Honkai, Survive

The edge of the deep pit was incredibly smooth, with ashes drifting about. Substances that were also drawn in first lost all their energy upon touching the dark edge, and then they themselves.

At this moment, the darkness suddenly vanished. In the blink of an eye, the remnants were blown by the storm into snow-white ash, scattering everywhere and falling into the giant deep pit that was originally Chiyu Academy.

"...Major Himeko!"

The more robust bystander Valkyries who had crash-landed from the Hyperion were in a panic, searching for their leader.

Chapter Fifteen: [Destruction]and Self-Destruction

Himeko collapsed... Fang Jie collapsed in the snowfield.

"Why, I feel like it's even more dangerous over there than here?"

His usual resilience and pain tolerance came into play. Even though he appeared to be severely injured... a mere fatal wound, he sealed the bleeding with ice and paralyzed the pain, then contracted his muscles to close the wound.

And he watched the even more miserable 'Yae Sakura'.

What met his eyes was a pair of scarlet eyes.

Higokumaru seemed to have gone completely berserk, losing all reason. She paid no attention to the outside world, lost in unspeakable sorrow, exerting all her strength to tear apart everything that blocked her.

She couldn't tear it apart, not at all!

The next moment, in her berserk state, she opened her mouth, which had grown sharp fangs at some point, and bit down on... the Composite Blade: Willow Leaf that was blocking her.

"Crack—!"

This beloved sword, which had accompanied Fang Jie all along, shattered in response.

"Damn it, my sword..."

Fang Jie was heartbroken. He saw only half of it remaining in his hand, and it was still being gnawed by Rin, who was swallowing it piece by piece. The brutal sight made him involuntarily swallow. What if she had bitten him instead?

The next second, he abandoned the sword, holding it in his mouth for Rin to gnaw on—his free right hand, like an indestructible Soul Gem, grabbed her right hand.

Suck it up!!

This wasn't a place where Otto could launch a Honkai fission bomb at any moment, so he wouldn't indulge her.

This was also the awkwardness of Yae Sakura's identity. Once exposed, Otto would immediately become ruthless, implicating many.

Fang Jie had no time to explain, nor could he let Himeko kill her... If destroying the physical body was effective, would the previous civilization have been annihilated? He could only bet one of his hands and give the world a chance.

"You went with the flow and cut me once, that's not a big ripple. But if you dare to go further, everything will be turned upside down!"

Visibly, 'Yae Sakura's' movements became increasingly weak. Her energy had already been violently drained, and now, though no longer berserk, it was a continuous drain. The arm she had pierced through Fang Jie's was creaking, collapsing into a lump.

A Crimson-Dyed Sakura Demon Blade was almost reduced to scrap iron, twisting into a grotesque shape bit by bit—fair enough.

But even so, she still attacked ferociously. If she couldn't tear it, she bit, even if it was iron... She swallowed, she swallowed, and she was about to gnaw again!

This was the trickiness of 'erosion'. The physical body was just a vessel for her; it didn't matter if it was gone, and it was difficult to completely eliminate.

Fortunately, Fang Jie was targeting the energy.

A wondrous thing happened at this moment. Her sharp teeth, which had initially chewed through special steel reinforced by Honkai energy, were now becoming increasingly weak.

Go easy on me?

It might have been possible at first, but it was impossible later.

It was Fang Jie's efforts that were finally paying off. 'Disarming' had been ongoing, absorbing the energy of her resistance, even her movements.

It was like a different version of Judah's zeroth rated power.

Until, at some point, the scarlet, tear-stained eyes regained a hint of rationality, turning back to their original purplish-blue, awakening.

"Awake now? Miss Yae Sakura."

He confirmed.

"Awake? How can I be awake? Life is like a fleeting dream, and upon waking, it's merely that people and things have changed."

Upon waking, Yae Sakura asked for death:

"Sir, please don't hesitate. Kill me, along with this demon."

"It seems you're awake."

If Himeko heard such words, her already bad mood would become truly terrible. Do you think saying that will fool...

But Fang Jie.

"I'll kill you, but I won't kill her."

He muttered, revealing that she was merely the bonus gift.

For a moment, Yae Sakura felt awkward.

"Sir, you know the demon? I heard you call her... Rin? Is that the name of a fox spirit?"

Clearly, she cared about this matter.

She had never known this.

Her tone was melancholic and wistful, completely unconcerned about her lost arm or the fact that everyone was seriously injured.

The hospital ward brawl had no winners, only survivors.

Himeko had probably gone down too.

"Yes, her name is Rin. She's not some fox spirit."

Fang Jie didn't really want to talk about it.

"That's a long story. If Rin is willing to tell you, let her tell you herself. If she's not willing... I can't say much more."

What if she went berserk and became even more violent?

I could just teleport away again, leaving this vast world for you to wreak havoc on. It's just [Erosion] after all. This is the grand stage of Honkai: Star Rail, with all sorts of Path users coming and going.

But I've finally gotten in touch with her. Even if it's dangerous... I've already taken a beating, and it feels like a waste not to gain something.

"I see." Yae Sakura seemed to understand something and asked, "Are your injuries... alright?"

They were probably not alright, Fang Jie grit his teeth.

"It's nothing. I should be able to handle it. How about you?"

