Rumble—
"Borrowing force?"
Amid thunder and lightning, a towering figure crashed to the ground, stepping out from the dust and debris. His entire body was covered in knotted muscles; his broad shoulders and sturdy fra exuded an imposing aura. His face was firm and unyielding, naturally commanding respect without anger.
Budo raised his head, a flicker of contemplation flashing through his eyes.
That direction? To the west... Europe—territory overseen by Alex, the leader of the Schicksal organization in that region.
"Based on the preliminary observation and judgnt, this woman nad Raiden i seems to have a strong will. She doesn’t appear to be the type of coward who would abandon her comrades and focus solely on escaping to save her life."
"...But why did she flee so decisively?"
As he spoke, Budo glanced toward the bustling tropolis dozens of kiloters away. Through his electromagnetic senses, he could detect that Robert and Kevin had already started fighting in earnest. A fiery storm had erupted from the central city district, and the two clashed with remarkable synergy, driving their battle all the way to the ocean.
Budo had the ability to fuse his Imperial Arm with the Gem of Conquest, granting him a unique form of "electromagnetic surveillance" over vast areas. Through this, he could intercept communications and monitor his surroundings on a grand scale.
This power was reminiscent of Observation Haki from the world of One Piece. Although it lacked the various additional abilities like hearing the voice of all things, precognition, or animal empathy, its range was much broader—akin to Enel’s "Mantra."
At critical monts, Budo could concentrate his mind to enhance the precision of his observations, enabling even finer detail to be captured.
Having been blessed by Selene, Budo’s lightning-wielding abilities—derived from the Imperial Arm, Thunder God’s Rage: Adralech—were elevated to new heights. While he was not a true Herrscher born of the Great Eruption, he could be considered a pseudo-Herrscher tied to the End.
As Budo’s gaze lingered on the two clashing figures, his attention montarily focused on the shorter silhouette. Two hypotheses ford in his mind.
From Raiden i’s desperate flight toward Europe, it was either that she was carrying out a crucial mission entrusted to her by her comrades, or that she and this Kevin Kaslana individual lacked any real sense of camaraderie.
The longing and concern in Raiden i’s eyes for soone or sothing could not be faked. Likely...
There was sothing—or soone—in Europe of imnse importance to her.
But these were rely Budo’s speculative deductions based on the information at hand. He acknowledged the possibility of error—unless this young girl turned out to be a seasoned actress capable of fooling even him.
Selene’s allocations had divided the world into three major war zones based on longitude.
From west to east, these territories were as follows:
• The European and African continents were under Alex’s jurisdiction.
• The Asian continent and Oceania fell under Budo’s command.
• The Arican continents were jointly managed by Leiva and Esdeath.
"The so-called Herrscher traitor that His Majesty ntioned... Was it a defection? Or coercion?"
Recalling the amused expression on Selene’s face when she spoke those words, Budo began to understand. There might be more to this matter than it appeared.
Given his understanding of His Majesty’s usual personality, it seed entirely plausible.
"Hmph. Whatever the truth may be—whether it’s a counterasure by the rebels or just my overthinking—it’ll beco clear after I bring her down and interrogate her."
Boom—!
Budo raised his head coldly, his thick gauntlets exploding with a sudden burst of energy. Blinding blue lightning arcs surged outward, accompanied by waves of blistering heat, as he threw a devastating punch toward the figure soaring in the sky.
"Thunder Spine!"
With a thunderous roar, an electric arc as thick as a water tank erupted, rising high into the sky. It expanded, forming a forest of azure lightning thorns that surged toward Raiden i.
Boom—!
Dirt, trees, artificial lakes, bridges, highways—everything in the path of the lightning was incinerated by its destructive power.
A steel bridge spanning the artificial lake was severed in two, its collapsed half lting instantly upon contact with the arc’s intense heat, transforming into a viscous, orange liquid.
What remained was a terrifying scorched trench over fifty ters wide, carving a path through the earth. The lake water within evaporated under the searing heat, leaving nothing behind.
Bang!!
The thunderous explosion sent shockwaves rippling outward. Street trees bent and swayed like wheat in a hurricane, creating waves of debris as the powerful energy spread.
"Once, twice, and now thrice! Why must you keep standing in my way?!"
Flying out of the crater created by her crash, Raiden i’s eyes flashed with a trace of ferocity.
She twisted her wrist and swung her sword.
Her cold, murderous intent condensed on her brows, and violet-red lightning burst forth. Behind her, the purple thunder annihilation halo glowed brightly as her scarlet ghost hand brandished a massive blade.
"Ah—!"
Flaws in her personality and the painful trials of her life had beco fertile ground for the Herrscher’s persona to take root and grow.
After regaining the power of the Herrscher, Raiden i—under the influence of its might—had gradually beco more obsessive, more extre.
But there was one thing about Raiden i that would never change.
