Maybe it was the intel she bought that proved useful,
or maybe it was because Theresa had managed to obtain a precise map—
either way, Brownie's infiltration plan went surprisingly smoothly.
The outer defenses of Divine Science and Technology weren't that strict.
Most of them were mechs,
which gave her plenty of room to make use of her rabbit-like stealth skills.
Although a few mechs had special properties that made them impossible to hijack, she was still able to slip past their field of vision one step at a time, carefully entering the lowest levels of Divine Science and Technology's inner facilities.
The underground of Divine Science's campus had an incredibly vast space—
as if it was hiding some kind of secret they didn't want anyone to know about.
But the stealthy rabbit only cared about this mission's main goal:
—The Secret Key.
There were three keys in total, controlling the barrier that shielded the entire city.
Right now, one of them was on the 33rd underground floor.
She successfully entered the elevator.
As she pressed the button, her heart couldn't help but pound wildly—
she could feel herself getting nervous.
For her, going from one target to another was usually just routine—
just a matter of seeking out the next goal.
But this time was different.
There was a subtle sense of anticipation in her heart.
What she saw on the 33rd floor was not the pristine, high-tech environment of the upper floors.
Instead, it was cluttered with junk.
The PCB circuitry on the floor was slightly damp—
it felt more like a junkyard than a secret facility.
In the middle, atop a console, was the Secret Key.
She rushed forward eagerly, barely able to wait.
Her fingers danced across the pale blue light panel, sparking like electrical arcs, and even when decrypting digital codes, her movements had a uniquely artistic rhythm.
She had to take it.
She only needed to take it.
Then—mission accomplished.
As the decryption process became smoother and smoother,
a smile crept up at the corner of her lips.
The security layers became increasingly fragile—
Beep—
A strange sound came from behind her.
Just as she cracked the code, she quickly grabbed the device and turned around.
The elevator, which had previously been stationary, was now rapidly ascending—
then just as quickly descending again.
32… 33…
It landed on her floor.
Someone was coming.
She frowned. There was nowhere to retreat to now.
The situation clearly offered no early escape,
and worse—
The enemy had come prepared.
As the elevator doors slowly opened,
Brownie tightened her grip on her equipment and stared at the figure stepping out.
The enemy wore a strange outfit—tall and curvy, clearly a woman, but with a bizarre mask and two long ears on top of her head. Her hair was pink.
She was clad in a black-silver bodysuit that hugged her figure, glimmering with a red-blue dual glow, hands steady on her blade—completely alert.
She looked like a ninja wrapped in riddles.
"A serious threat... But that searching, scanning behavior she's showing—
she's not from Divine Science?"
Brownie's heart was filled with wariness.
If that was the case, then there was only one reason she'd be here:
The key in Brownie's hand.
They both understood it instinctively—
and looked at each other with the same intention in their eyes.
There was no room for coexistence in their plans.
A clash was inevitable.
Brownie deployed her self-made drones and carefully engaged, while firing accurate shots that disrupted the ninja's attacks.
The ninja drew her blade—
and as Brownie cried out in shock, a purple lightning arc danced along the edge of the weapon,
cutting through machinery like butter.
It was impossibly sharp.
But in the end—
it seemed the ninja received some kind of message.
She stopped fighting and disappeared in an instant,
choosing to leave the Secret Key in Brownie's hands.
However, because of the commotion, alarms blared throughout the base, and Brownie had no chance to escape.
She was captured by Divine Science and Technology.
If Raven hadn't stepped in to mediate at the last moment…
She still felt a chill when she remembered the operation—
but her curiosity about the city and the keys only grew stronger.
After all, if there's a struggle over it,
that means it matters, right?
-----
Back at Theresa's villa—
"It felt like a battle between the Herrscher of Reason and the Herrscher of Thunder."
Luo Mo stroked his chin and concluded.
A ninja with lightning on her blade.
A hacker who manipulates machines through electronics.
It really did make sense.
"You had to say it like that..."
"Honestly, it's really hard to say whether my abilities are related to the Herrscher of Reason or not."
"In terms of projections and constructions, they're not that different."
Brownie didn't rush to deny it this time—
she just shrugged while still tapping away at her game.
"So… that armored ninja—was that Sakura?"
Theresa couldn't help but ask.
Kallen also paused her movements and looked toward the ninja with near-zero presence.
If it weren't for her appearance in the script,
she would've been easy to miss completely.
Kallen's gaze was calm, but she lingered on her for several moments.
She vaguely saw an old acquaintance from five hundred years ago in that figure.
"It was me."
"However, I don't recall having that particular encounter with Miss Brownie."
"Perhaps there'll be another chance to gain that experience later."
Sakura replied in a cold, clear voice,
staring straight at the screen as if she had no interest in anything going on around her.
Ding—
Clang—
The sound of the door rang out.
Before anyone could react, a casual voice followed.
"Auntie Headmaster, we came to see how well you're handling that Binding Power, hmm?"
Theresa's eyebrows twitched.
