Chapter Text
It was over.
Ever since the Honkai invaded Earth, humanity had been stuck in a fifty-thousand year long time loop, being reborn before being destroyed every time they lost to the Honkai.
But now, Kiana Kaslana had done what others before her hadn't before. What her late teacher, Murata Himeko, and the other Valkyries before her hadn't achieved.
Though it was only temporary, Kiana, along with Mei and Bronya, managed to suppress the Cocoon of Finality and the Will of the Honkai far enough to stave off their influence on Earth and humanity. The Will of the Honkai, having acknowledged that Kiana as the Herrscher of Finality, and by extension, the true Herrscher of the End, couldn't help but be amused and amazed by what one human can do. Thus, it allowed themselves to be pushed back and simply observe the humanity the Herrscher fought so hard to protect.
However, it was a mess in the aftermath. Now that the Honkai were no longer a problem, at least for the time being, the concern that the technology and civilizations powered by Honkai Energy would slow down over time without the presence of Honkai itself began to grow. It was a hard decision, weighing both the pros and the cons, but with a heavy heart and an uneasy voice, Schicksal announced that all technology powered by Honkai Energy must be abandoned and stored away as humanity entered its next stage of evolution. Without the presence of Honkai and the Honkai Beasts, humanity will slowly rebuild itself, converting to electricity, water, nuclear, and other energy sources. Though these sources would be finite in the future, it was much more preferable to nip a problematic bud before it bloomed into an undesirable situation that will approach sooner than expected.
Eventually, with the help of Schicksal and other organizations around the world, they abandoned Honkai Energy and stored the technology underneath the vast catacombs of St. Freya High School, under the watchful eye of Theresa Apocalypse. They hid where the technology had been hidden from the public under heavily coded government files. The school of Valkyries changed to become a normal high school for girls in Tokyo, Japan. It was beyond hard for humanity to let go of a valuable source of energy to power their everyday lives and not everybody was happy in the massive change. But the unconscious concession was to keep moving forward.
For the rest of the world, if they don't want to be stuck in the past, then they must face the uncertain future.
For Kiana, it was what she would've wanted.
For this is the humanity Kiana believed in and fought for.
Despite the now somewhat peaceful Earth, the remaining Herrschers split off. With the powers they have, they branched off to explore other universes, planets, and bubble worlds— constantly created, extending and expanding on the Imaginary Tree.
As for Kiana herself, she resides on the moon to hone her powers as the Herrscher of Finality and the End, and to watch over humanity as its overseeing protector.
The now dubbed “Age of the Honkai” has ended, leading humanity into an uncertain but hopeful future.
Children born in the Age of the Honkai grew and became parents to their own children. They told grandiose stories of the Honkai and Valkyries, their trials and tribulations to protect humanity and the sacrifices they made that even hardened soldiers who aren't Valkyries wouldn't even have imagined.
Then those children would soon grow up and pass those stories on to their children and so on.
It became a tradition; to tell the stories of the Age of the Honkai and pass on the Valkyrie’s legacies. Especially Kiana’s, as she was named Humanity's Hero.
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But despite everything, humanity never learns its lessons.
The world is an ugly and cruel place.
Because where one problem ends, another will soon rear its ugly head around the corner.
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It all started with the Luminescent Baby in China. An infant born with a never-before-seen ability that immediately sent Earth into a storm.
It began to spread rapidly. Humans began gaining extraordinary abilities out of nowhere. Immediately, this awoke the then sleeping Kiana from her slumber on the moon and alerted the very few others who are still alive from the Age of the Honkai.
Was this something related to the Honkai?
A new type of Honkai Energy that had been mutated somehow?
Did the Honkai return without anyone noticing?
Kiana, now fully awakened, returned to where the Cocoon of Finality had been residing since being pushed back.
The Herrscher slowly drifted and walked delicately among the stars, stirring slightly from her movements. Kiana reached the Cocoon of Finality and looked up with a grim stare.
“Is this your doing?”
Immediately, a reflection that looked just like her appeared before the goddess. Blinding white light shaped into a humanoid girl.
And with a blunt voice, she voiced out, “No.”
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Back on Earth, things quickly grew out of hand. The world became divided. Those who feared others who had these strange abilities, and those who revered this and proclaimed it as the next stage of humanity’s evolution.
Governments began to capitalize on these new powers, introducing the career of being a “Hero”— a person with a “Quirk” that saves and protects others who couldn't protect themselves.
They established schools to train the young with Quirks and agencies to employ Heroes. City streets became action scenes from comic books. Heroes began scoring advertising and brand deals. They appeared on the news and talk shows. No matter how much you wanted to escape it, Heroes were everywhere.
