LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 183: Emptiness
The puppet Ren retreated, manipulating the threads, sending the Imaginary Husks forward.
Blood sprayed.
Kiana ripped the blade from her chest, tearing her clothes to bind the wound, stemming the flow of blood.
The Gem of Serenity, still active within her, couldn't heal the Honkai corruption wounds, but it rapidly closed physical injuries.
She swung her Xuanyuan sword, cleaving through a Husk.
It's just a monster wearing his face. Our bond isn't defined by appearances.
The combined strain of the Gem of Serenity and the Herrscher of the Void core pushed her to her limit.
She looked at the gem in her hand, a faint smile on her face.
You left this for me, through her. A cry for help?
Lend me your strength. Together, we will defeat this enemy.
The deep blue gem shimmered, its surface rippling.
Kiana whispered, and the gem responded.
"Star Anchor Forging!"
Blue light surged from the gem, spreading outwards, pushing back the Husks. The light converged on Kiana, enveloping her.
Like a magical girl transforming, she glowed brightly.
White light formed a flowing skirt, blue light became threads, a deep blue ribbon weaving through her white hair, now tied back in a practical ponytail.
Her hair swirled behind her, the purple and white blade gleaming, its golden core pulsing like a heart.
Eyes closed, blade pointed forward, she looked like a Valkyrie, ready to vanquish all evil.
Class Monitor, Ren, Himeko-sensei… lend me your strength. Help me dispel this darkness.
She opened her eyes, her azure blue replaced by a deeper, more intense shade.
This wasn't the Herrscher of the Void's power. It was the Star Core armor, fueled by the gem, having absorbed her excess Honkai energy, protecting her from the core's corruption. And the Fenghuang Down shielded her mind from the illusions.
"Let's begin."
The puppet Ren was a construct of the Honkai, mimicking the Herrscher of Dominance. It had sensed Kiana's connection to Ren, choosing his form, wielding his power.
The Will of Honkai was insidious. Even if it failed, it would expose Ren's powers, creating discord, driving a wedge between them.
But that was just speculation. The Will of Honkai wasn't human. Whether Prometheus 17 possessed human emotions was unknown.
They stood facing each other, silent. The Husks rose again, the fog dissipating, revealing the moonlit ruins.
The gray-haired boy wielded a blade, his eyes vacant, mimicking Ren's fighting style.
The wind stirred, raising dust. The Husks lunged.
Time resumed. They clashed.
Blades met, sparks flying.
An explosion rocked the ground, a shockwave shattering the Husks.
Under the moonlight, they were blurs of motion, two lights flashing.
Bang!
A figure crashed through a wall, plowing a deep furrow in the ground. The puppet Ren lay buried in the rubble.
Its expression remained unchanged, its eyes empty.
It rose again, the shattered concrete exploding outwards.
The remaining Husks dissolved, their essence drawn towards the puppet, strengthening it.
Kiana gripped her blade tighter, the wind from the puppet's attack whipping her hair around her.
"Ren, I've found my answer."
She raised her sword, blue energy surging from the ground, converging on the blade, the golden core spinning, amplifying the Herrscher's power.
The final confrontation.
Their blades, now dozens of meters long, clashed.
Like a storm crashing against the ocean, the sky and sea colliding.
Lightning flashed, the wind howled.
Kiana's power tore fissures in the ground. She stood firm, fighting for the living.
BOOM!
Silence descended.
The storm subsided.
Small pebbles tumbled into the abyss, their clatter echoing in the stillness.
The wind stirred, raising dust.
The outcome was inevitable.
Kiana, her resolve strengthened, her emotions unleashed, her power fully awakened, was unstoppable.
She looked down, releasing her grip on the sword. Xuanyuan pierced the boy's chest, a gaping hole appearing behind him.
They stood inches apart, their eyes meeting.
The puppet's eyes remained vacant, a gray mist, an empty void.
Like the little girl's eyes, perfectly crafted, yet lifeless, a mere imitation.
Kiana turned, walking away, her body weary.
Behind her, Xuanyuan Sword flickered, its energy fading, then vanishing.
The puppet Ren collapsed, golden flames consuming it, its body dissolving into motes of light, returning to the Imaginary Tree.
The blue armor faded, the gem shrinking, its purpose fulfilled, shattering in Kiana's hand, a single drop of liquid remaining, perhaps a tear.
The Honkai eruption subsided, the fog dissipating, the city awakening from its nightmare.
The people, their minds clear, would continue to rebuild, their hope now genuine, not a Honkai-induced delusion.
The Herrscher core's corruption surged. Kiana sighed, stumbling forward.
She looked up, seeing a red-haired woman standing atop the only remaining crane.
A black cat with white paws sat perched at the very top, a human-like smile on its face.