Under the sneers and belittlement of BanaAdviser, Richie took a deep breath.
He recalled the goals and mindset he had when he first came here from a remote star system.
"My talent can't compare to the other students."
"My family background also can't compare to others."
"I also know that the people who stand in front of my stall and say strange words to me are all real big shots of Penacony."
"I know, I know it all…"
"But I also have things I want to do…"
"Even before coming here, I had already prepared myself for these hardships."
"My father and I never thought we were special. He even gave me such a simple name- Richie."
Heart-piercing words spilled from the mouth of this plain and ordinary student.
And for the first time, the audience learned his name.
Richie was not an idealist, but an ordinary, common person.
He clearly understood reality. But still, he never gave up on his wish for a better life.
What was even more comforting was that his father supported him in pursuing this wish.
Yet compared to the lofty goals and ideals of the Honkai: Star Rail universe, their aspirations seemed so plain and ordinary.
It was simply the choice any normal person, from a normal family, would make: Get into a good university, graduate smoothly, then find a good job.
Just that simple. But for Richie, this goal was extremely difficult.
His hometown was a faraway fringe planet, one that relies on the IPC for aid!
He was admitted to Paperfold University due to his father using up all his savings.
But after arriving in Penacony and entering university, Richie discovered, this place was full of geniuses.
His effort and sweat meant nothing in front of classmates who seemed like a completely different species from him.
Richie had long lost count of how many times he scored dead last. The pressure from studies, the burden of finances, both were mountains blocking his way.
Even if he poured in all his effort to study, he still couldn't keep up with his peers, while also having to work part-time to survive.
Yet even so, these things never destroyed Richie's dream. Because there was still his father.
His father had come to Penacony with him, working tirelessly day and night at the Dawn Factory. Thinking of his father's effort and support gave Richie the strength to face hardship again.
But he never expected that the school would consider him incapable of completing his studies, and a withdrawal notice was delivered to him.
Perhaps that was the final straw that broke the camel's back.
And then, his father became the little Slumbernana Monkey standing before him, even being personally sold off by his own hands.
Yet even when sold, the little monkey still wanted to return to his side.
These stories and feelings, all in such a short span of time, were transmitted into the audience's minds through images and memories.
The fragmented words from before now took shape, and the once vague story became vivid.
And the bloody reality, made even the audience and the barrage of comments fall into silence.
Richie collapsed onto the ground, his eyes becoming numb and hollow.
"W-Why did it come to this !? What use is it for me keeping up the struggle if you've already given up, Dad ...?"
"Dad, there's nothing else keeping me going..."
"Bana… Bana…"
Murmuring, Richie let out the cries of the little Slumbernana Monkey.
BanaAdviser burst into laughter.
"That's right, exactly so."
"Since you don't have the ability, why not just give up?"
"I assured your father that you'll get to be happy like him. It's time for you to rest, Richie."
"In this world, there are some things you simply cannot surpass. No matter how hard you try, it's useless."
His laughter was unrestrained and triumphant. Yet within that mocking laughter, the audience's pent-up emotions finally ignited.
...
: Damn it, they should've called Professor Ratio over! Let him teach these people a proper lesson!
: I really don't get it anymore. That little girl Pepeshi before, and now Richie, it's the same situation when facing this group of "BanaAdviser"!
: Damn it, what kind of education theory is this? Belittling, mocking, humiliating?!
: Holy crap, I finally get it. Those abstract storylines earlier, they were to set this up! Using the most absurd story to reflect the truest reality, huh?!
: Gotta admit, Honkai: Star Rail really pulled this off. Not gonna lie, I'm pissed right now.
: What kind of dog-shit is this? If someone lacks talent, they should just be reduced to monkeys?!
: Could it be that Doctor Primitive turned people into monkeys with exactly this motive?!
: This is extreme! No talent means no value? No value means you don't deserve to strive or pursue? That regression into monkeys is the "best ending"?
: If we follow BanaAdviser's logic, then why regress into monkeys? Just go find IX and jump straight into it, problem solved.
: Yeah, since everything will return to Nihility anyway, then all life has no value. Why don't these so-called BanaAdviser go find IX? What's wrong, don't dare to?
: And who defines what counts as "having ability" and being spared from elimination?
: By his logic, damn it, then standing from the perspective of a "Genius Society" member, everyone else in the world should just become monkeys.
...
The stories of Chaletka and Richie combined, gave the audience an overwhelming sense of empathy.
Because most people are ordinary. Likewise, none of the audience accepted BanaAdviser's theory, because just one sentence was enough to refute it:
A loser's life is still a life, and it is worthy of respect.
Due top a unexpected reason, Ratio's prestige kept rising.
Especially in the worldview of Star Rail, where Nihility is the ultimate endpoint of all stories, the process of the story itself is the proof of existence's meaning.
Just like the efforts of Richie and his father.
Their perseverance, their constant hope for life, such admirable qualities should be affirmed, not mocked and ridiculed by people like BanaAdviser!
On screen, the group who had been hiding could no longer hold back.
Richie was already losing his mind, his gaze turning emptier.
"Hey, wake up! Everything that guy says is just sophistry!"
"You absolutely mustn't believe his words."
"Encountering difficulties doesn't mean you should give up, not even on the dignity of living as a human being!"
