Chapter 139: Kiana's Tragic Reality, Players Stunned by the Blades!
"Eh? Old Timer, why are you together with Kiana?"
After the plot segment finished playing, the game entered the combat stage. Senti didn't start fighting immediately, instead looking at the Fu Hua beside her with a face full of surprise.
"Uh.... You're asking me, but I don't know either." Fu Hua felt quite helpless. She was just as confused as anyone else.
"So, what has the Class Monitor turned into now?" Kiana looked puzzled. "I remember after being shot by Otto, the Class Monitor started appearing in all sorts of places. First on Himeko-sensei, and now on Kiana...."
Senti looked horrified. "Hey, hey, hey, Old Timer, you didn't actually become a ghost, did you? Otherwise, how do you keep popping up in these weird places?"
[True, I've been meaning to ask—what exactly happened to Fu Hua?]
[Do you guys remember the Fenghuang Down that Bronya encountered in the world bubble? That thing is the Class Monitor's second Divine Key, right?]
[The Fu Hua in the world bubble left a feather on Priest Otto to protect him because of a favor....]
[Could the current Fu Hua be a consciousness manifestation of Fenghuang Down? Is the reason she's with Kiana because she left a feather on her?]
The viewers in the stream discussed the main story fervently. After all, Fu Hua's recent appearances were full of supernatural vibes. In the world of Honkai 3rd, the appearance of a "ghost" felt a bit too metaphysical. Even the vampire Theresa in Midsummer Night was eventually explained as being Honkai-related. If anyone was a ghost, Seele's quantum state fit the description better. But Fu Hua's situation was clearly different, so many deduced it had to be Fenghuang Down.
"A-plus for being studious." Seeing the comments, Su Mu imitated the "Small Classroom" segments from his past life. "Everyone's guesses are actually quite close. Fu Hua's current state is indeed related to Fenghuang Down.... However, the Fu Hua currently with Kiana is more than just a single feather."
[Hmm? What does that mean?]
[Don't give Old Thief Su Mu any screen time! He's just being a cryptic jerk again!]
[Hmph! Don't think answering a few questions will save you! Old Thief!]
[Don't stop the crusade against the Old Thief! Streamer, I'll donate a skyscraper; give him a punch for me!]
Senti was more interested in the plot, so she didn't bother replying to the chat. She took control of Kiana and began the battle. However, in the combat stage, there was a yellow energy bar above Kiana's HP that constantly accumulated. A system prompt explained that this bar represented the Herrscher's erosion, which grew as Kiana fought. Once the bar filled, Kiana's consciousness would be seized, the Herrscher of the Void would descend again, and Arc City would be destroyed!
Senti didn't pay attention during her first try, allowing the Herrscher to take over. Then... in the CG, Kiana struggled in agony against the erosion, only to have her body stolen once more. That manic, cold gaze... made the viewers shiver!
[Holy crap? A Bad Ending?]
[Dammit, Old Thief, you did that on purpose! Failing the battle triggers an 'IF' line? You specifically made a CG for this?]
[Wuu-wuu! Tuna! My Tuna! Seeing her eroded like that breaks my heart!]
[Su Mu, you aren't even hiding it anymore, are you? You're coming straight for the players' hearts!]
The sight of the "Tuna" after a failed battle was so pitiful that the viewers began denouncing Su Mu again, cursing him for being inhuman.
"Wow." Kiana looked at the overwhelming barrage of comments, her expression incredibly strange. "Su Mu, you really attract a lot of hate.... Look, people are spending thousands on Super Chats just to call you a monster..."
Su Mu looked innocent. "Sigh! Can't be helped. Deep love turns into deep hate. Perhaps the players love me too much, which is why they're so passionate."
"Heh...." Kiana rolled her eyes. Did he think she hadn't seen the Honkai 3rd plot? Dammit, he said the pretty girl CEO would be the protagonist and get famous. Well, I'm famous alright. But what kind of fame? Employees at the office would literally burst into tears when they saw her, shouting, "I'm so relieved to see President Kiana safe and sound...." It was as if she had just come back from the afterlife. The exaggeration was unreal!
