I Am Honkai

Boom—!

A terrifying explosion reverberated through the ears of all present, from the massive warships hovering near Earth's orbit to the ordinary humans trembling in fear in hidden corners of the city. The entire Northern Hemisphere's observational capabilities were overwhelmed by a monstrous fireball piercing the heavens.

It was as if the incarnation of a god of destruction had descended, radiating a brilliance rivaling that of a dying star.

Under the rapidly expanding light of annihilation, both the earth and the clouds in the sky were consumed and obliterated.

The shockwave of energy materialized visibly, forming a ring of fire around the blast. Like waves of ash and sand, fiery mist surged outward in tides, and the atmosphere's temperature began to rise sharply.

From space, the once-blue surface of the planet now glowed with the light of a second sun, outshining the nearby star.

North American Anti-Entropy Headquarters

The once-bustling metropolis was now eerily silent. The dazzling neon lights were buried under a thick blanket of snow. Abandoned vehicles were scattered everywhere.

In the midst of the snowfall, the city was painted a pale blue, with the silence punctuated by the thunderous roars of plasma weapons and explosive projectiles. Amid the smoky explosions, snowflakes floated down like feathers and cotton, softly blanketing the chaos.

Atop the ice-crystal-covered Anti-Entropy headquarters, Esdeath swung a devastating frozen ray, freezing an incoming nuclear warhead in its tracks. Suddenly, her icy-blue eyes flickered with curiosity as she turned her gaze toward the far east.

Reflected in her eyes was a crimson glow.

"[Judgment of Shamash]? Robert, perhaps? But it doesn't seem like it… Hm? The Emperor's energy signature is there as well?"

In the distance, the sky seemed to ignite at a mere touch. Fiery clouds were split apart, revealing the steel-filled expanse of outer space.

The mechanical constructs trembled, their surrounding energy shields shimmering and distorting, rippling like disturbed water.

"Terrifying, isn't it? That's Grand General Budo's sector, so the opponent must be quite troublesome." A casual voice broke the silence.

Esdeath glanced sideways at the speaker—a mustachioed man, tea cup in hand, watching the spectacle with an amused expression. It was General Leiva . Esdeath sighed, her face exuding mild irritation.

"General Leiva , where on earth did you pick up that tone? It's… bizarre," she remarked. After a pause, she nodded seriously and added, "Yes, bizarre enough to make me want to punch you."

"Er…"

Leiva was momentarily stunned. "Apologies, apologies. Force of habit… Wait, no, that's not it." Covering his face, he grumbled, "It's Borsalino's fault! That guy is contagious—he's toxic!"

After a moment, he asked hesitantly, "Is it really that annoying?"

"Undeniably. Annoying."

Esdeath surveyed the city below—skyscrapers, winding streets, and overlapping structures forming a steel jungle. Yellow laser beams carved through the chaos like strokes of firelight.

Finally, she concluded, "If you spoke like that in front of Her Majesty, I guarantee she would 'deal with you'."

"Ahem…"

Leiva chuckled awkwardly and quickly set his tea cup aside. Straightening his posture, he said, "The organized resistance in the Americas has been largely eliminated. Only a few scattered remnants remain."

Indeed, apart from a handful of remaining Anti-Entropy forces, the Americas were the weakest among the three major factions—Anti-Entropy, World Serpent, and Schicksal. Under Leiva 's management, the region not only submitted swiftly but also suffered minimal damage to its cities, industries, and population.

Anti-Entropy offered little to catch Selene's attention beyond the Dead Sea Scroll technologies and a few Titan mecha production lines.

As for the remaining defiant congressmen, Leiva didn't even bother negotiating. Unlike Schicksal, which required careful handling due to its numerous critical research institutes and Valkyrie divisions, or World Serpent, which posed significant threats like Kevin Kaslana, Anti-Entropy lacked unified resistance.

There was no need for lengthy negotiations or hand-holding. In the Americas, the only option for survival was surrender before the Imperial Army arrived to exterminate them.

Even if the local governments wanted to resist, they simply lacked the capability. Compared to the cohesion of Schicksal or World Serpent, they were disorganized and weak—a soft target, perfectly suited for Leiva 's straightforward approach.

