Honkai Impact: I, The Herrscher of Ice, Am Loved By Players-Chapter 185: Should I Call You Ana?

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"Theresa, in a certain sense, your potential isn't inferior to that of a Herrscher."

Jeanne observed Theresa, wielding Celestial Hymn before her, and spoke slowly.

"Oh?"

Surprise flickered in Theresa's eyes; this was the first time she'd heard such praise. However, she was aware of her exceptional nature, as Dr. Einstein had mentioned it previously.

"Although you're Kallen's clone, within you lies the fusion of Dharma End Rank Honkai Beast Vishnu. Vishnu possesses immense growth potential; if continually developed, surpassing a Herrscher is merely a matter of time."

"In the past Heroic Spirits, there was one similar to you. Unfortunately, the gap between you two remains significant. On the path of Fusion Warriors, Otto has been too conservative." Jeanne shook her head gently, expressing a soft sigh.

Honestly, had Otto truly focused on this aspect and meticulously nurtured Kallen's clones, he could have likely created an incredibly powerful army of Fusion Warrior MANTISes. Sadly, such thoughts never crossed his mind.

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"You seem to know so much... You..." A hint of suspicion flickered in Theresa's eyes. The aura around this Jeanne felt identical to that of the original—equally enigmatic. It made Theresa question whether she wasn't dealing with a mere clone but the actual Jeanne herself.

After all, even as Kallen's clone, Theresa never quite captured the essence of being a Kaslana.

"When you truly comprehend Honkai and grasp the essence of Finality, you will naturally understand who I am..."

"But until then, focus on completing your trial first, Theresa Apocalypse!"

As Jeanne's words echoed, her Phantom-Imitation Judah expanded behind her, activating the Divine Grace Barrier. Of course, given the Authority within this Jeanne clone, there was no need to rely solely on Judah for the barrier; after all, binding is inherently its power.

"Alright, let's begin!" Theresa nodded, also invoking Oath of Judah to erect her own Divine Grace Barrier.

The two barriers collided, intertwining with each other.

Within the barrier, Jeanne remained composed and serene, while Theresa gritted her teeth, struggling to maintain hers—a clear distinction between relying on the Divine Key versus being a Herrscher herself.

Being inside the Divine Grace Barrier posed a significant burden on Theresa, whereas for Jeanne, it was merely routine energy manipulation.

Despite the immense difficulty, Theresa persevered, enduring through sheer determination.

The two barriers continuously collided, emitting indescribable sounds—the mournful cries of dissipating energy. Within Jeanne's barrier, Honkai Energy dissolved, transforming into virtual internal energy, which was then absorbed by Jeanne—no, by Ana who had nearly achieved her Divine Self.

During this time, Ana's understanding and mastery of Finality reached new heights. She underwent a metamorphosis, becoming the true embodiment of "Him."

This transformation mirrored the state of Sa, the malevolent deity within the Sea of Quanta.

However, there is a fundamental difference between Ana and Sa: Ana represents the orthodox God of both Virtual Beings and quantum entities, possessing a singular will with no potential for inflation or fragmentation. She exists as an integral part of the Imaginary Tree and the Sea of Quanta.

In contrast, Sa functions like a parasitic plant entrenched within the Sea of Quanta. In a sense, they were destined adversaries from the start, with Sa essentially stealing power meant for Ana's Divine Self.

Of course, it's hardly worth discussing further. Even disregarding Ana's status as a divine being, to the Cocoon of Finality itself, Sa is merely a jumping clown, utterly insignificant.

The only real issue lies in how cunningly evasive Sa has been.

Sa could have easily interfered and disrupted Ana's journey before she achieved her Divine Self, but instead, Sa refrained from even touching her. It seemed as if Sa aimed to surpass the Cocoon entirely before making its move.

But was that possible? Absolutely not.

The Cocoon had connected with the Imaginary Tree, becoming unified with both Virtual and Quantum Beings. In contrast, Sa is merely a parasitic entity within the Sea of Quanta, following a fundamentally flawed path.

One could argue that no matter how many tens of thousands of years Sa continued absorbing energy, it would never achieve a qualitative leap from mere quantity. Meanwhile, Ana's Divine Self has already begun harnessing higher-level energies.

