Star Rail Impostor! - 421 - 430

Star Rail Impostor! - 421

--+--

Seeing little Silver Wolf so unwilling to open up made Bai Ming sigh.

Clearly, the rebellious phase had hit. She wasn't even willing to chat about something this important.

Sigh. The tiny, adorable, clingy little Bronya of the past was truly gone forever.

"Forget it. If you don't want to talk, then don't. I'll go ask them myself."

Silver Wolf wasn't sure if she felt disappointed or relieved, but her shoulders relaxed as she nodded.

"Mm. Then I'll wait for you at home. Bye-bye."

Silver Wolf gave a wave and took the initiative to hang up the call.

Then, staring at her phone screen, she suddenly collapsed into the palm of Project Bunny and let out a long, heavy sigh.

"...I failed to say it again."

Silver Wolf felt a bit dejected. She had actually decided where she wanted to go a long time ago.

She wanted to go find her sister, Bai Ming.

Despite working hard for several years, she hadn't managed to max out her level, but there really wasn't anything left in Punklorde worth challenging anymore.

The main reason she had stayed here all this time was that she knew what Bai Ming had been busy with these past few years.

Silver Wolf couldn't help with that particular matter; she could only wait, just like everyone else.

Now that Bai Ming was back, Silver Wolf naturally wanted to go find her. Yet, before she could even set out, the Stellaron Hunters had come knocking on her door, inviting her to join.

To Silver Wolf, if this had been a few years ago when Bai Ming was busy, she probably would have joined just to try it out. But now that Bai Ming was back, why on earth would she join the Stellaron Hunters?

On that point, Elio had plenty to say.

If Bai Ming hadn't suddenly popped over to Punklorde to personally give Silver Wolf a 'cheat code,' Silver Wolf wouldn't have grown so explosively over these past few years. And she certainly wouldn't be so fixated on Bai Ming.

Elio couldn't exactly waltz in and invite a ten-year-old kid to become a universal fugitive.

Unfortunately, because Bai Ming was involved, Elio couldn't see clearly what needed to be done to get Silver Wolf to join the Stellaron Hunters.

As for Silver Wolf herself...

Perhaps her strength was still average and her sister didn't "need" her, but she could at least help with the work, right? Like Celestial Sparrow Entertainment, that entertainment conglomerate Bai Ming had reportedly built from the ground up.

Silver Wolf felt that place suited her perfectly.

The only downside was that the headquarters for Celestial Sparrow Entertainment was in the Xianzhou Alliance, and Bai Ming didn't usually stay there.

However, the biggest problem wasn't whether she could stay close to Bai Ming. It was that Silver Wolf had never been able to tell Bai Ming that she wanted to find her and follow her.

The rebellion and the shortness of words she displayed in front of Bai Ming were mostly because she was too embarrassed to speak, leaving silence as her only refuge.

While Bai Ming knew Silver Wolf had always been stubborn, she had, after all, known the girl when she was tiny—she had even seen her acting spoiled. She’d even given her the name Bronya.

Consequently, the current Bai Ming found it hard to reconcile the "stubborn hacker" image with the girl she once knew. She simply assumed Silver Wolf was going through a rebellious phase.

"Stellaron Hunters, huh? Sounds pretty cool, honestly. Too bad I'm not going with you."

In her heart, Silver Wolf felt the Stellaron Hunters suited her; she wasn't exactly a rule-follower, after all. 

But unfortunately, she was still waiting for her first-choice admission. This "second choice" would just have to wait in line.

--+--

Meanwhile.

Bai Ming sent a message to Jingliu, something she hadn't done in a while, asking for their current location.

After getting the exact coordinates, Bai Ming headed straight to Punklorde and met up with the Stellaron Hunters who were temporarily staying there: Jingliu, Kafka, and Elio—the black cat.

Bai Ming raised a hand to greet Jingliu and Kafka, then reached out to rub Elio’s feline head before asking, "...You guys haven't recruited anyone new these past few years?"

Hearing this, Elio rubbed his face helplessly.

"How am I supposed to recruit? Bronya is unwilling to join right now. Firefly isn't even going by that name yet; she's off fighting the Swarm in Glamoth. And Yingxing is even more ridiculous—he's currently acting as the High Elder on the Luofu. Who else am I supposed to recruit?"

Bai Ming blinked in surprise. "Without those three, there are no other suitable candidates?"

"...If they were that easy to find, would I be sitting here moping?"

Bai Ming looked at Elio, an eyebrow arching. "I don't know, you don't look all that mopey to me."

Finished with Elio, Bai Ming turned her gaze toward Jingliu and Kafka. "How have you two been? It feels like your bounties haven't gone up much lately."

Jingliu managed a rare smile and nodded. "Not bad. Jing Yuan took on an apprentice recently. I found an opportunity to meet the boy a while back, so I haven't been doing many missions."

As for Kafka, she shrugged with an air of nonchalance. "Same as always, just getting by. But Elio's operations have definitely slowed down lately. I feel like I'm starting to grow mold from the boredom."

Kafka stretched lazily, leaning back against the sofa as she looked at Bai Ming.

"Little Bronya should be interested in us, but it seems she'd rather follow you, which is why she rejected us. Though, she’d grow much faster if she joined the Stellaron Hunters."

Bai Ming, however, looked bewildered.

She wanted to follow her? But she’d never said a word about it.

"Follow me? Bronya?"

Kafka blinked, exchanging a look with Jingliu before asking back, "You didn't know? That's how she turned us down. I thought you came here today to take her with you."

"..."

Bai Ming shook her head.

She had been wondering where little Silver Wolf intended to go.

She’d considered everywhere else but never imagined the girl wanted to follow her. But wasn't Silver Wolf in a rebellious phase?

This felt more like she had become a 'tsundere.' Didn't she know that trope was out of style?

"I was actually sent by her to persuade you all to leave. But if she chooses to follow me... it’s a bit of a waste of her talent."

It wasn't that Bai Ming didn't like Silver Wolf. She was actually quite happy that the girl wanted to choose her.

The problem was her Aether Editing ability. Even the original version was incredibly potent, let alone this upgraded version.

Furthermore, Silver Wolf wasn't a scholar. If she were, introducing her to Screwllum would be great. But Silver Wolf was a hacker; she was powerful in the digital realm, but she didn't do research.

Screwllum wasn't exactly a specialist in network security either.

To be honest, having Silver Wolf stay by her side would be a waste of those abilities.

Placing her in Celestial Sparrow Entertainment didn't feel right either—loving games didn't mean she’d love developing them.

Besides, while Celestial Sparrow was technically under her banner, Qingque did all the heavy lifting with help from the Luofu.

The day-to-day operations had nothing to do with Bai Ming, and that likely wasn't the result Silver Wolf wanted.

The Land of Light was big enough for Silver Wolf to run wild in, but given their moral standards, the girl would probably be miserable there.

And in the worst-case scenario, she couldn't exactly send Silver Wolf to Glamoth to find Reveria.

"Whatever... if she wants to follow me, so be it. Elio, don't expect me to help you talk her into joining. Though, I suspect once she gets bored, she'll come find you herself."

Bai Ming ran through the options again and still couldn't find a perfect fit for Silver Wolf.

With her free-spirited nature and way of doing things, she was naturally suited for an organization that didn't play by the rules.

"Meow~"

Elio didn't speak, but Kafka suddenly said with a smile, "Speaking of which, why can't we just be your organization, Bai Ming? That way, little Bronya joining us would be perfectly natural."

Elio’s eyes went wide as he stared at Kafka.

"???"

His eyes were filled with shock and confusion, as if he were trying to figure out what on earth possessed Kafka to say that.

Jingliu thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. "That would affect Bai Ming’s reputation. Let's not."

"..."

Elio looked at Jingliu, utterly speechless.

Was the reason for rejection really just a fear of dragging down Bai Ming’s prestige?

Could you maybe worry about the integrity of the Stellaron Hunters as an organization first?

We’re a perfectly good Finality organization turning into a faction of Elation—does that look right to you?

But then again...

Elio suddenly turned back to Bai Ming. "Now that I think about it... you have that cloning ability, don't you?"

"?"

Bai Ming looked at the sudden questioning from Elio, feeling like the guy was up to no good. "What of it?"

"Why don't you send a 'Persona' over here to help out? I'm seriously short-handed. I’ve only got two people; I can't even get a three-man cell together for missions."

As he spoke, Elio used his cat body to zip up onto Bai Ming’s shoulder.

"Look at Jingliu—a dignified High Cloud Quintet veteran, and she’s worked so hard she has dark circles under her eyes! Do you have no heart?!"

"..."

Jingliu pointed at herself in confusion, but before she could react, Kafka stood up with a grin. She picked up a small brush and, right in front of Bai Ming, painted dark circles under Jingliu’s eyes. She then casually painted some on herself as well. It was a bold, blatant display.

Elio even pointed to his own cat head. "Even I’m about to drop dead from overwork. Look at how dark my eyes are—they're practically charcoal."

Bai Ming was so frustrated she started laughing. "You’re a black cat! You’re black everywhere!"

She reached up, grabbed Elio by his feline head, and tossed him away with a flick of her wrist.

"Meow—!"

With a pathetic yowl, Elio was thrown into the gap between the sofa cushions, struggling to wiggle out.

Bai Ming looked at the fellow with exasperation, then at Kafka. Kafka was usually such a dignified person—how did she become so shameless?

Still, despite the annoyance, Bai Ming had always been curious about Elio’s scripts and exactly when the Trailblazer joined the Stellaron Hunters.

At this point, a single Persona wasn't a big deal anyway.

It was a grand tradition of the Elation; Aha didn't even know how many masks they had tossed out into the world. If Bai Ming didn't send a few clones out to cause trouble, it felt like something was missing.

Yeah, leaving a Persona here seemed like a good idea. As for the appearance... she could mold it into "Big Bronya"—specifically, her Silverwing: N-EX form.

Maybe she could even give Welt a good scare.

--+--

Star Rail Impostor! - 422

--+--

Having made her decision, Bai Ming carefully visualized the appearance of Bronya: Silverwing in her mind.

She considered every detail, from the original design to several of her different outfits. Drawing from these mental images, Bai Ming raised her hand and made a grasping motion in front of her face.

A blue mask materialized in her palm.

With a casual flick, she tossed the mask to her side. It erupted in a brilliant blue radiance, the light rapidly condensing into a human form.

Before long, a figure strikingly similar to an adult Silver Wolf appeared before everyone.

She had those familiar silver-grey curls, but her height and figure were easily on par with the likes of Kafka. Her features were more mature, too.

Clad in a dark-toned dress with a wing-like cape draped over her right shoulder, the image she projected was one of unparalleled beauty.

To be honest, Bai Ming had initially considered using Haxxor Bunny, as that version's size and abilities were a closer match.

But compared to a child, Bai Ming felt a taller, more curvaceous build was better—at least it looked more sophisticated.

Silverwing took a moment to inspect her new body from a first-person perspective. She then turned her gaze toward Jingliu, who was currently busy prying Elio out from the cracks in the sofa.

"What do you think? I'll use this look as a Stellaron Hunter."

Elio, having been successfully "uprooted" from the sofa by Jingliu, let out a meow of approval.

Kafka, ever bold, stepped closer to inspect her new companion. "And what should we call this version of you, Madam Bai Ming?"

"Bronya: Silverwing. You can just call me Silverwing for short."

