MGSFV?! Chapter 445. In the Name of the World?; Following the Heart Is Not Cowardice
Hokuto: "..."
"It's... it's nothing. I was just thinking—maybe we don't really need to make perfect sense of Honkai."
"Mmm... because Honkai energy can do anything?"
Elysia recalled a meme commonly used by players and in the game.
At her words, Hokuto raised an eyebrow slightly. "You're pretty sharp."
"Of course~ I'm a Honkai Impact 3rd day-one veteran..."
Elysia paused, then suddenly remembered another widely-used meme. She intentionally pronounced each word clearly: "No—one—knows—Honkai—Impact—3rd—better—than—I—do~~"
"..."
Hokuto was left speechless.
A moment passed.
"Say one nice thing and you start wheezing." He turned the conversation back on track. "Anyway, keep going with the story. Don't you want to know what happens next?"
"They already said earlier... if this is a match, then we're only in the first half... Besides, aren't they talking just fine now? So... they probably won't start fighting yet, right?"
As she shifted her attention back to the game, Elysia mused aloud.
"...Let's be honest, who actually thinks Kevin and the others are having a nice chat right now?"
Hokuto couldn't help but jab back at Elysia.
Indeed, within the story, the atmosphere between Kevin and Kiana's team... was tense, to say the least.
He looked back at the screen.
In-game, Kevin finished explaining the Previous Era's ultimate conclusion about Finality, expressionless as ever.
Bronya interjected: "...If that's the case, then Bronya finds it even harder to understand—do you really believe this counts as defeating Honkai?"
Everyone expected Kevin to hesitate at least a little—or at least think about it.
But to their surprise, his reply came with extraordinary decisiveness.
He didn't even pause before saying: "No. Of course not."
Players: "..."
Mei: "..."
Bronya: "..."
His answer stunned everyone.
And the fact that it came so directly caught them completely off guard...
Huh?
Just then, the camera panned strangely downward—half the screen showed the trio, and the other half showed... Kevin's tail?
[...?]
[Why the close-up on the tail? Who is this for? Some weird XP satisfaction?]
Some players immediately got derailed again.
[Not gonna lie, I feel like—]
[STOP. Don't even start.]
The "Kevin is big" jokes were still fresh. Emergency interruption was clearly needed.
...
Back in the story.
Kevin explained why he admitted his method wasn't a victory over Honkai.
"To sacrifice and overcome Honkai—that is a task for humanity itself."
The Stigmata Project doesn't defeat Honkai. It surpasses Finality.
Only by surpassing Finality can one hope to eventually defeat Honkai.
"Of course, I am human. That much is beyond doubt—"
[I don't believe it. Not unless I take a close look.]
In the end... they couldn't stop it.
[That logic slap echoed all the way from Chongqing (doge)]
The chat descended into chaos.
But just then—without warning—Kevin drew his weapon.
The flames of Judgment of Shamash ignited the sky.
An overwhelming force burst from within him.
It was as if facing a vast starfield—one's own insignificance was instantly apparent. Like an infinite abyss—unbearable to look upon.
This was the aura of Finality...
Players: ?
Elysia: ...
[Wait... are they really about to fight now?]
[Unexpected, yet inevitable.]
Elysia saw the bullet chats and gave a small nod.
Indeed.
Though she'd just said they probably wouldn't fight—now that the battle had begun, it somehow didn't feel that surprising.
Unexpected, yet inevitable.
[Kevin drawing his sword is so cool!]
[Kosma: Cool!]
Kevin's cold and firm voice continued.
"It is precisely because of this that I hope you can surpass everything."
Toward Kiana and her team—Herrschers born of humanity—he clearly held a different kind of hope.
Why did Grey Serpent prepare a globally broadcast speech, capable of converting countless people, yet the plan wasn't carried out?
Why did Kevin allow Hokuto to help Kiana's group?
Why did he suddenly draw his sword when they were still talking?
Perhaps it was all due to this strange hope in his heart.
At this moment, he was executing the Stigmata Project. Partly as a backup plan, but also...
To stand at the highest point he could reach—
And from there, await his own downfall.
...
The game entered combat mode.
Kevin held Shamash and instantly dashed forward, slashing Kiana directly.
"They didn't even let us choose a difficulty?"
"Did you want to?"
"No, I just thought—if that's the case, then this probably isn't a real fight..."
Most likely just a story battle.
Which meant she didn't need to overthink things. She could just play cleanly.
Yet even so, facing Kevin's surging slashes and the terrifying power of Finality—
It was a force like the abyssal ocean, like the starry sky—utterly unreachable by humans.
It was still hard.
"The kind of 'existence' you must challenge—is like this."
"It knows neither joy nor sorrow, neither fatigue nor rest. Its only purpose is to cycle all things and rebuild civilization."
"It is like death, which every living being must face. It looms above civilization—not even bothering to sneer."
"I once said this to another challenger—'All intellect in the universe is limited by the form of existence. That is not a limit that can be broken by willpower.'"
One hand ablaze, the other frozen—Kevin fought evenly with the trio, all while continuing his... sermon?
It wasn't mockery—more like "teaching."
As if he truly wanted to forge iron into steel.
Why did it sound a bit weird...?
Ah, well. Don't expect too much from a combat instructor who could make people cry four times in a day.
Still, it wasn't bad.
Like a certain pure-hearted warrior once said—
"Rage born of love is just as powerful as love itself."
By the same logic—
Whatever emotions Kiana and her friends brought into the fight—so long as the result was achieved, it was fine.
Kevin watched the three who still managed to fight back.
He decided to raise the stakes.
He swung Shamash forcefully.
Invisible Honkai energy converged at blinding speed.
