Chapter 140: A Gentle Flame and an Instant's Blade
To say that Honkai Energy is merely authoritative would be a gross understatement. The claim that the Honkai is all-powerful is not just empty talk; it can, in fact, accomplish feats that defy all logic. It was hard to fathom that an ability capable of freezing the very fabric of space could be classified as a mere "sword technique."
Even so, it had taken Rovel two full days of grueling practice just to reach the most basic, entry-level understanding of this sword art.
But as he gazed at the skill in his menu—[All Phenomena Unknowing (Gold)]—he knew every second of effort had been worth it.
For now, Rovel could only freeze the space within a one-meter radius around himself, and only for a fleeting 0.3 seconds.
Yae Sakura, by contrast, could lock down a ten-meter diameter within her line of sight for a full ten seconds.
What did ten seconds signify? One only had to recall that a certain infamous vampire's limit was a mere nine seconds of stopped time. Although, to be fair, that vampire's range was the entire universe…
Still, viewed in that light, Yae Sakura's sword technique was undeniably one of the most overpowered skills in existence. It was no wonder that in her long career as an assassin, she had only ever failed twice.
The first was the assassination attempt on Dr. Mei, which was thwarted by Kevin—though she had still managed to wound him in the process. The second was when she pierced Kalpas's chest; if not for his unique constitution, he would have died on the spot.
Of course, such a reality-bending sword technique came with significant limitations.
Within the frozen space, only a single attack could be launched. The very instant that attack made contact with its target, the spatial lock would be forcibly shattered. Even for the current Yae Sakura, she could only employ this technique a maximum of three times per day.
And Rovel? He could only manage it once.
Yet even with these restrictions, the sheer power of the technique left Rovel breathless. It was a skill practically born for assassination. An enemy wouldn't even perceive the source of the attack. By the time the world resumed its motion, a cold blade would already be resting against their throat.
That sensation couldn't be described with a simple word like "fast." It was a void—a void of consciousness, a void of origin, a void of process—leaving only the result: a single, perfect strike.
[All Phenomena Unknowing]
[Quality: Gold]
[Proficiency Level: Entry]
[Proficiency Progress: 10 / 100]
[Skill Description: This is the pinnacle of swordsmanship, shattering the shackles of space itself. The moment the sword's light flashes, space is forcibly frozen, and the movement of all things pauses for this one strike. It is both the ultimate interpretation of an 'Instant' and the deepest understanding of the way of the sword.]
With Rovel having successfully grasped the basics of All Phenomena Unknowing, Yae Sakura's role as a teacher was mostly complete. This was a technique that could only be honed through one's own relentless practice; there was little more she could directly impart.
"Besides freezing space, All Phenomena Unknowing has another, more specialized application," Yae Sakura added, her voice calm and measured. "If you discover an enemy possesses a power or special ability that allows them to ignore the spatial freeze, you can launch a direct attack. The moment your sword touches them, you can activate 'All Phenomena Unknowing'to'lock' them in place, producing the same freezing effect."
"Its effect is identical to a normal activation, but it's reserved for certain unique opponents. Such enemies are rare, however. Even most Herrschers cannot directly escape the grasp of 'All Phenomena Unknowing.'"
"Understood. I'll remember that. Thank you, Yae Sakura," Rovel said with a respectful nod.
"It is nothing," she replied, shaking her head gently.
Suddenly, a small, panicked voice piped up. "Sister! Brother-in-law! There's a masked weirdo over there! He's covered in sparks! It's so scary!"
Higokumaru zipped behind Rovel, pointing a trembling paw towards a figure standing on a high rocky outcrop not far away. It was Kalpas, his imposing form silhouetted against the sky as he seemingly observed them.
"His name is Kalpas," Yae Sakura explained. "He was a former comrade-in-arms." She looked towards him with a flicker of curiosity, wondering what could have possibly brought him to this place.
"And although he looks very scary," Rovel added with a knowing smile, "he's actually a very gentle person."