Kafka arched an eyebrow. It was a strange name, but as a nickname, Silverwing worked well enough.

Bai Ming performed a quick calibration of the link between this persona and her true self, setting the power levels accordingly. Once she felt everything was in order, she left the clone behind and departed.

As for Elio—well, even if things hadn't gone exactly to plan, he had still managed to recruit a top-tier teammate.

Not wanting to waste any more time, Elio turned and led the group away from Punklorde.

On the other side of things...

Silver Wolf had spent some time nervously tidying up her room. Finally, the figure she had been longing for so very long appeared.

Initially, Silver Wolf felt a sudden impulse to rush forward, throw her arms around her sister, and act like a total brat. But she had grown up, after all. A sense of bashfulness made her freeze; her arms stayed down, and her half-step forward halted mid-motion.

"Cough... You—how'd you just walk in like that?"

Seeing Silver Wolf acting so coy, Bai Ming chuckled. She didn't say a word, simply walking over to pull Silver Wolf into a proactive hug, affectionately ruffling her hair.

"It's just us here. What’s there to be embarrassed about?"

Her face pressed into Bai Ming’s chest, Silver Wolf felt the soft warmth and the gentle, clean fragrance of her sister. Her face flushed a deep crimson instantly.

Yet, beyond the shyness, she truly missed her sister’s embrace.

Over the past few years, Bai Ming had sent clones to visit her, but a clone was just a clone.

Silver Wolf was a practitioner of Elation herself; in her eyes, there was always a fundamental difference between a projection and the real thing.

And now, she was finally face-to-face with the real Bai Ming...

Silver Wolf’s nose crinkled, and she nearly shed a few "little pearls."

She tried to squirm a couple of times, but when she couldn't break free from Bai Ming’s hold, the strength in her hands faded. She carefully wrapped her arms around Bai Ming in return.

She pressed her face deeper into Bai Ming’s embrace. A few stray tears escaped, leaving traces of warmth and moisture against Bai Ming’s skin.

"Heh..."

Bai Ming gently stroked Silver Wolf's hair, rubbing her back with a soothing rhythm.

Yeah, little Silver Wolf is still as cute as ever.

Sure, she was going through a bit of a rebellious phase, but overall, she was the same adorable girl she’d always been.

"I’ve already convinced the Stellaron Hunters to head back. However, they did mention what Bronya was thinking."

"Guh—"

Buried in Bai Ming’s arms, Silver Wolf went completely stiff. Internally, she cursed those two women for selling her out so easily, but outwardly, she couldn't find the words to speak.

She felt a wave of shame—not because of her feelings, but because she hadn't voiced them herself; instead, Bai Ming had found out this way.

Bai Ming could feel the smooth skin of the girl's cheek heating up against her.

But Silver Wolf wasn't that same little girl anymore.

Ashamed as she was, staying huddled in someone's arms felt even more childish. Despite the lingering panic in her eyes, she pulled herself away from the hug.

"I want to go with you, Sister. I don't want to go to the IPC, and I don't want to join the Stellaron Hunters."

Silver Wolf stared intently into Bai Ming’s eyes. She had a "sink or swim" look about her, but at least she had finally spat out what was on her mind.

"Are you sure you want to follow me? Your growth rate might slow down quite a bit."

Bai Ming wasn't lying. She wasn't exactly a fan of conflict; if Silver Wolf stayed with her, there probably wouldn't be many adventures to use for "leveling up."

Silver Wolf did hesitate. Thanks to her experiences before being taken in, she struggled with a lack of security.

While Bai Ming’s intervention had helped significantly, Silver Wolf’s current drive to get stronger was now fueled by a desire to "keep up with Sister Bai Ming."

For a Silver Wolf who hadn't hit max level yet, slowing down her progress was a legitimate concern. But then again...

She wanted to get stronger so she could stay by Bai Ming’s side. She could hardly abandon being by Bai Ming's side just for the sake of getting stronger, right? Silver Wolf wasn't about to get her priorities backward.

After a moment’s thought, she nodded seriously. "I'm sure."

"Alright then. Come with me, Bronya."

Bai Ming smiled and patted Silver Wolf’s head. Come to think of it, had this version of Silver Wolf already provoked Herta and Screwllum?

In the original game's plot, Silver Wolf had challenged Screwllum and taunted Herta right at the start of her career. Now that Silver Wolf was her "younger sister," she wondered if that would still happen.

"But even though you're coming with me, I don't have that much for you to do. So if there's anything you want to do, you're free to go do it whenever. Just remember to come back."

"I know." Silver Wolf nodded in agreement.

She actually had quite a few things on her to-do list once she left with Bai Ming.

For instance, she wanted to head to Amphoreus to find Cipher and that pet that was as black as a lump of coal. She also wanted to challenge the ruler of Planet Screwllum.

Then there was the matter of visiting Planarcadia to discuss technical issues with Pearl.

Actually, she had even tried to hack into the Land of Light to taunt that weird Divine Herta. 

Unfortunately, she didn't succeed and ended up getting a bit of a "lesson" from her instead.

Even though Silver Wolf had been on Punklorde all these years, it didn't mean her activities were limited to the planet; she just hadn't discussed the details with Bai Ming.

In the end, Bai Ming brought Silver Wolf back to the Space Station.

Originally, Bai Ming thought about letting Silver Wolf go to Amphoreus first to meet Cipher. The two had been on decent terms ever since they caused that massive stir in Punklorde. 

However, Silver Wolf had apparently missed Bai Ming too much; she refused to leave and insisted on sticking to her like glue.

This led to Herta, upon discovering them, mocking her for being a "little tag-along."

It was a well-known fact that Herta had a sharp tongue and a small ego. It was also a well-known fact that Silver Wolf had a bit of a temper.

Consequently...

Silver Wolf, taunted by Herta, went "Red Mode" on the spot. Without a second word, she began an all-out hack of the Herta Space Station, vowing to steal every single Curio in the station’s collection!

Now, Herta wasn't about to take that lying down. Even if the Curios were things Herta had long grown bored of, it didn't mean she’d tolerate being provoked by a brat.

If Silver Wolf hadn't been brought back by Bai Ming, Herta might have used some "adult methods" to retaliate.

Bai Ming hadn't expected this.

These two, who shouldn't have had any overlap yet unlike the game, were now locked in a digital duel because of her. It was as if they were fundamentally incompatible.

Setting aside their technical skills, their verbal sparring was just as intense; they were ruthlessly sniping at each other. Bai Ming was exhausted just watching them.

On the other hand, Screwllum—who was technically supposed to be Silver Wolf’s rival—showed up after hearing the news and began observing Silver Wolf's methods with great interest.

"Is this the child you took in on Punklorde?"

"...It wasn't exactly 'taking her in,' just providing a bit of help."

"Fascinating technique. And the hacking skills this Miss Bronya employs are quite different from the norm. Is this the fabled upgraded Aether Editing?"

Screwllum was getting excited; he wanted to test Silver Wolf’s level himself.

When it came to hacking, Silver Wolf was the real deal. If Herta didn't resort to other means and stuck purely to a hacking contest, she really couldn't beat Silver Wolf.

However...

The one who struck before Screwllum could was Divine Herta, who had also caught wind of the situation. Herta always held a grudge, and Divine Herta was no exception.

Even though Silver Wolf had come out on the losing end of their previous encounter, it didn't mean Divine Herta had forgotten the slight. Seeing an opportunity, she dove back into the fray.

As for Silver Wolf...

She was in high spirits, looking ready to go for three hundred rounds. She was completely immersed in the network, having forgotten where she even was.

Bai Ming had little interest in hacking tech. Seeing the three of them so obsessed and realizing this wouldn't end anytime soon, she turned to the robot.

"Screwllum, I’ll have to trouble you to keep an eye on them."

"Leave it to me. This is a wonderful observation opportunity regardless."

Screwllum gave a slight nod, signaling for Bai Ming to leave without worry.

Bai Ming didn't go far. She just found some snacks on the Space Station to satisfy her cravings while taking a moment to pull some cards.

--+--

[Roleplay System]

[Name: Bai Ming]

[Lifespan: ∞]

[Transformable Characters: Big Herta, Celenova, Jingliu, Ruan Mei, Sparkle, Hertatomb, Lord Ravager - Jingliu, Young Herta, Robin, Artoria, Cipher, Georios, General of the Yuque - Qingque, Huohuo, Silver Wolf, Hysilens, Cyrene - Fuli (Charge: 46.5%), Acheron (Charge: 21.3%), Calypso (Charge: 1.8%)]

[Available Pulls: 21 (92.6%)]

--+--

It hadn't been long since her last roleplay ended.

However, thanks to the Simulated Universe, her emotion points had surged quite a bit.

Bai Ming silently commanded a pull.

Accompanied by the familiar gacha animation, a figure emerged from the golden glow of the Astral Express door. It was a girl with a white and purple theme, her eyes shimmering with stars.

"Holy crap... How did I pull Finality? Is that even in the pool?!"

--+--

Star Rail Impostor! - 423

--+--

Bai Ming wore a look of pure confusion.

She had pulled a mountain of random characters before, but this was the first time she’d ever landed a character card that didn't belong to the Star Rail studio.

And it was that Finality form, of all things.

What was the deal with that?

Did the system decide to expand the gacha pool just because Mr. Yang had finally made it to the Astral Express?

She had only just finished pretending to be Finality a little while ago, and now here she was with the real deal.

Kiana’s appearance didn't differ all that much from her own to begin with; if she actually used this card, anyone who wasn't close to her probably wouldn't even realize she was roleplaying someone else.

Then again...

If she’d known she could pull Kiana, she would’ve waited until she had the card before going off to scare Mr. Yang. Since she’d already played that prank, doing it again now wouldn't have the same impact.

"Am I really going to have to go looking for the Solar System?" she wondered.

She had previously managed to get the coordinates from Himeko regarding where Welt and Void Archives had been picked up.

Even though Welt wasn't familiar with this side of the cosmos and couldn't tell her exactly where he’d been drifting from, she could still find clues through the power of Remembrance.

By tracing backward from that location through the currents of memory, there was an eighty percent chance she’d find the wormhole that spat out Welt and Void Archives.

According to Welt, they had arrived via a Stargate—essentially a stabilized wormhole.

However, they hadn't emerged from another gate on this side. It seemed to be a one-way street.

Stargates, as a means of long-distance warp travel, were rare in these parts.

The main reason was that compared to Stargates—which required immense effort to stabilize and constant resources to maintain—the Star Rail tracks laid down by the Nameless back in the day were undoubtedly cheaper, safer, and more convenient.

Consequently, Stargates around here were mostly relegated to textbooks, used for teaching subjects related to wormholes and spatial mechanics.

On Welt’s side, they likely relied on Stargates simply because the influence of Aeons and Paths hadn't reached them yet. They didn't have much of a choice.

Although the wormhole that delivered Welt and his companion had closed once the trip was over, it wasn't a huge deal.

If it had existed, it had left a mark. Following those tracks would surely lead somewhere.

"I’ll just go say hi to Kiana when the time comes," Bai Ming plotted. "Hehe, grown-up Kiana still has quite the charm, doesn't she?"

She turned her gaze toward Herta and Silver Wolf, who were still locked in their petty squabble.

The two of them were so busy competing that they hadn't even noticed she was leaving. Shaking her head, Bai Ming gave Screwllum a quick heads-up about her departure.

