Chapter 247

Following Kiana's trail in the sky, Mei wiped the rain off her face. The girl was currently piloting Belenaus, trying to get closer to the mark in the sky that Kevin called the Imaginary Gate. She wanted to close the gate by absorbing Honkai energy. The current disturbance in Changkong City was due to that gate. What a mess! Is it so easy to get past so many imaginary creatures?

Perhaps Kiana hasn't changed. She's still the girl who smiles and lends a helping hand to strangers. Even after experiencing so much injustice, even knowing that the world isn't perfect, even with tragedies destined to be irreversible, she will still fight for her companions, for others, and for the good she believes in, just like before. Kiana... she will definitely become a hero. The whole world is waiting for her to become a hero. But... only herself... perhaps, she is the one who is wrong. Perhaps, she and Kiana can never go back to the past.

Mei looked worriedly at the figure in the sky. Mei had a bad feeling. Just as she thought, the figure flying in the sky suddenly fell down like a shooting star. Even from this distance, Mei could hear Belenaus's miserable dragon roar. It fell from the sky. What about Kiana?

With her head down, Mei sped up, even though she was exhausted. She had to get there. The girl raced between the dilapidated high-rises, and when she saw Belenaus lying on the rooftop platform, her eyes widened in shock. A greatsword flashing red light pierced Belenaus's body. The Judgment-class Honkai Beast lay motionless on the ground. Honkai energy and time seemed to have sunk into a swamp at this distance. A colossal humanoid creature, formed from gears and various mechanisms, slowly appeared before Mei's eyes. What... what is this?!

The Honkai energy, seemingly capable of Honkai energy one's movements, was gathering. Its approach was hostile. Mei drew her sword, preparing to fight. Space itself seemed to freeze, yet her movements remained unaffected. Mei looked down at her chest, where a purple light was blooming. Mei could feel that familiar power slowly returning to her. Indeed, Kevin was right; she was reclaiming the power she once possessed, the power she feared. And it was precisely because of this that she hadn't been affected by the Honkai energy that seemed to freeze space.

Mei let out a soft breath and stared firmly at the imaginary creature in front of her. No matter what it was, since it was blocking her way, she would just cut it down!

Meanwhile, in the sky near Changkong City, Hyperion was fighting against countless quantum creatures in the sky. He had originally planned to meet up with Tesla Mei and the others, but suddenly he encountered these things blocking his way. How annoying!

Golden chains tightly bound and strangled the Quantum Shadow. Theresa face cold and furious, stared at the seemingly endless enemy before her. She was so close to seeing her niece, but instead, she was in this predicament. These things had suddenly appeared, even damaging the close-in weapon system. Now, she was left to defend the deck herself. Bronya was helping out in the engine room, so she only needed to deal with the enemies in front of her. Honestly, they were like flies, so annoying!

"Headmaster, you seem to need help. The reward is one hundred million yen. Please give me cash."

Countless halos of light suddenly appeared above the Hyperion. Accompanied by a voice that surprised Theresa, Spear of the Void emerged from the halos, each locked onto a Spear of the Void Quantum Shadow. With a clear snap of fingers, the Quantum Shadow were all annihilated in this attack. Theresa looked up at the sky, and a beautiful figure appeared before her, but Theresa's eyes held a strange expression...

"Shen Gonglin... I don't mean to comment on your hobbies... but why do you like wearing women's clothes so much?"

Chapter Fifty-Four: I'm No Longer Afraid

Theresa thought to herself, her heart filled with worry as she watched the figure in the air, its robes fluttering in the breeze. She had worried about this before; it seemed that Shen Gonglin had a penchant for cross-dressing. Wearing the Herrscher of the Void's dress like this was a sign that she was seriously ill. She seemed to have also worn Bronya's Herrscher outfit before, not to mention his appearance in his angelic form...

Theresa was very worried and anxious. She hoped that Shen Gonglin could grow up healthy, not only physically, but also mentally... She wished he could be healthier.

