Honkai Impact: Grandma Pine Sparrow is still chasing me!

Chapter 338 Is Lithost a good person?

"Only thirty-two souls..."

Hearing Nahera say this, Qiong's expression darkened considerably, and an ominous premonition welled up in his heart.

"You're not trying to tell me that those thirty-two people were all victors of the Ten Arts War, and that the champion's reward was physical weakness and spiritual ascension?"

Is this "immortality" or "memory"?! It's just a soul left, like a meme life form called Flowing Light Memory Garden!

Their bodies have been placed in coffins, leaving only their souls to remain forever bound to this tower.

"Bound to the tower? Does that mean you can't leave?"

Honest Nahra nodded.

If they leave, they will cease to exist...

Honest Nahera truthfully told Sora the fate of the victors of the Ten Arts War—to lose their bodies and become wandering ghosts bound within this tower. Upon receiving this information, Sora didn't hesitate to launch into a verbal attack on Nahera.

"You call this immortality? You call this eternal life? This is clearly a life sentence, like locking someone in a tower!"

Qiong gripped the flaming spear tightly, its tip pointing directly at Nahera—only a fool would want such an "immortal"! She's not even as good as Liuguang Yiting!

Nahera, who was being pointed at by the flaming spear, was not annoyed—after all, it was impossible for the dragon to be injured.

No, I was simply helping them. They are different from you; Little Leiera—our goddess—rejected them, and then Lithost came to me.

"Lithost? Looking for you?"

Qiong's thoughts skipped over "he's different" and went straight back to the arena, remembering that lunatic who ran right into her line of fire and was still laughing, even thanking her. What does this have to do with that guy?

Meanwhile, someone behind the curtain went numb.

"Nahera, there's no need for that—"

[Lithost found me, hoping I could grant the victors of the Ten Wars a proper end. He said it would be absurd for the victors to grow old and die in the tower because Little Leiera refused to choose a new knight, so he asked me to grant them immortality—he was still as kind-hearted as ever, and out of consideration for our long-standing friendship, I granted his request.]

Lithost: ...

Qiong: ...

Lithost, kind-hearted?

This joke is not funny at all.

Okay, I have to admit, at least according to Bai Ji, Lithost is an unfathomable good person. But how do you explain Chen Xue's sister's disappearance, his near-murder in the arena, and his attack on Kiana? Qiong can't figure it out, she really can't.

Forget it, I don't want to think about it anymore. Anyway, that madman is already ashes. We can deal with Shadow Pool and Donegal later. Let's look at the present for now.

Realizing that Nahera was just a dragon who might have some cognitive impairment, Qiong unconsciously loosened her grip on the flaming spear—this dragon, who felt guilty for Shinardia and regarded Lithost as a great benefactor, probably wouldn't engage in the kind of forced buying and selling that the Earth God did, right?

In short, I preserved their souls, froze their time, and kept them in the tower awaiting the divine call, until this day.

"So, how many people have been chosen as knights?"

【…】

Nahera didn't answer, but just stared at Qiong silently. Qiong felt a little uneasy under her gaze.

"No way, there aren't any?"

Nahera remained silent, and this unspoken response sank Qiong's heart. Was it really as she suspected—none of the thirty-two victors had been selected? How desperate must it be for these so-called winners of the Ten Arts War, trapped in this tower, their bodies gone, awaiting a selection that might never come?

Since things have come to this, there's nothing more to say. Turn around and take Nana away first.

"Haha... Sorry, I believe in the 'Abundance' Pharmacist. Your 'Immortal' Dragon Ancestor is not destined for me. I'm leaving now..."

But aren't you following the path of "pioneering"?

Nahera spoke slowly and calmly, which made Qiong feel a little embarrassed as she turned to leave.

Through Nahra's mouth, Lithost spoke.

【Pioneer Qiong, you are different from them. Not only do you come from beyond the heavens, but you are also blessed by the gods and will surely become the new knight after Lithost… After you become a knight, you will assist the gods in managing this star and follow her to lead her people forward…】

Nahera's voice remained calm, but carried an undeniable tone. It was as if she would consider resorting to violence if Qiong refused again.

Qiong fell silent. He suddenly felt that this great female dragon had two personalities and would switch between them from time to time... In comparison, he preferred to chat with the baby dragon Nana, at least the little dragon didn't cause so much trouble.

Qiong looked at Nana in her arms, who was still confused by Nahera—this little dragon hasn't recovered yet! She was really ruthless, cruelly harming a newborn of her own kind.

Now that I think about it, were all of Lithost's colleagues like that? If we consider that Leera didn't want any new knights, then the number of people in the Tower is probably very small: Leera, Nahera, Lithost... maybe add Serapem at most? And the thirty-two victors of the Ten Arts War who became wandering ghosts.

