Herrscher of Restraint

Vill-V was developing Feather of Dust as a spiritual weapon. To that end, she sought the help of Apponia, a psychic Fusion Warrior.

Without consulting Vill-V, Apponia implanted the personality of the Eighth Herrscher into Feather of Dust to assist its wielder.

In response to Apponia's unilateral action, Vill-V stopped letting her assist with the creation of Feather of Dust.

Meanwhile, in order to further strengthen the combat power of the second-generation Fusion Warriors, Mei used Apponia's "Commandments" to create the "Divine Sound" hypnosis device.

However, all the Fusion Warriors subjected to Divine Sound hypnosis went mad. Even the first-generation Fusion Warriors were not spared.

In the end, only Hua survived.

For some time afterward, Hua claimed that she could often hear strange voices, yet she remained mentally stable.

In response, Apponia recommended Hua to Vill-V as Feather of Dust's wielder.

Hua also lived up to expectations, perfectly synchronizing with Feather of Dust.

Through Mei's series of actions, the number of second-generation Fusion Warriors reached the scale of an army. Moreover, she had already basically taken control of the Flame Chasers, so Mei prepared to disband the Poisoned Pupae.

Since some members of the Poisoned Pupae had been transferred out of The Sea of Quanta, certain people with ulterior motives stirred them up, and their own fear of The Sea of Quanta caused part of the personnel to begin a revolt.

However, Chiyou suppressed the rebellion shortly after it began.

Before one crisis had settled, another arose. When you were twenty-eight, the eleventh Herrscher—the Herrscher of Restraint—was born. Less than four months had passed since the end of the Herrscher of a Thousand.

The Herrscher of Restraint was born not far from Flame Chasers headquarters.

From the moment of its birth, the Herrscher deployed a barrier with a radius of 110 meters.

As the Herrscher moved, the barrier continued to expand.

All Honkai Energy and electrical energy within the barrier became ineffective. Fusion Warriors who entered it would die within one minute due to the disruption of their bodily functions.

In the end, the Herrscher of Restraint's barrier expanded to a radius of one hundred kilometers.

Because electronic equipment malfunctioned within the Herrscher of Restraint's barrier and scouting personnel died, the Flame Chasers sent every combat-capable Fusion Warrior into the barrier in a desperate attempt to locate the Herrscher.

The Elite Squad was arranged as the final trump card to kill the Herrscher, only acting after its location had been found.

Everyone stood in the distance, watching the Flame Chasers base and Golden Courtyard shrouded by the barrier.

"Thankfully, the Herrscher of Restraint doesn't destroy buildings. Otherwise..." Vill-V said, shaking her head.

"The Herrscher of Restraint's barrier weakens because Fusion Warriors die. That really is... cruel." Hen sighed as well.

Blanca held Griseo's little hand. At Mei's request, the couple had also been kept as trump cards for killing the Herrscher.

But would the two of them really need to stay behind? Blanca did not know. She looked toward Mei, only to find that everyone's gaze was fixed on Yoshikage Kira.

Yoshikage Kira let his left hand hang at his side, silently staring at the distant barrier.

Flame Chasers soldiers continuously passed by him.

Regardless of gender or age, they all shared the same conviction: a determination to press forward without hesitation, regardless of life or death.

Watching the soldiers around her enter the Herrscher's barrier without hesitation, Elysia felt as though her heart were bleeding.

"...Yoshikage Kira, could you help them? Could you help humanity?"

"I'm begging you, please help humanity..."

Elysia lowered her head as she pleaded with Yoshikage Kira, her voice trembling.

Yoshikage Kira remained silent.

"I know you don't want to draw attention, but... but this shouldn't be happening to everyone."

"They shouldn't die here."

"Please, I'm begging you..."

By the end, Elysia was barely making sense. She could only keep pleading with Yoshikage Kira as tears fell from her eyes and dripped onto the ground.

Her tears blurred her vision, and through them, Elysia vaguely saw Yoshikage Kira offer her a tissue.

The girl raised her head, her eyes red-rimmed as she looked at Yoshikage Kira in surprise.

Taking the tissue Yoshikage Kira offered her, Elysia wiped away her tears.

But when she saw Yoshikage Kira's hand, the girl froze. Though it was faint, Elysia could still see cracks in his palm.

"Yoshikage Kira! Your hand..." Elysia grabbed his hand, wanting to find out what had happened.

Yoshikage Kira gave Elysia no chance, quickly pulling his hand back.

"Mm, it's about time I trimmed my nails." As he spoke, Yoshikage Kira clenched his left hand into a fist, then said to Elysia, "I'll deal with the Herrscher of Restraint."

"..." Watching Yoshikage Kira's departing back, Elysia fell silent. She turned to look at Pardo, who was teasing Canned Food in the temporary camp, and Vill-V, who was tinkering with machinery. Elysia did not tell either of them about Yoshikage Kira's abnormal condition.

"Are you going to reverse fate again?"

"..."

"No matter whom you are saving, I offer you my highest respect."

Not enough. Still not enough. Looking at the increasingly dense cracks on his left hand, Yoshikage Kira reminded himself.

Those who cannot abandon anything cannot gain anything.

The wear is getting worse. It seems it's this way.

Let the Fusion Warriors keep weakening it.

At this intensity... it's this way.

Turning the street corner, Yoshikage Kira saw the Herrscher of Restraint hanging from a cross.

"Found you at last, Herrscher!"

"Look over here, damn it!"

The little car accelerated toward the Herrscher. The closer it got, the more cracks appeared across its body.

But Yoshikage Kira had no intention of slowing down.

"I've touched you, Herrscher."

"Killer Queen! Second Bomb, Sheer Heart Attack!"

After the explosion, the Herrscher vanished, leaving only the Herrscher Core where it had been.

Just right.

I gathered enough despair and killed the Herrscher while preserving my left hand.

"Boss, the Herrscher suddenly disappeared. Was that you?" Hearing Pardo's voice, Yoshikage Kira hurriedly hid his left hand, then calmly nodded.

"Hehe, I knew it. Boss is the best!"

Some people's names were on the list of your peaceful life, so you acted.

You did not want to gamble on how many people it would take to completely weaken the Herrscher's barrier.

To be safe, after gathering enough despair, you sent out the bomb car to search for the Herrscher's whereabouts.

You seized the right moment and killed the Herrscher before your left hand was crippled.

Thus, the Eleventh Eruption came to an end.

I acted too soon.

Elysia's tears actually affected me... I shouldn't have let that happen.

"Snip... snip... snip..."

Yoshikage Kira clipped his nails, reflecting on what had gone wrong with this operation.