MGSFV?! Chapter 371. A Ball for Everyone
Players were first shocked when Elysia suddenly revealed a health bar at the end of the banquet (exactly thirteen bars, no less).
Then, they fell into deep thought.
Considering Elysia's nature—someone who doesn't lie—did this mean that she and Kevin actually fought back then?
Was the so-called "ball" in truth a battle?
It seemed... quite reasonable?
After all… this was Elysia.
After all… the opponent was Kevin.
That Elysia would invite Kevin to a "ball" and have it serve as a final farewell between the first and second of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers...
Yes—it was very much Elysia's kind of romance.
And also, Kevin's.
A farewell between warriors, expressed through battle.
———
In the game.
Elysia, as if reading everyone's minds, spoke.
"What's on your mind, Mei? You shouldn't be distracted when dancing with a cute girl, you know."
Mei quickly shook her head. "Nothing. I was just noticing…"
"They're all here now, right?"
"They are."
Elysia raised her bow and aimed at Mei. Though it was an attack stance, it did indeed carry the elegance of a dance.
"Let's slowly ease into the climax of the banquet, shall we?"
As streams of crystalline light surged toward Mei, some players instinctively dodged, while others froze in place, hesitant.
Understanding that this was something Elysia would do was one thing—personally controlling Mei to fight her was something else entirely.
Not everyone could immediately raise their sword and strike Elysia.
Many players hesitated.
So they simply had Mei dodge Elysia's attacks repeatedly.
Still, Elysia entered the next phase.
"Next up—our guests will join us on stage!"
With a light, cheerful tone, she produced Vill-V's magician's hat from her hand.
"Our first guest is ready to give her performance!"
The hat suddenly expanded.
Elysia gracefully hid herself in one of the hats.
This familiar magician's trick—one of Vill-V's specialties.
Players saw three spinning Vill-V hats and focused their eyes.
Elysia using Vill-V's techniques…?
Of course…
This space was woven from everyone's memories.
So, this banquet wasn't just between Mei and Elysia—it was everyone's curtain call.
To make up for Elysia's regrets.
If they hesitated now, it would betray everything they had endured.
Time to go all in!
...Except.
They had been so lost in thought, they hadn't paid attention to which hat Elysia had entered.
Ehhh… oh well. Let's just pick one.
The lucky ones picked right away.
Those less fortunate were met with Elysia's playful voice: "Hehe~ wrong guess~" and had to destroy all three hats before she reappeared.
"Wow, you were watching closely!"
[Watching closely = smashed all the hats.]
[Didn't catch which one, had to break them all.]
[Oh? I thought it was always the first hat. The 3-choice thing was just for show.]
[You smug lucky brat—come here, let me give you a debuff.]
Some players tossed out playful banter in chat, then jumped right back into the battle.
"Don't be in such a hurry to end things. Stay with me a little longer."
After the hat trick, Elysia loosed an arrow into the air.
Moments later, a slot machine marked with a paw print dropped from the sky.
With no mercy, she kicked it to start the spin.
"I can't wait to see how lucky I am!"
...
There weren't any actual outcomes here.
Elysia would always land on three Crystal Flowers.
Seeing this, Hokuto felt a bit of regret—he had hoped to spice things up.
Maybe let Elysia land on three bombs and blow herself sky-high for laughs.
Unfortunately...
Elysia herself firmly vetoed the idea.
The final banquet could not lack elegance.
In the end, the slot rolled to three Crystal Flowers.
Elysia gained a powerful attack buff.
The buff's name: "Yesterday's [Gold], Resplendent as Song."
In fact, if players looked closely, they'd notice Elysia was now cycling through buffs representing each of the Flame-Chasers.
Each buff had a unique name.
For example—
Martyr [Savior], Only Her Smile Remains
A Thousandfold [Slaughter], Yet Her Heart Stays Whole
Traversing [Infinity], Because of You
Not things like "+100% ATK" or "HP boost"...
Just pure Honkai Impact 3rd detail.jpg
———
Back to the fight.
