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
******
"Heehee, here she comes."
"Let me see, let me see!"
"A beautiful young lady, hmm, what sins has she committed?"
The dolls chattered incessantly from their seats, some even starting arguments amongst themselves.
Observing them, Ana couldn't help but furrow her brow.
She disliked noisy environments, especially when the voices were shrill and grating.
With pursed lips, she calmly stated, "If your intention was to put on a ridiculous show before me, you've succeeded."
All the dolls turned towards her simultaneously.
"Oh, getting impatient? You're getting impatient," one doll shrieked, yelling, "It's because you're worried, isn't it? Too bad, he's just a fake though."
Ana's eyes narrowed as she watched the puppet Xia Chen, who had escorted her inside, suddenly collapse onto the ground.
Anger began to surface in her gaze while looking at the dolls.
"Let me witness your sins," the doll on the podium exclaimed loudly. "Allow me to read—"
Its voice abruptly cut off.
"What happened? What's going on?"
One of the dolls from the audience seemed gripped by anticipation and descended directly towards the podium, snatching the book from the doll presiding over it.
Then, this doll too was taken aback.
"How is this possible?" The despair-incarnate doll shrieked at Ana, "Born into privilege, sailing through life untroubled, even effortlessly finding love... Why has your life been so effortless!"
"This isn't fair! This isn't fair!"
No one anticipated that the dolls would be triggered by how remarkably smooth Ana's life journey had been.
The most prominent setback in Ana's history, without question, was during the Major Honkai Eruption in Manila. Yet her wounds had already healed.
This outcome was unacceptable to the dolls.
Crafted from despair, why should they bear witness to such a fortunate individual?
"Die!" The triggered doll swiftly created multiple puppets.
Whether they were puppet Honkai Beasts, Titans, or Lesser Divine Constructs... whatever they could create, they made with abandon.
They absolutely couldn't tolerate someone living such an unimpeded existence.
Since they could not attain such a life themselves, their aim was to destroy it.
It aimed to utterly destroy such happiness!
Naturally, Ana wouldn't sit idly by as these puppets moved against her; she took preemptive action.
These dolls sought to annihilate her, but she wasn't about to let that happen.
"I initially thought you were pitiful souls, forced together for mutual support amidst adversity," she said while firing relentlessly. "But now it seems clear—you're merely clowns blinded by jealousy and rage, blaming the world for its unfairness."
"A fulfilling life is never determined solely by one's birth circumstances."
"Of course, if that's how you choose to see things, I couldn't care less." With each successive shot, numerous puppets crumbled under her assault.
Ana trained her gun on the puppet controlling the stage, stating, "Why should I concern myself with the opinions of losers?"
Even within the Dominion Theater, Ana showed no trace of fear.
She was no longer the same person from the Manila incident. Though still an A-rank Valkyrie, under Durandal's continuous guidance, her combat prowess and mental fortitude now rivaled those of an S-rank Valkyrie.
Mental resilience often proved invaluable.
Regardless of how many puppets the doll created, Ana effortlessly defeated them all.
"Use whatever tricks you have left," she declared, unconcerned about her predicament. "Your days of glory won't last much longer."
"Heh heh, humans truly possess an enigmatic confidence."
The doll conjured more puppets, and one by one, Puppet Wendy, Puppet Xia Chen, and Puppet Rita appeared.
"As you can see, this is God's Authority—the power to create anyone and replace anyone!"
"You amplify the darkness within every heart to supplant their true selves?" Ana couldn't help but scoff sarcastically. "If you claim to replace everyone, why are your creations so feeble?"
With each shot fired, the puppets crumbled sequentially.
"The despairing ones were never the majority in this world."
"The world isn't inherently benevolent nor malevolent; it simply lacks intent. Unfortunately, you fail to understand." After the puppets fell, she once again trained her gun on the doll.
Ana relentlessly taunted them with her words.
It was somewhat ironic, considering these dolls had the effortless ability to assimilate people. Before becoming dolls, they were top-notch experts in various fields.
Fame and wealth, coveted by ordinary individuals, came easily to them.
So why did they succumb to despair?
Or perhaps they firmly believed that this world was inherently flawed and thus repeatedly hypnotized themselves with that conviction.
Ana couldn't say for sure.
But what she did know was that instilling genuine despair in these Herrschers would be most effective. Their will had no impact on this world whatsoever.
"Because the world is indifferent, it requires people to create beauty."
"This sentiment is beyond comprehension for destructive beings like you."
Her gunfire abruptly ceased.
All the dolls lay fallen.
Ana's chest heaved; evidently, their presence still affected her somehow.
She too had experienced moments of despair, but someone had once rescued her from it.
"You lot have no understanding of how beautiful a hopeful world can be."
Without sparing them another glance, Ana turned and walked away.
Meanwhile, in the United States...
Kiana once again dispatched several dolls amidst continuous cheers.
People hailed her as the Queen of Honkai.
What kind of twisted nickname is that?, Kiana muttered to herself internally.
However, at this moment, she didn't dwell much on the nickname; her focus was solely on the Dominion Theater.
Its doors had already opened for her.
After all she had experienced, Kiana believed her heart had become as unyielding as iron.
Yet, upon entering the Dominion Theater, she was startled to find it vastly different from what she remembered before.
"This place...is the snow-covered plains of Siberia?" Kiana recognized it immediately.
Then, she saw meteors streak across the sky and crash directly onto Earth.
Countless Honkai Beasts descended from the heavens.
Amidst the desolate snowy landscape, only the towering research tower named Babylon stood tall.
"Is this...a hallucination?"
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
Suddenly, the ground began to tremble.
"Hahahaha, it's here...right here."
A voice resonated within her mind:
"Kiana, this is where our fates first intertwined."
"And now, you can witness how people here succumbed to despair!"
Sirin's tone carried both anger and sorrow.
Kiana, holding her gun, scoffed, "What are you talking about? With me here, there's no way this world will ever fall into despair!"