HLS Vol 2. 11-20 (Patreon)

Finishing Today. Rest will be later. Hot hit by the hot and cold sickness though I'm already fine.

Chapter Eleven: I Upheld My Pride as the Older Sister!Mei remained silent, offering no comment on Raven's and the three children's perspectives. She did not judge who was right or wrong, nor did she comment on Kevin's words in the story.She knew too little of the plot; she did not understand why the once-sunny boy was saying things so different from the boy she remembered.But her understanding of the boy had changed drastically, becoming the way he was now.Elysia, on the other hand, fell silent. She should have reacted, but after hearing Kevin's words, she fell silent.For the Previous Era, must all Herrschers die?This question surfaced in her mind, leaving Elysia somewhat distracted.As for Theresa, Himeko, Tesla, and the others, they did not offer any comment either. Although the Herrschers they encountered in their era, apart from the Second Herrscher, were either their own people, their students, or under their control.But this was not a reason for them to speak up for the Previous Era Herrschers.Moreover, they knew too little to draw conclusions.As for Dudu, she simply watched quietly. As Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie, she had her own principles.Meanwhile, Senti, still processing Fu Hua's vast memories, stared somewhat bewildered at the four arguing in the comments. Senti glanced at the heated debate, then at the plot.Although she felt a strange familiarity with the characters in the story, Senti did not bother with it anymore and commented in the comments section."The Great Herrscher of Sentience: What's all the fuss about? Just kill the Herrscher if you find it and protect humanity from the Herrscher!""Ugh, you guys are really stupid, not even half as smart as the Great me!"After Sentience's interruption, the four people who were expressing their opinions finally stopped. Xiyue hurriedly spoke to the audience."Don't think too much about it, everyone!""Let's watch the later plot; the plot will definitely be different.""Alright, let's continue the live stream!"Back to the plot, Kevin's mind was once again filled with the memory of the Sixth Eruption, remembering his own weakness.However, Kevin did not dwell on the memories because Dr. Mei's voice came through his earpiece."Kevin, something has happened. The Herrscher has not been eliminated yet."Hearing Dr. Mei's words, Kevin's face showed shock, and he subconsciously asked:"What did you say?"Mei's cool voice continued to echo in Kevin's ears."The base's systems have been attacked by a virus, and the defenses have been completely breached. All the equipment and robots have fallen under its control, and it is now further attempting to seize control of the nuclear missile silos."Hearing this, Kevin took a deep breath, gripped his greatsword tightly, and immediately replied."Hold on, I'm coming!"Mei continued to explain the origins and abilities of the Twelfth Herrscher to Kevin."The Twelfth Herrscher is a self-aware, extreme virus; this is the true form of the Herrscher of Corruption!"Dr. Mei wanted to say more, but unfortunately, the communication system was also attacked by the Herrscher and paralyzed. Seele looked around at the suddenly closed doors, showing a panicked expression.She spoke worriedly."W-what happened? The doors are all closed."Kevin looked at Seele, whose face was filled with panic and confusion, then at Sakura, kneeling before her sister's corpse with a vacant stare, and hurriedly ordered Seele."Take Sakura to a safe place quickly! The Herrscher's attack is not over yet!"Hearing Kevin's words, Sakura, whose face was filled with dejection and despair, suddenly raised her head, looking at Kevin with a glimmer of hope, and asked hoarsely."Rin, is she still alive?"Suddenly, a strange sound echoed in the air, seemingly freezing the atmosphere. Sakura stood there blankly, staring at Kevin, and asked again."Kevin, where is she?"Hearing Sakura's words, Kevin hurriedly asked his friend:"Sakura, what do you want to do?"Sakura answered directly."I'm going to find her."Kevin could no longer maintain his composure upon hearing this."Are you crazy? She's not the Rin you know anymore!"Seele hurriedly tried to stop Sakura, but Sakura had made up her mind, and neither of them could stop her. Sakura looked at the fallen Rin, her voice trembling with tears."Rin must be very anxious right now. She has always been a child who is afraid of being alone.""She needs me."Seele fell silent.The roar of artillery and the sirens mingled endlessly. She knew that letting Sakura leave would be a one-way trip.Yet she could not find even a single reason to stop the girl before her.Kevin, hearing his old friend's words, snapped at Sakura:"Don't joke around! Rin is dead!"The only answer was Sakura's silence.Sakura stood up again, gripping the hilt of her sword. Then, under the gazes of Seele and Kevin, she attacked Kevin."Seele, I'm sorry."Swish—!With a single strike, Sakura's blade froze the very space around her.Time slowed, consciousness dissipated, and everything stood still.In those brief seconds, in this lightless realm, she was the only one capable of movement."Our journey together ends here."Leaving these words behind, she brushed past Seele, whispering her final farewell."I wish you... a reunion with your sister."......."Cat Cat: Sakura is still so gentle to her younger sister, to Seele. Waaaa, why does fate always like to play tricks on people? Such good sisters, waaaa, it's making this cat so gloomy.""Don't Want to Take the Exam: That damned white-haired guy, that damned Fire Moth, how could he do such a thing to a girl? I'm so angry, so angry!""Driver's License Revoked: Seele... and Sakura, Zaychek doesn't like this kind of plot.""Dr. Lobsterhead: Sigh, before the apocalypse, people either cooperate sincerely or are consumed by fear, doing things that cross the line. I just wonder where Fire Moth is right now.""Drunken Warrior: Both Kevin and Sakura are sticking to their principles and rules. Kevin's words are meant to make Sakura face reality and move on from her sister's death, but he forgot one thing: for Sakura, her sister was her whole world. Losing her sister meant she was abandoned by the world, or rather, she abandoned the whole world."Having spent years educating and nurturing students, Himeko's perspective was not solely focused on the three children."Want to Buy An Island: Kevin also has a story that is hard for everyone to imagine."As a World Serpent executive, although their master remained shrouded in mystery, some information about his identity existed within the executive ranks.Otherwise, how could they carry out the great and sacred plan after the master's awakening?"The Number One Cutest in the World: From this, it seems the power of the Previous Era MANTIS was immense. There were twelve Flamechasers like them, but even with twelve powerful MANTIS, the Previous Era still lost. I really want to know why the Previous Era lost.""Miss Elf: I want to know too! Please stream the Elysian Realm storyline quickly, I want to know everything about the Previous Era.""Queen: Ha, you ants know nothing of Honkai's power!""The Great Sentience: Ha, Honkai?"Xiyue, seeing the comments, especially Himeko's words, marveled at Himeko's accurate judgment. However, after finishing this main storyline, it was time to stream some of the Elysian Realm storyline.At the very least, she wanted to introduce Elysia to all the remaining Flamechasers.And let everyone experience what a Mobius-style villain is like.She wondered what Mobius's reaction would be if she saw herself transformed into a shrunken teenage girl.And Aponia, and Pardo.She was really looking forward to it.Besides streaming the Elysian Realm storyline, there were so many other things she wanted to stream. There were so many things she could stream, but she was all alone.She's having a happy dilemma, really.She decided that this stream had to include a truly hilarious event storyline.The most hilarious things were definitely the event stories—each one more classic than the last. Most of Honkai's memes originated from event stories. And most importantly, the event stories included the Captainverse.The Captain, who never appeared in the main story, only found their sense of existence in event stories.Thinking of this, Xiyue felt a pang of sadness.In games where players have never appeared in the main storyline, only miHoYo has done this.When she was a Doctor on a certain island, every female operator fawned over her, calling her "Doctor," as if the world would not exist without her.When she was a Master, the Servants' question, "Are you my Master?" filled her with immense satisfaction.Not to mention her glorious days as an Admiral; the immersion was incredible.As a bald man, as a Traveler...Nothing compares to Honkai, where the Captain only exists in events!With bittersweet tears, Xiyue refocused on her stream and continued.When Seele came to her senses, she saw an empty space and looked at Kevin in confusion."Sakura-neechan, where did she go?"Kevin glanced at the timid girl and said with a sigh:"She's gone."Hearing this, Seele hurriedly replied."We have to go help her right away, she's in danger!"Hearing the girl's worried words, Kevin shook his head and refused."No, there's no need."…The communication was restored, and Mei's voice came through to Kevin."Kevin, I succeeded.""The Herrscher fell into a trap. I trapped in the main control system by the isolation program. I'll find a way to transfer her to the black box.""Kevin, what's wrong? Can you hear me?"Kevin's voice slowly returned."I'm sorry, Mei, could you give me a moment?""I have some things… to take care of."Then Kevin brought Seele to Sakura.Sakura was leaning against the wall, covered in wounds, one hand supporting her sword, head bowed. Her long ears drooped, her eyes were dull, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.The resolute warrior was no longer in her prime, lying amidst the endless metal wreckage, like a lone flower in the ruins.Judging from the traces around, a major battle had just taken place.Sakura felt her shattered body, watching her most cherished pendant crumble into pieces, and then spoke with difficulty."Kevin... is Seele still here?"Seele stared in disbelief at the scene, covering her mouth with her hands, trying to stifle her sobs. Kevin simply watched silently, his ocean-blue eyes only growing deeper.Sakura's life force was fragile; she weakly spoke to Kevin."Kevin, I know you're right."Kevin looked at Sakura, at his comrade-in-arms with whom he had fought countless battles, and said softly:"Mei sealed the Herrscher.""She said that in the final moments, the Herrscher's activity became inexplicably erratic. She did not miss this opportunity."Hearing this, a hint of relief flashed in Sakura's lowered gaze."That's good...""I stayed with Rin until the very end, until the very last moment... she was still my sister.""I upheld my pride as an older sister."Hearing Sakura's words, Kevin was silent for a moment, then looked at Sakura and said heavily:"You never regretted it until the very end, and that's enough."Hearing her friend's words, the girl's eyes gradually dimmed, but a smile flickered at the corner of her eye. Perhaps she saw something, something only she could see."Kevin, I have one last request...""I'm listening.""Seele... take her back to our hometown. I promised her I would take her to the square where the cherry blossoms bloom.""I will do my best."Hearing this, Seele could no longer hold back her tears."Sakura-neechan!"Seeing Seele's tears, Sakura comforted her with her last bit of strength:"Seele, don't be sad. Some things, some regrets, are beyond our control.""But you… still have someone you want to protect. When you and she stand together under the cherry blossom tree, you'll find that this world is still beautiful.""You'll find that your world still has hope!"As soon as she finished speaking, the last glimmer of light in her eyes vanished.The Bubble World gradually dissipated, returning to nothingness along with the warrior's life."Sakura-neechan, Sakura-neechan…"Seele's cries faded into the darkness, leaving only silence."Don't Want to Take the Exam: Stop stabbing me with the plot, stop it, I'm going crazy from all the stabbing! Is there really no happy ending in this story? Everyone who's slashing is going crazy!""Want to Buy An Island: Reminds me of a certain unscrupulous streamer's words, 'Relaxinh healing Game, Full of Love and Happiness,' keep them to fool ghosts!""Driver's License Revoked: Yuexi's credibility in Zaychek's eyes has dropped to an untrustworthy level."----

Chapter Twelve: Memorable Scene – Driver's License Revoked!

“Cat Cat: If I see anything amiss in the plot, I won't watch anymore! As long as I don't see it, I won't get hurt.”

Elysia didn't speak. She couldn't believe Sakura's ending. Her own sister was hurt by people from her own organization and ultimately became a Herrscher.

How cruel was that?

Elysia knew how much Sakura loved her sister in real life.

Because Mei made a promise to Sakura to take care of her sister, Sakura joined Mei's side and became Mei's most powerful weapon.

But this…

Elysia didn't think any further and sighed heavily in her heart.

As for Dr. Mei, seeing Sakura's ending, she immediately took action. She arranged for Sakura's sister to come to the Fire Moth headquarters from her distant hometown. Although she didn't know what the future held for the Fire Moth headquarters, at this moment it was undoubtedly the safest place in the world.

Since she had promised Sakura to take care of and protect her sister, she would do everything in her power to protect Rin.

As for whether Rin will become the Twelfth Herrscher, that's Schrödinger's cat.

She wouldn't nip Rin in the bud for the sake of what might happen in the future. She wouldn't do that, and neither would Sakura.

Besides, Mei herself has a strong sense of pride; she will definitely find a way to defeat Honkai!

Even if they fail in the story.

......

Xiyue didn't say anything and continued the live stream because the climax of this chapter was approaching.

The livestream went black for a moment, then Kevin's firm and calm voice rang out.

"Hector knew the kingdom would eventually fall. Achilles understood he was heading toward death."

"But both of them still stepped onto the battlefield without hesitation."

"In this story, which was destined to be a tragedy from the beginning, no one hesitated or wavered."

"They did. So do we."

Kevin's words, like a declaration, reached Seele's ears, and she listened with a puzzled expression.

"Huh?"

"What? Who's speaking?"

Kevin continued.

"I brought her body back to her homeland. But when I arrived, all I saw was a desolate wasteland."

"Herrscher manipulated the launch silos, utterly destroying humanity's three remaining cities with nuclear weapons."

"I stand in the plaza, now a ruin, and I can't see a single cherry blossom."

As Kevin's words faded, cherry blossom-colored dots appeared on the dark screen. The dots gradually coalesced, and then a gigantic cherry blossom tree appeared in the void.

