I Am Honkai

"Grand Commander, per orders from Legion Headquarters, the Anti-Spirit Forces' AST garrison base has been almost entirely cleared. Marked research facilities are being secured by divided units," reported a fellow officer clad in an intricately designed power armor as he approached the Grand Commander.

"At present, all key locations in London have effectively fallen under our control. The only remaining organized resistance is concentrated at DEM Industries' headquarters building. Following orders, no orbital lance strikes have been directed at it..."

The officer's helmeted gaze shifted to the wounded Artemisia. "Grand Commander, who is she?"

"A candidate for a proxy agent. Once her emergency treatment is complete, she will lead you in negotiating surrenders. As a local combat ace, she should have a solid understanding of crucial research personnel and facilities."

Above Japan, colossal floating fortresses synchronized with terrestrial signal beacons, launching wave after wave of orbital drop pods.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The earth trembled under the impacts, and even the sky seemed to dim in their shadow.

"Negotiate surrenders, establish proxy rulers, and restore order to this fallen world's governments at maximum speed. Truly, the Ultramarines excel at such 'civil engineering,' don't they?"

Aside from the first three founding Legions, Robert's Thirteenth Legion boasted the largest size, with his skill in governance and diplomacy rivaling that of Budo's.

Floating in Earth's orbit, Selene hovered effortlessly above the planet's surface. Drawing her focus back from London, she smirked slightly at the Commander's successful negotiations.

The Ultramarines were neither the Ironhands of the Second Legion nor the vicious Executors or World Eaters. Ruthless slaughter wasn't their forte.

The Grand Commander's work in Rome was no exception. Across every city they occupied, the Ultramarines deployed the same strategy: orbital bombardments to obliterate large-scale military bases, precision airborne drops to crush resistance, and a mix of force and diplomacy to ensure rapid capitulation.

The Thirteenth Legion wielded these three tactics masterfully.

"Hiding in Tengu City... such patience," Selene muttered, shaking her head at Esdeath's apparent struggle.

For the sake of fulfilling her subordinate's wish for a worthy battle, Selene had gone to great lengths to accommodate her.

She had personally positioned herself as a schemer, waiting for the First Spirit to surface. When it did, she planned to banish it into space, ensuring Esdeath could fight at full strength without fear of collateral damage. This not only gave Esdeath her desired battle but also preserved the Earth for Robert's plans.

"Truly, where else could you find such a considerate ruler?"

Selene sighed melodramatically before her expression sharpened. "Huh? Found her. The Spirit of Time, Kurumi Tokisaki."

Meanwhile, in Tengu City's western district, the situation remained unexpectedly calm.

Unlike the north, which had been devastated by Esdeath's arrival, or other areas ravaged by orbital bombardments, the west retained its relative peace.

Atop a department store in the district's commercial zone...

"Science fiction movies... aliens?"

Wearing a gothic black-and-red Lolita dress, her slender figure silhouetted against the sky, Kurumi's crimson right eye glowed ominously beneath her long black twin tails.

Though only a day had passed, the dramatic shift in the world around her was nearly incomprehensible.

First, an S-class Spirit of unprecedented threat had appeared. Then came the sudden, large-scale alien invasion.

"Everything's spiraling into chaos!" Kurumi muttered, clutching her ornate flintlock rifle.

Her carefully laid plans had unraveled. "Am I supposed to absorb time from the dead now? Will the Twelfth Bullet even work? Even if I alter the Spirit timeline, how do I prevent extraterrestrial forces from descending on Earth?"

As Kurumi wrestled with these chaotic thoughts, an oppressive wave of power surged across the sky, freezing her in place.

"Who's there?!"

Her rifle aimed toward the disturbance as her voice rang out, sharp and commanding.

"Kurumi Tokisaki..."

A haughty, ice-cold voice echoed from above. Selene descended slowly, exuding a divine aura. Her crimson, diamond-shaped pupils gleamed with an oppressive light.

Draped in her regal attire, she appeared indescribably majestic, otherworldly even. Her presence exuded the kind of radiance that mortals could neither touch nor comprehend.

But against the backdrop of Tengu City's destruction, she resembled a goddess of annihilation, heralding the end of days. Her very existence was an oppressive reminder of pure despair.

