In an alternate dimension, independent from Earth—
There was no concept of day or night here; all directions were filled with the purest void, and the world was shrouded in a sickly shade of dark violet.
Amid the emptiness stood an immense palace-like structure. Its dark gray walls extended outward endlessly, twisting into unnatural angles in the distance.
The palace gates were grand and imposing, towering over a hundred meters high. Combined with its dark-themed design, it exuded an oppressive, eerie atmosphere.
Upon entering, one would discover that it was actually a vast theater, with countless seats surrounding a central stage.
However, the interior shared the same gloomy, unpleasant aesthetic.
Heehee—
A sharp, shrill laugh shattered the silence.
A wooden puppet stood on the stage. Its head rotated a full 360 degrees before it looked down at the audience.
"No one's found us yet. How wonderful."
"Yes, yes—"
The audience responded in unison.
Each of them looked exactly the same—golden-haired little girls with short hair, twin golden horns on their heads, and blindfolds covering their eyes.
Their outfits were matching black, white, and gold stage costumes, each with a Celtic triquetra engraved on their foreheads.
Most striking of all were the visible joint seams at their elbows and knees. Their limbs were connected by fine strings like marionettes.
Whenever they spoke or moved, their bodies and heads twisted at odd, unnatural angles—exquisitely crafted, yet disturbingly grotesque.
"Disasters couldn't destroy us, but our fellow humans did."
"In a world like this, true salvation never existed from the start."
"All for the sake of Honkai! Greed, arrogance, cruelty... humanity is not worth saving!"
The eerie chorus of doll voices echoed through the theater.
"We must destroy those traitors to Honkai and reclaim their powers!!!"
"Reclaim the powers!!! Heehee—"
"Yes, destroy the traitors! Destroy the invaders!!—"
Each line was immediately met with countless echoes from the puppet audience.
"Our first target is here."
One of the puppets closed her eyes. Her consciousness and thoughts linked with those of thousands of others in a strange, unified network.
Each of them saw the same thing she did—her memories, her knowledge, her intentions.
"Kiana. The Herrscher of the Void's Core is within her. She's currently in the Far East."
"A clone? And still just a child? Playing house with others? Hahahahahaha—"
The puppets let out piercing laughter.
"Has she forgotten who she is? Or is she pretending?"
"Or did someone else make her betray Honkai?... Heehee, it doesn't matter, doesn't matter—we'll remind her who she truly belongs to."
"There are other Herrscher Cores as well. They're not on Earth. We'll need to find a way to get them all."
The Herrscher of Dominance had no knowledge of the Starsea Empire—they could only sense that the remaining Cores were far from Earth.
"To space, to space—"
"All the Herrscher Cores are ours—"
"We need more companions—one thousand, two thousand... not enough! Not enough! We need more!! Heehee..."
Their warped, mechanical voices filled the theater.
"There are mortals who dare to steal the power of gods. We'll stop him, destroy him, and take his powers!!"
The puppet on stage pointed into the void.
Everyone knew exactly whom she referred to. Honkai itself had filled their minds with certain knowledge.
That mysterious man from another world—he had already seized a great portion of divine power and was about to challenge God in a way that defied all reason.
"But he's too strong! If we fight him now, we'll be annihilated instantly, won't we?"
"Yes! That's why we must gather more companions. Before that, we'll lie low, gather strength... and start with the people around him, heehee..."
"Exactly, exactly! Once we have enough companions and power, we won't need to fear that man. After all, we can dominate others, can't we?"
"Ah, if we could take all eight Herrscher Cores... I—no, we—would become so powerful..."
...
"Report: the Herrscher of Dominance harbor impure intentions toward you."
"I've intercepted some of their communications, but it seems they can directly communicate via consciousness. Information is incomplete."
Sophon reported to Setsuna with loyal precision about the situation on Earth.
A holographic map appeared before him, dotted with numerous red markers.
The Herrscher of Dominance had scattered across every corner of the planet—plotting, scheming, and conspiring in the shadows.
Relentlessly, they sought new companions, using strange, mocking words to stir up humanity's darkest emotions, luring them into extremity.
Eventually, those who succumbed willingly became one of the puppets.
Of course, none of this escaped Sophon's flawless surveillance.
