In the desolate ruins of a once-thriving metropolis, a small figure darted frantically through crumbling streets, weaving between collapsed buildings and debris while desperately trying to escape a pack of white and pink monstrosities.
The figure was a boy, cloaked in a tattered, dirt-streaked garment, clutching a bag tightly to his chest filled with scavenged loot — his lifeline in this unforgiving world.
Glancing over his shoulder, his heart sank as he realized the gap between him and the pursuing creatures was closing fast. Panic gripped him; it was only a matter of time before they caught and tore him apart.
"No! Someone, help me!" he screamed, his voice cracking with desperation. Yet deep down, he knew his plea was futile.
The collapse of society had turned people into predators, willing to prey on one another to survive. Even if someone heard his cries, they would likely remain hidden, waiting for the monsters to leave so they could strip his corpse of any valuables. He couldn't blame them — he was guilty of the same cold pragmatism.
The ground trembled harder beneath his feet, signaling that the monsters were rapidly closing in. Fear constricted his chest. Knowing he was moments from being trampled, he clenched his eyes shut, his thoughts flashing to his sickly mother and injured sister.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice barely audible beneath the oppressive weight of dread and the looming specter of death.
But just as the fatal blow seemed inevitable, a calm, authoritative voice rang out.
"Boy. Keep running," it commanded flatly, devoid of any urgency.
"Huh?" The boy's eyes flew open in shock. Before him stood a towering figure clad in bulky armor, arms raised to intercept the descending limb of the lead monster. The sheer force of the impact reverberated through the air, but the figure remained immovable.
"Y-yes!" the boy stammered, snapping out of his stupor and sprinting with renewed vigor.
As he fled, the thunderous sound of gunfire erupted behind him. He dared not stop until he had put several dozen meters between himself and the chaos. Gasping for breath, he leaned against the rusting frame of an abandoned car, his heart pounding furiously as he processed his narrow escape from death.
Peering back toward the battlefield, he saw his armored savior calmly approaching, the monstrous threat already vanquished.
Conflicted, the boy hesitated. Should he run or stay? Kindness had become as rare as mythical creatures in this brutal, dog-eat-dog world. Often, a good deed came with strings attached — some hidden agenda or calculated expectation. Trusting strangers was a gamble, and in this shattered world, survival often demanded suspicion and indifference.
But that logic only applied to another survivor like him. The person in front of him didn't look like one at all. Thus, his suspicion leaning towards the Fire Moths.
Little was known about Fire Moths due to their secretive role in combating the Honkai threat. As a result, the boy easily assumed his savior was a member of the organization.
When the Honkai Eruption began, the government assured the public that help from Fire Moths would arrive, though it might be delayed. Weeks passed, yet no assistance came. Despite this, hope persisted among the survivors, as the affected region was vast, and many believed the delay was inevitable. Unbeknownst to them, Fire Moths had already abandoned the entire Eastern Region, leaving its desperate inhabitants clinging to false hopes of rescue.
After making his decision, the boy chose to stay behind and wait until the battle subsided. He also had another reason: he wanted to meet his savior if they truly were from Fire Moth.
Minutes passed, and the sounds of combat gradually faded. The boy peeked out from his cover, only to be startled by the sight of the armored figure already standing mere steps away.
'Huh? I didn't hear any footsteps at all!' he thought in alarm.
As a seasoned scavenger, the boy prided himself on his sharp hearing. He could detect footsteps from dozens of meters away—a skill crucial for avoiding hostile encounters with other scavengers, bandits, or desperate survivors. Yet this heavily armored figure had approached without making a single sound. The realization sent a chill down his spine. If his savior had harbored malicious intentions, he wouldn't even have known how he died.
"Hello? Are you alright?"
The armored figure waved a hand in front of the boy's stunned face, concern evident in his tone.
Snapping out of his daze, the boy rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Ah… yeah, I'm fine, thank you. But are you from Fire Moth? Are they finally here to rescue the city? Can you help me and my family? Can—"
His excitement spilled out in a barrage of questions that quickly overwhelmed the figure.
Realizing his mistake, the boy stopped abruptly and apologized, rubbing the back of his head again.
"It's fine," the armored figure assured him before adding, "But no… I'm not from Fire Moth."
As he spoke, the headpiece of his armor dissolved, revealing a face that seemed very handsome. Completely opposite of the image the boy had in mind for the face of a soldier. His unnaturally handsome features exuded a magnetic charm that can't be explained. The boy blinked, momentarily stunned by the unexpected revelation.
"Ah… Wait! You are not from the Fire Moth?!" The boy exclaimed and felt his own hope shattered. His saviour shakes his head lightly which confirms his words.
But, before the boy could feel depressed. The man interrupted his thoughts.
"Indeed I am not from the Fire Moth. However, I am here to aid the victims of the Honkai Eruption."
Immediately after hearing this, the boy became invigorated again. After all, for someone that could fight against those groups of monsters that even soldiers couldn't, can't be anyone simple. Besides, he isn't picky about who could ask help from.
"Then, please! You must help my sister and my mother!" The boy asked with excitement that he could finally help his injured sister and sickly mother.
The man did not reject the request for help and directly nodded before introducing himself.
"You can call me Adam."
"Oh! My name is Kei."
After both introductions, the boy leads Adam to his home.
Adam glanced at the boy, then shifted his gaze to the minimap displayed in his vision. A green dot marked his position, followed by a gray one representing the boy, while several blue dots indicated Alice and the T-Dolls trailing behind them in secret.
