HLS VOL 2. 31-41 (Patreon)

Chapter Thirty-One: Meteoric Salvation

Xiyue thought about the short film that was about to be shown—the Honkai 3 animated short film, Meteoric Salvation—and felt a little dazed.

Back then, she hadn't always played Honkai Impact 3rd. Being younger, she didn't really like miHoYo's long main storyline. Therefore, she hadn't played it for quite a while.

She only re-downloaded Honkai 3 after she came across Meteoric Salvation.

Besides that, she was even more struck by how quickly she had reached this point in the livestream's storyline.

It was still quite moving.

In the past, experiencing the storyline was simply about following the plot. Now, it evoked a different kind of understanding.

This feeling was wonderful and deeply joyful.

Witnessing the characters' growth alongside them in the game and preventing those tragedies from happening through this livestream—what a delightful thing!

Without further ado, let's begin this historically significant short film.

Main Story 14: The Dark Dawn - 04 (Short Video: Meteoric Salvation)

At the very beginning of the short film, Xiyue addressed the viewers in the livestream:

"It's Kiana time!"

The scene opened in Arc City, its neon lights flashing. As a train sped by, Kiana, wearing a hooded jumpsuit, leaped through the air, landing precisely on a skyscraper.

Accompanied by rousing music, Kiana leaped and danced among the buildings like a nimble butterfly.

With a graceful aerial somersault, Kiana landed on the top floor of a skyscraper, her eyes sharply fixed on a distant tower, her gaze filled with unwavering determination.

Not far from her, a group of tall, fully armed mechs raised their weapons, aiming to stop Kiana's advance.

Kiana stared at the mechs, her face expressionless. She took a deep breath, then pulled off her hoodie, revealing her White Comet battlesuit.

Then she raised her hand and retrieved a thick baseball bat from thin air.

She spoke coldly to the mechs.

"I don't have time. I'm not staying here with you!"

The words had barely left her lips when Kiana leaped into the air and sprinted down the side path between the floors. She didn't want to waste any more time on these mechs.

Not a second could be wasted!

But the combat mechs wouldn't cooperate. Upon detecting Kiana as an intruder, their programming dictated that they eliminate all intruders. They raised their weapons and aimed at the sprinting Kiana.

In an instant, all sorts of shells and missiles rained down on Kiana.

Facing these missiles, Kiana didn't even blink.

Relying on her baseball bat, the heightened senses granted by her Herrscher of the Void powers, and her agile movements, she easily deflected the attacks.

She even reached one of the combat mechs, slammed her baseball bat down on it, and unleashed her powers.

Then she kicked the massive Titan mech.

"Great boobs!"

The massive rebound forced Kiana back several steps, while the Titan mech continued its descent. Kiana looked up, one eye instantly turning a brilliant gold. Her Herrscher of the Void powers activated, ultimately destroying the mech in front of her.

She then destroyed the other mechs one by one before running toward the tower.

"Cat Cat: Wow, Kiana looks so cool right now. Ever since Kiana came to Arc City, she hasn't looked cool for a single moment! Especially that flying kick. It's so incredibly cool!"

"Miss Elf: Go, Kiana! I believe she can definitely stop this disaster!"

"Want to Buy An Island: According to what Yuexi said before, Kiana is currently wearing the White Comet. White Comet is still White Comet, even after training. Looks like that wasn't quite right! Look at Kiana in White Comet. She's going on a killing spree!"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Kiana is becoming more and more proficient in using the Herrscher of the Void's powers. Using imaginary space to make the mech attack itself—awesome."

"Don't Want to Go to Work: I didn't expect that the spacetime rupture in the game could be used in reality. Or is it also one of the Herrscher of the Void's powers?"

"Dudu: It's her power. Kiana's using it quite smoothly, though!"

"Drunken Warrior: Go, Kiana. You can do it!"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Kiana won't let everyone down!"

......

Back to the short story.

Finally, Kiana reached the tower shimmering with a strange light and saw her target: a sphere constantly emitting purple light.

"I have to defuse the bomb quickly."

She could sense the intense Honkai energy and deadly danger emanating from it.

Kiana realized that only by destroying this sphere could everyone in the city be saved. But time was running out. There was no time to think of another solution.

Now, there was only one thing she could do.

That was...

A determined glint flashed in her eyes, and Kiana rushed toward the bomb without hesitation.

But as she approached the Honkai bomb, the overflowing Honkai energy surged against her body like a tidal wave, causing her to groan in intense pain.

The closer she got to the bomb, the more concentrated the Honkai energy became, relentlessly corroding her body.

Purple-red patterns gradually appeared on her skin, a sign of the Honkai energy's erosion.

But Kiana ignored it, gritted her teeth, stared intently at the bomb before her, and endured the high concentration of Honkai energy as she inched closer.

Finally, Kiana grasped the bomb.

By this time, her body had been completely corrupted by Honkai energy. She thought she could no longer feel pain, but the weariness and agony in her soul remained.

But she could endure it. She could bear it.

What truly tormented her, compared to the current pain, was the Overseer from Schicksal headquarters!

Endless pain surged through Kiana's body like a tidal wave, constantly stimulating her nerves, but her hands never gave up, gripping the bomb tightly. Under the high concentration of Honkai energy, one of her eyes turned gold.

Her expression was contorted with rage. She gritted her teeth and persevered.

As her body was corrupted, purple markings appeared all over her body, and Kiana endured the agony.

Just then, a familiar and gentle voice rang in her ears.

"Kiana."

Hearing the voice, Kiana's eyes widened in disbelief as she looked around, as though she saw the red-haired warrior gazing at her tenderly.

"Himeko-sensei?"

Hearing her words, Himeko, standing beside Kiana, reached out and placed her hand on Kiana's arm, looking at her with a gentle smile.

Looking at Himeko's smile, Kiana seemed to remember something, and her heart instantly surged with strength once again. Her previously panicked and helpless heart calmed down once more. Her eyes regained their unwavering resolve, and her gaze was no longer lost.

"Yes, I promised you!"

With all her might, she gripped the bomb with both hands. The intense Honkai energy blew through Kiana's braids, her waist-length silver hair cascading backward like a waterfall. With her eyes closed, she shouted loudly.

"I will transform this imperfect story into the one we desire!"

Himeko's and Kiana's voices merged. At that moment, Kiana saw the warrior wielding the greatsword walking alongside her.

Kiana unleashed boundless power, gripping the bomb in both hands, and soared into the sky with the Honkai energy bomb capable of destroying an entire city, rising higher and higher like a shooting star defying the heavens.

In the air.

Kiana unleashed her Herrscher powers completely. Her clothes transformed into Herrscher attire, the flowing cloak a testament to the Herrscher's birth. But not now, for her eyes were not the Herrscher's shimmering gold, but a deep azure blue.

This was her unique color.

The color that belonged to her, Kiana Kaslana.

She was no longer afraid of the Herrscher controlling her body, for at this moment, she had complete mastery over the Herrscher's power.

Kiana raised the bomb, rising rapidly like a shooting star burning across the sky and illuminating her path through the pitch-black night.

Below, Rita watched the shooting star moving in reverse, realizing something, a slight smile playing on her lips.

Mei, watching the shooting star, knew it was Kiana. Her face was filled with worry and anxiety.

As for the people below, they looked up at the sky, watching the shooting star shimmering in the heavens.

They were surprised. They were shocked. They were delighted. They murmured among themselves.

Unbeknownst to them, they had just brushed shoulders with death.

Except for a few people, no one knew what this retrograde meteor meant, nor did they know that a girl had given everything to save them.

Ignorant and blissful.

...

The retrograde meteor burst through the atmosphere and reached outer space.

As her strength dwindled, Kiana gritted her teeth and used her last ounce of power to push the bomb away. The bomb exploded in outer space.

The massive, deadly Honkai energy spread through outer space, but no one knew that a large portion of it had been absorbed by the girl's body.

Kiana, having exhausted the last of her strength, watched the bomb detonate with a relieved smile on her face.

"This is... my promise."

Then Kiana's body plummeted from the sky.

...

Meteoric Salvation—The End!

The comment section fell silent after seeing this scene.

Xiyue sighed after watching the short video.

Meteoric Salvation was a short video she could watch over and over again.

No matter how many times she watched it, she would be moved to tears by Kiana's words.

"Even if the night is long and endless, I will become a star to ignite hope. I will fulfill your vow."

Xiyue uttered this famous line.

This was also why she had loved this game for so long.

After what seemed like an eternity, the comment section finally regained its usual liveliness.

"Cat Cat: Waaaaah, every short film makes me cry. I'm running out of tears! Waaaaah! I want to turn this imperfect world into the one we long for. When Kiana and Himeko said that together, I really couldn't hold back anymore, meow!"

Pardofelis hugged the can tightly, tears soaking its soft fur, and the can could only meow helplessly.

"Miss Elf: How could anyone not like Kiana? Suddenly, I understand why Theresa betrayed her grandfather and why Himeko and Fu Hua helped Kiana. Kiana deserves it, Himeko!"

Elysia, already very sentimental, shed just as many tears as Pardofelis. Having watched the story unfold, how could she not be moved by it?

"Driver's License Revoked: Kiana is truly amazing at this moment. Zaychik is proud of Kiana!"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Idiot, don't sacrifice yourself so easily!"

Theresa, tears streaming down her face, watched her silly niece grow into someone so mature as she cried.

"Drunken Warrior: I'm proud of you, Kiana!"

Himeko felt gratified and proud.

If their future unfolded as it did in the story, she would still make the same choices.

Already near death, if she could protect her students and enable them to stand on their own, why would she refuse death?

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: I will definitely become strong, strong enough to protect everything!"

Kiana saw her future self, felt genuinely proud, and sincerely wanted to become like the person in the story.

Resolute, mature, and strong.

"Cook: Don't do anything to hurt yourself again!"

Mei's face was covered in tears. She didn't care what heroic deeds Kiana would perform. She only cared about Kiana and her well-being.

She didn't want Kiana to suffer any harm.

"Dudu: Kiana like this inspires awe."

Durandal sincerely praised her but also silently thought to himself.

"The Overseer's plan really succeeded."

"Sigh."

Durandal remained silent.

"Sakura: A hero should be like this!"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Quick, quick! I want to see the faces of those two bitches from World Serpent. Heh, the Herrscher saves the world. Someone who thinks he's humanity's savior is actually destroying them. How laughable!"

"Don't Want to Go to Work: Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

"Cat Cat: And Kiana! Kiana is still falling through the air! Is anyone going to catch her?!"

...

Seeing everyone's urging, Xiyue smiled helplessly.

Kiana was fine, of course, but after this, Mei would gradually become more ruthless.

Tormenting your wife is fun for a while, but winning her back is a nightmare.

Thinking about it, she couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.

However, Xiyue also remembered something.

Before the domestic violence scene, there was also the battle between Dudu and Kevin, grandfather and granddaughter!

The dramatic scene of filial piety only heightened the excitement.

---

Chapter 32: Otto's Plan: Mei and Dudu's Battle

Xiyue continued with the next main storyline, Chapter 14: Dark Dawn - 05.

The World Serpent's conspiracy vanished silently in the dazzling flames. No one knew what had happened except for her, the useless Raiden Mei.

She was chasing the trajectory of the meteor.

Arc City was filled with the wailing of sirens. Tears welled in her eyes as Mei chased after the falling meteor, her heart broken.

"Kiana—!"

Just then, a long spear fell from the sky, landing at its center with its shaft radiating a brilliant light.

The white light dissipated, and in its place grew thick, bushy branches that stretched upward, rising continuously until they caught the falling meteor.

The massive branches slowly parted, revealing a sleeping, silver-haired beauty within.

Kiana lay peacefully unconscious, a faint smile on her pure face as if she were having a sweet dream.

Looking at her sleeping face, a hand slowly reached toward her.

“Cat Cat: Wow, Kiana looks so beautiful while sleeping! She's like Snow White from a fairy tale.”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Of course! Mei is the prettiest girl in the world, and Kiana is the second prettiest.”

“Don't Want to Go to Work: Hey, that's the Black Abyss White Flower, the power of the White Flower! The Divine Key really feels like a divine artifact.”

“Dr. Lobsterhead: Now that the Black Abyss White Flower has appeared, it seems the owner of this hand is Durandal. Given Durandal's personality, will she help Otto capture Kiana?”

“The Number One Cutest in the World: Given that woman's personality, as long as she ensures Kiana is unharmed and not in mortal danger, she'll carry out Otto's orders. After all, she's Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie.”

......

Back to the story.

Mei looked at the peacefully sleeping Kiana and breathed a sigh of relief.

As she walked forward, a blonde Valkyrie wielding a spear blocked her path and calmly observed her.

Main Story 14 Ended

Main Story 15: Lost in the Sands - 01

Eve of the Arc City Incident.

North Africa, Schicksal Vimur Laboratory.

The ruins of the city came into view. It had once been a modern metropolis, an economic hub connecting Europe and Africa, a city that never slept on the Mediterranean coast, picturesque like paradise.

Unfortunately, after a Honkai Eruption, it became a graveyard for the living, a dead land isolated by the vast desert.

But it also became the ideal location for a Schicksal base.

The voice of a Schicksal researcher rang out.

"All units ready. The 42nd activation experiment of the Second Divine Key will begin in 5 minutes."

A piercing alarm shattered the silence, and the experiment's countdown echoed through every corner of the city. As the timer reached zero, a muffled cannon blast resounded from the city center, its sonic boom shaking every grain of sand.

From the direction of the sound, a beam of light shot forth, its brilliant radiance cleaving the world in two.

The beam soared into the sky and collided with the heavens.

Instantly, like a shattered mirror, the sky was pierced by the beam, exploding into countless fragments that rained down upon the earth.

Behind the broken mirror, a chaotic space appeared. Ominous stars swirled above the city, sending chills down one's spine.

"Divine Key activated. Entering Phase One. Energy output stable. Quantum layer infiltration confirmed."

Then, from the shattered abyss, hundreds of shadows seeped out of the chaos before plummeting toward the earth.

As these shadows swept across the sky, time and space seemed to distort for a fleeting moment.

At that moment, in a corner of the city beneath the chaotic sky, the blonde Valkyrie calmly observed the cataclysm unfolding before her.

“Intrusion of the Quantum Shadows detected, Lady Durandal. The rest is in your hands.”

The researcher's voice reached Durandal's ears.

“Understood.”

Durandal replied casually before plunging into the battlefield.

Next, Xiyue controlled Valkyrie Gloria in combat.

To be honest, Xiyue didn't like Gloria's playstyle and hadn't used her much, even though she really liked Dudu.

In her previous life, ever since Durandal appeared, she had been madly infatuated with her, eagerly anticipating her scenes every day.

Who knew that Durandal had only made one appearance in the earlier parts of the story? How could that not be disappointing?

It wasn't until this point that Dudu's storyline truly began.

Thinking about it, Xiyue still found Bright Knight more interesting, ignoring the later Star Dudu and Rider Dudu.

"Dr. Lobsterhead: What kind of experiment is Otto conducting? I really don't understand this guy."