"You're worrying about this! This is none of your business!"

His imposing entrance was instantly shattered. Shen Gonglin stumbled and almost fell from the sky. "It's been so long since I've seen Theresa, and this is what she wants to say to me?" he thought. "This little brat really doesn't understand people at all." Shen Gonglin was so angry that he forgot he had a fear of heights. He took a step forward and in the blink of an eye, he appeared next to Theresa. He didn't give the headmaster any face at all. Shen Gonglin gave Theresa a hard smack on the head.

Doesn't she know she cares about this too? But what can Shen Gonglin do? This is her constitution. Whenever she uses these powers, she uncontrollably manifests this form. Fortunately, only her clothes, hair, and eyes have changed. What should be there is still there, and what shouldn't be there is still there. Shen Gonglin was starting to get used to it, but then Theresa, that silly little girl, hit this sensitive spot again.

I'm so angry!

"Ouch! Shen Gonglin, how dare you hit me? Do you even respect me as the headmistress?!"

Theresa, who had been hit, burst into tears. She covered her head and squatted on the ground, looking up pitifully at Shen Gonglin. Meanwhile, Shen Gonglin was secretly delighted. This was a solid blow, and he felt truly satisfied. Because of his height, it was a bit awkward for him to do this to other girls. Only Theresa and Bronya, those loli-type girls, could satisfy Shen Gonglin's desires. This was truly exhilarating.

"Of course I respect you, Headmaster. Not only that, I also care about you. Come on, Headmaster, stand up so I can knock on you one more time, just one more time."

It felt so good to hit her like that, I wanted to do it again. Shen Gonglin tried to help Theresa up so she could do it again, but Theresa, who already understood what he wanted to do, was not about to let him have his way. We finally met again, and this guy was just trying to bully me? He really didn't respect me, the headmaster, at all. Who would believe that?

So, when Einstein, Bronya, and the others arrived, this was the scene they saw: Theresa was rolling around on the ground, refusing to get up, while Shen Gonglin was trying her best to drag the rolling little girl up. It had been a while since they'd seen her, and it seemed like she'd developed some new problems.

They're openly bullying little girls now... Although Theresa isn't exactly a little girl in the strictest sense, her behavior is... quite despicable.

Sigh, Headmaster, you need to stand up for yourself! You can't let him bully you like this. Everyone's watching you. Although it seems like you're being very effective, as the saying goes, even a hero has to be patient... But you are the headmaster of St. Freya Academy. You can't show the students this kind of confrontation.

"Finally... it's over... Belenaus... are you alright? Ha... uh... we have to hurry, find... Kiana..."

After overcoming countless hardships, Mei finally defeated the Imaginary Shadow, but the girl was exhausted. She used her weapon to support her body as she tried to get closer to Belenaus. She could only see Belenaus here. Kiana must have separated from it when she fell. She had to go and check on its condition, but her own body seemed to be unable to hold on any longer.

Even walking had become a difficult task. Looking at Belenaus over there, Mei felt that the road ahead was so long. She couldn't take it anymore; her body had really reached its limit. Her mind was urging her to move forward, but her legs wouldn't budge. Could she really save Kiana like this?

Suddenly, Mei felt as if time itself had frozen around her. The falling raindrops, the swirling wind, and even the damaged bench from the battle—time seemed to rewind on its own. Mei turned around in astonishment. The enemy she had so painstakingly defeated had returned to normal. This... this can't be real...

The clock and gear-like structure reassembled. A powerful enemy, wielding a giant sword, attacked Mei. Although her eyes could see it, Mei's exhausted body couldn't react in time. Damn it, move faster! How could she die here? She still had things she needed to do!

In an instant, a dragon's roar resounded through the heavens and earth. Mei felt a darkness before her eyes, and when she came to her senses, she found Belenaus standing in front of her, the golden greatsword piercing through the Honkai Beast's body. Belenaus's cries gradually weakened; she had been protected by it...

