I opened my eyes to find myself in a room filled with laboratory equipment. Theresa sat in front of a monitor, typing rapidly.
"Principal Theresa?"
"Welcome, Shin."
"Where are we?"
"We're in the Babylon Lab in Siberia," she said, her voice echoing in the spacious room. "This is a crucial moment in our investigation. We've traveled back in time to February 7th, 2000, to learn more about the Herrscher of Sexual Desire."
"Why are we here? What happened on this day?"
"On this day, significant events transpired that led to the emergence of the Herrscher of Lusts. We're here to witness those events firsthand and gather information to help us deal with the current situation."
"I see... But isn't she in Japan? Why are we here in Siberia?"
"There's actually one man I know who studied her before..." With a click of the mouse, her monitor beeped. "Ah! Found it~"
I approached her to get a better look at the monitor.
She is a Japanese girl who is known for being a lesbian who is constantly sexually abused by some male students and developed an interest in other high-school girls. When the hatred for being rejected by everyone controlled her mind, she was corrupted by Houkai's will, who also became a serial rapist.
Later on, the more I read more about her information, the more I felt like puking.
Asakura was a quiet and reserved high school student enrolled in Senba High School, currently in her second year. Her introverted nature and reluctance to socialize made her a target for bullying by some of the male students, particularly those known for their delinquent behavior.
She was often gang-r*ped by delinquents, causing her to feel hatred for men and become interested in girls.
During her free time, Asakura would approach other girls she was interested in romantically. However, her unconventional approach and perceived strangeness often led to rejection, even from those who shared her sexual orientation. Faced with rejection, she resorted to drastic measures, kidnapping those who turned down her advances and r*ped them to death with brutal sexual acts.
Who the fuck would investigate her this far without helping her..? Plus... I killed her already due to her houkai will.
For being a newborn Herrscher, Asakura didn't have any powers beyond superhuman strength and was easily able to overpower normal humans when her anger of the Herrscher inside of her took control of her mind. Even so, as a Herrscher she was capable of transforming her body into a more menacing demonic entity and had a nigh-immortality powers.
As a newborn Herrscher, Asakura did not possess any powers beyond superhuman strength. However, when her anger took control of her mind, she was capable of overpowering normal humans easily. Being a Herrscher, she had the ability to transform her body into a more menacing demonic entity and possessed nigh-immortality powers.
And here I was wondering why I couldn't kill her.
"Are you alright, Shin?" Theresa's voice broke through my thoughts.
"No... I'm not..." I murmured, feeling a lump form in my throat as I absorbed the disturbing information. Asakura's background, her struggles... It all weighed heavily on me.
A wave of regret washed over me, knowing that I couldn't change what had already transpired. She was a victim of circumstances, consumed by the will of the Honkai.
"Argh...!" I clenched my fists, battling the urge to break down. It was a helpless feeling, knowing that her fate had been sealed by forces beyond her control.
"Shin... Killing her is the right option. If you regret your choice..."
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my trembling hands. "I know... It's just... It's hard to accept that this is the only way."
"It's never an easy decision, But sometimes, it's the only choice we have to protect others."
"I... I'll do what needs to be done."
Theresa placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, "You're not alone in this, you know?"
"Principal Theresa... I have a question."
"What is it?"
"I just realized something..."
"Hm?"
"Honkai energy seems to have a collective consciousness, generally seeking the extermination of human civilization. It can also contaminate machines and turn them berserk, while humans contaminated by honkai radiation can turn into zombies and other monsters... But why would Asakura be corrupted by the honkai's will?"
Theresa paused, pondering my question carefully before responding. "The influence of honkai energy is complex and often unpredictable.
"While it typically manifests in the ways you described, its effects can vary depending on the individual and the circumstances surrounding them."
She continued, "Asakura's case may be an anomaly, a convergence of factors that led to her corruption by the honkai's will. It's possible that her emotional vulnerability, combined with exposure to honkai energy, allowed it to influence her in ways we couldn't anticipate."
"I see..."
Theresa rose from her seat, brushing off her uniform. "Well then, let's get out of here now."
I nodded in agreement.
She directed her gaze upwards. "Database, return us back."
"Understood, Principal Theresa."
Our bodies began to glow with a red light, and we vanished from our location.
A few seconds later, we've returned back to where we vanished in the first place.
"We're back," Theresa said, stretching her arms as she walked away.
I followed, lost in thought. Suddenly, Theresa stopped in her tracks. "Huh? Kiana? What are you doing here?" she exclaimed, noticing someone nearby.
I looked up to see Kiana grinning at us. "Oh? Aunt Theresa! We're done!"
"Huh? Kiana? Did you follow us?" I asked, surprised.
"Huh? Followed?" Theresa turned to Kiana, "Kiana, why were you following us? And what do you mean we're done?"
"Principal Theresa? Haha, you're too late! Cecilia and I already took care of the 2nd Herrscher!"
"Eh? What are you saying, Kiana? There's nobody else here besides Shin."
What do you mean? Cecilia is standing right... beside... here..." Kiana turned around, only to find nothing.
"Cecilia?" Who is that?
"How did you end up in this dataspace?! Quick, let's go back. Everything here is–" Theresa was interrupted by a sudden explosion.
"Principal Theresa!" I exclaimed, rushing toward the explosion.
I summoned my pink katana and prepared for combat.
But before I could react further, a force struck the back of my neck, sending me into unconsciousness.
As I faded from consciousness, I caught sight of two figures looming over me
Fu Hua and... Kika?
Switching Point of View to Fu Hua
"To ensure our mission's success and your safety, Principal, please rest for now," Fu Hua said, turning to Theresa before addressing Kiana. "Kiana, your mother isn't here."
"Fu Hua... Kika too... Where am I? Where's my mom!?" Kiana's voice trembled with desperation.
"This dataspace is nothing but an illusion, Kiana," Fu Hua explained calmly. "The Babylon Lab and Cecilia you encountered were fabrications."
"What!? No, that can't be! My mom was here with me! We defeated the 2nd Herrscher together! I protected her!" Kiana protested, rushing toward Fu Hua. "Give my mom back!"
"Kiana, these are all illusions... Sirin has trapped you in your own dreams," Fu Hua said gently. "Everything you experienced was a lie, created from your desires."
Kiana sank to her knees, disbelief etched on her face. "This can't be... My mom has to be here! I-I'll use the magic spell!"
She began chanting the words, "Ich liebe dich," repeatedly, hoping to manifest her wishes into reality.
Warning: Strong Honkai Energy reactions detected
Suddenly, wings sprouted from Kiana's back, and her body glowed intensely.
"No... Kiana, I'm sorry, but you can't alter reality this time," Fu Hua said softly, turning to Kika. "Get Principal Theresa and Shin to safety and notify Otto." She then faced Kiana again, activating her shadow knight battlesuit, which glowed with shades of orange and yellow.
"It's time to wake up, Kiana."