Honkai's Thousand Laws, Abducting Kiana at the Start

Chapter 113: Our Queen

"Captain, we're being blocked by unknown personnel," the voice from the comms didn't faze Durandal. She merely frowned and asked, "Casualties?"

Alvit looked at the little girl in front of her, as still as a doll. The girl wore a white dress that was slightly too big, the loose collar hanging off one side, sliding down from her small shoulders to her armpits.

As if hearing her and Durandal's communication, the little girl looked up blankly, rubbing her still-sleepy eyes with her finger before letting out a huge yawn.

Seeing the girl's actions, Alvit tensed, afraid she would suddenly attack. But after yawning, the little girl didn't move again, simply standing there groggily, completely harmless.

However, Alvit knew very well that despite her harmless appearance, whenever her teammates tried to get past her, a powerful force would descend, sending those attempting to break through flying.

"No casualties so far. The opponent is a strange little girl who hasn't attacked proactively. Her goal seems to be merely to obstruct us." After briefly explaining the current situation, Alvit continued, "She can use an invisible force. Every time we try to leave, we are attacked."

After listening to her subordinate's report, Durandal shook her head. "Since the other party doesn't intend to harm you, stay put for now. I'll come find you myself once I've resolved this."

She didn't blame the Blade of Immortality for being held up by a little girl. Alvit was strict with herself but very lenient with others, which was why she was so popular among the Valkyries.

"Captain, their target is definitely you. Be careful!" As Alvit's biggest fan, she was worried, but Durandal's strength was such that she didn't need to worry about her. She could only temporarily focus her attention on the little girl in front of her.

Just then, a member seemed to have tested the limits of Griseo's abilities. Taking advantage of her teammates' attempt to break through, she immediately began to flee in the opposite direction. If she could successfully break through, it would mean Griseo's attacks had a pattern.

A golden light flashed in Alvit's eyes. That team member attempting to break through was slammed back by an invisible force.

How could she let them exploit a loophole? Although Su Jue couldn't manage everything perfectly while maintaining the balance of multiple Herrscher cores, he had fortunately placed a Herrscher of a Thousand core in Alvit's body beforehand. Every move the Blade of Immortality made was under his watchful eye.

At this moment, at the meteor's impact site, Kiana's falling figure was getting closer. Durandal, holding the Black Abyss White Flower, took a deep breath and then slammed it into the ground.

Instantly, tree seeds began to grow and sprout. Countless branches spread out, and a massive trunk twisted upwards, tearing through the city built of steel and concrete, forming a towering giant tree.

A blinding white light shot straight into the sky. The power of creation stretched towards the heavens, like a mother preparing to catch her daughter. Just like Cecilia years ago, she had caught the falling Kiana with soft branches.

The unconscious girl was unaware, lying peacefully on the branches. Durandal stood at the base of the tree, but her gaze was fixed behind her.

Mei, who had been running with all her might, finally caught up. Without even catching her breath, she raised her blade towards Durandal.

"Let Kiana go." The information she had received earlier echoed in her mind. Su Jue had described Kiana's impending cruel experiments in great detail, undoubtedly exaggerating along the way. Because of this, Mei didn't think twice before launching her attack on Durandal.

As the strongest Valkyrie, Mei was naturally familiar with Durandal's accomplishments and reputation. Even so, after being provoked by Su Jue once, Mei was now desperately trying to prove herself.

More importantly, Kiana seemed to have made new friends, and that person would be a member of the Kiana Organization. To win Kiana back and bring her back to her side, Mei had to prove she was stronger than them.

The masked man had been right. Only strength could protect those you cherished. So, fight.

Her blade cut through the flowing light, instantly striking at Durandal. The Honkai Energy throughout her body surged, transforming into electromagnetism amplified by the Striker battlesuit. Faint currents continuously stimulated Mei's body, increasing her speed to lightning-fast levels.

However, Durandal merely frowned slightly. The Black Abyss White Flower blocked Mei's attack at a precise angle, and then she thrust her spear forward, forcefully repelling Mei's offense.

"I'm just following orders to bring Kiana back. Raiden Mei, you can't stop me." Even under Mei's fierce assault, Durandal's tone was calm and unhurried. Yet, this composure only further provoked Mei.

When she lost to Thousand Calamities before, Mei hadn't felt such a vast difference in strength. But now, facing her relentless attacks, Durandal wasn't even out of breath.

