Chapter 74: World Event: The Third Honkai Eruption
The thought struck Rovel with the force of a physical blow. The Third Honkai Eruption.
It was the only explanation. The number of Death Soldiers in Changkong City had been quietly increasing for days, but they were almost all materializing in the vicinity of Mei. The pattern was too specific, too deliberate, to be a coincidence.
"...Kiana, you should head back first. There's somewhere I need to be," Rovel said abruptly, his voice tight with a newfound urgency.
Kiana's head tilted, her blue eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Did you figure something out?"
"I have a theory, but I need to confirm it." Rovel's gaze shifted towards the distant, monolithic silhouette of the ME Corp tower. He had to find Bronya. He had to know for sure.
If the Gem of Conquest inside Mei's body had truly begun to stir, then the Third Honkai Eruption wasn't just coming—it was imminent, far ahead of schedule.
"I'm going with you," Kiana declared, stepping closer. "There's no way I'm letting you run into danger by yourself. Besides, I'm strong! If it wasn't for you last time... ugh, I wouldn't have lost so easily!"
A faint blush crept up her cheeks, a fleeting memory of their last encounter warming her face, but her expression remained resolute. She wasn't backing down.
Rovel considered for a moment, then gave a short nod. "Alright."
The two of them set off towards ME Corp, but a cold knot of unease was tightening in Rovel's stomach. Mei had suddenly felt unwell just moments ago. Was that it? Was the Herrscher core already beginning to surge, to riot within her?
'It's not going to happen tonight, is it?'
The thought spurred him on, and he broke into a run, his pace quickening with every step. He had to get to Bronya. He needed answers, now.
"Rovel, are we really just going to barge in like this?" Kiana asked, a hint of embarrassment in her voice as she watched him send the main entrance of ME Corp flying off its hinges with a single, well-placed kick. Two security guards, startled by the intrusion, were dispatched with swift, precise chops to the neck before they could even raise an alarm.
"I'm afraid we'll be too late otherwise," Rovel replied without breaking stride, offering no further explanation as he sprinted for the elevators and began ascending towards the top floor.
Seeing the grim determination etched onto his face, Kiana swallowed her questions and followed close behind.
They reached the top floor in record time. The door to the main office was just as they'd left it last time—splintered and unrepaired. Pushing it open, Rovel saw her.
"Bronya," he called out to the small, silver-haired girl with the distinctive twin-drill curls who stood with her back to them.
"..."
Bronya turned, but her gaze remained fixed on the floor. She wouldn't meet his eyes, a silent admission of guilt that sent a chill down Rovel's spine.
"Has the Gem of Conquest started to awaken?" Rovel asked, his voice low. Seeing her like this, he already knew the answer.
"...Yes." Her voice was a monotone whisper. "Eight days ago, while Raiden Mei was asleep, the Bronya injected her with a Honkai Energy serum. The objective was to awaken the Gem of Conquest within her body."
She nodded slowly, confirming his worst fears.
"Gem of Conquest? What's that?" Kiana asked, still completely lost.
"A Herrscher core," Rovel explained grimly.
"What?! A... a Herrscher core?" Kiana's eyes widened in horror. Her shock quickly morphed into outrage as she rounded on Bronya. "No, why would you do something like that?!" she demanded, her voice ringing with accusation. "Don't you know what happens when a Herrscher is born in a city? Millions of people will die!"
Rovel quickly stepped between them, placing a calming hand on Kiana's shoulder.
"Kiana, it's not her fault," he said, his eyes fixed on Bronya. "She must have been controlled by the bio-chip in her head."
A flicker of light, of disbelief, entered Bronya's dull amethyst eyes. She slowly looked up at Rovel, her expression unreadable.
"I believe that the Bronya I know would never disregard the lives of millions for some selfish desire," Rovel continued, his tone unwavering and sincere. "Because she promised the most important person in her life that she would never hurt anyone again."
Bronya's lips pursed into a thin line. A long, heavy silence stretched between them before she let out a sigh of resignation. "Tonight, the Third Herrscher will awaken," she stated, her voice devoid of emotion. "Mother Cocolia has already planted devices capable of triggering a Honkai cascade all over Changkong City. It is too late. You two... should run."
