Kevin felt strange toward this familiar yet alien force, but he didn't forget to throw Anna and Su Lu farther away, telling them that what was needed now was as many Herrschers as possible to shatter the Binding Barrier from within.
And the two of them… were undoubtedly good candidates.
"Just… don't let it go like in the game, where Bronya…"
Su Lu gathered her courage to speak, but stopped short of saying she wanted to replicate a certain battle strategy from the game, glancing nervously at Kevin.
After all, it hadn't been long since that flaming greatsword was pressed against her neck. That sensation still lingered.
Su Lu had deep psychological trauma when it came to him.
She wasn't a soldier, nor did she volunteer to be one of the Herrschers. She had simply been swept into this storm.
"She's inside. Besides… this Binding … it's not one controlled by Otto,"
Kevin replied calmly.
His gaze remained fixed on the golden gears turning in the sky, thoughts flashing across his mind — That dead man... could he have predicted this moment?
It truly wasn't a Binding that Otto controlled anymore. He might've still left behind traces of sentiment…
Even though the situation seemed to be turning in a favorable direction...
That didn't mean no one would die.
Especially not Theresa — or Kallen.
---
Golden Court Garden, just under a hundred meters from Theresa's villa.
Those without awakened Stigmata were completely suppressed. Their bodies flickered like a TV with poor signal — snowy static flashes before suddenly disappearing on the spot, returning to storage devices.
Rin and Griseo didn't fare much better.
Their memory-based physical bodies at least prevented them from immediately falling unconscious. But they didn't have enough energy to move, leaving them collapsed on the ground, completely immobile.
Only three remained standing: Vill-V, Mobius, and Elysia.
They stood with tense expressions, looking toward the villa. Shock filled their eyes.
This had all happened far earlier than predicted. Less than three months had passed since the emergence of the Herrschers of Dominatiaion — and now the Herrscher of Binding had appeared.
But why so soon?
None of them could find the answer.
Kevin's earlier suspicion was partly correct — the fight wasn't just about Herrscher powers. Within the academy, another crucial force was involved: Stigmata.
Specialized Stigmata were on par with Herrschers in terms of tier — equal to top-tier MANTIS.
That, too, was a critical factor — a crucial balancing weight.
MANTIS from the Previous Era varied greatly in strength. Some could rival Herrschers, while others were barely stronger than average Honkai beasts.
What Luo Mo suspected was that the suppression unit scale wasn't fixed — it fluctuated too much to measure precisely.
But it was certainly more than a tenfold difference.
To directly shatter the barrier? Unless...
Unless they really followed the Previous Era's method of throwing thousands upon thousands of lives into it.
Because on the Binding Herrscher's side, their rate of absorbing Honkai Energy exceeded any restriction threshold imaginable.
"Thankfully, I still left a backup plan in my gear,"
Vill-V muttered to herself, heart sinking as she watched the memory projections vanish.
This moment exposed just how fragile memory-based projections were.
If she hadn't set up precautions specifically for Herrschers… she'd be in grave danger now too.
"Backup plan… Do you have anything to deal with that Herrscher of Binding?"
Mobius bit her fingertip, frowning as she stared at the glowing barrier.
"Honestly, this is already impressive. If we can hold this balance a bit longer, their loss is only a matter of time,"
Vill-V replied with ease.
She had a point. The greatest problem with Binding was that it couldn't be restrained or resisted — but now, hope had appeared.
"But what about my Klein?"
Mobius clenched her teeth, asking tightly.
Her assistant Klein had also been heavily affected. Their energy supply was directly tied to them — and no matter how stubborn their will, their bodies still shut down.
Klein had collapsed into Mobius's arms. She gently brushed Klein's hair, worry in her eyes.
Her Stigmata awakening was still in progress. Being interrupted like this... who knew what side effects it might have?
To Mobius, Stigmata had always been a field she couldn't fully study. It was unknown and uncontrollable.
"Then I'll just throw in some extra power,"
Vill-V blinked mischievously, pulling a small button from her chest and pressing it.
(T/C:😳?)
A seemingly useless little gadget. One that Luo Mo had once requested from her.
Theresa's Judas had been entrusted to her — and Vill-V had secretly added a backdoor to it…
She made it so Judas would reject being used by Herrschers.
