"Lucius — do you have anything to say this time?" Kiana looked at the mushroom cloud rising in the distance and asked him with a cheerful grin.
"Everything is under control." Lucius replied, expression perfectly calm, without so much as a flicker.
"Pfft... hahahaha!" Kiana doubled over laughing.
Seeing this, Lucius's face went dark. He turned away, casually dragged the progress bar back, and time returned once more to the moment Sirin had just woken up inside the Babylon Tower.
He then began thinking about how to actually advance the plot.
The obstacle before him was plainly obvious — it was Sirin's extraordinary self-confidence. This purple pufferfish's inflation level exceeded even the version from fifty thousand years in the future.
Which meant she had barely left the starting village, hadn't even managed to fully awaken, and was already getting wiped out. If her uncontrollable inflation problem couldn't be resolved, she would die before awakening no matter how many times the timeline reset.
"Looks like I need to correct you, Miss Purple Pufferfish." His thoughts turned rapidly, and Lucius soon hit upon an idea.
Time rewound to the moment Sirin's consciousness returned.
The Babylon Tower. The same familiar laboratory.
Bound to the operating table, Sirin snapped her eyes open. "That obnoxiously pink creature — I'll kill you!!!"
Saying that, a slightly puzzled expression crossed her face, and she murmured to herself: "By the way — haven't I said that before?"
Sirin shook her head and tossed the odd thought out of her mind. After surveying the laboratory surroundings, she prepared to break free.
But she quickly found that without Honkai energy, her body was already extremely weak — she simply didn't have the strength to break the restraints.
"Too weak — completely powerless. I need to think of some way to absorb Honkai energy...BANG!"
Just as Sirin was thinking this, the laboratory door suddenly exploded into fragments — each fragment's surface smooth as a mirror, as though cut by something extraordinarily sharp.
"Sirin — thank goodness you're alright." A somewhat faint voice, unable to conceal its delight, drifted in from outside.
Sirin followed the voice and looked outward, finding it was a girl with long dark brown hair and a meek, fragile appearance — who had already stepped through the doorway and was running toward her.
"Who are you." Sirin asked in puzzlement.
Hearing Sirin's question, the girl looked confused — but still answered: "I... I'm Galina. Didn't we promise to be partners for life?"
Partners? When did I ever have a partner? Sirin was thoroughly puzzled.
But very quickly she thought: the fact that she was waking up here in the first place already contained many mysteries.
Sirin tried to think it through. Sirin's thinking hit a wall. Sirin thought about it for a moment. Sirin decided to stop thinking.
If she couldn't work it out, there was no point. As long as she fulfilled the mission the deity had given her and destroyed humanity, that was all that mattered.
At that moment, the girl called Galina's fingers turned into sharp claws, and she effortlessly cut Sirin free from the operating table.
Having broken free, Sirin looked at Galina with some surprise. "The scent of death — another pseudo-Herrscher... by the way, why did I say 'another'?"
Tossing the strange thought out of her mind, Sirin smiled with satisfaction.
"You've done well, my servant. I now command you, in the name of the Queen of the Void — become my blade and help me restore my power."
Hearing Sirin's thoroughly chunnibyou declaration, Galina immediately cupped Sirin's head in her hands and asked urgently: "Sirin — does your head feel off? Did they do something to damage your brain?"
The girl's nonstop worried chatter fell on Sirin's ears like an unbearable din. She felt that this fussy person who called herself Galina was nothing like a Herrscher — she was more like her own mother.
"Enough. I'm fine." Sirin cut off Galina's chatter with blunt rudeness, and said in a commanding tone: "Servant — obey my orders. Kill through this laboratory and help me restore my power."
"...No." Galina shook her head weakly.
"What — you dare refuse me? I am——"
Sirin realized that with her current power, she actually had no real way to dominate the pseudo-Herrscher before her.
Sensing the gap in strength, Sirin softened her tone slightly.
"Galina — we are both divine apostles. Destroying this world is our mission. You should help me."
Galina shrank back slightly and said quietly: "But Sirin... I just want everyone to be able to live."
Watching Sirin's expression darken, Galina quickly grabbed her arm in a panic and tried to dissuade her: "Schicksal's forces are very powerful — we're no match for them at all. Why don't we take Aurora and Agata and escape from here..."
"Enough!" Sirin yanked her hand free from Galina's grip and glared at her with furious exasperation. "The deity gave you power — not for you to run away! You coward! How shameful!"
Being reprimanded like this, Galina's face went white. "But I... I'm really scared of dying."
"What a disgrace! You wield the authority of Death, yet you fear death?! I am ashamed to be associated with you!" Saying that, Sirin stopped paying attention to Galina and moved to go around her and leave.
But as a shadow flashed before her, Galina was blocking her again — arms spread wide, face frantic with urgency.
"Don't do anything reckless, Sirin. You don't understand the darkness of Schicksal at all. Our power is nothing but eggs thrown against a stone wall."
Sirin tried to push Galina aside, but quickly found she was no match for her in her current state. She snapped in frustration: "Galina — what exactly do you want?!"
