Interlude: A Dreamlike Temporary Partner

(I personally really like Kane- chan, probably because he's an original male character who's Honkai... Not only does he have money and a wife on his main character stats, but he also has a great relationship with Luming...)

(But as I was writing, I started to feel like the cabbage I grew was being eaten by the pigs I raised.)

(Ah, there's absolutely no forced marriage or anything like that. Although I'm writing more freely now, it's not going to be that outrageous. Anyway, after a few hundred chapters, the daughters he favors have absolutely no relationship with any other men or women besides him... maybe?)

(Ahem, just a spoiler: Kane is in the remake too, but he dies before Kane even appears in the Kulik world. Good riddance!)

(Ah, I'll explain the details when the remastered version is released. Kane from other worlds used up all his luck because of something.)

—The main feature begins—

Kane felt an unprecedented sense of comfort.

It was as if all the primordial power he had accumulated over a decade was suddenly released, making him feel incredibly exhilarated.

His hazy consciousness gradually returned to his familiar yet unfamiliar body, and he was surprised to find that his body was filled with unprecedented power, far surpassing his previous self.

However, this power was under his absolute control, a fact that Kane was also able to perceive the moment he regained consciousness.

Distant memories slowly surfaced in his mind. The boy groaned, opened his eyes, and saw the long-unseen ceiling. He lifted the blanket covering his naked body and, as expected, saw his female companion, who was also completely naked and had a slightly flushed face.

Kane Kaslana fell into deep thought, her mind, which had been focused on recalling memories, suddenly went blank.

My gaze followed Julia's alluring curves, which were not barren but far inferior to Luming Lady's, all the way down, and the crimson stains soaking the sheets also came into view.

Judging from the faint marks on her body, the visible fatigue in her brows, and her slightly protruding belly, she must have had a happy and fulfilling first night.

Kane Kaslana fell into deep thought once again.

My sage's power...

The Grip Driver on the bedside table remained silent, gleaming in the sunlight streaming through the window.

"Oh, you're awake?" A familiar voice came from the doorway, startling Kane so much that he shuddered and, with a speed that even Rita, who pounces on her prey like a hungry tiger, could not match, tore the blanket in half. One half covered the sleeping Julia's body, while the other half quickly covered his lower body, which was thrusting like a dragon.

"Lulu Luming?! Let me explain, I... no, why am I panicking?" Just as Kane was about to explain to his partner that he wasn't a shameless pervert who was supposed to be his childhood sweetheart, he realized that Luming a very reasonable person and would listen to his explanation.

But when he looked closely at the doorway, he realized that Luming's voice was coming from a speaker attached to the door.

"I reckon you'll wake up soon, so hurry up and get dressed and come out for dinner. Oh, and if you still have any physical needs, I suggest you stop torturing Julia. She's had enough of you these past three days. Open the second drawer on the right side of your wardrobe. See the lubricant and Fiji cup I prepared for you? They're the latest products from the Schicksal Health Department, the quality is guaranteed. Use that to tide you over."

Luming Lady's words were full of apology as she regretted not diluting her blood hundreds of times before giving it to Julia and Kane.

Kane awkwardly looked down at the newly unsealed magic spear, feeling an urge to cut it up.

Luming, can you please stop being so considerate...?

—Shinmon—

He lightly cleaned his sleeping girlfriend's body, then, blushing, the newly-minted man froze the cup full of yogurt, leaving no trace of his crime.

As Kane pushed open the door, the familiar aroma immediately filled his nostrils. Kane eyes lit up. Since moving to Luming's Courtyard, he had rarely eaten the dishes she cooked herself.

(The food was all cooked by Brother Jie, right?)

"Come on, we have important business to attend to after we finish eating." The girl was dressed in casual clothes, her long hair was rosy and flowing down her back, and her smooth, white feet were not wearing socks, curled up in slippers and occasionally wriggling.

Luming wiped the oil stains off her gloves, glanced at her watch, and frowned. "Aside from dressing to destroy evidence and taking a break... tsk, you're no good."

Upon hearing this, Kane slipped and nearly crashed headfirst into the washboard on the floor.

