"What are you talking about, Kiana?"
Raiden Mei reached out to touch her forehead, now genuinely worried that Kiana might have been affected by the cursed blade.
Otherwise, why was she saying such strange things?
"…It's nothing."
Feeling the presence of the Thunder Soul Engraving, Kiana's head still buzzed with the shock of what she had just learned, but she forced herself to calm down.
No, no—she had to think this through properly.
Even if this was the Honkai system from Houkai Gakuen, this world wasn't Gakuen. It wasn't even Earth. They were in Izumo, part of the Star Rail universe.
Which meant—there was no Cocoon, no Commander.
Besides, she was already the Herrscher of Finality. The system had never said that reaching 100% progress would cause her to lose control and sing the world its final requiem.
As long as she stayed sane, the Honkai wasn't necessarily a threat.
With that thought, Kiana's mind slowly steadied. Humanity had fallen to the Honkai before largely because they couldn't overcome the Herrscher of Finality.
But Honkai only reached its peak in the later stages.
By then, how many people in Izumo would even remain?
And in the late stage, they would have to face the shadow of Nihility anyway.
With that grim realization, Kiana found herself becoming strangely calm. If the system was even granting her gear from Houkai Gakuen, its benefits clearly outweighed its risks.
Besides, wasn't there still the Aeons?
If things ever got truly out of hand, she could always abandon Izumo, leave the planet behind, and let the Aeon of Nihility handle the rest.
"Mei, do you want to become stronger?" she suddenly asked.
The Thunder Soul Engraving had been chosen specifically for Raiden Mei. And now, with Mei right in front of her, there was no reason to keep it hidden.
Mei's expression faltered for a moment. Her brows furrowed slightly—Kiana's words, her tone, her behavior… everything felt off.
Kiana had said strange things before. And she'd just shattered a cursed blade into starlight.
"I just sacrificed the cursed blade," Kiana explained, "and got a Stigmata perfectly suited for you—the Thunder Soul Engraving!"
She raised her right hand, and a purple projection appeared above her palm—the shimmering image of the sigil.
"Humans have limits," Kiana said confidently. "But with a Stigmata, it's different!"
She recalled the powerful Stigmata users from Houkai Gakuen 2, her voice brimming with certainty. "If you develop a Stigmata to its full potential, you'll be on par with the gods themselves."
Mei's hand instinctively brushed toward her waist—but her sword was no longer there. She had handed it to Kiana earlier.
Keeping her composure, she asked, "What exactly is a Stigmata?"
"A Stigmata is… well…"
Kiana froze, the projection flickering away as her brain stalled. What was a Stigmata, really?
"It's… a symbol of Honkai resistance?" she said, scratching her head in confusion. Honestly, she wasn't sure how to explain it.
"It's like an engraving!" she said finally, deciding to quote the system. "It strengthens weapons and grants the power of lightning."
"I see." Mei nodded slowly, her belief that Kiana had been affected by the cursed blade growing stronger. "So, how do you give it to me?"
"Easy!" Kiana said cheerfully. "Sit down and take off your clothes!"
She only needed to attach it like a tattoo—simple and straightforward.
Mei froze, her face flushing bright red.
"Take off… my clothes?" she repeated, her voice laced with disbelief.
Yes, they were close—but undressing right in front of Kiana…?
Even if she thought Kiana was acting under the influence of some corruption, the request alone was enough to make her blush furiously.
"Yes! I'll place it on your back," Kiana said matter-of-factly.
Was this really Kiana talking, or had the cursed blade's influence warped her mind?
"This Stigmata you mentioned—it grants the power of lightning, right?" Mei said carefully. "Then maybe we should… go back to the shrine first. It's safer there."
"Go to the shrine?"
Kiana hesitated.
It was already night, almost dinnertime. Going out again would be a hassle… but then again, it wasn't a bad idea.
At least she could walk Mei home—and maybe grab dinner together along the way.
"Right," Mei said softly, sensing Kiana's hesitation. "Bring your things and stay at the shrine tonight. We can talk more about Almighty Thunder there."
"Sure!"
Staying overnight at the shrine?
That was even better—an entire night with Mei! Kiana eagerly agreed, completely unaware that Mei's real plan was to bring her back to the shrine to observe her condition… and, if necessary, knock some sense back into her.
"Pack up, and we'll head out soon," Mei said.
"Give me a sec! I'll be quick!"
Kiana ran back to her room. As soon as she disappeared, Mei's smile faded, replaced by a look of quiet concern.
"She seems fine now," Mei murmured to herself, frowning. "Did she… really recover?"
Had Kiana truly returned to normal?
Mei shook her head. Whatever the case, she decided—it was best to get her back to the shrine first.
The living room was sparsely decorated, and from the looks of it, Kiana didn't spend much time at home. Most of the furnishings were just for show.
"All set, Mei! Let's go!"
Kiana reappeared quickly, backpack slung over her shoulder, her face beaming with enthusiasm.
"Alright, let's head out."
If it hadn't been for that octopus-like Kami, Mei would've never revealed herself earlier, never let Kiana know she had been following her.
She had only done so out of worry for Kiana's safety after seeing her injured—but still, "following" someone wasn't exactly something that sounded good.
Thankfully, Kiana hadn't been offended or upset. She understood—and even seemed appreciative.
That, at least, was a relief.
But even so… that cursed blade, and the way Kiana had spoken—"humanity has its limits"—
Those words left Mei uneasy.
"Why are you staring at me like that, Mei?" Kiana asked with a grin.
"No reason," Mei said quickly, then added, "I was just wondering—do you want to grab something to eat on the way?"
"My stomach's already growling…" Kiana said, rubbing her abdomen. They'd only had some snacks on the street earlier, before everything had gone downhill—chasing Yae Sakura, getting beaten, then teaching some thugs a lesson, fighting a Kami…
After all that, of course she was starving.
"How about ramen?" Mei suggested.
"Perfect!"
Kiana wasn't picky—food was food.
As for asking Mei to cook for her? No way. Mei had already been through enough today. Kiana wouldn't dare make her do even more work.
Though, admittedly, Mei was a good cook.
When Kiana used to visit the shrine to practice swordsmanship, they would sometimes share lunch there together.
Meanwhile, Mei was still deep in thought.
Had the corruption truly disappeared from Kiana's body? Was she really back to normal?
Looking ahead, Mei spotted a familiar street corner. "Take a right up ahead," she said. "There's a ramen shop I used to go to as a kid—it's pretty good."
"Ramen that Mei likes? Awesome! I've got to try it!"
Mei smiled faintly, her expression softening. "I don't think you'll be disappointed."