Knock knock knock~~
Hokuto, who was resting at home, heard knocking at the door.
He came out from the bedroom, passed through the living room, and opened the door at the entrance without thinking much of it.
A man who looked extremely unconventional stood outside.
Silver hair, black clothing, and a pitch-black mask on his face.
Frankly, if this man at the door were to suddenly shout "This is a robbery!" it wouldn't feel out of place at all.
Of course, even though this man was clearly a weirdo, Hokuto didn't panic.
Because he already recognized who it was.
Kalpas?
Hokuto greeted with a faint smile: "Hello, may I ask who you're looking for?"
"Do you have anyone else in your house?" Kalpas asked bluntly.
Hokuto remained calm: "So you're looking for me?"
"That's right!" Kalpas didn't bother pretending. He admitted it directly: "I just wanted to see what the scriptwriter of Honkai Impact 3rd looks like."
"And the result is..."
He paused. "You don't look that special."
"Isn't that expected? Were you hoping I'd have three heads and six arms, or a blue face and fangs?" Hokuto joked gently.
"You're more humorous than I thought."
"Hehe~~ I've always taken pride in my sense of humor."
The two exchanged remarks.
Kalpas looked at the smiling, seemingly gentle man in front of him. "Someone like you actually wrote such cold-blooded stories."
"Actually, I've always thought my writing is rather heartwarming," Hokuto said seriously.
"You serious? You think The Day You Vanished with the Stars is heartwarming?" Kalpas asked.
"Of course."
Hokuto nodded without hesitation. The beginning was admittedly painful, but the ending was quite heartwarming.
Seeing Hokuto nod, Kalpas's tone suddenly shifted: "It seems you've developed a cognitive disorder. You need treatment."
"...?"
"I've got years of experience. Just one session and you'll see results."
"Pardon me for asking."
Hokuto took a step back as Kalpas approached, "Have you... ever treated someone for... cognitive disorder before?"
Kalpas suddenly paused, then shook his head: "You're the first."
"...Then what's this so-called experience?"
"Details like that aren't important!"
"...?"
No, that's extremely important!
Hokuto silently complained. But seeing how this was about to escalate into a "No, Kalpas, don't!", he figured he had to try something.
"Wait!" He recalled their conversation. "You don't like the ending of The Day You Vanished with the Stars?"
"Starlit Astrologos died again and again—how can you call that a good ending?"
"..."
Could Kalpas be a Starlit Astrologos fan?
A wild thought flashed in Hokuto's mind. He pushed it aside and raised a hand:
"Seems like you haven't seen the true ending of The Day You Vanished with the Stars."
"True ending?"
"Yes. Actually, The Day You Vanished with the Stars has a true ending. Judging it before finishing the full story is too premature."
But Kalpas didn't think there was anything wrong with his judgment. Instead, he replied: "Because I know you wrote it."
"..."
Hokuto fell silent, momentarily unable to refute that.
"Ahem."
After a while, he cleared his throat, pulling out his phone: "I can show you the true ending. How about we watch it first, then you decide?"
"...Fine."
Kalpas nodded. "Let's see what kind of 'heartwarming' ending you've come up with for this desperate tale."
"Don't worry, don't worry."
Hokuto logged into Honkai Impact 3rd, skillfully navigated to the event page, and entered the story chapter.
He skipped the earlier plot and jumped straight to the final chapter.
Very soon, they reached Starlit Astrologos's repeated deaths.
Starlit Astrologos died again and again. Hokuto remained calm, Kalpas's expression... couldn't be seen behind his mask.
"How many ways did you come up with to kill her?"
Just as Kalpas couldn't hold back anymore—
[...Anchor point located. Tesla·Zero charging...]
[Charging complete. Beginning projection...]
Kalpas focused, expecting a change in the story.
But in reality—
It was still the same.
The Captain remained trapped in the loop.
Once more. How many times more?
I gradually realize that no matter what I do, there is a force restraining me—and I know nothing about it.
When I erase one cause and overwrite the effect, new causes arise, giving birth to new outcomes.
The entangled roots of this game have exceeded my understanding and control.
