During the process of leaving the mysterious space and returning to the material world, a stunned expression crossed Shiraki's face, and he blinked in confusion.
What's going on with the real world?
Shiraki sensed a resistance similar to the Demon Slayer world's rejection of "Honkai," but it was negligible, easily overcome with a bit of effort to breach that thin membrane, bringing the concept and mechanics of "Honkai" back to reality.
The night he soared through the skies with Reverie, it wasn't just about testing flight or admiring Tokyo's nightscape. He was probing whether Earth had a hidden world.
As a global supercity in Japan, if Tokyo lacked people with special powers, it was safe to assume Japan didn't have them, and by extension, the entire world lacked phenomena like spiritual energy revival.
An ordinary world facing the "Honkai" mechanism would have one outcome—game over!
Joking aside, if Shiraki were an antisocial, anti-human type, human civilization could already declare GG.
His consciousness returned to his body, and Shiraki swiftly got up, slipping into comfortable casual clothes, ready to transmigrate.
Destination: the Honkai world!
The mysterious space's hub resided in Shiraki's soul, so only the original Shiraki could freely transmigrate. Other Shirakis needed him as the axis to open a transmigration channel.
This could serve as a trump card.
When being chased or fleeing, hopping to another world was the ultimate safe haven.
Unfortunately, the time required for transmigration and preparation was too long to use in combat.
…
The God-killing Spear, also known as the Herrscher Killer: Schariac Holy Blood.
Developed by Otto using Cecilia's blood, this anti-Herrscher weapon could, with just a small dose of serum, cause an Emperor-class Honkai beast's Honkai energy to spiral out of control. A properly prepared vial could make a Herrscher lose control entirely.
"Aaaargh!"
All Honkai energy, including that in her core, went haywire, the frenzied power crashing violently within her body, like an Emperor-class Honkai beast's impact ravaging her insides.
The excruciating pain forced a scream from Sirin, her hands clutching her head.
Her once noble, diamond-shaped golden eyes, framed by a cross-like pattern, had shifted to one gold, one blue.
Having regained Shiraki's memories, and with the Honkai space's help, the negative buffs imposed by the Honkai Will on her Herrscher personality vanished.
Though Sirin still harbored hostility toward humanity, she no longer desired to destroy civilization or the world.
She'd once been quite fond of Murata Himeko—referring to the character, of course.
Who'd have thought the Void Herrscher was me? Now, with a chance to help Kiana save the crimson knight, Sirin would spare no effort.
But as she'd predicted, even sharing her Herrscher core fully with Kiana and combining their wills, they couldn't control the rampant Honkai energy, let alone open imaginary space to rescue Himeko.
Hyperion.
"No! Himeko!" Theresa watched Himeko plummet into the endless imaginary space, letting out a desperate cry.
"Teacher Himeko!" Bronya, who hadn't yet earned her driver's license and whose emotional core was still damaged, seemed to forget that setting.
The pitch-black space loomed like a beast's maw ready to devour, about to swallow the devoted teacher whole.
The white-haired girl with heterochromatic gold-blue eyes gazed at the crimson figure about to be consumed, calling her name as if clinging to a final hope.
"Shiraki!"
The overlapping voices weren't the usual villainous BOSS tone with a deep, double-layered effect but a joint cry from Sirin and Kiana.
The next second, a black-haired youth appeared beside her without warning.
"I'm here."
His gentle words carried a special magic, calming Kiana's frantic, despairing heart.
Kiana said nothing, just gave him a look, and Shiraki vanished instantly.
Since Shiraki lacked a Void core, he could only use about 50% of spatial authority, but that was his state in other worlds.
In the Honkai Impact 3rd world, consider this proof:
Since Sirin = Void Herrscher, and Shiraki = Sirin,
Therefore, Shiraki = Void Herrscher, and Sirin's Herrscher core = Shiraki's Herrscher core.
By the world's rules, they are one person!
In the Honkai Impact 3rd world, Shiraki could share Sirin's Herrscher core, accessing its full power.
But he could only use this power in the Honkai world.
Amid Theresa and Bronya's surprised and stunned expressions, a pair of hands caught the broken body steadily—a stranger they'd never seen.
Himeko's final burst, burning everything, reached true Flame Herrscher-level power. The Godslayer Sword and Crimson Knight armor couldn't withstand that destructive force, shattering to pieces as Murata Himeko fell.
This left Himeko nearly bare.
"This…" Shiraki frowned, looking her over.
