MGSFV?! Chapter 480. Kevin Will Remember; As Long As They Can Escape
"That one?"
Even though Siegfried's figure was clearly on screen, viewers in the livestream still insisted on using vague phrases like "that one" in their bullet comments.
Was this some kind of meme?
Not sure~~
Still, after observing Siegfried's brand-new model for a while, Elysia had something to say.
"Siegfried looks a bit more... worn-out than before?"
"Well, he has been locked up for a long time," Hokuto replied.
"Mm, that's true... Even though we don't know how Siegfried left the Stigma Space, it's understandable for him to look a little haggard after being locked up for so long."
Elysia nodded lightly as she said this, agreeing with the sentiment.
"How can you just assume Siegfried already left the Stigma Space..."
"Huh?"
Even though Hokuto quickly cut herself off, Elysia still caught the tail end of the sentence.
"Siegfried what?" she pressed.
"Ahem."
Hokuto gave a small cough and changed the subject with an impressively steady tone.
"I meant, Siegfried looks like he's been locked up for ages—maybe it's because Kevin's been feeding him instant noodles every day."
Her subject-change technique was clearly well-practiced.
Of course it was—after all, she had trained her "bluffing proficiency" to max level thanks to her coworkers at miHoYo Studio... especially Elysia.
"..."
"That can't be right, can it? Didn't Kevin promise Mei that he wouldn't eat convenience food unless absolutely necessary?"
Elysia recalled a plot point from a recent interlude update.
"...But to Kevin, that was just a small, casual promise made tens of thousands of years ago. He might've forgotten by now," Hokuto speculated.
Time washes away everything, dulls everything.
But Elysia didn't see it that way. Instead, her tone became more solemn.
"Because he is Kevin... I believe he will remember."
"..."
Hokuto was momentarily stunned by Elysia's words. Then, she fell silent.
Kevin... was exactly that kind of person.
So, she said nothing more.
...
Back to the main topic.
Theresa: "..."
In-game, Theresa also fell into a brief silence.
Of course, her reason for pausing was definitely different from Hokuto's.
Theresa was simply shocked to see Siegfried—who had been missing for such a long time—in such a strange place.
"I mean... Theresa, why are you spacing out?"
Siegfried looked at the dazed Theresa and walked up, waving his hand in front of her.
Only then did Theresa snap back to reality and murmured, "Siegfried... is it really you?"
"Hm? Why... did you run into a fake me somewhere? Or did you drink too much bitter melon juice and turn your brain to mush?"
"Ha...?"
Hearing this, Theresa wore a face that said she was considering smashing this guy's head with Judah.
In the end, considering her current situation, she let it slide.
Besides...
Only someone like Siegfried would say something that dumb at a time like this.
He was always so optimistic, no matter the circumstances.
The Kaslana family's peculiar paramecium-like nature ( ).
"...Fine, no one else would say something that stupid anyway."
Theresa paused, then asked, "So, is this the place World Serpent was holding you?"
"Not exactly, but... it's a long story..."
Siegfried shook his head, then gave a brief summary of his experience, starting from the attack on the Anti-Entropy base last year.
[Wait a sec, I don't remember Siegfried ever being locked up?]
[I think the main story never explained it clearly—only that Gray Serpent suddenly presented the Judgment of Shamash to Kevin.]
[Ahem, for details, please refer to the Honkai Impact 3rd short manga The Serpent Chapter – Awakening.]
"...Anyway, from that point on, I was imprisoned in the Kaslana Stigma Space."
"You said earlier... you even fought with the leader of World Serpent there?"
[Yeah, I'm telling you, Theresa was amazing—she tanked a Finality strike for several months straight in the Stigma Space. Who else could do that!! (doge)]
[???]
Of course, Theresa would never boast to Siegfried about her "great achievements."
As the Overseer of Schicksal, she had to maintain humility. If a superior shows off too much, subordinates are bound to feel stressed.
Not everyone is a grind-happy Ulysses.
So that's your excuse for slacking off?
Ahem... occasional slacking doesn't count...
Anyway.
After listening to Siegfried's story and hearing his theory that perhaps Kevin taking away all of Chimera's power caused the Stigma Space's lockdown on him to weaken, which is why he could now appear before her...
Theresa then began to recount what happened after he was imprisoned.
Project STIGMA, the Fourth through Twelfth Herrschers, Otto had passed away...
And Kiana defeated the Herrscher of the Void and became the Herrscher of Flamescion...
"I see... then next time I see her, I'll have to treat her like a proper lady."
Siegfried was moved by this massive version update delivered by Theresa.
[Isn't it possible... that he won't get to see her? Or worse, the next time will be a final farewell? I feel like Honkai's writers would absolutely do something like that.]
[What turned you into the way you are today? miHoYo?]
[Kiana's finally free of the Herrscher persona, and his real daughter is safe. He hasn't even had time to enjoy that double joy! Don't do this!!]
[Exactly! Siegfried still doesn't even know Durandal is his real daughter... Are they going to leave it unresolved forever?!]
...
Some things become terrifying the more you think about them.
But will things really unfold like they fear?
The key issue...
Should still be whether Theresa and Siegfried can safely leave this bizarre space. If they run into any insurmountable obstacle, then...
That was Elysia's thought.
With that curiosity—and a bit of worry—she kept watching.
In-game, Theresa soon brought it up to Siegfried...
