I Am Honkai

"Your Majesty?!"

Thud!

Esdeath stomped heavily, driving Kotori beneath her foot.

"Urgh..."

Hearing Esdeath address someone with such reverence and seeing her unusually submissive posture, Kotori gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stay conscious.

Although she couldn't comprehend much of what Snowstorm (Esdeath) had mentioned after pulling out that metallic cube glowing with a purple-red hue—terms like "supernatural entities," "Danger Beasts," "Robert," and "Empire"—the word "Your Majesty" resonated clearly.

For Esdeath, such a formidable Spirit, to display this level of humility, Kotori was almost certain that this "Your Majesty" must be the one responsible for the Eurasian Sky Disaster 30 years ago—the first and strongest Spirit!

"No... I can't black out... Kotori, you must endure! This information, the culprit behind Origami Tobiichi's parents' deaths, the key to exposing the real mastermind behind all this..."

Even as Esdeath's crushing force and frost-bitten ice eroded her body, Kotori's phoenix-like regeneration ability ensured she wouldn't die. However, the agonizing pain and the side effects of her healing gnawed relentlessly at her sanity.

Her Elohim Gibor, the Fifth Astral Dress, granted Kotori a phoenix-like regenerative ability that could heal even the most grievous injuries.

But the price for this gift was a scorching sensation throughout her body, overwhelming her with an uncontrollable urge to destroy—teetering dangerously close to losing herself in a bloodthirsty frenzy.

Though this berserker state greatly enhanced her combat prowess, this wasn't the moment to indulge in unrestrained violence. For Kotori, this moment's importance eclipsed even her own survival—it was her chance to uncover crucial truths about the origins of all Spirits.

"It's me."

"Your Majesty... Why have you come? Do you doubt my abilities?" Esdeath hesitated for a moment, her voice trembling slightly with uncertainty.

In the vast void of outer space.

"No, no. I just... Let's not pretend. I'm no good at lying or offering comforting words. To be blunt, I believe you can't win, and frankly, I'm bored. That's why I'm here," came the unvarnished reply.

Inside the flagship fortress of the 13th Astartes Legion, in its central courtyard, beneath a towering dome, an elegant scene unfolded.

The marble pillars stretched skyward, their snowy spirals carved to perfection. Every window and doorframe bore intricate, masterful designs. Amidst fountains, reliefs, and flourishing gardens, the grandeur of the courtyard radiated.

Its magnificent architecture, entwined with ivy and vines blending into nature's palette, stood in stark contrast to the industrial image of a war machine.

Yet here, the supreme ruler, Selene, dressed in her regal attire, lounged comfortably on a wide-backed chair in a space clearly meant for Robert's private reflection.

In front of her stood Robert, the Legion Commander, flanked by the high-ranking officers of both the Astartes and the mortal auxiliary forces. All of them remained solemnly silent, their postures stiff with deference.

"The Core of the Herrscher of Ice has indeed fully fused with you, but you still need more time to grow," Selene declared plainly, her fingers gliding across the multi-faceted surface of the cube in her hand.

"The First Spirit, born from the Eurasian Sky Disaster, is the Spirit of Origin—the Mother of All Spirits."

"She wasn't supposed to exist, but circumstances converged—a perfect storm of greed and curiosity by three magicians led to her creation."

Through Spirit Formula, they amassed centuries, perhaps millennia, worth of the Earth's latent natural energy—energy embedded in its soil, skies, and oceans. And from this union of forces, they birthed an arcane lifeform.

At present, Esdeath's power level was still insufficient. Selene estimated that Esdeath, in her current state as the newly emerged Herrscher of Ice, was stronger than the nascent Herrschers from the pre-collapse era but not quite yet a match for this Spirit of Origin.

Given the right conditions, Esdeath could unleash her full potential to plunge the world into another Ice Age. But even then, her triumph over the First Spirit was far from guaranteed.

