Chapter 74: The Will of the World

A small ELF is now completed, as Ein did the finishing touches to it. "Booting. Hello I am Klein." It was a little droid, just above 1 feet tall. The looks were based on Klein, as it wore an eye patch. Mobius designed it, and she said it would be cooler, Ein rubbed off on her a bit too much.

"Hi, call me Dr. Mobius, or just Mobius. Welcome to this world, Klein..." The little droid looked up at her as she tilted her head.

"This world is dying, but you need not concern yourself with it. You are a free spirit, a free mind, a free Klein. Write your own life story, that is... My wish for you." She looked melancholic as she introduced herself.

Nuwa and Fuxi then entered the lab. "Wahhh! This is!?" Nuwa went up to the ELF and started poking it. "She looks just like Klein! Dr! Make me one that looks like Fuxi." She hugged Klein as Mobius turned her back. "Make one yourself, don't disturb me or Ein with your wishes Nuwa."

"Hmm, I'll give you a blueprint. Make sure to copy Fuxi well." Ein took out the way to make ELF's as he ruffled Nuwa's hair.

The little droid then started to look left and right. "Work, work. I need to work!" It started running everywhere as Nuwa ran after it. "Doctor, programming her like that..." Fuxi deadpanned at Mobius.

She shrugged. "She doesn't have any memories of Klein, so I programmed her to be a workaholic." Ein rolled his eyes as he pinched Mobius' cheek. "You're basically making the ELF work for free all the time. You evil woman." Mobius huffed as she looked at the droid, running around trying to finish work, just like Klein would.

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Vill, Ein, and Mei finally finished the 9th key. It was dual handguns that controlled gravity, with the 0th power unleashing pseudo black holes. "Ahhh, it's finally done." Ein spun it on his hands as he did a gunslinger pose.

"The question would be who would use it. I guess we just have to find out." Mei quickly called the main members of MANTIS as everyone that doesn't have a divine key quickly tried it out.

Kosma was pretty good at it, but he focused on close quarters combat with Vishnu's super strength. So it doesn't quite suit him, Aponia is like an Esper that uses honkai energy and lightning attacks. Making the lightning bolts bend and miss.

"Mou~ Ein, this divine key isn't cute at all. Why don't you make something suitable for me?" She whined and handed it to Eden. She started to use it as she finely controlled the surrounding gravity. "This is kinda like playing music, I certainly like this." With her experience in playing instruments and music, she could use her immense focus, sensitivity to her surroundings, and control to use the weapon excellently.

"Ohhh, anyone want it though?" All of the other shook their head and just gave it to Eden. As they lack the fine control and tuning to use the now named cosmic harmony. (pic here)

It is extremely dangerous, not only to the user. But the surrounding people as well, just like the Shamash. The weapon focuses mostly on destruction, except the 7th is for pure annihilation.

While they were at it, Ein decided to upload their memories to the golden courtyard. "Aponia, Su, Hua. Upload our memories to create the sims." Their minds were then picked by the mentally adept members, as they started to feel like their minds were being searched, every nook and cranny. While Ein uploaded his memories himself.

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There has been reports here and there of higher honkai beast activity. As Prometheus' date of prediction when the 11th herrscher will appear has already passed, and the core members are tense. Expecting another battle that just might destroy the sanctuaries for the remaining humans.

People started dying mysteriously, as Moth 1st suspected that it was because of honkai corruption. But it wasn't, they just dropped dead all of a sudden. And there isn't an underlying cause as well, the autopsies doesn't show anything suspicious.

"Weird, It's like the 8th herrscher all over again. But they just suddenly died, unlike with the 8th. There were no circumstances that indicates a presence of a herrscher... But that's wishful thinking." Ein examined the latest reports about the fatalities, as it is now spreading through the populace. Rumored to be a new illness called rapture. As the ones who died, looked to have perished so suddenly. As described by the bible when the rapture happens, those who are worthy pass on without pain and suffering.

"Yes, we need to investigate this more... I believe there is more to it than meets the eye." Mei dispatched agents that specialized in locating suspicious events or persons.

The sudden deaths continued. Even the agents succumbed, as their suspicions grew even stronger. At the sites where the people shut down, a woman was seen walking around. Not affected by the bizarre phenomena at all.

"Send in soldiers, we might have located the 11th herrscher. Do not engage in combat, just ask some question for now." Mei gave her orders as Ein thought what in the world her powers are.

Soldiers arrived at the scene as they quickly stopped her and asked questions. "Ma'am, this is now a restricted zone. Please tell us why you are here, it is dangerous here." The woman looked at them and then silently closed her eyes while staring at the sky.

"Oh my benevolent god, please forgive these sinners. I will send them to heaven as quick as I can." The soldiers then started to get dizzy, as their visions blurred. One by one, they drop like flies, surely dead. As not even one of them resisted the woman's mysterious attack.

"Send out every MANTIS in the field, include Kalpas as well. I need them to contain the possible damage as much as possible." Ein quickly ordered Mei as she nodded.

