The story had co to this point.
Players instantly perked up.
Elysia also straightened her posture and focused more intently on the plot.
Because the Gem of Haste was the Herrscher Core embedded in Murata Hiko's battlesuit—Vermilion Knight: Eclipse.
After Final Lesson, it fell with Hiko into the Imaginary Space.
In a sense, finding that gem ant finding Hiko.
To finally learn whether Hiko—onee-san—was alive or dead.
Actually, there had been countless theories circulating online for a long ti.
So said she died.
So said she didn't.
So speculated that the Herrscher of Flas from the Previous Era looked identical to the captain—so the yet-to-appear Fla Herrscher must be Murata Hiko.
So predicted...
But all along, players had hoped—hoped Hiko could still be alive.
And today!
For the first ti in the main story, her fate was formally brought up.
"I read World Serpent's search report on the Gem of Haste—word for word," said i.
"..."
Kevin said nothing.
Unbothered, i continued:
"But the report concluded there were no findings."
"That's right."
Kevin's two short words confird that what i saw was true.
"That's impossible. Even if it fell into the Imaginary Space, a Herrscher Core would definitely leave traces—it couldn't just disappear."
——Neither could Hiko.
"The Gem of Haste is a part of Sirin. I can't let it fall into anyone else's hands."
Kevin imdiately saw through i's hidden intent.
"You already know the answer."
"She's dead."
Kevin stated flatly, without emotion.
"What...!?"
A sharp pang struck i's heart.
And the players' hearts missed a beat too.
Even Elysia inched closer to Hiko—though Hiko subtly avoided it.
The comnt feed in the livestream chat instantly went blank—not a single new comnt floated by.
Only Kevin's icy words echoed:
"She couldn't survive in the Imaginary Space. World Serpent found nothing."
i said nothing, trying to find any flaw in his words.
But Kevin's frigid tone gave his statent the weight of cold iron.
"That's the truth."
That was the last thing Kevin said.
i didn't accept it.
She continued to investigate through every channel available to her.
But what she ultimately got—
Was a reply even more ruthless than that day's silence.
After watching this part, everyone fell into a deeper silence.
The facts seed clear.
Kevin had no reason to lie to i about the Gem of Haste.
So World Serpent really found nothing...
[Hi——ko——onee-san!!]
[Hold up! If the Gem of Haste wasn't found, and it's missing, then based on the "missing ≠ dead" theorem, we're safe!]
[I think Hiko already beca the Herrscher of Flas and left the Imaginary Space. That's why World Serpent couldn't find her. As for why she hasn't shown up—it's probably because her consciousness is unstable post-transformation?]
[Hiko: I'm done being human, i!]
...
Players refused to accept Kevin's words at face value.
World Serpent couldn't find her = she's dead?
They didn't buy it!
Kevin had to be wrong this ti!
Hmph—
When Hiko onee-san shows up, they'll make a full set of s slapping Kevin's face with "Hiko dual-wield rebuttals."
Players ca up with a thousand ways to poke holes in Kevin's words.
In the livestream room, Kiana and Hiko exchanged hesitant looks.
Elysia noticed and asked:
"Is there sothing you two want to say?"
Kiana and Hiko exchanged glances, then lightly shook their heads.
Hokuto had specifically instructed them: no spoilers during today's plot.
"It's nothing... just thinking... the coming story will be even better."
Kiana chose her words carefully.
"Even better?"
Elysia blinked, suddenly struck by déjà vu.
She felt like she'd heard this sa line before.
Hmm...
Probably just her imagination.
She thought hard for a mont, but couldn't rember how, over a year ago, when she first got overly excited during the Queen's debut, she'd asked i how Chapter 9 would go—
And i had given almost the exact sa answer.
It'll get more exciting.
"Really? Hearing that from you, Kiana, makes even more excited."
Elysia picked up the tablet again.
In the story:
i woke from her mories, likely hoping to find comfort from Raven.
She asked Raven a question.
"Raven, I want to ask you sothing. It might be a bit presumptuous. If you don't want to answer, that's fine."
"Go ahead."
"Would you... hope your brother was still alive?"
The question was heavy.
Naturally, i in the story didn't ask questions like the ones spamming the live comnts now—
Such as "When did you buy your island villa?"
Or "How much more do you need to rebuild your private island?"
