Chapter 265: Accepting the Past and Embracing a New Life

'Such a familiar feeling' Mobius thought.

Apart from the hazy feeling when she regained consciousness, she was enveloped only by endless darkness and... a damp feeling, followed by a chilly sensation.

It was as if she were immersed in water and sunk into the deep sea. In her perception, there seemed to be only a slightly sticky liquid spreading and flowing around her. The feeling of wetness and coolness was brought to her by this liquid.

"I wish I could remember this feeling," Mobius dug out some memories from her mind.

That was what she felt when she had just come into this world when she was born... No, to be precise, it was everything she felt before she was born when she was still in her mother's womb.

Ah... yes, this is Mobius, a "person" so strange that it is terrifying.

Obviously, for other people, memories of childhood will be vague. Being able to remember things around the age of three is already amazing. If you can still remember things before the age of three, that's even more amazing... But most people don't remember what happened when they were born, right?

It would be better to say that most people at that time did not have clear thoughts or will and were just like young newborns.

But it was not the case with Mobius. Before she was born, when she was still in her mother's womb, she had a relatively clear consciousness and could even feel how the doctor took her out of her mother's womb.

She knew who her mother was when she was born, and therefore, she witnessed her mother's death with her own eyes... Shortly after she was born, her mother gave her a name, left her the only relic, and then left her.

That was the first time she felt what "rebirth" and "death" meant.

Then, she spoke almost instinctively, muttering her own name - Mobius.

She didn't see anything wrong with it because she could do it.

But what she got was the horrified looks from others, including doctors and nurses.

Only later did she realize how different she was... As an outlier who was "born with knowledge," she was different from those ordinary and mediocre people.

It's not because of her family background, it's not because of her education, it has nothing to do with any acquired factors... She was almost born like this; she was so abnormal.

After that, it was her story with her father. She had already told to Nozomi about it, so there was no need to elaborate.

And now, she had that feeling again, that feeling of being in her "mother's" womb, surrounded by amniotic fluid and flesh and blood.

But compared to the last time, this time there was no stuffy feeling, only moist and comfortable coolness. This different feeling allowed Mobius to clearly distinguish the two situations, letting her know that what she was accepting now and about to welcome was another "rebirth."

'Ahhh... this is really...'

"Great... Ahem..."

Just when Mobius couldn't help but open her mouth to celebrate, the sticky liquid poured into her mouth. The sudden strange feeling made her cough a few times.

But soon, she adapted to the liquid that suddenly flowed into her mouth, or rather... seawater.

Yes, seawater, this slightly viscous liquid, was the seawater that should be soft and slightly salty.

She could feel that she was instinctively craving for water... No, that's not right. It wasn't a craving, but she was supposed to have this "water."

That was her thing, her past.

And she didn't seem to be drowning at this moment. The cool and wet feeling around her made her feel comfortable. There was a little concern and scrutiny coming from the water, just like an elder looking at a person who was about to join this "family"...

However, now Mobius did not have so much energy to pay attention to these things, because as more and more "water" flowed into her, the "past" contained in it also flowed into her thoughts one by one... Or in other words... was it reviving?

This feeling is very strange as if a certain "memory" of hers was hidden in a corner, covered by a dark cloth, blending with the shadows so it couldn't be noticed. In the end, it accumulated thick dust over time... And now, this dusty "memory" was slowly reviving.

It was like water washing away the dust, clearing away the shadows, and then flushing out the "memories" contained therein one by one... But perhaps because of the wrong technique, or perhaps an error occurred when it was originally saved, the "memories" inside were somewhat fragmented and confused.

But... these were not difficult for Mobius. She found them interesting and felt a strong curiosity about everything she was experiencing and accepting. Along with that, she also had a strong desire to research.

"Try to sort it out" Without much hesitation, Mobius began to try sorting her "memories."

Although it was a bit awkward at the beginning—after all, it was somewhat troublesome to compare the events in the "memories," and the emotions contained in them could be felt directly, which was equivalent to experiencing the "past" again—there were many repetitive things, and it was easy to confuse and mix together "memories" that were not intended to be related.

