Elysia could clearly see that where the arrow had pierced the monster's head, dark muscle tissue was proliferating wildly. It wasn't just healing; the tissue was expanding outward, forming several large, black bulges.
The arrow had struck like bursting an overstuffed plush toy, its cotton stuffing spilling out in all directions.
"Immortal?" Elysia murmured in surprise. Then, she witnessed the Black Sheep raise its right foreleg. Directly beneath the hoof, a young man endured an ear-splitting screech as he shoved a girl out of the hoof's shadow.
Why push her away and leave yourself behind instead of diving to the side together? Elysia thought irritably. But her actions were swift. Leaning forward slightly, her lithe body exploded with unimaginable speed, covering the hundred-meter distance in an instant.
Theoretically, such an explosive burst of speed should have shattered the ground beneath her feet, accompanied by a howling wind. That would have been the normal course of events. Yet, strangely, the spot where Elysia had taken off remained perfectly intact, without a single crack. Moreover, as she sprinted forward, there was no sound of wind around her.
The young man pinned beneath the Black Sheep's hoof felt it most clearly. He sensed only a gentle breeze brushing against his face, carrying a faint, sweet fragrance. Then, a pink-haired girl materialized before him, her slender back completely blocking the monstrous creature from his sight.
Elysia raised her right hand, and a pink crystal flower materialized in her palm, slowly unfurling its petals.
Bang!
The next instant, the Black Sheep's hoof slammed down on the crystal flower with a dull thud. A terrifying monster versus a cute, pink-haired girl—logic would dictate the monster's overwhelming advantage.
But reality proved otherwise. Elysia felt barely any pressure from the impact—roughly the weight of lifting a bottle of mineral water.
It wasn't that the Black Sheep was weak; Elysia's strength was simply overwhelming.
Pink crystals erupted from the Black Sheep's hooves, rapidly spreading to encase its entire leg and then its torso.
Only then did the Black Sheep seem to realize what was happening, struggling futilely against its crystalline prison.
Soon, the pink crystals had completely enveloped the Black Sheep's head and remaining hooves. The terrifying monster had vanished, replaced by a beautiful pink crystal sculpture.
If even a headshot won't kill it, I'll have to find another way to "kill" this thing!
Of course, the Black Sheep was still technically alive, but being completely immobilized was essentially no different from death.
Just then, the young man snapped out of his daze, stammering, "Th-thank you, Miss..."
Elysia slowly turned to face the boy, Harold Wendell, who had narrowly escaped death.
For her, it might have been a casual act of assistance, but for Harold, this moment would forever alter the course of his life.
Her long, pink hair danced gently in the breeze as the young girl slowly turned her head. Bathed in sunlight reflected from the massive pink crystal beside her, her exquisite, flawless profile radiated ethereal beauty and purity.
In that moment, Harold felt as if he had glimpsed a true goddess!
Not the shallow "goddesses" pursued by desperate simps, but a genuine, theological deity.
Elysia met his gaze, her lips parting to speak, but she abruptly stopped herself.
She recalled the System Objective for her fourth Identity: "True Self." To be honest, she wasn't entirely sure what "True Self" meant.
In the Honkai Impact 3rd game, the "True Self" was Elysia's "Heroic Legacy," akin to Kevin's "Deliverance," Aponia's "Discipline," and Eden's "Gold."
So, did this "True Self" simply refer to Elysia herself?
Could this fourth System Objective be asking her to "play the role of Elysia"?
This was an Alternative Identity System that had never issued any role-playing missions before. She wasn't sure if her current hypothesis was correct, but the only way to find out was to test it.
After a moment of contemplation, she blinked at the young man before her and, in an exceptionally cute voice, said, "What do you mean by 'Miss'? My name is Elysia, a lovely young girl as radiant as my name suggests, as dazzling as fluttering flowers!~"
Emmm... Speaking in Elysia's style was honestly a bit embarrassing.
If her first Identity upon transmigrating had been Ely, she never would have been able to speak like this. But times had changed!
Her experiences as Robin had turned her into a social butterfly, while her time as Sparkle had drastically increased her tolerance for embarrassment. Now, having drawn Elysia as her fourth Identity, imitating Elysia's speech patterns was still mortifying, but at least she wouldn't be so ashamed as to spontaneously combust.
Then, she saw the young man before her give a distinctly dumbfounded expression.
Of course, who introduces themselves by immediately showering themselves with praise?
Harold's reaction only deepened Elysia's embarrassment. Unseen beneath her shoes, her toes curled tightly together.
As if desperate to escape the awkwardness, Elysia blurted out, "Next time you save someone, don't just stand there. At least grab them and dive to the side!"
With a dismissive wave, she scurried away in small, hurried steps.
Honestly, you can't really blame Harold. Everyone was paralyzed by the monster's piercing shriek, and he still managed to push someone out of the way. He did his best. Anything more simply wasn't possible!
Watching the pink-haired girl's retreating figure, Harold pulled his younger sister Faye closer. In his heart, he silently vowed to pursue a lifelong goal that would shape the rest of his life.
Turning to Faye, he declared, "Faye, I want to become stronger..."
Meanwhile, about two hundred meters away, a well-dressed man who initially appeared to be the perfect gentleman stared at the Black Sheep, now transformed into a pink statue in the distance. Biting his thumb, a slightly annoyed expression crept onto his face.
"Tch..."