Honkai Impact 3rd: My Days as a Captain in Schicksal

"You did it! You're the best!!!"

A barely audible sob quietly spread amidst Keng Huo's stiff-necked roar.

"I saw you encourage each other after making mistakes, which is the best thing. You didn't get discouraged or blame each other, but chose to continue to trust your partners. When I watched the video, I almost cheered."

"Do you know what the Valkyries at headquarters would do in this situation? When their formation is suddenly attacked, and broken by a Honkai Beast stronger than their entire team, they would choose the optimal countermeasure!"

"What is the optimal strategy? It's to abandon one or two small teams to cover the rear, while the rest of the main force retreats, ensuring the safest survival of the team with minimal sacrifice. But no matter what, they would definitely lose some people, yet you all survived. I saw your unity and awareness, as well as the ability to match that awareness."

"Your tactics still have flaws, and your mentality is not strong enough, but that doesn't matter. In fact, that's the best thing about it, because that's what makes you human. Only those with flaws have room for improvement."

"Similarly, it is only people with flaws who often excel in other fields."

"We are not strong enough right now. Even if we give it our all, we can only protect our closest companions. That's why we must continue to learn and improve ourselves so that we can protect more people in the future."

"This mission was completed brilliantly. Eighteen new recruits encountered a tank-class Honkai Beast on their very first battlefield mission, and yet they all managed to return safely. This is a truly remarkable achievement. Don't underestimate yourselves."

"Everyone who goes to the battlefield will be affected by their own mindset to some extent. This was my oversight. I didn't consider how deep the psychological trauma those Honkai Beasts had caused everyone before, which is why I rashly decided to send everyone on this mission."

“I am very sorry for this, please forgive me.” Keng Huo bowed deeply to everyone.

"At the final fireworks display of the school festival, I heard your prayers. You said you wanted to protect what you love and live happily together with everyone. This is also my wish, and I hope you can continue this beautiful wish with all the people we love."

"May I?"

Silence reigned.

It was only after a long time that the first cry, without any restraint, rang out.

The crying seemed contagious, and in an instant, it swept through everyone in the auditorium like a tidal wave.

Everyone hugged each other, wept, and comforted the Valkyries who had gone out to fight yesterday.

"We want to...we want to survive, we want to become stronger! We want to protect more people!"

Chapter 48 Magical girls are invincible when they transform!

The auditorium doors were suddenly flung open, and the sunlight rudely tore through the dimness inside, rushing out from the main entrance and spreading out to the front of the podium.

"The second batch of Valkyries, assemble at the Hyperion boarding gate before 8:30." Himeko, already fully dressed, stood impatiently at the main entrance of the auditorium, arms crossed, carrying her ever-present Corona Greatsword.

"Major Himeko!" A bright light shone from behind Himeko, obscuring her face from everyone's view, but her highly recognizable voice made the students realize who she was.

The Valkyries who had launched the attack yesterday all stood up, their expressions a mixture of excitement and unease. Against the light, they said almost in unison, "Major Himeko, we..."

"What do you mean, 'you'!" Himeko glared at them angrily. "All of you, go to the infirmary and lie down! Your next sortie is eight sorties later. You only have a little over half a month to recover. If you're still injured before the next sortie, you'll have to wait another half a month!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Tsk tsk, what a bunch of simple-minded kids." After the cheering Valkyries dispersed, Keng Huo leaned against a pillar with his arms crossed. "I racked my brains all night and encouraged them for so long, but in the end, it wasn't as effective as you saying they have another mission in the next two weeks."

“I think Himeko has a talent for handling cleanup issues.” Keng Huo shrugged. “I’ve decided to step down from the front lines and become a captain. You can take charge of psychological counseling and writing apology letters and such from now on.”

Himeko rolled her eyes at him with a charming air and walked away, her high heels clicking on the floor.

"Life is really... lonely..." Keng Huo looked at the auditorium, which had been completely empty in a short time, and suddenly blurted out a nonsensical remark.

"You've worked hard, Teacher Keng." Just behind Keng Huo, who was shaking his head and sighing with emotion, Mei's voice rang out from the side, "Actually, everyone was able to cheer up because of the teacher's encouragement. Major Himeko just happened to show up."

"Really!" Keng Huo turned around with a look of surprise. "I'm so happy! Give me a celebratory hug..."

As soon as Keng Huo opened his arms, he felt a chill on his forehead as a cannon barrel thicker than his head was pressed against his face.

Keng Huo took the opportunity to hug the heavy-armored bunny's cannon barrel and happily rubbed his face against it: "So Bronya is such a passionate person? I'm a little embarrassed... Ah, the bunny's cannon barrel feels so cool and comfortable."

