Chapter 22: Special Reward: Scroll of Nuwa

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"We should be the ones thanking you."

With Kiana's support, Himeko struggled to approach Ji Lin. Despite being gravely injured by her, Himeko held no resentment.

For this senior who had protected Shenzhou for millennia, Himeko felt nothing but profound respect.

"Thank you for safeguarding the land of Shenzhou for five thousand years."

In response to Himeko's gratitude, Ji Lin closed her eyes, a smile gracing her lips. Hearing these words at the end of her life brought her peace, knowing her efforts were acknowledged.

Then, Ji Lin's body began to emit a radiant glow, gradually dispersing like fading fireworks. Having already sacrificed her physical form to complete the seal, she existed similarly to a Honkai Beast, sustained only by her soul. As her life reached its conclusion, dissipating as embers marked a fitting finale.

Watching Ji Lin slowly vanish, Ana remained silent. It would be untrue to say she was unaffected; however, compared to Ji Lin, she mourned more deeply for Red Kite's other two friends, Fuxi and Nuwa.

"Beep, 'Honkai: The Xuanyuan Chronicles' concluded. Character Ana Schariac's popularity significantly increased, receiving rewards."

As Ana felt her sorrow, the system notification suddenly chimed, breaking its long silence. Despite not hearing it for a while, the voice remained cold and emotionless as ever; yet to Ana, it felt akin to hearing from a dear friend.

Indeed, amidst this world, the unresponsive System was her only true confidant—someone she could openly share her thoughts with, even though it never replied.

"Rewarding one Key of Domination and one Scroll of Nuwa for martial idol Nuwa."

"The Scroll of Nuwa?!" Ana's eyes widened involuntarily. Receiving the Key of Domination didn't surprise her; after all, completing Chiyou's chapter yielded the Key of Domination along with Xuanyuan Sword, additional information, and Ji Lin's Stigmata.

However, obtaining the Scroll of Nuwa was completely unexpected.

"Could it be related to the Book of Fuxi?" Ana pondered silently. The Book of Fuxi served as Red Kite's companion, created by Fuxi and Nuwa. It had journeyed through countless years with Red Kite until eventually shutting down due to depleted energy during the Tang Dynasty era.

If the Book of Fuxi had remained intact, perhaps the tragic event of seven disciples betraying their master could have been averted.

"Could you provide some information about the Scroll of Nuwa first?" Ana mentally asked the voice. With the Main trio and Himeko nearby, she dared not directly retrieve the Scroll of Nuwa, fearing the inability to explain its sudden appearance.

"The Scroll of Nuwa is a sister martial idol to the Book of Fuxi. Originally an incomplete martial idol, upon the breaking of Chiyou's seal, Nuwa's consciousness attached itself to the doll, transforming it into the Scroll of Nuwa."

Receiving this information within her mind, Ana's eyes lit up instantly.

Nuwa's consciousness! That means this martial idol essentially represents Nuwa herself, right?! This...this is truly fantastic news for me!

As a pioneer from the previous civilization and effectively a Fusion-type fighter, Nuwa was most importantly a researcher. She was originally Mobius' assistant, thus possessing vast knowledge and secrets from the earlier era. Now, if Ana ever uttered something inexplicable in the future, she could conveniently attribute it to the Scroll of Nuwa.

This reward could arguably be more practical than even the Key of Domination.

Although Ana possessed Heaven's Fire, acquired from the bishop, it was still a martial idol created by Ellie for Kevin. Consequently, its memories were quite limited, primarily serving as Unnamed Locomotive's bodyguard due to Kevin infusing his power into it.

If not for the presence of the Main trio and Himeko, she would have immediately revealed the Scroll of Nuwa.

Additionally, Ana eagerly anticipated Fu Hua's reaction upon seeing the Scroll of Nuwa—though, it remained uncertain whether the current Fu Hua, with her surface consciousness, still remembered Fuxi and Nuwa.

Back on Hyperion, Fu Hua showed no reaction when translating Soulium texts related to Nuwa and Fuxi. It seemed likely that these specific memories had been irretrievably lost during the Second Honkai.

Of course, this might not be insurmountable. Perhaps Nuwa, being Red Kite's companion, could find a way. However, considering Nuwa's lively and mischievous nature, Ana couldn't help but worry about her reliability.

"Since Chiyou is defeated, let's leave now."

Coming back to her senses, Ana turned towards the Main trio and Himeko. Their eyes appeared dazed, as if deeply affected by Ji Lin's departure moments ago. This observation relieved Ana somewhat.

She had been momentarily engrossed in the rewards from the system just then. If that caused any misunderstandings among them, it would have been difficult to explain.

"Yes," Himeko agreed, preparing to follow suit. However, after uttering this response, she suddenly went limp, rolled her eyes back, and fainted.

For Himeko, her strength was already depleted long ago; only her unwavering belief to protect her students kept her standing. Now, with everything settled, the determination within her dissipated, leaving her utterly weakened.

"Himeko!" Sensing something amiss, Kiana exclaimed involuntarily. Ana also noticed Himeko's unusual state and swiftly caught her before she could fall. She then placed her hand on Himeko's wrist, sensing for signs of life. As she continued, Ana's heart grew heavier with each passing moment.

Himeko's exhaustion was not merely emotional; her physical condition mirrored it as well.

Originally, Himeko had already retired from active duty as a Valkyrie. As a Valkyrie wholly reliant on artificial Stigmata, her lifespan had been significantly shortened. Now, she pushed herself to the brink once more for her students' sake.

It could be said that even without this final lesson, Himeko likely wouldn't have survived until the end of Honkai.

However, there might still be hope—a turning point—in the form of the Abyss Flower.

With the regenerative power of the Abyss Flower, Himeko's injuries could be completely healed. However, afterward, she would need to retire permanently and could no longer serve as a Valkyrie.

In truth, becoming a Valkyrie for someone like Himeko, an ordinary individual, was akin to playing with death itself.

"How is Teacher Himeko doing, Teacher Ana?" Raiden Mei anxiously asked as she saw Ana lift her head. Although Kiana and Bronya didn't speak, their expressions echoed the same concern.

Ana shook her head solemnly.

"The situation is dire; my holy blood can only temporarily suppress the Honkai corruption but cannot heal her injuries," Ana said gravely. She refrained from mentioning that Himeko's most significant issue stemmed from her lingering old wounds, as it would only burden the Main trio further.