"The fifth place is…" Owlbert dragged out the ending, whetting the audience's appetite.
The next moment, he changed the subject, "Do you all acknowledge that the Goddess of Beauty, Idrila, possesses unparalleled beauty?"
The crowd fell silent for a few seconds, instantly grasping the implied meaning. "We acknowledge! We acknowledge! We acknowledge!"
Suddenly, a familiar BGM played, and at the same time, Argenti, clad in silver armor, walked elegantly to the front of the stage.
"I sincerely thank everyone for recognizing the concept of 'Beauty.' May every day of yours be filled with 'Beauty.'"
Owlbert's voice rose high, "Honkai: Star Rail, Popularity Ranking Fifth Place, from the Knights of Beauty—Argenti."
In an instant, the audience below erupted into excitement. "Well-deserved! Well-deserved!" "Argenti achieved such popularity just by releasing an exclusive movie? That's honestly a bit terrifying." "As expected of the Knights of Beauty, I'm looking forward to Argenti's future appearances." "To me, Argenti feels like a pure person. Whether 'Beauty' still exists or not, he will never stop moving forward. That's why I like Argenti."
Argenti respectfully gave a deep bow to the audience below, then walked to the left side of the stage, standing silently in place.
Owlbert didn't pause for a moment, raising the microphone to announce to the crowd, "Fourth place, 'Death Omen Cometh,' the Suona War God, Stellaron Hunter—Blade!"
"Ah!!!" The female fans in the audience screamed in unison, the venue's decibel level reaching an unimaginable height. If this weren't a system-built venue, the ceiling would've been blown off!
Blade, maintaining his ruthless and laconic persona, the quintessential "Blade Bro," silently walked to the left side to stand opposite Argenti.
"Next, we have the Top 3 of the Annual Popularity Ranking. Third place." Owlbert took a deep breath, "I hope everyone can take a guess, cough cough."
After clearing his throat, Owlbert began to sing, "Tear apart, shed the husk, liberate!"
The next moment, the BGM of Samudrartha echoed through the venue. Dan Heng emerged slowly from the depths of the stage.
At that moment, the audience realized the stage was no ordinary setup— it was composed of multiple screens. The entire stage depicted a surging sea of waves, and as Dan Heng walked, the waves parted in two, allowing him to reach the front.
With a slow raise of his hand, a gentle rain began to fall from the ceiling.
… "Whoa! Divine! This entrance! Truly worthy of third place!" "Man, oh man, the floor is made of screens? That's something else." "That scene just now felt like I was back watching 'Imbibitor Lunae Parting the Seas.' Seeing it live again is just too breathtaking." "Third place is already this grand—first place has got to be out of this world!"
— "Now, please welcome… uh, just see for yourselves."
Before Owlbert could finish, a massive curtain descended on the stage, and under the light's reflection, a female figure appeared behind it.
Even without a violin, she maintained the posture of playing one. Her fingers trembled slightly, and the melodious Canon resounded through the venue.
What followed was a thunderous roar of excitement. Every single person in the audience—yes, every single one—shouted wildly, their voices creating a powerful resonance. Forget the violin music; even the floor began to shake.
"Kafka!" "Mommy Kafka!" "Mommy!" "…"
Then, the venue fell silent as the crowd heard Kafka's call. "'Listen to me.'" "'Never let yourself be defeated.'"
The next moment, the sounds of drums and electric guitar echoed in harmony, playing the timeless classic Beat It.
The curtain finally fell, revealing Kafka, not in her in-game outfit but in a white suit. She adjusted her hat, her body swaying to every beat.
The audience was utterly mesmerized. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Mommy Kafka dancing MJ's moves? Am I in heaven?!" "I can't even imagine this! Kafka! Ah!!!" "All I can say is whoa—it's all I've got!" "Sob… miHoYo, why show me such a beautiful scene? What if I never get to see this again?"
Through this sequence of events, the live stream on Bilibili saw an explosive surge in viewership, proving Kafka's popularity was simply unmatched, with the number of concurrent viewers doubling.
Each time Kafka swung her right arm, she snapped her fingers. Finally, the song ended, and Kafka concluded her dance.
The audience was completely hyped, now even more eager to know who would claim first place, who would be the ultimate Popularity King of the year.
Before Owlbert could speak, the crowd began chanting, "Top 1, Top 1, Top 1, Top 1…"
"Ladies and gentlemen, please settle down."
Hearing that familiar voice, everyone finally realized who the first place was. "Radiant spirit, heed my word." "Show no mercy!"
From the Xianzhou Luofu, the Divine Strategist General—Jing Yuan—descended slowly from above. The entire stage, including the large background screen, depicted the majestic, awe-inspiring, and domineering aura of the Divine Lord.
Then, the Divine Lord's strike came down, striking the hearts of everyone present.
Finally, Jing Yuan landed gracefully, with his massive portrait appearing behind him.
"Let's give a round of applause for~~~" Owlbert raised the microphone, tilting his head at a 45-degree angle to gaze at the starry sky, "The most popular character on the Popularity Ranking—Jing Yuan!!!"
Everyone in the audience shouted in unison, "Xianzhou soars, Cloud Knights ever-victorious!" "Xianzhou soars, Cloud Knights ever-victorious!" "Xianzhou soars, Cloud Knights ever-victorious!" "…"
Jing Yuan took the microphone from Owlbert but didn't speak immediately, allowing the audience and fans to continue their chants. The cheers persisted for a full minute before gradually subsiding.
Jing Yuan gave a faint smile, "I, Jing Yuan, am unworthy, but thanks to everyone's great love, I've narrowly claimed the top spot. This expo's events are nearing their end, but this is not a conclusion—it's a new beginning. Honkai: Star Rail will never betray the trust you've placed in us!
As we approach the end, let us watch one final video together."
— The large screen went pitch black, and the sound of high heels echoed. A spark of light, like a firefly, illuminated the entire screen.
The camera zoomed out, revealing that the light was a decoration on the back of someone's clothing. The view widened, gradually revealing the full picture.
A girl with a bow in her hair emerged from the darkness. She looked up at the vibrant, colorful Penacony.
Gazing at her hands, her eyes were filled with delight. Her slender fingers brushed across her cheek, every sensation so real.
She nodded, as if making a firm resolution.
As she took a step forward, she froze.
Trailblazer Caelus passed by her slowly. Her eyes sparkled like crescent moons, her smile as warm as sunlight.
She whispered softly, "I found you."