Chapter 161 Animated Short [Meteoric Salvation]Released! Shocking Senti for Ten Thousand Years
A long-awaited reunion between old friends should have been a cause for joy, but to the many viewers in the livestream, they couldn't bring themselves to be happy. The Kiana who had seemed so strong earlier showed a fragile and exhausted side upon reuniting with Mei, proving that she was far from as tough as she imagined. She was simply pushing herself to the absolute limit.
Fu Hua reminded Kiana at that moment that enemies were pouring in from all passages; now was not the time for reminiscing. Kiana told Mei they would talk more after she resolved the city's crisis. Raiden Mei understood the gravity of the situation, having learned of the city's current state from Rita.
["Kiana... I want you to understand that I, and everyone on the Hyperion, will always be waiting for you."]
Kiana and Mei fought their way out of the laboratory together. Jackal had just revealed the full plan: World Serpent would trigger a city-wide Honkai disaster to forcibly activate the Stigmata within the citizens! Rita appeared at that moment, revealing the location of the planned disaster to Kiana and Mei. World Serpent had dismantled the Eos engine; to maximize the impact on Arc City's residents, they intended to conduct the experiment at the top of the city's central signal tower. By removing the protective casing and overloading the engine core, it would become a time bomb releasing a massive amount of Honkai energy.
Kiana and Mei rushed to the signal tower, while Rita stayed behind to hold off the Honkai beasts as a way to repay Kiana's favor. Although Rita had not fully recovered, she eventually defeated the beasts. Just after her victory, the long-silent communicator finally crackled to life. Schicksal's strongest S-rank Valkyrie, Durandal, had arrived.
Naturally, World Serpent wasn't sitting idle. Raven had long been lying in wait along their path. In her sudden ambush, Mei was injured by the shockwave of an explosion.
["I'm fine, Kiana. Don't be distracted because of me!"]
Kiana set Mei down and stood up, gazing toward the heights. A grey cloak flapped in the wind as Raven looked down with the eyes of a raptor staring at its prey.
["Move! It's not too late to stop. Your plan isn't about saving people; it's a massacre."]
["Massacre? As the creator of the Second Eruption, the greatest murderer in human history...."]
[Kiana's words made Raven's eyes turn dark, her voice trembling with rage.]
["Does a monster like you have the right to judge us? Have you heard the voices of those who died because of you? Those dying of Honkai infection, the women mourning their husbands.... the children snatched from their parents and brothers to be trained as mercenaries...."]
["Their wails, their cries... you couldn't possibly hear them!"]
[On her expressionless face, a rare flash of pain appeared.]
["Once the experiment is complete, humanity will never again have to endure everything you represent."]
Raven's tragic past indeed drew sympathy, but when the viewers thought of her current actions, they were filled with fury.
[Did the Second Eruption have anything to do with Kiana? She wasn't even created by Otto back then!]
[Getting blamed before she was even born? Kiana is a victim too! She was made as a vessel to revive the Herrscher...]
[Why should Kiana bear the mistakes made by the Herrscher of the Void!]
[Sigh... actually, you can tell from the attitude of the Immortal Blades that in most people's eyes, Kiana is the Herrscher of the Void. They don't know about different personalities; they only know this white-haired girl caused the Great Eruption, leading to countless deaths and displacements...]
[Raven is probably the same. she doesn't distinguish between Kiana and the Herrscher; she only sees the Herrscher before her, the object of her hatred.]
[But is what Raven doing any different from the Herrscher? Those millions of innocents in Arc City—aren't they someone's parents, children, or siblings?]
[She experienced the pain of losing family, yet she can do something this cruel? Killing millions for a plan is sheer insanity!]
The audience continued to condemn Raven and World Serpent. In the game, seeing that communication was futile, Kiana was forced into another duel with Raven. Ultimately, Raven was no match for Kiana and was defeated.
["You can kill me, Herrscher of the Void.... just as you have always done...."]
[Kiana looked deep into her opponent's eyes.]
[In those eyes, which were roughly the same age as hers, she saw a gaze that had never known anything but death and terror.]
[The girl holstered her guns.]
However, Raven smiled; her goal was accomplished. She had stalled Kiana long enough for the experiment to begin. No matter what happened now, the ending could not be changed. After Raven left, Kiana realized time was almost up.
["....Only one step left, but there's no time!"]To make it this far, the girl had drained every drop of strength from her body, forcing herself to walk on the brink of collapse. ["There must... there must be another way to leave! I can't be trapped here!"]
As Kiana searched for a way, Fu Hua's voice rang out.
