Honkai Impact 3rd, a simulator of lifelong regret!

——I can’t understand it.

Even a subtle invitation would be too direct for a young lady, and offering her a fan after the meeting would be impolite.

For someone who has been constantly bullied and humiliated, and whose life is almost hopeless, even the act of looking up is incredibly difficult, let alone taking the initiative to move forward or reach out.

No matter how incomprehensible or unacceptable it may be, it's better than never meeting someone who seems like a potential friend when things are uncertain.

People who lack love lack the ability to delay gratification.

This is far too extravagant.

Just as animals will only choose to store food when they are full, even if the act of storing food is to save their lives.

For those who lack love, even the slightest bit of tenderness and care is too precious, and the smallest unfulfilled desire is an unattainable miracle.

An experiment was once conducted where a group of children were each given a piece of candy and told that they would be going out for a while. If they did not eat the candy before returning, they would be given two pieces of candy upon their return. The idea was to use this method to identify common traits among successful people, concluding that those who can delay gratification are more capable.

But those researchers overlooked one thing: how could someone who has never eaten candy resist holding it in their hands and looking at it without tasting it?

How could someone who has candy every day possibly focus all their attention on something cheap that they can get every day?

As expected, decades later, those who resisted sugar did indeed live much better lives than those who couldn't.

This doesn't mean there's a superior or inferior one; it simply means that children who have candy can disregard it and focus their attention on other things.

The same principle applies to relationships. A prolonged lack in a certain area can subconsciously make a person feel unworthy, so every time they gain something, it will be seen as a fluke. Since it's a fluke, there's no way they can be lucky a second time. So you absolutely can't gamble on having a second chance; you must seize everything in front of you.

Raiden Mei couldn't bear to let this encounter turn into a fleeting one; she simply couldn't accept someone who could become a friend slipping away right before her eyes.

Rather than letting uncertain hopes vanish because of your own actions, it's better to proactively break through the shell. At least that way, you won't regret not trying to salvage the situation on another night of being bullied.

……

Well……

—Is this considered a super straight shot?

Even Alicia's initial rank was lower than hers.

Although genuine feelings can never be categorized into different levels, such precious things can simply be felt through one's own heart.

I didn't expect things to progress so quickly. We were just chatting casually, but it seems that Raiden Mei is really lonely right now.

Although her rank is low, her courage is almost comparable to that of Velvi.

Just a guide or something...

Raiden Mei, she...

You probably already know that this isn't my first day at school.

The student ID clearly states that an encounter that begins with a lie can leave such a vivid and lasting impression.

I have a feeling that refusing now will lead to something terrible.

Jiang Cheng summoned the Star Sea Harmony, gently stroked it, and feeling the sticky sensation that even his fingertips were being sucked, he decided to agree.

Anyway, I already have the basic strength, so even if I can only use it a dozen or so times, it will be enough. I'll just treat it as a casual stroll around this academy to change my mood.

"Thank you very much. After all, this is a prestigious school, and I would be quite troubled if I didn't have someone who knows it well to act as a guide."

He took his student card back from the girl's tightly clenched hand. In that unconscious touch, his fingers felt as soft as delicate flower petals in full bloom in spring.

"I'm free tomorrow at noon. I only need to attend half of the courses at this school. Anyway, with my grades, it doesn't matter if I don't attend a whole day."

"If you're free too, then come here and wait for me as early as possible."

……

"Great……"

"what……"

"I promised I would be there on time tomorrow."

Raiden Mei corrected her smugness—she gently pinched her fair cheek with the fingers of her other hand, letting the pain dispel her emotions.

This was the first time the girl had made such a big move since she was sure that the Sword Saint had left, because the fingertips of the hand she had put in were also rubbing together, as if she was feeling the touch left from the accidental contact with the boy.

Somewhat delicate.

The fingertips showed almost no calluses that students would develop from holding pens for long periods or working professionals; they were as perfect as a newborn baby's.

Even a young lady like her, due to her practice of swordsmanship, had rough skin on her knuckles that was difficult to remove for a long time.

Not to mention being a normal person, even the tactile experience was quite different from before. If it weren't for the unchanged sound and gentleness inside, Raiden Mei would really have doubted whether she was seeing things or looking in the wrong place.

Perhaps she applied some kind of makeup.

She withdrew her fingers, her palm, which had once held the student ID, was now empty, but something more important remained—her fingertips had unconsciously touched it once during the previous action, and perhaps still carried Jiang Cheng's body temperature and scent, definitely not a foul smell.

"That……"

I won't bother you any longer.

