Stabbed, Then Unlocking a New Form

As a Schicksal warrior, Himeko also had a side that threw tantrums and rolled around when asking for funding.

And she would make sure not to shortchange you afterward.

Fang Jie immediately understood. "Then come over here. Closer."

His energy control was truly nothing impressive. All the flashy things he did in battle were merely special effects; he relied entirely on plain speed and strength, along with the durable Composite Blade: Willow Leaf, to display his offensive power.

His "superpower" was another matter. This innate thing that he could send and receive at will was more natural to him than breathing, and it was currently the greatest source of his combat strength.

It was just that it came with many restrictions, and Fang Jie himself did not want to rely on it too much.

There was no particular reason.

Instinctively, naturally, from the depths of his heart, he was familiar with this power—yet rejected becoming more dependent on it.

In short, when Himeko stumbled closer again, Fang Jie offered a hand. "Hold my hand tightly."

His other hand still gripped Sato Yuno, refusing to let go. If she dared harbor any ulterior motives, she would bear the consequences herself.

Raiden Mei had only managed to establish mutual trust with people other than Kiana by implanting a bomb in her heart. Sato Yuno's power was too dangerous to underestimate.

This was also for her own good. By not giving her an opportunity, Fang Jie was proving even more that he had no intention of killing her.

In the current civilization, betrayal was the norm. Herrschers were at the forefront of fighting Honkai, so there was no need to worry about one clear-minded Pseudo-Herrscher like her.

As for Honkai getting into someone's head and making them overly outgoing...

Just look at Senti. Beat them up, then reeducate them.

Himeko was somewhat confused by this. Frankly speaking, when it came to a Herrscher—especially one that had proven her threat before even fully developing—she... preferred to eliminate future troubles forever.

But Sato Yuno had been captured by Fang Jie, and she was poisoned as well, so Himeko temporarily kept silent regarding how to deal with her.

She extended her left hand and felt Fang Jie's unexpectedly cool hand after that great battle close around hers. Then, an... indescribable, yet warm power flowed into her.

Honkai energy?

It was somewhat similar, but... no. It was far too gentle.

It poured into her body without the slightest difficulty and brought no discomfort whatsoever. Even her body, constantly eroded by Honkai energy due to the artificial stigmata—a body suffering so much that she, who preferred coffee, had become dependent on alcohol—finally relaxed under that warmth after so long.

"This is..."

Himeko found it difficult to describe the feeling. A silent emotion touched her soul, as though something were blessing her.

Fang Jie's gaze sharpened even further.

He did not truly count as a Pathstrider. He had relied entirely on his superpower to siphon Path energy from the Domain Anchor, and later used Honkai energy to catalyze its development, brutally damaging his own body to passively trigger reinforcement from Path energy.

But at that moment... the blond guy saw the heroine's longing for the male lead.

Pah, pah, pah! He was not some blond guy!

Still, the Path energy was more active than ever before. In turn, it let Fang Jie feel something like pioneering—true pioneering.

And then it was gone.

He looked at the slightly dazed Himeko, his eyes sharp.

I need your help to cultivate!

But not now. He had to remember that. Otherwise, this woman, who was good and bad by turns, would surely have him wrapped around her finger. Her skin was too thick for him to outplay, and she would be invincible in the future.

Fang Jie simply continued staring at Sato Yuno, putting pressure on her.

The Path energy also prepared to probe inside her... With Himeko's help, his control over that power had suddenly risen by an entire level, allowing him to sense much more.

Thus, Fang Jie became interested in the Pseudo-Herrscher core.

Sato Yuno shuddered all over. It was difficult to describe the feeling of being touched like this. It was as if someone had gripped her heart tightly. To her now, the Honkai energy core was even more important than her heart.

For once, she ignored the pressure of the blade and struggled to resist...

Useless.

A blond guy appeared! Fang Jie eagerly forced his way in. He saw it. He saw it.

It was similar to a Honkai Beast, yet completely different. The Honkai core that truly existed within Sato Yuno's heart did more than store Honkai energy—it also contained her authority as a Pseudo-Herrscher.

