Chapter 120: I Will Bear Your Pain

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

******

"Yes, you're right; our actions shape our destiny."

Having personally altered her fate and experienced others altering hers, Himeko now possessed a remarkable sense of openness and detachment, viewing life's events with equanimity.

"Alright then, let's go!"

With these words, Ana waved her hand, summoning a turquoise-colored luan bird from the sky. It descended gracefully to land beside her, revealing itself as Cang Luan, Ana's lifelong Honkai Beast companion.

"My mistress!" Cang Luan nuzzled affectionately against Ana, displaying immense closeness after days apart.

"Okay, okay, when we have the chance, I'll spend more time with you," Ana responded tenderly, reciprocating the bond. To her, Cang Luan was the closest entity in this world, akin to family she trusted implicitly.

"Woohoo, my mistress must keep her word!"

"Of course, I never break promises."

"I didn't expect Herrschers and Honkai Beasts to share such a strong bond." Observing Ana and Cang Luan's interaction, Himeko couldn't help but marvel with a smile.

"The Queen of the Void and Bella have a similar relationship, actually."

Smiling, Ana replied, "To us, they are family, our most devoted followers. We granted them life; thus, betrayal is unimaginable. Naturally, we share a close bond."

"Please take care of her, Cang Luan. Just deliver her there," Ana gently said while stroking Cang Luan's head.

Cang Luan didn't speak but affectionately nuzzled Ana's hand. As Ana's lifelong Honkai Beast companion, not Herrscher of Wind's, she could intuitively sense Ana's condition.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Ana reassured with a smile. Although she preferred not to rely on miracles, she now felt about six to seven out of ten confident - a stable probability that alleviated concerns significantly.

Unfortunately, she still hadn't found her own path; otherwise, her confidence would have been near absolute. It's always wise to leave room for uncertainty.

Observing the interaction between Ana and the beast, concern crept onto Himeko's face. Perhaps Kiana, Theresa, and others couldn't see it, but Himeko knew all too well what Ana had done to defeat Honkai and protect them-all seemingly without informing anyone else.

And now, seeing Ana's reaction, it seemed most likely that...

Himeko felt a wave of helplessness wash over her. She could deliver Kiana's final lesson, but she couldn't assist Ana. Ana was also a teacher, and seemingly, she had already reached heights no one else had attained.

Against such existence, Himeko found herself powerless. She had done all she could, fought relentlessly, but now...

Perhaps the only person she might still be able to aid is Kiana. However, even Himeko sensed that Kiana no longer needed her validation; she had forged her own path, wielding her Authorities guided by her will alone.

Although confined within this nest, Himeko wasn't entirely isolated from information. Natasha often brought her updates, despite being affiliated with the World Serpent.

"All right, you two should leave now," Ana said softly, turning away and heading in the opposite direction.

Initially, she thought Raiden Mei and Kiana could have a meaningful conversation, but considering their distinct personalities, parting ways was indeed inevitable.

Raiden Mei was no longer the little girl content to hide behind Kiana; she had become more assertive than her.

Naturally, it couldn't be Raiden Mei who would compromise in this couple-it could only be Kiana.

However, Kiana preferred shouldering burdens silently on her own. Moreover, her recent experiences made it impossible for her to reveal everything openly.

In other words, Ana's initial hope for their collaboration rather than separation was inherently improbable from the start.

Personality shapes destiny.

Additionally, concerning Kevin, without knowing about my planned journey to the Garden of Eden, he would undoubtedly honor his commitment and allow a Herrscher entry. Furthermore, I've already discussed this with Mobius, making Raiden Mei joining World Serpent inevitable.

Nevertheless, Ana wished these two stubborn individuals could gain a deeper understanding of each other before parting ways. It might be her final effort towards reconciliation.

Moreover, Ana longed to observe her esteemed students, Kiana and Raiden Mei, one last time.

Murata Himeko was their teacher, and so am I. Moreover, due to my past life, my love and concern for them have never wavered.

Wait, wait! Why does this feel like a scene from "The Assassination of Jing Ke"? Surely, I'm confident enough to overcome both the Herrscher of Ice's awakening and Ascension.

