Chapter 263: Two Ends
"Your Majesty, in accordance with your command, the number of 'Mob' units has been fully replenished. We stand ready to serve you, no matter the cost. May we ask what our next course of action shall be? Please grant us your orders."
The Host knelt on one knee at the foot of the pristine white staircase, responding with utmost reverence. Behind her, tens of thousands of identical puppet-like beings knelt in perfect unison. The wind passed through them, yet not a single sound was made, as if they were lifeless sculptures.
Atop the staircase, the Queen of the Void sat upon the massive claw of a white dragon. She did not respond, simply gazing blankly into the empty sky, lost in thought.
Benares lowered its once-proud dragon head, allowing its queen to gently stroke its sleek, elegant, snow-white snout. After so many years, they were finally reunited. At this moment, nothing could bring Benares greater happiness.
After a long silence, Sirin cast a sidelong glance at the motionless Host.
"Leave. Await my orders."
Her voice was cold, carrying an undeniable authority.
"Yes!" × N
The dolls answered in unison, then simultaneously withdrew from the space.
In the now empty world, only Sirin remained, accompanied by the massive dragon coiling around her.
"Heh, a bunch of scheming insects, truly filthy and repulsive. Bella, you alone will remain eternally loyal to me, won't you?"
"Rooar~~"
[Forever, my Queen!]
"I knew it. Come, fuse with this Gem of Conquest. You shall gain the power to reclaim and revive the lost ones... Bella, I will never let you leave me again."
Sirin pressed a fragment of the gem into Benares' body, then ran her fingers along its armored scales, a faint smile forming on her lips.
Yet, Benares' enormous body showed no visible change. This was to be expected—after all, the power of the Herrscher of the Thousand People only granted the ability of rebirth. In terms of raw energy, it provided Benares with almost no real enhancement.
Still, receiving her Queen's gift made Benares instinctively shift its great head, rubbing its snout against Sirin's cheek in a gesture of intimacy and joy.
Sirin allowed the affectionate gesture. In those golden eyes, she saw not just the great white dragon with its bowed head, but also the dragon girl who clung to her side, her face filled with unshakable devotion. This was a being she had created—one who would remain eternally loyal, forever by her side until the end of time.
"This world does not need humanity. As long as I have Bella, that's enough... right?"
Sirin murmured, as if confiding in Benares, though she was really convincing herself.
"Roar—"
[Of course, my Queen!]
Benares rumbled in agreement, its loyalty and submission unwavering.
Sirin remained silent for a moment.
"Yes... that's right. I only need Bella. Everything else is fake, nothing but deceit! As long as Bella is with me, I need nothing else."
One hand resting on Benares' snout, the other pressing against her chest, Sirin allowed all the chaotic emotions in her heart to fade away, leaving only a cold, unshakable resolve in her eyes.
"Rooar~~"
Sensing her Queen's unease, Benares let out a low growl, suggesting that she simply freeze the treacherous puppets in ice—after all, their only purpose was to serve as disposable tools. As long as they were alive, that was enough.
It was both a way to change the subject and a reflection of Benares' perception of Sirin. The Queen of the Void had always acted with absolute dominance and unwavering self-interest—hesitation was not in her nature.
Sirin stroked Benares' smooth yet rigid scales and let out a soft chuckle.
"The me from back then… was too naïve. I knew nothing of this world beyond hatred, and that ignorance led to my repeated failures. This time, I won't make the same mistakes. Five powers… they are still far from enough to deal with that monster."
Sirin spoke with icy detachment. As memories of her past humiliations resurfaced, a murderous intent quietly spread through her heart.
Over the years, Sigurd had forcibly pressed Kiana's head down and made her learn a vast amount of knowledge. Throughout this process, whatever Kiana gained, Sirin—who shared the same origin—naturally gained as well. This included tactics, strategy, and an understanding of the current situation.
Sigurd had never put up any defenses against Kiana. Everything she should know and even things she shouldn't—countless advanced technologies and hidden powers—had all been laid bare before her. And if Kiana knew, then Sirin naturally knew a great deal as well.
On top of that, after their battle of consciousness on the Moon, that maniacal Kiana might not have crushed Sirin's wrath and pride, but she had certainly beaten some rationality into her.
With all these factors combined, Sirin was now remarkably clear-headed.