"..."
Setsuna fell silent, deep in thought.
"Wait—why them, of all things?!"
The Herrscher of Dominance—or more precisely, the Legion Herrscher.
The Tenth Herrscher. They were composed of one thousand individual bodies, each far weaker than a standard Herrscher, possessing only limited power.
Their ability was Dominance—the power to seize and control the authorities of other Herrscher Cores. They were born as a countermeasure against Herrschers who had turned against the will of Honkai.
Though individually weak, their sheer numbers allowed them to form an extensive network, coordinating from the shadows and striking when the time was right.
He wasn't quite sure why they appeared now, out of sequence.
"Hmm... maybe our previous actions messed with the worldline?" one of the nanobots said, counting on her fingers.
"Think about it—the Cores of Reason and the Void are both here. Add the four we extracted last time, and we've got seven total, right?"
"And the eighth Herrscher, the Herrscher of Sentience, is also on our side... hmm, by order, that would indeed make the next one the Herrscher of Dominance. Makes sense."
She paused for a moment.
"Or there's another explanation—Honkai realized we're about to go after the Cocoon, panicked, and tossed out a gatekeeper to slow us down."
"Like in games—you have to beat the gatekeeper before fighting the boss."
"...Fair enough."
Setsuna reluctantly accepted that logic.
"Deal with them."
In the original timeline, the Herrscher of Dominance lurked within human society, stirring chaos and wreaking havoc until they had to be drawn out with bait.
If one was unaware of their existence, by the time they acted, the damage would already be catastrophic.
But now, Setsuna had the ultimate anti-Dominance weapon—Sophon.
Whoosh—
Sophon projected a massive list before him. She had scanned every human on Earth from head to toe, flagging every suspicious target.
Their locations, movements, identities—all were clearly marked, down to height, weight, appearance, even what they ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
No one in this world could imagine such an absurd level of surveillance.
"Whoa, that's... a lot. They've only just shown up, haven't they?"
Setsuna raised an eyebrow as he glanced at the holographic map.
At this scale, calling them the 'Herrscher of Dominance' was an understatement—they were closer to Ten Herrscher of Dominance.
"Additionally, the Herrscher of Dominance's individual units are converging on St. Freya Academy."
"Their primary target is Kiana. Some puppets are also plotting to convert other Valkyries at the academy."
"They intend to use this as a foothold—to harness Schicksal's advanced technology and the Herrscher of the Void's power—to challenge you and the Empire," Sophon explained.
"..."
"Well, that's quite the imagination."
Setsuna chuckled.
The Herrscher of Dominance's purpose was to seize and seal the powers of other Herrschers, absorbing them for their own growth.
Kiana carried the Herrscher of the Void's Core within her, yet she chose to live as a human—an undeniable betrayal of Honkai, making her an obvious target.
"Commander, allow me to handle it."
Cecilia's face was full of concern as she looked toward St. Freya.
Little Kiana was celebrating with Mei and Bronya after passing her makeup exams, laughing and playing in the dorms—blissfully unaware of the danger drawing near.
Schicksal had dispatched Valkyries to investigate the Honkai eruption site, but they had found no trace of a Herrscher. Believing it to be a simple natural disaster, they hadn't pursued the matter further.
"You..."
Setsuna thought for a moment.
"No, you're not suited to confront the Herrscher of Dominance. You'd get caught in their web."
"Angeloids, follow Sophon's list—go knock on their doors."
"Grey, Ritsuka Fujimaru... I trust your moral standards make you perfect for dealing with the Herrscher of Dominance."
...
"Hah, alright then, today's training ends here."
"Everyone, get a good rest. Tomorrow, I'll take you all to inspect the Honkai site."
In a temporary base located in the central Eurasian continent, St. Freya's Valkyrie squad had just finished a full day of training.
Shigure Kira and Himeko clapped their hands, signaling for the students to dismiss.
As an elite team carrying great expectations, they not only studied at the academy but also participated in field missions.
"Woo—!"
Everyone cheered excitedly.
A recent Honkai eruption had occurred—officially designated as the second one. Its scale and energy output were massive, though it hadn't produced a Herrscher.