Once again, I was protected by someone else!

Without dealing with Mei, the mechanical enemy slowly pulled the sword from Belenaus's body. Mei's vision went completely black. Was she about to be killed...? Really, if she died here, how could she protect Kiana?

Suddenly, all around fell silent, leaving only Mei falling in the silence. Yet, in this silence, Mei finally heard a voice that was both familiar and unfamiliar.

[Crybaby, long time no see.]

A beam of light and a voice rippled outwards. Purple appeared in the darkness, a purple stream swirling, pushing, and embracing every corner of her body, bringing her to the light. The voice rang out from an unreachable distance, then vanished right before her ears. The voice was cold and dangerous, yet to Mei, it sounded so familiar and nostalgic. This was the first time she had come to it willingly.

Are you no longer afraid? Afraid, come before me.

Fear? Mei shook her head. She was no longer afraid. There was nothing to be afraid of anymore. Her heart was filled with peace, as if this was something that was destined to happen.

Chapter 55 The Rebirth of Belenaus

Are you sure you'd say goodbye to everything you have now, to your companions, to your family?

That's the voice in her heart, but Mei's resolve only grew stronger. It's alright; she'd already come to terms with it after making this decision. It's alright; she's used to being alone, and besides...

You will face doubt and criticism, and walk further and further down a lonely road.

The voice seemed to be persuading Mei. Mei could even detect a hint of concern in the voice. The girl gradually smiled and seemed not so lonely after all. It didn't matter; this was the fate she was meant to face all along.

You will leave her forever. You can never go back to her side, see her smile, hold her hand, take that step, and there will be no turning back. Do you really want to do this?

Faced with this final confirmation, Mei fell silent. With everyone here... they would take good care of her... she should just do what she had to do. Besides... wasn't there still Shen Gonglin? He always said he would only accommodate others, so this time, she would really make a decision for herself. She was ready!

[I understand. Then... go! Bury me with your own hands, transform my anger, my lament, my demise into the strength that propels you forward in your solitary journey, to proclaim to the world the return of the Queen of Thunder ... become the true Herrscher of Thunder ... Phew, I've wanted to say this for quite a while now, and I should thank you for giving me this opportunity.]

A voice filled her heart with exhilaration. Mei could feel that familiar power returning to her body. Honkai energy condensed in her chest, gradually transforming into a gem filled with raging lightning power. The Conquest Gem reappeared within Mei's body once more, proclaiming the return of the Queen of Thunder.

Goodbye, Raiden Mei.

Two voices rang out: Herrscher and Mei bid farewell to their past selves, while the one standing here now is the Herrscher of Thunder, who has vanished and reappeared!

Time began to flow again, and a crisp sound of weapons clashing rang out. The reborn Herrscher of Thunder opened her eyes. The world was different. Two red horns appeared on either side of the girl's forehead, and the red eyeshadow made the once gentle girl appear incredibly sharp. A huge gauntlet appeared beside Mei, and amidst the raging lightning, a katana wrapped in lightning appeared in Mei's hand. This was the convergence of Herrscher energy. At the same time, a long sword appeared on the huge gauntlet along with Mei's movements. Looking into her palm, Mei could feel the flow of Herrscher power.

Is that the feeling? Kiana used to feel that way.

The formidable foe that she couldn't defeat even after exhausting all her strength was now easily defeated. Mei drew her katana, and amidst the red lightning, the enemy blocking her path was effortlessly destroyed. The alien creation collapsed with a crash, dissipating into the world along with the leaping lightning. A torrential rain poured down, and raindrops slid down Mei's cheeks, carrying away her past. The girl, now drastically changed, stood quietly in place, as if bidding farewell to her past self. If only... if only she had accepted this power sooner.

Will everything change as a result?

