Honkai's Thousand Laws, Kidnapping Kiana at the Start

The giant Honkai Beast let out a furious roar, its massive forelimbs raised high, adopting a predatory stance like a ravenous beast ready to hunt.

The accumulation of power was now sufficient. It held back no longer, leaping high into the air. It crashed down like a colossal meteor streaking across the sky.

Screech—!

The fire hydrant pipes buried underground shattered instantly, the gushing water painting rainbows under the sunlight. The wide asphalt road cracked inch by inch, caving in to form a terrifyingly deep pit.

Boom—

Surrounding buildings, caught in the blast, began to collapse. Splintered debris, upon contact with fallen ruins, instantly turned to dust. Shattered tempered glass transformed into countless bullets, mercilessly slaughtering the citizens in the area.

Screams, cries, roars.

Human struggles were so insignificant when Honkai descended. Only those who had truly faced it would understand the despair.

Bang, bang, bang, bang, click, click.

The security police, having emptied their pistols, continued to pull the triggers, attempting to drive away the rampaging Honkai Beast with their only weapons. Unfortunately, the bullets were like mosquito bites to the Honkai Beast; they couldn't even break its skin.

"Die, monster!"

He shouted loudly, but soon his eyes widened in despair, the arm holding the pistol trembling uncontrollably.

Reflected in his wide eyes was the Honkai Beast's claw, raised high in his direction.

Boom!

The claw fell, instantly pulverizing the concrete ground. Amidst the swirling dust, a pistol clattered to the ground.

The next second, as if not satisfied, the Honkai Beast slammed its claw down again, crushing the fallen pistol into scrap metal.

Confirming there were no signs of activity, the Honkai Beast shook its body with satisfaction and walked in another direction.

However, from behind a collapsed ruin not far away, the sound of rolling stones could be heard.

"Don't move, it hasn't gone far," Kiana said, her voice low as she held down the terrified policeman. Looking at the city, already in ruins, a flicker of pain crossed her eyes.

She was late.

Chapter 15: Those Who Hold Hope Deserve to Be Saved

"Save them, save them," the policeman, having just been rescued, repeated. He didn't feel fortunate to have survived; instead, he looked at Kiana with pleading eyes. "They're in that direction, my wife, my child."

"Please, save them," he pleaded, his voice trembling. Despite being utterly terrified, he still worried about his family.

Kiana frowned. After using the Herrscher of the Void's abilities to save the policeman, she felt waves of weakness wash over her.

She hadn't eaten a proper meal in days, usually foraging for wild vegetables in the outskirts to sustain herself. Coupled with the constant need to rescue citizens attacked by Honkai Beasts, that meager food was insufficient to maintain such high-intensity activities. She could clearly feel her body reaching its limit.

If not for the immense power of the Herrscher of the Void's Honkai Energy, she would have collapsed long ago.

See? Humans are so greedy. They've already been saved, yet they still ask others to save their families.

The long-silent voice resurfaced, Sirin's Honkai persona beginning to instill negative emotions into Kiana.

Ever since Sirin's last outburst at Su Jue's home, which injured him, Kiana had not dared to let her guard down, fully suppressing Sirin's consciousness.

However, as her body weakened and she used the Herrscher of the Void's abilities extensively, Sirin's consciousness finally found an opening and resurfaced.

Kiana ignored Sirin's sarcastic remarks. She gently helped the policeman lean against a wall, nodding. "Don't worry, they'll be fine."

"Please."

Amidst the policeman's pleas, she leaped up, using the walls on either side for leverage, and pursued the Honkai Beast.

Hey, vessel, you're not really planning to go die, are you?

"No, I'm just doing my best to help those who need it." Kiana, with her kind heart, wouldn't be swayed by Sirin's words. She gathered her spirits as much as possible, sensing survivors around her.

Why? You've never met them, and they don't even know your name. No matter how many people you save, you won't receive a single word of thanks.

Perhaps in their eyes, you're just a tool they can use and discard.

Have you forgotten how your friends treated you? Your best friend Mei pointed a knife at you. Your most trusted class president has been monitoring you all along, even letting you join St. Freya Academy for the Herrscher of the Void's awakening ritual.

You are merely a vessel for my awakening. Even your birth was a pre-planned farce.

You've saved so many people, but does anyone care about you? Has anyone ever thanked you?

The voice in her mind grew clearer, Sirin seeming on the verge of replacing Kiana's personality. She repeatedly questioned Kiana's inner self, trying to make her waver.

"Yes."

