LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 8: Arc Apocalypse. Part 3 (1/3)
Even for someone like Kiana Kaslana, the barrier encasing the church was a real head-scratcher.
She could only observe the shimmering wall with bated breath, desperately searching for a weakness of that barrier.
Thankfully, Bronya and the others eventually showed up, recounting their own experiences, observations, and theories.
And wouldn't you know it, their comms decided to kick back to life at that very moment. It was fate! (Or maybe just convenient timing.)
They quickly looped in the old geezers (that's what Tuna calls them, don't judge) back on the Hyperion to brainstorm some countermeasures.
They managed to identify the type of energy binding the barrier, and with that, a plan began to form.
They planned to use the Moonlight Throne to fire a shot to check the situation,
Well, it worked...sort of. While it did neutralize some of the energy, the darn thing just regenerated itself. Turns out, the barrier had some OP auto-repair function.
On the bright side, it meant the Moonlight Throne could theoretically overload the barrier, they just needed a lot more juice. Like, way more than even the Hyperion could dish out at once.
It was a classic case of "right idea, wrong power level." Back to the drawing board...
When several people were having headaches, Bronya stood up and calmly said that she could create the Moonlight Throne Array... to fill this gap.
She needed an extremely large amount of Honkai energy and...to completely activate the Herrscher core in her body.
Talk about a high-risk, high-reward situation. But with the clock ticking down to that ominous 12-hour mark, it was their only shot.
Kiana, Seele, Liliya, and even the usually Rozaliya stepped up, channeling their Honkai energy to their resident Silver Wolf.
Bronya calmly dissected, analyzed, and sorted out every detail of the Moonlight Throne, feeling as if her brain was almost exploding.
Bronya got to work, dissecting, analyzing, and optimizing every single detail of the Moonlight Throne's design. Her brain was basically on fire, but even with the Herrscher of Reason's powers streamlining things, replicating such an advanced piece of tech was no walk in the park.
It was like trying to speedrun a PhD in astrophysics...blindfolded...while riding a rollercoaster.
And then...Bronya's consciousness drifted. She found herself face-to-face with a familiar figure from the past.
The first-generation Welt was looking at her silently, surrounded by the ashes and remnants of war, with black ruins scattered all over.
-----
"Wait... Moonlight Throne?" Vill-V and Mobius exchanged bewildered glances.
The name rang a bell, but it shouldn't have existed in this era, right?
If it really was the same weapon they had created, then obliterating that barrier would be like swatting a fly. So then...did this mean someone had managed to reverse-engineer their tech?
"Moonlight...Throne? Hmm, that sounds familiar..." Kiana mused, tilting her head towards the ceiling.
Suddenly, she found herself the center of attention, everyone staring at her expectantly.
"What? Don't look at me like that! You really think someone would give me something like that as a...birthday present?" While the name did trigger a distant memory, Kiana was quick to deny any personal connection.
After all, her mom was still around, keeping a watchful eye on things. No way a fake Kiana could pull that off under her nose!
"But...it seems like it could actually work! Finally...it's Bronya's time to shine!" Bronya declared, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she observed the schematics unfolding on the screen.
No problem at all! From now on, this was the standard she'd strive for!
Moonlight Throne? She'd build it! It was go big or go home for the Herrscher of Reason!
Bronya gritted her teeth, determined to see this through.
Luo Mo wasn't exactly holding his breath for Bronya's "big moment." Sure, it was a step up from her usual blunders, but context was everything.
Compared to the grand showdown with Otto, where practically the entire main cast banded together to give him a (relatively) dignified send-off in that quaint little town he'd crafted over 500 years?
Well, let's just say everyone else's performance had been pretty spectacular.
Bronya had simply taken a decisive step from "fake Herrscher" to "legit Herrscher." She'd finally embraced the Herrscher core and, dare he say it, her responsibility to the world.
The real loser in all of this was Rita, who not only got defeated but also involuntarily inherited the mantle (and memes) of "Miss 50/50" and "The Undefeated." Ouch.
Ah, to be Rita right now...said no one ever.
