MANTIS / Herrscher of Flame

"Old Man Nakiri knows her?" Luo Xingchen asked Senzaemon Nakiri.

"I've met her once or twice." Senzaemon Nakiri said, "But have you made up your mind, brat from the Luo Family? How about letting Luo Yu come to Tootsuki Resort for a few days? We'll be holding our residential training program there soon."

Fusion Warriors

"The old man wants to trick my son into becoming an instructor, doesn't he?" Luo Xingchen said with a smile as he looked at Senzaemon Nakiri.

Senzaemon Nakiri did not deny it, saying calmly, "That is part of the plan. After all, we all know how skilled that boy Luo Yu is."

That was right—Senzaemon Nakiri was Luo Yu's culinary mentor. When Luo Yu had been brought to visit Tootsuki Academy and saw Senzaemon Nakiri, he had confirmed that this world also incorporated Shokugeki.

He happened to have a cooking skill to level up, so whenever he had time during middle school, Luo Yu went to Tootsuki to study under Senzaemon Nakiri. After all, the Luo Family and the Nakiri family had always been close.

"Originally, I wanted Luo Yu to attend high school at Tootsuki." Senzaemon Nakiri recalled. "But I never expected his talent to be so exceptional. Just by studying under me intermittently during middle school, he reached that level."

"His skills still feel rather immature, but without a doubt, Luo Yu has already reached my level. Tootsuki no longer has anything to teach him."

"Fine, old man. I'll have Luo Yu go to Tootsuki Resort. As for whether you can persuade him to become an instructor, that depends on whether you can talk him into it."

"That will do. Erina has been looking forward to seeing Luo Yu again. She said she would definitely surpass him in cooking."

Luo Yu knew nothing about everything that had happened here. Haruno Yukinoshita did not talk with him for long after that before leaving.

Luo Yu found a corner and stayed there until the banquet ended.

After returning home, Luo Yu simply washed up and went to sleep.

What Luo Yu did not know was that the third volume of "Flame Chasers," which had only gone on sale today, had already stirred up an enormous uproar online.

The third volume began where the end of the Sixth Honkai Outbreak had left off.

After returning to the Flame Chasers base, Kevin began receiving treatment from a psychologist. After all, his hesitation had caused an entire city to die, and Kevin could not simply let it go.

Because of the tremendous damage caused by the Sixth Herrscher, the Flame Chasers leadership realized that the Herrschers were becoming stronger and stronger compared to the previous ones.

However, they believed Honkai was still under their control. After deliberation, they rejected the Fusion Warrior Project proposed by Dr. Mobius.

After treatment from the psychologist, Kevin's emotions had improved considerably. But it was obvious that the smiles on Kevin's face had grown fewer.

He had also intensified his training.

This continued until the arrival of the Seventh Honkai Outbreak.

The Seventh Honkai Outbreak erupted. This time, the Seventh Herrscher set the entire Australian continent ablaze, turning it into a sea of fire.

Kevin stood amid the blazing Australian continent. Feeling the searing heat ahead, he realized that he could no longer take even a single step forward.

Mei's voice came through the communicator by his ear. "Kevin, our calculations were wrong. The temperature around the Seventh Herrscher is too high. You'll die just from getting close."

"This mission has failed. Come back for now."

"Understood."

With that exchange between Kevin and Mei, the Flame Chasers' first campaign against the Seventh Herrscher ended in failure.

Inside the Flame Chasers' combat conference room, everyone was discussing the battle reports.

Mei said, "The Seventh Herrscher's identity has been confirmed. She is Himeko, captain of Flame Chasers' Fifth Squad."

"I never expected Herrschers to be transformed humans," some bystander said.

Mei said, "That's right. We can now confirm that the previous Herrschers were also transformed from humans. The Seventh Herrscher... will tentatively be designated the Herrscher of Flame."

"Her ability appears to be the control of flames. The temperature around the Herrscher of Flame is extraordinarily high. Even missiles are instantly vaporized when they approach her."

"With our current level of technology, we have no way to kill the Herrscher of Flame."

"Is there really no way, Dr. Mei?" someone asked anxiously.

Mei said, "There is one last method."

"What method?"

"Fusion Warriors."

"You mean the Fusion Warrior Project proposed by Mobius?"

"Yes." Seeing that some people still did not know what Fusion Warriors were, Mei gave a brief explanation. "The Fusion Warrior Project was proposed by Dr. Mobius."

"It is a project that fuses Honkai Beast genes with humans in order to create super soldiers."

