Honkai, why do you only throw me into high-level battles?

"Tell me… are you friend, or foe?"

To be asked such a question by Kevin… what an honor!

Lin Wei thought. This line alone earned him a character portrait and a 3D model in his mind.

Even Otto, upon their first meeting, only received the generic "submit or perish" treatment.

He'd won!

His emotions were a chaotic mix.

He'd imagined countless scenarios, various dialogues, serious or playful, cryptic or straightforward.

But he hadn't anticipated this. When the legendary hero stood before him, when the symbol of strength and invincibility spoke to him, when he finally stepped into the story, into the myth…

The awe, the inspiration, the understanding, the bittersweet recognition—all these emotions collided within him, burning away his preconceived notions, his carefully crafted plans.

The simple question cut through all pretense, straight to his core.

"Friend, or foe?"

The weight of the question, the sheer force of Kevin's will, demanded an honest answer. There was nowhere to hide.

"Neither. I'm just a lost traveler, fulfilling a promise, returning a lost child to her home. I apologize for the intrusion."

Lin Wei met Kevin's gaze, his voice calm and steady.

"It's an honor to meet you, warrior of the Previous Era, pioneer of the new age, Kevin-san."

It wasn't flattery. He truly felt honored.

This man, in a way, represented this world.

Kevin studied Lin Wei's eyes, accepting his ambiguous answer without judgment. He moved on to his next question.

"Gray Serpent mentioned Rin. Where is she? I want to see her."

"She's with me, but…"

Lin Wei chuckled wryly, then paused, his expression shifting, his lips moving silently. He shook his head.

"She doesn't want to talk to you. She doesn't want to see you."

He sighed, glancing at Gray Serpent, then back at Kevin.

"She's afraid… afraid of hurting Gray Serpent-san again."

Kevin's eyes flickered. He walked towards Lin Wei.

Though just a holographic projection, his presence was immense, like an approaching storm.

Gray Serpent turned, his red mechanical eye following Kevin's movement.

Lin Wei stood his ground, meeting Kevin's gaze.

He had nothing to hide.

"Impressive resolve."

Kevin stopped, nodding slightly, his imposing aura receding, as if acknowledging Lin Wei's will.

What's your criteria? Lin Wei wondered.

Kevin sat down on the chair Lin Wei had vacated, his gaze fixed on the empty space before him, lost in thought.

Wait, how did you do that? Lin Wei thought, confused. You're a hologram!

And you stole my seat!

"Tell me everything about Rin. Don't leave anything out."

Kevin's voice was still flat, but his tone was commanding, almost demanding.

Arrogant…

Lin Wei felt a flicker of annoyance.

He knew Kevin wasn't being arrogant, but he still felt irritated.

For the first time, he was being shown up and couldn't retaliate.

It was infuriating!

"Five hundred years ago, Kallen Kaslana, a Schicksal saint… betrayed Schicksal and fled to the Far East, taking the black box with her."

Lin Wei glanced at Kevin. Your family and their white hair… never a dull moment.

"After arriving in the Far East, the black box was breached, and the Herrscher escaped, corrupting an innocent girl. Through the girl's resistance and Kallen Kaslana's efforts, the Herrscher, the black box, and the girl were sealed away again."

Kevin had been trapped in the Sea of Quanta for fifteen hundred years. Lin Wei felt obligated to provide some context.

Not everyone likes cryptic conversations!

He finished the history lesson and moved on to the present.

"A month ago, the 3rd Honkai Eruption occurred in Nagazora. The Herrscher of Thunder was born at Chiba Academy."

He paused dramatically, glancing at Kevin, who remained impassive. Lin Wei sighed, disappointed, and continued.

"The eruption broke the seal, and the Herrscher escaped, roaming the ruins of Nagazora."

He wondered how Gray Serpent, acting as a communication relay, felt about this. Raven, standing behind the bar, rolled her eyes.

You just happened to stumble upon her? How convenient.

