Chapter 161: It's Back: Everything is Back! Players Rejoice

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In the real world, within Brother Cake's live stream channel:

After enduring a prolonged winter, the once lively Honkai Impact 3 livestream, which underwent a series of transformations, finally returned to its roots as the original Honkai Impact 3 broadcast. To celebrate, Brother Cake specially revamped the appearance of his stream.

The backdrop behind him now featured a life-sized Ana figure (similarly expensive like Yae Sakura's). On the computer desk, there stood a brand-new Ana-themed "Herrscher of Winter" figurine from MiHoYo's flagship store.

This transformation puzzled new viewers and those from the Genshin Impact side, but the long-time regulars rejoiced, exclaiming "My youth is back!"

Naturally, to accommodate the newcomers from Genshin Impact, Brother Cake timed this change during a mid-version lull. At this point, Genshin Impact players were either taking a break or experiencing downtime, allowing new viewers ample opportunity to familiarize themselves with Honkai Impact 3.

Brother Cake had put considerable effort into preparing for these streams. Firstly, he avoided any online spoilers and refrained from advancing the story himself, aiming for an authentic and immersive experience.

"Alright, bros, today we're diving into Honkai Impact 3's latest Elysian Realm update and its related storyline. Just so you know, I haven't peeked at anything; no spoilers allowed! Let's kick it off with a giveaway raffle!" With that, Brother Cake swiftly launched the raffle as he booted up Honkai Impact 3.

In no time, he logged in effortlessly, his face lighting up with a rare smile upon seeing Ana on the ship's bridge—a sight truly refreshing.

All he hoped was for the game developers to stay on track a little longer. It seemed like Honkai Impact 3's devs had intermittent bouts of losing their minds. Even seasoned streamers and old captains couldn't withstand such erratic changes, let alone the new recruits.

MiHoYo, for fuck's sake, get your act together! Brother Cake silently cursed under his breath while discreetly checking the chat—perfect timing, his expressions remained composed amidst the flood of giveaway comments.

Brother Cake couldn't resist internally cursing, then subtly glanced at the bullet comments. Perfectly timed, his expression management was on point as viewers were still spamming for red packets.

"Alright, bros, let's get started!"

Soon, after the introductory plot concluded, Raiden Mei entered the Elysian Realm. Brother Cake's eyes widened involuntarily—yes, it was Ana!

"Holy crap! Ana! She's actually here! The writers didn't deceive me!" Brother Cake exclaimed spontaneously, only to be met with laughter from veteran captains who had already progressed through this storyline.

[Ha ha ha, I knew Brother Cake would react like this when I went through the story. Too funny!]

[Wahh, I can't be the only one feeling such anticipation! Get ready, Brother Cake!]

[Genshin Impact player here, haven't played Honkai Impact 3. What does this mean?]

[Hey, Traveler, notice the backdrop behind the streamer and the figurine on the table? That's the character the streamer is particularly fond of, also the one currently on screen.]

[Okay, now let me tell you something: she's already dead, hahahaha—]

[Wow, Bro Yu, that's cruel! Ignore him, fellow Traveler. Our Honkai Impact 3 is a wholesome, optimistic, and uplifting game (showing off)]]

[Pfft, take off those sunglasses before speaking!]

[Waaaaah, Ana, my Ana!]

Despite the chaotic nature of the bullet comments, the new viewers managed to grasp the situation roughly. Meanwhile, Brother Cake finished unfolding this part of the storyline and fully understood the circumstances surrounding the Garden of Elysian Realm.

"Alright, alright, screenwriter, you sly bastard - is that how you're playing it?"

Indeed, this plot twist brought unsettling thoughts to Brother Cake's mind. Firstly, there was the earlier agreement he made, ensuring Ana wouldn't die, followed by recent revelations about the Herrscher of Sentience.

Fu Hua couldn't become a Herrscher, but a Herrscher could transform into Fu Hua.

"So, Ana won't die, but only if she remains within the Garden of Elysian Realm, right?" Brother Cake gritted his teeth, clearly frustrated.

His expression instantly filled the live chat with amusement.

[Ha ha ha, Brother Cake is triggered.]

[Rare sight indeed! Even when dealing with those Genshin Impact pain accounts, he wasn't this worked up.]

