Deceiving Amnesiac Bronya~

"Let's go to the library first. I need to learn the basics of this world." After finding the library's location on the terminal, Xing immediately frowned. "It's so far away..." It was summer, and the scorching sunlight spared no mercy for the young boy.

Half an hour later—

Sweating profusely, Xing looked at the tightly shut doors. He swiped his terminal across the electronic screen by the entrance, and the doors opened automatically. "It can even be used as a pass?" As he entered the library, he didn't encounter anyone along the way, perhaps because school had not started yet.

The enormous library was packed with shelves of books. The young librarian was sprawled before her computer desk, enjoying the air conditioning and chatting with her friends. Hearing the movement, she glanced up. "Feel free to browse. Come here to register if you want to borrow a book... Headmistress! I-I wasn't slacking off!" The girl was nearly scared out of her wits.

"You've got the wrong person." Did he really look like Theresa?

"You scared me half to death. Are you the Headmistress's relative? You look so much alike." At first glance, she had thought the short white-haired girl had put in colored contacts and come over to inspect the place.

"More or less."

He began looking for books—

"Hmm, the geography atlas should be... Found it!" After searching through countless bookshelves, he finally spotted his target. But it was so high up.

Xing stood on tiptoe and jumped with all his might.

Bang!

After a loud crash, Xing sat on the floor clutching his head. He had used too much force and slammed his head into the bookshelf...

A massive hand pulled the atlas from the shelf and handed it to the boy. "Thanks, uh, Heavy-Duty Rabbit 19C?!"

"Heavy-Duty Rabbit... So that's its name?" The silver-haired expressionless girl stared at the white-haired boy, puzzled by the terrified look on his face.

"Um, hello, Bronya. What do I do? Mei isn't here. Did she come to get revenge on me?"

"Are you calling me Bronya?"

"?"

"Bronya's memory module was damaged, and she lost her memories of the past. Heavy-Duty Rabbit's remaining records contained your photograph, so Bronya came looking for you."

Xing had no idea just what sort of effect that "head-patting kill" had had on Bronya.

First, she had lost her memories, and Heavy-Duty Rabbit's records had been wiped clean in the process. Her body had not suffered much damage, but she was utterly confused now.

Then there was the slight problem with her biological chip. Besides the chip being removed or Ya Ya dying, there was now a third possibility for why Cocolia could not receive a response: the chip had lost its network connection.

If the biological chip was a phone, then Xing's strike had essentially ripped out its network card. It could no longer receive a signal. Everything else was perfectly normal.

"Teacher Himeko couldn't find any information on Bronya. Do you know anything?" she asked, tilting her head.

Xing fell silent for a moment before cautiously asking, "Do you still remember X... No, never mind. Your name is Bronya Zaychik. You're my friend."

"A friend? Like Kiana and Sister Mei?"

"Yeah. We've been through gunfire and thunderstorms together!"

"Xing Kaslana is Bronya's friend," Bronya murmured.

"We're good friends. Oh, right, Bronya, could you call me Captain?"

"Captain?" the expressionless little girl said.

AWSL!

"What was Bronya's past like?" she asked.

"For the current you, it's better not to know yet. Don't worry. When the time is right, I'll tell you." If he really told her, she would probably beat him into a sheet of paper.

"Xing is a good person. Bronya believes you." Perhaps influenced by the boy's intelligent appearance and his Charisma stat of eighty, Ya Ya was fooled just like that.

After their brief conversation, Bronya joined him in reading. After all, she needed to replenish her knowledge as well.

Speaking of which, where was Kiana? Fighting in the Abyss?

Bang! A Chariot-type Honkai Beast sent the white-haired ball flying out of the combat simulation room.

The geography of the Honkai World was not much different from the real world's. Only the names of certain regions differed.

Xing also discovered that he seemed to have been automatically loaded with knowledge of several major languages. Otherwise, how could he communicate with this Russian-born Bronya?

Next came the basic theory of Honkai Energy. The two little ones squeezed together and read at lightning speed. Bronya used Heavy-Duty Rabbit to photograph and record everything, while Xing suddenly realized that his memory had improved quite a bit.

Intelligence: 80

Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, it was noon. "Grrr~" Hunger pulled them back to reality. "I'll treat you to a meal!" Feeling guilty, Xing extended the invitation.

"Mm." The little girl did not refuse.

After leaving the library, Xing checked the cafeteria's location under the blazing sun. Why was it so far away too?!