As if on cue, the city outside the panoramic window erupted. Dozens of blinding, violet beams of light shot into the sky from every corner of Changkong, painting the clouds in an apocalyptic glow.
"Changkong City Honkai Energy concentration is rising!" Project Bunny 19C's synthesized voice announced from Bronya's side.
"100HW... 300HW... 500HW... 1000HW!"
In the span of a few heartbeats, the ambient Honkai Energy concentration in the city skyrocketed to an impossible 1000HW.
The very ground began to tremble and crack. From deep fissures that split the asphalt, grotesque Honkai Beasts clawed their way to the surface. Across the city, countless civilians collapsed, their bodies instantly overwhelmed and consumed by the toxic energy. Those with stronger resistance were granted no mercy; their screams twisted into inhuman growls as they were forcibly mutated into mindless Death Soldiers.
Players still logged in within the city limits watched in horror as the "Honkai Energy Infection" bar on their UI began to fill at a terrifying rate.
System alerts flooded their vision, frantic and red.
[You are currently in a high-concentration Honkai Energy area! Please evacuate immediately!]
[You are currently in a high-concentration Honkai Energy area! Please evacuate immediately!]
The weather itself turned violent. The sky, once clear, was now a roiling cauldron of black clouds. Jagged bolts of lightning tore through the darkness, illuminating the unfolding nightmare below in stark, terrifying flashes.
Then, a new notification appeared, broadcast to every single player online.
[World Event: The Third Honkai Eruption has been activated. Players may now travel to Changkong City via designated teleportation arrays.]
[Please choose your faction.]
[1. Aid Anti-Entropy in recovering the Herrscher of Thunder: Gain favor with the Anti-Entropy radical faction. Successful recovery will grant an invitation to join their ranks.]
[2. Slay the Herrscher of Thunder: Gain massive EXP, the 'Gem of Conquest', and other legendary rewards!]
"To hell with that!" Rovel snarled, the sound a low growl of fury. He spun on his heel and drove his foot through the massive pane of reinforced glass, shattering it into a thousand pieces. A violent gale whipped into the room from the hundred-meter drop, tearing at their clothes. He was going to jump.
Just as he tensed his muscles, a new, private notification materialized before his eyes.
[Due to your Intimacy level with Raiden Mei reaching 70, a hidden option has been unlocked.]
[3. Protect Raiden Mei! (Warning: Choosing this option will designate you as a hostile target to all other players and factions. Please choose carefully.)]
"Rovel, where are you going?!" Bronya cried out, her voice finally cracking with emotion.
"I'm going to bring Mei back!" he declared without a single shred of hesitation, his eyes burning with resolve. "I promised her I would never abandon her!"
"Wait for me! I'm going too!" Kiana was suddenly at his side, a brilliant, reckless smile spreading across her face as she stood at the edge of the abyss with him. "I can't let you have all the chances to look cool! Besides, I still want to eat Mei's cooking again!"
If this was how things were going to be, then so be it. He would risk everything to bring her back.
"You two..." Bronya watched them, her brow furrowed. In the depths of her eyes, an unfamiliar emotion flickered—something that felt a lot like envy.
Together, Rovel and Kiana leaped into the howling wind.
"By the way, Rovel," Kiana shouted over the rushing air as they plummeted towards the chaos-stricken streets below. "Do you have a way to land?"
"Yeah, don't you?" Rovel shot her a look of utter disbelief. This girl… she hadn't thought about how to survive the fall and still jumped with him?
Then again, with a Kaslana's absurd physical constitution, she'd probably just walk away with a few scrapes...
"Take me with you!" Kiana yelled, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and pressing her slender frame against his back.
Rovel's mouth twitched in exasperation, but his focus was already elsewhere. He began to gather his strength, channeling it downwards through his body.
The ground rushed up to meet them. Just before impact, Rovel exhaled a single command.
"Inch Force: Thunderbolt!"
A massive, invisible shockwave of pure force erupted from the soles of his feet, slamming into the concrete below. The ground cracked and buckled as the energy discharged in a contained explosion.
Harnessing the powerful recoil, Rovel twisted in mid-air, expertly flipping them both over. They landed perfectly on their feet, not a single hair out of place.
'Mei,'he thought, his eyes already scanning the horizon for the epicenter of the eruption.'Wait for us. We're coming.'
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