I Will Suck Them Dry!

Ben POV

It took a few days for everyone to calm down. Well, almost everyone. Caenis was still a bit upset, but she kept herself occupied working out in the gym and sparing with Ghislaine.

Speaking out sparing with Ghislaine. That woman doesn't understand the meaning of taking it easy. The day after I officially became the Captain, we learned the first world we were going to.

Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? or DanMachi for short. When I told the girls about the world we were going to, they had mixed reactions.

Caenis had the stongest reaction. Even after warning her and asking her to remain calm, she still got angry, and that's putting it lightly. Her hatred toward the gods was understated in her lore but understandable.

But the reaction that worried me the most was Mobius. I fear for whichever god she gets her hands on. I don't even wanna think about what experiments that might suffer. But I also fear for my own safety. She seemed very interested in Falna and Excelia.

But I digress. After learning about the world, Ghislaine decided to do her job and train me. But I'm not exactly in the best shape. I'm a skinny, scrawny, weak sack of bones, according to Caenis. She could have been nicer about it. So before she trained me to use a sword. I had to get in shape, and Caenis was helping her with that.

That is why I currently find myself sprawled out on the gym floor. Unable to feel and move my body, all I could do was lie there.

Caenis, who was also in the gym, looked at me with disdain. She doesn't trust me. Which I understand.

"Tch! Ya' useless sack of shit. If you can't even handle this much. You're gonna lose your virginity to one of those goblins."

"Oh...Come..On.." taking a moment to catch my breath, I continued. "My world was peaceful. I didn't need to train and fight like the rest of you. I had a comfortable life. And goblins kill men, so jokes on you."

"Whatever, just get your ass up and go to Nat."

"I would if I could stand. But I can't feel my body. Carry me!"

Yeah... definitely shouldn't have said that she looks pissed. Oh, shit. She's coming over here. No! Demon, stay away from meeeeeee.

Aaaaand, of course, she caring over her should like a sack of potatoes.Ahhh~ at least it's not a princess carry. I have a great view of her ass this way, hehe~ Ouch!

After a humiliating few minutes, we arrived at the med bay. When I found out that I would be undergoing training, I asked Nat if she could make something to help my muscle recover faster.

At first, She was apprehensive, but after consulting with her AI assistants, she agreed. Speaking of AI assistants. There is a robot that makes our food, and we can ask for anything, and it will make it to perfection.

Anyways. Nearing the end of my workout, we got a message from Nat telling us that she finished working on the muscle recovery elixir.

"Be- Caenis, why are you carrying Ben like that?"

Caenis huffed in annoyance, "He can't stand up right now. Basic training was too much for him, apparently. So I had to bring him here." After saying her piece, Caenis tossed him onto a bed.

Natasha raised an eyebrow, "Really, Caenis? You couldn't have been a bit gentler?"

"I didn't see the need to baby him. He needs to toughen up. He needs to get stronger."

"He just started working out. Would it kill you to take it easy? Just look at him." Natasha scolded gently.

"Tch! Fine. I'm going now."

"Thank you," Natasha said, turning her attention to me. "Let's get you on that elixir, Ben. It should completely restore muscles as if you slept an entire day. It will also help with soreness. Try not to overuse it, please."

"I'll try," taking the muscle recovery elixir she handed me, I drank it in one gulp. "Damn! This stuff works fast."

"That's good. Remember, it's not a substitute for proper rest and recovery. It doesn't recover your mind. So make sure you're still taking care of yourself."

"Thanks again, Nat. You really are a lifesaver."

"I'm glad I could help. Now, rest up and take it easy for a little while."

As I settled into the comfortable bed, Natasha left to go study, leaving me to relax and recover. The med bay was quiet and peaceful.

After some time had passed, I decided to get up and stretch my limbs. To say the ship was big would be an understatement. It had a room for pretty much anything.

Currently I'm on my way to the cinema room. I was in the mood for a movie.

