Making Honkai Impact lll In A World Where Kallen Exists [Continuation]

In the Golden Courtyard,

Although everyone's thoughts were interrupted by the breaking of Kevin's card, they were still stunned by Griseo's earlier comment.

"Actually… it's not entirely unreasonable. If we compare Mobius and Elysia's situation to hers and Kalpas's, it's not that far-fetched," Luo Mo said, stroking his chin, appreciating Griseo's unique perspective.

Could that explain why she always created such distinctive yet perfectly fitting paintings?

Looking past the surface to analyze the deeper meanings, directly hitting the essence of the matter,

Yes, Kalpas and Mobius must have a great relationship after all!

Kalpas: "…"

Mobius: "… Fine, let's focus on Kevin's death instead."

Mobius rubbed her forehead, unwilling to engage in the topic of her "good relationship" with Kalpas. How did they even come to such a bizarre conclusion?

Was it possible that because they were enemies who couldn't kill each other, they ended up talking more?

Yet, due to Griseo's presence, Mobius refrained from doing anything drastic.

"Kevin is dead, huh? I never thought his final entrustment would be so prophetic, it really became his last words."

"Speaking of which, being the second… could it really be because of the ranking I set?~" Elysia tilted her head, looking somewhat doubtful about life itself.

The players' comments on the screen seemed to make sense. Why was it in this particular order?

Everyone talks about tackling the easy ones first and the hard ones later, yet this order flips it around. What a strange person.

"Kevin, what do you think?"

Without hesitation, Elysia tossed the question back to the protagonist, asking for the opinion of the one who had just "died" on screen.

"I left a contingency plan," Kevin replied, glancing at her.

She was clearly still playing the role of the villain, so was there really a need to ask such an obvious question?

If there was one character who remained consistent throughout the story, it would be Vill-V. But if we were talking about a voice that carried throughout, the best answer would undoubtedly be Elysia.

Though "consistent" might be an exaggeration, "frequent appearances" would fit better.

A cute and charming villain… though that doesn't quite match the earlier description.

"Boss, tell me honestly. How many will be left in the end? Did you create the interface for the thirteen Flame-Chasers just so we could watch the cards shatter one by one?"

Kiana sounded frustrated.

Another Flame-Chaser had fallen, and the now empty spots on the page seemed to carry a solemn ritualistic weight.

She felt as if they were holding a brief funeral, silently reminding them of someone's passing. Even in their exploration of the Elysian Realm, that person could no longer be found.

"How can you see me that way?" Lome retorted, dissatisfied. After a moment's thought, he tried to reassure her. "Don't worry, not too many will die. Even if you don't trust me, at least trust the strength of the Flame-Chasers!"

"But the two strongest have already died!" Kiana's voice was deafening.

"…Don't worry, Mei won't be harmed."

"Huh???" Kiana blinked. Was that the question she had just asked?

Still, it was reassuring to know that Mei would be safe.

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Am I still wandering in a dream?

Mei felt a bit lost.

But the words on the paper were so clear,

"Kevin… is dead?"

For a moment, Mei couldn't grasp the meaning behind those four characters.

"Miss Mei—"

It wasn't until Eden's third reminder that Mei finally seemed to wake from her daze.

Only then did she understand why Hua insisted on leaving the Elysian Realm, why Kalpas was so furious, and why the Flame-Chasers were so sullen.

If it was Kevin, everything suddenly made sense.

None of this was incomprehensible anymore.

Regardless, Eden now had to shoulder the role of coordinator among the Flame-Chasers. Even if she couldn't fully command them to move forward, she had to serve as the backbone to address the crises that might arise.

This was something that had to be done.

A rustling sound came from the bushes. Mei and Eden turned to look and spotted a cat's tail, identifying the culprit wasn't difficult in the Elysian Realm.

Pardofelis awkwardly emerged, hurriedly explaining that she had been hiding because she was afraid of Kalpas.

She insisted she couldn't possibly be the traitor!

After all, she was so weak; how could she even help with anything?

The trembling cat didn't draw any suspicion from the group. As she said, the chances of her being involved were too slim.

Eden suggested that everyone act separately. With seeds of doubt already sown, rather than facing worsening divisions and growing mistrust, it was better for each to protect what was most important to them.

While this wasn't the best option, it was the best way Eden could manage after losing both Elysia and Kevin in quick succession.

From this perspective, perhaps the Flame-Chasers were never truly united.

The previously harmonious scenes were likely the result of deliberate suppression. But as events unfolded, those divisions and suspicions gradually surfaced.

---

[Previously, Elysia's words could be dismissed as playful banter. But in truth, the thirteen of them could never truly unite.]

