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

The story of Elysia has come to an end.

Because of you, this tale has reached its conclusion, and the main chapters officially enter their final act. Including that eternal paradise filled with memories, they reenacted the splendor of the previous civilization, composing a magnificent elegy with their lives.

"May civilization endure like stardust, may this world shine like radiant gold."

Eden's final song was lost to time, and she too vanished with the civilization... Yet, 50,000 years later, the Elysian Realm also met its end.

The land preserving the legacy of the previous civilization crumbled, leaving behind yet another missing piece in history.

She said, "The future... is your story now."

She said, "I am a Herrscher, but also human."

She said, "Those thirteen... were merely ordinary people."

But in the end, all she left behind was a faint smile, along with a land that could never again bloom the same flowers.

Like the final chapter, there would be no more Elysia, nor would there ever be another miracle like this.

From this final act, through the elegy Mei of the World Serpent was invited to witness, the two who had once parted ways now perhaps had a chance to meet again after overcoming countless obstacles.

That power of a hundred people... Now, truly, there were thirteen who carried it.

----

The day after the short film's release, both the video and the game once again surged into the trending charts. The story of the previous civilization was known to more people than ever. They discussed it, revisited it, and spent sleepless nights immersed in it...

They sent heartfelt blessings to the unseen writer behind it all.

But clearly, they were satisfied with this story.

As for Luo Mo, he had a feeling that this time, his emotional value harvest would be bountiful. Compared to before, when he could only move one or two people, this time his progress was undoubtedly remarkable.

If measured by achievements, this was clearly a qualitative leap!

Now, he was sitting on the sofa in Theresa's villa living room, listening to Su Lu's report while the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up as he heard a particularly good piece of news.

"...Good, good, I understand. This time, the Herrscher tiebreaker's engagement rate is pretty solid. Mm, well done."

Luo Mo nodded in satisfaction. From another perspective, engagement rate symbolized emotional fluctuations, at least in Honkai Impact 3rd.

The tiebreaker was naturally Herrscher Elysia. Luo Mo believed that if he could pull her in three attempts, then surely the other players could too.

What?

They couldn't?

Then they clearly didn't love Elysia deeply enough. Otherwise, why else would everyone call him the most devoted apostle?

"What, vacation?—Ahem, trust me, of course there will be one... Just go back to the company and handle things carefully first."

Luo Mo quickly ended the report, making sure not to waste the other party's working hours.

"Ah—"

"Hah, what did I just witness? A true capitalist at work! Are you seriously not giving them any breaks? Hey, Luo Mo, when are you planning to take a holiday trip?"

Brownie raised an eyebrow, holding a warm bottle of milk in both hands. Seeing his smug expression, she exhaled into her palms for warmth.

The sudden shift from summer to winter was hard for her to adjust to.

The climate here was bizarre... Just when it felt like the heat would never end, it suddenly became time for snowfall.

"Ahem, just joking... Of course, there will be a vacation. Su Lu has indeed worked hard. I wouldn't dare cancel time off right before such an important holiday."

"Oh, so you do have a conscience... Aren't you afraid of overworking your employees? Wait... Holiday?"

Brownie nodded knowingly, though she was mostly just making conversation.

Then, catching onto the word holiday, she gave him a curious look.

"If it were before... maybe I would've."

Luo Mo stroked his chin, pretending to consider.

"...Hmm?"

Brownie snorted, expressing her doubt.

Then she leaned back into the sofa, letting her back press even closer against it to get more comfortable.

She had always preferred this cozy environment over intense battles, of course, only when she wasn't in the mood for gaming.

If she wanted excitement, that was a different matter.

"Because of Su Lu becoming the Herrscher of Domination. Valkyries might need extra layers in the cold, but for Herrschers... they're barely even living creatures anymore."

Sipping her tea, Kongming sighed, looking at the gloomy sky with a frown.

She tapped her fingers lightly, silently counting down to when the snow would fall.

According to her estimate, it should be soon.

Yet, no matter how long she waited, the snow did not come.

"Exactly, none of those Valkyries even seem to feel cold. It's freezing, and they're still wearing such thin outfits. Luo Mo, you..."

"And Irene, get me some hot milk too. I keep making drinks for others, but I'm not a kid, you know?"

Brownie huffed, but didn't put down her warm milk, continuing to soak in the warmth while watching Honkai Impact 3rd's closing cutscene.

Hmph—

It was good, but it was a shame she wasn't part of the storyline.

"Cold... huh? I don't really feel it."

Luo Mo shook his head and checked the player comments. It seemed the Elysian Realm's final chapter had left an overwhelming impact, deeply imprinted in players' memories.

But no need to worry, he had specially prepared a heartwarming animation for the aftermath.

Cold, huh... Even if he had never fought in battle, he was still an S-rank Valkyrie-level existence, so it wasn't a problem.

"Hmm... Sure, sure, none of you are ordinary people anyway."

"By the way, any other games worth recommending? Staring at the screen all the time is tiring."

Brownie yawned, her eyes slightly weary, clearly, she hadn't rested well last night.