Then, she set off for the coordinates Himeko had provided.

It was a desolate star system. The silver tracks of the Astral Express passed through here because it had once been a bustling place, but the world here had eventually been blown to bits, turning all its former prosperity to dust. Scarcely any ruins of civilization remained.

"Let’s start the search. Residual information on Welt and Void Archives..."

Bai Ming narrowed her eyes as the power of Elation began to multiply the strength of Remembrance. Soon, the silent abyss of Memoria began to boil, surging forth according to her will.

Ancient memories, fresh memories.

In the abyss of Memoria, time was meaningless.

Past and present mingled together; Bai Ming even saw fragments of civilizations that had existed here in the distant past. Within that chaotic sea of memory, she finally caught a glimpse of Welt’s face.

Once she had the first fragment, the rest of the search became relatively easy. Bai Ming didn't need to fully manifest everything Welt had done here; she only needed to find where he had drifted from.

She didn't need a perfectly complete memory, just enough to determine his direction of travel so she could trace it back.

Tracing the salvaged memories, she slowly identified the direction, moving steadily toward the point where Welt had appeared.

For Bai Ming, the process of backtracking wasn't difficult at all. Soon, she crossed the starscape and found the exact spot where Welt’s ship had been spat out by the wormhole.

An untreated wormhole exit leaves behind obvious gravitational distortions and spatial aberrations. 

While these traces usually fade over time, people who use wormholes normally smooth them over—partly to keep unsuspecting travelers from crashing into them, and partly because these lingering marks can provide a lot of information to anyone looking for it.

If you don't want someone "doxxing" your home world, cleaning up those tracks is an essential step.

Clearly, Welt and his friend hadn't known that.

Bai Ming raised her left hand, and her silver ring transformed into a small snake, coiling around her fingertip to act as an analysis terminal for the data.

Welt had been here for a while, so the traces had faded significantly, but they were just barely trackable.

However, once she traced it back to a certain point, she hit a wall.

She couldn't tell if it was because the Solar System itself hadn't been discovered yet, if someone was intentionally masking the trail, or if that world simply didn't exist within the same reality as this one.

The trail that should have led straight to a Stargate on the other side was suddenly, cleanly cut off at a specific point.

It was as if she had hit a boundary.

With her powerful Imaginary Energy as an escort, Bai Ming could have broken through that boundary to keep searching. But once she broke through, the clues that should have been linear were nowhere to be found.

In other words, the trail pointed toward the world Welt came from, but it couldn't point to a specific coordinate.

Trying to salvage Welt’s memories across that barrier to locate the Solar System would be a massive drain of time and energy.

Who knew where the Honkai Impact 3rd world actually was or what its relationship to this world really was?

Plus, that world was full of things like Sea of Quanta bubble universes, and even if she found it, the Solar System itself had its own barriers.

Looking for it like this was a lost cause.

However, just because the trail from Welt had gone cold didn't mean she was out of options. Bai Ming withdrew her consciousness for a moment and looked at that unused 'Finality Kiana' character card.

The Finality represented by this card could simulate Kiana’s aura with 100% accuracy. What did that mean?

It meant Bai Ming didn't need to search for a needle in a haystack across worlds. She could simply use all the information she gained after roleplaying to pinpoint Kiana’s location.

At the same time, Kiana herself might be able to sense the appearance of "another Finality."

While she wasn't sure exactly how strong Kiana was—since the height of the Cocoon didn't necessarily translate directly to Kiana—considering the powers of Finality, she was at least stronger than your average Emanator.

Where that ceiling actually sat was hard to say. Her perception range should be enough to penetrate Imaginary Energy tides and cover a galaxy, or at least probe a few bubble universes.

If Bai Ming revealed the aura of Finality while roleplaying, Kiana would definitely sense her as long as they weren't too far apart.

So, Bai Ming chose to use the character card.

In an instant, her status refreshed. Her outfit swapped to a magnificent white-and-purple dress.

Her long, pure white hair took on a deep purple gradient at the tips. Her facial features didn't change much—her face already had traces of Kiana’s look to begin with.

The power of Finality surged within her body, but Bai Ming didn't pay it much mind. She wasn't short on power right now and saw no need to tap into this potentially risky force.

--+--

[Roleplay System]

[Name: Bai Ming (Herrscher of Finality)]

[Lifespan: ∞]

[Transformable Characters: Big Herta, Celenova, Jingliu, Ruan Mei, Sparkle, Hertatomb, Lord Ravager - Jingliu, Young Herta, Robin, Artoria, Cipher, Georios, General of the Yuque - Qingque, Huohuo, Silver Wolf, Hysilens, Cyrene - Fuli (Charge: 46.5%), Acheron (Charge: 21.3%), Calypso (Charge: 1.8%), Herrscher of Finality (Roleplaying)]

[Available Pulls: 20 (92.6%)]

--+--

The system panel refreshed. 'Finality Kiana' glanced at the countdown, then commenced her "Find Kiana" plan.

The power of Finality traced along the channels she perceived. Then, 'Finality Kiana' realized that with the Herrscher of Finality's power, there was no need to search at all.

She didn't even need to cross that barrier.

A certain existence, sharing the same origin and identical nature as her, was so bright in her perception that it was like someone had tossed a flashbang into a dark room. It was impossible to ignore.

She imagined Kiana was likely in the same situation right now.

Though, Kiana was probably a bit more stressed.

From Kiana's perspective, a second Herrscher of Finality had just inexplicably appeared within her range of perception. If that didn't warrant a bit of nerves, nothing would.

As ‘Finality Kiana’ sensed the other Herrscher on the other side of the wormhole, she began to wonder if she should just slip through and take a stroll over there.

Although the structure of that world was complex and different from this one, her current abilities combined with the guiding nature of Finality would make reaching the destination quite doable.

It was then that Aha’s laughter rang in her ear.

"While that sounds fun, Aha suggests you don't go over there~"

"Huh? Why? Aha, do you know something?"

"You know that Droidhead’s father’s theory, don't you? Ordinary Pathstriders are one thing, but if you or I go over there... things won't be very pretty."

"..."

‘Finality Kiana’ fell silent.

Based on Zandar’s theories, it did make sense why beings like them should stay away. But she had a feeling that wasn't the only reason.

--+--

Star Rail Impostor! - 424

--+--

Whether the rules of Paths are a blessing or a curse was something 'Finality Kiana' couldn't quite say for sure.

After all, in the world of Honkai Impact 3rd, the screening mechanism of that Cocoon was an ultimate engine of torment in its own right.

If you forced her to compare the two systems, she could only say they both sucked in their own special ways.

If she truly had a choice, she wouldn't want either of them.

As for what that Cocoon actually was, that remained a total mystery. This world seemed vast and grand, but its recorded history was suspiciously short compared to the actual age of the universe.

Heaven only knows what kind of monsters and gods lurked in that distant, unrecorded past.

It was even possible that in some other godforsaken corner of the cosmos, there was something similar to the Cocoon, walling off its own little plot of land and playing by its own house rules.

She could craft small worlds with her own hands and manipulate them at will; those ancient entities would surely be even more adept at such games than she was.

'Finality Kiana' had a feeling Aha knew something. But the Aeon was too busy snickering to tell her anything, which left her thoroughly annoyed.

By the same token, she was worried that triggering the Cocoon's mechanisms might bring some strange catastrophe down upon the Earth she had already "cleared." Because of that, she really didn't dare think about running back there.

What if the Cocoon was intentionally isolating the Paths?

What if the moment a world got tainted by a Path, the Cocoon just initiated a Great Die-off and hit the reset button?

God knows if such a hidden mechanism existed.

However, the one advantage Bai Ming had over the other Aeons was that she didn't rely on her own will to practice her Path.

Her consciousness remained in a state that hadn't touched a sliver of any Path.

The power those Aeons bestowed upon her wasn't because they valued her will, anyway. All she had to do was keep those powers partitioned and make sure they didn't follow her consciousness back.

But if her main body went over...

Just sending a mental projection felt a bit dull. What was the point if she couldn't cuddle and get close with the Valkyries?

Before 'Finality Kiana' could decide on a course of action, the Kiana on the other side had already cautiously extended her consciousness.

With a bit of recklessness, she made contact with the mental thread 'Finality Kiana' had reached out.

"Who are you? Why do your aura and power feel exactly like mine?! Even my own sister doesn't look as much like me as you do! You aren't a version of me from a parallel world, are you? Whoa—don't tell me I just gained a little sister?"

Kiana’s voice, adorable yet tinged with a hint of wariness, drifted into ‘Finality Kiana’s’ heart through their mental link.

Though, why did it feel like there was more than a little excitement buried at the end of that sentence?

'Finality Kiana' twitched her lips. This girl was a bit of a loose cannon, wasn't she?

She hadn't even figured out the situation before hooking her consciousness in and starting to ramble. Where was her sense of caution? Where did it go?

And how old did this girl think she was, daring to call a senior several centuries her elder "little sister"?

If they were counting seniority, 'Finality Kiana' would have to include those hundreds of years she’d been scammed out of by Equilibrium.

Ignoring Aha, who was loitering nearby, 'Finality Kiana' sent back a response:

"Are you sure I’m the little sister? I’m seven or eight hundred years old. You’re several cycles younger than Welt, aren't you? You should be calling me 'Big Sister,' Kiana~"

"I don't want another big sister!! Wait... hold on, Welt? You know Welt? Is he okay right now?"

Kiana’s voice came through with delighted surprise. 'Finality Kiana' could practically picture the girl’s adorable expression.

"I found your side by following the path Welt took when he came here. He can’t go back for the time being, but he’s doing pretty well."

"That’s good~ Then I can breathe a sigh of relief."

"I was originally thinking of heading over to your side for a bit, but it seems a little inconvenient. Do you want to come over to my side and play? I've got a surprise for you~"

A sliver of a smile touched ‘Finality Kiana’s’ lips. If Kiana could see Himeko, she’d probably be deeply moved. It would be a bit of a comfort for her soul.

As for the problem of her not being able to cross over? Well, she could just let the people from Kiana’s side come here instead!

After all, according to Aha, the level of an average Pathstrider probably wasn't concentrated enough to trigger any mechanisms.

Even if they did end up stepping onto a Path, she could just help them wall it off. The power of the Paths wasn't so pervasive that it could bypass her.

The moment Kiana heard she could visit, her interest was piqued.

But she quickly calmed herself, silently reminding herself that she wasn't that ordinary girl swinging a baseball bat anymore—she was the Herrscher of Finality who could swing a baseball bat.

She had to watch over Earth; she couldn't just walk away.

"Sorry, it’s not really convenient for me to leave right now."

Hearing this, 'Finality Kiana' pursed her lips in disappointment. Well, there goes the plan of having Kiana come over for some quality bonding time.

But even if the main body couldn't come, a mental projection would work just fine if Kiana just wanted to visit.

As for a body, she could just whip one up on the spot. Kiana could even pick out what style she wanted.

"It’s fine if your main body can't make it. Just project your consciousness over; I can handle the body issue on this end."

"Really? Oh, right, you’re also Finality. Making a body should be a piece of cake for you. Woo-hoo! Once I’m done playing, I’ll tell Mei and the others the good news about Welt!"

Kiana cheered in her mind.

Soon after, 'Finality Kiana' could feel Kiana’s consciousness rapidly climbing up her mental thread, piercing through the barriers between worlds and exploring toward this side.

