Chapter Eight: In My Heart, You're More Important Than Narukami

Kiana sighed. After coming to this world, this was the third time she had opened the system that she still hadn't activated.

A Pandora's Box.

Name: Kiana

Faction: [Honkai]

Talent: Power of the End

Skill: None Available

Finality Process: 0%

Honkai Energy Concentration (World): 0%

Summary: Your existence will cause some unknown changes. After beginning your journey, don't forget to keep an eye on the Honkai Energy Concentration at all times.

System Status—Awaiting Activation

Kiana gazed at the translucent panel before her with a complicated look, focusing mainly on the line that read "Honkai Energy Concentration (World)."

It wasn't difficult to understand.

The word "world" was marked after the Honkai Energy Concentration, which meant that she would affect at least an entire planet.

If she activated the system, she would most likely develop toward becoming a complete Herrscher of Finality. But in the process of becoming Finality, she would also bring a disaster known as Honkai to this world.

Kiana had been reluctant to activate her system precisely because this was a decision capable of affecting the entire world.

Honkai affected more than just individuals.

Kiana closed her eyes. She thought of the Previous Era in Honkai Impact 3rd, and of the strings of death tolls from every Honkai war.

She gave a bitter laugh and closed the system.

"I still can't make up my mind."

She had played Honkai: Star Rail and finished the Penacony storyline, so she knew Izumo's ultimate fate.

But...

Honkai was no better than the Eight Million Gods that invaded from Takama-ga-hara, nor was it any better than the Nihility.

She would think about it later.

No longer looking at the system tempting her to cheat, Kiana closed the panel and dragged her aching arm as she headed back.

She had to discuss Yae Sakura's matter with Mei. She didn't care what the others thought; she only knew that Raiden Mei wanted to see Raiden Ryoma.

She wouldn't allow that to become Mei's regret.

Mei would definitely walk the path of god-slaying, because the Resonating Blade would inevitably fall into her hands. Without Kiana, she would become the only survivor of Izumo.

As a Self-Annihilator.

"Raiden Senka Guardian Mei, Senka Guardian... Yomi..."

With a complicated expression, she started walking back.

She had chased Yae Sakura for a long way. Walking slowly, it would take at least half an hour to reach the shrine.

As she slowly made her way back, she pondered what she could do to save Izumo and this world that was destined to be swallowed by the Nihility.

Without the power of Honkai or the power of the system, she was just an ordinary person.

She had no power to oppose an Aeon.

But could Honkai really defeat the Nihility?

When she thought of the Cocoon of Finality from Honkai Impact 3rd, Kiana's heart filled with uncertainty.

She had lowered her head and walked halfway back when, some distance from the shrine, she unexpectedly saw Mei walking toward her.

Kiana's eyes lit up. She instinctively wanted to raise a hand and greet Mei, but the instant she moved her arm, a stabbing pain shot through it and made her grit her teeth.

"Kiana? What happened?"

After waiting a long time without seeing Kiana return, Mei had calmed herself down and followed the path in search of her.

She hadn't found Kiana anywhere along the way, and worry had filled her heart. She somewhat regretted not coming out with Kiana.

The farther in she went, the more anxious she became. Only when she finally saw Kiana did she let out a sigh of relief.

Though it might sound bad...

She only had Kiana left.

"It's nothing. I just took a fall."

By the time Mei ran up to her, Kiana gave her an embarrassed smile.

"You took a fall?"

Mei's voice was full of disbelief. Looking at Kiana's dangling hands, she didn't bother wondering whether her actions were proper. Just as Kiana always approached her without asking permission, Mei reached out and seized both of her hands.

When Mei squeezed Kiana's left hand, the pain instantly doubled. Kiana couldn't hold back. The sensation beyond her pain tolerance made her suck in a sharp breath, and her eyes immediately reddened.

It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!

Damn fox! She really went all out!

She regretted it. She shouldn't have been so friendly toward Yae Sakura, much less agreed to become friends with her in the end.

Who treated a friend this roughly?!

Kiana conveniently ignored the fact that she had kept pushing her luck and trying to take the blade, while Yae Sakura hadn't intended to become her friend at the time.

The concern on Raiden Mei's face darkened the moment she touched Kiana's arm and saw her eyes redden with pain.

An uncontrollable emotion rose from the depths of her heart. Unable to restrain her anger, she asked, "Who did this?"

She heard her own voice. She had never imagined that such a cold voice could one day come from her mouth.

"Who did you fight just now?"

She had seen techniques that tortured people like this and knew what was going on.

Izumo had a strong martial tradition. Swordsmanship and martial arts flourished across the planet. Changkong City alone had no fewer than eighteen dojos, without even counting other places.

