The girl had once heard that a person's entire life would replay in slow motion when they were dying.
There was only darkness before her.
"Did the Honkai Beast pierce me with its lance?"
The girl's mind was a confused mess.
Unlike the hapless victims who could only scream and flee from the one-sided butchery—
"Why am I still alive?"
"Am I beyond redemption? Must I live and witness the fruits of my actions?"
"Perhaps I think I could resist HER… perhaps I can save them…"
"…Perhaps I hope for the recess bell to ring and wake me up from this terrible nightmare."
She did not know which one was the truth.
Nothing but an eternity of darkness awaited her.
Kiana's mind spiraled out of control.
The girl desperately grasped at her fondest memories.
But those memories shattered.
They became countless fragments, flying toward her like shards of broken glass.
Two familiar figures appeared before Kiana.
Theresa.
Mei.
Kiana: "Theresa! Mei!"
Then the voice of the Herrscher of the void appear
Sirin: "Your friends… they said they'll bring you home…"
Sirin: "But if they realised your true self…"
Sirin: "Would they welcome you with open arms?"
Sirin: "To these "friends" of yours…"
Sirin: "…The girl named Kiana is no more."
Sirin: "They will try to "save" you by destroying you."
The figures of Mei and Theresa moved.
They attacked Kiana.
Mei: "I'm sorry, Kiana…"
Theresa: "I had to do this…"
Kiana: "Theresa! Mei! What are you doing?"
Their attacks struck her.
Kiana was thrown backward through the darkness.
Sirin: "KYAHAHAHAHAH~☆"
The memories changed again.
Another familiar figure appeared before her.
Fu Hua.
Sirin: "Remember this hateful face, Kiana?"
Sirin: "She betrayed your trust."
Sirin: "This vile, arrogant piece of trash…"
Sirin: "You thought she was cold and aloof…"
Sirin: "…But she was worse."
Kiana stare at the figure.
Kiana: "Fu Hua…"
Sirin: "She knew you were a monster…"
Sirin: "Always watching… waiting to strike you down."
Sirin: "She destroyed your life…"
Sirin: "And delivered you to Overseer Otto…"
Sirin: "You were always her prey…"
Sirin: "Look! Now she's hunting you again~☆"
The figure of Fu Hua attacked.
Kiana barely managed to dodge.
But then—
A voice echoed through the darkness.
It did not come from the Fu Hua standing before her.
Fu Hua: "Don't listen to her, Kiana!"
Fu Hua: "Don't let her play with your mind!"
The memories changed once more.
Kiana suddenly found herself somewhere else.
A laboratory.
People dressed in white lab coats stood around a large test tube.
Among them was Otto Apocalypse.
He stood before the container, observing what was inside.
Otto: "Subject K423…"
Otto: "An F1 hybrid of the Kaslana and Schariac dynasties…"
Otto: "…With genes taken from the 2nd Herrscher."
Otto: "Like the others, K423 matured into a viable individual…"
Otto: "…In a vegetative state with no higher brain functions."
Otto: "But after placing the Herrscher Core…"
Otto: "…A sustainable generation of EEG readings in K423 was detected."
Kiana look at this with confusion.
Kiana: "What is that?"
Sirin: "It's how you were made, dear."
Sirin: "More precisely, it's how I was brought back."
Kiana: "That's a lie!"
Sirin: "These foolish humans made us."
Sirin: "They invited divine judgment upon themselves."
Sirin: "You're just a vessel…"
Sirin: "…Fashioned by humans to trap me."
Sirin: "Your name and your childhood were lies…"
Sirin: "…Fabricated to keep you down."
Sirin: "We're both victims of this hateful race."
Sirin: "Why don't we work together and…"
The scientists and Otto slowly turned around.
Their eyes locked onto Kiana.
Then they began to attack her.
Sirin: "…Teach these lying, manipulative insects a lesson?"
The scientists rushed toward Kiana.
Kiana instinctively threw a punch.
The impact sent one of the scientists flying backward.
But something was wrong.
Her punch had been far too powerful.
The scientist's head twisted unnaturally as their body was thrown away.
