Honkai: Strijder (Honkai Impact 3 Male MC)

"I suggest you go provide reinforcements—seems like your friends are in trouble."

In the underground lab, Hera looked up from the data monitors, her gaze fixed as if seeing through the ceiling to some far-off point. She spoke with a smirk.

Kiana and the others turned to her, all frowning.

"You're not trying to lure us away to do something nasty to Sig, are you?"

Kiana's face twisted with suspicion as she glared at Hera, clenching her fists until her knuckles cracked, a clear signal she was itching for a fight.

Sin Mal nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, Bronya, after opening a virtual screen, had a heavy look in her eyes.

"She's not lying. Over there, something's definitely wrong. Whatever the enemy did, the Honkai energy concentration in that area is rising to a terrifying level. It's likely that the Honkai beasts' strength has already exceeded the team's ability to respond. Sin Mal, you go provide backup."

"Huh? No way! I'm staying to protect Sigurd!"

"With us here, nothing will happen to Sigurd. You have the best mobility and range support out of all of us—you're the only one who can get there in time to help. Please, Sin Mal!"

Bronya's face was calm, but her eyes were full of determination.

Such an earnest request left Sin Mal torn.

Kiana patted her shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'm here. Believe in me! And everyone over there is counting on you. Make sure to bring them back safe and sound!"

Even though she was often a goof, Sin Mal knew Kiana's strength.

Sin Mal looked back at the reinforced metal chamber, then turned to Bronya and nodded.

"Alright, I'll head out. Keep a close eye on things here. Watch out for her—this woman is incredibly twisted and chaotic, absolutely a demon you can't let your guard down around."

She pointed at Hera with a look of utter disgust.

Hera raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? So that's how I look in your eyes? Thanks for the compliment."

Hera's smile was bright, as if Sin Mal's words were praise rather than criticism and insult.

Kiana and Bronya nodded, increasing their vigilance. 

They knew Sin Mal's eyes were special but hadn't realized Hera would be unusual enough for Sin Mal to warn them about.

…

Boom!

Rita was kicked back, crashing into one corner of the armored vehicle. Her hair, usually so meticulously styled, was now in disarray, losing its elegant, refined look.

"What's up with you? Aren't you supposed to be the S-rank candidate from HQ? Is that all?"

Wendy stood in front of the unconscious group, her face pale, flanked by Einstein and Tesla, a look of genuine puzzlement on her face.

She wasn't sneering; it seemed like she was simply questioning the standards HQ used for evaluation. 

But to Rita, it only made her feel more humiliated.

Rita's face turned red. She leapt back to her feet.

"This was just an unexpected situation! I've never faced a modified army with a shared consciousness before!"

She defended herself, raising her scythe to charge once more into the swarm of thousands of Gray Serpent clones.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Gunfire rang out as Rita fought desperately. She was actually holding her ground well; Gray Serpent's clones fell one by one to her scythe.

But their numbers were overwhelming, and with a shared consciousness, their coordination and combat experience were on a nearly unfair level. It was only natural that Rita would face setbacks now and then.

A little further away, Raven, one of Gray Serpent's clones, and Jackal were hiding in a blind spot, observing the situation.

"Well? Can your device work?" Gray Serpent asked, glancing at the complicated cannon Jackal was assembling.

An S-rank Valkyrie candidate wasn't exactly strong, but not weak either. His clones could keep her occupied, but that was all.

If they continued like this, once the Titans or the worker bees arrived to reinforce her, they'd lose this chance to approach the Herrscher's core.

Jackal adjusted the cannon and replied, "It's operational. The problem is, the 'Gem of Desire' inside her hasn't been released yet. Firing it now would have no effect."

"So, you're saying she needs to go full Herrscher?"

"Or do you have a way to get over there and just take the 'Gem of Desire' from her?"

Jackal rolled her eyes.

Gray Serpent was silent for a moment, then said, "Then we wait. The Honkai energy from the triggering grenades is still escalating. In an environment with such a high concentration of Honkai energy, she won't last much longer."

"On the condition she doesn't inject that suppressant, otherwise it'll all be in vain!"

"In any case, if things get tough, taking one of them with us will allow us to complete the next phase later, but I doubt Anti-Entropy or Schicksal will give us the peace we need for research. Ideally, we need her to Herrscherize right now, so I can activate the device immediately," Jackal said.

"Raven, go destroy her suppressant. Kill a few more people, push her emotions," she ordered the maid-clad young woman beside her.

Raven shuddered, not immediately following the command. Gray Serpent turned, his cold, red mechanical eye fixed on her.

"What's wrong? Thinking of betrayal?"

"—No."

Raven forced herself to lift her foot and began to move, her actions mechanical and hesitant. 

Honkai and Herrschers were everything she despised. Innocent, cute children were the only thing that could soften her heart.

And now, what was she about to do?

Raven had barely taken a few steps when she suddenly stopped, struggling visibly.

Just then, Gray Serpent's mechanical arm pierced through her body, emerging from her abdomen.

Raven looked down at the blood-covered hand, her own blood bubbling up in her throat and spilling from her mouth as she turned to face him with trembling eyes.

"W-Why?"

"We're at a critical moment now; our mission to welcome back the Sire can't afford any slip-ups. Siora, whether you truly have treacherous intentions or are simply putting your feelings before orders, I can only see this as betrayal now. Farewell. If there's a next life, may you be born into a world where Honkai has already been defeated."

Gray Serpent withdrew his arm, watching silently as Raven's body fell.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk!" Jackal, carrying her cannon, clicked her tongue and shook her head.

"Didn't expect you to be so decisive, Lord Gray Serpent. Wasn't she your subordinate for years? No regrets at all?"

"Even the best talent and abilities mean nothing compared to the return of our Sire. You, too, Jackal. We've gambled everything on this. If you slip up, expect no different outcome."

Gray Serpent flicked the blood from his mechanical arm. His expression remained unreadable beneath his mask as he gave Jackal a chilling warning.

Jackal shrugged, indifferent. "Whatever. Without her, dealing with the suppressant and triggering the Gem of Desire's awakening falls on you now. Don't count on me for fighting—I'm just a delicate researcher."

"Fine. Just make sure to seize the moment. You only have one chance."

Gray Serpent replied coolly. At that moment, several of his clones appeared, collecting Raven's body and carrying it in Wendy's direction. Jackal glanced at him sideways.

Kill her and then use her body too—truly, you're a piece of work, aren't you?

…

Bang!

Wendy, focused on Rita's battle, watched as she successfully held back the black-clad army. She had just begun to feel some relief when she heard a gunshot.

Though she reacted before the shot rang out, she was still a second too slow. The syringe in her hand shattered, and a sharp, bloody graze appeared on her pale hand.

"Ugh!"

Wendy bit her lip, suppressing the pain, though her heart was filled with bitter laughter.

Her long-standing disability had ultimately taken so much away from her. Before the experiment, an attack like this would never have come close to grazing her.

If she remained this debilitated, it wouldn't take long before her combat ability dwindled to a level unworthy even of a B-rank Valkyrie, even if she regained her ability to walk.

Thud!

Before Wendy could get a clear look at the attacker, a familiar body was thrown down in front of her. The sight of horrific wounds and vivid blood filled her vision.

"R-Raven..."

Even though Raven had run off, even though they were on opposing sides, she had still been Wendy's companion for over half a month.

Wendy knew that Raven had a gentle side, especially around the mischievous children who constantly left her flustered, yet smiling helplessly.

And now, she was dead—right before Wendy's eyes.

Wendy's pupils constricted as eerie, greenish-blue lines spread across her face.

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