Honkai Transformations - 121 - 130

Honkai Transformations - 121

--+--

Gray Serpent stepped into the grand hall.

His mechanical eye flickered with a harsh red light, and coupled with that getup—entirely covered from head to toe, masked and mysterious—it was a sight that made Cipher recoil in disgust every single time.

It was just plain ugly.

He walked slowly toward the center of the hall, eventually stopping where the throne had once stood. Now, even the wall behind it had been stripped bare, leaving him to fall into deep contemplation.

Heh.

Watching him stand there in such grim silence, Cipher couldn't help but feel a rush of smug satisfaction.

It would be even better if he’d lose his cool a little, though.

"Come out."

Gray Serpent spoke softly, his voice echoing through the hall with that low, calm, metallic resonance.

"I know you are here."

Cipher didn't move.

She knew he had found the clue she’d left behind: that single cherry pit.

"Welcome back to World Serpent," Gray Serpent said, his tone softening, carrying a level of solemnity he hadn't even shown when facing himself or Cocolia. "Or should I say... welcome back to Fire Moth, Lady Pardofelis."

He thinks I'm Pardo?

Standing right behind him, Cipher’s lips curled into an amused smile.

Half-right, anyway.

Gray Serpent, still unaware of her presence, swept his mechanical eye across every corner of the hall. "Or perhaps... should I refer to you as an alternate-universe counterpart of Lady Pardofelis?

I do not know who you are, nor where you came from, but there is one thing I am certain of."

He paused, his voice steadying before he continued. "I know for a fact that you... have an inextricable connection to the Thirteen Flame-Chasers."

Not a bad guess.

Cipher folded her arms across her chest, watching him with piqued interest.

She certainly did have an inextricable connection to them. After all, call it what you will—she was, at the very least, a Captain.

"Your abilities, your wailing, even the gold coin you left behind."

Gray Serpent reached into his sleeve and produced the coin etched with a cat-head motif. He held it up, presenting the cat-faced side to the empty hall.

"All of this tells me that you share the same origin as that 'Reverie' Pardofelis."

He tucked the coin back into his sleeve, looked up toward the high platform, and spoke in a deep, measured tone.

"I mean you no harm, nor does World Serpent. In fact... I, representing World Serpent, would like to cordially invite you to join us. I can answer any questions you may have—no matter what they are—if you are willing to step out and converse with me. I also... know why you have come here."

Cipher remained behind him, arms crossed, lost in a moment of thought.

The truth was, Gray Serpent had no clue who she actually was. He was just betting, guessing. He’d gambled that she was linked to Pardo, an alternate counterpart, and on that point, he wasn't wrong.

However...

The only question was whether she felt like showing herself.

Ugh, what a drag.

After only a brief moment of hesitation, Cipher made up her mind.

"Tsk." She let out a soft click of her tongue. Gray Serpent’s body stiffened, and he slowly turned around, his red optical sensor locking onto her.

His gaze immediately settled on the cat ears atop her head, and the tail flicking behind her.

"Finally willing to reveal yourself," Gray Serpent said, a trace of a smile in his mechanical voice. "I was beginning to worry you had no intention of meeting with me."

Cipher didn't ask him any questions right away. Instead, she strolled lazily toward the platform, her short, silver-white hair catching the dim light beneath her hood.

Only when she reached the top did she turn to face him, her tail swaying gently.

"You said you knew why I arrived? And that I'm some sort of counterpart to that... 'Reverie' girl? Well, tell me—what is actually going on here?"

Gray Serpent listened, falling silent for a moment before answering. "This is the base of World Serpent. As for why you have arrived here... I once received intelligence suggesting your arrival was caused by an out-of-this-world artifact called a Curio."

As he mentioned the "Curio," his mechanical eye stayed locked on her.

At the mention of it, Cipher’s eyes lit up, as if she had just been told the location of buried treasure.

"Ahem... a Curio? What is that? Sounds like it’s worth a fortune!"

After wiping away a non-existent drool from the corner of her mouth, she stared at him, her expression shifting to one of intense curiosity.

"You said 'Curio'... and that you had received intelligence. Does that mean... quite a lot of people have ended up here because of it?"

"Yes."

Gray Serpent nodded, then began to rattle off a list of names—the very people whose forms Cipher had previously taken—as if reciting inventory.

"Oh," Cipher murmured, thoughtful. "Names I've never heard of."

"..."

Gray Serpent fell silent, waiting.

Cipher persisted, "You mentioned earlier... Pardofelis? You said I was her... alternate-universe counterpart? You mean she is me, but in another world... or rather, in this world?"

"..." Gray Serpent remained quiet.

He felt a bit of a headache coming on. The person before him was undoubtedly a counterpart to that Flame-Chaser.

Yet, Cipher seemed completely ignorant of those who had arrived before, and appeared to know very little about the cosmos in general.

The question of whether to let her in on the secrets of the Elysian Realm suddenly became a rather tricky matter.

"Why are you hesitating? I can practically smell a secret." Cipher watched his silence, her eyes narrowing as if she had sniffed out something interesting. Her gaze involuntarily drifted toward the long, unfinished corridor.

"..." Gray Serpent sighed softly.

He looked at her and said, "Your guess is correct. Lady Pardofelis is indeed your counterpart in this world. Several others who shared counterparts in this reality have arrived here before, and you..."

He paused again. "You and Lady Pardofelis share the exact same interests."

"Is that so? Interesting. Take me to see her." A spark of genuine excitement lit up Cipher’s blue eyes.

"Very well." Gray Serpent turned and began walking toward the other side of the corridor.

Cipher followed immediately, striding along without a second's hesitation.

She was certain now that the memories of the Flame-Chasers within the Elysian Realm must already know she was here. Otherwise, she didn't believe for a second that Gray Serpent would be so bold as to lead her to them.

In fact, it might even be at their request.

Thinking of this, Cipher grew even more eager to meet Elysia and Pardo.

As these thoughts crossed her mind, her tail couldn't help but wag excitedly.

Elysian Realm... here I come!

Cipher followed Gray Serpent through another long, dark hallway, feeling a touch of exasperation. What is this corridor even for? Keeping it around to help Kevin reminisce?

However, just as they reached the end, a massive door came into view.

It was towering—at least three or four meters tall—crafted from alloy, and matched the bleak, silver-gray aesthetic of World Serpent.

"Beyond this point lies the Elysian Realm." Gray Serpent stepped to the side of the door, pressing his palm against a sensor—though it was impossible to tell if he even had palm prints.

He then turned back, watching her as the heavy doors slowly slid open. "I ask that you... maintain proper respect for the people you are about to meet."

"Fine by me."

Cipher’s expression turned serious, though she maintained an easy, relaxed smile, her tail swaying nonchalantly.

"In that case, I will not be going in."

Standing before the open threshold, Gray Serpent stepped aside, his voice deep and calm.

"Why?" Cipher glanced at him, curious.

"Because this time..." his mechanical eye flickered, "you are the only one the Flame-Chasers invited."

"Oh."

Cipher didn't press him further. She simply lifted her foot and stepped into the hall of the Elysian Realm.

The Golden Courtyard.

It was massive, bathed in warm, yellow light streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows from the dome above and the second-floor corridors, giving the space an incredibly cozy atmosphere.

The floor was paved with metal tiles. To the left and right of the ground floor, there were lounges adorned with beautiful artwork and sofas, as well as a small, solemn data room filled with holographic projections of the Earth and a sea of screens.

In the very center, hovering like a gemstone, was the core database—the very vessel of the Elysian Realm itself.

Yet, in this grand hall...

Many eyes were fixed on Cipher.

--+--

Honkai Transformations - 122

--+--

Cipher stood at the entrance of the grand hall, her blue eyes widening slightly as she took in the people gathered within.

Nearly all the Flame-Chasers of the Elysian Realm were here.

Only Aponia and Kalpas were missing.

Of all those present, Elysia and Mobius seemed to be staring at her with the most intense hunger!

Then there was Pardo, whose gaze was filled with such confusion and curiosity that she couldn't stop her eyes from darting between Cipher’s cat ears and her tail.

They were currently scattered throughout the hall in small groups.

Some were leaning against the electronic consoles of the Data Room, others were lounging on the sofas in the lounge, but every single one of them had their attention locked onto Cipher.

There was something indefinable hanging about each of them.

It wasn't pressure, nor was it bloodlust, but rather... something settled, something that had weathered countless ages and could never be worn down by the passage of time.

Facing the scrutiny of so many Flame-Chasers, Cipher didn't feel the least bit stage-frightened. Instead, her tail swayed back and forth, and she studied them right back with immense curiosity.

Especially when her gaze landed on Eden. A glint appeared in her eyes, and her nose twitched a few times; she wore an expression of extreme interest, as if she were looking at a billionaire.

I remember from the game... Eden has quite a few treasures from the Previous Era. I wonder if I can figure out a way to get my hands on some~

After catching Eden arch a brow, Cipher pulled back her gaze and turned it toward Kevin.

He stood in the deepest part of the hall, arms crossed over his chest, his blue eyes calm as he watched her.

His gaze was as cold as a block of ice, filled with an analytical quality—not at all like Elysia, who looked at her as if she were the most adorable thing on earth and looked like she wanted to give her a big hug.

But Cipher didn't mind.

She tilted her head at Kevin, the corners of her mouth curling up to reveal a sharp little canine tooth, her eyes sparking with a bit of surprise. "Yo, the Deliverer boy, what are you doing here?"

The hall went silent for a moment.

Kevin watched her without a word, though his brows knitted together slightly, his eyes filled with a trace of confusion.

"You know me?"

"Nope." Cipher shook her head, her tail flicking gently behind her, looking utterly relaxed.

"But... you remind me of someone. In your own words, what was it... hmm, let me think."

After a moment, Cipher clapped her hands together. "An alternate-reality counterpart? That's right! I know the 'you' from my world!"

Kevin was silent for a beat before saying in a deep voice, "...Why do you call him 'the Deliverer boy'?"

"Because he’s the chosen savior, and frankly, he deserves the title."

Kevin didn't seem interested or pleased by her words; his gaze simply grew a little deeper.

Cipher didn't bother with him any further, instead turning her attention back to the others in the hall.

Elysia...

She had been sitting on the bench in the lounge, but now she hopped up and headed straight for Cipher with excitement.

Her eyes were bright and beautiful, as if stars were twinkling within them, and the look she gave Cipher was full of radiant joy and curiosity, without a single impurity.

Meeting that gaze, Cipher felt her heart soften.

Ah...

This feeling like first love...

Praise Elysia!!!

But Cipher still deliberately furrowed her brows, putting on a confused expression as she asked: "Have I met you somewhere before? I feel like... you look a bit familiar."

Elysia, who had already reached her, tilted her head, her smile growing even brighter and more radiant.

"Is that so?"

There was a hint of playful, heart-tickling teasing in Elysia’s lighthearted voice. "Perhaps in a dream?"

She’s so smooth!

Cipher gulped internally, blinked at her, and then shook her head gently.

"Maybe."

She then continued to curiously eye the others in the Elysian Realm hall.

Especially Pardo!

Pardo was blinking those heterochromatic eyes—one blue, one green—curiously and cautiously sizing Cipher up, her tail swishing lightly behind her.

The moment Cipher saw her, her eyes lit up and her tail shot straight up, wagging nimbly from side to side—a sight that made Elysia’s expression soften, clearly wanting to reach out and touch those ears.

"Whoa~"

Cipher let out a soft exclamation of surprise as she looked at Pardo, then stepped toward the sofa where the latter was sitting.

"Are you Pardofelis?"

"Huh? Me? Yeah..." Meeting Cipher’s overly familiar, curious blue eyes, Pardo was initially cautious and guarded, but then she nodded vigorously.

"Yeah, I'm Pardofelis, you... you..."

She looked at Cipher, her eyes still filled with caution as she asked, "You’re... the one everyone is talking about? The 'me' from another world?"

"That’s right~"

Cipher nodded happily.

"You actually have cat ears and a cat tail too? Are you also a MANTIS?" Pardo stood up from the sofa and began to circle Cipher with curiosity.

"A what-is-what?"

"You know... your tail and ears. Did you get them because you became a type of warrior and went through some kind of surgery?"

"Of course not! I was born this way!"

Seeing Pardo’s curious look, Cipher gave a graceful spin, her tail and ears twitching with her movements.

Those cat ears especially looked soft and fluffy—super cute, and super tempting to touch!

"My name is..." Cipher’s eyes flickered for a moment before she continued with a grin, "Cipher. What about you? What’s your name?"

"Cipher..."

Pardo mumbled the name to herself, then tilted her head and laughed. "Nice name~ It sounds way faster than mine. Cipher, Cipher... hmm, it sounds just as fast as the wind!"

"Exactly~"

Cipher couldn't help but laugh, too. As their eyes met, they both understood exactly what the other meant.

"I’m as fast as the wind! No one can ever catch me~"

"Hehehe~"

"Your name is pretty good, too." Cipher looked at Pardo, her eyes curving with pleasure as she said the name Gray Serpent had told her earlier. "Pardofelis. Um... can I call you Pardo?"

"Of course you can!"

Pardo blinked. "Call me whatever you want! I don't mind at all!"

"Then that’s what I’ll call you from now on." Cipher flicked her tail gently, a natural sense of closeness in her tone. "Pardo… It sounds good~"

"Oh my~"

Elysia’s voice drifted over from the side, laced with a hint of teasing.

"Looks like you two are getting along quite well~"

She squeezed in beside them, hands clasped behind her back, tilting her head slightly as she watched Cipher with glittering eyes.

"Cipher, let’s be friends, too~"

"Oh..."

Cipher turned to look at Elysia, her eyes still smiling, and nodded without hesitation.

"Sure."

"Really?" Elysia’s eyes sparkled. "It’s a deal, then~"

She held out her hand, her pinky finger hooked slightly, looking like a child eager for a confirmation.

"Pinky promise~"

Watching her like that, Cipher felt a sudden, overwhelming surge of joy. She even had the urge to pull Elysia into her arms and inhale the scent of her hair!

Without hesitation, Cipher reached out and hooked her pinky with Elysia’s.

I can actually touch her!

Cipher was a little surprised; after all, Elysia and the others were memory constructs, data projected from the Elysian Realm into the real world...

Yet she could make physical contact!

However, she had only just started to marvel at it when she sensed something slightly off.

