130. My Name is Kevin. My name is Kevin [Kaslana]
"If nothing unexpected happens, then something unexpected will probably happen."
Xiling crossed his arms, calmly surveying his surroundings. He was currently inside a magnificent library.
They had clearly entered the Sea of Quata through the Eye of the Deep, their destination being the barrier where Welt was, but before they even landed, the scene before them abruptly changed, and Kiana and the others had all vanished without a trace.
"A bubble world?" Xiling muttered to himself.
"Let's see what happens." He took a step to leave the library.
"Xiling."
A voice, filled with undisguised intimacy, reached his ears precisely.
Xiling's steps abruptly halted, and he turned around in confusion. A white figure entered his field of vision—it was Kiana.
"...Sirin?" he whispered subconsciously.
Kiana, seeing him turn around, instantly broke into an incredibly bright smile and ran straight towards him from the other end of the bookshelves.
The girl didn't slow down at all; instead, she leaped up the instant she approached, rushing towards him with undeniable passion!
Her arms wrapped around his neck with perfect ease, her legs expertly entwining his waist, clinging to him like a giant ornament.
"Mmm...it smells so good..." She buried her face deep in the crook of Xiling's neck, inhaling deeply with ecstasy.
"It smells so good every time I smell it, it's Xiling's scent."
Before she could finish inhaling, Xiling simply lifted her by her arms and gently placed her on the ground an arm's length away.
He stared at the "Kiana" before him, her eyes fixed intently on him—this was definitely not the one he knew. What was wrong with her?
"What's wrong, Xiling?" She tilted her head, her white hair slipping over her shoulder, then, as if remembering something extremely happy, her face lit up with a bright smile again, and she clapped her hands excitedly:
"Ah! I know! Were you getting impatient? Don't worry!"
Her voice was full of anticipation:
"Everyone's waiting for us!" She pointed towards the library door, "We've all been looking forward to today's date for a very, very long time!"
A date? Everyone? Anticipation? Xiling's brow twitched involuntarily. What nonsense are you spouting?
As if to confirm the absurdity of this drama, just as Kiana's words fell—
The library door was pushed open from the outside.
One familiar figure after another, dressed in elegant everyday clothes, their faces beaming with happy smiles, entered!
Their eyes instantly focused on Xiling, waving their arms at him eagerly, their voices merging into a noisy and enthusiastic wave:
"Xiling!"
"Hurry up, hurry up, we're all waiting for you!"
"Have you chosen where to go on your date? I can't wait!"
"Stop dawdling, Xiling!"
"Make sure you have a great time today!"
"...Which bastard is behind this!"
Xiling slowly draws the Holy Sword...
—
"Sometimes I really shouldn't have trusted that guy Xiling."
The thought flashed through Kevin's mind, followed by a violent feeling of weightlessness. The anticipated landing point hadn't been reached; a powerful suction force grabbed him just as he was about to touch the ground! Before he could react, this suction was abruptly severed by another, even more ruthless force.
When he opened his eyes, all he could feel was dead silence.
Beneath his feet lay cracked, scorched earth, as if trampled and burned billions of times, utterly devoid of life.
The air was thick with dust, ash, and a deeper, more primal stench of decay—the embers of utter annihilation.
"What the hell is this place?" Just as Kevin was wondering, he seemed to see something.
Before him, a figure stared at him.
Under Kevin's gaze, the figure slowly spoke.
"Step forward."
The instant he saw the figure clearly, Kevin cast aside all his confusion.
He strode onto the path that had silently appeared beneath his feet, a path seemingly paved with congealed blood.
—
"Kiana…Kiana…"
In a daze, Kiana seemed to hear a voice she knew so well, a voice etched into her very soul, softly calling her name.
But how could that be? She…she was already…
However, the voice didn't stop; instead, it grew clearer. At the same time, she felt a warm hand gently pinching her cheek. This touch jolted her awake, instantly meeting a face she would never forget.
"Hime…" Kiana's throat was dry, almost choking her, "…Himeko!"