Even when she had wielded the power of six Herrschers, she had still suffered defeat. Now, with only five Herrscher abilities at her disposal, she knew—it was far from enough.
"Five years ago, that guy could already wield four Herrscher powers and incinerate an entire continent in a single strike. Five years later, there's no telling how powerful that monster has become. I must grow stronger… only then can I kill him!"
Sirin muttered to herself, a fleeting trace of hesitation flashing through her eyes before an overwhelming killing intent took its place.
Benares let out a low growl, puzzled. She didn't understand who her queen was referring to, but it didn't matter. Whoever dared stand in the way of her queen—Benares would tear them apart without hesitation.
Sirin chuckled at her dragon's reaction and gently patted its snout in reassurance.
"No need, Bella. That monster is mine to deal with. But before that, I must first reclaim the Gem of Plague and the Herrscher of Thunder's authority, and then seize the Herrscher of Reason's power. With eight Herrscher abilities and immortality on my side, this time—I will eradicate all of humanity!"
Sirin's potential could be summed up in one sentence: Other Herrschers had only one ability because they could only have one. Sirin, however, had once wielded six powers because there had only been six at the time. Even she herself could not see the limits of her strength.
"Roar—"
[My Queen shall have all that she desires!]
"Wait for the right moment, Bella. We need the perfect opportunity."
Sirin spoke softly, and as her emotions shifted, the light in the space dimmed, as if night had fallen.
<+>
Nightfall. The Starry Sky.
Once again, Kiana found herself at the observation deck, standing where one could almost reach out and pluck the stars from the sky. Holding a warm cup of milk tea, she gazed at the vast expanse of starlight with an indifferent expression.
"Kiana, I thought I'd find you here."
A soft voice, as gentle as the wind, came from behind.
Kiana turned her head and saw Mei approaching in delicate ribboned sandals, her long dress flowing with her steps. Her warm, autumn-water eyes shimmered with a gentle smile.
"Mei? What are you doing here?"
"Anyone who knows you well can tell—when you're in a bad mood, you always come here to watch the scenery… You probably picked up that habit from Mr. Sigurd, didn't you? He liked to rest here too."
"Oh? You're mentioning Sig's name without shuddering? Looks like stepping past the Herrscher threshold has improved your mental resilience!"
"Kiana, as long as you're not deliberately trying to scare me, just hearing his name isn't going to do much to me…" Mei said, half exasperated and half amused, blinking knowingly at Kiana. "So, what's on your mind? The Herrscher of the Void?"
Kiana shook her head and smiled faintly.
"It's not that I'm feeling bad, really. It's just… when she left this body, she left behind a lot of memories I couldn't see before. Now, I just feel… a little lost, I guess."
"That's okay. Kiana is Kiana. We all know that."
"Yes, yes! And don't look at me like you're worried I'll get upset—I said I'm fine. Besides…"
Moreover, Sigurd had already 'comforted' her…
At this thought, Kiana's face flushed red, and she instinctively turned away in embarrassment.
Raiden Mei tilted her head slightly and asked,
"And what else?"
"And… maybe the truly pitiful one isn't me, but her. Because I came into this world as a blank slate, I had the power to make my own choices from the very beginning. And now, I'm lucky enough to have gained so much happiness. But she… She inherited nothing but resentment and power. Maybe she never even had a choice—maybe she was destined to turn against this world."
Kiana spoke, initially just trying to change the subject, but in the end, she let out a complicated sigh.
Raiden Mei recalled that cold, murderous figure from head to toe, hesitated for a moment, then asked,
"Kiana… do you pity her?"
"I know it might not be appropriate. But she's like another version of me. When I compare our experiences and circumstances… I just can't bring myself to feel nothing."
"I understand. And it's okay. Kiana's kindness and warmth… I've always been able to feel them."
"…She probably wouldn't think so."
Kiana scratched her face, recalling the battle of consciousness on the Moon. Back then, she had been like a rabid, drowning dog, desperate to give Sigurd an answer. Honestly, looking back, it was hard to say who had been more unhinged at that moment.
Finishing the last sip of her milk tea, Kiana smacked her lips and said,
"Whatever. In the end, we're enemies standing on opposite sides. She has her own thoughts and will, and I have things I must protect. If we meet on the battlefield again… I'll fight with everything I have to defeat her and reclaim that Herrscher power."
Kiana declared with unwavering determination.
<+>
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