["Kiana, use the Herrscher of the Void's energy with everything you have."]
["Class Monitor, you?"]
["Awaken all the Herrscher power within you. We have a chance to reach the engine before it detonates and stop everything."]
["I understand what you're doing... and I know it's the only way, but you're so weak....."]
Kiana understood perfectly: Fu Hua intended to use her remaining strength to help Kiana control the Herrscher power and stop the disaster. But there would be a price...
["I will do my best to bind her personality. Use the Herrscher Core's power as you wish."]Fu Hua's tone was calm but carried a streak of resolve. ["You were right. One cannot look back at their life and find that they were always running away."]
["Those who sacrificed themselves to the Honkai in the past will never see the world become better through your efforts."]
["But you can let those who are still alive see it with their own eyes."]
The girl turned back, looking deeply at her companion. Mei's lips trembled; in that instant, she understood every decision Kiana was about to make. Her gaze and her silence spoke her heart to Kiana. She understood... she knew that at this moment, Kiana would not stop.
Kiana looked up and closed her eyes. In the following CG, countless feathers scattered. Fu Hua looked back at Kiana with a slight smile on her lips before completely vanishing into a warm glow.
["Go do what you must."]A feather landed in Kiana's palm, and she felt the warmth emanating from it. ["Thank you, Class Monitor."]
Under the night sky, the girl gripped the weightless feather. Like a tiny snowflake, it slowly dissolved between her fingers. She looked down, carefully feeling the wondrous experience of becoming one with Fu Hua. The dangerously restless side of her soul seemed to be firmly suppressed by a steady, harmonizing hand.
["Let's begin, Kiana."]
[Suddenly, the fear and doubt that had long shrouded her vanished under the clear night sky.]
[She began to run.]
"Old Timer, you aren't actually going to die this time, are you!!" In Senti's stream, she clutched her head, looking at the Fu Hua beside her with a look of terror. "Those words just now were clearly a final farewell! You're already so weak, you're planning to sacrifice yourself to suppress the Herrscher and help Kiana save the city?!"
[I don't want that to happen!!]
[Class Monitor, is she going to sacrifice herself? Please let it be fake!!]
[It's not confirmed yet! Don't be a jinx! Didn't we think she died when Otto shot her? And she's still here!]
[But can she survive after becoming like Fenghuang Down? Last time she turned into a 'ghost,' this time she might actually dissipate!]
[Pah, pah, pah! Stop jinxing it! We should be more worried about whether Kiana can make it in time!]
Kiana set off to stop the explosion. This plot segment made Guinaifen's blood boil: "Kiana, CHARGE!!" Beside her, the real Kiana stared fixedly at the screen, afraid to miss even a single frame. she also wanted to know exactly how she would save Arc City and crush World Serpent's plan! Regardless... this would definitely be her ultimate highlight moment!!
Under everyone's expectant gazes, the dim screen brightened once more. What appeared was Arc City under the night sky.
[The iron forest radiated an intoxicating glow under the night, with the lights of ten thousand homes beneath the neon signs.]
[However, they had no idea that a terrible disaster was imminent.]
At this moment, the excited viewers let out a collective gasp. Holy crap? MiHoYo released another animated short? You guys definitely made this game just as an excuse to make anime!!
[A hooded Kiana threaded through the iron forest under the neon lights, leaping across rooftops to find leverage, moving at high speed across skyscrapers toward the central signal tower.]
[She lunged from a building, her agile silhouette passing over a bustling street under the moonlight.]
["Mama! Look!"]
[A girl held in her mother's arms pointed a finger, watching the white silhouette with the surrounding adults.]
[In their eyes were surprise, awe, and confusion....]
[All of this was reflected in Kiana's eyes.]
[This city, and the people in it, could only be protected by her.]
[Using a streetlamp to spin, the momentum launched Kiana forward. She moved flexibly across the external ladders of a high-rise.]
[With a graceful flip, she landed steadily on a rooftop, then without hesitation, shot forward again like a cannonball.]
[She was only one step away from the tower building.]
[However, the World Serpent mechs lying in ambush decloaked, locking onto the girl.]
["Hmph... so you're here?"]
[After taking a deep breath, Kiana unzipped her jacket and tossed it aside.]
[As a spatial portal opened, a baseball bat appeared in Kiana's hand.]
["I don't have time... to play with you!"]
[Kiana started running, leaping across the gaps between buildings, using a crane as a second springboard to rush toward the tower!]
[She slid along steel beams, batting away an incoming missile with a single swing.]
[But waiting for her at the end were countless more missiles.]
