"Please, I'm begging you, let me live, okay?"
"Uh..."
Elias' expression turned rather complicated as he stared at the tearful Herrscher of Corruption kneeling before him.
Of course, this newly born Herrscher didn't actually know how to act cute—but since Elias had made her body far too adorable, any gesture or expression she made came across as irresistibly endearing.
(Ah~ if only the Herrscher of Corruption from the Current Era could learn a thing or two from this one...)
Elias sighed inwardly.
"Fine, I won't kill you."
"R-Really? Yay!"
The Herrscher of Corruption's face lit up with pure joy. Her fox ears twitched, and the four red-and-white tails behind her swayed happily from side to side.
"..."
Sakura's eye twitched. She had a bad feeling about this.
The Herrscher's fox ears were fluffier than hers—and far more authentic! Anyone looking would say those were the real deal, while her own could easily be mistaken for rabbit or donkey ears.
And it wasn't just the ears.
This girl also had tails! Four large, soft, fluffy tails that looked so plush they were practically begging to be touched.
(Wait... could it be that Elias is getting tired of me? No... no way! Absolutely not! But still...)
Staring at the Herrscher of Corruption, Sakura's emotions grew increasingly conflicted. Though her expression stayed composed, her ears drooped down honestly, betraying her feelings.
She looked like someone mourning her fall from grace.
"Sakura, what are you thinking about?"
Elias noticed the fox-eared girl's sudden melancholy.
"N-nothing... it's just..."
Sakura turned her gaze away quietly.
Standing beside her, Rin sighed.
She thought to herself that without her around, her big sister really couldn't hold herself together at all.
"Ahem! Brother-in-law, have Sis's fox ears lost their place as your favorite? You'd better not be getting tired of her~."
"How could I? Sakura's fox ears will always be my favorite. No one could ever replace them! Sakura's ears are the best in the world!"
Elias, sharp as ever, instantly understood the reason for her insecurity and declared it with unshakable conviction.
"!!!"
Hearing that, Sakura's tense shoulders relaxed, and her drooping ears perked up proudly once more.
She clenched her small fist in quiet triumph.
(I've defended my pride!)
"Phew~ thank you, Rin. You really are my good little sister."
"Hehe, of course! Even if you and Brother-in-law decide you don't want me anymore, I'll still think of you as the best sister ever."
Rin blinked innocently as she said it, her tone sincere.
"Uh... I'm... sorry..."
Guilt washed over Sakura's face.
(Did I hit her too hard earlier? That was totally uncalled for... I'm such a terrible sister.)
She silently resolved to make Rin a nice dinner tonight as an apology.
"Hehe, in that case, how about you share a little bit of Brother-in-law with me? Sisters should share good fortune equally, right?" The mischievous little fox finally revealed her true colors.
"...Rin, your butt doesn't hurt anymore, does it?"
"P-pretend I didn't say anything just now!"
Rin's face went pale as she instinctively took a few steps back.
(Waaah! Sis is evil! Has our sisterly bond already been devoured by that man?! She's got a boyfriend now and doesn't care about me anymore!)
(Every night she lets Brother Eli wreck her, and I don't even get a drop of the soup! Have you forgotten who always gave you advice? If it weren't for me, you'd still be competing with Hua for last place!)
(Sigh~ where did that kind, dependable sister who once shared her blessings and carried her burdens go...)
Rin pouted bitterly, on the verge of tears.
"..."
"..."
Elias and the Herrscher of Corruption exchanged glances, both wearing the same conflicted expression. The former almost reached for a bag of popcorn—but decided it wasn't the right moment for that.
"Ahem, now... where were we again?"
"You—you said you wouldn't kill me."
"Oh, right. But even though I won't kill you, you'll still have to be placed under some level of supervision. After all, even if you've lost your authority and Honkai energy, the curse that commands you to destroy humanity and civilization still lingers within your soul. There's always a chance you could lose control and hurt someone."
Herrschers of the Previous Era were different from those of the Current Era.
They were bound tightly by Honkai's will.
Even though Elias could restore their human emotions, the curse of Honkai would always remain branded into their souls—their instinctive urge to destroy humanity and civilization was deeply ingrained.
Even the authority of the Herrscher of Sentience couldn't erase that, for it was essentially divine law—a command written directly by the gods, by Honkai itself.
"Got it, got it! Totally understandable! As long as I can stay alive, I'll do whatever you say. Uh, you wouldn't lie to a helpless, powerless little Herrscher like me, right?"
The Herrscher of Corruption shrank back nervously as she spoke.
Elias' lips curved slightly. After dealing with so many arrogant, defiant Herrschers, this timid one was quite the novelty.
He found it... refreshing.
