Burning crimson flames clashed violently in the air with the sword aura of the Xuanyuan Sword, creating waves of explosive energy that surged outward like a deadly storm of blade-like wind, tearing across the battlefield.
The shockwave swept out with overwhelming force, churning the already restless sea into towering waves.
The sky twisted under the pressure, clouds contorting into tornado-like vortices as scorching winds howled through the air.
"Burn to ashes!"
Himeko poured Honkai energy into her greatsword.
In an instant, a blazing inferno burst forth, scorching the atmosphere with its oppressive heat.
Three consecutive slashes!
The overlapping flames pierced through the sword aura in a flash, ripping through the air as they surged toward the Herrscher of Domination.
Yet even as the cataclysmic flames bore down on her, Ji Lin's eyes—cold and black as ink remained utterly unfazed.
With a powerful swing of her dark-gold blade, Honkai energy surged through the weapon, making it gleam with radiant light.
Empowered by the six glowing Herrscher cores, she effortlessly extinguished the ancient firestorm as if brushing aside a mere ember.
"…That's just unfair, isn't it?"
Himeko blinked in disbelief, watching the flames she unleashed so casually get snuffed out.
Granted, it was only a probing attack and far from her full power—but even so, that level of fire was shut down so easily?
"That's the power of a previous era Herrscher wielding seven cores. I was mentally prepared for this… but seeing it in person? Yeah, I got nothing."
In theory, the Herrscher of Flame could surpass even Kevin when wielding Shamash.
But Himeko was still a newly awakened Herrscher, not yet fully attuned to her powers.
She still had a long road ahead before reaching that level.
Noticing that Ji Lin had locked onto her and C.C. as her primary targets, Nagami exhaled lightly and flew toward the Pacific under the chilling gaze of the Herrscher of Domination.
Though the area wasn't particularly close to the mainland, the aftershocks of this battle could still endanger it.
"Ji Lin! Ji Lin! Do you still recognize me?!"
Flying beside Nagami, Fu Hua called out loudly, surprising Durandal.
Her voice echoed through the skies, but no response came.
Having regained her memories after the birth of the Herrscher of Sentience within her mind, Fu Hua remembered her old friend from a thousand years ago.
"If it's still partly her in there, she should at least retain some of her memories…"
But the Herrscher of Domination continued to stare coldly down at Nagami, high above them all.
With piercing eyes and the Xuanyuan Sword in hand, she rode Chiyou and trailed closely behind the group, her every move fixated solely on Nagami.
"…Wow. You're quite popular with the ladies, huh?" Himeko quipped.
"You call that a joke?" Nagami replied flatly. "No… something's off with Ji Lin."
The whistling sound of slicing sword aura shredded the air.
Explosive bursts scattered seawater for hundreds of meters, forcing Nagami and C.C. to narrowly dodge the attacks locked onto them.
This wasn't a berserker-type Herrscher rampaging without thought.
Ji Lin had clearly retained some intelligence—enough that if she truly wanted to destroy Shenzhou, she could have ignored them entirely and struck the continent directly.
That would've forced Nagami and the others to fall back and defend, severely limiting their combat effectiveness on land.
Yet here she was, relentlessly pursuing them.
There could only be one reason—
Nagami glanced toward Fu Hua.
Thanks to the strange connection between the Herrscher of Sentience and Nagami, Fu Hua instantly understood what he meant with just a look.
Her brow furrowed tightly.
Activating her Herrscher powers, Fu Hua tried to infiltrate Ji Lin's consciousness.
For the first time, a flicker of emotion stirred in Ji Lin's otherwise lifeless gaze.
Her focus briefly shifted toward Fu Hua.
As Fu Hua's will entered the mental realm of the Herrscher of Domination, the first thing she saw was a solitary figure standing silently above the sea of consciousness.
A vast, overwhelming pressure radiated from that form—divine, oppressive, yet strangely mechanical in its gaze.
Under that stare, Fu Hua's awareness felt like it was sinking into a mire.
Every second spent in Ji Lin's mind dragged against her like quicksand—even with the Herrscher of Sentience aiding her.
Crushed under a weight like a mountain, her spiritual body bent involuntarily, forced back out of Ji Lin's mindscape.
