Bengtie, I'm really not a villain!

"This is...my power?"

A hint of doubt flickered in Sirin's indifferent eyes, as if she were wondering why Himeko, such a frail human, hadn't been torn to shreds in an instant.

Her gaze swept over Himeko's fiery red armor, and for the first time, she looked Himeko directly in the eye. Her brows furrowed immediately.

"My jewels are inside that armor!"

Sirin felt the power that once belonged to her. The Plague Gem, one of the four gems bestowed upon her by the God of Honkai during the Second Honkai, was the power of the Herrscher of Flame that emerged from Himeko!

"How dare you, mere human, defile my gems?"

Sirin's face turned cold. Her previous attitude towards Himeko, which had been as indifferent as crushing an ant, now genuinely turned to killing intent.

For Sirin, the Plague Gem was her everything. It was bad enough that it was lost after the Second Honkai Impact, but to find it again in someone else's hands was unthinkable.

More than the Conquest Gem within Mei's body, Sirin was furious that the Plague Gem had been embedded in the armor, treating it merely as a "tool."

For Sirin, who became a Herrscher at a young age, the Plague Gem had become her possession, and the fact that her possession was being used as a tool enraged her!

Queen Sirin's rage ignited the battlefield. The powers of the Herrscher of the Void and the Gem of Tranquility erupted in full force. Even with only the Godslayer Sword in her hand, Himeko's fierce counterattack, burning away all her flames, could not withstand Sirin's power.

Moreover, with the two gems in her possession, Sirin is now nearly half of her peak strength, and even with the power of the Herrscher of Flame, Himeko is no match for her!

If Raiden Mei and Himeko are defeated on this battlefield, then Sirin will take the Plague Gem from Crimson Knight: Eclipse, and has already taken the Conquest Gem from Mei. With all four gems in hand, she will once again become an unstoppable calamity!

Himeko and Raiden Mei, however, did not want to lose on the battlefield so that Sirin could collect all four gems.

Raiden Mei recalls how Himeko disarmed the defenses of Schicksal headquarters while on the ground. Guided by Fu Hua's phantom, Himeko ventured deeper and found Schicksal's other trump card—

The blank key.

The prototype of the Godslayer Armor, an armor capable of completely reproducing the power of a Herrscher by embedding a Herrscher core.

The [Plague Gem] was inlaid in that suit of armor; its name was:

Crimson Knight: Eclipse

The legacy left from the previous civilization era embodies the wisdom of its warriors in fighting against the Honkai.

This Godslayer Armor, inlaid with Plague Gems, can perfectly reproduce the power of the Herrscher of Flame, but the price to gain this power is often terrifying.

Just like the Valkyrie undergoing surgery and using Honkai energy as a weapon.

To wield the power of the Herrscher, the epitome of massive Honkai energy and the representative of Honkai, comes at the cost of an eroded mind and a destroyed body.

Himeko's body was in terrible shape and completely unable to support her to continue fighting.

When Raiden Mei saw Himeko don the Crimson Knight: Eclipse without hesitation, she was extremely worried.

The moment she saw the Plague Gem, the anxiety she felt finally became a reality.

Himeko ultimately used the power of the Plague Gem, although the Godslayer Armor served as a vessel, preventing her from directly confronting the Herrscher's power...

But can her body, which is already coughing up blood with just the crimson combat suit, really withstand the power of the Herrscher of Flame?

But she resolutely donned the armor, gripped the crimson greatsword, and headed to the battlefield.

On the battlefield, Kiana and Himeko, teacher and student, and now Raiden Mei, are forced to turn against each other.

"Is this the show you wanted to see?" Raiden Mei roared inwardly, uncontrollably unleashing lightning around her, instantly shattering nearby rocks into dust.

The Herrscher of the Void seized the opportunity to launch an attack. A golden spatial blade grazed her cheek, leaving a bloody mark on her skin, and warm blood dripped down her chin.

The excruciating pain actually brought her to her senses. She watched as Himeko's flames grew increasingly dim from the continuous battle, and the dark red mist seeping from the Crimson Armor thickened even more than before.

