Honkai Impact: The Dream Keeper

(Continuing from the previous story, after returning from the dungeon, the group learned about the details of this area and prepared to rescue Karen. What will the story be like this time?)

"Let's go. Our goal this time is to storm the execution ground and rescue Miss Karen." Long Qiao and the others headed towards the execution ground.

"Are you ready?"

"Everything is ready, Miss Otto."

"That's good, hehe—I won't let you die, my beloved Karen—"

Meanwhile—Karen, led to the execution ground, gazed silently at the people before her.

"How could Lady Karen commit such a crime? There must be some mistake."

"That's right, and two years ago it was Lady Karen who saved our village from the monster."

When the crowd saw that the prisoner to be executed was Karen, they immediately began to murmur amongst themselves.

"Do not doubt His Holiness the Bishop's judgment! If I hear any further questioning from you—I will have you all arrested on charges of heresy!" Arthur shouted to the crowd below.

"It's getting late, Lord Arthur," someone reminded Arthur from beside him.

"Prepare for the execution," Arthur ordered his men.

"Yes!"

"Sigh..." Arthur sighed.

Meanwhile, the people hiding in the shadows—"Hey! Qiao-ge!" Kiana nudged Long Qiao beside her and said.

"What's up?" Long Qiao asked.

"I just wanted to ask, what's our plan? After all, we need to save Kallen," Kiana said.

"Yes," Long Qiao replied.

"What plan?" Menmo asked, startled.

"Hehe, that's... a surprise attack!" Long Qiao said, taking out the Faiz Driver.

“…I see, I understand.” Menmo also took out the driver.

"Then I'll go crazy with you this once," Qingmo, disguised as a bodyguard, replied.

"Huh? Huh? Huh?" Kiana was stunned as she looked at the four people in front of her.

"Henshin!" x4

"Stending by! Complete!"

"KamenRide! Decade!"

"Eternal!"

"Kiana, Bronya, you two should rescue Miss Kallen while we're in disarray," Long Qiao said.

Just as Karen was about to be hanged, the three rushed onto the execution ground, creating chaos for Arthur and the others.

"Holy crap! Where did these armored men come from?" someone shouted.

"Hmm? It's Zhang Qing, you guys are here," Karen said.

"Yes! We're here. With us here, no one can do anything to you," said Qingmo, now in his eternal form, as he ruffled Kallen's hair.

"Hmm... Qiao?" Karen asked.

"He'll be here soon."

After Long Qiao put the acceleration watch on his wrist, he pressed the acceleration switch.

"Heh—it's been so long since I used the Acceleration Mode," Long Qiao said, looking at the Acceleration Gauge.

"Start Up!" With a sound effect, Faiz's chest armor unfolded, his red photon blood turned silver, and his eyes changed from yellow to red. Faiz Accelerated Form reappeared—Long Qiao clapped his hands, then installed the Faiz cursor on his right leg.

"Hoo—start the timer," Long Qiao said, glancing at the time on her watch and then at the enemies on the execution ground, before leaping up—

"Damn it, are you pretending we don't exist?" Arthur and the others said angrily.

"Hmm... 3, 2, 1..." Men Mo stroked his chin and muttered to himself.

"What are you counting?" Arthur asked.

"It's nothing, I was just counting down the days until your life ends."

"what?"

Then, a red, cone-shaped indicator light appeared above the heads of all the enemies on the execution ground.

"What is this?" Karen and Arthur asked simultaneously.

"This is your last moment. Alright, we can leave now. After all, we've done what we needed to do. Leave the rest to Qiao," Zhang Qing said, deactivating his transformation.

“Yes, that’s fine,” Qingmo said. “We can also take a look at how far Qiao’s strength has progressed.” Qingmo, dressed in all black and with her face covered, thought to herself.

"Hey, why are you all so sure that coincidence is..." Karen hadn't finished speaking.

"Axel Crimson Smash" (Enhanced Version of the Crimson Drill)

"Watch out for the legs—" Long Qiao unleashed a twelve-hit combo of the Crimson Drill, each strike killing an enemy, leaving only Grandpa Arthur alive in the end.

"Time Out!" As the sound effect rang out, Long Qiao transformed back into his basic form from his accelerated form.

"This..." Karen was surprised.

"So, now you know why, Miss Karen," Qingmo said, stroking Karen's head.

"This is outrageous, this is incredible!" Karen exclaimed.

“Indeed, it was a coincidence after all,” Kiana said.

