Collapse, survive

Thus, without realizing that it was just a "chance encounter," Fang Jie almost got placed on the urgent elimination list, but he had already obtained the basic resources needed for survival.

"Is that all? Is there a faster way to make money?"

He glanced at his earnings with slight displeasure. The income from robbing petty thugs was really not high, especially since he couldn't take the initiative to rob them out of consideration for Kiana's meal. Instead, he opted for the inefficient method of entrapment, catching a few scoundrels who wanted to harm him, an innocent passerby, and extorting their coins with a few punches and kicks.

This event is also recorded in Academy City.

"Never mind, it's good enough."

After putting away his spoils, Fang Jie continued his wandering ways, kicking trash cans and slapping people.

Not knowing that he was almost assassinated by the Ural Silver Wolf does not mean he was unaware of the dangers of Changkong City. The most pressing danger is that a Herrscher will inevitably be born.

There is no Herald of Thunder, but there is a Herald of Poison.

Changkong City already possesses the external environment necessary for the birth of a Herrscher. The accumulation of this massive amount of Honkai energy is due to Otto's laissez-faire attitude and Cocolia's encouragement. However, even without these assistances, the Great Honkai would have been born sooner or later.

Because that's what collapse is.

Faced with this situation, money can be said to play a role, but it is not very important either. Coupled with his identity issues, he, who is suspicious from head to toe, has no choice but to disguise himself and impersonate Shenjin.

Dozens of trash cans have already been kicked over.

Hey, there are more ahead.

He walked forward excitedly, no longer shy, glancing left and right to see if anyone was there, before confidently kicking the soccer ball—

"what?!"

Someone exclaimed in surprise. He turned his head with a mix of nonchalance, disdain, and joy. He saw a seemingly delicate purple-haired girl wearing the same white school uniform as Kiana from Chiba Academy.

Fang Jie was used to the person's natural purple hair and striking good looks that clearly surpassed those of ordinary people, and wouldn't readily expel them from the human race.

That one glance seemed to startle her; she took a step back, lowered her head, and didn't dare look at him. She didn't know what to do with the garbage bag in her hand, so she hid it behind her back.

"This school lets out so early? I'm supposed to have evening self-study until after 11 pm, you bastard."

Fang Jie had no intention of scaring her, and with a sigh, continued wandering.

Chapter Three: A Cry for Friendship and Bonds

'I'm sorry, I was wrong, I'm sorry... No, no, no, no...'

Inside the room, the girl sat stiffly on the floor, hugging her knees, head down, face buried, letting the woman who called herself her mother hit her. Her expression began to show fear and grievance.

Normally, she would only get a scolding, but there was nothing she could do about it; she had done something wrong.

Today the mistake was even more obvious; I actually dared to argue with my mother and explain why I was gone for so long, but my mother clearly didn't think that excuse like 'looking for a trash can' was appropriate...

It's a lie, isn't it?

Disobedient, an eyesore, and a liar—he must be taught a lesson!

She didn't try to explain herself; everyone is like that. She doesn't like to talk, doesn't fit in, can't read the room, is a weirdo, and that's why she gets picked on.

All you have to do is be patient.

Hearing her mother's scolding and feeling the pain, she didn't cry, only felt wronged.

Just then, they heard the sound of the door being opened.

Strange? My mother is hitting me, and I'm being hit by my mother... Who's opening the door?

Thinking this, she was one step ahead of her; the mother turned around and screamed, "Who are you? How did you get in here..."

"Snapped!"

What a loud and familiar voice! It always seemed to come from a young girl's face.

Then came a "thud," a devastating slam that caused secondary damage, and the world was finally at peace.

For some inexplicable reason, Sato Yuno thought, then fear gripped her. The sudden silence made her afraid to look up, afraid to face the unknown changes unfolding before her eyes. She kept her knees drawn up, burying her face where no one could see her.

Fang Jie didn't disturb her, but instead shook his hand and looked on with satisfaction.