The voice in her mind vanished, and the world seemed to be filled only with the sound of rain, the silent sound of rain. Mei sighed softly. In the reflection of the water in the puddle on the ground, she saw her current appearance. If Shen Gonglin saw her like this... maybe he would be quite happy? After all, this guy is used to being carefree. Maybe these horns suit his taste. After all, Shen Gonglin often says things like "red with horns, three times the speed"... Hopefully, when they meet again, he will understand everything she has done.

With a soft sigh, Mei walked towards the dead dragon... No, it might not be dead yet, but it was only a matter of time. Belenaus' scales had lost their luster, and if she wanted to save it now, she could only let its original consciousness fall into a deep sleep. As for how long it would sleep or whether it would die directly, Mei herself didn't know.

"Good boy..."

Remembering how it had bravely shielded her, Mei reached out and gently touched it. A ray of light and a warm current emanated from her fingertips, gradually melting its massive body. Shen Gonglin had fed it so much, and he seemed to really enjoy using it as a mount, so if possible, she wanted to save it.

In the light, Mei seemed to see a small shadow. This figure, this voice, seemed to be pleading with her for something. Did it also want to protect that girl? Did it sense that faint plea and want to... hear her call its name again?

Bella.

As if it were an illusion, the voice in my mind vanished, raindrops fell, collided, shattered, and disappeared, along with the soul called "Bella." Crimson scales replaced the wounds, and the dragon rose again, spreading its red wings to proclaim its rebirth. But for now, it was merely a beast obeying the Herrscher of Thunder, that weak soul, that former Belenaus... Perhaps, it might reappear in the future.

Mei looked up at the sky. The halo in the sky gradually dimmed with the birth of the Herrscher. It seemed that the leader of the World Serpent was right. As long as she regained the power of the Herrscher of Thunder, a portion of the Honkai would be reduced, and Kiana would no longer have to suffer such great pressure. She Honkai energy absorb all the Honkai energy, Imaginary Singularity was about to close. As long as she destroyed the lingering Quantum Shadow, the city could return to peace. And this was what Mei had to do now.

The girl leaped onto the dragon's back. The red dragon understood its master's will. Although it could fly after Herrscherization, riding a mount was far more convenient. The dragon spread its wings, flew away from the light, and soared towards the other world. The Quantum Shadow in the air attacked Mei, but what would normally require careful attention was now something Mei could easily deal with with a single strike. Red lightning flashed, and countless Quantum Shadow were annihilated by Mei. And so, it ended.

"Now, it's time to say our final goodbyes."

Sensing something, Mei turned her head to look in a certain direction. She sighed softly. The red dragon understood its master's meaning and turned to fly in that direction. Mei closed her eyes and focused her mind. When she opened her eyes again, her purplish-red eyes were filled with a sharp light. This was something she had decided!

Chapter 56

[Lady Theresa, Herrscher- level reaction has occurred! This energy waveform... it's the Herrscher of Thunder! Raiden Mei has transformed back into the Herrscher of Thunder!]

Just as Shen Gonglin was about to continue tormenting Theresa in the sky near Changkong City, an urgent voice rang out from the communication channel. Everyone on the deck was stunned for a moment, and then they all looked towards Changkong City. Red lightning appeared in the dark cloud-filled sky. The Herrscher of Thunder, how could Mei have become the Herrscher of Thunder again? Wasn't the Conquest Gem still inside Kiana's body?

"Shen Gonglin, wait a minute before you start making a fuss. Do you have any clues about the specifics of what happened, or why Mei became Herrscher?"

Suddenly becoming serious and reliable, the headmistress exuded authority. The little girl got up from the ground and looked at Shen Gonglin with a very serious expression. What on earth was going on? One problem after another? Kiana's matter hadn't been resolved yet, and now Mei had become like this. Just think about it, Kiana, Mei, Bronya —three active Valkyrie on a small Hyperion had already become Herrscher. They kept shouting about Honkai against the Honkai and the Herrscher, and now all the Herrscher were by their side?

