Honkai, why do you only throw me into high-level battles?

Lin Wei also stood up solemnly. He picked up the cup of ordinary warm water and drank it all in one go, as if sealing a silent promise.

Suddenly, the collapse of the world swept everything away.

With the sound of a mirror shattering on the ground—crash—everything vanished in a flash. It was as if the vast sea had transformed into a mulberry field, and Lin Wei had been pulled into another space.

It was still Yae Village, but now it was late at night.

The place where Lin Wei stood was no longer the simple, neat, and warm wooden house. Instead, he found himself standing before a dilapidated shrine.

The torii gate of the shrine had collapsed. Stone steps lay buried under dry moss, their cracks filled with weeds burned to ash by flames. The entire shrine had been consumed, its wooden structure reduced to charcoal.

Ashes mingled with lingering embers, casting an eerie glow. Crackling sounds echoed softly from the remains, as if the shrine itself was still whispering its sorrow.

Lin Wei's expression remained calm.

He glanced at his palm first. The cup of water he was supposed to be holding had vanished. A faint disappointment crept into his heart, though he couldn't explain why.

The flames consuming the shrine had clearly been extinguished, yet the air remained scorching hot.

Lin Wei turned around. As expected, Yae Village was now a sea of fire. Roaring flames devoured the wooden houses, their collapse punctuated by resounding crashes.

But there were no other sounds.

No shouts from a fire brigade. No cries from the women. No wails of children. No barking dogs. Not even the hurried clatter of panicked footsteps.

Nothing.

Only silence.

Above him, thick black smoke blotted out the sky, smothering the sun.

This was the end of the world.

Lin Wei sighed softly. He wasn't sure why, but it felt like sighing had become his habit today.

Come on. Are you really starting to think you're some compassionate, noble soul?

A bitter smile crossed his lips. He despised himself.

There was nothing worth seeing here anymore.

Lin Wei turned his head back. His feet remained rooted to the spot. Instead, his gaze shifted to where Yae Sakura had been standing moments ago.

There was no one there.

Only a large golden cross stood majestically, its faint golden light piercing through the almost tangible black smoke. It illuminated a small patch of untouched land, a sanctuary amidst the devastation. It had been standing there, unwavering, for five hundred years, guarding the purity of this sacred space.

Lin Wei lowered his gaze slightly.

A battered white-haired nun lay on the ground, writhing in pain. Her body was covered in blood, her breaths shallow and fragile, as if death lingered only a moment away.

Yet her deep blue eyes shone with an incredible brightness as they locked onto Lin Wei's face.

"Kallen Kaslana?" Lin Wei asked tentatively.

But in his heart, another name surfaced. Another truth he couldn't ignore.

As expected, the white-haired nun first nodded, then shook her head gently. Her voice, soft like a spring breeze, broke the silence.

"If you are used to calling me that, that's fine too," she whispered.

Her tone was different from Yae Sakura's naturally cool and gentle voice. It carried a warmth, a kindness, that seemed to reach out and soothe even the harshest despair.

"Kallen was the person who protected Yae Sakura until the very end," the white-haired nun said softly. "She was also her last mental support. After Kallen left, I had no choice but to become her—to make Sakura feel like she wasn't alone. Only then could I protect her and keep her from being swallowed by the darkness."

Lin Wei listened, and in an instant, everything became clear.

But this revelation wasn't surprising. It was exactly as he had expected.

Kallen Kaslana was not a legendary figure. She wasn't truly holy, nor was she particularly powerful. She was simply a human girl—a talented one, perhaps, but still bound by human limits.

It was unthinkable for someone like her to leave behind a strand of will capable of guarding another for five hundred years after her own body had perished entirely.

Even the Red Phoenix Immortal, a being of unparalleled strength, required a feather separated from the Fenghuang Down to accomplish something similar.

Kallen couldn't possibly have had that kind of ability.

Even with Judah, it would have been impossible.

No, it could only have been Yae Sakura herself. Her subconscious had been trying desperately to save her.

