Honkai Exposure, Elysian Realm Famous Scene at the Start

Chapter 15: Requiem for a Sinner

The screen showed a sky filled with dark clouds, rain, and thunderstorms raging above, signaling foul weather.

On top of a tall building, Kiana and Raiden Mei were locked in a fierce battle.

"Give up."

Mei grabbed Kiana by the neck, pinning her against the railing. After a flash of electricity on her arm, Mei flung her away.

"I won't let you leave!"

Kiana, leaning on the railing with one hand, slowly stood up and shouted.

Raiden Mei turned her head, giving Kiana a contemptuous look. "With you in this state, barely alive?"

"With my fists!"

Kiana threw a punch that grazed Mei's face. She was then tripped and fell to the ground. After gathering her strength again, she was pushed away by Mei's palm. They remained locked in close combat for a while.

Raiden Mei unleashed a kick, her white leg clad in stockings sending Kiana flying several meters away to crash onto the ground.

Kiana lay on the ground, then gritted her teeth and slowly pulled herself up with all her might.

The moment she woke up, she realized Mei was about to leave her, to go to a dangerous place and do dangerous things.

She swore she would keep Mei by her side, even if it meant communicating with her fists.

Kiana charged forward again with all her strength.

The two clashed once more, but Mei kicked Kiana onto a chair, then sent her flying dozens of meters away to crash on a distant rooftop.

Kiana: "It hurts so much, Mei, you hit me so hard. You're really heavy-handed, it looks painful just watching."

Raiden Mei: "I think... I must have had no choice, right?"

Even Mei herself lacked confidence.

She wondered why she, who wasn't naturally violent, had to be so ruthless with Kiana.

Or was there some unknown background story?

"I don't care, Mei, you hurt me. I want fried chicken and chips tonight, or I won't talk to you for an hour."

Himeko hugged Mei's slender waist, threatening her in what she thought was the most vicious way.

"Alright, alright, I can't do anything about you. I'll make it for you tonight."

Raiden Mei patted Kiana's head, comforting her.

Seeing Kiana get beaten, and by her own hand, how could she not feel heartbroken?

She would make plenty of delicious food tonight as an apology.

Bronya: "Sister Mei, don't be fooled. I think Kiana deserved it, and you should have hit her harder!"

Kiana: "Bronya, do you have any sympathy? I've been beaten so badly."

Bronya: "That's your own fault. Think about it, how could Sister Mei, such a gentle person, be so ruthless?"

There was only one truth!

Bronya: "You must have ignored her advice and insisted on doing dangerous things. Most importantly, you wanted to keep Sister Mei out of it and not drag us down."

Bronya: "That's why Sister Mei accepted World Serpent's offer and had to beat you before leaving to show her resolve!"

Kiana: "...Is that how it is?"

Suddenly, the atmosphere changed.

Himeko could feel several dangerous gazes, from Mei, Teacher Himeko, and Theresa.

Teacher Himeko: "Kiana, I think you owe us an explanation."

Theresa: "Niece, why do you face danger alone? Didn't I teach you that we can overcome difficulties only by uniting?"

Kiana: "Um, what if Bronya guessed wrong?"

Elysia: "Is that what happened? We'll know if we keep watching, won't we? Look, Kiana is using Herrscher Authority, the Void Lance of the Herrscher of the Void."

After Raiden Mei knocked Kiana away, countless Void Lances appeared around her, pinning Mei firmly to the ground.

Kiana walked forward step by step, standing on a halo.

One of her pupils had turned golden. Over-consuming stamina and Honkai energy, Kiana was in a terrible state, as if she could collapse at any moment.

Yet, even so, she didn't shed a single tear for herself.

Kiana's mind was filled with only one thought: keeping Mei by her side.

"You've always... been like this, Kiana, you've always been like this!"

Mei closed her eyes, expressing her inner emotions, her love for Kiana, her unwillingness to accept this, her persistence, all in words.

"You're already covered in wounds, yet you force yourself to smile. You saved me, you saved everyone, but you bear all the pain alone! Even risking your life!"