"I don't know. Mei was fine when she went out. How could she have become like this... Anyway, I'll go check on her first. Theresa, I'll leave things here to you."

Shen Gonglin's expression also turned serious. Mei had actually become Herrscher. He was completely unprepared for this. However, the only thing he was certain of was that she made this choice for Kiana's sake. Honestly, she had said that she would leave everything to him... Mei, did she really want to take matters into her own hands?

At this moment, Shen Gonglin couldn't care less about fooling around. He nodded to Einstein, Bronya, and the others before jumping off the Hyperion again. Bronya ran to the bridge with great concern, watching Shen Gonglin's figure disappear. Theresa came over and patted her on the shoulder. She was also worried about Shen Gonglin, but in this situation, perhaps only he could handle it. As for them, they still had things to do.

"Bronya, don't worry about that guy, he'll definitely have a way..."

"Headmistress, Bronya understands... but Shen Gonglin has no sense of direction and is also afraid of heights. If he falls like this, Bronya is really worried."

"... You're right. Now that you mention it, I'm starting to panic too. What should I do? I hope he's alright."

On an unnamed high platform in Changkong City, the girl who had fainted on the platform slowly opened her eyes with a furrowed brow. Consciousness slowly returned, and the noisy sound of rain pattering against her ears roused her from the darkness. Kiana slowly sat up, rubbing her head. Her clear blue eyes slowly scanned her surroundings. What had just happened...?

Oh right, I was riding Belenaus to absorb Honkai energy in the air when we were suddenly attacked. Belenaus was shot down while protecting me, and I ended up here. This is... Senba Academy?

Kiana slowly recalled what had happened before. Looking at the familiar ruins around her, she suddenly realized where she was. She hadn't expected to return here after all, although the way she came back was a little strange.

"Don't move."

Kiana tried to stand up, but then she heard a voice. Only then did she realize that she wasn't alone. She quickly turned around and a white-haired man appeared in her eyes. Kiana's eyes widened in shock, and her body trembled uncontrollably. How could this person be here!

"You are... Kevin Kaslana!"

Kiana's eyes sharpened, and the girl instantly stood up, adopting a defensive posture. At this moment, Kiana felt an unexpected lightness in her body, and she could also feel the pain in her body. But the blood that Shen Gonglin had given her should have been completely digested. Why, why was she in this state now?

"You tried to shut down the Imaginary Singularity, but were attacked by the imaginary creation and fell. Although I caught you, your injuries are still very serious, and the power of the Herrscher of the Void has weakened. This gives you more time."

Ignoring Kiana's wariness, Kevin recounted what had happened to Kiana. He looked up at the sky and saw that the Honkai energy in the rain was almost gone. Raiden Mei had made her decision.

Why did you save me?

Kiana remained wary, not relaxing her guard at all because of Kevin's words. She considered herself and Kevin to be enemies. Although he was supposed to be her ancestor, Kiana felt no affection for this ancestor whatsoever. Shen Gonglin was so badly injured because of him... Although it was due to the backlash of his power, it was still partly his fault.

"Saved you? Thank Raiden Mei. She saved you. You don't need to worry about Changkong City anymore. The disaster is over. She took your place and protected the city."

Sensing Mei's approach, Kevin turned to look at Kiana. He hadn't saved her; it was Raiden Mei who had. It was truly astonishing how much resolve she had shown. Having just awakened the power of the Herrscher of Thunder, she had already accomplished this. It seemed that Raiden Mei and the Herrscher's personality were indeed very compatible. Only the Herrscher of the Void and Kiana were in a confrontational stance. The other new Herrscher of Reason, and the newly born Herrscher of Thunder, didn't have this problem.

Speaking of this, Kevin thought of Shen Gonglin. That guy was an exception. Although he had the abilities of multiple Herrscher, he was completely unaffected by the Will of Honkai. Those two Herrscher Core, let alone interfering with or corrupting him, probably wanted to be his dogs. That guy was an anomaly.