"No, I absolutely refuse!" The hardline members of the leadership were still objecting. "If someone fuses with Honkai Beast genes, are they even human anymore?"

Mei looked at them and said calmly, "But we have no other options now."

The higher-ups fell silent for a while before finally agreeing to the Fusion Warrior Project.

"But there is still one problem." Mei continued. "Because the Fusion Warrior Project was previously rejected, the success rate of the surgery is not high."

"What is the success rate?"

Mei said, "Zero."

"What happens if the surgery fails?"

Mei said, "There are two possibilities. One is immediate death. The other is becoming a Honkai Beast."

At those words, everyone fell silent. Wasn't failure guaranteed? And both outcomes meant death. Even becoming a Honkai Beast was no different from dying, wasn't it?

Seeing everyone fall silent, Mei had nothing more to say. After all, the mortality rate was indeed far too high.

"I'll do it."

A voice shattered the silence in the conference room.

"Kevin..." Mei softly said as she looked at Kevin, who had spoken.

Looking at Mei, Kevin said firmly, "I'll undergo the Fusion Warrior surgery."

Seeing this, Mei said calmly, "Since we have a candidate for the surgery, we'll end this meeting here."

Then Mei brought Kevin to the laboratory and began preparing for the Fusion Warrior surgery.

Some time later, the Fusion Warrior surgery was complete. Kevin still lay on the operating table while Mei and the others awaited the final result.

Flame Chasers soldiers holding weapons stood all around him, ready to kill Kevin immediately if he transformed into a Honkai Beast.

The people around them occasionally looked at Mei. After all, they all knew about Kevin and Mei's relationship.

But to their disappointment, they did not see any worry on Mei's face.

Mei continued watching Kevin impassively. No one noticed the trace of concern buried deep in her eyes.

Kevin, you have to survive.

After some more time, Kevin woke up and sat up from the operating table. The Flame Chasers soldiers immediately aimed their weapons at him.

"Kevin, how do you feel? Are you still yourself?" Mei asked.

"I'm Kevin. I feel great now." Kevin sensed the power filling his body, then instinctively formed a pile of ice beside himself.

"What is this?" Kevin asked as he looked at what he had created.

"You fused with the genes of the Emperor-class Honkai Beast Parvati. It seems you've gained its ability to control ice," Mei explained. "Let's perform a physical examination first."

Herrscher of Flame

After Kevin's examination was complete, a researcher announced the results. "Dr. Mei, according to the examination, Captain Kevin now possesses astonishing Honkai Energy resistance."

"His physical constitution is at least comparable to an Emperor-class Honkai Beast."

"It seems our Fusion Warrior Project has succeeded." Mei came to a conclusion upon hearing that, then looked at Kevin. "You've worked hard, Kevin."

Kevin shook his head. "It's nothing." Then he spread his arms, intending to hug Mei.

Seeing that, the researcher hurriedly stopped him.

"Captain Kevin! Wait! You can't hug Dr. Mei right now. Your body surface temperature has dropped to minus thirty degrees Celsius!"

Kevin froze at once upon hearing that, then stared at the researcher in disbelief.

"It seems the surgery is still not perfected." Mei was still calmly analyzing the situation. "This should be a side effect of the surgery."

"I'm sorry, Kevin."

Seeing Mei apologize with an apologetic look in her eyes, Kevin knew he could not blame her for this. He had been the one who volunteered for the surgery.

And he had not frozen because he heard there was a side effect. He only regretted what that side effect was.

After all, he might never be able to embrace Mei again.

"Prepare the battle plan."

Kevin spoke those words coldly.

Although Kevin had only spoken calmly, everyone felt as though an icy wind had swept over them.

After testing, the Flame Chasers leadership decided to have Kevin face the Herrscher of Flame alone.

Kevin sat inside a Flame Chasers transport plane. They were about to reach the Australian continent, and Kevin had to prepare himself for everything.

"Captain Kevin, I can only take you this far," the pilot reminded him.

"Thank you for your hard work."

Kevin replied coldly, then stood and jumped out of the transport plane.

As piercing gusts rang out, Kevin descended upon the Australian continent. After confirming the Herrscher of Flame's location, Kevin walked toward her step by step.

Ever since becoming a Herrscher, Himeko had not moved. She had merely used her authority to continuously raise the surrounding temperature.

Over the past few days, Himeko had also been thinking. The situation is obvious. I must have become a Herrscher.

