To create Honkai Impact 3rd in a world where Kallen exists.

She didn't want to do it, or rather, no normal person in the world would want to do such a thing, but there aren't many normal people in the world of snakes, which is a very painful thing.

"Oh, to put it simply, if we don't do it, I'll probably be the one who dies, understand?"

Under the moonlight, high above, Raven raised her sharp claws, her red eyes standing out starkly against her black cloak, and spoke thus.

"Just start fighting, why waste time talking?" Sirin interjected, her golden eyes fixed on the raven, looking furious and ready to fight.

"That's right, just a reminder, time flies..."

Before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted by the Void Spear that appeared out of nowhere. The raven nimbly jumped aside and pierced the spot where she had been standing.

Celine floated into the air and said in a cold voice, snapping her fingers lightly, "Let me borrow a phrase from humans: This is the time of judgment!"

In mid-air, countless spatial black holes appeared out of nowhere, seemingly foreshadowing the outbreak of battle.

Upon hearing this, Raven took a stand. She couldn't help but recall the Second Honkai Impact, and that fear of the Herrscher erupted within her. She squinted as she watched the commotion inside.

A spear? Or a Honkai Beast? Either is possible...

A few seconds passed, and the black hole gradually shrank. Raven realized something was wrong and immediately looked back at where it had been.

No one...

"We really did get tricked," Raven said helplessly, looking at the three figures jumping in the distance.

"I was thinking about how to give way to them, but now I have to think about how to explain this to Gray Serpent," she shook her head, not chasing after him, her figure disappearing into the darkness.

...

"How about that, second sister? Aren't I clever?" Kiana boasted as she ran, showing off her successful hint.

That's her own record! Finally, it's not just in the game anymore, it feels great!

"Isn't it all thanks to me? Did you contribute anything?" Sirin didn't hold back and said so. She wasn't very strong and relied on her Herrscher powers to fly forward slowly.

"Why not just teleport there directly? It's not far, but wouldn't it be better to be closer?" Kiana asked, puzzled, but she continued running without stopping.

"Idiot, that kind of Honkai energy concentration can't be teleported; it would affect the spatial balance... Never mind, you wouldn't understand anyway." Sirin glanced disdainfully at Kiana, who was a complete academic failure.

She only recently learned this part of the knowledge in a separate lesson, but that didn't stop her from mocking Kiana.

"...Hmph, I thought our teamwork in battle was pretty good just now, but look at me now, ugh! You idiot second sister!" Kiana complained.

After the sisters' united and invincible battle ended, they immediately switched to the mockery segment, a seamless transition that can be considered their way of getting along.

Mei silently followed behind the two, watching Kiana's worried yet hopeful desire to save the city. She gritted her teeth, her gaze filled with unbearable tenderness...

Of everyone, Kiana was the happiest while watching the video, but Mei was the one who felt most deeply connected to it. She couldn't forgive the weak and helpless version of herself in the video; she saw her own powerlessness and loneliness, her sadness and regret. Fortunately, fate gave her a chance in reality.

This time, she followed. She couldn't let Kiana be alone again! A resolute glint flashed in her eyes.

Perhaps it was due to her adolescent rebellion, or perhaps it was because she was deeply immersed in the role, but Mei felt a raging fire burning within her.

She actually kept up with Kiana's pace steadily, even though Kiana had consistently outpaced her in the physical fitness tests.

After a few minutes, we finally got close to our destination.

At this point, there were three minutes left before the eruption.

"We're here... Can we really get this huge thing out?" Kiana looked at the massive object in front of her, her lips twitching.

The three of them stared strangely at the violently reacting Honkai reactor before them.

As time passed, the moment Hajime approached, the compressed Honkai energy surged towards the three of them like a tidal wave, but that wasn't the main point.

The key point is—there's a huge base added underneath, and upon closer inspection, it seems to be welded to the ground. What's going on? The difference is quite significant! It's almost a clear indication of preventing some kind of behavior.

She was certain she couldn't lift it; it wasn't a matter of ability, it was a matter of anyone... Kiana was about to say no one could, but then the image of her older sister flashed through her mind...

Okay, we should probably rule out the eldest sister, because she might actually be able to.

A purple wave engulfed the three of them; Sirin fared slightly better.

As a fully-fledged Herrscher, Honkai energy was more like a tonic for her; every cell in her body was frantically absorbing the baptism of Honkai energy.

However, this may not necessarily be a good thing. The Honkai energy here is too chaotic and cannot be absorbed indefinitely. Otherwise, the Herrscher core will also become active and become uncontrollable.

Kiana desperately tried to rush forward, but just as her hand was about to touch him, a massive wave of Honkai energy forced her back.

"So, Kiana, you're not even a Herrscher yet, what are you doing rushing forward?" Sirin said irritably beside her, then put her hand on the hilt. "Let me do it."

The Kiana we know now isn't a Herrscher, but she is. Under these circumstances, her situation is naturally much better.

But as she used all her strength, her face flushed slightly.

The object in front of her didn't move an inch; instead, she was panting heavily from exhaustion.

Sirin was furious. Kiana could do it in the game, so why couldn't she?

But even setting aside the difference in their physical abilities, she didn't care at all about the fact that the things they had to move had changed.

She just refuses to admit defeat.

