Honkai, why do you only throw me into high-level battles?

Who would have thought Lin Wei's greatest strength was his weakness?

His pathetic lack of power had created the very loopholes he exploited.

His desperate gamble—a bluff of epic proportions—had actually worked.

Though still at a disadvantage, he'd shifted the situation beyond the Herrscher's expectations, buying himself time and room to maneuver. This was the best he could hope for.

His tactical success, a small step forward in his grand plan, brought a surge of satisfaction, but not complacency.

He grew even more cautious.

The real battle was about to begin.

A clash of consciousnesses was a brutal affair, a test of courage, willpower, resolve—intangible yet vital qualities. "Psychological warfare" took on a whole new meaning in this realm.

The saying "a man lives on his breath" held a deeper, more literal significance here.

And Lin Wei realized something else.

He was just an ordinary guy, dropped into this world by chance. He had no special skills, only the advantage of foreknowledge.

He was average in intelligence, weak in strength, fragile in the face of death.

His Honkai resistance was zero, his adaptability laughable even to a Herrscher.

And so on…

If he, so ordinary and insignificant, could achieve this much under the pressure of death, what kind of power did humanity wield fifty thousand years ago? An era of united elites facing the sudden threat of extinction?

They had no answers to copy. They didn't even know what to call it—they were the ones who named it "Honkai."

If they struggled, what right did he have to be smug about a small victory?

He looked up at the ceiling, lost in thought, his insignificance weighing heavily on him.

"You…"

The Herrscher seethed, infuriated by Lin Wei's apparent indifference.

She'd underestimated him.

She hadn't expected such a puny ant to outmaneuver her twice!

In reality, she was the one trapped, not Lin Wei.

Lin Wei had two possible outcomes: die here at her hands, or defeat her and return to reality, where Fu Hua awaited.

And her?

Even if she killed him and took over his body, what then?

Return to reality? A joke. That hateful Hua was waiting.

Either way, she was doomed.

She abandoned all other thoughts, focusing on tormenting this arrogant, reckless ant within this realm she still controlled.

She would play with him until she was satisfied, then kill him.

And then…

Hmph. To die with a god, what an honor.

Be grateful!

She would savor this final game.

She watched as he smoothly navigated her dream, entered Yae Sakura's, rekindled her will, and walked into the trap she'd laid.

Her long-awaited hunt was about to begin!

But, there was always a but.

The situation took a sharp turn. Before she could bare her fangs, Lin Wei slid into her domain, disrupting her plans.

Caught off guard, she resorted to her old tricks. She drew from his memories, shaping the environment, twisting every pleasant and unpleasant memory into a terrifying nightmare, targeting his vulnerabilities, chipping away at his will.

It was a hasty, improvised response.

She glared at the seemingly distracted Lin Wei, burning with humiliation.

She'd lost again.

She still controlled the mindscape. Lin Wei was still reacting to her, still the weaker party. He always had been, and always would be.

But that made his successful intrusion even more significant.

If this was a battle, she'd lost the first skirmish.

She'd lost momentum.

And now he was taunting her with his condescending attitude, trying to humiliate her?

The Herrscher's fury surged. She wanted to tear him apart!

Rin, even as a Herrscher, had a surprisingly limited vocabulary of insults.

But it was pointless. She couldn't kill him here, even if she ripped him to shreds.

It would just be another form of torture.

Perhaps that was what he wanted.

She wouldn't underestimate him again. She suppressed her rage, her resentment, and waited.

Lin Wei had exploited her momentary lapse, gaining the upper hand. She was on the back foot now. Any outburst would only reveal her weakness, emboldening him further.

Despite her initial setback, she still held the advantage, controlling the mindscape. Time was on her side. The longer this dragged on, the slimmer his chances became.

She would wait and see what tricks he had up his sleeve.

"Sorry, I spaced out for a bit."

Lin Wei snapped back to attention, a flicker of disappointment in his eyes.

The Herrscher hadn't taken the bait.

His earlier posturing wasn't an attempt to manipulate her into some grand delusion. That was too ridiculous, too unpredictable.

Could he control her thoughts with a pose? Seriously?

That would be gambling with his life.

He had another purpose.

He had been lost in thought, reminding himself to stay humble, to keep a cool head.

But he was also provoking the Herrscher.

His "hobo plan" had worked, disrupting her rhythm, giving him a momentary advantage.

Giving the feather to the unconscious Yae Sakura was partly out of concern for the girl, partly strategy.

[A pawn's gambit.]

Sacrificing a valuable piece, even a rook, to maintain control of the board.

Especially crucial for the second player fighting for the initiative.

The Yae Village illusion was her familiar ground, her carefully crafted trap.

By relinquishing the feather and reclaiming Yae Sakura from her control, he destabilized the illusion, disrupting her dominance.

