OFA In The World of Honkai

The first rays of sunlight seeped through the cracks in Kenji's curtains, casting a warm golden hue across the room. He stirred, the faint hum of morning traffic outside lulling him awake.

For the first time in days, he felt oddly rested—no lingering aches from his patrol, no pounding headache from overexertion.

Pushing himself upright, he rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the grogginess. "Weird," he muttered. "Guess last night wasn't as crazy as usual."

Patrols had been unexpectedly quiet. Only a couple of petty thieves, that weird gang encounter, and no sign of Honkai Beasts—nothing like the chaos he'd been dealing with recently. Even stranger was how well he had slept. The strange dream he had, pink flames, cryptic whispers—hadn't haunted him as he feared.

He stretched, rolling his shoulders to loosen up. "Maybe today won't be so bad," he said to no one in particular.

Grabbing his phone off the cluttered desk, he tapped the screen and froze. The notification bar was crammed with alerts:

732 missed messages. 48 missed calls.

"What the—?!" Kenji practically jumped out of bed, fumbling to unlock his phone.

The screen was a flurry of alerts, every single one from the same two names: Kiana and Mei. His heart sank, a pit of dread forming in his stomach. Ignoring the buzzing in his chest, he opened the first few messages.

______________________________________________________________

Kiana:

DUDE ANSWER YOUR PHONE!!!

Himeko's looking for the Night Runner! Do you know what that means?!

______________________________________________________________

Mei:

Kenji, you NEED to talk to us. Himeko is in Nagazora. This isn't a joke!

______________________________________________________________

Kiana:

She's literally there RIGHT NOW. We know your the night runner! Answer your phone, damn it!

______________________________________________________________

Kenji blinked, his mind racing. His fingers trembled as he scrolled further, piecing together the situation.

"Himeko… is looking for me?" he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. Then it hit him all at once. "HIMEKO IS LOOKING FOR ME?!"

The words echoed in his small apartment, breaking the morning's calm. Panic surged through him, and he paced the room, his thoughts spiraling.

"Is that why I've been feeling like someone's watching me?" He froze mid-step, shaking his head. "No, wait. The texts said she only came here yesterday."

Still, the idea of someone like Himeko Murata—the infamous Valkyrie instructor—actively searching for him was enough to send his brain into overdrive. Questions swirled in his mind: Why is she searching for him? What did she want? Could he outrun her if it came to that? She would wipe the floor with him if they fought!

Kenji shook his head, trying to steady his thoughts. "No, no, focus. You're not going to figure this out by panicking."

His eyes darted back to his phone, his thumb hovering over the call button for Kiana. He didn't want to waste any more time wondering. If anyone could give him answers, it was them.

Taking a deep breath, he tapped the screen, initiating the call. The phone rang once, twice, and his heart pounded louder with each tone.

---

At St. Freya

The dorm room was bathed in the soft morning light filtering through the curtains, casting a warm, almost serene glow across the scattered furniture and faintly messy floor.

In the kitchenette, Mei moved with practiced precision as she flipped pancakes onto a small plate. Her movements were smooth, but there was a weariness in her posture.

After last night's failed attempts to contact Kenji, sleep had been more elusive than usual. She had stayed up late, cycling between worry and frustration, only to wake up early as usual, refusing to let her routine slip.

A faint clinking sound echoed as she set down a pan, adjusting the flame on the stove. The sweet aroma of pancakes filled the air, mixing with the faint metallic tang of her own lingering exhaustion.

Meanwhile, on the couch, Kiana lay sprawled out like a cat in the sun, her limbs spread haphazardly. Her head tilted back over the armrest, mouth slightly agape, emitting loud, unflattering snores. A thin trail of drool glistened on her cheek, catching the morning light like a badge of restless sleep.

On the other end of the couch, Bronya sat cross-legged, engrossed in her handheld gaming console. The glow from the screen reflected off her stoic face as her fingers moved with mechanical precision, pressing buttons in rapid succession.

Explosions and upbeat 8-bit music echoed softly from the device, adding an oddly cheerful undertone to the scene.

Then the piercing sound of a ringtone shattered the fragile peace of the room.

Mei sighed audibly, glancing over her shoulder toward the couch. "Kiana, your phone's ringing," she called out, her tone more exasperated than concerned. "Pick it up before it wakes up the whole floor!"

The response she received was another loud snore, followed by Kiana mumbling incoherently in her sleep and rolling to her side, her arm flopping dramatically onto the couch.

Mei pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering to herself. "Why am I not surprised?" She flipped another pancake onto the growing stack and glanced toward Bronya. "Bronya, could you help, please? Wake her up."

