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Following the sound, a figure descended slowly from the sky as if walking down a heavenly ladder. Unlike the Queen's steps, however, her feet left no ripples behind.
Above them, a teal Archon-level Honkai Beast circled before gently landing on the iron bridge, eliciting mournful groans from its structure.
The Empress arriving from the heavens wore resplendent teal ceremonial attire, with ethereal wings adorning her back like those of a divine being. In this moment, Kiana understood how Raiden Mei must have felt then.
The only difference was that she didn't replicate Raiden Mei's desperate crawl, although Herrscher of Reason's "Duck" did manage to mimic it perfectly.
"The Herrscher of Wind... Teacher Ana..." Kiana gazed at her solemnly, trying to reconcile this imposing figure with the gentle and beautiful teacher she knew. But they simply didn't align—the transformation was too drastic.
"Oh dear, how pathetic you look, Kiana! A mere Raven has you completely stumped—how embarrassing." The Empress of Wind, descended from above, spoke leisurely, her voice laced with mockery and indifference. There was also a faint echo reminiscent of the Herrscher of the Void—a side effect of becoming a Herrscher.
Of course, since Ana's Herrscher persona doesn't exist, her current demeanor is entirely self-controlled.
As Kiana faced the Herrscher of Wind, feeling the overwhelming power far exceeding Wendy's, her heart sank deeper into despair, causing even the once-stable seal within her to waver slightly.
If not even Teacher Ana could stand against a Herrscher Core...
"Kiana, stay composed; don't let the Herrscher deceive you!" Fu Hua's stern voice echoed in Kiana's mind, jolting her out of her despondency.
"I understand, Class Monitor."
Naturally, Ana observed Kiana's reaction and let out a disappointed snort.
Hmph, seriously annoying! This Fu Hua—when she needs to be focused, she acts impulsively; yet when she shouldn't care, she suddenly becomes attentive. There's absolutely no coordination whatsoever.
If Fu Hua knew what Ana was thinking, she'd likely protest her innocence loudly. Considering Ana's performance and acting skills, even as a seasoned undercover operative, Fu Hua would have been impressed. Coordination? How could there be any coordination? She had been completely deceived.
"Teacher Ana... No, Herrscher of Wind, what exactly is your intention?" Kiana called out, her face filled with caution and vigilance.
"Intention?" Ana repeated softly, eyes shifting thoughtfully. "Let me think... Ahh... Naturally, it's to bestow upon you a gift, hehehe—"
"A gift?"
For some reason, Kiana felt a sudden sense of foreboding and took several steps back. She was certain that this Fourth Herrscher harbored ill intent.
Yet at that moment, she found herself completely vulnerable, with no means to counteract it.
She couldn't act recklessly; overusing the Authorities of the Herrscher of the Void would only hasten the Queen's awakening, leading to no favorable outcome.
All she could do was brace herself and see what this damn Herrscher disguised as Teacher Ana had planned.
"Oh, don't be so resistant! Lighten up—I've prepared a grand gift just for you." With a gleeful smile, Ana casually tossed something to Kiana.
As soon as Kiana saw what landed in her hand, her pupils contracted sharply, and the calmness she'd managed to maintain shattered into turmoil.
"Kiana... You..."
Fu Hua materialized beside Kiana, ready to reprimand her. But upon seeing what she held, Fu Hua fell silent.
"Himeko... Major..."
In Kiana's hand lay a fragment from the Red Knight armor, stained with blood that had turned the piece of armor a dark crimson.
Kiana was speechless; in a sense, it was her actions that led to Teacher Himeko's demise.
Fu Hua remained equally quiet. It was truly her own fault for sending Himeko down this irreversible path. She should have donned the Red Knight herself and confronted the Herrscher directly. After all, she had already made such sacrifices countless times before.
"So, do you like your gift?" Ana taunted, observing Kiana's somber expression.
