Ren didn't know about Kiana and Himeko's conversation. Returning to his bedroom, he had actually already opened a portal to the Theater of Domination. Because of the new intel Mei passed on that afternoon, he likely needed to make further adjustments to his plans.
But just as he stepped into the theater, a melodious song, carried on the sway of the curtains, reached his ears.
"The king of old sits withered on his lonely throne,
Gazing down upon his ravaged city."
"Golden eyes filled with anger and confusion,
He lowers his head, murmuring to himself."
"Why does life slumber? Why do birds fly?"
In the Theater of Domination, a clear female voice echoed mournfully from the stage. Brilliant light shone upon the singer, like the final swan song of a golden age.
Ren stood in the darkness, watching Eden perform on stage. For a moment, he felt somewhat unaccustomed to it. Long used to being alone, he never expected his theater would one day be so lively.
He didn't disturb the performing Eden, instead walking quietly down the aisle of the audience seats. As he approached, several familiar figures appeared in the front rows.
Pardofelis cuddling her fat cat, Can, a distracted Vill-V, Su with his eyes closed, 'sleeping', Griseo and Kosma whispering secrets, and the most enthusiastic one... Elysia.
The Thirteen Flame-Chasers... it seemed they were all here.
World Serpent probably never imagined the Thirteen Flame-Chasers would actually gather together in reality one day.
Just as this thought crossed his mind, the pink-haired girl in the front row seemed to sense him, turning around and waving with a smile.
"Ren, you're here!"
"Mhm." Nodding lightly in response, Ren found a seat near Elysia, leaving one empty space between them.
As soon as he sat down, Elysia leaned over, grinning playfully. "Leaving a seat open on purpose? Afraid your special someone might misunderstand?"
"...Just a habit." Ignoring the teasing in her voice, Ren's reply was calm.
"Mhm, mhm, I get it! After all, Kevin and Dr. Mei were like that too when they were dating."
"..."
Knowing she was deliberately teasing him, Ren simply stopped responding. The two sat there, quietly appreciating Eden's performance.
Eden was singing a classic piece from the Previous Era, "King's Lament". Although Ren didn't know the specifics, he could still feel the underlying helplessness and despair in the lyrics.
As the song neared its end, the tragic atmosphere gradually affected everyone. Elysia rested her chin on her hand and asked softly, "Ren, do you know why birds fly?"
"Because of death."
"Are you saying birds fly bravely even knowing they might face death ahead?"
"No." Ren shook his head, his tone cold. "What I mean is, if you kill all the ones that can't fly, then the only ones left... will be the ones that can."
His words hung in the air, instantly chilling the atmosphere. Even the usually bubbly Elysia was momentarily speechless, unable to respond for a long moment.
"That... Ren, that seems a bit extreme."
"Perhaps. But undeniably, that is the answer I can give right now."
"Why?"
As someone who deeply loved civilization, Elysia naturally couldn't agree with Ren's viewpoint. But she also knew Ren wasn't someone who enjoyed wanton killing. She was simply curious about the reason behind his thinking.
"Before I answer, let me ask you a question first. Ely, what do you think of the Current Era?"
It had been a few days since Ren brought them out. During this time, some of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers had chosen to learn about the outside world via the internet. The most active among them was undoubtedly Elysia, with her intense curiosity about the world.
"A world full of vitality!" Ely was clearly pleased with the current state. "Children can sleep peacefully and dream, adults can strive for their dreams, and the elderly can enjoy their later years in peace. What could be more perfect than that?"
Her eyes sparkled. Even just glimpsing this small part of the world satisfied her, because such a peaceful era was exactly what she had longed for, the world of her dreams. It was the future she had fought desperately for, sacrificed herself for.
"Yes, compared to the civilization you and I lived in, this era is far too comfortable..."
Ren gazed into the distance, golden memories flowing in his eyes. "So comfortable that civilization has forgotten its ideals, that humanity has willingly broken its own wings."
"They enjoy everything you gifted them, yet take it for granted. They are far from the threat of the Honkai, yet they've begun endless internal strife."
He raised his hand, golden threads extending from his palm, weaving into an inescapable net. "Ely, you've probably guessed my Herrscher identity by now."
Ely nodded. She was standing right in the Theater of Domination, surrounded by wooden puppets. Even if she couldn't guess his specific authority immediately, the power supporting the Flame-Chasers' existence here was undeniable.
"The Herrscher of the Thousand Puppets, or rather, the Herrscher of Dominance," Ren sighed. "Unlike in the Previous Era, the puppets of this era's Herrscher are all born from human malice. Some suffered bullying, some injustice, some fell into deep despair... but without exception, they are all results of humanity's own malevolence."
"The peace you desperately sought is now scorned by humanity. When civilization lacks an external enemy, it turns its hostility inward. Bullying the weak – that is human instinct."
"And the Herrscher puppets... they are the weakest Herrschers, the most helpless. They are like shadows, hidden beneath the gloom of civilization."
"They are lost, they despair, they long for change, they long to be dominated. And as their King, how can I remain indifferent?"
Malice cannot be simply suppressed. All this time, Ren had merely used his hive consciousness to forcibly hold back this overflowing negativity. But as the number of puppets grew, while he drew power from them, he also shouldered the pleas of one failure after another.
If he hadn't met Kiana, it might have been fine. He could have simply compartmentalized his consciousness, kept his core self hidden in the Imaginary Space, and manipulated mortals from a god's-eye view. But since Kiana pulled him down from his high throne, he was naturally no longer an emotionless deity.
"Remember the story I told you about my world?"
"Mhm."
"The Earth I came from was also a peaceful civilization, until one moment... Death embraced the world."
"That civilization had never experienced such a disaster. Like an unfledged chick, it was forced to undergo the trial of death."
"The outcome was inevitable. Civilization didn't even last a year before turning to cosmic dust. But even so, before its destruction, some still learned to fly."
"The Previous Era you experienced was the same. Under the threat of the Honkai, civilization shone with unprecedented brilliance. Yet the chaos within the Fire Moth, the endless infighting and suspicion, buried it just the same."
Ren looked into Ely's eyes and delivered his final answer in a heavy tone. "Peace only breeds malice. Only when faced with the threat of death will birds understand they need to fly, understand they must fly."
"Otherwise, they will never spread their wings, forever fighting over resources on barren branches."
"For civilization to advance... death is necessary!"