Honkai Impact 3rd: The Girl Who Chases the Flame

"...You mean you want me to participate in the research?"

Melutina was taken aback.

"No, it's about becoming a fusion warrior."

"Möbius said calmly."

"...Are you kidding me?"

Melutina did not understand Mebius's intentions.

“I understand your confusion. Like I said, I won’t use my assistant as a guinea pig, but Melutina…”

Mebius said with a smile,

“You’re different. I never treated you as an assistant, and you never treated me as a doctor, did you?”

"..."

“You’re not normal, Melutina, and neither am I. When two madmen walk together, can you expect one to obey the other?”

Ignoring her silence, Möbius continued speaking to himself.

"Of course, I'm not saying now... but it won't be long. Kevin, the guy you met, Mei's boyfriend. He'll be joining the program and becoming Mei's first... experiment."

Experimental subject.

This word made Melutina frown slightly.

She knew about the man's feelings for Mei, but was the price of those feelings really to be sent to the operating table?

"You think it's cruel?"

Mebius was a woman who could understand a little girl's thoughts at a glance.

"I just don't understand."

Melutina shook her head.

"Well, how should I put it, Mei is a very rational person."

"Like the doctor?"

"No no no."

Mebius shook his head.

"Unlike me, I was completely unaware that I was doing something wrong, and I never felt guilty about the experiments. My classification is that of a scumbag in a broad sense."

But May did it after recognizing that what she was doing was inhumane, suppressing her guilt. That's called rationality.

"Because it's something meaningful in a broad sense?"

"Melutina asked."

"It's something that actually makes sense to most people... like fusion warriors. There have already been six Herrschers. Although public information is restricted, humanity has actually paid a price on the scale of a national war."

According to my predictions, when the next Herrscher appears, humanity will suffer casualties on the scale of a world war, and further down the line, it may even shake the very foundations of humanity. And the Honkai is far more than that.

Even while discussing harsh realities, Mebius's smile never faded.

"...So, compared to that, the human experimentation on fusion warriors is nothing more than a negligible price?"

Melutina gave a sarcastic look.

"But why Kevin?"

"You seem to have the order of events wrong."

Möbius glanced at her.

"It's not that May chose Kevin, but rather that the person chosen just happened to be Kevin, who has a very close relationship with May."

"It sounds like a tongue twister... but I understand what it means."

"Yes, I knew you would understand. Kevin, it has to be admitted that he is a moth chasing the flame, and may even be the most adaptable human to Honkai energy in the world. And he happens to be Mei's biggest supporter."

Mebius said calmly,

"Isn't it deeply moving? What a great love and dedication!"

"These words are not appropriate for a doctor to say in the air."

Melutina shook her head.

"But at least Kevin is really prepared to 'sacrifice' himself for his lover, but Dr. May... she's a very difficult person to understand."

"Of course, Mei's future achievements are limitless. Being difficult to understand is a good thing. It would be best if she remained like this, unpredictable and unfathomable, so that she could continue on her path."

"...They are also walking in hell."

Melutina ultimately only made a remark, but did not continue the discussion with Mebius on this topic.

…………

Dear Melutina:

Long time no see. I'm Vanessa, your college roommate. It's been six months since you graduated. I heard you went to Dr. Möbius's lab...

Perhaps geniuses do indeed have unconventional ideas. Anyway, to get back to the point, I'm getting married next month. You might remember, or you might have forgotten, it's François from the mechanical engineering department…

Although you once complained about his appearance, we still ended up together because of fate.

I hope to receive your blessing, my dear friend Melutina.

If you have time, please be sure to attend my wedding.

Your sincere,

Vanessa.

Chapter Five: Hell on Earth

"Hi, Melutina, it's been a long time... You actually wore black to my wedding?"

Vanessa initially saw Melutina's expression light up, but it froze a moment later.

"Don't worry, I brought a change of clothes."

Melutina shrugged and blew a bubble with the bubble gum in her mouth.

"To be honest, I don't really agree with your taste in men."

"Hey, this is my wedding. You'd better put away your sharp tongue now, our genius beauty."

Vanessa couldn't help but laugh and scold.

Melutina graduated from one of the world's top universities, while Vanessa was her roommate during her doctoral studies.

Although she was ten years older than her, Vanessa was one of the few people who could accept the difference between herself and others. Faced with Melutina, whom others avoided, Vanessa, who was pursuing her master's degree at the time, took the initiative to ask her to share a dormitory room with her.

For the other doctoral students, it seemed impossible to accept that a girl a decade younger than them was on equal footing with them.

The school, which values ​​Melutina highly, solemnly entrusted Vanessa to take good care of this hard-won genius, and even offered her a considerable subsidy, but Vanessa refused without hesitation.

In Vanessa's eyes, Melutina was just a somewhat world-weary girl, but others always unconsciously kept their distance from her.

…………

"Hey, isn't that Melutina...?"

"Yes, I heard she went to Dr. Möbius's place..."

"Truly a genius, another madman who dedicated himself to science..."

"It must be, otherwise why would they go to Dr. Mebius's place? It's not a place where just anyone can stay."

"If she achieves results in the future, she will be a source of pride for the school. I remember that when she was in school, the principal often gave her special treatment."

"After all, he's a genius..."

……

The surrounding discussions did not escape the ears of Melutina and Vanessa.

"Seriously, those guys..."

Vanessa couldn't help but show an annoyed expression.

"Most people are like that. In fact, Vanessa, you are the weirdo in my eyes."

Melutina didn't care at all.

Isn't that how they always are? They know absolutely nothing about you, yet they arbitrarily define you and make unwarranted expectations...

And when their hopes are dashed, they blame others for their mistakes.

"Don't always see the world as so bleak. I'm going to change now. You should come and wish me a happy birthday in a nice dress."

Vanessa put her hands on her hips, pointed a finger at Melutina's forehead, and waved her hand.

"……I see."

Melutina wasn't the type to insist that others understand her thoughts; besides, Vanessa was a very stubborn woman at heart.

"Happy marriage, Vanessa."

…………

Moth Chasing Fire Headquarters

"What did you say?!"

"Emergency contact: Honkai energy in XX City, Australia, is increasing rapidly... This is a Herrscher!"

"The Seventh Herrscher? This energy... impossible! It's several times greater than the Sixth Herrscher's!"

……

The current leader of the Moth Chaser was slumped in his chair, having just been giving a passionate speech a moment before—

The collapse isn't that serious; it's all just an inner fear of the unknown. Humanity will surely overcome disasters again, just like it did with earthquakes and plagues.

The moths that chase fire cannot continue to fuel inhumane experiments. Scientists like Dr. May and Dr. Möbius have gone mad. They should be regarded as heretics, imprisoned, and forbidden from continuing their research.

But harsh reality shattered everyone's illusions, and in the end, they turned their attention to that person...