"As expected of Bronya-onee-chan..." Seele, ever the devoted fangirl, gazed upon Bronya with starry eyes.
It didn't matter that Bronya's track record was a tad...inconsistent.
Her other Self might've enjoyed rubbing it in, but Seele's admiration for her beloved Bronya-onee-chan ran far deeper than mere displays of power.
"But...Welt-San? I don't remember encountering him when I merged with his core..." Bronya mused, her brow furrowed in thought as she tapped her chin.
While she'd had a head start and some expert Anti-Entropy tutoring, Bronya couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the Herrscher of Reason's combat prowess. It felt...clunky. Overly complicated.
She'd always assumed it was just her, still getting used to the whole "omnipotent god of logic" thing.
Turns out, she hadn't fully earned her core's respect yet!
This was straight out of those cheesy fantasy novels she'd devoured as a kid—only instead of a wise old geezer in a ring, it was a sullen teenage boy.
Still, at least now she knew what she needed to work on.
Time to pump those "Herrscher and Core Bonding" stats!
-----
When Bronya saw the boy in front of her, something clicked in her mind.
She had never truly understood what Mr. Welt had taught her.
He said the power of the Herrscher of Reason came from the accumulated knowledge of human civilization, and that this power was the key to the miracles that the first generation of Welt alt could achieve.
When she gathered all her resolve and came to this space, the first thing she felt when she saw him was... ordinary.
Yes, the boy in front of her was just an ordinary boy.
He was no different from the countless ordinary people she had seen before. His appearance, demeanor, and determination... none of them stood out from the crowd.
This ordinariness reminded her of Seele.
But even if he was ordinary, when something important was threatened, he would erupt with unimaginable power in order to protect it.
Bronya silently declared her intentions to the boy in her heart.
"The world" wasn't a cold, heartless concept, nor was it a mere slogan.
Every living person built their own unique world. These worlds would merge with the worlds of those around them, creating a larger world.
And the world that Welt represented was the result of this process repeated countless times.
No one could ever shoulder the responsibility of protecting the entire world.
But everyone could have the desire to protect it.
To protect the people they wanted to protect, to explore the future they wanted to reach...
These complex human emotions existed within each and every one of us. When they shone together, all of us would find proof of our humanity.
Walt was just a name.
Bronya was just an ordinary human.
The ordinary boy watched the girl pour out her heart, silently smiling at her.
His gaze seemed to say, "We knew all along that you would eventually reach this point."
She had hesitated.
She had been afraid.
But she had overcome her inner fear.
Perhaps, she could truly bring new hope to humanity...
The thoughts of 300,000 people swirled around her, a chaotic symphony of doubt, denial, belief, and encouragement.
But now, Bronya had the resolve and the will to carry those 300,000 thoughts on her shoulders.
They had made their final choice: to believe in her!
The background music swelled, the angelic reconstruction score weaving its way into the air. The stirring melody tugged at the players' emotions, drawing them into the quiet spectacle of the Herrscher of Reason's transformation.
As 300,000 thoughts flooded her mind, millions of wills filled her consciousness, tearing at her soul.
Countless sparks of thought flickered in Bronya's mind, a barrage of naive, cautious, brave, and resolute beliefs assaulting her spirit.
The blue gem on her chest blazed with light, radiating a dazzling brilliance.
Countless terms were deconstructed in her mind, one by one. The complex diagrams she once couldn't understand were now effortlessly solved in the presence of 300,000 people. The power of the Herrscher of Reason expanded at an unimaginable speed.
— Humanity would change the world with its own will.
As long as the goal was something that a mortal could reach,
As long as it was a miracle that civilization could achieve, a destination that civilization could reach...
The Herrscher of Reason could recreate it in an instant.
"The power of one person may not be enough."
"The thoughts of 300,000 people may not be enough either."
Bronya, enduring the tearing of her consciousness, spoke in a slightly trembling voice.
"But Bronya, at this moment, is the true 'Herrscher of Reason'—"
Her eyes opened, catching a glimpse of her companions' worried expressions. Her gaze fixed on the golden sky before her, where Honkai energy surged. She would fulfill her promise to her companions.
