Elysia: I'll Be Waiting for You on Elysian Realm Street, Okay? / Trying Out the Products.jpg

(Wow, how bold—she just went straight for it... Still, she looks like a child with a story. Fine, Miss Fairy won't hold it against her for suddenly sitting on her lap, okay?)

At that moment, Elysia was surprised to discover that she could move her arm a little. However, after carefully sensing it, she found that both the range and the movements were extremely limited.

(I can only give some feedback when they actively interact with each other? Then... as a reward for letting me see so many fresh new things today...)

Elysia raised her arm and slowly wrapped it around the petite girl in her arms.

Then she felt the girl in her arms suddenly tense up as if startled, but once she realized it was Elysia, she quickly relaxed even more.

(What an adorable child, isn't she?)

Elysia: I'll Be Waiting for You on Elysian Realm Street

During the trial, the flames continuously rolling and spreading out from Flame Willow's body suddenly faltered.

"What's wrong, Visitor?" Klein asked in confusion, looking up from beside Flame Willow's leg.

"No, it's nothing." Feeling the soft sensation transmitted through the empathy link activated by her original body, Flame Willow's face reddened slightly. However, with blazing crimson fire all around them, Klein did not notice anything unusual.

Having activated her body's enhanced state, the flames in Flame Willow's hands flared brighter as she sped up the process of disposing of the remaining Imaginary Skeletons.

"Seriously, don't pull something like this while I'm fighting..." Flame Willow muttered softly. However, the expression on her face clearly did not match her words.

"Thank you, Visitor. Without your help just now, today's situation would have become quite troublesome." Klein tugged at Flame Willow's clothes and thanked her sincerely.

"After what you did, today's workload has been reduced by quite a bit..."

"It's nothing, it's just part of the job." Flame Willow smiled and waved her hand. "So, Klein, where are you going next? Do you need my help?"

"No need, Visitor. You have your own business too, don't you?"

Klein shook her head. "As repayment for earlier, where do you want to go next? I can give you a lift."

At the same time, options appeared on the reception room's screen.

Klein was deeply grateful for your help and decided to use her authority to give you a small lift. So, where is your destination?

Send me to the depths of Elysian Realm. (Skip the next two nodes during this advance.)

Send me to the outer layer of Elysian Realm. (Skip the next node during this advance.)

No need. I'll set out from here. (Do not skip any nodes during this advance.)

"Send me to the depths of Elysian Realm." Flame Willow spoke gently. "Then thank you, Klein. Remember not to work overtime too late."

Then, after Klein performed a series of operations, a green portal slowly opened in front of Flame Willow.

"Gain and Loss?... So Klein's node-skipping can't freely choose the nodes?"

Without thinking much about it, Flame Willow stepped directly into the portal. After the battle just now, she could roughly determine that on Safe difficulty, as long as it was not a boss stage, there seemed to be no danger to her. Naturally, her actions became bolder.

After a flash of white light, Flame Willow opened her eyes again and discovered that she had arrived in an opulent room.

This room seemed to be used for receiving guests. Before Flame Willow stood a long table made from superior materials and decorated exquisitely. Across from it sat Eden, naturally—the MANTIS known as Gold among the Thirteen Flame-Chasers.

(Ah? Eden got pulled in too?)

Elysia hurriedly looked toward the screen. At that moment, Flame Willow had already begun talking with Eden, while text simultaneously appeared on the smaller screen beside them.

Gain and Loss

This time, you seem to have arrived in a certain Flame-Chaser's data zone. Fortunately, this Flame-Chaser is relatively easy to talk to. Upon hearing that you are undergoing trials in Elysian Realm, she pushed two wine glasses toward you and expressed her willingness to offer you a little help. However, the gifts of fate often have their price secretly marked in advance. Whether to accept this gift depends on your choice.

Drink the wine in the golden cup. (Honkai Energy reserves are halved for the next three battles, but doubled for the three battles afterward.)

Drink the wine in the silver cup. (Honkai Energy recovery speed is doubled for the next three battles, but enemy HP increases by 20% for the three battles after that.)

Sorry, I'm underage and cannot drink alcohol.

At that moment, Flame Willow had already made her choice.

"Then I'll gladly accept." Flame Willow raised the silver cup and drained it in one gulp.

"Surpass Island-Buying Raven, starting every moment!"

(Phew, so it isn't Eden. I thought someone else had noticed the anomaly too. Still, judging from this Eden, she should also be simulated by this system, right? She really does resemble her in several ways.)

