WebNovels

Chapter 29 - Honkai God

— — — — — — 

The Guild's Cinema

"What a hopeless world…" Whitebeard sighed heavily.

They had just finished watching the video about the Honkai world. The room was quiet, heavy with emotion. Some members were even wiping away tears.

"That poor girl, Kiana… she's been through so much pain she never should've had to bear. Watching her grow up like that—my heart just broke," Shizu said, clenching her fists.

"Yeah, I cried when I got to that part in the game," Rimuru admitted. He remembered playing Honkai Impact 3rd and watching Kiana go from a goofy, carefree girl into a calm, determined fighter. Every line she spoke in those moments had pierced straight through him.

"Kiana…" Himeko whispered, staring at the video of the girl fighting desperately with her twin pistols. She remembered the words she'd once spoken to her: 'Make this imperfect story, into what we wish for.'

"Hey, no need to get so down." Rimuru wiped at his own tears, trying to smile. "You are with us now, right? That means we can actually change this story. Let's make it the ending we wanted to see. No need for pain anymore."

"Well said." Whitebeard straightened, his spirit reigniting. "In that case, my entire crew is in. That so-called Honkai God—who cares what it is, we'll cut it down first and ask questions later."

"Damn right! Who needs a god like that? Go get them, Pops!" Marco shouted, and the entire Whitebeard crew roared in agreement, their morale soaring.

"Gurararara!"

"Honkai, huh?" Shion sat back, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Born with civilization, existing to destroy it… that's what it is?"

"Severus, it seems the crisis in our world was the smallest thing anyone could imagine. I've never felt this good in my life. Why did I ever act like the world was ending?" Dumbledore muttered. The more he learned about the One Piece world—and then Tensura—the more it made him feel like his own world had never truly been in danger.

Snape just stayed silent.

"Sooo~ Himeko," Roger called as he strolled over with a barrel of wine under one arm. "Count me in for saving your world too. And hey, think you'd have time to share a drink with me after?" He grinned.

"Seriously?" Rimuru deadpanned. "You're in your forties, man. What are you trying to—wait, come to think of it, Himeko's probably in her thirties too, right?" He gave her a sideways glance.

"Sorry, Himeko, I'm a married man." Roger acted as if she were the one proposing.

"You are walking on thin ice." Himeko shot back, but her lips curved into a faint smile. The lively atmosphere was slowly loosening the weight on her chest. Then, more seriously, she asked, "What do you think that God's goal really is?"

"Hard to say." Rimuru shrugged. "Could be anything. Maybe it's just bored? Or maybe it wants something from you guys. The truth is, we might never know."

"Doesn't matter what it wants." Whitebeard's expression hardened. "If it's destroyed civilization after civilization, then it's gotta die. Simple as that."

"Agreed," Dumbledore said quietly from the side. "Its motive isn't what matters anymore. What matters is that the things it's done can't be forgiven."

Even the normally calm wizard had a spark of anger in his eyes.

"Yeah…" Himeko sighed. "So… when do we go?"

"Right now." Rimuru's voice was steady. "This time, we stop every tragedy before it happens. I won't just stand by and watch them fight alone anymore, carrying all that pain by themselves. I was captain of the Hyperion for three years. This time, I'll fight alongside them. I'm entering the game."

 All those years playing Honkai Impact still made his heart ache.

He had made up his mind. Anyone who dared hurt his Valkyries would be wiped out. An angry slime was the last thing anyone should ever mess with.

"Thank you," Himeko whispered, her eyes growing wet again. She'd barely just joined this guild, yet she could feel genuine warmth and kindness from everyone here. They really wanted to help her—and her world.

"Alright! Who's coming with me?" Rimuru called out.

"Count me in!" Whitebeard was the first to speak.

"If Pops is going, we're going too!" his sons shouted one after another, voices full of excitement.

"Then I guess I'll tag along too," Garp said casually, munching on senbei. "I've been eating too much lately anyway—good chance to work it off."

"Sorry, I can't join you this time." Sengoku shook his head regretfully. "Too many matters to handle on the Navy side."

"And we..."

---

"Wow… that's a lot of people," Rimuru said, a little taken aback. Over a hundred guild members had volunteered. Then he grinned. "Eh, whatever. The more the better."

Himeko couldn't help laughing as she watched everyone scramble to sign up. 'What a bunch of idiots…'

"Himeko!" Rimuru's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "What are you spacing out for? Come on, time to head out!"

"Right!" She sprinted toward the open portal, and together with Rimuru and the others, vanished into the shining gateway.

"…Man, I'm jealous." Benimaru watched them go with a sigh. "If I didn't have so much on my plate right now, I'd go too. But I'm the Commander-in-Chief now—I can't betray Rimuru's trust." With that, he turned and left.

One moment the guild hall had been bustling with noise, and the next it was silent.

But in another world—the Honkai world—things were about to get more chaotic than ever before.

.

.

.

More Chapters