Smack.
Without any warning, a silver-white gauntlet—exquisite, resplendent, and etched with intricate patterns—suddenly came to rest on Fu Hua's shoulder.
Her body reacted instinctively, trying to break free. But no matter how she exerted herself, she could not move even a fraction.
She hadn't sensed anything at all! The Honkai energy within her body had been suppressed—Herrscher of Binding?!
Fu Hua's body stiffened abruptly. ... She slowly turned her head.
Behind her, following the line of that arm, the physical space itself had been torn open.
The authority of the Second Herrscher?
"Correct. The authority of the Herrscher of the Void."
As if reading her thoughts, an interested female voice drifted out from within the purple-crimson radiance of the black cavity.
Beyond the torn spatial portal, at the end of that thick, mottled sea of colors, enormous crystalline constructs stood like monstrous silhouettes. Countless sinister and frigid strands of Imaginary internal energy filled the space in lines and particle forms, like twisted, flickering eyeballs silently watching everything.
Silence.
A deathly stillness. No trace of life.
Except...
Drip—
Selene's silver-white hair cascaded down her back like smoke and silk, smooth as the finest satin. Her crimson eyes were clear and deep, and within them floated golden, diamond-shaped cross rings, like exquisite works of art—translucent and luminous.
The immense vitality emanating from her body formed a stark contrast with the dead void of the Imaginary space behind her. She was like a brilliant comet tearing through eternal darkness.
Her features were perfectly composed—too perfectly beautiful, like a painting come to life. She bore a resemblance to Schicksal's late S-rank Valkyrie, Cecilia.
That was Fu Hua's initial assessment upon seeing her.
But appearance reflects the heart.
Having cultivated the Edge of Taixuan, Fu Hua was well-versed in reading such things.
Edge of Taixuan was her ultimate art, refined to an extreme degree—a technique specialized in true energy. It comprised five aggregates: Heart, Form, Intent, Soul, and Spirit.
"Heart" and "Intent" were inner cultivation. "Form" and "Soul" were sword techniques. Though named "Edge," to truly transform the self into a blade—letting sword energy arise from the heart—one had to comprehend the fifth aggregate, "Spirit."
Once fully mastered, it greatly enhanced not only one's strength but also subtly tempered one's disposition, will, and bearing.
She is not Cecilia. Nor is she someone like Cecilia.
That was Fu Hua's deeper conclusion a few seconds later.
Though Selene wore a warm, approachable mask, the cold sharpness between her brows—the dominance, the tyranny, even the latent violence—could not be concealed.
Even if their faces resembled one another, and even if Selene herself seemed to be intentionally cultivating a more "people-friendly" image, the two stood at opposite ends of a spectrum.
One acted with purpose, driven by calculation.
The other had been sincere.
Fu Hua had met Cecilia before. They had fought side by side. She remembered clearly the gentle warmth that made one feel like standing in a spring breeze.
But facing this "Cecilia" who was larger in stature, Fu Hua felt none of that calm ease. On the contrary, every muscle in her body tensed. The five aggregates of Heart, Form, Intent, Soul, and Spirit were instinctively pushed to their limit, placing her in a state of full battle readiness.
She could sense those materialized strands of Imaginary internal energy gathering around Selene as though in fear and submission.
Fu Hua understood.
This was not a radiant light cutting through ultimate darkness.
This was something more sinister than darkness, more dreadful than death...
More perilous than any accumulation of terrifying words could ever describe.
An aura of despair radiated from her, vast and suffocating.
Perhaps she had always been "Finality" itself.
Drip—
Her high heels stepped solidly onto the hardened metal deck. Breathing in fresh oxygen, feeling the suitable humidity and temperature of the environment, Selene paid no mind to Fu Hua, whose shoulder she still held as the latter remained wary and guarded.
Instead, she surveyed her surroundings with keen interest.
Her extraordinary hearing picked up the faint murmurs of Valkyries not far away.
"Schicksal Headquarters' nine famous floating islands... Otto's taste has never been bad."
