Fu Shi and Yae Sakura exchanged puzzled looks as they watched Fu Lin, who had only just woken up, leave in such a hurry.
"The tailor should have the outfits ready by now," Fu Lin mused as he walked down the street, heading toward his destination.
"Honkai energy? Why is there Honkai here?" Passing by an alleyway, Fu Lin instinctively sensed a surge of Honkai energy. He glanced inside, but the darkness obscured everything.
"In this world, aside from Kevin, no one should be able to best me. Let's take a look..."
After a moment of thought, Fu Lin's gaze hardened, and he stepped cautiously into the pitch-black alley.
------------------------
Fu Lin cautiously scanned his surroundings, pausing with each step to observe the area. The deeper he ventured, the stronger the oppressive aura of collapse became.
"This amount of Honkai energy here could give rise to a Herrscher, so why is it confined to this small alley?" Fu Lin murmured in confusion, running his fingers along the walls. There was nothing unusual about them.
Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed from ahead. Each step sent a jolt through Fu Lin's heart. Soon, a figure emerged in the distance, emanating the very Honkai energy that permeated the area.
"Who's there?" Fu Lin called out, staring at the shadowy figure. The intense energy distorted his vision, making it impossible to see the person's face. Yet, his instincts screamed that this was no ordinary opponent.
"..." The shadow paused, silently observing Fu Lin as if deep in thought.
Among everyone Fu Lin knew, none possessed such overwhelming Honkai energy—not even Kevin. This only fueled his curiosity about the figure's identity.
"Fu Lin..."
"That voice... It sounds familiar. Do I know you?" Fu Lin muttered to himself before cautiously asking aloud.
It felt as though he'd heard this voice before… Wait… a certain paramecium!
No, that didn't make sense. There was no way she could recognize him, let alone exude such terrifying Honkai energy. Besides, she was safely at St. Freya Academy, nowhere near here.
Shaking his head, Fu Lin dismissed the absurd thought, his expression growing more serious.
"Finally… I've finally caught you." The shadow began absorbing the Honkai energy it had been emitting, and as it did, its appearance became clear to Fu Lin.
"...Kiana!" Fu Lin's eyes widened as he recognized the face. It was unmistakably Kiana's, yet her aura and demeanor were utterly unrecognizable.
"Why do I feel like you've suddenly matured a lot?" Fu Lin teased, the heavy atmosphere dissolving instantly upon recognizing the familiar "paramecium."
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Fu Lin casually stuffed his hands into his pockets, watching Kiana as she slowly walked toward him. His mind had already crafted an idealized scene of a joyful reunion.
Reality, however, is often disappointing.
As Kiana drew closer, an ominous feeling crept over him. For some reason, Fu Lin's legs began trembling, disobeying his will.
"Stop! Halt! Tomete! Stay right there, don't move!" Fu Lin blurted out in three languages, retreating while watching Kiana approach him with steady steps.
"You're not Kiana, are you? Who are you, really?" Fu Lin wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, pulling out a pocket watch in preparation for a quick escape.
"My dear Fu Lin, I am Kiana~~" she said sweetly, completely ignoring his protests as she quickened her pace toward him.
"Kiana wouldn't call me that! I... I have something to do, so I'll be leaving now! Pretend I never entered this alley!" Fu Lin's demeanor shifted dramatically as fear overwhelmed him. He quickly activated the pocket watch, attempting to freeze time and escape from this unsettling situation.
"Where do you think you're going?" Before he could react, Kiana's hand landed firmly on his shoulder. She smiled innocently, but her eyes betrayed a dangerous glint.
"You... how can you move in a stopped time space?" Fu Lin stared at her in disbelief. The pocket watch, which had never failed him before, had somehow been rendered useless.
"That's a secret~ This little toy is quite fun, but far too dangerous for someone like you. Let me keep it safe for you." Kiana caressed Fu Lin's face with an unsettling tenderness, snatching the pocket watch from his hand and slipping it into her chest. Her cheeks were flushed as she smiled mischievously.
---------------------
Author's Hyperion Command Centre:
Regarding the poll, the results are that I will be starting another Honkai translation soon.
And for my Original one [Danmachi fanfic], will be working on that at the side, once I feel that it is good, will start posting that one also.
Cheers to all those who voted>