By the hospital bed, after confirming that Chen Tianwen showed no signs of Herrscher transformation and had no "Door" left by the Imaginary, Ryn explained the so-called Honkai and Herrschers to the now-awakened Chen Tianwu.
Manila, Babylon, Nagazora City, and Berlin were all areas of high civilizational development. It was precisely because of this ultra-rapid development that Honkai Eruptions were triggered. And with the Honkai Eruptions, Herrschers were born...
Chen Tianwu grew more and more silent as he listened. The Honkai Eruption had been too sudden... The real world had instantly torn through the beautiful world that Schicksal had previously woven.
Because of the earlier corruption riot, Chen Tianwu had thought it was another attack from aliens, but he never expected the truth to be the so-called Honkai...
"You and your sister, Chen Tianwen, both have excellent Honkai energy adaptability. Are you interested in joining Schicksal and becoming a warrior to fight against the Honkai?" Ryn invited Chen Tianwu.
Chen Tianwu quietly looked at Chen Tianwen, remaining silent for a long time. Finally, in a hoarse voice, he asked Ryn back:
"Why become a warrior to fight the Honkai... We just want a peaceful life, we just want to live..."
"You should understand that people are different... especially now that you have become a Herrscher. This Honkai Eruption is just the beginning. In the future, you will constantly be in contact with the Honkai. You've seen those Honkai Zombies and Honkai Beasts... those monsters are all transformed from people or animals with high Honkai energy adaptability, just like you and your sister!
The Honkai has already set its sights on you. If the next Honkai Eruption happens around you and you have no ability to resist, your sister will turn into a Honkai Zombie right before your eyes... So, it's less of an invitation from me and more that you have no other choice."
"..." Chen Tianwu fell silent. His mind was a mess right now.
He didn't want to deal with all this complicated stuff; he just wanted to live a good life with his sister. But he couldn't accept his sister turning into a Honkai Zombie, into one of those disgusting creatures.
"If I were to leave... would you stop me?" Chen Tianwu looked up at Ryn.
"Guess."
Ryn took out his sword, Stars, and pressed it against Chen Tianwu's neck.
"I already know you're a Herrscher, how could I possibly let you leave. Even though I've destroyed the Herrscher Core, the Door of the Imaginary has been left behind. As long as the conditions are right, you will still become a Herrscher."
"..."
Chen Tianwu pushed the sword away and returned to Chen Tianwen's bedside, looking at her with reluctance for a few last moments.
"Tianwen is still young, her heart is nowhere near as strong as you people's. She's a coward, a coward who only knows how to hide behind me... I admire you Valkyries, but I don't want Tianwen to become a Valkyrie who could lose her life at any moment... I just want her to grow up happy and carefree."
Ryn: "The Honkai Eruptions can no longer be stopped. Herrschers will begin to descend one after another until they completely destroy human civilization. Chen Tianwu, we have no choice!"
"No, no, there is still a choice..."
Chen Tianwu smiled and interrupted Ryn's speech.
"Ryn, you should take Chen Tianwen to join the Schicksal organization you mentioned! She is still young. Even if she has no choice but to go to the battlefield in the end, that will be many years from now. During this time, let her hide in your Valkyrie training academy!"
"As for me... I will go and find... find a way to end the Honkai. Schicksal is a massive organization, you have your own channels, and we ordinary people have our own channels too... The underground world is a mixed bag, and it has existed for far longer than Schicksal's history. If there is a way to end the Honkai in this world, and it's not on the surface, then it must be in the dark world underground!"
Chen Tianwen became more and more agitated as he spoke. He inexplicably began to believe that he would definitely find a way to end the Honkai.
Parents deceased, left with a younger sister, a heavenly disaster strikes, a powerful benefactor saves his life, and he himself possesses a hidden power. Isn't this the opening of a protagonist's story? The young Chen Tianwu's eighth-grade syndrome soul began to burn fiercely; this world would be saved by him.
Then Ryn's sword was stuck in the ground in front of him, just a hair's breadth away from cutting him in half.
"You idiot..." Ryn said speechlessly, patting Chen Tianwu's head. "I told you, you're a Herrscher. I can't just let you leave."
"Benefactor, give me a chance! Look at me now, I'm just a weakling. Even if I go back to Schicksal with you, I'll be useless!" Chen Tianwu hugged Ryn's leg and begged pitifully. His protagonist career couldn't end before it even began!
"Who says? You can still be taken back for slicing up and research! Just kidding."
"???" When Chen Tianwu heard "slicing up," he hugged even tighter. "Benefactor! Daddy! You've already saved my life, you won't send me to be sliced up, will you!!"
"I said I was just kidding, don't you understand human language? Get off me, I'm not interested in men." Ryn tried to shake Chen Tianwu off, but he clung on like a stubborn plaster. What would people think if they saw this?
"I won't let go until you agree!"
"Fine, go if you want to! I hope you can really find the answer."
Ryn was worn down by Chen Tianwu's incessant begging. After all, even if Chen Tianwu joined Schicksal, he would just be another grunt, not of much use.
Otto wasn't interested in Herrschers either; his orders to Ryn were "If you encounter a Herrscher, try to persuade them to surrender. If you can't, kill them and retrieve the Herrscher Core."
Yes, the only useful part of a Herrscher was their Core. Their bodies were just mortal flesh, no different from ordinary people.
"I can let you leave, but some measures still need to be taken."
Ryn pressed his hand on Chen Tianwu's chest, once again opening a hole in it, had a heart-to-heart talk with him, and then healed him with the power of creation.
"Cough, cough... Benefactor, please give me a heads-up next time, that really hurt..." Chen Tianwu collapsed on the floor, gasping for air.
"I'm used to it... I'll be more careful next time..." Ryn rubbed his head sheepishly. This whole heart-to-heart thing was becoming a bit of a habit...
"I've placed many singularities inside your body. They are too small to be detected and will also help conceal the Door of the Imaginary left on you. If one day you become a Herrscher and lose control, they will collapse into black holes and devour you. Also, if you encounter an enemy you can't defeat, you can use them to take the enemy down with you, but I hope you'll never have to."