Raven fell silent for a mont, then pulled her Koenigsegg to the side of the road (yes, Raven is really rich) and took a walk with i along the beach.
She told i about eting her "brother" in Vancouver.
"I was driving to et a client. At a red light, a man who looked exactly like my brother walked right past my car."
"My mind went blank—I couldn't think at all. By the ti I ca to, he'd already turned the corner. I imdiately got out of the car and gave chase."
Hearing Raven's story, players began to feel a PTSD trigger...
Was this about to beco another emotional gut punch?
"I chased him for a long ti. But there was always so distance between us—
A red light, a crowd—
I kept him in my sight the whole ti. His running posture, the way he sidestepped pedestrians... it was exactly like I rembered."
Raven lowered her head, staring at her feet like she was recalling the feel of that chase.
"But I never caught up to him."
"How could that be? I'm the number one rcenary in North Arica.
Stealth, tracking—that should be a piece of cake."
"Then I realized—
It wasn't that I couldn't catch up.
It was that I didn't want to.
I was afraid.
Afraid of what he'd say when he turned around: [Sorry, you've got the wrong person]."
Raven was afraid of disappointnt.
Afraid it wasn't really her brother.
Afraid of having her fantasy shattered.
So she kept chasing and never caught up.
What held her back wasn't the crowd or the red light—
It was herself.
This scene had no knives, yet it left a deep, inexplicable sadness.
That helpless hope... was perfectly conveyed to the players.
[This part is so cinematic.]
[Raven: I can't do anything.]
[I'm this close to crying—does miHoYo hand out emotional damage like candy?]
[Ever consider that Raven couldn't catch up because her brother's actually the strongest in the world? (troll face)]
[??? Can you not kill the mood??]
...
"That day felt like a hazy dream. No substance. I just went back to my life—
Ran the bar, worked as a rcenary, risked my life for money—"
"And finally gave myself a dream—
Buy a little island, build a big house. I've wandered too long. I want a ho to return to."
Raven looked out to the distant horizon, as if her island lay just within reach.
"But that's just a fairy tale from yesterday."
i: "..."
"I'm sorry..."
The viewers, a little heartbroken from Raven's story,
Involuntarily recalled Sora's old lines:
"Teacher pacing around the room... running, rolling..."
Their lips curled up uncontrollably—
Smiles began to spread across their faces.
What can you say?
A truly tragic story.jpg
They knew they shouldn't laugh...
But they couldn't help it.
And just as their mood started to turn...
The plot continued.
Raven said she no longer cared about her island villa.
The past was the past.
The atmosphere with i beca more relaxed.
She even took off her hat in front of i, revealing her full face.
The narration added:
"The tuft of hair on her head stubbornly refused to bow, standing out from everything else."
So poetic.
But in plain terms?
It's just an ahoge.
"I used to never wear hats around people. It was impolite.
But sohow, people always treated like a child—looked down on .
Until one ti, I forgot to take it off, and the negotiations went surprisingly well."
"Pfft~~"
i chuckled at that.
"You can laugh now, but I'm not showing you a second ti."
Raven rolled her eyes, annoyed.
Then she softly called: "Raiden i."
"Mm?"
"We've all got to let go of the shadows of the past."
"Yes." i nodded gently.
"But I still believe in the 'happy ending' you ntioned.
At least to so extent."
"Thank you."
[Raven x i ship sailing! Let's go!]
[That ahoge took ten years off her age (confird).]
[First we had "i with World Serpent," now it's "Kiana with Anti-Entropy." (lol)]
[Raven: Just ditch the paracium already, i. Let's pair up—spare everyone from the awkward Fu-Kiana tension. (troll face)]
...
"Hehe~~ Kiana, what did you think of that scene?"
Elysia seized the chance to stir things up, tossing the question to Kiana.
Kiana: "..."
"It's just Raven and i healing each other—
Don't overthink it."
"It's a good thing, isn't it?
Having soone who can heal i."
Kiana spoke quietly.
Elysia looked at Kiana, who was clearly not her usual self today, and couldn't help but remark:
"Kiana feels especially gentle and composed today."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Maybe it's just... today's a special day."
Kiana's reply was a bit cryptic.
Elysia touched her cheek with a finger, not quite following.
"What do you an by that...?"
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