A hint of embarrassment seemed to flash across Bronya's usually calm face, and the Heavy Bunny's movements froze for a moment.

But it only lasted a moment. A moment later, the heavily armed bunny skillfully flung Keng Huo, who was clinging to the cannon barrel, away. Bronya then took out a bottle of dish soap and carefully cleaned the areas on the bunny's cannon barrel where Keng Huo had touched.

"Hey! Don't make me look like some weird contagious source!" Keng Huo's frustrated voice came from among a pile of seats. He struggled to peek out from the pile of seats and saw Bronya wiping the cannon barrel. He couldn't help but shout, "Bronya, what are you doing? Shouldn't you wear a hazmat suit? Like the one at Hagi's curry stand at the school festival!"

"Bronya will seriously consider the hazmat suit issue. Thank you, Professor Keng, for your very self-aware reminder," Bronya retorted calmly.

"Wait! That's not what I meant! Bronya, won't you reconsider?!" Keng Huo struggled to get out of the pile of seats. "Heavy mech girl is your cute point! If it becomes a heavy mech and Big Daddy, the readers will kill me! The feeling of watching a comedy slice-of-life book turn into a philosophical wrestling textbook is unbearable!"

"Please stay away from Bronya, Mr. Keng. Mental disability is contagious." Bronya floated back a considerable distance. "Bronya's brain is a precious asset of humanity. It must not be allowed to be touched by someone as insignificant as Mr. Keng."

"How could this be..." Keng Huo froze visibly, sprawling on the ground in a dejected, forward-leaning position. "The difference in witty banter is just too great... There's absolutely no way I can win..."

"Seriously... Keng-sensei's acting up again..." Mei rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. "Once he starts acting silly, he just can't stop... He's usually such a normal person..."

"By the way, where did Kiana go?" Keng Huo suddenly looked up and asked in confusion, "And didn't I tell you three to secretly draw the curtains for me, and then, when the atmosphere was right, shine a spotlight on me? Where's the spotlight?"

"It was just too awkward, so I didn't turn it on." Mei thought for a moment and decided to tell the truth.

"Ahhhhhh, my dream! To give a speech under the spotlight, basking in the audience's attention! I want to do that so much!" Keng Huo screamed, clutching his head, as if he had missed something incredible.

"So where did Kiana go?" Keng Huo shouted a couple of times, then suddenly regained his composure. "Why haven't I seen her come out?"

Mei's expression changed almost imperceptibly, her eyes began to dart around, and she chuckled, "Ah... um... Kiana-chan... she... uh... she's tidying up the control room, she'll be out in a bit."

“Oh…I see…It seems that Kiana was deeply moved after listening to my speech and decided to turn over a new leaf and start anew. She plans to start by working hard and gradually change her style until she becomes an energetic, serious, and adorable girl that everyone loves…” Keng Huo nodded thoughtfully, “As expected of my student, this future plan is very promising.”

"Teacher, please, stop making a scene." Bronya interrupted Keng Huo's ramblings expressionlessly. "I was just tidying up the control room."

"Huh? That's not right..." Keng Huo suddenly scratched his head, a puzzled look on his face. "You didn't turn on the spotlights, and I didn't use the auditorium's projection equipment... I used my own equipment... Why does the control room need to be tidied up?"

"There's only one truth!" Keng Huo suddenly shouted excitedly, striking the classic pose from Ace Attorney.

After thinking for a moment, he changed his posture again. This time he leaned against the pillar, took out a pipe from his pocket, poured in tobacco, lit it, and took a deep drag. From a distance, he looked like Sherlock Holmes.

"Cough cough..."

"If you can't smoke, don't try to look cool..." Mei covered her face, as if she had seen something offensive.

But Keng Huo didn't give up. He sneered and said, "Cough..."

"Really..." Mei walked over with a headache, frowned, and patted Keng Huo's back despite the smell of smoke, letting him catch his breath. "Like a child..."

Keng Huo didn't take it seriously and insisted on finishing his act: "There's only one truth! That is... Kiana was so moved by my speech that she couldn't stop crying, and she's currently hiding in the control room, secretly wiping away her tears!"

A look of shock flashed across Mei's face.

"Did I guess right?!" Keng Huo, who had been watching Mei's expression closely, suddenly became excited. "Really?! Take me to see it..."

"You... swindler..." A furious voice suddenly came from behind Keng Huo. Keng Huo turned around in shock and found that Kiana had appeared behind him at some point.

"Your personality is absolutely awful!!!" Kiana's face flushed red, her eyes flashing with an inscrutable expression, as if someone had seen through her secret. "Prepare to die!"

