Honkai Impact: I, The Herrscher of Ice, Am Loved By Players

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In the Honkai World, the story continued as before.

Just like in the original plot, Anti-Entropy chose Kiana as bait, luring the Hyperion into the Theater of Control to ambush the Herrscher of Dominance.

The battle went remarkably smoothly, resulting in the complete elimination of the dolls.

As Anti-Entropy celebrated their victory, Kiana mysteriously disappeared. Soon after, others also faced renewed attacks from the dolls.

Only then did the others realize that the dolls had returned with renewed vigor. They promptly devised a plan to infiltrate the Dominion Theater and locate Kiana.

Meanwhile, on Kiana's side—

"Come forth, come forth, your trial has begun!"

Within the Dominion Theater, the setting abruptly transformed from a stage to a courtroom. Dolls appeared amidst the crowd, cheering wildly.

"Trial! Trial! Trial!"

This malevolence stemmed from the unorganized masses, born from humanity's wicked thoughts, utterly devoid of justice or universal truths.

Amidst this chaos, only the doll presiding over the bench maintained composure, its voice deep and commanding.

"Silence! Silence!"

"The trial for the new member's admission now commences! State your name!"

This was the unique aspect of the Herrscher of Dominance, more precisely, the Herrscher of Dominance: Unorganized Masses. By conducting trials of its members, it gradually dominated and assimilated them, ultimately achieving its own objectives.

At the edge of the Dominion Theater, a figure quietly emerged—a woman enveloped in a black cloak, revealing only a hint of her crimson hair through its fringe.

As she slowly advanced within the theater, dolls obstructed every other direction except surprisingly, around her vicinity remained clear.

It was as if some mysterious force shielded her presence from the theater's master.

After walking for a while, the woman paused, seemingly sensing something distant. She turned towards that direction, which coincided with Kiana's location.

However, what alerted her to Kiana wasn't the girl herself but rather the Gem of Haste.

Indeed, it was Murata Himeko, now transformed into the Herrscher of Flame. Beneath the black cloak, she donned the imposing Herrscher attire, reminiscent of the previous Red Knight form but appearing more fierce and robust overall.

To put it mildly, Himeko just couldn't quite exude sensuality, possibly due to being older. Hmm, no wonder she's still single; truth be told, most Valkyries at her age would already be settled down with families. Only Himeko hadn't, well, aside from Theresa too.

But seriously, who would dare marry Theresa? Even as Captain, one could only wed two alternative routes at most.

Upon reflection, finding suitable partners for these elite Valkyries is indeed challenging. With Himeko's personality, she'd continue fighting relentlessly until exhaustion sets in. If not pursued early on, she'd likely remain single her whole life—a silent tribute...

However, Himeko merely stayed put, waiting instead of advancing further. This was, of course, upon Ana's request.

Some experiences are meant solely for the younger generation. Himeko's presence here served as insurance; if everything proceeded smoothly, she would simply depart afterward. Only unexpected complications would prompt her intervention. Clearly, Kiana alone could handle the situation now, and other Anti-Entropy members were also rushing towards this location from various directions.

All these developments align with Ana's predictions, eliciting admiration from Himeko. So far, everything remains within Ana's control. Naturally, had Himeko fully comprehended Ana's current existence, it wouldn't have seemed remarkable.

Yet, evidently, Ana hadn't provided detailed explanations to Himeko. After all—judging by the outcome, the concept of The Cocoon of Finality truly falls short.

There wasn't much else to say, though Ana did make some assumptions. Himeko, too, refrained from probing further; she had her own thoughts, but above all, she was a Valkyrie who followed orders.

The Dominion Theater appeared as Anti-Entropy's exclusive stage on the surface, but due to Ana's involvement, Schicksal played a significant role this time around. As for World Serpent, their participation was minimal—aside from Raven and Raiden Mei undertaking a few missions, with the latter providing support once, there wasn't much action from them.

Meanwhile, Schicksal was conducting experiments related to the Herrscher of Dominance at their research institute.

