Ch-60 < GEM >

The next day, they all went their separate ways for work. Elysia made her way to see Vill-V and Bronya, intent on making a secret adjustment she had been keeping hidden from Kevin.

Whatever she was up to, it was important, but Elysia's playful nature masked the seriousness of her task. She only smiled when Kevin had asked, and he knew better than to press for details.

Mei, on the other hand, was focused on her own research, determined to create an armor that could host a Herrscher core while simultaneously unlocking the origin of the Honkai.

Kevin had a feeling she'd bury herself in that work for the next half month. As he watched her head toward her office, deep in thought, he sighed to himself.

"Maybe I shouldn't have made Mei a MANTIS this early..." Kevin muttered.

Shaking off the thought, Kevin turned and made his way to Mobius' lab. As always, Mobius was glued to her computer, her fingers flying over the keys while her green eyes were locked onto the screen.

"Mobius," Kevin greeted.

She barely looked up, but her lips curved into a slight smirk. "Kevin, just the person I wanted to see. I've got some good news." She gestured to one of the many monitors in her lab, where a gruesome experiment was being displayed. "The Chimera project is almost complete."

On the screen, a criminal subject was shown undergoing the transformation process. It was a brutal sight, blood and pain etched across every frame. Only one subject survived the process, and even then, they were promptly dispatched by Sakura.

Kevin kept his expression calm. "That's good," he said simply, though the sight left a heavy feeling in his chest.

Mobius turned her gaze to him, her green eyes gleaming with curiosity. "So, when are you planning to go through the operation yourself?"

Kevin thought for a moment before answering. "Hm. Let's set it for seven days from now. I need time to look over the documents and assign a new mission to Squad 7."

Mobius nodded, seemingly satisfied with his answer. "Very well. Seven days it is. Make sure you're ready."

With that, Kevin left the lab and headed to the locker room. He touched the gems of iron and earth. As soon as his fingers made contact, his stigma glowed with a bright silver and brown light.

A voice echoed in his mind.

"Congratulations, Host. You have received:

- Authority of Iron

- Authority of Earth

- 80,000 system points

- Kevin Template: 7% progress achieved."

"Host has now crossed 70% in the Kevin Template."

Kevin felt a wave of energy course through him, stronger than anything he'd felt before.

"Reward:

- Diabolic Kevin form

- Herrscher Gem (Finality)

- Extra Authority: Authority of Power."

Kevin's eyes widened in disbelief. "A Herrscher Gem…"

He quickly rushed to his room.

****

His body suddenly ached with intense pain as the gem's power surged through him. His aura flickered, and his irises briefly turned a deep purple before settling back into their usual icy blue. He stumbled, gripping the wall for support as the system's voice echoed in his brain.

"All host authorities have reached a new level. Physical parameters have increased."

Kevin breathed heavily, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he noticed the change in his body. His previous authorities had grown stronger, and new abilities had begun to manifest.

"System," Kevin gasped, "What is this 'Authority of Power'?"

The system's calm, mechanical voice responded:

"Authority of Power grants the following abilities:

*Battle Aura*: Converts energy or stamina into life force, increasing individual physical abilities.

*Breaker*: Shatters or crushes enemy defenses, ignoring or destroying armor and protective barriers. Allows for critical strikes.

*Hardening*: Hardens the user's body beyond the toughness of diamonds."

*warrior haki* : an aura released by host which provide suppression to another whose willpower is weaker than user.

Kevin absorbed the information slowly, pondering the incredible power now at his fingertips.

These new abilities could turn the tide in battle, providing him with an edge he hadn't imagined.

He looked down at himself, noticing with mild surprise that he had grown slightly taller, from six feet to six foot one.

As he processed the changes, another notification appeared in his mind.

"Restriction on temporal manipulation has been lifted."

Kevin smirked, excitement bubbling up inside him. He had waited for this for a long time. Without hesitation, he immediately accessed the system's shop and purchased the two time-related skills he had his eye on for years.

