"RUN!!"
Panicked voices echoed through the streets as people fled in all directions, desperately trying to escape the chaos.
Screams mixed with the rumble of collapsing buildings. Honkai beasts rampaged through the city, their monstrous forms tearing through everything in their path.
Thankfully, it was only a small outbreak. The creatures wreaking havoc were mostly Chariot-class and Seraph-class-dangerous, but manageable under normal circumstances.
However, the real threat lay in their overwhelming numbers.
Dozens of Honkai beasts had suddenly appeared, swarming the city with terrifying speed. Entire districts were reduced to rubble in moments. Fires spread. Roads cracked open.
People ran with all they had, some carrying children, others pulling along the injured. But escape wasn't guaranteed.
A sickening purple haze surrounded the beasts-the unmistakable sign of Honkai radiation.
The longer civilians remained in the area, the worse it became. Their bodies began to weaken, cells breaking down under invisible pressure. And for some women with higher Honkai adaptability...
They would eventually lose their minds-turning into Honkai-corrupted zombies.
The clock was ticking.
And the city was on the verge of collapse.
"Noooo!"
One of the civilians screamed as a massive Chariot-class Honkai Beast prepared to crush him beneath its towering limbs. The man had fallen while trying to escape, frozen in fear as the monster loomed above him.
"Hahhhh!"
A fierce cry tore through the chaos as Kiana arrived just in time, her body surging forward. She landed a powerful kick straight into the Honkai Beast's side.
BAM!
The Chariot was knocked back several meters from the sheer force of her strike. Wasting no time, Kiana rushed to the fallen man and helped him to his feet.
"Go! Run! Get out of the city!" she urged, her tone sharp but filled with urgency.
"Y-Yes! Thank you so much!"
The man barely managed to stammer out his gratitude before sprinting away as fast as he could.
With him safe, Kiana turned her attention back to the chaos. More and more people were still trapped, and she had no time to rest. Without hesitation, she dashed forward-her fists and legs striking like bullets.
Each Honkai Beast she met was either pushed back or sent crashing into rubble as she fought her way through.
She wasn't trying to kill them.
Her only goal right now...
was to save as many lives as possible..
Kiana kept moving, her body a blur as she kicked away another Honkai Beast trying to smash through a broken wall where people were hiding.
"Go! Head toward the east! That's where there is not that many honkai beast!" she shouted to a small group, helping a woman with a sprained ankle to her feet.
She gritted her teeth-there were too many of them. Chariot-class, Seraph-class... even if they were considered weaker types, their numbers were overwhelming.
Still, she didn't stop. She couldn't stop.
Another punch, another kick. Another life saved.
And then-
"Papa! Mama!! Where are you!?"
Her body froze.
A scream. A little girl's voice.
She turned instantly toward the sound, her eyes scanning the ruined street ahead.
There-by a collapsed fruit stand-stood a small girl with pigtails, crying and calling out for her parents.
Kiana's heart clenched.
She recognized that face.
The same girl who always peeked out from the back when she visited that small grocery shop near here-the one run by the friendly uncle who always gave her extra meat for free.
They said they liked her.
They said she reminded them of a cheerful cat because of her hairstyles and cute face.
Without wasting a second, Kiana dashed toward the girl, her feet barely touching the ground. A Seraph-class Honkai Beast had spotted the girl too, its glowing eyes locking onto her.
"Hang on!!" Kiana shouted.
The beast charged-
-but she was faster.
With a furious leap, she landed between the girl and the beast, her heel slamming down on the creature's head.
CRACK!
The Seraph-class screeched as it was smashed into the ground, twitching once before falling still.
"Are you okay!?" Kiana turned, kneeling down and grabbing the girl's shoulders.
The little girl nodded, tears spilling down her cheeks.
"My papa and mama... they said to run but I-I got lost..."
Kiana pulled her into a hug.
"It's okay now. I'll find them. I promise."
She picked the girl up, holding her close, and started running again-this time toward the marketplace area where the shop used to be.
"Please be there..." she whispered under her breath, eyes focused and heart pounding.
And then, they finally arrived at the small shop where Kiana usually bought groceries.
But what stood in front of her now was nothing like the familiar, cozy place she remembered. The front was wrecked-windows shattered, the door missing entirely, the once-welcoming entrance now a hollow ruin.
Kiana didn't hesitate and immediately stepped inside.
"Hello!! Uncle!! Aunty!! Is anyone here?!" she shouted, her voice echoing in the wrecked space. Beside her, the little girl joined in, calling out desperately for her mama and papa.
