As long as she could stabilize Yae Sakura's emotions—everything else would fall into place.
That was the conclusion Kiana had reached after quietly observing her.
It sounded simple enough, but in practice, it was far from easy. Yae Sakura's heart had already collapsed once before. Her very consciousness had drowned in darkness.
Once someone had fallen that deep, regaining faith in themselves wasn't easy. One misstep could send them spiraling from one extreme into another.
But Kiana didn't think that far ahead. To her, they were friends—and as Sakura's current support, she believed she could help her recover sooner.
Fortunately, Yae Sakura wasn't difficult to comfort.
After hearing Kiana's reassuring words, she forced herself to calm down, clinging to Kiana as though she were a lifeline.
"What happened... afterward?"
After steadying her confused memories, Yae Sakura remembered that final moment vividly. She remembered choosing to stay behind.
"...Afterward?"
Sakura's question struck the core of everything. Kiana, suddenly distant, lowered her gaze, her tone sinking like a stone. "Obviously—I failed."
"That wasn't your fault."
Sensing her guilt, Yae Sakura stepped closer, her voice firm but gentle. "Kiana, you've already done more than enough for Izumo."
"I know."
But Kiana brushed past her comfort, unwilling to linger on the subject. "The powers of Honkai and Nihility were constantly clashing. Even I was affected by Nihility's influence—I lost consciousness for a long time."
"I don't even know how long it was. When I woke up again, it was over a year ago."
"At that time, my mind was blank—just like yours was before. Luckily, I met someone kind. She noticed something special about me and took me in."
"It wasn't until recently that I began to remember everything again... and that's why I came back to Izumo."
Her explanation was clear enough, and Yae Sakura finally understood what Kiana had been through. Yet, something felt missing from her story—someone was missing.
"...Raiden Mei. What about her?"
Yae Sakura's relationship with Raiden Mei had always been rather distant. They didn't talk much. But at this moment, she couldn't help but ask.
Because in her heart, she knew that to Kiana, no one was more important than Raiden Mei.
A faint bitterness tugged at her chest. From the very beginning, it was Kiana's devotion to her friends that had drawn Sakura to her. She had always admired the bond Kiana shared with Mei—and now, she still felt that same envy.
Even jealousy.
Because Raiden Mei could so easily capture all of Kiana's attention.
"...I don't know."
"I didn't find her near Izumo. Nor did I find any trace of the Ark. But I'm sure—they're still alive."
She still remembered what Jyahnar had said.
Wait—Robin!
Kiana's face shifted slightly as the thought struck her. She looked up at Yae Sakura and hesitated. "Sakura, I might need to leave for a bit. The friend who came with me is still waiting outside Izumo."
Leave? The very thought made Yae Sakura's heart tighten. Before she knew it, she was already clutching Kiana's hand tightly.
"Don't worry," Kiana said softly, sensing her fear. "I won't leave you behind."
Her grip tightened slightly, but her voice remained warm. "I... plan to bring you with me—your Stigmata, to be precise."
She hadn't found any trace of Mei or Sirin yet. The only person she knew in Izumo now was Yae Sakura—whose existence remained within this Stigmata World.
A Stigmata was simple enough to carry.
It only needed to be embedded onto one's body.
If she wanted to see Sakura again, she could do so at any time.
Right now, Kiana still lacked the means to fully resurrect her. And since Sakura was so attached to her sister within this world, she might not even want to return alone.
But what if... she could bring the entire Stigmata World—and everyone in it—into reality?
Yae Sakura's eyes widened in astonishment.
"I plan to take your Stigmata with me. Sakura... would you come with me, and leave Izumo behind?"
Kiana sought Yae Sakura's opinion carefully. "If you don't want to, that's fine. I still have a friend who can't leave Izumo yet—she's very strong. I can ask her to look after you."
"No, I want to go with you!"
Yae Sakura shook her head firmly. This was an opportunity she couldn't bear to miss. She had endured far too much loneliness—she didn't want to be alone anymore. Not ever again.
"I knew you wouldn't want to be apart from me," Kiana said with a grin, her energy returning at last.
"I want to stay by your side—to be with you," Yae Sakura continued earnestly. "No matter where it is, as long as it's with you, I'm willing to go!"
...The Stigmata World had truly left deep scars on her heart.