Murata Himeko frowned.
"Call me Teacher Himeko at school!" She released her hand, hands on her hips, looking down at Kiana.
"And you! Stop sleeping in class every time! What were you doing last night?"
The slightly painful touch and the familiar action delivered a tremendous shock. This…it was all too real! It couldn't be a dream!
"Stop sleeping! Come to my office after class and explain!" Himeko turned and walked back to the podium, picking up the chalk and continuing the lesson.
Kiana sat frozen, her heart pounding, her mind a jumble. Teacher Himeko… was back? Where were Xiling and the others? Why was she all alone here?
Just then, another familiar voice gently sounded beside her:
"Kiana…?" Raiden Mei leaned closer, her eyes filled with concern.
"Are you alright? Are you feeling unwell?" Her hand hesitantly touched Kiana's arm.
That caring concern and warm touch felt like a hammer blow; Kiana stiffly turned her head.
She finally met that gentle face—Mei.
"…Mei."
—
The soft sofa sank in, and Lemuen sat quietly, her gaze slowly sweeping over the noisy scene before her.
Ribbons, balloons, cheerful music, and her smiling companions surrounded her.
"What's wrong? Lemuen, it's your birthday today, cheer up." Mostima gently placed a birthday crown on Lemuen's head.
"Yes, sister, it's your birthday today! We're celebrating you getting another year older!" Exusiai, as energetic as ever, leaned close to her, her tone full of sincere congratulations.
"I think you didn't need to bring that up, Lemuel," Fiammetta said, sounding a little annoyed.
Looking at the birthday party everyone had painstakingly prepared for her, feeling the familiar liveliness and warmth, a genuine smile slowly spread across Lemuen's lips.
"Thank you all, I'm very happy," she said, her voice soft and gentle.
Just then, a steady and gentle voice came from behind:
"The cake is here."
Lemuen turned to look in the direction the voice came from.
Andoain.
He stood there, a gentle, all-encompassing smile on his face. He carefully held a huge birthday cake in both hands.
He placed the cake in front of Lemuen, his voice soft and clear, "Happy Birthday."
"Happy Birthday!" Her companions around her once again offered their blessings in unison, laughter and applause mingling warmly to envelop her.
—
"...What kind of unofficial historical records are these?" Seated on the Elden Throne, the Tarnished's face remained calm, but his heart was in turmoil.
He opened his eyes to find himself sitting there inexplicably, while below, countless figures bowed respectfully to him, as if welcoming a new king.
He wasn't a king! If you wanted to worship a king, go find that guy Xiling! He was just a mere magician.
"World Bubbles...tsk, troublesome." He quickly concluded in his mind, "Someone must have forcibly dragged us into different world bubbles when we entered the Sea of Quanta."
Just as he was pondering this, Montgomery, holding a crown respectfully in both hands, walked solemnly towards him step by step.
The coronation ceremony had begun.
—
Within the barrier separating the Sea of Quanta from the real world, a figure resembling a young boy was panting heavily. His body flickered with light and shadow, like a candle in the wind, as if he might dissipate completely at any moment.
He was Joachim, a fragment of will left behind by Welt Yang.
His mission is to guard this barrier, prevent lost souls from straying into the dangerous Sea of Quanta, and put those who attempt to cross it to the test of inheriting the "Core of Reason".
But today he encountered a terrifying thing: the serpent, which had been blocked by the barrier, appeared directly before him!
In desperation, he forcibly activated his power, throwing the serpent and its companions into randomly generated world bubbles.
These world bubbles, like intricately crafted cages, reflected the deepest desires or regrets of the intruders, weaving incredibly realistic illusions, with only one purpose: to trap them and buy time.
But one figure was intercepted, and that intercepted figure was none other than the serpent he believed was already thrown to the newly generated world bubble.
"Who is it?" Joachim was puzzled. In this place, only he and the serpent could do such a thing.
"If that was the serpent, then who was that person who looked exactly like the serpent just now...?"