This terrified her. She wasn't afraid of losing, but afraid that Kiana would leave her if she lost, afraid that Kiana would still suffer those tortures if she lost.

"I absolutely won't let you take her." The Striker battlesuit's power was pushed to its absolute limit. The powerful Honkai Energy even began to erode Mei's own body. Her pale purple eyes were tinged with a hint of madness, the same madness she had seen in Thousand Calamities before.

Injured? Didn't care!

Eroded? Unimportant!

I need faster, stronger, more lethal attacks.

Finally, under Mei's desperate assault, Durandal took a step back, but that was all.

She nodded seriously, responding, "In that case, let's settle this with strength."

In an instant, vast Honkai Energy gathered. Durandal's aura continued to rise, an oppressive force born of absolute power. The power of wisdom and kingship began to materialize, gradually forming a tall phantom knight.

"Let's end this." Supreme power swirled upwards. The knight, wielding a greatsword, looked down at Mei and raised the sword in its hand.

At this moment, Mei truly experienced the pressure of death. She finally understood that the gap in strength could not be bridged by willpower alone.

But.

"Some beliefs cannot be stopped even by death."

Thunder roared, and silver lightning danced. A brilliant flash of lightning erupted in Mei's eyes. She cried out, roared, and swung her final blade towards the descending greatsword.

There will always be undying lightning that dares to face the radiance of kingship.

Electric light flickered, and the knight's shadow vanished like a shattered dream.

Mei, her stamina completely depleted, stood behind Durandal. She still held the pose of her slash, but tears streamed down her face, dripping onto the ground.

Durandal raised her spear, and Mei collapsed.

The girl slumped to the ground, too weak to even struggle or move. She watched in despair as Durandal walked step by step towards Kiana.

"I can't do anything."

At this moment, she desperately yearned for power.

"Kiana..." In her despair, she prayed continuously, praying for everything to change, praying for someone to save her.

"Welcome to..."

Cough, cough, almost messed up the line.

"We are the failures scorned by mortals, we are the exiles forgotten by gods, we are the watchers of the world's darkness."

"We are—Kiana!"

Within the city, people hidden beneath their hoods raised their heads, murmuring the same prayer. Some were as arrogant and flamboyant as Thousand Calamities, some as serene and graceful as Griseo, some were just ordinary girls next door, and some were fervent believers.

"Lord Kiana, our queen, our salvation and our faint light, we have come to welcome you."

Chapter 114: Burning Tree

The respectful, humble, and capable servants lowered their heads, bowing towards the towering tree.

And on the treetop that held up the sky, starlight was scattering, and heat was spreading.

It was a wisp of starlight, descending from the heavens. Then, vigorous flames erupted, burning from where Kiana had fallen, like flames attempting to devour the World Tree, clinging to the trunk as they descended.

In an instant, the world-burning inferno ignited the giant tree that the Black Abyss White Flower had spawned.

The scorching firelight and surging heatwaves illuminated almost the entire Sky City, as if a god had descended to deliver punishment, the blazing flames reflecting on everyone's faces.

The followers of Kiana watched with longing, their eyes filled with piety, welcoming their queen with the most humble posture.

Such a bizarre scene had already entered the minds of all observers. This sudden Kiana Organization, with its incredibly grotesque style, had instantly burst onto the battlefield. Even Otto, who had already begun preparing for further experiments, couldn't help but change his expression, constantly speculating about their origins.

Rita, who was fighting Himeko, felt it even more intensely. During their several encounters, she had clearly sensed that Himeko was no ordinary person; her words, actions, and fighting style indicated she was no commoner. Tonight, Himeko's resplendent formal attire further solidified her guess: a woman with such elegant demeanor must have come from a distinguished family.

But at this moment, this woman exuding nobility seemed more like a maid than Rita. Her clear eyes held no trace of self-indulgence, merely reflecting the flames that lit up the sky.

This made her scalp tingle. This level of devotion seemed to transcend organizational belief and was more akin to a fanatical religion. What was even harder for her to comprehend was how Kiana had managed to gather so many people and how she had made them so loyal to her.

After all, the exposed members of Kiana were all top-tier combatants from major organizations. This red-haired woman, even placed within Schicksal, would be a top A-rank Valkyrie, second only to Rita in status. And according to the descriptions from the Blade of Immortality members, the little girl who stopped them had a bizarre ability and was preliminarily estimated to be a top A-rank as well.

