"Hiss... Ouch, ouch..."
A dull throb pulsed behind his eyes, the first sensation to cut through a disorienting haze. He blinked, and an unfamiliar ceiling swam into focus. No... not unfamiliar. It was his own.
A torrent of information, dense and overwhelming, flooded his mind.
'Wait a minute,'he thought, the internal complaint laced with dry amusent.'It's already 2026. Is the whole transmigration trope still in fashion? Seriously, even soul possession is considered a cliché these days...'
Once Rovel managed to get his bearings, he couldn't help but sigh at the absurdity of it all. He wasn't sure if it was a case of soul possession or so philosophical paradox like Zhuangzi dreaming he was a butterfly, but he found himself accepting the situation with surprising speed.
It was, after all, like suddenly gaining a whole extra set of mories from another world. He recalled Hugh Everett's many-worlds interpretation, the theory that countless universes split off at every mont of observation. One hypothesis suggested that when a version of 'you'dies in one universe, your consciousness simply travels to another where you haven't, achieving a form of'Quantum Immortality' centered on your own self-awareness.
Of course, that was supposed to only happen between parallel universes that were nearly identical, but who could say for sure when it ca to unproven theories? At the very least, Rovel didn't feel like his soul had been snatched. He was still himself, just... more.
Sifting through the dual sets of mories, he noted significant differences between the two worlds. The technology here was particularly advanced. Gas using full-dive 'Link Start'technology had been around for over a decade, though thankfully without any of the'death ga' scenarios from old ani.
These imrsive gas had spread across the globe like a benign virus, spawning mature industrial chains of guilds, professional gold farrs, and leaderboard-chasing teams. Competitive gaming had even ascended to the level of international sports, becoming another arena for nations to display their formidable strength.
And now, a ga on the verge of release, titled 'Honkai,' was being hailed as an absolute, model-shifting masterpiece. Not only was its realism rumored to be an unmatched 100%, but it was supposedly possible to synchronize abilities gained in the ga with one's real-world body.
This single possibility had propelled the ga's popularity to an unimaginable height. If soone were to obtain so world-altering power from within the ga, the entire global landscape could be reshaped forever.
Consequently, governnts worldwide were taking this ga with the utmost seriousness, scrambling to obtain any scrap of information before its launch. Yet, the ga seed to have materialized out of thin air, its origins completely untraceable.
This mystery piqued Rovel's interest. He flipped open his laptop, preparing to dive into the web for more information. The volu of discussion was staggering, but as he scrolled, he realized there was... nothing. No previews, no gaplay footage, no developer interviews. Everyone was completely in the dark.
'So where is all this hype coming from?' he wondered.
Suddenly, his hearing, sharper than he rembered, picked up the faint, tallic click of a key being inserted into the lock of his apartnt's front door. A specific figure imdiately sprang to mind.
He closed the laptop and padded silently over to his bedroom door, positioning himself just behind it. He watched as the doorknob turned, slow and deliberate, making not a single sound. The door creaked open a tiny crack, and a single eye peered cautiously through the gap, scanning the room.
The room was silent.
"What? So Brother isn't here."
The girl, Yuki Suou, pushed the door open and stepped inside. The mont she crossed the threshold, Rovel brought his hand down from behind in a light, precise karate chop that landed squarely on the top of her head.
She yelped in fright. "Brother, you're so an!"
She clutched her head, her cheeks puffing out as she turned to face him. The corners of her eyes shimred with theatrical tears.
"I'd say the person trying to sneak into my room is even worse," Rovel retorted, completely unfazed by her award-winning performance. He walked back to his desk, intent on resuming his search for information on 'Honkai.'"Only people with a guilty conscience are afraid of being caught. Could it be that Brother likes to do... indescribable things in his room? Well, you are an adult now, old enough for'solo play.' Let see if your adult books are hidden under the bed..."
Without waiting for a reply, she was already on her hands and knees, preparing to crawl under his bedfra.
"A mouse got into the house a couple of days ago," Rovel said casually. "It kept gnawing on the bed at night, making so much noise I couldn't sleep. Could you help find it while you're down there?"
Just as he finished speaking, a loud thump echoed from under the bed, followed by a muffled groan of pain. A mont later, Yuki stood up, pitifully rubbing the top of her head where she'd bumped it.
"I lied," Rovel stated, his shoulders shaking as he fought to suppress a laugh.
Yuki stared at him, her eyes wide with indignation. "Brother, you've learned bad things out there in the world."
"This kind of self-centered behavior is quite unlikable, you know," Rovel said, turning his gaze back to the computer screen.
"Brother~" Yuki's voice suddenly beca so sweet it was almost sickening.
"Except for Yuki's," Rovel added without missing a beat.
"Heehee! I really do love Brother the most!"
She imdiately threw her arms around his neck from behind, her youthful, slender fra pressing warmly against his back. Her gaze followed his to the laptop screen.
Seeing the search results, her voice filled with surprise and delight. "Eh? Is Brother interested in 'Honkai'?"
