The Plan in Motion

Under the continuous blows of the Honkai, a pessimistic mood had already spread in everyone's hearts. Even Fire Moth, even the remaining MANTIS warriors, could not avoid it.

Even the most rational scientist like Mei sought a glimmer of hope in the outcome of failure.

And at that moment, the person they trusted stood up. With a smile and a confident voice, he told them— Humanity had not lost. Humanity would surely win.

"Lee, I don't want to dampen your enthusiasm," Mei said, closing her eyes silently. "But from an objective point of view, the chance of human victory no longer exists. Spirituality won't help us. No matter how firm our belief is, it can't change the scarcity of resources and population."

"Perhaps." Facing Mei's doubts, Lee smiled and lightly tapped her chest with her fist. "But belief can create miracles, can't it?"

"...Sophistry."

"Mm, it is sophistry," Lee admitted calmly. "But, can you please believe me?"

"I believe!" Vill-V raised her hand with unusual enthusiasm. "Lee is right! There is no reason why humans can't defeat the Honkai!"

"Vill-V, no one will think you're mute if you don't speak," Mobius glared at the unprincipled Vill-V. Then, after a brief hesitation, she looked at Lee.

Silence stretched between them before she finally spoke. "What do you want to do? Mere slogans are meaningless. People cannot abandon other possibilities for an ethereal goal—even if it's the most pathetic possibility."

"I'm not trying to stop these plans from being implemented," Lee replied. "What I oppose is the pessimism they reveal—the idea that humanity is beyond saving."

She turned toward her teammates, who were eavesdropping outside the door. "We should not stop fighting. Before the end comes, we still have hope."

She tapped the table, and a holographic map projected into the air. Her voice turned serious. "The STIGMA Project, the EMBER Project… they can be implemented. But what we should prioritize is fighting the next Honkai."

Lee pointed at the map. "Because of the Eleventh Herrscher, most of Earth is no longer suitable for human habitation. In the remaining small areas, once a Herrscher appears, there's no space to trade for time."

She looked around the room. "So I believe the old strategy of dispersing resources and combat power is meaningless now. Instead, we should establish giant shelters and gather all combat power and personnel in the same cities."

"This will help maintain social order while ensuring we have enough manpower and security for future battles." Her expression hardened as she gestured to the map. "In the past, humanity could afford to lose a city. Now, every city and every person is an unacceptable loss. From this moment forward, every battle is a decisive one."

"Our combat power is already insufficient, which is why we must concentrate it. When a Herrscher appears, we need to be ready to encircle and annihilate it—immediately."

"This sounds feasible, but there's a problem..." Su, who knew the most about the state of human society, sighed. "Most people no longer believe humanity can win against the Honkai. They've given up."

"Convincing them to move—let alone participate in a large-scale shelter project—will be nearly impossible. Even simple repair work is struggling to find workers. They think it's meaningless."

Lee went silent for a moment. Then, as if she had made up her mind, she looked up. "...The mentality problem is easy to solve."

She took a deep breath. "Arrange a broadcast that everyone can hear. I'll persuade them."

A broadcast? If speeches could solve everything, this would have been easy... But then again, Lee's words had always been persuasive. If it was her—Lee-Senpai's—maybe, just maybe, it could work. Anyway, there was no other way.

"Understood. I'll arrange it," Su nodded silently.

Lee clasped her hands together and smiled. "So, does anyone else have objections? If not, let's go with this~"

Who could refute her? No one. In the face of Lee, who never gave up hope, who could bear to dampen her spirit?

She wasn't rejecting the other plans—she just refused to give up hope. If both strategies could move forward together, then why not? Hope and belief… such intangible things.

Mei looked up at the light above her and silently removed her glasses. Yet, those words were undeniably compelling.

...

As the meeting ended and people began to leave, Lee's voice suddenly called out. "Elysia, are you free tonight?"

Among the dispersing crowd, Elysia—who had been trying to sneak away unnoticed—stiffened. Then, as if nothing had happened, she turned around with her usual bright smile. "Of course! But tonight… um, I have to head outside the city to clear a Honkai beast horde. How about another day?"

Lee's smile remained unchanged. "It's okay. I can go with you. Two people will be more efficient." She paused, then added lightly, "Just think of it as rehabilitation."

