After watching that segment of Otto's memories,
the Herrscher of Sentience continued roaming Mt. Taixu like a treasure hunt, gathering Feathers to recover her memories.
Every now and then, she would stumble across fragments involving Dr. MEI.
Whenever that happened, she'd make a twisted expression—like someone who just swallowed a spoonful of salt.
She clearly held disdain for Dr. MEI, and declared that this time, she would no longer obey her commands.
She would decide her own path, reshape all creation, and make everything different.
And yet—
When she later encountered the real Dr. MEI in the Lunar Bubble World...
Though she tried hard to act indifferent, her body honestly followed Dr. MEI's orders to the letter.
Poor Herrscher of Sentience—
Toyed with in the palm of Dr. MEI's hand.
This twist and reversal?
Of course Hokuto wouldn't cut it.
He even refined and adjusted the scene to ensure smoother narrative logic.
When faced with the Herrscher's "supremacist" claims, Fu Hua didn't argue.
Unknowingly, the two wandered around Mt. Taixu for quite a while.
Arriving at a familiar boulder, Fu Hua recalled that a village of over a hundred people used to be nearby, and wanted to go check it out.
The Herrscher grumbled verbally, but she really… indulged this quirky Yuduchen phantom named Fu Hua.
If it had been anyone else daring to rebut the Herrscher as Fu Hua often did,
the Herrscher would've already thrown a punch their way—like she did with Otto—to show them who's boss.
But this time, though she complained, she still accompanied Fu Hua toward the village.
Their dynamic felt like that of a younger sister with greater power trying to protect her physically weakened older sister, seeking her approval.
But the "steel-straight girl," the ever-honest Fu Hua, had no idea how to be tactful or how to soothe children.
She kept hinting—"You are a Herrscher."
And that set off the Herrscher of Sentience, who firmly believed she was Fu Hua.
"I placed numerous Xuanyuan Swords and Yuduchen across Mt. Taixu.
Ordinary Honkai can barely affect this place—yet after our arrival, Honkai erupted.
There's only one explanation…"
"Enough! You're a wisp of Yuduchen… a Herrscher from the Previous Era. I should have destroyed you the moment I saw you.
Not a single word from you should be trusted.
"But I respect you.
I've allowed you to exist independently.
I've allowed you to remain by my side.
You should honor the respect I've shown you."
"…Stop trying to cloud my thoughts, Honkai!"
[Good grief. A Herrscher refusing to admit she's a Herrscher.]
[Fu Hua: So... the Herrscher is me?!]
[Honkai: These new-age Herrschers are impossible—all turncoats!]
[Come to think of it, the current era's Herrschers really are weird. The Previous Era ones were walking disasters.]
[True. Is this just a narrative device, or is there a deeper reason? Someone's plotting again? Is it Otto?]
Players shared the same suspicions as Jackal.
When it came to scheming, Otto was the usual suspect—
Even though this had nothing to do with Otto and wasn't a conspiracy.
It was… "the love left behind by a god."
——
"This old relic is just as irritating as in real life."
Fu Shibao rolled her eyes hard.
Now that she knew the character she voiced was the Herrscher of Sentience, and had followed the entire story—
Her understanding was no longer the same.
Though she still didn't know why the Herrscher believed herself to be Fu Hua,
It no longer mattered.
Even though it should've been the most important issue…
It was tossed aside.
"Fu Hua… wasn't entirely wrong, was she? Some things do need to be said clearly."
Fu Hua murmured softly,
"The Herrscher of Sentience is avoiding reality. She's like a child."
"Who are you calling a child?!" Fu Shibao flared up.
"Shi, I... I wasn't talking about you." Fu Hua blinked innocently.
Fu Shibao: "..."
[Shibao hasn't even been born a full week, right? She's not a child—she's a newborn.]
[Suddenly makes perfect sense. This is a classic case of a mom who can't communicate with her daughter. (doge)]
[On the surface: fake vs. real Monkey King. In truth: a mother-daughter ethical drama.]
The conversation between Fu Shibao and Fu Hua sparked even more heated discussion in the livestream.
Fu Hua glanced at Fu Shibao, who stared silently at the screen.
She looked... surprisingly "okay."
So Fu Hua continued progressing the main story.
But she didn't realize that her silent shift back to the plot made Fu Shibao twitch at the corner of her mouth.
Inwardly, she hurled the most "vicious" insult she could come up with:
"You old relic really are brain-dead…!!"
——
Back to the main story.
With Fu Hua repeatedly implying she was a Herrscher, the Herrscher of Sentience grew visibly agitated.
"Who are you calling a Herrscher?! I'm not some Honkai flunky!"
Fuming with childish frustration,
she sought every possible way to make Fu Hua willingly admit that she was the real Fu Hua.
So she pulled Fu Hua into an illusion—
To relive Fu Hua's life.
Her forgotten first friend, the squad leader who saved her,
Cangxuan and Dan Zhu, who perished with Chiyou…
The Herrscher of Sentience resented her past choice—saving civilians instead of her comrades facing Chiyou.
