Honkai Impact 3rd: Yumeji Satsuki's lies

The first thing she felt was a cold prickling sensation that ran down her spine.

Her head was pounding.

Her body seemed to be sinking into a void where gravity had no meaning.

Kiana tried to open her eyes, but all she saw was a silent black. No, not exactly silent. Something was stirring. A life… or perhaps something that mimicked life. It had no shape, no sound, but it was there, seeping into every cell of her body.

"Is this a dream?"

The heaviness in her chest made it hard to breathe. The dull pain in her left arm reminded her of what had happened before she collapsed.

Blood.

She had given blood to someone.

...Oh, right.

Yumeji.

As soon as that name flashed through her mind, the world around her spun like a twisted play fast-forwarded. A cold wind swept by, dragging along fragmented images: bright red blood spilling from someone's chest, a faint moan, those amber eyes slowly losing focus.

No.

That's not right.

This isn't what happened.

She knew Yumeji was badly injured, but… but he wasn't dead. Was he?

She bit her lip, trying to step forward, but her feet felt like they were being sucked into the invisible ground. Just then, a voice rang out from behind her.

"You're a pathetic brat, Kiana."

Her heart skipped a beat.

She turned around abruptly.

Someone was standing in the darkness, the outlines vague as if they were a charcoal scribble. But the eyes were clear—a pair of golden eyes, shining like two cursed gems.

"Kiana, you killed him."

Those words were like a knife piercing straight into the chest.

"No… Yumeji didn't die."

Her voice trembled, but she tried to stay calm.

The shadow tilted its head slightly, a sinister smile stretching across its lips.

"Really? Then let me show you."

The world spun again.

The scene before her eyes changed—no longer a hazy space, but a small, damp alley, the stench of blood rising from the ground.

And right in the middle of that pool of blood…

It was Yumeji.

His white shirt was almost completely dyed red. A long sword was stabbed straight into his chest, piercing through his sternum. His throat twitched slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but only a stream of fresh blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

Kiana couldn't move.

She couldn't even scream.

She couldn't do anything but watch him slowly collapse, only able to watch his amber eyes widen and gradually become dull and lifeless.

"Why..." Her voice was so small that she couldn't even hear it.

But the shadow standing beside her heard it clearly.

"Because you're useless."

A second later, the blade was pulled out of Yumeji's chest. Blood sprayed into the air like a blooming red flower. He fell to his knees, his trembling fingers reaching out towards her, as if begging for help.

She wanted to run.

She wanted to scream.

She wanted to pull him out of that cursed pool of blood.

But her legs wouldn't move.

Because deep down, she realized a truth more terrifying than anything else—

The hand holding the blade was hers.

Her train of thought shattered.

Her breathing quickened, her mind reeling as if it were being plunged into an abyss. Impossible. No way. This couldn't be real.

She couldn't do this.

She would never kill Yumeji.

But… the blood still flowed.

And the shadow's smile was still there, gentle as a mocking caress.

"Look, Kiana. You did this."

All she could do was gasp, her throat tight.

The scene began to disintegrate, like a painting slowly burning. The world fell into darkness again.

Only a soft laugh remained, creeping into every corner of her mind.

"Sweet dreams."

---

Then...

Kiana woke up with a start.

She jumped up, cold sweat running down her temples. Her chest was heaving, her heart was pounding wildly as if someone had just strangled it.

Her blue eyes trembled as she looked around.

There was no pool of blood.

No shadows.

There was only a white hospital room with a faint yellow light.

And Yumeji—still unconscious on the bed.

Her left hand clenched into a fist. She could feel the needle from the IV still throbbing on her wrist.

It was a dream.

Just a dream.

She shook her head vigorously, trying to dispel the horrifying image from her mind. But the feeling still wouldn't go away.

That dream... what the hell was it?

*****

Kiana stood outside the hospital room, her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes glancing through the glass door.

Inside, Yumeji was still motionless on the hospital bed. His messy black-purple hair was slightly hanging down over her forehead, his face was so pale that it looked no different from a wax statue. Those amber eyes were still closed, showing no signs of waking up at all.

