"Principal, this is?"
"Ten days ago, the North American branch began receiving several reports of suspected Honkai incidents. However, the Anti-Entropy staff at the time didn't investigate thoroughly. After discovering most reported cases were just missing persons, they stopped escalating the reports."
"But two days ago, Mr. Welt noticed this unusual phenomenon while handling Alliance affairs. After careful investigation, he found that the number of missing persons cases in North America had exploded within just two weeks."
"Such a large number clearly exceeds the scope of normal cases. Mr. Welt suspects this is related to the Honkai, so he contacted me to discuss it. We were planning to tell you once we had more progress, but with your sharp senses, you've probably already noticed, right?"
"Mhm, I came to find the Sovereign precisely for this matter." Bronya nodded lightly, handing the files in her hand to Theresa. "Yesterday, Seele and I went to procure supplies and happened to hear about the missing persons cases from a merchant. I initially thought it was just a coincidence, but several of the missing individuals were vendors Seele frequently visited. My intuition told me things weren't that simple, so I spent half a day compiling this data."
"It seems your thoughts align with mine. We just don't know if this is man-made or caused by a Herrscher."
Mentioning Herrschers, both their expressions turned grim. After all, since Kiana's departure, the Far East Branch, and indeed Anti-Entropy as a whole, had suffered continuous setbacks. Months had passed, and the world situation had likely undergone drastic changes.
"Ahem, since everyone is here, let's not waste time." As the two were talking, Welt cleared his throat, quieting the room.
As soon as he spoke, the office blinds automatically lowered. Once in meeting mode, he turned on the projector. Simultaneously, several electronic documents were sent to the tablets in front of everyone.
"I believe everyone knows what we're discussing. Before we begin, please review the information I've compiled. As of today, we've received over forty thousand suspected Honkai cases globally. This includes 37,720 missing persons cases, 403 violent incidents, 230 underground cult activities, and numerous other miscellaneous cases."
"Forty thousand?" Hearing the number, Bronya frowned. Even though she had estimated the situation pessimistically, this number was still far higher than she imagined.
"All the missing persons' files are here. Please review them and share your thoughts."
"Is there even a question? Isn't this obviously a Honkai incident?" The fiery Tesla spoke bluntly, not waiting for others before chiming in.
However, Welt didn't interrupt the meeting immediately. Only after most people had finished reading the files did he speak. "My view is similar to Dr. Tesla's. The Honkai is likely involved behind the scenes. But the specific connection... I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts."
He scanned the high-ranking members present.
Anti-Entropy was an alliance, representing numerous factions. But facing Welt's gaze, these usually authoritative individuals chose silence.
Seeing no one speak up, Welt sighed and turned his gaze to Bronya.
"Miss Bronya, what are your thoughts?"
"Ah? Me?" Caught off guard by hearing her name, Bronya was slightly flustered. But seeing everyone's eyes on her, she steeled herself and stood up.
"Looking at the timeline, the number of missing persons cases started spiking massively around November 7th. If these cases are truly related to the Honkai, it's highly possible some unknown change occurred on that day. Additionally, I analyzed the social profiles of the missing persons and found most are marginalized individuals. Therefore, I speculate this might be a deliberate choice by the perpetrator."
"Correct. These individuals are less likely to be noticed by society. Even if they disappear, it wouldn't attract immediate attention," Welt nodded in agreement, encouraging her further. "Just state your conclusion directly."
Bronya, usually somewhat shy, found her voice becoming smoother with the encouragement. "Based on this, we can form a rough hypothesis."
She tapped her auxiliary device, and Project Bunny automatically connected to the projector. "As we know, Honkai outbreaks are mostly random, which is why they're hard to predict accurately. But there's one exception: Herrschers."
"Are you saying these disappearances are caused by a Herrscher? But if it were a Herrscher, wouldn't this be unnecessarily complicated?" Someone immediately raised an objection as soon as she finished.
