"Finality!!!"
The sound was almost forced out from the depths of his throat.
Since the destruction of the Previous Era civilization and the death of his beloved, Mei, Kevin Kaslana—the strongest protector of humanity from the Previous Era and the one who came closest to fulfilling the grand ambition of the Flame-Chasers—had not displayed such intense emotional fluctuation for many years.
"I never expected to see you lose composure like this, Kevin..."
With long purple hair in a princess-cut style, crimson oni-like horns, violet-red eyes, white thigh-high stockings, and a red-and-black Herrscher armor crackling with ominous purple lightning, the tall and elegant woman spoke calmly.
She was none other than Raiden Mei, who had already defected from Schicksal, joined World Serpent, and chosen a path completely different from Kiana's.
She was also another rebellious Herrscher of the current era—the Third Herrscher, the Herrscher of Thunder.
Within Kevin's complicated emotions were anger, hatred, regret, guilt, remembrance, and even fear. Since first encountering him, Raiden Mei had never seen such feelings from Kevin.
So you do have something you fear...
Standing beneath the throne at World Serpent headquarters, Raiden Mei watched the ancestor of the Kaslana family with a complicated expression.
She had come here to question Kevin directly about certain matters.
During a previous battle, her consciousness had been drawn into the source of Herrscher authority. The Will of the Honkai had seemingly tried to force certain information into her mind, but the excessive electromagnetic waves overflowing from within her had interfered with the process.
To understand why, Raiden Mei came to headquarters to question Kevin about the truth behind Honkai.
Kevin then opened a path for her leading toward the Root of the world, saying that someone there would provide her with answers.
Why can't you just tell me directly? You people of World Serpent... or rather, those who claim to know secrets and hold high positions... why do you all like speaking in riddles?
Honestly, influenced by her childhood in ME Corp and her father Raiden Ryoma's role as its president, Raiden Mei disliked this kind of cryptic behavior. One could even say she detested it.
Then Kevin discovered that his connection with his fellow Flame-Chasers had been disrupted and temporarily severed.
The passage toward the Root had been affected by the turmoil stirred within Imaginary Space and the Sea of Quanta by someone unknown, causing Kevin's attempt at playing the mysterious guide to fail.
And after that... everything escalated too quickly.
The reappearance of the Herrscher of Finality. The invasion by visitors from beyond the stars. The overwhelming malice carried by these events left him with no time to react.
"That enemy... is your nemesis? Are you afraid?" Raiden Mei asked.
If it were a matter of hatred, humanity and Herrschers inevitably shared deep blood feuds. Yet Kevin had never looked at any other Herrscher this way. To him, they were merely insignificant pieces unworthy of his attention.
It sounded arrogant, perhaps. But as the strongest warrior of the Previous Era, Kevin had the strength to justify such arrogance.
"Fear. Hatred... perhaps. I am human as well. Why shouldn't I feel such things? After all, she is the Herrscher of Finality—the one capable of destroying the world."
"Once, I believed we were fully prepared. I thought I could face her again with absolute calm... but..."
"When that symbol appeared before my eyes, I realized..."
His azure eyes revealed deep, painful killing intent. His muscles tensed so tightly they trembled.
How could he remain calm? How could he not care?
Everyone... Mei... all had died because of Finality! She was the final trial humanity had to overcome to defeat Honkai!
"...Haa."
His clenched fists slowly loosened. Letting out a long breath, Kevin rapidly regained control, returning to his usual calm demeanor.
The mark of the Herrscher of Finality had appeared. Whether true or false, it was now a fact. Sighing and lamenting was not his style.
"It seems the worldwide Honkai disasters and the rampage of Honkai Beasts some time ago were signs of the Herrscher of Finality's descent."
Walking down from the throne, Kevin spoke as he moved.
"The energy tides in Imaginary Space and the Sea of Quanta... yes, that must also be her doing."
"Raiden Mei, just as Mei once did, we must prepare for the worst. For humanity—for the possibility of humanity overcoming Honkai—we must preserve a spark."
Standing before her, his blue eyes met her violet-red gaze as Kevin spoke with solemn seriousness.
"What do you mean?"
"I hope you will not participate in this battle." Kevin's voice remained calm. "This is only the beginning of Finality."