To be fair, all of Vill-V's creations came with hidden backdoors — not out of malice, but for safety and control.
Whether those devices still worked after so long was another matter.
But disabling Herrscher authority from Judas wasn't a big issue.
Vill-V smiled with anticipation.
This was a new kind of experiment — a God Key clashing directly with Herrscher power. What kind of result would that create?
She had tested many interactions between different powers before — but what about two of the same kind colliding?
What would happen then?
"Hmph, that better work,"
Mobius said coldly, glancing warily at Vill-V.
If not... she'd have no choice but to try her own methods. But she couldn't guarantee what the Herrscher of Binding's unique nature would allow.
She didn't want to see a return to the same disastrous reputation the Previous Era had earned.
Even if she personally didn't care about it.
---
Elsewhere in the academy, Wendy, Seele, Fu Hua, and the consciousness of Herrscher of Sentience…
Each of them resisted the Honkai pressure with different levels of will, easing the oppressive force of the Binding
"Tch…"
The Herrscher of Sentience winced in pain, glancing toward Fu Hua.
She hadn't expected that Herrscher of Binding to be that powerful...
Could it be this civilization deliberately targeted Herrschers?
Fu Hua remained calm, seated and focused, adjusting her breathing rhythm and gathering internal strength against the restraint.
She firmly believed this method would work.
When there was no external Honkai Energy to rely on, and one could only draw power from their own Stigmata...
It was then that she truly understood how deep that internal energy reserve ran.
---
Stigmata.
A true, genuine Stigmata Awakener —
A vessel of real power.
...
The combined resistance from everyone did have an effect — it created just enough breathing room for Luo Mo and Kallen to act within the villa's main battlefield.
Golden light still poured down in thick waves.
The Herrscher of Binding showed no change in her expression — but her movements were clearly accelerating.
She could feel it — so many of her kind (Herrscher), all inside her domain. She didn't want to see them as enemies.
But the Herrschers fought back with determination, their powers clashing and intertwining with hers.
Even though she had been granted power specifically to subdue traitors like them, she still hesitated.
There was a difference between one betrayer and all of them turning against you.
And the painful truth now was… She was the anomaly, the stranger one, the one who had betrayed humanity. Not them.
Wasn't it ironic? They were all Herrschers.
Kallen wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, unfazed.
She stared straight into the other woman's eyes. Her chest heaved with heavy breaths.
In her blue eyes — sorrow… and determination.
No words.
No conversation.
The Herrscher of Binding launched her attack.
If her authority to suppress them was ineffective, then she would fight them herself.
Her eyes glinted with cold resolve as she summoned a Binding Spear, forged from her Herrscher power.
Binding did not discriminate — under certain limits, when the others regained even a little Honkai Energy, it meant that Theresa, who hosted the Herrscher, would recover even more inside her body.
Meanwhile, the others outside the academy were still completely stuck inside the domain, unable to advance even a single step forward.
The golden spear radiated with blinding light.
By all logic, Honkai Energy shouldn't be usable in this situation — yet no one knew where she was drawing her power from.
"Hahh…"
Kallen took a deep breath, watching the spear fly toward her.
She braced herself with one arm, waiting for the right moment to block it —
Even if it meant getting injured…
Even if it meant sacrificing her arm…
Just then, Durandal stepped in, forcing her own lance forward with both hands, the tip barely managing to meet the incoming spear head-on.
A cry of pain escaped her lips.
But Durandal stood her ground, eyes full of determination as she faced the Herrscher of Binding — subtly shielding Kallen and Luo Mo behind her, not a trace of fear on her face.
Luo Mo frowned and connected with the system in his body.
[…Unable to provide direct assistance toward defeating the Herrscher]
Suppressing his frustration, he looked toward Theresa and clenched his fist tightly.
Even if we have to fight her — we have to bring Theresa back.
Return our beloved Dean Theresa to us!
Roaring in his heart, Luo Mo lowered his voice and whispered a word to Kallen:
"…Judas."
Kallen's fingers tightened — her fingertips pressing into her palm, drawing from deep within.
From the Otto-linked Stigmata, an unusual reaction flared.
Warmth flowed through her body —
An overwhelming force surged within her —
Her entire body now radiated a dreamy, miraculous glow.
