Honkai Impact: I, The Herrscher of Ice, Am Loved By Players

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Within the environment, Bianka thrust her blade fiercely into Director Ragna's chest beside her. As blood gushed out, Director Ragna's body began to fade away.

"It was the serum made from Director Ragna's remains that saved my life."

"No matter how painful this truth is, I must acknowledge it. It is precisely because of this pain that I can continue moving forward."

"Farewell, Director..."

Bianka softly spoke as she watched Ragna gradually dissipate. Her eyes were clear, yet her face bore both determination and reluctance. To Bianka, Ragna held a similar significance as Far did to Su.

Outside the consciousness space, Dr. Otto's hand slowly lowered.

"Well done, Bianka. Unfortunately... I won't be able to fulfill my promise to buy you a drink."

With Dr. Otto's death, Kevin-style versions of Ana and Su appeared before his body.

"Actually, this illusion seems somewhat too artificial," Ana murmured as she bent down to close Dr. Otto's eyes.

"Oh?" Curiosity tinged Su's voice. He sensed that Ana was about to reveal something about Otto, and truthfully, he was quite intrigued by this character.

For someone to be comparable with his memory of Teacher Spacy implied that Otto had profoundly influenced Bianka.

"Lord Bishop is the polar opposite of our ancestor Kevin. Simply put, for the sake of his beloved, he would willingly betray the entire world. Therefore, if confronted with the Herrscher of Sentience's illusion, he might prefer to remain within it for extended periods, despite knowing it's all false."

"I see," Su replied slowly. "In that case, he could potentially be a ticking time bomb."

In the original storyline, Su did not know Otto's past; he could only infer what kind of person Otto was through Bianka's memories. However, the Otto depicted in Bianka's recollections represented just a small part of who he truly was.

"It doesn't matter. The danger of a ticking time bomb depends on whose hands control it, and fortunately, I have a firm grasp on his vulnerability." Ana chuckled lightly.

"It seems you possess even more secrets and trump cards than I imagined. I can only hope you use them for the right path, otherwise..." A hint of seriousness flashed in Su's eyes.

A hint of seriousness flashed in Su's eyes.

"Otherwise, you could become an even more terrifying existence than him."

"And...," Su hesitated, contemplating whether to reveal Ana's fate to her.

In countless parallel worlds, Ana's destiny remained consistent: becoming the Herrscher of Ice, only to be hunted down—a tragic end shared by all versions.

However, this Ana before him seemed somewhat different.

"Well then, since it stands thus, I'll grant you one more gift, young lady. May it aid you when needed."

As he spoke, Su abruptly opened his eyes, activating the Yin-Yang Wheel. He infused a portion of his own power into Ana's body.

"Oh, thank you so much! I'll definitely pass your regards to Kevin!" Although unsure why Su suddenly bestowed his power upon her, Ana trusted that Su meant no harm. The strength of a psychic-type MANTIS Fusion Warrior was truly enticing!

"Hmm, if you see him, please convey my apologies. If given a chance to redo things, I would have negotiated with him instead of being so..."

Su didn't finish his sentence, but there was no doubt about his deep regret regarding imprisoning Kevin at the bottom of the Sea of Quanta.

"Don't worry, Su!" Ana confidently patted her chest, eager to get closer to Kevin, the strongest being in the Honkai World—who wouldn't want to cling to such power?

Su remained silent and promptly vanished from the illusory realm. However, as he left, he uttered one final statement:

"Cause and effect is the fairest law; only by accepting the consequences can one move forward towards the future."

"So, is this why Otto could never truly revive Kallen, no matter what?" Ana blinked.

But Su had already departed, leaving no one to answer her question.

Ana turned around, bypassed Dr. Otto's remains, and approached the experimental chamber where Bianka's consciousness was confined. Although it appeared as a physical body, the illusion itself couldn't trap corporeal forms.

Nonetheless, the sleeping Bianka within the chamber looked incredibly adorable, akin to Sleeping Beauty.

