The world around Kiana was strangely peaceful.
An endless dreamscape bathed in soft morning light.
Fu Hua: "Wake up, Kiana."
Kiana slowly opened her eyes.
Kiana groaned and shifted where she lay.
Kiana: "Hmm… it's still so early…"
Fu Hua stood nearby, watching her patiently.
Fu Hua: "We shouldn't be wasting our time like this."
Kiana slowly sat up and looked around.
Kiana: "Where am I?"
Fu Hua: "You're in a dream."
Kiana blinked.
She reached down and touched the ground beneath her.
It felt real.
She could even smell the air.
Kiana: "Dream? But everything here feels and smells like the real thing."
Fu Hua calmly explained the nature of their surroundings.
Fu Hua: "It's the Fantasia of Taixuan created by the 8th Divine Key, Fenghuang Down. Our memories are now connected."
Fu Hua's expression became serious.
Fu Hua: "You're still unprepared for the dangers that we will soon be facing."
She raised a hand toward the surrounding dreamscape.
Fu Hua: "This Fantasia will give me enough time to teach you something useful."
Kiana's eyes immediately lit up.
Kiana: "I can have a million of these dreams if they can make me stronger!"
Fu Hua gave her a small, knowing look.
Then she stepped forward.
Her body was suddenly enveloped by the Shadow Moon battlesuit.
The armor formed around her in layers, creating a close-fitting black and purple mechanical battlesuit. Glowing violet lines ran across its surface, while reinforced armor protected her vital areas.
Black mechanical hairpieces extended beside her head.
Large black-and-purple gauntlets covered her arms, while fitted armor protected her legs. Black heeled boots with purple details completed the battle suit.
Kiana immediately understood.
She transformed into her Void Drifter form.
The two warriors faced each other.
Kiana summoned her pistols.
Kiana: "…"
The next instant—
They clashed.
CLANG!
Kiana fired.
Fu Hua moved between the shots with precise movements, closing the distance before striking.
Kiana blocked.
BAM!
The impact sent her sliding backward.
She fired again.
Fu Hua twisted aside and countered.
Their battle continued through the dreamscape.
Minutes passed.
Then hours.
Or perhaps only seconds.
It was impossible to tell inside the Fantasia.
Eventually, Fu Hua lowered her stance.
Fu Hua: "There are still a few hours till daybreak. We can take it slowly."
Kiana stared at her in disbelief.
Kiana: "Wait, why do I feel like we've been fighting all day long?"
Kiana looked down at herself.
Kiana: "My body is gonna break…"
Fu Hua calmly explained.
Fu Hua: "Time works differently in a dream. A dream that covers an entire life might just take a few moments in reality."
Kiana thought about that for a moment.
Kiana: "Wasn't there a guy who dreamed of becoming rich but woke up and realised that he just fell asleep cooking food?"
Fu Hua nodded.
Fu Hua: "Indeed… but in Shenzhou, such techniques of meditation were used for martial training."
Kiana tilted her head.
Kiana: "Like the training I'm having now?"
Fu Hua: "Life is short. The ability to train in our sleep allows us to achieve far better results."
Kiana's expression became slightly worried.
Kiana: "…But what if I forget everything I've learned in my dream when I wake up?"
Fu Hua shook her head.
Fu Hua: "True, these dreams may present a false reality, but constant dream training will instill muscle memory."
Fu Hua immediately returned to her combat stance.
Fu Hua: "Your break is over. Training must continue, Kiana."
Kiana groaned.
Then she raised her pistols again.
Kiana: "Alrighty, bring it on!"
The training continued.
Kiana fought.
She dodged.
She blocked.
She attacked.
She was knocked down.
Then she stood back up.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Eventually, Kiana collapsed onto her back, completely exhausted.
She stared at the dreamlike sky while trying to catch her breath.
Fu Hua stood nearby.
But unlike Kiana, she wasn't resting.
There was a troubled expression on her face.
She seemed to be thinking deeply about something.
Kiana noticed.
She turned her head toward her instructor.
Kiana: "Class Moniter ? what are you thinking about ?"
Fu Hua suddenly snapped out of her thoughts.
Fuhua: "It's nothing, it's just that..."
Her gaze shifted downward.
She was looking at the fire-colored necklace around Kiana's neck.
Fuhua: "That necklace you're wearing, It's summon Kouga's clone right ? How does it work?"
Kiana raised herself into a sitting position and touched the necklace.
She thought about it for a moment.
Kiana: "I also don't fully understand how that work too, but whenever i'm in danger, the necklace react and summon a transparent clone of Kouga."
Fu Hua considered this carefully.
Then an idea occurred to her.
Fuhua: "Let's try to summon them him here."
Kiana looked at her in confusion.
Kiana: "Eh? Are you sure, Class moniter? This is a dream after all so i doubt they can be summon through dream."
Fu Hua shook her head.
Fuhua: "I actually seen something similer once, Mei seem to also possess the same necklace as your, but her warrior are in violet color instead of Orange color like your."
Kiana immediately sat upright.
Kiana: "Mei also have the same? That mean at least she have someone to protect her while i'm not there."
