"Raiden Mei, Kiana's fate is in your hands."
"I don't need to persuade you, because you understand better than I do…"
"—Her ideals can save the world, but they cannot save herself."
Just as Kevin said, Mei understood this better than anyone.
She looked around. Ever since the gate in the sky had opened, quantum shadows had appeared all over Nagazora City.
Even the entire building began to shake, and everything around her became abnormal.
Gale-force winds poured through the cracks, and together with the swaying high-rises, they knocked Mei to the ground. She raised her head and saw the seawater flooding the city continuously falling…
"No! That's not it—the nest is rising! The buildings… are gathering toward the sky!"
A muffled roar came from the distance, followed by the boom of explosions, then the massive crash of collapse.
Finally, there was light—an endless white light that completely drowned the world in her eyes—?
Drip—
A light yet restless sound echoed in her ears, like gravel striking papyrus or beans bouncing in a blender.
Drip—drip—
A bone-chilling cold rushed straight to her brain, and a consciousness gradually took shape in the darkness.
This… is the sound of rain.
From far to near, the sound of rain.
Gradually, the sound grew louder, turning into the roar of a violent storm—
What… happened?
In the haze, Mei struggled to open her eyes.
What came into view was a scene of chaos.
"…What… is going on…?"
Dim light flickered like puppet strings, pulling at the unrecognizable city.
Mei could not believe it: "What happened… How did Nagazora City become like this? Where are the people from World Serpent…"
"Ah…!" She suddenly remembered: "Kiana… Helios is in danger!"
Fragmented memories surfaced and vanished in her mind, yet she could never piece together a complete answer.
She began to run—but did not know where to run to.
Countless quantum shadows appeared, blocking her path. These quantum shadows were far more violent and vicious than before.
Mei could only eliminate them while heading back to Helios.
But sharp pains kept stabbing her head…
"Mei, are you okay!"
Accompanied by Kiana's voice, Benares let out a roar, and the wind pressure it whipped up tore several quantum shadows around Mei to shreds.
It then landed beside Kiana, awaiting her next command.
"Haa… haa…" Kiana panted heavily, glaring at Mei. Clearly, she had run all the way here.
Mei hurriedly asked: "Kiana? How are you here…!? Ah… your injuries… How could you just leave Helios like that!"
Kiana's tone was harsh: "I'm the one who should be asking you that. When did you sneak out…? Everyone suddenly couldn't find you. Do you know how worried I was about you!"
"Forget that… Enemies could appear again at any moment. Hurry back and join the doctors."
"Go back?" Mei quickly asked: "Then what about you?"
Kiana said: "I still have something to do."
She looked into the distance.
The pillar of light was still scouring the ring of light in the sky.
"That pillar of light… I've seen this scene before. Using the power of the Herrscher of the Void, I can close that huge hole in the sky and resolve the source of this storm."
"What?! " Mei was shocked and urgently tried to stop her: "No, you can't! Your injuries haven't healed yet. You can't keep fighting!"
Kiana said seriously: "Mei, I can't just ignore it. Monsters are still appearing, and Honkai energy is still gathering. This disaster will soon spread to other places."
"I have to stop it."
Mei nearly shouted: "Stop being so willful! Don't you understand your own situation yet?! Doing something so dangerous—your body will—"
Kiana interrupted directly: "That doesn't matter."
Mei could hardly imagine that Kiana would say such a thing…
Her heart ached intensely.
Kiana spoke again: "Mei… I know everything… about myself… about my body… I know it all clearly. To be honest, I'm scared too. Just thinking about possibly dying makes my body tremble uncontrollably."
"But… I can't run away just because I'm afraid."
"I have to do what I can, take responsibility for what I must bear."
"Only then can I face the people who were hurt because of me, face my former self… face Teacher Himeko."
She turned back, her face wearing the same smile as always.
"Mei, don't worry. I'm pretty amazing, you know."
"…Just wait for me to come back!"
"Kiana, no!" The fierce wind blew, slapping raindrops onto Mei's face. She watched Kiana leap onto the dragon's back and fly toward the distant ring of light.
She kept calling out, but every sound was drowned by the surging flow of light and vanished…
Along with that receding figure, no longer visible, no longer reachable.
"…Kiana, come back!!"
Pain like thorns wrapped around Mei, tripping her to the ground. She struggled to lift her head, her gaze flying into the distance where a lone figure crossed the storm, soaring toward the horizon.
Swarming quantum shadows assaulted that figure.