But I can feel that I am still myself. No, it would be more accurate to say that my way of thinking is still mine. The old me would never have set the Australian continent on fire without hesitation.

The current me clearly leans more toward Honkai. Still, I never expected that, after becoming a Herrscher, I would let Hua go.

Recalling the girl she had rescued during the Third Honkai Outbreak, a smile appeared on Himeko's face.

Although I didn't kill her myself, I still hope she can survive on her own.

But they've finally come, haven't they?

Himeko looked at the white-haired figure steadily approaching her.

With a soft sigh, she said, "I never expected you to be the one sent to subdue me, Kevin."

Kevin stopped in his tracks. Surprise flickered across his ice-cold face, but then he remembered the Sixth Herrscher.

Kevin quickly concealed his expression and assumed a combat stance.

"Himeko, do you still have your self-awareness?" he asked.

Himeko smiled. "Kevin, I know what you're thinking. I'm different from the Sixth. I'm still myself, except now I'm a Herrscher—the Seventh Herrscher."

"I know exactly what I'm doing. Don't think you can persuade me to return to humanity's side."

"As a former comrade, I'll give you some information. The Herrschers truly are just as Dr. Mei speculated—they are all transformed from humans."

"I don't know about the earlier ones. But I definitely still have self-awareness. How should I put it? After becoming a Herrscher, even my perception seems to have changed."

"Now, I naturally believe that humanity should be destroyed. So do you understand now? I truly am the Himeko you know. But I'm also truly a Herrscher."

"Is there really no way?" Kevin asked.

"Kevin, don't have such naive thoughts, all right?" Himeko also prepared to fight. "The only thing you can do now is kill me!"

The moment her words fell, Himeko charged at Kevin and drove a straight punch into his chest.

Himeko's sudden attack caught Kevin off guard. He could only cross his arms in front of his chest to defend himself.

Looking at Kevin, who was completely unscathed, Himeko could not help but marvel. "As expected of humanity's strongest. You're actually completely fine."

"But what about this?"

As she spoke, Himeko controlled molecular motion. A blast of flame hurled Kevin high into the air.

Then the flames vanished, and Kevin quickly fell back down, kicking up clouds of dust.

Surely that didn't finish him, did it? Himeko would never believe that Kevin, the current strongest human, could be dealt with so easily.

Sure enough, under Himeko's gaze, Kevin burst straight out of the dust cloud, his body covered in a layer of ice crystals.

Kevin clenched his fist and threw a straight punch at Himeko.

Himeko caught it effortlessly, though the surrounding environment suffered catastrophic damage. Their clash shattered all the nearby buildings.

Himeko had wanted to taunt Kevin, but she seemed to notice something. Her pupils contracted slightly.

She grabbed Kevin's arm and threw him over her shoulder, creating a crater dozens of meters wide in the ground.

Himeko swiftly retreated from Kevin. She had just sensed a vague feeling of danger.

She had not noticed it during their fight, but after examining herself, Himeko discovered that her blood flow had slowed.

Although she was already a Herrscher, this body was still human.

This is... ice? Himeko carefully examined herself and found a thin layer of ice crystals inside her blood vessels. (Don't ask how she discovered that. Honkai can do anything.)

After confirming it, Himeko looked at Kevin, who had already risen to his feet. New Flame Chasers technology? And Kevin's physical condition...

Before Himeko could think further, Kevin charged again and grappled with her at close range.

Kevin's strategy was actually very simple. Having fused with Parvati's genes, Kevin was unaffected by the high temperatures Himeko created.

That allowed him to fight Himeko without restraint.

Secondly, while fighting Himeko, Kevin continuously generated ice crystals inside her body with cold air. A Herrscher's body was still human, after all.

As long as he damaged her internal organs, even a Herrscher would reveal an opening.

And that was the opportunity Kevin needed—an opportunity to kill with a single blow. Unfortunately, Himeko had noticed his little trick.

But so what if she had noticed? Since the covert approach no longer worked, Kevin switched to a direct one.

He engaged Himeko head-on, sending a portion of cold air into her body with every clash. Kevin kept attacking without giving Himeko any chance to deal with the cold air inside her body.

Himeko, meanwhile, kept looking for an opportunity to shake Kevin off. But Kevin clung to her like a leech and refused to let go.

Seeing that she could not shake Kevin off, Himeko changed her strategy. Since she could not get rid of him and had no time to deal with the cold air inside her body, she only needed to defeat Kevin before it erupted.

After changing her approach, Himeko went from defense to offense and began attacking Kevin with wild abandon.