Unlike Kiana, a genius who could survive a massive Honkai eruption at a young age despite never receiving systematic Valkyrie training; unlike Raiden Mei, a Herrscher capable of commanding lightning to easily crush super-giant Honkai beasts; and unlike Hua Yi,
a hero seemingly born to fight the Honkai, a man who not only survived a world ravaged by the disaster but personally changed the outcome of the Third Honkai ImpactMurata Himeko possessed no such innate talent. Everything she had was carved out by her own two feet, step by grueling step.
Having lost her mother at a young age, Himeko had just obtained her doctorate from Caltech. Before she could repay her father for raising her or follow in his footsteps as a scientist, she lost everything in a Honkai eruption. Afterward, at the age of twenty-two, she underwent Valkyrie surgery and joined the lowest level of the Assault Squad, fighting on the front lines amidst ice and snow.
At St. Freya Academy, Himeko was the guide for geniuses who had yet to grow into their own. On the Hyperion, she was the [Shield] protecting the entire Far East, always the first to rush to the scene whenever the Honkai appeared.
A shield could not be weak; a shield had to be strong.
She spent every night tossing and turning, unable to sleep, forced to face the nightmares of her agony alone. Himeko had been lost before. She had neglected herself, collapsing amidst empty wine bottles, clutching a fresh box of painkillers in her lonely residence, staring at the dim ceiling and her own powerless hands as she fantasized about better things.
Now, she realized those unrealistic fantasies were becoming a reality.
In her private training area, dressed in a custom-made combat suit, she felt a warmth radiating from her back. It spread throughout her body, driving out the Honkai energy that had been eroding her, leaving her limbs, her blood, and even her cells cheering in comfort. Himeko stared blankly at her own hands.
What exactly have I been living for?
Why did I ever pick up a weapon?
After losing her family, Himeko had joined the Assault Squad fueled by hatred for the Honkai. At that time, she had put life and death out of her mind; her only purpose for existing was to fight. Unexpectedly, she met many people in the squadbeautiful, kind girls. Though she had lost her kin, she gained friends and comrades with whom she could fight side-by-side and trust with her life.
Yet, this cruel world loved nothing more than to grant someone beautiful things just before disaster, sorrow, and tragedy struck.
One by one, Himeko's comrades perished in the struggle against the Honkai. The Assault Squad was nearly wiped out during a certain mission, and the unit was subsequently disbanded. Himeko was lucky to be alive. Whether that was truly luck or a curse, she no longer knew.
Is the meaning of life simply to gain things only to lose them?
Himeko had once thought so. But now, without her even seeking it, Hua Yi had given her back what she had losta healthy body.
This was Himeko's first experience with gaining back what was lost.
"Thank you..."
Himeko's eyes reddened, and her usually mature, steady voice trembled. She wanted to pull herself together, but it was difficult. She had once thought "thank you" was a hollow phrase, and indeed, she wasn't using it now just to express gratitude. Her heart was filled with an indescribably complex web of emotions.
She had always been the one forced to carry everything alone, the one playing the role of the caretaker. Suddenly, she was the one receiving care.
Joy? Relief? Gratitude? Aggrievement?
Right now, Himeko just wanted to cry.
In Hua Yi's impression, Murata Himeko was the mature woman who showed the Captain her seductive side, teasing and pampering him. The woman before him now was someone he had never seen.
It turned out that "strength" was merely a protective layer plated over one's self after experiencing the frost and trials of life. Everyone entered this world as a child who would wail over the smallest things.
"If you want to cry, let it out. If you feel wronged, you can tell me. You've worked hard, Himeko."
Hua Yi comforted her in a soft tone, even reaching out to gently stroke her head, like an adult soothing a child. Since Hua Yi was technically a student at St. Freya Academy, performing such an action toward his teacher, Himeko, should have felt awkward or strange. But he did it anyway, and Himeko accepted it in silence. Finally, the tears she could no longer hold back began to flow.
Himeko had three memories of crying that were etched into her soul.
When she lost her mother as a child and realized her mother would never answer her calls again. When she finished her studies and learned that her last living relative had passed away. And when her mission ended, and she saw that the comrades she had fought beside were nearly all gone.
This was the fourth time.
The first three times, her heart had been filled with sorrow. This time, her heart overflowed with many emotions, but sorrow was not among them. This would become her fourth unforgettable memory of weeping, one that represented something entirely different from the others.
"Although I don't like seeing girls cry, if they aren't tears of sadness, they truly are a breathtaking sight. You're very beautiful, Himeko."
As Hua Yi wiped the tears sliding down her cheeks, he couldn't help but sigh in admiration. There was a sense of satisfaction in thisdifferent from obtaining power, a satisfaction that sat far above it.
All his desperate efforts to become stronger, the way he had racked his brains, forgotten to eat and sleep, and pushed his body to exhaustionall the sacrifices he had made turned into beautiful memories in the face of these falling tears.
"Sorry... I don't think you'll have many chances to see me cry in the future," Himeko sobbed, weakly refuting him.
The lack of her usual commanding aura in her tone made Hua Yi's lips curl into a smile.
"In that case, that's wonderful."
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