Making Honkai Impact lll In A World Where Kallen Exists [Continuation]

"So this is the origin of the Herrscher of Corruption? It's quite... peculiar, following Mei all this way," Elysia commented, her eyes glinting with curiosity.

She had never viewed a Herrscher's past from a third-person perspective before. Seeing a nascent Herrscher, as pure as a blank slate, forced to learn everything under the desire to survive was fascinating.

Unfortunately, it had been terrified by Aponia and Kalpas.

But that step was inevitable, unless... someone had taken it in earlier.

"So... it was attached to Raiden Mei the whole time, and she never noticed?"

Mobius clicked her tongue, clearly surprised.

That was a Herrscher, didn't she feel anything even when the virus was inside her?

"...I don't know what I'm supposed to feel," Mei replied helplessly. How could she possibly know what it feels like to be eroded?

"Does it feel like... being devoured?"

Mobius's dangerous voice carried over. Only she could make such a joke.

Kiana shivered uncomfortably. What a bizarre description.

"Did any of you understand what happened next? Why did it suddenly switch to Evil Vill-V's memories? And then it showed Mei at the end—what was that about?"

Kiana asked, puzzled.

She had roughly understood the earlier part about the origins of erosion, it was all carefully foreshadowed. The chaos surrounding Klein, which had remained unexplained until now and was once thought to be the Elysian Realm's defense mechanism triggered by the Herrscher of Thunder, had finally been revealed.

The final reveal of the enemy tied everything together.

But then the sudden appearance of Evil Vill-V brought forth new mysteries.

"Because... the true Vill-V is about to make an appearance, isn't she?"

Mobius murmured softly.

"Yes, she is. Although I've only met her a few times... she's nothing like the Vill-V you all know. Look forward to it~"

Elysia smiled warmly, her expression blossoming like a flower.

She quite liked that girl...

Unfortunately, she was the epitome of a lady of the house, never stepping beyond her doors.

"...Bronya is actually more curious about whether Mobius and Kevin really got tricked by that Vill-V," Bronya questioned.

Based on the earlier discussion about the Will of Honkai being her original self, no matter how she looked at it, Bronya couldn't see how that god who could mimic anyone's appearance was Vill-V.

Perhaps there were mysteries here she didn't yet understand.

But for now, putting that aside, Bronya found it hard to believe that Mobius would fall for Vill-V's schemes.

"Tricked or not... who's to say who was whose pawn in the end? The process doesn't matter, the result will reveal everything," Mobius said with a sly smile, her eyes narrowing like a snake flicking its tongue.

She didn't believe for a moment that Vill-V was an easy opponent.

Every Vill-V she'd encountered was far from agreeable.

When collaborating with Vill-V to create the memory display device, Mobius had already realized this, each Vill-V tried to add their own ideas to the device. Their individuality was far too strong.

"Trusting your companions is also one of Mobius's excellent qualities~"

Elysia clapped her hands lightly, praising her.

"...I can deal with the mess left behind by the Herrscher of Corruption, but I can't clean up the chaos Vill-V caused," Mobius said with a sigh.

Indeed, she trusted her companions, trusted their ability to stir up trouble. On that front, they never disappointed her.

------------

"I'm still here, safe and sound... not imprisoned like she claimed..."

Mei analyzed the situation before her, forcing herself to ignore her pounding headache.

Suddenly, something came to her mind. She hurried off to find a certain door, where she might uncover the answers she sought.

She entered a grand and luxurious room.

Warm sunlight streamed in, stacks of books piled up, and dark green curtains flanked the windows protectively. Violins and paintings adorned the cozy space.

As expected, the person she was looking for was seated on the sofa, waiting patiently.

She looked up from her book, smiled, and greeted Mei.

"Hi, you've finally arrived..."

"...So it's you," Mei said, her expression relaxing as she looked at the familiar face before her.

Vill-V?

But this Vill-V was completely different from the ones she had encountered before.

Although the various personas each possessed unique talents, the one thing they had in common was their brilliance, they were all geniuses, excelling in their respective fields.

Their faces always exuded confidence.

Among them, the magician and the extremely evil one were the most obvious examples.

But this one was different...

From her, Mei sensed a rare subtlety, an emotion not usually present in Vill-V.

Geniuses tended to be flamboyant, and the magician in particular wished for the entire world to witness her magnificent performances.

"How should I introduce myself to you?"

She closed her book, her eyes twinkling with a smile. "Should I say, 'Long time no see,' or... 'Nice to meet you for the first time?'"

It was a self-introduction identical to that of the extremely evil Vill-V, though it carried a playful mischief.

"You... the original Vill-V. Her true self. A... trickster," Mei said in a low voice. She had read about this name in the records but had never expected to encounter her under such circumstances.

Vill-V had countless records written about her, but there was very little about her true self...

Very little.

So little that Mei only knew of her existence through Elysia's offhand remarks.

Reports of her blowing up Mobius's lab, however, were numerous.

"So, am I too ordinary? Are you disappointed?—After all, you don't seem surprised at all," she teased.

She smiled gently, the warm sunlight quietly illuminating her figure. Without the magician's top hat, her eyes were as serene as a tranquil lake.

