"It failed."
"Not only is the Herrscher of Wind unwavering and unshakable, but even the Herrscher of Death turned out to be... quite unexpected."
"Tsk! We thought the Herrscher of Death could serve as a breakthrough, potentially yielding significant gains. If we had known earlier, we would've sent them alone; our chances might have been better then."
"Cut the connection, Architect. There's no need to continue observing."
"What should we do next, host?"
"Wait! With incidents involving both the Herrschers of Wind and Death, they won't stay idle... You three, stake out near Anti-Entropy Headquarters. First, reveal one of yourselves, appearing weak, allowing them to eliminate you. Then, await the Herrscher of the Void's emergence. If she doesn't show up, keep exposing and sacrificing yourselves until either all are lost or the Herrscher of the Void appears!"
The host addressed the three expendable individuals coldly and without remorse.
"What?"
The remaining entities were stunned.
No, they were about to lose most of their power, entering their weakest state—why target the Herrscher of the Void now?
Suicide missions weren't meant to be this suicidal!
The host replied icily:
"The situation has reached its worst point, but I still have one move left. Don't forget, our primary objective in the previous battle was to embed threads within these Herrschers, connecting with their Herrscher powers. Seele Vollerei left the theater before the conflict to treat Ana Schariac, staying for too short a time. We didn't get a chance to interact directly with the Herrscher of Death's personality, leading to this misjudgment. However, the Herrscher of the Void is different... That one will never be another Herrscher of Death."
"Wait! With the threads from last time, we can indeed manifest the Herrscher of the Void physically. But remember, we're about to lose most of our strength soon. In that weakened state, what good does liberating her do? Firstly, we won't be able to sustain her physical form for long, and secondly, there's no way we'll have enough energy to seize her abilities!"
"We don't need to seize her powers. Just give her one of our cores and make her part of the Herrscher of a Thousand People. Won't that suffice?"
"Hisss... Wait, was this your plan all along?" The Pope and Dean, known for their sharp intellects, eyed the host suspiciously.
First, they tricked those valiant fighters into dragging two enemy Herrschers to mutual destruction. Then, while feigning cooperation with Anti-Entropy and Schicksal, their true objective was to liberate the Herrscher of the Void and assimilate her into the Herrscher of a Thousand People.
As for whether she would agree... Chances were high she would. From their clandestine encounter during the previous war, they had already sensed the deep resentment harbored by the Herrscher of the Void. Seeking freedom and vengeance, she wouldn't have much choice.
Now, considering the immense sacrifice involved—damn, it's absolutely worth it!
Combining spatial abilities with the Theater of Domination would bring about a quantum leap for the Herrscher of a Thousand People. They could open portals anytime, anywhere; effortlessly change the theater's coordinates; prevent unwelcome guests from intruding; and stop friendly visitors from leaving at will—in essence, elevating their escape capabilities to near-invulnerable levels.
The Ice Herrscher's abilities she previously acquired were not weak by any means, but strength and compatibility are two different matters.
In summary, obtaining the Herrscher of the Void's powers at the cost of temporary weakness and one seat among the Herrschers of a Thousand People would be an absolute bargain!
Furthermore, the pinnacle of the Herrscher of the Void was six cores fused as one. If she joined the ranks of the Herrschers of a Thousand People, her potential alone far surpasses the capabilities of the Herrschers of Wind and Death.
In essence, if an opportunity arises to interact with the Herrscher of the Void and execute this plan, all previous sacrifices would pale in comparison!
Shaking his head slightly, the host expressed some regret:
"This is indeed the second phase of my plan, but the first phase was also earnestly pursued. Ideally, we would have secured the abilities of both Wind Herrscher and Death Herrscher before recruiting the Herrscher of the Void, establishing cooperation on equal footing. However, the failure of the first phase does not hinder the second step. At worst, I'll simply need to humble myself and grovel at the Queen of the Void's high heels... After all, we're all Herrschers; it's not that significant."
"..."
Silence fell upon all seven present.
The host's plan was audacious yet meticulously crafted, leaving everyone momentarily speechless.
It consisted of two flawless steps:
First, aim for the Wind and Death Herrschers. Regardless of success, they would be trapped within the boundless Virtual Space. Then, naturally progressing to step two, lure Kiana out and recruit the Herrscher of Void... The chances of this phase succeeding were significantly higher than the first.
Several dolls nodded in agreement.
Among the three expendable individuals meant as decoys and meat shields, one suddenly asked, "Why didn't you share such a brilliant plan earlier?"
"I suppose... On one hand, time is crucial. Engaging in prolonged discussions with multiple parties at the theater risked complications and could delay our opportunity. On the other hand, secrecy often ensures success in significant endeavors. Knowing too much might distract those involved during combat, and there's always the danger of information leaks. In any case, since the second part of the plan doesn't concern them, keeping it hidden has its advantages."
The Pope casually crossed their slender legs and explained the reasoning to the host.
The others nodded in agreement.
To be fair, if they had discussed this openly within the theater... They'd likely still be arguing now, potentially even missing the optimal window for action.
The three cannon fodder individuals exchanged glances, nodded at each other, then voluntarily left the room to proceed to their assigned tasks—the Herrscher of a Thousand People's fate was intertwined with theirs: shared glory or mutual downfall. As long as the final reward justified it, death was merely temporary, ensuring no real issue arose.
Even if all three perished, the remaining five could still wait for their strength to recover. The allure of the Herrscher of the Void made it worth taking another gamble, leaving nothing to hesitate over.
After their departure, the remaining five faced each other. After a prolonged moment, laughter—both sinister and unrestrained—echoed through the air.
"Ha ha ha! Brilliant work, host!"
"As expected from you, bypassing the voting protocol outright and sending those useless fools straight to their graves!"
"The Herrscher of a Thousand People was formed by a thousand individuals and will fall due to them as well. At its core, our energy is finite; the more people we have, the thinner it spreads. Our strength is directly tied to each member's capabilities. In the beginning, to quickly amass enough human power, we had no choice but to lower our standards, disregarding abilities and compatibility, selecting new members solely based on their social status. Now, indeed, it's time for change."
"Yes, with Anti-Entropy and Schicksal united, it's crucial to eliminate opposition forces completely. The authority held by inferior individuals no longer matters. Currently, their existence merely dilutes our power and serves only as a hindrance, utterly useless beyond that."
"The Herrscher of a Thousand People shall embrace rebirth here today!"
"From now on, our approach will be this: admit only those who can enhance our collective strength. Quality over quantity—no room for weaklings who would become liabilities. I propose a vote."
"Second!" × 4
The voting mechanism engraved within their cores has yet to take effect, as not enough individuals have perished—the remaining five do not constitute a majority—but it's just a matter of time.
In the darkness, five slender arms raised high proclaimed the formal transformation of this unique group.