"You can do whatever you want to me, but I absolutely will not allow you to insult Byakuya and Kiana!"
Mei said through gritted teeth. She was also surprised that she would be so angry, completely unlike her usual gentle but weak self.
Perhaps everyone has something in their heart that must not be violated, just like a dragon has a reverse scale, touching it means death.
If it is to protect the most precious things, even the most timid crybaby will summon infinite courage.
It was clear that Byakuya and Kiana were the inviolable things in Raiden Mei's heart. She could not forgive them being slandered like this, even more than she could forgive herself being bullied!
"Ahhh, my nose, my nose! Raiden Mei, you xxxxxxx!! You're dead, I'll never let you go!"
The girl cried out miserably, covering her nose, and her gaze towards Mei grew even more venomous.
Just then, she noticed something on Mei that was clearly inconsistent with her identity as a Yamato Nadeshiko.
For this very traditional and conservative girl, the new-style headphones around the girl's neck seemed a bit too fashionable.
So she decisively reached out and snatched them.
"You, give them back to me!"
Mei, whose hands were bound, couldn't stop her. Seeing the headphones Byakuya had given her snatched away, she immediately became anxious and tried to get up again to snatch them back.
Not this. This was the only thing.
She could give her anything else on her person—her phone, her clothes, even her bank card—but not the gift from that person.
"Looking at you, did Byakuya give them to you again? Damn it, damn it! Why do you always get such good things! Why on earth?!"
"Give them back to me, please, I beg you! Not this one!"
"Huh? Beg me? Hahaha! I didn't expect you to beg for mercy so easily."
The girl showed a malicious smile, shaking the headphones in her hand in front of Mei.
The next second, she threw them on the ground, and under Mei's sorrowful gaze, she stepped on them hard with her foot.
"Ah, I accidentally broke them~"
"No—!"
The headphones, broken in two, were kicked in front of Mei. Electric arcs faintly flickered from the break, shattered shell fragments scattered everywhere, and the melody inside gradually faded.
As if still not satisfied, the girl stomped on them twice more, completely trampling Byakuya's goodwill towards Mei into scrap.
At this moment, the light in Raiden Mei's eyes vanished.
"...Why would you do such a thing?"
Tears streamed down her face as Mei murmured, looking heartbroken at the headphones on the ground. Her hands clenched so tightly that her palms bled.
At this moment, the boundless sorrow and raging indignation in her heart were almost tangible.
"I just want to live a normal life. I just want to live our daily lives peacefully with the person I love."
"Why, why, why! Why do you target me again and again?!"
"First my father, then me, and next… you even want to harm Byakuya and Kiana, harm the last beautiful things in my life."
"Unforgivable… unforgivable!"
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Purple lightning suddenly struck from the sky.
As if manifesting Raiden Mei's anger.
The girl's bangs covered her eyes. Raiden Mei's demeanor was undergoing a drastic change, and the hemp ropes binding her hands were now burned through by electric arcs.
"Wh-What happened?! How did she suddenly break free?"
"Alert! Alert! Honkai Energy concentration in the surroundings is rapidly increasing!"
"Alert! Alert! Honkai Energy concentration in the surroundings is rapidly increasing!"
"Alert! Alert! Honkai Energy concentration in the surroundings is rapidly increasing!"
The personal guards sent by Cocolia were all equipped with simple Honkai Energy detection devices. At this moment, all these devices emitted piercing alarms, but in the next second, they all overloaded and malfunctioned, emitting black smoke.
So everyone's gaze collectively turned to the girl; instinct told them this was caused by Mei.
At this moment, she was like an awakened queen.
"I won't let you hurt them." Images appeared in Mei's mind.
Because of her, Byakuya and Kiana were attacked by these bad guys.
Because of her, they would suffer cruel injuries, resulting in missing limbs, their faces losing their former sunshine, and no longer smiling at Mei.
Even because of her, they might be killed by these people!
Just thinking about it, she felt so desperate and afraid that she couldn't breathe, and so angry and pained that she couldn't bear it.
"Anyone who tries to lay a hand on those two, I… will never let them off!!"