Joining World Serpent had never been her choice. Everything she had ever chosen was for the sake of one person.
From leaving Nagazora City to her journey through Chiba Academy, St. Freya Academy, and now the World Serpent—Raiden i had endured so much. The Herrscher of Thunder’s power had been lost, reclaid, and lost again. But through it all, everything she did was for the sake of one person.
"Kiana! I will find you!"
She would never back down!
Bang!
As the blade and gauntlet collided, the thunder of their clash reverberated through the air.
"As I thought, our powers stem from the sa source. Simply unleashing lightning energy is inefficient for either of us."
Budo’s gaze was as cold as a winter wind as he scanned the battlefield. His eyes settled on the bruises visible on Raiden i’s body.
He spoke icily:
"Fists and feet would be more effective."
Despite being struck by lightning multiple tis, Raiden i remained seemingly unscathed. However, the heavy punch Budo had landed on her earlier had objectively caused significant damage.
In the next mont, Budo’s figure flickered as he appeared beside Raiden i. He crouched and delivered a resounding slap to the ghostly armor she had instinctively raised to block, giving her no chance to react. Imdiately after, he followed up with a powerful kick.
Bang!
A dull, heavy impact resounded. The tall woman with long, dark-purple hair was sent flying, crashing hard into the ground and rolling as she carved out a long trench in the earth.
"Guh—hah!"
Pain shot through her entire body without exception, leaving Raiden i montarily dazed.
But she did not allow herself to dwell on the agony. Standing once more, she swung her sword and pressed the attack.
Her instincts warned her of how dangerous her actions were, yet she refused to retreat.
Because, in this situation, it was clear: if she could not defeat Budo, she would never be able to pass him and reunite with Kiana.
Buzz—Boom!!
Suddenly, a brilliant burst of violet-red flas erupted from Raiden i’s body. Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth as she raised the Key of Castigation, Divine Punishnt, high above her head.
Crackle!
Beneath her feet, countless arcs of electricity ford concentric ripples. Lightning, crossing and intertwining, gathered at the tip of her blade, generating searing heat that ignited a forest fire around her.
Budo’s eyes narrowed as he slowly raised his elbow.
He was thodical and unhurried, but Raiden i would not let a single opportunity slip by. Thunder was her nasake, and the North Star One-Sword Style was the ancient martial art passed down in her family.
While this technique was ineffective against the massive bodies of Honkai Beasts, when facing humanoid enemies, the swordsmanship inherited by Raiden i could grant her a significant edge in combat.
Well, with Budo standing over four ters tall, he should still qualify as humanoid. Probably... maybe... hopefully.
Without wasting a word, Raiden i gripped the Key of Castigation tightly and entered her starting stance. In the next instant—whoosh!
She transford into a streak of lightning, charging at Budo, each strike aid directly at his vital points.
Clang!
The long blade clashed once more against Budo’s arm guards, ringing out over the ravaged battlefield. Raiden i remained cold and unyielding, the violet-red lightning in her ghostly, emotionless eyes crackling like an ominous specter.
Faster! More relentless!
It was as if she had gone mad. The long blade in her hand, along with the massive sword wielded by the ghostly armor behind her, slashed wildly.
A web of blades unfolded before Budo, each stroke gleaming with icy brilliance. Sparks flew as the sword clashed repeatedly against his arm guards and heavy armor.
Amid the swirling dust and debris, two figures—one large, one small—flashed through the air, locked in a deadly dance.
It was a fighting style driven by pure desperation, abandoning the North Star One-Sword Style’s core principle of "ending battles swiftly and without injury." Instead, it had transford into a savage technique of slaughter.
"Heh... interesting."
This was a laugh.
On Budo’s rugged, steadfast face, a faint smile crept in. It was a smile of approval—or perhaps satisfaction.
"With such a death-defying spirit, you are no coward. As an opponent, I acknowledge you."
As a seasoned veteran of countless battlefields, Budo was unafraid to use ruthless strategies in pursuit of victory. After all, as the saying goes, "All warfare is based on deception."
But when faced with an enemy who demonstrated such determination and resilience, Budo was equally unreserved in offering his recognition and praise.
With that, he suddenly stepped forward, his motion akin to the pressing of a hydraulic machine. His iron fist, empowered by the twisting force of his waist, swung out in a devastating arc.
Boom—Crash!!
In that instant, the shockwaves compressed the air so forcefully that even the surrounding grass and trees were flattened, unable to lift their heads. The terrifying force coalesced into a tangible shockwave that blasted outward.
Raiden i’s pupils dilated to their absolute limits as the impact hurled her body violently through the air.
The explosion’s shockwave annihilated everything in its path, leaving destruction in its wake. High above, a massive mushroom cloud ford, a testant to the overwhelming power.