Precisely because martial arts flourished, all kinds of techniques emerged during sparring. Techniques that could quickly deprive an enemy of their ability to resist without injuring them had consequently developed as well.

She had participated in a martial arts tournament once.

She had personally seen someone use such a technique in the ring to strip their opponent of the ability to fight back. She had watched that opponent howl in pain on the platform with her own eyes.

"A woman named Yae Sakura."

Kiana broke out in another cold sweat from the pain. Since she had been found out, she no longer concealed it, and the pain made her speak rapidly.

"Yae Sakura..."

Mei committed the name to memory. This kind of pain couldn't be relieved with medicine or techniques; they could only wait for the agony to pass.

She gently released Kiana's left hand and said in a tone that allowed no refusal, "We're going back."

She didn't ask where that woman had gone, nor did she ask whether Kiana had seen Narukami.

Although she was a shrine maiden, in her eyes, Kiana was more important than Narukami.

Besides, Narukami had been taken by her father. That was beyond doubt, and the cold letter had directly extinguished any desire she had to investigate further.

Chapter Eight: In My Heart, You're More Important Than Narukami

"It hurts..."

When Mei pulled her right hand, Kiana grimaced and cried out in pain again. Yae Sakura had even smacked her shoulder.

Raiden Mei silently stopped. Her face darkened another shade, but not because of Kiana.

She placed her hand over Kiana's and carefully felt around, but couldn't find any fracture or wound. Unlike her left hand, Kiana's right hand hadn't been injured with the use of subtle force.

Seeing this, Kiana quietly reminded her, "My shoulder hurts."

Mei took a deep breath to steady herself, then slowly let go of Kiana.

The pressure around her dropped even lower. "Let's return to the shrine first. I'll apply medicine when we get back."

Yae Sakura...

She had remembered that person's name.

"Mm-hmm."

Kiana obediently followed beside Mei. After walking a few steps, she couldn't keep her secrets in any longer and began talking to distract herself.

"Sorry, Mei. I couldn't get Narukami back for you."

"That blade isn't important."

Mei walked with her head lowered, her voice unnaturally calm. "If it's gone, then it's gone. You're more important than that blade."

Kiana's eyes widened.

"R-Really?!"

She could hardly believe what she had heard. After shamelessly flirting with Mei for three months, had Mei really said something like that to her so soon?

Have I already conquered her?

Can I call her my wife now?!

Kiana was dizzy with delight. She even began fantasizing about a grand wedding scene with Mei.

"Mm."

Mei didn't raise her head. She thought of Narukami, which her family had enshrined at the shrine for generations. She thought of the stern, heartless way her father—who spent so little time with her—had taught her swordsmanship. She thought of that cold letter.

Then she thought of how Kiana had suddenly appeared in her life like a ray of light, and of every moment they had spent together over the past three months.

She turned her head and looked at Kiana's naturally fair little face, now pale and bloodless from the pain.

Her voice was resolute. "In my heart, you're more important than Narukami."

Kiana's brain automatically translated Mei's words into a confession, and her little face flushed. "I-I am too. No, I mean..."

Her brain short-circuited, and for some reason she suddenly shouted, "Compared to this world, you're more important!"

Mei stood frozen on the spot.

She had received Kiana's feelings, but this comparison... Why did it feel a little strange?

After loudly repeating Raiden Mei's line, Kiana's face turned even redder. If both her hands weren't injured and movement didn't hurt so badly, she would definitely have covered her face.

Kiana, Kiana, what are you doing, Kiana?

"Ahem, I mean, I mean..."

Kiana hurriedly changed the subject and brought up what she had wanted to say earlier, steering the conversation away from the awkward line that made her want to claw at the ground.

"I know where your father is!"

Upon hearing Kiana mention her father, the expression on Mei's face quickly turned cold. Her reaction was flat. "You saw him, didn't you? He took Narukami. I know."

How did Mei know?

No, no, that's not the point.

Kiana shook her head repeatedly. "Yae Sakura took Narukami. Although she said she did it at the request of your father, Raiden Ryoma."

A slight ripple passed through Mei's eyes, but they quickly returned to calm.

He even had someone else retrieve the blade for him. That's even worse.

"Is that so? It seems he plans to use Narukami to accomplish something important."

"Yes! They plan to take Narukami and go subjugate Takemikazuchi, then use Takemikazuchi's power to forge Narukami into a true Edict Blade."

Takemikazuchi?

The woman Kiana had chased—the woman named Yae Sakura—had told Kiana everything she had been pursuing?

Raiden Mei fell silent for several seconds.

"Let's talk about this after we return to the shrine, shall we?"

"Mm-hmm, whatever you say, Mei!"