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

"Ah?——"

Kiana let out a startled cry, only reacting sluggishly when the video reached its final moments.

Did she just get slashed again?

And that one strike… It had that kind of precise, fatal execution, like something straight out of Bin Fuzhi's technique…

When Luo Mo said that this was made by Sister Su Lu, Kiana was absolutely skeptical.

It was simply too hard to put into words.

All in all, it was just incredibly hard to describe.

Kiana seemed to have suffered some kind of psychological trauma, placing a hand over her chest and taking a deep breath. Her expression had changed. And worse yet, Himeko-sensei was watching right next to her!

Himeko also frowned slightly. She had never seen a "dual blade" style executed like this before.

More importantly, the fact that she herself appeared in the video made her pay even closer attention.

"Hmm… Well, at least I got to stand alongside Himeko-sensei in the background. Even though in the game's story we never actually met, when those lines are put together like that… It does feel a bit strange, doesn't it?♪"

Elysia was slightly stunned but soon let out a soft chuckle.

She took Himeko's hand, touching the fabric of her new red outfit, her bright eyes shimmering as she complimented, "Besides, this outfit looks really beautiful too."

"Luo Mo, you should pay more attention to your own clothes too. Don't just keep wearing all black all the time."

Elysia pouted slightly, turning her gaze toward Luo Mo, who stood off to the side.

She shared the same suspicion as Kiana, this video definitely had something to do with him. She had some impression of Su Lu, after all.

She firmly believed that Su Lu wouldn't make such a video… Or, well, unless it was before the Herrscher of Dominance took control? That… Hmm, fine, she supposed that might be possible.

"Black, huh…"

Luo Mo glanced down at his own clothes and then thought about the suits he usually kept in his wardrobe… He had to admit, while he did wear some different colors in summer, his winter clothes were almost entirely black.

"Or should I wear a pink set next time? With big bold letters saying 'Exclusive to Ellie-chan' printed on the front? That way, I can openly declare my allegiance, right?"

Luo Mo mumbled under his breath, just loud enough for Elysia to hear.

Her mouth twitched slightly as she stared at him, her face filled with helpless resignation.

"Alright, Luo Mo, tell me—what's your favorite color?"

She sighed, deciding to be a good friend and give him a chance…

...A chance to pick the color of his new sack outfit.

She had already ruled out pink once, so if she chose it again, she'd feel a little guilty.

"You're making me choose clothes again? This good of a deal?"

Luo Mo looked surprised. He hadn't expected his teasing to actually earn him such a generous offer…

Though he wasn't short on money, if Elysia was willing to gift him some clothes, did that mean their relationship had grown even closer?

"Hmm…"

Elysia thought for a moment. Technically, if he really wanted, he could wear a sackcloth. It would provide warmth and function much like regular clothes.

So, with full confidence, she nodded, displaying the generous and benevolent nature of a true Herrscher of Origin.

Then, she rested her chin on her hands, eagerly awaiting his answer.

"I like blue."

Luo Mo answered calmly, without hesitation.

"...Never mind the whole conversation about colors for now, why did that video even exist?! It's almost New Year's, for crying out loud! Why is it all just blades (Knifes) everywhere?!"

The Herrscher of Sentience slightly parted her lips, staring in disbelief at the video.

Once the clip finished playing, it automatically started over again, without anyone touching it.

Hearing the Herrscher of Sentience speak up, even more people turned their attention to the screen.

They watched, from Kallen's death five hundred years ago all the way to Elysia's farewell… Scene after scene, a collection of all the most heart-wrenching moments.

Iconic scenes from the story were everywhere, but each one involved death, or at least someone on the path to death.

For the story itself, it carried a tragic, melancholic beauty.

(T/C: my mind is singing "never let you go~)

For the people watching now, it simply made them want to stab whoever made this compilation.

And in the end, there it was, the infamous, gut-wrenching dual farewell…

Two people. Two protagonists. Facing the most important figures in their journey to adulthood. Their final words of gratitude. Their final goodbyes.

They could no longer walk beside them. Those figures would remain in the past, like fading memories, but those who had received their blessings would continue toward the future.

The road and the story itself—these were things meant to be left behind, stepping stones to move forward… And so were the words spoken, carrying the weight of the future.

"Ugh… I accidentally watched it again… Seriously, boss, you really are…"

Kiana's eyes were red. She took a deep breath, squeezing her eyes shut, trying to force back the tears threatening to fall.

"Sigh."

Fu Hua sighed, frowning as she looked at her past self on the screen.

Meanwhile, the Herrscher of Sentience was behaving more and more like an old Timer.

Although she kept insisting that she definitely wouldn't let herself become a grumpy old timer, Luo Mo couldn't help but wonder, wasn't that just another excuse to avoid admitting she was already acting like one?

Fu Hua, you still have the qualities of a young girl!

