Honkai, Survive

Himeko watched Fang Jie. Even with all sorts of passengers on the Astral Express, he was definitely "special."

"As for the self-destroyers, they perish in dreams and illusions."

Fang Jie understood her intention and said uncertainly, "I don't have... any dreams or illusions."

But you brought them.

Welt's already firm resolve almost wavered again. This was a bit... too nihilistic.

"Every 'illusion,' if we must call it that,"

Himeko continued calmly, "appears after you disappear and reappear. The most recent one was three days ago. In this memory of mine, there are two different Jarilo-VI: one with you, and one without you."

Then, which part is the illusion?

Is it the present, or the past?

When you appear in a story without you, where will the future lead?

Fang Jie hadn't thought that far, but being stared at by those serene golden eyes reminded him. He thought for a moment and gasped, "Good thing I wasn't born on the Herta Space Station, or Herta would have beaten me to my knees and dragged me into the Simulated Universe to be a dream-generating machine."

"There is indeed that possibility."

Himeko's smile grew more genuine, with a hint of... schadenfreude.

"But the galaxy is vast, and anything can happen. Don't worry about anything; just believe. Believe that beautiful things will always happen."

No matter which Himeko it was, she was truly beautiful.

Fang Jie was momentarily speechless but also comforted. He, not being entirely foolish, realized... it might not only be like this here. What about Honkai 3 over there...

Oh, it's only been three days. The original Kiana had just been accepted into St. Freya Academy.

Could it be that if Fang Jie stopped transmitting, it wouldn't update anymore?

Old Yang, why are you looking at me like that? Why are you fiddling with your cane? Why is your glasses reflecting such an evil light...

Himeko offered him coffee.

Drink.

Himeko offered him coffee.

Drink more.

Himeko offered him coffee.

Keep drinking.

Himeko...

Coffee eventually runs out, and so does silence.

"Take this."

After a long contest with the young man, Welt, who was evenly matched, was ultimately the elder. He extended his hand, and an almost inaudible light formed, more subtle than a Synesthesia Beacon.

"I hope you never experience the weight of this power, but you will go there. I've seen that look in your eyes many times, so take it."

It wasn't that Fang Jie didn't want to accept it, but this light... should he eat it or drink it?

Hit him on the head with the cane!

Taking advantage of his distraction, Old Yang struck him on the head.

Followed by a peaceful sleep.

Looking up at the starry sky, and the starry sky looking down, the experience was entirely different.

In the observation car, Yae Sakura, born of the earth, gazed at the dark land, watching the faint specks of light that appeared and disappeared in the profound darkness against the backdrop of the galaxy...

Her worldview had been shattered.

Rin wasn't much better. After hiding in her room for a while, she still stepped out and gazed at... the starry sky.

It's not that one looks up at the stars and the other gazes at the earth; both are wanderers returning home and travelers setting forth.

Human existence is just like this: one generation is born, and one generation withers.

Welt didn't come to disturb him. He didn't even disturb Fang Jie, who drank coffee all night and then woke up tearfully determined to return to Jarilo-VI for their appointment.

Even when Fang Jie excitedly said, "How about I show you a 'magic trick'? I'll disappear right here!"

Welt quietly returned to his room. He still had things to prepare.

Believe in hope, believe in beauty.

He was a pure hero. Even in the darkest days, he believed that one day everyone would have the chance to feel the beauty of the world.

This legacy also nurtured Bronya, enabling the Truth Drifter to participate in the End Times, not just as a hanger-on.

Therefore, the power of hope is infinite. It needs beauty to nurture it, and it can bring about miracles.

He wasn't the only one who nurtured beauty. Himeko's coffee supply was temporarily depleted. She approached with a mood-enhancing agent, "We're leaving. Take this. It'll be convenient for contact."

It's a gift!

Fang Jie didn't consider himself an outsider and accepted it directly. He then asked, "Himeko, could you please keep an eye on them for me?"

"Mhm, it's the navigator's responsibility to look after every passenger. Little Fang Jie, do you think I'm incompetent in some way?"

"Not at all!"

Fang Jie's face was full of loyalty.

From today on, he was the protagonist of a wish-fulfillment story. Hahahaha, heeheeheehee, kyakkyakkyakka...

Be elegant!

Fang Jie waved goodbye elegantly:

"Then I'll be going now."

"Travel safely."

He then strode proudly and confidently, leaping from the Astral Express—

Floating through space and diving into the landing craft.

The ticket on his chest shone with golden light.

He felt very reassured leaving Rin and Yae Sakura in the care of the Astral Express. He wasn't the type to persuade people, unless it was through logic.

Let alone Cocolia, even Natasha wouldn't believe it...

This isn't embarrassing; didn't Seele believe in him?

The Astral Express also believed in him.

"He's gone."

Watching this scene, Yae Sakura didn't look at Rin, but spoke softly.