Wait... I think I’m data, too...

"Pinky promise, a hundred years no changes~" Elysia recited the line in a lighthearted tone, nodded in satisfaction, and then stepped back.

"There~"

Her voice held a hint of triumph. "From now on, we’re friends~"

Cipher looked at Elysia’s beautiful, radiant face, and a strange feeling welled up in her heart.

So that’s what it’s like to be friends?

This is pretty great...

If Elysia could take a little more interest in me next, and initiate some cuddles, that would be even better~

"Oh, right~"

Elysia tilted her head, her blue eyes filled with intense curiosity and anticipation. "Cipher, is there anyone else here who looks familiar to you?"

"Familiar?" Cipher tilted her head.

"Mmhmm~ Like..." Elysia turned around, her gaze happily sweeping across the others in the hall. "In your world, are there other people who look just like the ones here?"

Cipher followed Elysia’s gaze to the people in the hall.

Su.

He was sitting in a chair by the bookshelf, a book in his hand, his eyes closed.

"His name is Su~"

Elysia walked over to Su with a smile, happily introducing him to Cipher. "He used to be a doctor, then joined Fire Moth and became a MANTIS. You could say he’s the smartest among us~"

"She’s so pretty."

Cipher looked at him, her tail wagging happily, deliberately pretending not to know Su’s actual gender, which immediately made Elysia burst into a laugh.

"Pretty… Hahahaha! Don’t be fooled by his looks~ Su is actually a boy!"

"Huh?"

"Hahahahaha~"

The teasing brought a faint smile to most of the Flame-Chasers present.

"Sorry, sorry~" After Cipher offered a few apologies, Su nodded slightly.

"It’s fine."

"Mm…" Cipher stuck her tongue out, feigning embarrassment, before continuing: "But I’m sorry~ I don’t think I’ve seen him before~"

"I see."

Elysia sighed with a hint of regret. "I was really hoping that if the Su in the parallel world was a girl, she’d be really pretty~"

Don't say that—there actually is a world where Su is a girl!

Cipher immediately recalled that the story had mentioned Su using his psychic power to probe a World Bubble.

And in that world, he was a woman.

The Su from that world had used her immense psychic power to control the world, and had even noticed him, attempting to track him back.

"What about her~" Elysia walked over to Vill-V, hugging one of her arms and looking at her with curiosity and anticipation.

"Her name is Vill-V. She’s an almost omnipotent genius~"

Vill-V had her arms crossed, the "milk buns" on her chest made all the more prominent by the pressure, and her lips curled into a dangerous, serious smile.

Cipher knew without thinking that Vill-V probably wanted to take her apart.

"S-sorry, don't know her either."

Her gaze was a little too intense; Cipher could only bear it for a second before looking away, muttering to herself.

Who knows when Vill-V will sneak up with Mobius to knock me out and study me.

I have to be careful~

But just as Cipher thought this, she had a better idea.

Instead of being targeted by thieves, I might as well find a way to make the thief come to me...

I might even get to eat some milk buns, too~

"What a pity~ I really like Vill-V, too." Elysia looked regretful, then immediately walked over to someone else.

"Her name is Eden. She was the most famous singer of our era, and widely considered to represent that age~"

Elysia hugged Eden from behind, pressing her whole body against her back. Eden didn't stop her, simply smiling with gentle serenity.

"Yes, but that’s all in the past now~"

The sight of their intimacy made Cipher’s mouth water; she wished she could be sandwiched between the two of them.

"I... I think I recognize her~"

Cipher looked at her, her eyes involuntarily brightening, then subconsciously looked at Pardo. Even without her saying a word, Pardo caught her meaning.

"Hehe..."

Pardo giggled. "Sister Eden is super rich, and she's very generous!"

"Is that so... No wonder I felt like I was looking at family the moment I saw her!" Cipher’s tail wagged happily, and she walked over without hesitation, grabbing one of Eden’s hands and swinging her tail joyfully.

"Even though I haven't met you, I feel like I've known you forever! Sister Eden!"

"Hm... really?" Eden looked at the little cat that had practically shoved itself in front of her with stars in her eyes, feeling utterly helpless.

"Well then... take this as a welcome gift for our first meeting."

She reached into her bosom and pulled out a dazzling gemstone, handing it to Cipher.

"Whoa! Thank you, thank you!" Cipher immediately took it, cradling the gem with a look of pure surprise and delight.

Eden then began to softly recount the origin of the gem, and after finishing, looked at Cipher with a sigh. "Just like Pardo, you really do love shiny things, don't you?"

"Hehehe~"

Cipher happily pocketed the gem. Afterward, Elysia walked over to Sakura.

"This is Sakura~" Elysia rested her hands on Sakura’s shoulders, looking curiously at Cipher.

Cipher shook her head gently, signaling she had never seen Sakura.

Elysia didn't get discouraged, excitedly introducing the remaining Flame-Chasers to Cipher one by one, but Cipher continued to shake her head.

Until they reached Mobius.

Her petite yet mature frame—perfectly balanced between looking youthful and somehow "illegal"—was sitting on that hover-platform. Her long green hair flowed behind her, and she had a dangerous smile on her lips, her eyes boring into Cipher.

Cipher felt a chill crawl up her spine. Before Elysia could say anything, she blurted out: "No, no, I haven't seen her."

"Oh my... what a shame..."

Mobius slowly drifted closer, looking at Cipher, her eyes full of the kind of sick excitement one usually reserves for a lab rat.

"But that’s okay… We can get to know each other quite well right now~"

As she spoke, her hand reached out to stroke Cipher, sliding slowly from her arm toward her waist.

The sensation was smooth, cool, and tingly~

To be honest, it was pretty thrilling.

Cipher couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like if Mobius were to lie on top of her like that.

Whoo~

"Uhh, maybe we should skip that for now… Let’s take our time getting to know each other later."

Cipher carefully retreated a few steps, giving an awkward, slightly cowardly grin.

The surrounding Flame-Chasers looked at Mobius with warning glints in their eyes, clearly thinking that Mobius was up to no good.

"Mmhmm~"

Elysia, as always, smiled radiantly.

"Alright~"

Elysia clapped her hands, drawing everyone’s attention. "Let’s not just stand here, come, have a seat~"

She turned and headed toward the sofa in the lounge.

Cipher looked at the empty spot on the sofa, hesitated, and then walked over to sit down.

The sofa was very soft.

Softer than the bed she slept on at the World Serpent base. Her tail couldn't help but wag gently behind her as she started plotting about the sofa.

This is a sofa from the Elysian Realm!

Every Flame-Chaser has sat here—this is a limited edition!

If I could take it with me to collect... that would be so meaningful!

"Would you like some juice?"

"Yes, please~"

After taking the juice Elysia handed her, Cipher took a sip, her eyes narrowing in comfort.

"Tastes good... rich fruit flavor~ It even has the taste of sunshine and rain, delicious!"

After expressing her satisfaction, her tail began to sway, much like a cat basking in the afternoon sun.

But all around her...

Pardo looked at Cipher, her mouth slightly agape, her heterochromatic eyes full of shock.

Su opened his eyes and looked at Cipher, a flicker of contemplation flashing through them.

Even Vill-V had put away her dangerous smile, replaced by an expression of serious scrutiny.

Eden stopped swirling her wine glass and looked at Cipher, her brows knitting together.

Especially...

Mobius.

Her eyes actually lit up!

Literally lit up!

Like a snake that had just discovered prey in the dark, unable to restrain herself from lunging in for a bite.

--+--

Honkai Transformations - 123

--+--

"Why... why are you all looking at me like that?"

Cipher cast a cautious glance at them, then lowered her head, looking at the juice in her glass with a touch of uncertainty, a look of bewilderment flickering in her eyes.

Oh my~

It seems they’ve already figured it out.

Cipher felt quite delighted inside.

"You..."

Elysia’s voice broke the silence. She looked at Cipher, a flash of hesitation crossing her eyes, as if she were weighing how to phrase her next words, or perhaps confirming something.

"Is the... juice good?"

"It's great."

Cipher took another sip, her eyes curving into crescents. "It's sweet, sour, and a little bit tart. Is it orange? No, wait, is it lemon? That's not it either... is it a mixed juice?"

After saying this, she looked at everyone else, wearing a confused expression. "Drink up! Why isn't anyone else drinking? Do you not like this kind of juice?"

Elysia didn't answer.

She just stared at the glass in Cipher's hand, silent for a moment.

Then, she smiled.

It was a beautiful smile, yet it hid something that was hard to put into words.

"That's good," Elysia’s voice remained light, though it carried a hint of complexity. "As long as you like it."

With that, Elysia turned to pour herself a glass of juice, walked back with it in hand, and sat down beside Cipher.

The Flame-Chasers watched this scene, saying nothing.

Then, Elysia also raised her glass, shook it slightly toward Cipher, and flashed a radiant smile.

"Cheers~"

"Cheers~"

The two glasses tapped against each other with a crisp chime.

Elysia took a sip of the juice, her eyes also curving into crescents.

"Mmm, it really is delicious~"

Cipher looked at her, feeling a subtle surge of pleasure. She knew why Elysia and the others were looking at her that way, and why Elysia had asked if the juice was good.

Because... just like them, this juice was nothing more than data.

It was completely fake.

Elysia had probably intended to startle her, using it as a way to hint that they were all artificial—mere memories of people who had long since passed away.

She just hadn't expected Cipher to give them a surprise in return~

Pardo watched them, blinked, and then scampered over.

"I—I want some too!" She grabbed a glass, poured some juice, and held it in her hands before taking a sip.

"So good!"

Pardo slightly squinted her eyes, a look of pure satisfaction spreading across her face.

Cipher watched her, a warm feeling welling up in her heart.

So cute~

It's just a pity she won't be able to say that classic line in front of Mei anymore.

"Kosma... I want some too."

"Hmm..."

The many Flame-Chasers present approached one by one, took a glass, and then watched Cipher with gazes that were both complex and scrutinizing.

"Alright~"

Elysia put down her glass and clapped her hands, drawing everyone's attention. She turned to Cipher with a curious, expectant look. "Don't just drink juice. Cipher, tell us about your world~"

"My world?" Cipher tilted her head.

"Yes~" Elysia nodded, her blue eyes brimming with curiosity.

"Didn't you say there was a counterpart of Kevin in your world? What kind of person is he? And Pardo's counterpart—that's you, right? What are you like yourself? What kind of life do you live? What kind of friends do you have?"

Cipher looked at Elysia’s curious and earnest expression and couldn't help but smile~

She figured Elysia and the others were likely using this topic to speculate about what her world was like, whether it was fake, and if she, too, was merely a data entity.

Or perhaps they suspected she had some special ability that allowed her to touch virtual existences.

"Are you... really that curious?"

Cipher asked, looking at them with amusement.

"Of course~" Elysia’s voice carried a childlike buoyancy. "It’s not every day we get a guest from a parallel world; naturally, we have to ask all about it!"

Cipher thought for a moment, then nodded.

I don't believe you... well, not entirely.

"Alright."

She set down her glass and leaned back against the sofa, her tail swaying gently behind her, and began to speak in a soft voice:

"My world... is called Amphoreus."

"Amphoreus~" Elysia murmured the name, her lips curling slightly upward. "Such a beautiful name!"

"It is." Cipher’s voice softened. Although her eyes still held a smile, they now carried a sense of earnestness and gravity. "Amphoreus... is beautiful. But it is also cruel."

Cipher began to tell the story of Amphoreus.

From Okhema to the Chrysos Heirs, and then to the Flame Chase Journey. She told them of the Titans eroded by the Black Tide, the prophecies of the Titans, and the heroes who sacrificed themselves to reclaim the fire.

She spoke of Aglaea, Tribbie, Trianne, Trinnon, and then Anaxa, Castorice, and Mydei.

She spoke slowly, sometimes pausing to think before continuing.

"Phainon..." Elysia whispered the name. "Is that the Kevin counterpart you mentioned?"

"Yes."

Cipher nodded. "He is the savior of our world, or so the oracle says. And... he is truly worthy of that title."

"What kind of person is he?"

Cipher was silent for a moment, recalling carefully before replying: "He is very gentle. Even though he carries a burden that is incredibly heavy, he never forces his pain onto others. He is always smiling, treats those around him well, and is even... merciful to his enemies. Sometimes I think he’s a bit too merciful."

If I were Phainon... I’d have wiped out those scum in the Senate that very night, just to see how they'd pass on their disgusting memories.

Elysia listened quietly, a flicker of something undefinable shining in her blue eyes.

"Is he... like Kevin?"

At the mention of the name, Cipher couldn't help but look toward the figure standing in the deepest part of the hall.

Kevin still stood there, arms crossed, his blue eyes watching her calmly.

"He's like him," she nodded, then shook her head. "But he's also not."

"How so?"

"Phainon..." Cipher pondered for a moment before saying, "He isn't as cold as he is."

Kevin’s brows twitched slightly upon hearing this, but he said nothing and simply remained standing there in silence.

"Kevin, he..." Elysia’s voice also softened, accompanied by a touch of playful warmth. "He is actually very gentle, too."

"Is that so?" Cipher looked at Kevin, tilted her head, and blinked. "I can't tell. I can feel the chill radiating off him from several meters away. If Phainon were like him, I’d just set up a cozy little nest right next to him in the summer."

"......"

When she said this, Pardo’s eyes lit up, and she wore an expression of total agreement.

Then, as everyone else around them went quiet, Pardo realized something was wrong.

Cipher could feel the chill emanating from Kevin, who was merely a memory projection.

Elysia laughed softly.

"He’s just pretending to be cold! In reality, deep down, he’s still a gentle, shy, sunshine boy, you know~"

Cipher smiled, too.

Keep telling yourself that. Kevin only showed a "sunny" side when he pushed Su into the Sea of Quanta; there’s no way he’d ever show that look to me.

"Perhaps."

Cipher withdrew her gaze and continued her story.

She spoke of Aglaea, the Goldweaver who wove fate with threads of gold, and how she guarded Okhema while being branded an enemy by those in the Senate.

Cipher’s expression turned slightly somber when talking about Aglaea.

Then came Tribbie, Trianne, Trinnon—the three demi-gods who had split their souls, and how they traveled to every corner of the world to deliver the message of salvation.

She talked about the other clones, most of whom were killed by the very humans they wanted to protect.