"But Siegfried—do you know where we are now? This space is clearly very different from the Kaslana Stigma Space."
"I haven't figured that out either," Siegfried shook his head. "But there's always been a clue about raising hell."
Elysia: Raising hell? That means... Siegfried has a plan?
She noticed the plot was finally heading toward the part she was most concerned about.
Theresa: ?
Theresa quietly typed out a question mark.
"Didn't I just say Kevin took away Chimera's power? It's the direction of that power's disappearance that led me to you."
"If that trace led me to you, then maybe following it further will lead us to others imprisoned by World Serpent."
[Wait, you can do that!?]
"So... next up, will it be Theresa and Siegfried saving a bunch of people here? Then, with everyone united... they'll finally break the seal?"
Elysia had just finished voicing her guess—
And Siegfried's dialogue in-game followed up immediately.
"Maybe the two of us can't figure out the whole picture... but if we keep rescuing others, someday we'll reach that 'power in numbers' turning point."
Almost identical to what she just guessed.
[Wow, Miss Pink Elf and Siegfried actually had the same idea?]
[I was thinking the same, but now that both Elysia and Siegfried think it's a good idea... maybe that means it's not actually that good.]
Elysia: ???
Was there something wrong with that bullet comment just now?
Hmm?
Who sent it? She smelled a familiar flavor.
...
Let's not get into how Elysia can smell someone through the internet or how the audience was roasting her and Siegfried for agreeing.
Back to the plot.
Theresa actually agreed with Siegfried's plan.
"Alright, let's move in that direction. Who knows... maybe Kiana and the others are investigating from the other side too!"
"Then let's go this way."
The game switched to free-control mode.
Adorable Theresa appeared at the center of the screen.
However...
[Why isn't Siegfried playable too? They already made the model, didn't they?]
Of course, the players had their own opinions.
[Give up—Honkai doesn't have male Valkyries (doge)]
[But I just want to mess around.]
[We even got to play as Kevin (Stigma Will) in Chapter 31's interlude.]
As they joked around and controlled Theresa through this Kafkaesque space, they quickly reached a large platform.
But before they could investigate, a swarm of Imaginary constructs appeared before everyone.
Just another standard monster wave, huh?
They were used to it.
Thinking this, they eagerly prepared to use Lunar Vow: Crimson Love and other Imaginary counters.
But... someone acted faster than them.
Boom!!
Siegfried drew Judgment of Shamash and charged forward.
[!!!] *n
Countless surprised bullet comments immediately flooded the screen.
Of course, if it was just Siegfried assisting in combat, they wouldn't be that shocked.
The real surprise was...
The player could now control Siegfried?!!
They had just been casually joking about it, but miHoYo actually made it happen?
This unexpected twist made what would've been a repetitive battle segment feel fresh and exciting.
Nice.
...
"You can actually play as Siegfried in the story mode?"
"Instead of marveling here, shouldn't we... give it a try?"
"...Yeah, good point."
Elysia tucked away her amazement and, after reviewing Siegfried's controls, directed him forward to meet the enemy.
Basic attack, special attack, ultimate... every strike blazed with fire.
The Imaginary constructs stood no chance against Siegfried's onslaught.
[He's kinda strong!]
"Theresa, does Kiana still skip school?"
The fight went so smoothly that Siegfried had time to chat.
"Huh? Why are you suddenly asking that?"
"When a dad runs into his daughter's teacher, shouldn't he ask that kind of question?"
"But... St. Freya Academy's been suspended for two semesters already."
[Wait, that's a whole year?! So the moment Dad went missing, school shut down too (]
[Theresa just paused school so Kiana could go find her dad? That's... so touching I'm crying.]
[Wasn't the real reason because the teacher went missing...]
[This...]
[Respect, Aunt Teresa.]
The players outside the game were already wildly off-topic.
Inside the game—
Theresa and Siegfried's conversation had also shifted gears in record time.
Just a second ago, they were talking about St. Freya. Now they were on a new topic.
"It might sound funny, but when I was first locked up in the Stigma Space, the first thought that came to mind was..."
Siegfried paused deliberately.
Theresa kept fighting, not looking at Siegfried, but many players instinctively slowed their inputs, wanting to hear what he'd say next.
A perfectly timed pause to grab their attention?
Coincidence... maybe. (bushi)
Siegfried finally continued: "I thought—'Crap, I won't get to see the final episode of New Theater Arhat, will I?'"
[???]
[You're thinking about that in a life-or-death moment?!]
[Only Siegfried could have a brain like this. I yield.]
Even players who prided themselves on bizarre thought processes had to salute Siegfried for this one.
And in that moment, Theresa's mind was flooded with countless thoughts.
Arhat?
Wasn't that the anime made by Anti-Entropy's leader, Welt Yang?
When did Siegfried start watching that? When he defected from Schicksal and joined Anti-Entropy?
Wait, why is she even thinking about that?
Theresa shook her head sharply. What she really meant to say was...
"You're the only one whose brain would jump to that."
"Kiana spent years looking for you. Now that you can finally see her—"
"Can't you focus more on that?! Why talk about robot anime?!"
[Yeah! If he makes it out, he won't just see Kiana—he'll see his real daughter too!]
[As Long As They Can Escape]
[But... can Siegfried really make it out...?]
Of course he can—just wait for the sisters to pull off a classic "Mountain-Splitting Rescue Dad" scene.
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