Boom!
Two figures collided in a sea of blood. A contained sonic boom condensed to its limit before exploding, forcefully clearing an open space in this endless crimson world.
A silver-haired man with iridescent eyes stood on the edge of the blasted sea of blood, staring viciously at the black-haired man on the other side. Golden Imaginary energy pulsed in his palm, and chains extended from beneath his skin like sentient tentacles, acting as sentries around him.
Lin landed on the opposite side. He was empty-handed, gasping for breath as he drifted in the seawater, utterly exhausted.
The silver-haired man before him had left with the Pseudo-Herrscher Core when it was stripped from Lin body. Because Lin hadn't become a true Herrscher, his own consciousness remained in his body. However, the Pseudo-Core had become his second heart; he would die if it left him. Lin had been on the verge of death when the cloaked man saved him.
But the greatest threat, the Pseudo-Core, had returned to Lin body. In fact... it had undergone significant changes.
Originally tainted with the power of the Herrscher of Death, the Pseudo-Core had been absorbed by the Herrscher of the Void and then stripped out again, gaining a portion of the power to manipulate Imaginary energy. Now, without Yama using the Oath of Judah to seal it, Lin own consciousness was struggling to hold on.
However...
The silver-haired man swung his right arm, and Imaginary energy condensed into a Void Spear. Accompanied by chains, it shot out toward Lin!
Seeing the spear about to pierce his skull, Lin took a deep breath and swung his right arm in kind. Orange-yellow Honkai energy burned in his right fist as he smashed the spear, shattering it into pieces!
Inch Force: Turbulent Thunder.
Since using the "Taixuan Sword" while in a mindless state, Lin could now perform the Taixu Sword God techniques the cloaked man had taught him. However, he couldn't replicate the Shenyun itself. It had been like a stroke of enlightenment after discarding all impurities—no matter how much he reminisced, he couldn't remember how he had done it.
It certainly gave him the feeling of a Shenzhou immortal cultivator.
The silver-haired man's attack failed. Lin was exhausted, but he didn't continue the fight. Instead, the man retracted the chains into his body, stared at Lin, and slowly sank into the sea of blood.
Lin panted heavily, sinking into the ocean toward the bottomless abyss.
...
Lin opened his eyes amidst ruins. He slowly rose from the rubble and looked up to see where he was.
If he wasn't mistaken, he had returned to the proper world. But... what time was it? His own time, or five thousand years into the future?
The sky was dark. After standing up, Lin found a place to rest and think about his situation. He couldn't tell where he was yet, but his physical condition was clear.
The cloaked man had used some unknown method to repair Lin body and had shoved the Pseudo-Core back inside him.
Without suppression, the Pseudo-Core began to clash with his consciousness again. Normally, Lin should have succumbed and turned into a new Herrscher, but there was another unexpected factor—
The cloaked man hadn't just put the Pseudo-Core back; he had also shoved the Herrscher Core from the Oath of Judah inside him.
Yes, Lin now had two cores in his body, just like the Herrscher of the Void he met in the world bubble.
However, this Herrscher Core didn't erode Lin body or consciousness. The Herrscher's consciousness within that core was silent, existing inside him like an ordinary gemstone.
But the consciousness within the Pseudo-Core had to be wary; if the consciousness in the true core were stImmerated and re-emerged, it would be trouble if it tried to dominate him like the Herrscher of the Void.
So, he was in a strange stalemate. Even though Lin was only one step away from being swallowed by the Pseudo-Core's consciousness, and despite having two cores in his body, he could still maintain his original self.
But how long this would last was unknown. Once the Pseudo-Core found an opening, or the true Herrscher Core woke up, Lin would instantly become a Herrscher dedicated to destroying humanity.
After weighing his options, Lin stood up and walked in one direction.
The horizon turned pale, and Lin finally arrived at what looked like a settlement. He looked up at the dilapidated houses and thought of the ruins he saw earlier, falling silent.
He could imagine the impact the sinking of the Mu continent would have on human society. For many, it likely felt like the beginning of a meaningless end.
First, I need to confirm if the Tenth Herrscher has passed.
"It's finally over."
Dystopia breathed a long sigh of relief after completing another mission.
"Yes. We can go back." Even the stoic Kosma showed a faint smile. Though they hadn't found the eerie Tenth Herrscher that bothered them, no major issues had arisen later.
"Kosma, after this is over, let's have everyone gather together again."
Dystopia wore a complex smile—melancholy, nostalgia, sadness... Kosma saw many emotions in her eyes, but he didn't know how to comfort his childhood friend.
Everything had changed. Ever since the Ninth Herrscher, nothing was the same. The people who used to laugh together had unknowingly changed; some became names in a cemetery, others became colder and more solitary.
It was as if the warmth of those days was merely an illusion.
"When the time comes, Kosma, you have to help me pick out gifts. I'm leaving it to you this time."
The young girl felt a surge of joy just thinking about picking gifts and sending her feelings to her friends. She wanted others to remember her. No matter what she became or where she went, she wanted them to think of her when they saw her gifts.
To transcend time, turning into a strand of thought wrapped around their hearts.
"Me?" Kosma scratched his messy hair sheepishly. Asking him to pick gifts was truly putting him in a difficult spot...
"By the way, how is your harmonica practice going? Hehe, play something for me."
Dystopia's mischievous smile made Kosma smile back. Sometimes he felt very tired. When he heard news of Ato and Lin deaths, he felt as if a blade had pierced his chest.
He could do nothing but commemorate. Only remember.
Kosma took out the slightly damp harmonica, placed it to his lips, and played softly. Dystopia hummed a low tune and closed her eyes, leaning against Kosma's shoulder. Listening to his playing, she gradually felt at ease.
In a world plagued by Honkai, a single moment of peace was enough.