Making Honkai Impact lll In A World Where Kallen Exists [Continuation]

It took a moment for Luo Mo to realize that the Kevin he had seen earlier was indeed the real one.

However, the heavenly flame sword in front of him might not be the real deal. He vaguely remembered that Kallen had traded the Second Divine Key to Kevin… Perhaps there had been another deal, though. After all, the Judgement of shamash… every time it was drawn, it meant the fall of a pure warrior, except for Kevin.

He could repeatedly draw it.

Luo Mo and Elysia, who had arrived at the scene, watched the tense situation unfolding. The battle was almost one-sided; the Herrscher of Dominance had already raised her hands in surrender.

But what puzzled Luo Mo was why his assistant had become the Herrscher of Dominance. She was such a kind, simple, optimistic, and positive person who pursued her dreams.

How could she have become one of the Herrscher of Dominance?

Compared to the previous puppets, Su Lu's heart didn't seem to harbor any darkness or pessimism. At least, that's how she appeared when he interviewed her.

Could it be… the effect of Honkai Impact 3?

Look at what this game had done to these children.

A game that could turn a normal person into part of the puppet Herrscher… how could they still promote the positive side of things without feeling a bit guilty?

Luo Mo's lips twitched. He remembered just yesterday, he had sent Su Lu the next part of the "Elysian Realm" storyline. It was when Elysia died and the Elysian Realm shattered… But was it really that serious?

No, no, it couldn't be just a one- or two-day issue. So… it wasn't his fault!

Luo Mo steeled himself. His main priority now was to protect her! After all, she had been his assistant for many years.

Su Lu, or rather, the inner Herrscher of Dominance, couldn't even think about making a move.

Look at all these people around her!

Wasn't the little Herrscher of thousand people squad a bit too grand?

She glanced at Kiana, the Herrscher of Flames, and Herrscher if Thunder Mei, who was deep in thought. On her left, the Herrscher of sentience was already itching to act, while on her right, the Herrscher of Reason didn't seem like a big threat… But beside them, there was also the Herrscher of Death, Seele, who was hiding behind Bronya.

She could almost cry.

This situation was a little over the top, wasn't it?

These people were all supposed to be her seniors, so how could they have all turned traitors?

(TL: heh? You are the real traitor. You betrayed your mother Elysia)

What was she supposed to do now? There wasn't even a single good role model to follow. Maybe surrendering wasn't so bad… who knew? This might even lead to the Herrscher ruling the world.

Thanks to the original owner of her body, the Herrscher of this era had maintained their standoff, and the sword in front of her throat was burning almost close to her face!

She could feel the sharpness of the blade, and knew the formidable feats of the person wielding it, one of the strongest from the previous civilization, and a savior who had survived into the next.

"I—I… I surrender!!"

Naturally, Su Lu looked around, and with a firm voice, shouted her declaration.

Raising her hands high, her expression trembling, her face practically screamed "I'm scared."

She was best at recognizing the situation…

Without hesitation, she hit "surrender." Of course, the real Su Lu had always wanted to surrender, but the puppet controlling her would never agree and constantly insisted on causing trouble.

"So... who are you?"

Luo Mo paused, his tone deliberate as he raised his eyes to look at his once-familiar assistant. Now she had become a puppet.

This was unexpected, but what exactly was going on?

Was she the Herrscher of the Dominance, or Su Lu? The earlier disguise had been too flawless, to the point where it exceeded all expectations, leaving him unable to make a clear judgment now.

"Su Lu. I'm Su Lu! They... no, the Herrscher of Dominance pushed me out!"

Her tone was anxious, with no noticeable deviation from her usual demeanor.

"Do you like overtime work?"

"Of course! I love overtime! I feel uncomfortable when tasks are left unfinished, and I can't wait to release those pending storylines. I'd love to see the players cry over them!"

"Oh?... clearly, she's not Su Lu. Everyone, go ahead and take her down."

Luo Mo took a deep breath, then swiftly hid behind Elysia, quietly observing the scene.

How did she ended up like this? Terrifying.

Was this still the diligent Su Lu he once knew?

Kevin, holding his sword, remained silent: "..."

He glanced back at Luo Mo, his face as icy as ever. Though he said nothing, his presence alone was enough to intensify the pressure on Su Lu.

"...Yes, I admit it. We... overlooked that not everyone has compatibility as good as yours. What's amazing is that the puppet core never attached itself to you, even though you're just a complete outsider."