"Cat Cat: I don't think this experiment is meant to fight the Honkai."

"Beautiful Snake: Opening up imaginary space, huh? What a grand scheme."

As scientists, although they didn't know the specifics of the experiment, they could infer a great deal from the available information. Mobius was curious about Otto's experiment.

Of course, she wasn't the only one who was curious. Dr. Mei was as well.

She also wanted to know what Otto was planning.

As for the Divine Keys, she had already handed all four Herrscher Cores over to Vill-V. Although Vill-V seemed unreliable, there was no denying that her practical skills were unmatched.

Moreover, she suspected that those Divine Keys had all been created by Vill-V.

...

Back to the plot.

After Durandal wiped out the Honkai beasts, the experiment resumed.

“The Divine Key has reached its operational threshold. Spatial positioning has now broken through the quantum layer. The experiment enters its second phase. Begin coordinate observation.”

“Lady Durandal, the experiment is about to enter the next phase. Please await instructions.”

After dozens of repetitions of the experiment, Durandal could recite the entire procedure by heart.

At that moment, ten Hyperion-class Honkai power plants beneath the city were operating at full capacity.

Using the energy provided by these power plants, the continuously operating Second Divine Key would shatter space and open a tunnel leading to the Sea of Quanta.

At this stage, due to the instability of the quantum layer, Quantum Shadows began to appear.

To ensure the secure operation of the Divine Key, someone had to remain on standby at all times to repel and eliminate invading phantoms. This was Valkyrie Durandal's mission.

But the Sea of Quanta was not the true target of this experiment.

As the energy level increased, the Divine Key's power would reach its functional threshold, allowing the experiment to enter its second phase.

The tunnel would break through the Sea of Quanta and leap into a deeper, unknown realm.

The laws governing the universe, the mysteries of the life cycle, the place where all essence and origin are formed—the Imaginary Tree.

Tesla, Mobius, and Mei were all shocked by Otto's experiment.

They put aside what they were doing and focused on the live stream, wanting to learn more about it.

Meanwhile, while Durandal continued eliminating Honkai beasts, Schicksal Headquarters on the floating island remained busy.

In the laboratory, Otto's gaze followed the rapidly changing data on the screen. Transmitted in real time from the North African base, it recorded all the information absorbed by the Divine Key after its activation.

Moreover, this laboratory was equipped with the most advanced Soulium computer.

Even so, finding the slightest clue within that astronomical amount of data was a thousand times harder than finding a needle in a haystack.

The researchers' report reached Otto's ears.

"Divine Key energy insufficient. Tunnel about to close. Countdown: 5, 4..."

Meanwhile, because of the enormous energy consumption of the Second Divine Key, he had only a few dozen seconds to observe each experiment.

He had to seize this precious opportunity.

"3, 2, 1. Tunnel fully closed. Experiment complete."

As the broadcast ended, the massive stream of data abruptly ceased. Otto stood before the empty screen, awaiting the Soulium computer's results.

After expending such enormous resources, all he wanted to know was a single number.

A number he had been searching for all this time.

A number he was still searching for.

“Observation results calculated. Total number of observed nodes: 186,940,000. Deviation from target node: 54.”

Hearing the report, a flicker of helplessness and disappointment flashed across Otto's emerald eyes.

“54. Very little progress.”

However, his tone remained calm. He was well aware of the experiment's difficulty.

A mere few dozen seconds was a drop in the ocean compared to the astronomical scale of the observed objects. According to his calculations, with current observation methods, he would need to maintain the channel for at least 80,000 hours before finding the answer he sought.

The target he was searching for was completely different from a counterfeit like a Bubble World.

Therefore, he had to accelerate his experiments and power the Divine Key more efficiently.

Only then could he realize his ambition before the Honkai destroyed human civilization.

Otto remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking.

“As expected, the power of the Herrscher of the Void is necessary.”

“Don’t Want to Take the Exam: What is Otto trying to do? I don’t understand this plot.”

“Driver’s License Revoked: He’s conducting an experiment. He’s trying to use Kiana’s powers to help him find something in imaginary space. If you can’t even understand this, Zaychik doesn’t want to talk to idiots.”

“Meow Meow Sticky: What exactly is his ultimate wish, meow?”

“Want to Buy An Island: It’s definitely not about defeating the Honkai. That line about doing it before the Honkai destroys human civilization shows he has something more important than defeating it.”

“Dr. Lobsterhead: Do you know, The Number One Cutest in the World?”

“The Number One Cutest in the World: I don’t know.”

Theresa shook her head, but her eyes gleamed.

She vaguely knew something, but those guesses weren't enough to tell anyone.

"Grandpa, what exactly do you want to do?"

"Could it be that you still want to..."

Confusion and bewilderment flashed across her azure eyes.

Back to the story.

The experiment was over, and Durandal naturally wouldn't stay there. She quickly returned to the base.

At that moment, the Vimur Laboratory, located a thousand meters underground, was bustling with activity.

Switching functions, resetting instrument status, cleaning up the site...

The work of the logistics personnel had only just begun after the experiment concluded.

This experimental base, which supported research on the Second Divine Key, was designed to withstand any disaster originating from the surface. Surprisingly, however, the fortress was defended by only one Valkyrie.

Yet at that moment, Schicksal's ace sat in the lounge with a grave expression.

“Rita?”

She was reading a report from Arc City, codenamed "Moonhunter." The report had been submitted by her adjutant, Rita Rossweisse.

After reading it, Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie silently stood up and left the lounge.

Three hours later, the night sky above Arc City was as bright as day, and citizens stood in the streets gazing at the spectacle.

They had never imagined that moments earlier they had miraculously escaped death.

Nor did they notice that, at that very moment, the city's savior, like a kite with a broken string, had fallen from the sky and disappeared into the dazzling crimson clouds.

Only one anxious gaze remained fixed upon her.

"Kiana!"

Mei raced across the city skyline toward where Kiana had fallen.

She couldn't slow down.

At that moment, enemy mechs were converging from every direction.

"Kiana, wait for me! I will bring you back to everyone!"

Mei ran forward, brandishing her sword. It was the only thing she could do now.

Finally, she broke through the enemy's last line of defense.

She was only inches away from Kiana.

"Kiana..."

But before she could utter another word, a comet shimmering with brilliant blue light descended from the sky.

Where the light landed, a blonde Valkyrie wielding a lance stood before her.

Looking at the blonde Valkyrie, Mei's eyes widened in shock.

"You are... Valkyrie Durandal!"

Durandal looked down at Mei and spoke softly.

"Nice to meet you, Raiden Mei."

Hearing that familiar voice, Xiyue inexplicably thought of a certain lazy Anemo Archon. Before that particular game was released in her previous life, she had really liked Durandal's voice. Ever since that drunken poet appeared, however, hearing Durandal's voice again always reminded her of that drunkard.

Of course, Durandal's tone was serious and earnest, unlike that carefree drunkard.

She shook her head and continued focusing on the plot.

The holder of the Black Abyss White Flower and Schicksal's strongest S-rank Valkyrie.

As a Valkyrie, Mei knew everything about Durandal's reputation and achievements.

Her story had been passed down throughout Schicksal. Even against such an opponent, Mei had to fight without backing down.

Seeing Mei's tension and knowing what she was thinking, Durandal calmly spoke.

“I’m under orders to take Kiana Kaslana away.”

Hearing that, Mei took a deep breath and gripped her weapon tightly.

“Don’t even think about it!”

“Leave Kiana here.”

Seeing Mei launch her attack, Durandal replied calmly.

"Then let strength decide."

She didn't mind using Mei as a warm-up.

Soon, Durandal felt the time was right. She swung her spear and said softly,

"It's time to end this."

Leaping into the air, she unleashed a rapid barrage of attacks against Mei.

Soon, the tip of the Black Abyss White Flower touched Mei's face.

Durandal calmly declared,

"This ends here, Raiden Mei. You have no chance of winning."

---

Chapter Thirty-Three: I Can't Do Anything

The overwhelming difference in strength prevented Mei from swinging her sword at Durandal again, but she couldn't give up.

If she gave up, Kiana would leave her again.

"It's not over yet!"

The will to protect Kiana allowed her injured body to slowly rise with the support of her sword. Looking at the blonde Valkyrie before her, she wanted to swing her sword once more to protect the one she cared about.

Durandal, seeing this, remained silent.

"I won't hand Kiana over to you!"

Looking at Mei's resolute eyes, Durandal nodded in admiration.

"Not bad eyes."

"But you don't yet possess the power to match that will."

After saying this, Durandal ignored Mei and leaped into the sky with Kiana like a flash of light.

Before Mei could react, the flash had vanished into the distance, leaving her alone on the deserted street. Mei chased after it desperately, exerting all her strength through the hazy night.

However, no matter how hard she tried, she could never catch up to the streak of light.

After running for an unknown amount of time, Mei finally stopped in exhaustion.

She knelt on the ground with her head bowed, hugging herself as tears streamed down her face. Her voice was filled with sobs and self-reproach.

"I can't do anything."

Her body trembled uncontrollably. Regret, resentment, and self-blame all surged forth in that instant.

Durandal's nonchalant actions and words were like a dagger hanging over her heart, leaving her no room to breathe.

Each recollection weighed more heavily on her heart. She had watched helplessly as the most important person in her life was so easily taken away.

Yet she couldn't help but miss Kiana.

The peaceful days at St. Freya Academy seemed like only yesterday.

But in the blink of an eye, she had become the Queen of Honkai, a ferocious smile on her face.

Now, having finally managed to see her again, Mei could only watch helplessly as Kiana was taken away by Durandal. Everything had changed. The only thing unchanged was that she remained in the same place, still that weak version of herself.

She understood that Kiana was drifting further and further away from her.

...

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Mei—!”

Kiana looked at Mei in the story, her heart filled with sorrow. She didn't like seeing Mei cry, and she didn't want to see Mei cry.

Therefore, she had to become stronger, stronger than her counterpart in the story.

Only then could she protect the people she cared about and protect Mei.

“Driver's License Revoked: Zaychik will definitely protect Mei-neechan and that idiot Kiana.”

Bronya watched the transport ship get closer and closer to the Deep, her silver eyes revealing a resolute expression. There lay the things that would make her stronger and the things she cared about most.

She wanted to bring them all back, just like her counterpart in the story.

They also needed to prevent the resurrection of Kevin, the leader of World Serpent!

"Cat Cat: Kind Mei, meow, there's nothing I can do. Meow, Seele seems to have said something similar. Ugh, such a strange sense of déjà vu."

"Want to Buy An Island: I can see that this is probably one of the reasons Mei will enter the Elysian Realm."

"Miss Elf: Mei wants to be stronger now more than ever. As for why World Serpent appeared, that's still a bit of a mystery."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Sigh, everyone will become stronger."

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Kiana was ultimately taken away. Sigh, Durandal was too powerful."

"Dudu: Only after experiencing pain can becoming stronger become possible."

...

Back to the story.

At the same time, Heliopolis Life Sciences.

Rita stood amidst the wreckage.

Just now, she had received news that Durandal had personally come to provide support. This reassured her immensely.

Alvitr's worried voice reached her ears.

"Vice Captain, are you alright?"

Rita shook her head and answered softly.

"Alvitr, I'm fine."

Alvitr breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Rita's words, then spoke rapidly, her voice filled with disbelief.

"Did you see the explosion just now? It was the Herrscher of the Void. Did she really take the Honkai energy bomb?"

"Why would she do that?"

Faced with Alvitr's question, Rita recalled the scene from earlier. A smile played on her lips as she replied.

"To protect the city and its citizens."

Hearing Rita's words, Alvitr was even more shocked.

"But isn't she a Herrscher?"

Rita didn't address the topic and instead changed the subject.

“Now, we have other things to do.”

“I’ve obtained the antidote from Heliopolis Life Sciences. Their plan has been thwarted, and I need to catch the rats before they scatter.”

“We need to hurry and retrieve the information from Heliopolis Life Sciences.”

Rita then continued exploring Heliopolis Life Sciences.

“Heliopolis Life Sciences is destroying evidence. Raven has other henchmen. The Herrscher of the Void mentioned someone wearing a dog's head.”

Alvitr asked in confusion after hearing Rita's words.

“A dog's head? What does that mean?”

Rita answered Alvitr as she continued her search.

“Perhaps it's some kind of metaphor. Anyway, we need to act quickly.”

After clearing out the armed forces defending World Serpent, Rita quickly infiltrated the underground database.

Looking at the damaged database, Rita bit her lip and spoke regretfully.

“Am I too late?”

Beep beep beep.

Rita issued the order to recover the data. Then Durandal's voice came through her communicator.

“Rita, How's the situation over there?”

Hearing Durandal's question, Rita briefly told her everything she knew so far.

“Lady Durandal, most of the data at Heliopolis Life Sciences has been destroyed. We are trying to salvage it. Thank you for your support.”

Hearing Rita's report, Durandal relaxed and replied,

“I just retrieved the Herrscher of the Void. The Overseer ordered me to return immediately, so I don't have time to meet with you.”

Hearing this, a flicker of panic and self-reproach crossed Rita's eyes. She tried to remain calm, but her inner voice wouldn't allow her to conceal her mistakes.

“I understand.”

“Lady Durandal, I will take full responsibility for the failure of this mission.”

Durandal was silent for a moment before saying,

“I will make a judgment on this matter after reviewing the subsequent reports.”

Rita sighed.

“I await punishment.”

Hearing this, Durandal was also taken aback and asked in confusion,

“Rita, saying such discouraging things doesn’t sound like you.”

“Don’t blame yourself. It’s good that you’re alright.”

Hearing Durandal’s words, Rita’s heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t expected Durandal to say something like that. It truly caught her off guard.

However, for some reason, a feeling of joy welled up inside her.

“Thank you, Lady Durandal.”

---

Chapter Thirty-Four: The Sisters' First Meeting

"Don't Want to Go to Work: Is she protecting her little wife now? They have such great chemistry! I'm shipping them!"

"Want to Buy An Island: Isn't this just a normal superior-subordinate relationship? I don't see any romantic vibes."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Their relationship has always been very good. As far as I know, Rita has been Durandal's adjutant for many years. They're practically inseparable."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: ╭(╯^╰)╮, bullying Mei. One day I'll get my revenge."

"Cook: Durandal is really powerful."

"Drunken Warrior: Her talent is among the strongest of all the Valkyries. Nobody knows how strong Durandal is right now."

"Cat Cat: Could she also be a Herrscher? I've noticed there are already four Herrschers on the human side! Welt, Mei, Kiana, and Wendy count as half. I have a feeling Dudu might be one too."

"Driver's License Revoked: Zaychik doesn't think she's that strong."

Xiyue smiled knowingly as she watched everyone discuss whether Durandal was a Herrscher.

Could Dudu be a Herrscher? The answer was definitely no.

Durandal was the only truly powerful human of this century, just like Kevin.

However, when Durandal's true identity was revealed, it would definitely shock everyone.

Few people guessed that Durandal was the True Kiana.