Jeanne wasn't simply clashing against Theresa; rather, she controlled the intensity, continuously probing for Theresa's limits.

Theresa is destined to become the Schicksal Bishop, the leader of this world. However, before assuming that role, she must possess sufficient strength. Compared to Otto, there is still a significant gap, although others willingly trust her leadership.

Her habits and position dictate that in certain situations, she needs to take direct action herself.

In a certain sense, Theresa might not be ideally suited as a leader; the more appropriate choice would have been Welt Yang.

Welt had undergone relevant training, possessed extensive experience, and demonstrated foresight. Objectively speaking, he was indeed much better suited than Theresa.

The reason why Welt couldn't become the Schicksal Bishop stemmed from his relationship with Otto. Otto could never bypass Theresa to appoint Welt, especially given their irreconcilable differences.

One could only imagine that if Otto were truly succeeded by Welt, he might rise from his grave in protest.

Of course, should Otto ever resurrect later, Welt would likely respond by adding more nails to the coffin, welding it shut with steel bars, and sealing it over with concrete.

"All right, that's enough."

Jeanne softly spoke and gradually withdrew her barrier. However, Theresa's barrier seemed completely uncontrollable, starting to surge towards Jeanne.

For Jeanne, this situation posed no real challenge.

With a simple gesture, she suppressed Yotsuba's power back within Theresa's barrier. Instantly, Theresa collapsed onto the ground, her face pale.

"Congratulations, Theresa, you have passed the trial," Jeanne said mildly. "However, I doubt you're capable of any further action now."

"No...I can still..."

Theresa stubbornly tried to stand up, but Jeanne gently tapped her forehead, causing her to collapse unconscious onto the ground.

This outcome was precisely within Jeanne's calculations.

"You...you cheating scoundrel!" Dr. Tesla couldn't help but exclaim, having closely watched the scene unfold.

"Dr. Tesla, don't make unfounded accusations with your eyes wide open," Jeanne replied with a smile.

"You..." Tesla struggled for words, gazing at the shimmering barrier before them. There seemed no viable solution; with their current strength, nobody could defeat a Herrscher of Binding. Even if they somehow managed it, what about the barrier behind her?

"Dr. Tesla, she is merely trying to stall us; that's all she intends to do." Einstein spoke with a hint of resignation, acknowledging the dire situation indeed left them few options.

The Herrscher of Binding was indeed beyond the realm of scientific solutions. As for negotiation, much like Li Sushang, Jeanne's presence here stemmed from her commitment to honor; there was no way she would betray her principles.

"Let me give it a try, Doctors!"

Just as they were at a loss, a voice suddenly echoed, belonging to none other than Rita Rossweisse.

"Miss Rita, do you have any insights?"

Einstein looked at Rita, hoping to discern clues from her demeanor, but Rita remained inscrutable.

"I only have some speculations."

Rita smiled enigmatically, making it impossible to guess her intentions.

"Then we'll leave it in your hands."

After a moment of contemplation, Einstein made her decision. Rita bowed graciously and stepped out of the Hyperion, leaving behind a furious Tesla inside the cabin.

"How could you trust that woman?! She's nothing but trouble!"

"..."

Undoubtedly, this reaction stemmed from Tesla's lingering trauma after their previous encounter with Rita, which Einstein fully understood.

But what could she say? After all, hadn't her old friend brought it upon himself?

In the real world, within Brother Cake's live stream chatroom:

The viewers were unsurprised by Theresa's defeat but found Jeanne's remarks intriguing. In a sense, it felt like the writers were filling in additional backstory.

However, after hearing these words from Jeanne, the audience grew even more suspicious about her identity, to the point where they could confidently draw conclusions.

"I declare: Jeanne is Ana herself."

"Agreed!"

"If not, I'll eat my keyboard!"

"Eh, why should I eat the keyboard? No way!"

"Then you can munch on your mouse instead!"

Laughter filled the chatroom as playful banter ensued. Although these messages had a joking tone, they clearly indicated that the Captains firmly believed Jeanne was indeed Ana.