Mei blocked the attack with her hand, remaining silent as she faced the waves of Honkai energy, but she had already made up her mind.

She closed her eyes slightly and entered a pure black world, where there was only one being who looked exactly like her, with purple hair and the same posture of holding a knife. That was 'her'.

"Oh, so they're coming? They've picked a good spot," 'she' said.

Mei listened to her voice, but no longer felt it was cold; upon closer listening, she could even hear warmth in it.

She nodded and asked earnestly, "Can you handle this? I don't want... I don't want to see Kiana get hurt again."

“Very good, very good. It is with this in mind that I feel at ease entrusting my power to you.” She was not angry at all; on the contrary, she was quite happy because of what outsiders might see as a selfish reason.

"...Can we avoid affecting others?" Mei asked with difficulty.

"Oh? You still have time to think about other people? Well, well, since you're already here, I can't ask for anything more."

She tapped her fingers lightly on her crossed arms and said with dissatisfaction, "The power of conquest allows you to absorb Honkai energy, but as for not being affected, I'm sorry, that's not something I'm considering."

"..." After a long silence, "Then, let's go."

"This time, it's my turn to be the hero, Kiana."

Mei's mind raced with various thoughts, recalling scenes with Kiana in both the game and in reality. Having made her decision, she spoke.

I won't let you go forward alone anymore!

She looked at Mei, feeling neither joy nor sorrow, and said nothing more to persuade her.

Because the Herrscher has seen a lot from her perspective, she is no longer such a dangerous being. But one of them will eventually disappear; she just needs her unwavering resolve.

As for power, she already possessed it; without a will to match that power, it was useless.

She walked over quietly and placed her hand on her shoulder.

Endless thunderstorms spread, the once bright and clear sky was now filled with lightning and thunder, but no rain was heard. In an instant, dark clouds covered the entire horizon.

Mei slowly floated in mid-air. The Honkai energy that had been running rampant in the furnace was drawn in by an invisible force and surged toward Raiden Mei, with strands of lightning appearing on her body.

No, it didn't stop there; it even swept through some of the Honkai energy in the city.

"Mei...Mei?" Kiana stared blankly at the scene. Just when she couldn't think of any solution, Mei underwent such a change.

"No, Mei, Mei!"

Kiana ignored the furnace and rushed forward, trying to pull Mei down from the air, just like she did at the beginning.

Only when you see it with your own eyes do you understand the despair of losing it.

She couldn't accept losing Mei, just as Mei couldn't accept losing herself.

“Wait, Kiana, she might be alright,” Sirin pulled Kiana back, frowning as she looked at the reactor and Mei, her gaze shifting between them.

“However…” Sirin hesitated, “this city is a different story.”

"Wait, what happened? There must be some way, right?" Kiana was very excited when she heard that Mei was alright, but then she thought of the city again and asked anxiously.

"The birth of a Herrscher not only involves absorbing Honkai energy, but also gives back to this region," Sirin explained in words Kiana could understand as much as possible.

He then nodded in agreement, saying, "The Honkai energy is decreasing now, but it will soon increase. In any case, the existence of this furnace provides the vast majority of the Honkai energy. As long as she remains rational and restrains the energy at the last moment, the number of deaths will be much less. It is not a bad idea."

"Isn't there any other way? A better one?"

“Yes,” Sirin boasted, holding her head high and waiting for this moment. “As the Herrscher of the Void, I can set up a barrier to isolate the Honkai energy here.”

"Then hurry up and do it!" Kiana said anxiously. If she could do it herself, she would have done it herself.

"Don't rush. At the moment when the Honkai energy decreases and increases, we can hold on for a longer period of time."

Sirin silently sensed the Honkai energy around her, and then, in a certain instant, set up a barrier.

It blocked the unlimited influx and outflow of Honkai energy. Within the barrier, energy was supplied solely by the reactor, and the excess energy was minimal, which Sirin's core absorbed perfectly.

Now it was Kiana's turn to helplessly watch this scene. She pursed her lips, and at this moment, reality and the game were clearly distinct before her eyes.

She is not a hero; she is not the hero who saved Sky City. Someone else bore this pain for her.

But why... why does it feel even more painful than when she had to bear it all alone?

Kiana looked at Mei, whose face was contorted with pain, and at Sirin, whose sweat was dripping down her face. She realized that the feeling of being unable to do anything was more painful than the pain itself.

Despite training very hard, I still can't do anything.

Kiana seemed to understand Mei's feelings in the game at that moment, and empathized with her.

"Phew—, this is really... painful, the feeling of waiting." Kiana looked at the two of them and muttered to herself.

The Honkai energy bursts for 2 minutes...3 minutes...the time is unpredictable.

Crisis, resolved.

Chapter 50 Kiana Understands Reality

In the pitch-black space, Mei saw all her past fears and troubles.

The images of her classmates at Qianyu Academy, those who had kicked her when she was down and mocked her, echoed in her mind at this moment, along with her own innermost self.

It doesn't matter. I will cut off everything that stands in my way, as long as I can finally hold her in my arms and be by her side.

Mei thought to herself as she wielded her sword, slashing down countless phantoms, however many they might be.

This was a fact that became clear at that moment: since Kiana wanted to be a hero, since she wanted to save the city, and since heroes always come at a price.

Then why can't I take on the responsibility for her?