"This..."
Looking at everything before her, Rin's body and soul were not frozen stiff by the frigid wind. Instead, she felt a sensation akin to a pilgrimage. For a shrine maiden of a lineage passed down through generations, the scene before her eyes was a far better interpretation of the term "Divine Kingdom" than anything she had ever imagined.
Such a genuine miracle.
It was in no way comparable to the "Kagura Dance" passed down for a thousand years.
"Did you all build this for the Monarch?"
Even though she prided herself on her composure, Rin had yet to break free from her state of shock.
"Or is this, in itself, a manifestation of the Monarch's power?"
"..."
"No."
After the unexpected denial, the Loli Demon God also lifted her head, gazing at the mountain range that pierced the sky.
The few clouds that remained had been completely dissipated by the great power of the Authority. The only reason Xiao Zi maintained this scene was simply so they could see more clearly with their own eyes.
"This is the power of Lord Ziz."
Xiao Zi could call him Cheche and address her as Sheshe, but if it were the other way around... aside from the Monarch, only the "naive" Cheche would dare to call her by her given na.
"Ziz?"
This was a domain Rin knew nothing about.
In truth, even for an insider like Rin who had access to Honkai intelligence, her knowledge was limited to the na "Black Emperor" itself. Humanity's understanding of the legion was still firmly stuck at the level of when the Mu continent sank. And even for the intelligence on the Mu continent... most of those who knew were long dead, and the remaining information was locked away in files labeled "Top Secret."
"The Chief under the Monarch's command, Lord Ziz."
The Loli Demon God floated forward.
There were many ways to reach the summit. If she were alone, she could have teleported directly to the mountainside. But as she was currently executing a mission, she had to bring Rin along, passing through the three spatial barriers constructed by Lord Behemoth to arrive. By releasing her own Honkai energy at a fixed point, she could "attract" the coordinates of the [Subspace Lance], which was anchored here, its presence otherwise completely undetectable.
This was also the only way for an outsider to reach the throne... provided they had a guide.
Feeling the surrounding chill, Rin ultimately gave up on the idea of touching the solid ice with her hand.
Even with her current physical constitution, reckless contact would likely result in more than just so necrotic tissue. The most probable outco was being "linked" by the solid ice, becoming a part of the mountain's foundation.
"The Honkai Beast nad Ziz..."
"A lifeform created by God on the sixth day of creation."
Rin silently speculated on Ziz's identity. In the overview of Western religious theology, on the sixth day of creation, God successively created three great beasts nad "Ziz," "Behemoth," and "Leviathan." They controlled the sky, the land, and the sea, respectively, bringing disaster and judgnt upon sinful people and races.
As a shrine maiden, Rin's study of theology wasn't limited to her native Yingzhou. The basic information of other faiths... had kept her company as extracurricular reading for a long ti, especially when she grew tired of her mother's "admonishnts" as a child.
"Such power..."
"I'm afraid only Brother Kevin could contend with it."
The Kevin in Rin's mory was from the ti when the Chira Project had just succeeded. Ever since the sinking of the Mu continent, her sister, due to... physical reasons, would still tell Rin stories about the Fla-Chasers, but no longer in the sa all-encompassing detail as before... especially regarding the war's situation and her physical condition, which she would evade with various unskillful excuses.
Even within the Fla-Chasers, the vast majority of mbers had no idea just how strong Kevin was now. As for the limits of the Chira Project, only i and Mobius had a glimpse of the truth.
"Vmm."
"Vmm."
After the sound of two spatio-temporal gates opening in succession, the Loli Demon God finally brought Rin to the summit. The latter had not fainted or turned into a frozen popsicle in the process, which ant the Monarch had agreed to Rin's request for a eting.
There was no doubt.
This was the Monarch's domain, the legion's garrison.
The Monarch's gaze might not fall upon so uninteresting corner of the planet, but on this land beneath their feet, nothing could escape his perception.
"Chenling."
"Famine War Temple."
The spatial gates were no longer needed.
The rest of the journey had to be made on foot. Guarding the 30-ter-tall giant gate was none other than the Monarch's most "devout" warrior:
The Primordial Species · Famine War Temple.
"Thud."
"Thud."
The Famine War Temple, which had been as motionless as a boulder, finally moved its feet, turning its body to clear the final stretch of the path for the two of them.
"The Monarch is waiting for you."
The Famine War Temple showed no hostility.
But Rin was certain that its gaze, or rather its killing intent, remained locked onto her until their figures disappeared from its sight.
"Don't mind it," the Loli Demon God explained from the side. "The Famine War Temple is always like this, not to ntion this is the first ti a human has set foot in the domain of the throne since its construction."
"..."
"I don't know if it's my imagination," Rin said after so thought, finally posing the question. "But compared to when we first t... your attitude seems to have changed quite a bit?"
"..."
The Loli Demon God's flying motion stiffened for an instant, but she recovered with extre speed.
"That's right," Chenling did not deny it. "Because I roughly understand your desire now."
Floating slightly ahead, she turned to face Rin directly, tapped her own head with a slender finger, and spoke.
"The Authority of Domination."
"A power bestowed by the Monarch, it allows to link to many minds... They might not be that intelligent, but gathering so information is very simple."
Chenling turned back around.
"Regardless of your original objective," she continued.
They were now less than a hundred steps from the Monarch's throne.
"Since the Monarch has permitted you to co this far..."
"Then..."
"You will most likely beco a 'Newborn Species' like ."
The Loli Demon God didn't stop, but without looking back, she added to Rin, whose lips had curled into a slight smile:
"If you can satisfy the Monarch..."
"And add just a tiny bit of necessary luck... perhaps even my title of 'Last Seat' could change."
"Tap."
The howling wind swallowed her remaining words.
As she stepped onto the final stair, her field of vision suddenly opened up.
A great hall with a floor of ice as smooth as a mirror, translucent and magnificent ice pillars, and directly ahead, a colossal throne of ice—
And upon it, the dark golden figure that could silence a crying child in the night.
...It entered Rin's eyes.
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