Outside the recording studio.
When Himeko and the others finally finished recording Everlasting Flames, Eden and Mo Li exchanged a glance. Both could see the satisfaction in each other's eyes.
"As expected—after seeing the story themselves, they captured the essence right away. One take, perfect."
Even as he spoke, Mei, Himeko, and the rest stepped out of the studio. Their eyes were still red.
"That was wonderful. Absolutely perfect." Mo Li applauded first.
Rita and the others followed, clapping as they wiped away their own tears.
Kiana pouted, her face full of grievance.
"Boss…" She sniffled, unable to finish the sentence. Clearly, she was still thinking about the story.
Mo Li reached out and gently ruffled her snowy hair. "Alright, Kiana. It's just a story."
"In this world, there's no Honkai, no terrifying Herrschers. Think happy thoughts, hm? If you really need comfort, go find Elysia—she'll cheer you up for sure."
Kiana's lips quivered. "It's all your fault… writing such a sad story, ugh…" Then she shook her head, glaring at him like she was angry.
"And anyway, I don't need Ellie to coax me! Mei is enough for me~"
Saying that, she burrowed into Mei's arms.
Himeko feigned heartbreak. "So Kiana's favorite is Mei after all, huh~"
"Not true!" The moment Himeko's voice reached her ears, Kiana flinched like a guilty child. She spun around and threw herself into Himeko's arms.
"I love you too, Teacher Himeko~"
Himeko tapped her head affectionately. "Say 'onee-chan.'"
"…Got it. Onee–chan~"
Rita chuckled softly. "Only Mei and Himeko? What about the rest of us?"
Kiana looked serious. "I love everyone. We have to stay together forever~"
The warmth of the moment lifted everyone's spirits. Even Fu Hua smiled faintly. "Thankfully, there is no Honkai in this world."
Then Mo Li suddenly thought of something. He turned to Eden. "By the way… where's Elysia?"
"She should be asleep with Klee by now. It's already past midnight," Eden answered with a laugh. "Honestly… we all cried just from watching a story. I'm afraid of what Chapter 25 will do to me."
Mo Li raised a brow. "Aren't you a big Himeko fan? If you skip this chapter, you'll regret it."
"We'll see~" Eden only smiled and shook her head.
Mo Li glanced at the time—it was indeed late. "Alright, thank you everyone. Go get some rest."
Himeko stretched lazily. "I'm going to shower first~"
"Aren't you going to sleep, Boss?" Rita asked.
"I'll finish processing the audio, then upload the new version's PV before I crash," Mo Li replied, pointing at the studio.
The girls paused at once. They knew this PV would be tied to Chapter 25.
Instantly, all their curiosity flared.
Kiana bounded to his side. "Where is it, Boss? Show me!"
Mo Li gave her a look, then turned to Rita. "It's on my computer. Take them."
Rita smiled knowingly. "Not in a rush. I'll help you with the audio first."
"No need. Just a small thing. Take them—look at Kiana's face."
Kiana puffed her cheeks but didn't argue further. She grabbed Rita's hand. "Come on, Rita-nee, let's go!"
Durandal asked once more, "Boss, are you sure you don't need help?"
"No need."
"Alright then…" She finally left with the others.
…
Meanwhile, Kiana had already dragged Rita to Mo Li's room and booted up his computer.
Rita's fingers danced across the keys with practiced ease. Soon, she pulled up the new promotional PV.
The others—including Eden—quickly gathered around.
Title: [Honkai Impact 3rd – "Passing the Flame" PV]
"Rita-nee, hurry and play it!" Kiana urged impatiently.
"One moment," Rita said calmly. "Let me upload it first."
The ever-meticulous maid never put anything above her duties.
Kiana pouted but restrained herself.
"…Is it done yet?"
"All done," Rita said with a small smile, clicking play.
The screen opened with Kiana's whisper. In German, she softly said: Ich liebe dich.
Images flashed—Kiana's birth as an experiment.
Then, Siegfried's voice thundered:
"Kiana! We made a promise—you will never lose to her! Never!"
The burning battlefield appeared, Siegfried cradling a young Kiana with only one arm. Her eyes were filled with confusion.
The girls watching knew well what this scene meant. It was the moment Kiana first lost control. She had cut off her own father's arm.
More images: the Herrscher of the Void, the collapsing Sea of Quanta.
It was The Final Lesson.
Just two fragments, and their hearts already sank again.
And then—
Valkyrie Ranger Kiana, tears streaming down her face, holding Himeko's relic—the Gem of Conquest.
The screen flashed again. A crimson greatsword.
They recognized it instantly: Godslayer's Blade, the sword Himeko had wielded against the Herrscher of the Void.
Every frame was Kiana's deepest wound. Salt in the scar.
The girls' noses stung.
"Damn it… sand in my eyes again…" Kiana muttered, trying not to sob.
Suddenly, the music swelled—epic, resounding. The Flame-Chaser Kiana appeared.
She caressed the Godslayer's Blade, her voice resolute:
"You lit up the skies for me."
"In the silent night, you lit the path ahead."
The music broke for a breath, then surged into a soaring crescendo.
The cello roared like a victory anthem, brimming with fire.
And then, as her battle suit artwork filled the screen, Kiana's voice echoed:
"I will fight for all the beauty in this world!"
The girls shivered, tears bursting forth once again.
That voice—gentle yet unyielding—cut straight into their hearts.
Damn Mo Li. He had turned a silly "rice weevil" into a woman so strong, so radiant.