- *Time Accel*: 100,000 points

- *Instantaneous Movement*: 75,000 points

"With *Time Accel*, I can alter the flow of time within my body, doubling my speed..." Kevin mused.

He spent the next three days in rigorous testing, practicing his new abilities within the MOTH's training grounds.

In addition to the enhanced power, his mastery over time manipulation made him feel almost invincible.

And Rest of 3 days managing soldiers and his team assigning them various missions.

On the 7 day, after testing his *Instantaneous Movement*—a technique that allowed him to move across short distances almost instantly—he returned to his quarters to find elysia waiting for him.

Her arms were crossed, and her expression was a mix of curiosity and impatience.

"You've been hiding something," she said, her tone teasing but with an underlying note of concern.

Kevin wiped the sweat from his brow. "I've been testing my new abilities. Nothing dangerous."

Elysia raised an eyebrow. "You're always pushing your limits, Kevin."

Kevin met her gaze and nodded, the slight smile on his face softening his features. " you know me... I can't afford to stop improving, not with what's ahead."

Elysia smiled, understanding his determination all too well. "Just don't forget you have us."

"How could I?" Kevin responded quietly. Then, without a word, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

Well, is there anything you want? Something I can provide?" He said to make her happy.

Elysia's eyes brightened immediately, and Kevin instantly regretted asking. She tapped a finger to her chin, a thoughtful look on her face. "Actually, I've got the *perfect* idea."

Before Kevin could protest, Elysia dragged him off to her room, where a pile of clothes, outfits, and various cosplay gear were waiting. Kevin blinked, his stomach sinking. "What... is this?"

"You, my dear husband," Elysia said with a grin, "are going to be my doll for the day."

Kevin's usual calm demeanor cracked for a moment. "Doll? Elysia, I—"

"No arguing!" she teased, practically bouncing on her toes. "You said you'd make me happy, right?"

Kevin sighed. He couldn't argue with that. "Alright," he muttered, feeling the slightest blush warm his face, "but only because I said I would."

Elysia wasted no time, quickly finding a set of clothes to dress Kevin in. She hummed happily as she worked, making small comments as she adjusted each outfit.

"Oh! You'd look so handsome in this," she cooed, slipping him into a sleek black suit. "But wait, let's try this one next!"

Kevin endured it silently, a mixture of embarrassment and resignation setting in as she went through outfit after outfit. There was a knight costume, a pirate ensemble, and even a superhero suit that had Kevin staring in disbelief at the cape and mask.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Kevin asked dryly, standing awkwardly in a vampire outfit complete with a high-collared cape.

Elysia was busy clicking photos of Kevin.

"Absolutely!" Elysia chirped, beaming up at him. "You make the *cutest* vampire, Kevin!"

He couldn't help but chuckle despite himself. Seeing her so happy made the embarrassment worth it.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Elysia declared, "Alright, I think I'm satisfied... for now."

Kevin let out a breath of relief. "Good. Does that mean—"

"Now!" Elysia interrupted, wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling him toward the bed. "It's time for you to be my pillow."

Kevin blinked, thrown off by the sudden shift in her request. "Pillow?"

Elysia nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! Come here." She tugged him onto the bed, wrapping her legs and arms around him, trapping him in her embrace.

"Elysia..." Kevin muttered, slightly exasperated, though he couldn't help but feel a small smile tug at his lips.

Elysia nuzzled her head against his chest, sighing contently as she settled in. "Shhh, this is perfect," she whispered. "You're warm... Just stay still, okay?"

Kevin shifted slightly, trying to get comfortable.

Despite his initial discomfort, Kevin soon found himself relaxing, the warmth of Elysia's embrace soothing. He wrapped his arm around her, his other hand resting on her head as he felt her breathing slow.

A/N~ a little slice of life . I can imagine elysia might do this.