Children now were born to idolize these Heroes. To dream to become like them someday.
But what Kiana and the rest of those who were still alive during the Age of the Honkai didn't know was that it wasn't the Quirks themselves they had to be cautious of.
It was those who used Quirks to influence a certain agenda onto the people.
Someone, or something, had to control the influx of Heroes.
Thus, the Hero Commissions started up around the world.
Suddenly, there was a sudden push in sponsorships and brand deals. Heroes began to care more about the money they raked in then the people they saved and helped.
Heroes no longer worked together, and instead competed for popularity rankings.
There was a push for more flashy “Heroic” Quirks, and those who had “Villainous”, seemingly useless, or even no Quirks at all were cast aside.
People with “Villainous” Quirks were discriminated against. Spat upon. Abused. Tortured.
Those with “useless” Quirks were ignored. Dismissed. Not being given a second thought.
And the rare few with no Quirks at all—
It cannot be described without going into morbid details.
But the world didn't care for the blatant problems in front of their faces.
No one cared for the problems and blood spilled in order for Heroes to remain on the top.
And even if they did, they'd simply ignore it. Choosing to live in their comfortable lives rather than see the ugly truth.
Gradually, the stories of the Age of the Honkai slowly faded into obscurity.
Now, if anyone were to even bring up the Age of the Honkai, people would scoff. Turn their noses up like they smelled something foul.
“It was all make-believe.”
“Those stories are all folk tales.”
“Quit indulging in nonsense.”
The people no longer believed about Kiana, Mei, Bronya, Himeko, and all the Valkyries and the Flame Chasers who sacrificed their lives and bodies to save the world from the never ending force of the Honkai.
And the Hero Commission made sure of that.
They burned and buried any evidence of the Age of the Honkai ever existing.
The Hero Commission announced there was no such thing as Heroes in the pre-Quirk era.
That Honkai Beasts and Energy are a myth.
The Flame Chasers were considered cultists, having made up stories of these “Honkai” and how they defeated them, brainwashing millions.
Valkyries were no longer considered heroes, but Quirkless cheaters who used defective support weapons as their crutches.
“The Quirkless are nothing more than cheating, useless wastes of space.” The Hero Commission president of Japan, or Madam President sneered as her lackeys disposed of hundreds of documents and files all predating the Age of the Honkai into a fire.
Smoldering flames enveloping and swallowing thousands of years of history.
All burned to ash.
“Those who are weak in nature will not survive the era of Heroes. Heroes are merely just the special ones to keep civilians in check. To revere, not question. To not think about the deepest trenches and enjoy the rose-colored glasses we worked so hard to give them.”
Once everything was nothing but soot, a lackey put the fire out with a fire extinguisher.
“History is written by the winners after all. Nothing will stand in the way of the Heroes to achieve ultimate control of the world. To exterminate and kill off any weak links and those who dare question the authority of Heroes.” Madam President finished her impromptu speech.
“Clean the ashes and get back to work.“ Without a second glance, she turned her back and walked out, leaving her employees to deal with the aftermath.
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This was not the humanity she protected.
Yes, the world is ugly and imperfect.
But this.
This was too far.
And as the protector of Earth, she must solve this at once.
Kiana left her home on the moon to confront those who abused their authority, her powers at the ready.
She descended upon the Earth like a comet, ablaze with starlight.
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Upon detecting an unknown lifeform from space with their readers sparking and nearly setting the station into flames from charts going out of control when measuring its power, NASA alerted the World Hero Association. They said the lifeform is heading straight towards the Hero Public Safety Commission Headquarters in Japan.
In response, the WHA sent the top heroes from the biggest countries in the world to deal with this potential threat. At the lead was the then number one hero in Japan, Skywalk, or by her civilian name, Shimura Nana in her prime.
All civilians near the location of the HPSC’s HQ were to be cleared out of the way as the comet of light descended upon them.
The threat landed in the empty street near the HQ, the top heroes from around the world readying their Quirks to stop this threat who is said to have immeasurable power.
What they didn't expect was the appearance of this foreign lifeform from space. They expected an alien appearance; ugly, slimy skin, possibly just one or a thousand eyes. Instead, what stood in front of them was a face of a young woman with flowing white hair, blue eyes with purple star-shaped pupils and wearing a white and purple dress. She looked more akin to a goddess than an alien.
“Who are you?” Skywalk demanded. Can it even speak Japanese?
“I am Kiana Kaslana,” the woman said with surprising fluency. “I am from the Age of the Honkai and the Herrscher of Finality. I have been residing on the moon for thousands of years to protect humanity after me and my friends pushed back the Honkai from Earth. With the emergence of these “Quirks”, humanity has been in turmoil once more. Those who you answer to, the Hero Commission, have been abusing their power and neglecting the minorities in your society. It's my job to put an end to this conflict before it gets worse.”
