I'm a little panicked when I cross the collapse

The moment the fire tornado collided with the ice spear, the entire headquarters of the Fire Moth fell into a deathly silence.

Immediately afterwards, an extremely terrifying energy shockwave spread out in all directions from the point of impact.

boom--!

The loud bang echoed through the sky.

Most of the Firemoth headquarters was instantly reduced to ashes by the shockwave. Skyscrapers collapsed, the earth cracked, and flames and ice intertwined, turning the area into a living hell.

After the shockwave dissipated, the two figures in the sky looked somewhat disheveled.

Kevin knelt on the ruins, his ice spear shattered, his face as pale as paper, and the blood from his wounds staining his combat uniform.

His strength was completely exhausted.

Himiko hovered in mid-air, her long red hair plastered messily to her cheeks, and a trickle of black blood spilled from the corner of her mouth, a sign of her power being exhausted.

The two Herrscher powers within her had begun to repel each other (because they hadn't fully merged due to time constraints), causing excruciating pain.

The Will of Collapse knew that if it dragged on any longer, it might be waiting for another Moth of Flame to appear...

Himiko looked at Kevin, who was kneeling on the ruins, and a complex emotion flashed in her crimson-gold eyes.

That was Himiko's consciousness, briefly awakened for a moment in the cracks of the collapsing will.

She saw the devastated headquarters, the burning ruins, and the wounds on Kevin's body.

A pang of guilt welled up in her heart.

But this trace of guilt was quickly overwhelmed by the roar of the collapsing will.

You can't beat me.

Himiko's voice turned cold and hollow once again, "Next time we meet, I will burn the Moths of Fire to ashes."

As soon as she finished speaking, her figure transformed into a crimson streak of light in the gale, flying into the distance and quickly disappearing into the horizon.

Kevin looked in the direction she disappeared and slowly lowered his hand.

His body swayed, and finally he couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed into the ruins.

The wind and snow grew heavier and heavier.

It covered the burning ruins, the scattered debris, and the ravaged land of the Firemoth headquarters.

In the distance, the sound of rescue troops' footsteps could be heard.

At the edge of the sky, that crimson streak of light was flying towards the unknown distance.

A new disaster has just begun.

Moth of Fire headquarters

The night, like paper scorched by fire, pressed down fragilely and heavily on the ruins.

The air still carried the acrid smell of burning, mixed with dust, which, when blown by the wind, drifted among the broken buildings, as if still weeping for the horrific battle that had just ended.

The temporary command center of the Moths was located on the ground floor of a partially collapsed building.

Behind the heavy alloy door, the light was a stark white, a stark contrast to the dim world outside. Several senior executives sat around a conference table, their faces etched with exhaustion and unease.

"...Is it confirmed? The Seventh Herrscher is really one of our own?" One of them broke the silence, his voice hoarse.

The researcher in charge of intelligence nodded, his expression complex: "Yes. Her identity has been verified. She was originally the captain of the elite fifth squad, and then suddenly awakened as the seventh Herrscher—the Herrscher of Flame."

There was dead silence in the conference room.

They were not unfamiliar with the birth of Herrschers, nor were they unaware of the catastrophes brought by Honkai. But this time, the situation was completely different—a Herrscher was born from their own ranks.

“What’s worse,” another researcher added,

"According to the last footage transmitted from the scene, she took away the Herrscher Core of the Herrscher of Wind, who had been killed earlier, during her battle with Kevin."

This statement was like a bomb, exploding on the conference table.

"What?!" The executives stood up abruptly, their faces filled with shock.

“The power of a single Herrscher is already this troublesome,” someone gritted their teeth, “If she were to completely merge with the power of the Herrscher of Wind… what would she become?”

No one can answer this question. Because the answer can only be—unimaginable horror.

"How is Kevin doing?" A senior executive changed the subject, trying to calm himself down.