I don't know where this story will end... or if it even has an end.
If there are any bystanders, what would they think of everything I've done so far?
[Is this guy really this dumb?]
[Why can't he even do something so simple?]
[If it were me... he should've just done this back then.]
[Why can't you save everyone?!]
Ahh... That's exactly what they'd say.
...They're right. They're not wrong at all.
Only now do I realize—at this moment, I'm just an ordinary Captain...
"This is the 'heartwarming ending' you mentioned?"
"Don't rush."
Hokuto continued clicking. The story finally reached the turning point.
[...Tesla·Zero rebooting...]
[...Warning. Awakening imminent. Dialogue module restoring...]
Two lines flashed, and the scene changed.
Tesla·Zero walked on the lake's surface. She spoke to the Captain.
I once shared the future with you, but never knew your past.
Back then, you were just like now—carrying others' lives, forced to repeat the past as long as you lived.
You are still in pain, but never forgot that pain. And I have finally reached your past, to write the opening note to the long journey drifting between the "shards of the world."
...
Pain isn't scary. What's scary is getting used to pain to the point you can no longer feel it.
Because you no longer see yourself as the experiencer, but merely a bystander—just like me now, witnessing the tragedies you've endured.
...
If there are still bystanders, they must be filled with expectations—for you to transcend countless deaths and reach a perfect ending where no one is hurt.
They don't know, nor do they care what you've been through.
Everything you've gained and lost... to them, is just a story—one they think they can predict. But will reality really follow their script?
This story is not about salvation or being saved. Its ending is patched over and over, only to crack again.
And you are the one who tries, and tries, and tries again, traversing pain each time.
What cannot be done won't magically succeed through sheer persistence or by saying, "I can do it."
I know. And you know too—that even though you've tried your hardest, you still don't have the strength.
But I'm here—to offer you a path that could break the cycle.
That is the reason... for my existence.
This part resonated deeply with players who'd struggled to save Starlit Astrologos countless times.
Later, Tesla·Zero awakened and brought the story to a close.
Tesla·Zero was actually something left behind by the future Captain.
After countless cycles, if the present Captain still couldn't save Starlit Astrologos, Tesla·Zero would take both her and the Captain away from this world, avoiding her death by "skipping the class."
But her activation threshold was a staggering eight digits.
And the reason it was so high was simply because—
"He still held onto hope... hope that the past version of himself could be different—that even a slim chance could lead to a future unlike his own…"
So, even if he had to go through a million cycles, he still chose to believe.
He hoped his past self would carve out a future entirely different from his own.
A ruthless person—ruthless to himself.
"No wonder you're the Captain." Kalpas marveled.
Hokuto turned his gaze, looking at the now visibly moved Kalpas: "So, are you satisfied with the ending?"
"...Not bad at all."
"Then, shall we talk about our own situation now?"
"Hm?"
Hokuto smiled: "First, you came to me just because you didn't like The Day You Vanished with the Stars's ending, but now you've realized your dissatisfaction came from a biased view, assuming I only write pain. In truth, the ending was complete, and you liked it."
"Second, you burst in with a baseless accusation—so that's kind of on you, right?"
"So..."
"So?" Kalpas tensed.
"Shouldn't you... apologize to me?"
Kalpas: "..."
Kalpas immediately fell silent.
After a while—
Hokuto suddenly added with a laugh: "Hehe~ just joking. I'm not that petty."
Kalpas: "..."
"Fighting brings people together. Let's just call this our first meeting."
Hokuto extended his hand.
Kalpas hesitated for a long while before slowly raising his own for a light handshake.
Hokuto kept his smile.
To be honest, he hadn't figured out how to deal with some of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers yet—but since Kalpas had walked right into his trap, there was no way he'd let him go.
"Kalpas! Kalpas!"
Just then, Elysia's voice came with the sound of running footsteps.
She saw the scene of Hokuto and Kalpas shaking hands warmly.
She blinked, turned away.
"1, 2, 3, hallucination be gone!"
Elysia chanted and turned back around.
The scene was the same as before.
Utterly shocked.