Honkai: Dual Passage, Taking Xi Lian to Honkai Impact 3rd

No lethal strikes.

The crescent-shaped weapon shone with a brilliance that, amidst the hazy mist, seemed like the true moon itself.

Yet, beneath that beauty lurked danger.

The inward-curving sickle was ill-suited for slashing.

But with every thrust and stab, its oversized tip was more than enough to easily inflict grievous, life-threatening wounds.

A mere touch meant injury; a graze meant mutilation.

It swept across an abdomen.

Shredded, crimson intestines gushed out like floodwaters released from a broken dam.

Jiang Cheng had never seen this side of Xilian.

In his memory, she had always been gentle.

Occasionally she would play pranks, occasionally she would tell stories, and occasionally she would pull him into the azure pool with her.

But never, never had she harmed anyone.

It was as if the cherry blossoms of spring had turned into blades; petals that should have refracted the sunlight in a display of ultimate romance under the warm breeze were now slicing passersby to ribbons.

"Is it strange?"

The voice descended from above—

First came the jawline, impeccable in its graceful contours, as Kiana, who held him in her arms, looked down.

This angle was not ideal for direct eye contact, yet even so, he could see her beautifully curved jaw from the corner of his eye; her unique gaze made her appear somewhat aloof.

"I don't care what they think, but the people behind them are prepared to stop a Herrscher—a calamity that could easily destroy this entire city and trigger a Great Honkai if things go wrong—from leaving the city."

"Anyone would identify them as enemies, right? Since they work for the enemy, they are naturally enemies themselves."

"Is there anything wrong with attacking them?"

She tilted her head, her glacial eyes reflecting a sense of matter-of-factness, as if she were merely commenting on the pleasant weather.

"Not killing them is already being merciful, you know."

"Or... did you think this young lady would be soft-hearted enough to refuse to harm even an enemy? If that were the case, I would have been bagged and tossed into some basement long ago while wandering."

Indeed.

Kiana was by no means a pedantic person.

Even if the chapters of the past, the story known as [Three-Year Sakura], had likely been consumed by time.

In the subsequent plot, she had never shown a shred of mercy toward those clearly identified as enemies.

—If she ever held back, it was only because the opponent was using the lives of innocent civilians as a threat.

She stopped only for the sake of the innocent.

Never out of concern for the lives of her enemies.

Even Mei was not exactly a saint; she was the type of person who would say, "You are more important than the world."

Or rather—

No matter how kind or benevolent a person might be, after being tortured until their family was destroyed and being ruthlessly ravaged by the entire world for such a long time, seeing the forces responsible for all their tragedies—not being filled with enough rage to resolve to slaughter them all, to tear them limb from limb, was already a sign of indecision.

The only one who likely did not view her own kind as enemies, or rather, whose typical enemies were not of her own kind.

Was only—

Xilian.

The pressure initially coming from people would be suppressed by Kerythra, and later, it would all be borne by Aglaia.

Whether she did well or not, at least it wasn't vented outward.

She should only have to deal with the Black Tide; the conflict between people should not be focused on her. She should not have to carry that burden.

But even she, so kind and sweet.

Even she...

"Swish—!!!"

The arc of light carved from the tip of that semi-circular blade was so cold and sharp it seemed to tear through space itself.

She was not a professional combatant.

She had not studied martial arts extensively.

Even so, relying solely on her innate physical constitution and the inherent talents of a Golden Descendant was enough—with absolute, crushing speed, reflexes, and strength—

To kick aside those well-equipped, professionally trained enemies as easily as stray dogs on the side of the road.

"Where is the heavy firepower? Where is the heavy firepower?!"

"—Bring it up, quickly!"

The sudden ambush and the completely overwhelming physical prowess of the attacker threw the entire formation into instant chaos.

The mist permeating the surroundings and the inexplicably altered natural environment severed all channels of communication, causing the disorder to intensify.

A few commanders pulled out their walkie-talkies, scanning the battlefield for the most conspicuous threats while attempting to forcibly restore the collapsing order. Then—

"Bang!"

An oval-shaped bullet pierced through his skull.

His advanced helmet failed to save his life.

Kiana's hands were bound in an embrace, and she stared blankly at Jiang Cheng in her arms—

He was holding a revolver, a wisp of gunpowder smoke still dissipating from the muzzle.

"It seems my aim is still quite decent."

15. Kiana's signature weapon, acquired.

"That has nothing to do with it; while Honkai energy erodes the physical body, it also enhances physical attributes."