Everyone had just witnessed the entire sequence of events from start to finish. BanaAdviser's words were nothing more than pure sophistry.
Even though there are many unfair things in this world, not everything is as unbearable as that group of "teachers" said.
To measure life with a single theory is the greatest form of arrogance!
The BanaAdviser was startled by the sudden appearance of these few people.
When he looked closely, he recognized the Nameless and Rappa.
"Fiendling Pest! What tricks did you pull on Ninja Initiate Merchant?" Rappa immediately confronted the BanaAdviser.
"Gah! How did a ninja get in here !?" The BanaAdviser was shocked seeing Rappa.
Stelle also spoke up: "Get your hands of him."
The Fortune BanaAdviser replied dumbfoundedly: "I have no hands to begin with, bana."
And then continued: "Hold your bananas, students. Allow me to explain myself."
"I was only trying to help relieve those pitiful kids of their suffering, letting them enjoy the rest of their happy life from a different perspective... And maybe make some extra cash while I'm at it, but this isn't anything new in Penacony."
"You may have your esteemed background and a never-ending supply of credits, but that's not the case for my students. All I did was offer a better alternative, one that both father and son willingly took up."
"Seems like a fair and banaworthy deal, wouldn't you say so?"
The BanaAdviser spoke carelessly, as if it were nothing.
Then he looked toward Richie.
At some point, Richie had turned into a little monkey.
Facing his own father, he let out chattering cries.
They might have been communicating, or maybe just making meaningless sounds.
At this point, there was nothing more to be said.
Just as the BanaAdviser had laid out his theory, the three and Rappa themselves demonstrated survival of the fittest, survival through natural selection.
Only this time, that principle was applied to the Fortune BanaAdviser himself.
Moments later, the BanaAdviser collapsed to the ground, broken and scattered.
And the others didn't even bother to glance at him again.
"Resorting to sorcery to turn ninjas into fiendlings... Dreadfully horrid." Rappa looked at the pair of father and son and spoke.
"Ninja Initiate Merchant succumbed to their sorcery. He is expected to be out of action for a while."
"We need to hurry," Dan Heng said quietly.
The Slumbernana Monkeys were growing more violent.
With the eye, one could see strange shields and distortions forming.
The brainwashing Profana, and now this BanaAdviser who could turn humans into monkeys, compared to when they first arrived at the academy, the threat was on a completely different level.
Everyone was heavy-hearted, but based on the current clues, they could only press on toward the core of the mystery.
This school was swarming with little monkeys, swarming with BanaAdvisers. Unless they summoned Acheron, or detonated a Stellaron core, killing off a few BanaAdvisers, even the Profana, would hardly matter.
Just as everyone was entangled in confusion. An unexpected person appeared.
"There you are. I've finally found you, my beloved talents!"
Mr. Reca clapped as he gracefully approached the group.
He glanced at the two little monkeys on the ground and chuckled lightly.
"Art is sometimes like this, hard to understand. But I happen to have some experience. If you are willing to dedicate yourselves to art, then perhaps art itself will come knocking on your door."
"..."
The mechanical frog perched on Reca's shoulder remained silent.
"You see? Even my assistant director agrees."
Reca spread his hands with a smile.
"Follow me to the next class now"
Reca beckoned them.
In the viewers' hearts, flames of frustration still burned.
Not only because of what had just happened.
But also because of the countless questions swirling in their heads. Because the attitudes and philosophies shown by those BanaAdvisers were far too… low-level.
Nothing like what a member of the Genius Society should ever hold.
If the Doctor Primitive was truly a pure lunatic, the viewers would be sorely disappointed.
Trusting MiHoYo, most viewers believed there had to be more to this, something yet unspoken.
Because so far, only BanaAdvisers had appeared. The Doctor Primitive himself had never shown his face.
...
: I've been thinking too, if you wanted to use that ideology as a weapon, Professor Ratio alone could crush these fools' minds.
: Exactly. If that's the case and Nous doesn't pick Ratio, I won't accept it.
: But man, these BanaAdvisers are truly garbage. Completely unworthy of Genius Society resources.
: Teaching and nurturing students, only Ratio can do it right.
: Godfather Ratio supremacy.
: But let's not jump to conclusions yet. I have a hunch Rappa's experiences will prove very important!
: And we still don't have news from Boothill's side!
...
As the discussion raged, the screen shifted.
Reca had already led the group into a film studio.
Just like in every previous academy, there was a BanaAdviser here too, except this one wasn't an ordinary television set, but a dinosaur.
At this moment, the cameras in the studio were rolling.
Under the spotlights, the Charmony BananAdviser was harshly criticizing a little girl in front of the camera.
"Bana, Bana"
"Fail, fail, fail. You didn't capture Slumbernana Monkey's five parts laziness, three parts cuteness, and two parts playfulness at all!"
So engrossed in his criticism, the Charmony BananAdviser didn't even notice Reca bringing people inside.
Stelle, Dan Heng and Rappa fell silent behind Mr. Reca.
They exchanged glances, each understanding that soon, they would uncover the true face of the conspiracy.
And the audience outside the screen were also desperate to vent their frustration and doubts toward these BanaAdvisers.
No need to guess, everyone knew.
Inside this studio, a story of great severity and impact was about to unfold.