I hate it when others die for me.
I am a coward. I have always been afraid of losing what I have gained, so I don't know how to return the kindness of others. Fearing they will leave me, I can only accept it all.
But there are always people who will give everything for a meaningless person like me.
And I am always only able to watch them leave.
As if the whole world has abandoned me.
And every time I want to go with them, someone always pulls me back.
I am afraid the dead have waited for me too long, and I am afraid the living will die because of me.
So, I am just a coward.
...
"Let go of me..."
Lin suddenly struggled out of No. 3's grasp. His face hit the ground as blood spread beneath him. His eyes were bloodshot, and his breathing was so weak it had nearly vanished.
"You..."
"Leave it to me... let me do it..."
Lin shakily propped himself up with both hands. His vision was blurred, and he had no sensation in his body at all, unable to control it as if he were paralyzed.
"Are you going to use the Herrscher's power? You're crazy! In this state, you'll turn into a Herrscher completely!"
For someone who had given almost everything to protect humanity to turn into a Herrscher who destroys it—this was unacceptable to Lin himself and everyone else.
But Lin shoved her away when she stepped forward.
"Think about No. 1!" No. 3 hissed at him urgently. "I am an AI too! I can understand her thoughts! Your world is colorful and vibrant, but her world only has you!"
"...Then let it become colorful."
The man clutched his chest, feeling his heartbeat. He turned and spoke softly to No. 3.
Because of you all.
"Just like me..."
In the sky, Bianca was pierced through the shoulder by an imaginary spear. A massive torrent of Honkai energy hit her head-on, shattering her shield phantom. She fell straight down nearby, unconscious and covered in wounds.
Lin stared at that stubborn girl—the blonde girl who said she would tie him up and take him back fifty thousand years into the future.
"You will die, killed by humans."
So that's how it is...
Lin lowered his head and reached into the wound in his chest, tearing at the flesh. As if grabbing something, he pulled outward with all his might.
Rip—
Golden energy leaked from the gap in his chest. The things Yama had injected into his body dissipated. Simultaneously, the world in his eyes turned back into a dull, lifeless black and white, and the taste of blood in his mouth faded away.
A fiery iridescent glow surged from the depths of his eyes.
...
The Herrscher of Void admired her masterpiece. She was a Herrscher who acted on instinct. After arriving in this world bubble, she had obtained a second Herrscher Core from the warship docked in the rift.
Using the power of the second core, she had sealed Bianca's Holy Blade and marked her when she came to investigate. She sensed a familiar aura in the world bubble, so after fully absorbing the second core, she descended.
But she hadn't expected that familiar aura to belong to a human.
Regardless, she existed to destroy humanity. Thus, this world bubble would also be destroyed by her hand.
The strongest, Bianca, had been defeated, and she still had inexhaustible power within her. Her unprecedented authority made her feel omnipotent.
She spread her arms, and portals opened behind her. A torrent of Honkai energy was about to purge this land.
Whoosh!
At that moment, "something" with a speed comparable to Bianca's slammed into her imaginary barrier.
The energy-suppression ability neutralized her barrier frantically, and it was even faster than before. A small hole was torn open almost instantly!
A hand reached through the barrier and grabbed her by the throat. The Herrscher of Void reacted immediately; before the energy suppression could affect her, Honkai and imaginary energy erupted from within, blowing the hand away!
The Herrscher flickered to a spot a hundred meters back. She saw the "person" in rags, whose wounds had all healed. He held a golden chain in one hand; his other hand was empty—the very hand that had grabbed her throat.
Chains?
Before she could think further, a golden cross smashed through her barrier and struck her body!
Ugh—
The Herrscher of Void was sent flying. She stabilized herself after dozens of meters. Lin figure was already charging at her again. At this moment, the Herrscher felt the familiar sensation inside this man disappear completely, replaced by a "pressure" that made even her instinctively feel dread.
She waved her hand quickly, and a portal swallowed Lin. She also retreated into a portal behind her and vanished.
For a moment, the sky was clear. The portals that had been constantly transporting Honkai Beasts also closed.
...
Boom!
Lin fell into a purple-black world. Holding the Oath of Judah, he flipped upright. This place was filled with irregular blocks, like building blocks floating in the air.
In the distance, a figure with light-wings slowly descended. With a lift of her finger, a block beneath Lin feet surged into a prism, pinning him against the ceiling above!
Crack!
The sound of bones breaking came from all over his body. Lin wrapped his chains around the prism and pulled with all his might, shattering it!
He fell to the ground... if these floating purple-black platforms counted as ground.
The Herrscher of Void extended her fingers. Three white, flexible-looking ribbons shot toward him like arrows!
The Oath of Judah automatically ejected two spears into his hands. Lin lowered his body and performed a stepping dash, appearing dozens of meters away. He leapt over the ribbons, which had extreme cutting and piercing power, and charged toward the Herrscher!
But with a movement of the Herrscher's finger, the ribbons turned back from behind him, chasing him once more.
Information.
Sound.
Light.
Lin brain worked rapidly. He turned and threw the two spears at the limit of his reach, colliding with the ribbons, then punched the torrent of Honkai energy blasting toward him!
The energy-suppression authority in his body worked at that moment. Lin arm was pulverized and reconstructed in an instant, and the Honkai energy was constantly consumed until it vanished completely.
Lin landed, and chains flew past his side as he charged toward the Herrscher in the sky!
As long as he could get close...
However, everything in the imaginary space was under the Herrscher's control, including the ground he stood on.
Boom!
A hundred-meter-tall platform rose in front of him to block his path. Before he could jump, he was struck by a pillar protruding from the side of the platform!
Thud!