Beneath the blooming cherry blossom tree, Kevin stood with his fist clenched, raising his head to gaze at the tree, solemnly and steadily declaring to the world:

"No matter the cost, humanity will defeat Honkai!"

Kevin's azure eyes blazed with fire; the warrior swore an oath he would uphold for life.

"Miss Elf: Yeah~ Kevin looks so handsome, so handsome."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: ╭(╯^╰)╮ not as handsome as me! The future me will be incredibly handsome!"

"Driver's License Revoked: Narcissistic."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: I really want to know the whole story of the Thirteen Flamechasers!"

"Drunken Warrior: Warriors are respectable and admirable."

“Dr. Lobsterhead: So, it seems the ‘snake’ that the World Serpent is trying to revive is Kevin, a warrior who survived from the Previous Era to the present civilization and is also burdened with the mission of defeating Honkai?”

“Dudu: But what the World Serpent is doing right now doesn't seem to be helping us defeat Honkai.”

“Cat Cat: Did Kevin survive to the next civilization? Will Pardofelis also survive to the next civilization? You know, she's most afraid of death!”

Xiyue felt a slight pang of regret upon reading this, knowing that the Elysian Realm version was more thrilling and contained lines that could be memorized.

“Making a wish on the burnt-out earth…”

But it's okay; there will be more later.

Upon seeing Pardofelis's words, Xiyue froze as a scene instantly flashed through her mind.

"Mei-nee, I don't want to die..."

Thinking of this, a chill ran down her spine.

She didn't know how to answer Pardofelis. Perhaps she should let her see the truth for herself.

She then continued the live stream.

The story continued. Seele looked at the man before her, her clever mind instantly understanding.

A look of surprise crossed her face as she spoke to Kevin.

"You're the 'Serpent'? You created this Bubble World!"

Kevin looked at the timid girl before him, his expression remaining calm.

“Those are my memories, the promise I failed to keep.”

“Memories of my companions, the will entrusted to me, and the future I hoped for in everyone. They float before my eyes like fleeting dreams day after day, only to vanish into nothingness. They seem to be reminding me again and again that humanity was once wiped out by the Honkai.”

Hearing Kevin's cold words, Seele was startled, her hands clutching her chest, her purple eyes filled with disbelief.

“Humanity was wiped out by the Honkai?”

Just as Seele was immersed in this unimaginable truth, Bronya's anxious voice rang in her ears.

“Seele, get away from that person!”

With a deafening roar of engines tearing through space, Bronya swooped down from the sky, blocking their path.

Then Bronya and Seele engaged in a sweet, intimate moment, completely ignoring Kevin.

Seeing this familiar scene and thinking about what was about to happen, Xiyue couldn't help but address everyone.

"Everyone, get ready!"

"There's going to be a memorable scene soon!"

"Huh? You're asking what kind of memorable scene? Of course, it's the scene of someone's driver license being revoked!"

Having said that, she ignored the question marks on the screen and excitedly watched the live stream, continuing her broadcast.

"Mr. Welt, he's the so-called Serpent."

As soon as she finished speaking, Welt's voice echoed from Bronya's Herrscher Core.

“This is also the first time I've seen his true form.”

“But his aura is unmistakably that of the ‘Serpent’ I sensed in the Sea of Quanta.”

Kevin calmly gazed at Bronya and the Herrscher Core on her chest, speaking softly.

“We meet again, Herrscher of Reason, and… his successor.”

Hearing Kevin's words, Welt's consciousness within the Herrscher Core was surprised.

“He's talking to me. He can sense my presence?”

Kevin ignored Welt's surprise and continued.

“I initially thought you were an apostle of Honkai, but in that labyrinth, I saw your past. Your will is not feigned. As a Herrscher, you truly fight for humanity.”

“So I helped that girl, hoping she would bring you before me.”

“Fighting Honkai is our shared mission; I have no intention of being your enemy.”

Bronya listened to Kevin's words without heeding them. She couldn't believe the man before her, given what the World Serpent had done to them, and coldly replied:

“Words and sweet talk. We won't let you leave here!”

Hearing this, Kevin remained expressionless, simply lowering his hand from his chest and speaking calmly.

“Can you stop me?”

A black tide erupted from the crack, obscuring the man's figure. It spread and writhed in the air like an invisible monsters.

Simultaneously, energy in the space continuously gathered, flowing into Kevin's palm and transforming into a jade gem.

Bronya stared at the gem in Kevin's hand, exclaiming in surprise.

“That’s the Gem of Desire!”

Ignoring Bronya’s surprise, Kevin lowered his gaze to the gem in his hand and slowly spoke.

“I have slumbered in this ocean for 1500 years.”

“For 1500 years, the Honkai have ravaged the land, and I have been powerless, trapped in the memories of the past.”

“But now, the time for the serpent’s return has come.”

“Whether you accept it or not, I will fulfill the duty I have been given!”

Bronya, facing Kevin's increasingly powerful aura, resolutely met his gaze.

"Bronya, I will not let you succeed!"

Azure cannon fire bombarded the space, tearing the churning quantum shadows to shreds.

Aboard her vehicle, Bronya soared through the raging tide of shadows, charging straight toward the white-haired man.

She wanted to annihilate the man before her in one fell swoop, but things didn't go as planned.

Just as Bronya was about to touch Kevin, her body uncontrollably floated up. The Herrscher Core she had just merged with was forcefully sucked away, gradually detaching from her body.

Watching the Gem of Desire recede further and further away, Bronya could only watch helplessly.

Until she lost all the power of the Herrscher of Reason, she crashed heavily to the ground, unconscious.

Seeing this, Xiyue could no longer hold back and exclaimed.

"Tragic! Her driver's license that she just got was completely revoked!"

The words had barely left her lips when the comments section exploded.

"Driver's License Revoked: ......."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Ah ha, so this is the famous scene? Hahahaha, license revoked, hahaha, what a vivid metaphor! I'm dying of laughter."

"Driver's License Revoked: Idiot, your snacks are gone."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: No—!!!"

"Want to Buy An Island: Driver's License Revoked, streamer, you're too funny."

"Cook: ..."

After saying these words, Xiyue could already feel Bronya's dark expression and quickly focused her attention back on the live stream, not wanting to be distracted.

Kevin who was holding the Herrscher of Reason Core looked down at the unconscious Bronya and spoke condescendingly.

“Bronya Zaychek, you've traversed countless Bubble Worlds, carrying an immense burden to arrive here.”

“Your body can no longer keep up with your will.”

Just then, the Herrscher of Reason in Kevin's hand flashed, and Welt appeared behind him, glaring angrily.

“Don't lay a hand on her!”

Welt lunged at the man who desired the gem, only to be blasted away by an invisible force. He hadn't seen the attack, yet the sudden impact struck every part of his body, just as Bronya had been knocked down.

At that moment, Welt clearly felt the vast difference in strength between him and the man before him.

Kevin's expression remained calm as he watched Welt.

“To protect that girl, you reconstructed your physical body using the Herrscher of Reason’s power? Your power has grown.”

“But with that broken body, what can you do?”

“Both you and those two girls still have potential. World Serpent needs people like you.”

Hearing Kevin’s invitation, Welt sneered.

“Don’t be ridiculous. We will never condone your actions!”

Kevin’s expression remained unmoved by Welt’s words.

“You don’t need to answer now. One day, you will understand.”

Kevin then turned to the cherry blossom tree, the Gem of Desire floating in his hand, and said calmly:

"I pay my respects to you. In this era, there are still heroes with unwavering ideals, fighting for humanity."

"However, you are still too naive, so naive that your ideals will destroy you."

"You know nothing about Honkai."

"I will lead and guide humanity to fulfill the true mission of the 'Pioneers.'"

"Let us meet again in reality."

With that, Kevin used the power of the Gem of Desire to depart from the Sea of Quanta, where he had slept for 1500 years.

"Want to Buy An Island: Kevin is so cool!"

Raven's praise for her lord was undoubtedly heartfelt.

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: ╭(╯^╰)╮ what's so cool about that? I'll say it again, I'm the coolest!"

"Dudu: I kind of want to fight him."

"Cat Cat: Kevin is actually kind of cool, meow!"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: I sense arrogance. Although I can feel he doesn't have any hostility toward our era, why should we entrust our era to him for salvation? Can he really save us and lead us to defeat Honkai?"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: To put it bluntly, their era ultimately didn't defeat the Honkai, so how can they lead us to defeat the Honkai?"

"Miss Elf: Keep watching, all your questions will be answered."

"Research Beauty: I want this era to avoid repeating the tragedy of the last. Kevin doesn't mean any harm."

Dr. Mei rarely commented in the live chat.

"Drunken Warrior: Let's keep reading. But I don't have a good impression of the World Serpent organization."

"Cook: Mostly because of Gray Serpent."

Xiyue wasn't surprised by the various opinions people had of Kevin, given the controversy surrounding his initial appearance in her previous life. However, all of that vanished after the Elysian Realm storyline concluded.

Returning to the story, Bronya struggled painfully on the ground. She tried to stand, but blood trickled from her mouth.

It wasn't just the wounds from the battle; her body was suffering fatal damage.

It was the damage inflicted by the Herrscher of Reason Core.

Meanwhile, Welt felt the space tremble. The massive rock floating in the air shattered, separating him from the two.

The boulder tumbled, crumbled, dissolved, and dissipated in the chaos, merging with the unfathomable dark current.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from that dark current.

"Einstein, I've found their location."

Communication was established, and Bronya heard Einstein's voice.

Hearing Einstein's voice, Bronya spoke dejectedly.

"Doctor, we failed. The serpent took the Gem of Desire and left the Sea of Quanta."

Einstein interrupted Bronya, speaking urgently.

“Stop talking! I’ve activated the Eye of the Deep. Quickly return to reality via the nearest passage!”

Hearing this, enduring a massive headache and looking at Welt separated by the boulder, she replied to Einstein.

“Welt is still alive, but he’s too far away!”

Hearing Bronya’s words, Einstein showed a hint of surprise, but it quickly vanished as she hurriedly spoke.

“Yang?”

“You evacuate first. I’ll have others cover his escape!”

“Hurry, you must survive!”

---

Chapter Thirteen: Bronya Onee-chan, We'll Never Be Apart Again!

Xiyue didn't say much and directly clicked into the next chapter.

Main Story 12: Beyond Light and Shadow - 4 (Short Film: Seele)

Thump-thump—thump-thump!

In the boundless Sea of Quanta, space was constantly collapsing. Accompanied by heavy breathing, Bronya's hand that held Seele's struggled desperately toward the entrance to the Eye of the Deep.

Above them, cracks caused by the Sea of Quanta's out-of-control state stretched across the sky.

"Faster, faster!"

Bronya gripped Seele's hand tightly and ran anxiously toward the exit.

If they could get there, she could bring Seele home!

Just as the two were about to reach the exit, the black tide of the Sea of Quanta behind them, like countless black tentacles, attacked them.

In an instant, the black tentacles tightly wrapped around Seele's calves and pulled her backward.

Interfered with by the tentacles, Seele, who was running at full speed, crashed to the ground.

The tentacles kept pulling Seele back and prevented her from leaving the Sea of Quanta.

Pulled powerfully by the tentacles, Seele's arm left a long, bloody gash on the ground.

Bronya's eyes widened at the sight and she cried out urgently.

"Seele!"

Bronya swiftly lunged forward, grabbed Seele tightly with her left hand, then drew a dagger from her waist and slashed fiercely at the black tentacle, severing the limb wrapped around Seele's body.

The severed tentacle retracted, but before Bronya could catch her breath, countless more tentacles surged forth from the Sea of Quanta and swept toward Seele like a tidal wave.

Seeing the tentacles attacking them, Bronya had no time to think; she grabbed Seele's hand again and ran toward the exit.

“Seele, run!”

Bronya ran and brandished her dagger with deadly precision, severing every grasping limb that threatened to grab them.

As the tense background music swelled, the audience watched with bated breath and their hearts pounded.

“Cat Cat: Run! Run! Bronya, Seele, you’ll get out!”

“Don’t Want to Take the Exam: Hurry! Bronya, add a little more! I really want to roast these wretched tentacle monsters!”

“Dr. Lobsterhead: The Sea of Quanta resists Seele’s departure. No, to be precise, it resists everything that leaves the Sea of Quanta. Go, Bronya!”

“Cook: It will succeed, it will succeed!”

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Faster, faster! Victory is in sight!"

"Miss Elf: Go! Go!"

"Dudu: I believe you can get out."

.......

The viewers in the live stream cheered for Bronya and Seele. In reality, Bronya who was watching this scene also felt extremely tense, her eyes fixed on the live stream.

She prayed that she could lead Seele out of this cold prison.

The animation continued.

Seele, pulled up, looked at Bronya running and waving her arms, and her heart sank.

No matter what, she couldn't help at all.

It was always like this. Every time, she could only stand behind Bronya Onee-chan, accept her protection, and accept the protection of others.

“I… I can’t do anything…”

Bronya, oblivious to Seele’s feelings, only saw the exit. The exit was drawing near.

Seeing this, hope surged within Bronya and she rushed to the cliff edge.

Then she leaped.

But then something unexpected happened!

The tentacles behind them suddenly accelerated, gripping Bronya and Seele’s legs as they leaped through the air and stopping them in their attempt to cross the passage.

Feeling her legs bound by the tentacles, a wave of despair washed over Bronya. Her gaze remained fixed ahead; just one more step, just one more step to bring Seele home.