"Luming, where did your idol image go? It's completely ruined!"

"It's not like we're on stage, what does it matter? Performance and life are two different things." Luming covered her nose in disgust. "Why don't you go take a shower first? You smell like hormones, it's suffocating me."

"Okay." Kane obediently went to the bathroom.

"Hmm, while I'm at it, I'll cook you something nourishing, like braised Parvati with Ashvatta sashimi..."

Upon hearing this, Kane slipped again, and a bar of soap flew straight out and hit Idol Lady on the head.

Fortunately, he threw the soap back with a look of disgust. Did this guy somehow figure out what he was implying? I don't do male sex, get lost!

Splash...

The warm water washed over the boy's body, and his hazy memories gradually became clearer.

Was that a dream? Or...?

Recalling the image of the girl disappearing before his eyes, Kane instinctively clutched his aching heart.

At that moment, his heart ached terribly.

"But why would Luming appear in my residence in Schicksal? Could she have just happened to run into me and Julia..." Shifting his focus to the present moment, Kane felt a surge of heat rush from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. If that were the case, he could probably launch a super powerful attack to meet the ancestors of the Kaslana family.

Just as Kane tried to condense what resembled celestial fire as he remembered, a gruff male voice came from outside the door. "Yo, kid, I've come to visit you... Oh, isn't this Luming? Wow, as expected of..."

Before the father-in-law, who had just been discharged from the hospital, could finish speaking, Luming Lady, with a dark expression on her face, kicked him out on charges of attempted harassment.

"Luming, I think I heard the voice of the former clan chief?"

No, you misheard.

After a while...

"Awoo awoo (sound of diligently eating)"

Sitting across the table, Luming rested her chin on her hands, watching Kane devour his meal. Her brain automatically compared him to Kiana, and then she glanced at the Quantum Sea's surveillance footage.

Yes, it's an heirloom, confirmed.

"Kane, there's something I want to ask you." Just as Kane, having finished his meal, was about to share his doubts with her, the girl spoke first.

"What?"

The girl crossed her arms over her chest, leaned forward slightly, and stared intently at him with her heterochromatic red and blue eyes.

"How... do you view the relationship between you and me?" the girl asked calmly, posing a question that made Kane fall off his chair.

Before the confused boy could ask him a question, Luming began to speak on her own.

"Don't you find it strange? I've been a bit too enthusiastic or even intimate with you, going a bit beyond the boundaries of normal friendship... Although I don't think it's a big deal from my perspective, you, or rather your girlfriend, probably don't think so, right? Every time I meet her, I can see a strong sense of hostility in her eyes when she looks at me."

Idol Lady sighed helplessly, her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, and she spread her small hands to both sides. "There's nothing I can do. Being too cute is a sin. I can't blame her. It's impossible to say that no man in the world is not moved by me."

His Lord Bishop is invincible in his pure love, Old Yang already has someone he loves, and the Ancestor... sigh.

My father-in-law really wanted to marry me.

"Indeed." Kane nodded.

"Huh?!" Luming's beautiful eyes widened in surprise. I was just being narcissistic and you actually admitted it?!

"I really like Luming. Who wouldn't like a lively, cute, and considerate female partner?" Kane scratched his head casually.

Luming fell silent, watching him quietly, waiting for him to speak next.

"Although you were very resistant Luming me at first, making me feel that you were no different from those pampered young ladies from big families, I gradually realized after spending more time with you that it was just a shield you used against strangers."

"Luming, you are truly a wonderful girl. You are gentle and kind, yet decisive, willing to brave the darkness to protect the light. You always consider your friends' feelings. Although you teased me quite a bit... I was very happy."

"Speaking of which, Luming, there's something I have to say." Kane glanced at the Idol Lady was drawing circles on the table with her head down, even the ahoge on her head was starting to spin, and complained, "You're obviously two different people at home and outside. Outside, you're a noble young lady with elegant manners and polite speech, but at home, you're practically a homebody with your face written all over it!"

Luming stuck out her tongue awkwardly. "Dude, I'm just a homebody like you."