“The Age of the Honkai? I thought it was all just a myth!” Exclaimed the Hero from Canada.
“I can assure you that it is not. The Hero Commission burned all evidence and history of the Age of the Honkai ever existing. I'm not here to start a fight or even a full-on war for it would go against my entire goal of protecting Earth.” Kiana says firmly.
“You think we're just going to believe something like this? The Age of the Honkai is just a myth! A folktale for hopeless Quirkless shits who can't get it through their heads that they're useless without Quirks!” The Hero from Germany screeches.
“We as Heroes are taught to defend the society that has been built at all costs. Your existence itself is a threat to all Heroes and society. By the order of the World Hero Association and our respective Hero Commissions, we must eliminate you.” Skywalk threateningly said.
“Like I said, I'm not here to start a war. I'm here to answer the cries of the wounded; those who have been left behind by those who've sworn to defend.” Kiana tried to placate the growing tension.
“That is none of your concern. Now, you either come with us or we'll put you out of your misery, Villain.” The Hero from the U.S snarled.
Kiana didn't get a chance to respond before all the Heroes attacked her at once. She jumped away at the speed of light, leaving stardust in her wake. Kiana did not want to do this. But if she could at least make them stand down, maybe they'll listen.
She summoned her purple wings made of stardust and gun and baseball bat in both hands and engaged in combat with the top heroes of the world.
The heroes have clearly underestimated the Villain claiming to be from the fictitious Age of the Honkai. She had some sort of powerful reality or space warping Quirk that made her nearly invincible to all of their attacks. There were moments there was a sudden gap in time as one second she appeared and the next, she was behind and a hero laid down in defeat; an indicator of some time manipulation quirk.
The Villain is undeniably clever if she hid an overpowered Quirk like this for so long. But it did not explain how she supposedly came from the moon.
The battle, or rather, the game of tag proceeded with Kiana not even breaking a single sweat. She dealt with worse things than humans with insignificant powers and egos bigger than the stratosphere.
Meanwhile, the Heroes felt like they were engaging in a wild goose chase then a full blown battle. The Villain escaped from their grasps each time they got close by using her wings or her Quirks . And when one of them tried to attack, she would again use her Quirks or fire a flaming purple bullet from her gun. Surprisingly, it didn't penetrate the skin, but it did hit like they did get struck by a bullet.
In the near end, Kiana had enough and did her Ultimate move, flying upside down, a vestige of the moon behind her and summoning her wings before flying down, leg outstretched. She crashed and landed onto the battlefield, violet pillars of flame erupting from the ground. Heroes flew back in all directions, injured but not to the brink of death.
“Please, I do not wish to continue this fight any longer. I am no villain, but someone who has protected and watched over Earth for more years than any of your lifespans combined.” Kiana damn near pleaded to the Heroes.
“Save your fantasies for someone who'll listen, Villain.”
Kiana once again was interrupted before she felt something from behind her. Using her god-like speed and senses, she dodged out of the way.
But it was already too late.
Skywalk had hidden a knife in her costume, and without a moment to hesitate, she stabbed Kiana in the back. Shimmering blood flowed off the Villain like an iridescent river.
Kiana gasped and stumbled, ready to defend herself. She was a Herrscher dammit! She would not fall over a single stab wound to the back.
Quickly, the wound sealed back up instantly. Skywalk’s expression changes into mortification. The Villain had a self-healing quirk too?
Kiana blasted her back with her gun and also propelled herself backwards to get away from the Heroes.
She sensed someone sneaking behind her but before she could dodge yet again, something struck her head.
Kiana felt herself drop to the floor in an instant and black quickly swallowing her vision.
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When Kiana woke back up, she was quickly accosted by the Madam President of the Hero Commission. She was held in some sort of cell, metal walls gleaming blurry reflections back at her. Two armoured guards stood by the only door to the cell, guns at the ready. Chains bounded her wrists and ankles to the wall behind her. She turned her head to see four turrets aimed directly at her. Naturally she could immediately bust down the walls and escape and avoid the turrets’ bullets with ease, being a Herrscher of godly powers. But what the Madam President said stopped her.
“Reports of your Quirks came back to me. Said you have reality warping, time manipulation, and self healing Quirks. Or should I say Herrscher powers?” Madam President paced back and forth in front of the captured Herrscher.
“Why did you burn the history of the Age of the Honkai? The people need to know the sacrifices my friends made! Our sacrifices are the reason that humanity continues to exist to this day!” Kiana demanded.