Kiana could feel the weight of Sakura's words and understood them all too well. Given time, she would heal. Once they found Mei and Sirin, Yae Sakura's spirit would surely recover.
"Well then, I'll take this Stigmata with me," Kiana said with a lighthearted smile. "I've just modified the operational rules of this Stigmata World. From now on, Rin is free—she won't die from any more accidents."
"...Thank you. Thank you, Kiana."
"We're friends, aren't we?" Kiana replied warmly.
Of course, she had made some adjustments to the Stigmata World. She couldn't place all the burden on Yae Sakura alone. With her power, tweaking a stable Stigmata World was a simple task—especially since she planned to carry this one with her.
After all, she'd never equipped a Stigmata on herself before.
"Go take care of Rin. Once I handle things outside, I'll come back for you and take care of the remaining risks in the Stigmata World."
Yae Sakura lowered her gaze to the hand still gripping Kiana's, hesitated, then slowly loosened her hold. "I believe you," she said softly. "I'll be here, waiting for you."
You call that believing? Kiana sighed inwardly, half amused and half helpless. She patted Sakura's shoulder gently. "Once I equip the Stigmata, I'll give you access to observe the outside world. That way, you won't get bored."
"I'll find a way," Kiana promised. "I'll find a way to bring both you and Rin out of the Stigmata World—into reality."
She had found a new purpose to strive for—one that now outweighed even rebuilding Izumo.
Yae Sakura watched, reluctant, as Kiana waved to her and vanished before her eyes. The moment Kiana disappeared, Sakura's mood sank, and the faint smile on her lips faded.
She had grown so used to Kiana's presence that the sudden absence left an empty ache in her chest.
Kiana... she would keep her promise, wouldn't she?
She would come back. She had to.
Outside—in the real world—Kiana finally opened her eyes after spending several days immersed in the Stigmata World.
And the moment she did, she nearly jumped out of her skin.
A delicate, expressionless face hovered just inches from hers—so close that if she moved even slightly, their lips would have touched.
Too close!
Startled, Kiana waved her hand, which passed straight through Jyahnar's body. Stumbling back two steps, she stared wide-eyed at the unbothered figure and exclaimed, "What the hell, Jyahnar?!"
The moment she opened her eyes, a face was pressed right up against hers.
No matter how pretty it was—it was still terrifying!
"I want to leave with you too," Jyahnar said softly. "To be with you forever—never apart."
Kiana's expression froze.
Since when had Jyahnar become so... intense?
That gravity was absurd!
Forever together, never apart.
What kind of yandere line was that?!
"I'd love to take you with me," Kiana said, trying to reason with her, "but you can't even take human form yet. If we left together like this, we'd draw way too much attention."
Jyahnar fell silent.
Over the past few days, she had organized her thoughts. And though she understood Kiana's logic—she simply didn't want to accept it. She wanted to stay with her.
"But we agreed before, didn't we?"
Kiana couldn't even imagine what kind of chaos would erupt if she showed up outside with a Planet-class Honkai Beast casually following her around.
She had no choice but to keep reasoning with Jyahnar—to calm her unexpected change of heart.
"You can guard things here for me," Kiana said. "I'll go take care of some business outside. Once I'm done, I'll come back for you."
Jyahnar stared silently at the Honkai Cube in Kiana's hand, her tone edged with displeasure. "...But you're taking that with you?"
"You saw what just happened, didn't you?" Kiana replied.
"I still want to stay by your side."
Kiana felt a headache coming on. She waved her hand through Jyahnar's projection, sighing. "I want to take you with me, but look—you don't even have a physical form. There's no way I can bring you along like this."
Jyahnar looked down at her own ethereal projection, a flicker of regret crossing her face. Why couldn't she take on a human shape?
"And you can't make yourself smaller, either," Kiana added with a wry smile. "Even if I wanted to, taking you along would be impossible. Besides, you wouldn't want to go out looking like that, right? You'd bring me endless trouble."
Jyahnar lowered her head in disappointment.
Deep inside, she began yearning—to take on a human form.
But such things couldn't be achieved overnight. She had never thought about it before, and now, the desire had only just begun to form.
Seeing that her words were working, Kiana gathered a faint light on her fingers and reached out—her hand brushing gently against Jyahnar's projected cheek.
"This is..."
The sensation startled Jyahnar. That was Kiana's touch—her warmth. She carefully lifted her hand, her projection trembling as she reached out to feel the warmth and shape of Kiana's fingers.