Gathered within were prominent figures of Schicksal, including both S-rank Valkyries, Otto, and Nagamitsu, the institute director.

In the experimental field, Susannah stood alongside several others—a mix of ordinary individuals and Valkyries. These selected people were part of the Herrscher of Thousands.

As the attention of the doll focused on Kiana, Schicksal felt no pressure, knowing that no dolls would target them directly. However, Schicksal shared intelligence with World Serpent, so they were aware that the Herrscher of Thousands had not yet been eradicated.

Even without World Serpent's intel, Otto was already aware of this. His chess piece had been placed, and now it was merely a matter of waiting for everything to settle.

To achieve his goal, the Herrscher of Thousands composed of dolls must perish, making Susannah, representing another facet of the Herrscher of Thousands, a crucial counterbalance.

As for why there were two incarnations of the Herrscher of Thousands, Otto harbored no doubts. Upon seeing Ana, he understood immediately—it was likely her mischief once again.

However, it mattered little to him. The existence of multiple Herrschers of a Thousand People did not affect Otto's long-held aspiration, nor would it hinder his ultimate vision. In fact, he was willing to assist Ana, as he too desired to fulfill Kallen's wish, even if she could never return to this world.

"Alright, everyone."

Despite Otto's presence, his role here was more about overseeing the situation rather than leading the proceedings directly.

Soon, he would accomplish his lifelong ambition and depart from this world. Naturally, before that moment arrived, he wanted to help train his granddaughter's future subordinates as much as possible.

Thus, the actual leader presiding over the event was Nagamitsu, head of Schicksal's research institute.

"Commencing Experiment 43: Synchronization begins!"

Following Nagamitsu's command, the Herrschers on the testing ground unleashed their powers, quickly linking them together. However, Nagamitsu still frowned.

The experiment results remained unsatisfactory. Although these hundreds of Herrschers could generally achieve synchronization, each individual had their own thoughts and desires. Moreover, with varying backgrounds, some had received minimal training prior to this endeavor.

Naturally, inconsistencies arose, especially when attempting to synchronize Herrscher Authorities.

As for why they pursued this goal, during recent research on Honkai Energy, Nagamitsu discovered that the Authorities of the Herrscher of Dominance could be combined into a single unified power. When achieved, the collective strength would reach its zenith, comparable to that of the Herrscher of the Void.

While this level might not seem high, the challenge lay in the diverse capabilities of the Herrschers of Dominance. Previously, asking them to confront a complete Herrscher was deemed excessively difficult.

However, individually, even a single Herrscher of Dominance held significant advantages over Honkai Beasts. Each one possessed strength roughly equivalent to an A-rank Valkyrie.

Their combined strength is already quite formidable. It's worth noting that Schicksal currently has fewer than a thousand A-rank Valkyries altogether. Moreover, among these Herrscher of Dominance, some were originally B or A rank Valkyries, whose capabilities have significantly increased with the enhancement from their Herrscher Cores.

If the Authorities of the Herrschers of Dominance could be unified, they would form a formidable legion capable of confronting a single Herrscher. Essentially, this would effectively add several S-rank Valkyries to Schicksal's forces.

Of course, the most critical aspect is that the Herrscher of Thousands, composed of the other dolls, remains uneliminated. Schicksal has never relied solely on external organizations for hope.

Consequently, their Herrscher of Dominance inevitably becomes one of Schicksal's trump cards against the Herrschers.

Unfortunately, achieving synchronization proves incredibly challenging.

Compared to the doll-based Herrschers, the individual consciousnesses of Schicksal's Herrscher of Thousands are much stronger. As Herrschers of Human, they cannot assimilate with each other; moreover, they naturally resist such assimilation. Thus, achieving synchronization relies solely on mutual understanding and coordination.

On the other hand, the doll-based Herrschers have seamlessly integrated into a cohesive whole, which explains why despite Anti-Entropy's apparent elimination of all members of the Herrscher of Thousands, they ultimately faced a fierce resurgence.

