Cultivating in Honkai! Chapter 63: Prologue to the Killing Field

“The kids…”

“Are you reluctant to leave?”

“...Kinda.”

Each child who ca brought a gift of sorts. Kiana lived in Siberia for around two years. She is the first one who properly interacted with the kids. I ca next after learning Russian for two weeks.

There are tis I taught them subjects like arithtic and English grammar. It didn’t take much ti.

…

“Fu…”

I breathed out.

“We’ll still et them. It’s not like we’re separated forever.”

“Um.”

With a swipe of my left hand, all of the gifts on our hands got chucked into the storage ring. Even our luggage isn't spared.

We soon ca to our final stop. It is the place where I hid firewood after practicing my Sword Heart on many trees.

There are two girls waiting for us.

“You knew about it?”

I faced Seele.

“Yes. They asked to keep it a secret until now.”

She has a helpless smile on her face. I noticed she is wearing the sa outfit as our first eting—a blue dress worn on top of white long-sleeves. anwhile, Bronya wore a HOMU hoodie. Four months is all it took to get a HOMU addiction.

…

Nobody said a thing for a while.

Surprisingly (or not), it was Kiana who spoke first.

“No worries. We’ll co back to visit sotis!”

“Kiana… We will look forward to it.”

“Da. The Bronya will save you a spot on the console.”

The three of them talked for a while.

This feels like...

It’s very peaceful.

Bronya and Kiana did not start on bad terms. Except for Bronya sweeping Kiana over the HOMU console ga, the two of them did not bicker much. Coupled with Seele's gentle personality, the two are harmonious.

“Don’t shy away from telling so big events, right?” I reminded them. “Be it good or bad, you can tell us.”

“I will keep it in mind.”

Seele replied while Bronya just nodded. My gaze stayed on her for three good seconds.

“In about two months, you two will reach the pinnacle of your current stage. We will co and visit by then.”

In contrast to Kiana’s casualness, I made several reminders to the two. I emphasized reaching out to us (via the Internet) whenever they have a problem—cultivation, personal, and so on.

Only then did I beco rest assured to leave them.

“Last thing. Kiana left a three-year supply on that bakery you all like.”

“Oh! That’s right!”

I looked at Kiana. The latter stared back with a hint of sha. It’s obvious it slipped out of her mind.

How could you forget sothing like this?

…

She is not beating the paracium allegations.

“We will see each other…”

My words are interrupted with Seele’s encroachnt. Her head swayed, her eyes looking down. She acted fast and gave a hug.

I am half a head taller than her. The accent of her dark blue hair brushed my nose. Her slender arms are locked behind .

…

…

…

What?

My brain stopped functioning for a second.

Facing this girl…

Wait.

She looked up. I saw her crimson eyes.

Red pupils?

I blinked and saw her usual ocean-like pupils. Everything is like a hallucination… but I know it is not. My body is still frozen out of shock.

She let go of the hug and stood in front of .

“G-goodbye and…”

She looked down in embarrassnt.

“...twake care.”

Seele bit her tongue as she said that.

A piercing gaze ca from beside . Kiana looked at with widened eyes. Disbelief oozed right out of her face.

Bronya wore a frozen face. I don’t know what she’s thinking about.

Just like that, we bid our temporary (chaotic) farewells.

*****

“Wa..! W-why did you—?!”

Seele buried her face on the pillow. A few hours passed since then. She is still wallowing in sha.

{“...Isn’t this what you wanted?”}

A contemptuous voice rang in her mind. Nobody else but Seele can hear her.

“I-I an… yes… but..!”

{“You have to thank .”}

“Still!”

The voice, to which Seele dubbed her “other self”, remained silent. She could not bear to see Seele’s ‘pathetic’ side anymore.

“She” knew everything about Seele. From her inner thoughts down to what she will wear today, “she” knows them all. “She” is Seele’s guardian, after all.

{“You would have lost a chance without my help.”} Her voice echoed again. {“Be thankful you practiced his technique.”}

“Wah?”

“...”

Seele’s other self knew she had to explain.

{“I am manifested by your Natural Stigma. Your body beca strong enough to support my presence.”}

“Stigma?”

“...The mark on your body.”

“Eh?!”

Seele pulled down her pajama top’s collar. It revealed a circular red mark above her chest.

{“It contains a plethora of information. Weapons beyond your understanding. Things not known by humans of this era.”}

Seeing how Seele grew confused, the voice stopped.

{“You are not yet ready to open it. It is best if you focus on sothing else.”}

“Wait! Did you an… I can beco stronger?”

“...”

“Hello?”

“...”

The voice no longer answered her.

{‘This girl.’}

“She” expected Seele to fully awaken “her” in consecutive traumatic events involving blood and violence. “She” ca from Seele’s deepest and darkest desires. It is not wrong to say “she” received all of Seele’s dark emotions.

Instead of hating her, however, “she” wanted to protect Seele. “She” wanted to guide Seele.

No one can understand the voice’s surprise when “she” is awakened by jealousy and possessiveness for a boy of her age. It wasn’t even rage or helplessness to protect her beloved. This possessiveness is Seele’s urge to gain the boy’s attention for herself.

Nevertheless…

{‘I can understand why.’}

From the mont Shi Tian saved her up until now, “she” saw all of it. Seele and her “other self” are two identical existences—the light and dark, per se. Her “other self” knew the suppressed emotions Seele had over the past four months… which extended onto her.

In six words: Shi Tian awakened a potential yandere.

{‘Making him ours…’}

Just then, Bronya’s arrival halted the two.

“Seele? Are you having a fever?”

“Uh! No.”

“Okay.”

That only caused Seele’s embarrassnt to reach its peak.

“Sister Bronya. When do you think they will co back?”

“The Bronya has no idea.” She replied flatly. “Seele is free to use the computer downstairs.”

“Ah! Right!”

Seeing Seele leaving the room, Bronya’s eyes turned subtle.

‘Seele has grown a lot.’

Even Seele did not expect her other self’s move, not to ntion Bronya. Throughout the four months, she acted as a consistent support to Seele’s hidden feelings.

Well, it might not be hidden now.

‘Shi Tian.’

She thought of her discoveries. She wrongfully assud Shi Tian’s identity as a killer or sothing.

She’s wrong.

Bronya learned of his identity as a ‘disciple’ thrown out into the world. He got exposed to the honkai, zombies, and the evils of ordinary humans… all in the span of months. Ironically, their experiences shared similarities.

In January, Shi Tian received help from Kiana. At the sa ti, Cocolia took Bronya in.

He is learning to fight; she is learning to live a ‘normal’ life.

He already experienced a ‘normal’ life; she already experienced a life of fighting and killing.

They are going to the opposite destination—just right to complent each other. This aspect turned them into good friends.

In the end…

‘I want to be like him.’

…she placed her goal on him.