Honkai Impact: I, The Herrscher of Ice, Am Loved By Players-Chapter 228: The End (Conclusion)

Though unsure how to react, the plot had to continue unfolding.

However, as it progressed, there was an increasing urge to criticize further.

Despite Ana's long absence from the main storyline, it turned out that her presence was intricately woven throughout. Characters like Bai Zhi... Jeanne... these beloved roles among Captains were unexpectedly also Ana incarnations.

As for their relationship with Ana, while difficult for the Main trio to grasp, the Captains understood well. It mirrored Fu Hua's situation, but instead of being akin to Fu Hua and Senti, they represented complete alter egos.

"This..." Brother Cake's lips twitched slightly, his expression filled with exasperation.

He actually quite liked Bai Zhi; she had this intriguing bad-girl vibe, reminiscent of his current partner... someone who appeared mischievous on the surface yet was genuinely good-hearted underneath, just putting up a facade.

Initially, he thought this character would join the ship, becoming one of his new favorites, only to discover... she too was another incarnation of Ana?

"Ah, I should have checked the voice actor," Brother Cake remarked and casually searched online for Ana's CV. Surprisingly, it wasn't the same voice actress as game's original Ana; instead, there was a pseudonym listed. This pseudonym had also appeared next to Ana's previous voice actress, but at the time, everyone assumed it was a special annotation for that particular seiyuu. Now, it seemed clear that this symbol represented another voice teacher.

If so, then the character Ana must be voiced by both the original voice actress and this asterisk-pseudonymed teacher. However, within the game itself, no hints of this dual voicing were noticeable.

Additionally, Jeanne's voice actor turned out to be the same asterisk-pseudonymed individual, which Brother Cake hadn't realized before. In theory, this information could have been found on the official website all along.

Yes, in reality, regardless of whether it was Jeanne or Bai Zhi, their voice acting duties were performed by Ana herself. As a doppelganger with little else to do, she took on these roles. Many professional voice actors begin their careers during university, but Ana could easily join later, which is precisely what she did.

The voiceover director had no objections; it was just a few roles, and since Da Wei himself sourced the talent with satisfactory performance levels, there wasn't much to complain about.

"Damn, they really have the same vocal performer! But who uses an asterisk as their stage name? Calling them Teacher Asterisk..." Brother Cake shook his head, finding it quite peculiar.

The stream's bullet comments also rolled incessantly, evaluating the newly introduced mysterious CV (voice actor).

[By the way, insider scoop: this vocal performer seems to have an account on the platform.]

[True, and worth mentioning is that she appears to be a Young Lady, doing voice acting purely out of interest.]

[I'm from within the industry, trust me.]

Such messages interspersed among the comments, but neither Brother Cake nor the viewers paid much attention. Marketing accounts and trolls were common, possibly just seeking attention for spectacle.

On the streets of Shanghai, Ana stood elegantly dressed by the roadside, reading the bullet comments on her phone. She shook her head and sighed.

It was evident that she had just sent those bullet comments herself, but nobody paid them any heed or attention.

"Why doesn't anyone believe me?" Ana chuckled softly, though it was merely rhetorical; deep down, she understood the true reason well enough.

A luxurious car approached from afar and stopped in front of Ana. Several men dressed in black uniforms, wearing sunglasses, emerged and surrounded her.

Then, the housekeeper from her mansion stepped forward.

"Young Lady, please get in the car."

Indeed, for this official collaboration, the invited guest was none other than Ana herself. In the future, she would likely spend more time in this world compared to the Honkai World.

In a sense, she has taken Kiana's place as the solitary figure, with an even longer-lasting solitude ahead. After all, once everything settles, Kiana can still return to Earth.

However, for Ana, much like Su, there is no going back.

Nevertheless, without a doubt, Ana harbors no regrets...

In Brother Cake's live stream, he remained oblivious to the impending events unfolding behind the scenes. At this moment, he continued pushing the narrative forward, but honestly, as the story progressed, he felt increasingly unsettled.

He never anticipated that amidst all the previous occurrences, Ana had silently played such a significant role. Now, her test for the Main trio followed suit.

Moreover, this trial was perfectly tailored to address their individual needs.

For Bronya, after undergoing transformation, she yearned to learn more about her past. Bai Zhi, possessing the Cognizance Authority, could precisely provide the answers she sought.

As for Raiden Mei, the Elysian Realm held deeply cherished memories. On the surface, it appeared as a test for Mei, but in reality, it served as a nostalgic interaction and reminiscence of the Elysian Realm.

Lastly, regarding Kiana, they had already crossed paths with Otto earlier, which itself constituted a test for her. Now, it merely continued from where they left off.

One could argue that while these trials bore the name, they were, in essence, more akin to rewards.

"This truly aligns with Ana's style," Brother Cake couldn't help but remark, simultaneously growing more curious about the truth behind everything. Prior to this revelation, everyone had been concerned about providing Kevin with a fitting resolution.

Well, it seems Kevin was merely acting all along, waiting for Ana's appearance. Consequently, his ultimate fate must have been meticulously planned from the start.

Given that Kevin willingly participated and ultimately chose life over death, this arrangement must indeed be exceptionally well-conceived.