"Why hasn't she appeared?" Esdeath questioned, stepping off Kotori and pinning her to the ground with an ice spike for safekeeping.

"Maybe she's uncertain about your identity," Selene mused. "Or perhaps she has a larger goal."

The Spirit power system of this world, while referred to as the Kabbalah Tree of Life, wasn't the same as the esoteric concept of the same name.

Here, the so-called "Tree of Life" merely denoted a network of Spirit energy. The actual source of these powers was the Spirit of Origin, who divided her energy into Spirit Crystals, gifting them to human women, transforming them into Spirits.

"Shall I retreat, Your Majesty?"

"Ahahaha!" Selene laughed warmly.

"No need. Go ahead and give it your all. Battling her will help you master your abilities more effectively. You'll lose for sure, but she won't be able to take you down quickly either."

"Just fight on your terms. I'm here to back you up. Unless you're reduced to ashes, I can bring you back."

Esdeath nodded, but Selene added with a smile, "Oh, and take the fight into outer space. I don't want Robert inheriting a dead planet."

Selene casually tossed the glowing cube back to Robert.

"Your Majesty, was I overly cautious in this mission?" Robert asked, carefully securing the cube in his armored suit's compartment.

"No, Robert," Selene responded, her gaze warm but firm.

"Caution, thorough preparation, and the wisdom to anticipate the unexpected are virtues. This time, you did well."

As Selene strolled toward him, Robert immediately dropped to one knee, lowering his head adorned with a gold olive crown.

Selene tapped lightly on his imposing shoulder plate, her gesture carrying a mix of authority and assurance.

"Had it been the Space Wolves or World Eaters in charge, they'd have charged in recklessly, bolters blazing, and chainswords whirring," Selene remarked with a chuckle.

"They would have failed to gauge the situation, and faced with intercontinental strikes or superior firepower, they'd have suffered catastrophic casualties."

"Which would've forced you to order an Exterminatus out of rage."

Pulling him back to his feet with her gravitational manipulation, Selene smirked at Robert's embarrassed expression as he murmured, "I'm ashamed."

"You've nothing to be ashamed of," Selene reassured. "It's why you're the one entrusted with command, after all."

It was an undeniable fact: if casualties during an invasion became too severe, Robert, in his fury, would not hesitate to obliterate an entire planet.

Despite Robert's outwardly refined demeanor, it hinged entirely on circumstances going smoothly. One shouldn't forget his identity—an imperial soldier, someone unflinchingly ruthless when necessary.

"This is why I'll handle this wildcard personally. As for the rest, let me see the performance of the model disciplined legion—your Ultramarines," Selene remarked, shifting her gaze to the other officers and commanders standing like quails in respectful silence.

"For the glory of Selene—Victory!"

In unison, a thunderous battle cry erupted from the ranks.

"I look forward to your performance. Prepare," Selene commanded with a wave, signaling the nearby technicians to open the domed ceiling.

Beyond the fortress's ceiling, the dark void of space revealed the massive orbital structure that served as an extension of the floating fortress. The structure bristled with weapons, Each barrel measured several meters in diameter.

Across the platform were laser interception turrets, Honkai plasma cannons, space torpedo launchers, and particle lance launchers as far as the eye could see.

The fortress's constant Honkai energy shield shimmered faintly blue, offering an additional layer of defense.

In the far distance, Selene's crimson, diamond-shaped pupils, framed by a faint golden ring, captured the stellar system's nine planets in orbit. Among them, the azure Earth radiated a serene beauty.

"Once Esdeath's 'Jaegers' finish uploading their data, the stage is yours, Robert," Selene declared.

"Understood!" Robert saluted sharply before exiting the central courtyard.

"Oh, by the way," Selene coughed lightly, unable to resist her inner micromanager. "Pay special attention to the British Isles and the Italian Peninsula. DEM Corporation's headquarters might hold valuable tech... And yes, include Tengu City as well."

