Chapter 353

Kiana: "The Gem of Haste? That doesn't Teacher Himeko, but why?"

Himeko Murata: "Why? How can I possibly escape unscathed after a life-or-death battle with the Herrscher of the Void?"

Kiana: "I... I just have a lingering hope."

Even if you've already guessed the outcome, who can help but harbor illusions before the truth arrives?

Chapter 572 Himeko Murata is dead.

Elysia: "The Gem of Haste, using Teacher Himeko's death to provoke Kiana is indeed a good hand. Kiana, can you handle it?"

Kiana: "I don't know either."

She was the kind of person who, after witnessing Teacher Himeko's death, couldn't resist rushing to the Schicksal Headquarters to beat up Otto.

If Thousand-Man Herrscher really dared to do that, Kiana's first thought would be to tear her to pieces.

[Congratulations to Elysia for receiving the reward: Life Coin.]

Elysia: "Whoosh~"

"It's another Life Coin," Elysia whistled, her voice loud and clear.

The bishop's heart sank, and his pounding Soulium heart suddenly felt half-cooled.

[In the scene, the Thousand-Man Herrscher pulls Kiana into the Theater of Domination. She recreates Sirin's memories and the calamity created by the Herrscher of the Void, gradually leading Kiana to blame herself and grieve.]

A gunshot rang out.

Kiana knocks down a doll. "I've had enough of your nonsense. This absurd trial should end!"

"Hey, we even showed you the Second Herrscher's memories, and you don't feel any remorse or anything?" the Thousand-Man Herrscher questioned.

Kiana shook her head. "That trick won't work on me. I have many people around me who trust and support me. You'd better not bother trying to make a fool of yourselves!"

"Haha, I trust you? I support you?"

The Thousand-Man Herrscher seemed to have heard some incredible joke.

"It's clearly indulging you and protecting you, isn't it? They know you're the Herrscher of the Void, the greatest danger to humanity, yet they still risk their lives to let you live, even sacrificing their own to protect you."

"Whether it's Cecilia or Himeko, when they saved you, did they consider the others? Countless people will live in fear forever because of you!"

"No, they disregarded millions of lives and chose you, a Herrscher, a ticking time bomb! Selfish, ptooey! Nothing but hypocrites, self-satisfied!"

"Shut up!"

Kiana turned and swung her gun, a bullet imbued with the power of the Herrscher of the Void piercing the doll's head.

One puppet falls down, and others rise up.

"Are you angry? Are you angry! Don't misunderstand, of course we know that nothing we say can shake your will, but even so, there will be an emptiness that cannot be bridged."

"We understand your guilt and your torment. She is the most vulnerable part of your heart, a wound that can never be healed!"

Even if you say you won't waver, can you really remain unmoved when faced with the facts?

When despair strikes, can you still truly believe in the beauty you speak of?

The words of the Thousand-Man Herrscher penetrated her very soul, striking a chord deep within Kiana's heart.

"You can't do it! You've chosen an extremely hypocritical path, a fool's path with no end in sight. The drama is nearing its climax; it's time to reveal the thrilling twist!"

The dolls moved forward step by step, surrounding Kiana.

"What kind of expression will you make when hope turns to despair? Come on, let us see! Hahahaha."

A doll suddenly appeared behind Kiana, its arm wrapping around her waist, and reached in front of Kiana.

A hand appeared before Kiana, and what the Thousand-Man Herrscher held was a red gem.

"She looks familiar, doesn't she? Do you know who's holding her? Do you know why she's here?"

Kiana's eyes widened, and she stood there stunned. "The Gem of Haste..."

"Yes, yes, tell me your answer, Himeko Murata, she's already dead!"

The Thousand-Man Herrscher stared intently at Kiana's face, eagerly anticipating her next expression.

However, Kiana remained rooted to the spot, saying nothing.

After a long silence, the Thousand-Man Herrscher grew impatient. "Hey, are you deaf or can't understand human language? Or are you simply refusing to think at all?"

"I'll say it again, Himeko Murata is dead, dead! Do you hear me?!"

Kiana remained silent.

"Hey, you didn't react at all? You're so cold-blooded!" the Thousand-Man Herrscher complained.

Kiana slowly asked, "So, what do you imagine I should be like? Kneeling on the ground, wailing and collapsing, crying out again and again, 'This isn't real!' I'm afraid you'll be disappointed."

"This shouldn't be happening."

The plan had gone awry. The Thousand-Man Herrscher scratched his head. "Ah, are you still stubbornly clinging to the past? You still refuse to accept reality, thinking we're lying, that this gem is fake?"

"Alright, then you should experience its real power for yourself!"

The Thousand-Man Herrscher gripped the Gem of Haste, powerful Honkai Energy surging into the doll's body, the scorching heat burning the air, and a fiery red whip swept towards Kiana.

Kiana ducked to avoid it, and then a pillar of fire rose from beneath her feet. She jumped back, and the intense heat of the fire burned a black mark on her collar.

Before I could think, the ground beneath my feet turned red and hot, the scorching heat melting the molten iron and turning it into a sea of fire.

Kiana used the power of the Herrscher of the Void to leap into space and disappear from the sight of the Thousand-Man Herrscher.

"Why? This is strange. It shouldn't be like this. This gem should have played a much greater role."

Holding the gem in her hands, the Thousand-Man Herrscher realized after numerous attacks that Kiana was truly not defeated.

But why?

Faced with such a devastating reality, doesn't she feel even a little bit of remorse?

A gunshot rang out.

Kiana smashed the doll from behind, its mechanical body scattering, and the Gem of Haste crashing to the ground.

