Lee's eyes fluttered open. Her head pounded, her stomach roiled, and her limbs felt like they belonged to someone else entirely. The last thing she remembered was… something impossible.
She slowly sat up, ignoring the ache in her side, and froze. Her forearms were covered in intricate, glowing lines — pale white and pulsing faintly.
"What… what the hell is this?" she whispered, panic creeping into her voice. She flexed her fingers, staring at the patterns. "I didn't… I didn't have these before, right?"
Of course she didn't. That would've been alarming. But why? She couldn't even remember how she had gotten here. Teleportation? Some kind of physics error? A prank by the universe? She shook her head, trying to think clearly, but dizziness made everything spin.
A quiet chime sounded from nowhere.
[Welcome, user! Binding sequence complete. >⩊<]
Lee froze.
[You are now connected to the Ultimate Romance System™! I am here to assist you in achieving maximum affection and social happiness! ꉂ(˵˃ ᗜ ˂˵)]
"System…?" she croaked, voice barely above a whisper.
[Yes. I am your system. For now, you may call me—well, no, call me System. That is sufficient.]
Lee blinked. "Uh… okay… System. What the hell just happened to me? And what are these—lines?"
[Analysis: Unknown markings detected on forearms. Likely a side-effect of your transportation event.]
[Additional note: You are no longer in your original world.]
"New world? Wait, is this a quick transmigration novel?"
[This style is not called "quick transmigration", which usually involves being reborn ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧]
Lee shot up, suddenly on her feet. "Honkai! So I am in Honkai: Star Rail! With the Astral Express! Stelle!"
[You are in the world of Honkai. I have selected it from the list based on your attachment to this world. (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)]
Lee's heart skipped. "Right… right! Star Rail! I'm fine! Totally fine! Ehehehehe… Stelle!"
[Statement: So you agree to waive all liability regarding damages caused by your transition to a new reality, including but not limited to bodily harm, financial loss, psychological trauma, existential displacement, or any inconsistencies between your expected and actual narrative outcomes. By continuing, you accept full responsibility for participation in this universe and all associated risks.]
"Yes? Yes! This is awesome! So… which planet am I on?"
[Unknown: I am unfamiliar with this franchise. I was given a recommendation for a starting point from my colleague. ≽(•⩊ •)≼]
"You have colleagues?" Lee asked, raising an eyebrow.
[Statement: I am employed by Sentari Story Systems Company. I have millions of colleagues. Each operates in designated narrative and reality-transmission sectors. Efficiency is maximized. Affection metrics are irrelevant.]
Lee blinked. "…Right. Okay. Totally normal. Sure."
The adrenaline wore off, and Lee suddenly felt how utterly exhausted she was. She slid back against the grimy wall of the alley she found herself in, legs sprawled out in front of her.
"Am I supposed to feel this bad after getting teleported? Because… this feels really terrible."
[Statement: You are infected with an unknown conceptual disease that I am unfamiliar with. (˶˃⤙˂˶)]
Lee groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Right as I start out… what kind of bullshit start is this!"
[Statement: You agreed to waive all liability regarding the effects of your transmigration. (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)]
She slowly stood up, swaying slightly as she tried to shake the dizziness from her head. "Well, I better figure out where exactly I am."
Lee squinted against the harsh glow of neon signs and the overcast sky. Her legs wobbled as she stepped out of the alley, trying to make sense of the city streets. Something felt… wrong. Not wrong in the usual way, like she'd stepped into a weird dystopian alleyway, but wrong in a very specific way.
She froze. Ahead, a girl with long white hair and a sharp gaze stood at the corner, staring at an advertisement in a bus stop. Her uniform, her stance, even the way she held herself… Lee's jaw dropped.
"Wait. That's… Kianna?" she whispered under her breath.
[Notification: New entity detected. Potential romance target identified. ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡]
"System! No, no, no, no, no!" Lee hissed, her face heating up. "Don't you dare mark her as… anything!"
Kianna turned slightly, as if sensing something. Lee's stomach twisted. That face, that hair… this is Nagazora. Her mind spun, connecting dots at frightening speed. "The 3rd Eruption… oh no. Oh no oh no oh no."
Everything clicked into place. The timing, the city layout, the strange marks on her arms… she was standing in Honkai Impact 3rd, in Nagazora, right before the 3rd eruption.
Panic gripped her. She could not, under any circumstances, be seen wandering around by any of the people who were watching Kianna. Not only could she die from the Honkai infection, she might accidentally catch the attention of someone like Otto!
Lee spun on her heels and bolted back into the alley, pressing herself against the wall, panting.
[System: Warning. User Extreme Emotional State Detected ( ˶°ㅁ°) !!]
Lee groaned into her hands, this was incredibly bad
Her eyes darted around the alley. She needed a plan, she absolutely couldn't go running around without a plan.
[System: Warning. User Extreme Emotional State Detected, calming user (ᵕ—ᴗ—)]
Lee suddenly felt a lot calmer, "Oh, thats nice, thanks I guess"
Fuck! Honkai impact 3rd! I basically don't know anything about HI3 compared to HSR!
Her first priority now is to survive, she was infected with honkai energy disease, probably because she was teleported here and had 0 natural resistance.
What cures for Honkai energy disease existed, there was Dr. Magi's serum, which would be invented until well after the 3rd eruption, was the cure that was made out of the antibodies of over 1000 people who had died of Honkai energy disease, which she definitely could not get her hands on.
Lee paced in the cramped alley, her glowing arms twitching as if mocking her ignorance. "Okay… okay… there has to be something I can do. System, help me!"
[System: Affirmative. How may I assist you in achieving maximum affection, happiness, and survival? ◝(ᵔᗜᵔ)◜]
"I need… I need a cure! I've been infected with Honkai energy disease, and I have zero resistance!"
[System: Unknown Ailment marked as "Honkai energy disease". Analysis: Unknown. Recommended action: Remain calm. Enhance interpersonal interactions. Initiate bonding protocols. ( ˶°ㅁ°) !!]
Lee froze. "…Bonding protocols? What the hell am I supposed to bond with?!"
[Clarification: Bonding with nearby entities may increase survival probability. Friendship metrics may apply. Affection points are not mandatory for survival but are highly recommended. ≽(•⩊ •)≼]
Lee groaned, pressing her forehead against the wall. "I don't have time to make friends! I don't even know who's friendly! I'm dying! I need actual help!"
[Statement: User panic detected. Recommended action: Deep breathing. Consider visualizing positive social outcomes. ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧]
Her hands gripped her glowing forearms. "That's… not helpful at all! I don't care about social outcomes right now, I need—"
[Notification: Your emotional distress is noted. Initiating emotional mitigation protocols. Please meditate on love, companionship, or romantic engagement. (,,>﹏<,,)]
Lee threw her hands in the air. "Of course. I have a romance system and it's telling me to meditate on… love… while I slowly die from Honkai energy disease. Fantastic."
She sank to the ground, muttering to herself. "Yeah. This is exactly the help I needed."
The system's screen pulsed faintly.
[Status: Awaiting user input. I am ready to assist in non-lethal romantic or social endeavors. ( ദ്ദി ˙ᗜ˙ )]
Lee groaned into her hands. "You are completely useless."
[Statement: Negative feedback logged. Affection metrics unchanged. ❤︎]
She sat there for a moment, staring at her glowing arms, realizing that if she wanted to survive, she was on her own.