Blank Slate

"Ever since the plan in Nagazora City succeeded, Herrschers have actually been gradually breaking free from the Will of the Honkai's control. Besides the Herrscher of Thunder you know, the subsequent Herrschers of Ice and Stars both showed signs of detaching from the Honkai."

"Although Chen Tianwu couldn't resist the corruption of the Herrscher of Stars due to his own obsessions, Ana, as a Valkyrie, truly did achieve her own redemption."

Listening to Ren's account of his experiences during this time, [Kiana] couldn't help but feel impressed. "Perhaps the plan to deceive the Will of the Honkai, besides severing your own connection, also weakened its control over individual Herrschers to some extent? So much so that even 'God' itself had to intervene personally."

"But if Herrschers truly broke free of its control, wouldn't subsequently born Herrschers only be able to act on instinct?"

"Correct. Without the Will of the Honkai's interference, a newly born Herrscher is merely a blank slate. However, their inherent Herrscher instincts will still drive them towards a more chaotic path." Ren nodded. "The Herrscher of Sentience was fortunate; she inherited Fu Hua's fifty thousand years of memories upon birth. Though I dislike Fu Hua's methods, it did save me considerable trouble."

"Then what if they don't inherit anyone's memories?"

Just as she finished speaking, [Kiana] suddenly stopped, her pupils contracting as she stared at the scene before them.

Space unfolded like a scroll, revealing a painted world. Brilliant brushstrokes depicted a dazzling starry sky, silent wheat fields, and... countless faded monsters.

At the center of the monster-infested area stood a withered tree. A woman leaned against it, eyes tightly closed, fast asleep.

Her light pink hair spilled around her like cherry blossoms in spring. Crimson blood flowed steadily, staining this faded world with color.

"Then," Ren continued softly, "they can only mimic and learn like infants, until they are stained with colors that are not their own."

...

"Rin?"

The trembling voice reached the girl's ears, startling her. Before she could react, she was pulled into a tight embrace. The suddenness of it made her body jolt, instinctually wanting to resist. But the woman held her with surprising strength; several pushes failed to break free.

Just as she prepared to use her Herrscher powers to escape, she felt warm liquid land on her shoulder.

What is this? Blood? Poison? Is this woman trying to kill me?

Fear surged within the girl. She struggled harder, until she heard the woman's soft sobs near her ear. Only then did she realize it might not be an attack, but... the woman's tears.

Tears? The girl didn't understand. She had only encountered the word in cold databanks. According to the data, humans usually cried only when they were sad. So, was this woman sad? She didn't comprehend.

But when she stopped struggling, she realized how warm the woman's embrace felt. For Corruption, born in cold darkness, this was an entirely new sensation. What is this feeling? She didn't know. Perhaps even she didn't realize that, held in this embrace, her fear had lessened.

"Rin... I'm sorry... Big Sister was too late."

Sakura's hug was fierce, almost crushing, making it hard for the girl to breathe. Yet, strangely, she didn't resist. Instead, she found herself somewhat enjoying the feeling of being held.

Since her birth, the world had always been black. As a consciousness, she had no thoughts, no body, no way to perceive the world. All she could touch, all she could sense, was boundless emptiness. If not for that chance encounter, she might have remained lost in darkness forever.

It was from that moment she understood the world wasn't just void. She instinctively chased that beam of light, yearning for her own body, longing for the day she could truly touch the world.

And Sakura's embrace undoubtedly made her feel her own existence profoundly.

I... am no longer just nothingness.

A powerful sense of satisfaction flooded her. Subconsciously, Corruption began to ponder. Rin? Is that the name of the girl I'm impersonating? I only mimicked her appearance; why is this woman reacting so strongly?

Corruption didn't understand why Sakura cried, just as she didn't understand her own fear. With no one to guide her, she could only trust her instincts. Fear is an instinct... but is crying also an instinct?

The question was too complex for a child. She couldn't grasp it, but she knew what her instinct was. So, she opened her arms and hugged Sakura back.

The next second, warmth, comfort, an inexplicable sense of bliss washed over her like a warm ocean current. It was like sunlight descending into silent darkness, a fire igniting in the cold void—a happiness she had never experienced before.

The girl closed her eyes, craving this feeling. She wanted to understand this woman more, understand this world more. The purple authority of Corruption flowed out from her body, slowly seeping into Sakura's. Unknowing how else to express her joy, she followed her instinct—to try and corrupt, to understand.

And so, she touched the deepest memories within Sakura's mind.

...

"Rin!"

She saw a prison, a hell.

"She has been chosen by the Honkai. She will become a Herrscher soon. The best option now is to eliminate her directly."

"There must be a way! I can definitely save her! I won't allow it!"

She saw the woman's furious expression, heard her enraged shouts. But ultimately, the door slammed shut, the voices fading away.

...

"The front lines are strained. This mission falls solely on you."

"Don't worry, HQ will protect her. This is a critical Fire Moth facility. Even if she becomes a Herrscher, we have the means to suppress her."

She heard the conversation, understood they were talking about her, the Herrscher. It frightened her. But she believed... the woman... her sister... would protect her.

...

"No, we must lock her in the prison. Sakura has already been deployed to the front. No one can guarantee she won't go berserk."

"Frankly, not killing her outright is already merciful enough."

"It's just confinement!"

Sister, where did you go?

...

"Monster! Honkai monster!"

"Regardless, humanity must kill the Honkai!"

Waking from a dream, she saw black gun barrels, saw pairs of hateful eyes. She realized these people wanted to kill her. Fear coiled around her neck; despair suffocated her.

Sister, save me! I don't want to die!

"Don't kill me! I don't want to die!"

She struggled desperately, but her body was already riddled with inhibitors. She couldn't even stand, let alone escape.

In the gloomy prison cell, gunshots rang out!

...

The last image in the memory: beneath a charred cherry blossom tree, her sister holding her.

"Rin, don't be afraid. Sister will definitely eliminate the Herrscher inside you. You'll get better."

"Once you're better, we'll go back home together and see the cherry blossom tree by the gate."

...

"Sister?"

When the Herrscher of Corruption regained awareness, she finally understood the meaning of the name 'Rin'. But now, there wasn't a trace of warmth left in her, only pure terror.

The soldiers' crazed eyes, their boundless hatred for Herrschers, the black gun muzzles, the agonizing memory of her body being torn apart—amplified by the power of Corruption, it all flooded into her.

Furthermore, without the restraint of the Discipline, Sakura's own emotions were extremely unstable. Her guilt towards Rin and her hatred for the Herrscher of Corruption merged into foul, black inkspots, staining the blank slate.

[What a blank slate ultimately becomes depends entirely on the colors it's stained with during its creation.]

Coincidentally, the Herrscher of Corruption had fled here precisely because, while following Raiden Mei, she had fallen victim to Mobius's scheme. Mobius's betrayal was the first color splashed onto the blank slate.

[Betrayal.]

Fear of death made her instinctively detach from Mei and flee towards safer ground. During this escape, she encountered Sakura guarding the entrance to the Deep End. Sakura's slash severely injured her, forcing her to retreat here. Now, the very blade that wounded her rested beside Sakura's hand.

[Pain.]

And Sakura's embrace was the final color applied. It should have been the warmest color, yet twisted by the memories locked away by the Discipline, it warped into pure hatred and fear.

[Hatred.]

Thus, the blank slate was thoroughly stained with the three base colors.

"I... DON'T WANT TO DIE!!"

Schlick! Countless sharp spikes erupted from behind Sakura, mirroring what Mobius had done to Mei.