Iconic Scenes

Hehe... the Strongest Valkyrie of Schicksal, and also Fire Moth's strongest Flame-Chaser.

With two shining titles bestowed upon her, Kiana got excited just thinking about it.

By day, she could go out bearing the title of Strongest Valkyrie; by night, she could punish evil and uphold justice as the First Flame-Chaser. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Bronya: "Teacher Himeko, Bronya hereby reports Kiana by name. She started daydreaming before class even began."

Kiana: "Bronya, stop slandering me! I've never had dreams like that when I slept in class."

Theresa: "So, Kiana, you're not denying that you sleep during class?"

Himeko Murata: "My head hurts..."

Elysia used a Life Coin. Please select the time to travel to.

"Let me think... Send me back to Fire Moth, to the day I gave up the First Flame-Chaser position to Kevin."

Elysia said, blinking her eyes.

The coin in her hand began to break apart, turning into light and dissipating. Space seemed to spin around them, and a few seconds later, Pardofelis and Eden watched Elysia vanish from where she stood.

Elysia: "How amazing. I really went back to that day. My physical stats are normal, and my strength is at its peak too. The system's items are pretty reliable."

Eden: "Elysia, wasn't it a little wasteful to use such a precious Life Coin so quickly?"

Pardofelis: "Yeah, Sister Elysia. If you'd given it to me, I'd definitely know where to snag some goods. I'd turn the whole Fire Moth upside down."

Elysia: "It was just an experiment—to see whether the system's items were really that miraculous, and what would happen after I went back."

Theresa: "So, what was the result?"

Elysia: "There didn't seem to be any special reaction. It was kind of like loading a game save."

Kiana: "I get it, I get it. Honkai is the big boss, Elysia already died once, and now she's loading a save file."

Himeko Murata: "...Kiana, if you don't know how to speak, then keep your mouth shut."

Elysia: "Hahaha, it's fine. After all, that really does seem to be the case. Loading a save... I like that way of putting it."

Inside Fire Moth's base.

Elysia waited in the conference hall for quite some time, but no one else arrived. She looked up at the clock on the wall and realized there was still an hour before the Team Building meeting began.

Bored, she inspected the conference hall and found a pile of good stuff in a box on the left.

"This is... instant noodles?"

There was no need to guess. These were definitely strategic supplies for Fire Moth's Team Building event later.

Elysia gradually began recalling what had happened that day.

During the Team Building event, Kevin had led the Flame-Chasers in slurping noodles together. Everyone had assumed it was a traditional Fire Moth custom and happily joined in the noodle-slurping activity.

"How interesting. What kind of surprise should I give Kevin later?"

Elysia said with a mischievous smile.

After waiting a little longer, she heard the door open. "Kevin, I knew you'd be the first one here. Come over and eat some noodles."

As soon as Elysia finished greeting him, she snatched the soup pot from Kevin's hands.

Judging by the look of it, she planned to cook noodles right there on the spot!

"How did you know I'd be the first?" Kevin asked in confusion.

Elysia's actions just now had clearly anticipated that he would bring a pot to cook noodles, leaving Kevin deeply puzzled.

Could it be that the surprise he had carefully prepared for everyone at the Team Building event had already been exposed?

"Don't worry about that, Kevin."

Elysia quickly cooked the noodles and placed them before Kevin, even adding a marinated egg especially for him.

"Chakravartin and the others are so cold. They can't even be more enthusiastic during Team Building. It looks like everyone still isn't Team Building enough. I've been terribly unqualified as the First Flame-Chaser."

"So?" Kevin put down the marinated egg and stared at Elysia.

Perhaps it was an illusion, but he always felt as though Elysia had been leading him around by the nose.

"So, I want to give you the position of First Flame-Chaser." Elysia said seriously.

"Why? Compared to me, you're better suited for that position." Kevin looked confused. Everyone recognized Elysia as the First Flame-Chaser because she could maintain the relationships within Fire Moth.

"It's troublesome to explain, so just consider it indulging my little whim and take the job, okay? After all, you're Kevin of [Savior]."

Elysia continued coaxing him.

After all, she had experienced this once before. She was certain that as long as it was her request, Kevin would choose to agree.

But unlike what Elysia had expected, Kevin's expression suddenly stiffened. Clutching his stomach, he revealed a pained look. "Wait, I need to leave for a moment. We can discuss the First Flame-Chaser matter later."

"?!!"

Elysia stared blankly at Kevin as he left. This was completely different from the script!

A butterfly flapping its wings could cause a storm, but she hadn't even had the chance to flap yet.

It wasn't until Elysia noticed the noodles she had cooked, then checked the expiration date on the marinated egg, that she understood what had just happened.

Hopefully Kevin wouldn't develop psychological trauma from slurping noodles at Team Building in the future.

Pardofelis: "Sister Elysia, how did things go on your end? You didn't run into any danger, did you?"

Elysia: "I didn't encounter any danger, but I failed to shake off my position as the first Flame-Chaser. Kevin ran off halfway through."

Eden: "That counts as a change too, doesn't it? Elysia is unquestionably deserving of the first position."

Kiana: "Just asking, but is there any significance to your Flame-Chaser rankings? Are they based on strength, or selected through evaluations?"

Eden: "There's nothing special about them. In Fire Moth, aside from Elysia and Kevin, everyone averages out to top three. The ranking is merely symbolic."

