Whaling Ship. 5K

Canghai City, outside the city.

The members of the Fifth Squad had already arrived outside and set up camp ahead of time, while the rest of the troops arrived one after another, setting up temporary military camps.

As Himeko drove the group to the edge of the city, communications were restored and intelligent robot soldiers could be seen roaming the outskirts.

Due to considerations from higher-ups, they were not equipped with any gear.

By carefully analyzing the information from the loss of contact with the Canghai City and the Herrscher's apparent mastery of the Thunder's power, the upper echelons of the Moth to Fire, although they had not fully grasped the essence of the power, could still glimpse the situation where electronic devices were meaningless in the face of the Third Herrscher.

In order to avoid any unnecessary accidents during actual combat, these mechanical soldiers, who were not meant to be much of a fighting force, were reduced to mere informants.

Himeko's authorization was very high, so the mechanical soldiers simply nodded in salute to the armored vehicle and then naturally made way for it without asking any questions.

This led the girls in the car to vaguely speculate about Himeko's identity.

The atmosphere along the way was rather somber, with only the dazzling thunder and the deafening roar of collapsing everything behind us constantly breaking the physical tranquility.

Seele nervously grabbed Fu Hua's hand. Even though Su Qing'an told her to trust Himeko, whether the others in the military camp were trustworthy was another matter entirely.

Although the mechanical soldiers' reaction reassured the little girl somewhat, it meant that Himeko's presence was enough to ensure her safety for the time being.

However, the unknown commotion coming from the city center, coupled with the fact that Su Qing'an had not yet returned, made her still uneasy.

Unlike Fu Hua, who knows virtually nothing about Honkai, Seele, who was exposed to secret experiments, may lack basic Honkai knowledge, but she is quite knowledgeable about some high-level Honkai events.

The experiment, based on the Herrscher Core, inadvertently allowed the little girl to understand just how terrifying the so-called Herrscher really were.

Regarding the experiment in the Sea of Quantum, without the Herrscher Core, humanity's current technology is far from qualified to truly delve into it.

This detail alone suggests that, while the Second Herrscher was still alive and a truly living being, such an opponent was a formidable foe that humanity as a whole had to fight with all its might.

Su Qing'an's safety was initially the last thing that needed to be worried about.

Before this, both Seele and Fu Hua were subconsciously worried about Satou Yunona.

Even teenagers can't help but have some worries, but most of the concerns are focused on whether Satou Yunona, who is alone in the dormitory, will be attacked by a monster.

After the abnormal Honkai Energy fluctuations occurred behind them, Seele and Fu Hua, who had already witnessed the fluctuations of Emperor-class Honkai Energy, deeply understood that a monster far more terrifying than the Emperor-class Honkai Beast Ganesha had appeared in the center of the city.

Fu Hua could understand this gap through Kenshin, but she still didn't understand what kind of being could create such a gap with Emperor-class Honkai Beast.

But Seele can understand.

Her physique was extraordinary. Even without having cultivated the Void Sword Qi or formed a sword heart, the little girl could still instinctively understand the vast difference in Honkai Energy between Ganesha and the city.

Most importantly, Seele Fulei experienced a large-scale experiment using the Herrscher Core, and in that nightmare, she sensed the Herrscher's Honkai Energy more clearly than anyone else.

On that day, the Honkai Energy from the Herrscher Core permeated the skin through the transparent inhibitory fluid, engulfing the limbs, bones, and internal organs, and inflicting a brief yet prolonged despair that seeped into the soul.

Finally, this power successfully pulled open a passage into the Sea of Quantum, beginning a seemingly endless wandering for her.

This series of experiences became a deep-seated shadow, making Seele unable to forget the aura of Honkai Energy.

Now, this nightmare surrounds us in another form, like a dying crow spreading its black wings, indifferently glancing at its hopeless journey home.

The Third Herrscher has appeared, right here in Canghai City.

This was Seele Fulei's assessment after the aftermath of the battle reached the shelter.

Su Qing'an hasn't returned, and that's the current situation.

Reason and maturity beyond her years led Seele to comply with Su Qing'an's request after watching the video.

But deep down, it's impossible for them to remain completely unmoved by this.

The image of the boy stepping into the darkness appeared in her eyes like a hallucination, causing the little girl to suppress her emotions and begin to hate her own weakness as she silently pursed her lips.

Because of their weakness, they can only be exploited and their will ignored, their right to live trampled upon.

Because I am weak, the best I can do is to listen to my older brother and not cause him any unnecessary trouble.

But Seele didn't want that.

What do I want to grasp? What do I want to protect?

She wants to have the right to choose.

The little girl's will, like a sliver of starlight in the darkness, clung to the withered grass in the wilderness and burned faintly.

And one day, Seele Fulei will be able to realize her vision.

In her own way.

Fu Hua silently endured the increasingly forceful hand of the little girl, gazing at the scenery behind her.

