Chapter Summaries

Kiana fought the Thousand-Man Herrscher in the Theater of Domination, where it captured Bronya and Fu Hua and overwhelmed her with puppets. With Bronya’s help, Kiana awakened the Flamescion’s power and destroyed the theater, then learned that the world-shattering spectacle was shaped by the theater’s special nature.

• The Thousand-Man Herrscher captured Bronya and Fu Hua and trapped Kiana in the Theater of Domination, where she fought its puppets.
• Dominus pinned Kiana down and threatened Bronya and Fu Hua, but Kiana broke free by grasping her red greatsword.
• Bronya used the Key of Reason to bombard the puppets, while Fu Hua’s remaining authority helped bring about a burst of pink feathers.
• Kiana burned away Dominus’s arms and destroyed the Theater of Domination with her four-gem greatsword.
• Kiana celebrated her apparent immense strength, but Welt explained that she had shattered the Theater of Domination rather than a real world.
• Elysia told Kiana that the spectacle was not fake and suggested it resulted from the Theater of Domination’s special nature.

The group discussed the Thousand-Man Herrscher and learned that Jian Yun had become one of its hosts after a disaster and the cruelty of her community. Kiana reflected on the limits of the hope she had given Jian Yun, while the others considered how Schicksal should support survivors and prevent the Herrscher from striking again.

• Vill-V explained that the Thousand-Man Herrscher's power came from the malice of a thousand people, and Raiden Mei said she could try to trace a path back into the Theater of Domination.
• Herrscher of Reason returned after searching Schicksal Headquarters and World Serpent for Otto and Kevin, finding neither of them.
• The footage showed Jian Yun's confession: after Kiana rescued her from a ruined school, her community blamed and ostracized her family, and her father's drunken words led her to the Theater of Domination.
• Kiana defeated the Thousand-Man Herrscher, who questioned whether trust and companionship could withstand future Herrschers before Kiana ended the battle.
• Kiana mourned Jian Yun's fate, and Himeko Murata and Durandal reassured her that she had saved the girl and urged Schicksal to take responsibility for helping survivors.
• Elysia warned that the Thousand-Man Herrscher was uniquely dangerous, while Theresa suggested giving Jian Yun special care or helping her move.

Kiana, the Herrscher of Reason, and Welt entered the Theater of Domination after the Thousand-Man Herrscher challenged them, but the puppets there proved far stronger than before. Kiana fought on alone, unsure what had happened to her friends, as the puppets surrounded her and demanded she defeat them.

• The Thousand-Man Herrscher sent Kiana, the Herrscher of Reason, and Welt an invitation into the Theater of Domination, and Himeko Murata urged them to respond because black fog threatened St. Freya Academy.
• Kiana, the Herrscher of Reason, and Welt entered the Theater of Domination, but Kiana was separated from her companions.
• The puppets taunted Kiana with stories of their suffering and her origins, but she refused to let them sway her and attacked them.
• Kiana initially overwhelmed the puppets, but one resisted her blows and another caught her punch, revealing that the puppets had become much stronger.
• The puppets threw Kiana into an iceberg, then attacked her together and refused to tell her what had happened to the Herrscher of Reason and Welt.

The Herrscher of Reason and Welt fought the Thousand-Man Herrscher in separate sections of the Theater of Domination, while Kiana battled its puppets. The Thousand-Man Herrscher stirred the Herrscher of the Void within Kiana, and the queen began to awaken.

• The Herrscher of Reason fought a puppet with spears, then tried to use Fenghuang Down against the Thousand-Man Herrscher, but it had no effect.
• Welt was overwhelmed by puppets, unleashed the Star of Eden’s full power, and discovered Kevin Kaslana frozen inside an indestructible glacier.
• Kiana endured the puppets’ attacks and smashed the ice battlefield, relying on her strength and regeneration to keep fighting.
• The Thousand-Man Herrscher revealed that the Theater of Domination had been stirring Kiana’s hatred and awakening the Herrscher of the Void.
• Kiana’s eyes turned gold, and she greeted the Herrscher of the Void as her other half.

Kiana and the Herrscher of the Void resisted the Thousand-Man Herrscher after it stole Kevin's power, and Durandal arrived to rescue Kiana. Durandal stayed behind to hold the puppets off while Kiana left to find Little Senti and Welt.