With that thought, Ana shook her head vigorously, as if trying to dispel those distracting notions and gather her resolve.

Continuing forward, she swiftly reached her destination.

"Roar—"

A deafening roar echoed as a colossal dragon descended from the sky. Its wings bore visible damage, indicating it wasn't at its full strength; among these injuries were some directly attributable to Ana herself.

Indeed, this was Sirin's lifelong Honkai Beast companion—Benares.

Despite its king being grievously wounded, nearly on the brink of demise, Benares itself severely injured, it remained steadfastly protective by its king's side.

The great dragon roared, conveying emotions of anger, fear, and pleading within its cry.

It wasn't unusual for Honkai Beasts to possess such emotions, as Cang Luan also exhibited them. What was remarkable was that Bella chose not to flee in front of Ana.

She fully understood that the woman before her had the capability to effortlessly tear her apart.

"Alright, alright, Bella, no need for excessive caution. If I truly intended harm, do you think..."

A golden gleam flashed in Ana's right eye, transforming it into the Herrscher of the Void's pupil. Previously, she had acquired a trace of the Authority of Space, and with the Protogenity Seed's influence, she could briefly harness the power and capabilities of the Herrscher of the Void.

Bella's strength originated from the Herrscher of the Void, allowing Ana to counteract and restrict her abilities accordingly.

Of course, Ana had numerous similar means at her disposal. For instance, she could directly impose a Commandment on Bella. With intelligence comparable to humans, Bella would naturally be susceptible to the effects of Commandments.

"Do you think you can stop me?"

Under Ana's overwhelming presence, Benares let out a mournful cry and reluctantly stepped aside. Though unwilling, it had no choice but to yield.

Slowly, Ana approached the pile of rubble where Kiana lay unconscious. Multiple signs of Honkai's corrosion marred her body; she had expended vast amounts of her Authorities to escape, accelerating the activation of the Herrscher Core.

Although the Queen of the Void no longer existed, it didn't prevent Kiana from becoming the Herrscher of the Void.

Her consciousness had not yet transformed fully, preventing her spirit from reinforcing her physical form and handling the increasingly active Authorities.

In essence, the so-called "Ascension" merely completes a newly awakened Herrscher, turning them into a whole being.

The Queen of the Void herself was already a complete Herrscher of the Void, while Bronya, the Herrscher of Reason, remained incomplete. During Welt's confrontation with Kevin, he achieved Ascension for brief moments, granting him a corporeal form.

However, this transformation did not occur at the spiritual level, thus allowing the Herrscher of Truth state to persist only momentarily.

With the demise of the Queen of the Void, Kiana's spirit effectively regressed, unable to withstand the growing activity of Herrscher Authorities and power. Essentially, Kiana, still a half-developed Herrscher, was forcibly placed into the ascended body of a full-fledged Herrscher.

Her spirit could not endure this strain, causing her body to lose control over the Authorities, instead succumbing to their influence and corruption.

Previously, when controlled by the Queen of the Void, excess Honkai Energy could be released outward. Now, however, Kiana can only allow it to accumulate within her body, gradually transforming from energy into lethal toxins.

Unless Kiana undergoes a direct transformation, she will eventually succumb to the overwhelming Honkai Energy.

Of course, there is another temporary solution: splitting one core between them—specifically, awakening Raiden Mei as the Herrscher of Thunder. Concurrently, Kiana should learn Fu Hua's Taixuan Sword Qi technique, allowing her to control and expel Honkai Energy without relying solely on Herrscher abilities.

In reality, this is indeed what they plan to do in the future.

Ana approves of this approach; after all, she doesn't have any better alternatives at hand. She herself already possesses multiple cores and immense power within her. Attempting to absorb another for Kiana's sake would likely prove fatal to Ana instead.

Moreover, Ana cannot interfere with Kiana's Cores directly.