Himeko Murata: "So that's what 'everyone ranks third' means."

Pardofelis: "Wait, Sister Eden, you forgot about me! I'm not top three! I'm clearly so weak—I only managed to survive from beginning to end by relying on luck!"

By common sense, under the intense erosion of Honkai, the fact that Pardo had managed to survive for so long was a skill in itself.

Not everyone could survive the fusion surgery, after all.

Bronya: "I'm more concerned about something else. If Elysia changed the worldline Fifty Thousand Years ago, would it affect us?"

For example, if Elysia had slaughtered her way through everything and defeated Honkai, would there still be a civilization Fifty Thousand Years later?

Rest assured. When the worldline changed, the Imaginary Tree had already begun developing new possibilities and a new future.

For the specifics, ask the Imaginary Law. The system will not explain.

Bronya: "Can the Imaginary Law explain everything?"

Elysia: "The Imaginary Law really can explain everything. It is the nexus of the world, the foundation of civilization—an indescribable, ineffable existence."

Kiana: "I don't understand it, but it somehow sounds really amazing."

The quiz began.

Please answer: What did Elysia most want to do when she unconditionally helped Raiden Mei?

[A: Teach Mei, guide her onto the right path, and make her a Herrscher who fights Honkai.]

[B: Elysia wanted to touch Mei's horns.]

[C: Think for the organization and help Mei pass the test, becoming a World Serpent executive.]

[D: There is no love without reason. Betray Mei midway and seize the Herrscher Core.]

Raiden Mei: "Elysia, this question is a bit..."

When she saw the last option, Raiden Mei felt a chill run down her back for no reason.

If a Flame-Chaser wanted to betray her, what could she even do?

Waiting online. Urgent.

Elysia: "Mei, I never thought you would suspect someone as kind and innocent as me. I'm truly heartbroken."

Pardofelis: "Exactly. With Sister Elysia's abilities, if she wanted to take the Herrscher Core, she wouldn't need to betray you in the first place."

Raiden Mei: "Pardo, that just makes me even more scared!"

In other words, they were saying that Raiden Mei was weak. She had heard it loud and clear.

Though she was currently only a weak A-rank Valkyrie who could do nothing except cook, when she entered Elysian Realm in the future, she would still be the mighty Herrscher of Thunder.

Could they show some respect for the person who wielded the Authority of Thunder?!

Eden: "The last option can be ruled out entirely. Given Elysia's personality, she would never betray a companion. Mei, you can rest assured."

Bronya: "Then there are only three answers left... What is with option B? Elysia wants to touch Sister Mei's horns? How could such an unreasonable option exist?"

Himeko Murata: "Exactly. Who would be bored enough to touch someone else's horns? Impossible. Kiana, would you want to?"

Kiana: "I wouldn't. What decent person goes around touching other people's horns? Elysia, would you?"

Elysia: "No. Could anyone who touches other people's horns be decent?"

Shameless!

The two of them—one was Himeko, determined to become the strongest Valkyrie, while the other was the second Flame-Chaser, a woman of status and standing.

How could they possibly entertain such vulgar thoughts as touching Mei's horns?

Impossible. Absolutely impossible!

Raiden Mei: "I can tell. Neither of you has any improper thoughts about the horns on my head, so the answer can only be chosen from the remaining two."

Whether anyone else believed them or not, Mei believed them halfway.

They were only horns on her head, merely a byproduct of Herrscher authority. It was not as though they were especially interesting.

Although Kiana was always improper with her in everyday life, surely she wouldn't have designs on a mere horn, right?

And what kind of person was Elysia?

She was a Flame-Chaser—Elysia, ranked second among them. Anyone could tell she was a hero willing to give her life to fight Honkai.

How could someone like that possibly do something so boring and meaningless?

Himeko Murata: "Elysia kept helping Raiden Mei because she wanted her to fully master the Herrscher's power and avoid being controlled by Honkai, right?"

Bronya: "I think it's more likely that she was cultivating a cadre for World Serpent. After all, the Previous Era Elysian Realm is where World Serpent's cadres undergo their trials. That is the very reason it exists."

Pardofelis: "Both of you make sense, so which one are you choosing, Mei?"

Raiden Mei: "Why do I have to choose? Shouldn't Elysia be the one answering this question?"

Elysia: "Oh my, I've already received a reward once. If I get it right again, wouldn't it be embarrassing to keep all the rewards for myself?"

Elysia: "Besides, the Elysia in the Previous Era Elysian Realm is my Memory Body. How could I possibly know what she was thinking?"

Raiden Mei: "That does make some sense."

Thinking about it carefully, the Elysia in the Elysian Realm was not the real Elysia.

What if there were differences between their personalities?

Although the Elysia Raiden Mei knew was always playful and mischievous, making it seem quite possible that she would take an interest in her horns.

But the Elysia in the Elysian Realm might not be the same!

Hadn't the Elysia there not only shown her the way, but also been willing to help her in the battles and exploration to come?

Her goal had to be to help her master the authority of the Herrscher of Thunder and set her on the right path!

Raiden Mei: "I choose A."

Incorrect answer.

The correct answer is B. Elysia wanted to touch Mei's horns!

Raiden Mei: "Elysia, you?!!"

Mei wore an utterly incredulous expression.

How was that possible? She never thought Elysia was that kind of person!