Herrscher of Dominance in Honkai, starting with the abduction of Kiana

"Otto Apocalypse."

Ren's golden eyes faded, replaced by his usual gray. He set down the intelligence he had gathered, a flicker of killing intent in his gaze.

Otto had caused him considerable trouble in ARC City.

While it was likely a coincidence, Otto had exploited Ren's moment of weakness, successfully outmaneuvering him. With just a few strategically placed lures, he had not only confirmed Ren's survival but also forced him to alter his plans.

In that sense, Otto had won this round.

However, it was precisely Otto's scheme that had allowed Ren to uncover the hidden threat within the Herrscher of Reason core and, in turn, formulate a new plan.

This was the nature of the game between two brilliant minds. Being outplayed was temporary; the key was to utilize the opponent's maneuvers to mitigate losses and even gain an advantage.

And ultimately, Ren had emerged victorious.

His gains weren't tangible, not mere objects or power, but a fundamental shift in his being.

This transformation was crucial, even more significant than the promise of Finality, a change that would reshape his methods and future plans.

It was a transformation of his heart.

Emotions had always been Ren's greatest weakness. Burdened by the despair of a thousand souls, he couldn't see his own path clearly, his actions often hampered by his own power.

This weakness manifested as a fatal flaw in his attempts to master Taixu Sword God, preventing him from learning its final form. The illusion had mended this flaw.

Not by erasing his emotions but by confronting them.

By accepting his feelings for Kiana, the vulnerability that had plagued him had vanished.

This was a profound shift in his mindset, a change that would alter his very approach to everything.

Kiana was simply too important to him. From the initial plan to their journey together, she had been the central figure, a constant presence he couldn't ignore.

Now, with that vulnerability gone, the shackles that had bound him were broken.

If the Pacific battle had severed the external constraints imposed by the Will of Honkai, this trial had broken the chains of his self-imposed limitations, allowing him to venture further along the path of the Imaginary Tree.

With his heart whole, the next steps were clear.

Utilizing his initial preparations, Ren had successfully provoked Li Sushang, triggering her to unleash the full power of Taixu Sword God.

He had no interest in exploiting the girl's feelings. Once he had acquired the complete data on Sword God, he had willingly offered his life, leaving his Herrscher of Reason-constructed body in her hands, severing their connection.

As recompense for his deception, he would help her once in the future, but nothing more.

His greatest gains from this endeavor were the strengthening of his resolve and the mental fortitude granted by Taixu Sword God. Both were crucial, arriving precisely when he needed them most.

The Herrscher of Sentience was the Hive Mind's natural counter, but even her full power couldn't breach his reinforced mental defenses. This wasn't solely due to Taixu Sword God but also the newfound wholeness of his heart.

As long as his mind remained impenetrable, he had a hundred ways to deal with the Herrscher of Sentience.

As for Otto, whether for his own ambitions or as retribution for the experiments on the Herrscher of the Void, a confrontation was inevitable. In fact, their game had begun the moment Otto had initiated the observation experiment.

However, as master manipulators with similar styles, the line between enemy and ally was blurred.

Even knowing they were being played, they would still utilize each other to achieve their own goals. Likewise, even as allies, they wouldn't hesitate to sabotage each other.

But now, having acknowledged his feelings for Kiana, Ren was destined to confront Otto. Their final duel was inevitable, a battle of wits and power, a test of whose schemes were more intricate, more ruthless.

Otto's recent maneuver hadn't been a major setback, but Ren wasn't one to take a loss lying down. He would repay the favor, given the opportunity.

However, targeting Schicksal directly wasn't a priority right now. He had more pressing matters to attend to.

The Theater of the Domination, once dilapidated, was now fully restored, the damage inflicted by Taixu Sword God repaired by the power of creation.

While he hadn't actively sought to claim the Herrscher of Reason's power, the trial of the 300,000 wills had given him a considerable understanding of creation. However, the Herrscher of Reason's authority had merely broadened his abilities, not significantly increased his power.

What Ren needed now was raw power, the power to overcome any obstacle.

Because he knew Kiana wouldn't stop fighting for this world.

And as the wielder of her weapon, he had an obligation to keep pace with her, to help her unleash her full potential.

Therefore, whether to protect her or to help her awaken Flamescion, he needed to become stronger.

The upcoming Herrschers of Ice and Rock were his next targets.

And there was another Herrscher, long forgotten, whom it was time to awaken.

Taxue, the black cat, jumped from Ren's shoulder, transforming into its usual brown tabby form, and strolled leisurely into a spatial portal.

Emerging from the portal, the cat found itself in a rundown neighborhood. Before it could get its bearings, it was scooped up into the arms of a little girl.

"Can-ned, where have you been? I've been looking all over for you…"

"Meow~"

…

…

"No! I don't want to go to school!" A child's cries shattered the morning quiet.

A brand-new schoolbag lay discarded on the ground, kicked aside by a pouting boy. Passersby glanced at the child, but such scenes were commonplace, and they quickly lost interest. After all, every child resisted school at some point.

After much coaxing from his mother, the boy finally relented, albeit grudgingly, agreeing to go to school.

A brown tabby cat, perched on a flowerbed, licked its fur, watching the scene with bored indifference.

It wondered why humans left their homes at the same time every day.

But it quickly dismissed the thought as irrelevant. It was just a cat, after all. Cats didn't have to go to school; they could sleep in as late as they pleased.

It stretched luxuriously, basking in the sun.

But while the cat watched the world go by, someone was watching the cat.

In a dark, cramped room, a pair of eyes gazed longingly at it.

Thick iron bars covered the window, and the little girl inside could only glimpse the outside world through the gaps.

She watched the free cat, then the reluctant schoolboy, envy flickering in her eyes.

"Kitty…" she whispered, trying to call out to the cat. But hearing the unfamiliar sound, the cat startled, its back arching defensively.

Seeing the cat's reaction, the girl panicked, stopping abruptly, afraid of scaring it away.

After all, for her, this cat was the highlight of her day.

But the startled cat, no longer feeling safe, darted away.

"Kitty, don't go!"

Disappointed, the girl withdrew her hand from the window, retreating into the shadows of her room.

She clutched a worn stuffed cat, its fur matted, another child's name still faintly visible on its tag.

She had found it in a trash can. She didn't have a cat, and she didn't have freedom.