I Am Honkai

Shhhhhh…

The violet-red Honkai energy emanating from Aponia began to surround Selene, swirling and flowing as she injected, transformed, extracted, and devoured it. The particle stream followed her like radiant ribbons of neon light, vivid and mesmerizing.

"Hah…"

Taking a deep breath, Selene closed her eyes, and the speed at which the Honkai particles flowed back into her mouth doubled in an instant.

This extraction wasn't limited to the DNA of the Emperor-class Honkai Beast Mitra integrated into Aponia's body during her fusion warrior operation. It also included fragments of her own DNA and every essence of her life force.

Crack, crack, crack!

As the extraction deepened, faint but audible sounds of bone fracturing and deteriorating came from Aponia's body—a subconscious wail of protest from her very being.

Unconscious, Aponia kept her eyes tightly shut. Her lips, devoid of blood, were pallid and cold. The skin that had briefly turned rosy from Selene's infusion of vitality was now deathly pale once more.

Her breaths were faint, barely perceptible—a flickering flame on the verge of being snuffed out by the surrounding storm.

"Quite a satisfying feeling."

After obtaining what she sought, a faint trace of joy crossed Selene's face. She lowered her hand, her crimson eyes glowing faintly.

Aponia, still suspended midair under Selene's gravitational field, remained lifeless. Despite her close proximity, no trace of vitality or energy emanated from her body.

Even a dead soldier would retain detectable traces of Honkai energy fluctuations, but Aponia… Her life force, her Honkai energy, every trace was gone.

She had become nothing more than an exquisite, hollow shell.

And indeed, that was the truth.

Through [Discipline], she had laid down her restrictions, yet fate had always reversed its course at the most unpredictable moments. She had fought with all her might against the threads as light as drifting feathers, only to find that the more she struggled, the tighter they bound her, the more tangled they became.

Beneath the heap of bones built by countless defeats, she had finally realized that the outcome was already decided. The prison was already formed, and she was the only one trapped within it.

In the end, she had failed to illuminate anyone's path.

Now, as the thread of her fate drew taut, her long-awaited final judgment had arrived. Though it was not the conclusion she desired, it was nonetheless the end.

With Selene's arrival—a sudden and seemingly insignificant butterfly—the course of history had already shifted. The entire world was marching forward along a brand-new trajectory.

"Aponia, farewell."

Selene reached out and gently removed the delicate, butterfly-like ornament on Aponia's chest.

In the next instant—

Crack!

Aponia's body shattered like fragile porcelain, disintegrating into dust. Her form dissolved into blue-gold particles, flowing away like sand through Selene's fingertips.

There was no trace of blood, for she had long been reduced to an empty shell.

Even in her dissolution, there was an undeniable beauty to the act.

Catching the garments that fell as Aponia's body disintegrated, Selene's eyes gleamed with the flow of blue light. With a wave of her hand, the fabric transformed into particles, shifting and reforming into a small, ornate box adorned with patterns of butterflies and moths.

Whoosh!

Without any breeze, the particles swirled like a flowing river of stars and entered the box, forming a luminous, concentrated essence.

"Order the Ministry of Internal Affairs: construct a new sanatorium in the Imperial Capital and name it the Aponia Sanatorium."

Having finished her task, Selene casually tossed the ornate box into her personal storage space and issued her command.

"As you command." Budo, whose attention had been fixed on Selene, promptly responded.

With that, the transaction was complete. By devouring Aponia, Selene considered herself to have "paid" for what she took.

Whether this was a way to appease her conscience or simply an act of self-deception, Selene did not dwell on it.

As for whether there were ulterior motives behind this gesture… who could truly say?

Turning to Budo, Selene instructed, "Budo, the Far East is now under your jurisdiction. Maintain the pressure."

"With the head of the snake severed, the remaining remnants of World Serpent are of little concern. Whether you choose to annihilate them or bring them to heel is for you to decide."

Raising her gaze toward the stars, she added, "As for Gray Serpent, we'll see if he calls for reinforcements or continues to cower in hiding."

"Once the war concludes, we'll have plenty of time to play his game."

With a faint smile, she continued, "I have other matters to attend to. At Schicksal's headquarters, there's a living fossil I need to meet."

...

Mediterranean Sea – Schicksal Headquarters, Floating Island Chain

At the heart of the nine primary islands, on the central deck of Midgard Island's main plaza—

Clang!

Fu Hua applied just enough force to execute a backflip, creating distance between herself and Alex. Landing lightly, her expression turned serious.

"We're not enemies. While I may know them, I am not affiliated with World Serpent."

