[In short, Isla is in trouble, but she's in good condition right now. I think... you should probably come back right away.]
After hearing the message from Li Sushang, Leo Ash's heart suddenly sank.
Immediately after, Leo Ash suddenly felt a sense of gratitude.
Although his companions and elders had varied personalities, because Leo Ash was an Avenger and due to his usual behavior, everyone showed an excessive amount of concern for him.
Never mind a meticulous companion like Yuna; even action-oriented people like Siegfried, Kiana, and Bianka, who relied more on intuition than anything, would prioritize Leo Ash's feelings in any action related to him.
If this were any other world, Leo Ash, who was the subject of everyone's affection, would definitely feel overwhelming happiness.
But in this Honkai-infested world, this kind of treatment made Leo Ash feel that something was wrong.
Especially now. After Isla Ash, Leo Ash's daughter, had gotten into trouble, *no one* had contacted Leo Ash immediately.
It was only because Li Sushang, who wasn't that close with everyone else, who hadn't deeply ingrained the concept of 'Leo Ash is an overly crazed Avenger' into her heart, and who also happened to be an action-oriented person on the scene, that this important matter was relayed to Leo Ash at the first opportunity.
[First, tell me the specifics. What exactly is the situation?]
[Ah, you're putting me in a tough spot, Martial Uncle.]
[Let me see... In short, Isla's Honkai Energy levels surged. Dr. Magi said that if she hadn't tricked Dr. Magi into giving her five vials of the newest HSN serum, Isla's Honkai Energy level would have reached about 3200... what are these two foreign letters after it called again?]
[That's not important... I understand. Tell everyone I'm heading back immediately.]
"Leo."
Rita, who had finished changing into her maid uniform, stared at Leo Ash's suddenly silent expression and immediately asked.
"Is something wrong at headquarters?"
"...It's not headquarters. It's Isla."
Exhaling a troubled breath, Leo Ash put on his outer coat and said to Rita.
"Rita..."
"Alright, the special time is over. It's time to call me 'Sister' again."
Looking at this incredibly playful woman before him, Leo Ash sometimes truly felt that understanding a woman's mind was perhaps far more difficult than defeating a powerful enemy.
Just now, Rita didn't want Leo Ash to refer to her as his sister, but after the ritual ended, Rita reverted to being that relative who held, at least, a little bit of dignity.
I don't get it. I really don't get what she's thinking.
But, even if he couldn't understand it, it didn't stop Leo Ash from acting according to Rita's wishes.
For Leo Ash right now, solving the problem with Isla Ash was undoubtedly the most important thing.
"Sister, you head back first. I have some things to take care of."
Seeing Leo Ash, whose expression had relaxed just a little moment ago, revert to his usual self, Rita truly felt her heart ache for him.
Of course, she wouldn't blame Isla Ash for Leo Ash reverting to this state. After all, the child was innocent; the problem was definitely caused by some other existence.
But... just for a moment, I wish he could relax a little.
The Honkai... It's one thing for it to be accelerating more and more violently, but now, even Isla, who isn't even a proper Herrscher, is being affected...
After taking a deep look at Leo Ash, Rita said no more and chose to leave directly using the Quantum Teleportation System.
"Ha... A surge in Honkai Energy, and it needs HSN serum to be suppressed?"
At that moment, Leo Ash recalled the information Li Sushang had given him and took two items from his storage space: HSN serum and a Full Rejuvenation Potion.
He only had a few vials of the old version of the HSN serum left.
But, it didn't matter much.
After all, even the old version of the serum was enough for Leo Ash to use his own body to run an experiment and make a deduction.
Injecting two vials of the serum into his body one after another, Leo Ash felt his Honkai Energy levels drop significantly, just as he expected.
Not only that, but he also felt his physical condition decline slightly.
After all, the potion Dr. Magi developed in the original story was enough to turn Kiana from an incredibly agile Valkyrie into a weak little girl who found it extremely difficult to even escape, all with just one shot.
After suffering a dual decline in both stamina and Honkai Energy, Leo Ash picked up a drop of the Full Rejuvenation Potion and dripped it into his mouth.
After doing this, Leo Ash's expression darkened.
His status... was, as expected, completely restored.
This is terrible.
Isla had used the HSN serum to forcibly suppress her surging Honkai Energy, and in the Full Rejuvenation Potion's logic, this counted as a 'debuff'.
