Such a cute Mei does look better when she cries!
Luo Mo sat in his chair, drumming his fingers idly as he waited for the new story announcement. Su Lu stood silently, eyelids drooping as if she could fall asleep right there. The girl had some strange talents after working here for a while… a pity she couldn't quite master the whole sleeping-upright thing yet.
He paused mid-thought, a flicker of curiosity about Su Lu's outfit. "So, why the secretary getup today?"
Was she trying to pull something? The classic "Secretary, I need your help" move? As if. No one could shake his devotion to Theresa. Well, actually Luna now.
Then again, it was always better when they had white hair...
Okay, he originally loved white-haired characters. Then the system started shoving scenarios down his throat. Could he still think of Luna as his daughter now? Luo Mo's mind wandered.
"Screenwriting is way too dangerous. For now, playing secretary seems like the safest option." Su Luo mumbled the answer half-asleep. It seemed like even in her dreams, she was figuring out ways to survive in this world.
As soon as she finished speaking, there was a lot of noise outside, but it was eerily quiet inside, as if there were two worlds.
Su Lu's mouth twitched. She knew she'd said the wrong thing, but couldn't even think of an excuse.
Luo Mo stared. She stared back. Finally, both of them stood up without a word.
Su Luo braced herself for the worst. Was this it? Was she about to be fired? There was a strange mix of sadness and relief – her dream might be shattered, but at least she'd be free from this crazy place.
Luo Mo patted her shoulder, a flicker of approval in his eyes. "Good work. You're always thinking ahead."
He knew it wasn't easy to build his image as a respectable screenwriter. Having Su Lu on the front lines, taking all that heat... well, that saved him at least half the trouble. He was damn proud of her for being so vigilant.
Su Luo wasn't sure if she should feel relieved or even more worried. A sigh escaped her lips. In the end, her boss was still her boss – demanding and always expecting more.
...
[Open, open, new main line, can Mei save Kiana? Or beauty belongs to the strong after all! ]
[The rewards from Red Kite Immortal are also full of expectations, so bring them over quickly.]
---
A once-vibrant city on the Mediterranean coast now lies in ruins – a forgotten tomb, a place synonymous with death, It's the perfect cover for Schicksal's secret base.
Here, far from the public eye, Otto, the Archbishop, orchestrates sinister experiments on the Second God's Key.
From the reports, this experiment failed countless times. Beams of light pierce the sky... the heavens crack open... shadows flood out.
The very fabric of reality – the quantum layer – has been torn, letting loose waves of quantum shadows.
A lone figure stood against the chaos. Durandal, the golden-haired Valkyrie, leaned on her spear, planted firmly in the ground. She watched the scene in silence, the spectacle in the sky no longer a surprise.
She'd seen this too many times. The same routine played out – clear out the swarming monsters with practiced ease, the quantum layer torn open, the descent into the depths of the quantum sea...
This was her mission, the reason she stayed here instead of fighting in ARC City. Every danger along the way needed to be eliminated, ensuring a clean path downward.
The Quantum Sea was just a means to an end – their true goal lay far deeper. Their target was:
The grand design of the universe, the secrets of birth and death, the place where reality itself took form – the Imaginary Tree.
In another part of the world, on the floating island of Schicksal, Otto stood before a computer forged of Soul Steel. Data flowed from the North African operation in a real-time feed.
He was waiting for the results.
The Second God's Key was powerful, but it could only operate for mere seconds at a time. Finding the right combination in a sea of data was worse than looking for a single needle in a field of haystacks.
"Deviation value 54," the computer announces flatly. Another failure.
His calculations were grim. At this rate, he'd need another 80,000 hours spent running this machine, a machine that could barely function for more than ten seconds each time.
Otto's eyes grew heavy. Simple brute force wasn't going to cut it. If he wanted to see his life's ambition realized before the Finality came, he'd need to find another way.
"Sure enough, the power of the Herrscher of the Void is necessary."
This was the final conclusion he reached, and it was also the storm that was about to come after he turned around.
All the spear points converged towards Kiana again.
---
Schicksal Headquarters,
Kallen frowned slightly as she watched this scene.
It's the same experiment again, but a new term appears: the tree of imaginary numbers.
Judging from the meaning on the screen, this is the place the other party is trying to enter, and it is also the final destination of the plan.
Kallen's fingers drummed rhythmically on the table, the sharp taps unable to cut through the fog swirling in her mind. Layers of mystery thickened, yet she craved to unravel them, to pierce the veil of confusion.
What linked Otto's experiments to this strange 'Imaginary Tree?'
Otto, what is he preparing?
The North African base, the Schicksal name... the devastation wrought by the Honkai... everything seemed to follow a pattern. Was the game's ending mirroring itself in reality? How could that be possible?
"Your Majesty, Commander Cheng Lixue has awakened. Would you like to contact her?" A Valkyrie aide inquired.