But no answer came. Only silence.
"...Looks like they're not here," Kiana said softly, glancing around the empty shop. "They probably already ran out to look for you."
The girl looked like she was about to cry, her small hands clenched tightly.
Kiana crouched down in front of her and gave her a comforting smile. "Let's go find them, okay? I won't stop until we do."
"Okay..." the girl nodded with a faint smile, tears still clinging to the corner of her eyes. But at least she wasn't alone anymore. She had Big Sister Kiana.
Without wasting time, Kiana dashed outside again, scanning the area with sharp eyes.
The city was big-way too big-and filled with wreckage, smoke, and the growls of roaming Honkai beasts. It wasn't going to be easy.
And then-
"Ugh..." The girl suddenly clutched her chest.
Kiana instantly turned to her. "What's wrong?? Is your chest hurting?!"
"It... feels tight. I feel weaker than before..." the girl said, her face pale and her legs trembling slightly.
Kiana's heart dropped. She didn't know much about Honkai radiation, especially not how it affected normal people. She was a Kaslana-her body was stronger than most. But the girl... she was just a child.
Seeing her so pale and weak made panic surge in Kiana's chest. "We need to get out of the city. Right now. I'm worried about you!"
But the little girl shook her head stubbornly, clutching Kiana's sleeve. "I... I want to see Papa and Mama..."
Kiana bit her lip. It wasn't easy. She couldn't ignore that desperate look in her eyes.
But-no. The girl's safety came first.
"No, we have to leave. You're already pale like that..." she said firmly. "Just wait outside the city-somewhere safe-and I'll search for your Papa and Mama."
Without waiting for a reply, Kiana turned and ran toward the city's exit, her heart pounding.
She had to hurry.
Before it was too late.
After running through the ruined streets and avoiding more Honkai beasts along the way, Kiana finally made it outside the city.
She paused to catch her breath before continuing again, sweat dripping from her forehead before finally after running farther her eyes scanned the scene ahead.
There were police cars lined up, red and blue lights flashing. Several ambulances were stationed nearby, and medical staff moved quickly, tending to the wounded and guiding survivors to safety.
She could even see a group of Valkyries in the distance, just arriving and preparing to go into the city. Their weapons were drawn, faces serious, as they listened to orders from what looked like their squad captain.
But Kiana wasn't focused on them.
Her eyes turned immediately to the girl still clinging weakly to her side.
She rushed over to the nearest ambulance and waved at one of the staff. "Hey! Please, help her! She's been inside the city too long!"
The medic turned to them quickly and helped the girl onto a stretcher with practiced care. "We do what we can...."
"Thank you..." Kiana said, watching as the girl weakly looked back at her.
"...Big sister Kiana, you'll find Mama and Papa, right?"
Kiana with a small smile, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Of course. I promised, didn't I?"
The girl nodded slowly, her eyes starting to close as the medics began treating her.
Kiana stood back up, her fists clenched.
She had gotten the girl out.
But now it was time to go back in.
Getting back into the city, Kiana continued calling out the names of the uncle and aunt, her voice echoing through the battered streets. At the same time, she didn't stop helping others—guiding panicked civilians to safer routes, lifting debris when someone was trapped, or pushing away stray Honkai beasts that hadn't been eliminated yet.
Thankfully, with the arrival of the Valkyries, most of the Honkai beasts had already been dealt with. Explosions, gunfire, and crackling energy could still be heard in the distance, but the streets were becoming safer. Now, Kiana could focus more on finding the two people she was searching for.
She ran down the cracked pavement, calling out again and again. That's when someone she helped pointed her in the direction of an emergency shelter—apparently, survivors had gathered inside an old warehouse and barricaded it to stay hidden from the Honkai.
Kiana wasted no time. She sprinted toward the warehouse, spotting the massive doors reinforced with whatever furniture and metal they could find. She immediately started banging on the door.
"Rescuer here! Open up! Most of the Honkai beasts have already been taken care of!" she shouted loudly.
She could hear movement and frantic murmurs from inside. Moments later, the door creaked and slid open slightly, revealing a tired-looking woman with pale skin and weary eyes.
"Really? We finally get rescued?" the woman asked with a weak smile.
"Yes, the rescuers are here. Please, evacuate while it's safe. Staying here any longer is dangerous," Kiana urged her.
The woman nodded in relief, disappearing back into the warehouse to inform the others.
Kiana followed her inside.
The warehouse was packed. People huddled in groups, some lying on blankets, others holding children close. But something immediately stood out to her—most of the people here were women.