—
The pungent smell of blood filled Kevin's nostrils. He had never smelled such a strong stench of blood before, but his steps did not falter, and his expression remained unwavering. He walked along the blood-soaked path, heading towards the figure at the end.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, the unchanging scene of purgatory finally changed. The pools of blood beneath his feet began to reflect the outlines of mountains of corpses.
At the same time, a voice, seemingly originating from the world itself, resounded:
"This is the first battle fought between humanity and the Honkai. Humanity has defeated the Herrscher of Reason."
Kevin continued forward. With each step, a new image was forcibly imprinted into his mind.
The Second Herrscher was defeated.
The Third Herrscher was defeated.
The Fourth Herrscher, after causing casualties in several cities, was defeated.
The Fifth Herrscher was defeated.
The Sixth Herrscher... was defeated.
Kevin's mind reflected the image of the white-haired warrior whose hesitation had caused countless casualties.
Kevin's steps did not falter.
The Seventh Herrscher—plunging Australia into a sea of fire, burning countless lives, and was defeated.
The Eighth Herrscher—causing massive deaths, was defeated.
The Ninth Herrscher—devouring the entire Mu continent, collapsing the social structure, and tearing human society apart- was defeated.
The Tenth Herrscher—defeated.
The Eleventh Herrscher—a pyrrhic victory.
The Twelfth Herrscher—predetermined humanity's defeat.
Then... The Thirteen Herrschers—Return.
The final battle—burning everything to gain 10 hours.
When that man dragged his weary soul back to the familiar yet strange Earth… he was greeted only by the cold body of his beloved.
The previous era had ended.
It was the end of the world.
This is the legacy of that man, the man named [Kevin], that was directly imprinted on him—the most real and cruel legacy of the previous era.
[Kevin] gazed at the young face, a face almost identical to his own in his youth. There was no surprise in his eyes, only an indescribable complexity.
He didn't know how the other person had appeared here, but he knew that the other person was his former self.
He had countless times indulged in reminiscing about the past, missing what had happened, missing her... Therefore, he was absolutely certain that the young figure before him was his former self.
"What's your name?" Looking into that resolute gaze, [Kevin] asked.
"Kevin Kaslana," Kevin spoke the name he had used to introduce himself to countless people to the man.
"...Kaslana, you shouldn't have this surname."
"Is that so?" Kevin took a step forward, ripples spreading across the pool of blood beneath his feet. He looked directly at the man and asked, "Then, what's your name?"
"...My name is Kevin."
Upon hearing this name, Kevin's lips curled into a smile.
"Yes, your name is Kevin. Kaslana means nothing to you anymore, so..." Kevin's expression suddenly changed, his blue eyes blazing like the sun.
"I will bear it! I will fulfill this responsibility! I will protect those I must protect!"
[Kevin] silently gazed at the soul before him, who possessed his past face but burned with a completely different flame. In those young eyes, there was only a burning persistence, a kind of almost insane courage and belief that would carry out the path he had chosen to the end, even if it meant going against the whole world.
He gazed at himself, yet it was as if he were gazing at a completely unfamiliar being. [Kevin] slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the last faint ripple in the depths of his eyes had vanished completely, leaving only indifference.
"Even if I lay bare all of this before you… all of humanity's struggles, failures, pain, and despair…" His voice carried a judgmental pressure, "Do you still believe you can bear it all?"
"Not that I believe I can bear it!" Kevin abruptly raised his hand, pointing to the sky, "But that I must bear it all!"
"...Very well." [Kevin] knew that any words were superfluous at this moment. A terrifying sense of oppression emanated from him. Facing the figure watching him, his cold and serious voice rang out.
"Then cross my body and fly to a sky higher than mine. If you cannot even take this step, everything you cherish will ultimately turn into a dream. Come, Kevin [Kaslana]."
—
Kiana stood silently at the door of the teachers' office, her fingertips hovering over the cold doorknob, but she hesitated to push it open.
Just then, the door was suddenly pulled open from the inside.
Murata Himeko looked at the girl in the doorway with a helpless expression.
