ALL NOVEL Chapter 211: Husk - Nihilius
A blinding white light engulfed Nagazora, followed by a deep purple beam lancing skyward. The heavens tore open, a maelstrom of wind and violet lightning sweeping across the land.
A circular halo, like a hole punched through reality, connected this world to another.
The ground trembled, buildings collapsing towards the rising water, then abruptly stopping mid-air.
"The water's receding? No… the city's rising." Kiana watched in astonishment, a growing sense of unease twisting within her.
She grabbed Durandal's arm, her voice filled with anger. "What is this experiment?! This isn't just core activation!"
After returning to the Schicksal warship with Ren, Durandal had given her a sanitized version of the experiment's details, claiming it merely required the Herrscher of Flames' power to activate a spatial anchor in Nagazora.
Though suspicious, Kiana had accepted the explanation, prioritizing the safe evacuation of the children.
But this… this city-wide upheaval was clearly something far more significant. And the gaping hole in the sky… it filled her with dread. Ren had lied.
With the first stage of the experiment underway, Bianka no longer saw the need for deception. "The Overseer needs to observe the Imaginary Tree, to open a pathway between reality and the Imaginary space, to locate the coordinates of a parallel world. Only the Herrscher of Flames, or rather, Ren's power, can reach the deepest layers of the Imaginary."
"That's absurd! I'm the Herrscher of the Void! If anyone should be opening a gateway to the Imaginary, it should be me! His body can't withstand the strain! You tricked him!"
"No. The Overseer didn't trick him. This was their agreement. Once the experiment is complete, Schicksal will cease its pursuit of you, Kiana, and help you recover. Those were Ren's terms." Bianka explained patiently. "And while the Herrscher of the Void can open a gateway to the Imaginary, you cannot locate the Imaginary Tree. Only Ren can do that. If anyone deceived you, it was him."
The blood drained from Kiana's face. Ren's words, their conversation the previous night, echoed in her mind. He had withheld crucial information.
This wasn't just about activating the Gem of Haste. The fissures on his body weren't from Honkai energy overload. It wasn't Herrscher core corrosion. It was his life fading away.
He had been lying to her all along.
"That damn bastard! After everything I said… he still did this! He still lied to me!" Kiana punched through the Schicksal-imposed safety barrier, racing towards the opening in the sky.
Durandal watched her go, sighing softly.
"Overseer, should we retrieve her?"
"No. Let her go. The experiment has begun. Once the gate is open, the Herrscher of Flames is no longer necessary."
Otto's gaze was fixed on the city center. The Thousand Worlds Gate was activating, drawing on the city's Honkai energy, Quantum Shadows raining down from the sky.
…
A cross-shaped pillar of light stood in the heart of the city, a harbinger of impending doom. Buildings, drawn towards the opening in the sky, crumbled and floated upwards.
The light illuminated Kiana's profile, the wind carrying away her soft sobs.
"I have to reach him." The pillar intensified, but it wasn't time for Ren's part yet. She could still stop him.
The roads had vanished, buildings floating in the air, the entire city ascending. Kiana used her teleportation abilities, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, but her body, weakened by Mei's removal of the Gem of Conquest, couldn't handle the strain.
A sharp pain shot through her arm as a recently healed wound reopened. The sensation, amplified by her returning pain receptors, nearly caused her to stumble.
"Why now? Why now, of all times?" Kiana gritted her teeth, the pain and exhaustion overwhelming.
"I can't stop. I have to bring him back." She raised her hand, attempting to open another portal, but her unstable state prevented her.
Ignoring the pain, she leaped from the rooftop, a purple disc of Honkai energy materializing beneath her feet, propelling her towards the next building.
But on her third jump, the power faltered.
She plummeted towards the ground, reaching out, grasping for the light, but it remained beyond her reach.
Roar.
A dragon's cry echoed through the ruins. Benares, having finally located its master, smashed through the debris, its massive back cushioning Kiana's fall.
"Benares?" Kiana hadn't seen the dragon since it had carried her away from ARC City.
Its arrival was a stroke of luck. If she could fly, she could still reach him.
Sensing its master's will, Benares soared into the sky, tracing a wide arc across the city.
Unlike the flooded eastern sector, the central area, where the experiment was taking place, remained relatively intact. Kiana, riding on Benares's back, searched for Ren.
Then, she saw him.
Ren stood, his flaming greatsword in hand, gazing at the swirling halo in the sky, oblivious to her approach.
"The experiment hasn't started yet! I can still reach him!" Relief flooded her. She urged Benares towards him.
A screech of tearing metal. Benares roared in pain.
A massive sword, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, had pierced its wing, a dark gray energy spreading through its body. Benares plummeted towards the ground, struggling to maintain control, protecting Kiana from the impact.
"Bena—" Kiana stared at the sword embedded in Benares's wing, a familiar aura radiating from it. She looked up.
A colossal mecha, its clock-like components shifting and assembling, materialized in the air.
The sword, a massive clock hand, retracted, returning to the mecha's grasp.
Imaginary Construct: Husk - Nihilius