When Seele saw that the streamer had not entered the cycle's storyline and was instead lingering on the character list, she could not help asking.
Seeing her blue comment drift across the screen, Beichen thought for a moment before replying bluntly.
"It wouldn't be accurate to call it terrifying. It really is troublesome, though."
"Huh?" Seele was left speechless.
Just as she was at a loss, a neatly written comment drifted across the screen.
"Preparing before challenging a powerful enemy? Hmm... that is indeed the safest choice."
Beichen could not help laughing at Hua's remark.
There was nothing wrong with what she said, but it was somewhat misplaced here. After all, Kallen from only the second cycle did not qualify as a powerful enemy.
The only troublesome part was... this boss was the mother of all elemental enemies! She was immune to all elemental damage...
None of the current version's mainstream physical DPS characters, like Dumb Goose or Queen, were available.
Still, since they were fighting Kallen in Sakura Samsara, the character training requirements were not especially high.
Beichen raised the levels of White Comet and Bronya, then upgraded the equipment, Stigmata, and skill levels of the three main combat characters.
After finishing those basic upgrades, he equipped the freshly acquired second Key of Reason onto Chariot.
Once he had made those preparations, Beichen began the second cycle.
As the cycle began once more, the game directly transported the player to the riverside where Yae Sakura and Kallen had first met.
At that moment, Bronya stood there in her Yamabuki battlesuit.
Huh? Why am I back here again?
Bronya and Kiana's portraits appeared on either side of the dialogue box.
This memory space activated by the Stigmata Will is continuously looping. If no third party intervenes, this memory space will keep repeating this tragedy. The will trapped within the Stigmata will also be unable to find release.
Bronya explained in an even tone. Strangely enough, she had only appeared recently, yet she gave the impression that she understood this place better than Kiana, who had already gone through one cycle.
So that was how it was...
Kiana murmured.
Now that Bronya has analyzed the Stigmata, Kiana, your will can intervene in this space. You can change the memories within it.
However, there is a certain degree of danger involved. If you withdraw now, it is not too late.
Faced with Bronya's warning, Kiana unsurprisingly chose to face the danger head-on.
"No! I have to get to the bottom of this and stop the tragedy from happening!"
"Then we will begin loading the memory space. Kiana, you must remember the key points from the previous cycle."
With Bronya's warning concluded, the story dialogue also came to an end.
"Wonderful! With Bronya here, no matter how difficult things get, we'll definitely be able to solve them easily!"
After seeing her beloved Bronya appear, the gloom in Seele's heart seemed to vanish in an instant.
Another viewer in the Live Stream was just as pleased to see Bronya.
"Hehe~ Bronya's ability to remain rational at all times in certain matters really is reassuring. But why would such a doll-like, adorable girl betray Anti-Entropy? I'm so curious~"
After Elysia's pink comment floated past, Beichen thought for a moment before teasing her.
"Uh, Miss Pink Elf, strictly speaking, Bronya defected from Anti-Entropy to Schicksal."
"After all, she was originally an Anti-Entropy member. In the near future, she will even earn the recognition of Welt, Anti-Entropy's Alliance Leader, and become the Herrscher of Reason."
What Beichen explained to Elysia was roughly the plot revealed in Honkai Impact 3rd's official manga, as well as background information not disclosed in the game chapters.
"Wow! So that's how it was? Hehe~ I actually guessed wrong. How embarrassing? (? ???ω??? ?)?"
Just as Beichen was interacting with the viewers, the game screen suddenly went black.
Immediately afterward, the player was transported beneath the shrine in Yae Village, where Yae Sakura was standing.
Before Beichen could click to talk to her, the game brought up a dialogue box between Kiana and Yae Sakura.
"At night, these monsters seem to have grown stronger. What exactly is going on..."
"Whatever the case, let's deal with the monsters in front of us first!"
A battle followed. After easily wiping out the Zombies that appeared, Beichen controlled Ri Duck to speed up the mountain and crash into the shrine.
Inside the shrine, a pink cubic crystal quietly awaited them.
Before Beichen could approach and click on it, a green comment drifted through the Live Stream.
"So this is the so-called Demon in the Box?"
"Yeah. What about it?"
"Heh, disappointing." Otto, the culprit behind it all, commented as such...
Wait, Don't Rush. Let Me Take Out Kallen Before I Explain
Disappointing?
"Does the Demon in the Box's appearance bother you?"
Beichen asked curiously. Bishop Otto would not make random comments for no reason; his mind was almost always clear, so his sharp critique of the Demon in the Box surely carried a deeper meaning.
A moment later, a green comment drifted across the screen.
"In my imagination, it should have been a more ethereal, mysterious, nearly formless existence. Yet now it is sealed within such a tiny box. How ridiculous. It instantly makes it seem insignificant."
Everyone in the Live Stream: "..."
"In a sense, you really aren't wrong..."
An image involuntarily surfaced in Beichen's mind: a petite figure floating in midair who loved fried tofu...
