Chapter 269: All Sides
"Blahblahblah…"
Once again mentally exhausted, Kiana slumped over the desk, mumbling incoherently.
Soon, a gentle voice filled with warmth reached her ears.
"Kiana, give me your hand."
Kiana lazily turned her head, resting her chin on the table as she dazedly looked at Fu Hua. Slowly, she stretched out her hand.
A golden feather floated down, landing in her palm.
"What's this?"
She asked blankly.
Fu Hua raised her hand and gently ruffled Kiana's hair with a soft smile.
"This is a form of insurance… and also an experiment of mine."
"…Teacher Fu Hua, I suggest you stop speaking in riddles."
"Hm?"
"Oh, right, I forgot you're not familiar with internet slang. In short, don't be cryptic. What exactly is inside this feather?"
Kiana questioned while instinctively merging the feather into her palm, showing no sign of hesitation or caution.
Watching this, a hint of amusement flashed in Fu Hua's eyes as she explained,
"It's a medium for a consciousness projection. It allows my Yang Spirit to leave my body and enter yours. If I sense that your life is in danger, I can use this to bypass spatial limitations and descend upon you, assisting you in unleashing the Edge of Taixuan… At the same time, I want to observe how the technique manifests when used through you compared to when I use it myself. Perhaps this will offer me some insights to refine my own skills."
"I see. Teacher Fu Hua, I feel like your style is getting more and more out of place in this world. We're dealing with technology and Honkai energy, but you're basically cultivating like an immortal."
Kiana deadpanned, offering a dry remark. Yet, she seemed unbothered by the idea of Fu Hua potentially taking control of her body at any time.
Fu Hua picked up her teacup and pondered for a moment before replying,
"Actually, Sigurd said something similar. Is it really that strange?"
Kiana's eyes lit up—that meant she and Sigurd were thinking alike! Excitedly, she corrected,
"It's not strange—it's amazing! Absolutely not weird at all! No matter what, Teacher Fu Hua is incredible. With you around, I always feel safe."
"…Thank you."
Fu Hua smiled gently, signaling the end of their training for the day.
Once Kiana sluggishly dragged herself away, Fu Hua placed a hand over her chest. Her smile gradually faded.
"A sense of security… Someone like me, who failed to protect anything… Kiana, thank you."
She murmured, only to see the floating Book of Fuxi lazily drifting back from its walk. With that, she hid away her momentary hesitation and regained her usual composed expression.
. . . .
Beyond the world, in the Imaginary Space that theoretically should not exist but was manifested by Honkai energy, a pair of golden eyes slowly opened within the depths of a grand and imposing temple.
"The world order is shifting. Humanity's internal conflicts have escalated to the extreme. The main force of Anti-Entropy is finally making a move. The remaining variables are Schicksal and that monster who ventured into the Sea Of Quanta. If nothing changes, that monster will arrogantly stick to its original plan, choosing to observe from the sidelines. As for Schicksal… Hah, when has Otto Apocalypse ever gone against his own will?"
"The battlefield belongs to me!"
Declaring herself as the true heir to all of Sirin's memories, hatred, and power, the Herrscher of the Void released a torrent of Honkai energy with her icy voice, shaking the entire Theater of Domination.
"Your Majesty!"
Led by the Host, several puppets kneeled before her on one knee.
"The time is near. When the moment comes, 20% will stay behind as my and Bella's rebirth medium. Another 20% will withdraw from the battlefield to continue spreading chaos outside, tying down Anti-Entropy's main forces while expanding our numbers to replenish lost mediums. The rest of our forces will split into two groups—one will command the Honkai Beasts and Honkai Zombies for a frontal assault. The other will lurk in the battlefield, waiting for the perfect moment to pull my targets into the Theater of Domination. They may be wary of my spatial abilities, but they won't necessarily be able to guard against you."
"The war is about to begin!"
At her command, the puppet soldiers bowed their heads in unison, acknowledging their orders.
