Kiana was controlling her in-game character, battling monsters, while listening to the dialogue between her in-game self and Fu Hua.
Fu Hua: "Are you really alright?"
Kiana: "Strangely enough, this torment… it doesn't hurt at all."
Fu Hua: "..."
She knew the truth—Kiana's body had been corroded badly by Honkai energy.
Her sense of pain and taste was already gone.
But the Kiana in front of the screen, as well as the viewers in the livestream, didn't know that.
Instead, they sighed in relief, even feeling happy for her, thinking at least this experiment hadn't caused her pain.
"At last, the devs didn't torment Kiana this time…"
Even Himeko nodded faintly, agreeing with that sentiment.
Under Kiana's control, the boss of this stage was finally defeated.
And at last—the in-game Kiana was reunited with Mei.
"Yes!! Mei and Kiana finally meet again!" The real Kiana was thrilled.
Even Himeko smiled—after so long, finally… a little sweetness.
But…
The music in the game was odd. It didn't fit the joy of reunion at all. Instead, it carried a faint sorrow.
"Kiana…" Mei's voice trembled as she called her name.
But Kiana didn't rush forward and embrace her, as everyone expected.
Instead, the moment she saw Mei, she panicked—taking a step back.
"M–Mei!"
"W–Why are you here?" Her gaze darted away, her words stumbling:
"You… you shouldn't be here! It's… it's too dangerous!!"
The viewers were startled for only a second—then they understood.
This wasn't rejection.
It was guilt.
Guilt toward Himeko. Guilt toward everyone on the Hyperion.
Even if it hadn't been her will—her body had still hurt her friends, still killed her teacher…
Now she no longer had the courage to face them.
Not even Mei.
This reunion was nothing like what the audience imagined.
In fact, it was the opposite.
Yet it felt painfully real—so much so that it broke their hearts.
Why must Kiana be treated this way? It hurt. It hurt too much!!
The story pressed on.
This time, it wasn't Kiana throwing herself into Mei's arms.
It was Mei rushing forward, clutching Kiana tightly, as though afraid she might vanish at any moment.
"Kiana… you're hurt…" Mei's voice was choked.
"I'll take you back—to the Hyperion. Everyone is waiting for you…"
The sad music, this bittersweet reunion, and Mei's trembling words…
Many emotional viewers felt their eyes sting red.
"I… I can't go back, Mei…"
Kiana's gaze dimmed to the extreme.
Her heart was heavy, complicated.
Even if Mei and the others could still accept her, treat her as before—
She herself could not forgive herself.
She could no longer laugh freely, no longer play the carefree fool.
What had happened was carved deep into her like a scar. Pretending to smile would only make the pain sharper.
And besides… she never knew when she might lose control again, and hurt the people she loved most.
Not to mention—the people of Skydome City still needed her.
In every sense, she couldn't go back.
"Mei… I'm sorry. I can't return!"
Her words made Mei's pupils shrink.
From the evasive glance when they first met, to this unwavering refusal—
The Kiana before her felt so unfamiliar.
Like a wounded little beast, huddling alone in a dark corner, too fragile, too afraid.
She didn't know what Kiana had endured these past three months.
But clearly—it had broken her.
Mei's chest twisted in pain, tears welling up as her embrace tightened desperately around Kiana.
[Damn you miHoYo… I thought this was candy… but you stabbed me instead]
[A knife disguised as sugar!!]
[Boss, what trauma did you suffer to write stuff like this??]
[Why are you so cruel… sobbing… Mei… Kiana…]
Not only the chat—
Even the real Kiana, usually so cheerful, now covered her mouth, her eyes trembling with unshed tears.
Maybe because the character bore her name, her likeness—she felt it even more deeply.
Her heart was in chaos. She frantically looked around—
Until she spotted the real Mei nearby, and ran to her with a sob.
"Mei!! Waaaah—!"
Himeko: "..."
She too had been cut deeply by the story, her chest heavy with sorrow.
But when she saw the real Kiana wailing so clumsily, she only sighed, shaking her head.
Taking the keyboard and mouse, she continued advancing the plot.
Of course, the audience had heard Kiana's loud cry.
[Mei? I swear I just heard Kiana calling Mei!]