Just as Wendy could wield Herrscher authority after accepting the Gem of Desire implanted in her, Fang Jie pressed down on Sato Yuno's consciousness and forcibly squeezed into the authority of her core, seeing a new world.

He also possessed Honkai energy, though it had probably been washed over by Path energy so thoroughly that even Honkai no longer recognized it.

That did not matter!

At that moment, Fang Jie understood the key to controlling a God Key—did the God Key truly want to be used by you?

But it did not matter. It was enough that Fang Jie acknowledged it. He was not even obsessed with having to develop a core to contain Honkai energy or gain its authority. What he needed was this "energy circulation" mechanism, merely using this mature system as a reference.

As Sato Yuno's resistance became increasingly apparent, to the point where he could even sense when she would suddenly rise up and attack, Fang Jie withdrew his energy and allowed her to catch her breath and compose herself.

That was an apology, rather than some dry, hollow "sorry."

Fang Jie was satisfied, though still wanting more as he glanced at Himeko.

She gradually came back to herself and tossed him a flirtatious wink. Her electrifying eyes and overflowing charm sent Fang Jie retreating in defeat...

He was embarrassed.

"This feeling is really nice, little... brother. What kind of technique is this?"

Himeko was extremely enthusiastic, and not merely for herself. The aftereffects of Valkyrie surgery were not hers alone; every Valkyrie suffered them. Even with the artificial stigmata surgery's success rate nearing fifty percent, the price remained a drastically shortened lifespan and eventually becoming a Death Trooper.

Any "wonder drug" capable of treating those aftereffects was worth pursuing relentlessly.

"Uh, uh~"

Fang Jie did not want to lie to her, so he played dumb.

Naturally, Himeko would not be fooled so easily, but she thoughtfully chose not to press him further. They could discuss cooperation later. The urgent matter now... she looked at Sato Yuno, her expression turning serious.

A Herrscher.

She still did not entirely understand the difference between a Herrscher and a Pseudo-Herrscher. After all, Sirin had set the precedent, and the Pseudo-Herrschers she created were not very different from true Herrschers.

Someone like Sato Yuno was even more unusual.

"Little brother..."

Just as Himeko was considering how to negotiate, she suddenly saw Fang Jie's somewhat smug expression freeze.

Then a warning from a subordinate came through the intermittent communicator. "Major Himeko, an unfamiliar Honkai energy signal is approaching! It's... also a Herrscher!"

What the hell?

Before her mind could react, her body had already moved. The countless grueling training sessions instantly erased the overly comfortable relaxation in her mind and body. Without another word, she entered combat mode and followed Fang Jie's gaze to see...

A fox?

More accurately, it was a woman dressed in an off-the-shoulder Shrine Maiden outfit.

Pink fox ears grew from her head. She stood atop the ruins covered in nameless flowers, watching this side with a smiling face and a subtle fragrance drifting around her... No, she was watching Sato Yuno. With immense pleasure, she licked her lips and drew the katana at her waist.

"Everyone, why are you looking at me like that? Do I truly look so frightening?"

Still smiling, she swung her katana once, as if reacquainting herself with its feel. Then she cast a sidelong glance at them, her blade pointing their way.

"Do not be nervous. I have come to help you fight the evil demon."

Evil demon? Who? Sato Yuno? How was she even worthy of comparison to you?

Fang Jie could only think... Chang Kong City really was cursed.

The suddenly evolved Sato Yuno, and the suddenly appearing... Yae Sakura?

As if. Without a trace of Kallen's influence to awaken her, she was neither Yae Sakura nor little Rin, much less some Flying Fish Ball. She was Higokumaru!

What kind of Herrscher gauntlet was this?

"I implanted a bomb in your core. It does not matter if you do not understand what a core is; just think of it as your heart. You need to know that if you make any hostile move, I will detonate it. Then you will die."

As Fang Jie spoke, he silently released Sato Yuno, whose Honkai energy was running low, freeing both hands to prepare for battle. "Himeko, be careful. If possible, please call Theresa for support as soon as you can."

