"The Chairman means to further increase the resource allocation for the Number One?! Are you certain?!"
"That's right! Why, do you have any objections?"
"But... doesn't the Chairman know? The current allocation for the Number One already far exceeds that of the other Level 5s. If we raise it again, it'll surpass the combined total of all the other Level 5s! Isn't that a bit excessive? What if the others complain..."
"There's nothing excessive about it. Do you not understand the strength of the Number One? If they have objections, let them go and complain directly to her! If they lack the strength, they have no right to whine or criticize..." Kihara Amata pressed his temples, cutting off his subordinate's worries with a hint of frustration.
Yes, that's right—it was Kihara Amata again. Ever since the Board of Directors had seen that Selene seemed to show him some degree of favor (or so they believed), they naturally assumed the two had a good relationship. Since he had also been the one to receive Selene upon her arrival in Academy City, they decided to assign him a new role—solely responsible for handling all Dark Side matters related to the Number One.
Under pressure from the Board—and with no other Dark Side organization willing to deal with Selene—Kihara Amata had no choice but to accept, though he was far from pleased about it.
This afternoon, his first assignment was to deliver the [Humanoid Robot Intelligent Operating System] designed by Aleister for Selene.
Just thinking about it gave Kihara Amata a headache. Honestly, the farther he could stay from Selene, the better.
In a foul mood and completely lacking in energy, he simply slouched in his chair. Normally, with his temper, he would've already smacked any subordinate who questioned his orders like this—but today, he just couldn't be bothered. "If any Level 5s have complaints, just tell them this... What, they think they can overturn the sky now?"
Though he acted meek before Selene, Kihara Amata was anything but soft when it came to the other Level 5s. With his defiant personality, he'd undoubtedly respond with heavy fists.
"Understood. But mobilizing funds in the ten-digit range still requires at least two or more directors' approval," the Dark Side member hesitated.
"Forget about them. Just apply for the transfer directly through the Board. Besides, isn't the Number One herself a director? Add the Chairman in, and that makes two. If anyone complains, we'll replace them!"
As a member of the ruling Kihara Clan—the family that reigned over Academy City's Dark Side—and as the leader of the Hound Dog unit directly under Chairman Aleister, Kihara Amata truly had no need to bow to any other director.
According to Aleister's philosophy, the Board of Directors was by no means irreplaceable. "There are plenty more where they came from." Disposable pieces, all of them.
"Handle the money as you see fit. Forget about the directors. I still have a delivery to make later," Kihara Amata muttered, slumping deeper into the sofa. Rolling his eyes, he tapped the metal briefcase beside him with a weary sigh.
"Understood."
...
Schicksal Research Institute.
As Selene received the "delivery" from the Dark Side operative, she opened her mouth to speak—but before she could utter a single word, they had already fled as if escaping from a plague.
"...Uh, am I really that terrifying?"
Shaking her head helplessly, Selene carried the metal case back to her lab. "Hmm, this must be what Aleister mentioned."
She removed a data module from within—a thick, black card-like device etched with white lines and faintly glowing with a blue hue.
After examining it for a moment, Selene crouched and inserted it into the rear slot of her computer. Within seconds, the installation was complete.
Then, she deftly picked up a fresh new chip that had just been implanted with the program, and slowly approached the nearby military robot. Opening the armored compartment at the back of its head, she pressed a small button. The chip slot popped open with a click.
Inserting the chip, she sealed the armor again and stepped back.
The next instant, the once-dormant robot—previously inert due to the lack of a core operating system—suddenly came to life. The red glow in its single-lens camera flashed sharply as its head lifted. It scanned the surroundings fluidly, without the slightest trace of stiffness or lag.
Then, its gaze locked onto Selene. Straightening its posture, the robot's cold, mechanical male voice resonated through the lab.
"Military Robot—Prototype Unit, reporting for duty. It is an honor to serve you."
Selene nodded in satisfaction. Soon after, she summoned Aoki Youichi, instructing him to conduct field tests with the prototype. Depending on the results, he was to proceed with weapon template integration—and eventually, full-scale mass production.
Watching the departing figure of the robot, Selene felt quite satisfied. During its walk through the lab, whenever it encountered obstacles such as various experimental instruments, it instantly adjusted its course without even brushing against them.
Seeing that, Selene felt reassured—and far more confident about her upcoming journey to the new world.
Yes, the new world. This could be considered the consequence of her last full-power battle.
Ever since that fight had ended, Selene had received a piece of news that left her deeply conflicted.
Due to her battle with Accelerator, Selene had generated a vast amount of Honkai Energy, enough to begin reawakening her Herrscher Core. If she were to connect this core to the world and use Honkai to erode it, she could complete her Herrscher transformation—ascending in one leap.
However, the price would be the descent of the Honkai upon this world.
To understand, one must know—the Honkai is a catastrophic phenomenon, a rhythmic cycle of universal correction.
The Honkai arises alongside civilization itself, born to destroy it. It targets the dominant species of a world, striking them with apocalyptic calamities.
