Honkai Star Rail: Make Honkai Great Again Chapter 38: The Road of No Return

When did it increase?!

Why didn't I know about it?!

Kiana's expression froze completely.

She knew this system was a little suspicious from the beginning.

"It's because it's inherently powerful."

"So when it cos into contact with Honkai Energy, it only appears to grow even stronger."

"That's what I think."

After i finished speaking and saw that Kiana wasn't responding, she turned her attention back toward her—only to notice Kiana's tightly furrowed brows.

Her heart sank slightly.

"What's wrong?" she asked, concern creeping into her tone.

Kiana's face looked troubled and uncertain. "…It seems things are getting a bit out of control."

The progress had increased without her knowing. Although it was slowly decreasing now, the fact remained—it had gone up without her awareness.

Now she finally understood the 'Summary' section—those seemingly redundant, aningless lines actually had a purpose.

And after seeing the downward arrow, she realized what the 'Permanent' progress reward ant.

"Are you talking about Almighty Thunder?"

Things were looking bad.

No—worse than bad.

But there was no turning back anymore.

Once she chose to activate the system, there was no retreat left. Her eyes locked on the word 'Honkai' under the 'Faction' tab.

The pressure cleared her mind.

"Yes, it's that—but not just that!"

Kiana stood up. "I don't know if Yae Sakura and the Sentinels can win, but I think I… should prepare for the worst."

She swallowed the word "I" that almost slipped out. This was her responsibility—not i's.

"You're trying to leave out of this, aren't you?"

Raiden i was sharp, frowning as she studied the suddenly steady and serious Kiana.

"Of course not!" Kiana smiled. "I want to be with you forever, i."

The worst-case scenario would be Izumo being destroyed ahead of ti. If it ca to that, she would find a way to ensure Raiden i—who still had a chance to live—escaped Izumo safely.

Her goal had always been to add as many people as possible to the list of survivors.

When Kiana spoke those thoughts aloud, i blinked in surprise. The tension in her face eased slightly.

"I… I feel the sa way."

So Kiana felt that way too.

That was… such a relief.

Under normal circumstances, Kiana would've been ecstatic and taken the chance to tease her further.

But now, there were more important matters at hand.

"In any case, becoming stronger is never a bad thing," Kiana said, changing her mindset.

If it couldn't be controlled, then she'd use that power to its fullest.

"Let's go hunt Kami together!"

Kiana's eyes blazed with determination as she looked expectantly at Raiden i, eager to gather more Honkai Cubes to arm themselves.

She also wanted to test a theory.

If the progress increase wasn't related to the Cubes, then she'd turn every Kami nearby into Cubes and use them to arm herself and i.

But if it was related…

Then increasing progress to gain more power—and raising Izumo's Honkai Energy concentration—might also serve as a way to fight against both the Kami and Nihility.

"Right now?"

"Right now!" Kiana nodded. "If the Sentinels can't kill Almighty Thunder, then in the end…"

She didn't finish the sentence.

Because she knew i understood what she ant.

"I get it," i replied. "Wandering around aimlessly will just waste ti. I've added contact links for those ard squads we saw earlier—maybe they can report any Kami sightings."

"They told that the sky's been shrouded by Almighty Thunder's power. With it manifesting, the Kami that normally hide away are all out celebrating right now."

"When powerful Kami walk the earth, it triggers a 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons.'"

A Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, huh?

That should an there are plenty of targets—enough to farm for a while, maybe even get a few better weapons and emblems.

"Then i, you contact them. I'll go talk to Sirin again."

Sirin?

When it ca to that girl Kiana had rescued, Raiden i still had many questions.

"I'll wait for you here," i said.

"I'll be right back!"

Of course Kiana knew i had many doubts.

But it wasn't just i.

Even she herself—

She had countless questions in her heart. She didn't really understand this Miss Sirin at all, and for now, her impression of her was replaced by the Herrscher of the Void from Honkai Impact 3rd.

Back at her room door, Kiana politely knocked, letting the person inside know she had arrived.

"Co in."

Sirin hadn't been resting. The mont she heard the knock, she already knew that the two had finished their discussion.

She wasn't the kind of person to pry into others' affairs, but for the girl who had saved her from a collapsing Imaginary Space—and the one praised by Yae Sakura—she couldn't help but feel curious.

"How are you feeling?"

Once inside, Kiana's first concern was Sirin's condition.

"The sa as before," Sirin replied, pausing for a mont before continuing, "How did you manage to pull back from the brink of death in such a short ti?"

"I used a thod that wasn't exactly scientific."

Kiana smiled awkwardly, then looked at the violet-haired girl sitting on the bed. "Miss Sirin, do you know about the 'Night Parade of One Hundred Demons' that happens when Almighty Thunder manifests?"

"I do."

After her mother's death, the battle between Eternal Zenith and the humans had lasted several more days, with no rescue teams appearing during that ti.

She had survived by wandering through the ruins with other holess survivors, hiding from the Kami that could appear at any ti to snatch their lives, and searching for food and water until the day the rescue teams finally arrived.

She had personally witnessed the brutal Kami of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons—those that chased, toyed with, and devoured humans alive.

"Do you have any advice?" Kiana asked. "i and I are planning to go out and clear the Kami in Nagazora City!"

"Clear the Kami of this entire city?"

Sirin was stunned. After thinking for a mont, she said, "As long as Almighty Thunder still exists, these weaker creatures will never be completely wiped out. It's as if they're receiving so kind of command—they'll keep pouring into any city where humans are still alive, coming from the wilds, from afar."

"Can't be wiped out?"

Kiana's eyes lit up. That ant she didn't need to switch maps—she could just keep running around Nagazora City, slaying Kami and collecting Honkai Cubes endlessly?

"…You seem… happy about that?"

Sirin's expression turned strange as she looked at Kiana, hesitating to speak. Since Kiana was her savior, she didn't think too much of it—but still, it felt a bit odd.

"Was it that obvious?" Kiana scratched her head sheepishly. "The more Kami I kill, the stronger I get. So, if you put it that way, you can probably understand why I'd be a little excited."

The more Kami she slew, the stronger she beca?

Sirin thought of the Kami's curse—the deeper one's corruption, the greater the power they could draw upon.

But the risk of losing control grew just as fast.

To use her own health to keep slaying Kami, becoming stronger and stronger… all to protect the right of others to live?

"Actually…"