Regarding the anti-Honkai organization, Fire Moth—
Established by the United Nations of the Previous Era to fight against the Honkai, it was humanity's largest anti-Honkai force.
"Moths chasing the fla, resisting to the death, pursuing that singular light even at the cost of burning themselves... I quite like the na, at least."
Elias evaluated calmly as he observed Fire Moth's base. At this mont, he and Elysia had just completed their registration and received their identity badges as new recruits.
"Waaah~ As expected of a military organization, the atmosphere is super serious. It all feels so high-tech. Uh... why does everyone look so tense? Did sothing happen?"
Elysia looked around curiously, scanning her surroundings.
The two of them were following a group of new recruits heading toward the training room. Soon, they would be split into squads and undergo intensive training. Only after completing all training modules would they be formally deployed to the battlefield against the Honkai.
Just as Elias was wondering how long all that would take—
[Alert! Alert! Catastrophic Honkai Eruption! Catastrophic Honkai Eruption! Second Herrscher detected! All squads prepare to deploy imdiately and proceed to support the Yamila branch!]
A piercing alarm suddenly rang through the entire base.
Monts later, a flurry of footsteps echoed as a large number of soldiers rushed toward the transport aircraft.
Elias and Elysia exchanged a glance and, without hesitation, left the training group to follow a few soldiers aboard a transport vessel.
"My, my~ Who would've thought we'd run into such a huge event right on our first day? Aren't we lucky~"
"Yeah. Though it would've been even better if we'd arrived just a bit sooner. Since this is a support request, it probably ans the local branch has already suffered heavy casualties from the Herrscher's attack. Sure, the protagonist always shows up late, but too late is never good."
Inside the transport craft, Elias and Elysia were reviewing the mission briefing, trying to understand the enemy they were about to face—
The Second Herrscher, the Herrscher of the Void!
You could call it a coincidence of timing.
Just yesterday, they had submitted their application to Fire Moth and passed the enlistnt test. Today, they ca to report in, only to be greeted by the outbreak of the Second Eruption. It had been four years since they last witnessed the First Eruption.
"The Herrscher of the Void, huh... We'll need to be clever. Ely, listen to ..."
Elias began recalling the powers he himself had gained as the Herrscher of the Void in the current era, along with certain weaknesses that no one except the Herrscher themself could possibly know.
In an instant, he had already pieced together an effective combat strategy, and imdiately began explaining it to his most trusted partner beside him.
Elysia blinked, eyes filled with wonder. She didn't know how Elias knew these things, but the absolute trust between them left no room for doubt.
"I see! No problem! Then let's go give that Herrscher a big, big surprise."
"Mm. I believe in you, Ely."
Elias gently patted the girl's head, speaking in a reassuring tone.
Elysia's strength was by no ans ordinary.
In fact, it was downright ridiculous—like she was using cheat codes!
She had supposedly only trained in hand-to-hand combat and archery at a dojo during a trip to Shenzhou.
But when paired with her self-proclaid innate "crystal magic," Elias conservatively estimated that Elysia was capable of soloing a Herrscher.
Elias: (Absurd. Just absurd! Her hacks are worse than Durandal's, and they don't even make sense. But that's my Elysia—aweso as always.)
Back then, though Elysia had also sworn to fight the Honkai, Elias hadn't dared let her act alone as an ordinary human.
Then Elysia had challenged him to a spar, using her so-called crystal magic for the first ti—and completely earned Elias' recognition.
With that level of strength, in the current stage of the Previous Era, Elysia could easily punch i and kick Sirin—even if you threw in Welt, as long as the enemy's power didn't exceed two Herrscher-level threats, Elysia could completely suppress them.
But truthfully, even Elysia had been startled by him.
The white-haired boy's strength had far surpassed Miss Pink Elf's expectations.
After all, now that Elias had reverted from a child's body back to a youth, his forr authorities had returned. And while Miss Pink Elf was strong beyond reason, she still suffered an instant defeat against a five-core Herrscher.
At this mont, aboard the transport aircraft, none of the still-shivering soldiers realized they were sitting next to two absolute powerhouses.
"Hey! You two rookies—what's going on here? Who gave you permission to be here?!"
Suddenly, a woman seated at the front of the transport frowned and called out. When Elias looked at her face, he was montarily stunned.
Fiery crimson hair, an astonishing figure, and a face that looked nine parts similar to Murata Hiko—
For a mont, Elias thought Hiko had traveled with him to this tiline. But a second later, he realized who this was.
She was the future captain of "Fu Hua's" squad—Hiko's alternate self in the Previous Era, and the future Seventh Herrscher, the Herrscher of Fire—Hiko.
