Making Honkai Impact lll In A World Where Kallen Exists [Continuation]

Kalpas was stunned for a moment, unable to comprehend Mei's provocation. Had she lost her mind?

Coming to him with such audacity?

In that instant, countless possibilities flashed through his mind, Had someone impersonated him? Did someone connected to Mei hold a grudge against him? Or… was it that the signet of Decimation wasn't working properly?

But in the next moment, all those thoughts vanished. Narrowing his eyes, Kalpas glared at Mei. Whatever the reason—there was only one answer,

Kill, Kill, Kill!

The opponent was dead; this should have ended things.

But in truth, Mei was even bolder and more audacious than he could have imagined.

"No, this is something I learned from you, Kalpas," Mei said coldly, her tone completely different from usual.

"All along, haven't you used this exact method to bluff?"

"This isn't some groundbreaking tactic. I've seen plenty of small animals use similar methods to try and scare off predators."

"..."

"Hahaha—! Bluffing? Fine, fine, Herrscher..."

Kalpas roared in anger but found himself laughing at the absurdity of it all.

Boom—

The laughter disappeared instantly, replaced by a violent whooshing sound. Before he had even finished speaking, the man's right fist was already inches from Mei's face.

Reacting just in time, Mei parried the blow with her blade, redirecting the force to the side. Still, the sheer power behind it sent her skidding far back, leaving two deep marks on the ground.

"Before provoking me... have you prepared for your funeral, Herrscher?"

Kalpas spoke deliberately, his tone heavier and more serious than ever. The atmosphere was thick with murderous intent.

Yet Mei simply stared at him silently, showing not a shred of fear.

Yes, this was the method she had come up with,

To have Kalpas... kill her in ten days! She wanted to uncover Aponia's true intentions and, at the same time, recognize the gap between herself and the Flame-Chasers, who treated battle as everything.

"My only preparation... is figuring out what I'll do next if you end up disappointing me."

"And I hope your earlier words weren't just empty boasts."

As if that wasn't enough, Mei added fuel to the fire.

Kalpas smirked. He wasn't stupid. He could tell that from Aponia's interest in him to Mei's sudden provocation, there was a clear progression.

Heh—so be it. If she dies, she dies.

He wouldn't hold back. After all, he was Decimation, the embodiment of slaughter!

"Herrscher, do your best to make it to the deepest part of the Elysian Realm. Even if you have to crawl, make it there. Otherwise, you don't even deserve to die by my hand."

Kalpas's heavy voice echoed. Now... he needed to prepare her grave.

This was the first time anyone had spoken to him like this.

At the very least, he remembered her name—Raiden Mei.

-------------

[6: Classic hard-headed Mei. Let's go!]

[Hahaha, small animals… Kalpas probably never heard anything like this before. Became a memory fragment and now he hears it!]

[You say I'll die in ten days? What, I can't die in four instead? Seriously!]

---

"Mei... is unexpectedly bold," Elysia said, gasping as she watched Mei pushing Kalpas to the limits of his sanity on the screen. Her emotions were in turmoil.

"Uh... she didn't have to provoke Kalpas like that, just for the sake of the prophecy."

Even Aponia showed rare surprise. She hadn't expected her oppressive presence to push Mei into such a reckless gamble.

But sadly, prophecies weren't so easily broken.

If the timeline was set for ten days from now... perhaps she herself would have to act.

"What a classic moment. Kalpas, what do you think?"

Elysia smiled, tossing the question at him.

Kalpas remained motionless, his voice heavy. "...I'm standing here watching!"

"..."

Elysia raised an eyebrow. Since when did Kalpas crack dry jokes?

"What else? In the end, this is just something Aponia threw my way. Mobius did it; now she's doing it. If they see me as a trial, then they'll pay the price. Fighting? I don't mind."

Kalpas's tone was calm.

At this point, would a fight break out? It didn't seem necessary for now.

Unless, of course... it was with a Herrscher.

"That's just so typical of Kalpas's responses. Makes sense, though. He wouldn't care," Elysia said cheerfully. "Pardofelis, don't you agree?"

Vill-V casually tapped the leather sofa as she spoke.

"Huh? Me? Uh... well, whatever you decide is fine! Ahaha, don't ask me!"

Pardofelis scratched the back of her head nervously, panicking. Couldn't they just treat her like she was invisible?

Oh no, oh no. Why did it feel like Vill-V was starting to get curious about her?

---

"Mei… this time you were really too impulsive. How could you go provoke the Flame-Chasers? What if something went wrong?"

Kiana complained to Mei with discontent.

