Honkai Impact 3rd : This is My Revenge

No longer clad in a suit, no longer pretending to wear pristine white gloves.

And...

To hell with "elegance."

Ling Ke no longer needed these "masks."

He was now completely free.

He wore a black T-shirt with the ironic words "Love and Peace" printed on the chest.

Paired with loose-fitting pants and canvas shoes.

If he added a baseball cap, he'd look like a street dancer.

Ling Ke, the eraser of an era, the "World-Ending Player," the Herrscher of Dominance who once ascended to godhood, now pruning the new Imaginary Tree like a bonsai.

He was—on—vacation!!!

At the moment, he was holding the classic combo of "popcorn + cold drink." Normally, he should have been sitting in a quiet movie theater, legs crossed, enjoying the single life while being bombarded with dog food from couples around him.

But with his erratic thoughts, he brought the "movie theater combo" to a place that was the complete opposite of "quiet"—a concert venue.

Right now, he was surrounded by people waving glow sticks and cheering loudly.

Only he remained seated, munching away like a lone chicken among cranes.

Truly marching to the beat of his own drum.

This was the concert venue of the superstar Eden.

Now, this top-tier artist, who had already made a name for herself through a charity performance and was rapidly rising to fame, stood on her stage, under the spotlight, singing for her era.

She was still just an ordinary person.

Unaware that her era was a "revisited" one.

But she was still enjoying the present.

"The performance is quite impressive."

Ling Ke continued munching, silently critiquing, "Even though I'm not a fan of classical music or opera, I'm still thoroughly enjoying this. My mood has improved even more."

"Still, I prefer the 'script' I carefully prepared."

Speaking of which...

"My first batch of 'passengers' has already started moving."

Ling Ke suddenly thought with a hint of sarcasm, "I never saw her being so efficient before."

(TL/N: I'm not player HI3, just enjoy some of animation from it. so I wonder. is Raiden Mei typical like to slacking off?)

"Guess a little pressure is necessary for growth, even transformation."

Clearly, Ling Ke was referring to something he found even more enjoyable.

The "shows" he had orchestrated, the ones he loved watching, were now playing out around the clock.

For example: right now...

******

Middle East.

Here, religious forces were complex, and war was a constant.

Within its borders, there was a lawless zone that even the surrounding people considered extremely dangerous.

Its name: Twilight Street.

Today, Twilight Street welcomed an uninvited guest.

They were wrapped up tightly.

From their figure, it seemed to be a woman.

Under the hooded coat, purple hair could be seen.

Faintly visible was a tall, graceful figure and a striking face.

Unsurprisingly, they... she attracted many malicious gazes.

"Phew~"

The purple-haired girl... Raiden Mei let out a long breath.

She had been in this era, which she knew a little about but was still largely unfamiliar with, for two days now.

She was no longer the Herrscher of Thunder.

But her combat power had strangely... increased instead of decreased.

As if, a few days ago, when cracks began to form in her heart, she had stepped onto some bizarre "path."

After noticing the anomaly within herself, Raiden Mei once tested the inexplicable power that had inexplicably attached itself to her in the Sahara Desert of this era.

It was truly easy to lose oneself in it.

But it was also extraordinarily powerful.

So powerful that she felt even her previous self, as the complete Herrscher of Thunder, was too weak.

It could obliterate everything with a flip of her hand.

So powerful that... these past few days, she often wondered: if she had possessed this kind of... sufficient strength back then...

Could everything have been salvaged?

But now, no matter how many times such thoughts arise, they are useless.

Because although this power is immense, it cannot interfere with time.

This is not its "path."

It can only cause ultimate destruction, leading to "loss," to "annihilation," to... turning all "existent" forms into "nothingness."

Therefore, the current Raiden Mei cannot save others, nor can she save herself.

All she has left are the means to inflict "harm."

She feels so lost.

She doesn't know how to proceed on her path.

Even though, in those overly beautiful "non-existent memories," she has already learned many inside stories.

But...

The one-way ticket forcibly given by Ling Ke, which travels against time, is not a gift, but a shackle.

The other party has clearly extinguished, for the time being, even the possibility of "traveling together."

Do you still think you can easily huddle together for warmth? Surely not, surely not?

It was as if such an overly malicious, silent sneer was constantly lingering in her ears.

Raiden Mei has already learned that the "passengers" chosen by Ling Ke will not arrive at the same place at the same time.

Yes, she and Kiana, and Bronya, and the class monitor, and the school principal... even Durandal, Rita, and... Otto.

They are all separated.

All "passengers," their times and places of arrival, even the manner of their arrival, are all different.

She and that "savior" Kevin Kaslana are the "first batch."

After that, when the remaining few will come to this era, where they will land, who will discover them first, and what kind of chaos they will be drawn into...

She knows nothing.

Only that they will inevitably come.

Because this was Ling Ke's "thoughtful" parting reminder to her at the last moment.

And those few words, falling into her ears, were also extremely grating.

Don't worry, your Kiana will not disappear.

Because you did subconsciously make a choice, believing her to be more important than the world... at least more important than your biological father.

Yes, she subconsciously chose Kiana.

Before the day of farewell arrived, she chose to go to her side, letting others protect her father.

Thus, her biological father... Raiden Ryoma, along with the old world (era), has turned into "nothingness."

Ling Ke has always been fulfilling cruel promises in his overly unique way.

And now... this is the result of her choice.

Even though she absolutely does not want to admit that she indeed subconsciously... abandoned the other side.

"Hypocrisy... is it!"

Raiden Mei really wants to laugh at herself.

But now...

It seems she can't laugh anymore.

In her mind, thoughts are swirling.

Suddenly...

"Hmm?"

Raiden Mei sensed someone approaching her quickly from behind.

Thud~

That person was clearly heading straight for her, brushed past her, and then prepared to run away quickly.

However...

"Sorry... huh?"

One of the person's hands was caught in Raiden Mei's palm.

The whole person was thus pulled, and their steps were forcibly stopped.

At this moment, what her purple eyes saw was a familiar, yet somewhat different, dirty face.

Missing a pair of cat ears, and the pupils were still in a normal human form.

Looking down...

The person was holding an ornament.

It was one of the few souvenirs she could truly bring out from the "Elysian Realm."

A pink crystal flower.

(TL/N: Lol. is there backstory where is Pardofelis a thief?)

Although it looked valuable, but... well, Raiden Mei didn't know what its value was in this era.

She just felt that keeping it had meaning, so she always carried it with her.

She had 12 similar small ornaments.

Anyway, right now...

"Uh, that... boss... you... this... don't misunderstand... ha, haha..."

The girl with one hand caught was visibly flustered, "I just..."

"Pardo."

Facing the vaguely familiar face in her memory, Raiden Mei, now influenced by that strange power, subconsciously spoke, "Can you help me, take me to see Aponia?"

"Huh?"

The dirty girl was stunned.

This person...

Why does she call me Pardo directly?

So intimately?

(TL/N: mei want to fuc-)