"It's normal for like-minded people to play Yugi and read comics together... but could you please pay attention to your clothes and posture, Luming? Every time, it's a test of my conscience and willpower!" Kane grabbed her shoulders indignantly and shook her violently. Next time, don't suddenly lean in next to me and press your neck down to celebrate your victory in the middle of Yugi!

PS: Although the mind gradually becomes feminized in this state, subconsciously one still considers oneself to be a man.

You little rascal, you don't know how lucky you are. Although Luming really wanted to say that, she opened her mouth but didn't say anything for the sake of her brother's future married life.

"And Luming, aren't you sometimes a little too concerned?" Kane seemed to have opened a floodgate, venting all the things he had been holding back. "I was just complaining that I'm always at a disadvantage in front of Julia, did you really have to go to the trouble of having someone sign me up for a course to treat my bronchitis?!"

"This, that course is anonymous..." Luming blushed and turned her head to the side, not daring to look him in the eye.

"Then don't come with me every time! The way people look at me is making me melt!"

"Hehe~" The Idol Lady tilted her head, closed her eyes, and smiled playfully, making Kane lose his composure. "So beautiful... Wait, what's with the 'hehe'?"

"I'll let that go, but why did you find some weird and strange folk remedies from Shenzhou to supplement me... My manhood isn't weak either..." Kane blushed, wishing he could erase that memory from his brain.

"You can only conquer those strong women off-bed, right? ❤️"

"Luming, why are you so confident...?"

Luming coughed a few times after making a slip of the tongue, ending the topic.

"Although Luming always likes to do some strange and unusual things, it is undeniable that Luming has been helping me grow and become stronger. Even this return to Schicksal is to give me control of the Kaslana Family... Thank you, Luming."

The boy sincerely took the girl's hand and offered his sincerest gratitude.

"We're friends, right? It's only natural to help each other." She smiled sweetly as usual. Kane lowered his head, as if he was hesitating. After a while, as if he had made up his mind, he raised his head, stared intently into her eyes, took a deep breath, and spoke.

"Luming, I like you."

"Yeah, I like you too~" The Idol Lady didn't seem to care, winked at him, and even made a heart shape with her hands.

PS: There are a lot of people outside the door. The Luming here is just an avatar. The Divine Blessing Barrier that she activated is almost too strong to stop.

"No, I didn't mean that kind of liking..." Kane struggled for a long time before finally speaking out the feelings he had kept buried deep inside:

"Luming, I love you."

Before the words were even finished, the girl's face showed terror, and a powerful wave that no one could resist spread out, and the two figures instantly disappeared from the spot.

Almost simultaneously, more than a dozen extraordinary, Herrscher- Honkai attacks rained down, obliterating the innocent houses and even the Schicksal Floating Island section, leaving nothing but ashes.

Time stop plus teleportation for an emergency escape!

The scene before him changed in an instant, and before Kane could even react, he was hit on the head with a washboard. "Idiot!"

Luming angrily grabbed his ear and berated him, "Didn't you see me frantically giving you those winks? How dare you say that?! If I had reacted any slower, you wouldn't even be left with ashes, you know that?!"

(The main body is forcefully suppressing it—)

"Huh?" Kane was completely baffled. Luming sighed softly, her eyes filled with a hint of resentment. "As the saying goes, familiarity breeds affection. Do you think I can't sense it? We both know it perfectly well, so why say it out loud? Do you want to die?"

"But that was really exciting," Luming patted her heaving chest. Although she had used her clairvoyance to predict the possibilities before coming, hearing him say it still gave her a strange feeling.

"Yes, I already have Julia, so it's not right for me to have feelings for other girls, but..." Kane scratched his head and let out a long sigh, "But feelings are like that; the longer they build up, the more intense they become when they explode. At first, I just wanted to be a good partner for Luming, but when I realized..."

"I'm sorry, Luming, I know this is foolish, but I'm really torn. On one hand, I'm loyal to Julia, and on the other hand, I'm to you..." Kane drew the Heavenly Fire Judgment, "I will atone to the ancestors."

