St. Freya High School.
Students came and went in the clean, bright cafeteria.
Kiana slammed her palms on the table. Hearing about her future self from two years later, her bright, azure eyes shone with a clear light, possessing the pure and beautiful simplicity of an uncorrupted recent graduate.
Ye Feng slurped down the last of his noodles and began to adjust the memories in his mind. As long as the information had once been registered by his five senses, even if he couldn't remember it, he could "retrieve" it and play it back directly.
"Alright, I'm starting the playback."
"Playback?"
"It's like watching a movie."
"Eh? You don't have a model of my future self here?"
Kiana had assumed that, like with Mei and Bronya, her "adult" form would appear directly.
"There isn't one for you, no. But there is one for Da Yuexia. Ah, that's what Theresa looks like when she grows up."
"Grand-Auntie? No way. She's already over forty, how can she still grow?"
Ye Feng just smiled without speaking. "Let's play this first."
Kiana looked over. In the empty space nearby, a projection the size of a cinema screen had appeared.
Amidst the white haze of memory, a greatsword burning with fire slashed through the screen. The blurry image gradually sharpened, and amidst a chaotic and cruel battle, a solitary confession could be heard.
「To this day, I still remember those flames.」
「When the embers flickered in the cold wind, when the kindling was bathed in a rain of ash, only those flames were never extinguished.」
In the deep of night, towering skyscrapers were submerged in broken light. A white figure leaped between the buildings, moving at high speed. Her gaze was clear and determined, aimed straight for a distant rooftop that glowed with an ominous purple light.
A cape that seemed to be made of fire left a burning trail in the night sky.
"Wow, is this... me?" Kiana's eyes were wide with amazement.
"That's right. This is you."
It was the Everlasting Flames animated short, but Ye Feng had applied a Herrscher of Flamescion MOD to the main character.
"What am I doing?"
"Saving the world. Someone plans to use all of Arc City as a testing ground to collect data. See that purple light? It's a Honkai energy bomb with an extremely high concentration. If it explodes, no one in Arc City will survive."
"'Someone'? Cocolia!"
"Ah, it's not her this time."
"So, did I save everyone?"
Even though she was just "watching a movie," Kiana couldn't help but feel tense, as if she were right there in the scene.
"Keep watching and you'll find out."
At that moment, the Kiana in the video had already reached the rooftop with the bomb.
Dense Honkai energy overflowed like a tide. Just getting close was enough to cause one's body to disintegrate.
Kiana's outstretched right arm was being eroded, covered in the purple patterns of Honkai corruption. Her left hand pressed down hard on her left eye, where an eerie golden light shone from her pupil.
She was enduring immense pain, and at the same time, seemed to be suppressing something...
Just then, a spectral hand rested on hers encouragingly, and a gentle voice sounded by her ear.
「Kiana.」
Kiana shuddered as if she were about to cry and looked to her side in disbelief.
「Himeko... Teacher.」
Himeko glanced to the side, giving Kiana a gentle smile without another word.
A shimmer of moisture passed over Kiana's golden eyes. 「That's right... I promised you... I will change this imperfect story—」
Kiana pressed both hands against the massive Honkai bomb before her, but what she saw in her eyes was a field of pure white light.
It was the back of Teacher Himeko, leaning on her greatsword...
"Wait a minute, how come it's just me again? Where's Teacher Himeko? She was right beside me just now." Kiana suddenly interrupted.
"Are you always this jumpy when you watch movies with Mei?"
"Eh? N-no, not really. I've never had the chance to go to the movies with Mei."
"No way, no way. You haven't even done that with Mei yet? How wonderful. I'll be taking that first time, then."
"Wh-who's having a first time with you!" Kiana puffed up her cheeks.
For some reason, that felt even worse than showing him her panties.
On the screen, Kiana had already pushed the ominously glowing purple Honkai bomb high into the sky, leaving a long trail of light across the night, just like... a meteor.
The people of the city stared blankly at the night sky, at that incomparably brilliant radiance.
Kiana's attention was drawn back to the screen, her eyes full of admiration.
"So cool! This is the future me! I'm just like a hero from the legends! Mmm, that fits my style perfectly. Was I already an S-Rank Valkyrie by then?"
"More or less. Probably stronger than your average S-Rank."
Kiana clenched her fists. In just two years, I became an S-Rank Valkyrie? As expected of me!
Kiana said excitedly, "So this is what I look like as an S-Rank Valkyrie! So awesome!"
"No. This is what you look like after losing someone important."
"Losing... someone important?"
Ye Feng's words exploded like thunder in Kiana's ears.
She couldn't help but recall Mei's Herrscher transformation in Nagazora. That was a truly close call. If Teacher Himeko hadn't arrived in time, they all might have died.
Seeing Kiana's stunned expression, Ye Feng's mood grew even more pleasant. He continued, "Why don't you guess who you lost?"
"Eh?"
"A multiple-choice question. A, Raiden Mei..."
"B, B, B, I CHOOSE B!!" Kiana yelled hastily before Ye Feng could even finish.
"My, you're so cold, so heartless. You won't even wait to hear who B is?"
"..."
Kiana stared blankly at Ye Feng.
She had been too hasty. Her only thought was, 'It absolutely cannot be Mei.'
Since it was "someone important," losing anyone would be unacceptable.
Kiana waved her fist. "I don't need to hear it. No matter who it is, this young lady won't let such a tragedy happen! Absolutely not!"
"Oh? Have you already learned to run away?"
"The word 'run away' doesn't exist in my dictionary!"
"Then why won't you listen?"
"Fine, say it!"
"Now I don't feel like telling you."
"..."
Hard.
Her fist was hard.
The Tuna glared angrily at Ye Feng, her eyes looking like she wanted to eat him alive.
Then she crossed her arms. "Hmph, if you don't want to say it, then don't. Who knows if you're just lying anyway."
Ye Feng smiled. "Do you really think you possess anything of value that would make it worth my while to deliberately deceive you?"
The corner of Kiana's mouth twitched. "Has no one ever told you? That smile of yours is really punchable."
"That's fine. You're welcome to come and punch me anytime. I'd love it."
"..."
Seeing Kiana clenching her fists, completely powerless against him, brought him a great deal of pleasure.
"How about this? Let's play another little game."
It had been a long time since Ye Feng had been this happy. He stared at Kiana with a broad smile. "I'll give you a few more options. You choose one. If you get it right, you get a reward. If you lose, you accept a punishment. How about it?"
---o---