"Yes!" Robert responded without hesitation.

Soon after, the courtyard grew silent, save for the presence of essential guards and attendants.

"Is DEM Corporation's headquarters in Britain or Italy? Forget it. Search both thoroughly."

"The timeline on this planet seems unusually malleable. Time-manipulation abilities, Zafkiel.... Tch, time truly is a troublesome world. Let's go check it out..."

The Tengu City AST Base

At the AST garrison, smoke billowed thickly, the stench of blood and destruction pervading the air. Limbs and dismembered bodies were scattered across the base.

Vroom—Boom!

"Take this!"

Cornelia smashed through the base's reinforced walls, her ferocious attack sending Yuzuru Yamai flying.

"Damn it, you're human! Why are you attacking other humans?!"

Rolling across the airstrip's cratered pavement, Yuzuru, her orange-gold hair tousled, stood slowly. Clad in a blue-violet restraint suit with shackles and broken chains on her left hand and foot, her gaze was solemn.

"Humans can kill humans, too. Orders are orders—no reason needed! Crushing King!"

Cornelia planted herself firmly, her gauntleted arms surging with amplified Teigu-Honkai energy. A violent shockwave burst forth.

Whoosh!

The airstrip tower was uprooted and thrown aside like a toy. Nearby tanks and aircraft debris were sent flying, and any AST soldiers lucky enough to survive the initial onslaught felt the impact firsthand.

The sheer force slammed into them like a massive hammer, compressing their bodies against obstacles before reducing them to a mangled mess of blood and clothing.

"This move cannot be blocked," Yuzuru thought. Summoning a blade affixed to her chain, she stared intently at the golden-haired woman, fully aware of the danger.

"I'm waiting for someone. What are you waiting for?" Cornelia taunted.

"What?" Yuzuru was momentarily bewildered, but before she could react—

"Yuzuru, look out!"

Clang!

"Annihilate!"

The sharp sound of a blade cutting through the air echoed. [Murasame], its crimson edge gleaming, sliced toward Yuzuru with ghostly precision. Akame had appeared behind her like a specter.

A storm of razor-sharp slashes tore through the air toward Yuzuru. Despite the threat, she floated upward, spinning her bladed chains to create a protective silver halo around herself.

Ting! Ting! Ting!

Sparks flew as the slashes collided with the barrier of chains, relentless and unyielding.

Schwing!

One of [Murasame]'s strikes slipped through the chain defense, grazing Yuzuru's leg and leaving a bloodied cut.

Seeing her sister wounded, Kaguya Yamai, dressed in a matching blue-violet restraint suit with shackles on her right hand and foot, shouted in fury, "Yuzuru! You cowards! Ambushing her?! Raphael—Piercer!"

"An assassination unit fighting head-on?"

Will chuckled under his breath. His augmented [Grand Chariot] Teigu seamlessly integrated with his Honkai plasma cannon, providing unparalleled stability.

Zzzt!

The plasma cannon discharged with an eerie hum, firing a pinpoint blue laser that struck Kaguya directly.

The intense heat seared through her abdomen, leaving behind a charred, carbonized cavity—a mortal wound for most, but Kaguya, being a Spirit, barely held on.

Boom!

The plasma charge detonated immediately after impact, engulfing Kaguya in a blue inferno, her body sent flying amidst the flames.

"Boss!"

"On it!"

Cornelia charged forward with a powerful leap, her punch propelling Kaguya's limp body toward Akame.

"Annihilate!"

Slash!

With seamless coordination, Akame extended [Murasame]'s blade, cutting through Kaguya mid-flight. Her body spun as blood droplets shimmered in the air like crimson jewels.

"All clear. Upload the data," Cornelia commanded coldly.

A Twist in the Shadows

Zzt, zzt, zzt...

At that moment, just as the Jaegers were preparing to conclude their mission, a blurred, pixelated figure materialized within a secluded infirmary deep within the AST garrison.

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