Tonight's chaos would begin with a muffled explosion from beneath Heliopolis Life Sciences.
A tense standoff was unfolding in the underground laboratory...
"We, entrusted with a mission vital to humanity, need not hesitate over choices. Before survival, innocence is meaningless; sacrifice is inevitable."
Standing before the lab bench, Cleo recalled the words left by a former colleague from the distant past, back when she first strayed from ethics and morality, lost in confusion...
If they resent and loathe what we have done, what does it matter if they curse us? Our actions, which tear apart the banner of righteousness, are surely evil deeds; our true faces, revealed after shedding our masks of hypocrisy, are surely the faces of villains.
"We are villains, no need for justification, no need for denial. The laurel of justice is not destined for us, yet we will still do everything we deem necessary..."
The masked woman stared at the white-haired Knight Princess before her, the tip of the Red Regal Blade pressed against her own throat. The being before her was a Herrscher, an existence unbeatable by ordinary people.
The lab's piercing alarm blared, signaling an intrusion. Behind her, a large number of mechanical guards had formed a semicircle around the young Herrscher, yet none opened fire.
"I admit to all the evil deeds I have committed, and I do not regret them, Second Herrscher."
"You will never understand the existence and burden of the World Serpent... We have witnessed humanity's former glory and peak, yet it was all mercilessly burned to ashes by a cruel God. Thus, we wander in darkness, roam in shadows, and watch the world with the most venomous, ruthless gaze..."
Realizing that escape was likely impossible, Jackal, facing her end, took off her mask. She spoke rapidly in a calm tone:
"We will not fight for all the beauty in the world, as Schicksal proclaims, nor will we declare war on all the world's injustices, like the idealists of Anti-Entropy..."
"We are the aggregation of humanity's hatred and resentment toward the Honkai, wandering through human history for tens of thousands of years. The only thing we crave is the most primal and sacred right bestowed upon humanity at its birth: revenge."
"We know full well that even if the Stigmata Project succeeds, how many humans will remain? It will certainly not be enough to sustain a civilization."
The scientist before them now revealed her innermost, true desires...
"You wouldn't understand, and you don't need to understand, Herrscher who fights for civilization... We have never fought for the continuation of human civilization..."
"The World Serpent was born solely to ensure humanity's continued existence, no matter what form it takes... We will make this race endure forever!"
"This is the most merciless mockery and laughter for the God who wishes to destroy this race... He, the Honkai, will never destroy humanity! Never..."
"No..."
The Kaslana Knight, her clear blue eyes fixed on the crazed scientist before her, interrupted her words:
"I understand... I comprehend... but I do not approve."
"Abandoning the many to save the few... In the end, how many times can you abandon? How many can you save?"
"Ultimately, you'll have nothing left to abandon, nowhere left to retreat, and find yourselves at a dead end."
Kiana calmly described the final outcome of this choice.
"So... you want to save everyone? Naive... truly naive."
A smile, whether of pity or compassion, appeared on Cleo's face...
"You can't even save this city... Herrscher, the horn of destruction and change has already sounded."
Jackal's words were cut off:
"I am a Knight of the Kaslana family, a Knight who carries the suffering and aspirations of the people on my shoulders... We are the bloodline of the first who sought to save the world..."
"...Beneath the Holy Sword, passed down through generations, I swore an oath: I will change those unhappy stories. I will transform this imperfect world into the one everyone desires."
Her blue eyes stared intently at the stunned Jackal before her. The flaming Regal Blade lowered from Jackal Cleo's neck as the girl turned sideways, a black teleportation wormhole opening beside her.
"The horn of destruction is destined never to sound, and the plans of the obsessed and crazed will ultimately fail... because the Savior's sharp sword still exists here!"
With those brief words, Kiana stepped into the wormhole and vanished from Jackal's sight...
"Hmph, hmph, such big talk... If you think you can do it, then go ahead and try, Second Herrscher... No, Miss Kiana Kaslana..."
As the Knight Princess departed, Jackal collapsed to the ground as if all her strength had left her, muttering what could hardly be called a blessing for the departed girl...
"Speaking of which... I didn't give her that much Honkai energy... Why did she wake up at her peak state?... She nearly shattered my mask... But, her peak state looked pretty cool, didn't it?"
Unfortunately, a certain fool still hadn't realized she'd been jointly tricked.
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"Mmm... I just improvised by imitating Snow and the others, invoking the Old Ancestor's name. That should make the obsessed doctor have a slight change of heart, right...?"
Kiana thought with some uncertainty as she flew through the sky...
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"Sometimes, it's not just one consciousness that can have a change of heart..."
Imhotep, who had been watching everything unfold in the underground lab from the shadows, muttered to Kevin's quantum projection beside her.
"I'm fast-forwarding to the part where Kiana charms away all the girls under your command, Kevin~"
"Is it really that exaggerated...?"
The projected Kevin continued to slurp his noodles, staying true to his original purpose...
"Also, Boss Kevin, you're a heinous criminal! Just listen to that dumb husky's speech just now. Are those words something a fool of her level could come up with?"
"She was clearly brainwashed into this obsessed state by your World Serpent pyramid scheme!"
"My fault, huh?"
Kevin rolled his eyes.
"Whose fault is it if not yours? Kalpas's? Be careful, he might come back to life and beat you up."
"Let's not go there... Should I join you in meeting that husky later?"
"Exactly. It's time to bring down the final hammer on her... Tsk, I was hoping to see the husky wreck the place..."
Imhotep, thinking of something, pursed her lips in disappointment.
"Just how badly do you want to see her cause some chaos...?"
The corner of Kevin's eye twitched.
"Forget it. It's time to notify Rita and the others to pick her up... Kiana will drain that Honkai energy container, then immediately fall asleep and feign unconsciousness, letting Goose pick her up when she arrives..."
"That sounds suspiciously like a certain pink animal... eat, then sleep."
"But isn't Paventi basically a pig in some ways? And why are you always slurping noodles every time I see you???"
"Where's your dignity as the Old Ancestor???"
"Huh? You can't eat that stuff... Besides, I'm off the clock right now. You're the one who needs to maintain dignity, my dear descendant."
"Oh, thank you so much for that!"