By taking the Full Rejuvenation Potion used to restore full status, the Honkai Energy levels that had been suppressed by the HSN serum would naturally surge right back up.
Damn it, this method is useless. And now...
Leo Ash, who was thinking frantically, arrived at an answer he didn't want to use. He immediately used the Quantum Teleportation System to go to Isla Ash's room in Schicksal HQ.
Inside Isla Ash's room, Isla Ash, Kiana, and Yuna watched Rita and Leo Ash arrive one after the other, and they suddenly felt like they understood something.
But seeing the worried looks on their faces, the three of them—mother and daughters—all tacitly agreed not to ask anything.
"Isla, how are you feeling?"
Looking at Rita, who was bending over to look at her, Isla Ash put her hands on her hips and spoke to Rita and Leo Ash, who was behind her.
"Dad, Rita... Aunt, after Grandma Sushang told you what happened, I guess you must be very worried, but the thing is..."
"Of course I'm fine! Even if you look at me with those worried and suspicious eyes, I'm fine, and that's that."
Looking at his incredibly confident daughter, Leo Ash's gaze suddenly shifted to the Key of Binding beside Isla Ash.
At that moment, a chain from the Oath of Judah was actually wrapped around Isla Ash's right hand.
From this chain, Leo Ash could feel the power of the Key of Binding slowly covering Isla Ash, helping her suppress the Honkai Energy levels in her body.
And after seeing this scene, Leo Ash truly felt...
...his heart ached.
"Isla, I'm sorry."
Gently hugging his daughter, Leo Ash whispered to Isla Ash.
"It's because Dad is useless that this happened to you."
"Um, well..."
Hearing Leo Ash's slightly sad and apologetic words, Isla Ash was a bit at a loss.
She could only hug Leo Ash's body and say to him with exasperation.
"I don't know what exactly you're thinking, Dad, but the thing is—this isn't your fault."
"You're always like this, taking the blame for problems caused by others."
"That's got to be exhausting. Can't you just adjust your mentality a little?"
"As a father, can't you set a good example? I'm your daughter, you know! I'll definitely learn from you unconsciously."
"..."
Hearing Isla Ash say this so naturally, Leo Ash released his daughter and said to her very seriously.
"Well then, my good daughter, I hope you don't learn Dad's bad habits, too."
"There are some things you don't need to face at all. Really... as long as you relax and do what you love, that's enough."
"Yeah, right."
Hearing her father's request, Isla Ash said irritably.
"I already said a father's influence on his children is subconscious. Being in an environment where everyone around me is working so hard, as the daughter of the Schicksal Bishop, how can I be the one to slack off?"
No, no, no, no, no. You're a little girl not even one year old. No one will think you're slacking off if you play all day.
[But, you know that even if you say that, she definitely won't listen.]
[A tryhard's daughter naturally has the blood of a tryhard. Faced with this tryhard's Bloodline Limit, her becoming a tryhard is an undeniable, inescapable destiny!]
If possible, I'd rather you not say something so cruel.
No! I don't want that!
Isla becoming a tryhard at all costs, not having a happy childhood... I absolutely do not want to see that!!!!
[Ah, but it's not up to you.]
Cut the crap! System, my relative, my best friend, my godfather!
Is there a way to fix this problem with Isla?
[There definitely is.]
Please, you must tell me!!!
[But it's useless to tell you—you can't use this method right now anyway.]
There is a way... If there's a way, then it's not a problem.
Realizing that if he didn't say something, the others would start imagining things, Leo Ash looked at the Oath of Judah and then said softly to Isla Ash.
"I know you might not listen to what Dad is saying, but Dad still hopes you can relax a little."
"Your physical condition is definitely not good right now. Even with Judah helping you, you absolutely must not act recklessly—understand?"
"I~ know~"
Watching the lecturing Leo Ash, Isla Ash took a step back in clear disdain.
Then, she looked at Yuna and Kiana.
"Isn't this kind of nagging supposed to come from the moms? Dad, how are you even more long-winded than the moms?"
"Obviously. That's because they're not as eloquent as I am."
After forcefully rubbing Isla Ash's hair and messing it up, Leo Ash looked at the worried-faced Kiana and Yuna.
