Kiana first tapped the interface of the home system, collecting the gold coins generated by the refinery. She then turned to the second task, using the ten-point reward to open a treasure chest and received five crystals.
"Ai-chan, don't tasks usually give experience points too? Doesn't the original Honkai system give XP for completing missions?" she asked.
"The original Honkai system still has stamina, Captain! Aren't you happy that your physical strength is unlimited? Actually, if you lose, you gain it," Ai-chan replied, her tone tinged with teasing.
"…Right."
Kiana had no comeback for that. Yesterday afternoon, she had spent hours slaughtering monsters, and the XP she gained far exceeded what any mission would have given. Using crystals to buy stamina had ensured she reached level five efficiently. In comparison, missions that didn't grant experience hardly mattered. This method allowed her to grow faster.
Ready for her first mission, Kiana pulled out her phone to check the enemy locations.
"Just three enemies? Easy."
Yesterday, she had lost count of how many elk she'd killed. Three enemies were trivial. But as she zoomed in on the map, she noticed that the red dots—representing enemies—had significantly decreased, about one-sixth fewer than the day before.
"Ai-chan, why are there fewer red dots?"
"Those creatures are no longer your enemies. They can't harm you," Ai-chan explained.
"…Makes sense," Kiana said thoughtfully. If a creature was too weak to challenge her, it simply vanished. She smiled to herself.
"So… I'm still pretty strong!"
One day's growth had wiped out nearly one-sixth of the island's threats. The realization filled her with pride—it was another step closer to becoming a man, even trapped in Kiana's body.
Kiana decided it was time to test herself with a one-to-many battle. One-on-one had become boring. She searched for clusters of red dots—small groups of three or so—making sure their colors weren't too bright, indicating that they were weak enough for the task.
Her inventory consisted of a level-25 Pulse Taidao, fully upgraded to three stars, a level-[-] rented Thermal Cutting Blade, and the basic weapon of her Bailian armor.
The Thermal Cutting Blade was rented for 24 hours, so a few hours remained. Strengthening it was impossible, and Kiana had no desire to invest in it anyway. The Pulse Taidao was her temporary weapon to survive the early stages. One armor per series was enough—for instance, the four armors in the Kiana series: White Training, Saintess, Rangers, and Moonlight. A single pistol was sufficient for them; early-stage weapons would later be replaced with higher-tier gear.
Kiana had rented the Thermal Cutting Blade purely as a temporary solution. After battling wild boars yesterday, she realized her current attack power was insufficient. Even a fully charged SP slot wasn't enough to take down her targets efficiently. Strengthening a four-star weapon would allow her to bridge the early-level gap. At this stage, she didn't need stigmata, special armor, or expensive upgrades—just raw weapon power.
"Becoming a European emperor… seems I've got a long way to go," Kiana muttered silently, sighing. Perhaps the next supply drop would make a difference. She hoped for an initial S-rank armor, preferably Moonlight—it was versatile, though she worried about handling its branch attacks. Moonlight's 360-degree spinning attacks could make anyone dizzy; she wasn't sure her stomach could handle it, but it would have to do.
Boom!
In an instant, Kiana was thrown to the ground, her body convulsing as the lightning strike roared above her. Even the surrounding wildlife scattered in fear, leaving her alone.
"S-sister… I didn't mean it!" Kiana thought desperately, though she didn't speak. Did this perverted goddess have the habit of eavesdropping on people's thoughts?
"As soon as you got off work, I heard your inner scolding, so I just called you," Besta's teasing voice sounded in the sky. It was full of mirth, as if Kiana were nothing more than a toy.
"…."
Kiana remained silent, not daring to think too hard, lest Besta punish her again.
"Level five already? Very fast. Keep it up—I'm looking forward to the day you finally become a man!"
Kiana inwardly sneered. If he really wanted that, why not just turn her back into a man? But she knew it was impossible.
After a moment, Besta's attention drifted elsewhere. Kiana picked herself up, straightened her clothes, and resumed heading toward her target.
At the end of a path, she finally spotted her objective. In a lake connected to the sea and surrounded by islands on three sides, three figures splashed and played. On their snow-white chests, two small shells covered their intimate areas, while their lower bodies glimmered in bright reds and blues, radiating a subtle yet undeniable charm.
"A mermaid?" Kiana whispered, watching from behind a tree.
She hesitated. Mermaids weren't like the monsters she usually faced. At least this time, she wasn't willing to attack. Maybe she should just change her target. Thinking this, she stepped back, ignoring the temptation of their delicate forms.
But fate had other plans. She accidentally stepped on a branch, which cracked sharply.
Instantly, the playful noises from the lake ceased. Kiana froze, sweat pouring down her face as the three mermaids turned toward her, expressions wary yet curious. Her own face burned with awkwardness.
"Uh… I-I wasn't peeking!"
The mermaids were momentarily stunned. One of them whispered softly, almost in awe: "So beautiful…"