She knew she had to make a choice, even if that choice would shatter her heart completely, even if endless darkness and pain lay ahead.

The laboratory's metal floor twisted and deformed under the impact of energy collisions, resembling a boiling sea. Dark red cracks spread outwards like a spider web from the point where the two were fighting.

Raiden Mei's pupils reflected the golden patterns flowing around the Herrscher of the Void. Those patterns seemed to be alive, moving across Kiana's skin, overlapping and separating from the innocent, smiling girl's face from her memories.

The increasingly rapid crackling sound of Himeko's armor burning filled her ears, each sound like the drumbeat of death striking her taut nerves.

She bit her lower lip hard, tasting the salty, metallic flavor of blood. The stigmata beneath her combat boots burned almost to the point of piercing her skin, the purple patterns flickering in the darkness as if struggling with her choice. This was fate's cruelest question: should she abandon Himeko's burning life or stop Kiana from being consumed by power?

The hilt of the katana was stained with dark sweat, and Raiden Mei's arm was trembling slightly, her muscles aching from excessive tension.

She remembered Himeko of Izumo teaching her to wield a sword, saying, "The blade must point towards what should be protected." The sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating Himeko's resolute face.

But at this moment, the blade was suspended in mid-air, caught in a dilemma.

Himeko's heavy breathing came from afar, each breath accompanied by the hissing sound of burning flames. The flames of the Crimson Armor were already dim as a flickering candle, yet they still stubbornly danced. The dark red mist seeping from the surface of the armor seemed to be counting down with each burn.

"No..." Raiden Mei's words of dissuasion caught in her throat, her voice hoarse and almost a sob.

Himeko suddenly let out a roar, her voice filled with determination and resentment. The flames instantly tripled in size, and the orange-red light illuminated the entire laboratory as if it were daytime.

The rose decorations on the surface of the crimson armor twisted into bizarre shapes under the high temperature, as if lamenting the impending demise of life.

She transformed into a crimson meteor and crashed into the Herrscher of the Void. Her fist was imbued with the power of burning life, igniting the air in its wake and leaving a long trail of fire.

The moment it collided with the golden spatial barrier, the violent explosion made Raiden Mei's eardrums ache. The shockwave spread outwards like a tidal wave, ripping off the entire laboratory ceiling. Heavy metal plates rained down, creating deep craters in the ground.

Himeko's figure swayed precariously in the firelight, her armor riddled with cracks, yet she still managed to unleash another devastating punch, the flames growing weaker with each movement, threatening to extinguish at any moment.

Tears welled up in Raiden Mei's eyes, mingling with the dust and smoke from the battle that stung her vision, blurring and distorting the scene before her.

She finally understood the deeper meaning behind Jing Ye's smile—there were no winners in this gamble from the very beginning.

Otto's conspiracy, Kiana's transformation, Himeko's sacrifice—every step was part of the other side's calculations.

As Himeko's flames were about to die out and her body slowly plummeted, the Herrscher of the Void raised her hand, conjuring a deadly Void Spear. Golden light illuminated her cold face, and Raiden Mei's katana finally found its direction.

The answer was so heavy that it almost suffocated her.

She gripped the hilt of the knife tightly, the stigmata throbbing wildly beneath her skin, tears dripping onto the blade, rising in wisps of white mist, while her eyes gradually cleared amidst pain and determination.

The air in the laboratory was distorted into eerie ripples under the pressure of the Void Spear, and the sharp sound of it tearing through the air was like the shriek of death ripping our eardrums.

Raiden Mei's pupils contracted sharply as she stared at the golden spear forming at the Herrscher of the Void's fingertips. The contrast between that familiar face and the cold gaze made her heart feel as if it were being gripped by sharp claws.

But when she caught a glimpse of Himeko's swaying figure out of the corner of her eye, and saw that the flames on the surface of the Crimson Armor had dimmed to the point of being like a candle flickering in the wind, she no longer hesitated.

Purple lightning exploded on the soles of her combat boots, and Raiden Mei's figure shot out like a bolt of lightning piercing the night sky.