This time, it was her turn to reprimand Mei.

People always called her reckless, straightforward, and simple, whether it was praise or criticism. But this time, Kiana saw a reflection of herself in Mei's actions.

Wasn't Mei afraid of something going wrong with such rash behavior?

Bronya nodded in agreement. "Sister Mei was indeed a bit reckless this time."

"Provoking Kalpas? Looks like you've really grown, Mei. In the last civilization, I think less than five people dared to do such a thing," remarked the Herrscher of sentience, with a rare expression of surprise.

Even someone as knowledgeable as her had never seen anyone so stubbornly daring.

Had Mei's growth gone in the wrong direction?

Fu Hua thought to herself, recalling the gentle Mei of the past, the Mei who now often outwitted Kiana, and the Mei who confidently faced off with Kalpas on the screen. Could this be what they call the dramatic transformation of a young woman?

Looking at the huffy Kiana and the faintly pleased Mei, a small smile crept onto Mei's lips.

"…Well, there's nothing to be done. The ten-day deadline was too tight. I'll be more careful in the future and avoid being so reckless."

Kiana opened her mouth but couldn't respond right away. "Uh, well…"

"What? You're still planning to scold me, Kiana?"

"Uh, no… it's not that. I'm just worried about you, that's all."

Kiana's face was calm as she carefully redirected her words. After all, Mei often criticized her, so this was her chance to reverse the roles and "sing about the master."

As for the Elysian Realm… it had already been destroyed. Mei valued Kiana, and Kiana valued Mei. That was enough for them.

Even though separation meant they might reunite one day, there was nothing better than always staying together.

-----------

Some considered Kalpas insane, but no one thought he was stupid.

He had opened a path to the deepest reaches for Mei, though it only led to a small part of the depths. And this place was where he had reserved her burial ground.

Of course, Kalpas knew Mei had her own motives. But...

As soon as Mei entered the area, she saw the figure of a man standing with his back to her.

He slightly turned his head, revealing a corner of his mask. It seemed as if he had been waiting for her for a long time, with raging flames roaring behind him.

The atmosphere around them was blisteringly hot, filled with a suffocating air of death and tension. Columns of fire erupted from the ground, and meteors occasionally fell from the sky.

The two had little to say upon meeting—fighting was their only purpose.

In an instant, flames and thunder clashed. A straight punch wreathed in endless fire surged toward Mei.

"Inward or outward, all shall perish!"

Kalpas growled, his voice echoing amidst the apocalyptic scene, where countless meteors rained down from above.

Mei could only dodge with all her might, occasionally countering with her blade. Each strike sent sparks flying, the heat reddening her face.

With a serious expression, Mei stared at her opponent, feeling the immense pressure of facing a warrior from the previous era.

"Come forward! Step toward death, step toward—ME!"

Kalpas's excitement only grew. Without pain to hold him back, his strikes were relentless and unyielding.

Mei began to understand why people described him as they did. In battle, he was like a beast who had lost his mind.

She could only block his blows with all her strength, drawing on the power of the Herrscher Core within her.

Thunder clashed with fire, and though the fight was intense, Mei wasn't yet at a disadvantage.

Amid the sparks and the sound of wind whistling past her ears, Mei coldly stared at Kalpas's face. His icy expression was deeply etched in her mind.

He let out a beast-like roar. For him, combat was more instinctual than deliberate, a fiery passion fueled by the seed of battle in his blood.

"Congratulations Herrscher."

"You have given your all and finally proven yourself!"

"But this isn't a fight; it's a hunt!"

He ascended into the air, releasing an overwhelming aura. Flames engulfed the entire space, leaving only dark red light.

Artificial Collapse (Honkai Reaction)—a rumored ultimate move of the Herrschers.

Mei pursed her lips as she watched Kalpas in midair, feeling the immense pressure emanating from his transformed figure. His appearance had drastically changed, resembling a demon from the depths of hell.

His body was entirely engulfed in flames, making him no longer look like a human. His fearsome visage was overwhelming.

In this state, Mei felt the weight of his attacks, struggling to fend them off.

Boom!

Another clash of thunder and fire sent Mei skidding backward, leaving deep gouges in the ground. But Kalpas wasn't done. He roared and charged again, this time with an even more powerful blow.

"Again—again!! Destroy me, or I will destroy everything!"

His roar shook the space, flames trapping Mei like a moth in a cage.

Mei had achieved her goal, but the fight offered her no respite.

-----------------

In the Golden Courtyard.