"Be good," Kiana said softly. "I'll come back for you once I've finished things outside."
Then, with a teasing smile, she added, "And hey, if you manage to take human form, I'll come pick you up myself."
But Jyahnar wasn't satisfied with that fleeting contact. She tried to touch Kiana's face, only for her hand to pass straight through—unable to feel a thing.
Still just a projection.
Looking down at her intangible body, Jyahnar nodded to herself. "I want to become human," she whispered. "I want to be with you forever."
To her, becoming human and being with Kiana forever had become the same thing.
"No problem," Kiana said, brushing it off. "Until you find what you really want to do, you can stay by my side for as long as you like."
Reassured, Jyahnar reluctantly withdrew her hand. "Then go," she said softly. "I'll try to take human form as soon as possible—so we can be together forever."
"...You really don't have to keep saying 'forever,' you know."
Kiana scratched her cheek awkwardly, glancing down at the Honkai Crystal in her hand. "Oh, right—keep an eye out for these Stigmata Crystals, okay?"
Jyahnar studied the crystal in her hand, nodding silently.
She actually regretted giving it to Kiana. That thing had captured all of Kiana's attention—and the consciousness inside it seemed determined to stay close to her, which she found deeply annoying.
But this was Kiana's request.
"I'll help you collect them," Jyahnar said at last.
"Thanks, Jyahnar."
Kiana smiled warmly. "It's really great having you around."
Without her help, Kiana wouldn't have even known about the existence of these Stigmata Crystals—much less tracked them all down across such a vast world.
It was going to take her a lot of time.
Hearing Kiana's words of gratitude, Jyahnar's mood suddenly lifted. The gloom that had been clinging to her vanished, replaced by bright contentment.
Kiana gazed down at the Stigmata Crystal in her hand, took a deep breath, and infused it with Honkai energy.
Under the influence of her power, the crystal began to emit a gentle, soft glow.
A new Stigmata appeared before her.
Its design—and the energy hidden within—were unlike anything she had seen before.
[Stigmata of the Sakura Beyond: A supreme-grade Stigmata born through chance. When equipped, it greatly enhances sword damage and allows the summoning of the 'Frost Edict Edge' to aid in battle.]
[Frost Edict Edge: A blade forged from the slaying of Heaven's Winter Cloak. Each strike inflicts frost-type damage upon its target.
Special Effects:
Kotodama – Unleashes the Edict Edge's true form, reviving the power of Heaven's Winter Cloak.
Frost Kami – All frost-type damage is tripled.]
The stats and attributes didn't matter much to her—Kiana was already a powerhouse. Anything she could solve with a single fight was never really a problem.
She equipped the Stigmata.
The crystal transformed into a streak of crimson light, marking her back with a vivid red pattern.
Instantly, her influence over the Stigmata World deepened.
Although she had once again managed to talk Jyahnar into cooperating, the massive Honkai Beast still felt uneasy watching the scene unfold.
She had to stay behind.
But the crystals she collected—their Stigmata consciousnesses—could leave with Kiana.
How could she not feel conflicted?
"I should get going, Jyahnar."
This visit to Izumo had yielded more than she expected. Enough that she no longer felt so restless.
"I know," Jyahnar said seriously. "I'll stay here, keep collecting these crystals for you, and try to take human form as soon as possible."
Kiana smiled, patting her on the shoulder. "I believe in you. Once I've handled everything outside, I'll come back soon."
Her reassurance seemed to settle Jyahnar's heart.
Originally, Kiana had only planned to take Yae Sakura's Stigmata with her. But since she would eventually need Ruan Mei's help anyway, she hesitated—and decided to bring a few additional Stigmata Crystals as backups, storing them safely away.
Once that was done, she bid Jyahnar farewell once more.
Jyahnar silently watched her leave, her projection gradually fading. Deep in the ocean depths, a pair of crimson beast eyes opened—watching in the direction Kiana had gone.
Coming here hadn't been easy, and leaving was just as difficult.
The environment of Izumo was far too harsh. It took Kiana a great deal of effort to safely escape the vortex of Nihility and Honkai energy that surrounded the world.
Looking back, she saw what seemed like a massive spiral storm—a world torn between two opposing forces of corrosion. Shaking her head, Kiana turned and began the long journey back the way she came.
She had no idea how many system hours had passed...