But soon, she found a way to distinguish them—looking for the differences in Nozomi.

Based on the different evaluations and attitudes towards Nozomi in each "memory," Mobius could accurately judge the differences in the "memories."

'One... two... has the little one gone through this many times? This is already the fifth time... It seems that he is really having a hard time' Mobius thought subconsciously.

As her "memories" became clearer, everything in her "past" became more complete, and Mobius was able to piece together everything that had happened.

She could feel the curiosity she had felt about Nozomi's abnormality at the beginning, the deep emotion of wanting to tie him to the operating table and study every bit of his flesh and blood, every bone thoroughly... That emotion seemed somewhat similar to the one she had now, but Mobius knew that the essence of them was very different.

'Really, is this the effect of different "experiences"? Because I haven't spent much time with the little one, my attitude towards him isn't very good... ah, that's right, after all, it's me' Mobius reflected a little and found that she had done so.

After all, her relationship with Nozomi at that time was not bad, but it was not very good either. Nozomi was just an object she wanted to study... at most he could be considered a friend of Elysia's?

'And... Elysia, ha... I knew she must have some secret...'

'A natural-born "Herrscher"... really makes me curious.'

'And the first person the little guy cared about so much was actually Sakura... I never thought it would be the unknown and almost passive person...'

'The second time... To be honest, this "memory" made Mobius somewhat uncomfortable. After all, this was the only "memory" of her hostility towards Nozomi... She even hated Nozomi. That deep emotion was engraved in her thoughts and was difficult to ignore.'

'And the third time I favored Nozomi, and the regret I felt for his final outcome... Ha, really, why was I such a "waste" at that time? What if I had been more resolute? What if I had trusted him more? Maybe everything would have been different...'

'No, I can't think like that, and I can't judge my past self like that. It seems too arrogant.'

'The Herrscher was a threat. This mindset had already been fixed at the time and was difficult to change... The heavy blood debt made it impossible for people to let go of their hostility towards the Herrscher. Therefore, even if there was the slightest sign or the slightest possibility, they would not allow it to happen.'

'No one can gamble, because no one can bear the final consequences... Although looking back now, I can more or less feel people's stupidity and the bad habit of doubting something that is engraved in people's instincts.'

'Hehe...'

'...Although I have no right to blame, after all... "letting it do what it wants" is a [sin].'

'The only problem is, Eden was actually involved with the little guy that time... and Sakura was involved too? What's going on? Is the chance of winning so high? And...'

'So I was the one who came later?!'

At this point, Mobius was somewhat angry and unhappy... But she couldn't seem to blame anything. After all, she had never thought she would "like" someone.

Even now, Mobius can clearly feel that their and Nozomi's "love process" was somewhat "abnormal," just like her... But forget it, it doesn't matter. By now, Mobius no longer cares so much and is too lazy to think about those things.

'Well... I can only say that people are always ridiculously tolerant of the things they like, isn't it?'

'As for the fourth time… this was the most delicate one with the little guy, and it was also closer to the present. However, compared to this time, the little guy obviously spent more time with Vill-V, so he was more inclined towards Vill-V…'

Mobius didn't care about this. After all, the little guy had no interest in Vill-V. The only question was why Eden and Sakura were here again? Especially Sakura, has this connection continued until now?

'It seems that Sakura really holds great importance in his heart, but if that's the case, then why did he later provoke Eden, and... what about me?'

'Hiss... No, it seems like this little guy is still a little "disobedient" and I have to keep an eye on that Vill-V...'

'As expected, the little guy is a "peacock" who flirts with girls everywhere.'

'And... Vill-V must have done something "this time" that allowed her to know something in advance, so the little guy would "team up" with her... Even the "Soulium" they designed seemed to be designed based on everything they experienced "this time" was really interesting.'

Everything that happened in the past was witnessed by Mobius one by one, and the emotions contained in them were felt by her once again... This feeling is really wonderful, like a first-person movie, but the feeling is much deeper than that.

As for rejection and denial, Mobius felt that it was unnecessary... She could feel that these were her own "memories", no matter what had happened in the past, or whether it was a parallel world or something like that, Mobius felt that there was no need to deny it.