As the main island among Schicksal Headquarters' nine floating isles, "Midgard" was filled with well-developed forests and greenery. Trees flourished. Birds sang.
Built high in the sky, the island was enveloped by a vast energy shield in semi-activated state.
It defended against attacks and sealed in oxygen, allowing the island's life-support system to create a surface environment suitable for human habitation.
Even "Helheim," the Honkai energy systems laboratory, and "Jotunheim," the industrial research center—though filled with futuristic architecture—still retained a significant proportion of green space.
To Selene, who was accustomed to the Imperial Capital's palace-style floating islands adorned like miniature archipelagos, this felt refreshingly different.
She looked up.
The weather was nice. The rising sun—ah, ignore those ferocious war beasts overhead—the rosy glow dyed the entire sky in splendid hues.
"Wouldn't you agree... Twelfth of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers of MOTH, Fu Hua?"
Her tone brooked no doubt, laced with playful amusement.
"..."
Fu Hua froze momentarily. She opened her mouth slightly, then let out a long breath and gave a wry smile.
"So Your Majesty already knows."
Nearly ten seconds had passed since Selene stepped out of Imaginary Space.
Leaning against the railing of the floating island's greenbelt, the nearest Imperial soldier finally reacted. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
Because Selene's orders to Alex had not mentioned that she herself would be coming, the Schicksal Headquarters floating island cluster currently functioned as a near-ground rear staging and recuperation point for the Imperial Army.
Alex's deployment strategy was tight on the outside, relaxed within. On the main island, Midgard, a large number of Valkyrie units were undergoing registration.
Thus, the Astartes warriors, Imperial Auxilia, and Servitor Army forces stationed here were in a relatively relaxed state. They appeared approachable. No one was aggressively pointing weapons at others.
Well—aside from the Inquisition agents conducting raids and executions, the rest of the military branches were fairly amiable.
Of course, in an emergency, the Imperial forces here could shift into combat mode within three seconds.
After all, resting did not mean powering down. Their armor and weapons remained equipped.
The next instant, with a thud, the nearest Servitor Army soldier instinctively fell to his knees, pressing his forehead to the ground.
"Your Majesty!"
The shout trembled with emotion.
In an instant, the relaxed Imperial forces were jolted. Following the sound, when they saw Selene—whose appearance was nearly identical to the Emperor's likeness in stained-glass windows, relief carvings, and oil paintings—
"Ahhh—!"
Several Astartes warriors from different Legions—helmetless, sitting atop tanks, bragging, sharing drinks, and clinking glasses—jerked violently, nearly falling off. They let out shrill screams like startled marmots.
In their agitation, the glass cups were crushed to pieces in their hands. Scrambling, they hastily put on their helmets, flipped down from the tanks, and prepared to salute.
"Your Majesty!"
It couldn't be helped. Selene's arrival this time had been like a stealth infiltration. Not only the soldiers—even the Astartes Legion Commanders had failed to notice her.
With a slight nod, Selene waved a hand without turning around. Those who had already saluted, or were just about to, found themselves gently lifted upright. At the same time, her voice appeared directly within their minds:
'No need for formalities. Dismissed. Return to your duties.'
Alex and the other Legion Commanders, seated at the holographic command table issuing orders, also heard the commotion and were about to rise. After receiving Selene's directive, they exchanged glances, spread their hands helplessly, and continued as before.
Even so, the atmosphere across the floating island instantly grew oppressive.
Though Selene had ordered everyone to disperse and carry on, the supreme authority of their supreme authority's supreme authority was standing right here. There was no way they would remain as relaxed as before.
Quite a few soldiers immediately formed neat ranks, eyes forward, standing guard.
In this situation, if someone dared to shout loudly, that would no longer be mere social boldness—it would be social terrorism.
"Master Hua! What's going on? And is she really Kiana's sister?"
An astonished voice rang out beside them—clear and crisp, very pleasant to the ear. Even without disguise or vocal modulation, one could easily tell the speaker had a straightforward personality.
"Mm? And you are...?"
"Hehe, my name's Li Sushang."