Her words were true. She was currently a warrior of Schicksal, having once been a protector of Shenzhou and before that, a soldier of the MOTHs. She had never been a member of World Serpent.

In fact, Kevin had once thoroughly beaten her. If not for Kiana, Fu Hua might not have survived.

"Enemy or ally—I will make that judgment myself. For now, surrender!" Alex's cold tone reverberated with an oppressive force. Each word carried a weight that bore down on Fu Hua.

Purple-red sparks erupted from his armor as the air grew increasingly stifling. The chilling killing intent emanating from Alex seemed to freeze the atmosphere itself.

"I can, but I need—" Fu Hua adopted a combat stance, her expression solemn as she faced the towering black-armored giant.

"You're in no position to make demands!"

Having begun to suspect Fu Hua, Alex's demeanor grew increasingly aggressive as he closed the distance step by step.

Whether she could defeat him was beside the point. This short-haired, brown-eyed giant in black armor was clearly a high-ranking officer of the Sacred Selene Empire's military. If he chose to make an example of them, the situation would spiral out of control.

Fu Hua had little trust in bureaucrats, particularly those of a feudal empire. Her experiences with power struggles during the Previous Era had left her deeply wary.

In the Previous Era, humanity had been unified under a single government and faced the existential threat of the Honkai. Yet even then, bureaucrats engaged in petty infighting, oblivious to the greater peril.

As a former member of the MOTHs' Fifth Squad, Fu Hua had seen it countless times.

Now, as a defeated outsider in a subordinate position, Fu Hua could only speculate grimly about the potential for internal political strife. Her past experiences suggested it was all too likely.

Boom!

Encased in a shroud of explosive violet-red energy, Alex stood clad in heavy armor and wielded a finely crafted long-handled power weapon. He seemed poised to settle the matter physically.

But the moment a communication from Selene arrived, Alex's overwhelming aura dissipated instantly.

His gaze, which had been clouded with doubt, quickly cleared, his sharp demeanor returning to a state of control.

Alex's previously overwhelming aura and fighting spirit dissipated entirely. Facing Fu Hua, who remained in a cautious stance, he opened his mouth as if to speak, but swallowed whatever harsh words he was about to utter.

After processing the information Selene had relayed to him, Alex slowly lowered the finely crafted long-handled power weapon he had been holding. His tone turned serious.

"As you command, Your Majetsty."

Seeing this, Fu Hua let out a subtle sigh of relief. She had no desire to see the peaceful transition that Kiana and Theresa had worked so hard to secure be disrupted because of her.

But Alex's next words startled her.

"Fu Hua, is it? As Her Majesty has stated, you are neither a traitor nor affiliated with World Serpent. My apologies—it was my duty to investigate."

Hearing this, Fu Hua politely returned the gesture with a formal nod.

Alex turned and shouted, "Suspicion cleared! Stand down and lift the alert!"

"Yes, sir!" ×N

Clang, clang!

In unison, the surrounding Imperial soldiers who had been holding their weapons at the ready lowered them and dispersed.

The soldiers' seamless execution of orders and the strict hierarchy that reinforced their discipline left no room for dissent.

"Phew…"

With a long exhale, Li Sushang, her twin brown ponytails swaying, approached Fu Hua, relief written all over her face. She placed a hand over her chest, which rose and fell in a gesture of genuine relief.

"Master Fu Hua, that was so close. If a fight had broken out, things would've spiraled completely out of control."

It wasn't that Li Sushang was unwilling to help. Rather, stepping in would have only worsened the situation. Even Kiana had held Theresa back, clearly having some other means of resolving the issue.

"Class monitor, don't worry, Selene is a very kind person," Kiana said reassuringly, her concern evident. As she spoke, she glanced toward Raiden Mei.

"Ah, Her Majesty Selene… yes, that's true," Mei reluctantly agreed, though she felt slightly uncomfortable with Kiana's unwavering faith in Selene. She kept her reservations to herself, especially with the fanatical Astartes warriors around them.

After all, they were surrounded by those who worshiped Selene as a goddess and pledged absolute loyalty to her. Their intensity left no room for error or misunderstanding.

Given the circumstances, tension among Kiana and the others was inevitable. These weren't just any soldiers. They were thousands of Astartes warriors, including members of the Honor Guard, the First Company, and elite heavy firepower units.

Above, the massive steel behemoths of Imperial warships loomed like mountains. The enormous cannons beneath them remained trained on the area. Meanwhile, countless Titans of various classes stood poised on the landing deck, their weapons activated and ready to fire.