"My, my—this is dangerous for Mei. It's a pity I'm not there. Oh wait, maybe I'm secretly watching from outside."

Elysia straightened her posture, watching the fierce battle on the screen with some seriousness.

In truth, Mei was performing better than she had expected. While the game couldn't capture the intricacies of their techniques, it was clear that Mei only started to falter after Kalpas unleashed Artificial Collapse.

This meant Mei had reached the level of a standard Herrscher.

As for Artificial Collapse, few Herrschers other than Kalpas and Mobius dared to use such a move, it was practically a cheat.

"I really wish I could swoop in and save her like a hero. Mei would be so surprised, wouldn't she? Hmm~"

Elysia lamented playfully, tracing her finger in the air before resting her hand on her thigh.

"And Kalpas…"

She turned to the fiery MANTIS. "Are you planning to kill Mei next?"

"Hmph—do you think I would fake a fight? If… that damned woman doesn't intervene, what does it matter to me if Mei turns to ashes?"

"If she wanted a friendly spar, she's sorely mistaken," Kalpas sneered.

He wouldn't make concessions. Those who used him as an experiment would pay the price, just like that green-haired woman.

"You always claim you're not stupid… so why are you fighting Mei? Surely you know her real objective," Mobius said darkly, her serpent-like eyes filled with disdain.

Mobius didn't get along with most people, but among those, Kalpas was one of the worst.

"Purpose? … Fighting itself is my purpose. It's just that the target has changed. Besides, in the Elysian Realm, no matter who dies, that woman won't die so easily."

Kalpas snorted and stared at Aponia as he spoke.

If it were truly possible to kill the opponent within the Elysian Realm, then the Realm itself might already be on the verge of collapse.

Eden nodded in agreement. "...Aponia's words make sense."

"In that case, I am probably the only one bound by prophecy who will go and rescue Mei."

Aponia, unsurprised, spoke calmly.

She had encountered countless individuals who challenged fate in their unique ways, trying to break free from prophecy.

Yet, among all these efforts, only one succeeded, five thousand years ago, at the end of the era, when hands rearranged the stars. But even that success did not alter the ultimate outcome.

(TL: are you sure~)

Kalpas sneered sarcastically. "I wonder if your hands even remember how to fight anymore? Discipline … a person who only knows how to wield discipline."

"But even so, very few can escape it…"

Aponia chuckled softly, gazing at him with a gentle look. "But, Kalpas, I have never relied on my hands to fight."

"Hmph—"

"The battle between Sister Mei and Brother Kalpas! Lucky for me, I wasn't nearby. Otherwise… even if I dodged a little, how much fur would be scorched off my tail!"

Pardo sighed, staring at the screen with dread, reaffirming her decision not to meddle in battles.

"After all, with so many powerful people, it's unlikely I'd be sent to the battlefield, right?"

She mumbled quietly, feeling her reasoning was solid, then puffed out her chest to maintain her confidence.

"Meow—"

The cat climbed into her lap, forming the inseparable duo of her and the creature.

"What is Aponia's goal?"

Su's eyelids fluttered as he pondered this question.

Indeed, Aponia had taken action in previous eras, but her current methods still held inexplicable mysteries.

"Hmm…" Kevin crossed his arms, observing from an outsider's perspective.

-----

In the villa, Theresa stared in shock as Qianjie transformed once more.

"This is... artificial collapse?"

"This power is insane! His combat strength skyrocketed—it's like he's entered a second phase."

"What to do, what to do? Mei can't win at all! All she can do is dodge!"

Theresa was anxious, her skills, admittedly, were pretty awful, just as bad as her gaming aptitude, to be honest.

Controlling Mei's movements, her health was already in the red, and she couldn't defeat the airborne, devil-like Kalpas. Her desperation was evident.

Kongming frowned and asked, "...Are all the MANTIS this powerful?"

"Not all. Kalpas's strength ranks among the top." Luo Mo answered.

"The overwhelming flames… they remind me of a feral beast. No, he's even scarier than that."

Kongming shook her head in shock.

"As they say, every force has its counter. Someone will naturally deal with Qianjie. This is a scripted battle, whether you win or lose, the result is the same. No need to struggle, Theresa."

Luo Mo reached out to stop her, but she remained unyielding.

"You say that… but I won't just stand there and let him kill me. Neither will Mei."

"——Whoa, a saint?!"

Theresa blinked as Aponia entered the scene. Suddenly, a term came to mind, and her face flushed red as she saw the perverted nun clothes, she covered her eyes and shouted,

"A nun's habit isn't supposed to look like that!"

"Really, so embarrassing…"