That unmatched punch, diverted by the icy force, soared into the sky, scattering thick clouds and vanishing beyond the heavens.
'VMMM—!'
A ghostly blue scythe sliced through the air. Rita Rossweisse, clad in a blue-and-white combat dress, stepped in front of Kagura.
"A Herrscher... Otto, you've truly outdone yourself this time," she said calmly.
"Oh? Rita…"
From afar, Otto Apocalypse raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"It's a relief to see you unharmed. But still, you're just a traitor. If you insist on siding with Kagura, won't your dear Durandal be heartbroken?"
Rita answered with her signature graceful smile. "I trust Lady Durandal will make the right choice."
"Hmph, is that so? I suppose we'll see soon enough," Otto chuckled. "But I doubt you'll live to witness her decision. Surely, you don't believe someone like you can withstand the attack of the so-called Herrscher of the End, do you?"
"Heh! You never know."
A new voice rang out.
Clad in crimson "God-Slaying Armor: Eclipse Knight," Himeko Murata strode past Kagura, drawing her blazing Divine Slayer Blade and taking a stance beside Rita.
"Who said Rita was fighting alone?"
"Hmph. Ants are ants. No matter how many gather, it makes no difference."
Otto's dismissive gaze didn't waver. "Fu Hua, we've wasted enough time. Kill them all. I must complete my lifelong wish."
The blank-eyed Herrscher Fu Hua nodded without emotion. Flames erupted around her body once again.
"Ashen Phoenix Ascension!"
With a piercing cry, enough Honkai energy to annihilate a continent condensed into a blazing firebird before them.
Its wings spread like a mythical phoenix taking flight, radiating heat so intense it warped the air itself.
A sun-like pressure descended upon the battlefield.
Now empowered by Herrscher energy, this attack could likely reduce everything in its path to ashes.
'CRACKLE—! BOOM—!'
The firebird dove. Everything in its wake caught fire.
Just as Kagura and the others braced themselves, pouring everything they had into defense
—Rita's ice powers nearly vaporized— a blinding flash of pale lightning suddenly lit up the distant sky.
'CRASHHH—!'
Chaotic arcs of electricity collided midair, forming a surge that tore the firebird clean in half.
In the next moment, flames that would have consumed all were shattered by the bolts of lightning, dispersing into burning feathers that faded into the sky like exploding fireworks.
Thunder crashed like divine judgment.
This wasn't a natural storm—
It was a celestial-level thunderstrike, beyond even nature's laws.
For a moment, Kagura could've sworn Thor himself had descended— after all, in the Marvel universe, only Thor could summon such cataclysmic lightning at will.
"You call her the Herrscher of the End? Hah. What a joke. She's just a cheap knockoff."
Everyone turned their gaze upward.
Floating in the sky was a girl with purple lightning wings.
Her combat uniform had been scorched, torn in places.
Her long legs were wrapped in ripped black stockings.
Her left arm was etched with glowing violet runes, crackling with unstable Herrscher energy.
Behind her stretched ethereal wings of pure thunder, radiating a power even Thor might envy.
It was Raiden Mei—fully awakened as the Third Herrscher!
"Ugh, I still don't like humans," she muttered, eyes half-lidded with disdain. "But if I don't step in now, Kiana might not make it... and that's something I just can't accept."
She let out a sharp breath, a smirk curling on her lips.
"So fine, I'll help you once. Just this once, you pathetic little mortals."
'BOOOOOM—!'
Just as Fu Hua prepared to launch another strike, a colossal lightning bolt crashed down from the heavens, pinning her in place.
"This is what you call the 'Herrscher of the End'?" Mei scoffed. "How laughable—"
Her words froze in her throat.
Because even under that divine bolt of thunder—
Fu Hua stood unharmed.
"I may have more enemies now," she said coldly, "but that's irrelevant.
I will eliminate all of them."
"Damn it…" The Herrscher of Thunder felt it clearly—Fu Hua's Honkai energy was still rising.
"Don't get cocky!"
'BZZZZt-BOOOOOM—!'
Another bolt of divine thunder struck—
—but this time, Fu Hua caught it with one hand.
'FWOOOOOSH—!'
In the very next instant, fire fused with crimson lightning exploded from her palm, blasting forward in a devastating energy beam aimed straight at Mei.
"Mei! Look out!"
Himeko shouted—but the beam was moving far too fast. There was no way she could intercept it in time.
'CRASH—!'
Suddenly, a hexagonal crystal shield materialized in front of Mei.
'CLANG—!'
The fused fire-and-lightning beam slammed into the shield and dispersed.
The force of the attack incinerated everything nearby, even making the mighty Hyperion shudder like a paper boat caught in a tsunami.
Then—
A loud engine roar tore through the skies.
Dozens of massive floating cannons—the Key of Truth—manifested above the battlefield.
In mere seconds, the entire sky was filled with glowing blue beam turrets, surrounding Fu Hua and Otto in a deadly formation.
"Bronya Zaychik — entering the battlefield."
———————————————————————
…Meanwhile, aboard a distant Schicksal battleship…
A blonde-haired girl stood watching the chaos unfold in the distance. Her beautiful eyes were filled with confusion… and hesitation.
Another Valkyrie approached and spoke quietly beside her.
"Captain. The bishop's orders have arrived. The directive is…"
"What is it?" she asked.
"To assist the bishop and the Herrscher of the End… and eliminate all traitors. No survivors."
"…I see."
The girl rose to her feet, gripping her white-engraved knight's lance.
Rita… I understand now.
I finally understand what I must do next…