A Person in Izumo, Making the Collapse Great Again

She already had one foot in the grave and just wanted to spend her remaining years in peace.

And what if it was false?

What if the Narukami Shrine Maiden had also misjudged?

Granny Zhuohua hesitated and didn't agree. If the disaster ultimately didn't come, her reputation as the one who proposed it would plummet.

Mei saw through her concerns and spoke up on her own: "You can tell others that this news came from the Narukami Shrine. The one who will bring disaster is Takemikazuchi, the god that Narukami transformed into."

"Mei!"

Kiana's eyes went wide. Mei was a shrine maiden of the shrine—wasn't she just throwing dirt on her own name?

Granny Zhuohua was also surprised by Raiden Mei's boldness. The Narukami Shrine had existed for hundreds of years and was quite famous in Changkong City.

"...Then this old woman will give it a try."

If a shrine maiden had that kind of courage and the shrine was willing to take responsibility, then she could at least get up and move her lips a bit.

"No, you can't do that!" Kiana stopped her. "Takemikazuchi has nothing to do with the Narukami Shrine! In fact, Narukami was the blade used to slay Takemikazuchi!"

This only looked like nothing was being sacrificed!

"The truth isn't that important, Kiana. What matters is making people believe the disaster will come. Only if they believe it will come will they actively prepare."

Unsubstantiated news couldn't make anyone believe. No matter how well they spoke, others would just treat it like a story.

Unless they saw the gods and ghosts with their own eyes, they might abandon that sliver of hope.

If they wanted more people to believe...

News unfavorable to the shrine, coming from within the shrine itself.

People would think.

If this news wasn't true, why would the shrine seek its own doom by spreading harmful falsehoods about itself?

The Narukami Shrine had existed for over a hundred years.

Especially in the eyes of the citizens in this area, the Narukami Shrine held a special significance.

"Then I won't let you bear that stain!" Kiana couldn't accept this proposal. "I disagree with this plan!"

"I won't accept it. I won't build saving others on top of your pain!"

She didn't want to destroy the shrine Mei had built for a mere guess, letting others misunderstand Mei as an impure shrine maiden.

She wanted to save more people, but she didn't have to save everyone!

And she would never build what she wanted to do on Mei's sacrifice, even if it was just a reputation.

She absolutely wouldn't allow it!

"Kiana..."

Kiana's reaction was so intense that Raiden Mei was stunned for a long moment.

Kiana wanted to save more people.

She thought Kiana would agree to her method, since it was the best choice.

"I refuse!" Kiana took a deep breath. "If I have to use your sacrifice to earn people's trust, then I'd rather not have them believe anything I say!"

"Sorry, Granny. I didn't consider the difficulties you mentioned. I'll think of another way." Kiana looked at Raiden Mei. "But we absolutely can't use Mei's method."

Just as she said.

She wouldn't sacrifice anything of Mei's.

Being able to warn others of the danger in advance—she had done right by everyone and herself.

This wasn't a Honkai she caused, nor a disaster she brought. She had no obligation to save everyone.

Kiana turned and left.

"Kiana? Kiana!"

Raiden Mei chased after her.

"I won't let you do this!" Kiana, having walked a few steps, said in frustration and anger. "You absolutely can't do this. If you're going to sacrifice your reputation just to verify my guess, then I'll go blow myself up with Takemikazuchi!"

"Alright, alright, don't get worked up, Kiana. I won't do it. I won't use that method."

Kiana fell silent again, trudging down the stairs with her head down. Raiden Mei followed closely behind her, the demon blade in hand, and went into her home with her.

Closing the door and turning on the lights, Kiana's mood still wasn't great.

"I'm not as noble as you think."

Chapter 17: The Collapse of Honkai Gakuen?!

Whether it was teaching thugs a lesson.

Or saving people.

Or slaying gods and ghosts.

Or now suspecting that Takemikazuchi might endanger Changkong City and wanting to spread news about him so more people could survive.

None of this was done to save others' lives—it was only to ease her own conscience.

"I'm just an ordinary person."

Kiana's voice trembled slightly as she laid herself bare before Mei.

"I've only been in this world for three months."

"Without even an identity, I can't take a single step forward in this place. How could I possibly want to throw myself into saving it, recklessly sacrificing anything?"

"Kiana..."

"Please don't misunderstand, Mei." Kiana lowered her gaze. "I don't want to be a savior."

"I help others only because helping them makes me feel happy and fulfilled."

"So I'm willing to do what I can to satisfy and fill my own heart." She paused as she spoke.

Because she truly had nothing else to pursue. She wasn't a native of this world, and she hadn't figured out what she wanted to do with her future.

