Honkai Diary: Start With Picking Up A White-Haired Treasure

Following the initial testing of Black Armor v8.0, that very evening, Zeke initiated a secure video conference he had designed and encrypted himself, connecting four individuals scattered across distant locations.

Zeke, Welt, Einstein, and Cocolia—the core minds behind Anti-Entropy's military strength and intellect.

Welt, stationed at Saint Freya Academy, had just finished work. Glancing at his capable subordinates, he rubbed his temples wearily.

"I won't dwell on Bolon's case. Although he made significant contributions to Anti-Entropy early on, over the years, Anti-Entropy has repaid him sufficiently as well. I've long been considering purging these parasites, and this incident, though unfortunate, serves its purpose. However... Are you truly planning to attack the Oceanian branch?"

Cocolia spread her hands, shaking her head with resignation.

"I'm not entirely in favor either, but Zeke is adamant, and Dr. Einstein agrees. There's little else we can do."

Since aligning herself with Zeke, Cocolia's path had been remarkably smooth, encountering few hardships. Consequently, unlike her extreme risk-taking tendencies in the original narrative, she now prioritized stability above all else.

But Zeke was the boss, after all. When the leader speaks, what could a mere pawn like her say?

Cocolia muttered under her breath, harboring slight resentment—after all, Bronya, Kiana, and Sin, who would be heading to the front lines, were practically her own children!

Drinking fragrant black tea from an exorbitantly expensive cup, Dr. Einstein remained silent. In her view, this discussion primarily involved Welt and Zeke exchanging opinions; she and Cocolia were merely present to fill out the group.

Seeing that neither Dr. Einstein nor Cocolia spoke up, only Welt slightly furrowed his brow, expressing his disagreement. Zeke responded:

"I acknowledge the risks involved, and yes, it's partly a gamble. However, if I manage to secure the core, Otto likely won't pursue the matter too aggressively."

"Why do you believe that?"

"Because my value to him surpasses that of the core itself."

"...I still disagree. If you wish to study Herrscher Cores, there is one available at Eins' facility—the Gem of Conquest."

"Pfft!!!"

Cocolia reacted first, spitting out red wine so forcefully it splashed onto the camera lens.

At the same time, Dr. Einstein's gaze shifted momentarily.

Welt was puzzled.

With a frown on his face, Welt watched as Dr. Einstein sighed and dryly stated:

"The Gem of Conquest...no longer exists."

"What do you mean by 'no longer exists'..."

"It was implanted in Raiden Mei's body—her doing."

On-screen, Eins pointed downward, directly at Cocolia's image.

Cocolia was wiping away the splattered red wine from her snowy-white décolletage when she heard this revelation. Startled, she tossed her handkerchief aside and pressed her face right up to the camera, shouting agitatedly:

"I had no choice, okay?! The Radicals had their knives at my throat—if I didn't comply, what would happen to my children? Besides, Dr. Einstein and Raiden Ryoma tacitly approved. Why is all the blame being thrown on me now? Please say something, Dr. Einstein!"

Eins... tacit approval? Even Ryoma too... Welt looked dazed, feeling as though events had surpassed his imagination.

"I require an explanation, Eins," he said sternly, unsure whether his emotions leaned more toward disappointment or anger.

Ryoma was Raiden Mei's biological father; Welt himself had held the girl as a child. And for such actions to occur without informing him—even keeping it secret from Eins... What were they thinking?

Einstein set down her teacup.

After a moment's silence, she spoke with a distant tone:

"At that time, Cocolia had just aligned herself with the Radicals, who were already plotting to carry out their Gem of Conquest transplant scheme. Their chosen ideal vessel was Raiden Mei. Back then, Cocolia lacked both the power to wrest the gem from me and any means to harm Ryoma's daughter. She simply found herself in the right place at the right time, becoming the Radicals' selected executor. Success would secure her spot among them; failure meant facing dire consequences—she truly had no choice. And I... indeed gave my tacit approval."

Without her consent, who could have possibly stolen such a tightly guarded Herrscher Core?

Welt's expression shifted several times as he grappled with accepting this reality before finally asking:

"...Why?"

"Because neither you nor Tesla would ever agree, but I saw it as an opportunity—a chance to...bypass your watchful eyes and cultivate a new Herrscher-level combatant for Anti-Entropy."

"...Why?" Welt repeated his question.

The founding principle of Anti-Entropy was to protect the world without resorting to Schicksal's brutal methods. Although the Radicals had been gaining influence over the years, Welt never forgot their original intent. He consistently suppressed extremist voices and strove to maintain a balance between progress and upholding ethical boundaries.

Einstein's actions left him incredulous and unwilling to believe.

"Can I decline answering?"

"You must respond!"

"You've grown up and started disobeying now, Yang."

"Eins... Answer me—why?"

For a moment, Welt fell deep into reminiscence, recalling his extraordinary upbringing.

