If Takemikazuchi had truly been affected by Honkai energy, and its strength had changed even slightly, then disrupting everyone else's plans was entirely possible.
"Why do you say that?" Mei stopped, looking at Kiana beside her with a complicated expression. "Kiana, you're not thinking of blaming all this on yourself, are you?"
"Not exactly."
Kiana shook her head. "I was indeed very hesitant before making the decision, because I knew the danger it would bring. But I made my decision yesterday. Now that I've decided, I won't let this issue trouble me anymore."
"I anticipated something like this."
Kiana looked up at Mei, her voice troubled. "But I didn't expect the butterfly effect to come so quickly, and so violently."
Before doing it, she had been under immense pressure. She had considered countless things and thought of every reason she could use to convince herself to stay calm without relying on Honkai.
But since she had already made her choice, regretting it would be meaningless. All she could do was keep moving forward along this path without wavering.
And do her best to make sure this path led to hope.
The butterfly effect. Was this Honkai?
Raiden Mei had personally experienced the enhancement brought by the Stigma, so her current understanding of Honkai was limited to that.
If Takemikazuchi had also received a similar enhancement, it would be bad news for everyone.
"Takemikazuchi was indeed infected by the power of Honkai," she suddenly said.
Kiana's eyes widened. "Mei, you...?"
"When that loud sound appeared, I faintly sensed it. You said that girl had a weak resonance with your space, which was how you realized she needed your help. Then I... should also have some unknown, faint resonance with Takemikazuchi."
"Its power is no longer pure."
Raiden Mei looked into Kiana's eyes. "It's only a little, but I can vaguely sense it."
Mei still had a resonance with Takemikazuchi?
She had noticed it when the loud sound appeared. Why hadn't Mei told her sooner?
Kiana stared blankly at Mei's violet eyes, which were fixed on her.
...Was she afraid I would overthink it?
After looking into each other's eyes for a while, Kiana suddenly lowered her head and walked to the side. "So that's how it is... I'm really unlucky."
Mei's eyes were truly beautiful.
The untimely praise flashed through her mind.
"Why would you say that?"
"The boost this Honkai gave me is actually smaller than the enhancement it gave the enemy!"
As she spoke, Kiana angrily opened her status panel. How did she look like the Herrscher of Finality at all?
The system had even told her that she was the Herrscher of Finality. But which Herrscher of Finality was as pathetic as her, capable of dealing only physical damage?!
After grumbling inwardly a few times, Kiana's expression only grew solemn when her gaze fell on her status panel.
Name: Kiana Faction: [Honkai] Talent: Power of the End Skill: Phase Shift (Empty) Finality Process: 9% (↓) Honkai Energy Concentration (Izumo): 12.911% (↓) Summary: Your existence will bring about some unknown changes. After beginning your journey, don't forget to keep an eye on the Honkai energy concentration at all times.
What was this...?
The Thirty-Eighth Chapter: A Path of No Return
When had it increased?!
Why hadn't she known?!
Kiana's expression went completely blank.
She knew this cheat was a little abnormal.
"It was already very powerful in itself."
"So after coming into contact with Honkai energy, it only appeared to become even stronger."
"That's what I think."
After Mei finished speaking and saw no response from Kiana, she shifted her attention back to her. Only then did she notice Kiana's tightly furrowed brows.
Mei's heart skipped a beat.
She asked with concern, "What's wrong?"
Kiana looked troubled and at a loss. "...Things seem to be getting a little out of control."
The process had increased without her knowing. Although it was now slowly declining, it had indeed risen while she remained unaware.
She now understood what the words in the "Summary" section meant—those words that had seemed so superfluous and pointless.
After seeing the downward symbol, she also understood what "permanent" process in the rewards meant.
"You mean Takemikazuchi?"
Things seemed somewhat bad.
No, it wasn't merely somewhat bad.
But she had no way back.
After choosing to activate the system, she had lost every possible retreat. Her eyes fixed on the word "Honkai" in the "Faction" section.
The pressure cleared her mind.
"It's that, but not only that!"
Kiana stood up. "I don't know whether Yae Sakura's Demon Slaying Blade Masters can win. I think I... should prepare for the worst."
She swallowed the "I" that had nearly escaped her lips. This was her responsibility, not Mei's.
"Are you planning to exclude me?"
