Rock, Paper, Scissors, a common decision-making technique played by children.
Although it's said to rely entirely on luck, this technique actually has many loopholes.
Those with keen observation skills can deduce the opponent's likely choice based on their facial expressions and actions.
Kiana had the physical ability to predict this, but unfortunately, she didn't realize it. For the naive Kiana, rock, paper, scissors was a simple game, relying entirely on luck.
As for Tesla, while her physical fitness wasn't as robust as Kiana's Kaslana body, her past experiences had given her considerable physical strength.
With her excellent physical fitness and agile mind, Tesla could discern Kiana's likely choice from a brief observation and respond accordingly.
Rock, Paper, Scissors!
"Rock, Paper, Scissors!"
Kiana's relentless scissors collided with Tesla's relentless fist.
In an instant, the winner was decided!
As the notary, Einstein declared the winner expressionlessly after the results were reached.
"Dr. Tesla wins!"
"Hehehe, this genius still has the upper hand, right?!" Tesla said with a hint of pride.
A mere game of rock-paper-scissors was a piece of cake for the genius Dr. Tesla!
Kiana's expression remained calm, showing no trace of frustration at losing.
She might have been like this before, but now...
Thinking back to her past, Kiana smiled and shook her head slightly.
If we ignore the concept of time in this space, how exactly can a person undergo a transformation in just a few minutes?
Kiana herself couldn't figure this out.
But she at least understood one thing: her current self was still immature.
In her Void Drifter state, she harbored far more profound thoughts than she did now.
She used to yearn for the future.
Now... she still does...
...but this time, it's not anticipation.
Unlike Kiana's tangled mental processes, Tesla, having been given the choice, exclaimed triumphantly.
"I choose A! This genius will undoubtedly take first place!"
[Correct]
The answer was finalized, and this satisfying outcome naturally boosted Tesla's arrogance.
"Hmph, I told you! In a mere sports meet, it's only natural for this genius to take first place!"
In response to Tesla's words, Einstein spoke calmly, in a tone she couldn't hear, with a hint of melancholy in her voice: "Alas, it seems our Dr. Tesla's reputation is about to soar to the skies."
Some were happy, some were sad. In this situation—
An image of the Great Honkai Games appeared on the screen.
[Honkai—a supernatural disaster that accompanies human civilization and seeks to destroy it.]
[Honkai gives rise to the Deadwalkers and Honkai Beasts, whose strange movements are hostile to all life.]
In the image, three lovely zombies sat in front of a fire, roasting something just like humans.
"Honkai Energy Crystal?!"
Tesla instantly what they were grilling so she couldn't help but widened her eyes.
No way, this thing can be grilled?!
"Don't be so surprised, Dr. Tesla. This isn't our world, after all. We can't apply our common sense."
After so many years of service, Einstein naturally understood Tesla's thoughts. Although she was also surprised, she suppressed her urge to become a troll and said seriously.
"Besides... even in our world, there's no such thing as [Honkai Energy Crystals] that can't be used as barbecue ingredients, right?"
Of course, this earned her an eye roll from the others.
Even Kiana and the others, unfamiliar with the item, knew from the name alone that it wasn't something to be consumed.
A figure passed by the zombies warming themselves by the fire, attracting a great deal of attention.
[Valkyrie, a high-risk profession sworn to protect humanity and eliminate the Honkai.]
[Their powers are so immense that they can even slow down time and create black holes.]
Everyone looked.
Wasn't that Kiana right beside them?
"This look of wisdom is truly worthy of the being called idiot Kiana!"
Bronya deadpanned her assessment of the intelligent Kiana.
Kiana didn't attempt to argue, but a hint of embarrassment lingered.
Even as she casually gazed at herself in the image, she felt something... something indescribable!!!
Kiana's posture in the image was quite amusing, but Theresa paid no heed. She simply recalled the female voice introducing them, frowning and muttering.
"Why does that voice sound so familiar?"