She suddenly had a strange sense of déjà vu—
similar to the time not long ago during the New Year,
when someone asked her about her results in front of Cecilia.
Back then, it was Kiana who asked in exactly the same way.
Since then, Kiana had been using that line actively and frequently.
Kiana and a few others appeared in the living room.
The doorbell had only served as a simple reminder—no one had remembered to lock the door.
"You! Ki. A. Na!"
Theresa stared straight at her,
as well as Mei, Bronya, and the others who had arrived.
The rest greeted her politely—except for Kiana.
"Our relationship… and all you can call me is Auntie Headmaster?"
"We only said a few words after New Year's,
and I forgot to prepare red envelopes,
but ended up accidentally receiving one from Cecilia instead…"
What a mess.
Theresa couldn't help but pout a little.
"Hehe, Headmaster Kallen, you're here too?
Look, when are you going to assign us a mission?"
Kiana grinned as she approached, speaking familiarly to Kallen.
She considered herself pretty close to the Headmaster too—
but the titles were always a bit awkward.
With Theresa standing right there as "Auntie Headmaster,"
no matter what Kiana called Kallen, it just felt weird.
"Your missions… I'm worried that if you so much as slip up, the damage might be worse than a Honkai Beast attack. A year ago, didn't a whole bunch of strange incidents happen at St. Freya?"
Kallen smiled as she replied, not minding Kiana getting close.
"Exactly. Like a major blackout, localized storms, or even abnormal winter heat waves… Do any of you know anything about that?"
Luo Mo shot them a look as he asked.
"That stuff… Aha, right! So, which part of the script were we just watching again?"
Kiana quickly tried to change the subject,
doing her best not to admit anything.
When she stayed quiet—it was basically an admission, right?
This time, she had come…
Well, she actually wanted to ask Mei about something.
Lately, she'd felt unsettled, both mentally and physically—
even Mei's cooking had tasted a bit off.
Kiana insisted she could tell with just one bite.
-----
Back in the game. Beneath the city's lights—
Brownie stood in front of a small bar, feeling a little nervous.
Strangely enough,
even though she had just escaped from the danger-filled Divine Science base, she hadn't felt this uneasy at all back then.
But now, standing at her own doorstep,
she felt a little guilty.
After all, she had just caused Raven a lot of extra trouble.
Taking a few deep breaths, she made up her mind and pushed the door open.
Inside, the bar was surprisingly warm and cozy.
The soft yellow lighting wrapped the wooden furniture in a soothing glow.
A gray-haired, red-eyed woman—Natasha—was slouched in a chair.
She had put away all the sharpness and hostility, now looking rather lazy and relaxed.
She didn't even scold Bronie.
Instead, she pulled out a barmaid outfit and tossed it at her.
"Go. Change. Now.
Did you hear me? Stop standing there wasting time!"
Apparently, Bronie hadn't been officially dismissed.
Raven's eyes grew even sharper.
She casually tossed the uniform aside with a displeased look, and her tone carried a hint of mockery.
During the whole exchange,
Brownie just stared her down stubbornly.
The tension between them grew stronger.
Neither was willing to back down.
In the end, all they could do was part with frustration.
Brownie ran out the door and vanished into the night, heading toward freedom.
Behind the closed door, after she left, Raven's expression didn't look particularly angry.
She just stared at Brownie's retreating back, saying nothing.
She knew—this moment had always been inevitable.
Just like the time she took Brownie in,
eventually, the girl would come face-to-face with the light beyond the barriers of the world.
---
At the MiHoyo office—
Raven sighed heavily.
"Yet another troublesome one.
Why don't I ever get a smart, well-behaved kid?"
She seemed frustrated, though not completely sure why.
"I remember Xiao Kong was really well-behaved, wasn't she?"
Su Lu casually said, recalling a name.
Raven had brought her to the company quite a few times, and the girl would often sit quietly and mind her own business.
Not like those two wild Valdka girls who were always raising chaos.
Honestly, just thinking of those two made Su's head ache.
They had way too much energy.
"Xiao Kong, huh…"
A soft smile appeared on Raven's face—
then quickly faded again.
"That's true. She really is someone you can rely on."
"She even ran a small bar once. Back then, when we were in America, I really did consider that kind of life.
It was warm, peaceful… but alcohol isn't exactly suited for kids, so I gave up on that idea."
Raven sighed, a bit nostalgic.
It wasn't necessarily something she loved—
but some memories are just hard to forget.
A traveler blown around by the night wind, she had once longed for a quiet stop like a small tavern.
"Well, at least this time you're not playing the villain.
For once we've got a rare good-guy role…
Unlike Grey Serpent, who's always cast as the villain again."
"Please… The so-called 'mentor' or 'guide' character,
when explained romantically, is the force that helps others grow.
But when it's not romantic… hah."
Raven gave a cold laugh, clearly unamused.
In Honkai Impact 3rd, that kind of role was obviously dangerous.
And she absolutely despised it.
