Chapter 86: Volume 2, Chapter 18: Turmoil in the Sea of Quanta
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Xia Chen wasn't incapable of opposing the Herrscher of Binding. If he fully mastered the Authority of the Herrscher of Wind, aided by Ana and Sirin, his strength wouldn't fall short compared to Hexacore Sirin.
However, the issue lay in his refusal to acknowledge his own Herrscher identity, preventing him from triggering a Major Honkai Eruption and gaining recognition from the Will of Honkai.
Furthermore, the Authority of Binding also affected other Herrschers.
Thus, he needed to collaborate with Fire Moth.
Naturally, Xia Chen harbored some greed as well.
The Herrscher of Binding absorbs all Honkai Energy, but if targeted collectively, could it trigger a Major Honkai Eruption?
And would such an eruption help him unlock the power of his Herrscher Core?
Despite knowing that the Honkai Energy in simulation scenarios is not genuine, there's always a chance, isn't there?
After all, his Herrscher Authority emerged from the simulation space itself. Moreover, in his original world, he never dared to use the full strength of the Herrscher of Wind's powers, but here, he has no such reservations.
By adapting and developing his Authority through simulation scenarios, Xia Chen aims to harness its potential fully.
"I can manipulate Ideal Fluid to cut open the barrier, then utilize spatial forces to send one of you inside."
"Once the barrier is breached, the Herrscher of Binding's Authority will also be momentarily halted. This window allows for safe attacks without interference."
Kalpas, however, displayed disdain, "Oh? Just some gusts of wind?"
"Do I need to remind you how the Fourth Herrscher died?" Kalpas' words visibly irritated Xia Chen.
"In comparison, I think you should worry more about another issue," Xia Chen retorted.
"Since I can steal Authorities, how do you know others haven't already taken the Authorities from deceased Herrschers?"
The group's expressions drastically changed.
Xia Chen had never been particularly magnanimous, and using these words to intimidate them seemed quite satisfying.
"Well then, let's begin."
Surprisingly, MEI was the first to react, realizing this wasn't the time for further deliberation. To overcome Honkai, even collaborating with a Herrcher might be deemed necessary.
However...
If Honkai consciously acknowledges Herrschers, there could potentially be ways to exploit this knowledge, MEI pondered.
At that moment, Xia Chen remained oblivious to MEI's thoughts.
Watching Kalpas' restrained anger, unable to fully express it, gave him a secret sense of satisfaction.
Of course, now wasn't the time for such feelings.
Under the mixed gazes of confusion and astonishment, the surrounding air began to compress intensely.
Soon, the golden barrier appeared strained under immense pressure, developing visible cracks.
Even MEI couldn't maintain her composure anymore.
Previously, Prometheus had calculated that to break this barrier, at least 500 hydrogen bombs simultaneously exploding would be required. While it could shatter the shield, it would also usher in a nuclear winter.
Yet now, Xia Chen possesses a similar level of power...
But he claims to be an unacknowledged Herrscher by the Will of Honkai.
Does this imply that some enemies previously faced by Fire Moth were similarly unacknowledged?
This conjecture warrants deeper investigation, as Fire Moth's research on Honkai has remained superficial until now. MEI realized that without understanding these underlying aspects, defeating Honkai would remain impossible.
She instructed Prometheus, "Please contact Dr. Mobius and Lady Vill-V."
"Yes, Doctor."
Leaving aside internal matters within Fire Moth, Xia Chen himself was under immense pressure.
He felt close to shattering the Herrscher of Binding's barrier but always fell just short.
However...
"Kevin, your opportunity is next."
His face slightly paled as Virtual Space manifested around Kevin.
Sirin's Authority allowed her to disregard distance within spatial dimensions; naturally, covering greater distances required more Honkai Energy.
However, for Xia Chen at present, the energy expenditure was negligible and not worth considering.
"Now, unleash a powerful attack."
Kevin hesitated momentarily before launching an impressive strike using Might of An-Utu.
[Through your collaboration with Kevin, the Herrscher of Binding has been recovered.]
[The Schicksal World experience has concluded. You may permanently retain the following items and extract them into the real world. Congratulations! You have obtained Homunculus Energy Fragments x10.]
As Xia Chen opened his eyes back in reality, simultaneously, somewhere within the Sea of Quanta, a man named Kevin also awakened.
"It's been quite some time already," he murmured thoughtfully. "Dreaming of past events with different outcomes..."
"Is this their way of reminding me?" He spoke softly to himself, sitting alone in an empty palace.
"It's time to return." As Kevin stood up, the entire Sea of Quanta began to erupt chaotically.
At Anti-Entropy's Salt Lake Base,
Einstein received an unexpected communication.
"Cocolia?" Her tone carried a hint of seriousness. "What are you planning this time?"
The relationship between Einstein and Cocolia was strained, especially after Raiden Ryoma's wrongful imprisonment orchestrated by Cocolia, followed by the Major Honkai Eruption in Nagazora City. This led to a complete severance of contact between them.
With Welt. Yang currently absent from Anti-Entropy, neither Einstein nor Tesla had sufficient power to restrain Cocolia.
Moreover, Cocolia had successfully gained influence over North American elites, forcing Einstein and her allies to remain at the Salt Lake Base, waiting for an opportunity to act.
As a result, they were powerless to prevent Cocolia when she triggered Honkai events in Singapore.
"No need to be so tense, Dr. Einstein."
Cocolia paused before continuing, "The Eye of the Abyss laboratory detected some data that I believe would pique your interest."
She promptly transmitted the information to Einstein's communicator.
Initially frowning, Einstein's expression then shifted dramatically.
"The agitation in the Sea of Quanta has intensified further. What exactly is happening?"
A month ago, the Eye of the Abyss detected unfamiliar, inorganic lifeforms resembling Honkai Beasts. Through these entities, Anti-Entropy identified the weakest point connecting the Sea of Quanta to their world.
Something mysterious was unfolding at that location.
However, just as Einstein sought to investigate further, Schicksal's interference forced her to halt.
Einstein suspected Cocolia deliberately leaked this information to Schicksal, aiming to eliminate them through their hands. Yet, there was no concrete evidence for this suspicion. Moreover, even if proof existed now, it wouldn't change anything.
With the alliance leader severely injured, there was nobody left to restrain the radical faction's leader.
The executive system within Anti-Entropy had indeed allowed rapid growth but also granted its executives excessive power.
Since the end of the Singapore Honkai incident, Cocolia had maintained relative restraint.
But why did she come here now?
"This is precisely why I sought you out, Einstein," Cocolia began. "Let us collaborate. The Eye of the Abyss conceals a massive secret; both of us understand the immense implications of this knowledge."
"How can I trust you?"
"Because you have no other choice." Cocolia spoke like a classic villain, saying, "I can temporarily relinquish control over the Eye of the Abyss and promise not to take action against you during this period. In fact, having the conservative faction within Anti-Entropy benefits my plans more, don't you think?"
She continued calmly, "Our goals align—we both seek to defeat Honkai."
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