The lightning crackling around the katana surged, turning the surrounding air a deep purple, and spiderweb-like ripples spread across the space where the blade sliced ​​through.

"Boom!" Amidst the violent explosion, golden energy fragments scattered like meteors, and the Herrscher of the Void was slightly staggered by the sudden attack.

The Void Spear, originally aimed at Himeko, instantly veered off course, grazing the tips of Himeko's snow-white hair and shooting into the distance, blasting a bottomless black hole in the wall, sending up acrid dust amidst flying debris.

Raiden Mei instinctively caught Himeko as she was about to fall. The scorching heat of the crimson armor burned through the combat suit, as if it wanted to melt her flesh.

But at this moment, the burning pain is far less than the worry in my heart.

Himeko knelt on the ground, her hands supporting her as she gasped for breath. The rose decoration on her breastplate trembled slightly with each breath, accompanied by the humming of the mechanical parts inside the armor, which were strained under the strain.

"Why... did you take the risk..." Himeko's hoarse voice carried reproach, yet it couldn't hide her concern.

"Nothing is more important than your lives!"

Raiden Mei's voice trembled, choked with near-collapse. Himeko's face was as pale as paper, her once healthy complexion gone, replaced by a sickly gray.

But in those eyes, a stubborn light still shone, like an inextinguishable flame.

The Herrscher of the Void's disdainful sneer came from behind, carrying a chilling pressure.

"A touching sentiment, but unfortunately, you can't escape it."

With an elegant wave of her hand, the space cracked open like a shattered mirror, with countless fissures spreading above their heads like a giant net that could tighten at any moment, filling the air with a suffocating sense of oppression.

At this critical moment, Himeko suddenly grabbed Raiden Mei's wrist, the warmth of her fingertips passing through the glove, carrying a hint of coolness.

With her other hand, she swiftly reached into the hidden compartment of the armor and pulled out a small, crystal-clear bottle. Inside, a pale blue liquid was swirling eerily, as if it contained some unique power.

"This is... a potion to remove Honkai energy... As long as we find an opportunity, we can inject it into Kiana's body..."

Himeko's voice was urgent and firm, and her eyes shone with hope.

Raiden Mei's eyes widened as she gripped the small bottle tightly. The cool touch of the bottle instantly cleared her muddled thoughts.

She turned to look at the Herrscher of the Void. The golden patterns flowing around her body still exuded a chilling aura, but in her eyes now, she was no longer an opponent who made her hesitate.

"I won't let your scheme succeed, Kiana... I will definitely bring you back!"

Raiden Mei murmured softly, her tone filled with a do-or-die determination. Her stigmata surged wildly beneath her skin, and purple lightning erupted once more, illuminating her resolute face.

Gripping her katana tightly, Raiden Mei took a firm step forward to face the Herrscher of the Void as she attacked again. This time, her eyes were no longer confused, and the flame of hope burning in her heart was enough to dispel all darkness.

Himeko struggled to her feet, her knees buckling as she stood up. The rose pattern on her crimson armor had faded to a charred black, but the remaining flames stubbornly licked the metal edges, outlining her swaying yet upright silhouette.

Raiden Mei's knuckles turned white from the excessive force, and the lightning patterns on the katana pulsated violently as if they were alive. Purple lightning bolts shot out as tiny tendrils along the blade. The resolute sparks that ignited in their eyes the moment they met Himeko's gaze were more powerful and resounding than any vow.

The Herrscher of the Void hovered in the center of the distorted spatial rift, her golden eyes gleaming with a cold light that disregarded all living beings.

She lightly raised her fingertips, and countless rhomboid spatial blades unfolded into a fan behind her, like a deadly work of art casually manipulated by a god.

Himeko launched the first attack, her burning fist tearing through the air with a piercing shriek. The instant it collided with the spatial blade, an explosion of orange-red and golden light melted the surrounding metal walls into flowing molten iron.

Raiden Mei teleported on lightning, her katana's arcs shattering the incoming blades one by one. Yet, after each clash, she could clearly feel the tearing pain emanating from her stigmata.

