Making Honkai Impact lll In A World Where Kallen Exists [Continuation]

Vita instinctively touched her neck, feeling a chill as a wave of fear coursed through her. She couldn't help but exhale sharply.

She was lucky to have survived.

No wonder they could fight against the End.

She looked up at the sky, where the resplendent fireworks—the deadly inferno—engulfed everything.

The rain was burned away, and the rising steam turned upward, reversing its course and returning to the heavens. The divine punishment had been reversed.

The barrier couldn't withstand the blow. The moment it made contact, it shattered into fragments, along with the azure bird-like creatures descending from above. All were reduced to ashes in the fiery sea.

Kevin had already joined the frontline, leaving the communicator in Griseo's care. It was safest with her. Now, she anxiously watched the battle unfolding above.

The aftermath of the flames didn't spare Kalpas. As he charged recklessly forward, the shockwaves forced him to pause, crossing his arms to shield himself against the gusts, stepping back a few paces.

"Tch..."

He let out a low grunt, casting a wary glance at Kevin. Could this man truly wield the Judgment of Shamash so casually now?

But he said nothing.

Unless it directly harmed him, he would ignore it. Continuing his charge, Kalpas fixated on the target above.

Saha's enormous, serpent-like form coiled within the black void. Its gaze was indifferent, as if it had witnessed countless eons of stillness.

A faint phantom of a clock appeared, barely visible around its form.

"Clang—"

Everyone's ears rang with a resounding chime, their spirits momentarily shaken. The deep, booming sound reverberated across the entire world, heralding the countdown to divine judgment.

It was a warning and also the final declaration.

The deity would destroy everything, only to usher in a new beginning.

After seven chimes, all would cease to exist—a vow made in the name of the god.

"It seems we'll need to pick up the pace, won't we?~ It's said this is their most threatening move," a pink-haired girl remarked with a smile. She held a gorgeous pink bow, lightly notching an arrow between her fingers while observing the unfolding situation in the distance.

The pink light gathering at the arrowhead radiated a mysterious power, drawing Vita's cautious gaze.

"Hmm... In that case, Elysia, I'll go lend a hand as well," Fu Hua said with a quick glance toward Elysia before nodding slightly.

Her figure blurred, and in an instant, a clear, melodic phoenix cry echoed as she transformed into a crimson bird. She ascended rapidly, leaving a trail of radiant red light behind, catching up to Kevin and flying upward into the sky.

(TL/C: Cheese, three Flame warriors. Guess the name Flame-Chasers was for nothing)

"Sister Hua… has gotten stronger too," Griseo murmured softly as she watched her silhouette.

"Oh dear, am I being left out?~ Now that I think about it, their flame-based powers don't easily harm one another… Ah, my apologies—I probably misspoke. Kevin, despite being so prominent, tends to get overlooked, doesn't he?"

Elysia playfully remarked but quickly backtracked, scratching her cheek in slight embarrassment.

White mist began spreading through the air as a thick ice bridge materialized, stretching all the way to the heavens. There was no doubt it wasn't naturally formed.

Kevin stood with his eyes half-closed as ice coalesced beneath his feet.

The scene resembled an ice age, utterly altering the environment. The "waterfall" once flowing from the black void was now frozen solid, hanging like an inverted icicle.

Compared to the earlier flames, the current icy display was even more striking.

Above, Sa's form showed no indifference. The green, birdlike beasts sent to attack were torn apart by a fiery figure, scattering into fragments of energy. Sa's cold gaze locked onto the grotesque entity below.

Sa—The Mind of Three Temptations.

Its black, shadowed eyes evoked a chilling fear. Its pale complexion resembled that of a long-deceased being, and its divine manifestation was far from beautiful—an abominable, bloated monstrosity.

Like a human figure sprouting from a floral stalk, only its upper body was visible. Its sleeves unfurled like blooming petals, adorned with densely packed black patterns that created an unsettling, eerie spectacle, more sinister than majestic.

Two smaller replicas of Sa accompanied it, mimicking its actions and abilities, making the scene even more bizarre.

Its lower body extended downward as a massive, white tentacle laced with grotesque, flower-like structures, dotted with ominous, eye-like formations.

It growled deeply, emitting invisible waves of sound.

It pressed forward relentlessly, unleashing countless energy beams from its sides. Blackish-purple corruption twisted and shattered the ice as the beams converged.

"Get out of my way!"

Kalpas fought ferociously on the ice, gripping Sa's massive arm with both hands and exerting all his strength in an attempt to tear it apart.

