Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Hordes Attack
[Ning Yun'er: Ah, she left. But Drav, if I not mistaken her universe slightly connected to yours?]
[Drav Itsuki: Maybe? I mean, I never heard Honkai mentioned in Star Rail except by Welt Yang. But honestly, it's quite strange for Honkai not to exist in that universe, given that the game itself has "Honkai" in its name.]
[Ning Yun'er: That's true. How strange.]
[Lumine: Wait! Are you saying that Stelle shares the same cosmology as me and Drav?!]
Seeing Drav and Ning Yun'er's conversation, Lumine was somewhat surprised to hear that their new member also shared a cosmology with her.
[Drav Itsuki: She does. By the way, Lumine, have you heard of Aeon?]
"Aeon? I seem to have heard of it before, but where was it?" Lumine muttered to herself while thoughtfully touching her chin.
She was quite certain she had heard the term Aeon, but it was a distant memory that had almost faded away. Then, she remembered. It was during the time when she and her brother journeyed through different worlds and universes that she had come across the term Aeon.
"Ah, I remember now! If I'm not mistaken, I encountered one of those Aeons. Was it... Umm, Arivi? No, it's probably Akivri?" Lumine appeared frustrated, struggling to recall the correct name of the Aeon. After all, it was a very distant memory, so it wasn't surprising that she couldn't remember it clearly.
"What are you thinking, Lumine? Hurry up! Paimon is starving and wants to eat Xiangling's Jade Parcel!" Paimon urged impatiently, interrupting Lumine's thoughts. Lumine, who had been close to guessing the correct name, felt annoyed by the interruption.
"PA-I-MON!!!" Lumine gritted her teeth and rubbed Paimon's face vigorously.
"Wooooo~ I'm sorry, Lumine," Paimon
cried, apologizing to Lumine, Lumine then stopped after she had rubbed Paimon's face enough.
[Drav Itsuki: @Lumine, did something happen to you?]
[Lumine: I'm sorry. Something was bothering me just now. As for Aeon, I think I've heard of it. I remember meeting one of them during my travels with my brother.]
"Heh, Lumine has met one, and it seems that Aeon is Akivili," Drav guessed. His speculation wasn't baseless, considering that the twin Travelers shared a common goal and destiny with Akivili, who was the Aeon of Trailblaze—a concept similar to traveling and adventure.
[Drav Itsuki: Is it Akivili?]
[Lumine: Ah, you're right! So that's the name... I almost remembered it before if Paimon not suddenly interrupted me.]
[Ning Yun'er: Wait! If what you're saying is true, does it mean that the theory of the Traveler being a trailblazer was somewhat accurate?]
Before Drav could see Lumine's response, a loud cry of panic of people suddenly was heard from outside.
"What's happening?" Drav furrowed his brows, surprised by the commotion outside.
[Report. A large number of Honkai Beasts have been detected swarming this area.]
"Is this the horde Sakura was talking about?" He stood up. Ottovia, who was outside, rushed towards him in a panicked state.
"Teacher! This is bad! A horde of Honkai Beasts is attacking this town with an enormous number!"
"Okay, don't panic. I already know, and you'll be safe because I'm here." Drav smiled calmly and patted her head, instantly dispelling the panic within Ottovia, as if it had been an illusion.
Observing her calm teacher, Ottovia experienced a profound sense of reassurance. She placed her trust in the presence of her teacher, finding solace in the feeling of security, even in the face of a potentially crumbling world tomorrow.
"Is Sakura outside dealing with the Honkai Beasts right now?" Ottovia nodded.
"Then, Jyahnar, please assist Yae Sakura and protect all the residents here. I'll take care of all the Honkai Beasts and head to Kallen, because something feels off about this." He felt a sense of unease about what might happen to Kallen and Francis. This event felt too familiar, like Francis's death.
Though Jyahnar wasn't pleased, she still followed Drav's order, knowing that Drav was safe in this world. With that, Drav quickly teleported to Kallen's location. It wasn't surprising to find Kallen hiding and peeking with teary eyes.