Overwhelmed, they barely even noticed the details of her new battlesuit.
Only Eden, who hadn't read the story yet, was struck by her new appearance.
Sky-blue eyes. A high ponytail. Heroic yet tinged with sorrow.
"Kiana… you've changed so much," she whispered.
The others all nodded in agreement.
The PV shifted to showcase combat scenes. Normal attacks, combo skills—
"The time for battle has come!"
Blue flames entwined with scarlet, dazzling across the screen.
"With these flames, nothing shall stand uncut!"
The final ultimate—a fiery brilliance that shook the heavens.
Eden froze. Something about it… she had seen it before.
The Final Lesson.
As she tried to speak, the PV reached its end.
And then—
A cheerful, melodious voice rang out:
"I'm so glad to see you getting used to this place… and coming closer to our journey."
The screen shifted. A smiling girl, her beauty radiant as dawn, appeared.
Elysia.
At the bottom of the screen, four characters appeared: [Elysian Realm].
And Mei's voice followed:
"I understand most of the situation now. But there's still one question… the most important one."
"Who are you?"
The room fell silent.
Kiana wiped her tears. "…That's… Elysia?!"
Rita gave a little laugh through her own surprise. "We already knew she'd appear in the game, but seeing her here… it's still a shock."
Then she turned to Eden suddenly. "Wait—Miss Eden, won't you also be in the game?"
Eden nodded. "Yes. In the story, Elysia and I are both from the previous era. Since she's here… I won't be far behind."
Himeko chuckled. "When the players see this video, they'll lose their minds."
The others shared the same thought. Their curiosity burned—they wanted to know how players would react when Elysia appeared.
Rita quickly logged into miHoYo's official account and opened the freshly uploaded PV.
In just minutes, the comments and barrage had exploded into thousands.
As expected, nearly all were about Kiana's new battlesuit—or Elysia's first in-game appearance.
[He's here! He's here! miHoYo just kicked the door in with speakers blasting!]
[I'm crying already, damn it…]
[Now I get it. Why the staff all broke down over the new story…]
[Of course. If Himeko's in the chapter, it can only mean tragedy. She's really dead, isn't she…]
[When I saw Kiana holding the Gem of Conquest, I just burst into tears.]
[The BGM is insane!!]
[Hope born in despair, growth amidst grandeur… PV quality still flawless.]
[miHoYo, you mad geniuses!]
[Kiana's new suit is gorgeous! That high ponytail is everything!]
["With these flames, nothing shall stand uncut!!"]
["I will fight for all the beauty in this world!!" With the BGM… my heart shattered and soared at the same time QAQ]
[Are you blind?! Elysia appeared at the end!!]
[Her in-game design is breathtaking QAQ]
[If Elysia's here, Eden can't be far behind!]
[AAAAHHH miHoYo update already!!]
As the girls read, the views kept skyrocketing. Even deep in the night, countless fans swarmed in.
Mo Li entered then, having finished the audio work.
Seeing the girls crowded together, he smiled. "Still watching?"
They turned to him—tear streaks on every face but Eden's.
Mo Li: "…"
Of course. He'd forgotten that this PV was practically a tearjerker too. They'd barely recovered, only to get wrecked all over again.
"We're checking player comments," someone explained.
"Boss, is Elysia really coming to the next version? When's Eden's card being released?"
Mo Li rubbed his nose, noting how their attention had shifted. "Looks like they've calmed down already."
Then he shook his head. "No. Elysia won't be until the version after next. This PV is just a teaser—to stoke the hype. Chapter 25 is already a massive climax. It'll blow the roof off. Her card can wait."
"…That makes sense." They nodded.
Even so, it was hard to imagine just how explosive the game's popularity would become once the new story and its animated short went live.
Mo Li acted indifferent.
But the girls were certain: this new chapter would be a masterpiece.
It would spread far beyond the game's usual fans—reaction videos, lore explainers, word of mouth. Even anime-only audiences would be drawn in.
Eden suddenly turned to Mo Li. "Oh, right. When are you releasing Everlasting Flames?"
"Why are you planning to promote it?"
Eden's lips curved in a playful smile. "Of course. If you'd like, I'll share it on Weibo."
That was all Mo Li needed. "Then post it now!"
Durandal blinked. "Already? But the update is still a while away."
Before Mo Li could answer, Eden explained: "The song is strong enough on its own. Even without the story, it could chart high. When the chapter drops, it will soar to the very top."
Durandal's eyes widened. Could it really be that powerful?
"Boss… what kind of mind do you have?" Himeko muttered in awe. "A game song that even world-class musicians are praising…"
Her gaze lingered on him strangely.
She knew well—Kiana teasingly called her "auntie" for her age. And yet, here she was… heart stirred.
Talented. Handsome. Good character, solid morals.
And judging by the looks from her "sisters"… she wasn't the only one who felt it.
"…Forget it. I'll think about it later. He's not escaping anyway."
…
That night, it wasn't just the Honkai Impact 3rd PV that went live.
The theme song Everlasting Flames launched too, with Eden's endorsement boosting it sky-high.
By morning, comments had already passed 999+.
Players and newcomers alike looped it through the night.
And as dawn came, Douyin, Bilibili, even YouTube were flooded with speculation videos.
The new version wasn't even out yet, but the hype was terrifying.
A theme song explosive enough to dominate charts. A story devastating enough to break the entire dev team.
The flood of comments condensed into one desperate plea:
[Please, just release it already QAQ]
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