"It's... beautiful..." The gray-haired girl murmured, her expression complex.
She realized she had given up imagining a beautiful future at some point.
Perhaps it began in the prehistoric era, where her responsibilities as Hua grew heavier, evolving from a regular student to a guardian "Immortal," eventually bearing the grand aspiration of "protecting humanity and eliminating Honkai." Fu Hua no longer had the luxury to ponder other matters; fulfilling her duties left her exhausted.
—"There's no time for daydreaming; better to defeat a few more Honkai beasts and potentially save more people."
At this moment, 'Fu Hua' began reconsidering everything. After countless busy years, what kind of future did she truly desire?
Lowering her head, the gray-haired girl's hand revealed the feather-shaped Core of the Herrscher, which she gently stroked with her fingertips, eliciting unquestioning obedience from the Core.
"... Let's go see the 'dream' of the Herrscher of Thunder," 'Fu Hua' unconsciously softened her voice, as if unwilling to disturb this beautiful dream.
Watching a corner of the massive "supernova" unfold, Sirin observed Cecilia and Siegfried frolicking around with three children, radiating joy and contentment.
Anyone seeing their smiling faces would sincerely sigh: what a happy family.
After a moment of silence, Sirin explained softly, "Okay."
Kiana interjected, "Huh? Why are you pulling me, Sirin...?"
"Do you know how to fly?" Sirin glared at the white-haired girl menacingly. "Just stick with me!"
"Oh..."
The three left the largest bubble and flew towards the "star" adorned with Sirin lightning.
With a calm gesture, 'Fu Hua' dispersed the Sirin lightning, leading everyone closer to the surface of the "star" to observe its contents.
Pressing her face against the bubble, Kiana stared at the figures inside, somewhat puzzled. "Is that Kiana? And... the person's face isn't clear..."
Inside the bubble, Raiden Mei awaited eagerly in front of an amusement park since early morning, waiting for a person with an indistinct face to arrive. After a brief greeting, they entered the park together. Mei pulled out two tickets, excitedly leading the person inside. They indulged in various rides and activities until nightfall when they shared a hearty dinner before parting ways.
"She wants someone to accompany her? I thought a girl like her would've grown tired of amusement parks..." Kiana muttered incredulously. "Wait, Mei has always been disciplined, busy studying, maintaining relationships in school; she seems to have no time for amusement parks."
"And..." The white-haired girl rubbed her chin. "Those claiming to be Mei's friends are superficial; they definitely don't consider her a true friend! Mei must be aware of this!"
Given Kiana's experiences traveling alone from Europe to the Far East, she had encountered plenty of worldly-wise individuals. The small group around Mei seemed predictable to her.
Sirin clicked her tongue. "Humans are truly hypocritical..."
"But I can be Mei's friend!" Kiana's eyes sparkled against the bubble, torn between excitement over free tickets and a lavish meal and the prospect of exploring the amusement park with Mei.
'Fu Hua' instinctively felt it could be both.
Sirin, disinterested in strangers, replied coldly, "Weren't we supposed to use this thing to defeat the Herrscher of Thunder? What help can a little girl craving friends provide us?"
"Don't rush..." 'Fu Hua' licked her lips. "This isn't just Raiden Mei's 'dream'; it's also the Herrscher of Thunder's 'dream'."
Sirin raised an eyebrow, surprised. "That's quite an accurate guess! What's next?"
"The 'stars' shared by Raiden Mei and the Herrscher of Thunder mean if one's power is immense, the other's must be weak. In this peculiar consciousness space, a person's strength is determined by their willpower... As long as Raiden Mei remains steadfast, she can seize power from the Herrscher of Thunder..."
Pausing, 'Fu Hua' recalled her past experiences, her expression becoming eerie.
"The key to breaking the deadlock lies with you, Kiana."
After a momentary pause, she shook her head slightly, pushing aside the rising confusion and unease, and continued to explain, "Have you noticed in Raiden Mei's 'dream,' that the person with the indistinct face resembles you?"
"Me?" Kiana guessed, "Is it because I intervened and confronted the Herrscher of Thunder without hesitation, thus earning Raiden Mei's trust? She already considers me a friend—now I just need to deepen that impression through acting, strengthen her resolve, and empower her to seize power from the Herrscher of Thunder..."
"...Wait. What's acting to deepen my 'friendship'? I'm already Mei's good friend!" Kiana protested. "Do I need to enter this bubble?"
'Fu Hua' sighed, "No, seeing the scenes in these 'stars' is already my limit... If I could use the Fenghuang Down normally, a mere flick would solve all our problems... Unfortunately, it's not available now."
The white-haired girl had a bad feeling. "So...?"
"So, you need to return to the previous location, confront the Herrscher of Thunder under Raiden Mei's gaze..."
"But I can't beat her!?"
"At this moment, you'll need some help from your sister."
'Fu Hua' turned her head, locking eyes with Sirin.
The Herrscher shouted, "Me? Are you kidding? I'm a Herrscher. You want me to help humans against our own kind?"
'Fu Hua' blinked, whispering to Kiana, "Quick, call her 'sister'!"
"Please, Sister Sirin! Sister Sirin!"
"..."