mesbooks Chapter 149: The Last Guardian
Chapter 149: The Last Guardian
Chapter 149 - 149: The Last Guardian
Please support me on Patreon, where you can read a bunch of extra Chapters, not just for this novel, but for all the novels I'm working on. I upload at least 2 times daily for most novels - There are at least twice as many available Chapters on Patreon, compared to here on Webnovel.
Additionally, there are also free extra Chapters available for Free Members, so head on over:
Patreon.com/ThatGreatStuff
******
Kiana closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Truthfully, she had already anticipated this outcome. Still, there was a glimmer of hope within her that someone might have saved Teacher Himeko from Virtual Space.
But evidently, no one could achieve such a feat at that time.
As the Herrscher of the Void, Kiana understood this all too well. The revelation indeed struck her hard but not enough to break her, for she had mentally prepared herself long ago. Besides, Teacher Himeko...would never wish for her to succumb to despair.
With the hopes of both Teacher Himeko and Teacher Ana resting upon her shoulders, Kiana vowed to carry their spirits forward.
Yet, nothing could conceal her profound sorrow, so she chose silence—a response best suited against the doll's manipulations.
The doll swayed back and forth, watching Kiana expectantly, hoping she would fall into despair, breach her defenses, and ultimately assimilate her completely.
However, Kiana remained unchanged, leaving the doll momentarily speechless and gradually losing its patience.
"Hey, are you deaf or just unable to comprehend?" it taunted. "Or maybe your mind has shut down due to overwhelming despair?"
The doll sneered, its voice dripping with mockery, convinced everything was under its control.
"Murata Himeko is dead. Dead, dead, dead! Did you hear me?"
"..."
No matter how many times the doll repeated itself, Kiana remained unresponsive. However, there was indeed a hint of anger in her gaze—though she fully understood what the doll truly desired.
"You're not reacting at all! Hey, aren't you being too heartless?!"
In a corner away from the Dominion Theater, Himeko silently listened to the Herrscher of the Thousand's words, her arms crossed and unfazed, even sporting a faint smile on her lips.
Gray mist coalesced beside Himeko, forming another hooded figure—Bai Zhi.
Witnessing such a captivating spectacle, Ana couldn't afford to miss it; this wasn't just watching a promotional video but experiencing a live broadcast firsthand.
"Dealing with such unorganized masses, ignoring them is often the best approach," Bai Zhi remarked calmly.
"By avoiding unnecessary interactions, there can be no chance for domination."
"I agree entirely," Himeko nodded in concurrence.
"However, that thing truly infuriates me; I'm itching to dismantle it." As she spoke, Himeko waved her greatsword, which could also be considered a Divine Key. Similar to Fenghuang Pinions, it was crafted by a Herrscher, although distinct from the Red Knight's sword. Despite the differences, its strength arguably surpassed the previous one.
"Don't worry, Himeko, your opportunity will come," Bai Zhi reassured her with a soft laugh.
Bai Zhi chuckled softly.
"The unorganized masses have grown formidable now; they won't be easily dealt with. However, before we intervene, let's trust your students first."
"Hmm, I understand, but it's been quite some time since I've stepped onto the battlefield, and my hands are itching for action!"
"Hasn't battling during your trial satisfied that urge?" Bai Zhi asked, slightly exasperated.
The trial Himeko underwent involved experiencing the life of the previous civilization's Herrscher of Flame. Then, using her own will, she transformed into the Herrscher of Flame as the Herrscher of Human. In those memories, she even engaged in combat with Kevin, the strongest Fusion Warrior from the prior era—though at that time, his abilities were still developing.
Through this trial, both Himeko's Authorities and combat skills saw significant enhancements.
"You can't compare the two, Ana," Himeko replied with a light laugh.
"Fine, suit yourself. But remember to call me Bai Zhi."
"Ha ha ha, understood!"
Himeko and Bai Zhi fell silent, continuing to wait while monitoring Kiana's battle against the doll on the other side.
"So, what did you imagine I would be like?"
"Kneeling and wailing, unable to move, repeatedly crying out 'This can't be true'?"
"Or perhaps spiraling into madness, mentally disturbed, desperately harming myself to alleviate self-blame?"
"I'm afraid you'll be disappointed!"
From afar, both Himeko's and Bai Zhi's faces displayed expressions of satisfaction. It was inevitable, but nonetheless reassuring for Ana, as she now empathized with Himeko's perspective.
