Help! My Honkai Impact 3rd Livestream Attracted the Actual Characters!

Chapter 100: Mei - Kaslana? You Can Save Kiana! But The Price Is... Me?

Mei's voice carried both doubt and a glimmer of surprise.

Raven, clearly adept at baiting, simply responded with:

["If you're interested in my proposal, come back here alone in two hours."]

["I have some personal matters to attend to. Excuse me."]

["Wait! Explain yourself clearly!"]

Just as Mei tried to question further, the heavy iron door shut tightly, barring her from entry.

["Consider this a secret between us. Don't tell anyone."]

["—The Sovereign of World Serpent will be waiting for you here."]

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "World Serpent's Sovereign? Kevin! Why is he...?"

As soon as the title was mentioned, Elysia instantly realized—there was only one person it could be.

Kevin had chosen to extend a helping hand at a time like this?

For what reason?

Was it because seeing Mei reminded him of Mebius? No… No way, right? He wouldn't be helping just because of that… would he? If so, she'd have to tell Mebius all about it~

Compared to Elysia, the others were far more skeptical.

『Today's Performance Wasn't Perfect:』 "Kevin… wants to save a Herrscher?"

『where did the little lab rats hide?:』"Heh, he probably has an ulterior motive. Perhaps he wants something in return?"

A golden-colored message floated across the chat, typical of Mebius' playful yet piercing observations.

Soon, the chat was filled with discussions.

『Your Great Inventor:』"Hmm… I see. So there's such a method? Heh, but the risk involved… Can he bear it?"

[Because of your livestream content, Your Great Inventor is shocked. You received 1,140 crystals!]

A green message flickered across the screen.

Otto Apocalypse had figured something out.

That wasn't surprising. Given his deep knowledge of Herrschers, he had likely deduced World Serpent's plan—forcing Mei to awaken as a Herrscher so that Kiana's core would dissipate.

A Herrscher could be saved, but the price? Another would be born.

A true Herrscher of Thunder.

The question wasn't if the plan would work; the problem was…

Would this new Herrscher of Thunder stand with humanity?

Or would she embrace the will of Honkai?

Otto was intrigued by the answer. The birth of more Herrschers was a matter of grave significance. And whether these Herrschers chose to protect humanity or destroy it… was a question that required careful consideration.

Would Raiden Mei choose to protect humanity?

A while later, in the shelter district—

Raven's figure appeared on-screen.

After a moment of silence, she turned toward Sora.

["Sora, have you packed your things?"]

["Yep! All done! I'm ready to leave anytime!"]

Sora responded cheerfully, but just before departing, she hesitated—not because she was reluctant to leave the Nest, but because she was reluctant to leave its caretaker.

["But… Teacher, you're really not coming with us?"]

["I still have some things to take care of. I'll be leaving a bit later. Don't worry, I'll catch up soon. You're the most reliable one here, Sora. While I'm away, you have to take care of everyone."]

Sora, however, didn't seem reassured.

["Mmm…"}

Seeing her hesitation, Raven pulled her into a firm embrace and ruffled her short hair.

["Cheer up. Haven't you always wanted to see the outside world?"]

["Your new home is spacious, and it has many things you'll like. It's nothing like Chiba City, so look forward to it."]

["Mhm! I'll make sure to enjoy this trip!"]

Raven watched as the last child boarded the transport aircraft, waving them off continuously.

Only when the distant aircraft became nothing more than a speck on the horizon did she lower her hand and look toward the now-empty Nest.

Seconds ago, this place had been one of the few places in her life that resembled a "home."

But now, it was no different from the ruins beneath her feet.

A wave of emotion surged within her—then faded.

Raven gathered her thoughts and turned toward the horizon.

That girl would come—of that, she was certain.

With that, the mission concluded, unlocking a side story at the end of the main scenario.

Aboard the Helios, in the medical bay—

["Nice to meet you, Kiana. Mei must have mentioned us before, but let me introduce myself anyway."]

["I am Frederica Nikola Tesla, and this is Lieserl Albert Einstein."]