"Wait... isn't that..."
Having been distracted, Theresa suddenly remembered who it was. A look of astonishment crossed her face.
[And today, everyone will put aside past grudges and, on this field—]
[The match begins!]
A familiar male voice announced the start of the competition in the video.
The contestants made their appearances.
Aside from the unfamiliar figures, the most familiar ones were naturally Dr. Tesla, Kiana, Jixuanyuan, and...
"Hahaha, is this Theresa?!"
Theresa's friend, Himeko, couldn't help but burst out laughing at the sight of Theresa's 'intelligent eyes' in the video.
The rest of the group also was affected. Even the serious Mei and Einstein, and even Bronya, who wasn't particularly good at smiling smiled at Theresa's very intelligent expression in the video.
Bronya's smile was so stiff that it resembled a comical meme... Ugh, how could she laugh like that?
Compared to Theresa, Kiana's eyes of wisdom paled in comparison.
As the person involved, Theresa was naturally constipated by the scene.
No, I've already given up on picking, so how could they still persecute me?!
Looking at her own 'intelligent eyes' in that image, Theresa felt a trauma even greater than that sustained by the magical girl TeRiRi.
"Kiana's off to a fast start, taking the lead!"
"Jixuanyuan's acceleration was also excellent!"
A voice reminiscent of Otto announced the progress of the match as the screen switched.
"Oh my god, Bella took off! Easily outpacing the other opponents!"
After the voice of astonishment that resembled Otto's ended, a charming female voice echoed:
"Welcome to the live broadcast of the Second World, the Great Honkai Games!"
"I'm the host, Rita. The winner of the contest will receive a colorful crystal that can grant any wish. Good luck!"
Rita, familiar to Theresa, sat in the TV station.
Next to her, everyone was stunned... It was Otto Apocalypse.
"Ah... Is this Otto?!"
Tesla wiped her eyes at Otto, whose face looked so "smart" and gigantic, so like Theresa's. After confirming she wasn't mistaken, she was stunned.
The people at St. Freya's Academy were also horrified.
The Otto they had in mind was ruthless, merciless, the ultimate boss.
Otto in the video gave a brilliant commentary with a look of wit and wisdom.
The contrast was truly unbearable.
"Okay, the player on the screen, Kiana, the Valkyrie from Schicksal, is currently in second place."
"Well, data analysis shows she's equipped with the newly released Hannah's 12th-generation Stigmata. After upgrading, it can deliver a 75% improvement, reaching a top speed of 500 mph!"
Otto sounded like he was promoting the Stigmata, advertising them.
Everyone was naturally at a loss for words. Although they knew this was another world, seeing the Archbishop of Schicksal advertising like a street vendor, acting like a wise man, this was truly shattering.
"So, where can I buy it?"
The other commentator, Rita, even played along, acting like a salesperson, remarkably like a seasoned TV channel salesperson.
Even Theresa who knew Rita well was a little skeptical. In that world, Rita wasn't a Valkyrie, but a seasoned salesperson and a shill.
Kiana, who possessed the Hannah Stigmata, which Otto had praised to such a high standard, was easily surpassed.
"Hahaha, your Schicksal's Stigmata... Isn't that stigma too weak?!"
Tesla, sporting [Automatic] and carrying a flying machine, smirked at Otto's much-hyped stigma.
She quivered and grimaced at Kiana's irritation.
"Lililililililil!"
Kiana, naturally irritated by the mockery, shouted in displeasure.
"Is this considered the strongest equipment?! I want a refund!"
But before Tesla could say anything more, her gloating moment was short-lived. A fleeting white shadow instantly carried the complacent Tesla away, leaving Kiana bewildered.
"Oh, look! Gagaga in her rolling form... Ganesha, yes, yes, Ganesha is crushing Tesla! Are they going to make it to the finish line like this?"
Otto, in the commentary booth, stuttered as he reported the latest race progress.
