Chapter 54: Gold: Eden
Zhongli, who was sipping tea, suddenly felt a surge of immense power coursing through his body. Two rays of golden light erupted from his eyes, only to be slowly reined back into his form under his precise control.
"The power has returned. Not much, but enough," Zhongli said, clenching his fist before picking up his teacup once more to savor his tea.
"Wonderful! Rex Lapis has grown even stronger!"
"With Rex Lapis here, Liyue Harbor need not fear any invasion."
"Indeed, indeed. We won't face a situation like the one in Sumeru."
The citizens surrounding Zhongli watched him with expressions of excitement.
…
"The Q&A has concluded. The next ranking will begin in thirty minutes. Please look forward to it."
[ Honkai: Star Rail - Jing Yuan: Based on the previous situation, the next individual seems to be Miss Eden. ]
[ Honkai Impact 3rd - Elysia: That's right! Eden is indeed ranked fourth among us thirteen. According to the preview in the ranking livestream, she should be the next one. ]
[ Genshin Impact - Yae Miko: Well then, let's look forward to it! ]
"Time is up. Let us begin the ranking for the next Flame-Chaser."
"Golden Eden"
"Eden was one of the thirteen Flame-Chasers of the M a world-class superstar, she was renowned as a musician whose artistic achievements alone were enough to define an entire era."
"During the Previous Era, Eden was a signed artist at an entertainment agency. Two months after terminating her contract, she took the initiative to perform at a charity concert, which catapulted her to fame. This explosive popularity led people to wonder if Eden was merely a flash in the pan or a star that would never fade. However, as time passed, Eden proved to everyone that she was the most successful artist and the most brilliant star of her time."
"Eden's fame quickly swept across the globe; even Kevin and Su, who would later join her as Flame-Chasers, had attended her concerts as fans. During this period, she constantly refined herself, developing a unique aura."
"The Seventh Eruption turned everything to dust. The Herrscher of Flame destroyed all of Australia, and in that moment, Eden lost everything. Fortunately, Hua arrived just in time to save Eden, who was about to be crushed by a falling pillar. Afterward, Eden was taken to the MOTH for psychological treatment."
"In the year following the Honkai disaster, Eden actively participated in relief efforts and financed the rebuilding of homes. Yet, in the hearts of those who suffered through the catastrophe, humanity had lost all interest in—or even harbored resistance toward—entertainment. But Eden, as an artist, remained active in the public eye. She proved the words of a critic: 'Entertainment will eventually die, but art will never fade away.'"
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[ Genshin Impact - Barbara: Hmm, is this Miss Eden also a star? Could you teach me how to be a good star? ]
[ Genshin Impact - Yun Jin: I would like to learn as well. ]
[ Honkai: Star Rail - Robin: Becoming a great star is a very arduous task; it is not as simple as it looks on the surface. ]
[ Honkai Impact 3rd - Eden: A star? That past feels as if it were only yesterday. ]
[ Honkai: Star Rail - Qingque: Am I the only one who noticed that Kevin, the savior of humanity, was also a fangirl/fanboy? ]
[ Honkai Impact 3rd - Raiden Mei: After all, Kevin was just a high school student at that time. Isn't it normal for someone like that to follow stars? ]
[ Honkai Impact 3rd - Kevin: No, didn't Su follow stars too? Why only focus on me? ]
[ Honkai: Star Rail - Herta: It is mainly because the ranking livestream has not yet reached you, our comrade. We only know a little bit about you, which is why we are paying attention to you. ]
[ Honkai Impact 3rd - Su: Following stars is nothing to be ashamed of. Who hasn't been young before? ]
…
"Later, Eden met Elysia and, at her invitation, joined the MOTH. Because she had a high compatibility rate with various Honkai Beasts, Eden was allowed to choose the Honkai Beast she would fuse with. She chose the most radiant one—Vishnu—though she rarely used its power."
"During the Ninth Eruption, humanity defeated the Herrscher of Earth and used its Core to create the Ninth Divine Key—the Key of Devourer, Star of Eden. Eden discovered the disharmony in this Divine Key and requested to adjust it. Later, the Key fell into Eden's hands, and she wielded it with such immense power that the MOTH decided to gift her the weapon. Afterward, to commemorate Eden's contribution, the Divine Key was renamed the Star of Eden."
"After the tragedy of the Binding, Elysia proposed the establishment of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers, but it was rejected by the higher-ups. To appease the remaining Fusion Warriors, the upper echelon established a 'Five Flame-Chasers' system. Because Eden was judged to be someone 'without a future,' she was not included. To support Elysia's plan for the Thirteen Flame-Chasers, Eden provided the funding, using her 'Golden Courtyard' as the foundation for the Elysian Realm."
"Following the incident with the Herrscher of Corruption, Eden believed that this civilization was beyond saving; a fractured humanity could never defeat the Honkai. Subsequently, Eden gifted her Golden Courtyard to Mobius, handing it over to those she believed had a future. For Eden knew that she was one who had no future; she belonged only to this era, this dying era."
"Before the incident with the Thirteenth Herrscher, Dr. MEI convened a meeting regarding Elysia's identity. After the meeting concluded, Eden found Elysia and told her what had transpired. Although Elysia wore a smile on her face, Eden keenly sensed the loss in her heart. To comfort her friend, Eden used her 'Humanity's Falling' for the first time, transforming into a whale to swim through the sea of stars with Elysia."
…
[ Honkai Impact 3rd - Elysia: Eden, my dear Eden! ]
At that moment, within the MOTH, Elysia hugged Eden, rubbing against her cheek incessantly.
"There, there," Eden said, smiling as she stroked the head of the Elysia in her arms.
The other Flame-Chasers smiled at this.
[ Honkai: Star Rail - Seele: Hmph, I knew from before that those higher-ups in the MOTH were no good. Now it seems they were just a bunch of scumbags. ]
[ Honkai: Star Rail - Bronya: Perhaps humanity's greatest enemy is not the Honkai, but humanity itself? ]
[ Genshin Impact - Nahida: Human desire is terrifying. A single misstep can destroy the entire world. ]
Reflecting on the previous ranking of the Scaramouche, where it was mentioned that the Sages and the Fatui conspired to create a god, Nahida realized that the desires in human hearts could indeed be terrifying.
[ Honkai: Star Rail - Xuan Yong: Desire, you say? Human desire is truly terrifying. I have witnessed countless civilizations destroyed by their own desires. ]
Having lived for over five hundred thousand years, Xuan Yong had seen many civilizations perish due to their own greed.
…