Li Sushang clasped her hands together, propping her chin on them as she leaned close to Selene. Her eyes sparkled as she said excitedly, "Hey, are you and Kiana really sisters? Why do I feel like you're more like her mo—"
A dark line crossed Selene's face. Before she could finish, Selene released Fu Hua's shoulder and, swift as lightning, reached out and pinched Li Sushang's cheek. Her eyes curved into crescent moons as she spoke gently.
"Oh my, what an adorable child."
"Mmgh—! It hurts, it hurts!"
Amid Li Sushang's garbled cries, Selene pulled her closer and brought her other hand up to join in.
At the same time, noticing Fu Hua observing from the sidelines, Selene suddenly had an idea.
"Is this your kid? Why doesn't she resemble you at all? If anything... she looks more like the Master."
"..."
Fu Hua's expression darkened instantly. She clearly sensed Selene's gaze drifting to a spot about three inches below her collarbone.
Though indignant, Fu Hua could do nothing. Her body simply refused to cooperate.
After cheerfully kneading her cheeks for a moment longer, Selene called out to Kiana.
"Catch."
Then she tossed the dazed Li Sushang through the air.
"Now then. Our pleasantries upon first meeting are over. Let's talk business."
Waving toward Kiana—who stood not far away with Theresa and Raiden Mei—Selene spoke calmly.
"Mm."
Economical with words as ever, Fu Hua nodded.
The two of them walked together to the edge of the Midgard floating island. The faint sound of waves mingled with the low hum of the island's engines.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Selene asked abruptly.
Below the floating island lay the Mediterranean Sea. Seagulls soared over the azure waters, skimming the waves and stirring up sprays of foam. Under the gentle sunlight, the surface shimmered brilliantly.
"Mm." Fu Hua merely nodded again.
Selene fixed her gaze on her and said softly, "If you don't want it destroyed, then cooperate obediently."
"..."
Fu Hua did not remain silent for long. "What do you mean?" she asked quietly.
"Don't play dumb. I'll be frank. If you can demonstrate some value of your own, it will be better for this world, for Schicksal, and for humanity of this era. Of course, you may choose not to believe me."
"The world? This world?" Fu Hua frowned, catching the key phrase.
Without answering directly, Selene removed the mask entirely. Her expression turned cold and resolute.
"Excluding you. For Kiana's sake, you are one of ours. But those vermin from MOTH who are still alive—where are they hiding? Let's compare it with the information I obtained from Aponia."
"..."
Fu Hua lowered her head and remained silent.
With a faint snort, Selene continued.
"The era of the previous civilization has already ended. The fate of the Current Era should be decided by its own people—not by corpses from fifty thousand years ago."
"Unfortunately, Schicksal has already surrendered. Anti-Entropy will soon follow. In the end, humanity of this era has chosen to submit to me."
"I know you value promises deeply. But Kevin Kaslana once tried to kill you. If not for Kiana, you would already be dead. That means your life belongs to Kiana—not to MOTH. You have no further connection with those remnants."
Selene knew that Fu Hua lacked decisiveness. More often than not, she preferred to entrust the act of thinking to someone she deemed wiser.
Whether it was sophistry or distortion of facts, Selene pressed forward through words alone. She even invoked Discipline, probing and bending Fu Hua's bottom line again and again.
"I will not allow you to commit suicide. Nor will I permit self-harm or hunger strikes. If you dare, I will massacre the Far East—and that will be your doing."
A faint chuckle escaped her lips.
"From the the Immortal Phoenix who protects the world to the sinner who brings about its destruction... I trust you know what choice to make."
Selene paced in slow circles around Fu Hua.
Good people were always easier to control than those without any bottom line.
When a good person made a single mistake, they were condemned by thousands.
But a villain could lay down the butcher's knife and become a saint on the spot.
Like Selene herself. To be honest, all she had done was commute the sentence of a criminal—from hanging to beheading—over some trivial dispute. From a painful death to a painless one.
Yet over such a trivial matter, the Empire's propaganda department had beaten drums and gongs to publicize it everywhere, making her seem like some benevolent saint—almost ready to ascend to Buddhahood on the spot.
