On the battlefield, even if several Honkai beasts attacked a single Kiana doll at once, they couldn't take her down. The massive level gap made their efforts futile. Although Kiana's level wasn't incredibly high (Level 27), the third wave of the novice trial only required Level 15.
If the beasts had sentience, their despair would have deepened as a greatsword imbued with lightning crashed into their ranks, sweeping the area clean.
The Commander—Himeko—had entered the fray.
Soon, the battlefield was cleared, and Luo Hong had enough resources for another ten-pull. However, he was more interested in seeing what faction his first rival territory would belong to.
While his initial subordinates were from Honkai Impact 3rd, the enemy territories could be from any game or anime. As the mist cleared, he saw the notification:
[Hostile Territory: Honkai: Star Rail][Time until the first wave arrives: 6 days, 23 hours, 59 mins, 59 secs][You may also choose to attack first—][Yes / No]
"Huh?" he muttered to himself. "I guess Star Rail counts as Honkai too, doesn't it?"
"Luo Hong, what are you talking about?" Bronya asked. Unlike him, she couldn't see the interface through the mist.
"Star Rail?" Cangxuan, always quick to catch details, asked, "Is that our next enemy?"
"Yeah," Luo Hong nodded. "The full name is Honkai: Star Rail. As you might guess, it's a spin-off of your world."
"Oh?" Danzhu looked surprised. "So our world came first?"
"Yes," Luo Hong confirmed. "In terms of release date, yours was earlier. But in terms of the scope of the world-building... the other side is much, much stronger." He emphasized those last words.
"Much stronger..." Bronya's expression turned grim. "Does that mean things will get difficult?"
"Don't worry," Luo Hong shook his head. "That's just the lore. In this Lord Game, we play by this game's rules. The average level of the first territory is around 20. If these two sisters 'train' with me a few more times, they'll be more than enough to handle it. As for you, Bronya, you're strong enough to fight their final boss already. I recall their highest level is only 25."
As he spoke, his hands slid toward the tailbones of Cangxuan and Danzhu simultaneously. Since the "snake sisters" had revealed their weakness, he loved touching their "seven-inch" spot. It didn't help that the design of their robes allowed him to slide his hands in so easily.
"Ngh..." "Mmm..."
Caught off guard, a scandalous blush crept onto the sisters' faces, and they both glared at him. Whether it was the effect of the mark on their bellies or just psychological, they felt much more sensitive than before. That one touch almost cost them a point.
"Pervert!" Bronya spat, her previous worry vanishing. "Bronya was worried for nothing!"
"Bronya is actually... worried about me?"
Luo Hong let the two sisters go and placed his hands on Bronya's thin shoulders, smiling warmly. "I'm truly flattered."
"Bronya is not worried about you. I am simply worried that if something happens to this world, Bronya will have no one to ask for information," she retorted.
Finding it strange that Luo Hong didn't immediately move to "harass" her, Bronya felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of emptiness in her heart. But she quickly shook the thought away. What is Bronya thinking?! No, this isn't Bronya's fault; it's the influence of this man! It must be that mark on my belly! She felt slightly relieved by that excuse.
"Since Bronya is being so heartless, don't blame me for what comes next~" Luo Hong smirked playfully upon hearing her stubborn denial.
Sensing danger, Bronya instinctively tried to run. But before she could move, Luo Hong had already restrained her from behind.
"Time to pull."
He spoke as casually as if he were deciding what to have for lunch. He slid his hands through the insides of Bronya's legs and reached up to grab her shoulders from behind—effectively hoisting her up!
"You... you bastard!"
Noticing the Kiana dolls on the battlefield below all looking up at her on the city wall, Bronya's face turned bright red. She struggled frantically, but her resistance only made Luo Hong more... excited.
"Be good now. Don't you want me to pull Seele for you as soon as possible?" he whispered into her ear. "Even if I pull her, I can't save her from the Sea of Quanta immediately. But at the very least, my territory can serve as a safe haven whenever her consciousness drifts down."
He paused, then added like a demon whispering a pact, "I'll make you another promise: when Seele's consciousness enters my territory, I won't lay a finger on her."
—But a Seele without consciousness is another matter entirely.
"D... Deal..." Hearing that her sacrifice could guarantee Seele's safety, Bronya turned her blushing face away. Her logic remained the same: since she was going to be "devoured" anyway, she might as well make it meaningful. Trading herself for Seele's safety felt like an absolute bargain.
"Then, Bronya—" Luo Hong's grin grew wider. "I'm coming in!"
Bronya let out a muffled groan, her entire body trembling like a leaf. Luo Hong then initiated the gacha pull. As the light faded—revealing the usual nine purples and one gold—a girl with short hair, colored highlights, and a destiny to become a Herrscher appeared before them.
"Wendy? I suppose she can count as a substitute for Seele for now," Luo Hong muttered, shivering slightly. "So pulling like this... actually works?"