The collapse started when Kiana came to the door

With tears in her eyes, she covered her earlobe which was stinging with pain, and her face was full of anger as if she had just woken up from a dream.

But when she saw the figure coming into view, she stopped short of cursing.

"Herrscher of the Void?"

Kiana's pupils shrank, and she stood up from the bed extremely quickly, retreated, and instinctively reached for her waist. Her movements were quick and smooth, and she did it in one go.

——And then, as expected, the hand that tried to grab the weapon ended up grabbing nothing.

Kiana's expression froze for a moment. She looked around her dormitory, and visible cold sweat was seeping out from her forehead.

Damn, I think I left my sidearm in my aunt's training room during training!!

"What do you want to do?" After a moment of panic, Kiana put on a straight face and tried to look as calm as possible. "I warn you, even if you take control of my body here, other people in St. Freya's College will immediately notice something is wrong. You, a Herrscher of the Void, can't cause any trouble. I advise you to go back obediently and don't make everyone unhappy in the end."

"Why do I need control over your body?" Sirin, the Herrscher of the Void, who has the same appearance as Kiana but with decisive differences in hairstyle and pupils, glanced at Kiana, who was facing a formidable enemy, with a look of extreme disdain as if she were looking at a fool, and scolded her in a frustrated tone, "Didn't I already transfer the control of the Herrscher power to you? Now you are the Herrscher of the Void, not me. Are you stupid?"

"..."

Kiana was stunned.

Yes.

The power of the Herrscher of the Void had been transferred to her by Sirin the night she joined the Hyperion. These days, she would go to Theresa's training room to train tirelessly. In addition to training her body, the main purpose was to adapt to and skillfully use the power of the Herrscher of the Void as soon as possible.

After realizing that Xilin might not come to snatch her body, Kiana relaxed her vigilance and scratched her silver hair. She asked in confusion: "Then why did you wake me up in the middle of the night?"

The question raised by Kiana made Xilin's eyes twitch.

This idiot, is he really the same person as me?

Although the desire to abandon Kiana kept surging in her heart, for Sirin who did not have a real body now, if she wanted to take action, she had to rely on Kiana's help.

Taking by force would definitely not work. Although Sirin was also stubborn, she was not as stupid as Kiana. To seize Kiana's body right under the noses of [Hersher of the End] Kiana and her group was almost like committing suicide.

"First of all, this is your consciousness space, not the real world. I didn't wake you up. In the real world, you are still lying in bed and dreaming."

There was no other way. In order to achieve her goal, Xilin could only force herself to patiently explain everything to Kiana one by one.

"Secondly, do you think I want to cause trouble to you in the middle of the night? Think about what kind of shit you have done during this time."

"Uh……"

Looking at Xilin's bitter and resentful face, as if she owed her tens of thousands of dollars, Qiana couldn't help but feel confused.

She was really confused.

After being at a loss for a moment, Kiana pondered for a while and asked tentatively: "Are you referring to the fact that I skipped most of the theoretical courses, was punished to stand in the classroom because of distraction, or because I played games with Bronya all night until the early morning the night before and was completely unable to wake up during the day?"

"Who asked you these questions?!" Xilin cursed without thinking.

"But if I have done anything that would get me scolded, then these are the only things left." Kiana shrank her head and said a little aggrievedly, "Apart from these few things, have I made any other mistakes?"

Looking at Kiana's confused and aggrieved look, Xilin felt a wave of sadness in her heart, and felt completely powerless.

She covered her face and sighed to the sky.

What sin have I committed to be tied to this idiot?

But there is no way. No matter how outstanding Kiana is, if I don’t get her help, even if I have a thousand ideas, it will be useless.

So, after sorting out her grief, Xilin cleared her throat, calmed her emotions, and said calmly: "Did you hear the news from the artificial intelligence that Captain Shu Bai suddenly turned into a child during the day?"

"Yeah." Kiana nodded, "That's what happened. Did you see it too?"

"I just didn't fight with you for control of my body. I'm not really dead." Xilin said unhappily, "Of course I can see what you can see."

"Oh." Kiana nodded blankly, and suddenly her eyes widened as if she realized something, "Wait, doesn't that mean that no matter what I do, you will see it?"

"Yeah, what else do you think?" Xilin sneered, then changed the subject, "But I didn't come to you for such a trivial matter."

"Just tell me, Kiana, do you like that captain?"

“I—I, I, I—” Xilin’s sudden attack made the defenseless Kiana blush, “You, you, you, how did you know?”

"Not only do I know that you like him, I also know that he likes you, too." Xilin said faintly.

Kiana was silent for a moment.

The silence lasted for a long time. She lowered her head, and the tuft of silver-white hair on her head drooped weakly because of Kiana's sudden low mood.

"But, the Kiana he likes doesn't seem to be me..."

Kiana squatted down, wrapped her white arms around her knees, and her head seemed to be covered by a thick cloud. She buried herself deeply in her thighs, and a muffled voice came out from the gap between her arms.