As key players in fighting the Herrscher of the Void's awakening, Anti-Entropy had suffered severe losses. Months later, the mere mention of 'Herrscher' still made some shudder.
In their understanding, Herrschers were synonymous with immense power and destruction, hence the instinctive rebuttal.
Bronya paused, suppressing her irritation, and continued, "But the Dead Sea Scrolls also mention that Herrscher authorities aren't solely destructive; some possess abilities akin to psychological suggestion. What if this Herrscher doesn't possess the overwhelming destructive power of the Herrscher of the Void?"
The two doctors understood instantly. "Meaning, the Herrscher is targeting these marginalized individuals because its power isn't sufficient to confront humanity head-on?"
"That's just one possibility. As for the worse scenario..." An image of being brutally beaten by Fake Kiana and Fake Fu Hua in ARC City flashed through Bronya's mind, making her shiver involuntarily. She took a deep breath and continued, "That would be... the perpetrator is not only powerful but also extremely cautious, choosing to remain hidden even if capable of destroying society."
"Is... is that possible?"
Some found it hard to believe, but most remained silent. Humanity's understanding of Herrschers was still too limited. If it truly was the worst-case scenario, whether Anti-Entropy even had the capability to resolve it was questionable.
Regardless, Bronya's speculation provided a clear direction. After some discussion, most high-ranking members accepted her theory. As the meeting concluded, they quickly dispersed to begin investigating the cases.
Soon, the meeting room fell silent again, leaving only Welt, Bronya, and a few others.
"Well done, Bronya." Now among familiar faces, Theresa relaxed considerably. She squeezed Bronya's hand and offered an encouraging smile.
"Did I do something?" Bronya was confused. Why am I getting praised?
"Because your presence commanded respect and overshadowed the others," Tesla stated bluntly, never one for subtlety. "Don't be fooled by those executives acting all imposing usually. When it comes to actually fighting the Honkai, they're all like headless chickens."
"But what does that have to do with me? Besides, I'm not even part of Anti-Entropy."
"Simple. Because Welt wants you to be the next Sovereign of Anti-Entropy," Einstein explained patiently, seeing Bronya still looked lost. "That's why he specifically asked you to speak. And judging by the results, you did indeed perform excellently."
"Sovereign? How could I possibly be qualified?" Bronya waved her hands repeatedly. She was just an ordinary girl who liked playing games; how could she possibly manage an organization?
"Miss Bronya, there's no need for self-deprecation. Your current mastery of the Herrscher of Reason's authority makes you fully capable of leading Anti-Entropy," Welt's voice was steady, carrying a reassuring conviction. "In just a few months, you've matured so much from your initial state. In terms of Herrscher ability alone, your talent might even surpass mine."
"But becoming Sovereign just because I'm a Herrscher seems... rather trivial."
"That's why I gave you the opportunity to demonstrate your capabilities. You saw it yourself – Anti-Entropy is an alliance; not everyone shares the same goals. There are members like Cocolia among them. Therefore, the leader must be able to suppress them both in terms of power and decision-making. And you... have shown that ability."
Welt offered a faint smile. "Of course, I won't force you to join Anti-Entropy; this is merely an invitation. The world situation is currently unpredictable. An old relic like me might be falling behind the times. Perhaps retiring and letting the younger generation take over is the better choice."
"This..." Welt's attitude was genuinely sincere, leaving Bronya unable to refuse outright for a moment. She instinctively looked towards Theresa beside her, but it was clear Theresa already knew about this.
"The choice is yours. Mei has joined World Serpent, Kiana is saving the world alone... everyone from St. Freya is fighting for the world in their own way. Joining Anti-Entropy wouldn't be a bad option for you."
"I... I still need to think about it." Receiving the sudden invitation left Bronya's mind in a jumble. Welt didn't push, simply asking her to consider it later.
Now, it was time for the real high-level meeting.
