Honkai Star Rail: Destiny Card System of the Multiverse — Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Is There a Chance for Baiheng and Furnace Master Yingxing to Be Together? No.

Kazuki and Furnace Master Yingxing cried out almost in unison, their voices overlapping in a sudden burst of shock.

In the very next second, Kazuki’s vision blurred, and he flashed directly into the sterile, boundless expanse of the System Space. He immediately locked his gaze onto the newly manifested card of Baiheng. Staring at the few simple, desperate wishes etched across its surface, a heavy realization settled over him. He felt instantly certain—this was yet another character pulled from a fractured, “what-if” timeline of the High-Cloud Quintet. More, this tragic iteration of the foxian sniper had absolutely nothing to do with the timeline of his current Furnace Master Yingxing.

He turned his attention to Furnace Master Yingxing’s card. Even through the crystalline barrier of the card, Kazuki could clearly sense the surging, suffocating anxiety radiating from the craftsman. Yingxing’s desperate yearning to see Baiheng this very instant practically vibrated in the air.

Without wasting another breath, Kazuki pressed the two glowing cards tightly together. A brilliant flash of light consumed the space as he allowed Furnace Master Yingxing to cross the threshold, entering the card world of Baiheng first.

Just as the light faded, the card of Herta, Emanator of Beauty, flared to life. Her projection materialized, and Kazuki quickly brought her up to speed, explaining everything that had just transpired in careful detail.

The projection of Herta, Emanator of Beauty, slowly and elegantly circled around the lingering afterimages of Kazuki and Baiheng’s cards. When she finally spoke, her voice was cool, analytical, and utterly devoid of romantic sentiment.

“Kazuki, believe it or not, even if these two manage to reunite in that pocket reality, there is absolutely no way they will become lovers.”

Kazuki stroked his chin, pondering her absolute certainty for a moment before replying with a casual shrug. “I get it. After all, their life experiences up to this point are just too fundamentally different.”

“Exactly,” Herta agreed, her tone exceptionally firm as she slowly laid out her flawless deduction. “Do you think the tragedy of differing lifespans is cruel enough for Yingxing? Perhaps. But have you felt even a single shred of gloom or lingering pain from the Yingxing in this specific what-if timeline?”

She paused, letting the question hang before continuing. “Look at it from another angle. Imagine if you were Yingxing: all your closest companions and dearest friends were peacefully by your side. You lived a smooth, fulfilling life entirely dedicated to your craft. Those beautiful memories would never fade or sour, and you would peacefully pass away at the natural end of your short, mortal life, surrounded by your absolute best friends. You would never have to experience any agonizing goodbyes, betrayals, or bloody tragedies. A perfect existence, right?”

Listening to Herta’s gentle, almost hypnotic words, Kazuki unconsciously fell into the fantasy. His lips curved up slightly into a soft smile, as if he were truly basking in that perfect, warm illusion of a life well-lived.

But immediately after, Herta’s tone abruptly shifted, growing cold and solemn, shattering the daydream like fragile glass.

“But if you put yourself in Baiheng’s shoes and look at what likely happened to her… her life has been as miserable and wretched as it gets. The close friends who spent day and night with her in her youth all died right before her eyes, leaving her with absolutely nothing to hold onto. Later, her surviving friend sacrificed themselves to forcefully reincarnate her as the Vidyadhara High Elder. Yet, because of her impure, altered bloodline, she was publicly despised by the Vidyadhara Preceptors and her own clansmen from childhood. They spat on her. They called her an anomaly, a half-breed, completely unworthy of holding the title of High Elder, and entirely unfit to rule over the clan.”

Herta’s eyes narrowed, her voice sharp with the cruel reality of the situation. “She was forced to completely abandon all her hobbies, her freedom, and her youthful ideals, trapped forcefully on the pedestal of the High Elder. Every single day, she had to deal with the most tedious, suffocating chores she detested, tightly bound by the archaic rules of the clan, with absolutely no freedom to fly. Every single day she lives, she endures the piercing, unending pain of all her friends having passed away, while being mocked and ostracized by the very clansmen she protects with all her might. Her heart is filled with countless grievances, suffocating despair, and utter helplessness, leaving her completely and utterly broken.”