Fu Hua continued.
Fuhua: "One of the summon she had seem to possess extraordinary power, so i have no doubt they could enter dream if they desire to."
Fu Hua remembered what she had witnessed before.
Kamen Rider Gaim Kiwami Arms had effortlessly countered the Herrscher of the Void.
A warrior possessing power on that scale could hardly be considered an ordinary summoned entity.
Fu Hua took a stance.
Kiana stared at her.
Kiana: "Class Moniter ? what are you ?"
Before Kiana could ask anything else—
Fu Hua suddenly rushed forward.
WHOOSH!
Her fist shot toward Kiana.
Kiana instinctively raised both arms to block.
The necklace around her neck suddenly erupted with brilliant fire-colored light.
Kiana braced herself for the impact.
She waited.
One second.
Two seconds.
Nothing happened.
Kiana slowly lowered her arms.
Her eyes widened.
Standing directly in front of her was a transparent, fire-colored warrior.
Kamen Rider Zeztz Exdream.
He stood silently between Kiana and Fu Hua, one arm raised to block Fu Hua's punch.
Kiana stared at him in complete shock.
The necklace had worked.
Even inside the dream.
Fu Hua slowly pulled her arm back.
She looked at Zeztz Exdream.
Then she nodded in satisfaction.
Her theory had been correct.
Kiana stood up and walked around the transparent Rider, looking at him from different angles.
Kiana: "No matter how many time i look at these form, they all look cool."
Fu Hua returned her attention to Kiana.
Fuhua: "Now we need to understand how to let you summon him freely Kiana."
Kiana and Zeztz Exdream both turned toward Fu Hua.
Fuhua: "We can't exactly expect you to get into harm way to summon him, there have to be a way to summon him."
Fu Hua placed a hand beneath her chin and began thinking.
Kiana crossed her arms and began thinking as well.
Zeztz Exdream simply watched them.
Then, without warning, he manifested a board.
He wrote something on it.
Zeztz Exdream: 'Well you can use your will power to will us into existant.'
Neither Kiana nor Fu Hua noticed.
They were too focused on solving the problem.
Zeztz Exdream stared at them.
Then walked over.
He reached out and pinched both of their cheeks.
Fuhua/Kiana: "Ouch..."
Both immediately grabbed their cheeks.
They turned toward Zeztz Exdream.
Then they noticed the board in his hands.
Kiana's eyes widened.
Kiana: "Eh??? It's that easy ?"
Fu Hua examined the board.
Fuhua: "Fascinating"
Zeztz Exdream nodded.
The words on the board changed.
Zeztz Exdream: 'The Original Kouga created 3 necklace with each of them contain a small portion of his original power. Mei and Bronya each have one.'
Fu Hua's eyes widened.
Kouga's original power was immense.
The thought that only a small portion of that power had been placed inside each necklace was staggering.
And yet that fragment alone was apparently enough to allow the summoned warriors to overwhelm even the Herrscher of the Void.
The words on the board changed again.
Zeztz Exdream: 'Each of the necklace will react if any of you were in some kind of trouble that will cause harm to you and each of the necklace can summon up to 5 warrior.'
Kiana blinked.
Kiana: "Eh? Isn't that a bit overkill?"
Although Kiana complained that it was excessive, she couldn't hide the happiness in her expression.
Kouga had thought this far ahead for her and Mei and since he made 3, the last necklace must be with Bronya.
Fu Hua coughed.
Kiana turned toward her.
Fuhua: "Kiana, let's continue."
Fu Hua then turned toward Zeztz Exdream.
Fuhua: "Please don't interfere with her training"
Zeztz Exdream nodded.
He walked over to the corner of the dreamscape and sat down.
Kiana looked at him for a moment.
Then Fu Hua's voice brought her attention back to the training.
Kiana: "I knew there'd be no rest tonight."
Fu Hua stepped forward.
Fu Hua: "You will be sparring with oneiric phantasms today."
Fu Hua: "These oneiric phantasms are illusions created by your own mind."
Fu Hua: "Though they may be false constructs, you'll feel pain and fear as though your body is in real danger."
Fu Hua: "Moments of danger push the body to unleash potentials that would otherwise lay dormant within you."
Fu Hua: "This is why true warriors always push their limits to master powers they can unleash for future fights."
Fu Hua: "But dangers are hard to come by in real life. That's why I used Fenghuang Down to make things easier."
Fu Hua paused.
Fu Hua: "Hmm. This reminds me of that special training system at St. Freya High."
Fu Hua: "This is a little different."
Fu Hua: "Fenghuang Down is a Divine Key. Your brain will interpret every single detail created by the Key as real."
Kiana looked uneasy.
Kiana: "What do you mean?"
Fu Hua's expression became serious.
Fu Hua: "If your mind believes in your death, your body will be nothing more than a breathing corpse."
From the corner of the room, Zeztz Exdream raised his board.
Written across it were a few words.
Zeztz Exdream: 'Not if i and the Necklace have something to say about that.'
Fu Hua completely ignored him.
She returned her attention to Kiana.
