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

As Lin Wei reached for the door, a sudden urge to flee gripped him, his heart pounding in his chest.

He took a deep breath and pushed the heavy metal door open.

The strange sensation vanished instantly, the crying silenced, as if it had all been a hallucination.

"Rin?"

He called out, but there was no response. He tried again, but she remained silent. He gave up.

A dim, cold light spilled from the doorway, matching the gloom of the passage behind him.

He sighed, steeling himself, and stepped inside.

It was quiet, peaceful, almost… anticlimactic.

He looked back. The door was closed, the lock different from the one he'd seen before.

The outer lock had been old and heavy.

This one was new, as if recently installed.

Unlike the mindscape, where he'd known everything was an illusion, this felt… real.

The subtle discrepancies between his expectations and reality unnerved him.

"So this is the Elysian Realm…"

He took a deep breath, pushing aside his unease. He couldn't turn back now.

He climbed the stairs. The dim light gave way to a warm, orange glow, like a luxurious hotel lobby, or a grand hall.

The Golden Courtyard. Magnificent.

He saw the strange, pulsating device at the far end of the hall.

A brightly lit corridor to his left, probably the lounge, large enough for a banquet.

A darker corridor to his right, presumably the archive.

Was Klein there?

Or somewhere in the "backstage" area?

The layout was similar to the game, but far grander, more spacious.

He glanced upwards. Another closed door on the second floor.

The familiarity eased his anxiety.

"Greetings, visitor. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The lounge door opened, and a slender man with long gray hair, his eyes closed, his face almost beautiful, walked out, his voice gentle.

No wonder King Arthur mistook him for a fairy, Lin Wei thought.

"It's an honor to meet you, pioneer," Lin Wei replied politely. Whether Flame-Chaser or pioneer, this man deserved respect.

"There's no need for formalities, visitor."

Su gestured for him to enter.

"I'm but a shadow of my former self, not a true pioneer. Please, call me Su."

His voice was calm and soothing, gentle yet dignified.

"My apologies for the intrusion," Lin Wei said with a smile, stepping into the legendary lounge where even Kevin had slurped noodles.

Su smiled, stepping aside, following him inside.

The door closed silently.

Warm light filled the spacious room, eliminating every shadow.

Rows of long sofas faced each other.

Sturdy chairs surrounded a massive banquet table. Lin Wei counted more than thirteen.

The table itself was a single slab of polished wood, seemingly simple, yet undeniably luxurious.

A large portrait of a beautiful woman hung on the wall—Eden. Lin Wei stared at it, memorizing her face.

Beneath the portrait, a cabinet displayed thirteen unique vessels, each radiating a different aura—warmth, playfulness, coldness, heat.

They seemed out of place in the cozy room, yet they belonged there.

Su led him to a seating area, and they sat down.

"I expected to be ambushed the moment I stepped inside," Lin Wei said, breaking the silence, acknowledging his unwelcome status.

"There's no need for concern, visitor—"

"Call me Lin Wei."

"My apologies. It's a habit. If you don't mind."

Su poured him a cup of tea. Lin Wei waved it away, assuring him he didn't mind.

Su smiled.

"As for your purpose here… you needn't worry. You have Hua and Kevin's permission. That's enough."

"...You're that casual about this? Do you understand the implications?"

Rin was the Herrscher of Corruption.

"Every action has a consequence. We reap what we sow. This is the natural order. We, the Flame-Chasers, exist here to guide those who follow. And this… rediscovered history, this past regret, should be resolved by those who lived it."

"We should be thanking you for this opportunity."

Lin Wei felt a twinge of guilt. He truly was a villain.

"It was just a casual remark. Now I feel like I'm intruding."

Su's expression remained calm.

"Everything is born from perception, especially here in the Elysian Realm. The moment we met, the outcome was predetermined. There's no need for guilt, visitor. Your arrival is not unwelcome. The Elysian Realm welcomes you."

He opened his hand, a Bodhi leaf twirling in his palm, then floating towards Lin Wei.

"If you seek answers from the past, take this gift. Follow its guidance. It will show you the path."

Lin Wei carefully accepted the leaf, storing it away.

"What should I do?"

"There's no need to ask, visitor. Simply follow your path."

That's not helpful at all!

Lin Wei wanted to yell at him, demand a straight answer, but Su's serene expression stopped him.

He remembered. This was the Elysian Realm.

Everyone spoke in riddles!

Su was just testing him.

Lin Wei gritted his teeth, frustrated.

"Then tell me where to go! Should I just turn around and leave?"

"This is my first time here! I need instructions! Is this a puzzle? Your tutorial is terrible!"

"There's no need to worry, visitor. Simply enter the device at the end of the hall. The path will reveal itself. Just follow it to the end."

"The end? Is there another Flame-Chaser waiting there?"