Herta stopped pacing and looked directly at Kazuki. “On one side is Yingxing, wrapped in a blanket of happiness with almost no regrets in his entire life. On the other side is Baiheng, crushed by centuries of suffering, living an agonizing and wretched existence in a gilded cage.”

“Now think about it carefully,” she concluded, her voice a quiet hammer blow. “Is it really possible for these two people, whose mindsets, current circumstances, and life paths are worlds apart, to ever end up together?”

The warm smile on Kazuki’s face vanished instantly. His features screwed up into a grimace, and he couldn’t help but wail in protest.

“You’re a reverse miracle worker, Doctor! Your heart-stabbing words are so fast, precise, and utterly ruthless, you’ve made me completely numb!” He shook his head, refusing to fully accept the tragic logic. “But you might not be entirely right. Let me go in and see the situation for myself first!”

With those defiant words, Kazuki stepped forward and entered the Card Space.

The transition was violent. Just as Kazuki stepped out of the card channel, he was nearly choked by a sudden, crushing wave of water pressure hitting him head-on.

His eardrums buzzed wildly, as if being pierced by countless tiny needles, and the icy, suffocating seawater instantly drenched him from head to toe, leaving even his underwear soaking wet in a fraction of a second.

It was pitch black inside the underwater channel. The ground beneath his boots was slick with thick, slimy seaweed, almost making him faceplant into the rocky bottom. Unable to find purchase, he could only let himself be swept forward, rushing wildly along with the powerful underwater current.

After an unknown amount of time tumbling through the dark abyss, his feet suddenly lost their footing entirely as the seabed dropped away.

In the next second, with a massive, echoing splash, he burst out from the dark seabed and broke through the ocean surface, kicking up a brilliant flurry of white foam into the air.

The salty sea breeze blew harshly against his face, carrying a crisp hint of ancient coral and sea salt. He gasped greedily for breath, wiped the stinging seawater from his eyes, and looked around at his new surroundings.

The Scalegorge Waterscape laid out before him was like an entirely different world compared to the dilapidated, ruin-filled graveyard he knew in the real universe.

The ancient ruins of the sea palace, which had been collapsed and scattered across the ocean floor in his reality, were now neatly restored to their former glory. The architecture featured beautifully carved beams and vibrantly painted pillars, looking impossibly grand and majestic against the horizon.

Beyond the pristine structures, the massive, winding roots of the Ambrosial Arbor breached the surface, twisting majestically into a shape that resembled a roaring dragon’s head.

The Ancient Sea Palace Ruins and the Ambrosial Arbor Root stood as monumental symbols of an unbroken era.

The Dragon-Subduing Palace not far away, which used to be just an empty, desolate square in his time, now actually had a towering palace standing proudly upon it. A magnificent purple dragon stone carving coiled elegantly upon the sweeping roof ridge, its horned head held high and its long whiskers drooping down, looking as if it would soar directly into the sky at any second.

The palace walls were carved with ancient Chiming Clan totems. The crystal-clear seawater lapped gently against the sturdy stone foundation, its rhythmic splashing sound blending perfectly with the distant, rolling waves, creating an atmosphere that was both deeply solemn and beautifully tranquil.

Kazuki shook the excess water off his body like a wet dog and splashed his way toward the nearby sandy shore. The pristine beach was blindingly bright under the radiant sun, but the sand felt incredibly soft and inviting beneath his heavy boots.

Just as he crawled onto the dry sand, his eyes locked onto a familiar figure sitting on the largest black reef rock in the distance.

Furnace Master Yingxing had his back to him, not moving a single muscle for a very long time.

He just sat there quietly, his broad back straight as a wooden board, staring out at the sparkling, endless sea in the distance like a petrified statue. The deep silence radiating from the craftsman was heavier than the ocean itself.

“Oh no, she probably hit the nail right on the head. Herta really is too authoritative when it comes to crushing dreams!” Kazuki muttered under his breath.

Seeing Yingxing’s utterly desolate back, Kazuki also made a basic, grim judgment of the situation. Deciding to give the man his space, he didn’t disturb him. Instead, he quietly tiptoed his way toward the grand entrance of the Dragon-Subduing Palace, leaving the craftsman to his silent vigil by the sea.