[HI3] Protocol Stigmata

Chapter 65 - Final Advice

"Unidentified heat signature approaching from aft at 4200 km/h!" the operator's voice crackled through the speaker. "1000m... 800m... 500m... Wait! Target confirmed on monitors! Benares!"

As the elevator doors slid open, I stepped out and noticed a small aircraft plummeting toward me.

"Oh? Is that a gift?" I murmured, quickly unsheathing my purple katana and slicing through the aircraft, leaping outside in one fluid motion.

Benares roared loudly, preparing to unleash a torrent of lightning from her mouth. Anticipating the attack, I blinked onto her head and struck. Her head, however, was tougher than I expected. Instead of slicing through, my blow merely knocked her down.

I landed smoothly, ready to strike again. But suddenly, my surroundings shifted.

"Where... am I?"

"This is Imaginary Space," Tsurugi's voice resonated in my mind. "The origin of the universe, where the laws converge. Time here defies common sense, and the mechanics of this place cannot be calculated."

A sinister laugh echoed through the space. I turned slowly, watching as she descended from the air as if walking down invisible stairs, her eyes fixed on me.

"Do you think you can escape?"

My eyes widened, and then I broke into a grin, laughing. "Escape? Who's escaping? Escaping where...?" I looked down, gritting my teeth. "AND WHY?!"

I took a stance, readying myself for the confrontation.

"One-Blade Sakura..." I murmured, as Honkai energy enveloped my body, doubling my physical strength.

"Interesting yet futile," the Herrscher remarked, aiming her palm at me. With a flick of her wrist, I was yanked towards her, stopping abruptly as if colliding with an invisible wall. "Struggle all you want, worm," she sneered before forcefully pushing me away.

I slammed into the wall behind me with a bone-jarring impact, the force of the blow knocking the wind out of me. As I gasped for air, a cube materialized and began closing in, crushing me against the wall.

"Argh! That was too sudden... I can't breathe...!"

"I have to... get out... or I'll die... in this cube!"

Die...? Ahhh right... I'll die...

Suddenly, the Herrscher altered the size and shape of her spears, thrusting and slashing at the cube trapping me. The force of her attacks shattered it, and I collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

"Hmph... Pathetic," the Herrscher scoffed, turning away. But then a sword whizzed past her, forcing her to spin around, eyes wide, as she summoned a territorial void space to shield her back.

I struggled to my feet, breathing heavily. "Hah... I'll die at this point... but who cares." I smirked at her. "It's cool."

I sheathed the purple katana in the air and raised my arms, unsheathing a crimson katana. The world around me shifted to black and white, blood trickling from my eyes and down my cheeks.

My hair grew longer, turning white, and my eyes shifted to red.

"To defeat a Herrscher... you need Herrscher-level power..." My wounds began to heal as my St. Freya uniform transformed into a red haori over a pink kimono.

The Moon ring on my hand cracked and broke.

[Warning: The Honkai will completely unleash the Honkai energy stored within the body.]
[HW: 5000... 6000... 8000...]

[9000.]

"Impossible... You're a Herrscher?!" the Herrscher exclaimed, eyes wide with shock.