Madam President scoffed, “And give those who do not deserve a place in society false hope?”
The woman stopped and leaned down to face Kiana, a sinister look in her eyes. “Times have changed, Miss Herrscher. The society you see before you is one built on the hierarchy that the strong remain on top and the weak stay at the bottom where they belong. It keeps those who are less desirable in check, to make sure they do not get any ideas.”
And with a cruel grin, “And frankly— your entire being is an interference on the agenda we are trying to build.”
Madam President stood up and dusted invisible dirt off her suit. “You could try to escape. But—” She then pulled out a remote controller and pressed a button. Slowly, a monitor came from the ceiling in front of Kiana. Once done, the screen flashed with static before showing a still image that made Kiana bite her tongue to suppress a gasp.
St. Freya High School.
The president explained that if Kiana escapes, the Hero Commission will send out their top Heroes to wipe out St. Freya, including all its students and staff. The Commission will cover everything up to the public, saying it was the work of Villains. Even after thousands of years on the moon, Kiana still had attachment to the school. It was where her journey began. Where she had made her most precious memories with. Mei. Bronya. Himeko. Fu Hua.
As the Madam President talked, Kiana realized that if the Heroes and the Hero Commission were to invade and destroy St. Freya, they would inevitably discover the ancient Honkai technology hidden underneath the catacombs. They will turn that technology against those who protest against the Hero Commission and those who know too much of what they do behind the scenes. Genuinely good people will die for doing the simplest things all because the Hero Commission disliked anything to do with showing those who they call “weak” and “useless” empathy and kindness. Not to mention if Heroes managed to get their hands on Honkai technology. Seeing from how the top heroes of the world acted and how they talk about those who are Quirkless, Kiana grew more alarmed at the consequences by the passing second.
And what if she stayed here as she is?
Kiana knew the cruelty of humanity like the back of her hand. She remembered the inhumane experiments the researchers did to Sirin. Kiana may be dumb, but judging by how history is repeating itself right in front of her, Kiana knows that she can never, never have the Hero Commission take her powers for their own disgusting plans to keep the status quo.
So, she did something she discovered while on her home on the moon. Something she thought she would never do unless in very extreme circumstances.
Kiana can almost hear Bronya’s irritated voice in her ears.
Kiana, you idiot.
She concentrated all her Herrscher powers into her chest, the feeling like something other than her heart was stirring alive inside her. Behind her closed eyes, rays of white and purple and pink lights flashed against the dull reflections of the cell. Shouts and demands screamed at her but were drowned by the sound of Honkai energy humming and buzzing in her ears. Her head grew heavier and heavier and Kiana gritted her teeth.
No matter how she looked at it, whether she escapes or be held inside a cell for the unforeseeable future, the consequences either way would be devastating. She will not let these false heroes get what they want. Kiana will protect those who bring out humanity's beauty to shine. She will not let the ugliness and evil of humans wipe out what she fought and believed in so hard ever since her days as a Valkyrie.
Even if it means costing her life.
Even if it meant sealing herself away….forever.
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Suddenly, the bright lights stopped. Madam President and the guards by the door unshielded their eyes. No longer was there a Villain pretending to be a god. Now, a large magenta and purplish crystal laid on the cold steel floor. Madam President walked over and quickly scooped up the crystal. It was almost as long as her arm. She turned over the crystal, studying her reflection until she saw something inside that made her boil with rage.
Within was the sleeping form of Kiana Kaslana tucked inside the crystal.
The Herrscher inflicted herself into a comatose state and transferred her physical body inside the crystalline shard.
Realizing what Kiana had done, Madam President screamed and threw the crystal across the room, causing a minor dent to the floor.
But the crystal remained unshattered.
Just like the Finality’s will to protect all precious life.
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The Hero Commission covered everything up as usual with help from the government. That the “unidentified alien” was a highly dangerous Villain, an SSS class to be exact, claiming to be a god. Because of the highly dangerous “Villain” in question, little to no footage had been recorded by civilians as they all have been evacuated and ordered to stay in their homes less they face consequences. The little footage that had been recorded and posted to video-sharing sites were grainy and distorted, the person recording filming from far away to get any sort of details. Backroom deals were made, news stations ordered to archive any of the footage they had shot or face an immediate shut down of their broadcasts and were paid for their silence. Hackers tried to scrape the database for anything with no luck. Cleanups and construction restoration from the battle came in swiftly before taking their leave. Heroes were paid luxuriously for their efforts and were told to never speak of this unless they can make good publicity for themselves out of it. Civilians ate up whatever the Hero Commission told them. No questions. No second guessing. No criticisms. Everything was taken care of. Everyone can go on living their lives now that the Heroes saved the day once more.