Bronya didn't even glance up from her game. "Acknowledged." Her monotone response carried a tinge of amusement.

Without breaking focus from the screen, Bronya reached to her side, grabbed a nearby pillow, and hurled it with unerring accuracy straight at Kiana's face.

"Gah!" Kiana jerked awake, flailing wildly as the pillow bounced off her head and landed unceremoniously in her lap. She sat up, her hair sticking up in odd angles, her expression a mix of grogginess and confusion. "Who—? What—?!"

Mei couldn't suppress a small smile as she turned back to the stove. "Your phone's ringing," she repeated patiently. "Pick it up before it stops."

Kiana blinked blearily, wiping drool from her cheek as she fumbled for her phone buried somewhere in the cushions. Her movements were slow, her mind still catching up to the situation.

"Found it," she muttered triumphantly, holding up the buzzing device. She squinted at the screen, her vision still slightly blurry. Then her eyes widened to saucers.

"It's Kenji!" she screamed, bolting upright so quickly that she almost knocked Bronya's console out of her hands.

Bronya's fingers paused momentarily before resuming their rapid movements. "Subject Kiana should avoid overreacting before verifying context," she said flatly, not even looking up.

But Kiana was too caught up in the moment to care. "It's him! He's actually calling back!"

Mei froze mid-step, her mind racing as her exhaustion evaporated. She set the spatula down with slightly more force than necessary and rushed over to Kiana. "Pick it up!" Mei urged, her voice tight with a mix of relief and urgency.

Kiana nodded rapidly, her thumb hovering over the green button. But instead of pressing it immediately, she glanced back at Mei, her eyes suddenly anxious.

"What if he's calling to say he's in trouble?" Kiana asked, her voice suddenly quieter. "What if Himeko already found him?"

Mei placed a reassuring hand on Kiana's shoulder, though her own worry flickered in her eyes. "We won't know unless you answer it. Just… stay calm, okay?"

Kiana gulped and nodded, steeling herself. "Right. Calm. Totally calm." She pressed the green button, and the screen switched to the call interface.

The faint sound of static greeted them, and both Mei and Kiana leaned closer to the phone, holding their breath. Bronya, for her part, finally paused her game, her curious gaze flicking between the two.

Kiana took a deep breath and brought the phone closer to her ear. "Hello? Kenji?"

The phone buzzed faintly in Kiana's hands, the faint sound of static coming through as the call connected.

Both she and Mei leaned closer, their faces etched with worry, while Bronya observed from her spot on the couch, her expression neutral but her eyes flicking toward the phone.

A familiar voice crackled through the speaker.

"Uh, hey? Kiana? You there?" Kenji's voice rang through the speakers.

The floodgates opened instantly.

"Kenji! Are you okay?" Mei's voice carried a mix of relief and urgency. "Where are you? Are you safe? Did they find you? Did—"

"Did Himeko arrest you already?!" Kiana blurted out, her voice loud enough to make Mei wince. "Is she dragging you off to Schicksal's secret prison or something?"

"Wait, what?" Kenji's startled response came, his voice jumping a pitch. "No! I'm fine! Calm down, both of you!"

Mei sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead. "We've been trying to contact you for hours, Kenji. Over 700 texts and calls, and you didn't answer a single one. We were worried sick!"

Kenji winced on the other end of the line. "Yeah, uh, about that… Sorry. I kinda… didn't check my phone last night."

Kiana groaned. "Seriously?! You didn't check? Mei and I thought you were already caught or worse!"

"I'm fine, okay? Himeko hasn't found me," Kenji said quickly, his tone steady but clearly overwhelmed by the bombardment of questions. "I promise, no Schicksal agents showed up at my door. Everything's fine."

Mei wasn't letting him off the hook that easily. "Kenji, you need to take this seriously," she said, her tone sharp but laced with concern. "Himeko is there, in Nagazora, specifically looking for you. If she finds out—"

"She won't," Kenji interrupted, though his voice softened quickly. "Look, I've been careful. I know what I'm doing."

Kiana raised an eyebrow, leaning closer to the phone. "Do you, though? Because last time we checked, you were running around fighting Honkai Beasts all on your own like some kind of superhero. How long can you keep that up before Schicksal or anyone else catches on?"

Kenji paused, the weight of their words sinking in. "I get it, alright? I'm not invincible. But… it's not like I can just stop. It's what I want- what I need to do."

Mei's voice softened, but her concern didn't waver. "Kenji, we're not asking you to stop. We're asking you to be careful. Fighting mindless beasts and thugs are one thing, but a Valkyrie like Himeko? Please just make sure to be careful."

