Chapter 4:

(warning blood)

[9:00 PM][Ensburn City]

The city of Ensburn pulsed with artificial light, a sea of neon and towering structures stretching into the night sky. The streets below bustled with life—cars weaved between lanes, pedestrians laughed and talked, their lives oblivious to the unseen terror looming above them.

High above the skyline, where no human eye could perceive, a colossal entity hovered in silence. The Emperor-Class Honkai beast, shaped like an enormous stingray, floated over the city, its massive wings undulating as if it swam through the night itself. Despite its size, it remained utterly undetectable, cloaked in the invisibility trait bestowed upon it by its master.

Seated upon a throne of crystalline bone at the beast's back, Jyahnar gazed down at the city with cold, unblinking eyes. The wind tugged at her long, dark-blue hair, making it dance like the waves of an ocean in turmoil. Her piercing blue eyes reflected the sea of life beneath her—fragile, unsuspecting, waiting to be shattered.

She turned her gaze away from the glowing metropolis, shifting her attention to the towering humanoid Honkai beast that stood beside her. It was a monstrous creation, an abomination of both form and function, nearly reaching the fabled Judgment-Class in sheer power. Its grotesque, armored body exuded menace, each movement slow and deliberate, like a predator sizing up its prey.

Jyahnar's lips curled into a grin.

"If it ends too quickly, it wouldn't be any fun, right?" she mused, her voice laced with amusement.

The monstrous being simply inclined its head in response, acknowledging its master's words with silent obedience.

She laughed, a soft, eerie sound that carried through the wind. Then, with a single sweep of her hand, reality twisted at her command.

Three enormous figures materialized in the air before her, their presence warping the atmosphere around them. Templar-Class Honkai beasts—towering monstrosities clad in bio-organic armor, their bodies pulsating with a honkai energy. Each of them exuded a presence that sent ripples through the very air, as if the world itself shuddered at their existence.

Jyahnar leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on her hand as she gazed at them with a smile both serene and merciless.

"Go down," she whispered, her voice carrying an undeniable weight of command. "Bring them despair."

With a deep, guttural roar, the Templar-Class beasts obeyed. They descended swiftly, their enormous bodies cutting through the night like reapers sent to harvest souls.

"Oops… seems like three might be a bit too many."

Jyahnar's grin stretched wider as she watched the three Templar-Class Honkai beasts plummet toward the city, blazing through the sky like unholy meteors. Their descent carved fiery trails against the darkened heavens, each aiming for a different part of Ensburn—one to the south, another to the west, and the last directly toward the heart of the city.

A sinister chuckle escaped her lips, her eerie amusement carried by the wind. "But it's too late now, hehehe…"

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[Ensburn City – Downtown District]

A lively street bustled with evening activity—families enjoying the cool night air, street vendors selling their wares, neon signs flickering in vibrant colors. The sound of laughter mixed with the distant hum of traffic.

A young boy, no older than six, suddenly tugged on his mother's sleeve, his small finger pointing excitedly toward the sky. "Mom! Dad! Look! A meteor!"

His mother, a woman with kind eyes, followed his gaze and smiled warmly. "That means good luck, sweetie. Try making a wish."

The boy's eyes sparkled with innocent excitement. He clasped his hands together, his voice filled with pure-hearted hope. "I wish that we can be together forever!" He turned to his parents with a beaming smile.

His mother chuckled, placing a hand on his head. "Did you hear that, dear? Our son wants us to stay together forever."

But there was no reply.

"Dear?"

She turned to her husband, only to find him standing rigid, his face drained of color as he stared at the incoming "meteor" with wide, horrified eyes.

Something was wrong.

"Why is it getting bigger…?" she muttered.

Her husband's voice cracked as he shouted, his body suddenly moving on instinct. "RUN! EVERYONE, RUN! THE METEOR WILL FALL TOWARD THIS DIRECTION!"

A ripple of confusion spread among the nearby pedestrians. Some turned their heads skyward, curious, while others paused mid-conversation. But then—

A blinding red glow.

A monstrous shadow cutting through the sky.

And realization struck all at once.

Panic erupted. Screams filled the streets as people pushed and stumbled, trying desperately to flee. Cars honked as drivers slammed on their brakes, some crashing into one another in the chaos. The mother clutched her son tightly, her breath quick and shallow.

"No… no, no, no!"

Above them, the meteor hurtled toward the city like a judgment from the heavens.

And impact was imminent.

BOOM!

The ground trembled violently as the supposed meteor crashed into the city, sending shockwaves through the surrounding streets. A blinding explosion of fire and debris erupted upon impact, shattering glass, toppling streetlights, and obliterating buildings within its radius. Those unfortunate enough to be caught in its descent were instantly crushed, their bodies lost beneath layers of twisted steel and shattered concrete.

The force of the impact left behind a massive crater, the earth split apart as if something had clawed its way out of hell itself. Smoke and dust rose in thick, swirling columns, blanketing the area in an eerie haze.

For a moment, there was only silence—broken only by the flickering of fires and the distant sound of alarms wailing into the night.

Then, from the wreckage, survivors hesitantly emerged from their hiding places, their faces covered in ash and terror.

