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

The last time the three of them had fought together was against the Herrscher of Wind. Wendy had faced all three Herrschers alone; quite the impressive feat.

Too bad such a powerful Herrscher had fumbled the opportunity, ultimately meeting her demise.

Though Ren had salvaged her consciousness from the Gem of Desire in the Sea of Quanta, it was a mere fragment of her former self.

…

After pushing Older Kiana back, the storm clouds didn't dissipate. The long-awaited downpour finally arrived, drenching them.

"Kiana?" Theresa, momentarily stunned, rushed towards the real Kiana, pulling her into a tight embrace, her emotions overflowing.

"I knew it! Dummy Kiana would never do something like that!"

Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Oof!" Kiana almost heard her bones crack.

Mei, ever watchful, pulled Theresa back. "Theresa-sensei, Kiana's too weak for that! Calm down!"

Theresa, realizing she was still in Blood Boil mode, quickly released Kiana, checking her over with a worried frown. "Sorry, Kiana, I…"

During Older Kiana's charade, Tesla and Einstein had identified the imposter through the surveillance footage. Bronya and Seele, though initially fooled, had realized the truth after meeting Mei.

Only Theresa had been kept in the dark. She'd never suspected a thing. That's why she hadn't fought back against Older Kiana's initial attacks.

Because of Otto, she knew the trauma Schicksal had inflicted on Kiana, and she carried the guilt.

She couldn't imagine the pain Kiana had endured during her disappearance, the experiments World Serpent had subjected her to. So, when Kiana displayed anger and resentment, Theresa hadn't been suspicious, only filled with guilt.

It was only when Older Kiana's fighting style shifted that she realized something was wrong.

Now, with the truth revealed, the tension drained away, replaced by relief.

She opened her mouth to speak, but then swayed, collapsing like a deflated balloon.

During Blood Boil, the Vishnu factor suppressed healing and pain. It prioritized combat effectiveness.

But the damage remained. As the Blood Boil faded, the accumulated pain and exhaustion crashed over her. She lost consciousness, falling into Kiana's arms.

"Seele, take Theresa-sensei to the infirmary. We'll handle this."

Seele hesitated. They were all exhausted. She was the least injured. "Bronya-nee-chan, I can still fight."

Bronya understood. She patted Seele's head. "That's why I'm asking you. You're the only one who can get her back safely. Then come back and help us."

Seele, feeling a surge of responsibility, carefully lifted Theresa onto her back.

But as she turned towards the less damaged part of the building, Older Kiana stood in their path.

Her wet white hair swirled in the wind and rain, making her look like a ghost.

"Going somewhere?"

Bronya reacted instantly, firing her cannons. "Run, Seele!"

"Hmph!" Older Kiana, annoyed by the near miss, kicked a piece of twisted metal towards Seele.

Seele, carrying Theresa, couldn't use her phase-shifting abilities.

But as Bronya fired, Mei moved. Just as the metal was about to hit Seele, she unleashed a wave of electromagnetic energy, shattering it.

She didn't attack Older Kiana directly. She was also a member of Obsidian Concord. The situation was unclear; an attack could escalate things.

But she wouldn't hesitate to protect her friends. Using her close-combat skills, she covered Seele's retreat, allowing her to reach the infirmary with Theresa.

Older Kiana had let them go. Ren's orders were to push them, to make them realize their weakness, to force them to grow stronger.

Theresa, having mastered Blood Boil, had taken a step forward. That part of the mission was complete.

The other two, however, needed more… encouragement.

As for Kiana… she needed to recover first.

…

Despite being outnumbered, Older Kiana was gaining ground.

In just three minutes, she'd subdued them.

*Crack!*

Yamabuki Armor's shield shattered, leaving them defenseless.

The rain intensified, the world around them a blurry, dreamlike landscape.

Older Kiana looked down at them, her expression impassive. "I told you. Only through bitter regret can true growth be achieved."

Her katana was embedded in a crack in the floor. Its owner, Mei, lay helpless, watching as Older Kiana retrieved her blade and approached Kiana.

Standing over her, Older Kiana pointed the katana at her.

Rain streamed down their faces, dripping from the blade.

"I envy you. I envy you for meeting him first."

"If I kill you, there will be no Herrscher of the Void. No Kiana Kaslana."

"And I will take your place, become the true Kiana."

Her voice, clear and cold, cut through the storm.

Kiana struggled to sit up, their eyes meeting through the rain.

"I won't let you have him. I won't let you have my life."