"Of course not. Unless necessary, I don't lie. Do you think you're even worth lying to?"
"N-no, not at all! Someone as weak, pitiful, and useless as me isn't worth the effort!"
The Herrscher of Corruption shook her head so fast it almost blurred, looking so adorably frightened that it was hard not to smile.
Elias' grin widened as he reached out and patted her snow-white hair. Though every inch of this body had been created by him, he couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
(Ah~ that texture... perfect. Truly my masterpiece!)
"That's better. And besides, a Herrscher with such a humble—cough, I mean, cooperative attitude deserves mercy. Don't worry, you're not alone. There are other Herrschers who've turned over a new leaf, too."
"R-really?!"
"Really. Oh, right—since you've lost your authority and can't even use Honkai energy, you're not really a Herrscher anymore, are you? In that case, how about I give you a new name? 'Herrscher of Corruption' sounds awful."
"No problem! Lord, name me whatever you like!"
The Herrscher of Corruption nodded vigorously, her eyes shining with eager anticipation.
"Then... how about Higokumaru?"
"Higo...kumaru? Higokumaru... I like it! Thank you—thank you so much!"
The Herrscher—no, Higokumaru—beamed like a child who had just received the perfect gift. She kept repeating her new name to herself as she bounced up and down in delight.
"From today onward, I'm Higokumaru~!"
"Heh, if only all Herrschers were like you. What's the point of fighting and killing all the time? I've always believed humans and Herrschers can coexist peacefully."
Elias reached out and gently squeezed Higokumaru's cheeks.
Feeling the warmth in his touch, Higokumaru finally relaxed, fear melting away. Under the man's expert petting technique, she practically melted in place.
Higokumaru: "Aah~ that feels so nice... This sensation is kinda addictive... M-more, please~."
Elias: "...Keeping you as a pet might not be a bad idea. Hm, that makes one more rival for Pardo and Kiana."
Like Sheele before her, Higokumaru still retained an instinctive urge to harm humanity—but not toward another Herrscher like Elias. And with her timid, submissive nature, she was quickly and completely tamed.
Or rather, she basically put the collar on herself.
Because of her shy and fearful disposition, she barely dared to leave Elias' side, trailing behind him like a little accessory and clutching his sleeve while curiously observing everything around her.
(Right, I remember she likes fried tofu, doesn't she?)
Recalling Higokumaru's favorite food from the original story, Elias bought some to test it out—and the results were immediate.
"So... so good! What is this food?! Can I have another? Uh, maybe two more...?"
Fried tofu: the ultimate weakness of all foxes.
After taking just one bite of the fried tofu, Higokumaru felt as if an entirely new world had opened before her. When Elias told her that as long as she behaved and listened to him, she could have all the fried tofu she wanted, the little fox immediately dropped to her knees and kowtowed, vowing eternal obedience—for the sake of fried tofu!
Elias: "See? If only all Herrschers were as easy to handle as Higokumaru."
And so, Elias gained yet another adorable little follower.
The Herrscher of Corruption—who should have been a major threat to humanity—had turned out to be the easiest 'trial' of the Previous Era.
...
The next day.
The world had grown much quieter.
Under the organization of Fire Moth, about forty percent of the remaining human population had already evacuated into the bubble world.
Originally, only two passageways existed—one opened by the Herrscher of the Void's authority and another through The Deep—but Elias, using his long-forgotten Quantum powers, opened a third portal.
The transportation of both supplies and personnel immediately became far more efficient.
"Come to think of it, I nearly forgot something important. Whew~ good thing I remembered in time."
While preparing for the final battle against Finality, reviewing his available cards, and considering if he could add a few more surprises, Elias suddenly recalled something crucial.
He slapped his thigh, then sent out an urgent summons to everyone. He made sure, however, to delay notifying Kevin—on purpose.
By the time Kevin finally received the message, everyone else had already gathered.
Kevin, who had been in the middle of clearing out several Emperor-class Honkai Beasts, froze in confusion. The message he received from Elias said it was an emergency—"Return immediately, it's urgent, no delay!"—and that was enough to make the poor husky panic.
He punched apart the remaining beasts with a few quick blows and sprinted full speed back to the Golden Courtyard. He thought for sure the Herrscher of Finality had descended early.
But when he arrived and looked around—
"Ah, Kevin! You finally made it."
"Come, take a look at this adorable little thing."
"Mobius, look, you've scared him into crying again."
"When do we get one of our own, hmm~?"
The courtyard was filled with lively chatter. Everyone was gathered around a cradle, cooing in delight.
Kevin, still panting from his sprint, leaned over to see—and immediately blurted out, "Holy crap."
Inside the cradle was a tiny baby, a tuft of white hair on its head and tiny legs kicking energetically.
