With the experience from previous shoots, Kiana and the others quickly got into character.
This made the filming progress very smooth, and under their influence, Wendy also performed exceptionally well.
In the evening, Mei streamed cooking as arranged by Hessian.
A week passed unknowingly.
Soon, it was time for the third episode of Honkai Impact 3rd.
After a week of live streams building hype, attention on Honkai Impact 3rd had skyrocketed. Even before broadcast, millions of viewers were already waiting in front of their TVs.
Amid everyone's anticipation, the opening theme ended.
The plot officially began.
With the exam over, the Valkyries returned to their usual days. Kiana, Mei, and Bronya were headed across the ocean to New Zealand to recover the Desire Gem.
Thanks to Kiana's spoiler during her stream, all the viewers realized this mission was no simple task—after all, it involved confronting a Herrscher.
Murata Himeko explained the Desire Gem to the three: "Three years ago, Schicksal launched a classified research project, hoping to develop armament capable of rivaling a Herrscher using this crystal. Unfortunately, the research failed, and afterward, the Desire Gem has been stored at the Oceania Branch."
Soon, the three proceeded toward their destination.
The journey was filled with Deadwalkers and Honkai beasts; the trio's coordinated combat against enemies was one of the drama's highlights.
Especially the battles of three beautiful girls—it was a feast for the audience's eyes.
"Mei-senpai, wait!"
Bronya suddenly spoke up.
Mei asked in confusion: "What's wrong, Bronya?"
Bronya looked at the detector in her hand: "The life detector shows a life sign 50 meters to the east."
Mei looked in the direction she indicated: "East... I see it! There's a girl in a wheelchair over there. It's dangerous here—we have to hurry and save her."
Himeko's voice came through their earpieces: "Looks like you've found the target."
Target??
Mei quickly asked: "Isn't our target the Desire Gem? But we've only found this young lady."
Himeko said: "According to the latest intelligence from the Oceania Branch, this young lady is the Desire Gem."
What?
The three all turned to look at the girl in the wheelchair.
The girl timidly introduced herself: "Um... my name is Wendy."
The three of Kiana looked at each other, momentarily confused about the situation, but they still protected Wendy carefully.
Himeko continued: "Let me explain. Three years ago, during an experiment at the Oceania Branch, the Desire Gem was implanted into Miss Wendy's legs."
"It was fused with the bones in her lower legs, in hopes of obtaining power on par with a Herrscher."
Hearing this, Mei carefully observed Wendy: "So that means Miss Wendy should possess immense power? But she looks very weak right now."
Himeko explained: "Although Wendy was the most outstanding Valkyrie at the Oceania Branch at the time and was once considered likely to become the fourth S-rank Valkyrie of this generation, unfortunately, she couldn't control that power."
Wendy also said: "It was because I wasn't strong enough... Not only could I not control the Desire Gem's power, but because of the crystal, I also lost the ability to walk."
Mei quickly pressed: "How could that happen... Then why not remove the crystal? Because of it, Miss Wendy can only sit in a wheelchair now!"
Himeko said: "In nearly all other mediums, the Desire Gem is extremely unstable, but inside Wendy's body, it stabilized."
Mei understood: "In other words, to preserve the crystal, Schicksal used Miss Wendy's body as a container? That's... too much!"
At this moment,
the viewers watching the TV also felt a chill.
Whether it was Himeko's emotionless explanation—as if she were already accustomed to it—or Wendy sitting in the wheelchair, having long accepted her fate,
everything revealed Schicksal's extremely inhumane way of doing things.
This also caused everyone to feel a slight resistance and disgust toward Schicksal in their hearts.
And the plot continued.
Bronya carried Wendy with Project Bunny; the four fought while talking along the way, and their bonds gradually deepened.
They even hoped that after returning to St. Freya Academy, they could help remove the crystal so she could walk like a normal person.
After a series of battles,
they finally reached the evacuation point.
Kiana stretched: "Ugh, Auntie Himeko, we're almost back to the Hyperion."
Himeko said helplessly: "Who's calling me auntie? Whatever—stay where you are and prepare to board."
Bronya felt a bit down; earlier, she had asked if St. Freya's technology could remove the crystal, and the answer was no.
"Wendy, Bronya is very sorry."
Wendy lowered her head: "No, Sister Bronya didn't do anything wrong..."
She slowly raised her head.
Himeko's expression instantly grew serious as she urgently said over comms: "The detector has picked up a Honkai energy reaction—is it from the Desire Gem inside Wendy?"
"Wait, the reaction intensity is rising rapidly..."
"1500 HW... 2000 HW—what's happening?"
Wendy suddenly said: "2000 HW... that should be enough to destroy the Hyperion in one strike, right?"
The three of Kiana instantly went on alert: "Miss Wendy... what are you saying?"
Wendy sneered coldly: "A bunch of hypocrites—I hate you, I hate all of you. I want to kill every single one of you—hahahahaha..."
She suddenly flew up from the chair, completely descending into madness.
Countless gusts of violent wind swept in all directions.
Himeko stared at the screen: "This energy reaction... could it be... Wendy, have you unleashed the power of the Desire Gem? Or have you been controlled by the Honkai will within the crystal?"
Wendy paid no attention to the three.
She turned into a gust of wind and vanished from the scene.
Seeing this,
the audience in front of their TVs was stunned.
Someone immediately posted in the fan group: "Holy crap? This can't be real, right? I thought it was a beautiful girl adventure completing the mission and then happily returning— but she actually turned dark?"
"That's what makes it exciting. After being treated like that by Schicksal, even having the hope of standing again stripped away—it's abnormal if she doesn't turn dark."
"This plot is great—this is what feels real. Only reality can highlight beauty."
"Damn it, what the hell is Schicksal? Everything they do is this kind of bastard thing. Wendy was clearly so cute and gentle."
"Schicksal—it's all because of that damn Schicksal. I hope the three main girls are okay."