MGSFV?! Chapter 341. Just Like Kevin Watching Someone Toast Bread with Heaven's Flame; C Combo Overload
As for why Pardofelis was in disguise—
That would be addressed later, so let's not dwell on it for now.
Back to the present.
Su: "..."
Su remained calm even after hearing Pardofelis make a pun out of his name.
He had already realized she was in disguise.
Just as he was mentally formulating probing dialogue to test her intent, he suddenly noticed something truly off.
"Hmm?"
The beast tail that should have been produced from her augmentation surgery—was gone.
[Huh? Wait, no tail? That means… she's no longer an augmented MANTIS, just a regular person?]
[So this isn't even really "Pardofelis" anymore?]
[Am I the only one wondering how Su noticed that without opening his eyes?]
[Don't question the powers of MANTIS.]
[Honkai defies all logic.jpg]
Maybe it was because of that silly pun she made earlier, but the livestream atmosphere had eased up considerably.
The players were back in the mood to joke around again.
As expected, when Pardofelis is around, things always feel lighter.
Pardofelis, master of good vibes.jpg
…
In-game.
The moment Su detected something "unusual," he instantly deduced what it meant.
(I see… so the dream woven by the Herrscher of Corruption is where the memory forms go after being fully corrupted.)
The players also remembered what the Herrscher had said before.
She claimed she gave each corrupted Flame-Chaser a "beautiful dream"—a dream aligned with what they desired most.
And now…
Their hearts began to stir.
Because—
The Chiba Academy City that Pardofelis was in… didn't look prosperous. Honestly, it looked kind of dangerous.
Even in a dream, it was a city ravaged by the Honkai.
And yet, to Pardofelis…
This was enough?
Was this truly her dream?
Could it be… just being alive, just being able to enjoy her days—that alone made her happy?
This girl who always came across as the most "greedy"… was actually the most "content."
[Pardofelis really only ever wanted to live peacefully, that's all.]
["Mei, I don't want to die…"]
[Another stab… again?! Again?! AGAIN?!]
[Ow… it hurts… Little Cat, my Little Cat!!]
Sometimes understanding more isn't a good thing.
Like the saying goes…
Stack the thickest armor, take the deadliest blows. That was them now.
The more they understood, the more it hurt now—and the more it would hurt later.
Su understood too.
He didn't force Pardofelis to do anything. Instead, he made a deal—asking her to take him to Kevin.
After all, her uncanny "talent" had little to do with whether she was an augmented soldier or not.
Becoming a MANTIS hadn't boosted her much. At best, it was… marginal.
"I'd like to ask you about someone."
Pardofelis answered breezily: "Oh! Ask away! I never turn down business—people, goods, anything's fine."
Su nodded slightly and gave the details.
"His name is Kevin. Same age as me, pale hair… cold demeanor."
"Ah…! You mean Prince-sama? Who hasn't heard of him?"
[Prince-sama? Where's that from?]
[It's from the official manga. That's what Kevin was called back at Chiba Academy.]
[So… in this dream, Kevin is called Prince-sama. Does that mean what he truly longs for is… his student days? That carefree time?]
[...???]
[MiHoYo's writers hiding knives in the narrative again… fine. But why are all of you catching every single one of them?!]
[Ah, I see…]
…
Pardofelis said she did know Kevin and could lead Su to him.
Then—
She did something very on-brand for her.
"Hehehe, Boss, as you know, this area's Honkai threat is pretty high."
"So… about that fee…"
Su didn't hesitate. He removed the jade earring from his left ear.
"This was a gift from an old friend. It's priceless. Now—please show me the way."
It was a gift from Eden, back in the day.
And since it came from someone like Eden, even aside from the sentiment, its value was absolutely unquestionable.
As expected—
Pardofelis' eyes sparkled. After confirming the value wasn't exaggerated, she broke into her usual laughter.
"Hehehe… are you sure I can accept something this good…?"
She was acting—but maybe not.
Knowing Pardofelis, it could've genuinely been a moment of sincerity.
In any case, she took the earring and didn't waste time.
"Let's head out, Boss."
She turned around to lead the way.
They hadn't walked far when Su spotted a passage in the distance.
As someone familiar with Divine Keys, he immediately recognized it as the power of Cosmic Juggernaut.
A Divine Key… even here?
But… to be used like this… really now.
Seeing Cosmic Juggernaut used as a cargo tunnel—it gave Su the same feeling as…
Kevin watching Siegfried use Heaven's Flame to toast bread—only to burn it.
With that faintly complicated mood, Su followed Pardofelis through two consecutive passages created by Cosmic Juggernaut.
They arrived at a bridge.
On that bridge, Kevin stood silently, gazing into the distance.
Sensing their presence—
"You're here, Su."
"Kevin…"
Apparently, Kevin still retained his self-awareness inside the Herrscher of Corruption.
Su felt slightly reassured.
But also… a pang of guilt.
Maybe… just maybe… dreaming would've been kinder to Kevin?
From the perspective of duty, Kevin's decision made sense. But from the perspective of a friend, Su wished this ever-silent man could live unburdened—just once.
Hero…
And so, the two stood there for a long time—saying nothing, doing nothing, just looking at each other.
"Uh… ahahahaha…"
The two might've been in perfect understanding, but that only made things painfully awkward for Pardofelis.
What kind of atmosphere was this? One that left her completely out of the loop?
Sensing something wasn't right—
"Well, I've brought you here, so… I'll just head off?"
"Wait, Pardofelis." Su called out.
But the girl, as if terrified of being pulled back, vanished into a nearby corner before he could say more.
"Let her go."
Kevin told Su not to pursue. "What comes next doesn't concern her."
Su, however, sighed: "...I'm afraid that's not true. Kevin, from my earlier observations, Pardofelis' data had disappeared for a time—yet now she's here, alongside you, who was corrupted."
"That suggests… she's part of Vill-V's plan too."
Vill-V again?
Just how many moves ahead did she calculate?
Yet Kevin's expression didn't change.
"How far has the plan progressed?"
"..."
"To you—it's the final stage. How much did Vill-V tell you?"
In truth, Kevin didn't know much. He had simply waited here, preparing to deliver a decisive blow.
No matter the cost.
The moon of the previous era, and now this corrupted Elysian Realm…
That's who Kevin was.
The one who always bore the responsibility of making the impossible possible.
Not a hero by nature—
But someone whose very presence at the critical moment is what gives the word "hero" meaning.
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