"Kiana," she sighed, "it's not like it's your first time reporting to the office. What are you standing there for, daydreaming? Come in."
Kiana, head bowed, silently entered the all-too-familiar office. She stood before the desk, listening to Teacher Himeko's equally familiar admonition.
"...So, were you even listening...?" Himeko's sharp voice abruptly stopped. Her gaze fixed on Kiana's downcast face—a single tear was uncontrollably sliding down the girl's cheek.
"Kiana?" Himeko's voice instantly softened with worry.
"What's wrong?"
As if startled awake, Kiana hurriedly raised her hand to wipe her tears, but the tears flowed like a broken string of pearls; the more she wiped, the more they poured out. Panic, unease, and deeply buried sorrow surged forth.
"I...I'm sorry, Teacher Himeko..." Her voice choked and broke, leaving only futile repetitions of "I'm sorry...I'm sorry..." Each "I'm sorry" carried fear and grief.
The next second, a familiar, warm embrace firmly pulled her close.
"It's alright, it's alright," Himeko's voice softened considerably.
"What happened? Tell me."
However, this warm embrace and gentle comfort acted as if opening a floodgate, causing Kiana's suppressed pain to completely burst forth.
"I'm sorry! Teacher Himeko!" she cried out in despair, clutching Himeko's clothes tightly.
"It's all my fault! If it weren't for me... if I weren't so useless... You wouldn't have died! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!..."
She poured out her pent-up guilt and longing incoherently, knowing that the person before her wasn't Himeko, yet unable to stop pouring out her heart.
Just as she was sobbing uncontrollably, a sigh sounded, followed by a hand gently stroking her head, and then a voice, clearly ringing in her ear:
"Kiana, I have never regretted saving you."
Kiana's crying stopped abruptly, her body stiffening.
The voice didn't stop, carrying a comforting power:
"You don't need to bear the guilt for my choice. That was the path I chose, and although there are some regrets, I am satisfied. Because I saved you, my student."
Gazing at Kiana's astonished and incredulous face, a slight smile played on her lips:
"My journey ends here. But your journey, Kiana, still has a long road ahead." Her fingertips gently brushed away Kiana's tears, each word like a brand: "Keep moving forward. Make this imperfect story what you desire."
Finally, Himeko's gaze seemed to drift slightly into the distance.
"Alright, stop crying. Your companions are here to take you."
—
As the joyous birthday party drew to a close, the noise subsided. Lemuen sat quietly on the soft sofa, the wine in her glass swirling slightly. Looking at the familiar smiling faces before her, feeling the warmth in the air, she murmured softly, as if speaking to herself: "It really...is something to miss."
—
The crown was carelessly tossed to the ground.
All those who had bowed in homage suddenly looked up, countless gazes like arrows shooting towards the throne, filled with shock and bewilderment.
The Tarnished, facing their astonished faces, spread his hands and shouted.
"Even if I wanted to be king, I would not be a false king in this false world."
The very instant his words fell— A beam of light appeared!
A sword beam, without warning, tore through the spatial barrier between the Sea of Quanta and the barrier node! This all-piercing sword beam precisely and perfectly pierced the core of the world bubble containing Kiana, Lemuen, and the Tarnished simultaneously!
On the three world bubble barriers that were originally operating independently and without interference, a straight slash simultaneously appeared!
Where the sword slash passed, the structure of the world bubble instantly crumbled like a shattered mirror. The warm birthday scene, the magnificent and solemn throne room, the familiar school office… all the false images began to dissipate like snowflakes!
"How is this possible? How can it be so fast!" Joachim was somewhat incredulous.
The World Bubble was supposed to weave unique illusions for each intruder, luring them into its trap. Even with occasional bizarre actions that offered a plausible response, all four couldn't break free from the illusion simultaneously!
However, his shock came far too soon.
The sword light that had severed the World Bubble, its power undiminished, struck precisely the barrier separating the Sea of Quanta from the real world in the next instant! In Joachim's perception, the barrier, like fragile glass, was… cleaved in two by that sword light!
The barrier… vanished."