However, Xiyue had guessed it in her past life.

Unfortunately, few people accepted it until the official storyline confirmed it, at which point most players were shocked.

Thinking of this, Xiyue really wanted to see everyone's expressions when they learned that Dudu was the True Kiana, including Dudu's own reaction.

With this in mind, Xiyue continued her livestream of the story in a cheerful mood.

Back to the story.

With the end of Durandal and Rita's conversation, the turbulent night in Arc City had come to a close.

However, the "snake" lurking in the shadows began to stir.

Somewhere in Arc City.

Jackal looked at Durandal holding a lance on the screen and murmured,

“Gray Serpent’s underground black market and Heliopolis Life Sciences have been cleaned up, and Raven has safely evacuated. It’s a pity Arc City’s Project Stigma failed. The precious Herrscher samples are lost. It’s really disheartening.”

“However, after something this big, you certainly wouldn’t stand idly by…”

“Durandal, you’ve finally shown up.”

As she said this, Jackal’s lips curled into a wild smile. She then initiated a communication call, her arrogance vanishing and being replaced by respect and admiration.

She spoke respectfully.

“My Lord, Durandal has appeared.”

“We tracked her destination to North Africa, to a ghost town destroyed by the Honkai. Regarding this location, there have been over a dozen anomalous Honkai energy surges there in the past two years, and we happen to be very familiar with this phenomenon.”

“That deserted city is the testing ground for the Second Divine Key.”

Upon hearing Jackal's report, Kevin was silent for a moment before saying,

“Let's go. We still have much to do.”

Jackal nodded, then, as if remembering something, continued,

“There’s one more thing. Fifteen minutes and thirty-six seconds ago, after coming into contact with the unstable EOS engine, Kiana Kaslana manifested the form of the Herrscher of the Void through her own will for the first time.”

“Although her Honkai energy level is still far behind Sirin’s, it can be considered that her ‘Ascension’ has begun.”

“Should we include her—”

Xiyue, seeing this scene, couldn’t help but marvel. She hadn’t expected the foreshadowing to begin here. She hadn’t noticed this at all when she played through the story in her previous life.

“Ascension,” a girl as beautiful as a falling flower gave this term a very gentle definition.

And that girl was currently watching the livestream.

Thinking of this, Xiyue said to everyone,

“Everyone, remember the word ‘Ascension.’ It’ll be on the test later.”

After saying this, she ignored the question marks in the chat.

She continued the livestream.

Jackal’s words were interrupted coldly by Kevin.

“I have my own arrangements for her.”

Hearing this, Jackal said nothing more and nodded.

“Understood.”

Then Xiyue continued streaming the next chapter of the main story, Chapter 15: Lost in the Sands - 03.

“What’s wrong with me? My body… feels so heavy.”

Kiana, gradually regaining her senses, couldn’t see anything, hear anything, smell anything, or touch anything. She felt as though she were surrounded by endless darkness, with only her heavy body sinking deeper and deeper.

She tried desperately to escape, but the more she struggled, the deeper she sank, suffocating like someone drowning.

She wanted to scream and cry for help, but no matter how hard she screamed, there was no response. She couldn't even hear her own voice.

Just as she fell into despair, she suddenly saw a beam of light shooting up from the depths of the abyss. Kiana rushed toward it without hesitation.

As the light gradually brightened, Kiana's senses slowly returned.

Then she seemed to hear a faint voice calling her name.

"Kiana, Kiana..."

A gentle voice whispered familiar syllables. Kiana knew it was Mei's voice. Almost completely exhausted, she finally reached the light.

The information she received from the light allowed her to escape the boundless darkness.

However, just as she was overjoyed, the scene before her dealt her an even heavier blow.

The bustling Arc City crumbled in flames, with smoke and cries filling the air. Kiana frantically searched for Mei amidst the scorching ruins, only to witness the devastating tragedy of her beloved friend.

"What happened?"

"Mei, where are you?"

Kiana couldn't believe her eyes. In her memory, she had already launched the catastrophic bomb into space.

Then why had this city been destroyed?

Kiana questioned herself, her gaze frantically searching for the source of the disaster.

Until her gaze settled on the trembling hands before her.

Her own hands—the hands of the Herrscher of the Void.

Seeing this, Kiana could no longer hold back, staring at them in disbelief.

“No, no, that’s not it!”

“Mei, believe me!”

“I clearly already…”

“No!!”

“Mei!”

Kiana woke with a start, clutching her head. After seeing the room clearly, she relaxed.

“Phew, phew, a nightmare? Thank goodness…”

“Wait, where am I—”

Only then did Kiana notice the unfamiliar surroundings, her face filled with confusion.

“Where am I?”

At that moment, a gentle voice sounded in her ear.

“You’re awake.”

However, the unfamiliar voice immediately put Kiana on guard.

Looking at the blonde girl leisurely reading a book beside her, Kiana’s eyes widened.

“You are… Durandal?”

Durandal looked at the awakened Kiana and nodded.

“It’s me.”

As Kiana’s eyes adjusted to the light, she found herself in a heavily guarded, enclosed room.

"Cat Cat: Wow, Durandal looks so beautiful! Why are all the characters here so good-looking?!"

"Don't Want to Go to Work: Sigh, Kiana is so pitiful. The reason she has such dreams is because of her inner fears, her dread of these things. I really wish Kiana could go back to St. Freya Academy."

"Miss Elf: I don't know why, but I always feel that Durandal and Kiana look a bit alike. If Kiana dyed her hair blonde, or Durandal dyed her hair silver, they would look like sisters!"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Do they look alike? I think they look fine. Maybe it's because they're both very pretty."

Actually, Theresa also suspected in the past that Durandal was Kiana.

But the age and hair color didn't match the available information.

Therefore, she never considered that possibility.

“Dr. Lobsterhead: I think she looks more like Cecilia than Kiana. Really, really. Is it because she inherited the Black Abyss White Flower?”

“Dudu: Don't overthink it. Durandal is Durandal. She's nobody else.”

“Cook: Kiana... sigh, only by becoming stronger can we prevent this from happening.”

“Driver's License Revoked: Zaychik will also strive to become stronger.”

Back to the story.

Having reached this point, Kiana had already guessed what had happened. However, she was more concerned about Arc City and Mei than her own situation, so she anxiously asked Durandal,

“How is Arc City? And where is Mei?”

Hearing Kiana's words, Durandal kept her gaze fixed on her book and replied calmly.

“The crisis there has been resolved. No civilians were injured. The Valkyries are cleaning up the aftermath.”

“Raiden Mei has also reunited with her companions and left Arc City.”

Hearing Durandal's words, Kiana felt relieved and murmured to herself,

“Mei, thank goodness. Mei's alright.”

Durandal continued,

“You are currently at Schicksal's North African experimental base.”

“Besides that, is there anything else you'd like to ask?”

After saying this, Durandal closed her book and looked at Kiana on the hospital bed. Kiana met her gaze, remained silent for a moment, then, as if remembering something, spoke.

“Durandal, I've long anticipated that one day I would face you.”

Hearing this, Durandal replied calmly,

“Now that you're mentally prepared, things will be much easier from here on.”

“If there are no other questions, then lie still. You need to rest now.”

The other woman seemed harmless, but that only heightened Kiana's vigilance.

Despite trying to appear calm, Kiana knew all too well that this was the worst possible scenario.

She called Fu Hua's name in her mind, but received no reply, only silence.

She closed her eyes, trying to communicate, but the voice remained silent.

She recalled Fu Hua's last words, and the familiar helplessness she had felt three months earlier when she stepped into Arc City enveloped her once again.

But now, she was no longer the Kiana of that time.

“It seems I have to rely on myself.”

“With the power of the Herrscher of the Void, I should be able to…”

But before Kiana could formulate a plan, Durandal's voice reached her ears again.

“I told you, you need to rest now.”

The words had barely left Durandal's lips when Kiana snapped out of her thoughts in shock, instinctively looking up to see Durandal standing before her, her azure eyes calmly fixed on Kiana.

“What!”

“When?”

Kiana's surprised expression was reflected in Durandal's sapphire-like eyes. Standing close to her, Durandal stared intently at the girl trying to escape.

“This laboratory is a thousand meters above the surface. You can't escape.”

Kiana suppressed her shock, wondering to herself,

“I was discovered? Why...”

Durandal continued,

“Don't be confused. Your thoughts are easy to read.”

“Your body is covered in wounds and is constantly being eroded by the Herrscher Core. Even while you were unconscious, you were continuously emitting Honkai energy.”

“Whether you could do it before or not, at least now you can't control the power within you.”

“Leaving here will make you a time bomb.”

Kiana looked at the girl before her, speechless.

However, Durandal didn't care about her silence. Her voice became somewhat stern.

“It seems you understood what I said, so you should know what to do.”

After saying this, Durandal ignored Kiana and walked out of the room, speaking into her communicator.

“Overseer, she’s awake.”

“It’s strange. Despite repeatedly using the Herrscher’s power, the Honkai energy within her is constantly increasing.”

Hearing Durandal’s question, Otto slowly explained,

“According to satellite reconnaissance of Arc City, the Honkai energy generated after the engine explosion didn’t spread out. It vanished without a trace.”

“It’s obvious the Herrscher of the Void absorbed that energy. She’s growing as expected.”

Otto’s voice turned eerie.

But he continued,

“Back to the point. Now that she’s awake, let’s begin the experiments immediately.”

Even Durandal was puzzled.

“Start now? Isn’t that a bit too hasty? She still harbors strong hostility toward Schicksal.”

Otto sneered.

“Ha, I don’t think there’s any way to make her trust Schicksal again after what’s happened.”

“On the contrary, in my opinion, her current state allows her to unleash the power I hope to see.”

“Begin the experiment. I trust you can handle it. Just do it your way.”

Hearing this, Durandal nodded.

Meanwhile, in the lounge.

Kiana stared blankly at the salad before her, a stark contrast to how she normally reacted to food. The dream of Arc City and Durandal's words kept replaying in her mind, filling her with unease.

Mei's voice from her hazy state reminded her of the longing buried deep within her heart.

When she woke up, when she ate, and when she went to class, that gentle voice had called her name countless times.

With that voice, fragments of ordinary daily life slowly surfaced before her eyes…

But before the warmth of those memories could linger, the crisp sound of a door opening interrupted her thoughts.

---

Chapter Thirty-Five: Dudu, Dudu, So Clumsy!

Whoosh!

Durandal walked in and saw Kiana staring blankly at the salad in front of her. Durandal spoke casually.

"What, you don't like basa fish?"

Hearing Durandal's words, Kiana instinctively replied.

"I don't like fish because of the bones."

After a moment of silence, Mei's face flashed through her mind again, and she continued,

"Before, someone would always remove the bones for me."

Hearing this, Durandal also paused for a moment before continuing casually,

"Since you have the energy to joke around, I'm not worried about your health anymore."

With that, Durandal deftly handcuffed Kiana's wrists.

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Kiana won't eat fish with bones! (`へ´)ノ"

In reality, Kiana snorted. Mei always picked out the bones for her whenever she ate fish!

"Cat Cat: Huh? I remember basa fish doesn't have bones! Did I remember wrong?"

"Want to Buy An Island: You didn't remember wrong. Basa fish doesn't have bones, but Kiana obviously doesn't know that."

"Driver's License Revoked: Mei spoils her too much! And this idiot can't cook or has never been to the kitchen. Mei always picks out the bones for Kiana, so in this idiot's mind, all fish have bones!"

"Don't Want to Go to Work: Waaah, does Mei still accept people like Kiana? I also want to enjoy being fed by Mei."

"Miss Elf: Please include me! After all, it's so enjoyable for a beautiful girl to feed another beautiful girl~"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: ╭(╯^╰)╮ Mei spoils this idiot so much. But I really like Mei's bitter melon juice."

"Drunken Warrior: Without Mei, St. Freya Academy would cease to exist."

As a group of freeloaders, the two couldn't live without Mei's cooking.

"Cook: qwq."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: What are you guys thinking? Mei belongs to Kiana. You can't steal her!"

Mei blushed as she looked at the comments.

......

Back to the story.

Then Durandal led Kiana out through the base gate.

Looking at the scene before her, Kiana asked in confusion,

"Where is this place?"

Faced with Kiana's question, Durandal replied calmly,

"As you said, it's just ruins."

Kiana's expression showed a hint of surprise, and she continued to ask,

"Who did this?"

Hearing this, Durandal gave Kiana a deep look before calmly replying,

"Besides Honkai, what else could destroy a city overnight?"

The two walked one after the other through the ruins. Kiana searched for a topic while constantly glancing around out of the corner of her eye.

Kiana was disappointed because she couldn't get any useful information out of Durandal.

However, although she didn't know what Durandal wanted, this outing was undoubtedly a golden opportunity.

Kiana then focused her attention, sensing the space around her. Within those dimensional structures invisible to the naked eye were cracks that only the Herrscher of the Void could detect.

Having undergone Fu Hua's rigorous training in countless dreams, she could now accurately find safe and stable passages within these cracks.

But completing a teleportation required a huge amount of energy. In her current state, she only had one chance to escape.

Suddenly, Kiana thought of the Class Monitor again, but the voice in her mind still didn't appear.

"Class Monitor?"

Kiana couldn't help but wonder. If she fell into Schicksal's hands, what would happen to Fu Hua, who resided within her consciousness?

However, Kiana didn't dwell on it.

She didn't have time to think further. She only knew she had to get out of here as soon as possible.

Whoosh—

A gust of wind swept through the air, dust billowing up and separating the two. Kiana immediately understood—the time had come!

"Now!"

Energy converged in an invisible dimension, tearing space apart like a sheet of paper.

"I must get out of here!"

But before Kiana could step into the rift, a knight's lance pierced the air, embedding itself deeply into the sand beneath her feet and disrupting her balance. The rift quickly closed, vanishing without a trace.

"Don't try anything funny."

Kiana stared at Durandal in shock.

Durandal calmly picked up the lance, gazed at Kiana with a detached expression, and said indifferently,

"Since you're so eager to leave, don't do it that way."

"Defeat me like a warrior, then leave with honor."

As her words fell, the shackles binding Kiana's hands snapped off and fell onto the beach.

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Sometimes Durandal is a bit oblivious. If Kiana could beat you, would she need to resort to this method?"

"Dudu: ......."

Seeing this, Xiyue couldn't hold back any longer and revealed Durandal's nickname to the live stream audience.

"You should know, Durandal has a nice nickname, Dudu~"

"Hahahaha."

"Dudu: ........?"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Dudu? Pfft, that's quite fitting. Very suitable for Durandal!"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: I second that."

Then Durandal stared at the live stream with a face full of question marks. She now had a strong urge to hit Xiyue.

A little interlude. Back to the story.

As her words fell, the shackles binding Kiana's hands came off with a thud and fell onto the beach.

Kiana felt the freedom of her hands, calmly looked at Durandal, and said coldly,

"Looks like I can't get past you no matter what."

"Fine, then as you wish!"