"That... you'll have to wait. Also, what does playing this have to do with your eyes? Video games all strain your eyes."

Luo Mo raised an eyebrow. She couldn't expect him to recommend everything for her.

Clearly, it was her sleep schedule that was the problem.

And also, was it really that cold in the villa? He didn't feel it at all.

"Not like that! Look, over there, Mahou Shoujo Teriri's eyes are still red, like a little bunny!"

Brownie smirked and pointed at Theresa.

"You! Stop calling me that!"

Theresa clenched her fists, fuming with frustration.

She regretted scrolling through the comments in the morning. And worse, she had rewatched the departure scene of Mei multiple times... basically torturing herself.

Regret... pure regret.

"Anyway, any plans for New Year's? It's coming up. The Empire is definitely going to be lit up with celebrations..."

Kongming sighed and turned to Theresa, asking casually,

"Any festival plans here?"

"Festival, huh..."

Theresa couldn't help but drag out her tone as she shrank into the sofa, her muffled voice coming through:

"The last one was already troublesome enough, and besides, this holiday is even more widely celebrated in Shenzhou. Speaking of which, Luo Mo seems to be from there too... Hmm, Fu Hua, Shang Xuan, and Dan Zhu as well…"

"That's right."

Luo Mo nodded, acknowledging the point.

"…I see."

Kongming muttered to herself, looking somewhat conflicted.

"Kongming was definitely thinking about spending the holiday with Luo Mo under the moonlight last time. This time, she also wants to go, huh… Ah, in that case, I totally support it! This is even more exciting than a game!"

Brownie joined in on the fun, laughing as her gaze darted between Kongming and Luo Mo.

"…Hmph, I don't have such childish thoughts. It's just that, in the game, we never really got to enjoy a proper celebration. Experiencing it in real life doesn't sound too bad."

"Actually, it's a little quiet over here."

Kongming's face was slightly flushed as she forced herself to speak.

She didn't deny it—she did have such thoughts.

"Yeah, it's holiday time, after all..."

Theresa mumbled absentmindedly, suddenly realizing she wasn't that familiar with this kind of academy life… On the other hand, it meant she could give herself a short vacation, which wasn't bad at all.

"Exactly. That's why we need Mihoyo to finish up the remaining work. Conveniently, this version update coincides with the Lunar New Year, so of course, we have to take a look back at the past and then move toward the future!"

Luo Mo tried to sound full of enthusiasm, striking a victorious pose.

"…Not a single word you say is believable."

Brownie said bluntly, while Theresa nodded furiously in agreement.

"…Hmm, so you mean I should step back and let a newcomer take the stage to deceive the players a little?"

Luo Mo looked slightly hesitant but smiled at Brownie.

"Is that how I should understand it?"

"...I don't think so."

Theresa shook her head vigorously. Why would they deceive people? Where was the sincerity between people? Where was the warmth and sunlight?

-----

Autumn had passed, and winter here lacked some of its usual chill.

But after a light snowfall, St. Freya Academy could finally feel the unique melody of winter.

As the end of the year approached, the New Year was just around the corner.

It also signified the conclusion of a year's work. Though in the grand scheme of things, it was just another cycle,

Luo Mo still wanted to help players reminisce about their journey over the past year.

From Final Lesson to Everlasting Flame, and then to Because of You… Without a doubt, this year had brought players no shortage of emotional moments and tear-jerking short films, each one revisited one by one.

Especially in this latest joyous New Year version, never before had there been such relentless heartbreak, thirteen consecutive emotional blows, each one a critical hit.

This bittersweet yet torturous experience only made players' expressions twist even more painfully as they watched, leaving them with an urge to take revenge on the developers.

But frustration was just frustration. The best way they could cope was to recommend the experience to others.

For some reason, watching others get emotionally wrecked made them feel instantly better.

(T/C: Hm? That's what I felt and did)

Yes, in the past, there was aiding the enemy, but now, there was dragging others into suffering—a true cycle of pain.

As for internal company investigations regarding certain game balance issues and the infamous "Why Does the Bird Fly?" mystery, the employees still couldn't figure out a solution. But they at least made an effort to patch things up.

Raven, however, was different. She immediately noticed something off. Unlike other issues, this one stood out. After taking a step back and scanning the situation, her eyes darkened—she had pinpointed the core of the problem.

Gritting her teeth, she wrote: "Birds can fly, but islands cannot! Absolutely not!"

But this New Year was different. Unlike before, this time, Luo Mo was sincere.

Aside from the usual holiday event, he had prepared two animated specials for everyone to enjoy during the festivities, to help them heal their wounds and prepare for the year ahead.

The titles were:

Golden Courtyard: A New Year's Wish in Winter

Crisis on the Horizon! Special Event at St. Freya!

Of course, Luo Mo also had something else under MiHoyo name—two personal creative projects he had dedicated himself to completing.

—Eternal Flamewood and Pure and Flawless Descent.

He even made sure they were prominently displayed on the front page so that everyone could see them at a glance.

The New Year hadn't arrived yet, and event preparations were still underway.