"I'll take you away from here. I... I can't watch you die for nothing..."
Sirin was just about to struggle when an utterly arrogant voice drifted in from outside.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Humans — perish under my unquenchable storm!!!"
"This is bad — that's Aurora. She's doing something reckless." Galina's face went sheet white.
But Sirin, hearing the commotion outside, looked supremely satisfied. "Good — it seems there are still loyal ones among the deity's servants. That kind of bold display is exactly how a Herrscher should act."
She then looked at Galina beside her, and with an expression of pure contempt, stepped several paces away.
"What a disgrace. I am ashamed to be associated with you."
Having said that, she moved to go outside and seek cooperation with the pseudo-Herrscher called Aurora.
But before she could even act, a tremendous sound rang out.
BOOM!
And then a figure crashed through the wall, tumbling and rolling to a stop beside Sirin and Galina. It was Aurora — who had been so insufferably arrogant mere moments ago.
She was now lying face-down on the floor, laboriously lifting her head, and letting out a spray of purple blood.
"Sirin... Galina... run... run fast——BANG!"
A golden chain gun shot in from the distance, piercing clean through Aurora as she was still giving her warning.
The gushing blood splattered across Sirin's face, making her pupils contract, her body tremble, and her throat work involuntarily.
Theresa — Kallen — arrived beside the two of them expressionlessly, casually retrieved the chain gun from Aurora's body, and only then looked at Sirin and Galina.
In Sirin's eyes, she was nothing short of a demon who slaughtered Herrschers — ten, even nine parts terrifying.
Just as despair was rising in Sirin's heart, Galina stepped in front of her, spreading her arms, voice shaking: "Don't... don't you dare hurt Sirin!"
Watching Galina stand in front of Sirin even while trembling with fear, Kallen's expression tightened further.
"There's nothing to be afraid of. Those animals have been dealt with. I'll take you to Saint Freya for psychological treatment."
Very shortly, Sirin and Galina followed behind Kallen and arrived at the Babylon Tower's airfield.
Many test subjects had already gathered here.
Once Kallen stepped away, Galina finally let out a long breath of relief and patted her chest. "That was close — it seems she didn't notice anything wrong with us. What a relief."
Watching Galina still visibly shaken, Sirin couldn't help asking: "You were clearly scared half to death just now. Why did you still step in front of me?"
"I... I didn't want you to get hurt." Every word of Galina's small face was written with grievance — but that one sentence was said with unshakeable conviction.
Hearing Galina's words, Sirin fell into silence.
This was the first time since becoming a Herrscher that she had felt genuine kindness from another person. It even made her long-dead heart seem to edge toward something like warmth...
As if!
A cold smile crossed Sirin's face.
"Ha! I am the great Queen of the Void — do I need protection from a servant like you?"
Then, ignoring the aggrieved look on Galina's face, Sirin fixed her gaze on Theresa — Kallen — who was in the distance talking to Patrick, and said: "The only one who poses a real threat to us is that white-haired shorty. As long as we wait for her guard to drop, we can go to that place with all the Honkai energy and restore our power."
What pleased Sirin was that Kallen didn't stay long.
In front of a warship that had already powered up, Kallen said to Patrick: "Patrick — I'm going to go speak with Anti-Entropy in the outer perimeter. Wait here. A transport from Saint Freya will be coming soon to take these children away."
"Understood, Lady Theresa." Patrick accepted the assignment. With the pseudo-Herrschers already eliminated, this place was now extremely safe anyway.
Though watching Theresa prepare to leave, she still asked somewhat puzzledly: "Lady Theresa — while these warships aren't dedicated transports, they could fit everyone if a little cramped. Why wait for a transport from Saint Freya?"
Kallen crossed her arms, expression darkening. "I'm waiting for someone."
Saying that, she boarded the ship under Patrick's thoughtful gaze and departed.
Seeing this, Sirin — who had been watching closely — let a savage smile curl her lips.
"Good — that white-haired shorty has finally left. Only that busty woman remains, and she's absolutely no match for us."
"Galina — come with me, we'll kill them together, then go absorb Honkai energy to restore our power."
"No — this is too dangerous. Sirin, you really don't understand Schicksal's darkness..." Galina stepped in front of Sirin, face panicked, trying to hold her back.
"Enough!" Sirin seized Galina by the shoulders and glared at her furiously. "Useless thing — you don't even qualify to be my servant. A coward like you has no right to call yourself a divine apostle."
After shoving her aside hard, Sirin walked toward Patrick.
"I can kill them without you!" Saying that, she didn't hesitate another moment — channeling the tiny remaining amount of Honkai energy in her body, she moved to kill her way through.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Suddenly, one after another, slicing sounds filled the air.
Sirin looked up in alarm — a series of golden chain guns were falling from the sky, landing beside every single survivor from the Babylon Tower.
A chain gun landed beside Sirin and Galina. Upon detecting Honkai energy, it suddenly erupted with intense golden light.
In an instant, Sirin felt the last remnants of Honkai energy in her body dissolving away. Even with a mind as sluggish as hers under normal circumstances, she understood at once what had happened.