"Kiana, Yuna, keep a close eye on Isla for now. Don't let anything happen to her."
"I have some rough ideas. After I organize them a bit, I might be able to come up with a solution."
"I understand, Senior."
After saying this, Yuna proactively walked over to Isla Ash, leaving the 'stage' to Kiana and Leo Ash.
"Senior, you..."
As if she had seen some vision of the future, the worry on Kiana's face clearly intensified.
"Isla is fine for now. You'd better not do anything reckless, okay?"
"...Of course."
Gently patting Kiana's head, Leo Ash smiled at her.
"It's not like you don't know how afraid I am of dying."
"I'm off. Remember to take good care of Isla."
Watching Leo Ash's departing figure, the worry in the eyes of the three people present—everyone except Isla Ash—grew even heavier than before.
Right now, Rita truly felt that she was too powerless in every aspect.
Ever since the start of the Third Eruption, she, who was originally one of Schicksal's top combatants, had actually started to gradually fall behind the 'meta'.
And now, even using special means to help her adoptive brother relax his mind had become a failed, extravagant hope for Rita.
There were some things Leo Ash and Rita didn't say out loud, but everyone present understood them clearly.
Isla Ash's Honkai Energy levels had risen to 3200 HW at one point, which meant that value was Isla Ash's current limit.
And the HSN serum was, after all, temporary. In other words, once its effects wore off, it was only a matter of time before Isla Ash's Honkai Energy levels surged back up.
Adding to that, the speed at which Isla Ash was inexplicably growing stronger was just too fast. From this perspective, Isla Ash's time... was running out.
And precisely because of this, Leo Ash had proactively hidden himself away to think of a solution, right when Isla Ash needed his company the most.
After all, Rita knew her adoptive brother's personality very well.
He was just that kind of person. As long as there was still a 1% chance of hope, he would use over 100% of his effort to grasp it.
But now... Isla didn't have much time. Could Leo really find a way to solve her condition?
"Miss Rita."
Looking at the pensive Rita, Kiana, who had been about to ask something, suddenly froze.
Then, she abruptly turned her head to Yuna.
"Yuna, I'm entrusting Isla to you two."
"I just remembered I have something to take care of—Isla, remember to listen to Yuna and Miss Rita, okay?"
"Okay, Mom, don't worry! I'll be a good girl!"
Looking at her daughter who was clearly putting on a brave front, the pain in Kiana's heart felt like it was about to tear her apart, making it unbearable.
But in that moment, Kiana still forced herself to use the Authority of the Herrscher of the Void to return from Isla Ash's room to her own.
After escaping from everyone's line of sight, Kiana, who suddenly felt incredibly awful, grabbed her bed and collapsed onto the floor.
"The problem with Isla... is definitely not an isolated case."
Feeling the power within her body stirring restlessly, Kiana casually picked up the Honkai Energy detector in her room.
This Honkai Energy detector was a special tool developed by Schicksal HQ for the Herrschers.
Using this detector, Herrschers could monitor their current Honkai Energy levels at any time to determine if their current state was dangerous.
And now, having activated the detector, Kiana was shocked to find the numbers on it jumping wildly.
Wrong, this is wrong.
Even if I just used the Authority of the Herrscher of the Void, a spatial jump of less than a few hundred meters shouldn't possibly make me release such high levels of Honkai Energy.
Watching the detector's numbers jump directly to its maximum detection limit of 2000 HW, Kiana was certain that the same problem was happening to her.
"Although my Honkai Energy level isn't staying at a high value, the average level it's emitting right now is ridiculous enough..."
"Is it because Sirin absorbed more than six Cores, causing the Core of the Herrscher of the Void to mutate?"
"Or is it..."
As the feeling of discomfort gradually washed over her, Kiana, who had been about to do something, suddenly fainted and collapsed on the floor.
This is terrible. I still have so much to do, but...
—Why, even now, am I still dragging Senior down?
.....
After returning to his room, Leo Ash first used his Quantum Entanglement ability to inform Li Sushang that he was back at Schicksal HQ, and also had her tell everyone to compile all the matters needing to be handled and give them to him.
A minute later, Li Sushang immediately replied via Quantum Entanglement—telling him to rest easy, and that the others would handle all the small matters.
Sigh, everyone is working so hard, so I...
—System, what about that method you mentioned?
