Chapter 343

"Why are you speaking such blunt truths... Hey, if you're going to chat, just chat, don't stop. This is something only the two of us can do, or do you want to drag Kiana along?"

Doing the same work as the Herrscher of the Void, Shen Gonglin wiped her sweat, feeling equally helpless. The Herrscher, upon hearing this, simply pursed her lips and said nothing more. It was better not to call Kiana over; she herself didn't know how to stay there, it was just too awkward.

Chapter 190 The Hilarious Herrscher of the Void

With the help of the Herrscher of the Void, Shen Gonglin was finally able to locate the Imaginary Space where Himeko had disappeared. He then brought the Herrscher of the Void there. Although the Herrscher of the Void said that she was dead, Shen Gonglin had his own judgment. He had a feeling when he came into contact with the gem before. Nothing could be concluded yet. Shen Gonglin had to keep his promise.

"If you don't want Kiana's help, then put in some effort. Honestly, seeing how lazy you are makes me angry. Let me tell you, if the Class President were here, she wouldn't let me do any work. Now that I'm working with you, you still have this attitude. Honestly... What? You want to hit me? Go ahead and try. If you dare to hit me, I dare to spread all those photos."

Shen Gonglin kept rambling on and on, and the Queen was successfully angered by him. Lazy and idle? How come it's Shen Gonglin's turn to say such things? It's probably because those Valkyrie have always spoiled Shen Gonglin that he has become such a terrible person. This guy can be quite warm when he's being kind, but when he's being awful, he has no bottom line. Using photos to threaten her, is this something a human being would do?

The Herrscher of the Void the Shen Gonglin felt a sense of utter despair whenever she thought she was about to die. If she had known she would be threatened like this by Rin, she would have preferred to die. What bad luck! Now that her consciousness was residing in his core, it was as if she had handed herself over to Shen Gonglin. Was this decision a little too hasty?

"Tsk, that guy was so ruthless when he attacked me, but I didn't expect him to be so ruthless when facing you... Hey, Shen Gonglin, find a chance to bully that idiot named Fu Hua properly, just to vent my anger."

Threatened, the Herrscher could only continue working diligently. Shen Gonglin's spatial sense was poor, so only after her consciousness was housed in the core could she accurately locate the Imaginary Space where Himeko had once fought. Hearing Shen Gonglin mention Fu Hua, Herrscher of the Void of Reason seemed to recall past events and almost forgot that she had a grudge against Fu Hua.

"Huh? Why would I bully the Class President? Class President's so good to me. I can rest my head on her lap whenever I want, or on her stomach whenever I want. And at night, if I talk to her nicely, she'll even help me out half-heartedly... cough cough. In short, the Class President is a good girl, and I don't want to bully her."

Thinking of certain things that couldn't be said openly, Shen Gonglin shut her mouth in time. Fu Hua had made her swear that she would never tell anyone before she helped her. Given the Herrscher of the Void's personality, she would definitely tell if she had the chance. So, to avoid her little fairy getting into trouble, Shen Gonglin decided to keep it a secret.

"If you can't bully her, then why do you bully me so easily?! Shen Gonglin, this isn't fair!"

The Herrscher of the Void roared angrily at Shen Gonglin. This double standard and differential treatment was just too much! Shen Gonglin was simply inhuman. Even if you're going to treat people differently, at least do it discreetly. But he did this. It was just too much.

"Because the Class President is a good girl and you are a bad girl, didn't you say that yourself? You're super mean."

Emotional intelligence is still a basin. Shen Gonglin was very surprised to see the Herrscher of the Void say such a thing. The Herrscher covered her chest with one hand and pointed at Shen Gonglin with the other hand, her fingers trembling. This bastard is definitely trying to anger her to death. He must have saved her and put her into his core to anger her to death. Shen Gonglin has such a vicious heart.

Although the Herrscher of the Void is tyrannical and cruel, and takes it upon herself to destroy the entire human world, she is still a good girl.

No, Shen Gonglin is just too infuriating. I have to teach him a lesson. After all, I am the Herrscher of the Void. I can't just act like a submissive little wife. The Herrscher of the Void, enraged, lunged at Shen Gonglin with her claws outstretched. Can Shen Gonglin block this attack?

Ouch!

