Chapter 2

"I am not sure. I only know she is a warrior who was caught up in a war." "Is that... 'Honkai'?" "You know about Honkai?!" "It's just a word, what's all the fuss about?" Lin Zhaoyu gave a bitter smile. "In Shenzhou, it is called 'true Qi' or 'demon Qi'. The Mount Taixu has only one absolute rule: 'Those who fall into demonic corruption must be slain.' Such a simple phrase, yet who knows how many tears and drops of blood lie behind it? I often find myself wondering: what on earth did Master Chiyuan experience to establish such a precept? It seems... I will never know. Forgive me for delaying you both with such idle sentiment." Kiana and Bronya left to continue their search for the feathers. "Kiana, what Sister Lin said just now..." "'Those who fall into demonic corruption must be slain'—she seems to care deeply about those words. It must be a rule set by the Monitor. Judging from those memories we just saw, the Monitor truly holds a deep hatred for Honkai." Soon, Kiana and Bronya found another feather. Kiana cast her consciousness into that warm radiance... Kiana witnessed memories of Fu Hua from her days as the Immortal Chiyuan. "Kiana... Kiana!" "Ugh... I... I... what happened, Bronya? Where am I?" "You are on Mount Taixu." "Ah, right, yes... what happened to me?" "You completely zoned out, and no matter how many times I called you, you didn't respond. Something isn't right. We should ask about what's going on." On the way back, Kiana recovered from her daze. "Are you alright, Kiana?" "Mm, I'm fine. I feel great." The two of them asked Lin Zhaoyu about Kiana's condition. "...This is known as 'selflessness'." "'Selflessness'?" "Similar things have happened in the past: mortals, drawn in by the Heart's Seal, devoted themselves to the sword and became so utterly lost that they even forgot who they were, eventually believing they were immortals themselves. Those with weak wills, dissatisfaction with themselves, and unrealistic fantasies are easily deceived by their surroundings. Strange, you don't seem like that kind of person. It appears Master Chiyuan didn't teach you a single line of the Heart Sutra..." "She is... well, it's a bit late for her to learn the Heart's Essence now..." "Sister Lin, what is the sword heart, anyway?" "The sword heart... to most martial artists, it refers to the state of mind of one who practices martial arts. However, only a few disciples of Mount Taixu know that the true sword heart is the 'Heart Sutra'. It is a chant consisting of four hundred and sixty-two tones, with no written records." "Will it teach me how to control my power?" "Perhaps. The wonder of the Heart Sutra lies in this: apart from Master Chiyuan, no one knows its meaning. It is merely a strange and uncanny chant that teaches nothing at all. Yet, as long as you recite it silently in your heart, even without understanding the slightest bit of its meaning, the Heart Sutra takes effect. It tempers your body, hones your will, and quietly shapes and molds you. In the end, your mortal shell becomes the 'Dao' of true Qi, and your consciousness becomes the 'lake' of thought." "This Heart Sutra sounds a bit like hypnosis." "It sounds like the sword heart cannot be achieved overnight; it requires a long and arduous practice... Since that's the case, why is the Monitor unwilling to teach it to me?" "The Monitor... she must have her own reasons." "Experiencing 'selflessness' means you are tired. Rest now, and whatever is left can be handled tomorrow." "Kiana, Bronya is heading back to the Hyperion." "Mm, I still have a few things I want to ask." Bronya left the area and walked toward the Hyperion, while Kiana asked Lin Zhaoyu about the Immortal Chiyuan. "Can you tell me about the Immortal Chiyuan?" "...You can hear tales of Master Chiyuan anywhere. Since you and she are friends, you'd better hear it from her own mouth." "But... she always keeps so many things from me." "If a friend is unwilling to tell you something herself, why bother finding out from an outsider?" "Mm... I understand." "...I can tell you a story, though." Ignoring Kiana's look of surprise, Lin Zhaoyu began to speak: "Five hundred years ago, Chiyuan took in seven disciples. Aside from the youngest, the parents of the other six children had all fallen into demonic corruption and turned into monsters. For reasons unknown, Chiyuan chose to take these six orphans—whom she had a blood feud with, having created their tragedies with her own hands—as her disciples and taught them martial arts. Would you deny that this is a heartwarming story? Heh, it's more than that..." Lin Zhaoyu smiled faintly, yet there was no warmth in her expression, only an unspeakable sorrow. "Later, those seven disciples joined forces and killed Chiyuan." "What—why?" "...It was midnight. Chiyuan returned from the mountain. By all accounts, she should have been greeted by her eldest disciple, but she never showed up. Instead, it was Qin Suyin, the seventh disciple. This broke all rules, but Chiyuan had no reason to suspect anything. Qin Suyin walked up the mountain alongside her master, and all along the way, she wanted to tell her master what was about to happen... She was right on the verge of saying it. Unfortunately, Su Mei, the second disciple, appeared. She was always like this, making the exact right move at the precise moment... With her arrival, the seventh disciple's words choked in her throat. The three of them walked all the way back to Fuyun Temple, and the moment they stepped across the threshold, Chiyuan knew instantly: all seven of her disciples were waiting inside. The third disciple's 'Wind Clearing' robbed her of her sound; the sixth disciple's 'Red Absolute Shadow' swallowed the light; the seven formed a complete encirclement. This was the long-planned opportunity Su Mei had been waiting for. However... heh, that foolish eldest disciple didn't make a move, missing the chance to strike first and buying them only enough time for a single sentence. ......Still, the time of a single sentence was enough for Chiyuan. Immortals are ageless and immortal; no matter how severe the injury, they recover rapidly. The only weakness is the head. Yet for disciples who had lost the initiative, trying to pierce Chiyuan was extraordinarily difficult. The one who finally struck was the fifth disciple, and it had to be her; she was the strongest among the seven, and the only one who had comprehended the Sword God. That sword strike was executed with miraculous precision, hitting her squarely between the brows. In an instant, Chiyuan temporarily lost her ability to regenerate; and in that exact same split second, six swords pierced clean through her body. The invincible true immortal Chiyuan died just like that." Finished speaking, Lin Zhaoyu finally cast a glance at Kiana. "But the Monitor... Chiyuan is still alive." "Mm, the Immortal Chiyuan is ageless and immortal. Twenty years later, she was resurrected—and she found her disciples... That is the ending I haven't told you yet. Cause and effect? Karmic reincarnation? How could the people in the story know what it all meant? But...... it doesn't matter anymore... It's just a story. Rest now, you're tired." Kiana returned to the Hyperion to rest. The next morning, Kiana greeted Bronya. "Good morning." "Good morning." They found Lin Zhaoyu waiting for them. "No need for formalities, go do what you need to do. And... take this." Lin Zhaoyu reached out, her pale palm holding two floating feathers. "I found these while you were resting." "Ah... thank you!" "...Don't mention it." The feathers emitted a brilliant glow...... Kiana and Bronya saw a memory of Fu Hua saving a young girl from zombies. "That 'zombie'...... must be a Honkai beast." "That should be right. At that point in time, the Honkai was about to erupt?" "Mm... but wasn't the Monitor just an ordinary person back then? To be able to fight a zombie and not fall behind—as expected of the Monitor." "It looks like that girl was infatuated with her, too." "In the previous memories, she was always so alone... To be able to make friends, the Monitor must have been very happy." "There's another feather." The two began watching the memories recorded in the second feather, witnessing Fu Hua confronting the descent of the Honkai. "The Honkai has descended here, too......" "This must have been the first Honkai disaster the Monitor experienced." "Even after making such a good friend..." Both fell silent for a moment, unpleasant memories choking off their words. Only from the direction of Lin Zhaoyu did the crisp sound of kicking stones occasionally echo. The two finished watching the memories recorded in the feather and began searching for new ones. "What will be in the next feather?...... I have a feeling it will be the Monitor's memories again. I wonder when we'll find the Heart Sutra or the Monitor's clones." "Memories are great, too...... I'm finally starting to understand the mysterious Monitor. I have a hunch that if we keep searching, we'll definitely get our wish......" They quickly found a new feather and saw Fu Hua's struggles against the Honkai. "This is the war between humanity of the previous era and the Honkai......" "Twelve Herrscher appeared. Humanity won every single battle, only to lose the entire war in the end......" "Nexus Necklace: Meta Field, Acti—vate—!" Both remained silent, each thinking of the current state of the world. "I never thought Kevin would have... such experiences, either." "Bronya knew of this past, but she didn't know the Monitor was there, too." "Before, to protect me, the Monitor fought Kevin alone...... They were supposed to be comrades, they should have fought shoulder to shoulder, but......" "They walked different paths." "Mm......" Kiana's voice grew dim, as if burdened by some heavy thought, faint enough to be blown away by a breeze. Kiana and Bronya set off to find the next feather. After searching around, they found a sealed feather. "This one is sealed, too..." Kiana and Bronya returned to find Lin Zhaoyu and have the seal broken. "...Truly remarkable." "Huh?" "In a mere two days, the number of Heart's Seals manifesting before you probably exceeds the total from the past five hundred years. You once claimed to be Chiyuan's friend. Back then I was half-in-doubt, but now it is beyond a doubt: you must hold an important place in her heart." Lin Zhaoyu gazed at the feather in her hand. This time, she didn't break the seal; she only stared at it longingly. "'Heart'...... it is the most unfathomable and unknowable thing. People 'know' it, 'use' it, 'test' it, 'master' it, yet who truly 'understands' it? Understanding others is easy, but knowing oneself is the hardest of all......" "......" Kiana didn't understand what Lin Zhaoyu meant, but sensing she was speaking of something of utmost importance, she didn't dare interrupt. "...It's nothing, just rambling nonsense." She smiled faintly and broke the seal. Kiana and Bronya felt the world