn't help but think.She then considered capturing the cotton Honkai Beast and taking it back for investigation; perhaps she could find some useful information.It was this tiny Honkai Beast.Mei unleashed her Honkai energy, lightning gathering in her hand, then gently tapped it.A spark flashed, instantly igniting part of the cotton. The adorable Honkai Beast toy frantically flapped its wings, trying to extinguish the flames.Just as the Honkai Beast struggled, Mei grabbed it."So strong!" Feeling the strength of the Honkai Beast's struggle in her hand, Mei was surprised to find that Susanna's judgment seemed to be correct.Although these Honkai Beasts were small, the power they unleashed could still pose a life-threatening danger to ordinary people. Using a firearm to destroy its body structure was definitely not a problem.Although the toy Honkai Beast in front of her was indeed a bit tattered, feeling the powerful force emanating from its broken body, Mei knew that this guy was no ordinary creature."I didn't expect all of this to be true. Then I'll have to search for inside information more carefully in the future. First-hand information can definitely fetch a good price!""So you're short of money?"Like catching a live mouse, Mei gripped the Honkai Beast tightly. The look in her eyes when she turned around seemed to startle Silver Wolf."I remember the Valkyrie's treatment shouldn't be too bad, right?""Well... hehe, after all, the one thing no one hates is money. Money isn't everything, but you can't do without it. But since you saved my life before, how about I give you a 30% discount on the information I got?""Forget it..." Mei felt exhausted.The Honkai Beast in her hands was struggling quite strongly, and she didn't know if she would accidentally kill it on the way. So Mei decided to return to the Hyperion immediately and let the doctors check what was going on."Then... 65% off?"Hiss— For some reason, Mei felt her blood pressure rising."It's not about the price; it involves a lot of danger. Do you really want to risk your life for money?""Please, isn't being a Valkyrie pretty much the same? Even though the slogans are loud and clear, who doesn't have their own little schemes? We can't even take care of our daily lives, so those lofty ideals are basically irrelevant to us. Which Valkyrie fighting on the front lines has any expectations for tomorrow? Aren't they just thinking about eliminating Honkai, or eliminating even more Honkai tomorrow? I'm earning a little money just to look forward to a better future~"Speaking of the current state of the Valkyries, Mei couldn't help but be moved. On the Honkai battlefield, not everyone possessed the strength of a Herrscher.Most were ordinary people. Their hatred for the Honkai and their own weakness—after seeing these realities, despair enveloped them. They no longer looked forward to tomorrow, nor did they think about how tomorrow would come.Silver Wolf said this with a smile, but the meaning behind it was self-evident.She probably wanted to do something."Then come with me. I don't know what you can do, but I'll try my best. A Valkyrie is a heroine of humanity. She shouldn't be stuck in such a terrible quagmire.""Hehehe, so can you tell me more about Durandal? I think they'll be even more excited for future news~"This...Isn't your logic a bit too much?Mei paused, then looked at Silver Wolf again.This time, Silver Wolf's figure blurred again, emanating a mysterious aura.Mei tried to see through her, but found that each time she saw only a mask she had created.Truth and falsehood intertwined. Which words were sincere, and which were deceitful?Somewhat confused, Mei decided to stop thinking about it. Her immediate priority was dealing with the potential disaster brought by the Herrschers."Afterward, I'll send Durandal to your Valkyrie squad. I think you'll gain more insights if you ask her questions in person, right?""It's a deal!"Silver Wolf skipped along behind Mei, who was dragging a Honkai Beast through the quiet town.Occasionally, they could hear Eden's song, or Pardofelis searching for treasure in the streets and alleys.The eerily quiet Kalpas, and Kosma playing her harmonica alone.Bronie's presence was everywhere, yet nowhere to be found.So, what exactly was Bronie plotting with Otto?Why did she have to be an enemy of everyone?---