I Am Honkai

"Finality!"

The voice burst forth from his throat, raw with suppressed emotion.

Since the fall of the Previous Era civilization and the death of his beloved Mei, Kevin Kaslana—humanity's strongest protector from the Previous Era and the one closest to fulfilling the MOTH's mission—had never displayed such a visceral reaction.

"Unexpected to see you so shaken, Kevin…"

The speaker was a tall, elegant Japanese beauty with a princess-cut hairstyle, violet-red eyes, and crimson oni horns. Dressed in a black-and-red Herrscher armor streaked with ominous purple lightning, she embodied both grace and menace.

Raiden Mei.

Once a soldier of Schicksal, she had since defected to join World Serpent, choosing a path diametrically opposed to Kiana's. She was now the Herrscher of Thunder.

Watching Kevin from her place at the base of his throne, Mei's expression was a turbulent mix of emotions: anger, resentment, guilt, self-reproach, and perhaps... fear. She had never seen the Kaslana ancestor, a warrior seemingly untouched by mortal frailty, show such raw vulnerability.

So, you too... have something you fear?

Mei had come to World Serpent's headquarters to question Kevin directly.

During her recent battle, her consciousness had been transported to the root of Herrscher authority. There, the Will of Honkai attempted to imprint certain truths onto her mind, only to be thwarted by the overwhelming electromagnetic waves from her Herrscher powers.

Curious and disturbed, Mei had sought Kevin for answers.

But instead of answering directly, Kevin opened a path for her to explore the world's roots, claiming that someone there would provide the answers she sought.

Why couldn't he just tell her outright? Why do the leaders of World Serpent—and all those privy to such truths—always have to cloak everything in mystery?

Mei disliked these enigmatic games, a distaste born from her childhood in ME Corp under the shadow of her secretive father, Raiden Ryoma.

But before the path could even open fully, Kevin found himself unable to establish contact with his MOTH comrades.

The turbulence in the Quantum Sea and disruptions in the Imaginary Space—likely stirred by some external force—had rendered Kevin's plans useless.

And then...

There was no then.

Without warning, the Herrscher of the End reappeared. A new invader descended from the stars. The sheer malice emanating from these forces was overwhelming, leaving Kevin utterly consumed.

"Is this your enemy? Or your fear?" Mei asked.

If it was hatred, every human had reason to despise the Herrschers. But Kevin had never shown such animosity towards any other Herrscher before—only a detached, dismissive disdain, as if they were mere pawns beneath his notice.

It might seem arrogant, but Kevin had the strength to justify his arrogance. As the strongest warrior of the Previous Era, he had earned his pride.

"Fear? Hatred? Perhaps," Kevin replied, his voice heavy. "I am human—why shouldn't I feel these things? Especially when faced with the Herrscher of the End, the destroyer of worlds."

He clenched his fists so tightly that his muscles trembled.

"I once thought I was prepared. I believed I could face her again with complete composure, to stand as an unshakable shield against her wrath... But..."

"But what?" Mei pressed.

"When that symbol appeared before me once more, I realized…"

The pain and depth of Kevin's blue eyes spoke of profound anguish, mingled with an overwhelming killing intent.

How could I stay calm? How could I not care?!

That sigil represented the end of everything. My comrades, Mei... they all perished because of her. She is humanity's final hurdle to victory against Honkai.

"...Hah…"

With a long exhale, Kevin forced himself to relax, releasing his tightly clenched fists. He needed to steady himself.

The appearance of the Herrscher of the End's symbol left no room for speculation. Whether genuine or not, the threat was real. Complaining or lamenting would solve nothing.

"It seems the recent upheaval across the world—the Herrschers' frenzied activity in the Honkai disaster zones—was merely the prelude to the End's descent."

As Kevin descended from his throne, he spoke matter-of-factly.

"The disturbances in the Imaginary Space and Quantum Sea? Undoubtedly her doing."

Walking up to Mei, Kevin's piercing blue eyes met her fiery violet-red gaze. His expression turned grim.

"Mei, just as Mei (Dr. Mei of the Previous Era) once did, we must prepare for the worst. For humanity. For the faint chance of defeating Honkai, we must preserve the flame of hope."

