"The time has come. Mei, announce to the world the return of the Queen of Thunder."
Elias held out the high-concentration Honkai crystal to Raiden Mei, like a knight offering tribute to his queen.
Mei took a deep breath, steeling herself, and accepted it.
"I... will."
She wouldn't let Elias' hopes go unanswered.
He had done so much for her. No matter what, she would meet his expectations.
But more than that, Mei had a feeling—
If she stayed as weak as she was now, she would lose the chance to stand beside Elias.
So, whether to overcome her own limitations or to earn the right to stay by his side, she had to grow stronger—stronger than anyone.
With that resolve, Mei took the crystal and pressed it against her heart, allowing the Gem of Conquest within her to absorb the Honkai energy at maximum efficiency.
In that instant, the environment around them transformed.
"Look! The sky's changed!"
"Is this what it means for a Herrscher to awaken...?"
Kiana and Bronya stared in shock.
The sky darkened instantly as thick black clouds gathered overhead. Day turned to night in a flash, and violet lightning surged within the clouds, rumbling ominously.
Rumble—Rumble—Rumble—!
Streaks of purple lightning struck the ground around them, leaving deep black scorch marks. It was like the apocalypse had arrived, heralded by thunder.
!!!
Raiden Mei's eyes snapped open.
They were no longer the eyes of the girl they knew—cold, arrogant, domineering, regal.
These were the eyes of a queen.
The Herrscher of Thunder had returned.
"We meet again."
Her gaze swept across Kiana and Bronya with icy disdain, as if they were nothing more than insects. But when her eyes met Elias'—
Though still proud and commanding—
There was no coldness.
"Yeah, it's been a while, my Queen... Herrscher of Thunder."
Elias smiled gently at her.
"Hmph. That coward still hasn't claimed you for herself? Disappointing... And you pests think you can interrupt our reunion? How bold of you to seek death."
Mei—the Herrscher—scowled at their surroundings.
With her awakening, the Third Honkai Eruption had been triggered.
A surge of Honkai energy engulfed a radius of dozens of kilometers, and Honkai Beasts began manifesting from thin air. Even as a Herrscher, she couldn't stop it.
After all, last time she had rejected her mission to destroy civilization and exterminate humanity.
The Will of Honkai had since judged her a traitor.
From that moment on, the beasts would no longer obey her.
Even so, she could still wield her Herrscher powers.
As the beasts began to encroach, Herrscher Mei prepared to unleash a thunderstorm to wipe them out.
But—
"Let us handle them. Mei, focus on absorbing more Honkai energy. Complete your awakening. Only as a full Herrscher of Thunder can you truly master your power."
"...You really think you can handle this many Honkai Beasts? Even you can't stop them all."
Though still haughty in tone, her words carried concern.
"That may be true... but I'm a lot stronger than last time. And if I'm right, we'll have backup soon. Don't worry. Until you sit fully on your throne of conquest—"
"I won't let anyone disturb you."
As if to prove his words were no bluff, Elias drew the Plasma Kagehide from his waist. In a flash of blade light, he sliced a Emperor-class Honkai Beast into eight clean pieces.
Herrscher Mei widened her eyes slightly in surprise, but the next second, she smiled with satisfaction.
"Hmph. As expected of the one I chose. Very well, I'll leave it to you."
"Whoa, Mei is so cool like this!"
"Yeah... so this is her Herrscher persona... Feels a bit like Dark Seele, doesn't it?"
Kiana and Bronya were shocked, but despite their surprise, they didn't falter. They had already begun fighting the surrounding Honkai Beasts.
While Elias had managed to lure Mei to the outskirts and trigger the Honkai Eruption outside the city—saving Nagazora from immediate destruction—
The swarm of Honkai Beasts born from the eruption still posed a massive threat.
They were drawn to populated areas by instinct, ready to attack.
Though not as powerful as a Herrscher, these beasts still served the Honkai's mission: the annihilation of civilization.
Elias, Kiana, and Bronya sprang into action, fighting to stop the beasts from advancing toward Nagazora City.
"Project Bunny 19C, Fire!"
"Hmph! Take this kick, you Honkai freaks!"
"Leave the elite ones to me! You two handle the lower-class beasts! Priority one is staying alive—yes, I'm looking at you, Kiana! Don't rush ahead!"