However, when Bronya saw Seele…

The despair in her eyes vanished instantly and was replaced by unwavering determination.

“At least, Bronya has to get Seele out of here!”

The decision was made in an instant. With all her might, Bronya threw Seele, who was not yet fully grasped by the tentacles, toward the passage.

Then the only connection between the two was a tentacle on Bronya's left hand.

Sent flying, Seele watched Bronya's actions and cried out loudly.

“Sister! Sister!”

But before Seele could finish speaking, in a moment of extreme panic, she saw Bronya raise a dagger in her right hand and swiftly sever the tentacle connecting them. She herself was enveloped by countless tentacles and carried toward the Sea of Quanta.

Bronya looked at Seele outside the passage with a relieved smile on her face.

“Seele… I’m sorry… Bronya can’t go back with you.”

As Seele drew closer to the passage, she was suddenly pulled by a tremendous gravitational force. Then the Eye of the Deep slowly closed once more.

The last thing Seele could see was Bronya being gradually enveloped by the outstretched hands and the smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"Cook: Is it going to end like this again? I really can't accept it!"

Seeing this ending, Mei's expression faltered. Especially seeing Bronya fall into the Sea of Quanta to let Seele leave, a surge of anger welled up inside her.

"Cat Cat: Come on, can't we have a happy ending?"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Can't we have less of this grimace and more of a happy ending that we can see in the human world?"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: I really want to kill the person who wrote this story. It's so ridiculous!"

"Miss Elf: Is it really going to end like this again?"

Xiyue glanced at the live stream but didn't say anything. The animation wasn't finished yet. She could complain after it was over.

This is one of miHoYo's few non-angsty animated shorts.

Watch it while you can.

The shorts that follow contain all sorts of angst.

The animation continued to play.

As the passage closed, Seele collapsed to her knees and stared in despair at the scene unfolding before her.

She couldn't believe it. She didn't want to.

Seele pounded her fists against the ground and desperately resisted the pull of reality.

She had to go back, to go back and save her sister!

She continued pounding the ground, her hands bleeding profusely, but she didn't stop.

Fnally, Seele saw a protruding rock.

But the passage in reality was already closing, yet Seele wanted to use her body to stop it.

Because if the passage closed, Bronya would be forever trapped in the Sea of Quanta.

"Do you want to die?"

Just as the passage was about to crush Seele, a black figure appeared behind her and coldly watched her struggle.

Then it grabbed Seele's hand and pulled her back to the real world.

The passage closed.

Back in the real world, Seele stared at the closing passage.

She knelt on the floor, tears streaming down her face and sobbing loudly.

"Why... why... Bronya Onee-chan... why..."

Seele pounded the floor helplessly again, powerless and vulnerable. Black Seele stood behind Seele and watched her movements, her voice cold and stern.

"Enough!"

"It's over. You got nothing!"

"The door won't open!"

"You can't save her!"

Hearing Black Seele's words, Seele's sobs grew louder and eventually turned into wailing, but she continued to pound the ground with her fists. She refused to believe it; she wanted to go home with Bronya Onee-chan.

As Seele continued to pound the ground, the stigmata on her chest flickered and several cracks appeared faintly in the ground.

Seele kept repeating,

"Bronya Onee-chan, no, no."

Seeing this, Black Seele once again scolded Seele.

"Enough!"

However, Seele didn't react to Black Seele's rebuke and continued to pound the ground despite the wounds and blood on her hands.

Seeing this, Black Seele reached out and waved her hand. Dark red chains bound Seele and stopped her movements.

Looking at the bound Seele, Black Seele's expression softened and she spoke softly.

"That's enough."

Restricted, Seele stopped moving and looked at Black Seele. Large tears streamed down her face, her eyes empty and filled with despair.

Her mind flashed back to Bronya and all the moments she had experienced in Bubble World.

"We promised to watch the sea together..."

Seele wept in despair, tears dripping onto the ground. Through her blurred vision, a pure white rose slowly bloomed in her eyes.

Before she could react, for a moment...

The innate Stigmata on her chest shone brightly and unleashed a continuous torrent of power.

Seele felt the immense power within her body and immediately broke free of the chains binding her.

"Let go!"

Seele shouted, then continued to punch the ground and cry loudly as she did so.

"You coward!"

As Seele's final cry fell, the dark space blazed with light and the barrier separating the Sea of Quanta from reality was shattered by Seele.

Witnessing this, Black Seele showed astonishment before returning to Seele's body as Seele once again entered the Sea of Quanta.

"Cat Cat: Wow, Seele's amazing! Is Seele going to rescue Bronya?!"

"Want to Buy An Island: Seele actually broke through the passage and unleashed such powerful strength all at once! Could Seele also be a Herrscher?"

"Driver's License Revoked: Seele can't be a Herrscher!"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: How could that be? It's impossible for a character to be a Herrscher; then all the Herrschers in our era would be Honkai's traitors! Honkai would be furious."

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Logically, that's unlikely, but given the current situation, it's possible. Herrschers will be on our side."

"Drunken Warrior: Welt, Mei, the idiot Kiana, Bronya, and Wendy count as half. Except for the Second Herrscher, Sirin, most of the Herrschers who have appeared so far are on humanity's side."

"Miss Elf: Why would that happen? The Herrschers of the Previous Era were all determined to exterminate humanity."

Having experienced five Herrschers, Elysia certainly knew what the Herrscher of her era would be like.

She couldn't help but wonder: were there really no Herrschers in their time who stood on the side of humanity?

However, Elysia didn't realize that when this question arose, a strange feeling stirred within her. This feeling remained unnoticed by Elysia herself.

Dr. Mei, too, couldn't articulate her opinion on this question.

Ever since entering this live stream, learning about Mei and Kiana's situation, and later witnessing Welt fighting for humanity, she had been filled with doubt.

Why were the Herrschers of the two eras so different?

Although she didn't know the reason, her intuition told her that the cause of this change must lie within their own era.

When Xiyue saw Elysia raise this question, she almost couldn't help but say to Elysia.

The reason the Herrschers of this era stand on the side of humanity is because of you!

Elysia, you are our god!

However, Xiyue knew that Elysia was unaware of her identity and it wouldn't be wise to reveal it now. Everything would become clear once the Elysian Realm storyline aired.

Everyone will know of your achievements.

Elysia!

Stopping her inner musings, Xiyue returned her attention to the live stream and watched the animation play.

As Seele entered the Sea of Quanta, dozens of Quantum Honkai beasts immediately attacked her, determined to eliminate this intruder. Faced with the onslaught of Quantum Honkai beasts, Seele was initially overwhelmed.

Tormented by her inability to rescue Bronya, she grew increasingly distressed and filled with hatred for her own weakness.

Then she thought of Black Seele.

She knew that the person who looked exactly like her possessed immense power. Only she could help her rescue her sister.

Therefore, Seele cried out loudly.

"Please, my other me!"

"Come with me... to save... the one who has always... always protected us..."

"Sister!"

At the same time, memories of her life with Bronya flooded back to Seele's mind.

The scene of their first meeting: in a completely unfamiliar environment, she sat alone in a shabby box and cried. It was Bronya who held her in her arms and comforted her gently like a mother.

The first time she saw the terrifying Honkai beast, she was too frightened to sleep. It was Bronya who held her tightly and kept her company until she fell asleep.

It was…

Those memories filled her heart. Black Seele understood her feelings and paused. Her lips slowly curved upward, then into a sinister smile.

This was the first time Seele had ever asked her for something.

Faced with Seele's first request, Black Seele already knew what to do.

“I just can’t do anything with you.”

With these words uttered softly, a deafening roar resounded once more. Dark red energy obliterated the Honkai beasts surrounding Seele and turned them to nothingness. Black Seele's blood-red figure embraced Seele, her hands covering the stigmata on her chest.

“Go, Seele…”

Black Seele activated the power of her stigmata, her figure transforming into a three-meter-long blood-red scythe.

“Let’s go save our sister!”

Seele closed her eyes. When she opened them again, her azure eyes had turned blood-red.

Gazing at the Honkai beasts around her, she lightly swung her scythe and annihilated thousands of Honkai beasts in the Sea of Quanta with a single strike.

The massive explosion echoed throughout the Sea of Quanta.

…

In the boundless darkness, Bronya’s body continued to fall. She could feel the endless darkness engulfing her.

Just as it was eroding her consciousness, she faintly heard Seele’s voice.

"Bronya Onee-chan, we'll never be apart again!"

----

Chapter Fourteen: Kalpas Makes Aponia "Angry"

"Cat Cat: Oh my gosh, what a perfect plot! I love it! Beauty saves beauty. I love watching this! These two are really going to have a hard time ending this without getting married!"

"Driver's License Revoked: What are you talking about! Bronya only sees Seele as her dearest little sister!"

"Miss Elf: Oh, is that so? But Seele's gaze towards Bronya is strange It doesn't seem like she likes her older sister"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Huh? Who would like that blockhead? I don't believe it!"

"Want to Buy An Island: Well, to be fair, Bronya with a cool motorcycle is quite handsome! It's a pity her license was revoked so soon after she got it."

"Drunken Warrior: Bronya, Seele, and Seele's alternate personality are all so doting on each other~"

"Lobster Head: Hey, hey, hey, what's wrong with you adults? Saying things like that in front of children. Aren't you ashamed?!"

"Driver's License Revoked: ......."

"Dudu: It seems Seele and Bronya have both escaped the Sea of Quanta. What a happy ending! So rare, so very rare."

......

Meanwhile, Bronya, embarking on her journey to find her mother, listened to Dr. Tesla's words. Her eyes flickered as she gazed into the distance.

"Mother Cocolia, this time I won't let you make a mistake!"

The Cocolia fleet, preparing to head to the Deep, also halted above Arc City. Cocolia was waiting for someone. Looking at the city below, her eyes were filled with complex emotions.

"To conspire with a tiger, I don't know if it's good or bad."

"However, I have no way out."

After saying this, she went to the agreed-upon location with Gray Serpent, waiting for his arrival.

As for Schicksal, after Otto returned to Schicksal headquarters, he ordered the arrest of Kiana. All the Schicksal Valkyries were mobilized. He himself retreated to his laboratory, continuing to study the many results obtained from this experience.

Although he didn't capture Kiana, whether she was captured or not was not part of his plan.

His only goal was to find out if human consciousness could overcome a Herrscher's consciousness and thus gain a Herrscher's power.

Although Sirin hadn't awakened, his plan wouldn't stop.

Looking at the densely packed experimental records before him, Otto's lips curled into a slight smile. She then connected to Rita's communication line and spoke calmly.

"Rita, go to London, England, and investigate the missing Second Divine Key, Cosmic Juggernaut."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

This mission should have been completed before, but was delayed due to Xiyue's actions. The mission to resurrect Sirin came first, followed by finding the Second Divine Key.

However, this wasn't a major loss for Otto. Everything was proceeding according to his plan.

......

Back to the story, urged by the audience, Xiyue continued the live stream of the next chapter - 5.

The story begins with a comatose Bronya curled up, dreaming of falling. However, at Seele's call, Bronya gradually regains consciousness.

The first thing she sees when she opens her eyes is Seele's joyful smile and her hand holding hers.

Bronya looks at Seele. Only after confirming that she is unharmed does she breathe a sigh of relief. Then, looking around at her surroundings, she asks with a puzzled expression.

"Seele? Where is this?"

Seeing Bronya's bewildered expression, Seele tightly grasped her hands and said happily,

"Bronya Onee-chan, this is reality!"

Hearing Seele's words, Bronya's eyes filled with shock, and she asked incredulously,

"This... this is reality?"

Seele's face lit up with a bright smile, and she nodded.

“Yes, Bronya Onee-chan, we’re back.”

Hearing Seele’s confirmation, Bronya’s doubts vanished, replaced by joy.

Just as she was about to say something to Seele, the hospital room door was kicked open. Rosalia’s excited face came into view.

Rosalia practically flew over and pounced on Bronya, slamming heavily onto her.

“Bronya, are you alright?!”

Then, Bronya let out a painful groan.

She hadn’t been killed by the Honkai in the Sea of Quanta, but she had almost been crushed to death by this idiot, Rosalia.

Just as she was about to give Rosalia a good scolding…

Rosalia lying on her chest looked up.

"You idiot, don't just jump into the Sea of Quanta without warning! I was so worried!"

Seele spoke anxiously, watching Bronya's face turn increasingly pale as Rosalia nearly crushed her,

"Bronya Onee-chan!"

Hearing Seele's words, Rosalia finally reacted. Looking at Bronya's ashen face, she exclaimed.

"Ah! What's wrong, Bronya? You're really badly injured after all!"

At that moment, Lilia walked in, came to Bronya's bedside, and hurriedly pulled Rosalia off Bronya, saying to her without hesitation,

"Idiot Rosalia, your horn is almost killing her!"

Watching Lilia pull Rosalia up, Bronya gave her a grateful look, then gasped for breath. If Lilia had arrived any later, she felt she would have been killed by that idiot.

Meanwhile, Einstein walked into the room, straightened the door that had been kicked askew, looking quite angry.

She spoke to the four children.

“Seeing you all so energetic makes me feel relieved.”

Then, looking at the four children in the room, Rosalia felt Einstein's gaze and quickly shrank back. She was really afraid that she would want her to pay compensation.

But she didn't have much pocket money, which was why she was afraid.