The idea was good, but unfortunately, things didn't go so well for the Queen of the Void. Perhaps because she usually floats in the air with a high and mighty queenly demeanor, once she was on solid ground, her athletic ability was not only inferior to Kiana's, but even Shen Gonglin seemed to be inferior to her. At least Shen Gonglin couldn't do something like falling face-first onto flat ground.

This guy seems to have become a comedic character.

"Hey, are you alright? Acting cute doesn't really fit your role."

Squatting down in front of the Herrscher of the Void Shen Gonglin gently tugged at the ahoge (cowlick) on her head. This kind of flat-ground fall really didn't fit her character. Shouldn't she be the kind of character who's "super fierce"? Is she trying to be like Theresa?

"Who's being cute! I just tripped and fell. There seemed to be something tripping me up there... Hey, what's this...?"

The Herrscher of the Void rubbed her knees and sat up. When she turned around and pointed to where she had been, she saw a pale arm covered in scars. Shen Gonglin's eyes lit up with surprise. She had finally found it.

"Quick, come help me! Help me dig her out! Well done! I'll treat you to a nice meal when we get back!"

He rushed over to dig out the soulless body. Her consciousness fragments resided in the Plague Gem, while her body was in the Imaginary Space. Only by finding the body could the soul be contained. Shen Gonglin had promised Kiana that he would bring Himeko back. She had managed to keep her soul alive in the Imaginary Space for so long, so he had no reason to give up.

"It's not like I want to eat something... Move aside, give me some space, I'll help too."

Although he didn't know why Shen Gonglin was so determined to find this soulless body—in a sense Murata Himeko was already dead—he decided to let Rin Shen Gonglin do as he pleased. He dug out the Shen Gonglin body and carried it on his back. Next, he would find the soul within the Plague Gem.

Shen Gonglin had said before that not a single person on his ship could be missing!

"Locate the Plague Gem, let's go!"

She issued a command to her navigation sprite, and the Herrscher of the Void pursed her lips and obediently made up the spatial coordinates. For her, a genuine Herrscher, this was a piece of cake, but she still had to emphasize that she was not Shen Gonglin's car navigation system!

Chapter 191 An Imperfect World

In the space of consciousness, Kiana and Himeko looked at each other in silence, while the frozen time slowly began to flow again, the hands of time slowly turned, and everything began anew.

"Phew, after talking to you for so long, I really feel much more relaxed. Are you ready, Kiana?"

Himeko spoke first, because as her teacher, she had to advise Kiana to stay on the right path. This was not the place for her to stay. This girl was different from before; she had her own path to walk, the path that Himeko hoped Kiana would take.

"...I understand, Teacher Himeko."

Kiana spoke as if she had made up her mind. She understood Himeko's meaning, but there was still a lingering sense of reluctance in her blue eyes. If she left here, she would really never see Himeko again. Although she had made a decision, this feeling was indeed too heavy.

"Come on, let's walk a little further. Yesterday at St. Freya seems so vivid in my mind. I remember when you first enrolled, you were always shouting that you wanted to become the strongest Valkyrie. To be honest, I really wanted to watch you all grow up, and I really wanted to go back to St. Freya to continue teaching you, training you... writing on the blackboard, having a drink in my room, and then thinking about how to tease the Divine Palace the next day... That time is my most precious memory, but unfortunately, I can't do it anymore."

Walking with Kiana on the same road outside the academy, Himeko smiled and said so many things that she was reluctant to part with. But life can't always make everything go smoothly. Things that were originally very simple are now impossible to do. Although she has passed on the torch, her own life is ultimately imperfect.

She was hoping to have a proper romance before her body completely collapsed, but in the end, she didn't achieve it. It's really a bit of a loss. Moreover, she didn't even see Shen Gonglin during these last moments. Although being able to talk to Kiana for so long was already a blessing from the world, humans... are indeed greedy creatures. Murata Himeko, she actually wanted more.

"Kiana, the road ahead is still long, but it seems... I can no longer walk with you. But it's okay, Kiana, you never let me down. Always remember, there are always many people around you who will always support you and protect you, including me."

In the white world, a large door suddenly appeared before Kiana. She knew that after crossing this door, everything would end, and she would never see her best teacher again. So, the girl hesitated.

