Chapter 9:

Lying on the bed, Kiana turned over once… then again. The worn blanket rustled under her as she shifted for the hundredth time. Though the mattress was surprisingly soft and the pillow smelled faintly like lavender, her body refused to relax. Her fingers twitched with leftover adrenaline, her legs slightly sore from running all day.

The room was dim, lit only by the soft orange glow of a sunset filtering through cracked blinds. Dust particles floated lazily in the air. Somewhere outside, a distant monster let out a low growl, but even that didn't compare to the storm of thoughts in Kiana's head.

She sighed and flopped onto her back, staring at the ceiling.

"I should be sleeping…" she mumbled. "I want to sleep…"

Snnoooze.

A minute later, she dozed off, face buried in the pillow, limbs spread out like a starfish. A thin line of drool slid from her mouth.

"Hehehe… beautiful girl… instant noodle flavor…" she muttered dreamily, a silly grin spreading across her face.

Then, as if struck by lightning, her eyes flew open.

"Huh?!"

She sat up instantly, cheeks flushed. Without hesitation, she slapped both her cheeks with a loud smack-smack.

"No! I can't sleep yet!" she shouted to herself, puffing out her cheeks with determination. "Still dangerous place… monsters outside… can't let my guard down!"

She stood up from the bed, fists clenched at her sides like a soldier trying to stay disciplined—though the drool still clinging to the corner of her mouth slightly ruined the effect.

From the next room, Bronya peeked around the corner with a deadpan stare.

"…Idiotka talking in sleep" she said flatly.

Mei, curled up on a chair with a blanket draped around her shoulders, just laughed softly. "At least she's still herself."

As the room settled into quiet again, Mei leaned gently against the wall, her arms loosely crossed as she looked at Bronya with curiosity.

"If Bronya doesn't mind…" Mei began softly, "can I ask why you keep calling those monsters 'Honkai Beasts'? I've never heard that term before we met you."

Bronya, who was seated on the edge of the couch, glanced up at Mei with her usual neutral expression. "Bronya used Bronya's hacking skill to access certain classified data streams. That is what the files called them—'Honkai Beasts.'"

"I see…" Mei nodded thoughtfully. "So, what exactly is this 'Honkai'?"

Bronya shrugged slightly. "Bronya does not have full data access. But what Bronya found says that the disaster affecting this city—and the creatures appearing from it—are all related to something called the Honkai. The zombies, the monsters, everything—they are products of this Honkai phenomenon. That's all Bronya knows for now."

Mei smiled warmly. "That's already very helpful. Thank you, Bronya."

"No problem, Mei-nee-sama," Bronya replied, a slight twitch at the corner of her lips that almost resembled a smile.

Suddenly, Kiana's voice cut through the moment like a lightning bolt.

"EHHH?! I thought you were just making all that up to sound cool! So you're actually a hacker?!"

Kiana leaned over the back of the couch, eyes sparkling with excitement. "Alright, Bronya! How about hacking my mock exam score next time? If you do, I'll totally believe everything you say—promise!"

Bronya turned slowly to give Kiana a soul-drained, deadpan look.

"…No. Why would Bronya do that just to prove her identity to subject kiana?"

"Tch! Cheapskate!" Kiana huffed, crossing her arms like a pouting cat.

Then her eyes lit up again as she pointed an accusing finger. "Wait! What about the flying thing, huh? How do you float like that?! Don't tell me it's another one of your 'super hacker' powers! Did you hack gravity?!"

Bronya blinked slowly, clearly processing the absurdity.

"…Is subject kiana bound to be this foolish? Hack gravity? That's not how any of this works."

"I'm not a fool! I was just asking a question!" Kiana shouted defensively, puffing her cheeks out.

Mei giggled behind her hand, watching the two argue again.

Bronya simply sighed, adjusting her posture like a tired older sibling dealing with a very energetic toddler.

"Maybe Bronya should hack idiotka's brain and install basic logic."

"You wanna go, bratnya?!" Kiana roared, grabbing a pillow like a weapon.

Mei chuckled softly. "Honestly… you two get along so well."

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

A few minutes later, the tension in the room had cooled.