However, Einstein didn't stay focused on Rosalia for long before turning her gaze to Seele and speaking softly,

“Seele, could you please take them away for a moment? I'd like to speak with Bronya alone.”

“Besides, she needs a quiet place to rest.”

Einstein then glared at Rosalia and Lilia.

Of all the things in Anti-Entropy that could make Einstein react, only the Rosalia and Lilia sisters could elicit such a change in expression. The trouble these sisters caused was a real headache even for the extremely rational Einstein.

Seele looked at Einstein, who stood with her hands on her hips, staring at Rosalia with an unfriendly expression.

Seele grabbed Rosalia and Lilia's hands and led them toward the door.

Feeling Einstein's oppressive aura, Rosalia hurriedly followed Seele out. However, as they reached the doorway, Rosalia suddenly turned around, jumped up, and shouted loudly at Bronya on the bed.

"Bronya, get some rest. We'll be back!"

Lilia looked at the reluctant Rosalia and spoke helplessly.

"You shouldn't come back."

Then, Lilia and Seele dragged the reluctant Rosalia away, and the room immediately became quiet.

"Want to Buy An Island: Hahahaha, as expected, any scene with Rosalia is full of joy. Look at Dr. Einstein's face, so full of disgust."

"Cat Cat: Dr. Einstein, who is usually expressionless, suddenly put on a cat-like face when facing Rosalia. Hehehehehe."

"Cook: Although Rosalia is cute, sometimes it's really annoying when there are too many noisy people around."

Mei thought of a certain white fluffy ball. Whenever she wanted to rest and read, that white fluffy ball would always circle around her, chattering incessantly.

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: qwq."

"Miss Elf: The story suddenly becomes so heartwarming! I really love this kind of warm and peaceful storyline. I really hope the rest of the story is like this~"

"Nun: Children are always the most adorable creatures, and being lively and active is simply their nature."

Sundown Alley, Sanatorium.

After putting the children to sleep, Aponia was preparing to return to her bedroom to rest and watch the mysterious yet unexpectedly interesting live stream.

Suddenly, she heard a vibration near her ear.

A look of confusion crossed Aponia's face.

She walked toward the source of the vibration and found herself in the kitchen. Hearing a loud noise coming from inside, Aponia pushed open the door and went in.

There, she saw the masked cook, who seemed to be in a bad mood, venting his anger on a box of vegetables and looking quite unsettling.

Seeing this, Aponia walked up behind Kalpas and spoke slowly.

"Kalpas, these boxes don't have legs. No matter how much you beg, they won't move on their own."

Kalpas's heart skipped a beat upon hearing Aponia's voice. He felt a little fear toward this woman who possessed mysterious powers, but his fear was mixed with gratitude.

After all, she had saved him and brought him to this sanatorium.

Although everything here was annoying and irritating, especially those brats who always surrounded him, chattering incessantly and driving him crazy, the place was still quite comfortable.

He wanted to get revenge on this woman and eat her out of house and home!

Although he felt grateful to her, Kalpas wouldn't show it.

Turning to Aponia, he spoke impatiently.

“Did you see me pleading? You inexplicable woman!”

“Or do you want to end up like this box, getting a couple of punches from me?”

Faced with Kalpas's irritable voice, Aponia's expression remained unchanged. She placed one hand on her chest, closed her eyes, and spoke slowly,

“The human body isn’t a cardboard box. It can feel pain. So don’t easily throw a punch at someone. That’s basic common sense. Understand?”

“Kalpas?”

Hearing Aponia’s lecturing voice, Kalpas’s inner turmoil flared, and she shouted angrily.

“Don’t treat me like a child! It’s disgusting.”

Kalpas’s suppressed anger reached Aponia’s ears. She opened her eyes, looking at him with maternal calm, and continued,

“I’m sorry, Kalpas.”

“I saw you getting along well with the children at the nursing home. I thought you’d like that.”

Hearing this, Kalpas repeated her words.

“Getting along well?”

“Aponia, is there something wrong with your eyes? How could you come to such a conclusion?”

Aponia lowered her hands and spoke softly.

"The children all love you."

"They stop crying as soon as they hear your name."

"Isn't that proof of their close bond?"

Hearing Aponia's words, Kalpas almost laughed in anger, then replied coldly.

"Is this why you always bring these little brats around me?"

"Ha, suddenly I feel they have it tough too."

Kalpas mocked, but Aponia didn't react to his sarcasm at all and even reached out to persuade him,

"Kalpas, don't call them little brats."

"They're a group of lovely children."

After saying this, Aponia closed her eyes, speaking with a wistful air.

"Imagine their innocent faces and tiny hands..."

Kalpas, hearing Aponia's words, grew increasingly irritated. She then picked up a large cabbage from the box and threw it at her feet.

"Are you done yet? Leave me alone!"

Aponia looked at the cabbage at her feet and continued,

“Kalpas, don’t touch food, or I’ll get angry!”

Hearing Aponia describe her feelings in her usual calm tone, the annoyed Kalpas replied.

“Why do you care if I get angry or not?”

After saying that, Kalpas remembered something. He picked up another cabbage and threw it at Aponia.

After throwing it, he crossed his arms and spoke arrogantly.

“So?”

Seeing this, Aponia placed one hand on her chest and spoke calmly.

“Kalpas, that’s a very childish thing to do.”

“I’m not angry~”

Seeing Aponia’s calm expression, Kalpas became even more annoyed.

“Childish or not, as long as it works.”

She continued.

"Are you angry?"

"No."

Seeing this, Kalpas turned around and kicked over a crate full of cabbages, sending a dozen or so rolling to the ground. Aponia looked at them.

"Kalpas."

Hearing Aponia's voice, Kalpas sense her anger and called out happily.

"Hmph, finally feeling anger?"

"Very good. Tear off your hypocritical mask and let me see your furious face."

Hearing Kalpas's words, Aponia closed her eyes and remained silent for a moment. Then she opened them, walked slowly to Kalpas, took his hands in hers.

"Kalpas, I'm sorry."

Kalpas was startled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't notice your inner anxiety before. It's okay. Let me listen to your heart."

Hearing Aponia's words, Kalpas tried with all his might to pull his hand back, but no matter how hard he tried, it wouldn't budge, as if it were bound by iron.

He couldn't help but think again,

"How can Aponia be so strong?"

---

Chapter Fifteen: Home Is Where Everyone Is!

Feeling his hands tightly bound by Aponia and unable to break free no matter how hard he tried, Kalpas could only suppress his anger and shout at Aponia.

"Aponia, rage! Anger! Declare war on me!"

No matter how much Kalpas roared, Aponia kept her eyes closed, her gaze lowered. She shook her head at Kalpas and spoke softly but slowly.

"Compared to your suffering, my anger is insignificant."

"Come, Kalpas, pray with me."

"I will lessen your inner turmoil and give you peace and tranquility."

Seeing Aponia like this, Kalpas was filled with rage but felt helpless.

He couldn't possibly attack Aponia. He couldn't reason with her, and he couldn't fight her. This drove Kalpas from anger to helplessness, then from helplessness to a hint of fear.

With all his might, he tried to break free of Aponia's hands and spoke angrily.

"I told you, I didn't intend to!"

"Let go!"

"Let go!"

"I said, I know I was wrong, okay!"

The moment Kalpas said those words, Aponia immediately opened her eyes, released her hands, and spoke to Kalpas.

"Really?"

Then Aponia took a few steps back, looked at Kalpas, and continued.

"Being too dishonest isn't a good thing."

"Kalpas, you still need psychological counseling."

Hearing Aponia's last four words, a flicker of fear flashed in Kalpas's eyes behind his mask. He then turned his head away, looked to the other side, and spoke very softly.

"I was wrong."

Aponia tilted her head slightly, looking puzzled.

"What?"

Hearing this, Kalpas couldn't hold back any longer. He quickly turned around and shouted at Aponia,

"I said, I was wrong."

"Wrong, I said I was wrong, okay?"

"Aponia, leave me alone!"

Ignoring Kalpas's anger and impatience, Aponia smiled, placed her hands on her chest, and spoke joyfully to Kalpas.

"That's great, Kalpas."

"As long as you recognize your mistakes, you will be redeemed."

Hearing Aponia's words, which sounded like a monk's chant, Kalpas took a deep breath and gritted his teeth, shouting Aponia's name.

"Aponia—!"

"You just wait!"

Then he turned to leave this place of trouble.

As he left, his suppressed anger could no longer be contained, and he slammed his fist against the box containing the cabbages. The box shattered into pieces, and the cabbages inside rolled everywhere.

Kalpas's gaze froze upon seeing this scene. He stiffly turned around and, seeing the change in Aponia's eyes, a bad feeling welled up inside him.

He hurriedly explained to Aponia,

"Wait, listen to me. It was an accident."

But before Kalpas could finish, Aponia walked up to him again, and took his hand.

"It seems you still need to go to the prayer room to calm down."

"Right, Kalpas?"

Then Aponia abandoned her break from watching the livestream and dragged Kalpas to the prayer room to pray for several hours.

Back in the live stream, Einstein looked at Bronya on the bed, observed her gaze, sat down beside her, and said,

"Bronya, you must have many questions, right?"

Bronya nodded and confided her doubts to Einstein.

"Doctor, what happened after that? Bronya's memories stopped when she left the Sea of Quanta."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: That's not how you ask that! You should ask: Doctor, where did my driver's license go? Hehehehe!"

"Cat Cat: My cool motorcycle is gone."

In reality, Bronya narrowed her eyes as she looked at Kiana and Pardo's words.

She had originally wanted to leave some snacks for the idiot, but seeing her like this, she definitely didn't need her treasured snacks.

In that case, Bronya would reluctantly help the idiot finish them off.

Back in the story, Einstein briefly summarized what happened after Bronya fell unconscious.

"Seele saved you and brought you back to reality. After that, we repelled Schicksal's forces. Things are temporarily settled, and it's safe here now."

Hearing this, Bronya breathed a sigh of relief.

Then she continued questioning Einstein.

"Then, what about the 'Serpent'...?"

Einstein didn't answer Bronya's question.

Seeing this, Bronya realized something and continued,

"He... he escaped?"

Einstein nodded.

"Using the energy of the Gem of Desire, he escaped."

"We can't find his location, but I'm afraid he's already in reality."

Hearing Einstein's words, Bronya lowered her head, a hint of self-reproach flashing in her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

Einstein shook his head upon hearing Bronya's apology and continued.

"Why are you apologizing?"

Bronya answered remorsefully.

"Bronya couldn't stop him. Bronya did nothing."

Seeing this, Einstein reached out and placed his hand on Bronya's head, gently comforting her.

"Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault."

"The difference in power was too vast. From the moment he obtained the Gem of Desire, the outcome was already sealed."

"Welt, Cocolia, and I are all responsible for this incident."

"But you aren't. You saved Welt, you saved Seele, and you all came back alive. That's the most important thing."

After saying this, Einstein looked at Bronya with grateful eyes and sincerely thanked her.

"Thank you, Bronya."

Bronya's dejected mood gradually improved under Einstein's comfort. She looked up at Einstein and then asked,

"Mr. Welt, did he survive?"

Einstein nodded.

"Thanks to you, he survived."

Hearing this, Bronya finally asked the question she most wanted to ask.

"Then... what about Mother Cocolia?"

Through her experiences in the Bubble World and her own growth, she seemed to understand Cocolia a little better.

Einstein didn't hesitate, replying,

"She's in our custody."

"She colluded with foreign enemies, leaked classified information, framed organization members, conducted illegal experiments without authorization, and has countless lives on her hands."

"Cocolia must be held accountable for what she's done over the years, and she didn't resist."

After saying this, Einstein's eyes dimmed as he looked at Bronya, and his head drooped again. He remained silent for a moment, then spoke to Bronya,

"There's still some time before the Hyperion arrives at Salt Lake Base. You still have time to see her."

"Drunken Warrior: Cocolia deserved it. Whatever her motives, whether it was to save her daughter or for humanity, she did so many wrong things. It's really unfair if she didn't receive punishment."

"Cat Cat: Good guys and bad guys. Indeed, the world isn't simply a matter of good and bad."

Pardo, who grew up in the chaotic Sundown Alley, had a clear understanding of human nature.

"Miss Elf: Once you fall into obsession, even with good intentions, you'll ultimately make a terrible mistake."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Compared to the previous storylines, this one is better. Although I don't understand why the MANTIS of the Previous Era became like this, I can feel the difference between him and Fu Hua."

"Drunken Warrior: Compared to this character who seems like a villain from the start, Fu Hua is much more likable."

Thinking of Fu Hua, Himeko couldn't help but feel a little worried. Since that sword-wielding girl took Fu Hua away, Fu Hua hadn't contacted them for a while and hadn't appeared in the livestream.

Could something have happened?

Theresa was equally worried. Fu Hua herself was still asleep, and Senti was processing Fu Hua's vast memories. Neither was focused on the livestream.

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Hmph, this Kevin doesn't look like a good person. When I meet him, I'll definitely give him a piece of my mind!"

"Dudu: World Serpent leading us to victory over Honkai. Based on what World Serpent is doing now, how could anyone believe such an organization could defeat Honkai?"

"Want to Buy An Island: ......."

Raven didn't respond to these comments, nor did she know what to say.