"My journey ends here. From here on, Kiana, your path begins."

Himeko stopped in her tracks and looked tenderly at the girl who had lowered her head. Seeing the girl's slightly trembling shoulders, a pang of heartache flashed in Himeko's eyes. Although she had acted very maturely just now, the girl was still Kiana, the girl herself, and the student she cherished.

"... After leaving that door, all of this will disappear, right?"

"I don't know, but I guess so. Kiana, remember to say goodbye to everyone at St. Freya for me. Tell Mei I support her choice, but she shouldn't be so harsh on her friends next time. Tell Bronya that I'm happy to see her growth and that she will definitely become an excellent leader in the future. Tell Fu Hua that although we won't see each other again in the future, she will always be everyone's Class President, whether St. Freya is still around or not... Tell Shen Gonglin, if... well, I won't say that. Although there's no chance anymore, I still want to tell him in person."

So there are so many things she cherishes. Himeko looked up and blinked. She was afraid she would burst into tears if she didn't. Her students were here, and she couldn't cry.

"From now on, Theresa will be the only one taking care of you. You all need to be good and don't make the headmistress angry. It's best to help her out as much as possible. Don't be fooled by her strong personality; she actually works much harder than us. Oh, and I remember that Ragna was also Rita and Durandal's teacher. If you have the chance, try to pass on her last wishes to them as well."

"I can't do these things myself, so I'll leave them all to Kiana," Himeko, reaching out to rub the girl's head. "Why won't you look up? This isn't like her. Although I said it a bit sentimentally, Kiana, you're not usually like this, crying."

"Finally, tell yourself, Kiana... I will always be by your side... Kiana, don't worry too much, just treat this moment as a dream. When the dream ends, everyone still has to move forward. Don't be afraid to say goodbye. Saying goodbye to the past is to move towards the future."

Gently cupping the girl's cheeks, Himeko softly comforted Kiana, whose large blue eyes, as expected, were filled with tears. Kiana's full eyes still flowed from her eyes, and she finally couldn't hold back her tears.

"I understand... Teacher Himeko ... I understand everything..."

The girl sobbed uncontrollably. The girl who had always faced the Herrscher and the Honkai without Honkai looked incredibly vulnerable now. She clenched her fists, trying to hold back her tears, but she just couldn't.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, Teacher Himeko... I know... I know that at a time like this, I should smile and say goodbye to you... I should walk out of that door with strength. I know this place is just a remnant of memories... Reality is where I should go back to... But I still can't help but think... As long as I don't walk out of this door, will time never pass... Will this moment never change...? I didn't even have a chance to say goodbye to you..."

With a heavy nasal tone, Kiana's tears flowed uncontrollably. She knew it looked bad, she knew it made her seem weak, but if she could, she wouldn't want to be a strong girl at all.

"... I still have so much to say to you... those boasts I made... I haven't fulfilled them yet... This is a dream, and dreams always end... I know... I will go back... I will defeat the thousand Herrscher... I will bring Mei home... I will marry Shen Gonglin... The Eleventh Herrscher, the Twelfth Herrscher... even the Herrscher of Finality, I will defeat them... I will turn this imperfect story into the one we hoped for..."

The girl wept uncontrollably, but her belief remained steadfast, for this was what she was passing on to herself.

Chapter 192 I'll Become a Star to Protect You

To transform the world into the way they envisioned it... This had long been Kiana's dream, but when she could finally achieve it, she wanted Himeko to witness it with her own eyes. But now...

The girl sobbed uncontrollably, even though she bit her lip tightly, she couldn't stop the sobs from escaping her lips. Large tears welled up in her blue eyes. Kiana cried her heart out, unable to hold back any longer. She wanted to say goodbye to Himeko with a smile, but she still cried out. How could she put Himeko at ease?

"Of course I can see, Kiana. I can see you if you wish, because... I am in your heart."

Himeko reached out and placed her hand on Kiana's head, gently stroking it. This student she worried about the most had grown so much. Now she could entrust everything to her and fight for all the good things in the world. Himeko believed that Kiana now fully embody this ideal. Kiana was no longer the Kiana used to be.

