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

"RIN, don't be afraid. Your sister is here!"

The blue light, sharp as ice, yet gentle as water, held no killing intent.

The menacing black smoke faltered, then shrieked, retracting instantly, leaving behind only a small black box.

The dazzling blade of light vanished, revealing a pink-haired girl with fox ears, clad in blue armor. She flashed past the frozen Lin Wei and Yae Sakura, her gaze fixed on the small black box.

She drew her katana.

Lightning crackled as she slashed the box open, then vanished inside, following her sister.

Gone.

A gentle breeze stirred, birds began to sing, and the sun peeked over the horizon, casting its warm light upon the earth.

Time resumed its flow.

Yae Sakura stood there, her expression complex. In that fleeting moment, she had seen the fox-eared girl, almost identical to herself, her face a mirror image of her own.

Though she had sheathed her sword, her hand still gripped the hilt tightly, her knuckles white. She wanted to let go, but couldn't.

A bitter expression twisted her features – a mixture of tears and laughter, resentment and self-mockery, and finally, resignation. A whirlwind of emotions churned within her.

"If you can't let go, don't force yourself," Lin Wei's voice came from behind her.

Such a simple sentence released Yae Sakura from her inner turmoil.

"My apologies, I was… lost in thought," she said, composing herself and apologizing to Lin Wei. Then, with a sigh, "It's finally over…"

"Yes, it's finally over," Lin Wei echoed, sighing as well.

He had entered this situation alone, walking a tightrope between life and death. With nothing but his wits, he had navigated the treacherous currents of various factions, leveraging their interests against each other.

Everything had started because of this stigma.

Now, he had finally fulfilled his promise, reunited RIN with her sister, freed Yae Sakura from her nightmare, and ended this fifty-thousand-year-old grievance and five-hundred-year-old resentment. He had paid the price for his own selfish desires.

From now on, he could use the power of this stigma with a clear conscience.

*Heh, in the end, it was still for my own selfish desires…* Lin Wei shook his head wryly.

He pushed those thoughts aside and called out to Su mentally, wanting to know how things were on RIN's side. After a moment, he received a laconic "The situation is manageable." Su's usual calm tone betrayed no emotion.

According to their agreement, he only needed to find RIN. The rest was up to SAKURA.

*So, I'll just wait a bit…*

Lin Wei turned his attention back to the beautiful girl beside him, openly appraising her. Her demeanor had subtly shifted from their first meeting. Her gentle aura was now tempered with a sharp edge, the corners of her eyes slightly raised.

*Less like a shrine maiden, more like a warrior,* he thought.

Yae Sakura shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, particularly his focus on her ears.

"Mr. Lin Wei… is there something else?" There was a hint of warning in her voice. His stare was bordering on rude.

"Miss Yae Sakura, is this a reunion after a long absence, or our first meeting?" Lin Wei asked, a smile playing on his lips.

Yae Sakura was taken aback.

It was true. Before, she had been either a fragmented consciousness in a dream or an incomplete self.

Now, with the three aspects fully integrated, the true Yae Sakura had finally awakened.

So…

She briefly grappled with the philosophical question of "Who am I?"

She didn't dwell on it for long. After a moment of contemplation, she bowed respectfully. "It has been a long time, Mr. Lin Wei. Yae Sakura is eternally grateful…"

"You're welcome, Miss Yae Sakura. I promised to help you sever your nightmare. I believe I've kept my word."

Yae Sakura glanced at the corner where RIN had been hiding. It was empty now, no person, no black box, not even a scratch.

As if it had all been a dream.

She sighed, then composed herself and turned to Lin Wei. "Now that this matter is settled, do you have any other plans, Mr. Lin Wei?"

"Is it truly settled?" Lin Wei pressed, unwilling to let her deceive herself.