"Heavy-Duty Rabbit 19C, switch to riding mode."

Heavy-Duty Rabbit picked up one little one in each hand and sped forward through the air. Xing said, "It would be even better if it could turn into a motorcycle. Too bad that's an ability only Reason Ya Ya can unlock."

—The dividing line for eating—

"Xing." Bronya put down her chopsticks. "What is it, Bronya?"

"Are all Kaslanas such big eaters?" Bronya looked at the pile of bowls and plates beside him, struck by a powerful sense of déjà vu.

"Yes." Xing was very honest.

He would have to find a way to earn more credits in the future, or he might not be able to stay in school.

"Ugh, I'm so mad!" A voice mixed with chewing drew their attention. The white-haired ball angrily bit into a piece of roasted meat as though it were her mortal enemy.

"Cheer up, Kiana. Didn't the senior on duty say that getting that score on your first try was already amazing?" Mei consoled her from the side.

"That's not what I'm angry about. As a Kaslana warrior, I actually watched Mei get attacked by a Honkai Beast..." Kiana was filled with self-reproach.

"It was all virtual, so don't worry about it." Mei, exuding the aura of a devoted wife, comforted Kiana. "Who told you to set the difficulty to maximum? And that stage was originally meant for four people to challenge. The senior only let you in because she wanted to teach you a lesson."

"Then we'll find two people to form a team and do it again!" Kiana slammed a fist onto the dining table, determined to erase her humiliation.

"Even if we count that amnesiac little girl, we only have three people. Where are we supposed to find the fourth?" Mei tried to persuade Kiana.

"Don't worry, I already have someone in mind. You know him too, Mei. Though he probably doesn't know me, as a fellow Kaslana, I believe he'll definitely lend me a hand! Uh, has he woken up yet? He's been unconscious for three days..."

Xing suddenly sneezed. Kiana turned at the sound and immediately spotted the two little ones. "Wow, how does that old Shenzhou saying go? Speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrives!"

Perhaps they were simply born unable to stand each other, but Bronya's face instantly darkened. She summoned Heavy-Duty Rabbit and was about to drag Xing away when Kiana suddenly leaped in front of them. "You're finally awake! Nice to meet you, I'm Kiana Kaslana. Thanks for protecting Mei earlier. As Mei's beloved, if there's anything you need, just... Ouch!"

Before she could finish, Mei and Bronya's fists landed on her head.

Clearly, Mei had not told her about being turned into a weapon. Otherwise, her attitude would have been completely different.

"Hello, I'm Xing Kaslana. Nice to meet you." Xing gave her a complicated look. If he remembered correctly, this was the one who had kicked him into the Honkai World, right? Also, why was everyone except Bronya taller than him?

"Hehe, technically, you should call me Big Sister. So, could you maybe..." The thick-skinned bug enthusiastically gripped the young boy's shoulders, looking as though she would not rest until he agreed.

"I heard what you said just now. I'd be happy to help, but I don't know how to fight." Xing had a headache.

Kiana fell silent for several seconds, her expression darkening. "Even if you don't want to agree, at least come up with a believable excuse, okay?" The girl slowly clenched her fist. "As a Kaslana—" Her right fist tore through the air toward him, and Xing felt a gust of wind strike his face.

"You're telling me you can't fight?!" Kiana's fist stopped in midair. Xing stood a hair's breadth away from it, cold sweat running down his face. "Not bad reflexes~" The girl withdrew her fist and praised him.

"No, I really can't fight!" Xing was on the verge of tears. Just a few days ago, he had been an ordinary high school student who had barely ever fought. He really was not lying!

"Stop pretending. Mei already told me. You defeated her when she lost control, as well as that rampaging little girl. And you call that not knowing how to fight?" Kiana clearly thought he was treating her like an idiot.

Mei was a plot-mandated victory by the author, and Bronya was because I used cheats. The moves were all Hokushin Itto-ryu that I borrowed from Mei anyway! Wait, it seemed like he could still use Hokushin Itto-ryu now?

"Anyway, are you helping or not?!"

"I'll help!"

"Great! Take out your terminal!"

System Notification: Kiana Kaslana has sent you a friend request. Mei has sent you a friend request. Bronya Zaychik has sent you a friend request.

Ding. Kiana Kaslana has invited you to join the Kiana Squad (Provisional) (2/4). Accept/Decline?

"?"

