MGSFV?! Chapter 578: The Future of miHoYo; i: I Swear Upon Kiana!
"Ahem."
Elysia cleared her throat twice, switching the subject.
She was worried soone might get too worked up listening and suddenly charge in.
"Actually..."
She just got a little emotional and hadn't expected the topic to stretch this far.
But...
Since they'd co this far anyway—
"Everyone's gradually becoming capable of holding their own..."
Although Hokuto used to think that, aside from programrs and artists, everyone else at early miHoYo could be optimized away,
Well... tis have changed. The team definitely had potential—it was just a matter of proper guidance.
So then—
Does that an... the current guidance is proper?
???
Weren't they all already shining in the right roles?
Kiana, frequently producing "masterpieces of a generation";
Griseo, whose brush "bows before her" whenever i is around...
Fu Hua, the final "QA inspector" for gacha rates—players gauging how to care for their bad luck based on when she breaks down! ()
And...
Hiko, who coordinated team progress by inviting everyone for coffee—her coffee reportedly had a "magical" effect that energized people just by looking at it.
Although Hiko used to prefer alcohol...
(Secret: Hiko spikes her coffee with alcohol...)
(?)
All in all, they were on the right track.
"Mr. 'Otto,' have you considered expanding miHoYo's scale? After all, people may be hoping for even greater 'productivity' from miHoYo."
"Hmm..."
Hokuto still held the belief that suitability mattered more than numbers.
"If conditions are right, I might let each of them lead a team of newcors..."
If a serendipitous chance like Raven Studio arose again, he definitely wouldn't miss it.
"The specifics—I can't reveal too much here. Besides, we still have more story to cover, don't we?"
"...Got it, got it."
Elysia imdiately understood: "Let's return to the story."
...
...
Back to the plot.
Bronya's powerful string of statents reached its conclusion.
"Because you're Kiana..."
"That's why... Bronya will smile as she says goodbye to you."
Her words refocused the attention of the distracted players.
"Of course, Bronya has also considered those specific tis when Kiana will need us by her side."
[Suddenly thought of sothing weird, but... better not say it.]
[...If you're thinking the sa thing I am, yeah, probably best left unsaid.]
[Now I'm even more curious. What could be weird enough to make both of you stop yourselves from saying it?]
Yet until the end, the chat never revealed what exactly they were thinking.
A deliberate blank space—like "what did the pangolin really say."
"To solve that problem, Bronya will play gas online with Kiana every night. As for which gas..."
"Let's go through all 312 titles in Bronya's ga library."
[Light-speed lag between Moon and Earth takes at least 1.3 seconds one way—over 2 seconds round trip. That's instant latency death.]
[Don't worry. Honkai energy explains everything.jpg]
Clearly, neither Kiana nor Bronya was worried about the delay.
...If Earth–Moon online gaming is possible, lag really isn't an issue anymore.
Kiana readily agreed: "Sure! But you better be careful—I might just surpass your ranking before you know it!"
Huh?
That's so serious confidence.
Back in the day, she only had a 0.0001% chance of beating Bronya.
And sure enough—
Bronya responded with calm confidence: "According to Heavy Bunny's analysis, the probability is—1%."
See...
Wait a minute, isn't that... kinda high?
One percent?!
"Ah? Becoming the Herrscher of Finality increased your chance that much?"
A ten-thousand-fold increase.
Herrscher of Finality—terrifying indeed.
[Kiana now has the power of 10,000 Kianas!!]
[If you add i to the mix—1% * 100, that's a guaranteed win (dog head)]
[Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west. Never underestimate a young underdog. This is Kiana's era!]
But of course, it wouldn't be that simple...
"Gaming isn't like lab experints. There are always uncontrollable variables—like i not being able to stand watching you lose and telling to go easy on you."
Kiana's 1% win rate was already factoring in i's influence and Bronya's own power suppression.
"Ah..."
Kiana scratched her head and looked at i: "i, don't tell those wins back at St. Freya were all Bronya going easy on ?"
"No." i shook her head. "I swear on the Moon—those were all results of your own hard work."
...
"Swear on the Moon?"
Kevin, having finally adjusted his state, felt it was ti to fulfill his duty as a guest.
He recalled sothing he once saw online.
Expressionless, he offered a "translation": "Roo once swore to Juliet by the Moon... but was stopped—because the Moon is ever-changing."
"So in this case..."
"Kevin..."
But before he could finish, Elysia cut him off.
"You'll ruin the mood like that~~ What you should say is, 'Kiana ans moon goddess,' so i is swearing upon Kiana herself."
"That kind of romance suits cute girls like them perfectly, doesn't it?"
Kevin: "..."
"I don't know."
Perfect answer.
He's not a girl, after all.
So... nothing wrong with his response.
What, did you expect him to say, "ah, right right right"?
Elysia: "..."
"Sigh~~"
She gently tapped.
Unknowingly, she had already taken over the role of narrating the livestream from Kevin.
In-ga, i had her reasons for saying that to Kiana.
She just hoped...
"That when soone who's fixated on winning and losing imrses themselves and puts in real effort,
they can experience that purest joy gas bring."
Even if her approach was... a little unorthodox.
"Then you're wrong, i~~" Kiana had a different view.
"Cheating in gas only makes you lose all the fun eventually. But... if I want to enjoy gas even when I'm not very good,
there may only be one solution left?"
[I know this one: pay-to-win (dog head)]
[Use your wallet to create joy.]