Bronya now lay on the floor, curled up comfortably with her beloved Homu plushie hugged tightly to her chest. Her head rested gently on Mei's lap, and Mei—ever the nurturing presence—was quietly stroking Bronya's silver hair like a big sister comforting a sleepy sibling. The atmosphere was peaceful, almost serene, except for—

Krrk. Krkkk.

On the nearby couch, Kiana sat biting her nails, her eye twitching as she watched the scene unfold.

She was not okay.

Kiana's lips trembled in a pout as she glared at the affectionate scene between Mei and Bronya. She let out a soft groan of jealousy, practically vibrating in place.

But then… something caught her eye.

Her gaze dropped to Bronya's arms, where she noticed something clutched tightly. A small, chubby, and unmistakably familiar plush—

"Wait a second…"

Kiana narrowed her eyes and leaned forward slowly, creeping off the couch on all fours like a stalking cat. She got closer.

Then froze.

HOMU PLUSHIE?!

Kiana gasped in her mind, a tiny sparkle appearing in her eye. That unmistakable derpy face. The stubby limbs. The round little belly.

She stared in awe.

This brat… has good taste.

Nodding sagely to herself, Kiana crossed her arms, looking solemnly toward the heavens, as if some unspoken bond had just formed. "Hmph… Not bad. Not bad at all," she whispered under her breath.

Bronya, still lying comfortably on Mei's lap, blinked and turned her head slightly. Her eyes landed on the white-haired girl now silently nodding to herself in a very dramatic, totally unnecessary way.

She stared.

Deadpan.

Like someone watching a pigeon do a victory dance after stealing a fry.

"…Is subject Kiana broken again?" Bronya asked flatly.

Mei chuckled softly as she continued stroking Bronya's hair. "I think she just discovered you're more alike than she realized."

Bronya hugged the Homu plushie tighter.

"…Disturbing."

As the trio continued their quiet moment—Bronya nestled in Mei’s lap, Kiana sulking nearby—suddenly…

THOMP.

A deep, thunderous footstep shook the ground beneath them.

The atmosphere snapped from warmth to tension in an instant. Kiana shot upright, instinctively gripping her bat. Mei’s eyes sharpened, her body tensing. Bronya, ever composed, sat up straight from Mei’s lap, her Homu plushie now gently set aside.

Another THOMP echoed, louder this time—closer.

CRASH!

Without warning, the entire side of the building exploded inward.

A gigantic spear had torn through the wall like paper, shattering concrete and metal alike. The trio were flung by the impact—dust and debris clouding the air.

Bronya twisted midair, flipping back and landing gracefully like a practiced acrobat.

Kiana caught Mei mid-fall, bracing her legs and landing hard on her knees, shielding her with her own body. She winced but held firm.

The dust began to settle… and then they saw it.

A twelve-meter-tall Honkai Beast stood in front of them—its white armor plated like a knight's, veins of Honkai energy pulsating across its grotesque form. In its hand a massive spear, already crackling with energy.

Its monstrous gaze locked onto the three girls.

"The one from before..." Mei muttered, eyes narrowing. "The huge monster that cause all of this"

Kiana stepped forward, planting herself between the beast and her friends.

"You two—run!" she shouted, turning her head slightly toward them.

The beast didn’t wait.

With terrifying speed for its size, it yanked the spear free from the crumbled building and lunged, stabbing down toward Kiana with a roar.

Time seemed to slow.

Kiana's breath caught.

So this is what people mean… when they say everything slows down before death...

But then—

Her grip tightened.

“Nope. I’m not done yet!” Kiana roared, twisting her body.

The spear slammed into the ground just inches from her, carving a deep trench through the earth.

She’d dodged it—barely.

Mei let out a shaky breath of relief. “Kiana!”

But there was no time to rest. The templar Honkai beast howled and raised its weapon again for a follow-up strike.

Suddenly—

CLANG!!

A second spear clashed midair with the beast’s own, stopping the attack cold. Sparks flew from the collision.

Kiana’s eyes darted up—her mouth hanging open.

“Eh?!”

Behind Bronya, a sleek, floating Mecha had risen into view, thrusters glowing softly. It held a spear in one mechanical arm, locked against the beast’s weapon in a power struggle.

A mechanical whirr echoed as its systems charged.

Kiana slowly turned her stunned gaze to Bronya, who stood with one hand raised, eyes glowing faintly.