Then Kiana drew her dual pistols and attacked Durandal, but Dudu easily dodged Kiana's attack, even praising Kiana in a teacher's tone.

"Good talent. You're always finding a way to counter my attacks quickly, but your training is clearly lacking."

Kiana thought angrily to herself after hearing Durandal's words.

"Damn it, this guy still has the nerve to lecture me."

"But she's really strong!"

"You'll only realize that after actually fighting her. She might be stronger than anyone I know."

Regardless of Kiana's thoughts, Durandal's voice reached her ears.

"Overwhelm your opponent with offense, wait for them to reveal an opening, then deliver the fatal blow."

Hearing these words, Kiana's anger flared, and she said irritably,

"I don't need you to teach me!"

With a whooshing sound, Kiana launched herself like a bullet, kicking straight at her opponent.

But unexpectedly, a dull thud struck her waist, interrupting her movement.

Durandal easily dodged her attack, then retaliated with the same kick, sending her flying.

Kiana screamed,

"Ugh—!"

Then she stared at Durandal in disbelief.

"This... how is this possible!"

"This move... why do you also know Kaslana Gunfighting?"

Hearing this, Durandal also paused her attack and slowly replied,

"It's a very powerful martial art. I've studied it extensively in Schicksal's library."

"On the contrary, your moves are chaotic and seem incoherent."

Hearing Durandal's words, Kiana inwardly slumped.

"That's because that's all my dad taught me!"

Regardless of Kiana's disappointment, Durandal continued,

"Your movements aren't entirely gun-fu. There are also traces of Valkyrie fighting techniques."

"Integrating different martial arts is a must for warriors, but you're just relying on your talent and mechanically copying the movements."

"Neither refined nor understood, what you've created is just a hodgepodge of incomprehensible tricks."

Hearing Durandal say all this, Kiana was furious, but amidst her anger she was also very confused.

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

Sensing Kiana's emotions, Durandal remained unfazed and spoke gravely,

"You can't even master the most basic fighting techniques. You're simply not ready."

"You can't control your power, Herrscher of the Void."

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Now Otto's plan is clear. He needs Kiana to grow up quickly, master the power of the Herrscher of the Void, then use its authority to break through imaginary space and finally reach the answer he seeks."

"Cat Cat: But what makes him think Kiana will still help him after all this?"

"Want to Buy An Island: I'd rather know what Otto is really up to."

"Driver's License Revoked: Zaychik analyzes that the possibility of fighting and even defeating Honkai is very low."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: I believe future Kiana will definitely win!"

Durandal's words kept echoing in Kiana's mind, relentlessly attacking her psychological defenses.

With those last words, Kiana understood what Durandal was trying to say.

During her months of wandering through Arc City, Kiana had fought countless battles alone.

However, this time was different.

Her innate intuition told her that a chasm existed between herself and Durandal.

This was an opponent she couldn't defeat with brute force. She had to find another way to overcome her.

Just then, inspiration flashed through her mind, bringing back Fu Hua's teachings.

"The so-called swordsmanship, you should understand it as a method of bringing your body into a competitive state."

"Before a match, empty your mind and relax your body. Sense the subtle changes within yourself and ultimately go beyond the flowing power within you."

"Know nothing. Feel nothing."

Thinking of Fu Hua's words, Kiana gradually emptied her mind.

She didn't care about her opponent's identity, didn't care about their positions, and didn't care where she was.

Nearly a hundred days and nights, nearly a hundred dreams, and countless life-risking efforts had finally culminated in this moment.

Kiana closed her eyes, silently chanting in her mind,

"Sever all desires, guard your breath, know nothing, feel nothing."

A feather landed on the mirror-like lake, making a crisp sound before bursting into a dazzling light.

Kiana began to glow, her power reaching its peak.

Subspace Lances appeared around her. She raised her gun, her azure eyes turning crimson-gold as she aimed at Durandal.

Durandal's azure eyes showed a hint of surprise.

"Hmm, the Void Sword Qi?"

"I see. It seems you're not all brute force."

Kiana, hearing Durandal's words, didn't waste any time replying calmly,

"The warm-up can finally end."

"Now, I'll show you my true skills."

Seeing this, Durandal's expression finally changed slightly, and she nodded to herself.

"That's about enough for now."

"Maintain this momentum. Now, let's perform well in actual combat."

Hearing this, Kiana was completely bewildered.

"Actual combat? What are you talking about?"

But before she could finish speaking—

BOOM!!!

A massive gaping hole unleashed countless Honkai Beasts, hurtling toward Kiana and Durandal's location.

Durandal looked up, glanced at them, and then said to Kiana,

"Next, your opponents are them."

"Sorry, the next test is my job."

"Defeat them with all your might and survive on this battlefield."

With those words, Durandal vanished, leaving Kiana alone to face the relentlessly attacking Honkai Beasts.

After an unknown amount of time, Kiana said wearily,

"Ugh, I've taken them down in swarms. These guys are more annoying than cockroaches in Arc City!"

"This is just a waste of time."

With that said, Kiana looked up at the crack, her eyes gleaming.

"That huge hole in the sky, that's where they came from, right?"

"In that case, I'll take care of you first!"

With that, Kiana raised a hand toward the hole.

A dozen Subspace Lances appeared around her. Aiming at the black hole, Kiana flicked her wrist, and the Subspace Lances simultaneously pierced the crack.

The instant the Subspace Lances struck it, the incredibly sturdy imaginary crack was completely destroyed.

Seeing this, Kiana exclaimed in delight,

"The hole is gone! It worked!"

"Next, it's your turn!"

Although she said this, Kiana collapsed helplessly to the ground. That attack had exhausted almost all her energy. She could no longer fight, and her consciousness slowly faded away amid resentment and exhaustion.

The last thing she saw was the blonde Valkyrie's slowly approaching footsteps.

At that time, she didn't realize what this experiment truly meant.

"Cat Cat: I'm so angry! Everyone's using Kiana and targeting her. That despicable Otto, and why did Durandal help Otto do such terrible things?!"

---

Chapter Thirty-Six: Kiana's First Meeting with Ancestor Kevin

Faced with her question, no one answered Pardo.

This question was truly difficult to answer. Ultimately, it boiled down to a matter of perspective.

Whether one stood on a particular side or held a position of authority, it didn't matter whether something was right or wrong, good or evil.

In the face of differing perspectives, none of these distinctions truly mattered.

Fortunately, the following events would soon clear up Pardo's doubts.

On the way back to the underground base, the two remained silent. The atmosphere, which had briefly eased, returned to its freezing point.

Finally, Kiana looked at the blonde Valkyrie beside her, her face filled with confusion and anger.

"You big liar! You clearly said you'd let me go if I won!"

Durandal looked at Kiana's expression. A slight smile appeared on her serious face as she calmly replied,

"You only dealt with the Sea of Quanta. Our battle is not over."

Hearing this, Kiana spoke with a defiant expression.

"I just used my full power, and you stopped fighting? How can you do that? That's so cunning!"

Hearing this, Durandal frowned, stared at Kiana, and said with a hint of uncertainty,

"The full power you speak of... the Edge of Taixuan..."

"I remember. That's Fu Hua's signature technique."

She spoke, her voice tinged with doubt.

"When and where did you learn this technique from her?"

Hearing this, Kiana thought of the vanished Fu Hua, and a pang of pain shot through her heart. Overwhelmed with sorrow, she crossed her arms, turned her head away, and answered coldly without looking at Durandal.

"I don't want to answer that question."

Hearing this answer, Durandal also fell silent, staring at Kiana while Kiana remained silent, gazing at the ceiling.

After an unknown amount of time, Kiana finally turned her gaze back to Durandal, looking at the strongest Valkyrie she had once idolized. Recalling what had just happened, Kiana's face was filled with confusion.

"Why? Why is this happening?"

"Back at St. Freya Academy, I heard many stories about you. Everyone considered you a hero."

"The strongest S-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal—that title was my aspiration, the goal I once pursued. But you chose to stand with Otto..."

At this point, Kiana could no longer control her emotions and shouted at Durandal.

"Do you know the truth about all of this? Do you know the experiments I went through? Do you know what that person did?!"

"Why?"

"You're so strong. You're not a bad person. Why did you choose to help Schicksal?!"

Hearing Kiana's questions, Durandal simply crossed her arms, her expression unchanged, and instead asked in return.

"Without Schicksal, who would protect the billions of people on this planet from the Honkai?"

"You were once a Valkyrie of Schicksal. You should know this very well."

Kiana remained silent after hearing Durandal's words, but Durandal continued.

"There is no absolute good or evil, right or wrong, in this world. There is only the mission."

"And I, too, fight only for my mission."

...

Dr. Lobsterhead: "I don't like hearing that. After I left Schicksal, I founded Anti-Entropy. Anti-Entropy also has the responsibility of protecting humanity! But it's true. Regardless of Otto's motives, his Schicksal has indeed protected humanity for centuries."

Tesla didn't want to say this, but it was the truth.

We can't negate the Valkyries who fought bravely on the front lines against the Honkai because of Otto alone.

Before Otto's wolfish ambitions were exposed, this North American branch belonged to Schicksal.

"Want to Buy An Island: The world is like this. Good and evil aren't so easily distinguished; only one's stance matters."

"Cat Cat: This is so frustrating! But I think Durandal is really charming!"

"Miss Elf: Let's see what Otto wants to do! I agree with what Cat Cat said. Durandal gives off a very reliable vibe."

"Dudu: My heart and actions are as clear as a mirror. All my deeds are for justice."

Durandal looked at the comments, her eyes resolute as she uttered these words.

"Don't Want to Go to Work: Poor Kiana has lost her dream. It seems she can no longer become the strongest Valkyrie of Schicksal!"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Huh? Now Kiana has a new goal: to surpass Durandal and become the strongest human. Hahaha!"

Seeing this, Xiyue thought of Kiana and Dudu's relationship, and a famous quote instantly flashed through her mind. She subconsciously said,

"If Kiana can't be the strongest, then let the strongest be Kiana!"

Xiyue's words immediately drew a flood of question marks from the audience in the live chat.

"I Don't Want to Have an exam:?"

"Dudu:?"

"Cat Cat: What does that mean?"

"Want to Buy An Island: Can the riddler get out of here?"

...

Seeing the angry comments, Xiyue quickly turned her attention back to her phone screen and continued watching the story.

Just as the two were arguing, a deafening roar erupted.

BOOM—!!!

Kiana looked utterly bewildered.

A series of muffled thuds echoed overhead, and Setsuna's alarm sounded.

"Lord Durandal! The base has been attacked by World Serpent! It's World Serpent's mech force!"

The communicator's voice trailed off as the structure above them collapsed. Several mechs fell from above, glowing red as they stared at Kiana and Durandal.

As the smoke cleared, Durandal regained her vision.

She discovered Kiana was no longer there.

"She escaped?"

Kiana used the power of the Herrscher of the Void to teleport elsewhere, found an elevator, and successfully returned to the surface.

Dual pistols in hand, Kiana hid behind a wall while watching the mechs continuously head toward the Schicksal base, then exclaimed in surprise,

"There are more enemies than I expected. Isn't this Schicksal territory? They're really bold."

"However, bypassing their lines shouldn't be too difficult."

"Sorry, but I won't be captured!"

Kiana muttered to herself. Just as she stood up to leave, a figure in the distance caught her attention.

"Hmm, who is that?"

Kiana looked toward the figure. At that moment, Ruyi Tong sensed her gaze and raised his head.

That focused gaze from thousands of meters away allowed her to see the other person's face clearly.

"Kevin Kaslana?"

Meanwhile, at Schicksal headquarters on the floating island,

Otto sat alone in his laboratory, pondering the experiment he had just conducted. The "membrane" of the Imaginary Tree, which even Durandal couldn't touch, had been completely pierced by K423's attack.

"The Herrscher of the Void's ability to interfere with imaginary space is beyond doubt."

"It's very close. The rest is just a matter of time, and..."

Before Otto could continue his thoughts, Durandal's voice reached his ears, interrupting his reverie.

"Overseer, the base has been attacked by World Serpent. The enemy force is large. It was a premeditated attack, and the laboratory has been exposed."

"The Herrscher of the Void escaped during the chaos. I will find her as soon as possible. However, the Divine Key also needs protection. I cannot protect everyone alone."

Hearing Durandal's report, Otto stroked his chin, his emerald eyes gleaming as he murmured to himself,

"World Serpent? They timed it perfectly. It seems they came prepared."

After a moment's thought, Otto immediately spoke to Durandal.

"We still don't know World Serpent's objective. Protect the Second Divine Key. We absolutely cannot allow World Serpent to make contact with it."

"As for K423, let her escape. The farther away, the better."

"Only if K423 leaves will we have more room to maneuver against World Serpent. I've already taken precautions. Her whereabouts are not beyond Schicksal's surveillance. We can find her after we've dealt with matters here."

Hearing this, Durandal nodded.

"I understand."

......

"Cat Cat: I don't really like people calling Kiana K423. She's Kiana. Why call her by a number?"

"Cook: Yeah! She's Kiana, Mei's Kiana."

"Don't Want to Go to Work: Kevin's here too, and he even made eye contact with Kiana. Does that mean Kiana's about to meet her ancestor? Wow, how exciting!"

"Driver's License Revoked: According to Zaychik's analysis, given the current situation and the existence of the Class Monitor, Kiana meeting Kevin right now is very dangerous."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: The strongest warrior of the last century. Kiana can't handle him right now. Perhaps the only one in this era who can deal with Kevin is Durandal!"

"Want to Buy An Island: Durandal isn't qualified to fight Kevin after the final battle!"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: He's strong, I'll admit that. But having just come from the Sea of Quanta, how much power has he recovered? The outcome is still uncertain."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: I believe in Durandal here!"

"Miss Elf: Then I support Kevin. If he loses, he'll get a little punishment, little cutie~"

"Dudu: Whether he can win or not, we'll only know after the fight."

Xiyue looked at the comments with a helpless expression. She knew that after Kevin appeared, people would definitely compare the two. After all, in her previous life, when this part of the story had just been released, the debate over whether Durandal or Kevin should win had gone on for ages.

That's just how the internet is. Nobody can convince anyone else.

It all comes down to personal interpretation.

Xiyue was too lazy to get involved in this kind of topic. Anyway, the later fights in the story would only be covered briefly.

If she had to pick the strongest, Xiyue would definitely recommend the Miss Herrscher of Sentience, Senti!

Senti, the best in the world!

...

Back to the story.

In the desolate city, hundreds of mechs traversed the weathered streets, searching for their prey.

Amid this torrent of steel, Kevin stood like a rock atop the ruins.

Jackal's voice reached his ears.

"My lord, the vanguard has breached the base and begun engaging Durandal."

Kevin replied calmly.

"What about the Herrscher of the Void?"

Jackal immediately responded.

"She hasn't been found yet. The search is still underway."

Hearing this, Kevin crossed his arms, looked into the sandstorm, and said softly,

"Hold Durandal back. I'll handle the Herrscher of the Void."

With that, Kevin closed his eyes, listening to the howling sandstorm.

