The End of the Herrscher of Evolution

The blinding golden light lasted only an instant.

This time, there was no earth-shattering pressure, no breathtaking spectacle.

Most people only saw a fleeting flash of gold. Some even blinked and missed it entirely.

The silence in the ruins stretched for a dozen seconds, the longest dozen seconds in the lives of those watching.

Everyone stared at Shu, lying on the ground, hoping he would stand up again.

Everyone stared at the Herrscher of Evolution, kneeling in the rubble, hoping he would never rise again.

After those agonizing seconds, the first movement came…

From the Herrscher of Evolution.

In that final moment, in this lifeless environment, a primordial life form appeared in the Herrscher of Evolution's hand.

It was a mass of organic matter, molded by the Herrscher into the shape of a primitive cell, infused with Honkai energy.

In that moment, the very first spark of biological history was rekindled.

After the collapse of his pyramid scheme, the Herrscher took his first true step towards evolution.

"Shu…" The Herrscher let out a low growl. Shu lay on the ground, even the simple act of moving his eyes seemed impossibly difficult.

"Is this your entire plan?" The Herrscher forced himself to stand, swaying before Shu.

A gaping wound tore through his chest, exposing his core amidst the flesh and blood.

But the core remained intact.

"Magnificent… truly magnificent…" The Herrscher of Evolution murmured, looking at Shu, even more battered than himself, and took a staggering step forward.

His body couldn't recover… It was already on the countdown to death… That final act of creation had exhausted all his remaining authority and Honkai energy.

He was now in little better shape than Shu, both of them clinging to life by a thread.

One could still move, while the other could barely maintain basic life functions.

The Herrscher of Evolution dragged himself forward, chuckling softly, step by step towards Shu.

"Once I retrieve the other half of my authority… I can…" Although the Herrscher's movements were slow, his broken body was indeed inching closer to Shu.

Shu couldn't move, only watching as the Herrscher closed the distance.

"In the end… it's still…" The Herrscher raised his hand, aiming it at Shu.

But his hand wouldn't rise… It was held back by something…

The Herrscher of Evolution's expression froze.

"Is that Teacher Vakh…?" A young voice came from behind him.

The Herrscher's body began to tremble. He looked back in disbelief.

"No…" The young voice instantly became incredibly old.

The Herrscher of Evolution saw a hunched old man, his back ridged like a stegosaurus, his left arm a grotesque fusion of three.

He extended a hand, gripping the Herrscher of Evolution's right arm.

"Little… Tian…?" The Herrscher of Evolution's eyes trembled, his entire body shaking.

Impossible… This creature should be dead!

Why was he here?!

"Teacher Vakh…" The aged Little Tian looked up, his eyes hollow.

He opened his mouth, his aged voice heavy with the aura of death, exuding the essence of a deceased being.

"I'm in so much pain…"

With strength from an unknown source, the Herrscher of Evolution flung the old man's hand away, shoving him to the ground.

The old man landed in a pool of blood, splattered with crimson.

The Herrscher of Evolution took a few steps back. He was now standing over Shu.

Once he retrieved his authority, once he was whole again… in a single instant—he could recover!!

The Herrscher of Evolution spun around, grabbing at Shu on the ground.

But he only grasped a small girl with tangled hair.

One of her arms was larger than her entire body.

The Herrscher of Evolution gripped the girl's neck, forcing her to look up at him with bloodshot, confused eyes.

"I'm in so much pain… I'm dying… dying…" Oblivious to the force of the Herrscher's grip, the girl murmured.

The Herrscher of Evolution recoiled as if electrocuted, staring at the girl in shock.

She should be dead… she should be dead!!

He had transformed her into a creature to attack those Fire Moth members… she should have died then!!

"Oh…" As if to confirm the Herrscher of Evolution's thoughts, a flicker of understanding appeared in the girl's eyes.

"So I'm already dead…"

The girl's body melted into a pool of blood, seeping into the ground.

It was then that the Herrscher of Evolution realized he was no longer in the ruins, but in a vast pool of blood.

His ankles were submerged in the viscous liquid. He stumbled back in disbelief, shaking his head.

"No… where is this? Where am I?!"

He saw grotesque, twisted figures rising from the pool of blood, slowly moving towards him.

"SHU!!" Looking at those figures emerging from the blood, he felt a strange sense of familiarity. He roared.

"Is this your doing too!!"

He flailed his arms, retreating, constantly retreating.

"I'm in so much pain…"

"I'm dead too…"

"Another one dead…"

"Another one dead…"

Mournful voices echoed from all directions, seeping into the Herrscher's ears, burrowing into his mind.

"What does it have to do with me!!" Finally, amidst the overwhelming wails, the Herrscher snapped.

He punched one of the approaching figures, scattering it into a pool of blood that merged with the ground.

"Lowly creatures, I gave you the chance to evolve! It's your own failure! You failed to grasp the opportunity! Why are you haunting me!!"

"…"

Suddenly, a stream of blood flowed down from the dark sky, landing in the pool.

Another grotesque figure rose from the sea of blood, staggering towards the Herrscher.

"Another one dead…"

"Another one killed…"

"Another one killed…"

The voices were overwhelming, invading every crevice, every cell of his being, fueling his anger, his resentment…

His fear…

He turned and fled… with no destination in mind.

The thick blood beneath his feet splashed with every frantic movement, staining the lab coat he was now wearing.

He suddenly stepped on something. It burst beneath his foot like a water balloon, grabbing his ankle as it vanished.

He was pulled down, falling face-first into the blood.

"Where are my glasses…?" The glasses that had been on his nose were gone. The Herrscher of Evolution's vision blurred.

He pushed himself up, kneeling in the blood, squinting, his trembling hands searching through the blood for his glasses.

No… he didn't need glasses…

In that moment of distraction, a blood-soaked hand reached out from the pool, grabbing his arm.

"Ah—!!"

The Herrscher of Evolution's eyes widened in terror. He struggled violently, trying to shake off the hand.

Strength… authority… all forgotten. He just wanted to escape this place… this hell!

But the hand held firm… pulling the Herrscher down into the pool.

"No!" The Herrscher roared, screamed, begged.

He struggled desperately.

"Another one dead…"

"Another one killed…"

"All dead… everyone is dead…"

Suddenly, the Herrscher looked up. Countless blood-soaked figures surrounded him.

All the murmuring stopped. All the "blood people" looked down at the Herrscher, kneeling pathetically in the pool of blood.

The Herrscher stared at them in terror.

Then, he saw a figure emerge from the crowd.

The figure looked exactly like him, wearing glasses and a bloodstained lab coat…

It was Vakh… the real Vakh…

He shook his head, muttering incoherently, watching as Vakh extended a hand towards him…

"Oh… it seems I forgot to take something with me…"

Vakh's hand covered the Herrscher's eyes…

…

In reality—the Herrscher of Evolution knelt in the ruins, motionless and silent like a statue.