A man, perhaps driven by either bravery or sheer foolishness, stepped forward, peering down into the smoking crater. His voice wavered as he called out, "Is… is there anyone alive?!"

More people gathered around him, their whispers filled with fear and curiosity. The meteor's surface looked unnatural, its shape jagged, its texture pulsating like something… alive.

A few others cautiously approached. Hopeful. Searching.

And then—

SCHLINK!

A massive spear shot out from the smoke with terrifying speed, impaling the brave man clean through the chest. His body jerked violently, blood dripping down the massive weapon before he was lifted into the air, his legs kicking weakly.

Gasps turned to screams.

The meteor moved.

No.

It stood up.

The Templar-Class Honkai Beast rose from the crater, towering at nearly twelve meters, its monstrous, armored frame gleaming under the city lights. Its inhuman, glowing eyes surveyed the cowering humans below.

The impaled man, still struggling, let out a weak, gurgled breath—before the beast ripped its spear free, sending his lifeless body crashing into the debris below.

The silence was shattered.

"A-Aliens! It's an ALIEN!" someone screamed in pure panic.

"RUN! RUN!"

The streets descended into chaos, people scattering like ants, tripping over each other in their desperate attempt to escape. Car horns blared as drivers tried to flee, some colliding into buildings in blind terror. The cries of children, the shrieks of mothers, the frantic calls for help—

Jyahnar watched from her throne, her wicked smile stretching wider.

"Now… let the fun begin."

The Templar-Class Honkai Beast lowered its shield, its massive frame casting a suffocating shadow over the panicked crowd.

Then—

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

It charged.

Each thunderous step shook the earth, pavement cracking beneath its sheer weight. Despite its enormous size, it moved with terrifying speed, closing the distance in an instant.

The humans barely had time to react.

SPLASH.

The first wave of bodies exploded on impact, crushed against the unyielding wall of its shield. Blood splattered across storefronts, severed limbs flung through the air like discarded dolls. The beast plowed through the crowd, trampling those who managed to dodge its shield, their screams cut short as their bodies were flattened beneath its monstrous feet.

Those fortunate enough to survive the initial charge stumbled backward, terror in their eyes as they gazed upon the nightmare in front of them.

A deafening roar.

The beast swung its massive spear, the air itself shrieking as the weapon tore through buildings, collapsing walls like sandcastles. Debris rained down, burying more people beneath concrete and steel.

A group of survivors ran into a nearby alley, hoping to escape, but the Templar-Class had already anticipated their movement.

CRASH!

The spear pierced through the buildings, skewering the alleyway along with everyone inside. Their cries of horror echoed, then faded into silence.

The city streets ran red.

From her throne above, Jyahnar leaned forward, watching the slaughter unfold with an amused glint in her eyes.

"Hahaha~! Dance for me, humans~" she whispered, her fingers resting on her chin as she basked in the carnage below.

The city of Ensburn had no idea what had just descended upon it.

But by the time the world realized the truth—

It would be far too late.

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The bureau was in chaos.

Red emergency lights bathed the room in an ominous glow, casting long shadows over the frantic personnel scrambling between control panels and communication stations. Alarms blared, their sharp, mechanical wails echoing through the hallways.

Satoru glared at the live footage displayed on the massive central screen.

The city of Ensburn—a place once full of life—was now a slaughterhouse.

Bodies littered the streets, blood pooling between shattered concrete. Buildings burned, their skeletal remains standing like gravestones. And in the middle of it all, three colossal figures loomed over the ruins—the Templar-Class Honkai Beasts, their monstrous forms silhouetted against the raging fires.

Satoru's hands tightened into fists.

"Damn you, Herrscher...!" he growled, his voice laced with fury. "Not satisfied with my soldiers, now you target innocent civilians too?!"

With a loud slam, he struck the table, the force rattling nearby equipment.

All around him, personnel worked feverishly, answering distress calls, coordinating evacuations, and trying to contain the disaster unfolding on-screen. The situation was worsening by the second.

"Sir!" one of the operators turned to him, headset pressed to his ear. "Casualties are already in the thousands, and the beasts are spreading further into the city! If we don't act now—"

"I know!" Satoru cut him off, his gaze steely. He turned to the command team.

"Deploy fighter jets and send in the armored divisions." His voice was sharp, unwavering. "Hit them with everything we have! I want those monsters wiped from existence!"

"Yes, sir!"

Operators hurried to relay the order. The sound of rapid keyboard clicks and urgent radio transmissions filled the air.

Across the country, military forces mobilized.

In the distance, the roar of jet engines thundered through the night sky. Columns of tanks rumbled forward, their heavy turrets primed and ready. Soldiers, their faces set with grim determination, loaded their weapons, preparing to face the unimaginable horror that awaited them.

And high above Ensburn, sitting on her throne of despair, Jyahnar watched it all unfold with an amused grin.

"Oh? Finally putting up a real fight?" she mused, resting her chin on her hand.

Then—

She laughed.

A chilling, sinister sound, carried away by the wind.

"Hehehe... Let's see what you humans are truly capable of.

"(A/n: is this honkai enough? hmmmm i think it need more despair)