spin as they plunged into that radiance. They saw Fu Hua's memories from the era of slaying demons. When the two awoke, they found that Lin Zhaoyu had vanished. "Sister Lin...... where did she go?" "Not sure..." Kiana picked up the feather on the ground. "Is this what she left behind for Bronya?" "Perhaps she wants Bronya to know something. Should we... try it?" "Mm." Starlight flashed like arrows, and the cold wind felt like a blade. It was already midnight. The late autumn wind chilled the air, and the hoarse cries of crows made Mount Taixu appear exceptionally desolate. At the foot of the mountain, the Immortal Chiyuan walked slowly forward. "Huh—" "We... appeared inside the memory?" "Why? With the previous feathers, we could only watch." "No, Kiana! Have you forgotten? Back when the Monitor used feathers to talk with us, it was exactly like this!" "Could it be..." Kiana looked around and saw the true form of the Immortal Chiyuan walking along the mountain path. She called out to Chiyuan a few times, but received no response. "She can't hear us." "...Let's follow her first." Bronya and Kiana watched as Chiyuan approached a woman and spoke with her, but suddenly another voice echoed from elsewhere, and a figure appeared. Then Chiyuan left alongside Su Mei, leaving Qin Suyin's shadow standing blankly in place. "......They are going to kill Master." Qin Suyin suddenly said to Kiana and Bronya. "Are you here to stop them?" "What are you saying..." "Can you see us?" "Sigh." Qin Suyin let out a long sigh. Her shadow suddenly expanded, transformed, and lunged toward Kiana. "What you see is not true, this place is merely an illusion... This is 'Ink-Dyed Fragrance'......" Faced with Qin Suyin's attack, Kiana and Bronya had no choice but to defeat her. "Why did she suddenly attack us..." "This memory reeks of strangeness." "Just now she was—the disciples are going to kill Master. Is this five hundred years ago, the very night the Seven Swords of Taixu killed the Monitor?!" "Is the feather hoping we can change history and save the Monitor?" "I don't know, let's hurry and follow them!" Kiana and Bronya pressed onward, encountering a pair of similar-looking women. "Master is the most important existence; the lives of others cannot compare to hers." "......" "But... I cannot let Master kill her—I cannot! We finally have such an opportunity..." The fourth disciple of Taixu looked at her twin sister and smiled faintly. "Forget it, Wanyi. If this is fate..." The two launched an attack on Kiana and Bronya. "Let everything return to silence, 'Wind Clearing'." "My 'Falling Unmoored' leaves no trace......" After defeating them, Kiana and Bronya continued up the mountain. Along the way, they encountered someone who vanished without engaging them in combat. "......This is just an illusion, right? Since it's fake, why bother disguising it as reality?" At the end of the path, the two saw a man and a woman. "You're here..." "Forgive us, but we must stop you here." The second and sixth disciples of Taixu—Su Mei and Ma Yanqing—stood before Fuyun Temple. "You wish to defy the heavens and change fate, and so do we." "If possible, we wouldn't wish for this battle either..." "Please, enlighten us." The two launched an attack on Kiana and Bronya. "Watch closely, this is 'Peerless'......" After defeating the two, Kiana and Bronya approached Fuyun Temple. "The Monitor's disciples... The Seven Swords of Taixu killed the Monitor five hundred years ago." "Bronya cannot sense any hatred from them toward the Monitor." "......No, it's there. They truly radiate a faint resentment. But perhaps I'm mistaken; I always feel... that hatred isn't directed at us, nor at the Monitor. It's more like... resentment toward themselves." "......Kiana, the Monitor has seven disciples, right? But only six have appeared so far......" "There is still one... perhaps right inside this Fuyun Temple." "Get ready." "Mm." The two reached out and pushed the doors open— The scenery around them shifted, returning to the place where they had first entered the Fenghuang Down. "We... came out? What happened? Behind those temple doors..." "Bronya's vision went black, and she returned right here." "......Strange, utterly strange. What on earth is this feather?" "We can only ask the person who left it for us." The two searched Mount Taixu for traces of Lin Zhaoyu, but found no sign of her; instead, they discovered another feather. "This feather......" "Does it have a seal, too?" "No, but it feels a bit different... unlike any feather we've touched before. Should we activate it, or..." "......Let's try it first." The two saw memories of Fu Hua taking in Lin Zhaoyu. "Lin Zhaoyu... actually the Monitor's disciple. She is the first one... the only one of the Seven Swords of Taixu who never appeared." "Kiana, that's not the issue—the issue is why she would appear on Mount Taixu! Why would someone from five hundred years ago appear on modern Mount Taixu!" "......I think I vaguely understand what is happening here. Ever since we arrived at this mountain, everything has felt extremely wrong. This place isn't the way the Monitor showed us, and the concentration of Honkai Energy is abnormally high. Those feathers—they are different from the Monitor's feathers. And Lin Zhaoyu... living in ancient times, yet appearing on Mount Taixu, conveniently running into us, and then guiding us to search for the so-called 'Heart's Seal'." "......We've been tricked." "Yes, this isn't the real Mount Taixu! Where... is this? And who..." At that moment, something emitted a blinding light. "The feather left by 'Lin Zhaoyu'......" "......Let's go back. The truth of the matter must be inside this feather." Kiana and Bronya entered the world of Mount Taixu from five hundred years ago once more, but this time it was completely different from their previous entry. The sun shone brightly over Mount Taixu. The two encountered the Seven Swords of Taixu, but this time, all of them seemed at peace. The two pushed open the doors and entered the Taoist temple. "Sigh, you took so long, I was getting impatient. There were only a few memories to begin with, and I even specially arranged for someone to guide you; how could it take you this long?" Upon entering the temple, Kiana and Bronya found themselves in the hands of someone who looked just like Fu Hua. Suddenly, the necklace on Kiana's chest lit up, shooting a beam of light upward as golden ripples gradually enveloped Kiana within. Yet at the very last moment, a number of chains pierced into the golden barrier, binding the necklace. The golden ripples dissipated, and the necklace flashed a blinding light, violently breaking free from the chains. It shot away from Kiana's neck at super speed, leaving a streak of light trailing through the darkness. "Nexus Necklace: I'm going to get reinforcements! Chase me if you dare!" "Forget it, if it wants to go, let it go." The penultimate day. "......" "Hey... scared?" Suddenly, "Fu Hua" shrank, becoming the same size as Kiana and Bronya. "Sorry, wanted to give you a surprise—well, okay, maybe a bit over the top." "Who are you?" "Fu Hua" noticed Kiana and Bronya taking a step back. "Do you really have to ask that every time someone sees me? I am your Monitor! My appearance hasn't changed! Damn it! Everyone pulls this routine..." "You look a lot like the Monitor, but she wouldn't act like this..." "When it comes down to it, you're just not used to it yet. Here, they like chatting with you, you explain it to them. No extra talking allowed." "......" The illusion vanished—the bizarre scene before them transformed back into the ancient Mount Taixu. "......Ah—" "Hi, Kiana, Bronya... are you both alright?" "......!" "Monitor......!" "Ugh......" An invisible force struck suddenly, binding her tightly and making even a single word impossible to utter. "I said no extra talking allowed. We need a fair competition, no cheating. Just tell them who we are is enough." "I am the feather of Fenghuang Down that previously attached itself to you, and she is... the Fu Hua killed by Otto." "......Feels weird. But it'll do." Hua snapped her fingers, and the Fenghuang Down rapidly dissipated. "What did you do to the Monitor!" "......" "Hey, hey—what's with that reaction? I just let her rest for a moment!" "Bronya cannot trust you." "Why?" "Your motives aren't pure, Bronya knows... Bronya can see it. Why build a fake Mount Taixu? Why make us watch the Monitor's memories? And why use that older sister's image to deceive us? You could have appeared openly without going through such a massive detour. Furthermore, Kiana's necklace turned into light and left." "First, Mount Taixu isn't fake; I just modified your consciousness a bit to fit the scenario I designed. This has been the real Mount Taixu all along. Second, I wanted you to understand me better. I used to be a closed book, telling outsiders nothing, which led to all sorts of trouble. Now I've had an epiphany: I will be completely honest with you. My past failures, mistakes, and stubborn obsessions—I'll let you see them clearly...... That way you can make a fair verdict. Third, I have no idea why that necklace flew off." "A verdict?" "Fourth—you still care about that? A show must be put on thoroughly. If I personally guided you, wouldn't the whole act fall apart? ......But as it happens, there was a sealed guy in my head—I forgot the reason why—who possessed a complete set of virtual memories and personality." "You shouldn't have done this......" The Fenghuang Down whispered softly in "Fu Hua's" mind, but she remained unconcerned. "So I used her, giving her as much freedom as possible—that's what acting is all about. Neither of you saw through it, right?" "But why......" "You played with us, what is your objective?" "Played with you?!" "Fu Hua" acted as though she had suffered a great injustice. "How did I play with you? Did either of you get hurt? Were you in any danger? You were under my surveillance the entire time, zero chance of anything going wrong...... And this is how you repay me with such hostility." "......" "......" Kiana and Bronya exchanged glances. Although they still hadn't figured out what this person—who looked so much like Fu Hua—was after, they had reached one consensus: this person was extremely dangerous. "Don't be misled, Kiana, this wretch is just like us!" "Right, and we're taking the Monitor back." Kiana and Bronya invoked the power of the Herrscher, their attire shifting. "Oh? You're going to make a move on me? Well, fists are the only truth; if I don't teach you two a lesson, I suppose you won't listen." Meanwhile, inside the Salt Lake Base, Yeye was sparring with Ana and Chen Tianwu. Suddenly, a beam of light plummeted from the ceiling, blocking the space between Yeye, Chen Tianwu, and Ana, kicking up a cloud of dust. When the smoke cleared, a uniquely shaped stone lay right before them. "What is this thing?" "No idea, but it's definitely nothing ordinary."

