Honkai: Strijder (Honkai Impact 3 Male MC)

This is still part of the events that occurred during Sigurd's visit to Otto.

...

The autumn wind rustled through the once-familiar town of Jörmungandr.

It had been over half a year since the Honkai Beast attack.

Back then, many lives were lost, and many buildings were destroyed. The already fragile economy of the small town had collapsed completely, and there was no longer any space for human survival.

Therefore, this secluded place hidden among layers of snowy mountains had become a dead land with no signs of human presence. Except for the ruined buildings, there was no evidence left to prove that humans had once settled here.

In the mournful cold wind, suddenly, a girl dressed in white pajamas appeared on the desolate and chaotic streets. She seemed like a snow elf, her dainty bare feet touching the ground without getting dirty, and not a speck of dust marred her pristine appearance. Her golden eyes scanned the desolation, and this surreal scene felt like a dream.

Then, she started walking forward, passing by the shop that used to sell candy, the collapsed little house where Kiana and Sigurd had once repaired the roof together, and even the gang's old headquarters, which had been destroyed by Sigurd.

Finally, she arrived at a collapsed bridge.

Once, there was a small bridge tunnel under that bridge, dirty and exposed to the wind, where even snowflakes could flutter in.

But this was where everything had begun.

The girl reached out her hand, and the collapsed stones seemed to reverse in time, floating up and reassembling, bringing back the small bridge and the tiny bridge tunnel.

Following that, a makeshift shelter was set up inside the tunnel, and a campfire was lit.

In the warmth of the fire, she sat down, hugging her knees.

The fire kept burning, and she kept watching. Day after day, night after night, if it weren't for the occasional breeze that ruffled her silver-white hair and the corners of her white clothes, she might have been mistaken for a motionless stone sculpture.

After an unknown number of days had passed, her golden eyes suddenly flickered, and she reached out her hand, producing a small black bag.

She untied the rope at the bag's opening and looked inside.

It's unclear what treasure she saw, but the girl seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and then suddenly smiled, as gentle as if she could make a hundred flowers bloom.

After that, the girl disappeared, and the makeshift shelter and campfire vanished too. The small bridge blinked back into its original collapsed state.

Everything felt like an illusion.

...

Anti-Entropy's headquarters, Sigurd's sleeping room.

The girl appeared again, with her silver hair, golden eyes, and pristine white nightgown, her bare feet untouched by dust.

She stared at Sigurd's sleeping face in silence.

After a while, she reached out and gently touched Sigurd's forehead.

"Because she received care and lost her anchor of restraint, did my suggestion on her break naturally...? That stubborn father of mine sure loves giving me a lot of headaches."

The girl spoke, and while her voice should have been soft and girlish, it carried a melancholic and cold tone.

"Well, you can sleep a little longer."

"Don't push yourself too hard; things will get better."

Muttering softly, the girl placed her hand on Sigurd's forehead and closed her eyes.

After some time, she disappeared from the room.

...

In the far eastern region, St. Freya High, in the dead of night.

Once again, it was the same girl, silently passing through the door and arriving at the side of a sleeping young girl who looked like a minor.

She sat down by the bedside and smoothed the stray strands of hair on the forehead of the sleeping Theresa.

"Since there's time... let's reinforce it a bit. St. Freya High is more important. Let's ignore that side; it's not something you should meddle with….My dear aunt"

She placed her small, white hand on the forehead of the sleeping girl.

Suddenly, the slumbering person furrowed her brows in pain, clutching her stuffed HOMU pillow tightly and murmuring, "No... don't... don't..."

"Is she resisting me?"

The girl raised her hand, her gentle expression giving way to a hint of surprise.

However, she paid no heed to Theresa's struggles and continued her actions.

After a while, Theresa's pained expression vanished, her brows relaxed, and she fell into peaceful sleep again. She even puckered her lips and mumbled like a true child:

"Mmm... HOMU... HOMU... I am... magical girl... T-t-t-riri..."

The girl stroked Theresa's hair and sighed deeply.

Then, she looked up at the bright moon outside the window.

"It's about time... I can go back now..."

"No... don't!"

In her dream, Theresa seemed to sense something and suddenly opened her eyes.

She blinked groggily, finding herself in a familiar yet empty bedroom.

"Hmm? Did I... just imagine things?"

Theresa sat up, her hand reaching out aimlessly into the air as if trying to grasp something that wasn't there.

She touched her chest in confusion and then, feeling disoriented, lay back down. In the depths of sleepiness, she drifted back into her dreams.

...

Sigurd had finally completed his visit.

After saying farewell to Amber, the young maid Rita, and the straightforward Durandal, Sigurd left Sky City Base behind. There was no farewell from Otto.

This was the first time, and likely the last time, that Sigurd came and went from this place so peacefully.

Otto made no attempt to stop him.

On one hand, Sigurd's theoretical research was on the right track, and at this point, Otto wouldn't do anything to hinder him.

On the other hand, through some means of observation, Otto had discovered that his base was indeed surrounded by new types of drones. Even though Sigurd was here, and Vira, who could hold him in check, was also present, Otto didn't want to risk the entire Sky City Base. It wasn't worth it.

"Go on, my dear friend. Bring me more surprises."

Otto sat in the garden, high above, watching the departing Schicksal aircraft. Across the vast space, he raised his teacup to Sigurd.

As Sigurd looked back at the magnificent Sky City, he felt something, and he raised his teacup in return, saluting the city before it disappeared.

Once the plane had vanished, Otto let out a faint sigh.

"Oh, Sigurd..."

He had thought about using forms of influence like mimicry or Fenghuang Down to affect Sigurd's consciousness, making him focus solely on completing his theories without distractions. However, Otto respected Sigurd as a friend. Also, science, while rigorous, had a significant subjective element in cutting-edge research.

Ignoring the potential risks to Sigurd's brain and consciousness, even if Sigurd had prepared countermeasures, Otto couldn't be sure.

If Sigurd's research progress slowed down or he got stuck due to this, Otto would lose his mind.

He considered everything, and Sigurd's progress in research was too valuable. Otto wouldn't allow any accidents to jeopardize the reachable hope.

With a raised cup, Otto toasted once more, not to Sigurd but to the eternal white brilliance that he could never forget, a brilliance that had died out five hundred years ago.

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