The medical director shook his head: "It's not good. He was seriously injured in the battle with the Seventh Herrscher. Although he is not in immediate danger, he will need a long recovery period."

"Then let's send him back to base first and do everything we can to treat him," another high-ranking officer said. "As for the Seventh Herrscher... we must find her as soon as possible!"

"I have already given Dr. Mei orders her to immediately begin tracking down the Seventh Herrscher."

The top official said in a deep voice, "At the same time, recall Alicia immediately."

"Alicia?"

Some people were surprised, "Wasn't she just sent out on a mission a few hours ago?"

"Given the current situation, we can't afford to worry about anything else."

The top leader's gaze was firm. "She is one of our best warriors, and one of the few who could possibly stand against the Seventh Herrscher."

The meeting ended in a somber atmosphere. The high-ranking officials left to carry out their respective tasks. Meanwhile, on the other side of the ruins, Alicia stood at the edge of a burned-out forest, gazing thoughtfully at the distant city skyline.

She received an urgent recall order for the Fire Moth.

"The Seventh Herrscher...it's her?" Alicia murmured softly, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

Just a few days ago, she visited Lu Qiong at Himiko's house, but unexpectedly...

"Alicia,"

Dr. Mei's voice came through the communicator, "The Seventh Herrscher has appeared. The situation is urgent. You must return to base immediately..."

"I know."

Alicia took a deep breath. "I'll go back now."

She turned and began her journey back to base. Her steps were firm, yet carried a subtle, almost imperceptible heaviness.

Meanwhile, deep within the city ruins, a figure stands silently before a sea of ​​fire.

That is the Seventh Herrscher—the Herrscher of Flame.

Crimson flames burned around her, unlike ordinary flames; these flames seemed to possess a strange power capable of devouring everything. In her hands, she held two Herrscher Cores.

One of them was hers.

The other one is the Herrscher of Wind.

"Wind...fire..." she murmured softly, her eyes vacant. "What would happen if these two powers were to merge?"

She looked up at the sky. The sky was covered with dark clouds, as if foreshadowing an even greater disaster to come.

A strange smile appeared on her lips.

He then turned around and disappeared into the sea of ​​fire.

...........

Alicia returned to the Firemoth's base.

The base was a hive of activity. Doctors and researchers were providing emergency treatment to Kevin, while soldiers were preparing their equipment, ready to depart at any moment.

As Alicia entered the command center, the higher-ups immediately came to greet her.

"Alicia, you're finally back."

The top official breathed a sigh of relief. "You should already know the situation, right?"

"Yes."

Alicia nodded: "The Seventh Herrscher took away the Herrscher Core of the Herrscher of Wind."

"We must find her before she fully integrates the two powers."

The top leader said, "Dr. Mei has begun tracking her whereabouts. What you need to do is to find her and successfully kill Himiko before she merges with the core of the Herrscher of Wind. Even if you can't, you must delay her actions as much as possible to buy us time."

"I see."

Alicia said, "But... I have a question."

"You said."

"Do we... really have to kill her?"

The conference room fell silent again.

"She is already a Herrscher."

A high-ranking official said coldly, "The Herrscher is the spokesperson for Honkai. No matter who she was in the past, she is now our enemy."

Alicia lowered her eyes and remained silent for a moment.

"The enemy?"

"I see."

She raised her head, her eyes resolute. "I will do my best to stop her."

...

In Dr. Mei's laboratory, various instruments were running at high speed. Data flashed continuously on the screens, displaying the energy fluctuations of the Seventh Herrscher.

"Still moving."

Dr. Mei stared at the screen, her brows furrowed. "Her energy fluctuations are very unstable; she seems to be trying to fuse two Herrscher cores."

"Can you pinpoint her location?" Alicia asked.

"The general direction can be determined."

Dr. Mei said, "She is moving deeper into the city's ruins, where the concentration of Honkai energy is highest."

