Compared to the Current Civilization fifty thousand years later with seven continents and five oceans, the Previous Civilization's map was slightly different.
In this era, before the birth of the Herrscher of Rock who controlled gravitational authority, humanity actually possessed land across eight major continents.
In what would be the South Pacific region fifty thousand years later, at this time existed a massive landmass named 'Mu.'
This land extended south from Tahiti Island, north to the Hawaiian Islands, east to Easter Island, and west to the Mariana Islands. Its area was equivalent to the combined area of North and South America.
It was the birthplace of this era's humanity, home to over one-sixth of the total human population, and simultaneously the center of human civilization's technology, industry, and culture.
Could even say more bluntly—Mu Continent was the current human civilization's heart. Once lost, would produce extremely fatal impact on entire human civilization's strength.
However, at this moment just past the Third Great Honkai, it still quietly stood in the South Pacific. Everything appeared so peaceful.
Mu Continent, a city near the northern region.
Inside an amusement park, a blue-haired man in casual clothing stood beneath a Ferris wheel, continuously surveying surroundings, seemingly anticipating someone's arrival.
The man named Hen reached into his pocket for the umpteenth time.
He touched the metal box in his pocket. Cool sensation transmitted from fingertips, making his spirit even more invigorated.
"Why hasn't Blanca returned? Does buying drinks take this long..."
Hen looked into the distance but didn't see that girl among the bustling crowds.
Just as he waited somewhat anxiously, he heard a familiar voice transmit.
"When out on a date with a girl, patience is essential. Be grateful you didn't choose to accompany her shopping at the mall!"
Hen turned around, discovering a suited man with graying temples walking over.
"Mr. Duke? What are you doing here?" Hen recognized this person—his direct superior at Fire Moth.
But seeing an acquaintance, Hen didn't show joy. Or rather, he'd chosen to take early leave precisely to avoid certain people recently.
Duke walked before Hen, answering bluntly: "I came specifically for you."
Hen's heart sank.
"Mr. Duke, I'm not interested in joining your gatherings."
He knew these people were preparing to pull all of Fire Moth onto their war chariot, intending to seize more authority from United Government. But he didn't plan to get involved.
"Hen, you're a talented person. You should step onto a higher stage."
"Sir, you really overestimate me." Hen said somewhat euphemistically. "I have no grand ambitions. Just want to live well. So I apologize."
Duke looked at him, pondering a while, then said: "Hen, you should have guessed what we're going to do. Can you guarantee you won't leak secrets?"
Hen looked at him strangely, puzzled: "...Eh? Mr. Duke, what are you doing here?"
Duke smiled. He patted Hen's shoulder, turning to leave while waving: "Enjoy your time with your girlfriend!"
After Duke left, Hen breathed relief.
"So easily let this matter pass?"
Hen felt surprised Duke so easily let him leave. However, simultaneously somewhat relieved. After all, rebellion—for him who now had attachments—was still too advanced.
Moreover, he also didn't believe these people who'd lost reason and conscience for power could truly lead humanity further.
Just as he thought this, he felt his communicator vibrate.
Hen originally thought it was a message from Blanca. But after opening, his pupils constricted slightly, one hand gripping the communicator tightly.
Because it showed Fire Moth's emergency conscription order.
Many words written, but summarized to one sentence:
—You, go kill Herrscher of the Void
He finally understood why Duke, that person, treated him—this rebellion-aware individual—so leniently. Turns out he never planned to let him return alive!
"Duke, you bastard, I..." Hen cursed lowly.
"Hen, what are you saying?" A gentle voice rang beside his ear.
Hen turned around, discovering Blanca currently standing behind him, holding a drink in one hand, looking at him strangely.
"Nothing. Just received a mission."
"Very dangerous?" Blanca asked, simultaneously handing him the drink in her hand.
"...Not dangerous. Just routine Honkai Beast cleanup mission." Hen received Blanca's drink, simultaneously trying to make his expression normal.
"I see..." Blanca didn't seem to notice anything abnormal.
Hen secretly breathed relief.
His other hand rubbed the metal box in his pocket. Ultimately still didn't take it out.
At this moment, Blanca suddenly said: "Hen, you asked me out today... are you going to propose to me?"
Hen's hand trembled violently. He hurriedly said: "No... clatter!"
Both followed the sound to look at the ground, discovering a silver-white box half a palm's size lying there. Box mouth open, revealing the delicate ring placed inside.
"..."
Their four eyes met. They looked at each other wordlessly.
While Hen remained silent, Blanca picked it up, asking: "When we just came out, I guessed you asked me out to propose... I accept."
"Ah?"
Blanca gripped the box into her own pocket, saying seriously: "After you return, we'll get married."
Hearing this, Hen's face first showed delight, then quickly became bitter: "I... might need to reconsider."
"Is it because of that mission just now? Very dangerous?"
"Really can't hide anything from you." Hen smiled bitterly: "I don't know if I can return alive this time. But if I do return, will you marry me?"
"So what exactly is the enemy?"
"A Herrscher. A complete Herrscher."
"..."
Blanca also fell silent.
The two just stood there until Blanca broke the silence, saying: "Hen, don't you think 'I'll get married when I return'—this phrase is full of flags?"
Hen thought about it. Indeed felt himself covered in flags. Practically just short of writing 'quickly go die' on his face.
Thinking of this, his mouth corner couldn't help twitching.
"Seems so!"
"So I think it's necessary to pull out your flags." Blanca grabbed Hen's wrist, walking toward outside the amusement park.