My thoughts were interrupted as I rounded a corner and almost collided with Mobius. She looked up from the data pad she was holding and flashed me a curious smile.

Seeing her here was surprising. Mobius has been held up in her lab the entire time. Well almost. She also took a liking to the atrium. She said she was interested in the plants and talked about things they could do with them with Nat. But I think she liked it's cus the small, cute animals that lived there.

"Ah, just the person I was looking for~"

"... What do you want."

Mobius chuckled softly. "Straight to the point, as always. I like that about you. I heard that you pushed your body. How are you feeling."

"Better. Nat finished working on the Elixir."

Mobius was looking at me at Ben intently, her snake-like eyes analyzing his response. "I'm glad to hear you're feeling better. Your quick recovery is quite impressive."

She stepped closer, and I couldn't help but feel slightly intimidated by her presence. Those snake-like eyes, brimming with curiosity, pierced into my very being. I was scared...and kinda turned on.

"You know, I didn't bring it up at the moment, but AURA mentioned that you were chosen as the captain because of your knowledge of the different worlds," Mobius said with her gaze piercing through me. "And I can't help but wonder, do you have knowledge of us, and our worlds, my dear Captain~"

"...I do. But I'm taking it with a grain of salt. You could be from a parallel version of the world I know."

Mobius took a step back, her smile widening. "Fascinating," she purred, her voice low and seductive. "So you do have some knowledge of my me and my world. What makes you think that?"

"We haven't known each other long, but you all act slightly different from how I know you. That could just be the difference between reality and fiction. I don't know."

"Difference between reality and fiction, Hmm, how intriguing," she purred, her voice like velvet. "But surely you must have some questions for me. Do tell me, Captain, what do you want to know?"

"Are you the real one."

Her smile grew wide, and her eyes sparkled with amusement. "Oh, my dear Captain, what an interesting question," she purred, her gaze intensified. I could feel her curiosity practically radiating off her.

"I see," she said softly, stepping away from me. "You're cautious about what you know. That's good. No need to worry. I am the original."

"Hmm~ If you know that much then you must know about The MANTIS project. Well, it so happens that my lab is equipped with all the things I need to do it. And before you as no, thanks to the equipment and AI, there are no consequences, and luckily for you, it's painless."

"And you're wondering if I want to do it. Well, you're in luck. I'm down. And it's going to help on our missions."

"Hehe. I knew you'd agree. Let's go!"

As Mobius led the way to her lab, my mind was racing on the possible powers I could get.

"So, Ben, tell me," Mobius said as we reached the lab door. "Exactly how much do you know about the MANTIS project?"

I needed to sift through my memories before answering. "It's been a while since I read the lore. But, from what I remember, it is a way to my a super soldier by enhancing people with genes from Honkai Beast. It was painful, and there was a risk of becoming a Honkai Beast. I'm assuming the ship came with a data back of genes."

"That's close enough. The specifics don't matter. And yes, there is a databank of genes and the powers each gene can give. Do you want to look through it? Or do you already have an idea of the power you want?"

"I have an idea of what I want. Anything that will give me powers over water."

Mobius grinned, her excitement palpable. "Water manipulation, you say? Excellent choice. Yes, there is one. A Vipralopa-Class beast named Suijin. Quite lucky."

"So, how does this work exactly?"

"The process is quite straightforward," Mobius explained, leading me to a sophisticated-looking pod in the center of the lab. "You get in the pod, I select the gene, and poof! You're done. I envy you. You should know how easy you have it."

Stepping into the pod, I couldn't help but feel excited. Every man, child, and boy has dreamt of having superpowers or special abilities at least once. When I was younger, I remember pretending to control the water in the shower or 'waterbend' waves in a pool.

"You ready, Captain~" Mobius asked, her eyes twinkling with anticipation.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Alright, let's get started." Mobius began operating the pod, entering some data and selecting the Suijin genes. "See you in a few hours."

