In the game, the Flame-Chasers's stigmata meant enhancement, but they could only be used within the Elysium.
But what about in reality?
The stigmata didn't have the convenient abilities and effects of the game, but they were still a unique blessing.
Could things in Elysian Realm really only exist there?
After leaving Elysian Realm, Takatsuki could still feel the active Honkai Energy within him.
Because he had never used Honkai Energy as his primary power, he had never seriously studied Honkai, but some things don't cease to exist just because you ignore them.
Living in this world, even mingling in high-concentration Honkai environments, inevitably led to contact with Honkai and its absorption into the body.
However, this Honkai Energy was not self-generated but absorbed from the surrounding environment. The human body cannot create and transform Honkai Energy, so this energy could not be used in other worlds. Furthermore, due to its inherent erosion of the human body and the fact that it had its own Master, even though Honkai Energy was said to be omnipotent, he had never thought of developing its use.
But after receiving the blessing bestowed by Elysia, the Honkai Energy that had accumulated in his body and Stigmata during his daily life became active.
"This is a great gift."
Dropping his hands, Takatsuki had already left Elysian Realm, and this power was still with him.
He hadn't done anything, nor had Ai.
But Elysia's memory body could still give such a blessing, so... was she really just a memory body, a mere shadow?
"It looks like you've had a good harvest?"
Takatsuki didn't continue to ponder Elysia's matter, looking instead at the unexpected guest walking towards him.
"I almost mistook you for an old acquaintance of mine just now, but although you have the same appearance and voice, your temperaments are completely different."
Takatsuki said, looking at the white-haired woman walking towards him.
Feeling the Honkai Energy rapidly increasing around him, Takatsuki became even more certain that the person in front of him was not Cecilia.
"Who are you? What is your relationship with Cecilia?"
The woman who came had an identical appearance and voice to Cecilia, but her personality and temperament were completely different.
"Here, you can call me Dream Hare, but I prefer you to call me by my name, Misteln."
Misteln's tone was completely different from Cecilia's. If the latter's demeanor and tone were that of a strong and capable warrior, the former gave the impression of a strategist, gentle and subtle, yet always giving a feeling of plotting something mischievous.
"I am Takatsuki, so what is your relationship with Cecilia?"
"You're actually concerned about this appearance?"
Misteln put her hands together in a troubled manner: "I thought you'd be more concerned about the high concentration of Honkai Energy around here."
"I'm not very concerned about things unrelated to me. Although this Honkai Energy is indeed strong, even machinery might be corroded, but it's useless to me. You can put it away."
Not to mention talismans, just the Stigmata on Takatsuki's body were enough to make him immune to the Honkai Energy's erosion.
"So it has something to do with Cecilia Schariac~"
Misteln put her hands down: "But please don't misunderstand, this Honkai Energy is not actively released by me, but coexists with me. Even if I were killed, this Honkai Energy would not disappear, but would continuously erode the surroundings with my corpse as the center."
"However, I'm very surprised that you weren't affected by this power. Gray Serpent calling me over seems to have been a miscalculation on his part."
Clearly, the name Dream Hare was a codename within the World Serpent, and having a codename meant that Dream Hare was also a World Serpent cadre.
"Honkai Energy's erosion is useless against me, even on the moon."
"In that case, if the past me had met you first, perhaps we would have become good friends."
Takatsuki could hear a hint of regret in her words. Although it sounded strange, the other party indeed thought so.
"Friends or enemies, it's all a choice. Even now, it's not too late."
Misteln showed a somewhat bitter smile.
"Have you heard of the Archetype?"
"No."
After all, Takatsuki hadn't finished the Honkai Impact 3rd story before he transmigrated, nor did he know how many plot holes the scriptwriter had dug.
Takatsuki had just found the term "Dream Hare" in his memories; it was a World Serpent cadre mentioned in Raven's self-description, but there was no further information.
"Then what about Stigmata?"
"As for Stigmata, I do know about them."
Misteln clapped her hands together: "Then it's easier to explain. If you know about Stigmata, you should also know about Stigmata space, right? You can think of me as the Stigmata space in human form."
"This is the Archetype, also known as Stigmata Life."
"And I..."
With a gentle smile, Misteln seemed to recall something.
"...am the Archetype of the Schariac Stigmata. When that Saintess of the Schariac Family unleashed her power, she briefly broke the boundary between reality and the imaginary, and so I descended in her form."
Takatsuki was familiar with the concept of Stigmata space. In the story, the most common was the Kaslana Family's Stigmata space, which even contained a Stigmata consciousness in the form of Kevin.
Speaking of which, Veliona also seemed to be a Stigmata consciousness?
"I see, I understand. So..."
Putting aside his thoughts, Takatsuki looked at Misteln: "Why are you standing in my way?"
"Hmm~"
Misteln pretended to think for a moment.
"Originally, Gray Serpent wanted me to test you, but it seems his plan failed."
Seeing that Misteln made no further moves, Takatsuki had no intention of doing anything: "In that case, clear the way."
"That's not it..."
Unexpectedly, Misteln refused Takatsuki's words.
"I have my own ideas now. Takatsuki, is that what Raven said your name was?"
Misteln sold Raven out without any psychological burden.
However, Takatsuki had no intention of troubling Raven; he just wanted to see what this Schariac Family Stigmata Life wanted to do.
"The Schariac Stigmata itself embodies the concept of salvation. In a world overrun by Honkai, what kind of action counts as salvation?"
Misteln asked Takatsuki out of the blue, but she didn't seem to expect an answer, pausing only briefly before continuing.
"It's about enabling people to withstand Honkai. Someone once found a way, which was Stigmata. As long as one could obtain Stigmata, they could withstand a lot of Honkai Energy erosion."
Stigmata Project?
Takatsuki recalled the essence of the Stigmata Project, which was to awaken Stigmata in humans. However, this presented a significant problem because the awakening method involved injecting a special agent into people and then having them live in a high-concentration Honkai Energy environment. Those who awakened would survive, while those who failed to awaken Stigmata would be directly corrupted and die.
Misteln's subsequent words confirmed Takatsuki's thoughts.
"The high concentration of Honkai Energy constantly emanating from me can awaken Stigmata in those who survive in such an environment…"
She revealed a somewhat sorrowful smile: "It's very cruel, isn't it…"