"Yeah, I've been a bit bored lately. Since this ga is so popular, I wanted to learn more about it. But there doesn't seem to be much information released..." Rovel propped his chin on one hand, the other guiding the mouse as he scrolled through another fruitless webpage.
"Humph... Hmph hmph hmph hmph!" Yuki suddenly straightened up, planting her hands on her hips and letting out a ridiculously proud laugh.
"Not bad," Rovel teased. "As expected of my genius sister, you've even learned how to oink like a pig."
"I'll strangle you," she threatened, tightening her arm around his neck just enough to be felt. Seeing him feign a pained struggle, she finally relented with a giggle.
She then reached into her bag, pulled out a bound manuscript, and placed it squarely in front of him. The title on the cover was written in two large, bold characters: 'Honkai.'
"Actually, the reason I ca this ti was to get you to play this ga, Brother," she said, her playful deanor vanishing as her tone grew serious. "We've received so insider information. This ga might trigger a reshuffling of global power, and there are many secrets hidden inside."
She tapped the manuscript. "And this is so intel about that world! It's not much, but it's enough for us to get a preliminary understanding."
Rovel flipped open the cover, his gaze montarily turning distant. "It wasn't the Family Head who sent you to tell this, was it?"
"Family Head... Father would be so sad to hear you call him that! It was his idea, yes, but even if he hadn't said anything, I would have told you imdiately. After all, my love for you surpasses anyone else's in the world!" Yuki confessed with audacious boldness.
Rovel, the recipient of this grand declaration, rely gave a nonchalant, "Oh."
"'Oh'... What do you an by 'Oh'?! This is your dear sister, bravely crossing the forbidden gate and confessing her love despite the world's judgnt! And you respond so casually?!"
Yuki frantically grabbed at his hair, looking as if she wanted to pluck every single strand from his head.
"Are you hungry?" Rovel asked, completely ignoring her outburst.
"Hungry!" she answered instantly, her priorities shifting on a di.
"Today's main course is pig's trotters stewed in a Sichuan spicy hotpot base." Rovel stood up and headed for the kitchen.
"Brother is the best!" Yuki imdiately cheered.
The mont Rovel left the room, Yuki darted to his laptop, her fingers flying across the trackpad to check his browsing history.
"Don't waste your energy. I was using Incognito Mode." Rovel's voice drifted back into the room as he poked his head around the doorfra like a triumphant mastermind.
"No!!!" Yuki wailed, throwing herself dramatically onto the nearby bed. She had been hoping to see if his favorite genre was 'little sister' thes, which might give her a fighting chance.
While Rovel was busy in the kitchen, another knock sounded, this ti at the front door. Before he could even respond, Yuki had already shot out of the room, shouting, "Coming, coming!"
She opened the door to find two movers standing outside, wrestling with a large, heavy-looking object.
"Hmm... Just put it in this room," Yuki instructed, directing the two n to place the massive crate in Rovel's bedroom.
"What is this?" Rovel asked, erging from the kitchen in confusion.
"It's the ga's Login Pod, of course! I bought this for you with my own savings, Brother. Aren't you touched? Don't you feel like dedicating your life to in retur—"
Noticing the increasingly strange looks the movers were giving him, Rovel lightly tapped Yuki on the head with his knuckles to cut her off. She stuck out her tongue playfully.
"I was going to say that gaming glasses would have been enough," Rovel said, "but since this is a gift from Yuki, I'll accept it."
He didn't say anything about wasting money, nor did he make so high-minded speech about refusing family charity. It was a gift from Yuki. That was reason enough. Simple and direct.
"Heehee, as long as you like it, Brother." Seeing him accept it so readily, the joy on Yuki's face deepened.
The gaming pod was quickly installed under her watchful supervision, ready for the server opening the next morning.
"So satisfied! As expected, Brother's cooking is the best!" Yuki declared with a contented sigh, patting her now-rounded belly.
"The chefs at your ho would cry if they heard that," Rovel said as he began clearing the dishes.
Unexpectedly, Yuki shook her head. "The chefs at ho would never make anything this spicy. They're afraid I'll upset my stomach. Even when they add spice, it's only 'mild.' It can't compare to yours at all, Brother!"
"Then you should learn how to cook yourself," he teased.
"Hmph, making it myself is impossible. It's impossible for to cook for the rest of my life. Anyway, I have you. At worst, I'll just pay you rent and have you be my personal chef!" Yuki said, half-joking.
"What kind of person do you take your brother for?" Rovel looked at her, a helpless smile on his face. She was such a perfect lady when out in public, yet in front of him, she was a completely spoiled little sister.
"Hmm..." Yuki tapped her lower lip with her finger, pretending to be deep in thought. "A partner I can live with forever in the future!" She snapped her fingers as if she'd had a brilliant revelation.
"Although that's a bit more subtle than what you said before, your educated brother can still understand the aning." Rovel finished clearing the table and took the dishes to the kitchen sink.
