Chapter 28: Honkai Circuits.
Huo Yuhao hummed a song as he walked through the [Great Demon Den] forest. He had stored all the loot from the monster massacre in his [Item Box] and was now heading to the cave where the sage had chosen to rest.
(An: I finally found the name of the forest. I needed to read volume 2 of the manga to find it.)
How did Yuhao know the location of the sage's cave? You ask me with a condescending tone while adjusting your glasses, causing them to shine like some sort of story antagonist. I answer in the same condescending tone, still smoking the cigar from the previous chapter because, annoyingly, it wouldn't burn out.
He had asked the Herrscher living rent-free in his head to locate a cave that had traces of a powerful energy signature and contained a hidden space inside. The tuna guided him toward the cave.
"Are you sure we're going to find the 'routing' system in that cave, Yuhao?" asked the tuna skeptically.
She found the idea of connecting a 'routing' system to the [Stigma of Finality] quite insane, but if the operation succeeded, Yuhao could start his Herrscher training earlier than scheduled.
"Well, it should be. Of course, the 'routing' system won't match the quality of the [Stigma of Finality], but that's not something Ellie can't fix, right, Ellie?" he replied to the tuna. A cute golden string appeared in front of him, floating beside him.
Huo Yuhao's idea was simple: he would obtain the sage's magic circuit, upgrade it with Ellie's help, and then integrate it with the [Stigma of Finality]. This would give him greater control over Honkai energy and increased resistance as well.
Honkai energy is corruptive by nature; it's neither as weak as soul energy nor as gentle as mana. Honkai energy emits a type of radiation that corrodes living beings, leaving infected individuals with no chance of survival. Symptoms include infection patterns, loss of eyesight, trouble breathing, zombification, organ failure, and fatigue.
Yuhao needed to use Honkai energy in his Herrscher training. He had the [Stigma of Finality] imprinted on him, so theoretically, he could become the next Herrscher of Finality, but that was uncertain at the moment. The circuits would increase his resistance to Honkai energy and allow him to control it with ease—or at least in theory.
Huo Yuhao's cheat wasn't the [Skill Creation Essence] or the various items and equipment he acquired. His cheat was Ellie and Kiana. They were his real advantages that helped him navigate the vast omniverse. He would focus all his efforts on his Herrscher training.
(An: No, he won't neglect training his body, weapon mastery, martial arts, martial souls, or his class. He's just adding Herrscher training to the top of the list.)
Yuhao examined the cave entrance. It was more like a door carved into the hillside. He steeled himself and entered the 'cave.'
"Kiana, stay alert. We're about to meet the sage who made the house, the door, and the broken equipment. He's technically dead, but not entirely. His magic arts were advanced enough that he could revive the dead for a limited time." He instructed the tuna as he used his class [Nanomancer] to form a spear in one hand and a heavy pistol in the other using nanobots.
What? You want him to use the [Absolute Spear] against the one who made it? That sounds like a bad idea.
Ellie was still floating beside him, twirling in the air and enjoying herself, which made Yuhao sigh at her antics. But he liked seeing her in a cheerful mood.
(An: Ellie is best girl.)
He continued advancing inside the cave. He knew what awaited him at the end, but he remained vigilant as he finally reached his destination.
A white skeleton covered in tattered robes leaned against the innermost wall of the cave, with a book lying on the ground beside it.
"Yuhao, the skeleton and the book are the sources of the energy fluctuations," the Herrscher said, ready to act if the situation turned for the worse. Yuhao nodded at her and approached the book beside the skeleton.
This was the last part of the sage's legacy—well, almost the final part. The final part of the legacy was sealed on one of the planets in space. However, Yuhao focused more on the item he would gain from the sage's body, the magic circuit.
The sage, true to his name, had pioneered magic into existence and simplified it for others to use. Simply put, he was this world's Merlin—not the flowery bastard from [Fate], but the one from legend.
His [Magic Circuits] were so powerful that he could use his imagination to form a spell, and the [Magic Circuits] would manipulate mana to produce the outcome he envisioned.
Yuhao wanted to use that [Magic Circuit] as a base for the [Honkai Circuits] he intended to connect to the [Stigma of Finality].
Ellie would use origin energy to elevate the [Magic Circuit], imprint it into his soul, and connect it to the [Stigma of Finality]. Kiana would program it so it worked flawlessly with the stigma. Truly, these two girls were his cheats.
(An: Kiana and Ellie are best girls. Show them some love in the paragraph comments.)