And Anaxa, the pure scholar who constantly pursued the truth, despised the gods, and wandered between lies and reality.

And the one who cherished life dearly, but had already begun to send lives away with her own hands before ever understanding the true value of life—Castorice.

Finally, Mydei, the warrior who was rejected by death, but who... Cipher felt, was actually more like someone who was rejecting death itself.

"Your world..." Elysia’s eyes sparkled with a bright luster. "It has many heroes, too."

"Yes," Cipher nodded. "Many."

"And you?" Elysia looked at her. "What are you like in your world?"

Cipher thought for a moment, then smiled delightfully.

"Me? ...I’m a liar."

"A liar?"

"Mhm." Cipher nodded, her look of complex helplessness shifting into one of pride. "A liar who fooled the whole world."

She didn't continue, but Elysia seemed to understand. She looked at Cipher, a flash of complex emotion crossing her gaze.

"That must have been very exhausting for you."

Cipher froze for a moment, then nodded.

"It’s alright. I’m used to it."

Elysia watched her, silent for a long time. After a while, she offered a soft smile.

"That's good."

The hall fell quiet.

Sunlight poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows on the second floor, casting warm spots of light onto the golden floor. Cipher held her glass of juice, sitting quietly on the sofa, her tail swaying gently behind her.

"Cipher."

Elysia’s voice came from across from her.

"Yes?"

"Would you... like to come with us to see a certain place?"

Cipher was silent for a moment.

The Elysian Realm?

It seems they’re planning to test something big.

However, Cipher wasn't actually sure if she could even enter the Elysian Realm.

And besides...

If she went in, would Vill-V and the others attack her?

Still...

"Sure."

Cipher nodded with a smile; she didn't think for a second that Vill-V or the others could catch her. She set her glass on the coffee table, stood up from the sofa, and swayed her tail, appearing incredibly curious and expectant.

"Where is it?"

"It’s... an interesting world."

Elysia spoke in riddles. She reached out her hand toward Cipher, and Cipher took it without a second of hesitation.

Ah… this comfortable sensation~

Cipher desperately wanted to just hug this hand and rub her face against it repeatedly.

Hehe~

"Close your eyes... don't resist~" Elysia said softly to Cipher. "Relax, just like... meditation…"

Cipher obeyed and closed her eyes, fighting the urge to squeeze Elysia’s little hand a few more times.

Then, she felt something shifting.

Not just the environment, but herself as well. It felt like a breeze blowing through her entire being, bringing with it an exceptionally refreshing sensation.

Is this...

What it feels like for a program to enter a supercomputer?

"Alright~"

Elysia’s voice echoed in her ear.

Cipher opened her eyes out of curiosity and looked around.

And then, she froze.

Because!

The world before her was exactly the same as before—not a single difference.

The same warm yellow lighting, the same floor-to-ceiling windows; even Pardo was still sitting in the same spot, staring at her while holding her glass, though her eyes had widened just a little.

"This..." Cipher turned her head toward Elysia, confusion in her eyes. "Isn't this the same place as before?"

Elysia looked at Cipher in silence for a moment, then laughed softly.

"It's different~" Her voice became very gentle, with a hint of caution. "That was the Golden Courtyard in reality, the entrance to the Elysian Realm. But here..."

She let go of Cipher’s hand and spread her arms wide, as if embracing the entire space.

"This is the true Elysian Realm."

Cipher blinked and looked around again.

She still couldn't tell the difference. But in her heart, she was beginning to understand. She had been brought directly into the Elysian Realm by Elysia. This was, in all likelihood, their little test.

And...

They could probably confirm now, just like her, that she was a data entity.

"But... it looks exactly the same," Cipher said, feigning confusion.

"That's because it's a one-to-one replica~"

Elysia tilted her head, giving a playful smile. "However, if you feel carefully, you can still find differences."

Cipher closed her eyes and focused.

It was a bit different...

It felt like...

Like a fish back in water?

"Feel it?" There was a hint of laughter in Elysia's voice.

"...Mhm." Cipher opened her eyes and nodded, a touch of wonder in her gaze. "It is a bit different."

"Exactly~"

Elysia nodded, though a flicker of complexity passed through her eyes before she turned and walked toward the depths of the hall.

"Come on, let me show you around~"

Cipher followed her, her eyes scanning her surroundings with curiosity.

The Flame-Chasers looked at each other in silence after the two had left.

Vill-V and Mobius exchanged glances; they didn't even need to guess what the other was thinking!

Cipher!

She's just like them!

Cipher followed behind Elysia, feeling curious about everything here. After all, she had only been to a few places in the game, and now, the reality of it was completely different from what she had seen!

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows lining the corridor, golden wheat fields swayed in the wind, waves of gold rolling into the distance.

"This place..." Cipher couldn't help but speak up. "Where is this? How did we get here so suddenly?"

"This is a world... built from memories," Elysia said in a soft voice, though her eyes held a complex look as she regarded Cipher.

Cipher, acting as if she hadn't noticed a thing, kept looking around like a naive creature.

"A world built from memories... that's impressive!"

Hahahaha~

Seeing Elysia and the others get so easily duped by her bluff made her feel incredibly smug.

"It is," Elysia walked in front, her smiling voice ringing out softly: "Because this is, after all... our most precious memory, everything here feels incredibly real."

"So..." Cipher picked up her pace, walked up to Elysia, and asked curiously, "Do you stay here all the time?"

"Most of the time," Elysia nodded. "Though some people go elsewhere."

"Where to?"

"For instance, Su likes to read in the library, Mobius likes to conduct experiments in her lab, and Kevin likes to stand in high places and space out..."

Elysia counted them off one by one, her voice carrying a gentle smile.

"Everyone has their own little space in this memory world… Hmm, except for Kosma and little Griseo~ they like to stay together."

Cipher nodded and didn't ask further.

She followed Elysia through the hall, down the corridor, and to a door.

Elysia pushed the door open, revealing a massive garden behind it. The garden was filled with all sorts of flowers, their fragrance permeating the air, mixed with the scent of soil and sunlight.

And the moment the door opened, it all came rushing in!

"This is Eden’s garden."

Elysia said with a smile, "She loves to drink tea, read books, and space out here."

Cipher looked at the sea of flowers and couldn't help but take a deep breath.

So beautiful.

Especially in the middle of the garden, there was a villa, and the entire garden was surrounded by a forest.

She couldn't help but gaze further into the distance, where she saw a modern city standing at the foot of the hill where the garden was situated.

"That's Sapphire City~" Elysia said softly.

Cipher’s eyes immediately lit up, and she instinctively moved to step inside.

"What a beautiful city... it's completely different from our place!"

"Someday, when Eden is here, we'll go to Sapphire City together~" Elysia chuckled, and before Cipher could step inside, she closed the door.

Then, she led Cipher away—Cipher, who was looking back at the door with lingering reluctance, her eyes shining with greed and her natural tendencies as a collector nearly impossible to suppress.

They continued down the corridor, passing several more doors, each one leading to a different world.

Some were libraries, some were laboratories, some looked like a pure white world splattered with countless pigments, and others were... the moon.

"A place beyond the sky?"

Cipher carefully poked her head inside a door, her expression filled with immense curiosity as she looked at the surroundings.

"In your world, have you yet to explore beyond your planet?" Elysia asked softly at this moment, watching Cipher’s cautious look, as if she were afraid something might suddenly happen.

"Yes!"

Cipher nodded earnestly. "In Amphoreus, the Sky Titan punishes anyone who dares to explore beyond the planet. Once, a city-state used the entire nation's strength to build a spaceship capable of leaving Amphoreus, and then... just as they were about to touch the sky, the Sky Titan killed them all..."

Elysia went silent upon hearing this, a flicker of light passing through her eyes.

Afterward, they returned to the hall.

Pardo was still sitting on that sofa, but her glass was gone.

Seeing them return, her eyes immediately lit up.

"How was it? Fun?"

"Mhm." Cipher nodded, expressing her admiration. "It's very beautiful."

"Hehe~"

Pardo laughed. "I told you, Sister Elysia is the best at taking people on tours~"

Cipher walked over to her and sat back down, her tail swaying gently.

Her gaze swept over the Flame-Chasers in the hall. They were still standing in little groups, but their gazes toward her seemed different than before.

It wasn't curiosity or scrutiny, but a kind of... calm and profound realization after confirming something.

Except...

Except for Mobius and Vill-V.

If their gazes could be materialized, Cipher was certain that, had she not resisted, she would already be pinned to an operating table by the two of them.

--+--

Honkai Transformations - 124

--+--

Perhaps it's a cat's inherent nature to court disaster.

If she had been in any other form, Cipher might not have bothered to tease Vill-V and Mobius at all. But right now, she was dying to see exactly how those two intended to come after her.

Would they try to knock her out with a club? Or would they try to lure her in with temptation?

How exciting. If it were seduction… even better!

"Elysia."

Cipher turned her gaze toward Elysia, her eyes sparking with curiosity. "What about your world? I’ve already told you about Amphoreus. It’s time you told me about yours."

"You want to know?"

Elysia looked at Cipher, the corners of her lips curling into a playful smile. "Of course! But before that, Cipher, you can call me Ellie. It sounds much sweeter, and it feels more intimate, as if..."

She winked, letting out a light, melodic giggle: "As if we’ve known each other for a long time."

"Alright!" Cipher wasn't the least bit intimidated by Elysia's enthusiasm; instead, she gave a radiant smile and nodded gently. "Then I’ll call you Ellie. It really is a lovely name."

"Naturally! After all, my name carries the very meaning of the Elysian Realm."

Elysia laughed happily. Then, after a moment of reflection, she began to recount the tales of the past from the world of Honkai Impact 3rd.

"In our world... there is something similar to the Black Tide you mentioned. It’s called the Honkai."

Cipher’s expression turned intent. "The Honkai... what is it?"

"It is a catastrophe that emerges alongside civilization," Elysia said, her voice soft and ethereal, tinged with a hint of sorrow.

"It is a force that appears once civilization reaches a certain stage—just like when people stop relying on carrier pigeons and start using mobile phones. Like this one, for instance."

As she spoke, she produced a smartphone from thin air. It hadn't been there a moment ago; she had likely just conjured it.

"It looks a bit like a teleslate," Cipher said, leaning in curiously, hoping to sneak a peek at whether there was anything interesting on the screen. Unfortunately, the wallpaper was a group photo of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers.

She kind of wanted one now.

"A teleslate?" Elysia blinked, looking a bit confused.

"Yeah."

Cipher nodded and pulled her own teleslate from her inventory. Though she called it a slate, it was functionally no different from a smartphone.

"Let me see, let me see!" Vill-V immediately crowded in, staring with focused curiosity at the... phone in Cipher’s hand.

"Here you go."

Cipher handed it over, and Vill-V began to study it on the spot.

"Interesting. It’s a piece of advanced technology. I assumed your world was stuck in the Middle Ages." Vill-V examined the device, her brow furrowing slightly. "Wait... this technology... is it actually at least a century ahead of our own?"

"Is that so? Let me take a look as well," Mobius said, stepping forward and squeezing between Cipher and Elysia without a second thought.

Though, compared to the phone, she seemed far more interested in Cipher herself.

She kept brushing against Cipher, intentionally or not, as if she were using her own body as a cotton swab to secretly collect samples from Cipher for later study.

Furthermore, Cipher noticed that no one seemed inclined to stop her.

"What a cute little girl," Cipher thought, feeling quite comfortable with the contact. The smooth, slippery sensation tempted her to reach out and give Mobius’s head a few firm rubs.

"L-little girl?"

At that address, Mobius’s entire body stiffened.

"Pfft! Hahahahaha!" Elysia immediately burst into bright, bell-like laughter. "That's right! Mobius is indeed such a very~ cute~ little girl!"

"E—LY—SI—A!!!"

Mobius was completely shattered. Or perhaps she had collected enough samples, because she turned on her heel and stormed off, fuming.

Of course, Cipher still suspected that she was simply impatient to test whatever she had managed to swipe from her. Cipher was curious too, wondering what Mobius would make of it.

After all, she was a demigod; it was impossible for Mobius to get a true biological sample. At most, she had only picked up some dust from Amphoreus clinging to Cipher's clothes.

But even that would be enough to stun them. After all... this was a world of data.

"Interesting." Vill-V, seemingly finished with the phone, handed it back to Cipher. Cipher had a sneaking suspicion that Vill-V had already managed to secretly clone all the data on the device.

Still, as she took it back, she felt a pang of regret. There was no longer a beautiful, thunderous face-to-face with Vill-V to enjoy.

"Alright, alright. Continue, what exactly is the Honkai?" Cipher asked, turning her gaze back to Elysia as if she hadn't noticed a thing.

"The Honkai..." Elysia nodded, her smile fading. "It triggers all sorts of disasters, turning beauty to ash and causing the trust between people to crumble... It also gives rise to existences known as Herrschers."

"Herrschers?"

Cipher’s curiosity deepened. Though, considering that Elysia was a Herrscher herself, she wondered if there was a hint of unease behind those words.

"Herrschers possess immense power. Or rather... they are much like the Titans of Amphoreus, born with a mastery over a fundamental law."

Cipher’s expression grew grave. "Herrschers are enemies of humanity... from the moment they are born? And not because they were corrupted by the Black Tide? That is..." She trailed off, at a loss for words.

"A bit unlucky, wouldn't you say?" Elysia said lightly, though Cipher could hear a heavy weight behind the words. She also saw a flicker of pity in Elysia’s eyes. Clearly, Elysia believed that Cipher had it even worse.

After all, in Elysia's view, Cipher didn't even know she wasn't a true living being, but merely a memory construct much like themselves.

"Some can control fire, some lightning... others can command the storms, or even death itself..."

"And who is it in your world that fights back, keeping the world from total destruction?" Cipher asked, looking puzzled. "Is it you? Are you also something like the Chrysos Heirs?"

Elysia was silent for a moment before saying softly, "We... have an organization."

"What organization?"

"It’s called... Fire Moth."

"Fire Moth?" Cipher repeated the name, her eyes lighting up a little. "It sounds like the Flame-Chase Journey in our world... I remember you saying that I’m the version of Pardo from another world. Does that mean your Fire Moth does the same things that the Chrysos Heirs do in our world?"

"Exactly." Elysia nodded gently, her voice softening as she looked at Cipher with warmth. "You could say we are the Chrysos Heirs of this world."

