Help! My Honkai Impact 3rd Livestream Attracted the Actual Characters!

Chapter 102: Elysia – Kevin, Mei's Supposed to Be There, So Why Can't I See Her?

"Imagine this! The Imaginary is the origin of humanity, the very beginning of civilization."

Within the game, Otto spoke of his discovery about the world.

"Time flows along the trunk of the Imaginary Tree, branching infinitely like a vast canopy, creating countless worlds."

"Each branch is a different form of civilization's existence. Each leaf and flower represents the past and present left behind in the timeline."

"However, the development of worlds must be regulated. In its competition with the Sea of Quanta, the direction of growth is continuously filtered and corrected by an unknown mechanism."

Otto's analysis could be puzzling to those unfamiliar with the intricacies of the Honkai world.

Yet, the chat showed little surprise.

Most viewers had long accepted the concept of the Imaginary Tree.

If anything truly caught their attention, it was Otto's final, chilling conclusion—

"That's right. Humanity can never escape Honkai."

"We can only move forward because the Imaginary Tree must continue to grow. If not, we will wilt and decay like the failed worlds before us, dissolving into yet another bubble within the Sea of Quanta."

"If we wish for true, eternal peace, then humanity must return to the beginning of civilization—back to the Imaginary."

"And the answer I seek must be within that Imaginary Tree."

In the 559th winter of his life, Otto finally found the path to truth.

He explored the Sea of Quanta.

He studied the Aether Anchors.

He searched for constructs of the Imaginary.

He seized a divine key of immeasurable power.

He faced setbacks, obstacles, and despair. He bathed in failure and encountered impossibilities beyond number.

But Otto didn't need to know the impossible—

Because he had already decided. Because it must be possible.

Otto Apocalypse will reach the realm of the gods.

Otto Apocalypse will ascend the Imaginary Tree.

As the narration concluded, the darkened screen gave way to a new scene.

Kevin and Otto's deal was drawing to a close.

"I'm pleased this discussion reached the best possible outcome. Let's proceed with the signal handover. Do you have any preferences regarding time and location?"

"You decide."

As always, Kevin kept his responses brief.

From start to finish, his focus never wavered. Unlike his previous exchange with Mei, where his words had been far more abundant…

The difference in treatment was obvious.

Without another word, the white-haired man turned and left.

With his departure, the golden radiance that had enveloped the world began to dim and fade.

"…Oh? Leaving already? What a pity. I was hoping we could share a drink in celebration."

"Kevin Kaslana, I truly believe that today's meeting will have a profound impact—not only on you and me, but on the entire world."

"To the union of Schicksal and the Serpent—cheers."

As Otto's final monologue ended, the scene faded to black.

In the livestream, realization dawned upon the viewers—

The ruined city of Nagazora had long been harboring a looming crisis.

And the mastermind behind it all… was Otto? Again?!

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "Ahhh, this Otto is such a complicated guy. He's definitely a villain, but… it doesn't feel like he wants to destroy humanity. It's more like he's trying to save it? I just… don't know how to feel about this."

With Elysia's comment, the chat erupted into heated debates over Otto Apocalypse.

『Today's Performance Wasn't Perfect:』 "I can't accept what he's done, but I have to admit—his leadership ability is among the greatest I've ever seen."

As expected, Hua acknowledged Otto's capabilities, yet it was clear she couldn't forgive him.

Had it not been for her forgetfulness, she might've ended him long ago atop Taixuan Mountain.

『where did the little lab rats hide?:』 "Hehe~ It's rare to see someone with such perseverance. Most would've run away when faced with such an overwhelming truth. But not him—he endured. I have to respect that at least."

And with that, the discussion surrounding Otto continued to spiral…

The livestream chat held a deep-seated hostility toward Otto.

But there was one fact that none of them could deny—

This man… truly had unshakable resolve.

His dedication to his so-called "greatest wish" had become something akin to faith.

And he had long accepted the possibility of sacrificing himself for it.

A man like that… when he took action, it was truly terrifying.

The best example of this?

The desperate situation that Theresa and her crew were about to face.

—

As the next stage began, the first image on the screen was the battleship Hyperion, cutting through the skies.

A few minutes earlier—

Above the Pacific Ocean.