"Why are there mostly women here?" Kiana asked one of them, her voice laced with concern.
The woman she asked hesitated, her expression falling. "The men... most of them are in the back section. We separated them. Purple lines started appearing on their bodies. We don't know why."
Kiana's heart skipped a beat.
Without another word, she rushed toward the back of the shelter, her steps quickening as she weaved through the scattered groups of survivors, eyes searching for the ones she came to find.
Kiana pushed through the dimly lit shelter, weaving between makeshift beds and clusters of survivors huddled together. Her eyes darted from face to face, heart pounding in her chest as she searched.
And then—she froze.
There, near the farthest corner of the room, she finally saw them.
The uncle who always gave her extra meat lay on a tattered mattress. His body was deathly pale, his breathing shallow, and vivid purple lines pulsed faintly along his arms, neck, and face. He looked unconscious, completely unaware of the chaos around him.
Beside him, the aunt sat quietly, a cold compress in her hand as she gently dabbed his forehead. Her other hand trembled slightly, but her eyes were filled with determination, not letting go even for a second.
"Aunty... Uncle!" Kiana ran over, kneeling beside them.
The woman looked up in surprise, her expression softening when she saw who it was. "Kiana...? You're safe..."
"I found your daughter—she's okay!" Kiana said, her voice trembling with relief. "She's safe, I brought her to the edge of the city where the rescuers are. She's waiting for both of you!"
Tears welled up in the woman's eyes, her hand covering her mouth as she let out a shaky breath. "T-thank goodness... thank you..."
Kiana turned toward the man, her expression tightening. "What's wrong with him? What are those lines?"
"We don't know," the woman whispered. "It started showing up an hour ago. He got weaker and weaker. The others here... the men... it's happening to them too."
Kiana gritted her teeth. She had no idea what this infection was, or why it only seemed to affect men, but there was no time to wait.
"I'll get help," she said. "The Valkyries are outside now. I'll bring them here. Just hang on."
The woman nodded slowly, wiping her tears.
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After getting help, multiple Valkyries could be seen carrying people out from the shelter to safety outside the city.
Kiana followed closely behind the aunt and uncle, her face filled with worry.
The uncle's condition weighed heavily on her. His body was pale, and those strange purple lines covering him made her heart sink. She didn't want anything bad to happen—not to him, not to his wife, and especially not to their little girl.
Eventually, they arrived back at the area where Kiana had left the little girl earlier.
The girl now looked like she was in slightly better condition, though her face was still pale and her breathing a little shallow.
"Papa! Mama!" the girl suddenly cried, almost leaping from the stretcher she had been resting on.
One of the doctors who had been checking on her quickly stopped her. "No, wait! You can't get close to them—they need to be taken to the quarantine unit."
"No! I want to see Papa!" she shouted, struggling in the doctor's arms, her small body thrashing around in desperation.
Kiana stepped in immediately, crouching beside her and wrapping her arms around her gently. "Shhh... it's okay, Anne. They're going to be fine, alright? The doctors are just going to treat them."
The girl clung to Kiana tightly as her little body trembled. "R-Really...?"
"Yes," Kiana said with a soft, reassuring smile. "Now stay here and rest, okay? You've been very strong."
"Hm..." The girl gave a quiet hum in response, finally calming down. She laid back down on the stretcher, her eyes slowly closing as exhaustion overtook her.
Kiana stayed with her until she finally drifted off to sleep.
Once the girl was resting peacefully, Kiana quietly stepped out of the room to give her space.
But just as she left, a doctor approached her, her expression hesitant.
"Are you her family?" the doctor asked, glancing back at the room.
Kiana shook her head. "No... but I'm taking responsibility for her."
The doctor nodded slowly, lips pressed together in a tight line. "I see... In that case, I have some bad news regarding the girl's family."
Kiana's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean...?"
The doctor took a breath, her voice soft and heavy. "From our initial scans... the husband's condition is too severe. We don't think he'll last much longer. His body's already been heavily affected by the radiation."
"What...?" Kiana's voice came out as a whisper.
"The wife can be saved," the doctor continued, "but... the damage to her right arm is too extensive. We'll need to amputate if we want to save her life."
Kiana's eyes widened. She reached out and grabbed the doctor by the shoulders. "There has to be something else you can do, right?! Anything!"
"I'm sorry," the doctor said quietly, not pulling away. "We'll do everything we can... but I don't want to give you false hope."
The words hit Kiana like a punch to the chest.
She stood there, gripping the doctor's coat with trembling hands, unable to respond.
And the only thing she could think of... was how she was going to tell that little girl.