MGSFV?! Chapter 440. Things Honkai Energy Can't Do; Blame of This World
It took a while...
Before the livestream chat exploded with a barrage of comments, several times more than before.
[Honkai energy can do anything.jpg] ×N
[When the devs play the meme, it's lethal.]
Indeed—HoYoverse loves slipping in clever and entertaining lines, so long as they don't affect the overall plot.
It's become part of their signature writing style.
And veteran Honkai Impact 3rd players expect this by now.
Still, every time this kind of witty writing shows up, they can't help but be amused all over again.
You never know when the writers will plant the next meme trap.
But perhaps that very unpredictability... is what makes it so enjoyable?
Some players even live for these moments.
Of course... it would be better if the script didn't cut off at the most painful cliffhangers each time.
Hmm...
Speaking of cliffhangers—
Where would the HoYoverse writers cut things off this time?
...
Back to the story.
After Li Sushang confidently claimed something along the lines of
"Honkai energy can do anything—"
Kiana and the others fell silent.
Honkai energy—capable of anything?
They wanted to refute that.
But upon further reflection...
In this world ruled by Honkai energy, could anyone truly say it couldn't do everything?
Otherwise—
"Name one thing Honkai energy can't do."
Excluded answers:
Make Mobius less stubborn,
Make Kevin stop speaking in riddles,
Make Elysia stop liking horns,
Make Bronya stop overworking the Heavy Sunderers...
Cough cough. None of those count.
The atmosphere grew increasingly strange.
Only Durandal noticed how one sentence from Li Sushang had silenced all three of them.
So she quickly clarified:
"Actually—it's more accurate to say we're borrowing the power of the Stigmata Plan."
She didn't go into the full mechanics...
But in essence—
The Stigmata Plan restructures Earth's data and transmits it to the Moon.
So from a data-based perspective, the Earth–Moon distance is shortened.
And so—
As long as Durandal and Li Sushang used the Godsbane Armor's propulsion systems and flew continuously for about 48 hours,
they could reach the Moon's Imaginary Domain tethered to Earth,
then reenter the Real World via Sumeru Seed.
That was Durandal's plan.
In other words—
Due to the effects of the Stigmata Plan, there now existed an invisible data link between Earth and the Moon.
Durandal could use it to upload herself from the Moon back to Earth—
thus completing the so-called "run back to Earth."
[No wonder the PV only showed the OG trio fighting Kevin—Durandal wasn't present.]
[Checking Durandal's status: 'Currently riding horseback back to Earth'.jpg]
[Come to think of it, Mei hardly spoke this whole chapter. Kiana's usually quiet, sure, but doesn't Mei want to do some in-depth analysis like she did in the Elysian Realm?]
["Usually quiet"—how dare you. (Dog emoji)]
And what a coincidence.
Just as someone complained that Mei hadn't spoken much—
She chimed in.
Before leaving, Durandal offered a parting encouragement:
"Compared to World Serpent's Stigmata Plan, compared to Schicksal's island fallback plan..."
A note here—
When Durandal mentioned Schicksal's "island plan,"
many players were likely unfamiliar.
[Huh? What's that?]
But actually, this had already been brought up in the main story.
In the Kolosten arc, Otto Apocalypse had planned to erase 500 years of history in an effort to resurrect Kallen.
At least, on the surface.
And back then, it was mentioned that Otto resigned as Overseer to lure Theresa and the others to Kolosten.
Because Kolosten had a defensive mechanism—
Even if Otto erased 500 years, Kolosten would still survive.
And Theresa and her team, being there, would be safe.
That defense mechanism—was what Durandal referred to.
But...
Could it withstand Finality's powers?
Uncertain.
Even if it could, it might only protect a small portion of the population.
Not necessarily better than the Stigmata Plan.
Bringing it up now was probably to explain to players that Schicksal did have a backup plan.
But its scientists were on Earth—and currently out of reach.
So Durandal needed to go back now.
This mission was crucial in every sense.
...
Back to the dialogue.
Compared to those "contingency" plans—
"...What we truly seek is to go beyond all these passive strategies—
and find a future full of hope, for everyone."
A hopeful future...
That phrase struck a chord in Mei, and her expression subtly shifted.
Even the background music changed—
That familiar Elysian Realm farewell melody returned.
It felt like a sudden flashback to the moment when Mei parted with Elysia...
"...To let each person live out their life as the protagonist—
striving with their own will, toward their chosen goal, in their own way... isn't that right?"
[!!!] ×N
[Sudden BGM change!]
[Who taught HoYoverse to swap tracks like that? Nobody does it like this! (bleeding emoji)]
The Captains in the livestream had expected this.
This was classic Honkai 3rd behavior.
And while technically everyone here now had a "personal BGM" moment—
Kiana with Flame-Chasers' Resolve, Bronya with Angel's Requiem, Durandal with...
Well, for now, Mei's themes were the most heart-wrenching.
[Sudden stab! No one wanted this!]
[Why does Honkai 3rd have so many ghosts haunting our emotions? Whose fault? Not ours—blame 'Plotto'!]
