Whether it was teaching thugs a lesson…
Or saving people…
Or slaying Kami…
Or even now—suspecting that Almighty Thunder might bring ruin to Nagazora City, and wanting to spread the news so more people could survive…
None of these actions were done out of pure selflessness. Every single one of them was for her own peace of mind.
"I'm just an ordinary person," Kiana said quietly, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke, analyzing herself before Mei.
"I've only been in this world for three months."
"I don't even have an identity here. I can barely get by—how could I possibly risk everything to save this world?"
"Kiana…"
"Please don't misunderstand, Mei," Kiana said, lowering her gaze. "I don't want to be a savior."
"I help people because helping them makes me feel happy. It makes me feel… fulfilled."
"So I'm willing to do what I can—simply to satisfy that feeling inside me." She paused for a moment.
Because in truth, she had nothing else to chase. She wasn't a native of this world, and she still hadn't figured out what her future was supposed to be.
"I won't sacrifice the people I care about just because I want to do something good," she continued firmly.
"I want to warn others, to help them prepare—not just because I want to save the people I know, but also to give those who want to survive a chance to do so."
"No matter how many people survive in the end, I won't regret what I've done. Because I did everything I could."
Everything she did came down to one reason—to follow her heart, to leave no regrets.
"Would you think someone like me is despicable, Mei?"
She wasn't doing good out of pure virtue or compassion. She acted because she didn't want to regret it later—because it was her selfish way of finding peace.
Mei let out a deep sigh.
Hearing that, Kiana's expression fell, thinking Mei had lost respect for her.
But instead, Mei placed a hand gently on her shoulder and said earnestly, "Honestly, I'm glad you think that way, Kiana."
"Huh?"
"We're ordinary people. We don't have the power—or the responsibility—to save everyone. Protecting ourselves, and the people we care about, is already enough."
To lighten the mood, Mei affectionately ruffled Kiana's hair. "Before you said that, I thought you wanted to be some kind of hero who saves the whole world."
"I want to protect you," she said softly, "so I also want to protect what you want to protect."
Kiana stared at Mei, stunned.
Did Mei just say she wanted to protect her?
That last line—protecting the people she cared about… did that mean Kiana was one of them?
"…That's something I should be saying to you instead," Kiana mumbled.
But she couldn't help feeling a warmth in her chest.
"Well," Mei said with a gentle smile, "it's not too late to say it now."
"Mei, you're the most important person to me," Kiana declared. "No matter what happens, I'll always protect you—and I'll do my best to protect everything you care about too."
Kiana had made up her mind.
That was her new goal.
She would never again let the Mei before her be consumed by despair—never again lose everything, never again walk the path of self-destruction.
"Mei, can you give me the cursed blade?"
"The cursed blade?" Mei repeated, handing it over. "You want to keep it?"
"I want to run an experiment."
"With your help, I was able to defeat that Kami. And since this sword was meant for you anyway, do what you want with it—just be careful not to hurt yourself."
"Don't worry. A mere cursed blade can't hurt me," Kiana said confidently.
A low-level Kami's corruption?
As if it could overcome the Authority of Finality.
Drawing the blade, Kiana once again saw the same information window appear before her—along with the familiar recycling prompt.
She hadn't asked for the cursed blade out of sentiment. She wanted to test the system's recycling function, to see if it worked differently with something like this.
Staring at the blade shrouded in resentment, Kiana silently willed the command—Recycle.
The sword in her hands trembled violently, almost as if it were alive. It let out a faint, mournful hum before shattering into countless fragments of light.
"This…"
Raiden Mei's eyes widened in astonishment. Lacking the knowledge to understand, she couldn't tell whether this was due to Kiana—or something within the sword itself.
[Cursed Blade (C) Recycled] — You have gained 100 Honkai Cubes. Cubes can be exchanged for items in the Shop.
First Recycle Completed — You have received a Gift of Honkai. Please select one from the following rewards:
— Houkai Final Handcannon (★★★★★): A weapon imbued with faint traces of Finality's power. Defeating enemies generates a cursed domain, continuously applying curse effects to all within it.
— Thunder Soul Engraving (Stigmata): A top-tier Stigmata that amplifies close-combat weapons and lightning abilities. Its properties can be enhanced through combat or Honkai Cubes.
Kiana's eyes went wide—and then she swore under her breath.
"Damn it!"
At that moment, she finally realized why her skill "Phase Shuffle" had felt so strange from the very beginning.
This wasn't Honkai Impact 3rd's system at all.
It was Houkai Gakuen's!
Kiana's entire mind short-circuited.
She had always assumed her Honkai System was from Impact 3rd—but no, it was from Gakuen?!
Wait a second—Kiana… with no surname.
It wasn't that this world lacked the Kaslana family.
It was because she was the Kiana from Houkai Gakuen—the one born of Finality itself?!
A chill ran down her spine. She almost felt like coughing up blood.
Never mind the end-of-the-world implications—for crying out loud, Houkai Gakuen was full of monsters with attack values measured in the trillions!
Now add in the invasion of Takamagahara's Yaoyorozu no Kami—and on top of that, the looming shadow of Nihility…
Just the thought made her scalp go numb.
"Kiana? Are you alright?"
Mei's worried voice snapped her back to reality. Kiana stared at her blankly, muttering under her breath, "This world is doomed… Maybe we should just run away together?"
"What are you saying, Kiana?" Mei's expression turned pale as she grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. "Don't scare me like that! Are you okay? Did that sword corrupt you?"
"…It didn't corrupt me," Kiana said weakly, "but this world's about to be completely overrun by Honkai…"
Her mind was a mess, and without thinking any further, she made her choice between the two rewards.
Naturally, she chose the Thunder Soul Engraving.
It was tied to Raiden Mei.
To Kiana, this wasn't a multiple-choice question—it was a single answer.
Even if the other option had been a seven-star weapon, she would've abandoned it without hesitation.