[Oh, simple.]
[Go fuck up the Cocoon of Finality. All your problems will be solved.]
...Bullshit.
The situation I wanted to avoid the most has happened.
Leo Ash actually already had some suspicions about the sudden spike in Isla Ash's Honkai Energy levels.
But suspicions were just suspicions. After the System directly served him the "officially designated" answer, all Leo Ash wanted to do was fly over to the Cocoon of Finality and slap the damn thing into oblivion.
Unfortunately, the ideal is beautiful, but reality is cruel.
With Leo Ash's current strength, even if he could fly in front of the Cocoon of Finality, he wouldn't be able to harm it in the slightest.
He did indeed have a way to solve the biggest problem, but that method, if nothing else, required time.
Unfortunately, he didn't know how long his daughter could hold on. If he kept dragging things out, it was very likely his daughter would be killed by her ever-expanding Honkai Energy levels before he finished his 'long haul' and dealt with the Cocoon of Finality.
But, just because there was only one way to *solve* the problem didn't mean there was only one way to *delay* it, right?
[Right. You're pretty smart.]
Tch, your hint was so obvious, even an idiot could see it.
Some information about the Cocoon of Finality was mentioned in the dialogue of the original story's characters.
Based on the nature of the [Cocoon of Finality], it would never actively choose someone to become the so-called [Herrscher of Finality].
And it was precisely to prevent the birth of Herrschers from being too random that the warriors and researchers of the Previous Era designed the existence known as the "Honkai consciousness" for the new era.
Back then, after Kevin opened the "backdoor," the [Honkai consciousness - Prometheus], which had already become a kind of underlying logic, dissipated.
After that, Kevin's method of obtaining the Power of Finality from the "Cocoon" was akin to theft.
Based on this information that Kevin proactively mentioned, the Cocoon of Finality normally wouldn't actively select a candidate to become the [Herrscher of Finality].
But this world had long since gone mad. From the Honkai to the Herrschers, everything had gone completely insane.
In other words, the Cocoon of Finality, having already deviated from the reference point of the original story, might no longer be as it was, and might now actively select the [Herrscher of Finality].
Isla has Kiana's genes, and Kiana was originally a Host capable of becoming the Herrscher of Finality.
In other words, when Isla—a Herrscher who could, in a sense, accommodate even more Authorities—appeared, Kiana might have already fallen out of favor.
But this surge of energy in Isla...
Calm down and think. I must stay calm!
Activating Mind Like Still Water, Leo Ash forcefully rubbed his temples, forcing himself to continue thinking along his previous train of thought.
In the original story, Kiana first spent a period of time as the Herrscher of Flamescion before she became the Herrscher of Finality.
And if you count her previous life, she was a super-Herrscher who had accommodated six Cores at her peak.
In other words, if "accepting the Cocoon's embrace" had a hard requirement of [Honkai Energy Level] in addition to those other conditions, then the surge of Honkai Energy in Isla wouldn't be surprising.
Before the "Final Lesson" in the original story, Sirin, who possessed the dual Cores of Void and Death filled with Honkai Energy, was measured by Einstein to have a Honkai Energy level as high as 4800 HW.
And after she fused with The Gem of Conquest, she should have possessed even higher Honkai Energy levels.
Although later, the Gem of Haste replaced The Gem of Conquest within Kiana's body, in terms of destructive power, the Gem of Haste is greater than The Gem of Conquest. Therefore, in terms of Honkai Energy levels, the former must be no less than the latter.
Isla, despite having no Core, experienced a sudden surge in Honkai Energy. Analyzing this based on the available information, it's highly likely the Cocoon is in the process of selecting a suitable [Herrscher of Finality].
But Isla is different from the fully-grown Kiana of the original story. Right now, she simply doesn't have the original Kiana's indomitable will.
After she becomes the Herrscher of Finality, the probability of her becoming an enemy of humanity like in the Previous Era... is far, far greater than the probability of her embracing the Cocoon as if nothing happened.
Now that I know the Cocoon is behind this... no wonder the System gave me an answer I can't possibly achieve.
That really is the correct answer. And I, unable to do it right now, can only choose an incorrect answer—one that can at least buy me some time.
After I complete my personality fusion, as long as I maintain my current state of mind, becoming a third-stage Sphere Holder is only a matter of time.