There were only a few that actually questioned what had happened.
Hero forums from all over the world flooded with posts: Who was this SSS class villain? Why was there not any footage? If the villain was so dangerous, shouldn't the public know and be on the look out beforehand? Where did the Villain even come from? Was it really an alien like they initially said? What Quirk did the Villain have to make them so dangerous? Why was nobody else questioning anything? Why was everyone accepting everything as is?
Questions like these faced harsh backlash: Why are you questioning what the Heroes do? Are you a Villain in disguise? Aren't you ashamed to be so ungrateful towards the Heroes that keep our world safe? Shameful people like you have no place in society! Heroes are the pinnacle of our livelihood! Without them, we will die! Never question Heroes ever again!
Most of these users deactivated their accounts after that. Some were even doxxed and harassed in real life.
To this day, the polarising fight came to be known as “The Battle Against the False God Villain”.
Meanwhile, in a warehouse far off into the rural parts of Japan, HPSC researchers were hard at work. Computers and monitors detailing data only seasoned researchers can read. Attached to them were wires all connected to one tube sitting at the center of the warehouse. Inside contained the crystal shard with the Herrscher of Finality inside.
Madam President’s trusted lackeys delivered the material and instructed all of them to gather as much information as possible from the crystal and find a way to extract Kiana from within. But so far, there has been no luck. If anyone were to look at it far enough, it would simply look like an ordinary gem.
The rest of those who lived during the Age of the Honkai could only watch in silence with their hands tied. They cannot contact the other Herrschers and allies in the bubble worlds and universes they resided in now as that would require Honkai energy. It would create an enormous amount of radiation and energy that would spike across the power grid and have the government immediately at their doorsteps. And doing anything else to try to get Kiana back from the grasp of the HPSC will immediately put a target on their back and Kiana's sacrifice would be for nothing.
The principal of St. Freya, Theresa Apocalypse, clenched her fist in rage in her office.
How did a measly few humans and their lapdogs on genetic steroids triumph over them like this? All of this for keeping “world peace” when Kiana and everyone else fought harder than any of them? Theresa could only bite her lip from frustration, causing it to bleed.
This isn't the end however.
This is merely just the beginning.
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Years went by, the world becoming more and more hero centered. With the introduction of All Might, the so-called “Symbol of Peace”, society fell more into the Hero Commission’s biased ideals. More flashy Quirks equals more powerful heroes. Non-flashy Quirks, Villainous Quirks and the Quirkless are condemned, throwing those who dare call themselves “living beings” to the side. Wastes of resources for the good people who live honest lives. People purposely turning the other way to those who have been left behind. It wasn't their problem. It wasn't the Heroes problem either. They were born the way that they are, therefore they should face the consequences.
No one gave the weak the time of day. They were too busy indulging in the so-called “peace” that All Might gave them, living in their high horses and giving money and attention to Heroes who each have their own dirty secrets. As long as nobody knew or turned the other way, Heroes will forever reign supreme.
That was until six years ago.
Everybody, not even the governments can sweep this under the rug with their blood money.
An enormous continent, almost the size of the other continents combined abruptly emerged overnight.
Everyone, rightfully so, panics.
Government officials and Heroes alike were sent immediately to gather information of this strange, foreign land. But they were all blocked by an invisible forcefield. More heroes were sent in to destroy the barrier but nothing they did penetrated it— not even a single dent.
It seems whatever was putting up the barrier had enough, deploying violent storms to further limit the Heroes’ reach. Gusts of wind that churned the waves and nearly capsizing boats. Violent bursts of lightning almost striking all Heroes. And most abysmally, sharp spears of stone thrown at officials and Heroes alike, nearly killing them. Heroes with even strong weather manipulation or god-like Quirks cannot pass through the barrier, much less the storm.
Clearly whoever the continent was under control of did not like outsiders.
The United Nations and the World Hero Association tried to establish contact with the unknown continent, only to be rejected by an organization known as the “Divine Summit”. Stating very clearly they do not want anything to do with the “outside world” and would very much keep to themselves.
This of course did not settle well with the Heroes.
What if Villains were on that island?
What could they possibly hide if they did not want to make contact with the UN and the WHA?
The higher powers decided on a different approach, pretending to “respect” the boundaries and observed the storm instead and perhaps finding a weak point in which the storm would partially subside. Finally, their efforts after months were rewarded with something even more fruitful than just waiting for something.
An informant of the HPSC gave details that an unidentified ship was travelling from the estranged land to Japan late into the night, possibly some sort of spy. The Heroes and the HPSC laughed. How foolish. Clearly whoever sent this boat, possibly the “Divine Summit,” was clearly not smart. They underestimated the Heroes. This opportunity fell right into their laps just like that.