"What are you suggesting?" Mei demanded.

"I'm asking you to stay out of this battle."

"What?"

Kevin's reply was calm, but his words carried a heavy finality.

"This... this is only the beginning of the End."

He gestured toward the projection screen displaying the massive fleet in the skies, obscuring the heavens.

"Those warships carry tens of millions of Honkai-reactive signatures," he explained, his voice calm but foreboding. "Among them, there are multiple colossal sources of Honkai energy, each far surpassing any Herrscher we've encountered so far."

Mei remained silent for a long time before finally asking, "How strong is the End?"

Kevin's expression darkened.

"Far stronger than any of us. Perhaps even all of us combined could not prevail. She is the final Herrscher—the most powerful of them all. Her existence is the culmination of destruction itself. Her birth signifies the end of the world."

There was no hesitation in Kevin's voice. He had no need to hide the truth. Humanity had already lost to her once.

In the Previous Era, Kevin and six other warriors, humanity's finest, faced the Herrscher of the End on the moon in their final battle against Honkai.

But the Herrscher's power was immeasurable. Within the first five minutes of the battle, two of the Flame-Chasers perished.

Dr. Mei managed to activate the Moonlight Throne—a device capable of converting Honkai energy into other forms—twice during the fight. Even with the system pushed to its absolute limit, it only drained 30% of the Herrscher's energy reserves.

She quickly turned the remaining six warriors into cornered prey.

Even with the Herrscher's power diminished, Kevin's ultimate attack only incapacitated her for 12 hours.

Without the Moonlight Throne, humanity could not inflict any meaningful damage on her.

They lost.

The Previous Era perished.

And now, the Current Era faced even worse odds. It lacked warriors comparable to the Flame-Chasers or scientists like Dr. Mei and Mobius.

Even the Moonlight Throne system aboard Hyperion was but a remnant—a pale imitation of the original device, which the Herrscher of the End had completely destroyed.

"This enemy is beyond anything we—anything humanity—can defeat," Kevin concluded.

It wasn't pessimism. It was the cold, hard truth.

If only there had been more time. Kiana, Durandal... they needed more time to grow.

But the End... she would not grant them that luxury.

"Are you asking me to escape alone?"

"No, Raiden Mei, you're mistaken." For the first time, Kevin addressed her name with such solemnity and gravity. "This is the passing of the flame."

As he spoke, Kevin retrieved a crystalline blue card from his sleeve. "This is a key to a sanctuary. It will guide you to its location. The sleeping pods there will help you and others awaken in the next era."

"You..." Stunned, Raiden Mei took the key, already guessing Kevin's intentions.

"Yes, just like what Mei did in the previous era. This time, we will buy you time."

"Go now, Raiden Mei. I know why you joined World Serpent, and I know who you care about most. Take her, take more people, and live on."

As his voice fell, a thunderous explosion erupted— BOOM!

A rain of golden-red meteors descended from the sky, landing squarely atop the World Serpent headquarters.

BOOM! BOOM BOOM!

The particle lances hit the ground, their blinding brilliance weaving through every crevice of the structure. Fires surged upward, spreading across the walls, consuming everything in their path, dissolving all obstructions.

A blaze capable of incinerating the earth erupted instantly, engulfing the entire area. Steel melted, the atmosphere ignited...

The ground writhed like dough being kneaded, massive quantities of dirt and stone were hurled skyward, flames clinging to them as they crashed back down.

In an instant, the ground was submerged in a roaring sea of fire.

Elsewhere, in the Imaginary Space...

"Referring to yourself as 'We' and commanding fleets... Are you a Herrscher or a monarch?" Rita's voice faltered, as though the weight of the question drained her spirit.

Selene glanced at her, her expression unreadable. "Both," she replied with a meaningful smile. "Now, tell me, faced with me, a Herrscher destined to bring about the world's end, how do you propose to act?"

"...." Rita dared not meet Selene's gaze directly.

"Heh." Selene snorted softly, lifting her hand. Before Rita could react, energy tendrils of raw Honkai power coiled around her, lifting her body effortlessly. Pulled by this unseen force, Rita followed Selene through a rift in space.

