Herrscher of Sentience's Get deceived by her Mother

Kiana and Himeko said goodbye to each other in a special place inside the Herrscher's core. It was a sad moment, but Kiana knew she had to keep going.

Her friends were counting on her.

The loud noises coming from outside weren't just in her head. The fight was still happening in the Domination Theatre, just like Himeko had said. Kiana's team was fighting hard, trying to find a way to save her.

Of course, the people from Anti-Entropy weren't just sitting around after Kiana disappeared.

They quickly surmised that the Herrscher of Dominance hadn't vanished, but was instead lurking in the shadows, observing their every move.

They saw that the puppets were still alive, so they immediately started a plan to rescue Kiana. 

Even though they got tricked by the puppets, the Anti-Entropy team still managed to make some good progress. Now they had a way to actually get into the Domination Theatre.

Meanwhile, Raiden Mei was getting ready to go back to the Domination Theatre. She couldn't stop thinking about the strange things that had happened. She was confused about the Herrscher of Dominance's actions.

It seemed like the puppets were more afraid of her than anything else, like they were trying really hard to keep her away…

The "threat" she talked about felt like a cover-up, a way to get her out of there and hide something important.

What Jackal said from World Serpent confirmed her suspicions. The Herrscher of Dominance was trying to take over, but it was like a big fight between different forces. 

This strategy was effective against half-baked Herrschers, but for a fully realized Herrscher like Raiden Mei, it carried a risk of failure.

This newfound knowledge brought a measure of comfort to Mei. This time, she would go against the grain, dive into the Herrscher's of Domination network, and become the blade that cut through all obstacles to save Kiana.

[Bronya: ...Who are you calling a half-baked Herrscher?! You're the one who's half-baked! ]

[Sigh~, crying's done. Time to beat up some puppets to vent my frustration. Now, I stand on the side of righteousness! I'm at odds with the puppets, fighting for all that is good in the world!]

[Tears welling up, Mei... Is Mei actually going to stand up?]

[comment]

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"Heh heh~, it's finally Mei's turn to make her grand entrance. A official battle against Kiana, huh?"

Himeko chuckled, covering her mouth like she was trying not to laugh out loud.

It was true that Mei hadn't been around much since the "Lament of the Fallen" incident. 

Bronya at least was involved in the Fu Hua part, but Mei... well...

Kiana directed a teasing glance at Bronya. The "half-baked Herrscher" comment from Jackal was too pointed, making it painfully obvious who she was referring to.

Even if Bronya had already messed up, she was undeniably the one who matched the description.

"You idiot Kiana, the puppets are aiming for you. You're the so-called half-baked Herrscher, too! What's there to be happy about?"

Bronya turned, a touch of awkwardness on her usually emotionless face. But she soon retorted stubbornly.

Was this a case with our Duck?

Who was making her charge into this mess?

What had she done wrong anyway? She just took over the core of the Herrscher of Reason!

"Me? I didn't choose to be a Herrscher. Plus, there's someone else messing with me… But it's different for you. Why didn't you become a full-fledged Herrscher?"

Kiana puffed out her chest, putting her hands on her hips like she was proud of herself. "Hehe, my Mei is still the best!" 

"Uh… Yes, Mei-San is very strong, but Kiana you…"

"Wait a minute… Did that old Antique trick me?"

The Herrscher of Sentience stomped her foot, as if realizing something for the first time.

If she had been the one to fight back then, it would have been a walk in the park!

In a way, she was the most complete Herrscher around.

As for the Herrscher identity… Once you accept that hurdle, everything else becomes smooth sailing.

So what if she's a Herrscher? Does it stop you from eating your dinner?

"Oh? Did Fu Hua trick Little Senti? I always thought... you two were more like, Little Senti being the mischievous one."

Himeko tilted her head in curiosity, observing the exchange between the two.

Plus, she couldn't imagine Fu Hua being able to trick anyone. 

She seemed so honest and trustworthy. In fact, Himeko was worried about being tricked by someone like that... but that was before she knew Fu Hua's real identity. 

-----

Meanwhile, in Anti-Entropy side, Bronya and Fu Hua were dispatched to the Domination Theatre to support Kiana.

With Fu Hua's strength, taking down the puppets should have been a piece of cake. They were no match for them together. But the puppets quickly changed their strategy.

They casually mentioned the link between their bodies and the real people they were connected to, and at the same time, they started tearing down the Domination Theatre, creating a never-ending maze of hallways to stop them from getting through. 

They had a big problem on their hands:

They had to choose between saving the people in the real world, who seemed like they couldn't be saved, or leaving Kiana alone to struggle inside.

