"What's going on?!"
In the hospital room, Theresa and the others stared at the doctor, shocked and confused.
"It seems this young lady is experiencing the same thing Miss Kiana did earlier," the doctor who'd checked Kiana before said, adjusting his glasses wearily. "She's having a very vivid, lucid nightmare. Headmistress, I really suggest you bring in some psychologists to evaluate the students mental well-being. It's important."
"Alright, I get it. I'll put it on the list."
Theresa nodded, thinking it over seriously.
"Bronya thinks… perhaps Mei-senpai met the same thing Kiana did," Bronya said flatly from the side.
Himeko pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed.
"Huh? She got scared?"
Theresa looked back, puzzled.
"No…" Kiana spoke softly then. She was sitting up in another bed, her expression complicated as she watched Raiden Mei. Her hands clenched the blanket without her realizing. Her voice came out a bit rough:
"Mei… might have met… her future self too."
"Her future self?"
Theresa was startled. Himeko frowned, thinking hard.
"Kiana, can you explain exactly how you met your future self?" Bronya asked without expression.
"That…" Kiana thought a moment, then started carefully remembering everything from just a month ago—memories still sharp and clear.
---
"Pick up your blade, Raiden Mei. These are just Templar-class Honkai beasts!"
Inside the Elysian Realm, where thunder crashed and roared.
Two streaks of lightning kept clashing and crossing in the sky. On the ground, Raiden Mei was locked in her own fierce fight.
Hordes of Honkai beasts and zombies poured from all sides, keeping her constantly moving. But after pushing herself, she managed to handle them—just barely.
Before she could catch her breath, another wave of beasts appeared out of nowhere and charged.
The best sparring partner for the Herrscher of Thunder was Xia Qi, because aside from a Herrscher herself, she was the strongest.
"Why did you merge with the other me?"
In the middle of the fight, the Herrscher of Thunder asked.
"Because… we share the same goal." Xia Qi had toned down her strength to match the Herrscher's level, fighting her nonstop. Xia Qi's own skills couldn't improve much in battles like this anymore; she could only reinforce them.
But for the Herrscher of Thunder, every second of this fight was giving her more combat experience.
"..."
The Herrscher went quiet at Xia Qi's words.
She didn't really dislike her human self, even if she sometimes looked down on her a little.
And the common goal…
All three of them had only one.
Kiana.
"Is the future really that bad?"
The Herrscher spoke calmly. "I expected it, but I never thought she and I would… become one."
Even while fighting intensely, their conversation flowed easily.
"..."
Xia Qi didn't answer that. She wasn't planning to mess with the future between the Herrscher of Thunder and Raiden Mei.
At least, not now.
Later, maybe she could turn into Fu Hua and pass those memories to the Herrscher and Raiden Mei, let them slowly live through everything they'd once faced.
To feel…
The despair, the helplessness, the grief of losing people when facing the Herrscher of the Void, and when Kiana chose to face everything alone.
"You'll understand in time."
Xia Qi replied evenly, her blade never stopping as it swept toward the Herrscher like a thunderbolt.
The Herrscher met it with her own blade.
"Even though you and the others who came back already changed the future?"
"Yes."
Xia Qi's gaze stayed steady.
"Then… what exactly did you face?"
Feeling the huge pressure and power she couldn't match coming from Xia Qi, the Herrscher felt lost. A chill settled in her chest.
"Even with all this power… I still lost Kiana. The best I could do was carry that weight for a while, walk into the dark so she could stay in the light…That powerlessness… if you want to feel it too—"
Bang!
The Herrscher of Thunder's energy suddenly exploded.
For a moment, the whole world went stark white from a lightning flash, followed by thunder that seemed to strike right at the soul.
Below, caught off guard, Raiden Mei was knocked down by a Honkai beast.
"I won't let that happen!"
The Herrscher's voice was ice-cold.
"Good."
Xia Qi slowly sheathed her blade and stood still.
"Let's stop here for today."
The Honkai beasts on the ground vanished. Xia Qi and the Herrscher landed, standing with Raiden Mei.
All three had the same face, but Xia Qi looked more striking, more coldly beautiful than them, her presence deep and extraordinary, like some distant god.
The Herrscher resembled her but felt even colder, giving off a strong "stay away" vibe. Raiden Mei looked a bit messy right then, but her eyes were firm, her manner gentle, making you want to come closer.
"See you tomorrow."
Looking at them, Xia Qi said calmly.
"Wait!"
Raiden Mei called out as soon as she got her breath back.
"Hmm?"
Xia Qi looked over.
"Can I… tell the others about this?" Raiden Mei stared hard at Xia Qi.
"..."
Xia Qi was quiet a moment, then said: "You can."
"Okay…"
"I have a question too." The Herrscher of Thunder looked at Xia Qi, face cold. "After you disappear, who shows up next? Bronya? Theresa? Himeko?"
"I don't know." Xia Qi didn't give a straight answer. "I'll tell you before I'm ready to go."
"Why do you disappear?"
"I don't know that either." Xia Qi shook her head quietly.
"..."
The Herrscher went silent, staring wordlessly at Xia Qi. Raiden Mei's eyes showed confusion and worry too.
Would they… in the future, go through something like this?
A heavy sense of dread filled both Raiden Mei and the Herrscher.
"If you can… I hope you, Theresa, and the others can help me find the answer," Xia Qi said evenly. "But… after I disappear, I might… finally figure out where Kiana went. If I can come back, I'll find you again."
"Okay."
Raiden Mei nodded, letting out a deep sigh.
Then, the scene in front of her started to fade.
"Mei?! Mei's awake!"
Theresa's happy voice reached her ears.
Watching Raiden Mei and the Herrscher of Thunder vanish, Xia Qi's face slowly showed a hint of tired helplessness.
Starting to get a little harder to fool them, huh…
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A/n: New content and stories posted on my patreon go check it out!
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