Chat Group: Starting by Swapping Bodies with Elysia?

 Kiana gazed at her familiar reflection with a mix of joy and unease. Getting her body back was wonderful, but after experiencing the convenience and… ahem… advantages of being a boy, returning to her female form felt slightly awkward.

Of course, she absolutely did not wish she could have stayed in Jiang Qiao's body a little longer!

Knock, knock~

"Who is it? It's late! Let people sleep!" Kiana grumbled, but got up to open the door.

She looked down to see a familiar, expressionless face.

"Bronya? What's up?" Kiana scratched her head, wondering if Bronya wanted to play games. The boat trip had been boring, and Bronya often visited with her console.

But [Bronya]'s hands were empty.

"Bronya wants to borrow something." The flat, emotionless voice, and the use of the third person, made Jiang Qiao wince internally.

He could switch back to his usual way of speaking, but it felt awkward.

…Whatever. It's not important. After using Elysia and Kiana's bodies, he didn't mind adapting to Bronya's quirks.

"What do you—?"

Kiana's vision blurred, her eyelids growing heavy. The last thing she saw was Bronya's expressionless face.

Project Bunny, sharing [Bronya]'s intentions, materialized and caught the falling girl.

"While knowing wouldn't hurt, it's best for you to avoid these things for now, Kiana." A soft, almost monotone voice echoed through the cabin as [Bronya] gently stroked Kiana's cheek.

She pulled back Kiana's sleepwear, revealing smooth, white skin. But [Bronya]'s gaze didn't linger. She pressed her index finger against Kiana's chest.

The soft sensation—a certain someone's unattainable dream—was irrelevant to Jiang Qiao. What mattered was…

A faint pink glow, the color of Origin, emanated from his fingertip, spreading across Kiana's chest. Then, a bright yellow light emerged.

A glowing orange crystal materialized from Kiana's chest and floated into [Bronya]'s hand.

—The Herrscher of the Void felt like screaming.

She'd been ecstatic to see her easily manipulated host return.

But…

Are you kidding me?! You followed me into another body?!

—Sirin felt murderous.

Don't think I won't recognize you just because you switched bodies, you dog!

"What are you doing?! If you take the core, the stand-in will die!" Sirin protested angrily.

The Herrscher of the Void's core wasn't just her vessel; it was also Kiana's, [K423]'s, true spiritual core. Removing it was like taking Kiana's soul.

"It's surprising you care so much about the dummy." [Bronya]'s voice held a hint of amusement, the expression difficult to convey with Bronya's limited emotional range.

"Shut up! I don't care about that stand-in!" Sirin retorted.

Well, she did care, a little. Despite calling her a stand-in, as Sirin's desire for good, she cared about Kiana. And if something happened to her, those two jerks might return, and she'd be subjected to more… unpleasantness.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine." [Bronya]'s tone was calm.

He wouldn't do this if he wasn't certain. While the Herrscher of the Void's core was Kiana's spiritual foundation, he possessed fragments of his own Void and Origin powers.

Using Origin as a framework and Void as filler, he'd created a pseudo-Herrscher core for Kiana, one she alone could access, safe from Sirin's interference.

"Besides, Bronya is just borrowing it." The silver-haired girl smiled, then merged the core with [Bronya]'s body without hesitation.

She grunted, purple markings spreading across her neck and face before fading. Her silver eyes turned gold, glowing with divine power.

The power of the Void flowed through her, exhilarating yet alien, causing a sense of rejection.

"So this is what Honkai corruption feels like." [Bronya] winced, the sensation of her cells tearing apart both novel and unpleasant.

As the Herrscher of Origin, Elysia's body experienced no backlash. The Herrscher of the Void was also a natural Herrscher, but through careful manipulation and sheer willpower, he'd been able to seize control of the Void authority in Kiana's body.

But [Bronya] was different.

The Herrscher of the Void's core had an owner, and Bronya's compatibility was poor. Sirin wasn't cooperating.

While he could suppress her and use the Void powers, he couldn't avoid the Honkai corruption.

