Honkai Impact 3rd: The Girl Who Chases the Flame

"Alright, General, you have always placed great trust in Yae no Kami."

Although Kujo Sara didn't seem entirely convinced, she still spoke.

"I do have some connections with Yae no Kami."

"Oh? Inazuma has always been a country that stays at home. I wonder how Miss Meltina came to know Yae no Kami?"

Kujo Sara raised an eyebrow.

Kujo Sara dared not ask about the reason why Zhongli knew her, but this was different.

For some reason, she felt that this woman looked somewhat familiar.

"Ah, cough cough. Some correspondence. Although Inazuma is a closed country, some publications still get sent abroad. Yae-no-miya is the owner of Yae-do. By chance, I participated in the illustration production."

Melutina made up some random nonsense.

“Oh, I did hear that Yaedo’s novels commissioned some paintings from abroad.”

Kujo Sara accepted this answer.

"Then I will show you around Inazuma City first, to fulfill my duty as a host."

.........

now

"The divine child?"

"Shadow? What are you doing out again?"

“Someone’s here. You should hold a banquet at Narukami Shrine tomorrow night. I’ll go too.”

"You're here too? Who's here? An important figure from another country?"

"From Liyue."

"Could it be Sister Gan Yu? But if Sister Gan Yu comes, I'll step in."

"It's Morax."

"………who?"

"Morax".

"Him? What's he doing here?"

"Ask him for details yourself. Kujo Sara is here too, and he's already pushed all the reasons onto you."

"...So how do you explain that?"

"I've already pushed it to you."

"........."

Bonus Chapter: What if we had won?

"Meddy, what are you doing?"

"Hmm, I'm playing a game that launched today... There's so little content, the main storyline is too short, it's not enough."

This was three years after the Great Collapse ended.

At that time, Melutina was 27 years old.

Because the Firemoths disbanded a year ago, Melutina went from being one of the thirteen heroes of the Firemoths to a biology professor at a university.

"Judging by the time, it really is summer vacation now."

Eden sat next to her; the two were in Eden's office.

After the Great Collapse, Eden was unwilling to return to the fold, so he accepted May's invitation to serve as the dean of the art academy at the first university of this new era.

However, apart from the two of them, no one else accepted the invitation.

Mebius continued her shady research, with Velvi accompanying her. It was unclear what the two of them were tinkering with, but judging from Mebius's frequent visits, it was probably nothing legitimate.

Kevin has become much more carefree since retiring. Now he's May's bodyguard, always by her side. But after hearing about this, he's gone off to do what he wants to do.

Su continued to practice medicine as always, but because everything was in ruins after the Great Collapse, they hadn't seen him for several years.

Aponia and Thousand Calamities jointly opened an orphanage. Due to the Great Collapse, many children lost their families. Anyone who is destitute can enter the orphanage unconditionally and live there until adulthood.

They built Sakura's tombstone in the mountains behind the orphanage, from where you can see the entire orphanage.

During holidays and festivals, one of Qianjie and Aponia is always absent, supposedly because they've gone to the back mountain.

Hua worked diligently for two years, saved up money, and is now traveling around the world, supposedly to travel the world for a friend he can no longer see.

Gretchen is now being raised under the names of Melutina and Eden, and she goes to and from school on time every day.

“I saw Pado among the investors. I never imagined that she actually made her fortune through swindling and deception.”

Melutina put down her phone and rested her chin on her hand.

"Hehe, that's a good thing. When the new era arrives, what's actually most indispensable is entertainment."

Eden looked at the game on his phone, a game he hadn't seen in a long time, and smiled.

"People need this illusion that they want to live in the present."

"……Um."

At this point, the two of them looked up at the two pink-haired dolls sitting side by side in the corner.

They then exchanged a glance and gave each other awkward smiles.

"Um, Eden, Cangxuan is coming to take office today."

Melutina changed the subject.

"Cang Xuan? She failed in business again?"

Eden said in surprise.

“I haven’t heard of that. But although Senior Sister Cangxuan seems to be petty, she has a kind heart.”

Melutina felt that Cangxuan's failure this time was probably not due to business failure.

Perhaps they were all the same; in the end, they couldn't completely escape the pain.

Some memories may be carried to the grave.

"I believe that. Metti, how are you recovering?"

Eden looked at the dragon horns on her head, which were shrinking and now looked like two hair ornaments.

"It's said that after a while, the Honkai energy in my body will completely disappear. What about Eden-nee?"

"Melutina asked."

"I fully recovered last year, and it's been a long time since I've felt my body grow again."

Eden stretched out his hand, feeling more refreshed than ever before.

"Living to a hundred years old is indeed not suitable for humans. Even the longest life will come to an end, but by then, most of the things that were once precious will have been worn away by time."

"Yes."

Melutina touched her face.

"To live to one's full life is the greatest fortune. But only people in the end times will understand this. Power always comes at a price, and long life is always filled with suffering."

"As human beings, we should do our best."

Eden smiled.

"History teaches us lessons. I don't think the Great Collapse was entirely a bad thing for humanity... at least it showed us how terrible the cost was while giving us technology."

"After all, if humanity had gotten to where it is today on its own, it would feel like it could do anything."

Melutina shrugged.

"By then, there will be countless Möbiuss."

Eden exclaimed.

"Or just countless not-so-bright Dr. Möbius."

Melutina smiled.

"That's true."

Eden leaned back lazily in his chair and spoke in a heavenly voice, as if singing,

"What a...golden freshman..."

"Ah."

Melutina pursed her lips, a fleeting memory of the face that was no longer there, and her eyes welled up with tears.

"What a...golden new student."

You'll be very happy, won't you?

Will you be happy?

On the land where you sacrificed yourselves.

It's the same people again.

I saw newly blossoming flowers.

Even on a ravaged land, humanity will still persevere for thousands upon thousands of years...

To continue into the next era.

If this cannot be called a victory...

What could it be called then?