Indeed, she appeared far too ordinary.

But that wasn't the important matter at hand.

"The evil one said... she destroyed all the zones. Was that her lie... or yours?"

Mei asked in a calm but probing tone.

The sudden appearance of this individual and the series of events that had unfolded left Mei no choice but to tread cautiously.

"Heh, it's true. She destroyed all the zones, including mine... but, no one ever said that I must stay in my own zone, right?"

Vill-V smiled gently.

In the past, her smile would have been wider, more exaggerated, and tinged with mockery.

For some reason, Mei's mind flashed with this thought.

"Can I trust you?"

Mei asked directly.

Her sudden, pivotal appearance came at a moment when Mei was on the verge of losing everything.

"I'm sorry... If I apologize sincerely, would you accept it?"

The girl lowered her head in embarrassment, an expression Mei never thought she'd see on her face.

Mei remained silent, offering no response.

Then, Vill-V's true self smiled knowingly and began to explain her current state.

She had been dormant for fifty thousand years, only awakened now because more than half of her mental zones had been destroyed.

Though her awakening couldn't necessarily change the tide of events, at least... she could say a proper goodbye to those who remained.

As for Evil Vill-V and the Conductor who had expelled her, the true Vill-V admitted that this might indeed have been the Conductor's plan, to factor her into their calculations and have her bide her time in the shadows.

By the time Mei finished listening, she understood many things but found herself bewildered by even more.

She parted her lips slightly and cast a cold, scrutinizing gaze upon Vill-V.

"Then... what about Kevin, Pardo, and Mobius? Their sacrifices seem utterly meaningless."

"Yes, completely meaningless," Vill-V agreed with a nod, her smile soft. "So, they shouldn't have happened in the first place."

---

[Oh? A twist? Is Kevin's sword about to be unsheathed?]

[Only Vill-V can defeat Vill-V? (lol)]

[An ordinary girl version of Vill-V? Oh—I always felt like something was missing: the talent of ordinariness among geniuses!]

[The ultimate multi-faceted girl—marry her, and you can create a girlfriend of any personality!!]

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Vill-V's reputation skyrocketed, gaining even more favor among the crowd.

Men may be fickle, but Vill-V could fulfill every fantasy... she could even manifest as eight different Vill-V!

(TL: why does this reminds me of an anime that I know.)

Even Big Griseo was surprised that Vill-V hid yet another version of herself within her. It felt like a tongue twister trying to describe it.

No wonder, every time she observed Vill-V's colors, it was a chaotic blur, impossible to distinguish.

"So... they're not dead?"

Kiana played the role of the curious one.

"Not quite. That might be a modified version of Kevin's weapon, right? It seems like... it might have some traces of the Herrscher of Corruption's handiwork? No, probably not, if it did, it couldn't be restored," Vill-V analyzed calmly.

She had long known what her true self would be like... but honestly, the performance just now was decent: mysterious and lazy, maxed out. Even the ordinary tone didn't affect the impression.

Simply put, it wasn't embarrassing.

"Now that I think about it... many of your abilities seem completely unrelated to the fusion warrior surgeries. Vill-V's split personalities are like that too," Luo Mo interjected with a question.

He genuinely didn't know much about this topic since some abilities weren't so externally obvious.

"Hey, hey, hey! Saying 'split personalities' makes it sound like I'm sick. Please call me a 'shaping genius'! Even if I only had a few hours, I could learn to play the role of a professional doctor or nurse!"

Vill-V protested indignantly.

Su's eyes flickered slightly; her words reminded him of an unpleasant memory. It was a sunny afternoon when he'd been stood up by a group of people.

"My technique works wonders! It keeps my weight, complexion, and hair in perfect condition!"

Elysia cheerfully waved her fists, her face brimming with a smile.

"...Stop lying to yourself, Elysia. You've gained weight," Mobius remarked darkly from the side.

For a moment, an angry hashtag symbol seemed to appear on Elysia's face.

"Hmm... what about Pardo, Kalpas, and Aponia? The changes in others should be more noticeable," Luo Mo pressed on. 

"Uh... my changes?"

Pardo scratched her head, glancing down at herself with a hint of confusion.

Strange, what abilities did she have again? Her body felt lighter, making it easier to steal things?

Suddenly, her eyes lit up as she noticed a furry object. "Canned food! That's my ability!"

"Meow?" The cat meowed briefly, looking a little dazed.

"... That came after Elysian Realm, but Pardo's appearance did change quite a bit, adding some cat-like features,"

Elysia replied.

She didn't mind doing a "deep dive" into the changes among the Flame-Chasers, as she would eventually prove... she wasn't the only one who gained weight!

Unfortunately, Mobius couldn't gain weight, if anything, she could only become smaller.

"Me? That surgery? Who knows what it's good for?"

Kalpas sneered, "But that woman sure is disgusting."

He gestured toward Aponia with his chin.

"Discipline... that is my change," Aponia said gently.

It seemed their final meeting hadn't improved the relationship between the two. Kalpas clearly had strong opinions about it.

