71 Herrscher of Shadow?

While Kouro and the others were having a party at Kouro's dorm, on the other side, near the borders of the ruined city of Nagazora.

During midnight.

The moonlight illuminated Higokumaru and Sakura's figures, who were walking at the ruined highway.

Higokumaru, who is flying beside Sakura, suddenly paused and spoke in a low voice, "We are close."

Hearing this, Sakura tensed up and gripped the hilt of her Katana tightly.

Few minutes passed by.

They arrived at the last fortress bordering the city of Nagazora. Staring at the fortress in front of them, Higokumaru muttered in confusion, "... Weird... Ever since I traced her location, she hasn't moved a single meter at all."

They approached slowly while looking at several slash marks on the road they passed by, in addition to the many large footprints, they could somehow imagine what event happened here.

Sakura's fox ears suddenly shifted and she immediately stopped, she fixed her eyes up ahead while holding the hilt of her Katana more tightly, Higokumaru also stopped and noticed the person walking? (creeping) slowly, approaching the two of them, with an angry expression.

 "~Fufufufu, I've been waiting for you two you know."

"...Dr. Mobius."

Judging from their conversation, one could see that this is not their first time meeting each other.

Mobius currently adorning a loose black robe that envelopes almost the entirety of her body, except for the face.

The moonlight shone on her long, curly green hair, coupled with her green eyes that has slited pupils much like that of a snake, created a strange sense of aesthetic beauty.

"Ahh~ I really don't suit with this outfit." Mobius then took off her robe, revealing a black, tight dress with green and gold details, on her left sleeve hang a loose, semi-transparent sleeve and black gloves, while on her right arm she has a long black glove with three green claws.They are located on her thumb, index, and middle finger.

She has a gold earring dangling from her right ear.

Higokumaru stared at Mobius with an extremely stifling killing intent, "...Is it really you who caused Ayame-san to turn into a Pseudo-Herrscher?"

Hearing Higokumaru's words, as if she did not feel her hostility, Mobius blinked and though for a moment before saying, "Ayame~? Ahh, you mean that girl? She is indeed a fine specimen, she has a natural stigmata and the talent to become a Herrscher."

"I only injected a small amount of high-quality Honkai Energy into her body to make her a Herrscher, but I didn't expect her to still be capable of maintaining her consciousness."

Sakura drew her sword and pointed it towards Mobius while looking very cautiously, even though she didn't know her very well personally, she had heard of Mobius' previous actions from Higokumaru.

A person who will do anything to achieve her goals, even if it is dangerous or downright immoral, including experimenting on live people without their knowledge, that is Mobius.

Higokumaru then yelled towards Mobius.

"Are you still continuing those experiments just for the sake of completing the project? Don't you know it yourself, as a researcher, that bringing the dead back to life is improbable!"

"..." Mobius just silently listened to Higokumaru's argument, before speaking in a lonely tone.

"...I know."

"If you kno-" Higokumaru couldn't finish her words before getting interrupted by Mobius.

"But I will not give up, as long as I live, I will never give up. For him, I will do everything." Mobius spoke with her eyes shining brightly.

Noticing that Sakura and Higokumaru is getting ready to attack her, Mobius interrupted them unhurriedly.

"Unfortunately today, the one who would be your opponent isn't me. Oh, and as a reminder, you better pay attention to the shadows from now on."

Higokumaru ignored Mobius' warning and she threw dozens of blazing fireballs at Mobius at a very high speed.

Watching the fireball heading towards her, Mobius just stood her ground, Higokumaru watched Mobius who didn't move away at all and suddenly had a bad feeling.

When the fireball reached close to Mobius, the shadows suddenly moved like a living creature and turned into a wall, the dozens of fireballs crashed on the shadow wall and we're absorbed into it like sponge.

"What!?" Higokumaru became surprised by the sudden movement of the Shadows because she remembered only one person who can control shadows.

(E/D: Cid Kagenoh? Oh, wait. He's a different 'Shadow'. He is an eminence.)

Sakura, who is still in her offensive stance, suddenly slashed behind her.

*Fwosh!*

Sakura could spot someone wearing a black robe standing behind her, just as the Katana was only inches away from the black-robed person's face, her movements suddenly stopped.

(E/D: Another black robed person. How many would we get?)

 "Sakura-nee!"

If observed closely, one could see Sakura's shadow wrapped around her body, and it reached even the Katana she is holding.

Higokumaru did not hesitate and threw several fireballs at the robed person.

The person dodged with ease before walking slowly through Sakura and Higokumaru's body, like a shadow, before standing beside Mobius.

After the person reached beside Mobius, the shadows that bound Sakura slowly returned to darkness.

Higokumaru then quickly approached Sakura, checking if she was injured or not, and after seeing no parent injury, she turned back to Mobius, or rather, the black robes person standing beside her.

That person is wearing the same black robe that Mobius has earlier, only that person is wearing an additional white mask, but what caught Higokumaru's attention the most is that the person's eyes had a purple sheen that shone brightly in the dark environment.

(E/D: Okay, I know that there is the moonlight, but who's to say that there are no buildings, right?)

The person the slowly lowered his mask and looked at Sakura and Higokumaru.

"... Impossible. "

After seeing the person's face, Higokumaru was shocked beyond belief. Even though she had prepared her heart after seeing that the person can control shadows, furthermore with his purple eyes, she was still extremely shocked to learn of the person's identity, her mind became jumbled after seeing the person's face and she turned to look at Sakura with panic evident in her face before pulling her as far away as she can.

 "We have to run!"

The dragged Sakura looked at Higokumaru in confusion, this was the first time she saw Higokumaru being so panicked.

'Who exactly is this person controlling the shadow that they could even scare Higokumaru?'

Even so, Sakura still heeded Higokumaru's words and pulled Higokumaru into her arms before dashing at an incredibly fast speed, as fast as sound.

(E/D: This chapter is brought to you by, confusion. Feel free to distinguish who is 'her' in this context.)

The person and Mobius just watched as Higokumaru and Sakura ran away quickly.

"...Should I go after them?" asked the black-robed person in a calm voice.

"No need. My purpose of coming here has already been fulfilled." Mobius replied.

Mobius turned her attention to her pocket which contained a blood-red glass bottle. She stared at the glass filled with blood with affection as if it was her own child.

The black robed person glanced at the bottle in Mobius' hands and spoke in a calm voice, "Did you really have to go all the way from HQ just for the sake of that blood? What's more, it's already mixed with dirt."

Mobius ignored the robed man's remark and said, "Shadows, I have a mission for you."

She then sent the mission data to the black-robed people called Shadows.

Shadows read the mission file that was just sent by Mobius, after reading everything, he raised his eyebrows.

"Hanagami Kouro? You want me to monitor his movements?"

Mobius smiled sweetly, "Yes~, I want you to keep an eye on him, I also want you to look up everything that is relates to Kouro-kun."

 Shadows stared at the photo of Kouro's appearance for a long time then said in a strange tone. "Is it because of thi-"

"Yeah because that kid really looks like you."

Shadows knew that the person Mobius was referring to is not him, but rather, that person.

A person who is hostile to mankind even though he alone is fighting for humanity itself as well.

Someone who even the Herrscher of the End feared.

Someone who has been erased in human history because he who saved the world is not human himself.

He is Herrscher of Shadow.