For the Doll Herrschers, as long as one doll remained unscathed, they could always make a comeback—and indeed, that's precisely how they were reborn.

In hindsight, Anti-Entropy's actions inadvertently fostered greater synchronization among the Herrscher of Thousands. One might even argue that it was their efforts that led to the birth of the final chaotic conglomerate known as the Herrscher of Thousands.

Due to their individual weakness, the Doll Herrschers banded together; and driven by the strength of their formidable enemies, these beings achieved ever-deeper harmony until ultimately merging completely.

To confront colossal entities like other Herrschers, the Herrscher of Thousands had no choice but to unite this way. Coincidentally, only when they fused did they truly become the Herrscher of Dominance.

It was the presence of three Herrscher-level beings from Anti-Entropy that instilled fear in the Herrscher of Thousands, prompting them to choose Kiana. In their eyes, her vulnerabilities were most apparent.

Indeed, whether it was Himeko, Ana, or Fu Hua, each had sacrificed for Kiana. The same held true for countless others, leaving immense psychological pressure on her—greater than anyone else within Anti-Entropy.

Fortunately, Kiana has grown stronger, able to withstand this burden. Otherwise, the Herrscher of Dominance's plot might have already succeeded.

"I've heard enough of your nonsense! It's time to bring this absurd trial to an end!"

"You won't deceive me; I will not yield, nor shall I despair!" Kiana declared.

At that moment, neither the Void Drifter nor the Queen appeared before them. Instead, it was the true form of the Herrscher of the Void, Kiana. The ceremonial attire of a Herrscher materialized on her body, yet her eyes remained clear and azure blue.

"Ah, we even went out of our way to show you the Second Herrscher's memories, but did they not stir any emotions within you? No sense of shame?" The doll shook its head, sounding both resigned and wistful.

"So it really was your doing. Sorry, but that trick doesn't work on me."

"Sirin's past is my past as well. I'll bear those burdens and consequences, repaying them in my own way. Enough is enough!" Kiana spoke coldly, unleashing the power of the Herrscher of the Void. Truthfully, she never feared these dolls; she simply wanted to uncover their schemes.

In the distance, Himeko smiled and nodded approvingly.

"Kiana... You've truly grown so much. I'm proud to call you my student!"

"But..."

"The true trial for you lies ahead."

As she spoke, Himeko shook her head beneath her cloak. Death didn't faze her; however, the thought of such nauseating words coming from that disgusting Doll Herrscher made her uneasy.

She had always despised manipulative tricks, resembling the Herrscher of Sentience in this regard. Throughout her life, Himeko remained straightforward and resolute—whether in battle or otherwise, she never retreated but charged forward instead.

What troubled Himeko even more was realizing that her fate had become a bargaining chip for the Herrscher of Thousands. Although it signified her importance to Kiana, nevertheless...

Instead of feeling reassured, Himeko felt deeply discomforted.

"I can't help but think...I might be holding Kiana back somehow..."

"The curtain is about to reach its climax-it's time for a thrilling twist! Just as hope turns to despair, what expression will you wear?"

The doll swayed its head, its grating voice sending ominous chills through Kiana's mind.

"Heh heh heh! Come closer, come closer! Let's have a good look!"

As the doll spoke, another puppet appeared behind Kiana, instantly heightening her vigilance. However, it didn't attack her but extended its hand instead.

In that puppet's grasp, a gem radiated with intense Honkai energy-the Gem of Haste, which Ana had purposefully discarded into Virtual Space earlier.

"Well? Well?" The doll's voice echoed in Kiana's ears like a demon's whisper, causing her body to tremble uncontrollably. With these heightened emotions, the Herrscher Aspect rapidly surged within her, though even at this accelerated pace, it couldn't yet match the Queen's strength.

"Who do you think holds it now?

"Do you know why it's here?

"Gem of Haste?!"

"Yes, yes, reveal your thoughts!"

"Murata Himeko..."

"Already dead!"

In the distance, observing quietly, Himeko silently typed "6" on her chat window.