Ch-62 < New problems >

Six months had passed since the Herrscher of Flames appeared.

Despite the passage of time, Himeko remained in a coma. Her body had shown minor responses four months ago, but she still hadn't woken up. Every day, her friends hoped for more improvement.

Meanwhile, Kevin's strength had reached unprecedented levels. His stamina and energy reserves had increased significantly—yet, despite this, satisfying all three of his lovers remained a challenge.

Elysia, in particular, seemed to have boundless stamina, and it took all of Kevin's energy to satisfy her in bed.

Elysia's power had also skyrocketed. She could now take down an Judgment-class Honkai beast with a single strike—without even using her Herrscher abilities. Her strength stemmed purely from her MANTIS powers.

Kevin couldn't help but reflect on their progress.

Unlike the original MOTH serum, which took thousands of dead who are infected with virus to produce one viable cure, it now only took twenty. All of this was thanks to AI Bronya's immense power and efficiency.

"Bronya's becoming more famous than me among MOTH," Kevin mused aloud, chuckling softly. "I guess it's deserved, though."

He glanced at Mobius and Mei, who were busy working in the lab. They had been able to tap into Kevin's abilities, utilizing his enhanced calculation speed, processing, and memory.

Yet, even with these upgrades, they still couldn't compare to Bronya's raw crunching capabilities in almost all fields. However, Bronya lacked their creativity and innovation when it came to scientific breakthroughs.

While lost in his thoughts, Kevin received a message that Su had been injected with the Honkai virus, so he immediately went to visit his old friend in the hospital.

It had been two years since they had last met in person. They usually talk with their cellphone.

Kevin felt a surge of emotion seeing Su, his best friend since childhood, now grown into a capable man. They exchanged a firm hugg while su remain sit on ward bed, smiling fondly at one another.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Su said, his voice warm with familiarity.

"Too long," Kevin replied, his tone carrying a hint of nostalgia. "But look at you, Su. You've changed a lot."

Su look almost as beautiful as a girl.

"Well, I could say the same for you," Su countered, looking Kevin up and down with a raised brow. "What's with this appearance?"

Kevin chuckled and gestured to his enhanced physique. "Let's just say I've undergone some… modifications. I now has genes from Honkai beasts added to my body."

Su's eyes widened. "Is that safe? Any side effects?"

"Most of the side effects were eliminated," Kevin assured him. "If you're asking about potential risks, I'd say it depends on which Honkai beast genes are used. But so far, nothing major."

Su was astonished. "No major side effects at all?"

Kevin paused for a moment before offering a wry smile. "I guess you could count some small physical changes. Longevity and immunity to diseases come with the territory. But sleeping and eating… those have become difficult since my body no longer needs most of the basic biological functions."

Su lay down, speechless. "Is that really what you call a 'major' side effect?" He look at Kevin in disbelief.

Kevin grinned. "It's not as bad as it sounds. You get used to it after a while."

Su chuckled, though his concern for his friend still lingered. "I suppose that's one way to look at it."

They continued talking for hours, catching up on lost time and sharing stories of their respective experiences. Despite everything, the bond between them remained as strong as ever.

Kevin began, leaning forward slightly. "I think it's time you joined MOTH. We could really use you, Su."

Su raised an eyebrow, looking conflicted. "And what about my hospital? My patients?"

"You can still work here," Kevin reassured him. "But MOTH has a medical center too. Our soldiers need specialized care, especially after being exposed to Honkai beasts. We could use your expertise."

Su considered Kevin's words for a moment, his mind racing with possibilities. "I'll think about it," he said finally. "Six months, right?"

Kevin nodded. "Six months. We'll get you up to speed."

As Kevin left the hospital that day, he felt a renewed sense of purpose. Things had changed dramatically over the last six months.

***

Next Day

During six months, Kevin had not only refined his existing abilities but had also developed a new power—Timeless Strike.

This ability allowed Kevin to strike with such force that he could bypass some of the restrictions of time, effectively damaging real body through afterimages and clones.

While the energy cost was steep, it had the potential to be one of his greatest tools in battle.

But with the increase in my authority over Finality, Kevin thought, I might even be able to make my attacks transcend time itself, hitting multiple points in an enemy's timeline simultaneously. The idea excited him. If he could master this, it could change everything. Even reaching domains of outer god might be possible.

Despite his growing power, Kevin couldn't shake a growing concern within MOTH. Over the past few days, two people had died under mysterious circumstances.

The cause wasn't clear, but Kevin suspected something more sinister was at work—perhaps a new Herrscher was involved. The symptoms were mental in nature, and the deaths seemed almost... spiritual.

5 days later, there were three more deaths, and just like the others, the victims never woke up. Their brain activity ceased, but their bodies continued functioning as if they were still alive.

"Bronya, can you tell us what's happening here?" Elysia asked, her tone serious.

"These victims appear to have died in an illusionary world. Death in mental world results in both spiritual and mental death in the real world. Their brains show no activity, but their bodies continue to function autonomously." She said.

Elysia frowned. "That sounds like a nightmare... so their souls are trapped or destroyed, leaving just the shell of their bodies."

Kevin's thoughts raced. Damn... this is more dangerous than I anticipated.

"So that means," Mei interjected, "the new Herrscher is likely connected to dreams or illusions, manipulating the mind and spirit."

Bronya nodded.

"It's the Herrscher of Sentience striking again." Kevin thought.

After their discussion, Kevin and Elysia decided to investigate the matter personally. Kevin had made it clear that the two of them were best suited for this mission since their unique genes from the Viprolopa beasts made them resistant to most illusionary and mental attacks.

"I don't want to risk anyone else," Kevin said firmly. "It's just the two of us."

Let's go knock this Herrscher off their high horse." elysia said.

***********

A/N ~ after herrecher of Sentience. The time gap between other herrschers reduce significantly.

Another thing - a new plot is on a way which nobody will expect. Stay tune on next opponent which Kevin will face.

Can anybody guess ???