"The Empress has personally taken action; it's time for us to accelerate our pace as well!" Leiva 's lazy demeanor vanished as he clasped his hands in salute, his expression serious.

"Hmm…" Esdeath flexed her fingers, itching to dive into the fray. "I'd love to join the fight myself."

Mediterranean: Schicksal Headquarters' Floating Island Cluster

The silence was broken only by the labored breathing of the Valkyries, their unease palpable. They stared in disbelief at the massive screen projecting an image that left them speechless.

Since the Empire's navy had destroyed Schicksal's orbital satellites at the beginning of their invasion, Schicksal's military forces had been disarmed. The scenes they now watched came from the Empire's naval observation systems, transmitted from near-Earth orbit.

The floating islands of the Schicksal Headquarters, with their comprehensive infrastructure, were deemed too valuable to be left unused. Imperial technicians had landed along with the Empire's forces during the takeover, quickly establishing operational control.

The loss of communication and global detection capabilities caused by the destruction of satellites and signal stations? A trivial issue. By "switching channels," the Empire's warships replaced satellites, sharing their observation systems.

From the perspective of outer space, the coastal areas surrounding the metropolitan region of the Far East were engulfed in a sea of fire. The sheer scale of destruction left everyone watching agape, their faces filled with shock.

To comprehend the enormity, the observers reminded themselves that these images were from outer space. To see such a massive crimson area so vividly—this fire's reach was unimaginable.

If the destruction had been caused by nuclear weapons, Honkai fission warheads, or the Empire's massive war machines, the shock might have been less severe. But the truly astonishing fact was that this level of devastation had been unleashed by a single human.

Some personnel, including Valkyrie soldiers, slumped to the ground, staring at the screen with wide, unblinking eyes and dropped jaws.

"[Judgment of Shamash]... Siegfried…" Theresa whispered softly.

"No, it's not Siegfried Kaslana," Raiden Mei interjected, shaking her head. She pointed to the screen, her finger aimed at the area radiating intense Honkai energy. "It's Kevin Kaslana."

Indeed, Raiden Mei—having been given two choices by Selene—chose to stay by Kiana's side. She could either remain aboard Selene's flagship to study Imperial data or return to the surface to assist Theresa in handling Schicksal's surrender.

Kiana's kind heart made her decision predictable; she would return to help Theresa. Mei, whose heart and soul belonged to Kiana, followed her without hesitation, sharing the same dangerous fate.

"And his opponent is Grand General Budo, alongside the 13th Legion's commander, Robert," Mei said, her tone heavy with emotion.

Her gaze drifted to Alex and Sanguinius, standing not far away. The golden olive branch motifs entwined around the Roman numerals "I" and "IX" on their neckplates shone with an intimidating clarity.

Having experienced such overwhelming power up close, one could only feel an acute sense of their own insignificance.

"Kiana," Mei murmured with a somber expression, "this level of Honkai energy… If it continues, the surrounding metropolitan regions—"

"Any casualties will be his responsibility. It's ironic, isn't it?" Alex cut her off with a nonchalant chuckle. "Now, the destroyer is him, and we are the protectors of the city."

His tone carried an air of indifference, and his smile was calm, even as he spoke the cruelest words.

"We have no resources to spare on evacuating civilians who are not Imperial citizens. If they tear each other apart, that's on him…" His gaze turned dismissive, and he added, "This division will only serve to weaken their unity, making the Empire's rule easier."

Sanguinius nodded in agreement beside him.

Although considered a more moderate faction within the Astartes, they were not saints. Assuming their leniency extended to everyone was pure folly.

"It seems Grand General Budo is nearing the final stages of his operation. We should speed up as well," Alex instructed his adjutant as he turned to leave.

Suddenly, Sanguinius called out, "Alex, that's Her Majesty's power."

"What?" Following Sanguinius' gaze, Alex narrowed his eyes and muttered to himself, "Imaginary Barrier…"

On the screen, as the blinding radiance of flames dimmed, the metropolitan area housing the World Serpent Headquarters was revealed. To everyone's astonishment, it remained intact. A massive, translucent, pale-blue diamond-shaped barrier had shielded it from destruction.

"Selene…" Mei whispered softly.