"You remind me of when I was little, at my mother's funeral. I cried my heart out, clinging to my father and refusing to leave. In the end, it was just the two of us. After a long, long time, my father touched my head. I looked at him, and his eyes were also bloodshot. Unlike me, he shed silent tears, but he said—it's okay, Himeko, Mom will turn into a star and watch over us from the sky."

Himeko gently wiped away Kiana's tears with her thumb. Thinking about these things now only made Himeko feel warm. Her father never expressed these things, and even his words of comfort were so clumsy. But even now, Himeko still believed what he said.

"Kiana, as long as you believe, I will become a star and watch over you in the night sky. Even if the torch goes out and the moon loses its light, this unchanging glimmer will still light your way forward. So don't be afraid, I haven't left you. Becoming the strength for students to move forward is the most romantic destination for a teacher."

The gentle words resonated in Kiana's heart. The girl raised her wrist and wiped away her tears. She knew everything...

"Everything will pass, everything will change, even if this change takes away your whole world, it doesn't matter. It is also the most powerful force in the world, a force that can open up hope and a path for anyone. When you are confused, look up at the starry sky. I am there to light up the whole night for you."

Himeko could say such sentimental things, comforting Kiana. At the same time, a sense of pride rose in her heart. Murata Himeko had no regrets about everything she had done in her life. As a warrior, she was tenacious and always moved forward. As a teacher, she sacrificed everything to protect her students and pointed out the way forward for them. Looking back on her life, Himeko felt full of honor.

The only imperfection is that I've never been in a relationship, but it's precisely because of this imperfection that my life feels more like that of an ordinary person.

"... Thank you, Teacher Himeko... I should go now."

Kiana glanced at the end of the passage, where white light shone from the edge of the world. She knew it was time to face what she had to face.

"Yes, go, take a step forward, Kiana, just go boldly. I will always bless you and watch over you. After all... you are my student Murata Himeko."

Himeko gently patted Kiana's shoulder, infusing Kiana with boundless power. The girl smiled through her tears, looking at the woman before her, who was as fiery as a flame. Becoming her student was also the proudest thing for her.

"It's a pleasure to be your student! It's an honor to have met you!"

"It's my honor. Go, Kiana."

Kiana nudged Himeko from behind and pushed Kiana towards the door leading to the outside world. This might be their last farewell, but both of them knew that this was not a reason for the girl to stay. They shared a common wish, and Himeko had entrusted her own wish to Kiana. She sincerely believed that Kiana would definitely succeed.

"Um."

Kiana gave Himeko a deep look, and Himeko gazed at her tenderly without saying a word. The girl made up her mind and nodded firmly. Then she turned and walked towards the road ahead, while Himeko watched Kiana the whole time.

Kiana is her pride.

Watching the girl walk through the door, the gentle yet powerful Valkyrie Murata Himeko shed silent tears. This time, it was the end. Knowing everything that had happened since the War of Schicksal, she should be at peace, but this feeling of resentment... no matter how resentful she was, what good was it?

I am but a remnant of consciousness within the gem; even my body has ceased to exist. Now, let me quietly await my demise.

Perhaps this is the last time I can cry.

The woman slowly crouched down. As a teacher and Valkyrie, she had to stand strong in front of her students and comrades, but now that she was all alone, she could finally cry her heart out.

"Hey, I keep seeing people crying today. Come on, let me take a picture. It's not often I see you like this, Teacher Himeko."

Suddenly, a voice that Himeko hadn't expected appeared in the collapsing space of consciousness. Before Himeko could react, a rather forceful force grabbed her chin, forcing the woman who was squatting on the ground crying to raise her head. Her fiery red eyes reflected a pair of deep purple eyes and a camera that was flashing with light... Shen Gonglin, what is he doing here?

I was already emotional enough just now, and I really can't get back into the zone until I've calmed down.

"Humans, you really are... Hurry up and help me, I can't lift it anymore, this thing is so heavy, so incredibly heavy, I really don't know what it ate to grow up like this... Ugh, I can't lift it anymore..."

Before Himeko could react, another voice that left a deep impression on her came from the other side. A white-haired girl with golden eyes was dragging something and struggling to move in this direction. Then she let out a cry of pain and collapsed to the ground. This girl lying on the ground, panting heavily... was she the Herrscher of the Void?

