Honkai: Strijder (Honkai Impact 3 Male MC)

Sigurd took out the "Gem of Desire."

Everything went smoothly, without Otto's interference, and Wendy successfully reached an agreement with her Herrscher persona. The subsequent work was just following the preset procedure.

At this moment, Wendy was peacefully sleeping in the base, with Fu Hua responsible for her protection.

Carrying the Soulium box containing the gem, Sigurd arrived at the snowy plain outside.

There, Kiana, Sin Mal, and Bronya had been waiting for some time.

"Was it successful? Is Wendy okay?" Kiana hurriedly asked as she approached.

Although she had already received the results through communication, she still wanted to hear Sigurd confirm it in person.

Sigurd nodded.

"The 'Gem of Desire is temporarily here. Wendy is fine, sleeping inside the house. She just needs a few more days of rest before waking up. After that, she will be able to recover."

Kiana breathed a sigh of relief, patting her visibly fluctuating chest.

"That's great," she exclaimed.

There were so many children in the orphanage, but Wendy was unique because of her disability. Her recovery would surely be welcomed by everyone.

Meanwhile, Bronya, ever observant, furrowed her brows.

"What do you mean by 'temporarily'?" she asked.

Sigurd looked at her.

"Indeed, you noticed. I'll get you another toy when we go back."

"Thank you," Bronya replied calmly, continuing to gaze at Sigurd with a questioning look.

Sigurd explained:

"The Herrscher persona has already formed. According to the rules, Wendy is the Wind Herrscher of this era, whether she likes it or not. Taking out the 'Gem of Desire only delays the process of her becoming a Herrscher, but she will eventually reach that stage. Once she becomes the Wind Herrscher and the new Herrscher core is formed, this gem will disappear."

"Can't it be stopped?" Bronya frowned.

While the power of the Herrschers was indeed formidable, it was also ominous and destructive. If possible, Bronya didn't want gentle children like Wendy to be associated with such power.

Sigurd shook his head.

"There is a method, but I don't want to use it."

"What is it?"

"We can just kill her right now, then the Wind Herrscher of this era will perish prematurely. That way, she won't become a Herrscher, and I can continue to possess the 'Gem of Desire."

"Hmph (°?°)!"

Bronya was first stunned, then snorted and turned away, puffing out her cheeks in annoyance.

Once again, she felt played by Sigurd. This wasn't a solution at all, it was clearly teasing her!

Sigurd smiled faintly, then, in front of the three, he opened the Soulium box and took out the "Gem of Desire" with his bare hands.

"Although it's only temporary, and will eventually disappear, let me see what changes having one more gem can bring!"

Sigurd clenched his fist, drawing out the energy from the gem. The patterns of corruption lit up instantly in his palm, then quickly spread along his entire arm, reaching even half of his face.

Boom!!!

The next moment, accompanied by a deafening roar of air, a white pillar of light soared into the sky, shaking the ground and clearing several kilometers of accumulated snow.

Even the three, clad in black armor, were forced to step back a few steps due to the intense winds.

"That's…. A strong concentration of Honkai Energy, it has reached the level of a Herrscher."

Bronya looked at the readings on the corner of her screen, amazed but also feeling it was within expectations. After all, it was Sigurd; anything he did was to be expected.

After the fierce winds subsided, looking at Sigurd standing in the same place as before, one couldn't see any change, but at this moment, just by standing there, he exuded an aura that made people's minds stiff and their breathing difficult.

Even Sin Mal and Bronya couldn't help but freeze for a moment.

Only Kiana seemed oblivious to it all, walking over with her hands behind her back, peeking at Sigurd and even daring to tug on his hair, the thought of the boy ever harming her never even crossed her mind.

"Huh? Is this the power of the gem? Why does it seem like nothing has changed?"

"You..."

Sigurd was about to say something when suddenly his pupils contracted, and he turned abruptly, looking towards the southeast sky.

...

In the far east, in the city of the night.

The bustling streets were devoid of the tranquility typical of nighttime. With the invention of electric lights over a hundred years ago, human routines had changed, completely incorporating the night into daily life.

Welt and Himeko walked along the streets.

One was a tall, elegant, and extraordinary gentleman, while the other was a graceful and charming beauty. The combination of these two attracted attention wherever they went.

Welt bought an ice cream and handed it to Himeko.

"I remember you liked this. But the brand you used to love went bankrupt due to the aftermath of the Siberian conflict years ago. Now there's only this one left. I picked the most expensive one, so don't look down on it."

"Thank you... Professor."

Himeko took the ice cream, a long-lost smile appearing at the corners of her mouth.

It had been a long time since she had smiled like this.

Ever since her father disappeared for no reason and her teammates sacrificed one after another, Himeko's laughter was often just a facade of carefree pretense.

"Professor? It's been a while since I heard that title. It's kind of nostalgic."

"What titles do you usually hear then? Alliance Lord?"

