MGSFV?! Chapter 339. Players: Holding Their Breath; Judgment of Shamash, Draw!
The main story was still far from over.
It was nowhere near time for the end.
Though players once again had the urge to flee, there were some things—some emotions—they simply couldn't escape. Probably.
In the story—
After Mobius faded from view, the game returned to the battlefield.
The other successful subject of the Domination experiment reopened her eyes.
"This power is...?"
At this moment, Hua did not yet realize that the power surging within her shared the same origin as the previous mutation.
And right before her eyes, a bizarre scene unfolded—
The monsters once controlled by the Herrscher of Corruption now encircled her, ready to attack.
Herrscher of Corruption: "..."
With visible frustration, the Herrscher of Corruption took a deep breath.
Due to her missing memories, Hua had difficulty understanding the situation.
"..."
But... this was indeed a chance.
Hua was prepared to carry on the tradition of the Taixu Sect—cough, even if this version of Hua wasn't technically from the Taixu Sect.
No need to play fair with the Herrscher of Corruption—just charge together and fight as one!
Surrounded, the Herrscher suddenly spoke:
"This is hard, isn't it?"
"No matter what happens, even when hurt or betrayed… still loving everything equally and fiercely."
"Back then… how did she manage it?"
[Because Elysia was just that incredible!]
Seeing the Herrscher of Corruption once again, players who had just considered rage-quitting paused.
They didn't quit—because of a single, suffocating feeling lodged in their chest.
A certain "nameless" Otto Apocalypse, former Overseer of Schicksal, once said…
Anger born from love gives rise to power equal to love itself.
[Elysia loved everyone without needing a reason. But you? You need one. That's the difference between you and Elysia!]
[Herrscher of Corruption, how dare you compare yourself to Elysia. Dream on!]
[You'll never match her! Give it up! Stop pretending!]
"No one knows how she did it. That's what made her Elysia."
Hua remained unmoved.
Her attitude remained unchanged: I don't care what you say. I know what I have to do.
"So, you think I can't do it either… that I'll never become her?"
[Never have, never will.]
[Is that even a question worth asking?]
[The fact that you even have this doubt means you've already failed.]
The answer was clear.
Even the Herrscher of Corruption had to admit: "...Fine. Fine. Now I admit that, too."
At this moment, though she still held overwhelming power, she had once again returned to a familiar state—alone.
"Haha... Hahahahaha..."
Suddenly, the Herrscher of Corruption broke into a frenzied, deranged laugh.
This laughter was no longer Elysia's. And she admitted she could never be like Elysia in this regard.
"But that's fine too. The solution is simple… For all the things I can't bring myself to love..."
Solution?
Simple?
What was she planning?
"If they all disappear—wouldn't that fix it?"
Players: ???
Hearing her say—
"All the things I can't love… if I just make them all disappear, doesn't that 'roughly equal' loving everything in the world?"
First came the stunned silence, floating question marks over their heads.
Then it hit them.
She wasn't even pretending anymore.
Finally dropped the fake mask, huh?
No more pretending, huh?
Or… she just couldn't fake it any longer?
Then—
[Fine! Let's go! This is better for everyone. Stop pretending. Just lay it out!]
[So you've shown your true face?]
[You want a direct confrontation? Bring it on!]
...
The players cracked their knuckles.
The story didn't stall either—it instantly shifted into battle mode.
They controlled Hua to face the Herrscher of Corruption!!
But…
As they operated Hua and launched attacks—
Something felt off.
Why was Hua's damage so low? Even with type advantage, this was ridiculous!
No, it was because the Herrscher's HP was absurdly high—like she had cheats!
Yes.
Even though Mobius' earlier actions had weakened the Herrscher's combat power—
And Hua wasn't as vastly outclassed as before.
Even the Faded monsters corrupted by "replicas" were aiding her.
Still—
It wasn't a truly balanced fight.
In this data-constructed Elysian Realm, the Herrscher of Corruption remained an overwhelmingly powerful force.
But even so, players concentrated hard, piloting Shadow Knight: Moonblade, throwing endless punches at her.
So what if it was like tickling?
If you give them time, they'd tickle her to death over several hours!
Though… the story clearly wasn't going to allow that.
For instance—
The Herrscher casually raised her hand, shot a few arrows, and eliminated the Faded monsters corrupted by "replicas."
Then, in a tone of sudden realization, she said:
"I finally understand—I don't need to force myself to love everything."
"I just need to create what I want to love, and destroy everything else. Isn't that easier?"
With that, the space transformed into a crystalline domain.
Arrows rained down in all directions.
Hua, facing this barrage, couldn't withstand it.
After taking multiple hits, her HP dropped to a certain point—
The Herrscher triggered a finishing move…
Leaping high, she fully drew her bow and fired a charged arrow that seriously wounded Hua.
Players watching: ????
Did the MiHoYo writers get corrupted too?
Why did the Herrscher of Corruption get so many flashy moves?
They didn't get it. And they didn't want to.
...
Back to the story.
After striking Hua down, the Herrscher casually approached her fallen form.
And spoke something unusually ominous.
"This time… I won't hold back."
"Farewell, Hua."
The screen faded to black.
Hua: "..."
Her pained breathing weakened—
Until there was only silence.
"Is this… all there is?"
In that darkness before consciousness faded, she seemed to return to the day she first departed.
[No!!!]
[No way! No way!!]
[Can we stop already?! Give us a break!]
That's what the players thought.
But the more intense their emotions, the less likely the story would give them a breather.
It was designed to go all out.
And so—Hua's memories surged back.
"I want to know what I'm capable of."
That's the question she once asked her captain.
And Himiko's answer had been: "You'll have a lifetime to figure that out. Don't rush."
So she spent 50,000 years thinking about it. (Truly the honest type.)
[Enjoy life]—that was the Herrscher of Corruption's mockery earlier.
Yet, to her, this battle felt like the true shape of her fate.
By coincidence, she gained unexpected power.
But when she truly wanted to change something—
She was still powerless.
"Ugh... ah..."
To die with regret—perhaps that was her fate.
"It's all over."
The Herrscher stared at Hua and chose not to strike again.
"Hua, just stay here… and slowly feel death approaching."
"Next…"
"...?!"
And at that moment—
Long-winded speeches and failing to deliver the final blow—two classic death flags—were fully triggered.
Someone finally hit her with something big.
After all that buildup…
The Herrscher of Corruption's Recycle Bin finally blew up.
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