Chapter 3 - First battle

Since the mission only required defeating an enemy, even a fool would know to pick the softest target. Kiana began searching the map for isolated red dots, fortunately finding over a dozen.

Fixing her eyes on the lightest red dot, Kiana set out, carefully avoiding clusters of red dots, eventually reaching deep into the forest. Unknown insects chirped around her, and hot weather mixed with a faint sea breeze blew through.

"Is this the one?"

Kiana hid behind a tree, quietly observing her target: a deer. But this deer was vastly different from Earth's deer. Its antlers stood like two sharp swords, their tips a dark red color, seemingly dyed with blood - unlike its white tail.

Its body was about twice the size of an Earth deer, making Kiana wonder if creatures in this world were raised on steroids.

The deer casually grazed, completely unaware of the fact that it was being targeted. Kiana secretly rejoiced, thinking that as a herbivore, it should be less aggressive than a carnivore. Even if she couldn't win, she should be able to run. Poor Kiana was already planning her escape route.

"...Here goes!"

Kiana took a deep breath, mustering her courage. In games, she'd never been afraid - dying meant simply respawning. But in a real body? Who wouldn't be scared? Nevertheless, to return to her male form, Kiana was determined.

She emerged from behind the tree, raising her gun, focusing intently. Inhale, aim, shoot, and... huh?

*Click click!!!*

Kiana desperately pulled the trigger, but her gun was completely uncooperative, making a jamming sound.

The noise naturally attracted the enemy's attention. The deer raised its massive, sharp antlers, its cold, merciless eyes fixed on the suddenly appearing creature.

*Stomp stomp!* The deer's hind legs scraped the ground, releasing a threatening low growl. The situation instantly became tense. Kiana was nearly in tears. Why won't the gun fire?

Seeing the increasingly hostile expression, Kiana raised her hands above her head, forcing an awkward smile.

"Hehe, misunderstanding, total misunderstanding!"

But the deer wasn't listening and charged with its sharp antlers.

"Eeeek!"

Kiana turned and ran, simultaneously pulling out her phone and panicking, "Ai-chan! Ai-chan, save me!"

Instantly, Ai-chan appeared on the phone screen, looking confused.

"Captain, what's wrong? Do you have another question?"

"Look behind me!" 

Kiana raised the phone high, pointing it backward, then quickly lowered it again.

"Understand my situation now?"

"...I see, but I don't understand why the Captain is running away."

Ai-chan remained puzzled. Kiana instantly became furious, drawing her waist gun.

"I don't understand why this weapon won't work!"

"..."

Ai-chan fell silent, looking at Kiana with an increasingly condescending expression.

"Captain, you haven't forgotten that Domain White Practice... is a melee armor, right?"

"..."

Kiana was speechless. Of course she knew Domain White Practice was a melee armor, but the problem was that her gun was working just last night. She clearly remembered seeing bullets flying into the sea - over a hundred of them!

"I could use it last night. Are you saying all my shots were fake?"

"Captain, a girl shouldn't use such a phrase!"

Ai-chan said with a look of disappointment, as if Kiana were some kind of deviant.

"I'm a man, damn it! Isn't your focus on the wrong subject? The problem is why I can't shoot!"

Kiana was almost beyond frustration. Ai-chan sighed and explained:

"Captain, last night was just a weapon test, so I secretly switched you to the Ranger armor for remote attacks. When the test ended, I switched back."

"..."

Realizing she had been using the Ranger armor last night, Kiana felt close to despair. Did she really have to engage in hand-to-hand combat? The thought alone seemed difficult.

"Captain, constantly claiming to be a man, but, your actions aren't very manly!"

Ai-chan's sarcastic comment made Kiana's escape steps slow down. Yes, to return to being a man, didn't she need battle courage? How could she become stronger? Was she destined to remain a woman forever?

After an internal struggle, Kiana finally stopped running. Her gaze gradually became resolute, with a hint of fighting spirit. Seeing Kiana's eyes, Ai nodded approvingly.

"It seems the Captain is finally acting like a man. Ai-chan is very happy!"

Kiana smiled softly.

"Thank you, Ai-chan. You've awakened me."

"No need to thank me. This is Ai-chan's duty!"

With that, Ai-chan's image gradually disappeared. Kiana tucked her phone back into her chest and turned to face the relentlessly pursuing enemy.

"Come on! Today, I'll show you what a man is!"

One had to admit, these words sounded hilariously incongruous coming from her sweet female voice.

Provoked by Kiana's challenge, the deer's momentum intensified. Its speed suddenly increased to more than twice its original pace. The killing intent from its sharp antlers made Kiana's legs tremble, but her transformed mindset kept her firmly focused on the enemy - nothing like the person running away just seconds ago.

Kiana continuously calculated the enemy's distance. Closer, ten meters, five meters, one meter. Now!

Kiana continuously calculated the enemy's distance. Closer, ten meters, five meters, one meter. Now!

Kiana supported herself with one hand, rolling to narrowly avoid the deer's massive, frost-glinting antlers. Suddenly, the entire world changed in Kiana's eyes, now shrouded in a dim black color. The deer's movements seemed to slow hundreds of times, and Kiana stood firmly after her roll, a pleased smile at the corner of her mouth.

Success. Kiana's evasion passive skill, "Time Fracture," had slowed all enemies' movements while leaving her unaffected.

As an important skill for avoiding damage in Honkai, Kiana naturally executed it skillfully.

"Now, while you're down, I'll take you out!"

Her pink, delicate leg struck the deer's head ruthlessly. Kiana delivered three consecutive blows, then leaped high. A massive yellow cat's paw appeared out of thin air - her branch attack with tremendous power.

The cat's paw crashed down, instantly causing a three-meter radius around the deer to collapse, forming a small pit. The deer's body was completely flattened into a bloody, meaty pancake.

After landing, Kiana breathed heavily. The intense running and battle had exhausted her, but couldn't dampen her excitement.

"Haha! I did it, I did it!"

*Beep beep!*

Her soft chest trembled as she quickly pulled out her phone.

"Congratulations, Captain! Ai-chan is super happy!"

"Thanks to you, Ai-chan! Haha, to show my gratitude, how about a kiss!"

Kiana puckered her lips and moved close to Ai-chan.

*Zap!!!*

After an electric shock, Kiana collapsed powerlessly on the ground, suddenly feeling unloved.

"Didn't I tell you? No screen licking!"

(Author note: In the game, White Practice and Valkyrie armors can actually shoot, but for convenience, I've set them as pure melee in this novel. Please understand.)