Huh?

"Su Jue did," Kiana replied. Vaulting over a low wall, the Honkai Beast's massive form appeared in her sight. Kiana stood on the ruins, picking up a relatively intact baseball bat from the roadside.

"Living in a conflicted family, yet still retaining kindness towards others."

"Even with a terminal illness and less than half a year to live, still yearning for life."

"When I saved him, his eyes were filled with clear gratitude."

"Even after being hurt by me when I lost control, he never thought of abandoning me and leaving alone."

"He never gave up. He just wanted to live, silently yearning for a sliver of kindness from this world. How could such a person not be worth saving?"

You! Sirin was enraged. She hadn't expected that strange brat to so easily gain Kiana's trust. Just as she was about to badmouth him further, Kiana unilaterally silenced her.

"As long as there is someone in this world worth saving, I have no reason to give up." Kiana whispered, her voice carried by the scorching wind towards the battlefield. Standing atop the ruins, she raised her baseball bat as if wielding the eternally burning Flamescion.

"Come on, Herrscher of Void, let me use your power once more."

Golden light erupted, so brilliant that even the sunlight retreated in its presence.

Kiana leaped towards the colossal Honkai Beast, the Herrscher of Void's power providing leverage with every step. With incredible speed, she was in range of the giant Honkai Beast's head in an instant.

Bang—!

The bat struck the back of the Honkai Beast's head, its immense force staggering the creature. The solid wood of the baseball bat shattered into fragments from the impact.

However, this attack was not fatal to the Honkai Beast. It reacted immediately, swiping a claw towards Kiana.

"I don't have time to waste with you!"

She roared, and as her physical strength was gradually drained, the remaining Honkai Energy coalesced into a Spear of the Void. Under her control, it slammed fiercely into the Honkai Beast's body.

The high-level Honkai Energy infiltrated the Honkai Beast's body in an instant, continuously disrupting its internal functions. The Herrscher of Void's power was absolute poison to ordinary Honkai Beasts.

Boom—!

Kiana's life-risking strike was too much for the Honkai Beast to withstand, no matter its size. Its corrupted body trembled, and with a deafening roar, it finally collapsed.

"Hoo." Kiana rolled on the ground to absorb the impact, gasping for air. After constructing that Spear of the Void, she truly had nothing left.

Fortunately, the people she needed to save were already safe. She looked at the citizens hiding behind windows in the surrounding buildings, peeking out in fear. Seeing the faces of a mother and daughter, she recognized them as the family the police had asked her to rescue.

Her exhaustion was evident on her face, but a long sigh of relief escaped her. Kiana smiled; at least the ending was good.

Suddenly, her vision went black, and her body felt weak. The gentle sunlight offered no warmth.

Worse still, she heard the girl's cry.

"Run! Sister, run!"

Her body felt as if it had been doused in ice-cold water, an ominous premonition washing over her. She slowly turned behind her, a colossal shadow gradually engulfing her.

The second Honkai Beast, hidden here, finally revealed itself. It was even larger than the previous one. Not far away, a third Honkai Beast, like a predator toying with its prey, stared intently at her.

The Honkai Beast, consumed by rage, was mere inches away.

Death, like a long-lurking venomous snake, seized its moment, its cold coils wrapping around Kiana's body, constricting her neck and suffocating her.

After saving so many, this time, no one could save her.

Chapter Sixteen: The Boy, the Girl, and the Cat

"Idiot!"

As death loomed, Sirin, sharing the same body as K423, could no longer maintain her usual composure. In the mental space, she lost the arrogance of the Herrscher of Void, stomping her feet anxiously on the ground. She constantly battered the mental space, trying to override Kiana's consciousness and directly control the Herrscher core.

Even in this desperate situation, Kiana didn't let her guard down against the Herrscher of Void. When Sirin tried to break through, Kiana didn't yield an inch; instead, she tightened her blockade. She knew clearly that Sirin's power was absolutely uncontrollable. If she showed any weakness, allowing the Herrscher of Void an opening, the entire world would fall into despair. Her efforts would be in vain, and those who cared about her would cease to exist.

So, I'll be her prison, and she'll disappear with me.

"Idiot, even if you die, I'll just be weakened. Instead, without restraint, I'll finally be free."

"Give me the body, and neither of us will die."

"We'll talk about that after I'm dead." Kiana listened to Sirin's incessant curses in her mind. Confirming that Sirin was truly flustered, Kiana felt a rare surge of explosive satisfaction.

