Long train tracks extended to the horizon where the sea met the sky, and the mellow sound of the train whistle drifted in the gentle sea breeze.
A family boarded the train hand in hand, traversing the calm harbor...
A perfect vacation was about to begin.
Unless the Honkai suddenly happened...
...
"Hmm...?"
When Lin Ling slowly opened her eyes from unconsciousness, the first thing she saw was a ceiling made entirely of metal. Looking around, she saw several glowing monitors, numerous high-tech instruments she couldn't understand, and various wires connected to her body.
Beside her was an older woman with fiery red hair.
She was staring at Lin Ling intently, perhaps observing her?
Lin Ling hurriedly sat up, hugging her chest, and shrank back into a corner, cautiously asking, "Wh-where am I?"
Seeing the sole survivor of this small Honkai Outbreak awaken, Himeko Murata forced a smile, "You're awake, little girl. This is the Hyperion. Don't be afraid; it's all over now. You're safe..."
"Hyperion? Over? Safe?"
Hearing these familiar terms and seeing the rapidly retreating clouds outside the window, Lin Ling's mind raced.
Suddenly, she had a bold idea!
Am I really safe? She's not lying to me, is she?
Have I crossed over into the world of StarCraft?!
But Lin Ling soon realized she was mistaken.
"Major Himeko! The Hyperion is about to arrive at St. Freya Academy."
A girl's voice came from the doorway.
"Got it," Himeko replied, then patted Lin Ling's shoulder reassuringly, "Don't be sad. From now on, you're part of the St. Freya Academy family. You won't be alone. I'll take you to meet the principal and get you enrolled."
Himeko? St. Freya Academy? Hyperion... I understand now...
Lin Ling finally realized she was on another Hyperion battleship, in the world of Honkai Impact 3rd, a world possibly more dangerous than StarCraft in a sense...
"Incredible..."
After learning the truth, Lin Ling was filled with emotion, "Hmm! My voice?"
She suddenly noticed her voice seemed different.
Before she could react to her voice, a cold mechanical female voice sounded in her mind.
[Ding~ System Alert: Congratulations to the host for acquiring this system. By causing psychological fluctuations in others, there is a chance to copy their abilities, including but not limited to...]
This voice further confirmed that she had indeed transmigrated!
Seeing the girl's stunned and surprised reactions, Himeko worriedly asked, "Hey? Are you okay? Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"
Roar~ Chuff!
Accompanied by the roar of engines, the massive battleship slowly landed on St. Freya Academy's designated helipad.
"Himeko, how did it go this time?"
As the hatch opened, welcoming Himeko and others was a petite, white-haired girl.
Theresa, who looked like a child but had nearly fifty years of wisdom and... age.
"Alas~" Himeko sighed, "Unfortunately, we were still a step too late. A train speeding along the coast was overturned by Honkai beasts, and the entire train sank into the sea..."
"Hmm..."
Though Theresa had heard countless stories of Honkai disasters, it was something she could never get used to.
After a moment of silence, she continued, "Any survivors?"
"Only one girl survived. Though she's infected with Honkai energy, she doesn't show signs of becoming a zombie. She seems to have good resistance to Honkai energy, so I brought her back. She might have the potential to become a Valkyrie."
"Well... we can only do that. Where is she? Let me see." Theresa stood on tiptoe to look into the Hyperion cabin, wanting to see what the girl looked like.
"She just woke up and seems a bit dazed. When I talked to her, she seemed distracted," Himeko replied, "But it's understandable, given what she's been through. She might need some time to recover... Hmm?!"
"Hey~" A girl in loose beachwear and colorful sunglasses jumped out of the Hyperion cabin instead of using the ladder.
"Wow, jumping from this height and my legs don't hurt? Honkai energy is amazing."
After landing steadily, the girl looked around and pouted slightly, "So this is St. Freya Academy? Doesn't seem like much."
As the principal, Theresa was very displeased to hear someone disparage her academy and said to Himeko, "Hey? Himeko, lower your head. I need to tell you something."
"What's up?" Though puzzled, Himeko lowered her head.
"Is that girl the sole survivor you mentioned? And she dares look down on our academy? She's too arrogant!"
"Well, my dear principal, bear with it. This little girl might have suffered head trauma or psychological shock, so she seems a bit abnormal, possibly even amnesiac. She doesn't remember anything except her name, not even her parents or home..."
"Hey!"
As Himeko and Theresa whispered, Lin Ling suddenly came over.
"Auntie Himeko, what are you whispering about with that little brat? Aren't you taking me to meet the principal? Let's go."
"What did you call me!?＃" x2
Lin Ling effortlessly offended both women with one sentence.
And she did it on purpose.
She recognized the petite white-haired girl as the legal loli.
But she deliberately provoked them to test if the voice in her mind was true—that causing emotional fluctuations in others could grant her their abilities. In this perilous world, enhancing her abilities was crucial for survival.
[Ding~ System Alert: Host slightly angered Himeko Murata and Theresa Apocalypse. Honkai energy adaptation increased by 1%.]
Then she heard the system's prompt.
Only 1%? Lin Ling was a bit dissatisfied.
Looks like she needs to be even more ruthless.
"Whoa!"
The next moment, she felt her feet lift off the ground, and she was suspended in the air.
Looking closely, she saw that Theresa used the chains attached to her weapon, the Oath of Judah, to bind her limbs, suspending her mid-air.
"You were looking for the principal, right? That's me! Come with me! I need to thoroughly examine your body! Especially your brain to see if there's something wrong!"
With that, the angry principal dragged the newcomer who dared provoke her repeatedly into a small room.