Honkai, Survive

And so, without knowing he had merely "happened upon" the situation and almost landed himself on an expedited elimination list, Fang Jie had acquired the basic resources needed for survival.

"Is that all? Are there any faster ways to make money?"

He glanced with slight displeasure at the fruits of his labor. Robbing petty thugs didn't yield much, especially since he didn't want to directly confront them out of consideration for Kiana's meal. He opted for inefficient sting operations, catching a few small-time crooks trying to harm him, an innocent bystander. A few punches and kicks later, they dropped their loot.

This event was also recorded in Academy City.

"Never mind, enough is enough."

Putting away his spoils, Fang Jie continued his wandering, kicking trash cans and hitting people.

While he didn't know he had narrowly avoided assassination by the Ural Silver Wolf, it didn't mean he was unaware of the dangers in Chang Kong City. The foremost danger was the inevitable birth of a Herrscher.

If not the Herrscher of Thunder, then the Herrscher of Poison.

Chang Kong City already possessed the external environment for a Herrscher to be born. This massive accumulation of Honkai energy was Otto's indulgence and Cocolia's instigation, but even without their assistance, a Great Eruption would have occurred sooner or later.

Because that's what Honkai is.

Facing this situation, money's role was not entirely negligible, but it wasn't particularly significant either. Coupled with his identity issues, his suspicious appearance forced him to disguise himself and impersonate God Metal.

He had already kicked over dozens of trash cans.

"Oh, there are more up ahead."

Excitedly, he walked forward, no longer shy, glancing around to see if anyone was watching. Fang Jie confidently kicked the trash can—

"Ah?!"

Someone exclaimed. With three parts nonchalance, three parts disdain, and three parts joy, he turned to look. It was a seemingly frail, purple-haired girl wearing the same white school uniform as Kiana from Chiyu Academy.

Her purple hair was natural, and her appearance was clearly beyond that of an ordinary person. Fang Jie was used to it and didn't immediately dismiss people.

A single glance seemed to startle her. She took a step back, lowering her head, afraid to look at him. The hand holding the trash bag didn't know where to go, so she hid it behind her.

"School's out this early? They're making me attend evening self-study until past eleven, damn it."

Fang Jie had no intention of scaring her. He sighed and continued his wandering.

Chapter 3: Shouting Friendship and Bonds

'I'm sorry, I was wrong, I'm sorry... No, no, no, no...'

In the room, the girl sat stiffly on the floor, hugging her knees, her head bowed, her face buried. She endured the blows from the woman called her mother, her expression turning fearful and wronged.

Normally, she would only be scolded, but that was unavoidable as she had done something wrong.

Today, her mistake was more apparent: she had dared to talk back to her mother and explain why she had been out for so long. But her mother clearly felt that the reason 'looking for trash cans'...

Was a lie.

Disobedient, an eyesore, and a liar – she had to be taught a lesson!

She didn't try to argue. Everyone was like this. She didn't talk much, was unsociable, couldn't read the room, and was considered strange, so people picked on her.

She just had to endure it.

Listening to her mother's scolding and feeling the pain, she didn't cry, only felt wronged.

At that moment, she suddenly heard the sound of the room door opening.

Strange? Mom was hitting me, and I was being hit by Mom... Who was opening the door?

Thinking this, her mother turned around before she could, screaming, "Who are you? How did you break in..."

"Slap!"

A loud sound, very familiar. It usually landed on the girl's face.

Then came a "thud," a second blow to the ground, and the world fell silent.

For some reason, Sato Yuno thought this, followed by fear. The sudden silence made her afraid to look up, afraid to face the unfolding, unknown changes. She continued to hug her knees, burying her face where no one could see.

Fang Jie didn't disturb her. Instead, he shook his hand, looking on with satisfaction.

If it were a group, his feet would shift in small ranges like a boxer's butterfly stance. But in a one-on-one situation like this, he slightly raised his hand, gathered strength, aimed for the cheek, and one hit rendered them speechless.

