Chat Group: Starting by Swapping Bodies with Elysia?

As the words "Aunt Misteln" reached her, Misteln froze, gazing at the familiar face. All the words she'd prepared seemed to have vanished, lost for the moment.

Then, panic set in.

"No, no! You can't be so close!"

Seeing Alexandra's daughter up close was wonderful, but she was more worried than happy now.

She carried a curse—a burden that had caused too much suffering. She didn't want to hurt this girl—not Alexandra's daughter, Bronya Zaychik. She didn't want her to die.

That was why she had always stayed away.

But now, [Bronya] was right in front of her.

"Aunt Misteln, there's no need to panic."

The silver-haired girl smiled, extending a hand to the retreating Misteln.

"Honkai energy can't kill a Herrscher, can it?"

As a stigmata construct, Misteln constantly emitted Honkai energy. This energy destroyed technology and even hurt other Honkai Beasts.

But Honkai energy couldn't harm a Herrscher, an entity created by the Will. Honkai energy was as natural to a Herrscher as water was to a fish. It only made them stronger.

"Look."

[Bronya] left Project Bunny and approached Misteln, gently taking the woman's hands. Looking into Misteln's face with a smile, she looked just like Alexandra.

Becoming a Herrscher hadn't changed her. Her hands were warm and gentle, her heart pure and sincere.

"..."

Like Alexandra, Misteln felt her eyes water. As a construct, she wasn't supposed to feel human emotions, let alone cry. She'd absorbed many people's stories, experienced many emotions, and after all this time, she had finally encountered someone who could touch her, someone who could get this close.

"You seem to have a lot to say to me."

"Yes."

While she loathed Gray Serpent, she spoke gently to the girl.

They sat on the ship's bow, side by side. The storm had calmed, and the setting sun cast a beautiful glow upon the two.

It was odd that Bronya knew her, and Alexandra – after all, she had died shortly after Bronya's birth. But Misteln didn't ask. Instead, she simply enjoyed this time.

"You truly are like Alexandra." Misteln whispered.

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"She was Bronya's mother, so it makes sense."

Misteln missed the way the girl emphasized 'Bronya.' She simply went silent.

Until [Bronya] spoke up, "Aren't you going to say something else?"

"You have so much more to say, right?"

While he was okay giving her solace, remaining silent was boring.

"There's so much I want to say. I always imagined meeting you one day, and talking to you about your mother, and about your life. But now that we're finally meeting, I'm at a loss. I don't know where to start," she confessed. "Is this how human emotions feel? Though I'm not human, I've absorbed countless human feelings, and yet, I still don't understand them." She said as she swung her legs.

"Hmm, human emotions are such complex, yet interesting things," she said softly.

"But if it were [Bronya]'s mother, she'd smile and say: Why overthink it so much? Emotions aren't something people can understand, right?"

She mimicked Alexandra perfectly, causing Misteln to chuckle, covering her mouth with her hands. "You're right. That is something Alexandra would say."

They talked for a long time, until dusk approached. Then, [Bronya] rose.

"I have to go."

"I understand."

Misteln knew they couldn't be together forever.

"Do you have to do it? I know of a way to fix your problem."

She knew what she meant. She was seeking death, and Gray Serpent had promised it to her. But it would mean the end of Misteln's very being.

Jiang Qiao knew that curse was easily removable with the power of life and death—the Abyss Flower or the Tranquility Gem. With that, he could rewrite Misteln's DNA, removing the harmful Honkai.

She could break free of the curse without dying.

But—

"No, that's what I desire." Misteln smiled. Death wasn't something to be feared.

Since her birth, she'd been cursed, she'd done terrible things. She wanted to atone for her sins.

Besides, she didn't have anything to live for. She only cared about Alexandra.

Like Kevin, who had lost MEI, Misteln had nothing left in this world.

For her, death was peace.

Perhaps sensing that this was difficult for [Bronya] to understand, she said softly, "Don't worry. You see death as an end, but for me, it's just another beginning."

"The meaning of life is to continue living, but I... want to know what it was that motivated Alexandra to risk her life to save you."

Faced with the choice of saving her own life or creating a new life, Alexandra had chosen the latter. She'd placed all her hope on Bronya's existence.

Misteln wanted to understand what had prompted that decision.

"Bronya understands." Despite the shift in her identity, she used her previous form of address to respond to the woman.

She understood Misteln's choice, and respected it.

