In the game—
Mei had finally made up her mind.
She went to meet with the World Serpent to seek their cooperation.
Kiana's body could no longer wait. Mei had no other choice.
By dusk, she arrived at the location Raven had given her.
There, she met the sovereign of the World Serpent.
"You are…"
The white-haired man radiated a chilling aura.
His eyes were calm as he introduced himself:
"Kevin Kaslana. Leader of the World Serpent."
"Kiana Kaslana is beyond the help of Schicksal or Anti-Entropy. But I can promise you this—World Serpent can save her."
And that was exactly why Mei had come.
Hearing his words, her expression grew solemn:
"What are your terms?"
Kevin: "I want you… to join World Serpent."
Mei: "...I can accept that. But I want to know exactly how you'll save her—and I want to see her safe with my own eyes."
Kevin explained:
"The girl carries multiple Herrscher cores. The strain on her body has already surpassed its limits. The only way to let her live… is to separate the excess cores. And there's only one method…"
"I will make you… a Herrscher again."
Mei's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?"
Kevin ignored her shock.
As ancient, heavy music tinged with sorrow began to play, he went on:
"You were chosen as a Herrscher. Your body will forever carry a gateway to the Imaginary Tree… '417.'"
"When you absorb the remnants of the Third Eruption, you will awaken once more, seizing the power of the Herrscher of Thunder from Kiana."
"Then, a new Herrscher core will form within you. And the Gem of Conquest inside Kiana will shatter. With one less core eroding her, her condition will stabilize."
Realization dawned on Mei.
She drew a deep breath:
"If I become a Herrscher again… Kiana can be saved?"
Kevin nodded: "Yes."
"Heh~" Mei gave a short laugh. Her gaze then hardened with resolve:
"Then I have no reason to hesitate. Three years ago, she pulled me out of the darkness. Now…"
"I'll gladly return to that darkness—for her."
"But if I lose control… I want you to—"
Kevin cut her off with a shake of his head:
"You needn't worry. That won't happen. What you should be concerned about… is what comes after."
"This time, you can save Kiana. But the next? When another eruption comes, she will use the Herrscher of the Void's power again. Again and again—for her friends, for the world…"
"As long as Honkai exists, she will keep fighting. Keep driving herself toward the edge of death…"
"Until she gives her life."
Mei froze. She understood.
He was right. Even if she saved Kiana now, her nature would drive her to sacrifice again.
Kevin continued:
"You can walk with a World Serpent. Destroy Honkai. Capture Herrschers. Seal their powers. Stop the Herrscher of the Void from growing any stronger."
"Only by leaving Kiana's side… Can you truly protect her? Keep her away from danger."
And then, at last, the players understood.
Why Mei would become a Herrscher.
Why the chapter covers always showed her and Kiana drifting apart.
Just like in Tianqiong City.
They had barely been reunited… only to be separated again.
The audience felt a crushing weight.
Last time, Kiana bore the burden for Tianqiong City.
This time, Mei would take on the darkness—just to save Kiana from herself.
Damn MiHoYo writers. Ruthless.
If you're not going to let them stay together, don't tease us with these brief reunions.
Every time—just a tiny sprinkle of sugar. But sugar laced with blades.
…
Both Himeko and Kiana frowned deeply as they watched the story unfold.
Then the screen shifted.
In the skies above, a massive rift opened in the void.
"The gate is open. Soon, the Imaginary Tree will manifest here. Dormant Honkai energy will seep from the leylines."
"Absorb it, and you'll awaken once more as the Herrscher of Thunder. That will buy her more time."
"You must know better than I—her ideals may save the world, but they cannot save herself."
With that, Kevin left.
Mei stood still, conflicted.
Joining the World Serpent meant leaving Kiana. Leaving St. Freya. Leaving everyone.
But she had little time to decide.
From the rift, countless monsters surged forth—Quantum Shadows.
…
By now, players were utterly absorbed. Even the chat had gone quiet.
Suddenly, a deafening explosion echoed in the distance.
Changkong City was swallowed in blinding violet light.
Seawater roared upward, flooding into the rift in the sky.
And the sharp-eyed noticed—within the shards of glass floating upward, a reflection.
The silhouette of a six-winged Western dragon.
The chat exploded.
[?? Did I just see the dragon from the Genshin trailer?!]
[I saw it too—is this a crossover?!]
[Can't be. Crossovers are event content. This is main story.]
[What if… Honkai 3rd and Genshin are in the same universe?]
[Remember Otto's Imaginary Tree? Each branch is a world. What if… both games are branches of the Tree?]
[Holy crap, MiHoYo is playing the long game!]
[Could future main story actually connect to Genshin?]
…
But Himeko and Kiana didn't join the speculation.
They pushed the game forward, an unshakable unease rising in their chests.
