Chapter 114: The Start of the Captain's Dream, Midsummer Night's Fantasy!
Theresa had invited Otto and Kallen as guests to participate in this livestream. This news naturally reached Su Mu's ears. When he heard about it from Rita, Su Mu's expression turned instantly peculiar.
"Is something wrong, Director?" Rita noticed his strange look.
"No... I just think it's going to be very interesting." Su Mu shook his head, but in reality, his smirk was harder to suppress than the recoil of an AK-47.
No one knew the upcoming plot of Midsummer Night's Fantasy better than Su Mu. He hadn't expected Theresa to actually drag both Otto and Kallen into the stream together. He could already imagine Lord Otto sitting in front of the camera with Kallen and Theresa behind him—his hand holding the mouse would likely feel as heavy as lead, and he'd be breaking out in a cold sweat the moment he had to choose between two in-game options...
The joy was successfully transferred to Su Mu's face.
"Mhm, Theresa's idea is actually quite good. It's a great way to boost the hype for the stream." With that, Su Mu didn't hesitate and immediately opened the livestream on his computer. Fortunately, it wasn't too late; the broadcast had just begun.
[In the scorching midsummer, the Valkyries have come to Soukai City to spend their vacation. But this prosperous seaside city doesn't seem as peaceful as it looks on the surface...]
Amidst a BGM filled with a summer atmosphere, the Midsummer Night's Fantasy event stages were presented to the audience.
[The weather is oppressively sultry; there isn't a single breath of wind.]
[The noisy chirping of cicadas, carried by waves of rising heat and dazzling sunlight, gradually strips away your thoughts. Eventually, even your vision begins to distort and sway.]
As the gameplay proceeded, Otto was the first to notice that this event's plot was different from previous ones. The narration in the game was clearly addressing the player. In other words, this event was unfolding from the player's perspective?
[Captain: "Ha... ha... M-My brain is trembling..."]
[Captain: "This feeling... Don't tell me I'm finally becoming an Isekai protagonist, rising to become the world's strongest through a mundane profession!?"]
As the dialogue boxes appeared on the screen, the viewers reacted instantly.
[Wait, the main perspective of this event is us Captains?]
[Is it actually my story? For real?]
[Isn't this the classic 'Faceless Protagonist' from Galgames? No character art, no voice acting, just a text box and a name!]
[God, that's literally me!]
At this moment, the audience understood that the Midsummer Night's Fantasy plot was truly unfolding through the player's eyes! It told the story of the "Captains" and their strange encounters while on vacation in Soukai City!
[I was wondering why we never showed our faces in the main story. Turns out we were hidden in the events!]
[What should this storyline be called? The 'Captain Verse'?]
[Wuhu! Never had such a wonderful start! Bring it on, I can't wait!]
[Wait, but the Honkai world is high-risk, right? One mistake and you might get infected and turn into a Zombie!]
[Don't worry, without Honkai antibodies, you wouldn't even qualify to become a Zombie!]
The opening of the event provided a huge surprise. Although players knew they were the "Captain of the Hyperion" from bridge interactions, they had been like phantoms in the main story, purely spectating the Valkyries' tales. Now, being the protagonist in an event brought a massive sense of immersion.
[Captain: "Man, an Isekai world is great. I really want to open my eyes and see a maid-oneesama with a cute headdress standing in front of me~"]
[Captain: "(Closes eyes in self-delusion)"]
[Himeko: "Hey! You there, what are you doing acting so suspiciously?"]
In the game's CG, a young woman with red hair wearing a uniform was sizing up the Captain with a suspicious look, seemingly treating him like a creep.
[Auntie Himeko!]
[It's Himeko!]
[I can't do this, family. Seeing Auntie Himeko makes my eyes sting!]
[Don't make me think about 'Final Lesson' again, you demons!!]
Murata Himeko's appearance made the viewers recall that nightmarish experience. The image of "Old Thief" Su Mu stabbing Himeko was still vivid, filling them with indignation! They wished they could give Su Mu a piece of their mind right now. Seeing a "living" Himeko before them, how could they not be emotional?
[But this Himeko looks different from the one we know!]
[Yeah, she's clearly younger! Is this 'Popsicle Cyclone' Himeko?]
[LMAO, you mean 'Young Himeko,' right?]
[This must be what she looked like in her youth. So we should call her 'Big Sister' now, not 'Auntie'?]
Indeed, the audience soon realized this Himeko was much younger.
[Captain: "Who are you?"]
[That mole on her chest... looks familiar.]
[Captain: (No, she wasn't this... well, young.)]
Pfft. The viewers were amused by the writing.
[True, she really wasn't that young.]
[I'm dead! So the Captain identifies people by looking at the mole on their chest?]
[Staring at the chest the moment he sees her... god, that is literally me!]
[Lol, are we all just 'Internet Succubus' keyboard warriors in reality?]
In the game, the young Himeko introduced herself as a vigilante in Soukai City. Recently, there had been a series of nighttime attacks, and she needed the Captain's cooperation for an investigation.
[Captain: "Eh? Why me?"]
[Himeko: "Given the bizarre nature of the case, a suspicious-looking newcomer like you is naturally a priority for investigation."]
Himeko explained the recent events: the victims were all tall, young women who remained unconscious after being attacked, though they had no obvious physical trauma. Except, that is, for two small puncture wounds on the back of their necks—marks like canine teeth.
[I just came out for a vacation, and now I'm a 'suspicious suspect'?]
