A beautiful girl who transmigrates into a Herrscher of the Void is treated like an elf and conquered

"I like you."

"!!!" Shido froze completely, wanting to say something, but not knowing where to begin.

However, Qianxia didn't give him any time to react, and immediately continued, her tone resolute and unwavering:

"But precisely because I like you, I cannot reciprocate your feelings, nor can I stay by your side."

"The road beneath my feet is destined to be full of thorns and darkness, full of sacrifice and bloodshed."

"What I carry is too heavy, so heavy that... I cannot allow myself any weaknesses or attachments."

"I cannot...and I will never...drag you into this endless abyss."

Just then, the faint, yet increasingly close, roar of engines and footsteps could be heard from outside the factory! DEM's pursuers had arrived!

(The timing was perfect!)

She gave Shido one last deep, greedy look, as if she wanted to etch his image, along with the feelings that had just begun to sprout but had to be nipped in the bud, into the depths of her soul and carry them into the eternal battlefield.

Then he resolutely turned around and walked towards the factory gate.

Her steps were firm and unwavering, as if she were walking on a steadfast path.

That slender figure, in the dim light, seemed to hold up a heavy sky.

As he turned around, Shido's gaze towards her gradually shifted from tenderness and affection to sharpness and coldness, until even the last trace of softness belonging to "Hououin Chika" seemed to be completely frozen.

"No! Wait! Phoenix Institute! Where are you going! It's dangerous outside!" Shido realized what was happening and shouted anxiously, trying to rush over and grab her.

But Chika did not stop or look back.

A barrier of light formed on the path Shido was chasing. It was just an ordinary structure that the opponent could create at will, but it was an insurmountable barrier that Shido could not break through no matter what.

No matter how Shido pounded on the light barrier or shouted at her, she showed no sign of stopping or turning back.

It seems that all the lingering affection and reluctance are contained in that sudden "I like you" and the subsequent "I'm leaving you".

She severed it herself, turning it into the strongest armor and the deepest pain on her path forward, leaving not a trace of it.

As she walked to the entrance of the dilapidated factory, Kurumi, who had been leaning against the door frame and quietly watching the scene, finally spoke lazily.

Her gaze fell on Chinatsu's overly determined, even somewhat empty, eyes, her tone carrying a barely perceptible hint of inquiry:

"Are you really... prepared to embark on this path, which may be one of no return, a path destined to be accompanied by darkness and despair?"

"You need to understand that if you really take this step, there will be no turning back. Have you... thought this through?"

"If you go back now and stop using spiritual power, you might still be able to survive in human society."

Qianxia stopped in her tracks, without turning around, and answered clearly in her tempered, cold, and firm voice: "I have come to my senses."

Kurumi stared at her silently for a few seconds, her expression shifting back and forth, until finally a complex emotion flashed in her golden eyes.

In the end, she simply nodded, stepped aside to make way, and offered her blessing. "Good luck, 'Herrscher of Reason'."

As Chika stepped out of the factory gate, Shido's desperate shouts and that small, still warm space were completely left behind.

What, you're asking how she dared to confront Eren head-on? Well, that's because right when she confessed to Shido, Aha's mission was completed!

[Ding! Host has successfully completed a time-limited special mission]

[Task Evaluation: Excellent! (Successfully utilized external factors to portray a variety of emotions, including tsundere, shock, sadness, and awakening, and concluded with a highly dramatic confession that greatly impressed the target! Maximum entertainment value!)]

[Task rewards are being distributed...]

[Congratulations, host, you have obtained: Herrscher of Judgment Core (a fusion of Herrscher of the Void Core and Herrscher of Thunder Core)!]

An unprecedented, immense, and terrifying power surged into Chika's body like a flood bursting its banks!

That is the supreme power formed by the fusion of the ultimate authority of "space" and the destructive power of "thunder"!

Its energy level and integrity far exceed her current, battered core of reasoning with only basic authority!

(Holy crap?! Dual cores of Herrscher of the Void and Herrscher of Thunder?! And they're even max-level fusion versions?! Aha, you're such a joker!)

(But what exactly is this "fusion level"? Oh well, never mind, I'll look into it later. For now, all I need to know is that I have the resources to keep messing around.)

Chika was overjoyed and almost couldn't maintain her "broken yet determined" expression.

She could sense that, if she so desired, she could unleash her Herrscher form at any time, like a queen descending, wielding power over space and summoning thunder, a power far beyond what her current half-baked Herrscher of Reason could match!

However, along with the surge of power came two "tendencies" that, like branding marks, originated from the core essence—

One is the arrogance and expansion of the "Herrscher of the Void," who is above all things, sees all living beings as ants, and desires domination and destruction.

The other force belongs to the "Herrscher of Thunder," a resolute and unyielding force that cuts through everything. Thunder needs no humility; it only needs to destroy all obstacles in its path.

