Chapter 357: Joyful Faces
The earth was choked with dust. A colossal, narrow warship lay embedded in the fractured ground, stretching for a hundred li. Towering like a mountain, its sealed, gray-black hull gleamed with the weight of metal—yet from bow to stern it carried the sheen of something newly forged, majestic and magnificent.
At the vessel's foremost point, upon its protruding bow, two figures stood amidst the raging winds.
The one in front raised his hand and slowly clenched his fist.
Boom!
For a thousand li around, the air currents twisted and roared, sweeping the dust away. The warship's full form was revealed, and with it, the two long-missing figures were laid bare before all.
As the haze cleared, Sigurd lifted his gaze. On the transparent platform ahead, familiar silhouettes awaited. The coldness in his eyes faded, his lips curving faintly upward.
"Sigurd-oniichan! It's Sigurd-oniichan—and Fu Hua-sensei!"
"Sigurd ❤～～"
"Mr. Sigurd…"
"That bastard finally decided to come back, huh. Hmph!"
"He's finally home."
One voice after another rose. Their tones and words differed, but their joy was unmistakable.
Yet Sigurd didn't rush to greet them. His ice-blue eyes swept downward.
A mere physical blow could not kill the Herrscher of Corruption, whose existence was too irregular to be destroyed so easily. On the ground, countless mechanical wrecks stirred restlessly, merging into new forms of varying shapes—only to scatter in panic, fleeing in all directions.
Anyone with half a mind could see it: there was no chance of victory. The impact of Cosmic Juggernaut's descent had cracked the supposedly impenetrable blockade wide open. If the Herrscher didn't escape now, it truly might perish here.
Fu Hua stepped forward, intent on delivering the finishing strike—only for Sigurd to raise his hand and stop her.
"I'll handle this."
"…Alright."
Their brief exchange ended, Fu Hua withdrew. She turned her head slightly, her gaze soft as it lingered on Sigurd's profile.
Whoosh!
At the same moment, a thousand li away, a crimson radiance tore through the sky. It streaked down from the horizon, homing straight for Sigurd.
In the next instant, it froze before him—transfiguring into a black longblade wrapped in seething scarlet matter: the Key of Erosion, Jizo Mitama.
Sigurd reached out, grasping the trembling hilt. His eyes burned gold as Honkai energy flooded them.
In the blink of an eye, he soared high into the heavens, gripping the blade in both hands.
"Data sample analysis complete. Reverse-contamination program calculated. Higokumaru, with me."
[Aaaagh! You show up and immediately dump work on me—you're such a bastard— Fine, only for Big Sis's sake!]
A childish yet irritable voice growled from within the blade.
Sigurd's face hardened. Honkai energy surged down his arms into the weapon.
[Wait, wait! Slow down! Too much—I can't swallow it all!]
—Slash!
With Higokumaru's scream still echoing, Sigurd swung the blade. Scarlet light tore forth, descending as a cross-shaped strike upon the earth.
…
Within the Cosmic Juggernaut, Su was cradling the tiny body of the Book of Fuxi. His eye twitched violently.
"Did he forget we're still inside this thing?"
With a helpless sigh, he opened his eyes. A deep crimson gleam rippled within them.
…
BOOOOM!!!
The strike carved through nearly ten thousand square kilometers, leaving behind a colossal cross-shaped gorge.
The fleeing constructs, the intangible infection sources—none survived. All were obliterated.
At the gorge's very heart, Fu Hua alone stood quietly in the void, her robes fluttering. Raising a hand pale as carved jade, she caught a single falling black gem.
The Sky City had already pulled far back, shrouding itself in a faint blue defensive field that encompassed the city. Only that shield preserved it from the raging shockwaves and torrents of Honkai energy.
Then Sigurd walked forward as though upon solid ground, stepping onto the platform where everyone waited. He advanced to the small round table at its center, sat himself down in one of the chairs, and made himself at home.
Hera: "Welcome back, my dear friend—our esteemed Emperor."
Welt: "Welcome home, Sigurd."
The two leaders voiced their greetings, each wearing a warm smile as they looked upon him.
Bronya moved to Sigurd's side, slipping the white coat from his shoulders and holding it neatly in her hands. She stood straight and still, the very image of a dependable aide—though the faint smile tugging at her lips betrayed the good mood she could not hide.
Then her gaze shifted. Fu Hua had stepped forward a moment later, coming to Sigurd's other side. She bent slightly, placed the Herrscher Core upon the table before him, and lifted her eyes to Bronya with a gentle smile.
"!!!"
A strand of Bronya's hair stiffened upright as she narrowed her eyes.
Fu Hua-sensei… are you trying to steal my job?
Fu Hua, of course, heard nothing of Bronya's inner protest. She simply stood quietly at Sigurd's side, her posture uncannily similar to Bronya's own.
Meanwhile, Hera poured tea for Sigurd.
He drank it, set the cup down, and let his eyes sweep over the gathered girls one by one. Then his voice came, calm and decisive.
"Send me a copy of the global reconstruction plan. Continue with the rescue and relief efforts for the people. We'll discuss the next steps later. For now, I'll be taking a rest."
Rising to his feet, Sigurd picked up the Herrscher Core from the table and turned to leave.
Hera and Welt exchanged glances.
Hera shrugged, her smile bright and easy.
Welt answered with a helpless, bitter smile of his own.
But since the future Emperor had spoken, there was nothing to do but follow his word.
"Kiana."
As Sigurd walked away, he suddenly called out the name of the girl absent from the scene.
He knew she would hear.
Sure enough, the very next moment a black vortex bloomed before him, a warped gate leading toward home.
Without breaking stride, Sigurd's tall, straight figure passed through it. Bronya and Fu Hua followed close behind, one at each side.
Soon, others hurried after them as well. The once lively platform, filled with voices and laughter, grew empty in short order.
…
"Sigurd ❤～～"
Back in the familiar expanse of the living room, Sin Mal could no longer restrain her longing. She leapt onto Sigurd's back, arms wrapped tightly around his neck, pressing herself close. Tears mingled with her radiant smile, her happiness plain for all to see.
With a single motion, Sigurd swept her up into his arms, cradling her small body as he sat down heavily onto a sofa.
"I'm home," he said softly. A rare warmth touched his features, and his deep gaze moved across the room, lingering on one beautiful, blossom-like face after another.
Seele, Wendy, Raiden Mei, Bronya, Siegfried… Wait. Siegfried?
"…Why are you here?"
Leaning back against the sofa, Sigurd kneaded the cheek of the docile girl in his arms while giving Siegfried a flat look.
Siegfried scratched his head awkwardly.
"Uh, well… the battle's over now, and there wasn't much left for me to do there. Plus, it's been a while since we last met, so I thought—"
"This is my rest time. I have no interest in entertaining you. Go to the construction sites and haul bricks. With your strength, you'll be more useful there than here."
"But I—"
"Kiana."
Sigurd spoke the name again, warm and steady.
In the next instant, a black hole opened beneath Siegfried's feet, swallowing both him and his unfinished protest whole.
<+>
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