But it didn't change the fundamental power dynamic. He was weak, she was strong. He needed to capitalize on his momentary advantage, provoke her anger. Insults, attacks, anything to make her lose her composure.

Only losers raged.

Winners smiled.

If she reacted, he'd achieved his goal.

He would win another small victory in this battle of wills, further strengthening his position, gaining more room to maneuver.

Yes, even after all this, all he sought was a chance.

The Herrscher controlled the mindscape. That was undeniable. He was walking into the lion's den.

His earlier coercion was like inviting a wolf into his home. He was already stacked with debuffs.

Fu Hua could guard the outside, mitigate the risks.

But inside, he was on his own.

This was a clash of wills.

Faltering spirit meant weakness, wavering will meant defeat.

And these were causally linked.

Relying on external forces showed a lack of confidence, a death sentence before a Herrscher.

Dependence bred weakness, weakness bred death.

How did Kiana, stripped of her power, manage to fight back and defeat the Herrscher's consciousness?

Because it was a battle of wills.

The Herrscher's power, her authority, were illusions in this realm. Only her will was real.

And Kiana, through sheer willpower, reclaimed what was hers.

The feather was a gambit, a sacrifice, and a liberation.

External forces were unreliable. Only by burning his bridges could he find a path forward.

Everything Lin Wei had done since arriving in this world adhered to this principle.

Even now, in this mental arena.

He'd built momentum, temporarily suppressing the Herrscher's aura.

Now, he wanted to shake her confidence.

For a superior being like her to lose her composure against a mere human would be a sign of weakness.

Too bad. She wasn't biting.

Disappointing, but not unexpected.

She wasn't stupid. If he understood this, why wouldn't a Herrscher who'd lived for fifty thousand years?

Just because she was blinded by rage?

She was far too clever for that.

She had the advantage. Why play his game?

If she wouldn't make a move, he would.

He was the underdog. Underdogs couldn't wait, couldn't defend. He had to press his attack relentlessly. Victory or death.

Survival was a struggle. Lin Wei sighed.

He was letting down his fellow transmigrators, the kings and queens of their respective stories.

My sincerest apologies.

"Sorry, I spaced out for a bit."

He softened his demeanor, appearing humble and sincere.

He made his move, retreating to advance.

The Herrscher was taken aback. Again.

If she were in his position, she would be mocking him relentlessly, unleashing her venomous words like daggers to tear him apart.

Reading his memories didn't mean she understood him.

True understanding came from interaction.

Superficial knowledge could be a trap.

The Herrscher, no longer underestimating him, narrowed her eyes, watching him warily.

She still wore He Kun's face.

He'd told her to change her appearance, but she wouldn't comply. She would change the scene when *she* was ready.

And that would be her signal to attack.

Lin Wei felt increasingly frustrated. This game was too hard.

Please, devs, nerf the enemy AI.

He sighed. So be it.

He calmly explained his earlier realization about his own insignificance, holding nothing back.

"So I was thinking, I'm incredibly lucky to have made it this far, to have the chance to face you. Heh, as a mere mortal, to have come this far against a Herrscher… I can die with pride."

Hah, you don't look like someone ready to die. The Herrscher scoffed inwardly. She didn't believe a word.

Maybe he was sincere, but she no longer trusted human words.

Now that the stalemate was broken, it was time for her to regain control.

She didn't transform into a monstrous form like she had with Yae Sakura. That would be meaningless against Lin Wei, and would only make her look foolish.

She sat up on the bed. The game on her phone had reached the results screen. Aponia was dead. A small, vicarious thrill coursed through her.

She walked towards Lin Wei, tracing a finger along his golden spear, from base to tip, testing its sharpness. She retracted her hand, blew lightly on the white mark on her fingertip without looking at him, and said disdainfully,

"You think you can challenge a Herrscher with that?"

"Lin Wei, I admit your cleverness surprised me. You exceeded my expectations several times. But do you really think you're qualified to face me? Who gave you the courage?"

She laughed, returning to the bed and picking up her phone, twirling it dismissively.

"Because of this game you played? Do you really think I'm some pre-programmed AI without free will? How laughable!"

She smiled, crushing the phone in her hand.

"You gained a small advantage with your prior knowledge. But now, I know what you know. You no longer have that advantage."

She approached him, gently caressing his face, her voice a soft murmur.

"So, Lin Wei, I ask you again, with all your advantages gone, what makes you think you can stand against me?"

I admit, I was careless! Who said Rin couldn't play mind games? I take back everything I said in the last chapter!

Lin Wei roared internally, a wave of revulsion washing over him.

The sheer psychological damage of a man's body gently caressing his face, speaking in such a soft voice…

Especially when that man was his roommate…

It was overwhelming.