"Hi...me..."
"Himeko?"
"HIMEKO!"
Theresa had maintained her cold demeanor and murderous intent until witnessing Himeko silently close her eyes, causing fissures to crack open on her icy visage.
"HIMEKOOOO!!"
Theresa released Himeko's neck, letting her lifelessly fall towards the ground. She then clutched her head tightly, her eyes flickering between blue and gold as she agonizingly howled in pain.
Otto once devised a plan to stimulate Kiana's personality potential through sacrifice, aiming to suppress the Herrscher Aspect. In fact, this strategy succeeded in the original world line.
Now, the same principle was at play.
Witnessing Himeko's death firsthand dealt an unparalleled shock to Theresa's original personality, triggering a fierce internal struggle.
"Aaargh!"
The human consciousness and the Herrscher, two fundamentally distinct entities with separate origins and thought processes, clashed within the same body. This posed an incredibly challenging ordeal for Theresa's original persona, naturally resulting in immense agony.
Theresa writhed in mid-air, while amidst the chaos below, a shadow quietly detached itself and swiftly moved away.
"Whew—"
In the howling wind, Himeko regained her senses.
From the moment she became conscious again, intense pain radiated from every part of her body. Her expression contorted, and despite herself, her eyes rolled upward in agony.
Hera had administered a serum to her neck.
As the pain subsided, Himeko struggled to breathe and glanced down at her mutilated form—limbs gone, drenched in blood—which filled her with instinctive dread.
"How... How is Theresa doing?"
Her primal fear quickly gave way as Himeko's first concern was for her friend's condition.
Hera, flying forward propelled by only her upper torso, looked down with a smile.
"You did brilliantly. Although the inhibitor didn't function as intended, your efforts awakened Little Theresa's personality. My greatest worry was that overwhelming negative emotions would crush Little Theresa, allowing the Herrscher Aspect spawned by Honkai to seize control completely. In that case, even killing and reviving her might not have saved her. Now, thanks to you, we've helped Little Theresa break through the heart wall sealed by the Will of Honkai. The rest should be easier."
"Cough! You're not just comforting me because I'm close to death, right?"
"Not at all. Theresa's resistance manifests not just physically but also through vulnerabilities in the Confinement Force Field. With these weaknesses present, I can accomplish much more. So now it's my turn... Any last words? I can record them for you to listen to later."
After briefly explaining the current situation, Hera shifted the conversation, gazing with a smile at Himeko, whose face was pale yet eyes gradually brightening.
"Cough!"
Himeko spat out a mouthful of blood, instinctively reaching up to wipe her lips before realizing half a beat too late that she no longer had hands. Weakly, she said,
"I hope your optimism proves true; otherwise, my efforts would have been wasted. By the way, am I truly beyond saving? Right now, I feel quite energetic."
"It's one of my minor inventions, nothing significant—just enough to give you a temporary reprieve. Typically, it's used to provide frontline fighters facing dire situations with a chance for mutual destruction or transmitting crucial intelligence. As for you, your limbs are destroyed, organs failing, and blood loss far exceeds the survivable limit. Even with advanced medical facilities available, reversing this outcome would be futile, let alone in this barren phantom reality space. In short, don't entertain unrealistic hopes. Quickly share your final words and prepare to embrace a fresh experience of death."
"..."
Despite being on the brink of death, Otto's nonchalant explanation momentarily made Himeko feel as if it wasn't such a big deal after all.
After a moment of silence, she spat out the blood foam from her mouth and laughed.
"What a pity—I've never even been in love yet. Captain Ragna and the others will surely tease me about it later, right? But hey, we're all in the same boat, so who cares?! Ha ha ha!"
"Ragna, you say..."
"I'm sure Lord Bishop knows her; she's an exceptional Valkyrie."
"In a sense, I was her mentor; I taught her much," Hera sighed softly.
Himeko's eyes widened abruptly.
"What?!"
"I said, I can be considered Miss Ragna's teacher; I indeed instructed her."
"Impossible! How could someone as ruthless as Lord Bishop raise such a perfect and just Valkyrie like Captain Ragna?"
"One's personal conduct and role as a teacher can be separate; don't let your biases cloud your judgment. The ideological education of Valkyries is paramount to me. Look at Little Theresa and Durandal—they were both raised under my direct guidance, remember?"
The description of being "ruthless" left no impact on Hera; instead, she corrected Himeko's misconceptions about education. A novice educator merely follows textbooks, while a skilled one leads by example. However, Otto surpassed them both—he excelled at instilling his absolute ideals into favored Valkyries, molding them into the image he believed they should embody: righteous and gentle, akin to Kallen Kaslana.
Himeko found herself at a loss for words.
After a moment of silence that shook her worldview, Himeko suddenly felt an unprecedented weakness, as if her life force were taking tangible form and rapidly draining away from her body.
"I think...I'm truly dying."
"Yes, indeed. If the Herrscher of Death were here, there might be a slim chance to save you. But unfortunately, given Zeke's overprotectiveness, he wouldn't allow such inexperienced children to face an adversary as dangerous as the Herrscher of Binding. By all rational accounts, your end is near."
"Promise me, bring Theresa back safely."
"I'll do my best. As I mentioned earlier, you've opened the path; everything should proceed more smoothly now... Wait! Hang on just a bit longer, there may still be hope!"
Hera abruptly looked forward, her tone filled with surprise as she urged Himeko.
