OFA In The World of Honkai

The void stretched endlessly around Kenji, its oppressive darkness pressing in on him from all sides. There was no ground beneath him, no sky above—just an endless expanse of black. The silence wasn't empty; it was suffocating, heavy, as though the void itself was alive and watching.

Kenji's body felt alien, weightless yet unstable, like a flickering flame on the verge of being snuffed out. Looking down, he saw his form—if it could even be called that—wreathed in dark red flames, faint embers sparking and fading into the abyss. The fire was erratic, pulsing in rhythm with something unknown, its glow the only light in the endless dark.

Panic surged in his chest, but even that felt muted, distant. He tried to move, but his limbs refused to obey. His arms remained locked at his sides, his legs rooted to the nonexistent ground. Even when he tried to shout, his voice was swallowed by the void, leaving him in total silence.

The only part of him that could move was his head. He turned it desperately, his gaze darting through the nothingness, searching for… anything. The darkness seemed infinite, unbroken, until—faintly—a flicker of light appeared in the distance.

It was subtle at first, a soft pink glow barely distinguishable from the void. But it grew, steadily intensifying, cutting through the oppressive black. Kenji's breath hitched as the light drew closer, and with it came a presence. The shape within the light was humanoid, yet ethereal, its form shifting and flickering like flames caught in a gentle breeze.

The figure emerged fully from the light, its flames a radiant pink that danced softly around its body. The aura wasn't harsh or threatening; it exuded an odd, calming warmth. The contrast between the figure's vibrant pink flames and the dark red flames consuming Kenji felt stark, yet strangely harmonious, like two opposing forces meant to coexist.

Kenji's wide eyes followed the figure as it approached, its movements deliberate yet otherworldly. When it stopped before him, he tried to step back, but his body remained unresponsive. He could only watch as the figure raised a hand—its fingers composed entirely of the flickering pink flames—and reached toward him.

He wanted to recoil, to pull away from the unknown, but he couldn't move. The hand pressed against his cheek, the touch impossibly gentle. It wasn't hot like fire should be; instead, it radiated a deep sense of comfort, a warmth that reached beyond the physical, soothing something buried deep within him.

Then, a voice. It was faint, like a whisper carried on the wind, yet it echoed through the void, resonating in his very core.

"Please, be strong." The words were soft, almost pleading. "I—no, we, place our faith… our hopes in you."

Kenji's heart raced as the words sank in. He tried to respond, to ask who they were, what they meant, but no sound came from his throat.

The figure's flames rippled, their light intensifying until it swallowed everything. The void around him vanished, consumed by the brilliance of the pink flame.

And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, everything was gone.

---

He woke with a start, his chest heaving as he bolted upright in bed. His heart pounded in his ears, and his breath came in quick, uneven gasps. Sweat clung to his skin, cold and clammy, as if he'd just run a marathon.

"Please, be strong. I—no, we—place our faith, our hopes in you."

"What the hell was that?" he muttered, his voice shaky. He ran a hand through his hair, leaning forward as he tried to piece together the fragments of the surreal experience. Was it just a dream? It felt so real, like something—or someone—had reached out to him.

He glanced at his arms, half expecting to see the same dark red flames from the dream, but his skin was as normal as it could be. Shaky fingers ran through his damp hair as he exhaled slowly, willing himself to calm down.

"It was just a dream," he told himself, though his voice carried little conviction. "A weird, creepy dream."

The sharp, jarring sound of his alarm clock suddenly blared, making him jump. His hand shot out automatically to slam the snooze button.

The familiar digital beep was a harsh reminder that it was 10 PM, the time he usually geared up for his nightly patrols.

Kenji sat there for a moment longer, his body heavy with the lingering tension from the dream. The room felt colder than usual, the shadows in the corners darker.

He reached for the glass of water on his nightstand, his hand trembling slightly as he brought it to his lips. The cool liquid was a relief, grounding him back to reality.

He stood up, stretching his stiff muscles. The exhaustion from the past few days still weighed on him, but the adrenaline from the dream kept him alert. Moving toward the small mirror by his dresser, he stared at his reflection. His face was pale, his eyes slightly bloodshot.

