Honkai, I'll Transform and Punch You

"Himeko! What are you doing?!"

Theresa shot to her feet in anger, ready to berate her, but when she saw the person before her, every word caught in her throat.

"Theresa..."

The crimson figure looked at Theresa weakly, a ring of scarlet staining her originally golden eyes.

Bai Chen had transformed into what Himeko looked like near the end of her battle against the Herrscher of the Void.

At that moment, "Himeko's" Crimson Knight armor was shattered to the point of near-total ruin. Honkai corrosion patterns covered her entire body, and vast patches of Mortalization had even appeared!

The sight of Bai Chen left Theresa's mind blank for an instant.

Why had Himeko become like this? Hadn't she been fine just a moment ago?

No, this was not the time to think about that.

"Himeko!"

Theresa lunged forward and caught the swaying Bai Chen. Looking at those horrifying wounds, Theresa knew Himeko could not be saved from injuries like these.

"Himeko, hang on! I'll call the medical department right away to save you!"

Panicked, Theresa reached for the alarm beside her. Even if she knew "Himeko" could not be saved, she still had to try!

But Bai Chen suddenly grabbed Theresa's hand with his pattern-covered one and said to her with unfocused eyes:

"Theresa, don't. I know I can't be saved. I'll leave those children who haven't grown up yet to you."

"Himeko, don't talk nonsense! You can definitely be saved! I'll have the fleet head for headquarters right now. You'll be fine."

Terrified out of her wits, Theresa naturally failed to notice anything suspicious. She merely clutched his hand tightly, trying to save the friend before her.

"Theresa, from the day I became a Valkyrie, I was prepared for this. From now on, you'll be the only one looking after them. Promise me you won't slack off at work anymore, okay? Be a proper role model for Kiana and the others..."

"Don't say stupid things..."

Watching Himeko begin to give her last words, Theresa grew so anxious that tears nearly spilled from her eyes.

"Promise me, okay?"

"Mm, I promise you. From now on, I'll become a role model for those children."

"Good, thank—"

Bai Chen instantly lost that dying appearance. With a flip, he rolled out of Theresa's arms and landed steadily on the ground.

"Huh?"

Theresa's emotions had already reached their peak, and she had nearly shed tears. Yet when she saw "Himeko" leap energetically out of her arms, the expression on her face froze in that instant.

"The plan was a complete success!"

Bai Chen pulled a phone from his chest. Its screen showed that it was recording. He grinned wickedly. You little brat, you wouldn't pay me in my previous life. With me around, there's no way you'll be able to slack off so easily again!

No matter how slow Theresa was, she realized what had happened. The humiliation of being pranked instantly rushed over her, and she no longer felt as worried as before!

"Bai Chen!! Theresa Flying Kick!!"

"Principal, I'm sorry."

After the chaos, Bai Chen finally bowed to Theresa in apology under everyone's watchful eyes. However, he did not hand over the recording. Later, he planned to play it on loop through a loudspeaker outside Theresa's door.

But because Bai Chen had transformed without touching anyone, Kiana and the others naturally noticed this transformation as well.

"Wait, doesn't Little Bai only transform into future possibilities?"

After Bai Chen finished apologizing, the somewhat distracted Kiana took the initiative to ask what was on her mind.

"? Because of Himeko's ending?"

His words were shocking!

The previously cheerful atmosphere seemed to be crushed beneath an invisible boulder in an instant!

Everyone revealed frightened expressions, while only Himeko herself wore a look that said she had already guessed it.

"Bai Chen, just now! This isn't the time for jokes!"

Thinking Bai Chen was pulling another prank, she said angrily.

"I'm not joking. It's in the Memory fragments. To cover everyone's escape, Himeko voluntarily put on a prototype God-Slaying Armor that required the Flame Herrscher Core to operate. She endured that corrosion and fought powerful enemies, ultimately dying in that battle."

Knowing Bai Chen was serious, everyone fell silent once more. In truth, they had long known that every Valkyrie was a warrior walking a tightrope. Any Valkyrie with some years under her belt had experienced personally killing teammates who had undergone Mortalization.

"Covering... everyone's escape?"

Kiana struggled to utter those words, then ran out as though she had been struck by something, not daring to look at Bai Chen's current transformation again.

Chapter 48: Herrscher of the Void

That night, after returning to St. Freya Academy, Kiana seemed to have a dream.

"Kiana!"

Everyone who had completely undergone Mortalization surrounded her. This was their final ending!

"Don't!"

Crushed by fear, Kiana could no longer bear the pressure and broke free from her dream.

But strangely, Kiana did not wake up in her bed as expected. She was lying on an empty stone-paved road.

Still frightened by the nightmare, Kiana wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, her face pale. Ever since seeing Bai Chen become like Himeko, she had unconsciously fallen into anxiety. On top of that, she had nearly lost Bai Chen during the last operation.

Kiana felt so powerless right now. She desperately wanted to become stronger!

"Wait, isn't this the road to the classroom?"

Kiana climbed up from the ground and looked at the familiar route she took to school every day, utterly confused. Even stranger, the pajamas she had worn to bed had somehow turned into her usual clothes.

"Did I... sleepwalk?"

Without considering any other possibility, Kiana came to that conclusion.