Also, if I'm not mistaken, that red, battered object... seems to be...

Own????!!!

Chapter 193

"Kiana, wake up... Class President, Kiana seems to be awake!"

A familiar voice entered her mind, and Kiana slowly opened her eyes. Was that Bronya's voice? And the Class President was there too?

The girl rubbed her head and sat up. She opened her sleepy eyes. Perhaps because she had been unconscious for a long time, she felt as if she had a very distant dream. The Class President, and Bronya... how could they be here?

Kiana scratched her head and asked the question with some surprise. Bronya and Fu Hua exchanged a glance and then looked amused. This idiot, is this the time to ask such a question?

"Idiot, of course we're here to save you... Kiana, what happened? Didn't Shen Gonglin come?"

Bronya's familiar address quickly brought Kiana to her senses, and the trembling in her heart gradually subsided. The girl shook her head; everything that had happened before was still vivid in her mind. Kiana wasn't sure if it was a dream; this dream felt too real.

"I don't know where Shen Gonglin is, but it should be alright... A lot has happened, thank you for saving me... I will tell you everything after we leave here. But for now, let's settle things with them first."

Shen Gonglin was probably teleported away by the Herrscher of the Void. With his abilities, he should be fine. The most likely scenario is that he's probably lost somewhere in the Domination Theater right now. Although Kiana wanted to find him, dealing with the current situation was clearly more important. Kiana looked at the puppets that were running away.

I really want to see what other tricks they have up their sleeves.

The doll silently tried to escape, dragging its limping body toward the center of the theater. It had been severely injured by the Herrscher of Thunder, and its already strange movements became even more eerie. What was going on?

"During the battle just now, they suddenly collapsed, trembling all over. Judging from the outcome, they must have been attacked by the Herrscher of Thunder. It shouldn't be Shen Gonglin Mei. Mei must be somewhere, fighting alongside us."

After explaining what had just happened, everything the puppets had constructed with the Herrscher of Reason's Authority had dissipated after that attack. Bronya and Fu Hua both sensed something else, though very faint. It seemed that the power of the Herrscher of Reason and the Herrscher of Consciousness was slowly flowing back to the core. This was a good development. Mei's attack had greatly weakened the puppets' power. As expected of a perfect Herrscher, the puppets probably no longer had the strength to control the Herrscher Authority.

After sharing the information they had gathered, Kiana came to a conclusion.

"That means... as long as we can continue to weaken their power, we can regain the power that was stolen from us. Then, what we need to do next is very simple."

Bronya confirmed their deduction, Kiana and the others clarified their next goal: if they could hold on until that moment, it would be their victory!

The doll's movements were comical and slow. Despite letting it run ahead for a long time, Kiana and the others easily caught up with it. Looking at Kiana blocking its way, the doll seemed extremely frustrated. Its plan had failed again. Why was this guy so troublesome?

"Kiana... I didn't expect you to actually defeat that Herrscher of the Void?"

Even with the blindfold on, Kiana could still feel the doll's malicious gaze. However, this incredible luck couldn't harm Kiana in the slightest. To think that such malice could defeat her was wishful thinking.

"Yes, I'm sorry to disappoint you."

Facing the surprised gazes of Bronya and Fu Hua, Kiana readily admitted that her body was gradually and fully absorbing the power of the Herrscher of the Void Core. Once she had fully absorbed it, she would be able to completely control it, and the puppets' attempt to use the Herrscher of the Void to defeat her was doomed to fail.

"Hahahaha... Well done, strong, you're really something... The despair of losing your teacher couldn't break you, the Herrscher of the Void couldn't defeat you, even those cores couldn't trap you... Okay, okay, Kiana. I admit, you might really be a hero."

Having admitted the failure of her plan, the doll's tone was filled with resentment. Kiana is really amazing. So many tricks were used against her but none of them could defeat her. She truly deserves to be the protagonist of the world. None of these losers could do what Kiana did.

"I am not a hero. Those who led me and guided me are the heroes. I am just following the path they left behind to remember that they once existed."

Kiana felt a warm glow and was filled with strength. In that dream that wasn't a dream, she had gained so much. If she were to fall in such a place, she would truly be letting down the person who believed in her and guided her.

"Is that so? Perhaps that's true. But... we're different!"