He could slap them head-on or backhand; either hand worked. It was all done in one fluid motion, like a thunderclap, as if tempered through a thousand trials, a single decisive blow, a killing strike. He had already reached the realm where the sword is not in hand, but in the heart!

More importantly, he was fair!

Whether they were thugs or bitches, it didn't matter what those scoundrels were babbling about; a slap was all it took.

There was no reason in this world for the abuser to act with impunity while the victim hesitated.

He would act whenever he saw something he disliked, even if it meant being overbearing.

Moreover, he was saving someone, and it was an emergency.

He casually grabbed the unknown woman's hair and tossed her aside, clearing the way between her and the silently trembling purple-haired girl. Fang Jie narrowed his eyes slightly, sensing a concentrated surge of Honkai energy gathering towards her. It wasn't directly disintegrating her, nor was she being corrupted into a monster like a zombie, but inexplicably merging with her, slowly accumulating more.

In the world of Honkai, the only ones capable of this, besides natural Stigmata bearers, were... Herrschers.

Considering that the 'Honkai Will' had already predetermined the order and authority of Herrscher appearances, the limit for a suitable host in the current civilization could only be a Pseudo-Herrscher.

"Sato Yuno?"

He asked.

The girl trembled all over upon hearing her name, not daring to look up or refuse to respond. Like an ostrich playing dead, she let events unfold, preparing herself to endure pain.

It had always been like this.

But it wasn't. Seeing her not respond, Fang Jie didn't rush. He simply left her alone, picked up the kettle as if he were at home, and drank water. He even glanced at the kitchen and walked in with enthusiasm to start cooking.

Pots and pans, all at my whim.

Midway through, the woman also woke up. After all, Fang Jie was gentle, and his force was clearly lighter. This woman didn't object at all to the stranger appearing in her home. Even though Fang Jie wasn't the type to say harsh words, she had suffered enough and obediently cooperated... a robber?

When Fang Jie, holding a pot, walked out of the kitchen after giving her money, he saw her kneeling.

"Spare me, please spare me. Whatever you want..."

Half of her cheek and her eyelid were swollen, and her words were slurred and unclear.

"Please go back to your room."

Fang Jie was concise.

The woman acted as if she had received a great pardon and rushed towards the bedroom, leaving only her daughter, who had also knelt down at some unknown time.

She also hoped to hear a similar command. This person was too terrifying. Even breathing the same air as him made her tremble uncontrollably. It was the fear of absolute violence, an instinctive shudder towards anyone who might become an abuser.

Unfortunately, she couldn't leave.

"Stand up. Don't kneel."

The girl immediately stood at attention, very obediently.

But Fang Jie, feeling the Honkai energy erosion that consumed more of his Fate energy to resist compared to other areas, felt he shouldn't be that scary.

He had to stop this process. Otherwise, let alone the nearby blocks destined to turn to ashes, this young lady before him would also transform into a Herrscher and, in the future, defeat Theresa to her knees.

Looking at the surname of the homeowner, the partially guessed Far East characters allowed Fang Jie to confirm she was Sato Yuno, the Herrscher of Poison.

As for how to stop it? When unable to disperse the accumulating Honkai energy, keeping her from developing negative emotions was an effective method. Currently, Raiden Mei was enduring the opposite treatment, continuously experiencing negative emotions.

So, what should he do? She wasn't appreciating his efforts at all. Yes, he broke into her house and knocked her mother to the ground, but it was entirely for their own good. He couldn't just let her mother continue to court death until she forced her daughter to kill her.

You can completely trust me and be friends with me to gain positive emotions! (Shouted with conviction)

However, it didn't happen. Sato Yuno was trembling, which made Fang Jie... I'm eating, eating, eating! His appetite was so obviously good, and his eating posture was even more unrestrained.

People should at least be full when they die.