"Stop..."
Fu Hua covered her face with one hand. She could clearly sense Selene's manipulation.
But she had no choice.
If she tore away the facade, it would be humanity that suffered.
Her own death did not matter. But if she dragged more people down with her, she would become a sinner.
"Besides, Fu Hua... you wouldn't want Kiana to be bullied within the Empire, would you?"
Selene stopped pacing and stared at her.
"Speak. Tell me—what is your answer?!"
Step by step, Selene pressed against the limits of Fu Hua's resolve.
"..."
Fu Hua's fists clenched so tightly they trembled.
After a long silence, her face shifted between pale and flushed. Struggle, conflict, and regret flickered across her features in turn.
At last, after what felt like an eternity, she bit down and forced out a single hoarse word.
"Fine."
The moment she spoke, it was as if her spirit drained away. Her aura immediately withered.
"A wise choice."
"Billions live because of you. I will tell them why they were allowed to survive. You..."
Crimson eyes met emerald ones. A curve lifted at the corner of Selene's lips.
"...Are a hero."
"A hero?" Fu Hua laughed at herself. "A hero who was threatened by you, toyed with at your whim—what kind of hero is that?"
"That depends on how you see it. To me, you are merely a piece on the board. But in the eyes of the people, you will be a hero. You will bear their expectations and wage war for the Empire."
"They will share glory and disgrace with you."
Snap.
With a snap of her fingers, space tore open. Selene retrieved two crystal goblets and a flask of fine wine. She personally filled one and handed it to Fu Hua.
"I rarely drink. But your joining us is worth it."
Fu Hua's brow twitched. The scene reminded her of the already-defeated Second Herrscher, Sirin. Sirin had also wielded space with ease—but she had always been careless and overconfident.
The one before her now was different.
She only made one's spine run cold.
"Do I even have a choice? I hope you keep your word."
Clink.
Taking the crystal goblet, Fu Hua tapped it lightly against Selene's before draining it in a single gulp.
Since she had already decided, any further hesitation or false modesty would only invite disdain.
Selene drained her own glass as well and wasted no time on pleasantries.
"What I can confirm so far is this. Dr. MEI, Kevin Kaslana, Elysia, Aponia, Eden, and Sakura—they are definitively dead."
Dr. MEI, worn down by years of relentless labor, compounded by Honkai erosion and the overuse of the Key of Blankness, succumbed shortly after the battle against Finality ended.
Kevin and Aponia needed no elaboration. Selene had killed them herself.
As for the second True Self, Elysia—through Aponia's memories, Selene learned that after the Twelfth Honkai Eruption of the Previous Era, MOTH had already become fractured and on the brink of collapse.
At that time, Elysia voluntarily became the Thirteenth Herrscher. In the end, she was personally slain by Kevin. By sacrificing herself, she succeeded in uniting the remaining Flame-Chasers, allowing them to stand together against Finality and wage the final battle upon the moon.
The fourth, Eden, survived the battle against Finality. Yet she did not enter a cryo-sleep chamber. Instead, she walked into the boundless wasteland. As the great star of her era, she offered one final song to the world.
Eden—she was the epitome of that age.
Afterward, she took her own life.
The eighth, Sakura, had already died before the battle against Finality. Aponia's Discipline had indirectly led to that tragedy.
The awakened Twelfth Herrscher had been Sakura's younger sister—Rin. When Sakura arrived at Rin's confinement chamber, her sister had already been brutally murdered by soldiers whose extreme hatred of Honkai had been amplified under the influence of Aponia's Discipline.
After her death, Rin transformed into the true Twelfth Herrscher—the Herrscher of Corruption—a supreme virus endowed with self-awareness. And Sakura fell along the path as she searched for her sister, who had already transformed into a Herrscher.
"As for the others, I need to verify the information with you to confirm it. Go on," Selene said softly, blinking.
Staring at Selene's faint smile, Fu Hua felt uncertain.
She could not tell whether Selene truly did not know—or was pretending not to.
Or whether this, too, was another test.
"..."