Soon, the surrounding scene began to change again. Ana knew that Bianka had passed this trial, leading up to the final test.

Despite having already submitted her answer regarding the divergence between Kevin and Su, Ana needed to continue playing along to support Su's plan.

"...Why...? She clearly knew the immense cost of Project Stigma, yet she still made the same choice as you..." In the real world, within the Nihility Tardigrade, Su frowned deeply, disbelief written across his face as he gazed at the unconscious Bianka before him.

Unbeknownst to him, during this momentary lapse, Bianka suddenly vanished from her slumped position on the ground. By the time Su realized it, Bianka's figure had disappeared, and simultaneously, he felt a heavy blow to his chest, sending him flying backward.

The unexpected impact caused Su to uncontrollably cough violently.

"Ah ha, finally found your weakness."

As she observed Su from afar, Bianka's voice carried a hint of satisfaction.

"It wasn't about exploiting his weakness; he simply became fixated on certain matters."

Ana's voice echoed behind Su, and as she gently helped him up, she activated the Authorities of the Abyss Flower to heal him.

"Thank you, but my body is beyond repair," Su declined Ana's kindness. His body had reached its limit, depleted over the years by excessive strain and damage. The deterioration between his spirit and physical form was beyond the healing capabilities of the Abyss Flower.

"Ana?!"

Bianka's expression filled with surprise at Ana's appearance. She initially thought everything within the illusory realm was merely a hallucination, never expecting Ana to be present beside her. Then, if Ana was here, what about Rita...

"There's no need to search; it's just the three of us."

"After seeing you being taken away by that light, I used the last moment available to follow. Right now, Rita is probably still anxious back at Headquarters," Ana explained.

Her reaction did not come as a surprise to Ana.

Compared to herself and Bianka, Ana's bond with Rita was naturally stronger. After all, they had completed the mission within that world bubble together, working side by side for a significant period. From Ana's perspective, she felt somewhat like an outsider.

"So you've also passed his test, Ana?" Bianka looked at her curiously.

Ana smiled without responding.

"Rather than saying she passed my test, it would be more accurate to state that she single-handedly turned the entire trial into chaos." Su spoke calmly, but his expression betrayed a hint of exasperation.

"What can I say? Your illusory realm had far too many flaws," Ana shrugged. Could she really be blamed? It was Su's own creation riddled with vulnerabilities, compounded by his momentary fixation, which left ample opportunities for her to exploit them.

Moreover, she knew this scenario inside out!

In essence, she had a clear understanding of what Su was thinking at every step.

"Ah, well—"

Su merely chuckled at Ana's comment. While it was true that his illusion had its weaknesses, it wasn't as easily dismantled as Ana made it sound. Otherwise, Bianka wouldn't have been ensnared for so long.

It seemed that this wildcard before her indeed had some depth.

"You mentioned during the trial that 'the fate of this generation should be decided by its own people.' I believe that's truly what you wanted to convey," Bianka pointed at Su, speaking assertively with a tone akin to lecturing.

"If I were to do exactly as you did, it would merely be history repeating itself, and I'd become nothing more than a puppet."

"In my view, these definitions aren't for us to decide. Even if God offers her opinion, I would consider it only as advice; ultimately, the choices remain mine."

"Ultimately, all of this stems from your overly entangled life, Harbinger!" Bianka exclaimed, gesturing emphatically towards Su.

"Indeed, but perhaps such dilemmas are inherent to those who can glimpse destiny," Ana responded calmly, somewhat defending Su.

"Both you and she have made the same mistake. Why not be as straightforward as she is? As close comrades fighting together, why refuse to listen to her suggestions?"

As Ana spoke these words, there was a hint of resentment in her tone.

Bianka didn't fully grasp whom Ana was referring to, but Su understood immediately. She meant the other two members of the Fires of Defiance who had indeed offered similar advice—unfortunately...

