The Infinite Journey of a Certain Flame

"It can open doors directly? This monster is definitely not simple. Bronya, protect yourself, I'm going to support Kiana!"

As Mei spoke, she drew her sword, intending to rush out to help her beloved.

However, before she could even jump, Bronya stopped her.

"Wait. Your injuries haven't healed yet, don't make any rash moves."

"But..." Mei looked up at the sky with a worried expression, her face full of reluctance.

Unfortunately, even though she was very unwilling, she couldn't stop the monster's invasion.

After all, things can change in an instant on the battlefield. Your enemies might suddenly appear and launch a devastating attack on you the next second.

If you don't want to die needlessly, then you should save your breath from looking after others.

Protecting yourself is of paramount importance.

Mei had no choice but to abandon her plans to go and provide support, and instead focus on dealing with the summoned monsters with Bronya and the others.

"If we get rid of them, I guess that will have helped you, right?"

With this in mind, Mei threw herself into the fierce battle, wielding her katana while also unleashing lightning to paralyze and eliminate enemies.

It must be said that it was actually a good thing that she didn't rush in to help.

During the battle, Kiana had already unleashed her full power, further releasing the strength of the Herrscher. The continuously rising temperature was the best proof that she was serious.

Although doing so may put a strain on one's body, battles can change in an instant, and even the slightest mistake can alter the outcome.

Therefore, even though she displayed overwhelming strength, Kiana did not let her guard down. While using various techniques to attack her opponent, she also carefully observed the surrounding battle situation.

There were only a few scattered monsters around them; the rest had been held back by Mei and her friends. Because it was a sudden encounter, the monsters couldn't possibly break through their defenses in a short time. And if they did, it would mean Mei and her companions were in danger or facing an unforeseen crisis.

Although I'm worried, now is not the time to panic.

Kiana's eyes widened, and she swung the King's Sword with increasing ferocity, her resolve unwavering as if she already understood what she needed to do.

Yes, she understood.

I came here to protect.

This is also the main reason why I have been able to persevere until now.

To protect those I must protect, I cannot fall here!

So even with so many monsters in front of me, I will continue to fight!

Kiana's eyes flashed with intense fighting spirit, and streaks of scarlet flames burned deep within her pupils, making her entire being seem to be ablaze.

The scorching heat radiated from the flames as she swung her sword, severing the scepter in one fatal blow. Then, she abruptly raised her hand:

"drink!"

As the power of the gem emanated, a colossal black hole appeared above the Queen's head. Drawn by the black hole, the monster was inevitably drawn towards the pitch-black cavern radiating scorching heat.

In this inevitable process of being pulled, her struggling body seemed to melt like ice cream.

It seemed about to disappear completely as the flames burned.

Meanwhile, as the pull continued, the wandering monsters were also drawn in.

Numerous enemies, like marionettes, slowly flew towards the black hole.

Finally, with a 'bang!', his entire body exploded.

The scorching heat engulfed the enemy, leaving only ashes dissipating in the air.

All of this happened in just a few seconds. After the black hole stopped its suction action and produced a final explosion, the enemy, numbering in the thousands, seemed to have vanished.

"That's amazing, Kiana! How did you do that?"

Mei stared in utter shock at the scene before her. She truly didn't know how to express her astonishment.

Those monsters were created by celestial beings, extremely difficult to deal with. Not only were they numerous and incredibly resilient, but their combat power was also formidable.

If it were just one enemy, it would be easy to deal with. But if it were a group, I probably wouldn't dare to confront it head-on. Only by using skill and strength to attack could I barely maintain the situation.

But what kind of move did she just use? It was able to tear all the monsters apart in an instant. That's so much more powerful than before!

When Mei asked her question, Kiana replied, somewhat wearily:

"It's nothing, I was just a little serious."

Be a little more serious...

The group exchanged bewildered glances, utterly skeptical of this supposedly slightly serious approach.

But despite the doubts, the enemy has now been dealt with. It's time to return to Saint Fontaine and settle everything!

"Time is of the essence, let's go."

Kiana took a breath and slowly said.

Seeing this, the others nodded in agreement and joined her on the journey back to Saint Fontaine...

Why is everyone different now? (Post-Honkai Odyssey): Chapter 61 A Reality Even the Void Archives Fear

Saint Fontaine.

In a building exuding an eerie atmosphere, a girl with waist-length hair and a sharp katana in her hand slowly opened her eyes.

At this moment, sitting upright in her chair, she wrapped her arms around Kiana's head and sat quietly without saying a word.