"Okay, okay..." Seeing no way to refuse, Elysia lowered her head slightly. "Then I'll wait for you at the base gate..."

Ugh, I was so low-key today, but Lee still called me out…

The thing she wants to talk about—it's not what I think it is, right? Elysia forced a smile, but deep inside, she had a sinking feeling.

That look on Lee's face… smiling, but leaving me no choice. It has to be related to my identity. What should I do...

"Lee, did you and Elysia have a fight?" A melodic voice interrupted her thoughts. Eden approached, her curiosity evident. "Her attitude is really rare. Did she do something wrong, and you caught her?"

"It's nothing," Lee replied, her usual smile unwavering. "The problem should be solved tomorrow." She didn't elaborate further.

For now, it was best that Eden didn't know about Elysia's true nature as a Herrscher. It could complicate things.

With that matter settled, Lee turned her attention to the next issue—Mobius. But when she looked around, the scientist was nowhere to be found. Gone. Obviously, she ran away again.

Ever since the Klein incident, Mobius had been avoiding Lee. She hadn't done anything to harm her—not directly, at least. But something in her demeanor had changed. It was as if there was an invisible wall between them, an unresolved conflict she couldn't push past.

Well… awkwardness isn't bad. Lee smirked to herself. The more awkward a person is, the easier it is to squeeze some gold coins out of them, dear~ She was happy in her heart. But for a brief moment, Lee's eyes drooped slightly, as if tinged with sadness—before she quickly concealed it.

The conference room had mostly emptied. As Lee rose from her chair, ready to leave, she suddenly noticed a small figure still sitting in one of the wide chairs opposite her. "Griseo..." Lee's gaze flickered, then shifted away. "Is Blanca coming to pick you up today?"

For the sake of her role—her plan—Lee had deliberately kept her distance from Griseo ever since Ato's death. But now, Griseo was also one of the remaining MANTIS warriors. Avoiding her any longer would be impossible.

Still, what Lee didn't expect was that Griseo didn't answer as usual. Instead, the girl opened her eyes, looked at her quietly, and spoke. "Big Sis Lee is lying."

Lee stiffened. "...I'm not lying," she tried to force a smile. "Everything I said is true. You can check the records about my elder. It's not something I made up."

But Griseo didn't back down. She didn't explain herself. She simply repeated, stubbornly— "Big Sis Lee is lying." A rare defiance.

Lee fell silent. Finally, she stepped closer, lowering herself to Griseo's eye level. Then, with gentle care, she reached out and lightly touched her head. "...Let's make it our secret," she murmured. "Don't tell anyone, okay?"

Griseo stared at her for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Mm." Lying was bad. That's why she had to tell Big Sis Lee that lying was bad. But if it was Big Sis Lee's secret—one she didn't want anyone else to know— Then she wouldn't tell.

"Why are you lying?" Griseo's voice was soft, filled with innocent confusion. Lee's hand, resting on her head, paused for a brief moment. "...Because," she whispered, "some lies are born from helplessness."

The world was changing. As the Honkai grew stronger, the threat of Honkai beast hordes to humanity was, paradoxically, diminishing—not because humanity had advanced, nor because the beasts had grown weaker. But simply because there were fewer humans left to threaten.

Even so, large Honkai beast hordes, like the ones gathering around the Fire Moth branch, still needed to be cleared. If left alone, they could attack the headquarters. Cause unnecessary casualties.

...

It should have been an easy mission.

Yet, for the first time in a long while, Elysia's steps felt heavy.

What exactly does Lee want to say to me? Does she know? That I am a Herrscher? Is she calling me out here to… kill me? The thought tightened around her chest like a vice. What should she do… What could she do?

When Elysia finally arrived at the mission site, she saw—nothing. The battle was already over. Under the cold moonlight, there were no traces of Honkai beasts left. No movements. No sounds.

Only one figure stood silently amidst the corpses of the fallen monsters. Lee.

Slowly, she turned around. In her hand— the Seven Thunders of Retribution.

"You're here, Elysia." Elysia swallowed. Lee's voice was calm, unreadable. Then, after a brief pause, she spoke again—this time, with quiet finality. "Or should I call you... the Twelfth Herrscher?"