Einstein saw Tesla's one moment smug, only to be swept along by a tumbling Honkai Beast the next, naturally didn't miss the opportunity to tease Tesla. Her words were full of mockery, and she acted as if nothing had happened.
"As expected of Dr. Tesla..."
"Ahhh! Mophead!"
The smug Tesla, who had been so proud of herself, suddenly turned pale after being caught in the act. Tesla, naturally provoked, glared at Einstein with a frantic expression.
…
"There's a curve ahead. Will it widen the gap between the competitors?"
Rita announced the race, her voice filled with worry.
Maybe it was because she had a bad mouth.
The moment she spoke, Tesla who was caught up in Ganesha's clutches bcrashed through the guardrail, knocking an innocent Benares flying.
"Ah, it's happening! It's happening! Ganesha's taking Tesla with him!"
Otto exclaimed from the announcer's booth.
He took it all in.
In the middle of the game, Raven, running at a steady, even pace, thought to herself.
"I didn't expect my opponent to be so strong. I'll just have to wait and see."
"Ah, I have to explain this time. Medical services are provided by a professional team. Any injuries won't be a problem."
Following Otto's introduction, the medical team for the Great Honkai Games appeared.
The formidable medical team consisted of a Revenants as the chief physician, plus four other Revenants.
From their shiny sunglasses, it was clear that the medical team for this Great Honkai Games was exceptionally professional!
"Okay, Kiana has arrived first at the second competition area—Crimson Abyss!"
"Here, the contestants will face the relentless onslaught of high temperatures."
At the announcer's booth, Otto announced the schedule and briefly described the venue.
"Jixuanyuan has mounted her warhorse. Could it be that she's turned darker because she couldn't handle the heat?!"
As Rita commented with astonishment, Jixuanyuan was now a completely different person than before. She was galloping along on her majestic steed.
"Pfft!" Book of Fuxi couldn't help but cover her mouth, stifling a laugh.
Having been created while Cang Xuan was still alive, she naturally knew the first bearer of the Xuanyuan Sword of this era.
Seeing this comical gesture and the end of the joke, she was naturally amused.
As one of the contestants, the missing Theresa suddenly appeared. Braving the heat, she held the languid-looking Judah, her face etched with panic.
"Ah, why aren't you awake yet?! If you keep sleeping, we won't be able to catch up with them!"
Perhaps because of her words, Judah instantly perked up and donned its sunglasses with a social air.
"Hey... hey, looks like we've caught up!" Theresa beamed.
Suddenly braking, stopping, charging, and throwing—the movements were executed with unwavering skill, a true veteran.
"Flight mode activated!"
With a series of maneuvers that stunned everyone, Theresa stepped on Judah and flew... flew?!
After witnessing such an astonishing feat, the considerably calm Void Drifter retreated back into her paramecium form, her face dazed as she asked.
"A-Auntie, can Judah be used like this?!"
But seeing Theresa's bewilderment, she hadn't expected Judah to be used like this...
And... based on the method shown in the video...
With her own physique... it seems like she could actually do it?!
Ah, this... Judah's bizarre uses have increased.
"Oh, Theresa used Judah's flight ability to swiftly cross this area! Straight to first place!"
Otto's voice was filled with excitement, and he couldn't help but sigh.
"Oh, we'll never know how many uses Judah has!"
Then, the Red and Blue Twins, along with their mounts Assaka appeared.
They showed the audience what was hidden within Assaka's massive claws.
"Liliya and Rozaliya?!"
As a child raised in an orphanage... Bronya was quite surprised by the appearance of these two people.
Come to think of it, she hadn't seen these two mischievous children in ages.
Hmm... time to find some time to get some updates from Sin on the orphanage.
Bronya decided to contact Sin after this round of Q&A was over.
"This is the Abyss."
"What should I do?"
Raven appeared once again. She looked at the scorching hot surface with a panicked expression.
"Going straight in will roast me."
She was trying for a wish, but she didn't want to end up like a roasted crow!