As the miracles that civilization had achieved unfolded around her, the brilliance of the Herrscher of Reason reached its peak.
"Bronya will challenge Honkai on behalf of human civilization!"
"Moonlight Throne, 6x power... construction start."
Six main cannons materialized from shadows beside her. In front of this somewhat fragile girl, the monstrous mechanical cannons complemented each other with a strange beauty. As the countdown to full charge approached,
Bronya held her breath, aiming beyond the light curtain.
"Fire!"
Six beams of light burst forth simultaneously, striking the golden light barrier. Combined with the cannons of the Hyperion in the distance,
The powerful energy clash shattered the light curtain, opening the path forward.
[This is the true Herrscher of Reason, the true Bronya, the true... me!!]
[Unbelievable... is the Duck about to rise?]
[This is lit! As expected, the Herrscher representing civilization isn't going to be that weak!]
[Time to change the name (sigh), Welt Duck]
[The Herrscher if Reason. The Herrscherof truth.]
-----
"Using the Herrscher of Reason to construct the Moonlight Throne..."
Mobius glanced at Bronya for a moment, then quietly looked away.
No matter what, the fact that she could do it showed her potential.
Being able to create the Moonlight Throne, even for just a few moments, was undeniably powerful. At least some experiments that they thought were hopeless could be conducted with her help.
Some experiments weren't impossible to set up, but it was a matter of time, and Kevin wouldn't allow them to go crazy.
It was the kind of thing that was simply safer to do now.
Even though she and Vill-V were always messing around, they knew better than to force technology to catch up with Honkai's development in this area.
"Indeed, quite good. And she has enough willpower... so to speak, she's drawn a good hand,"
"The two most important abilities for humanity are conveniently placed on the first two Herrschers. If she can master them, she'll have the foundation to do many things."
Vill-V watched the screen with satisfaction, speaking casually.
It was a shame that she hadn't become the Herrscher of Reason. Otherwise, with her abilities, even without those 300,000 thoughts,
Moonlight Throne? As long as she had enough Honkai energy, it would be a breeze!
Unfortunately, as a memory-based being, she could never become the Herrscher of Reason. A bit of a shame~
Then, she looked at Bronya with a fiery gaze. Before, she thought she could easily replicate anything Bronya could make, but some things obviously required external conditions and facilities, which Bronya didn't have.
That's terrifying.
"A human Herrscher? And... a Herrscher who fought for humanity from the very beginning..."
Elysia watched the ordinary boy and Bronya on the screen with curiosity. Bronya bravely faced the weight of the world.
And her understanding of ordinary people and the world filled Elysia with relief.
Perhaps, she had truly made a good choice back then...
"Bronya, at this moment, is the true Herrscher of Reason..."
Kiana looked at Bronya, repeating her words with a chuckle, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "So what about you now? You wouldn't be a fake, would you..."
"You're the fake one, you fake Herrscher of the Void."
Bronya retorted expressionlessly, looking at Kiana, whose mischievous intentions were written all over her face.
But in her heart, she remembered her boss's words—he had also said that she was fake. This made her a little conflicted, after all, her boss's words usually had some merit.
"Humph, of course I'm fake. Now, call me the Herrscher of Flamescion."
Kiana proudly puffed out her chest, a mere Herrscher of the Void, a big villain, how could she compare to the righteous and glorious Flamescion.
"There's a bit of a gap between Bronya and her game counterpart, but Kiana's is much bigger..."
Bronya said coldly, but a spark of warmth flickered in her heart. Her game counterpart was truly amazing, incredibly powerful.
Everything that happened before was just a fluke!
"Big? That's true,"
Kiana looked down at herself, then at Bronya's chest, and nodded in agreement.
"You...!" Bronya didn't want to deal with her.
-----
After the light curtain finally vanished, before anyone could cheer, there was a thud as Bronya collapsed.
After accomplishing something that even the previous Herrscher of Reason couldn't manage, her body and mind were near exhaustion.