Raiden Mei patted her flushed cheeks and backed away step by step until even the shadow of the building gradually blurred. Only then did she reluctantly turn around and walk towards her past and her present.

For the first time, she prayed in her heart.

hope……

Fewer nails can be stuffed into the shoes.

……

what is this?

His first encounter with Velvi was at least an embarrassing one, taking place at a birthday party that wasn't his place. It seemed rather strange that he was delivering something in the bathroom.

Although he wasn't actually using the restroom, he had only temporarily borrowed an excuse—a reason to play in the revival match and thus witness more tragedy.

In a sense, it would have been better not to fight at all. At least Alicia wouldn't have had her hope dashed again after being given another chance. The cruelest and most desperate thing in the world perfectly made up for the regret of not being able to see herself die.

Let's not try to fix this.

……

147. Eden: Is this... really Alicia?

Jiang Cheng put his student ID back into his pocket, pushed open the door, and faced the familiar yet unfamiliar and dazzling sunlight. He experienced the long-lost colors that could never be found on the desolate land after its complete collapse. He walked step by step towards the dormitory on the grass that even the power of origin could not perfectly restore.

As a prestigious academy, Chiyu provides every boarding student with a single room in a large, single-level layout, which is more than sufficient for ordinary students.

In a sense, it also made up for the predicament of being homeless when they first arrived, at least preventing them from suffering the tragic fate of living under a bridge.

Let me take a nap first.

Jiang Cheng took out his key and opened the door. The familiar messy layout was there. He kicked off his shoes and went straight to the bedroom, where he leaped into the air and landed on his bed.

He hastily pulled the blanket up, kicked his feet in the blanket to create the most comfortable position, and then used the minimal force of Starry Sea Harmony's l to create a barrier around himself.

Low power will not have any impact on the body, and the special nature of gravity is strong enough to send out a notification immediately upon contact with any object.

Given Cocolia's level, even if she knew she was close to Raiden Mei, the time it would take to react would be enough for her to rest first. Her ace is Bronya, who didn't even get into the academy, making her the weakest of the villains... Her threat level is even lower than Otto, who might be looking this way, or World Serpent, who might be eyeing Changkong City.

Although it was different from what I expected, a single Divine Key is enough to wreak havoc. Even if I can't use it often, I can still use some of the technology to do something useful. This is the wisdom that was passed down from Virvi.

Even if it is essentially just a product of imitation, imitating an ordinary person, imitating a genius, and imitating a cheat are fundamentally different.

Imitating ordinary people is indeed useless, but imitating geniuses can achieve twice the result with half the effort. As long as you can successfully learn a little, it is enough to stand out from the crowd.

As for someone like Vilvi, who is overpowered, anyone with even one percent or one-thousandth of the skill level could become a genius whose name is written in history books.

In the simulation, he did indeed become a top genius, even creating the Divine Key and organizing the Velvi Notes, bringing hope to humanity.

Although this faint glimmer of hope, almost invisible and intangible, only allowed humanity to struggle in hellish conditions for a little longer.

This is enough to prove the wisdom gained through imitation.

Even with just this, safety is only slightly compromised at the beginning; surviving well in this world is still quite simple.

There's no need to worry about anything anymore. Just stay in Changkong City and you'll have plenty of time to prepare and develop.

fell asleep.

Don't think about it too much for now.

-

……

……

"Alicia..."

"Alicia?"

"Alicia??"

Countless voices were shouting from the side, different genders, different ages, different voices, and different personalities and emotions could be heard from them.

The extremely rich and distinctive voices are something that only the heroic figures, the masters trapped here, can possess in this former paradise.

As saviors of the past, warriors who, even in defeat, risked their lives to create a glimmer of hope for the next civilization, these heroes, who had never worked together in the past, are now gathered here, all for one person.

……

"No matter what we do, we can't wake her up. This isn't like her."

"Eden, you know her best. Can you figure out the reason for this unfamiliar Alicia?"

With frost-like silver hair and deep blue eyes that seemed to have been carved from the endless, dark seabed, his black trench coat swayed naturally in the windless place. His hands, covered by black tactical gloves, were clasped in front of his chest, and his expressionless face had a great intimidating presence.

—Kevin.

Once a warrior bearing the Savior's Mark, he single-handedly killed multiple Herrschers. As the strongest of the previous era, he could only look to his companions who had come with him to this paradise unique to fairies.

As someone who was also summoned here by Patofilis with shocking news, his understanding of Alicia was still unmatched by those people, even if that banquet had been preserved.

The last time Velvi from another world arrived, the entire structure of Paradise was shaken, and he did not want anything similar to happen.