A massive sun hung in the sky, emitting intense and scorching crimson light that melted the ice and snow. However, it brought not the warmth of spring but lethal, searing heat.
"What is this?"
Kevin squinted as he shielded his eyes from the terrifying heat source overhead. He wasn't entirely sure what Kiana had done, but the transformation she underwent, coupled with the frenzied Honkai Energy radiating from her, transported Kevin back to the battlefields of old—reminding him of Himiko, the Herrscher of Flame from the previous era, a memory both sorrowful and helpless for him.
"Boom!!"
With a sudden deafening explosion, the blazing orb in the sky shattered, transforming into countless red flames engulfing the entire heavens. Amidst this inferno, a girl emerged, draped in a fiery cape and armored skirt aflame.
Kiana's silver hair flowed gracefully, trailing sparks like twinkling stars. With pure-red eyes resembling blood and fire, she gazed down at Kevin with overwhelming ferocity.
"Hm?" Kevin furrowed his brow, feeling the permafrost spread beneath his feet.
In the next instant, two figures—one scorching hot, one freezing cold—rapidly closed the distance between them, hurtling towards a collision mid-air.
"Boom!"
The clash of immense energies unleashed a powerful shockwave and extreme currents that alternated between freezing and melting temperatures.
But Kevin was stunned.
He hadn't made contact with Kiana at all; another hand had suddenly intercepted his punch.
Zeke held onto Kiana's wrist effortlessly despite her frenzied struggles. With a sideways glance, he eyed Kevin from the corner of his eye.
"You again?"
Kevin frowned, caught off guard.
Before he could react, a massive force struck him in the chest, sending the world spinning as he was deeply embedded into the ground below.
"Crash!!"
The intense impact momentarily dazed Kevin. As he burst back out from beneath the rubble, shaking off debris, he glanced down at the prominent fist imprint on his chest, furrowing his brow.
Suddenly, a tug on his pants drew his attention.
Looking down, Kevin saw a face tilted upwards to gaze at him—a delicate visage like that of a doll, yet devoid of emotion.
"Bronya advises Mister Kevin not to interfere; it would only bring you trouble."
Kevin didn't recognize Bronya personally, but he understood she was with Zeke.
He looked up at Zeke restraining Kiana's relentless struggles. After a moment of silence, his emotional intelligence, as cold as his body temperature, miraculously kicked in.
Rubbing his chin, Kevin murmured expressionlessly, "Is he projecting his anger?"
"Yes, indeed, Zeke is projecting his anger. For your own sake, Mister Kevin, please observe from here."
"...Fine. This is a matter five million years from now; it doesn't concern me much anyway."
"Thank you for understanding." Bronya's demeanor softened slightly. Holding a set of fresh clothes in both hands, she handed them to Kevin.
After changing, Kevin turned and gradually walked away, eventually disappearing at the horizon's edge.
"Sigh... Surprisingly cooperative!" Bronya let out a soft sigh, shook her head, and focused her attention back on the unfolding events in the sky.
"Ahh!"
In the sky, Zeke had grabbed Kiana by the wrist. She desperately tried to break free from his grip and fly away but to no avail.
As with any Herrscher, the Will of Honkai amplified their rage and destructive instincts uncontrollably. This was especially true for Kiana, experiencing her first complete transformation as a Herrscher. Having already suffered mental trauma after severing herself within the consciousness domain, she struggled to maintain even a shred of rationality.
Thus, she failed to notice the deepening chill in Zeke's eyes amidst the relentless onslaught of flames.
Suddenly, expressionless, Zeke released his hold on her.
"Ah!"
Kiana instinctively screamed, summoning blazing infernos around both hands before striking Zeke's face forcefully.
Boom!
The attack landed squarely, yet Zeke didn't budge, showing not even the slightest hint of damage on his struck visage.
"Yah—"
Kiana let out what sounded like surprise as an indiscernible shadow struck her neck from the side.
"Thud!"
In an instant, Kiana crashed to the ground, her body sinking deep into the earth. Unable to immediately repair the damage and regain her footing,
Zeke appeared before her at that moment.
With a flick of Kiana's fingers, flames erupted around her.
Zeke looked down at her, and the golden orb containing the Herrscher of Rock's core at his waist began to tremble.
