Herrscher of Dominance in Honkai, starting with the abduction of Kiana

The reason Cleo spoke so confidently was that the industrial district wasn't just a single building. The entire underground had been hollowed out. Without professional guidance, finding the hidden laboratory was impossible. Unless someone resorted to brute force—like that failed experiment from last time, breaking through the passageways floor by floor. Even if Rita searched for an entire day, she wouldn't reach the deepest levels.

Rita had already started her aimless search in the surveillance footage. Jackal couldn't help but laugh coldly, casting a mocking glance at Raven.

"See? I told you those Schicksal Valkyries are nothing but arrogant fools. A little bait, and they'll fall right into the trap."

Raven grunted, her fingers tightening on her bow. "Hmph. I hope your plan doesn't backfire. That woman isn't as simple as you think."

After speaking, she pushed the door open and stepped outside. This time, their objective was to capture all of the Valkyries. The bottles and jars at her waist collided, making a soft clinking sound. They contained the gaseous HSN agents Jackal had developed.

...

Once she left the surveillance area, Rita wasted no time. She wasn't foolish enough to keep searching when the other party's disguise was so perfect. Instead, she contacted her team and called Alvitr.

"Vice-Captain, we've done a preliminary analysis of the treatment data Heliopolis Life Sciences Pharmaceutical provided. We haven't found any obvious problems, except for the excessive use of agents."

Rita's voice grew more serious. "Alvitr, that's not what I wanted to ask. Can you check the recent surveillance footage around Heliopolis Life Sciences Pharmaceutical? I suspect there's a major issue with this company, but I haven't found any evidence yet."

"Surveillance? All of the footage seems to have been destroyed in the previous Honkai outbreak. We're only able to gather information from the survivors. However, we've found something very strange. It's rumored that a flying person eliminated all the Honkai beasts during the outbreak two days ago. The problem is, most people couldn't describe her appearance. Some children even mentioned something about a magical girl…"

"Magical girl?" Rita's voice showed her confusion.

Rita's question seemed to have caused Alvitr to misunderstand.

She quickly explained, "Although I also occasionally read those mangas, the thing about the magical girl really isn't something I made up. It was something those children had said."

Rita frowned, processing the information. "And what else?"

Alvitr hesitated before continuing, "During the investigation of the deceased victims, I noticed some strange glowing patterns on the backs of the zombies. Now that I think about it, they looked a lot like… Stigmata?"

"Stigmata? Do you know what you're saying?" Rita's voice grew sharp. Stigmata technology was entirely under Schicksal's control. It was the foundation of their ability to train so many Valkyries. If Stigmata were appearing on zombies, this was no small matter.

"I wouldn't mistake them," Alvitr said firmly. "Those patterns really looked like Stigmata. Most of them were incomplete, but the more I think about it, the more certain I am." She paused, then added, "I've sent the photos I took to your communicator."

Rita glanced at the images. Her expression darkened. This wasn't just a security breach—it was a catastrophe waiting to happen.

Stigmata were Schicksal's core technology. If this knowledge had leaked, it could only mean two things. Either Schicksal had a massive internal security failure, or an unknown organization had independently mastered the technology. Both scenarios posed a serious threat to Schicksal's dominance.

Rita's thoughts lingered on the second possibility. She'd initially believed a leak was more likely. But after fighting Raven two days ago, her perception of World Serpent had shifted. A shadowy group like that mastering Stigmata technology? It wasn't unthinkable.

"If that's really the case, then Heliopolis Life Sciences Pharmaceutical is highly suspicious," Rita concluded.

"Alvitr, immediately scan the geographical structure of the Heliopolis industrial district. Simulate the architectural layout of at least the first three underground levels. The rest of you, continue your investigation. Based on your description, that so-called magical girl is highly likely the Herrscher of the Void. If you encounter her, do not engage. Upload all video footage to the Eos."

She quickly analyzed the situation. Within minutes, a rough perspective map appeared on Rita's communicator. The complex underground structure marked on the map made her lips curl into a cold smile.

"Multiple hideouts? I'm afraid you're being a little too arrogant."

Using the map as her guide, Rita navigated her way into the underground levels. Once inside, she was struck by the sheer scale of the facility. Massive mechanical structures stretched as far as the eye could see, and patrol robots moved methodically through the area.

Rita moved cautiously, taking her time to bypass the patrols without triggering any alarms. Every step required precision to avoid alerting Cleo. After half an hour of careful maneuvering, she finally reached the experimental area.

The moment Rita stepped into the laboratory, she froze, her eyes widening in shock. Rows upon rows of massive culture tanks filled the room. Inside each tank was either a human body or a zombie corpse.

Through the transparent glass, Rita could clearly see dense patterns intertwined on the backs of the zombies. The glowing marks they formed were unmistakable—Stigmata. The sight sent a chill down her spine.

But what truly appalled her were the mutilated limbs scattered throughout the laboratory. Some bodies had key parts removed, while others had mechanical structures grotesquely implanted into them. From a distance, the scene resembled a macabre human museum, showcasing the extent of bodily modification that human can do.

It was horrifying.

At that moment, Rita realized she had found the source of all the secrets.

Her heartbeat and blood pressure, recorded by her monitoring device, were steadily rising. Even Rita, who had faced countless battles, couldn't suppress the intense anger surging within her. The scene before her was nothing short of inhumane.

But anger wouldn't solve anything right now.

Taking a deep breath, Rita forced herself to calm down. She quickly began decrypting the laboratory's procedures. Within moments, she accessed the same data that Kiana had seen before—information Ren had stolen from this very lab. However, the data here was far more complete.

As Rita reviewed the files, her hands tightened into fists. The most horrifying revelation was buried within the details: the plan to use the entire city as test subjects.

"They're definitely mad…" Rita muttered under her breath.

Just as she was about to collect the data and upload it to the Eos, the largest screen in the laboratory suddenly lit up.

「To be honest, I also think so.」

The voice was cold and mocking. The screen revealed a familiar figure with gray hair and red eyes. When that iconic face appeared, Rita's hands began to tremble with anger.

"So it was you," she spat. The person on the screen was none other than Raven. But the background behind her wasn't an enclosed room—it was a cold, desolate street.

Before Rita could react, all the culture tanks in the laboratory roared to life. The containment seals released one by one, and the occupants—the zombies and modified humanoid weapons—emerged.

They were Jackal's ultimate creations, a horrifying fusion of the Stigmata Awakening and mechanical modification projects. The Death Weavers.

They looked like ordinary zombies at first glance, but Rita could feel the overwhelming threat radiating from them.

"I'm surrounded," she said grimly. "Immortal Blades, prepare for a rendezvous."

She quickly activated her communicator, but no response came from Alvitr.

Only silence.