"It's you! So this is your true form, is it?"

Kurumi's voice trembled with bitter resentment. She pulled the trigger of her flintlock rifle, the spirit energy bullet roaring toward Selene.

Bang!

"Have we met before?" Selene asked nonchalantly, extending a finger.

With a simple gesture, a wave of gravity crushed the incoming projectile into nothingness.

"You dare feign ignorance?!" Kurumi screamed, her tone dripping with hatred. "How dare you forget your sins! After deceiving me into murdering my dearest friend, you now come to reclaim my power?! I swear, I'll kill you!"

"Deceived you? Killed your friend? What nonsense is this?"

Selene remained composed, dismissing Kurumi's accusations. Stretching out her hand, she pressed downward, and an invisible force pinned Kurumi to the rooftop.

Crack!

The ground beneath Kurumi splintered as her frail body was crushed under the weight of Selene's power, her limbs pinned against the fractured rooftop.

"You damned scum of this world! You'll never escape justice, deceiver!" Kurumi cried, her body trembling with futile resistance.

Selene's expression turned contemplative. "Judging by your words, someone else has clearly wronged you. But given your desperation to find blame... could it be..."

After piecing things together, Selene smirked with understanding. "Ah, I see. This must be one of Mukuro's infamous deceptions. Seems I've inadvertently become her scapegoat."

Selene barely paid attention to Kurumi's tirade. It wasn't directed at her, after all. Kurumi's hatred for the First Spirit, Mio Takamiya, was understandable.

Mio's actions had left a devastating legacy. Her birth had resulted in the deaths of 150 million people. Indirectly, Mio had caused widespread suffering by scattering Spirit Crystals, which turned countless girls into Spirits, leading to frequent Spacequakes and immense collateral damage.

Kurumi's resentment stemmed from both reasons.

Once an ordinary heiress living a privileged life, Kurumi had been attacked by an unknown monster after school one day. Mio, claiming to be a "champion of justice" fighting against the evil Spirits, had saved her. Convinced by Mio's words, Kurumi chose to help her destroy other Spirits.

Thus, Kurumi became the Third Spirit, the Spirit of Time, assisting Mio in annihilating numerous Spirits. However, after defeating the Spirit of Flames, Kurumi was horrified to discover that this Spirit had been her best friend.

She learned that the Spirits she had been hunting were originally human girls and that Mio had deceived her all along. When she confronted Mio for the truth, her memories were erased, and she was cast into the Neighboring World.

Had she not used the Tenth Bullet to restore her memories, Kurumi might have remained ignorant forever.

What was this? Some kind of absurd soap opera plot?

A naive heiress encounters danger, only to be rescued by a "knight in shining armor"—or rather, a knightess in shining armor. Sparks fly, one party believes their bond is eternal, but alas! The supposed savior is a deceiver who has a "true love" elsewhere. After exploiting the heiress, she cruelly discards her.

Ahem.

Selene prided herself on being a "compassionate" Herrscher and a "benevolent" ruler. Taking the blame for someone else was just a minor inconvenience. She wasn't the least bit upset.

Not at all.

...Okay, maybe a little upset.

Usually, it was her making others take the blame. Who had the audacity to saddle her with this mess?

"Hmph. Taking a fall for someone else? Truly—"

"Infuriating!"

CRACK—SPLAT!

Kurumi's heterochromatic eyes widened in shock as the overwhelming pressure smashed her fragile body into pieces.

Boom!

The department store rooftop collapsed in an instant, a violent explosion erupting from the top floor. Smoke and debris billowed outward like fireworks on a grand festival, the building turning into a towering chimney of rolling black smoke.

"Come out, Kurumi Tokisaki. Even if I have to sink the entire Japanese archipelago, I doubt you'll die," Selene said coldly.

Whoosh!

Exhaling gently, Selene waved her hand, conjuring a gale that blew away the smoke and revealed the department store, now missing nearly ten floors. In the center stood a newly "reborn" Spirit of Time.

"Ara, Ara~. Such a fiery temper from the great First Spirit. Surely, if anyone should be angry, it's me who should resent you. You, the scum who can't even find peace in hell," Kurumi said sweetly, her lips curling into a mocking smile as she curtsied gracefully.

