Herrscher of Erosion

"Sakura, it seems about time."

"I know. I may need to trouble Dust-kun later. In the world inside the box controlled by Higanbana, my strength is still that of a Simulated Herrscher, but Higanbana has already taken control of the entire world inside the box. I may... be unable to use the power of a Simulated Herrscher."

"What trouble? We're friends!"

Yae Sakura was stunned, then she and Feng Chen laughed together.

High in the azure sky, a pair of eyes stared at the little house. "I'll let you enjoy yourselves for a little while longer. Soon, I'll let you experience despair."

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

The house collapsed right afterward, but there was no one inside.

"Where's Kallen?" The same thought occurred to both of them.

Kallen had spent a month recuperating in Yae Village and had almost fully recovered. Yet now that she was nowhere to be seen, something seemed wrong.

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

"Host, look over there!"

In Feng Chen's field of vision, a red arrow pointed east.

There stood an incredibly tall sacrificial altar. Lying atop it was a silver-haired girl with long eyelashes and graceful curves. Her eyes were tightly shut.

"Kallen!" Yae Sakura ran toward the altar. Although she possessed the strength of a Simulated Herrscher, it was not difficult for Feng Chen to hold her back.

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

"Let go of me! I have to save Kallen!"

Smack!

Feng Chen slapped Yae Sakura without hesitation. He could not stand by and watch his friend throw her life away.

"If you still haven't come to your senses, I'll beat some sense into you."

He had never struck a woman before, and his hand trembled. But for Yae Sakura's sake, he did it.

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

"Leave it to me."

After settling Yae Sakura somewhere safe, he walked toward the altar and asked the system, "Is there any item that can let me use my abilities for a short time?"

"Yes. The Honkai Energy Amplifier can grant you the strength of an Advanced Herrscher for a short period. The difference between an Advanced Herrscher and a Simulated Herrscher is that a Simulated Herrscher can already use their abilities to alter the weather, so this item will be sufficient."

"How much Honkai Energy?"

"300."

"Task Three counts as complete, right? Give me the reward, then exchange it for this amplifier."

"Understood..."

After Feng Chen claimed the reward for Task Three, the system gave him a syringe filled with purple-red liquid.

He plunged the syringe straight into his heart—the part closest to the Herrscher Core.

Thump!

Thump!

Thump!

The sound of his heartbeat was crystal clear, as though a heart had been placed right beside his ear.

He felt his blood boiling and wanted to vent the inexplicable dissatisfaction surging through him by running.

"Stop. This absurd ritual ends now."

His voice was hoarse. No one heard him, and no one could see him—except one person.

The man presiding over the ritual wore a mask resembling that of a demon fox. Judging by his build and voice, it was not difficult to guess that he was Yae Sakura's father, though only as he appeared in her memories.

"Look! A demon is trying to stop our ritual and leave us with no harvest next year, condemning our descendants to hunger and cold!"

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

"Get out!"

"Outsider, get out!"

There were many similar shouts, but only one person truly caught Feng Chen's attention.

"Herrscher of Erosion... hasn't the act gone on long enough? I said it was time to end it."

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

The man lifted the mask from his face. His features remained indistinct, but Feng Chen could tell he was smiling.

"Ahhhhhh!"

Screams rose one after another as a huge, fiery-red shadow took shape atop the sacrificial altar in Yae Village.

"Look! This is our divine god! She has come to receive the sacrifice offered to her!"

The villagers not only showed no fear toward the enormous unfamiliar creature, they even cheered.

"Kallen!"

The cry quickly drew Feng Chen's attention, along with everyone else's. Yae Sakura took several steps up the altar and embraced Kallen.

Her eyes filled with tears fixed on the enormous creature as she shouted, "You've had your fun, haven't you? I surrender! Don't—"

Smack!

"Didn't I say I'd beat some sense into you?"

This was the second time. Feng Chen realized that he was somehow getting more accustomed to hitting her.

"But Kallen..."

Smack!

"She isn't Kallen."

"Th-then... I'm sorry."

Feng Chen had been about to slap her again, but then he realized there was nothing wrong with what she had said. He lowered the hand he had raised into the air.

"Just leave it to me. Stand aside and take care of your 'Kallen.'"

It was a gigantic fox, somewhat resembling the nine-tailed fox of Far Eastern mythology—namely, in its multiple tails.

"What a strange human... No, you aren't human, are you? A male dead apostle? This is the first time I've seen one. I've never heard of male dead apostles existing. In any case, I'll know what secrets you're hiding soon enough."

A massive claw slammed toward Feng Chen, flames spraying up at the same time.

"Hmph!"

An invisible wall of energy seemed to extend three meters around Feng Chen. Neither the flames nor the claw could come near him.

"I see... A Herrscher? You don't even seem to possess the strength of a Simulated Herrscher. Are you an existence somewhere between a dead apostle and a Herrscher?"

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

A mocking look appeared in the Herrscher of Erosion's eyes as she increased the force behind her claw.

"What?!"

Her claw could not press down at all! From the sensation, she could tell that Feng Chen was not merely equal to her in strength. He had used some kind of technique.

"You bastard, what kind of trick did you use?!"

"A trick that can kill you."

A wisp of purple smoke rose from the enormous claw.

"Ah!"

The Herrscher of Erosion felt a stabbing pain in her claw.

"What did you do?!"

"What did I do? Just look at your own claw."

The Herrscher of Erosion raised her claw and saw that a chunk was already missing from it.

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

It was obvious that Feng Chen had held back just now. If he had used his full strength, this form of the Herrscher of Erosion within the Sakura Cycle should have disappeared long ago.