"All nearby Honkai Beasts have gone silent."
Ryn sighed as he read the message Cortana had sent on his phone. It had taken him a long time, but he had finally eliminated them all.
The moment she heard the battle was over, Sparkle collapsed onto the ground, her Sabayon armor immediately dissipating. She propped herself up with her hands, but realized she didn't have the strength to stand.
Sparkle weakly waved at Ryn and said, "Come help me up... I'm too weak..."
Ryn walked over and pulled her to her feet. Sparkle, utterly drained, immediately leaned against him.
Ryn adjusted her position to make it more comfortable for her to lean against him, then chuckled and said, "You seemed pretty energetic when you were shooting. Why did you collapse the moment you finished?"
"Shut up..." Sparkle said, her voice strained. "The bloodline of the Pale Family doesn't feel fatigue or exhaustion during battle. But once the fighting stops, all the fatigue hits us at once... This allows us to attack without restraint during combat, but in difficult situations, we might not even realize we've completely drained ourselves... That's why members of the Pale Family often die in battle, collapsing before their enemies..."
Sparkle spoke in a rush, leaving her breathless. She rested her head on Ryn's shoulder, finding comfort and security in his presence.
Leave no trace, merely to combat the Honkai. This was the Pale Family's motto, and also its death warrant.
Ryn patted Sparkle's head. He couldn't judge a family's philosophy, but he respected their dedication to fighting the Honkai.
Sparkle felt the touch on her head. She had no strength left to resist, nor did she want to. She opened her mouth and bit down hard on Ryn's shoulder.
"Ow! What was that for?" Ryn yelped in pain, but he didn't push her away. Though Sparkle was frail and easily knocked over, if he dared to push her now, she'd probably faint immediately.
"Hmph, that's for touching my head," Sparkle snarled at Ryn, then looked at the bite mark she'd left. Leave no trace, merely to combat the Honkai? Hmph, Sparkle would leave her mark, no matter what.
Ryn bumped his head against Sparkle's, then took out his phone and asked Cortana, "Cortana, have Kiana and the others run into any trouble?"
"While you were fighting, they encountered the Combat Weapon Bronya and successfully repelled her. Kiana and Mei are unharmed and resting on the rooftop."
"It's good you're not hurt. Let's go find the others. Come on, get on my back."
After confirming Kiana and the others were safe, Ryn knelt before Sparkle, signaling for her to climb onto his back. Without hesitation, Sparkle leaned forward and settled onto his back. Then, she froze, sat up straight, and punched Ryn in the chest, her face flushed with shame. "What's with the back carry? Turn around! Carry me like a princess... I'm wearing a short skirt..."
"But you're wearing safety shorts, aren't you?" Ryn blurted out instinctively. Seeing Sparkle's face turn crimson, he decided not to argue further. Sparkle wrapped her arms around Ryn's neck, and he slid one arm around her waist and the other beneath her legs, lifting her into a princess carry and heading toward the Rooftop.
As they ran, Ryn suddenly bounced Sparkle in his arms, blurting out, "Sparkle, you really live up to your name. You're surprisingly heavy."
Sparkle, who had been leaning against Ryn's chest, listening to his heartbeat and blushing shyly, felt her blood pressure spike. The weakness that had plagued her moments ago vanished, replaced by sudden strength. She tightened her grip around Ryn's neck, her voice filled with fury. "Nonsense! You idiot, do you even hear what you're saying? Pretty girls don't get fat! How could I possibly be heavy!!!"
Mei stood at the edge of the Rooftop, hugging her shoulders and surveying Chiyu Academy. Kiana leaned against the railing, sipping a drink she'd snatched from a vending machine on the way up.
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky, followed by a thunderous crash as it struck Raiden Mei. In the blinding light, a single horn sprouted from Mei's forehead, and a pair of ugly, tattered wings erupted from her back. Her eyes turned a crimson purple, and lightning crackled constantly around her hands. The Stigmata Consciousness confirmed her success: she had usurped the Authority of the Conquest Gem and become the Herrscher of Thunder...
"Mei! What's wrong with you?!" Kiana dropped her drink and grabbed a baseball bat, rushing towards Mei.
Mei turned sideways, leaning against Kiana with a sinister smile curling her lips.
"This is our first meeting, isn't it, Kiana?" she said, her voice laced with malice. As the words left her mouth, Mei raised her hand and summoned a bolt of lightning, which struck Kiana directly.
"You're not Mei! You're the Herrscher of Thunder! Give Mei back!" Kiana dodged Mei's attacks, swinging her baseball bat as she charged forward.
Facing Kiana's assault, the Herrscher of Thunder laughed as she evaded, never intending to harm her. She attacked with a speed that Kiana was sure to dodge. That girl Kiana was always flirting with Ryn, making Mei feel heartbroken and envious. If Mei was sad, the Herrscher of Thunder wouldn't be happy either. She had to punish Kiana to vent her frustration.
Then, the Herrscher of Thunder, with zero combat experience and constantly holding back, was caught off guard by Kiana's close-range attack. Kiana swung her baseball bat and slammed it directly onto her head, leaving her dizzy and disoriented. Having just finished the struggle for Authority, the Herrscher of Thunder was still in a weakened state. Kiana's blow knocked her offline instantly.
After the Herrscher of Thunder's consciousness faded, Mei's own consciousness returned. When she opened her eyes, she saw Kiana, covered in bruises, smiling at her. Kiana, noticing the Herrscher of Thunder's horn and wings had vanished, knew Mei was back. She was about to speak and ask how Mei was doing when Mei trembled and backed away.
Mei didn't know what had happened while she was unconscious, but she was certain she had hurt Kiana. Despite countless reassurances from Kiana and Ryn, the reality of having become the Herrscher of Thunder and actually harming Kiana still filled her with terror. What if she had killed Kiana?
"Kiana... don't come near me..." Mei retreated step by step until she reached the railing with nowhere left to go. Looking down from the rooftop, she wondered if jumping would finally end her cycle of hurting others. As she hesitated, her hand brushed against the railing. The entire structure instantly quantumized and vanished. Caught off guard, Mei plummeted into the abyss below.