From the time they had first met not long ago until now, Himeko had not interacted much with Fang Jie. Yet she had deeply realized that this person possessed many secrets.

He somehow knew about Raiden Mei and Kiana, had insisted on returning to Chang Kong City to fight as though he had known there was another Herrscher here in advance, and possessed technology that not even the Schicksal she knew had...

No matter how she looked at it, he was suspicious to the bone.

But he should be a good person.

And now, his expression was so terrible. What exactly was this fox? And was the Herrscher reaction coming from her?

Himeko was not as tense as Fang Jie. She had seen too many storms and waves; at worst, it was just another battle.

As for calling Theresa...

"I'm sorry, little brother, but you know that isn't possible." Himeko rejected Fang Jie's suggestion without a second thought.

Fang Jie could understand, but he did not want to accept it. "Then we're screwed."

The fox calling herself "Yae Sakura" smiled as she watched. "Oh my, you do not believe me? It seems I can only defeat you all and slay the evil demon. Are you ready?"

It was neither a question nor a confirmation. She had already vanished as the final note of her words faded, striking first despite moving later and closing in before them.

As he watched "Yae Sakura" flicker and disappear, Fang Jie could not even see where she had gone... He only heard an explosive collision that nearly pierced his eardrums.

First Strike!

It was Himeko.

She was sent flying. It was unbelievable; their builds were not even in the same weight class, and Himeko had the support of her armor.

She might have been as weak as Theresa and had nearly suffered a setback, but she was absolutely not weak.

After being strengthened by a trace of Path energy, her body and mind had reached their best state in history. The A-Rank Valkyrie had advanced to A+, almost turning the area around her into Imaginary Space. She triggered a space-time fracture and blocked the incoming katana at the last possible moment.

Then she was sent flying anyway.

Damn it, what kind of Herrscher was this?

Second Strike!

It was Sato Yuno.

The blade pointed directly at her Honkai energy core. "Yae Sakura's" target was obvious.

Fang Jie could see the attack, but he could not react in time. He was being suppressed. His one praiseworthy advantage, his speed, had been utterly suppressed. It was not simply a little faster.

"Where are you looking?!"

Himeko roared as she charged through a blue world of slowed time, incomparably swift and fierce.

"Yae Sakura" had no choice but to alter her move and slash back.

One wielded a blade that blazed like fire, while the other's sword aura swept freely. They clashed in a brutal fight, with neither choice nor room to retreat.

Thus, something unexpected happened. Himeko still ended up facing the Herrscher-level opponent she had long prepared herself for, fighting the battle she was meant to fight.

Chapter 14: Stabbed, Then Unlocking a New Form

Himeko fell.

Fang Jie was powerless to stop it. He could barely even keep up with the rhythm of their battle. It was not like an ordinary person being unable to see Stand users fight; it was like a strong passerby watching someone with "Setsuna" fight someone with "Time Zero."

He truly could only stand to the side and watch, and could not even see clearly.

Yae Sakura's martial skill, forged through the imprint inherited from "Setsuna"; Himeko's talent, which had reached A-Rank through nothing but hard work and burning away her life.

Especially when she used Valkyrie armor to virtualize herself and fracture space-time, that battlefield appeared to Fang Jie, who stood in the real-numbered reality, as afterimages accelerated by an unknowable number of times.

The last thing he could clearly see was Himeko staggering, "slowly" falling back into real-numbered reality, and struggling to straighten herself—her fighting spirit was still burning, her gaze firm and unyielding as she overcame her injuries...

She could not win.

Even Fang Jie could see that fact clearly.

Higokumaru had arrived too quickly, like a fisherman watching the snipe and clam fight, reaping the benefits at the first opportunity. Therefore, Himeko had no idea what she faced. She only knew that her opponent was a Herrscher and, after exchanging blows, that she was incredibly fast and capable.

But her true power was—corrosion authority.

"Hah!"

Fang Jie heard Himeko's roar. She swung the Nuclear Fusion Greatsword again in vain, turning it into a warship-sized blade that covered everything ahead and completely destroyed the forest nest created by Sato Yuno.

Useless.