After two time-travel experiences, Elias' strength had already surpassed that of a standard S-rank Valkyrie.
Activating five incomplete Herrscher authorities simultaneously, combined with his body enhanced far beyond normal limits—
Even elite Honkai Beasts couldn't survive ten seconds against him.
He moved like a storm of death, leaving only corpses and shattered remains in his path.
"Whoa, Elias, you're this strong?!"
"No wonder you're—cough, I mean—no wonder you're amazing."
It was the first time Kiana and Bronya had seen Elias go all-out. Both were stunned.
But no matter how strong he was, even Elias couldn't hold back the endless tide.
Some beasts began slipping through, running toward the city.
Just as the girls were about to give chase, Elias shook his head and looked up toward the distant sky.
"Don't worry. Our reinforcements just arrived."
"An... airborne battleship?!"
Bronya stared at the horizon in shock.
Even Elias couldn't help but slow his movements, his attention drawn to the hovering ship above.
No one noticed the emotion flashing in his eyes.
He knew that ship. Knew it well.
"The unsinkable ship of eternal recurrence... the Hyperion. Finally, I get to see it with my own eyes—the warship of my captain."
"So I guess this part didn't change from the original plot. The ones coming aren't from Schicksal itself... it's St. Freya Academy."
...
Aboard the Hyperion—
"Target confirmed. Third Herrscher awakening. Honkai Eruption detected. Approximate Honkai Beast count: 110,000."
"All Valkyries, prepare to deploy! Eliminate the Honkai Beasts immediately. Do not let them approach nearby cities. Alert Nagazora City and begin evacuation at once. Himeko, get your Scarlet Fusion armor ready... But until we confirm the Thunder Herrscher is a threat to humanity—do not engage."
Inside the high-tech, sci-fi bridge of the battleship, a girl who looked no older than eight calmly issued orders.
Wearing a black and white nun's outfit and accompanied by a golden crucifix nearly her own size—
With white hair, blue eyes, and a face resembling Kiana's but with more innocent clumsiness—
She was Theresa Apocalypse, principal of St. Freya Academy.
"Principal, we've confirmed four individuals at the epicenter of the eruption. One is a Herrscher of Thunder. Another is your niece, Kiana Kaslana. The remaining two have no detailed records."
"What?! Kiana's at the center of the disaster?! I have to save her!"
Hearing that her niece was in the most dangerous area, Theresa immediately panicked. She grabbed her weapon, the Oath of Judah, ready to rush out from the Hyperion.
But Murata Himeko raised an eyebrow and pulled her back.
The crimson-haired Valkyrie stared at the virtual projection displayed on the Hyperion's bridge, her expression complicated.
"Principal... Are you sure she needs saving?"
"What are you talking about, Himeko?! The Honkai Eruption is dangerous, and Kiana is just a kid! She surely—"
"Just take a look for yourself. Your niece is out there joyfully slaying Honkai Beasts with her friends."
"Eh...?"
Theresa blinked dumbly, turning to the screen. Her jaw dropped. She even let go of Judah, which clattered onto the deck.
It wasn't just her—the other Valkyries aboard the Hyperion were equally stunned.
On screen, a white-haired boy and two girls were in the middle of a battlefield, mowing down Honkai Beasts like it was nothing.
Especially the boy.
With every step, he cut down ten more beasts. Even elite Honkai monsters fell like cattle before a butcher.
His combat prowess left many of the older, slightly thirstier Valkyries swallowing hard, eyes locked in unblinking awe.
"Wh-Who the heck is this guy?! Grandpa didn't mention anything about someone like this!"
Theresa was completely flabbergasted.
Just last night, she had received a message from Otto informing her that Kiana was in Nagazora City, which was on the verge of experiencing a major Honkai Eruption.
Terrified, Theresa launched the Hyperion early that morning with every A-rank Valkyrie she could gather.
She wasn't sure what Kiana looked like now after all these years, but as a Kaslana, Theresa was absolutely certain that her niece would be right in the middle of the chaos.
After all, for members of the Kaslana family, seeing people suffer from the Honkai triggered something deep inside them. Their blood would boil, and they would charge into battle without hesitation.
But seeing her niece in the dead center of the eruption—and with such a powerful ally—had still caught her completely off guard.