(Island-Buying Raven? Whose unfortunate nickname is that? Ah, I remember Eden mentioning that the last person she bestowed a Signet upon was called Raven. I heard her goal was to buy an island?)

By the way, where did you get this habit of persecuting Raven anytime and anywhere, Host?

"It comes from my resentment over using Raven as a Fire support."

But Flame Willow is also a Fire DPS... Maybe Raven really will end up supporting you later.

"Is that so? Miss Flame Willow is quite decisive." Eden gently swirled the wine in her glass. "In that case, I wish Miss Flame Willow smooth sailing from here on."

"Of course. And I wish Sister Eden happiness every day, and that she gets to cuddle with Elysia every day too!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Flame Willow plunged into a battle-marked portal without looking back.

(Wow, this child is far too bold when she talks.)

Elysia, who had high attack but low defense, held Xia Ling in her arms as she thought shyly:

(By the way, Little Xia Ling's ultimate goal seems to be reaching Elysian Realm too, right? Hehe, Miss Fairy will get her revenge then, okay?)

Upon reaching the sixth node, Flame Willow finally encountered battle once more. However, this time the enemies were somewhat special: several Starlight-aligned Alien Guards. Although Flame Willow was not especially suited to fighting these troublesome enemies, for someone whose damage was severely overflowing, it merely meant burning them a few extra times.

"By the way..." Xia Ling, nestled in Elysia's arms, lazily spoke up. "How many nodes has it been already? System, is the boss coming up soon?"

That's right. In the Trial Elysian Realm, bosses appear at the eighth, twelfth, and seventeenth nodes. Most of the other nodes are random three-choice nodes.

"So there's only one node left?" Xia Ling raised an eyebrow. "Looks like it'll be my turn to assist soon. What should I do? Elysia's arms are so comfortable that I don't want to move..."

(Oh? Miss Fairy's embrace is indeed warm, but you can't indulge in it too much.)

(Little Xia Ling seems like the shy type. How about...)

Elysia searched through her voice library. After finding what she wanted, she gently blew into Xia Ling's ear and said softly, "You can look at me more openly, you know. After all, I've been watching you too. Come, let's get to know each other more deeply, shall we?"

Then Elysia saw the girl's face instantly turn red as though blood might drip from it, while her entire body seemed to be giving off steam.

(Oh my, she's that shy? Is that simply her personality, or is Miss Fairy's charm just too overwhelming?)

Seeing results far beyond her expectations, Elysia let out a troubled sigh.

Tentatively Bumping the Merchandise.jpg

"S-System, are you sure this Elysia isn't the original?" Xia Ling, now transformed into a steam maiden, asked dizzily.

Rest assured, Host. This is absolutely not the original. You have to trust my technical skills.

The system swore solemnly.

"Ugh, is this Elysia's destructive power?" Xia Ling let out a mournful cry and quietly curled herself up. Unfortunately, because she had sprawled in Elysia's arms for too long, the movement not only failed to free her, but instead looked like she was acting cute, causing Elysia to hold her even tighter.

Sigh, completely wrapped around her finger.

The system mercilessly commented on its Host's pathetic state.

Meanwhile, Flame Willow had already easily dealt with the minor enemies on this floor. However, the three portals that appeared before her next all bore the exact same cat-paw symbol.

"Huh? No choice this floor? If it's a cat-paw symbol, it should be the kitty's shop."

Flame Willow stood before the doors, somewhat conflicted over which one to enter.

You can enter any one of them. There isn't much difference between these shops, except one has Pardo. The other two do not.

"Then... is there any difference?"

If Pardo isn't there, after entering, you can purchase collectibles based on the number of floors you've cleared. You get one for every three floors cleared. I was a little lazy here, so I directly took the collectibles from the roguelike. If the kitty is there... you'll find out yourself.

"Why are you being so mysterious..." Flame Willow was somewhat baffled. After pondering for a moment, she chose the middle portal.

However, perhaps because it was her first time, or perhaps because she was lucky, the moment Flame Willow entered the node, she saw Pardo sunning herself beside her little shop.

Seeing Flame Willow enter, Xia Ling hurriedly focused her attention on the screen as well, waiting for the text to appear so she could distract herself.

Felice's Shop

After a series of battles, you finally arrived at a relatively peaceful node. There was no battle here, no event—only a small shop.

Fortunately, you discovered that the shop's owner was lazily basking in the sun beside the shelves. Seeing a customer arrive, she hurriedly sat up and began soliciting business.