"Su Mu, tell me the truth. Are you holding a grudge against me?"
"Why would you ask that?"
Kiana pointed at the monitor with a speechless look. You even made a 'defeated' CG; how can you ask that?
"No, absolutely not. You know I'm not someone who mixes personal feelings with work," Su Mu replied righteously. "Even though you are a rare kind of idiot, Kiana, and you're always causing me trouble... don't worry, I've forgiven you like a big brother would."
Kiana looked indignant. "I'm clearly older than you! Technically, I'm the 'Big Sister' here!"
[What does Old Thief Su Mu mean? Is he flirting with President Kiana in front of us?]
[We're over here cursing him, and he's over there showing off his love?]
[No wonder he's so fearless; he's got the President backing him up?]
[No, President Kiana, don't be fooled! Look at how he writes you in the game! Old Thief Su Mu clearly wants to usurp your throne!!]
These comments made Kiana's face flush. she glared at Su Mu and muttered, "It's all your fault!"
Su Mu acted innocent. "How is it my fault?"
Kiana also realized that she and Su Mu were being a bit too intimate. Since Su Mu and Seele had looked after her for half a month, her relationship with them had become very close. Usually, she spoke without a filter, but doing it in front of a live audience made them look inseparable.
"Tsk tsk tsk.... I'm starting to regret this." Senti and Fu Hua looked at the two of them with odd gazes. "President Kiana, should we give you two some room? I don't want to be a third wheel."
Su Mu shrugged. "Don't mind them, keep going. Don't you want to know what happens to Kiana later?"
Senti grumbled internally but continued, sensing their relationship was good but perhaps not that far along yet... though they were definitely "best friends." She carefully controlled Kiana. After the in-game timer ended and the mother and daughter escaped, Kiana was finally able to flee the scene. However, on her way, Kiana was attacked by beasts again. Just as a spear was about to pierce her, her eyes turned golden, and Honkai erosion patterns appeared.
["This body, hand it over to me...."]
Sirin's voice rang in Kiana's ear, and in that instant, Kiana's consciousness was trapped in darkness. In a seemingly bottomless void, Kiana's body continued to fall. A monologue began—it was Kiana's voice, but it was heavy. There was no trace of her original energy or liveliness. Only weariness and desolation remained. Compared to her previous expressions and gaze, it was as if she had become a different person overnight, her innocence forcibly buried under a mask of maturity. The spark in her eyes was gone.
[The girl had once heard that when dying, one's life flashes before their eyes like a revolving lantern.]
[But now, there was only pitch blackness.]
["Shouldn't I have been pierced by the beast's spear?" — The girl's mind was a mess.]
[She should have been like those victims who could do nothing but run and scream, watching beasts descend from the sky to pierce, trample, and slaughter....]
["....Why am I still alive?"]
[—Because I have committed too many sins and must live to accept fate's punishment.]
[—Because I thought I could resist the Herrscher personality? Because I thought I had a chance to save everything?]
[—Or, is there a final trace of fantasy in my heart, hoping this is just a nightmare and everything will return to normal when the school bell rings?]
[She did not know.]
[There was only darkness, endless darkness....]
[Kiana grit her teeth, struggling to hold onto her slipping sanity, recalling everything worth remembering.]
[Finally, fragmented memories rushed toward her.]
Kiana's monologue left Senti in a daze in front of the computer. It felt as if she were truly seeing a girl she knew suffering every single moment for four months. Not just physically, but mentally, enduring pain beyond human imagination. Clearly, the Herrscher of the Void never stopped trying to seize Kiana's body. Just as she had said at the end of Chapter 2: for the rest of her life, she would constantly appear in Kiana's deepest nightmares. Until the day Kiana could no longer resist...