"I see." Cipher nodded, feeling a newfound sense of kinship as she looked at Elysia.

"But... if the Titans—the Herrschers—are your enemies from the start, how could they have bestowed the Coreflames upon you?"

"Oh, they certainly didn't grant us that," Elysia chuckled. "But... we learned how to fight them. We used the Herrscher Cores left behind after their deaths—the manifestations of the laws they controlled—to craft weapons.”

“We studied how they manipulated Honkai energy and turned that power toward our own ends. Gradually, we became strong enough to stand against them."

"And have you won yet?" Cipher asked, twisting the knife slightly.

Elysia looked at her, silent for a moment, then gave a soft shake of her head.

"No."

"No?" Cipher tilted her head, confusion coloring her expression.

"To be precise, not yet." Elysia laughed lightly. "We are only facing the third Herrscher now. There are twelve in total, and finally, the Herrscher of Finality. But I believe... the humanity of this era will prevail."

Is she planning to keep her identity as one of the Flame-Chasers from the Previous Era a secret? Cipher wondered.

"I see," Cipher said, nodding. "Twelve Herrschers... well, that’s just like the twelve Titans in our world. And then... the Herrscher of Finality... that sounds a bit like the Tomb of the Nameless Titan we once discovered. Could it be... that we too will eventually have to face that Nameless Titan?"

Cipher furrowed her brow, pretending to contemplate the dilemma.

"Your world needs to keep fighting, too," Elysia said, watching Cipher with a strange, unreadable light in her eyes.

"Yeah!" Cipher nodded earnestly, her face full of spirit and confidence.

But the others watched her with complicated expressions.

In their eyes, perhaps Cipher and her companions had already failed, and just like them, they had become nothing more than memories trapped inside a supercomputer similar to the Elysian Realm.

Yet, Cipher seemed to believe she was a living, breathing soul, not a collection of data.

If that were the case, Amphoreus was like a fallen civilization that didn't even realize it had been destroyed.

Perhaps it had already repeated its collapse countless times within the machine.

If Cipher ever learned of the Flame-Chasers' theory, she would probably be tempted to stab the "prophet" who came up with it.

"By the way," Pardo chimed in, curious. "Cipher, I heard you were a liar who tricked the whole world? How exactly did you manage that?"

--+--

Honkai Transformations - 125

--+--

"Cipher, I heard you were a liar who tricked the whole world? How exactly did you manage that?"

Pardo’s voice was brimming with a kind of innocent, unvarnished curiosity.

But the smile on Cipher’s face slowly began to fade.

She cradled her juice glass, head bowed as she stared at the amber liquid inside, remaining silent for a long time.

Even her tail, which had been swaying behind her, froze, as if she had been struck by some unseen force. An indescribable sense of heaviness began to radiate from her.

Seeing her expression, Pardo’s smile faltered. She hurriedly waved her hands, flustered.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! Did I ask something I shouldn't have? Just... just pretend I never said anything! Really, it was just a random thought!"

"It’s no big deal."

Cipher looked up, interrupting her. Her lips curled into a complex smile, but it was nothing like the one she’d worn before.

Her previous expression had been lighthearted and playful, carrying the distinct, cunning charm of a cat. But this new smile held a weight that was impossible to pin down.

Cipher took a deep breath, as if steeling herself, and gave a shrug. She forced a casual tone.

"Actually... it really isn't a big deal."

The hall fell silent. Everyone watched her, but no one rushed her or pressed for details. A dozen pairs of eyes focused on Cipher, waiting quietly for what she would say next.

Cipher met their gaze for a moment, her fingers tightening around the glass until her knuckles turned white, though she didn't crush it.

She seemed to be caught in an internal struggle—a clash of thoughts and hesitation. Finally, she began to recount how she had deceived the entire world.

"A long time ago... I was just a stray thief. Even after I used a trick to deceive the Titan of Trickery and stole the Coreflame to become a demigod, I was still, at heart, a thief."

Cipher’s voice carried a distant, nostalgic tone, as if she were drifting through her own memories.

"Back then, I didn't know anything. I only knew how to steal things, trade them for money, buy treats for the kids, and then eat until we were full and fall asleep..."

Life was just one day at a time—easy, breezy, and free.

"Until, one day, I set my sights on a gemstone."

There was an undertone in Cipher’s smile that was neither regret nor pride.

"It was called the Gem of All Worlds. They said it was a fragment that had fallen from the Dawn Device, and it was worth a king's ransom."

Cipher continued, "To steal that gem, I snuck into Okhema. Taking advantage of the Chaplain's critical illness, I planned to swipe the stone and vanish. But I didn't expect... while waiting for the changing of the guard, I overheard the Chaplain’s final words."

Cipher’s brows furrowed, her blue eyes reflecting a mix of deep helplessness and relief.

"He was on his last breath, thinking I was his lead disciple, Atticus. He whispered his last will—the secret oracle of the Titans that he dared not tell anyone else: the energy of the Dawn Device could only last for another three hundred years.”

“Once that time was up, the Dawn Device would extinguish completely, and Okhema—no, the whole world—would fall into eternal darkness."

The hall was so quiet that only Cipher’s voice echoed. Everyone’s expression grew grave and focused.

Based on what she had told them about Amphoreus, they knew that the world relied on the Dawn Device for light.

Furthermore... it was the only thing preventing the Black Tide from consuming everything.

"He said..." Cipher’s voice was complex but steady, "He didn't dare tell the public, so he asked me—thinking I was his disciple—to break the news to them."

She paused, then lifted her head to look at Pardo, at Elysia, at every Flame-Chaser in the room.

"So..." Pardo’s voice was barely a whisper, "you did it?"

"No." Cipher laughed then, her face lighting up with a deep, unmistakable pride.

"I did promise him, but I lied to him, too. Because I knew that if I told everyone the truth, they would all die in three hundred years anyway."

"Then... what did you do?" Kevin asked in a deep voice. He stared at her with icy blue eyes, as if awaiting the answer he had been looking for.

"I did what anyone would do... I told a lie."

Cipher smiled, her small face radiant with confidence.

"The real Atticus—the priest’s actual disciple—didn't know about it. The old man passed away before he could tell him. So, I stole Atticus’s identity and his memories, taking his place as the new Chaplain."

"I stood on the highest altar in Okhema, and I told everyone..."

Cipher’s voice became solemn, mimicking her own tone from that day.

"The Dawn Device shall shine upon Amphoreus for eternity. There is no need to fear that it will ever fade."

"That’s it?" Pardo blinked, looking perplexed.

"That's it."

"But... if you tricked the people back then, won't the Dawn Device still go out in three hundred years?"

Cipher nodded, a flash of mischief and delight dancing in her smile. "I am the Demigod of Trickery. As long as everyone believes my lie... it becomes the truth."

The hall fell into silence again. Pardo’s mouth hung slightly open, her heterochromatic eyes wide with shock. She started to speak, then stopped, unsure of what to say.

"So..." Elysia looked at Cipher, her own eyes filled with disbelief, "the Dawn Device... was it supposed to go out a long time ago?"

"Yes." Cipher nodded. "It should have gone out over seven hundred years ago."

"Seven hundred years..." Su softly repeated the number, a complex glimmer passing through his green eyes. "You spent seven hundred years... maintaining this lie all by yourself?"

Cipher remained silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Not entirely by myself," she said, giving a light, forced smile.

"Bartholos was with me... though that guy is just lazy, and I never actually told him the truth. Oh, right—I don't think I told you, but he’s actually the Titan of Trickery. He just became a... well, a cute little creature after I took his Coreflame. He even accepted me as his boss!"

Even as Cipher tried to lighten the mood, the others remained grave and heavy-hearted. Seeing their expressions, the smile on her lips faded into a calm, slightly dejected look.

"But I had to... leave someone behind. Aglaea."

"Who was she to you?"

Elysia, sitting beside her, reached out and gently took Cipher’s hand.

Cipher felt a flutter in her heart. Yes! This is exactly what she wanted! This is amazing!

Cipher sighed, ostensibly to clear her head, but really to suppress her true feelings.

"She was..." Cipher said, her voice low, "my adoptive mother, my teacher, and... my dearest friend. But I had to leave her because she is one of the Chrysos Heirs, another demigod... her golden threads can detect lies."

"As long as I stayed with her, she would have realized I was lying. She would have discovered that the Dawn Device had already gone out, so..."

Cipher gave a helpless, sorrowful smile. "I had to stay as far away from her as possible. For hundreds of years, I’ve barely returned to Okhema. And even when I did, I only dared to watch her from a distance."

She lowered her head to look at her cold juice. "She must think... I hate her."

No one spoke. Pardo’s eyes grew misty. Elysia looked at Cipher with deep sympathy. Kevin remained standing with his arms crossed, but his gaze was no longer icy; it had softened, holding a hint of recognition.

Su watched her, then exchanged a look with Hua—both of them knew, without a doubt, that Cipher was telling the truth.

"And then?" Pardo’s voice was raspy, heavy with the sadness of Cipher’s story. "What happened later?"

"Later..." Cipher forced a smile again, bright and radiant, though still burdened by that hidden weight. "Later, I came here."

"That's it?"

"That's it." Cipher nodded earnestly, exhaling deeply, as if shedding a heavy burden. Her entire demeanor shifted, becoming light and cheerful.

"Whew... finally got that off my chest."

Turning to Pardo, Cipher smiled happily. "Thank you for asking me, Pardo."

"Huh?" Pardo blinked. "Thank you for what?"

"Thank you for asking." Cipher repeated, looking at her with genuine intensity. "I’ve been holding onto that secret for hundreds of years. I’ve never had anyone to tell."

Pardo looked at her, her lower lip trembling, a tiny tear threatening to fall.

"Don't cry, don't cry!" Cipher waved her hands, looking caught off guard. "If you cry, then I'm going to cry, too!"

Who knew Pardo was this sensitive? Is it because we're counterparts? She really put herself in my shoes, Cipher thought, feeling a thrill of satisfaction.

There was nothing more satisfying than knowing she’d completely fooled someone into tearing up.

"I'm not crying!" Pardo sniffed, pulling back her tears with stubborn defiance. "I just... my nose got a bit stuffy."

Cipher couldn't help but laugh. But a second later, a thought hit her, and her expression turned serious. She bolted upright on the sofa, letting go of Elysia’s hand as the warmth faded.

"I just realized something," Cipher said, her voice grave. She scanned every Flame-Chaser in the hall. "If I was able to come here... then others from Amphoreus definitely can, too!"

Her tail stiffened behind her. The fur on her tail and the cat ears atop her head stood on end, making her look like a puffed-up, panicked cat. She radiated a sense of danger and vigilance.

"So... I beg of you all, please keep this secret for me."

Cipher faced the Flame-Chasers and bowed deeply.

"Don't let anyone know about the Dawn Device. Don't let anyone know about my lie, and don't let anyone know... that I’ve been lying to the whole world."

The hall was silent for a heartbeat.

Then, Elysia stood up. She walked to Cipher and gently cupped her chin, lifting her bowed head.

Whoa... Cipher felt a jolt of surprise. She hadn't expected Elysia to be so intimate.

"Cipher," Elysia said, looking her in the eyes with profound tenderness, "look at me."

Cipher blinked, meeting her gaze, and saw the pure, unwavering sincerity in Elysia’s eyes.

"I, Elysia, swear in the name of Ego, that I will never reveal your secret to anyone."

"Me too!" Pardo hopped off the sofa and raised her right hand. "I, Pardofelis, swear in the name of Reverie!"

Su looked at Cipher, his tone calm and resolute. "I, Su, in the name of Bodhi..."

The other Flame-Chasers in the Golden Courtyard followed suit, each making their own oath, some with deep, solemn voices, others with playful, earnest ones. Of course, Mobius, Aponia, and Kalpas were not present.

Finally, Kevin’s voice rumbled from the back of the hall, deep and unwavering.

"I, Kevin, swear in the name of Deliverance."

I really wish I could record this! Cipher thought, feeling an immense, unparalleled rush of satisfaction as she looked at all those determined faces.

If Aha weren't unable to enter the Solar System, she was certain she would have been named an Emanator of Elation by now!

Cipher watched them for a long time before she finally laughed. Her smile was brighter, freer than before.

"Thank you," she said, her voice thick with gratitude and relief. "Thank you all."

She sat back down, finished the rest of her now-cold juice, and her tail began to sway gently again.

"Alright!" Cipher’s voice returned to its usual chirpy tempo. "Everything that needed to be said has been said... now, can we talk about something fun?"

"Of course we can~" Elysia sat down beside her, tilting her head with a warm, radiant smile. "What would you like to talk about?"

"Hmm..." Cipher pondered, feeling a bit troubled.

She couldn't very well say she wanted to know what kind of treasures Eden had, or what items were in Pardo's Elysian Realm shop, or even go see if Elysia’s undergarments were actually pink. She’d definitely get beaten up for that.

After a moment, her eyes lit up. "For starters... what kind of good food do you have here?"

Pardo’s eyes brightened instantly.

"Oh, we have plenty!" Pardo said excitedly. "Sister Eden has tons of delicious food! And Boss Kevin has some, too! He might look cold, but the instant noodles they make are super good!"

Kevin’s brow twitched, but he stayed silent, though Cipher noticed his mouth twitching slightly.

She couldn't help but chuckle. Instant noodles, huh? She remembered writing in the lore that every time Kevin hosted a party, he’d gather everyone in the conference room to eat instant noodles.

"Then..." Cipher set down her glass, intrigued. "Can you take me to try some?"

"Sure!" Pardo hopped up. "I'll take you! I still have a lot of... stock... ahem... that I got from Boss Kevin last time."

"Sounds great!"

With that, the two "cats" darted off toward the back of the hall, tails swaying in the air, their laughter fading into the distance.

Elysia watched them go, a small smile playing on her lips.

"How nice."

"Indeed," Eden said, walking to her side to look at the departing pair. "It is."

"Now that they're gone, do you have something you want to say?" Kevin walked over, looking at Elysia with a calm, questioning expression.

Elysia thought for a moment, then turned to the other Flame-Chasers, her smile still brilliant. "What about Mobius?"

In the lab, Vill-V stood with her arms crossed, a playful, expectant smirk on her face. "She's been waiting impatiently ever since she managed to swipe a sample from that little kitten."

"And the result?" Elysia asked, her smile persistent. "Did she send a message over?"