Lin Wei recounted his experiences of the past three months, his futile attempts to warn people, his desperate search for a safe haven, omitting any mention of World Serpent.

Kevin listened silently, his gaze fixed on the empty space.

Gray Serpent stood motionless.

Raven listened to his story, and instead of laughing at how absurd it sounded, she felt a twinge of sympathy.

just another desperate soul… she sighed.

She no longer disliked him as much.

Lin Wei continued, explaining how he'd sought Fu Hua's help, then contacted World Serpent's executive, the British Museum's curator, to arrange this meeting.

He stuck to the facts, letting his audience draw their own conclusions.

Technically, not lying.

At the mention of "Fu Hua," Kevin finally reacted. He turned, his eyes scrutinizing Lin Wei.

"Hua helped you?"

Lin Wei nodded.

It was true. Without Fu Hua, he wouldn't have been able to return to Nagazora.

But he needed to clarify something.

Fu Hua was weakened. He didn't want World Serpent to misjudge her strength and put her in danger.

He glossed over his coercion of the Herrscher, simply stating that he'd been corrupted. Then, he recounted his battle in the mindscape, the details carefully chosen, the underlying danger conveyed in his calm tone.

Raven listened, her heart pounding.

This monster!

Lin Wei's image in her mind shifted again.

He finished, pulled up a chair, sat across from Kevin, and chuckled.

"See? Life always finds a way. Facing death, civilizations, individuals… they can achieve incredible things. I never thought 'weakness' would be my greatest weapon against a Herrscher."

The strongest and the weakest in the world, sitting as equals.

And the strongest didn't object.

The scene was absurd, yet perfectly logical.

Lin Wei had earned his seat at the table by defeating a Herrscher.

"Lin Wei, you bastard!!!"

Rin, realizing the full extent of his manipulation, raged internally.

She'd known she'd been played, but she hadn't understood how, when, or where.

Now, she knew…

He'd played her from the beginning!

Unforgivable!

Kevin sensed the other consciousness within Lin Wei, the surge of human emotions.

He had his answer, but he remained silent. He had time.

"Of course, it wasn't that simple. I had no guarantee of victory. It was a gamble. So, I asked Fu Hua to guard my body. If I failed, she would end it all, using the blade I took from the Herrscher."

He glanced at Raven, who retrieved the ancient blade she'd taken from him.

Kevin glanced at the blade, then dismissed it, asking,

"And this is your purpose here?"

Lin Wei nodded, meeting his gaze.

"I promised Rin I'd take her home. I'm here to fulfill that promise."

"She's been betrayed and deceived too many times. I won't hurt her again."

As he spoke, the turmoil within him subsided.

"You want to take her to the Elysian Realm?"

"Yes. It's the only place she can call 'home' now. You understand, don't you?"

"..."

Kevin was silent for a moment, then spoke.

"Hua agreed?"

"Yes. I told her everything."

Not lying didn't mean revealing everything.

He'd been honest with Fu Hua. He had nothing to hide.

"Then I grant you permission."

Kevin nodded, turning to leave.

"...Hua has lost her memories. Aren't you… hesitant?"

Lin Wei couldn't help but ask. Kevin was being too trusting.

"It doesn't matter. I trust her judgment."

Kevin didn't turn back.

He trusted his comrades, as they trusted him.

"Even if she's the Herrscher of Corruption? Even if she still hates you? Even if she might destroy the Elysian Realm?"

Lin Wei persisted, his own motives unclear.

"...Yes."

Kevin's voice was quiet.

They'd been given two gifts, and they'd lost one.

They owed her this. Perhaps it was time to repay their debt.

His purpose here was fulfilled. He was leaving.

"Wait!"

Lin Wei stopped him again.

He walked over and offered Kevin the USB drive he'd retrieved from Raven.

It was just a hologram, but he felt Kevin could take it.

"I owe someone a favor. A message to deliver."

It was time to fulfill his promise to Bronya. He trusted Kevin to do the right thing.