As the pod closed around me, I felt a surge of energy coursing through my body. It was an odd sensation. I eventually drifted into a deep sleep.

When the pod finally opened, I stepped out, feeling energized and powerful.

Mobius watched me with a smile, pleased with the successful procedure. "So~, How do you feel?"

"I feel... amazing," I said in awe. "I can sense the water around me. I feel like I can control it. I'm going to need to practice my control. I want to get to a point where I can suck all the water out of a person."

"Water manipulation is undoubtedly deadly when used correctly. Seem like you have some interesting ideas. You should also notice a boost to your physical strength and reflexes. You should be able to handle Ghislaine's training now."

"Damn. I wish you asked me earlier. If I knew this was an option, I wouldn't have asked Nat to make... Never mind. I have a feeling I'm still gonna need the Elixir."

Mobius chuckled softly, knowing I would be going through hell in Ghislaine's training.

"Thanks, Mobius. This is amazing. I can't wait to see what other experiments you have in store. Maybe I'll implement more genes in the future, But I can tell my body can't handle it right now."

"You're welcome, Captain," she replied with a playful wink. "I'm glad you're excited. Now, why don't we run some tests on your powers."

"Haha. Sure."

After spending some time running tests on my newfound abilities with Mobius, I decided to head to the lounge to relax. The lounge had become one of my favourite places on the ship. It offered a stunning view of the garden atrium, and the plush seating made it perfect for unwinding. Also, I haven't explored a major of the ship.

As I settled into the comfortable sofa in the reading nook, I couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of the galaxy outside.

"Hey, AURA. Is this a window or a screen?"

AURA's gentle voice replied, "It is indeed a screen designed to resemble a window. Why do you ask? Would you like to change the scenery?"

"Yes, please. Can you make it look like the view from a penthouse apartment during a severe thunderstorm? Also, can you lower the temperature and change the climate control system to match the feeling of being inside during a storm. Also, a blanket would be nice."

"Of course. I will also get you some hot cocoa."

"You're the best."

As I waited for my blanket and cocoa, I searched for a movie to watch. When I was doing that, Natasha approached, carrying a cup of coffee. She wore her usual kind smile.

"Hey there, Ben. Mind if I join you?" she asked.

"Not at all, Nat," I replied, gesturing to the spot next to me.

Natasha settled on the sofa, placing her drink on the coffee table.

"So, I'm guessing Mobius told you about it."

Natasha nodded, taking a sip of her coffee. "Yes, Mobius mentioned that you underwent the MANTIS project, and while I was against it, she showed me a full diagnostic report of your health, and I asked the AIs, and you're in perfect health. But please, next time, consult with me. It is my job to keep you healthy."

"I'm sorry, Nat. I just thought it would be a good opportunity. We... I need to get all the power I can. I am the weakest of all of us, maybe except for Sumeragi, but she at least knows how to fight. I need all the help I can get. I don't want to have to rely on you all. There are going to be times when we aren't together. Also, I trust Mobius... Ok. I wanted to have superpowers."

Natasha sighed but smiled reassuringly. "I understand your eagerness, Ben. And while I'm not thrilled about the MANTIS project, I can see the potential benefits. Just promise me that you'll be careful with your new abilities, okay? And if you ever feel any adverse effects or discomfort, come to me immediately."

"I will. Thanks, Nat."

"That's what I like to hear," Natasha said, looking at me with a warm smile. "Now tell me, how are you feeling with your new powers?"

I couldn't help but grin. "It's incredible, Nat! I can sense the water around me, and it feels like an extension of myself. I'll definitely need to practice and fine-tune my control, but I'm excited!"

As we chatted, the scenery outside the window screen changed to match the view of a penthouse apartment during a severe thunderstorm. The sound of rain and distant thunder filled the lounge. A small robot came over with my cocoa and a blanket.

"This is perfect. Thanks, AURA."

"My pleasure, Ben. Remember, if you need anything else, feel free to let me know."