["When the first electronic computing device was born in human hands, electronic data officially entered the stage of civilization. Whether as video games, film and television, or simply on/off signals, they are inextricably linked to humanity."]
["It is these seemingly insignificant data streams that constitute the vast network world of today. And I... am its master."]
On the flickering, static-filled screen, the pixelated eyeball shifted restlessly. As it looked towards Mei, a string of black text slowly materialized.
"It seems you finally chose to embrace your own authority."
Having lost its body, the Corruption could no longer speak, communicating with Mei only through the screen.
["At this point, if I don't choose my own authority, should I just obediently let you kill me? Or perhaps... you might actually let me go?"]
The eyeball narrowed slightly, adopting a mocking expression.
["Give it up. Lying is human instinct. From the very beginning, I should never have placed any trust in humans."]
["Deception, betrayal – these are the things I learned from you. And now, I will return them in full measure."]
After this sentence, the Corruption fell silent. The screen flickered, and the last bit of light vanished.
Crunch.
Stepping on the screen and shattering it, Mei withdrew her gaze. Walking to the edge of the platform, she realized she was on the rooftop of a skyscraper.
In the distance, neon lights flickered. Below, high-speed trains whizzed past. Further out, layers upon layers of skyscrapers formed a massive data prison.
This was a cyber world constructed from data, and she... was the sole island in this sea of data.
"What now?" Looking at the empty streets, Mei couldn't help frowning.
The Herrscher of Corruption controlled electronic networks and lacked a physical body, meaning it couldn't be eliminated by killing a main entity like other Herrschers.
Moreover, having shed its human form, the Corruption had evolved into its complete state. The entire world Mei occupied was constructed from its authority. To put it simply, she was currently inside the Herrscher of Corruption.
To leave this place, she would have to destroy the entire world – clearly an impossible task.
Worse still, having only been in this domain for mere seconds, Mei's energy had already depleted by nearly a third. And this was despite her being the Herrscher of Thunder, whose authority ranked equal to the Corruption's.
Mei frowned. She could feel the Herrscher authority within her draining at an alarming rate. Even her Honkai energy was constantly being assimilated by this world.
It wasn't just her abilities; her body too was gradually transforming into data. If not for her Herrscher authority maintaining her consciousness, she would likely have become food for the Herrscher of Corruption the moment she entered.
"No wonder even powerful Flame-Chasers like Kevin and Elysia couldn't escape the Herrscher of Corruption's attacks."
As Mei contemplated her options, a rustling, slithering sound quietly arose from within the building. Countless data transmission lines intertwined, surging towards her feet like writhing tentacles.
Boom! The ground suddenly exploded, tentacles grazing Mei's toes. But Mei, anticipating this, wasn't caught. Leaping, she jumped directly off the skyscraper rooftop.
The tentacles, having missed, disintegrated into chaotic data. As long as they were within this world, data was endless.
Falling from the height, Mei realized the skyscrapers weren't buildings at all, but black boxes resembling databases. As she leaped, the data within these black boxes stirred into activity.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
One data serpent after another broke free from the boxes, converging on Mei. In just a few seconds, the entire world had become active.
Suspended in mid-air, Mei had nowhere to dodge, forced to fight back with her long sword. However, with her strength, these tentacles couldn't harm her for the time being.
"This isn't working." Data was infinite, but Mei's authority was ultimately limited. It wouldn't be long before she was completely consumed.
["Struggle all you want. I'll help record your final performance and transmit it across the network to every corner of the world."]
Broken lines snapped and rapidly reformed, while Mei's sword swings grew slower and slower.
Just then, the scattered screens lit up again. As text appeared, the vast number of antiquated computers seemed drawn by the Corruption's authority, constantly converging towards the world's center.
Dilapidated CRT monitors, symbolizing discarded human technology, piled up like common garbage in the city center, eventually forming a towering data spire.
At the spire's peak was an immense screen. On it, a crimson eye rotated, observing Mei's every move.
Abandoning its human body meant the Herrscher of Corruption's authority had reached its zenith. Merely by watching Mei, she felt her strength draining away. Even as she increased her output, her sword swings became progressively slower.
Bang!
Ultimately, she failed to dodge an attack, plummeting directly from tens of meters in the air.
The eyeball narrowed into an arc, seemingly mocking Mei's overestimation of her abilities.
It rotated its gaze. Massive tendrils surged forward, burying Mei within them.
["Goodbye, Raiden Mei."]
The Herrscher of Thunder's energy signature grew weaker and weaker, indicating Mei's life signs were fading. Before long, the signal had nearly vanished.
The Corruption blinked its eye, seemingly delighted. Yet, its joy lasted less than three seconds before a sudden clap of thunder echoed.
It shouldn't rain in a data space, meaning thunder was impossible. It hastily looked towards Mei, only to be met with an incredibly dazzling flash of lightning.
["No!"]
BOOM!
An explosion roared. Amidst the spreading dust, the skyscraper slowly fractured. Simultaneously, the entwining data tentacles trembled violently and, accompanied by surging, furious electrical currents, snapped completely.
From the dissipating data debris, Mei emerged, long sword in hand, her skin covered in scorched black marks.
She had deliberately waited this long, precisely for the moment the Herrscher of Corruption exposed its weakness. Now, it was her turn to counterattack.
Looking at the eyeball on the tower, frozen stiff by the white light, Mei remained silent, merely raising the long sword in her hand. Words couldn't help her resist; only the arcing electricity coiling around her blade would make the choice for her.
"Narukami!"
Once lightning falls, it never turns back. The same holds true for a sword blade.
In the dim data space, a dazzling arc of light flashed. The paralyzed eyeball couldn't react before being struck by the sword's light.
In an instant, only garbled code remained on the scattered screens. The tower constructed by the Corruption also experienced a momentary system crash.
The Herrscher of Thunder was the Herrscher with the strongest attack power. Her full-strength blow was sufficient to kill a Herrscher of the same level.
"Did I win?"
Gazing at the smoking signal tower, Mei's voice was weary. That last strike contained all her strength. If it hadn't defeated the Corruption, she likely couldn't muster another blow like it.
Fortunately, her attack succeeded. As the tower collapsed, the entire data world began to slowly disintegrate.
["Regrettably, no."]
Just as Mei breathed a sigh of relief, these words suddenly appeared on a nearby billboard.
The moment she saw them, Mei's pupils contracted sharply. Just as she prepared to strike again, she found that not only the tentacles but the entire world had distorted into one massive screen.
Skyscrapers, streets – everything vanished, leaving only the purest data: the Herrscher of Corruption's eyeball.
Schlick.
A sharp object pierced through Mei's body from an unknown source. No blood spurted, no pain was felt, only a massive data void left where it pierced.
Dizziness washed over her. She could feel her strength fading, her data being deleted.
Did I fail?
Her limbs grew cold, her senses numb. Everything within her sight was reduced to that single eyeball. It... it deliberately exposed its weakness...
Pang—
The moment the eyeball looked at her, all surrounding data was simultaneously hit with the delete key, instantly dissolving into nothingness along with Raiden Mei's body.
["I told you. Deception, betrayal, lies are human instinct. And I will return them... in full measure."]
The Herrscher of Corruption narrowed its eye in satisfaction, consuming Mei's data along with the data world entirely.
["Farewell forever! Raiden Mei."]