"But... this shouldn't be happening..." A hint of confusion crept into the dolls' voices; they hadn't anticipated this outcome. In their view, Kiana should have been incredibly fragile, given that she had more vulnerabilities than any other Herrscher present. Clearly, despite revealing their trump cards, things were not unfolding as expected.
"...Ah, I understand now. You're still resisting, unwilling to accept reality."
"As always, the Puppeteer Herrschers exhibit such foolishness," Bai Zhi lamented softly, shaking her head afterward. This disunity among them was evident; only by merging could they ensure their existence. While having numerous puppets offered significant advantages, it also brought substantial drawbacks.
Through emotional resonance, they assimilate each other, forming a connection. Once convinced of this principle, they continue to dominate and assimilate others. If anyone violates these laws, issues arise for them.
Thus, regardless of circumstances, at least verbally, the Herrscher of the Thousand will never relent.
"You think we're lying and believe this gemstone is fake? Striving to maintain a facade of calm as if nothing significant has occurred?"
"Fine then, let me demonstrate its genuine power to you!"
Harnessing the gem's strength, the doll attacks Kiana. However, unlike the original storyline, now equipped with the Authority of Control, Kiana effortlessly grabs the doll with one hand, snaps its neck, and retrieves the Gem of Haste.
For her, this entire process requires minimal effort.
It's inevitable; individual dolls are inherently weak and frail. But why don't they harness the power of the Gem of Haste?
The gem can only exhibit its full potential when wielded by a Herrscher, allowing control or seizure of its abilities. This parallels how Otto acquired the Skill of Domination—by substituting his own body for a puppet, transforming himself into one of the Herrschers of Dominance.
Once all other Herrschers of Dominance perish, Otto would rightfully gain control over the entirety of the Skill of Domination.
Thus, even with the Gem of Haste in hand, the dolls' ability to harness its power remains severely limited. To fully unleash the gem's potential in another form, one must rely on the previous civilization's Key of Blankness.
Obviously, the Puppeteer Herrschers cannot create such artifacts. The relevant armor and re
Ana sighed softly. She wasn't the real Ana but rather a hidden contingency left behind within Kiana's mind by her predecessor. Consequently, she had no knowledge of the current state of the original Ana. As for her appearance, it was merely a manifestation of power and held no deeper significance.
"Ana... Teacher?" Kiana's eyes widened incredulously as she gazed at Ana before her.
"Surprised? Fu Hua must have mentioned that I performed certain actions within your consciousness earlier."
"Yes," Kiana replied, lowering her head so Ana couldn't see her face.
"Don't celebrate too soon, though. All I can do is alleviate and weaken the influence. To truly overcome the Herrscher and master its Authority, you must rely solely on yourself." Ana smiled reassuringly, then glanced sideways at the nearby doll with her peripheral vision.
"Don't worry about that defeated foe; go forth and prove your beliefs to their fullest extent. I'll be here waiting, supporting you from behind." With these words, Ana lifted her hand and gently touched Kiana's forehead. A gray spiritual entity emerged, gradually taking the form of the Queen of the Void.
Of course, the current Queen of the Void was merely a replica, possessing less than half the power and control of the original. For Kiana, she no longer posed as formidable an adversary.
If her will and beliefs faltered, Kiana could still rely on her strength to utterly eliminate the Queen or choose to temporarily retreat for another battle later.
The original Kiana never had this opportunity, but now, Ana provided it to her, shielding Kiana from the Herrscher personality's interference for an extended period.
Was there any real significance in doing so? Not particularly, but Ana believed that as a teacher, it was her duty to support her student—this is what teachers must do.
"Yes, Teacher!" Kiana nodded, suppressing her tears with great effort. She knew that the Teacher Ana before her was just a lingering memory, not the true Ana, who remained unaware of her own demise.
And precisely because of this, Ana's protection felt even more precious. Even though Ana...was no longer present, she continued to safeguard Kiana.
How could she disappoint Teacher Ana's expectations then?
Kiana must confront Sirin's past; denying her true identity as Sirin was not an option. She would accept it all, bear the weight, and forge ahead—fighting for the world's beauty.
"You're really quite bothersome!"
As Ana's apparition disrupted their plans, more dolls emerged from various locations to attack her phantom form.
In the distance, Himeko felt her heart leap into her throat. Although she hadn't anticipated that Ana would leave behind such a safeguard here, this Ana was merely an illusion, while Kiana's original body lacked any combat capability.
Despite these concerns, Himeko chose to trust Ana, just like Kiana did. What reason did she have not to believe in her?