Looking at this scene, Kiana couldn't help but kick the wall lightly in frustration.

"Humph, just lie there and enjoy it! Do you know that this great master had nightmares because of you?"

She crossed her arms, snorted, and continued to nag:

"I've donated so much blood to you, yet you still won't open your eyes for a moment! Do you want me to die of anemia!? You're really useless!"

No one responded.

Only the heart rate monitor emitted a monotonous sound.

Kiana pouted, tapping the glass door lightly with her finger.

"...If you don't wake up, I'll eat all your snacks in the fridge. Don't think I won't dare to do it!"

Of course, there was still no response.

Kiana frowned, stared at that motionless face for a few more seconds, then sighed in frustration.

"Alright, you can continue sleeping! But I'm telling you, don't even dream about making me donate blood again!"

With that, she turned around and left, hands on hips, muttering uncomfortably.

---

That evening, at the dormitory—

The atmosphere at the dining table became strange.

It wasn't because there was a problem with the food. It wasn't because Bronya had said something that left everyone speechless. It was because… Kiana was lying on the table, not touching the dinner in front of her.

Mei gently put down her chopsticks, glancing at Kiana with a worried gaze.

"Kiana, are you okay?"

Bronya kept her usual expressionless face, only raising her eyebrows slightly and then bluntly commented:

"Kiana has eaten too many cakes all day. This idiot's sugar-filled stomach can't take any more food."

Kiana immediately jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, propping her hands on the table and protesting:

"What do you know!? I'm anemic! I need to replenish my energy!?"

She pointed indignantly at the pile of empty dishes beside her.

"Do you know how much blood I donated to that idiot!? And yet he still won't wake up! Aizz, this really pisses me off!"

Bronya kept her expressionless face, shrugging her shoulders in a very... unsympathetic manner.

"Bronya doesn't think donating blood is the main reason why Kiana eats like a starving fleet. Maybe Kiana is simply... gluttonous."

"You—!!"

Kiana was so angry that she almost jumped over the table to strangle Bronya, but Mei spoke up in a gentle yet powerful voice.

"Kiana, calm down."

She placed her hand on Kiana's shoulder, gently but firmly, as if coaxing a stubborn child.

"He needs time to recover, and so do you. Don't hurt yourself just because you're too worried, okay?"

Kiana opened her mouth to retort, but when she saw Mei's worried eyes, she felt uncomfortable inside.

"...I know, Mei-senpai."

She smacked her lips, reluctantly picking up a piece of food to put in her mouth.

Bronya crossed her arms and nodded:

"You're really an idiot, but at least you're obedient."

Kiana immediately glared at Bronya.

"Do you believe I'll throw you out the window!?"

Bronya calmly picked up her glass of water and drank it, not bothering to reply.

Mei sighed softly, helplessly watching her two friends argue like usual.

Dinner continued in the familiar noise of the dormitory—a warm noise.

******

Inside the medical laboratory of Hyperion, the pale white glow of fluorescent lights cast a cold luminescence over the room, reflecting off the X-ray films firmly attached to the illuminated display board.

A series of detailed images of Yumeji's body stretched before them—bones, blood vessels, organs—every nook and cranny of his physique was exposed down to the millimeter, like a dissected anatomical doll stripped layer by layer.

Theresa lowered her gaze to the medical report in her hands, her eyes scanning each precisely printed line of scientific data. Though she was experienced in biological research and had encountered numerous strange cases before, the report on Yumeji still made her furrow her brows in contemplation.

Standing beside her, Himeko leaned on one hip, a cigarette unlit in her other hand, staring at the X-ray images with a skeptical look.

—"So, is there anything wrong with him? Did his organs get damaged after the surgery?"

Theresa looked up, pausing for a moment before replying.

—"His current condition isn't concerning. We just have to wait for Yumeji to regain consciousness."

—"Tch, then what's with the serious faces?"

Theresa remained silent for a brief moment before continuing, her voice tinged with hesitation.

—"The problem is…"

—"Huh?"

Taking a deep breath, Theresa lifted the file to eye level.

—"From the anatomical report provided by the doctors, it's clear that Yumeji's body is fundamentally different from ours."

