Capítulo 184: The Tainted Obsidian Concord
The power of the Star Armor (can you tell me the better name for this?, i mean the battlesuit use Ether anchor, ancora? i forgot a thing) battlesuit faded completely. It absorbed one final burst of energy for Kiana before vanishing, giving her a bit more time to recover.
"Kiana!"
Himeko had just arrived, only to witness something she couldn't comprehend. Ren had fallen by Kiana's blade. Her mind went blank.
She never imagined her most cherished student could kill Ren with her own hands. The shock was overwhelming, leaving her dazed and confused.
"Wh-what happened?"
Himeko felt like the most unfortunate player in this cruel game. She had been kept in the dark from start to finish. Ren had hidden the truth from her, and worse, she failed to notice the Honkai Will impersonating him, manipulating her perceptions.
Now, faced with this grim scene, she stood frozen. A weapon trembled in her hand as she fought the urge to demand answers from Kiana.
But before Himeko could approach, another blade appeared.
A replica of the Xuanyuan Sword——was pointed directly at her.
Himeko's heart sank. Dread filled her expression.
Had her greatest fear come true?
Had the Herrscher of the Void taken over Kiana's body once more?
"Kiana, what's wrong? It's me… your Hime—"
"Shut up!" Kiana's voice was cold as ice.
The realization hit her like a storm. The city was under the Honkai's control. She had walked straight into a trap.
"Still pretending?" Kiana's gaze was sharp, cutting through Himeko like a blade. "Disguising yourself as Himeko-sensei, approaching me, luring me into this trap."
"I-I didn't!" Himeko's voice cracked, filled with a stabs of injustice. She hadn't done any of those things.
"Your claim that Ren founded The Obsidian Concord is laughable." Kiana's tone was venomous. "You exploited his kindness, imprisoned him, and stole his power. You've been deceiving this city from the very beginning."
Kiana stepped closer, her grip tightening on her weapon. "If I'm right, this so-called Obsidian Concord isn't righteous at all. You've been using Ren's Herrscher powers to control this city. Plundering resources. Destroying civilization."
The words hung heavy in the air, a relentless accusation.
"If Ren hadn't sent me a message through his companion Honkai beast, I might never have known the truth." Kiana's eyes burned with anger. "You would have led me straight to Nagazora City, straight into another one of your elaborate traps."
She gestured to the eerie fog around them.
"This fog? It's nothing more than a tool to control the civilians."
The Obsidian Concord.
A grand scheme. A terrifying organization.
If Kiana hadn't pieced it all together, she might have died here. Died without ever knowing that Ren was a pawn in their twisted game.
She might have foolishly followed them, believing their lies, thinking she was rescuing him.
In the end, they both would have been trapped.
The thought was unbearable. With three unstable Herrscher cores already within her, Kiana knew the stakes. She couldn't fathom the destruction a fully powered Obsidian Concord could unleash if they gained control of four Herrscher cores. Humanity wouldn't stand a chance.
"Kiana…"
"Don't call me that name." Kiana's voice was cold and resolute. "Himeko-sensei wouldn't stoop to your level. She wouldn't be one of you despicable wretches."
Her grip on the Xuanyuan Sword tightened. "This trap… it's for me, isn't it? Fine. Let's end this. Come on."
Time was slipping through her fingers.
Without the protection of the water droplets, the Herrscher cores inside her threatened to tear her body apart. Every second she stayed standing was a miracle. She couldn't waste any more time.
She had to end this fight while she was still in control—before the cores overwhelmed her.
Seeing the fiery determination in Kiana's eyes, Himeko's composure finally cracked. Panic seeped into her voice as she blurted out, "Wait!"
"No more words."
Kiana didn't hesitate. She lunged forward, Xuanyuan Sword in hand.
Himeko barely had time to raise her greatsword to parry the blow. Sparks flew as their weapons clashed, the force reverberating through the air.
It only took a moment for Himeko to notice Kiana's condition.
Her breathing was ragged, her movements sharp but unsteady. She was burning through her remaining strength with reckless abandon.
Himeko's heart ached as the truth dawned on her.
Kiana wasn't fighting to save herself. She was fighting to save the city—desperate to secure its safety, even at the cost of her own life.
Understanding this, Himeko stopped speaking and silently met Kiana's attacks.
Even if she surrendered, Kiana wouldn't lower her guard. It was better to face her head-on.
During the clash, Himeko felt the unmistakable shift.
Kiana had grown. Her skill. Her power. More than that, her composure in battle was steady, far more stable than the impulsive girl Himeko once knew.
After a few exchanges, Himeko realized the truth.
She was struggling to keep up.
She's truly grown, Himeko thought, falling into a defensive stance.
Kiana wasn't just any fighter. She was the Herrscher of the Void.
Honkai energy had transformed her, granting her S-rank physical abilities.
And yet…
With Ren absent, Himeko had been holding back. She was trying to end the fight quickly, aiming to minimize the risk to Kiana.
But it was clear now—Himeko couldn't keep up.
Her greatsword plunged deep into the earth as Himeko lost her footing, unable to resist any longer.
Kiana's blade hovered over her, cold and unyielding.
"Now, tell me your objective."
Himeko met Kiana's eyes as the blade pressed against her throat.
Strangely, the woman kneeling before her didn't feel like an enemy. She felt more and more like her beloved teacher.
Just as Himeko was about to reveal everything, her body stiffened. Her pupils dilated, and her mind was overtaken.
He… he's back.
Himeko's body went limp, as if all strength had drained from her. She hung her head, lost in the grip of whatever force had taken hold.
When she looked up again, her voice was filled with undeniable madness.
"Hahaha, you have the nerve to ask about our objective?"
"Drop the charade, Herrscher. You're humanity's enemy, always have been. We're just ordinary people, victims of the Honkai, left to scream alone in despair. No one came to save us. We simply want to protect ourselves. Isn't that Ren's goal as well?"
Ren, now in control of Himeko's body, lifted his head. His orange-red eyes locked onto Kiana's, burning with unconcealed resentment.
"Don't be ridiculous. You're just using the Honkai as an outlet for your own twisted desires. You want to control the entire city, brainwash its people… The man who truly fought for ordinary people would never condone this kind of 'salvation'."
No one understood Ren better than Kiana.
The boy who wept for humanity's weakness, the one willing to become a candle to light the path for others, would never desire a future where people were kept like livestock.
"Heh, think what you will." He seemed to give up on the pointless argument. Even with a blade at his throat, he showed no fear.
He slowly stood, letting the blade graze his skin.
Crimson blood flowed, causing Kiana to instinctively loosen her grip.
"Herrschers are always the enemy. You destroyed my home, you took everything from me. And you, the infamous Herrscher of the Void, are nothing but a monster who slaughtered millions."
Faced with Ren's hatred, Kiana remained silent. She would no longer be swayed by such words.
On the path of fighting the Honkai, there were no perfect endings. From the moment she decided to save ARC City, she had seen herself clearly. Like Ren, she was fighting for her ideals.
Even covered in mud, she was still desperately trying to save others. Not to atone for her past, but simply to do everything within her power.
Status de energia semanal
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