"I won't sacrifice or hurt the people I care about just to do something like that."

"I want to spread the news to others, let them prepare—aside from the selfish desire to save the people I know, it's also to give those who want to live a chance."

"No matter how many people ultimately survive, I won't regret or feel guilty, because I've done everything I should."

Everything she did had only one reason: to satisfy herself and leave no regrets.

"Mei... do you think someone like me is despicable?"

She didn't do good deeds or save others because she wanted to do good—but because she didn't want to leave regrets, didn't want to feel guilty in the future. It was all to satisfy her own selfishness.

Mei let out a long sigh.

Hearing that, Kiana lowered her head in disappointment, thinking Raiden Mei had lost favor with her.

But Raiden Mei placed a hand on her shoulder and said seriously, "To be honest, I'm relieved that you think this way, Kiana."

"Huh?"

"We're both ordinary people. We don't have the ability or the responsibility to save everyone. Being able to protect ourselves and the people we care about is already impressive enough."

To lighten the mood, Raiden Mei affectionately ruffled her hair. "Before you said that, I thought you wanted to be the hero who saves everyone."

"I want to protect you, so I also want to protect everything you want to protect."

Kiana stared blankly at Raiden Mei.

Did Mei just say she wanted to protect her?

The last sentence was about protecting the people she cared about—so was she the one Mei cared about?

"...That line should be mine to say to you, Mei."

She'd had her affection reversed by Raiden Mei instead.

But it made her pretty happy inside!

"It's not too late to say it now."

"Mei is the person I care about most. No matter what, I'll always protect you, and I'll do my best to protect everything you care about too."

Kiana made up her mind.

This was her new goal for the future.

She would never let the Mei before her fall into emptiness again, lose everything, and become a self-annihilator.

"Mei, can I have the demon blade?"

"Demon blade?"

Raiden Mei handed the demon blade to Kiana. "Do you want to keep it?"

"I want to run an experiment."

"With your help, I was able to slay that oni cleanly. Besides, this blade was originally meant for you—you can do whatever you want with it, but remember not to hurt yourself."

"Don't worry. A mere demon blade can't possibly harm me." Kiana took the blade, speaking with absolute confidence.

A mere oni's corruption.

Could it possibly override the Power of the End?

Drawing the demon blade, Kiana saw the information panel again, along with the recovery notice below.

She'd asked Mei for the blade for no other reason than to recycle this not-very-useful weapon and see what the system's recovery function was like.

Staring at the resentment-wreathed blade, Kiana silently chanted recycle in her mind.

The sword in her hand seemed alive—its blade hummed and trembled a few times, letting out a mournful cry, then shattered into countless specks of starlight.

"This..."

Raiden Mei stared in astonishment. With her limited knowledge, she couldn't tell if this was because of Kiana or the blade itself.

[ Demon Blade (C) recycled. You have received 100 Honkai Crystals. Honkai Crystals can be used to exchange for items in the shop. ]

[ You have completed your first recycle. You have received the Gift of Honkai. Please choose one of the following gifts. ]

[--End Cannon (Five Star): A weapon tainted with a sliver of the power of the End. After defeating an enemy, it generates a cursed space that continuously afflicts enemies within with a curse effect.]

[--Thunder Soul Imprint (Stigma): A top-tier Stigma that amplifies melee weapons and lightning power. Its attributes can be continuously upgraded through combat or Honkai Crystals.]

Kiana's eyes went wide, and she cursed inwardly.

Fuck!

She finally understood why that skill called "Phase Shift" had always felt off to her.

This was the Honkai of Honkai Gakuen!

Kiana's composure suddenly shattered.

She had always assumed her Honkai system was from Honkai Impact 3rd. She never imagined it could be from Honkai Gakuen!

No way!

Kiana Surname.

No surname not because this world lacked the Kaslana name, but because she came from Honkai Gakuen? This Kiana was the Kiana born as the End in Honkai Gakuen?!

She suddenly felt like spitting blood. Forget the world-ending resets for a moment—there were so many monsters and demons in Honkai Gakuen that damage was measured in trillions.

The Honkai of Honkai Gakuen, stacked with the invasion of the Eight Million Gods from Takama-ga-hara, stacked again with the shadow of Black General...

Her scalp went numb just thinking about it.

"Kiana? Are you okay?"

Mei's voice pulled her back from her daze. Kiana looked at Mei before her and murmured, "This world is hopeless. How about we run away together?"

"What are you saying, Kiana?" Mei panicked, grabbing Kiana and shaking her. "Don't scare me, Kiana!"

"Did that blade corrupt you?"

"...It didn't corrupt me, but this world is about to be finished by the Honkai invasion..."