At this moment.
This flame had finally been passed into Kiana's hands.
"Thank you… Teacher Himeko."
"I understand it too… It's just that sometimes, I can't…"
Himeko said: "I understand your tension, Kiana. The more help you receive from everyone, the heavier the burden you feel on your shoulders."
"That's exactly why you must remember — you are never alone."
"Anti-Entropy, who have become your comrades and allies; Principal Theresa, who is always thinking of you; the reliable Class Monitor Fu Hua."
"Bronya may not be good at expressing herself, but she's always thinking the same things as you. You've seen her actions, her growth."
"And Mei — she is the gentlest child among you all. So don't worry about her, Kiana. Believe in her. She will definitely make the right choice."
"…And you, Kiana."
Himeko spoke with a hint of pride: "You were the most mischievous of all my students, and also the one who never gave up easily. You have the power to change everyone, the power to make the people around you walk forward together with you."
"So believe in and rely on your comrades, Kiana. Because they surely believe in and rely on you too."
Kiana looked at Himeko, her eyes filled with gratitude: "Thank you, Teacher Himeko."
BOOM——
As if to prove Himeko's words, a terrifying sound of thunder suddenly crashed in from outside.
Kiana asked in confusion: "What's that sound?"
Himeko said: "I'm afraid something's happening outside."
"Outside…" Kiana realized: "Is it everyone?"
After Kiana was pulled into the Theater of Domination by the Herrscher of Domination, everyone from Anti-Entropy had taken action. Even World Serpent's Mei had infiltrated the theater to fight alongside them.
Himeko said: "It seems they're battling the Herrscher. With that, the stagnant time here has finally begun to waver. See what I told you, Kiana? You were never alone."
BOOM——
The second thunderclap was even more violent, as if the very space had been torn open.
Himeko felt it too: "The Herrscher of Domination's power is weakening."
"…"
"…"
The two looked at each other in silence. Only the hands of time began to turn slowly once again.
In the end, it was Himeko who broke the quiet: "Are you ready, Kiana?"
"…I understand, Teacher Himeko." Kiana spoke as if she had made up her mind.
Himeko extended her hand in invitation: "Come on. Let's walk a little further together."
The two headed toward the main gate of St. Freya.
"Yesterday at St. Freya feels like it's still right in front of my eyes. I remember when you first enrolled, shouting that you were going to become the strongest Valkyrie. In the blink of an eye, you've already grown so much."
"To be honest, I really wanted to watch you grow up."
"I wanted to return to St. Freya, keep teaching you all, keep training with you…"
"Write on the blackboard again, go back to my room and have a drink."
"That time at St. Freya is also my most precious memory."
"But unfortunately… I can't do it anymore."
"The road ahead is still very long, but it seems… I won't be able to walk it with you any longer."
"But that's okay, Kiana. You've never disappointed me."
"Always remember — there are always many people by your side who will support you, protect you."
"And that includes me."
Before they knew it, they had arrived at the gate.
Himeko stopped: "My journey ends here. From this point on, Kiana, this is your path."
"…"
Kiana took a deep breath, trying her best to steady her emotions: "After I leave through that door… everything here will disappear, right?"
Himeko answered gently: "I don't know. But… probably."
"…Mm."
Kiana nodded, but still did not take a single step forward.
Himeko instructed: "Remember to say goodbye to everyone at St. Freya for me."
"Okay…" Tears were already streaming uncontrollably down Kiana's face.
Himeko said: "Tell Mei that I support her choice, but next time she can't be so heavy-handed with her friends."
"I will." Kiana's voice had already begun to tremble.
Himeko said: "Tell Bronya that I'm very happy to see how much she's grown. In the future, she will definitely become an excellent leader."
"I think so too." She held back her tears, not wanting Himeko to see her sadness at the very end.
Himeko continued: "Tell Fu Hua that even though we can't meet again in the future, no matter whether St. Freya still exists or not, she will always be everyone's Class Monitor."
"Mm." She could only nod, unable to make any other movement.
Himeko said: "From now on, Theresa will be the only one taking care of you all. You have to listen to her a bit more, don't make the Principal angry. It's best if you help her out more too. Don't let her tough act fool you — in reality, she has it much harder than any of us."
"I know." Kiana's emotions calmed slightly.
"Oh, right." Himeko added: "I remember Ragna was also Rita and Durandal's teacher. If there's a chance, pass her last wishes on to them too."
"No problem." Kiana had already calmed down.
Himeko looked at her gently: "Finally… tell yourself, Kiana… I will always be by your side."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Kiana, don't take it too hard." Himeko smiled softly: "Just think of this as a dream. When the dream ends, everyone still has to keep moving forward."