Her demeanor was elegant, but the malice and hatred burning in her mismatched eyes were impossible to conceal.

Selene wasn't interested in clearing up the misunderstanding. Misunderstood or not, the outcome would be the same. After all, Selene's ambitions far eclipsed Mio's. Compared to Selene, Mio could almost be described as pure-hearted.

Mio merely sought to resurrect and reunite with her lover.

Selene wanted to conquer endless worlds and make everything that existed bend to her desires

"Zafkiel, the Angel of Time... Your abilities—shadow manipulation and temporal control—make you unparalleled in survivability and contingency planning. In some ways, even Mio Takamiya pales in comparison," Selene remarked, her gaze drifting toward the AST garrison base in northern Tengu City.

"Mio... Takamiya..."

Hearing the name of her lifelong nemesis, Kurumi gritted her teeth, barely containing her disgust. Forcing herself to remain composed, she raised her head to meet Selene's eyes.

"That woman?" Kurumi echoed Selene's phrasing, her mind racing as her rage cooled.

"So, you're not her. Where is she? And who are you?"

"Mio? Closer than you think. As for me—"

Swoosh!

Danger!

The moment Selene's lips curved into a faint smile, Kurumi's instincts screamed. Her flintlock pistols appeared in her hands, ready to fire.

Even as a mere clone, Kurumi saw this as an invaluable opportunity to gain experience against a suspected First Spirit.

But then—

TING.

Kurumi felt a warm sensation on her forehead. Her gaze slowly shifted upward to see a pale, slender hand emerging from Selene's opulent robes.

Her flawless features captivated Kurumi, her delicate lips moving as she spoke:

"—World's End."

"Spatial transfer?"

Kurumi barely had time to form the thought. A blinding purple-red sun flared in the sky, and a torrent of energy surged from Selene's fingertip.

BOOM!

The atmosphere roared as violent shockwaves exploded outward. The department store disintegrated instantly, Kurumi's body reduced to nothingness before she could even scream.

RUMBLE—!!!

A streak of radiant energy cleaved through the sky, a devastating force beyond human comprehension. The brilliant light annihilated everything in its path, reducing the earth to silence.

The beam carved Tengu City in two, racing toward the horizon. The ground rippled like water, and powerful winds tore through the air, shredding the clouds and vaporizing the frozen sea outside the city.

From space, the scene was apocalyptic. The Pacific Ocean was bisected, massive waves rising kilometers into the air, while dead sea life floated to the surface.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, did you...?"

Hearing Robert's frantic voice, Selene finally ceased her power output. Scratching the back of her head, she replied sheepishly:

"Uh... Maybe I overdid it a little."

Out in space, standing within the command room of the flagship, Robert, the Thirteenth Legion's Chapter Master, stared slack-jawed at the screen. On display was the image of Selene carving a gap through Honshu Island and giving the Earth a literal middle parting.

So this is what you meant by not using large-scale destructive abilities?

Selene: Ahem, yes, this was just a basic attack.

"Your Majesty, please calm... err, please be at ease. System diagnostics indicate that your attack has triggered heightened activity in Japan's underground Ring of Fire seismic and volcanic zones," Robert reported cautiously, carefully choosing his words.

"Yes, yes, I'm aware. It will be handled," Selene assured, magnanimously accepting the advice and promising not to repeat the error.

Gazing toward the distant sea, she saw that the glacier created by Esdeath had completely evaporated under her attack. Tsunamis were forming from undersea earthquakes, and magma in the Earth's crust surged with unprecedented ferocity.

If left unchecked, the resulting chain reaction in the Ring of Fire could lead to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis, devastating all of Southeast Asia.

Naturally, as a diligent and benevolent ruler, Selene couldn't let that happen. She extended one hand, radiating golden light, and the other, glowing azure.

"As unyielding as stone; as tranquil as still waters."

Elsewhere.

The "Hunters" squad, struggling to their feet, stared dumbfounded at the near-total transformation of Tokyo—the Tengu City metropolitan area.

In front of them, the surviving structures leaned precariously, while the fissures carved by the torrent of Honkai energy spanned over ten kilometers in width. Boiling magma flowed within the deep, bottomless ravines.