The Void Core serves as the foundation, the Gem of Serenity sustains life, and the Gem of Desire is designated for Raiden Mei. Without becoming the Herrscher of Thunder, Raiden Mei loses eligibility to enter the Elysian Realm. And certainly, expecting the Herrscher of Origin, Ana, to fill the role of Primogenitor for Kiana would undermine the very purpose of their efforts, wouldn't it?

So what was the point of all Ana's efforts then?

"Truly bothersome."

Rubbing her temples, Ana muttered to herself. Initially, she just wanted to check on Kiana, but seeing her beloved student in such a state made it impossible for her to stand idly by.

However, intervening posed significant challenges, demanding immense energy and strength - quite troublesome indeed.

Well, never mind, this is still her adorable Kia-chan after all. After all, she had promised Father-in-Law Siegfried to take care of Kiana, regardless of whether it was genuine or not; she needed to lend a hand.

With that thought, Ana sighed, leaned down, and gently sliced at her wrist.

Bright red blood flowed out, immediately encapsulated by Ideal Fluid, which also sealed the wound. As a Herrscher, Ana's self-healing ability was somewhat compromised due to the holy blood being inherently opposed to Honkai Energy.

Extracting even a small amount of blood now would cause unimaginable pain. Fortunately, her wind authority could prevent direct contact between her blood and Honkai Energy. Once she obtains the Ice Authority, healing should become faster.

Although it may seem like Ana only extracted a small amount of blood, the pain she endured was unprecedented throughout her long battle against Honkai. Thankfully, her strong willpower prevented her from grimacing visibly.

Each time Ana had to extract some blood, she couldn't help but regret fusing with the holy blood initially, at least verbally if not genuinely in her heart.

"Ah, I hope this can provide you with some relief." With a soft sigh, Ana carefully sprinkled the blood onto areas clearly affected by Behavioral Corruption on Kiana's body. As the blood touched her skin and began to coagulate, the signs of corruption rapidly receded at those spots.

Of course, everyone knew that such methods merely treat the symptoms rather than the root cause. It would offer temporary comfort for Kiana, essentially transferring a portion of her suffering onto Ana herself.

If these drops of blood were given to ordinary individuals afflicted by Honkai before turning into Zombies, they might have been fully cured. However, as a Herrscher, Kiana's condition could not be effectively controlled in this manner.

"Sigh, rest well, Kiana. The path ahead of you is still long."

Muttering to herself, Ana stood up, her wrist's scar still clearly visible. One could even see the wound continuously healing and then being damaged again, with its self-repair process agonizingly slow.

The pain from this constant cycle of destruction and repair was unimaginable.

It gave insight into the immense suffering Ana must have endured when she became the Herrscher of Wind.

"Alright, I'm leaving now. Take care of your Queen."

As Ana turned, she noticed Benares still vigilantly watching her, as if ready to unleash a scorching burst of dragon fire at any moment, yet hesitating, almost fearful to act.

Of course, Ana didn't dwell on it too much. It was unfortunate that ultimately, Benares transformed into Kujikara.

However, for them, perhaps this outcome was indeed the best.

I wonder if the system might reward me by transferring Benares's consciousness into the present world, giving Sirin a cool and aloof maid? Hmm, just imagining it sounds intriguing.

[Ding! Commencing settlement of rewards from the Elysian Realm. Detected character's intent: Upon Archon Honkai Beast Benares's death, her consciousness will be projected into the Present World.]

[Upon completion of the next event, the Primogenity Authority reward will be issued!]

"..."

Ana found it slightly overwhelming; she had merely mentioned it casually, never expecting the system to actually grant such a reward. As for the subsequent settlement of the Primogenity Authority, there wasn't much to say about that.

However, projecting Bella's consciousness into the Present World was indeed quite intriguing.

But, perhaps it's for the best.

In the Present World, Sirin... only has herself. With Benares by her side, things should improve significantly. At least, Ana won't need to worry unnecessarily from within the Honkai World.

Benares remains steadfastly loyal and dutiful towards Sirin.

"Well then, see you again in the Present World!"

Ana winked at Benares before stepping into the void, disappearing from his sight. The great dragon gazed in the direction Ana left, emitting a resonant roar. Unfortunately, with no one from Cassel College present, its message went unheard.