"What? Mei..."

Kiana's eyes widened. What did this have to do with her? Why was it Mei who saved her? Kiana instinctively sensed something was wrong. What was going on? What had happened to Mei?

"Let her explain the rest to you personally... She's here."

Without answering Kiana's question, Kevin left after saying those words, while Kiana looked up at the sky. A red lightning bolt flashed across the rain, Mei ...

Chapter 57 The Divine Palace Appears

Red lightning resounded through the heavens and earth. The red lightning, like divine punishment, appeared before Kiana's eyes. The lightning flashed and then dissipated. Raiden Mei appeared before Kiana, but the girl's appearance at this moment made Kiana unable to believe what had happened. Kiana's eyes trembled violently. Mei, why did she become like this?

At this moment, Raiden Mei was like a sharp, gleaming sword. All trace of her previous gentleness was gone. Beneath the red eyeshadow were a pair of sharp, purplish-red eyes, and horns peeked from her hair. Add to that the Honkai energy around her, and Kiana shook her head in disbelief. This feeling... no way, it must be a lie...

"Mei... what happened? What's wrong with you? What's going on?"

Kiana spoke these words with a trembling voice. The power of the Herrscher had been dormant within her for a long time, so she was all too familiar with this feeling. And the energy fluctuations on Mei's body now were undoubtedly those of the Herrscher. But what was going on? During the War of Schicksal, under the control of the Herrscher of the Void, hadn't she already stripped Mei's Herrscher Core? Why was she in this state now? It must be because of that person!

Kiana looked at Kevin, who was about to leave, and the white-haired man, seeing Mei's current posture, made his final decision. He stopped and looked at Mei.

"It seems you've made your choice."

"... I will go with you."

Mei made these decisive words when she accepted this power. Just as World Serpent said, she shared a portion of Kiana's power. Moreover, even if other Herrscher appeared in World Serpent, she would definitely resolve the problem before Kiana came into contact with the Honkai. This is the only way to save Kiana now, Mei is willing to do anything to save her.

"Very good, Raiden Mei, World Serpent."

As the leader of the World Serpent, Kevin naturally welcomed the newcomer to the organization. However, Kiana couldn't stand their nonchalant conversation and quickly interrupted them, asking what they were talking about and what the World Serpent was all about.

"What did you say... Mei... wants to join World Serpent...?"

She quickly interrupted their conversation, and Mei remained silent in the face of Kiana's question. She knew how shocked Kiana would be after hearing this news, but it was an unavoidable situation. To save her, this decision had to be made. Putting herself in Kiana's shoes, she would feel the same sadness. This was exactly what she had experienced. Kiana, I'm sorry to have made you go through this too.

"Mei... what's wrong with you? What did he do to you? Does Shen Gonglin know that you're going to join World Serpent?!"

Kiana pressed Mei relentlessly, completely bewildered by what had happened. Why had Mei become Herrscherization? Why had she joined World Serpent? Kevin was here. What had he done to Mei? Why had she decided to go with Kevin? Kiana instinctively blurted out Shen Gonglin's name. Where was he? She needed his help. If he didn't come soon, Mei would be going to World Serpent!

"Kiana, I'm perfectly sober now... This is my own decision, don't worry about me."

Mei shook her head. She had nothing to say. Would Kiana understand and feel relieved after she told her the reason? That was impossible. She knew Kiana well. Telling her the reason would only make her more upset and worried. This child already carried too much. Mei didn't want to put any more burden on her shoulders. She would take care of everything herself.

"Why? Tell me... I won't let you go to World Serpent!"

Kiana gritted her teeth, facing Kevin and Mei in front of her. She knew she had no chance of winning, but that didn't mean she had to be reckless. Even so, she had things she had to do.

"You're right, Mei. It's only been a short time since I last saw you and you've already changed your clothes. They look quite nice, but what you're doing seems a bit inhumane."