I've already said this isn't a life simulator!

He's dying...that's right! Judging from his appearance, he's already a candle flickering in the wind! As long as I can corrupt him! By "devouring" his data, I'll definitely become stronger! Then I can leave this place! —That's what it thought.

Just as the water was about to hit him, the surrounding water suddenly began to move, enveloping Xi Wang's body and preventing him from being harmed.

[Damn it... Get out of my way!!!]

It "deleted" the water that protected Xiwang in an almost brutal way, but what responded to it was more water, or rather... water shaped like a fish.

click-

Accompanied by a teeth-grinding sound, several translucent blue sharks suddenly leaped out of the shallow water, tearing and devouring its attack.

[...Are you kidding me?]

It stared blankly at Xi Wang, who was gradually returning to "normal" in the "slow motion" area... He even had time to wipe his lips, and his slightly furrowed brows seemed to be disgusted by the taste of what he had just "eaten".

But... it still has a chance! That's right! It still does!

Xi Wang's body was ultimately covered by disordered icons, which meant that his "data" was indeed disturbed and corrupted. Therefore... as long as this is the starting point, he will definitely win!

Now it dares not think about things like "swallowing Xiwang's data" anymore. It must get rid of him before Xiwang "adapts" to everything around him!

Just delete him! — That's what it thought, and that's what it did.

Lock onto the area where Xi Wang is located, and delete everything around it! If there are any data issues, increase the intensity of the erosion! Continue until he is completely deleted!

Added! Added! Countless cable-shaped tentacles emerged, forcibly connecting to the area where Xiwang was located, eroding and deleting the data.

Countless garbled icons began to appear, and countless data points started to malfunction. Around Xiwang, almost nothing could exist; everything would be "deleted" by it, except... the azure water.

That water covers more than 70% of the planet's surface; that water circulates continuously on the planet; that water... will never run dry.

No matter how much it is deleted, no matter how much it is eroded, the azure water continues to flow, gently, quietly, and silently.

Just like... the drizzle that never stops right now.

"I said……"

【? ! ! 】

Xi Wang's voice startled it, making it even more terrified and speed up the deletion process, but no matter how hard it tried, Xi Wang... he was still there.

It didn't care about anything else anymore and started expanding the area to be deleted. It was willing to do anything to get it deleted!

Can……

boom! ! !

The azure water surged up instantly, the water spreading on the ground, the water dripping from the sky, and the water that permeated the surroundings all surged up at this moment, destroying all of its tentacles in an instant.

"have you had enough?"

His tone remained calm, and his previously distorted words suddenly became clear, as if he were no longer affected by the chaotic icons.

The water was spreading silently, and the puddles on the ground had already reached above ankle level, making the surrounding area increasingly damp.

tick-

Rain gently fell on its stiff, twisted, and bizarre body, and the body, built of electronic devices, began to inexplicably... display some arcs of electricity that indicated damage.

Ha... It's only natural that electrical appliances will short-circuit and be damaged when they are soaked in water.

Ah...ah...how...is this possible...?

This time, however, its words became somewhat strange, broken and intermittent, as if the part that was making the sound had been damaged.

Looking at him, you'll see that the jumbled icons covering him are slowly fading away, gradually turning into "wounds" on his body. Deep blue "blood" flows silently from the wounds, dripping into the puddles on the ground. Then, slowly, even these remaining "wounds" disappear... He has already "adapted" to everything around him.

【Are you kidding me...? Are you kidding me!!!】

It roared, furious, even though it should be the strongest being here. In this data space, as the [Herrscher of Erosion], it could even be called a "god," and no being could surpass it.

All powers belonging to [Erosion] were unleashed, and everything in the data space fell into chaos, with countless disordered icons appearing and a large number of data errors occurring.

But... among all of this, only the azure water remained unchanged.

But it couldn't care less about that anymore.

[You...you bastard!!! You're just like us! You're all Herrschers! Why are you turning your sword against me?! Humans! Humans are the ones who deceived you! Humans are the ones who hurt you! Why are you standing by their side?!]

The bloated and chaotic data piled up together, merging with the power of [Erosion], transforming into countless bizarre and twisted "tentacles" that attacked him. The surrounding space also became chaotic, with a large amount of chaotic data piling up into distorted buildings that covered the water. Countless twisted monsters constructed from error icons appeared out of thin air and rushed towards him.

[Just because you like them? Those few human women?! Don't be ridiculous! They're all dead! Everything here is an illusion! An illusion of the past! The entire "Paradise of the Past" is nothing but a lie they constructed! A lie to bind you again! A lie to deceive you again!!!]

