Honkai Diary: Start With Picking Up A White-Haired Treasure

"Ta-ta-tak!"

"Boom-boom-boom!"

On a clear day amidst snowy terrain, a curly-haired girl clad in green military attire stood atop a hill, her light machine gun spitting flames and firing explosive rounds continuously.

Below, two similarly young girls dressed in conspicuous black armor were desperately fleeing for their lives.

"Faster! Even faster! Move any slower and you're asking to die, you filthy little bitches! Woof woof woof!" Bronya shouted matter-of-factly, devoid of emotion.

These were words straight from her former instructor's playbook.

Granted, not long after, Bronya had strangled that instructor with a pair of pantyhose. But as someone who'd endured childhood trauma under this mentor, assuming a similar role now unexpectedly thrilled her.

"B-Bronya is talking to me..." Sin giggled dreamily, a suspicious blush creeping across her Yandere expression while running.

Her pace involuntarily slowed, bringing her dangerously close to the explosions chasing them.

Just then, Kiana grabbed her hand and pulled her forward, swiftly guiding her out of harm's way.

"Are you insane? She isn't 'talking' to us; she's cursing at us!"

"...But she seems happier now. I made her happy—how nice! Does this mean she's starting to like me?"

"Snap out of it! That thing isn't human—it's a demon wearing a little girl's skin!"

"Don't you dare insult Bronya! You paramecium!"

Kiana felt like she was about to break down from Sin's scolding.

Seriously, what kind of terrible teammate is this? Get your eyes open: She's on Cocolia's side; we're with Zeke. Logically speaking, shouldn't we be allies?!

"Boom!"

"Ahhhh!"

Preoccupied with their argument, they'd slowed enough for Bronya's bullets to catch up. The explosion sent them both flying several meters through the air, tumbling uncontrollably upon impact.

Kiana landed face-first in the snow, her rear sticking up high.

Undeterred, she lifted her head, covered in dirt and snow, pointed at Bronya perched above, and yelled, "Just wait, midget! You're dead meat! Even my lousy dad never hit me that hard! If I don't give you a spanking you'll never forget today, I'm not Kiana Kaslana anymore!"

Bronya held her gun steady, silently raising one hand to flip Kiana off without uttering a word.

"Hmph!" she scoffed.

Though Kiana couldn't hear Bronya's mocking voice from this distance, she could clearly see her gesture.

"Ahhhhh!"

In that instant, it was as if flames ignited within Kiana. With a crazed shriek, she charged straight at Bronya without a care for anything else.

And then a barrage of gunfire sent her flying back—just to clarify, safety considerations meant both Kiana and Sin were equipped with protective armor, but they still couldn't avoid feeling pain.

"Aaargh! Stop shooting already! Please stop! I'm sorry, okay?!?"

As continuous impacts pummeled her, Kiana wailed miserably while scrambling around, unable to escape Bronya's relentless fire lock.

Incidentally, Sin also got caught up in the crossfire. With lifeless eyes, she endured each explosion, getting knocked down, rising again, only to be thrown once more, over and over.

Finally, after forcing them together in a collision at the center of the field, Bronya ceased her sustained fire.

Firstly, she had run out of ammunition and needed to reload.

Secondly, the purpose of training is to hone mental fortitude and reflexes; simply teaching them a lesson wouldn't serve any practical value—notwithstanding Bronya's personal satisfaction.

"Keep running! ▄[┻┳═一∵∴!"

"Yes, ma'am! QAQ!!" x 2

With no need to worry about safety concerns, Bronya could spare one hand and glance toward Zeke.

On her first day observing him, she discovered that he was obsessed with technology. Bronya had acquired extensive knowledge during her time in the military, including computer skills advanced enough for elite hacking. Yet even then, Zeke's code baffled her. It either meant he was randomly typing gibberish or his code followed logic so complex it surpassed her understanding.

Bronya believed it was the latter.

"What, you want to learn?"

Seeming to notice Bronya's gaze, Zeke asked without looking up from the virtual screen, where his fingers continued to tap rapidly.

"...If possible."

Bronya felt intrigued. While self-study could yield results, having access to sufficient resources and conducive conditions was crucial. The army lacked such an environment, while the orphanage, although relatively stable, made her lose the urgency to improve herself.

Zeke's presence served as both a reminder and an opportunity. No matter what, acquiring more knowledge would never be detrimental, Bronya thought privately.

Zeke handed her a tablet.

"A friend gave it to me—it's a comprehensive set of scientific fundamentals, quite thorough and clear. I've also organized and updated some parts, making it suitable for beginners in research. Study it well; if you have any questions, feel free to ask."

"Thank you."

Bronya accepted the tablet, glanced at it briefly, and tucked it inside her clothing.

Seeing Bronya carefully store away his gift brought a sense of satisfaction to Zeke.

Duck, Stand: Project Bunny 19C—early plot stage powerhouse among the Main Trio.

However, beyond her combat skills, she was a genius with an IQ of 180. In the realm of information technology, she once rendered Schicksal's defense systems virtually useless.

