Honkai: Starting to Wander with Kiana

"I know that people die when they get killed—I'm not an idiot! But I'm the Hero of Hyrule, the Traveler of Teyvat, the Adventurer of Alarde, the Doctor of Rod Island, the Summoner of the Canyon, the Monarch of Stein... Wait, scratch that. I'm the Witness of the Moth to a Flame... Anyway, what do you mean by 'qualifications to inscribe a Stigma'?"

A Stigma is hard to describe. Think of it like a cheat code in a video game. If you can imagine it, you can probably create it with a Stigma.

Stigmas also carry genetic legacy. They hold memories and power from their original owner. If a descendant's power matches or exceeds the original owner's, they can either overwrite the original or start a new legacy alongside it.

So the power of a Stigma depends on how strong its original owner was. As for the Stigma I gave you, it doesn't have much power. It only includes a few abilities. You won't be able to punch the Imaginary Tree, kick the Sea of Quanta, or drown Honkai in your saliva, but it can still make you invincible in this world.

Honkai is a two-edged sword for you. It will help you adapt to Honkai's effects and give you power and eternal life. But too much exposure can turn you into a perfect vessel for Honkai, a core that can become a Herrscher. You need to be careful. Don't reveal yourself to any Herrscher until you've mastered the powers I give you. Your appearance here was an accident. This unpredictable variable may make things unstable, which could cause a Herrscher to turn you into a Herrscher core or pull everyone down with them.

"...I admit I was a bit loud earlier. From what you're saying, as long as I don't screw up, I can just survive until the end and then surprise everyone by defeating Honkai?"

Yes, but I don't think that's very likely. Do you believe in fate? The protagonist always attracts other protagonists...

"...Are you starting to sound like a middle schooler too?"

Don't worry about me now. From here on out, you'll have to rely on yourself. The level of Honkai corruption in this world isn't high enough yet, so I can't help you much. Figure out how to use the power of the Stigma by yourself.

It was late at night, and snow had started falling outside. Ryn pulled his blanket tighter, suddenly thinking of his parents. He felt really sorry for himself. To disappear from the world without them knowing—it would have broken their hearts and left them desperate with grief.

Still, he wouldn't blame the girl in the Stigma. He had been impulsive when he offered to save her, but he was the one who made that promise. I still don't know her name, he thought. I'll ask next time. Wait, she said she's forgotten her name. We'll have to pick a new one.

As Ryn continued drifting off, Kiana, still asleep, started to drool and gradually shifted to lie on top of him.

The sleeping duo was not alone. Nearby, an older man with white hair, wearing a cloak and holding a telescope and a large sword, was peeking through their window.

He watched as Kiana carried a young girl back, revealing a healthy smile. He silently gave Kiana a thumbs-up. As expected of a Kaslana.

He watched as Kiana cleaned the girl, gave her some medicine, and tucked her into bed. Siegfried decided that the emergency care training he'd taught Kiana before was paying off.

However, when he saw that Kiana climbed onto the bed and lay down with the girl afterward, he raised an eyebrow. He placed his Heavenly Fire Greatsword by his side and continued watching them through the binoculars. The safety was too low—how could she sleep with someone else without confirming the safety first? Although she's a beautiful girl, Kiana, you're also a beautiful girl!

Some time later, Ryn woke up, and Kiana talked to him for a bit. Siegfried was already sneaking closer. When he saw Kiana crying through the telescope, he set it down and raised his sword. It took him only a few seconds to cover the hundred-meter distance. He heard Kiana crying because her mother, Cecilia, was dead.

The man slowly lowered his sword and stood quietly outside the door, unseen by Kiana and Ryn. The snow fell on him. He stood still for a long time, then disappeared into the night with a sigh.

The world may not have identical leaves, but different worlds can have similar ones. People's personalities and habits can be alike, but their experiences are always different. In this world, "Kiana Kaslana" lost her mother but her father is still alive. My mother is still alive, but my father is gone. Ah, is this what fate is...?

The sun was high in the sky, but despite its presence, it was still bitterly cold. Ryn instinctively pulled the blanket tighter, only to find that he wasn't clutching his bed covers. Instead, he felt something warm and soft. Without thinking, he pressed his face against it, rubbing back and forth. And then... nothing happened.

Bang!

A massive hole burst open in the log cabin. Ryn flew through the air, tumbled n times in the snow, and ended up buried under the drift.

It saved them the trouble of digging a grave.

In her bed, Kiana, her face red with embarrassment, had been clutching her blanket for two seconds. Suddenly, she panicked. She threw down her blanket and ran towards what she thought was Ryn's corpse. Her father had told her that ordinary people were extremely fragile. He must be careful with his Kaslana superhuman strength or else it would end badly.

Siegfried, who was nearby preparing to roast Honkai beasts with Heavenly Fire, heard the sound. He flung aside the advanced-level Honkai beast on his sword, grabbed the blade, and rushed towards his home. Just then, he saw Ryn fly straight out of the house, and he thought, Oh no, something's happened.

As they ran towards the scene, both Kiana and Siegfried froze. Ryn had reached out from beneath the snow and then simply crawled out. He felt as if he'd been hit by an 180-mile-per-hour truck, but apart from being rather sore, he hadn't sustained any serious injuries. Whoa, this is the power of the Stigma.

When Ryn looked up, he saw Kiana flying towards him, wrapping her arms tightly around his body and calling out an apology. Not far away, Siegfried witnessed this scene and kept repeating to himself It's just girls, it's just girls.

"Kiana... you're so strong... I'm fine."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that. After realizing you were a guy last night, I saw you rubbing against my face when I woke up, and without thinking, I kicked out."

I helplessly patted the head of the white fluff ball, then pulled Kiana to standing, brushing off the snowflakes from our clothes. Then we walked back to the small wooden house with hers, trailing behind her.

"It's no big deal. If you'd given me that kick yesterday, I might've been in trouble, but today, even a hundred kicks wouldn't be enough for me."

"A-are you a pervert?! Just go die already! Die, die!"