—"…"

—"His internal organs—their structure is unlike anything we've ever seen. The thickness of his organs is only about one-third that of a normal human's. Yet, they still function perfectly."

—"Wait, are you saying…?"

—"Put simply, they resemble scaled-down, 3D-printed models more than natural human organs."

Himeko narrowed her eyes, feeling like she was hearing about some kind of artificial human rather than a real person.

—"Smaller organs? But wouldn't that mean their capacity is reduced as well?"

—"Theoretically, yes, but Yumeji's body has an extremely peculiar compensatory mechanism."

Theresa flipped to the next page and read aloud.

—"His bone structure is also different. Yumeji's bones are thinner and less dense than those of a typical human, yet their overall durability is much higher. It's as if they were designed to withstand continuous impact without suffering severe damage."

—"Some kind of flexible, self-repairing material?"

—"Exactly. Furthermore, his bone tissue regenerates at an accelerated rate without relying on the standard human healing process."

Himeko shook her head. She felt like she was hearing about an extraterrestrial organism rather than a human teenager.

—"Does this affect his lifespan in any way?"

Theresa pondered for a moment before shaking her head.

—"No. In fact, given his regeneration rate, unless he's attacked by something capable of completely destroying his cells, Yumeji's body could theoretically exist for thousands of years without showing signs of decay or aging."

—"…"

Himeko let out a dry chuckle, twirling the unlit cigarette between her fingers.

—"So, you're telling me we just picked up an immortal biological machine?"

—"Not exactly immortal, but close."

Theresa lightly tapped the file and continued.

—"Although his blood and red blood cells appear identical to those of a human, they actually contain no genetic information."

—"Wait, what the hell?"

—"In other words, there is no DNA in Yumeji's blood."

—"…"

Himeko stared at Theresa, waiting to see if she was joking. But no—the serious look in Theresa's eyes sent a chill down her spine.

—"No DNA? Then what the hell is he?"

—"It's as if he wasn't born through natural reproduction, but rather… simply appeared from nothingness."

A heavy silence settled over the room.

Himeko looked back at the X-ray images, feeling as though she was gazing at a mystery that even modern science couldn't explain. An artificial body? A unique lifeform? Or something even more incomprehensible?

Theresa sighed and gently closed the file.

—"That's not all. His skin cells are also unusual. They resemble a synthetic biological layer rather than regular human flesh. The tissues seem to absorb elements from the air to sustain and restore themselves. The process is almost like a plant absorbing carbon dioxide to generate energy."

Himeko raised both hands as if surrendering to the absurdity of it all.

—"So, if I'm getting this right… he's a hybrid between a human, a machine, and a plant?"

Theresa shrugged.

—"More or less. Given his body's structure, unless someone dumps a massive amount of acid on him, he'll recover from nearly any injury without medical intervention."

Himeko let out a deep sigh, snuffed out her unlit cigarette against the table, and crossed her arms.

—"A teenager with an almost indestructible body, no DNA, and the ability to heal without biological necessities?"

She took a breath, then let out a bitter laugh.

—"If he ever turns into some supernatural monster that destroys the world, I wouldn't be surprised."

Theresa blinked a few times at the remark.

—"Don't jinx it."

—"Ha, I'm just being realistic."

Himeko glanced at the X-ray images one last time before turning on her heel to leave the room. She didn't know what Yumeji truly was or why his body was so different. But one thing was certain—he was not just a human.

And that was what unsettled her the most.

But at the same time, she didn't think she should change how she treated him.

No matter what he was, or what secrets he was hiding—it didn't matter. Worrying was one thing, but trust was another. She trusted that Yumeji wasn't someone with ill intent.

More than anything, in the end, that kid had done everything he could to save her. She wouldn't be cowardly enough to deny that truth just because of a few unsettling discoveries.

And if, one day, Yumeji did go down the wrong path and became a threat—

Then she would stop him and bring him back.

Because in the end…

She was his teacher.

—❖—

As soon as Himeko had walked far enough away, Theresa let out a quiet sigh of relief. Yet, her deep ocean-blue eyes remained fixated on the X-ray image displayed on the illuminated screen. Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the stack of documents in her hands.

