Honkai Impact: I, The Herrscher of Ice, Am Loved By Players

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Faced with Himeko's firm stance, Durandal could only smile.

Himeko's attitude was undeniably justified; both Schicksal and the Lord Bishop had indeed treated her unfairly—an argument Durandal couldn't refute. Nevertheless, she genuinely hoped such an exceptional Valkyrie like Himeko would return to Schicksal.

Of course, it was merely a hope, aligning perfectly with Durandal's own position, equally unassailable.

As the new Herrscher of Domination entered the Dominion Theater, control over this Virtual Space shifted accordingly. After all, every Herrscher of Domination possesses dominion powers.

With the loss of control over the Dominion Theater, the fleeing dolls became trapped fish awaiting their fate—a true shift from defense to offense.

With that, Schicksal's Valkyrie forces rushed to the Dominion Theater, launching an all-out offensive against the Puppeteer.

Concerned about the Herrscher of Dominance's Authority being recaptured amidst the counterattack, Durandal's mission was to remain on standby and protect the Herrscher at all times.

Outside the Dominion Theater, Rita led the Immortal Blades squad to safeguard the trial field housing the Herrscher of Thousands.

In no time, the remaining dolls were systematically eliminated. Some fell under the control of the Herrscher of Dominance, reverting them back to the Herrscher of Human—an unexpected but welcome outcome.

Herrschers hold immense significance for the entire world. Even transforming a mere Herrscher of Thousands into the Herrscher of Human is considered a positive development.

Finally, all the dolls were purged, and the Cores of the Herrscher of Thousands were collected. With this, the malevolent Herrscher of Dominance lost both the Dominion Theater and any chance of resurgence.

Even if some dolls escaped initially, over time, they would be unable to evade the benevolent Herrscher of Thousands. Ultimately, they too would succumb to assimilation, ensuring the complete eradication of the Herrscher of Dominance.

Onboard the Hyperion, former faculty and students of Saint Freya Academy reunited once more. Only two were missing this time—Ana and Mei.

But there were also two new faces: Anti-Entropy's two doctors. You might ask about Welt Yang? She expressed no interest in attending such gatherings, despite having been a teacher at Saint Freya herself.

Additionally, Liliya, Rozaliya, and Seele joined them.

Although they hailed from Anti-Entropy, they too had heard tales of Murata Himeko and held her with equal admiration and respect as their own mentor.

Despite being aboard the Hyperion, everyone followed their old traditions from Saint Freya Academy and threw a party.

Why not at Saint Freya Academy, you ask? Although relations with Schicksal have improved recently, the academy remains under their control. Moreover, officially, Ana is still its current principal and overseer.

Yes, no one wanted to disrupt this delicate balance, maintaining an unspoken understanding among themselves.

At the party, Theresa genuinely laughed for the first time in ages. She brought out her bitter melon juice, as expected, only to be met with disdain once again—except Seele, who attempted a sip before Veliona swiftly intervened.

It's safe to say, Theresa's taste preferences were quite...unappreciated. As Senti would put it, "Who could possibly enjoy such a thing?"

Being a festive occasion, the atmosphere was lively and enjoyable. Anti-Entropy, experienced in organizing events, had just celebrated their anniversary not long ago.

Himeko also got to indulge in her favorite wine again, thanks to Theresa remembering her preference. In truth, during her time away, she had sampled plenty of fine wines at Raven's place, but nothing compared to enjoying a drink with her colleagues and students.

However, the present Himeko dared not get drunk like she used to.

After the party, Himeko stood on the familiar bridge, feeling the wind against her face. Back when she was Captain of the Hyperion, this spot had been where she often took in the scenery, sipped fine wine, and indulged herself freely.

Now, she had become a steady and composed teacher.

The sound of footsteps approached from behind Himeko, but she didn't turn around. Having spent enough time with everyone at Saint Freya Academy, she could easily identify their habits and distinguish them by their gait—except for one person, naturally.

"Excuse me, Lady Himeko."

"Hmm, hello, Dr. Einstein," responded Himeko without missing a beat.