"Wait, Blanca, what are you doing?"
Blanca returned a smile, saying: "To prevent you from getting critically hit by flags, we're getting our marriage license right now!"
...
Solar System, beyond Earth.
Inside United Government's space battleship, Hen came to his senses. Looking through the screen at the scenery outside—in the cold void, massive rocks swept past from the side.
At this moment, he was one of Fire Moth's vanguard members in the expedition against Herrscher of the Void, flying with several dozen other battleships toward Herrscher of the Void in the Kuiper Belt.
The purpose was naturally to annihilate humanity's great enemy—Herrscher of the Void.
After the meteorites this Herrscher deployed were intercepted by United Government, she didn't remain on the ground but decisively used her unique mobility to fly into space.
Before United Government and Fire Moth could celebrate driving Herrscher of the Void away, detectors far in the Kuiper Belt transmitted extremely ominous information.
—That Herrscher of the Void was currently marking meteorite after meteorite with spatial markers in places Earth's civilization couldn't reach
The operations department quickly analyzed her purpose. This Herrscher of the Void still hadn't given up on the plan to cleanse Earth's surface with meteorites. Only this time, she prepared to use absolute quantity to defeat United Government's defense system.
If she finished marking thousands, tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands or millions of meteorites with spatial markers—
Then, borrowing Herrscher of the Void's authority, she could instantly rain millions of meteors on Earth, recreating the Cretaceous mass extinction, thoroughly cleansing human civilization surviving on the surface.
For this, United Government and Fire Moth urgently formulated a plan to kill Herrscher of the Void.
Know this: Herrschers weren't invincible.
Beyond their powerful mobility, as long as sufficient energy-level attacks landed on them, they could be annihilated.
Even one as powerful as Herrscher of the Void—if taking a high-yield nuclear bomb head-on, similarly had possibility of being killed.
Therefore, United Government urgently deployed recently constructed battleships. After loading high-yield nuclear bombs, they flew toward Herrscher of the Void, intending to blast her to death in space.
Yes, United Government possessed fleets capable of navigating the Solar System.
This was thanks to the great space exploration pioneer, Mr. Ryusuke. If United Government could achieve victory this time, would surely award him—still in prison—a big medal.
These vanguard members were participants in this operation.
Hen withdrew his gaze from outside, beginning to focus on this operation.
According to operations command's orders, this operation's strategy could be simply summarized as: quietly approach, then ambush.
Herrscher of the Void wasn't a fool. If discovering the fleet approaching, would definitely directly launch attacks.
Their battleships—essentially just transport ships—fundamentally couldn't be opponents. After engagement, would quickly become piles of scrap metal.
Therefore, must activate battleships' stealth modules, infiltrating near Herrscher of the Void.
Then, viciously ambush!
Although the battle plan was set, as a warrior who fought Honkai Beasts on battlefields, Hen knew this world never lacked accidents.
While piloting the battleship quietly toward the Kuiper Belt, he prayed to Blanca in his heart.
"Blanca, bless me with smooth sailing."
Perhaps Blanca truly gave her blessing. Hen suddenly felt the flying ship in motion halt.
Next moment, he heard alarmed cries transmit from the originally silent combat channel.
"What is this?!"
"Wrong, it's a trap! Retreat! Retreat quickly!"
"What?"
Hen was shocked. Through the battleship's display screen, he saw surrounding battleships that were originally infiltrating actually revealed themselves, but were being devoured by deep spatial rifts.
"No! No no! Ah!"
"Retreat quickly! Retreat!"
Communications began extinguishing one after another, falling into deathly silence.
Hen's heart suddenly felt panic. Sure enough, he discovered his surroundings also beginning to be covered by deep purple light.
The instant he was swallowed by this profound light, only one thought remained in his heart.
"Blanca, seems pulling out flags was also useless..."
...
"Hehe... wanting to ambush me? Do you think I'm some arrogant pufferfish?"
In the cold, silent space, Lucius controlled Unit Sirin sitting on a massive meteorite, watching distant flashes of purple light.
Each time light flashed, a battleship was devoured.
"With space manipulation—this bug-level ability—why would I fight you in close combat?"
Of course, besides this was another important factor. Their self-perceived stealth was completely transparent to him. Simply put—he had wallhacks enabled.
Deploying spatial rifts from far distances. Once the fleet sailed in, directly dragged into spatial rifts.
After clearing the fleet, Lucius cast his gaze into the previously opened Imaginary Space.
There, battleships were like insects frozen in amber. They were currently in Time Fracture. Until everything ended, they'd remain halted like this.
After all, he wasn't some devil. Couldn't possibly destroy cattle and horses delivered to his door.
These were all Fire Moth's quality combat personnel. Later, changing their organization would make them Valkyries, responsible for clearing global Honkai incidents.
However, after inspecting these battleships' construction, Lucius still couldn't help sighing: "When it comes to inhumanity, still you old bastards!"
Lucius discovered the nuclear bombs loaded in these battleships were actually in activated state. This was why he had to throw them into Time Fracture.
Without Time Fracture, they'd directly explode.
In other words, these people were actually disposable consumables sent by old bastards.
As long as Herrscher of the Void's presence was detected, battleships would automatically detonate nuclear bombs, making them perish together with Herrscher of the Void.
Shifting gaze from these battleships, after receiving information from Earth, he couldn't help frowning.
"Even at this point, United Government still hasn't transferred authority to Fire Moth."
"Seems still not urgent enough. Need to continue applying pressure."
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