[Hehe—timid little Pardo still clings to her trust in her companions. But alas, she is too weak.]

[After Elysia left, Kevin stepped forward; after his departure, Eden was forced into the spotlight… like Alicia, becoming the cohesive force for the Flame-Chasers.]

[With Kevin's death, the mystery turned into a horror story.]

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In the Golden Courtyard,

"Eden really understands me, doesn't she?~"

Elysia's eyes lit up slightly as she softly repeated a line Eden had just said on the screen,

"—Everyone has their own secrets, everyone holds different beliefs, yet even so, you all are my most important companions."

"That does sound like something I'd say, word for word! Knowing everyone's personalities this well… Eden, you might just make a great leader. Want to give it a try?~"

She asked eagerly, already imagining Eden as the leader. Hmm… what kind of outfit would suit her?

"Hehe, I also hope that the day I need to become a leader will never come," Eden chuckled softly, her slightly curled, wine-red hair cascading gently. Her stunning face carried an air of calmness as she spoke.

Her brows gradually relaxed as she looked at Elysia, who wore a cheerful expression. Eden felt fortunate that she didn't have to face the pain of losing her again after their previous separation.

No one had anticipated that Elysia would be the first to "die" in the Elysian Realm.

She had already spent enough time in the spotlight; there was no need for her to continue shining among the Flame-Chasers. After all, it wasn't something she was good at, nor was it easy.

Eden preferred to remain behind the scenes, admiring the brilliance of those on the stage, offering practical help or a warm embrace of encouragement when needed.

The starlight would never dry up, and Eden had no desire to become a solitary beam of light.

"Oh? Is that what you think, Eden?"

Elysia leaned forward slightly, her charming scent drifting ahead of her as she gazed at Eden, her eyes slightly misty.

"Yes, because it's something only Elysia can do, and only she can do it best," Eden answered, providing a reply that satisfied her.

"My dear Eden, you really know how to make me happy! Not at all like that Luo Mo guy, who spends all day thinking about making girls cry."

Elysia had a knack for praising one person while critiquing another. As she complimented Eden, she didn't forget to tarnish Luo Mo's reputation.

Though, it wasn't entirely slander.

Luo Mo was indeed calculating when and under what circumstances others might cry. He looked forward to such moments. So, as Elysia made her veiled jabs, he felt a bit guilty and turned his head slightly, avoiding the lively "orange narrative" developing nearby.

"Don't say that, Ellie. Mr. Luo Mo likely isn't focused solely on making you cry," Eden said softly, sighing. "He probably wants all the players to experience the beauty of tragedy."

"Uh…"

Luo Mo opened his mouth to refute but ended up swallowing his words.

Eden's interpretation seemed even stranger, elevating it to an artistic level, but it didn't bring him any joy.

He was simply striving for the survival of human civilization, tirelessly working because of that one belief—"Humanity will surely triumph over Honkai."

At most, he was just asking for a bit of effort from others. Why did it make him sound so evil?

Didn't anyone notice that his mood value was already at rock bottom?

"Tch," the Herrscher of sentience glanced at Lome with a strange expression. She admitted that what she had just done, briefly tapping into his subconscious, was wrong.

But what was with that bizarre inner monologue she had found?

If not for the image of him inwardly laughing maniacally after imagining Elysia crying, she might have believed she had misunderstood him.

(TL/C: Luo Mo is the first MC who I never felt petty when the system scam him.)

"What's with that 'tch'?" Luo Mo accused preemptively.

"Nothing, just… perhaps tragic works really do have something to do with defeating Honkai. I was just reflecting on that," the Herrscher of sentience shrugged, whistling lightly.

However, after Fu Hua turned to glare at her, she quickly straightened her posture.

She, the Herrscher of sentience, never pried into others' privacy. (Not that she could, in Luo Mo's case.)

------------

Following Eden's arrangements, Mei's first stop was to find Vill-V.

When faced with such a major event, almost all the Flame-Chasers had already appeared and learned of the situation, except for three: Vill-V, Aponia, and Mebius. Eden took it upon herself to inform Aponia, leaving Vill-V to Mei.

Although, honestly, none of the three were easy to deal with, and it was entirely possible they had already learned the news through their own channels.

Still, reaching out wasn't a bad idea.

Compared to being clueless here, they might have some additional leads.

When Mei found Vill-V in a massive amusement park, the latter showed no surprise or concern. In fact, her attitude was indifferent.

She seemed more concerned about losing the front page of a major news story to someone else than about Kevin's death.

It was as if they were on entirely different wavelengths, which made Mei frown.