"…" Kiana still kept her head down and did not respond.
Himeko said softly: "Don't be afraid of farewells. Farewell to the past is so you can walk toward the future."
"…"
Her tears could no longer be held back. The emotions inside her could no longer be suppressed:
"I understand… Teacher Himeko… I understand everything…"
She clenched her fists tightly.
"…"
"…I'm sorry…"
Tears kept falling, her voice already shaking: "…I'm sorry… Teacher Himeko…"
She sobbed so hard she could barely speak a complete sentence: "…I know… I know at a time like this I should smile and say goodbye to you… I should walk out that door strong and brave…"
"…I know this is just a remnant of memory, and reality is where I should return…"
"…But I still can't help thinking…"
"…If I just don't walk through that door… maybe time will never flow again… maybe this moment will never change…"
"…I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye to you properly…"
"…I clearly still have so many things I wanted to say to you… all those big promises I made… I haven't fulfilled them yet…"
"…This is a dream… dreams always wake up… I know…"
"…I'll go back… I'll defeat the Herrscher of a Thousand People… I'll bring Mei home…"
"…The Eleventh Herrscher, the Twelfth Herrscher… even the Herrscher of the End… I'll defeat them all…"
"…I'll turn this imperfect story… into the one we all hoped for…"
"…I just… wanted you to be able to see it all too…"
Endless sorrow left her completely unable to speak. She sobbed for a long time, only able to keep crying. No matter how she wiped with the back of her hand, the tears wouldn't stop. Even looking at Teacher Himeko had become unbearably blurred…
Teacher Himeko's hand, as gentle as ever, rested on her head: "Of course I can see it."
"Kiana, as long as you wish for it, I can see it."
"Because I am right here in your heart."
Kiana could no longer hold back. Tears burst forth as she cried out loud…
Himeko looked at her gently: "You remind me of when I was little. At my mother's funeral, I cried until the sky and earth were dark, clinging to my father and refusing to leave. In the end, it was just the two of us."
"After a very, very long time, my father patted my head. When I looked up at him, his eyes were also red with bloodshot veins. Unlike me, the tears he shed were silent."
"But he said — It's okay, Himeko. Mom will turn into a star in the sky and watch over us."
"My father was never good at expressing these things. Even his words of comfort were so clumsy."
"But even now, I still believe what he said."
"Kiana, as long as you believe… I will turn into a star in the night sky, watching over you."
"Even if the torch goes out, even if the moon loses its light — this unchanging glimmer will still light the way forward for you."
"So don't be afraid."
"I have not left you."
"Becoming the strength that helps students move forward — that is a teacher's most romantic destination."
Kiana sobbed: "I know…"
Himeko gently stroked her head: "Everything will pass. Everything will change — even if that change takes away your entire world."
"But that's okay — because it is also the most powerful force in heaven and earth, a force strong enough to carve hope and paths for anyone."
"When you feel lost, just look up at the starry sky."
"I will be there, shining to illuminate the entire night."
"…Thank you, Teacher Himeko." White light began to shine from the edge of the world. Kiana understood very clearly: "…I… should go now."
Himeko nodded: "Mm. Go on. Take that step forward, Kiana. Just walk boldly ahead. I will always bless you, always watch over you. After all—"
"You are my student, Murata Himeko's student!"
Kiana wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes: "Teacher Himeko… I'm so glad I could be your student! Meeting you is my greatest honor!"
Himeko smiled: "It's my honor too. Go on, Kiana."
Kiana took a few steps toward the door.
But just as she was about to step through, she stopped, turning back reluctantly to look at Himeko.
Himeko said indulgently: "Alright then. Let me tell you one last story."
"A mother who had passed away wrote many letters for her child while she was alive, so that on every birthday the child would receive one. As a reward for the child's strength, she included enough pocket money in each letter to buy candy."
"As the child grew older, the amount of candy money in the letters grew larger too."
"She hoped to accompany her child's growth in this way."
"Even after she was gone, she could still be a mother who encouraged her child to grow, walking with them through childhood."
"Unfortunately… I didn't have time to leave letters like that for all of you."
"But Kiana, I can still accompany you all as you grow."
"The things you learned from me, the things you inherited from me — those are the candies I leave behind for you."
"They will quietly grow along with you, becoming the strength that lets you move forward with conviction."
"That is proof that I once existed."
"And it is proof that I will always be by your side."
"Kiana, there is nothing more I can teach you."
"Because no matter what difficulties lie ahead, you will overcome them."
"You will always make the right choice."
"I will always believe in you."
