Regarding Selene's instruction to bring along "new recruits," Budo, Liver, and Alex readily accepted.
As the senior figure and nominal second-in-command within the military, Budo took the initiative to speak first. Just as Selene had expected, he chose Sakazuki without the slightest hesitation.
After all, the iron-blooded hawkish style the two of them shared was unexpectedly well-matched.
As for the second candidate, before Liver could open his mouth, Selene beat him to it.
"Liver, your legion will take Borsalino."
"His light-based ability suits the identity of your Third Legion's strategic support forces quite well," Selene said with an expression that clearly implied she was doing him a favor.
"Ah? Oh... understood." Faced with his direct superior's arrangement, what could Liver do? He could only accept it obediently.
After that, according to the written report from Navy Headquarters, among those still in active service the highest-ranking remaining officer was "Fujitora," Issho. Alex cheerfully chose this seemingly gentle blind giant.
"Then it's settled. Take them down and get them arranged accordingly."
With the selections of the three Astartes Legion Commanders complete, the senior Navy Headquarters officers Sakazuki had brought along displayed remarkable tact. They instantly divided into three clearly defined formations.
Although only the names of the three Admirals—Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Issho—had been called during the allocation, that did not mean there were only three individuals. This was, in fact, the division of the three major factions within the Navy.
The largest group followed Great General Budo. The hawkish Headquarters officers represented by Sakazuki, along with the Admiral candidates directly under the Fleet Admiral's authority, all stepped behind Budo.
Among them were Momousagi Gion, Chaton Tokikake, Onigumo, Yamakaji, Dalmatian, and Doberman.
Next in number was the neutral faction represented by Borsalino, taken in by Liver. This group included Strawberry, Comil, and Stainless.
The smallest number belonged to Issho, chosen by Alex. He... could be considered dovish, or perhaps simply unaffiliated.
Unlike Sakazuki and Borsalino, who had risen step by step within the Navy system, "Fujitora" Issho had been recruited through the World Military Draft and appointed directly as an Admiral. He did not possess a solid internal power base. Aside from inheriting some of the dovish faction after Kuzan resigned his Admiral position, he had little of his own.
Among those closer to him were Bastille and Smoker, but beyond that, there were few truly notable subordinates.
Suddenly recalling something, Selene halted her departing steps and called out to the group that was about to withdraw.
"Oh, one more thing. Issho, was it? Would you like me to heal your eyes and let you regain your sight?"
Whether among the Astartes or the Servitor Army, there seemed to be no such thing as permanent disability within the Imperial military. At least, Selene had never heard of any. As long as one did not die on the spot, Imperial medics could restore you to full health from the brink of death.
"Your range of perception is vast. It is called Observation Haki, correct? The scar on your face indicates your blindness was acquired later in life. In other words, your other senses were not heightened due to congenital blindness—you trained them yourself."
"Yes, Your Majesty." Issho turned around in surprise and knelt on one knee, leaning on his wooden staff.
Touching the massive scar across his face, his tone carried a trace of nostalgia. "In my youth, I was far too arrogant. This is the price I paid."
"However, Your Majesty, my eyeballs and pupils were long since destroyed. It has been many years. New tissue has already formed. Can they still be healed?"
Raising his head slightly and sensing Selene's outline through perception alone, Issho asked humbly.
Issho's Observation Haki far surpassed that of the other Admirals—powerful and extraordinarily wide in range. Even when emotionally stirred, he could still use it. He could detect hostility and goodwill, sense the movement of clouds high in the sky, and even accurately determine the position of meteors in outer space.
But blindness was still blindness. He could only "see" the shapes and movements of objects. The details were extremely vague. He could not discern fine features, nor could he perceive color.
In other words, when faced with visual communications on a screen, aside from sound, he could not distinguish any other information.
That would not do. Even a centurion in the Imperial Auxilia needed to be able to read and interpret visual data. How could one serve as a commander without the basic ability to recognize and issue written orders?
"As long as you do not resist, restoration is easy."
"Endure it. Do not resist."
With a flick of her hand through the air—bang!—
In an instant, Issho's completely white eyeballs burst apart, dissolving into thick blood that dripped onto his pale purple kimono. A muffled groan escaped his lips.
"Regrow them. Let your body's DNA reenact the embryonic formation process. Let the eyes develop anew. I guarantee one hundred percent compatibility."