...Because I'm getting closer and closer to comprehending that power, the Cocoon got desperate and disregarded its original plan?
Damn it, these things are supposed to act based on their underlying logic! Why are they acting so intelligent all of a sudden?
[No shit. You made it feel threatened. At times like this, its underlying mechanisms will naturally activate other self-protection protocols.]
Come on, I'm not *that* terrifying.
Besides, in the original story, before Kiana became the Herrscher of Finality, I don't remember the Cocoon being such a sore loser, did it?
[Did you forget something?]
[Before Otto launched the False God Project, he explicitly said that as long as he used that plan—the slaughter of seven billion people—to go back to the past, the Honkai would benefit.]
[He wasn't lying when he said that. In other words—from that moment on, the Honkai had already begun to make its move.]
...Bullshit. He was telling the truth.
I thought he was just bragging.
[Yes, it's true.]
I don't like the guy, but his ability to stir up shit really makes you feel...
—You really died too late, Otto.
[Don't underestimate the details. Even the Cocoon, which runs on underlying logic, has a 'survival instinct'.]
This is the part where it acts most human.
Which makes me want to punch it to smithereens even more.
[Yep. So, what do you want to do now?]
Sigh. Time to wake up from the dream.
Taking out his communicator, Leo Ash dialed Rin's number. In an instant, Rin appeared on the communication screen before him.
"Wait, you're already back?"
Seeing that Leo Ash's location was clearly Schicksal HQ, Rin said with some surprise.
"You looked so devastated. I thought you were going to find a corner to cry your eyes out for a while before wiping your tears and going back."
...
Damn it, how did she know about that?!
[She evolved from that cutesy Higyokumaru into the old senior, Rin-lama, long ago. If you still treat her like an idiot, then you're the real idiot.]
...Can't deny it. I really shouldn't underestimate Rin.
[Of course, she was just talking out of her ass this time. You just happened to have done exactly what she was talking out of her ass about.]
[Your luck isn't very good, Host.]
"No, wait."
Seeing that Leo Ash didn't even refute her, Rin paused for a second, then suddenly smiled and leaned closer to the screen.
"You really cried?"
"You talk too much, Rin."
Looking at Rin, the corners of whose mouth were twitching upwards uncontrollably, Leo Ash said irritably.
"You're still at the World Serpent base, right? Help me tell Kevin—if he wants to test me, tell him to be ready in the coming days."
"But, if possible, I hope he doesn't open the [backdoor] right now, but rather fights me with the Power of Chimera."
"Ah, about that..."
Rin, who had actually already corrupted most of the main World Serpent base, now spoke to Leo Ash with some confusion.
"You think Kevin will agree to that? Your idea doesn't necessarily align with their plan."
"Maybe. If he's not willing... then I'll just have to find another way."
"Fine, I'll tell him directly."
"...Thanks. Remember to come back soon."
After Leo Ash ended the call, Rin looked at the real Kevin, who wasn't on screen but was right beside her, and said to him.
"Well, that's what he said. It's up to you whether to agree or not."
"...Let me think."
After listening to their entire conversation, Kevin looked at the real Su beside him with a questioning gaze.
Faced with his old friend's question, Su simply shook his head helplessly.
"I know what you're thinking, but I'm not the one who told him about the 'backdoor'."
"I told you, his intelligence network is special. He knows more than you or I imagined. Now do you believe me?"
"...I see."
After hearing this, Kevin fell into deep thought.
According to Kevin's original plan, as long as Leo Ash demonstrated a method that rendered the Stigmata Project unnecessary, he naturally wouldn't want to carry out the Stigmata Project.
Although this plan was a 'guaranteed win,' it was also truly rotten.
But now, if Leo Ash was asking Kevin to fight him using only his Diabolic Power, then Kevin felt the significance of such a match wasn't as great.
Defeating Diabolic Kevin would prove Leo Ash was strong, but there was still a huge gap between that and defeating the Kevin who had opened the "backdoor" and shouldered the Power of Finality.
And defeating Diabolic Kevin was not enough to prove that Leo Ash had the power to overcome this sorrowful future.
But although Kevin wasn't as good as Su at reading people, Leo Ash's expression just now, though he tried to hide it, was visibly anxious to people like them who actually used their brains.