Yuhao inserted his spear into the ground and approached the book, holding a heavy pistol in his left hand. He lifted the book and read the title:
['The Sage's Book']
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Wow! That's it? That's the title? Yuhao, congrats, we've found someone with a worse naming sense than you," the tuna said sarcastically. Ellie 'nodded' in agreement, and Yuhao pretended he didn't hear the sarcastic remarks.
He opened the book with his thumb and started reading.
…
The book described the life of the sage and how he was overpowered, starting with the opening paragraph that literally said:
[I could do anything. Yes, ever since I was born… There was nothing I couldn't do. Magic, swordsmanship, cooking, singing, painting, blacksmithing… I could really do everything in this world. And I had the power to master it, too.]
This caused Yuhao and Kiana to groan out loud. "Can you stop bragging for once, mate? You already flexed on us with all your creations; do you really need to rub it in our faces?" they thought.
The book went on about how the sage was refused entry to the god realm and wanted to die as a human, even though humans avoided him because they feared his powers. He described how he was lonely and had no close friends or a lover to share his life with, and so on.
"Sigh, didn't it occur to you that you could have found someone in the god realm as a friend or maybe even a partner?" Yuhao commented while reading the book, feeling frustrated beyond belief. Kiana agreed with his statement.
She understood where the sage was coming from, as she was a god-like being herself. However, she had her friends, family, and lover supporting her throughout her journey. Sadly, even with all that support, she couldn't save her universe and had to watch it get wiped out several times before sealing herself in the stigma space.
(An: Remember that the tuna in this story is from a failed [Route]. If you need a reminder, check chapter 15 again.)
"I'm curious, Yuhao. What would your choice be: godhood or mortality?" the tuna asked the young blond boy, curious to know his choice.
"Hmm, in my opinion, there's no such thing as gods. Gods in this universe and mine (Douluo Dalu) are just higher-dimensional beings who use denser energy to manipulate a domain or an authority," he shared his ideals with the tuna, as he didn't really believe in the idea of godhood ascension.
Take the Sea God, for example. If someone had a higher affinity to the sea and denser energy to manipulate the concept and domain of the sea, would that person also be a sea god, or would they clash until one emerged victorious?
"They may be god-like beings, but they aren't true gods. The universe is vast, and 'gods' may appear in each universe, but they're simply stronger beings. A true god would be omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent," he remarked about how stronger beings get the title 'God' without truly being one.
"He wouldn't need divine senses to know something; he would simply know it. He would exist at every point in time and space and have the power to do everything. That's a true god—a being that exists beyond our understanding and comprehension." A true god would be omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. He wouldn't need 'divine sense' or 'divine power' to accomplish things. He would simply wish it to exist, and it would.
"That's not something we mortals can achieve, Kiana. According to the records in the stigma space, a [Herrscher of Finality] existed before you. What would happen if both of you appeared at the same time and faced each other?" Kiana listened intently to Yuhao's speech.
"What happens if I ascend to become the new Herrscher of Finality? Would you lose your powers, or would we both enjoy the privilege of being Herrschers of Finality together? We don't really know the answer."
He genuinely didn't know if two Herrschers of Finality faced each other, who would win: the one with greater energy control or the one fighting for all the beauty of the world. Both had the same authority; only their ideals and principles differed.
"For you, the gods in my universe are just weaklings you could snap out of existence. And who's to say there isn't someone stronger out there who could do the same to us? True godhood isn't something I can achieve, and I believe it's something that nobody can achieve," he said, using an example from his universe.
The [God of Destruction] and [Goddess of Life] both sacrificed their lives to stabilize the divine realm after the [Golden Dragon King] wreaked havoc in it, nearly destroying the entirety of the divine realm. That required the full power of two God Kings, but for Kiana, she could fix the entire divine realm with a snap of her fingers.
"I want to live my life and enjoy it. Even if I'm defeated in the future, so be it. I don't want to have any regrets. That's all," Yuhao concluded as he flipped through the final pages of the book.
He wanted to live a life surrounded by his loved ones. To achieve that, he needed power—power to face his enemies and ensure a happy life with his family, friends, and companions.
"That's a beautiful vision, Yuhao," the tuna commented softly. She almost saw her younger self in Yuhao. Yuhao smiled as he finished reading the book. Strangely, the book didn't react to him. In the original, the book seemed conscious and spoke to Yuuya.
Buy suddenly, text began to appear on the last page of the book. Yuhao read the added section:
[That's a pure goal you have, Huo Yuhao. It's almost embarrassing that you figured out in six years what I hadn't realized in my entire lifetime.]
[I had the ability to strengthen my parents, acquaintances and colleagues so they would live longer and keep me company. However, I ignored all that and focused on myself, on how to better utilize my talents.]