Rita was invaluable as Kallen's right hand, yet the demands of her position never seemed to lessen. With her own workload piled high, she needed all the help she could get.
But Cheng Lixue... would she even want to be contacted? Kallen pursed her lips, pondering. From what she knew, the girl likely needed extensive rest after her ordeal.
Besides, Cheng Lixue had more than fulfilled her duties as a Valkyrie. After their last encounter, Kallen sensed her strong desire to stay by Fu Hua's side. And even if Kallen wanted her as a base director, it was unlikely Lixue would be interested.
"Alas," Kallen sighed. The truth was, Schicksal lacked reliable commanders they could trust, especially those not already entrenched at St. Freya. It would be no small feat to fill these gaps.
This Bishop of Schicksal has had a rough go of it, yet things seem slightly less hostile for now. Anti-Entropy has surrendered, the World Serpent hides in the shadows...
now Schicksal is also absorbing more fresh blood, and Luo Mo's stigmata have meant fewer battlefield casualties. But those are surface-level fixes.
"No, don't bother her. Let her rest for now. I'll visit in person later."
The Valkyrie bowed and retreated.
Alone, Kallen resumed her slow tapping on the table, each knock echoing in the quiet room. Her gaze was distant... All she could do was hope Otto wouldn't stir up even more trouble.
…
In the golden courtyard,
In her golden sanctuary, Vill-V stared at the screen. Accessing the Imaginary Tree – Otto's endgame – wasn't what intrigued her.
In Su's words, he didn't want to complete that function, or he never cared about it.
But Otto's plan seemed to have a critical flaw... a missing beacon. How else could he explain the endless repetition of these failed experiments?
What really surprised her was this: even after she added that key component, would this madman in modern times actually pull it off? Could he achieve something even previous civilizations couldn't manage?
This is really...
"It's really exciting!"
A smile appeared on Vill-V's lips, and her eyes were filled with brilliance as she looked at the experiment of the Second God's Key in front of her.
Otto was far more ruthless than she'd imagined. The Herrscher of the Void, the Second God's Key, the Imaginary Tree – these weren't empty boasts for him.
If it were the other party, as a leader of human civilization, he would be no worse than Mei.
Five hundred years of experience had ground him down, stripped away any illusions about human nature. Despair was second nature to him. All that remained was the obsession with results, the endless, relentless experiments
"Indeed, a true madman, just like you."
Mobius cast a sidelong glance at Vill-V, a touch of wariness in her expression. The person on the screen, however misguided, was nothing compared to the being next to her.
The villains...Monkeys who act are dangerous, yes, but it's those who arm them that are the true source of evil. Mobius had defined Vill-V not as evil, but as chaotic.
She understood the difference between right and wrong, clearer than anyone, yet saw it all as restrictions. Vill-V yearned to unravel the very core of humanity, to strip away the facade.
"Oh? Mobius, how rare to hear you call someone crazy."
Vill-V wasn't offended in the slightest. She shifted in her chair with a touch of amusement. "It's not often you find someone who can keep up, is it?"
Speaking of reputation, there are not many people in the previous civilization who are worse than Mobius, but who would have thought that the other party is actually the veteran of the Fire Moth?
On the contrary, only a handful of people know about it.
Is this considered a failure for a magician? The corners of Vill-V's mouth raised up but soon calmed down, but it was obvious that she was in a good mood.
Mobius scowled and let out a huff. Vill-V was right, they were cut from the same cloth. Even knowing that didn't make her any happier about it.
"'The Second God's Key?'"
Su sighed, eyes still closed. This mess... it was inevitable. He couldn't help but wonder where he'd slipped up to lose the Key in the first place.
Under Mei's plan, his task was the Valuka Project, something that absolutely required the Second God's Key, the 'Thousand Realms.'
"Speaking of which, Mobius, have you obtained the stigmata?"
Vill-V asked curiously. Putting aside the prejudices between the two parties, she was also looking forward to Mobius's exclusive stigma.
Moreover, with multiple stigmata, the daily lives of heroes and warriors have become more convenient.
The power of these new stigmata... something seems off.
Even with the RIN stigmata… it's possible they're underperforming somehow.
Could the power decrease after the radius is expanded? They seem weak compared to others. Ridiculously weak, considering the original 2km radius was expanded by only 200m. How are these meant to be comparable?
Or... is it because Elysia's stigmata are overpowered?
Vill-V demonstrated the full qualities of a scientist: maintaining enough curiosity and the spirit of inquiring into the bottom of the matter.
"..." Mobius looked away, trying to shut down the conversation. A faint blush crept onto her cheeks, her teeth clenched in frustration.
"Hmm? " Elysia glanced over with some interest.
"Doctor..." Klein tugged gently on Mobius's coat, her big eyes filled with concern.
"It's none of your business! I'll get those stigmata eventually!" Mobius snapped, scooping Klein into her arms. Klein braced herself for the usual round of playful teasing, but instead...
