MGSFV?! Chapter 514. Hokuto: I'm the Most Normal Person at miHoYo; Conquer! Conquer with Full Force!
How could a game icon be changed just like that?
Surely, it would need to go through procedures, reports, and numerous annoying formalities just thinking about it...
As long as it's a normal game company, they would generally do everything to avoid such a situation—let alone take the initiative to change it.
"Hmm..."
That said, from Elysia's understanding, miHoYo has always been a fairly normal game company.
Yeah, as long as you overlook their slightly strange work atmosphere.
Walk into the art room, and you might hear "the brush submits to me!" Pass by the voice booth and occasionally hear 'weird' fighting sounds. Go into the boss's office and discover "an employee more like the boss than the actual boss standing on the desk proclaiming: The sky can no longer conceal me—!"
It's indeed a very "normal" game company. At most, everyone at miHoYo is just... a bit too energetic.
However...
A thought suddenly crossed her mind.
Under that "normalcy," the boss of miHoYo really liked doing completely unpredictable things.
So... suddenly changing the icon might not be entirely impossible.
Hokuto: Is there a chance... that I'm actually the most normal person at miHoYo?
...
"But... I still feel..."
"It's just... isn't this a bit too obvious? Too blunt—it doesn't feel like Honkai Impact 3rd's usual style...?"
[Didn't Elysian Realm also place the answer right in front of everyone's face? Even the very first promotional PV already hinted at the ending.]
[But the script still deliberately hid Elysia's Stigma.]
Back when the Elysian Realm arc first began, every Flame-Chaser's Stigma was shown—except Elysia's, which displayed as「■■」.
[Although Elysian Realm basically put the truly important info right on the table, the dev team still included a lot of cleverly misleading designs. You can't equate that with the directness of this "Finality" arc.]
[So, are you suggesting this is a red herring?]
[No, I'm just saying—don't view things with a rigid mindset. Their style subtly shifts with each arc.]
"...Everyone makes sense in their own way."
"So, let's just keep watching for now."
Back to the story.
Speaking of Big Sis Thunder questioning Mei: why could she accept all of this? Why could she accept Kiana becoming the Herrscher of Finality?
Was she giving up?
Mei: "..."
After a moment of silence, Mei calmly shook her head.
Of course she hadn't given up.
It's just... if she reacted now the same way she did back then...
Would it really change anything?
"I will do everything I can to prevent that from happening. But that doesn't justify standing still."
"In everyone's life, all sorts of problems arise... and as long as you face them, you will have to take risks."
"...And saying 'I can't do anything' still isn't an excuse for someone to avoid their problems."
Compared to saying "I can't do anything" again—
Mei clearly intended to take action. To seize even the tiniest glimmer of hope.
Not to be pushed or dragged forward. Not to walk a path chosen by others—but to move with the resolve of: "This is what I want to do. This is what I should do."
To follow her own will, toward a goal she chose herself, and live to the fullest as the protagonist of her own life.
She paused slightly.
"To me, Kiana is still the 'origin of the world.'"
Kiana's importance to her had never changed!
"But precisely because of that—"
She gently tightened her grip.
And the resolute tone gradually carried a few strands of uncontainable, sincere emotion.
"Compared to 'the life I want,' 'the life she wants' is more important."
And what she needed to do was really not complicated...
Even if what came next would be full of peril—even if it would be filled with thorns.
She would do her best, in her own way, to help her through it all.
She would no longer avoid the issue like before. Instead, she'd face it with true courage.
And try to overcome it. Try to guide everything toward a better ending.
Even if the chances of success were slim.
But... hadn't she already witnessed so many who challenged invincible odds and impossible circumstances?
So...
[Find the password, input the password—and next step is giving up the password? What "I can't do anything," even if "I can't do anything," I'm still going to do!]
[Suddenly thought of Catcat ()]
[Deciding your own path to that outcome—what matters most is what you choose to believe along the way. That determines what you'll find at the end—and the ending will hold entirely different meaning because of it — Honkai 3rd Chapter 31 "Because of You"]
[Actually... isn't this also Mei saying, "You're more important"?]
[So this is Mei's current thinking? Not to stop—but to help?]
Mei's decision stunned many players.
[No wonder Miss Fairy suspected earlier that Mei's actions carried a deeper intent.]
[That's right—Miss Fairy said Mei wanted them "to achieve more together." In hindsight, she understood very quickly—amazing.]
Someone mentioned Elysia and offered high praise without hesitation.
Elysia: "Mhm~♪"
Elysia: "That's just the tip of the iceberg of my interpretive ability."
Seeing that kind of chat barrage, she naturally let out two smug hums and followed up with some proud words.
Very much in character.
But...
Soon, different kinds of comments appeared.
[Interpretation? I think Elysia just subconsciously sensed that Mei would think that way. Maybe "intuition" is a better word.]
Someone clearly very familiar with Elysia offered an emphatic livestream analysis.
And honestly...
They weren't wrong?
So... the direction of the chat barrage shifted again.
[That's the power of "姛"! (heavy fog) Miss Fairy has never lost in this domain.]
[姛之力, 3-stage combo! Terrifying~~ absolutely terrifying~~]
[What are you saying? Miss Fairy is a cute girl. Mei is also a cute girl. Of course they're connected heart-to-heart.]
