Honkai Star Rail: Make Honkai Great Again Chapter 118: If It Were Ruan

Fresh flesh and blood.

Food.

Desire.

Driven by instinct, the tiger-headed monster raised a palm as large as a car and struck toward Kiana, intending to grab her, stuff her into its mouth, and chew—devouring the nourishnt of her flesh.

How would Kiana respond?

Ruan i watched intently, her gaze fixed on Kiana's condition.

Unexpectedly, Kiana didn't dodge. Instead, she t the monster's descending palm with her fist.

A wave exploded outward from the point of impact.

Ruan i watched as the tiger-headed monster actually retracted its hand and staggered backward several steps. Even she couldn't help but stare in astonishnt.

Had she... won purely by brute strength?

But the most shocking part was yet to co. Ruan i hadn't expected that Kiana's first battle would end in such a way.

The tiger-headed creature, having suffered a blow, was just about to retaliate when Kiana suddenly appeared behind it—and in the next instant, the monster was sent flying with a single punch.

Kiana's strength was terrifying, but her speed was no less so. The mont she struck, she also gave chase. To an outside observer, it looked as if she had teleported to the monster's highest point, and then...

Boom—

Kiana knew exactly what kind of data Ruan i wanted—and she also planned to show her the equipnt she'd used after the test.

So, before throwing her final punch, she had equipped those badges that boosted unard combat power.

It was her strongest punch yet.

The ground, whatever material it had been made of, now bore a dium-sized crater.

As for the enemy—it couldn't possibly withstand such force. The mont it hit the ground, it exploded into a cloud of blood and shattered remains.

Kiana's eyelids twitched at the sight.

She cast a guilty glance in Ruan i's direction. Maybe... she should've held back a little?

Ruan i?

Ruan i remained silent for a long while.

To put it plainly—Kiana's final punch had amplified her strength by over a thousandfold.

And that might not even have been her limit.

It was simply her current normal state.

"Next round?"

"Next round!"

Frost sealed the entire arena—including Kiana's next opponent.

"Next round!"

Kiana's combat thods were ever-changing; as the rounds went on, she sohow managed to bring out various technological weapons from who-knows-where.

After more than ten consecutive battles, the last one ended with a punch.

When Ruan i noticed Kiana had stopped using new tactics, she understood that Kiana had exhausted all her techniques.

Originally, this test had been ant to determine Kiana's current limit state—but with all her colorful abilities on display, it had turned into a test of her versatility instead.

Perhaps only an Emanator could push Kiana to reveal her true full-power limit.

Ruan i pressed a button. The shields surrounding the arena faded, revealing the devastated and bloodstained battlefield within.

"Ruan, how was that?"

Seeing the barrier dissolve, Kiana—knowing the test was over—hurried toward Ruan i.

She was still buzzing with excitent.

Truth be told, she had never experienced this kind of one-on-one battle before. And she had to admit—it felt pretty great.

"Your physical data differs in every battle."

As Kiana approached, Ruan i said, "Is it because of varying Honkai energy usage?"

"No."

Returning to the platform, Kiana tugged uncomfortably at her collar. "Let change clothes first—then I'll explain."

Ruan i nodded silently.

Maybe she should prepare so accessories with supportive functions for Kiana... her fighting style really wasn't suited for ordinary attire.

After all, it wouldn't do if every battle ended with Kiana's first thought being: I need a shower.

They left the collection chamber together.

The ruined space left behind by Kiana's rampage would soon be cleaned up by maintenance robots.

Not long after.

Now in fresh clothes and feeling utterly refreshed, Kiana returned to the lab to find Ruan i again.

"I'm back!"

Ruan i lifted her gaze from the screen, nodding. "Then let's talk."

"Yeah, sure. Let's start from the beginning—how my fate beca entwined with the Honkai."

Recalling the events of the past, Kiana said, "It's hard to explain what exactly 'Honkai' is, but there's no doubt that I'm soone chosen by it."

"Although I can't quite understand the reason, it can spread through my actions—and even rewrite the laws of an entire world."

Just like in Izumo.

"I can also retrieve certain things from the Honkai itself—items that it grants ."

"Like these."

Kiana took out a handful of objects—badges, pistols, blades, sprays, even rocket launchers—and piled them all onto the table before her.

"They're all creations of the Honkai. Each one carries a unique power."

She went on to explain to Ruan i the effects attached to these items.