[Kiana skillfully dodged the missiles, her bat shattering the mechs' hard armor in an instant. Amidst the smoke of explosions, Kiana leapt from the high platform.]
[But the mechs had no intention of letting her go. The ones lying in wait pursued her like shadows.]
[Kiana dodged continuously, grabbing a severed cable to swing toward the signal tower.]
[At the other end of the tower, a World Serpent mech loaded with terrifying heavy firepower had been waiting, pouring a rain of bullets toward the girl.]
[The dense fire net was enough to turn anything into a sieve.]
[However, Kiana spun her bat continuously, knocking down every incoming bullet!]
This scene made countless viewers scream in surprise. A baseball bat blocking bullets? That's way too cool!? Such fluid action choreography, combined with the breathtaking parkour animation at the start, firmly grabbed the audience's eyes! To them, it was an ultimate visual feast! It was also a display of MiHoYo's technical prowess! Can you really watch an animated short of this quality for free in a game?! With that thought, everyone's breathing quickened. They were all desperate to see Kiana's next performance!!
[She threw her bat, the powerful impact destroying the mech's machine gun.]
[Immediately following, Kiana landed on a lift platform, summoning a giant cat paw that sent the mech staggering!]
["!!"]
[Kiana leapt up, and with her downward kick, the cat paw manifested from the void once more.]
[But this time, the mech withstood the attack, shattering the cat paw instantly.]
[The powerful impact sent Kiana rolling across the floor. She clutched her injured arm, watching as the mech's fist was about to descend upon her.]
[But at that moment, Kiana looked up, and one eye turned gold!]
[The fist that should have hit Kiana was teleported onto the mech itself. Its body fell downward, but the missile bays on its back opened, locking onto Kiana on the platform!]
[Faced with the missiles, time around Kiana slowed to a near halt.]
[Now.... it was Kiana Time!]
[Using the incoming missiles as springboards, Kiana leapt into the high sky. She opened her arms, and as the time fracture ended, the shockwave of the explosions sent her flying.]
["Here, the bomb must be disarmed immediately!"]
[Kiana reached the highest point of the tower. Nearby, the engine was overloading, bursting with terrifying Honkai energy, ready to explode at any moment!]
[She rushed toward the center, but the shockwaves of Honkai energy blocked her path!]
["Such strong Honkai energy!"]
[Kiana let out a grunt. Under the impact of such terrifying energy, her right eye turned gold instantly, and Honkai erosion patterns appeared on her hand!]
[She grit her teeth hard. The pain of the erosion made her feel as if her body were being torn apart!]
[Even so, she moved forward step by step, using all her strength to grab the Honkai bomb!]
At that moment, the pure piano intro of Starfall began to play, forming a stark contrast with the tense visuals and making everyone's heart tremble!
[Under the Honkai energy impact, Kiana's eyes turned completely gold!]
[This signified that the Herrscher of the Void was beginning to awaken....]
[The terrifying energy washed over Kiana's battered body, her world turning purple with Honkai energy.]
[The erosion patterns crawling across her were like writhing worms, devouring every inch of her body!]
[Kiana covered her left eye, her consciousness blurring and fading, but her hand still gripped the bomb tightly.]
[Her Valkyrie armor began to disintegrate, unable to withstand the Honkai impact.]
["Kiana."]
[At that moment, the phantom of a hand rested on Kiana's arm, helping her grip the bomb firmly.]
[A gentle voice rang in Kiana's ear. she looked back in disbelief!]
["Himeko.... sensei!"]
[The phantom of the Vermilion Knight fought alongside Kiana. As if hearing Kiana's call, she smiled slightly.]
[Himeko's phantom looked at Kiana with gentle eyes.]
"Himeko?! Is it really Himeko-sensei?!" At this moment, countless viewers in the stream exploded! she appeared again! Once more appearing at Kiana's moment of despair! Murata Himeko's silhouette was like a lighthouse in the dark, lighting Kiana's path and awakening her unyielding courage... And similarly, as a "tear harvester," it made the viewers' eyes well up instantly! Perhaps it was a hallucination from Kiana's extreme pain, or perhaps an illusion created by Fu Hua to encourage her, but at this moment... they wanted to believe it was the real Murata Himeko!
[Kiana's tears were instantly turned to steam by the Honkai energy. Her hair ties shattered under the erosion, her white hair dancing wildly in the air.]
["...I promise you!"]
[Despite the agonizing pain, Kiana's face, distorted by suffering, showed a look of absolute resolve!]
["I promise you...."]