Selene released a warm white light that entered Issho's empty sockets. The remaining blood was expelled cleanly. Closing his eyes, he felt an intense itch within them, clearly sensing something growing and regenerating.
Before long, the itching subsided. His eyelids once again felt the solid presence of eyeballs beneath them. Faintly, he seemed to perceive color.
When he opened his eyes, color flooded into his brain. Selene's figure—white hair and crimson eyes—reflected clearly in his vision. Though the sudden exposure to light made tears stream uncontrollably, Issho forced his eyes wide and bowed deeply to the ground.
"Issho offers his deepest thanks to Your Majesty!"
Nodding, Selene turned her calm gaze toward Kuzan, who stood somewhat out of place among his former Navy colleagues.
"As for the burn scars on your skin and the ice-forged left leg—an attendant will take you to report to the Blood Angels' Imperial Capital Office. The stationed medics there will know what to do."
Then Selene shifted her gaze toward the elderly Sengoku, who was trying to keep his head down within the ranks but whose full head of white hair made him conspicuous.
"And you. Since you are no longer in active service, you and Kuzan will be responsible for organizing and restructuring the Servitor Army of the Blood Angels' Conquered World—World 22."
"Yes."
Clearly not expecting Selene to be aware of both his and Kuzan's current military status, Sengoku bowed somewhat stiffly.
"Then I look forward to your performance." Selene gave a slight nod, clapped her hands, and turned around.
Ding, ding, ding—!
Right on time—the fishing event Selene had scheduled had ended. Instantly, ghostly wails erupted around the lakeside.
Selene glanced at the catches beside them.
...Rather disappointing.
Especially Leman Russ and Angron. Not many fish were to be seen near them, but broken fishing rods were piled almost up to their knees.
Shaking her head with a smile, Selene laughed and scolded, "You're truly terrible at this. Let me see—the winner is... oh, Vulkan. Very well. I grant five Abyss-class battleships. As for the rest of you..."
"Sigh..." ×N
"...Each of you will receive one as well."
"Ohhh—!"
"Hmph." Watching them thump their chests as if they were about to beat drums and set off fireworks, Selene let out a helpless snort and placed her hands on her hips. "I am truly too benevolent. I clearly said only the winner would be rewarded, yet I still gave you consolation prizes."
Raising a hand to press the air lightly, signaling them to stop howling, Selene's expression turned serious.
"Now then, leisure time is over. All personnel are to return to your respective legion garrisons. Coordinate with the Imperial Science Bureau and the Logistics Department to reorganize and resupply your forces. Prepare for new warfare. Await my command and be ready to deploy at any time."
"Understood!"
...
Night fell.
The sun had long since set. Outside the windows, the sky lay deep and dark, strewn with countless stars that shimmered like scattered jewels.
Some were spaceports, star gates, orbital fortresses, and fleet engines suspended high above the endless sky. Others were stars that Selene had transferred into the Honkai Dimension.
Within the Glazed Palace, aside from the palace attendants and the Royal Guards stationed in defense of the palace city, all outsiders had withdrawn. The lively bustle from not long ago had vanished, replaced by quiet stillness.
Sebas was busy with affairs of the Inquisition. Arisa, having just made a beautiful new mermaid friend, was currently running wild outside. In the vast and secluded halls, Selene walked alone at an unhurried pace along the long central corridor of the main hall.
The surroundings were silent. Only the soft rustle of her steps against the carpet echoed faintly.
This was the main hall of the Glazed Palace. The four walls were covered in amber—blood amber, golden amber—large and small alike. Some were assembled into frames, others directly embedded into the walls. Together with rubies, sapphires, and emeralds, they formed one exquisite amber mural after another.
Under the night, they shone in dazzling hues from lemon yellow to deep gold-red, so resplendent it was almost suffocating. The entire hall seemed bathed in molten gold.
It was said that this main hall had been built by Sebas in imitation of the famed Amber Room of Europe, which had tragically disappeared during the Second World War on the Eastern Front.
Whether that was true, Selene did not know, nor had she asked. Sebas built. She lived there. That was enough.
Selene pushed open the glass doors leading to the balcony and looked up at the star-filled sky.
"Have you arrived?" she murmured.
Hummm—!
A brilliant auric-green radiance erupted around her. As golden light flickered, the halo representing Finality manifested behind her head.