"Ting-a-ling!"
Accompanied by a pleasant chime-like sound, immense pressure bore down on Kiana, suppressing both her movements and the flames enveloping her.
"Boom!!"
The surrounding terrain sank under the escalating terror, until Kiana opened her mouth but could not utter a single sound—the Will of Honkai amplifies a Herrscher's aggression, yet other human instincts still persist, including the primal fear.
Under this immense pressure, Kiana struggled visibly, attempting to distance herself from Zeke, but her efforts were futile.
Zeke's gaze remained icy cold, his uncontrollable fury simmering within him, refusing to dissipate.
"Zeke."
At that moment, Bronya's gentle voice chimed in as she approached and tugged at his sleeve.
Pausing, Zeke looked down, giving her a mild glance.
Bronya observed the pitiful state of Kiana, sighed, and said,
"Don't be too harsh; let go of your anger, Zeke."
Silence fell.
"Bronya understands that Kiana's recklessness infuriates you, but disciplining her while she lacks reason serves no purpose. First, heal her, and save the lesson for when she recovers, alright?"
"...Fine."
Zeke closed his eyes and exhaled deeply.
"Jingle!"
Just then, the gold-thread-wrapped Herrscher of Corruption core began trembling.
A dark green mist appeared on Zeke's hand as he slowly reached towards Kiana's head.
When Zeke carried Kiana back to the resting area, Fu Hua was already waiting there.
He could tell she had reverted to her original form—in other words, she now held the complete Knowledge Authority while awaiting him.
Zeke gently laid Kiana on the sofa.
Fu Hua immediately sat beside her, forming her fingers like a sword tip. With a gentle touch emitting a golden glow on Kiana's forehead, she closed her eyes.
The atmosphere fell silent.
Zeke's unusually cold expression prompted Bronya and the Book of Fuxi to remain quiet, joining him in patiently waiting without any unnecessary remarks.
After ten minutes, Fu Hua opened her clear, lake-like eyes and slowly exhaled.
"Phew! It's done. Your use of corrosive power likely interfered with her Herrscher abilities. The Honkai Energy within her is stable now, and physically, she should be fine. As for her consciousness, the Void Sword Divinity merely severed some memory connections, unlike my experience being consumed by Yu Duo Dust. Repairing hers wasn't challenging... In summary, everything is alright; she just needs rest and recovery."
"Thank you."
Zeke gently placed his hand on Fu Hua's shoulder and whispered.
Finally, some of his coldness dissipated, returning to his usual calm demeanor rather than exuding the unsettling aura of suppressed fury.
Fu Hua smiled and shook her head.
"No need. Kiana is my student after all; naturally, I must care for her... You should also be more restrained from now on. This child acted out of goodwill, intending to alleviate your burdens. Let's not hurt her genuine intentions."
Fu Hua placed her hand over Zeke's, giving it a gentle pat. Looking up with a smile, she softly advised him in a reassuring tone.
This overly intimate gesture caught both Bronya and the Book of Fuxi off guard, their eyes momentarily flashing. However, neither chose to dwell on it at that moment, silently committing the scene to memory instead.
Zeke fell silent for a moment, glancing between the composed Bronya and Fu Hua, then responded somewhat incredulously:
"Am I really that harsh and impulsive?"
Bronya rolled her eyes.
Fu Hua chuckled lightly, stroking Kiana's forehead as she said:
"You've always been calm and rational, but unfortunately, you can indeed be too forceful with disobedient girls around you. Especially with Kiana - the number of times you've lost your composure due to this child is beyond count."
"Your advice is noted; I'll consider it."
"And whether you change or not is another matter, right?"
"We must always weigh reality," Zeke replied steadfastly, like unyielding titanium steel. "If being forceful yields results, then so be it."
Fu Hua smiled gently, refraining from further persuasion. She got up to head for the kitchen, intending to prepare some nourishing food for Kiana—whether it would benefit a Herrscher was uncertain, but at least it conveyed her goodwill.
Seeing the tension ease, Bronya approached and took Zeke's hand, guiding him to sit down nearby to rest. As she quietly waited for Kiana to awaken, her presence continued soothing Zeke's emotions.
With this, the Herrscher of Flame incident largely came to a close. Everyone had truly given their all for Kiana's safety!