Honkai: You're telling me this difficulty is from Honkai Impact 3?!

Fear, chaos, sorrow, pain… a boundless tide of emotions raged within Shu's heart.

His breath caught, his vision blurred, as countless feelings seamlessly shifted and replaced each other.

When tears should have flowed, a stinging pain shot through his body. When screams should have erupted, an overwhelming wave of injustice, resentment, and grievance welled up inside him.

Countless voices whispered in his ears, pouring out their rage, sorrow, and pain.

For the first time, Shu truly understood the meaning of living death.

He clutched his chest, gasping for air like a drowning man, one hand twitching involuntarily, grasping for a lifeline.

But there was nothing. He was falling into an abyss…

In the last moments of his fading consciousness, Shu felt his hand being gripped, a strong, almost painful grip.

Whose hand…? Such strength…

Shu forced his eyes open, finding himself being carried swiftly through the darkness.

The whispers and buzzing finally subsided, the overwhelming emotions receding. It was as if, after rampaging through him, they had transformed into a more resolute feeling and returned to their owners.

"Ki…" Shu tried to speak, his voice a raspy croak, as if he'd swallowed shards of glass.

"Shu, you're finally awake!" Mei, who had been constantly monitoring him, beamed with relief.

"Haa…" Shu coughed, the pain in his throat excruciating, twisting his features.

Mei froze, unsure what to do. Bronya pulled a water bottle from her bag, and Mei quickly opened it, carefully pouring water into Shu's mouth.

Despite feeling like he was drowning moments before, Shu instinctively opened his mouth, letting the water flow in.

Their coordination was clumsy, water spilling from the corners of Shu's mouth, dripping onto Mei's hand and Kiana's back.

Kiana shivered but didn't complain, slowing her pace to allow Shu to drink more steadily.

The water eased his discomfort. Feeling slightly revived, Shu opened his eyes, finally seeing his surroundings clearly.

They were moving quickly, surrounded by a crowd of people. Yet, despite the number of people, an eerie silence prevailed, broken only by the rhythmic pounding of feet.

He was being carried on Kiana's back, moving with the flow of the crowd.

Shu's first instinct was to get down, but when he opened his mouth, he found he couldn't speak.

His body was still unresponsive, numb as if he'd just undergone surgery.

He lifted his eyelids, meeting the concerned gazes of Mei and Bronya, and the curious glances of the others behind them.

A middle-aged woman and two men in work clothes whispered among themselves, glancing at Shu and his group with pity.

The woman then slapped one of the men, who rubbed his head sheepishly and approached them.

"Excuse me, young ladies," the worker began hesitantly, his voice low as if afraid to disturb the somber atmosphere.

Kiana turned, frowning at the two slightly nervous men.

The worker hesitated, then looked at Shu with concern. "Is… is the young man alright?"

"Huh?" Kiana faltered, unsure how to respond.

She didn't know why Shu had collapsed so suddenly, looking like he was in agonizing pain.

"Thank you for your concern. We're fine," Mei quickly stepped in, smiling and waving her hand dismissively.

Fine?

The two men frowned. "But… Sigh, let me carry him for you."

"Really, it's okay," Mei insisted.

It wasn't that she didn't want help. Shu's situation was shrouded in too much mystery, and in his current weakened state, they couldn't risk any unexpected complications.

Just then, Shu finally regained some strength. He patted Kiana's back weakly. "Kiana… put me down. I'm okay…"

Kiana paused, then tilted her head, her face full of suspicion. "Really?" she whispered.

Shu nodded slightly. "Really. I'm fine now."

"Okay…" Kiana hesitated, then gently lowered Shu to the ground.

Shu stumbled, regaining his balance, then turned to the two workers, offering a weak but genuine smile. "Thank you for your concern. I really appreciate it…"

"Um…" The two men scratched their heads. "Don't mention it. We didn't really do anything…"

With that, they walked away, looking puzzled.

Shu watched them rejoin the middle-aged woman, his mind racing.

He shouldn't have recovered so quickly… But when those two men approached and spoke to them, a new emotion had bloomed in his heart.

It was a warm, comforting feeling, like a gentle rain on parched earth.

The warmth swept through his battered heart, then quietly retreated, following the two men…

No, wait… perhaps it was three distinct feelings? Or even more?

Shu turned, finally seeing the full extent of the group they were with.

He and his group were in the middle, surrounded by elderly people, women, and children.

Everyone moved quietly, no complaints, no disruption.

This… shouldn't be possible with humans, such contradictory creatures… it shouldn't…

"Mei…" Shu began, bewildered. "Are the people here… always this considerate?"

Mei was at a loss for words, unsure how to answer.

"No way," Kiana shook her head, looking at the orderly crowd with surprise. "Not everyone is like… like these people…"

Shu fell silent, instinctively touching his chest. The lingering ache remained, but a warm current flowed through him, spreading to his limbs.

He felt both weak and strangely invigorated.

Shu looked down, clenching his trembling fists.

So… this is my true… power?