Fu Hua: "I will not interfere to ensure the effectiveness of this training."
Fu Hua: "Do your best, Kiana."
Kiana raised her pistols.
She smiled confidently.
Kiana: "Hah. I'm a born genius. Let's do this."
The dreamscape immediately changed.
The peaceful surroundings disappeared.
Hundreds of zombies and Honkai beasts emerged.
Kiana moved.
She transformed into Void Drifter and launched herself into battle.
Gunfire echoed across the dreamscape.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Honkai beasts were torn apart.
Zombies were sent flying.
Kiana moved faster and faster, effortlessly dealing with the enemies surrounding her.
From a distance, Zeztz Exdream sat quietly.
Fu Hua eventually joined him, watching Kiana's battle.
After some time, Kiana returned.
She lowered her weapons.
Then looked toward Fu Hua.
Kiana: "Hey, do you have a killer move you can teach me? All this basic training is just boring."
Kiana raised a finger.
Kiana: "How about some one-punch ultimate? That would make things so much easier."
Fu Hua stared at her.
Fu Hua: "…"
She was silent for a moment.
Fu Hua: "I haven't taught anyone for a while. I thought I would never do so again."
Kiana immediately became interested.
Kiana: "So… does that mean you're gonna teach me your killer move?"
Fu Hua began explaining.
Fu Hua: "I fight using the Sword Ki known as the Edge of Taixuan, an ancient art combining the best of many other schools."
Fu Hua: "The Edge is divided into 5 Blade Essences: Mantra, Form, Sanction, Ascension, and Eminence."
Fu Hua: "The psychological training you had in St. Freya was Otto's simplified interpretation of Blade Mantra."
Fu Hua: "Form and Sanction require weapons you don't wield. Ascension might be useful, but the student must be enlightened."
Kiana frowned.
Kiana: "Are you saying that I'm too dumb for everything?"
Then her eyes lit up.
Kiana: "Wait, there's still something left called Emittance, right?"
Fu Hua corrected her.
Fu Hua: "…It's Eminence, the fount of change, where an unarmed wielder uses her mind to unleash the Divine Edge itself."
Kiana looked even more confused.
Kiana: "The fount of what?! I don't understand anything you just said, which means it must be awesome! Teach me!"
Fu Hua continued.
Fu Hua: "Eminence aims to bend Honkai energy to your will, while Mantra and Form prepare your body to wield this Essence."
Fu Hua: "Though Mantra and Form must be mastered to achieve Eminence…"
She looked directly at Kiana.
Fu Hua: "…You might be able to skip them. Your Herrscher powers should allow you to control the Honkai."
Fu Hua's expression became more serious.
Fu Hua: "But using Eminence before you're ready may be dangerous. We should start with Mantra instead."
Fu Hua: "Once the time is right, I shall teach you the Essence of Eminence."
Kiana smiled.
Kiana: "Great."
She immediately realized she had no idea what to do next.
Kiana: "What do I do now…?"
Fu Hua answered calmly.
Fu Hua: "Discard all delusions, and lull your breath."
Kiana blinked.
Kiana: "Are you speaking another language…?"
Fu Hua sighed.
Fu Hua: "Well… Guess I should make it straightforward."
She stepped closer.
Fu Hua: "Mantra, basically, is how you manage your body to enter into a state for combat."
Fu Hua: "Before each fight starts, clear all your thoughts and calm your body…"
Kiana slowly closed her eyes.
She took a breath.
Fu Hua: "Feel every bit of subtle change inside your body…"
Another breath.
The sounds of the dreamscape gradually faded.
Fu Hua: "And eventually feel sheerly nothing…"
Kiana's breathing became slower.
Fu Hua: "…But the strength flowing within."
Kiana concentrated.
She could feel something.
Something deep within herself.
Kiana: "Breathing…"
Her expression changed.
Kiana: "I… feel it now…"
Her body suddenly trembled.
Kiana: "Mumbling with difficulty"
Fu Hua's eyes narrowed.
Something was wrong.
The atmosphere around Kiana changed.
The dreamscape itself seemed to distort.
Fu Hua: "Her inner self is becoming unstable…"
Fu Hua immediately stepped forward.
Fu Hua: "Kiana, stop!"
Kiana struggled to breathe.
Something inside her was pushing against the boundaries of her consciousness.
Kiana: "It feels as though something is trying to break free from inside of me…"
Fu Hua understood.
Kiana's past experiences, her inner conflict, and the immense power residing within her made this form of meditation particularly dangerous.
Fu Hua: "Mantra training often begins from a young age. You started late and your experiences and inner demons didn't help."
Kiana slowly steadied herself.
Then she clenched her fists.
Kiana: "Then I shall train at every sleeping moment until I master this thing."
Fu Hua looked at her for a long moment.
There was determination in Kiana's eyes.
Fu Hua nodded.
Fu Hua: "Listen well and keep my teachings in mind, Kiana. Be patient and allow things to take its course."
The dreamscape slowly became peaceful again.
Fu Hua looked toward the distant horizon.
Fu Hua: "One day will arrive when everything shall come together and propel you to enlightenment."