After greeting everyone, Mei stopped paying attention to the barrage of comments.
Kiana continued to advance the story.
With Mei's endless recollections, with that sorrowful music rising and falling, Kiana and the audience were soon pulled back into the narrative.
"I know… you've never really changed. You're still that girl who would smile and reach out to a stranger."
"Even after enduring so much unfairness, even after learning the world is cruel… even after tragedies (Himeko) that could never be undone…"
"You would still fight as you always did—for your companions, for others, for the beauty you believe in…"
"Kiana, you will become a hero. The world is waiting for you to become one. But…"
"...I... Kiana, I don't want you to become that hero!"
By then, Mei had already made up her mind.
She would become a Herrscher, join World Serpent, and fight against the Honkai with everything she had.
"We… can never go back to the past…"
Just as her voice fell, a golden greatsword appeared from afar, striking Benares squarely out of the sky.
"Kiana!"
Mei's heart skipped a beat.
Kiana had flown away on Benares' back!
The sudden scene filled her with dread, and she dashed forward.
But when she arrived at the scene, Kiana was nowhere to be found.
Benares lay on the ground, barely clinging to life.
Nearby, a strange-looking creature pulled the sword out of Benares and charged straight at Mei.
The game shifted into battle mode.
In front of the live broadcast camera, Kiana frowned as she guided Mei against the monster named [Imaginary Godspawn].
The fight was brutally difficult.
"I… can't fall here…"
In-game Mei fell again and again, only to rise once more each time.
Finally, after a grueling battle—
"It's… finally over…"
Mei staggered toward Benares.
"Benares… I must… hurry and find Kiana…"
Just then, the screen flickered.
Mei suddenly found her body frozen.
Time itself had stopped.
The defeated [Imaginary Godspawn] slowly reassembled, returning to peak form, and lunged straight for her.
Even Kiana, the player, panicked.
She pounded the keyboard frantically, but the screen refused to respond.
With the sound of blades piercing flesh, the screen went black.
Viewers felt their hearts sink.
When the picture lit up again—the blade had not pierced Mei.
Benares, the Judgment-class Honkai beast, had blocked the strike for her.
"Benares… Kiana…"
As the [Imaginary Godspawn] raised its sword once more, Mei's perspective plunged into darkness.
The Requiem of Annihilation began to play.
"Crybaby… long time no see~"
That voice—Mei remembered it.
Three years ago, her world had fallen silent, just like today.
And in that endless darkness, it was Kiana's voice that had awakened her.
Back then, too, this voice had appeared. It was the Herrscher of Thunder's voice.
Cold, yet tinged with a strange affection.
At this point, players suddenly realized—compared to the Herrscher of the Void, the Herrscher of Thunder's personality was far gentler.
"You've changed so much~"
The voice of the Herrscher of Thunder sounded again.
Mei now saw the figure before her—a dark silhouette wreathed in violet lightning, radiating both coldness and danger.
Yet when speaking to Mei, its tone was eerily calm.
"This is the first time you've come to me willingly."
"You… are no longer afraid?"
Mei froze.
She wasn't afraid? Why not?
Then she understood—compared to fearing this Herrscher, she feared losing Kiana more.
"Keep moving forward, and you will fall into an even deeper abyss."
Mei: "…"
"It's fine. If it means she can leave hell… I'll take her place."
"You'll say goodbye to everything you have now. You'll bear suspicion and scorn, walking a lonely road ever further."
"You will be parted from her (Kiana) forever."
"If you take this step, there will be no turning back. Do you… truly wish to do this?"
Mei: "It doesn't… matter."
"They're still here. They… will take good care of Kiana."
The Herrscher of Thunder fell silent.
After a long pause, it erupted—
"Then go!!"
"Bury me with your own hands. Turn my anger, my wails, my end—into the power that drives your lonely journey forward."
"Declare to the world—the Queen of Thunder has returned!"
"Become… the true Herrscher of Thunder!!"
As the Herrscher's roar rang out, even the viewers' blood boiled.
"Farewell, Raiden Mei!"
Herrscher and Mei's voices overlapped.
With a heavy, majestic burst of electronic music, the screen cut between shots of the Herrscher of Thunder's overwhelming form—
Purple hair crackling with lightning, flowing though no wind blew.
A divine halo glowing at her back.
Red shadow drawn at the corners of her eyes.
Twin demon-like horns at her brow adding a sharp edge of menace.
Finally, the splash art—a full illustration of the Herrscher of Thunder in all her glory.
The game shifted back into battle.
From the high-heeled boots at her feet, the camera tilted up into third-person view.
Bathed in lightning, Mei—now the Herrscher of Thunder—descended slowly from the air.
Even the sway of her purple hair alone radiated crushing pressure.
As the stirring music swelled, viewers were seized by an impulse—
The urge to mount their trusty husky and charge into battle…
...
[ohhhhhh~~]
[Step on me, Queen~~]
[This is so pervy but… my queen is so cool!!]
[Tsk tsk… as expected of a Herrscher! That aura is no less than the Herrscher of the Void's]
[Feels like there's a bit of sakura-nation flavor… Mihoyo pandering to their players?]
