Honkai Impact 3rd: The Girl Who Chases the Flame

In other words, everything about this girl is a complete mystery.

Möbius sat down.

"Oh, this is my assistant. You don't need to ask his name or his background."

"...Mebius, you're not doing anything dangerous, are you?"

John glanced at Melutina, his expression freezing.

"No, at least not this time."

Möbius yawned.

"Do I need you to listen in on the contents of this meeting?"

"That's not necessary, but the formal review later will require it. You can decide for yourself this time. When it comes to identifying talent, everyone at Moth Chaser trusts your judgment."

John shook his head.

"I was only in charge of intelligence control on that island."

"okay, I get it."

……

Melutina, who was watching silently from the sidelines, actually knew the answers to these questions very well.

It took her many years to learn that Vilvie was neither a mechanic nor an engineer.

Before joining the Firemoth, she forged a resume for herself, and the contents of it were all false.

However, because no one believed in such advanced mechanical skills and because she had not undergone any systematic training, she managed to fool the vast majority of people.

After she joined the Firemoth, she did indeed study mechanics at Metis University for a period of time, leading everyone to believe that she was a mechanic.

Age, job, identity, personality—everything about Vilvie is a facade. In a sense, she is the most cunning liar in the world.

Nino deceives people with lies, while Velvet deceives people with facts.

"We've arrived, Möbius, we need to..."

"No need, I can go by myself. I still know how to use a gun."

Mebius waved his hand and walked off the ship without looking back.

"Honestly, she's still the same. Assistant, just in case..."

John pulled his sidearm from his pocket and handed it to Melutina.

"You should bring one too. Do you know how to use it?"

"……no problem."

This was the first time Melutina, who had used the Seven Thunders of Purification for many years, had received such an ordinary pistol. She casually put it in her bag and nodded.

“If Wilvi does anything improper, you have the right to kill her on the spot.”

John made a throat-slitting gesture.

I will take responsibility.

"...Yes, I understand."

While marveling at how kind this guy was, Melutina followed Mebius off the ship.

"Among the Moths that chase fire, that guy is one of the more conscientious ones, but..."

Mebius walked in front.

"Good people always die young."

"That's a bit of an ominous statement, isn't it?"

Melutina said with a wry smile.

Could this be considered... a self-fulfilling prophecy?

"I'm just stating a fact... huh?"

Möbius suddenly stopped and looked at the strange patterns on the beach, his expression turning serious.

"Is this a design drawing?"

Melutina crouched down, examining the detailed traces.

"...Nuclear bomb?"

The thing that Virvi regretted most in her life.

Now, Melutina finally saw its beginning.

"It's special... Although it's not finished yet, it's almost done."

Mebius frowned, a murderous thought flashing through his mind for a moment, but she suppressed it.

"..."

But Melutina, standing beside her, was thinking about something else entirely.

If Senior Velvi had died here... would the outcome have been different?

Maybe...

Well, it's gotten worse.

Chapter Nine Weapons

"The definition of a weapon? That's a strange question, Junior Melutina."

"Expert" Wilvi looked away from her work and asked in confusion.

"Just looking at you, senior, I can't help but feel a little confused."

Melutina leaned against the bar counter, seemingly just having a casual chat.

"In my view, weapons themselves have no definition. They are simply the embodiment of the human mind."

This isn't a habit developed later in life; it's innate, without a doubt.

The "expert," Velvi, put away her tools, and after a moment, her tone changed.

"Everyone in this world is a star, but stars are born from explosions, violence and cowardice, war and peace. In this universe called human society, war is always the norm, and peace is just a trivial exception compared to it."

Ah, humankind, how fond it is of fighting and violence! Fire and tears are forever at the forefront of every era—how regrettable!

"..."

Melutina remained silent for three seconds.

"Vellvich, who 'overlooks the stars'...?"

"Hi, my dear Melutina."

Suddenly, Vilvi greeted her in an exaggerated manner.

"Welcome to the greatest of the end of the century... Don't take my place, conductor."

"..."

"Yes, Melutina, it's been a long time."

"Conductor" Wilvi scratched her head.

"I thought I might need to find you a more reliable one, so I came here."

"Okay... so, what just happened?"

Melutina asked, both amused and exasperated.

"It seems like everyone wants to answer the question you asked, but you should take the expert's answer as the standard."

"The conductor," said Vervière.

"Experts say that weapons are human nature, so why do they come to this conclusion?"

Melutina couldn't help but ask.

"...This is related to another personality, and I don't really want to recall that incident."

The conductor, Velvet, suddenly looked somewhat gloomy.

"In short, that's the answer."

"Yes, I understand. Sorry to bother you. I apologize for asking such a strange question."

"No, no, you're welcome to come anytime!"

……

"Bang bang bang!"

"Bang bang bang!"

"Is this your reasoning for arriving at the answer?"

Melutina watched the "humans" fighting each other in the jungle. They were barely clothed, and it was impossible to clearly distinguish them from the "monkeys," but...

They were firing machine guns at each other.

"That's a cruel and realistic answer."

Melutina turned her head away, no longer looking; she already knew the outcome.

She also believed that the two people talking over there knew the outcome.

If even uncivilized primitive people demanded weapons to kill each other...

Aren't those weapons symbols of human nature?

So, the person who handed over the machine gun...

Is it for proof, or for entertainment?

Or was it just a passing whim?

"Mebius, when did you arrive? I should have prepared something to treat you!"