"Alright, alright, it's just a small thing," john said, gently comforting the softly crying system. "Why don't you go ahead and tell me what you can do?"
"Wuwu… john, you're so nice. Nothing like those other hosts I read about, who always yell at their systems or don't get along with them at all."
"All my features are written on this panel! I'll open it up right now!"
The system's voice was full of pride, clearly trying to redeem herself.
As soon as she finished speaking, a translucent virtual panel unfolded in front of john.
[Void Wanzang System]
[Host: john]
[System Status: Running]
[Main World Status: Dying]
[Simulation World Status: Active]
[Function Overview]:
[1. Honkai Simulation]
Allows you to enter parallel Honkai worlds in a simulated state while the real body remains dead or unconscious.
Death in the simulation ends the run, but specific endings can unlock rewards.
Rewards can be brought back to the main world.
(Note: Dying in the simulation doesn't harm your real body.)
[2. Item System]
Items earned in simulations can be extracted and used in the main world.
(But if you die in a sim, all those items are lost.)
[3. Gacha System]
Currently locked. Can be activated through simulation rewards.
[4. Story Save System]
You can save and load progress during simulations—just not during combat.
…
That was enough for john to grasp the basics.
Honestly, it reminded him of the character-raising mobile games he used to play.
The difference was—this wasn't just a game. The rewards were real. They followed you back to reality.
So...
john tilted his head in thought.
If he became a Herrscher in a simulation, could he gain those powers for real and bring them back?
The moment that idea popped up, he asked directly.
And the system, without hesitation, confirmed it.
"Yep! But just so you know, becoming a Herrscher isn't the only path!" she said cheerfully. "Your route depends entirely on your choices. Herrscher is just one possibility."
"I understand," john nodded.
He wasn't obsessed with being a Herrscher. He just wanted power. As long as it made him stronger, he'd pursue it.
That said… Herrscher powers were probably the most suited to this collapsing world.
As for the simulation rewards the system hadn't yet shown him—he could already guess.
They were likely tied to gacha.
Each simulation was like progressing the main storyline. The better the outcome, the better the drop chances.
There might be fixed rewards and random draws. Maybe even the fixed rewards came as cards, and the draws were for upgrades or merges...
john shook his head hard.
"I'm overthinking again."
He pushed the gacha theory aside and got ready to start his first simulation.
Just as he was about to hit "Start Simulation," the system suddenly prompted:
"Please choose your difficulty level."
john raised an eyebrow. "Difficulty?"
"Yes! Every simulation lets you choose difficulty. Higher difficulty means better scores and better rewards!"
"Got a recommendation?"
"We recommend Normal mode! The three basic ones are Easy, Normal, and Hard. Normal gives the best shot at a good evaluation!"
"Then Normal it is."
He pressed the selection without hesitation.
A flash of white light lit up in front of his eyes—
The simulation began
White light exploded in john's vision.
When it faded, he was standing on a rain-slick street beneath a gray, dying sky.
The simulation had begun.
Cold wind swept through the narrow alleyways of Changkong City. The scent of ozone and metal hung in the air, heavy and bitter. All around him were signs of recent chaos—burned-out cars, shattered storefronts, and trails of blood that led nowhere.
john looked down. His body was different. Younger. Civilian clothing. No weapons, no powers. Just a battered umbrella clenched in his hand.
> [Simulation Loaded: "Raiden Mei—The Collapse Begins."]
> [World Level: Normal.]
> [Objective: ???]
He didn't know what to expect.
The system hadn't given him anything else.
But then he heard it—far ahead in the mist, the sound of someone crying.
He ran toward it.
—
He found her sitting against a rusted park bench, soaked in rain, hugging her knees.
Raiden Mei.
Her school uniform was torn, blood staining her collar. Her eyes—usually sharp and cold—were empty. She looked like she hadn't slept in days.
john stopped a few steps away, unsure how to approach.
"…Are you okay?"
She didn't react.
"Raiden Mei," he tried again.
This time, she flinched. Slowly, she looked up at him, and john saw the tears she was trying to hide.
"Who… are you?" she whispered, voice trembling.
"Just someone who came to help."
"Help?" she laughed bitterly. "No one helped when I needed it. Not when they locked me up. Not when they called me a monster."
She turned away.
john stepped closer.
"I don't believe that," he said softly. "You're not a monster."
Her hands clenched. Her shoulders shook.
"You don't know what I did…"
"Then show me," john said. "If you think I'll run away—prove it."
That made her pause.
Slowly, she stood up. Her eyes were glowing faintly.
And in the distance, a wave of Honkai beasts emerged—drawn by her unstable energy.
—
It wasn't much of a fight.
john had no powers here. But Mei's Herrscher instincts kicked in just in time.
Lightning exploded through the streets, cutting down the first wave. But her movements were unstable—jerky. She was holding back.
"You're afraid to let go," john shouted over the chaos. "But you're still protecting people."
"That doesn't make me human," she said through gritted teeth.
"No," john agreed, walking into the battlefield. "But you've never stopped trying to be."
A beast lunged at him.
He didn't dodge.
He closed his eyes, bracing for the pain—
And then it stopped.
Lightning had pierced the beast midair. Smoke rose from its carcass.
Mei stood behind him, her hands glowing with residual arcs of purple light.
She looked stunned.
john smiled.
"See?"
Her lips parted.
—
They ended up taking shelter in an abandoned classroom. Mei sat in the corner, legs pulled up again. But this time, she didn't flinch when john sat beside her.
"…Why did you jump in like that?" she asked.
"I had to prove something to you."
She frowned. "That I'm still human?"
"No. That I trust you."
That cracked her.
Her expression twisted, like she didn't know whether to cry or hit him.
"I've killed people, john."
"You saved me."
"I wanted the world to burn."
"And you stopped it from burning tonight."
She looked at him for a long time.
Then, finally, whispered:
"Will you… stay? Even if I lose control again?"
He didn't hesitate.
"I'll pull you back. Every time."
—
> [Simulation Objective Complete.]
> [Emotional Anchor: Raiden Mei — Stable.]
> [Extraction Reward: Locked Memory Fragment + Potion of Stigmata Recovery.]
> [System Points: +521.]
> [Do you wish to extract simulation items into main world?]
"Yes."
The light returned, and the classroom faded.
john stood once more in the system's white void, the pendant warm in his hand, the phantom memory of Mei's trembling voice still echoing in his mind.
He didn't know what kind of path this system was dragging him into—
But he knew one thing:
Even fake pain… still hurt like hell.
Link here
https://m.youtube.com/@bhutanj?si=K8OYS7Q_ks4raznb