"Get a grip, Kenji, you have other things to do" he muttered, slapping his cheeks lightly to snap himself out of it. He changed into his patrol gear, his movements erratic as his mind kept replaying the strange dream.

In his rush to steady himself and prepare, Kenji overlooked the persistent buzzing and faint glow coming from his phone, tucked amidst the clutter on his desk. Notifications lit up the screen, vibrating furiously as texts and call after call came in.

______________________________________________________________

Mei:

Kenji, are you there?

You NEED to pick up.

This is important, please.

Himeko is on her way towards Nagazora, to search for the night runner

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Kiana:

Dude, where are you?

Answer your phone!!

Himeko's on her way to Nagazora. She's going to search for the night runner.

And don't even try to deny it because we can sense it!

______________________________________________________________

The phone buzzed again, but Kenji's focus remained elsewhere. His movements were automatic as he secured his gloves and pulled his hood over his head.

The dream, that touch, the voice—it all lingered at the back of his mind, clouding his usually sharp senses.

With a final glance at his room, he climbed out the window and leapt into the night, the city lights below a stark contrast to the haunting void he'd just escaped. The cool night air hit his face as he vaulted across rooftops, but it did little to ease the strange unease clinging to him.

"Just patrol," he muttered under his breath. "Same as always. Keep your head in the game."

Yet his thoughts betrayed him. His focus wavered, his mind circling back to the dream. Who—or what—was that voice? Why did it feel so… personal?

Behind him, his phone continued its futile attempts to get his attention, the messages and missed calls stacking up. If only he'd taken a moment to check, he might've noticed the urgency behind them. Instead, Kenji pressed on, diving into the city below.

---

The city stretched out beneath Kenji as he perched on the edge of a dilapidated rooftop. Nagazora's nightscape was alive with its usual buzz—distant car horns, the occasional bark of a stray dog, and the faint hum of conversations spilling out from open windows.

He tried to focus on the rhythm of the city, anything to drown out the lingering discomfort of the dream and the creeping unease that seemed to follow him.

He scanned the streets below, his gaze sharpening when he spotted a commotion in a dimly lit alleyway.

The glow of neon signs cast long shadows over a cluster of figures gesturing aggressively at one another. Kenji's Danger Sense didn't flare, but the tension in the air was palpable.

"Gang dispute," he muttered under his breath, leaping down silently from the rooftop to get a closer look.

As he crept closer, the scene came into focus: two groups of young gang members squared off, their matching jackets denoting their affiliations. In the center of each group stood their respective leaders, both barely out of their teens.

One was a wiry guy with spiked blue hair and a tattoo snaking up his neck. The other was stocky, his shaved head gleaming under the flickering streetlight.

"You've been tagging our turf, Takashi!" the stocky one shouted, jabbing a finger at the spiky-haired leader. "You think we're gonna let that slide?"

Takashi scoffed, stepping forward. "Your turf? Please, Kenta. Half the shops around here pay us for protection. If anything, you're the one trespassing. And ever since the Night Runner came about, they all act like they don't need us anymore. There's not enough room for the both of us"

Kenji sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he moved closer. "Here we go," he mumbled.

The gang members behind each leader shouted in agreement, the tension escalating by the second. One of them—a lanky kid holding a baseball bat—stepped forward, and Kenji decided to intervene before things got messy.

"Alright, that's enough!" he called, dropping from the shadows into the center of the standoff. His sudden appearance made several gang members jump back, their bravado faltering.

"The hell?!" Takashi barked, glaring at Kenji. "The Night Runner?! S-stay out of this." His shock turning into fear at his presence.

"Not gonna happen" Kenji said, keeping his voice calm but firm. "All I care about is stopping you guys from turning this alley into a warzone. Go home before someone does something stupid."

Kenta sneered, stepping closer. "Stay out of this, Night Runner, or whatever they're calling you. This doesn't concern you."

Kenji crossed his arms, his patience thinning. "Escalate this further and I will have every single one of you knocked out in a blink of an eye."

The threat hung in the air, but before anyone could act on it, a new sound pierced the tense atmosphere: the roar of multiple engines echoing through the alley.

Kenji's Danger Sense still didn't flare, but he instinctively turned toward the noise.

