Chapter 261

However, the Herrscher of Ice was being blocked by the Night Owl, seemed oblivious to everything happening around her. She sat blankly on the ground, her deep blue eyes trembling slightly as she looked at Shen Gonglin lying on the ground not far away. The spreading blood pierced Anna's heart like needles, and the intense emotional stimulation kept assaulting Anna's already fragile mind. He... was he already dead?

As if the last straw had snapped in her struggle for survival, Anna had no more attachments left. Her human consciousness was instantly overwhelmed by the Herrscher, and the moment the Herrscher consciousness took over her body, she seemed to receive an innate mission: destruction. This was the task the world had given her—to destroy everything!

And the first one to bear the brunt was the man standing in front of him!

Night Owl wanted to say something more, but his voice suddenly stopped. The man's eyes were filled with astonishment. He lowered his head in disbelief. Blood bloomed from his chest and splattered, blooming into bright red flowers on the pure white snow. A blue ice crystal pierced through his body from behind, and the coldness spread throughout his body. Only she could have done such an attack.

The man collapsed to the ground, struggling to turn his head. In his eyes was Anna, who had completely transformed into the Herrscher of Ice. The girl let out a painful scream, the pain of her body being completely taken over by the Herrscher's consciousness. Night Owl lay on the ground, slowly losing consciousness. A sticky pain came from his chest, and something was flowing and dripping, staining the entire world in Night Owl's eyes red.

"Damn it..."

The face in his memory was slowly freezing into ice. In the Night Owl's unfocused eyes, he could see the tear tracks spreading across the Herrscher of Ice's face. But he knew that these tears were not for him, but entirely for someone else. Damn it, even at this moment, she was still thinking of him?

A strong sense of resentment welled up in Night Owl's heart, which was gradually ceasing to beat. So that's how it is... It's still the same as before, without any change... No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't catch up with Anna's pace. Even when he stood next to her, all she thought about and saw were other people!

As always, I can't do anything!

All he wanted was to be by her side... Why, why couldn't even such a simple wish be fulfilled! The red slowly turned black, and the black curtain embraced Night Owl, offering his life as a final act. That cold face became his last memory, but the intense resentment and jealousy in his heart did not diminish in the slightest. Even so, he would... drag Shen Gonglin down to hell with him!

Any subtle emotion in his heart was amplified under the influence of an inexplicable force. Originally, Night Owl had never had such thoughts, but as he was on the verge of death, it seemed as if a voice was bewitching him: since he was about to die, he might as well be a little willful.

In the void, the Night Owl lay on a certain point of support, like a small boat drifting in the sea. He stared blankly at the darkness, feeling it was chaotic yet pure. He seemed to have lost his cognitive abilities, and his senses and perceptions had come to a standstill. Was this what death felt like?

Then, as Night Owl's consciousness returned, in this world of nothingness, a beam of light began to spread. In Night Owl's eyes, the light began to take root, sprout, and grow. The light that was born in the void was like tree roots, winding and growing, eventually forming a huge canopy. The name "Imaginary Tree" suddenly entered Night Owl's mind.

Standing beneath the tree, amidst the lush, blooming branches, the leaves once again converged into light. The Night Owl couldn't help but squint as the light grew brighter. Finally, the Night Owl closed his eyes completely, and within this light, he seemed to have arrived at a familiar yet strange place. In a daze, he seemed to have arrived on a scorched earth.

The smoke and sweltering heat awakened his senses. Night Owl opened his eyes. This was a place he would never forget. He looked around, searching for the reason he had come here. Was this the revolving lantern before a person dies?

Chapter 113 Mental Collapse

How did I end up here? Is it true that people come to the place they remember most before they die? Night Owl looked around, searching for a reason for his presence. He really didn't want to recall what had happened, because here, Night Owl lost his most important sister.

In an unknown space, an unknown entity is watching Night Owl. The Herrscher of Ice has not unleashed the power it desires. The Valkyrie is filled with suicidal thoughts and only wants to die. In order for the world to continue, a new Herrscher is needed. But the creation of Herrscher... requires a slight alteration to history. If anything is changed even slightly before, people's hearts will be broken. This person is already corrupted, so let's utterly destroy them all.

