Nagazora City.
A place publicly declared to be the epicenter of a spatial-temporal turbulence outbreak.
Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, and World Serpent reached a joint agreement to establish a base here.
Inside the base, various instruments flickered with light as staff members hurried back and forth.
Because of Otto's actions, Siegfried took Little Kiana and left Schicksal, bringing her to this jointly supervised territory controlled by the three major organizations.
Though it was said to be jointly governed, human hearts were unpredictable. He had never expected Otto to make a move against his own daughter.
After entrusting his daughter to Anti-Entropy's care, Siegfried boarded a one-way transport craft and set off to explore another world.
Compared to Schicksal, he trusted Anti-Entropy more.
Traveling to other worlds was always a one-way ticket. Each time, they returned through death.
Every opening of the passage required Kevin's Finality power on the Moon and the assistance of Prometheus.
Under Anti-Entropy's care, Little Kiana gradually grew up.
Within Schicksal, Theresa and Kallen became acting Overseers, taking over full control while Otto retreated into the background.
Without Otto stirring trouble, everything began to stabilize and improve.
Although Honkai outbreaks still occurred sporadically around the world, under the cooperation of Anti-Entropy, Schicksal, and World Serpent, small-scale eruptions were easily suppressed.
At the same time, they were actively searching for potential Herrscher vessels.
The Herrschers of the Current Era were being maintained by Prometheus in alignment with those of the Previous Era.
As for how to find candidates, they used a method whose reliability even they were uncertain about.
They investigated all girls around the same age as Little Kiana and Raiden Mei who had any connection to Anti-Entropy, Schicksal, or World Serpent, placing them under discreet observation.
Schicksal identified three possible Herrscher vessels: Anna Schariac, Maria Schariac, and Angelia Schariac.
Through analysis, Anti-Entropy concluded that the only place likely to produce a Herrscher vessel on their side was Cocolia's orphanage.
Bronya, born in Siberia, had been taken away by the Will of Ruler. That alone suggested she would most likely have become a Herrscher in the future.
From the Will of Ruler's spoilers and Its mocking remarks toward Cocolia, they inferred that had Bronya not been taken away, she would have ended up at Cocolia's orphanage.
After covert observation and analysis, Anti-Entropy identified four potential Herrscher vessels: Seele Vollerei, Sin Mal, Rozaliya Olenyeva, and Liliya Olenyeva.
Among them, Seele Vollerei had an eighty percent probability of being a Herrscher vessel.
World Serpent conducted a thorough review of its own members but found no suitable candidates.
Additionally, Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, and World Serpent screened their internal personnel who met the criteria—daughters of researchers within the appropriate age range, exceptionally gifted or extremely underperforming Valkyries, and so on.
Among them, Rita, Rin, and Wendy were listed by Schicksal as key observation targets.
Due to the high uncertainty, they remained under discreet surveillance.
On this day, while Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, and World Serpent were holding a meeting—
Black Kallen and Yae Sakura returned to the Honkai World and appeared directly inside the conference room.
"What are you all discussing?"
She casually found a seat and sat down.
The moment Kallen saw Black Kallen, irritation flared up within her. That woman had taken her Sakura away for so long.
"You're Kallen from the Finality Empire?" Einstein asked, examining Black Kallen. She had only seen her in intelligence-sharing footage from World Serpent.
"That's right." Black Kallen smiled at Kallen, who looked ready to kill someone. "Sakura and I just finished our honeymoon. We came back to see how things are going here."
Kallen said coldly, "Sakura is my person."
Black Kallen replied, "Say that when you can beat me. Sakura is mine."
Yae Sakura's face flushed red as she lowered her head without speaking.
The atmosphere in the conference room became awkward.
Prometheus asked, "Why have you come to our world? Planning to steal someone again?"
"Don't misunderstand. I'm not interested in anyone besides Sakura." Black Kallen looked at Prometheus. "Sakura wanted to come back, so I brought her."
"Let me see what you've been doing." Black Kallen reviewed the events of this world's past. "Well, aside from other matters, your approach to searching for Herrscher vessels is correct."
"You've identified five on your list, but missed four. As for those originally fated within your organizations, under altered destiny, they might not become Herrschers anymore."
Little Kiana, Raiden Mei, Wendy, Anna, and Seele were marked.
