Chapter 300: The Ownership of the Light Cone
The second Light Cone radiated an epic solemnity, a scene of deep and unyielding resolve.
The image was focused on the heavens, where Mavuika, the God of Fire, streaked across the sky like a reverse meteor. In her grasp, she held a greatsword of pure flame, one condensed from the collective will of all Natlan. With a momentum that knew no retreat, she plunged the blade toward a colossal, black-hole-like Abyssal entity. The clash of light and darkness formed the central theme of the tableau, with a simple caption etched below: "A Five-Hundred-Year Relay Strike."
The third Light Cone, in a sudden shift of style, was brimming with vibrant life and unadulterated joy.
The picture captured a corner of the grand celebration held in the Holy Fire Arena. Bonfires blazed, and crowds of people gathered to revel in their victory. Stelle could be clearly seen sporting an exaggerated hat, lost in a goofy dance. March 7th, Belle, and even Hu Tao were laughing as they joined in, while Himeko watched from the side with a gentle smile. Paimon, meanwhile, was a blur as she zipped toward a giant platter of roasted meat. The entire scene was dynamic and saturated with a festive atmosphere. Its title was just as lively: "Dance! Dance! Dance!"
These three Light Cones, crafted through the unique arts of the Garden of Recollection, had perfectly solidified the three most definitive moments of their time in Natlan—the steadfastness of guardianship, the unwavering resolve of belief, and the pure bliss of victory. They were not merely powerful tools for combat; they were the most precious records of their cross-world friendship and the shared struggles that had forged it.
Stelle was the first to snap out of the initial shock. Her golden eyes immediately began to sparkle with a familiar cunning as she turned to March 7th.
Her tone was thick with exaggerated admiration and playful teasing. "Wow! March, you've been holding out on us! When did you secretly master the Garden of Recollection's secret techniques? Fess up, did you make some kind of unspeakable deal with Black Swan?"
A faint blush crept onto March 7th's cheeks at Stelle's prodding. She quickly waved her hands in denial, her voice tinged with the urgency of someone wrongly accused. "It wasn't me! It really wasn't! How could I possibly have that kind of power?!"
She pointed a finger at the blue, jellyfish-like Memory Spirit still floating quietly nearby, which seemed to be doing its best to appear uninvolved. "It was Little Yue!"
"I was fast asleep, and then it just… somehow condensed these three Light Cones and woke me up! I'm still completely lost myself, I have no idea what's going on!" March was just as bewildered; the sudden "surprise" had caught her entirely off guard.
Stelle's interest instantly pivoted from March to the creature. She leaned in closer to the blue Memory Spirit, curiously poking its cool, smooth surface. Little Yue seemed a bit shy, shrinking back slightly from her touch.
"This ability is way too cool!" Stelle declared. "You should ask your Little Yue if it takes requests! For example, could it record some of my 'Golden Light Demon Subduing' highlight reels?"
March rolled her eyes at her friend. Of course, that's where her mind would go. Still, she dutifully tried to communicate with Little Yue.
The process, however, was anything but smooth. Little Yue didn't seem to possess complex language abilities, relying more on conveying intent and instinctive reactions. March gestured wildly, combining a vague stream of telepathy with a great deal of guesswork as she struggled to decipher what the little creature wanted to express.
After a difficult exchange that felt like a combination of Pictionary and a psychic hotline, March finally managed to piece together some clues. She turned to the expectant Stelle and the calmly observing Dan Heng, explaining with a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
"Um… I think I've got the gist of it. The general idea is, this seems to be a kind of… instinctive behavior for Little Yue?"
"It's like how we feel hungry and want to eat. It seems to 'digest'or'organize' the particularly strong and important memory fragments it perceives, and then… somehow, they naturally condense into things like these Light Cones."
She spread her hands helplessly. "As for how exactly it does it, or why it can, Little Yue can't explain it either."
"For it, this is as natural as breathing. It falls into the category of 'I thought it would work, and then it just did.'"
Although the explanation sounded a bit fantastical, considering Little Yue's special identity as an Amphoreus, a "Titan of Ages" and a clone of Olonios, it wasn't entirely unbelievable. It stood to reason that it might possess some innate connection to concepts like "memory" and "time." Perhaps recording and solidifying powerful emotions and memory fragments was one of its inherent abilities, one that had simply never been triggered or displayed until now.
"Alright, so it's a little artist who works on instinct." Stelle accepted the explanation readily enough. Her attention immediately shifted to a more practical matter—the ownership of the Light Cones.
She rubbed her hands together, her eyes gleaming as she appraised the three artifacts and their distinct auras. "So, how are we divvying up these treasures?"
After a brief discussion, the distribution plan was quickly settled.
March was the first to claim a prize, picking up the "Dance! Dance! Dance!" Light Cone that recorded their celebratory revelry. She hugged it tightly to her chest, a brilliant smile lighting up her face.
"I want this one!" The aura emanating from this particular Light Cone was a perfect match for her lively, cheerful, and inspiring personality, and it would effectively enhance her support capabilities in battle.
Next, she presented the "A Five-Hundred-Year Relay Strike" Light Cone—the one depicting Mavuika gathering five centuries of faith for a single, decisive blow—to Stelle.
"Stelle, this one's for you," March said. "The resolve, the explosive power, and the unyielding faith contained within it feel like a great match for your… reckless, destructive drive! It should give your offensive power a huge boost!"
Stelle took the Light Cone, feeling the immense power thrumming within it. She was more than satisfied, nodding repeatedly. "Even though it doesn't have a shot of my heroic posture, it's still pretty awesome!"
Finally, March picked up the "Birth of Two Heroes" Light Cone, the one that recorded Lumine and Stelle transforming into giants to fight side-by-side, and handed it to Dan Heng.
"Dan Heng, this one is for you," she explained. "This Light Cone doesn't just contain powerful offensive intent; it also holds an artistic conception of 'guardianship'—of them protecting each other while facing a colossal foe together."
"I feel like it should enhance some protection-related abilities, which ought to be helpful for your fighting style."
Dan Heng's gaze fell upon the towering figures in the Light Cone's image. He gave a quiet nod and reached out to accept it. "Mm, thank you."
He didn't say much, but he could feel that the artifact contained not only power but also a heavy sense of responsibility and a vow of protection, which aligned perfectly with his own philosophy. As the Light Cone settled into his hand, a steady and deep energy subtly emerged, confirming March's guess.
With the distribution complete, all three of them were content.
Just then, Dan Heng returned with their Okhema-flavored breakfast. The trio sat together, enjoying the exotic food while tacitly opening the chat group.
After experiencing such an exciting series of events and obtaining such rare spoils of war, there was no way someone with Stelle's personality wouldn't "show off" to her friends in the group.
[Honkai: Star Rail] - Stelle: "@All members Let me tell you all some good news! We just..."
She had barely sent the first part of her message, not even getting the chance to type out the specifics, when the entire chat group interface was forcibly overlaid by a pinned system announcement.
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