Yeah, she had always been protected by them!
Raiden Mei had always been saved by them!
Since that was the case, then even if only once in a while, she should be the one to protect them with her own hands!!
"!!!"
Raiden Mei had already made up her mind.
No matter what price she had to pay,
Even if she had to fall into darkness.
Even if she had to lose herself.
Even if... she could never again stand before those two as she was now!
I've had enough. I've had enough of the people important to me getting hurt because of me. I don't want to be some helpless young lady who can't do anything anymore! I need power—the power to protect those I love!
The girl's eyes closed tightly.
When she opened them again,
She had become a dignified, tyrannical Queen!
The authority of Gods descended upon her. (See image)
"Disappear, trash."
Deep purple lightning flickered across her slender fingertips as Mei pointed toward the girl.
The flying bolt gave her no chance to scream, electrocuting her until not even the basic molecules of her charred remains were left.
If humans truly had souls, then even her soul must have been annihilated by that lightning.
Herrscher of Thunder Mei Slashes a Titan
"Disappear, trash!"
As a bolt of lightning completely erased the girl on a molecular level, everyone present felt immense pressure. Fear uncontrollably welled up in their eyes as they looked at Mei.
They were all Cocolia's elite subordinates, yet before this high school girl, they seemed so lowly and insignificant, powerless and weak.
"Now that I've dealt with that noisy trash, next... it'll be your turn."
'Mei's' gaze swept over the remaining people. The instant she opened her eyes, she had completely changed.
Her weakness had become coldness,
Her frailty had become strength,
Her gentleness had become ruthless decisiveness!
At that moment, Mei was like a Queen reigning above all, while those people before her were nothing more than tiny insects.
Lightning flashed and thunder roared with every gesture she made.
"Fire! Open fire now!"
"Subdue her—no, kill her!!"
"Lady Cocolia, the target has awakened. Requesting support, requesting supp—ah!"
"No, don't come any closer! You monster!"
"Damn it, how dare you—argh!"
Cocolia's subordinates were all seasoned experts, but at this moment, they were no different from ants. The guns in their hands became scrap metal, and the bullets they fired were electrolyzed and melted before they could even get close to Mei.
Meanwhile, Mei wielded the authority of lightning, effortlessly piercing and destroying them.
The process was as simple as breathing. That invincible power shook everyone's hearts.
Fear became the last emotion of their lives.
"Just moments ago, so many of you were proudly ganging up on a coward, yet now you're showing such ugly faces. Humanity truly is beyond saving... Hmm?"
"Mei!" x2
The only two people in this world whom Raiden Mei considered special appeared. When she saw the anxious white-haired boy and girl, a trace of liveliness finally appeared in Queen Raiden's cold eyes.
But that was all.
She had been born from the consciousness of the girl named Mei, but that did not mean she was Mei herself.
Although she shared the girl's memories, that did not mean she shared her feelings as well.
She was herself—Queen Raiden, the Third Herrscher!
At that moment, Herrscher of Thunder Mei possessed only a Herrscher's instinctive mission: to eliminate humanity and destroy civilization.
However, thanks to the blessing of a certain Pink Fairy Lady from the Previous Civilization, she could still retain her humanity rather than become a puppet of the Honkai.
Tell me, what do you intend to do?
The Herrscher of Thunder watched Bai Ge and Kiana with a scrutinizing gaze. Because of Mei's memories, she would not lump the two of them together with other humans.
But as she had said before, she was not Raiden Mei. She held no hostility toward them, but she did not hold any affection for them either.
Thus, Herrscher of Thunder Mei did not attack them. Her choice was... to watch.
Let me see what you choose. Will you choose to save the world and become my enemies, or... choose to save that useless crybaby?
The next second, Bai Ge moved without hesitation.
He strode toward Herrscher of Thunder Mei, the Honkai Energy weapon at his waist already drawn.
Compared to a Herrscher, the gap in Honkai Energy was like that between a firefly and the moon. Yet if Herrscher of Thunder Mei made no attempt to defend herself, that strike would be enough to severely injure her incomplete awakening—or even kill her.
"...So this is your choice." The last trace of liveliness vanished from Queen Raiden's eyes.
She had already seen the answer. Bai Ge had chosen to oppose her in order to save the world.
That full-powered sword strike carried not the slightest mercy, as if he intended to cut her in half at the waist.
"As repayment for helping that crybaby before, I'll let you die without feeling pain. Farewell, trash—no, Bai Ge... Huh..."
Even Herrscher of Thunder Mei herself did not realize that she had sighed. Just as she was about to use her authority to end the boy's life in an instant with a flash of lightning—
"Mei, get out of the way!!"
"Hm?"
"Haaaahhhh!!!"
Only then did Herrscher of Thunder Mei suddenly realize—
Although the boy charging toward her had eyes filled with anxiety and urgency, the drawn blade in his hand was not aimed at her.
Bai Ge rushed before Queen Raiden, fearlessly pulled her into his arms, then raised the Pulse Katana Type 19 in his hand and assumed a defensive stance.
Clang—!
The Herrscher of Thunder's eyes widened. Somehow, a mech had appeared behind her, and she had not sensed it at all.
If Bai Ge had not rushed over to block the attack for her, that iron fist would surely have dealt her severe damage.
After all, Herrschers were mages. Their authorities were powerful, but their physical strength was not particularly extraordinary.
"Get! Lost!"
Bai Ge felt as though the bones in his arm were about to snap, but he still gritted his teeth and deflected the punch.
Before the Titan could make another move, he stepped on the mech's arm, used it to leap high into the air, and drove the Pulse Katana Type 19 into the Titan's eye with all his strength.
The Titan Mecha immediately stopped operating, its blue monocular eye going completely dark.
"Bastard!!!"
Far away, Cocolia slammed her palm against the control console and stared fixedly at the virtual screen, which had turned to static.
That sneak attack, which should have been a sure thing, had actually been ruined by an ordinary boy. Trying to capture the now-alert Herrscher of Thunder would no longer be realistic.
Ha! Ha! Made it in time. Cough, cough... We're seriously incredible this time. We actually took out a Titan.
Bai Ge pulled back the Pulse Katana Type 19, dropped to one knee, and panted heavily.
He had actually anticipated the Titan's appearance. After all, that mother fox Cocolia was the one behind this.
In the game, that woman had also used three Titan Mechas to ambush Herrscher of Wind Wendy and capture her.
"Kiana, I'll leave the rest to you."
"What? Huh! Where did these mechs come from?! Damn it, they actually dared to ambush Mei! Watch me tear you apart!"
Two more mechs suddenly appeared. Kiana gritted her teeth and swung the Ion Resonance Sword she had just obtained, hacking wildly at those metal lumps.
Titan Mechas were not easy to conceal in the first place, much less bring within two meters of a Herrscher without being detected.
But with the quantum technology Cocolia had obtained by sacrificing her daughter, she had forcefully given the Titan Mechas excellent concealment and teleportation capabilities, allowing them to instantly materialize from a quantum state.
Titan Mechas were actually not weak. Even the current Kiana would have had a hard time dealing with one, and as for why an ordinary person like Bai Ge had been able to take down a Titan—
Before you continue