Along with her nearly hypnotic voice lines: "Hehehe! Big Sister, you're back! The weather is so nice today..." "It's time for you to witness my true power..." "Teleporting is just too easy..." and so on.
With that sort of behavior, she really did not deserve the title Demon in the Box.
After reminiscing, Beichen clicked on the conversation.
Yae Sakura and Kiana's portraits appeared on the screen.
"Huh? Isn't this Kallen's box?"
Kiana was the first to ask, and Yae Sakura soon voiced her own confusion.
"Why is this box here?"
"I was wondering who it was. So it's you... Yae Sakura."
As Yae Sakura voiced her doubts, the demon began whispering.
"How do you know my name?"
"Of course I know your name... Yae Sakura, because I am you."
"This purple light? Could all the monsters that suddenly appeared over the past few days have been caused by you?"
"Hmph, how could it be because of me? Those monsters appeared because they obeyed your will. You are the one who wants to destroy this village."
The Demon in the Box struck directly at the desire hidden deep within Yae Sakura's heart.
By this point, everyone in the Live Stream had basically guessed that the second cycle was showing how the Demon in the Box had tempted Yae Sakura.
"So all of this was Yae Sakura's inner wish? Sigh... she must really be suffering, yet she has no choice but to close off her heart."
After watching the conversation between the Demon in the Box and Yae Sakura, Seele could not help sending a reflective comment.
"Duty and protection... that seems like a difficult choice. If it were me... I might not even be able to do what she did."
Not long after Seele shared her thoughts, Hua, who often remained quiet and low-key in the Live Stream, also sent a comment.
Beichen was not particularly surprised by what she said.
After all, Hua from the Previous Era had also encountered many similar situations.
Would one abandon oneself and follow orders, or abandon orders and pursue one's true heart?
That was the question.
As for Hua's answer, it was to remain with Moth Chasing Fire and fight for humanity's survival.
As for Yae Sakura's answer...
As he thought about it, Beichen continued the story.
After clearing out a wave of minor enemies, the interrupted conversation between the Demon in the Box and Yae Sakura resumed.
"How about it? You want to protect the village, but do you have enough power?"
"I... can only do my utmost..."
"And then? You die, the monsters rush into the village, and kill the villagers. Is that the ending you want to see?"
"What exactly are you trying to say?!"
"I have what you desire most. I can give you enough power."
"Power strong enough to protect... anyone. If I had such power, I would have to kill all the monsters..."
"Hahaha, this power already belongs to you, Yae Sakura. Kill to your heart's content..."
"For... protection... I have to kill... I have to kill those monsters. I have to kill them... Everyone who stands in my way, kill them all!"
"That's right, Yae Sakura."
Under the Demon in the Box's temptation, Yae Sakura went from wanting to protect the village by killing monsters to wanting to kill everyone standing in her way.
The moment she spoke those words, it meant that her desire to protect no longer existed.
"Right now, perhaps there is only an eternal fire of vengeance within her heart."
After watching Yae Sakura's complete descent from the Shrine Maiden who protected the village into an asura, Otto could not help sending a comment of reflection.
Though there was some logic to his words, they left the others in the Live Stream somewhat speechless.
Seeing the empty screen in the Live Stream, Beichen felt a little annoyed.
This Archbishop really knew how to ruin the atmosphere sometimes. Everyone had been enjoying the story, yet the moment he spoke, everyone became awkward...
Still, as the Schicksal Archbishop and one of humanity's wise men, he truly excelled at reading people's thoughts and understanding the conflicts caused by differing identities and positions.
Regarding the tragedy of Yae Village portrayed by the game, he already knew the plot, so he was undoubtedly watching it as though it were a stage play.
If the others were enjoying the story based on feeling, then this Bishop was probably using his brain to think through and predict the plot...
"However, even if the second cycle tells us why the fallen one fell, that does not mean she can change what is destined to happen."
Otto answered calmly, as if he did not believe at all that Kallen could truly be defeated by a pseudo-Herrscher in such a small village.
Seeing how smug he was, Beichen felt relieved.
"Then let's wait and see~"
After saying that, Beichen continued the story. Once the dialogue ended, the screen flickered again and transported the player to the foot of the mountain.
After climbing the steps, Yae Sakura and Kallen basically repeated the words they had exchanged before the final battle in the first cycle.
Then, Beichen controlled Ri Duck to ride her motorcycle into the shrine for the second time.
Only this time... the enemy appearing in the shrine was not Yae Sakura.
It was Kallen!
"???"
Seeing that Kallen had actually become an attackable target, Otto immediately lost his composure. Not only did he send three question marks in a row, he directly demanded:
"What is going on? Did the game encounter a bug? Why is Kallen the one here?!"
Seeing Otto's frantic expression, Beichen nearly laughed out loud.
Hahaha! Dumbfounded now, aren't you?
You thought Sakura Samsara followed history exactly? What a joke. This is a game, not a history book, thank you very much!
"Viewer, don't rush. Let me take out Kallen first, then I'll explain."
Before you continue