Honkai Star Rail: Destiny Card System of the Multiverse — Chapter 99

Chapter 99: Mid-Journey Q&A and Plot Clarifications (Optional)

As the title suggests, those who aren’t interested in behind-the-scenes discussions can feel free to skip this chapter. Consider this a mid-journey summary of the book so far, as well as a dedicated space to clear up some persistent misunderstandings regarding the plot and Kazuki’s character settings.

While we are at it, let us take a moment to appreciate the shining stars among the so-called humanoids lurking in the comment section. I will spare everyone the eyesore of posting actual screenshots of their comments. Instead, let us break things down slowly and see just how many readers have been misled by certain vocal individuals.

Point One: The protagonist is Chaotic Evil.

This particular take absolutely must be praised by being put at the very top of the list today. That was a review where Mingjing failed to report it in time, the comment was eventually swallowed by the system, and yet it somehow still received a massive number of likes from passing readers.

Mingjing is truly at a loss here. I am certainly not claiming that our protagonist is the shining epitome of truth, goodness, and beauty, but he absolutely should not be slapped with the label of Evil. He operates in gray areas, but his core motivations are far from malicious.

Point Two: The protagonist is just a tool, and it would be better to just write the characters from the alternate timelines traveling to this world directly.

When I saw that comment, Mingjing genuinely felt his brain shrinking in real time. If I actually wrote the story like that, which character would the readers even empathize with? The narrative focus would be shattered. And on what logical grounds would these alternate timeline characters suddenly be able to physically travel to the main universe? The system exists for a reason.

Point Three: Kazuki has the power to destroy the universe, yet he cannot traverse the cosmos on his own and needs to hitch a ride on someone else’s spaceship.

I am genuinely baffled by this complaint. This critique refers to the segment where Kazuki transforms into the Black Tomb Puppet to make his escape. I am asking those humanoid commenters to please actually read the plot before typing out a complaint. The Black Tomb Puppet is not the Black Tomb itself. When Kazuki boarded that spaceship, was he not sneaking on board from the vacuum of space by using the Black Tomb Puppet’s specific traits?

, does this person lack even the slightest concept of just how unimaginably vast the universe is? Even if you were walking from Inner Mongolia to Hainan on foot, without any navigation apps or landmarks to guide you, could you find the way? How many lifetimes would that take? Now multiply that by a galactic scale.

Point Four: Kazuki talks a big game, claiming he wants all his cards to live with dignity and become his family, yet when he encounters a card he dislikes, he calls it trash.

First of all, taking things out of context is a terrible habit. Kazuki never once stated that he would treat every single card he pulls as his precious family. Do you think he is the Great Love Venerable? Believe it or not, if you pushed him, he would refine you on the spot without a second thought.

The only card he ever explicitly referred to as trash was Phantylia’s card, and given her nature, that was entirely justified. The other low-tier pulls were merely considered useless cards for his current situation, but they were never insulted or degraded.

Point Five: Someone told Mingjing not to insert original game plot content because it is a waste of time, stating that they have already played the game and do not want to re-watch the storyline.

Mingjing is deeply puzzled by this mindset. Are other people not considered people too? Please have some basic respect for those who want to experience the world of Honkai: Star Rail but are unable to play the game themselves due to time or device constraints. It is exactly like how Mingjing does not play Zenless Zone Zero, yet still thoroughly enjoys reading fanfiction about it.

Some of the original plot content is written precisely to supplement the basic concepts of the world. Without those foundational explanations, non-players would not even understand what the rest of the comment section is discussing.

Point Six: Madam Herta is invincible; she can easily destroy the Starcrusher Swarm King. Madam Herta is not as weak as you describe!

This has been a heavily controversial point lately. Mingjing readily admits that what some people are arguing makes logical sense. For example, the Herta Space Station absolutely must have Madam Herta’s secret weapons hidden away, and Madam Herta herself must possess the means to suppress the Starcrusher Swarm King.

However, Mingjing believes that if an Emanator of Erudition is suddenly subjected to a massive surprise attack, evacuating the civilian personnel must be their first priority. It is exactly like a massive gas tank catching fire in a crowded area. For the sake of basic safety, you would absolutely evacuate the surrounding crowd before trying to put it out.

When Mingjing writes that Madam Herta’s direct combat power is lackluster, it is strictly in comparison to other combat-oriented Emanators. Who in their right mind would compare an Emanator to ordinary people? A small, vocal group of readers just insists on pushing the narrative that Madam Herta is the absolute strongest entity in the universe. But realistically, that does not mean Madam Herta can instantly vaporize a Starcrusher Swarm King in fifty-six seconds flat, right?

Point Seven: Xianzhou natives injured by Abominations of Abundance can just return to the Xianzhou Luofu to be easily repaired, even if they have missing limbs.

Xianzhou natives do not possess completely invincible, flawless bodies. They can absolutely be permanently injured, crippled, or disabled.

If you look at the Adventure Mission regarding Todd Riordan’s Academic Research and speak to a specific medic NPC, he will give you this exact line of dialogue. He states that wounds contaminated by Abominations of Abundance will leave permanent marks after healing. It is not just a simple scar; the flesh itself has been fundamentally altered. Their long-life bodies will maintain this corrupted change as a new natural state, and it can never be reverted back to normal.

Even in Jiaoqiu’s official follow-up report, it is explicitly written that Jiaoqiu was severely injured by an Abomination of Abundance, which led to degenerative optic neuropathy and functional blindness. Even after the full, combined efforts of the Vidyadhara High Elder Bailu and the entire Alchemy Commission, his vision could not be fully restored. He could only barely perceive blurred light and vague shadows.

If such an incredibly important and well-connected figure cannot fully recover from those wounds, what chance do the ordinary frontline soldiers have?

As for the rest of the complaints, I will not bother writing them down here. If you have any genuine questions about the lore or the story, please ask them calmly and peacefully instead of immediately resorting to cursing in the comments. Mingjing will take the time to reply when he sees them.

[Elysian’s Note: “Great Love Venerable” is a reference to the protagonist Fang Yuan from the popular Chinese web novel Reverend Insanity, who ironically takes on the title of “Great Love” despite being utterly ruthless and willing to sacrifice or “refine” anyone for his own goals.]