[You there, now that's a heavyweight line.]
...
Back on track.
After Mei said all that—
After she bared her heart completely—
The Herrscher of Thunder persona...
"You may be right. Maybe I really am someone who likes to bluff and stand still."
She was convinced?
"Raiden Mei—we... need a true conclusion."
Unclear.
But whether she was convinced or not, the Conquest Gem only has one outcome: conquer—or be conquered!
Raiden Mei! If you're truly as "strong" as you say you are—then come.
Conquer me.
"A true conclusion... very well. As you wish!"
The game screen shifted to battle mode.
Elysia focused, and gripped the controller with a little more force.
However...
When the battlefield appeared, her fingertips couldn't help but tremble slightly.
Huh? It's... the Chiyou Academy rooftop again?
[The Chiyou Academy rooftop? Don't tell me they're gonna make Mei wear Crimson and fight Thunder...]
Hokuto: ...
Hokuto: Every time you all think this way, I can't help but wonder—have I not stirred up enough chaos?
Of course, it was just a passing thought.
Even if given another chance, he wouldn't make such an extra modification.
After all... things were different now...
Mei's mastery over the Herrscher of Thunder's powers likely already surpassed the Thunder persona's own.
So...
Here, the player-controlled Mei naturally wore the Thunder Armor.
And upon seeing Mei in Thunder Armor, Elysia had a rough expectation of the upcoming battle, and then—confidently took control.
Basic attack (Rend: Keno-no-Tsurugi), special attack (Arashinkai: Susanoo)—combo after combo, showing the look of a skilled player.
Which fit the story's portrayal of Mei's fluent usage of the Thunder powers.
"Hmph... not bad. You've got some skill after all."
Even Big Sis Thunder couldn't help but praise Mei a bit.
Mei: "..."
Just then, she remembered what Kiana had told her last time they were at Chiyou Academy (during that moment of soul resonance):
"A gentleman changes after three days—you must see him anew."
She smiled as she recalled the line—and added even more strength to her attacks.
Thunder! Lightning!
Crimson thunder roared down with the force to destroy everything—right atop the Thunder persona's head.
There was zero mercy in it.
She even shattered the illusion of Chiyou Academy's rooftop entirely.
To conquer—naturally, you must go all in, right?
The Thunder persona was finally overwhelmed by Mei's fierce assault—and could only fall back.
"How was it..." Mei didn't pursue her after the win. "Are you satisfied with this fight?"
She didn't even turn around—her back still facing the Thunder persona.
True Mei never looks back at explosions.jpg
The Thunder persona also didn't take the chance to strike—rather, she stood back-to-back with Mei in full mutual understanding.
The scene's composition was rather cool.
Neither of them moved, and the Thunder persona replied to Mei's question.
"Hard to say. What, do you want me to admit I was wrong?"
Mei declined: "That won't be necessary. Since you chose to resolve this head-on..."
"...As you can see—right now, I am the stronger one."
"Hmph, are you trying to be polite?" Thunder persona retorted.
"I'm simply stating facts."
Mei remained composed—there was something clearly different about her now.
Very... 1. Resolute.
"Also... I said you don't understand me, but that's only because—one can never truly understand oneself."
"What nonsense are you spouting now?" Thunder persona frowned.
[Maybe not? I think only oneself can truly understand oneself. Other people only perceive what you reveal.]
[Here comes a possible "correct nonsense" quote: you're the one who knows yourself best, but also the least. That's why we have sayings like 'reflect upon oneself daily.']
[Hahaha, it... actually makes a lot of sense.]
...
"What, you've forgotten already?"
Mei paused slightly, and continued...
"Before you appeared—Raiden Mei was just like you are now."
"?"
"Otherwise, how else did she get the nickname 'Queen' from the very beginning? As for the one constantly described as 'gentle'..."
This brings us back to what was previously discussed.
In summary—the Raiden Queen was Mei's original state. The gentle Mei was a protective personality formed to help her cope with the trauma of her Herrscher awakening.
Lament of the Fallen was a restoration?
Well, not quite—because even though Mei returned to being "General Mei" then, she had already changed greatly from who she once was.
Once a person changes, it's hard to go back and see their origin again.
Hmm...
Thanks to the Thunder persona awakened by the Stigmata Project—Mei got to look closely at her old self once more.
Does that count as a return to her origin?
It should, probably, maybe, kind of, sort of count.
However... Mei merely glanced at it.
"One must eventually say farewell to their childhood."
"Gentleness and cruelty aren't mutually exclusive... in fact, only by becoming cruel can one have the chance to preserve their gentleness."
"Hmph... still spouting nonsense. Haven't we already taken enough wrong turns?" Thunder persona snorted.
"The me who came here—and the me who leaves—won't be any different."
In other words, Mei didn't believe the path she'd taken thus far was a detour.
[Mei is really so determined now.]
[Yes, General Mei's unwavering spirit and loyalty to her heart—makes one truly envious.]
Feeling lost and fearful in the face of problems... is normal.
But now, in Mei—they could hardly see any of that anymore. What they felt instead...
Was a power radiating from within—born from clearing away confusion and holding firm in belief.
And they suddenly realized...
That Mei had long since changed—from the one who once knelt and cried, "I can't do anything,"
Into someone gentle, and powerful.
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