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

Respectful, humble, and dutiful servants lowered their heads, bowing toward the towering tree.

On the treetops that supported the sky, starlight began to fall, while scorching heat spread.

It was a spark descending from the heavens. In an instant, vigorous flames erupted from the place where Kiana had fallen. The fire seemed to be trying to devour the World Tree, spreading down the trunk with unstoppable force.

Within moments, the intense flames—strong enough to burn the world—had ignited the giant tree that Black Abyss White Flower had created.

The scorching flames and surging heatwaves illuminated the entire ARC City, casting an eerie glow. It was as if a god had descended to deliver divine punishment. The flames reflected on everyone's faces, an image of destruction and awe.

The followers of The Obsidian Concord gazed at the scene with longing and reverence, welcoming their Queen with the most humble of postures.

This strange scene had already lodged itself in the minds of all who were watching.

The sudden appearance of The Obsidian Concord, with their unusual style, had instantly taken over the battlefield. Even Otto, who had been preparing for his next experiment, couldn't help but change his expression, his mind racing as he tried to guess their origins.

Rita, locked in battle with Himeko, felt it even more strongly. Over the numerous times she had fought Himeko, Rita had always sensed that this woman's origins were far from ordinary. Her words, actions, and fighting style were nothing like those of a common person.

And tonight, the elegant dress Himeko wore only deepened Rita's suspicions. A woman who possessed such a noble temperament must have been born into a prominent family.

But now, at this moment, this noblewoman seemed more like a maid than Rita herself. There were no impurities in her clear eyes, which only reflected the flames lighting up the sky.

This made Rita's scalp tingle. The level of devotion before her had probably already surpassed simple loyalty to an organization. It was more like a religious... no, a zealot cult.

What made it even harder for Rita to understand was when exactly Kiana had gathered so many followers—and how she had made them so loyal.

Every member of The Obsidian Concord revealed so far was a top combatant in any organization. This red-haired woman, for example, even if she were in Schicksal, would be a top-tier A-rank Valkyrie, second only to Rita.

Based on the descriptions from the Immortal Blades members, the little girl who had blocked their path had strange powers. Her strength was initially estimated to be on par with a top-tier A-rank.

And that wasn't even all. There were more Obsidian Concord members hidden among the crowds. Their strengths couldn't be underestimated either. Yet, not a single rumor about such a powerful organization had surfaced before this.

The only possibility was that the Herrscher of the Void had started her preparations long ago. And the only one who could have done that…

Thinking of that, Rita suddenly recalled Siegfried, who had defected long ago. Back then, Siegfried had already been greatly affected by the Honkai genes in his body. If there was anyone who could have prepared everything for Kiana, it would probably have been him.

That thought flashed through her mind.

Now that Schicksal's capture plan had been disrupted by The Obsidian Concord, Rita was sure Durandal had also been attacked by them. She couldn't help but feel a sense of worry rise within her.

Without holding back any longer, she swung her frost scythe directly at Himeko.

But Himeko wasn't about to show any weakness. Ren had already fully unleashed the power of the Gem of Haste. As the Herrscher of Dominance's puppet, Himeko could also draw on a portion of the gem's power from Ren.

It was still too early to say who would emerge victorious in her fight against Rita.

Flames and ice collided, creating a thick fog. Many civilians who hadn't completely evacuated screamed. But, compared to the burning tree in the city center, the battle between those two was only a small matter.

The moment the World Tree had been ignited, Durandal noticed the massive Honkai energy fluctuations appearing on the treetops.

The flames were reflected in her deep blue eyes, also staining the lance in her hand crimson.

Looking at the flames in the sky, Durandal lowered her body, entering a charging stance. And, with her movements, the phantom knight, which Mei had used all of her power to destroy, instantly recovered.

Her charge was complete. The ground suddenly cracked, and the thick cement formed a circular crater under the force of the impact. Durandal, shooting towards the sky, turned into a blue light, flying towards the treetops with the phantom knight.

After the World Tree was ignited, the layers of branches had formed a barrier of flames, but that didn't faze Durandal at all.

Like a sharp sword, she easily broke through the blockade of flames. Then, Kiana's figure finally came into her view.

Kiana, who had just absorbed the Honkai bomb's energy, had, as expected, lost consciousness. After confirming that she wasn't in any danger, Durandal's expression turned serious.

She was staring at the boy who was holding Kiana. He was emanating a pressure that even she felt was difficult to deal with.

He looked like an ordinary boy. There was a hint of childishness on his face. He looked no older than seventeen or eighteen, even younger than Kiana.

More importantly, he was thin and frail, and his pale face gave off the impression of illness and weakness. It was as if he would collapse with just a slight push.

And yet, such a frail boy, was making Durandal feel uneasy.

The boy stood quietly in the raging flames, holding the sleeping Kiana in his arms.

The scorching heat didn't affect him at all, and even Durandal's arrival didn't attract his attention. The boy's gaze remained on Kiana.

From that attentive gaze, Durandal could sense fondness and reluctance, as if a husband, who was nearing the end of his life, was saying a silent farewell to his wife.

The air around them was becoming hotter and hotter. Durandal didn't want to delay any longer. She raised her lance, aiming directly at the boy.

"Who are you?"

Hearing Durandal's voice, Ren finally seemed to snap back to his senses. The peaceful moment had been shattered, and he sighed in resignation.

He gently adjusted his arms, shifting from holding Kiana with both hands to cradling her with just one. This allowed her to rest more comfortably against his shoulder.

With a calm but deliberate motion, Ren extended his free hand forward. The intense flames that had been burning around them seemed to sense something, slowly pulling together before transforming into a massive flaming greatsword. It landed firmly in his grasp.

"I am… The Obsidian Concord." His voice was heavy with weariness, like a traveler who had journeyed for days across a desert, longing for an oasis where he could finally rest.

With a single, powerful swing, the massive greatsword cut through the flames that surrounded the several-hundred-meter-tall World Tree. The fire was cleanly sliced apart, and the two walls of flame split open.

In the silence that followed, Ren lifted his gaze. His gray eyes met Bianca's deep blue ones.