[HI3] Protocol Stigmata

Chapter 61 - The Herrscher of the Void

[Back to Raiden Mei's perspective]

Mei rushed to join Theresa on the bridge. "Principal Theresa," she called out, her voice steady despite the urgency.

Theresa, focused on the controls, acknowledged her without turning. "Great work, Mei. The defense barrier is completely disabled. The Hyperion is almost over the laboratory."

Mei frowned, a sense of unease creeping in. "Something isn't right. Their defenses collapsed too easily. It feels like a trap."

Before Theresa could respond, the Hyperion shook violently, alarms blaring. "What's going on?!"

"Strong dimensional fluctuations detected in the immediate vicinity!" the operator reported.

Suddenly, the ground beneath Mei gave way, and she felt herself plummeting into a dark void. "Ah!"

"Mei!" Theresa shouted, turning just in time to see her disappearing into the abyss.

Mei's eyes widened as she fell, her mind racing. Just then, a familiar voice called her name. "Mei-senpai."

She opened her eyes to see Kiana, cradling her securely. "Kiana...? Are you okay?" Mei asked, her voice trembling with relief.

Kiana grinned, her eyes glowing with an unsettling yellow hue. "I've never been better. It's like I've been given a second life!"

Mei's relief turned to horror as she noticed Kiana's transformed appearance: her eyes were cross-shaped and yellow, her battlesuit more revealing and adorned with sinister black fur. "Who are you?" Mei asked, fear creeping into her voice.

"I'm so happy to see you beside me when I wake up. Now it's time for us to become one, my other half," Kiana said, her voice echoing with an otherworldly resonance.

Before Kiana could act, a lightning katana materialized in Mei's sheath. A phantom figure made of lightning emerged, slashing at Kiana and pulling Mei away.

Mei landed on her feet, her heart pounding. "The 3rd Herrscher...?" Mei whispered, recognizing the phantom as a version of herself.

"We're too late! The Honkai has possessed her! She's extremely dangerous now!" the phantom warned.

Mei stood tall, unsheathing her katana. "That's exactly why I'm not letting go of her!"

"I'd knew you say that." The lightning phantom smirked. "Hmph. Fine. If we're going to fight a Herrscher, you'll need Herrscher-grade powers to win this, right?" the phantom then dissolved into bright light and merged with Mei's heart. "Don't let me down."

"I won't, "Lightning surged around her, the Honkai energy swirling and crackling as it enveloped her body. She faced Kiana, ready for the battle ahead.

Mei charged at Kiana, their blades clashing with a burst of energy. Kiana, now the Herrscher of the Void, blinked away just as Mei closed in, reappearing at a distance and hurling spears through dimensional rifts.

Mei moved with lightning speed, her katana a blur as she parried and dodged the onslaught of spears.

Each deflection sent sparks flying, the air crackling with energy. She pushed forward relentlessly, her eyes never leaving Kiana, who continued to evade her with swift teleportations.

Kiana smirked, summoning more spears, but Mei pressed on, weaving through the attacks.

The battlefield echoed with the sound of their clashing weapons and the hum of Honkai energy.

Mei lunged at Kiana, but just as her blade was about to connect, Kiana blinked away and snapped her fingers. Time froze, leaving Mei and everyone else immobilized.

"Move..." Mei screamed internally, her frustration building. "Move...!"

I must save Kiana...!

...MOVE!

Lightning crackled around Mei's legs, breaking through the time freeze. Kiana's eyes widened in surprise as Mei dashed forward with incredible speed. But just as Mei's blade was about to strike, Kiana vanished.

"Is she gone? Or did her powers go rampant?" the 3rd Herrscher's voice echoed in Mei's mind.

"...Kiana?" Mei's eyes darted around, searching frantically. Suddenly, a dimensional hole opened behind her.

Before Mei could react, Kiana emerged from the rift, grabbing her by the neck and lifting her off the ground. Mei struggled, Kiana's grip tightened, her expression cold and unyielding.

Mei's vision blurred as she looked up at Kiana, whose cold gaze pierced through her. Slowly, Mei reached out, her hand trembling, "Ki... Kiana... Wake... up..."

Kiana's eyes widened, their color returning to normal as she released Mei's neck.

"Arghhh!!" Kiana screamed, clutching her head in pain.

Mei, gasping for breath, watched as Kiana backed away, still writhing in agony.

Her screams turned into eerie laughter. A small orb materialized from Kiana's back, transforming into an eye that ascended into the sky, creating a dimensional hole.

A single honkai beast poured out.

"What... What's happening?!" Mei exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock.

An Honkai beast rushed at Mei, knocking her back before she could react. "Ack!" Mei rolled and stopped, coughing, as she looked back at Kiana.

The Honkai beast vanished from its position, reappearing behind Mei, ready to strike. Just as it was about to attack, the beast suddenly halted.

Mei turned to see a Titan mech, revealing from invisibility appearing to block the attack. More Titan mechs revealed themselves one by one, engaging the Honkai beasts and swiftly eliminating it.

The Titan mechs swiftly dispatched the Honkai beasts and then redirected their focus toward Kiana.

"Is this... Anti-Entropy?" Mei muttered, watching the mechs charge forward.

Kiana raised her arms and brought them down, altering the environment. She ascended into the air, stepping onto a small platform as more dimensional holes opened behind her, unleashing a fresh wave of Honkai beasts.

Hovering in the air, Kiana pointed at the Titan mechs, signaling the beasts to attack.

The battlefield erupted into chaos. Titans and Honkai beasts clashed fiercely, metal and claws colliding. One by one, the Titan mechs and Honkai beasts were destroyed, but the flow of enemies seemed endless. The mechs were overwhelmed, falling in the relentless onslaught.

Kiana continued her ascent, her presence commanding the battlefield. "Humans... Your existence is a mistake," she declared, her voice echoing with authority.

"War, deceit, jealousy, greed. You once took everything from me... But today, I will devour everything." Her eyes glowed with malevolence.

"Because... I am the Honkai!"

The Titan mechas regrouped, revealing artillery units ready to target Kiana. As they locked their aim to Kiana,

a barrage of missiles launched towards her.

Kiana's expression remained unfazed; she smiled. With a snap of her fingers, dimensional wormholes materialized, swallowing the incoming missiles. "Hmph... Insects," she muttered.

She held an orb in her hand and directed it towards the Titan mechas. Dimensional wormholes opened behind the Titan army, and the swallowed missiles reappeared, striking the mechas and reducing them to rubble.

Mei and Kiana stood amidst the wreckage and burning metal.

Benares appeared, its roar echoing through the battlefield as it landed behind her.

Kiana descended gracefully, standing near Benares's head. Her gaze locked onto Mei, eyes cold and menacing.

[A/N: While I was writing this chapter, I was listening to this music video. Listen to it before you leave. I'll probably get copyright but hey it's worth it!]