A strange feeling?
Right!
Kiana suddenly thought of the increasingly silent System and quickly opened her status panel to take a look.
And what she saw made her freeze.
She had gained a new skill.
A "Teleportation" skill!
It had appeared out of nowhere—completely unexpected. She was still in the process of developing that ability.
Why?
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"What did you find?" Ruan i asked, concern soft in her tone.
"Teleportation... it's complete?"
Kiana's voice was soft, filled with astonishnt and doubt.
What was going on?
She carefully reread the skill description, focusing her senses on the newly erged ability.
Sure enough—
She had no idea how it worked.
But it was real. She could use it.
By using those intertwined with her fate as anchor points, she could instantly teleport to their location at any ti.
"Complete?"
Ruan i's eyes showed rare surprise. Based on their progress, Kiana's teleportation ability shouldn't have been finished for at least several months.
And yet—
It was done overnight?
Why?
Could it be connected to that strange dream Kiana had?
Ruan i stood up and pulled Kiana to her feet. "Co, I'll run a scan."
If they couldn't figure it out, then they would at least check physically. Though it was unlikely they'd find anything unusual, it was still better than nothing.
Kiana wanted to know too, so she obediently followed Ruan i and underwent the examination.
The report showed nothing out of the ordinary.
Exactly the sa as the one from a few days ago.
After reviewing it, Ruan i closed her eyes in thought. She found herself wondering—should she set aside her research on Propagation and focus entirely on unraveling the mysteries surrounding Kiana instead?
"Ruan?"
"I'm fine."
Ruan i shook her head lightly, closing the holographic report. Turning to face Kiana—whose eyes carried a trace of worry—she affectionately reached out and brushed aside the loose strands of her hair.
"It's a good thing overall."
Kiana quickly accepted it. She hadn't understood much about the System from the start—one more mystery wasn't such a big deal.
Her main goal now was still to beco the Herrscher of Finality. Only after achieving that would she know what to do next.
"Yes."
Ruan i's fingers lingered against her cheek as her heart stirred, gazing into those blue eyes that shimred like gemstones.
Kiana was hers.
No matter what, she would always stand beside her. Ruan i had all the ti in the world to study the Honkai and the enigma that was Kiana.
She wasn't in any rush.
"Since that ability's finished, you'll be leaving soon, won't you?" she asked.
Kiana nodded. "This teleportation power works by setting people as anchors—I can teleport to them anyti I want."
"I'm planning to visit Jarilo-VI first to see Jyahnar, calm her down a bit, and then return to the Xianzhou to et i."
Once she had both Jyahnar and Acheron set as anchors, she wouldn't need to waste any more ti on interstellar travel. She could appear by their side whenever they needed her.
"That's quite the ability."
This way, even if Kiana traveled sowhere distant or remote, it wouldn't matter. Ruan i could leave without worrying.
Whenever she needed Kiana, she could simply have her teleport over.
It was convenient.
Withdrawing her hand from Kiana's cheek, Ruan i said, "I'll be leaving the Space Station for a while as well."
"Huh?" Kiana was startled. Following her closely, she asked, "Why? Where are you going? Do you need my help?"
"No need."
Ruan i didn't tell Kiana what she was going to do, nor did she intend to have her follow.
She didn't mind her company—but with Kiana's new teleportation ability, she would surely want to see Acheron and set her as another anchor.
"I see... alright then."
Kiana felt a little disappointed when Ruan i said she didn't need her help, but she understood that Ruan i was saying it for her sake.
It wasn't because she wanted to hide anything.
...At least, it shouldn't be.
She trusted Ruan!
As that thought settled, Kiana suddenly threw her arms around Ruan i, snuggling up to her without hesitation. "Ruan, you're the best."
Her train of thought was completely derailed, but Ruan i didn't mind. She only asked softly, "Do you want to rest?"
"You should rest, Ruan."
Kiana refused to let go, rubbing her cheek against Ruan i's shoulder like a spoiled child. "You haven't properly rested in days. The experints will still be there later—take a break, then continue."
Rest, huh?