Accept, understand, and then transcend it, isn't this what evolution is all about?

As for whether you are still yourself after being washed away by these "memories", whether your self-awareness will be erased and become "another self"... this is just the "price" that must be paid on the road to "evolution".

Moreover, the idea that this would only lead to an endless self-proving problem was really boring to Mobius, and she would not think about such things.

There is only one Mobius in this world, and there will only be one... If a "Mobius from a parallel world" really appeared from somewhere, her first reaction would definitely be to catch it and study it first, and then get rid of it immediately after discovering that it has no research value... Well, the premise is that it is really "another Mobius."

She believed that "the other Mobius" definitely thought so too.

After all, she wanted to be "the one".

Just like the saying "the body becomes infinite and then returns to one" if it is possible, Mobius must give it a try.

'Ah... I seem to have talked too much nonsense. As it happens, my "memories" have been almost sorted out. It's time to see what else I can do... Hmm?'

When Mobius gathered her mind and tried to do something else, she felt that the liquid around her... became closer to her, and even had a hint of welcoming her to join, as if she had been recognized by someone.

In addition, she also felt that something was "leaching out" from her body, but it maintained a very close connection with herself, as if she had an extra... "organ" outside her body? Or something else?

This was so amazing that Mobius couldn't wait to have an autopsy to see what was happening to her body.

However, her thoughts were interrupted again, and her attention was drawn to other things... She seemed to be connected to some very strange "thoughts", as if she had joined a public chat group in her mind, or even some kind of online forum... But it was more convenient than that, even a little "excessive".

'…This is so interesting!'

'I want to study it, I want to explore it, I want to analyze it thoroughly, and then... surpass it!'

The numerous new experiences made Mobius a little overwhelmed for a while, but she could feel that she was very excited. Everything she saw and understood now ignited in her an almost unstoppable desire to research.

'I want to get going, I want to understand now, and start researching... Oh, and, there's the little guy! I have to go see him! He is the "source" of everything, the root of it all!'

'Go meet him! And then tell him... no matter what, he still belongs to me now!'

Reaching forward, as if she had punctured a thin membrane or a bubble, Mobius's body was driven forward by the water flow.

Just like before, she left the darkness and dampness, touched the air again, and sensed this world.

What she can feel on her skin is the coolness of the breeze, and what she can hear in her ears is the sound of flowing water and light rain falling.

Of course, there is also... the warmth that is held in his arms.

'Ahhh…I know, I know.'

'You always come just in time...little one.'

Mobius' eyelids struggled for a moment like a newborn baby, and then she quickly opened them after quickly adapting to the surrounding environment, taking in everything in front of her, including his face that was so close to her.

"Doctor, you're better than I expected."

Nozomi's voice was very gentle.

"Are you underestimating me, little one?"

With the help of Nozomi's arm, Mobius gradually stood firm. The smile on her face was the same as before but with a different kind of temptation.

"I'm glad you're alright, Doctor."

Nozomi politely took half a step back and held Mobius's hand, allowing her to get a little familiar with her own strength and stand on the shallow layer of water on the ground.

"How are you feeling now, Doc?"

"How is it? I feel great, I can't be better!"

Mobius said with a brisk tone and immediately checked the difference in her body...

"No matter what I'm thinking now..."

She raised her hand and rubbed the conspicuous white hair in her green hair. She shook her head slightly and found that the ends of her hair swaying in the air were actually like floating in the water, and there were special blue and purple colors at the ends of her hair... What a surprise, is there something different about her?

For example... being given some "privileges" by the little guy? 'Ahhh... that would be really great~'

Subconsciously, she touched her left hand and could feel the "ring" on her middle finger still on her hand... The corners of Mobius' mouth rose slightly again.

"Or my current body..."

She tapped her toes lightly, and in a few blinks, became familiar with her own strength. She left the ground and stepped on the layer of water covering the ground.

Her body swayed slightly, and she looked behind her, and saw something spreading out from her lower back... or more precisely, from her tailbone, something that looked like a streamer, a fishtail, or a jellyfish tentacle... or a new limb?