(TL/N: the Puppet were talking about Luo Mo as outsider)

'Su Lu' shrugged helplessly but immediately raised her hands again under Kevin's sharp glare.

Her words indirectly confirmed that she wasn't Su Lu.

Luo Mo rubbed his chin. Was that an insult?

He strongly suspected she was slandering him. She was slandering him!

How could he and the puppet be on the same level? He was clearly... a planner.

People truly deceive themselves. When you repeat something to yourself often enough, you might actually start believing it.

While this wasn't exactly the case, in this world, he was undoubtedly the root of all evil.

"...Sigh– I've been thinking about it. Maybe it's because she absorbed too much malicious energy yesterday that things spiraled out of control. Originally, we thought she could last much longer." said the puppet, using Su Lu's voice.

"So... why did Elysia die, huh, my dear boss? And the thirteen Flame-Chasers, why did they all perish one by one? Pardofelis even died multiple times. Why is that?"

(TL: huss! Shut up. Someone shut her up🤫!)

Her tone remained cheerful, but there was an eerie undertone, her gaze lingering on him like a vengeful ghost.

Su Lu spoke softly, and the room fell silent.

The others exchanged glances, processing the shocking revelation.

Thanks to the tactical instincts of most present, at least Kevin, still holding his sword, didn't let his guard down. However, the tragic turn of events in the later chapters had taken everyone by surprise.

The Herrscher of the Dominance oppressive aura was unmistakable, and Luo Mo silently marveled at her presence.

Incredibly, he also felt a dull ache in his chest. Was he about to be possessed?

Then he raised his head and met a pair of bright blue eyes, faintly reflecting a pink heart. Her bangs swayed despite the lack of wind, lightly knocking on the boy's scattered thoughts.

Elysia sighed, gently smoothing out the wrinkles on his collar. The panic on his face seemed to amuse her; wasn't he usually calm and in control when dealing with her?

Though she had anticipated her own death, for everyone to die in the end was a bit too cruel. And Pardo... why did the cat have three lives anyway?

As Luo Mo found some semblance of composure, Elysia softly spoke with a smile on her face,

"So... Luo Mo, why did I—or should I say, we—all die?"

"..."

"It was the Herrscher's doing," he replied firmly, his tone, expression, and gestures impeccable.

But Elysia only shook her head, smiling without a word.

"Ahem—let's deal with the Herrscher the Dominance for now, shall we?" Luo Mo hastily changed the subject.

He couldn't comprehend why Elysia was so close to him. Even more confusing was why the Herrscher of Sentience was bouncing around excitedly as if this wasn't a serious situation.

(TL: Because that's what I also feel. I'm jumping around excited)

Such disregard for the Herrscher of Dominance...

"Deal with me?"

'Su Lu' pondered over the words briefly, then gave up struggling entirely. She slumped like a salted fish, utterly defeated.

"Do as you will. The only reason I've stayed hidden this long is because of the Stigmata in this girl's body. I had wanted to find something more advanced, but... those are impossible to acquire quietly."

"Trust is an issue, but seeing so many 'seniors' gathered here, surrendering isn't too bad. After all... we just want to win."

She emphasized the word "seniors," but none of those present paid her sarcasm any mind. The overwhelming pressure left her more dispirited.

Kill her? Torture her? Whatever.

In the end, she had hidden other puppets in the outside world. While they might ultimately meet the same fate, survival wasn't entirely impossible. From this perspective, siding with humanity wasn't out of the question.

"Herrscher of Dominance... defecting to us? Didn't your recorded message portray you as noble and grand? Why humble yourself now?"

The Herrscher of Sentience crossed her arms, smirking as she glanced sideways at her.

Her Black Abyss playfully bumped against her side, then rebounded with her movements. Though she spoke confidently, she was clearly ready for a fight, eager to settle some old grudges.

Kevin interrupted coldly: "Hand over the Theater of Domination."

"But if we give up the Theater, we'll have nowhere to exist. Unless... five hundred puppets suddenly appear in an instant. Oh, that might be a survival opportunity, there are quite a lot of people in the company, after all."

'Su Lu' countered, trying to negotiate.

But as it had just mentioned, it wanted to survive, so it wouldn't make such provocative moves.

"Tsk, bring Su Lu out. She should... be one of your puppets now, right?" Luo Mo clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Alright."