Faced with this Leo Ash, Kevin felt that even if this battle couldn't prove Leo Ash could overcome the future, he still wanted to fight him.
All the warriors fighting against the Honkai knew that the Honkai was accelerating.
Leo Ash didn't have time, and in truth, Kevin didn't have any more time to wait either.
After this battle, he might be able to judge whether Leo Ash was worthy of entrusting the future to.
And if Leo Ash disappointed him...
...then on that day, I will have to open the backdoor, execute that final plan, and steal the Power of Finality.
Of course, before the battle, Kevin felt he first had to deal with these 'acquaintances' who were giving him a 'headache'.
"Ah, finally done adjusting."
Having finished adjusting her Soulium Body, Elysia looked at Kevin, Su, and Rin before her, and waved at them with a wide smile.
"Hii~"
"Kevin, Su, and Rin, did you miss me?"
"Especially Kevin and Su... how long has it been since we last met?"
Facing the beautiful woman before him, Kevin said calmly.
"Fifty thousand years, I suppose."
"It's a bit different for me."
Su, who had once met Elysia through the power of the Key of the Flawless, smiled at her.
"Although you don't have that memory, I already met you once a few months ago, Elysia."
"Oh, is that so?"
Elysia, with her hands behind her back, strolled up to her two comrades and began to size them up.
Then, looking at the two before her, a trace of melancholy suddenly appeared in Elysia's smile.
"It's been so long. You two... have changed so much."
"It has been fifty thousand years, after all."
Behind Elysia, the second one to finish adjusting his body, Elysian Realm Kevin, looked at the 'himself' in front of him and said to Elysia.
"Stop wasting time, Elysia."
"If what Leo Ash said is true, I think we should take action now."
Watching the eleven Soulium Bodies behind them transform one by one into his incredibly familiar companions, Kevin had never thought he would one day see such a sight.
Although these Elysian Realm Flame-Chasers were all memories, in Kevin's eyes, memory Flame-Chasers... were still his treasured companions.
And now, with the help of Rin and Leo Ash, the Elysian Realm Flame-Chasers had actually, truly come out.
Honestly, not even Kevin was mentally prepared for this. So much so that the 'cold, handsome man' looked aloof, but in reality, he just didn't know what to say first.
"Everyone..."
Looking at the figures of the Elysian Realm Flame-Chasers, Su, on the other hand, smiled more candidly than Kevin.
"It's been a long time."
"Cut the pleasantries, blind man."
Although Kalpas hadn't fully adapted to his body yet, he could already feel the violent rage in his heart beginning to affect his mind.
"The Herrscher of Binding told us there are a lot of Honkai Beasts outside for us to deal with."
"Now, give me the coordinates of the battlefield, and get me some transportation!!!"
"Lord Kalpas, please wait a moment."
Looking at the extremely irritable Kalpas, the administrator, Gray Serpent, immediately said to him.
"Our World Serpent has now mastered something called the 'Quantum Teleportation System'. As long as we grant you clearance, you can transfer to other locations in a short amount of time."
"We have also prepared the coordinates for the Honkai Beast locations. Any other lords who wish to receive clearance now, please follow me."
"Heh... Interesting."
Glancing at the countless red dots appearing on the screen displayed by Gray Serpent, Kalpas felt the emotions in his heart grow even more agitated.
"It seems that Herrscher wasn't lying, at least about this. Robot, lead the way."
"Yes!"
Watching Kalpas and Gray Serpent leave just like that, the others didn't take off immediately as Kalpas did.
At that moment, Elysian Realm Su asked the real Su a question.
"Su—I'll call you that."
"Leo Ash informed us in the Elysian Realm that nearly all the Herrschers in the outside world have joined him. And now, Honkai Beasts are rampant, but the Herrscher problem is no longer a concern—"
"Don't worry. It's true."
Even after getting affirmation from his original self, Su still felt... this matter was, as expected, just too fantastical.
But his original self had no need to lie to him or their other companions. After all, there was no benefit for anyone in doing so.
Thinking from that perspective—no matter how fantastical it was, it was the truth.
Humanity had already triumphed over all Herrschers except for Finality. Compared to the ending we faced, the humans of today clearly held a massive advantage.
So now...
—Kevin, why are you still showing such sorrow?
In your eyes, even in this situation, do we still have no choice but to carry out that worst-case plan?