A Person in Izumo, Making Honkai Great Again

Back at the hotel.

"Did you notice?"

"You mean the drones tracking and monitoring us?"

Kiana retorted.

"As expected, you noticed too."

Sirin looked at Kiana curiously and asked, "But why didn't you say anything to expose them?"

"There's no need."

Kiana shook her head. Not only had she noticed, but she had also guessed who was behind it.

With Seele appearing, Bronya wouldn't be far behind, right? The strange thing she saw at the car accident scene that day must have been the drone that flew away.

"Yeah, there's no need."

Sirin sighed, her expression a little complicated. "I never expected that behind all this, there would be children affected by the disaster caused by Amatsukami back then."

"Children?"

"What, am I wrong?"

"...No, it's not wrong, it's just..."

"You look down on me?"

Sirin said irritably, "I'm already over twenty, okay? Is there a problem with me saying they were children back then?"

Kiana was shocked. "Over twenty?"

She couldn't tell at all.

"Tsk, it's all thanks to this damned Oniification."

Sirin had a look of unbearable memories.

"Uh, I think this is quite good too."

Kiana looked at Sirin, nodding as she spoke. She felt that Sirin's mindset only matched her current appearance.

"Sigh, there's too much about the past I want to talk about. Why don't you come to my room and we can chat slowly?"

"No."

Kiana refused without hesitation. "Mei is still waiting for me in the room."

Her invitation rejected, Sirin was silent for a second before finally unable to hold back the words she had been holding in for a long time.

"It's Mei again, do you only have Raiden Mei on your mind?"

She said with frustration, "You're so clingy, anyone would think you two are dating!"

Sirin thought that saying this would make Kiana feel a little awkward and keep her distance.

Unexpectedly, Kiana didn't care at all.

"I want to stay with Mei."

"...You want to be with Raiden Mei everywhere you go, don't you think you're even more clingy than couples in their honeymoon phase?"

Kiana put her hands on her hips. "As long as Mei is willing, there's nothing I won't do."

Sirin's expression froze.

What did she mean by that?

'Nothing she won't do'? Kiana, do you really want to date Raiden Mei?

"...You like girls?"

"Yes, that's right, is that not allowed?"

"...That's great."

Sirin walked away in a daze, having forgotten why she had invited Kiana to her room to chat.

"Is there any need to be so surprised?"

It's perfectly normal for there to be lesbians in the Honkai, right?

Kiana looked around and nodded with certainty. This was completely normal.

If she couldn't find a wife, what would be the point of this transmigration?

Without caring about the shock her words had caused Sirin, Kiana returned to her room in a good mood.

"Mei, I'm back!"

"You're back so soon?"

Under Kiana's persistent request, Mei had stayed without leaving.

Kiana found it a bit strange and glanced at the time. "It's getting late, isn't it?"

"But Sirin just messaged me saying she wants to talk to you alone about the Command Center."

Mei looked a little confused. "Did you guys already agree on something so quickly?"

74

Chapter 74: Command Center

"Just now?"

Kiana's expression turned strange. She had just parted ways with Sirin. Hadn't Sirin left in a daze after hearing her words?

How did she end up messaging Mei again?

And about what Command Center?

What Command Center? The Blade Masters' Command Center?

She had spent a day with Sirin, and Sirin hadn't mentioned anything about the Blade Masters or the Command Center on their way back.

Putting other things aside, Sirin had only talked about Seele and what happened in the Far North, and she seemed quite emotional.

"When?"

"About ten minutes ago."

Seeing Kiana's strange expression, Mei also grew curious. "She just said you were on your way and wanted to talk to you alone about going to the Command Center when you got back."

"She didn't talk to me..."

Kiana suddenly remembered Sirin asking if she wanted to come to her room for a bit, but she had refused without hesitation at the time.

So that's why she wanted to see her, to discuss important matters?

Where did Sirin learn these communication skills? Why couldn't she just say what she wanted?

"She's probably not in the mood to talk to me about this right now."

Kiana took a few steps, feeling a bit awkward.

"Why do you say that?"

"...We went to the orphanage today, didn't we? We met a girl volunteering there. She's from the same place as Sirin, and also an orphan affected by the Oni Gods' disaster."

Kiana omitted the part where she had shaken Sirin's resolve and recounted the events of meeting Seele today.

In front of Mei...

She felt a little embarrassed.

She didn't mind talking about it in front of others, but saying it directly to the person involved felt too mushy and uncontrollable.

What if it was accepted?

But what if the affection hadn't reached that point yet?

To fail at the last hurdle would be a huge loss.

At least until everything was foolproof, she couldn't say such things herself. If she said them directly, there would be no room for maneuver.

"In short, she's not in a good mood right now."

Kiana cleared her throat and looked at Mei. "Mei, do you know what's going on? The Command Center, could it be that the cooperation I mentioned to her earlier has made progress?"

"It's most likely about the cooperation."

Mei could tell Kiana was holding something back and felt a little strange, but she didn't pry further.

"Is it because I fought the Whale Monster yesterday?"

"That should be it. I also received an invitation for Sirin and me to visit their headquarters. They're going to return the Resonating Blade to me."

Kiana felt something was off. "...So they weren't planning on returning the Resonating Blade to you before?"

"Ultimately, the Resonating Blade doesn't belong to any one person," Mei said. "I also don't plan on taking it back. It doesn't belong to the shrine, and it's better for it to be completed in their hands than to be kept locked away."

"But the Resonating Blade has special significance to the shrine, right? If you care about that, I can help you buy it back."

The swords produced by the system were more suitable as vessels than the ones they forged themselves. At the very least, they could allow the wielder to avoid more curses.

Mei just shook her head.

It could be bought back, but it was no longer necessary.

She wouldn't be staying at the shrine as a shrine maiden forever, and she already had a complete Resonating Blade in her hands.

"We talked about cooperating with the Blade Masters before, do you remember?"

"Of course, I remember!"

"Good that you remember. Let's proceed as we discussed. As for the Honkai... you've told Sirin everything you could. We can't rule out the possibility that they might suspect you. If something like that happens..."

"I'm not someone to be trifled with either."

"Mhm. I'll always be with you."

They stayed in Shanhai City for a few more days.

Afterward, they left.

This time, neither Kiana nor Raiden Mei boarded the plane back to Changkong City. Instead, they went with Sirin to the headquarters of their Demon Slaying Blade Masters.

A large base located in the southern region.

The Demon Slaying Blade Masters are an official organization, backed by the full might of Izumo, and possess numerous bases of varying sizes worldwide.

However, their headquarters in the southern region is the largest and most advanced, primarily focusing on research and logistics, functioning as a major research institute.

It also serves as the Blade Masters' wartime Command Center.

All intelligence related to Oni Gods is sent here.

"This place is your base?"

"Our headquarters."

Sirin led the way, saying as they walked, "But we don't come here often."

Most of the Blade Masters are active on the front lines.

"It's so big."

And it was different from what she had imagined.

"Most of the people working here are ordinary citizens and researchers. They're usually responsible for intelligence work regarding Oni Gods, as well as analyzing their fundamental nature and such."

"Now there's a new job."

Yae Sakura reminded her.

"Right, now there's a new job: researching Honkai energy, which can mutate Oni Gods and erode humans."

Although Sirin felt it was all rather useless. They had been researching Oni Gods for over a thousand years, yet they hadn't developed any specialized ranged weapons against them.

And instead, they had to fight them with swords.