Just then, the center of the hall flickered. A holographic screen expanded in the air, and Mobius’s face appeared. Her long green hair was slightly messy, but her eyes were brilliantly sharp, as if she had discovered something fascinating.

"Elysia," Mobius said, her voice laced with uncontrollable, fanatical excitement—as if something she had been desperately hunting for had suddenly walked right to her doorstep. "Guess what I found?"

"Just tell us, Mobius!" Elysia laughed. "No more games~"

Mobius took a deep breath to steady herself, then spoke, enunciating every word. "That little girl, Cipher... the things she brought with her are... peculiar."

"Peculiar?" Su frowned, his eyes still closed. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said." Mobius’s voice turned serious. "I analyzed the samples I collected from her—the sand and dust from Amphoreus, the fibers of her clothes—their properties are incredibly unstable."

"Unstable?" Vill-V raised an eyebrow, clearly already thinking of something.

"Yes." Mobius nodded, her eyes burning with fanaticism. "They’re in a state of... quantum superposition."

The hall fell silent.

"Are you saying..." Kevin’s voice resonated from the depths, deep and calm, "that the items she brought exist in a superposition until they are observed?"

"Precisely." Mobius’s eyes gleamed. "When you aren't paying attention to them, they behave like ordinary matter from the real world—just soil and dust from another realm. But when you examine them with high-precision instruments, using methods to detect quantum states..."

She paused, then continued, "Their true nature is revealed."

"What nature?" Elysia asked softly.

Mobius looked at her, her lips curling into a smile, her fair cheeks flushing with a morbid, fanatic joy.

"They are... exactly the same as the things in our world."

Silence descended upon the hall. They had already suspected it, but hearing Mobius confirm it still felt surreal.

"So..." Su asked calmly, "the items Cipher brought are, in essence, no different from everything in the Elysian Realm?"

"Not entirely," Mobius shook her head, a wild smile on her face. "They have two states. When you treat them as matter from the real world, they are. But when you treat them as data... they function as that, too, because that is their inherent essence~"

"That's impossible." Vill-V frowned, confused. "How can matter hold two states at once?"

"Existence is rational," Mobius retorted with a roll of her eyes. "Besides, when has the Honkai in our world ever followed the rules of logic?"

"So..." Elysia murmured, lost in thought. "Cipher... is she the same?"

"Yes!" Mobius nodded.

"Does she know?"

Mobius fell silent for a moment before shaking her head. "No. From her reaction, she has no idea. She thinks she's a living, breathing person—a demigod of flesh and blood from Amphoreus."

"But she isn't."

Vill-V shook her head and stepped forward, waving her hand in the air to bring up another hologram. "I analyzed the stone tablet Cipher uses—the 'mobile phone' of their world."

"And?" Elysia stepped closer, curious and solemn.

"The results..." Vill-V’s voice became grave. "The level of technology in that tablet far exceeds anything that world should be capable of."

"Is it a coincidence? After all, it's a world with gods... perhaps it differs from our own."

"Impossible." Vill-V shook her head. "I looked through the photos on her phone, and I found no trace of modern industrialization.”

“Are you telling me that a group of people living in a magical, medieval age... managed to hand-craft a phone capable of inter-stellar communication without going through a technological revolution?"

Vill-V looked intrigued, smiling as she drew her conclusion.

"Therefore, I suspect the phone—and the camera technology inside it—might be from an extraterrestrial source, or perhaps someone brought it back from the future."

"There is another possibility," Kevin said, his voice deep. "If the world Cipher lives in is also an Elysian Realm, then their world may have already experienced multiple cycles. Magical and technological products have become intertwined as a result."

"Science requires empirical evidence. Until we have the real answer, these are just guesses." Vill-V closed the screen and turned to Mobius’s projection.

"Of course…" Mobius giggled, a sound that sent shivers down the spine. "As long as you all agree... I would be more than happy to give that little lab rat a thorough examination~"

"No, Mobius." Elysia gently interrupted, her voice tinged with a smile. "She is our guest. If you start poking and prodding her, you’ll scare her away~"

Mobius was silent for a long time. Finally, she let out a sigh of defeat. She knew that as long as Elysia disagreed, the other Flame-Chasers would follow suit.

"Fine…" Mobius’s excitement dampened, replaced by a lingering, frustrated, and deeply hidden madness. "I won't touch her for now... but if she volunteers herself... then I won't be so polite~"

Elysia smiled and gave a slight nod. "Good."

Mobius’s holographic screen dimmed and vanished. The hall fell silent once more.

"Elysia," Su asked, looking at her with a steady gaze, "do you not intend to tell Cipher about her true nature?"

--+--

Honkai Transformations - 126

--+--

"Tell her what?"

Elysia turned, her gaze complex as she looked toward Su.

"Tell her... that she isn’t human, that she’s just data? Or tell her that her world might have been destroyed countless times over? Or tell her that everything she knows might be a lie?"

After she finished speaking, Elysia let out a soft sigh, her eyes filled with profound pity and complicated emotions. "This is... too cruel for Cipher. She still truly believes she is saving the world..."

Su remained silent for a moment before replying, "But I fear... she will figure it out on her own eventually."

"Then we’ll address it when that time comes." Elysia’s voice was faint.

"Until then... let her remain herself. Let her continue to believe she is a demigod from Amphoreus, let her believe she is a living, breathing person, and let her... keep playing the part of her own... deceiver."

Su watched Elysia for a long time, then gave a slow, solemn nod.

"Agreed."

Elysia turned her gaze toward the depths of the hallway.

"Do you think..." Her voice carried a mixture of complexity and sorrow. "If she discovers the truth, will she still be able to smile this brightly?"

No one answered.

"Perhaps not." Elysia shook her head gently and offered a small smile. "So... don't tell her."

The next day...

Long before dawn broke in the Elysian Realm, Cipher was shaken awake by Pardo.

"Wake up! Wake up—!"

Pardo kept her voice very low, as if afraid to disturb someone. Yet, her heterochromatic eyes glowed brilliantly in the dim light, and her entire being radiated an irrepressible, eager excitement.

Cipher opened her eyes, dazed. Beneath the covers, her tail curled lazily, trying to pull the blanket back over her head. But before she could, Pardo’s tail lashed out, wrapped around hers, and gave it a firm tug.

"Mmph!"

The strange, ticklish sensation brought Cipher to full alertness instantly.

"What are you doing..."

"We're going on a scavenger hunt!" Pardo whispered, her eyes shining with intense excitement as if she hadn't noticed the oddity at all. "Follow me!"

In an instant, all traces of sleepiness vanished from Cipher!

"A scavenger hunt?"

Cipher knew that in Pardo’s dictionary, this meant sneaking into other Flame-Chasers' private spaces to "liberate" a bunch of treasures they no longer needed.

She bounced out of bed, straightened her clothes in a flash, and her tail stood straight up, swaying left and right with eager delight. The two cats exchanged a look in the shadows and couldn't help but share a mischievous, excited grin.

With a tacit understanding, they slipped out of the room.

The hallway was quiet and cloaked in darkness. Naturally, this hallway was merely a temporary construction of data, existing primarily to connect the data-spaces of the various Flame-Chasers.

The darkness, however, was something Elysia had insisted upon—she wanted the simulated world to have the cycle of seasons and the alternation of day and night, ensuring that the Flame-Chasers would not lose their sense of self over the long passage of time.

Pardo moved ahead, her steps as light as walking on cotton, her breathing shallow.

Cipher followed close behind, watching as Pardo skillfully navigated turn after turn, passing through corridors she hadn't seen the day before.

"These paths..." Cipher couldn't help but whisper, "I didn't see these yesterday. How did you find them?"

Pardo looked back over her shoulder, her lips curling into a smug, mysterious smile. "Been hanging around the Realm this long, you've gotta keep a few secret routes up your sleeve, right?"

Seeing Pardo’s proud little expression, Cipher laughed softly. "Fair enough! As expected of us—on that, we're definitely on the same page."

"Hehe~"

They pressed on, a growing sense of camaraderie blooming between them. After passing through a narrow corridor partially concealed by vines and pushing open a hidden door that blended seamlessly into the wall, the space suddenly opened up.

Eden’s collection room.

Cipher’s eyes lit up instantly. The room was massive, yet every inch of space was meticulously utilized.

Rows of shelves embedded in the walls were filled with brilliant gemstones, elegant jewelry, and luxurious, ancient artifacts. There were even items Cipher couldn't name but immediately knew were priceless.

Warm yellow light spilled from the ceiling, casting a soft glow over the treasures, making them seem as if they were radiating light from within.

"Sister Eden's private collection," Pardo said, a hint of awe in her voice.

"Of course, this is just one of many. She mentioned yesterday that some things were being cleared out for storage... Hehe, since they're just sitting there, why not..."

"Why not help her tidy up?" Cipher finished for her.

"Exactly!" Pardo nodded vigorously, her tail wagging excitedly. "Tidying up!"

The two cats exchanged a look and grinned in unison. Like mice finding a grain store, they began rummaging through the items Eden had marked for storage.

There were rubies the size of pigeon eggs that seemed to contain a burning flame when held to the light, and a brooch set with green jade that felt heavy and smooth to the touch.

Cipher inspected it for a moment before tucking it into her storage space without hesitation.

Suddenly, her gaze fixed on an object: a crystal ball, the size of a palm, with a tiny, glowing golden star suspended within the transparent sphere. The light swirled slowly, as if the star were alive.

"This one..." Cipher picked it up, feeling a warm, pulsing rhythm emanating from it. "It's beautiful."

Pardo leaned in, took a look, and shook her head. "Never seen that before. Probably a new acquisition. But hey, everything here is meant for the storage room anyway~"

"I see~"

Cipher stared at the floating star for a long time, a flicker of doubt rising in her mind.

She didn't believe something this special could be just a regular item. Perhaps... it was placed here by Eden and the others specifically to bait her.

Without hesitation, Cipher tucked the crystal ball into her storage space. She was curious to see what they were planning.

"Let’s go, let’s go." As Cipher reached for another glimmering trinket, Pardo tugged at her sleeve. "Sister Eden will be waking up soon."

"Right!"

Cipher nodded, and the two cats slipped out of the collection room as silently as they had entered, retracing their steps. On the way back, Cipher’s tail was held high, her mood floating in the clouds.

She had managed to snag quite a few gorgeous, shimmering treasures—even if it was a shame she couldn't actually take them out of the Realm.

She shook her head, dismissing the thought, and turned to Pardo, who was also reveling in the spoils of their hard work. "Where to next?"

"Sapphire!" Pardo’s eyes sparkled. "There are plenty of good things over there, too~"

"Perfect!"

Cipher’s eyes lit up. She had always wanted to see Sapphire—to see how this version compared to the one she knew back at St. Freya Academy.

Just then, a playful voice rang out nearby.

"Pardo."

Both cats froze in their tracks. Cipher turned slowly to look, finding Elysia leaning against the wall of the corridor, arms crossed, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

Cipher’s tail went rigid in mid-air, her ears flattened, and her entire posture screamed "guilty."

"Cough, cough— Ellie!" Cipher immediately put on a brilliant, sunny smile. "Good morning! The weather is lovely today, isn't it? Pardo and I were just... taking a walk! We haven't done anything!"

It would have been more convincing if her eyes weren't darting around, her ears weren't pinned to her head, and her tail wasn't puffed up like a bottle brush.

Elysia watched Pardo, saying nothing, though the curve of her smile deepened ever so slightly.

Cipher’s smile began to stiffen. "Pa... Pardo, what do we do now...?"

As she carefully glanced over to ask Pardo for help, she realized Pardo had already vanished. She looked back, but Pardo’s shadow was already gone around the corner. Cipher’s eye twitched.

That cat... she ran so fast... So heartless! Leaving me behind like this!

"Cipher." Elysia’s voice interrupted Cipher’s mental condemnation of Pardo.

Cipher turned back to face her, clearing her throat. She had no treasures on her person; everything was safely tucked away in her storage space.

"Ellie… Good morning~" Cipher tried to sound breezy, though it felt forced. "The weather really is nice, isn't it?"

Elysia looked at her, her eyes dancing with amusement. "Do you know what I saw?"

"W-what?"

Under Elysia’s teasing gaze, Cipher felt her guilt rising again, but she stubbornly refused to fold.

"Two little kittens, sneaking out of Eden’s collection room," Elysia said, tilting her head. "One of them had her tail held higher than the sky and a face full of satisfied mischief~"

Cipher’s tail lowered involuntarily.

"Th-that..." The guilt was finally too much to hide. "I’ll put it all back... or, or I can compensate her with some other treasures I brought?"

Elysia didn't answer. She simply walked up to Cipher and flicked her forehead gently.

"Ouch!" Cipher covered her forehead, though her tail began to wag happily of its own accord.

"I suppose I don't have to report you. After all, I know Pardo wouldn't lead you to Eden's important vaults. She probably just let you take the pieces Eden was already planning to put away."

Elysia withdrew her hand, clasping it behind her back and leaning in with a cunning smile. "But... there is a condition."

"What condition?" Cipher asked, sensing something ominous.

"Spend the day with me."

"Huh?" Cipher blinked, stunned. "Just... hang out?"

"Mhm." Elysia nodded. "Walk around the Realm with me. You didn't get to see many places yesterday, did you?"

Cipher stared at her, half-doubting. Just the two of us? Is this... a date? She’s... rewarding me?

Even though it was impossible for her to truly harm Elysia, spending the day with her sounded rather nice.

"What do you say?" Elysia’s voice carried a hint of anticipation. "Agree, and I won't tell Eden."

Cipher looked at her. The bright morning sun spilled through the window at the end of the hall, bathing Elysia in light and making her look incredibly vibrant—just like a heroine from a romance drama.

Especially in this posture, leaning forward with her hands behind her back, waiting expectantly, it made Cipher’s heart skip a beat.

"Fine." She nodded, feigning composure, though her tail wagged furiously behind her and her lips couldn't stop curving upward. "But... you have to take me to get something delicious to eat! I haven't had breakfast yet!"

Hearing Cipher agree, Elysia beamed. "Of course~"

She reached out, and Cipher didn't hesitate to take her hand. Feeling the soft, warm touch of Elysia’s palm, a thought crossed her mind.

Gomen ne, everyone at St. Freya... I don’t think I can go back anymore.