The Moonlight Throne, as the pinnacle of human technological achievement, even with the assistance of 300,000 minds, still caused Bronya's consciousness to faint. She slumped to the ground.
Fortunately, Seele was there to catch her, whispering her name.
Seeing her sister in such a dire state, Seele was both anxious and panicked, her eyes darting around.
Soon, she saw the black abyss white flower, planted in the ground.
If there was any way to save Bronya now, it was only this Divine Key. Whether it was trust in her other self or concern for her sister's safety,
She decided to take a chance.
So, she stepped forward, and together with the other Seele, they activated the Black Abyss White Flower.
Pure white energy and crimson shadows burst towards the lance.
The black abyss white flower trembled gently, causing countless plants around them to grow vigorously. The radiance of life poured into the small figure lying in Seele's arms. Bronya frowned and murmured, quickly falling back into a deep sleep.
"Thank goodness... Sister Bronya..."
Seele sighed with relief.
It was just a deep sleep from exhaustion. The void in her body had been filled by the black abyss white flower.
Now, she had time to observe other things, like the other Seele who had borne the brunt of the pressure.
"Seele... are you alright..."
She silently called her name in her mind, but there was no response.
"The other me? Are you okay?"
"..."
[Tsk.]
[This black abyss white Flower consumes... what should I call it, life force? The price it demands... is indeed different from what I expected.]
[Speaking of which, weren't you quite worried just now?]
Veliona teased, her expression had been too obvious.
"Of course! You can't scare me like that next time."
Seele relaxed with a sigh.
[... (Strange, how am I supposed to respond to that?) Okay, okay, yes, yes. I'm a good girl, Seele, I'll listen to everything from now on—]
Veliona blushed slightly, but no one could see her in her consciousness.
She was clearly a little flustered by Seele's straightforwardness.
[You're spoiling her dad!]
[Duck, who can't be cool for three seconds, has had his license revoked again. Strange, why did I say again?]
[Still gotta rely on Seele, Duck is so bad]
[No duck shaming... Speaking of which, Seele is truly the woman who embodies all the orphanage's nutrients!]
The following conversation was interrupted by another commotion in the sky.
The disappearance of the golden light curtain didn't mean the end of things. Instead, countless dark golden gears descended from the heavens. The gears interlocked in a strange way, but it was just a manifestation of power. The gears interlocked and rotated, with a feeling of freezing everything.
They fell from the sky with unstoppable might, their momentum overwhelming and unstoppable.
For those below who had poured all their strength into dealing with the light curtain, this was undoubtedly a fatal disaster.
Even if they wanted to move, they had no strength left.
At this moment, a piercing sound ripped through the air. Theresa's assault ship arrived on the battlefield.
Facing this situation, she had already made a certain decision.
In the absence of the ability to retreat, forcing a retreat might cause even more harm. And no one could say for sure what the consequences would be if the power of binding descended again.
She wouldn't retreat anymore.
The students of St. Freya had grown into people she never dared to imagine.
They could decide their own destinies, they could choose what they wanted to protect. Even if they were separated by the heavens, they would not stop marching towards the bright gate.
Those things she had promised Cecilia, one by one, had transitioned from fantasy to reality.
So... what she needed to do was clear.
As the headmaster, she had a responsibility to protect that future. The future... that belonged to them!
Theresa stood on the deck, gazing at the gears appearing in the sky. She was familiar with them, and she understood their lethality.
But some things had to be done.
She gripped the weapon in her hand and whispered,
"Judah, my old friend, you've always been capable of anything. So..."
Golden light pierced through the clouds, illuminating her face. Her small face hardened with determination, her blue eyes filled with resolve.
Sunlight streamed through her white hair, making her look like a holy maiden.
"One last time, help me..."
Judas's Oath, zeroed rated power.
Divine Blessing Barrier, Elysion Pedion!!
The small figure standing before everyone, the cross behind her instantly launched forward.
The chains accurately struck the gears above and the Imaginary Numbers Seed within them, dissolving, dissipating, collapsing... two similar forces clashed.
