Schicksal Headquarters.
A group of people sat around a long table, holding a meeting. The electronic screen displayed recent developments in Nagazora City, including the Honkai Energy concentration growth curve.
Otto pressed his hands together in front of his mouth, his expression growing increasingly grim as he studied the data. He scanned the room, his voice cold and detached. "Can anyone explain why the Honkai Energy concentration is growing at such an alarming rate? This surge far exceeds our original projections, indicating that all the containment measures we implemented in Nagazora City have failed. If the Great Honkai spirals out of control, it will not only devastate Nagazora City but also the entire Far East region, and possibly even the entire Eastern Hemisphere."
A council member stood up, presenting their findings. "It's Anti-Entropy's doing. They've been conducting continuous Honkai Energy radiation experiments within the city, attempting to cultivate a Herrscher! Those bastards intend to sacrifice the lives of Nagazora City's entire population of over three million people to nourish this Herrscher."
The others frowned at this revelation. While none of them were paragons of virtue, the sheer scale of the human cost still filled them with dread.
"Now that we know who the Third Herrscher will be, why don't we just eliminate her?" a councilor whispered.
Another immediately retorted, "You know that girl is the chosen Third Herrscher. Killing her now would be pointless; it would only give rise to another Herrscher we don't know about. The Herrscher's descent is inevitable. Our priority should be evacuating the people of Nagazora City."
"That's impossible. Even if the people of Nagazora City were willing to evacuate, where could we possibly accommodate three million people?"
"So you'd rather let them die there? The moment the Great Honkai descends, everyone with insufficient Honkai resistance will turn to ash or become zombie-like Honkai Beasts!"
The councilors then launched into a heated debate, each offering elaborate arguments, but ultimately failing to find a solution. Nagazora City had been chosen by Honkai as the site of the Herrscher's arrival. Even if they killed Raiden Mei, another person would simply take her place.
As the councilors' discussion threatened to erupt into a full-blown argument, Otto clapped his hands to signal them to stop.
"Enough. Issue emergency evacuation orders for Nagazora City. Since the Honkai isn't yet widely known, claim a chemical experiment leaked toxic gas, putting the entire city at risk. Evacuate as many people as are willing to leave, with the Schicksal Group and the Shaniat Group providing shelter and ensuring their well-being. Seal off the remaining residents in Nagazora City until the Great Honkai ends. We need experimental data... Furthermore, rescue all survivors of the Great Honkai. They possess exceptional Honkai resistance and will become members of Schicksal."
After confirming these details, Otto adjourned the meeting and summoned Durandal and Rita separately.
He first met with Durandal, briefed her on the situation, and then said, "Our S-rank Valkyrie, Durandal, while I admire those who tirelessly fight the Honkai, Anti-Entropy has gone too far this time. Rats should remain hidden in the shadows, their fangs broken before they can strike. Amber will provide you with the mission details later."
Durandal nodded without saying anything. She would do whatever Otto asked, knowing that if it were something truly harmful, he wouldn't have entrusted her with it.
No sooner had Durandal left than Rita arrived. She knocked on the office door and entered.
"Your Excellency the Bishop, Rita awaits your orders," Rita said, still dressed in her usual maid outfit. After all, she was Otto and Durandal's personal maid.
Otto set aside his work and handed Rita the list Amber had compiled. "Rita... you have a mission. I need you to eliminate all Anti-Entropy agents involved in Nagazora City."
"Understood," Rita replied, nodding without further comment.
If Durandal was the brightest figure in Schicksal, tasked with combating the Honkai, then Rita was one of the darkest, responsible for hunting humans. As the Immortal Blade's vice-captain and leader of the hunting squad, Rita Rossweisse was a Valkyrie specializing in assassination missions.
Kiana and Mei went to school together, leaving Ryn alone at home to explore his Stigmata. Otto had sent him and Sparkle a copy of the meeting minutes from Schicksal.
Ryn was overwhelmed. He had assumed that absorbing the Honkai Energy from the Great Honkai would be a simple solution, but the Stigmata consciousness had informed him it was far more complicated. At the moment the Great Honkai descended, the Stigmata would absorb its Honkai Energy and open a passage to the Sea of Quanta, transferring all the Honkai Energy there. Ryn would then complete his evolution within the Sea of Quanta.
While the process could be completed instantly, the Great Honkai had prerequisites. Honkai Energy would continuously accumulate in Nagazora City until it reached the critical threshold for a Herrscher's arrival, triggering the Great Honkai. The Honkai concentration before the Great Honkai was beyond Ryn's control, meaning the people of Nagazora City wouldn't survive until the Great Honkai arrived.
Otto had equipped Sparkle with a warship carrying a Honkai Drive Furnace to power the Nexus System. Enhanced by the Nexus System and Sparkle's Sabayon armor, she could obliterate an incomplete Herrscher with a single shot.
But what good would that do? The people of Nagazora City still couldn't be saved. Despite Schicksal and the government issuing evacuation orders, few were willing to leave. Worse, many were flocking to Nagazora City to spectate, investigate the toxic gas, or take advantage of the chaos.
Ryn felt a sense of helplessness. His sense of justice wouldn't allow him to let over three million people die like this, yet he was powerless to do anything.
He had Cortana do many things, from telecom scams to fake lottery wins for travel packages, luring many people out of Nagazora City. But it was only a drop in the bucket.
That night, Ryn decided to tell Mei and Kiana the truth.
After hearing the news, Mei and Kiana remained silent for a long time.
Mei didn't know what to do. If Nagazora City truly collapsed, if she truly became a Herrscher... then she, Raiden Mei, would become the executioner who slaughtered over three million people in Nagazora City.
Mei gripped Kiana's hand tightly. Her voice was hoarse. The weight of this revelation was too heavy for her to bear. "Was it that time I was captured... was that when they implanted the Conquest Gem in me?"
"Mei... I don't know. But it's likely... We only discovered the Conquest Gem in you after we rescued you that time..."
Ryn shook his head at Mei. The Conquest Gem had been implanted long before that. The experiment had only triggered the gem. Judging from Raiden Ryoma's words, he was likely the one who had implanted it. But the truth was too cruel for Mei to bear. It was better to let Anti-Entropy take the blame...