"Kallen." Kallen, upon hearing her name, was startled, then burst into tears upon recognizing the familiar face.
"Teacher!!!" She hugged Drav tightly, tears streaming down her face. Drav patted her head to calm her down.
"Alright, you're safe now with your teacher here. Tell me, where is your father now?" As expected, Drav's worry was justified when Kallen's next words confirmed his suspicions.
"My father! H-he's alone now, fighting off all the Honkai Beasts. The knights and Valkyries are heavily injured or dead!"
"Teacher, I beg you, please help him!" Kallen pleaded, her pitiable expression capable of tugging at the heartstrings of anyone who laid eyes upon her.
"Don't worry, I'll help him. But stay here and don't move from this spot." Kallen nodded, and with that, Drav left and took off to find Francis.
Various Honkai Beasts of different sizes were present, ranging from small to colossal ones as tall as buildings. Among the horde, one figure stood out prominently.
It was Francis, engaged in fierce combat with two pistols in hand, his body covered in numerous wounds. Despite the overwhelming number of Honkai Beasts that would have made Valkyries and knights despair, he stood firm, fighting against them all.
As a Kaslana member, Francis bore the responsibility of safeguarding humanity from the Honkai, even if it meant risking his own life. With this resolve, he stood unwavering, fully aware that he might face his demise while confronting vast swarms of Honkai Beasts.
He didn't fear the prospect of his own death, but he carried a slight pang of regret for his daughter. He knew he wouldn't be able to witness her growth into adulthood.
Thinking over these thoughts, he let out a sigh and made up his mind. He chose to use the zeroth power of his gun—an important ancestral weapon for the Kaslana family. This gun was famous for taking the user's life when its most powerful features were used.
The weapon in question was the 7th Divine Key, crafted from the Herrscher of Fire's core in a previous civilization. The person famous for surviving the use of this weapon's full power was none other than Kevin Kaslana, the progenitor of the Kaslana clan!
Without the blood and ability of Parvanti like Kevin had, even the most resilient Kaslana members, those with the highest resistance to Honkai energy, would find themselves defenseless and died against this weapon. Its power could consume both the wielder and the enemy in a blazing inferno.
"Forgive me, Kallen..." However, before Francis intended to activate the zeroth power of that weapon, a familiar male voice suddenly reached his ears.
"You don't need to do that, Francis," Drav said, appearing in the sky. It caught Francis off guard, leaving him distracted and unaware that the Honkai Beast's claw was aimed at his neck.
Fortunately, an unseen barrier materialized in front of Francis. If not for it, the claw would have pierced his neck by a mere few centimeters.
With a cold sweat forming, and on the brink of death, Francis calmed himself and stared at Drav in bewilderment. "Mr. Drav, what are you doing here? Hurry, go and take Kallen from here. I'll hold them off until both of you leave!"
Francis held little hope in Drav's sudden appearance, even though he had heard from his daughter that Drav was incredibly strong, having managed to withstand Kallen's power that even exceeded that of an ordinary adult.
However, for Francis, it wasn't enough. Confronting this horde of Honkai Beasts, his only hope was to ensure Kallen's safety and sacrifice himself for the both of them.
Drav smiled calmly, then turned his gaze to the horde of Honkai Beasts that even covered the forest. "Don't worry, Francis. I'm stronger than you might think."
"What are you saying?! Go quickly and take Kallen from here now!!!" Drav, undeterred, ignored his plea and instead smiled with determination.
So, what power should I use now? Hmm, how about the power I acquired earlier?
Feeling that this idea had potential, he immediately employed the power of blackdeath, under Francis' bewildered and concerned gaze.
In the next moment, a black mist filled with death emerged from Drav's hand. The mist spread quickly, enveloping all the Honkai Beasts.
There, Francis felt terror and horror as he watched. The thick aura of death emanating from the mist was palpable. He was certain he would die if even slightly touched by it.
And then, in a matter of minutes, every Honkai Beast present died and disappeared from the earth, as if erased by the mist.