Theresa Apocalypse achieved her expected victory—
At the expected cost.
Did it work?
Theresa couldn't tell right now.
She strained to open her eyes. The dark gold gears in the sky were fading, returning to their clear, pristine state.
Her vision was blurry, the surroundings tinged with a crimson filter.
But… if it worked, that's all that mattered.
She had protected her precious students… The thought brought a wave of relief, washing over her.
She tried to speak, but her lips… no, her entire body was numb.
She couldn't even feel the wind anymore. All she could see were the fading sky and a few strands of her hair drifting in the breeze, reminding her that she was falling.
—Kiana, Bronya…
Everyone… please be okay…
For a Valkyrie, using the power of BINDING was like playing with fire.
It was dangerous, even forbidden.
But sometimes, there were things that had to be done, no matter the cost.
[Theresa… she actually looks kind of beautiful, unbelievable]
[Otto won't kill his granddaughter, right? Maybe, probably?]
[Tears! Finally, it's not the Judas Launcher anymore]
[Please, Oath of Judas~]
[I declare—this will be the Principal's final shining moment. Teachers at St. Freya are like this, they all get stabbed]
-------
Everyone present watched as the constraints' light curtain and gears dissipated, leaving behind a scene of awe and relief.
Both Seele and Theresa had performed admirably in this battle.
The two Seele's first collaboration had successfully utilized the Divine Key, Black Abyss White Flower, and with such perfection, they had brought Bronya back from the brink of death.
As for Theresa, she had finally shed the title of St. Freya's mascot.
She was the Principal, and it was her duty to protect her precious students.
Even in the most dire circumstances, she had to step up, sacrificing herself beneath the constraints' power, the Judas's Chain vanishing alongside the virtual seeds.
Her body, imbued with the Honkai Beast Vishnu's genes, was severely injured, but she had fulfilled her duty.
No matter the cost,
Theresa's small hand tightened, her eyes shining with determination as she watched the screen. Her on-screen self was performing brilliantly.
From her commanding tone to the final miracle she achieved, everything was deeply impressive.
The final scene of sunlight spreading, golden light colliding and vanishing, left her heart pounding with excitement.
"Aunt.. ah Principal she's pretty awesome, huh?"
Kiana scratched her nose, sighing as she watched the screen.
It was clear from the situation that they wouldn't have all been able to escape.
Although she still had some strength left, the others had poured all their energy into the fight, making even moving a problem.
Besides, it was already a miracle that Bronya was saved by Seele.
"How else could I be your teacher? I'm your Principal, after all."
Theresa glanced at Kiana, a hint of smugness in her tone. She had finally proven her strength.
"But Principal… Judas did most of the heavy lifting, right? You wouldn't… have any battles where you don't rely on Judas, would you?"
Kiana mumbled, a hint of embarrassment in her voice.
She admitted that Theresa's performance was impressive, but why did it always feel like she couldn't do it without Judas?
She understood that weapons were meant to be used by people, but… every time she saw the Principal carrying Judas, which was taller than her, it felt strangely comical. It was hard to say which was the main character...
"As for Judas, it's incredibly difficult to fully utilize a Divine Key."
Kallen didn't deny or confirm Judas's role in Theresa's success, simply stating calmly.
"You… I, I've obviously had battles before! You wouldn't think that I never went to the battlefield before Grandma gave me Judas, would you?"
Theresa glared at Kiana, her eyes sharp. This girl really didn't learn!
"Judas… if Theresa could use it like that and still remain conscious, then she would have a lot more cards to play."
Kallen sighed, her eyes narrowing slightly as she continued to ponder Otto.
The more she learned about him, the clearer he became, yet at the same time, he remained shrouded in mystery.
Throughout history, he had played different roles, all for the sake of his unwavering plan.
He had openly revealed his plan, admitting that he was a rational villain, refusing to deny his crimes.
His detached emotions, his unwavering resolve…
"As for Judas… if Theresa had come out of that unscathed, it would have been incredibly powerful. Few people can unleash its full potential."