No, this god who wants to find the sun after losing it, this immortal star dragon who's probably related to Danheng and doesn't know how to handle small dragons, and this taciturn, immature "fusion" magician—none of them seem like they'd be capable of doing any work... Based on Nahera's last few sentences, this knight's job doesn't sound like a simple guard duty at all. It seems like one person has to shoulder multiple responsibilities, including guarding, administration, patrolling, and organization. Judging from the god's appearance, he seems to care about nothing but Sinadia; he's most likely a hands-off manager. And because Leera is unwilling to appoint a new knight, therefore...

Could the entire Rimu and even Luoxing be carried on the shoulders of Lithost alone? Considering that Lithost's family was once invaded by him and Song Que, he's probably not the type to indulge in extravagance...

Let's try asking indirectly.

"Nahera, what do you usually do?"

I can do nothing, for I am merely a projection of the past, a dead dragon.

"Huh? What about God?"

I don't know, but little Reira is probably reminiscing about Sinadia every day...

Qiong: ...

Alright, the initial case is solved. Lithost's mental illness was probably caused by the war and the fact that he was overworked to the point of death but couldn't die, so he could only turn into a serial killer to relieve his emotions... When he was stabbed in front of him, he actively sought death, actually because he felt relieved?

If his deduction is correct, being a knight is probably more unbearable than being a wandering ghost in the tower—once, because he was the acting captain on the Hyperion, he was chased by Anna Schariac to do the work assigned by Captain Himeko Murata… Even so, he had to ditch some of the clumsy work to Ai-chan! Lithost's workload is probably even greater than Otto's and later Theresa's!

Look how haggard Bishop Theresa is, even though she doesn't have a Soul Steel Body! She's exhausted! In comparison, Old Yang is carefree and free from official duties, exploring the universe every day without Tesla's supervision. Isn't that more comfortable than working overtime on the Fate Floating Island every day?

Qiong thought about it more and more and felt that she couldn't be a knight. What knight? What immortality? This was a huge pitfall, and there were a bunch of steel nails in the pit!

"Nahira, knights and such, I'm really not suited for that! As for immortality... it comes at the cost of my body! Forget it."

You don't want to be a knight? But you've been blessed by the gods; that's your privilege. And...

Nahra's voice remained calm, but only those who knew her well knew that she was a little happy.

It's not just because Qiong wants to explore; she can see the shadow of her own past world travels in Qiong, as well as the fact that her bet with Lithost has ended in a draw.

Because of this, he couldn't leave so easily, since he was worried about everything.

Moreover, with her by your side, the "immortality" you can achieve goes far beyond this.

Nahera temporarily ignored Lithost's barrage of trash talk and pointed at the dizzy Nana.

"Nana?"

"Hmm? Qiong, are you calling Nana?"

Just then, Nana in Qiong's arms stirred and made a faint sound. Qiong looked down at Nana, and suddenly Nana opened her big eyes. The two pairs of golden eyes met, and they looked at each other in silence.

"Qiong, what are you doing?"

"Um, the 'Don't Laugh Challenge'?"

[Ahem... You don't need to lose your body. Furthermore, as long as you sign the Dragon Scale Life Contract, this young dragon will gain my power, and you will become the darlings of immortality—just like your friend. I promise you that as you depart, the power of immortality will envelop all things in the world, just as I once did... Ultimately, you and everything around you will attain eternal life; your time will be frozen, and your consciousness will endure forever! This is the immortality I have chosen for you humans.]

Wow! Nana can do such amazing things?

The young dragon, now airborne again, seemed to have no concept of holding grudges. She showed no anger towards Nahera, instead reveling in the joy of being "powerful."

However, Qiong just glanced at her helplessly. Nana was still too young and did not understand how heaven-defying the effect of this medicine was, which was even more powerful than the effects of the Medicine King of Compassion and the Plague Ancestor. If he accepted it, wouldn't he be creating Lakada wherever he went?

At the very least, it's an artificially created, indestructible, and indestructible super-abundant monster, even stronger than the kind that the Immortal Ship people use. I hope it won't get blown up by a single arrow from the "Hunting" Storm one day!

Oh wait, a billion years ago, there was no Lan or apothecary, but there really was a Dragon Ancestor...

Thank you for your kindness, but I feel we cannot accept it.

Don't you want to save the firefly?

Qiong's words were interrupted by Nahera's abrupt voice.

[If you accept, you can save that firefly. Firefly…what a beautiful name! Like the shooting star you watched with her, its beautiful light is fleeting. You can explore, following in the footsteps of Akivilli, wandering the stars throughout the universe. She, on the other hand, can only remain in a cold medical pod, slowly losing consciousness of her body. Now there's a chance you can save her and everyone else. Aren't you tempted?]

Qiong, who was originally planning to refuse, frowned. Why did Nahera bring up Liuying? That's right, Liuying was the person he knew who most needed an "immortal" destiny, although he and Liuying... well, maybe he had completely forgotten about them? Anyway, hearing this, a huge boulder suddenly lodged in his heart, but the consequences of immortality made him even more terrified—yes, it could save Liuying, but it would also trigger an even greater disaster!

