Starting as the Behind-the-Scenes Boss in the Honkai World

Chapter 24: The Limits of the Stigmata

Jackal was so engrossed in her research on sacred relics that she couldn't pull herself away. Meanwhile, Raven took Shi Hen and led him to a life of decadent luxury within the base, complete with all the services of food, drink, and entertainment.

Although the base was located in a remote area and didn't have many luxury goods, it was sufficient to supply a select few high-ranking individuals.

And it was clear that Raven, as an executive of the organization, belonged to that select few.

As the saying goes, the privileges of high-ranking personnel within World Serpent were openly acknowledged.

As long as you possessed sufficient ability, you could completely dictate the life and death of lower-ranking personnel.

The law of the jungle, the survival of the fittest – these were embodied perfectly within the organization known as World Serpent.

World Serpent never pursued fairness or justice.

For the weak, this was obviously not friendly.

But fortunately, both Shi Hen and Raven belonged to the ranks of the strong.

While enjoying life at the base, Raven also conveyed these rules to the young man, making him understand the environment he was in.

However, less than a week passed before this quiet yet eventful life was unexpectedly shattered, and it was by the owner of the base herself – Jackal.

"You really know how to boss people around, Jackal," Raven taunted the scientist in the transport ship's lounge.

"I'm just helping you stretch your muscles," Jackal retorted with a cold laugh, stirring her coffee in a white porcelain cup with a teaspoon. "If you stay in the base any longer, you'll get so fat you'll turn into a ball."

She knew perfectly well what Raven and the other had been doing at the base these past few days, but she simply didn't care.

"Heh, my figure is much better than yours."

Raven said with a confident expression.

She was a combat personnel, unlike someone who spent all their time holed up in a laboratory.

Moreover, even while playing around with Shi Hen, she had incorporated some training. For example, she had already scrapped over a dozen tactical mechs in the base.

Anyway, the organization's funds would reimburse the costs, so she didn't have to pay out of pocket.

"Oh? Is that so?"

Jackal puffed out her chest, her ample curves trembling slightly.

Raven: "..."

She hated anyone who was taller and had longer legs than her.

Shi Hen, trembling between the two executives, looked through the mission-related information and asked, "So, our target this time is the newly appeared Emperor-class Honkai Beast, Ganesha?"

What could awaken Jackal from her sacred relic research was naturally not something ordinary.

And an Emperor-class, high-ranking Honkai Beast was undoubtedly qualified. Not to mention that Ganesha was the first to appear in this era.

In other words, Jackal wanted to snatch the first kill of the wild field boss.

In an era where the Third Herrscher had not yet been born, Emperor-class Honkai Beasts were rare commodities, often not encountered even once in several years.

Of course, while rare, Emperor-class Honkai Beasts were also symbols of destruction.

Under normal circumstances, even an A-rank elite Valkyrie would have to risk their lives against a high-ranking species, and it would be impossible to deal with them without losing a few people.

However, once the standard was raised to S-rank, things would become much simpler.

This was also why Jackal had brought Shi Hen along.

As for Raven... although theoretically, she possessed strength not inferior to an S-rank Valkyrie, there were still differences between S-ranks.

When Rita also got promoted, Raven should be able to upgrade her own ranking.

After all, S-rank was merely a job classification within Schicksal, not that the World Serpent would call out to you once your strength reached a certain level.

Before a real battle, no one could claim to rival Schicksal's S-rank Valkyries.

When the only S-rank Valkyrie was Durandal, the powerhouses of that tier were enough to declare, "Among men, Lü Bu; among horses, Red Hare."

And after adding Rita to the S-rank roster, many people's bravery could be no less than that of an S-rank Valkyrie.

Hearing Shi Hen's question, Jackal temporarily broke away from her bickering with Raven, glanced at the young man, and said, "That's right.

Once we capture Ganesha and thoroughly understand the secrets of Emperor-class Honkai Beasts, I can even make you a Fusion Warrior of the new era!"

The concept of controlling Honkai had yet to be realized, and Jackal was already painting a rosy picture.

Then, as if remembering something, Jackal added, "Oh, right, you probably don't know what a Fusion Warrior is yet. I can tell you responsibly, Fusion Warriors..."

"Don't talk about that nonsense. Hen isn't interested in becoming a monster," Raven interrupted directly.

As a fellow World Serpent executive and having gone through the baptism of Elysian Realm, she knew very well what Fusion Warriors were.

In a word, Fusion Warriors could no longer be called human.

Although she often muttered that Shi Hen was as strong as a monster, she didn't want him to actually become one.

Shi Hen: "..."

He was actually quite interested in Fusion Warriors.

Of course, he was just a little curious and had no intention of becoming a Fusion Warrior himself. He also didn't like the idea of having a few extra pairs of horns on his head.

Isn't it better to just be human?

Besides, his system cheat was already enough for him.

"Fine if you don't want to listen, I don't feel like explaining anyway."

Jackal pouted.