After all, what World Serpent was currently preparing in Arc City didn't seem like what a legitimate organization would do. In World Serpent's ideology, whatever the cost, as long as Honkai was defeated, it was all worthwhile.

Xiyue wasn't surprised by the comments about Kevin. Before the Elysian Realm appeared, players in her previous life all considered Kevin a villain.

Therefore, she wasn't particularly surprised.

The more she disliked Kevin now, the more she would like him once the truth was revealed in the later plot.

Following this, Bronya focused on the story, listened to Einstein's words, tidied herself up, and headed to the place where Cocolia was imprisoned.

She stood at the door for a long time, finally taking a deep breath and going inside.

Upon entering, she saw a much more haggard Cocolia, a far cry from her former spirited self.

A pang of heartache flashed in Bronya's eyes as she called out to Cocolia,

"Mother Cocolia."

Cocolia, who was reading, heard Bronya's voice and quickly stood up, looking at Bronya with surprise and joy.

"Bronya?"

"I'm so glad to see you're alright."

Seeing Cocolia's genuine smile, Bronya was silent for a moment, then asked,

"What will they do to you?"

Hearing Bronya's question, Cocolia seemed to understand something and said softly,

"It seems Einstein told you quite a bit."

"I don't know, and there's no need to think about it. Nobody cares about the thoughts of a loser."

Cocolia said this indifferently.

But Bronya looked at Cocolia and said emphatically,

"I will care."

Hearing this, Cocolia's sharp eyes softened instantly as she looked at her daughter and spoke slowly,

"Don't worry, they won't do anything to me."

"In these extraordinary times, nobody will spend their time and energy on traitors."

"Heh, maybe if necessary, I can even get a chance to redeem myself."

Cocolia was telling the truth. As one of Anti-Entropy's founding members, the worst punishment she could receive was life imprisonment.

Moreover, most of the other Anti-Entropy founding members were focused on research and didn't prioritize organizational management. Someone of Cocolia's rank had a real chance of being released.

Hearing Cocolia's words, Bronya remained silent, but she felt a sense of relief.

Cocolia continued.

"However, during this time, I'll have to entrust the orphanage to your care."

Hearing about the orphanage, Bronya's eyes hardened.

"Bronya will protect everyone at the orphanage."

Hearing Bronya's reply, Cocolia shook her head.

"No, Bronya. Not you, all of you."

"Rosalia and Lilia are kind-hearted, always trying to bring smiles to everyone's faces. But they're still inexperienced and don't understand many things."

"Seele is very caring and capable, but she's weak-willed and somewhat indecisive."

"And you, you like to shoulder everything yourself."

"You always carry the burden alone, always looking ahead, forgetting that there are people around you moving forward with you. They all like you and are trying their best to catch up."

"You have the ability to unite everyone, so don't forget to look back at them often. Your 'home' is where you are with them."

As a mother who deeply loves them, how could she not know her child's strengths and weaknesses?

Bronya listened to Cocolia's words, her heart filled with complex emotions, her eyes glistening with tears as she gazed at Cocolia.

"Mother Cocolia, you've never said these things to us before."

"Why?"

Hearing Bronya's words, a look of confusion crossed Cocolia's eyes as she asked.

"Is that so? So I've never said them before?"

"Why?"

Cocolia looked up at the dim ceiling and murmured,

"I don't know, I really don't know."

"Over the decades, I've done many things and made many mistakes. It's impossible to say I have no regrets."

"But there's one thing I've never regretted."

"That's bringing you back from the Siberian snowfields in the spring of 2012."

"Bronya, you are my pride!"

.......

"Cat Cat: Cocolia wasn't a good person, but she must have been a good mother. She truly loved her children."

"Drunken Warrior: Wasn't everything she did to save Seele? Perhaps she had other plans, but this ending was the best for her."

"Want to Buy An Island: Most people are selfish, acting only to achieve what they want."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Right and wrong, who can really say?"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Ha, am I the only one who noticed that Cocolia and Bronya's hairstyles are drill heads?"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: What the hell, drill heads?! Your observation point..."

"Driver's License Revoked: ......."

-----

Chapter Sixteen: Congratulations to Bronya for regaining her driver's license!

“Miss Elf: Hey, now that you mention it, it's true. Bronya and Cocolia's hairstyles are really similar; only the hair color is different. As for looking like drills, I admit it's only a tiny bit similar, just a tiny bit.”

“Want to Buy An Island: Although they are adoptive parents, Cocolia's feelings for the children in the orphanage are no different from those of a biological parent.”

As a person who also adopted a group of children, Raven and Cocolia share some common ground regarding orphanages.

“Drunken Warrior: Riding a sewing machine for over a decade might be the best ending for Cocolia.”

On the transport ship, Bronya watched Cocolia's sincere words to her in the storyline. Tears welled in her eyes as she murmured while gazing at the live stream.

“Mother Cocolia—!”

Watching this scene, Xiyie thought objectively.

You could call Cocolia a bad person, but you couldn't doubt her love for the children in the orphanage.

Without her, it's uncertain whether those children in Cocolia's orphanage would have survived the Second Eruption.

Looking at Cocolia before her and watching her exit, Xiyue felt a pang of regret.

Cocolia in Honkai Gakuen was doing similar things to Cocolia in Honkai Impact 3rd, but her character was more fleshed out.

When she transmigrated, she vaguely heard other players say that in Honkai Star Rail, Cocolia was still a villain but still loved Bronya.

She didn't know if it was true.

However, if it was true, it could only be said that Cocolia was a professional villain and a devoted mother.

Thinking of this, Xiyue felt a little dazed, murmuring to herself.

"I remember getting a beta test qualification for Honkai: Star Rail back then."

"Too bad, I transmigrated before I even started playing."

"Damn it."

After a few internal complaints, Xiyue continued watching the livestream and continued streaming the story.

Several days later, on the Far Eastern border.

Bronya stood on the beach, looking at Welt with a puzzled expression.

"Mr. Welt, Bronya doesn't quite understand what you mean."

Welt looked down at Bronya and replied softly.

"What I mean is that it can unleash greater power in your hands."

As he spoke, the black core floated in Welt's palm, its faint glow illuminating Bronya's face.

Then he continued speaking to Bronya.

"The Herrscher Core is not a necessary condition for becoming the leader. The power should be given to someone with more potential."

As he finished speaking, white bandages were faintly visible beneath Welt's collar. Seeing this, Bronya recalled seeing Einstein and him having a serious conversation in the infirmary, though she hadn't realized what was happening then.

Her eyes widened in surprise and confusion.

"Why Bronya? Perhaps there would be someone else more suitable."

Hearing Bronya's words, Welt wasn't surprised. He had expected her to ask this. Looking at her gently, he answered again.

"Because Joachim chose you."

"Moreover, in the Sea of Quanta, you proved yourself."

Hearing Welt's words, Bronya lowered her head slightly, her eyes dimming as she thought of the snake.

"But Bronya lost."

Welt shook his head.

"Whether you've lost or not depends on how you interpret failure. For a person, as long as they hold onto themselves, they haven't lost."

Hearing Welt's words, Bronya was completely confused.

Seeing the confusion in Bronya's eyes, Welt continued.

“You don’t need to answer me now. Think about it some more. The most important thing is your own decision. If you’re willing to accept, I will personally train you to use the power of this Herrscher Core.”

Seeing Welt say this, Bronya didn’t refuse again, but solemnly said to Welt:

“I understand. Thank you, Mr. Welt.”

Just then, Seele’s voice rang out in the distance.

“Bronya Onee-chan, where are you?”

Welt watched the girl searching for Bronya in the distance, a slight smile playing on his lips, before bidding Bronya farewell.

“Looks like your companions are looking for you. Let’s talk later.”

“Farewell, Bronya. Your journey has just begun.”

...

“Don’t Want to Take the Exam: Huh? So Bronya got her driver’s license again? I’m not having it! How can that idiot Bronya ride such a cool motorcycle?”

"Driver's License Revoked: Zaychik detected 90% sour grapes in your words."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Who's sour? Humph, laughable!"

"Cat Cat: Hey, this Mr. Welt gives me a different feeling, but I can't quite put my finger on it."

"Miss Elf: So the First Herrscher can be passed down? This era is truly eye-opening~"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: This is something Welt can do too. The Herrscher of Reason is passed down through generations; whoever gains the approval of the Core of Reason will be the next Herrscher of Reason."

"Drunken Warrior: As expected, as expected."

"Want to Buy An Island: The leader of the Anti-Entropy Alliance is indeed a very charismatic person."

“Dr. Lobsterhead: Stop, stop! Praising him any more will send him flying!”

“Cook: Everything is heading in a positive direction. The next chapter should cover Kiana's situation.”

Xiyue glanced at the comments, adjusted a few replies, and then continued the stream.

Back to the story.

Just a few seconds after Welt left, Rosalia immediately appeared behind Bronya, looked at her with curiosity, and asked.

“Bronya, what were you talking about with Welt?”

“He wouldn't be choosing you as the next leader, would he?!”

Amid Rosalia's exclamations, Lilia slowly approached, listened to Rosalia's words, and then spoke to Bronya.

“Is Bronya Onee-chan also going to inherit Welt's name?”

Hearing her younger sister's words, Rosalia crossed her arms and thought seriously.

"Welt Zaychik—that's obviously a man's name!"

Hearing Rosalia's words, Bronya couldn't hold back any longer and retorted angrily.

"What nonsense are you talking about? That's not true at all."

"Bronya won't change her name. Bronya is Bronya."

Hearing Bronya's serious reply, Rosalia pouted, a displeased expression on her face.

"Tch, what a disappointment. I thought I could freeload off you."

Having revealed her true intentions to Bronya, Rosalia then, as if remembering something, cheerfully said.

"Speaking of which, Lilia and I will be following Theresa from now on!"

At this moment, Lilia added.

"Theresa is going to teach us how to control our power."

"She said we have great potential but haven't received professional training."

Rosalia couldn't help but add.

"Although we originally wanted to refuse, the Hyperion's pastries are just so, so delicious!"

"It's the first time I've ever had a cake with sugar and cream!"

Rosalia said this to Bronya with beaming joy.

Meanwhile, Seele, standing next to the twins, looked at Bronya and spoke sweetly.

“Bronya Onee-chan, Seele will also be going to the Hyperion.”

“Dr. Einstein seems quite interested in Seele’s Stigmata; she wants to observe her for a while longer. But that’s fine, because Seele and Bronya Onee-chan can work together from now on.”

Hearing Seele’s words, Bronya nodded emphatically.

“Yes, Bronya will help you adjust to the new environment.”

Lilia, acting as the narrator, also spoke about what would happen next.

“The Doctor has taken in the children from the orphanage; they will be temporarily moving to the Salt Lake Base. I heard it’s very safe there. Rosalia and I will also go there to help in a while.”

“It’s just Sin Mal.”

Lilia glanced at Seele as she said the name. Seeing that Seele’s expression remained unchanged, still fixed on Bronya, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Rosalia, following up on Lilia’s words, addressed Seele and Bronya.

“To be honest, it’s quite lonely without her.”

Rosalia thought of Sin's irritating face and felt a pang of longing.

The four little ones, rarely together, chatted for a while, then happily played.

The rising sun cast its light upon the still sea as if the previous turbulent waves were merely a dream.

The four little ones gazed at the sea. They remembered everything that had happened that night on this ocean.

Reunion, farewell, departure, return.

Everything came so suddenly and then vanished without a trace like fleeting smoke.

Sensing everyone's emotions, Seele, arm in arm with Bronya, looked at the sea and spoke softly.

"So much has happened, both with Anti-Entropy and St. Freya. Things will be very busy for a while. We can't rely solely on the adults; we have to work hard too."

Hearing Seele's words, Lilia looked at the three sisters and spoke slowly.

"What will the future hold?"

"It still seems so far away, yet it feels so close."

Listening to Seele and Lilia, Bronya stood in the middle of the group, looked into everyone's eyes, and spoke softly:

"Theresa said the future belongs to the children."

"If even they don't believe tomorrow will be better, then there will never be the future we all hope for. That is also her original intention and reason for founding St. Freya Academy."

Rosalia listened to Theresa's words, her large eyes constantly fixed on Bronya. Hearing Bronya's daunting words, she could no longer hold back.

Rosalia complained to the group.

"Theresa always says things that are hard to understand. Is she really the same age as us?"

Hearing Rosalia's question, Bronya was also taken aback.

From any angle, she was much older than Rosalia.

"Probably not the same age."

Hearing this answer, Rosalia laughed, a bright smile spreading across her face, and spoke to the three little ones with great joy.

"But I understand what Bronya means."

"The future depends on our efforts, right?"

Hearing Rosalia say this, the three of them looked shocked, then nodded in unison.

Seeing everyone agree, Rosalia's eyes almost narrowed into crescents, and she continued excitedly.

"But let's have fun today and start working hard tomorrow!"

Seele said helplessly.

“Rosalia.”

Lilia looked on as if it were commonplace.

“I knew it.”

Then, under the helpless gazes of the other three, Rosalia burst into laughter.

She walked up to them and excitedly called out:

"Come on, come on!"

"But what should we play?"

"Bronya, you decide!"

Hearing Rosalia's words, Bronya smiled and said softly:

"Hmm... there are four of us today, so let's play hide-and-seek!"

.......

Instantly, the beach was filled with the girls' laughter. They hadn't played together for a very long time, and this time they were going to have a blast.