"Regarding the disappearances, Mr. Welt, you likely have more information you held back, correct?" Theresa, despite her usual absentmindedness, possessed good strategic sense honed from her time under Otto.
"Correct. The missing persons cases are merely the surface. What truly deserves attention are the violent incidents." Welt pulled up another set of data. The contents detailed large-scale massacres.
"An entire building wiped out within half an hour?"
"Indeed. According to surveillance footage at the time, there was no indication of large numbers of people entering or exiting. If it wasn't a weapon of mass destruction, only the Honkai possesses such destructive power. More importantly, we detected residual Honkai Energy at the crime scenes."
"Then why wasn't this announced in the meeting earlier?" Bronya was puzzled.
Tesla snorted, explaining with a dark expression, "Because we suspect a mole, obviously. Missing persons reports started coming in ten days ago, but Welt only learned about it recently. It's hard not to suspect internal interference."
"Precisely. Right now, the only ones we can truly trust are those from the Far East Branch. So, if either of you has any clues, please inform me."
Welt's words effectively put Bronya on the spot. She thought for a moment, then said, "My clues definitely aren't as extensive as Anti-Entropy's, but there is something I might need to remind everyone about."
"Please, go ahead."
"Does everyone remember the mysterious person we encountered before? Our guess at the time was the Herrscher of Sentience. But... I actually met her again afterwards."
Mentioning the Herrscher of Sentience made everyone present tense up. Back then, a major Anti-Entropy branch was not only single-handedly infiltrated, but the Herrscher of Reason Core was even stolen. It was a humiliating defeat for Anti-Entropy.
Theresa couldn't sit still, her voice filled with worry. "You should have told me about something so dangerous sooner! What if something happened to you..."
"Principal, calm down. Let me explain slowly." After reassuring Theresa, Bronya recounted the events. "Actually, our initial guess was likely wrong. Because the 'her' I encountered later appeared in Kiana's form. So, I suspect her ability isn't mind control, but rather disguising herself as others."
"More importantly, besides encountering 'Senti', I also met someone who looked remarkably similar to Class Monitor. Based on my fight with her, 'Class Monitor' seemed to fit the image of Senti better."
"Then how did you escape?"
"Oh, I didn't escape. I got beaten up directly and ended up captured..." Bronya blushed slightly. She had confidently set out, only to be immediately beaten and captured. It was admittedly quite embarrassing.
"Ah?"
"Don't worry. She didn't harm me. On the contrary, she not only dealt with the real Herrscher of Sentience but also taught me some techniques for using the Herrscher of Reason's authority."
Welt frowned. "Herrscher of Reason authority?"
"Correct. The 'her' I encountered definitely wielded the Herrscher of Reason's authority, far more skillfully than I do. So, my regaining the Core... it's less about me earning its recognition and more like she returned the authority to me."
"In that case, isn't this person even stronger than a Herrscher? But according to you, she showed no threat towards us."
"That's what I wanted to say. This mysterious person likely isn't just a Herrscher. Based on what we know, she possesses at least perfect disguise and authority-stealing abilities. Possessing such power yet remaining hidden... if this disappearance incident is the work of a Herrscher, she likely knows something. If we could find her, perhaps we could get more clues from her."
"But if she's so mysterious, how could we possibly find her easily?" Tesla scratched her head.
"So, we need to find more clues. Firstly, when she first appeared, she contacted Seele using the codename 'Obsidian Concord'. I researched this name and found over ten suspicious results. Notably, one is a publishing house whose main products are novels, manga, and other entertainment. One of their works, titled 'Magical Girl Kiana', is widely spread online."
"I believe the Principal has already guessed – that's Kiana's name. Secondly, both when we first encountered her and when I met her later, she appeared in Kiana's form. This indicates..."
Before Bronya could finish, an idea struck Theresa, and she blurted out, "She's Kiana's fan!"
"Uh."
Taken aback, Bronya almost choked. Welt beside her clarified, "She likely knows Kiana very well."