(…Wait? This side effect…swells up like Sirin when using it? And loses humility?! A person can't have both humility and Thunder Yatalis at the same time, right?! I get it!)

Chika instantly realized how ridiculous this "gift" was.

This is practically handing an actress who just finished playing a "resolute young girl burdened with a mission" a script for "a queen descending and looking down on all living beings"! What a sudden change in style!

(But... it seems... pretty cool too?)

In a corner where no one could see, Chika's lips curled up into a mischievous and expectant smile.

(The wisdom and understanding of the Law of Reason, combined with the arrogance and thunder of the Judgment... Hmm, there's even more room for role-playing by switching forms in the future!)

(As for the side effects... just be careful in front of Shido and don't go too far! After all, having fun is the primary motivation!)

As she felt the surging new energy within her, and looked at the DEM team members who were already faintly visible in the distance, the "determination" in her eyes became even more "real".

(So, next... it's time for the guys at DEM to experience the "surprise" of "dual-core drive"!)

She took a step forward, actively facing the encroaching darkness, but this time, she was much more confident.

After all, she's now a "funny" Herrscher who holds two trump cards (although one is a bit too hot to handle)!

Chapter 105 The Determination of the Lonely

As Chika was deep inside the factory, directing and acting out her tragic drama interwoven with lies, realization, and farewell, the air outside the factory was thick with murderous intent.

Alan Mathers took the lead, hovering at the very front of the group.

The elite magician unit of DEM, personally led by her, along with a mixed formation of local AST members, is approaching the factory at an extremely high tactical speed.

They were like wolves that had caught the scent of blood, precise and deadly.

The airflow generated by the high-speed movement pulled at Allen's dazzling golden hair, making it dance wildly behind her, but she herself remained like a cold sculpture.

Sharp eyes, peering through advanced tactical goggles, were firmly locked onto the flashing coordinates representing the target on the screen.

Suddenly, the voice of the accompanying technical officer came through the encrypted communication channel, tinged with a barely perceptible hesitation:

"Reporting to Lord Allen! The spiritual energy fluctuations of the target 'Herrscher of Reason'—Walter Yang—have disappeared! The signal attenuation pattern...after comparison, matches the 'Lost' characteristic in the standard Elf reaction!"

Allen's striking eyebrows furrowed instantly, forming a sharp angle, but the sharpness in her eyes did not dim in the slightest; instead, it became even more concentrated.

"Disappeared?" Her voice came through the channel, carrying a cold, hard quality like the friction of metal, brooking no doubt.

"Don't be fooled by this simple smokescreen. The target's power is 'understanding and reconstruction,' and simulating spiritual energy fluctuations that match the signs of 'Lost' is not impossible for him. Order all units to continue advancing according to the original plan and get closer to confirm the situation!"

She paused slightly, then added as if delivering a final verdict, her tone carrying a decisiveness that crushed all obstacles:

"And that transfer student, Chinatsu Hououin. Regardless of her connection to Welt Yang, and regardless of whether she is classified as a Spirit, she must be listed as a top priority target and captured! Her very existence is an extremely important clue and a living specimen, and its value cannot be lost."

Almost as soon as she finished speaking, another real-time monitoring report arrived:

"At the same time, we detected a precipitous decline in the spiritual energy fluctuations of 'Nightmare,' with its current peak activity level less than 40 percent of its prime. Preliminary analysis suggests that it expended too much energy in the previous conflict with 'Herrscher of Reason,' especially... it is highly likely that it used some extremely costly time-based ability to save the dying Herrscher of Reason."

Upon hearing this, Allen's lips curled up uncontrollably, forming a cold, sarcastic arc.

"Hmph, to exhaust one's precious power to save so-called 'kindred spirits'? How... touching is this 'friendship'."

Her words were like poisoned ice needles: "Perfect opportunity! Let's take this chance and eliminate this ever-present 'nightmare' together today!"

Just then, a rhythmic hum of thrusters came from the flank.

The AST advance reconnaissance team, led by Takamiya Mana, completed the outer perimeter clearing and successfully rendezvoused with Allen's main force.

Mana's face showed the exhaustion that was hard to hide after continuous battles, but her eyes were still like a drawn sword, firm and sharp.

She activated the display device, flew to the side and slightly in front of Allen, and gracefully raised her hand in a salute:

"Lord Allen, the front line has been confirmed! The core area where the target last disappeared has been identified as the interior of the abandoned factory. No signs of large-scale spatial quakes have been found, but traces of multiple intensely intertwined high-concentration spiritual energy reactions have been detected. The energy spectrum is complex and consistent with the characteristics of a high-intensity battle."

Just as Allen was about to wave his hand and issue the final order for a full-scale assault, a voice filled with obvious fatigue and anxiety forcefully entered the encrypted channel—it was Captain Ryoko Kusakabe, who had just led the main force of the AST to the scene.