Time was running out, and they couldn't find a way out. They couldn't just use all their power without making things worse.

The puppets laughed evilly, their heads spinning and bodies twisting in a creepy way. They kept coming at them, making them choose between really hard options.

If they couldn't defeat them, they would attack their hearts.

Fu Hua and Bronya were stuck. They couldn't fight freely, so they could only run and hide, desperately looking for Kiana.

But in the end, there was only one way to go, which led to Kiana, who was unconscious. The puppets were blocking their way, forcing them to make a decision.

Finally, Fu Hua had an idea.

She would do the same thing she did to Sirin during the Second Honkai. She would sever the connection between the two.

"But… you don't have Fenghuang Down anymore."

Bronya watched quietly, her words a simple statement of fact.

"So, I'll have to borrow the power of the Herrscher of Sentience."

Fu Hua adjusted her glasses, her voice sounding a little sad. 

-----

"?!"

The Herrscher of Sentience, instantly wide awake, forgot about her burning eyes and turned her full attention to the scene.

Fu Hua was slightly perplexed. She hadn't seen this level of focus even during class.

"….It's about to start, Old Antique. Watch closely, watch closely! I don't even want to say it, but what have you done?!"

The Herrscher of Sentience nudged Fu Hua, her tone laced with displeasure, urging her to focus.

"Okay, I'm watching… Don't worry, I won't do anything like that again."

Fu Hua patted the Herrscher of Sentience's shoulder reassuringly, trying to ease her concerns.

"You can never be sure. You might still see me as an enemy, and just deceive me off without even thinking… Ugh, the more I think about it, the angrier I get."

"You're so careful with those puppets, but with me, it's all lies and beatings. And you always say it didn't happen!"

The Herrscher of Sentience rubbed her temples, watching the two people trapped and in danger, feeling really annoyed.

—Why wasn't she treated the same way?

Even though she understood the reasons, acceptance was a different story.

And, the next scene would be her humiliation, right? It's all the Old Antique's fault! Hmph!

-----

Fu Hua closed her eyes, diving deep into her consciousness.

She felt the heavy chains once more.

—Like always, they plunged into a dark and bottomless space. The other end was connected to a secret place in the world, a place humans couldn't understand. And the person standing there refused to move. 

Fu Hua whispered into the chains, unsure if her voice would reach its destination.

But she could only hope that the Herrscher of Sentience would help. She didn't want to lose the few people they had, and she didn't want to lose Kiana… she was done with letting anyone else fall into the abbys. 

"Kiana is in danger. I need to borrow your strength."

The chains in her consciousness rattled, slightly shaking.

"Please, I really need your help." Fu Hua begged her.

".....Hey! Old Antique, you two are always bothering me! Can't you give a girl a break?!"

"First, Kevin's underling, then a bunch of weird wooden people… Now it's you too?"

"Please, I truly need your help."

Fu Hua pleaded earnestly.

"Oh? You think I don't know that using my Herrscher power on these guys will lead to my power being taken away?"

"What's this? Are you planning to 'use a knife to kill someone' or 'kill two birds with one stone'?"

It was clear that the Herrscher of Sentience had a good grasp of idioms, better than Kiana.

"Oh~ I get it, you must have been turned into one of the wooden people, right?"

"Wrong! Well, I guess it's easy for someone like you with your failing life to get pushed around."

The Herrscher of Sentience's words were laced with sarcasm. She was clearly still holding a grudge against the Old Antique.

[Inner Thoughts: Eh? Old Antique said she needs me! I'll keep talking, I love it. ; Surface: So annoying, so annoying, just shut up!]

[The way Little Senti talks is so funny! Every word is perfect. She's constantly rubbing it in Fu Hua's face, like a spoiled daughter~]

[Wooden people~ Maybe the puppets are really made of wood. They're truly insidious, they even infiltrated Little Senti.]

[comment]

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"Oh my, heh heh~, The Herrscher of Sentience is such a comedian. She's got me laughing until I'm crying."

Seeing this, Elysia couldn't help but chuckle softly.

She used her index finger to brush away the lingering tears from her eyes.

Flowers that have been watered with tears bloom even more beautifully. Sadly, only a handful of people witnessed this.

"Fu Hua too, she was completely speechless after that. I'd say it's a historical leftover problem, all because the last time wasn't dealt with properly."

"Heh heh~, it's truly amusing. No wonder she's Little Senti!"

-----

"I haven't joined them. They're using the lives of innocent people as leverage. I need your power."

