The Awakening of the Thunder Queen, To Protect Those She Loves

"Do whatever you want to me, but I will never allow you to insult Elias and Kiana!"

Mei gritted her teeth, shocked by the depth of her own fury. She had never felt this kind of anger before—so unlike her usual gentle and quiet self.

Perhaps everyone had something sacred within their hearts, an untouchable line that, once crossed, would ignite their deepest rage—like a dragon's reverse scale, bringing death to those who dared lay a hand on it.

If it was to protect something precious, even the most timid crybaby could summon boundless courage.

And to Mei, Elias and Kiana were those sacred bonds. Compared to being humiliated herself, she found it far more unforgivable for them to be slandered!

"Aaaahhh! My nose! My nose! Raiden Mei, you b***!! You're dead! I will never forgive you!"

The girl clutched her nose, wailing in agony, her expression twisted with hatred as she glared at Mei.

Then, she noticed something out of place on Mei—something that didn't match the reserved and traditional image of a Yamato Nadeshiko.

The sleek, modern-looking headphones hanging around Mei's neck.

Without hesitation, she reached out and snatched them away.

"G-Give that back!"

With her hands bound, Mei was powerless to resist. Watching the gift Elias had given her being taken away filled her with panic, and she instinctively tried to rise and reclaim it.

This couldn't be taken away.

Anything else—her phone, her clothes, even her bank card—she didn't care. But not this. Not the gift from him.

"Judging from your reaction, this was from Elias, wasn't it? Damn it! Why do you always get all the good things?! Why?!"

"Give it back! Please, I'm begging you! Just not this!"

"Hah? Begging me? Hahaha! Who knew you'd surrender so easily?"

The girl sneered and waved the headphones in front of Mei before, in one cruel motion, throwing them to the ground.

Then, as Mei watched in horror, she stomped down hard on them.

"Oops, I broke them~"

"No—!"

The shattered headphones landed at Mei's feet, their internal circuits sparking faintly as fragments of the casing scattered across the floor. The melody that had once played so clearly slowly faded into silence.

As if unsatisfied, the girl stomped on them a few more times, grinding Elias' gift into worthless debris.

In that moment, the light in Raiden Mei's eyes vanished.

"…Why would you do this?"

Tears streamed down her face as she whispered, unable to comprehend what she had done to deserve such cruelty.

"Oh, we're just getting started. Let me enlighten you—the one who put your father in prison was none other than Lady Cocolia. You probably don't even know who she is, but her real target was never him—it was you, Raiden Mei."

"W-What…?"

"I don't know why, but every act of bullying, every bit of torment, everything I've done—it's all been to break you."

"…"

Mei was utterly stunned. She couldn't grasp the meaning behind it all.

Who was Cocolia? Why had she framed her father? Why was she trying to push her into despair?

"But you know what? This still isn't enough. No worries, though—I've figured out exactly how to break you now. Next time, I'll have Lady Cocolia target your precious friends instead."

The girl flashed a cruel, twisted smile, and Mei trembled.

"W-What are you planning?!"

"Hahaha, didn't I already say it? I want to see you break. I can't wait to see your face when those two lose their limbs—or better yet, when they disappear from your life forever."

She sneered viciously.

If Elias and Kiana were Mei's emotional pillars, then eliminating them was the perfect way to shatter her. She knew all too well how ruthless the woman who ordered her—Cocolia—could be.

...

"What did I do to deserve this…?"

Mei hung her head, staring at the shattered remains of her headphones. Her hands clenched into fists so tightly that blood dripped from her palms.

At that moment, grief and fury surged through her, becoming almost tangible.

"I only wanted a normal life. I only wanted to spend my days in peace with the ones I love."

"Why? Why? WHY?! Why do you keep coming after me?!"

"First my father… then me… and now, you want to hurt Elias and Kiana—the last light in my life?!"

"Unforgivable… UNFORGIVABLE!"

Boom—!!!

A bolt of violet lightning crashed down from above.

It was as if the heavens themselves had answered Mei's wrath.

Her bangs shadowed her eyes, her entire presence shifting as a terrifying aura surrounded her. The ropes binding her hands burned away under the crackling arcs of electricity.

"W-What's happening?! How did she break free?!"

"Alert! Alert! Honkai energy levels rising at an alarming rate!"

"Alert! Alert! Honkai energy levels rising at an alarming rate!"

"Alert! Alert! Honkai energy levels rising at an alarming rate!"

Cocolia's elite guards, all equipped with Honkai energy detectors, were met with deafening alarms from their devices. Yet, in the next second, every single one of them overloaded and short-circuited, emitting smoke before failing completely.

Every eye turned to Mei, their instincts screaming danger.

In that moment, she was no longer just a girl—she was a queen rising from slumber.

"I will not let you hurt them."

Visions flashed through Mei's mind.

Elias and Kiana, ambushed by these people because of her.

Elias and Kiana, left wounded, broken, their once-bright faces forever darkened.

Elias and Kiana—dead.

The mere thought suffocated her with despair, drowned her in rage.

"Anyone who dares lay a hand on them—I will never forgive!"

Mei lifted her head, her violet eyes flashing like thunder.

Memories flooded her mind—of Elias and Kiana always standing in front of her, shielding her from harm, protecting her time and time again.

That was enough.

She had been protected for too long.

Raiden Mei had always been the one saved.

But now, just this once—

It was her turn to protect them!

"!!!"

Mei made her choice.

No matter the cost.

Even if she had to embrace the darkness.

Even if she lost herself.

Even if she could never stand by their side the same way again!

'I'm done. I am done watching those I love suffer. I refuse to remain weak and powerless. I need strength—the strength to protect them!'

Her eyes shut tight.

And when they opened again—

She was no longer a girl.

She was a queen.

Divine power descended upon her.

"Begone, filth."

Purple lightning crackled at her fingertips as Mei pointed at the girl before her.

The bolt of thunder struck, giving no time for screams.

The girl was reduced to nothing but ash, erased down to the very last molecule.

If souls truly existed, then hers had been obliterated as well.