More than the world changing, it was seeing the planet directly and realizing the vast distance that made Yae Sakura truly understand many things. So she asked Rin.

"Aren't you scared?"

What sustained them through those dark days? Love? Or hatred? Whatever it was, they only had each other during those five hundred years of darkness.

And Yae Sakura had only just learned that Rin had endured an even darker fifty thousand years.

She still remembered the first time she met Kallen, seeing her light in the darkness... Rin had berated her for betraying her, saying that it was only because she followed her wishes that Rin had done those things...

Yae Sakura couldn't refute it. She could use many excuses: I'm human, you're a fox demon; everything in the past was your temptation, your fault... She couldn't say such things.

She was very happy that Rin looked like this now, and... had betrayed her.

Their symbiosis had been severed. Rin didn't hide anything; she didn't want Yae Sakura to stay in this world. The galaxy had no place for weaklings like you. Go back to the Honkai world and live out the rest of your life.

Even without their symbiosis and the spiritual connection, a certain telepathic understanding still existed.

Rin heard the emotionally complex question and understood the entanglement...

"What am I afraid of? I wish I could have used your sword to kill him!"

Foolish Shrine Maiden, am I some kind of fragile fox?

I am strong, stronger than all of you!

That wicked thing doesn't want to use its power at all, just like... Rin doesn't want to use some powers.

Therefore, Rin is the strongest!

Yae Sakura didn't argue: "Do you still remember Yae Village?"

"What's so good about that cursed place? It was destroyed long ago."

Rin's tone was cold.

"Yes, Yae Village is long gone."

Yae Sakura thought of many things. At this moment, she wasn't carrying her sword, the ravaged Akazome Sakura.

She had once used it, when it was still a Spirit Blade, to kill Rin, her sister, all for the sake of praying for rain for the village. Even though she wanted Rin to escape... the villagers had already severed Rin's wrists and ankles.

For the sake of rain, the Shrine Head grabbed Sakura's hand holding the sword and killed Rin.

She had also wanted to use that sword to strike down everyone in Yae Village, but she couldn't, couldn't... It was Rin, who had escaped her seal, Rin who should have embarked on the path of world destruction amidst endless hatred, who saw all this and chose to merge with her, fulfilling her wish for revenge, turning the Spirit Blade into a Demon Blade, and avenging her blood and tears.

After that, Kallen, who had drifted there, arrived at Yae Village. The typical Kaslana, smitten by her beauty, caused this and that to happen, leading to another entanglement of grudges and affections with Yae Sakura.

Finally, Yae Sakura watched as she and Rin fought to the death. Not wanting to lose another important person, she ultimately... stopped the sword aimed at Kallen, and also didn't swing it at Rin. She struck herself.

As a Shrine Maiden, she knew well that there was no need for mercy towards enemies; that would be cruelty to oneself.

But... one had to recognize who the true enemy was.

Kallen was certainly not an enemy.

Then, was Rin Yae Sakura's enemy?

After all, back then, she still had the appearance of a fox demon, killing without blinking, evil enough to eat children... She had even said to Kallen that she was going to eat the severely injured and dying Yae Sakura.

Why are you so wicked?

Five hundred years later, Yae Sakura awoke, her human identity restored. She sighed softly, "Rin, Yae Village hasn't been destroyed. It exists in my heart, and only in our hearts does it still exist. I don't want to… destroy it anymore."

This feeling remained the same.

I don't want to lose anyone important again, Rin. You feel the same way, don't you?

Rin couldn't even be bothered to retort; she was disdainful, proud.

"Lord Fang Jie is a hero, working hard from afar. This barren land will surely become a place where all trees and flowers can grow freely, a world where even the weak can be happy, unaffected by ice, snow, or drought."

Rin couldn't care less about where Fang Jie had gone. She watched the distant flames ignite, thinking she could do better. "The world's cruelty to the weak is more brutal than any blade."

Especially for a weak Shrine Maiden like you, who could be extinguished with a single breath.

"Aren't you very strong, Rin? Stronger than all of us."

Yae Sakura turned around, looking at the small Rin, who was like a younger sister: "Since Lord Fang Jie invited me, he must have invited you too."

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

"Let's go back together."

Yae Sakura had made up her mind. She didn't yearn for the distant galaxy; the land still bound her soul, even if nothing was left there.

Rin was furious: Hah, trying to borrow my strength and betray me again? And this time it's a man?

Just watch me bite him.

Ps: It's good that everyone is basking in the sun. Finally seeing the light of day again, it's so warm!

This book should be available for purchase this Friday. I'm worried about how to write the author's note (＃￣～￣＃)

Chapter Thirty-Five: World-Weary Blade - Twelve Names.

Bronya, when you awaken, you will find that everything has changed.

You will discover that this world is no longer what it once was.