Honkai Impact 3rd experience, starting with a thousand Herrschers

"I am Cheng Xing..."

“I, Jerak…”

"I, Tan Si..."

“I, Croton…”

"I, Eds..."

Everyone present, those seated in their seats, raised their hands, clasped their fists, and shouted deafeningly at the girls in the center of the arena.

"Willing to die!"

The theater, which was originally dark and had an eerie atmosphere, was now incredibly bright because of the deafening roars.

Those voices echoed throughout the theater and resonated in the hearts of the young girls.

"Those who sit here are all losers. We tried to fight against the Honkai, but we did not achieve the crucial victory. We roared in vain, we lamented the injustice of the world, and we humbly endured the defeat that we had sacrificed everything for."

"We are all lowly and pathetic losers... Future warriors, can you step over the corpses of us losers, crush the steps piled with bones, stand before the gods once more, raise your weapons, and once more tell the gods... humanity!"

"We won't lose!"

"Now! Answer us, what are you fighting for!"

The sound was deafening.

Cheng Xing needs to know whether the protagonist of this world can be entrusted with the heavy responsibility of defeating the Honkai.

Chapter 98: I Want to Be True to My Conscience

Kiana stood up from Mei's arms, looking at the people watching them with trembling eyes, and said, "Cheng Xing... why did you become like this?"

"Kiana, do you remember what I told you? Since you believe that you survived by killing your teacher, that you destroyed countless families and hurt countless people, then you should pay for your past sins with your future actions... You said you would fight for the good of the world, so is that why you are fighting against the Honkai?"

"...Yes, it is for the sake of the beauty of this world that I must fight against the Honkai."

Cheng Xing looked at the girl's resolute gaze, filled with reminiscence, and shook his head with regret.

"No, the reason you fight against the Honkai is to protect the people around you. Your desire to protect others comes from your teacher, your father, the mission-like wish they gave you... It's not your true wish."

"You are deceiving us, you are... deceiving yourself."

"I!"

Before Kiana could speak, strands of golden silk suddenly gathered in front of her, twisted into a rope, and placed in her hand.

"This rope, woven from golden threads, is the lifeline of everyone here. With just a gentle pull, everyone here except you will lose their lives... So, in order to defeat the Honkai, are you willing to sacrifice the lives of Raiden Mei and your companions to defeat me, who is currently your greatest enemy?"

The seemingly light rope felt incredibly heavy in Kiana's hands. With just a slight pull, everyone present except her would die, and this Herrscher of Domination, who could currently use the abilities of other Herrschers and was perhaps the most troublesome Herrscher in the current civilization, would retreat at that moment.

Kiana!

Just as Raiden Mei was about to try to do something, the golden threads binding her to the spot bound her in place. The golden threads continuously stripped away the Honkai energy within her body, while also numbing her nerves, to the point that she was about to lose even her ability to speak.

Like Raiden Mei, the others have also lost the ability to act and speak. At this moment, only Kiana Kaslana herself can make decisions.

Cheng Xing didn't speak. Pulling that rope would mean he would die along with everyone present... Doing so would mean Kiana was willing to sacrifice her lover and her companions to cross the Honkai and save the civilization of this era.

Kiana released her grip and collapsed to the ground, her entire body drenched in sweat as if she had just been pulled from the water. She gasped for breath, the heavy pressure pressing down on her heart like a stone tablet, rendering her immobile.

It was as if they were being suppressed.

"I...I can't do it...If it's about sacrificing myself, I'll do it without hesitation, but I can't sacrifice others!"

Cheng Xing watched this scene calmly, as if it were exactly what he had expected.

"Just as I saw, you are a very qualified warrior, but not a leader who can lead people to defeat the Honkai... This era must have someone who can stand up, or rather, a group of people who can stand up to lead the civilization of all mankind. Otherwise, in such a chaotic and leadership-deficient situation, humanity will show us what it means to have no bottom line."

Cheng Xing had witnessed how previous civilizations, even when faced with a massive enemy like the Honkai, still shirked responsibility, remained hesitant, and fought for their own interests.

Now this civilization has an extremely qualified leader, Otto Apocalypse... Unfortunately, although he is a man destined for greatness and possesses sufficient means and wisdom, all he wants is Kallen.

So... besides him, who else could lead the entire civilization to fight against the Honkai?

Kiana... has already let go on her own.

Cheng Xing looked at Raiden Mei...

"Kiana is more important than this world."

Cheng Xing looked at Bronya, his gaze softening slightly.

"Unfortunately, you are not the one who chases the fire."

Cheng Xing didn't even glance at Xi'er and Fu Hua. Neither of them showed any ability to lead the group. The former was still just a child, and the latter... was simply not up to the task.

Cheng Xing raised his hand and dispersed the other puppets in the theater. Those were puppets he had created based on his memories. Although they could make them look exactly like the people in his memories... those guys were already dead.

Cheng Xing released everyone from their restraints and walked step by step from the chair to them.

Raiden Mei helped Kiana, who was slumped on the ground, to her feet. Although she really wanted to fight the thousand-person, no, the Herrscher of Domination in front of her, she knew that this was a battle destined to be lost.

"...Cheng Xing, I'm sorry."

Kiana lowered her head, avoiding his gaze.

"...So be it. In the end, we were just on different paths. You are not the person I remember, you are not the person I pursued, you are not the person I wanted...you are not the Kiana I know."

