Honkai: Strijder (Honkai Impact 3 Male MC)

"Resurrection… is impossible. Even Mei said it couldn't be done."

Kevin's expression shifted dramatically before settling into an absolute calm—though it was more like deadened despair than true peace of mind.

Resurrection was something Mei had definitively ruled out as impossible. Kevin trusted Mei, so he had never entertained such an illusory notion from the start.

Sigurd tapped the table with his index finger, expressionless, and glanced at Su, who was still lost in thought, signaling for more tea.

"Oh! R-right away!"

Su fumbled for a moment, clearly distracted, but he eventually refilled Sigurd's teacup properly.

Sigurd lifted the cup and slowly analyzed, "Dr. Mei saying that may have been because she never seriously focused on developing that kind of technology. After all, resurrecting one or two people wouldn't help the larger picture. And if resurrection technology became a reality, it would more likely ignite internal strife within humanity, doing more harm than good in the fight against Honkai."

"Moreover, time constraints probably played a role. Mei was already racing against the clock, to the point of neglecting her own health in the battle against Honkai. Otherwise, considering her achievements, I don't believe she couldn't have preserved her own life. At the very least, extending her consciousness wouldn't have been difficult."

In Sigurd's view, Dr. Mei's death was more akin to what might be called "death due to overwork." Shouldering the fate of humanity against Honkai left her too busy to care for her own body, leading to her ultimate demise. Otherwise, someone of her caliber wouldn't have simply "checked out." If Otto could live for centuries, why couldn't Mei find a way to survive?

The answer was simple: she was wholeheartedly focused on fighting Honkai, with no time or energy to consider prolonging her own life.

"What… are you trying to say?"

Kevin spoke slowly after a brief silence. He didn't pick up his tea, perhaps to avoid spilling it from trembling hands—or maybe because he could no longer even see the cup.

"Mr. Kevin, have you ever heard of Otto?"

"I have. Gray Serpent mentioned him when contacting me—a clever and dangerous individual. Gray Serpent speculated that Otto could either be the greatest obstacle to the Stigmata Project or its greatest ally. I've planned to talk to him properly once I return to the real world."

Physically, no doubt, Sigurd thought sarcastically to himself. Outwardly, though, his expression remained neutral as he continued, "That's a fair assessment. If there's anyone in the real world who could scheme you to death—or, conversely, help you eliminate all interference—it would be Otto, provided I weren't around."

"…Talk about resurrection," Kevin said, his expression completely calm again.

It wasn't that he had no interest in resurrection. On the contrary, if there was any chance of it, he could become more fanatical than anyone. But Kevin still trusted Mei's previous assertion—resurrection was impossible.

Still, even if he held no real hope, listening wouldn't hurt, would it?

Sigurd's lips curled into a brief smile before reverting to his usual detached look. "Otto is someone who pursued resurrection. He sought to fully and perfectly resurrect a girl who had been dead for over five hundred years. Everything—Schicksal, suppressing Honkai, five centuries of changes in world order, countless tragedies and comedies—all of it served that singular goal."

"Now, though, he's almost entirely submissive to me, even willing to kneel as my subordinate. Tell me, why do you think that is?"

"…Perhaps your ability to deceive is unmatched."

"He wields the Void Archives, reformed Mei's technology, and developed mature, widely deployable artificial Stigmata and Valkyrie armor systems from scratch. He's a master manipulator who has controlled the world for five centuries, breaking countless heroes and subjugating tyrants. Even your little pet gets nervous around him. Could someone like that be deceived by falsehoods?"

"So I'll say it again: your ability to deceive is unmatched."

Kevin stubbornly held his ground.

It wasn't that he didn't want resurrection technology to exist, but false hope would only lead to deeper despair. Kevin didn't want to crumble due to a ludicrous lie before Mei's plan was complete.

No matter how beautiful, a lie was meaningless.

Sigurd nodded, somewhat understanding Kevin's reasoning.