"That place... is where the Sixth Herrscher awakened?" Alicia whispered.

"Yes."

"Are you familiar with that place?" Dr. Mei asked softly.

"Well, I was previously sent to clear out Emperor-class Honkai Beasts near that city... so I know a bit about that area."

"That's good."

Dr. Mei said, "You should leave immediately. I will continue to track her location from the base and report back to you as needed."

"it is good."

Alicia turned and left the laboratory. She changed into her combat suit, picked up her weapon, and set off towards the depths of the ruins.

Deep within the city's ruins, the concentration of Honkai energy was suffocatingly high. A pungent odor permeated the air, and the ground was riddled with cracks from which purple Honkai energy occasionally oozed.

Alicia moved carefully through the ruins. Her senses were highly focused, and she was constantly aware of the movements around her.

"Alicia,"

Dr. Mei's voice came through the communicator, "According to energy monitoring, the Seventh Herrscher is about 500 meters ahead of you."

The communicator's indicator light flickered a faint blue light near my ear, like a star buried in dust.

"Alice, judging from the peak concentration of Honkai energy, you are very close to the target coordinates."

Mei's voice remained calm as always, yet carried a hint of tension, "Within a three-kilometer radius ahead, the concentration of Honkai energy has exceeded the safety threshold by seven times. I suggest you—"

"Is it right that you're suggesting I retreat temporarily?"

Alicia chuckled softly, her long pink hair fluttering gently in the wind amidst the ruins. "But Mei, you know I'm not the kind of girl who turns and runs away when danger strikes."

She looked up at the desolate city skyline.

Once, this was a bustling metropolis. Neon lights flashed, cars flowed endlessly, and people shuttled through the streets and rushed between skyscrapers, all for life, for dreams, and for those insignificant yet real little moments of happiness.

Then, the Sixth Herrscher of Death was born here.

Death, like a silent tide, spread from the heart of the city to every corner. The glass on the streets was stained dark red, and the high-rise buildings leaned against each other like shattered playing cards. Now, all the noise had subsided, leaving only decay slowly flowing in the air, like some kind of viscous and cold blood.

"This is... the city where the Sixth Herrscher of Death was born," Alicia murmured softly.

She had read countless reports about this place in the documents.

But when she actually stood before these ruins, the oppressive feeling that seeped into her very bones still made her hold her breath.

"Alicia,"

Mei's voice rang out again, "According to the latest energy analysis, the Seventh Herrscher—Himiko—is very likely absorbing the residual Honkai energy here."

"absorb?"

Alicia raised an eyebrow slightly. "Didn't she already possess the core of the Herrscher of Flame and also steal the Herrscher of Wind?"

"The fusion process of the Herrscher core is not stable."

Mei explained, "If she chooses to perform the fusion in an area with a high concentration of Honkai energy, the success rate will increase significantly. But correspondingly—"

"Correspondingly, once the fusion is complete, her power will become even more terrifying."

Alicia picked up where she left off, her eyes gradually becoming serious. "I understand."

She took a deep breath, her pink pupils standing out brightly against the gray backdrop of the ruins.

“May, keep monitoring her energy fluctuations for me,” Alicia said. “I’m going to say hello to her.”

"Alishia——"

"Do not worry."

She chuckled softly, "I cherish my life very much."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the communicator, followed by Mei's brief reply: "...Understood. Be careful."

Alicia shut down the communication and stepped into this city of death.

...........

There is no wind in the city, at least not in the normal sense.

The air seemed to freeze, with only Honkai energy slowly flowing through it, creating an eerie "breath." Each breath made Alicia's nerves even more tense.

She walked along the broken streets, her feet treading on shattered glass and steel bars. Former shop signs lay fallen to the side, their flashing neon lights long since extinguished, leaving only empty metal frames.

"It's so quiet!"

"Alice said softly."

It's too quiet.

It was so quiet that even her own heartbeat sounded exceptionally clear.