"This fact doesn't change regardless of how high your adaptability or resistance is; it's merely a matter of how much or how little is added."

The shock lasted only for a fleeting moment.

Kiana closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, the look of disdain in them had faded.

She bent down gently, carefully adjusting her posture, and her slender arms gradually loosened, allowing Jiang Cheng to stand firmly on the ground—

"The enhancement gained from having one arm completely eroded... should increase your physical attributes by about five times. Your average resistance prevents you from dying too quickly, while also compensating for your lack of adaptability to some extent. This power isn't suitable for long-term use, but it's perfect for you to practice with in this temporary skirmish."

"Take this revolver for now; the recoil is well within your capacity to handle. You only need to deal with the regular personnel, and I will take care of the mechs nearby. Then, we'll regroup. If your trust hasn't been misplaced, you'll have plenty of time left after the fight to wait for her to save you."

She gave her instructions meticulously, casually pulling dozens of bullets from her waist in a completely unscientific manner.

"Are you sure? Don't you need to run?"

"Those... those are Titan mechs."

Jiang Cheng cast a skeptical look—

In his peripheral vision, he could already vaguely see several six-meter-tall mechs, their heavy, rhythmic footsteps creating vibrations that made them look like tanks.

These were at least on par with standard B-rank Valkyries, and even after three years of training at St. Freya, Kiana was only a B-rank. Right now, he didn't even have Valkyrie armor, and his weapon was quite simple.

"Hey, hey, hey, what exactly do you take this young lady for? In your eyes, does the future version of me have no progress at all?"

Kiana frowned in dissatisfaction, and a few figurative hashtags seemed to appear on her fair forehead.

"—None."

Jiang Cheng nodded without hesitation.

"At least not within three years."

"Then I declare—"

Kiana huffed, picked up another revolver, and gripped a baseball bat she had picked up from somewhere in her left hand.

She stopped arguing and turned around without hesitation, her glacial blue eyes locking onto Jiang Cheng.

"The future you saw has already been shattered. Don't use your foresight to replace the present, alright!"

"Besides, I'm not the main force here."

She pointed her finger ahead.

"----?"

Jiang Cheng's gaze followed her porcelain-white finger—

Raiden Mei, who had been using steel pipes to bash heads in a dual-wielding style, had discarded the pipes at some point and was now focused entirely on her katana.

No Valkyrie armor.

No professional weaponry.

The tall, slender girl charged toward the mechs in that very state.

If the situation weren't so dire, he would have been tempted to quip that she was about to launch a banzai charge.

Fighting mechs in this state? I'm fighting Titans, I...

"Screech—!"

A blinding flash of lightning stole the focus of all vision.

Nothing else could be held in his eyes; all that remained was a sudden, piercing shriek, as if thousands of birds were screaming in unison, nearly tearing his eardrums apart.

"Crack—crack—crack-crack-crack-crack!!!"

The Titan mechs exploded one by one where they stood.

Dust filled the sky.

Even with his enhanced physical attributes, Jiang Cheng could only barely make out through the dust—a horizontal flash of light that had forcibly pierced through every single Titan mech.

Amidst the lightning stood a girl with violet hair whipping in the wind.

However, there was no room for relaxation; the sound of rotating propellers slicing through the air arrived clearly.

She turned her head, her deep purple pupils constricting sharply—a helicopter hovered mere meters away, its open cabin door revealing a dark, menacing gun barrel.

A striking tongue of fire poured from the muzzle.

A frantic barrage.

"----!"

Jiang Cheng nearly forced his body upright to sprint out, but his hands and feet were bound firmly, unable to move an inch.

"--Don't move."

The command whispered in his ear made him pause momentarily.

What followed was a series of explosions, as if countless lightbulbs had shattered simultaneously right beside him.

He watched as the neon lights and screens on the street dimmed instantly, and the bullets fired from the heavy machine gun froze in mid-air, one after another, linked by purple-black currents.

And the source of that electricity was none other than—

—Raiden Mei.

At this moment, she held one hand outstretched. The electricity of the entire block converged into the area she controlled.

A powerful, specialized magnetic field formed out of thin air; any person or object attempting to pass through this field would be pierced and controlled by the electricity, which had condensed into a physical substance.

Furthermore, she was attempting to extend the magnetic field outward, pulling back the moment it reached the critical threshold.

Not even a surplus of energy leaked outward.