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From the beginning, Fu Hua had prepared herself for this possibility.
However, she still harbored some confusion regarding Ana's current state, as it didn't align with her understanding of the woman.
In Fu Hua's perception, Ana was always enigmatic and unpredictable. Earlier, she sensed that Ana attempted to become the Herrscher of Wind, but Fu Hua couldn't believe that Ana would genuinely succumb to the Herrscher personality so easily.
It contradicted Ana's consistent demeanor, especially considering Siegfried... She recalled their encounter in Singapore when Ana and Siegfried seemed quite amicable.
Of course, Fu Hua didn't entirely dismiss the possibility that Ana might have truly been defeated by the Herrscher persona. Assuming that premise, everything could fall into place logically. However, she wanted more time to observe; her power should be used at the most critical moment.
Having placed her faith in Kiana, she wouldn't give up easily.
As Kiana's emotions intensified further, the temporarily sealed Herrscher personality began awakening once again. The Herrscher's gaze gradually reappeared in Kiana's eyes.
Finally, the azure blue in Kiana's eyes vanished entirely, replaced by the golden irises of the Herrscher of the Void. In that moment, the Queen of the Void returned once more.
"Ha ha ha ha—"
She let out a manic laughter, as if celebrating her rebirth. Upon awakening, the Herrscher of the Void naturally sought vengeance against that woman—but oh, she was already dead.
Still, the performance must continue to its conclusion. Although Kiana's personality had nearly collapsed, the Queen intended to deliver one final blow: killing all those dear to her.
But before that—
"I remember you."
The Herrscher of the Void looked at Ana nearby and spoke indifferently. She could sense the power within Ana—the energy originally belonging to her gemstone but now transformed into a Herrscher Core.
As her own inherent force, the gemstone could be summoned effortlessly. However, reclaiming a Herrscher Core would require eliminating its bearer.
Yet gazing upon Ana's smiling face, even the Herrscher of the Void hesitated.
Her condition was far from ideal; the Gun of God had inflicted severe damage on her earlier. The Herrscher of Wind before her possessed formidable power, and engaging directly might—
Yes, the Herrscher of the Void could sense the threat Ana posed to her. This intuition between Herrschers proved even more accurate than any instrument.
The Cocoon of Finality aimed to select the being it desired, but quantity did not equate to quality—a single chosen one would suffice.
Thus, the Will of Honkai did not oppose conflicts among Herrschers involving conquest or assimilation.
However, Ana's rank now surpassed that of the Herrscher of the Void, allowing her to conceal some of her presence, which led to the Herrscher of the Void underestimating her true capabilities.
Regardless of how the Herrscher of the Void perceived Ana, Ana had no intention of letting her leave unchallenged. After all, if this adversary escaped, wouldn't all her meticulous preparations be wasted? She truly committed herself to playing the villain here.
"Since you've awakened me with half your strength, I'll provisionally acknowledge you for now!"
Despite her apparent fear, the Herrscher of the Void excelled at neither conceding nor showing weakness. She was unequivocally the Herrscher of the Void—no doubt about it. The Empress of Wind? Ha! Merely a pretender who stole someone else's Authority to become a Herrscher; hardly worthy of comparison.
"Receiving recognition from the Queen of the Void is truly an honor." Ana chuckled softly and clenched her fist.
Instantaneously, a vast surge of Ideal Fluid rushed towards the Herrscher of the Void, akin to how the Herrscher of Stars manipulated gravity. Ana controlled the surrounding Ideal Fluid to ensnare her opponent tightly.
"However, mere recognition isn't enough for me." With a light laugh, Ana descended from the heavenly ladder, slowly approaching the trapped Herrscher of the Void. She lifted the latter's chin with one hand, leaving no room for resistance.
From the moment she saw Kiana, Ana had meticulously planned her strategy, ensuring that upon awakening, the Herrscher of the Void would have no chance to escape using her powers.
And now, everything was proceeding smoothly.
"W-What...what do you want to do?"
