[Detected a body matching the host. Fusing.]
[Detected high-concentration energy within the body.]
[Detected host is in a dangerous location.]
The sudden voice startled me awake.
(Who are you? Where am I?)
[Answer: I am the product of the host's inner consciousness combined with the Honkai Cube. The host is currently in the waste disposal room of Schicksal's Siberia Labs.]
I was shocked. Weren't I already dead? I tried to get up but felt my body heavy and sluggish, unable to muster any strength.
Though my mind was clear, my body refused to respond.
(What's wrong with me?)
[Answer: The host's soul is still adapting to this body, and the high-concentration energy within it is constantly eroding the vessel.]
Bzzz!
Just as I was about to ask more, static noises suddenly rang in my ears.
Huh? Why does it feel warm…
I suddenly realized my situation might be dire.
On the walls of the small enclosed space, countless "tubes" began to slowly light up, the rising temperature already obvious.
There was no time to think. I struggled to stand, but my body wouldn't respond. I wanted to call for help, but no sound came out.
Was I going to die again?
[Answer: The host's body contains high-concentration energy with spatial properties. If the host concentrates and releases all of it, you can escape from here.]
(Then use it.)
[Answer: This will cause intense pain. Are you sure you want to proceed?]
(Yes! Maximize energy release, get out of here, as far as possible!)
The searing pain that followed made my body spasm instinctively.
Inside the incineration chamber, the girl's body emitted a red glow, then vanished.
...
Outer space.
At the edge of the multiverse, between endless "bubble worlds," a tiny red dot appeared. Inside it, the silver-haired girl curled up.
[Answer: Reached the farthest distance allowed by the energy release. Please confirm destination...]
The intense pain from the energy drain made my consciousness fade. I didn't notice that my so-called "maximum" energy release had actually taken me beyond the Honkai universe.
(You decide. Find a place safe enough to grow.)
With that, I passed out.
[Safe? Growth? Selecting… Target world within energy allowance confirmed. Filtering… First option… second option… third option… Target confirmed. Initiating transfer.]
The light sped toward another "bubble world."
...
A shooting star streaked across the night sky.
Central Europe, Austria, outskirts of Vienna.
Late at night, by the roadside, a red light flashed. A white-haired girl lay on the grass beside the road.
Opening her eyes, she stood up. Under the streetlights, she saw the road, the crosswalk, and the traffic lights.
In the distance, the city shone brightly, colorful lights proclaiming its prosperity.
This must be a near-modern world.
A cold wind blew by. Hiss, chilly. She crossed her arms and rubbed them. Hm? This new body… so small? Instinctively, she reached downward—and found nothing.
"Ah! I… this?"
A soft, childish voice escaped her lips. As she examined herself, the absurd and yet undeniable reality became clear.
"This is me…?"
[Answer: The host's current body is indeed female, and after fusion, it has fully adapted to you.]
The voice in her mind again—was this her system?
[Answer: Yes and no. I am not the kind of system in the host's memory. I am the materialized form of the host's inner consciousness and the Honkai consciousness. I simply summarize and organize the host's abilities and memories, presenting them in a data format. I am purely auxiliary—think of me as a combination of artificial intelligence and a panel system.]
"So… just like the Great Sage from TenSura? Alright, I'll call you Great Sage from now on."
[Answer: Specific designation received: Great Sage.]
"Great Sage, where am I right now?"
[Answer: Outskirts of Vienna.]
She walked slowly to a phone booth by the roadside. Under the streetlamp, she looked at her reflection in the glass.
About 121 cm tall, looking like a six-year-old girl. White hair, red eyes, diamond-shaped pupils, delicate facial features, snow-white skin, wearing an oversized white robe.
"So delicate…" she murmured instinctively.
Despite the extraordinary events of transmigration and transformation, she felt no surprise or fear. Since when had her adaptability become so strong?
Was it because she had always been alone, with nothing to tie her down? Or was it an influence from this body—or something else entirely?
Shaking her head to clear the thoughts: "Now's not the time to overthink. Even if I'm influenced or controlled by someone, so what? To live again—what a blessing."
"Great Sage, can you display my body's status as data?"
[Answer: Yes.]