"Principal, what are your orders?"
"...What else? Proceed with the mission—eliminate the Honkai Beasts."
"And the Herrscher of Thunder?"
"Confirm her condition. If she's lost her humanity, we put her down. But if she still has it—and if she poses no threat to humanity—then we talk."
Theresa gave the command without hesitation.
The Valkyries present clenched their fists, eyes filled with determination.
This time, they wouldn't make the same mistake they did during the Second Honkai Eruption. This time, they would be certain who their true enemy was.
Himeko, though not a participant of the second outbreak, nodded solemnly and made her way to the equipment bay to don her strongest armor.
Meanwhile, far away in the shadows, Cocolia stared at the monitor in disbelief.
"What...? The Third Eruption... has begun?!"
Cocolia had originally prepared to sacrifice all of Nagazora City for her plan. But to her surprise, Mei had awakened in an uninhabited suburb.
Though a large number of Honkai Beasts were still advancing toward the city, the worst-case scenario—a city turned into undead and monsters—had been averted.
This situation was far better than she had anticipated. If it was just a coincidence, Cocolia could breathe easy. But if someone had orchestrated it...
She felt a chill crawl down her spine.
"Forget it. No matter what, the Herrscher of Thunder must be secured! Alert the Titan mech unit—wait for the right moment!"
"Madam Cocolia, what about the Honkai Beasts?"
"Ignore them. If we intervene now, those Valkyries will notice us immediately. Right now, they're out in the open while we're in the shadows. It would be a waste not to take advantage."
Though ignoring the Honkai Beasts meant heavy casualties in the city, the cunning fox didn't care about civilians. She ordered the Titans to focus solely on capturing the Herrscher of Thunder.
Then, she narrowed her eyes at two figures on the screen.
"Who is this boy? Just two days ago, he was an ordinary human."
"Could it be... that close-range exposure to Herrscher-level Honkai energy triggered his stigmata awakening? But even so, that kind of power is absurd."
"And... Bronya Zaychik. To think you would betray me. Fine. Good. Fortunately, I came prepared."
The vixen had no idea her fate was already sealed.
...
Back on the battlefield—
With the Valkyries from St. Freya Academy joining the fray, the pressure on Elias and the others dropped significantly.
The Hyperion's cannons were firing missiles and lasers, mowing down Honkai Beasts and stabilizing the situation.
"Elias! These girls are amazing! Especially that shorty with the cross—she's almost keeping up with you!"
"Relax. They're all on our side. We can fight together. Oh, and that shorty you mentioned—she's actually your aunt."
"Huh?! My aunt?! Σ(△）"
"Mm-hmm. No wonder she's an S-rank Valkyrie. Her launcher's not bad at all~"
Elias casually sliced down another Emperor-class Honkai Beast, his eyes lighting up as he watched the golden chains from the Oath of Judah pierce one beast after another.
The real fight looked far more intense than the games.
Of course, to clarify—Elias was impressed with the Oath of Judah. As for Theresa, she was mostly just running around with the thing...
Theresa: "Achoo! Who's bad-mouthing the Principal?! Step forward!"
With St. Freya's arrival, not a single Honkai Beast would escape.
The A-rank Valkyries teamed up with Elias to deal with the elite beasts, while B-rank Valkyries joined Kiana and Bronya against the lesser ones.
Hyperion's artillery provided constant firepower, ensuring not one monster reached the city.
However—
Just as everyone believed the situation was under control—
Dozens of steel figures suddenly appeared.
"What?!"
"Those are anti-entropy mechs!"
"No! They're targeting the Herrscher of Thunder!"
The Titan mechs had used quantum cloaking to sneak in and now launched a surprise attack on Mei as she neared full awakening.
Cocolia believed her plan was working.
Until—
"Been waiting for you, foolish fox."
"What?! Impossible!"
Elias, who had just been fighting off Honkai Beasts in the distance, instantly appeared in front of Mei.
With a flash of his plasma blade, he tore through several Titans.
Not satisfied, he tossed the weapon aside, clenched his fist, and punched straight through another Titan.
His focus had never left Mei.
While appearing to be battling Honkai Beasts, he had actually been baiting Cocolia into making a move.
And now—
BOOOOOOOM—
Mei's awakening was complete.
The full form of the Herrscher of Thunder—was born!
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