The fragments of the Red Knight's armor were still within her fluid barrier. When she encountered Jackal earlier, she had retrieved them. Since his research on them was complete, they no longer held any value for him—perfect keepsakes for Ana.
Though lacking the Fallen God Sword, these Red Knight shards achieved the desired effect nonetheless.
"Where did you get this?" Kiana lifted her head, gazing at Ana with eyes ablaze.
"Heh heh heh, I believe you know the answer quite well," Ana chuckled lightly. "Murata Himeko is dead—you killed her with your own hands. Have you forgotten?"
In Nagazora City, near a bonfire, the red-haired woman suddenly sneezed. Immediately, a well-behaved little girl approached and handed her a blanket.
"Teacher Himeko, don't catch a cold."
"Hahaha, thank you, Little Sora. Don't worry; I'm quite healthy." With that, the woman took a hearty swig from her flask. "Must be someone talking about me—nothing to fret over!"
"Teacher, does getting mentioned by others really make you sneeze?"
"Mm-hmm, usually it does, unless you're actually sick." As she spoke, the woman affectionately patted the little girl's head with her free hand, then fell silent.
"But how could..." Kiana's expression turned somber.
Teacher Himeko represented an insurmountable hurdle in her heart—a person she had genuinely and directly hurt, leaving an indelible memory.
Honestly, before witnessing those Fragments, Kiana still clung to a sliver of hope. But now that she'd seen them for herself, any optimism vanished completely.
In such circumstances, perhaps only Teacher Ana stood a chance to save Teacher Himeko.
However, Ana's consciousness was overtaken by Honkai, transforming her into the Herrscher of Wind. Although Herrschers were despicable, their arrogance prevented them from lying—much like the Queen herself, who merely preferred evading potential vulnerabilities.
"Kiana, stay calm! You must not awaken the Herrscher of the Void's consciousness; otherwise, Teacher Himeko's sacrifice would be meaningless." Fu Hua's stern voice once again snapped Kiana out of her disoriented state.
Naturally, all this did not escape Ana's observation, but she simply smiled.
Fu Hua, you may have helped Kiana once, and even twice, but can you protect her forever? There are certain truths she must face eventually. Prolonging the pain serves no purpose; it's best not to waste your efforts.
In reality, each time Fu Hua intervened, she paid a significant price herself. Moreover, as Kiana's emotions fluctuated, her ability to assist dwindled.
"Very well then, I shall deliver the final blow," Ana murmured softly.
She didn't mind if Kiana would resent her for this; once everything settled down, Kiana would understand. As a hero, leader, and teacher, it was Ana's duty to act accordingly.
"Oh dear, is that all you've got, Kiana?"
"I still have another gift up my sleeve, heh heh—"
As Ana laughed, Kiana felt her heart wrench painfully, causing her body to tremble. She sensed that what the Herrscher of Wind planned next would surpass anything she could imagine.
At this moment, Kiana desperately resisted. She wanted to run away, escape, find a place where no one could reach her—but alas, none of those options were possible.
With Ana's fluid barrier firmly in place, even using Kiana's Authorities couldn't open Virtual Space, nor could she enter it if she managed to create it.
Surrounded by Ideal Fluid, Kiana's current state felt akin to being swallowed by a slime-like entity, yet she remained completely oblivious.
This showcased Ana's mastery and awakening level of her Authorities, far surpassing that of the Herrscher of the Void—such is the power of the Transcendent Queen.
Soon, Ana produced a dim silver greatsword, devoid of the once all-consuming flames it used to possess.
In the original storyline, this greatsword was intended as a gift from Gray Serpent to Kevin. However, due to Ana's preemptive intervention, the sword now rested in her hands. It wasn't that she couldn't wield or ignite its flames; rather, doing so would serve no purpose.
What could better provoke the emotions of our adorable Kia-chan than the somber hue of this blade? This was truly the ultimate trump card.
"That's..." Seeing the dull greatsword held by the Herrscher of Wind, Kiana's pupils contracted, her body trembled, and disbelief filled her face.