In an instant, the Honkai energy within a hundred-mile radius flowed like a giant vortex, converging around him.

These vortices varied in strength, but none approached the energy level of a Herrscher.

Amid the disturbances, however, a tiny turbulent current caught his attention. Though fleeting, Kevin firmly locked onto it. He opened his eyes and gazed at the towering ruins of a building thousands of meters away.

Behind the crumbling walls, the gaze of a white-haired girl met his.

"Found it."

At the same time, Kiana sensed his gaze and quickly changed her position, her heart filled with surprise and doubt.

"Did he notice me for just a second?"

"Probably not. It was probably just a coincidence."

"Anyway, let's get out of here quickly. We're already some distance from the base. That sight was just an illusion, right?"

"Kevin? He's the one who appeared in my dream. The Class Monitor said he's dangerous. It's best to stay away. If I just cross these ruins, I can leave this city, and then..."

Kiana hadn't even taken a step when Kevin's voice reached her ears.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Kiana froze, instinctively turning around to see Kevin standing calmly with his arms crossed, watching her.

"What?"

"You! How did you get here?!"

Looking at the white-haired man before her, Kiana froze. Even her trembling ceased. The man's gaze was deep, as if it could awaken the deepest fear etched into human genes by the Signets—the gaze of a predator looking at its prey.

"You've come... to kill me?"

The man didn't answer.

Kiana only felt a searing heat surge toward her chest.

The greatsword, burning with flames, thrust straight toward her heart without hesitation.

Then it pierced the girl's chest.

However, the tip of the sword could not penetrate.

A crimson feather drifted down, and Fu Hua, with her white hair and crimson eyes, reappeared before Kiana, shielding her from the fatal blow.

Kevin wasn't surprised by Fu Hua's appearance.

"Long time no see, Hua."

Fu Hua looked at Kevin and said calmly,

"Kevin, stop!"

Kiana looked at Fu Hua, her eyes blurry with tears. She couldn't believe the Class Monitor had reappeared before her, saving her once again.

"Class Monitor!"

But before she could finish, Fu Hua interrupted her urgently.

"Kiana, go quickly. Don't look back!"

Kiana was puzzled by those words.

"What?"

Fu Hua briefly closed her eyes before opening them again. Gazing tenderly at Kiana, she said softly,

"I wanted to accompany you a little longer, but now it's time to say goodbye."

Kiana wanted to say something, but Fu Hua didn't give her the chance.

"Remember our promise in Arc City? You promised me."

"Now, get out of here!"

"Dying here means your promise to change the world will become nothing but empty words."

"Do what you should do. It's your responsibility."

---

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Durandal vs. Kevin - The Strongest of the Current Era vs. The Strongest of the Previous Era

"Cat Cat: Fu Hua! Fu Hua! Immortal, Immortal! I knew the Immortal couldn't be gone!"

Ever since Pardo saw Azure Empyrea Fu Hua, she became a loyal fan who enthusiastically supported her.

Of course, it's Pardo's survival strategy...

There are so many thighs to hug!

First and foremost is Aponia, who brought her to the orphanage to study with the children.

"Want to Buy An Island: I don't know why, but when Fu Hua appeared, I wasn't as shocked as before. It felt more natural and expected."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: You're not the only one who thinks this way. I've become used to Class Monitor's appearances!"

"Cook: Whenever there's a real crisis, Class Monitor definitely appears, just like Song Jiang, the Timely Rain in Shenzhou's classic novel Water Margin."

"Dr. Lobsterhead: A reliable woman."

"Driver's License Revoked: But isn't Kiana his descendant? Why does this man still target her? Oh... Zaychik sees."

"Drunken Warrior: Fu Hua is like that. She's very thoughtful."

"Miss Elf: Awesome~"

Elysia's eyes sparkled. She couldn't wait to find Hua!

"Look at the difference between the young and tender Fu Hua and the future Fu Hua!"

Xiyue looked at the live stream comments and laughed.

"Fu Hua has the same title as Welt Yang."

"Fu Hua push-ups!"

"Don't Want to Go to Work: Fu Hua push-ups? I think I understand now, hahaha. Such a good image!"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: I really hope you can say that to Fu Hua."

Xiyue saw Theresa's comment and slightly curled her lip, thinking to herself with annoyance.

"I dare to call Fu Hua Shenzhou 'Shenzou Tablet'!"

"I dare!"

"I dare!"

After saying this, Xiyue subconsciously shrank back, coughed a few times, and continued to focus on the live stream.

Kiana listened to Fu Hua's words, her eyes filled with worry and reluctance.

"Class Monitor—!"

But after seeing Fu Hua's determined eyes and hearing what she had said before, Kiana closed her eyes, opened them again, and spoke heavily.

“I understand.”

“I’m sorry.”

Leaving those words behind, the girl lowered her eyes, turned, and ran away as if she couldn't bear to look back one last time. She ran faster and faster. Her figure grew fainter and fainter in the sandstorm until she was completely swallowed by it.

Fu Hua watched Kiana's gradually disappearing figure and said softly.

“Goodbye, Kiana.”

Kevin watched silently, gazing at Fu Hua, his former comrade-in-arms, and spoke softly.

"Hua, you've changed."

Hearing Kevin's words, Fu Hua turned and calmly met his gaze.

"Perhaps..."

Then the surrounding environment changed, their silhouettes appearing between the water and the sky.

Kevin continued speaking to Fu Hua.

"Fenghuang Down... you know it doesn't interfere with my senses."

Fu Hua ignored him, simply taking a step forward. She stood as still as a mountain and slowly extended her hand, her palm facing upward.

Seeing this, a flicker of nostalgia flashed in the man's eyes.

This was the figure who had stood beside him countless times fifty thousand years ago.

Fu Hua clenched her fist, closed her eyes, and a giant yin-yang symbol appeared behind her, gradually revealing the identities she had held over thousands of years.

"I don't want to interfere with your senses."

"Rather, I want to show you everything I've experienced."

Gradually, all the figures behind her focused on the immortal.

"Above and below, the light of flame."

All the figures transformed into dazzling, radiant light before ultimately merging into Fu Hua's body.

Fu Hua stretched out her palm, opened her eyes, and gazed at Kevin.

"And my state of mind!"

...

At the same time, hurried footsteps crushed the sand and gravel as the girl ran frantically across the ruins.

Ahead, steel behemoths pursued her through the sandstorm and became the target of her rage.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

Her attacks were unstoppable and devastating, but ultimately futile.

She clearly realized that, at this moment, she was merely a weakling fleeing for her life. Accompanied by a roar, a storm of Honkai energy swept through the area, clearing away the dust and mechs.

As the power accumulated within her suddenly erupted, Kiana collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.

Her reckless actions calmed her somewhat. As her inner turmoil subsided, a wave of confusion and hardship washed over her.

She gazed wearily into the distance, where the sandstorm obscured the sky.

At this moment, she had no choice.

If she didn't continue, she would be buried by the sandstorm.

Meanwhile, at the Schicksal experimental base...

"Reporting, Lord Durandal, Herrscher of the Void has been spotted."

Durandal ignored the report, instead gazing toward the boundary between the city and the desert. Through the refracted heat, a figure appeared and disappeared.

"Let her go. It's the Overseer's order."

Hearing Durandal's words, the communications officer was puzzled.

"But is it really okay to let the Herrscher go so easily?"

Durandal explained,

"It's alright. She's not an enemy."

"I just didn't have time to tell her one thing—basa fish has no intramuscular bones, so you don't need to remove them."

"Cook: Sigh, Kiana!"

"Cat Cat: This is so depressing! Kiana is all alone again. But hearing Durandal say that, I'm relieved."

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Otto needs Kiana, or more precisely, he needs the Herrscher of the Void's power that Kiana claims to possess. He let Kiana leave. It seems he wants her to grow stronger quickly."

"Drunken Warrior: These experiences are constantly forcing Kiana to become stronger."

"Don't Want to Go to Work: I don't know why, but hearing Durandal say something like that makes me feel she's so cute! She seems different from her outward appearance!"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Durandal can be so silly sometimes!"

"Dudu:......."

Back to the story.

When Durandal utterly crushed the World Serpent's invasion...

Within the illusion of Fenghuang Down, another battle also came to an end.

Kevin gazed at the somewhat ethereal Fu Hua before him and spoke softly.

"Hua, your final attack was indeed powerful, but you no longer have enough strength to sustain it."

"We could have witnessed the day humanity triumphed over Honkai together."

After saying this, Fu Hua did not reply, and Kevin fell silent as well.

After an unknown amount of time, Kevin looked at Fu Hua and continued speaking.

"You have sacrificed too much. You need rest. You don't need to worry about what happens next. I will fulfill our mission."

With that, Kevin reached out and touched Fu Hua's ethereal body. When he opened his hand again, a faint feather had appeared in his palm.

In that instant, the dream shattered and the bubble vanished. The scenery before him changed drastically. He was once again back in the dust-swirling ruins.

"I will awaken you after everything is over. Until then, sleep peacefully."

At that moment, Jackal's urgent voice rang in his ears.

"My Lord, you've finally responded. What just happened?"

Kevin replied calmly.

"Just catching up with a friend."

Hearing this, Jackal paused but continued speaking to him.

"Herrscher of the Void escaped using her abilities. Her location is still unknown, and Durandal is also heading in your direction."

Hearing this, Kevin's eyes sharpened. He crossed his arms and spoke coldly.

"Very well. Let's start with her."

Before he finished speaking, the blonde Valkyrie was already standing before him.

Dudu, carrying the Black Abyss White Flower, looked at the man before her and said calmly,

"You, buddy, are the leader of World Serpent."

Kevin stared at the blonde Valkyrie before him, remained silent for a moment, then lowered his hands and looked at her.

"Come on."

Durandal's eyes sharpened, and she replied calmly,

"As you wish!"

The tension between them instantly rose.

...

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Fight! Fight!"

"Don't Want to Go to Work: I'm so excited! I really want to know who's stronger!"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: I think Kevin is stronger!"

"Want to Buy An Island: While she's the strongest warrior of the Current Era, Durandal is still a bit green."

"Miss Elf: But Kevin hasn't recovered to his peak yet. It's hard to say who will win."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: No one knows how strong Durandal is. But one thing is certain: she surpassed the strongest Valkyrie of all time a long time ago."

"Driver's License Revoked: Zaychik will become very, very strong one day."

"Drunken Warrior: Look, I also want to see the battle between the strongest warrior of the Previous Era and the strongest Valkyrie of the present Current Era."

Xiyue saw this but didn't say anything. She clicked into Main Story 15: Lost Sands - 06.

The scene zoomed in, revealing a vast frozen desert. Kevin stood atop a colossal ice pillar, looking down upon the landscape. Durandal slowly approached, her sharp eyes fixed on Kevin.

Kevin slowly opened his deep blue eyes. His expressionless gaze remained fixed on Durandal as he extended his palm.

Countless sharp ice pillars suddenly rose beneath Durandal's feet, piercing toward her. Durandal ran toward Kevin, nimbly dodging the attack.

Then she leaped.

She threw a powerful punch at Kevin. Her golden fist struck the ice that had solidified into an indestructible shield.

The immense force of the impact sent Durandal staggering backward.

However, she quickly regained her balance, propelled herself forward, and charged at Kevin again, delivering another punch.

The punch shattered Kevin's ice shield and struck him.

Durandal swiftly spun around in midair and continued her assault on Kevin, who retaliated without flinching.

The two engaged in hand-to-hand combat in midair, their fists colliding at speeds imperceptible to the naked eye as they exchanged blows for an unknown length of time.

Durandal seized an opportunity and appeared above Kevin. Her body blurred, transforming into a gigantic armored knight wielding a greatsword that slashed fiercely toward him.

The unimaginably massive greatsword cleaved toward Kevin, who blocked it with both hands.

Although it didn't harm Kevin, the immense force still sent him staggering backward. Kevin landed in midair. Durandal seized the opportunity and raised her hands.

A massive lance materialized in the air and shot toward Kevin.

Seeing the lance hurtling toward him and sensing its immense power, Kevin gathered golden light in his palms. The light rapidly condensed, growing larger until it formed a rhombus-shaped construct that charged toward the lance.

Countless black, purple-tinged rhombus-shaped ice crystals collided with the golden lance.

Instantly, the rhombus-shaped ice crystals emitted a dazzling, blinding light, ultimately destroying the massive golden lance.

The black mist gradually dissipated, and Durandal's figure appeared in the air, her golden hair flowing. The Valkyrie's face was solemn. Behind her, silver and golden light converged once more, preparing for another attack.

Kevin stared at the Valkyrie above him. His sharp eyes were devoid of emotion. The deep black ice pillars beside him condensed again, growing larger and radiating a terrifying, destructive aura.

Their auras continued to rise as both prepared to strike.

"Cat Cat: Wow, so cool! So cool! Durandal is cool, and Kevin is cool too! They're both so strong, meow!"

"Cook: They're really strong. The gap between us and them is unimaginable."

"Driver's License Revoked: Zaychik believes that even Bronya, with the Herrscher of Reason, would be instantly killed by them."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: So powerful. So incredibly powerful."

Kiana's eyes shone brightly. Her face was filled with excitement as she watched the battle unfold before her, her gaze full of longing.

"Miss Elf: Neither of them used their true power. It was all a test. Kevin didn't use Annihilation, and Durandal didn't use the Black Abyss White Flower. However, if they used their full power, Durandal would be no match for Kevin. But Durandal isn't even twenty years old yet, is she?"

"Beautiful Snake: To be able to fight Kevin like this before she's even twenty is unimaginable talent. Our civilization has truly produced an extraordinary figure."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Kevin Kaslana. Fortunately, his strength hasn't fully recovered. Otherwise, if he regained his full power, implementing Project Stigma would have unimaginable consequences."

...

Seeing the shock in the comments section, Xiyue remembered Dudu's age and couldn't help but take a deep breath.

Dudu was only sixteen years old.

Her talent was ridiculously strong, not to mention the Bubble World within her.

In another world, she'd be the perfect genius novel protagonist—a typical overpowered main character.

MiHoYo's darling daughter.

Regaining her composure, Xiyue returned to the story.

The crisp sound of footsteps echoed across the terrifying battlefield as Otto's voice reverberated through the sky.

"Durandal, stop."

Hearing Otto's voice, Durandal froze. The terrifying phantom lance behind her vanished, and she looked at him in confusion.

"Your Excellency?"

But Otto didn't reply. Instead, he looked at Kevin atop the ice pillar, raised his head, and bowed.

"Leader of World Serpent, you have fully demonstrated your power."

"In that case, I must return the courtesy."

"I am Otto Apocalypse, the current Overseer of Schicksal!"

...

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Lament of the Fallen - So Sweet!

Meanwhile, at the same time as Otto and Kevin's first meeting, on the other side...

Far from the Schicksal base, in the desert, the girl trudged forward, her feet sinking into the scorching sand.

"Huff, huff..."

Kiana gasped for breath. Her body grew heavier as weariness relentlessly tormented her mind. A turbid current seemed to surge within her, spreading with each step—cold and empty, threatening to engulf her entirely.