There was one more thing Theresa had hidden from Himeko.

She moved the cursor to zoom in on the X-ray scan, specifically enlarging the chest area of Yumeji. Without hesitation, she sent the image to the printer.

The object inside Yumeji's left chest—the spot where a beating heart was supposed to be—was something entirely different.

Theresa narrowed her eyes, her fingers grazing over the X-ray image as she traced the mysterious structure within Yumeji's body.

A spherical mass, encased within multiple layers of biological membranes, with faint, wave-like patterns radiating outward like invisible ripples. It was not a heart. Nor was it any organ Theresa had ever seen before.

It looked like…

A cocoon.

A sense of unease stirred in Theresa's chest. She had meticulously checked all the records, erased every piece of data related to this X-ray, and ensured that not even her grandfather could discover its existence.

What exactly was this thing?

Just the mere thought of her grandfather possibly using Yumeji as a test subject for research was enough to make Theresa hastily wipe all traces of this information. If Otto Apocalypse ever learned about this cocoon, who knew what he would do?

Theresa clenched her fists silently, her gaze complicated.

—❖—

*Half a day later.*

Still lost in thought over the cocoon inside Yumeji's chest, Theresa absentmindedly walked through the the hospital hallway where Yumeji was staying to further examine his condition to see if there was anything unusual about his crazy medical records, completely unaware of her surroundings.

— "Ouch!"

A sudden collision made her stumble back a step.

Startled, Theresa looked up and realized she had bumped into Kiana, who, as usual, was loitering around Yumeji's hospital room without actually going in for a proper visit.

— "Aunt! What kind of reckless walking was that!?" Kiana rubbed her forehead, grimacing in annoyance.

Before Theresa could respond, Kiana's gaze dropped to the floor, where a piece of paper had fallen from Theresa's hand.

— "Huh? What's this?" Kiana bent down and picked up the sheet.

Her eyes immediately narrowed as she examined the drawing on it.

A bizarre illustration—an orb-like structure resembling a pupa, with intricate vein-like patterns wrapping around it.

— "Aunt Theresa?" Kiana frowned. "Why are you doodling weird stuff like this? What is this? A bug or a cocoon?"

Theresa's face instantly paled as she hurriedly snatched the paper from Kiana's grasp.

— "It's nothing! Give it back!"

— "Eh!?" Kiana blinked in surprise before pouting in frustration.

— "Seriously, I don't even care what kind of mystery act you're trying to pull this time. But at the very least, shouldn't you apologize first?"

Theresa hesitated for a brief moment before responding awkwardly, her expression slightly embarrassed.

— "…I'm sorry."

Then, she quickly cleared her throat, eager to change the subject.

— "A-Ahem. Anyway, why are you here, Kiana? Are you worried about Yumeji's condition?"

At that, Kiana immediately reacted, her voice flustered yet trying to maintain a tough exterior.

— "I-I am NOT!"

She crossed her arms and turned her head away, as if outright rejecting the idea.

— "Why would I care about that annoying guy's life or death!?"

— "…"

— "It's just, just that stupid guy still owes me a huge debt, so he can't die yet! Yeah, that's right! He has to live so he can pay me back! Once he does, he can go wherever he wants, drop dead for all I care—I don't give a damn!"

— "…"

— "But right now, he's not allowed to die. That's all!"

Theresa stared at Kiana, completely speechless.

— (If what I read in manga is correct…)

— (…then this type of behavior is called a 'Tsundere,' isn't it?)

*****

A psychological battle is when two parties compete with each other, each step carefully calculated to achieve the ultimate goal. But when one party in the battle of minds is completely unaware that they are participating in the game… that battle is called "herding."

Theresa Apocalpyse, a woman who looks like a little girl but is actually over 40 years old, is a master of this game of herding.

She had just erased all data related to the "cocoon" in Yumeji's body, but to ensure that Kiana wouldn't suspect anything, she needed to distract her. And the easiest way to do that?

Arouse Kiana's feelings of guilt and stimulate her determination.

The guilt of failure.

The desire to become stronger.