-----
After leaving, Brownie didn't go far.
Snake Eye quickly found her again—
and this time, shared even more intelligence.
At the same time, they led her to the next key figure connected to Grey Serpent—
a high-ranking member of Snake Eye:
Rita, the leader of Snake Eye.
She smiled gently and spoke slowly:
"Miss Mahou Shoujo TeRiRi, I happen to be one of your most loyal fans. I've attended every single one of your concerts in person~"
(T/C: if I'm not mistaken. She is...)
"...No, you've got the wrong person!
I have no idea who this Mahou Shoujo is..."
Theresa's face turned bright red with embarrassment, frantically denying her identity.
Clearly, no matter what world they were in,
this part was always going to be a little humiliating.
"But unfortunately," Rita continued with a calm blink,
"tonight's invitation from the leader… is only for Miss Brownie."
Her poise and elegance remained perfectly intact.
Brownie agreed, prepared to hear what Rita had to say.
But this transaction… turned out to be beyond anything she expected.
Rita spoke for a long time, going on and on.
The Light Dome—the shimmering barrier—
was the center of a massive trade city,
where the vast majority of people lived.
It symbolized peace, stability, and safety.
They didn't want to touch danger.
They didn't want to explore the unknown world outside.
Even though they clearly realized the barrier was slowly weakening year by year—
even if it hindered humanity's development—
no one dared to bring it up.
At least, not Snake Eye.
Which was why… Rita came to Brownie.
After testing both her attitude and ability,
she handed over the secret key that Snake Eye held.
"The top hacker in Sky City, hacker Bunny,
defeats the Snake Eye leader and seizes the secret key to the Light Dome!"
"That… is everything that happened here tonight."
After the battle, Rita gave a graceful bow and winked playfully—
then turned and left.
Tonight, her words had become reality.
"Hmph…"
Brownie stared at the mysterious secret key in her hand, her lips curling into a cold smile.
Everyone yearned to know what was beyond the Light Dome.
But no one dared bear the weight of that responsibility.
She still had suspicions about the Divine Science Institute…
But that didn't matter.
Like Natasha once said—
maybe she was destined to be the blade others wield.
Three secret keys.
Now, only one remained.
The final one was in the hands of one of the Three Great Factions— the Tai Xu Sect.
---
Back at Theresa's mansion—
During the short scripted scene they just saw…
"Bronya was a waitress?! I want her to pour me a drink!"
Kiana's eyes sparkled as she made her demand.
"Hah. In your dreams. Bronya would never have worked as a waitress."
Bronya glanced at her flatly, clearly dismissing the idea.
Pour her a drink?
What kind of delusion was that?
"Tch, what a shame. Hurry up and open a shop already. Speaking of which, Rita seems to be showing up a lot lately…"
Kiana suddenly changed the topic,
glancing curiously toward Rita, who remained calm and elegantly smiling.
But… Kiana had seen her looking quite disheveled once, in the game—
after the big post-Limit Break battle.
"That might just be a coincidence,"
Rita replied lightly, smiling gently at Kiana.
Unlike in the game, Rita and Kiana actually had a good relationship here.
She'd even had a few face-to-face run-ins with Sirin—
though Sirin was such a recluse, and always had Bella baring her fangs protectively nearby, that it didn't make for friendly encounters.
Mei, on the other hand, wasn't nearly so guarded.
"A charming and seductive villain...?
That's weird. Why does that phrase not sound right coming from me?"
Kiana muttered unconsciously, then quickly shook her head, trying to erase the brainwashing intro someone had planted in her.
She glanced nervously around, making sure she didn't see a certain familiar pink-haired figure—
only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.
She had been very worried that person might actually appear.
"Haha, does Lady Durandal think the same?"
"Hmm… well, I personally feel— no matter which world she's in, Rita always enjoys watching the Headmaster embarrass herself."
Durandal answered honestly.
She had watched Rita—the confirmed Theresa fangirl, leader of Snake Eye—openly admit it.
Scratching her head, she added,
"Even if they're not on the same side, she really likes the Headmaster. She can even recognize her at a glance, and can tell she's different from how she looks on stage.
She's probably a true fan… especially if Auntie Headmaster starts performing like she used to—"
Luo Mo felt a bit offended by the phrase "true fan."
But… he also knew that Theresa was terrible at hiding things.
So, he took a deep breath.
Theresa, on the other hand, clenched her fists in embarrassment.
She really didn't want her past to be brought up again.
Even Rita—normally calm and collected—
couldn't help but look a little awkward.
Why did it sound like they were talking about her?
Could this be…
Durandal subtly rejecting her after seeing her true self?
No… wait.
This was Durandal we were talking about.
It was probably just an offhand comment.
Rita was in mental chaos.
Durandal stopped speaking—
then noticed the entire atmosphere had gone quiet.
Beneath the calm, a subtle tension was rising.
"Umm… why is no one talking?"
Durandal asked, confused.
(T/C: if I'm not mistaken, that Rita in the game is actually...)