"Trying to wield Herrscher powers with a human body? Especially a broken one like this? How long do you think you can last?" Sirin gloated, sensing his struggle.

—She had to admit, he was impressive. Even in another body, he could forcibly use her powers. Wielding the Void authority as "Sirin" was vastly different from wielding it as a "human."

But even he couldn't overcome the fundamental difference between Herrscher and human. Forcing a human body to contain and utilize the Herrscher of the Void's core would lead to its collapse.

And then, she would be free!

The thought of that glorious future made her giddy. The only downside was that if he died so easily, her plan to force-feed him foot-washing water would be ruined.

But that was fine—

There was still that annoying pink girl! If she couldn't torment him, she'd torment Elysia!

"Indeed. A human body can't contain Herrscher powers." [Bronya] nodded in agreement, then her voice suddenly changed.

"That's why—"

"Bronya is no longer human!"

Before Sirin could process her words, [Bronya] unleashed the full power of the Void.

She vanished from the ship.

…

—On an Anti-Entropy battleship in the middle of the Pacific.

In the central compartment, a bespectacled, middle-aged man with brown hair stood before a scolding red projection, head bowed like a chastised schoolboy.

"You're a grown man! You ran off without a word, leaving me and Mophead to clean up your mess! Is this how an Anti-Entropy leader behaves?!"

"I'm sorry!" A dejected Welt Yang hung his head.

After the Murata Ryusuke incident, believing Anti-Entropy could handle itself while he recovered, he'd slipped away to St. Freya, becoming a history teacher.

Life had been peaceful, much more so than dealing with endless paperwork at Anti-Entropy.

But this tranquility had been shattered a few days ago.

Some idiot had exposed his location. An enraged Tesla had sent Einstein to St. Freya to drag him back. He hadn't even had time to submit his resignation to Theresa.

—At least it was Einstein.

If it had been the hot-headed Tesla, she might have parked the battleship right outside St. Freya's gates.

"I didn't expect so much to happen while I was gone." While disappointed about his interrupted vacation, he was also alarmed by what Einstein had told him about Cocolia's plans.

He'd thought Anti-Entropy could handle itself. Einstein and Tesla were more than capable of resisting Schicksal.

But he hadn't expected the first fire to start in their own backyard. One of their own Executors had nearly committed an atrocity.

He felt a pang of regret. While he enjoyed his time off, he was a man of principle. He would have carried the guilt of this near-disaster for the rest of his life.

"When I get back, I'll deal with Cocolia's faction." He said sternly.

Anti-Entropy's humanistic policies had allowed Cocolia's radical faction to grow unchecked, even Einstein and Tesla, the organization's founders, couldn't control them.

But after this incident, he couldn't ignore it any longer. They had left Schicksal because they opposed Otto's methods.

"That would be too late."

A flat, monotone voice echoed through the air, startling the three. They turned to see a small, silver-haired girl standing in the compartment.

"Bronya Zaychik? Cocolia's adopted daughter!" Tesla, acutely aware of Cocolia's associates after the Nagazora incident, recognized her instantly, her expression turning wary.

Welt reacted even faster. "That feeling… the Herrscher of the Void?! Einstein, get back!" He would never forget those golden eyes.

Einstein, however, hesitated, staring at [Bronya] uncertainly. "...You."

"No need to be alarmed. Bronya… well, it's easier if I use 'I'. We meet again, Dr. Einstein." The girl, perched on Project Bunny's outstretched hand, waved, a practiced smile on her face.

"It's you!" Einstein, puzzled by the presence of Kiana's power in Cocolia's adopted daughter, recognized the familiar aura and demeanor beneath [Bronya]'s exterior.

She reassured Welt, "It's alright, Joachim. She's not our enemy." While Welt had inherited the name "Walter," Einstein still preferred his original name.

Welt calmed down, recalling what Einstein had told him—the current Herrscher of the Void was under control, an ally of humanity. And if he remembered correctly, she was the one who'd exposed his location. He gave the silver-haired girl a pointed look.

"Hello, I'm Welt Yang, leader of Anti-Entropy." While resentful about his interrupted vacation, he was also grateful for her role in foiling Cocolia's plot in Nagazora.