Inside the bridge, Einstein stood before the tactical display, communicating with Theresa.

"Thirty kilometers to the rendezvous coordinates provided by Tesla. Flight path remains stable, no hostiles detected."

"What about the Schicksal forces the reconnaissance station spotted earlier?"

Theresa's voice held a tinge of concern.

Einstein, adjusting her glasses, responded:

"They landed along the western coast of the Far East. They haven't made any moves to advance. It's likely Schicksal has noticed the abnormalities in Nagazora as well and dispatched Valkyries to the surrounding cities."

What they had no way of knowing was that the anomalies in Nagazora were caused by a collaboration between Schicksal and World Serpent.

And Otto's true motive for stationing Valkyries nearby?

To make sure everything stayed within his control.

—

But at that moment, within the game, Einstein's focus was entirely on Kiana's condition.

"Inverse rescue units are already on standby. The moment the Honkai energy reaches critical mass, they will mobilize to contain the damage."

"Under no circumstances should Kiana be allowed to use the Herrscher of the Void's power."

Theresa sighed, crossing her arms.

"…It's too quiet. Too eerily quiet. This feeling reminds me of the battle at Schicksal's headquarters. It's making me uneasy—"

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

A violent tremor interrupted Theresa's words.

"W-What was that?!"

An urgent transmission from the control room crackled through the bridge.

"Commander! Abnormal Honkai readings detected in Nagazora!"

"Multiple unidentified entities approaching from the front—320 km/h! Engaging image capture!"

Einstein's brows furrowed immediately.

An attack?

"Enemy forces? Is it Schicksal?"

"…No, ma'am! These are Quantum Shadows!

"Quantum Shadows are attacking Hyperion!"

"Our bow is taking heavy damage—CIWS turrets down!"

Theresa's eyes widened in shock.

"Quantum Shadows?! Here?!"

The researchers had no answer.

Instead, Einstein snapped into action.

"Brace for impact! All hands, prepare for emergency maneuvers!"

Theresa, regaining her composure, issued her orders.

"Bronya! Split the squad! Protect the flight deck and the mainframe!"

"I'll take care of the enemies on deck myself!"

With that, the game entered combat mode.

—

Gameplay Segment: Defending Hyperion

Players controlled Theresa as she battled the Quantum Shadows that had infiltrated Hyperion's deck.

Fortunately, she wasn't alone—Inverse's mecha units were already engaging the intruders.

Unfortunately…

Despite their best efforts, several mechs were swiftly dismantled by the agile Quantum Shadows.

It wasn't until Theresa, wielding the Oath of Judah, stepped in that the enemy forces were finally pushed back.

But just as the battle ended—

Theresa suddenly noticed a strange light emanating from the direction of Nagazora.

At the same time, Einstein's voice crackled through the comms again.

"Commander… we have a serious problem."

And with that—

The stage concluded.

As Einstein finished her final words, the stage concluded…

But before the next stage began, a short cinematic played.

Hokuto clicked into the scene, and the screen faded into darkness.

Then—

A woman's voice echoed through the silence.

"I remember it clearly… That night, I happened to glance out the window and looked up at the stars."

"I suddenly had this strange feeling—like it wasn't me gazing at the cosmos, but the cosmos gazing down at me."

"Under the vast Milky Way, I felt so insignificant. Humanity felt so insignificant. In that moment, everything around me seemed utterly trivial."

—

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "Wait… this voice is—Mei? No… it's her?!"

[Because of your livestream content, Pink Fairy Miss is shocked! You have received 1,420 Crystals!]

—

A pink-colored chat message streaked across the screen.

Despite the dialogue box displaying only a series of "???" in place of a name—

Elysia instantly recognized the voice.

The tone, the way she spoke…

Wasn't this Mei's voice?!

But… in this era, Mei hadn't appeared yet—right?

As Elysia reeled in shock, the speaker continued:

"At that moment, a single thought entered my mind—"

"I firmly believed that every star in the sky was our enemy."

—

And with those words, the screen lit up.

—

A sepia-toned scene appeared, filled with the nostalgic warmth of an old memory.

Two figures—a young man and woman—sat side by side on a wooden bench, quietly watching the setting sun.

The man had short white hair, wearing a black-and-white short-sleeved jacket, his hands covered by fingerless gloves.