Chen Tianwu looked at the hole torn into the ceiling of the training room. The training room had undergone special reinforcement and could never have been punctured by an ordinary rock. "Hmm... Wings of Stone. How could this thing appear?" A string of necklace floated out from the Wings of Stone. "Something happened? Looks like I have to go to Mount Taixu. The Herrscher of Sentience has made her move; Kiana and the others probably didn't contact me because of the Herrscher of Sentience. The two of you, your true first battle is about to begin." Yeye took the necklace, and the necklace emitted a beam of light to retrieve the Wings of Stone. Ana and Chen Tianwu followed Yeye out of the training room. "Qingxue, please have Theresa and the others prepare the fastest warship for me, one that can reach Mount Taixu in a few hours." [Master, no such warship is found. Anti-Entropy has no such warship.] "None? Then that makes things a bit difficult." The necklace in Yeye's hand flickered on and off. "You can help us, right?" [Notified Theresa to prepare Anti-Entropy's fastest warship currently. Notified the Core.] Guided by Qingxue, the group boarded a warship and saw the Core already waiting aboard. "Core, start the warship immediately. Destination: Mount Taixu. Let's go." The warship took off and flew into the sky. The necklace in Yeye's hand floated up and flew to the warship's console. A burst of light spread from the necklace on the console, gradually enveloping the entire warship, and the warship's speed directly increased dozens of times. [The current warship speed has been increased to dozens of times its original speed, capable of reaching Mount Taixu in a few hours.] "Well, I originally wanted to use teleportation. It looks like that won't be necessary now." Let us turn our gaze back to Mount Taixu, where Kiana and Bronya had begun their battle against Fu Hua. "Oh, you are an incomplete Herrscher? ...... I see. You suppress your power, only using the controllable parts to fight. Very good! Well done, Kiana, never lose to Honkai!" During the fight, "Fu Hua" discovered that Bronya was the current Herrscher of Reason. "Welt actually gave you the Core. Sigh, his life has been miserable enough, yet he let you walk his old path. This core is ominous; nothing good comes from touching it. Bronya, you should just give it up!" Kiana and Bronya joined forces to fight "Fu Hua". In a two-on-one situation, the two of them still fell into a disadvantage. "Combined, one and a half Herrscher aren't that impressive after all. Heh heh, don't blame yourselves; I'm just too strong." "Completely no openings." "I haven't even used Fenghuang Down yet. Kiana, Bronya, this is your monitor's true strength, you know? I've been given a completely new lease on life!" "What should we do?" "Shh—keep your voice down, it's me." Fu Hua's voice suddenly rang in the minds of both of them. "She is riding high on her enthusiasm and is temporarily ignoring me. Listen well, Kiana, Bronya—she is a Herrscher." The realization hit: her abilities really did come from Honkai... Kiana and Bronya stood back to back. "Not fighting anymore? That's fine too, I just want to chat with you—" "The body she is holding belongs to me. It seems my memories got mixed up with the Herrscher personality, making her mistake herself for me..." "Hmm? What are you guys doing?" "Kiana, you discuss countermeasures with the monitor! Bronya, go hold her off!" Bronya clashed with "Fu Hua", her Heavy Rabbit transforming into a motorcycle, while Kiana began to distance herself from "Fu Hua". "You still want to fight? ...... Kiana, aren't you going up?" "......" "Or rather, Kiana is more sensible. Very well, I just pondered it a bit; two judges are actually a bit too many. It would be troublesome if a tie vote came out. Besides, you and I aren't that close either...... I'll let you have the thrill of joyriding!" The scenery around "Fu Hua" and Bronya transformed into a city. "Listen to me, Kiana—Bronya cannot hold out for long. Once the opponent feels bored, she will discover what I am doing. That 'me' possesses the power of her prime, coupled with a Herrscher's abilities. She is an invincible opponent. To unravel this predicament, we can only rely on wisdom." "What should I do?" "You must question her." "Question...... her?" "She doubts she is me, she believes she is me, she forces herself to be me—this is the foundation of all her actions." "But fundamentally speaking—she is just a newly born child. She still retains kindness and rationality; Honkai has not completely controlled her. If she realizes she is not the person she thinks she is, if she understands her true identity, she will panic and fail to properly wield the Herrscher's abilities. The flaw she reveals at that moment will be our only chance. However, what we must do is not destroy her—must be careful, Kiana, do not push her completely into the abyss of Honkai......" On the other side—the Herrscher of Reason utilized her mobility advantage to avoid close combat with the enemy. But the light cannon barrage, dense as rain, was merely a harassment to "Fu Hua" and posed no threat. Under "Fu Hua"'s successive attacks, Bronya collapsed. Bronya knew very well that in the illusion created by the enemy, she had no chance of winning, but to buy enough active time for Fu Hua, she had tried her absolute best. "Hope...... it's in time." "...... In time for what?" However, her thoughts could not escape "Fu Hua"'s reading. 'Strange? Bronya seems...' "Fu Hua" thoughts raced, and in an instant, she had guessed seven or eight parts of it. "Old-Timer..." "Don't call me that." "Hey...... you're here?" "Of course." "I just forgot about you for a second, thought you took the opportunity to run away—you didn't run, right? Or was I overthinking it?" Fu Hua shook her head. "Am I not still here?" "Oh, never mind." She dispersed the illusion. "Thank you, Kiana, I know you trust me." "...... She's asleep." "She was too overconfident. Is the power of the First Herrscher so easy to manipulate? Look at what happened to those men. Let her rest, don't push yourself. Anyway, having you is enough. The matter is simple. This fellow and I have some disagreements, and I want you to arbitrate. Who do you think is the real Fu Hua?" Fu Hua and "Fu Hua" stood together. 'The real monitor is controlled by the Herrscher... The help she can provide me is limited. She is the Herrscher who occupied the monitor's body... Currently, she hasn't been controlled by Honkai. To rescue the monitor, we must find a way to make her waver...' "Use your intuition to judge, what do you think? Is it this stronger, more decisive, more rational Fu Hua, or that Old-Timer?" 'What should I do?' Kiana stood in front of the real Fu Hua. "...... What? You pick her?" "This is unfair." "Hey, when has the world ever talked about fairness—uh, how is it unfair?" "You want me to make a verdict, but I know nothing about you at all. You let me see many of the monitor's pasts, yet you said you were completely renewed; I still don't understand you at all. All I know is that you set a trap on this Mount Taixu to fool me and Bronya. Under these circumstances, how can I possibly give a fair judgment?" "......" "Fu Hua" was dumbfounded, looking at Fu Hua for a moment, then at Kiana. "Wow...... you're right. I thought you'd pick her, after all, people can't help but be prejudiced, but...... wow. My bad, Kiana, I should have introduced myself first. At least I should let you know... what the difference is between me and that Old-Timer." The illusion unfolded once more, and Kiana saw Fu Hua blocking in front of Rita, with Himeko and Tesla behind her. "This place......" "Ah, it's that period when you became a Herrscher. To show you how I differ from the past, it's best to let you experience it personally, isn't it? Look, the past me was bewitched by Otto and did many evil deeds for him. The reason was nothing more than a debt of saving grace, coupled with an obsession with the 'Stigmata Project'. Yet upon second thought: is the Stigmata Project really that important? Not necessarily. Letting humanity grow freely, the outcome might not turn out too badly either. When you encounter difficulties, you overcome them. Isn't that how humanity grows? The essence of the Stigmata Project, as I see it, is just Doctor's arrogance. As for the saving grace... Hmph, even if he didn't make a move, could it be that I couldn't handle it myself?" "......" "If you have anything to say, you can say it too. If you think I'm wrong, supplement it, since Kiana is here." "Stop talking about the past." "Yet you are someone living in the past." "Fu Hua" pointed at herself in the illusion. "The past me would execute plans handed down by others for the sake of so-called 'future', 'hope', and 'victory', without asking why and ignoring the results. Others told me: 'You walk this path.' And I would just do it, handing the task of thinking over to Mei, handing it over to Otto. But do you know what giving up thinking represents? It represents escaping responsibility. I will no longer escape. After this resurrection, I thought a lot... If it were me, I wouldn't blindly obey that blonde brat! Rita... this woman is a loyal servant of Schicksal. Can you believe it? With technology so advanced, she still personally washes clothes and sweeps floors for others to this day. To this day, I still haven't figured out what kind of person she is. Does she really have her own opinions? People who have contacted Otto seem to have this ailment to some extent, even forgetting how to think. Heh, just thinking about it makes me angry." "Fu Hua" appeared in front of Rita in the illusion and started fighting with her. "Being merciless to the enemy is being cruel to oneself; the past me just didn't understand..." At this moment, a beam of light cut across the sky and landed on Kiana's neck—it was precisely the necklace Kiana had left behind earlier. Outside the illusion, Yeye and the others had already arrived at Mount Taixu. Seeing the unconscious Bronya, Yeye came to her side and used Reverse Cursed Technique. By the way, he had Qingxue check Bronya's physical condition. [Master, Bronya's vital signs are currently completely normal; she has merely fallen into unconsciousness.] "It seems leaving the Herrscher of Sentience to temper them was the right choice. The two of you wait here, I'll bring Bronya back to the warship." "Okay." ×2 Yeye teleported briefly, brought Bronya back to the warship's infirmary to settle her down, and then returned to the spot he had just left. He then walked up to a certain area. "The Herrscher of Sentience created a complete illusion space? Although concealed well, Honkai Energy has nowhere to hide under the Six Eyes. However, going straight in will get me discovered. This point I can avoid, but the two of you cannot perfectly conceal your auras. Wait outside for my news; I will notify you the moment fighting is required." Yeye stepped into the illusion. The moment he entered, Yeye saw Kiana and the Herrscher of Sentience standing right in front of him. 'Detected by the Herrscher? No, that's not it. The Herrscher didn't discover me, but was treated as a formed entity by the illusion.' Yeye observed the Herrscher of Void behind them. 