I Am Honkai

"It's over."

Clang!

Turning to Cornelia and Wave, Akame casually flicked the blood off her blade, [Murasame], which rang with a crisp sound as it slid back into its sheath.

"Yuzuru! Damn it, this isn't over. Just wait!"

Leaving a parting threat, Yuzuru Yamai supported her sister, Kaguya Yamai, whose abdomen now sported a large, gaping wound inflicted by Wave. Kicking off the ground, Yuzuru leapt away, rapidly gaining altitude.

Unfortunately, Yuzuru hadn't realized that her leg, which Akame's [Murasame] had grazed, bore the signs of an imminent curse.

"Kotori, the AST's base has been attacked. The Spirit Combat Forces have been completely wiped out. I can't find Origami Tobiichi anywhere…."

Carrying her unconscious twin sister on her back, Yuzuru rose into the sky while urgently relaying the situation to the Fraxinus airship.

Though brimming with hatred for Akame and the others who had injured her sister, Yuzuru knew rescuing her sister was her top priority.

"Where's Shidou? Kaguya is severely injured!"

As she spoke frantically, Yuzuru suddenly froze mid-air. Her eyes turned bloodshot, veins visible, and crimson blood began to seep from her nose and mouth.

"What's happening? It was only one strike…."

Her strength drained, and her mind clouded with an overwhelming urge to sleep. In the last moments before losing consciousness, Yuzuru caught a glimpse of her body, now covered in jet-black curse marks that radiated a faint violet-red energy.

"She lasted seven seconds. That's impressive life force," Akame remarked, seemingly impressed, as she slid [Murasame] into her sheath.

The Deadly Blade

The Teigu: One-Cut Killer [Murasame] lacked physical enhancement, energy projection, or wide-area destruction capabilities.

In terms of sharpness and armor-piercing ability, it was bottom-tier compared to other Imperial Arms.

But its single-target lethality? Unmatched. Any living being cut by it—even a minor wound—would be infected by a deadly curse, spreading rapidly from the wound and inevitably leading to death unless a limb could be severed in time.

Through enhancement and modification with Honkai energy and a cursed toxin, [Murasame] had reached an elevated state. For beings without a transcended essence of life—especially carbon-based life forms—being cut in the torso by this blade was tantamount to death.

The Yamai sisters weren't quite at the necessary level. Though they had transcended humanity by becoming Spirits through the acceptance of Spirit Crystals, much of their power was sealed within Shidou Itsuka. Thus, they were far from their peak.

Of course, a select few in this world could achieve immunity to [Murasame]. These included purely magical beings such as the First Spirit or naturally-formed pure Spirits like Tohka Yatogami, whose nature diverged from carbon-based life.

Other Spirits, while superhuman, retained traces of humanity, making them susceptible to the blade. If cut, even their sealed state couldn't prevent its effects; at best, it might only delay the inevitable.

"She endured [Murasame]'s curse for seven seconds. That must place her among this world's elite combatants. Before, the enemies were far too weak—DEM, AST…."

Still maintaining his [Grand Chariot] manifestation, Wave crossed his arms and propped his chin on one hand, speaking thoughtfully as he stood beside Akame.

"DEM, AST…. Yes, that seems accurate. They don't appear to belong to the same organization. Their combat styles, equipment, and overall team dynamics were noticeably different during engagements."

"All right, Wave, save the analysis for later."

Knocking lightly on Wave's deep-blue [Grand Chariot] helmet, Cornelia produced a purple Honkai crystal from her person and tossed it onto the ground.

Buzz... Crackle!

The high-density Honkai crystal rapidly multiplied. Through a process of reconstruction and aggregation, it formed a towering ten-meter-tall conical crystal structure on the airport's ruined runway.

"Now, just upload the copied data," Cornelia stated, turning toward an orange-haired woman emerging from the AST base's control room.

"Seryu, is the data copied?"

"Of course! Catch, boss!"

Seryu tossed a long rectangular object as she made an "OK" gesture with her hand. She wore an iron-gray Imperial officer's uniform, and a round, chubby, toy-like white dog followed at her heels.

"Well then, mission accomplished."

Cornelia pressed a button on the black rectangular device. Instantly, a flash of purple light enveloped it, transforming the USB-like object into a seamless purple crystal that was gradually absorbed into the Honkai crystal transmission tower.

As the official data hub for the AST in Tengu City, the base's database contained roughly 90% of the world's accessible information.

Though some top-secret information and advanced technologies remained out of reach, Robert didn't need absolute precision. All he required was a clear understanding of this world's capabilities.

"Commander, my sector is cleared."

Appearing with traces of blood on her face, Kurome approached Akame with her [Yatsufusa] at her hip. Without hesitation, she dove into her sister's arms.

Behind her, the masked, muscular Bols gave a brief report in a deep voice. "Sub-commander, the mission is complete."

Meanwhile, in the emergency ward of the AST Tengu City base, a scene unfolded that had gone unnoticed by the "Jaegers."

On her deathbed, Origami Tobiichi's life hung by a thread. Explosions and screams from the chaos outside rang loudly, yet she remained unable to move, tethered by IV tubes and devoid of strength.

Not long ago, she had regained consciousness through the use of a drug with severe side effects. Following orders, she had dictated a report on her first encounter with Esdeath.

However, the Hunter squad's invasion had thrown the base into disarray. The medical staff tasked with her care had vanished amidst the chaos. With her attending physician absent, Origami's condition deteriorated further.

"I haven't avenged my parents yet…. Am I going to die like this? It's… it's so frustrating…."

Her eyelids grew heavier, and she muttered faintly as her consciousness began to fade again.

In this state, a neutral voice suddenly echoed in her ears.

"Do you desire power?"