Indeed, it was none other than Dr. Einstein who appeared behind her. Considering the alternatives, it made sense; if Tesla were here, there would have already been a commotion. Himeko and Tesla were quite acquainted after all.

"How did you manage to escape from Virtual Space, Lady Himeko?" Einstein asked directly, her voice calm yet tinged with a hint of languor, concealing her emotions effectively. This was typical of Dr. Einstein's demeanor.

She genuinely wondered how Himeko escaped from Virtual Space. Given the circumstances, no matter what Himeko attempted, leaving should have been impossible. Moreover, at that time, Himeko was severely injured, seemingly close to her end.

Himeko hesitated briefly, weighing her words before speaking up, "A friend paid a significant price to bring me out from the Virtual Space."

"A friend..." Einstein's eyes flickered momentarily, then she nodded slightly.

"I understand."

Indeed, for them, this single phrase explained much. Since Himeko didn't wish to disclose more details, it wouldn't be appropriate to press further. However, one thing was certain—this friend of Himeko's must possess extraordinary influence and likely holds favorable intentions towards them.

Otherwise, Himeko wouldn't have returned at all. But now, Einstein wasn't sure how to align with such a powerful figure's actions; thus, they could only...leave it to fate. Perhaps Himeko knew more, but as before, if she chose not to share, there was no way to force her.

And maybe, this is precisely what that being intended!

In the following days, a brief tranquility settled over the three organizations, including Himeko's life. Her return initially made everyone somewhat cautious, but they quickly adjusted.

However, regardless of who it was, they all deliberately avoided discussing a particular topic—or rather, a specific person. Even Himeko understood that this individual was Ana.

It's quite amusing to note that Himeko is fully aware of Ana's situation and even knows it intimately due to her connection with Ana, compelling her to keep their secret.

On the other hand, Kiana has no knowledge of Ana beyond believing she died. To avoid upsetting Himeko, they've never discussed it openly, creating an intriguing dynamic between them.

For Himeko, this arrangement brings a sense of relief. She admits to having a bit of a loose tongue; although not blatantly so, there's always the risk that one day, after indulging too much, she might inadvertently reveal the truth under the influence of alcohol - which would be disastrous.

By maintaining silence, they manage to maintain peace without any mishaps.

However, while this may ease tensions for them, it leaves the Captains outside the world in sheer distress.

With Himeko's sudden appearance, many speculated that it must have something to do with Ana. Moreover, as the Herrscher of Flame, coupled with Bai Zhi's emergence possessing the Authority of the Herrscher of Sentience, suspicions grew stronger. Additionally, Himeko referred to someone as "a friend."

"A friend?" Teacher Himeko, could this friend possibly be Ana? Just how many extraordinary friends does an old woman like you have?

Logically speaking, all signs pointed towards this person being Ana. Yet, frustratingly, Himeko remained tight-lipped about it thereafter.

Additionally, some internet trolls emerged at this opportune moment, spreading rumors that the developers had secretly altered content and introduced a new character—a God of Honkai, incredibly overpowered—claiming this individual would directly defeat the Herrscher of Finality in future storylines.

Within a short time, these manipulations indeed swayed many people's opinions. Some even targeted the official channels with their outrage, but after cooling down, they realized it was all just clownery, waiting for the actual developer updates to set things straight.

However, there's no denying that this wave of speculation generated significant buzz for Honkai Impact 3. While it didn't exactly bring back players lost due to previous boneheaded management decisions, it did attract a fresh influx of interest.

Later, when analyzing Old Mi's successful case studies, some speculated that the company itself might have orchestrated these online discussions behind the scenes. After all, every occurrence seemed too coincidental, and eventually, most theories crumbled without much effort.

Coincidentally, another meme exploded in popularity around the same time—"It must be MiHoYo, huh; yes, at least in this instance, it could very well be MiHoYo."

Indeed, malicious manipulation typically serves someone's interests. If instigated by competitors, Old Mi likely wouldn't remain passive. However, if it were indeed Old Mi themselves, well, it makes perfect sense!

