"Crack! Crack! Crack!"
The freezing temperature spread, turning the ground to ice.
Coldness extended along the threads bound to Ana, unable to shatter these enigmatic filaments but restoring her mobility instead.
With a wave of her hand, massive icicles resembling mountains formed in mid-air.
'At least, before losing control completely, I must assess their capabilities and limits!'
Gritting her teeth, Ana strained to maintain clarity of mind as she propelled the mountainous icicles downward, targeting the densely populated spectator area filled with dolls.
"Captain... It hurts so much..."
"Captain..."
"Sis Ana... Save me..."
"Captain Ana..."
"Ana..."
"You...will you kill us again?" × N
One by one, familiar figures drenched in blood appeared in front of Ana's assault.
Their synchronized cries and questions caused Ana to tremble, halting her attack. These words ripped open the mental wounds she had barely managed to suppress—wounds so agonizing that Ana wished for death.
"No... No..."
"Oh? What's wrong with you? It's just a minor illusion; someone should've warned you about this before coming here! Come on, keep pushing—you're Ana Schariac, after all. How could a mere illusion hold you back? Go ahead, crush them and fulfill your duty!"
A doll appeared next to Ana, grasping her trembling wrist and slowly pressing it downward.
Simultaneously, the colossal icicle she had barely managed to halt began inching forward again.
"Captain... Don't!" × N
"What are you afraid of? It's just an illusion—let's continue!"
"Captain... Captain..." × N
"Push on! Keep going!"
As they assaulted Ana's psychological vulnerabilities with illusions while simultaneously forcing her hand to break through them, the Herrscher of a Thousand People showcased their chilling understanding of human hearts and their sheer madness.
Another doll materialized beside Ana, followed by a third and fourth. Together, they gripped her wrists, wearing nearly identical malicious grins, driving the icicle relentlessly forward.
Finally, those illusions shattered.
"No..." Ana's eyes widened with terror, even her pupils trembling.
In the next moment, unlike the illusory figures that would simply vanish, these familiar shapes twisted under the icicle's onslaught, screaming and spraying blood.
"It hurts! It hurts!"
"Captain...why?! Captain!"
"Sis Ana, it hurts...so much pain..."
"Stop, Captain...Cap...aaagh!!"
Ultimately, what Ana witnessed was a nauseating blur of torn flesh. Fragments of recognizable Valkyrie Armor lay scattered around the edge of the ice shard, seemingly confirming the identities of those whose bodies were now mangled.
"Oh dear! Seems like we made a mistake!"
"Hmm, seems one careless doppelgänger gathered their souls here for resurrection... Oopsie! We forgot about that!"
Dazed, Ana turned to look at one of the dolls and numbly asked, "What... are you talking about?"
"In other words, those you just crushed... were your true teammates, painstakingly revived!"
"Ha ha ha ha!"
"Surprised? Unexpected, isn't it?"
"Aiyoh, how pitiful! If it were me, I couldn't bear it!"
One by one, dolls emerged around her, taunting with cold mockery.
Ana's pupils gradually dilated, as the icy blue symbolizing Herrscher power finally filled her eyes completely.
"You... are... lying!" Ana growled fiercely. The temperature plummeted, freezing several nearby dolls into ice sculptures instantly. Then, countless tiny icicles formed in the air, descending like a torrential rain, impaling all the dolls onto the ground.
In the next moment, the slain dolls transformed, taking on faces unmistakably familiar to Ana. Covered in blood, their expressions filled with pain and resentment, they collectively stared at her.
"Captain, you've killed me again."
"Captain, have you forgotten? We celebrated birthdays together last time..."
"Sis Ana, it hurts so much, truly unbearable... Come keep me company!"
"Lady Ana..."
"Captain..."
Their voices spoke different words, filled with boundless anguish and hatred.
Then, Ana completely lost consciousness.
"Shk!"
In that instant when Ana was immobilized, a slender hand pierced through her abdomen from behind.
"Tch! Herrscher of Ice, Ana Schariac, is this all you've got?"
"Don't waste time! Thankfully, this one's Herrscher Persona hasn't fully formed yet; the Herrscher power is still entirely tied to her original personality. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy."
"Focusing on her first was indeed correct—it turned out much simpler than anticipated... Power! I can feel the power! This is the true might of a Herrscher!"
"Swish!"
An invisible blade effortlessly sliced through several dolls, dismembering them into scattered pieces.
A half-severed head lying on the ground stared deeply at the black hole appearing in the sky. Only after several seconds did its eyes completely lose their color.
"Hang in there, Ana!"
Emerging from the black hole, a striking figure clad in black armor swiftly reached Ana's side. Holding her bleeding body tenderly, they quickly administered a pill to her.
"Unconscious already? Understandable, I suppose... No one could withstand such horror... Herrscher of a Thousand People, you truly deserve to die!"
"Hey there, isn't that our mighty Herrscher of the Void? How's it going? Shall we continue with our Siberian Major Honkai Eruption and turn this world into a true hell?"
At Kiana's feet, an intact head let out a shrill laughter.
Kiana took a deep breath, holding onto Ana protectively. With a swift kick, she crushed the laughing head beneath her foot.
In the next moment, Wendy, Raiden Mei, and Seele emerged from the black hole, forming a protective circle around her.
Simultaneously, in the Colosseum's spectator stands, numerous dolls leaped down as snowflakes began falling from the sky, rapidly chilling the air until it felt almost frozen.
"See, see, just like I said—it was definitely a trap! There's no way a five-hundred-year-old monster like Hera would be so easily defeated!"
"It doesn't matter; our goal has been achieved anyway!"
"Now, let's give our esteemed guests a warm welcome!"
"Since they're here, why not make them part of us?"
"Showtime!"
The dolls' bodies began to morph, transforming into various weapons. Icicles and blades also coalesced midair, poised for attack.
Wendy surveyed her surroundings briefly before stepping forward, swirling streams of translucent fluid around her hands.
"Seele, use the Power of Creation to heal Ana, then escort her away. Kiana, maintain the spatial corridor until Seele and Ana return. Raiden Mei, I'll lead the assault; you take charge of supporting maneuvers... They've mastered the Ice Law faster than we anticipated, and they have home-field advantage. This will be a tough battle."
"Yes, Seele understands the mission!"
"I got it! Playing with space manipulation, huh? As half-decent as I am, attempting that trick before Herrscher of the Void is just laughable! Leave it to me—I'll ensure Seele's safe extraction!"
"Hokushin Ittō-ryū, Raiden Mei, ready to engage!"
Gorgeous, flowing skirts representing Herrscher power appeared on Wendy and Seele.
Kiana's black armor glowed faintly, signaling the release of power limitations.
Raiden Mei drew her blade, electricity flickering in her eyes.
"Ha ha ha! Let's battle! The strong dominate, while the weak submit—it's the truth of this world! We shall become true rulers!"
The Herrscher of a Thousand People and her thousand puppets charged forward with manic laughter.
And so, war erupted.