One by one, cars began pulling into the alley, their headlights cutting through the darkness. Sleek sedans and minivans alike screeched to a halt, and their doors swung open simultaneously.

Kenji tensed, ready for another group of gang members to pour out, but what emerged instead left him speechless.

Adults—middle-aged men and women, some wearing aprons, others dressed in business attire—began stepping out of the vehicles.

Their expressions ranged from furious to exasperated, and each one seemed to zero in on a specific gang member.

"What in the world—" Kenji started, but his voice trailed off as chaos unfolded.

"Takashi!" a woman in a floral dress shouted, storming toward the spiky-haired leader. "What did I tell you about hanging out with these boys at night? Do you know how worried your father and I have been?"

"M-Mom?!" Takashi stammered, his bravado crumbling as she grabbed him by the ear.

"Don't you 'Mom' me! Get in the car right now!" she barked, dragging him toward her sedan.

On the other side of the alley, Kenta's face turned pale as a towering man in a suit stepped out of another car, his deep voice cutting through the commotion. "Kenta. What's the meaning of this?"

"D-Dad! It's not what it looks like—" Kenta started, but his father silenced him with a glare that could rival any Honkai Beast.

"It looks like my son is about to disgrace the family name by brawling in the streets like a hooligan," the man said, grabbing Kenta by the collar and marching him toward a waiting minivan.

The other gang members fared no better. Mothers, fathers, aunts, and even a grandma descended upon the alley, berating their respective kids in voices that could be heard over the city's noise.

Baseball Bat Kid's father confiscated the bat with a scolding that would make a Valkyrie blush, while another gang member was dragged away by her furious grandmother wielding a broom.

Kenji stood frozen in the middle of the alley, his arms still crossed as he watched the scene play out. He opened his mouth to speak but quickly closed it again, realizing there was nothing he could say to make sense of what he was witnessing.

Within minutes, the gang members were all being hauled into cars, their protests drowned out by the scoldings of their guardians.

The alley fell quiet again, save for the hum of engines as the last car pulled away, leaving Kenji standing alone in the dim light.

For a long moment, he didn't move, his brain struggling to process what had just happened. Finally, he let out a low whistle, running a hand through his hair.

"What the fuck," he said to no one in particular, "The hell just happened?"

Shaking his head in disbelief, he leapt back onto the rooftops, the faint sound of a mother yelling about curfew still echoing in his ears.

"This night is so fucking weird," he muttered, disappearing into the shadows.

---

Inside the dimly lit Anti-Entropy research facility, rows of monitors cast a cold blue glow over the researchers huddled around their workstations.

To the side, a monitor displayed glowing blue text:

[Artifical Eruption Completion: 80%]

One of the larger monitors displayed a detailed map of Nagazora, overlaid with a web of fluctuating energy readings. Red pulses denoted Honkai activity, but the researchers' focus was drawn to the faint blue glow of anomaly energy spikes appearing sporadically across the city.

A smaller screen to the side streamed live footage from a cloaked drone hovering silently above the city.

"We've located him again," a young researcher announced, adjusting his headset. He pointed to a section of the map where a concentrated spike of anomaly energy flickered. " He's moving along the industrial district."

The lead researcher, a stern-faced woman with glasses perched precariously on her nose, leaned in closer to the screen. "Are we sure it's him this time? The anomaly energy has been unpredictable tonight."

The young researcher nodded, typing rapidly as he zoomed in on the live drone feed. The grainy footage revealed a figure leaping across rooftops with an almost inhuman grace.

His movements were swift and deliberate, the faint glow of streetlights catching glimpses of a hooded figure in motion.

"It's him," the young researcher confirmed. "The pattern matches his previous appearances. Look at the spikes—every jump, every movement triggers a fluctuation in the anomaly energy."

The lead researcher frowned, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "What about his energy levels? Are we seeing the same output as before?"

Another researcher chimed in, their voice tinged with curiosity. "They're fluctuating slightly, actually spiking really high at around 10 PM. This anomaly, it's tied directly to his activity. It seems dormant until he exerts himself."

The room fell into a focused silence as they watched the drone's feed. Kenji paused on a rooftop, scanning the streets below before disappearing into the shadows. The anomaly energy spiked briefly, then settled again.

"He's moving faster tonight," one researcher observed. "Almost like he's distracted."