"Correct. She should know Kiana very well, even mimicking her habits perfectly. And since she didn't try to kill me, she likely doesn't bear much malice. Therefore, the answer is clear: she is not Kiana's enemy, but either a friend or an acquaintance."
"Furthermore, third point: I was captured by World Serpent because I followed her into their base. And it was within World Serpent that I encountered Mei. So, I speculate she most likely knows Mei's true identity, and perhaps Mei even knows hers."
Einstein listened and quickly concluded, "Meaning, to find the truth behind the disappearances, we need to find the mysterious person. And to find the mysterious person, we need to find Kiana or Mei."
"Correct. But this is just my speculation. What to do next depends on Mr. Welt's decision."
Welt didn't hesitate, nodding directly. "Proceed according to your plan."
"Right, when I was captured by World Serpent, during my interaction with an executive named Raven, I happened to learn news about Rozaliya."
"Rozaliya? Was she captured by World Serpent?"
During Rozaliya's disappearance, Bronya and Liliya had searched desperately. But finding one person in the whole world was like finding a needle in a haystack. They found no news, leading many Anti-Entropy staff involved in the search to believe she had already perished.
"No. Raven only encountered Rozaliya by chance. Don't worry, I've already contacted Rozaliya. But right now, she just says she's working for an organization and that meeting us would lead to bad things."
"She couldn't even say over the phone?"
"Correct. So I suspect the other party has ways to track Rozaliya's location in real-time, and is someone we cannot deal with."
Theresa rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Hearing your description, why do I feel like this so-called organization... is the mysterious person?"
"That possibility cannot be ruled out," Bronya nodded. "But that might actually be better. She doesn't kill arbitrarily, so at least Rozaliya is safe for now. Forcibly bringing her back might provoke the other party. Since we need to find people anyway, it's better to find our target first, then retrieve Rozaliya from her."
"Right, did you tell Liliya the news about finding Rozaliya?"
"Not yet. After all..."
...
"Now is not the time."
In Siberia, Delta, clad in red, sat perched cross-legged on a rooftop, her gaze occasionally sweeping over the nearby playground.
On the playground, over a dozen figures stood in neat rows. Each held a weapon, following the lead of a blue-haired girl in physical training, performing combat techniques that even many professionals couldn't replicate.
This was Cocolia's Orphanage. The figures on the playground were, naturally, the children from the orphanage.
However, the once frail children were now clearly in much better physical condition. With food and medical care provided by Anti-Entropy, both their physical fitness and mental state had visibly improved.
As for why it now resembled a 'special forces training base'... that was undoubtedly related to the blue-haired girl leading them.
"My foolish little sister... after big sister left, did you decide to live up to your title as the Orphanage Sword Saint?"
As sisters, Rozaliya naturally knew Liliya's thoughts. After she was taken away, Liliya's personality changed drastically. Upon returning to Siberia, she began training all the orphanage children in combat techniques, clearly aiming to form an 'Orphanage Sword Saint Brigade' to personally rescue her sister from the bad guys.
"However, big sister is much stronger than you, you know." Watching them, Delta couldn't help but look smug.
No one knew that 'Fervent Tempo Δ', already somewhat famous in the mercenary world, was such a young child. Nor could they imagine that the Delta who executed missions with such clean efficiency could appear so innocent and naive at other times.
"Don't worry, big sister will come back for you soon." With that final thought, Delta retracted her gaze.
She took out her phone from her pocket – the device she used for receiving missions. But the message displayed wasn't a mercenary contract, but information from The Obsidian Concord.
"Tsk, gave us so much freedom, finally going to start exploiting child labor?"
Sheathing her greatsword, she took one last look back at the orphanage. The next second, Delta's figure vanished from the rooftop.
And after she left, Liliya, who was training, seemed to sense something, her gaze falling upon the spot where Delta had just been.
"Was that you, sister?"