SWNOVELXO Chapter 140: Thus Spoke Kiana
The world was hopeless. Truth was a lie.
Stars filled the deep sky as Kiana, Schicksal Overseer, stood alone on the rooftop.
Since Ren and Seele's departure, she'd often come here, gazing into the distance.
Welt was gone, the Honkai seemingly eradicated. The world had entered a new, prosperous era.
Schicksal, having led humanity to victory, became the sole power, and Kiana held the world in her hands.
Yet, she never smiled. To the world, she was a stern, disciplined ruler, a hardened veteran of the long war against the Honkai. It seemed fitting, given her years fighting alongside Ren.
Knock, knock.
The office door opened. The click of heels against the floor accompanied a sigh.
"You're doing it again. Still can't let go?" Mei, holding a folder, entered. Her long purple hair flowed down to her waist.
After the war, Kiana continued serving alongside Ren as both a warrior and his secretary, while Mei turned to research, supporting her friends in a different way.
She was no longer Mei; she was now Dr. Mei.
Since Ren's departure, Kiana hadn't smiled. Mei, her closest friend, knew what she was thinking.
That's why she'd become Kiana's secretary, helping her manage Schicksal.
The evening breeze rustled Kiana's hair. She looked at the moon, reaching out.
Her silver hair shimmered in the moonlight. The moon seemed to rest on her fingertip, a fragile, ethereal ornament.
"Mei, do you think this world is real?" A flicker of confusion crossed her eyes. She was in her early thirties now, over a decade since their first meeting in the snow.
Over the years, the young girl had matured, while Ren remained unchanged, eternally youthful.
Time seemed to have stopped for him, while she continued to age.
The realization had terrified her.
She knew that as time passed, she would grow old, while Ren would remain the same.
Eventually, she wouldn't have the courage to stand beside him, left only with regret.
That's why she'd confessed her feelings, desperate to keep him by her side.
But her feelings weren't reciprocated. Ren had been a fleeting presence, detached from the world.
He'd entered her life abruptly, then left just as suddenly.
A traveler, observing the scenery from a speeding train.
"If things had stayed the same, it wouldn't have been so bad. I would have died in battle, and this world would have ended. But why did he change everything? Why give us hope, only to take it away?" Her voice was hoarse. She'd been crying.
Kiana crushed the moonlight between her fingers and turned to Mei, her gaze intense, making Mei catch her breath.
"Mei, you've noticed it too, haven't you? How fake the stars are. This world should have ended years ago. He rewrote its fate." A golden light flickered in her eyes. Backlit by the moon, her shadow stretched long across the room.
Honkai energy, which should have been eradicated, seeped out, absorbed by the specially treated walls.
"A fake world, a fake name. I don't even know his true face. He built this world on a lie, deceiving everyone."
Mei sighed, seeing the look in Kiana's eyes. "You touched it, didn't you? You know we can't control its power. If you pursue this, the disaster from years ago will return."
"Yes… the Herrscher core. His legacy in this world, and the key to its destruction." Kiana closed her eyes, suppressing the Herrscher's power. "After he defeated Welt, he sealed all the Honkai energy into the core. My research has shown that it's this core that sustains this world."
She opened her eyes. Her left eye was its normal azure blue, but her right eye remained a glowing gold.
The Honkai energy within her was becoming unstable. Even with all her effort, she could barely suppress the core.
The residual Honkai energy from Sirin, absorbed by Welt and then sealed by Ren, was the world's entire Honkai energy. Kiana, having touched the core, was destined to follow Welt's path.
Honkai cracks spread across her neck, making her appear monstrous.
"You shouldn't have touched it. Once I finish my research, you won't have to suffer like this." Mei put down the folder and embraced Kiana.
She understood the loneliness of watching someone you loved walk away.
Ten years ago, he'd taken Kiana from her. She'd been devastated, even considered never seeing Kiana again.
But when Kiana had sought her out, she realized she couldn't let go. She'd turned to research, knowing they weren't truly apart, just walking different paths, contributing to the world in different ways.
Her youthful infatuation had faded with time. Seeing Kiana happy with him, she'd accepted it.
But the happiness was short-lived. Ren's departure had shattered the fragile peace. Kiana, using her authority as Overseer, had touched the Herrscher core. She'd hidden it from everyone, except Mei.
Mei hadn't exposed her, instead focusing on her research, hoping to unlock the core's secrets. But it was too late.
"There's no time, Mei. Time is a lie. Remember how he was during the war? He'd make a plan, then disengage. I thought he was just confident. Now I understand. He perceives time differently."
"I'm afraid. He's gone, the boundaries of time are broken. If I'm too slow, I'll never catch up."
"I want to see the real world. I want to understand what drives him. I want to see his true face."
Could she do it? Could an ant trapped in a box see the world outside?
"I'll help you. We'll see the truth."
Under the moonlight, they made a pact.
One year later, the Honkai returned. Honkai energy levels surged worldwide.
Two years later, rumors spread that the Overseer was experimenting with Honkai energy.
Three years later, Kiana's attempts to access the Herrscher's power were exposed. The world turned against her.
Four years later, Overseer Kiana rebelled, becoming a Herrscher. Mei, the new Overseer, led Schicksal into the Second Eruption Era.
Five years later, the bubble universe had shrunk by half. Kiana, having absorbed 90% of the Honkai energy, shattered its walls.
Finally, with the Honkai energy depleted, Kiana entered the Sea of Quanta, her corrupted lifespan less than a month.
"The real world… I'm coming for you."
In the deep sea currents, Kiana reached for the dying boy.