"Or agitated," the lead researcher replied, her eyes narrowing. "What about the area he's patrolling? Anything unusual?"

A third researcher tapped their keyboard, bringing up a separate display. A scatterplot of Honkai and reported criminal activity filled the screen, with red markers dotting various points across the city.

"Negative. No active Honkai signatures within his vicinity. He's either scouting or…" They hesitated, glancing toward the lead researcher. "… he might be sensing something we're not."

The lead researcher's lips thinned into a line. "If he's detecting something, then we need to know what it is. Keep the drone at a safe distance, but don't lose him."

The younger researcher hesitated, his hands hovering over the keyboard. "Should we deploy a secondary drone for better coverage? If he suddenly speeds up or goes into a high-density area, we might lose sight of him."

The lead researcher shook her head. "No. If he notices the drones, it could cause more problems and disrupt the data collection."

Another researcher glanced at the live footage, their brow furrowed. "Does anyone else find it odd that he doesn't seem to be emitting the energy constantly? It only spikes when he's active."

"It's not odd," the lead researcher replied, her tone sharp. "It's fascinating. This isn't just residual energy. It's responsive. As if it has a conciousness of it's own."

The room fell silent again as they watched the drone feed. Kenji stopped on another rooftop, crouching low as he scanned the streets below.

His movements were calculated, but there was an edge to them, a tension that the researchers couldn't quite place.

----

The battleship loomed silently over the outskirts of Nagazora, its sleek metallic form blending into the night sky. Its engines hummed softly, barely audible over the distant sounds of the city below.

On the observation deck, Himeko Murata stood by the large glass viewport, her arms crossed as she gazed down at the glowing sprawl of Nagazora.

The city was a patchwork of light and shadow, its bustling streets alive even at this late hour. But Himeko's sharp crimson eyes weren't admiring the view; they were focused, scanning, searching for any sign of the vigilante known as the Night Runner.

Behind her, a junior officer approached, his boots clicking against the polished floor. "Captain Murata," he began, his tone respectful but hesitant. "We've pinpointed several locations where the anomaly energy has spiked. Shall we prepare a team to engage?"

Himeko didn't turn immediately, her gaze still fixed on the city below. "No," she said finally, her voice calm but firm. "If we go charging in, we'll only spook him. The last thing I want is for him to think we're the enemy."

The officer frowned slightly. "But, ma'am, wouldn't a direct approach be more efficient? If he's tied to the new energy—"

"Efficient, sure," Himeko interrupted, finally turning to face him. "But efficient doesn't always mean smart. This isn't some Honkai Beast we're dealing with. He's human—or close enough—and people don't react well to feeling cornered."

She leaned against the railing, her posture relaxed but her tone carrying authority. "Think about it. If I showed up out of nowhere, guns blazing, do you think he'd stick around to chat?"

The officer hesitated, then shook his head. "No, ma'am."

"Exactly." Himeko smirked faintly. "I'm confident I could take him down if it came to that, but that's not the point. We're here to talk to him, maybe even recruit him. Starting with a fight doesn't exactly scream friendly."

The officer nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Understood, Captain. What's the plan, then?"

Himeko straightened, her eyes sharp. "For now, we watch. We wait. Let him do his thing. If he's as active as the reports suggest, it won't be long before he shows himself."

The officer saluted and retreated, leaving Himeko alone with her thoughts. She sighed, running a hand through her hair. Patience wasn't exactly her strong suit, but this mission required a delicate touch.

She wasn't just dealing with some rogue element—this was someone potentially tied to an energy they didn't fully understand. And if Schicksal didn't handle this right, someone else—like Anti-Entropy—might get to him first.

...

Meanwhile, in a small monitoring room deep within the battleship, two Schicksal operatives sat hunched over a console. The screens before them displayed live feeds of Nagazora, their cameras trained on known hotspots for The Night Runners activity.

"Anything yet?" one of them asked, sipping from a mug of lukewarm coffee.

The other shook his head, adjusting the zoom on one of the cameras. "No sign of him. Just the usual late-night crowds and a couple of stray Honkai readings. Nothing major."

The first operative sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I don't get why Captain Murata's so interested in this guy. Sure, he's fast and strong, but we've got Valkyries who can do the same thing and even better."

