Honkai Star Rail: Corruption System

Bronya stood firm against Topaz's threat, unwavering in the face of her actions. She inhaled deeply, the crisp, frigid air filling her lungs, as if injecting steely resolve into her very being. Her gaze remained locked on Topaz as she began her final warning, her voice tinged with a note of sadness yet flickering with a spark of hope.

"Ms. Topaz, perhaps you misunderstand," Bronya began, her voice echoing across the snow-covered expanse, as if carving each word into the frozen earth itself. "The most significant difference between us and your corporation… lies in the Creation Engine. It wasn't designed merely as a weapon of war."

She paused, her voice resonating powerfully across the snowfield. "More importantly, it is Belobog's guarantee of future rebuilding! It embodies the hope of us all, the very foundation upon which we survive in this desolate, frozen land!"

Turning to face the gathered people of Belobog behind her—Seele, Gepard, Pela, and countless others—Bronya's eyes swept across their faces, each weathered by wind and snow, etched with unwavering determination and quiet expectation.

Her voice swelled, imbued with an irresistible force of conviction. "I have gathered everyone here not just to confront external enemies, but to declare to Ms. Topaz, to all those skeptical eyes! We, the people of Belobog, are determined to safeguard our freedom! We must act, to prove to the world that we possess both the will and the ability to control our own destiny!"

Bronya's voice ignited a fire in the hearts of everyone present. Belobog soldiers straightened their postures, tightened their grips on their weapons, and their eyes blazed with fierce determination. Their breath billowed into white plumes in the frigid air, adding an ethereal veil to the stark snowscape.

Topaz listened intently to Bronya's impassioned speech, her expression shifting, becoming increasingly complex. "Great Guardian," Topaz finally responded, her voice low, carrying a barely perceptible whisper of envy, "you are an exceptional leader. If my own homeworld had been blessed with such a leader… perhaps the outcome would have been different." A faint sorrow laced her voice, like a distant echo of long-lost memories.

Her gaze momentarily drifted downwards, as if lost in recollection. But quickly, she lifted her head, the fleeting vulnerability in her eyes hardening into resolve. "However, I have become the beacon of hope for countless souls on my world. I carry their expectations, and for their sake, I cannot yield."

Topaz's voice regained its unwavering firmness, as if steeling herself once more. She raised her head, her gaze sharpening as she met Bronya's, then shifting to Daziel and Himeko. Her tone held a trace of apology, yet resonated with unyielding determination. "I am sorry, everyone. For the sake of my mission, I, too, must persist."

Daziel, witnessing the unshakeable resolve in Topaz's eyes, felt a disheartening sense of powerlessness wash over him. He understood that both Topaz and Bronya were driven by their own valid positions and compelling reasons; neither was inherently wrong. Yet, their divergent paths made conflict tragically inevitable. He desperately wished to halt this confrontation, but felt trapped, like a leaf caught in the swirling vortex of a whirlpool, unable to break free.

Just as despair began to settle in, a cold, mechanical voice cut through his thoughts, a jarring prompt from the inner world system.

"Ding!"

[Why doesn't the host consider leveraging the magical system? You are out of options.]

[A small sacrifice is all it takes to secure peace between two planets. What is there to dislike?]

[A mere 50% Corruption Value; my mission parameters are exceedingly lenient...]

It was that infernal inner world system again! Irritation surged through Daziel. He had naively hoped the system would grant him some respite after the last ordeal, but it was back, intruding upon his thoughts sooner than anticipated.

Clara's gentle nature and March 7th's silliness were one thing, somewhat easy to brush aside. But Topaz… Could he really bring himself to "farm Corruption Value" from her so casually? He looked at the woman before him, outwardly strong and composed, yet seemingly harboring a hidden fragility and an immense sense of responsibility. A complex wave of emotions washed over him.

He recoiled at the idea of forcibly "corrupting" anyone according to the system's cold directives, especially someone like Topaz, who clearly carried her own burdens. Would she even want this? If he stooped to such an act, how would he be any different from a villain?

Daziel hadn't imagined that he would one day face such weighty decisions, wrestling with his conscience, but here he was, undeniably struggling. Nevertheless, the system's mission prompt persisted, like an unseen whip cracking against his nerves, generating an inexplicable, mounting pressure.

Slowly, insidiously, he began to rationalize, to convince himself that the system was, in fact, correct—

This truly might be the only way.

No, he couldn't afford to hesitate any longer! The stable world line he desperately sought to maintain was at risk of shattering. This conflict had to be averted!

Thoughts raced through his mind, a turmoil of conflicting emotions. Daziel's gaze lingered on Topaz for another agonizing moment.

Finally, he reached a decision. "System," he tentatively inquired in his mind, his tone a mixture of apprehension and fragile hope, "can… can I pre-draw half of the payment?"

He knew this request bordered on the absurd, a ludicrous notion—who attempted to negotiate with a system? But the desperate circumstances forced him to gamble. Daziel needed more leverage, some tangible bargaining chip to convince Topaz, to make her believe in the potential of his intervention.

Silence descended from the system, a chilling void as if it were processing complex calculations. This brief pause stretched into an eternity for Daziel, each second as agonizingly long as a century.

Then, the cold, mechanical voice echoed again, shattering the suffocating silence.

[Under normal circumstances, such a request is disallowed.] The system's tone remained as emotionless and detached as ever.

[However, considering the potential actions of the host, this system has determined that setting a precedent is permissible.]

Hope surged through Daziel, a sudden, unexpected glimmer in the encroaching darkness.

[Should the host successfully elevate Topaz's Corruption Value to 70% before sunrise tomorrow, half of the agreed-upon funds will be transferred to your Interstellar Peace Bank account immediately. The remaining balance will be disbursed upon confirmation of mission completion.]

[Conversely, should the host fail to achieve the stipulated objective, the system will initiate annihilation protocol, resulting in the host's immediate self-destruction, thus concluding your interdimensional journey.]

[May I inquire: have you thoroughly considered this proposition?]

70% Corruption Value within a single day…? Daziel gasped inwardly. This condition was even more brutal than he had anticipated. March 7th had been driven to near-insanity at a mere 39% Corruption Value. If Topaz reached 70%… What horrific state would that plunge her into?

But he was cornered, trapped in a situation with no escape. There was no turning back now.

"Okay, I agree," Daziel grit his teeth, his response resolute, echoing in the silent chambers of his mind.

"Ding!"

[Funds have been credited. Please verify your account.]

The system's prompt confirmed the grim pact. Daziel knew the deal was sealed, and he was now irrevocably committed to this preposterous mission.

He took a deep, steadying breath, forcing himself to regain a semblance of composure. Then, he turned to address the expectant crowd.

"I have found a way to help Belobog repay its debts!" Daziel announced, his voice, though not loud, carrying with surprising clarity across the hushed snowfield.

His words landed like a disruptive stone cast into a placid lake, instantly rippling through the stunned silence, creating a wave of disbelief and shock.

Everyone froze, eyes widening, turning to each other in bewildered astonishment.

"This way," Daziel continued, his gaze now fixed upon Topaz, his tone laced with a complex mix of emotions, "Topaz won't need to face demotion, and Belobog can maintain control over its own destiny." He paused, then concluded, "Just… Ms. Topaz needs to make a small sacrifice…"

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