Conductor shook her head. "I know you're anxious, Id, but this time, the possibility of helping a Herrscher break free from the Honkai's control is extremely slim. Perhaps we could attempt to extract her Herrscher core and sever her connection to the Imaginary, but as a Herrscher of the Previous Era, you should be prepared for the possibility of Wendy's death."
Conductor naturally understood what Id was implying, yet she still gave a negative answer. Wendy could not be saved.
"Mm..." Id's mood fell. She knew that Conductor's conclusion was not empty speculation, but a judgment formed after integrating all available information.
Scholar comforted Id. "Borrow the power of the stars to summon miracles; fulfill the heart's wish and nurture the fruits of past causes."
Lecturer explained, "We might attempt to awaken her human will. Although this leans more toward a miracle, it is also a gentler approach."
Magician extended her hand, and the white cockatoo spread its wings and flew. "Mm, then it's decided. We'll adopt both plans! We'll start with the gentle approach, then move on to the forceful one. Saving that adorable girl trapped within the Honkai is our duty."
Id clasped her hands happily and smiled. "Thank you, Magician. I'll leave the performance to you."
Please... the other me!
After all, when it came to direct confrontation, among all the Vill-Vs, only Magician was best at escaping. Winning a fight head-on was impossible—so the only option was to keep running.
Magician patted her chest confidently. "No problem. Leave it all to me."
Conductor shook her head helplessly. "Sigh—you all really spoil her."
The situation was already extremely unfavorable, yet they still insisted on attempting other possibilities.
The white cockatoo flew toward the dome of the Chicago Circus, heading into the dark mist.
Lowering her full thighs, Magician rose from the darkness. With a flick of her fingers, sparks burst forth, and one massive searchlight after another ignited, their beams piercing the sky and tearing apart the storm's fog.
At this moment, Magician stood astride the top of a massive cross-shaped prison, overlooking the stage, confirming that all preparations were complete.
The wind howled. The searchlights illuminated the girl's figure. She wore a hat embedded with intricate gears and electronic components, and a brown punk-style magician's leather coat. A tight red-belted corset cinched her waist, accentuating her full and captivating figure.
Her long, exquisite boots tightly wrapped her slender legs, extending gracefully up to her knees. Two black straps circled her plump thighs, tightly binding that fullness.
The straps seemed like a mysterious symbol, amplifying her charm infinitely. As Vill-V walked with elegant steps, the straps shifted along her exposed thighs, quietly expressing a fusion of elegance and allure.
This was the Magician's orthodox armament—proof that she was ready to go all out. Something was about to suffer for it.
Id: "Even though I really want to complain that I've always been wearing this outfit—I'd rather say, 'Please step on me with those long boots.'"
Conductor: "As long as you believe in independent personalities, you can justify anything, huh!"
...
While large-scale construction was underway at Chicago Prison, the MOTH Australian experimental base—previously destroyed by mechanical unrest—was also being rebuilt. The person in charge of the project was none other than Dr. Edison, head of the Energy Department.
The Australian base had always been the property of their faction, so Edison's superiors assigned him to oversee the reconstruction.
Sitting in his office at the experimental base, Dr. Edison had felt uneasy ever since learning that Vill-V was heavily modifying Chicago Prison.
From satellite images, she had merely transformed the prison into a cross-shaped structure. It did not even resemble a proper prison. It all seemed meaningless.
After all, a cross-shaped structure that was wider at the top and narrower at the bottom had extremely poor stability. Prisoners could easily dismantle the load-bearing walls and cause the entire structure to collapse.
Could it be that Vill-V was actually a Christian? So she built a religious hotel? That... didn't seem entirely impossible.
"What exactly is Vill-V trying to do? Forget it. I'll just stop approving materials for her and make her behave."
Just as Dr. Edison was lost in thought, a research assistant called him. "Something bad has happened, Dr. Edison! New Zealand has detected a surge of Honkai energy! A Herrscher may have been born!"
"Damn it!"
New Zealand lay southeast of Australia, separated by only five hundred nautical miles. The Herrscher could very well reach Australia—or even affect it directly from New Zealand. After all, the Third Herrscher's Honkai influence had reached Shenzhou.
Dr. Edison had no intention of being caught in a battlefield involving a Herrscher.
As soon as he hung up, another call came in. It began the same way:
"Something bad has happened, Dr. Edison."
Edison grew impatient. "I already know a Herrscher has appeared in New Zealand!"
He was about to hang up and prepare to flee.
But the researcher on the other end wasn't talking about that.
"Ch-Chicago Prison... it's... it's taking off!"
"Fuck!"
...
The underground shelter beneath the Michigan Wetlands Ecological Exhibition Hall had become nothing but ruins. Wendy walked out expressionlessly, a blood-scented tornado still lingering behind her.
"..."
"Humans are always like this—foolishly building cages for themselves."
Before she could leave the museum, a golden spear of light tore through the sky, piercing the tornado like lightning. At the moment it struck, a powerful energy field erupted, completely erasing the tornado.
A spear.
She looked up.
Above the Chicago Circus, a shocking sight unfolded.
A massive cross stood suspended in midair, wrapped tightly in golden chains like coiling pythons. Bound within those chains was a gigantic missile—the very spear of light that had just pierced the tornado.
Whirlwind Breaker—Spear-Type Missile. That was the name given by Expert. It could generate an energy field capable of reversing and neutralizing tornadoes.
Although Wendy understood that this was a trap laid by humans—a provocation directed at her—
She would not retreat.
Because she was the wind.
She shot toward the massive cross, moving at ten times the speed of sound without producing a sonic boom. In just six seconds, she crossed dozens of kilometers, arriving at her destination as if by teleportation.
The moment she arrived, she saw a magician standing midair atop a pillar of light, posed with one hand shading her gaze as if looking into the distance. She seemed surprised—and delighted—by Wendy's arrival.
"All non-combat personnel, please clear the stage. Magician, please take the stage~"
"Wow! Welcome, my adorable audience! You received my invitation!"
"Welcome to Vill-V's Marvelous Circus Carnival~"
"Here you'll find the most thrilling high-altitude duo acrobatics, the most entertaining clown comedy, and the most masterful magic performances!"
"Are you ready to enter?"