As Ana's face loomed mere inches away, Herrscher of the Void felt her heart race with trepidation. The Herrscher of Wind before her undoubtedly had some ulterior motive.
But why...why can't I move at all? She merely stole my power, not even my strongest one; so how, how is she able to suppress me, someone possessing two Authorities?
Clearly, the Authority of Wind shouldn't be this potent.
Herrscher of the Void couldn't know that the powers of earlier sequence Herrschers aren't inherently weak; they simply require development and mastery.
Ironically, during the Second Honkai, despite absorbing sealed knowledge from the moon and gaining insights from the Herrscher of Reason, Sirin still showed no significant improvement. And even now, it remains unchanged.
Furthermore, as the benevolent aspect of Sirin, Kiana shared the same bias, lacking any opportunity to deeply understand or enhance the limits of her Authority.
"It seems my Queen graciously consents, so I won't hesitate."
Ana gently nudged the Herrscher of the Void's nose. Honestly, she had never been this affectionate with Kiana herself, but now, being intimate with the Queen felt no different than with her daughter.
Ana reached out and placed her hand on the Herrscher of the Void's chest, where the Herrscher Core resided. This gemstone housed death and decay, the lightning of conquest, and the Authority of the Void.
The Herrscher Core within Ana gradually resonated with the one inside the Herrscher of the Void.
Defeating the Herrscher of the Void held little significance unless she were killed outright, which would also mean Kiana's demise. Therefore, what Ana aimed to do—what future Kiana needed to accomplish—was to suppress the Herrscher of the Void at a psychological level.
By eliminating the personality of the Herrscher of the Void, Kiana could seamlessly inherit all her powers, resolving any challenges posed by the Queen.
At worst, even if their struggle resulted in mutual damage, it would significantly weaken the Herrscher of the Void, making it considerably easier for Kiana to ultimately triumph over the Queen.
"What do you think you're doing?! Damn you! You said you were helping..."
Soon, Herrscher of the Void realized Ana's intentions and attempted to struggle, but alas, they were completely ensnared within the fluid barrier.
Ana already had superior mastery over her Authority compared to the Herrscher of the Void, and having seized the initiative now, she effortlessly suppressed any resistance.
"Did I ever say otherwise, little pufferfish?"
"From the start, my prey was only ever you."
"And so... next..."
A gleam appeared in Ana's eyes as several feathers materialized around her—precisely the Fenghuang Down feathers she had prepared earlier.
"Hand everything over to me!"
Immediately, light enveloped the entire fluid barrier.
Cang Luan descended from the clouds with a phoenix cry, then whisked away Ana and the Herrscher of the Void, leaving Rita behind alone.
For Ana, this moment was crucial; no interruptions could be tolerated.
After an indeterminate amount of time, when Ana opened her eyes again, everything around her had undergone a profound transformation.
She was no longer in Nagazora City but rather in what seemed like a lavish Western-style opera house, reminiscent of royal extravagance.
However, this change did not surprise Ana at all.
The setting unmistakably resembled Herrscher's Dominion Theater. Moreover, she vividly recalled that during the storyline, when Kiana faced the Herrscher of Dominance in the future, it was precisely here where she confronted her relationship with the Queen.
If this theater indeed maintained its original appearance, it would confirm Ana's hypothesis: Sirin's malevolent persona as the Queen had the potential to become one of the Herrschers of a Thousand Souls.
This possibility allowed the Queen to gain assistance from the Herrscher of Dominance, leading to their significant confrontation.
Nevertheless, it didn't matter; Ana intended to bring an end to all of this.
"Su, I'm counting on you."
In response to Ana's call, accompanied by a long sigh, Su materialized beside her.
"You're truly prepared for this?" Su asked.
She knew that both she and Ana had prepared for confronting the true Herrscher personality—the Herrscher of Ice—in the future.
However, for Kiana's sake, Ana altered her original plan, intending to use their preparations here instead. If they were all expended now, it would leave future Ana vulnerable.