Vill-V, adjusting the brim of her hat, casually explained,

"Perhaps your experiences in the Elysian Realm have given you some unrealistic illusions. But memory constructs are already deceased; death isn't as unacceptable as you imagine."

"We are nothing more than the epitaphs written by the thirteen Flame-Chasers for themselves. This is merely something that was bound to happen sooner or later. There's nothing surprising about it."

"But the key point is… why has Kevin disappeared?" Mei asked after a long silence, looking at Vill-V, whose perspective was unlike anyone else's.

Whether Vill-V's words were right or wrong, they did suppress some of the fear Mei felt deep in her heart.

She quickly understood why all the Flame-Chasers had insisted she leave the Elysian Realm immediately. Perhaps, in their eyes, she, someone capable of influencing reality, needed more protection. Of course, it was also possible that they had already begun suspecting her.

But Vill-V simply shook her head, indicating that she was even more curious about this matter than Mei.

Then, turning slightly, Vill-V revealed a piece of information to Mei, the missing memories of Sakura were the result of an explicit request from the Sakura in the outside world. Elysia had conveyed the request and entrusted both Vill-V and Mebius to carry it out. The intention was to prevent the memory construct of Sakura from carrying the same sense of estrangement.

By not knowing the truth, she could continue to believe in her companions and trust in the Fire Moth.

Hearing this mention of Sakura, Mei naturally asked about any clues they had gathered. It seemed that Vill-V also knew a great deal about her.

Vill-V simply smiled, spread her hands, and declared, "As for Sakura killing Kevin? That's absolutely impossible."

In this area, she considered herself an expert. Trying to kill Kevin, alone, without alerting anyone? That was utterly impossible.

She had made countless attempts to figure out how to accomplish such a task, far more than the number of outfits Kalpas had burned through.

"No one could pull it off—I've been racking my brains every day trying to figure out how to kill him," Vill-V said confidently, puffing out her chest and affirming her conclusion.

"….."

Mei silently looked Vil-V up and down.

Vill-V's words did indeed dispel her suspicions of Sakura. But it wasn't because the clues were convincing, nor because Vill-V's argument was particularly compelling. Rather... Mei suddenly realized that the person standing before her seemed even more suspicious.

Compared to the missing Sakura, Vill-V's statements could practically be classified as criminal confessions.

On the other hand, Vill-V, only just realizing the intensity of Mei's gaze, scratched her cheek awkwardly and tentatively asked,

"It seems… I'm the one who deserves more suspicion?"

Though phrased as a question, Vill-V's tone was unmistakably certain.

Pointing her pale fingers at herself in reverse, Vil-V seemed… delighted. Yes, delighted.

The idea of being suspected of taking down Kevin thrilled her. For someone who tirelessly pursued her goals, this rumor was an affirmation, even if she hadn't actually succeeded.

To prove her innocence, Vill-V began showcasing her various "Kevin-specific" weapons to Mei: hats, lasers, walls, dolls... Mei witnessed an assortment of bizarre creations and finally came to believe that none of them would pose any threat to Kevin.

It was clear that Vill-V had poured all her energy into these attempts. While her creativity deserved recognition, it seemed… only in terms of innovation, not practicality.

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[Kevin: Hear me out. Thank you…]

[Unity?]

[Indeed, Vill-V, who openly declares her intentions, must first be verified.]

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"Pfft... As expected of Vill-V, she dispelled Mei's doubts immediately. But... more than a thousand Kevin-targeted devices? I don't recall seeing nearly that many," Elysia giggled, covering her mouth, her teasing gaze shifting toward Kevin.

Kevin's expression remained as cold as ever, though this version of him wasn't quite like his real-world counterpart. Still, there was a trace of helplessness, having been forced to participate in some of Vill-V's experiments.

Troublesome...

"That's because most of them were destroyed right after being made, and some didn't even make it past the blueprint stage because Mei vetoed them. Such a shame, some of them were rather promising,"

Vill-V lamented. But her mood quickly lifted again.

"No matter, I've come up with plenty of new ideas now, especially after the battle with Elysia's Elysian Body."

"I will defeat Kevin!"

Her eyes sparkled with excitement. If only she replaced "Kevin" with "Honkai," it might have suited her Flame-Chaser image better.

"...."

Kevin pinched his forehead.

"Oh—let me just say, I've burned more clothes than you think. For instance, I 'accidentally' burned someone's entire wardrobe. Among all those green hems, there was even a pink one. Hahaha—" Kalpas mocked.

Apart from Mobius, Elysia's expression also twitched in dissatisfaction as she glared at him.

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