Of course, at their core, these discussions were all about generating buzz and traffic. For genuine fans who loved the game, it had little impact.

What truly captivated players, especially Captains, was what characters MiHoYo planned to introduce in Version 5.0 alongside the Herrschers.

From a sentimental standpoint, wouldn't it be fitting to release a new S-rank armor for Himeko?

Certainly not unreasonable, but considering the need to roll for weapons, Stigmata, and characters—including two S-rank characters—would any player be able to resist such temptation?

However, some quickly voiced their concerns.

If players could anticipate this, so could the developers. Introducing such controversial changes in a pivotal update might genuinely spell doom for Honkai Impact 3.

This viewpoint swiftly gained agreement from most players. Ultimately, everyone hoped for the game's continued success.

In pursuit of this goal, existing players were willing to compromise and let bygones be bygones.

Moreover, due to the engaging storyline, pacing, and promotional efforts, even without the official Version 5.0 preview yet, fresh blood was already being infused into Honkai Impact 3. This period witnessed a surge of newcomers joining the game.

As long as Old Mi could skillfully manage things, it might not be impossible for Honkai Impact 3 to experience a resurgence and enjoy its second spring.

In Brother Cake's live stream, due to the new version and its storyline update, he decided to revisit his roots and streamed Honkai Impact 3—a familiar sight with the Abyss followed by story progression.

Naturally, even before diving into the plot, some viewers expressed concerns about the new characters during the Abyss segment.

However, unlike his previous disinterest, Brother Cake appeared quite enthusiastic this time. Although he hadn't personally progressed through the new storyline, he had watched snippets on the platform and found them promising.

Moreover, the content involving Himeko and Kiana was genuinely thrilling, leading to a satisfying outcome for all parties involved.

As for the bosses, the Herrscher of Thousands indeed evoked strong disdain, but as a villain, the more despised they are, the more beloved they become.

It's true that this wave of the storyline introduced no less than three new Herrschers. Among them was Susannah, one of the Herrschers of a Thousand People. Whether she would eventually join the playable roster remained uncertain; however, Brother Cake leaned towards a positive answer. Prior to this, Susannah had already made appearances in both the game's narrative and comics, indicating dedicated character modeling efforts.

Next were Herrscher of Flame Himeko and Herrscher of Flamescion Kiana.

"Brother Cake, do you think we'll get dual Herrschers?"

"No," Brother Cake replied firmly, then produced two images—one showing the current Himeko, and the other featuring the True Red Knight armor.

"If there's no surprise, they'll likely introduce an Amplification Core, along with a Transcendence dedicated weapon to boost the power of the True Red Knight."

As he spoke, Brother Cake showcased the True Red Knight.

To be fair, the combat feel of the True Red Knight armor was quite good, albeit slightly heavy. However, it didn't remain prominent in the Abyss or battlefields for long—not because it lacked strength per se.

Alright, perhaps its strength was indeed lacking. Before elemental differentiation became more distinct, both being mechanical-type, the True Red Knight was completely outshone by Yuelun. Essentially, most elemental teams favored Yuelun over others.

Now, this could potentially present an opportunity for the True Red Knight.

"But wouldn't that impact the strength of Herrscher of Flamescion?"

"Most likely not, and considering Herrscher of Flamescion is probably ESP-based, it doesn't directly compete with Red Knight," Brother Cake explained. "Besides, given how long Red Knight has been around, they're probably about to start giving it away for free soon. Future updates might even offer a low-cost Amplification Core option for Red Knight."

After a brief pause, he added, "These are just my guesses, but I'm fairly confident. If the developers truly want to retain players, they need to be more generous without forcing microtransactions.

"Honestly, Herrscher of Flamescion already feels like a push towards spending; who could resist pulling for her? Who wouldn't try their luck?

"If both characters require separate pulls, this will undoubtedly trend on social media immediately!

"In any case, if I have to choose between them, I'd definitely have to give up on Himeko. All I can say is, let's hope the devs show some mercy."

With that, Brother Cake sighed helplessly. Game developers... They were inevitably disliked by players, yet he genuinely loved this game and didn't wish to see it decline further...