His eyes turned toward the projection showing the fleet that covered the heavens.
"There are at least tens of millions of Honkai-source signatures on those ships." (Most standard Imperial military equipment is closely tied to Honkai energy.)
"And among them are several massive sources whose intensity far exceeds previously born Herrschers—for example, Wendy."
After a long silence, Raiden Mei raised her head. Instead of answering directly, she asked a question.
"How strong is Finality... really?"
"Very strong. Perhaps all of us combined, fighting with everything we have, would still be unable to defeat her. She is the final Herrscher, and the strongest one. Her power surpasses the sum of all other Herrschers combined. Her birth signifies the end of the world."
There was no embarrassment in admitting it. Kevin acknowledged openly that humanity had lost to the Herrscher of Finality. That was simply the truth.
In the Previous Era, during the final battle against Honkai, Kevin and six other warriors—the strongest fighters of humanity—fought the Herrscher of Finality on the Moon.
However, her power was immeasurable. Only five minutes after the battle began, two Flame-Chasers had already fallen.
Taking advantage of the moment when the Herrscher of Finality's attention was drawn away by the warriors, Dr. Mei activated the Moonlight Throne system twice from orbital platforms surrounding Earth—devices capable of converting Honkai energy into other forms of energy.
Yet even when the Moonlight Throne operated beyond maximum capacity, it only reduced the Herrscher of Finality's internal Honkai energy by thirty percent. Soon after, she forced the remaining six warriors into a desperate situation.
Even under such weakened conditions, Kevin's fully unleashed strike only halted the Herrscher of Finality's actions for twelve hours.
Afterward, with the loss of the Moonlight Throne system, humanity no longer possessed any means capable of inflicting effective damage upon her.
Humanity was defeated.
The Previous Era civilization was destroyed.
And now, the current era lacked warriors of scale comparable to the Thirteen Flame-Chasers. It lacked top-tier researchers like Dr. Mei or Mobius—geniuses capable of independent innovation rather than merely "archaeology" or "mining" relics of the past.
The Moonlight Throne system installed on the Hyperion was only a replicated remnant of Previous Era anti-Honkai weaponry. The true Moonlight Throne had already been completely melted down by the Herrscher of Finality.
"This is no longer an enemy we... nor humanity as it exists now... can defeat."
Facing such a disparity, confronting Finality? It was not pessimism on Kevin's part—only the necessity of preparing for the worst.
After the Herrscher of Dominance, the next should have been the Eleventh Herrscher—the Herrscher of Binding. There should have still been time before Finality's descent.
Yet someone had cut in line.
Time would not wait.
Kiana... Durandal, Kiana—their growth still required time. Unfortunately, it seemed Finality would grant no such opportunity.
"You're asking me to run away alone?"
"No, Raiden Mei. You misunderstand." This was the first time Kevin had addressed her name with such solemnity. "This is the passing of the flame."
As he spoke, Kevin withdrew a blue crystalline card from his sleeve.
"This is a key to open a sanctuary. It will guide you to its location. The sleeping pods inside will allow you to awaken in the next era."
"You..." Taking the key in a daze, Raiden Mei already understood his intention.
"Yes. Just as Mei once did in the Previous Era, this time we will buy time for you."
"Go, Raiden Mei. I know why you joined World Serpent. I know who matters most to you. Take her. Take as many as you can. Survive."
As his words fell—
Boom—!
A rain of golden-red meteors descended from the sky, striking directly above World Serpent headquarters.
Rumble—!!!
Lances of light slammed into the ground. Blinding brilliance threaded through every crevice of the buildings. Flames gathered and surged upward, crawling across walls, devouring form, dissolving all obstacles.
Infernos capable of incinerating the earth erupted instantly, engulfing the entire area. Steel was vaporized. The atmosphere ignited.
The ground heaved like kneaded dough, rising and collapsing under unseen hands. Tons of soil and rock were hurled skyward like gravel, ignited midair, and crashed back down in flaming torrents.
In an instant, the land was swallowed by a roiling sea of fire...
...
Elsewhere, within Imaginary Space.
"You refer to yourself as 'We,' and you command a fleet... Are you a Herrscher or a monarch?" Rita stared at the scene within the rift, looking utterly drained.