These are the things she learned after years of being tossed around by her grandfather Otto.

And at this moment, Theresa saw an opportunity.

If Kiana was still angry and haunted by what happened before, she could use it to divert her thoughts to another direction.

So, Theresa said in a seemingly indifferent tone:

"…I see. It's not your fault anyway."

"…Huh?"

Kiana frowned, looking doubtful.

"What do you mean?"

Theresa sighed, shaking her head as if she was talking about something regrettable.

"Well, you know… that thing. When Yumeji was stabbed from behind by that bitch Sin Mal. You were standing right next to him at that time, right?"

Kiana instantly froze.

Her hand unconsciously clenched.

"…Yes."

Theresa pretended not to notice, continuing to speak in a soft yet sharp tone like a knife:

"But, I didn't do anything."

"…!"

Theresa could clearly feel the atmosphere around her becoming heavier.

Kiana bit her lip.

"…Yes. I didn't do anything."

Her voice trailed off.

"…I was standing there, but I didn't do anything. I didn't realize what was happening. I froze, and before I could recover, it was all over."

Kiana frowned, her eyes looking down at the floor, her fingers digging into her arms as if she was blaming herself.

"Sin Mal hid herself with an optical cloak… but it's not like there wasn't a way to notice it. If I had been quick enough, if I had better reflexes, if I had been stronger… I could have prevented it."

She clenched her fists, her voice a mixture of anger and regret.

"…And yet I didn't do anything."

Theresa smiled inwardly.

The bait had taken the bait.

—❖—

"Then… do you want to become stronger?"

Theresa asked, deliberately letting her voice sound a little gentle but full of hidden meaning.

Kiana looked up sharply, her eyes flashing.

Without hesitation.

"Yes."

Her voice was resolute, as if this wasn't just a simple wish, but an absolute goal.

Theresa grinned like a sly fox.

"That's good. I have a way."

"…You have a way?"

"Definitely." Theresa shrugged confidently. "As long as you follow my instructions, you will definitely become stronger."

Kiana nodded immediately, without a trace of doubt.

"Then I'll leave it to you."

She bowed her head in sincere gratitude, something Kiana rarely did to Theresa.

Theresa smiled.

Two swallows had been shot down with one arrow.

Firstly, she had successfully diverted Kiana's attention to training, instead of delving into the matter of her hiding the cocoon in Yumeji's chest.

Secondly, she had just planted a seed of precaution for the future.

If Yumeji were to become a real threat one day, Kiana—the one with the strongest potential—would be the one to stop him.

It was like the ecological law in nature.

When one predator becomes too strong, one needs to strengthen another predator to maintain the balance.

Perhaps having been around Otto Apocalpyse for so long, Theresa had also learned a bit of his cunning, even though they were not related by blood.

And with this, Theresa Apocalpyse walked on her shepherding journey with a smile of great satisfaction.

****

If there was anything in the world that made Kiana feel more exhausted than eating green vegetables, it was being dragged by an adult to do some pointless training under the guise of "enhancing combat skills."

And today, the culprit was none other than Theresa, a so-called "aunt" who looked like an elementary school student but always acted like a strict homeroom teacher.

At exactly 3 PM after that fateful conversation, Kiana was forcibly dragged to the Hyperion's training room by Theresa.

"Auntie, at least let me finish my pudding first! I haven't even swallowed the last bite yet!"

Kiana protested like a cat being grabbed by the scruff of its neck.

Theresa completely ignored her futile struggle and casually sat down in the control room chair.

She then began an enthusiastic lecture about the cutting-edge technology of the training room. According to her explanation, the room could scan Kiana's brainwaves, extract the strongest opponents from her memories, and recreate them using Schicksal's simulation technology.

After hearing that, Kiana propped her chin on her hand and let out a long, bored sigh.

(So how is this any different from the usual mid-term combat tests? Just another round of fighting AI-generated enemies, right?)

What made her even more uneasy was the "opponents from memory" part. Not that she was scared or anything! But if this machine was actually smart, what if it summoned him—her old man?

Just imagining having to fight Siegfried Kaslana—a man she both respected and wanted to punch in the face—sent an unpleasant chill down her spine.