To receive a personal explanation from the chief scientist of World Serpent was something many people would beg for, yet these two dared to look down on it.

"One more thing, when you fight the Honkai Beast later, go easy on it. I want it alive."

Jackal said casually, as if it were as simple as eating or drinking.

"Wait... capture it alive? Jackal, are you crazy!?"

Hearing this, Raven's pupils couldn't help but widen.

Did this guy even know what an Emperor-class Honkai Beast meant!?

"What? Is there a problem? Shi Hen should be able to handle it easily, right?"

Jackal didn't think there was anything wrong with her request.

In her calculations, S-rank Valkyrie = Herrscher, and Shi Hen = Durandal = S-rank Valkyrie.

And as everyone knew, Emperor-class Honkai Beasts were like servants before Herrschers, easily killed in an instant. Therefore, Shi Hen could naturally do the same.

In conclusion, wasn't her request for him to capture Ganesha alive perfectly reasonable?

Shi Hen: "..."

He couldn't say he couldn't do it.

In his normal state, his strength wasn't much different from Raven's. He was the type who would need to put in a lot of effort to defeat an Emperor-class Honkai Beast.

If he used his burst state, he could gain the power to quickly deal with the Honkai Beast, but... it was exhausting.

He would need a long recovery period to regain full health.

So, even someone as tough as Durandal wouldn't activate her power every other minute.

"I can do it, but it will come at a great cost."

Shi Hen was hinting that she should pay more.

He felt he had truly grasped the essence of Raven's senior.

But unexpectedly, Jackal just frowned in confusion. "Why are you so weak!?"

Her voice contained no personal judgment, as if she were merely wondering why an apple would fly into the sky after ripening, carrying a tone of inherent questioning.

In Jackal's understanding, if Herrschers could easily kill Emperor-class beasts, why was he so frail?

"..."

His fists clenched.

If you have nothing good to say, you can choose to remain silent.

"I heard that there was once a Stigmata Awakener in Shenzhou who could kill a Herrscher with a single sword strike. You should be able to do that too."

Jackal said with an irrefutable tone, as if stating that one plus one equals two.

In the records she had seen, that Stigmata Awakener could unleash power comparable to a Fusion Warrior in a short period.

And it was well-known that Fusion Warriors were far stronger than Herrschers.

Therefore, Stigmata Awakener > Herrscher was clearly established.

Of course, ordinary Stigmata Awakeners wouldn't be able to, but Shi Hen, who could already contend with S-rank Valkyries, was not ordinary to begin with.

Whether it was his adaptability to Honkai Energy or his control over it, Shi Hen had demonstrated abilities far exceeding those of a typical Stigmata Awakener.

"I think you should see a neurologist."

Shi Hen sincerely advised.

He genuinely believed Jackal had a serious mental disorder.

How much of a misunderstanding did this person have about the strength of Herrschers? Did she think they were stray cats and dogs that could be easily knocked out and brought home?

As someone who had developed his Stigmata to the maximum level, Shi Hen could clearly tell her that the limit of Stigmata was to briefly contend with a Herrscher.

After all, Herrschers were the true chosen ones of the version, while Stigmata were merely derivatives of Fusion Warrior technology.

Trying to defy the version with something that had inherent flaws was something even he couldn't do.

"Are you doubting my theory?"

Jackal frowned.

You can doubt my combat power, but you can't doubt my brain!

"Ms. Jackal, do you have Stigmata?"

Shi Hen asked.

"Of course not," Jackal replied righteously. "I know what you're going to say, but I'm also deeply involved in researching Meele and Honkai Beasts. Do I have to become a Meele or a Honkai Beast first?

Who understands Stigmata better, you or me!?"

Although, strictly speaking, Shi Hen's possession of Natural Stigmata had not yet been scientifically verified.

But as the chief scientist of World Serpent, Jackal wouldn't fail to notice something as simple as this.

No one understood Natural Stigmata better than she did!

Shi Hen: "..."

He felt that he understood Stigmata better, because no one understood himself better than he did.

"Ms. Jackal, do you know the limit of Stigmata?"

Shi Hen said tactfully.

"Of course," Jackal nodded confidently. "Isn't the limit of Stigmata the Fusion Warrior?"

"Indeed."

Raven also chimed in with agreement, uncharacteristically finding common ground with Jackal.

Having experienced the Elysian Realm and met that Mobius, she knew very well that although the technical principles of Natural Stigmata and Fusion Warriors were different, Stigmata awakened individuals could, in a sense, be considered Fusion Warriors.

This was because the Stigmata genes that expressed uniquely in the human body actually originated from Honkai Beasts.

"You don't need to worry about what a Fusion Warrior is. Just know that Stigmata that reach their limit can easily surpass a Herrscher."

Jackal was extremely confident.

World Serpent had records of quite a few Stigmata awakened individuals, but none could reach Shi Hen's level, not even close.

If even Shi Hen couldn't surpass a Herrscher, it would undoubtedly mean her research direction on Stigmata was fundamentally flawed.