"Speaking of which, she has an incredibly good compatibility with Judas. It feels like she has developed functions that I never even designed."
Vill-V's face held a hint of suspicion, but then a cryptic smile spread across her lips.
After all, it was the Herrscher of Binding,
After she designed it, there hadn't been a suitable user in the last century. In that sense, Theresa was quite impressive.
"Judas… from the game's description, Theresa considered a MANTIS, right? Is it really okay to use it like that?"
Mobius frowned, asking the question that had been on her mind.
She knew how harshly MANTISs were suppressed by Binding.
Although the two in the video were of different strengths, one was a final act under the Binding's curtain area, and the other was the activation of a Divine Key, it wasn't something that could be easily overcome.
"Hmm, who knows? But my gut tells me she'll be fine."
Elysia said, playfully glancing at Luo Mo, then her smile focused on Mobius' face. "Mobius~, how about we make a bet…"
"No bet. Goodbye."
Mobius cut her off coldly before she could finish, her indifferent eyes watching as the other's expression shifted from joy to confusion. A small sense of satisfaction bloomed in her heart.
She had visited the company several times, getting familiar with those people. How could she possibly bet on something like this with her?
"Hey, hey, hey, don't use your Principal as a bet."
Theresa heard the conversation from a distance, sighing helplessly. "After all, you're all in this school, you should at least look out for each other."
They were still on her turf, don't make fun of her like that.
"Uh… alright, I was just suddenly interested, no big deal if you don't want to. But you all did really well, everyone was exceeding expectations."
Elysia said softly, her eyes twirling as she looked at Theresa, becoming even more interested.
But to be honest, she went to Luo Mo's company to learn more about the Flame-Chasers, not counting her own little hobbies, of course~
The three Theresas were quite interesting, and their personalities were even more different than Fu Hua and the others.
"Hmm, that's true. They… their growth in the game is truly remarkable. The environment really does have a huge impact on a person's growth."
Theresa was initially stunned, then she remembered their performances, and she couldn't help but say hesitantly.
But to say she felt sorry, she truly did.
How could she, as her aunt, not worry about Kiana's experiences?
-----
But just as the battle took unexpected turns, the predetermined future was constantly changing.
A divine white light shot down from the sky. It didn't feel threatening, it even felt… reassuring.
In Theresa's memory, she had only seen such a holy light on one person.
"——Cecilia…"
The name from the depths of her memory escaped her lips. It was a wound that never healed in her heart, a source of both pain and comfort, a friend she would always cherish.
As her consciousness neared oblivion, she seemed to see her shadow once again.
Then she fell asleep.
After uttering that name in her mind, Theresa had no strength left.
She closed her eyes, letting herself fall without a care…
But the white light was no illusion. From within the divine light, the knight who had been sent back, returned to the battlefield.
"I'm late… Theresa-senpai—"
The knight who had returned from the Imaginary (stigma) space descended slowly from the sky.
The golden-haired knight had once again escaped the swamp of the virtual space, rushing from that distant, faraway place to the battlefield.
Black Abyss White Flower responded to her call, spreading a warm white light from the ground upwards, enveloping Theresa's overexerted body.
"I am the black from the abyss, I am the white that descends from the clouds;
Born before creation, existing after annihilation;"
Her voice echoed through the air, majestic, holy, standing unyielding in the sky.
The healing light illuminated the entire night sky, singing a hymn of apocalypse for the wounded.
The knight had returned from the Stigmata Space, wielding new power.
And with it, her Valkyrie armor transformed, black and white colors intricately adorning her. A black inner lining, white armor and patterns,
A strand of defiant white hair mixed in with her beautiful golden hair, symbolizing her own bloodline.
Now, her appearance had changed drastically.
Now, her will was even stronger.
Even if the path to salvation was long and uncertain, she had found a clearer answer in her heart.
[Theresa's head and Durandal's… certain part, when you compare them, it's so weird.]
[So it's Durandal who came back? And at such a convenient time…]
[Theresa mistook Durandal for Cecilia, this must be some kind of hint!]
-----