Honkai: Strijder (Honkai Impact 3 Male MC)

The Quantum Realm—a place where temperature, color, touch, and even the sensations of time and space become chaotic and indistinct. Here, the boundaries between the microscopic and macroscopic, existence and nonexistence, blur into ambiguity.

After saying his goodbyes to the three girls and leaving behind some contingency measures in the real world, Sigurd refrained from individually addressing the rest of the girls. Entrusting Bronya to take care of household affairs, he directly stepped into the domain of the Sea of Quanta.

What greeted him there was the chaotic physics of the Quantum Realm—utterly distinct and alien. He was met with what could best be described as "a riot of colors in black."

Then, Sigurd found himself standing in a white hall surrounded by massive rotating rings. On these rings lay countless massive, snow-white beasts, their cold, mechanical eyes fixed on Sigurd as he stood at the bottom of the stairs.

"This… wasn't in my planned script," Sigurd murmured, raising his elegant hand to examine its form, feeling the peculiar unreality of the Quantum Realm.

But the odd sensations weren't a major concern. Sigurd's perception told him that the Honkai Energy he wielded was as vast and clear as ever—perhaps even more active and responsive.

As expected, Honkai Energy, derived from the ultimate mechanisms of universal law, was omnipotent.

Adjusting to the environment, Sigurd began ascending the steps, his measured footsteps resounding loudly in the otherwise silent world.

After a few moments, within the white-columned hall devoid of a roof, Sigurd saw a tall figure standing with its back to him.

Silver-white hair, a sleek and stylish long coat, and an imposing aura that radiated power even from behind—this figure exuded a biological presence that revealed just a fraction of their terrifying strength.

"The concept of time in the Quantum Sea is rather vague, but by the standards of the real world, it's been five years since we last met, Mr. Kevin Kaslana."

"Your… name?"

Kevin didn't turn around. Instead, he asked succinctly, his gaze fixed on the gray-white sky he had conjured, lost in thought.

Sigurd stepped up beside him. A sidelong glance revealed not only the striking similarity of Kevin's silver hair, blue eyes, and white coat but also their nearly identical height.

"Just call me Sigurd," he replied.

"Sigurd… What's the current state of the real world? How severe is the threat of the Honkai?"

Kevin's voice was cold, devoid of emotion, yet his speech was smoother than during their brief interaction years ago.

It seemed Kevin had regained his conversational abilities, Sigurd couldn't help but recall his earlier speculation five years ago—perhaps Jackal and Gray Serpent had made efforts to send Kevin updates on modern languages to ensure he wouldn't be linguistically out of touch upon his return.

'Not a critical matter,' Sigurd thought, 'but I'll question Jackal about it when I return. Strange that I forgot to ask all these years.'

Adding the thought to his mental checklist, Sigurd maintained his usual calm demeanor as he replied:

"It's manageable. In this era, we've developed some Herrschers into allies. The situation remains stable, and several large-scale Honkai outbreaks have been suppressed. Currently, we're preparing to establish a unified state to consolidate civilization under centralized rule, avoiding the factional strife and infighting that plagued the previous era."

Sigurd's words seemed to stir some memories in Kevin, prompting him to turn around. His expression, though perpetually cold and aloof, carried a solemn undertone.

"That's a sound strategy. In theory, it's the right move. However, my main concern is… can your Herrschers truly be trusted?"

Kevin's Stigmata Plan aimed to use high concentrations of Honkai Energy to foster a select few compatible individuals while sacrificing the majority of humanity. This would lower the civilization's evaluation in the eyes of the Honkai, thus reducing the difficulty of the final trial.

Under such a plan, internal conflict was irrelevant—most people would die anyway, and their governance or political systems mattered little.

But Herrschers, capable of withstanding Honkai Energy and wielding immense power, posed a unique challenge. Their loyalty was a critical concern for Kevin, who had fought against Herrschers as mortal enemies in the previous era.

Meeting Kevin's icy, glacier-like gaze, Sigurd replied nonchalantly:

"I have no intention of wasting effort convincing you. You can ask your two old friends or judge for yourself when the time comes."