Main Story 12 Beyond Light and Shadow—5 (Complete)

The viewers in the livestream, watching Bronya and her three companions, all smiled in unison.

"Cat Cat: It's so good, so good that it ended! So cheerful and heartwarming. I love this kind of storyline the most! There should be more storylines like this in the future, and fewer sad and heartbreaking ones!"

"Want to Buy An Island: You're not going to sweeten things up first and then stab me in the back, are you? I advise you to go to hell!"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: If you keep up those gruesome plots, I'll send you to the underworld to livestream! When I get angry, I even curse myself!"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Hmph, it's definitely going to be a good plot. No need to guess—I know the next part will be Kiana's appearance, and then we'll watch Kiana rampage all the way to Schicksal headquarters, sending that wretched Otto to the underworld!"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: In my words, Kiana is invincible!"

----

Chapter Seventeen: Gray Serpent's Audience

Upon seeing Kiana's comment, Xiyue was momentarily at a loss for words.

While Chongchong was indeed invincible after becoming the Herrscher of Flamescion, countless hardships awaited her in the previous storylines. The biggest of these was undoubtedly her story with Mei.

Thinking of the domestic violence on the rooftop that day, Xiyue wanted to close her eyes and pray for Chongchong.

She wondered what kind of expression Chongchong would have if she saw Mei violently abusing her.

A scene of domestic violence—how exciting!

While lost in thought, Xiyue continued her livestream of the next chapter, striving to finish the Void Drifter storyline.

As for Lost Sands, she would only give a brief overview.

Regarding the story of Chen Tianwu and Anna:

She didn't gain much insight into either their past or present lives.

This was all miHoYo's fault; they had overcomplicated things.

The intention was good—to let viewers experience, once again, the mutual redemption in the heterosexual love story of Chen Tianwu and Anna, and then...

The players' reaction was completely unexpected by everyone at miHoYo.

When players encountered this part of the story, there was only one word to describe it: bewilderment.

The plot was bewildering, and the romance was even more so.

It was purely for the sake of violence. Even story-driven players struggled to get through Chapter 18, barely managing to suppress the urge to vomit blood. The rest of the players were even more frustrated.

If it weren't for the later emergence of Senti, she wouldn't even want to go through this part of the story.

Getting back on track, she focused on the livestream and continued. The progress in reality was undergoing a dramatic change. If the Arc City storyline wasn't broadcast soon, Theresa and her group would struggle against the World Serpent and Schicksal.

Without saying anything, Xiyue clicked on the next chapter of the main storyline.

Chapter 13: The Long Night in the Dark Sky - 01

...

Somewhere far away, in an unknown land.

In a dimly lit passage, Gray Serpent advanced without hindrance.

He didn't light any lamps, nor did he memorize any maps. But whenever a fork in the road appeared, the thought of which way to go would spontaneously arise in his mind, as if he were walking a path he had trodden a thousand times before.

In fact, until today, this was his first time coming to this refuge.

Fifteen hundred years ago, this was the starting point for the Lord's return to the mortal world, once considered a sacred place by his followers. But with his sealing on the other side, this place fell into silence, and its existence became a lost secret.

Now, the Lord's call has guided him here to fulfill his duty.

“Miss Elf: Is Kevin sealed? Who sealed Kevin, and why?”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Hmph, so he was sealed by someone, huh? Hmph, doesn't seem so powerful!”

“The Number One Cutest in the World: Sealed?”

Seeing the plot unfold, Theresa once again felt her lack of information; there were far too many historical truths she didn't know. Meanwhile, Dr. Mei had put down her experiments and grew increasingly curious about the future Kevin.

"Sealed?"

"Who could it be?"

A complex light flashed in Dr. Mei's beautiful purple eyes.

Seeing the comments section, Xiyue couldn't resist revealing a little something to the audience.

"Want to know who sealed Kevin?"

"Eh, I know, but I won't tell, hehe."

Of course, Xiyue was just being cheeky.

After all, facing the anger of the entire livestream audience, Xiyue was a little flustered.

Who knew if these people wanted a close-up meeting with her like they did with Elysia last time?

Therefore, before anyone could react, Xiyue revealed the secret.

"The one who sealed Kevin was Kevin's former friend~"

That's all she said. Ignoring the question marks filling the comment section, Xiyue continued watching the story.

In the story, Gray Serpent stopped.

At the end of the road, a massive, mountain-like metal gate blocked his path.

Gray Serpent stared at the gate, stood still, and waited silently for a moment.

Then, a command shone like a ray of light in his mind, and Gray Serpent obediently recited it.

"Destruction and Rebirth."

The massive gate opened with difficulty, as if resisting the weight of a thousand years.

Gray Serpent entered the dark hall. The moment he stepped inside, the hall was brightly lit, and a man leaned against a huge throne, silently contemplating.

Fifteen hundred years had passed. Power had passed through the hands of humanity, and fire and sword had repeatedly baptized the earth. On this planet, history unfolds and fades away, as swiftly as the blink of an eye.

Yet, compared to the last time Gray Serpent saw him, the man before him remained unchanged.

His will remained the same.

The man seated high on the throne seemed to transcend time, untouched by reincarnation.

Perhaps only those who transcend time can overcome the destruction hidden behind history, a destruction that transcends time itself.

The man on the throne awoke from his reverie, turning his gaze to his follower. Gray Serpent trembled involuntarily.

For he saw, he saw a pair of indescribable eyes.

He knew those eyes had witnessed miracles unimaginable to mortals and had endured the sorrow of all things perishing. But all of this, everything those eyes had witnessed, had been forged by an extraordinary will into two blocks of merciless, cold ice.

Gray Serpent knelt on one knee, respectfully addressing the man.

"Please forgive me for not being able to personally welcome your return."

---

Chapter 18: Kiana, Kevin Is Your Ancestor!

Seated on his throne, Kevin looked at Gray Serpent and spoke calmly.

“How are the preparations for the plan progressing?”

Gray Serpent slowly raised his head upon hearing Kevin's question and immediately replied.

“Progress is smooth. The world now possesses all the conditions necessary to implement the plan. Even if the Herrscher of Reason can hinder your progress for a time, he cannot stop the march of history.”

“The research on the Jackal is nearing completion; only one final verification is needed.”

Gray Serpent's face remained expressionless as he spoke softly.

"Let's get started."

...

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Huh? What are World Serpent up to now? I really want to go over there and give them a good beating!"

"Cook: Isn't Kevin the leader of the thirteen MANTIS of the Previous Era? Why would he be the leader of such a treacherous group as the Gray Serpent? It's unbelievable and incomprehensible."

"Miss Elf: The current Kevin is completely different from the Kevin of the Previous Era. I wonder what happened to make Kevin become like this. But it's very likely that the Previous Era ultimately failed to defeat Honkai."

Elysia isn't very familiar with Kevin at the moment, but as members of the Fire Moth armed forces, and through their connection with Dr. Mei, they do have some interaction.

In Elysia's view, except when fighting, the sunny Kevin maintains a sunny and cheerful smile at all times, especially when he sees Dr. Mei.

But this Kevin now, his face and his eyes are devoid of any smile.

“Cat Cat: I just realized that Kevin has been around for so long, and I haven’t seen him smile once!”

Dr. Mei quietly observed all of this. No one understood Kevin’s changes better than she did. But Mei knew that a large part of the reason was the final battle between their era and the last Herrscher.

However, Mei didn’t believe Kevin would do anything detrimental to the next era.

Her boy would never.

Even if that era didn’t belong to him.

“Want to Buy An Island: I can’t tell you too much, but I can say that the ultimate goal of the World Serpent is the same as that of the people of this era: to defeat the Honkai!”

Seeing the other spectators’ perception of the World Serpent dwindling, Raven finally couldn’t help but say a few words.

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Perhaps. But currently, World Serpent seems to be an untrustworthy organization."

"Drunken Warrior: Let's keep watching. I think the later plot will definitely reveal World Serpent's plans."

"Dr. Lobsterhead: World Serpent? Saving the world? I wonder what you guys are up to."

"Driver's License Revoked: He's really completely different from Class Monitor. Will Class Monitor recognize him?"

Back to the plot.

Gray Serpent listened to Kevin's words, nodded, and then continued.

"Yes."

"To celebrate your return, I have a gift to offer."

As soon as he finished speaking, a greatsword of ice-white color appeared in Gray Serpent's hands. He held it respectfully to Kevin, saying,

"Only this legendary weapon is worthy of the future pioneers of humanity."

The ice-white greatsword was dull and lifeless, but certain marks on its blade seemed to tell the world that it had once burned everything.

Kevin gazed at the greatsword, a look of reminiscence crossing his usually cold eyes.

He had wielded this sword to slay all demons that threatened humanity and to face the divine punishment of the "gods."

Looking at the greatsword before him, Kevin spoke solemnly and gravely.

"Old friend, we meet again."

As soon as he finished speaking, Kevin rose, walked to Gray Serpent, and grasped the hilt, as if grasping his past. He stared at the dark blade, just as he had done before countless battles.

The greatsword, forged from soul steel, seemed to hear the warrior's cry; its blade trembled as if awakening.

Its shape stretched and changed, responding to the warrior's burning fighting spirit. It was as if it were not merely a sword, but a living being with a soul.

A ray of light emerged from the depths of the sword's core. Reunited with its former master, it rekindled its soul.

The flaming sword guarding Eden, the heavenly fire that burned Sodom—those fortunate enough to witness this sacred artifact have described its majesty in countless myths.

Now, a thousand years later, myth will once again become reality.

Looking at the crimson greatsword, Kevin's gaze hardened once more, and he solemnly declared.

"From this moment on, fight alongside me!"

This command not only resounded throughout the hall but also struck like a silent thunderclap, resonating in the hearts of all his followers far away—announcing to them that a storm was about to break.

And when Kevin picked up the sword and summoned its third form, the audience who recognized it gaped in astonishment.

They all uttered those four words in unison:

"Judgment of Shamash!"

Immediately, a flood of questions filled their hearts.

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Huh? Isn't this our Kaslana family's sacred sword, the Judgment of Shamash? How did Gray Serpent take it?!”

Kiana realized something was wrong after sending this message, her expression turning worried as she muttered hurriedly.

“Dad?”

“Cat Cat: What's the Judgment of Shamash, meow? I remember it being mentioned before, but I forgot! Can someone explain it again?”

“The Number One Cutest in the World: The Judgment of Shamash is the Seventh Divine Key, forged from the core of the Previous Era's Herrscher of Flame, possessing immense power. However, because only those with Kaslana family blood can use the Judgment of Shamash, it is a sacred relic of the Kaslana family, and only the head of the family can wield its power.”

After saying this, Theresa said nothing more.

Her eyes were now filled with worry.

The Judgment of Shamash had always been used by Siegfried. But now that it was in Gray Serpent's hands, where was Siegfried?

A sudden surge of panic and anger filled Theresa.

If anything had truly happened to Siegfried, she would make sure Gray Serpent died a horrible death!

Looking at the screen, Theresa made a praying gesture and prayed.

"Siegfried, you better not get into any trouble. You scoundrel will definitely be fine!"

"Driver's License Revoked: Only members of the Kaslana family can use it, so why can this Kevin use it? Zaychik doesn't understand."

"Dr. Lobsterhead: It's not just about using it; he instantly transformed the Judgment of Shamash into its third form, 'Cleaver.' Even that bastard Siegfried would have a hard time doing that. Yet he did it so easily. Judging from the storyline, it seems this greatsword belongs to him."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Impossible, absolutely impossible. I've never seen him in our Kaslana family tree! That show-off isn't from my family."

"Want to Buy An Island: Is it possible that Kevin is also a member of your Kaslana family? Or, given Kevin's age, if he really is an ancestor of the Kaslana family, then you upstairs should call him 'Grandpa'!"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Huh? What nonsense are you talking about? He's our Kaslana ancestor! Do you think I'm easy to fool? Letting me call him 'Grandpa'? Dream on!"

"Miss Elf: But you know what, if you look closely, you can find many similarities between Kevin and Kiana! Just by looking at their appearances, you can see a lot. Does that mean if Kiana meets Kevin, she'll have to call him 'Grandpa' in front of him? Hahaha, that's hilarious!"

"Cook: They really do look alike!"

Dr. Mei was slightly taken aback when she saw the comments in the live chat. Indeed, Kiana and Kevin really do look alike.

Could it be that Kevin and I will have a baby in the future?

Even the usually rational Mei blushed slightly at this thought.

“Driver's License Revoked: I can't believe that idiot and Kevin share the same ancestor. Why is that idiot so stupid? Did his genes mutate?”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Impossible, absolutely impossible, definitely impossible. I'm going to ask Yuexi if Kevin is a Kaslana. When Yuexi answers no, hmph!”

Xiyue also glanced at the comment section and saw Kiana's comment.

Seeing Kiana's comment and knowing the truth, she almost couldn't hold back. But even through the room, she could feel Kiana's expectant gaze.

Not wanting to disappoint Kiana, Xiyue addressed the audience.

“Kevin's full name is Kevin Kaslana~”

Just as Xiyue finished speaking, she heard a sound coming from Kiana's room—the sound of someone falling from above.

Without a doubt, she knew Kiana's current state.

She was stunned.

She then continued answering the plot questions.

When Kevin picked up his old friend again, the screen went black.

However, the scene quickly returned to the livestream.