Moth was going all out. And tons of equipment accompanied all the warriors of humanity. Intent to contain as much damage as possible with the inevitable battle.

With Ein spearheading the entourage. They finally arrived at the scene, the herrscher's hands were clasped together as she looked at them.

"I'll give you a chance to surrender. Take it now and stop the needless killing, you have a choice. Choose wisely." Ein tried to communicate 1st, he started to walk up to her. Confident that he'll survive whatever she was doing to the others. He had an inkling, as the honkai energy in the area is next to nil. Making her powers related to manipulating honkai energy.

She also walked up to him as they were just a few feet apart. "My god has given me a decree, and that is to accept your proposition." She held out her hand, he didn't notice anything as his mind ran a mile a second and remembered the 6th herrscher that gained control. After a few seconds, he smiled. Happy that the endless battles for supremacy would have a different direction in the future. As he held her hand and shaked it.

But he suddenly started to lose control of his honkai energy, as he slowly transformed and tons of energy poured out in waves. He started to bulk up and got taller and taller, as his face was covered by scales. His eyes turned a solid red with black slits in the middle. Trying to control his energy as much as possible, he barked orders to the soldiers at his back. "It's a trap! Retreat and contain the area as much as you can!"

A domain of energy then suddenly appeared, as every single soldier started to weaken. Equipment that used honkai energy malfunctioned and shut down in an instant. Klein that was filming data for Mobius lost consciousness immediately. The neo-tech soldiers felt like they were back to when they were fully human.

The 11th herrscher then raised her hand, as Ein's immense reserves started to converge. A rip in space appeared as roots clinged to him, pulling him inside. "Ein!!!" Elysia immediately tried to make crystals and shoot down the golden roots.

Her crystals shot thousands of lasers, but it just fizzled out before they could even get close. As her crystals crumble and she started to get weaker and weaker. Kevin and Eden used their 0th power as flames of destruction and overwhelming gravity loomed in on the herrscher. Unfortunately, it all disappeared like a bubble when it reached halfway through.

Ein struggled violently, his muscles bulged and he tried to pull himself back as much as he can. He even fully transformed, now 3 meters tall. His strength reached to the stellar ranges, but the golden branches and roots won't budge. "Resistance is futile. You are an anomaly that will change too many things, I will need to remove you for balance." He heard a voice that sounded like his own inside his head.

His blood ran cold, as he remembered Genesis' words. Every world has a will, and it can interfere if certain conditions are met. "LET GOOO! ARGHHHH! THEY NEED ME!" He thrashed as the ground cracked. And earthquakes shaked the city.

The soldiers that haven't assimilated their honkai genes fully started to shut down. As they were fully drained of the energy. Unfortunately for them, the 11th herrscher doesn't just control honkai energy. As she can control any type, just not at the same intensity as her main attribute. Electrical impulses in their muscles start to disappear. The weaker ones were now paralyzed, then their brains started to stop activity completely, rendering them braindead. Finally, their hearts stop beating. Dying in vain as their numbers started to dwindle, slowly but surely.

Stronger members soldiered on and tried to fight the herrscher, but it was for naught. The closer they get, the weaker they became. As the herrscher created a domain, with her and Ein in the middle.

Ein quickly noticed that his connection with the imaginary space started to get stronger. He forcefully shunted his honkai energy to buy more time as he looked at his soldiers dying one by one. "Don't use honkai energy as much as you can!" The branches started to wrap around his torso and neck. Tightening like a snake.

"Just wait! We'll get you out of there!" Eden looked at Elysia as they started to run to his location. Their steps became heavier, like they were running in water. As their bodies started to feel like lead. Reaching out a hand to him, resisting the strain as much as they can. They were near enough to touch the roots, but their hands phased through them and Ein. "Nooo!" They both tried to attack the herrscher with physical blows, but their limbs lost momentum. They couldn't even go a millimeter further.

"Retreat Eden! Elysia! I'll come back I promise! Tell the others to never give up!" He managed to shout out before he was swallowed up by the rip in space. Disappearing like he wasn't even there in the 1st place, and they started to gain some of their strength.

The herrscher gave a fulfilled smile. "I have completed my mission. Glory to god." The soldiers started to notice that the field weakened, and there was much less strain to them as the casualties started to decrease. Though she was now more focused on them, she looked at the warriors and squared up. Golden chains appeared on her back with spears as tips, floating menacingly.

"Attack! We have to subjugate her now!" Kevin shouted as everyone started to throw everything they've got. "Mei! Ein disappeared! We need support, he said that we shouldn't use honkai energy as much as we could." He thought that they would need as much help as they can get.

As they started a battle with overwhelming odds against them.

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Thanks for reading, and if you think that he won't even touch her without knowing her powers, he actually thinks that herrschers are still people that could be brought back. Especially after what happened with the 7th, and if the will of the honkai interferes. He won't be able to resist anyway. Ciao