"You're not ready at all. You can't control your power, Herrscher of the Void."

"Do what you should do. It's your responsibility."

Durandal and Fu Hua's words echoed repeatedly in Kiana's mind.

The road beneath her feet seemed to grow longer and longer.

She knew that moving forward was her only option.

However, a name buried deep in her heart constantly held her back. The person who had always been by her side must still be anxiously searching for her.

Where was she now? And where was she going?

"Mei!"

Kiana murmured.

Whether they were sweat or tears, droplets slid down her cheeks as Kiana closed her eyes.

For some reason, she suddenly wanted to go back.

Back to the place where fate began, back to the place where she first met Mei—back to Nagazora City.

......

“Drunken Warrior: What will Otto and Kevin say when they meet? I want to know.”

“Cook: Kiana... Nagazora City... Sigh.”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Oh dear, don't be sad. Kiana is fine now!”

Kiana could feel Mei's emotions even through the screen and quickly comforted her in the comments.

“Miss Elf: Nagazora City? Is that where Kiana and Mei met?”

“Driver's License Revoked: And Bronya too. If it weren't for that Honkai incident, Bronya wouldn't have met Mei and that idiot Kiana.”

“Cat Cat: So Nagazora City is now occupied by the Honkai?”

“The Number One Cutest in the World: Yes. Time flies.”

“Don't Want to Go to Work: I really want to see Kiana's daily life at St. Freya Academy forever!”

“Queen: Boring.”

The Queen, who had been asleep for a long time, finally woke up. Recalling the content of the previous live stream, she realized there hadn't been a single scene featuring her and looked bored.

Xiyue didn't say anything and continued the live stream with the next chapter.

Main Story 16: The Rain Is Coming - 01

One step closer to the scene of domestic violence.

As Kiana journeyed alone toward Nagazora City, another scene unfolded in North Africa, in the Maghreb, on high ground outside the Schicksal Vimur Laboratory.

Whoosh—whoosh—

Raven stood atop a high-rise building buried in yellow sand, watching Kiana's movements as she spoke softly.

"The Herrscher of the Void is leaving this desert. Are we just going to watch her escape?"

Before she finished speaking, Gray Serpent's deep voice rang out.

"Give her time. It is the Lord's command."

“A single grain of wheat, if it dies, remains just a single grain. But if it falls to the ground, it can yield countless seeds.”

“Her shackles have been removed. Time will prove whether the power within that body can take root, sprout, and bear fruit.”

“Now, let us focus on a more important goal.”

Raven frowned as she listened to Gray Serpent's words but remained focused, gazing through the Divine Key at the distant ruins. The suspended points of light rotated and contracted in sync with her gaze, finally projecting a clear image into her pupils.

In the deserted city, a golden hemisphere obscured most of the plaza, creating a jarring sight.

That was the space created by Overseer Schicksal using a strange golden fluid. At this moment, only he and the leader of World Serpent remained within the hemisphere.

“I still find it hard to believe that the Lord would decide...”

Raven paused, a slight hesitation in her eyes.

“...to cooperate with Schicksal.”

Hearing Raven's question, Gray Serpent replied calmly.

“Raven, I understand your confusion.”

“The Overseer Schicksal is a sophisticated egoist. He's worldly-wise, understands people, and is adept at using everything to achieve his goals. He's the last person you should deal with.”

“But I guarantee this deal will go smoothly.”

“It's precisely his egoism that gives the Lord's bargaining chip almost limitless value. Soon, this obstacle will completely disappear from the Serpent's path.”

Hearing this, Raven voiced no further doubts and instead asked curiously,

“Since it's the Lord's order, I will naturally obey. But you know there are many people in the organization who hold grudges against Schicksal.”

Gray Serpent chuckled.

“No matter how you look at it, they still came. The entire World Serpent leadership has gathered together. It's a rare sight, isn't it?”

Gray Serpent's hollow voice drifted away on the wind, disappearing like a ghost into the swirling sand.

Raven suddenly felt that every corner of the desert echoed with the voice of a ghost.

"If negotiations fail, then we'll wage all-out war against Schicksal right here. Is that the gist of it?"

Gray Serpent didn't reply, remaining silent.

"Gray Serpent?"

Raven called out again. Gray Serpent remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a cold laugh.

"Hahahahahaha!"

The ghostly whispers echoed in her ears before transforming into a demonic laugh that spread endlessly across the desolate desert.

Then Raven saw the golden hemisphere in her vision slowly disintegrate.

“Raven, put away your weapons. Just now, the Lord's deal... was completed.”

...

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Huh? Otto actually cooperated with World Serpent. What was Otto thinking? I thought they'd fight, but...”

“Cat Cat: I don't understand either. Logically speaking, World Serpent's insane Project Stigma means Schicksal and World Serpent are mortal enemies. How could they cooperate, meow!”

“Dr. Lobsterhead: Although Gray Serpent is annoying, he's right. That's exactly the kind of person Otto is. He'll stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Cooperating with World Serpent is absolutely something he's capable of.”

“Driver's License Revoked: I don't understand. I really don't understand.”

“Cook: What exactly is Otto's ultimate goal?”

“Don't Want to Go to Work: It's definitely not about saving the world or defeating the Honkai. I wanted to see Schicksal and World Serpent fight. Sigh.”

“Miss Elf: World Serpent killed a Valkyrie from Schicksal in Arc City, and in the end they still have to cooperate with their rival organization. I really feel sorry for the Valkyries!”

“Drunken Warrior: There should be some content about their conversation later!”

Xiyue nodded after seeing the comments, informing everyone that Otto and Kevin's conversation would be shown later.

Then the live stream continued.

This chapter had a lot of content, so the plot needed to move more quickly.

Back to the story.

The next day, in the conference room aboard the Helios.

"Sigh, no. This is completely beyond repair too."

In the conference room, Tesla sighed deeply and threw the piece of scrap metal in her hand onto the table.

Just hours ago, this small component had been one of the most important parts of the katana, Raikiri. Now, the weapon had been disassembled into dozens of pieces, neatly arranged before her.

"The blade is broken. The handle is broken. The modulation circuit is broken. The energy gauge... is broken too."

"Great. What's the difference between this and rebuilding it from scratch?"

Tesla said helplessly.

Mei stood beside Tesla, listening silently while organizing a pile of files on another table.

She was absent-minded, her eyes filled with worry.

For months, they had searched for Kiana and Himeko every day. Information, both significant and trivial, had poured in from around the world. Valuable reports were printed and archived, eventually filling what had once been a conference room.

Tesla set down the parts she had been examining, looked at Mei as she silently sorted the files, observed her expression, and asked softly,

"Thinking about her?"

Tesla's words reached Mei's ears, and she nodded.

"Yes."

Seeing this, Tesla looked at Mei's haggard face and comforted her.

“On the bright side, at least she didn't fall into the hands of Schicksal or World Serpent.”

Hours earlier, news of World Serpent's raid on Schicksal's North African laboratory had reached Anti-Entropy through their informants. Although they knew little about the laboratory or the reason behind the conflict, they were certain that the "Herrscher of the Void" had escaped during the chaos.

This unfortunate stroke of luck brought a brief sense of relief, but a somber atmosphere soon enveloped the Helios once again.

“There’s no one else here. Just say what’s on your mind.”

Hearing Tesla's words, Mei clutched the documents and recalled Kiana wielding dual pistols, her expression unusually mature and resolute. Mei lowered her gaze and spoke quietly.

“Kiana... she's changed a lot.”

“I don't know how to describe this change. Has she grown up? Become more mature? Neither feels quite right.”

“She's always been restless, always the loudest one in a crowd. From the moment I met her, I've never seen her calm. She had to get involved in everything, whether it concerned her or not.”

“She used to be very boisterous, but also reassuring. In Arc City, I realized she'd changed.”

Mei's expression and voice both became somber.

“She's become... very quiet... so quiet that she's no longer like herself.”

“How much must a person go through? How much pain must they endure to undergo such a drastic change? Anything can happen in four months.”

“Right now, she must still be wandering somewhere, enduring unimaginable suffering.”

“I just want to find her as soon as possible.”

Mei lowered her head, fighting back tears.

Hearing Mei's words, Tesla understood her feelings. She sighed deeply and comforted her.

"Don't blame yourself too much. Negative emotions are bad for your health. We did our best."

"Sigh. Could you tidy up the table for me? I'll go to the intelligence room later."

After speaking, Tesla walked to the door, looked back several times reluctantly, and finally left quietly.

Mei was left alone in the room. She continued stacking the scattered documents, but Kiana's image kept replaying in her mind.

Their first meeting in Arc City, when she held Kiana tightly.

The Schicksal War had lasted for more than four months. During that time, how many cities devastated by the Honkai had Kiana crossed? How many tragedies caused by the Honkai had she witnessed?

Looking upon those whose lives had been taken by the Honkai, would Kiana blame herself for everything, or would she choose to bear all the responsibility alone?

Mei trembled uncontrollably.

The wounds from the battle had long since healed, but the pain of her brother complex grew increasingly unbearable.

She clearly remembered Kiana's answer back then—

“I can't go back, Mei.”

“I'm sorry. I... I can't let you take this risk.”

Mei dared not think any further, yet she couldn't stop. Her thoughts were like a boulder sinking into an icy lake—cold, heavy, and descending ever deeper into the darkness...

For the first time since they had met, Kiana seemed so... so... so... unfamiliar!

“Cat Cat: Can you please stop throwing tantrums like that?! You've been stabbing us in the back non-stop!”

“Miss Elf: Mei really likes Kiana, and Kiana feels the same. Right now, they're both thinking about each other. If I could meet you two in real life, the three of us living together would be so happy.”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Huh? Kiana and Mei's little world can't tolerate a third party!”

“Drunken Warrior: So much has happened in four months. Kiana had to grow up quickly.”

“Don't Want to Go to Work: I can't sleep well. My dreams are all about training.”

“Want to Buy An Island: The scene was supposed to be sad, but your comment made it funny.”

“Don't Want to Go to Work: It seems Bronya is a bit superfluous. But at this point, Bronya is probably still cuddling with her harem, right?”

“Driving License Salesperson: Don't talk nonsense. Those are Bronya's sisters!”

“Cat Cat: Please let Mei and Bronya meet soon!”

“Cook: Kiana, I won't let you leave my grasp again!”

...

Xiyue looked at the comments and Pardofelis's wish, and the classic domestic violence scene reappeared in her mind. Suppressing her laughter, she addressed the audience.

"Don't worry, don't worry. Kiana and Mei will meet within these two chapters!"

"Super sweet, super sweet storyline~"

"Absolutely no angst. It's all sweetness~"

Xiyue had barely finished speaking when—

“Cat Cat: I have a bad feeling. Yuexi-jie, I'd advise you to be careful and not deceive everyone!”

“Miss Elf: If there's no sweetness, Yuexi, I look forward to our next meeting~”

“Don't Want to Go to Work: I'll believe you this once!”

“Want to Buy An Island: Huh? You guys still believe her? Did you forget the sweet storyline she mentioned before, and what happened in the end?”

“Driver's License Revoked: Zaychik doesn't believe it!”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: If Mei and Kiana don't meet, hmph. This lady will eat all your snacks!”

...

Looking at the comments section filled with doubt, Xiyue shook her head helplessly. Everyone had become smarter; they couldn't be fooled anymore.

However, she wasn't lying.

Viewed from another perspective, Lament of the Fallen is full of sweetness.

Mei doesn't want to save the world. Even if the world is destroyed, what does it matter to her? She only wants Kiana.

For Kiana's sake, she willingly plunges into darkness to find a cure for her.

She doesn't want Kiana to carry such a heavy burden. She wants to become stronger so she can protect her.

Isn't that sweet?

It's sickeningly sweet!

---

Chapter Thirty-Nine: A World Where Only Chongchong Is Injured Has Been Achieved!

Back to the story.

Thump—!!!

Tesla slammed the door shut and rushed in, speaking quickly to Mei.

"Mei! Pack your gear and get ready to go!"

Mei looked at Tesla with a puzzled expression and asked,

"Dr. Tesla, what's wrong?"

Tesla didn't waste any words, answering with a slightly excited expression.

"We... found Kiana!!"

Hearing this, Mei was filled with immense joy. She quickly grabbed her gear, left the conference room, and went to the command center.

Meanwhile, Tesla controlled the transport ship, speeding toward their destination.

Several hours later, Mei looked down at the city submerged in water, one hand resting against the glass, her eyes lost in memories and contemplation.

At that moment, Tesla walked up behind her, looked at Mei's silhouette, and spoke softly.

"This is where the Herrscher reaction occurred."

Hearing this, Mei turned her gaze toward the distance, toward the city where she had lived for so long. Countless questions welled up in her mind.

"Kiana, why... why did you come to Nagazora City?"

...

Soon, Tesla found the landing site, parked the transport ship, and went outside with Mei. Looking at their surroundings, he focused his gaze on Mei and said softly,

"Let's organize the existing intelligence."

"Yesterday afternoon, a Schicksal experimental base in North Africa was suddenly attacked by World Serpent forces. Kiana, who was being held there, escaped during the chaos."

"A few hours later, Anti-Entropy's Far East reconnaissance station detected a brief but powerful Herrscher reaction in Nagazora City, consistent with the previous sample from Arc City."

Hearing Tesla's words, Mei asked in disbelief,

"She used the Herrscher of the Void's ability to escape here?"

Tesla nodded.

"That's right. It was an extremely long-distance teleportation. After that, she disappeared. The reconnaissance station didn't find any further information, and the satellite footage contained no useful intelligence."

"But at least we can confirm that Kiana was here. There might be other clues in the city."

Mei nodded silently, then continued to inquire.

"Has Schicksal made any other moves?"

Tesla shook his head.

"Not yet. This time, we seized the initiative. Helios landed in the eastern part of Nagazora City. Let's use this as our base and start investigating the surrounding area."

"Nagazora City is currently uninhabited. I can set up a simple detector array to locate her by detecting Honkai energy."

"First, we need to find an open area."

After speaking, Tesla and Mei explored the ghost town, searching for a suitable place to set up the detector.

As they walked, Tesla was suddenly drawn to something in the distance and asked curiously,

"What's that mast in the distance?"

Mei, following Tesla's gaze, explained,

"That's the Nagazora Wall. It separates the East City from the West City. It's a famous historical landmark in the Far East."

The two continued their exploration. The once-bustling city was now in ruins, and the flooded streets hindered their progress.

Looking at Nagazora City, Tesla sighed.

"Hmm, I'd heard about it, but seeing the city as it is now... it's still unbelievable."

"It's hard to believe."

Continuing the search for a suitable location, Tesla quickly found one and said to Mei,

"This will do. It's changed so much here. The streets are all submerged, and the map is completely unusable."

With that, Tesla threw his luggage onto the ground and began setting up the equipment.

Mei looked at the city where she once lived, filled with a profound sense of admiration and reflection.

'Even though I knew Nagazora City was like this, seeing it with my own eyes still makes me feel...'