As the words echoed in her mind, a simple chart appeared directly on her retina.
[Name: Unnamed (Xilin)]
[Physical Condition: Weak]
[Age: 6 (experimentally matured)]
[Height: 121 cm | Weight: 20 kg]
[Abilities: Absolute Honkai Resistance, Honkai Energy Manipulation, Space Manipulation]
[Inventory: None]
[Answer: Does the host wish to continue using the previous life's name?]
Luo Shun was silent for a moment. "No."
She lifted her head, gazing at the night sky. The full moon hung like a lantern in the heavens.
"It's a full moon now. Since I've changed gender, and this body's origin is European, I'll follow local customs. What Western names symbolize the moon?"
[Answer: Artemis, Selene, Phoebe…]
"Selene, then. It's a full moon, after all."
(Prompt: Selene is the Greek goddess of the full moon.)
Selene—her new name—was decided.
Looking again at her status chart, the inventory section, as the name suggested, displayed the items she possessed.
"So… what's my situation now, and where exactly am I?"
[Answer: This is another universe. Per the host's instructions, maximum energy output took you beyond the Honkai universe.]
"So I basically dug my own grave, huh?" Thinking back to the command she gave before losing consciousness, she realized this was her own doing.
But she still couldn't help asking, "Can I go back?"
[Answer: Not for now. Energy reserves are completely depleted.]
Realizing there was no way back, Selene didn't dwell on it. The most important thing now was survival. She shifted her attention to the status chart. "Alright, so what's the deal with these abilities?"
Hearing the familiar preface start, Selene cut in, "From now on, just say it directly—no need for prefixes or formalities. Just call me by name. We're one and the same, after all."
[Understood.]
[Absolute Honkai Resistance comes from the Kaslana bloodline, which also has notable traits such as 'superhuman strength,' 'robustness,' and 'tenacity.']
[Honkai Energy Manipulation comes from the Schariac bloodline. After full fusion with Herrscher genes, it grants mastery over Honkai energy.]
[Space Manipulation comes from the fusion of the Second Herrscher, Sirin's genes, with a Herrscher Core, allowing the conversion of imaginary energy into imaginary space for offense and defense. The diamond-shaped pupils are its visible trait.]
Selene thought for a moment. "I get the rest, but how exactly do I use Honkai energy?"
[Honkai energy can be converted into other forms of energy to power objects, or used to strengthen matter—living or non-living. Anything that can withstand it will be greatly enhanced. However, if a living creature fails the enhancement, it will undergo corpse transformation and become a Honkai beast, completely under the Herrscher's control.]
"So, I can control any living creature I inject with Honkai energy?" Selene asked.
[Yes.]
That opened up a lot of possibilities.
The first priority for Selene was to find a place to stay.
She considered her options:
Police? Too hard to explain her origins, and even controlling them with Honkai energy wasn't reliable.
A random household? Impossible, far too troublesome. And since she wasn't a bad person, using Honkai energy to control ordinary people was out of the question.
That left her old standby—an orphanage.
"Didn't think I'd end up back in one," she muttered, rubbing her forehead as she walked toward Vienna's city center.
"What orphanages are there in Vienna?"
[Five have been located. The two closest to the southern outskirts are: the private Gablewraith Orphanage, owned by Marcus Gablewraith, and the St. Stephen's Relief Center, owned by a church.]
"Forget the private one, I'll go to the church orphanage."
With the Great Sage's guidance, Selene headed toward St. Stephen's.
On the way, she asked, "Does your sensory exploration have a range?"
[Yes. The range depends on Honkai energy strength and mental strength. Currently, it covers about a two-kilometer radius, and will expand as your abilities grow.]
"Superpowers really are handy. If things ever get bad, I could make a living as a guide in the forest or desert without worry."
...
"We're here."
Selene stopped.
From the roadside, she could see through the brown gates—a spotless stone path lined with neatly trimmed lawns on both sides. At the end of the path, a short set of steps led up to the church.
The relief center, with the church as its main building, was a mix of white Baroque and Gothic architecture. Towering spires, broad archways, and colorful stained glass gave it a solemn air.
She glanced at the lit guardroom beside the gate.
Exhaling, she paused for a moment, then walked toward the guardroom.