On the edge of Arc City, four months had passed since the outbreak of the Great Honkai. To escape the pale beasts appearing in the void and the zombie infection caused by the beast tide, more and more people were seeking refuge in large cities for a moment's rest.

However, the disaster showed no signs of abating. For the mech patrols of Arc City, this was an especially difficult night.

The mech pilot, looking at the troublesome Honkai beasts before him, spoke somewhat frantically into the walkie-talkie.

"So many monsters, they're like cockroaches, impossible to kill!"

"Report: The frequency of Honkai beast outbreaks in surrounding cities is increasing. Arc City is now under complete martial law. All mechs are holding their positions."

[A large number of Honkai detected ahead.]

The roars of the mech pilots mingled with the mechanical whirring; the battle was extremely tense.

Looking at the troublesome, seemingly endless Honkai beasts, the mech pilots felt a mix of confusion and killing intent.

Kill as many as you can!

However, their mech squad was still facing a precarious situation against the countless Honkai beasts. Just as the squad was about to collapse, the pilots saw a slender girl descend from the north.

With a single kick, she wiped out the Honkai beasts attacking the pilots.

However, the girl, like a savior, ignored the pilots and continued to fight off the Honkai beasts that surged forward again.

She unleashed the new techniques she had recently learned from Fu Hua against the Honkai beasts.

Under Fu Hua's tutelage, her progress was rapid.

To the mech squad behind her, Kiana's skills were akin to those of a superhero. However, they didn't just stand by and wait; they continued to assist her in hunting down the Honkai beasts.

After a while, Kiana finally eliminated the group of Honkai beasts that had gathered together.

"Finally, it's much cleaner now."

Kiana looked at the ground, a slight sense of pride rising within her. But her joy was short-lived. Fu Hua hurriedly told Kiana,

“Get out of here quickly. Don't let too many people witness your arrival.”

Kiana was already used to Fu Hua's incessant nagging; after all, she had been living like this for the past few months.

“Okay~”

Kiana grabbed her dual pistols and ran forward, quickly leaving this dangerous place.

The mechs hadn't seen her expression; the battle was over. But people no longer remembered when that white figure appeared in the moonlight or when she left.

However, what they didn't know was that two pairs of eyes were watching everything from the darkness.

The virtual avatar of Jackal spoke softly, observing the livestream through the monitor.

“According to Gray Serpent's intelligence, she has remained in Arc City and hasn't left.”

Another virtual figure, watching Kiana's swift movements, spoke to the Jackal beside her.

"K-423 is roaming the sites of all the Honkai beast disasters. I'm worried she might jeopardize the experiments."

"What a nuisance."

Jackal listened to the reply from above and spoke softly.

"Indeed a nuisance. But there's no time to worry about her. The Lord has returned from the Sea of Quanta and ordered the operation to begin."

“However, the priority now is dealing with interference from Schicksal. They've already sent people to Shenzhou; don't let them hinder what we're doing.”

Raven chuckled coldly, then said with a smile.

“K-423's whereabouts are more important to Schicksal, so let Schicksal be busy chasing her.”

Jackal agreed to the plan.

“Very good. If it comes to the point where both sides have to fight, don't forget to use the gift I carefully prepared for Schicksal. I'm sure they'll be pleasantly surprised.”

.......

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Two more World Serpent members have appeared. The plan they discussed, and what that Raven guy said—they're all so terrifying and cold-blooded!”

“Cat Cat: After this conversation, my impression of the World Serpent organization has worsened.”

“Dudu: A carefully prepared gift?”

Dudu's eyes flickered; she instantly realized there was a traitor among them.

With that, she narrowed her eyes slightly and walked towards the Overseer's office.

"Cook: World Serpent was definitely up to something, damn it!"

"Driver's License Revoked: World Serpent and Gray Serpent already disgusted Zaychik, but who knew there were two more? Zaychik will find them one day!"

Raven looked at the comments, knowing that some of them were directed at her.

She felt a little strange for a moment.

However, this strange feeling quickly disappeared.

They weren't bad people; everything they did was to defeat Honkai!

---

Chapter Nineteen: Two Acting Queens – Rita Raven

Meanwhile, on the floating island at Schicksal headquarters, in the Schicksal Overseer's office.

Rita entered the office and, seeing Otto reviewing documents, respectfully addressed him.

"Your Excellency, we analyzed the intelligence from the humanoid brain we obtained in Arc City. While it wasn't enough to pinpoint K-423's exact location, the analysis indicates she is still in that city.

Furthermore, the existence of this intelligence itself means that K-423 is under the surveillance of World Serpent."

Hearing Rita's report, Otto looked up. He rested his chin on his hands, his emerald eyes gleaming with interest.

"I'd like to see what tricks this lurking snake is up to."

After saying this, he fixed his gaze on the maid and continued.

"Rita, I need you to return to Arc City, track down K-423, and continue the pursuit."

Hearing Otto's words, Rita hesitated, then continued speaking to him.

"But, Your Excellency, given the current situation, I'm worried we might alert them."

Otto shook his head upon hearing Rita's words.

"Don't worry. I can arrange for you to go under the guise of inspecting a partner company.

We have collaborations with large companies across many sectors globally. One of them, a pharmaceutical company called Heliopolis Life Sciences, has been involved in an aid program providing free medical services to cities around the world affected by Honkai.

Their aid to Shenzhou uses Arc City as the entry point. For the past five months, Schicksal has been regularly supplying Shenzhou with Honkai-resistant vaccines and aid supplies through this company.

This time, you will represent them, transporting a new batch of drugs to Arc City. With Heliopolis Life Sciences' access to medical records and information channels, your search will be much easier."

Hearing Otto's words, Rita nodded and bowed to him again.

"Yes, sir."

...

"Want to Buy An Island: Schicksal's sphere of influence is really vast!"

However, although Raven said this, the corners of her mouth still turned up slightly. As one of the few executives of World Serpent, she certainly knew what Heliopolis Life Sciences was all about.

Her direct superior, Jackal, was their chief scientist.

However, when Raven thought of the experiments Jackal had conducted there, a hint of reluctance flashed in her eyes.

She was raised by World Serpent, a woman who fought for the serpent. But for her, World Serpent was not her home, and she did not agree with its ideology. Therefore, for a time, she left World Serpent to find the life she wanted.

Initially, she wanted to open a coffee shop, but the food industry was difficult. Besides, she had little confidence in her cooking skills. So she switched to a bar. During her time running the bar, many intelligence agents and gang members frequented it.

She learned a lot and earned a considerable income.

But restless, she still did some spying, but eventually found that World Serpent paid more. So she returned to World Serpent and became a high-ranking officer.

Thinking about her experiences, Raven couldn't help but sigh.

She had no choice.

However, she still couldn't accept World Serpent's ideology.

But she had no choice but to obey, to accept the sacrifice of a few to destroy the Honkai.

"The Number One Cutest in the World: As one of only two organizations in the world to oppose Honkai, Schicksal's influence has spread throughout the globe. Although it does not interfere in the governments of various countries, its influence has always been there."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: So, the next part of the story is Kiana's appearance, right? Hmph, no need to guess. Kiana will definitely go on a rampage, defeating Rita, World Serpent, and everyone else."

"Driver's License Revoked: Idiots always love to brag."

"Queen: Heh, no need to watch. The Queen will definitely gain control of the body and let the world once again feel the power and majesty of the Second Herrscher!"

"Cook: Impossible, Kiana won't let Sirin succeed."

"Queen: Heh."

"Nun: I want to ask everyone, is this vaccine effective against Honkai disease patients?"

After finishing her lecture, Aponia turned her gaze to the livestream, looking at the vaccine Otto mentioned. Her azure eyes were filled with anticipation.

"The Number One Cutest in the World: It's useful. Its function is to suppress Honkai energy. However, these vaccines are not yet fully successful; they are still in the experimental stage."

"Nun: In that case, that's good too!"

Seeing Theresa's reply, a joyful smile appeared on the nun's kind face.

Based on her memories of past livestreams, she knew that the people of their world had hope of traveling to the next era. If she were to gain such an opportunity, she would definitely bring back those vaccines.

The people in the sanatorium infected with Honkai disease could be saved!

......

Back to the story.

Several hours later. The Schicksal transport ship EOS was en route. Target approaching: Shenzhou, Arc City.

[Autopilot terminated. EOS initiates landing procedure]

A clear, cold female voice rang in Rita's ears.

"Welcome to the industrial area, Miss Rita. I am Ciora, an advisor from Heliopolis Life Sciences stationed at the Shenzhou branch.

I will greet you and accompany you on your inspection."

A figure dressed in a tight-fitting black-gray combat suit reinforced with numerous leather straps, adorned with feathers on the left shoulder, with wing-shaped cuffs, and burgundy finger cots on both hands.

She wore a black hood with eye-like metal decorations.

She looked up at the Schicksal transport ship, revealing a cold and beautiful face. Short grey hair, with a few strands standing on end. Rose-red eyes, the pupils shaped like snakes, and a beauty mark below the left corner of her mouth.

She flashed a maniacal smile at the Schicksal transport ship. Her eyes gleamed with a dangerous light, like a hunter eyeing its prey.

In real life, Raven felt a surge of excitement as she watched herself appear. She had long awaited her entrance, and it had finally arrived. She would give this entrance a perfect score.

"Miss Elf: This new lady is very pretty~ but her expression is a bit fierce."

"Cat Cat: I was a little scared at first glance."

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Doesn't look like a good person."

"Want to Buy An Island: Hey, hey, hey, how can you judge a book by its cover?"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: That hood and outfit look really cool. I want one like that too."

"Drunken Warrior Bai: This consultant is not simple. I can feel a murderous aura emanating from her."

"Dudu: Rita will be careful."

.......

Back to the story. Rita looked at the robot in front of her and also at Raven, who was being remotely controlled on the large screen.

A hint of doubt flashed in her pupils, but it disappeared in an instant. With an elegant smile, she spoke to Raven.

"The scale here is truly magnificent. During the break between cargo transfers, would you please show me around?"

A sense of vigilance rose in her heart.

The robot controlled by Raven nodded, then led Rita on a stroll, introducing the facility as they walked.

"After the second Honkai outbreak, Heliopolis Life Sciences began providing free medical assistance to those affected by Honkai worldwide. To facilitate local transportation, the company chose to build industrial zones like this one for production.

Although the industrial zone is on the outskirts of Arc City, it's much better than shipping medicine from thousands of miles away."

She then led Rita into the industrial zone.

Rita listened to Raven's words, looked up at her surroundings, and said softly.

"The architecture here is very Egyptian."

Raven chuckled softly at Rita's words and replied.

"Heh, just some personal hobbies of the boss."

Suddenly, Rita saw a triangular, pyramid-like building ahead and asked curiously.

"What's that building over there?"

"That's the industrial zone's administration building."

Rita smiled faintly and exclaimed in admiration.

"Truly ingenious."

Raven, in reality, understood the implication in Rita's words.

Well, what could she do? Her boss was Egyptian.

Rita continued strolling around while Raven explained things to her.

"The medicines here aren't just transported to Shenzhou; they're also shipped all over the world."

Hearing this, Rita exclaimed sincerely:

"Your company has truly done a great thing."

"We have to thank Schicksal for providing the raw materials.

After all, without you... none of this would exist."

Raven replied modestly.

However, Rita felt something was off about Raven's words, especially the last sentence, which immediately stirred a strange feeling within her. She felt that the consultant's words had a hidden meaning.

Suppressing her emotions, Rita continued without changing her expression.

"Enough of our stroll. Let's get down to business."

After saying this, she walked to the large screen, looked at Raven, who hadn't revealed her face, and spoke softly.

"During this trip to Shenzhou, Schicksal hopes to receive your company's assistance. You have close ties with the city's medical system. I would like to review all the medical records that Honkai could potentially affect over the past five months."

Hearing Rita's words, Raven sneered inwardly. But outwardly, she still wore a puzzled expression and asked, seemingly confused.

"Honkai can affect medical records?"

Rita, knowing her confusion, explained.

"I assure you, this is entirely beneficial to Arc City. I heard the entire city is under martial law due to the Honkai attack. Sometimes, to fulfill our duty to protect the people, we have to break the rules a little.

Besides, finding the source of the disaster and preventing it from happening again is also a form of saving lives, isn't it?"

Hearing Rita's words, Raven didn't say anything more and just nodded in agreement.

"I understand. I'll give you the information.

After all, this city is becoming increasingly dangerous. Miss Rita, please be careful."

Rita could feel the emphasis on the last two words. Sensing this, Rita's doubts and vigilance deepened. Raven continued:

"However, speaking of protection, I recently heard that a mysterious lone wolf appeared at the scene of the Honkai disaster and saved many people. Could they be from your Schicksal?"

Hearing this, Rita feigned ignorance and asked in surprise.

"A lone wolf? But personally, I'm more inclined to believe that this hero truly exists."

Rita finished speaking with a genuine smile.

"Cat Cat: Meow? This is supposed to be a normal conversation, but something feels off. It feels like they're not talking about this at all, or maybe they're talking about something else entirely. I don't understand, meow!"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: This is giving me a headache. This part of the plot is so boring. Can we skip it? I want to see Kiana go on a killing spree!"

"Miss Elf: Cat Cat's feeling is right. Their conversation is full of hidden meanings~"

"Cat Cat: Huh?"

