Chapter 9: I Love Them, and I Love Everything About Them!

"Who is it now? Damn it, damn it, damn it!!!!"

"You people and your meaningless struggles!"

"Why won't you just stay still and die already—"

The Herrscher of Domination, the Minion, went berserk, the voices of thousands of Puppets interweaving into a piercing noise.

The warm golden-red feather in front of her blocked all of its attacks.

Every single feather shone with a searing light!

It was these unremarkable feathers, turning into light and shadow as they drifted down from the sky.

That reduced its efforts to nothing.

Why, why stop it?!!

At that moment, the girl looked toward the buried corner where Fu Hua's eyes were tightly shut, as if she were asleep.

But her Herrscher of Sentience core was speaking gently; it was the Class Monitor's voice.

Facing the Herrscher of Domination's madness, she murmured, her voice filled with ripples of Remembrance.

"She changed me."

"She changed many people."

"In the future, she will go on to change even more people."

"I want to witness the arrival of that day..."

"So, we will not stop here!"

"Class Monitor!"

The girl's gaze became even more determined as another gem from the Herrscher of Sentience condensed upon the greatsword in her hand.

Finally, including the Herrscher of the Void and the Gem of Haste, she now possessed four herrscher cores!

Yes.

They have been supporting me all along.

Therefore.

I will never give up!

The moment the girl swung her sword, the shadow of an Immortal appeared beside her.

Fenghuang Down · Red Kite whispered softly in her ear.

"Kiana."

"Sever all stray thoughts, and control your breathing."

The figures of the girl and Red Kite merged.

She remembered those memories.

The things the Class Monitor had taught her in Sky Dome City when she was in despair.

The girl descended from the sky like a scalding meteor, igniting the dark night.

Her flaming sword manifested the charm of Shenzhou, and a trace of profound aura permeated the space.

"The 'Divine' is the ultimate of transformation."

"To have no sword is to have a sword; by using the spirit to manifest the sword, the sword qi forms itself, reaching the divine charm."

The burning fire scorched the space until it cracked inch by inch; the orange flames could shatter all darkness.

At this moment, light erupted, and the girl's entire body was bathed in brilliance!

"How could I possibly let you succeed!!!"

The Minion shrieked, summoning an infinite number of giant hands—those hands that controlled the threads reached out from thin air.

Facing such burning clouds of fire, it struggled to block with all its giant hands in front of it!

In this moment, the girl and the Immortal shouted together:

Taixu Sword Qi!!!

A flash of fire tore through the barrier of giant hands and exploded with a bang!

"Boom!"

Now.

There was no longer any final defense.

The Minion's true form was exposed beneath the girl's sword!

Its life was slipping away with time... seeing this, the Minion roared in disbelief, its voice even carrying a sob.

"Ideals can never be realized."

"The world has never been beautiful."

"That's not true!!!!!"

The girl brandished her greatsword, suspended in the sky.

Her silver-white long hair swayed in the sky, and the three gems on the sword's hilt shone brilliantly.

Likewise, she had the determined gaze of a warrior.

The moment for the final battle had arrived!

Under the full activation of the Gem of Haste, the girl's entire body ignited with Incarnation fire!

It was the fire of shining stars!

The Incarnation that represents the undying legacy of humanity!

These fires will not go out; as long as the flames of hope burn in people's hearts and they believe in the existence of light.

The Incarnation will continue to be passed down!

The girl swung her sword in the sky, thinking of them as they once were.

Facing the Minion's malice, she said softly:

"The world, of course, isn't beautiful."

"But there are also people who told me not to give up."

"They guided me and proved to me that this world isn't that bad."

"I love them."

"And I love everything they love." "This sword connects us."

"It will burn away the pitch-black sky."

"And shine the light even further."

"This is mine and everyone's..."

She remembered Principal Theresa's comforting words.

She remembered Mei's tears amidst the lightning and thunder.

She remembered the way she fought alongside Bronya.

She remembered the scenes of the Class Monitor teaching her swordsmanship.

And the red-haired warrior, manifesting within the intense fire, whispered softly in the girl's ear.

"Kiana, you are my pride."

Those people.

They.

They never gave up and have always supported her!

"The way home!!!"

The girl gave it her all and swung the final strike!

The fire descending from the sky ignited the dust along with it.

Like a spark from light-years away, it burned through the last drop of energy in her body.

"With this blazing fire—"

"Cut through all!"

"Hah—"

Strike!!!!!!!!

Light was distorted, and time and space were ignited together.

The Minion could no longer withstand such an attack.

"Aaaaaaaaaah—"

A violent explosion engulfed it, and the Honkai Energy burned away its life bit by bit.

The malicious voice grew weaker and weaker until it vanished completely.

A few minutes later.

The sky was clean and clear.

The twisted Puppets were burned away by the fire.

The stage had reached its low point.

Now.

The theater.

The curtain fell... Outside the Challenge Space.

Kiana felt a jolt of alarm, her hairs standing on end as if frozen by magic, her bewildered mind blank like a sheet of paper.

She was stunned by the shock!

She couldn't imagine it at all!

What had happened inside the Challenge Space.

What was that?

Kiana—no, the version of her inside the Challenge Space, had actually killed the Herrscher of Domination.

You must know that was a complete Herrscher; even an S-Rank Valkyrie was nothing but an ant in its eyes.

Yet, the truth was right before her eyes.

Kiana, who was Yunduo in disguise, had, with the help of Bronya and Fu Hua, incinerated The Mara with a single sword strike.

This was reality!

Not an illusion!

Kiana's fingertips were trembling, and her legs felt numb; she had to lean on Mei just to support herself.

"Is... is this really me? So strong, mature, and resolute? Is this me three years in the future?"

"Everlasting Flames, Everlasting Flames, gulu~"

She swallowed, her voice trembling as she spoke.

"That's me, eh hehe~"

Kiana was lost in the illusion, unable to extricate herself.

"Idiot Kiana, the future can be changed."

Compared to Kiana, Bronya was clearly much calmer.

However, her eyes also rippled with emotion, and she had many thoughts weighing on her mind.

"Damn it, Bronya, you called me an idiot again! Even in the Challenge Space, I was called an idiot! Where am I stupid?"

Kiana pouted and retorted to Bronya.

"Idiot. The future me still calls you an idiot, which proves that no matter how strong Kiana becomes, she will always be an idiot in Bronya's eyes."

"Argh, let's duel!"

"Alright, stop fooling around and let's talk about serious matters."

Fu Hua waved her hand and sighed.

"I am still surprised. Why does classmate Yunduo seem exactly like Kiana three years from now?"

"Maybe... maybe, I don't know either." Kiana was also confused.

Inside the Challenge Space, Yunduo's heartfelt expressions, sweeping with the tenderness of memories, absolutely couldn't have been an act or a fake.

She must possess some unknown secret.