"…I can't bring myself to forgive her. I can't. I hate her. That monster destroyed everything – my home, my village, my life, everything I held dear… I can't forgive her…" Yae Sakura didn't hesitate for long. Her voice was hollow, her expression distant. "But I don't want to hate her either… In the end, she, like me, is just a victim of fate. Seeking revenge, what would it even achieve? A twisted fate… It's all meaningless…"

"I can't let go, but I can't hold on either… It's better to part ways, to become strangers."

With that, Yae Sakura turned and walked away without a second glance.

*How decisive,* Lin Wei thought, impressed. He smiled faintly and followed.

"It seems Miss Yae Sakura knows quite a lot."

Yae Sakura glanced at him, her voice returning to its usual cool tone. "After all, I am now one with you, Mr. Lin Wei, a single stigma. It's not surprising that I occasionally glimpse memories and experiences."

Lin Wei felt a twinge of annoyance. Why did this feel like being caught red-handed?

"Do you blame me, Miss Yae Sakura?"

Yae Sakura looked wistful, shaking her head silently.

The "future" had never felt so close, yet its uncertainty made her hesitate.

Compared to wandering alone, wounded and lost, perhaps dwelling in the past wasn't so bad, was it?

She felt a strange reluctance.

"Since you've seen my memories, Miss Yae Sakura, would you allow me to learn a little about your past?"

Yae Sakura snapped out of her reverie, giving Lin Wei a complex look. She understood his intention in interrupting her thoughts.

*Such a manipulative man…*

"My past is nothing worth mentioning. Just a wicked person who defied the gods and stained her hands with blood…" She instinctively resisted. Her past wasn't something she was proud of.

"That's rich, coming from someone like me… Come on, I want to hear it."

*This man…* She sighed. She owed him her life, after all. She gave him a resigned look and began to speak. "You already know most of what happened between Rin and me…"

Yae Sakura fell silent for a moment, gathering her thoughts before continuing. "Six months after that incident, my father passed away from illness… and I officially took over the duties of the Yae Shrine."

"Rin wanted me to be the best shrine maiden. I didn't want to disappoint her, so I diligently played the role. Over time, I gained the villagers' respect."

"However, the village continued to suffer from droughts. In times of famine, a young girl would be sacrificed to the gods to appease them, just like Rin… During those times, I would meticulously and dutifully carry out my responsibility to the village – to please the gods…"

"It must have been painful," Lin Wei interrupted, seeing the slight agitation in Yae Sakura's demeanor. He sensed her inner torment.

She loved this village, it was her home. Yet she hated the villagers for taking her family from her.

So, she sought revenge, mercilessly taking other people's daughters, using their blood, their lives, their cries, to mourn her sister.

"..." Yae Sakura was silent for a moment. Yes, each day had become more agonizing than the last.

This kind of revenge, like a drug, only brought momentary relief, followed by a deeper emptiness, feeding the demons within, making her life even more unbearable.

"Heh…" She gave a bitter laugh. Looking back, it was all so absurd.

"Then, I met Kallen…"

Lin Wei understood Yae Sakura's feelings.

Living here, surrounded by people she considered guilty, deserving of death…

When she was exhausted by the abyss of hatred, a foreign girl appeared in her world, the purest, most innocent, and most sacred being she had ever seen.

That girl, drifting downstream, was like a ray of light piercing the darkness, a lifeline that Yae Sakura clung to desperately.

She too yearned for redemption…

Coincidentally, for the weary Kallen, the girl who had saved her life became *her* lifeline.

Lin Wei sighed. *What a mess.*

He didn't interrupt, listening silently as the lonely girl poured out five hundred years of solitude. He owed her that respect.

"It truly was a twisted fate, wasn't it?" Yae Sakura concluded her story with Kallen, her tone self-deprecating.

She had never truly understood Kallen, just as Kallen had never understood the real her.

"Not at all. It was a bond forged in hardship…" Lin Wei consoled her. They were two parched fish clinging to each other for survival. How could that be a twisted fate?

But even fish who share the last drop of water must eventually part ways.