Then, Su, who had been silent all along, suddenly widened his eyes as if he had witnessed something unbelievable.

"Perhaps… it's real?" Su murmured softly.

However, the other two listeners, both possessing bodies that transcended the limitations of life, could not possibly miss those faint words.

"What did you see, Su?" Kevin turned to his old friend, his expression blank but with an oppressive intensity.

Kevin wouldn't believe anything Sigurd said.

But Su's words carried weight—Kevin could almost completely trust him. That trust was one of the key reasons for Su's success in banishing him to the Sea of Quanta in the past.

After fully regaining his composure, Su organized his thoughts and slowly explained, "Earlier, I was focused on observing other parallel worlds and hadn't paid attention to our world. Just now, I checked through the information in reality. In short, young Sigurd has created a new scientific theory and extended it into… a method for resurrection. Right now, Otto is researching a way to interact with past temporal anchors. If he succeeds… resurrecting Mei might not be a joke."

"I don't believe it! Mei said… it's impossible." Kevin's breathing grew erratic, and he irritably tugged at his collar.

Sigurd glanced at Kevin with a casual air and said, "Saying more won't help. You might as well wait patiently—you may find yourself pleasantly surprised."

"..."

"In any case, your ultimate goal is still to defeat Honkai and avenge Dr. Mei. So, cooperating with the current generation's plan wouldn't hurt. In return, I would designate your Stigmata Project as a contingency plan for extreme scenarios. Additionally… when the time is right, I'll ensure that Dr. Mei is revived in this era."

"..."

"Silence is meaningless. If I, soon to wield the power of an entire civilization, refuse the Stigmata Project, you'll lose any foothold in the real world, and the plan will fall apart. So, you don't really have a choice—either work with me with the hope of resurrection, or cooperate solely for the sake of the plan."

"We'll be staying here for a while longer, so take your time deciding."

Sigurd finished his second cup of tea, feeling satisfied, and declined Su's offer to refill it. Instead, he said, "Since you already know about our plans and anticipated my arrival, you should know my purpose, right?"

"I do. I've selected a few suitable bubble universes for you. You can start practicing and experimenting with your imperial strategies anytime…"

"You seem to misunderstand something."

"Eh?"

Su froze for a moment.

Sigurd shook his head and said, "In terms of strength, I can take down a Herrscher barehanded. Intellect? It might sound arrogant, but I doubt even Dr. Mei would outshine me much if she were alive."

"As for power and status… Welt and Otto are at my side, Tesla and Einstein obey my commands, and swarms of battleships, Titan mechs, and Valkyrie legions charge under my banner. Any one of my subordinates could rival Herrscher-level power. Why would I need imperial strategies?"

Sigurd looked genuinely puzzled.

Su had no response.

It made perfect sense. Imperial strategies were tools for feudal rulers to balance court politics and centralize authority. If Sigurd were an emperor, with his own strength and the support of such loyal allies, who could rebel? Who would dare?

"Then… what do you want to do?"

"Give me an empty bubble universe. I need to develop some technologies critical for domination and advancing civilization. I also need a quiet place to refine my own power systems and consider some long-term plans."

"In short, I don't want to cause chaos in the real world. Here, you should be able to provide me with suitable bubble universes and a peaceful environment, right?"

"...Yes, of course."

"Then I'll leave it to you. Oh, and Mr. Kevin, please be prepared. I may need a living target—cough, I mean a strong experimental assistant—at any time."

Kevin, who had been dazed, came back to his senses and nodded.

"Fine. You're a powerhouse of this era, and I owe Su a debt of gratitude. Helping out a bit isn't an issue."

"Great. As expected of Mr. Kevin—so magnanimous and easygoing."

Sigurd smiled, his handsome face radiating warmth and charm, as if bathed in sunlight.

But Su instinctively rubbed his arms, wondering to himself, Strange, why does it suddenly feel cold? Did the temperature drop? But my bubble universe shouldn't have such a setting…

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