Fu Hua tried to explain patiently. It would be best to avoid conflict. She also hoped to resolve the situation peacefully.

"You say you haven't changed, then you haven't changed! And yet, you tricked me into giving up my power?"

The Herrscher of Sentience was indignant. Just say you need it and you'll get it? What about her dignity?

"No, this isn't giving it up. As long as we can defeat them, my power won't be taken."

Fu Hua argued earnestly.

"Mhm, right, let's clap for your future victory! —Hmph, what does it have to do with me anyway?"

"Kiana needs you."

"Didn't she want the 'Class Monitor'?"

Sure enough, the Herrscher of Sentience still harbored resentment towards the past.

"I need you too."

Fu Hua stated directly.

Then, she felt the chains in her consciousness loosen a bit. The Herrscher of Sentience was letting her guard down.

"I know… Kiana rejected you before, but after spending some time together, you also understand she's not a bad person."

"She rejected you as 'Fu Hua', not because she disliked you. On the contrary, we both believe you're an independent person, a unique soul."

"You have your own thoughts, your own beliefs, and a strength that lets you follow those beliefs. You don't need to worry about who you are, because you can decide who you want to be."

"I've always wanted to tell you this… Kiana, and me, we both hope you'll come back."

"..." The Herrscher of Sentience fell silent, staying silent for a long time.

Fu Hua waited for an answer, but she was getting anxious—reality didn't give her time for long conversations.

If she continued to be sarcastic, she might have to think of something else…

"Hmph, you're slightly more talkative than the other wooden people." The Herrscher of Sentience's tone softened.

She wasn't completely unreasonable. If it really was a critical moment, she could be persuaded…

"But, in the end, it was your mess to clean up! Whoever made the mess, they clean it up… Right, you can do it yourself—"

But she had to save face! She had initially said no… If she relented so quickly…

Unless she said a few more words, something along the lines of "without the great Lady Herrscher of Sentience, it's absolutely impossible," then maybe she would consider giving her a break…

But before her mental calculations could settle, she heard a tear sound.

There seemed to be a change on the other end, but reality no longer allowed for hesitation.

Fu Hua gritted her teeth, making up her mind. Seizing the moment when the Herrscher of Sentience let her guard down, Fu Hua yanked on the iron chain.

The power instantly surged towards her. She was a bit apologetic, but she couldn't spare a thought for it, given the urgency of the situation.

"Old Antique! You—!!"

In a turn of events she hadn't expected, the Herrscher of Sentience was instantly stripped of her power, without even a chance to react.

[Hahaha~, Little Senti got scammed by her own mama, iconic scene, iconic scene!]

[Please, another me, hahaha, directly scammed…]

[Cherish your Herrscher power, be wary of telecommunications fraud, Shenzhou police remind you: Beware of telecommunications fraud]

[comment]

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"Yes, yes, look, look! That's exactly what she said. I was careless and didn't figure it out…"

"Oh, me too, I was so stupid, I really was,"

The supposed fraud victim, Lady Herrscher of Sentience, pointed at the in-game scam, lamenting with a sense of regret,

"How could I think she hadn't lied or stolen anything for 50,000 years and let my guard down? My core was directly confiscated, without even an apology!"

The Herrscher of Sentience was angry, it seemed like she would've gone over and given Fu Hua a piece of her mind if nobody stopped her…

…But the truth was, nobody stopped her.

The Herrscher of Sentience could only huff and puff in frustration, crossing her arms and tilting her chin up towards Fu Hua.

"You… what do you have to say for yourself?" 

"…I think, it's probably true? In a time of crisis, Little Senti, if your friend was in danger, I would also help!"

Fu Hua stated earnestly.

"But, don't you think you could've asked me to help? I was willing to save Kiana, too."

The Herrscher of Sentience widened her eyes, puzzled.

"But… I think you didn't want to get involved in the danger," Fu Hua chose her words carefully, speaking slowly.

"?? What danger? There's no danger for me, doesn't exist!"

"So… you want me to ask again next time?"

Seeing Kiana winking from the sidelines, Fu Hua roughly understood the Herrscher of Sentience's meaning.

"…Hmph! Who meant that? If you don't need it, you don't need it. You have the ability to not use my core! And you made me lose face,"

The Herrscher of Sentience turned her head away, giving Fu Hua the back of her head.

"Cut it out. If I was there… there wouldn't be so many problems."

Kiana couldn't help but cover her face, speechless. Himeko tilted her head, watching the ridiculous scene.

Only Fu Hua was internally sighing. Was she really unwilling to help?