'I see, I understand now.' "Since you were able to defeat the me of back then with all your might, can you also cut me down from the hands of my teacher?" "Hmph, don't underestimate me. The you and me of back then would both launch attacks on him. Right now, he's fighting two against one, plus he lost when he faced you before. I won't lose." "Teacher failed in his battle with me because he rescued Schicksal from a multitude of Honkai Beasts. Can you manage to rescue Schicksal from a swarm of Honkai Beasts like Teacher did, and then fight me?" "Ah... this, hmph, I couldn't care less about those fools in Schicksal. As long as the Herrscher is eliminated, nobody else needs me to manage so much. Life and death are matters of fate; wealth and honor are up to heaven." The Herrscher of Sentience fell into thought for just a brief moment before recovering, and then charged straight at Yeye. Yeye easily dodged the attacks of the Herrscher of Void and the Herrscher of Sentience. 'Ah? No, how dare you? I only failed back then because I was ambushed by Otto and couldn't react in time. Otherwise, given even 1 second, I could have directly counterkilled Otto.' Facing the fists of the Herrscher of Sentience and the Lances of Void from the Herrscher of Void, the Blade of True Self appeared in Yeye's hand, delivering a revolving slash that blocked all their attacks. A feather appeared in front of Yeye. 'An illusion, but under the observation of the Six Eyes, it's completely useless!' Observing the trajectory of Honkai Energy in the air, Yeye easily found the location of the Herrscher of Sentience. A Hollow Purple instantly cast from his hand hit the Herrscher of Sentience. The Herrscher of Sentience immediately manifested her figure. "How did he find the location of the real me? Makes no sense! But this little trouble won't stop me!" She punched toward the Hollow Purple, knocking the Hollow Purple back. Beneath that shot of Hollow Purple, Yeye's figure vanished, and then Kiana suddenly heard a voice ring in her ear. "Kiana, I've arrived. If you can't shake her, I'll just cut her down directly. To me, she poses no threat at all." 'Was that the real teacher just now?' "Looks like he's not very strong either. Actually destroyed by his own skill." "It seems you don't believe that the me of back then could defeat the Herrscher's consciousness?" Then the Herrscher of Sentience swiftly eliminated the Herrscher of Void. "...... Defeating the Herrscher with 'love' or whatever, Otto also constantly has it on his lips. I don't believe it—no, it's not that I don't believe it, but rather...... No, wait..." The Herrscher of Sentience bit her lip hard. "I don't know, I don't know! Anyway, if it were me, I would make a prompt decision and use maximum power to eliminate the Herrscher. I cannot take risks, absolutely will not take risks!" "......" The monitor residing within Fenghuang Down did not speak in her mind, but Kiana felt a trace of encouragement: she had indeed succeeded in shaking the Herrscher's thoughts. "Fine, you defeated me. What next?" "Next..." The Herrscher of Sentience pondered, a cruel smile subconsciously curving across the corner of her mouth. Otto, wielding the Oath of Judah, appeared beside her. "Next...... I will eliminate Otto, this scourge." She gazed at the Schicksal Overseer with undisguised killing intent. "He doesn't count for anything at all, merely a tool of Doctor, he doesn't even match the dust on Doctor's heels...... It's people like this who play the whole world in the palm of their hands, fooling me for years... He doesn't count for anything." The Herrscher of Sentience waved her hand, as if shooing away some buzzing little bug. "!?" However, Otto's illusion did not vanish as she had imagined. In the illusion's hand, a golden feather emitted a warm glow. "Is that so? To counter him, he can even simulate Fenghuang Down...... Damn Void Archives! Damn it to hell!" "Dammit, this is clearly my illusion! Even if pursuing reality, I shouldn't let him pull one over on me—who does he think he is!" The Herrscher of Sentience muttered, biting her lip hard, revealing an expression where anger and frustration were indistinguishable. 'Monitor, is that you......' 'I don't have much power; this is all I can do.' Over there, Otto's figure shattered and vanished, while the Herrscher was still angrily muttering to herself. Then the Herrscher of Sentience looked at Kiana. "...... Well, Kiana! Is that enough?" The Herrscher of Sentience said loudly. Her tone clearly showed impatience. "Yeah, I've fully understood your tough side." "···Your tone is very strange." "However, that is you as an enemy, as a warrior. What about the usual you? Back in Tianqiong City, I once lived with the monitor...... I saw her gentle side." "At that time she had lost her body, and her power was also down to scraps, but she still tried every possible way to help me. If it were you, what would you do?" "I would of course also do my utmost to help you." The Herrscher of Sentience blurted out without thinking. "...... However, it's pretty hard for me to imagine what I look like without a body. I'm so strong now, that kind of thing will never happen again, hahaha!" "I can reproduce that scene for you." "You're at it again. As soon as I ignore you, you suddenly pop out...... However, sure, let's try it. I'll lend you my power." Under Fu Hua's control, the surrounding scenery changed. "...... What kind of place is this?" "Nagazora Pharmaceuticals—a medical institution where World Serpent hides. Kiana and I once tried to infiltrate here to intercept important intelligence." "Ha! Infiltrating—that's my specialty! The ability of Fenghuang Down allows us to come and go freely, undetected. Come on, Kiana, pick any random enemy to try!" Kiana walked up to a patrolling soldier and was immediately discovered. "Hey—no, this guy isn't human! My ability is useless against it..." Fu Hua's figure appeared in front of Yeye. "Why did you come here?" "Of course something called me over." Yeye looked at the necklace on the chest of Kiana who was currently engaged in combat with the Herrscher of Sentience. Fu Hua also followed Yeye's gaze. "Is it that necklace? It went to find you?" "Yes, that's right. It found me, and led me to find you guys, otherwise I'd still be wandering around on the mountain for a while." Yeye casually caught the whip thrown by the Herrscher of Sentience, and then pulled; the Herrscher of Sentience was pulled right up to his face. Yeye threw a punch, and the Herrscher of Sentience was sent flying out. "Why is your strength so great?" "Because you're too weak!" "I don't believe it." Yeye walked in front of Kiana, Chen Tianwu, and Ana, looked at the Herrscher of Sentience, and handed the Fenghuang Down in his hand to Kiana. "Warm up a bit." "Then that'll just let me warm up." The Herrscher of Sentience gripped her weapon tightly, and then a voice came from behind her. "I said your combat power is only worthy of letting me warm up." "When?" The Herrscher of Sentience hadn't noticed when Yeye got behind her at all. Just as she wanted to turn her head, she was sent flying away by a punch from Yeye once more, crashing heavily into the ground. "This isn't right! In that Old-Timer's memory, you were easily dealt with by the Herrscher of Void!" "Easily dealt with? What are you thinking. The one who actually took me down back then was myself!" A shot of Hollow Purple flew out from Yeye's hand, accurately hitting the Herrscher of Sentience and creating a massive cloud of dust. "Dammit! Dammit! Dammit! It's completely a steamrolling battle, but why am I in the weaker position? Then I can only use that move!" In front of the Herrscher of Sentience, a giant sword condensed from Honkai Energy appeared—this was Edge of Taixu, and the sword god was still growing larger. "Edge of Taixu? A bit interesting, then I'll join in too." A giant sword similar to the one condensed by the Herrscher of Sentience—yet a blue giant sword—condensed in front of Yeye. "How could this be? How can you do it too?" "Edge of Taixu, simply put, is an attack created by mental power plus Honkai Energy. The stronger the mind, the stronger the Sword God. And I have some attainments in mental attacks, not to mention you already demonstrated it in front of me once." "I refuse to believe my attainments in Sword God are weaker than yours!" "You might not understand one thing: although my use of Sword God is extremely crude, my control over Honkai Energy is extremely precise—so precise that no one can control Honkai Energy more precisely than I can. Moreover, my mental strength is thousands of times stronger than yours. These two points are enough to make up for the lack of refinement in using Sword God." The Sword God in front of the Herrscher of Sentience shot toward Yeye, and the Sword God in front of Yeye shot out simultaneously, colliding with the Herrscher of Sentience's Sword God. The result was without doubt: the Herrscher of Sentience's Sword God was crushed, and Yeye's Sword God struck the Herrscher of Sentience. The surrounding illusion gradually shattered, and the Herrscher of Sentience was also falling. "Why did I lose... Why did I lose so thoroughly? Am I really inferior to her....... Clearly I am stronger, more decisive......" Just as the Herrscher of Sentience was about to continue falling downward, a hand grabbed her. She looked at the owner of those hands—it was none other than Kiana. "Why save me? If it's for this body, then just take it." "Although I haven't had much contact with you, I can sense that there is still kindness remaining in your heart. You are very much like the monitor, but you can never become her. You...... are a unique existence, You shouldn't strive to become someone else, but rather be your true self. We will not reject your arrival. After all, I can tell that you're a good person, aren't you?" The Herrscher of Sentience proudly turned her head away. "Hmph, Old-Timer, you won this time. Next time, I will definitely not let Kiana choose between liking you or liking me." The Herrscher of Sentience reached out toward Kiana, and a feather instantly merged into the Herrscher of Sentience's body. The surrounding scenery changed back to Mount Taixu. Fu Hua's attire changed, reverting to a set of white robes. "Is the monitor alright?" "She voluntarily ceded control of the body to me, and I can also sense her presence within me." Yeye came over to their side. "I still accidentally made a move. It was supposed to be left to Kiana. So, did Kiana learn Sword God?" "Yeah, seems like I learned a part of it. It won't be long before I can probably use it." "That's good then. We should also return; this trip has been a complete success." The group boarded the Hyperion, and the Hyperion started up, returning in the direction of the Salt Lake Base. Along the way, Kiana recounted to Fu Hua all kinds of things that had happened during the time she was away, and Fu Hua listened extremely patiently to her recounting. Meanwhile, Yeye reported the results of this trip to Theresa. "As long as everything is safe, come back early. Everything is normal here at the Salt Lake Base. How is the condition of the Herrscher of Sentience?" "Seems to have been reformed by Kiana. We might still get to see her in future battles." "Is that so? As long as everything is normal. I still have some documents to process here, hanging up first." "Yeah." Theresa hung up the communication. "Qingxue, how is the situation with World Serpent over there?"