With every instant of collision, golden flashes tore through the sky.
Mei knew that each ray of light was Kiana burning her life away.
"No… please… stop fighting…!"
She knew her voice could not reach her, knew the right choice was to stop.
But she could not control her body, just as she could not stop running, stop longing—
Could not stop chasing that beam of light in the darkness.
Water splashed everywhere, shattering along with her sobs.
"Kiana… come back…"
Memories of meeting and knowing Kiana surged endlessly in her mind…
In the blink of an eye, the Kiana who had always stayed by her side had flown to a distance she could no longer reach…
"It's because I'm too weak… because I couldn't protect you…"
"It's me… who pushed you into your current fate…"
"I know, deep down, you haven't changed at all. You're still the girl who would smile and reach out to strangers."
"Even after facing so much injustice, even after learning the world isn't perfect…"
"Even… with tragedies destined to be irreversible…"
"You would still, just like before…"
"Fight for your companions, for others, for the beauty you believe in."
"…Kiana, you must become a hero. The world is waiting for you to become a hero."
"But… I…"
"Perhaps… the one who's wrong is me…"
"Kiana…"
"We… can never go back to how things were."
Mei chased that beam of light, watching helplessly as Benares, bearer of the light, fell from the sky and crashed in front of her.
The moment she approached, the imaginary construct that had shot down Benares appeared and launched continuous attacks at her.
She wanted to resist, but she was too weak.
Weak enough that she could not defeat this imaginary construct.
Weak enough… to only watch as Benares sacrificed its life to protect her.
"Kia… na…"
...
...
Darkness—as far as the eye could see, only darkness.
Nothing to see, nothing to hear, nothing to smell.
Her body, now freed from gravity's bonds, drifted aimlessly… drifting…
...
…That's right. I've seen this scene before.
On that day three years ago, the world had died like this too.
In the endless darkness… some cried out, some wailed, some fell silent, some collapsed.
In the end, only silence remained, and herself falling within that silence.
...
"Crybaby, long time no see."
A beam of light, a voice rippled outward.
Purple appeared in the darkness—streams of purple coiled, pushed, and embraced every corner of her body, carrying her toward that light.
"You've changed a lot."
The voice sounded from an unreachable distance, then faded right beside her ear.
That voice was cold, dangerous.
That voice was familiar, nostalgic.
"This is the first time you've come to me of your own will."
"Are you no longer afraid?"
…Afraid?
Mei also found it strange. In her heart… she no longer felt fear.
Resentment, self-blame, sorrow, pain… all emotions had vanished.
Only calm remained in her heart.
"If you continue forward, you will fall into an even deeper hell."
It doesn't matter. I can persuade her to leave hell.
"You will bid farewell to everything now—to your companions, to your family."
It doesn't matter. I'm already used to being alone.
"You will bear doubt and criticism, walking farther and farther on a lonely path."
It doesn't matter. That is the fate I should have faced long ago.
"You will leave her forever."
...
"You will never again return to her side, see her smile, hold her hand."
"Once you take this step, there is no turning back."
"Are you… really going to do this?"
...
It doesn't matter.
With everyone there… everyone… will take care of her… Let me do what I must do…
I have… already decided.
"…Go!"
"With your own hands, bury me. Turn my anger, my cries, my disappearance into the strength for your lonely journey ahead."
"Go to the entire world and proclaim the return of the Queen of Lightning…"
"Go and become the true Herrscher of Thunder!"
"Farewell, Raiden Mei."
Accompanied by earth-shaking thunder.
Terrifying Honkai energy surged madly toward Mei. The core within her body gradually formed, her power rising steadily until she fully became the Herrscher of Thunder.
With a casual slash, she blocked the imaginary construct's attack.
Countless lightning bolts wrapped around the long blade, and she swung once more.
Boom!
The alien construct collapsed with a thunderous crash, dissipating along with the dancing lightning.
Torrential rain poured down, sliding from the corners of Mei's eyes, washing away the past.
The voice in her mind also vanished.
Only the sound of rain remained in the world—silent rain.
She walked toward the fallen giant dragon and gently stroked its now-dull scales.
A point of light, a warm current spread from her fingertips, gradually melting the massive body.
Within the light, a shadow was fading.
Within the light, a voice pleaded with her…
Pleading for the Queen to call its name once more…
Raindrops fell, collided, shattered, vanished—departing together with the soul named Benares…
Crimson scales replaced the wounds.