"In our time, it was incredibly difficult to maintain such sincerity and candor as she embodies. However, you're absolutely right."

Su nodded in agreement.

"Having individuals like you in this era fills me with confidence that you will surely overcome Honkai!"

Pausing briefly, Su reached out and caught a leaf falling from the Bodhi tree.

"To be honest, Miss Bianka, you surprised me quite a bit. I initially thought you were very much like my past self..."

"But now I realize that from the beginning, you've been far more carefree than I ever was. And you, along with your generation, are fundamentally different from us."

"We only had one path available to us, but you can forge new roads in this era."

With a slightly mocking sigh, Su released the leaf from his hand, allowing it to drift away with the wind.

"I claimed to entrust this generation's fate to its people, yet arrogantly equated my perspective with your circumstances..."

"Lost amidst the vast expanse of time... Perhaps it was I who truly needed to face the trial."

With these words, Su turned her gaze towards Ana.

"Ana, honestly, I wish you could have been born in our era. With a variable like you, perhaps we too might have overcome Honkai."

Su spoke these sentiments genuinely from the heart.

"I'm merely standing on the shoulders of giants, allowing me to see clearer and farther," Ana responded nonchalantly. It was indeed true; even within the illusory realm, her success stemmed from knowing the outcome of every move, every gamble—there was no room for error.

She was a skilled opportunist but not necessarily a strategist. If faced with situations beyond her knowledge, she would be powerless.

However, when it came to navigating both the current and remnants of the previous civilizations, she still maintained control.

Nevertheless, her abilities were indeed not as formidable as those of Mei or Otto.

"As compensation for passing the trial, please allow me to bestow upon you a gift."

As expected, Su's reward to Bianka was the Nihility Tardigrade they found themselves within.

Subsequently, Su entrusted the Second Divine Key to Ana.

"My friend, I entrust the Second Divine Key to you. I believe you will use it wisely, guiding this generation of humans towards forging a new future."

"Haven't I already said it? I'll only be a hero for a few people," Ana chuckled lightly but did not refuse the Second Divine Key. "But yes, I accept the Second Divine Key."

Upon hearing Ana mention being a hero for just a few individuals, Bianka's eyes flickered momentarily.

Initially, she thought everything in the illusory realm was mere fantasy. Later, she realized it represented Su's memories and trials. However, she also understood that to save her, Ana had fearlessly ventured into that realm without hesitation.

In reality, the "Kevin" appearing in that illusory realm was the true Ana. Bianka vividly recalled what Ana had said within it:

She would not be a hero for everyone or the entire world, but she would become a hero for a few individuals.

When Ana uttered those words, only Bianka was present with her in the illusion. Could this imply that Bianka herself is one of those few people?

For Bianka, these words felt like a confession. Moreover, being invited to become Queen alongside Ana—despite Bianka's somewhat dense nature when it comes to romance—even she understood the depth of Ana's feelings.

Their mutual affection had always been strong, albeit limited to friendship. Since the collapse of Manila, they spent more time together, allowing their bond to gradually blossom.

However... considering her deep attachment to both Ana and Rita, if she chose Ana, would Rita feel... hurt?

Strangely, Bianka found herself conflicted, her thoughts heating up. Whenever matters of love arose, the foolish tendencies inherent in the Kaslana bloodline seemed to flare up.

"Is that so? Then, could you be my hero?" Su jokingly quipped.

Ana examined him from head to toe, her expression somewhat peculiar.

"Do you truly need one? I feel like you're already content with your situation. However, if you do require a hero, it's not entirely impossible..."

"But, deep down, you don't really need a hero anymore, right?"

Ana smiled warmly.

"How about we make a bet then?

"When all is said and done, when the dust settles, you will return to witness our story once more. What say you?"

"After this emotional turmoil, why not take up the bet?"

Su laughed heartily, readily accepting the challenge.

"As for the stakes, you can deliver them upon your return!"

With those words, Ana transformed into specks of light, disappearing within the Nihility Tardigrade...