Soft music began to play.
Fu Hua's voice followed right after.
"My help is limited… You must seize this chance, Kiana."
On screen, Kiana looked flustered under Herrscher of Knowledge's fierce assault.
Yet despite claiming her aid was "limited," class monitor Fu Hua still intercepted Herrscher's killing blows again and again.
Seeing this, the Herrscher of Knowledge grew anxious.
After taking one of Kiana's strikes, she looked utterly aggrieved.
This was her domain.
Her strength was leagues beyond Kiana's.
So why—why couldn't she win?
"How is this possible… How could it be like this…?"
"You two… Why can't you just listen to me!!"
This time, she unleashed her power without restraint.
Channeling raw Honkai energy, she conjured countless blades and hurled them at Kiana.
"Damn it! Damn it all! You bunch of… IDIOTS!!"
The fight had viewers on the edge of their seats.
That image of Fu Hua commanding countless flying swords with a single wave—it made their blood burn with excitement.
Swords! The dream of countless young men in the Dragon Country.
Sword Immortals—an even greater fantasy.
And in this moment, Fu Hua was their sword immortal.
No wonder so many cried out: "MiHoYo, you geniuses!"
Overseas players were equally awed.
The scenery of Taixu Mountain, the illusionary sword graves, and Fu Hua's distinctly Eastern poise—it was a breathtaking vision of the mysterious Orient.
On screen, Fu Hua rode her flying swords, each swing sending out dazzling arcs of sword qi.
"Why do you stand in my way?!"
"Why help that useless fool—why?!"
The Herrscher floated high above, forming a sword seal with her fingers. Her body shone with a sinister light.
The very earth trembled under her terrifying power.
"You're all just… failures!!"
Stones rose into the air, pulled by her energy.
Suspended in the heavens, she was like a god of destruction incarnate.
Seeing this, Kiana's palms grew sweaty.
Could she really win against such a foe?
"That's… class monitor's…"
Just as doubt seeped in, Fu Hua's voice reached her again.
"Kiana… control your power."
"Remember what I taught you."
Her words steadied Kiana in an instant.
She centered herself, calling upon the Taixu Divine Aura Fu Hua had passed down to her.
"The divine… is transformation itself, the subtle truth of myriad things—beyond all form, beyond question."
A golden blade of energy bloomed in Kiana's palm.
"Taixu Sword Qi—Divine Aura!"
She pointed her sword finger forward, fiery energy roaring toward the Herrscher.
The Herrscher answered in kind, unleashing the same technique.
But deep down… her heart had already faltered.
No—perhaps even before creating this illusion, her conviction had wavered.
The Herrscher who ruled over consciousness… had lost her own.
"I can't… lose to her!"
But her words betrayed her lack of faith.
Kiana shot back firmly:
"Class monitor… was never a failure!"
The scenery shattered, the grand sword grave dissolving into endless white.
Fu Hua's phantom appeared before Kiana, her back turned, a single feather in her hand.
"Thank you, Kiana…"
"Leave the Herrscher to me. The illusion is ending—return now."
"This… may be our final farewell."
At that, countless viewers felt their hearts clench.
They had expected one to survive—Fu Hua or the Herrscher.
But… MiHoYo seemed intent on killing them both.
[MIHOYO!! YOU DAMN—]
[Cla—ss—Mon—itor—!!]
[No way… both of them?!]
[Writer!! Get out here right now!!]
…
Reading the barrage of comments, Mo Li chuckled and shook his head.
They were panicking too soon.
These players really didn't have much tolerance for heartbreak, huh?
Eden, watching beside him, shot Mo Li a strange look.
She knew the boy wrote all of Honkai's plot himself.
Could it be… he'd actually been through some trauma?
He could have written happy endings. Yet he insisted on gutting everyone's hearts.
Sensing her gaze, Mo Li tilted his head.
"Miss Eden々〃?"
Snapping out of it, Eden shook her head.
"The story is beautiful… but isn't it a bit too cruel?"
Mo Li: "..."
"Keep watching. I promise—the ending of this chapter… is sweet."
(Though in truth, it was the only sweet moment in the entire main story…)
In Mo Li's view, Elysian Realm—or rather, Everlasting Flames—was where the real blade would fall.
Everything before was only buildup.
The Last Lesson, Starfall—
One paved the way for the final tragedy.
The other showcased Kiana's growth, drawing players into her struggle until they wept with her.
When Chapter 25 dropped, he thought grimly, they'd better be ready.
His eyes flicked, unbidden, to Himeko.
She'd be voicing those lines soon.
The campus scene in Chapter 25—the exchange between Kiana and Himeko—was devastating.
Would Himeko cry when recording it?
He'd never seen this big-sister type cry before.
But… making a girl cry wasn't exactly kind.
Maybe he should let her decide whether to dub that part.
"Best leave it up to her…"
His gaze shifted again—to Kiana herself, eyes already rimmed with red in the live broadcast.
Thank goodness he hadn't agreed to let her do the dubbing.
At Chapter 25… she'd cry herself unconscious.
Just then, Eden's voice pulled him back.
"Boss Mo Li, this short film… it really ends sweetly?"
He smiled and nodded.
"Absolutely sweet!!"