Kiana walked over and picked it up. "I don't know what kind of reaction you'd like to see, but I know what Teacher Himeko wants me to do."

The doll lunged at her, Kiana used her Herrscher Authority to leap away decisively, gripping the Gem of Haste tightly in her hand.

"It's been stolen! It's been stolen!"

"Putting on justice while taking other people's things—thief, robber—death penalty!"

"Fine, since you want that gem so badly, you can have it. But there's a price to pay!"

"What?"

--thump.

As the Thousand-Man Herrscher fell silent, Kiana's body suddenly went out of control, and she crashed heavily to the ground.

She clutched her head tightly, clearly feeling something about to come out.

The dolls chuckled smugly, "Well, there's nothing we can do. Since you've already refused to be our companion, we'll have to invite another guest."

"Although she was our initial target, things didn't go smoothly."

"You say you don't care, forcing yourself to stay strong, but your heart and soul can't lie to yourself; you really did cry just now!"

Chapter 573 Welcome Herrscher of the Void, Sirin!

Kiana clutched her chest, a tremendous energy brewing within her, ready to erupt at any moment.

The dolls gradually retreated to the side.

"Remember? Back then, the Bishop of Schicksal named Otto did the same thing, awakening her consciousness and then stuffing a gem into your hand. We all know the consequences."

"Alright, the veteran actors who have finished their performances can now leave the stage. Now, let's welcome the next star of the show to the stage!"

"Welcome, Herrscher of the Void, Sirin!"

The Herrscher's authority reappears; golden patterns converge in Kiana's remaining blue pupil.

Kiana felt the Honkai Energy within her body spiraling out of control, and she felt as if she was about to burst. She clutched her chest with both hands, but the smile on her lips gradually became more unrestrained.

Her vision was blurring, the space Theater of Domination was in disarray, and when Kiana opened her eyes again, she found herself in a completely different space.

"The Herrscher of the Void?"

"You got it right! Long time no see, my container."

The Herrscher of the Void looked down at Kiana from her high vantage point, her queen-like, cold and beautiful face still exuding confidence.

The video ends here.

Kiana: "The Herrscher of the Void, wasn't she killed by the Ultimate Honkai Energy Serum? How could this be?"

Kiana was quite surprised that the battle against the Thousand-Man Herrscher would end with the appearance of the long-dormant Herrscher of the Void.

Einstein: "The Honkai Energy Serum itself is not lethal; it can only weaken Honkai Energy. The Herrscher of the Void is merely asleep; she is not dead."

Bronya: "So, the reason the Thousand-Man Herrscher approached Kiana from the beginning wasn't to assimilate her, but rather to target the Herrscher of the Void?"

What a cunning scheme!

Even Bronya didn't expect that the Herrscher of the Void, Honkai Energy was greatly reduced after being poisoned by the Moonlight Throne and the Ultimate Honkai Energy Serum, would still appear.

Or was Kiana already at a point at that time mature enough to awaken as the Herrscher of the Void?

Theresa: "This is troublesome. That's the Herrscher of the Void, Kiana. Can you beat her?"

Everyone has witnessed how powerful Kiana, the Herrscher of the Void, is after her awakening.

Although it's far from reaching the level of Sirin's meteorite-dropping on the moon, it's certainly not something an ordinary S-rank Valkyrie could handle.

Kiana: "Don't worry, she shares a body with me, which means her power definitely hasn't recovered. I won't lose!"

Elysia: "I've thought of a question. After Kiana awakens, is she truly the Herrscher of the Void, or just a girl Sirin?"

Pardofelis: "What's the difference?"

Isn't the Herrscher of the Void Sirin?

Elysia: "What I mean is, is that Herrscher of the Void Kiana's awakened state, the Herrscher consciousness we think of, or a consciousness inherited from the Herrscher Core?"

Raiden Mei: "This..."

This question remains elusive, but considering the fact that Elysia shared her humanity with the Herrscher, her meaning becomes clear.

In the Current Era, the Herrscher fall into two categories.

Herrscher retain human consciousness, such Kiana, Bronya, and Raiden Mei, are all like this.

There is also the awakened Herrscher consciousness, represented by Anna, which is quite similar to the Herrscher of the Previous Era.

So, is the so-called Herrscher of the Void Kiana after her awakening, or is it the consciousness of Sirin inherited from the Herrscher Core?

Bronya: "Bronya thinks it's Sirin, after all, the Thousand-Man Herrscher refers to her as Sirin in the scene."

Welt: "But doesn't that mean Sirin isn't dead?"

Otto: "No, Sirin is dead. The loss of consciousness is the end of everything. Trust me, I'm an expert in this."

Even if Bronya's deduction is correct, the Herrscher of the Void cannot be Sirin.

Sirin died during the Second Honkai War; her consciousness dissipated, and her body was taken back to Schicksal. K423 was merely a vessel created by Otto using her body.

The Herrscher of the Void may call herself Sirin, but she is definitely not the original Sirin.

Einstein: "Bishop Otto, perhaps your understanding of death is more profound than ours, but there is a contradiction in your argument."

Otto: "Oh?"

Einstein: "If the awakened Herrscher of the Void isn't Sirin, then who is she? Clearly, she isn't Kiana's awakened Herrscher consciousness."

If Kiana awakens, she should look similar to Anna when she awakens, resembling the Herrscher of the Previous Era.

However, the Herrscher of the Void clearly retains an independent personality. Even though she is inclined towards the Honkai and has vowed to destroy humanity, there are still traces of humanity in her every move.

Otto: "Her? You've come to the right person. She's the Herrscher of the Void, and also Sirin."

Einstein: "But you just said... wait, you said Sirin is dead, but you didn't deny that the Herrscher of the Void is Sirin."