The woman, her long dark hair neatly tied into a high ponytail with a large ribbon, wore a black sailor uniform, complemented by black stockings and leather boots.

At a glance, they looked like just another high school couple enjoying a peaceful afternoon.

—

But anyone who knew them well…

Would instantly recognize the man.

Kevin.

And as for the woman beside him…

Some recognized her immediately.

Some had no clue at all.

—

『Your Great Inventor:』 "Kevin's companion… Who is she? Raiden Mei? No… I don't think she's the type to say something like that."

A green-colored message appeared—

Sent by none other than Otto Apocalypse himself.

The Schicksal Overseer had never seen this woman before.

If even Otto didn't know her, then it was obvious—

Neither Durandal nor Rita had any idea who she was either.

—

『Maintaining Elegance Is a Maid's Duty:』 "It's strange… I've never heard of this person before."

『Hard Work Always Pays Off:』 "A face completely unknown to Schicksal… This is troubling."

—

Meanwhile, the game's dialogue continued—

Kevin glanced at the woman beside him, his voice filled with curiosity.

"Every star is our enemy?"

—

The woman—Mei—nodded.

"Yes."

A single name appeared in the dialogue box—

Mei.

—

And as if to explain her reasoning, she continued:

"There's an image in our physics textbooks—a photograph taken from 6.4 billion kilometers away by a space probe."

"Ah, I remember! That picture barely had anything in it. We had to search for a while before we found a tiny blue dot."

Kevin responded enthusiastically, his tone brimming with youthful energy.

Compared to the stoic warrior the world knew today, this younger Kevin was a completely different person—

Lively. Playful.

—

In contrast, Mei's demeanor was entirely different—

She exuded an air of maturity far beyond her years.

"That dot… was Earth."

"The planet where we were born, where we grew up. A world that has existed for 4.6 billion years, yet in the grand scheme of the universe, it is nothing more than a speck of dust."

"Humanity's millennia of history, its billions of lives, its countless knowledge and cultures—compared to the vastness of space, they mean nothing."

"I often wonder… in the scale of such an infinite universe, how much meaning does a single human being truly hold?"

—

Hearing Mei's philosophical musings, Kevin fell into a long silence…

At last—

"Hahahahaha—!"

"What's so funny?"

Mei's tone remained calm, but Kevin's response was lighthearted and full of laughter.

"No, no, it's nothing. I just find this really refreshing."

"Back when I used to go on dates with other girls, whenever we talked about the stars, the conversation always turned to astrology or blood types."

"This is the first time I've ever heard someone bring up the universe and the fate of humanity instead. That's just so… you."

Hearing Kevin's thoughts, Mei expressed hers in return.

The two of them found each other unique—

A connection beyond the ordinary, one that set them apart from the world.

—

Then, the conversation shifted.

Mei spoke of her dreams, revealing her plans to travel to Mu Continent.

And Kevin—without hesitation—suggested they go together.

—

The screen faded to black.

—

When light returned, the scene had changed.

Nagazora City—

A city in upheaval.

—

Kevin's eyes opened, gazing at the city now fused with light itself.

The flickering glow of destruction mimicked the flow of blood rushing toward the heart of something greater.

At the end of the light's spiral, the boundless ocean of stars reflected upon an infinite number of worlds.

—

In this moment, within each ray of light—

Someone was dying.

Someone was being born.

Every single person.

Every face they had encountered.

Every soul they had ever loved.

—

Their pain and joy.

Their spilled blood and tears.

Their vows spoken, promises broken.

Their victories, their failures.

All of human history—

All of humanity's legacy—

All the proof that humanity had ever existed—

Was nothing more than a single fragile leaf, drifting within the endless radiance.

—

As the final words of the narration faded away, so too did the scene.

The cinematic ended.

—

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "So… those were Kevin's memories? Hmm~ I never expected his first meeting with Mei to be so romantic!"

"But… then why is she…"

—

A pink-colored chat message floated across the screen.

Elysia had finally voiced a question—

One that had been lingering in her mind for a very long time.

—

Not just her.

Hua. Mobius. Kalpas. The others.

They had all wondered the same thing.

—

『Pink Fairy Miss:』 "Why can't we see Mei beside him anymore?"

—

End of Chapter 102.