Mei suddenly raised her head, her purple eyes bright like thunder.
She recalled the past in her mind, how she was always protected by Byakuya and Kiana, how those two always shielded her from harm again and again.
Yes, she was always protected by them!
Raiden Mei was always saved by them!
Since that's the case, even if only occasionally, she should be the one to protect them herself!
"!!!"
Raiden Mei had made up her mind.
No matter the cost,
Even if it meant falling into darkness.
Even if it meant losing herself.
Even if… she could no longer stand before those two in her current form!
'I've had enough. I've had enough of important people getting hurt because of me. I no longer want to be a powerless young lady who can't do anything! I need power, the power to protect those I love!'
The girl's eyes were tightly closed.
And when they opened again,
She had already transformed into a majestic and domineering queen!
The authority of a god descended upon her.
"Vanish, you scum."
Deep purple lightning flickered on her slender fingertips as Mei pointed towards the girl.
The flying lightning gave no chance for a scream, electrocuting the person until not even basic molecules were left.
As a bolt of lightning completely annihilated the girl at a molecular level, everyone present felt immense pressure, and fear uncontrollably welled up in their eyes as they looked at Mei.
They were all elites under Cocolia, but at this moment, facing this high school girl, they appeared so lowly and insignificant, so powerless and weak.
"Finally, that noisy scum is dealt with. Next… it's your turn."
'Mei's' gaze swept over the remaining people; the moment she opened her eyes, she had completely changed.
Weakness had transformed into ruthlessness,
Weakness had become strength,
Gentleness had turned into cruelty !
At this moment, Mei was like a high and mighty queen, and these people before her were tiny insects.
Lightning flashed and thunder roared with every movement she made.
"Open fire! Quick, open fire!"
"Subdue her, no, kill her!!"
"Lady Cocolia, the target has awakened, requesting support, requesting sup… ah!"
"No, don't come over! You monster!"
"Damn it, how dare you, ugh!"
Cocolia's subordinates were all experienced experts, but at this moment, they were no different from ants. Their firearms turned into scrap metal, and the bullets they fired were electrolyzed and melted before they even got close to Mei.
Mei, on the other hand, wielded the authority of lightning, easily piercing and destroying these people.
This process was as simple as breathing, and her unmatched power shocked everyone's hearts.
Fear became the last emotion in their lives.
"Just now, so many people were arrogantly dealing with a coward, but now they show such an ugly display. Humans are truly beyond saving… hmm?"
"Mei!" x2
The only two people in this world whom Raiden Mei considered special appeared. When she saw the anxious white-haired boy and girl, a vivid emotion finally appeared in the Raiden Queen's cold eyes.
But that was all.
She was an consciousness born from the girl named Mei, but she was not Mei herself.
Although she shared the girl's Remembrance, that didn't mean she shared her emotions as well.
She was she, the Raiden Queen, the third herrscher!
At this moment, Herrscher of Thunder Mei only had the Herrscher's instinctive mission, which was to eliminate humanity and destroy Civilization.
However, due to the blessing of a certain Pink Elf Miss from the Previous Era, she could still retain her humanity instead of becoming a puppet of Honkai.
(Tell me, what do you plan to do?)
The Herrscher of Thunder observed Byakuya and Kiana with a scrutinizing gaze. Although due to Mei's Remembrance, she would not confuse the two with other humans.
But it had already been stated that she was not Raiden Mei; while she bore no hostility towards the two, she also had no fondness for them.
Therefore, Herrscher of Thunder Mei did not attack the two; her choice was… to bear witness.
(Let me see, what will you choose? Will you choose to save the world and become my enemy, or… will you choose to save this useless crybaby?)
And the next second, Byakuya moved without hesitation.
He strode towards Herrscher of Thunder Mei, the Honkai Energy weapon hanging at his waist already unsheathed.
Even compared to a Herrscher, the Honkai Energy gap could only be described as a firefly to a bright moon, but if Herrscher of Thunder Mei did not make any defense, this single strike would be enough to severely wound, or even kill, her in her not-fully-awakened state.
"...Is this your choice?" The last trace of vividness in the Raiden Queen's eyes disappeared.