Immediately, they all jumped into action, commencing OPERATION: CONTINENTAL. When the ship immediately docked onto the port at 4 am, Heroes came out from hiding and seized whatever or whoever was on that boat.
Surprisingly, there was only one person on that boat.
An unknown woman with wine-colored hair with her eyes a similar color. She wore a fashionable outfit, with a coat hanging by her shoulders, white dress shirt, black shorts, stockings and mismatched boots. The woman immediately gave up once she noticed she was surrounded. But something was off-putting about her as she showed no signs of fear or hesitation. She was calm and collected as a leaf, unperturbed and unfazed by everything.
Like this all part of an elaborate plan.
Now that they thought about it, this all seems too good to be true. Why would the woman give up so easily? Wouldn't the unknown continent send someone with more stealth and intelligence to infiltrate their country?
Unbeknownst to them, their questions will be answered. Just not in the most conventional way .
HPSC agents took her back to the HPSC in their specialized interrogation room in quirk-suppressing handcuffs while the Heroes inspected the boat the foreigner travelled in.
They riffled through her belongings, only finding an ID, identifying the woman as only “Kafka” and she worked for something called “The Stellaron Hunters”. They also found a USB which they immediately plugged into a computer to scrub for any data on it along with a lipstick of an unknown brand.
As the agents worked on deciphering the USB, the interrogation began.
Kafka, still with a calm smile on her lips and with a relaxed posture sat waiting for the interrogator to arrive. The rest of the team gauged her behind a one-way glass window.
“How is she so calm?” One asked.
“Maybe she's just good under pressure. Putting on an “innocent” act.” Another voice added.
“Let’s wait for a few more minutes. See if she cracks. Then send in the interrogator.”
Five minutes went by. Nothing
Then ten. Still nothing.
Then thirty.
Finally, they reached the one hour mark.
And the woman still remained composed. The same irritating smile on her lips that was starting to grate on the agents’ nerves.
“Send in the interrogator.” Someone finally said.
They watched as their top interrogator filed into the room, seating himself right across Kafka. Finally, the woman looked up, meeting his intense gaze head on.
“I am Agent Usotsuki of the Hero Public Safety Commission. My Quirk allows me to force the truth out of others as long as I maintain eye contact with them. Let's make this easy for both of us. Who are you?”
When Kafka spoke for the first time since she had been captured, Usotsuki immediately used his Quirk, “Well, you got my ID do you not?”
Quiet astonishment fell upon the agents witnessing the integration behind the glass window. Usually when they bring in Usotsuki, the person in question would immediately respond with their name.
But this woman didn't respond with her name, instead she deflected the question with a different response.
Something wasn't right here. She has quirk-suppressing handcuffs on. How was she able to resist their number one interrogator’s powerful Quirk?
Agent Usotsuki seemed to be in shock as well but quickly recovered. A fluke perhaps?
“Who do you work for? What are the Stellaron Hunters?”
“Just a group of friends of mine. We like to collect things, that's all.”
“You came from the unknown continent. Who are the people that reside there? Are they Villains?”
Kafka almost snorts, “Villains huh? I wouldn't call ourselves Villains, we just go about our goals in…unprecedented ways.”
“And what exactly are those goals?” Agent Usotsuki snarls. He realizes that his Quirk was not working on the mysterious women, opting to lean closer to Kafka much to her disliking.
To his discomfort, Kafka’s smile grew wider and her eyes seemed to shine more brilliantly under the harsh lighting of the interrogation room.
Why did he feel like he just got caught in a hungry spider's web?
“If I told you, would you be able to handle it?”
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Back in the monitoring room, the more technical agents were working on gathering information from Kafka's USB but were getting nowhere. Whatever has been detailed in the USB had been coded in some cipher they had never seen before. They were stumped on where to go from here when a sudden appearance of a certain intelligent animal arrived.
“Am I a mouse? A dog? A bear? What you need to know is that I am Mr. Principal!” An animal of an unknown species announced by the door.
“Principal Nezu! You're right on time! Thank the Madam President for sending you here or else this would take us ages to uncover!” An agent replied.
“No need to thank me! I am just doing what a Hero’s duty is, which is to help!” Nezu gleamed. “Now let's see what I can do.”
Nezu hopped onto a chair to take a better look at what they were dealing with. Clearly, this foreign land has access to technology much like theirs but the cipher was nothing Nezu had seen before. Nezu’s paws typed away at the screen and mentally flipping through all known cipher codes to decode the meaning behind this.