Just as the battle reached a stalemate, the blast wall on the east side of the laboratory suddenly exploded, and concrete fragments, along with gunpowder smoke, spewed out.

Theresa's petite figure soared through the air, bounded by the chains of Judah's oath.

The usually goofy Theresa revealed her strength as the headmistress of St. Freya Academy at this moment, shedding her nun's habit and donning her exclusive combat outfit.

God-Slaying Armor - [Blood Knight: Moonbeam]!

Those eyes, as blue as Kiana's, turned a fierce crimson because of Theresa's desperate fighting stance!

The Vishnu gene within Theresa's body was activated by the Moonlight, and even the surface of her armor seemed to be flowing with blood!

The Oath of Judah, the Key of God, also shines brilliantly under Theresa's influence!

As the headmistress of St. Freya Academy, Theresa, a former S-class Valkyrie from Destiny, faces her old rival Sirin!

The chains of Judah, symbolizing the Key of Restraint, tightly bound Sirin, locking her limbs and greatly suppressing her Honkai energy!

Behind them followed the heavily armored bunny controlled by Bronya, its cannon array already brimming with crimson light.

The Titan mechs supported by Anti-Entropy were like a steel torrent, the vibrations of their tracks rolling over the ground and the hydraulic sounds of their metal joints echoing throughout the entire floor, while the heavy weapon arrays cast a dark, all-encompassing shadow overhead.

"All firepower to suppress!" Theresa's command resounded through the battlefield, and the Oath of Judah unleashed nine holy pillars of light, temporarily forcing back the Honkai Beasts attacking from various spaces.

Bronya's pupils reflected the data stream on the tactical screen; the Heavy Bunny's missiles, trailing plumes of fire, formed a dense barrage.

The Titan mech's giant particle cannon also finished charging at the same time, and the blazing white energy beams converged into a death vortex capable of evaporating everything.

At the moment when the steel torrent crashed into the headquarters of Destiny, Sirin, who was at the center of the torrent, remained indifferent and cold.

The imposing Titan mechs before him, a challenge symbolizing the pinnacle of human ingenuity, seemed utterly insignificant and trivial to the Herrscher.

Even with countless mechs aimed at her, even with terrifying crimson flames gathering in the black barrels of cannons, even with countless Titan fists rushing towards her...

Celine still coldly disregarded all of this.

The power of the Herrscher of Void manifested, and a portal connecting to the imaginary space appeared behind Sirin.

The Titans, hurtling forward like thunder, were intercepted in an instant by the surge of Honkai Beasts. These Honkai Beasts, a tapestry of destructive crimson and skeletal white, mercilessly pierced and severed these mechs, imbued with the blood and sweat of countless humans.

The next moment, a deafening roar of artillery fire filled the sky, and even the heavens seemed to tremble in the simultaneous explosion of artillery fire!

As the dense forest of starlight bloomed before Sirin, countless cannons launched a general attack on her!

However, even under the glow of the gunfire, Sirin's face remained indifferent, her sun-like eyes only holding a hint of mocking sarcasm.

As queen, she ascended to the sky, stepping on the steps that were offered to her by the king himself.

The Queen of the Sky silently raised her hand, her clenched fingers seeming to foreshadow some impending disaster.

"Crack~"

A crisp snap of the fingers suddenly rang out across the sky, and the earth-shattering roar seemed to vanish completely in that instant.

Whether it was the rumbling that shook beneath the Titan's feet or the terrifying bombardment...

And the firelight that illuminated her face.

In that instant, everything fell silent with the snap of fingers.

The portal behind Sirin, symbolizing the power of the Herrscher of the Void, fully opened, completely silencing the terrifying barrage of attacks, leaving no trace whatsoever, as if the bombs had sunk to the bottom of the sea.

The power of the Lawbringers has already manifested; the deafening roar of cannons has become a salute to celebrate the Queen's arrival.

The next instant, a sudden clap of thunder in the silence shattered everyone's hopes.

Countless Titan mechs were engulfed by the sudden burst of artillery fire! The numerous mechs that unleashed the barrage were also consumed by flames at that moment!