Chapter 001 : After "The Message", Comes "Ajin"

At the Anti-Entropy branch in West Asia, deep within a hidden underground research facility, in a cell-like environment unfit for human habitation...

A thin, emaciated young man with disheveled black hair and cracked lips suddenly grinned, revealing a horrifying, manic smile.

He had become the Tenth Herrscher of this "Current Civilization Era"—the Herrscher of Dominance.

Also known as: the Herrscher of a Thousand.

---

Ling Ke was a Chinese man who had crossed over into this world.

His initial experiences were cliché.

Several years ago, around 2013 in this era, he arrived in this eerily familiar Honkai Impact 3rd world during late autumn.

Once, he had been a hardcore, daily-check-in cleaning crew member (Captain) who had spent years grinding away. He had always admired, yearned for, and even revered those who fought for the beauty of this world.

Because he knew he could never sacrifice himself so selflessly.

Back then, when he realized he had crossed over to a time before the "Third Honkai Eruption," he thought: Even if he couldn't be as outstanding as those heroes, he could still lend them a hand.

For example: stopping Cocolia's schemes.

After all, in his memory, millions of innocent residents of Nagazora had perished in that man-made disaster.

Moreover, Raiden Mei, one of the "Big Three," had become the Third Herrscher as a result, living in guilt and torment for a long time.

So much so that she later voluntarily implanted a micro-bomb in her heart to prevent the Herrscher from going berserk.

Ling Ke knew that if this world's future followed its original historical trajectory, humanity in this era would overcome the fate of extinction.

In fact, it would even give birth to a "God of Earth."

But, in the process, too many people had been left with too many regrets.

"If my assistance could undo some of these regrets, like saving Teacher Himeko..."

"Or ensuring that the 'Elysian Realm' doesn't disappear, allowing the Flame-Chasers to witness this era's human civilization surpassing the Finality..."

"Wouldn't that make this story even more beautiful?"

That year, Ling Ke had such thoughts.

Therefore, even though he knew Nagazora would soon experience the "Third Honkai Eruption," he chose not to leave the danger zone immediately.

Instead, he sought out Raiden Mei, who had not yet become the Third Herrscher, and personally shared some crucial information with her.

This included how Cocolia would use an economic scandal to imprison Ryoma Raiden, and how Mei herself would be treated after losing her father's protection.

He explained some basic information about the "Honkai" to Mei, and after feeling he had gained her trust, he urged her to contact her father and relay the message.

He didn't mention anything about the "Third Herrscher"... to avoid sending Mei into a panic.

Ling Ke had thought that once Ryoma Raiden, a fellow Anti-Entropy executive, learned of this information, he wouldn't repeat the same mistakes.

But...

Ling Ke never found out what happened afterward.

All he remembered was that, the very next day, he was ambushed by Cocolia.

(TL1/N: pffttt)

He was surrounded by a group of heavily armed special forces.

Cocolia even deployed Anti-Entropy mechs.

And... that familiar girl, "Bronya Zaychik."

The latter, who had already topped the "Charon List" as the world's number one assassin, was someone Ling Ke couldn't hope to resist at the time.

Moreover, due to his lack of counter-surveillance skills, he was easily tracked.

In the end, his limbs were dislocated, and he was captured.

For the next few months, Ling Ke never saw Bronya again.

Because he was immediately subjected to the "Message" treatment in Cocolia's underground facility.

During this time, he discovered that his willpower was far stronger than he had imagined.

Even under relentless torture, he never revealed any sensitive information.

Ling Ke knew that if he told Cocolia everything he knew, that madwoman would undoubtedly cause even greater chaos.

After all, the title "Civil War Phantom God" wasn't just for show.

And once he outlived his usefulness...

Death?

To be honest, there were many times when Ling Ke wished for death.

But by then, a seed of darkness had already taken root in his heart.

He wanted Cocolia to pay.

It was during this time that he made a surprising discovery: for some reason, truth serums and similar methods had no effect on his willpower.

Fueled by his desire for revenge, he endured those torturous months until... the "Third Honkai Eruption" from the original storyline erupted as scheduled.

By the end of March 2014, too many things had happened.

So much so that Cocolia didn't even have time to retrieve Ling Ke, who was still in Nagazora, before hastily retreating.

A few days later, Ling Ke encountered another familiar face.

"Rita Rossweisse."

After the Far East branch's evacuation, Rita, as an investigator for the Schicksal organization, arrived in Nagazora.

With her skills, she quickly discovered the abandoned underground facility where Ling Ke was being held.

She found him.

At that moment, Ling Ke thought he had finally escaped his nightmare.

Little did he know, he was stepping into another abyss.

By then, Ling Ke's body had already begun to turn into a Honkai zombie due to prolonged exposure to high concentrations of Honkai energy... but, strangely, the symptoms were slowly fading.

When Schicksal's scientists discovered him, they treated him like a treasure.

Mistaking him for an Anti-Entropy experiment, they...

For the next few years, after being transferred to the West Asia branch, Ling Ke never saw the sun again.

What he endured was far worse than the previous torture.

It was so brutal that it often reminded him of a story called "Ajin."

He felt less like a human being and more like a piece of... expendable meat.

Until today...

---

In a bizarre subspace, Ling Ke stood silently before the massive, "familiar" Theater of Dominance.

At first, he said nothing.

He just stood there, his eyes vacant, like a soulless puppet.

But gradually...

"Heh..."

"Ha!"

"HAHAHAHAHA!!!"

Feeling the complete Herrscher core in his chest, capable of multiplying from "one" to "a thousand," and confirming that he was indeed the main body of the Herrscher of Dominance...

Ling Ke laughed.

His expression was maniacal, like a mad demon.

Perhaps he had already gone insane.

Because even now, his eyes still lacked any semblance of life.

Like Kiritsugu Emiya from the Fourth Holy Grail War...

All that remained was...

The dark obsession that had long since sprouted from its seed!!!

Its name was—

"After nearly four years of enduring endless torment, I've finally seized this opportunity for transformation."

"Good! Very good! Excellent!"

"Since the chance has been handed to me, then..."

Standing before the gates of the Theater of Dominance, Ling Ke, with the crazed expression of someone who had just been stabbed in the brain, raised his arms and declared, "From this moment on, I will..."

"Exact my revenge upon this world!"