Honkai Impact 3rd - The Interference

Chapter 105 - Prophecy

The echo of footsteps resonated through the shadowed streets of Arc City as Hoshino Wan trudged forward, his breath ragged and strained. He clutched his arm tightly, every step a struggle against the immense energy coursing through him—a force he fought desperately to contain, to keep hidden from those who sought to exploit or destroy him.

He was born a human, 
Shaped into a monster, 
Destined to destroy. 

Yet still, somewhere deep within, he sought a different path. A path to heal, to mend what had been broken. 

With each breath, with each step, Wan wrestled with the torment of his existence, the weight of his fate pressing heavily on his shoulders. But as he pressed on through the darkness, there was a flicker of something within him—hope, perhaps, or a stubborn refusal to surrender to the destiny that had been thrust upon him.

Yet it was hard— 

Hard when those around him shattered the innocence and hope his grandfather had instilled in him.

"It's like I'm walking with hell on my shoulders," he muttered under his breath, the weight of his boundless Houkai Energy pressing down on him. More of a curse than a gift—if it could even be called a gift.

His blue jacket was ragged and worn, the fabric frayed from countless battles. He kept his hood up to obscure his face, hoping to avoid recognition. Each step he took was slow and labored, his body heavy with exhaustion. He was supposed to be looking for Kiana, but the constant drain on his energy made every move feel like wading through molasses.

A low growl from his stomach interrupted his thoughts. He paused, glancing toward a small supermarket nearby. Through the window, he saw shelves stocked with food, and his gaze lingered on a loaf of bread.

Slowly, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a crumpled handful of bills and loose change. He flattened them out in his palm, counting quietly under his breath. "Two... three..." he murmured, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "A loaf of bread... can I get one with this much?"

He stared at the money in his hand, feeling the familiar ache of hunger clawing at his insides. For a moment, he hesitated.

Not long ago, he was just a boy with a dream—a boy who believed in the goodness of the world, surrounded by friends who made him feel seen and heard. But now, those days seemed like a distant memory, lost in the shadow of all that had been destroyed.

He could almost hear the echoes of laughter from his past, the carefree moments with friends who felt like family. They were gone now, like whispers carried away by the wind. All that remained was the stark reality of his existence, a path strewn with loss and regret.

Some might blame his grandfather for not preparing him for the world's darkness, for shielding him from its harsh truths and only showing him innocence and hope. But could anyone truly blame the old man? Was it wrong to try to preserve a child's innocence for as long as possible, to let him believe in a better world, even if it was fleeting?

Wan's grip tightened on the crumpled bills in his hand. He remembered his grandfather's warm, reassuring smile—the way he would ruffle his hair and speak of kindness and love as if those were the only forces that mattered. He had tried to build a shield of light around Wan, to protect him from the shadows that lurked just beyond their doorstep.

But now, that shield was gone, shattered like glass, leaving Wan exposed to the brutal reality of his fate. And yet, even now, he couldn't bring himself to resent his grandfather for it. Could anyone truly be faulted for wanting to preserve hope in a world so eager to snuff it out?

Wan's thoughts drifted back to the present as his stomach growled again, pulling him out of his reverie. He looked at the supermarket, at the food just beyond the glass. The hunger gnawed at him, but deeper still was a longing—a longing for something he couldn't quite name, something he feared he might never find again.