This "climbing the pole" behavior at the mental level resulted in 'Finality Kiana' finding her consciousness in very intimate contact with Kiana’s.

It wasn't to the point of peeking into memories, but she could very clearly sense the other's emotional shifts.

For instance, right now Kiana was overflowing with curiosity, excitement, anticipation, and a tiny bit of nervousness.

With no intention of scolding Kiana for her impulsive behavior, 'Finality Kiana' raised her hand.

A small silver snake projected light from its eyes, and before long, a body began to take shape—modeled after the grown-up Kiana in her memory.

To keep the power of the Paths isolated, she used purely technological means to create an artificial hollow shell. Inside the body, she pre-loaded a simple "Elation Equation."

This ensured that even if Kiana didn't use the power of Finality, she would still have strength to draw upon.

Since it was a Path Equation etched directly into the body, Kiana didn't actually have to touch the power of the Path herself; everything could be operated through the equation.

At the same time, this equation acted as a barrier, preventing Kiana’s will from hooking into the Paths and becoming a Pathstrider.

Guided by 'Finality Kiana', Kiana’s consciousness soon successfully projected into the body. Then, the body slowly opened its eyes.

Her first look was at 'Finality Kiana', and she froze for a second. "Why do you look exactly like me? Is that even legal?"

Kiana had seen versions of herself before, and while they weren't as strong as her, they usually had their own distinct looks. Finding someone who looked identical was a first.

But soon, Kiana was distracted by the power within her new body.

"Whoa, this body is amazing! It looks just like me, but there’s a completely different logic for using power inside. What is this?"

As she spoke, Kiana’s form shifted.

She not only shrank a bit, but her clothes transformed into the classic White Comet Valkyrie armor, and her long hair snapped into her signature twin braids.

"What a fun way to work! It’s like rewriting reality directly. What’s the process? Is it really just 'I think, therefore it is' power?"

Because of ‘Finality Kiana’s’ deliberate settings, all of Kiana’s thoughts were handled automatically by the equation.

The Path power she drew upon never passed through her actual consciousness.

To her, the whole process was a total black box. Aside from sensing that it was accomplished by manipulating Imaginary Energy, she couldn't feel a thing.

"This is the power system of our side, called a Path. I can give you a detailed introduction on the way, but please don't look too deeply into this power. Otherwise, I’ll have to send you back."

"Huh? Oh... okay, I won't look then."

Kiana, who had just been about to test her skills, stopped immediately. She poked her tongue out sheepishly at ‘Finality Kiana’.

Seeing that cute expression, 'Finality Kiana', who had intended to give a sterner warning, could only shake her head and explain: "It’s not that I’m trying to keep things from you. I just can’t guarantee that you’ll be safe if you come into contact with this power..."

She tried to explain the differences between the power systems of the two worlds, including Zandar’s theories, her own guesses, and the logic behind the construction of this body.

However, 'Finality Kiana' had clearly forgotten Kiana’s "lovable idiot" attribute.

By the time she was halfway through, Kiana’s eyes had turned into dizzying swirls. By the end, it was in one ear and out the other. In the end, she even forgot the first half entirely.

The only thing she managed to retain was the guess concerning the Cocoon.

So, even though her head was spinning, Kiana raised her little hand and swore:

"...It’s so hard, I don't get it. But I’ll remember the part about the Cocoon maybe making a move because of Path power. I swear I won't go poking around that power."

Having said that, Kiana’s eyes suddenly lit up. She rubbed her chin and leaned in close to ‘Finality Kiana’.

"But speaking of which, is the 'me' of this world actually this smart? Hehe, I’ve definitely gotta brag about this to Bronya when I get back!"

"..."

Bragging that an alternate-world version of yourself is smart? Only you would think of that. Isn't that basically admitting to your face that you're a dummy, so you're using another version of yourself to save face...

'Finality Kiana' wore an awkward expression but didn't explain. She was afraid Kiana wouldn't be able to wrap her head around the logic anyway. She reached out and took Kiana’s hand, cutting off her rambling.

"Let’s go. I’ll take you to see Welt and introduce you to this world while we’re at it."

"To see Welt? Sounds great! It’s the perfect chance to let his family know he’s safe!"

--+--

Star Rail Impostor! - 425

--+--

Kiana was currently riding a massive wave of novelty, and she was absolutely buzzing with excitement.

After all, this was a train sailing through the stars.

Man, she had never seen such an interesting vehicle back in the Solar System.

Spaceships just didn't have the same "cool factor" as a locomotive.

And it wasn't just the train.

There was the Interastral Peace Corporation, which had established a credit system for the entire universe, and Penacony, the world built on dreams.

There was Punklorde, a planet of natural-born hackers where the entire world was made of data. And then... there were the Giants of Light and the Land of Light, which felt like they stepped straight out of a tokusatsu film!

Plus, there were dragons! Actual, literal dragons!

Even though the dragons here seemed to share some subtle similarities and differences with the ones back home, the comparison was night and day.

Compared to the Solar System—which wasn't exactly diverse in species and was basically a crowded house of gods and superhumans—this vast, colorful cosmic stage was clearly much more alluring.

Kiana still hadn't quite wrapped her head around the whole "Path" and "Pathstrider" business. But she had figured out one thing: people here used Imaginary Energy, too.

At least that was a term she recognized.

Beyond that, though, she was clueless. It was hard to tell if she was actually a bit of a ditz or if she was just too lazy to think about it.

The pair made their way together toward the location of the Astral Express. Since leaving Herta Space Station, the Express had made a pit stop at the nearest Washtopia. It had just been scrubbed until it was gleaming and brand new.

"There, see it? That train about to depart is the Astral Express."

From a distance, ‘Finality Kiana’ raised her hand, guiding Kiana’s gaze across the long void of space to catch sight of the train docked at the platform.

"What a badass train! But aren't they about to leave? Why don't we just head over there?"

"Well, for the sake of the surprise, of course. Go on, Kiana! Rush out in front and intercept it!"

"Hey!"

Kiana immediately got a bad feeling. She whipped her head around to look at her other self, but her vision blurred.

With a sudden, dizzying whirl of the world, she felt herself ripped through space. The next thing she knew, she was staring down the Astral Express as it accelerated right toward her!

"AAAAH—?! I'm gonna get hit!!"

Wham!

Kiana felt like she’d been struck by a stroke of destiny—or a literal truck—as she was instantly sent flying by the Astral Express.

Although a certain power was at work to dampen the impact to a negligible level, Kiana, clutching her head and clinging to the front of the locomotive, couldn't help but feel that her other self was definitely not a "normal" person.

--+--

Meanwhile...

The Nameless, who had just set off and were waiting to get clear of Washtopia before jumping, were jolted by a sudden vibration.

Accompanied by Pom-Pom's startled cry, they realized they had just been in a traffic accident in the middle of space.

"This is bad! The train hit something!! My freshly polished engine!!!"

In the parlor car, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. A car crash in space? That was a rare sentence to hear. The odds were about the same as finding a specific needle in the ocean.

Welt adjusted his glasses and looked at the conductor. "Does the Conductor know what we hit?"

"It... it looked like a person! She just appeared on the tracks out of nowhere! I didn't have time to brake!"

"..."

"..."

The group exchanged looks. Void Archives let out a blunt chuckle.

"Look on the bright side. At least we don't have to pay the repair bill for another spaceship."

"..."

Welt might not be an expert at fixing spaceships, but when it came to mending a flesh-and-blood body, Mr. Yang had things well in hand. And honestly, compared to hitting a ship, hearing it was just a person did put everyone at ease.

After all... anyone who could just pop up in space, get hit by the Express, and not end up scattered in pieces generally wasn't that easy to break.

Still, Void Archives' ill-timed laughter and phrasing—while logically sound—was a massive bait for trouble. If the person outside heard him, he’d probably get a punch to the face.

Welt shook his head with a sigh, thinking that the man really didn't need a mouth, then pushed up his glasses. "Let me go take a look."

Just as Welt started toward the hatch, suddenly—

Thump—Thump—Thump!

A series of dull knocks echoed from outside the train. Welt’s footsteps faltered. Half of his anxiety vanished, while the other half spiked.

He was relieved because the person clearly had enough strength to bang on the incredibly thick hatch, meaning they were perfectly fine.

He was worried because they might be a powerhouse who would demand an explanation—and with Void Archives' big mouth, a fight was practically guaranteed.

Welt began to rapidly weigh whether he should open the door first or fix Void Archives' attitude first. But Himeko beat him to it. She walked past him with a smile and unlatched the heavy door.

Hiss—

With a release of air pressure, the heavy hatch slid open. A white-haired woman appeared before them, clutching the door handle, rubbing her forehead, and frowning slightly.

Welt’s pupils contracted the moment he saw her, though he composed himself quickly.

Himeko reacted similarly; she looked at the white-haired woman with an amused expression, reaching out to support her arm and pull her into the car.

She couldn't help but tease, "You gave me quite a fright, Madam Bai Ming... If you wanted to visit the Express, you could have just come inside. Why such a wild entrance this time? Landing right on the nose of the train."

"Eh? No, I'm not the other me. My name is Kiana... Himeko-sensei?!!"

As she was helped inside, Kiana felt a jolt at the touch, the voice, and the sight of those crimson locks.

It was all so familiar. But just as she realized she’d been mistaken for someone else and looked up to introduce herself, she saw Himeko’s face.

It hit Kiana like a thunderbolt. She froze on the spot.

Her eyes shook as she stared at the face she had missed so dearly. Her mind was flooded with a million things she wanted to say, but her mouth hung open, and not a single word came out.

Himeko blinked, looking at the girl in confusion.

It seemed she had indeed mistaken her for someone else. This white-haired girl—the one Bai Ming had once roleplayed as—was the real deal? Did that mean this girl named Kiana was someone Welt knew?

But the way she was looking at her was a bit...

For some reason, looking into Kiana’s eyes—which were practically brimming with tears—Himeko felt a pang of heartache. She reached out and gently patted Kiana’s head.

"My name is Himeko, the Navigator of the Astral Express. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Ah... ah..."

Kiana could clearly feel the weight and warmth of the hand on her head. It was real. Himeko was right there in front of her. This wasn't the fleeting phantom she saw in her dreams.

Kiana broke.

That single touch shattered every last bit of her composure. Even though she knew, deep down, that this was likely just the Himeko of this world—just like the other "her" she had met—she couldn't help it. 

Kiana threw her arms around Himeko, buried her face in her chest, and let out a loud, wailing sob.

"Waaaaah—Himeko-sensei!!!"

"Uh... there, there. It's alright."

Himeko certainly hadn't expected this. Moreover, the girl had a serious grip; Himeko was pinned and couldn't move an inch.

Between the strength of the hug and the look on the girl's face moments before, Himeko didn't have the heart to push her away.

And for some reason, she found it very easy to accept this overstepping of personal boundaries from the girl named Kiana.

A surge of pity and tenderness welled up in her heart, along with an urge to comfort her—as if this child really was her own student.

Seeing this, Cerydra and Hysilens shook their heads and stood down.

Mei looked on thoughtfully, having guessed the truth, but remained silent.

Meanwhile, Welt, who had realized the reality of the situation, was having a minor internal crisis.

Was this actually the real Kiana?! How on earth did the Herrscher of Finality end up here? And if Kiana was here, what about Earth?

Even if the Honkai was dealt with, it didn't mean Earth was out of danger.