[Look—camera caught it! Kiana got cut by the story and ran crying into Mei's arms IRL…]
[So sweet in reality, yet so painful in-game…]
[Himeko, turn the camera—we wanna see the blooming lilies~]
Himeko ignored the comments.
She just wanted to know what came next.
Would Kiana go back with Mei—or not?
It was strange. The story hurt so much—yet she couldn't stop watching.
Click. The next scene played.
Fu Hua's awkward voice came through: "Ahem… Kiana, now's not the time for reunions. Enemies are flooding in—remind Mei to prepare for battle."
Kiana drew a deep breath, suppressing her sorrow, and said firmly:
"Mei, give me a moment… We must leave this place. Once the city is saved, then we can talk."
Mei's heart clenched at the change in her, but she nodded.
"…Rita already told me everything," she added softly, "…but Kiana, I want you to know—the Hyperion's crew will always wait for you."
Kiana fell silent.
The two of them cleared the enemies from the passageway together.
Once there was breathing room, Kiana spoke gravely:
"Mei, in the lab… that masked woman revealed their plan."
"They're not just enhancing the stigmata with vaccines—they intend to trigger a Honkai disaster across the entire city, to fully awaken the stigmata."
Mei's face darkened. "No exact time or place? Then even if we destroy this lab, we can't stop them…"
"I know their plan~"
A familiar voice chimed in—Rita appeared behind them.
"It seems Miss Kiana's condition is better than expected… that's a relief~"
At once, Mei tensed, defensive. "I won't let you take Kiana!!"
But Rita only smiled gently. "Relax. I told you—we're on the same side here."
She gave them the location of the Honkai bomb, explaining the catastrophic fallout if it detonated.
If World Serpent succeeded, not only would the city be destroyed—Destiny would be blamed as the culprit.
Even Rita could not allow such a thing.
At last, Mei and Kiana eased their guard.
Kiana: "Then we can't waste time!"
"Indeed~" Rita smiled. "Though it seems they don't plan to let us walk away so easily…"
As enemies surged forth, Rita stepped in front of them, scythe in hand.
"Kiana… remember what you told me?"
"Stopping disaster is more important than escaping."
"So leave this to me. You two—stop the bomb."
Kiana hesitated only for a moment before nodding solemnly. "Got it."
"…And thank you, for saving me back then. Now, we're even."
But on the way to the signal tower, Raven suddenly appeared, blocking Kiana's path.
This was the final stage of Chapter 14.
Through their dialogue, the audience learned Raven's deep hatred for the Herrscher of the Void.
She, too, had been a victim of the Second Eruption.
With that realization, her hostility seemed less hateful.
After all, she didn't know Kiana was no longer that Herrscher.
At last, battle commenced.
Under Himeko's control, Kiana barely defeated Raven.
When Raven thought herself doomed—Kiana spared her.
She was stunned.
"…Heh. I delayed you. That means I win."
Her mocking words made Kiana's chest tighten.
Time had run out.
For this far, she had wrung every last drop of strength from her body, dragging it along the edge of collapse.
Yet at the very end… she was too late.
"After everything… I couldn't make it! No… there must be another way…"
Fu Hua's voice came again.
"Kiana. Use the Herrscher of the Void's full power. I will bind her consciousness with all I have. You just wield the core."
Kiana faltered. "But… class monitor, you're already so weak…"
Fu Hua smiled faintly.
"You were right. When recalling one's past, one cannot find only cowardice and escape."
"Those who died to the Honkai… their time is gone. They cannot see the better world that might come…"
"But you can let the living witness it."
"So—do what you must."
Viewers and Himeko alike felt a tremor in their hearts.
Was Fu Hua about to fall here?
In the closing narration, Kiana parted ways with Mei once again, setting off alone toward the towering spire that pierced the night sky.
[Class Monitor!! miHoYo how could you—]
[Don't panic… just a feather drop. The real Fu Hua hasn't gone offline yet]
[Nooo… Mei just reunited with Kiana and now they're separated again… QAQ]
Even Himeko drew in a long breath, her eyes on the "play" button of the animated short.
Every major chapter ended with one.
And this one… would conclude Chapter 14.
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