NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 160: The Puppet
Two identical Kianas faced each other, mirror images.
Kiana froze, searching for some flaw in the disguise, some sign of a mask.
But aside from the clothing, there was no difference. This Kiana still wore Liuli's outfit.
"I'm just another you." Older Kiana, her manic grin fading, mimicked Kiana's expression, stepping closer. "You stole my life, my love, my na— Tch, can't steal a name, can I?"
Older Kiana's muttered words were too quiet for Kiana to hear, but they still stirred something within her.
Kiana Kaslana. Is this name truly mine? Is she… me? Has she returned to reclaim what she's lost?
Doubt gnawed at her.
"Kiana?" Mei, rushing after her, stopped, seeing the two identical figures. But she instantly recognized the real Kiana.
She sensed something was wrong. Kiana's Honkai energy was surging, her mind unfocused.
The signs of an imminent Herrscher transformation.
"Kiana, calm down!" Mei held her, trying to reach her.
But Kiana's eyes were fixed on Older Kiana, the golden crosses in her pupils flickering.
The Honkai's whispers echoed in her ears, punctuated by the Herrscher of the Void's laughter.
As Kiana slipped away, invisible threads emerged from her wristband, absorbing the overflowing Honkai energy.
Ren had created these wristbands as a precaution, using his and the Herrscher of Reason's powers to mask their Herrscher signatures and suppress their powers by draining their Honkai energy.
The corruption receded, Kiana's Honkai energy returning to normal levels.
The dizziness subsided. Kiana touched her forehead, her confused gaze clearing.
…
Sensing the decrease in Honkai energy, Mei released Kiana, cautiously eyeing the other girl.
The familiar uniform looked loose on her. Older Kiana, in her younger form, was smaller now. Mei recognized her as Liuli, their escort. "Liuli-san, is that you?"
"Shut up, traitor!" Older Kiana glared at her, raising a hand.
"I… I'm not." Mei felt a pang of guilt. Bronya hadn't given her a chance to explain.
"There's been a misunderstanding. Let me—"
But Older Kiana was in no mood for explanations. Ren had given Kiana an unfair advantage, and she was annoyed.
He said I could do what I wanted. Let's see how he likes this.
A little lesson won't hurt.
She lunged for Mei, but her wrist was caught.
Kiana, snapping out of her confusion, saw the difference between this girl and the one she knew.
"Who are you? You're not me. You're not Kiana."
Older Kiana tried to pull back, surprised by Kiana's strength.
She punched Kiana, forcing her back, but losing her advantage.
Perhaps out of consideration for their surroundings, they fought without using Honkai energy, relying on physical combat.
Even Mei couldn't tell them apart now.
They traded blows like ordinary brawlers, a flurry of punches and kicks. If not for the lack of hair-pulling, they could have been mistaken for squabbling siblings.
A small, cat-shaped plushie slipped from Older Kiana's pocket, landing at Mei's feet.
She picked it up. A shadow flickered before her eyes. The plushie was snatched from her hand.
The interruption separated them. They stared at each other, catching their breath.
Kiana recognized the plushie. The black fur, the white paws… it reminded her of Ren's cat.
Taxue had covered her escape from ARC City. She'd wondered what had happened to it.
"That cat…" Kiana stared at the plushie, a sense of unease growing.
The black fur, the white paws… it was almost identical to Taxue.
Sensing Kiana's gaze, Older Kiana grinned, holding up the plushie.
"Guess its name. And guess who gave it to me?" Her voice dripped with mockery. She'd discovered that psychological warfare was more effective than physical combat.
Her advantage: she knew Ren's secrets.
She'd actually made the plushie herself, based on Taxue's appearance. Ren had never given her anything, but that didn't matter. This was about pushing Kiana's buttons.
Kiana's face darkened. Before, the impersonation had triggered self-doubt. Now, it was pure anger.
Slap!
Their hands clashed, sending the plushie tumbling to the dusty ground.
"Angry now? You recognize its name, don't you? Taxue."
Despite her mocking tone, Older Kiana's expression faltered.
She picked up the plushie, dusting it off, and tucked it back into her pocket.
"Its owner… is probably…"
"Where is he?! If you want to fight, fight me! He's just an ordinary person!" Since ARC City, she'd been separated from Ren. This other Kiana… she couldn't trust her.
"An ordinary person… Fine. If you want to know, defeat me. Prove you're better than me."
Honkai energy surged around Older Kiana. She suddenly felt… bored.
What was the point? She couldn't compete with the Kiana in Ren's heart.
She was just a puppet, easily discarded.
"Hahaha… maybe destroying this place isn't such a bad idea after all."