But today, since Theresa was hosting guests, Luo Mo naturally had to make preparations as well. He decided to present Su Lu's two creations as gifts.

Interestingly, perhaps because this place was livelier, or perhaps because Durandal had decided to visit Cecilia, Kallen and Rita also chose to come to St. Freya for the New Year.

However, since this was only the Lunar New Year celebration, and they weren't particularly attached to the holiday, that was an important factor.

The same was true for the Thirteen Flame-Chasers.

So…

At Theresa's mansion:

"Time flies so fast… In the blink of an eye, another year has passed. This time, it seems like we have another guest joining our traditions."

Fu Hua said with a faint smile. The holiday was approaching, and with Shang Xuan, Dan Zhu, and Xiao Xuan all present, she couldn't help but feel happy.

As for the little Herrscher who was insisting she change into that Scarlet Flame Immortal or Cloudy Elegance outfit, Fu Hua naturally refused.

If it had been before, maybe she would have agreed. But now, because of the game's influence, such a thing would only attract more attention.

To resolve the situation, she had the Herrscher of Sentience pick another outfit. In the end, it turned out to be a more youthful and girlish look, which immediately earned endless praise from Elysia.

"As expected of little Senti! Last time at the banquet, I tried persuading her for ages before she changed… But this time, little Herrscher got Fu Hua to switch outfits so easily. It looks amazing!"

Elysia praised enthusiastically.

She shot a respectful glance at the little Herrscher, causing the latter to smirk proudly and wave her hand dismissively.

"Of course! You've got a good eye. It was a great idea to bring you shopping last time, it was a perfect match!"

"Well, I certainly couldn't persuade her… It's all thanks to you, little Senti."

Elysia smiled playfully.

"Oh, don't be so formal. But since you put it that way, I won't argue. Let's just say we both contributed half and half!"

The Herrscher of Sentience said generously.

Fu Hua narrowed her eyes slightly. She had the feeling she had just been schemed against again. But in the end, she simply shook her head helplessly.

After all, it was just a small matter.

"Cooking, cooking—who's going to cook? Irene, Vill-V, Mei, I'm begging you all!"

Theresa pleaded desperately.

She didn't want to continue after her grandmother arrived, so she hung up the call and even stopped eating the hot meal.

Although she could do it herself, it would still be somewhat lacking. Furthermore, the variety of dishes was a bit… monotonous, and time was suddenly running short. So, she called over everyone she knew.

Coincidentally, gathering everyone together also made things livelier.

There was no other choice—inside the academy, only a few people remained. Besides the Herrschers, there weren't many ordinary students staying on campus.

Among the Thirteen Flame-Chasers, only Elysia and Vill-V were present. After all, their place was already lively enough… There was no need for them to come here to add to the excitement.

"So, what are you watching? Anything worth recommending?"

Luo Mo sat on the sofa and casually started a conversation.

When it came to the kitchen, he was quite self-aware.

If it were Kiana, Theresa, or Mobius entering the kitchen, he would more or less have to intervene or offer help. But with these three… there was no need.

He always felt that Theresa was determined to be called the "Queen of the Kitchen" on this island. Of course, if he had to be honest, he would vote for Mei.

"Huh? Not really. Is there anything good to recommend?"

Kiana replied lazily.

Since Mei had been dragged here, she was bound to follow along. Otherwise, what would she eat?

She thought this with absolute certainty.

"Didn't you just finish your anime? Just play a movie."

"Nope, besides… I said I'd watch it during the New Year. But actually, I do have a good recommendation. I saw Su Lu make a work out of boredom."

"senior Su? Bored? She actually has time for that?"

Kiana asked skeptically but still waved her hand, signaling to just play it casually.

What could be so significant?

She thought to herself. After all, there were so many people here. Even Durandal showing up wouldn't be too surprising.

-----

"This is Kiana and Mei's graduation certificate."

On the left was Elysia, and on the right was Teacher Himeko. Between them, an invisible line seemed to divide them, yet both were smiling brightly.

(T/C: Himeko! Long time no see)

Elysia was at her most beautiful, while Himeko was the vibrant color of her youth…

Equally radiant, equally dazzling.

As the two of them spoke, their farewell words blended together, creating a strangely similar rhythm.

In a vast white space, they didn't want to part, but they had to.

Himeko: "When you feel lost..."

Elysia: "When you don't want to move forward..."

"Just look up at the starry sky."

"Just take a moment to pause."

"I will be there."

"We will always be here."

"Shining through the darkness for you."

"Just like before,"

"After all..." Himeko was filled with pride—this was her student, after all!

"After all," Elysia stretched out the words playfully.

"You are my student, Murata Himeko's student."

"A beautiful girl can accomplish anything ♪"

"My journey ends here."

"Our story concludes."

"But starting from here..."

"From now on,"

"Kiana, this is your path."

"Mei, this is your story now."

"Goodbye, Teacher Himeko."

"Goodbye... Elysia."

Their choked-up voices struggled to respond, as the traces these two had left in their lives were so vivid—marks that could never be erased.

From the bottom of their hearts, they were grateful to those who had guided them along their path.

A new flame, passed on.