[Everything is normal, Miss Mei is fine.]

"Is that so? That's a relief. It seems the future is heading toward a better story after all. As for Mei, I'll go pick her up once she finishes the Elysian Realm."

Yeye looked at the smiles Bronya, Kiana, and Fu Hua shared as they chatted idly, as well as the smiles exchanged between Chen Tianwu and Ana.

— A moment later —

Everyone returned to Salt Lake Base. Disembarking from the Hyperion, they immediately saw Theresa waiting for them.

"Fu Hua, long time no see."

"Principal, it has indeed been a while."

With that, Theresa grabbed Fu Hua by the arm.

"Fu Hua, come help me clear some paperwork! Dr. Tesla and Dr. Doctor are both busy researching new things, and all the piles of unfinished documents that were left behind because Yeye went out have landed on my head. Hurry up and help me get through them!"

"Principal, if I recall correctly, I had already finished processing all the paperwork before I left. Furthermore, neither Dr. Tesla nor Dr. Doctor are currently conducting research, not to mention the Sovereign of Anti-Entropy is also here. You're simply trying to shirk your duties."

"Th-This... well... let's not dwell on the details! Fu Hua, please, come help me with the paperwork."

Coughed up a cola, a milk tea, and a Sprite all in one day, I feel like I'm gonna flatline.

Fu Hua let out a helpless sigh and pushed up the red-rimmed glasses on the bridge of her nose.

"Sigh... I understand. Principal, I will supervise you as you finish your work."

"That's wonderful! Wait, what did you just say? Supervise me finishing my work?"

"Yes, Principal. I will supervise and assist you in completing all the paperwork."

Theresa directly hugged Fu Hua's leg.

"No, please, no! I don't want to go back in there and be subjected to a period where I'm forbidden from drinking bitter melon juice and reading Houmou manga!"

However, Fu Hua gave Theresa no chance to retort. She grabbed Theresa by the collar and brought her before Yeye.

"Please tell me where Theresa's office is."

"It's right at xxxxxxx."

"I understand."

Hearing Yeye rattle off the location of her office, the color drained completely from Theresa's face.

"No, don't! The wonderful life I just envisioned—how could it slip away from me like this?"

Theresa struggled relentlessly in Fu Hua's grip, but it was utterly useless. Watching the increasingly distant figures of Theresa and Fu Hua, Yeye finally called out to Theresa:

"May you have a wonderful evening, Theresa."

From afar, Theresa's frantic cry echoed back:

"Yeye, I hate you!"

"Is this really okay?" Ana asked Yeye, casting a doubtful glance.

"Rest assured, Theresa can't beat me. Besides, with Fu Hua keeping her in line, she won't have the time to come looking for me anymore."

"Ah... is this really a good idea?"

"Theresa needs some tempering too, even if it just means cutting off her Houmou manga for a while. When the time is right, Fu Hua will let her read it again. This time, I'll deal with the Herrscher of Sentience completely."

"No way... could it be..."

"You guessed right. Today's training volume is doubled."

"Don't do this! Chen Tianwu, please, put in a good word for us."

"Teacher, I also feel like this might not be appropriate."

Through many days of training under Yeye, Ana and Chen Tianwu had long since come to view Yeye as their teacher.

"Hmm... Double the training volume might indeed be a bit inappropriate. Let's make it quadruple instead. I'll be waiting for you in the training room. Don't be late."

Ana's face turned as pale as Theresa's had moments ago. Kiana patted Ana on the shoulder and gave her a thumbs-up.

"Good luck."

With that, she grabbed Bronya and bolted from the spot. Chen Tianwu scooped Ana up in his arms and strode toward the training room.

"If we don't get there early, the training volume might just double again."

The two of them hurried side by side to the entrance of the training room. Ana then hopped down from Chen Tianwu's embrace, activated her Herrscher form, and unleashed multiple ice crystals straight into the room the moment the door slid open.

"Very good, you're attacking in advance now. But it's still not enough!"

Both of them were yanked directly into the training room by Yeye's hands, and their training began—the mandatory daily experience of near-death training.

Originally, to ensure their fragile minds weren't traumatized, Yeye only put them through this once a day, with the rest of the time spent simply beating them up. But today was a full four times.

As soon as they stepped inside, the two were heavily wounded by a few punches from Yeye, leaving them completely defenseless. Then, two blades condensed from Honkai Energy materialized in Yeye's hands, slowly piercing straight into their chests.

It made them feel the chilling approach of death, yet in Yeye's hands, death was impossible; even with their hearts punctured, Yeye could pull them right back.

The two exchanged glances, then felt as though they were plunging into a deep, endless ocean, sinking further and further. Just as they were about to plummet into the abyss, a pair of hands hauled them back up.

They gasped for air, waking up to see Yeye looking at them with a gentle smile while holding up three fingers.

Once again, they plunged into the deep sea, repeating the process of death three more times before Yeye finally stopped. Following that, the two of them received another thorough beating.

After trading blows for a while, Yeye finally called a halt.

"Alright, we continue tomorrow."

Yeye walked out of the training room.

"It's finally over. I actually feel like it didn't hurt as much as the previous days. Could it be because my mastery over my authority has grown a fraction?"

Meanwhile, Chen Tianwu noticed something was amiss.

"This isn't right. He finished training 15 minutes earlier than usual. Moreover, he consciously pulled his punches during the attacks. Something special must have happened."

"How can you tell?"

"Intuition."

Chen Tianwu's intuition was spot on. Yeye had indeed discovered something unusual, which was why he had left the training room.

Stepping outside, Yeye walked onto a deserted, wide street.

"Come out, Apostle of Honkai, Herrscher of Domination."

"Eh? You noticed me so quickly?"

"Your clumsy disguise might fool others' perception, but it can never bypass my Six Eyes."

Several puppet-like jointed figures emerged from the shadows.

"That pair of eyes... are they called the Six Eyes? Truly fascinating. To destroy this world, that is a power you must surrender."

"Seize my power? Are you joking?"

Yeye laughed heartily as he looked at the puppets before him.

"Just the few of you aren't even enough to warm me up."

"We don't need to defeat you. As long as we touch you, we can take your power."

"Oh? In that case, why don't you go take Kevin's power?"

"Kevin? You mean that guy full of Honkai Beast genes? The Honkai Beast power within him is far too overwhelming for us to absorb, but yours we can take!"

"Honkai Beast genes, huh?"

Yeye remembered that in the original plot, only Mei—who had fully become a Herrscher—was able to prevent the Herrscher of Domination from seizing her authority, and they hadn't bothered Kevin. Instead, they targeted Kiana and the others, who weren't fully awakened Herrscher. That led to one conclusion: only Honkai could counter Honkai.