Kiana froze.
Horror filled her eyes.
Sirin: "Good. Keep killing! Destroy all of this!"
Sirin's laughter echoed through the darkness.
It sounded like a flock of carrion birds circling a dying victim.
But HER crazed laughter was suddenly interrupted.
A calm and soothing voice echoed through the darkness.
Fu Hua: "Good. I don't think I'm too late for this."
Fu Hua: "Time to silence you for good."
The laughter stopped.
The presence of the Herrscher of the Void emerged from the darkness.
Herrscher of the Void: "Tsk. I must rid myself of this annoyance."
Herrscher of the Void: "It doesn't matter. There's only so much you can do."
Herrscher of the Void: "I can feel the storm of her emotions… pent up anger and sorrow waiting to explode."
Herrscher of the Void: "Her ego grows weaker by the hour. All I need to do is wait."
Herrscher of the Void: "You'll soon witness me dominate this body…"
The dark tide retreated.
The evening remained unchanged.
Kiana suddenly opened her eyes.
She looked around.
She was back in the ruined city.
The streets were filled with the corpses of Honkai Beasts.
The nightmares had come to her countless times ever since she woke up on the beach three months ago.
Kiana: "I… I had a dream."
A figure appeared before Kiana.
Fu Hua.
However, she looked different.
Gone was the familiar girl with slate-blue hair tied into a low ponytail, pale skin, blue eyes, and red glasses.
She no longer wore her blue-and-white high-collared qipao-style combat uniform.
Instead, her hair had turned white, with red and pink colors flowing through the ends.
Her eyes were crimson.
She wore a white, black, red, and gold qipao decorated with flame-shaped patterns.
Red skirt panels flowed from her outfit, while golden ornaments decorated her clothing.
A red feather-shaped hairpiece rested in her hair.
Black gloves covered her hands, accompanied by red gauntlets.
Dark leggings covered her legs, and black heeled boots completed her appearance.
Fu Hua: "It wasn't a dream. You almost lost yourself, Kiana."
Kiana: "…"
Fu Hua: "You resisted me. You refused to talk to me and treated me like an illusion for 3 months."
Fu Hua: "But you need to face the truth, Kiana. You'll only endanger yourself if you pretend nothing happened."
Fu Hua: "Do not let the Honkai touch you. Do not use your Valkyrie powers… don't even think about fighting."
Fu Hua: "All SHE needs is the tiniest crack in your defenses."
Fu Hua: "My powers are waning. I can't stand vigil and care for you forever."
Fu Hua: "We had the upper hand this time, but we won't be so lucky when SHE appears again."
Fu Hua: "The entire city will be doomed once SHE wakes up."
Kiana's expression darkened.
Her hands clenched into fists.
Kiana: ""Care" for me? You've been spying on me!"
Kiana: "You're always there… spying and watching…"
Kiana: "You're Otto's spy… you delivered me to the Overseer! You sold me out!"
Kiana: "Why would a spy care for its prey?"
Fu Hua: "…"
Kiana: "SAY SOMETHING, DAMMIT!"
Fu Hua: "I…"
Kiana: "You've accomplished your stupid mission! Begone! I don't want to see you again."
Fu Hua remained silent for a moment.
Then she answered.
Fu Hua: "Apologies. I'm afraid that won't be possible."
Fu Hua: "Fenghuang Down, the 8th Divine Key, was set to Zeroth Power. Our wills are forever bound."
Kiana's eyes widened.
Kiana: "…WHAT?!"
Fu Hua: "Seek them, Kiana. Find Principal Theresa and your friends. They're the only ones who can save you now."
Kiana: "No… I can't…"
Fu Hua: "I know it's hard… but it's the only way out…"
Kiana: "Get out! The only way out for you is to get out of my head!"
Fu Hua: "…"
Fu Hua's expression became solemn.
Fu Hua: "I'm sorry, Kiana… but if the worst thing comes to pass…"
Fu Hua: "I have no choice but to ensure that all 3 of us fall together…"
Fu Hua: "Forgive me, Kiana."