Honkai: You're telling me this difficulty is from Honkai Impact 3?!

"Did you… draw closer just so you could deliver that bullet to a distance I couldn't react to?" [Vakh], still disintegrating, looked up at Shu.

"Of your movements and this bullet, I could only react to one… If I focused on the bullet, I wouldn't be able to react to your attack at this range, and you definitely had the ability to shift your attack before I could react…"

"And if I focused on your movements, I couldn't react to the bullet at this range… I really got scared by that sword strike of yours…"

[Vakh] chuckled, the sound making his body dissipate further.

"Well… well… no wonder they say courage prevails in a narrow encounter…" [Vakh] looked at his body, his eyes filled with regret. "Tsk… it's a waste of this perfect body…"

[Vakh]'s expression was wistful. Shu instinctively felt something was wrong.

But he couldn't move, couldn't do anything. He was afraid [Vakh] still had one last, lethal attack, some unknown technique.

"Roar—!!" A deafening roar suddenly erupted, so loud that everyone instinctively covered their ears, their faces contorted in pain.

Shu hadn't expected the sudden sonic attack.

He groaned, blood trickling from his ears, but his gaze remained fixed on [Vakh].

[Vakh]'s eyes showed a flicker of regret. The next moment, his body had become transparent enough to reveal a crystalline core at the center of his chest.

Was that the real Herrscher Core?

Shu instinctively wanted to destroy it.

But a fleeting glimpse, a moment of hesitation before deciding whether to attack the core directly, and then… a familiar, gaping maw erupted from below, swallowing [Vakh]'s fading form and the core in one gulp.

Shu's body reacted reflexively, taking a few steps back before he realized it wasn't an attack directed at him. In that instant, all he saw through the gap was the pseudo-dragon's tail.

The soaring dragon instantly ascended into the clouds, carrying the Herrscher core away.

Shu rushed forward, swinging his sword at the dragon.

But the strike was weak, lacking power and accuracy.

The pseudo-dragon, shielded by the clouds, twisted, and the sword strike grazed its tail, leaving a deep wound, before vanishing into the sky.

Shu watched the pseudo-dragon disappear, carrying the Herrscher core, panting heavily, his expression darkening.

"Yo…" [Vakh]'s familiar voice suddenly came from behind Shu.

Shu's heart almost exploded. He whirled around, exhausting the newly replenished [hope], and shattered the source of the sound.

Then he saw another mouth forming in a nearby corner, speaking to him. "Don't be so violent…"

"Crash—" That corner was also pulverized.

"Shu, you're strong. I lost this time…"

Shu's senses expanded, covering the entire Nest, locating every tiny eye in every corner.

Those two mouths had formed from these surveillance-like eyes.

"Fortunately, I left multiple blood cell samples…"

The voice cut off abruptly. Shu crushed all the eyes, panting heavily, standing before the hole [Vakh] had created.

Everything fell silent, only Shu's ragged breathing filling the air.

"Is… is it over?" Kiana, who had been huddled in a corner with the children, emerged, looking around. "Did… did that Herrscher run away?"

"I… I think so…" Mei said hesitantly. "…Probably…"

The three girls exchanged glances. Then, scrambling to their feet, they rushed towards the silent Shu.

"Shu!" Kiana called out, running towards him, then stopping abruptly.

Shu looked completely different from before! Kiana was afraid that touching him would cause him to shatter.

"…Huh?" Shu's body visibly trembled.

He slowly turned, his face pale and bloodstained, his eyes bloodshot, towards Kiana and the others.

A breeze blew through the hole, stirring the damp strands of hair on his forehead.

The Nest's lights were damaged, the interior dim.

But the light from outside illuminated Shu's face, the setting sun casting a warm, golden glow.

The fierceness had vanished from Shu's eyes, leaving only a dazed confusion.

His unfocused pupils took a full second to refocus, finally seeing Kiana's hand waving in front of him, seeing Mei and Bronya, looking slightly disheveled but standing behind Kiana, their faces filled with concern.

And Natasha behind them, Adam, Sora, and Lyle standing amidst the crowd.

And the children, their faces streaked with tears, fear etched on their features, yet still looking at him with a hint of… fear.

Was this real?

It had to be…

Shu's breathing slowed. The tension in his body eased.

"Kiana…?"

He spoke, his voice hoarse, almost cracking, as if he hadn't spoken in a long time.

"Huh?" Kiana instinctively looked around, then retracted her hand and pointed to herself. "Me?"

Hearing a response, Shu released the last bit of tension in his chest.

He turned, a faint smile instinctively forming on his lips.

"You're there…"

"Yes, yes, yes! It's me!" Kiana nodded vigorously, reaching out to support Shu. "Shu, are you okay? You look…"

Shu saw Kiana's outstretched hands. He raised his own, wanting to respond.

But then, his vision went black. He collapsed backward.

Kiana lunged forward, catching him just before he fell through the hole, pulling him back with all her strength.

"Shu!!" Mei and Bronya cried out, rushing to help Kiana. They carefully laid the unconscious Shu on an empty bed.

"Shu!!" Kiana, seeing Shu unconscious, instinctively prepared to initiate "Emergency Awakening Procedures."

But seeing Shu's peaceful expression, the faint smile on his lips, she hesitated. She couldn't bring herself to do it.