The girl dreamed a long, false dream—one she desperately wished wouldn't end. In this dream, she rescued her mother, defeated the Second Herrscher, and the Honkai vanished from the world. Everything was so beautiful... until this dream-within-a-dream shattered.
It's time to wake up, Kiana.
Fu Hua, clad in her battlesuit, instantly subdued Kiana. Watching from the sidelines, Benares cried out in protest at Fu Hua's unfair tactics, only to be instantly suppressed by Old Ancestor Kevin with a single hand.
-
In the Schicksal Floating Island Overseer's private laboratory—it was still the same cultivation pod, still the same girl, but with one crucial difference: the girl had grown into a young woman.
"Heh, welcome home, K-423," the blond-haired man said, gazing at the girl in the pod. His words seemed to carry both genuine welcome and an inexplicable mockery.
-
I can't feel my body, yet I can see everything around me. I can hear "her" inner thoughts, her restless presence in the distance—it seems to be a horde of Honkai Beasts...
"Return to my side... my kindred," the queen with golden eyes commanded.
...So the "me" has awakened once again.
Through the girl's senses, the Honkai Beast horde from the Siberian Snowfield in the north was rapidly advancing toward her location. Fortunately, the other self's orders seemed to prioritize reaching her quickly rather than causing widespread destruction along the way.
Throughout their journey, the Honkai Beasts only caused chaos among the local residents, with no casualties reported.
...I've lost control of my body? Wait! It's "her"!... What does she want?! No! I must regain control!
The girl's consciousness struggled fiercely, but it was futile. Nourished by vast amounts of Honkai energy, the Second Herrscher Consciousness maintained absolute control over the body, its grip unwavering.
Why? Why can't I take it back...? No! Don't you dare hurt Mei!
As if responding to the girl's mental scream, she momentarily regained control. The golden light receded from her eyes, allowing the blue self to reassert itself—but only for a fleeting moment.
Raiden Mei, who had been choked, was released by "Kiana." She stared, bewildered, at the girl clutching her head and writhing in apparent agony.
"Kiana?!"
Raiden Mei's face was etched with concern. But her expression froze as the girl suddenly stopped struggling and let out an eerie, mirthless laugh.
Black particles swirled around the white-haired girl, coalescing into a sphere. Then, a bolt of dark purple lightning erupted, tearing open a gateway to imaginary space.
-
In the footage, massive Titan Mecha strode past Raiden Mei, charging toward the swarms of Honkai Beasts pouring through the wormhole. The Honkai constructs and humanity's Steel clashed once more on the smoke-filled battlefield, while Benares, a Judgment-class Honkai Beast, roared overhead above Schicksal's Floating Island.
-
"Yay!" In the white void, the Silly Dragon Benares cheered wildly at the sight of her queen dominating the battlefield and her own dramatic entrance. Kevin, veins bulging on his forehead, promptly subdued her with one hand.
"I'm starting to doubt whether bringing this Silly Dragon here was a good idea... Did she get too excited after waking up?"
Snow stared at the blue-gray Dragon Girl, who was dangling like a chick in Kevin's one-handed grip, her face radiating a "what a fucking idiot" expression.
"Maybe we should just kick her from the group chat..."
Su nodded thoughtfully, glancing at Bella, whom he was also holding.
"Waaah—!"
Hearing the threat of being kicked from the group chat, Benares immediately began thrashing wildly in Kevin's grip, her strength nearly causing him to lose his hold.
"Come on, Bella, let me introduce you to everyone here..."
The blonde girl shook her head and pointed to the white-haired youth squeezing Bella like a chick.
"This one squeezing you like a chick is Kevin Kaslana, a MANTIS from the previous era. Siegfried, who nearly split you in half with Shamash back then, is his descendant."
"Oh, and the Judgement of Shamash is just a trinket to him. If this Old Ancestor gets angry, he could flatten you with a few punches..."
"This is Su, another MANTIS from the previous era. While this Predecessor isn't much of a direct combatant, Mr. Su and Mr. Kevin are old friends. Hmm? You get my meaning, right?"
Benares nodded frantically, her entire body suddenly surging with the will to survive. She then cast a curious glance at Little Sirin, who was hiding behind the others.
"That's Sirin—obviously from another universe, or rather, the Second Herrscher from another world. She's just a little girl now. By the way, she doesn't know you. If you try anything weird with her..."
"Hmph~ Hmph—"
Snow shot Benares a sinister glance. The Dragon Girl was already nodding so vigorously her head bobbed like she was grinding garlic.
"So, have you understood now?"
"Understood! Lady, I've understood!"
"Then stop jumping up and getting carried away the moment you see something! Think about whose side you're really on!"
The golden-haired girl glared irritably at the Dragon Girl before her.
"Uh... the middle?" Bella scratched her head, uttering a conclusion that sent the blood pressure of everyone present skyrocketing.
"The middle, huh?" Kevin's fists clenched again.
"Uh? Is there a problem?"
Benares's slow-processing mind hadn't yet grasped the gravity of the situation. She looked at Kevin, who was gripping her, with a confused expression.
"No problem at all. It's just that you're about to get a beating, girl."
Su smiled sweetly at the Dragon Girl, who was now dangling by her leg, being swung back and forth by Kevin like a rag doll.
"The middle, huh?!"
"Augh! Lord, please stop hitting me!"
"Standing in the middle, are you?!"
"Stop swinging me, waaaah! This dragon's gonna lose her mind—! Augh!"
The scene unfolded like Hulk smashing Loki in the movies, playing out in the stark white space. Even Little Sirin, who had been hiding far away from Bella, now watched the Dragon Girl being tossed around like a punching bag with a hint of concern.
"Speak! Whose side are you on?!" Kevin demanded relentlessly, glaring down at Benares, who lay whimpering on the ground, unable to stand.
"...The... ugh!"
"Wuwuwu... No matter the cost, we will defeat the Honkai—!"
The Dragon Girl, originally a Honkai construct, now delivered this terrifyingly absurd declaration.
"This dragon should return to normal once her excitement wears off... She was supposed to be a butler, yet she's become a comedian..." Snow mused, watching the Dragon Girl confess under duress.