[And Himeko Murata, I don't understand why you're afraid of her dying, but if one possesses the power of immortality, the brevity of life, the decay of the body, and the pain of separation and death will all cease to exist.]

"So you really are a peeping tom?"

The sound became crystal clear, a flash of light appeared, and Nahera was right in front of Qiong. Only now could Qiong see the dark-skinned dragon princess clearly—she was radiating blue light, and her entire body had become translucent.

What are you still hesitating for? Are you really going to give up immortality, to give up the possibility of eternal life for all of human civilization? Whether it's the planet Luo, Blue Star, or any other star, human life will be synonymous with eternity in your presence. Aren't you even a little bit tempted?

A sharp dragon scale flew from Nahera's palm—as long as Qiong accepts it, the contract will be established.

"Nahera!"

Lithost groaned inwardly behind the curtain, never expecting Nahera to have made things this way. If Qiong really didn't leave as a knight and instead accepted the blessing of immortality... given his limited range of activities, how many stars would he bring eternal calamity to?

From the moment that meteor, which was actually a dragon scale, fell on Lakada, their home planet inevitably fell into an eternal tragedy. If it weren't for the existence of the goddess Leiera on Lo, Lithost would have been the first to fight Nahera, who was trying to achieve immortality. But now, Nahera not only wants to let "immortality" envelop Lo, but also wants to spread it throughout the world like a plague.

If Lithost hadn't died once, he probably would have already risked the infamy of breaking the agreement and grabbed his longsword to cut off the dragon's scales—but he couldn't do it now. The agreement's restrictions bound both the dead dragon and him, the living dead. He could only pray, pray that Qiong would refuse this incredibly tempting contract… or perhaps, stay on Luo Xing from now on?

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

Sora was tired of Nahera's persuasion. Sora sneered and looked at Nana.

"Nana, what do you think?"

"Nana thinks what she said makes sense, right?"

Qiong: ...

What a silly little dragon! He believes everything he hears and hasn't learned to think independently yet...

Qiong put away the Flame Spear and raised her hand to grab the floating scale.

Accept her, and then lead everyone into the embrace of immortality!

"Oh~"

The moment Qiong's fingertips touched the dragon scales, she first felt their hardness, like shiny metal. Then she sensed their sharpness—and the intense heat within.

"Well then, let me tell you one thing: take it back. Who wants this piece of junk!"

Qiong grabbed the dragon scale and roughly hurled it at Nahera. Almost simultaneously, a cold, sharp sensation gripped the edge of his hand. The next second, a sharp pain shot through his arm like an electric current, making him gasp. Qiong looked down; blood was already seeping from beneath the cut skin, quickly staining his fingertips red, one drop, two drops…

"This damn thing is so sharp!"

As Qiong regretted that she had grabbed the object with her hand instead of hitting it with a baseball bat in the heat of the moment, the blood-stained dragon scales pierced through the translucent Nahera and crashed to the ground in an ungraceful parabola, leaving a crack.

……

Seeing this, Lithost breathed a sigh of relief: he hadn't misjudged the man after all; he was right—it would be even better if the kid would accept Leiera's appointment to take his place.

But what if he insists on leaving? Not to mention his current physical condition, he could drive him to the brink of ecstasy just by brandishing his baseball bat, and he can't even beat that snake called "Rice Cake"!

If Ke Qiong doesn't stay, and I have no one I can entrust with my life, I dare not leave... Should I stick to the original plan and let Bai Ji try anything as a last resort? Is that really reliable?

"If only you were a Luo Xing person..."

Looking at the bewildered Nahera, Lithost laughed and sighed at the same time.

If there were such a person on Luo Xing, I would have retired by now, even if I had raised them from childhood to adulthood!

Wait, raised from a baby to adulthood?

Lithost's eyes fell on the bloodstained scales, and a crazy idea began to form in his mind.

Nahera's dragon scales were no ordinary dragon scales; they contained unimaginable vitality, maintaining the divine grace of "immortality." After her death, the luckiest of all the dragon scales would, by a twist of fate, become a dragon egg, eventually hatching into a new dragon after countless years. This new dragon would inherit some of the original's memories and abilities. If Nahera wished, she could completely pass everything on to this little dragon, her reincarnation—Nana.

If he were to combine the life force of Nahera's dragon scale life contract with the malleability of shadow power, and infuse it with Qiong's blood, would it be possible to create a unique new individual through the incomprehensible wonders of these three elements? Would this new individual simultaneously possess the qualities of all three? If he succeeded, wouldn't he have obtained the most outstanding knight reserve?

However, even Lithost himself felt that this plan, which he had come up with on a whim, was unreliable—putting aside ethics and morality, which he didn't care about, he at least needed to discuss a feasible plan with Nahera, right? In case Qiong really refused to stay, this plan could serve as an experimental backup plan...

While Qiong was berating Nahera, no one noticed that the bloodstained scale had vanished without a trace.