MGSFV?! Chapter 357. Watch Out for the Scriptwriter's Emotional Manipulation (PUA)
With this lingering sense of uncertainty, the players kept watching.
In the game, days passed one after another.
The little girl still waited expectantly for her name.
Until, one year later, the day she was to return to town finally came. The director of the orphanage gave her a picture book along with a birthday cake.
"Waa—thank you, Mama Celia!"
The girl let out an especially sweet and adorable voice.
Honestly, hearing her overflowing joy, some players already felt like that alone was enough. They didn't even need a big dramatic plot.
It was simply… beautiful.
And just as they were quietly feeling moved—
The screen shifted in-game.
A small, original cutscene added by Hokuto began to play.
A pink-haired girl sat beneath the winter moonlight, opening a storybook.
"Wow…"
She let out a loud gasp of wonder.
It was a fairytale adapted from an ancient legend.
It told of a paradise that lay at the edge of the world.
The pink-haired girl stared intently at the book. In her eyes, the illustrations on the pages seemed to come to life.
The protagonist of the story set off on a journey in search of paradise. But everyone said such a place didn't exist.
Still, the protagonist didn't give up. She traveled far and wide, overcoming hardships, and finally reached the end of her journey.
There—was nothing.
The paradise of legend did not exist.
But the protagonist didn't despair. Standing at the edge of the world, she shouted—
The pink-haired girl read aloud the line from the storybook.
"If paradise doesn't exist… then I'll create one myself!"
When players heard that line, they didn't know why, but a powerful emotion surged in their hearts.
Perhaps because, though it was just little Elysia telling a story, to them, it felt like a foreshadowing of her future.
With that emotion in mind…
It became hard not to tear up.
The animation continued to unfold slowly.
The protagonist set off again on a journey, longer and harder than before.
Her goal shifted again and again, the road full of twists and turns.
But as a result, more and more people gathered around her.
The pink-haired girl flipped the storybook forward…
She saw in the illustrations that many, many more had joined the protagonist's side—
A short-tempered young man in a mask, a half-human half-serpent figure, a painter protected by a knight, a greatsword warrior…
Those who shared the same will traveled together toward their dream's end. And finally—
"They cheered, embraced one another, and sang for the dream realized."
"They finally reached paradise. It was right there, at the end of their journey. People cried out its name—"
"Ah…"
The girl's eyes widened.
Moonlight gently spilled down, illuminating the last word of the story.
"This is it…"
"Flawless paradise… Elysian Realm…"
"Mm… mm! A name… a name…"
Excitedly, she raised the storybook high into the moonlight, as if declaring to the world:
"My name is… Elysia!"
[Elysia!]
[What a wonderful name!]
[So this is how Elysia got her name—how incredibly romantic!]
[Oh no, I'm already crying. Is it too early for this...?]
[What an emotional punch to open with, but seriously, applause for the scriptwriter, clap~~]
[The animation had such a unique atmosphere too. I take back what I said—MiHoYo really does know how to use their production skills when it matters.]
Players hadn't expected the second part of the plot to open with something so gentle and romantic.
If they had immediately gone back to another emotional blow, truth be told, they probably could've endured it after all the pain they'd been through with the Flame-Chasers' sacrifices earlier.
But MiHoYo pivoted—serving sweetness instead.
That's what caught them off guard… breaking through their emotional defenses from a completely different angle.
Still, they didn't hold back their praise.
Because right now, their hearts were truly full.
"I cried… but I still want to say, great job, scriptwriter.jpg."
Some players even began wondering if they were being emotionally manipulated (PUA'd) by the writing.
…
Ahem, back on track.
After Elysia shouted out her name—
The memory gradually faded.
Mei, having witnessed it, turned toward Fairy Elysia, deep in thought.
"That was… Elysia's childhood?"
"It's hard to imagine she had such a pure and innocent side, like… a budding sprout, curious about everything in the world."
After all, the Elysia everyone knew was deeply rooted in their minds. Seeing her act so sweetly well-behaved felt strangely unfamiliar.