"Sigh! Looks like it's time. Tsk, what a boring moment." Long Qiao then deactivated his transformation, but Kiana and Bronya had successfully...

"Is there anything else you want to say?"

Arthur then pointed to a small path.

"What do you mean by that?" Men Mo asked.

"You should take Miss Karen and leave here quickly. There's a small path over there; follow it and you'll reach the port. I've arranged for ships to set sail from there," Grandpa Arthur said.

"Oh, I didn't expect you to be such a kind person, grandpa," Kiana said.

"But...but Grandpa Arthur, if you let me go, you will..." Karen looked at Grandpa Arthur worriedly and said.

“…It’s alright, Miss Karen. I’m already this old. Even if I’m punished this time, it doesn’t matter. I have no regrets. Alright, let’s go now,” Grandpa Arthur said.

"Okay, thank you, Grandpa Arthur," Long Qiao said gratefully.

"I beg you all to protect Miss Karen," Arthur said, his back to the crowd.

“Hmm… I promise you, Grandpa Arthur…” Long Qiao then led the group

"Boom—" A loud noise suddenly came from not far away.

"What's going on?" Bronya asked, then climbed up the flagpole and looked around. "What's happening? Why are there so many Honkai Beasts all of a sudden?"

"Ah! Run! A monster has appeared!" Suddenly, a series of commotions came from ahead.

Until the Honkai Beast appeared before them—everyone was stunned for a moment.

"How is this possible? Why would a Honkai Beast appear here?! The outer perimeter of this city is covered by a tight security network!" Grandpa Arthur exclaimed in horror.

"Heh heh—that's naturally because of my plan," Otto slowly emerged from the shadows.

"Otto? What are you doing here?" Karen exclaimed in surprise.

"Ah! My Karen, I've come to greet you," Otto said to Karen.

"Um... Miss, who are you? We're about to leave," Menmo said, scratching his ear.

"Oh? Hehe—nice to meet you. Let me introduce myself. My name is Otto Apocalypse, you can just call me Otto," Otto said with a calm smile, looking at Menmo.

“Oh, right, my old father… tsk… that old devil, the bishop, thought his plan was foolproof, haha—he thought that by sending all your former subordinates, the Valkyrie unit, on missions to distant places, no one would have the strength to rescue you,” Otto said.

“But he forgot that terrifying Honkai Beasts are imprisoned beneath the Church of Schicksal. After all, these are Honkai Beasts you personally recruited. If I unlock their shackles and use some scapegoats, I can lure them out. The chaos they create will be enough to dismantle all of Schicksal's combat forces deployed in the city. Then, we can leave here honorably. So, come, let's leave here together, my dear Kallen,” Otto said, covering his left cheek with his left hand.

"But have you considered how many innocent lives you'll harm by doing this?" Karen questioned Otto.

"Huh? Don't joke around. The lives of all those lowly people combined aren't worth a single hair of yours, my goddess Kallen," Otto said, taking a few steps closer to Kallen. "Oh, my Kallen, now no one can stop us from being together. Let's forget about destiny, forget about the insignificant Honkai, and travel together. I've already made all the arrangements. Our next stop is the Far East, the place you miss the most."

Long Qiao walked up to Otto with a gloomy face, "Hey! Otto..."

"What's wrong?" Otto asked, puzzled.

Long Qiao looked at Otto, then suddenly swung her hand and slapped him. After a loud thud, Otto fell to the ground. Long Qiao then grabbed Otto's collar and said...

"You bastard! What do you think human lives are? What right do you have to make them your scapegoats, you bastard?" Long Qiao slapped Otto across the face again, much to the amusement of onlookers. Then, Long Qiao looked at the crowd and said...

"Hey! You guys go first, I'll lure these Honkai Beasts away, I'll handle the rest." Long Qiao took out the Faiz Driver.

“I’ll go with you. After all, Kaslana is the protector of the people, and I must protect my people,” Kallen suddenly said.

"Huh? You want to come with me? No way, even if it's to protect your people, because they could die at any moment, I can't let you take that kind of risk."

"But……"

"There's nothing to discuss, just leave it to me," Long Qiao said, holding the driver.

"Will it work?" Kiana asked worriedly.

"Don't worry, I'll be back soon, Henshin!" Long Qiao transformed as he ran.

"Complete!"

"Don't worry, your Brother Qiao won't get hurt so easily. He's very strong," Qingmo said slowly, looking at the red figure in the distance.

----split line----

(To be continued, please look forward to the next episode!)