Yae Sakura sighed. She understood that too.

"Do you have any other plans, Mr. Lin Wei?" Now that the story was told, it was time to think about the future. She asked the same question as before.

"Would you be willing to join me, Miss Yae Sakura, and see this imperfect, yet real, world?" Lin Wei extended his invitation once more.

Yae Sakura looked at him, then chuckled. "My heart already belongs to Kallen, you know. It has for five hundred years."

Lin Wei laughed, unfazed. "And without your stigma, I wouldn't have much time left either! So don't mistake me for some noble hero. I never had good intentions."

Then, his voice turned wistful. "To this world, I'm a wanderer. And to this world, five hundred years in the future, you're homeless and adrift. Wandering in this strange world, you and I… are like two fish sharing the last drop of water, aren't we?"

Yae Sakura stopped, turning to face Lin Wei. Her eyes shone with a complex mix of emotions. She bowed deeply once more. "In that case, please take care of me, Lin Wei…"

This time, it felt like true redemption.

Such a gentle Lin Wei… how could he be the villain he claimed to be?

"The honor is mine," Lin Wei said, helping her up. He had never considered himself someone to rely on.

*Let's just be two fish sharing the last drop of water,* he thought.

When the time was right, if she wanted to leave, he would give her back her freedom.

They fell silent.

The agreement was fulfilled, but what else was there to talk about?

The awkward silence didn't last long. They both suddenly turned their attention to the same direction.

Two girls were walking slowly towards them.

The one in the lead was identical to Yae Sakura in appearance – the Elysian Realm's SAKURA.

Following behind her, head lowered, was the pink-haired girl with a high ponytail and red streaks – RIN.

SAKURA, hand in hand with RIN, stopped before them and bowed deeply to Lin Wei. "My deepest gratitude, Mr. Lin Wei, for reuniting me with my sister after fifty thousand years. I am eternally indebted to you for this great kindness…"

"I simply can't stand to see such unfortunate twists of fate. It was nothing, Miss SAKURA. You needn't be so formal."

SAKURA shook her head. She knew this was far from "nothing." Antagonizing a Herrscher was an incredibly dangerous undertaking.

Her respect for Lin Wei grew.

Then, she bowed to Yae Sakura. "I know that my sister's actions caused irreparable harm to you, Miss Yae Sakura, and I don't expect forgiveness for this transgression. I only wish you a brighter future and good fortune."

Yae Sakura glanced at the two girls, turning slightly away, unwilling to accept the apology. She looked at Lin Wei, silently indicating that he should handle this.

Before Lin Wei could speak, RIN stepped forward, stood before Yae Sakura, and bowed deeply. "I don't expect your forgiveness, but I must apologize. I'm sorry…"

Yae Sakura sighed, turning her face away, but didn't move aside.

After a long moment, RIN straightened up and walked over to Lin Wei.

She slapped him hard across the face.

"You bastard…" she hissed, her teeth gritted.

Then, her hand gently touched his reddened cheek, her voice softening. "Does it hurt?"

Lin Wei shook his head, a wry smile on his face. "I am a bastard, after all…"

"Hmph… You know it! Serves you right!" RIN's tears turned into laughter. She stood on tiptoe and hugged him tightly. "As an apology, I have a gift for you."

Lin Wei sighed, hugging her back, his voice tinged with sadness. "Have you decided?"

Yae Sakura glared at SAKURA, her eyes blazing. *What kind of sister are you, not even trying to stop her!*

SAKURA shook her head sadly, remaining silent.

RIN shook her head and glanced at Yae Sakura. "It's time to make things right. Otherwise, how can I honestly continue to hate those who hurt me all those years ago?"

"This is your home too. You can live here, in the Elysian Realm," Lin Wei tried one last time to dissuade her.