It possesses a form of intelligence and manifests in many ways—mutating or killing animals and humans, spreading through plagues such as the Black Death, causing natural disasters like ice ages and volcanic eruptions, world wars, pure Honkai energy eruptions, or spawning Honkai Beasts and Herrschers. Anything that can bring ruin to civilization may be an expression of the Honkai.
Among these, Herrschers are the most dangerous and highest manifestation of the Honkai's power.
The intensity of Honkai development always corresponds proportionally to the level of civilization in a given region.
In other words, the stronger the world, the stronger the Honkai. The Honkai will always remain just a bit stronger than the world itself—that's what makes it so terrifyingly broken.
Then why hadn't Selene simply connected to the A Certain Magical Index world directly?
Because once she did, the Honkai would inevitably descend upon it. That world would be transformed beyond recognition, the Magic Gods would surely appear, and the ensuing battle would devastate the Earth.
And in this lifetime, Selene's adoptive parents—the Brauchitsch couple—still lived on Earth. She still remembered their kindness and care; she was no ungrateful beast who could commit patricide or matricide. Quite the opposite—she intended to repay their kindness. Thus, maintaining the stability of this world and ensuring the Brauchitschs' peaceful life had become her bottom line.
As long as the Brauchitsch couple lived, Selene could never bring harm to this world.
So she chose another path. When her Herrscher Core began to manifest, the "Great Sage" within her had also reactivated its dimensional traversal function.
Selene decided to travel to another world to complete her Herrscher awakening—ideally one with few or no humans. That way, she could minimize her sense of guilt. After all, her moral compass from her previous life hadn't completely vanished.
Still, to be cautious, Selene wanted to prepare for a possible scenario where her powers might not function temporarily in another world. During such a period, she would need means of protection.
This was the reason she had rushed to request Aleister's help in developing the intelligent system. She simply didn't have time to create everything from scratch herself. Selene cherished her second life immensely—there was no such thing as being too cautious.
"How much longer until the spatial jump finishes charging?"
[Approximately three days.]
"Will the new universe reject me? What kind of effects might that have on me?"
[Some level of rejection is expected. It might even induce my dormancy, but the impact on the host is currently unknown.]
"Alright, I understand. Notify me once the charging is complete."
[Understood.]
Inside the wide office of the Schicksal Research Institute, seated in an ergonomically designed chair, Selene pressed her fingers against her forehead.
Thinking about how unreliable the Great Sage could be, she sighed. "Looks like I'll need to make extra preparations, just in case."
Yes—Selene's current mindset could be summed up in one word: buy!
Protective gear, food supplies, melee weapons, firearms and ammunition, high-capacity batteries, solar generators, medicine—everything that might be useful.
...
Three days later.
Inside the underground warehouse of the research institute, Selene tied her long white hair into a ponytail. Beneath her black tactical bodysuit, she wore a form-fitting high-collared combat uniform, topped with a bulletproof vest. Long military boots hugged her legs, and her hands were covered in black anti-stab gloves—her entire body sealed up tight, ready for departure.
A custom thigh holster secured a Beretta 92F pistol to the outer side of her leg armor. Around her waist was a tactical belt, with a Glock 17 on one side and a D9 combat knife on the other. In her hands, she carried a SIG SG-551 automatic rifle.
Every piece of her clothing was crafted from specialized materials—high tensile strength, high combustion point, stab resistance, temperature regulation, and breathability—offering the perfect balance of protection and practicality.
After loading a large quantity of supplies and several military robots into her storage space, Selene slung a bulging multi-functional backpack over her shoulders.
Everything was ready—only the final step remained.
[Charging complete. A suitable world has been located. Spatial jump commencing!]
...
Caw—caw—caw—
In the depths of a dense forest, a resting crow was startled by a sudden burst of red light. With a sharp cry, it flapped its wings and flew off into the distance.
As the light gradually faded, a white-haired figure about 160 centimeters tall appeared amidst the trees.
"Phew."
Naturally, it was Selene. She didn't rush to move around. Instead, she tested her powers—and as expected, they were temporarily suppressed by the new world's influence.
"How long will it take before I can use my abilities again?"
[Basic spatial storage functions should recover within approximately 48 hours. While the exact duration is uncertain, prolonged stay in this world will gradually ease Honkai's connection and integration.]
"Alright then. For now, I need to find a place to settle down. Where am I currently?"
[Based on terrain comparison, your approximate location is North America—Georgia State capital, Atlanta.]
"So this is a parallel Earth-type world."
[Affirmative. I wish you safe travels... sss—]
Feeling the Great Sage slipping into dormancy, Selene warily surveyed her surroundings. Apart from the dense forest, there was a stone-paved path nearby. Through the trees, she could glimpse tall buildings ahead—likely the outskirts of a city park.
However, something felt off. The footprints along the path were messy, human traces evident, yet the atmosphere felt wrong.
Not a single shadow moved. The vast area was utterly silent.
It was far too quiet—an eerie, unsettling silence.
The air itself seemed dead.
Recalling the parameters she had set when selecting her destination—a world with few humans—Selene couldn't help but murmur softly, "...A post-apocalyptic world?"