Hand in hand, Cipher followed Elysia back into Eden’s world, heading down toward the Golden Courtyard at the foot of the hill. As they reached the base, they could already see the bustling, crowded streets.

"It's so prosperous..." Cipher marveled, looking around with the curiosity of a country bumpkin arriving in the big city for the first time.

"Mhm~ This place used to be a world-class international metropolis, you know~"

Elysia introduced the city with zest, but Cipher was more interested in why there were so many people in a city that was entirely virtual.

Surely, these people were all just data—wouldn't they occupy a massive amount of the Elysian Realm's memory? Why would the Flame-Chasers do such a thing?

She found it hard to believe it was just to let her experience the life of the Previous Era.

But as she looked at the posters of Eden and Vill-V plastered everywhere, she sighed to herself.

At least there aren't any of those ugly Homus here. That’s a huge relief!

--+--

Honkai Transformations - 127

--+--

The Sapphire City streets were incredibly bustling.

Cipher and Elysia walked hand-in-hand, Cipher’s eyes darting around with wide-eyed curiosity.

Towering skyscrapers rose one after another, massive digital billboards suspended between them, looping trailers for Eden’s upcoming concert. On the street beside them, a bus rolled by, its side plastered with a full-length advertisement for Vill-V’s magic show.

The sidewalks were packed with people, shoulder to shoulder.

It was almost identical to The Golden Courtyard: New Year Wishes in Winter.

The sight made Cipher’s tail wag involuntarily with delight.

"How is it?" Elysia’s voice drifted over from beside her, carrying a hint of playful anticipation. "Sapphire City isn't too bad, is it?"

Cipher pulled her gaze away, nodded, and flashed a brilliant smile. "Mhm... it’s so lively! I never imagined that humans could create such... a massive city!"

The description made Elysia pause for a fleeting second, before she smiled.

"This is a miracle created by humanity itself." Elysia winked playfully, though her eyes held a touch of genuine pride and seriousness.

If one looked closely, however, a glimmer of sadness could still be caught in those eyes. After all, the scene before them had long since gone out of print.

"Come on, let me take you somewhere." Elysia suddenly quickened her pace, as if she had just thought of something fun.

"Where to?"

Cipher hurried to keep up, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"The amusement park," Elysia said with a light laugh.

Cipher blinked. An amusement park? What for? Before she could process it, Elysia was already pulling her by the hand, heading eagerly toward the bus stop ahead.

Looking back at Cipher, Elysia wore a smile that was a blend of anticipation, teasing, and earnestness:

"If it’s just the two of us, going to the park... doesn't it feel like we're on a date?"

"A date?"

Hearing the word, Cipher’s eyes widened slightly, and a blush crept across her cheeks.

"That's right~" Watching Cipher’s reaction, the curve of Elysia’s lips turned upward just a little more.

"Be-between girls... how can you call that a date?"

Cipher, acting like a pure, innocent little rabbit, became bashful under Elysia’s suggestive words. This is amazing! A date! Just the thought of Elysia’s proposal made Cipher feel unbelievably thrilled.

"Of course it counts~"

Elysia pulled Cipher onto the bus. The passengers were all self-absorbed, looking at their phones or watching the scenery outside, completely unfazed by their arrival—in short, they were nothing more than background noise.

"Between girls, there can be sweet romance, too~"

Elysia sat them side-by-side, then looked at Cipher, her face lit with the triumphant, joyful smile of a prankster who had succeeded.

"You... don't tease me. I might actually take you seriously." Cipher put on an act of being shy yet helplessly pleading, which only made Elysia want to keep teasing her to see that expression again.

True hunters often appear in the form of prey! Cipher thought to herself, feeling smug and pleased. Rather than trying to outsmart these "old foxes" with fifty thousand years of memories, it was better to let them come to her—it was more fun that way, and it helped keep her cover intact.

"Oh my~" Elysia continued to tease with a smile, "Back in our time, there were plenty of girls paired up together!"

"That’s not something you see often where I’m from..." Cipher feigned shock, while subconsciously revealing a hint of resistance.

Seeing this, Elysia smirked and teased further: "As long as it’s true love, does it matter if it goes against the grain? You only live once, after all. You have to live it to the fullest! And, you have to enjoy yourself, too~"

"..."

Cipher stayed silent, turning her head to look out the window, her cheeks as crimson as a whistling tea kettle. Her hand remained tightly held in Elysia’s.

"Are you shy?"

"I am not!"

"Hehe~ alright, I’ll stop teasing you~" Elysia seemed to sense that Cipher was reaching her limit.

She gave her hand a gentle squeeze and smiled. "Now, we’ve arrived. The biggest amusement park in Sapphire City~"

Cipher reflexively looked out the window. Beyond the massive white European-style archway, decorated with colorful balloons and shimmering fairy lights, lay a variety of rides—some she knew by name, some she didn't.

The Ferris wheel touching the clouds, the winding roller coaster tracks, the kaleidoscopic carousels—and a drop tower and pendulum ride that reached nearly as high as the Ferris wheel!

"So big..." Cipher sighed in awe.

"Let’s go~" Elysia pulled her off the bus. After queueing for tickets, they passed through the archway and into the park.

The park was bustling with crowds, shoulder to shoulder. Laughter and cheers filled the air, and both sides of the wide paths were lined with quirky food stalls. The mix of fried food and buttery scents made Cipher’s mouth water.

However...

Cipher spotted a familiar figure in the crowd. It was Kosma, holding the hand of Griseo, who was busy licking a piece of cotton candy as they headed toward the carousel.

"They're here, too?" Cipher asked curiously.

"Of course~" Elysia smiled softly. "After all, it’s a rare day for everyone to step out of their little worlds and have some fun together. And, you know, we have you to thank for that~"

"Thank me?" Cipher looked at Elysia, playing the part of someone genuinely confused.

Elysia nodded. "It’s your arrival that brought everyone out to stretch their legs. It used to be so difficult to get them all out for a gathering." She sighed, then began counting on her fingers.

"Like Vill-V—she’s always trying to build a machine to counter Kevin, but she fails every time. Then there’s Mobius, who loves hiding in her lab for months doing experiments.”

“Everyone has their own things to do, so I could usually only drag a few people out. This is one of the biggest turnouts we’ve ever had~"

Listening to Elysia, Cipher was slightly stunned. Looking at her, she couldn't help but continue her act: "I heard you say there were thirteen Flame-Chasers."

"Mhm, that’s right." Elysia nodded, winking at her with a playful smile. "Are you curious about the two you haven't met yet?"

"Yeah!" Cipher nodded immediately.

Kalpas probably couldn't be bothered to come out, and Aponia... she’s still in the deepest part of the Elysian Realm. For all I know, she might be watching me right now. Even though she knew of their existence, she had to ask.

"The two Flame-Chasers you haven't seen yet," Elysia said, smiling. "One is named Kalpas—a passionate, high-energy guy. And the other is a nun. She is very, very gentle and beautiful~"

A "passionate, high-energy guy." A "gentle and beautiful nun."

Cipher’s eye twitched uncontrollably as she thought of Kalpas, who had beaten the World Serpent candidates to the brink of extinction, and Aponia, who had sentenced Raiden Mei to death the moment she laid eyes on her.

"But~" Elysia blinked at her. "This is our date time, so let’s not talk about the others. When there’s a chance later, I’ll take you to meet them. How about that~?"

"...Okay."

Once again, Cipher was teased into a deep blush, looking shy yet pretending that nothing was wrong. It only made Elysia’s interest in her grow.

Hehe.

For the rest of the day, they played on various rides. Aside from Kevin and Su, almost every Flame-Chaser was in the park, enjoying themselves like ordinary people.

Especially... Pardo.

She was standing at a cotton candy stall, on her tiptoes, taking a pink cloud of sugar from the vendor.

Her heterochromatic eyes were full of excitement, her tail held high—the very picture of a predator satisfied with a successful hunt.

Then... her gaze locked with Cipher’s. She stiffened for a split second, then spun around and vanished into the crowd as fast as she could, clutching her cotton candy.

Cipher’s eyelid twitched. That cat.

"Pardo runs quite fast, doesn't she?" Elysia said, a hint of laughter in her voice.

"Mhm." Cipher nodded expressionlessly, a wicked smirk playing on her lips. "Faster than anyone else, hmph..."

She had already decided: as punishment for Pardo running off without a word, she was going to raid Pardo’s "cat nest" tonight. She’d see if there were any interesting treasures to swipe!

"Never mind her." Elysia grabbed Cipher’s hand, cutting off her train of thought, and led her toward the deeper end of the park. "I’m taking you on the roller coaster."

Roller coaster? Cipher blinked, letting Elysia lead the way. She felt nothing for these rides; a haunted house would have been more exciting.

Soon, they were buckled in, with the staff checking their safety restraints over and over. Cipher looked down at the metal bar across her chest, then up at Elysia.

"Scared?" Elysia tilted her head, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "If you are, you can hold my hand tight~"

"Not scared," Cipher shook her head. "I was just wondering... if this thing is sturdy."

Elysia laughed. "Don't worry, everything here is... very sturdy."

The roller coaster slowly started, climbing up the tracks. Cipher leaned back, watching the ground shrink away and the park scenery spread out before her.

The other Flame-Chasers looked like tiny ants from this height. Viewed from above, the entire amusement park looked like an exquisite sandbox, with every detail visible.

As it reached the peak, Cipher pretended to look panicked, gripping the safety bar tight with her tail stiffening behind her. "Do people in your world... really enjoy games this terrifying?"

The next moment, her hand was firmly clasped by Elysia’s.

"Don't be afraid~ It looks scary, but it’s actually a lot of fun!"

Cipher took a deep breath, putting on a timid expression while gripping Elysia’s small hand—feeling secretly thrilled.

Then, the coaster plummeted.

The wind roared against them, turning her short silver hair into a mess. Cipher instinctively closed her eyes, then snapped them open. The tracks blurred by—climbing, diving, twisting.

The sensation of weightlessness and G-force alternated, accompanied by Elysia’s uninhibited, joyful laughter—like she was throwing everything else behind her. Cipher began to empty her mind and enjoy the thrill.

Then—

"Please—"

A voice came over the broadcast. It was soft, distant, as if it were coming from above the clouds—or as if a bomb had suddenly detonated in her mind.

Cipher’s brain plunged, and the world seemed to go silent. Her mind went blank. In her backpack, the crystal ball she had obtained earlier suddenly began to emit a golden glow.

"Ugh!"

Cipher kept her hands on the safety bar, her eyes locked ahead. Is Aponia using Discipline on me? She hadn't expected Aponia to go for such a heavy blow right out of the gate!

Her mental power hit like a sledgehammer, and the sensation, compounded by the coaster ride, nearly knocked Cipher out.

But... she was a demigod. Even if her combat prowess wasn't top-tier, it wasn't so easy for Aponia to plant the Discipline on her.

"Please, would the visitors who have been separated from their children please proceed to the service center..."

Aponia’s voice continued to ring softly in her ear. Cipher braced herself for a counterattack.

She opened a tiny crack in her soul's defenses—a calculated "lapse" that would make Aponia think her Discipline had taken root.

Aponia’s mental energy surged through that opening.

And in the next instant, it touched the memories buried in the deepest, darkest corner of Cipher’s soul—memories of a thousand deaths that even Cipher herself refused to touch.

--+--

Honkai Transformations - 128

--+--

“Ugh!”

Cipher feigned agony, clutching her head.

“Cipher?!” Elysia, standing nearby, wore a look of urgent concern.

She had sensed Aponia’s interference.

Without hesitation, Elysia snapped the safety restraint in front of her—which had been locked tight while the roller coaster was still in motion—and then shattered the one pinning Cipher down as well.

“Waaahhh!!”

As the restraint gave way, Cipher felt her body lurch into empty air, teetering on the verge of being thrown from the coaster.

Elysia reacted instantly, hooking an arm around her waist and leaping from the high tracks.

The wind whistled past their ears. Cipher buried her face into Elysia’s chest, breathing heavily through the pain.

Once they hit the ground, Elysia set her down on a park bench.

The bustling crowds of the amusement park had vanished completely.

Only a few of the Flame-Chasers remained, scattered here and there throughout the park.

“Cipher! Are you okay?!” Elysia rested Cipher’s head on her lap, looking anxiously at her face, which had flushed a deep, strained red from the ‘pain.’

“I… I……” Cipher gasped for air, struggling to catch her breath.

Deep within her mind, the memories of a thousand deaths surged like a tidal wave toward Aponia’s consciousness.

Every life ended by the Black-Clad Swordsman, every life swallowed by the Black Tide, only to wake up on a new day and start again from zero—a cycle repeating endlessly.

In the Depths, Aponia’s eyes widened in that instant.

She saw it.

She saw Amphoreus repeating the same fate across countless cycles.

She saw Cipher telling the same lies in every life, only to die under the same blade.

She saw Aglaea, Phainon, Tribbie, and the likes of Anaxa, Castorice, and Mydei.

She even saw the old woman who had taken Cipher in, and everyone else Cipher had ever encountered in her memories.

Everyone was trapped in the repetition of their own destinies, until the very last moment arrived, and then…

Everything rebooted.

Whatever you do, don’t fry Aponia’s brain into mush!

Cipher struggled to suppress those memories, thinking frantically to herself.

Inside her mind, Aponia’s voice was silent.

Presumably…

Aponia was currently in the Depths, either babbling incoherently or spiraling into some sort of mental breakdown.

Back in the park, Elysia’s eyes reflected Cipher’s pale face. Her smile had completely vanished, replaced by a rare, solemn tension.

Cipher didn’t speak.

Once she regained her composure, she stood up and backed away from Elysia.

Her tail swayed gently behind her, but it was no longer in its previous relaxed, playful state; it was puffed up, looking like a dusty feather duster.

After putting some distance between them, Cipher clutched her head and turned to face Elysia, looking dizzy and pained.

“What exactly is going on here?”

Cipher’s voice was calm, but her gaze was frigid and scrutinizing.

Elysia met Cipher’s distant, guarded expression, falling silent for a moment. Her eyes shimmered with a complex, helpless emotion.

“It was Aponia.” Elysia’s voice was heavy with guilt. “The Discipline, one of the Flame-Chasers you haven’t met yet… she was the one who acted against you.”

“Why?”

Cipher’s voice remained flat, but she was like a cat backed into a corner, radiating a dangerous aura, her ears pressed tightly against her skull.

