A huge amount of Honkai Energy was detected at the satellite monitoring center. The reading was 1000... 2000... 3000... 4000 HW! A full 4000 HW!
"Ah!?"
A shocked silence fell over the Fire Chaser's war conference room.
What does 4000HW mean? Usually, a standard Honkai creature, like a "chariot" level, has energy that doesn't exceed 100 HW.
So, does 4000HW mean 40 "chariot" levels? That's like asking if a magnitude 10 earthquake is just a bit bigger than a magnitude 5 earthquake. Each step up in earthquake magnitude causes about 30 times more damage.
The same goes for Honkai energy. Before Orion showed up, the strongest Honkai energy explosion on Earth was no more than 1000 HW.
For every 500 HW increase, the damage grows significantly. Anything over 1000 HW usually means the arrival of a "Herrscher," signaling a massive disaster that could destroy at least one city.
What does 4000HW mean? No one knows, and no one is willing to guess yet.
During the second collapse, the Herrscher of the Void reached 2000 HW, affecting nearly half of Siberia.
"Is the world ending?"
Everyone in the conference room, usually confident leaders, was silent. They knew they were facing a disaster far beyond what human technology could handle.
"Don't we have a "Herrscher" on our side?"
"Yes, send the "First Herrscher" out and let them handle it!"
"This plan might work..."
While the others discussed, the top representative of MOTH, sitting at the head of the table, stayed silent.
"Could the "First Herrscher" be on their side too?"
The room fell silent again. No one was sure about Orion.
Though he was defeated before with a manageable cost, his recent actions have shown that he's more powerful than MOTH can handle alone.
At this critical time, officials had to reconsider Orion.
"The First Herrscher is near Sundown Alley."
"Sundown Alley? That area with no clear boundaries?"
"Yes, the First Herrscher has been in places affected by Honkai Impact events."
"After he passes through, the local collapse events improve."
"So, he might be fighting the Honkai on his own?"
"Or he could be training his power secretly..."
"Let's find him first."
"Who's going to search for him?"
As disaster struck, lives were lost every second, and the high-ranking officials bickered over whose responsibility it was.
The door to the conference room burst open. The senior officials frowned in annoyance.
"Report: The area around Skydrift City is covered by an impenetrable storm. Even satellites can't see through it. The city is nearly destroyed."
"Satellite and high-tech systems near Skydrift City are down. We can't contact the local MOTH branch."
"In New Zealand, coastal cities were hit by massive winds. Several aircraft carrier groups have been destroyed. We don't even know the enemy's exact location."
"The tsunami caused by the winds is the largest ever recorded, and climate changes are affecting nearby cities through the Atlantic Ocean. Sea levels are rising, causing many disasters."
"..."
Bad news kept coming, making the officials feel heavy pressure, as if even a glass of water on the table weighed a ton.
Multiple locations affected at the same time means there might be more than one "Herrscher" causing this disaster.
"Prepare to use nuclear bombs..."
"I agree."
"Me too."
"Agreed..."
"Before that, send out the MOTH's Herrscher troops to test the latest technology..."
"Most importantly..."
"Send the 'First Herrscher,' Orion, to the battlefield!"
As these high-level decisions were made, the outside world was also in turmoil...
I'm just an ordinary soldier in MOTH.
Something big is coming. Even though there hasn't been an official order, rumors, the unusual military equipment usage, and the worried faces of the captains all make it clear.
Even the newest recruit, a cheerful pink-haired girl named Elysia, isn't smiling as much.
I heard Captain Ato's baby is only two weeks old, and he's being sent back to the battlefield. It's sad. I wonder if the baby will ever get to see their father again.
But before thinking about that, I should worry about if I'll be chosen.
Yes, chosen.
The "Herrscher Force" is made up of the most elite soldiers of the MOTH. Compared to those building the new moon base in Skydrift City, the pressure on the frontline is much heavier.
I didn't fight in the Siberian battle, but I've heard how terrifying it was.
Ever since, there have been more "health checks" at the base. The doctor at the main base is scary, and I don't want to go back there.
The size of a "Chariot-class" Honkai Beast is as big as a building. One arm is thicker than a whole group of us! But I heard it's just a basic one. There are stronger ones that not even ship mortars can destroy.
Looking at the weapons list, I saw things like laser weapons and kinetic weapons. This gear is enough to fight something like Godzilla. So, what enemy are we about to face?
We don't have any details on the enemy, and that's making everyone nervous.
Can we win? How can we win?
When we think of victory, everyone pictures a white-haired boy leading us.
...
Mobius has been really frustrated lately, more than usual.
Her most important "test subject" hasn't come to her lab since the second collapse.
Not once!
Mobius' smooth, green hair is starting to split, and she's getting dark circles under her eyes.
"Doctor, you still have three sets of controlled experiments to do," came a soft, mechanical voice next to her.
Klein, standing by, has light green hair almost the same as Mobius'. Outsiders might think they're related somehow.
But Klein was recommended to Mobius by Ato's wife before leaving.
Even though she wouldn't admit it, Mobius depends on Klein a lot.
"Klein, let me rest for a while... just for a bit…" Mobius said as she lay down on the lab table, falling asleep instantly.
Klein sighed and looked at her. This wasn't the first time Mobius had done this.
In her hands, Klein held test tubes with different colored liquids, representing the genes of different Honkai Beasts.
It's against MOTH rules to conduct private experiments with Honkai Beasts. Even Mobius must submit reports to get funding.
This is how MOTH tries to keep Mobius in check.
But Mobius is trying to do something people wouldn't expect: merging Honkai Beasts with humans.
Most researchers would say this is impossible. The body of a Honkai Beast is completely different from a human. Even a small implant could be deadly.
This experiment is dangerous and against the rules of science and politics.
But Mobius is determined. After an experiment with Orion Astra, she saw the endless potential of Honkai energy in humans.
For Mobius, the more dangerous and forbidden the experiment is, the more she wants to pursue it.
Who says humans can only look and live one way? From apes to modern humans, evolution has been constant.
With Honkai as a new factor, human evolution could change dramatically.
If Orion can adapt to Honkai energy, shouldn't others be able to, too?
But reality hit hard. Even with the body tissue from Orion, which acts as a "neutralizer," very few MOTH soldiers could handle Honkai Beast tissue.
Even for the lowest Chariot-Class Honkai Beast, the failure rate is at least 50%.
Failure means death. If too many soldiers died, Mobius' experiments would be shut down by MOTH, and all would be lost.
Mobius nervously chewed on the sleeve of her lab coat. The tissue from Orion's body worked well as a neutralizer. Even a small amount of cells helped ease the damage.
It's as if the cells had their own consciousness.
As her stock of this "golden material" got smaller, Mobius wanted to drag Orion, who was far away in Sundown Alley, back to her lab and make him help!
To fight Honkai, humans need people and things. Recently, a girl brought by the pink-haired girl Elysia annoyed her.
She sees science as magic, but her talent is undeniable. Her name is something like Vill-V, and Mobius hates her just as much as she hates Elysia.
But after hearing that Orion wanted to keep her alive, Mobius decided to let it go for now.
She believes her great plan will redefine humans and the world.