After all, even Kallen had fallen into despair back then. How could someone drowning in their own hopelessness truly protect another?

She barely had enough time to reseal the black box before she left. Barely enough time to tell Yae Sakura, "Don't give up."

And then, this admirable, foolish girl had truly held on.

For five hundred years, Yae Sakura persevered. Even as her consciousness blurred, an unyielding will remained in her heart. She had transformed into the person she trusted most, becoming Kallen Kaslana, and guarded the last line of defense with everything she had.

She waited. Always waiting—for someone, anyone, to arrive.

Lin Wei's heart swelled with emotion. It was impossible not to be moved.

But the truth was clear. Kallen was dead.

And now, "Kallen" could no longer protect her.

Lin Wei bent down gently.

He carefully helped "Kallen," who had lost all strength, to sit up. Supporting her against the golden cross, he wiped the blood from her face with soft, deliberate movements.

Whether it was Yae Sakura or Kallen, they should never have been reduced to such a disheveled and miserable state.

"Kallen" offered a faint smile, shaking her head softly.

"My power has already been used up," she whispered. "What happens next is up to you."

Her voice grew weaker, barely audible, but determination still burned in her deep blue eyes.

With great effort, she stretched her trembling hands toward Lin Wei. Her gaze, filled with hope, locked onto his. Though her strength was gone, her resolve was unshaken.

"Please," she whispered, her words as fragile as the dying embers around them. "You must save Yae Sakura... save me..."

Lin Wei met her gaze, his expression steady and solemn.

"I will," he promised.

He took her cold hands in his, holding them firmly.

A faint spark slipped from her fingers, landing steadily in Lin Wei's palm. At that moment, "Kallen" smiled, a look of pure relief washing over her face.

Her eyes slowly closed, her body succumbing to stillness.

Even in death, her proud head remained upright, refusing to bow.

Lin Wei kept watching, his heart growing heavier with each passing moment.

Sourness, bitterness, and a deep melancholy filled his chest, mingling into an unbearable sadness.

No matter what the real Kallen had been like in history, Lin Wei was certain of one thing: he would never forget this "Kallen Kaslana."

His gaze remained fixed on her as the white-haired girl, who had refused to bow her head even in death, began to fade.

Her body dissolved into light, and the light drifted toward the almost cold spark in his hand.

The spark stirred. It flickered, then glowed faintly, warmth returning to it as though life had been rekindled.

Lin Wei cradled the precious spark in both hands, holding it with the utmost care. Slowly, he placed it in the spot where "Kallen" had been lying moments before. Then, he stepped back and quietly waited.

Seconds passed.

The spark suddenly flared, flames rising and spreading outward before transforming into radiant light.

The light converged, gathering and taking shape.

When the brilliance finally faded, a pink-haired girl in a miko's garb lay there silently.

She seemed to overlap perfectly with the "Kallen" from just moments ago, as though their existences were intertwined.

The girl's chest rose and fell faintly. Her cherry-colored hair spread out on the ground, soft and lustrous. Her eyes were tightly closed, her expression shifting between sorrow and serenity, as though trapped in an eternal slumber.

Lin Wei knelt beside her and gently picked her up.

Like before, he carried her to the golden cross. But this time, he carefully laid Yae Sakura flat on the ground. Supporting her head with one hand, he gently eased her down.

Then, he shrugged off his jacket, folded it into a makeshift pillow, and placed it beneath her head, hoping to make her rest a little more comfortable.

He looked at her peaceful, yet clearly troubled, sleeping posture. A sigh almost escaped his lips—

Why are you sighing! Seriously? Are you ever going to stop?

Lin Wei shook his head, forcing his emotions into silence.

It's time to get to work. Do you understand?!

With a deep breath, he stood abruptly. His eyes scanned the area sharply before locking onto the other end of the golden cross.

Marching straight toward it, he raised his fist and knocked firmly three times.

"Bro!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the silence. "Open the door. I need to grab something!"