"...So long-winded."

【……What? 】

"I said……"

He spoke softly, and a streak of azure blue swept across the entire data space, severing all its "tentacles." Then, the azure water carried the dark greatsword back to him, its tip pointing downwards as it plunged into the water. Waves rapidly spread outwards from him, smoothing out the chaotic space. Countless translucent azure aquatic creatures leaped from the water, biting and devouring the twisted monsters.

In the end, everything around turned into a peaceful and stable space, leaving only the azure sky and the silent drizzle, only the damp air around, only... the azure seawater flowing quietly on the ground.

"Prey should act like prey."

woo-

After he finished speaking, the bugle sounded and echoed throughout the space.

[Wait...wait...this is impossible!]

woo-

The horn sounded again, and the figures of Honkai Beasts leaped out of the water. Although their numbers were few, this undoubtedly terrified them even more.

[This is impossible! How could you possibly do this here...? Could it be... that you... you've already...?]

woo-

The only response it received was the continuous sound of bugles.

He slowly stepped forward, casually pulled the greatsword stuck in the water, held it in his hand, and let the tip of the sword dip into the azure sea, creating ripples.

The dark "hunter's clothes" had been removed, replaced by a pure white robe, and a peculiar [ring] appeared on his head, quietly rotating.

Three pairs of enormous wings spread open, and pure white feathers gently fall, adding a touch of pure white to the azure sea. As they fall, the pure white feathers quietly fade away, transforming into a pure white lily that blooms quietly, and then silently disperses, its pure white petals drifting with the sea breeze, turning into a refreshing fragrance.

woo-

The horn has sounded seven times by now.

【Wait...wait a minute...senpai? Can I call you that? Please wait a moment?】

It retreated in fear, its massive body, once built from a jumble of chaotic data, could no longer be maintained. The silent rain had quietly devoured everything, leaving only its strange, fragile "body".

[Actually, I can do it too... Senior, I... I can do it too!]

It spoke in a strange, intermittent voice, and its originally bizarre body became briefly disordered. Almost in the blink of an eye, its form changed into Sakura's, then into Alicia's, and even into Gretchen's.

I can do it too, just like them... I can love you and like you just like them... I can do it too...

I will never hurt you... I will never deceive you... I can like you, love you... trust you, just like them... It doesn't matter who it is, you can make me whoever you want me to be.

Senior, you...you've woken up, right...you've woken up, so...so...we can actually be together, can't we? We're the perfect match...aren't we? We can destroy this civilization together, and then...we can stay together forever...I can take their place...I can take their place and continue...love you.

Its shape kept changing, finally settling on Alicia's appearance.

【You...you see, it's the same...including...even personality, okay?】

Hey~ Wang~ Let's play together~?

clatter--

The footsteps continued.

"You're not... satisfied? Then... how about this?"

[Wang, it's been so long! Would you...want some candy?]

clatter--

"This...this won't work either? Then...then..."

[Looking towards...my brother?]

clatter--

He was already in front of it, the cold, damp tip of the sword pressed against its body.

Please...please...I...I'll do anything...anything you want...let...let me out...let me live...please...I just want to leave here alive...

"........."

[…senior…senpai]

Sensing that the coldness of the sword had faded away, it cautiously stepped forward, still speaking softly in a pitiful tone.

only……

What followed was a huge, fish-shaped shadow.

Its mouth opened, then closed its lips and teeth, and a teeth-grinding biting and chewing sound came. Its wailing was also fleeting. In just a few blinks, its figure had disappeared.

"...It doesn't taste good."

Xi Wang wiped her lips with her hand, frowned, and looked somewhat disgusted.

"........."

His figure paused slightly, and the wings behind him silently folded, turning into feathers that quietly disappeared. The [ring] above his head slowly faded away, and the fragrance of lilies that filled the surroundings also dissipated imperceptibly. Even the white robe on his body was once again covered by the dark "hunter's clothes".

The azure water carried the sword from his hand, which floated quietly beside him.

"I knew it! Wang would definitely come!"

Almost immediately, a pink figure pounced over, wrapped her arms around Xi Wang's neck, hugged him, and snuggled affectionately against him.

"Alicia..."

Although Xi Wang had a premonition and opened her arms to welcome her, to be honest, Alicia's enthusiasm was still a bit overwhelming.

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

To this, Alicia simply blinked, then smiled and said, her eyes crinkling like crescent moons.

"I definitely prefer Sakura to do this, right? It's a pity Sakura is still too shy~?"

"No, that's not it... Never mind."