Honkai Beasts had appeared around the eruption site, and the Valkyrie units were assigned to handle them. This time, it was their team's turn.
"Our first field mission... we'd better prepare properly."
Kiana, Bronya, Mei, and the others were both nervous and thrilled.
Back in the dorms, they eagerly checked their weapons over and over again.
"Don't worry, if there's danger, I'll protect everyone!"
Little Kiana declared confidently, trying to boost everyone's morale.
"...Bronya suggests you focus on protecting yourself first, and not create trouble for Himeko-sensei."
Bronya's expression remained perfectly blank.
She acknowledged Kiana's combat ability—among all the students, Kiana was easily one of the strongest, even surpassing Mei and herself.
If not for her disastrous academic scores, she'd probably already qualify as a full-fledged Valkyrie.
"Relax, relax~"
Kiana replied casually, adjusting her gear.
"Hm?"
Out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed a small golden-haired doll sitting on the desk, beside what looked like a theater ticket.
"Hey, whose stuff is this?"
She held it up and called to her roommates.
Mei, Bronya, and Durandal all shook their heads.
"That's weird. Did someone leave it here by mistake? Or... is it a gift for me?"
Kiana didn't understand.
She examined the doll—it was finely crafted, though its design was a little creepy. Not liking it much, she just tossed it into a drawer.
"'Theater of... Domination?'"
"What a weird name. Is there even a theater like that around here? Whatever, I'll ask Himeko-sensei tomorrow."
She looked at the ticket again, puzzled.
After washing up, she yawned and flopped into bed.
Zzz...
Zzz... Zzz...
"Mm..."
Half-asleep, Kiana suddenly saw a blinding flash of light before her eyes.
When she opened them again, she found herself standing in a completely unfamiliar place.
Before her was a grand, dark building. The surroundings resembled a medieval European castle—old and oppressive.
No modern furniture existed here, only dim candlelight flickering on the walls.
"Where... am I?"
Kiana thought she was dreaming. She pinched her cheek—pain shot through her face. Definitely not a dream.
"Kiana! You're here, finally! We've been waiting for you for so long!!"
A doll appeared before her. Its head spun a full 360 degrees as it spoke in a sharp, grating voice.
"Waiting for me? You are..."
Kiana realized it looked identical to the doll she saw earlier.
A life-sized moving puppet—it triggered an uncanny valley sense of horror that made her skin crawl.
"I am... I am..."
"You're one of us, Kiana. You've forgotten, haven't you? You've forgotten?"
Heeheehee... "It's fine. Here, you'll remember everything—you'll remember. Come on, come with me."
The puppet twisted its limbs at impossible angles, beckoning Kiana to follow.
"...No!"
Kiana's instincts screamed danger.
With a sharp motion, she summoned a weapon from condensed Honkai energy, preparing to fight.
"Oh my—"
"So we weren't mistaken after all! You inherited part of the Herrscher of the Void's power—you can fight with Honkai energy just like a Herrscher!"
The puppet leaned in closer, its voice turning even sharper and more excited.
"But the moment you stepped into the Theater of Domination, your fate was sealed."
She clapped her hands.
"Come now, Kiana, the performance prepared just for you is about to begin."
"Kiana, you're perfect to become one of us."
Whoosh—
The scene before Kiana changed abruptly.
She glanced around and realized she was suddenly standing at the center of a grand stage. In front of her loomed a high judge's podium, upon which stood another doll dressed exactly the same.
"Judgment! Judgment!!"
From the audience seats came the shouts of thousands of identical dolls, their voices filled with excitement.
"Silence—!"
The puppet judge raised her voice and looked down at Kiana.
"State your name."
"Not telling you!"
Startled but defiant, Kiana puffed up her cheeks and shouted, thinking this must be some kind of illusion or trick.
"No matter. We already know your name."
"Kiana—your name was given to you by someone else."
The puppets in the audience giggled shrilly.
"Poor little thing... do you even know who you really are?"
"I..."
Kiana placed her hands on her hips.
"I'm Kiana! I'm my papa and mama's daughter!"
Puhahahahahaha—
The dolls burst into ear-piercing laughter.
"Daughter? Hahaha—"
"You're nothing more than a cloned vessel for a Core. Your life, your face, even your abilities—they were all given to you by others."