A spectacular burst of lightning, mixed with pitch-black dust, tore through the field of vision. The clamor and ruins intertwined to create a desolate melody and imagery, depicting a strange and bizarre world.

This is the end times.

Once she imagined that the person was likely in the vicinity, the girl found it hard to resist the urge to venture into the heart of the area to find him.

But the video that Himeko played completely extinguished any such thoughts, as if proving how naive her ideas were.

Not strong enough.

Even in the State of Dustless, the boy's figure remained unseen. If he were to go searching for him, he would only become a burden.

But why is that? It's clearly just a difference of one level.

But she had a premonition that even if she reached the same level of clarity, she would be far from being able to stop the other party.

This is natural; judging solely from the Void Sword Qi, what the two cultivate is not the same thing.

The divine version of the Void Sword Qi requires far more than just pure talent and mental state.

If we're talking about the ordinary version of the Void Sword Qi, if you want to cultivate it to its ultimate limit, there are very few people in the entire world who can actually achieve it.

The divine version of the Void Sword Qi is even more difficult.

The shackles between Wuchen and Mingjing were, for Su Qing'an, a spark that she barely managed to hold onto after several near-death struggles.

But for even humans with extremely high Honkai Energy literacy, it was nothing more than pure hell.

[Stigmata] are all products condensed from the divine version of the Void Sword Qi.

The essence of [Stigmata] is the convergence of soul matter and the manifestation of personal experience. The abilities possessed in the current incomplete stage actually represent the nature of a young boy.

The result of this complete and utter display of self is the reason for Su Qing'an's current combat strength.

Even if she didn't understand all of this, Fu Hua could still grasp some of the reasons behind it.

Even in pure martial arts... I am far inferior to Master Su.

Fu Hua tried hard to recall what made that person so powerful, attempting to use those strengths to fill the void in her heart.

I am very strong; if I wanted to, no one in this world could kill me.

She silently recalled that person's words, her left hand clenching her sleeve so tightly that her knuckles turned pale.

Master Su... wouldn't lie.

Carole and Shiyu Qiluo are still unaware of the truth behind this disaster.

In the face of such an unimaginably cruel reality as Honkai, the reasons born from one's own imagination may seem rather gentle.

Himeko did not reveal the reason behind the disaster. Besides the government's continued secrecy towards the survivors, she also harbored some concern about taking care of their feelings.

Finally, the vehicles drove into the military camp.

None of the girls chose to talk.

They got out of the car, breathing in the cold air outside, and gazed into the distance amidst the howling wind.

The familiar, vast city came into view, but it no longer held the warm echoes of my memories.

Even if one survives in this world, by sheer luck, one has not yet died...

But what should the future hold?

This is an answer that no one can give themselves.

But those flames burning brightly in their hearts will one day illuminate something in their own way.

Even if they are still struggling in the dark and endless wilderness of the future, they will eventually be able to grasp that sliver of warmth that makes them feel their existence has meaning.

And now.

Shiyu Qiluo, holding a drawing board from the lounge, gazed at the city while sketching a chaotic musical score with a pencil.

She really does want to be an idol.

The girl firmly believed it.

Even in this increasingly desolate and shrouded world, idols still have value.

Or rather, it is precisely in such a world that we need idols who earnestly radiate their own brilliance and offer heartwarming strength.

Her eyes, reflecting the absurd world, overflowed with tears.

Shiyu Qiluo pursed her lips, her expression serious and stubborn.

So... I can't be sad anymore.

I must become that kind of person.

It was all just an illusion.

Carole leaned against the corner of the wall, sunlight slanting down and making her golden eyes appear unfocused.

The girl thought, if she could really think that way, wouldn't things be much easier?

Unfortunately, I'm a bit of a half-baked person; I'm neither strong enough to immediately accept reality nor weak enough to deceive myself.

The little girl was lost in thought, fiddling with the embellishments she had designed herself on her denim jacket, her fingertips feeling the icy coolness of the metal penetrating to her very core.

The soft rustling of fingernails against jewelry sent a chill down my spine; the grand attic I had built in my mind crumbled beneath those tiny whispers...

Carole was momentarily lost in thought when she recalled a sentence she had read in a book.

[Back then we had dreams—dreams about literature, about love, about traveling the world. Now we drink late into the night, and the clinking of glasses is the sound of dreams shattering.]

After looking around at everyone's faces, the girl slowly closed her eyes, her lips slightly pursed.

She thought, the dream hasn't shattered yet.

After being resupplyed with some special equipment by the stationed troops, Himeko returned to the urban area of Canghai City alone.

A simple human wave tactic is meaningless against the Herrscher; regardless of the inclination of their powers, the pure Honkai Energy level is enough to crush everything.

She naturally had no intention of facing the Third Herrscher alone.

Even as the captain of the Fifth Squad of the Moth to Fire, Himeko can only act as an intelligence informant in this situation.