This single strike completely redefined their understanding of power. Then again, they thought, if it's Her Majesty, such might is expected.

"Was that Her Majesty?"

The lingering shockwaves subsided quickly. Cornelia dusted herself off and looked to Wave.

"That radiant figure—it must be Her Majesty," Will answered. Thanks to his Teigu, Grand Chariot, his vision could clearly discern Selene's dazzling presence high in the sky, tens of kilometers away.

"Who would have thought Her Majesty would personally arrive?"

Nearby.

Emerging from the rubble, her pure-white wedding dress unmarred by even a speck of dust, though her skin was faintly flushed from friction against the air, Origami stood upright. Coldly, she stared toward the skies of western Tengu City.

That brilliant figure in the heavens, as radiant as a god descending to Earth—it was unmistakable. Five years ago, she had seen the same figure. It was her. She had killed my parents.

Instantly, her rational mind was consumed by overwhelming hatred. The angelic face twisted into an expression of sheer malice and bloodlust.

"Ahhhh—! Spirit! Even if it drags me to hell, I'll take you down with me! I'll kill you!!"

With a furious roar, Origami shot into the sky, hurtling toward Selene's position like a blazing meteor.

In the meantime, Selene, after stabilizing the earthquakes and tsunamis, resumed her search for Kurumi Tokisaki.

"Still alive, Kurumi? As expected, to truly eliminate you and your endless contingencies, a solar flare bombardment seems like the only practical solution. Everything else is... tedious."

Just as she focused her attention back on Kurumi, a furious scream rang out:

"Damn Spirit, I'll kill you!"

"Spirit? What nonsense is this?"

Selene frowned, turning to face the oncoming wave of vengeance-laden killing intent.

"Wait... is this because of me? Or is this another black pot I have to carry?"

Meanwhile, at the AST garrison base.

"So... they're extraterrestrial invaders?"

At this moment, the "Phantom" understood why Esdeath's arrival had always felt so out of place.

Initially, the Phantom had believed Esdeath to be a countermeasure born of the Earth's spiritual veins—a natural force to reclaim the energy that Spirits had plundered from the planet.

After all, the Phantom was well aware of her own origins.

Her existence was the result of Spirit Formula rituals exploiting and extracting the Earth's natural energies—forces accumulated over hundreds or even thousands of years—from the land, sky, and sea.

Such plundering was nothing short of killing the goose that laid the golden eggs. Even if the Earth had no consciousness, its natural mechanisms should logically have reacted to reclaim its stolen power.

At least, that was what the Phantom had initially concluded when she saw Esdeath, a "Spirit" not created through her Spirit Crystal system.

Now, however, the situation had spiraled completely out of control.

Realizing that she might never reunite with her beloved, the Phantom's mosaic-shrouded form began to ripple violently, emitting the static buzz of an old television losing signal.

A sliver of silver-white light momentarily broke through the mosaic covering her body, only to be quickly swallowed again.

In that instant, the First Spirit grappled with an intense internal debate: should she reveal herself before Shinji's resurrection ritual was complete? Should she recall all Spirit Crystals to restore her full power?

"Perhaps... there's no rush."

Ultimately, she made her decision.

"What does this otherworldly invasion have to do with me? Spirits can be remade after they perish. As long as Shinji can be resurrected, no price is too high—no matter the time or cost."

Her plan to slowly transfer her Spirit energy into Shinji through Spirit Crystals, ultimately reviving him as an immortal being, remained her sole priority.

Had Esdeath been the sole threat, she might have acted recklessly. But with Selene's arrival, the overwhelming power surpassing even her peak made her hesitate.

Her desire was unfulfilled. The timing was premature. She was still too weak to take such a gamble. She feared death—she couldn't afford to die.

"Shinji, please... just give me a little more time. Soon..."

As the Phantom whispered softly, a deafening Boom—Crack! shattered her thoughts.

Frost surged outward, instantly freezing the crumbling structure she hid in, making it brittle and fragile. Descending from above was a figure cloaked in icy blue and holding a cube glowing with a purple-red light.

"I've finally found you, the strongest extraordinary lifeform of this world—the First Spirit."

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