MGSFV?! Chapter 580: Happy Graduation
So year, so month, so day,
So station, miHoYo Official Livestream Room.
"Alright, dear viewers, next we'll switch the screen over to Miss Elysia."
"There may be a few minutes of black screen in between, please be patient."
Zzz~~ zzz~~
[Black screen? That was fast.]
[Countdown begins—10, 9, 8, 7...8, 9, 10...]
[Hey you in front, how is your countdown even going upward?]
[No rush, no rush. Once the livestream lights up, I'll end my countdown.]
Bored viewers in the livestream chat began bickering idly.
[Surprise announcent!]
But very soon, soone brought exciting news.
[What surprise?]
[The official account just updated with an animated short.]
[???]
First ca a brief silence, then swiftly—
Just a few short words detonated the entire livestream room like a deep-sea bomb.
[The official account updated? Real or fake?]
[It's real! It's real! I just watched it!]
[Brothers, no need for words, CHARGE!!]
——
The perspective shifts to the entrance of the venue, the room decorated like a train car.
Seats were already arranged, everything set up.
But...
Kevin was gone.
Kiana didn't want to watch the short under the cara.
So only Hokuto and Elysia were sitting there.
"I posted them, all of them."
While the livestream screen was switching, Elysia speedily posted a few comnts from the official account under the "Graduation Trip" short using her phone.
And just at that mont,
Players who had been idle in the official livestream room began flooding in upon hearing the news.
For all the beauty in the world: Arrival.
miHoYo you heartless devs: First!!
Inch Strength Skullcracker: Ha, first? You're fourth at best.
Carbon-Based Slipper Amoeba: All old friends, huh. So... you were all always here?
This world is not beautiful at all: Honkai never falls, with you till old age! (dog head)
——
In the blink of an eye, the comnt section exploded.
Even though many people liked Elysia's comnt, it still teetered on the edge, bouncing up and down, like it would sink into obscurity at any second.
To save face, perhaps—
She imdiately added a follow-up under her comnt: "I'm the official account, give attention QAQ."
After this, her likes quickly surged, finally stabilizing her at second place.
Huh? Second?
First was...
She looked closer and saw that the comnt from the account in Hokuto's hand was sitting comfortably at the top.
"Why are you so stable...?"
"Huh?"
Hokuto blinked and replied casually and truthfully: "I can pin my own comnt."
Elysia: "..."
——
anwhile, as so players noisily clicked over to the new short on the official account,
The official livestream room finally had video.
Most of the players who hadn't moved yet instantly abandoned the idea of following the early crowd to the video.
So who had left even ca back and opened another window just to keep the stream running.
They focused on the livestream.
The screen was very simple and clear.
Familiar miHoYo logo, and the title of the short: "Graduation Trip."
Straight to the point?
Wait a minute—
Realizing miHoYo was airing an animated short live, the players perked up.
Then, quickly did a few things:
Adjusted the volu to a comfortable level, pulled out a tissue pack from the drawer and placed it within reach, took a deep breath, straightened posture, turned off the chat overlay...
It was a routine they had beco very practiced and natural at.
Though truthfully, none of them wanted to "get used to it," much less be "practiced" at this.
After all, if they had to say, it would be a sowhat sad story.
The kind that made them always say "Co play Honkai Impact 3rd, the plot is super sweet," with sad irony.
But the fact was—they were fluent to the point it would surprise outsiders.
Back to the story.
The players quickly finished preparations.
The animated short also began its proper playback during this ti.
From the very start, the opening was different from previous shorts.
The miHoYo logo at the center of the screen slowly receded under their gaze.
A phone fra appeared, followed by one of Kiana's fingers.
So this ant...
Kiana was watching with them?
To confirm the speculation, the animation even showed a few fras of the comnt section.
Honkai Impact 3rd's No.1 Idol, Ai-chan: Safe travels, Kiana. We'll be waiting for you to co ho!
Honkai Impact 3rd: Thank you for this beautiful story. Goodbye.
Elysia: "..."
The mont she saw those fras, she instantly understood why Hokuto had been ready to post a comnt right away.
So that's why.
Hoping that "our" blessing could truly be seen by Kiana?
As always, that's how she interpreted it.
Of course, for many players, they just thought miHoYo was pulling a stunt again, so they laughed and moved on.
——
In the video:
Kiana leaned against the railing and put down her phone, hands behind her back.
A smile was on her face.
If going by Elysia's interpretation, that smile ant she was happy to receive everyone's blessings.
