Honkai Impact 3rd: The Girl Who Chases the Flame

"Perhaps it is, perhaps it isn't. But at that time and in that place, there was another solution."

Otto extended one finger.

"Kill everyone who devised this plan and everyone involved in it, and turn the city where it happened into a dead city."

In this way, the relationship between the fusion warriors and humans would not be shaken, and the warriors' reputation would be preserved, even if it was only a belated attempt to salvage the situation.

"..."

“Bianca, the interesting thing is that no one who is killed can be defined as ‘innocent’.”

Otto smiled.

"It goes without saying that the plan was made and the participants in it. Those so-called 'civilians,' the civilians protected by the Fusion Warriors, made a big fuss and organized a march because of fear and distrust... This is actually very despicable."

Because the fusion warriors sacrificed far more than just one innocent life for them.

"So, that's the real reason behind your initial question."

Bianca was silent for a moment, then turned her face away.

"Yes, Bianca, let's go back to the original question."

Otto nodded.

"So, do you think this massacre was just or evil?"

"...It is neither just nor evil."

Bianca said in a low voice,

"I cannot define this matter, nor can I fathom the state of mind of the person involved."

“Very good, Bianca, very good.”

Otto, however, clapped.

"You've already understood what I wanted to teach you; you're a very bright student."

“But the way you teach is very annoying, Archbishop.”

Bianca, however, was not happy at all.

"But why did you have to use this to teach me?"

"It's very simple. Rather than things that are far removed from me, I prefer to use things that happen around me as examples."

"...Have you finally gone mad?"

"Haha, Bianca, don't say that."

Otto laughed heartily.

"The events are indeed a thing of the past, but the people are gone. Are the cookies delicious?"

"Huh? Um, it's not bad, but it's not as good as it used to be."

Bianca paused for a moment, then said.

"This is the protagonist of the story we just heard..."

Otto revealed a smug smile, as if his wicked scheme had succeeded.

"She baked it herself."

Chapter Thirty-One: The End of Hell

Deeper than the abyss, wider than the sky, a gathering place of contradictions, a prison for the mind and the body...

That describes the place closest to hell in this world, the deepest place.

This place holds all the evil in the world, but at the same time, it also holds the good.

The people here are neither simply defined as evil nor simply good.

If the world can be divided into two parts, it must be the deepest place and everything else.

The cage is complete, but for the people living here, the outside world is more like the human world.

The four-sided cages were like palaces, a privilege not every prisoner enjoyed, but most of the cages here did not resemble prisons at all.

Long chains bound her limbs, and a heavy, textured metal collar around her neck was connected to thick chains that stretched into the depths of darkness.

In this underground "palace" spanning several hundred square meters, only a petite girl was kneeling there.

The long chains did not hinder her movement; she could even run in this vast underground space. If she were still the one with the power of a fusion warrior, the weight would be nothing.

However, these chains were not used to bind, but to seal.

These long chains, each made of Soul Steel, were crafted by the world-renowned mechanical genius, Velvey, and are among the "armored" items for Kevin.

It is a binding device specially designed for fusion warriors. In this deepest place, "ordinary" prisoners only need one hand to be bound. Just by doing this, they will lose the power to use Honkai energy and their bodies will be greatly weakened.

The girl imprisoned here was chained by five chains, a treatment that would render even a Herrscher almost unable to move.

For the girl whose physical abilities were almost entirely suppressed, each chain felt incredibly heavy, making even normal life extremely difficult.

This meant that girls, who were in worse physical condition than other prisoners, were essentially forced to sit still most of the time.

It could be said that at the moment she was bound, the girl transformed from a powerful fusion warrior back into a frail young girl, forced to experience a sense of powerlessness she hadn't felt in nearly a decade.

This prison has no exit, not even guards. Apart from the supply ships that come here regularly, almost all management is handled by this place...

The most heinous sinner, Aponia alone.

This was not the original intention of the Moths of Fire, but in fact, they also lost a large part of their control over this area.

She turned this place into her own domain, yet she was willing to unconditionally help the Fire Moth control the dangerous elements there, suppress any possible riots with her "commandments," and control the prisoners there.

Ironically, for the "sinners" here, the greatest shackle is actually another "sinner".

The man, whose right hand was bound by chains, silently opened the door, walked up to the girl, and quietly placed the food in front of her.

The girl opened her eyes and nodded silently, seemingly grateful for the thoughtfulness.

The man simply shook his head. It was an unwritten rule among the sinners in the neighborhood that they would take turns bringing food to the girl.

They witnessed this frail girl bound by five chains in this "palace," dressed only in white; the scene resembled that of a princess from hell.

For someone like her, it would be too cruel to make her drag heavy chains to the door to get her food all by herself.

"Thank you."

As the man reached the door, he heard a faint, hoarse voice—beautiful, yet very weak.

The man turned around and saw that she had closed her eyes again and hadn't touched the food in front of her.

Was it because she didn't want them to see her in such a weak state?

The man thought to himself, shook his head again, opened the door, and went out.

They are not evil people, perhaps even kinder than most people in the world, but sometimes they say you are a sinner, and then you are a sinner.

Although unwilling, there was nothing they could do.

...............

The deepest part of the deepest place

"..."

"That's outrageous... They actually locked that kind of girl up there alone and put five 'Chains of Anubis' on her. Miss Aponia, can't you think of a way to help her?"

The woman who came to deliver food to Aponia couldn't help but plead. These days they had been talking about the girl, wondering what terrible crime she had committed to deserve such treatment.

“Gloria, I have no choice. In the deepest depths, ‘sin’ and ‘treatment’ are equal.”

Although I don't believe she committed a crime, what she did was enough to earn her the highest level of treatment in this hell.

Aponia knelt before the icon in prayer, her hands clasped together.

"But if Miss Aponia is willing to find a way for her, then the Fire-Chasing Moth won't be able to treat her harshly, will it?"

Gloria couldn't help but say it.

"She is a strong girl, and pity would be an insult to her. She will not be dissatisfied with the status quo."

Aponia opened her eyes, stood up, and took her hand.

“Gloria, you and I both know that very few ‘evil people’ have ever reached the deepest part of this place. The biggest condition for entering here is not evil, but danger.”

I saw destiny; those who sent her here wanted to save her. Only here can humanity's foolish judgment become meaningless.

"What she did was more serious than coming to the deepest place?"

Gloria covered her mouth.

"That depends on how you define it."

Aponia remained noncommittal.

"However, believe me, Gloria. I like this child, and her actions deserve the love of all the conscientious people in the world. I will not be stingy with my affection for her."

But this small predicament isn't enough for me to lend a hand.

"...What an amazing child!"

This was the first time Golia had heard Aponia speak of someone in this way.

“Miss Aponia, there’s one more thing… The people in that area are taking turns bringing her food. Could you… not blame them?”

“Of course I won’t blame them, Gloria.”

Aponia couldn't help but laugh.

“What a touching act! If they didn’t do it, I would have had someone do it. It’s good, Gloria.”

"Then I'll take my leave."

Gloria bowed slightly, turned and left, the iron chain on her right foot clanging.

At its deepest level, this is also one of the contradictions: every prisoner here is free, yet none of them are truly free.

They have the right to move freely within their own territory, but they have lost their fangs and the power to fight back.

"On one hand, we sent her to the deepest place to save her, but on the other hand, we put five chains on her like never before because we were worried about her rampage... Mei, you are still the same."