Meanwhile, the Night Owl who was being watched found the answer to why he was here. In the ruins of the broken high-rise building, the Night Owl heard a faint voice. This voice instantly brightened Chen Tianwu's dark-circled eyes. There was no mistake. Although it was very faint, it was indeed Xiaowen's voice. Xiaowen, is she here?

Beneath the ruins, a young girl lay there, her body crushed by the collapsed building. The cotton from the broken dolls around her was covered in dust. Lying in the rubble, the girl cried out weakly for help, "Brother, where is my brother? Where is my brother... If I just call for help, he will surely come to save me, won't he?"

"Brother... where are you... brother... save me... quickly... save me..."

With this belief, the girl, who was almost unconscious, struggled to make a cry for survival. Attracted by the sound, Night Owl instantly passed through the high-rise building and appeared beside the girl. Looking at the girl buried in the ruins, Chen Tianwu's eyes trembled violently. Without a doubt, this girl buried under the ruins was his most cherished treasure, his sister, the sister who had perished in the Honkai.

Tianwen.

For a moment, Night Owl thought he was seeing a dying dream, but the sweltering air, the bitter smoke, and the shape and soft sound of blood flowing from the cracks in the rocks... all of this was transmitting a signal to his brain that it was real, or rather, it was something that had really happened!

"Xiaowen... I'm here, brother is here!"

Night Owl tried desperately to make a sound, but his throat seemed to be blocked. No matter how hard he tried, Xiao Wen couldn't hear his voice. He wanted to rush forward, but his body seemed to be stuck in the mud and he couldn't move. Here, Chen Tianwu could only play the role of an observer.

Damn it! Seeing this, hearing my sister's cries for help, yet being unable to do anything about it—this feeling of powerlessness makes Night Owl want to vomit. What's the point of witnessing this?

However, just as the Night Owl was furious and trying to find out why, a footstep sounded in the space. Only then did the Night Owl notice that there seemed to be another person in the ruins. Following the sound, the Night Owl looked hopefully at another figure in the ruins, and when he saw that figure, Night Owl eyes were filled with hope.

Anna Saniyat.

The girl's appearance was like a white flower blooming in the ruins. It was indeed her, not in the form of the Herrscher of Ice, but in the form of the Valkyrie Anna. She was the one who had saved him in the ruins. Just as he remembered, the girl appeared in front of Xiaowen standing in a beam of light. Night Owl was immediately excited. Even though he knew she couldn't hear him, Night Owl couldn't help but speak.

"Anna, please save Xiaowen, please, please save Xiaowen..."

As the Night Owl called out, the girl in the ruins reached out her hand to Anna. Her trembling little hand was covered in smoke and blood. Xiao Wen struggled to speak, crying out, "Big sister... save me... save me..."

Thinking his sister was about to be saved, the girl didn't do what he wanted her to do. Hesitation, hesitation... In the eyes of the Night Owl, Anna's face, which appeared in the ruins, showed such emotions. What was wrong? Why was she hesitant? Why was she hesitant?

"Anna... please save her... Anna! What are you doing! Please save her!"

Night Owl's voice grew louder and louder, but it seemed only he could hear it. In that instant, he saw a hint of unfamiliarity in Anna's eyes. Then, he saw Anna back away, turn around, and run away. Night Owl stared in disbelief at the figure disappearing into the light. Anna... how could she... how could she leave Xiaowen behind?

"Anna, where are you going?"

The sound didn't stop Anna from walking away. Night Owl stood frozen, watching Anna figure recede into the distance until she vanished into the darkness. As Anna disappeared, Night Owl felt something strange writhing within him, ready to burst forth at any moment. Impossible, impossible, impossible...

Night Owl collapsed to the ground, his eyes wide, repeating impossible words over and over. He was gripped by fear, trying desperately to mend the cracks in his heart, but he couldn't stop the shattering from intensifying. Why... why did this happen... Anna... why didn't you save her... wait, wait a minute... Along with the world, Night Owl's heart seemed to begin to crack at that moment. His sister's cries for help grew weaker and weaker; her life was coming to an end.

"Big sister... please... don't leave... who can come... who can... save me, save... save me..."

The girl's voice gradually faded into inaudibility. In these ruins, a small life was slowly disappearing. No one knew, no one cared. In these ruins, her younger sister had once seen hope, but what awaited her was cruel despair. Seeing her sister completely still, Night Owl's heart shattered into pieces.