Ruan i could have kept going.
But she had to admit—it had been quite so ti since she truly rested. And now, Kiana was right beside her.
Thinking back to last ti, Ruan i nodded. "Alright. I'll rest with you for a while."
"I knew you wouldn't say no!"
Kiana excitedly pulled her toward the rest area.
She'd been here for so long, yet hadn't really had the chance to simply relax with Ruan i—she'd been too busy trying to figure out a workable thod to develop her skill.
And now that the process had barely begun—it had already finished.
"Do you want to kiss?"
Just as Kiana tugged her along, planning to lie down and maybe nap together, she froze.
K-Kiss?
"Yes. Do you want to kiss ?"
Ruan i looked at her calmly as she asked.
To her, it was simply a way to unwind—and between lovers, it was perfectly normal.
Kiana had been right earlier.
They hadn't really been close in quite so ti. Now that there was an opportunity, she didn't mind relaxing a little.
"Of course not a problem!"
Kiana would never refuse Ruan i—but the request caught her off guard. Usually, things like kissing just... happened naturally.
Ruan i was the only one who would ask so formally.
Wait—wasn't this her chance to redeem herself after her loss to i?
She wasn't i's match back then—but surely she couldn't lose to Ruan i, who wasn't nearly as aggressive… right?
As those thoughts raced through her head, Ruan i had already closed the distance between them. Their breaths mingled, warm and intimate.
Kiana instinctively wrapped her arms around Ruan i's waist, her gaze softening as warmth spread to her cheeks.
Revenge... accomplished?
Ruan i rather enjoyed the closeness. Her movents were slow and deliberate—her mind perfectly clear, especially as she sensed Kiana's sudden thoughts.
She bit Kiana's lip lightly, not too hard, just enough to make her flinch. Then, as Kiana gasped, Ruan i ended the brief exchange.
"Mm~ Ruan?"
Kiana whimpered softly. It didn't actually hurt—she was just confused. Why had Ruan i suddenly bitten her?
Playing idly with Kiana's silken white hair, Ruan i spoke quietly.
"You and Raiden i—you've done that kind of thing before, haven't you?"
Kiana's expression froze mid-confusion.
In an instant, embarrassnt swallowed every other emotion. She wanted to avert her gaze, but Ruan i had already anticipated that.
"Uh… yeah… yes."
Her face was so red it could drip blood. She nodded stiffly—there was no way to lie when Ruan i had asked directly.
There was no other choice but to tell the truth.
"Why?"
Ruan i's voice grew heavier, and Kiana's heart dropped with it. She didn't even dare to breathe too loudly.
Ruan i wasn't angry—not exactly. No matter the situation, she always appeared calm and rational.
But there was sothing different in her eyes—confusion.
"Last ti, you clearly refused ."
Her voice was steady but low. "I asked you several tis."
There was no visible anger on her face, but the tension in the air was unmistakable. Anyone could feel it.
If Kiana didn't give her a convincing explanation, Ruan i clearly wasn't going to let this go easily.
So… she can, but I can't?
That wasn't sothing Ruan i could accept.
"Last ti, on Jarilo-VI."
She even reminded Kiana which ti she ant, as if she might forget. Only the exact date was missing.
She wanted an answer.
"You said you didn't want to continue."
"But she can, and I can't? Is that it?"
Ruan i's words beca sharper—pressing closer and closer—and Kiana could almost feel invisible hands tightening around her throat.
Her expression didn't change much, but the pressure she exuded made it almost impossible to et her eyes.
It was as if she'd beco soone else entirely.
"It's not like that!"
Kiana panicked, afraid that if she didn't stop her, Ruan i's tone would only grow colder. She hurried to interrupt her.
"I just—it's just…"
It was embarrassing to say, but at this point, there was no choice but to explain. "At the ti, it just felt awkward, and… we were still in the lab. i could've co back any mont…"
"So it was just bad timing?"
Ruan i frowned, reluctantly accepting that explanation. Thinking about it, that actually did make sense. It hadn't been a good ti for that kind of thing.
Perhaps she should have made the offer before Kiana left that ti.