It was Otto's miracle.
A blessing condensed into Stigmata form — his final gift to her.
Kallen's eyes gleamed.
Now that her life was truly under threat…
The Stigmata finally awakened.
And then — something else shifted.
Boom!
A loud crash echoed out.
A massive object fell from the second floor and slammed into the ground, leaving behind a deep crater — shaped like a cross. Dust and debris scattered everywhere.
The object awkwardly climbed back up. It turned toward Theresa and Kallen — then suddenly rose into the air and flew straight toward Kallen.
The 11th Divine Key — Oaths of Judas.
The weapon most beloved by Theresa.
Her trusted companion, capable of performing countless functions. It had reached full development in her hands.
Though it had always been rare for a host like her to appear…
Without the Binding domain present, it might have flown out on its own to find its rightful owner.
And Kallen… was once its master too.
Five hundred years ago, the Saint Kallen had wielded Judas.
She had never let it go — partly due to its strict conditions of use, and partly because it was still a Divine Key, a weapon capable of threatening even Schicksal.
Only when it passed to Theresa did Judas leave Kallen.
Now, Kallen gently ran her fingers over the intricate lines carved on it — shaped by both time and the Previous Era's civilization.
This was the weapon she had once wielded alongside comrades to defeat the original Schicksal.
And now, it would shine again.
Without hesitation, inside the domain, Kallen grasped Judas with both hands.
She channeled the remaining energy from Otto's Stigmata directly into the cross, gritting her teeth as she poured all of it in.
Her resolve burned in her gaze as she stared down the Herrscher before her, and shouted:
"Oaths of Judas — Output Zero Setting!
Divine Grace Barrier — Deploy!!"
A second layer of light — impossibly small and golden — expanded from her.
This time, it collided directly with the Herrscher of Binding's domain.
Above them, shimmering gears appeared in the air — mirroring those high in the sky.
They collided.
They blurred.
They dissolved into nothing.
Without hesitation, Luo Mo yanked Durandal away from the collision's epicenter. One person might be able to withstand it — but not two. The fading region in the middle… was absolutely off-limits.
The ethereal light surrounding Kallen poured into the cross.
Behind her, a faint silhouette appeared — a phantom figure with blonde hair offering her its final blessing.
Kallen's body grew weaker, but the golden light around her only grew more majestic.
Compared to the Herrscher of Binding's barrier, this new light had fully manifested — its divine brilliance thundered across the field.
–BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.
Thunder cracked across the sky — invisible forces clashed violently.
But the gears remained.
They had become fainter — but not gone.
Underneath Judas… it, too, was starting to fade.
"Ah—AHHH—!"
Kallen bit her lip. Her entire body radiated brilliant light —
Like a moth diving into a flame, she burned herself completely.
This was it.
The key moment that would decide everything.
If she could just break the domain—
If she could just shatter it…
With the Herrscher of Sentience, Fu Hua, and the Previous Era's technology — she believed Theresa could awaken again!
Because this was not the real Theresa.
Kallen's faith was unshakable.
Back when she'd talked with Luo Mo about how to save her, their best idea had been to overwhelm Herrscher willpower with strong, human resolve.
But clearly… this wasn't working.
Theresa wasn't that weak.
If her goal had been to end Honkai, she'd have fought side-by-side with Durandal…
But this… this was her since childhood.
The girl Kallen had chosen long ago to be the next Overseer.
Kallen would never give up on her.
As both sides clashed and fought…
The Herrscher of Binding began to falter.
Even as she desperately masked her expression, unleashing all her might to maintain her domain —
She could no longer stop the counterattacks from the other Herrschers…
Nor stop them from claiming a portion of the field for the Divine Binding Barrier.
This time… she was truly rattled.
That balance she had worked so hard to maintain?
It wasn't so frightening after all.
As long as time dragged on, she had thought she could keep using the others' willpower to feed her strength —
That she could wear them down one by one.
But now?
If her domain collapsed…
The aftermath would be unthinkable.
Still… even if she died…
She would drag the current Schicksal Overseer down with her —
And kill her grandmother with her own hands.
'If Theresa wakes up… what face will she make?'
The Herrscher of Binding sneered.
Risking everything?
Then let's risk it all.