Amidst the deafening roar, the flames blanketing the sky gradually dissipated, their energy supply cut off. The firestorm, once akin to a star's supernova, began to fade.

As the sky's blazing inferno extinguished without falling, the sparks of the stellar flames scattered. Their descent carried an eerie beauty, but nothing was more striking than the emerging radiance of the apocalyptic horizon.

The cloudless sky rippled with vast distortions in the thin atmosphere. Crimson and violet fragments of light rotated irregularly, like scattered stardust.

Then Kevin saw it.

Amidst the fluttering light wings and the spear of subspace, a terrifying figure wrapped in faint red mist emerged from the black cavity.

There was no sound, yet Kevin could almost hear the world wailing as she stepped forth.

As the figure moved, the golden divine sigils behind her faded, the black cavity of torn reality mended itself, and her true form was revealed.

Words like powerful, beautiful, noble, and sacred involuntarily filled the hearts of those who beheld her.

But Kevin knew it was all a lie!

What stood before him was no divine savior but an apocalyptic Evil God that had descended to end worlds.

Kevin recognized her face all too well. The long silver hair was hauntingly familiar, as were the crimson, diamond-shaped pupils with golden halos. For a fleeting moment, he was transported back to his past life—to days when he fought alongside Mei and his comrades.

"The End!"

A metallic clang echoed as Kevin, still in his Calamity's Extinction state, unleashed the full power of [Judgment of Shamash]. A massive blade of flame soared skyward, cutting through the heavens.

Selene, however, remained utterly unmoved.

Then, two simultaneous cries of fury shattered the air: "Insolent!" ×2

Budo and Robert rocketed upward, appearing at Selene's flanks in an instant. Bud's fist struck out like a meteor, while Robert swung his Heavenly Fire greatsword with all his might.

Bang! Bang!

Lightning and fire erupted. The massive flaming blade spanning kilometers was shattered instantly.

Though Kevin wielded the same [Judgment of Shamash] as they did, his depleted strength rendered this attack a mere shadow of its true potential. His escape from the Quantum Sea had left him in an ever-weakened state. While he could still decimate weaker foes, against nearly equal opponents like the Astartes Legion Commanders, it was not nearly enough.

The searing heatwaves roared past, whipping Selene's garments as they flared with an ominous hum.

"Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty!"

Both commanders reflexively dropped to one knee on a faint purple shard of energy light.

Selene, still hovering in the air, nodded faintly as she surveyed the scene below.

The ocean beneath her feet had all but vanished. The heatwave from Kevin's attack had instantly vaporized everything, reshaping the very terrain. Mountains, pushed upward by the force of the blast, now spewed magma like active volcanoes.

The seabed had been replaced by molten fissures that plunged deep into the Earth's crust. Lava bubbled and exploded violently, revealing scorched land riddled with glowing red cracks like the scars of a world torn asunder.

"Kevin Kaslana," Selene's voice rang out, regal and dismissive, "five millennia since the Previous Era, and you've clung to existence. You, and every relic of that bygone civilization persisting in this age, are a mistake."

Her gaze turned downward, full of contempt.

"Compared to Mobius, Vill-V, and Mei—wasn't Mei your beloved?—they were the only ones worth my attention from your era," Selene said with a faint, chilling laugh. "Because of their research, you, a Herrscher, gained the power to stand before me. How pathetic."

Kevin, panting heavily, froze for a moment. His face darkened almost instantly.

Her words were barbed, laden with implications. Kevin's fists clenched as he ground his teeth. "Mei…" His voice, raw and choked, rose from the depths of his throat. His bloodshot eyes locked onto Selene.

"It was you!" he roared. "You destroyed everything I cared about!"

Selene chuckled, but instead of answering, she offered an icy declaration: "Civilizations require trials, and I am the final examiner. Those who pass thrive; those who fail perish."

"You and your existence in this era are a cheat."

"Do you understand why I arrived early?" Selene's golden eyes gleamed as she glanced around. A subtle smile tugged at her lips.

She raised her hand, her fingers dancing like a maestro conducting an orchestra. Streams of azure data began to converge and take shape under her command.

"Your existence is nothing but a farce. Entertain me, Kevin. Even though your struggles are as fragile as ice over boiling water, they amuse me nonetheless."

"Finality—!"

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