"It's like this. Auntie... Huh? The Headmistress told me that we can create or join Valkyrie squads and enjoy all sorts of benefits. But I don't want to work under someone else, so I made one myself~" Kiana explained to Xing.

"But forming a squad is very difficult. The minimum number of applicants is four, and there are other related requirements as well. But Kiana probably doesn't care about those things, right?" Mei added from the side. Though it would be difficult, as long as Kiana wanted to do it, she would give it her all and help without conditions.

"Now, as long as that little girl joins too, the first step will be complete!"

"Bronya is not called little girl. Bronya is called Bronya Zaychik, and Bronya refuses," she said in the third person.

"First, Kiana's idea was merely a passing whim, and she has made no preparations whatsoever;

Second, forming a squad requires meeting quite a lot of conditions and obtaining the Headmistress's approval;

Third, Bronya does not want to participate in such a boring game." Possessed by the spirit of some bodysuit-wearing person who loved making three-point arguments, the expressionless girl refused.

"You remembered your name? That's great." The white-haired ball scratched her head. "That makes a lot of sense. I really did just suddenly feel like forming a squad, but isn't that what makes it interesting? Only a difficult challenge like this can spark my interest." As she spoke, she raised three fingers as well.

"First, I will definitely succeed;

Second, because I am Kiana Kaslana;

Third, I can't think of anything else."

"Kiana is a huge idiot." Bronya gave her assessment.

"Isn't it pretty interesting?" Xing looked at her with a smile. "How will you know whether you can do it if you don't give it a try? I believe in Kiana. How about a bet, Bronya?"

"What are we betting on?"

"Kiana, how long is the time limit for forming a squad?" Xing asked Kiana.

"Let me see. Freshmen must either join or form a squad within one semester. The time limit is one semester!"

"Alright, Bronya. You'll join as a provisional member of this squad for now. If Kiana fails to form the squad within this semester, I'll tell you everything about your past. If she succeeds, then you'll officially join. How about it?"

"Bronya accepts." After thinking for a moment, Bronya accepted the wager.

Minimum member requirement met. Squad formation has entered the next stage—

"Why?" Kiana stared blankly at him. "Why do you believe in me so much?" She did not know what relationship he had with Bronya, but he had undoubtedly wagered something incredibly important just now.

"Because I believe in you," Xing said.

As Captain, we had always believed in you. No more words were needed.

Besides, Kiana was the protagonist. The protagonist's halo buff was no joke, and the Headmistress was her aunt. Surely some strings would be pulled, right? All things considered, Xing was steady as a rock.

Half an hour later, after he had thoroughly learned the conditions for forming a squad, "Have I been infected by the Theresa virus?" The young boy questioned his life...

Back to the present, "It's not without conditions, though." He smiled slyly. "Isn't directly naming the squad after yourself a bit lame?"

"Then you come up with one?" The girl understood what he meant.

"How about Fire Moth?" Using food scraps from the table, the boy arranged them into the shape of a moth.

"Wow, that sounds so cool!"

"Not a bad name."

"Bronya agrees."

None of the three girls knew what kind of burden that name represented, and neither did the boy know what fruit his spur-of-the-moment idea would bear in the future. At this moment, the four of them had only one thought—

"Who broke this table?" The cafeteria auntie stormed over furiously.

"Run for it!" The four of them beat a hasty strategic retreat.

Author's Note—

As for Bonded Weaponry, proficiency with weapons was not particularly important. After all, transforming automatically granted Xing someone else's combat experience, so Xing was basically proficient with every weapon.

However, Xing would not rely solely on this ability. As the theme of this novel, Bonded Weaponry would certainly turn the tide at crucial moments, but Xing was Xing, not a disposable tool for using Bonded Weaponry. He was not some useless trash who became worthless after separating from the fused Valkyrie.

The protagonist I want to portray is not the kind who blindly relies on cheats, but one who gradually becomes stronger step by step. Early on, I'll give him all sorts of delayed-effect buffs: Taixu Sword Qi that he cannot comprehend, the Key of Consciousness that he cannot use, and so on. These will slowly become his strength.

Besides Bonded Weaponry, Xing will have his own power, his own combat style forged through training, and weapons earned through his own efforts. Efforts?

As for the name Fire Moth, it is for the Elysian Realm arc's plot, assuming I ever get that far. The inheritance and clash between the new Fire Moth and the old Fire Moth—doesn't that sound interesting?