• The Herrscher of the Void revealed that her hatred of humanity remained and returned to Kiana's body after the puppets tried to steal her gem.
• Kiana learned that the Thousand-Man Herrscher had obtained Kevin's power, but refused to abandon her companions or hand over the Herrscher of the Void.
• The puppets overwhelmed Kiana as her strength and the Herrscher of the Void's power dwindled.
• Durandal arrived, pierced a puppet with Black Abyss White Flower, and came to Kiana's aid.
• Durandal told Kiana to leave and find Little Senti and Welt while she held off the Thousand-Man Herrscher.

Kiana, Durandal, the Herrscher of Reason, and Welt escaped the Theater of Domination after discovering that the Thousand-Man Herrscher had gained some of Kevin’s power. Their allies agreed to cooperate against the threat, while Welt revealed Kevin was trapped in ice and the group began investigating the Herrscher’s motives and limitations.

• Kiana escaped to St. Freya Academy and warned everyone that the Thousand-Man Herrscher had obtained Kevin’s power and that Durandal needed help.
• The Herrscher of Reason explained that she escaped using Fenghuang Down and an illusion realm, while Durandal later returned after fighting the puppets.
• Schicksal and World Serpent agreed to cooperate, and Anti-Entropy also committed to opposing the Thousand-Man Herrscher despite Welt’s absence.
• Welt returned using spatial coordinates Kiana had left behind and reported that Kevin was frozen inside a pillar of ice and would not wake.
• Kiana noted that the Thousand-Man Herrscher had targeted the Herrscher of the Void, had not seized their authorities, and had invited three Herrschers into the Theater.
• Vill-V and Elysia suggested the Thousand-Man Herrscher could use only part of Kevin’s power, while Gray Serpent proposed waking Kevin.

The Thousand-Man Herrscher destroyed cities by detonating puppet hosts as Honkai bombs, spreading panic and causing massive casualties. Durandal and the other factions prepared to enter the Theater of Domination, while the puppets celebrated their advantage and planned to destroy humanity’s air defenses.

• A newly born puppet detonated herself in a Far Eastern city, killing thirty percent of its population and infecting the rest with Honkai.
• Durandal, Kiana, Einstein, and their allies discussed how to stop the Thousand-Man Herrscher and decided to trace its cores back to the Theater of Domination.
• Kiana volunteered to enter the Theater, and Fu Hua agreed to join her as the group prepared a three-person team.
• The puppets celebrated the destruction of more cities and dismissed World Serpent, Anti-Entropy, and Schicksal as threats.
• The Thousand-Man Herrscher planned to sacrifice more puppets to destroy humanity’s air-defense network and carry out its final plan.

Kiana, Durandal, and Fu Hua fought the Thousand-Man Herrscher in the Theater of Domination while the Herrscher of Reason searched its memories for clues about Kevin. Fu Hua revealed her formidable sword power and left the Thousand-Man Herrscher facing another devastating strike.

• Kiana joined Durandal and Fu Hua, using the Herrscher of the Void's power to fight the puppets as Durandal cut through them with Black Abyss White Flower.
• Durandal judged the Thousand-Man Herrscher far weaker than Kevin and battled its giant puppet, which continually healed as more puppets joined it.
• Fu Hua asked the Herrscher of Reason to search the Thousand-Man Herrscher's memories for what had happened to Kevin, then went to aid Kiana and Durandal.
• Fu Hua summoned a golden sword and split the giant puppet and the Theater of Domination with a single strike.
• The Thousand-Man Herrscher's puppets reassembled the giant puppet, but Fu Hua struck it apart again and challenged them to test how many more strikes she could make.

Fu Hua kept the Thousand-Man Herrscher occupied while Himeko Murata and Theresa searched the devastated Sky-Piercing City for its next vessel. Theresa rescued Jian Yun from the school ruins, while World Serpent’s followers began acting in the city’s shadows.

• Fu Hua repeatedly slashed the Thousand-Man Herrscher’s giant puppet, explaining that she could still manage dozens of swings, while Kiana and Durandal supported her.
• Himeko Murata and Theresa fought Honkai Beasts in Sky-Piercing City and searched for a vessel before the Thousand-Man Herrscher could choose one.
• Theresa and Himeko Murata used Schicksal’s records to locate Jian Yun’s home and school, then split up to search the area.
• Jian Yun, trapped beneath the school ruins with a badly broken leg, called for help when Theresa found her and smashed the boulder covering her.
• Theresa sent Jian Yun to a Schicksal branch for emergency treatment and ordered troops to search for other survivors.
• A World Serpent sculptor praised the Lord of Exotic Beasts in a hidden basement and raged at people who criticized her work.