"Yes, it really wasn't the right ti."
Kiana muttered softly. More importantly, Acheron could've walked in at any mont.
Even though she'd said boldly that she wanted them both, she honestly hadn't known how to balance that kind of relationship.
Fortunately, they hadn't stayed together long. Both had managed to restrain themselves. And now that she could teleport at will, they'd likely have even fewer chances to et.
"Then what about now? Is the timing right?"
"It's right—of course it's right!"
"Then let's begin."
...
After leaving the Space Station, Kiana made a short trip to Jarilo-VI. In what felt like a blink, more than half a year had passed.
Nothing major had happened during that ti. A few months ago, Kiana had safely returned to the Xianzhou.
During that period, Project Ark had reached a collaboration agreent with the Luofu, obtaining so of their retired technologies.
They were now enthusiastically refitting the Ark.
Kiana spent most of her ti with Acheron, sotis visiting Jarilo-VI, and occasionally dropping by the Space Station to see Ruan i when she had free ti.
Life had been peaceful—steady and fulfilling.
But that peace didn't even last six months before a ssage shattered it completely.
It was a transmission from the Astral Express.
A ssage of distress.
The mont Kiana read it, she couldn't stay calm. "Welt actually went? The Naless really voted yes?!"
She winced, regretting her words from back at the Space Station when she'd t the Astral Express team during a supply stop.
She hadn't thought Welt would actually go to Euphorion—and that he would really find Izumo.
Jyahnar wasn't even there anymore.
Kiana had no plans to return to Izumo anyti soon, but fate clearly had other ideas.
Especially since, this ti, she was sohow the one who'd have to take the bla.
If she hadn't said those things to Welt, this ss wouldn't have happened. Now there was no choice—she had to go herself and pull that guy out of Izumo.
"I'll go with you."
When Acheron heard about her plan, she didn't hesitate. "I know that place better than you do."
Kiana had no reason to refuse.
The Ark's reconstruction would still take a long ti, and staying here any longer would only make Acheron restless—she had unfinished business waiting for her.
This was the perfect chance for her to go. The Ark was currently docked at the Luofu and would be safe for now.
"Then we shouldn't waste ti. Let's set out as soon as possible."
Kiana didn't argue or try to talk her out of it. Knowing Acheron's personality, she wouldn't respond to such persuasion anyway.
Besides, this wasn't really dangerous.
After all, Izumo…
That was Acheron's holand—the place she had guarded for so long, the land she had always longed to return to.
Ten days after receiving the Astral Express' ssage, Kiana and Acheron once again arrived at the place where they had first t… Izumo.
As they approached the planet, half-shrouded in shadow, Kiana felt a strange mix of emotions.
And from orbit, they could also see the Astral Express.
It hadn't landed on Izumo but remained safely outside the planet's gravitational pull.
"Let's not rush down yet. We should head to the Express first and ask about the situation," Kiana suggested.
Together, she and Acheron boarded the Astral Express once more. But this ti, the atmosphere aboard was far from relaxed.
"You're finally here!"
Inside the train car, March 7th imdiately recognized them. Her previously worried face brightened with relief the mont she saw them.
"Mr. Yang's been down there for almost half a month now—no word at all. We didn't dare make any reckless moves."
This place was far too close to Nihility. Especially that planet below—it should have been completely consud by the Shadow of IX long ago, yet according to Mr. Yang, because of the Honkai, it was still sohow intact.
No—visibly intact, at least.
"Kiana, please—you're the only one who can save Mr. Yang now! You have to bring him back!" March 7th pleaded anxiously.
"Here's what happened," Hiko began. Though she was worried too, she stayed composed and explained what had transpired half a month earlier.
Ever since that day, Welt had been fixated on Izumo. As a forr warrior who fought against the Honkai and the forr leader of Anti-Entropy, even hearing the word "Honkai" stirred sothing deep in him.
He couldn't rest easy without investigating it himself. So, after careful preparation and convincing the others, he went down to the planet.
The Astral Express had since traveled here—to the edge of the Shadow of Nihility.
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