Hearing this, no one knew whether to laugh or cry. So many Herrschers were actually within their own ranks.
They already had five, and still missed four.
If memory served correctly, including the Herrscher of Finality, there were only fourteen Herrschers in total.
...
Academy City.
Subspace.
"Ely, your relationship with Eden..."
Raiden Mei looked at Elysia, who was resting her head on her lap.
"Eden and I~? We're extremely close friends, you know!"
"Closer than you and me?"
"That's hard to say~ After all, everyone is unique in my heart!"
"Ely, if I fell in love with someone else, would you hate me?"
Raiden Mei asked tentatively.
"Of course not~ As long as you're happy, that's all that matters!"
Elysia assumed Raiden Mei was asking because of the situation with Eden, wondering if she had changed her affections.
"Really?"
"Of course it's true~ But I still hope you'll stay by my side forever~"
"I will."
A smile appeared on Raiden Mei's face.
Now she felt reassured.
Elysia sensed that Mei was acting a little strange.
Could it be she really has fallen for someone else?
Well, if she likes someone, then she likes someone!
Mei's friend is her friend. Whoever Mei likes is someone she'll like too!
Elysia trusted Mei's taste.
...
Honkai World.
In the conference room, Black Kallen showed great interest in their plan to cultivate the Herrscher of Finality.
"That Otto really never changes."
Einstein asked, "Miss Kallen, do you think our Kiana will become the Herrscher of Finality?"
Black Kallen replied, "The Herrscher of Finality? Perhaps. But becoming like the one from my world—that possibility is very low."
"Why?" Einstein pressed.
"How should I put it..." Black Kallen paused. "The one from my world possessed an unimaginably high IQ. She spent vast amounts of time studying human knowledge alone, surpassed humanity, then created devices capable of observing truly infinite parallel worlds to learn even more."
"In the end, she built a machine that broke through finite universes and traveled to infinite universes, establishing the Finality Empire."
"..."
Einstein frowned slightly and fell into deep thought.
Technology capable of observing truly infinite parallel worlds. Technology capable of breaking through finite universes and traveling to infinite ones.
And all of it had been created by the Kiana of that parallel world—the Divine Emperor—alone?
Did becoming the Herrscher of Finality drastically increase one's intelligence?
Then why did Kevin, after stealing part of Finality's power, still seem no smarter than before?
Was it necessary to become a true Herrscher of Finality?
If a higher civilization had intended to use the Cocoon of Finality to manufacture its own kind, then the intelligence of the created being would surely need to reach a certain standard.
Otherwise, it would be like humans and monkeys. Would a human ever regard a monkey as the same species?
Einstein understood that humanity had limits.
It seemed that the Herrscher of Finality was not merely overwhelmingly powerful—their intellect would undergo a qualitative transformation as well.
"I'm very interested in your plan. Let me give you a gift." Black Kallen casually tossed a metallic sphere etched with glowing golden patterns toward Prometheus.
Prometheus caught it and examined it carefully. "This is... some kind of strange device. What does it do?"
"A small-scale restart device created by that one. It can reset an area where a Honkai Eruption has occurred."
Prometheus's gaze flickered. "Reset? You mean using this device, everything can return to the state before the Honkai outbreak?"
"More or less. But only within a limited range—about the size of Nagazora City. The target area must be recorded and saved in advance. After each use, it requires thirty days to recharge automatically."
"..."
Prometheus remained expressionless.
Do you people have a different definition of 'limited range'?
She turned the device over in her hands. "This is astonishing. But why give this to us?"
"Consider it compensation."
Black Kallen glanced at Yae Sakura, who had walked to stand beside Kallen.
"So, how does it feel being the Overseer of Schicksal in this world?"
Black Kallen stood up and walked over to Kallen, one hand resting on her hip.
"None of your business."
Kallen had no intention of being polite to the version of herself who had stolen Sakura away.
"Oh, don't be so cold." Black Kallen crossed her arms and sighed softly. "After all, we're technically the same person."
"I'm not as shameless as you."
"Shameless?" Black Kallen laughed. "Hearing that word come from you is rather amusing~"
"Work hard." She stepped forward and patted Kallen on the shoulder. "Fight to protect this beautiful world. Sakura and I will be going now."