"This is..." Francis was left stunned, watching as Drav effortlessly annihilated all the Honkai Beasts with just a black mist that appeared from his hand, treating them as if they were insignificant insects.
Drav patted his shoulder and said,
"Let's go back, Kallen must be impatiently waiting!" Francis could only nod, still puzzled, and followed Drav back.
"Father!!!" Kallen embraced her father tightly, tears of joy streaming down her face, snapping Francis out of his stunned state.
"Kallen." Francis gently patted her head and gazed at Drav with mixed emotions—complicated feelings of awe and uncertainty—reflected in his eyes.
He had never imagined that this young man could be so terrifying, capable of easily eradicating a large number of Honkai Beasts.
"Father! Your body is heavily injured! Let's quickly go back and treat it!" Kallen's eyes grew anxious as she noticed the numerous wounds on her father's body. There were even severe injuries that could endanger his life.
Francis could only smile helplessly and allow his daughter to pull him along. However, suddenly, he coughed up blood and felt his body weaken rapidly.
"Father!!!" Kallen panicked and supported her father before he could fall. Luckily, her Kaslana blood provided her with strength, or else a small child like her wouldn't have been able to hold up her parent's weight.
"Kallen, don't cry. And Drav, I entrust my daughter to your care," Francis, now pale, said. He felt that his end was near. Even though he had survived the previous battle, the severe wounds he sustained could still prove fatal.
"Father! Don't talk like that!!! And teacher, please help my father! I don't want my father to die, woooo~" If it weren't for Drav, the current situation might have ended up like it did in comics, where Francis died protecting Kallen and Otto.
But now, things were different! With Drav's presence, a miraculous being in the universe just like himself, all the tragedies that will happen were turning into a good ending with him.
"Don't be afraid, as long as I'm here, I'll make sure your father never dies!" Gently patting Kallen's head, he utilized his healing power.
A green light emerged from his hands, enveloping Francis' entire body, and the miracle unfolded instantly! All the wounds on his body began to regenerate, returning to their original state, and Francis' pale face started turning into a healthy shade of red.
"I-I..." Francis was left speechless. He couldn't believe his body was restored to health so quickly. It was as if his injuries were mere illusions.
As Francis questioned reality, his daughter Kallen witnessed the miracle. Her perception of her teacher, Drav, underwent a drastic change.
Initially, she had regarded Drav as a strong and handsome instructor. However, now she looked at him with admiration, just like a princess being rescued by a gallant prince on a steed.
Drav's presence in her heart had transformed into that of a hero. In moments of desperation and weakness, he appeared before her, saving her from the despair that could have consumed her.
My Hero...
Kallen thought to herself, gazing at Drav with a look of obsession, his image firmly etched into her heart. It was from this point that Kallen's obsession with Drav began to take root within her.
Ignoring the heated gaze of his student, Drav teleported back to his mansion along with them.
"Your Excellency, you've truly surprised me again," Francis said, after witnessing another display of Drav's powerful abilities.
His tone also shifted to one of respect. After all, Drav had been his lifesaver and was a person of great power in his eyes.
Back at the mansion, Jyahnar and Yae Sakura were already present, along with others. It seemed that with Jyahnar's assistance, the Honkai threat had been swiftly eliminated.
As a result, the Honkai beast attack was resolved without excessive damage to the town. The number of casualties remained relatively low, mostly due to Drav's timely intervention. Those who were injured were successfully treated after being teleported away from the battlefield by Drav.
(A/N: I love yandere.
By the way, what do you think about the idea of the Traveler being a trailblazer? Is my idea somewhat valid or not? And could you explain how powerful Kiana's Finality is on the power scale?
Also, are each of the imaginary trees considered planets or universes? Perhaps they have vastly different sizes, with some comparable to universes or galaxies, and others to planets? I'm a bit confused, as most of the Chinese Honkai fanfics I've read don't mention it on a multiversal scale.
Lastly, are Durandal's world bubbles considered universes or just worlds/planets? In my view, they might be planets because her world bubbles, if I recall correctly, were linked to the submerged continent of Mu.
Sorry for asking so many questions! xD)
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