Honkai (Lore)

The Honkai is the main antagonist of the series. It comes in many forms, including Herrschers, Honkai Beasts, Honkai sickness, and more.

Honkai Sickness
Honkai sickness is one of the many ways the Honkai manifest in their efforts to destroy humanity. It has a mortality rate of 100%, and does not have any effective treatment, though the spread of infection can be delayed [Ch. 4, Second Key]. It is caused by sufficient exposure to Honkai radiation, and the first stages of the sickness can develop immediately upon exposure [Ch. 5 & Ch. 6, Second Key]. Spread of the sickness can be limited by avoiding contact with infected individuals, and wearing personal protection equipment, such as gloves and masks [Ch. 5, Second Key]. However, prolonged exposure to multiple victims can still cause an individual to contract Honkai sickness [Ch. 5, Second Key].

The first noticeable symptom of Honkai sickness are purple lines that spread rapidly across the victim's body [Ch. 4, Second Key]. Loss of vision commonly follows. Eventually, organ failure occurs in quick succession [Ch. 4, Second Key], in what is known as a 'Honkai cascade'. The exact time between infection and death varies from person to person, however the vast majority succumb to the sickness not long after infection [Ch. 7, Second Key]. There are a few select individuals who have a higher resistance to the sickness and are able to survive longer, although ultimately they still die in the end [Ch. 7, Second Key].

A possible way to save the life of an infected individual is through the excision of any irradiated tissue, organ or limb, and even then, survival is not guaranteed. While a cure for Honkai sickness does exist, its development comes with a steep price. Since MOTH's scientists were unable to figure out how the pathogen works, they resorted to harvesting antibodies from the infected. However, the human body oddly only produces a scant amount of antibodies to combat the sickness, and as a result, creating one vial of the cure required the lives of 1,000 people. While there do exist individuals that can produce a higher amount of antibodies, they are few and far between. [Ch. 7, Second Key].