'I always feel like I can do a lot of things with it... ahhh... I'm really looking forward to it~'

"I am very satisfied~"

She could feel the strength of her current body, as well as the controllable water around her, and even those... [compatriots] who were connected to each other.

Especially beside her, closely connected to her, as if it was a part of her... Honkai Beast? Unfortunately, it didn't have a fixed form yet, so Mobius didn't know what to call it, or... was it waiting for Mobius to shape it?

More importantly, Mobius could feel that this body still had potential, the potential to continue to be "optimized"... Even under the control of the "power" given to her by Nozomi, she could even... take the initiative to promote a certain "optimization."

'Ahhh…this is so awesome!'

It would be even better if there were some "consumables" and "experimental subjects" for her to experiment with!

"Doctor, if you need experiments, you can let them do it."

As if she had heard Mobius's thoughts, Nozomi raised his hand slightly while speaking, and dark blue "blood" quietly seeped out and dripped into the accumulated water, and then quickly evolved into a new Honkai beast.

And Mobius could sense the aura of her "compatriots" from this Honkai beast... This is really interesting.

"Hmm? Hmm... hm?"

Mobius narrowed her eyes slightly, and after a brief thought, she understood what Nozomi meant.

Her expression changed from surprise to joy, and finally to ecstasy.

"Haha...haha! Great! Little guy! As expected! You are the best!"

She took a step forward, pulled Nozomi's collar slightly forcefully, and kissed him hard on the lips as a "reward" for him.

She then took a few steps back, raised her hand, and manipulated the [Echo/Authority] that Nozomi had given her, causing the Honkai beast newly constructed by Nozomi to make some attempts.

Soon, the hard shell of the Honkai beast began to change, and it began to "evolve" with consciousness and direction. After a while, it changed from a hard shell to a "skin" that looked soft but was actually just as tough as before...

At this point, Mobius still did not stop, but continued to try this power excitedly, until that layer of "skin" was "optimized" again, and an extra piece of "cloth" shaped like clothes was put on the outer layer, Mobius stopped - she already knew how to use this power.

She adjusted her breathing slightly and mobilized the surrounding Honkai energy, watching the azure water flowing in the air and gathering around her body. Finally, it removed her stiff and slightly ugly shell, turning it into a beautiful and... uh... seductive fishtail skirt, which was draped over her body.

Immediately, she tapped her toes and became familiar with the power of the water at an astonishing speed. She swam happily in the air like a fish, occasionally letting out some uncontrollable laughter.

'Ahhh…that's it…that's it!!!'

'A body that will not age, can heal quickly even if injured, and can even revive after suffering a fatal injury!'

'Just like a "Herrscher," I can freely control the power of water and Honkai energy!'

'And... unlimited potential! Unlimited opportunities to try! Unlimited trial and error!'

'The perfect "evolution" path! There is no end, it can continue forever, and it will not lose people's self-awareness!'

'This is simply... simply...'

'marvelous!!!'

"..."

Nozomi smiled and silently watched Mobius "playing" in the air, getting familiar with her new body and strength.

She's so happy, so... let the Doctor have some fun first.

Nozomi withdrew his gaze and turned to look at the other two "bubbles" not far away that had not yet shown signs of bursting.

'It seems... Hen and Kosma still need some time to prepare... No, is it their self-consciousness that is rebelling?'

'Well... that's good. The longer you maintain yourself, the more you can sustain yourself in the numerous "pasts," and the more you can persist in the erosion of Honkai...'

'Go on, keep holding on, hold on, hope will always come, won't it?'

'Don't let me look down on you~ After all, I persisted for a long, long time~'

'Ahh…Looking at it this way, I always feel like I'm really going too far…but there's nothing I can do about it, right?'

'What's more, I'm helping you... If you want to get a "new life," you have to pay some "price," right?'

'However, it's okay to regard this as my little "revenge"~'

'After all...if I'm the only one who has to bear the pain of the "past," that would be too much, wouldn't it?'

'Let's share the burden together~'

'After all... we are all [fellow countrymen]~'