[...Why not just rope in soone worse than you? Can't win? Bring in more noobs!（）]
[Kiana: Hehe, I do know soone worse than (((o(ﾟ▽ﾟ)o)))]
Though Kiana's answer was different, it was actually quite similar.
"i, co play with us!"
"Because if I'm tead up with you—even if we lose, I'll be super happy. Just like..."
[Playing Honkai Bean Ga with friends.]
[As they say, the best gaming setup is friendship.]
...
"Well, since Kiana says so—Bronya won't go easy on her anymore."
Saying that...
So Bronya had gone easy before?
Clearly, that "for example" earlier wasn't hypothetical. It had already happened.
"Hmph, two against one. i and I aren't afraid of you."
[Bronya: Victory is mine. i: Wise words, Bronya.]
Watching Kiana and Bronya getting into it again,
i felt... it wasn't just familiar, but heartwarming.
Back at St. Freya, they used to be like this too—
Carefree, cheerful, noisy.
With teachers and friends all around...
"..."
i's heart sank slightly.
So after today...
Even if this wasn't goodbye,
Even if their paths from here marked a new chapter—
Still, just thinking about it...
It did feel lonely.
The joys of life, the fun surprises—
could no longer be instantly shared with the one always by her side.
Those simple, happy things suddenly seed to lose so of their glow.
"..."
But now—
Even if it stings a little,
Just like Bronya said—
You have to say goodbye with a smile.
Soone once told her,
"Sorrow doesn't disappear,
but warm feelings remain forever treasured in our hearts ♪"
Rembering that, i pulled herself together.
But the one who said "say goodbye with a smile"...
Was deep in thought.
Bronya, using the excuse of "having things to do," left early—
To give i and Kiana their last bit of ti alone.
She turned around and slowly floated away.
"Bronya!" — It was Kiana.
"Mm?" Bronya gave a soft nasal hum without turning back.
"Our first ga... make sure it's the most fun one, okay!"
Hearing that, her voice rose a bit:
"Don't tell you still doubt Bronya's taste?"
With that—
She floated a few more steps,
Then suddenly stopped.
And then made a subtle gesture—
From the back, it looked like she raised a hand and wiped her cheek?
Then waved behind her.
"See you, dummy Kiana."
[...]*N
[Did Duckie end up crying after all...?]
[Smile at the farewell, keep the tears to yourself.]
[Maybe... she was just waving normally?]
...
Here—
Word is that originally, they hadn't planned to animate Bronya tearing up.
It was added later, after the voice acting session.
So Hokuto thought it through—
And chose not to show it directly.
Letting players observe her gesture from behind.
As for whether Duckie held back tears...
Everyone is free to decide for themselves.
Later, i escorted Kiana to the train station.
Compared to earlier, they walked in slightly awkward silence.
Until the last monts at the platform—
Just before the train arrived—
i couldn't hold back anymore.
"...I don't think I've told you about my plans for the future, Kiana."
"Eh? You've thought about it, i?"
"Mm... I think I'd like to beco a teacher."
She told Kiana she planned to be a teacher.
Which wasn't much of a surprise.
Clues had hinted at i having that intention earlier.
And from the players' perspective—
The idea suited her.
i. The one who shelters budding sprouts.
"Teacher" matched that na perfectly.
Thinking this, they reached for their keyboards—
But before they could type—
They noticed sothing.
This ti—
The writers seed to share the sa idea.
"Every fruit is born from a lucky flower. Blooming, pollinated...
Enduring scorching sun and bitter wind, it becos a new life."
"I won't worry over the fruit itself—
For it has fulfilled its purpose on its own path."
"I will pick up the petals—
And offer their lingering fragrance to all I et along the way."
"I will tell them of the storms that flower weathered for the world it nourished,
Of the cold rains it endured."
"And as one similar to that flower,
I too wish to use these small petals—
To shelter the sprouts around ."
"—Until this world is covered in blooms."
"—Until those blooms beco vibrant new life."
"i..."
Kiana opened her mouth—
Toot toot~~
But fate's whistle is never predictable.
The arriving train interrupted the girls' conversation.
It slowly pulled into a station where no train had ever stopped—
Summoning its rightful passenger.
They looked at each other—saying nothing.
But both understood.
It was ti.
Farewells never match our expectations.
They co precisely on ti—
And sohow, also not.
So calm, yet so stifling,
That they beco... silent.
As all her thoughts passed through her heart,
i still offered Kiana a bright smile.
Soft and gentle.
"Be sure to co ho early, Kiana."
A farewell—
So that they may et again.
"..."
"Mm!"
They exchanged smiles—
As in the past,
And in the future to co.
....
[Co ho early, Kiana!]
[Be sure to co ho, Kiana.]
[You must return. No more surprises.]
[I believe i said that with the power of Origin.]
["As in the past, and in the future"—proof that i and Kiana will smile at each other again (certain.jpg)]
"Bon voyage."
"Don't keep i waiting too long—and don't keep us waiting either. The next stop is hope~♪"
"Kiana..."
[Sha you're not on my side. Otherwise, I'd fly to the Moon myself to find you.]
[Elegant curtain call—applause, flowers.]
[...Sis, it's not a curtain call yet. There's more to co.]
[Well done.]
[Bravo!]
[A toast to our Earth Goddess—no, to our Kiana!]
[Kiana Kaslana—toward hope.]
[Congratulations on breaking free from a predestined fate—and rewriting the ending.]
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