[Bronya] leaned back against Project Bunny. "You can call me Jiang Qiao, but in this body… Bronya Zaychik is more appropriate."

"Alright, Bronya. What did you mean earlier?" Welt asked, intrigued.

"Simple. Cocolia is conspiring with Gray Serpent to obtain the Gem of Desire in New Zealand. If you wait until you return to North America to deal with her, she'll likely succeed."

"The Gem of Desire is in New Zealand?! That woman!" Tesla exclaimed, then gritted her teeth.

—Anti-Entropy's, or rather, the conservative faction's, intelligence network was… lacking.

Then she noticed the other name Jiang Qiao had mentioned. "Who is Gray Serpent?"

"A hidden faction, a remnant of the previous era… explaining everything would be tedious. Just know they're your enemy." [Bronya] said casually.

Revealing World Serpent's existence to Anti-Entropy was pointless. These three were… unpredictable. It might even alert the enemy and disrupt his plans.

"...I understand. We'll change course for New Zealand immediately." Einstein nodded.

The Gem of Desire couldn't fall into Cocolia's hands. They'd seen what she'd almost done with just a Gem of Conquest subject. They wouldn't underestimate her again. They had been caught off guard in Nagazora. Now, knowing her next move, they wouldn't allow her to continue unchecked.

"Suit yourselves. I have my own reasons for coming here, besides informing you."

"?"

The silver-haired girl stated her true purpose, her voice flat and monotone:

"How about entrusting me with the Herrscher of Reason's core?"

The Herrscher of the Void's core wasn't compatible with [Bronya]. He'd endured the burden solely to teleport to Welt. Thankfully, they weren't too far away. He might not have been able to manage such a long-distance teleport if they'd been in North America, even with his Origin powers.

For [Bronya]'s sake, and to acquire a fragment of the Herrscher of Reason's power for himself, he needed Welt's core.

"..." Welt frowned.

This request wasn't just excessive; it was outrageous.

While he didn't crave the Herrscher of Reason's power, it was a legacy passed down from his predecessor, Walter Joyce, carrying the weight of 300,000 souls. Even if the girl before him was a Herrscher fighting for humanity, he couldn't simply hand it over.

Moreover, the Herrscher of Reason's power also required compatibility. Wielding the Void authority didn't mean one could easily control the power of Reason. They were different domains, unless… you were a Herrscher.

But Welt's analytical abilities told him the girl was still human. And while she wielded the Void authority skillfully, it was clearly damaging her body.

He tried to dissuade her gently, "Your body can't handle another Herrscher's power."

Honestly, he wanted her to relinquish the Void authority as well. At this rate, her body would soon give out. Adding the Herrscher of Reason's power… Just because it was a "benevolent" Herrscher didn't make its power any less destructive. It was just as volatile as the Herrscher of the Void's core. Even if its will cooperated, it was too much for her to handle.

He didn't want to see a fellow Herrscher fighting for humanity meet such an end.

"As expected of the Herrscher of Reason. You saw through Bronya's condition immediately." The silver-haired girl's praise made Welt think she'd heeded his warning. He was about to continue when—

"That's why I need the Herrscher of Reason's core."

Welt was speechless. He was trying to convince her to give up Herrscher powers! Why was she so insistent? Was she trying to die?

"Why are you so stubborn?! Don't you want to live a little longer? Are you trying to kill yourself?!" Tesla exclaimed, exasperated. She wasn't entirely unconcerned about the core… but she cared more about [Bronya].

For some reason, this girl reminded her of a certain someone from the past. The same confidence, the same unwavering determination.

She wanted this girl to live.

"Don't misunderstand. Tesla's words might be harsh, but she cares about you."

"I know, but—"

"I can do it." The silver-haired girl's expression remained unchanged, yet her calm demeanor exuded an unshakeable confidence.

"You…" Welt hesitated.

Before he could respond, a blaring alarm echoed through the ship—

Warning! Warning! High Honkai energy detected!

The location… Shenzhou waters!