"It is calling me... It needs me to return..."
Closing her eyes, Selene guided her secondary consciousness toward the farthest boundary of the expanded Honkai trans-spatial webway.
There, a will of shared origin gently called to her. Caressed by its tendrils of awareness, Selene felt a faint sense of intimacy—like returning home.
"Then... let us talk."
Her secondary consciousness extended its mental tendrils and intertwined with it.
In the next instant, her vision flashed.
Light flooded her sight once more. Within this space, everything around her—irregular patterns—was constantly folding, compressing, shattering, and devouring itself. Fantastical visions shimmered in endless succession.
Colors twisted and shifted. There was no sky, no earth—only boundless spacetime without edge or limit. Beneath her feet, it seemed as though an ocean churned. In the distant, unreachable horizon, a vague shape loomed—like a towering tree that pierced the heavens.
They appeared separate, yet perfectly integrated. Contradictory, and yet harmonious.
Here, the world imposed no suppression upon Selene—the being who bore Finality. There were no restraints. It felt as though she had returned home. An unprecedented sense of fullness and power made her utterly comfortable.
"Welcome home."
A gentle female voice, weighted with resonance, sounded beside her ear. The tone was soft and delicate, carrying a hint of surprise and indulgent warmth—like a kind mother awaiting the return of her wandering child.
Selene turned toward the sound.
A white-gradient phantom figure stood silently. It had the outline of a human form, yet no facial features, no clothing. It resembled a featureless mannequin.
"Ah. I'm back."
Though she already had a rough guess, Selene maintained her composure and answered in harmony with the atmosphere.
Bzzz—
At her response, the figure paused. Gradually, it began to change. Aside from essential body contours, all else became pure white. Strands of hair formed. The lines of a face were rapidly drawn into existence.
Soon, its features became identical to Selene's—no, more precisely, it resembled Cecilia even more closely.
As expected. The Will of the Honkai. The so-called God in Sirin's words.
Selene confirmed her suspicion at once. Though named the Will of the Honkai, it was in truth merely a program endowed with basic cognition—a program that filtered worlds and tested civilizations.
Without a ripple in her consciousness, Selene watched the "Cecilia" before her remain silent, merely extending a hand forward.
Seeing this, Selene subtly adjusted the informational density contained within her secondary consciousness before placing her hand against it.
The moment they touched, it was as though thunder exploded within the depths of her awareness. Countless fragments of information surged into her mind like a raging flood.
Is it transmitting the development history of this world to me? How considerate.
On this planet, Honkai was born alongside civilization. The more human civilization advanced, the stronger Honkai's suppression became. The two coexisted.
To test civilization. To force it to ascend. That was the meaning of Honkai.
Of course, the test was cruel. There were no second chances. Failure meant reset. Naturally, in the eyes of the world, Honkai was nothing but pure evil and catastrophe.
In the next instant, scenes poured in—human depravity, the filth of civilization, betrayal after betrayal by Herrschers who defected. The darkest aspects of the world were displayed before Selene in their entirety.
Selene's eyelid twitched.
Did something strange just slip in there? Is this smuggling in personal feelings?
It was filled with longing—and an emotion urging her to stay.
What is this supposed to mean? Has it been lonely?
The Will of the Honkai could not directly interfere with the world. Its methods were generally limited to unleashing waves of major Honkai Eruptions and selecting envoys—Herrschers.
From the perspective of rank, the Herrscher of Finality stood second only to it. A true daughter.
Those casually chosen defectors were one thing. But if even its own daughter betrayed it, that would be a devastating blow. Though it did not quite understand emotion, it seemed to wonder why the envoys it selected so often turned traitor.
It hoped civilization would pass the test—but it hoped even more that civilization would succeed through genuine strength, not trickery or cheating.
"Finality. Judgment. Selection. Eradicate civilizations unworthy of existence. That is your mission."
At last, countless scenes from the K-404 Experimental Project surged forth, forming indelible memories that stirred the violence buried deep within Selene's being.
Though her consciousness remained clear, the physical memories engraved into her body were still provoked. Unconsciously, a bloodthirsty killing intent flared within her crimson eyes.
"I will handle everything."
...
At this moment, no one in the world knew that because of Selene's arrival, the final "trial" would descend ahead of schedule.
A Honkai Eruption was approaching.
Finality was coming.