Eins was always like this, silently standing behind him as if she would never leave, offering immense comfort and reassurance.

But ultimately, he persisted with his question.

Welt's beliefs—the dream of protecting the world—all these invaluable ideals had been instilled in him bit by bit through Einstein's guidance. How could he not seek answers to the core of her actions?

"To save you."

Einstein gave a brief reply.

Before Welt could react, Einstein lifted her teacup with both hands, her eyes filled with emotions he couldn't comprehend. She continued, "During the Second Honkai Eruption, you hovered on the brink of death miraculously, dying again and again, only to return each time... Later, Tesla joked that you were like a cockroach, impossible to kill—it amused him greatly. I didn't find it funny; instead, I felt incredibly grateful...grateful that you returned."

"But even during the Second Honkai, you nearly didn't make it back—just barely missed it by that...much. What about next time? How many more Honkai events lie ahead? How many Herrschers remain? And how far...can you possibly endure?"

"I don't want there to be a day when Honkai strikes, and you won't return."

With a clink, Einstein released her grip as she spoke softly. The valuable teacup shattered on the table, mirroring Welt's life, which could break at any moment.

Scalding tea splashed onto Einstein's thin clothing, but she showed no reaction, only continuing with a quiet sigh: "Do you understand my intentions now?"

"...Go change your clothes; you'll get burned."

"No need, it's cooled down already."

"Eins..."

Welt opened his mouth, unsure of what to say next.

He comprehended Einstein's plan: She aimed to cultivate a new Herrscher-level combatant, someone who could fight alongside him or potentially replace his role—all for one purpose—to ensure that Welt survived.

"Even so... Even so, we cannot..."

We cannot trample on our solemn oath, the shared line we agreed never to cross!

Welt clenched his fists.

He could face the Herrscher of the Void without fear, even jesting in the shadow of death. Yet at this moment, he dared not confront Einstein like this, unable to utter the rebuke he knew he should have.

Einstein stared intently at the screen—more precisely, at Welt with his head bowed—for a long while before slowly revealing a gentle smile.

"Justice and truth, or you and Tesla... Sometimes, I too struggle to discern for which reason I truly live. All I know is that since Joyce left us, my world has only had room for the two of you... Let it be then. Whatever you decide to do with me, I have no objections. I hereby request to step down; I believe I no longer deserve..."

"No. As Alliance Leader, I reject your resignation."

"...Yang?"

"Fear not making mistakes. Yes, everyone errs, but what's truly frightening isn't the error itself, but the lack of acknowledgment and refusal to repent. Moreover, we still have a chance to rectify everything. Tell me, Eins, have you ever regretted your actions? Have you felt remorse or a desire to make amends towards Raiden Mei?"

Welt lifted his head, determination etched on his face, eyes blazing with fervent resilience. In that moment, he was no longer a confused young man but Welt Yang—an individual radiating brilliance.

Einstein stared at him, as if seeing through his gaze to another man whose smile shone like warm sunlight. Then her focus returned, and before her stood the familiar Yang—Welt Yang.

"Yes."

You've truly grown up. Einstein kept this sentiment within herself, nodding instead with affirmation.

Relieved, Welt exhaled deeply and declared firmly:

"Then go rectify your mistake and save that girl. Inform Ryoma of my stance: I am the Alliance Leader of Anti-Entropy, the First Herrscher, a man who can crawl back from death anytime. I'm not so fragile as to require him sacrificing his daughter's well-being. This is a grave error; we'll find opportunities later for appropriate discipline."

Raiden Ryoma, a friend and almost brother to Welt.

Welt understood Ryoma's intentions—to save the world, protect friends, and empower their inherently gifted daughter with self-defense capabilities—all noble goals, indeed.

However, Ryoma had crossed the line.

Einstein slowly nodded, showing complete agreement.

"Yes, I will convey this to him."

Then, Welt turned towards Zeke, who had been silently listening all along, and softened his tone.

"If we obtain the Herrscher Core, my first request for your research would be finding a way to safely extract it from a human body."

"How coincidental! The very subject of my search is a girl implanted with a Herrscher Core. Naturally, that will be my top priority as well." Zeke raised an eyebrow, speaking with a slightly wistful tone.

Another girl like her, then there's no hesitation needed. A sharp glint flashed in Welt's eyes, and he nodded resolutely.

"Very well, I approve your operation. Capturing the Oceania Branch won't be difficult; the challenge lies in handling Otto's potential immediate actions and subsequent retaliation... I can intervene, but you should consider the most suitable approach."

"If possible, could you keep an eye on those three children at the scene? As for Otto... No need to worry about him. When the war begins, he'll be occupied at Headquarters entertaining a friend, leaving no time to address the Oceania Branch's pleas for help."

"Entertaining a friend? Does Otto have friends? Who?"

"Me," Zeke replied matter-of-factly, gradually revealing a faint smile on the screen.

Zeke spoke mildly, gradually smiling at the screen.