-Schicksal Organization, West Asia Branch.-
In a hidden underground research facility unknown to the outside world, within a prison-like, hellish environment.
A thinly clad, emaciated black-haired young man suddenly cracked his parched lips into a horrifying, maniacal grin.
He had become the Tenth Herrscher of this Current Civilization Era — the Herrscher of Domination.
Also known as: the Herrscher of a Thousand People (Thousand-Man Herrscher).
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Ling Ke was a transmigrator from China.
His initial experience was extremely clichéd.
Several years ago, around autumn 2013 in this era, he arrived in this world of Honkai Impact 3rd that felt impossibly familiar to him.
Back then, he had been a veteran "overtime captain" (a hardcore player who logged in daily for years), constantly admiring, yearning for, and even respecting those who fought for everything beautiful in the world.
Because he knew he could never sacrifice himself so selflessly.
So, upon realizing he had transmigrated just before the Third Honkai Eruption, he thought: Since I can't be that outstanding, at least I can be their support.
For example: stopping Cocolia's conspiracy.
In his memory, millions of innocent citizens in Nagazora had died in that man-made catastrophe.
Moreover, Raiden Mei of the Three Houses had become the Third Herrscher because of it, living in self-blame and torment for a long time afterward.
To the point where she later voluntarily implanted a micro-bomb in her heart to restrict the possibility of a Herrscher rampage.
Ling Ke knew that if this world's future followed the original timeline, humanity in this era would overcome the fate of extinction.
They would even give birth to an "Earth God" because of it.
But in that process, far too many people were left with far too many regrets.
"If the help I provide can undo those regrets — like saving Teacher Himeko."
"Or letting the Elysian Realm survive, so the Flame-Chasers could witness with their own eyes as this era's Earth humanity transcends the Honkai..."
"Wouldn't that make the story even more beautiful?"
That year, such thoughts arose in Ling Ke's heart.
Thus, even knowing Nagazora would soon erupt with the Third Honkai, he did not immediately flee the danger zone.
He found Raiden Mei — who was not yet the Third Herrscher — and personally told her some of the critical information he knew.
This included how Cocolia would use financial crimes to imprison Raiden Ryoma, and what kind of treatment Mei herself would face once that protective umbrella was gone.
He gave her a basic rundown of Honkai knowledge. Feeling he had earned her initial trust, he urged her to contact her father as soon as possible and relay the message.
He deliberately avoided mentioning anything directly related to the "Third Herrscher" — to prevent her from falling into extreme panic.
Ling Ke had assumed that once Raiden Ryoma, a knowledgeable insider and Anti-Entropy executor, learned this, he would no longer follow the original path.
But...
Ling Ke never found out exactly what happened afterward.
All he remembered was that, just the next day, he walked straight into Cocolia's ambush.
He was surrounded by heavily armed special forces.
During the pursuit, Cocolia even deployed Anti-Entropy mechs.
And... that familiar girl named Bronya Zaychik.
She had already topped the "Charon Roster" as the world's number-one assassin years earlier. The Ling Ke of that time had no way to resist.
Because he was a complete amateur at counter-surveillance, he was tracked with pinpoint accuracy the entire time.
In the end, his limbs were dislocated at the joints, and he was captured.
For the next several months, Ling Ke never saw Bronya again.
Because he was thrown directly into an underground facility run by Cocolia, where he experienced treatment straight out of The Lives of Others.
In the process, he discovered his willpower was far stronger than he had imagined.
So, despite constant brutal torture, he never revealed any sensitive information.
Ling Ke knew Cocolia's personality all too well — if he spilled everything, that madwoman might escalate to even bigger atrocities.
After all, her nickname "Civil War Phantom Goddess" wasn't for nothing.
And once he lost his usefulness...
Death?
Honestly, there were many times he wanted to just end it.
But by then, a dark seed had already been planted in his heart.
He would make Cocolia pay.
It was also during this period that he was shocked to discover — for some unknown reason — truth serums and similar drugs had no effect on his will.
Clinging to his obsession for revenge, he barely endured those months until... the Third Honkai Eruption from the original plot arrived right on schedule, erupting in full force.
Late March 2014 — too many things happened.
So many that Cocolia didn't even have time to retrieve Ling Ke, who was still in Nagazora, before hastily retreating.
A few days later...
Ling Ke was "greeted" by another familiar face.
Rita Rossweisse.
After the Far East Branch evacuated, she came to Nagazora as a Schicksal investigator.
With her abilities, she quickly discovered the underground base Cocolia had abandoned.
She found him.
In that moment, Ling Ke thought he had finally escaped the sea of suffering.
Only to fall into an even deeper abyss.
At that time, his body — after prolonged exposure to high concentrations of Honkai energy — had clearly begun turning into a Deadman... yet the symptoms were strangely receding.
When Schicksal's scientists discovered him, they treated him like a priceless treasure.
They mistook Ling Ke for an Anti-Entropy test subject, and so...
For the next several years, after being transferred to the West Asia Branch, Ling Ke never saw real sunlight again.
What he endured was torment countless times more vicious than the previous torture.
The process even reminded him from time to time of a certain story called Ajin: Demi-Human.
He no longer felt like a living person — just a lump of flesh resource to be used and discarded at will.
Until today...
"..."
In the bizarre sub-space, staring at the massive, "familiar" Theater of Domination, Ling Ke was silent at first.
He just stood there blankly, pupils unfocused.
Like a soulless puppet.
But gradually...
"Hehe..."
"Ha!"
"Hahahahahaha!!!"
Feeling the complete Herrscher core in his chest — one that could turn "one" into "a thousand" at any moment.
Confirming that he was indeed the core host of the Herrscher of Domination...
Ling Ke laughed.
His expression deranged, like a mad demon.
Perhaps he had gone insane long ago.
Because even now, there was no life in his eyes.
Just like Emiya Kiritsugu during the Fourth Holy Grail War...
All that remained was...
That dark obsession, no longer a mere seed — now fully sprouted!!!
It had a name —
"Nearly four years. I endured every kind of torment, and finally... this turning point arrived."
"Good! Excellent! Truly magnificent!"
"Since the opportunity has been delivered right to my doorstep..."
Standing before the gates of the Theater of Domination, face twisted like a complete psycho (like Gojo Satoru after getting his brain stabbed), Ling Ke threw his arms wide.
"From now on, in this world..."
"I will complete my revenge!"