Kenji exhaled slowly, the tension in his chest easing slightly at Mei's words. "I'll… I'll try."

The line went quiet for a moment, everyone seeming to have calmed down for now.

Finally, Kiana broke the silence, her tone lighter but still tinged with curiosity. "Okay, so… are we finally going to talk about the elephant in the room?"

Kenji frowned, though they couldn't see it. "What elephant?"

Kiana grinned, sitting up straighter. "You being the Night Runner, duh."

Mei shot her a look, but Kenji's chuckle came through the phone. "Guess there's no point denying it anymore, huh?"

Kiana and Mei exchanged a glance, their suspicions finally confirmed.

"It's true, then," Mei said quietly, her expression a mix of awe and worry. "You really are the Night Runner."

Kenji's voice was steady but resigned. "Yeah. That's me."

Kiana's eyes widened, and she practically jumped off the couch. "I knew it! I totally called it! Mei, I told you!"

"Pretty sure I was the first one to suspect anything" Mei replied, though her own relief was evident.

From her spot on the couch, Bronya's eyes flickered with surprise. She quickly controlled her expression, her hands tightening slightly around her game console as she pretended to stay engrossed in the screen.

"You guys didn't make it easy for me to hide it," Kenji added with a weak laugh. "I guess I wasn't as subtle as I thought."

"Not even close," Kiana said, still grinning. "Your energy's the same as his. How did you think we wouldn't notice?"

Mei stepped closer to the phone, her voice soft but firm. "Kenji, we're not mad or anything. We just… we want you to be safe."

"I know," Kenji admitted, his voice quieter. "But like I said, I'm not gonna stop what I'm doing anytime soon."

Kiana's grin faltered slightly, and she plopped back onto the couch. "We get it, Kenji. You're trying to help people. But… can you at least promise to be more careful?"

Kenji hesitated for a moment before answering. "I'll do my best. I promise."

The warmth in their voices was palpable, the bond between them strengthened by the shared truth.

"Good," Mei said firmly. "Because if you end up in a Schicksal cell, I'm coming to rescue you, and it won't be pretty."

Kenji chuckled. "Noted. Thanks, guys."

Unbeknownst to the others, Bronya's mind was already racing, calculating the implications of what she'd just learned. But her face betrayed nothing, her expression as neutral as ever.

For now, she would keep quiet.

"Alright," Kenji said finally. "I should probably get going. Thanks for worrying about me. I'll keep in touch this time. Promise."

"You'd better," Mei said, her tone teasing but still serious.

"And don't forget—Himeko's still looking for you!" Kiana added.

"Yeah, yeah. I won't forget," Kenji said, the smile evident in his voice.

The call ended with a soft click, leaving the trio in the dorm room.

"Well," Kiana said, stretching her arms over her head. "That went better than I thought it would."

Mei sighed, shaking her head. "Let's just hope he keeps his word."

Bronya remained silent, her gaze fixed on her console, but her thoughts were elsewhere.

---

----

---

Kenji shuffled nervously at the front desk of Blue Dragon Couriers, scratching the back of his head as he faced his supervisor. "Hey, Boss, do you think I could head out a little earlier today?"

The older man raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "And why's that, Kenji? Is everything alright?"

Kenji forced a sheepish smile, trying to sound convincing. "It's, uh… medical stuff. Nothing too serious, but I've been feeling kinda off lately. My ribs are still sore from that incident last week, you know? Doctor said I should take it easy, maybe get it checked out again."

Suzuki gave him a questioning look before sighing. "Fine, but don't make this a habit. If it's your health, I don't want you keeling over mid-delivery."

"Thanks, boss. I owe you one," Kenji said with a relieved grin as he quickly clocked out and headed home.

...

Back in his apartment, Kenji shut the door behind him, exhaling deeply. The sunlight streaming through the window made his space feel warmer than usual. He tossed his bag onto the couch and grabbed his notebook and phone from the cluttered desk in the corner.

Sitting cross-legged on his bed, he flipped open the notebook to a page titled "OFA Traits." The page was filled with hastily written notes, diagrams, and scribbles. He pulled up his phone, scrolling to a file labeled "Deku's OFA."

"Let's see…" Kenji muttered, balancing the phone in one hand while the other hovered over his pen. His eyes scanned the lines of text he'd wrote down earlier:

"OFA's dream sequences (the inside of OFA?) connect the user to the wills? spirits? souls? (not sure) of its previous holders. Deku was able to talk to the vestiges. The vestiges were able to give him tips and warnings on how to use OFA."

Kenji frowned, tapping his pen against the notebook. "Vestiges, huh? So why was there only one person in my dream?"