Sa howled in agony. The surrounding energy beams grew denser, only to be intercepted by a fiery red bird.

Compared to Kalpas, the phoenix's flames were gentler yet imbued with vitality, excelling at defense and delay.

Victory lies beyond failure.

Now, 50,000 years later, Fu Hua had risen to the upper echelon of the strongest Flame-Chasers.

She appeared in her full glory, deflecting every incoming attack with fluid, precise movements. With one arm extended forward in a punch and the other poised behind, she neutralized all of Sa's assaults.

"Break!"

With a low exhale, she shattered the gathered corruption in an instant.

Sa's attempt to destroy the ground was completely thwarted.

Meanwhile, Kalpas struggled, pouring all his strength into the battle. Despite his full force, Sa's immense size rendered his efforts only partially effective, leaving mere scorch marks on its form.

"Damn it," Kalpas muttered, wiping the blood from his hands. The warm-up round had been satisfying, but the entity's high resistance to fire and sheer physical strength meant he couldn't tear its arm off.

"Ha ha ha ha! Come on—let's go again!"

This time, he concentrated all his flames into his fists, charging a powerful punch directly into Sa's body. The fire exploded within its form, causing smoke to seep from its mouth and eliciting a pained roar.

"Dong—Dong—"

Two rapid chimes echoed, but their origin wasn't the icy battleground.

It seemed Sa, feeling its energy being rapidly depleted, had grown desperate.

Fu Hua and Kalpas frowned in unison, turning their gazes upward.

This place… wasn't the real body. After all, the chimes hadn't originated here.

Before they could react further, two massive, charged purple beams shot down from the heavens—one aimed at Kevin as he continued his ascent, and the other targeting Kalpas and Fu Hua.

The beams carried unparalleled destructive force, their energy condensed to an extraordinary degree.

"...Hmph." Kevin remained unfazed by the beam in front of him, continuing his deliberate steps upward. Each step seemed to resonate with the rhythm of the surrounding space.

Something within him was beginning to change.

Before arriving, he had already made his decision.

To embrace the most destructive form of human collapse.

(TL: oh no hohoho~)

Blue white wings gradually sprouted from his back, their black skeletal frame radiating an ominous aura. The milky white horns on his head slowly extended, and his clothes were torn apart by the growing surge of power. His hands were no longer human but had transformed into sharp claws.

His pupils also underwent a transformation. He tilted his head back to gaze at the heavens, staring at the colossal form still looming faintly in the darkness. Raindrops that fell near him evaporated into mist almost instantly.

The energy beam froze in mid-air, suspended in its path in the form of pure energy.

It is said that Divine Key: Judgment of Shamash is a lethal weapon for others, but for Kevin, it was merely a tool to balance his body temperature—a trivial implement he could wield at will.

The humans of the Previous Era had poured every ounce of their effort into forging it as Kevin's exclusive weapon. Yet, Kevin's most powerful attack had nothing to do with it.

The other beam arrived with astounding speed, so fast that Kalpas, having just unleashed his charged strike on the monster before him, couldn't evade it.

Fu Hua assumed a Tai Chi stance with both hands, preparing to forcibly intercept the beam.

But they still had another companion.

On Vita's side, Elysia quietly released her fingers, and the translucent arrow seemed to pierce through space itself, striking the very tip of the incoming beam.

Fast—too fast.

Unanticipated, as Elysia's bow once again conjured another arrow, its light aimlessly pointed upward, the beam near Kalpas and Fu Hua's location transformed into a crystalline purple flower.

There was no time to admire its beauty before it exploded with a deafening boom.

The front third of the beam was entirely converted into dazzling crystals. The fragments fell in a stunning shower, refracting seven-colored light as they drifted down like a celestial rain of flowers.

After smashing through the crystal-laden path, the beam that remained had diminished to a faint wisp, now so small and fragile it sent chills through one's heart.

"Hmph—it's that woman."

Kalpas casually dispelled the last remnants of the attack, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes. The opponent's control over her powers had grown increasingly precise, striking with just the right amount of force. What a pity—he wondered what it would feel like to face her head-on.

That damned woman. In all their battles, he hadn't even grazed her clothing.

With a single simple arrow, she had easily neutralized the enemy's attack from afar.

Vita's brow twitched wildly as she watched the girl walking beside her. To think she had believed the girl wasn't adept at combat…

"Hmm?~ But it seems I'll have to step in soon. So high up~ I wonder what Vill-V would do in this situation?"