Mei was interrupted by Tesla before she could finish.

"It's all the aftermath of the Third Honkai."

"Nagazora City's center is low-lying, and being a port city, the land subsided severely after the Honkai, leading to seawater intrusion soon afterward. The incoming water was then contaminated by Honkai energy, causing secondary disasters. The eastern district, located downstream, was particularly hard hit."

"Seeing this scene now, who would have thought that three years ago this was a bustling metropolis with over three million inhabitants?"

"Cat Cat: Dr. Tesla is so knowledgeable! She seems to know everything. So amazing."

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Hmph. This is just basic scientific common sense. It's nothing worth praising. If you study hard, you'll be able to explain it fluently in the future too."

"Cat Cat: Studying? No way, I don't really need to."

"Nun: Cat, remember to come to the orphanage to study tomorrow morning~"

"Cat Cat: Oh no!"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Hehe, luckily I'm not doing homework right now. Hehehehe. So cool!"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: What are you thinking, idiot? Who said you don't have homework?"

"Drunken Warrior: Xiyue will upload your cultural assignments every day. Remember to finish them and send them to Xiyue. If you don't do them, you'll regret it the next time we meet!"

"Don't Want to Go to Work: Hehehehehe."

"Cat Cat: Hahahaha, I'm so happy!"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: No, no, I don't want to! I'm already like this, and you still want me to write?! It's killing me!"

"Cook: Write them properly. I'll supervise you through video later."

...

The comment section was filled with a joyful atmosphere, and Kiana's world where only insects were injured was once again realized.

Back to the story.

Hearing Tesla's words, Mei lowered her head, her eyes filled with self-blame as she gritted her teeth.

"All of this is because of the Third Honkai."

Tesla keenly sensed Mei's emotional distress and quickly said,

"That disaster wasn't your fault."

Hearing Tesla's comforting words, Mei shook her head, her expression sorrowful.

"No matter who was right or wrong, nothing can make up for what this city has lost."

"I was the one who became a Herrscher three years ago. I sometimes wonder whether, if I hadn't been so weak back then and hadn't succumbed to the Honkai, the tragedy of Nagazora City could have been avoided."

"I know there are no 'what ifs' in this world. It's just... I hope every choice I make in the future will remind me of this disaster."

"This is a responsibility I must bear."

"The same goes for Kiana."

Hearing Mei's words, Tesla didn't say anything and continued operating the device in his hands, though a hint of relief flashed across his red eyes.

Then he focused his gaze on the device.

"All done. Let's see if this thing works."

As he spoke, Tesla had already assembled the scattered parts into a strange device.

"The water and atmosphere of Nagazora City are filled with Honkai energy. To find Kiana, we need to filter out Herrscher energy. This is a new technology with limited atmospheric detection, covering only a radius of about three to five kilometers."

Hearing Tesla's words, Mei couldn't help exclaiming in surprise.

"In that case, we'd need at least three to cover the entire East District, and even more if we include the West District."

Tesla nodded helplessly.

"So, we can't expect to achieve this all at once..."

Before Tesla could finish speaking, the device in his hand reacted, and he exclaimed with delight.

"Hey, I found it!"

A striking red dot appeared on the screen, flashing continuously.

Looking at the red dot, Mei couldn't hide her excitement.

"Doctor, this is..."

Tesla quickly leaned closer.

"Let me see, let me see... It's true. Though very faint, it's definitely a Herrscher reaction."

"And it's very close!"

"Wait! Look more carefully. Isn't she right next to me?"

...

Tesla fell silent, then turned his gaze toward Mei.

"Is this your reaction?"

Hearing Tesla's words, Mei's eyes widened, her face full of confusion.

"Huh?"

Tesla shook his head helplessly and explained,

"Ah—I forgot. Although the Gem of Conquest is gone, you still have a faint trace of Herrscher energy remaining in your body."

Mei nodded.

"Yes, that's what Dr. Einstein's diagnosis said too. She said I'm not an exception. The Anti-Entropy Sovereign also has a similar condition, but the exact cause is still undetermined."

"And this energy... I can't use it at will."

Hearing this, Tesla understood and said earnestly,

"I don't recommend doing that. Forcibly stimulating unstable energy will only hurt you."

"Back to the point. Excluding your reaction, there's nothing special here."

"Sigh, let's go to the next location."

The two then headed to the next location where they could install the device, but the path was difficult because most of Nagazora City's streets were flooded. The occasional attacks from Honkai Beasts made Tesla increasingly irritable.

Soon, they arrived at the next location, and Mei was immediately drawn to something.

"Here, I remember this place!"

Tesla followed Mei's gaze and saw a severely damaged building.

"That big hole... I caused it."

Lost in memories, she recounted the events from three years ago to Tesla.

"Three years ago, Kiana, Bronya, and I fled Nagazora City together, and that's when we encountered... Himeko-sensei's team."

"At the time, we thought she was an enemy, so... a small conflict broke out."

Tesla sensed Mei's embarrassment, rested one hand on his hip, fixed his gaze on the ruins, and spoke softly.

"Seeing this wreckage, I'd guess you caused her a lot of trouble."

Mei nodded gently.

"Yes... During that battle, the Herrscher power within me went berserk. Himeko-sensei did everything she could to suppress me."

"After the Hyperion returned, it went straight to the repair dock, and the ship's experimental weapons were completely destroyed. Himeko-sensei almost got punished by headquarters because of it, but the headmaster intervened in the end."

"While we were on the run, I was constantly afraid I would lose control. The moment I went berserk, I truly thought it was all over. But when I woke up, I found myself lying in a warm bed. Himeko was standing in front of me, completely unconcerned about my identity."

"She said she would train me into a warrior who could control her power. That's why I became a Valkyrie."

"Time flies so fast. Three years have already passed."

...

"Cat Cat: Waaaaah, Professor Himeko is so kind, so kind! I'm sorry, Professor Himeko. I thought you were just a drunkard before. I'm guilty. I was wrong."

"Drunken Warrior: Oh, don't worry. Himeko won't mind. But you can become Himeko's student too~"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: You're right. She's a drunkard. Believe it or not, this drunkard is still drinking right now!"

"Drunken Warrior: You're such a busybody! What's wrong with Himeko having a drink on her day off?!"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Well then, Himeko won't be getting her salary this month~"

"Drunken Warrior: Come on, Theresa, that penniless wretch owes Himeko several months' salary already, and you still don't want to pay her? Pah!"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: You!!!"

Theresa nearly coughed up blood, and her face turned bright red. It wasn't that she didn't want to pay salaries, but St. Freya Academy was currently running a deficit. After everything that had happened with headquarters, her Far East Branch was practically independent.

Although Grandpa's educational funding hadn't stopped, other expenses had fallen into deficit.

So, her salary had been delayed for the past few months.

However, what Theresa didn't expect was that this drunkard would bring it up during her livestream.

Didn't she have any dignity?

Damn it, she'll steal all her alcohol tonight!

Theresa made up her mind.

...

Back to the story.

Tesla listened to Mei's memories while searching for a suitable location to set up the detector.

"The closer we get to the city center, the fewer paths we can take. The overpasses and streets are all flooded. We have no idea where anything leads. It feels like we're going in circles."

Hearing this, even Tesla sighed helplessly.

"Sigh, if only we had a map."

"Sighing won't help. Let's just feel our way forward."

After walking for an unknown amount of time, Tesla suddenly spotted an Anti-Entropy guidance robot on the lawn ahead. It looked quite new, making both of them feel increasingly uneasy.

Without giving it much thought, they eagerly set up the device, but this time only one red dot representing Mei flashed forlornly on the screen.

"Sigh, not here either."

Mei sighed.

Tesla watched the screen and seemed to notice something. She reached out and disabled the filter, and a large, densely packed cluster of red dots of varying sizes immediately appeared on the screen.

"There's a strange reaction here. It's not like a Zombie or a Honkai Beast. It's a humanoid reaction?"

Mei standing beside her was also surprised.

"Human? How can there be people in Nagazora City?"

The two then walked toward the direction of the red dots.

---

Chapter Forty: Pots and Pans, Submit to Me!

The two found it strange and walked toward the red dot, wanting to find out what it was.

Soon, Tesla spotted what looked like something lying on the ground in the distance, and the two rushed over.

A little pink-haired girl wearing a hoodie was lying unconscious on the ground. Mei's eyes widened in shock when she saw the girl.

"This is... a child?"

...

"Cat Cat: Huh? Wasn't Nagazora City corrupted by the Honkai? How come there's still a child here?"

"Don't Want to Go to Work: Children can't survive in an environment with high concentrations of Honkai, right? Looking at the bandages on this child's hands, it doesn't seem that simple."

"Beautiful Snake: No matter how abandoned a city is or how badly it's been corrupted by Honkai, millions of people can't all evacuate at once. There will still be people living in the city. This child must be one of them."

"Miss Elf: It seems this little cutie isn't alone. There must be others around."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Schicksal has been to Nagazora City a few times, but they haven't found any trace of anyone."

Theresa was also very puzzled by this.

Raven, wearing a surprised expression, looked at this familiar place and at the girl in Mei's arms before subconsciously calling out.

"Sora!"

Raven hadn't expected that Mei and Kiana from the future would return to Nagazora City. Even more absurdly, they had run into the children she had adopted.

This...

Raven's heart was filled with complicated emotions.

Back to the story.

Still puzzled, Mei and Tesla carried the little girl back to the Helios.

"We don't even know who this child is, but we can't leave her alone."

Mei peered into the infirmary through the small window in the door. The girl was awake. Tesla sat beside her, talking incessantly. The girl looked flustered but listened attentively, occasionally responding.

Mei waited a few more minutes before the infirmary door opened again.

Whoosh—

Seeing Tesla emerge, Mei rushed over and asked urgently,

"Dr. Tesla, who is that child?"

Tesla looked at Mei, recalling her conversation with the little girl, and nodded.

"Just as we suspected, she's a refugee from Nagazora City."

The doctor's answer made Mei frown deeply.

Tesla continued.

"Her name is Sora. She grew up in Nagazora City. After the Honkai attack, she fled to the East District and has stayed there ever since. Besides her, there are about a dozen other people, all children, with the oldest no older than sixteen. They've lived together in the ruins of Nagazora City for three whole years."

Hearing this, Mei was utterly shocked.

"How could this be?"

"It's said that Schicksal mobilized three branches for a joint rescue operation in Nagazora City, yet there were still refugees left behind."

Tesla's eyes were also filled with doubt as she continued speaking to Mei.

"I asked her about what happened back then, but she seems to have amnesia. She doesn't remember anything about the Honkai attack. These children are now living together in a place called 'The Nest.' Do you remember that name?"

Hearing this, Mei shook her head.

"The Nest? I don't remember there being such a place in Nagazora City."

As expected, Tesla replied thoughtfully,

"Hmm... there's an administrator there. She seems to be a woman, and Sora calls her 'Teacher.'"

"That teacher isn't usually in Nagazora City. She only comes back once every month or two, and each time she brings food and daily necessities. The Nest relies on her for supplies. But since she can freely enter and leave Nagazora City, why doesn't she take these children out?"

Even Tesla couldn't help looking dejected as she voiced these questions.

"Ah, the situation was already complicated enough, and now she's uncovered a whole new batch of problems. Things are even more chaotic than Mophead's bedroom."

"Hmm! I need to think about this. Go talk to her."

Mei nodded knowingly at Tesla's words and opened the infirmary door.

Looking at the pink-clad little girl on the bed, Mei smiled warmly and said,

"Hello, I'm Raiden Mei. You can call me Mei."

She then sat down beside Sora's bed.

Sora looked at Mei and hurriedly replied,

"Ah... hello."

Sensing the little girl's nervousness, Mei said gently,

"Don't be so formal."

"Dr. Tesla told me your name is Sora, right?"

Feeling Mei's kindness, Sora gradually relaxed and nodded.

"Yes. Everyone calls me Sora-chan."

"Thank you for saving me."

Seeing Sora relax, Mei's smile became even warmer as she comforted her.

"Don't worry. You're healthy, and it's only a minor injury. You'll be fine soon."

"Once you've recovered, we'll take you home. Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?"

"Cat Cat: Waaaaah, Mei-nee is so kind and gentle! I wish Mei-nee would take me in. Then I'd never have to worry about food or drink!"

"Don't Want to Go to Work: She has the air of a perfect wife and mother. I wonder who'll be the lucky one in the end? I really want to eat a meal cooked by Mei."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Of course Kiana will be the lucky one! Who else could it be?"

Kiana immediately declared her claim.

"Cook: Idiot, don't talk nonsense!"

"Driver's License Revoked: Kiana, you idiot. Mei-neechan belongs to Bronya."

"Don't Want to Go to Work: Seele will draw her sword~"

"Miss Elf: Mei talks about cooking so many times in the story. She's truly a virtuous wife and loving mother. I love her so much!"

"Drunken Warrior: Mei's cooking is so delicious."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Bitter melon juice is also very good!"

Mei looked at the comments in the live chat and felt quite embarrassed.

Seeing this, Xiyue knew it was time to let everyone know Mei's nickname.

So she cheerfully said to the audience,

"Hmph, Mei has the title of Herrscher of Cooking. That title isn't just for show."

"Pots and pans, submit to me!"

Xiyue even deliberately shouted it in the style of the Herrscher of Thunder.

Mei was so embarrassed that she wished she could crawl under the covers immediately. Who would give someone such a nickname?

"Herrscher of Rice!"

Amid the crowd's teasing, Mei briefly went offline.

After all, there was nothing more to see.

Back to the story.

Sora listened to Mei's words and looked at her timidly, seemingly troubled but unable to speak.

"Um..."

Seeing Sora fidget with her hands and constantly glance toward the window, Mei seemed to understand something and asked,

"Did you lose something?"

Hearing this, Sora nodded nervously and stammered,

"Yes. It was a round little blue robot... Its name was Mark II, and it was my best friend, a gift from my teacher. I always carried it with me, but after I woke up... it... it was gone."

Sora's voice was filled with panic and sadness.

Mei listened to Sora's words and thought to herself,

"A guide robot? I feel like I've seen it somewhere before."

As Mei tried to recall, Sora continued,

"Mark II's head contains many things. Without it, I can't do many things..."

Hearing this, Mei finally remembered and said softly,

"I'll go get it for you."

Sora's face immediately lit up with surprise and gratitude.

"Thank you... thank you, Mei!"

Mei stepped off the transport ship and followed the path she had explored earlier that day, searching for the Mark II Sora had mentioned.

She quickly found the little Anti-Entropy robot, picked it up, returned to the infirmary, and walked over to Sora, who was anxiously waiting.

Smiling, she spoke.

"Here, your friend."

Sora happily took the round robot from Mei's hands, clutched it tightly to her chest, and exclaimed joyfully,

"Wow, Mark II, welcome home!"

Then Sora hugged the robot to her chest as though it were her most precious treasure.

Looking at the robot, Sora said softly,

"I have a bad memory. I don't remember many things from the past. Mark II is like another head for me. It reminds me of the things I've forgotten."