"…Honkai Will. There's a fragment of the Honkai Will inside Ji Lin's consciousness!"
A black-red glow burst from her Honkai-infused fist, deflecting the incoming sword aura just enough to avoid fatal damage.
"I knew it. Buffing the boss to this level wasn't enough? Now you're taking the field yourself? You sure think highly of me!"
[TL Note – Well you did bring someone that control time to the game….]
Chiyou's four legs thundered through the air, shattering it with each step.
A black streak of light zipped through the sky at speeds too fast for the eye to follow.
Chiyou and Ji Lin were gaining on them fast—far faster than Nagami and his allies could fly.
"Without Finality as a vessel, even a seven-core Herrscher of Domination should have limited access to the Honkai Will," C.C. muttered, scanning the endless horizon of the sea.
Standing side by side, Nagami and C.C. drew power from the Law of the Void.
Energy surged from the air around them as the mark of the Void King flickered on Nagami's brow.
His bangs fluttered in the icy wind.
He extended his hand into the inky darkness that spread before him—shadow-like energy flowing outward from the fabric of space.
Shadow space—technically another form of spatial manipulation.
At the same time, far away at the location Nagami had sent through the group chat, shadows also began to spread in front of Mana Ouma.
Strands of pink hair flowed freely as the girl's crimson, bewitching eyes sparkled with excitement.
She spread her arms wide, welcoming the slender hand that reached out from the shadow—and plunged into her body.
"O King~ please use me as you see fit~"
As the girl's disturbingly cheerful voice rang out, a brilliant shower of stardust flared around her.
A massive crystalline blade, gleaming with a cold light, was drawn from within her body—pulled forth through the shadow space and into Nagami's waiting hand.
"Here we go—everyone, get ready!"
Raising the Void Blade high toward the Herrscher of Domination, Nagami gripped his weapon tightly, while C.C. wielded the Godsbane Sword beside him.
Alone, there was no way he could take on the current Herrscher of Domination.
But if the biggest gang in the universe—the Kingdom Hearts—taught them anything, it's this:
If one can't win, bring another.
If two can't win, bring everyone.
"Right!"
Their voices answered as one.
Standing with him were:
—The Herrscher of Flame, wielder of Calamity, the blade that can burn eternity to ash.
—The Herrscher of Sentience, master of the unmatchable Taixu Swordsmanship.
—The strongest S-rank Valkyrie, who brandishes Black Abyss White Flower.
—A blood-soaked scarlet blossom of corruption, where the powers of Herrscher and Miko intertwine.
—And finally… uh, the Thunder Hero—wait, no—the Herrscher of Thunder!
Together, they unleashed a surge of overwhelming energy that made the very air around them tremble with a low, ominous hum.
In a flash of color, their figures shot toward Ji Lin like streaking lights.
Miniature Chiyou roared in response, its piercing shriek rippling out like shockwaves in water, stirring violent whirlwinds in its wake.
Yet even now, Ji Lin said nothing.
Her gaze remained fixed on Nagami and C.C., sparing only a fleeting glance at the other Herrschers as if they barely mattered.
Then—
The power of the Herrscher of Domination activated.
In the previous era, the Herrscher of Domination had another name: The Herrscher of a Thousand Minds.
Why?
Because she was composed of a thousand pseudo-Herrschers.
Her power allowed her to control nearly any form of energy at will—but compared to other Herrschers, her individual strength was remarkably weak.
After all, her might was split a thousand ways.
But now?
Now the Herrscher of Domination had reassembled—one thousand into one.
As the core pulsed with power, five identical "Ji Lins," clad in pitch-black Herrscher armor, materialized around her.
Each one possessed a Herrscher core.
Each one radiated the full power of a proper Herrscher.
"…Are you kidding me?!"
Nagami twitched at the corner of his eye.
The girls all froze for a moment too, stunned, before the five clones scattered and launched toward them.
C.C. took a deep breath, eyes locked on the figure charging in atop Chiyou, Xuanyuan Sword in hand.
Thankfully… since Ji Lin had divided five full Herrscher cores from her own, her personal energy level had dropped slightly.
Just slightly.
Nagami's eyes sharpened instantly as he and C.C. raised their massive blades and charged forward without hesitation.
At the same time, he opened a private chat with the heiress Kiana.