"You've seen it, right? Compared to the immature me, whether in personality or appearance... those other Kianas are much better and more likable."

"Is this the reason why you are not prepared to fight against Honkai together with the other [self] who has obtained the power of the end, but also gave up going to the captain?" Xilin said coldly.

"My strength... is still far behind what I am now." Kiana said in a dull tone, "Although I also know that if we calculate by age, both the Herrscher of the End and the Herrscher of Fire who follows the captain are at least three years older than me. If I have enough time and enough effort, I can become as mature and powerful as them, but I can't let them slow down their fight against Honkai for my own sake."

"At least in the past six months, I haven't had the confidence to grow to the point where I won't be a drag on my other self when he fights against Honkai."

"Hmph. Do you think that's what I care about?" Silin snorted coldly. "Don't get me wrong, Kiana Kaslana. I gave up fighting with you for control of your body, and I also gave up the power of Herrscher that should have belonged to me, but not for the so-called protection of the world and fighting against Honkai. To put it bluntly, I have no interest in defeating Honkai."

Kiana raised her head from her arms and frowned: "So you want to..."

"In order not to be a drag, you did not join the team formed by another Kiana Kaslana to fight against Honkai. I have no objection to your choice." Xilin said lightly, "What I want to know is, why did you give up the qualification to go to your captain?"

"Didn't I tell you?" Kiana weakly buried her head in her arms again, her tone depressed and low, "The Kiana that Shubai likes is not me..."

"I am not interested in how he sees you in your eyes." Xilin said in a flat voice, "But, have you forgotten a very important question?"

After a moment of silence, Kiana's voice became obviously impatient: "...What's the problem? If you have something to say, just say it directly, okay? If you want to quarrel, I'm happy to accompany you!"

Xilin's expression did not change at all because of Kiana's annoying provocation.

She said calmly, as if stating a matter of course: "I have given up the fight for control of your body, and have completely transferred my power as a Herrscher to you. As a price, I can only be imprisoned in your body, deep in your consciousness. Apart from observing and feeling the outside world through your five senses, the only thing I can do is to communicate with you in this space of consciousness, right?"

The sudden seriousness of the topic made Kiana's mind a little confused.

But after thinking carefully for a moment, she found that she had no way to deny Xilin's words.

"I'm not complaining to you about anything when I bring this up all of a sudden." Without waiting for Kiana's response, Sirin continued, "The loser disappears, the winner survives, this is the rule of this world. Since you have become the more powerful side with the help of that captain, I have no objection to this result. Transferring the power of the Herrscher to you is also a personal choice I made after realizing that I have no chance of winning."

Kiana pursed her lips and suddenly felt a little embarrassed: "...What do you want to say?"

Indeed, if Sirin and she were in a situation where they were fighting for each other's bodies, Kiana would be able to regard this Herrscher of the Void who once tried to destroy everything as an enemy who must be defeated without any psychological burden.

But what if Xilin voluntarily gave up the fight for the body and gave up the mission from Honkai?

Before this, Kiana had never thought about this problem, so when she faced the facts raised by Xilin, Kiana became a little at a loss for a moment.

"You are you, and I am me - although I want to assert this, and I am reluctant to admit an obvious fact, but given the current situation, even if neither of us wants to admit it, it will not help change the status quo." Xilin said calmly, "Although we have different ways of thinking and different behavioral logic, in the final analysis, we are both undead born from the consciousness of the Second Herrscher, just attached to a body made by humans."

"So, after I gave up fighting for your body, I could only be your vassal, watching your actions and following the choices you made."

"...Then let's just say that's the case." Kiana raised her head in despair, "What do you want? Do you think you can make me give up my body with just a few words?"

"Even if you are willing to give up this body, your captain, aunt and other companions will never agree." Xilin shrugged. "At this point, I have no interest in your body. But since I have completely given up your body, shouldn't you also take care of my personal choice in return?"

"After saying so much, why don't you just tell me what you want to do?" Kiana asked cautiously, "I'm not an unreasonable person, and I understand the predicament you've faced after giving up your power and body, so if it's a reasonable request, I'm willing to satisfy you."

Xilin's true intentions were exposed: "Then don't give up your right to go to the captain, take me with you to him!"

Kiana was stunned.

After being stunned for a long while, she looked directly into Xilin's piercing gaze and uttered a syllable full of puzzlement, confusion and bewilderment:

"Eh?"

Chapter 4: Qibao's Sudden Enlightenment (k)

Kiana didn't know Sirin.

...That's probably not right.

After all, after learning about her own life experience and using the power of her companions on the Hyperion to seize power from the Herrscher of the Sky, Kiana of course also looked up a lot of information about the [future] and [past] in the Hyperion's database.

She knew everything that happened during the Second Honkai Impact, and she also knew what would happen to her in a world without the [Captain].