Hokuto: ...
So I'm the designated scapegoat for this world now?
Fine... I actually love seeing you all like this. Happy.jpg
Back to the story.
Mei's words set the tone.
The others, stirred by her conviction, found their faith renewed.
[Elysia is backstage, cheering on the brave girls.]
Indeed—
She looked particularly serious now.
"Everyone—do your best."
"Yes. Farewell, for now."
And so—
After finalizing the plan, Durandal and Kiana's team parted ways.
But not long after—
Durandal encountered a "stranger."
Ai Yi: HYPERION-λ—
The alternate Ai-chan that Ai-chan and Seele had met before.
She had come to share details about Finality and the Stigmata Plan.
...
Meanwhile—
Now that Durandal had left, Kiana's team finally escaped the endless maze.
"Ah... finally out. Next, we'll—"
Kiana scanned the distance—
searching for Fu Hua's presence.
But of course—disaster always strikes uninvited.
"—Not good!"
"Squad Leader's presence... has vanished."
Mei: "..."
After a brief pause, Mei spoke:
"Let's go. We're going to meet Kevin."
Just as the words left her lips—before they could move—
Clap...
A sudden, out-of-place applause echoed.
From nowhere and without warning—
a strange woman appeared before them.
Calmly sitting amidst the Moon's ruins,
she seemed utterly at ease.
As though this were not a barren alien world—
but a sunlit countryside.
As though she had long grown accustomed to solitude.
"Who could that be...?"
Elysia read the line aloud, curiosity rising.
Judging from the description, this girl had a strong presence...
"Hello there. Brave girls are always the best!"
A voice interrupted Elysia's thoughts.
"..."
Hmm... that tone felt oddly familiar?
She hesitated—
but the chat was already reacting.
[Brave girl, go create miracles.]
[Yutu, why are you copying Elysia's speech patterns?]
[She really does sound like Elysia.]
[No surprise—every World Serpent member graduated from Elysian Realm. It shows.]
...
"Was that... mimicry?"
Elysia muttered to herself.
Hokuto overheard and asked:
"Why? Feeling uncomfortable?"
"Not exactly. Just... it's kind of novel."
But Elysia didn't mind.
After all—she loved everyone.
And Yutu was... a pretty girl.
Probably counted as a girl, right?
Looking at her face—so very like Cecilia's—Elysia suddenly thought of something.
"Shouldn't Kiana call Yutu 'Mo—'"
After all, not only did she share Cecilia's voice actress,
in real life... their relationship was like that.
"Huh? What did you say?"
Hokuto hadn't heard clearly.
"N-nothing."
Elysia shook her head—choosing not to pursue the topic.
"Let's see how the plot unfolds next."
She tapped the screen—
The story continued.
"You..."
Hearing that eerily familiar tone, Mei looked toward Yutu, just about to speak—
"Shhh~~"
Yutu tilted her head, raised a finger to her lips like an innocent girl,
and gave a brilliant smile.
"I know your hearts must be full of questions.
And answering them... is precisely why I'm here."
"I'll answer them all—
but before that, please rest here for a moment."
The three exchanged glances.
Truthfully, while they were curious—
they were more anxious to find Fu Hua.
But...
Looking at this sweet-talking girl, who radiated a vaguely ominous aura,
Mei understood:
It wouldn't be easy to escape.
Given that they only had one and a half combatants—
Their only option was to remain alert and play along.
"So we've finally met.
If I'm not mistaken—
you're the architect of the Stigmata Plan, Yutu, aren't you?"
Mei and Yutu had crossed paths once before—
When Mei and Raven had fought in the Stigmata Space.
Only "half met," though—
since Mei had only heard Yutu's voice then.
"Ah~!"
Classic "Ah~" tone.
"Our first meeting was so rushed.
I'm amazed you still remember me, Mei. I'm touched."
"..."
"Since you already know me...
I'll keep the introduction short."
Yutu gently leapt down from her perch and walked toward them.
"Yes, my codename in World Serpent is Yutu,
and I'm responsible for the Stigmata Plan."
"As for my name—it's Mistelin... Mistelin Schariac."
She sounded completely sincere.
But even so...
She couldn't give off that same feeling Elysia did.
There's only one Elysia in this world.
At best, others were imitations—easily distinguishable.
The players felt a subtle melancholy.
In the story—
Kiana reacted to the name "Schariac."
"Schariac?!"
She remembered—it was her mother Cecilia's surname.
That wasn't all—
Yutu's appearance was practically identical to Cecilia's.
But...
Kiana had never seen Cecilia.
So...
That iconic moment players expected... would not come.
And Yutu, of course, knew that.
But she was more focused on Bronya.
Besides—
"Hmm, but I'm not human—
I'm the crystallization of the Schariac Stigmata."
Born of stigmata—not a person.
Her perspective was naturally different.
In fact—
it was hard to say whether Yutu could even be considered human.
Not in terms of power or form—
But mindset.
Kiana and Mei, though Herrschers, still thought like humans.
Their values, morals, and empathy were grounded in human experience.
Yutu, however—
had been "superhuman" since birth.
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