She was hissing under her breath, considering whether she should lash out with her claws.

“I… don’t know… I’m so sorry, Cipher.” Elysia tried desperately to explain. “She, she may have… viewed you as a threat…”

Cipher frowned, then retrieved her Flip-Coin from her storage space.

The golden coin danced across her fingertips, catching the sunlight.

“...Perhaps you truly don’t know,” Cipher said, staring at Elysia. Her face was still pale, and her azure eyes remained wary. “But I’m afraid… I can’t trust you anymore.”

After tossing the coin once in her hand, Cipher vanished in a flash of golden light, disappearing right before Elysia’s eyes.

“Cipher!” Elysia’s eyes widened slightly. She hurriedly reached out, wanting to stop her and explain further.

But Cipher was no longer listening.

She had vanished from the spot, moving at high speed out of the amusement park and through the door they had entered, heading back into the corridor leading to the Elysian Realm’s lobby.

What the hell!

Cipher had never expected Aponia to strike at her.

She had assumed that, at most, she would have to enter the Depths to encounter her, just like Raiden Mei did.

Regardless, Aponia had made her move. She didn’t know if Aponia had glimpsed the destruction of the Elysian Realm through her, or if there was some other hidden agenda at play.

In any case, she needed to get out of here first. She’d figure out the next step once she was back in the real world.

However, after following the corridor back to the lobby, she realized she had no idea how to leave the Golden Courtyard.

After pushing open the doors, she found nothing but a wall.

Desperate, she searched for other exits, only to find the surroundings filled with paths leading to the miniature worlds of the other Flame-Chasers.

Eventually, having traversed almost every nook and cranny, Cipher returned to the lobby, hunched over with her hands on her knees, panting heavily.

“Dammit! How are you supposed to get out of this dump?!”

Cipher looked around, annoyed, and began to weigh her options.

Just then, Elysia’s voice echoed from behind her.

“You won’t find the exit.”

Cipher spun around the moment she heard the voice.

Elysia stood at the other end of the corridor, hands at her sides, her eyes filled with guilt and worry.

“The Elysian Realm…” Cipher looked at Elysia, her voice low and raspy, full of suspicion. She was like a cat arching its back. “How do I get out? Did you guys hide the exit?”

“No.”

Elysia shook her head, a sincere look crossing her eyes. “Without the permission of the Flame-Chasers, it is impossible to leave the Elysian Realm.”

Cipher stared at her for a long time.

So that’s how it is.

“Can you take me out?”

“I can.”

At Cipher’s question, Elysia nodded immediately, her expression firm yet apologetic. “Just like when I brought you in, I will take you out.”

Cipher didn’t answer right away.

She stood still, her tail twitching behind her, her blue eyes brimming with caution and doubt—the look of someone who had completely lost trust in others.

“I promise.”

Looking at Cipher, Elysia’s voice grew more solemn. “Cipher, I promise I won’t hurt you. And as for what Aponia did… I really didn’t know.”

Cipher watched her for a long time.

Naturally, she believed Elysia.

But she still had to play the part.

“...Fine.” After a moment of silence, Cipher nodded. “I believe you.”

Elysia visibly let out a sigh of relief. She stepped forward slowly, her movements light, and held out her hand.

Cipher hesitated, then finally reached out to take it. But the next moment, a cold, sharp voice rang out from the side: “No, Elysia. The outsider cannot leave just yet.”

As the words fell, Kevin emerged from the shadows of the corridor.

His icy blue eyes fixed on Cipher, unreadable.

The moment she saw him, Cipher’s tail went rigid. She recoiled from Elysia as if she’d been electrocuted, jumping back several paces.

“Cipher…” Elysia’s hand hung in mid-air. Seeing Cipher acting like a startled wild cat, a flash of helplessness and hurt crossed her eyes.

She had finally regained some of Cipher’s trust, and now, with Kevin’s arrival, everything was back to square one.

Cipher didn’t look at Elysia. Her gaze remained locked on Kevin, her pupils slits, her ears pressed tightly against her head.

“What do you mean by that?”

Cipher’s voice was low and gravelly, laced with suppressed anger. “Why can’t I leave? What exactly are you people planning?”

At the same time, her mind raced.

Kevin won’t let me leave? Why… He shouldn’t be at odds with Elysia’s decision… Unless…

Cipher thought it over quickly and understood.

Aponia must be the problem.

Kevin stopped about ten meters away, not approaching further.

“Regarding Aponia’s actions toward you,” Kevin said, his voice deep and calm, as if stating a fact, “we were unaware.”

“Unaware?” Cipher sneered, her tail slowly swaying behind her. Her body remained tense, ready to bolt at any moment. “Isn’t she your companion? She strikes at me, and you say you were unaware? Do you really expect me to believe that?”

“It is the truth.” Kevin’s tone remained unwavering despite her challenge. “We apologize for Aponia’s behavior. Once you leave the Elysian Realm, you may make any request of World Serpent. If it can be fulfilled, we will grant it.”

That tone…

“If this can convey our apologies…” Elysia looked at Cipher, her expression equally sincere.

Cipher still trusted Elysia.

With her there, Cipher was at least certain that Kevin and the others wouldn't attack her outright.

As for what came next…

Cipher watched Kevin warily.

She had to see what they were really planning to do with her.

“…However,” Kevin paused, his icy blue eyes staring straight at Cipher, his gaze deepening, “Aponia has fallen into a coma.”

Cipher stiffened.

“A coma?”

She frowned, a lingering trace of pain still etched on her face. Her eyes, which seemed to be fighting to suppress something, flashed with confusion and vigilance. “What does that have to do with me?”

“We don’t know.” Kevin shook his head. “But her coma occurred after she moved against you.”

“So you suspect it was my doing?” Cipher’s voice rose, edged with incredulity and fury. “She was the one who attacked me first! I did nothing! I was just…”

Before she could finish, Cipher suddenly clutched her head, wincing in pain. Her body swayed, her pupils dilating as if her mind were slipping into a daze.

“Cipher!!”

Elysia rushed forward to support her. Cipher acted fragile, swaying between resisting Elysia’s embrace and collapsing limply into her arms, face pale.

“Don’t… touch me…” Cipher murmured, then grew dazed, whispering as if under mental assault: “My head… there’s so much more in here…”

As the words died away, Cipher closed her eyes and simply went limp, passing out in Elysia’s arms.

Though fainting wasn't exactly easy to do on command, if the people around her believed she had, then for all intents and purposes, she had.

Even Kevin couldn't help but fall silent at the sight.

“Cipher!” Elysia hurried to carry her to a sofa in the lounge, carefully checking her condition.

The conclusion was simple…

Cipher had suffered a mental shock and had passed out.

Soon after, Hua and Su arrived at the lobby to examine her as well.

“She has been overloaded with information. Her mind couldn’t bear the strain, and she collapsed.” Su pulled his hand from Cipher’s forehead, his eyes slightly open, his tone calm. He added, “It is the same as Aponia.”

“Hua? Can you see what’s going on?”

Elysia looked at Hua, her eyes filled with deep concern.

“Yes.”

Hua nodded. “That is exactly why I came. Aponia’s mind is filled with memories that do not belong to her, and the source lies within Cipher.”

As she spoke, she flipped her palm, revealing a snow-white feather with a cherry-blossom tint.

Cipher, currently lying on the sofa, was listening to their conversation with great interest.

Hua wants to look at my memories?

If she were someone else, she might be panicking right now. But at this moment, Cipher wasn’t afraid of Hua reading her original memories.

After all, those ten million cycles of a thousand years were currently acting as a vault, protecting her true self securely.

Yes, ten million times—not thirty million.

The cat-form Cipher was currently in was still in the stage where Phainon was constantly looping to save the world.

Hua gently placed the Fenghuang Down on Cipher’s forehead.

But Hua was cautious.

She didn’t dive directly into Cipher’s memories to search for the truth. Instead, she used the Fenghuang Down and the unique properties of the Elysian Realm to draw the memories out.

Like a scene from a fantasy novel, they were projected directly into the lobby.

--+--

Honkai Transformations - 129

--+--

The projected image initially showed nothing but chaotic darkness.

Then, light appeared.

It began with the ignorance of an infant who had yet to develop a sense of self, then shifted to a small girl with short, silver-white hair, huddled in a gloomy alleyway in Dolos.

Her clothes were ragged, and her small face was streaked with grime, yet those blue eyes glimmered in the darkness with a mixture of vigilance and cunning.

Clutched to her chest was a piece of bread, now hardened. She gnawed on it carefully, as if it were a precious treasure. Even the crumbs were caught with her worn skirt, shaken into her hand after the meal, and swallowed in one gulp.

"Cipher..." Pardo emerged from a corner, standing at the edge of the hall, gazing at the sharp-witted Cipher in the projection. A complex expression flickered in her eyes.

These experiences... they were hauntingly similar to her own childhood.

Only when witnessing this did Pardo truly realize, in the depths of her soul, that Cipher... was simply a version of herself from another world.

In the projection, the little girl grew day by day.

She no longer roamed the streets but was taken in by an old woman—only to be forced to don a hood and flee into the night due to another’s lies. Later, she was hunted for the golden blood that bled from her unintentionally.

From a street thief in an alley, she met Aglaea and, step by step, became a "thief star" renowned throughout the streets and alleys of Dolos.

She then played recklessly alongside three hundred bandits, running wild until she attracted the Titan of Trickery, claimed its Coreflame, and ascended to become a demigod.

Cipher’s life flashed by in the projection.

Elysia and the others watched as Cipher, upon meeting the dying High Priest, recalled the words of Aglaea.

She resolved to become a hero, deceiving the entire world, making everyone believe that the Dawn Device was eternal.

Seven hundred years passed.

Everyone saw Cyrene.

That little girl with pink hair stood beside Phainon, looking at Cipher with a bright, brilliant smile.

"Big Sister Ellie!"

Pardo watched Cyrene in the screen and couldn't help but turn to look at Elysia.

"Is that what you looked like when you were little, Ellie? You’re so cute!"

"Mm, though she is me from another world, she does look just as adorable as I am, doesn't she?" The corners of Elysia's mouth curved upward.

Then, she looked at the unconscious Cipher, and her expression turned to one of concern.

The screen sped up. After all, it was impossible to view seven hundred years of memories all at once.

They witnessed the end of Cipher’s first life—the fall of Amphoreus and the death of the many Chrysos Heirs.

Then came the second, the third, the fourth...

The scenes flew by faster and faster, blurring into a chaotic streak.

They could only catch glimpses of familiar moments repeating over and over: the alleys of Dolos, the streets of Okhema, the encroaching Black Tide, and the faces of the Chrysos Heirs.

So much was similar, with only minor variations—such as the way Cipher died each time.

Sometimes in the Black Tide, sometimes in the darkness after the Dawn Device flickered out, but most often, by the blade of a black-clad swordsman.

Yet, after the first life, Cyrene had vanished completely.

Hua’s face grew pale.

Her hands trembled, and the Fenghuang Down glimmered faintly between her fingertips, as if she were bearing an immense burden.

"Hua..." Elysia noticed her distress, her voice laced with worry. "That’s enough."

Hua pursed her lips and lowered her hands; the light of the feather dimmed.

The projection on the sky slowly dissipated.

Hua’s hands dropped to her sides. She was pale as paper, her forehead beaded with fine sweat, her body shaking slightly.

"Hua..." Elysia stepped forward to steady her. "Are you alright?"

Hua shook her head, unable to speak. She only looked at the unconscious Cipher on the sofa, her blue eyes filled with turmoil.

"How many lives?" Kevin’s voice drifted from the depths of the hall—low, calm, yet carrying an unmissable weight.

Hua was silent for a moment before closing her eyes.

"At least—ten million lifetimes." Her voice wavered, holding a gravity she herself struggled to comprehend. "Each life... lasted a thousand years."

The hall fell silent.

Shock and disbelief washed over the faces of the Flame-Chasers.

"Ten million lifetimes..." Pardo’s heterochromatic eyes were wide with disbelief. "A thousand years for each? That would be..."

"Ten billion years," Su said, his voice calm yet heavy. "She has spent ten billion years trapped in this endless cycle."

Elysia listened to Su, looking at the cat-eared girl huddled on the sofa, her face pale, her tail hanging limp. Her blue eyes were filled with heartache and sorrow.

She walked to the sofa, knelt down, and reached out to gently brush the messy hair from Cipher’s pale forehead.

"Ten billion years..." Elysia’s voice trembled. "Ten million cycles... and in every single one, you made the same choice... to deceive the entire world, just to bring light to everyone?"

Cipher, hearing Elysia’s words, felt a subtle sense of satisfaction. It’s safe to say... Elysia will definitely take good care of me now!

"When will she wake up?" Kevin asked.

Hua hesitated, then shook her head.

"I don't know," she said, her voice strained with fatigue. "She cannot bear so many memories. Ten million lifetimes—each a thousand years long... those memories stacked together far exceed the limits of a human mind."

"She is no ordinary human," Su said quietly. "She is a demigod."

"Even a demigod has limits." Hua shook her head, looking at them with a grave expression. "Her current state of unconsciousness is proof of that. And Aponia... she too likely collapsed the moment she was struck by those memories."

"So..." Elysia looked up at Hua, her tone complicated. "Has Aponia seen Cipher’s memories as well?"

"Yes." Hua nodded, her eyes darkening. "Aponia’s Discipline resonated with Cipher, causing those memories—which should have been reset along with the world—to resurface."

Cipher listened in secret, inwardly clicking her tongue. They’ve already come up with an excuse for me. That saves me from having to rack my brain trying to explain why I suddenly "remembered" so much.

But... I wonder how Aponia is doing...

If Hua is right, she might have seen my memories...

Who knows how much she saw in that instant? But surely, Aponia won't end up like a certain Herrscher, getting washed away by those memories and turning into someone else, right? Even Cipher found the thought absurd.

"Yes," Hua nodded again. "There are too many memories—so many that even Aponia couldn't withstand them. But she will wake up... she just needs time."

The hall fell quiet once more.

Kevin stood by the sofa, looking down at Cipher. The ice in his eyes melted just a fraction.

"She is no villain," he said in a low, steady voice. "This is a failing we all share, which led to the current situation... From now on, I will be responsible for her safety. I will ensure no other Flame-Chaser raises a hand against her."

The hall remained silent after his pronouncement.