He probably needed Honkai power within his body to resist the authority of Domination, but apart from Honkai Energy itself, there was nothing else in him, meaning he couldn't block the Herrscher's dominance.

Trying to solve the Herrscher of Domination without touching them was quite a challenge. According to the original storyline, if one could not resist domination, any technique they unleashed could become a medium for stealing their power.

Therefore, in this battle, he could not use any techniques of the Infinity; he had to rely entirely on Ultra Instinct for evasion. However, he did have a method to deal with the Domination puppets—the Blade of True Self.

The Blade of True Self was unaffected by any external effects and thus could not become a medium for the Herrscher to steal his power. In a split second, Yeye had already formulated a solution in his mind.

"The problem is, the Domination puppets I'm facing right now are certainly not all of them; more might appear later. As long as a single one isn't eliminated, this thing will keep coming back. But right now, there's no other choice. Chi energy might have miraculous effects against them, but I can't take even the slightest risk right now. If anything happens to me, it would spell absolute disaster for Kiana and the others."

The Herrscher of Domination closed in around Yeye. The Blade of True Self materialized in his hand, and he slashed toward the puppets.

The next morning, speeding through the ironclad plot.

The puppets were cleaved in half, but they quickly realized the peculiar nature of the Blade of True Self.

"Whoa, that blade is amazing! It's so sharp, and even though it's a weapon you condensed yourself, it's completely immune to our influence. But you can't launch large-scale attacks with it now—that's your weakness!"

"Indeed. The Blade of True Self can bypass your domination, but it can't inflict massive area damage."

The destructive power the Blade of True Self could unleash in certain scenarios was limited, which was why Yeye rarely used it; it was only suited for 1-on-1 combat. Facing too many enemies rendered it practically useless.

"Qingxue, notify my other self to put the Herrscher of Flame Core back into An-Ut."

[Transmission complete.]

Just as the swarm of Herrscher lunged forward once more, a crimson greatsword appeared in Yeye's hand, and the Blade of True Self dissolved into shimmering light.

"Now I can play with you properly."

An-Ut instantly transformed into the Cleansing form, and scorching flames erupted from the blade, burning the surrounding puppets to ashes.

"That little bit of output isn't enough to take my power."

Suddenly, several threads pierced through the flames and shot toward Yeye. He raised the Blade of True Self to slash at them, only to find that the fire couldn't cut through.

To be precise, it wasn't that it couldn't cut through; the moment the blade was about to connect, the threads instantly shifted position.

Immediately after, the scenery around Yeye shifted, and a single puppet stood right before him.

"Welcome to the Theater of Domination!"

"You want a home-field advantage? Have it your way, then."

Despite his words, Yeye had already begun channeling his authority, preparing to leave this place.

"You still want to leave? You can't escape anymore!"

Suddenly, Yeye felt that he could no longer use the authority of space.

"You stole my space authority? Heh, that's completely useless, though."

"Guess where I am?"

Puppets kept flashing in front of Yeye, and more and more Herrscher appeared.

"This is getting troublesome."

"Still thinking of making an enemy of us? Your abilities have all been taken by us! Now let's try out your Ultra Instinct!"

Silver light-films emanated from the puppets. In an instant, all the puppets that had tried using Ultra Instinct exploded right before Yeye's eyes.

Yeye covered his face and laughed aloud as he watched the newly surrounding puppets. At that moment, he finally remembered that Ultra Instinct and Infinity weren't things just anyone could wield.

"Hahaha! Did you really think you could use my powers even if you stole them?"

"That's not right! The burden is supposed to be borne by you—why did we explode?"

"Ultra Instinct is a divine martial technique. No one can execute the complete version except me."

"Then let's try your Infinity!"

Several puppets pointed their fingers at Yeye, gathering Honkai Energy at their fingertips. Suddenly, the Honkai Energy completely dissipated.

"How can this be?"

"Idiots! You can't use the Infinity techniques without a sufficient grasp of Honkai Energy!"

"Huh? I never expected our plan to fall short right here. Dammit!"

"Well, it seems I really can't escape now, huh? Hmm, Qingxue, send a message to Kiana and the others. Phrase it like this: 'Kiana, seeing this message means something has happened to me. I've encountered the Herrscher of Domination. Be careful not to let them touch you, or you will lose your powers. Remember to proceed with extreme caution.' When sending it, turn 'Herrscher of Domination' and 'lose' into gibberish code."

[Command executed.]

On the other side, Chen Tianwu, Ana, Einstein, Tesla, Theresa, Fu Hua, Kiana, Welt, and Bronya all received a message originating from Yeye.

However, after being encrypted by Qingxue, the group quickly gathered together.

"As expected, Teacher left in such a rush because something happened. And what does this message mean?"

Based on the message sent from Yeye's account, Chen Tianwu quickly deduced that Yeye had likely run into trouble, and this message was intelligence left for them.

"Dr. Einstein, Dr. Tesla, can you try to decrypt this message?"

"Hmm, Tesla and I will give it a try and see if we can decode what this message says."

Meanwhile, Yeye was tightly bound by the threads of the Herrscher of Domination.

"What else do you want? Since you've already taken my powers, why haven't you killed me yet?"

"Kill you? No, no, no. You've killed so many of our kind; we won't let you die easily. We want you to die in despair, and watch as your students die one by one!"

"Hahaha, do you really think you can deal with them? They aren't as fragile as you think. They are by no means greenhouse flowers."

"That's right, and precisely for that reason, we are going to awaken the Herrscher of Void and make your students kill each other! Look at this."

In the palm of a puppet, a crimson gem appeared.

"The Herrscher of Flame Core... So it fell into your hands. You want to use this to awaken the Herrscher of Void? Go right ahead and try."

"Huh? Why aren't you scared at all?"

"Because I know that if Kiana fights the Herrscher of Void right now, she will definitely not lose."

"Heh, human, then let's wait and see."

Back at Salt Lake Base, Tesla and Einstein had successfully deciphered the encrypted message sent by Qingxue.

"Doctor, what are the results of the decryption?"

"This data suffered some damage during transmission. It seems to describe the abilities of a Herrscher and warns us to be careful of its powers."

"Bronya wants to ask if the Doctor can figure out which Herrscher it is."

"Hmm. Among the Herrscher who have already shown themselves, none could pose a threat to Yeye. That leaves only one possibility: a newly born Herrscher. Based on the pre-Civilization data concerning Herrscher we have on record, following the sequence, it should be the Herrscher of Domination."

"Are there any records detailing the authority of Domination?"

"None. It only mentions that the Herrscher of Domination caused a crisis of trust in the previous civilization. Nothing else is mentioned—the records are likely incomplete. For now, we can only prepare ourselves to face the arrival of the Herrscher."

Einstein pressed a button, triggering the base's alarm and placing it on high alert.

"We don't know when the enemy will strike, so we can only prepare to meet them in battle. This enemy will certainly not be simple since they managed to pin Yeye down. Everyone must be extremely cautious. If you encounter the enemy, report it to everyone immediately, understood?"

"Understood." (×n)

All high-end combat forces in the base prepared for battle at a moment's notice, and a fleet of mechs began patrols.

Mid-Autumn Festival Day 2, Chapter 2 for today.

Meanwhile, at World Serpent, Mei—who was meditating in a state of semi-sleep—suddenly noticed that the Fenghuang Down at her waist transformed into a mech, and she felt the mech's presence weaken slightly.

"What happened?"

"The Herrscher of Domination has appeared."

"The Herrscher of Domination?"

"Yes. It went to find the main body, and his powers were seized."

"Is Teacher alright?"

"Temporarily unharmed. If he wanted to act, the Domination wouldn't be able to stop him. However, he discovered that the Herrscher of Flame Core is in the hands of the Herrscher of Domination, and he intends to let Kiana snatch the core back from them. At the same time, this will serve as an opportunity for Kiana to battle the Herrscher consciousness during this plot targeting them."

"Can Kiana really defeat the Herrscher consciousness?"

"Rest assured, she can. However, you will need to go to the Theater of Domination to help out."

"Right now?"

"No. The Herrscher of Domination will strike when they lower their guard. The time hasn't come yet."

"How long until the Domination attacks them? Three days."

"Why three days?"

"Three days is enough for the Herrscher of Domination to replenish their combat strength and thoroughly analyze all information on Kiana and the others, hence three days. Or perhaps even shorter. At the same time, this is what the Herrscher of Domination themselves told the main body; they could never imagine that the main body is still capable of communicating with the outside world. However, the message sent to Kiana's side underwent some distortion, meaning her intel isn't entirely complete, which will also serve to temper them. Don't worry, they might even come looking for you first."

"Looking for me?"

"Salt Lake Base currently holds a massive amount of Herrscher-level combat power, and their strength cannot be underestimated. They might concentrate on dealing with you first, or perhaps attack both fronts simultaneously."

"Attack both fronts? Do they really have the capability to pull that off?"

"They possess a special domain—the Theater of Domination. Inside it, they can freely transport anyone they capture, though the suppression on the Herrscher themselves will be much lighter."

"How does Teacher know all this?"

"Because... the main body used spatial authority within the Theater of Domination, only to discover that aside from space, completely none of his other powers could be used. That's why he decided to use the Herrschers as a training exercise for Kiana. As for the main body, he can instantly multiply his strength; his only drawback is that he'll have to lie in bed for a while, unable to use any power and feeling a bit weak."