Fu Hua uncovered memories showing that Kevin had tried to kill himself and learned that Otto had urged him to make his death appear to be at the hands of people from the later era. Meanwhile, Fu Hua, Durandal, Kiana, and the Herrscher of Reason attacked the Thousand-Man Herrscher together, leaving the reason for Kevin’s plan unresolved.

• Raven killed Mira Riemer before she could become the Thousand-Man Herrscher, while Amber and the others noted that the Herrscher was still being born without destroying cities.
• Su opened the first pouch from his Brocade Pouch of Stratagems and learned that Kiana was the key to defeating the Thousand-Man Herrscher.
• Fu Hua and Durandal struck the Thousand-Man Herrscher while Kiana redirected Durandal’s attack, and the Herrscher of Reason helped Fu Hua break through its defenses.
• Fu Hua found a memory showing Kevin had pierced his own chest with Fehu, apparently attempting suicide, but failed to kill himself.
• Fu Hua discovered a memory of Otto telling Kevin to make it appear that people from the later era had killed him, and Otto began laying out his plan.

Fu Hua realized Kiana was the key to defeating the Thousand-Man Herrscher, which had stolen the Herrscher of Reason's authority and overwhelmed Fu Hua and Durandal. Kiana persuaded the Herrscher of the Void to lend her full power and began an attack aimed at Kevin, despite knowing it would exhaust her and leave her body to the Herrscher of the Void.

• Fu Hua recalled Otto telling Kevin that Kiana could break the deadlock, but the Thousand-Man Herrscher stole the Herrscher of Reason's authority and trapped Fu Hua and Durandal.
• Kiana fought Dominus alone and deduced that the Thousand-Man Herrscher feared the Herrscher of the Void's full power.
• Kiana awakened the Herrscher of the Void's authority but found she could not wield its full strength on her own.
• Kiana convinced the Herrscher of the Void to lend her power by arguing that the Thousand-Man Herrscher would kill her and that the attack would let the Herrscher of the Void take control of their body.
• The Herrscher of the Void empowered Kiana, who gathered a dark sphere of energy and sent it toward Kevin.

Kiana severed Kevin’s connection to the Thousand-Man Herrscher, allowing Kevin to dissipate and the others to defeat the remaining puppets. After the Theater of Domination vanished, Otto subdued the awakened Herrscher of the Void, and Kiana regained control of her body.

• Kiana’s strike reversed Imaginary Law briefly, severed Kevin’s connection to the Thousand-Man Herrscher, and enabled Kevin to end his life and return to the Flame-Chasers.
• Kevin told Kiana that his arrangement with Bishop Otto had helped bring about his death, promised to help her once, and then completely dissipated.
• Fu Hua and Durandal defeated the weakened Thousand-Man Herrscher, and Durandal killed its final puppet.
• The Theater of Domination dissipated, and the Herrscher of the Void tried to escape and recover Honkai energy.
• Bishop Otto restrained the Herrscher of the Void, injected her with a treatment that put her to sleep, and Kiana awoke and punched him.

Kiana confronted Otto after he helped defeat the Herrscher of the Void, and he revealed that his plan was to resurrect Kallen by exploiting the Imaginary Law and historical correction. Otto vanished after explaining that his consciousness would converge with his past self, leaving Kiana uncertain whether he would survive.

• Kiana questioned Otto about the Thousand-Man Herrscher and the deaths caused by his arrangement with Kevin, and Otto defended his choices while admitting he had pursued his own goal.
• Otto revealed that he had planted a Fenghuang Down feather in Kevin's consciousness so it could carry his memories toward the past and help correct the mistake from five hundred years earlier.
• Otto explained that the Imaginary Law could create new worldlines but could not change existing history, then described his plan to use Convergence and historical correction to make Kallen take his place as Schicksal's Archbishop.
• Kiana worried that Kallen's rule would alter history, but Otto said time's corrective force would prevent major changes and admitted he could not predict whether he would be erased or survive another way.
• Otto turned into light and vanished, and Kiana left the disappearing Theater of Domination.

Kiana returned to St. Freya Academy, where Su used a Special Invitation Card to send Kevin into Death Space and reveal Otto’s plan to bring Kallen back. Otto’s consciousness converged across five hundred years and headed toward the Imaginary Tree, determined to pay for Kallen’s resurrection with his own existence.