Suddenly, Rita's vision blurred, and when she opened her eyes, she found herself in a grand, gilded hall. The overwhelming concentration of Honkai energy in the air made her armor's alarms shriek incessantly.

Feeling helpless, Rita closed her eyes. "Lady Durandal," she thought. "Perhaps... this is where I part ways with you."

The next moment, a booming chorus startled her awake:

"Your Majesty!"

Startled, Rita opened her eyes to a land of giants. She was surrounded by figures clad in heavy power armor of various colors, each towering far above her, kneeling in unison before Selene.

"Where is this place? Are they... human?"

More than a dozen power-armored giants knelt on one knee before Selene, forming a formation that exuded absolute discipline and overwhelming power.

Selene waved her hand casually, allowing them to rise. Her tone carried a weight that demanded obedience. "This time, all twenty Astartes Legions will deploy their forces. I intend to inspect the coordination of my legions. Those who underperform... will be sent back to endure relentless training!"

Although Selene genuinely wished to inspect her army's ability to fight in unison, her primary motivation was far more vain—a simple desire to flaunt her "startup empire" as she returned to her "hometown." After all, as the old saying goes: "A wealthy man who doesn't return home is like wearing brocade clothes in the dark."

Even as a hint of amusement curled her lips, her tone carried enough frost to make the attendants and courtiers in the golden hall shudder in unison, lowering their heads further.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"You," Selene said, turning to Darinster, her expression sharp, "Go inform Budo and the others. Assign them their respective tasks and divisions."

"Aleksandr will handle Europe, the Mediterranean, and North Africa. His duties include subjugating Schicksal and providing reinforcements for Elisa."

"Levi will focus on the Americas. He's to rendezvous with Esdeath and clean up whatever remains of Anti-Entropy."

"As for Budo, the Far East region, World Serpent, and Fire Moth... leave it to him. Make sure it's handled thoroughly."

Selene's assignments reflected a clear consideration of the three generals' personalities and hinted at her vastly differing attitudes toward the major factions.

"It shall be done!"

—

The particle lances fell swiftly, and just as quickly, they vanished. Even as scorching heat lingered in the atmosphere, BOOM! BOOM!

Deep blue light flashed, followed by the low rumble of collisions and the snapping of frost crystals.

Countless ice spires erupted from the ground, wave after wave of blizzards roaring through the air, snuffing out flames. The city that housed World Serpent headquarters resounded only with the blasts of ice storms.

"Huff... Huff..." Rising from the scorched earth, surrounded by towering icebergs, Kevin emerged unscathed. Gazing at Raiden Mei, now bearing the Thunder Herrscher's [Judgement of Shamash], his expression remained as cold as ever.

"Terminus's target is me, Raiden Mei. While there's still time, leave this place."

From the skies above the city outskirts, countless drop pods rained down, each slamming into the earth with resounding thuds.

Suddenly, a commanding voice cut through the crackle of lightning.

"Leave? You have no such option!"

Crackle! Crackle!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Raiden Mei's eyes turned icy, her gaze fixed on the source of the voice carrying an electrifyingly familiar resonance. "Who's there?"

From the sky, a thunderbolt crashed to the ground. Kevin turned to face it, his sharp eyes catching the image of a towering figure, seemingly crowned with dual horns.

First came his outline, and then the thunderous symphony of countless bolts of lightning followed.

A golden mane framed a face carved from stern resolve. The man's massive frame, clad in finely wrought power armor of iron-gray, radiated authority. On his armor's surface, lightning coursed freely through storm cloud motifs, every crackling arc exuding unmatched dominance.

"I am Budo, Grand Commander of the Astartes Second Legion, the Punishers, and Grand General of the Empire."

Though thunder rumbled incessantly around him, Budo's voice reached Kevin and Raiden Mei with clarity and precision.

With terrifying arcs of electricity surging over his drill-like gauntlets, Budo cast a commanding gaze over the two before him. His eyes lingered briefly on the purple-haired woman.

"Interesting. You wield the power of thunder too. So, you must be the rogue Herrscher Her Majesty spoke of?"

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