"Drunken Warrior: They're both baiting each other. They're both seasoned actors. Rita is testing this consultant, and the consultant is testing Rita. Their ultimate goal is the last sentence. This consultant seems quite shrewd."

"Cook: They both have countless eyes."

"Driver's License Revoked: Zaychik cannot analyze."

"Cat Cat: Meow! The adult world is so complicated."

"Dr. Lobsterhead: If I'm not mistaken, this consultant is most likely from World Serpent. I didn't expect World Serpent to have infiltrated Arc City so deeply. But considering their infiltration of Anti-Entropy, it's not surprising."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: What exactly is World Serpent's plan in Arc City?"

Xiyue looked at everyone's comments, especially seeing Himeko's analysis of the two's conversation, and couldn't help but sigh.

She, however, saw things more clearly.

In her previous life, she and most players treated this part of the story as just ordinary dialogue without giving it much thought. It wasn't until Raven revealed her identity and looked at the story again that she realized what was going on and could understand some of it.

Then, she continued to focus on the livestream and move on with the story.

A few hours later, on the bridge of the Schicksal transport ship EOS, Alvitr, a member of Immortal Blades, reported to Rita.

"Vice-Captain, I have finished screening all the data submitted by Heliopolis Life Sciences."

Rita looked at the short-haired girl before her and called out with a smile:

"You're Alvitr from the Third Squad?"

Hearing Rita call her name, Alvitr couldn't hide her smile and spoke with delight.

"Yes! I'm Technician Alvitr. I'd heard that the Vice-Captain could remember the names of every Schicksal Valkyrie at headquarters, and I was right! Everyone in the team says that opportunities to fight alongside the Vice-Captain are rare. Because you mostly operate solo in secret. Many people are looking forward to going on missions with you!"

Rita looked at the smiling Valkyrie before her, shook her head slightly, and said softly.

"Let's skip the 'Vice-Captain' thing. Just call me Rita."

Alvitr murmured, listening to Rita's words:

"Rita... um... Miss! Oh no, no, I feel like if I'm this intimate, I'll be getting Captain Durandal's burning gaze on the back of my head!"

Xiyue thought frantically to herself.

"Rita—Durandal's personal maid!"

---

Chapter Twenty: Void Drifter - Heart-wrenching Kiana

“Cat Cat: Meow? This sounds weird. Could it be that Durandal and Rita have a special relationship? Could it be… (gossip)”

“Miss Elf: I sense something unusual about their relationship!”

“The Number One Cutest in the World: They're just boss and subordinate, but Rita does listen to Durandal a lot. Speaking of which, their behavior at Schicksal was quite intimate. Could it be…”

As Durandal's former boss, Theresa hadn't considered that possibility before, but after seeing the comments, she realized that their relationship was indeed a little more than friendship.

“Dr. Lobsterhead: Ah, although this woman is annoying, girls probably don't have that kind of relationship, right?”

“Nun: Logically speaking, feelings between men and women are normal.”

“Want to Buy An Island: Probably not. It's probably just that kind of relationship.”

“Miss Elf: That's not quite right. Girls can have that kind of relationship! Look at the current storyline. How many male characters are there? Besides Otto and Kevin, the rest are all girls, and the girls all have different bonds!”

“Miss Elf: I've been watching for so long, and I've noticed a lot! Kiana and Mei, Bronya and Seele, Tesla and Einstein, Theresa and Himeko. As for Fu Hua, I feel like she and Kiana are quite a good match!”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Hehe, you noticed that too, hehehe~”

"Dudu: ..... Don't overthink it. Durandal and Rita are just a little close."

"Drunken Warrior: Huh? Himeko and Durandal are a couple? I don't agree!"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: I don't agree either!"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: ......"

.......

Then, the comment section erupted into chaos.

Xiyue looked at the comment section and nodded.

Elysia really understands; she immediately spotted the key point. As a gamer, the pairings were quite clear. However, later, due to some unspeakable reasons, the official team gradually downplayed these feelings.

But as a long-time Honkai player, those who know, know.

This is evident from the fact that most players are against male characters joining the ship.

Of course, it's true. Playing the game, it's really hard to imagine the character being intimate with a man; it's unacceptable to any player. Of course, it's fine with the player themselves.

However, the player's presence in the main storyline is practically zero.

Damn miHoYo!

Then she spoke to the comment section:

"Miss Rita, you don't want Lord Durandal to know you and I are close, do you~"

"Dudu:?"

Then she turned her attention back to the story.

Hearing Alvitr's words, Rita recalled Durandal's face. A slight smile appeared on her lips as she spoke to Alvitr.

"Hehe, those burning eyes... I'll relay your praise to her truthfully."

Hearing Rita's words, Alvitr's previously radiant smile suddenly froze, her face panicking, and she hurriedly replied.

“No, no need to trouble you!”

“Back to the point! The files submitted by Heliopolis contain nearly four thousand medical records related to the Honkai energy leak incident in the city over the past five months, filed under thirty-five disaster events.”

Rita looked surprised upon hearing Alvitr’s words.

“Quite a number. Are there any clues related to K-423?”

Hearing Rita's question, Alvitr immediately replied:

“In a record from two months ago, a large number of Honkai beasts appeared on an overpass in the southern city. A victim witnessed a girl fighting a Honkai beast. Although the diagnosis was post-traumatic stress disorder, I believe it wasn't a hallucination; someone must have seen her.”

Alvitr's analysis reached Rita's ears, and she praised her.

“Well done, Alvitr.”

Hearing Rita's praise, Alvitr was incredibly excited.

“Hehehe, thank you for the praise, Vice-Captain. In the Third Squad, I'm known as the reliable tool!”

Hearing this, Rita smiled as well.

“Is that a nickname? Are there any other similar clues?”

Alvitr didn't catch Rita's teasing and shook her head.

“That’s it. We searched medical records against K-423’s characteristics but found nothing. That means she hasn’t been to hospitals or similar places.”

Alvitr looked puzzled, her expression full of confusion.

“No medical records, no shopping records. Even the city’s surveillance system can’t capture her. Can this person become invisible?!”

Rita pondered for a moment, then explained to Alvitr:

“She can evade surveillance cameras, and she can disguise herself as an ordinary person. But as long as she’s still moving around this city, it’s impossible to completely escape everyone’s gaze. Someone will always remember her and perhaps even take a picture of her. The clues you’ve sifted through prove that.”

Hearing Rita’s words, Alvitr looked exasperated, her expression reflecting it.

“But such minute details are scattered across the internet; it’ll take us months to retrieve them.”

Hearing Alvitr’s frustrated words, Rita shook her head. A mysterious smile appeared on her face as she said:

“You know, Alvitr? It’s said that there’s an intelligence black market in this city, meticulously monitoring every piece of information flowing through the network. If we need clues, I’ll go there and check it out.”

With that, Rita turned off the video call.

She was alone in the room, the only sound the hum of the machines. Every moment, countless requests were sent from every corner of the world, seeking the world’s cheapest yet most precious thing—information—from this intelligence black market.

Gray Serpent was dead, undeniably.

But his business still existed, operating as usual.

Thinking of the man who fell to her scythe, a sense of absurdity crept into Rita’s heart.

“Did I really kill him?”

Rita shook her head, then inserted the mobile device carrying the humanoid machine's data into the interface.

“Access unlocked. Humanoid machine retrieval module implanted.”

Looking at the dense data, Rita couldn't help but ponder:

“Where should I start?”

“The victim saw the girl fighting the Honkai Beast.”

With Shiora mentioning the lone wolf, Rita suddenly realized the direction she was looking for. Almost instantly, the system completed the search. The coordinates of all the Honkai Beast attacks that had occurred in Arc City over the past few months were listed on the map.

Countless messages, photos, and videos from related online sources appeared rapidly on the screen. Amid the torrent of results, Rita's eyes caught a familiar figure.

Seeing this figure, her eyes lit up.

“Finally found you, K-423.”

She immediately opened video communication and contacted Alvitr, asking questions right away:

“Alvitr, you mentioned before how many Honkai outbreaks have occurred in Arc City in the past two months?”

Upon hearing Rita's question, Alvitr immediately searched for the answer and quickly replied:

“In the past two months, there have been thirty-five recorded disasters concentrated around Arc City, which led to the city being placed under martial law.”

Hearing this answer, Rita murmured:

“It’s like something in this city is attracting Honkai Beasts.”

Then she gave Alvitr an order.

“I want you to be on high alert for disaster warnings issued by Arc City. Once a Honkai Beast appears, the Immortal Blades team must immediately depart and rush to the scene.”

Hearing Rita's words, Alvitr looked confused.

“Huh? So the pursuit of K-423 is suspended?”

Seeing Alvitr's confusion and bewilderment, Rita patiently explained:

“According to the intelligence I've gathered, there are multiple reports of K-423 being sighted at the scene of Honkai Beast disasters. Someone even managed to photograph her back.”

Hearing Rita's explanation, Alvitr's eyes lit up with delight.

“As long as we keep a close eye on the disaster site, we have a chance to catch K-423. Truly worthy of being the vice-captain!”

“Cat Cat: Although I don't particularly like Rita, she seems incredibly smart. She quickly gleaned key information from so much data and figured out how to find Kiana. Meow!”

“The Number One Cutest in the World: One of Schicksal's few S-rank Valkyries and the vice-captain of Immortal Blades, Rita's strength is hard to ignore. I'm a little worried about Kiana's safety.”

“Drunken Warrior: She and Durandal are arguably the best Valkyries Schicksal has produced in centuries. The last best Valkyrie was Cecilia.”

“Cook: Isn't Kiana in danger now?”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Don't worry, with the Class Monitor's guidance, Kiana has definitely mastered Herrscher power. Taking down Rita is a piece of cake! If she dares to come, Kiana will make sure she doesn't return!”

“Dr. Lobsterhead: Idiot. This woman's strength is far beyond what a newly awakened Herrscher can match.”

“Driver's License Revoked: Waiting for this idiot to be proven wrong.”

“Queen: What nonsense are you spouting? The Queen can't beat her? She could easily defeat this Rita with one hand!”

“Dudu: Underestimating Rita will cost you dearly.”

...

Back to the plot.

Alvitr continued questioning Rita:

“So, what we need to do now is patiently wait for the next disaster to occur?”

Rita shook her head, resting her chin on her hand, and spoke softly.

“In this city, waiting for disaster doesn't require patience.”

...

Two days later, Alvitr hurriedly reported to Rita.

“Vice Captain, we just intercepted intelligence from the Sky Guard. Honkai beasts have invaded the northern district d-2322.”

Rita calmly issued the order:

“Gather the team and proceed to the target location immediately.”

Then Rita led the Immortal Blades squad to the site of the Honkai outbreak. Seeing the endless stream of Honkai beasts, she quickly ordered:

“All units, take cover.”

“Remember, only eliminate the Honkai Beasts blocking your path.”

Immediately, Xiyue, controlling the Argent Knight, unleashed a powerful attack on the Honkai Beast.

“Appear, Master of the Refrigerator...”

Then it vanished them in a flash.

The team continued forward, and Alvitr noticed something amiss with the Zombies they were facing.

“These Zombies have become even more ferocious!”

“Hmm? Red spots of light suddenly emanated from the Zombies... wait, are those Stigmata?”

Hearing Alvitr's words, Rita also felt a sense of doubt.

“Stigmata?”

However, this wasn't the time to ponder that. Rita regained her composure and continued speaking to the Immortal Blades team.

“Anyway, get into position as quickly as possible.”

Hearing Rita's calm voice, Alvitr began to wonder if what she was seeing was an illusion.

While Alvitr was thinking, Rita spotted K-423's presence and loudly ordered the team members to prepare for battle.

Meanwhile, Kiana moved elusively through the darkness cast by the Honkai Beast, amid deafening gunfire and flashes of light. With a final flicker of light, Kiana's figure was revealed.

In the night, her white hair shone like a beam of moonlight, making the mountain of wreckage at her feet appear even more eerie.

The girl slightly turned her head, remained silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke.

“Want to keep chopping? Come out.”

Kiana had changed noticeably. Her long, shimmering white hair was now slightly wavy, and her eyes had transformed—one blue, the other a brilliant gold, with small irises. Her eyes were no longer as clear as before, now filled with wariness.

Her skin remained fair, but she had grown considerably taller. Her features were sharp and defined. Dressed in a blue and gold outfit, her face no longer held the childlike innocence of before, only a resolute and composed expression.

“Cat Cat: Huh? This is Kiana??? How could Kiana be so handsome? So composed? Am I seeing things?!”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Hmph, Kiana has always been handsome, okay? Now she's just even more handsome! This heterochromatic look is so good. I love it, hehehehe!”

At this moment, Kiana was only concerned with her handsome appearance, completely forgetting what she would experience after becoming like this.

After all, she hadn't experienced what was supposed to happen in the original story.

However.

Xiyue looked at Kiana's words, her lips curling up wildly.

“Handsome, right!”

“After tonight, you will become like this too.”

How could I not let you experience the Final Lesson firsthand?

“Nun: What must you go through to turn a simple, silly child into this? God will have mercy on you!”

“Cook: Idiot, what did you go through to become like this?”

Mei looked at Kiana in her Void Drifter form, tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. She knew better than anyone what kind of hardship and pain Kiana had to endure to become so mature.

Only pain and despair could make someone grow up overnight.

She understood this better than anyone.

---