Chapter 28: My Brother Was Stolen
In the wake of the announcement, the internet forums erupted, splitting the player base into two distinct and vehemently opposed camps.
One side argued with a callous pragmatism. It didn't matter, they claimed. Could the lives of NPCs, digital constructs in a virtual world, even be called lives? They were just code.
The other side countered that the game demanded to be taken seriously, that actions within it had weight and consequence.
Although two factions had formed, the truth was that the former group constituted the overwhelming majority. Their mantra was simple: play however you want. They openly questioned the developers' claims that the game world could synchronize with reality, citing the fact that no one had actually witnessed such a phenomenon. To them, it was all just a clever marketing gimmick.
However, after a mere half a day, the entire direction of public opinion was violently wrenched into a new course.
All those players who had been clamoring to become Death Soldiers, who had boasted about their impending transformation, suddenly went as silent as frightened quails.
The reason was simple: the state had begun to intervene.
Shenzhou was the first to issue an official decree: any citizen whose character race was transformed into a "Death Soldier" within the game "Honkai" would be immediately apprehended and detained upon discovery in the real world.
In the hours that followed, the United States, Great Britain, France, and Russia all issued nearly identical statements, their united front sending a chilling message across the globe. They emphasized that to become a Death Soldier was to declare oneself an enemy of humanity and civilization itself.
No one could have predicted that a mere video game would prompt the world's major powers to enact such sweeping, real-world legislation.
This unmatched response also served as obvious proof of one thing: "Honkai" was truly no ordinary game.
"What a pack of idiotic pigs. They're actually restricting such a magnificent path to power?" Takashi Kusada sneered, her lip curling in disdain.
Despite her defiant words, even she didn't dare to openly challenge her "American Daddy."
But, she mused, as long as she wasn't caught...
"Hehe, my Great Yamato Empire will rise again and one day stand at the pinnacle of the world!"
There were more than a few smaller nations that harbored such thoughts. The current world order was simply too rigid, too difficult to change. The Five Great Powers loomed over them like unassailable mountains, leaving them with no hope of ever ascending.
This game... this might just be their opportunity.
But there were also those who stood in staunch opposition, their voices ringing with conviction.
"If one becomes a Death Soldier, they are no longer human!" a player named Golden Sun declared in an impassioned speech that quickly went viral.
"\O/\O/\O/" the comment sections flooded in response, a sea of raised hands in digital adulation.
At that moment, it was as if a bizarre theme music began to play across the forums, a strange and nonsensical anthem for a strange new era.
"If you come in the depths of winter~ I'll greet you with a city of white snow~ I want to eat Cantonese food~"
That afternoon, Raiden Mei didn't go anywhere. She remained in the Kendo Club the entire time, a quiet and constant presence as she accompanied Rovel in his practice.
When Rovel sparred with her now, she focused almost exclusively on providing guidance. Before she would even consider using a move from the Hokushin Ittō-ryū, she would solemnly inform him, giving him time to prepare.
While this meant Rovel wasn't getting thrown around and bruised nearly as much, he also noticed that the skill proficiency he gained from their spars had decreased significantly.
Previously, a single session with Raiden Mei would grant him several thousand proficiency points; the time he comprehended the Clear Mirror Sword Intent, it had skyrocketed to a full ten thousand. Now, a single spar barely yielded a little over a thousand.
Although it was still a substantial amount, it was a far cry from what it used to be. The hellish training was slowly devolving into something almost… ordinary.
"Being treated so gently by the President... I'm really not used to it," Rovel admitted, scratching the back of his head with a wry smile.
"Just call me Mei," she replied, a delicate blush creeping up her neck. "I... I'm just afraid of hurting you, Mr. Rovel."
She was aware that she was holding back, perhaps far too much, but at least this way, Rovel wouldn't get hurt.
Back in the Kendo Club, Rovel had always addressed her formally as "President," saving "Mei" for when they were outside. He hadn't expected her to invite him to use her first name here as well.
'Is this another change from reaching one hundred trust?' he wondered.
"It's alright, Mei," Rovel said, his expression turning serious. "I want to grow up quickly so I can protect my sister. So please, don't hold back. Whip me into shape!"