"Just ask it like this—Mark Rabbit, Mark Rabbit, who am I?—and it will..."

Suddenly, Sora fell silent. She stared intently at the robot in her hands and cried out frantically,

"Why isn't it responding to me?"

"Huh! Mark Rabbit isn't responding? Is it... is it dead? Waaah..."

Sora suddenly burst into tears.

Seeing this, Mei quickly went over to comfort her.

"Hey, don't cry. A robot won't die. It's just broken..."

"Dr. Tesla will definitely have a way to fix it."

After saying that, Mei called Tesla in. Tesla picked up the robot, examined it for a moment, then said to the tearful Sora,

"It's fixed. Here you go."

The little robot started up and quickly returned to normal.

Sora was overjoyed.

"Oh! Mark Rabbit is back to life!"

Sora continued holding Mark Rabbit affectionately while Mei looked at Tesla and said,

"Dr. Tesla, I asked about Kuro's nest, and it's very close to the last detection site. She's almost recovered, so we can take her back along the way and investigate the refugee situation at the same time."

"If they've been staying in Nagazora City, maybe someone has seen Kiana."

Tesla agreed.

After resting for a while, Mei and Tesla followed Kuro to the nest.

Then, led by Sora, they slowly but accurately arrived at their destination.

Passing through a portal, they emerged into a scene completely different from the outside. Unlike the deathly silence beyond, the environment here was filled with the breath of life.

"Welcome to the Nest!"

Sora happily said to Tesla and Mei.

Mei stared at the buildings, her voice filled with shock and unease.

"These are their homes?"

She asked Tesla,

"Boss Tesla, this shantytown is built on top of high-rise buildings and is densely packed high above the water. The materials are all easily assembled and disassembled sandwich panels, and the structures are very rudimentary."

"I'm certain Nagazora City didn't have buildings like this, at least not before the Honkai."

Tesla looked at the shacks and nodded.

"This shantytown was built after the disaster. Refugees wouldn't have had the means to build something like this. It's obvious that outsiders helped them, probably that teacher."

"Cat Cat: Amazing, meow! I don't know why, but I'm so shocked! That teacher seems like a good person, meow."

"Nun: Creating a haven in the ruins and helping so many lovely children... this teacher must be a kind person."

"Cook: But why doesn't she take these children outside?"

"Want to Buy An Island: Is the outside world really better than this?"

Seeing Raven's comment, Mei became thoughtful.

Seeing Pardo and Aponia describe the teacher as a good person, Mei felt a strange feeling welling up inside her for some reason.

"Drunken Warrior: Let's see how the story unfolds."

Back to the story.

Listening to Tesla's words, Mei became even more curious about the teacher Sora had mentioned. She wanted to ask more questions, but Sora approached them happily and thanked Mei.

"Thank you for taking me home."

"I've already greeted everyone. You are my saviors, and the Nest welcomes you!"

Hearing Sora's words, Mei nodded and asked,

"Sora, can you tell us more about the teacher?"

Sora looked slightly confused, but she didn't refuse.

"Ah, okay. The teacher is the owner of this Nest and everyone's savior. She's a beautiful older sister."

"Three years ago, she helped us, who had nowhere to go, establish this home. The teacher often goes out, and whenever she comes back, she always brings us food and supplies, along with the occasional strange gift."

"Hehe."

"When she's not around, the children go into the city to scavenge, bringing back anything useful to store in the warehouse for emergencies."

Hearing this, Mei asked in surprise,

"You go into the city? Isn't that dangerous?"

Sora shook her head and continued,

"The teacher marked a safe zone on the map. As long as we don't leave it, there's no danger. At first, everyone wasn't used to scavenging, but we gradually adapted."

"Of course, the teacher never set any quotas for us. No matter how much or how little we collect, our monthly supplies never change."

"There's only one rule here: everyone must survive."

"We've all lived through disaster, so we must help and support each other. That's what the teacher has always taught us."

Hearing this, Mei was secretly astonished and became even more curious about the teacher's identity.

"Do you know when she'll be back? We have some questions we'd like to ask her."

---

Chapter 41: Mei's Memories

Hearing Mei's words, Sora remained silent for a moment before replying.

"Hmm, actually, I'm wondering too. Judging by the time, Teacher should have been back yesterday."

"I went out to look for her but accidentally walked out of the safe zone and encountered a Honkai Beast I'd never seen before. It chased me all the way down the stairs..."

"I feel like Nagazora City has been getting weirder lately... Is Teacher alright...? By the way, what do you want to ask her?"

Hearing Sora's words, Mei looked into the girl's clear eyes, sighed, and slowly spoke.

"Actually, Doctor and I went back to Nagazora City to find a lost friend. Well, it's a long story..."

Mei considered telling the whole story about searching for Kiana but hesitated, ultimately omitting everything related to the Herrscher.

“That’s it. You’ve been staying in Nagazora City. Have you seen Kiana?”

Hearing Mei’s question again, Sora's face showed her desire to help, but she didn't know who Kiana was.

“Um, no. Teacher will definitely have a way to help you, but she’s not here right now. Why don’t you... go ask the others first?”

Hearing this, Mei went to the shantytown and began asking the children if they had seen Kiana.

Unfortunately, the first two children hadn't seen Kiana.

Mei was a little disappointed, but she continued asking the children and finally got some information about Kiana from one of them.

“The girl with white hair and blue eyes... wasn't she wearing a white bodysuit?”

Hearing this, Mei was overjoyed and quickly replied.

“Ah, that’s her!”

Sensing the change in Mei’s emotions, the girl quickly added,

“I saw her heading toward the West District.”

Mei considered the girl's words thoughtfully.

“The West District is in the opposite direction. No wonder most of the kids haven't seen her.”

“Thank you!”

After thanking the girl, Mei prepared to head to the West District. However, the girl stopped her.

“Wait!”

Mei stopped and looked at the little girl with a puzzled expression.

The girl spoke timidly.

“I heard you can fight Honkai Beasts.”

“Could you help me find something? It’s a ruby pendant with a silver chain. I saw that girl for a short time, and then I was suddenly attacked by a large purple Honkai Beast and accidentally lost it.”

“It’s in East District Plaza, but now it’s full of Honkai Beasts. I can’t get close.”

Hearing this, Mei nodded. Looking at the little girl’s expression, she felt it was something important. East District Plaza wasn't far away, so she could check it out.

“I’ll bring it back.”

Mei replied to the little girl.

She then headed toward East District Plaza. After searching for some time, she finally found the ruby pendant lying on a patch of grass.

She then returned to the greenhouse area.

"This is your pendant, isn't it?"

She handed the pendant to the little girl through a hole in the window. The little girl took it, clutching it to her chest like a precious treasure, and said excitedly,

"Ah, Daddy... Mommy..."

Hearing this, Mei understood and gently said to the little girl,

"That pendant must be very important to you. Keep it safe, and don't lose it again."

The little girl nodded vigorously, giving Mei her sincerest gratitude.

"Thank you!"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Beautiful and kind-hearted Mei. I love her the most! I love her so much!"

"Driver's License Revoked: Stop with that perverted look!"

"Cat Cat: Mei, Mei, so gentle. I really don't understand why such a gentle Mei became so cold in Elysian Realm. I don't believe Mei-nee would become like that!"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Now that you mention it, I remember too. The Mei in Elysian Realm is nothing like the current Mei. What kind of changes did Mei go through before that?"

"Don't Want to Go to Work: I don't know why, but I smell a knife."

“Miss Elf: Curious, curious!”

“Dr. Lobsterhead: There's probably only one person who could cause such a drastic change in Mei, and that's Kiana.”

Xiyue was startled by Tesla's comment. She hadn't expected Tesla to guess correctly. No, she needed to divert everyone's attention. This was too important; the real drama would be even more exciting when the domestic violence scene was shown.

Therefore, Xiyue continued focusing on the livestream, trying to distract the viewers.

“Is that girl named Kiana?”

Hearing the little girl mention Kiana's name, Mei looked slightly confused.

“What’s wrong?”

The little girl thought for a moment before saying uncertainly,

“When I saw her, I always felt she looked very sad.”

“But maybe it’s just my imagination. After all, we were so far away.”

Hearing the little girl's words, Mei's mood plummeted again. She knew the little girl wasn't mistaken. Kiana must be suffering terribly right now. Mei felt a pang of self-reproach for not being by Kiana's side and muttered absentmindedly,

"Kiana—!"

Then, still a little dazed, Mei walked downstairs after hearing a sound. As she approached, she saw an Anti-Entropy robot repairing the outermost protective fence.

"Ah, it's Arahato!"

Several children surrounded the large robot, their eyes gleaming.

"I love it too! Its anime is super popular in Nagazora City!"

"I can even recite the famous line from the third-to-last episode of the original series: 'You don't need to reach such philosophical heights. Today, I'm just going to clear away some obstacles.'"

"The scene where Emperor Taixu takes down the main characters one by one was so cool! I've watched it dozens of times!"

The children's cheerful voices echoed beneath the dim sky.

But Tesla, inside her mech, couldn't take it anymore. Especially after hearing the children's last few words, a wave of embarrassment washed over her. Unable to control her expression, she snapped at them, her anger barely contained.

"Don't watch those scenes over and over again!"

A puffed-up Tesla jumped out of the cockpit.

“Cat Cat: Hey, why does Doctor Tesla seem a bit embarrassed and angry? Why is that, meow? Weren't the kids talking about something interesting?”

“The Number One Cutest in the World: This is an animation Anti-Entropy made to raise funds for its experiments...”

“Drunken Warrior: The Emperor of Taixu is Otto, and the main characters are Tesla and her group.”

“Miss Elf: Then why did the Emperor of Taixu kill the main characters one by one? Shouldn't the main characters be the ones killing Otto?”

Xiyue, seeing the comments section, couldn't help but laugh. Of course, she knew what was going on.

These lines were from Anti-Entropy's visual novel, and the animation's plot was adapted from real events.

As for why Tesla was embarrassed and angry... those who knew, knew.

“Tesla Doctor: Stop talking! Watch the plot!”

At this moment, Tesla's eyes were red, and her face was also red, like a steamed lobster.

Back to the plot.

Tesla finished speaking to the children. Then her expression returned to calm as she looked at Mei.

"I investigated the last detection point, but unfortunately, there was nothing there. Kiana has already left the East District."

Mei wasn't surprised to hear this.

"Regarding that, I asked the children in the shantytown, and someone saw her heading toward the other side of the city."

"We should set off immediately for the West District and begin the search."

Seeing the anxious expression on Mei's face, Tesla advised.

"Mei, I understand your desire to find Kiana quickly. But it's getting dark, so let's stop here for today and prepare for tomorrow's search."

Mei couldn't hide her unease upon hearing this.

"But..."

Before she could finish, Tesla interrupted her.

"Precisely because we know she's there, we must be even more careful and proceed cautiously. We don't want any unexpected complications."

Hearing this, Mei understood what Tesla meant, but the thought of Kiana made her anxious.

“I understand, but there’s still some time before nightfall. I’ll go scout ahead first.”

Tesla, hearing Mei say this, knew she couldn't stop her and could only agree.

“Remember to come back before sunset.”

Mei didn't leave immediately. Instead, she looked at Tesla and spoke hesitantly.

"Also, there's one more thing."

"Is there anything we can do to help the children here?"

Tesla heard Mei's words and wasn't surprised, as she had been considering the matter herself.

"I'll explain the situation to Mophead and discuss how to handle it."

"The Salt Lake Base just took in a group of orphans. To be honest, medical resources are a bit strained. Also, we must visit that teacher."

"At this stage, we can only do what we can."

Hearing this, Mei understood. She wondered if she could ask the Headmaster that evening whether St. Freya Academy could still take care of these children. Composing herself, she prepared to check the route.

Before leaving, she needed to ask Sora about the situation.

She found Sora in front of the shantytown. Hearing Mei's request, Sora said,

"To get to the West District, you have to cross the Nagazora Wall first. The terrain there is very complicated. I'll guide you. I also want you to find Kiana quickly."

Hearing Sora's words, Mei thanked her.

"Then I'll leave it to you, Sora. I'll protect you if we encounter any danger."

Sora quickly added,

"Don't worry. I'll hide well while you fight."

Mei then led Sora to the West District, but after searching for a while, they found nothing unusual. Looking at the setting sun, she gently said to Sora beside her,

"That's enough for today. It's time to go back."

"Sora, let's go back to Helios for another medical checkup, then have a meal together."

"Thank you for helping us so much today."

Hearing Mei's invitation, Sora was caught off guard and stammered for a moment.

"Eh, is that okay?"

"Hehe, it's a little embarrassing to say, but we only have canned food there. I've been wanting to eat something else for a while."

Hearing Sora's words, Mei smiled slightly, her expression becoming even gentler.

"Then let's go."

"Huh? What's that?"

Suddenly, as if she had noticed something, Mei stopped abruptly.

Her gaze passed through layers of dilapidated buildings before finally stopping on a building in the distance.

"Is that Senba Academy?"

Mei's voice trembled slightly.

Sora sensed Mei's change in mood and followed her gaze.

"Let me see... Ah, yes, that's the famous Senba Academy in Nagazora City. It seems to be a school for rich people."

"I heard getting into that school is like passing a major life test."

Hearing the longing in Sora's voice, Mei said shyly,

"Really, it's not that exaggerated. I used to be a student there too."

Hearing this, Sora's eyes widened in shock as she looked at Mei.

"Ah, then... then you're a super rich girl?"

Mei looked at Senba Academy, her eyes filled with nostalgia.

"I was at that school when Honkai happened. I never imagined I'd return in this way. Thinking back, so much has happened."

A faint smile appeared on Mei's face, one tinged with both happiness and bitterness.

Seeing Mei like this, Sora couldn't help but ask,

"What about your family?"

Mei answered softly,

"I'm an only child. My mother passed away a long time ago. My father raised me alone for many years, but shortly after I enrolled, he was framed and imprisoned before leaving Nagazora City."

"Of course, he's out now. Someone exonerated my father and sent him to a safe place."

Sora looked at Mei and continued,

"Haven't you seen each other in a long time?"

Mei nodded.

"He's on a very important mission now. We can only contact each other occasionally by phone. But Father keeps saying he's safe and that I don't need to worry."

"But the time he spent in prison was a truly painful memory for me."

"My only remaining family member left me, and the Raiden family's reputation plummeted. Adults coveting Father's business tried every means to get close to me, and my once incredibly close friends began to distance themselves."

"Everything collapsed with Father's departure... At that moment, I finally realized that they had never truly cared about me, only the name 'Raiden Mei.'"

"I gradually distanced myself from everyone, becoming a loner, as if locking myself away in my own world was the only way to ease the pain inside me."

"This continued until the day Honkai happened."

"One person changed me. That day, I finally met her."

Hearing this, Sora asked in confusion,

"Who... who is she?"

Mei, lost in her memories, suddenly had a glimmer in her eyes. Recalling her most precious memory, she spoke in a trembling voice.

"Kiana... Kiana Kaslana."

---