"No need. Being reunited with my sister is enough. As for the others… I don't want to see them. They disgust me…" RIN hugged Lin Wei tighter, her voice filled with sorrow. "I'm so tired. Fifty thousand years… I haven't slept well once. Truly… I'm so tired… And I don't want to watch civilization crumble before the Honkai again. Once was enough…"

Lin Wei stroked her soft hair. "Then sleep well. Catch up on all the sleep you've missed. When you've rested, when humanity has defeated the Honkai, when that beautiful future finally arrives… I'll come wake you up, and we'll start over, okay?"

"Do I… really have a future?"

Lin Wei gently pushed RIN back, looking into her eyes. "You do. I promise. Let's make a pact, okay?"

RIN looked at him for a long moment, then smiled through her tears, nodding slightly. She hugged him again. "You bastard. Don't lie to me. Don't you dare."

"Yeah, I'm a bastard… So don't give up on yourself. It's a promise."

"Mm…"

A gentle light enveloped them both.

After an unknown amount of time, Lin Wei regained consciousness. He was sitting in the Elysian Realm's lounge again, and Su was pouring him tea.

"Feeling better, visitor?"

*Was I dreaming?* Lin Wei's heart pounded. He jumped up and rushed out of the lounge.

Then, he stopped.

A pink-haired girl with fox ears and blue armor stood before the memory terminal, watching him with an expression of both sadness and relief.

A warmth spread through Lin Wei's chest. He turned slightly to his side.

A black box appeared out of thin air, floating playfully around him.

Just like RIN in his arms.

"This is RIN's gift to you, visitor. Don't feel burdened, don't grieve," Su said, walking over to him. "Please give it a name. Your twelfth Divine Key."

Lin Wei's throat tightened. After a long moment, he raised his hand, and the small black box settled obediently into his palm.

"Pandora," he whispered.

Pandora, the beautiful woman of Greek myth, molded in the image of a goddess, adorned by the goddess of love and beauty, and imbued with fragrance. The goddess of wisdom clothed her and granted her intelligence. She was a gift from the gods to all of humanity…

Now, with the box closed, she had finally returned to her most beautiful form.

…

Within the stigma space, a gentle rain fell on Yae Village under a bright, sunny sky.

In the soft rain, the world seemed more real, the colors more vibrant, the plants more lush, the flowers more fragrant.

The dilapidated Yae Village was gone, replaced by the beautiful image Yae Sakura had always dreamed of.

Lush fruit trees, teeming with life, a flowing river, and a prosperous Yae Village nestled against the mountain, with brick streets, stone walls, and tiled roofs, every household with ample food.

Yae Sakura strolled through the rain, crossing the sturdy wooden bridge, the reeds swaying gently by the clear river. She walked on, alone but not lonely.

She no longer needed to wait for anyone.

"I'm so sleepy… Where am I?" Beneath a sakura tree, a little girl in a festival kimono rubbed her sleepy eyes, looking around at the unfamiliar scenery.

"Little one, why are you here all alone?" Yae Sakura approached, holding an umbrella, her voice gentle.

"Ah… Sister…" The little girl's eyes lit up, then her voice became timid, as if she had done something wrong and was afraid of being punished. "I… I don't remember…"

Yae Sakura crouched down, looking at the little girl's cherry-colored hair with its streaks of red, gently wiping away her tears. She noticed the teardrop mole at the corner of her eye.

"Then… call me Sister. Let's live together, okay?"

"Okay!" The little girl's tears turned into a smile.

"Let's go home." Yae Sakura took the little girl's hand, tilting the umbrella to shield her from the gentle spring rain.

"Are you hungry? Is there anything you want to eat?"

"I want sakura mochi! And lots and lots of sweets! …Um, Sister, am I being too greedy?"

"Not at all. I'll make them for you when we get home. Anything else?"

"Um, no. What about you, Sister? Do you have any favorite foods?"

"Me? I don't have anything special at home, just a cup of warm water with honey. I'll pour you some when we get there…"

In the rain, the two figures, one tall and one small, walked slowly towards the heart of the alley.

Going home...