Welt’s mind raced with a thousand questions. But seeing Kiana crying like a child, he sighed inwardly and pushed his doubts aside.

Right then, another figure appeared at the train's entrance. The sight of a person identical to the Herrscher of Finality in his memories made Welt’s lip twitch.

If the Kiana with the braids was the original, then this newcomer "Finality" was almost certainly Madam Bai Ming. He couldn't imagine anyone else in the universe capable of inviting the real Kiana onto the Astral Express.

Ever cautious, Welt pushed up his glasses and spoke first. "Madam Bai Ming, this girl calling herself Kiana is..."

"She is exactly who you think she is: Kiana Kaslana. The Herrscher of Finality, the God of Earth. However, her physical body didn't come over; it's just a manifestation of her consciousness."

Ssssp...

Welt took a sharp breath. It really was Kiana.

Void Archives walked over, looking intrigued. He gave a perfectly poised bow and asked, "Greetings, Madam Bai Ming. I must ask, have you truly constructed a path to the Solar System?"

"No. Only consciousness can travel through it, and essentially only someone of Kiana's caliber could manage it."

While sending a consciousness through the channel wasn't hard in itself, the difficulty lay in maintaining a stable connection over such a staggering distance.

Even with Bai Ming's power assisting, it wasn't something anyone below the level of a Herrscher of Finality could easily achieve.

However, in the midst of this, Miss Himeko—who felt entirely left out of the loop, left only to comfort a crying girl while no one bothered to explain a thing—felt her fist tighten.

Can't they see there's a young girl crying here? Is now really the time for a technical discussion?!

--+--

Star Rail Impostor! - 426

--+--

Fortunately, Kiana was no longer the girl she used to be.

Having endured so much and even transcended Finality, she had naturally matured.

The emotional outburst didn't last long; Kiana took the initiative to steady her breathing and rein in the tears.

Her eyes were rimmed with red as she pulled away from Himeko, blushing when she noticed the damp patch her tears had left on Himeko's outfit.

"I—I'm sorry, Himeko-sensei."

"There's no need to apologize, Kiana. Do you feel any better?" Himeko raised a hand with a gentle smile, tidying Kiana's messy bangs and stray hairs.

This girl was born beautiful; it wouldn't do to let a crying fit spoil that face.

"Much better. Thank you, Himeko-sensei."

As Kiana finished speaking, her face flushed even deeper.

She whipped her head around to glare at 'Finality Kiana’, who was standing nearby enjoying the show. The expression on the other’s face was practically screaming, 'This is exactly what I came to see!'

"Hey! You knew this was going to happen, didn't you? That’s why you dropped me off here alone!"

'Finality Kiana' gave a breezy chuckle and spread her hands. "How could you say that? I brought you here to see Welt, remember?"

"...The other me, the current you is really mean!" Kiana bared her teeth at her counterpart. This person was clearly doing this on purpose.

Heaven help her. She was such a pure, cute, and kind-hearted girl—how could her alternate self in this world be such a little devil?

'Finality Kiana' pursed her lips, fighting back a laugh, and casually manifested a Light Cone.

Displayed clearly on the surface was an image of Kiana just moments ago, looking utterly pathetic while crying her eyes out.

Honestly, Kiana didn't look much better now; her nose and eyes were still red, and tear tracks lingered on her cheeks, giving her a pitiable, fragile look.

Then, right before Kiana’s wide, disbelieving eyes, 'Finality Kiana' pressed the Light Cone into her palm.

"Here. Your first gift in this world. Keep it as a souvenir."

"Who would want something like this as a souvenir?!" Kiana nearly fainted, exasperated by her other self's wicked sense of humor.

As they spoke, Mei approached from behind the group. She walked straight to 'Finality Kiana's' side, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her in an atmosphere of intimacy that was noticeably different from everyone else.

It was only now that Kiana finally got a clear look at this Mei, whose face had been partially obscured by her hair. Her entire face lit up with joy as she shouted:

"Mei?! There’s another Mei on the Express too!"

Kiana let out a cry of surprise and lunged forward, instinctively wanting to wrap her in a hug.

Thwack. A soft, fair hand pressed firmly against Kiana’s forehead, stopping her in her tracks.

With one hand holding Kiana at bay and the other's fingers tightly interlaced with Mei’s, 'Finality Kiana' grumbled, "Hey, hands off. This isn’t your Mei, she’s mine!"

"...Huh? What do you mean 'yours' and 'mine'? Mei is just Me—wait, what’s with the vibe between you two?!"

At first, the rejected Kiana didn't process the words. She took a step back, puffing out her cheeks and glaring at her other self. She had been ready to argue that Mei was Mei and what was the harm in a little snuggle, but then her gaze drifted down to their intertwined hands.

She saw the way Mei looked at her counterpart—a gaze so thick with affection it was practically melting. Suddenly, the way she looked at her other self changed completely.

Wait, hold on... why did it feel like the 'me' of this world and the Mei of this world had already done... this and that?

That look in their eyes, the natural way they held hands, and that physical closeness she’d overlooked until now—they were practically glued together.

Sssss—

My god! Kiana felt like she had just stumbled upon something earth-shattering.

Had the relationship between this world’s Kiana and Mei actually progressed to this stage?!

She was close with her own Mei, of course. They had been through so much, fought, reconciled, and shared a bond deeper than anything. But because she had become the Herrscher of Finality and stayed on the moon for so long, they had been living on two different celestial bodies.

Over the years, their feelings hadn't faded, but there hadn't been any sign of things moving to the next level either.

And yet—look at the situation here.

Dammit!! How is this fair?! We're both Kiana, so why does the other me get to eat so well?! Why does she have to be stuck on the moon alone, unable to move forward with Mei?!

She refused to accept this! Envy was practically distorting Kiana’s features.

Seeing Kiana’s shocked and "face-twisted-with-jealousy" expression, 'Finality Kiana' couldn't hold back her laughter anymore.

"No way, no way... is there really someone who hasn't made it official after all these years?"

Kiana froze for a second, then her face visibly began to overheat.

"Waaaaah—Himeko-sensei!!!! Look at her, she’s bullying me!!!"

Unable to handle being mocked to her face about such a sensitive topic, Kiana turned and dove right back into Himeko’s arms.

Himeko looked down at the girl she had just finished comforting, who was now buried in her chest and wailing again.

She gave 'Finality Kiana' a look of utter exasperation, silently scolding her for flaunting her romance in front of a young girl. It’s not like you’re the one who has to soothe her when she starts crying, right?

Even Mei turned her head toward 'Finality Kiana' with a look of disbelief.

How old was she... acting so childishly. For an Aeon, she really lacked any sense of dignity.

Void Archives had been watching the drama unfold from a nearby sofa like a spectator at a play. As for Welt...

Watching Kiana, he rubbed his temples awkwardly. Before he came here, Kiana hadn't seemed like this. It was as if being in this environment had allowed her true nature to run wild.

Welt had originally wanted to talk to her about the current state of Earth and perhaps send a message home to let his family know he was safe.

But seeing Kiana clinging to Himeko like a stubborn burr, it was clear he wouldn't be getting any answers for a while.

Still, this was fine. A small smile tugged at the corner of Welt’s mouth.

As an elder, he had always felt a lingering sense of guilt that the "reliable adults" couldn't solve the problems themselves, forcing a young girl to shoulder such heavy burdens.

It wasn't anything complicated; just a simple heartache for a junior.

Now, seeing Kiana so lively after so long, Welt hoped she could temporarily set aside the weight of being Earth’s God and the Herrscher of Finality.

Here on the Astral Express, she could just be Kiana Kaslana and relax for a while.

--+--

Meanwhile, on the distant Earth.

Raiden Mei, who had no idea what Kiana was currently going through, suddenly felt an inexplicable chill and a sense of foreboding. It was as if someone was watching her, plotting something.

The feeling vanished as quickly as it had come, leaving no trace behind. This immediately put Mei on high alert.

Could it be... that something happened to Kiana?

The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she became. Mei immediately decided to contact Bronya to discuss a plan of action.

--+--

Elsewhere, at the Herta Space Station.

After an intense round of cyber-warfare against the two Madam Hertas, Silver Wolf, who had been in high spirits, suddenly sensed something. She glanced sideways and was instantly struck as if by lightning.

Her sister was gone!!

In that moment of distraction, Divine Herta spotted a fatal opening. Silver Wolf’s defensive line collapsed instantly.

But Silver Wolf didn't care about winning or losing right now. She turned to Screwllum in a panic and asked, "Where did Sister go? She didn't leave because she thought I was wasting time here, did she?"

Her voice held a trace of fear, the genuine worry of being abandoned.

This made Herta, who had been enjoying watching the brat fail, frown.

"I’m surprised you even call her 'Sister.' Though I don’t like you, since you’re the one that person brought back, there’s no way she’d just dump you and leave."

"Ha?! What’s that supposed to mean? Are you saying I don’t know my own sister?! Of course I know she wouldn't abandon me! I don’t need you to tell me that!" Silver Wolf’s voice jumped several octaves as she snapped back defensively.

"Hmph. Brat," Herta snorted, indifferent to the girl’s bristling. A rebellious teenager wasn't worth the great Herta’s time to argue with.

Of course, she was mostly giving Bai Ming face. If Silver Wolf hadn't been brought back by Bai Ming, Herta would have ensured she had five retorts for every one of the girl's insults.

Just as Silver Wolf was about to snap back again, Screwllum smoothly entered the conversation.

"Madam Bai Ming spoke with me before she departed. She mentioned she was going to assist a lost traveler in finding their way home. She went alone because she didn't want to disturb Miss Bronya's enjoyment."

Screwllum had seen that Silver Wolf’s focused state during the cyber-battle was genuine.

This young girl was truly talented and loved the craft. On a technical level, Screwllum felt they were evenly matched, which sparked a certain appreciation for her talent.

Hearing this, Silver Wolf pouted, looking a bit unhappy. But since she was the one who had started the duel with Herta, she could only be mad at herself. It was very frustrating.

"Then... do you know where she went?"

"I do not. However, since Miss Bronya calls her 'Sister,' surely sending a message would provide an answer, would it not?"

Silver Wolf’s face turned red.

That was true. Her brain had just short-circuited; she’d completely forgotten she could just ask.

As she shyly summoned her chat interface, she whispered a small "thank you" to Screwllum.

--+--

Star Rail Impostor! - 427

--+--

The message from Silver Wolf arrived exactly as expected.

And, just as predictably, it was a string of complaints.

'Finality Kiana' looked at the long scroll of messages popping up. If she didn't know better, she’d have thought she was dealing with some overly clingy, obsessive girl.

Of course, that was mostly because Silver Wolf preferred firing off a few characters at a time rather than sending a complete sentence.

After scrolling through the mountain of nagging, it turned out Silver Wolf only really wanted to know one thing:

Where she was right now.

'Finality Kiana' glanced over at Kiana, who was currently busy touring the Astral Express, and a slight smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.

Well now, the "Main Trio" was about to be fully assembled.

She shared her current coordinates with Silver Wolf, knowing the girl could simply use her positioning to teleport straight over.

Right then, Kiana suddenly leaned in, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Hey, other me, since Mei, you, and Himeko—uh, Sensei—are all here, does that mean there’s also a Bronya or a Seele around?"

"What’s this? Getting addicted to finding familiar faces?"