Origami's muddled awareness snapped into focus as if she had grabbed hold of a lifeline. Using the last of her strength, she moved weakly, her trembling hand reaching out.

"Yes… I want it," she rasped, barely parting her lips. "But… who… are you?"

"Who I am… doesn't matter, does it? Tell me—do you desire power? Do you crave strength so absolute it surpasses anyone else's, even if it means becoming what you despise the most?"

Feeling the voice approach, Origami Tobiichi strained to open her eyes. Amid the blinding white light, she saw a hazy figure as if smeared with a mosaic.

In that moment, Origami's breathing quickened. Her grievous injuries, combined with her accelerated heartbeat, pushed her body to its absolute limit.

Clenching her teeth, she replied firmly, "I desire it. I desire power—the power to fulfill my wishes. No matter what happens, no matter the cost, I desire it!"

"Very well. Your wish, I accept. If you want power, then touch it."

A pure white Spirit Crystal, gleaming with radiant light, appeared before Origami.

As she stretched out her hand without hesitation, the 'Phantom' seemed to smile in satisfaction. "Go ahead and try it."

As the Spirit Crystal fused into Origami's body, the Phantom vanished without a trace.

"Ahhhhh!"

The integration of the Spirit Crystal triggered rapid transformations within Origami's already battered body. Her agonized screams pierced the walls of the emergency ward.

"What… what's happening?" Kurome asked, startled.

"Wave, isn't that your assigned area?" Kurome asked, her expression turning incredulous as she stepped back and distanced herself from Wave in apparent disdain.

"Don't tell me… Wave, have you awakened the same preferences as the Captain? I didn't think you were this kind of person…."

"Kurome, stop! What kind of look is that? This has nothing to do with me! I didn't do anything!"

Though his armor concealed his expression, Wave's exasperation was evident.

"That area was cleared! All that was left was a dying girl in the hospital ward—barely hanging on…."

"A cute girl? Hah, Wave! You're a pervert! Choosing beauty over loyalty!" Kurome accused with a scornful snort.

"Ugh…"

"Boss, should we check it out?"

Akame placed her thumb against her sword's guard, sliding the blood-red blade partially from its sheath, making her intentions clear.

"No need. The mission is complete. Let's regroup with the Captain."

Cornelia stopped Akame, covering her face in resignation.

Boom!

The military-grade steel-reinforced concrete structure couldn't withstand the shock of a Spirit's manifestation.

Cracks spread visibly across the building, and in less than a tenth of a second, with a sharp snap, fissures of varying depths burst open, radiating outward.

In the sky, a pure white figure instantly drew the attention of Cornelia and her team.

"Hmm. Nice figure, pretty face, decent strength. No wonder Wave held back," Akame mused, her thoughts taking an unusual turn. Moments earlier, she'd been ready to strike, but now she rubbed her chin in contemplation.

"Wave, you big lecher," Kurome remarked flatly.

"What?! I didn't—! I swear I didn't! She was about to die a moment ago!" Wave was practically flailing in frustration.

In an instant, what should have been a tense encounter with a formidable enemy turned into a lively comedy routine, thanks to Wave's unintended actions.

To be fair, Origami Tobiichi's beauty—and her striking white hair—were undeniable.

This preference, however, was rooted in the Empire's recent fascination with silver-white hair, a trend of unknown origin. White hair paired with red eyes was especially coveted.

In the sky, Origami now resembled an angel. She wore what appeared to be a pure white wedding gown, with a circular halo-like structure above her head formed by luminous white threads resembling golden silk.

From her chest down, she was adorned with angular golden armor plates.

"I… I'm alive…."

Raising her hands, Origami gazed at her arms, now covered in white gloves. Her hand moved to her chest, where the Spirit Crystal had fused, feeling the immense power flowing within.

"This… this is a Spirit's power…? Such strength—it's impossible for ordinary humans to overcome."

A bitter smile crept across Origami's lips as she realized she had become what she once hated most.

"But…."

Her expression twisted with deep-seated hatred.

"Efreet! Snowstorm! All spirits! I'll kill every last one of you! For my parents, for Lieutenant Ryouko Kusakabe, and for everyone harmed by spirits!"

"And when it's all over, I'll take my own life to atone for the sin of becoming a spirit," Origami vowed silently, pressing her hand firmly over her heart.

Her vacant gaze sharpened, falling upon the burning, ruined military base below.

"Who are they? And what is that crystal tower?"

On the shattered runway, the glowing purple crystal tower beside the six members of the Hunter unit stood out prominently.

"Are they military?"

Origami hesitated, noting their iron-gray military uniforms. She couldn't determine their affiliation.

The Spirit Crystal had offered no clarity on the current situation. Barely conscious in the hospital bed earlier, Origami hadn't known who had attacked the base.

Her instinctive assumption, based on experience, was that a Spirit had attacked the base. The lingering traces of unfamiliar Spirit Energy (from the Yamai sisters) seemed to confirm this theory.

"Boss, should we attack?"

Wave broke the silence, speaking softly to Cornelia.

"No need. Robert has sent word—the Astartes are here!"

Cornelia's purple eyes gleamed briefly as she glanced skyward.

In the heavens, the debris of orbital satellites descended like meteors, shattering the world's satellite communication network.

Moments later, enormous beams of light pierced the atmosphere, their magnitude painting the sky in fiery red colors.

Above, countless shadows appeared—colossal warships, bristling with endless rows of cold, unfeeling gun barrels. Their weapons adjusted, and with a single command, more beams of energy cut through the sky, illuminating the Earth below.

Meanwhile, the mosaic-shrouded Phantom, hiding in an undisclosed location, suddenly understood the truth.

"This… this isn't some self-defense mechanism of the world's ley lines. This is an invasion—a war."

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