The man let out a roar that shook the heavens and the earth. Countless lights and countless threads surged out from the Night Owl's chest. Dazzling light embraced, entangled, swallowed, melted, and shattered the psychological defenses of humanity from all directions. And what appeared in this world was a new Herrscher!

"Anna! Why, why... why!"

The Night Owl's voice gradually became indistinct, and all of this was announcing to the world the arrival of a new Herrscher!

Chapter 114 Don't Hug Me Like That

In reality, the battle between Mei and the Herrscher of Ice has come to an end. After witnessing Shen Gonglin being "killed" by Night Owl, Anna's last bit of obsession vanished. After avenging Shen Gonglin, she, now fully Herrscherization, engaged Mei in battle. Because she was concerned for Shen Gonglin's safety, Mei showed no mercy this time. Lightning blades filled the icy space, and anyone who stood in her way would die!

Mei has never been particularly outstanding in terms of combat ability, as evidenced by the nickname "Red Turtle" that Raven gave her. However, the girl has now undergone a complete transformation. Before, she was unwilling to fight, but now she has a compelling reason to fight. The Herrscher of Thunder's personality is incredibly compatible with Mei. Perhaps, she is the person in this era who can best unleash the power of Herrscher!

It's over!

Accompanied by the Herrscher of Ice's mournful cry, thunder and lamentation erupted simultaneously. The blade pierced through the ice and also sliced through the Herrscher's body, leaving a red and white mark in the air. Then, Mei's figure appeared, while the Herrscher landed heavily in the flower bushes. This was the true power of the Herrscher of Thunder.

The battle was finally over. Without even checking on the Herrscher's condition, Mei rushed towards Shen Gonglin. There was no need to worry about the Herrscher. Even at this moment, Mei still remembered her mission. In order to capture the Herrscher, she had deliberately avoided the core during the attack, but that attack was enough to render the Herrscher incapacitated. Now, all she had to do was wait for Raven to return before capturing the Herrscher.

Uninterested in such matters, Mei quickly ran to Shen Gonglin's side. In her eyes, Shen Gonglin was leaning weakly against the rock, blood flowing continuously from the wound covered by her hand. Having been hit by the Divine Key, the bones in her shoulder must have been shattered.

"Mei, it hurts so much! It really hurts so much!"

He was gritting his teeth and persevering, but when he saw Mei coming over, Shen Gonglin immediately broke down. His purple eyes instantly filled with tears. He was not the kind of person who could endure pain. The idea of being a tough guy was completely foreign to Shen Gonglin. If he were alone, Shen Gonglin could have managed to tough it out, but Mei was right there. There was no need for Shen Gonglin to keep going. With such a serious injury, it was only natural for him to cry a little.

"It's okay, it's okay... Don't cry, okay? Durandal and the others should be here soon, then we'll have a solution. Now... why don't you try using lightning to paralyze the wound? That way it won't hurt... Why can't I stop the bleeding at all!"

Mei was in a state of utter confusion. Hearing Shen Gonglin's cry of pain, she felt a pang of heartache, wishing it were her own injury. During the battle, he hadn't uttered a sound to avoid disturbing her, and the girl's heart ached as well. She frantically tried to Shen Gonglin the bleeding, but the bright red liquid kept seeping from between his fingers. Ordinary bandaging was useless for this kind of wound. The only first aid available was to use electrocautery to stop the bleeding, but that method... Mei looked up at Shen Gonglin, and upon noticing her gaze, Shen Gonglin shook his head vigorously.

"Don't even think about it! That method would absolutely kill me in pain. Just keep it covered like this, and it will stop flowing in a little while. Trust me, it really will be fine in a bit!"

The way that wound was treated made Shen Gonglin feel pain just hearing about it. The only consequence of that would be that she would be in excruciating pain. Shen Gonglin covered the wound on her shoulder. There was no need to treat it that way. Her wound would heal quickly. Shen Gonglin had the constitution of a water goddess, and she also had the ability to recover. She absolutely couldn't let Mei do anything reckless.

"No, you'll definitely become anemic if you bleed any more. It will hurt a little, but Shen Gonglin, I'll have to ask you to bear with it."