Oh, don't get the wrong idea.
Even for a character he once liked, Shiraki felt no romantic stirrings. His lover could only be himself.
Having synchronized Kiana's memories, Murata Himeko was, in a way, his teacher too.
And right now, Himeko wasn't much to look at.
Her charred body resembled cracked charcoal, dry lines spreading across it. Her long hair lay like withered seaweed on the ground, its vibrant, alluring red faded, like burned-out kindling.
She still clung to faint traces of life but had one foot in the grave.
Tesla had given Himeko the God-killing Spear to treat the Honkai energy erosion from the Plague Gem.
Instead, she chose to sacrifice her life, using the spear to suppress Sirin and awaken Kiana's will.
"She needs immediate treatment!"
The Honkai energy erosion was too severe—she wouldn't last long like this.
Shiraki swiftly opened an imaginary space gate, appearing beside the unconscious Kiana, then carried her and Himeko through a portal to Hyperion.
No need to hide his abilities. He didn't have a Herrscher core—who could call him a Herrscher?
With time of the essence, spatial teleportation was the fastest option.
Shiraki saw Hyperion's deck in full for the first time, though it was a wreck, with sparks bursting from damaged areas.
The culprit, the ice-white magdragon, had been shot down into imaginary space.
"What—!?"
The moment she saw the signature imaginary space gate, Theresa's heart jolted. She froze, raising Judas in a combat stance.
The Void Herrscher, injected with the God-killing Spear, should have her powers temporarily sealed, right?
How could…!
Her thoughts cut off as Theresa saw the black-haired youth who'd stopped Himeko's fall step out of the electromagnetic-fringed portal, holding—
"Himeko! Kiana!"
Theresa tossed Judas aside, her short legs scurrying to Shiraki, her face etched with worry.
Though Shiraki's entrance raised suspicions, someone who saved Himeko at the last moment couldn't be an enemy.
"Aun—cough, Principal Theresa, Kiana's fine, just unconscious from Honkai energy overload."
Having synced Kiana's memories, Shiraki nearly blurted "Auntie" but caught himself.
Honestly, it wasn't a big deal.
Kiana is Shiraki, so her family is his family!
But explaining transmigration was impossible, so he avoided overly familiar terms to not startle Theresa.
"But," Shiraki's tone grew grave, "Teacher Himeko's condition is critical. Her body's nearly consumed by Honkai energy, and her life force is severely depleted!"
As he spoke, Bronya, Einstein, and Tesla—the two Anti-Entropy giants—arrived. Raiden Mei was unconscious, having lost the Conquest Gem.
Their gazes toward Shiraki were a mix of astonishment and wariness.
Seeing Murata Himeko in Shiraki's arms, even the usually unflappable Dr. Einstein's face changed.
"Holy crap! She's still alive?" Dressed in a black-and-white skirt with a white lab coat, the red-haired, twin-tailed, bespectacled Tesla leapt up, her tone shocked.
Thwack!
Before she finished, Einstein's hand chopped Tesla's forehead, eliciting a yelp.
"Sorry, my idiot here doesn't speak human," Einstein apologized sincerely to Theresa. "She means no harm, but Colonel Himeko's condition…"
"Uh, it's fine."
Theresa was slightly speechless but had no time for such trifles.
Himeko's injuries were dire!
Her life flickered like a candle in the wind, ready to snuff out without a breeze.
Himeko's artificial stigmata erosion meant she wouldn't have lasted long even without the "Last Lesson."
Driving the Plague Gem as an ordinary human literally burned everything!
"Medical team! Where's the medical team!? Get over here!"
No matter what, Theresa wouldn't let her dear friend die like this!
White-uniformed medical Valkyries arrived quickly at Theresa's call, carefully taking Himeko to Hyperion's medical bay.
Theresa started to follow, her short legs moving, then remembered Shiraki. One leg stepped back, spinning her in a circle, looking adorably silly.
Theresa, Bronya, and the Anti-Entropy red-blue duo fixed their gazes on Shiraki.
"Who are you…?" Theresa studied him, confirming she'd never seen this youth before.
She'd heard him call Himeko "Teacher." St. Freya didn't have male students!
From Bronya's expression, she didn't know him either.
"Me?"
Shiraki paused, a thoughtful look crossing his face. But for his public relationship with Kiana, there was really only one fitting role, right?
He exhaled slowly, offering a gentle smile. "I'm Shiraki, Kiana's boyfriend."
"…" ×n
"Whaaat!!!???"