Selene glanced at her meaningfully.
"Both. Tell me—when faced with a world-destroying Herrscher such as I, how do you believe you should respond?"
"..." Rita did not dare meet her gaze.
"Heh~"
With a soft snort, Selene made a beckoning gesture. Rita's body—still entwined by tendrils of Honkai energy—rose involuntarily into the air and followed Selene through the spatial rift.
In an instant, Rita's vision blurred.
She found herself inside a resplendent golden hall.
The concentration of Honkai energy here was catastrophically high. Her Valkyrie armor began issuing urgent alarms.
Closing her eyes helplessly, Rita thought silently, Lady Durandal... perhaps Rita must bid you farewell...
"Your Majesty!" ×N
Startled awake by a series of thunderous roars, Rita realized she had entered a realm of giants forged from gold and marble.
Where was this place? Were these... humans?
More than a dozen towering figures clad in variously painted power armor knelt on one knee before Selene, arrayed in orderly rows.
Without wasting words, Selene waved a hand for them to rise.
"This time, all twenty Astartes Legions will deploy. I will personally review the army's coordinated combat capabilities. Any who perform poorly—upon return, train them to death."
While Selene did intend to inspect their cooperative efficiency, there was undeniably a far more mundane motive at work: vanity.
Returning to her "hometown" to show the world the fruits of her enterprise—surely that was not excessive.
As the saying went, "To return home in glory unseen is like walking at night in embroidered robes."
Though Selene wore a smile, the chill in her tone made even the chamber attendants at the sides lower their heads in unison, shivering.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"You." Selene turned to Darlenst. "Inform Budo and the others. Divide responsibilities. Each will lead their assigned Legions."
"Alex will take the European continent, the Mediterranean, and North Africa. Subdue Schicksal—and lend Arisa some support while you're at it."
"Liver will handle the Americas. Join with Esdeath and resolve Anti-Entropy's affairs."
"As for Budo—the Far East. World Serpent. The Flame-Chasers' remnants. Leave them to him. Clean it up."
The territories assigned to the three founding Astartes Legion Commanders aligned perfectly with their respective temperaments—and revealed Selene's distinctly different attitudes toward the three major factions.
"Understood!"
...
The lances of light came swiftly—and departed just as quickly.
The air still burned with terrifying heat when—
Pshhh! Pshhh! Pshhh! Pshhh!
A flash of deep blue light streaked across the devastation, followed by dull impacts and the crackling snap of freezing ice.
Countless icicles erupted from the ground. Wave upon wave of icy storms surged forth. For a moment, even the flames were suppressed beneath a raging blizzard. Across the entire city housing World Serpent headquarters, only the explosive roar of freezing gales could be heard.
"Haa..."
Rising from the charred earth, surrounded by towering icebergs, Kevin stood completely unharmed.
Gazing at Raiden Mei—whose Herrscher of Thunder aura had fully manifested—he spoke without expression.
"Finality's target is me. Raiden Mei, while there is still time, leave."
Across the open plains beyond the city, countless drop pods crashed down from the sky.
Then, a stern voice arrived upon thunder itself.
"Leave? You have no such opportunity!"
Crackle—!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Raiden Mei, sensing a Herrscher aura seemingly of the same origin as her own authority, narrowed her eyes sharply.
"Who?!"
A massive pillar of lightning descended from the heavens.
Kevin looked toward the source.
The first thing to enter his vision was a towering figure—perhaps horned—standing tall amidst the storm. Behind him spread an endless expanse of blue-white lightning, crackling and roaring.
Golden hair. A stern and resolute face. A robust body over four meters tall. Upon his iron-gray master-crafted power armor, patterns of storm clouds glowed as azure electricity surged wildly.
"I am Budo—Legion Commander of the Second Astartes Legion Retributors, Great General of the Empire!"
Though thunder rumbled ceaselessly around him, his voice carried clearly and precisely to Kevin and Raiden Mei.
Terrifying lightning coiled around Budo's piston-like armored arms as he looked down upon the two before him. His gaze lingered briefly upon the purple-haired woman, a flicker of interest passing through his eyes.
"How interesting. You wield the authority of lightning as well. You must be the traitorous Herrscher Her Majesty mentioned."