Not to mention the many other Kiana members hidden among the crowd, whose strength was undoubtedly not to be underestimated. And such a powerful organization had remained completely unknown until now.

The only possibility was that the Herrscher of Void had been making arrangements long ago, and whoever could achieve this…

With that thought, Rita suddenly recalled Siegfried, who had defected a long time ago. Siegfried had been deeply influenced by the Honkai genes within him at the time. If anyone could pave the way for Kiana, it would likely be him, who had contact with the Honkai.

The thought flashed through her mind. Schicksal's capture plan had been disrupted by Kiana. Durandal's side must have also been attacked by them. Rita couldn't help but feel worried. She no longer held back her Frost Scythe and slashed towards Himeko.

Himeko, naturally, was not to be outdone. Su Jue had now fully unleashed the power of the Plague Gem. As the puppet of the Herrscher of Domination, Himeko could also borrow some of the gem's abilities from Su Jue. It was still uncertain who would win between her and Rita.

Flames and frost collided, steaming up large patches of mist, causing screams from many citizens who had not yet fully evacuated. But compared to the burning tree in the city center, their battle was a minor affair.

The moment the Tree of Creation was ignited, Durandal noticed the massive Honkai Energy fluctuations emanating from the treetop.

The firelight reflected in her sapphire eyes, also dyeing her spear with a touch of crimson.

Gazing at the flames in the sky, Durandal lowered her body, assuming a charging stance. As she moved, the Guardian Knight, which Mei had shattered with all her might, had instantly recovered.

The charge ended, and the ground suddenly cracked. The thick cement formed a circular pit under the impact of the counterforce. Durandal, soaring upwards, turned into a blue light and flew towards the treetop along with the knight's phantom.

After the Tree of Creation was ignited, the layered branches had already formed a fiery barrier, but this had no effect on Durandal.

She was like a sharp sword, easily tearing through the heavy fire blockade, and then Kiana's figure finally came into view.

As expected, Kiana, who had just absorbed the energy of the Honkai Bomb, had fallen unconscious. Confirming she was not in danger, Durandal's gaze became serious.

What she was looking at was the young man holding Kiana. He was exuding an oppressive aura that even she found troublesome.

Judging by his appearance, he was just a very ordinary young man. His face held a hint of childishness, and he looked about seventeen or eighteen years old, even two years younger than Kiana.

More importantly, he was slender and thin, with a pale complexion, giving him a sickly appearance, as if he would fall over with a gentle push.

Yet, such a frail-looking youth made Durandal feel a sense of unease.

The young man stood quietly amidst the raging flames, holding the sleeping Kiana.

The scorching heatwave did not affect him in the slightest, nor did Durandal's arrival draw his attention. The young man's gaze remained fixed on Kiana from beginning to end.

From that focused gaze, Durandal read affection and reluctance, like a husband whose life was nearing its end, silently bidding farewell to his wife.

The surrounding air grew hotter and hotter. Durandal didn't want to delay any longer. She raised her spear, aiming directly at the young man.

"Who are you?"

Upon hearing Durandal's voice, Su Jue seemed to snap back to reality. The peaceful moment was broken, and he let out a sigh.

Gently lifting his arm, he shifted Kiana from being held by both arms to being held by one, allowing her to rest comfortably on his shoulder. Su Jue extended his free right hand forward. The violently burning flames around them seemed to be drawn by some force, gradually gathering and coalescing, eventually forming a blazing greatsword of fire that fell into his hand.

"I am… Kiana." His voice was filled with unconcealable exhaustion, like a traveler who had walked for days in the desert, longing for an oasis to rest.

With a swing of the giant sword in his hand, the flames of the Tree of Creation, which reached hundreds of meters high, seemed to be neatly cut, completely separating. Between the two seas of fire, Su Jue looked up, his grey eyes meeting Bianca's sapphire blue ones.

Chapter 115: Pure Love Greatsword

Bianca had never heard this name before, but the feeling the young man before her gave her was undoubtedly that of a Herrscher, a Herrscher on the verge of death.

This feeling was very peculiar because, theoretically, Herrschers had very long lifespans. Unless destroyed, they could obtain energy from the Imaginary Space at any time to sustain themselves. There were no records of any Herrscher dying from old age or illness.

Unless the other party was not a complete Herrscher but a pseudo-Herrscher, born from a true Herrscher and able to obtain a portion of its abilities. Schicksal had relevant records; in the archives of the Second Honkai War, the Herrscher of Void, Sirin, had given her gems to three other individuals, creating three Herrschers.