"Hello, Captain Hiko. I heard a Herrscher has appeared, and we wanted to help. Please allow us to join the mission!"
Elias spoke with conviction, his expression saying "I share an irreconcilable hatred with the Honkai." Anyone watching might think the Honkai had killed his entire family.
"How do you know my na? Never mind. I can see your resolve… but what can two rookies who just joined possibly do? This is reckless!"
Hiko frowned at Elias and Elysia in clear disapproval. So young. Far too young!
They were still at the age where ordinary boys and girls should be in school—and yet these two were about to head into the most dangerous battlefield.
"Please allow it, Captain Hiko."
"Tch. Fine. Once we reach the site, you two are to assist with civilian rescue only. Do not let your emotions carry you into the direction of the Herrscher. Understood?"
Hiko sighed, rubbing her forehead. If the transport hadn't already taken off, she would've booted these two impulsive brats out without hesitation.
But since turning back wasn't an option, she gave them the safest mission she could—civilian rescue. Hopefully, they wouldn't die out there.
"Okay! We promise we won't charge in."
"Mhm! Just leave it to us~"
Elias and Elysia patted their chests and gave enthusiastic thumbs-up—though in truth, they'd already mapped out the fastest route for a straight-up charge. Rescue? Of course they'd rescue people.
After all, once the boss was taken down, everyone else would be saved!
And let's be honest—once a Herrscher descends, the city they're in is practically already wiped out.
When a Honkai Eruption occurs, ordinary people are either vaporized on the spot or transford into zombie. The number of people with Honkai adaptability who actually survive is probably less than one in ten thousand.
"Year XXXX, Month X, Day X, Ti: XX:XX..."
Elias silently etched today's date into his heart.
The appearance tiline of Herrschers in the Previous Era wasn't specified in the ga, so he had to verify and rember it himself. It was crucial prep for the future loops.
But of course, he wasn't planning to slack off this ti.
Elias: (Let see for myself—just how strong a Herrscher of the Previous Era really is.)
...
Three hours later.
The transport arrived at the battlefield dominated by the Herrscher. And the mont they stepped out of the aircraft, the devastation before their eyes stunned Hiko, Elias, Elysia—and everyone else.
The entire city was engulfed in flas. Collapsed skyscrapers, missile craters, and the roars of Honkai Beasts filled the air. The apocalyptic scene sent shivers down everyone's spine.
"Foolish humans."
The Herrscher of the Void floated in the sky, an apostle of destruction. With a wave of her hand, she cleaved three towering buildings in half, then used portals to teleport them into the sky—only to let them crash back down.
Boom—!!!
Boom—!!!
Boom—!!!
As the buildings fell like teors, their impact rocked the city with deafening explosions. The devastation intensified, and countless soldiers and zombies were crushed in an instant.
And yet, to the Herrscher of the Void, such horrifying attacks were no different than tossing a few stones.
"...So this is a Herrscher who stands with the Honkai."
Elias took a deep breath, marveling once more at how lucky the Current Era truly had been.
Even though warriors like Durandal, Li Sushang, Theresa, and Fu Hua could fight Herrschers head-on, that was never what Herrschers excelled at.
Herrschers were symbols of annihilation. Their destruction wasn't aid at individuals, but at civilizations, at the world itself. Their specialty was wiping out tens of thousands in a single gesture—catastrophic, indiscriminate, wide-area attacks.
Those unreasonable authorities weren't weapons to kill people—they were calamities to erase cities, environnts, and the weak.
"What's the situation?! Soone give a report! That monster's just floating up there! Fire on her already!"
On another transport aircraft, a soldier disembarked and roared in anguish. This city was his hotown.
"You think we didn't try?! We opened fire the mont that monster appeared! But every missile we launched was sucked into her portals and redirected back at us!"
A Fire Moth soldier replied, trembling as he spoke.
It was a scene he would never forget.
The Herrscher of the Void had simply snapped her fingers. Every weapon launched at her was instantly swallowed by her portals, then twisted around and hurled back—devastating the entire local Fire Moth force in a heartbeat.
Because of her unreasonable spatial authority, Fire Moth command no longer dared to open fire recklessly.
Even headquarters, with its finger hovering over the nuclear launch button, had quickly recoiled as if burned.
Originally, they had planned to let the army wear down the Herrscher's Honkai energy before finishing her off with a concentrated barrage of tactical nukes, just as they had with the Herrscher of Reason.
But now? No one dared risk that. If she redirected the nukes—it would be ga over.
