Honkai Impact 3: Deadwood

Before Xilin could succeed, a streak of Yin Zi's sword energy passed between her and Kiana, drawing a trace between the two of them in the snow, like an inviolable border line, drawing her Separate from Kiana.

"Stop it, Siren."

As he said this, he walked towards the two of them step by step, no, it should be said that he was walking towards where one of the two was.

"You...are you still trying to stop me after this?" Xilin couldn't help but be a little surprised.

The captain's face was still full of determination and firmness, and under the black bangs, the starlight in the dark eyes was not dimmed at all.

He had regrets, pain, and sadness, but he never shed a tear from beginning to end.

He doesn't feel that he is very strong, but he knows that he cannot cry now because his "Valkyrie" is calling him, asking for help.

He is a "branch", the friend of the heroic warrior who has passed away, but he is also Kiana's "captain", an adult who promises to witness and protect their growth.

So he couldn't give up on Kiana, and couldn't ignore Kiana who was in pain now. That was definitely not the future Ragnar wanted to see.

Rita, Bianca, and even Hua Yu...the flowers she wants to protect, the buds she wants to witness, will eventually bloom and make the world a better place.

Every child she met was among them and was guarded by her. At the last moment of her life, maybe... even Kiana, who took her life away, was included in it by her.

Finally, the boy holding the black sword stood in front of Kiana again. Kiana was stunned for a long time before she raised her head. What she saw with her red and swollen eyes from crying was the boy who was still smiling at her. The dark eyes that were as gentle and tolerant of her as the night sky were the same as when they first met.

"captain…?"

"Well, I'm here."

His voice still made her feel at ease.

"Why…?"

"Because I want to," the captain replied.

Yes, this was not a choice made by the young man out of his responsibility as a captain, but a decision made by himself. He will not regret it or be shaken by it.

"Wait, you idiot...you know she killed your friend and you continue to protect her!?"

Siren asked unwillingly.

"Ah."

"Why!? Could it be...do you still think I'm lying to you, or do you think it was me who killed them!?"

"Do not…"

"At that time, I was not as complete as I am now. I had no way to influence her consciousness or control her body! It was only that our subconscious reached a rare agreement at that time, and she temporarily gained control of her power. You understand !!?"

"I see."

"Then why on earth did you——!?"

Suddenly, Xilin stopped her questioning because she saw the gentle but firm figure of the young man in front of her.

That figure was no different from the figure that had protected her, resisted her, and risked his life to save her sixteen years ago.

She actually didn't have many questions in her mind. She was waiting for the idiot in front of her to give an answer from the beginning, an answer that she wanted to know but didn't want to know.

She had hated him, but that hatred no longer existed, but she still felt angry because she didn't believe in the hypocritical humans he was trying to protect. Therefore, she would not believe that this person would really forgive her, the Herrscher, who had committed irreparable mistakes against "humanity".

"If you choose to make up for your mistakes, then no matter how much time it takes, I will stay with you..."

It was such a simple promise that she could never forget that led to Siren's current situation. She needed a chance, a chance to know the true thoughts of the person in front of her.

And she already knew the final answer.

It's just that she doesn't feel that everything she did is wrong. What she wants to embark on is the path called "revenge" that is opposite to human beings. This is what she must complete, and she will never stop because of one person. What changes.

"Hateful and pathetic humans do not deserve to be protected by you, so just destroy them."

It's just that simple.

As for the captain, he still does not fully understand Xilin's inner thoughts at this moment, and he cannot convince the other party with simple words that there are many other beautiful things in this world that are worthy of belief and protection. .

But he has already realized something about the dead Ragnar and Kiana who did take her life away.

So he spoke, and he spoke gently to the girl who lost courage in front of him: "Ragnar...has been fond of flowers since she was a child."

"...?"

“In her spare time, she would always take me to pick flower seeds together, then plant them into the soil and watch them slowly sprout and grow. She would be very happy every time the new flower seedlings changed a little bit. ."

“In addition, she also likes to participate in various social practices and experience things that she would not normally be exposed to. For example, she would go to an orphanage as a volunteer counselor, teach the children there to learn gardening, or tell them some relaxing stories. Funny stories, of course…being a maid was one of them.”

"Captain...but...I..."

"I took away the life of such a man."

"I know."

The captain naturally understood what she wanted to say at this time.

"Kiana, I am not talking about this to accuse you. I am not qualified to forgive you for Ragnar, and I can't do that, but...Kiana, you might as well think about it, such a person , why did she become a Valkyrie and a member of the "Valkyrie Stormtroopers" where the battlefield situation is always the worst and most dangerous? "

The lifeless blue eyes seemed to have regained a little sparkle. Kiana thought hard, and finally answered in a very low voice: "For... to protect... important things?"

"Yes, then, what do you think she wants to protect?"

"The people she loved...the children...? And...the beautiful flowers...?"

The captain nodded, "Well, but more than that, what she wants to protect is all the things in the world that she cherishes that she considers "beautiful." "

"good?"

This may sound like an overly ambitious dream, but as a Valkyrie, Kiana can actually understand this idea. Although as a "Valkyrie", everyone has different reasons for fighting. Some are to protect important people, and some are... Some people want to find a high-paying job, and some simply want to engage in such a dangerous and exciting career. But no matter what, everyone's efforts are ultimately aimed at getting closer to a beautiful future without "collapse" step by step.

"Whether it's cats and dogs, flowers and plants, children in the orphanage, familiar friends and team members, and...you and me who are here now, these are the ones she wants to protect, she The beauty that is cherished.”

"but I…"

Without giving Kiana a chance to speak, the young man took a short breath, and then continued in a very serious tone: "Kiana, if you just plan to chew the pain and sorrow of killing them here, then you are right It means nothing to them who are dead.”

As he spoke, he extended his hand to the girl in front of him, just like he always did.