[And when I reached the pinnacle in all fields, I looked around only to find that the people I was close to had already left me alone.]
[Dying as a human was my choice, an apology to my family and acquaintances who had left before me. Gaining eternal life was more like torture than a reward.]
[Huo Yuhao, the path before you is not easy and is filled with difficulties. I hope you hold onto your vision and care more about the people around you.]
[All my knowledge regarding magic, alchemy, blacksmithing, and more will belong to you. And finally, my magic circuit—I can guess you were here for it. You'll gain it the moment you close the book.]
[I hope you achieve your vision, Huo Yuhao. Today, I am finally released from the shackles that kept me in this world and can meet old acquaintances once more. Goodbye, Huo Yuhao.]
The text stopped, and Yuhao felt a shift in the sage's body. It seemed he had finally reunited with his people.
"Don't worry, Yuhao. We'll always be by your side for your entire lifetime," said the tuna with a determined tone. Ellie was already rubbing his cheeks with one end of her body.
Huo Yuhao nodded and activated [Great Sage]'s [All of Creation] for what was about to happen next. He instructed Ellie and Kiana to get ready, as the process was delicate and required their undivided attention.
It was like adding a secondary nervous system to someone's body, except that he was adding it to his soul, with the [Stigma of Finality] imprinted on his soul. Kiana and Ellie nodded, and he finally closed the book.
The moment the book closed, a golden light shone from it as the book started hovering in the air in front of Yuhao, and a string of golden runes emerged, targeting Yuhao.
(An: The magic circuit appears as a string of golden runes. I imagined it would be like the one in [FATE], but after rewatching the anime and rereading the manga, it appeared as a string of golden runes.)
"Now, Ellie," he said as the magic circuit was about to enter his body. Ellie glowed once, stopping the magic circuit in mid-air inches away from Yuhao's chest.
He nodded to Ellie, and she glowed again—this time, with a light that rivaled the sun. The magic circuit began to change. The once-golden runes now bore the symbol of the eye of the [Cocoon of Finality], and all the symbols arranged themselves in a specific pattern before entering Yuhao's body.
(An: The pattern they formed was that of the Herrscher of Origin Stigma, but I can't find it on the wiki. If you find it, please post it in the comments.)
"I'll leave it to you, Kiana," he said as he lost consciousness and the tuna took control of the process. She knew the stigma better than anyone and was connecting the new circuit to the stigma.
The new circuits were designed to withstand the full power of the [Stigma of Finality] and were made with the [Power of Origin]. Two sides of the same coin, allowing for better energy control and manipulation.
Why, you ask, as you sit on the edge of your seat wanting to know more about the process? I'll explain while I adjust my glasses, making them shine like an evil mastermind.
It's like taking the basic idea of a railgun: two rails charged to form a magnetic field that propels a projectile at insane speeds. What does that have to do with the situation?
Well, what would happen if a tube made of [Origin Energy] and a projectile made from [Finality Energy] entered the tube? The answer is that the [Origin Energy] of the tube would push the [Finality Energy] with ease, allowing for swift casting times, easier [Honkai Energy] manipulation, and better control over it.
That was the theoretical idea behind the upgraded [Honkai Circuits], and it all depended on Kiana for the operation's success.
It took several hours, and Yuhao was sweating profusely the whole time. The circuits weren't being inserted into his body but his soul. It was like his soul was undergoing surgery.
"Phew! Honestly, why do you always end up in suicidal situations, Yuhao?" the tuna said as she wiped invisible sweat from her forehead. Judging from her expression, the operation was quite successful. Thank you, Dr. Kiana.
Ellie was already back in his soul; she had supervised the entire process and agreed with the tuna that their master was reckless. She 'shook' her head and fell 'asleep' in his soul.
All that remained was for Yuhao to wake up.
(Chapter 28 finished.)
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Author's Note:
Phew, this chapter is about 2.9k words without the author's note. It took longer than usual.
Bruh, I had to reread certain parts of the light novel and manga. I even watched a bit of the anime to describe the process in a way that was easily understood.
We got to see Huo Yuhao's ideals and visions and how he dislikes the idea of calling oneself a god when they're not. They may appear as god-like beings, but they're not truly gods. Yuhao cares more about his freedom and the people around him, not about a false title with no value.
Tell me your thoughts. Did I cook? Or Should I not cook again? You decide dear customers.
I'm ready to read all your suggestions in the comments. Share some waifu pics in the comments to cheer me up a bit.
Anyhow, don't forget to comment on memes, share your thoughts, and, most importantly, post waifu pics.
That's all for now.
Bye.