Kevin took the drive and left without a word.

His image vanished, as if he'd never been there.

The red light in Gray Serpent's eye dimmed.

"The transaction is complete. It was a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Lin Wei."

Gray Serpent's voice was still calm and even.

"The pleasure was all mine…"

Lin Wei murmured, his voice filled with genuine emotion.

Meeting Kevin truly had been an honor.

…

Kevin stood beneath a giant Sakura tree, gazing at its blossoms in silence.

The Sea of Quanta, a realm beyond the world.

Direction was meaningless here, space distorted, time fragmented.

It was a bizarre, chaotic, yet beautiful place.

The space between reality and possibility, the boundary between existence and nothingness.

Kevin's presence anchored this small space, making it real, solid, undeniable.

But his gaze was fixed on the Sakura tree.

He lowered his head, a self-deprecating smile touching his lips.

"Perhaps… this isn't so bad."

"But will you be disappointed, Elysia?"

Rin wasn't just a descendant. She could have been a comrade.

Would Elysia be happy? Because she wasn't the only one?

Or would she be sad? Because their era could have been different?

It didn't matter. It was done.

Regret was pointless.

His gaze hardened.

The past was immutable. He could only shape the future.

He sighed, dismissing his thoughts.

He looked at the USB drive in his hand.

Quantum encryption was child's play to him. He was in the Sea of Quanta, after all.

He saw the message, knew who it was for.

He tossed it into a corner, into the hands of a trapped girl.

A hundred years ago, he'd seen someone fall into the Sea of Quanta. He'd been too late to save her, watching helplessly as she lost her physical form, sinking into the depths.

He'd learned his lesson.

A few years ago, he'd sensed another presence falling.

This time, he'd intervened, using his powerful will to observe, to prevent the girl from completely losing her form, keeping her in a superposition between collapse and expansion.

It was painful, a form of imprisonment, but it was the best he could do.

Without a world fragment, he couldn't stabilize her.

He could only wait.

He hoped this message would give her strength.

He glanced at Seele, then turned away.

Seele, her consciousness adrift in the Sea of Quanta, felt like she was trapped in a dark, empty room, shivering in fear.

Slowly, she adapted to the fear, the loneliness, the presence of the other consciousness within her.

She was becoming stronger, though she didn't realize it yet.

"What's this…?"

She sensed a message, a familiar presence, entering her dark room.

"Bronya… Onee-chan's voice? Am I dreaming…?"

She gasped, covering her mouth, tears streaming down her face. She reached out, trembling, towards the message.

"Wait, Seele! Something's not right. How could Bronya know you're here?"

The other consciousness within her was wary, sensing danger.

"No, that's Onee-chan! I know it is!"

Seele smiled through her tears, ignoring the warning, reaching for the light.

"You idiot!"

The other consciousness was furious, but helpless.

The light was harmless, a message from Bronya, filled with love and concern.

It really was Onee-chan!

Seele reached for the familiar face, the once vibrant expression now still and lifeless. It was just an image.

The cruel reality made her want to cry again, but she suppressed her sobs, wiping away her tears, smiling at the image as if Bronya were really there.

She listened to the familiar voice, nodding happily.

Bronya expressed her longing, told her about her new school, her new friends.

"Yes, Onee-chan, I'm fine too! Don't worry!"

Seele wanted to hug her sister, but she was afraid the image would shatter. She waved her hand, sending her love across the vast distance.

Then, Bronya warned her about the man who'd delivered the message, telling her to be careful, not to trust him, not to put herself in danger.

Finally, she promised to find a way to rescue her, that they would be reunited.

The message was short, but Seele cherished every word, her face lit up with joy and tears.

Bronya must have gone through so much to send this message.

"Onee-chan…"

She couldn't hold back any longer, collapsing into sobs.

The other consciousness within her plugged her ears with something she'd found, rolling her eyes.

This girl… she'd never stop crying!