The memories of their past interactions flashed through Mei's mind.

Kiana's wounds, her exhaustion lying in bed unable to move, Mei knowing everything but only able to watch helplessly as it all unfolded.

Every scene would become Mei's most resolute belief at this moment.

"Mei!"

Kiana shouted, wanting to explain something, but only a helpless and heartbreaking excuse came out: "This is my mission."

Rumble!!!

Suddenly, the thunderstorm in the sky began to flash, as if mirroring the Queen of Thunder's state of mind, intense and surging.

What so-called mission, what destiny, she didn't want to deal with any of it right now.

All Mei cared about was the person in front of her, who was covered in wounds.

"I understand grand principles like saving the world, but how can you expect me to endure all of this?!"

Mei grabbed the Void Lance, letting its sharp tip cut her neck, leaving fresh red scars.

"Mei, no!"

Kiana took a step back, but it was too late. Raiden Mei's mind was filled with only one thought.

A thought that she would ignite a sliver of hope for Kiana's future at any cost, even if it meant falling into the abyss.

"All I know is that in my heart, you are more important than this world!!!"

Raiden Mei roared, surpassing her limits, surpassing the Herrscher Authority of the Void.

If justice and kindness couldn't save Kiana, then she was willing to become a sinner.

If the Raiden Mei of the past could do nothing, then she would transform into a dragon, devouring evil.

Even if it meant standing against everyone, even against the world.

Even if these hands, which used to cook for her, would be stained with the blood of sin.

Mei transformed into a flashing lightning bolt, surging through the sky. Just as the Herrscher of the Void was about to seal her path, she shattered its Authority with a single blow.

Lightning transformed into Oni-Kiana, her sword formed from red light.

Mei stood in the sky, beneath the stars, aiming her final slash at the person most important to her.

The lightning tore through the sky, all for this moment.

—To sever the past.

"That day, you reached out to me."

Kiana's body plummeted towards the earth, and Mei reached out, tightly grabbing her arm.

Just like that day, when Kiana had grabbed her arm on the rooftop.

Mei had long since etched that smiling face into her heart, never to forget it.

"From the moment you grabbed me, our destiny was changed by you."

"You are the most important person in my life."

The Queen of Thunder's eyes were filled with sorrow, as if heartbroken by the impending farewell.

She placed Kiana on the ground, then silently turned away.

"If saving you is a sin, then I will be the sinner... Goodbye, Kiana."

A giant red dragon summoned a storm, taking Mei with it as it disappeared, flying resolutely towards the horizon.

Himeko Murata: "Kiana, you're talking nonsense again!"

Teacher Himeko punched Kiana on the head. The latter, in pain, squatted on the ground, clutching her head.

There was definitely a huge lump forming on her head.

Himeko Murata: "Have you forgotten what I taught you? No matter what happens, don't try to bear it all alone. Theresa and I will help you."

Theresa: "Of course! I'm the only S-rank Valkyrie in Schicksal's Far East Branch, so leave any problems to me to solve."

Kiana: "Everyone..."

Pardofelis wiped away her tears, immersed in the atmosphere of being cared for by everyone.

No matter what, she wouldn't repeat her past mistakes and make everyone sad again!

Elysia: "It's too much to not count us in. Aren't we friends? Friends should help each other, right, Pardo?"

Pardofelis: "Huh? Elysia, why are you including me? Although I want to help, I'm not good at fighting."

However, considering the combat power Kiana and Raiden Mei displayed in the video, Pardofelis felt she might be able to try a direct confrontation.

No, no, no.

After thinking about it, Pardo felt it was better to honestly remain a cat, and leave the fighting to Elysia and the others.

Bronya: "The crucial issue now is, how did Kiana become a Herrscher? And neither the Director nor Teacher Himeko have been seen. I smell a conspiracy."

Theresa: "Could it be that my silly niece swallowed a Herrscher Core like candy?"

Himeko Murata: "Uh..."

Kiana: "Auntie, are you joking? Even if I'm greedy, I wouldn't stuff just anything into my mouth, would I?"