Meanwhile, deep within the dark palace, a massive dragon head slowly emerged, its ice-cold pure blue eyes flickering open. With a low growl, its colossal wings spread, blanketing the sky with their overwhelming presence.
"ROAR—"
A frigid storm erupted. The world seemed to freeze under the might of the dragon's cry.
. . . .
"The time is drawing near. I've confirmed with the leader—over the next two days, he will begin deploying his main forces to suppress the rebellion. He himself may personally step in to oversee the chaos. In other words, the enemy's offensive will likely happen within the next few days."
In the meeting room of the Anti-Entropy headquarters, Bronya opened the discussion with a heavy topic.
However, everyone was already prepared.
Wendy slammed her hand on the table and declared,
"I've fully adapted to the new black armor. Even if I've temporarily lost my Herrscher powers, I'm still the strongest Valkyrie prodigy! If it comes down to a fight, I'm not afraid of Herrschers!"
Her expression was grim, her eyes filled with killing intent.
Losing in the Theater of Domination had been a suffocating defeat for Wendy. It wasn't due to poor control of her abilities, tactical mistakes, or any other subjective factor—it was simply because the Theater of Domination was entirely the Herrscher of the Void's domain. Fighting there… the loss hadn't even been her fault.
Because of this, Wendy was eager to have a rematch in the real world. But she also understood that Sirin, who now wielded the power of five Herrschers, was not an opponent she could take on alone.
Most likely, she would only be able to play a supporting role in this battle, without the chance to reclaim her dignity.
Sensing this, Kiana patted Wendy's shoulder with a smile.
"Relax, there's no shame in it."
"…A loss is a loss. There's nothing to argue about. I just wanted to figure out how to counter her spatial abilities. I don't really care about shame."
"Yes, yes, our Wendy is as strong as ever. Nothing can bring her down."
"W-Wait! Don't just suddenly hug me!"
Before Wendy could react, Kiana had already pulled her into a gentle embrace, softly ruffling her hair like an older sister comforting her younger sibling.
Kiana continued to smile, and after a brief moment, Wendy's tense expression softened. She pouted slightly and leaned into Kiana's arms.
"…Fine, do as you like."
Kiana then turned to the rest of the group and spoke firmly,
"Alright, I think we're all well-prepared. This time, our goal is victory. It will be tough, but please, make sure to stay safe… You all know that if anything happens to you, I'd feel guilty."
She scanned the room, her words accompanied by a smile, but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes.
Seele: "Big Sister Kiana, I understand. This isn't your fault, so please don't be sad. Let's give it our all together."
Raiden Mei: "Kiana, Seele is right. We will always believe in you."
Ana: "Um, I don't mean to be the odd one out, but I lost my powers when testing the Herrscher of a Thousand People. It actually has nothing to do with the Herrscher of the Void… I haven't even fought her."
Sin Mal: "Honestly, getting the chance to beat up that stupid fish—well, not a real one, but still—makes me pretty happy."
"Sin Mal!!!" ×N
A wave of disapproving looks swept through the group, and Sin Mal pouted.
"…Fine, I won't say it."
"Pfft!"
Kiana couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Seeing that none of you seem too scared, I feel relieved… But Mei, this time, I might need you to endure something difficult."
"Kiana, what are you saying? You know that if it's for you, I wouldn't care about something so trivial."
"Good! Then let's prepare ourselves and face the challenge head-on!"
Everyone nodded in unison.
. . . .
On the Outskirts
Fu Hua handed a cup of tea to Durandal.
"Thank you, Senior."
"No need to be so formal. I was once a Valkyrie as well—we're comrades. What do you think about this upcoming battle?"
"It'll be difficult, but they're all incredibly strong. Miracles… are something that people can create."
"Well said."
Fu Hua—an absolute tea enthusiast—let out a long sigh.
Miracles… Hadn't they created enough in her era? And yet, the final outcome still lay before them.
If this era was to survive, even greater miracles would be needed.
Which meant she had to continue honing herself—because even a moment of complacency could become a seed of despair in the future.
And Fu Hua would never allow that to happen!
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