The screen briefly showed Theresa and the others—
Then cut back to Mei and Kiana.
Mei, fighting off Quantum Shadows, raced toward the Helios.
The surge of Honkai energy blurred her mind.
Along the way, she met Kiana and Benares.
The sight worried her.
"Kiana, why are you here? You're still injured—"
Kiana, equally frustrated, snapped back. When the anomaly appeared, she'd lost track of Mei.
"I should be asking you that! Do you know how worried I was?!"
The chat and Himeko both sighed in unison.
This pair was killing them. So sweet… but every sweetness hid another blade.
After a bit of scolding, Kiana tried to shift the topic, urging Mei back to safety:
"Forget it. Just go meet up with the Doctor."
For once, Kiana was unusually assertive.
But Mei wouldn't leave.
"What about you?"
Kiana bit her lip. In the end, she couldn't lie to her.
"That beam in the sky… I've seen it before. If I use the Herrscher of the Void's power, I can close it."
The words made Mei's heart sink.
Beaten, broken—and still thinking of saving the world.
What a fool.
"You can't. If you use that power again, your body—"
"That doesn't matter."
Those words pierced Mei's heart like ice.
Doesn't matter? Your life… doesn't matter?
"Mei… I know. About my body. I know it all too well…"
The sorrowful music swelled.
"Honestly, I'm scared too. When I think about dying, I can't stop trembling…"
"But I can't run because I'm afraid. I have to take responsibility."
"Only then can I face those who died… face who I used to be…"
"Face… Teacher Himeko."
…
The mournful music.
Kiana's heavy confession.
And the name of Himeko.
Both the audience and the real Kiana's noses stung with tears.
This Kiana—so heartbreaking.
Taking on guilt for sins that weren't hers. Bearing responsibility for the Herrscher of the Void.
So different from the silly Kiana of the past.
[The cost of growth is a thousand knives stabbing into Kiana's heart]
[And stabbing into mine too wuwuwu~~]
[Mei, chase after her!]
[Chase her? For what… It's clear. If it's not Kiana who gets cut down this chapter, it'll be Mei]
[I can't watch… It's too much. The whole world feels dim]
[Hurts like hell, but damn… MiHoYo's writing is insane]
[That guy's definitely CPU'd by MiHoYo!]
…
Kiana left.
She left on Benares' back.
Mei couldn't catch up.
Her heart clenched.
Kiana's disregard for her own life chilled her to the core.
She couldn't imagine a world without Kiana.
Memories came rushing back—
When everyone scorned her as the criminal's daughter, it was Kiana who walked into her life.
When she was consumed by Herrscher's will, it was Kiana who saved her.
Beaten bloody by Mei's Herrscher form, yet smiling like an idiot, comforting her with clumsy words.
"Kiana… that disaster led me to you…"
"From that day on, the loneliness and cold began to fade away."
"Because I knew… there would always be a light."
Her vision blurred, but she staggered on, chasing that light.
"Please… Kiana… don't fight anymore…"
The sorrowful music swelled, intercut with flashes of memory.
St. Freya.
Kiana's childish antics.
Mei's indulgent smiles.
"With Mei here, that's like having the strength of a hundred people~"
Thinking of those days, Mei choked back sobs.
"Strength… Do I still have the strength… to protect you now…?"
[Stop, please stop with the knives…]
[Damn… they're pulling the flashback card now?!]
[Otto, die already!]
[Wuwuwu~~ Kiana…]
…
The real Kiana couldn't take it anymore.
She broke free of Himeko, ran straight to Mei, and threw herself into her arms.
"Mei~~ wuwu… I'll never leave you, never!!"
Mei, eyes red, gave a small smile and nodded:
"Mhm. I know."
Even though she'd cried during the recording of this very scene, watching it again still left her aching.
"Kiana… aren't you going back to streaming?"
Kiana's eyes shimmered with tears. She looked at her pitifully:
"Mei… will you stream with me?"
Mei froze.
Normally, she'd refuse such a request.
But after that story segment… after seeing Kiana's tearful face… how could she say no?
"…Just this once."
Kiana instantly wiped her tears, grinning again:
"Then let's go~"
Himeko overheard, smiling as she rose and gave up her seat:
"Good idea. I'll take a little break."
The chat erupted.
Finally—Mei on stream!!
[Mei!! Kiana!!]
[Both on screen, playing Honkai 3rd! This is too good!!]
[Doesn't matter how many knives you throw—seeing them safe together, I won't feel sad anymore!]
[MiHoYo! If you've got guts, bring the knives harder!!]
…
Mei, pulled down to sit, looked shy.
"H-hello, everyone…"
That delicate face, that soft voice—exactly the same as gentle Mei in the story.
The chat exploded again.
Mei was here.
Now everyone wondered—who would appear next?
A spark of anticipation lit the viewers' hearts.
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