Cheng Xing had gotten the answer he wanted: these Valkyries who had once been separated from him by a screen... were all people who could walk the same path as him.

He turned around and casually exposed his back to them.

“You once turned your back on me and left. At that time, you abandoned me and chose someone else. Of course, there was nothing wrong with what you did back then, but look at your choice now. If you can't stick to a choice, then don't make a choice in the first place.”

"The Herrscher of Flame... I'd rather not have that kind of future."

Cheng Xing turned his back to everyone and walked towards a shadowy spot. At this moment, it wasn't that these people had abandoned him as before, but that he had abandoned them.

Since such a future ultimately only leads to skipping classes, it ultimately makes all those sacrifices... meaningless.

We can't let those guys down. If humanity simply escaped the Honkai, then why did we let so many people die on the operating table? Why did we trample on our own morality and our bottom line to put children on the operating table?

"I can hear that crying! It's the city collapsing, it's millions, tens of millions, even hundreds of millions of people crying out because of death and despair! Mothers are hoarse with despair for the deaths of their children and family members! It's the silent Honkai Beasts trampling on human civilization!"

“I can even see those children still standing there looking at me. They didn’t blame me, they didn’t curse me, they just asked me…”

Does our death have any meaning?

"That simple question was more deafening to me than countless gunshots and thunderstorms."

"I am not reconciled. I am not reconciled to the fact that human civilization has come to an end by escapism. I must live up to everyone's tears, I must live up to the blood shed by the dead, I must live up to..."

Cheng Xing raised his head and looked at the deity standing above him, saying, "Respect from the enemy!"

Kiana saw many things amidst the deafening shouts.

That is... the story of a man named Cheng Xing, filled with failures and tragedies, fighting against collapse.

"...Cheng Xing!"

Kiana opened her eyes and reached out as if to grab something, only to find herself lying in her dormitory room, her eyes filled with tears.

Chapter 99: Kiana Wants to Apologize

"Simulation over..."

"This simulation is a special one and there are no evaluation rewards... Anyway, haven't you already seen the reward you wanted most?"

Cheng Xing stood on the balcony, looking at the moonlight streaming down his face, and said, "Yes, I have no intention of following the original plot anymore. I understand what those Valkyries... those people from the past that I knew so well, look like now. So it was actually right from the beginning. I and they are not on the same path at all."

"Perhaps my demands are too high, perhaps I am too arrogant... I possess a system that knows the future, while they face a terrifying future with complete ignorance. It is already quite remarkable that they can continue to move forward, but that is far from enough. Without Otto, then who will lead human civilization?"

"Humanity is like a flock of birds. Without a leader to guide them, they will fall apart... Even if I use all my cheat codes and defeat the Honkai in the end, so what? The Honkai becomes harmless energy, does that mean there's nothing wrong? After humanity masters an energy source that can elevate the entire civilization, if there's really no one to lead it... the final conflict will only lead to war. And then, am I supposed to use terrifying methods to suppress the entire civilization and become a tyrant?"

"I don't have that kind of talent. I'm just an ordinary person who currently possesses extraordinary power."

"Since you so desperately want to defeat the Honkai and fulfill the wishes of your deceased friends, why not agree to let me simulate the character who can hypnotize the gods? No sacrifices are needed, no sadness or tears are required, just a short, pleasant simulation experience will grant you that terrifying power!"

The system's voice sounded incredibly seductive; at this moment, it was probably using the voice pack of some outlaw.

"Forget it, if I really chose to simulate that kind of character, you would definitely make me feel terrible."

What are you saying? I don't understand.

"Heh, if I really simulated such a character, then my subsequent actions and that invincible cheat would definitely make the later script very boring, right? For you people who enjoy entertainment, boring things have no reason to exist. Besides, that simulation must be full of all kinds of traps and pitfalls waiting for me to step into. Thinking about my past experiences, I know you would not be so kind as to give me a cheat that is practically heaven-defying."

"...Tch! You're so rational now. I thought anyone would agree."

"So what exactly are the pitfalls in that simulation?"

"Ah, you will witness what supreme power (harmony) is, and then I don't know where you will go, but you will definitely be gone."

The system's nonchalant words made Cheng Xing raise an eyebrow. He knew that this amusing system had definitely set a trap for him.

Kiana stood outside, somewhat bewildered, looking at the moon in the sky. At this moment, she recalled the past, and all her memories were somewhat lost.

Those memories also include Sirin's.

"me……"

Kiana has really seen a lot... You asked her how she feels now?

regret.

Raiden Mei is having trouble sleeping again tonight. She keeps replaying Kiana's nonchalant attitude and how she doesn't care about or remember her former friend.

"One day she will forget you too."

That voice rang in my ears again.

"Impossible! Kiana could never have forgotten me!"

"Coward, don't you even know why that person approached you in the first place? Wasn't it just because you're a beautiful young girl? Judging from that girl's frivolous behavior, she'll definitely abandon you once an even prettier girl comes along, just like she abandoned that guy named Cheng Xing."

The voice in her head had become increasingly active since that day, whispering in her ear from time to time. Raiden Mei could feel that her mental state was becoming very unstable.

"...If you continue to disrupt my life like this, I will definitely, I will definitely find that guy!"

"Are you crazy?!"

The voice sounded trembling.

"I knew you were afraid of him too. You're the monster hidden deep inside me..."