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"Divine Essence isn't just about reaching the pinnacle of skill; it also requires an immaculate state of mind, profound and unfathomable. The slightest flaw could lead to your own will collapsing before you even harm your enemy. I don't doubt your martial prowess, Kiana, but is your heart truly prepared?"
"Well... let's give it a try first! I think everything will be fine!" Kiana flashed a confident grin, revealing her healthy, pearly whites.
Fu Hua gazed at her, eyes that had traversed millennia—even with fragmented memories, they still held the wisdom to perceive the depths of one's soul.
Kiana's cheerful smile gradually faded, replaced by a softer emotion, both serene yet deeply heartfelt. As she looked at Fu Hua, it seemed as though she were peering through her, seeing someone else beyond.
"Fu Hua-sensei, does this count as introspection?"
"Yes, before you officially attempt this technique, I want to understand your current mindset. Most importantly, whether you truly comprehend your own heart. Kiana, I know for quite some time now, there has been an unshakable confusion within you. Why do you feel lost?"
"Why do you ask...?"
Kiana tilted her head back to gaze at the drifting clouds against the blue sky, lost in thought for a moment before slowly replying,
"Because I didn't know who I was."
"I see. And now, do you know?"
"Well, how should I put this? Even though it's only been twelve or thirteen years since I truly arrived in this world, my identity has changed repeatedly within that short span.
"At first, I was just a girl with no memories of her childhood, then Dad recognized me as a Kaslana, followed by Zeke calling me a troublemaker.
"After that, I became Otto's clone experiment subject, then the deeply sinful Herrscher of the Void, and now Sirin's continuation... It's all so complicated.
"Sometimes, even now, I wonder if there might be deeper secrets hidden within me—more concealed truths lurking beneath the surface. Just exactly what role am I meant to play?" Kiana murmured, lowering her head. The faint smile on her lips couldn't entirely mask her sorrow.
"Kiana..."
Fu Hua silently sighed and reached out to gently tousle Kiana's hair.
Yes, Kiana's past was so convoluted that anyone else would likely have crumbled under its weight. Yet here she stood, strong, steadfast, and courageous.
A tender affection shone in Fu Hua's smiling eyes.
Embarrassed, Kiana grinned back, her own eyes warming as if recalling something fondly.
"Don't be fooled by my carefree attitude," she said. "When I'm alone, I think deeply about many things, often making myself feel miserable.
But now, I've come to understand.
Who I am doesn't matter, nor does any other identity I might hold. In this world, there are people I love and those who love me back. Just remembering that fills me with strength."
"There's someone waiting for me—always watching over and doting on me. I love the name Kiana because when the one I love calls it out, I know he's calling my name, and that's where I belong."
Kiana lifted her head to look at Fu Hua, who had been quietly listening all this time. She took a deep breath, then slowly smiled warmly.
"Fu Hua-sensei, right now, I have no doubts whatsoever."
To be free of doubt, how wonderful—Fu Hua watched Kiana with relief, gently patting her head as she smiled.
"Then go forth. I will watch over you from here, along with many others gazing upon you from afar, awaiting your return. No matter what happens, Kiana, you'll never be alone. Go!"
As soon as these words were spoken, in the blink of an eye, Kiana emerged from Taixuan Mountain's simulated realm, standing once more within her own mental world. Looking up, she saw a colossal red sword energy enveloped in sacred flames descending slowly from the sky.
In the Theater of Domination, Sirin took a brief breath before heading in the direction where Kiana had vanished, intent on confirming her death.
Suddenly, flames and lightning illuminated half the darkened sky.
"What? She's still alive?" Sirin gritted her teeth, yet felt a sense of grim satisfaction as if her ominous premonition had finally come true. Still alive, huh? Fine then. Let's keep fighting until victory—and survival—is truly decided.
Sirin raised both hands, gathering energy before her, but paused abruptly.
"No way! This sensation feels like... What kind of move is this? It's completely different from earlier!"
[Sirin.]
Kiana's voice echoed in Sirin's mind, conveying a peculiar tranquility that momentarily stunned the enraged girl.
"What trick did you pull? Is this your trump card left by him?"
[Sirin, I understand how you feel.]
"Understand? Ha! As if someone naive and foolish like you could comprehend anything. You don't know the first thing about it!"
"No, I understand. As I gradually uncovered my own origins and believed myself to be Zeke's enemy, I too experienced profound hatred and anguish. In fact, remnants of your emotions linger within my soul. Sirin, I comprehend what you're going through."
"You..."
"Revenge will never bring liberation. Sirin, reflect on my feelings for a moment. Even if you fulfill your desire and destroy the world, would it truly free you from the Abyss?"
"I don't need your concern! Whatever tricks you're using now, I'll unleash absolute power upon you, making you taste true despair!"
"Sirin, turn back. This is my final plea. Realistically, there's no chance of success for you. And considering your own being... salvation cannot come from fully succumbing to resentment."
"Shut up!"
Seemingly losing patience to listen further, Sirin seized the opportunity while Kiana prepared her attack. She continuously shrunk the dimensions of Theater of Domination until barely maintaining her Dominion Authority, thereby extracting the maximum potential from her own power.
At the heart of raging flames and lightning, Kiana raised Bright-Dazzling Blade high with one hand, letting the sword of thunder hang naturally downward as she slowly opened her eyes.
"Sirin, the only answer that can mend a shattered heart is inscribed within the legends passed down through history—and etched upon me: it's love!"
"You... Shut up!!!" Sirin roared, transforming her unparalleled strength into a colossal torrent of chaotic hues, carrying enough destructive force to obliterate heaven and earth as it tore through space.
Kiana watched this spectacle, her hair infused with fire and lightning gently fluttering, symbolizing her power unleashed at its peak. With a sigh, she swung her blade downward.
"Void, become the Sword Divine!"