[True story: Only genuinely impactful storylines deal true damage. Those pain accounts? If push comes to shove, Brother Cake can always offer some perks as compensation.]

[Absolutely!]

This was somewhat typical for Brother Cake; occasionally upon encountering pain accounts, he genuinely would send them benefits, like gifting a character to the account owner. Although such instances might occur at most once a week, they were always enough to spark lively discussions among his viewers.

He truly was a generous streamer, showering money like confetti!

["Alright, alright, calm down, Brother Cake. I actually really enjoy this part of the story, and I think you will too."]

["Indeed, even though Ana is gone, being able to exist within the Elysian Realm isn't so bad. Plus, we can still see her every day."]

["Honestly, folks, I feel like Ana's Blessings are incredibly useful."]

["What? Ana's Blessings useful? Bro, are you kidding me? Every single time, it's just negative blessings (image)."]

["Impressive, mate! Good evening, buddy, sending hugs your way."]

["Those odds are seriously unmatched, man."]

The chatroom was discussing gameplay aspects of the Elysian Realm, while currently, Brother Cake was still in the tutorial phase and didn't fully grasp it yet. However, soon enough, he would understand all too well.

[Ha ha ha, seriously dying from laughter! I thought my mixed engravings were outrageous enough, but who knew Brother Cake would get entirely negative ones? Absolutely insane.]

[Satisfied, so satisfied. Thought those big spenders had it too easy in the Elysian Realm, but here's Brother Cake struggling with 3S characters right from the start. This is hilarious.]

Yes, Ana's starting blessings introduced significant unpredictability, though generally, they leaned towards balanced enhancements. For instance, obtaining the chaotic Delta "Chaotic White Flower [Red Leaves]" originally increased all elemental damage dealt to enemies by 30% after triggering a perfect dodge.

However, this engraving had various mutations, such as extended duration or stackable effects, alongside high vulnerability for both oneself and monsters. These could be considered balanced, yet somehow, Brother Cake consistently managed to roll the purely negative variant: upon triggering a perfect dodge, his character received a 30% increase in all elemental damage—a clear disadvantage.

According to the official probability data, the chance of obtaining this effect was approximately 0.5%, similar to the odds of rolling for Dr. Zomboss in Plants vs. Zombies—possibly even lower. Yet, Brother Cake managed to draw it.

Even more absurdly, all three of his initial engravings were negative ones. This momentous event could have been recorded for posterity and made into a video titled "First on the Web."

Finally, after repeated unsuccessful attempts, Brother Cake chose to abandon Ana's blessings altogether, much to the amusement of viewers in the live stream chat.

Interestingly, some Genshin Impact players began downloading the game specifically to try out this mode.

As they say, no gambler can lose forever—unless you're Brother Cake.

At present, Brother Cake felt genuinely shaken. He wasn't someone overly concerned with maintaining viewer engagement through gimmicks, but damn, it seemed like MiHoYo was targeting him! After all, he was their number one Ana fanboy. The pain of forsaking Ana's blessing, akin to passing up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, was unimaginable for most people.

Fortunately, the developers likely anticipated such scenarios and intentionally included the option to decline Ana's blessings.

Initially, some Captains didn't fully grasp the situation, thinking it was simply because Ana wasn't one of the Heroic Spirits within the Elysian Realm. Now, they understood—it was indeed designed as a fallback for players like Brother Cake, plagued by bad luck.

Honestly, this quirky feature significantly enhanced the replayability of the Elysian Realm.

Many players would immediately visit Ana upon logging in to draw three blessings, treating them as fortune-telling omens. Some enthusiasts even created dedicated guides to interpret these signs; their dedication was truly commendable.

Moreover, due to the entirely positive nature of certain blessings, even low-level newbie players could experience the thrill usually reserved for high-tier gamers or those who heavily invest in microtransactions.

The introduction of the Elysian Realm instance undoubtedly extended Honkai Impact 3's lifespan. Although no older characters were reintroduced yet, it at least hinted at the possibility for their return.

However, not all players were satisfied with this outcome, as it indirectly signaled the decline of Amplification Cores.

Just recently, a new Amplification Core had been released in the previous update, but now it seemed destined to become the Cocoon of Finality, abruptly cut short.