Looking at the trembling girl, Fang Jie decided to start with interpersonal relationships: "You don't need to be afraid of me. I'm Kiana's friend and I'm offering you free drop-in assistance. This service is free. The person who bullied you has been beaten. Remember to leave a good review."

Kiana?

Upon hearing the familiar name, Sato Yuno finally stopped looking so dazed. Although there wasn't much change, the gradually accumulating Honkai energy did slow down.

It was effective.

But not very effective. She still remained silent, her entire being exuding passivity.

Fang Jie didn't press further, giving her time to stabilize her emotions. He continued to eat ravenously. Except for the portion left for Sato Yuno, everything else was cleared. "I'm full. You do as you please."

He turned his back, preparing to sleep soundly without treating himself as an outsider.

This person, this person...

It was only then that Sato Yuno came back to her senses, still unable to understand what had happened. It seemed like the blink of an eye, and how did she end up on the ground?

You, aren't you leaving?

Should, should I call the police?

She thought of something her mother hadn't considered and then silently gave up. Even if she called the police, no one would likely come to help, and she didn't want to cause trouble.

Looking at the food that was clearly left for her, which her mother didn't even get, Sato Yuno bit her lip slightly. Only then did the girl dare to secretly observe this person who had suddenly barged in so forcefully.

He slept so soundly!

So unrestrained!

So arrogant!

Wh-why? How could there be someone so strange... No, there were people like that. She knew someone like that.

It was her classmate Kiana, who had helped her when she was being bullied.

However, Kiana only paid attention to that young lady Raiden Mei.

If it were Kiana, what would she say?

Probably—

'You don't need to worry about me. It's fine if I get beaten up. I'm often beaten at home, so I'm used to it.'

Looking at her mother's room, there was no movement, and her mother didn't even care about her being left here. Sato Yuno's large eyes shed tears, which fell drop by drop.

The next day, as if nothing had happened, the stranger who had suddenly intruded also suddenly left, disappearing at some unknown time.

Her mother's room remained closed. She hid inside, afraid to come out.

"I'm heading out."

Sato Yuno still had to go to school; it was a habit.

Students should go to school.

'Chiyu Academy.'

From the rooftop, Fang Jie, who was up early to catch some sun, watched this scene unfold but didn't follow.

He certainly wouldn't barge into a girls' school. Beating up ordinary people was one thing, and he wasn't even afraid of those trashy police officers in the Far East, but anything involving Honkai, especially when it escalated to Anti-Entropy, Schicksal, or Herrschers…

Civilian technology in the world of Honkai was remarkably simple and unpretentious, largely within his understanding. However, once Honkai was involved, it was practically "omnipotent."

Approaching this powder keg rashly was extremely dangerous. Had he not considered talking things through with Raiden Mei, joking around with Kiana, expelling Bronya, and then meeting those "familiar" Valkyries?

Right now, it was a sure way to get himself killed.

But leaving like this made him unwilling to give up, as there were opportunities amidst the danger.

He wasn't a Stellar Nucleus who could beat up Doomsday Beasts with a Galaxy Baseball Bat. His superpowers leaned more towards evasion than combat power, and his physique, built for endurance with combat as a secondary focus, was also strengthened by his Fate energy.

This kind of stat allocation wasn't even enough for him to leave Belobog's snowfields. He couldn't even defeat the lowest-level monsters wandering in the Cleft without a proper weapon.

Therefore, he had to find a way within the world of Honkai, gain the strength to leave the snowfields, embrace the promising Belobog, and then develop to the standard required to board the Astral Express.

The Astral Express didn't accept just anyone.

'I definitely don't have anything like a Stigmata. As for mechanical augmentation, whoever wants it can have it. Biological augmentation is the same. If I had that idea, it would be more cost-effective next door. As for piloting mechs...'

Actually, the best option would be a God Key, or becoming a Herrscher. With Welt as a precedent—or rather, following in his footsteps—that thing was useful.

But being useful also made it difficult to obtain.

'So, the objective is clear: get a mech.'