She was straightforward when it came to such trivial matters.

Closing her eyes briefly, then reopening them, her gaze had already transformed into another kind.

Without a direct comparison, it would have been hard to notice. But now, everyone could sense that her gaze had softened significantly, carrying a hint of hesitation.

"...Boss, I've become a puppet. I won't be treated as a villain and killed, right?"

She spoke in a soft, subdued tone, but her eyes revealed traces of fear and avoidance.

"Rest assured. Bon voyage—I'll make sure to erect a tombstone in your memory."

Luo Mo sighed as he spoke.

(TL: son of a-)

Elysia twitched the corner of her mouth, secretly elbowing him in the back.

He wasn't entirely convinced if this was Su Lu, but he had already prepared himself for the Thousandth Herrscher. He just wasn't certain if Elysia's approach would work.

Aponia's Discipline was only a last-resort measure.

Of course, he hoped that his exceptional employee could survive.

"..." Su Lu's gaze turned slightly resentful but eventually gave a resigned sigh. Somehow, this was exactly what she had expected from her boss, detached and heartless!

"Honestly, the Thousandth Herrscher is quite an exceptional employee."

He sighed wistfully, lamenting the loss of such a talented subordinate.

"Alright, alright. You don't even fight for your employee's interests. Such a cold-hearted man,"

The Thousandth Herrscher interjected with a mocking laugh. "So... what's the plan? Honestly, I'd love to join the Herrscher family."

She spoke nonchalantly, betraying the God of Honkai with gusto.

Kiana was startled. Wasn't this part of her plan?

"Well then, Kevin, let me give it a try? Oh~ and now there are two Kevins. You should know which one I mean, right?"

Elysia asked sincerely.

"This soon-to-die Elysia? Also, my earliest 'predecessor'? Even though I'm aware of the plot, I still don't know your final secret or your authority. That guy sure knows how to end a chapter at the worst time."

The Herrscher of Dominance showed genuine interest, then critically remarked,

"I have to say, when news of Elysia's death first spread, I felt like my heart stopped for a moment. As the embodiment of humanity's malice, I deeply believe that whoever suggested this idea must have been the truest newborn..."

"And you, Elysia, show not a single trace of being a Herrscher. You're more like... a complete human, brimming with love and purity. It's genuinely heartbreaking that someone decided to write you off. How could they bear to do it?"

The Thousandth Herrscher spoke with anger, gritting her teeth.

(TL: awe~ Even the puppets love Elysia~)

"..." Elysia was momentarily at a loss for words. Being praised by the Thousandth Herrscher—no, no, no—what kind of experience was this?

And for even the Herrscher of Dominance to feel heartache over her death... though she doubted its authenticity, it sparked a strange curiosity about how grand her finale must have been.

Suddenly... she seemed to recall an unpleasant memory of the time Mobius and Luo Mo had taken the opportunity to hold her funeral. White paper, blackened figurines, a tombstone, and shadows holding black umbrellas...

The smile on her lips flattened slightly. She extended her hand and closed her eyes.

"Thank you for the compliment... Now, let's begin—"

The Herrscher of Dominance initially didn't understand her intention, nor did most of the others present.

But then, the young girl donned a pure white garment. A white veil appeared atop her head, with floating floral ornaments lifting strands of her hair and her skirt. Every pattern on her attire exuded a pristine beauty.

Her eyes became divine in that instant, pink replacing their original pure blue, with a white diamond at the center of her pupils. The smile on her lips shattered the seriousness her transformation should have brought.

Gentle, approachable, and intimately close to humanity.

(TL/C: Kyaaaaaaa~ My Goddess🙏)

She walked gracefully, her white boots covering her small feet. Blue and purple ribbons adorned the boots, gently wrapping her slender calves.

In one hand, she held a bow and arrow. The other, delicate hand reached out to Su Lu's forehead, emanating a soft white glow.

An invisible wave penetrated deep into Su Lu's heart and into the countless puppets under her control.

There, she made a wish, to let the fruit of humanity bloom upon the soil of sin and to let the beauty of humanity shine once more in flawless brilliance.

The Herrscher of Origin whispered gently. The radiance of Elysia's stigma behind her intensified, though no one paid attention to its dim light.

At this moment, the focus of the light was none other than Elysia, now fully embracing her Herrscher form.

She was breathtakingly beautiful, inspiring awe and protection.

....