Naturally, character transitions were not inherently problematic; this occurs in all games, and players generally understand it.

However, getting Honkai Impact 3's developers to be as responsive and player-oriented as before would likely prove challenging now.

After all, the revenue from just one Genshin Impact gacha pool often surpasses Honkai Impact 3's earnings for half a year or even a full year. With such a significant gap, how could the developers empathize with their players?

In any case, after several restarts at the beginning, Brother Cake, amidst the laughter and banter from his live chat viewers, reluctantly continued pushing through the storyline, embracing the humiliation.

The narrative from the player's perspective differed significantly from Raiden Mei's viewpoint, leaving some players feeling perplexed.

Essentially, it felt like the ship they had been rooting for broke up, with one party straying and becoming the villainous "other woman."

However, as Ana later explained her circumstances, the players finally grasped the situation.

Indeed, Ana is merely a memory fragment, trapped within the Elysian Realm, unable to leave. How can we hold a mere memory fragment accountable?

In the long stretch of time ahead, it wasn't the two destined Valkyries but these thirteen Heroic Spirits who would accompany her. Moreover, with Ana's memories intertwined with Elysia's, their relationship naturally became more intimate.

Subsequent interactions and glimpses into Elysia's character further diminished any initial skepticism.

"Oh, so it's just a clash between two cunning women, sea kings facing off? Well, that makes sense then. Sea kings tend to attract each other, and both characters are indeed quite charming."

Besides, since yuri relationships don't involve reproduction, at worst, they could simply share the same bed.

Indeed, some viewers were already imagining scenarios, and even a few had taken action. Remarkably, due to Brother Cake's late analysis, others were close to completing their theories first.

For many Captains, simply being able to see Ana again was enough satisfaction. This sentiment resonated with Brother Cake as well, although he also saw through the surface to the underlying truth.

The Elysian Realm represented not only the pasts of the thirteen Heroic Spirits but also Ana's own history. Within this realm, players could uncover answers to mysteries surrounding Ana's backstory.

Moreover, perhaps Ana's close relationship with Elysia was not as simple and innocent as it appeared.

Being someone who always speaks his mind, Brother Cake promptly shared these thoughts and deductions, quickly garnering responses from the bullet comments:

[Indeed, remember the Easter eggs and voice lines in the Valkyrie Dormitory involving Ana? It seems there are many secrets surrounding her, even suggesting that the Elysian Realm itself might be more complex than meets the eye.]

[True, just look at what she says to Raiden Mei; Ellie exudes absolute confidence.]

[I have a feeling this Elysian Realm could end tragically towards the end, won't it?]

[This...this can't be happening, right?]

[Ahhh, MiHoYo, please no!]

[We're used to it. Captains must learn to brace themselves for heartbreak. The previous storyline left us so unsatisfied.]

[Can you elaborate on the "unsatisfied" part, commenter above?]

[Ah, this Captain is just too weak.]

[Still, seeing Ana thriving in the Elysian Realm brings me some satisfaction.]

[Is it possible that if Ana weren't bound by her duty to this world, she would excel anywhere?]

Amidst the streamers' passionate discussions, Brother Cake continued advancing the plotline. The moment Fu Hua appeared on screen, the bullet comments experienced another surge.

However, it was just a brief spike since all Captains were already aware that Hua referred to Fu Hua. Nonetheless, witnessing Raiden Mei's reaction brought immense satisfaction to them.

The confrontation between Ana and Sakura also revealed new possibilities to the players.

[Dang, Ana's fencing skills are insane!]

[Feels like they're hinting at introducing a new character with a dedicated weapon.]

[I don't mind; as long as they bring Ana back, I'd willingly spend some money once again. After all, everyone knows Ana's armor holds the highest value in Honkai Impact 3. So, whenever there's news about her return, I'll start saving crystals right away for when she becomes available.]

[OP, same here, I've been saving up for several updates now.]

[Wow, OP, you've got serious patience.]

[Haha, practice makes perfect. I only drew Herrscher of Flamescion, avoided the rest. If the devs keep messing up, I might just save my draws for Ana's armor.]

[True, but this Elysian Realm seems promising too. Definitely worth giving a shot, plus, there's no shortage of crystals - excellent!]