This is not the time to pamper Shen Gonglin. Mei could see that Shen Gonglin's face was pale. She couldn't let him be so willful. However, just as the girl was thinking about whether to knock him out and then take advantage of him, a huge feeling of exhaustion suddenly rushed into Mei's body. The exhaustion came from all directions, and her body seemed to lose its strength and suddenly became heavy. What was going on?

Was it because the battle just now had taken too much to handle?

Mei initially thought so, but soon she realized that it wasn't something wrong with her body, but rather a powerful external force attacking her. Shen Gonglin's expression also changed; he also felt something was wrong. This heaviness in his body... it was him!

Shen Gonglin and Mei simultaneously turned their gazes to one side. This was a resonance between Herrscher. In their eyes, the man who had fallen unconscious after being backstabbed by the Herrscher of Ice suddenly stood up. The wound in his chest had stopped bleeding, but a purple light emanated from the hollow. Night Owl let out an uncontrollable roar. Mei and Shen Gonglin both sensed that something was wrong. Night Owl ... no, it was no longer Night Owl. Something astonishing was happening to that man!

Mei wanted to stop it, but the gravity coming from all directions made it impossible for the girl to even stand up. The fact that it could suppress her to this extent, coupled with this feeling, meant that, for some reason, Night Owl had now become Herrscher!

"Anna ..."

Gradually losing consciousness, Night Owl reached out to grab the Herrscher of Ice lying amidst the Abyss Flower. The Herrscher Core was drawn in, and the black sphere exploded in the air. The ice field began to tremble and crack, spreading a spiderweb of death. Then, countless enormous ice spikes sprouted from the cracks, rising from the ground and accelerating towards the black hole in the sky. Everything on Coral Island was disintegrating. The figures of the two Herrscher could no longer be seen. No, this place is too dangerous. I can't stay here any longer.

The situation was getting worse. Mei used lightning to stimulate her whole body and stand up. Mei reached out and picked up Shen Gonglin, intending to take him away from the most dangerous area. The sudden appearance of two Herrscher was truly an unexpected situation.

Mei gritted her teeth. She had to get Shen Gonglin away for treatment as soon as possible. In her memory, Shen Gonglin had never suffered such a serious injury.

"Ya, Mei..."

Shen Gonglin spoke weakly, Mei looked down at him nervously. Did he have anything important to do at a time like this?

"No, no princess carry... I, I'm embarrassed..."

Damn it, things have come to this point, and you're still worrying about this!

Chapter 115

Ignoring Shen Gonglin's protests, Mei carried her away from the center of the Honkai outbreak, her arms wrapped around Shen Gonglin. The streets began to distort under the force of gravity, and layers of ice spikes spread behind them. This environment prevented the summoning of Belenaus... now also known as Kalki. Mei could only do her best to carry Shen Gonglin away. The Herrscher of Thunder was unleashing its power, leaving Mei with no free hands. However, the red gauntlets that appeared beside her faithfully carried out Mei's orders. In any case, they had to get away from here first so that Shen Gonglin could receive treatment.

Mei moved quickly, even with Shen Gonglin, but given the current situation, the girl looked back at the city that had been completely transformed. What should she do? That was a real problem.

At the epicenter of the Honkai energy, Chen Tianwu looked at Anna, who was floating unconscious before him. He recalled what happened two years ago. On that day, he lost everything—everything that sustained him: his healthy body, his sister whom he depended on for survival, and his hope for life...

He didn't know what he had done wrong, nor what he should do. Everything became meaningless, everything became unattainable. In the end, he finally embarked on the path of self-destruction. Until later... from despair to helplessness, to relief, to longing... In the end, he regarded Anna as his last hope, hoping that they could meet again, hoping that they could start over. But why... why is reality so cruel?

Why would you stand by and watch your own sister die without helping?

Thinking back on what he had done in the past two years—investigating the Honkai, investigating Schicksal, investigating everything related to her—he found the opportunity to meet her. Eventually, he joined World Serpent, became an executive, and found Anna's whereabouts. He always thought that one day he could meet her again... Even though he was no longer qualified, his body was no longer human, and his life was nearing its end, after meeting her, he still couldn't help but hope that the world would develop as he wished. But from beginning to end, Anna never wanted to see him.

Even in the last moments of her life, all Anna wanted to see and confess to was Shen Gonglin.