Kevin sucked in a sharp breath, eyes wide as he turned to Elias in disbelief.
"Wait—seriously?! Is now really the time to be making babies?! When did this even happen? There wasn't any warning! Uh—should I, uh, buy a gift or something?"
"Kevin, what are you thinking? Come on, pick him up."
"C-can I? I'll be careful! What's his name? Elias, whose kid is this, anyway?"
Kevin gently lifted the baby, handling him with extreme care. Strangely, he felt a natural warmth and closeness, as if there was some invisible bond between them.
But that could wait.
The real question was—whose child was this?
He thought back to the Flame-Chasers' founding celebration just a few days ago. There hadn't been any sign of this back then. It had only been four days! How in the world had a baby suddenly appeared?!
Kevin's brain—long dormant since joining Fire Moth—roared to life at full capacity, smoke practically rising from his head as he scrambled for answers.
Then, a spark of realization struck him.
Wait a second! Who said this baby had to be Elysia's or any of the others'? What if there was some unknown rival none of them knew about? Damn, that would be scandalous! But also... how the hell did Elias keep all these women calm about it?!
Kevin trembled between shock and excitement.
He was witnessing the biggest gossip bomb in history.
However—
"Kevin, are you perhaps misunderstanding something?"
The white-haired boy crossed his arms and smiled faintly.
"What?"
"This isn't my kid," Elias said, shaking his head with a grin that grew even wider.
"It's yours."
"???"
Kevin's eyes widened, certain he must have misheard.
But then, at that exact moment, the baby let out a small cry.
Instinctively, Kevin looked down—only to see that the infant had the same bright blue eyes as his own.
...
In an instant, Kevin turned to stone. He froze so completely that the baby nearly slipped from his grasp—thankfully, Elias caught the child midair with telekinesis.
"Careful there, Kevin. What if you dropped him?"
"W-what the hell is going on?!"
Kevin clutched his head in disbelief. His mind was blank—he had become the very subject of the gossip he'd been so excited about!
The great Flame-Chaser of [Preservation], who could face down a Herrscher without flinching, now trembled as his legs went weak.
He had gone out on a mission and come back... with a baby?!
Kevin felt like his brain was about to implode.
He tried desperately to remember if he had somehow made a mistake somewhere along the way—but after half a minute of frantic thought, one critical fact resurfaced:
He was still a virgin!
"Heh~ I used your genetic material to create the child," Elias explained casually. "Remember when I told you about the Kaslana family that exists fifty thousand years in the future? Well, this little one is their progenitor—created from your genes. I was just making sure history stays consistent."
Indeed, it was all for the sake of maintaining the timeline.
Of course, Elias hadn't mixed in any other DNA—it was purely Kevin's genetic code. Though he did feel a little guilty, the Kaslanas were an essential lineage for the future of civilization.
"Anyway, congratulations, Kevin. You're officially a dad now."
"%￥%#￥@#*￥#—"
Kevin opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
It felt like a thousand Honkai Beasts had stampeded through his soul. Looking down at the "son" in his arms, the white-haired husky could only lament the absurdity of fate.
He had simply gone out on a mission—how did he come back with a baby?! What would he even say if his parents, now living safely in the world bubble, ever found out?
"Don't worry, Kevin. Everything you'll need is already prepared. Oh look, Kalpas is back."
"W-what do you mean, 'everything I'll need'?"
"Kevin. Take this... and do your best."
The usually short-tempered Kalpas looked oddly awkward behind his mask as he handed Kevin a pile of baby supplies—milk powder, diapers, parenting manuals—and gave his shoulder a firm pat.
Everyone knew Kalpas had a soft spot for kids, and he sympathized deeply with Kevin. If he suddenly found himself with a child, he'd be panicking too.
"Elias, this is going too far!"
Taking a deep breath, Kevin finally regained his composure, though his face was still twisted in disbelief.
"This is a huge deal, and you didn't even ask me first! I wasn't prepared for any of this! Do you even realize that I'm still—ah, forget it! The point is, you dropped this on me out of nowhere! Have you even considered how I feel?!"
"Uh... sorry, Kevin. I know I owe you for this. But the Kaslana bloodline is vital for the future. It had to be done. I'll make it up to you somehow—if there's anything you want..."
Elias' voice carried a hint of guilt as he offered the apology.
Kevin blinked, thought for a moment, then cleared his throat.
"Ahem. Give me Judgment of Shamash, and I'll forgive you."
"..." Elias stared at him, speechless.
"You give me Shamash, and all's forgiven—"
"Don't say that twice, you damn mutt!"
Elias' mouth twitched violently as he pulled the twin guns from his waist and tossed them over. Kevin, grinning ear to ear, caught them with his face.