"Get lost!" Luming was so angry that she kicked him hard in the chin with a high kick. Her slipper flew off before she could kick him, forcibly interrupting Tian Huo's self-destruction and sending him into freefall. After spinning two and a half times in the air, he fell into a lake next to him. The noise of the fall woke up the GaoPanda sleeping in a tree next to him.

Ugh! Do you think our national treasure is easy to bully?!

Drenched, Kane pulled the seaweed from his head and scrambled ashore. As soon as he looked up, he saw the girl's eyes, which held a complex expression.

"It's painful, isn't it? You've had a tough time these past few days. Maybe I shouldn't have kept you by my side for so long... But please forgive me, I've always lacked a friend I can confide in and speak freely with. So I don't want to let you go."

"Luming... are you lonely?"

"In a sense, yes."

"So, this is where I'm from?"

"Oh, my private world."

Luming watched as Little Li Zi had just been knocked away by the clone stationed in the World Bubble, disappeared from her sight. She sighed inwardly, "Watch your step, you silly disciple."

Seeing that Luming remained silent, Kane hesitated for a moment before speaking again, "And I know that Luming also has someone she likes, but I've always wanted to know which damn bastard became my partner's boyfriend. Can you tell me? I want to see who is so outstanding."

Kane looked at Luming with utmost sincerity, prepared to be either knocked away or kneeled on a washboard.

Luming thought for a while, then raised her head and pointed a jade-like finger at him.

Note: This is not a marriage by association! This is not a marriage by association! This is not a marriage by association!!! Please read before commenting!

"You! (゜▽^*))"

"Huh? (⊙ˍ⊙)"

Kane froze for a few seconds before reacting, his eyes widening as he collapsed into a state of panic, stammering, "Eh eh eh eh!!!!"

"Hey what?" Luming rolled her eyes at him. "In my diary, you're the only close male friend my age."

"But, doesn't Luming have someone she likes?"

"Yeah, I like women."

"..."

A loading icon popped up above Kane's head; he felt he had used more brainpower today than in the past combined.

"Pfft." Seeing his bewildered expression, Luming couldn't help but laugh. Then, remembering the important matter, she was about to speak when Kane interrupted again:

"Luming, there's something I need to tell you..."

"That wasn't a dream." Knowing what he was thinking, Luming interrupted him. Kane froze, staring intently into her eyes, before finally managing to speak after a long pause, "Th-those were all real..."

"You fucking think I'd let those old men from Schicksal touch a single hair on my head?" Luming said unhappily, Kane gasped for breath upon hearing this.

"That's all for now. When are we going back?"

Luming slapped him on the head, her mind a little blank, "Wait, is this all you're interested in?"

Kane nodded matter-of-factly. "Yeah, Xing is so strong, he wouldn't need to go to such lengths to kill me. So it must be that you, Luming, asked him to put on a show for me to stimulate my power, right? Sigh, that's too much, Luming!"

The boy patted her shoulder with a playful laugh. Although there was a hint of reproach in his words, it wasn't much. But the girl remained silent.

Alas, it's a pity we were destined to meet but not to be together.

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Kane stopped what he was doing and looked at her questioningly. After a long while, Luming finally opened her mouth with difficulty, gritted her teeth, and confessed to him:

"Kane, I am Xing."

Seeing that he didn't react, Luming repeated herself.

Countless loading symbols filled Kane's brain, and in an instant, the entire process from the Big Bang to the origin of humanity unfolded in his mind. Before the will of the Macro Cosmos could be formed, Kane suddenly sprang up, his fingers curling into claws, and swiftly attacked...

Smack!

Kane, with a red handprint on his right cheek, obediently squatted in the corner, his head in his hands. Luming, her face flushed with embarrassment, clutched her chest and was furious. She raised her little foot and stomped wildly on his back, cursing as she did so.

"You pervert! You don't need to be so obvious about confirming my gender, do you? Don't you even consider the possibility that I could freely transform?!"

Only after Kane had stomped on him enough—no, wait, after Luming had stomped on him enough—did he stand up, a strange light flickering in his blue eyes.

"So, Luming, no, Xing, what you're saying is true?"

Luming didn't speak, but simply took off her gloves and presented the two Stigmata to him.