[In a world of white, the Vermilion Knight stood with her greatsword, looking back at Kiana. Although Kiana couldn't see her expression, she knew Himeko was watching over her.]
["I will turn this imperfect story.... into the one we want!!"]
[In the next moment, Kiana used all her power to finally detach the Honkai bomb!]
[Accompanied by a purple pillar of light piercing heaven and earth, Kiana held the bomb aloft with both hands, using every ounce of strength to hurl it toward the sky!]
[The Herrscher of the Void's outfit covered Kiana's body as she fully transformed.]
[However, those sapphire-pure eyes signified that the current Kiana was in control of the body through sheer will!]
[At this moment, Kiana finally completely suppressed the brutal Herrscher, turning the power into her own!]
[She pushed the Honkai bomb, flying upward like a reverse meteor, cutting through the void!]
[In the city, countless people looked up at the beautiful meteor, some in surprise, some in awe, all remarking on how beautiful it was.]
[But they had no idea that this meteor represented a girl sacrificing everything.]
[As the meteor pierced the clouds, the city grew small beneath her. Looking down at the lights of ten thousand homes, what a spectacular sight it was.]
[However, Kiana's strength reached its limit. Her silhouette was bathed under the full moon. Beneath the moonlight, the hem of the white-haired goddess's dress shattered. She controlled the Void Lances with all her might, piercing the Honkai bomb!]
[After pushing the bomb away—]
[As the bomb detonated, the purple light instantly turned night into day. Even from space, the spectacular sight was visible!]
[Amidst the glow, the powerless Kiana began to fall.]
["....I promise."]
[As Kiana's voice fell, the city below remained brightly lit and bustling....]
[World Serpent's conspiracy vanished silently within the dazzling firelight, but no one knew what had happened.]
As the animated short ended, Senti, Guinaifen, Kiana, Rita... and every Honkai Impact 3rd player watching were speechless for a long time. Kiana's final words fell into their hearts like raindrops. A complex mixture of emotion, joy, and heartbreak surged within them.
Kiana Kaslana.... had truly fulfilled her promise, turning into a reverse meteor to light up Arc City's sky. she did not fail Himeko's expectations, using her power to change what should have been a tragic ending. Despite multiple failures and setbacks, despite hovering on the brink of physical and mental collapse and having one foot in the grave... she never gave up. she grit her teeth and endured, eventually mastering the Herrscher's power to save an entire city.
Undoubtedly, the maturity, resilience, and rationality Kiana displayed were proof that she had become an excellent warrior—the powerful and reliable Valkyrie Himeko had hoped for!!
After a brief silence.... every livestream playing the game exploded!
[Kiana! Kiana! KIANA!!]
[Tuna, you are the true hero!!]
[Tears, real tears brothers! But this time, they're tears of joy!]
[I finally understand that some tears aren't shed for sadness!]
[Himeko-sensei and the Class Monitor are truly the GOATs, right? Without them, Kiana couldn't have held on until now to achieve the feat of Meteoric Salvation!!]
[Will Himeko-sensei really come back? I want to see the day she and Kiana reunite so badly! The Tuna has grown up, Himeko-sensei, can you see?]
[Full marks, it has to be full marks! I have to give this [Meteoric Salvation]animation a perfect score! It's definitely my second favorite short after [Final Lesson]!]
After the initial emotional outpouring, viewers discussed the terrifying technical quality displayed in the short. Especially the parkour and high-speed combat segments—they were top-tier within the entire industry!
[I'm convinced! The Old Thief might deserve a mountain of razor blades, but he really knows how to write!]
[Not just writing, he can make anime too! The animation is too good!]
[Meow, if you keep praising him, I won't have the heart to send the blades!]
[Even though the Old Thief tortured Kiana earlier, thinking about it now, without that suffering, this short wouldn't have been so hype and moving!]
[True!!]
"Su Mu, you did it! You did it! As expected of my good buddy! You're too amazing!" In Senti's stream, she was so excited her face was flushed, hurling every word of praise she could at Su Mu! she was simply too moved! Beside her, Fu Hua pushed up her glasses and remarked: "Yes, he is indeed a genius... no wonder Otto holds him in such high regard."
Amidst the non-stop praise from players, Su Mu, who was surfing the streams and comments in his office, also showed a relieved smile. He then turned to Seele, who was watching with him.
"See? I told you Honkai Impact 3rd is a healthy, sunny, and positive game. Look, isn't it healing?"
Seele: "....." Seele: "Brother Su Mu, my other self says that your current smile is really asking for a beating."
END OF CHAPTER
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