"So, the benefit for nearly a third of the Flame-Chasers was just to fit into this group?" Luo Mo asked in surprise.

"Their physiques did improve, and their adaptability to Honkai energy... except for Elysia."

Mobius didn't particularly like this surgery, but she wouldn't let others dismiss it entirely either.

"Hm... hmm?~"

-------‐-----

Mei mostly believed Vill-V's explanation.

If Kevin and Pardo were confined to one place, although Vill-V didn't seem intent on reopening Pandora's Box... they could have completely stopped each other.

As for Mobius, Vill-V explained that she had her own plans.

"She" referred to Mobius herself.

"And... what about Elysia?"

Mei uttered another name, her voice trembling slightly.

A person who had been present throughout, unraveling all mysteries, yet had perished due to the Herrscher of Corruption brought about by her.

Vill-V was silent for a moment, finding it difficult to respond.

"Elysia... I don't want to believe it either, but... her data was indeed entirely erased by the Herrscher of Corruption,"

she hesitated, revealing the truth.

"That time with Kevin, it was because that version of Vill-V didn't want others to know that Kevin still had the possibility of resurrection. So, she destroyed the typewriter and forged the illusion of Kevin's death..."

"But in Elysia's case, the typewriter wasn't damaged..."

Her implication was clear.

Elysia's death was truly irreversible, with no room for miracles.

Silence wouldn't last long; the living still had new things to do.

Vill-V mentioned two upcoming tasks to Mei: defeating the malicious Vill-V and defeating the Herrscher of Corruption.

Sounded redundant, didn't it?

But perhaps... that version of Vill-V intended to execute a plan to destroy both them and the Herrscher of Corruption together. From her perspective, it wasn't the best plan.

To yield to others wasn't her true goal, and she would never settle for that.

While accidentally triggering her memories, Mei was surprised to find that... beneath it all, Vill-V wasn't just humble, but even somewhat self-deprecating and insecure.

This wasn't malice—

it came from her own words, "I'm just... a slightly talented fool,"

she mumbled to Elysia, scratching the back of her head, looking down.

She spent her whole life reconciling with her insecurities.

When she saw that giant red dragon, she fell silent briefly, claiming she might be different from the other Flame-Chasers Mei had encountered. Most of her time was spent in slumber, she was just a girl in her twenties.

"So... are we really going to ride this dragon to her?"

Vill-V glanced nervously at the dragon, then at the abyss below, deep and unfathomable.

"... Are you ready?"

Clearly, Mei wasn't paying attention to her words.

"Eh!? Wait, wait, don't push me—"

"Ah... ah—!"

The scream pierced the skies. At least for that moment, Mei was certain... in terms of lung capacity, Vill-V was indeed a girl in her twenties.

--------------

In the Golden Courtyard's Hall

"Vill-V, are you seriously afraid of heights?"

Elysia asked in surprise.

She seemed more curious about that scream than her death—wasn't it... oddly familiar?

"... Oh, I understand now."

Vill-V muttered to herself, then looked up at Elysia and said,

"She said... she really is just a very young girl. Dragons and flying are things far removed from her reality; isn't fear of heights completely normal?"

"But haven't you designed plenty of flying tools?"

"An expert made those, not me. Oh, that's how she explained it."

In response, Elysia merely blinked and chose not to argue further. People who had their secrets exposed were always eager to explain themselves.

Elysia knew this well and noted Vill-V's fear of heights.

She decided that during Vill-V's next break, she would take her on a roller coaster ride.

It was a delightful decision she made to herself.

"Ugh, the demeanor of the 'self'... it's really disgraceful."

Vill-V slumped idly on the sofa, half-reclining as she counted the light beams passing through the door crack, her gaze indecipherable.

"Does she feel unlike Vill-V?"

Elysia blinked and leaned closer to ask.

"Heh—she is the original Vill-V, after all. Why say she's unlike herself? If anything, the other personalities, including me, are the ones unlike her."

"But her complex mental struggles hindered her from fully embracing her genius... or maybe she truly was one all along?"

"A fraudster, yes, that was her original identity."

"If Otto's act was the perfect deception to the outside world, then Vill-V achieved the perfect self-deception. Someone who could even trick herself into fully believing her own lies—how could she be ordinary?"

She curled her lips into a faint smile, watching Elysia, who had leaned in closer, with great interest.

"Right? You think so too, Elysia?"

It was clear they had different understandings regarding her former identity.

The conductor's decision to keep the "self" as a trump card also reflected the other personalities' trust in the "self."

"Uh... I guess that Vill-V must be rolling on her bed in the mental space right now. Maybe even covering her head with a pillow,"

Elysia scratched her cheek, thought for a moment, and gave her answer.

She was rather curious about that shy Vill-V, though unfortunately, the latter always refused to come out. She had no idea why.

As for whether the other was a normal person, wasn't it common knowledge that among the Flame-Chasers, only Pardo was truly an ordinary person?

"Hiss~"

Vill-V sank her consciousness into herself, then looked up again with a peculiar expression.

"She said you're very insightful, but next time, don't be so insightful, especially not by installing cameras in private spaces."

She shrugged, acting as a cold and indifferent messenger.

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