Chapter Text
"Captain on the bridge."
"Huh? Didn't I just kick the bucket?"
Baige opened his eyes, blinking in confusion at his surroundings. He found himself standing on the roof of a skyscraper, overlooking an unfamiliar city beneath a canopy of shimmering stars.
"Oh. Looks like I’ve transmigrated."
It took him exactly five seconds to process and accept his new reality. He placed his hands on his hips, thinking to himself that he really was as adaptable as he’d always thought.
As for how he ended up here, the story was quite simple. On his way home, while crossing the street, a speeding bus had come barreling toward him, treating the red light and the traffic police as mere suggestions. Baige had instinctively moved to dodge, only to see a cute little girl directly in the vehicle's path. In that same moment, he heard the gut-wrenching scream of a woman behind him.
Without a second thought, his body moved on its own. He lunged back, scooped up the girl, and threw her to safety. Then, everything went black. In the haze of his fading consciousness, he heard a voice say, "Captain on the bridge."
And then, there was this.
"So the urban legend about the 'Isekai Bus' is true. Well, if I’ve transmigrated, I should have a standard-issue system, right? System? System-chan? Time to clock in."
【Transmigrators these days certainly know the drill. At your service, Host.】
Accompanied by a shimmering screen in Baige’s vision, a system with a crisp, girlish voice responded.
"Of course. Though I really think you guys should update your tropes. The whole bus thing is a bit cliché... I wasn't even surprised."
【Fine. Your feedback has been noted.】
"Good. First off, where exactly am I?"
【This is the Honkai World.】
"Uh, Honkai Gakuen 2 or Honkai Impact 3rd?"
【Honkai Impact 3rd.】
Baige let out a long sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. At least the Third has a chance. If I’d landed in the Second, where a 'Happy Ending' means everyone dies together, I might as well have stayed dead."
Granted, the difficulty had only dropped from 'Hell' to 'Hard Mode.' In the world of Honkai, the treatment of men was notoriously grim. Most men lacked Honkai Energy adaptability, which was usually a death sentence.
However, as a fresh-faced transmigrator, Baige remained excited. After a series of questions, he mapped out the current situation.
First, the year was 2014 the eve of the Third Honkai Impact. Second, the city was Nagazora.
Now, that was truly a "god-tier" map. In the lore of Honkai Impact 3rd, Nagazora was a literal stage for disasters, having birthed the Herrscher of Thunder, the Herrscher of the Void, the Pseudo-Herrschers Yae Sakura and Yuno, and even hosted the Herrschers of the Void and Corruption from the Previous Era!
Baige chuckled. "Welcome to the Nagazora Grand Stagewhere if you aren't a Herrscher yet, you’re about to be. Hilarious."
【Please be prepared, Host. The time remaining until the Third Honkai Impact is dwindling.】
"Fine. Where’s my Newbie Gift Pack? Hand it over; I can't wait. Do I get to become the Herrscher of Finality right away? Or maybe a literal Deus Ex Machina?"
【...System is currently loading. Progress: 1%. Newbie Pack currently unavailable. Also, Host, you're dreaming. Things aren't that easy. (Bronya Face).】
Baige stared at the progress bar on the interface. It was moving, but the installation package was clearly so massive that the bar barely budged. He blinked in shock.
"What? Nothing? In every other novel, the protagonist gets an instant power-up and starts steamrolling everyone. Why am I stuck with 'Low-Tier' service? I’m leaving a one-star review!"
【Heh. Talk to me when you find the complaint button. Don't take those power-fantasy novels to heart; life must be taken step by step. Work hard, Host.】
"Work hard at what? I didn't possess someone; this is my original body. I don't even have a legal identity. How am I supposed to change the plot without getting arrested?" Baige grumbled. He was seriously starting to doubt the quality of this system.
Trying to change the story of Honkai as a commoner with no legal standing? That was beyond Hell difficulty! For starters, if he even breathed the same air as Kiana, that paranoid Archbishop Otto Apocalypse would probably have him 'invited for tea' by the next morning. Or more likely, he'd just be quietly eliminated. Baige had enough self-awareness to know he wasn't currently worth Otto's attention.
【Fear not, Host. Emergency measures are active. I have created a legal identity for you. You have two choices:】
"Oh? I actually get a choice?" Baige looked at the options.
Option 1: A second-year transfer student at Senba Academy. Orphaned, but with a car, a house, and a vast family fortune.
Option 2: An ordinary civilian. Orphaned, with a car, a house, and enough wealth to lie around doing nothing for the rest of your life.
【I recommend the second option. It guarantees a life of comfort and leisure. Besides, even if you do nothing, this world will eventually reach a Happy Ending.】
After all, Kiana would eventually stop Kevin’s Project Stigma and seal away the Honkai.
"......"
Baige’s eye twitched. "Is being an orphan a mandatory job requirement for transmigrators? No matter what I pick, I’m alone."
He shook his head and placed his hand on the first option. "I’ll take the first one, System."
【Are you sure? As your System, I must remind you: I am not a 'cheat' that will let you instantly crush Otto or kick Kevin. You can only rely on yourself. If you choose to involve yourself in the main storyline, the risk of death is extreme. And...】
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Even without me, the main cast will save the world. One more person doesn't make a difference, and one less doesn't either."
Baige looked toward the horizon as a fresh breeze ruffled his hair. His golden eyes sparkled with a strange light.
"I know I’m just an ordinary guy. But I’m bored of being ordinary. I’ve been given a chance in a new world, and I want to live a life that actually means something. The value of a life isn't measured by its length, but by how exciting the journey was."
In his past life, he was a nobody. Now, he wanted to be a somebody. He wanted to do something that only he could do. As a Captain of the Hyperion, he didn't just want to watch from a screen. He wanted to stand alongside them and shout, "Fight for all that is beautiful in the world!"
He knew the ending was "happy," but he also knew the path was paved with regrets, sorrow, and pain. The writers at MiHoYo had "knifed" so many characters he loved. Now that he had a chance to hold the pen himself, why should he hesitate?
"Come on, System. I choose the first path. This time, I’m going to change this imperfect world into the one I want it to be!"
As he spoke, the first ray of dawn broke over the horizon, signifying the end of the night. On top of that skyscraper, the white-haired, golden-eyed youth stood with his arms wide open, as if embracing the entire city.
【...As you wish, Host.】