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

Chirp, chirp.

The clear chirping of birds echoed through the snow-laden branches. The edges of the window were covered in a thick layer of frost. The morning sun, filtering through the frosted glass, fell upon the two figures huddled together.

The boy's fingers twitched slightly, and a moment later, Ren opened his eyes.

The light was momentarily blinding. His vision blurred, and as he looked at the thick snow outside the window, he remembered he was in a dream.

It was a winter morning in Berlin, the second day of his time in the illusion.

The firewood in the stove was almost gone, the flames flickering weakly. The room wasn't as warm as it had been.

After a night's rest, Ren's cold had almost completely subsided.

He exhaled softly, turning to look at the girl leaning against him.

Bright sunlight filtered through Kiana's white hair, illuminating her profile. Her closed eyelids fluttered slightly, her delicate nose glistening like porcelain, her lips parted slightly as she breathed softly.

Faint white puffs of breath dissipated in the winter air, like melting snowflakes.

Without waking Kiana, Ren gently extracted his arm from her embrace and draped the jacket she had lent him over her.

This illusion was too realistic, almost indistinguishable from reality.

But no matter how real it felt, it would eventually shatter. He couldn't afford to linger.

After putting on his dried clothes, Ren added more wood to the stove and pushed open the creaking wooden door, stepping out into the chill of the 1950s.

This was Berlin, Germany. The city, blanketed in fresh snow, had enjoyed a peaceful slumber, now gradually awakening to the sunlight and birdsong.

Wisps of smoke curled from tall chimneys, while the snow on the sloped, tiled roofs remained undisturbed. The arched windows revealed glimpses of people bustling about their morning routines.

Men in thick wool coats and felt hats emerged from their homes, exchanging greetings before hurrying down the snow-covered streets, merging into the flow of pedestrians.

Ren's presence attracted no attention. When he had hacked into the Herrscher of Reason core, his consciousness had merged with the 300,000 wills within, becoming a part of this illusion.

"Good morning, Ren." Just as Ren was wondering how to acquire some food, a young man wearing a scarf appeared beside him, offering a cheerful greeting.

The young man looked about Ren's age but dressed more maturely. Although he spoke in German, this was Ren's constructed space; there was no language barrier.

"..." Ren studied the blue-haired man, not replying immediately. He wasn't sure what role he was playing in this illusion and chose to remain silent.

"Uh, you look a bit down. Did you not sleep well last night?" The young man didn't seem bothered by Ren's silence, scratching his head casually. "That's right, you told me your parents weren't coming home for Christmas this year. Why don't you come over to my place? My house is quite big."

Ren looked at the young man, a complex expression in his eyes. After confirming the invitation was genuine, he still shook his head. "No, thank you."

An illusion didn't guarantee safety. If Ren's guess was correct, there must be a leader among the 300,000 consciousnesses, most likely the First Herrscher of Reason.

After Ren had created this illusion with the Theater of the Domination, the First Herrscher would undoubtedly infiltrate it. Ren couldn't be certain of their current form. If he was caught off guard and killed, the trial would end in failure, all his efforts wasted.

He had to remain vigilant.

"Alright. If you need anything, you can always come find me. You know where I live, right?"

"..."

Ren's continued silence seemed to dampen the young man's spirits. He grumbled, "Hey, Ren, you can't do this to me. I'm your best friend, Istvan. We promised to spend Christmas together."

Istvan?

Ren paused, the name strangely familiar, but he dismissed the feeling, making an excuse to leave.

Watching the young man's slightly dejected figure, Ren shook his head and walked into the crowd.

When he reappeared, he had several banknotes in his hand, "accidentally dropped" by their previous owners. The amounts weren't significant, so no one noticed anything amiss.

Although his powers were temporarily unavailable, some minor tricks were still within his capabilities. He wasn't going to actually rough it in the wilderness, freezing in the bitter cold.

Using the money he had acquired, he bought some food and warmer clothes, returning to the small cabin.

As he approached, he saw Kiana standing by the door, seemingly waiting for him. She must have been there for a while.

Her nose and cheeks were flushed from the cold, but a bright smile bloomed on her face when she saw him.

"Welcome home."

Looking at the girl, her nose practically dripping, Ren sighed. She seemed almost… simple.

Oh well, she's a phantom born from my own mind. What can I do?

"Come inside, you'll catch a cold." He placed the warm breakfast he had bought into her near-frozen hands, rubbing them gently to warm them up, urging her to go inside.

If this were the real Kiana, Ren probably wouldn't act this way. But knowing she was just an illusion, he didn't mind showing a bit of kindness.

He closed the door, shutting out the biting cold. The empty cabin, aside from the hearth and some scattered furniture, didn't even have a bed. Ren had bought some supplies; at least they wouldn't freeze tonight.

While Ren organized their supplies, Kiana busied herself with breakfast. Fortunately, a German breakfast consisted mainly of freshly baked bread and cereal, requiring no preparation.

Once everything was ready, they sat by the hearth, eating their bread in small bites.

"Ren."

"Hmm?" Ren looked at Kiana questioningly.

"Nothing. I just wanted to say your name."

Ren, baffled by her words, continued to eat his dry, hard bread with the cereal porridge. He was just an ordinary person now, needing energy to ward off the cold.

They spent the rest of the day tidying up the cabin. Time flew by as they worked together, and by the third day, the dilapidated cabin finally felt like a home.

If this continued, smoothly transitioning to the First Eruption wouldn't be a problem. But on the fourth day, there was a knock on the door.