"Alright, alright, actually, I didn't plan to release this now… I was going to wait until tomorrow. But since we've already gone through so much trouble to get here, we might as well make sure nothing really goes wrong."

"The future… won't be like this."

"For example, right now, everyone can still sit together and happily have a meal, right?"

Luo Mo smiled helplessly, stroking Kiana's hair as he spoke.

"And also, Theresa, aren't you going to welcome your grandmother? This is your chance to show off your best side!" He said.

"Ah… ah, alright! I'll go right away… Oh, and make sure to withdraw this video. At least… at least let a few days pass before watching it again!"

Theresa mumbled as she spoke, unable to dwell on the emotional impact of the scene. She quickly ran upstairs to get ready, then picked up little Snow to welcome her guest.

After all, this was a grand moment of welcoming in the snow… No, no, more like finding true emotions in the snow!

Thinking that, Theresa hurriedly grabbed her umbrella.

-----

Meanwhile…

"Has there been any new movement from the game department?"

Kallen asked in surprise. She was a bit late due to her flight, but it was just a small delay—only because of little Snow.

"Yes, there has been… Su Lu and Luo Mo completed a new project together. The level of editing… is quite good."

Rita nodded slightly, speaking with a hint of amazement.

"Is this supposed to cleanse everyone's sorrow before the New Year? There are quite a few sharp edges in it…"

But through that story, she also gained a clearer understanding of those thirteen individuals' past experiences and sacrifices.

Durandal, as expected, reacted more directly. While she felt sorrow for the story, she also trained even harder to sharpen herself.

But then again, that was just how she was.

"Ah… just in time. Since I've already handed over my official duties to my assistant, I might as well take a look too."

"Kallen-sama has been quite exhausted lately. A little relaxation would be good."

Rita smiled in response.

"It's fine. As long as St. Freya remains stable, I'm not too worried about other matters. The main focus is still on fighting against the Honkai. The frequency of Herrscher awakenings has increased drastically. If our estimations are correct, we may face the final challenge in two years… or even just one year."

Kallen spoke with concern. She didn't understand why things were accelerating so much…

But deep down, she already had an immature theory.

"Ah, what you're saying makes a lot of sense."

Rita was a little surprised, but upon thinking about it, it did seem logical. The Herrscher incidents had happened without Durandal or her personally intervening, so she hadn't paid much attention to that detail.

Indeed, things were progressing fast.

And the biggest change… could only be traced back to one thing: Luo Mo's game.

Or perhaps, something hidden within it.

"Hmm. That's why I think… as long as we stay here, we should be fine. With the help of the Stigmata, Valkyries have been able to advance their combat abilities at an accelerated rate. Some have even jumped an entire tier. Aside from Herrschers, other Honkai threats are no longer as difficult to handle."

Kallen nodded. Of course, this was just her deduction based on the game and reality. She hadn't yet considered the possibility of a fully matured Honkai beast surpassing a Herrscher in power.

But no matter what, that wasn't something she could foresee right now.

As of now, Herrschers remained the greatest threat.

"Understood. I understands your meaning."

After a moment of hesitation, Rita nodded in agreement.

"In that case, I'll go watch that video now. There are still a few minutes left before it finishes."

Kallen smiled, straightened her posture, and prepared to watch.

(T/C: oh no🤭)

Then, she fell silent.

The beautiful path she envisioned had crumbled before she could even set foot on it, replaced by a devastating blow. Her smile disappeared.

And when the video ended…

"Sigh…"

She looked into the distance, where the small snowflakes in the sky mirrored her mood at this moment.

She somewhat regretted opening the video.

(T/C: can anyone link me that video? I'm sure MC copy "stole" that too)

-----

This time, the call went relatively smoothly. Aside from Kallen's slightly forced smile, Theresa didn't seem to mind much. She was overjoyed to throw herself into a warm embrace.

Then, she happily returned to eat.

At the dinner table, Luo Mo pondered while looking at the food. It wasn't that he couldn't eat—it was just that he couldn't decide which dish was the most delicious.

At his suggestion, the three of them used different-colored plates for their meal, turning it into an unofficial cooking competition among the chefs of St. Freya.

Unfortunately, there was no clear winner. At least, based on his ability to judge food…

Dinner passed peacefully, and Kallen also expressed her intention to stay for a while. Theresa, of course, happily agreed.

But Luo Mo couldn't help but feel…

Why did the Headmaster's expression seem so strange?

Was it because of the three Theresas looking somewhat troubled?

But he thought it was quite easy to tell them apart!

One could be distinguished by eye color.

One by intelligence.

And the remaining one… wasn't that just Theresa?

---

Time passed quickly, rushing by in a blur.

Before they knew it, the New Year had arrived.

Following the tradition of celebrating every holiday, Elysia and the others also decided to join in the festivities.