Tesla's image appeared on the screen, engaging in conversation with Kiana. Einstein was also present but remained silent—she wasn't one to speak unnecessarily.

["We are members of Anti-Entropy, currently cooperating with the Extreme East Branch."]

["Yeah, I know. Mei told me everything that happened in these four months."]

Kiana was cooperative—she had already anticipated this conversation.

But now, in this crucial moment, she hesitated.

["By the way… Mei isn't with you? She didn't come?"]

Tesla responded without hesitation.

["She had something to do. She won't be back for a while."]

["I see… Then I guess… I don't have to keep pretending."]

With a sigh, Kiana's demeanor shifted.

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "Finally, she's decided to stop acting strong… Kiana really is an incredible girl."

["…My condition is bad, isn't it?"]

Neither Tesla nor Einstein answered.

Their silence alone was confirmation.

["No need to hide it. I know my body best."]

["At first, I just felt sluggish. But slowly… I stopped feeling pain. Now, I find injuries on my body without knowing where they came from."]

It wasn't until Kiana spoke these words that Einstein finally responded.

["Kiana, Hyperion is on its way to Nagazora City. We will be transferring you to a secure facility soon."]

["Anti-Entropy will do everything in its power to protect you and buy you more time."]

["I understand. I trust you all. But before that, there's something I need to do."]

Her expression hardened.

["Nagazora City is facing a crisis."]

Tesla frowned.

["A crisis?"]

Kiana explained her concerns.

["I've had a bad feeling ever since I arrived. The Honkai energy concentration in the water is terrifyingly high. Honkai beasts are more active than anywhere else."]

["Two days have passed, and the water is still rising. More enemies keep appearing… It's like something big is about to happen."]

Hearing her conclusion, Einstein gave a solemn nod.

Tesla also had similar concerns, having observed the same abnormalities in her reports.

After a brief discussion, the two Anti-Entropy scientists agreed—the root of the problem wasn't Kiana herself.

Then, Kiana proposed her own solution.

["Doctor… I have another way to stop this disaster."]

["Before the disaster happens, I can absorb all the Honkai energy in Nagazora City using the powers of the Herrscher of the Void."]

『Your Great Inventor:』"She's throwing away her life just to stop this? How unexpected… but I must admit, I like this."

A streak of green text floated across the screen—

It was from none other than Otto Apocalypse.

Clearly, the Archbishop of Schicksal fully acknowledged Kiana's growth.

Of course, if Kiana herself were to hear such a statement, she would likely use her Herrscher powers to send him flying without hesitation…

As Otto's comment settled, Tesla broke the silence with her characteristic bluntness.

["Oi! Do you even hear yourself right now!?"]

["Kiana, we won't let you do that—you can't use your Herrscher powers anymore!"]

Dr. Einstein, ever the cautious strategist, did not endorse such a reckless and dangerous plan. A woman of foresight, she would never allow something like this to happen.

Kiana, however, didn't argue. She simply expressed her hope that if things reached a point of no return, no one would try to stop her.

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "She's really ready to face the truth now… Kiana's growth keeps surprising me."

["Is there anything else you want to know?"]

Einstein did not answer immediately, prompting Kiana to voice her own concerns.

Her request was simple—she wanted the students at St. Freya Academy to stay far away from her.

Tesla quickly shot that idea down.

["That's not happening, kid. No one is going to give up on you."]

Kiana understood that, but at the same time, she couldn't bear to see her friends get hurt because of her. Especially… Mei.

["For countless cold nights… in so many nightmares… I watched her chest being torn open, watched the bloodstained Gem fall into my hands… watched her collapse, breathless, into a pool of her own blood..."]

["I… I…"]

Seeing Kiana spiral into distress, Tesla quickly interjected, trying to calm her down.

["That wasn't you, it was the Herrscher of the Void. It's not your fault… they never blamed you."]

["I know… and that's exactly why I can't accept it…"]

Kiana trembled.

She feared losing control again.

She feared that she might once again endanger the people she loved most.

She would never allow that to happen.

The game transitioned into a CG.

["This is between me and Sirin."]

