Bronya Zaychik looked at Ryn with relief: "Seele told me what happened today. She speaks very highly of you, willing to sacrifice yourself to protect important people during a mission…"
"Ah… didn't Seele say she'd keep it a secret…" Ryn scratched her head in embarrassment.
"Seele got really excited when she was talking about you, so she accidentally let it slip. But since you disobeyed an order, you'll still need to accept some punishment. Let me think, what should the punishment be~ How about you two go on a secret mission with me!"
Bronya Zaychik's lips curled into a slight smile as she led Ryn and the onlooking Ryn away from the base, saying she was going to punish them with a night patrol.
One of humanity's greatest discoveries was the discovery and application of electricity. The widespread use of electricity directly propelled humanity into a new era.
The light from electric lamps dispelled the silence of the night, allowing people to be active even in the dark. But now, disaster has destroyed everything, and people have returned to a primitive era.
Leaving the faint light of the underground station, Ryn, Bronya Zaychik, and the other walked under the night sky, relying only on the almost invisible moon for a faint glimmer of light.
Bronya Zaychik walked ahead, looking at the darkness before her, and began to talk to herself.
"For humans, the most vulnerable time is the night. When you can't see the light, your inner fears are exposed, and your heart becomes vulnerable.
That's why people long for the dawn, but now even the dawn has become a luxury. The damage left by the Great Honkai five years ago, that death spot hanging in the sky has already blocked the sunlight. Later, we were driven by the Honkai Beasts to hide in the narrow underground tunnels.
Even so, we face many difficulties. The lack of supplies and the loss of personnel have turned survival into a race against death. But hope still exists, so we will not give up the fight."
Ryn looked up at the "death spot", a Cross of Finality so similar to the pattern on the back of his hand…
So… was that death spot left by "Kiana"?
Facing the death spot, Ryn reached out his hand, wanting to try to remove or absorb it.
He failed, as expected.
This world is strange. Ryn can leave his own traces or "death spots" here, but it is difficult to change some of the existing things in this world.
Where no one was looking, Ryn tightened her grip on her twin daggers, her hands trembling slightly.
Suddenly, Bronya Zaychik stopped. The group halted beneath a tall building.
"We're here. The Honkai Beasts don't rest at night either, so we have to hurry."
"This is? Are we not patrolling anymore?"
"Sorry, I tricked you. My real purpose wasn't to patrol, I just wanted to bring you to this place. Come with me first, I'll explain on the way."
Bronya Zaychik waved and entered the building first.
The tall building, devoid of electricity and light, was like a giant monster devouring pedestrians in the night.
Ryn and Ryn held hands and followed Bronya Zaychik into the pitch-black building.
"It's really dark in here. There was still a little starlight outside, but you can't see anything in here…"
"Yeah, be careful. Some of the collapsed structures are piled up on the path, it's easy to fall when you can't see."
Bronya Zaychik, with one hand on the wall and the other holding Ryn behind her, expertly led the way.
Mmm… however, Bronya Zaychik didn't notice in the dark that the Ryn she was holding was actually being held by Ryn, and the two of them were floating in the air together.
"This is a place I discovered by chance. Whenever I feel lost, I come here to quietly think about our future. It's like a secret base.
But don't tell Seele, okay? Otherwise, she'll definitely follow me around. This is our secret."
As Bronya Zaychik slowly explained, the three of them gradually ascended to the top floor of the building.
The cold wind at high altitude howled relentlessly, causing their capes and coats to whistle in response.
Bronya Zaychik once again reminded Ryn and Ryn. "Be careful, it's even more dangerous here than before! Watch your step!"
"Mmm. But it's so dark here, I can't see anything."
Hearing Bronya Zaychik's reminder, Ryn's grip on Ryn's neck tightened slightly.
However, if it weren't so dark, Ryn would have surely noticed Ryn rolling his eyes at her in exasperation.
"There's nothing we can do. The dust kicked up by the Great Honkai has obscured the sky, even covering the starlight, which is why it's so dark."
After Bronya Zaychik finished explaining, she estimated the time and looked into the distance.
"It seems we've come at a good time. Soon you will know what it is we are fighting to protect."
A moment after Bronya Zaychik finished speaking, the first light of dawn pierced through the thick layers of dust from the horizon, reaching them with all its might.
It tore through the boundless, deathly silent night, letting the morning glow of hope shine on every inch of the land.
The clouds parted to reveal the moon, and the sky brightened…
But what appeared before them was not a vibrant morning, but a field of ruins with collapsed skyscrapers.
Bronya Zaychik was completely engrossed in the fleeting scene of light, and she softly said to the two Ryns:
"This is the current state of our world, a sight that can only be seen at the moment of sunrise, when the sun rises from the distant horizon and passes through the cracks of the death spot.
Although it only lasts for a few minutes, this ephemeral sight has become my motivation to fight.
It makes me believe that this world is still alive, that even when trapped in a bottomless abyss of darkness, we must strive to climb towards the light.
In the embrace of such a resilient planet, we, along with it, chase and witness this momentary miracle, even if we are to be burned to ashes in this beam of light."
"Is this the meaning of our battle? This kind of battle… is just too sad…"
"Don't be so pessimistic… Our battle is not for death. A moth blindly flying into a flame will only sacrifice its life in vain. What we are chasing is hope. Because we understand the value of life, we cherish our family even more, and that is why we want to live.
Chasing the flame of hope, yet cherishing every moment we have now. This is us, this is the meaning of the existence of the 'Fire Moth'."
"But, does hope really exist? This land has already…" Ryn didn't continue. Just as Ryn had said, everyone knew the truth, they were just choosing to avoid it.
Bronya Zaychik turned around and looked at Ryn and Ryn, then nodded firmly.
"It exists. Hope has always existed. The death spot shrouding the sky is not an inescapable curse. We just need to kill the person who created it."
She stretched out her hand and pointed to the distant sky.
"That's right, this is our ultimate goal, to completely kill the culprit of this Great Honkai—'Kiana'."