NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 178: The Leak
The Theater of Domination trembled within the Imaginary space, its endless hallways twisting and turning, sealing off all exits.
Cut off from the outside world, his connection to his Puppets severed, Ren was trapped.
"Emotions are a Herrscher's deadliest poison. Succumb to them, and the Honkai will abandon you, leaving you a prisoner."
As the stage lights flickered on, another Ren materialized, reciting these lines, his gaze fixed on the real Ren, who frowned in thought.
The other Ren raised a hand, and threads descended from the ceiling, wrapping around Ren's wrists. He couldn't move, could only watch as the threads spread.
"Like a moth drawn to a flame, you've been burned."
More threads appeared, binding his arms, legs, torso, tightening against his skin, digging into his flesh.
A thread wrapped around his neck, slowly lifting him.
"Now, witness your demise." The thread tightened, choking him.
The other Ren watched his struggles, a cruel smile on his face, like a master of ceremonies presiding over a grand finale: the death of the Herrscher of Dominance.
Ren's struggles weakened, his breathing shallowing, then ceasing.
But as the other Ren turned to leave, applause echoed from the audience.
Darkness shrouded the seats, obscuring the figures within, only a pair of glowing golden eyes visible.
"A fine performance. Is there an encore? If not, perhaps you should take the stage."
The Puppet that had just killed Ren was suddenly bound, its limbs and neck constricted by threads, thrashing in pain. This time, it wasn't hanged, but dismembered, its body parts scattered across the stage.
Two Rens dead in less than a minute.
"I can be Ren, but Ren isn't always me."
The voice echoed from the darkness.
The other Ren had been a Puppet created by the encroaching Honkai, a test of his will.
But even the Will of Honkai hadn't anticipated that every single one of the thousand personalities in the Legion was Ren.
…
Domination. Control.
No one knew the true extent of Ren's power. A mere leak of his authority had inadvertently brainwashed an entire city.
With enough Honkai energy, he could control everything, creating a real-world version of his Puppets.
This… inspection by the Will of Honkai wasn't unexpected. He'd been wavering, his emotions clouding his judgment, especially after the Older Kiana incident. He'd known this day would come.
More importantly, he'd realized he'd made too many mistakes. Revealing Obsidian Concord, the reckless attacks… he'd abandoned his caution, his meticulous planning.
Perhaps his growing power had made him arrogant, careless, attracting the Honkai's attention.
Resolving this wouldn't be difficult, but he couldn't do it himself. That would be a blatant act of rebellion.
Fortunately, his pieces were in place. It was time for his weapon to awaken. Kiana.
He hoped she'd understand the message he'd left through Himeko.
…
"You're saying it deliberately used Himeko-sensei's image?"
Yes. It knew I'd recognize her, knew Himeko-sensei was the person I cared about most. Using her image would lower my guard.
Suspicious, Kiana had been carefully observing Himeko, sharing her observations with Fu Hua.
Fu Hua, dormant until Kiana's arrival in ARC City, had awakened, her consciousness sensing Himeko's presence.
Before the Theater of Domination was sealed, Ren had anticipated the Honkai's attempt to exploit his power.
That's why he'd contacted Himeko, to leave a message for Kiana. He'd thought it would take her a while to figure it out, but Fu Hua's presence had expedited the process.
Fu Hua smiled, listening to Kiana's analysis, impressed by her newfound perceptiveness.
"The people in this city… they're not normal. They seem happy, but their eyes… they're empty. And that 'magical girl' cult… it's unsettling." Remembering her encounters with those children, Kiana's initial confusion had turned to suspicion.
"That girl yesterday… she touched me, and she wasn't affected. Unless she's a natural Stigmata bearer, she's connected to the Honkai. I think they're being controlled."
"And remember what that red-haired woman said? The story is based on the Herrscher of the Void, not Kiana. They're fixated on the Herrscher."
"And she kept mentioning how Ren, their leader, brought people together to form Obsidian Concord. It's because he's a Herrscher." Kiana felt a sense of relief, finally voicing her suspicions.
"The prices in this city are ridiculously low. It's not equality, it's control."
Fu Hua understood. "Using a Herrscher as a figure of worship, spreading their influence through brainwashing, controlling the entire city."
Obsidian Concord was undoubtedly connected to the Honkai.
"What are you going to do?" Fu Hua asked.
"They're trying to lure me to Nagazora City. There's a trap waiting for me. But I have no choice. He's there. I have to go. And this city… I saved it once. I can't abandon it."
Kiana looked up, noticing a thick fog had descended, figures moving within it.