Mobius just held her close, a surprising warmth in the embrace. Sure, the back of her head felt a little hard, and her body cool in a way that didn't match Klein's memories... but it still felt good to be held by her doctor.
The doctor didn't pay attention to this. She stared at Elysia fiercely, as if she wanted to eat someone in her glasses.
"Oh? Eager to play dress-up, Doctor Mobius?" Elysia returned the stare with a playful smile, twirling a lock of hair. She could tell Mobius was getting flustered, and that was just the beginning.
How else could she convince her rival to wear that adorable pink dress? A little teasing was absolutely necessary for the greater good!
---
Otto gaze drifted back to Nagazora City, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. It was as if the city itself held some unspoken question for him.
in another place
Meanwhile, far away at the North African base, Durandal received the mission report titled "Hunting the Moon." Her face grew serious as she left the lounge, the name of the reporter echoing in her mind – her own adjutant, Rita.
The sky above ARC City was as dark as day (It means the sky is bright), and the citizens stood on the streets looking up at this spectacle.
They were blissfully unaware of the disaster they had narrowly escaped, and even further from imagining the hero who had quietly ensured their safety.
At this time, like a kite with broken strings, a meteor fell from the sky and was submerged in the dazzling red clouds.
Except for a blazing gaze always chasing the passing meteor,
She couldn't slow down; she chased desperately for fear of being delayed for a moment, and the distance between her and the other party was only a short distance away.
But it seems to still be in the sky.
Her path was blocked. Durandal intercepted her, catching the free-falling Kiana. Desperation gnawed at Raiden Mei. She couldn't stop, wouldn't stop. If she didn't fight, the person she held most dear have to be stripped away.
Fight!
Fight
Fight…
Could fighting even change anything?
Mei rose time and time again, her trembling hands barely able to grasp her sword. "It's not over…yet," she whispered, but the turmoil in her heart made the words feel hollow. Had she lost sight of what those words even meant?
She was chanting Kiana's name, but now Kiana was not in her hands.
Until the silver light suddenly appeared, Durandal shook her head. She thought that the current Mei did not have the strength to match that will.
She jumped up with Kiana and flew into the vast night sky, flying into the sky like a flash of light.
Filled with a desperate urgency, Mei chased until her body could bear no more.
Finally, she stopped. Her legs refused to carry her further, the light vanishing from her sight. Hopelessness washed over her, leaving her alone in the darkness.
Regret, anger, and a crushing sense of failure washed over her, her body trembling with the intensity of her emotions.
Tears streamed down her face, hot and relentless.
"I can't do anything," she choked out, her voice thick with despair.
Kiana's coat lay heavy in her arms. She clutched it tightly, the scent and faint warmth offering a desperate comfort.
Durandal's words - those measured movements and calm analysis - echoed in her mind, each syllable a fresh wound.
The memory seared itself into her heart. She had watched helplessly as the most important person in her world was taken from her.
The thought was unbearable, a crushing weight pressing down on her. Yet, she couldn't escape it - this was the very purpose she had fought so desperately for.
---
"What a shame. I wish I could have been there for Mei, right then," Elysia sighed, her usual cheerfulness tinged with regret.
A frown creased her brow as she watched the scene unfold, "Some people are just cruel, making a girl witness something so heartbreaking. Do they really want to see Elysia cry? That's just not right!"
"Being weak... is the original sin. It would be better if you understood it earlier."
Kalpas crossed his arms and commented like this, but this time his eyes did not show much anger. He just calmly explained the truth of the matter.
"Saying 'I can't do anything' accomplishes nothing," Mobius scoffed, her voice laced with disdain. She held no faith in sudden bursts of power – everything had to be explained by science, by logic.
Kevin's gaze remained fixed on the image, his expression cold and unmoved. Mei's struggle seemed to barely register with him. Elysia wasn't surprised; most of the Flame-Chasers had grown numb to displays of raw emotion.
But she was different.
"Aww, Mei looks so heartbreakingly beautiful," Elysia cooed, a wide smile on her face. "She's absolutely adorable when she cries! ♪"
For a long moment, Eden, Mobius, Vill-V, Kevin, and even Kalpas stared at Elysia, their expressions a mix of confusion and disbelief. The room crackled with an unspoken tension.
Just a moment ago, they had all shared a genuine concern for Mei, and now... Elysia had utterly shattered the mood.
"Sorry, slip of the tongue! I won't let anything like that happen to Mei again! ♪" Elysia declared, waving her fist dramatically. A determined, almost fierce, glint shone in her eyes.
You just said what!? Hello?
she must have been influenced by Luo Mo, right? There is no way I could say that!
Although Mei seems to be a bit cute now… hehe ♪ ~
"Ellie, just... just don't," Eden sighed, her voice tinged with both amusement and exasperation.
Did the other party learn bad things from someone? Where is my Ellie, who used to be so cute?