Elysia let out a soft breath of relief. "If that’s the case... then that’s wonderful."

"Indeed." Hua nodded, turning to head toward the depths of the Elysian Realm. "I will go tend to Aponia’s mental state. Hopefully... she will recover soon."

"Wait."

"Is there something else?" Hua stopped and turned back.

"Elysia?"

Elysia stood up from the sofa, her blue eyes reflecting a mix of complexity and earnestness. "Hua, before you tend to Aponia... I want to ask you a favor."

Hua waited quietly for her to continue.

"Cipher’s memories..." Elysia’s voice softened, her expression firm. "Those ten million lifetimes... can you help her seal them away?"

Hua was silent, her gaze resting on the unconscious Cipher. "You mean..."

"Just keep a few lifetimes," Elysia insisted. "Enough for her to remember who she is, where she came from, and... to be aware of what she has experienced. As for the rest, please, seal them. Don't let her remember..."

Pardo stood to the side, opening her mouth to speak but finding no words. She watched the scene with a complex expression.

Su closed his eyes and whispered, "I agree. Otherwise, Cipher might suffer a total mental breakdown."

"...Very well." Hua nodded after a pause. "I understand."

She returned to Cipher’s side, the Fenghuang Down materializing in her hand and blooming with a soft light.

"When she wakes, I will explain everything to her," Elysia said, a hint of self-reproach in her tone as she looked down at the girl. "But for now... let’s seal them away."

Cipher lay there, deep in thought. It doesn't really matter.

Those memories couldn't be truly sealed anyway. The Fenghuang Down can’t actually suppress a hundred million years of experience.

Its greatest effect would simply be to let my consciousness ignore those memories.

Fortunately, that’s something I can do on my own. Is that... part of my "cheat code"? If not, I would have gone mad a long time ago.

Not long after, the light of the feather faded.

Hua pulled back, nodding. "It is done. She will only remember the memories of three thousand years—and only the most critical ones from that time. The rest will be forgotten."

"Thank you, Hua."

"It’s nothing."

"When will she wake up?"

"Soon," Hua replied earnestly. "In her world, she is a demigod. Without the weight of those memories, she will awaken quickly."

Elysia let out a sigh of relief, a relaxed smile touching her lips.

"I’m off to see Aponia now," Hua said, turning to walk toward the depths of the realm. Su followed in her wake.

Only four remained in the hall: Kevin, Elysia, Pardo, and Cipher, who was still feigning unconsciousness.

"I’ll take her to my room to rest for a while," Elysia said. She slid one arm under Cipher’s legs and the other under her back, lifting her from the sofa.

"I will accompany you," Kevin said calmly.

"Hm? Kevin, you’re caring about a girl? That’s rare," Elysia teased, though she looked at him with curiosity.

"No," Kevin shook his head slightly. After a moment of silence, he added, "I am merely protecting Cipher. After all... Kalpas might come to harm her."

"Kalpas?" Elysia walked toward her room, her tone serious. "Hmm... possible. Though Kalpas always acts like he hates Aponia, she is, after all, our companion... and he has spent more time with her than any of the rest of us."

"Indeed." Kevin nodded.

The two walked toward Elysia’s room, step by step. Pardo followed cautiously behind, looking as though she were truly afraid Kalpas might jump out at any moment.

Fortunately, Kalpas did not appear.

Cipher had been on edge the entire way, right up until they arrived at Elysia’s bedroom and she was placed on the bed.

Only after feeling Elysia watching over her for a full day did she finally "flicker" her eyelids, opening them slowly to stare blankly at the ceiling.

"Cipher! You’re awake?" Upon noticing the movement, Elysia exclaimed in delight and rushed over.

"..."

Cipher didn't respond immediately. Instead, her eyes twitched, and she sat up silently, looking around the room with deep confusion and helplessness in her azure eyes.

"I... I’m still alive?"

She looked down at her palms, seemingly affected by the "shattered" memories.

"Third time... wait... no. Why? Why do I suddenly have all these memories?"

"Cipher!"

Elysia reached out and took her hands. When Cipher looked up, Elysia said with sincere, earnest eyes, "Don't think about those things anymore. The more you think about them... the more you’ll only hurt yourself..."

"..."

Cipher was silent for a moment. Meeting Elysia’s gaze, her blue eyes filled with profound confusion.

"But... why did it happen? I should have died, so why am I alive again... and why did I go through it time after time... Why?"

--+--

Honkai Transformations - 130

--+--

Elysia opened her mouth, but she found that she had no idea how to answer Cipher’s question.

She had no clue why Cipher was caught in a cycle, repeating every millennium, doing the exact same things over and over. She also had no idea why Cipher was a digital consciousness.

Her understanding of Cipher’s world was limited entirely to the memories Cipher had shared.

Unable to offer an answer, Elysia could only hold Cipher’s hand, her eyes filled with heartache and helplessness.

"Cipher... I’m sorry, I don’t know."

As if you would, Cipher thought to herself.

She looked at Elysia but remained silent, seemingly drifting back into those fragmented memories. Even now, she couldn’t fully grasp why things had to be this way.

"I’m sorry..." Elysia apologized softly, sounding a bit self-reproachful.

"It’s not your fault," Cipher shook her head, letting go of Elysia’s hand to slowly sit up on the bed. "I just... I can’t wrap my head around it."

"What is it that you can't figure out?"

"The reason." Cipher’s eyes glazed over with confusion. Her cat ears drooped limply, and her tail fell behind her, limp and listless.

"Why does it happen? The world is destroyed over and over, yet it recovers again and again, only for me to have to experience all of that all over again... What is it all for?"

As she spoke, her gaze drifted toward Elysia’s face, settling there as she sank into deep thought. It was as if she had suddenly realized something.

"You... only you—you never appeared again after those subsequent world destructions."

"...Are you talking about Cyrene?" Elysia asked in a low voice.

"Yeah!"

Cipher nodded vigorously, the confusion in her eyes vanishing, replaced by a sharp, focused intensity.

She looked at Elysia as if she had finally touched a corner of the truth. "It’s definitely because of you! You’re the only one who’s special; you disappeared after the very first destruction!"

"And then... that’s when the swordsman in black started showing up. And every time the world restarted, he’d kill me, over and over again!"

"..." Elysia’s eyes held a flicker of bewilderment. She locked eyes with Cipher, feeling a faint, unsettling suspicion that perhaps she was right.

Suddenly, a soft knock echoed at the bedroom door.

Cipher’s ears shot up, her tail stiffened, and she looked toward the door with the wary intensity of a startled cat.

"Who is it?" Elysia asked softly.

"It is I, Aponia."

The moment Aponia’s voice sounded, Cipher bolted from the bed, her Spinosaurus form already activated.

"Wait..." Elysia hurried to soothe her, speaking with earnest sincerity. "I won’t let Aponia hurt you again. Please, trust me... Cipher."

"..."

Cipher didn’t speak, but the look she gave Elysia was laced with suspicion; she clearly couldn't fully trust her yet.

From outside the door, Aponia spoke again.

"I have come... to apologize."

An apology? That was a new one.

Cipher remained on guard, but she knew that Aponia was unlikely to attack her again.

Besides... hearing Aponia’s voice, which sounded a bit drained, it was clear she’d been hit hard by the memories Cipher had flooded her with. There was no telling how many lifetimes she had lived through within those mental visions.

"Do you want to open the door, Cipher?" Elysia asked, not moving toward the door herself, but watching Cipher with an expectant gaze.

Cipher pursed her lips, her fluffed-up tail swaying behind her.

"If you don't want to see her, I can take you somewhere else," Elysia added, taking Cipher’s hand again with a soft, sincere smile.

"..."

Cipher hesitated. Of course she wanted to see her—she was dying to see what Aponia looked like after being traumatized by her memories.

Feigning reluctance, as if moved by Elysia’s gentleness, she gave a small nod.

"Fine, let’s see her. But let’s get one thing straight: if you two try anything else, don’t blame me if I tear this place apart."

Facing the kitten's threat, Elysia nodded, letting out a joyful sigh of relief. "I'll do my best. Aponia, Cipher has agreed to see you."

The door opened, and Aponia stepped inside slowly, her footsteps light, as if she were afraid to startle Cipher again. She walked to the bedside and bowed her head.

Her bust swayed with a life of its own, causing Cipher’s eyes to nearly betray her and drift downward.

"I am sorry, Cipher," Aponia said, her voice soft, weary, and filled with regret.

Cipher watched her, staying silent, her tail twitching slightly, ears perked high.

"Before you apologize..." Cipher asked, her eyes still narrowed with wariness and a touch of hostility, "I want to know... why did you attack me? I don't think we had any bad blood between us, did we?"

Aponia was silent for a moment before letting out a soft sigh. "Because of the aura you carry."

"Aura?" Cipher frowned. "What aura?" She couldn't help but lower her head to sniff herself. Smells good. No stench here.

"The scent of death," Aponia’s voice became complex. "From the moment you stepped into the Elysian Realm, I felt it... the heavy, lingering aura of death surrounding you."

Cipher’s fingers tightened slightly. She can feel that? Is she hacking?

"That aura... it is not the ordinary kind of death," Aponia continued. "It is a mark that cannot be erased, forged only after experiencing countless deaths."

"So you thought I was a threat?" Cipher asked, her voice tinged with sarcasm. "Because I smell like death, you decided I was a danger to the Elysian Realm?"

"Yes." Aponia didn't deny it, nodding slowly. "I could not fully trust you... so I struck."

"And?" Cipher challenged. "What did you see?"

Aponia paused, then shook her head gently. "I saw your memories. I saw you die over and over again, and yet, in every new cycle, I saw you choose to save others, even when the price was eternal loneliness."

Aponia gazed at Cipher, her eyes softening. "I also saw... the kindness you hold for this world."

Cipher said nothing.

"And so... I am deeply sorry," Aponia continued softly. "My rashness caused you harm. If you wish, you may strike me. I will not resist."

"Aponia..." Elysia whispered, her expression unreadable.

"Elysia, this is a price I must pay," Aponia said, shaking her head.

Cipher had no intention of hitting her. But... if she could, she would have loved to make Aponia kneel in a dogeza. Specifically, with her back turned, her clothes neatly folded on the side... Slurp.

Cipher couldn't help but swallow hard. Pity that’s just a fantasy.

"You said it yourself," Cipher narrowed her eyes, a mischievous smile curling her lips.

"Yes," Aponia nodded firmly.

"Hehe~"

With that confirmation, Cipher grinned. Beside them, Elysia stayed silent, her expression complex, but she didn’t stop what happened next.

Cipher promptly stripped all the ornaments from Aponia's outfit. There weren't many, but she was quite fond of the shimmering golden crosses.

"Later, I'm going to your place to take everything of value!" Cipher said, smiling happily as she pocketed the crosses.

Aponia paused for a beat, then nodded. "If that makes you happy, I would be glad to show you my quarters."

"That's all it takes?" Elysia asked, surprised.

"Of course~!" Cipher nodded. Though, privately, she felt a twinge of regret. I really wanted to see something lewd. But with Elysia here, it was impossible.

"That's enough for me. After all, I'm not a bad person," Cipher said, lying through her teeth. Elysia laughed, a genuine look of delight on her face.

The room grew quiet again. Elysia watched them both, a relaxed smile forming on her lips.

"Alright, alright," she clapped her hands, breaking the silence. "Since the misunderstanding is cleared up, let's lose the sour faces." She sat down on the bed next to Cipher and tilted her head. "Cipher, are you hungry? Should I get you something to eat?"

"No." Cipher refused without hesitation. "Not hungry. Just... a bit tired." She looked at Aponia, her expression serious again. "The scent of death... I really have that on me?"

"Yes..." Aponia nodded, her demeanor turning grave. "Death seems to cling to you. To my eyes, it has taken on a physical form..."

Cipher felt her muscles tense. "But why? Do you know why?"

"I am sorry..." Aponia shook her head, her violet eyes clouding. "I do not know. I can only feel its presence, but its source remains a mystery."

Cipher fell silent. Her tail flicked behind the blanket, ears twitching as she thought.

"However..." Aponia began, sounding hesitant.

"However what?" Cipher looked up, her blue eyes filled with urgency.

Aponia held her gaze for a long moment before speaking softly: "However... that aura is not entirely negative."

Cipher blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"

"The scent of death..." Aponia’s voice was barely a whisper, as if choosing her words carefully. "On you, it is not just destruction and endings. It carries a sense of... protection."

"Protection?" Cipher frowned.

"Yes," Aponia nodded, looking earnest. "Like a shield—an unbreakable shield forged from countless deaths."

Cipher remained quiet. She looked down at her own palms, her eyes filled with complicated emotions. You’re definitely hacking, aren't you?

She knew exactly what that "aura of death" was, but for Aponia to perceive it so clearly? That was just absurd.

After a long silence, Cipher chuckled. The smile was lighter, though still touched by exhaustion, bitterness, and a hint of resignation.

"Forget it," she sighed, her tail emerging from under the covers and swaying lazily. "I can't figure it out, so I might as well stop trying."

She looked at Aponia with a serious gaze. "You said you’d take me to your place?"

Aponia was slightly taken aback, then nodded. "Yes."

"Then let's go." Cipher couldn't wait, hopping off the bed and onto the floor with a crisp thud of her boots. Her tail held high, ears alert, she looked much more energetic now.

"Now?" Aponia seemed surprised. She had expected this discussion to last much longer.

"Of course now," Cipher tilted her head with a sly grin. "What if you change your mind?"

Aponia watched her for a moment and sighed. "I will not change my mind, but—"

"Then let's go!" Cipher was already heading for the door, having no interest in further discussion. She paused after a few steps and looked back at Elysia. "Ellie, coming?"

Elysia was stunned for a second, then broke into a smile. "Alright."

She stood up, walked over to Cipher, and gently ruffled her hair. "Let’s go together~ and clean out Aponia's place!"

"Yeah!"

Cipher found that she was actually getting used to Elysia’s head-pats. The sensation of those soft, delicate fingers brushing against her head and cat ears was wonderfully ticklish and comforting.

The three of them left the room, heading toward Aponia’s quarters. Cipher walked in the lead, her tail swaying happily, ears rotating to capture every sound.

Aponia followed behind, her steps soft, her eyes resting calmly on Cipher’s back with a look of quiet, complex reflection.

--+--

Paid Chapters 3/3 - Complete.