If it's a group of people, he'll move his feet around in a very small area like a butterfly step in boxing, but when it's a one-on-one fight, he'll just raise his palm slightly in the air, aim at the cheek, and hit one person at a time without making a sound.

It can be done with either a forward or a backward motion, with either hand. It's all done in one fluid motion, like a thunderbolt, as if forged through countless trials, a single strike guaranteed to kill, a single, fatal blow—it has already reached the realm of having a sword in one's heart, even without one in one's hand!

More importantly, he's fair!

Whether they're thugs or sluts, ignore what these bastards are babbling about, just slap them all.

There is no reason why perpetrators can act with impunity while victims are burdened with concerns.

He takes action whenever he sees something he doesn't like, even if it means acting tyrannically.

Moreover, this is a rescue operation, an extremely urgent matter.

He casually grabbed the unknown woman's hair and tossed it aside. Now there was no longer any barrier between him and the silent, trembling purple-haired girl. Fang Jie narrowed his eyes slightly, sensing that there was indeed a hidden Honkai energy gathering towards her. It didn't immediately turn her into ashes, nor was it corrupted into a monster like a zombie. Instead, it miraculously merged with her, slowly gathering more energy.

In the Honkai world, the only ones capable of doing this, besides those born with Stigmata, are... Herrschers.

Considering that the 'Will of Honkai' has already determined the order and powers of Herrschers, the current civilization's limit for possessing such qualifications is that it can only become a pseudo-Herrscher.

"Yuno Sato?"

he asks.

Upon hearing her name, the girl trembled again, not daring to look up or not to respond. Like an ostrich playing dead, she let things unfold as they would, prepared to endure the pain.

always like this.

But there was no response. Seeing that she didn't respond, Fang Jie wasn't in a hurry. He simply left her alone, then picked up the kettle and drank water as if he were at home. He even looked at the kitchen and went in to cook with great interest.

Pots, pans, and utensils are all at my disposal.

The woman woke up halfway through; after all, Fang Jie was kind, and his strength was obviously a little lighter. The woman had no objection to the stranger appearing in her home. Even though Fang Jie wasn't the type to say harsh words, she suffered quite a bit and obediently cooperated… a robber?

When Fang Jie, who had given her money, walked out of the kitchen with the pot, he saw her kneeling down.

"Spare me, spare me! I'll give you anything you want..."

Half of his cheek and eyelids were swollen, and he was speaking haltingly and incoherently.

"Go back to your room."

Fang's explanation is concise and to the point.

The woman felt as if she had been granted a pardon and rushed towards the bedroom, leaving behind her daughter, who had also been kneeling there at some point.

She also longed to hear similar instructions. This man was terrifying. Even breathing the same air as him made her tremble uncontrollably. It was a fear of absolute violence, an unconscious shudder at the thought of anyone who might become the perpetrator.

Unfortunately, she couldn't leave.

"Stand up, don't kneel."

The girl immediately stood at attention, very well-behaved.

However, Fang Jie felt that the Honkai erosion was consuming significantly more of his life force energy than in other areas, so he figured he probably wasn't that scary.

This process must be stopped, otherwise, not only will the nearby neighborhoods be doomed to destruction, but this person in front of us will also become a Herrscher and eventually force Theresa to her knees.

After glancing at the householder's surname and deciphering the Far Eastern script, Fang Jie was able to confirm that she was Sato Yuno, the Herrscher of Poison.

As for how to stop it? In the absence of dispelling the gathering of Honkai energy, trying to prevent her from developing negative emotions is an effective method. Currently, Raiden Mei is experiencing the opposite, continuously generating negative emotions.

So what should we do? She doesn't appreciate it at all. Yes, I broke into your house and knocked your mother to the ground, but it was all for your own good. We can't just let your mother keep courting death until she forces you to kill her.

You can completely trust me, be my friend, and get positive emotions from me (loud voice)

However, nothing happened. Sato Yuno trembled as she watched... I'm eating like crazy! His appetite is so obvious, and his eating manners are even more unrestrained.