He also thought of watching her silently from a place where she couldn't see him, but under the influence of some unknown reason, the jealousy in his heart was magnified infinitely. Why wasn't Anna the one she cared about? Why was it Shen Gonglin? And under this jealousy that was about to overwhelm him, Chen Tianwu saw the "truth" that was enough to destroy everything he had. At that moment, Chen Tianwu ceased to exist.

Perhaps he didn't love Anna, but only saw her as his only reason to live. After learning that this reason wasn't what he had imagined, the desire to destroy filled the body named Chen Tianwu. He had no intention of hurting Anna, but Shen Gonglin... this person must die!

Perhaps he should thank Anna, perhaps he should hate her, but in any case, she saved his life. Without Anna, he would have died in that Honkai ruin long ago. At that time, his life became intertwined with Anna's. So, now it is time for him to return his life to her, to entrust everything to her. His current power will also become a part of hers. What the world will become is no longer important.

By channeling their will into the gem, the two Herrscher Core collided in mid-air. The Herrscher of Ice's consciousness was reawakened by this stimulation. Two gems, two Herrscher, and Coral Island was plunged into crisis once again.

—

On the outskirts of Coral Island, at the Schicksal Camp, under Durandal's healing, the Valkyrie who had been injured by the Herrscher of Ice finally regained their ability to move, except for Rita.

Because she directly confronted the Herrscher and Night Owl, Rita's injuries were far more severe than those of the other Valkyrie. Despite receiving treatment from Durandal, she is still unable to fight, but thankfully her life is not in danger. The emergency treatment to this extent is sufficient; the remaining problems can only be dealt with after returning to headquarters. And now...

"Alvit, what happened!"

Feeling the abnormal tremors in the ground, Durandal looked up towards the center of the Coral Island, feeling uneasy. This feeling suggested that something big must have happened again.

"Captain! Something's wrong! Coral Island... Coral Island has a new situation! The Honkai energy within the Coral Island is rapidly increasing, a reaction we've never seen before! We've detected abnormal gravity fluctuations at the center of the eruption! These fluctuations are expanding further! And what's even stranger is..."

Beside Durandal, Alvit, who had just regained her mobility, had already begun her work. The vice-captain was now incapacitated, and the remaining people had to do the work of two. Although her body was still shivering from the cold, Alvit still accurately conveyed the information to Durandal. The situation was getting worse and worse.

"A new Herrscher reaction has emerged in this series of anomalies!"

Despite her reluctance to believe it, Alvit came to this conclusion. Durandal, upon hearing it, stared wide-eyed, thinking she had misheard. The girl quickly rose, drew back the tent flap, and looked into the distance. A black sphere appeared in her field of vision, hurling countless massive rocks at the city... No, that wasn't rocks; they were fragments and debris from buildings, and they weren't falling, but rising from the earth...

What on earth happened?

Durandal's heart sank. She knew from the Korean drama that a powerful monster was being born in the center of Coral Island. Now she was extremely worried about Shen Gonglin. She and Raiden Mei had gone to track down the Herrscher, and now that this had happened, there was no doubt that they would be affected. No, she couldn't wait here any longer. Something must have happened to Shen Gonglin, otherwise the situation wouldn't have become so bad.

Having made up her mind, Durandal took a deep breath, her previously wide and shocked eyes regaining their composure. No matter what happened, she had to deal with it.

Chapter 116 Bearing the Hopes of the Entire Team

"Captain, urgent report! Five minutes ago, a terrifying Honkai energy Honkai energy occurred in the center of Coral Island. The abnormal gravity waves generated from the eruption point have already affected one-third of the city. Worse still, a gigantic monster was born from the eruption, and during the scanning and investigation of this creature... we obtained unbelievable data..."

Alvit was still reporting the battlefield situation to Durandal. Rita was still seriously injured, but bad news kept coming one after another. The Immortal Blade had not yet recovered its fighting strength, and the only fighting force left was the captain. Damn it!

"From the monster that appeared, we detected two high-concentration Honkai energy reactions. One of them matches the Herrscher Core wavelength of the Herrscher of Ice, while the other is Herrscher reaction that has never been detected before. In other words, another Herrscher was born in the Honkai just now!"