Therefore, when Sirin broke into Kiana's dream in the form of consciousness, Kiana, who thought that Sirin would be able to seduce her like the [future] she saw in the database of the Hyperion, instinctively forgot the fact that the other party had already transferred the power to her, and thus put on an extremely alert posture.

She already understood enough about what Xilin had experienced, and was also aware of the huge differences between them.

Kiana thought that since she had seen the [past] and [future] from the perspective of an observer, it was absolutely impossible for her to be bewitched by her as in the originally planned [future].

It was precisely because Kiana believed that she should know Sirin very well that when Sirin revealed her purpose to her without any concealment—

——Her brain was suddenly shocked by Xilin’s completely unexpected words and went blank.

So, Kiana had to admit that she didn't understand Xilin.

In other words, she had no way of understanding Xilin's current mental state.

After being stunned for a long while, Kiana opened her mouth and asked a natural question:

"why?"

"Why?" Xilin frowned.

"Why do you want to be with Shu Bai?" Kiana continued to ask.

In response to Kiana's persistent questioning, Xilin glanced at Kiana with great disdain.

"Need I say that?" As if it was a very ordinary thing, he gave a self-righteous answer to Kiana's question, "Of course it's because I like him very much."

Did she find Xilin's self-righteous attitude unreasonable? Kiana almost subconsciously raised a rebuttal.

"Huh? You said you like him? Are you...are you kidding me?!" Her face was full of anger. She put her arms upright in front of her chest, as if she was defending herself from something. "You, you, you - do you think I'm easy to fool just because I'm stupid? I'm warning you, it's not that easy to fool me!"

"Who has the leisure to play tricks on you?" Xilin stared at Qiana with eyes wide open, feeling extremely angry. "If it weren't for the fact that I can only shrink in your stupid body, do you think I came to you out of boredom?!"

"Then why don't you tell me the truth?" Kiana also glared at Xilin, and she was a little angry. "Zhongyi Shubai and others are just playing tricks on me, right? You two haven't even met each other?! Why did you suddenly-"

"Is it not okay for me to envy Sirin on his Hyperion?!!!!"

Xilin shouted at the top of her lungs, trying her best to interrupt Kiana's words with an extremely loud roar.

"I, you..." Kiana looked at Xilin's breathless appearance, opened her mouth, and subconsciously tried to organize the words to refute, but her voice became lower and lower, "But, but, even so, you shouldn't..."

"No buts!" Silin panted and glared at Kiana, her voice hoarse, "You want to give up the right to stay with that guy for your own reasons. This matter has nothing to do with me, and I have no right to interfere with your decision... But as a member of the Kaslana clan, you should know best that you do not have the right to prevent others from obtaining happiness."

Kiana was speechless.

As souls born from the vision of the Second Herrscher, she, like Sirin, is two sides of the same coin reflected by the Second Herrscher.

She, Kiana, yearns for kindness, while Xilin is still immersed in hatred and evil thoughts.

——Yes, in a world without captains, it is precisely because of this difference that they will take completely different paths.

But what if Xilin became like her...trying to pursue the path to happiness?

Since Xilin has chosen to try to pursue the path of happiness, she will no longer be the Ruler of the Void who brings disaster to the world.

Logically, she should be happy with Xilin's decision.

As a warrior of the Kaslana clan and a Valkyrie who shoulders the mission of fighting the Honkai, Kiana should support Sirin's decision from any perspective.

They don't need to continue to be hostile to each other as before, and there is no need to go to the point of life and death.

But why... after hearing her words, I just can't be happy? Kiana bit her lower lip lightly, feeling waves of indescribable pain flowing out of her chest.

"Then...what do you want?" After a long silence, Kiana spoke in a low voice, feeling an indescribable sense of powerlessness rising in her heart. "You are right. Even if we were both born from Xilin's wish, we are still two different souls and consciousnesses. If you want to pursue happiness, I...have no power to stop you."

"I have already told you the plan from the beginning." Xilin said, "Don't give up your right to go to the captain, take me with you to him."

"But in this case..."

"What are you struggling with?" Xilin interrupted Kiana mercilessly. "Why would you, a fool, think that the Kiana that guy likes is not you?"

"……I."

"Are you Qiana Kaslana?" Xilin's rapid words were like a machine gun. "Does that guy like Qiana Kaslana?"

Kiana, who was confused, nodded subconsciously.

"Is Kiana the only one he likes?" Xilin continued.

Kiana was silent for a moment, then nodded hesitantly: "...Okay, it seems not?"

"That's it, isn't it?" Xilin couldn't help but stretch out her hand and knocked hard on Qiana's forehead, then said ruthlessly, "The people on the Hyperion have already made it clear that the guy is a hopeless playboy. Why are you entangled in such a trivial matter? He likes the grown-up version of you, and it doesn't conflict with him liking you too!"

Kiana, who was knocked back repeatedly, covered her forehead and stared at Xilin in amazement, whose face was full of anger.