"Are you really sure nothing major happened?"

"As far as the main body is concerned, something capable of genuinely harming him simply doesn't exist yet." (Ahha: Ahha has no face at all.)

"Is that so?"

Meanwhile, inside the Theater of Domination:

"Hey Herrscher, look, you were born from Honkai Energy, and I can convert Honkai Energy into another form of energy. Doesn't that mean I'm basically your adoptive parent?"

"You're so damn annoying! You've been spouting nonsense for hours!"

"Well, that's because this humble monk—pardon me, I have nothing to do, and since you have to go reinforce your troops and can't attack Kiana and the others right away, it prevents me from seeing the outcome you promised. Yet you refuse to let me leave."

"I think your brain is flooded with water. Why are you so anxious for them to hurry up and come die?"

"Look, the Herrscher of Void is Kiana, right? Doesn't that mean Kiana is the Herrscher of Void? And you guys are looking for the Herrscher of Void. If you just let Kiana join you, isn't that equivalent to the Herrscher of Void joining you? Then you can directly usurp the Herrscher of Void's power and set yourselves up as kings. So if you just let me out, I'll negotiate with Kiana on your behalf. Given my relationship with her, she'll definitely agree."

"Wow, what you're saying makes total sense. I'll let you go right n—"

A puppet paused in thought, finding Yeye's logic sound. Just as it reached out to let him go and started lowering him from the threads, it took a heavy blow from a neighboring puppet.

Just about to face a mountain of makeup classes for the National Day holiday—how tragic.

"Are you an idiot? Our combat strength hasn't been fully replenished yet; we can't take them all down at once!"

"Then why don't you just gag this guy's mouth?"

"The problem is this guy won't stay put, and his mouth simply can't be gagged! As soon as the threads cover his mouth, he'll just swallow them whole!"

".......6"

"Alright, how much longer do you plan to wait?"

"We'll move out naturally once our combat strength is fully replenished. No need for you to flap your jaws."

After a while, Salt Lake Base had remained on highest alert for two full days, but the enemy still hadn't shown up. Thus, the group gathered once more in the conference room.

"Two days of maximum alert have cost Salt Lake Base massive amounts of manpower, material, and financial resources. If this continues, the base will collapse before long. This is likely a tactic of the enemy, so we must consider taking the initiative. Yeye likely dealt a heavy blow to the enemy, which is why they didn't attack us immediately. Based on the residual energy signatures from Yeye's last known location two days ago, I've built a device to travel to the enemy's domain. The primary objective of this operation is to rescue Yeye, rather than engage the Herrscher in combat. We need sufficient intelligence on the Herrscher from Yeye before we can properly fight them. Kiana, Bronya, I know you're anxious to find Yeye, but when the time comes, don't be rash. Beware of all the Herrscher's tricks; they likely possess special capabilities, or else Yeye wouldn't have fallen into their hands."

Einstein led the group before a massive device, beside which Tesla was continuously tweaking the controls.

"Chicken-head, the final adjustments are ready! This device was rushed together in a panic, and we only get one shot—it's a one-way ticket. If you fail to rescue Yeye, you might not be able to come back. Remember that!"

"Doctor, we will rescue Teacher."

"Good. Kiana, please use the authority of the Herrscher of Void to inject power into the machine."

"Understood."

One of Kiana's pupils turned amber, and the authority of the Herrscher of Void poured into the device. Energy surged within it, causing numerous red warning prompts to flash across the control screen.

Finally, the machine tore open a portal. Kiana, Bronya, Seele, Fu Hua, Chen Tianwu, and Ana—currently the combat power Anti-Entropy could muster—all stepped through into the portal.

What? You ask about Theresa? The answer is that Theresa had to stay behind to guard Salt Lake Base and prevent a surprise attack by the Herrscher of Domination.

As soon as they entered the Theater of Domination, they saw a humanoid puppet standing right before them.

"The guests have barged in ahead of schedule! But no matter, we were going to invite you anyway. Welcome to the Theater of Domination!"

Kiana and the others instantly entered their Herrscher modes, ready to face the enemy at a moment's notice.

"Prepare for battle, and locate Teacher's whereabouts during the engagement."

"You want to find that man? We're terribly sorry, but he has already been killed by us!"

After the puppet delivered these words, it expected Kiana and the others to lose emotional control, but none of them showed the slightest sign of grief.

"Huh? Why do none of you have any expression—"

Chen Tianwu interrupted the Herrscher of Domination.

"Do you expect us to say something like 'You bastard, you actually killed him!'? As Herrschers, you certainly wouldn't kill him straight away; instead, you'd torture him, watching us die one by one before his eyes."

"Wait, how do you know so much?"

"As a former member of World Serpent, trying to anticipate the enemy's intentions is the simplest thing in the world."

"Though I can't see your painful expressions—which is a shame—sending you all to hell is a joyous occasion."

A swarm of puppets charged toward the group standing back-to-back. Snow condensed in the air and plummeted, striking the puppets and slamming them deep into the ground. Rows of heavy cannons materialized around the group, unleashing a barrage of bullets. Grasping her scythe, Seele joined Kiana, who readied her Lance of Void, to clear away the approaching Herrscher of Domination puppets that hadn't been eliminated in time. Fu Hua relied on her bare fists to sweep through the enemy ranks.

Elsewhere, in the spot where Yeye stood, he was calmly watching a silent group of the Herrscher of Domination puppets beside him.

"They are coming. Aren't you panicked at all?"

"Why should we be panicked? Everything is according to plan. They haven't yet realized that their authorities are being stolen by us. The more they use their powers, the more of it will be seized by us."

"I see. So, how do you plan to win over the Herrscher of Void?"

"We have already acquired the Herrscher Core of Flame. We will use this as a catalyst to awaken the consciousness of the Herrscher of Void, and then defeat that girl's consciousness!"

"Then by all means, give it a try."

On the other side of the battlefield, Chen Tianwu and Fu Hua quickly realized something was wrong.

"They know perfectly well that human-wave tactics can't suppress us, and the toll on us is minimal. Yet enemies keep coming in an endless stream. It's too strange."

"The enemy is most likely trying to divert our attention to do something else."

"Kiana, Bronya, Ana, stop attacking immediately! We need to break out of the encirclement right now. We can't keep fighting them—there's definitely a conspiracy. Little Sentience, trouble lending me a portion of your power."

"Old-timer, what are you planning to do?"

"Open a path through the Sword God."

"Understood, old-timer. My power has been handed over to you."

"Behold the marvelous transformation of the divine! Taixu Sword God!"

A colossal Sword God descended from the sky, carving out a path by sheer force.

"Let's move."

The group quickly rushed in the direction Fu Hua had cleared, when suddenly an immense pressure bore down upon them.

"I'm sorry, but you aren't leaving. A bunch of Herrscher pretenders who haven't fully mastered your powers—your authorities have already been seized by me."

Chen Tianwu suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"Tianwu, what's wrong?"

"My body suddenly suffered backlash from the core. Was this your doing?"

"How smart. We can now use your authorities, and you bear the burden!"

"The side effects fall on us? Is this the power of the Herrscher of Domination? It seems that's how the teacher fell. And next is killing us, right?"

"No, no, no, we won't kill you... She will be the one to kill you instead!"

All the puppets turned their gaze toward Kiana.

"You're planning to awaken the Herrscher consciousness inside her?"

"You guessed right."

"You honestly think you can wake her up on your own?"

One of the puppets produced a crimson core from its hand.

"We couldn't at first, but we found this in the Imaginary Space. How about it? Look familiar? This is the very core from Himeko Murata. Now, we just need to implant it into your body, and that will awaken the Herrscher of Void. Once that happens, she only needs to win the battle of consciousness against you."

The puppet shoved the core straight into Kiana's chest. The moment the core touched her, it melted directly into her body.

A web of purple veins spread rapidly across Kiana's skin. Just as the lines crept from her core toward the necklace at her throat, the core erupted with blinding light. The purple veins instantly receded, and Kiana collapsed straight to the ground.

"Kiana!"

"It seems our objective has changed. We need to get out of here first and rethink our plan! Do any of you have a way out?"

"Seelie... should be able to take you away."

"Other me, I'm counting on you."

"Understood, understood."

Having just conferred with her other self, Seele decided to temporarily hand her body over to her alter ego so she could lead them through the blockade.

"Fu Hua, can you still move? Go rescue Kiana. In the meantime, I'll try to wrest back my authority and buy time for you."

"Yes, I can still move. Little Sentience."

"Understood, old-timer. This time I'm lending you all of my power, but we only get one chance. That last Sword God already allowed them to sample my authority. If we fail to escape, I can't guarantee what the end will look like."

"I know. I'll unleash everything in one go and rescue Kiana."

"Old-timer, if you can't pull it off, let me take over!"

"Hah—Taixu Sword God!"

A massive surge of Honkai Energy erupted from Fu Hua, condensing in the sky into the form of the Taixu Sword God. The giant blade slammed downward, wiping out the surrounding puppets.

The group rushed to Kiana's side. Fu Hua scooped her up and looked at Seele.

"Please, Seele."

"Mm."

The stigma on Seele's chest flared, and her entire body was enveloped in light. When the glow faded, her eyes and the tips of her hair had turned crimson, and her outfit had changed. Two black claws materialized beside her and slashed the space open in a single sweep.