"How fascinating. Unlike the Paths, the Honkai's power doesn't bind itself through harsh contracts—it condenses into tools that anyone can use?"

Unfortunately, this wasn't Ruan i's area of expertise.

She preferred to study life itself. As for these tools, just one look was enough to tell her they were the kind of thing Herta would find interesting.

Speaking of Herta—

The "little things" she had ntioned during their earlier communication... they must have been these very items Kiana had just displayed.

Ruan i picked up one of the badges, deep in thought.

"There's also the Stigmata," Kiana added. "I can exchange for them—and even give them to others."

Upon hearing that, Ruan i's suspicions solidified. Setting down the badge, she said, "It seems the Honkai really is cultivating you."

"Huh?"

"Haven't you realized it yet?"

Ruan i arched an eyebrow. "Its purpose seems to be to make you sothing akin to an Aeon."

"That's impossible!"

Kiana shook her head quickly, denying it. "The Honkai has nothing to do with the Aeons! And as for becoming a god—that's even less likely. Isn't there already the Aeon of Finality in this universe?"

"Finality?"

Catching the keyword, Ruan i asked curiously, "You know your own Path?"

"Well, I am the Herrscher of Finality."

Finality... Herrscher of Finality...

Ruan i shook her head slightly. "Even if you're not an Aeon, its existence must still be guiding you toward ascension."

Kiana hesitated. She wanted to argue—but would Ruan i ever say sothing she wasn't certain of?

"...Why do you think that?"

"Your body is proof enough. I believe I ntioned this before."

"Ah... that might just be interference from Honkai energy."

Kiana scratched her head, unconvinced.

"You are fundantally different from other Honkai creatures."

Ruan i shook her head lightly. "I've studied miracles, and I've also studied Emanators. My intuition isn't wrong."

Wasn't wrong?

Coming from Ruan i, that statent carried trendous weight.

But still...

Kiana lowered her head, silent, unsure of what to say.

Seeing this, Ruan i frowned slightly, unable to understand. "Why feel sad?"

"I'm not sad."

Ruan i looked at Kiana, who had closed her eyes for a brief mont. It seed there were still things about her that even she didn't understand.

Unfortunately, the only source of answers was Kiana herself.

Still...

"If you're talking about my body being different, it's probably because my body was born from the Honkai."

"I see."

Ruan i didn't ask why. Her mind instinctively began analyzing possibilities, and indeed, that explanation seed plausible.

So Kiana was a lifeform born of the Honkai—not an ordinary being of natural origin?

Yes... that would make sense.

"So ascending to godhood or anything like that is impossible. At most, I'd be considered a ssenger of the Honkai," Kiana said lightly. "Like how Aeons have their Emanators."

"Even if I don't understand why you deny it," Ruan i replied, "I still trust my own judgnt."

She took Kiana's hand. The bandages were gone, and there were no traces of corrosion left on her skin. "You're already on the path to ascension."

Kiana gave a dry laugh. "Ascend to what god? Don't tell I'm supposed to beco the Honkai God? That's impossible. Behind the Honkai lies the Will of—"

The Will of Ruler?

Once again, she rembered—the Honkai here wasn't the sa as the one in Honkai Impact 3rd; it was the one from Houkai Gakuen 2.

And in GGZ, beyond the Herrscher of Finality stood the Will of Ruler.

But the System wasn't the Will of Ruler.

Even by the end of GGZ, the true origin of the Honkai remained a mystery. The Will of Ruler wasn't its true source.

And the reason she had assud this Honkai to be from GGZ was because of the System's abilities—but was that really the sa Honkai as in the ga?

Without seeing it firsthand, she couldn't be sure.

"What are you thinking about?" Ruan i asked.

"Maybe... the Honkai has a 'master'?"

"A 'master'? If the Honkai truly has a master," Ruan i said without hesitation, "then you should replace them."

What a bold statent!

Ruan i always knew how to shock her.

Kiana stamred, "Ruan, are... are you serious?"

"Don't you think so? If the Honkai has a will, it's clearly cultivating you. And if it doesn't, then as soone born of it, why shouldn't you beco the god of Honkai yourself?"

How did this conversation turn into ascending to godhood?

Kiana's mind went blank.

That didn't sound right.

That couldn't be logical, could it?

"How could I possibly—"

Seeing her growing restless, Ruan i cut in calmly, "Who else is more qualified than you?"