"Something like that. Most of my friends just call me Welt or Yang. You can call me that too."

"Then Welt it is. It's a bit longer, but it has a nice rhythm to it."

Himeko blinked one eye playfully at Welt, trying to tease him.

However, Welt, the straight-laced guy that he was, unfortunately wasn't made of actual steel, so he didn't conduct electricity.

Thus, he didn't react at all, just wearing a kind expression, smiling as he patted Himeko's head, treating her like a cherished junior, and said, "It's been so many years, and you're still as mischievous as ever. That makes me feel a bit more at ease."

"(￣ж￣)..."

Himeko took a big bite of her ice cream, chewing silently, not wanting to say anything else.

This ironclad straight-laced guy, just like back then, completely clueless when it came to flirtation.

But that was fine. It meant he was still a pitiful virgin — similar to Himeko.

"How have you been lately?" Welt asked, sounding concerned like an elder.

Himeko rolled her eyes.

"How do you think? Most of my family and friends are dead, so I'm just getting by."

Her expression and tone were indifferent, but precisely because of that, it only highlighted the deep-seated sorrow within her.

Perhaps, this was the manifestation of having shed all her tears.

Welt scratched his head, not wanting to delve into Himeko's painful memories, so he changed the subject.

"So, have you met any boys you like recently? You're not getting any younger—"

Himeko stepped on Welt's foot, the sharp heel of her high-heeled shoe grinding down hard on it.

Welt stopped talking.

Actually, it didn't hurt. To make a Welt feel even a hint of pain, at least a large-caliber Honkai Energy shell would be needed.

However, years of interaction with Einstein and Tesla had taught Welt the appropriate response for such situations.

He furrowed his brow, displaying a semblance of enduring pain.

Only then did Himeko release her foot, huffing.

"Hmph! And you're talking about me? Do you have anyone you like, you dummy?" Himeko asked, stealing glances at Welt's expression.

Welt scratched his head, chuckling, "Of course I do!"

"Hmm?" Himeko's ice cream dropped to the ground.

"Be careful— ah, forget it, I'll buy another one. It's just a hassle for the sanitation workers, but they'll manage," Welt shook his head.

Himeko grabbed his collar. "Forget about those little things! Tell me, who do you like?"

"Well, there are quite a lot," Welt said.

"A– A lot!?" Himeko's eyes widened with disbelief and incomprehension.

Welt didn't mind the former student's impolite gesture. He simply said gently, "I like all those people with kind hearts."

Welt pointed at the pedestrians passing by on the street, his smile filled with compassion and gentleness.

Himeko breathed a sigh of relief, released his hand, and straightened Welt's slightly messy collar. "I knew it! With your character, how could you have any romantic encounters?"

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't tease your old teacher like that!"

"Why not? Is teasing you a problem? I dare you, right now, to find someone you like of the opposite sex and, I mean, really like, like wanting to hop into bed with and have babies!"

Himeko puffed out her chest and said boldly, teasingly hinting at her own curves in front of Welt.

But Welt just scratched his head and chuckled.

"Hahaha, how could that be possible? Those kinds of things depend on fate. Besides, I have many responsibilities. With the Honkai still looming, how can I think about personal matters?" Welt sighed.

Himeko pouted, also sighing.

Boom!

Just as the two fell silent, the earth suddenly trembled.

"An— an earthquake!?"

"Run! Get to an open area!"

"My wallet, my wallet—"

"Forget about it, let's get to safety first!"

Pedestrians panicked and began running in confusion.

Meanwhile, Welt's gaze hardened as he looked up to the southwest.

A Herrscher's eyes could pierce through the darkness, and he saw a massive and ominous black vortex brewing in the sky, filled with unprecedented and terrifying Honkai Energy, almost engulfing the entire sky.

Welt took out his communication device and initiated a group video call.

The first person to answer was Sigurd.

"Welt, you felt it too? Well, you're in the Far East, so it makes sense that you wouldn't miss such a drastic change."

"So, you also noticed from Siberia? Then it's not just my imagination. This level of Honkai Energy, it's the second time I've seen it in my life, almost like the Six Core Void Herrscher from back then."

"So, we're in trouble, big trouble. I declare, all members of Anti-Entropy, enter wartime mode."

"I agree. In the name of the Anti-Entropy Lord, I grant you the highest command authority. From this moment on, you are the primary executor of Anti-Entropy, make the best arrangements. Ah— Hera is on 'St. Freya', I'll go find her."

The next moment, a new window squeezed into the row of video windows, and Hera appeared among them, lazily waving at Sigurd and Welt.

"No need, I'm already here."

"... ... ..."

After a brief silence, Sigurd and Welt simultaneously said:

"Cooperation?" x2

"Agreed."

Hera replied succinctly, taking a sip of her tea.

It was a crisis, but also an opportunity. Let her see how much Anti-Entropy, now boosted with the presence of Sigurd, had up their sleeves now!

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