Her personal armor still bore clear scratches and scorch marks from her battle with "Nightmare," and her face was filled with deep concern for the condition of her subordinates.

"Executive Allen! Please wait a moment!"

The fire engine, driven by a slightly hurried approach, flew closer, its tone urgent.

"My team members have experienced a long standoff and high-intensity maneuvers with the 'Nightmare' for several hours. Both their physical strength and mental concentration are nearing their limits!"

"Most members' display devices are running low on energy, their operating efficiency has dropped significantly, and some have even issued overload warnings. They urgently need to be withdrawn from the battlefield for maintenance and recharging!"

She took a deep breath, her gaze meeting Allen's icy eyes that seemed to freeze the soul, striving to maintain the dignity befitting a commander and her sense of responsibility towards her subordinates:

"Under these extremely unfavorable circumstances, we will continue to launch a strong attack on the possible multiple spirits—especially the 'Herrscher of Reason' whose status is mysterious and whose abilities are bizarre, and the 'Nightmare' which, although temporarily weakened, is still extremely dangerous."

"This...this is tantamount to sending my most trusted subordinates on a suicidal mission! I cannot accept such an order!"

Allen glanced at Liaozi coldly, his gaze as if he were examining a defective tool, devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

She was about to speak, using her absolute authority to suppress this insignificant dissenting voice—

"Buzz—Boom—!!!"

The sky was suddenly enveloped by a deep and magnificent roar!

The sound was like countless ancient beasts roaring simultaneously above the clouds, carrying a heart-palpitating sense of oppression!

Everyone instinctively looked up and saw that the lead-gray, heavy clouds, which seemed to be about to crush the earth, were being forcibly torn apart and broken open by several enormous shadows!

Several airships, each the size of a small mountain, with menacing lines like giant sea monsters and painted with the scarlet DEM logo, slowly descended.

They resembled legendary steel fortresses suspended in the sky, casting enormous shadows that instantly enveloped half the city block, along with the lonely abandoned factory, in a cold darkness, as if even the light was being swallowed up.

The massive hatches on the sides and bottom of the warship burst open at the same time, like a honeycomb overturning or the entrance to hell being opened.

The next moment, countless figures, like a rain of metal, were precisely dropped!

The first to fall were an astonishing number of members of DEM's regular magician corps.

They were all covered in streamlined, highly aggressive, latest-generation standard display devices. Their cold metal armor reflected a ghostly light in the dim daylight, and their standard weapons were all ready to be activated.

Their movements were breathtakingly synchronized. They descended silently onto the land, swiftly seizing high ground and tactical strongholds, exuding an aura far more refined, ruthless, and purely war-driven than that of the AST.

Following closely behind were even larger and more ferocious-looking combat drones—[Phantom Beast Bondsky].

These steel killing machines, with their eyes flashing an ominous crimson light, landed with a bang, like a pack of mechanical wolves that had caught the scent of blood. With an agility and precision that defied the laws of physics, their heavy bodies crashed to the ground with a dull thud.

They quickly deployed into battle formations, forming an impenetrable steel encirclement that completely sealed off the abandoned factory area, making it impossible for even a fly to escape.

In the blink of an eye, DEM Corporation, with its overwhelming numbers, superior technology, and efficient militarized operations, completely took over and dominated the battlefield, turning it into a massive arena designed solely for capture and annihilation.

Allen then slowly withdrew his gaze from the sky and turned it back to Ryoko Kusakabe, whose face was slightly pale with shock and helplessness.

Her tone remained calm, yet carried an undeniable authority, as if stating an established fact:

"Commander Kusaka, I have heard your concerns and understand them. The AST unit has fully fulfilled its responsibilities as a collaborator in today's performance."

"Now, according to the relevant agreement between DEM and the Japanese government, DEM has taken over the supreme command here and all subsequent combat operations."

She made a highly standardized "go ahead" gesture, as if shooing away mosquitoes and flies.

"Therefore, you can now lead your... 'exhausted' subordinates to safely evacuate this battlefield and proceed to the designated area for rest and resupply. You are no longer needed here."

Ryoko gritted her teeth and looked around at the DEM army that surrounded her and her teammates like a steel jungle. A deep sense of powerlessness gripped her.

She knew all too well that in the face of the other party’s absolute power, all her protests and insistence seemed so pale and ridiculous.

She took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress the humiliation and resentment in her heart, and was about to give her troops the order to retreat—

"Captain! Wait!"

A clear, firm, and even resolute voice suddenly rang out, breaking the brief silence.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Origami Tobiichi had already put on the latest display device provided by DEM, which had sharper lines and was entirely white – the Mordred (test unit).

She hovered quietly in mid-air, her body emitting a faint energy fluctuation that was of the same origin as the surrounding DEM magicians but seemed to be more condensed.

Her face remained as if covered by frost, lacking any obvious expression, but deep within her pale blue eyes, it seemed as if icy flames were burning fiercely, revealing an incomparably firm will.