“…Bronya?”

The Mecha hovered closer—clearly synced to Bronya’s command.

Kiana pointed a trembling finger, confused and amazed. “Wait… is… is Bronya aura farming right now?!”

Bronya didn’t blink. “No. Bronya is saving your idiotka face.”

Despite the earlier clash, it was clear—Bronya’s sleek mecha was no match for the sheer brute force of this templar-class Honkai beast.

Their weapons ground against each other for a second longer… until the beast’s massive strength overwhelmed the machine.

CRACK!

With a metallic sound, Bronya’s robot was forced a step back, repelled by the beast’s raw power.

Bronya wasted no time. “Initiating emergency extraction protocol.”

The Mecha swiftly shifted configuration. Its  spear retracted into its arm, and two mechanical arms extended forward, grabbing both Kiana and Mei before they could protest.

“Wha—! Hey! Be gentle!” Kiana yelped, flailing slightly as she was lifted off the ground.

Mei held down her skirt as the sudden acceleration whipped wind around them. “Ah—!”

The drone’s thrusters roared as it shot skyward, weaving between broken buildings and leaping across ruined streets at high speed.

But the ground behind them trembled.

THOMP.

THOMP.

THOMP.

The templar Honkai beast was in pursuit.

Its massive armored legs thundered against the pavement, crushing rubble and debris with every stride. It vaulted over a crumbled bus, then landed with enough force to send a shockwave through the ground.

Kiana dared a glance back—and her eyes widened. “BRONYA! Tell your robot to go faster—that thing’s gaining on us!”

Bronya didn’t blink, fingers flying across her HUD screen. “Bronya is aware. Increasing flight speed now.”

The Mecha core glowed brighter, then surged forward—rocketing through a half-collapsed overpass as the templar beast roared behind them.

Wind whipped past their faces. Kiana clung tighter to the Mecha grip. “This better not drop us!”

“I trust Bronya,” Mei said calmly, though she tightened her grip too.

“...Bronya appreciates that,” Bronya muttered, keeping her eyes locked on the route ahead.

But even with their increased speed… the monster was still coming.

And it wasn’t slowing down.

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

Sitting atop her throne, high on the back of the massive Emperor-class Honkai Beast, Jyahnar gazed down upon the city below like a queen surveying her dominion.

Her expression remained unreadable, but within her, something stirred—a flicker of curiosity, a pull toward the chaos far below. Something… interesting was happening.

She leaned slightly forward, ready to command the beast beneath her to descend—

—but once again, a translucent system interface flashed across her vision, obscuring her view.

“Tch...” Jyahnar clicked her tongue and lazily waved her hand through the screen, dismissing it. "Always interrupting at the good parts..."

Instead, she turned her gaze inward, mentally opening her status interface.

[Name: Jyahnar (29%)][Honkai Energy: 28765 HW / 35766 HW]

She smiled to herself. So... even without trying, the growth continues.

With renewed purpose, Jyahnar slowly rose from her throne, her voice echoing like a low command through the void.

“Cancel the invisibility.”

The beast beneath her—once cloaked in stealth—shimmered into view, revealing its enormous form to the entire city. Towering far above the already-terrifying Templar-class beast, the Emperor’s sheer size cast a long, oppressive shadow across the crumbling skyline.

People who survive looked up. Soldiers froze. Cameras zoomed in from military satellites. The world had just been introduced to a new apex threat.

Jyahnar tilted her head back… and looked toward the sky.

Above her, a distant streak of light drew closer—the nuclear missile.

She grinned. Wide. Wild. Ecstatic.

“Ahhh… do you see this, ants?” she said aloud, her voice rich with delight. “You dare challenge me—and my kin—with your puny little toy?”

She floated up, rising gracefully into the open air above her throne, arms outstretched like she was welcoming an old friend.

“Come then,” she whispered, then shouted—“LET ME SEE YOUR DESPAIR!”

Her blue eyes glowed brighter as the missile came into full view, now close enough to cast its own fire-lit shadow across her face.

“Show me joy, humans!” she laughed, her voice thundering across the city like a mad goddess about to greet her would-be executioner.

And then—

The nuclear bomb was almost upon her.

(A/n: Just finished the exhibition for my final project… I’m cooked—well done. I’m officially done.)