'Finality Kiana' looked at Kiana with a smile. While those people certainly existed, none of them should have held Kiana’s attention quite like Himeko did. Himeko was special, after all.

"Heh, I’m just curious! Look, I’ve already run into several of them in one go. No matter how I think about it, it feels like a miracle. It’s such a massive universe, yet I keep bumping into everyone."

Kiana’s eyes sparkled with pure wonder.

"Hmm..."

'Finality Kiana' fell into a pensive silence. She hadn’t really given that question much thought.

From a gameplay perspective, it was just a way to pull old players into a new game with familiar faces. But from a "reality" perspective, it truly was miraculous to encounter so many counterparts.

Still, whatever. Who knew the actual reason? She didn’t particularly care why.

"But regarding the Bronya and Seele you mentioned, they really do exist. And—"

Before 'Finality Kiana' could finish her sentence, a pixelated wormhole suddenly expanded right beside her.

Then, a tiny, pint-sized Bronya descended from the sky, seated atop Project Bunny!

"Whoa—! It’s tiny Bronya!! Come here and let big sister give you a hug, hehehe~"

Since the Bronya in Kiana’s world had grown up—the classic "eighteen transformations of a girl"—she looked vastly different from her childhood self.

She had even stopped referring to herself as "The Bronya," which had left Kiana feeling disappointed for quite a while.

She never expected to see a little Bronya here.

Heavens! That nose, those eyes, those giant drill-curls... it was Bronya herself!

Silver Wolf, having just stuck the landing, hadn't even had time to figure out which of the two white-haired women standing together was her "sister."

Suddenly, the one with the braided hair lunged at her with a bizarre smile and scooped her into a tight embrace.

The key issue was that, even with Silver Wolf’s abilities, she hadn't been able to react to the woman's movements at all.

By the time her mind caught up, she was already trapped in this strange woman’s arms.

(ᗜ ˰ ᗜ)

Silver Wolf’s eyes went dead.

She immediately activated her Aether Editing, and Kiana felt her arms go empty. The little Bronya dissolved into a stream of data, flew out of her reach, and ducked behind the other "self."

"Sister, who is this weird woman?"

Before 'Finality Kiana' could even answer, Kiana’s eyes erupted with an intense light, and she burst into a loud, boisterous laugh.

"Sister?! This little Bronya actually calls my other self 'Sister'?! Hahahaha!!!"

Silver Wolf frowned at the remark and snapped back immediately, "What’s wrong with calling her sister? My name, my Project Bunny, my power, and my future—they were all given to me by my sister."

"Ah... wow. Well. Then you must really, really love your sister."

Kiana hadn't expected the little Bronya of this world to have... such a sad past as well.

Though she didn't know the specifics, she could feel through the girl’s words that her other self must have saved her. That was why she called her "Sister" with such heartfelt sincerity.

Not one to disappoint, Silver Wolf nodded with serious, unwavering conviction.

"Of course! I love Sister the most!"

"Wooo-hoo! I am definitely manifesting this footage to let Bronya witness it with her own eyes!!"

Kiana was absolutely delighted now. Since the moment she stepped onto the Astral Express, the corners of her mouth hadn't come down once. Now, she was over the moon.

Originally, she had only planned to take news of Welt and the Void Archives back home, maybe tell everyone about the Astral Express. But now, she had made up her mind.

This hopeful scene of Bronya calling her other self "Sister"...

She was going to manifest it perfectly and make Bronya watch the whole thing from start to finish. A hundred times!!

Heh heh heh.

Kiana wore the grin of a mastermind whose plan had come together.

If she wasn't still holding out hope for more "material," she would have already started condensing the images to send to Bronya’s inbox back on Earth.

'Finality Kiana' pressed a hand against the grinning Kiana’s forehead and pushed her away. "Fix that expression. Don't go scaring the kids."

"Slurp... cough, what are you talking about! How could a super-invincible beautiful girl like me scare a child?"

Kiana wiped a bit of drool, cleared her throat, and began blushing while trying to argue that she was cute no matter what face she made.

In the middle of the argument, however, Kiana suddenly went quiet. Her gaze began to bounce between her other self, the other Mei, and the other Bronya.

She watched Mei, who—though not clinging—never let her eyes wander far, and the little Bronya, who was clutching the other self’s arm, refusing to leave her side.

Kiana rubbed her chin, feeling like she had just stumbled upon a major revelation.

Could her other self have "claimed" not just Mei, but Bronya as well?!

Sssp...

Kiana imagined herself and Bronya being that close and instantly shuddered. It wasn't that they had a bad relationship, but when she thought about how many times she and Bronya had bickered or fought over Mei’s attention, she found it impossible to accept the idea of an intimate bond between them.

Besides, Bronya clearly liked Seele more; it would never be Kiana's turn anyway.

But even if the Bronya back home wasn't like that...

Seeing someone with her own face not only being with Mei but also seemingly building a whole "system" with Bronya... Kiana felt her face morphing into the likeness of the famous painting The Scream.

She desperately wanted to ask, but considering how many people were around, she forced the impulse down, planning to snoop around quietly when they were alone.

'Finality Kiana' watched Kiana’s hesitant expression and saw the "Emotion Points" on her panel jump significantly once again.

She was genuinely confused; the points had spiked when Silver Wolf appeared, so why the sudden surge now? What kind of wild scenarios was Kiana dreaming up in that head of hers?

Despite her hesitation, Kiana never voiced her thoughts. Instead, she scampered off to continue her tour of the train.

Finally free from debating whether Kiana was a "flawless beauty," 'Finality Kiana' finally found the time to introduce Mei and Silver Wolf to each other.

"This is Raiden Mei, my partner."

"Guh..."

Silver Wolf’s eyes widened, and her grip on 'Finality Kiana's' arm tightened noticeably. She looked exactly like a cat wary of someone trying to steal her favorite person.

"And this is Bronya, though you can call her Silver Wolf. She’s a child I met on Punklorde a few years back. Now, she’s one of the top hackers in the universe."

"There is no 'one of.' Soon, there won't be anyone else..." Silver Wolf instinctively corrected her, though she added the second part in a mutter.

After all, she hadn't exactly won her bout against the two Hertas yet. And against the supposedly even more formidable Screwllum, Silver Wolf wasn't entirely confident of a victory.

Mei looked at Silver Wolf clinging tightly to 'Finality Kiana's' arm and reached out with a smile to pat the girl’s head. This huffing and puffing little girl was actually quite cute—like a kitten baring its teeth.

Silver Wolf swatted her hand away, but Mei didn't mind. She retracted her hand and looked at 'Finality Kiana'.

"Where do you plan to go next?"

"I’ll take Kiana for a tour. It’s her first time here, so I have to host her properly."

'Finality Kiana' thought for a moment and decided she should find some time to take Kiana to the Herta Space Station.

In her memory, the station housed a relatively new Curio—what looked like the red greatsword belonging to the Himeko from the Honkai Impact 3rd world.

The sword itself wasn't particularly miraculous; it was just a collection of fragments with lingering traces of unique energy. That was why Herta had added it to her collection.

She could take Kiana there to see it. If Kiana wanted it, 'Finality Kiana' could probably sweet-talk Herta into letting the shards return to their rightful owner.

She knew exactly how much Himeko meant to Kiana. Recovering these relics would provide at least some measure of solace.

Still... she was a bit worried about triggering Kiana’s PTSD. Seeing a different Himeko was one thing, but seeing those shattered sword fragments felt like a completely different story.

Beyond the Space Station, Jarilo-VI was also worth a visit. She wasn't sure what the current state of the planet was now that the Stellaron crisis had been resolved early and recovery was underway.

However, in this era, Cocolia, Seele, and Bronya should all be there.

It was just likely that Seele and Bronya hadn't grown up yet—they were probably only in their teens. Heck, that little brat Hook might not even be born yet.

And then there was the Xianzhou Alliance. Though the Alliance Marshal, Hua, had a chance of looking exactly like Fu Hua, someone in that position was likely too busy to be easily met.

Still, she could tell Kiana stories about her to pique her curiosity.

--+--

Star Rail Impostor! - 428

--+--

'Finality Kiana' pondered the best way to play host to Kiana.

On one hand, it was about harvesting emotion points.

On the other, she truly did view Kiana as a guest to be cared for.

Besides, when she thought about everything Kiana had endured... seeing her finally able to lay down those heavy burdens and wander about as an ordinary girl was a sight she genuinely welcomed.

She could maintain this temporary physical form indefinitely, keeping it as a vessel for Kiana whenever she felt like dropping by to relax.

Conversely, 'Finality Kiana' could have Kiana construct a synthetic body back on her side, allowing her own consciousness to hop over and stroll around Earth.

All in all, while transporting people between worlds was a tall order, the two of them could manage some low-profile back-and-forth by leaning on each other’s unique abilities.

Even amidst these thoughts, 'Finality Kiana' didn't lose track of Silver Wolf.

"How are you back so soon? How did the match with Herta go?"

"I lost."

"Huh?"

Silver Wolf’s answer caught her off guard. How could she have lost?

Even if Herta had the assistance of Divine Herta, she wasn't necessarily a match for Screwllum when it came to network security—so how did Silver Wolf slip up?

Silver Wolf seemed quite satisfied by 'Finality Kiana's' stunned reaction.

She let out a small huff before explaining, "I suddenly realized you weren't there anymore, Sis. I got distracted for a second, and Herta caught the opening."

"Oh... sorry? But I guess that doesn't really count as a loss then."

'Finality Kiana' scratched her head awkwardly. So, the culprit behind Silver Wolf’s defeat right after her big comeback was actually her?

"A loss is a loss. And don't apologize, Sis. It just means I wasn't strong enough."

Silver Wolf puffed out her cheeks and shot a glare her way. Losing was losing; making excuses was pointless. Furthermore, she wouldn't accept an apology.

This had nothing to do with her sister—it was her own lack of focus that led to the collapse of her defenses.

'Finality Kiana' knew Silver Wolf was the type who hated losing and never made excuses. If she insisted on apologizing, she’d likely only end up annoying her.

"Fine, I take back the apology."

"Good."

"Do you plan on following me for a bit? I’ll probably be spending the next while showing Kiana around."

"No problem. Unless... do you think I'll be in the way?"

Silver Wolf’s tone was serious. It wasn't some coy, fishing-for-compliments remark; she truly wanted an answer. If 'Finality Kiana' said it was inconvenient, she’d go find something else to do for a while.

But honestly, with Silver Wolf putting it like that, 'Finality Kiana' didn't have the heart to send her off to play alone. One more wouldn't hurt; besides, she had a face Kiana was familiar with.

As for Acheron...

She had noticed something. That girl named Kiana had a very close relationship with someone who looked exactly like her and shared her name.

From the looks of it, even the nature of their bond seemed nearly identical.

In a situation like this, Acheron felt it was better not to tag along. Otherwise, Kiana’s gaze would inadvertently drift toward her with a look of deep affection that felt... unsettling.

It made her feel quite awkward, especially back when she and 'Finality Kiana' were holding hands. Kiana’s look then had been particularly embarrassing to witness.

Acheron was no longer the person she used to be—someone drowned in Nihility, her emotions barely visible.

She was currently in a period where emotions suppressed for countless years were finally erupting. 

Though she kept them hidden out of habit, her inner thoughts were terrifyingly active, and she had become incredibly sensitive to the feelings of others.

After thinking it over, Acheron decided not to go. It would just be too awkward.