"Let's go."

The group plunged immediately into the torn spatial rift, only to find themselves still trapped inside the Theater of Domination.

"Huh? What's going on? I clearly opened a passage to the outside."

A puppet materialized right in front of them.

"You certainly opened a passage leading outside, but can you be certain you actually entered it?"

Fu Hua noticed that the voice of the Herrscher of Sentience had vanished from her mind.

"You've already seized the authority of the Herrscher of Sentience?"

"Naturally. You released your abilities enough times for us to harvest them."

Further away, Yeye was quietly observing everything unfold when he suddenly felt a warm liquid trickling down his face.

"Huh? What's going on?"

The fluid dripped from his face down to the ground. Yeye looked down and realized it was blood.

"What did you do?"

Yeye instantly glared at the two puppets beside him.

"What did we do?"

The puppets looked back at Yeye and noticed his eyes were bloodshot, with fresh blood continually weeping from them. His originally blue Six Eyes had turned crimson.

"Why are your eyes red?"

"My eyes?"

Yeye himself hadn't sensed any drastic change in the Six Eyes; his vision hadn't degraded. Instead, his control over energy was steadily rising.

*It seems the Six Eyes are evolving,* he thought. *Perhaps because my power was seized, combined with my robust physical constitution, the power of the Six Eyes has been elevated. But why wasn't there any sign of this before? Where is the hitch? This evolution came without any warning—strange, utterly bizarre. Merely having one's power stolen shouldn't trigger an evolution of the Six Eyes; my previous life-or-death battles never stimulated them like this. The change in the Six Eyes only just manifested. Which means the Herrscher of Domination must have done something else to trigger this transformation. Absolutely no clue.*

"What did you guys just do?"

"We didn't do anything just now!" one puppet snapped back, only to be promptly smacked on the head by another.

"Idiot, he's asking about us. We only just stole the power of that flat-chested woman. Could that be the reason?"

*Consciousness,* Yeye reasoned. *Though all my power was stripped away, this theater continues to exert pressure on me. It must be a matter of the consciousness authority—a question of my mental defenses?*

Yeye arrived at a potential conclusion.

*The power of consciousness triggered my mental defenses, forcing my body and the Six Eyes to undergo a corresponding evolutionary struggle.*

"What's going to happen to this guy? Won't he just watch his students kill each other?"

"You'd better worry about yourselves instead."

"Fine, looks like this guy is fine. Still talking tough."

Yeye signaled Qingxue to send a message to her other self. Mei needed to reach the Theater of Domination as soon as possible.

Within Kiana's conscious space, Kiana and Sirin's consciousness had collided head-on.

Sirin was surrounded by floating Lances of Void, while Kiana held only two small handguns. The disparity in power was glaringly obvious. Yet Kiana had no intention of giving up easily.

"The gap in strength is crystal clear. You can't beat me. Just give up."

"I'm not going to quit that easily! This time, I'm going to win completely and take full control of my own power. After all, there are people I still have to protect!"

Kiana gripped the necklace at her chest.

"Please, help me one more time."

The necklace flared, converging into a pair of silver arm blades along Kiana's arms—the Nexus Arms. Kiana stared blankly at the blades.

She wasn't surprised that the necklace had answered her call; she was stunned because she had no idea how to use arm blades!

Seemingly reading her thoughts, the necklace pulsed again, and the light in her hands shifted, transforming into a greatsword.

The Herrscher of Void curled a finger at her.

"Let's see how insignificant your so-called power really is."

A Lance of Void shot toward Kiana. Reflexively, Kiana raised her arm to block. The silver Nexus Arms deflected the lance effortlessly, converting the Honkai Energy into pure light and absorbing it, then channeling that energy back into the arms as an enhanced glow.

"These arm blades are tough."

As Kiana brushed her hand across the blade, her hands became shrouded in light.

Kiana tightened her grip on the greatsword and charged at the Herrscher of Void. The Herrscher summoned a barrage of lances around her, launching them all at once.

Kiana swung her greatsword to parry, leading to an awkward moment: the moment the sword made contact with the lances, it shattered directly into particles of light.

"Hahaha, what kind of parlor trick are you trying to pull?"

"Why do you have to fail me at a time like this?! Whatever, I've never used arm blades before, but I can do this!"

*Nexus Necklace:* The greatsword was just filler; the Nexus Arms are the real deal. Not using them in favor of other junk is just brainless.

Unfortunately, Kiana seemed genuinely lacking in that department. She continued dodging the lances entirely without utilizing the arm guards for defense.

*Nexus Necklace:* Oh no, this kid is an idiot. Swap out!

Suddenly, a flood of light surged from the necklace, enveloping Kiana's entire body until she was coated in a transparent golden film of light.

Kiana realized she could no longer control her own body; it had started moving on its own. She watched as she raised her arm blades and cleaved through an incoming Lance of Void, converting its energy into light. Then, running her hand across the gauntlet, she fired a beam of light straight up into the sky. The beam expanded outward, forming an entire domain.

*Meta Field, activated!*

The ground turned crimson as Kiana stood face-to-face with the Herrscher of Void.

The arm blades on Kiana's arms suddenly surged with glowing light. She crossed her arms, then pulled them apart, the blades linked by crackling bolts of electricity.

*Nexus Arms:* Watch closely, I'm using my ultimate!

Sensing the danger of this move, the Herrscher of Void immediately hurled a Lance of Void to intercept, but it was easily dodged as the light grew brighter.

Finally, Kiana crossed her arms into an L-shape. A brilliant beam of light erupted from the arm blades—**Specium Ray!**

The Herrscher of Void hastily raised a barrier to block. Why didn't she dodge? Have you ever tried dodging a light-speed kick? Besides, the Meta Field heavily restricted her movement. Dodging wasn't an option; she couldn't outpace the beam.

The barrier shattered layer by layer under the torrent of light, dissolving into blue particles in midair. Just as the beam was about to pierce the final layer, Kiana dropped to one knee, blood spilling from the corner of her mouth.

The surrounding environment rapidly dissolved into golden particles, and the arm blades on her arms vanished into light.

*Nexus Necklace:* Damn it, why is there a parental control time limit?

High above, the Herrscher of Void wore a triumphant smile.

"Just a little more and you would have finished me off. But it looks like your body gave out on you first."

"Why did my body have to fail at such a critical moment... Damn it!"

Kiana slammed her fist heavily against the ground. Lances of Void materialized into ropes, binding her tightly. The Herrscher of Void looked down at her with a mocking gaze.

"It can't end here..."

Suddenly, flames erupted from Kiana's body, and the binding ropes began to burn. The Herrscher of Void's expression twisted in shock.

"How? That core helped you—"

"Teacher Himeko... did you help me?"

Kiana felt a surge of power flowing through her, and a crimson greatsword materialized in her hand.

"Benares!"

A massive white dragon appeared, but instead of flying to the Herrscher of Void's side, it swooped down beside Kiana.

"Benares... how could you betray me?!"

"No, she didn't. We are both parts of Sirin. Benares wants Sirin to be whole, and she chose me because she wants what's best for Sirin. That only means one thing."

"...You are the better choice."

Seemingly accepting her fate, the Herrscher of Void let out a long breath.

"You... go. Benares appearing means you are the superior choice. The outcome of this battle no longer matters; she chose you, which means you are better."

Benares flew to the Herrscher's side, and both dissolved together into a cascade of light.

Kiana watched the scenery around her shift, transforming into a place she knew intimately: St. Freya High School.

Not far away, she caught sight of a familiar wine-red long-haired figure.

"Teacher Himeko?"

The figure turned around to face Kiana. Convinced this was truly Himeko, Kiana rushed forward and threw her arms around her in a flying hug.

"Teacher Himeko, why are you here?"

"Well... Kiana, this might be our last meeting. That necklace can't hold my consciousness much longer. Don't cry. Your path is still long, but my story has already ended."

"No, Teacher Himeko, I'm not the same person I used to be. I'm going to keep moving forward instead of standing still."

"You haven't been back to St. Freya in a long time. Walk with me through this memory of St. Freya. Having been a teacher for so many years, I remember every single corner of this place by heart."

Kiana walked alongside Himeko as they strolled through the grounds.

"How nostalgic. A campus overflowing with youth."

"Yeah. I remember always wanting to grow up quickly back then. I never imagined growing up would be such a painful thing."

"If you could do it all over again, would you change your choice?"

"Probably not. Then I wouldn't be 'me' anymore, would I?"

The two walked together until they reached the dormitories.

"Kiana, look—our dorm. That window right there is my room." Himeko pointed.

"Ah, I know. At night, Teacher Himeko's light was always on. Come to think of it, you must have had a really hard time back then."

"Ah, it wasn't that hard. Sometimes I was just too drunk and forgot to turn off the light, that's all."

They continued their walk to another spot.

"Look, that little cluster of bushes. You always used to hide there when you skipped class. I always wondered why you kept hiding in the exact same spot. It was so easy to find you."

"Haha... that's where the sunlight was the best!"

Himeko then pointed toward a distant wall.

"Remember that wall?"

"Yeah, I climbed over it all the time."

"Theresa had the worst headaches because of it. She probably raised the height of that wall three separate times, but you still managed to get over it."

"No wonder it kept getting harder every time..."