However, those three Herrschers were all female, naturally having higher adaptability to Honkai Energy. While the young man before her showed no obvious signs of corruption, his lifespan was likely affected.

Of course, this was all speculation, and Durandal couldn't make up her mind for the moment. But regardless, Kiana had to be recovered. Even if she had to face a Herrscher, she had to win.

Just as Bianca was preparing to make a move, Su Jue was observing her.

Bianca Attagina, Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie, possessing the combined bloodlines of Kaslana and Schariac, was naturally the savior of this world, the true Child of Destiny. And the name Kiana Kaslana should have originally belonged to her, but due to some twists of fate, it was inherited by the current Kiana.

A true name represents a person's life. Bianca, whose name was stolen, undoubtedly had everything belonging to her taken away. And K423, who had obtained the name Kiana, would also be forever hidden beneath this name. This was a great harm to both of them.

Su Jue wasn't sure what Siegfried was thinking at the time, but he didn't want to consider so much now. Kiana was Kiana, and he wanted to completely snatch that name away from Bianca. He wanted the whole world to know that the white-haired one was Kiana, even if it was unfair to Bianca.

But where was there so much fairness in this world? What belonged to you, you had to fight for. Su Jue not only wanted to snatch the name from Kiana, but also to snatch her from Schicksal.

"Bianca Durandal Alvitah, I'm truly sorry." Su Jue whispered to Bianca as he raised his greatsword, "Kiana belongs to me."

"..." Durandal didn't catch his underlying meaning. She was more familiar with combat; the victor takes all, that was the belief etched into her heart.

The next second, flames engulfed the entire sky, burning the air with crackling sounds.

Durandal's gaze sharpened, and her God-Slaying Armor activated instantly, forming a pale blue energy shield to block Su Jue's slash.

With a sound like shattering crystal, the flames were blocked. Black Abyss White Flower pierced the air, striking the greatsword in front of Su Jue. The power of a Divine Key was immense, but Su Jue currently possessed some of the power of the Plague Gem, so Black Abyss White Flower had little effect on him.

After blocking the lance, Su Jue spun half a circle with Kiana in his arms as if dancing, then slashed his greatsword upwards from below. He wielded the sword with only one hand, yet this scorching slash forced Durandal to retreat.

"Herrscher of Flames?" Feeling the heat of the flames on the greatsword, Durandal's expression changed slightly. She chose not to confront Su Jue head-on. The Herrscher of Flames was too destructive; Black Abyss White Flower might even be damaged in the fight. This was Cecilia's weapon, and Durandal felt she only had the right to use it, so she had to cherish it.

But this didn't mean she would back down. Her God-Slaying Armor, Radiant Knight: Moonshadow, shimmered, and the Divine Key weapon [Hler of Eternal Silence] appeared in her hands.

The heavy lance was difficult for even an ordinary person to hold, yet Durandal now held two with ease.

"Awaken, defender of glory." As the girl's voice rang out, a tall guardian knight descended from the sky with a greatsword, slashing towards Su Jue. At the same time, the air exploded, and the lance flew towards Su Jue at near supersonic speed.

The deadly attacks sealed off all of Su Jue's escape routes. To block them, he would have to put Kiana down, but how could Su Jue let go? Since there was no retreat, he wouldn't retreat.

If Siegfried's Heavenly Fire Judgment could defeat Sirin, why would Su Jue, who had mastered the abilities of the Herrscher of Flames and now wielded the Pure Love Greatsword, retreat?

Crimson flames erupted, and the extreme heat instantly incinerated the surrounding air. With just this one sword strike, Moonshadow's guardian knight was once again reduced to nothingness. And the Hler of Eternal Silence thrown by Bianca sliced across his shoulder, causing blood to gush out.

Su Jue merely frowned, then gripped his greatsword with his backhand and placed it directly on the wound. With a sizzling sound, the wound was instantly cauterized into a scar. The splattered blood vaporized in the high heat. With Kiana in his arms, Su Jue used the Herrscher of Void's high-speed mobility to close in on Durandal.

Crack.

The Holy Spirit Shield shattered again, but this time it couldn't block Su Jue's sword. A scorched smell filled the air, and Bianca's blonde hair was almost set ablaze. But she still had Black Abyss White Flower in her hand, which stubbornly took the brunt of the blow.