The woman stood atop a building on the outskirts of Canghai City, where she had upgraded specialized detection equipment at the military camp.

Her eyes were no longer greeted by standard equipment extending from her armor, but by brand-new instruments capable of detecting Honkai Energy, thermal energy, and biological reactions.

It would have made no difference if these tasks had been handed over to the mechanical soldiers, but Himeko, harboring her doubts, chose to take on the task herself.

Why is the Third Herrscher simply destroying the city?

It's particularly strange that no one has thought about this simplest of questions.

Perhaps subconsciously, everyone regards the so-called Herrscher as pure beasts, and it is only natural for beasts to do any unreasonable things.

Perhaps subconsciously she also thought that it was much more fun for the Third Herrscher to stay in the city and destroy countless buildings than to go outside Canghai City and kill real humans.

The framework of thinking is always so illogical.

But Himeko is different from the others.

If I had to pinpoint a reason, it would probably be curiosity.

It's also similar to the devotion of someone who knows everything from books but still wants to verify it with their own eyes.

Life.

These two words always evoke a unique and special meaning in a woman's heart.

Are Herrscher life itself?

Every time I routinely check the information on the previous two Herrscher bodies in an attempt to find patterns useful for the battle, these seemingly meaningless questions always arrive as expected.

As the field of vision rapidly expanded under the instrument, passing through areas of Honkai Energy that were lighter in color than the center, Himeko arrived at her answer with a small, crimson Honkai Energy dot carrying heat and exhibiting biological activity.

Unlike pure monsters like Herrscher and Honkai Beast, Herrschers clearly possess the power to threaten the world, but in essence, they are still life forms just like humans.

This fact, which had always been displayed in a cold database, suddenly dawned on the woman when it came vividly to her eyes.

This is a very peculiar feeling.

For Himeko as it is today, it won't cause much of a stir, nor will it change the status quo or the facts.

Yet it left a deep impression on her, and made her subconsciously believe that this feeling must have some necessary meaning.

But soon, the faint biological reaction accompanying the red dot, which had been confirmed to be Herrscher, silenced Himeko.

Her mind nearly trembled the moment she realized this reality; a tremendous shock coursed through her consciousness, leaving her momentarily blank despite the thunderous roar.

Himeko suddenly realized something: why did she think it was normal for the Third Herrscher to stay in this city?

The Honkai deliberately used thousands of beams of light to divert humanity's attention, in order to allow the Third Herrscher to pass through the initial hatching period.

Assuming the birth of the Third Herrscher coincides roughly with the outbreak of the Honkai, then less than three hours have passed.

Since it would take more time for Herrscher to reach perfection, and given that humans had clearly detected them as they approached Canghai City, why did the Third Herrscher remain Canghai City?

Why didn't she choose to leave immediately and continue to hide herself?

What infuriates women most is why they didn't notice something so simple?

Even if I'm aware of this problem now, I no longer need to think about the answer.

Because the reason is very simple.

Humans are currently engaged in battle with the Third Herrscher.

An extremely powerful, solitary entity, far exceeding the imagination of civilizations at this stage, has entangled the Third Herrscher in the center of Canghai City.

When several coincidences come together, the answers to many questions become clear.

Himeko understands.

The biological reaction that allowed them to fight the Third Herrscher alone could only be that of Su Qing'an.

"----."

The communicator connected automatically, and a command, delivered in a cold, electronic voice, reached my ears.

Twenty seconds later,

"Orders issued. Fifth Squad Leader Himeko, return to the camp outside the city immediately to participate in the retreat."

The woman's Amber pupils contracted sharply. She struggled to suppress the turbulent emotions churning in her chest and calmly said:

"The Third Honkai Outbreak was completely different from previous Honkai. The Honkai used 3,726 beams of light to divert our attention from the Third Herrscher, which means that this Herrscher must have had a plan to hide after the hatching period before truly exposing herself to humanity."

"There's a reason why this Third Herrscher has been staying in the Canghai City. The boy I reported to headquarters earlier is currently entangled with him. Headquarters can access my observation records to confirm this."

So if it were at this time...

The electronic voice paused for five seconds before interrupting Himeko, replying indifferently:

"This is the best opportunity. No matter how great the potential gain, it's nothing compared to the chance to kill the Third Herrscher."

"Himeko, you should understand that humanity cannot afford to take unnecessary risks."

"And... it's already too late."

The communication was then automatically disconnected.

Clearly, they didn't intend to give Himeko any more opportunities to argue her case.

She ripped off her headset and glanced expressionlessly at the distant thunder.

The woman's figure stood out on the vast, deserted high-rise building. Under the huge, gray sky, her unbound red hair was bright and beautiful, falling naturally down her back in the still, windless silence.

Himeko's eyes, filled with unwavering determination, closed for a few seconds before slowly opening again.

She eventually left Canghai City, choosing not to look back.

The whaling ship, carrying the will of the entire civilization, has arrived, and no one can stop this process now.