I Am Honkai

A gentle breeze carrying the faint salty scent of seawater swept through the air, reflecting the cascading glow from the heavens. Wave after wave of surf blossomed across the ocean below the floating islands of the Schicksal headquarters.

Under the night sky, the dark sea surface rippled under the caress of the wind, sparkling as if stretching endlessly toward the horizon.

Suddenly, boom!

A series of deafening sonic booms shattered the silence. The ocean roared as hurricanes churned its surface into a tempest. The very atmosphere surrounding the floating islands seemed to tremble violently, causing the greenery on the islands to sway and rustle chaotically.

Woooooo!

An alarm blared through the air, its piercing cry shattering the momentary calm. All the Imperial soldiers who had been relaxing froze in response to the urgent signal.

"What's happening?"

"Damn it! Unbelievable! Such a splendid victory banquet disrupted—who's the idiot responsible? I swear I'll plant my boot so far up their backside they'll taste leather!"

"Sonic booms? Could it be terminal interception of an intercontinental missile?"

"What are the Navy idiots doing? Are they clueless moles? How could they let an enemy attack get this close?"

"Which officer is responsible for clearing the area? The interception system isn't responding—" an Astartes officer growled as he stood, frowning deeply. But mid-sentence, he paused.

"No need to go. It's one of ours."

In the night sky, as the icy-blue meteor drew closer, the Astartes officer understood. No wonder the interception systems and the Navy hadn't reacted—it was an ally.

He calmly resumed his seat and casually reassured his colleagues and subordinates, "Stand down. It's a general—someone significant. They'll have their own welcoming party."

"A general?"

...

As the officer predicted, the alarm soon ceased. The visitor's identity was confirmed—it wasn't an enemy, much less an intercontinental missile.

"Not bad," a voice murmured. Selene, her delicate fingers running through the thick brown fur, looked up toward the sound. Squinting slightly, she smiled softly.

"Meow~"

Purring contentedly, Pardofelis lay sprawled across Selene's lap under Mebius's smoldering, finger-biting glare. Her golden-green eyes burned with frustration as she watched Selene casually petting the cat-eared girl.

Selene's fingers alternated between scratching Pardofelis's chin, gently stroking her head, and delicately rubbing her ears.

Moments ago, Pardofelis had been trembling under Selene's touch, as if ready to leap away and yowl in panic at any second. Now, she seemed like a completely different person.

Under Selene's adept 'cat-petting' technique, Pardofelis's mind blanked out. Her body relaxed uncontrollably, and instinctively, she let out a low, cat-like purr.

"Purrr~ Meow~"

Pardofelis's half-lidded eyes radiated bliss as her tail swayed energetically in all directions.

Thanks to Selene's aura of healing and the aid of [Discipline], Pardofelis's cat ears and tail had fully recovered their fluffy, plush fur.

She was being treated entirely like a pet.

Wiping away nonexistent sweat, Fu Hua forcefully averted her gaze.

"Oh my~ Your junior is truly adorable, Fu Hua. Would you like to... pet her?" Selene said with a sly smile, extending Pardofelis forward.

"Uh, Your Majesty, there's no need for now. There will be plenty of opportunities later," Fu Hua replied, suppressing the urge to indulge in her feline-petting instincts and quickly changing the subject. "By the way, Your Majesty, General Esdeath—could you tell me about her?"

Fu Hua was curious about this woman who had climbed the ranks within the Empire's military machine to become a general. What kind of person was she? Was she easy to get along with?

"Well, Esdeath is quite approachable," Selene replied, setting down the "cat head" in her lap. Turning her gaze aside, she half-closed her eyes. "However..."

Selene's tone shifted as a radiant smile spread across her face. "For someone like you—heroic, with a story behind her—Esdeath might find herself... drawn to you."

"W-What? Drawn to me?" Fu Hua stammered, stepping back with a faint blush spreading across her cheeks as her thoughts spiraled into dangerous territory. "Is she... into women?"

Her mind quickly turned to Kiana, who was a prime example. And the Kaslana family's tendencies... Could Esdeath be the same?

Wait, Kiana calls Selene "sister," and Selene doesn't deny it. Could Selene also be a Kaslana?

Shaking her head vigorously, Fu Hua slapped her cheeks. No, no, no! She couldn't let her imagination run wild! Selene was likely more like Cecilia—a member of the Schariac family. Surely, she wouldn't have such inclinations.

"Why is your mind jumping all over the place?" Selene quipped, her expression darkening as she watched Fu Hua lost in thought. "Have you been spending too much time around Kiana?"