Having stated her deduction, as the chief intelligence officer of the Immortal Blade, Alvit's intelligence-gathering ability was second only to Rita's. Now that Rita was seriously injured, she had to take on this responsibility. Undoubtedly, based on various intelligence reports, she had reached this conclusion. Durandal remained silent; the situation could indeed get worse and worse.

"Captain, the situation on Coral Island has been relayed back to headquarters via external communications. The briefing from headquarters indicates the characteristics of the Herrscher. Analysis of the sudden gravitational wave anomaly on Coral Island shows that the new Herrscher's abilities are basically consistent with the Ninth Herrscher of the Previous Era. In other words, this monster is formed by the combination of two Herrscher... Tsk, is this for real...?"

Even Alvit herself couldn't believe her conclusion, but it really happened. The Honkai of Coral Island was now beyond their ability to cope, and headquarters had sent a request to retreat. It seemed that the battle lines would likely be stretched out.

"Captain, the Coral Island Honkai has now been escalated to the highest level of Honkai event. Headquarters will mobilize as much combat power as possible to provide reinforcements. During this period, the Bishop hopes that we will temporarily retreat and rejoin the main force to avoid unnecessary casualties."

Communication was finally restored, and Alvit received the orders from headquarters, clearly taking them to heart. However, Durandal made a completely different judgment from the synchronized orders. If they retreated now, the impact of the Honkai would definitely expand, and besides, he hadn't left yet, so how could she run away?

"Understood. The front lines have suffered heavy losses and are no longer suitable for combat. Although the Immortal Blade and Snow Lotus Squad did not suffer any casualties because of Shen Gonglin, they are no longer suitable for combat. Alvit, Rita is seriously injured now, so I will trouble you to take charge of the retreat. Lead everyone to evacuate."

It seems that bringing this "tool person" back from Siberia was indeed the right thing to do. When Rita and I are not around, Alvit can command the Immortal Blade. They do need to evacuate, but I have to get there. Durandal's heart has been very uneasy since just now. Something must have happened to Shen Gonglin. Durandal won't feel at ease if I don't get there.

"Ah, we'll retreat, but what about you, Captain? You're not planning to go alone, are you?"

"I'll go and distract that monster to gather as much information as possible. Alvit, the situation is out of control. As time goes on, things will only get worse. Doing nothing in this situation would be the most dangerous choice."

Having given instructions to her subordinates, Durandal's blue eyes remained calm. Despite the danger ahead, Durandal showed no fear. As the strongest Valkyrie of Schicksal, she possessed independent judgment and knew what she should do in this situation.

"Captain, what you say makes a lot of sense... However, the vice-captain is already seriously injured, and if you were also..."

Although she knew Durandal's words made a lot of sense, Alvit was still very worried. After all, this situation was different from the past. Entrusting her with the heavy responsibility of command made Alvit really panic and afraid. What would happen to the Immortal Blade if something happened to the captain?

"Don't worry, Alvit, I'll leave Rita to you for now... Besides, I'm not alone. Shen Gonglin is still there. With him there, I'll be fine."

Durandal smiled and comforted her subordinate. Hearing her reply, Alvit was indeed relieved. So that's how it is. Then there's no problem. With Shen Gonglin being there, there's definitely no problem. Now even Alvit had a strange sense of trust in Shen Gonglin. With him cooperating with Durandal, there was no need to worry about anything else.

And if that's the case, then Durandal really should make her move. Now that the vice-captain is seriously injured and unable to move, she's the only one left with the Immortal Blade. The Rin Goose Party and the Rin Tower Party's struggles are just internal conflicts. We can't let the others win. So Durandal, it's time to make your move!

"Now I understand, Durandal. Please be careful and do your best! We, the Immortal Blade, will surely win!"

Alvit clenched her fist to encourage Durandal. She would definitely worry if it were a solo battle, but this time it wasn't just about fighting, it was about stealing a man. If they didn't step in now, when would they? Durandal was doing the right thing. Shen Gonglin was their son-in-law, the Immortal Blade, and they couldn't let him go to anyone else.

... Why does this girl suddenly get so fired up? And what she said about victory and cheering... it shouldn't have any other meaning, right? Alvit is such a strange kid. Why are all the other teammates looking at me like that, as if I'm carrying their hopes on my shoulders...?