As Enoxia’s words faded, the Theater of Domination began to tremble once more — but this time, it was the ceiling that shook violently.
A massive hollow seemed to open up in the exquisite ceiling, and a colossal figure slowly descended from within. Kiana realized that every thread attached to the puppets in the theater, if traced back to its source, all led to this creature.
“No wonder our earlier approach of destroying the puppets had so little effect on the Herrscher of Domination… So this… is its true form…”
A voice that seemed to blend both male and female tones emanated from the rabble:
“What a pity. I originally believed we could reach a… dignified outcome for both sides. I can see, Enoxia, that you are exceedingly arrogant. But I won’t deny — in my presence, you do have the right to be.”
“However… every victory of yours is but a mournful dirge heralding your final defeat. Don’t forget — in this Theater of Domination, there are more than just the two of us.”
The Herrscher of Domination moved its hands up and down ceaselessly, as if conducting an orchestra, and the Theater of Domination underwent tremendous changes with its every gesture. Kiana, feeling her stamina had mostly recovered, sensed something strange beneath her feet — and then her legs sank in as if into a swamp.
“This is…”
Kiana discovered that the entire Theater of Domination — what had once been solid ground — was gradually turning liquid. She could feel her body continuously sinking, and beneath her seemed to lie an endless abyss…
While her arms could still move, Kiana hurled the Void Archives beside her toward Enoxia. Enoxia caught the shaft of the mimicry Black Abyss White Flower, and the Void Archives reverted to its small cube form.
“Sigh. Even when she’s in danger herself, the first thing she thinks of is someone who looks safer than her. Kiana… she really hasn’t changed at all, has she?”
Enoxia gripped the Jizo Mitama in her right hand and slashed at the Thousandfold Herrscher. Though she didn’t hit her target, she left a deep gash on the wall of the Theater of Domination.
“I can see that you’re not only arrogant — you’re also deeply confident in others. Watching Kiana fall into an endless abyss without lifting a finger… You have that much faith in her?”
Enoxia shook her head:
“You… got it half right. I’m not just confident in Kiana — I’m confident in myself. As long as I deal with you before she completely falls into the abyss, all the problems will naturally resolve themselves!”
“Jizo Mitama — Second Rated Output: Jizo Puppet.”
A crimson puppet wielding two purple tachi slashed toward the Thousandfold Herrscher, precisely cutting the threads connecting it to the puppets. Hundreds of puppets instantly collapsed to the ground as if their bones had been removed, sinking into the endless abyss just like Kiana.
“You should know — as long as I still exist, whether the puppets live or die is merely a state of being to me.”
The Thousandfold Herrscher’s hands turned into blades, blocking the Jizo Puppet’s advance. Simultaneously, it continuously fired imaginary cannonballs from behind. With a full combo, the Jizo Puppet was steadily pushed back, seemingly gaining the upper hand.
“But you should also know — what exactly decides the outcome between us.”
As if she hadn’t noticed the Jizo Puppet’s disadvantage, Enoxia’s gaze was fixed intently on the liquefied floor. Although the cracks were gradually closing, the concentration of dark energy within the Theater of Domination was higher than before.
“If the entire Theater of Domination is completely eroded away, then I think all your desperate resistance will be in vain.”
“The Theater of Domination is my domain. Do you really think you can do it?!”
The Thousandfold Herrscher, locked in fierce battle with the Jizo Puppet in midair, seemed to grow agitated. At the same time, the hundreds of puppets that had fallen into the ground earlier climbed back out. They raised their hands and, using the Authority of the Herrscher of Reason, constructed all manner of bizarre weapons and charged at Enoxia with loud cries.
“Sigh, true enough. As long as these thousand precious things maintain this state, it means you’re always holding hostages. That really is a problem…”
Dodging the puppets’ attacks, Enoxia withdrew the Jizo Mitama into her hand and opened her right palm, revealing a golden feather.
Enoxia’s figure instantly vanished from her spot, and the puppets’ attacks came to a halt.
“Mimicry: Fenghuang Down?! I told you — this is my domain. Those little tricks are useless.”
The Thousandfold Herrscher sensed Enoxia’s location and fired several imaginary cannonballs in her direction. Then, based on her evasive movements, it predicted her trajectory and ordered the puppets to cut her off in advance.
“At this distance — whether it’s the mimicry Seven Thunders of Purification, Black Abyss White Flower, Judgment of Shamash, Star of Eden, or Jizo Mitama — I have a way to counter each one.”
“There are only eleven possibilities in total, and after all that talking you still haven’t found the right answer. You really aren’t very smart, are you.”
The moment Enoxia dispelled the illusion, several golden chain-spears shot out, piercing straight through the puppets’ bodies. Puppets struck by the mimicry Judah’s chains were immediately stripped of their ability to move, and the weapons constructed with the Herrscher of Reason’s Authority dissolved along with them.
The Thousandfold Herrscher paid it no mind and continued directing the puppets to attack. After all, this wasn’t the real Judah — it couldn’t deploy the Field of Divine Grace. At this rate, the efficiency was bound to be too low.
And just as it was scoffing at Enoxia’s tactics, something enormous suddenly appeared around her.
A golden locomotive swept all the puppets in its path flying and barreled straight toward the Thousandfold Herrscher. It dodged instinctively — and only then realized something was wrong.
The mimicry Key of Blankness continued forward until it smashed a massive hole through the wall of the Theater of Domination.
