"Do you think Otto would care about that?"
Hokuto countered Elysia's question.
Elysia thought for a moment, then used the kind of "metaphor" she was best at.
"That's true—just like how you, 'Otto,' aren't afraid of players ambushing you with a sack, the Otto in-game probably isn't afraid of getting pummeled by Durandal."
"Mm… judging from the previous story, maybe if Durandal killed him, it would actually be playing right into his hands."
"A sack ambush…"
Hokuto was speechless at her comparison. "Elysia, as always, you've never used a proper metaphor."
"Never?"
Elysia pondered briefly, then playfully replied, "What about—if I say I'm as cute as a flower? Is that not proper enough~?"
"That's a line from the script," Hokuto reminded her sincerely.
"But, I'm the one saying it~~ right?"
Elysia was about to keep teasing, then suddenly realized—
"So you do agree with that metaphor, 'Otto'?"
"..."
"Mhm~ mhm~~ I'll take that as a compliment and keep going."
Picking up the controller, Elysia continued the story just as the hype from "Durandal gets a BMW" was cooling down in the chat.
After Durandal rode her mount and defeated the nameless Imaginary Godsbane, lines of narration flashed across the screen.
The game's BGM changed again—
A piano melody began to play.
Longtime players of Honkai Impact 3rd immediately felt a strange ache in their noses.
The music itself wasn't sad—in fact, it was light and bright, like a ray of dawn piercing the darkness.
What made it emotional was that this very track had played before—in Chapter 25, when Himeko spoke to Kiana about Ragna's deeds, about what it meant to pass on the torch:
"Her burning, their burning…"
"The footprints they left in this world will, on some future day, become the guiding light for someone else."
"This is humanity's legacy—the eternal flame!"
The firewood burns out eventually, but the flame is never extinguished—it will always be passed on.
And now, with Durandal accepting both the power of the Stigmata and her mother, was this not also a kind of inheritance?
Placing this BGM here was perfectly timed—miHoYo's attention to detail was, as always, impeccable.
...
When the narration ended, the giant HoMu from the beginning reappeared, congratulating Durandal for surpassing her fate as a savior.
Durandal remained calm: "I didn't accomplish all this on my own."
At the same time, players instantly noticed a change in her character art—
Among her golden hair was now a single stubborn strand of white, inherited from the Kaslanas.
"I know, but can that alone negate your own efforts?" the giant HoMu shook its head.
"Life itself is a constant inheritance and innovation—ever-moving forward, never stopping."
With that hopeful music still playing, Durandal clenched her fist.
"So I'm grateful to stand on the shoulders of giants. But—"
"When these giants threaten the survival of the world… I must stop them!"
"At the very least, I will make sure their willful path never harms this ever-continuing human world!"
This dialogue, paired with the meaningful BGM, stirred deep emotions in the players.
[Classic miHoYo—using the BGM as foreshadowing.]
[Don't you see? The story is hitting the theme again.]
[If the torch is passed like this, every Valkyrie who once held it would be proud.]
[Fight for all that's beautiful in the world!!]
[Fight for all that's beautiful in the world!!] ×N
It started with one comment, and soon the screen was flooded with them.
Some newer viewers, who'd only started after Elysium Everlasting and had been "cloud watching" the story, couldn't help but wonder—
So this is Honkai Impact 3rd? It does feel pretty positive and uplifting.
[Newbie here—didn't people say Honkai Impact 3rd was all tragedy? I've been afraid to watch anything before Elysium Everlasting, but it doesn't seem bad? I mean, a few characters looked like they might die, but they didn't?]
(He was referring to Bronya, Seele… all fake-outs.)
[Tragedy? Honkai Impact 3rd is pure sweetness! Let me recommend you some videos—you'll drop your prejudice instantly!]
["Sweet, Sweeter, Honkai Impact 3rd," "Honkai Impact 3rd: The Year's Most Healing Game"...]
Veteran players all smiled knowingly.
They loved this kind of newbie.
...
In-game—
With the giant HoMu's help, Durandal finally met the projection of her biological father—Siegfried.
Seeing how much older and more worn he looked made not only Durandal's heart clench, but also the players'.
Durandal couldn't hold back her emotions: "Mr. Siegfried! Your biological daughter… she's still alive!"
Telling him that Kiana was still alive was the greatest comfort she could give.
Sadly, it was a one-way message.
But—
The next moment, to Durandal and the players' surprise, Siegfried suddenly lifted his head.
"I think I had that dream again. Kiana… the sister who inherited your name—she hasn't let you down, has she?"
"Haha… at times like this, I'll just pretend someone's listening…"
"Honestly, if Cecilia and you were still alive… I could now face fate without guilt. I could accept everything with peace."
"But… it was you—it was you who left like a true Kaslana… leaving only me and her."
His eyes seemed to shine:
"So I will get out of here. I will return to that child's side, and tell her myself that I'm alive and well."
"…That should be the greatest comfort I can give her now."
Father and daughter—truly connected in spirit.
Even without memories, some bonds are bound deep within.
[Why are all you Kaslanas like this?!]
[You will meet again! (Writer, you'd better make it happen)]
[If Siegfried's alive, we have to rescue him. Hm… maybe we'll get Bug and Goose teaming up to fight Kevin and save their father?]
["Kaslana Sisters Split-the-Mountain to Save Their Father"?]
...
"Ah~~ A bit of a shame that Bianca still only called Siegfried 'Mister' at the end."
For Elysia, there was some regret here.
They hadn't truly met, and Bianca seemed unable to cross that last step—still a bit distant.
It was awkward… making her really curious about where the story would go from here.
"If you really want to hear Bianca call Siegfried 'Dad,' there'll be chances," Hokuto said.
"That's true."
Elysia realized—she knew Siegfried's whole family in real life.
Well, to be exact, she knew Kiana, Bianca, and Cecilia.
Though in-game, a complete family reunion was impossible (Cecilia…), in reality, they were still happy together.
"That's so nice~~"
That thought alone made Elysia feel a sudden sense of warmth.
"Now you're starting to think Honkai Impact 3rd is a very healthy, uplifting, and positive game, aren't you?" Hokuto asked at just the right time.
"???"
It wasn't just her—the viewers were spamming question marks too.
"Even Otto, the antagonist, firmly believes in love and the power of love."
Hokuto added, "And look—you're appreciating the beauty of real life more because of the game. Isn't that positive and uplifting enough?"
"..."
It made too much sense—Elysia was, for the moment, lost for words.