That detestable white-haired shorty — she had been waiting for her to reveal herself!
"Damn it — this is a trap!" Upon realizing she'd been set up, Sirin's reaction was like a startled little animal puffing up in alarm.
No coexistence between humans and Herrschers. As the proud Queen of the Void, she prepared to fight to the death.
Then suddenly, Sirin felt her hand seized by a cold, trembling hand — and a surge of powerful Honkai energy flowed through that grip into her body.
Galina was gripping her hand, face on the verge of tears with fear. "Sirin — stay alive. You absolutely have to stay alive..."
Behind her, a pair of jet-black wings spread open like a crow's — the power of the Death authority erupted from her body, brilliantly and unmistakably.
She spread her wings and charged upward into the sky, straight into the chain guns raining down like a downpour.
Thud.
A pseudo-Herrscher's power wasn't weak — but inside the Binding Domain of the Oath of Judah's deployment, it was no more than paper. Galina's heart was pierced by a chain gun. Blood erupted and splashed across Sirin's face.
Galina stilled in midair for a moment — then dropped lifelessly to the ground.
Thud.
Looking at Galina, now frozen in an expression of pain and fear, Sirin clenched her fist tight.
The warmth that Galina's grip had left on her hand hadn't even faded yet. In her ears, those words still echoed — stay alive.
Kallen's figure landed beside Sirin. She retrieved the chain gun from Galina's body, then said in a gentle tone: "Don't be afraid. The Herrscher who was hiding has been eliminated. You're safe."
Sirin's face spread into a smile that looked worse than crying. She opened her mouth — and ultimately said: "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Kallen turned away with a taut expression, dragging Galina's body as she left.
Once Kallen was gone, Sirin stared at the blood on the ground, clenching her teeth and cursing furiously:
"Idiot. Does the Queen of the Void need saving by you? Don't be so presumptuous on my behalf!"
"If you were going to be a coward, couldn't you have just hidden quietly?!"
Though Galina's final gift had replenished quite a lot of Honkai energy in her body, compared to the very beginning, she now felt more powerless than ever.
Even having become a Herrscher — it seemed she still couldn't accomplish anything.
Sirin's expression became somewhat lost. She raised her hand and pressed it to her chest.
Perhaps, inside this ever-inflating heart, a small measure of regret had taken root... along with anger directed at herself.
"This time I'm really leaving. All these children have boarded the warship — cramped as it is." Theresa — Kallen — said her goodbyes to Patrick at the warship's entrance.
"The Herrscher has been eliminated. This place is completely safe now. Patrick — receive the engineering unit when they arrive. I'll get these children back to Saint Freya first."
Watching Theresa take off, Patrick let out a long exhale — after the cold sweat had dried.
"These Herrschers are far too cunning — managing to hide among ordinary people. If Theresa hadn't been cautious enough, I might have been done for today."
"But now that the Herrscher has been dealt with — survived another day. I wonder if I'll ever make it to the other shore of all this."
Watching Kallen's ship disappear into the distance, Patrick prepared to head to the Babylon Tower's rest area to wait for Schicksal's engineering unit.
But just as she was about to leave, a flash of purple swept across her field of vision.
Patrick looked — and found it was one of the test subjects she had just seen, who seemed to be called Sirin.
At that, Patrick felt a jolt of alarm internally. "Don't tell me — another Herrscher?"
But after a moment's thought, she tossed that unlikely idea aside.
"Impossible... two pseudo-Herrschers have already appeared in this one location."
Two pseudo-Herrschers appearing in the same place at the same time was already unheard of.
Three in a row — that was simply impossible.
Still, just to be safe, she got in touch with Theresa — Kallen. Very quickly, the other gave her reply.
"That girl who was near the Herrscher? The Oath of Judah didn't detect any Herrscher-level energy from her. She must have intentionally stayed behind when the others boarded. Keep an eye on her and wait for the next transport to take her back."
Patrick exhaled in relief.
If Lady Theresa said there was nothing to worry about, then there definitely wasn't. She wouldn't lie to her, would she?
Since there was no danger, Patrick decided to follow Theresa's instructions and keep watch over her.
Getting closer, Patrick still felt nothing threatening. She saw Sirin crouched on the ground, staring blankly at a bloodstain — the very spot where the pseudo-Herrscher had been struck down by Kallen.
"Was she... your comrade?" Patrick asked.
Sirin said nothing. She just crouched there in a daze.
Seeing her silence, Patrick sighed inwardly.
As someone who valued her own life deeply, knowing how precious life was made her understand the grief of losing someone close all the more. This girl's heart must be in tremendous pain right now.
"I'm sorry. Once someone becomes a Herrscher, they can no longer be counted as human. What we did was giving her release."
"What are you waiting for?" Sirin suddenly asked.
Patrick didn't understand.
But the next moment she watched as, right at the spot where the pseudo-Herrscher had fallen, a shattered grey crystal slowly rose up.
Sirin extended her hand and seized it.
Then she raised her head and looked at Patrick sideways — a pair of golden pupils bearing an inverted cross radiating absolute authority.
"I'm waiting to receive her power. What are you waiting for?"
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