It was the Cleaver of Shamash, the Judgment of Heaven's Fire. This sword belonged to her idiot father—so why did it appear in the hands of their enemy? Could this mean...
"What have you done with that stinky old man?" Kiana blurted out, barely able to control her emotions.
This move was even more devastating than the Red Knight Fragment earlier.
While Kiana felt guilty and pained over Teacher Himeko, those events were now in the past, aided by Fu Hua's guidance. However, Siegfried, her foolish dad, held a completely different place in her heart.
She still remembered the reason she joined Saint Freya Academy: to find her idiotic father.
Although subsequent twists and turns had led her far from her original intent, it didn't mean she could forget about him!
"What happened... Well, what do you think?" Ana asked with a grin, gesturing a throat-slitting motion, her face bearing a cruel smile. "That man was truly stubborn; no matter how long I pleaded, he refused to surrender it. So, I had no choice but to..."
Ana didn't finish her sentence, but the implication was clear.
On a highway in the western United States, a jeep sped along with two men inside. Suddenly, one of them—a silver-haired man—sneezed.
"Does someone like Siegfried ever catch colds?" joked the driver beside him.
"Hahaha, usually not."
Without a doubt, these two were Siegfried and Raiden Ryoma, who had evacuated from the Entropy Headquarters.
Following Ana's advice, they left through secret tunnels just before the World Serpent attacked, without even taking many researchers with them. As Ana explained, the base had long been infiltrated; it was unclear which scientists could be trusted.
Thanks to this decision, both managed to escape unscathed, avoiding confrontation with the World Serpent altogether. Now, they planned to head for another Anti-Entropy base established by their former leader, Planck—an undoubtedly safe destination.
"Siegfried, you truly have quite a remarkable child."
"And neither is yours too shabby, Mr. Ryoma."
"Ha ha ha ha!"
Their hearty laughter echoed on the western highway. Perhaps this time, Siegfried might indeed evade calamity...
"You..." Kiana glared at Ana, her heart seething with rage. Compared to this betrayal, all previous incidents seemed insignificant.
"I'll avenge my dad!"
With those words, Kiana unleashed her pent-up fury, directing the Aether Spear towards Ana. Though her condition was no longer ideal for using such power, anger consumed her mind.
However, Kiana's attack appeared as childish and laughable as a toddler's game.
Nonchalantly raising her hand, Ana halted the incoming Aether Spear mid-air. Then, under her control, she sent it back towards Kiana.
The Herrscher of the Void is indeed formidable, but that strength relies heavily on accessing Virtual Space.
While Kiana could currently utilize Virtual Space, every potential location for Imaginary Nodes was covered by Ana's fluid barrier. Anything emerging from Virtual Space would instantly be coated with Ideal Fluid upon surfacing.
Though Ana couldn't directly control the Aether Spear itself, she had mastery over the Ideal Fluid enveloping it, achieving a similar effect ultimately.
Furthermore, Ana's control over the Aether Spear now surpassed even Kiana, its creator, unless Kiana could somehow break free from her Ideal Fluid.
But that was entirely impossible—perhaps achievable only within the vastness of the universe.
"Is this all you've got, Herrscher of the Void, the invincible one?" Floating mid-air, Ana taunted Kiana, mocking her powerlessness and provoking her nerves. Yes, she aimed to push Kiana to detonate.
"Yaaaah!" In response to Ana's ridicule, Kiana grew increasingly agitated, launching herself at her adversary.
"Kiana, stay calm; don't let hatred cloud your judgment," Fu Hua persistently advised within Kiana's consciousness, but it seemed futile.
"Do you know, Class Monitor? The reason I became a Valkyrie was to find my dad and ask him face-to-face why he left me. And now, after finally getting some leads, it turns out..." Kiana's eyes reddened, tears stained with blood streaming down her cheeks. Fu Hua remained silent, as the situation had spiraled completely out of control. Perhaps her only option was to take the Herrscher of the Void down with her.