People, if you're going to die, die well-fed.

Seeing the trembling girl, Fang Jie chose to start with interpersonal relationships: "You don't need to be afraid of me. I'm Kiana's friend. I'm providing you with a free ride-hailing service. This service is free. The person who bullied you has already been beaten up. Remember to leave a good review."

Kiana?

Upon hearing the familiar name, Sato Yuno finally stopped looking dazed and silly. Although she hadn't changed much, the gradually gathering Honkai energy did slow down.

it works.

But it didn't help much; she remained silent, her entire demeanor radiating passivity.

Fang Jie didn't continue, giving her time to calm down. She devoured the food in a flash, leaving only the portion left for Sato Yuno untouched. When she finished, she said, "I'm full. You can eat as you like."

He turned his back and, as if he were no stranger to others, prepared to fall into a deep sleep.

This person, this person...

It wasn't until this moment that Sato Yuno came to her senses. She still couldn't understand what had happened. It seemed like only a blink of an eye had passed, and she was now lying on the ground.

Aren't you leaving?

Should we call the police?

She thought about something her mother hadn't even considered, and then silently gave up. Even if she called the police, probably no one would care, and she didn't want to cause trouble for others.

Looking at the food that was clearly meant for her, food that even her mother didn't have, the girl bit her lip slightly before daring to secretly peek at the guy who had suddenly barged in so arrogantly.

I'm sleeping so soundly!

Unscrupulous!

How arrogant!

Why? How could something be so strange... No, it seems there are such people, she knows people like that too.

Kiana, who helped her when she was being bullied.

However, Kiana only pays attention to that Raiden Mei.

If it were Kiana, what would she say?

Probably--

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine after they beat me up. I get beaten up all the time at home, I'm used to it."

Looking into her mother's room, there was no sound, and no one seemed to care about her being left there. Large tears streamed down Sato Yuno's face.

……

……

The next day, as if nothing had happened, the stranger who had suddenly barged in also suddenly left, disappearing without a trace.

The mother's room was never opened; she hid inside, too afraid to go out.

"I am leaving."

Sato Yuno still has to go to school; it's a habit of hers.

If you're a student, you should go to school.

'Chiba Academy.'

On the rooftop, watching this scene, Fang Jie, who was basking in the early sun, did not follow.

He definitely wouldn't go and raid an all-girls school. Beating up ordinary people is fine, he wouldn't be afraid even of those useless cops in the Far East, but when it comes to Honkai, especially when it involves Anti-Entropy, Schicksal, and Herrschers...

The civilian technology in the Honkai world is very simple and unadorned, basically not beyond his understanding, but once it comes to Honkai, it is almost 'omnipotent'.

Approaching this powder keg rashly is extremely dangerous. Has he not considered having a heart-to-heart talk with Raiden Mei, chatting and laughing with Kiana, expelling Bronya, and then meeting those 'familiar' Valkyries?

It's completely sealed off right now.

But he was unwilling to leave just like that, after all, there were opportunities within the danger.

He's not some Star Core Spirit who can beat up Doomsday Beasts just by wielding a Galaxy Bat. His superpowers are more geared towards escaping than combat. His physique, which prioritizes survivability over physical strength, is enhanced by the energy of his destiny.

This physical attribute bonus wasn't even enough to get him out of the snowfields of Beloborg. He couldn't even defeat the lowest-level monsters roaming the Rift without a suitable weapon.

Therefore, the only option is to find a way in this broken world to gain the power to leave the snowfield, embrace the promising Beloberg, and then develop to the point where he can board the train.

The Star Train isn't for everyone.

'I definitely don't have anything like a Holy Mark. As for mechanization, I don't care; the same goes for bio-modification. It'd be more cost-effective to go to the other side if I had that idea. But piloting a mecha…'

Actually, the best choice is the Divine Key, or rather, becoming a Herrscher. With Welt's gem preceding or following, well, anyway, this thing is very useful.

It works well, but it's also difficult to manage.

'Then the goal is clear: get a mecha.'