"You—"
Kallen stood abruptly, reaching for Black Kallen's wrist.
Her hand passed straight through.
"Kallen, come with me," Yae Sakura urged softly.
"I'm sorry, Sakura. This world still needs me."
"..."
A trace of disappointment appeared in Yae Sakura's eyes.
"Still the same. Not the brightest," Black Kallen muttered helplessly before taking Yae Sakura's hand and vanishing.
With the restart device in hand, the scientists of Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, and World Serpent immediately began studying it.
They understood that if properly utilized, this device would have enormous significance in combating the Honkai.
Welt Yang attempted to analyze the restart device using the authority of the Herrscher of Reason.
The result nearly made his head explode.
He felt as though he both understood—and did not understand.
When he attempted to replicate it using his authority, what he produced was only an empty shell resembling the original.
The others were somewhat disappointed.
Still, they quickly determined how to use the device.
Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, and World Serpent gathered all individuals on the suspected Herrscher vessel list and transferred them to study and train at Chiba Academy in Nagazora City.
Nagazora City was rebuilt and restored. The majority of its residents were personnel affiliated with the three organizations.
When the Honkai Eruption occurred, they would be able to respond immediately—and afterward, restart Nagazora City.
It could be said that in present-day Nagazora, most people were actors who did not even realize they were actors.
Realizing that negative emotions were a key factor in Herrscher awakening, Anti-Entropy's higher-ups decided to apply pressure to Raiden Mei.
Anti-Entropy staff paid her a visit.
Raiden Mei froze in place. "Y-You said what? My father..."
"We're very sorry, Miss Raiden Mei. Your father encountered an accident while entering a spatial-temporal passage to explore another world."
"Where is my father's body?"
Her voice trembled.
The staff member looked troubled. "It remains in the other world."
"I understand. Thank you for informing me."
After the staff left, Mei closed the door in a daze and sat down inside the house, lost and hollow.
Anti-Entropy Base.
Watching Raiden Mei's reaction on the screen, Tesla glanced at Raiden Ryoma. "Your relationship with your daughter doesn't seem very good."
Raiden Ryoma looked at the screen. Though Mei appeared sorrowful, no tears fell. "Dr. Tesla, perhaps it's because I was too busy with work and did not spend enough time with her."
Einstein said, "Dr. Tesla, you're being too impatient. World Serpent just reported that Mei's Stigmata and the Cocoon of Finality have both responded."
Tesla frowned. "Chicken-head, do you think all these potential Herrscher vessels might detonate together?"
Project STIGMA had delayed the Honkai for so long only because Kevin had forcibly suppressed it.
If Raiden Mei triggered the Third Honkai Eruption, it was highly possible that multiple awakenings would occur simultaneously.
Several past Honkai Eruptions in Nagazora had already resulted in multiple Herrschers appearing at once.
Einstein replied calmly, "It is possible. If we can make them all become Herrschers at once, that would be ideal."
When Raiden Mei triggered the Third Honkai Eruption in Nagazora, many would die in the disaster. The selected Herrscher vessels might awaken together because of it.
Compared to allowing unstable bombs like Herrschers to detonate unpredictably in the future, it was better to trigger them all at once.
Though cruel, they now possessed the restart device.
The Kallen from the other world had not openly commented on their plan, but by giving them that device—and hinting at Nagazora—they understood.
And so, they arranged this Honkai Eruption.
For each suspected Herrscher vessel, they invested vast manpower and resources.
At Chiba Academy in Nagazora, the classmates who once surrounded Raiden Mei gradually disappeared as she grew increasingly withdrawn.
In her mind, that familiar yet distant voice resurfaced.
It had existed since her childhood, calling her a crybaby—though it had later fallen silent.
Bronya disguised herself as she had once been and returned to this world.
Through interference with cognition, memory, and common sense—combined with extensive data modifications—
The high-ranking members of Anti-Entropy, Schicksal, and World Serpent who knew of her existence would detect nothing abnormal.
Even if they saw her in person, even if they saw her multiple clones, they would still perceive her presence as entirely reasonable.
And so, Bronya quietly integrated herself into Chiba Academy in Nagazora, building good relationships with everyone.
In this world, Raiden Mei's affection toward her was slightly higher than toward Kiana of this world.