With her power buff, Elysia quickly drained Mei's HP through a few graceful attacks.
Mei staggered, using her sword as a crutch, breathing heavily.
Of course, Elysia made no move to press the advantage.
After all, though it didn't look like it, this was still a "ball."
She let Mei ponder in silence.
"So this... is Elysia's true [power]?"
"Then I must… respond to her expectations."
Yes, respond to her!
Just like she always responds to everyone else.
Just this once—leave no regrets.
Players gripped their devices tightly.
They were wondering what Mei would do next.
When suddenly—Pardofelis's voice echoed in her mind.
"Hehe, then let me give Mei-nee one more push!"
Pardofelis???
"Surprised? Mei-nee, you haven't settled our tab yet—I haven't forgotten!"
"Besides, we can't let Elysia down, right?"
[It's Pardofelis!!]
[Pardofelis! (yelling loudly!)]
[mhy please don't do this a fourth time I'm begging you]
As the chat exploded, a game prompt appeared:
[Find the source of the voice]
Players immediately rotated Mei's camera to follow the voice.
Eventually, they spotted the [Empty Dream] Signet on the high tower to the left of the stage. That's where Pardofelis's voice was coming from.
[Pardofelis, why are you just a Signet now?]
[Scriptwriter, it's the finale. Give me the real Pardofelis already.]
Hokuto: …
He'd never seen such eager demand before.
No worries. You'll get what you want.
———
The story continued.
"Empty Dream, uncertain fate… I'll share half my luck with you!"
With Pardofelis's words, the power of [Empty Dream] flowed into Mei, restoring her strength.
In gameplay, Mei's HP bar refilled instantly.
This was the final banquet.
She couldn't let Elysia down.
Seeing Mei's renewed fighting spirit—
Elysia smiled. "Come now, let's enjoy this to the fullest—"
With her invitation, the battle resumed!
Mei and Elysia spun across the stage once more.
Every attack from Elysia blossomed like fireworks.
As players threw themselves into the fight, they truly began to feel the atmosphere of a "ball."
And with that mood growing ever stronger—
More fuel was added to the fire.
After Pardofelis, the voice of another Flame-Chaser echoed on stage.
The Warrior of Ephemeral Life: "Life is short, but our will lives on."
[Twelfth of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers, Hua!!]
[Wait, could it be…]
Some players had already guessed what was coming.
And their guess was right.
After Hua came The Painter of Stars, Eleventh.
"Your colors… are like the starry sky."
Then came The Infinite Serpent.
"So go beyond infinity… don't disappoint me, alright?"
The scene froze.
The Signets of [Ephemeral], [Starry], and [Infinity] appeared.
Were they supposed to choose one?
Veteran Elysian Realm players might have thought so.
But not this time.
No selection needed—all three came bundled together.
A testament to Mei earning their recognition.
A sign they had all come to attend this final banquet with her!
Elysia saw this and smiled even brighter.
She was truly happy about this ball.
And then...
She got more aggressive. (
———
The banquet edged toward its final crescendo.
The Radiant Youth arrived fashionably late.
"This is the light you've kindled."
Following him came The Falling Sakura of the Moment.
"With a single blade, even a moment becomes eternity."
Two more Signets burst into Mei's body, empowering her further.
Elysia unleashed more of her abilities.
She raised her bow and aimed at the sky: "Let it be dyed in my favorite colors."
Countless pigments rained from above, transforming into painted monsters charging at Mei.
As they surged—
Another Flame-Chaser's voice rang out.
"With divine wisdom, I'll clear the way."
The Sage's power burst forth, vaporizing the first wave of enemies.
Of course, not all support came in such a direct way.
The voice of that man arrived:
"Stand tall, and witness all annihilation!"
Flames engulfed the stage as if to burn Mei and Elysia together.
Though some monsters were cleared, neither of them were harmed.
"Ahh~~"
Elysia beamed.
To see a scene like this at the very end—she was truly touched.
The story of thirteen people who defied fate had not vanished with their era.
It would be remembered, guiding the future, and living on in beautiful memory.
Wasn't that… wonderful?
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