An hour earlier, he had descended from the Orbital Fortress directly into the city of Nagazora, a location pinpointed on the world map provided by Angeline.
The Honkai Eruption had devastated vast regions, including Russia, China, Korea, Japan, and almost the entirety of the ASEAN nations. Nagazora, located in Japan—a nation in the Far East—was the epicenter of the disaster, also known as Ground Zero for the Second Impact. According to Angeline's analysis of Fire Moth's database, it was where the Herrscher of the Void had descended.
Naturally, Nagazora harbored the highest concentration of Honkai Energy, making it a breeding ground for countless Honkai Beasts—creatures spawned from the corrupting energy. While the other affected nations suffered due to the energy spillover carried by roaming Honkai Beasts, Japan bore the brunt of the catastrophe.
Although the Fire Moth claimed to have slain the Herrscher, they failed to seal the rift from which it had emerged. The rift continued to pour out Honkai Energy, contaminating the land and spawning more Honkai Beasts.
Adam's initial objective was straightforward: locate and seal the rift. However, his priorities shifted upon discovering survivors still inhabiting the heavily contaminated city. According to Fire Moth's data, these individuals possessed a rare natural resistance to Honkai Energy—a genetic anomaly found in only one out of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people.
Fire Moth valued such individuals highly, often recruiting them as soldiers or subjecting them to bodily enhancements to become supersoldiers capable of wielding Honkai Energy-powered weapons. Adam saw their potential similarly.
Given the scale of the task, it was clear that it could not be accomplished within mere days or weeks. Significant manpower was essential.
Angeline had suggested deploying an army of T-Dolls to forcefully establish control and eliminate all threats to stability. However, Adam dismissed this as a short-term solution. Simply eradicating enemies wouldn't restore peace if the underlying societal problems persisted.
"The stability of any society depends on the ruler that governs it," Adam reflected. "The ruler must be suitable for the situation and must uphold the law. Without that foundation, peace will remain elusive, no matter how many enemies are vanquished."
Adam's objective was clear: gather the survivors and empower them to rebuild the nation with their own hands. His role was simply to eliminate the Honkai threat and let fate chart the rest of their course.
After some time, Adam and the boy, Kei, arrived at an apartment complex on the outskirts of Nagazora, far from the city center. The area had fewer zombies and almost no Honkai Beasts, save for the occasional low-rank Archangel.
Adam observed Kei's impressive survival skills as the boy expertly navigated the buildings and alleys, deftly avoiding threats. Upon reaching the apartment complex, Kei bypassed the stairs and climbed a rope leading to an open balcony. He hoisted his scavenged loot using a pail tied to the same rope.
While Kei climbed, Adam opted for a simpler approach—leaping up and grabbing the balcony railing with ease before pulling himself onto the first floor.
"Whoa! That's amazing!" Kei exclaimed, astonished by Adam's feat.
"It's nothing," Adam replied nonchalantly before asking, "Why not just take the stairs?"
Kei shrugged. "I locked them off to stop zombies from wandering up here."
Adam nodded in approval as they passed the barricaded stairwell secured by a metal grill door. It was an intelligent move.
As they ascended, Adam noted signs of previous battles—dried bloodstains marred the walls and floor. Kei led him to the sixth floor, stopping at Room 608. He unlocked the door, and hurried footsteps approached from inside.
The door swung open to reveal a teenage girl with a black ponytail. Her face was a mix of anger and worry as she pulled Kei into a tight embrace.
"Kei! You brat! How dare you sneak out again!" she scolded, her voice trembling.
Adam observed her closely, immediately recognizing her as the injured sister Kei had mentioned. His sharp eyes caught the bandages on her right arm, along with faint, purplish, circuit-like veins spreading across her skin. Without hesitation, Adam captured an image through his visor and forwarded it to Angeline for analysis.
Less than a minute later, Angeline confirmed the diagnosis: Honkai Sickness, a condition caused by Honkai Energy corruption, often from exposure or injuries inflicted by Honkai Beasts or zombies.
As Kei's sister finished inspecting him for injuries, her gaze finally landed on Adam, who stood silently behind her brother. Her first thought was that he was some sort of deceiver, but the futuristic armor he wore made her reconsider. She quickly assumed he was from the Fire Moth, but Kei dispelled the misunderstanding.
"No, nee-chan! He's not from Fire Moth. But he said he can help you and Kaa-chan!" Kei exclaimed excitedly.
Unlike her brother, she remained cautious. Her expression darkened with suspicion. Her experience as a scavenger before her injury had exposed her to the dangers of terrorist groups, gangs, and cults recruiting desperate people. She couldn't rule out the possibility that Adam was one of them.
Although Adam couldn't read minds, her distrust was evident. He knew he had to convince her of his sincerity.
"Miss, may I treat your injury?" he asked earnestly with a serious expression.
Her suspicion wavered when she finally paid closer attention to him. His deep, confident voice carried a sense of security, and the charisma of his features left her momentarily speechless and a faint blush involuntarily crept across her face as she became visibly flustered.
Naturally, she knew Adam's intention to gain her trust with this gesture. If he could truly treat her, this would prove that he isn't trying to deceive them with false promises.
Although a cure for Honkai Sickness did not exist yet. There exists a suppressant drug that can inhibit the spreading of Honkai Corruption after the First Impact commercially. But the price was exorbitant and supply was always limited. To be able to show one to her is enough to gain her trust. Not to mention using it to treat her injury. However, what she expected was far from what Adam had in mind.
"Let's find a place to sit down first. I can cure this injury." Adam said confidently which shocked the girl and his younger brother.
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