After finishing her tour of the Astral Express, Kiana heard that Himeko gave a ticket to every passenger willing to board, signifying they were a member of the Crew.

The moment Kiana heard that, she grabbed Himeko’s hand, pleading for a ticket of her own.

In principle, Kiana was going to be running around with 'Finality Kiana' for the foreseeable future; even if she were to join the train, it would be days from now. But... no one could resist Kiana’s pouting.

Himeko herself was puzzled, unable to fathom why her heart softened so easily for this white-haired girl.

It was as if... the girl truly were a cherished student of hers. This tangle of emotions left Himeko feeling conflicted.

She knew Welt and 'Finality Kiana' definitely knew something. Otherwise, the two of them wouldn't have worn such heart-warmed expressions while Kiana was acting spoiled. But with Kiana right there, Himeko couldn't exactly pry for information.

Unable to withstand the onslaught of cuteness, Himeko’s heart melted. She pulled out a temporary ticket and handed it to Kiana.

"That said, Miss Kiana, if you take this ticket but never actually board, I won't let you on ever again. Understood?"

"There's no way I won't board! I'm definitely going to travel with Himeko-sensei later, absolutely!"

Kiana carefully pinned the ticket to her collar.

She looked down and stroked it, already thinking that if things weren't too busy back on Earth, she would keep a portion of her consciousness here long-term just to travel with Himeko and see the sights.

As the Herrscher of Finality, splitting her focus was easy. Even if the distance was vast, with the help of her other self, it was a simple feat.

Seeing Kiana treat the ticket like a priceless treasure, Himeko smiled softly. She really was a good kid. In just this short time, even setting aside those strange feelings, Himeko found she genuinely liked her.

Standing off to the side, 'Finality Kiana' opened her mouth to speak but ultimately stayed silent.

Though she had used the Equation left in Kiana’s body to block the influence of the Path of Trailblaze—stopping the power at the surface of her physical form—she couldn't guarantee that Kiana wouldn't be tainted by a bit of Path power if she truly followed the Express for the long haul.

However, seeing the wonderful atmosphere between Kiana and Himeko, 'Finality Kiana' didn't want to spoil the mood.

She would wait until they were alone to stress the importance of the matter.

After Kiana said a lingering goodbye to Himeko and promised to tell Welt he was safe, she left the Astral Express with her other self.

Kiana mentioned she wanted to experience what interstellar travel and riding a spaceship felt like, so 'Finality Kiana' casually manifested a small warp-capable vessel.

The three of them boarded. However, seeing that Silver Wolf was among those leaving, Kiana asked curiously, "Hm? Is Silver Wolf coming with us too?"

"Yeah."

'Finality Kiana' figured Silver Wolf was at that adolescent age where pride mattered, so she didn't give away the specific reason. But Kiana wasn't an idiot. The two of them hadn't exactly hidden their conversation earlier; while their voices were low, Kiana had definitely overheard.

She could see exactly why she was tagging along. Kiana let out a shameless laugh.

"Haha~ So you're just a little kid who can't bear to leave her big sister's side? Figures. The Bronya I know was just as clingy with Mei when she was little."

"..."

Silver Wolf turned beet red with rage on the spot. Gritting her teeth, she snapped, "I am NOT a kid!!!"

"Right, right, sure you aren't, you little sis-con brat."

Kiana was currently sporting her White Comet armor and braided hair, and standing before her was a tiny Bronya lookalike.

It made her feel like she had been transported back years, to her school days at St. Freya. She instinctively slipped back into her old habit of bickering with Bronya.

As she gave her "right, right" response, she even held up a hand to mockingly measure their height difference. It was a move designed for maximum psychological damage.

This was the breaking point for Silver Wolf. She was already sensitive about being short and having a petite frame.

Standing next to her sister always made her feel like an undeveloped child. Now, being mocked to her face by this white-haired woman who had stolen her sister's face?

She immediately summoned the iron fist of Project Bunny and lunged at Kiana!

Kiana was revitalized. She had spent countless hours scuffling with Bronya back in their student days. 

Usually, however, Bronya would talk her into a corner until Kiana snapped and started the fight. This time, the roles were reversed, and Kiana found it quite refreshing.

With an excited grin and a loud battle cry, she charged forward to meet the challenge.

"You guys, don't... ah, well... whatever..."

'Finality Kiana' watched the two of them start rolling around in a scrap, and she honestly couldn't keep a straight face.

Seriously? Silver Wolf is in her teens, but Kiana, are you still a teenager too?

You used to mess around with your Bronya back then, but you're a grown-up now—how are you getting into a playground scuffle with my Silver Wolf?

Watching Kiana bicker with a child, 'Finality Kiana' began to ponder something else.

Compared to the embarrassing footage Kiana had captured of Bronya calling someone "Sister," didn't this "High Lady Herrscher of Finality" have significantly more skeletons in her closet now?

Crying to Himeko, acting like a spoiled brat, fighting with Silver Wolf like a toddler... they had only just started, and the Herrscher of Finality had already left behind a trail of cringeworthy memories.

She’d have to find a secure way to send these memories back to the other side for Mei and the others to see. Otherwise, wouldn't all of Kiana's hard work in creating this "dark history" go to waste?

It was just a shame the Bronya on that side had grown up to become the tallest "peak" and the biggest "duck" in the Honkai series.

Otherwise, if she could have heard a stoic little brat throwing shade at Kiana, the scene would have been perfect. What a pity.

As 'Finality Kiana' plotted this "Kiana Blackmail Project" in the shadows of her mind, Kiana felt a sudden shiver run down her spine. She sensed someone was scheming against her.

However, her eyes quickly caught Silver Wolf trying to pull a fast one with some Aether Editing, so she immediately pinned the blame on her.

--+--

Star Rail Impostor! - 429

--+--

The ship’s warp was incredibly fast—so fast that Kiana found it hard to believe.

Looking at the flight logs, the sheer distance they had crossed, measured in astronomical figures of light-years, was staggering.

If only Earth had such incredible warp technology, Kiana thought, staring intently at the numbers.

But then she smiled and shook her head. Their ability to travel this fast was purely thanks to the Star Rail laid down by the Aeon of Trailblaze.

While the ship’s performance wasn't entirely irrelevant, its impact was minimal.

At most, a standard ship would have to drop out of warp periodically to let the engines cool down. This vessel, however, could reach its destination in one continuous leap.

"So, where we're docking is the Herta Space Station? That legendary collection hub belonging to one of the eighty-odd geniuses appearing over tens of thousands of years?"

Has it really been tens of thousands of years?

The Geniuses had only been counted since Zandar created Nous, so the Aeon wasn't exceptionally ancient. Still, the sentiment was there, and there was no need to be pedantic about the timeline.

Just then, AI Herta, who had already taken over the docking procedures, suddenly piped up:

"This white-haired lady certainly has a keen eye. This is indeed the Herta Space Station, and I am the station’s director, AI Herta! Long time no see, my Creator. And who might this lady be, who bears such a striking resemblance to you?"

"Has it really been that long? Don't we chat online every day?" 'Finality Kiana' replied. "Her name is Kiana, a friend of mine. I’m bringing her around for a look."

"A friend?"

AI Herta’s logic circuits seemed to pause for a beat.

"In that case, I won't spoil your fun. Call me if you need anything."

Kiana blinked and turned to 'Finality Kiana', asking curiously, "She’s called AI Herta and she’s the director of the station, but why does she call you 'Creator'? Don't tell me Herta is just another one of your personas?!"

After spending time with the Astral Express crew, Kiana had realized that this person—who looked exactly like she did when she first became the Herrscher of Finality—was actually a bit of a shapeshifter. 

She often swapped faces without a word to go off and stir up trouble.

The crew had mentioned that while she had taken Kiana’s form this time, her original appearance was actually very similar to Kiana’s anyway.

This made Kiana incredibly curious about what her "other self" truly looked like.

'Finality Kiana' laughed and shook her head.

"It’s because I really did design her. Back when this space station was preparing for launch, I posed as Madam Herta and designed this AI Herta. I even remodeled the station so much it was unrecognizable as a bit of a provocation. Madam Herta hunted me down for quite a while after that."

"..."

Kiana’s mouth hung open, at a loss for words.

She was starting to feel more and more like this other version of herself was a total troublemaker. Anyone would be hunted down for messing with their space station like that.

"But later, I used my 'personal charm' to win Madam Herta over, so all the changes were kept."

"Ugh..." Kiana looked at her with a face full of localized disgust.

She seemed very tempted to tell her she was incredibly thick-skinned.

Meanwhile, Silver Wolf had already slipped into the space station with great enthusiasm. Not long ago, she had come up just short in a digital offensive-defense battle while hacking the station.

Now that she was here in person, her rebellious streak was flaring up; she was determined to see exactly what kind of treasures were kept here.

Seeing Silver Wolf head off on her own, Kiana’s eyes darted around before she leaned in close to her other self and whispered:

"Hey, let me ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Well... didn't you say you and your Mei had already... you know?"

"Yeah, what about it?" 'Finality Kiana' looked at Kiana with a strange expression, unsure where this was going.

Surely she wasn't about to ask for the "dirty details"? Kiana didn't seem like the type to say such scandalous things.

"I mean... you aren't 'raising' Bronya just so you can take her down too, are you? Ow—!"

Before she could finish, Kiana received a sharp flick to the forehead. It hurt enough to make her hiss through her teeth.

"I really couldn't tell that a fine Herrscher of Finality like you would have a head full of such nonsense! I think I should warn the Bronya over there to watch out for a creep like you!"

"Hey! I'm not a creep! Even if I were, I'd be a super-duper invincible beautiful girl creep!"

"Oh, so you're proud of it?"

'Finality Kiana' was tempted to laugh at the sheer absurdity of the retort. What on earth was inside this girl's head?

She remembered that in the very early days, Kiana’s character settings did have a bit of a "pervy" streak—things like Mei-flavored instant noodles and whatnot.

But she recalled that such traits had mostly vanished as the story progressed.

Was that just a compromise made by the game developers, and the real Kiana was actually just a massive disaster lesbian?

...Looking at the girl's reaction, she felt her guess was probably on the mark.

"Bronya is only in her teens and you're already thinking in that direction. Kiana, it seems I really need to have the Mei over there give you a stern lecture on moral education."

"Wait—mercy! If Mei finds out, she'll nag me for ages."

Seeing Kiana cave instantly, 'Finality Kiana' let out a soft huff. It was easy to see who wore the pants in that relationship. The name "Mei" really was her kryptonite.

Not wanting to continue the "creep" debate, 'Finality Kiana' took Kiana’s hand and led her out of the ship. Outside, Silver Wolf saw them and waved.

"I found the Curio collection list. They actually have an Aether Cartridge from a legendary hacker. I’m going to go check it out."

"Go ahead. Just ask AI Herta for permission."

"No way! I'm going to challenge it again!"

Silver Wolf waved off the suggestion immediately.

She hadn't mentioned it to ask for permission; she would gain access using her own methods. What she really wanted was to make sure 'Finality Kiana' didn't disappear without a word like last time.

"What I meant was, remember to call me before you leave this time. Don't go dumping me here again!"

"Alright, alright. I'll remember to call you. And hey, try to be polite when you're 'downloading' things."

'Finality Kiana' patted Silver Wolf’s head and let her be.