"Old friends? Two of them?"

"Hua and Su," Sigurd said.

"Su has always been in the Quantum Sea. Though he's never come to see me, he's never left either—perhaps as a way to express his remorse. But Hua… she's still alive? Still guarding Shenzhou?" Kevin asked, his voice tinged with a faint sigh.

Most of the comrades from the past era had met their ends following the collapse of the previous civilization. Apart from a few traces left behind in unique forms, only three of them were still truly alive: Kevin, Fu Hua, and Su.

For Kevin, news about Fu Hua was impossible to ignore.

"Fu Hua has been through a lot, but I'd say she's doing relatively well now. You'll have a chance to catch up with her," Sigurd said.

"Good. I'll seek her out. The trail you left upon your arrival will guide me back. I'm returning to the real world now. Are you planning to stop me again this time?"

"No. In fact, one of my purposes here is to bring you back to the real world. But before that, are you interested in taking a detour with me?"

"…You want to see Su? Do you have his coordinates?"

For the first time, Kevin's icy and indifferent expression showed a hint of emotion.

After his defeat in the battle of Seed of Sumeru, Su had used Kevin's concern for him to banish Kevin into the endless Sea of Quanta. Since then, Su had hidden himself within the Second God Key, Cosmic Juggernaut, to continue project VALUKA. Su had avoided meeting Kevin, and Kevin had no way to locate him.

Sigurd conjured a glowing green leaf into his hand and said:

"I do have his coordinates. So, are you coming with me?"

"…How do I know you and Su won't join forces to banish me again? Time is running out. I can't afford to wait another thousand years, or it'll be too late for everything."

"I understand. So I won't be polite—either you follow me to meet Su directly, or we'll face off until the remnants of my trail disappear, leaving you no choice but to follow me anyway."

Sigurd had no intention of letting Kevin return to the real world on his own.

Kevin's power was unfathomable; at his peak, he could crush Herrschers with a single slap. His mindset, however, was deeply extreme. Allowing Kevin to return without his presence posed an unacceptable risk to the girls. Sigurd wouldn't take that gamble.

"…"

Kevin remained silent in response to Sigurd's seemingly reasonable yet coercive proposition. Instead, countless massive quantum beasts began crawling up the palace, gathering around him like mountains rising in unison.

Sigurd glanced around at the spectacle, his curiosity piqued. He asked,

"Quantum beasts? Your personal army?"

"Since you stopped me the first time, I knew Gray Serpent and Jackal wouldn't be able to hold you off. The World Serpent's forces would likely go into hibernation. To ensure I'd have resources upon returning to the real world, I made some preparations," Kevin said.

"How strong are they?" Sigurd asked.

"Comparable to emperor-class Honkai beasts on average. There are nearly three thousand of them. I'd say it's a fairly respectable force," Kevin replied, pausing briefly.

He couldn't gauge the current human civilization's military capabilities. Logically, three thousand emperor-class Honkai beasts could annihilate the human world.

But for someone like Kevin, they were nothing more than three thousand ants that he could kill by accidently moving too hard. Ultimately, the true impact of this force depended on the number and quality of top-tier combatants in the current era.

Snap!

Sigurd snapped his fingers. Countless black orbs materialized in the space, trembling with unstable energy.

Sigurd asked,

"You're quite resistant to heat, and as a MANTIS, you can ignore shockwaves and radiation. One last question—are you afraid of strong light?"

"…No," Kevin replied, a trace of helplessness appearing in his eyes.

Quantum constructs—pinnacles of technology even in the previous era—appeared in overwhelming numbers, accompanied by Sigurd's calm and confident demeanor.

In the next moment, white light and deafening explosions engulfed the entire world.

<+>

Tn: If you want to see more chapter of this story, please go to my Patreon1, just for $5 each month, you can read till the latest chapter.

Latest Chapter in Patreon: Chapter 307: This Is a Coup1

Link to the latest chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/honkai-strijder-1312696371

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/collection/95348?view=expanded1