Honkai Impact: Grandma Pine Sparrow is still chasing me!

Chapter 323 The Second Trial

"Why are you in such a sorry state?"

High above the tower, a cold-faced god floated silently in mid-air, looking disdainfully at the knight he regarded as a "traitor".

Well, it's less about dislike and more about concern—concern tinged with a hint of doubt and anger.

Leiera knew very well what Lithost was capable of. If there was anyone on this planet Luo who could hurt him, there could only be three people: her, Nahera, and... Sinadia.

This was definitely not her doing, and even Nahera, a dragon about to be reincarnated, would neither have done nor intended to harm Lithost, and then there's Sinadia...

Seeing that Lithost remained silent, Reira took the initiative to ask.

"That woman, Frossa, is here again?"

It's hard to believe, but the only explanation is that foul-mouthed guy, that Suta from Fulusa, sneaked into my territory and started causing trouble without me noticing!

But Lithost shook his head.

"It was just a careless mistake, that I was hurt by a... um... friend."

"friend?"

Lera frowned, her eyes filled with distrust: "Would your friend make you look like a beggar? And stab you in the shoulder?"

"Leira, I'm alright."

Lithost keenly noticed the concern in Leera's eyes. Although she outwardly maintained a cold and disdainful expression, if he were to embellish the situation, he might just see the enraged god stand up for his knight. After all, even when beating a dog, one has to consider its owner, right?

"I don't care whether you live or die."

Leiera said this, but her eyes couldn't help but linger on Lithost's wound. Lithost found it amusing to see her so concerned about something and yet say one thing but mean another.

That would be best.

He's such an idiot. All these years, he's never thought of using his injury to attract the attention of the gods, thereby guiding them onto the right path and gradually diminishing his own influence—but it's really hard to imagine that, given the current situation of Luo Xinglei and Li Lao Er, almost no one has ever been able to hurt him...

Leiera opened her mouth, unsure whether she wanted to explain what she had said earlier or inquire about his injuries. But in the end, she said nothing.

Seeing Leiera's behavior, which resembled that of a rebellious teenager, Lithost's smile turned into a self-deprecating laugh.

Honestly, he actually started thinking about how to awaken the gods through his own injury rather than death, instead of severing the connection with them through his own demise? Just because he saw the terrifying, towering pillar of fire?

Lithost, you sinful wretch! With you around, no one can take that step on Mars. And you still want to wreak havoc for a thousand years?

"It's less about friendship and more about making necessary sacrifices in search of a qualified knight."

Upon hearing the word "knight," the god, who had been thinking of descending to examine the wounds and consider how to express concern through sarcasm, suddenly froze, letting out a cold snort.

"It's that damned knight selection again? No need. I've already said I don't need knights! It's the true gods who need knights, only Sinadia—"

It's started again, Leiera has started again.

“Leera, this year’s candidates are completely different from the previous ones. Their talents far surpass those of the top thirty-two, and like us, they come from other stars…”

A flicker of curiosity crossed Leiera's eyes, but she quickly regained her coldness.

"You decide what to do. Don't forget your promise, this is the last term."

She doesn't need knights, nor new companions or friends; their presence would only squeeze out her time to think and accelerate her forgetting of Sinadia...

Lithost paused for a moment, then left and headed towards the Dragon's Rest Trial Grounds.

Normally, the accusation against Lithost's ruthlessness by Leiera would have ended there, but this time was different.

Firstly, Lithost was coming far too frequently, almost unlike himself; secondly, he was injured.

The disruption of existing habits and the resulting changes deeply unsettled Leiera: if someone could hurt him, could they also kill him?

Given this final session and the unusual frequency of visits, what exactly is Lithost plotting? And what does it have to do with that towering pillar of fire outside that he didn't want to deal with?

The more Reira thought about it, the more she felt something was wrong.

"Just this once."

With a thought in mind, the goddess of Luo Xing decided to secretly follow her knight. Using her divine power, she silently dispatched a shadow deacon to accompany the knight.

"Lithost, you've come at the right time. Let's go together—how did you get injured like this?"

Deep within the Trial Grounds, through the Shadow Deacon's enormous single eye, the God of Luo Xing saw the long-unseen Summoning Star Dragon.

However, that was merely a "remnant" she left behind. Once the dragon egg truly hatched, the past, including that of Hinadia, would have no further connection to the newborn dragon...

"It's alright, Nahera. How are you?"

Oh, how interesting. The usually calm and collected Luo Xing steward can actually be anxious, Litost. What could possibly make you so anxious that you can't even care about your injuries?

"Although he didn't take the second dose to enhance his connection, the first dose was enough, so he should be able to complete the second trial."

The second trial?

Through the Shadow Butler, the cautious Leera secretly listened to the conversation between the man and the dragon, her doubts growing stronger: although she didn't care, she knew that Lithost's ridiculous Ten Arts War Champion hadn't appeared yet.

What kind of being is the "he" that Lithost and Nahera are talking about, that they value him so much, and that Lithost even boasts to himself that this is the last Ten Arts War?

She wasn't curious; she just wanted to know the whole story: there's no contradiction at all, really.

----------------

On the immortal scales of justice, lies have nowhere to hide...

"No, I just want to lie down on the bed for a bit!"

Qiong couldn't understand how he could fall asleep when he had just eaten ice cream with Kiana and gone back to his room to lie down for a little while.

Another trial? He didn't even take any medicine!

Follow the call of your heart, and your soul will reveal its true worth. Go! Touch the second sacred relic. Thus, the trial of courage will begin.

"Sister, forced love is never sweet..."

We await your decision...

"You? Who else?"

There was no reply. Dai Qiong looked around and could only feel helpless.

He was trapped in that misty grove of trees again, with a scepter lying across the road ahead.

Aren't you going to retrieve the scepter?

Qiong looked at the scepter, her heart filled with helplessness.

"Even if I don't take it, it will turn into a ray of light and fly to me, right?"

Nahera & Lithost & Leera: ...

----------------

As Qiong had expected, the scepter quickly flew into his hand, turned into a beam of light, and disappeared. Then...

A system panel appeared in front of him?

Qiong: ?

Name: Qiong

Codename: Trailblazers

Occupation: Temporarily a part-time knight for the Trail Blazers

Level: 80

Characteristic: Unyielding...

Attributes: Maximum Health...

Birthday: May 4

Race: Human? (Star Core Essence)

"What's going on? They've sent me to another world to fight demon kings and heroes?"

Qiong stared at the system panel in shock. Before he could react, the grove under the cover of night had suddenly become light!

All the trees moved away from him, and a castle with a predominantly black and red color scheme suddenly appeared before his eyes.

"The Demon King's Castle? Could the requirements for clearing it be defeating the Demon King or rescuing the princess from a dragon?"

That's not the case.

The voice wasn't the familiar female voice, but a mechanical narration voice that was neither male nor female.

You are a knight from the village of St. Freya. You have traveled halfway around the world, defeated enemies for humanity three times, and opened up vast areas of living space.

"Where are my teammates?"

Qiong quickly noticed the imperfections. A team of three is considered a pioneering team, and a team of four is considered a hero team. What does he count as alone?

None of them came.

"why?"

[Because you're here today to bid farewell to a former teammate, and that teammate's identity must never be revealed to the other teammates. Because she is the Demon King disguised as the Molten Knight, Firefly.]

"What the hell?"

--------------

I've been a bit lazy lately...

To be continued!