Silver Wolf pouted; she wanted to point out that Herta herself wasn't polite at all, so why should she be? But since it was her "big sister’s" request, she nodded and agreed.

Following 'Finality Kiana', Kiana glanced back at the tinkering Silver Wolf and asked curiously, "Is it really okay to let her run wild like that? She’s definitely planning to hack the station."

"It’s fine. I think Herta herself felt that their previous confrontation being interrupted was a letdown. Round two shouldn't be an issue."

'Finality Kiana' understood Herta well.

While Herta was the type who didn't mind using "means" to ensure a win, when she encountered an opponent she actually respected, only to have the battle cut short for some random reason, she might accept the victory on paper, but she wouldn't be satisfied in her heart.

Given the chance, Herta wouldn't mind a proper rematch.

Just like how she dealt with Kakamond—one time wasn't enough, and even after years, she insisted on another round, even taking the fight to the person's front door. That’s just how that woman was. 

Whether you called it a refusal to lose or pure self-indulgence, it was best to just let them be.

Kiana shook her head, not quite understanding the way these "space people" thought.

She looked down at the light screen in front of her, casually scrolling through the jumble of collected items. There truly was a bizarre variety of things.

"By the way, I heard The Blue below the station is a great vacation planet? Can I go down and play later?"

"Of course. I brought you here to have fun, after all."

'Finality Kiana' led Kiana toward the Storage Zone. Many staff members passed by, but none recognized her identity. They only thought the two sisters were exceptionally beautiful.

But halfway there, Kiana’s hands suddenly trembled. Her eyes locked onto a specific item in the catalog.

Kiana’s cheerful expression vanished instantly, replaced by a complex look of sorrow, disbelief, and a flicker of joy. She grabbed 'Finality Kiana's' arm and pointed at the Curio on the screen.

"This... this shattered greatsword. Can I go see it?"

"Of course. Let's go."

Seeing the turmoil in Kiana’s eyes, 'Finality Kiana' didn't say much.

She simply led her toward the destination, holding Kiana’s hand in silence. Through that slightly trembling palm and the unnatural grip, she could feel the storm currently raging in Kiana’s heart.

The two moved quickly. After winding through several corridors, they soon found the room where the broken sword was kept.

Resting on a square pedestal, inside a display case that separated the inside from the out with transparent glass, half a shattered greatsword floated in the center.

Kiana’s breath hitched the moment she saw the blade.

"The reason Herta collected this sword is that it carries a very special power. Why don't you place your hand on it and feel it?"

'Finality Kiana' took Kiana’s hand and pressed it against the glass wall.

Kiana took a deep breath. The instant she made contact, she felt a faint, warm current of air diffusing from the jagged edge of the broken blade.

And along with that warm breeze came a series of faint murmurs—like a hallucination echoing in her ears—the very voice she had missed with all her soul.

Startled into awareness, Kiana snapped her head toward 'Finality Kiana'. She didn't say a word, but her eyes said everything.

"This sword... it’s related to that 'Himeko-sensei' you mentioned, isn't it? Do you want to take it? I can help you ask Herta for it."

--+--

Star Rail Impostor! - 430

--+--

Kiana's eyes lit up the moment she heard those words.

But soon after, she shook her head with a bittersweet smile.

"I think... it's better to let it stay here."

"Why?"

'Finality Kiana' froze for a moment, unable to understand why Kiana would refuse.

"Well, how should I put this..."

Kiana scratched her cheek, smiling as she looked at this other version of herself. "I’m really grateful you showed me all of this. This space station was built specifically to study these collected Curios, right?"

"Well... you could say that."

Though the original purpose was simply to give all those messy Curios a place to stay, due to the rules 'Finality Kiana' had established back then and the management of AI Herta, the current Herta Space Station had a very strong academic atmosphere.

You wouldn't be treated differently just because your research project couldn't be monetized or wasn't a popular topic. The work regarding Curio research was indeed carried out with great passion.

So, one could indeed say that.

"That's why I feel like rather than taking it away, it’s better to leave it here. Leave it for some future researcher who might choose this sword, and let them discover the stories it once held."

Kiana spoke those words with a smile, never once hesitating.

Himeko-sensei would always be remembered in her heart, and in all of theirs.

As for this sword—though she didn't know what it had been through to end up here—Kiana felt that since it contained such messages, perhaps it was fate that brought it here to wait for someone to notice it and solve the puzzle.

Compared to taking it back and letting it become a shackle of past memories, leaving it here to become someone else's inspiration in the future was undoubtedly the better choice.

"But I’m still so thankful you let me see all this, letting me see this vast world. I’m really happy. Thank you for inviting me here."

Kiana took 'Finality Kiana's' hand, gazing at her with total sincerity.

"What's with the sudden speech? You make it sound like you're leaving right now."

Kiana grinned and scratched her head sheepishly.

"Hehe, well, the atmosphere was just right! Besides, Bronya was here earlier, and I was a bit too embarrassed to say it."

Right then, a familiar voice suddenly rang out from behind them:

"Oh? Now that is an interesting topic I've overheard. Little girl, do you know the owner of this broken sword? And Bai Ming—you knew such juicy intel and didn't tell me?!"

The voice of a Herta puppet came from behind.

Kiana and 'Finality Kiana' turned in unison to see the tiny, cute puppet standing there with hands on its hips, brow furrowed, staring at 'Finality Kiana' with a look of pure displeasure.

"Wow... what a cute doll! I wanted to ask on the way here—why are there so many exquisitely made puppets in this station?"

"Hmph~ you've got good taste, kid."

The Herta puppet stood tall, chest out, wearing an expression that said 'you're absolutely right.'

'Finality Kiana' took the lead in introducing Herta:

"This is an autonomous puppet Herta made based on her younger self. Herta has many different bases, so she usually uses these puppets to keep an eye on her territory at all times."

"Right now, the real Herta has taken remote control of the puppet to talk to us."

After introducing Herta, 'Finality Kiana' turned to introduce Kiana:

"Her name is Kiana. She comes from a special world, one that is isolated from the Paths and Aeons, driven by Imaginary Energy through a different set of rules. That broken sword in your collection belonged to one of Kiana’s former teachers."

"A different set of rules? Interesting. Could it be that what our grand predecessor sought their whole life actually manifested long ago in some frontier galaxy?"

Herta let out a small laugh, her tone dripping with curiosity.

What did a world independent of Aeons and Paths signify?

It meant it was a world beyond the reach of Nous—much like the world Bai Ming had crafted herself. If she wanted to, she could also block out the calculations of the Erudition.

So, this meant Kiana came from a world controlled by a sufficiently powerful existence. An existence that was at least on par with an Aeon while remaining independent of the current system of rules.

That fact alone was enough to pique anyone's curiosity.

After all, even the remnants of the ancient beasts like Oroboros, or the perhaps even more ancient Equilibrium or Nihility, were all contained within the framework of the Aeons.

For a completely independent entity to suddenly pop up...

Just what level of existence would it take to achieve that?

"So, Bai Ming, can I go take a look?"

"Hmm... I can't say for sure. Honestly, since you're someone specifically marked by Nous, it's probably best if you don't go."

"Ha? Why not?"

Herta’s brows knitted together, clearly dissatisfied with the answer.

But 'Finality Kiana' wasn't about to ignore the potential risks just to satisfy Herta's curiosity. She briefly explained her deductions and the warnings from Aha to Herta.

Fortunately, Herta was a rare example of a genius with a conscience. She quickly realized why 'Finality Kiana' advised against her going.

As a genius marked by the Erudition, if she truly set foot there, she could easily draw the gaze of Nous with her.

If that ended up alarming the existence behind that world known as the 'Cocoon,' it wouldn't be pretty.

"Tsk, what a pain. But Bai Ming, you can go, right? Then when the time comes—"

"I know, I know. When the time comes, I'll help you with whatever research you want."

"That’s more like it. Then I won’t hold it against you for bringing another brat here to cause me trouble."

Herta gave a light huff and crossed her arms, seemingly satisfied with 'Finality Kiana's' answer.

"What are you talking about? You clearly felt the previous skirmish was anticlimactic, which is why I let it slide. If you actually hated it, you would've come over and made me take them away ages ago."

"Tsk, one thing at a time. And don't change the subject—tell me the stories of that place. I’m curious."

As for Kiana, who couldn't get a word in edgewise, she watched their familiar banter and her limited little brain realized something: her other self seemed to be an equally brilliant genius who could talk to this genius on equal terms.

Good heavens.

Not only was the 'her' of this world smart, but she was one of the smartest people in the entire universe?

However, it seemed this brilliant Genius Herta was very curious about her home world. Kiana didn't have any reservations about sharing.

Although, based on what her other self said, she was worried about the two isolated states turning into a reckless free-for-all connection.

But just telling stories of the Honkai and some info on the Cocoon shouldn't be a big deal, right?

Well, if there was a problem, her other self would surely warn her.

After all, her other self seemed to be a deity of this world as well. A god of such a massive universe—that was a much bigger job than being the God of Earth.

Thinking this, Kiana raised her hand and proactively said to Herta:

"If Madam Herta doesn't mind, I can tell you about it. The story of the Honkai, and a story about a young girl."

Herta didn't know exactly who Kiana was. But she could at least recognize that 'Finality Kiana' was currently playing the role of the girl before her.

And although this girl was trying hard to restrain her aura, that sense of her very existence being incompatible with this world could not escape Herta's eyes.

Thus, Herta gave a slight nod and extended a generous invitation:

"Since we're telling stories, let's head to the office and chat properly."

"...Aren't you still facing off against Bronya? Is it okay to be this distracted?"

"Divine Herta is doing most of the work. You know I'm not as skilled in network security as those two, especially since you gave them both an upgrade. My little bit of talent isn't enough to keep up now."

Herta huffed, bluntly admitting her own limitations. It wasn't something she cared much about; Screwllum and Divine Herta were naturally stronger in that field.

Not long ago, they had been gifted an evolution said to come from the Erudition Equation, so their strength had naturally soared.

That brat Silver Wolf being able to reach this level had indeed made Herta look at her in a new light. Otherwise, she wouldn't have bothered with that rude little punk.

"Alright, Bai Ming, bring her over. I'll be waiting in the office."

After the puppet finished speaking, it suddenly went silent.

Before Kiana could react, 'Finality Kiana' explained:

"Herta went offline. She has over a hundred puppets arranged around the station just so she can reach any area at any time. She’s likely already connected to the puppet in the office."

"...What a willful person."

Kiana curiously poked the puppet's cheek. It was soft, even slightly warm, and felt no different from human skin. But the ball-and-socket joints were real enough.

Moreover, she heard these puppets had autonomous AI and impressive combat capabilities; the technical prowess involved was explosive. And yet, over a hundred of them were deployed just for the sake of convenience.

Kiana’s only thought was that this woman was loaded.

"Herta is a very willful person, but it's fine. As long as she’s still interested in you, she’s easy to talk to. So for now at least, you don't have much to worry about."

"Uh..."

Kiana’s eye twitched slightly. That kind of introduction really didn't make her feel any less worried.

What if she lost interest? Would she be snatched up for some cruel dissection experiments? Kiana’s scientific literacy was basically limited to entertainment stories.

She was easy to read, so 'Finality Kiana' knew at a glance that the girl's mind was wandering into all sorts of messy directions again.

"Snap out of it. I don't know what weird things you're imagining, but it’s definitely not like that. Come on, it's time to go."

"Oh, right..."

--+--