Honkai Impact 3rd: The Girl Who Chases the Flame

Upon hearing Kevin's words, Alicia, who arrived shortly after, paused for a moment, then glanced at the claw marks left around them, and gave Mei a deep look before speaking:

"I request to remain at headquarters to conduct the investigation and serve as Dr. May's bodyguard, and I hope to receive Dr. Wilvi's assistance in conducting the on-site investigation."

"I grant permission for Velvi to stay. Dangerous individuals may be hiding here. All other personnel must leave headquarters immediately."

Mei nodded and said without hesitation.

"Yes!"

Upon receiving the instructions, all personnel remaining at headquarters dispersed to relay the orders.

Alicia, who remained behind, grabbed Velvi and pulled her into the hallway:

"Quickly! Velvi, destroy all the evidence while they can't get close!"

"...Okay, okay, I knew it would be like this."

Although Wilvi didn't recognize the claw mark, she still had her brain. If we were to say who had the motive and the power right now, who else could it be but that person?

"Vilvie, do it, stop talking nonsense."

At this moment, Mei, who had seen that everyone had left, glared at her.

…………

"Hey, Kevin."

"...It's a thousand tribulations."

As soon as Kevin stepped out of the building, someone called out to him.

"I've heard about what happened."

Qianjie was squatting on the bench, and even without looking at him, Kevin could imagine his anger.

"Ha, this is absolutely rotten."

"Did you tell Melutina about this? No, it couldn't have been you."

Kevin wasn't in a hurry to leave; he wasn't in a rush anyway.

His purpose in coming here was not to prevent the great tragedy that was about to happen, but simply to bring the girl back safely after everything was over.

"Of course it couldn't be me; I was the last person to know about this."

Qianjie's attitude was not as angry as Kevin had expected, which surprised Kevin somewhat.

"You seem surprised? You think I should be furious and fight you?"

Qianjie said with a cold laugh.

That's what I think.

Kevin did not deny it.

“I am indeed very angry, but not at all at you… Melutina has already taken her revenge herself, saving me the trouble of killing them one by one.”

"..."

“I have no reason to resent you, Kevin. The fact that you're standing here and haven't left speaks volumes.”

People always think I'm crazy, but nobody thinks I'm stupid.

“You are a wise man, Qianjie. Moreover, you are more upright and reasonable than all of us.”

Kevin said.

"Stop talking nonsense, Kevin."

Qianjie began to get annoyed again.

“I don’t think you’re wrong, but I don’t think you’re right either! You’re the only one who’s on the side that can change all of this! Adam, ha… even a madman like me can see that he’s a promising kid.”

Melutina had high hopes for him; she was finally beginning to emerge from the hell we inhabited! She deserved it, Kevin! And you! All you could do was protect a life whose soul was already riddled with wounds after everything had happened!

"I'm sorry, Qianjie."

Kevin apologized in a low voice, leaving no room for further explanation.

“I’ve said all I need to say… Also, the person who told Meltina about this was Aponia.”

"...Did she 'see' it again?"

Kevin was slightly taken aback, but then he understood.

“Send her to the deepest place, to the darkest depths of her soul, for only in the depths of darkness can she find peace.”

………………

P.S. If you're wondering why there are four updates today, it's because of Alicia's "true self" (。o︿o。)

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Song of the Dragon (Part Two)

Hella City

A black dragon descended from the sky, like a reaper bringing death, a natural disaster.

She remained silent, and human bodies were like mere weeds before her, just as a god walking among men, regardless of their nobility, would be reduced to scattered flesh and blood.

She could have done it much faster, but instead she simply brandished her claws and rampaged through the crowd with her massive body.

The terrified people thought she was having fun, but she was just venting her frustrations.

She doesn't need to talk, or even speak.

The more fear they feel of collapse, the closer they get to being "right".

To realize one's own foolishness, one only needs fear, not words.

The price to pay is only pain, no warnings are needed.

When words are useless, all that remains in the world is violence and bloodshed.

But she used violence and bloodshed to uphold justice, unleashing indiscriminate divine punishment, and only at this moment did all beings finally achieve equality.

No one can deliver a completely impartial verdict; this is a court without judges, who only uphold their own version of "justice."

For the sake of one person's honor, she resolved to sacrifice two hundred thousand lives.

They are not innocent, but this may indeed be a sin, but she doesn't care.

This corrupt world has lost its sense of right and wrong, and people can no longer define rules and regulations that conform to norms.

The ugliness in the face of disaster does not need to be forgiven, the persecution born of fear does not need to be understood by anyone, and the anger in our hearts does not need to be put down.

She knew that in more distant places, many people were scattering and fleeing for their lives.

Perhaps among them are mothers praying for their children, elderly people nearing the end of their lives, lovers, families, teachers and students...

But she didn't care anymore.

What is the definition of innocence?

What is the definition of being vulnerable?

What is the definition of sin?

Does having a reason justify trampling on something?

Driven by selfishness and momentary anger, one can persecute an innocent person to death.

They talk about paying for murder with their lives, yet they have no recollection of why they are able to live peacefully in this world.

Infants are innocent?

Did they receive any favors? Why were they born safely?

If every human being who has never fought has benefited from the kindness of the Firemoth warriors, then does that mean they also have an obligation to repay them?

Then why can those who betray this point confidently say that babies and the elderly are innocent?

Are there really innocent people in this world?

This so-called innocence is only used to beg for mercy when needed. So why does the perpetrator completely forget this when they are the one committing the crime?

"It is a sin to indiscriminately kill the people of a city; it is a sin to trample on infants who have not yet come to know the world; it is a sin to challenge the interests of the majority for the sake of one person's honor."

Melutina's Honkai energy began to increase rapidly, her black scales turned snow-white, and even gradually spread and assimilated with the surroundings.

"Then I will bear this sin. To clear... one person's name. Two hundred thousand is not enough to compare with this."

White spreads, the city center is enveloped in white, white ribbons entwine these humanoid sculptures, devouring life.

In the heart of the city, a gigantic white object transforms into ribbons that bloom like flowers—beautiful, yet extremely dangerous.

A white-clad girl stood there; she was a creature that resembled both a human and a dragon, no…

The skin, which resembled inorganic matter, looked like some kind of foreign object, full of eeriness and incongruity.

Yet she was so beautiful, as if she embodied all the beauty in the world, yet she seemed so unreal.

Is it a god or a demon?

But at least, the being standing there defined herself as a god, raising her hands as if embracing the sky—

"When all things come to an end, the White Garden will appear."

There is no mercy in the eyes of God.

Not even the right to struggle is given; all life is reduced to nothingness.

White, like a feather, shattered.

The city has vanished.

Sagara, a second collapse.

A radius of one hundred kilometers, a forbidden zone for life.

"No one is innocent...no one..."

The being, neither human nor dragon, surveyed the desolate land. Reason gradually faded, and an unprecedented instinct drove her... to the deeper reaches of hell.

That's the end of it.

The only hero who could have stopped her arrived, but instead of preventing the tragedy, he...