He met her gaze, his own eyes burning with determination. "It's fine even if you use your full strength!"
"This..." Raiden Mei hesitated, but seeing the unyielding resolve in his eyes, she finally gave a small, reluctant nod.
And so, under Raiden Mei's "whip of love," Rovel once again found himself intimately acquainted with the wooden floor of the dojo.
This time, as he lay there, staring at the ceiling, Rovel began to seriously question his life.
He had thought that since he'd comprehended the Clear Mirror Sword Intent, since he had perfectly blocked Mei's "Five-Slash Rapid Severance" just yesterday... that even if he couldn't defeat her, he could at least hold his own for a while.
He couldn't have been more wrong.
It turned out that "Five-Slash Rapid Severance" was, in fact, the most basic, entry-level swordsmanship in the entire Hokushin Ittō-ryū curriculum.
When he learned this, Rovel's mind simply went blank.
So the move he had worked so tirelessly to block... the one he had been so proud of overcoming... was effectively just Raiden Mei's auto-attack?
This time, he had been defeated by a technique called "True Shadow Flash: First Form."
Without any warning, Mei had summoned two shadow-like clones that, along with her real self, had passed through Rovel's body from three different directions. His health bar had been emptied almost instantly, a massive "-630" floating grimly above his head.
And that was with Raiden Mei showing mercy.
The name itself was a chilling promise. Since there was a "First Form," there was inevitably a Second, a Third, and who knew how many more.
He sighed. Catching up to Raiden Mei was going to be a long and arduous journey.
A moment later, her form swam back into his field of vision. She knelt beside him, a hint of worry in her violet eyes as she tucked a stray strand of purple hair behind her ear.
"Mr. Rovel, are you alright?" Mei asked, her voice soft and gentle.
"I'm sorry, Mei. I was wrong," Rovel said, the words laced with a bitter sort of awe.
"Eh?" Mei blinked, baffled by his sudden apology.
"It turns out you've always been this gentle with me," Rovel explained, a self-deprecating smile on his face. "I was judging a noble heart by my own lowly standards."
It was true. Mei had been far too gentle. Before today, the strongest sword move she had ever used against him was her Battōjutsu, the opening stance of the Hokushin Ittō-ryū. The "Five-Slash Rapid Severance" was just a fundamental technique. All this time, she possessed the strength to defeat him in a single blow, yet she had patiently sparred with him, move by move, just to help him improve.
Thinking about it like that... Mei was nothing short of an angel.
"Mr. Rovel, you really are..." A blush bloomed on Mei's cheeks, but she quickly composed herself, clearing her throat. "Ahem. Your training isn't over just yet. Get up, quickly."
"Yes, Mei!" Rovel scrambled to his feet, his spirit renewed, and continued his training under her expert guidance.
As the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and gold, the day's afternoon training finally came to an end. After being thoroughly beaten three times and receiving Raiden Mei's very useful instruction, Rovel had gained over 15,000 skill proficiency points for his Basic Kendo.
In addition, he had earned over 2,800 experience points, pushing him to Level 8.
At this rate, he would reach Level 10 soon, and his Basic Kendo would advance to the next stage. By then, he might have a bit more confidence when facing Mei.
"Mei, let me walk you home," Rovel suggested proactively. "I'll go get a bicycle."
Raiden Mei's home was quite a distance from the school; it would take nearly an hour on foot. Previously, she had been picked up and dropped off by a family driver, so the distance was never an issue. Now that the driver had fled along with the other staff, it presented a genuine problem.
A flash of anticipation sparked in her eyes, but she quickly suppressed it and shook her head.
"That... wouldn't it be too much trouble for you, Mr. Rovel? Let's just forget it..."
"It's no trouble at all. I don't have anything to do in the evenings anyway, and it'll be quick on a bike," Rovel said, gesturing for her not to worry.
A few moments later, Rovel had spent 1,000 Credits to purchase a brand-new bicycle from the game's system shop.
He paused for a second, a strange thought crossing his mind.
'Hmm. I'm using the money my sister 'fed' me to buy a bicycle to take another woman home.'He blinked.'Does this count as my sister's wallet getting NTR'd?'
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