"...Ruan, do you actually want to ascend?"

Kiana looked at her nervously.

Ruan i's words had thrown her thoughts into chaos—she began to wonder if Ruan i truly wanted her to take that path.

"I want to see it," Ruan i admitted without hesitation. "And it's simply the truth—no one is more qualified than you."

To witness a divine ascension firsthand—

How many people had dread of such a thing?

It was only natural that Ruan i would be interested. After all, the reason she kept Kiana by her side was precisely because she had seen this potential in her.

"What if there isn't a 'Honkai God' at all?" Kiana asked. "What if the Honkai is like water or the sun—sothing that's always existed? The universe doesn't have a water god or a sun god, right? The Honkai isn't a Path."

"What are you running from?"

Ruan i looked at her, as if seeing through her hesitation. To her, this should have been a good thing. "Have you ever considered that, whether you acknowledge it or not, that position still exists? It won't vanish just because you deny it. And if you don't claim it, soone else might."

If such a position truly existed—

Kiana frowned.

Beco the Honkai God, with the System's help?

She thought back to her experience in Izumo—assimilating other worlds and rewriting their rules.

"I've never considered that possibility before."

"Then make it your goal."

Ruan i released her hand and t her eyes. "That will be the goal you must accomplish."

Make that... my goal?

Kiana hesitated. "But this is just speculation..."

Ruan i's words overturned everything she thought she knew—it didn't seem likely.

"I'll help you."

Kiana swallowed the words she had been about to say, her gaze dazed as she looked into Ruan i's beautiful eyes.

Those eyes seed to hold a quiet power—just eting them made all her unease and turmoil gradually fade away.

"I'll help you walk this path to the end."

Ruan i's voice was soft and even, devoid of emotion, yet sohow it filled Kiana with strength and resolve.

Even if there was no path to begin with—

Ruan i would carve one open, and push Kiana forward along it.

She had that kind of confidence.

"If it's sothing Ruan wants to see... then I'll give it a try!"

Kiana took a deep breath and smiled brightly once more. "From now on, that's my goal!"

Ruan i had already gone this far—if Kiana kept hesitating, wouldn't that be too cowardly of her?

Ruan i was confident.

So how could she, Kiana, back down now?

"Good."

A trace of satisfaction appeared in Ruan i's eyes. Then she said, "Let help you extract this Stigmata."

"Extract it?"

Kiana's smile froze. Her hand instinctively reached back in alarm as she looked nervously at Ruan i.

"Um, I also brought so other Stigmata Crystals—maybe we could start with those first?"

"Keeping that one on you won't do you any good," Ruan i said seriously.

"But it's my friend's," Kiana protested. "Let's start with the other Stigmata Crystals first. Once we're sure it's safe, I'll remove this one."

Kiana still didn't know exactly what kind of experint Ruan i intended to perform with the Stigmata, so she preferred to play it safe.

After all, Ruan i wasn't exactly known for caring about whether her experints were humane—or safe.

"Alright."

Ruan i understood her hesitation. Seeing that Kiana didn't mind handing over the Stigmata, she didn't press further.

She accepted the Stigmata Crystals and went to the other side of the lab, preparing to stimulate them with moria to observe their reactions.

She wanted to see how the Stigmata World would respond.

When Kiana had first ntioned the Stigmata World, Ruan i's mind had imdiately gone to moria and dreamscapes.

Though Kiana didn't really understand the process, she still followed closely behind Ruan i like a little tail.

Ruan i's interest in the Stigmata World—or rather, the consciousness within Stigmata—far exceeded her curiosity about the weapons.

As she had said before—

Herta would be far more interested in the equipnt.

Ti was impossible to feel within the laboratory. Kiana ended up staying with Ruan i for several days straight.

Once it was confird that moria was harmless to the Stigmata—and even enriched the Stigmata World—Kiana contacted Yae Sakura and finally removed Sakura's Stigmata from herself.

Now, that Stigmata floated in the center of the lab, inside a transparent cylindrical chamber filled with moria.

Ruan i was still analyzing it.

The process wasn't going smoothly.

"If you're tired, go rest for a while," Ruan i said, glancing briefly at Kiana, who was resting her head on her arms, watching her work. "You don't need to stay here with ."

The next stage was pure analysis.

There wasn't much Kiana could do to help—after all, she knew nothing about the Stigmata herself.