It took several minutes (ten minutes to be exact) but finally Nezu decoded it with a triumph “Aha!” The computer began to process the now uncovered information before finalizing everything. To their shock, only one file had been recovered. Nezu clicked on the file, and only saw one item inside.
empyrean.txt
With a hesitant click, Nezu opened the text file.
What was recovered inside shocked both the agents and even Nezu.
Scrolling down, the rock in everyone's stomach sunk further and further.
Words began flashing across their eyes like attacking projections.
Empyrean. Archons. Aeons. Agents. Hollows. Stars. Teyvat. Astralis. New Eridu. Visions. Paths. Ether.
More and more information attacked every part of their brains, overloading to take everything in.
Only Nezu wasn't outwardly panicking, his animalistic nature and Quirk allowing him to hone his emotions (or lack of them) deep within. Instead of panicking like his human associates, Nezu’s morbid curiosity and sadism began to spark a deep thirst in the animal's twisted mind. Schemes and plans already taking shape.
Finally, something Nezu can put its expertise into at full force.
After scrolling through the end, silence permeated the stuffy, hot room. No one spoke a word. Their minds are still trying to catch up on what they just uncovered.
Nezu finally broke the silence, the chair squeaking in protest as it turned to face the rest of the agents. What got everybody to snap out of it was the chilling smile Nezu sported as it spoke.
“May I ask that I have permission to speak to the individual you captured from the docks? I have a few questions that must be answered right away!” Nezu’s cheerful voice grated on the agents’ ears like nails on a chalkboard.
“I—”
Nezu’s question went unanswered as a defeating sound resounded across the building.
BOOM!
Everyone fell to the floor as an explosion rocked the entire HPSC building, foundation crumbling above them.
“Code Black initiated! There has been an attack on the HPSC! All agents proceed to the interrogation room immediately! ” A crackling voice sounded over the speakers all over before another violet BOOM rocked the building once more.
“Shit! She's escaping!” The agents shouted and scrambled, quick to get their bearings and file out of the room to capture the escaping fugitive.
However, Nezu remained still on its chair, producing a cup of tea out of nowhere as it watched them leave in quiet amusement.
So, this is the game they want to play?
Nezu sets down the teacup on its lap with a feral grin.
Then I'll be happy to oblige.
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“I’m not going to ask you again, Missy! What is the name of that goddamn place you came from? Who do you work for?” screamed Agent Usotsuki.
“I'm sure your colleagues have already discovered where I am from. And I already have answered your second question. So I believe that's all I can offer in terms of your questions, Mr. Usotsuki.” Kafka gently smiles at the agent like he was a misbehaving child.
Usotsuki huffs, resisting the urge to throttle himself at the infuriating woman. It was time for a more different approach.
“Fine. Then let me ask you this; what is the Divine Summit? Some time ago, the United Nations and the World Hero Association had tried to make contact with your home only to be rejected. They stated they do not want any contact with the “outside world” and expressed no interest in letting Heroes onto their land.”
As he says this, Usotsuki gets up from his seat and circles around Kafka slowly, a predator circling their prey and finding the right time to strike.
“As we uphold the society we build and rule, it is our job as agents and the Heroes’ job to make sure nothing threatens the safety and peace of society. So entertain me: why are Heroes not allowed on foreign grounds?”
Kafka made a sort of thinking gesture with her hands (as much as it can allow her since she's still handcuffed) seeming to think about the question for a good few moments before turning to face the interrogator.
“I'm afraid our time is up, Mr. Usotsuki. I cannot answer any more of your questions.”
Agent Usotsuki lets out an ugly laugh that even made Kafka's eye twitch.
“Are you serious? You think you can get out of this with your pretty looks and words? Clearly, you and whoever sent you here has underestimated the HPSC.”
Agent Usotsuki then slams his hands down on the table with a frightening bang but Kafka doesn't so much as flinch, let alone react.
“You will stay here under our supervision until we get a complete answer out of you. I don't know how you're able to deflect my Quirk when I've been staring at you directly all this time but I can assure you there is nothing—”
The whole world flashed white in a blink of an eye. The interrogator and the rest of the agents on the other side were blown back from the explosive force. Glass shattering and drywall hanging above by a thread, the ceiling now on the floor. The scent of sulfur and ash invaded the air. Sparks flew out from the exposed wires hanging.
“About time you showed up,” Kafka, like her demeanor, remained calm and unmoved, herself not being forced back by the explosion somehow with a smirk spreading across her face so wide it could send even Villains scrambling. “I was wondering where you guys were.”
“Kafka. It's time.” A metallic voice came from the hole in the wall. Standing there was a robot? Some sort of mecha? It looked like something from those pre-Quirk kid shows. It's silver and white armor with golden accents shined through the dust cloud.