Why waste such talent by having her carry a gun into battle? Wouldn't it be better for her to become a brilliant, emotionless scientist? With proper nurturing, she could potentially be the next Einstein.

In Zeke's plan, Bronya would make the perfect scientific research assistant. For roles like charging headfirst into danger as cannon fodder, someone more resilient and enduring, like Kiana, would be more fitting.

As Bronya took the tablet...

"Slowing down again, you stupid bitches!"

"Rat-a-tat-tat!"

Zeke glanced up.

Kiana and Sin still seemed full of energy, but Bronya... it had to be said, her childish cursing was oddly invigorating.

Rubbing his chin, Zeke pulled out another light machine gun and handed it to Bronya.

"Wanna try one more?"

"Yes, please!"

Bronya accepted the weapon, a hint of approval now evident in her eyes.

Affection Points +1—cue System notification sound.

"With double firepower, consider this your bonus meal. Now pick up the pace and run faster!"

"Rat-a-tat-tat!" x2

Zeke nodded approvingly.

See? This is what professionalism looks like!

From Zeke's observation setup, he noted that Kiana's Honkai Energy levels were visibly increasing, significantly enhancing her speed and agility. As for Sin, she consciously utilized her abilities to slightly slow down bullets aimed at her, allowing her to repeatedly dodge explosions unscathed through narrow gaps.

At dusk, a Titan mech lumbered back to Cocolia's Orphanage, carrying two motionless suits of black armor on one shoulder and Zeke and Bronya on the other.

"You managed to reprogram the robot's control system?"

"Mm-hmm."

"I've considered it before, but I had no idea how to hack its operating software."

"First, you need a powerful enough mainframe, then the technology to create virtual ports, and finally, patience—though there are some tricks involved... Take your time; with practice, I believe you can achieve this someday."

Zeke turned his head toward Bronya as he spoke.

In truth, she would indeed succeed in doing so—in Selene, years from now.

Bronya nodded slowly. "I'll study diligently. Who knows when it might come in handy?"

"As always, feel free to ask if you have any questions. Although I'm still learning myself, answering your doubts shouldn't be an issue. Speaking of which, how did they perform today?" Zeke gestured towards the two girls on the opposite side.

Bronya glanced at them and replied calmly: "Decent. Initially, they lacked urgency, but later they truly fought with all their might. As you said, their physical capabilities are quite extraordinary. Additionally, their willpower is unexpectedly resilient."

"I've never doubted Kiana's tenacity. As for Sin, perhaps she didn't want to embarrass herself in front of you. I'm aware of your history with her. Do you hate her?"

"No, Bronya's hands are stained with blood as well, so I have no right to judge her differently. It's just...she's too dangerous; I don't wish to get close."

"Try accepting her. With you, she would be incredibly safe and secure."

Bronya remained silent.

Zeke wasn't in a rush to change anything either. After working all day, he needed some relaxation. He gazed at the setting sun on the horizon, squinting contentedly.

Upon reaching the orphanage entrance, the Titan knelt on one knee, gently lowering each of the four individuals from its shoulders. Then it took a step back, its massive frame disappearing into thin air.

"Invisibility technology?"

"Just transitional optical camouflage, nothing more."

"I heard Mother Cocolia mention that due to Honkai Energy's instability, researchers dismissed this technology even during its conceptual phase..."

"That's only because you haven't seen something superior yet."

In the not-too-distant future, leveraging the results of Experiment X-10—paid for by Seele Vollerei's descent into the quantum realm—Anti-Entropy achieved true quantization for their Titans. This breakthrough allowed them to reach unparalleled levels in energy efficiency, transportation effectiveness, and stealth capabilities, achieving genuine invisibility.

Zeke crouched down, lifting the helmets off both girls' heads, revealing two pairs of dazed eyes before him.

"Zeke...that's just mean...how could you treat me like this?" Kiana tearfully clung to his ankle.

"I'll add extra servings tonight—plenty of high-quality protein... Basically, all the meat you can eat, plus some premium desserts specially air-freighted for you."

"But even if...even if that's the case (ˉ`ˉ)..."

Kiana wiped away tears streaming from the corners of her mouth, still gazing discontentedly at Zeke.

He gently rubbed her head, not minding the sweaty stickiness of her hair. With a stern expression, he asked, "What else do you want as compensation?"

"Wash my hair tonight!"

"...How did you come up with such compensation?"

"I don't care; will you do it or not? If not, I'm not getting up!" Kiana puffed out her cheeks, stubbornly staring at Zeke.

Had their previous sex education been entirely futile?

Zeke covered his face, contemplating briefly. After all, they were young, and their relationship had grown quite close... Alright, let's humor this mischievous kid for now.

"Fine."

Then Sin reached out, grabbing his ankle too, with her eyes sparkling brightly.

"I-I want it too!"

As their guardian, washing kids' hair is perfectly normal, right?

Zeke hesitated for a moment but decided not to resist further and nodded.

******

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