"Wait! Let's talk this out! We're all civilized people, why are you resorting to violence! Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch! Stop it! Look, it's raining, it's crying for me..."

"You're just bragging! Where would you find someone like that in the auditorium..."

"Kiana-chan...it seems like it's really raining..." Mei's voice was hesitant, "and quite heavily..."

“It’s the auditorium’s automatic fire sprinkler system. The cigarette that Mr. Keng lit just now triggered the fire alarm,” Bronya said calmly. Heavy Bunny had already appeared behind her, its right alloy shield blocking Bronya and Mei’s heads.

"Based on Bronya's initial assessment, Teacher Keng is about to be thoroughly beaten by the headmaster," Bronya analyzed calmly.

"Waaaaah, I don't care anymore, I'm rushing out!" Keng Huo covered his head, completely ignoring Kiana who was still punching and kicking him from behind, and rushed out of the auditorium with his head down.

"It's all your fault! What were you doing, showing off like that! You got our clothes all wet!" Kiana kicked Keng Huo's leg in annoyance, while Keng Huo squatted dejectedly to the side without answering, as if he had admitted his mistake.

"Kiana... let's change our clothes first... they're all wet... it's so uncomfortable..." Mei frowned and tugged at her school uniform. "Teacher Keng is really something... the headmaster will definitely be furious when he gets here..."

"Do you have enough time to change now?" Keng Huo seemed not to have heard the second half of Mei's sentence. "It's almost time to assemble."

"Can't we just change here and go over?" Kiana looked at Keng Huo with an expression as if he were an idiot.

Keng Huo's expression instantly turned to one of shock, as if he had witnessed the mangy dog ​​that Old Zhang, the gatekeeper of the residential complex, ascend to heaven in broad daylight: "You...you...you're here?"

"Where else could it be?" Kiana asked, somewhat puzzled.

"In front of me?" Keng Huo's mouth dropped open, his face filled with disbelief.

"Isn't it all the same wherever you change it?" Kiana looked at Keng Huo with a puzzled expression, a hint of guilt suddenly creeping into her eyes. "Seriously, did I knock your brains out?"

After saying that, Kiana took off her coat.

"Wait, no! This is too exciting... Stop the car! This isn't the car to kindergarten!" Keng Huo covered his eyes with his hands, staring intently at Kiana and the other two through his fingers.

Then Keng Huo saw her hand on her belt.

"Stop it, Kiana! Oh, I do understand what you're thinking, but your teacher is such an upright and noble person..."

"Boom!"

Bronya calmly returned the Heavy Bunny to the imaginary space.

With great difficulty, Keng Huo, sporting a bump the size of his head, scrambled to his feet. "I'm sorry... I'll just watch quietly... I won't say anything..."

"Boom!"

"What did I do wrong again!" Keng Huo shouted angrily at Bronya, clutching the second large bump on his head.

"Sorry, it's just a habitual action." Bronya said apologetically, but there was no trace of remorse in her voice.

"By the way, you idiot, haven't you seen us using the newly delivered [Prototype Honkai Weapon Manifestation Device]?" Kiana asked, her hand on her belt, seemingly used to the scene before her.

"I haven't seen it, what's wrong?" the rascal lying on the ground replied listlessly.

"Then you'd better take a good look, this device is super cool!" Kiana said, as if showing off.

"Huh?" A question mark appeared on Keng Huo's forehead.

Kiana pressed an inconspicuous button on her belt, and the instant she pressed it, something unexpected happened.

Her entire body seemed to be enveloped in golden light, and the girl's exquisite curves were faintly visible under the cover of this light. Her clothes seemed to have disappeared, and Keng Huo could directly see the curve of her shoulders.

However, the area below the shoulders and above the calves was completely shrouded in light and could not be seen at all.

(Damn it! Who assembled this paladin group?! Kicked! Kicked! Kicked!)

Suddenly, the light began to dim, and starting from her feet, a pure white, tight-fitting combat suit suddenly enveloped Kiana's ankles. A continuously rising halo materialized from the air, like a sheet of white paper being printed. As the light dissipated, the halo rose above Kiana's head, and a complete B-rank Valkyrie-style melee combat enhanced armor set, "White Comet," appeared on Kiana's body as if printed by a printer.

This is the main function of the [Prototype Anti-Honkai Weapon Manifestation Device]: Imaginary Space Weapon Manifestation, commonly known as one-click outfit change. In battle, Valkyries can quickly switch between the armor they have stored in the device as needed, so as to quickly switch to armor with different functions. This not only achieves the effect of surprise attack on the opponent, but more importantly, it allows them to adapt to different combat environments.

"Whoa who ...

"Right!" Kiana twirled around excitedly. "Aren't you envious!"