After hearing that you were a trial-goer who had come to Elysian Realm, Pardo generously decided to offer you some help. You may choose one item to take away for free, but you keenly notice that the prices of the other goods seem to have changed in a subtle manner.

Thank you, Kitty. (Obtain one item for free, then continue purchasing goods at 1.5 times the price.)

Sorry, I'm not someone who likes taking small advantages. (Purchase goods at their original price.)

Refresh once. (Replace the goods with a new batch.)

Tentatively bump the merchandise. (Would anyone really choose this? Noble Moral Praise -1.)

"Come on, man?" Seeing the final option, Xia Ling immediately sprayed out a mouthful of water. "You're even robbing the kitty's stuff? System, that's way too vile."

(Exactly! Felice is so adorable. Who would want to bully her?)

(And Little Xia Ling's nicknames are so interesting too—Serpent, Kitty. They're so fitting~)

(When I get back, I'll spread all these nicknames around. When Little Xia Ling personally comes to Elysian Realm, it'll definitely be very interesting, won't it?)

Ahem, because this node was adapted from the Uncanny Merchant, that option couldn't be removed, so I simply included it too.

"Then let me ask just in case: if I really chose that option, what would happen?"

If I remember correctly, you would fight a giant Canned. Pardo would take the opportunity to pack up and prepare to run away.

Within the allotted time, the faster you defeat Canned, the more items you can snatch. Once you defeat Canned or time runs out, the kitty will take Canned and open a portal to flee.

"Even her escape method is opening a door. You really did this—minus one Pardo for laughing along with you."

However, if Host robs the shop, I wouldn't recommend challenging the additional Herrscher Trial floor. As for why... those who understand, understand.

"The kitty will find helpers to take revenge for herself, right? Fine, fine. You really went all out on the details there."

Xia Ling felt as if she had used up an entire year's worth of snark in one day. Feeling somewhat exhausted, she jumped down from Elysia and prepared to use the support system to check on the eighth floor.

After making her selections, Flame Willow had chosen her collectibles. Since the prices had risen to 1.5 times their original value, Xia Ling could ultimately only take away two collectibles.

Emperor's Collection: All enemy units take +30% Arts damage.

Dancer's Bracelet: All allied units gain 10% Physical and Arts Dodge.

They were both plain, straightforward stat-boosting collectibles, but for Flame Willow, whose baseline attributes were already high, they were considerable upgrades.

The portal that appeared this time was more familiar. A blood-red portal slowly opened before Flame Willow, and the node name marked upon it was, unsurprisingly, "Perilous Enemy."

"Here we go! The opponent is the ancient-recorded ferocious beast, Huodou. Will we win?"

"You'll win my ass!" Xia Ling, who had just teleported over through the support system, heard Flame Willow raising a flag the moment she landed and nearly stumbled. Then she decisively chopped Flame Willow on the head with a hand blade.

"Ehehe." Flame Willow stuck out her tongue.

While the two were still trading memes, Huodou's form gradually appeared in the open space beside them, accompanied by scorching heat and blasting waves of air.

"Uh... what do we do?"

"Don't look at me. I'm Fire-elemental, so I have damage reduction."

"Then don't look at me either. I'm Elite 1—I barely scratch things."

"Then... we just slowly chip it down?"

"Chip away, I guess. What else can you do, have Elysia build up some frost for you?"

"That would only work with Herrscher of Humanity Elysia. The one in the space is a Pink Fairy Lady model—it deals physical damage."

The two Xia Lings continued bantering while splitting up and using every possible method to whittle down Huodou's first-phase health bar.

Relying on acceleration, Xia Ling's original body constantly circled Huodou, occasionally driving her scythe into it to give Huodou a Heart's Delight before immediately retreating. She gave Huodou absolutely no chance to attack her.

On the other side, Flame Willow did not dodge Huodou's attacks at all. If it hit her, she healed herself, fully committed to standing in place and trading blows.

Leaving aside Xia Ling, who was enthusiastically scratching away at the boss because it was her first time experiencing a large-scale boss battle, Elysia in the Trial Elysian Realm's reception room still wore her smiling expression, though a stormy sea had already risen within her heart.

(??? Herrscher of Humanity? The Herrscher of Humanity?! Little Xia Ling knows even that? Who exactly is she? This secret should only be known by the Thirteen Flame-Chasers and a handful of others!)

With what seemed to be equations, brains, and universe symbols constantly emerging over her head, Elysia's CPU had already begun smoking.

Change of plans. Prepare for an early release.