In the next moment—
From Bronya outward, all three girls' lower bodies were frozen in place—locked to the ground.
"It seems even Herrschers' resolve is limited," Kevin said provocatively.
As expected!
Under his words—
Kiana's eyes snapped open, and she began channeling the power within her—the Herrscher Core fully activating.
"It's... not over yet..."
"The flame doesn't cool."
"It only... reignites!"
The fire of Senti burst from her, shattering and scattering the creeping frost on her body.
While the flame melted the ice, she leapt up and launched a surprise attack on Kevin.
Kevin raised his half-wing like a shield and blocked her blows, one after another.
Once Kiana had exhausted her moves—he swung Shamash again.
The newly reborn Senti and the unyielding Heavenly Fire collided.
Boom!
Kiana used the impact to retreat, landing on the ground. She quickly braced herself, then raised her sword high—
"Senti! Draw your blade!"
It was the Herrscher of Flamescion's ultimate—familiar to all players.
But—some noticed something different.
Kiana's eyes had changed!
She looked fierce, like someone with nothing to lose.
[Details! Kiana's eyes changed (even her ult eyes are different)!]
With her strike, searing heat exploded forth.
Not only did it halt Kevin's next attack—it also shattered the ice binding Mei and Bronya.
Kevin glanced over—but didn't seem concerned.
Instead, he encouraged: "Herrschers. Keep going."
"Do not underestimate the power of Finality."
Players: ...
Who's underestimating it?
From what we're seeing—Kiana and the others definitely aren't underestimating anything...
The fight resumed.
Compared to before, the battlefield now grew wilder—ice and gales encircling them.
Conditions worsened further.
Even with all their strength, Kiana's team couldn't turn the tide.
That crushing helplessness...
For various reasons, Bronya had gradually been forced to the edge of the battle—unable to intervene.
But she was thinking fast.
"What should I do... In a situation like this, what would Mr. Welt do...?"
[Obviously, sit up from the ground over and over (immediate reply)]
[Duck, how can you inherit the title "of the World" if you don't know that?]
[The sit-up legacy—if Bronya doesn't inherit it, maybe it's for the best.]
One certain Bronya at the miHoYo studio silently withdrew the hand that was about to send a bullet chat...
But moments later—
Her phone gave a soft buzz.
Hmm?
...
Let's set aside that "twist" (?), for now.
One thing that Duck did say right—
Bronya indeed lacked the "Dao body" required to perform the Honkai sit-up arts. She couldn't display its brilliance.
So, instead, she recalled a divine key Welt often used—Star of Eden.
It had been repaired by Dr. Tesla in earlier chapters (during the Chroloften arc), and entrusted to Bronya.
Noticing her movement, Kiana and Mei immediately understood, launching a joint attack to create an opening for her.
Kevin swept his gaze across three directions.
Like a strict instructor, he softly muttered: "Too slow."
In the next instant—
With one swing of Shamash, dazzling flames burst forth—blasting all three away.
Star of Eden slipped from Bronya's hand and rolled right to Kevin's feet.
Kevin lowered his head and saw the relic of an old comrade—his eyes flickered subtly.
He reached down to pick it up—
Suddenly!
Black feathers shot toward him.
That familiar attack—
It's her!
Fu Hua—no, this time, it's the Herrscher of Sentience!
Having rushed miles to the rescue—Herschy finally re-entered the battlefield!
Catching Kevin off guard, she grabbed Star of Eden, turned, and slammed it into his chest.
Fully activating it—she summoned a simulated black hole, swallowing both herself and Kevin.
[Is Herschy assisting, or fusing directly?]
[I shall reverse all things!]
[Fu Hua: Sneak attack!]
[As expected of the antique—she's a pro at ambushes, hahaha.]
[Fu Hua: Duck, watch closely—this is the "Fu Push-Up Dao Body," equal to the Sit-Up Arts!]
[Are we finally getting the full-power class rep vs. Kevin showdown now?]
Players grew excited.
Herrscher of Sentience + Fu Hua fusion—
That had to be stronger than the sum of their parts, right?
At the very least—it would be an intense battle.
It was reasonable to think so.
After all, Fu Hua was tough. She wouldn't be called "Fu Push-Up" if she weren't.
And to push-up, one had to fall first—then rise again.
But Herschy was not Fu Hua.
Even if she couldn't win, she'd still fight—she didn't care about her body at all.
Herschy: Am I the kind of person who can't read the room? A person should always follow their heart—that's the only way to live freely.
Hokuto: You really went all out to make "following your heart" sound noble...
That's what Herschy said after finishing the voice recordings—for why she acted that way.
And Hokuto's commentary.
...
Back in the scene.
"Class rep..."
As Kevin and Fu Hua vanished, Kiana struggled to stand.
Bronya had also recovered.
"In the end, it was the class rep and the Herrscher of Sentience who protected us..."
She glanced at the black hole in front of them. "Using a simulated black hole to drastically consume the enemy's time—that's a strategy Mr. Welt once used on the Moon..."
And the one she'd originally planned to use herself.
"Sigh..."
A light sigh broke her thoughts.
Hokuto walked slowly from the shadows.
"Though this result is unexpected—it's still just buying time. That doesn't sound like the 'path' you were seeking."
"Why do humans always do such futile, sorrowful things?"
[Maybe because that's what being human means. It's hard to be purely rational.]
[Erosion: Good question. Why?]
[Speaking of Erosion, isn't Hokuto starting to sound more and more like those twisted Herrschers from earlier chapters?]
[Yeah... the recently shattered Erosion definitely approves.]
"But that's exactly why Kiana is amazing—fighting again and again for her beliefs, without losing heart, without giving up..."
"It's easy to say. But to do it? That's really, really hard."
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