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

High above the darkened city, lightning flickered faintly. Those who happened to glance upwards simply took it as a sign of impending rain.

A massive amount of Honkai energy, guided by the subtle workings of Li Sushang's Sword Heart, gradually converged into a shimmering Spirit light. The high-altitude clouds, pulled by an invisible force, emitted a low rumble of thunder.

It was barely early summer, yet the atmosphere held the oppressive weight of an approaching storm, pregnant with lightning. People strolling through the night hurried back to their homes, unwilling to linger.

As the power accumulating within the clouds intensified, the fierce lightning finally erupted.

Boom!

Thunder crashed down from the sky. In the blinding white light, the entire urban area seemed on the verge of shattering. Fortunately, the city's lightning protection systems were relatively robust, and the moment the lightning struck, it was drawn to the lightning rods atop the buildings.

However, this Honkai-induced thunderstorm wasn't a mere natural phenomenon. While the lightning rods could absorb the electrical discharge, they couldn't annihilate the Honkai energy. With just one strike, the metal rods melted from the intense heat, rendered useless.

A second thunderclap followed close behind, hurtling towards the defenseless city. Yet, when it reached the ground, it caused no damage.

A close observer would have noticed that at the instant of the thunderstrike, a dense, spiderweb-like network of threads shimmered briefly over the city's surface. Both the lightning and the Honkai energy were absorbed by these peculiar threads, converging towards the heart of the web.

At the web's core, a resigned Ren massaged his forehead, simultaneously expanding his Domination threads as far as possible to ensure the city's safety.

If earlier it had been a vague unease, the moment Kiana unleashed her unrestrained Honkai aura, the source of the anxiety gnawing at his heart became crystal clear.

She's here.

Kiana's appearance was completely unexpected. During the Pacific operation, Ren had specifically made a deal with Schicksal and World Serpent, exchanging his assistance for Kiana's complete freedom.

As long as they didn't interfere, Kiana would definitely choose to leave. Whether she sought Durandal's help at Anti-Entropy or searched for the missing Mei, there was no reason for her to return to this city.

Manipulating people's hearts often came with significant repercussions. Ren knew that his faked death would undoubtedly deal a heavy blow to Kiana's spirit. To compensate, he had specifically secured this period of freedom for her.

After weathering the most difficult period, Kiana would essentially have matured. Then, he could send some puppets to cause some chaos, creating opportunities for her to achieve victories in battle, filling the void left by his "death".

By then, with the company of her friends and the passage of time, the traces he left behind would gradually fade, eventually disappearing completely from her memory.

Therefore, Ren hadn't even planned on adopting a new identity. His true persona was well-hidden; aside from a select few like Otto and Kiana, no one knew who he truly was. He didn't need to worry about Li Sushang discovering the truth.

However, Ren seemed to have underestimated Kiana's tenacity. Not only had she returned to ARC City, but she also appeared to be actively searching for information about him.

Under these circumstances, Ren's plan was at risk of collapsing before it even began.

But Ren wasn't easily swayed. Kiana's presence merely increased the risks of his operation. As long as he was sufficiently discreet, he could still successfully obtain Taixu Sword God.

The complex emotions swirling in his eyes dissipated, and Ren's expression returned to its usual indifference, effectively concealing the subtle fluctuations of his feelings.

"Even you can't stop me."

Accompanied by the grinding of machinery, the Sky Screen devices installed throughout the city emerged from the ground, forming nodes arranged like constellations.

A bird's-eye view of the city would reveal these points interconnected, forming the pattern of a sword array.

These were the 256 energy nodes Ren had specifically arranged in ARC City, designed to fully capture the power of Li Sushang's Taixu Sword God. However, with only two or three days of preparation, the arrangement wasn't complete.

According to the original plan, the final array wouldn't be finished for another two days.

The complete array would connect with his Theater of the Domination, allowing him to compare and analyze the differences between the two Taixu Sword Gods through the support of the Theater.

Unfortunately, plans couldn't always keep up with reality. Ren had originally intended to provoke Li Sushang two days later, forcing her to use Taixu Sword God. But Kiana's sudden appearance had prematurely triggered the conflict with Li Sushang.

To prevent the premature unveiling of Taixu Sword God, Ren had no choice but to activate these incomplete nodes.

Activating the nodes early brought uncertainty about the sword array's effectiveness. Furthermore, such a large-scale energy fluctuation risked discovery by Schicksal. Regardless, this was a gamble with uneven odds.

Disrupting his plans came with a price. If his prey had been startled prematurely, then Kiana would have to bear the consequences.

Taixu Sword God's destructive power primarily targeted the mind. If the array were complete, the Theater of the Domination could absorb the impact. However, in the current situation, the only solution was to use Kiana as a substitute for the Theater, letting her directly face the onslaught of Sword God.