More than ten hours have passed since she arrived in Saint Fontaine, and unfortunately, she has yet to discover the construct monsters sent by the celestial beings.

Strangely enough, upon returning to Saint Fontaine, those monsters that should have been so menacing had vanished without a trace, as if they had never existed.

It's so bizarre it's beyond words.

Because no attack had occurred for so long, everyone realized something was wrong. Following Bronya's suggestion, they temporarily halted their journey to the Demon City and began gathering intelligence, with the most important task being to find traces of the monster.

After all, if you don't understand your enemy, you'll be in a very passive position if you're attacked from both sides.

Regarding the allocation of personnel, Mei suggested that she and Kiana act together, while the others form a team to explore other areas.

This is perfectly reasonable, and there is almost no abuse of power in the distribution!

"Um... Mei, are you awake?"

While she was thinking, Kiana, who was being held in Mei's arms, woke up.

She opened her eyes groggily, then slowly raised her head and revealed a bright smile.

Seeing this, Mei felt that years of hard work had been cured.

"Hmm~ Thank you, Mei. You weren't asleep while we were resting, were you?"

Kiana immediately stood up and sat down, then patted her knees. She looked at Mei with a nonchalant expression, her meaning quite clear.

Honestly, this gesture was incredibly... considerate, something Kiana would never have done in the past. For a moment, Mei almost thought she was seeing Kiana from several years in the future, but unfortunately, Kiana was still the same as before.

Although her skills may have improved and her behavior may have become somewhat more mature, it must be admitted that she... really hasn't changed at all.

But looking back at myself...

Mei touched her cheek, inexplicably feeling that she had truly become a big sister. And the beloved person in front of her... was actually just a little sister she hadn't seen in a long time.

"Have things changed? Class monitor, if you were still here, would you feel the same way I do? Hmm... I don't think so, after all, you're so old now."

After a moment of inner reflection, Mei returned to normal.

She smiled and shook her head, then said, "No need, Kiana. I rested for a while too, and thankfully we didn't encounter any enemies."

"What? Well... that's really fortunate."

Kiana looked at Mei with a wry smile, utterly speechless. The two of them were sleeping so soundly without even glancing around; what if some enemies had come to launch a surprise attack? That would have been terrible!

"You two, aren't you being all lovey-dovey? Ugh~ You're exhausting me." The sudden, impatient shout drew their attention.

Looking in the direction from which the sound came, Kiana found that at that moment, her little doll Sirin was sitting on the windowsill, swinging her little feet and complaining about her.

Her words revealed her fatigue, and her expression was somewhat haggard, clearly indicating that she hadn't rested well.

As for why...

"Were you on duty just now? Thanks."

"Hmph, it's good that you know how to be grateful." Xilin tossed her hair, her expression vividly illustrating what pride truly meant.

Unfortunately, not everyone can tolerate arrogance.

Especially those who are prejudiced.

"What the heck..."

Mei was initially quite happy to learn that the little guy was helping. However, she became unhappy when she saw his vain attitude.

Adding to this, his previous insistence that she follow Bronya had failed, coupled with both old and new grudges, fueled his anger.

She began to complain, much to her displeasure:

"As part of the team, you should fulfill your responsibilities. Isn't that right?"

"Tsk, oh yes, yes, yes."

"Very good, now go and gather information on the monster. No one is to return to the group without our permission!"

Deceiving too much!

This was the only word Celine could think of. She never expected Mei to hold such a grudge against her, and... what, did they have a grudge against each other? It had been targeting her from the very first meeting. Please, what did I do to offend you?

Feeling deeply humiliated, she gritted her teeth and stared at Kiana, hoping that her master would take charge.

Unfortunately, and very regrettably...

"I don't know how long we've been dawdling, let's hurry up and get moving. I have a feeling the situation is urgent."

Kiana stood up, stretched, and then stroked her chin, looking at Mei. Noticing her gaze, Mei slowly nodded and stood up as well. The two girls smiled at each other, then linked arms and walked towards the side door.

Judging from this, is he trying to send me away so he can do something else...?

"This is really something? Oh well, let's search then. Nothing can do anything to me anyway."

Sirin slowly stood up, then stretched just like Kiana had, before flying out of the window without any glass obstruction. Like a diligent little bee, she explored the depths of the city streets, intending to quickly fulfill Mei's orders and return to report.

Unfortunately, sometimes, surprises come unexpectedly, only to turn into the worst nightmares...