"No, no, not at all, Your Majesty! Please don't say such things!" Fu Hua waved her hands in a flustered attempt to deny it.

"Sure, sure," Selene replied with a playful nod, before scooping up the "cat head" in her lap and tossing it toward Mebius, who caught it with a less-than-pleased expression.

"Meow! Huh? Why did it stop? I wasn't done yet—uh..." Pardofelis opened her eyes and found herself staring at Mebius's bright smile. That one word she was about to say—"satisfying"—never left her lips.

"Heh, the weather's so nice today, huh, Snake-sister? Oh, I just remembered I have something to do. Bye-bye!" Pardofelis attempted to make a quick escape.

"Hold it!" Mebius stretched out a hand, her slender fingers adorned with green-tinted gloves effortlessly halting Pardofelis in her tracks.

"Nice weather? It's nighttime, you thieving little cat! You don't seem too thrilled to see me, huh? Yet you're so eager when it comes to Fu Hua! Tch, how infuriating!"

Grabbing Pardofelis by her cat ears, Mebius wore a smile as bright as spring, but her voice was icy and low.

"Pain, pain! Snake-sister, I'm sorry!" Pardofelis cried out, tears welling up in her eyes.

Turning her gaze away from Mebius, Selene pulled Fu Hua closer and whispered in her ear with mischievous intent, "After this, we'll do this... and that..."

"What?! Your Majesty, how do you know about the clay figurine incident? And isn't this a bit much?" Fu Hua asked, clearly flustered and trying to dissuade Selene from pursuing such an idea.

Dan Zhu! Fu Hua mentally cursed her companion for causing this trouble.

At that moment, a voice interrupted.

"Your Majesty, I trust I'm not late?"

"Perfect timing," Selene replied, her hand casually resting on Fu Hua's shoulder as she tilted her head slightly.

A cold gust swept through the air. The icy-blue comet halted abruptly just before it could strike the floating island. With an elegant landing, the figure of a commanding female general descended from the sky.

Clink!

The pure white heels of her long boots struck the metallic deck with a crisp, chilling sound, perfectly mirroring her imposing presence.

Kneeling on one knee, Esdeath lowered her head, her right hand brushing over her chest. Despite being fully enveloped in the luxurious robes of a Herrscher, they still could not conceal the trembling of her busty, soft curves.

Fu Hua's eye twitched involuntarily.

Carrying such an enormous, utterly useless mass of fat—wasn't it exhausting? And with this kind of hindrance, could she really fight effectively? Was her rank as general even legitimate?

Setting aside the laments of the eternally flat-chested immortal, the purple-red crystalline cage of Honkai energy in Esdeath's hands quickly drew Selene's attention.

"Your Majesty, the Herrscher of Sentience has been successfully captured," Esdeath reported.

Within the distorted black mist inside the cage was a gray-haired, crimson-eyed woman cloaked in shadows.

"Don't move. I'll handle this," Selene said. With a snap of her fingers, a black barrier instantly enveloped Fu Hua.

"Wait, Your Majesty, I haven't agreed yet—" Fu Hua protested.

Facing Fu Hua's complicated expression, Selene spoke naturally, "Relax. I won't harm her. It's just a barrier to keep her from seeing you. It'll be over soon."

Before Fu Hua could object further, Selene began manipulating the purple-red Honkai energy, converting it into streams of sky-blue data that gathered and solidified under her command. Slowly, they formed a humanoid figure.

The form took shape, its features, hair color, and clothing carefully crafted and detailed.

I'm not worried about her. I'm worried about... Fu Hua lowered her hand.

"Phew... It's all fake. Fake," she muttered, taking a deep breath to calm herself, her demeanor returning to its usual serenity.

However, her eyes, brimming with disdain, remained fixed on the doll Selene was sculpting. A faint black aura seemed to emanate from her, and her tightly clenched fists creaked audibly.

That's right—Selene was crafting a doll in the exact image of Fu Hua's immortal form, the Phoenix. Except for one thing—the flawless curves of the chest made Fu Hua's mood plummet.

"Dan Zhu! This is all your fault..." Fu Hua muttered, looking utterly drained.

She had recognized the source of Selene's doll design: it was none other than the infamous creation Dan Zhu (Nuwa) had crafted five millennia ago.

Dan Zhu had been deeply dissatisfied with Fu Hua's flat chest. Using Fu Hua's Phoenix form as a base, she had created the character of Immortal Phoenix, embellishing the chest for broader appeal.

"Your Majesty, what are you doing?" Esdeath asked, visibly perplexed by her Empress's strange actions.