[Nah, Mei's backstory has always been that she's from Sakura Nation]
[Wait—Mei doesn't seem controlled by Herrscher's personality… she fused with it?]
[The Herrscher of Thunder spoils Mei way too much lol]
[Anyone who followed the story knows—Herrscher of Thunder actually likes Kiana too…]
The chat was in chaos.
Meanwhile, Kiana controlled the Herrscher of Thunder, slashing relentlessly at the [Imaginary Godspawn].
"Whoa~ so strong!"
Against her, the monster was helpless—shattered in just a few strikes.
"You're amazing, Mei~ feels like you're stronger than my Herrscher of the Void!"
Mei chuckled softly.
"Kiana's amazing too~"
In the game, after defeating the [Imaginary Godspawn], Mei's mind felt clearer than ever.
No more dazed confusion.
The Herrscher of Thunder's voice was gone.
Mei: "…"
She reached toward the fallen Benares, channeling Honkai energy into her, trying to save her.
But it was useless.
Mei could sense Benares' soul—begging… pleading… to see her queen one last time, to hear her name called again…
But before Mei could answer, Benares' soul faded away completely.
The audience: "..."
Damn it, Mihoyo, you sly bastard…
Even a Honkai beast gets character development, just to stab us in the heart??
...
Mei stared at the corpse without a word.
Instead, she chose Benares as her companion beast.
Red scales spread to cover her body.
Thus, Benares ceased to exist.
Reborn in her place—the Judgment-class Honkai beast, Kulve.
One that would obey only Mei.
...
The scene shifted back to Kiana's perspective.
"This is… why am I here?"
She awoke on a rooftop, rain pouring down.
"Don't move."
An icy male voice pulled her attention.
The moment she saw the white-haired man, Kiana's pupils shrank.
"You're… Kevin Kaslana!!"
Kevin ignored her, speaking instead of what had happened.
"You tried to close the Imaginary Singularity but were attacked and fell."
"You saved me… why?"
Kiana frowned.
Squad leader's feather had told her Kevin would never spare a Herrscher.
So why did he rescue her?
Kevin: "…"
"Thank Raiden Mei. She saved you. You no longer need to worry about Skydome City. The disaster has ended—Mei has taken your place as its guardian."
As Kiana stared in shock, a red lightning bolt split the sky in the distance.
"She's here. Let her tell you the rest herself."
The bolt struck before Kiana.
When the light faded, she saw Mei—now as the Herrscher of Thunder.
"Mei?"
Kiana's heart raced with suspicion, but she couldn't bring herself to believe it.
"What happened? Why do you look like this…"
Kevin looked her over.
"So—you've made your choice."
Mei's voice was no longer gentle.
Each word was firm, unshakable.
"I will go with you."
Kevin nodded.
"Good. Welcome to World Serpent, Raiden Mei."
Kiana couldn't hold back.
"What did you say? Mei… joining World Serpent?"
She couldn't believe it.
Mei—joining them?
To Kiana, World Serpent was even more terrifying than Schicksal.
They treated human lives like dirt.
How could Mei join such an organization?!
"Mei, what did they do to you? Why would you join them?"
Mei hesitated.
"Kiana… I'm very clear-headed now. This is my own decision."
"Don't worry about me anymore…"
"Stop joking around!"
Kiana's eyes burned with determination.
"I will never, never let you leave!!"
Kevin: "Raiden Mei, tell her what you need to say. But don't waste too much time."
Mei's expression dimmed.
She had rehearsed these words in her heart countless times.
But telling Kiana her reasons would only make her blame herself, only hurt her more.
So—
This time, she couldn't spoil Kiana again.
She had to be colder.
In her heart, she whispered her final farewell—
"Kiana, I'm so glad I met you. To share so many stories, to create so many memories with you…"
"Go chase your dreams, do what you want to do…"
"Let me walk into the darkness, so you can return to the light…"
...
The audience felt their hearts twist painfully once more.
Not even the reason for leaving—could she share with Kiana?
Even Kiana herself, as she played, was overwhelmed by grief.
Mei quickly embraced her.
"Kiana… don't worry. I will never leave you."
"Mei~"
Kiana nuzzled against her chest, steadying herself before starting the next level.
And the boss of this chapter—was none other than Raiden Mei.
The two girls who cared most for each other—forced to fight, to hurt one another.
Kiana charged forward again and again, only to fall, then rise once more.
At last, she unleashed the Herrscher of the Void's power, the music swelling into thunderous drums and electric beats.
As she fought, she pleaded desperately, her voice breaking with memories.
"Mei~ as long as Mei is here, it's like having a hundred people's strength~"
"If you ever turn into some Herrscher again, I'll smack you awake with my bat~"
Images from the past flashed one after another.
Then, with a crimson slash—
Shing!!
The memories were cleaved in two.
"Mei!! I will never… never let you go!!"
The music was blood-pumping, but the players' eyes were wet with tears.
[Stop cutting already!!]
[The poor girl is actually breaking down QAQ]
[That memory-splitting slash… dammit… QAQ]
[Cutting through the memories… Mihoyo, you absolute devils…]
[This game… I love it so much, but it hurts too damn much…]
[Mihoyo, you magnificent bastards QAQ]
...
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