"Hehehe, so? Do you feel anything?"

Just as Kiana was lost in confusion, a voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Who?"

Kiana frowned and looked around. Who was still awake in the middle of the night, barking like a dog the moment they opened their mouth?

"Didn't you hear my voice during the day? When you wanted power to save that little brat."

A black shadow condensed before Kiana. Any Captain present would have been able to recognize the Herrscher of the Void from that phantom silhouette.

"Huh? What are you? Bai Chen? Was this your doing again?"

Whenever Kiana encountered something she could not understand, she instinctively blamed Bai Chen.

"Yes, that little brat. Although I don't know how he used my authority, thanks to him, I was able to wake up this early."

The Herrscher of the Void tilted her head, pressing a finger to her cheek as she spoke lightly. There was not the slightest hint of gratitude in her arrogant tone.

"Stop calling him 'little brat'! That's so rude!"

Well, Kiana was now certain this probably was not Bai Chen's doing. Bai Chen would not insult someone like that; he cared about his image.

"That doesn't matter. Anyway, don't you find it embarrassing that he had to use your power to save you?"

The Herrscher of the Void mocked her mercilessly.

"You! But that's a power I might only gain in the future!"

Feeling a little embarrassed, Kiana flushed red and hurriedly tried to defend herself.

"That isn't power you may gain in the future. It's power we have always possessed."

"W-We always had it? But wasn't that the Second—"

The more Kiana thought about it, the more terrifying it became. Countless horrifying memories suddenly surfaced in her mind, and her expression nearly collapsed beneath them. Yet soon, under the protection of instinct, she selectively forgot those memories.

"Why do you think Bai Chen instinctively sent all of you away? You asked him, but you didn't press the matter, did you? You're afraid of the real answer."

The Herrscher of the Void's voice continued relentlessly assaulting Kiana's mind.

"Kiana, you're too weak. Could you stop getting in the way? To me, who possesses all the power you'll ever have in the future, you're completely useless right now."

Bai Chen suddenly emerged from the darkness. His eyes were vacant as the words Kiana feared most came from his mouth.

"Don't!"

In her unstable state, Kiana immediately shouted, trying to drown out Bai Chen's words with her own voice, as though she would not have to hear them that way.

In truth, Kiana had always been worried. Especially after learning that Bai Chen had unlocked another new transformation, the urgency in her heart had only grown stronger.

She was not afraid that the distance between herself and Bai Chen would grow too great. She was afraid that when Bai Chen was in danger, she would be unable to do anything.

That hour or so spent waiting for news of Bai Chen's death had been utterly terrifying. And when she thought of how Himeko might also die in the future while covering for them, that fear seemed ready to become a real nightmare!

Perhaps only when she lifted Bai Chen's skirt could she relax enough to joke around.

Bai Chen summoned that special flame, which swirled around him, and said expressionlessly:

"With all kinds of powers at my disposal, I don't need any of you. You can't do anything. You can't even stop me from leaving, just like your father!"

"Shut up!"

While asleep, Bai Chen groggily opened his eyes in bed. There had clearly been no movement at all, yet he had woken up.

What's going on? Did I wake up to pee? But I don't even need to go.

Feeling inexplicably confused, Bai Chen scratched his head in frustration. Then, suddenly, he sensed something strange about his abilities.

What's this? This feeling is like... someone is trying to spy on or imitate the flames? He could not quite put this strange sensation into words, but it was definitely odd.

So, following his instincts, Bai Chen extended his consciousness toward that sensation.

"Bai Chen would never say those things to me!"

Clenching her teeth, Kiana glared at the Herrscher of the Void. This woman was actually using such a method to insult her friend!

"Are you sure those aren't his true thoughts? Or perhaps... they're actually your own thoughts?"

The Herrscher of the Void still wore that lofty, superior expression, but she failed to notice the sudden spark in Bai Chen's eyes. Even the flames had become more lively.

"What do you mean?!"

Kiana now found that shadow incredibly irritating! It wasn't deliberately trying to provoke her—she simply cared deeply about those things.

As for why that fake Bai Chen had suddenly started moving, she did not care at all. That was probably another trick that shadow was playing!

"Kiana, since you're such a failure, how about I give you my power? With my strength... Aah!!!"

Just as the Herrscher of the Void was beguiling her, she suddenly felt a chill below. A cold gust blew straight through her lower half, followed by a small hand touching her thigh.

"Winwinwin—ow, black."

Bai Chen, controlling the shell, happily kept stroking that smooth thigh.

"Human!"

The Herrscher of the Void immediately flashed away, putting distance between herself and Bai Chen.

She had never expected the illusion she created to lose control and start groping her thigh! It looked like it was Bai Chen himself, but how had he entered the dream?

"That's payback for you touching me last time," Bai Chen said innocently.

"Bullshit! I wasn't the one who lifted your skirt—it was that idiot! What does that have to do with me?!"

The Herrscher of the Void was dumbfounded and blurted out a curse before she could stop herself. Ever since awakening, she had naturally been able to see what happened around Kiana, so she knew what Kiana had done—but what did it have to do with her?

"Huh? But through my flames, I can sense... you're one and the same? You and her were originally the same person."

When Bai Chen had arrived through the flames, he sensed that there was only one soul inside that body.