Though many players didn't think as deeply as Elysia, they were still moved by Kiana's peaceful smile.
Gradually, they relaxed.
And at these monts—people let their guard down most.
"When a story is about to end, we always think of its beginning."
Kiana's gentle voice, her words worth savoring, like silk threads, subtly guided their thoughts to soar.
"It's like... everything returned to the start."
Trying to hold it back.
But her earliest self erged in their minds anyway.
That was—
The scenery outside the train suddenly changed—red desert, dazzling Imaginary Tree, casting strange tones into the carriage.
But that was only the beginning of the strangeness.
Because—
"For example... just like now, right?"
A voice that could snap ninety-nine percent of players out of their emotional state instantly rang out.
???
Why is HIS voice in the short?!
They hadn't heard his voice in-ga for a long, long, long ti.
The last ti was the last ti.
As for who it was—
One who could make all players simultaneously shudder and reveal shocked expressions...
It wasn't hard to guess. Only a few candidates.
Combined with the Imaginary Tree outside the window—
A certain na was on the tip of everyone's tongue.
[Otto?! Otto Apocalypse??]
[Oh my God! Otto resurrected!!]
[Bring my wine bottle!!]
When Otto appeared in the train car, swirling his wine glass—
They had no choice but to reenact that classic scene.
A favorite saying among Honkai players: Huh?
But...
"Heh, you don't seem surprised?"
Otto looked at the Kiana with a slightly serious expression, his signature smile on his face.
"..."
At so point, Kiana had switched back to her Herrscher of Flascion form, giving him a knowing look with no words.
Because she knew... it wasn't just Otto.
Otto, finding no response, wasn't bothered at all. He turned to look at the nostalgic scenery outside the train.
And continued: "Isn't this scenery quite nostalgic?"
"Don't flatter yourself..."
But the one who replied wasn't Kiana.
It was another voice that could instantly awaken ninety-nine percent of the players.
"She's not like us. She still has to keep moving forward."
The puppet slid down from above in a difficult pose, wrapping around a pole, and boldly approached Kiana.
"Heehee, ahahaha—how about it, surprised to see ?"
Players: ...?
Although, yes—
The few people who could make them react like this were limited, they weren't expecting to see ALL of them again.
Well, not all yet. Missing the Herrscher of Corruption...
As that thought rose in their minds, they suddenly felt a chill.
No way...
The scenery outside silently changed again—a city built from dark green pipes and television machinery, casting a cold light into the train.
Clearly, that "no way" had beco real.
A wave of pixelation swept across, turning the train into a corrupted color sche.
Even the station sign that used to read "Flascion Station" now turned into a big eyeball.
"Oh? Now we're all here!"
The Herrscher of Corruption made a grand entrance.
But unlike the overly familiar Herrscher of Sentience, it just gave a sideways glance with nothing to say.
o(￣ヘ￣o＃)
Even if they didn't seem eager for another fight, the atmosphere was still... complicated.
After all, the three present were once the most rage-inducing villains in their respective stories.
So...
"Heh heh..."
Otto, like the spokesperson, chuckled and calmly said:
"But unfortunately, our story has already ended..."
Damn you Otto, as if saying 'end' just wipes the slate clean...
But the next mont—
The last one to appear, the Herrscher of Corruption, left behind a line of "no signal" and vanished.
???
"People of the past... let them stay in the past."
Otto swirled his wine glass, gazing into the red wine and the reflection of himself.
Still the sa Otto.
He left himself five hundred years ago, in exchange for soone else to head toward the future.
Faded away peacefully.
Leaving nothing behind.
Only the Herrscher of Sentience waved at Kiana as she turned to walk forward.
"Well then... goodbye."
Players: ...
Those three.
Think they can leave cleanly and just...
Forgiveness? Impossible.
But what they represented—those pasts—did give strength.
Anger born from love carries equal strength as love.
They typed sothing... then deleted it.
——
They quietly watched Kiana walk to the end of the car.
The cara suddenly pulled up high.
Kiana, in her Herrscher of the Void form, stood at the login deck, placing a hand against the glass.
"Aren't you going to say sothing?"
Unlike before, this ti she spoke first.
And the person she asked...
All who had been watching Kiana's journey had the sa figure flash through their hearts.
The reflection in the glass—another "Kiana"—showed a completely fitting expression.
"Hmph."
"Well done."
For the first ti ever, the Queen shut off her reverb and spoke the words "well done" in a tone she had never used before.
The Queen isn't tsundere anymore—this is the end of an era.