"Do you truly know who you are?"
One puppet slipped up behind her, whispering in her ear.
"Aren't you even a little curious why your powers are so much greater than Mei's or Bronya's?"
"A natural talent? Hahahahaha—don't make us laugh! It's because you are a Herrscher, the embodiment of Honkai, the herald of destruction."
"And yet you want to be a Valkyrie? To help humanity fight Honkai? Heeheehee... How foolish can one girl be?"
"No! That's not true...!"
Kiana tried to argue back, but in a battle of words, she was utterly outmatched by the Herrscher of Dominance.
"Not true?"
"Then why not prove it? Feel it—awaken the power sleeping inside you."
The puppet continued to taunt her.
"She's far stronger than you. While you're still playing house at the academy..."
"Ah... if you don't know how to use that body properly, why not give it back to the Herrscher of the Void?"
"N-no, I'm not—"
Flustered, Kiana's face turned bright red. She could barely find the words to respond.
"Not? Then prove it to us, heehee..."
"Come on, show us~"
The puppets cackled again, their distorted voices echoing through the theater.
"I... I..."
Just as Kiana was at a loss—
Zzzzt—
A rift suddenly tore open above the Theater of Domination.
"Tch, those things are fast—they already dragged Kiana in?"
"Hurry up! If something happens to her, we're both getting chewed out big time."
Boom—
Two unfamiliar figures landed beside Kiana.
One was a girl in Chaldea uniform with orange hair—Gudako. The other was a silver-gray-haired nanobot wearing a black uniform—Grey.
"Ah... Ritsuka-sis, Grey-sis."
Kiana immediately recognized them as the two big sisters who were often around Setsuna.
Seeing familiar faces, she felt a surge of relief.
"Uh, I'm not really good at comforting kids, so I'll let the Commander explain later."
Gudako thought for a moment.
"Besides, things are about to get... not exactly child-friendly here. Let's get you out first."
She raised her hand and traced a teleportation spell in the air.
Vmm—
Kiana's body was enveloped in light. When she opened her eyes again, she was back on the space station.
"Mama!"
She immediately ran into Cecilia's arms.
"..."
The Herrscher of Dominance looked in confusion at the two uninvited guests.
They couldn't comprehend how anyone could intrude into the Theater of Domination.
After thinking for a moment, they regained some confidence—this was their domain, after all.
"Ah, intruders!!"
"I know, I know—you're all in on it together, aren't you? Heeheehee..."
"Yes! Yes! What an unexpected twist—this will make the performance even more entertaining!!"
"Unexpected twists make performances better!!!"
The dolls twisted their heads at strange angles, waving their arms as they chattered in bizarre, gleeful tones.
Bang, bang, bang—
The puppet sitting at the judge's podium knocked on the desk and tilted its head.
"You two... you're not Herrschers. Nor clones. No, you're not even human?"
"You came to save Kiana, didn't you? Heehee, but we haven't done anything wrong. We're only guiding her to discover who she really is..."
It continued to test the pair with sly words.
"Are you the ones who created her? Ah, how cruel—giving her life, yet hiding the truth from her..."
"Why did you do it? For fun? To satisfy your so-called thirst for scientific discovery, like those mad scientists? Or maybe... something even more depraved?"
"To deceive a child... ah, so you're just as vile and dark as we are."
Grey sighed—the Herrscher of Dominance' ability to talk trash was simply unrivaled.
If Cecilia or the others had been here, they might have easily been dragged into a web of words, their logic dismantled, their resolve shaken.
But these two chaotic entities couldn't care less about verbal mind games.
"How dare you insult our moral standards?"
Gudako clicked her tongue, clearly annoyed.
"So what? Don't you admit that you're just like us—selfish, greedy, and corrupt to the core?"
The puppet sneered, its tone mockingly sweet.
Sensing slight emotional fluctuation in the two, it tried to push further—attempting to drive them into extremes and convert them into its own kind.
"You're right," Grey said, nodding and placing her hands on her hips as she looked the puppet dead in the eye.
"I am cruel, shameless, and absolutely lacking in morals or decency."
"That's why I'm pissed—and I'm going to wipe every last one of you out."
"???"
"...Huh?"
—
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