"Well, what else should I do?" Ana shrugged innocently.
"...," Su remained silent, finding it difficult to comprehend this wildcard's intentions. Nonetheless, regardless of her choices, he would always support her.
"Kiana is also a kindling, and a reliable one at that."
"No matter if I succeed or fail, with them together, she can overcome Honkai, surpass Kevin, and transcend Finality. Such a guaranteed winning card, wouldn't you bet on it too?"
"In that case..." Su hesitated, wanting to suggest that if this was truly the scenario, why couldn't Ana just sit back and let events unfold?
"But I am her teacher; she must face these challenges, and I bear some responsibility as well. Since Himeko could risk everything for her, why shouldn't I?"
"Moreover, as I've said before, I want to be their hero."
"If I can end this myself and spare her from the pain of separation, I believe it's something I'd willingly do."
"...I see."
"Just consider it my stubbornness, you know. After all, I am somewhat of a young lady; shouldn't I have some willfulness?" Ana chuckled softly, completely disarming Su.
With this little darling speaking like this, what could he, merely an embodiment of power, say? He would undoubtedly risk his life alongside her. Besides, having already embraced death, he naturally understood Ana's perspective.
In the past, Su had seen Ana as a mature young girl. Now, he realized that her maturity stemmed not from age but from shouldering the aspirations of the previous generation prematurely.
Much like how Kevin, still studying at Senba Academy, bore the grand mission of saving the world, from this perspective, Ana's generation seemed even more driven than theirs.
Back then, Kevin was carefree, playing sports and discussing life with him.
"Fu Hua is using Fenghuang Down at full power to connect her consciousness with Kiana's," Ana continued. "You can seek her assistance; it will make things more manageable."
Having embarked on such a daring and risky endeavor, naturally, they must utilize all available resources. With Fu Hua's help, perhaps some of their assets could still be preserved.
At the very least, they might mitigate their losses somewhat.
"I see now," Su realized. No wonder he felt a familiar presence upon entering this Herrscher of the Void's mental realm—it was Hua after all, so there's nothing to worry about.
"All right, let's split up and proceed!"
With that, Ana took a step forward, summoning the Greatsword of Cataclysm in her hand.
As she was an intruder, and the Herrscher of the Void already knew their intentions, unless the pufferfish believed she could defeat Ana outright, hiding would be the most likely course of action.
Therefore, the Herrscher probably concealed herself within those mirrors, buried deep in memories.
No matter—Ana resolved to destroy everything here, forcing the Herrscher of the Void to emerge.
Meanwhile, Fu Hua prepared herself for a final stand, knowing that Kiana's consciousness had fallen asleep. This state also rendered their linked selves dormant, leaving her with limited time.
She must eliminate the Herrscher of the Void before Kiana completely surrenders.
"Hua."
As Fu Hua was about to act, a familiar yet distant voice suddenly echoed, causing her to pause momentarily. Then, she saw Su standing there.
Despite forgetting much, Fu Hua never lost sight of her mission, and thus, she still remembered Su.
However, hadn't Su embarked on the Sand of Eternity Project, only to disappear without a trace afterward?
"How did you end up here?"
"I struck a deal with Miss X-Factor, assisting her in completing the Spark Project," Su succinctly explained. "Now, she needs your help, Hua."
Fu Hua gazed at Su, her eyes flickering as she pondered his words. After a moment, she nodded affirmatively.
"As expected."
"It seems you aren't surprised," Su said calmly.
"I just had some slight speculations... You...are you alright?"
Confronting her former companion unexpectedly made Fu Hua feel somewhat reserved. Nonetheless, she could still sense that Su remained on her side.
"I have already fulfilled my mission; now, my original self...should no longer exist."
Fu Hua listened silently.
"Don't worry. In this era, they will undoubtedly overcome Honkai; it's the outcome I foresaw."
"Hua, we hope you won't be confined by your identity. We wish for you to forge your own path."
"Please do not dwell on the past or us."
"For this generation, even if it means facing him, do not hesitate."