His pen moved to the bottom of the page as he wrote:

Dream Sequence: Observations

Only one figure present. Pink flames, flowing pink hair. No signs of previous OFA users.

He leaned back, his mind replaying the vivid details of the dream. That ethereal figure, cloaked in pink flames, had seemed so distinct, so… personal. "Bright pink flames," he muttered, flipping back to a page where he'd listed the quirks of each OFA user. "I'm pretty sure none of them match that description."

The absence of the familiar faces of previous users gnawed at him. Deku's experience in those moments were crowded with past wielders, their combined presence serving as a beacon of guidance. 

His pen hovered over the page again before he scrawled a new question:

Why weren't the previous users present?

Flipping back to his main list, he added a section:

Possible Reasons:

1. OFA was influenced by Honkai energy.

2. The previous users' "souls" were replaced by someone else.

3. This version of OFA is tied to this universe, not the MHA universe.

Kenji tapped the notebook with his pen, considering the implications. "If it's number one," he muttered, "then the Honkai's influence could've changed the quirk's nature. That'd explain why it feels a bit… different from how Deku described it."

He paused, his gaze drifting to the phone's screen again. "But if it's number two…" His thoughts wandered back to the figure in his dream. The warmth of her hand, the strange yet comforting words. "Who the hell are you?" he whispered, almost expecting an answer from the empty room.

The third option felt the most unnerving. If OFA had somehow adapted to fit the rules of this universe, then everything he thought he knew about the quirk could be different. He might be on his own when it came to unlocking its full potential.

Kenji let out a sigh, setting the notebook aside and rubbing his temples. His brain felt like it was running in circles, but the questions kept stacking up.

"I need more answers," he muttered. He glanced out the window, watching the late afternoon sunlight start to dim. "That dream definitely wasn't random, maybe… it's trying to tell me something."

He looked back down at his notebook and scrawled one final note at the bottom of the page:

Start training with OFA at higher percentages to trigger another dream encounter?

The pen stilled in his hand as he stared at the note, the weight of his own suggestion settling in. "Guess there's only one way to find out."

---

---

---

Inside the pristine research chamber of the Anti-Entropy base, the low hum of machines and faint clatter of keyboards filled the air. Cocolia stood at the center, her piercing blue eyes scanning the massive monitor in front of her. The screen displayed a real-time progress bar with bold text above it:

[Artificial Eruption Completion: 85%]

A researcher nearby adjusted his glasses, his voice steady but tinged with urgency. "Director Cocolia, the energy convergence is proceeding as expected. At this rate, we should reach 100% by the day after tomorrow."

Cocolia nodded, her sharp gaze never leaving the monitor. "Good. Ensure there are no interruptions. We can't afford any setbacks at this stage."

The lead researcher hesitated before stepping forward. "Director, have we finalized the deployment zones? Once the eruption is triggered, the Honkai energy levels will spike across the city. Should we begin preparing containment measures?"

Cocolia turned to face him, her expression cold and resolute. "Deploy the units accordingly, but keep them stationed at a safe distance for now. The Night Runner's activity in Nagazora is crucial for us to understand the anomaly energy. When he intervenes during the eruption, we'll have all the data we need."

The researcher nodded, returning to his workstation. Cocolia crossed her arms, her thoughts racing. Everything was coming together, but the unpredictability of the Night Runner still gnawed at her. Who was he? What was the true nature of this anomaly energy?

Her musings were interrupted by the sharp vibration of her phone. She glanced down at the screen, her brow furrowing when she saw the caller ID:

[Bronya Zaychik]

Cocolia's lips pressed into a thin line as she stared at the name. "Bronya? Calling at this hour?" she murmured, her mind already whirring with possibilities. She swiped to accept the call, her tone sharp. "Bronya. This is unexpected. What's the matter?"

The voice that came through was quiet but steady, though there was an unmistakable undertone of guilt. "Mother… I have information. About the Night Runner."

Cocolia's posture stiffened, her free hand tightening into a fist. "Go on," she demanded, her tone betraying her mounting anticipation.

Bronya hesitated, a rare crack in her usually stoic demeanor. "I overheard something during a conversation between Mei and Kiana. They… were talking to someone on a call. Someone they called 'Kenji.' He confirmed it himself—he is the Night Runner."

The silence that followed was deafening. For the first time in years, Cocolia's carefully composed mask faltered. "He confirmed it?" she asked, her voice low and taut, like a wire stretched to its limit. "Are you absolutely certain?"