The Honkai Beast slowly opened its massive maw, its mouth taking up nearly half its body. This was a Honkai Beast that attacked by biting.

Biting wasn't very effective for a colossal Honkai Beast. Compared to attacking with sharp teeth like a wild beast, it was much more efficient to use its sheer mass and physical strength to crush its opponents.

But none of that mattered to Kiana anymore. Her body was completely depleted, her limbs trembling. Yet, she still had to restrain Sirin's power.

She was already in a state of paralysis. Even an ordinary person could easily kill her.

Let it end like this.

A sense of relief suddenly washed over her. She recalled Teacher Himeko's face. Had she also been prepared to die then?

"What are you spacing out for? Run!"

The Honkai Beast's bite descended fiercely. As Kiana listlessly closed her eyes, a familiar voice suddenly echoed.

Sharp fangs glinted in the sunlight. The Honkai Beast's descending maw seemed to be yanked, subtly shifting its trajectory. The shift was minuscule, and Kiana, with her eyes closed, didn't notice the sudden burst of Authority of Domination.

Kiana, who had just opened her eyes, suddenly felt herself being embraced. Then came the colossal shadow of the Honkai Beast's descent. As the fangs closed, the person holding her lunged forward, and they narrowly escaped between the teeth.

Ruins lay everywhere. The two, having just lunged out, landed unsteadily. Embracing each other, they tumbled down the debris.

The sharp stones and broken tiles dug into her body, but Kiana felt nothing. She had survived; mere superficial injuries were insignificant.

Meow~

Before Kiana could see who had saved her, her head suddenly felt heavy. Four small paws landed lightly on her head.

"Tread Snow? What are you doing here?"

Her thoughts were a bit jumbled, but her gaze immediately fell on the person beside her. She never expected that the one who had pulled her from the Honkai Beast's jaws would be Su Jue, whom she hadn't seen in a long time. However, Su Jue seemed to have fainted from the intense movement.

"Damn it, it's this brat again." Sirin, who had already prepared for K423's death, was furious. She was so close to gaining her freedom.

"Experiment subject, run! Maybe he's the one who attracted the Honkai Beast. This guy definitely has ulterior motives towards you. You need to hurry, woo woo woo woo..."

Before she could finish, Kiana sealed off communication in the mental space once more.

She tilted her head slightly, looking at the ash-haired youth who had tumbled into the ruins with her, Kiana's face filled with worry.

BOOM—!

As soon as she spoke, a grenade with a tail flame exploded in the Honkai Beast's maw. The roar of helicopters and the sound of firearms echoed from the distant sky.

The army from Sky City had finally arrived.

[All citizens, evacuate immediately! All citizens, evacuate immediately!]

The broadcast from the aircraft repeated incessantly. Thanks to Kiana taking care of the first one, the survivors previously cornered by the Honkai Beast had a chance to breathe. Now that the army had arrived and drawn the Honkai Beast's attention, the survivors who could still move immediately began their retreat.

The cacophony startled the youth awake from his stupor. It seemed he had tumbled quite a few times when he tackled her earlier, as Su Jue felt a bit dizzy upon waking.

It wasn't until Kiana raised her hand and wiped the dust from his face that he fully came to his senses.

"Honestly. Why didn't you run just now? You're a Valkyrie, you didn't get scared silly, did you?"

Looking at the youth's expression, a mix of mild scolding and deep concern, Kiana, who had been worn out by two months of constant running, suddenly felt a warmth.

Since leaving St. Freya Academy, someone still cared about her, someone was willing to save her. Tears welled up in the young girl's eyes.

But Su Jue was clearly oblivious to her emotions. He glanced at the Honkai Beast being attacked and roaring nearby, quickly stood up, and pulled Kiana to her feet.

"Let's go, the army is here. Leave the rest to them. I know you're strong, but don't do anything so dangerous next time." Whether intentionally or not, he held the girl's hand and ran towards the safe zone.

Unfortunately, his stamina was terrible, and he started gasping for air after running only a short distance. Eventually, Kiana recovered her senses and her strength. Their roles reversed, and Kiana began pulling Su Jue along.

Warm sunlight fell, illuminating the dust kicked up in the city. The young man, the young woman, and the cat, somewhat disheveled, moved through the ruined steel forest, fleeing towards the rising sun.

Chapter Seventeen: Trust is the Best Medicine for Healing Wounds

"We're almost there." Gasping for breath, Su Jue's face showed a smile of relief. After their desperate flight, the blockade line at the edge of the area had appeared in their sight.