"Then what now? Any word from HQ? It's been ages—do they have a plan or not?"
Hiko took a deep breath and forced down her fear, turning to a nearby Fire Moth soldier.
"...Headquarters says, the best-case scenario right now is to hope soone can get close enough to the Herrscher of the Void to kill her at point-blank range."
"What the hell kind of plan is that?! Who's the idiot whose brain got slamd in a door?! Not even missiles can get close to her, and you want soone to run up and fight her in lee?!"
Hiko growled through gritted teeth. If heavy firepower couldn't even touch the enemy, how could re flesh and blood possibly stand a chance?
"Captain, th-this is bad!"
Suddenly, a soldier from Squad Five ran over, panicked.
"What is it?!"
"Those two rookies—they ran toward the Herrscher!"
"WHAT?!"
Hiko whipped her head around, following the soldier's pointing finger.
The white-haired boy and pink-haired girl who had just been beside her—were now sprinting full speed in the direction of the Herrscher of the Void.
"Th-Those little punks! Soone get them back here, now!!"
...
"Umm, Elias, I think Captain Hiko is mad... Are we going to get lectured later?"
Elysia asked nervously, as if the idea of being scolded by Hiko was scarier than the Herrscher in the sky.
"Don't worry about it. Sure, soldiers are supposed to follow orders, but in situations like this, those who can fight should fight. Every second we let a Herrscher run loose, the world suffers more. As long as we win, no one's going to yell at us."
Elias shrugged casually. Once they showed the results of defeating the Herrscher, who could complain?
"I see! You're right!"
Reassured by his words, Elysia brightened up. She pulled out a beautiful bow adorned with a pink crystal from who-knows-where and looked up at the Herrscher of the Void, eager for action.
The two dashed forward, quickly leaving Hiko and the others behind. They darted through the ruined cityscape and finally reached the rooftop of a high-rise near the Herrscher.
"What a sha. She's such a cute girl, and yet she turned out to be a Herrscher bent on destroying the world. Well then, Miss Pink Elf shall punish you in the na of Earth—take this!"
Elysia was the first to strike.
A pink crystal arrow nocked on her longbow, she loosed it straight at the Herrscher of the Void.
"Hmph~ How foolish."
The Herrscher of the Void noticed the arrow, but didn't even bother dodging—not even a portal.
In her eyes, what threat could a re arrow pose? Her innate Imaginary barrier could shrug off missiles. Only Herrscher-level attacks could hope to break it.
And then—
Boom—!!!
The pink crystal arrow shattered her Imaginary barrier on contact.
The Herrscher of the Void's expression twisted in shock and disbelief.
"Impossible! What is that?!"
"Oh, it's nothing special. Just a magical attack from a beautiful maiden~ Here's another one!"
"You wretched woman—die!"
Several subspace lances flew toward Elysia, but the agile Miss Pink Elf dodged them with ease, her every movent as graceful as a dance.
To the Herrscher of the Void, it was blatant provocation.
Two subspace lances morphed into ribbons and swept across, collapsing the building Elysia was standing on.
"Oh dear, soone's angry."
Elysia leapt, aiming to land on another nearby rooftop—but then...
"Fool. You die here."
A spatial portal appeared directly in her path.
The Herrscher of the Void wore a cruel smile.
With no way to change direction mid-air, Elysia was sure to fly straight into it. The Herrscher planned to teleport her ten thousand ters into the sky—and let her beco Elysia jam on impact.
"Too bad. You fell for it."
Elias suddenly appeared on another rooftop.
He flung a rope and precisely lassoed Elysia's slim waist. With a sharp tug, he yanked her trajectory away from the portal just in ti.
Then, spinning the rope like a whip, Elias launched her in a wide arc.
Before the Herrscher of the Void could react, Miss Pink Elf was already soaring toward her like a cot—
"Ely, now!"
"Mhm! Pink Elf Flying Kick!!"
Using the centrifugal force from being hurled, Elysia twisted mid-air and delivered a flawless knight-style dropkick. Her heel slamd right into the Herrscher of the Void's face.
"Damn it aaaaaaaaah!!"
With a size-36 high heel mark now embedded in her face, the Herrscher scread in fury as she crashed into the ground.
Human missiles had failed to scratch her—but sohow these two lunatics had knocked her out of the sky.
"Careful, Ely! Phase two is coming. Just follow the strategy I told you. This one's easy."
Elias said with total confidence.
When it ca to fighting the Herrscher of the Void, who knew better than soone who used to be the Herrscher of the Void? Elias could probably clear this fight with his eyes closed!
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