Fairy Elysia twirled once in the air.
"That's completely normal! Even the most dazzling flower starts from a tiny seed, you know."
Mei pondered this and glanced at Fairy Elysia again.
"What is it, adorable human?" Fairy Elysia asked.
"Nothing," Mei shook her head. "Just thinking… Elysia really is the perfect name for you."
As for why Mei suddenly said that to Fairy Elysia…
It wasn't hard to understand.
"Right, right! I think it's a lovely name too~!"
Fairy Elysia spun again happily in midair.
Then—perhaps realizing she was too happy—she mimicked her own style and added:
"Second only to… Fairy Elysia!"
Mei replied deliberately: "Isn't that name derived from Elysia as well?"
"Eh? I-it is? Oops… it's just so perfect, I never really thought about where it came from…"
Blushing, she flew off into the distance.
[Mei always manages to say what we're all feeling.]
[She's really getting better at this.]
[Some people can't even tell when names are 50% duplicates. Not naming names. (dog emoji)]
[Looking forward to the next memory! What kind of Elysia will we see next?]
After that touching and romantic opening—
The players were clearly more excited for what came next, all in high spirits.
Though… little did they know.
This was yet another of MiHoYo's signature techniques.
Slowly layering emotional vulnerability.
And they probably wouldn't realize it anytime soon.
Because this time, the setup wasn't meant for a knife.
It was subtle—like a deer's hoofprint disappearing into the wind.
By the time they noticed, the emotional reservoir would already be overflowing—ready to burst.
In-game—
Mei soon caught up with the now-distant Fairy Elysia and touched the second Crystal Flower.
To receive the second memory.
Back at the orphanage.
Everyone there had just finished a long medical examination.
Because…
Even though Elysia appeared harmless, she was still a Herrscher.
And being a Herrscher meant Honkai energy could erupt from her at any moment.
Which was why a group of outsiders had arrived in the town—the Flame-Chasers, or rather, their predecessor.
But the Flame-Chasers found nothing out of place. It was as if the Honkai energy had appeared and vanished without a trace.
Still, little Elysia sensed it—this visit was likely because of her.
So…
She made a very fairy-tale-like, romantic, and bold decision.
Little Elysia decided to say goodbye to everyone in the town and set off alone to explore the world.
The world was so big, and she wanted to see it!
At first glance, it might be hard to understand why the adults in the town would let her travel alone.
But then again—she was a natural-born Herrscher, possessing unknown Herrscher powers.
Suddenly, it all seemed reasonable again.
Like how no one questions why Pangu split the heavens the moment he opened his eyes.
And so—
With everyone's blessings and farewells, the girl packed her bag and set off on her journey.
She walked in the direction of the rising sun, taking her very first step.
Birds sang for her, flowers bloomed for her, and even streams and breezes composed a melody for her.
[Unrealistic, but it's so Elysia that I love it.]
[Is it possible her whole story is just written like a fairytale?]
[Yeah, I'm getting that sense of an epic fairytale adventure beginning.]
"'Mr. Otto,' what were you thinking back then?"
"A fairytale-like girl deserves a fairytale-like story."
Hokuto chuckled softly, his voice full of sincerity.
"Just like everyone says—this is Elysia."
"Mm… thank you, scriptwriter, for writing such a romantic story…"
Elysia, a little cheeky, used a slightly different title for Hokuto.
"Well…"
Hokuto blinked—though his expression was hidden beneath the jester mask.
True, he did influence some of the narrative direction. But the truth was, in their previous lives, a good chunk of the writing team were… Elysia superfans.
One of them even had her name etched onto his glasses.
After a moment of thought, Hokuto smiled and said, "Yes, let's thank the scriptwriters who brought us such a beautiful tale."
"Mr. Otto, was that you bragging?"
"Not at all."
"Hm?"
Elysia tilted her head in surprise.
"Anyway—shall we move on? Don't want to keep everyone waiting." Hokuto suggested.
"Mmm…"