Honkai Impact 3rd: Catching the Herrscher of Sentience at the Start

"Aaah~! I'm scared to death..."

Pardo's legs trembled as she watched Fu Lin slowly approach. Without another word, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted. Mei reacted quickly, catching her and gently laying her on the ground.

Lying on the ground, Pardo slightly opened one eye to check the situation, then quickly shut it again, silently chanting in her mind, "I'm already dead, don't eat me! I'm already dead, don't eat me!"

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"Still not done playing?" Mei crossed her arms and looked at Fu Lin, who was still tilting his head, frowning involuntarily.

At this moment, Fu Lin wanted to find a hole to crawl into. His prank had backfired on himself. As soon as he moved his even neck slightly, a sharp pain surged through him.

He couldn't fix it himself and could only ask Mei for help. Looking at Mei with teary eyes and a pale face, he said, "Help me, Mei... I twisted my neck, and now it hurts whenever I move. I can't turn it back..."

"...Sigh~" Mei closed her eyes, pressed her forehead, and sighed, unable to bear looking directly at the situation. But she couldn't just leave Fu Lin like this, so she placed both hands on Fu Lin's cheeks.

"Wait, you're not just going to—ah!!!!" Before Fu Lin could finish his sentence, with a cracking sound, a wave of intense pain shot through his brain. His anguished scream echoed throughout the entire Elysian Realm.

The Flame-Chasers and Honkai beasts roaming in different corners of the Elysian Realm all turned toward the direction of the sound, their eyes filled with confusion.

Mei stood with one hand on her hip, frowning as she looked at the pained Fu Lin, and asked worriedly, "Are you okay?"

Fu Lin, his face pale and back soaked in sweat, leaned against the wall, weakly saying, "Thanks... It's much better now..."

Upon hearing the scream die down, Pardo eagerly got up from the ground, cheering, "I knew it! Mei, you're the strongest! Even vengeful spirits are no match for you!"

"Pardo, I'm still here..." Fu Lin pouted, looking lifelessly at Pardo, his face full of displeasure.

Pardo hid behind Mei and whispered, "Ah! Mei, shock him! I heard ghosts are most afraid of lightning!"

Mei nodded slightly, a faint smile appearing on her lips. She extended her hand, which crackled with lightning, and walked toward Fu Lin.

Fu Lin's eyes widened in terror as he pressed against the wall with nowhere to escape. He quickly spoke up, "...Mei, you're not serious, right?"

"Nothing much, just giving you a little scare. You deserve it for bullying Pardo." Mei retracted her lightning and, pressing her hands on Fu Lin's shoulders, whispered in her ear. Then, her lips lightly touched Fu Lin's cheek.

Fu Lin, covering her cheek, froze in place. Mei smirked, turned around, and walked toward Pardo, reassuring her, "Ahem! It's fine now, Pardo. He's my friend, not a vengeful spirit. He was just scaring you earlier, and I've already gotten revenge for you."

Pardo pouted at Fu Lin and muttered, "Hmph... What's the point of scaring me..."

As the three talked, a Honkai beast suddenly appeared out of thin air. Mei reacted quickly, drawing her sword and slicing it in half with a single strike.

But before Mei could relax, another Honkai beast appeared out of nowhere and attacked again. No matter how many Mei defeated, more and more kept emerging.

Mei's expression grew serious as she realized the situation was unusual. She stood in front of Fu Lin and Pardo, saying, "Looks like we've got trouble. These monsters are different from the ones before. Pardo, take Fu Lin and move further away."

"Got it, Mei!" Pardo nodded quickly and led Fu Lin away from the battlefield. She knew she wouldn't be able to help and could only cheer Mei on from afar.

Fu Lin looked toward a particular green machine on the distant staircase, his face changing as he quickly shouted, "Mei! Take out that green thing first! It's the one summoning the Honkai beasts!"

"Understood." Mei swiftly cut through the horde and charged toward the strange machine. However, sensing danger, the machine immediately turned and fled.

Watching it escape, Mei hesitated for a moment, but her instincts told her she couldn't let it get away. Otherwise, something unexpected might happen. She immediately gave chase.

Fu Lin noticed that Pardo remained motionless beside him and said, "Pardo, go follow Mei."

Pardo pointed at herself, her eyes wide in disbelief.

"Me? No way! I'd only drag Mei down. I can't fight at all. I'd rather stay here with you, Brother Lin."

Fu Lin explained, "You don't have to fight—just be there in case anything happens to Mei. My neck is still injured, and I can't run fast. If you don't go now, you'll lose sight of her."

"I see... Alright! Wait for me, Mei!" With that, Pardo quickly ran after Mei, leaving Can behind to accompany Fu Lin.