Kiana sat inside the infirmary, slowly lifting her gaze.

["I have to put an end to this. But I don't want them to get involved anymore."]

As her voice echoed, the camera subtly panned outward—

Just beyond the infirmary wall, hidden in the shadows, Mei stood silently, listening to every word.

["I don't want to see the people around me get hurt again..."]

The camera shifted to Mei's face.

A single tear fell.

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "Kiana… she's really grown up. This is so touching… I feel like I've watched her grow up in real-time…!"

[Because of your livestream content, 『Pink Fairy Miss』 feels joy! You received 1680 crystals!]

As the CG concluded, Hokuto clicked into the next stage.

The scene opened with Kiana and Mei sharing a meal. Kiana, ever playful, exaggeratedly acted as if she was overwhelmed by the spiciness of the food—trying to ease Mei's concerns.

Mei, on the surface, didn't seem to notice.

But later, as she washed the dishes, her true emotions began to surface…

Water ran down Mei's fingertips, dripping, shattering, vanishing into tiny whirlpools.

She dried the plates, intending to return them to the cupboard, but accidentally knocked over a wooden bowl.

A few small pieces of leftover sweet pepper rolled across the floor.

Drip. Drip…

The promised two hours were almost up.

Mei stepped out of the kitchen. The hallway was eerily silent, devoid of anyone, with only the dim glow of the infirmary light flickering at the far end.

[Idiot...]

She turned around, heading towards the darkness.

[Sweet pepper curry... how could it possibly be spicy.....]

With those words, Mei set off alone towards the Nest for the scheduled meeting.

Although small Honkai beasts appeared along the way to block her path, they were nothing more than a trivial nuisance.

Before long, she arrived at the Nest.

[Has Sora and the others... already left?]

[—You're here.]

A voice came from above. Mei looked up to see Raven idly perched on the edge of a rooftop.

She lightly leaped down, sending up a small cloud of dust.

[Right on time. Not early, not late. I appreciate punctual people.]

[As promised, I came alone.]

Mei didn't bother with small talk. She had more pressing matters to deal with.

Raven was just as straightforward, moving aside to open the door to the Nest before leading Mei deeper into the slums.

Perhaps because she had finally settled a long-standing matter, Raven began talking about the future of the children as they walked.

But Mei made her distrust of World Serpent clear.

[World Serpent would really let them go?]

[These children are rare Stigmata awakeners. I highly doubt your comrades would let them leave so easily.]

To that, Raven responded confidently, without hesitation.

[They will. Because this is the command of our Lord. It is the 'reward' he promised me.]

[...Reward?]

Raven smirked and said nothing more.

After walking through the maze-like alleys, the two finally stopped in front of a heavy iron door.

Before parting, Raven commented on how much Mei had grown.

Then, she stepped aside and allowed Mei to step through the door...

The game immediately played a CG animation. As the camera slowly panned, Kevin walked toward Mei.

[You are...]

And with that, the stage ended.

The livestream chat immediately erupted with frustrated complaints. Fortunately, Hokuto quickly clicked into the next stage.

As the new stage began, the scene resumed with Mei's reaction to seeing Kevin in the CG.

The air turned frigid. Just by his presence alone, it felt as though she had stepped into an ancient ice chamber.

A suffocating pressure welled up from deep within her body, paralyzing her in place.

[Kevin Kaslana, leader of World Serpent.]

A calm voice rang out. The pressure vanished in an instant.

Mei looked into his eyes—what she saw was nothingness. But within that emptiness, there was something else... a sadness.

A sorrow so deep that even time could not erase. A wound so profound that it would never heal.

[...Kaslana?]

Kevin spoke, his voice devoid of warmth.

[Raiden Mei, you have someone you wish to save. But neither Schicksal nor Anti-Entropy can grant you that wish.]

Kevin extended an olive branch.

[I promise you, World Serpent can save that girl.]

[...What's your price?]

Mei had already anticipated this and asked without hesitation.

[You.]

Kevin's cold answer sent a chill through the livestream chat.

End of Chapter 100