"Gentle?" Yae Sakura's eyebrow twitched. She could not reconcile that word with the man she knew. It was hard to imagine anyone evaluating Kalpas as "gentle." Then again, coming from the eccentric who had managed to elicit that kind of expression from Mobius, perhaps nothing he said should be surprising.
"If you don't believe me, go call out 'Uncle Kalpas.' He'll definitely respond to you," Rovel suggested mischievously.
"Re-really? Brother-in-law, don't you lie to me!" Higokumaru squeaked, shrinking further behind Rovel's legs.
"If I'm lying, I'll have Yae Sakura make you aburaage every single day," Rovel declared with absolute confidence.
"It's a deal!"
At the mere mention of "aburaage," Higokumaru's eyes lit up like lanterns, and the fear gripping her heart subsided considerably. Still, a kernel of apprehension remained. She flew forward with painstaking slowness, cautiously approaching the smoldering figure.
When she was about five meters away, Higokumaru took a deep breath, puffed out her chest, and called out in a tiny, wavering voice, "Un... Uncle Kalpas..."
For a moment, there was only silence. Kalpas didn't move.
'Brother-in-law lied!' Higokumaru thought, nearly bursting into tears from the sheer pressure of Kalpas's intimidating aura.
Then, a voice rumbled forth, startlingly soft. "What is your name?"
Kalpas's tone was unusually gentle, as if he were consciously trying to leash his own terrifying presence so as not to frighten the small creature before him.
"My name is Higokumaru!" she replied, immediately straightening her posture with a newfound burst of courage.
Kalpas fell silent again, the gears almost visibly turning in his head as he searched his memory for the name. Finding nothing, he continued, "What is your relationship with Yae Sakura?"
"Yae Sakura? She's my sister! Sister said you were her old comrade-in-arms, so Uncle Kalpas must be super strong, right?" Seeing that he had no intention of hurting her, Higokumaru's natural boldness began to return.
"Sister..."
One could only imagine the expression hidden beneath Kalpas's mask, but it must have been a sight to behold.
"My strength... is about the same as your sister's," Kalpas eventually answered, his voice still carefully moderated.
Just then, Rovel and Yae Sakura walked over, closing the distance.
"Explain," Kalpas said, his gaze shifting to Rovel. The single word was less a request and more a demand, laced with a sharp, interrogative edge. It was a tone that would have made anyone else deeply uncomfortable, but Rovel, knowing Kalpas's temper and personality, remained unfazed.
"This," Rovel said simply, taking out Jizo Mitama.
The moment Kalpas laid eyes on the Divine Key, a chilling sound escaped him. "A Divine Key? Heh... hehehehe..." It was a cold, grating laugh that sent a chill down the spine.
Higokumaru yelped and immediately dove behind Yae Sakura for cover, peeking out with wide, frightened eyes.
"Alright, let's talk business," Rovel said, his voice calm but firm. "Don't scare Higokumaru."
Kalpas fell silent.
"Forget it," he finally grumbled, a rare instance of him reining in his explosive temper. "Nothing I say can change this fact anyway. Those disgusting guys have pulled this kind of stunt more than once or twice."
Kalpas's attitude toward Divine Keys had always been complicated. He once had a subordinate named Imer, who was tragically chosen to become one of the Herrscher of Dominance. After the crisis was resolved, the Herrscher's core was used to forge the thousand Divine Keys of Dominance.
Kalpas saw this act as a desecration of Imer's memory. That was not the end his subordinate deserved. In a fit of grief and rage, Kalpas single-handedly destroyed hundreds of the Divine Keys. Later, after becoming a MANTIS, he sought out the one specific key embedded with Imer's core and used his own super-variability factors to fundamentally alter it.
That particular Divine Key of Dominance became a taboo. Even Dr. Mei maintained a carefully avoidant attitude when faced with it.
He didn't resist the existence of Divine Keys themselves. He just couldn't stand the thought that the final remnants of fallen heroes would be used as weapons in the hands of what he considered "filthy people." He couldn't control what happened to others, but for him, Imer and Rin were exceptions—their legacies were sacred.
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