After all, flowers have their customs too, and they wouldn't want to miss out!

The only issue was… Theresa's mansion was starting to feel a little too crowded.

Usually, it was just her and her granddaughter staying together with Kallen, but this time, after some hesitation, they still ended up at Cecilia's house. On this point, Durandal completely agreed, and Rita had no objections at all. She maintained a blank expression, but inside, she was secretly delighted.

Kallen, taking advantage of the situation, got closer to Cecilia through the Flame-Chasers, gradually understanding them in the most authentic way. After reading that peaceful and joyful chapter, she felt a bit itchy in her heart, such beauty still existed in reality.

All three of them had reached a happy conclusion.

However, Kiana had some difficulty in finding her mother.

Now, the New Year had arrived.

Luo Mo hesitated for a long time but finally decided to go to the Golden Courtyard to see the festivities. Since he had just released an animation, there was bound to be something interesting happening over there.

And then... something changed, though he wasn't sure what exactly had happened. Somehow, everyone from Theresa's villa ended up going.

(T/C: YES! Finally, everyone together in one place!)

The herd mentality was really strange.

Luo Mo cursed internally, but in the end, he couldn't resist them and followed along.

"Luo Mo, you're so slow. Every time, you just release a PV and then make us wait for more than half a day. This time... just from the title alone, we know it's related to us, so why didn't you do the voice-over?"

Elysia scolded him playfully, crossing her arms as curiosity sparked within her.

Of course, Luo Mo wouldn't admit that it was because this time, there were no swords, and compared to the game, the animation lacked complexity. The reason was simple, he was part of the game system.

So, he simply used AI to generate the voice-over—quick and efficient.

"That's not important. Let's just watch the animation first…"

Luo Mo glanced around, brushing off the topic.

-----------

[Golden Courtyard: New Year's Winter Wishes]

They once lived so proudly, their lives flowing from beginning to end.

And now, in this peaceful and harmonious world, they gathered together once again.

Have you ever wondered... what might happen next?

Elysia's voice rang out in the video.

"Have you ever thought about what makes up a person's life?"

"The changing of the sun and moon, the convergence of rivers and mountains."

In the bustling city at night, the flow of cars and neon lights intertwined like a river, all converging at one point, carrying countless lives within them.

On the streets, posters of Eden's concert were plastered prominently. A bus passed by, featuring an advertisement for a great magician's upcoming performance. In the emergency room, a middle-aged doctor closed his eyes for a brief rest, while nearby, a flower shop worker in uniform walked home along the overpass.

"Life... is perhaps a series of fateful encounters."

"To meet someone, you need to be born in the same era, arrive in the same city, and appear at the same place at the same moment."

Kosma carried a large bundle of items from the store, while a heavily bundled-up Griseo adorably hugged a large blue plushie. As he waited at the traffic light, listening to music through his headphones, he looked up and spotted Aponia, greeting her with a smile.

"And then, quietly wait for fate to weave everything together."

"The ordinary paths of life begin to intertwine, and over time, they turn into something magnificent and radiant."

Meanwhile, in a dimly lit office, the only source of light was a single computer screen.

This was the life of an office worker. A young man with short white hair stared at lines of fluctuating code, it was clear that he was a programmer. On his desk sat a figure of a pink-haired maid, labeled with six big characters: "Pink Fairy Lady".

While listening to his friend's voice through his headset, his hands rapidly tapped on the keyboard. Obviously, slacking off at work was an unavoidable part of his routine. A photo of his girlfriend was also displayed on his desk.

"Tomorrow is New Year's, so make sure to go home early tonight. It only comes once a year, so treasure the time spent together and express your feelings properly!"

On-screen, a pink-haired girl formed a heart shape with her hands in front of the camera, smiling cheerfully with a touch of playfulness.

She wore a black-and-white maid outfit, but her ears were no longer pointed like before—they were now shaped like a normal human's. Her sweet smile remained unchanged.

"Does everyone have any special plans for tonight?"

"Leave a comment in the chat and tell the Pink Fairy Lady!"

As the Pink Fairy Lady's voice came through his headphones, the young man, named Kevin, smirked. Looking at a message from his friend on his phone, he got up from his desk.

No matter how busy work was, it was time to head home.

After all… everyone was waiting for him.

…And, conveniently, he needed to grab some flour on the way, since they were running out way too fast.

Watching the snowflakes fall, reflecting neon lights in a myriad of colors, he smiled slightly, shoved his hands into his pockets, and left his overtime shift.

After he left, the computer screen suddenly flickered, and for a brief moment, a snowflake-like distortion appeared. Then, a green light flashed, followed by a charging animation and the opening theme song.

— So it wasn't corruption after all.

[Dedicated coder Kevin, endlessly typing away]

[Picture of him watching Elysia's livestream, well played, Kevin!]

[I want to comment: I will always love Elysia!]