Evidently, such struggles had happened countless times in the four months since the battle at Schicksal. One could imagine that Kiana couldn't even rest; the moment she slept, the Herrscher would act, trying to erode her with illusions and take her body...
[Dammit, Old Thief, why do you write so well? Just hearing the Tuna's voice makes my heart break!]
[Just what kind of inhuman torture did the Tuna go through for four months!]
[The Herrscher of the Void is truly a monster! To torture Kiana like this, I'm so mad!]
[Well, she technically isn't human, she's a Herrscher....]
[Sigh, even the Herrscher of Thunder was kind to Mei. Why is the Herrscher of the Void so ruthless?]
[Knowing Kiana, she definitely blames herself for everything the Herrscher did! I can't imagine how much guilt she carries, maybe even a death wish.....]
[But she knows if she dies, the Herrscher might take over completely. Then Arc City would....]
[She can't die, yet living is a constant torment! This is too tragic.]
For a time, the viewers were deeply saddened by the monologue. Despite their cursing of Su Mu, they had to admit the performance and writing were top-tier. It was because it felt so real that it was so heartbreaking!
After the monologue, Kiana found herself in an illusory space created by the Herrscher of the Void. Here, the Herrscher constantly tried to break Kiana's will with illusions. She even created phantoms of Theresa and Mei to attack Kiana! The game even added voiced lines for Theresa and Mei in this stage... making the immersion even stronger!
[The Herrscher of the Void is a master of psychological warfare!]
[Hold on, Tuna! Don't let her trick you!]
[Where is Fenghuang Down? Where is the Class Monitor? Save her, Miracle Worker!]
In the following stages, Fu Hua's figure appeared. The Herrscher of the Void constantly tried to trigger the hatred in Kiana's heart, whispering in her ear that Fu Hua had betrayed her—that she had spied on her and handed her to Otto. To Fu Hua, Kiana was always just prey...
Seeing the Herrscher's manipulations, Senti couldn't help but defend Fu Hua: "The Old Timer didn't do it on purpose! She was tricked by Otto too!"
Kiana nodded. "Right, the Class Monitor only learned of Otto's full plan when she was mortally wounded.... She never expected him to do something like that, right?"
Fu Hua sighed, her expression guilt-ridden. "But.... no matter the reason, the betrayal is a fact. If I hadn't handed Kiana over to Otto...."
Senti said indignantly, "Hey, hey, Old Timer, you were a victim too! You were shot in the head by Otto! Besides, Otto already knew Kiana existed; hadn't he sent that Rita woman to observe her before?"
Kiana added: "True. I think even if the Class Monitor hadn't cooperated, I would have been taken by someone else. She contacted Durandal, which means Durandal was coming too.... Faced with that powerful S-rank Valkyrie, my capture was only a matter of time."
Senti sighed. "Durandal... she's your older sister, right? Her aura is way too strong, both in the game and in reality.... Sigh, I saw her from a distance at school once; she seemed so unapproachable."
Kiana scratched her head. "Yeah, I'm quite scared of her too.... She's so serious! If she saw how I was living in Arc City, she'd definitely lecture me until my ears bled! Fortunately, she's busy with work, hehe...."
Senti felt a sense of kinship. "I get it, I get your feeling, Kiana. Having a strict older sister is a painful thing...." Mentioning this, she suddenly became animated, even pretending to wipe tears. "Kiana, do you know? The Old Timer is not human! When I was little, she hung me up by the well and whipped me.... It was the dead of winter, and my butt was covered in bloody welts. It's a story of tears...."
Facing Kiana's shocked gaze, Fu Hua sighed and replied: "That was because she took the ancestors' spirit tablets down and sat on top of them, claiming to be the Grandmaster...."
[Pfft!]
[Rebellion against the ancestors?]
[The ancestors would probably come back to life from pure rage, wouldn't they?]
[Streamer, being hung up and whipped was getting off easy, right? Your sister didn't kill you?]
