"Thank you for your trouble, Sakura. For watching her for so long for me."
The young man's figure, whose eyes had taken on a vivid red hue, solidified from its illusory state as he walked over from a distance.
He greeted the miko who had been making Higokumaru watch her pull weeds.
"You're too kind, Your Excellency."
The miko, who had indeed been keeping an eye on Higokumaru, bowed slightly.
During their exchange, the young man had slowly made his way to the front of Judah and crouched down.
"Little fox, don't you know? Gossips who wag their tongues are sent to the Hell of Tongue-Pulling when they die."
He smiled faintly, a gentle smile that nevertheless made Higokumaru's entire foxy body tremble.
It was half out of fear, half out of rage.
The moment this guy appeared, the ominous premonition in her heart reached its peak.
Fear stemmed from the unknown; she had no idea how this person could perfectly predict everything related to her and then deal with it so easily.
The reason for her anger, however, came from fifty thousand years ago.
The fox, bound upon the Eleventh Divine Key, had bloodshot eyes.
This guy, is he here now to kill me?
Just like... those people fifty thousand years ago.
In the Previous Civilization Era, following the death of the Eleventh Herrscher, the Twelfth Herrscher was born: an ordinary young girl named Ling.
Although intense Honkai energy was detected from Ling, she possessed no Herrscher abilities and still retained her human consciousness.
Even though Ling appeared to be just a weak and helpless young girl, people, terrified of Herrschers, still took her back to the base and imprisoned her, with MEI being responsible for researching the secrets she held.
MEI, whose research yielded nothing, was also filled with doubt, but she could not let a Herrscher go before the truth was uncovered.
Although MEI had ordered that Ling must not be harmed, people, acting out of fear, disobeyed her command and killed Ling.
"Are you here to kill me?"
The Herrscher of Erosion, who had been transformed into an enemy of civilization after being killed, spoke with a hoarse voice.
She had more or less resigned herself to her fate.
Next would likely be the time of her execution.
Since her opponent was able to perfectly dig up Yae Sakura, awaken her, and then imprison both her and Yae Sakura within a few hours, it would be insane to say he didn't have a pre-formulated plan.
How could he not be prepared for the most crucial part—the strangling of the prey?
"In the worst-case scenario, I would do that."
The magus, who inexplicably felt that Jizo Mitama might be a good match for him, said leisurely.
"If you're going to kill me, then kill me. What's this about a 'worst-case scenario'?"
The fox, who desperately wanted to fight back but was truly and utterly restrained, roared.
Fifty thousand years ago, the doctor named "MEI" had also said that, unless absolutely necessary, she would not be killed.
And the result?
A human-like sneer appeared on Higokumaru's foxy face.
Her very presence here was the most blatant mockery of that promise.
"Don't compare me to those cowards from your memory. If you do, I'll be very unhappy."
Li Zihan, who had clearly read something from the humanized expression on the fox's face, produced a branch from somewhere and poked Higokumaru's nose, speaking very seriously.
Higokumaru, her nose being poked, flew into a rage. A warrior can be killed but not insulted. What was this guy trying to do?
She wanted to move her claws and slap this guy on the head, sending him to hell to reflect on his mistakes.
Unfortunately, the binding force of Judah was a bit too strong; all the power in her body was sealed away completely.
Even the Six-Core Pufferfish Herrscher had nearly kneeled before Judah. What right did she, a practically crippled Herrscher, have to fight against the S-rank Valkyrie Judah?
Just as in Arknights you can always trust SilverAsh, and in Fate/Grand Order you can always trust Kongming.
In the world of Honkai, the Herrscher-killer—the Valkyrie Judah—was the most trustworthy character of all!!
"I want Jizo Mitama. That's all."
Li Zihan spoke, addressing the fox that was bound tightly by Judah.
Jizo Mitama was the Divine Key corresponding to the Twelfth Herrscher, Ling, and it was also the most special of all the Divine Keys.
Because Higokumaru's own existence was very special (a cloud of black mist, making it impossible to find a Herrscher core), and because she was filled with resentment and resisted with all her might, the Twelfth Divine Key was still incomplete, a half-finished product.
"A mere human, yet you desire the authority of an apostle granted by God."
Higokumaru, who knew exactly what the smirking tiger opposite her craved, had an increasingly mocking look in her eyes.
He was coveting the Power of Erosion that had nearly buried human civilization in the last era.
"Truly insatiably greedy."
"Hey, hey, hey, do you have some kind of misunderstanding about your own position?"
The young man, who had some understanding of the Imaginary Tree, looked at the fox who called herself an Apostle of God with a surprised expression.
The purpose of the Imaginary Tree creating Honkai was to prune the leaves (worlds) on its branches.
Those that grew well were naturally left alone. Those that grew poorly were allowed to fall into the Sea of Quanta to serve as nutrients for other worlds.
The Honkai was what the Imaginary Tree used to test the development of civilizations, and the Herrscher of Finality, as its final vessel, was the examiner.
"The one truly entrusted with the task of testing civilizations is the Herrscher of Finality. As the Twelfth Herrscher, you're at best a 'level-up gift package' that 'God' sent to human civilization, afraid that all its leaves would fall off."
A level-up gift package?
The fox, who had always been regarded as a demon by humans, was stunned. Then, the flames of anger burned fiercely, like a fire doused in gasoline.
This guy is saying that I'm nothing more than a stepping stone for human civilization?!
"Human, what kind of joke are you telling?!"
Higokumaru, completely unable to accept such a fact, roared, looking rather impotently enraged.
In her heart, the God who controlled the Honkai was her faith.
But now, the meaning behind this guy's words was already obvious.
That unmerciful god only cared about how civilizations developed, and didn't care at all about how individuals, including Herrschers, developed.
Even if the so-called Herrschers were Its loyal followers.
"You may be angry, but this is the truth."
Mr. Magus's voice was light and cheerful. He always had a way of stating heartbreaking facts in such a tone.
"'God' only cares about civilizations, and doesn't give a damn about disposable pawns like you, who are called 'Apostles of God'."
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
Higokumaru, completely baffled as to what the guy opposite her was trying to tell her, questioned loudly.
"Since God doesn't care about a nobody like you anyway, why do you have to work yourself to death for Him?"
The young man, deliberately conflating the concepts of Honkai and the Imaginary Tree, stroked Higokumaru's fluffy head and said very seriously.
"How about working for me?"