Elysia adjusted her bangs, glanced up at the location of the god above, and smiled. In a flash, she leapt upward, using the icy bridge Kevin had created to ascend rapidly toward the deity in the heavens.

Her agile figure evaded the attacks of airborne creatures. When the path ended, she fired arrows at her feet, creating crystalline flowers beneath her to continue her advance.

Occasionally, she unleashed several arrows at the shadow in the black void above. After all… it would be rude not to return the favor.

Within the black void, flashes of purple light flickered. Large chunks of crystal fell from above, accompanied by a cold, disdainful voice from Sa and an intensified barrage of attacks.

"You mortals… deserve annihilation!"

Meanwhile, Fu Hua and Kalpas accelerated their assault. Fu Hua masterfully wove together various martial techniques, landing precise strikes on the monstrous foe.

Kalpas, on the other hand, appeared utterly frenzied, recklessly hammering fiery pillars into the creature's body without concern for energy consumption. His relentless assault left the monster's body charred and tattered. At times, he even ignored Fu Hua's position, letting the shockwaves of his attacks engulf her as well.

The creature's once pallid face now glowed red from burns, its body covered in dense, scorched marks.

Finally, it relented. The white tentacles retreated, dragging themselves and the three smaller creatures atop them back toward the black void in the sky.

The four warriors pursued without hesitation, each in their unique way, showing no signs of retreat.

-----

In the observation cabin of the Ark, two figures were watching the distant scene.

Vita sighed, "Terrifying, isn't it? See, see—Sa's being beaten down so one-sidedly~"

"Hmm… It feels like Brother Kalpas's strength has weakened. Why is that? The other three seem the same as I remember…"

"And speaking of which, neither Aunt Elysia nor Brother Kalpas's appearances have changed. But Sister Hua and Uncle Kevin… no, wait—why haven't they changed after all this time?"

Griseo pondered deeply, staring at the closing black void in the sky. Though she trusted her companions' strength, a faint worry crept into her heart.

"Oh my, I have no idea~ You should ask them yourself later."

"Hmm… you're right. What Uncle Kevin gave me, though… it feels like something Sister Vill-V made. Oh, there's an infinity symbol on it too—maybe it's a joint creation of the two of them?"

"I wouldn't know~ But I did see them using the communicator earlier. Why don't you try it?" Vita suggested while lazily looking up at the sky, her finger tracing random patterns in the air.

"Hmm…" Griseo tilted her head, hesitantly pressing one of the buttons. The device was relatively simple, with only a few options to choose from.

Given her trust in her companions, Vill-V had always designed devices for Kevin or Kalpas to be straightforward, durable, and resistant to heat and cold.

Though the situation was critical, why was she still unharmed?

…Were they still treating her like a child?

As Griseo pressed the button, a faint static sound came through. Despite calamities, flooding, and extreme cold, the device's quality proved reliable.

"Griseo, don't listen to your Aunt Elysia's nonsense. You can call me 'sister' or even 'aunt,' but…"

Hurriedly, she only caught the voice of Grandma Mobius amidst the sounds of rummaging, as though someone had hastily snatched the device from someone else.

"But don't call me—"

"It's been a while, Grandma Mobius." Griseo's eyes lit up. Even hearing just her voice, she instantly recognized who it was.

Despite Mobius's poor reputation—often painted as a devilish figure in records Griseo had read—she regarded Mobius as a good elder in her heart.

Though Aponia often warned her to stay away from Mobius, Kosma and Grandma Mobius would equally advise her to avoid Aponia.

How odd…

Even now, she couldn't understand their relationship. Everyone's colors were so beautiful, after all.

"Grandma…" She hadn't finished speaking when Mobius's tone turned icy, followed by the sound of teeth grinding.

"Damn it, damn it, Ely-si-a!"

Though Mobius's voice carried annoyance, Griseo was certain she would be fine.

A faint gloom clouded Griseo's expression as she casually tossed the communicator toward Vill-V. Kosma seemed intrigued, while Aponia quietly reached out her hand. Vill-V naturally, wouldn't refuse.

Unexpectedly, all three reached for it simultaneously, knocking it aside. It ended up landing in Pardo's hands.

Pardo blinked, glanced around at her companions, and hesitated briefly before picking it up.

"Uh… hehe, long time no see, Griseo. Have you missed me? Do you still have the lucky coin I gave you?"

"Eh? It's Sister Pardo! Sorry, after the Ark crashed, I haven't seen it again…"

"Oh, no worries, no worries! I'll just give you another one."