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

Although this world was an illusion, as time passed, Ren gradually adapted to having another person by his side. From the initial emptiness to the gradual accumulation of domesticity, his mindset began to shift.

If I could live like this, perhaps it wouldn't be so bad.

Of course, this was a fleeting thought. This place was an illusion, constructed by his mental vulnerability and the Herrscher of Reason core, specifically targeting his feelings for Kiana. If he truly indulged in this fabricated peace, he would eventually lose himself.

Therefore, he had to constantly remind himself that she was just a phantom and be prepared to kill her if he wavered.

It was precisely this sense of unreality that allowed him to act without hesitation, committing acts that were normally unthinkable, doing whatever it took to survive.

But as the cabin became more of a home, his sense of self began to anchor itself in this world. Gradually, he abandoned the more morally questionable methods of survival, learning to cooperate with Kiana.

On the fourth day, the temperature in Berlin dropped significantly. The sky remained overcast, as if on the verge of collapse.

The fire in the hearth weakened, and the room grew colder. Ren went to the stack of firewood by the wall, intending to add more, only to find it completely depleted.

He looked around. The cabin was empty, only his shadow cast upon the wall. He remembered that Kiana had gone out an hour ago to gather more firewood and hadn't returned yet.

Within the illusion, Ren's powers were completely sealed. Moreover, due to the core's rejection, his physical abilities were significantly reduced, even weaker than Kiana's.

It was for this reason that Ren, who usually prided himself on his self-sufficiency, had to rely on Kiana, taking on the domestic tasks while leaving the physically demanding ones to her.

"She's still not back? It's almost dark." Looking at the fading light outside, Ren felt a pang of worry. As he was considering going to look for her, there was a knock on the door.

"Hmm?"

Ren didn't immediately open the door. This wasn't a civilized era. Vagrants and fugitives were common, especially with the worsening weather. He couldn't guarantee everyone had shelter.

The knocking stopped. Ren cautiously approached the door, intending to verify the visitor's identity.

But just as he got close, the flimsy wooden door burst open, a sharp axe swinging past his face. Fortunately, Ren reacted quickly, twisting his body to avoid the fatal blow.

The intruder immediately swung the axe again. With the leverage of the long handle, killing a frail boy wouldn't be difficult.

However, as the axe descended, the intruder already picturing Ren lying in a pool of blood, a sharp pain erupted in his abdomen.

He looked down and saw Ren, his eyes cold and emotionless.

A dagger, sliding from Ren's sleeve, was buried deep in the intruder's stomach. With a twist of his wrist, Ren ripped a bloody hole in the man's gut.

Blood sprayed, staining Ren's clothes. He released his grip, sidestepping the intruder's desperate lunge, then, with the precision of a machine, plunged another dagger into the man's heart.

The intruder, completely caught off guard, stared in disbelief, swinging his axe wildly in a futile attempt to take Ren down with him. But in the end, he collapsed, kneeling before Ren's impassive gaze.

The stench of blood filled the cabin. Killing the intruder didn't cause a ripple in Ren's emotions, but the blood splattered across the floor made him frown. He and Kiana had spent four days cleaning this place.

As he was considering how to clean up the mess, the whoosh of a swinging weapon echoed from behind him.

Sensing the threat, Ren raised his dagger to block, but the attacker was prepared. Wood splintered as a club slammed against the back of Ren's head.

His vision went black, and he felt a powerful kick send him flying, his body rolling across the snowy ground before coming to a stop.

Blood and snow obscured his vision. Through the blur, he saw several figures approaching.

This wasn't a random attack by vagrants but a planned assault.

Crack.

A heavy boot slammed down on the back of Ren's hand, grinding it into the snow. The attacker grabbed his hair, lifting his face from the ground.

Pain shot through his body, and his ears rang. He couldn't hear what the attacker was saying.

Despite this, Ren remained calm. He knew this was the illusion targeting him.

It was a trial, after all. Peacefully navigating these twenty-odd days was unlikely. As long as he was within the illusion, he would be targeted.

Fear, despair—Ren had experienced these emotions countless times. This level of attack couldn't shake him.

"Good evening, Ren."

Just as Ren was considering how to escape, a pair of snow boots crunched through the snow, stopping before him. A familiar, gentle voice reached his ears.

He forced his eyes open and saw the blue-haired young man he had met two days earlier.

"Cough." Ren spat out a mouthful of blood, asking calmly, "The attack came later than I expected."

"Indeed. If you had come home earlier, you could have avoided this trouble. Who knew you were hiding in this dilapidated shack?" Istvan stared into Ren's eyes, seemingly searching for fear.

But he found none. Ren's gray eyes held an unfathomable depth, as if drawing him in.

Refusing his invitation earlier had been the right decision. If he had trusted this seemingly harmless individual, he might not have survived past the second day.

"I'm curious why you didn't attack me when you first saw me. Eliminating a stranger shouldn't be difficult, right?"

Istvan laughed, a cruel, unrestrained sound. He crouched down, looking down at Ren. "No, no, killing the prey isn't the point. Watching it struggle is where the true pleasure lies."

Ren's expression remained unchanged. "What should I call you? Istvan? Or Joyce?"

A flicker of confusion crossed Istvan's face. He replied instinctively, "What's Joyce? Is that someone from your family?"

Wrong guess?

Ren paused. He had assumed this was the First Herrscher, but he seemed to be just an ordinary resident of this illusion.

For Ren, there wasn't only one way to clear the illusion. The normal route was to simply survive until the First Eruption. The other was to find and eliminate Welt's core consciousness.