"What's happening? The radar detected an enormous surge of Honkai Energy—strong enough to birth a Herrscher—and its source is...the Headquarters Inner City?"
"What? It's barely been over a month since the Major Honkai Eruption in the Far East. Is this happening again?"
"Dammit! Are we never getting a break?! Don't you know what Anti-Entropy stands for? If they want to cause trouble here, then bring it on!"
"Mobilize the machinery corps, mobile units, Esper teams, and air force—contain this disaster within Headquarters at all costs. Not a single Honkai Beast is allowed to escape!"
"Sir Zeke is currently inside the Inner City, and Communications is urgently trying to reach him! Additionally, reports have been sent to Lord Leader and the Enforcers requesting assistance. If necessary, we can swallow our pride and call upon the Valkyrie forces for backup!"
"Bullshit! Everyone, get moving already! This is Headquarters; if we can't hold our own, we'll be the laughingstock of the world! A Herrscher, eh? We've rehearsed for this scenario before. Let's do this!"
Outside the Headquarters' Outer Ring District, various armed forces swiftly sprang into action.
Machine guns and massive cannons emerged en masse, scattered like stars across the sky, all aimed in the same direction, ready to unleash their fury. Towering mechs flooded forth from every direction like a tidal wave, forming neat ranks as they marched with heavy, heart-pounding steps. The aerial fleet soared overhead, casting shadows below and roaring thunderously through the skies.
On this day, Anti-Entropy bared its true fangs to the world, showcasing the might of civilization like an unstoppable harbinger of Ragnarök.
"Have you managed to contact Sir Zeke or any personnel inside the Inner City?" asked the temporary military commander to his subordinates.
To understand the situation better, it's necessary to introduce the layout of Anti-Entropy Headquarters.
At the core lies the Inner City, composed of towering structures serving as Anti-Entropy's highest research center and ultimate decision-making body. Highly classified, access is restricted to Anti-Entropy's top leadership and a few exceptional individuals like Fu Hua and Hera; others cannot enter even a single step.
In reality, concerns about leaks were secondary. By now, Zeke had few enemies left within the human world requiring such vigilance, making occasional exposure of some secrets inconsequential. The primary reason for secrecy was the immense danger associated with many cutting-edge research projects. Until the right moment arrived, exposing too many people prematurely was deemed unwise.
Thus, the Inner City essentially served as Zeke's private sanctuary. Typically, only he, the girls, and thousands of Cecilia clones resided there, barring any outsiders from entering.
Outside the Inner City lies the circular Outer City, where technology commercializes, weapons are produced, troops undergo training, and diplomacy takes place. Residing here are primarily Anti-Entropy's elites; collectively, they represent a significant portion of the civilization's resources.
Against just one Herrscher, their coordinated actions indeed stand a fighting chance—with no small likelihood of victory—though the casualty rate is another matter altogether.
"Report! The vanguard forces have been intercepted by the Inner City guards!"
"What?"
"It's those mysterious Inner City guards, clad in silver-white exoskeleton armor. As usual, impossible to tell what they look like—but more importantly, there was a direct order from Bronya, commander of the Guard. She said Sir Zeke is already handling the situation and instructed the Outer City forces to maintain formation and await further instructions."
The message reached the command center from the front lines.
The commanding officer and advisory group exchanged glances before issuing orders to standby.
"As expected, since it occurred within the Inner City, I knew Sir Zeke must have countermeasures in place."
"I'm wondering if it could be a mishap with some crucial experiment at the Inner City base? Maybe even Sir Zeke's own experiment went awry, ah ha ha!"
"...Those words came out of your mouth; we're not responsible."
"Helloooo!"
In the Inner City, near the collapsed structure, Bronya had just finished setting up defensive measures for the surrounding buildings and let out a long sigh.
Above the ruins of the demolished building, a dark red orb emitted ominous black-red mist, contained within a massive rectangular energy shield over a hundred meters high, preventing any Honkai Energy from leaking out.
Zeke and Seele were right at the center of that swirling fog; their exact condition remained unknown.
"What should we do? Just wait here?" Kiana removed her helmet, biting her thumb anxiously as she gazed helplessly at the scene before them.
Sin observed silently, tightly gripping her javelin and repeatedly stabbing the sturdy alloy floor, leaving small holes with each strike.
Bronya looked expressionlessly at the two girls and said, "We must trust Zeke; he wouldn't act without being fully prepared. Especially with Seele there, he won't allow the situation to spiral out of control. By the way, have you taken care of Liliya and Rozaliya, Kiana?"
"Yeah, I brought them to a safe place. But what exactly is happening now? Why did such a transformation occur in Seele?"
"Let's discuss details after it's over. For now, Seele is becoming a Herrscher."
"Oh... Huh?!" Kiana's eyes widened, blinking innocently.
First Wendy, then Schicksal's Ana Schariac, and even their own Alliance Leader—Zeke had personally crushed another underfoot earlier, not to mention Kiana herself... Were Herrschers suddenly so commonplace?
Sin glanced at Bronya, her mouth agape but ultimately speechless. Apart from being surprised that someone as timid as Seele could possess such potential, she harbored no particular thoughts. After all, what did it matter if mere Seele gained Herrscher powers? She'd likely remain just as easily frightened, bursting into tears with a stern look or harsh word. There wasn't much to expect in terms of combat strength or usefulness.
Forgive Sin's ignorance; due to Zeke and Bronya's diligent care, there was never a need for Veliona to step forward on Seele's behalf. Consequently, nobody knew the extent of her power yet. Even Sin, who once cast a shadow over Seele, hadn't truly crossed any significant boundaries, thus never witnessing Veliona's emergence.
At present, aside from Zeke, likely no one knew that Seele possessed an aggressive side—and when unleashed, it could be truly terrifying.
As the trio anxiously awaited, unable to intervene, the red mist enveloped by the Anti-Honkai Field slowly converged toward its center.
The light barrier trembled.
A steady, concentrated, and boundary-exceeding presence permeated through the force field's blockade, spreading throughout the surroundings.
"She's coming."
Bronya signaled with her hand, summoning drones into the sky. The Cecilia combat forces clad in massive silver-white armor gathered nearby, while Kiana and Sin fully donned their black armors, standing at the ready.
Regardless of what lay ahead, preparing for the worst was always prudent.
"Boom!!"
A pillar of black-and-white light pierced through the force field's restraint, soaring towards the heavens, visible clearly even miles away.
A fierce gale swept across, carrying peculiar Honkai Energy that wilted vegetation and aged metals instantly.
Once the storm subsided, amidst the clear, cloudless sky, a silver-haired youth in white attire emerged, his one hand casually behind his back, the other holding a little girl in a short white dress. Together, they descended step by step from the heavens.
The former remained composed and unflappable, while the latter blushed shyly with extraordinary grace.
Like a dashing knight standing beside an innocent and charming little princess.