She had already seen the answer: Byakuya's choice was to become her enemy to save the world.
This full-strength sword strike, full of momentum, showed no mercy, as if it intended to cut her in half with utter ruthlessness.
"As repayment for you helping that crybaby before, I will let you die without feeling pain. Farewell, you scum, no, Byakuya, eh…"
Even Herrscher of Thunder Mei herself didn't notice that she sighed. However, just as she was about to use her authority, to instantly end the boy's life with a flash of lightning.
"Mei, quickly dodge!!"
"Hmm?"
"Hraaaaaaahhhhhh!!!"
It was at this moment that Herrscher of Thunder Mei suddenly realized.
Although the boy rushing towards her had eyes full of urgency and desperation, the unsheathed sharp blade was not aimed at her.
Byakuya rushed to the Raiden Queen's front, selflessly pulled her into his arms, then raised his Pulse Katana 19 and assumed a defensive stance.
"Clang—!
The Herrscher of Thunder's eyes widened. A mech had appeared behind her at some unknown point, and she hadn't sensed it at all.
If Byakuya hadn't rushed over to block the attack for her, she would have been severely wounded by this iron fist.
After all, Herrschers are mages; their authority is powerful, but their physical strength is not exaggerated.
"Get! Out! Of the way!"
Byakuya felt as if the bones in his arm were about to break, but he gritted his teeth and still deflected the iron fist.
Then, without waiting for the Titan to make any more moves, he stepped on the mech's arm, used the leverage to leap high, and plunged his Pulse Katana 19 into the Titan's eye with full force.
Immediately, this Titan mech ceased operation, its blue single eye completely dimmed.
"Bastard!!!"
Thousands of miles away, Cocolia slammed her palm on the control panel, staring intently at the virtual screen that had turned into static.
This sneak attack, which should have been a sure thing, was unexpectedly ruined by such an ordinary young man. It would be unrealistic to try and capture the Herrscher of Thunder, who had already reacted.
(Ha! Ha! Just made it, cough, cough, now I'm really awesome, I actually took out a Titan.)
Byakuya withdrew his Pulse Katana Type-19 and knelt on one knee, gasping for air.
He had actually anticipated the appearance of the Titan, after all, it was that vixen Cocolia causing trouble.
In the game, that woman also used three Titan to ambush and capture Wendy, the Herrscher of Wind.
"Kiana, the rest is up to you."
"What? Hey! Where did these mechs come from! Damn it, how dare you ambush Mei! Watch me tear you apart!"
Two more mechs suddenly appeared, and Kiana gritted her teeth, swinging the newly acquired Ion Resonance Sword, and furiously hacked at these iron lumps.
It wasn't easy for Titan to hide, let alone get within two meters without being discovered by a Herrscher.
But with the quantumization technology obtained by sacrificing her daughter, Cocolia managed to give the Titan excellent stealth and teleportation capabilities, allowing them to instantly materialize from a Quantum state into a physical entity.
The Titan's strength was actually not weak; even the current Kiana would have a tough time dealing with them. As for why Byakuya, an ordinary person, was able to take down a Titan...
Equipment and external factors accounted for most of it.
The Pulse Katana Type-19, forged by Raiden Ryoma, was a Honkai Energy weapon, but more importantly, it was a Honkai Energy weapon that even ordinary people could use.
This gave Byakuya the conditions to attack.
At the same time, the electromagnetic field that came with the Herrscher of Thunder's awakening interfered with the Titan the moment it materialized. An instant internal short circuit caused the mech's movements to slow down.
Byakuya seized the opportunity and took it down with one slash.
As for the last remaining factor... it was entirely due to his courage.
The courage to challenge the mechanical giant without a moment's hesitation, throwing caution to the wind.
"Byakuya, are you okay!!"
After dealing with the remaining two Titans, Kiana looked over with concern.
"Cough, cough, Kiana, I'm fine. Uh, Mei, can you give me a hand?"
"......" The disappointment in Herrscher Mei's eyes dissipated, but her cold dominance remained.
She stared intently at Byakuya, who had saved her, her emotionless eyes seeming to imprint every part of the young man into her own vision.