This way, data capture would still be possible.

"Our paths have diverged. I owe you nothing. From now on, I will no longer concern myself with your life or death," Ren muttered under his breath, the wind whipping against his face as he struggled to suppress the turmoil within him.

Yes, he owed Kiana nothing. Why should he alter his plans for such a trivial matter?

Ren would absolutely not abandon his actions for something so insignificant.

Well, probably.

Of course, this was based on the assumption that Kiana also possessed Taixu Sword God. With the mental fortitude provided by Sword God, even if she were injured, it wouldn't be fatal; she'd just need more time to recover.

If Kiana didn't know Taixu Sword God, that would be a different story.

…

The air crackled with ionized energy, sparking with countless bolts of lightning. Li Sushang, having entered the Spirit state, shed her girlish demeanor, radiating a terrifying, awe-inspiring pressure.

"Three feet of water can sever the clouds!"

She gazed at the Herrscher-transformed Kiana, softly reciting the mantra of Taixu Sword God. Simultaneously, ripples spread across her mind's lake, and boundless Honkai energy, flowing with Spirit, transformed into an invisible sword.

In the next instant, the youthful girl seemed to vanish from existence, leaving behind only an incomparably sharp blade.

"Taixu Sword God, Spirit Unleashed!"

Golden starlight erupted from Li Sushang's forehead, drawing upon the radiance of heaven and earth.

Of all things in the world, none could compare to this radiant, purifying sword.

The dark clouds trembled uncontrollably, and the moonlight fearfully retreated, as if afraid to disturb the sword's brilliance.

Piercing through the thick clouds, a blade far heavier than any mountain descended towards Kiana, carrying a world-shaking pressure.

"Kiana, can you still hold on?"

The appearance of Taixu Sword God was beyond Fu Hua's expectations, causing even her long-sealed memories to stir. However, now wasn't the time to dwell on the past. Fu Hua, who had been with Kiana throughout, knew full well that Kiana's mind couldn't withstand a direct attack from Taixu Sword God.

Now that Taixu Sword God had manifested, escape was impossible against such a Locking Technique. The only option was to defend and mitigate its destructive power.

"Listen to me, Kiana. I can use the Edge of Taixuan to temporarily buffer the mental attack of Taixu Sword God. You just need to seize the opportunity to escape…"

But in response to Fu Hua's advice, Kiana simply shook her head. Not only did she show no intention of retreating, but the light in her eyes burned even brighter.

The reflection of the sword shimmered in Kiana's eyes, like moonlight on a blue lake.

The raging storm tore at the girl's body, making her seem like a leaf tossed about on a tempestuous sea.

"Class monitor, I've run away too many times. This time, I don't want to run. This is my only chance to find him. I can't give up here."

"You don't understand! Taixu Sword God's destruction of the mental realm is devastating. Your current mental state has no chance of victory."

Fu Hua, vaguely guessing Kiana's intentions, repeatedly tried to dissuade her. While countering with her own Taixu Sword God could potentially resolve the situation, the pressure from Li Sushang was overwhelming.

Fu Hua, familiar with Taixu Sword Qi, could clearly sense the disparity in their power.

Even she wasn't confident in defeating Li Sushang, let alone Kiana, who hadn't fully mastered Taixu Sword Qi.

They could avoid this crisis entirely; there was no need to continue fighting.

"He gave me this life…" Kiana's voice was calm yet laced with exhaustion. Although it was a simple sentence, it silenced Fu Hua, who had wanted to continue persuading her.

"Please, help me, Class monitor." The weak plea, filled with earnest supplication, made it impossible for Fu Hua to refuse.

She's grown up. She has her own will, her own thoughts.

Realizing this, Fu Hua felt a mix of pride and sorrow. Looking at the weary girl with heartache, she finally nodded.

Under normal circumstances, Kiana wouldn't be able to use Taixu Sword God. But the Herrscher-transformed Kiana was beyond such limitations. Honkai energy surged within her, desperately needing an outlet.

As the blade of Taixu Sword God drew closer, Kiana slowly closed her eyes. The Edge of Taixuan connected her consciousness with Fu Hua's, and the two seemed to return to the vast ocean once more.

"Taixu Sword Qi, Spirit Unleashed."

The same mantra escaped Kiana's lips. The Herrscher's power merged with Taixu Sword God, forming a blazing sword of fire.

The sword's brilliance pierced the sky. The mighty flaming greatsword clashed head-on with Li Sushang's descending Sword God, unleashing a violent shockwave that swept across the entire city. The scattering Honkai energy plummeted like a storm, ultimately absorbed entirely by the sword array Ren had set up.

Watching the evenly matched clash, Ren quietly let out a sigh of relief, a smile playing on his lips.

"Well done. You didn't disappoint me."