Only then did Eden relax and return her attention to the animation.
On screen, the illusion collapsed.
Kiana stood dazed, staring at the feather in her hand.
"Not again… victory at the cost of sacrifice… I won't accept it!"
"Give me back… my class monitor!"
At that moment, a clear voice began singing Rubia.
"Life blooms like a flower…"
"Far away, or close at hand…"
Whenever MiHoYo brought out the speakers, players knew—the emotional hammer was about to drop.
This time was no exception.
As the song swelled, Kiana plunged back into the illusion.
The cuts were flawless, the music hitting its beats perfectly.
The Second Honkai War—Fu Hua watching Otto shoot her down.
Cheng Lixue's death.
Fu Hua's fifty thousand years of solitude.
Scene after scene flashed by.
Even without dialogue, it was clear:
Kiana was walking through the same pain Fu Hua had borne.
But with words and music layered on top—
[I've endured too much betrayal and deception…]
"Class monitor, I'll never betray you…"
[Everyone who trusted me… was dragged down…]
"I'm strong! You don't need to worry about me!"
[No matter how hard I tried, time still took it all away… in the end, I was left alone…]
"I won't let you… be alone!!"
With Kiana's cry, the music soared.
Every viewer's heart clenched, their noses stung.
No blades, just raw emotion.
They forgot all about sealing the Herrscher.
All they saw now—was Kiana reaching out to save her class monitor.
Betrayal? I won't betray you.
Burden? I'll carry it with you.
Loneliness? I'll find you, and never leave you again.
The mirror shattered.
Kiana finally reached Fu Hua.
The woman looked at her in surprise.
"Kiana… how are you here?"
Kiana extended her hand.
Fu Hua moved to take it, then hesitated.
"If the seal breaks—"
Kiana grabbed her firmly, cutting her off.
"Then I'll just smash her again!"
"You're not escaping me this time—no way!"
The illusion dissolved completely.
The song lingered on.
Images of Fu Hua's countless identities across fifty millennia flickered past.
Kiana, watching with red eyes, sniffled and wiped her tears.
"Thank goodness… class monitor's alive…"
The short film ended.
Another began immediately.
White light filled the screen.
Herrscher of Knowledge and Fu Hua stood back-to-back.
…
(continues with their dialogue, the tsundere exchange, and the barrage of relieved comments—)
Three whole chapters.
Viewers had witnessed Fu Hua's fifty-thousand-year journey.
A warrior.
A fragile girl.
And in parallel—Kiana, maturing through trial after trial, shouldering new resolve.
Elysia was deeply moved.
She glanced at Kiana—tears in her eyes, but smiling softly.
Smiling, Elysia rose from camera view, and sauntered to Eden's side.
Tilting her head, she teased Mo Li:
"Boss Mo Li isn't such a bad guy after all~"
"This way, I don't even need to comfort Kiana. Heh… comforting girls is such a headache for me."
Mo Li raised a brow.
"So in Miss Pink Elf's eyes, I'm the bad guy?"
"Hm…" Elysia tapped her chin in mock thought.
"Not really a bad guy… just someone with very nasty tastes. Always writing such heartbreaking stories~"
"My poor Eden's been made to cry so many times by you."
"Heh. Why don't you ask Eden—after crying, didn't she feel strangely refreshed?"
"Eh?" Elysia blinked curiously. "Crying… feels refreshing?"
"You've never cried?"
"…Come to think of it—ah, no wait!"
"I just realized, Boss Mo Li really is bad, prying into my little secrets like that~"
"Huh? Asking whether you've cried before counts as a secret?"
Elysia covered her mouth with a laugh.
"Of course~ But… if you're willing to trade me one of your secrets, I'll tell you whether I've cried. Deal?"
Mo Li leaned back tactically.
He was honestly curious—had the real-world Elysia ever cried?
"Alright then. What do you want to know?"
"I want to know… about Boss Mo Li's past~"
"My past? There's nothing to tell… Just ordinary, nothing special."
"Is that so?" Elysia's eyes sparkled. "Then I want to know even more~"
"You can tell me slowly, I promise I'll listen carefully~"
Mo Li shook his head with a smile.
"Another time. I still have arrangements to make."
He was in fact conflicted.
The next update would feature the Herrscher of a Thousand People.
Its theme song, Everlasting Flames, had to be recorded.
Though the system provided a full version, he wanted Himeko and Kiana to sing it together.
Himeko had experience—and with Eden coaching, she'd outdo even The Last Lesson.
But Kiana? Definitely not happening.
So perhaps Eden and Himeko instead.
Eden could even lend her star power.
As long as she could shift her voice toward Kiana's youthful timbre, players would resonate more deeply…
Mo Li tapped his chin. Worth a try.
"Miss Eden, would you like to hear Chapter 25's theme song?"
At the word theme song, Eden lit up instantly.
"Oh? Chapter 25's song suits me?"
Mo Li shook his head.
"Honestly… it doesn't."
"Chapter 25 is Kiana's arc—her moment of redemption. It's a grand climax, and I can't afford to be careless."
"So if you sing it… could you adjust your voice closer to Kiana's?"
"Of course… if you could also train Kiana and let her perform it with Himeko, that would be even better~"
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