After saying this, Himeko said no more. She simply gazed at Kiana with gentle eyes.
Kiana knew — she wanted to watch her take this step, to walk toward the future.
The moment she stepped through the door,
Himeko said one last thing: "Kiana, you are my pride."
At this moment,
The already tearful audience could no longer hold back.
They all burst into loud sobs. In an instant, an overwhelming wave of sorrow swept across the entire country.
In the official fan group:
"Wuwuwuwuwuwu… Teacher Himeko… my Teacher Himeko…"
"Aaaaah damn director, you've done terrible things! My Teacher Himeko… you made me cry to death."
"I can't see the screen anymore. I'm really crying nonstop. Such a good Teacher Himeko — damn director, damn Otto, I'm going to kill you all."
"Wuwuwu… don't just say the actress cried — I'm crying too. I'm depressed now. Damn director, give me back my Teacher Himeko."
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Why do this to my Teacher Himeko, wuwuwuwu…"
"Fuck you! Fuck you! Where's the healthy and happy part? You stabbed me to death! Fuck! Too much knife!"
"Pain! It hurts too much! How can it hurt this much! My Teacher Himeko…"
"Fuck you, I held it in until now, but that last line really broke me."
"…Wuwuwu… fuck… wuwuwu…"
"Wuwuwuwuwuwuwuwu…"
"This drama is too knifey… I'm really going to get depressed…"
"…"
At the same moment,
Inside the Fire Moth Interstellar Entertainment Company break room,
All the actors were crying their hearts out.
At this moment, they truly understood why Kiana cried so much while filming this episode — wasn't the conversation with Himeko just now performed through tears?
They also truly understood why Kiana nearly fell into depression. Asking a normal person to act out a scene like this — how could they not get depressed?
Pardofelis was crying with tears streaming down her face: "Wuwuwu, Teacher Himeko… Ellie-nee, you didn't tell me it would be such a knifey drama!"
Griseo was bawling too: "Wuwuwuwu, I want Teacher Himeko back…"
Even now, Kiana still hadn't fully emerged from the drama. Seeing this scene, she buried herself in Elysia's arms and cried bitterly.
Mei, Bronya, Fu Hua, and Theresa were all wiping tears nonstop, quietly sobbing.
Even the strongest, Kevin, had glistening tears at the corners of his eyes.
Kalpas roared through his tears: "Damn director! You still dare to knife us?! I'm definitely going to kill you! I will never forgive you!!"
He looked toward the door, ready to devour Hessian alive where he sat.
But Hessian, who should have been sitting there, had already disappeared without a trace.
SAKURA spoke up at this time: "Kalpas! Kill him! I definitely won't stop you. This drama hurts too much."
"Damn bastard! Where did he run off to?!"
Kalpas shouted and was about to charge out.
Mobius, her voice also trembling with tears, said: "The episode isn't over yet. If you chase him now, you won't see the rest."
Kalpas, who had only taken two steps, stopped instantly.
After hesitating for a moment, he sat back down with his knife in hand — but the way he looked made it clear he was ready to hunt Hessian down the second the episode ended.
By now, Hessian had already left the break room ahead of time, right when Kiana was preparing to leave. He had gone up to the rooftop of the company building.
He looked up at the starry sky.
His emotions weren't good either. Even though he knew the plot, even though he had watched it more than once, he still couldn't help but shed tears.
He looked down below. Many people were holding their phones, watching the broadcast. All of them were crying bitterly. The giant screens on distant buildings were also playing Honkai Impact 3rd. In the plaza, many who had smashed their own TVs and could only watch here were also wailing loudly…
But this episode's story was not yet over.
On the television,
Kiana stepped through the door.
Her consciousness gradually cleared. She opened her drowsy eyes. Perhaps because she had been unconscious for so long, she felt as if she had just had an extremely distant dream.
"Class Monitor… Bronya… why are you two here?"
By her side, Bronya and Fu Hua had been keeping watch.
Bronya said: "Idiot. Of course we came to save you and get you out of here."
Fu Hua also asked: "What happened?"
Kiana's mind slowly returned to clarity.
The trembling in her heart gradually subsided. She took several deep breaths, forcing the tears not to fall, steadying her voice.
Only then did she speak:
"A lot… happened…"
"Thank you for coming to save me… Once we get out of here, I'll tell you everything."
"But right now… we still have some unfinished business."
Her gaze turned toward the puppet not far away. The puppet was dragging its body, limping and staggering, trying to escape toward the center of the theater.
After being heavily wounded by the Herrscher of Thunder, its originally bizarre movements now carried an even greater eeriness.
Kiana asked: "What happened to them?"