"..."
It really was... an ending.
Thinking about the short they were now watching—
The usual jokes now seed to carry unfamiliar weight.
Their expressions started to shift uncontrollably.
And hearing the Queen's words, Kiana slowly smiled in comfort.
Feathers scattered around her like snow.
When the feathers cleared—she suddenly found herself in midair, falling at a steady pace.
But—
Kiana didn't look flustered.
Not because she was confident she could land face-first and still be fine.
But because—
This ti, she wanted to reach out and accept the hand beside her.
The one they once missed.
Warm fingertips t hers.
Another delicate palm gripped hers tightly.
Her body felt light—
The feeling of freefall vanished—
Replaced with warmth and solid ground.
Another small regret—nded.
"i..."
Kiana looked at the one who caught her.
As expected—it was her.
The two stood on the rooftop of Chihaya Academy, exactly the sa as before.
Origin Highlands, Finality Crater, and the wormhole between them—none were missing.
"So many things have happened."
"Yeah, really... so many things."
A variation of the Honkai World's Diva the played at the perfect mont in the ga, using a brighter lody to create a beautiful atmosphere.
And so...
"This ti, are we parting ways again here?"
Facing Kiana's question,
i chose to hold Kiana's hand tightly.
With determination and gentleness, she replied, "No. This ti... we'll walk to the end together."
The sun rose from the horizon, consciously arriving at where it was ant to be.
The sun had risen.
Light would soon shine across the land, filling people with hope for the future.
Just like... the future Elysia once guided them to envision.
Departure is not a farewell.
Reunion, eting again—there will still be new encounters in the future.
For those we cherish, our hearts will never be apart.
So, let's depart.
Kiana pulled i by the hand, turned around, and together they stepped into the light.
Bravely advancing toward their own futures.
Believing in themselves, and in those they hold dear.
Then—
Ca a piece of Canon.
Personally perford by soone—and of course, it wasn't just "personally perford" that easily.
There was also...
Just like this Canon itself.
It made people want to smile, only to freeze halfway.
Want to cry recklessly, but instead forced a smile.
For the joyful, they heard a touch of sorrow.
For the sad and lost, they saw hope.
Scenes that seed so familiar—
Kiana and i in their standard outfits walking through the long-destroyed but now-reviving Changkong City.
Miss Natasha stood at the corner, watching them leave.
They no longer had any entanglent.
The present is not the past...
Only when a story is about to end do you realize—even saying that line becos difficult.
Thinking of how in the future, they might never again get to trigger "100sp > 175sp" in the story...
Suddenly, a bit of loneliness arose.
What does it an for sothing to end—it beca clear in their hearts.
The scene changed.
Kiana and i walked into a bustling city and t...
Li Sushang, already integrated into modern life and eating a big roasted pork bun. She wore her Sword Archive outfit.
A familiar outfit, a different setting.
Bianka and Rita, crouching and playing with Stan, had set aside their Valkyrie duties, now simply ordinary girls.
Familiar characters, different everyday lives.
"Yeah, we've been to so many places... left behind so many mories."
"This is a story about love. And it shall have a conclusion born of love."
Arriving at the beach—
Rosalia and Liliya were playing along the shoreline. Seele and Bronya sat beneath a sun umbrella drinking icy-cold beverages.
Everyone wore swimsuits.
It was from that sumr of cicada songs, a way to dispel the sweltering unease and bring so coolness to the Valkyries.
Hmm...
Though this world never had the legend of the Fortuneteller Squad, they too had their own "once upon a ti."
"So, just like before—step by step, keep moving forward."
Bronya, who had been eating ice cream with Seele, stood up after seeing Seele's knowing smile.
She quickly caught up with Kiana and i.
The next part of the story would be told with all three of them together.
"Look..."
Siegfried, Sirin, and Cecilia were at a shopping mall.
The original trio greeted them first.
"Anyti..."
They ca to foreign streets, where they happened upon people from those lands...
Joyce, and the scientist trio.
The Fla-Chasers outside the Golden Courtyard doing a group activity.
Bronya looked at the map, Kiana analyzed beside her, and i... turned back and t eyes with Elysia in the distance.
"It's right here."
The background Canon subtly layered in more instrunts.
One by one, others joined in to say farewell to this story.
Raven, Rita, Bianka, Bronya...
Yes, even though there were no lines here, Hokuto added a bit of artistic touch.
This Canon that began with him—
As the story moved forward, more new companions picked up instrunts and added new lodies.