[Hold on, Officer! We Captains are law-abiding citizens!]
[I can testify! Netizens act like predators online but are the most silent people in reality.]
[I'm being framed! I have the 'pervy mind' but not the 'pervy guts'!]
The viewers began roleplaying, responding to the in-game Himeko. This scene made Kallen find it both fun and hilarious.
"Theresa, is your audience always this humorous?"
[Of course! We are all 'talented' individuals!]
[Magical Girl Teriri's fans are the best; I love this stream!]
[Can I watch Teriri with everyone for a lifetime?]
[Eh? A lifetime?]
Seeing the playful comments, Kallen laughed even harder. "I understand now why Theresa likes streaming so much. It really is interesting."
Otto nodded, but he was clearly more focused on the plot: "The Captain should be on vacation in Soukai City with the Valkyries. That means Murata Himeko should be there too, so why is there suddenly a young Himeko?"
Kallen also found it strange: "Yeah, it's impossible for two people named Himeko to exist in the same city, right?"
Otto mused: "This Himeko is a vigilante... I remember that uniform is from the Valkyrie Assault Squad?" But more than that, Otto cared about the case Himeko mentioned. After all, he knew Luna Kindred was a Theresa from a parallel world and a vampire! Didn't that match the puncture marks on the victims' necks?
"Vampires drink human blood and attack humans... maybe it's Theresa." Otto voiced his opinion.
Theresa froze: "Eh? I-I wouldn't do something criminal like that, Grandpa!"
Kallen ruffled Theresa's hair: "He's talking about the Theresa in the game, silly. I always believe our Theresa is an honest, law-abiding citizen!"
[The vampire Theresa is from a parallel world... does that mean we traveled to a parallel world?]
[Mhm? Open your eyes and you're really in another world?]
[If this Himeko is from a parallel world, it would explain everything!]
[As expected of Lord Otto, finding the blind spot instantly!]
The audience discussed the plot animatedly. Next, Himeko's dialogue made them roar with laughter again.
[Himeko: "The callouses on your hands are proof of regular firearm use."]
[Captain: "Hmm? Oh, no, no, no. Those are just marks rubbed in by a controller during Fu Hua's 'Mandatory Gaming Cultivation'."]
[Himeko: "There are traces of gunpowder burns on the outside of your calves."]
[Captain: "No, no, no. That's just 'proof of love' from Instructor Bronya's Project Bunny bombardment."]
[Himeko: "Have you participated in some sort of military training?"]
[Captain: "It was just basic self-defense! My instructor used live ammunition every time to ensure 'realism'."]
[Himeko: "Mhm, I think her philosophy is correct."]
[Captain: "There were so many times... I thought I was going to bite the dust during training..."]
The dialogue between Himeko and the Captain made the viewers laugh once more, with the chat flooded with "LMAO."
[Holy crap, is my life as Captain normally this hard?]
[Live ammunition training? Am I still alive? I must be a superhuman!]
[What the hell is 'Mandatory Gaming Cultivation'? Do these Valkyries just spend their days torturing the Captain?]
The in-game Captain also found a "blind spot."
[Captain: "Wait, the way you talk... you're a bit like Himeko."](Why? Because the person who suggested using live ammo for training was Himeko!) [Himeko: "Himeko? You know my name?"]
[Captain: "Huh? Your name is Himeko too? That mole... it really is her."]
[Himeko: "What did you just say?"]
[Captain: "I... I... Himeko, did you intentionally dress up like a teenager just to prank me?"]
[Himeko: "Dress up? N-Nineteen... I should still be called a teenager. But wait, you know my name... You really are suspicious. Come with me back to the branch for investigation."]
At this moment, the audience clearly understood: this Himeko-oneesama was only nineteen years old!
In the following dialogue, the Captain tried to use his status as the "Captain of the Hyperion" to clear his name. However, the nineteen-year-old Himeko stated that the Hyperion was a floating battleship that had only just begun construction. Claiming to be its Captain made him suspicious from head to toe! After some inquiries, the Captain realized the current year was 2006! In other words, he had truly traveled back twelve years in time!
After being taken away by Himeko, the Captain had a strange dream in the interrogation room. In the dream, under a blood moon, Umbral Rose (Rita) put a finger to her lips in a "hush" gesture. She spoke a string of cryptic words:
["Remember, during the day, they are but summer phantoms."]
["Only under the moon's reflection is the true secret revealed."]
When the Captain woke up, he found he had slept in the interrogation room, and Himeko was glaring at him in displeasure. Due to his suspicious nature, the Captain became "Mr. Suspect" in the Soukai City serial blood-sucking incidents. Himeko proposed that the Captain act as her assistant to investigate the case together. He could refuse, but it meant spending two days in a cramped, sweaty solitary confinement cell. Weighing the options, the Captain helplessly agreed.
Himeko arranged to meet at midnight in front of the HOMU Restaurant. The nearby alleys made it an ideal hunting ground for the attacker. The two began their separate investigations.
[You pretend to be calm while silently praying that nothing happens.]
[But, as fate would have it, at the next corner, you run into a weak girl who has collapsed on the ground.]
["Ha... ha..."]
Collapsed on the ground was a girl as exquisite as a doll. She wore a Gothic dress, looking entirely out of place in the alley. She looked pained, her breathing rapid, as if struggling to endure something.
Reaching this point, Otto's spirit was instantly lifted: "Luna Kindred! Is it the Theresa from the parallel world?"
END OF CHAPTER
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