However, the faint vitality temporarily boosted by the medication was quickly depleting. Himeko's consciousness could no longer respond; her gaze grew distant and unfocused, gradually losing touch with reality.
When Himeko opened her eyes again, she realized for the first time that death could also be a rollercoaster—though this realization might not have occurred to her had she been more familiar with Welt and Fu Hua's experiences.
"Big Sister Himeko, hang in there! Seele won't let you die!"
In front of Himeko, teary-eyed Seele knelt beside her alongside Kiana. With all her might, Seele channeled energy into Himeko's body, striving to pull back her fading life. As for Kiana, the silly girl wore a peculiar expression as if holding back a torrential sob, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face.
Further away stood Zeke, Fu Hua, Durandal, Raiden Mei, Ana, and others around Himeko's horrifically mutilated body, enveloped by a palpable aura of sorrow.
Himeko noticed some relief on her face and mouth, likely cleaned by one of the girls nearby. Summoning strength, she managed a weak, pale smile and quipped,
"Well, well, I was hoping for a peaceful departure at least... Or maybe a handsome guy confessing his love would've made it more bearable."
"Aunt Himeko... Himeko..."
Kiana continuously wiped away her endless tears, sobbing and repeating Himeko's name with a pitiful, distraught appearance that softened Himeko's heart.
"Now, now, it's not such a big deal. Everyone experiences parting or loss eventually. Besides, I've already left my mark in Valhalla; this could be a perfect opportunity to test out this so-called resurrection... Assuming someone helps me accumulate enough merits, as I spent all mine on this rather useless Red Knight Armor."
"Aunt Himeko, don't give up! Don't just die like this—Seele can surely save you!"
"How many times have I told you? Don't call me 'Aunt'..."
"I won't if you survive. Just live through this!"
Kiana wailed, unable to hold back her torrent of tears any longer.
Himeko felt her eyelids growing heavy. With a smile, she murmured slowly:
"Fool... Tell... Theresa... It's...not...not...her fault."
With her final word, despite Kiana's desperate pleas and Seele's relentless infusion of power, Himeko's eyes closed for good.
"Ahhh!"
Seele's pupils glowed crimson as she poured every ounce of Creation energy into Himeko, striving to bring her back from death, but it was all futile.
Watching her exert herself with such determination, no one dared interrupt or tell her when enough was enough.
After what felt like an eternity, Seele's eyes returned to their original icy blue. She braced her trembling hands against the ground and sobbed,
"It's no use... Her brain, organs, muscles—there's too much damage everywhere. I just...can't repair it all..."
For those who coexist with Honkai, the phrase "I can do nothing" is never merely a figure of speech; it represents a bone-chilling despair.
It wasn't that Seele had never witnessed death before, but seeing a close friend rushed to her care only to slip away under her own hands—it was devastatingly overwhelming.
"Seele! It's not your fault! It wasn't your fault!" Kiana hugged Seele tightly.
Seeing how devastated she was, Kiana forgot her own grief and tried to comfort her.
The result? Both of them collapsed together, sobbing uncontrollably amid their sorrow.
"Waaaaah... Big Sister Himeko... I'm so sorry..."
"Waaaaah... No, it's...it's not your fault, Seele... Himeko..."
"Waaaaah..."
As they wept heartbreakingly, even those who weren't as close or remained relatively composed couldn't help but show their sadness. Raiden Mei silently wiped away her tears, while Zeke, usually so calm, let out a soft sigh.
Mourning the death of a beloved elder—this moment should be undisturbed by anyone. Normally, that would be true, but they had been crying for far too long.
Zeke finally spoke up, "That's enough."
Kiana & Seele: "Waaaaah!"
"Enough," said Zeke.
Kiana & Seele: "Sob!"
"I said enough."
Kiana & Seele: "Sob!"
Zeke stared incredulously!
He raised his hand, preparing to smack Kiana's head with a chop, intending to refocus their attention on the task at hand.
Suddenly, two arms reached out from either side, blocking Zeke's strike.
Fu Hua held onto Zeke's arm and pleaded helplessly, "Zeke, be gentle during times like this."
Durandal intercepted his wrist, her expression resolute. "Sir Zeke, mourning for the departed is a natural right inherent to being human; you shouldn't resort to physical discipline towards Kiana at such a moment!"
Fu Hua approached tactfully, offering gentle advice while showing ample respect to Zeke. In contrast, Durandal was quite firm and unyielding, displaying disapproval as if handling official matters—though likely a part of it stemmed from defending her dear little sister.
Zeke paused, glanced briefly at the nearby golden barrier, narrowed his eyes, and slowly withdrew his hand.
"Himeko can be revived. And, do you still intend to rescue Theresa?"
"We will!" × 2
Both girls immediately stood up, their faces and eyes red from crying, yet their response was unwaveringly determined.
Their response softened Zeke's expression as he gently patted both their heads.
"True bravery and resilience aren't about not shedding tears; it's about continuing to forge ahead despite them. Seele, acknowledge your limitations and accept them. When feeling helpless, strive even harder. Kiana, learn to embrace this sorrow and carry it forward with you. You must grow up, so keep moving forward—we still have our future to protect."
"Yes!" they replied simultaneously, determination unwavering in their voices.
This rare moment of growth brought solace amidst the intense grief, casting a glimmer of hope within the somber atmosphere.
As everyone watched the drone carrying Himeko away, their attention then turned collectively towards the golden constraining force field—the immediate problem at hand.