[Correct answer.]
[Reward obtained: Ancient Revival Coin Fragment (1/3)]
[Ancient Revival Coin: After collecting three fragments, you may choose one person who has been dead for less than one day and whose body is at least 80% intact, and revive them.]
"You're absolutely right. God does not play dice—God eats chocolate." — Einstein
Staring at the ancient coin fragment in her hand, Einstein fell into memories of when she first met Walter Joyce.
"Don't be afraid. This place is different from other labs. Imperial Research Institute Lab 42… welcome home."
"Take off your pants. I need to observe."
"Ω1 can't be considered a human name… inconvenient… welt. W.E.L.T."
"You might not know this, but ever since that disaster three years ago, I've been watching you. As a sample. As a life. As a human. In a way, your existence has already become an indelible mark in my life."
Her eyes reddened slightly as she immersed herself in those gentle memories.
Then—
"Hey, chicken-nest hair, let me see! Let me see!"
Her hand suddenly felt lighter as Tesla snatched the coin fragment away and inspected it.
It looked like an ordinary coin in size, but its surface was engraved with fine runes. Time had worn its edges smooth. Its aura was faint, but still extraordinary.
"This thing can reverse life and death and revive the dead? What's the principle behind it? Chicken-nest hair, I'm curious. Let me research it—I promise I'll give it back."
Tesla kept rambling, not noticing the vein popping on Einstein's forehead.
"Ow! You actually hit me! Even the boss never hit me!"
Tesla clutched her head and crouched in the corner as if she were about to complain.
"Do whatever you want. Find our missing leader first," Einstein replied coolly.
"The radicals are Anti-Entropy's biggest problem right now. That madwoman Cocolia…"
As she toyed with the coin fragment, Einstein's sense of the Q&A system's importance grew even stronger.
This was only a fragment of an old revival coin. If it were complete…
A figure with deep blue hair appeared in her mind.
At this moment, not only Anti-Entropy—
Schicksal, World Serpent, and St. Freya were all shaken by the appearance of the revival coin.
Rita wanted to see Ragnar Lothbrok again…
Theresa and Kiana thought of Cecilia…
Mei missed her mother…
And in Fu Hua's long life, the people she had lost and longed for were countless—Himeko, Cheng Lixue, Ji Lin, Dan Zhu, Cang Xuan…
Now that a coin capable of reversing life and death had appeared—even just a fragment—everyone's hearts planted a seed of hope.
"Revival… I'm not seeing things, right…"
Kiana swallowed. She couldn't help being shocked.
All three previous rewards from the system had come true. As recipients of rewards, the St. Freya group believed in it more than anyone.
But revival…
Compared to this, the earlier rewards felt lesser.
This was basically a miracle item that could undo regret.
"…Damn it. Bronya was too slow."
Bronya looked dejected. She had known the answer but lost in speed.
Even though she knew the system's reward depended on the answerer's deepest desire—and if she had answered correctly, it might not have been a revival coin—
The regret in her heart wasn't easy to let go.
"Ahem… everyone…" Kiana scratched her cheek. "Shouldn't we be more concerned about the Herrscher issue right now…?"
Everyone froze and looked back at the correct answer on the screen.
[E: All of them are Herrschers.]
"…." Bronya's cheek twitched. She didn't expect her future self to become a Herrscher too.
"How is that possible… I became a Herrscher…"
Fu Hua was deeply shaken. Having just recovered memories from activating her metamorph gene, she couldn't accept becoming a Herrscher after fighting the Honkai for so long.
Her former captain became the Herrscher of Flame… and now she would follow the same path?
What were her fifty thousand years for…
Fu Hua.exe has stopped working.
Regardless of what everyone felt, the Q&A system continued.
This time, instead of a video, four character portraits appeared.
Herrscher of the Void —
[Void decree. At the moment of judgment, space becomes her crown, the void her throne. The night becomes her palace. Subspace spears gather in the sky. Benares kneels at her feet. The Queen of the Void descends upon the world.]
Herrscher of Thunder —
[No one knows the origin of her skull ornaments and violet armor. Red oni horns rise from her head. Lightning coils at her waist, containing overwhelming thunder. She summons divine lightning of judgment and descends in supreme form to destroy all.]
Herrscher of Reason —
[Data domain. Source protocols. Authority of instruction. A ghost-fire girl with loose hair and spiral curls. Beneath her blue-white dress, the reconstructed Heavy Bunny stands guard as the tyrant of data is born.]
Herrscher of Sentience —
[Countless weapons and techniques. The mortal world is a sea of suffering. She comes without a trace and leaves with one. Swords, spears, halberds, axes, hooks. Poetry and banter alike. Sword: "Too many words must die." Spear: "Speak straight." Chain blades: "Strange yin-yang weapons." Laughing at the world's suffering—just have fun~]
The Herrscher portraits, names, and notes of Kiana, Mei, Bronya, and Fu Hua appeared before everyone.
"My feelings are… complicated."
Seeing her Herrscher self again, Kiana remembered the video of her near mental collapse.
So that's what her other personality looked like…
Still, she thought her Sky Ranger form looked cooler.
She didn't notice the roar rising from deep within her heart.
"This is… my future self… It feels like she went through so much…"
Mei stared at the Herrscher of Thunder portrait, sensing sorrow and grief within it.
What's the use of gaining power if everything is lost…
"Angel reconstruction—Heavy Bunny can evolve again!"
Bronya's eyes lit up. Maybe Heavy Bunny could transform… into a vehicle. A very fast vehicle.
Compared to the three Valkyries admiring their future forms, Fu Hua's feelings were far more complicated.
"'Too many words must die'? 'Speak straight'? 'Strange yin-yang weapons'? The names are so strange… and… 'just have fun'?" Fu Hua hesitated. "Is that really me?"
She knew becoming a Herrscher changed one's personality.
A righteous protector could become a destroyer.
A gentle singer could become an apocalyptic force.
A diligent ruler could become chaos.
But her? From a disciplined Valkyrie to someone who just… vibes?
Fu Hua could not accept this.
It felt like an insult to her personality.
"I thought founding a Valkyrie academy would help fight the Honkai. Instead, I raised a group of Herrschers. What is this mess?!"
Theresa clutched her head and complained.
Four Herrschers. Could anything be more ridiculous?
"Principal, St. Freya's most urgent task is to gauge other factions' attitudes," Bronya advised.
The system had just exposed their identities as future Herrscher candidates. Even if Theresa wanted to protect them, would other factions accept it?
Or worse—would they see them as experimental subjects?
"…Tch." Even Theresa quickly understood.
Their situation was extremely dangerous—one misstep and they were finished.
If this information went public, St. Freya couldn't withstand the pressure.
"Theresa, St. Freya needs allies."
At that moment, the door opened and Himeko walked in, looking serious.
"Allies?" Theresa tilted her head.
"Yes. Allies. And we already have a good contact point." Himeko looked at Bronya and smiled.
"You mean… the Herrscher of Reason," Bronya said.
As Cocolia's adopted daughter, Bronya knew Anti-Entropy well.
Anti-Entropy's leader, Welt Yang, was the second Herrscher of Reason.
If Bronya became the future Herrscher of Reason, it meant she would inherit the core from Welt and become the third.
Maybe even Anti-Entropy's leader.
Cocolia's radical faction would welcome it. The conservative faction—Einstein and Tesla—wouldn't oppose it for Welt's sake.
As long as Bronya stayed at St. Freya, Anti-Entropy would naturally become their ally.