"Stand up and release the brat you've captured. Then step aside," Selene commanded with a wave of her hand, offering no further explanation.

"Brat?" Though full of questions, Esdeath respectfully obeyed.

Meanwhile, Selene's mischievous grin grew wider as she directed a portion of her consciousness elsewhere. Drawing from the largely frivolous knowledge she had gleaned from Elysia's memory core, she decided to have a bit of fun.

"Spatial Lock."

"Descent of the False Realm."

"Imaginary Barrier."

"Mental Barrier."

...

Crack!

The purple-red crystalline cage shattered, scattering fragments of black mist that gradually coalesced into a single form.

"What's going on? Where am I?"

A gray-haired girl clutched her head, confusion written all over her face as she surveyed her surroundings.

"Hiss! That hurts! Those bastards... Where did they crawl out from? No honor at all, ganging up when they can't win!"

The moment she opened her mouth, it became clear—though she resembled Fu Hua, this person was entirely different.

"Wait! Wasn't I scattered by those idiots? How did I recover so quickly? And the Honkai energy concentration here—it's so high!"

"Well, well, isn't this Senti? Long time no see!"

The words carried a teasing, playful tone. The gray-haired girl turned sharply to face the speaker, her crimson eyes narrowing as recognition dawned.

Suddenly, a voice laced with faint amusement rang out.

The tone instantly made the girl's crimson eyes widen as though she had seen a ghost. Isn't this my voice? Fu Hua?

While she stood there in a daze, she suddenly felt a pair of small hands rest on her shoulders.

Turning her head, she saw a striking red-haired girl who had somehow appeared behind her.

"You... you... you... what are you doing here?!"

Senti's crimson eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the red-haired girl. The girl's elf-like demeanor, a blend of purity and allure, combined with a figure as enchanting as a fairy, left Senti momentarily stunned.

Her trembling hand rose, pointing at the red-haired girl. "Fu Hua, what are you up to?!"

Having inherited Fu Hua's fifty thousand years of memories, Senti—who was no stranger to Dan Zhu's mischievous creations—instantly made the connection.

"Oh my~" The supposed Fu Hua greeted her warmly, waving nonchalantly. "Ah, just stumbled upon a stroke of great fortune."

"Fortune?"

Senti scrutinized the supposed Fu Hua, her disbelief growing as she stared at those crimson eyes identical to Fu Hua's prime. Finally, she blurted out, "Who are you trying to fool?! What kind of fortune includes... breast enhancement?!"

"Ara~~"

The supposed Fu Hua seemed amused by the outburst. Without warning, she appeared behind Senti, wrapping an arm around her slender waist and pressing her notably soft chest against Senti's back.

That infuriatingly soft sensation left Senti frozen on the spot.

The next moment, Fu Hua (?) leaned in, her lips exhaling warm, humid breath against Senti's sensitive ear. "Could it be that you're jealous, Senti? Do you want this body?"

"Ah!!"

Senti's mouth opened and closed as she struggled to respond. Her face rapidly turned beet red, as though painted with rouge, the blush spreading all the way to her neck. Letting out a high-pitched scream, she leapt away.

Clutching her chest, her face flushed with embarrassment, Senti stammered, "Fu Hua! You—you stubborn old coot! How did you become so shameless? So indecent! You're... you're nothing but a... a lecherous woman!"

"Senti, I never realized you were so shy before."

Watching the visibly flustered Senti, Fu Hua (?) wore a mischievous smile.

Despite her bold and unruly personality and her tendency to act tough, Senti was, at heart, still a "brat." Manipulating her? Too easy.

In the flaming crimson depths of Fu Hua (?)'s eyes, a faint golden cross briefly flickered.

Resting a hand on her chin and tilting her head slightly to the left, her gaze carried a mix of ridicule and pity as she smirked coldly.

"What an adorable child."

"Ahhh!! You're the one who's adorable! Your whole family is adorable!"

Poor Senti, now so flustered by Fu Hua (?)'s teasing, couldn't string together a coherent sentence. This time, she had truly encountered someone on a completely different level.

"Sigh, don't be so disobedient now. Disobedient children must be punished~."

With that, Fu Hua (?)'s expression gradually turned into an exaggerated display of glee.

Under that unsettling gaze, Senti felt a wave of dread wash over her. She instinctively stepped back, her sense of foreboding growing stronger by the second.

"Come, let me take a good look at you!"

"No! Stay away! Fu Hua, change back! No, wait! You're not Fu Hua! You're—ahhh!! Someone help me!"

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