Raiden Mei was extremely perceptive. She frowned at Kiana, who seemed to have become composed in an instant.
"Of course not!" Kiana said with a smile. "I hope I can be with Mei forever."
The worst possible outcome was Izumo being destroyed ahead of time. If it truly came to that, she would do everything she could to ensure that Raiden Mei, who could have survived in the original timeline, left Izumo alive.
What she had to do was add as many people as possible to the list of survivors.
The thoughts in Kiana's heart had been spoken aloud. Mei was slightly stunned, and the solemnity in her expression eased a little.
"I... I feel the same..."
Kiana thought so too.
That was wonderful.
Under normal circumstances, Kiana would have been overjoyed and used this opportunity to push her luck and raise her favorability.
But she had more important matters now.
"Regardless, becoming stronger can't be wrong." Kiana changed her mind.
Since things were out of control, she would make the greatest possible use of this power.
"Let's go hunt demons together!"
Kiana looked eagerly toward Raiden Mei's response, intending to obtain as many crystals as possible to arm herself.
She also wanted to test her theory.
If the process's growth had nothing to do with collecting crystals, she would turn every Kishin nearby into crystals, then arm herself and Mei.
If it did...
Increasing the process to obtain greater power and raising Izumo's Honkai energy concentration would also be a way to fight the Kishin and the Void.
"Now?"
"Now!" Kiana nodded. "If those Demon Slaying Blade Masters can't kill Takemikazuchi, then in the end..."
She left the sentence unfinished.
Because she believed Raiden Mei understood what she meant.
"I understand." Mei said, "Searching aimlessly would waste too much time. I added the contact information of those who came with the weapons just now. Perhaps they can report the demons' locations."
"They told me that the sky has been covered by Takemikazuchi's power. With Takemikazuchi appearing in the world, the Kishin that usually hide themselves are now celebrating."
"The appearance of a powerful Kishin also brings with it the 'Night of a Hundred Demons.'"
The Night of a Hundred Demons?
Then there should be quite a few monsters. Enough for her to grind for a while and obtain a few better weapons and badges, right?
"Then contact them now, Mei. I'll go talk to Sirin again?"
Sirin?
Regarding the girl Kiana had rescued, Raiden Mei still had countless questions in her heart.
"I'll wait here for you."
"I'll be right back!"
How could Kiana not know that Mei had many questions?
Not to mention Mei.
Even she herself had plenty of questions. She didn't know much about Miss Sirin, and for now, she could only substitute her impression of the Herrscher of the Void from Honkai Impact 3rd.
She returned to the door of her room.
Kiana politely knocked on the door, letting the person inside know that she had arrived.
"Come in."
Sirin hadn't been resting. When she heard the knock, she knew the two of them had just finished discussing things.
She wasn't the type to pry into every detail.
But she was quite curious about Kiana, the girl who had rescued her from the collapsing Imaginary Space and had even been praised by Yae Sakura.
"How are you feeling?"
After entering, Kiana first asked about Sirin's injuries.
"Same as before." Sirin paused for a moment before asking, "How did you save me from a near-death state in such a short time?"
"I used a few unscientific methods."
Kiana laughed awkwardly. Looking at the purple-haired girl on the bed, she asked, "Miss Sirin, do you know that Takemikazuchi appearing in the world will cause the 'Night of a Hundred Demons'?"
"I know."
After her mother died, the battle between Amatsukami and humanity continued for several days. No rescue teams appeared during that time.
She had followed the homeless survivors, hiding from the Kishin that could appear at any moment and take their lives, searching for water and food as they survived among the ruins until the day the rescue team arrived.
She had personally witnessed the cruel Kishin during the "Night of a Hundred Demons," chasing and toying with humans before devouring them alive.
"Do you have any advice?" Kiana asked. "Mei and I plan to go out and clear all the Kishin from Changkong City!"
"Clear the Kishin from this city?"
Sirin was taken aback. After thinking for a moment, she said, "As long as Takemikazuchi isn't eliminated, these weak creatures can't be wiped out. As though responding to some kind of command, they'll keep surging in from the wilderness and distant places toward cities where humans are still alive."
"They can't be wiped out?"
Kiana's eyes lit up. If that was the case, she didn't need to change maps. As long as she ran around Changkong City, she could keep killing demons and obtaining Honkai Crystals?
"...You look pretty happy?"
Before you continue