BAM!
This was the umpteenth time Kiana had been sent flying—yet she still stubbornly rose to face Senti.
"Why won't you just stay down? Or admit I'm Fu Hua?!"
"No one replaces the Class Monitor. Not even you."
"Fine! Then take this—if you fail, you die!"
Hovering mid-air, Senti gathered Honkai energy into the gem on her forehead—
Forming a black-red sun of concentrated destruction.
The sheer power made Kiana's breath hitch.
Desperate, she tapped into the Herrscher of Void's power—
But her Subspace Lances were like toothpicks against a supernova.
"Pathetic. Ready to perish?"
Just as despair set in—
A crimson feather flashed past.
"Kiana. Remember what I taught you."
Fu Hua's voice echoed.
"The divine, pinnacle of change, ineffable and boundless—Taixuan Imaginary: Edge of Taixuan!"
Kiana's Honkai energy coalesced into a golden greatsword—
Streaking toward Senti like a meteor.
"HEY! Old fossil, why go ALL OUT?!"
"My apologies. I assumed you would too."
Fu Hua's awkward realization: Senti's "black sun" was half-hearted.
"Damn you! I'll remember this!"
Now forced to retaliate, Senti unleashed her full power.
"That fossil's a FAILURE! Why can't you accept ME?!"
"The Class Monitor is NOT a failure!"
Two titanic forces collided—
The shockwave shattered the illusionary realm.
But as the age-old rule goes: Left-side always loses the beam struggle.
Senti's attack disintegrated under Kiana's golden blade.
"Kiana, I'll seal this Herrscher myself. This may be... goodbye."
"There's another way! You don't have to—!"
In a white void, Kiana watched Fu Hua cradle a dark energy sphere—
Her back turned, shaking her head.
"I'm tired of betrayal. This is my duty."
With that, she vanished—
Leaving only a red-white feather drifting into Kiana's palm.
Senti disappeared too.
Kiana's hands trembled.
"Again and again... Everyone leaves. I couldn't protect anyone. Not this time!"
Channeling the Heart of the Sword, she shattered the feather's seal—
And was engulfed by Fu Hua's "memories."
"Master Jingwei, I didn't lie!"
BANG!
Otto's gunshot echoed—Fu Hua's head snapping back in the vision.
Kiana collapsed, phantom pain searing her skull.
"Betrayal after betrayal... I'm numb."
"I'd NEVER betray you! I'll protect everyone!"
Crawling forward, Kiana forced herself up—
Only to witness Cheng Lixue impaled by Sirin's spear.
"Those I care for die before me."
"I'm strong—I won't let that happen!"
The deeper she went, the more "memories" fused with her mind—
Each more heartbreaking than the last.
Unbeknownst to her, Senti was rolling on the floor laughing outside.
"HAHAHA! I can't wait till she's the Herrscher of Finality and realizes these are FAKE!"
Kiana's tearful sympathy was wasted on fabricated trauma.
(Similar events had happened—just not this dramatically.)
"Enough laughing. It's time you left. If you wish for a body, I can arrange a clone. Identical to mine."
"Pfft—no thanks! I'm off to have fun~! Call me when you need me, old fossil."
With that, Senti vanished—
Leaving Fu Hua to await one final guest.
CRACK!
The white void fractured—
And Kiana burst through.
"Kiana?! The seal will—the Herrscher will—"
"SHUT UP! If she comes back, I'll beat her AGAIN! Class Monitor, you're NOT running away this time!"
...
"Mei. You're... okay, right?"
Raven eyed the violet lightning crackling off Mei.
"I'm fine. Why would I be angry? Not at all~."
ZAP!
Uh. You're literally sparking. "Okay" my ass.
Raven wisely shut up.
Back in reality, Kiana cradled a still-unconscious Bronya.
"The Class Monitor... didn't return?"
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Footsteps.
Kiana whirled—
To see a familiar figure atop the stone steps.
Glasses glinting softly.
"Class Monitor... Welcome back."
"...Mn. This time, I won't leave. Because... I've found something worth protecting."
Fu Hua smiled—warm and genuine.