Additionally, when considering Kevin's push for Project Stigma, it was initially perceived as a contingency plan by all. The hope was for someone to surpass Kevin and overcome Finality.

However, now it appears things may not be as they seemed.

It can be said that the Captains' understanding of Project Stigma was fragmented at best. They had only recently pieced together its broader picture through recent story arcs, yet now, everything is being overturned once again. freeweɓnovel.cøm

Of course, this isn't entirely negative for the Captains, as the unfolding events seem to steer towards a universally satisfying conclusion.

Swiftly, the Main trio completed their trials and reunited before Ana. The way they now looked at her had subtly changed.

Just as everyone anticipated the story's progression, an unexpected event occurred.

Ana's figure quietly vanished, as if some barrier had been shattered. Suddenly, what was once perceived as the Cocoon of Finality transformed, giving birth to a new entity.

"This..." Brother Cake blinked repeatedly. Since Ana's appearance, his expression hadn't altered; these developments were truly mind-blowing for him.

A newly born deity emerged—a genuine God, a life created from within the Cocoon of Finality. This revelation was followed by a series of animated sequences.

The screen then went dark. When it lit up again, the Main trio were already traversing the Heavenly Road. At its end, they encountered Ana—the original Ana.

Following this, numerous questions began to be answered.

In truth, many Captains had already surmised these answers; they just needed confirmation. Most had their suspicions, but seeing everything unveiled all at once was still profoundly impactful.

It's hard to fathom such a person existed.

While everyone else was relentlessly battling Honkai, she had already reached the journey's end and became the Herrscher of Finality. To elevate the entire civilization, she initiated a new Project Stigma—the Honkai Expansion Plan.

After everything settled, she remained alone, waiting until all memories of her faded away.

But could they truly forget her?

At least, the Captains watching wouldn't, nor would those from the Honkai World ever forget.

"So that's how it happened."

Brother Cake leaned back in his chair, his eyes somewhat unfocused. Despite Ana's explanations being somewhat disjointed, Brother Cake managed to piece together the broad picture.

In fact, he didn't even need to; fellow stream viewers had already created detailed charts listing out the events.

From the perspective of Honkai Impact 3's narrative, Ellie's storyline wasn't initially well-received. Her actions were so monumental that they seemed to overshadow the efforts of everyone in the previous civilization.

Others merely existed to carry forward what she had left behind.

On the other hand, Ana embodied pure individual heroism; she was the protagonist of this world, single-handedly guiding the civilization past its Finality.

With her foresight and vision, she saw the future's pitfalls, leading her to choose the path of continuing Honkai's spread. Although her existence hastened the end, it did not render everyone else's efforts futile.

In fact, all their collective endeavors inadvertently accelerated Honkai's progression. In terms of strategic brilliance, Ana surpassed Otto, as even he couldn't account for every person within his plans.

However, Ana achieved this feat with remarkable success.

Naturally, at the conclusion of each Chapter, there was a corresponding short film. This time, the video had a heartwarming tone. At Saint Freya Academy, the Main trio were still attending class, but it truly marked "The Last Lesson."

Now fully grown, they had become accomplished Valkyries.

The trio—Herrscher of Sentience, Fu Hua, and Li Sushang—teamed up to patrol Shenzhou, an expected outcome. Meanwhile, Kevin and Mei were together, revealing that the original world bubble's demise was merely a performance staged by them.

Before everything unfolded, Ana had already found them and initiated the current plan.

At the very end, amidst the starlit sky, Ana gazes silently at Earth from afar, marking the conclusion of Honkai Impact 3's first part—a Chapter of youth coming to its finale.

As the tribute list appears on the screen, honoring those behind-the-scenes staff, the bullet comments pay little attention to it. Instead, everyone seems deeply immersed in the storyline, feeling as if they've traversed another lifetime.

Finally, Brother Cake, the streamer, snaps out of his trance first, prompted by a doorbell ring.

"Brothers and sisters, the official guest has arrived."

Soon, a breathtaking figure enters the live stream, shedding her coat to reveal Ana dressed casually—yes, this outfit is inspired by an illustration from a fan artist; Ana loved it so much that she replicated it as her everyday attire.

Although resembling cosplay attire, for Ana, it simply represents her normal clothing style.

"Greetings, everyone in the live stream! I am Asterisk, the voice actress for Ana. Throughout past episodes, I have lent my voice to Ana and related characters."

"Asterisk-Teacher, could you be that popular big sister from before?"

Brother Cake's eyes widened with excitement.

"That's right, I've done several cosplays previously. Additionally, I was also your stream's 'Number One Ana Hater'," Ana smiled.

[Whew—]

Soon, someone found Ana's original account. However, it seemed to have been officially verified at some point and even featured related videos, effectively confirming Ana's identity.

[Dang, she really is the Teacher!]

[666, our rhythm, our pace - our vocal performer is the top hater herself.]

[Wow, they look so alike! Did MiHoYo model the character after the voice actor?]

[Indeed, Asterisk-Teacher appears makeup-free too! It's just astonishing.]

"Today, during my visit to this stream, I'll of course bring some official gifts for everyone. Later on, Brother Cake will conduct giveaways to distribute them."

"Lastly, thank you all for your continuous support and affection towards the character Ana!"