Herrscher of Dominance in Honkai, starting with the abduction of Kiana

Darkness, heaviness, and memories twisted together like tangled threads, spiraling down into a deep abyss of pain.

Stinging, tearing sensations made her body feel as if it were being ripped apart, slicing through every inch of flesh and bone.

"Am I going to die?"

Hanging upside down in the endless darkness, the girl kept sinking deeper, like a forgotten survivor lost in the deep sea.

Fragmented and chaotic memories flashed before her, showing a life built on lies. She saw her friends at St. Freya Academy—Theresa, Mei, Bronya, Class Monitor Fu Hua, Ms. Himeko...

They smiled in her memories, the closest of friends, the most reliable of companions.

But now, there were no smiles, only resentment and fear.

Your life is just a pre-written script.

Your name is just a fabricated lie.

Your existence is just an illusion, a test subject with the ID number K423, trying to live your own life.

You are just a vessel, a vessel to carry the Herrscher of the Void. What you've experienced is nothing but an illusion.

"…"

The girl was silent, the echoes of Sirin's voice still ringing in her ears, lingering in the quiet depths of her mind.

After a long while, the girl seemed to surrender. The flashing fragments of her memories slowly faded, and the holes in her consciousness began to vanish.

Good, K423, give me control of your body. I will join you in taking revenge on this filthy and hypocritical world.

In their shared consciousness, Sirin's phantom gradually solidified. She constantly used her words to disturb the girl's heart. She was already impatiently preparing to take over this perfect host.

"Are you done?" Unexpectedly, she didn't hear the girl's despairing fall, but a sharp question.

Floating in the gloom, her bright blue eyes gleamed. Where was the despair that had once filled her? The shattered mental walls had become even stronger after being broken down once.

Even though she was being tightly entangled by painful memories, her consciousness was not shaken at all.

How is this possible? How can you maintain your own consciousness after being eroded by the Herrscher core!

Sirin, taken aback, couldn't believe it. Kiana had forced her way through the Herrscher of the Void core, and nearly half of her body had been consumed by Honkai energy. Her consciousness should have been lost in the chaos of Honkai…

"Are you surprised? Are you confused?" Kiana, fully aware again, stopped her descent and floated calmly in the depths of her consciousness.

Sirin slowly appeared in front of her, and the two stared at each other face-to-face.

Foolish girl, have you forgotten? Your friends all betrayed you

Ranting hatefully, the space twisted, turning into a pure white maze. Sirin snapped her fingers, and phantoms of Theresa and the others appeared in the white maze.

Look, in their eyes you have already become a monster. The only way to save you is to kill you.

With Sirin's movements, Kiana's friends from St. Freya Academy began attacking her.

"I'm sorry, Kiana." Mei's phantom kept repeating, but her blade mercilessly slashed at Kiana, cutting deep into her body.

See, see, all they want to do is kill you!

You…

Bang—!!!

Before Sirin could finish her sentence, she saw Kiana punch Mei directly in the stomach. The powerful force made Mei fly backwards, and before she could even land, she shattered into pieces and disappeared completely.

Are you crazy? They were your best friends! How could you actually kill her?

Sirin, who had always known Kiana's heart, was deeply shocked. She had thought her intrusion would fail, but she never imagined that Kiana would actually harm those she loved most.

"Heh." Kiana, having taken out the Mei phantom with a single punch, smirked coldly. "Illusions are always just that—illusions. You, who've never been trusted, can never understand how it feels to be expected."

'…'

"Besides, wasn't it you who said they've already betrayed me? Why should I hold back?"

For a moment, Sirin was silent. She stared at Kiana, trying to figure out what had caused her to change so drastically.

I understand. It's that bastard, that bastard, isn't it?

I will kill him, I definitely will!

Her voice grew weaker and weaker, until it disappeared completely. In the pure white maze of consciousness, only Kiana was left.

She stood silently in place, looking down at the fist she had just thrown. A touch of pain flashed in her eyes. She had never thought that she would one day hurt her friends. Although she had acted like she didn't care, Sirin's words had still torn open rifts in her heart. After attacking Mei's phantom, that feeling of grief had reached its peak.

However, trust is the medicine to heal betrayal.

There were still people who trusted her now, still people who were expecting something from her, so she shouldn't fall down here.

Click—

The consciousness space suddenly shattered. Kiana's consciousness slowly descended, and then gradually cleared up.

"You're awake?"

Ren's smiling face appeared before her. The red glow of the setting sun stretched their shadows long. Ren, sitting on the ground and leaning against a large tree, was waiting for Kiana, who had fallen into a deep sleep after using the Herrscher core. She was now lying on the grass with her head resting in his lap.

The evening breeze blew gently through the treetops, making them rustle. The golden hues of dusk bathed the empty grass, casting an ambiguous light. The distant city skyline shone brightly, but it felt as though they were far from the hustle and bustle of the world. They had left all that behind.

Time seemed to stand still, fixed in this moment.

Lying on the grass, her head in Ren's lap, Kiana paused for a moment. Her white hair fluttered in the wind, blending with Ren's gray hair, almost as if they were one. His plain gray eyes reflected her mismatched blue and gold ones, so clear, so pure, as if in his gaze, there was only her.

She gradually closed her eyes, enjoying this moment of peace.