Kiana's thunderous outburst couldn't stop the storm of lightning. A brief moment of quiet was followed by an even more torrential downpour.
Kiana didn't understand the difference between what Ren said about saving civilization and saving the world. All she knew was that, in that moment, Ren felt like a stranger.
"Haven't you realized? You've never truly understood the real him—his ideals, his likes, his past and future. It's far more complex than you ever imagined."
The girl stared blankly at Ren, Aunt Himeko's voice echoing in her mind.
She used to think Himeko was just talking about her lack of proactive communication with Ren. But now, after hearing his story in his own words, she finally understood that her teacher was trying to tell her something much deeper.
—He, just like her, harbored the ideal of changing the world.
Kiana bit her lip, letting the rain lash against her cheeks. The wind howled in her ears, and the sky, as if stained with ink, dyed the world black. In a daze, it seemed as if this heavy darkness was slowly swallowing the boy before her.
"No, wait!"
She reached out for Ren, wanting to grab him. She had suddenly realized that his words weren't just an explanation for his departure—they were a formal farewell.
But she was a step too late. Ren was already prepared to leave and had used her momentary daze to establish a connection with the Theater of Domination. There was no way he'd let her catch him so easily.
"Don't worry," the boy said with a reassuring smile, slowly shaking his head. "I won't let this chaos last long. Just give me some time. I'll be back soon."
As Kiana watched, he took a step back. In the next second, a dark spatial rift tore open and swallowed him whole like a vortex.
Her outstretched arm passed through his afterimage, stopping in mid-air. The thunder, once silent, boomed again, its flashes illuminating the alley once more. But this time, there was no one to huddle with—only a lonely girl and her shadow.
Her hand had failed to grasp his farewell, leaving unspoken words stuck in her throat, a pale and silent plea.
"Ren... don't go."
With a hoarse whisper, the girl slowly leaned against the wall, all her strength seemingly drained away. She slid down until she was squatting, hugging her knees and beginning to sob quietly.
The storm grew more intense, a howling gale sweeping through the entire city. On the streets, pedestrians hurried to and fro, seeking shelter from the rain. But in the cold, deserted alley, a forlorn little kitten could only curl up in a corner, all alone.
"..."
After what felt like an eternity, an umbrella appeared above the girl's head. Kiana flinched and slowly looked up. But the face she saw wasn't Ren's; it belonged to a woman with a cascade of red hair.
"He was worried you'd catch a cold and asked me to come get you," Himeko said. "Come on, get up."
"Himeko-Sensei..." Kiana whispered, then fell silent, lost in thought.
Seeing her like this, Himeko's heart ached. She knelt and gently wiped the tears from the girl's eyes. "Don't be sad. It's not like he's gone forever. Both of you have your own ideals and goals. This separation is just temporary. When this is all over, I'll help you give him a piece of our minds."
But Kiana just shook her head without a word. Just as Himeko thought she was still grieving Ren's departure, Kiana wiped away her tears and asked in a low voice, "Aunt Himeko... am I really that stupid?"
"Hm?"
"If I weren't, how could I have gone on for so long without ever realizing what he was thinking—what his ideals and goals were?"
Himeko finally understood. Kiana wasn't just sad that Ren had left; she was tormented by her failure to understand what was in his heart.
She opened her mouth to speak but didn't know what to say. Instead, she just gave the girl's head a comforting pat. Kiana was more oblivious to matters of the heart than Himeko had imagined. If it weren't for their earlier heart-to-heart, she never would have guessed that Kiana truly had only seen Ren as a friend all this time.
To know you have feelings but not know how to express them is its own kind of pain. Himeko suspected Ren had realized this, which was why he chose to face his burdens alone.
"Sigh, you two kids really know how to make a person worry," Himeko lamented, despite being single herself. But she understood. Kiana was an artificially created Herrscher of the Void, and Ren was a Herrscher of a Domination born from negative emotions.
Expecting them to have a normal relationship was wishful thinking.
Fortunately, Kiana didn't seem like she was about to fall into a pit of despair, which was a relief. Once the girl's emotions had stabilized, Himeko stood up and offered her hand again.
"Let's go. Now that you know Ren's identity and purpose, what you do next is up to you. But I want to remind you, whether you want to stop him or help him, standing still will only put you further and further away from him."
Himeko watched the silent girl, waiting patiently.
"..."
A moment later, she felt a firm grip on her hand. She smiled as she heard the girl's determined voice.
"I will find him. No matter how far I have to go."
Seeing Kiana's resolve, Himeko knew she didn't need to worry anymore. She pulled the girl to her feet and handed her the umbrella.
"It seems you've made your choice."
She nodded slightly and gestured toward the mouth of the alley. A moment later, an unremarkable black sedan pulled up to the curb. A young woman in a sharp uniform stepped out and opened the rear door.
"Lady Kiana, please get in the car."
"You're... Bernice?" Kiana's memory was sharp; she immediately recognized the woman from their brief encounter at the foot of Mount Taixuan. But wasn't she a Schicksal Valkyrie? What was she doing with Aunt Himeko?
Just as she was pondering this, the sound of heavy, rhythmic footsteps echoed from the intersection. Kiana looked over and saw a squad of fully armed Valkyries. Judging by their hurried pace, they were on some kind of search mission.
It was obvious who Schicksal was searching for today: Ren, and now, probably her too.
Himeko waved at her, signaling her to get in the car. Kiana got the message. Using the umbrella for cover, she slipped into the vehicle. With a roar of the engine, the sedan smoothly pulled away from the curb and disappeared down the street.
A few minutes later, Schicksal forces had the entire block surrounded. Staring at the beeping Honkai Energy detector in their hands and the empty alley, the squad leader could only report back with a sigh of frustration.