Honkai Impact 3rd - The Interference

Chapter 80 - No One But Me

Clutching Bronya's arms tightly, Hoshino Wan's gaze bore into the depths of her darkened eyes, conveying a silent warning: release your grip or face consequences.

"Do you still have your own will, Bronya?" Wan's voice remained composed, each word a pointed inquiry demanding a response.

Bronya held her silence, her crimson eyes locked onto his hazel ones as she scrutinized his features with deliberate slowness.

"I prefer to believe you're still within reach," Wan continued, his tone hinting at a flicker of doubt. "Or am I being overly naive?"

Once more, silence enveloped them, punctuated only by the intensity of their mutual gaze. Wan scrutinized his friend's expression, his gaze drawn to the crimson mark tracing its path from her neck to her left eye.

After a moment of contemplation, he emitted a soft hum of comprehension, his eyes narrowing in understanding.

Abruptly, a peripheral movement caught his attention, signaling Project Bunny's incoming attack. Reacting swiftly, he released Bronya's arms and swiftly sidestepped, evading the assault before regaining his stance.

"Wan-senpai!" The sudden call of his name prompted Wan to turn and face Kiana, who stood poised for battle in the distance.

With a nod, Wan withdrew his blade from its sheath, revealing a long, dark-toned weapon adorned with white stripes along its surface.

"I'm relieved to see you all still alive and well," Wan expressed softly, his voice tinged with concern. "The Selene's seemed on the verge of crashing just moments ago."

Slowly, Hana and Mei rose to their feet once more, a light chuckle escaping the lips of the red-eyed girl.

"You make it sound like you doubted us entirely, dude."

"Eh?" Wan turned to Hana, puzzled. "I never said that... I have full faith in you all."

"I was just messing with you, relax," Hana laughed, readjusting her stance as her gaze fixed on Bronya. "Now that you're here, any brilliant ideas on how to aid our little friend?"

Wan's expression hardened once more as he redirected his focus to Bronya. "The root of the issue likely resides in her mind; there's a probability that Bronya's bio-chip is malfunctioning."

"Bio-chip...?" Kiana's distant voice carried with curiosity. "What exactly is that, Wan-senpai?"

"A bio-chip is a crucial component implanted in Valkyries like Bronya," Wan explained, his tone measured. "It interfaces with their neural network, regulating various functions and augmenting their abilities."

Kiana's brows furrowed in thought. "So, if it's malfunctioning, does that mean Bronya's losing control?"

Wan nodded gravely. "You get that right, Kiana. Finding a way to stabilize it before it's too late is our best attempt."

Mei, standing beside Hana, gazed at Wan in awe. "You reached that conclusion just from observing Bronya-chan, Wan?"

Wan offered a small smile as he shook his head. "Not really, Mei. I just remembered a conversation with Bronya where she mentioned it."

Hana scoffed, offering Wan a small smirk as she twirled her katana. "Who cares about the tiny details, my guy? Now that you've brought it up, do you have a plan to stabilize her chip chop?"

Wan remained silent for a few seconds, appearing to ponder the question before giving a slight nod. "I'm not as skilled as Bronya in this aspect, but I can likely temporarily override her bio-chip to stabilize it. Though... more treatment will be necessary back at St. Freya."