• Fu Hua told Theresa and the others that Kiana had helped defeat the Thousand-Man Herrscher, then confirmed that Kevin had died.
• Kiana returned to St. Freya Academy, and Su used the opened second pouch’s Special Invitation Card to trigger Kevin’s entry into Death Space.
• Kiana warned everyone that Otto planned to converge the timeline and replace Kallen’s death with his own history, while Otto’s consciousness separated from Kevin’s.
• Otto endured the convergence of five hundred years of experiences, preserving his single obsession to bring Kallen back to life.
• Otto approached the Imaginary Tree, believing his convergence would create a gap in history that could allow Kallen’s resurrection, and thought of Theresa and Durandal as his body began to break down.

Kevin returned to Death Space after abandoning the Stigmata Project, while the others discussed his choice and the project’s uncertain future. Einstein explained that Otto’s worldline correction was changing history, and Kallen awakened as Schicksal’s Archbishop with conflicting memories.

• Kevin entered Death Space and reunited with the Flame-Chasers, announcing that the Stigmata Project had failed and that he had returned.
• Pardofelis welcomed Kevin with a cake, while Fu Hua explained why she had to remain in the past.
• Gray Serpent said he would seek new possibilities for the Stigmata Project in the Sea of Quanta, and Mobius questioned his understanding of Otto’s miracle.
• Einstein explained that Otto’s convergence caused temporal correction, and Amber realized that everyone now believed Kallen was Schicksal’s Archbishop.
• Amber found Kallen asleep in Otto’s office, and Kallen awoke with conflicting memories of being executed and serving as Archbishop.

Kallen learned that Otto had traded his life to save her and accepted the role of Schicksal’s bishop, agreeing to reunite with Anti-Entropy. The story then shifted to the Previous Era, where Mei and Elysia investigated a newly born Herrscher whose power resembled the Herrscher of Ice but appeared to involve multiple cores.

• Einstein and Amber explained that Otto had used the Imaginary mechanism to exchange his life for Kallen’s existence, and Kallen resolved to care for Theresa and carry out Otto’s work.
• Kallen agreed to lead Schicksal’s fight against Honkai, while Amber took charge of the organization’s relief and reconstruction efforts.
• Kallen proposed Anti-Entropy’s return to Schicksal, and Welt agreed to restore it as the North American Branch under Anti-Entropy’s internal control.
• Vill-V warned that a new, unusually dangerous Herrscher had been born, and Elysia volunteered to face her.
• Mei told Elysia that the new Herrscher’s energy was still rising, resembled the Herrscher of Ice’s, and might come from more than one Herrscher Core.

Elysia confronted a powerful Herrscher gathering Honkai Energy over Dusk Street, but her attacks failed to stop the being from awakening. After Elysia returned to Death Space, Kevin revealed that Otto had predicted the Herrscher could not be killed by another Herrscher, explaining why she had been unable to defeat it.

• Elysia visited Dusk Street, sent the stray cats away with dried fish, and raised a barrier around the area as Honkai Energy gathered overhead.
• Elysia attacked the Herrscher inside the black hole, but it absorbed more Honkai Energy and retaliated with ice.
• Elysia transformed into the Herrscher of Origin and unleashed increasingly powerful attacks, yet the Herrscher remained unharmed and continued approaching awakening.
• After twenty-three hours without word from Elysia, Pardofelis worried while Eden, Mei, Bronya, and the others discussed what might have happened.
• Kevin told the Flame-Chasers that Otto had predicted the Herrscher could not be killed by a Herrscher, and Elysia returned to Death Space when her time ran out.
• Elysia complained that Kevin should have warned her sooner, and Kevin reminded her that he had offered to handle the Herrscher.

Kevin subdued the Herrscher without killing her, while Schicksal’s new Bishop Kallen struggled to manage the organization and sought Einstein’s help understanding Otto’s research. Otto watched from a higher-dimensional realm, unable to affect reality, and chose to leave the future to Kallen and the others.

• Kevin used the Life Coin, overwhelmed the Herrscher, and helped Fire Moth place her in a hibernation pod for treatment.
• Kallen struggled with leading Schicksal as its new bishop, while Einstein and others noticed memories blurring as the worldline corrected itself.
• Kiana realized Cecilia was alive and rushed to Schicksal Headquarters to reunite her mother with Siegfried.
• Kallen asked Einstein whether Otto could return to life, then offered to take her to Otto’s secret base to study his Imaginary research.
• Otto observed events from a higher-dimensional realm and decided not to interfere with the future he had prepared for Kallen and the others.