Retreating to regain her balance, Raiden i felt as though that blow had struck directly into her eardrums. Her internal organs churned, as if her entire body had been rearranged.
Her left arm, which had gripped the Key of Castigation during the clash, now hung limp and numb. She had completely lost all sensation in it, as if it no longer belonged to her.
This kind of sheer physical strength...
"Huff... huff..."
Breathing heavily, Raiden i began to reevaluate her situation.
Her current opponent was a terrible match for her. Both of them were highly resistant to lightning-based attacks, leaving her with no choice but to rely on physical combat.
However, Budo’s combat experience was far too advanced. He seized major opportunities while ignoring minor ones, creating a defense so seamless that it was almost impenetrable.
Her attempts to stab at the weaker connection points between the helt and the power armor were all blocked. Budo even redirected her strikes with minimal effort, guiding them toward the most reinforced areas—his shoulder plates and chest armor.
At this rate, leaving aside the overwhelming disparity in raw strength, her stamina would undoubtedly deplete long before his did.
In the next mont, lightning flashed, and a shadowy figure lunged at her with a thunderous punch, stirring a vortex of wind in its wake.
Danger!
Raiden i didn’t have the luxury of composure—she rolled desperately to the side.
Whoosh—!
The air wailed as Budo’s arm guard tore through it, moving so quickly that it ignited the air itself. Even though it barely missed her face, Raiden i instinctively held her breath.
The tip of her nose stung with an almost searing heat, as though fire had scorched her airway, and it made her want to cough.
But before she could recover, a massive, heavy gauntlet seized her upper body and lifted her into the air.
Raiden i’s delicate features turned a shade of blue and purple. Her legs kicked frantically, but it was futile. As Budo tightened his grip, the Honkai-infused cube embedded within her power armor began to activate.
Buzz—Buzz!
"You... cough cough..." She barely managed to squeeze out a few words before a crushing sensation overwheld her.
Her Honkai energy reserves rapidly dwindled, and all that remained in her mind was the pain of suffocation. Her vision blurred into nothingness.
"...Kiana..."
anwhile, in Europe, in the town of Korosten.
As Durandal and Kiana followed Selene into the radiant spatial portal, Selene turned back. The iridescent glow faded, and her serene eyes softened with warmth and tenderness.
Her gaze fell upon a petite girl with ashen gray, curly hair lying collapsed amidst a field of flowers. Selene then looked toward the gentle girl kneeling beside her, who held a pristine white lance in her hands.
This girl had short, shoulder-length hair, dark with a faint blue tint. Her eyes were like the ocean, her skin as pale as snow, and a red stigma mark was visible on her chest. She wore a white blouse paired with a blue vest and a short, pleated skirt of alternating light and dark blue tones.
Seele Vollerei—a gentle, soft-spoken girl who appeared as fragile as she was kind.
"[Abyss Flower], co here," Selene suddenly commanded, stretching out her hand.
In an instant, [Abyss Flower] trembled faintly in response to her call. In a flash of white light, it left Seele’s grasp and flew to Selene’s hand, eliciting a surprised cry from the girl.
"Ah! Bronya-sister!" Seele exclaid in panic as she leaned forward to hold onto Bronya.
"S-Selene... sister, but..." Kiana hesitated, her mouth slightly open as though she wanted to say sothing.
"To save her does not require such a troubleso thod. It’s not difficult at all," Selene replied calmly.
Healing light glowed at Selene’s fingertips, a warm white radiance that spread upward from the ground, enveloping Bronya’s overtaxed body.
"The authority of the Herrscher of Death isn’t ant to be used the way you’ve been using it."
In just an instant, Seele noticed with delight that Bronya’s condition began to stabilize. The older girl was showing signs of waking up. It was so unreal, so miraculous, that Seele couldn’t help but stare in a daze.
"Bronya-sister! It’s wonderful—you’re okay!"
"All right, let’s go," Selene said after completing the healing process.
Amid Durandal’s complicated gaze, Selene gripped [Abyss Flower] tightly and nodded slightly toward Kiana.
And then—snap!
The spatial rift sealed shut as Selene disappeared with Durandal and Kiana, leaving behind the stunned crew of the Hyperion.
Watching her commanding officer finally leave, Alex let out a long sigh of relief. Without hesitation, he began barking orders to his subordinates to bring the command equipnt back into position.
Hands clasped behind his back, Alex approached Theresa, whose petite fra resembled that of a child. He raised an eyebrow, barely holding back the sarcastic remarks threatening to spill out.
"Well then, Theresa Apocalypse, esteed Overseer of Schicksal. It’s ti to get down to business."
"Co with . Sanguinius has already landed at the floating islands in the diterranean that serve as Schicksal’s headquarters. Resistance remains, but if you want to avoid unnecessary casualties, you’d better go and persuade them yourself."
"I understand."
Theresa’s childish face remained serious as she responded with a rare air of gravity.
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