"I'm possessed by a fox spirit... I can absorb demonic energy to heal myself. My previous injuries have all healed," Yae Sakura said calmly. "However, it seems there isn't enough demonic energy here, except for yours. After I die, Rin might find someone else to possess. You should kill me, otherwise."

She didn't hate Fang Jie. Having been sealed away, her memories were still stuck in the battle between Higokumaru and Kallen.

Back then, Higokumaru had left her severely injured body and possessed a fox-like Honkai Beast to attack Kallen, even intending to devour Yae Sakura right in front of Kallen.

To protect herself, the severely injured Kallen had raised her obsidian spear and fought Higokumaru to the death, ultimately sealing away both Higokumaru and herself, who had been infected and turned into a Pseudo-Herrscher.

What happened after that?

Waking up again in an unfamiliar city, she only knew that time had passed, things had changed, and Higokumaru was harming people again.

Finally, as the Honkai energy continued to decrease and Higokumaru no longer had the upper hand, Yae Sakura, who had been suppressed all along, regained control of her body.

If Fang Jie wanted to kill her to eliminate future trouble, she could accept it.

But he seemed to care about... Rin?

An angry voice echoed in her mind:

'Don't call me that name!'

Especially you, traitor!

"Watch out!"

Yae Sakura only had time to warn him.

In an instant, Fang Jie saw one of Yae Sakura's eyes turn into a scarlet beast's eye. Fortunately, he had broken her hand and her sword beforehand. Coupled with Yae Sakura's distraction, Fang Jie, who had rolled away, avoided being bitten.

It felt like she could even bite a Herrscher to death!

The scene looked like a brawl in a ward for the severely injured, chasing and biting each other on the vast snowfield.

It seemed comical but wasn't safe at all.

"Snap out of it, Rin! I'm not your enemy."

"Everyone deserves to die!"

Endless, inexhaustible negative emotions fueled her resolve. Even though the Honkai energy was severely insufficient to support her, she continued to fight and bite.

Fang Jie was helpless. He kept circling her, relying on his better condition, Yae Sakura's distraction, and his teleportation ability, a kind of 'divine speed,' to drain her energy from afar until she was exhausted.

Higokumaru was truly unkillable and couldn't be killed. Where else could he find another Black Box, and the person who made her lose focus and get locked up? He could only try to reason with her, but she wouldn't listen.

This was difficult.

Compared to her, Yae Sakura was much easier to talk to. Damn it, without Theresa, are you this lazy? Take the initiative and unleash your emotions to suppress Higokumaru! You two must have developed feelings for each other long ago, right!

Fang Jie glanced at the 'Yae Sakura' who was still moving. Her heterochromatic eyes, with one being purplish-blue, also looked helpless and exhausted.

Her injuries were worse than Fang Jie's and were continuously worsening, a drain on her life force itself.

Finally, she couldn't hold on.

"Trash!"

Rin was very familiar with this scene. It was the same as 500 years ago. Although Yae Sakura didn't betray her this time, it was good enough that she didn't kill herself.

So, she left behind some Honkai energy to maintain her life force, and then...

Black mist rose from Yae Sakura, transforming into the black fox, Ah Rin.

She needed energy, Honkai energy.

Damn it, there was no Honkai energy in this world at all.

Damn it, if this continues, Yae Sakura will surely die.

This trash!

And you, why are you running? Let me kill you and take the Honkai energy you still possess.

"Don't even think about escaping!"

No matter how much she considered the power Fang Jie had unleashed when he was stabbed before, Rin could only bravely charge forward. She wasn't afraid of death, not at all.

Fang Jie was very afraid. He didn't want to die; he wanted to live.

So, "It's no use, you can't catch me."

The black mist surged past, a small portion of it eroding Fang Jie's body, but it was instantly 'devoured completely,' leaving behind only a negligible amount that was disabled and stopped.

The vast majority missed entirely. He vanished from his spot in an instant, spotting a group of Valkyries scouring the battlefield.

Fang Jie's sudden appearance nearly drew a hail of gunfire.

He had no intention of lingering and flashed back to Belobog's snowfield once more.

"See you around."

He left a group of Valkyries staring at each other, bewildered. Had they seen a ghost?

Wait, wasn't that the person Major Himeko had instructed them to keep an eye on? If they found him, they were supposed to rescue him. But... he'd run off again.

After all, Fang Jie didn't trust the medical facilities at St. Freya Academy one bit.

Fang Jie knew all too well what was hidden in the basement. He didn't want to end up as alien material on Schicksal's dissection table, nor did he want to gain a bunch of younger siblings.

He flashed back to his original location. Black Mist Rin was searching her surroundings blankly, appearing so powerless, and Yae Sakura's life was also flickering like a candle in the wind.

Fang Jie understood that feeling.

"You can't catch me, Rin, but we can talk."

Fang Jie showed immense sincerity, staying put as the black mist washed over him, being 'devoured completely,' and vanishing again...

He had already mastered the knack of a fair fight.

Even with the erosion, losing Honkai energy only resulted in 'deactivation.' It was only upon realizing this that Fang Jie developed a greater desire for her.

But he had to make her realize that she couldn't just toy with him as she pleased.

This repeated back-and-forth made both the Herrscher and the Valkyries on both sides feel like they were seeing ghosts. Finally, Rin was left with only a small amount of black mist for a body. Both her Honkai energy and her erosion authority were far less than before, and she couldn't get a handle on Fang Jie.