Yuki quickly got up and followed him, standing side-by-side with him to wash the dishes. Rovel applied the soap and scrubbed away the grease, while Yuki rinsed and stacked. They worked together with an exceptional, practiced cooperation.
"Brother, don't you think we look like a married couple to outsiders?" Yuki's mouth always seed to sprout the most unexpected things.
"We already look quite similar to begin with," Rovel replied calmly, long since accustod to her flights of fancy.
"Right, right?" she imdiately chirped, thinking he had agreed with her 'married couple' comnt.
"Right my foot. How could we not look alike when we're blood-related?" Rovel rolled his eyes, montarily speechless at her bizarre train of thought.
"I know you're just being shy, Brother. I believe that one day, you'll definitely accept ! Hehe... Hehehe..." As she spoke, Yuki seed to drift off into so private fantasy, hugging herself and squirming like a happy caterpillar.
"Yes, yes, whatever you say." Rovel finished stacking the last dish, shook the water from his hands, and left the kitchen without a backward glance.
By the ti Yuki snapped out of her daydream, Rovel was already back in his room, flipping through the gaming pod's instruction manual.
"Could it be... that in Brother's eyes, gas are actually more important than ? Tsk tsk tsk..." Yuki looked at him with a face full of mock grief.
"What are you mumbling about?" Rovel glanced up.
Her theatrical tears vanished instantly, replaced by a look of fierce determination. "Even though you can play gas as much as you want, you can also play with Yuki as much as you want! There's no fundantal difference between Yuki and gas! Co on, Onii-chan, don't pity , just vent the beast in your heart—"
Just then, the sharp ring of a phone cut through her saccharine monologue.
"Who has such terrible timing?! Can't they see I'm expressing my inner love to my brother!" Yuki indignantly fished her phone out of her discarded bag. The mont she saw the word 'Father' on the screen, the fire that had just ignited was instantly extinguished.
She didn't answer right away. Instead, she looked at Rovel with a dejected expression. "Sorry, Brother, I might have to go back early."
"Okay, I'll walk you out." Rovel wasn't surprised. He put down the manual and walked with her downstairs.
Two black cars were already waiting by the curb.
"Goodbye, Brother." Although she was a bit disappointed, Yuki still bid him farewell with a cheerful smile, as if nothing were wrong.
"...Wait." Rovel suddenly reached out and pulled her back.
"Brother?" Yuki tilted her head, confused.
Rovel took a shallow breath and leaned in, whispering into her ear, his voice low and serious.
"Yuki and gas are different. Yuki is more important than gas."
That day, Yuki completely forgot how she got ho. Her mind had been wiped clean by that single sentence from Rovel.
It wasn't until she was lying in her own bed late that night that she suddenly shot upright, her thoughts finally catching up.
"That was a marriage proposal, right? It must be! It definitely is!!"
Unfortunately for her, there was now one more person suffering from insomnia that night.
anwhile, the culprit, Rovel, was staring blankly at the manuscript Yuki had left behind. Two familiar terms had caught his eye.
'Schicksal'and'Anti-Entropy.'
Below them were introductions for the two organizations.
> Schicksal
> One of the world's primary organizations dedicated to fighting the 'Honkai.'Established with the goal of eradicating'Honkai'from the world, it has existed since the 5th century AD and possesses a long and storied history. In the 14th century, it was formally established as a secret organization led by the Apocalypse family. Originating in Europe, it now has branches distributed worldwide and currently controls most of Europe and Asia. In its early stages, the organization's structure relied on a religious frawork, and its leader is known as the'Overseer,' who applies centralized managent.
> Anti-Entropy
> Unlike Schicksal's centralized managent, Anti-Entropy adopts a league-style system. Within Anti-Entropy, there is a class of individuals known as 'Executors'; their status is second only to the Sovereign, and they possess independent authority to manage the various institutions under Anti-Entropy's influence. Although it has been in long-term opposition to Schicksal, this does not an Anti-Entropy stands on the side of Honkai. On the contrary, Anti-Entropy advocates for humanitarianism. Compared to Schicksal's use of massive human resources in the war against Honkai, Anti-Entropy prefers to use Tactical cha as its core combat force.
Rovel silently closed the manuscript. 'So... could this ga called 'Honkai' actually be Honkai Impact 3rd?'In the mories that had so suddenly awakened within him, he just so happened to possess the entire plot of that very ga.'Does this count as getting the most complete plot preview in advance?'A slow smile spread across his face.'Although I know the plot of Honkai Impact 3rd, I'm not clear on the specific details of the ga itself... If it starts from the main storyline's Moonlight Throne arc, then this ga would be far too short.'
The main plot of the ga began in September 2016, and the first part concluded in December 2017. While the first part of Honkai Impact 3rd spanned over thirty chapters, the actual in-world events it covered took place in just over a year.
For now, Rovel had no idea how the ga would be presented. He couldn't make a detailed and complete plan yet. He could only wait to log in tomorrow and make his arrangents then.
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