Help! My Honkai Impact 3rd Livestream Attracted the Actual Characters!

Chapter 19: The "Totally Not a Nightmare" Dream

As the dream sequence unfolded, the game's setting shifted from the familiar school grounds to a cold, sterile laboratory.

In the eerie silence, Hokuto tapped the screen.

And soon enough, the mysterious voice returned.

???: "Oh my~ What a surprising little girl! You even managed to defeat Ganesha~☆ Did you know? This Honkai Beast first appeared in India in 2012 and caused the deaths of 2 A-rank Valkyries while leaving 12 more critically injured… Honestly, I thought it would be an insurmountable challenge for a mere B-rank Valkyrie like you~"

Her tone was casual, almost playful, but there was a sinister arrogance beneath it.

Seele, creeped out by the voice, hesitated before sending a nervous message:

Seele: "Who… Who is this strange voice? She sounds… dangerous."

Hokuto was about to reply when—

A bright pink message gracefully floated across the chat.

Elysia: "Hmm~ Maybe she's the mastermind behind everything~? I wonder what kind of charming young lady she is! Ooh, I can't wait to find out~"

The chat went silent.

Seele: "U-Uh… oh! Um… mm…"

Seele, caught completely off guard by Elysia's sudden enthusiasm, struggled to respond.

Hokuto, watching this unfold, couldn't help but chuckle.

"Well, this mysterious voice isn't exactly friendly. And yeah, Pink Fairy guessed right—she's Kiana's worst nightmare."

Elysia: "Yay~ I guessed right! I'm so happy~ (〃'▽'〃)"

Wait, Did She Just Say… "Herrscher"?!

Kiana: "Hah! You're underestimating me! Sure, my official rank is B-rank, but my actual strength is on par with an S-rank Valkyrie!"

The voice giggled.

???: "Oh my~ Such bold words! But you're still far from the strength of an S-rank Valkyrie~☆ After all… 14 years ago, I personally experienced the true power of an S-rank."

Kiana: "14 years ago? You fought an S-rank? …Wait… you… you're the Second Herrscher?! But that's impossible! The Second Herrscher was confirmed to have been destroyed years ago!"

Chat:

💖 Elysia: "Herrscher!?"

🕊 Hua: "Herrscher?!"

Hokuto stifled a laugh.

Both Elysia and Hua were shocked, but the rest of the chat?

Silence.

No reaction from Seele.

No reaction from Otto.

And no reaction from Durandal.

…Wait.

Durandal wasn't reacting?

Hokuto squinted.

"Hold on… shouldn't Durandal be extremely curious about the events of 14 years ago?"

Then, as if on cue—

Meanwhile, in Otto's Office…

Otto calmly closed his eyes.

Then, with unwavering authority, he spoke.

"Durandal, it's time for you to resume training."

Durandal, who had been intensely watching the game's events, froze.

"…Now?"

Otto nodded.

"Now."

Durandal frowned.

Why now?

Why, at this exact moment, was she being dismissed?

Otto… was hiding something.

She knew it.

But she also knew her duty.

After a long silence, she bowed her head.

"Understood, Lord Otto."

And with that, she reluctantly disconnected.

Back in the Stream…

[SYSTEM: 'Effort Always Pays Off' has left the stream!]

Hokuto stared blankly at the screen.

"…Huh?"

His tiny, already-small audience had just shrunk even further.

"...Why did she leave all of a sudden?"

Seele, seeing Hokuto's confusion, quickly sent a reassuring message:

Seele: "M-Maybe she had something urgent to do? Don't worry, streamer big brother! I'm still here! I'll watch with you!"

Hokuto, softened by the wholesome response, felt his mood improve.

"Thanks, Seele."

But then, he glared at a certain infuriating ID in his chat.

💀 "Your Great Inventor"

…Otto.

Hokuto narrowed his eyes.

"Yeah. I think I know exactly why she left."

That old schemer definitely pulled something.

Honestly, Otto keeping secrets was nothing new.

But… the fact that he had successfully kept Kiana's true identity hidden for 14 years?

That was impressive.

…Still.

Hokuto (internally): Screw you, you green bastard.

Confronting the Nightmare

The game continued.

???: "Oh my~ Even your slow reactions are adorable! Makes me want to eat you up~"

Kiana: "Even if this is just a dream… I won't let you walk out of here alive! You—YOU KILLED MY MOTHER!"

???: "Walk out of here? Oh dear, you misunderstand. This is your dream, but also my dream. I am you. You are me. The one who needs to leave… is you, Kiana!"

Kiana: "SHUT UP!"

As Kiana's anger flared, the game entered a chase sequence.

She ran through an abandoned facility, pursuing the mysterious shadow.

Then, the screen shifted.

A massive mechanical door loomed ahead.

Kiana stepped forward—

And Otto immediately froze.

Meanwhile, in Otto's Office (Again)…

Otto's eyes widened.

The scene…

The layout…

The machines, the equipment, the atmosphere…

This was Babylon Laboratory.

It was perfectly recreated.

Impossible.

Otto's breath hitched.

This was classified.

Even within Schicksal, knowledge of this place was forbidden to all but a select few.

Whoever made this game…

They knew everything.

Back in the Stream…

Seele, meanwhile, was staring at the strange facility.

Seele: "Streamer big brother… What's in those glass chambers? Are those girls… still alive? Were they kidnapped?"

Hokuto hesitated.

Then, after a brief sigh—

"No. These aren't kidnapped girls."

"They're manufactured."

"And whether they're alive or not… Well, that doesn't matter."

"Because no one cares about lab rats."

At that moment, the screen glitched.

A figure appeared before Kiana.

A perfect clone.

Her name hovered over the battlefield:

"The Girl in the Incubator."

End of Chapter 19