Sakura? Kalpas? Kevin? Aponia?

"Not quite. The other guest you brought is hiding within your memories. You need to use the device to find her. The Flame-Chasers will handle the rest."

Lin Wei's eyes narrowed. Handle?

"What are you planning to do with Rin?"

He hadn't brought her here to be tormented again!

If that was their plan, he would tear this place apart.

Kevin was absent. No one could stop him!

"I understand your concern, visitor. Rest assured, Sakura is waiting. And Kevin won't interfere this time. Nor will Kalpas allow anyone to disturb them."

"Does that ease your mind?"

Lin Wei nodded. It was a reassuring answer.

"Let's go."

He drained his teacup, stood up, and walked towards the device, reaching for the pulsating surface.

"All things are impermanent, subject to the cycle of cause and effect. Listen, feel, and observe as you journey, letting every step be a lesson. This is the Signets of [Bodhi]…"

A voice, distant and indistinct, like a dream, echoed in his mind.

He opened his eyes, looking around at the familiar landscape, speechless.

They really were making him grind Elysian Realm.

"Su, can you hear me? Say something."

He looked at the strange architecture, the rubble in the distance, the swirling information streams, the flickering figures, both living and dead, and felt a chill run down his spine.

He looked at the platform he stood on, the glowing portal at the other end, and couldn't help but complain.

The first floor was fine, no enemies.

But what about the second floor?

He didn't even get to choose his buffs!

This game was rigged.

(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻

"The Elysian Realm is a space woven from the memories of the Flame-Chasers. The trials within are journeys through their past, uncovering lost history."

Su's calm voice echoed in his mind.

"I'm not here for a trial!"

Lin Wei protested. This was serious! He could die!

"There's no need to worry, visitor. Simply travel through the intersections of their memories, reach the deepest point, and I will help you merge your own memories with this space. Then, you can help us rectify our past mistakes."

"So it is a trial?"

Lin Wei's voice was dry.

He didn't want this! He couldn't even handle the small fry!

"The Elysian Realm is a world of memory and perception. By entering, you become part of its reality. The path before you is not predetermined by the Flame-Chasers, but shaped by your own perception. A rather… novel approach."

Su explained the situation as gently as possible.

Lin Wei facepalmed. He understood.

His subconscious perception of the Elysian Realm had shaped its reality…

He'd screwed himself over.

He should have never played Honkai Impact 3rd!

That damn game ruined his life!

(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻

"So what now? You'll keep me safe, right, Su?"

He forced himself to calm down, asking the most important question first.

Reassured by Su's affirmation, he began to process the information.

"The intersections of their memories form paths, leading deeper into their past. And I just need to reach the deepest point, regardless of the path I choose, right?"

He glanced at the two ornate portals, wincing.

"Though not entirely accurate, given the unique circumstances and your… unconventional status, that interpretation is… acceptable."

Su's soothing voice calmed his nerves.

"Simply choose the path you believe is right. The end of the road is where your true self lies. May your journey be smooth and safe, visitor."

Then, silence.

Lin Wei waited, but Su didn't reappear to urge him forward. The tutorial was truly over.

I'm giving you a bad review! he thought, annoyed.

He had no choice but to move forward.

"Rin, are you there? Say something."

He tried to summon her, hoping to avoid the upcoming ordeal.

No response.

He could probably lure her out by promising to turn back.

But that would be cruel, adding salt to her wounds. He couldn't do that.

"Oh well, let's go."

He chose the left portal, his hand trembling slightly as he touched it.

A mechanical whirring sound. Darkness.

You're taking this game simulation too seriously, he thought.

Then, light. Another similar platform.

He cautiously took two steps forward. Safe.

He felt a warmth in his chest and pulled out the Bodhi leaf. It glowed gently, a comforting presence.

He smiled.

"Thanks, Su."

No response, as expected.

He ran towards the next portal. Another mechanical whir, another platform. Safe.

He relaxed, moving quickly now.

Fourth floor… fifth… eighth…

No boss, so he continued…

Tenth floor, the scenery changed. He pressed on…

Twelfth… fourteenth… sixteenth… seventeenth!

He kept count. If this was based on his memories of the game, the next portal should be…

He stopped, panting, his eyes fixed on the final portal, larger and more ornate than the previous ones.

In the game, this led to a boss fight, a Flame-Chaser.

But now…

He didn't rush in. He caught his breath, not wanting to appear too disheveled.

He had to maintain some decorum.

She was a lady, after all.

He rested for a few minutes, then composed himself, smoothing his hair, checking his expression.

He reached for the portal, a sense of anticipation building within him.

A flash of white light.

He opened his eyes and smiled.

Lush greenery, a clear mountain stream winding through a bamboo forest, a path leading to a village and a shrine.

Unexpected, yet… predictable.

He was back in Yae Village.