This oppressive presence kept their nerves and muscles in a constant state of vigilance and tension.

"Mmh… as long as everything's fine."

Gradually relaxing, Li Sushang leaned her arms against the railing of the deck. She gazed toward the central plaza, where Alex was now engaged in conversation with a golden-armored angelic figure. With her hands resting on her cheeks, her eyes sparkled with fascination.

"Master Fu Hua, look at that golden-haired gentleman over there—he's so handsome."

In the distance, three towering demigods, visibly taller than the other Astartes warriors, were deep in discussion.

The black-armored giant with silver accents was the one who had been so intimidating earlier. The green-armored giant with gold trim also exuded an air of danger. But it was the one clad in ornate golden armor, with angelic white wings and a strikingly handsome face, who caught her eye.

Li Sushang observed him for a while and noticed that he always wore a sunny, cheerful smile. "He definitely looks like a good person."

Li Sushang, ever the admirer of handsome faces, couldn't help her thoughts.

"Hmm?"

Leaning against the holographic command table and conversing with Vulkan and Alex, Sanguinius suddenly felt a heated gaze fixed upon him. His hearing, as sharp as ever, picked up on the source of the attention.

He raised his head and looked toward Li Sushang's direction, his angelic face breaking into a gentle, springlike smile. He gave a slight nod.

"What is it?" Vulkan's chiseled face, resembling a marble statue, betrayed a faint, knowing smirk as he teased Sanguinius.

"Nothing, just a charming young girl, that's all."

Sanguinius dismissed the matter, showing no concern for the thoughts or intentions of the Valkyries. Whether their attention was admiration or something more scheming, it didn't matter to him. In the face of absolute power, such ploys were meaningless. Should they dare step out of line? He'd deal with them without hesitation.

"As expected, Sanguinius. That face of yours—truly the pride of all the Astartes Legions." Resting against the holographic table, Alex chuckled and shook his head before shifting back to the topic at hand.

"Lorgar reports that in the territories of North Africa and the Middle East, under the jurisdiction of the 17th Legion—Apostles of the Divine Empress—there has been an unexpected discovery. In Giza, at the headquarters of Ark City Pharmaceuticals, a significant force of World Serpent operatives was uncovered. The gains were substantial, including the elimination of one of World Serpent's top-ranking agents."

"When luck strikes, nothing can stop it," Sanguinius commented nonchalantly. "Robert receiving a special boon from Her Majesty was enough to make Lorgar envious for ages. This should finally appease him."

"Hmm. Jaghatai and his 5th Legion—White Scars—have already completed their sweeps of Northern and Eastern Europe. Their speed is truly unmatched."

...

"Master Fu Hua, he smiled at me!" Li Sushang exclaimed with delight.

Her love of aesthetics was her weakness, and when a handsome man directed his attention toward her, Li Sushang couldn't help but feel a flutter of happiness.

She was easily charmed by well-formed features that didn't carry the air of villainy.

Of course, if such a handsome individual were to coax her into doing something clearly improper or unjust, Li Sushang would promptly label him as a bad person.

"You…" Fu Hua sighed, covering her face in frustration. Li Sushang's straightforward and guileless nature left her at a loss for words.

"Still, the concept of coexisting with the Honkai is a path we never considered, one we never imagined possible," Fu Hua remarked, leaning against the railing. She gazed upward with a faint smile. "Kiana… Your Selene's sense of aesthetics…"

She couldn't deny that the gothic-style design of the Imperial Navy's cathedral-like warships carried a certain grandeur. The spire-adorned bridges and intricate details were undeniably striking, though they did evoke the feeling of strapping engines onto a cathedral.

For spacecraft, however, aesthetics were hardly relevant. In the void of space, where there was no resistance, aerodynamics meant nothing. As long as the engines were powerful enough, one might even witness a flying mausoleum.

And then, as if on cue—

"Hmm-hmm. My taste is impeccable, isn't it?"

A voice as soft as butterfly wings drifted through the air. There was an unusual charm to it, a strange magic that inexplicably brought a sense of calm to those who heard it.

"The power of [Discipline], Aponia? No—it isn't her."

The tone carried the familiarity of an old friend, but to Fu Hua, it was chilling, like plunging into an icy abyss.

Although the mimicry was almost flawless, the inherent coldness and arrogance lurking within the voice were qualities Aponia could never possess. Fu Hua was certain of this.

The identity of the speaker needed no further clarification.

"Your Majesty Selene."

"Tch… Not refined enough yet. It seems I need more practice," Selene remarked, her tone carrying a hint of self-satisfaction.

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