And it didn't stop there. Kiana glanced down at the skin-tight suit she was wearing and frowned.

"And what the hell is this? Don't tell me this is actually some kind of cosplay experiment? Isn't this just a bodysuit?"

Theresa immediately shook her head, puffing out her chest proudly.

"Oh, Kiana, you're so naïve! This isn't just any outfit! This is Schicksal's third-generation battle armor—White Comet! A high-tech Valkyrie battlesuit that you're not qualified to use yet! Even Valkyries of A-rank need at least three months to master it!"

Hearing that, Kiana immediately put on a dissatisfied expression.

(Three months? Are they kidding me? If this thing doesn't even increase my calorie absorption rate, then I'm not interested!)

She let out a small scoff before replying:

"Compared to nearly dying while retrieving Xuanyuan Sword or fighting Chiyou, this suit isn't that impressive."

Theresa's proud expression immediately crumbled like a drenched cat. But before she could argue back, the system suddenly issued an alert.

"[First opponent is about to appear.]"

Theresa quickly adjusted her expression to a more serious one.

"Get ready, Kiana! Your first opponent is coming!"

Kiana stretched lazily, completely unconcerned.

"Alright, whoever it is, I'll—"

THWACK!

A boot came flying down from the sky and slammed straight into Kiana's face with enough force to send her tumbling like a rubber ball.

"AAAARRGGHHH!!"

The impact sent her rolling across the floor before she crashed down ungracefully. She immediately jumped back up, fire blazing in her eyes.

"Who the hell just drop-kicked me in the face!?"

But the moment she looked up and saw her attacker's face, she froze.

Yumeji Satsuki

Not the real one, but a simulated version of him—created from Kiana's own memories.

Even Theresa was shocked, her mouth hanging open.

"Why is it Yumeji?"

Before they could even process the situation, the simulated Yumeji dashed forward at an absurd speed.

WHAM!

In an instant, his foot struck Kiana's chin, launching her into the air. Before she could react, he grabbed her mid-air and slammed her into the ground with a judo throw, making her crash into the floor with a loud thud.

Kiana staggered back to her feet, her cheeks flushed with both pain and fury.

"What the hell is this!?"

But Yumeji didn't give her any time to breathe. He smirked mockingly and charged forward again.

"Oh? Good afternoon, young lady of the Kaslana family. Just looking at how lazy you are is already irritating. Have you put on weight recently, hmm?"

Kiana's eyes twitched violently as she clenched her fists.

"What did you just say!?"

Yumeji easily dodged her punches, all while continuing to taunt her.

"You really are a genius of Schicksal, huh, Lady Kaslana? Imagine wearing the most advanced combat suit of the organization like it's some cheap pajamas. If this were broadcast live, I swear your father would cry from embarrassment."

"You bastard!!"

Kiana threw a barrage of punches, but Yumeji dodged each one effortlessly, almost playfully.

"Oh wow, is this your speed? And you expect to defeat Honkai with this? I swear, even a crippled rabbit could dodge your attacks."

"SHUT UP!!!"

Kiana screamed in frustration, but Yumeji wasn't done yet. He kept attacking while mocking her at every opportunity.

"If I recall correctly, weren't you the one bragging about defeating any enemy in your path? And yet here you are, getting your ass handed to you by your own memories. How tragic."

Kiana rolled on the floor, completely defeated both physically and mentally.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!? THIS FAKE YUMEJI IS TEN TIMES MORE ANNOYING THAN THE REAL ONE!!"

At that moment, Theresa finally spoke up, albeit a bit awkwardly.

"A-Ah, Kiana, um... it seems that the personalities of the simulated opponents depend on how you perceive them."

"...Huh?"

Kiana blinked in confusion before her face suddenly turned pale as a horrifying realization hit her.

If that was the case… then didn't that mean the thing that was absolutely wrecking her right now was the Yumeji in her mind?

A sadistic, arrogant, and ridiculously annoying version of him!?

"...Oh, f**k."

Kiana collapsed onto the floor in utter despair, knowing that this battle was not only going to break her body but also completely destroy her soul.