"Rin, state your request."
"To dare face me as an ordinary person..."
"Such courage has earned you the right to speak here."
Looking at Chenling, who had already flown to the side, and Rin, who stood straight in the center of the icy floor, the Monarch spoke first, completely contrary to the latter's expectations.
She would have died.
If the world line had not been altered, then this girl—who chose to trust Dr. Mei (and humanity), who took the initiative to report her own abnormalities, and even managed to soothe her sister's rampaging emotions—would have died to the ugliness of human nature... No, she would have died to the very essence of humanity's will to survive at all costs.
The Herrscher of Erosion.
The vengeful spirit that Rin would have become after her death, using "hatred" as a weapon, would have shattered the final defensive line of the Flame-Chasers and humanity—
Shattered them on both a physical and psychological level.
After that...
Humanity would suffer a crushing defeat, and the Finality would be sealed as fate.
It seemed as though Sakura was protecting her younger sister, but in truth, Rin was also protecting her sister in her own way.
Such a tragedy.
It suited Lu Xing's needs, but only halfway. Such a somewhat regrettable outcome was not the answer the Monarch was seeking.
"Hah..."
The cold air flooded into her lungs.
Then, with a deep breath, particles of ice that had formed on her lips scattered far away on the exhaled column of air.
"Will I become the Twelfth Herrscher?"
"..."
"You will, and you will not."
Lu Xing had to admit, the girl before him was indeed exceptionally intelligent.
Chenling's actions, the Monarch's attitude, her own abnormalities—by combining these three unclear pieces of information, Rin had directly found her way to the most direct question.
And she...
...had clearly already gotten her answer from the Monarch's reply.
You will, proving that if the Monarch had not intervened, Rin would have become the vessel for the advent of the Twelfth Herrscher. You will not, indicating that the Monarch's actions had already rewritten the ending where she was fated to become the Twelfth Herrscher.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Not having to become enemies with her sister was the reason for her gratitude. The Monarch, who had his own intentions from the start, naturally did not need her thanks... This was all part of the plan.
"One question."
"Although it is very important to you, it does not yet fall into the category of a 'request'."
The Monarch lifted his right arm, which had been resting on the throne's armrest.
"This test..."
"The most important thing is fairness."
"..."
The frigid wind grew even more piercing.
Even with Rin's body, which had been enhanced by Honkai energy, she began to feel a trace of discomfort.
The air not only cleared her thoughts but also brought a faint, dull ache to her lungs. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing; at the very least, it proved she was still within the category of "human."
Although, that time was likely running out.
"Monarch."
"Can you... return my sister to her original form?"
"..."
The silence lasted for no more than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
"Sakura died at my hands."
The Monarch stated this fact without a shred of hesitation.
"Yes, I am well aware."
Rin's reply was equally unwavering.
"..."
"Good... Very good!"
In their brief exchange, this was the first time Rin had sensed an emotional fluctuation from the Monarch... a positive one.
"Do you understand what you will become?" Lu Xing asked, his affirmation tinged with a smile.
"Roughly."
The girl's wording was precise, without a hint of hesitation.
"Newborn Species and Herrschers, I have seen them many times, both in reality and in data files."
"Gain power, lose your mind."
"No..."
Even though a great distance separated them due to the difference in their statures, the girl continued to look directly into the Monarch's soul-capturing eyes.
"Miss Chenling still retains her mind."
Rin's gaze hadn't moved, yet it gave Chenling, who was floating to the side, the distinct illusion of being stared at.
"If I become a Newborn Species..."
The feeling in her ankles was no longer the sharp sting from the beginning, but was instead filled with a warmth and comfort like a spring breeze. With Rin's Honkai energy adaptability, the Honkai sickness should never have affected her to begin with... it all stemmed from a "knot in her heart."
"Aside from my internal structure mutating due to Honkai energy, I will still be the same me."
"The only downside..."
"Is probably that I'll be 'feared' by ordinary people, just like—"
Before Rin could finish, the Monarch completed her sentence for her:
"Just like your sister."
"Swoosh!"
A cherry-blossom-colored light surged from the Monarch's hand.
"These are the genes from the Emperor-class Honkai Beast 'Rakshasa,' the sister of the Emperor-class Honkai Beast 'Yaksha' that your sister once fused with."
To this day, Lu Xing still didn't understand why "Yaksha" and "Rakshasa," names for humanoid Honkai Beasts, were used for fox-like creatures, but there was no issue with the origin of their power. The 'Rakshasa' genes in Lu Xing's hand (in truth, a [Sacred Gem] containing the 'Rakshasa' factor), along with the Honkai energy stored within, had been 'offered up' by the genuine, original owner.
"Using this as a template," Lu Xing reminded her, his voice clear and solemn, "I can turn you into a true Honkai Beast."
"But you must understand."
"Even if you gain the ability to take human form in the future, your very existence will forever be that of a Honkai Beast, not a human."
Possessing Herrscher-level Honkai energy adaptability, understanding the cause and effect of the situation, and choosing to become a Honkai Beast from a human of her own free will.
Rin, who met all these conditions, could be called the most promising candidate among all the [Root Assimilation] experiments. The other thirty-plus humans, while satisfying the requirements for Honkai energy adaptability, were far inferior in terms of willpower and mental strength.
Incidentally, the thirty-plus previous [Root Assimilation] experiments had all succeeded.
However, this success required some caveats. The brainwashing combination of [Mind Steel Seal] and [Mental Reshaping] had become standard procedure. But by doing so, the result was merely a lower-tier Honkai Beast with a certain degree of intelligence.
Simply put, they became [Variant · Honkai Emperors].
This level could undoubtedly only be described as a failure.
Their potential was even less than that of naturally awakened Honkai Emperors. The two [Lava Emperors] that had survived the Battle of Mu were now already becoming quite talented Variants.
Therefore, the "change" Rin brought could satisfy two of the Monarch's plans at once.
"Sakura."
"Your sister."
This request was difficult for a human to fulfill, but for the Monarch...
"With my power, extracting her consciousness from the Armed Automaton and preserving it in a specially made 'Yaksha' body, similar to yours, is but a trivial matter."
"Live on together."
These three simple words were the most sincere, and most difficult, wish of this era.
"...As Honkai Beasts."
"If you are willing..."
"You can also call this form... a human's Collapse State."