"Yeah," the second operative agreed, his tone skeptical. "But can they make that weird energy spike every time they move?"

The first operative fell silent, his brows furrowing as he stared at the screen. "Fair point."

...

Back on the observation deck, Himeko paced slowly, her boots clicking softly against the polished floor. The vast expanse of Nagazora lay before her, the sprawling city a patchwork of lights and shadows.

Her sharp gaze flicked occasionally to the live feeds displayed on the large monitors mounted along the wall. She stopped mid-step, her attention drawn to one of the screens as a technician's voice cut through the quiet hum of the battleship.

"Captain! We've got something," the technician said, his fingers flying over the keyboard. The screen zoomed in, focusing on a lone figure crouched on a rooftop, his silhouette illuminated faintly by the glow of a nearby streetlamp.

The feed sharpened, showing the figure's features obscured by a hood, his posture tense as though he were scanning the streets below.

Himeko stepped closer, her eyes narrowing as she studied the figure. "That's him," she murmured, more to herself than anyone else.

The figure suddenly straightened, his movements fluid and purposeful. In one smooth motion, he leapt from the rooftop, landing with a barely audible thud on the next building before taking off at an impressive speed.

The surveillance drone tracked him, its camera struggling to keep up as he darted across rooftops with a precision and agility that rivaled even trained Valkyries.

"Impressive," Himeko said aloud, crossing her arms as she watched the feed. "For someone without proper Valkyrie training, his speed and efficiency are remarkable." She tilted her head slightly, her tone thoughtful. "And he's taking down Honkai Beasts on his own… no backup, no advanced weaponry."

Another screen displayed a heatmap of Nagazora, showing spikes of energy in areas the Night Runner had passed through.

The anomaly energy signature pulsed faintly, just enough to distinguish itself from the ambient Honkai energy.

Suddenly, a voice broke through the quiet tension of the room. "Captain! I've spotted something unusual," one of the researchers called out, her tone urgent.

Himeko turned sharply, striding over to the technician's station. "What is it?"

The researcher gestured to her monitor, where a radar display showed a faint, flickering signature in the sky above Nagazora. "It's using cloaking technology," she said, her fingers flying over the controls to enhance the image. "At first, I thought it was just interference, but the pattern matches known Anti-Entropy tech."

The room went silent for a moment as everyone absorbed the implications. Himeko's eyes narrowed, her expression hardening. "Anti-Entropy," she muttered, her voice laced with irritation.

The technician zoomed in on the anomaly, highlighting its faint outline in the clouds.

It was barely visible, even with enhanced imaging, but the telltale design was unmistakable. "It's one of their drones," the researcher confirmed. "And it's been monitoring the city, just like us."

Himeko's fists tightened at her sides, her sharp gaze fixed on the monitor. "So we're not the only ones looking for him," she said, her voice low but filled with resolve.

Another officer stepped forward, his tone cautious. "Captain, if Anti-Entropy is involved, it's possible they've already gathered data on him. They might even be planning to move before we do."

"Not on my watch," Himeko said, her voice cutting through the room like a blade. She turned to the researcher. "Can we track their drone?"

The woman hesitated, then shook her head. "Their cloaking tech is advanced. We can see it now because of its proximity and energy output, but once it moves out of range, it'll vanish completely."

Himeko clicked her tongue in frustration. "Figures. They're always one step ahead with their toys." She folded her arms, her mind racing.

If Anti-Entropy was actively monitoring the Night Runner, it meant they saw the same potential Schicksal did. And if there was one thing she couldn't afford, it was letting their people get their hands on him.

"Keep an eye on their drone as long as you can," Himeko ordered. "If it moves, I want to know where it's headed."

"Yes, ma'am," the researcher replied, her fingers already moving to comply.

Himeko turned back to the viewport, her jaw clenched as she stared down at the city below. The stakes had just been raised, and the game was no longer hers alone.

Anti-Entropy wasn't just competition—they were a threat. And if they got their hands on the Night Runner first, there was no telling what they'd do with him.

Her fingers tightened around the railing. "You'd better not make this harder for me than it already is" she muttered under her breath. "Because things just got a whole lot more complicated."