Kane didn't speak, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then—

Bang!!!

A tremendous roar echoed throughout the forest, and a burning pain shot through her face. The girl neither dodged nor flinched, standing still and taking the full force of the angry punch.

"Xin Kaslana, what do you take me for?! What do you take my feelings for you, all the things we've been through together for?!" Kane roared angrily, grabbing her collar and punching her again without mercy. She didn't argue, but silently endured his rage.

It was right not to touch up my makeup before coming...

Thud! Thud! Another loud crash, and heavy black beast claws slammed her to the ground. The boy's eyes blazed with fury. "Do you know how angry, how painful, how hateful I was? And it was all just a Yugi you played?!"

"Answer my question! Xing Kaslana, what do you take me for?!"

"I told you the answer to this question a long time ago, didn't I?" The unclear voice reached his ears, and the boy was stunned, looking into her eyes.

The clarity and innocence remain, just as they were in the beginning.

The black beast claws gradually returned to normal, Kane slumped weakly to the ground. Luming got up, touched her swollen cheek, gasped, walked over to him, squatted down, and whispered in his ear:

Would you like to hear my story?

"...good."

So, Xing briefly recounted all the battles that had occurred after he arrived in the Honkai World to Kane, omitting the part about the divine messengers. He only told him that he would be drawn into unknown battles from time to time, and that only by winning would the timeline return to normal, and that only he would remember them.

Kane went from initial shock to numbness, and finally to grief and unbearable sorrow.

"So, you've been enduring all this all along..." Kane looked at the white-haired, red-eyed boy before him, his tears already dried, and he hugged him, only sobbing softly.

"It's alright, I'm used to working overtime, so I don't feel tired anymore." Xing smiled bitterly and patted him on the back. "Don't cry, you're a grown man. I'll be counting on you to lend me a hand in the future, brother."

"Um!"

"Oh, right, one last thing, let me tell you a secret."

"If, I mean if, if I am just Luming, then... never mind."

"In future battles, if you die unexpectedly, I will do everything in my power to revive you. But if you die of old age, having seen through the illusions of the world—"

"I will forever abandon the identity of Chen Xilumeng and never become like this again, so that she can leave with you."

Postscript--

In Xing's secret laboratory, Kane fiddled with the black full bottle and lava gauntlets in his hands, examining the blurry outline on the screen, feeling extremely pleased. After so long, he could finally have a new form!

"Heh heh, this is just the beginning. Well, Kane- chan, want to make a choice?" The girl smiled and handed him a plan. Kane didn't immediately look at it, but instead asked, "Choose what?"

Luming held up two fingers. "You now have two paths to take. First, follow the old path of Kevin of the Kaslana Family. I will enhance your power as Fusion Warrior to match or even surpass him, but you will also completely abandon your human identity and become a monster. As for the second path... move towards glorious evolution."

Kane looked at the plan in his hand upon hearing this, and saw several large words in the title:

On the Possible Evolution of Earth's Universal Super Honkai Person

Postscript—

"Um, Luming, why are you coming back with me?"

"Ha, didn't I say that this is a degraded individual that I split off from? I was created to be distributed to you."

"What?! Don't tell me you're going to stay at my house?!"

"While you and Julia were clapping, I had already packed up the room and moved my luggage in. What are you saying? I'm such a super beautiful girl, helping you with housework, training, cooking, and even providing psychological counseling every day, and you still dare to complain?!"

"No, no..."

"Oh, there's one more thing."

"?"

"When you confessed to me before, Kiana and the others were all spying on you from outside."

Seeing that Kane had fallen into a daze again, Luming added, "Right now, it's no different from being at odds with the whole world. My family and friends basically all know that you've had those kinds of thoughts about me."

Seeing that Kane's style had changed to gray and white, Luming added, "Also, Julia was actually already awake at that time."

The Saintess Lady hugged him tenderly. "Don't worry, Kane- chan. Even if you really turn into Kane- chan, I have a million ways to turn you back, so don't worry~❤️"

No--

Kane was inwardly weeping.

Author's Note—

Happiness is conserved; see, refer to Kane.