“I know, I know Sammy,” Instantly, the handcuffs around Kafka's wrist came off with a simple snap of her fingers. “Did ya get my stuff?” The Stellaron Hunter asked while she rolled her sore shoulders and wrists as she made her way to the exit her fellow Hunter made.
“Yes. Now go.” The robot suit, Sammy(?), curtly responded and gestured to Kafka to come with.
“Code Black initiated! There has been an attack on the HPSC! All agents proceed to the interrogation room immediately! ” Someone from the interrogation room yelled through the half-destroyed intercom connected to the speakers throughout the building.
“Freeze! Put your hands up NOW !” Some of the agents recovered and began to whip out their HPSC-specialized pistols and took aim.
Kafka simply looked at the agents with a smirk and twirling something on her fingers.
Wait— are those pins!?
“Watch your feet~” she chirped. Ever the smart ones, the agents looked down at their feet to see several blue orbs at their feet.
Curiously, they were glowing. Almost as if they were—
“Aw shit—”
The HPSC building rocked again for the second time. Blue, purple, and pink shades of flashes consumed the room, leaving the agents in a daze.
Other agents and Heroes spread across the entire building and into the city to find the woman and her strange accomplice as the morning sun began to rise.
But as if they were made of magic, no traces of them were left. Not even a piece of shredded fabric or a sole footprint. The lipstick and ID they confiscated were gone. Most shockingly, they only left the USB and the boat in which their fugitive traveled on.
In the early afternoon, as cleanup began on the destroyed interrogation room, someone found a single note tucked away near an alleyway where their fugitives seemed to have escaped.
Written in a magenta glitter gel pen,
Thanks for the hospitality! We’ll meet again soon! ;)
-Kafka
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The Continent of Empyrean: New Country or Cult Commune?
By Chitose Kizuki
A little over a year ago, a mysterious continent had emerged from thin air, as big as the major continents itself combined. Government officials and Heroes have tried to infiltrate this mysterious continent only to be stopped by a massive barrier protecting the entire land. With the addition of extreme weather and unforeseen forces, officials and Heroes were to fall back due to the extreme circumstances.
The United Nations and World Hero Association had begun to make contact with this strange land only to be turned away by a group who called themselves the “Divine Summit”. In a lack of better words, they expressed they have no wish to make contact with the “outside world” and not let Heroes onto their land.
From what is being said, it seems there is intelligent life on this land and yields the same technology we do in order to communicate with us. But the question is why isolate themselves?
Many netizens online have begun to speculate, most of them proposing the theory that the land is run by Villains. With the addition of this “Divine Summit”, more has been added that these Villains are running some sort of religious cult that may worship a false deity or perhaps multiple.
In response to this concerning matter, the HPSC and Heroes initiated OPERATION: CONTINENTAL, an operation that was implemented when an informant from the HPSC tipped off that a boat travelling from the unknown continent was making its way towards Japan at 4 am today.
The Heroes quickly seized the only person on board and their belongings, identifying the woman as only “Kafka”, and belonging to a group named the “Stellaron Hunters”. In the interrogation with an HPSC agent, the woman managed to resist the agent’s quirk despite being in quirk-suppressing handcuffs. Unfortunately, in spite of heavy security all around the HPSC’s offices, Kafka ultimately escaped thanks to an accomplice wearing a robotic mecha suit whom she called “Sammy”.
As of now, no traces have been found, only leaving a USB that had been seized on Kafka, and the boat the woman had traveled on. The HPSC has advised all police and citizens alike to keep a lookout for these two Villains, both now labeled as S class Villains and to keep a safe distance from them as they are armed and dangerous.
This leaves us with more questions than answers: Who is Kafka and her accomplice? Who or what are the Stellaron Hunters? How come that if the unknown continent wants nothing to do with Heroes and subsequently our world, why did they send one of their own onto our own country? Do the inhabitants of this strange land even have Quirks? Who are the Divine Summit? Are they really a god-worshipping cult?
Thankfully, dear readers, we have more than enough answers thanks to a trusted insider of ours.
With the USB they have in possession, Mr. Principal, also known as the esteemed principal of UA High School decoded the information inside. This mysterious continent has now been revealed as “Empyrean”— Empyrean, according to Google, means “relating to heaven or the sky” or “heaven, in particular the highest part of heaven”.
It seems the tinfoil hat conspiracists can rejoice that their theories are correct! Judging from this name alone, we can concur this place is indeed housing some sort of cult! Perhaps multiple!
If you want more to quench your thirst for more insider scoop of this cult continent, read more down below!