The giant dragon rose again, spreading its wings to proclaim its rebirth.
But now, it was merely a beast obedient to the Herrscher of Thunder.
It… was no longer Benares.
Mei looked up at the sky. The ring of light gradually dimmed with the Herrscher's birth.
All Honkai energy was absorbed, and the imaginary singularity was about to close.
As long as the lingering quantum shadows were eliminated, the city would return to peace.
Mei lightly leaped onto the dragon's back. The crimson dragon understood its master's will, spread its wings, and took flight.
Flying away from the light, soaring through the chaos, heading toward the world beyond—
Mei, now the Herrscher of Thunder, rode upon it. The long blade in her hand flashed with electricity. Every slash eliminated a swath of quantum shadows.
And it would cooperate by spewing crimson thunder, piercing through everything in their way.
The quantum shadows capable of destroying an entire city lasted less than a minute before her, all wiped out.
Seeing this, the audience was stunned by Mei's power.
Especially her Herrscher of Thunder form—it was completely different from before. That fragility, that weakness she despised, had vanished entirely, replaced by strength! Unprecedented strength!
In the fan group, viewers frantically sent messages.
"Holy shit, Mei has become so cool. This Herrscher of Thunder is truly badass."
"She's way too strong now, right? All those earlier knives weren't for nothing. Mei has powered up, and Kiana will be saved."
"I'm in love. This Herrscher of Thunder really hits my heart. I'm going to stan Mei now."
"So beautiful, so powerful, so aloof, and riding a dragon while fighting in the sky—awesome!"
"Sometimes I really wonder how they filmed the scenes of riding a dragon and battling in the sky."
"Worthy of my Mei. After all the suffering comes sweetness. I'm so touched—proclaiming to the world the return of the Queen of Lightning!!!"
"I've never seen such a domineering woman before. Is this the Queen of Lightning? So cool!"
"Waaah… My Mei is gone forever. Is this Herrscher of Thunder still the real Mei?"
"I cried. Mei has really had it too hard. She's always hated being powerless, and for Kiana she willingly became a Herrscher. From now on, I'll only stan her."
"To be fair, this episode really maxed out Mei's charm. She was never just a fragile young lady."
"…"
Countless people sighed, countless people were moved, seemingly forgetting the knives from not long ago.
Including inside the company.
These actors watched Mei transformed into the Herrscher of Thunder, their eyes shining. This level of coolness and power was the role they all dreamed of.
Fu Hua even muttered quietly: "If I secretly stab the director, will he make me this awesome too? Should I try?"
The others heard but paid no mind, though Kosma, who had recently been around Kevin, grew excited: "Is this for real?"
Kevin immediately warned him: "Don't believe it! Our Director He is the pettiest person. The price to become like this would definitely be unbearable."
Kosma was still doubtful.
Then the TV screen shifted to Kiana's side.
"I… this is also…" The chaotic rain battered her eardrums, waking her from the darkness: "Huh…? Here… is Senba Academy?"
Her memory stopped at the moment she was shot down.
She looked around, and what met her eyes was a familiar scene.
"Why… am I here…"
"Don't move." Kevin's voice sounded.
Kiana jumped in fright: "You're… Kevin Kaslana…!"
Kevin said: "You tried to close the imaginary singularity but were attacked by an imaginary construct and fell. Although I caught you, your injuries are still very severe."
"The power of the Herrscher of the Void has weakened. This way, you have gained more time."
Kiana asked suspiciously: "You saved me… why…?"
"…" Kevin was silent for a moment before saying: "Thank Raiden Mei. She is the one who saved you. You no longer need to worry about Nagazora City—the disaster is over. She protected this city in your place."
Kiana was shocked: "What did you say… Mei…!?"
Kevin sensed Mei approaching and said: "Let her explain the rest to you personally… She's here."
As his words fell,
a crimson bolt of thunder descended from the sky.
As the lightning faded, Mei in her Herrscher of Thunder form appeared before Kiana.
Kiana could hardly believe it: "Mei…?"
She hurriedly asked: "What happened… How did you end up like that…"
Mei did not answer.
Kevin, seeing this, said: "It seems you have made your choice."
Mei looked at him: "…I will go with you."
"Very well." Kevin formally declared: "Raiden Mei, welcome to World Serpent."
"Wait a minute!!"
Kiana directly interrupted them: "What are you saying… Mei… is joining World Serpent…?"
Mei remained silent.
Kiana quickly asked: "Mei… what's wrong with you…? What did he do to you?"