Bronya's next words were spoken with hesitation, as though each one carried a personal weight. "Yes. After the call ended, I hacked into Mei and Kiana's phones to confirm the identity. His name is Kenji Aoyama. They said that they sensed some sort of energy from him."

Cocolia's grip on the phone tightened, her knuckles turning white.

Her mind raced as she processed the name, her thoughts a whirlwind of strategies and revelations. "Kenji Aoyama," she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper, as if testing the name on her tongue.

Bronya, on the other end, remained silent for a moment before speaking again, her guilt evident. "I'm sorry, Mother. I… I didn't know if I should tell you, but I thought you'd need to know."

Cocolia exhaled sharply, a mixture of frustration and exhilaration coursing through her. "You did the right thing, Bronya. This information is invaluable. The Night Runner has been a ghost to us until now. With a name, we can track him, corner him, control him."

Her voice softened, though it still carried its characteristic edge. "You've done well, Bronya. But this stays between us for now. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Mother," Bronya replied, her voice quieter now. "I'll keep it to myself."

"Good," Cocolia said, her tone regaining its cold precision. "I'll handle the rest. Stay focused on your duties at St. Freya."

With that, the call ended, and Cocolia lowered the phone, her mind already spinning with plans.

Her expression hardened as she turned back to the monitor displaying the artificial eruption's progress.

Her voice cut through the quiet hum of the room, cold and commanding. "Everyone, attention!"

The researchers froze mid-task, their heads snapping up to face her. The atmosphere in the room shifted, the casual rhythm of their work replaced by a tense expectancy.

"I need every scrap of information you can find on a specific individual," Cocolia continued, her tone brooking no argument. "Kenji Aoyama."

A ripple of confusion passed through the room, but no one dared question her. The lead researcher, standing closest to her, adjusted his glasses and asked cautiously, "Director, can you clarify what we're looking for?"

"Everything," Cocolia snapped, her gaze icy. "I want his history, his connections, his habits, his movements. If he's ever bought a pack of gum, I want to know when and where. Start with Nagazora and expand outward."

The lead researcher nodded, quickly turning to his console to relay the instructions to the team.

Around the room, the other researchers sprang into action, their fingers flying over keyboards as they accessed databases and surveillance networks.

Cocolia began pacing slowly, her mind racing as she pieced together her next steps. "This Kenji Aoyama is the Night Runner," she said aloud, her words directed more to herself than the room. "He's the source of the anomaly energy we've been tracking."

One of the junior researchers hesitated before speaking up. "Director, should we prioritize tracking his current location, or—?"

"Both!" Cocolia snapped, her sharp tone cutting him off. "Track him and dig into his past. If we know where he's been, we'll understand where he's going. I don't want guesses; I want facts."

Another researcher chimed in, their voice tinged with urgency. "Director, if he's connected to the anomaly energy, could this affect the artificial eruption's parameters? Should we adjust our models?"

Cocolia stopped pacing and turned to face the speaker, her gaze piercing. "We proceed with the eruption as planned. This changes nothing—except that now we have a name and a target. Adjust your models if his energy levels impact the eruption directly, but otherwise, stay the course."

The room buzzed with activity, a palpable tension filling the air as the researchers worked under Cocolia's watchful eye. Data streams flickered across monitors, facial recognition programs churned through images, and satellite feeds scanned Nagazora for any trace of Kenji Aoyama.

"Director," the lead researcher called out after a few minutes, his voice urgent. "We're pulling up records now. There's limited data on a Kenji Aoyama in Nagazora—no criminal record, no notable affiliations, just a standard citizen profile. It's… almost too clean."

Cocolia's eyes narrowed. "Too clean for someone who's been tearing through Honkai Beasts like a trained Valkyrie. Keep digging. I want to know where he's been, who he's spoken to, and what he's hiding."

"Yes, ma'am," the lead researcher replied, turning back to his console.

Cocolia stepped closer to the main monitor, her gaze fixed on the progress bar for the artificial eruption. The knowledge of Kenji's identity changed the game, but it also raised questions she couldn't yet answer.

Who was this boy, really? What had made him into the Night Runner? And, most importantly, how could she use him to further Anti-Entropy's goals?

"Kenji Aoyama," she murmured, the name rolling off her tongue with a mix of curiosity and intent. "Let's see how well you hide when the world is watching."

She straightened, addressing the room once more. "Double your efforts. The faster we understand him, the better prepared we'll be. And mark my words: we will be prepared."

The researchers responded with a chorus of "Yes, Director," their determination matching her own as they resumed their frenzied search.

Cocolia's lips curled into a faint smile, her thoughts already moving ahead to the next stage of her plan. The countdown to the artificial eruption continued, and now, she had a new piece on the board.