The Herrscher of Erosion

"Sakura, it seems about time."

"I know. I might need to trouble you, Chen, in a bit. In this boxed world controlled by Higanbana, my strength is still that of a Simulated Herrscher, but Higanbana has control over the entire boxed world. I might... not be able to unleash the power of a Simulated Herrscher."

"Trouble? We're friends!"

Yae Sakura paused for a moment, then laughed along with Feng Chen.

In the azure sky, a pair of eyes stared at the small house and said leisurely, "I'll let you enjoy yourselves for a while longer. Soon, I'll let you experience despair."

"Host, please be careful. The Honkai Energy in the Sakura Cycle is about to reach 'Herrscher' level," the System's cold voice warned Feng Chen, causing him to grab Yae Sakura and run outside.

Immediately after, the house collapsed, but it was empty inside.

"Where's Kallen?" Both of them thought the same thing.

Kallen had been recuperating in Yae Village for a month and was mostly healed. However, not seeing her now felt wrong somehow.

"System, according to the original timeline, shouldn't Kallen be with Sakura right now? Why..."

"Host, look over there!"

In Feng Chen's line of sight, a red arrow pointed eastward.

It was a very, very tall altar. Lying on it was a silver-haired girl with long eyelashes and a graceful figure, her eyes tightly shut.

"Kallen!" Yae Sakura ran towards the altar. Although she possessed the strength of a Simulated Herrscher, it wasn't difficult for Feng Chen to stop her.

"Sakura, look closely. That's not Kallen! The real Kallen died long ago. This Kallen was created by the Herrscher of Erosion to make you surrender!"

"Let go of me! Let me save Kallen!"

"Slap!"

Feng Chen didn't hesitate to slap Yae Sakura. He couldn't stand by and watch his friend rush to her death.

"If you still haven't woken up, I'll knock some sense into you."

He had never hit a woman before, to the point where his hand trembled. But for Yae Sakura, he did it.

Yae Sakura was stunned. Crying, she looked at Feng Chen and asked, "What should I do?"

"Leave it to me."

He first settled Yae Sakura down, then walked towards the altar, asking the System, "Are there any items that can let me use my abilities in a short period?"

"Yes, the Honkai Energy Amplifier. It can grant you the strength of an Advanced Herrscher for a short time. The difference between an Advanced Herrscher and a Simulated Herrscher is that a Simulated Herrscher can already alter the weather with their abilities, so this item should be enough."

"How much Honkai Energy?"

"300."

"Task three is considered complete, right? Give me the reward, and then I'll exchange it for this amplifier."

"Understood..."

After letting Feng Chen claim the reward for Task Three, the System gave him a syringe filled with a purplish-red liquid.

He plunged the syringe directly into his heart, the closest point to a Herrscher Core.

"Thump!"

"Thump!"

"Thump!"

The sound of his heartbeat was clear, as if a heart had been placed next to his ear.

He felt his blood boiling, wanting to vent the inexplicable dissatisfaction surging within him through running.

"Stop this absurd ritual. It's time for it to end."

His voice was hoarse. No one heard him, and no one saw him, except for one person.

The one presiding over the ritual was a man wearing a fox mask. Judging by his build and voice, it wasn't hard to guess he was Yae Sakura's father, though he was now just a memory.

"Look! Here comes a demon who wants to stop our ritual, causing us to have no harvest next year and leaving our descendants to starve!"

The man pointed at Feng Chen. Following his gaze, everyone gradually saw a figure walking into the ritual.

"Get out!"

"Outsider, get out!"

There were many similar voices, but only one truly concerned Feng Chen.

"Herrscher of Erosion... Has the act gone on long enough? I said it's time to end."

"I'm very sorry, but this play has only just begun..."

The man removed the mask from his face. His features were unclear, but one could guess he was smiling.

"Ahhhhhh!"

Screams erupted one after another as a huge, fiery red silhouette took shape on the altar in Yae Village.

"Look! This is our God! She has come to receive the offerings of this ritual!"

Instead of fear towards the giant, unfamiliar creature, the villagers cheered.

"Kallen!"

The cry quickly drew Feng Chen's and everyone else's attention. Yae Sakura rushed onto the altar and hugged Kallen.

Her eyes, brimming with tears, stared at the giant creature and she shouted, "You've played enough! I surrender, don't..."

"Slap!"

"I told you I'd slap some sense into you, didn't I?"

This was the second time. Feng Chen found himself getting smoother with each strike?

"But Kallen..."

"Slap!"

"She's not Kallen."

"I... I'm sorry."

Feng Chen had intended to deliver another slap, but realized there was nothing wrong with that statement and retracted the hand he had raised in mid-air.

"Leave her to me. Stand aside and take care of your 'Kallen'."

It was a giant fox, bearing a slight resemblance to the 'nine-tailed fox' of Far Eastern mythology, in that it had multiple tails.

"What a strange human... No, you're not human, are you? A male Mortal? This is truly the first time I've seen one; I've never heard of male Mortals existing. Regardless, I'll find out what secrets you hold soon enough."

A massive claw swiped at Feng Chen, kicking up flames.

"Hmph!"

Around Feng Chen, there seemed to be a three-meter-wide wall of energy that kept the flames and the claw at bay.

"So that's it... A Herrscher? It doesn't even seem to have the strength of a Simulated Herrscher, existing somewhere between a Mortal and a Herrscher?"

Feng Chen dispelled the "energy wall" and raised his hand to meet the giant claw.

The Herrscher of Erosion's eyes showed mockery as it increased the force of its claw.

"What?!"

Its claw couldn't be pushed down! From the sensation, it was clear that Feng Chen's strength was not merely equal to its own, but that Feng Chen was using some kind of technique.

"You! What did you do?!"

"The means to kill you."

A wisp of purple smoke rose from the giant claw.

"Ah!"

The Herrscher of Erosion could feel a stinging sensation from its claw.

"What did you do?!"

"What did I do? Just look at your own claw and you'll know."

The Herrscher of Erosion raised its claw and saw that a notch had appeared in it.

"Corrosion? No, that's not it. Your ability is definitely not corrosion."

It was obvious that Feng Chen had been holding back. If Feng Chen had used his full power, the Herrscher of Erosion, in its Sakura Cycle form, would have already vanished.