"Then, let's meet on the battlefield in the near future, Aunt Misteln… no, then, perhaps I should call you Miss Hare."

"—In the name of Truth."

While Misteln sided with World Serpent, with Kevin, Jiang Qiao had still invited her to join his faction, to stand by him.

But she'd refused.

So, they would meet on the battlefield.

The Void power surged, and the silver-haired girl disappeared. Only Misteln remained, staring at the sunset.

...

The battle with Chiyou was over. The cruise ship continued its journey to New Zealand.

On the bow of the ship, Kiana, Bronya, and Rita, were all soaking wet. With only a few pieces of clothing covering them, Kiana and Rita practically glowed with sensuality. Bronya, though female, was flustered.

"Bronya, why is your face so red?" Kiana, spotting her flustered expression, couldn't help but tease her.

Before Bronya could retort, Kiana was hugging her arm, breathing on her ear. Bronya felt the urge to use Project Bunny to kick her.

But then, her eyes widened. A sly grin spread across her face. She hugged Kiana back.

"Ah!"

Now it was Kiana's turn to blush.

[Bronya]'s playfulness was nothing to be trifled with. She always took advantage of her size.

Rita, witnessing this, turned red, her mind going to dark places.

"What are you doing?"

The familiar voice made them freeze. They turned to see [Bronya] in her Herrscher form, her face an exaggerated expression of disgust.

They were embarrassed.

While it had been innocent teasing, that didn't change the fact that it involved physical contact with their own bodies. Nooo!

They quickly pulled away, turning their heads, avoiding each other's eyes.

But Kiana recovered quickly, turning to [Bronya]. Her eyes widened, almost drooling as she gazed at the black, blue, and white outfit. "Jiang Qiao, you look great!"

Kiana was holding back, but that did nothing to stop her inner desires.

"Kiana, stop looking!" Bronya yelled. While she too was fascinated with her transformed appearance, she wouldn't allow someone to gawk so wantonly!

That's my body!

But she could not tear her eyes away either, her gaze lingering on every detail of the exquisite outfit.

For Herrschers, their bodies were a manifestation of their own desires. And as such, it was only natural for her to appreciate what a Herrscher of Reason could achieve.

As for Rita, her eyes glowed with a predatory light, her "loli-con" side almost taking control.

"The Honkai energy..."

While admiring [Bronya]'s appearance, Rita detected the immense Honkai energy radiating from her. "A Herrscher?!"

"Yes, I am now the Herrscher of Reason." [Bronya] didn't deny it.

It was simpler to call herself that.

But that was not her true identity.

For now, that was all that mattered.

"Bronya… you've become a Herrscher?" Bronya's jaw dropped.

How could she have become a Herrscher in another body?

"Was that huge Honkai Beast your doing?" Rita asked.

"Yes. I had to get this, so it took me a little longer than necessary." Her Project Bunny materialized, showcasing the Xuanyuan Sword.

Rita recognized it instantly. "A Divine Key?!"

"The 10th Divine Key—the Xuanyuan Sword. Nothing special, It's a mass-produced version. But I doubt there are many left by now," she said with a sigh.

Originally, there had been a thousand. But after Kalpas's rampage and standard wear and tear, she doubted there were even fifty left now. Only chicken mom probably had some left.

"Forget about that. Let's get to our destination," [Bronya] said, summoning a Void portal that led to the Anti-Entropy warship. She'd much rather travel in their ship.

—Meanwhile—

At the Schicksal headquarters, a similar conversation was happening.

As the primary anti-Honkai organization, Schicksal had detected Chiyou's emergence immediately. Otto had dispatched Durandal to the area and had sent the Hyperion.

However, from the moment of Chiyou's awakening until its disappearance, less than thirty minutes had passed.

"The Herrscher of Reason…" Otto muttered, looking at the blurred video.

He had always looked down on Anti-Entropy.

But he also knew that the one leading Anti-Entropy was someone he had to watch out for. And now, there was a new Herrscher involved. There was also the possibility of the Herrscher of the Void's reappearance.

He couldn't let things remain unchecked.

"Should we recall Durandal?" Amber asked.

Otto fell silent, then shook his head. "No."

He stared at the blurred image, his eyes filled with menace.

The situation in the East is getting complicated. I should let Durandal test these new waters.

Suddenly, Amber's expression changed.

"What happened?" Otto asked, frowning.

Amber swallowed nervously. "The Anti-Entropy is attacking the Schicksal branch in New Zealand."