Just like in Kiana's life, friends slowly gathered around her.
Her story, their story, everyone's story...
Like a Canon.
Rich, beautiful, harmonious, warm, and even a little noisy.
...
The players suddenly wanted to close their eyes and enjoy this mont of lingering ti.
But... just like how they realized not long ago that several years of Honkai Impact 3rd had already passed—
No matter how lingering ti felt, it always felt too short.
Before they knew it—
Before they were satisfied—
They had returned to the train station.
Theresa held up a phone case—still the magical Teriri model—to take a photo of the original trio.
Aunt Hiko's first appearance in a short—and it had to be in soone else's short (）
Fu Hua appeared behind the trio, patting them on the back and joining the conversation with a smile.
The five huddled together, whispering to each other—the scene was bustling and lively.
Canon's lody grew richer.
But just then—the moving train arrived at the station.
"..."
Kiana, not wanting to disrupt the joyful mont, quietly stepped back and boarded the train.
i took a step forward, paused, and chose instead to simply watch in silence.
Until—the train door closed and separated the past.
Canon halted abruptly.
The blissful expressions on the players' faces froze.
As the music cut off, it felt like their hearts did too.
All the emotion that had been steadily building suddenly surged all at once.
The unstoppable train.
The unstoppable passage of ti.
This graduation trip was nearing its end.
Soon, very soon—
It would be ti for them to say to Kiana—and to themselves—Happy Graduation.
But...
Could it stop just a little longer...?
At tis like this, their "battle-hardened experience" proved useful.
They took a deep breath and pulled themselves together.
Smiled.
They could do it.
Believed in those behind them who had given their blessings,
Believed in the strength this beloved story had given them.
Moving toward tomorrow—was not about forgetting the past.
Those beautiful mories, those days of old, would forever be kept in their hearts.
Everyone—would be there.
At last, they had built up enough emotion to face the final finale.
This ti, they could definitely smile and...
"Kiana."
But just that one sentence—that short call—made everyone freeze instantly.
The voice was so gentle, so familiar, so...
Made you want to say...
What the hell! Damn you, Script-Writer Scum! Don't co any closer!!
But still...
Even while thinking that, they couldn't take their eyes off Kiana as she turned around.
Hiko, the class president, Academy Head Theresa, i, Bronya—stood before St. Freya in their original battlesuits.
With the most sincere gazes, they watched Kiana who was about to journey forth.
Etching this mont deeply into their hearts.
"Da Capo" began to play.
"When friends once dear to you depart
Do you hope they'll still rember your na?
When the good old days fade away
Does your heart remain as it once was?
..."
And so—shock beca surprise, but before they could even smile at the surprise,
The emotions rising from deep within gave them a different expression.
They reached for tissues and held them tightly.
Facing their true selves.
Could they?
No... they couldn't.
[Soone, destroy the speakers!]
[These lyrics, this song—it's too powerful.]
[No one is allowed to smash the speakers this ti!]
"We cannot stop the passing ti
Only leave the tracks behind
For the road ahead is longer still
..."
Kiana, one hand in her pocket, the other rubbing her nose.
A bit immature in her maturity—
But so much like the Kiana from the very beginning.
Carrying everyone's blessings, she turned once more—toward the future.
The train sped toward the Cocoon of Finality.
That would be the end of this journey.
Kiana spread her arms—flying toward it.
Just like at the start of the ga, when she jumped down from the sky.
Only this ti—the ending had already changed so much.
[...] *N
As it turns out, even if you're fluent at one-handed typing,
It's not enough for every situation.
Like now.
When no one could spare even a single hand...
...
The main story ended. Next ca the ending the.
Credits of the production team flashed by.
The screen showed...
A small Kiana, carrying an oversized backpack, trudging through the snow.
"There once was a storyteller
Who painted sunlight and rain
But people must grow up
Spending their lives learning love and pain
..."
Little Kiana fell heavily into the snow.
After such a long journey, she was too exhausted to get back up on her own.
But she didn't give up.
Once, twice, three tis...
Quietly gathering strength,
Believing she could stand once more.
And maybe—she could.
Only this ti, the grown Kiana—who appeared at so unknown point—lifted up little Kiana.
Brushed the snow from her face.
And nodded to her.
Encouraging that bewildered self to continue forward.
And so—
The two brushed past each other.
One walking toward Earth,
The other toward the Moon.
"...
If saying goodbye is too hard
Then let's try singing it aloud
You are the eternal beauty shining in this world."
[Happy Graduation, Kiana.]
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