Yet amidst this revelation, many forgot about Bai Zhi from World Serpent. Who could have imagined that both characters were actually one and the same, being mere avatars of Ana?

"It now seems almost certain that Jeanne is indeed Ana," observed Brother Cake, reflecting on the situation. With the bullet comments trending overwhelmingly towards this conclusion, expressing his agreement posed no issue.

"In some ways, this is good news. However, it raises even more questions that remain unexplained." Brother Cake frowned slightly as he spoke.

As the plot unfolded to this point, numerous uncertainties surrounding Ana had emerged, becoming quite perplexing. Additionally, there was another Ana within the Elysian Realm, containing her true memory fragment.

Why would Ana's memory fragment appear in the Elysian Realm? What exactly did Ana do for Jeanne d'Arc to manifest as she does now? These were all mysteries awaiting resolution.

"Let's set aside the speculations for now and focus on what's happening currently. Soon, a character should arrive to reveal Jeanne's identity," Brother Cake stated seriously.

With those words, he tapped the screen, and promptly, Rita appeared!

"Rita?"

Outside the monitor, Ana observed Rita's sudden appearance with a slight frown, which quickly smoothed out again.

In truth, the matter of Jeanne didn't concern her much.

Jeanne was merely a duplicate, just like her Soulium avatars; reclaiming them was effortless for Ana. Moreover, this Jeanne was originally only a consciousness fragment of Bai Zhi.

It was intriguing, really—a consciousness fragment of a duplicate becoming the Herrscher of Binding. Although, inherently, there was nothing unusual about it.

With the capabilities of the Cocoon of Finality, Ana could designate anyone as a Herrscher, provided they could withstand the Authority's power. As her own special fragment, Jeanne was inherently formed from converging Authorities, making it natural for her to bear new ones.

"For them, accepting those truths would still be challenging; it's not yet the right time," Ana murmured softly.

In fact, if not for Ana being a reincarnator and the Captain, she likely wouldn't have been able to accept it either.

Who could imagine that what seemed like a trial by the Void was actually orchestrated by the Cocoon of Finality? In essence, it was a test devised by an extraterrestrial or higher-dimensional civilization.

Such revelations would be immensely difficult for inhabitants of the Honkai World, especially those who haven't faced Finality, to comprehend.

For now, it's crucial to keep everyone focused on a unified goal. The future can take care of itself; after all, even when the Divine Self departs, the blessings He leaves behind will sufficiently protect the entire Honkai World and enable its people to venture into the starlit skies.

It may appear desperate, but this is indeed the best possible outcome. At least, the Cocoon of Finality proves incredibly useful—an advantage other civilizations cannot enjoy.

Take, for instance, the entity within the Sea of Quanta, deprived of such fortune.

In the Honkai World, Kolosten.

Jeanne remained steadfast, unaffected by the events that just unfolded. The simulated Judah had been deactivated, and the Void Archives transformed back into a hairpin.

The crew of the Hyperion finally realized that this hairpin was indeed the Void Archives.

Fortunately, they were unaware of its true nature; otherwise, they would have found it astonishingly inconceivable how such a defiant entity could obediently serve Jeanne.

It wasn't long before a familiar figure approached from afar—it was Rita.

"Rita Rossweisse, here to undergo the trial," she said with a smile. "Greetings, Miss Jeanne."

"Greetings, Miss Rita," Jeanne replied mildly. "My trial may prove too challenging for you; perhaps it's best if you leave now."

She spoke earnestly, not jesting. Considering Rita's raw power alone, not only was overcoming Finality out of reach, but even in the future, her abilities and expertise were ill-suited for frontline combat as a Valkyrie.

"Moreover, perhaps you should be more concerned about her," Jeanne hinted cryptically.

"Thanks to your guidance, we've already made contact with her," Rita responded warmly. "However...Miss Jeanne, my greater concern lies with you."

"Should I address you as Miss Jeanne or Ana?" Rita asked with a smile, her words striking like thunder amidst clear skies, causing shock among those present.

Indeed, apart from Rita, no one else had considered this possibility, nor could they have been as certain as she was.