[The fact that you're alive proves she loves you! That behavior is literally 'destroying the sect'!]
The viewers couldn't help but laugh, gaining a new understanding of Senti... No, she's too mischievous! If she did that, her list of trouble-making must be miles long. The fact that she wasn't beaten to death proved Fu Hua doted on her too much.
Senti's face turned red. "Let's not talk about that! The game, the game!" She quickly controlled Kiana and continued forward.
Soon, Otto's figure appeared before Kiana. Through a recording, Kiana learned the truth of her birth—born as K423, created from the genes of Kaslana, Schariac, and the Second Herrscher. Only after the Herrscher of the Void's core was implanted did K423 gradually gain consciousness. The day K423 was born was also the day the Herrscher of the Void returned to the world.
[The Second Herrscher's mockery echoed in the air, like a flock of noisy crows circling a dying person.]
[Suddenly, her laughter was interrupted by a calm voice.]
[Fu Hua, in her Jingwei form, appeared in the space to confront the Herrscher: "Fortunately, I am not too late. It is time for you to be quiet."]
[Seeing Fu Hua, the Herrscher of the Void looked annoyed.]
["Tch.... troublesome person."]
["But it doesn't matter. How many times can you help her? I can feel her emotions.... anger, sadness, suppression."]
["Her existence is weakening day by day. I only need to wait patiently."]
["One day, you will witness me dominating this body completely...."]
As the Herrscher's voice faded, Kiana's consciousness was pulled from the space and returned to reality. The darkness and dizziness receded, replaced by a similarly gloomy night sky. Since waking up on the coast three months ago and starting her life as a fugitive, such nightmares had become familiar to Kiana.
["I... had a dream."]
["It wasn't a dream. Kiana, you almost lost control just now."]
[Fu Hua's figure appeared beside Kiana, but Kiana clutched her head, resisting.]
[Looking at Kiana, who wanted to treat her as non-existent, Fu Hua sighed: "For three months, you have been resisting me.... keeping silent, wandering, refusing to speak to me, treating me like a non-existent hallucination."]
But the more she resisted, the more dangerous Kiana's situation became. If she came into contact with Honkai energy again, used Valkyrie powers, or fought... a single lapse would allow the Herrscher personality to take the upper hand. Fu Hua's power was weakening, and she couldn't monitor Kiana's mental state at all times. While this instance was under control, the next might not be so lucky....
[In this situation, I suggest monitoring the writer's mental state first.]
[Can Fenghuang Down fix the Old Thief's brain? He's the one who needs a 'correction'!!]
[Why are you being so gentle to him? If it were me, I'd give him a 'Caspian Strike' (In-game move) straight to the head!]
[+10086]
Fu Hua's words made the audience realize Kiana's situation was dire. Himeko's sacrifice allowed Kiana to reclaim her body, but it wasn't a permanent fix. Kiana was currently in a precarious state, and at any moment, the Herrscher could seize control. When that happened... there likely wouldn't be a second Himeko to save her. Everyone in Arc City would be in danger.
[Fu Hua's voice finally pushed Kiana past her breaking point. She glared at Fu Hua, her long-suppressed anger finally erupting.]
["Taking care of me? ....You mean surveillance!"]
["Isn't that what you've always done? All along, you lurked beside me, observed me, and finally handed me to Otto. Have you forgotten that you sold me out?!"]
["How can someone who did that start caring about 'innocents' now?!"]
Facing Kiana's questioning, Fu Hua's expression was full of self-blame and pain. But she didn't know how to answer Kiana and remained silent.
["ANSWER ME!!"]
Kiana's trembling, sobbing voice made the guilt on Fu Hua's face even more apparent. Her words were like a sharp blade, stabbing into the hearts of the viewers. Once upon a time, Kiana was so innocent and lively—a total hot-blooded idiot. But now....
Looking at the Kiana on the screen, Senti felt her own heart tremble.
END OF CHAPTER
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