Why did she place humanity above all else?
Was there really a need?
Fu Hua responded with calm resolve:
"It was my duty. My mission."
At this point, the rift between the Herrscher and Fu Hua grew even deeper—
Even players were divided.
Some sympathized with Fu Hua, but more sided with the Herrscher.
The debate became so intense that even devs from other studios watching the stream were surprised.
For instance, that penguin company that once wanted to "learn from" Honkai Impact 3rd,
but paused plans due to limitations with 3D rendering engines.
They just couldn't understand it.
This type of story isn't rare in games—
Many use "dramatic conflict" to elevate themes.
But few spark engagement the way Honkai Impact 3rd does.
What gives?
"Maybe it's just good gameplay plus luck?"
The skeptical penguins didn't get it—
but smaller studios were already reflecting earnestly.
"What do you all think?"
"I think Honkai 3's story isn't perfect, but it's earnest.
At least it doesn't treat players like idiots."
"Exactly. Players felt the sincerity. That's why they rally around it."
"With this much foreshadowing, and both characters being so well fleshed out,
a conflict between them feels that much more immersive."
Their commentary was actually quite fair.
——
Back in-game.
The scene shifted.
The Herrscher and Fu Hua arrived at the Qinchach Steppe from 500 years ago.
It was here that Schicksal's expedition clashed with Shenzhou in a major battle.
Facing Divine Key-wielding Schicksal, Fu Hua was forced to personally intervene.
And from their conversation,
players learned a truth that—while unsurprising now—still struck hard.
Kallen really was executed.
It was her death that led Otto to extend his life by centuries,
seize control of Schicksal, and become the tyrant he is now.
"The day Otto went from a lovestruck boy to the manipulative scum he is now—
was that day."
"If only we had killed both Kallen and Otto that day,
everything would've changed."
To the Herrscher of Sentience,
Schicksal was the root of all evil.
To vent her rage,
she tore apart the illusionary Otto and Kallen.
Fu Hua, unable to hold back anymore,
finally said aloud: "You are a Herrscher."
The Herrscher refused to accept that she might be an agent of Honkai.
She and Fu Hua entered a heated debate.
Could it be that her entire fight against Honkai had been chosen by Honkai itself?
"You accuse me of being a Herrscher,
but your evidence is weak.
"You claim I'm a threat,
but provide no proper justification.
"You say the voice in my head is Honkai's whispering—
but you're the one without a body.
"Your medium is a Herrscher Core from the Previous Era.
If one of us is Honkai's traitor,
it's far more likely to be you."
Fu Hua couldn't refute her with hard evidence.
In contrast, the Herrscher—
like a student yearning for a teacher's recognition—
continued:
"Look—just the two of us here.
I could erase you with no effort.
But I didn't.
Why?"
"Because you're my friend!
You're another me!
I like you!
I wouldn't kill you just because you upset me.
Isn't that proof I have humanity?"
In that moment—
The official Honkai 3 livestream exploded.
[Fu Hua! Just coax her! Coax her!!]
[It's easy! Just one kind word!]
[Don't panic—she's lived 50,000 years! Surely she knows how!]
[Yeah! We believe in our class rep!]
…
While the players shouted encouragement,
Fu Shibao rolled her eyes.
"If that old fossil says a single nice word, I'll jump off this building."
No one knows Fu Hua better than she does.
So when the Herrscher beat Fu Hua up afterward, Fu Shibao fully believed she had it coming.
Backed by waves of desperate live chat comments—
The game continued.
Fu Hua softly said:
"This only proves you don't know who you are.
You didn't spare me out of love.
You just wanted someone to validate you.
To support you."
Upon hearing that—
every player facepalmed.
[Fu Hua, you Mt. Taixu thousand-year-old log! How could you say that?!]
[Shibao: I hate you for being a block of wood!]
[Coax her, she's easy to coax...]
[I'm sorry, I was wrong. Class Rep, you're too straight. A 50,000-year-old straight woman.]
...
They were truly panicking.
Panicking to the point they wanted to break the fourth wall and yell at Fu Hua—
This is how you coax a child!!
50,000 years!
She's lived 50,000 years!
And she's still this dense?!
Players were on edge, practically jumping.
The Herrscher of Sentience, fully experiencing Fu Hua's emotional woodenness, finally snapped.
"AHHHHHH!! Seriously!! I can't talk to you at all!!"
Fu Hua: "..."
Fu Hua said nothing.
The Herrscher felt like her brain was about to burst.
At that moment—
Kiana and Bronya arrived, piloting Helios above Mt. Taixu.
Fu Hua tried to dissuade the Herrscher from dragging them in—
But the Herrscher insisted they come decide who was the real Fu Hua.
The story then picked up where the last chapter left off.
Kiana and Bronya, searching for memories, sensed something was wrong.
After uncovering the truth, they reached Fuyun Temple.
They pushed open its doors—
Only to fall into the hands of Fu Hua... no—of the Herrscher of Sentience.