Chapter 66: Project ARK

Mobius was finalizing the genomes they'll use for the twins. Speaking of the twins, they're teenagers that were found by Ein. Hugging each other in a garbage bin while shivering, with dirty blonde hair.

They were fraternal twins, the boy was named Aether, while the other was Lumine. The clear sky above the clouds and the light that shines on the blue sky. Ein thought that their names were appropriate for the project.

"Mobius, you done? We need to get on with it. Su, is now in the seed of Sumeru. Observing the other bubble universes, and it is quite tiring for him to be in there." Su was appointed to be the one that initiates project Veluka. Aponia wasn't trusted by Mei at all. With Su's enhanced mental faculties, he was the 3rd best one. Behind Aponia as 2nd and Ein at 1st.

"I'm about done. You sure you want to infuse Soulium on them as well? They won't be combatants anyway." Mobius was skeptical on using such precious materials on scouts.

"It will be better for them, what if they encounter honkai beasts out there? They won't be accompanied by combatants, just some engineers that volunteered." He rebutted as Mobius nodded at his words.

"Let's start then." Mei began infusing the twins soulium 1st to strengthen their bodies. So they won't get too burdened by the extra genomes.

It was pretty uneventful as they now have tons of data about how to make this procedure more safe. Though their hair changed and turned a golden blonde. And after an hour, they were done. The twins were loaded in cryo capsules as the engineers and maintenance crew were already in the space ship.

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Su navigated the quantum sea inside his own bubble universe that was made with the 2nd key. While the others prepared the ship, as it started to float in the void.

"Mei, we'll just have to get some reports about them. While I continue to observe some universes here in my free time." He was meditating under a tree with beads of sweat on his forehead.

It was going well, but a surge of energy enveloped the ship as it started its voyage. "Voyager! Come in voyager!? Damn it!" Mei slammed her hand on the table as the ship lost contact with them.

"Su, can you find them?" Ein asked him as Su silently tried to. After a few minutes, he shook his head and opened his eyes. "No. They were swallowed up by the sea. And I can't connect to their consciousness."

Ein looked at the beacon, they were still in range. But the ship is travelling in a very fast pace. "They're still intact. But that surge of energy transported them really far." He couldn't pinpoint their location but at least the ship is fine.

Mei sighed heavily. "Then this is a fail. How could we follow them if they do find a suitable place? I've underestimated the quantum sea. It's very unstable." She massaged her temples.

"See? I told you. Now, I have things to do, excuse me." Mobius then left them as Mei got even more frustrated from her words.

"Just wish them good luck Mei. That they arrive in a good place. We just didn't have enough information to facilitate this in the 1st place." Ein patted her on the back as he also left the scene.

Hmm. Maybe I should enter the sea and try to locate them later, I have their genetic blueprint in my head. With more proficiency in the 2nd's power, I could probably make a tunnel to their location later.

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Ein returned to his room. "Welcome back Ein-sama. Dr. Mei has given those twins a cruel fate." She prayed and shook her head. "Such actions will have consequences, and I cannot predict what will happen to them in the future. But they are doomed to have conflict." She stated with a sad tone as she looked at empty space.

"Can you really predict things Aponia?" He was curious. "Yes. This gift from god only improved after I became a MANTIS. Though they are starting to get blurry. The ones entwined with you have greatly changed."

He raised his hand. "Don't tell me Aponia. Prophecies are meaningless anyways, I also have a feeling that if I know what will happen. There would be changes." He had a gut feeling, and it hasn't failed him yet whenever he gets suspicious.

"You are correct. As you are not bound by fate, there will be differences, from your every move. All the other possibilities would be extinguished, as you are a unique existence."

"Aponia. What is your goal anyway?" He still didn't know what her true motivations were. As he sat down and expected that it would be quite a doozy.

"As a gifted one. I strive to use it to attain the end where humanity does not suffer. At the past, it was already set in stone. The end will descend, and humanity will inevitably lose." She looked down on the ground.

"But now... I am not sure, your existence has made ripples in this world. I cannot know what is shrouded in mystery, my predictions are still mostly complete. Except with Elysia, her fate is a unique one as well, different from yours who have the power to change it. Hers cannot be seen even with my new powers, which begs the question on what it truly is." She then went silent. I will observe her every move with interest. Aponia decided as she was intrigued by Elysia's mysterious fate.

Ein sighed. "You know what Aponia. Don't tell me anything anymore, it just gives me a headache." He massaged his temples, her words gave him bad vibes.

Aponia then grasped his head softly and laid him on her lap. "Please don't be burdened by my words Ein-sama. Continue as you've done, as you've said. Prophecies are meaningless, for you and you alone that is." She stroked his hair.

"Ahh. I told you to not tell me anything anymore." He then thought that if what Aponia just said is true. The others would have their destiny set in stone, and he didn't like unknown things. As it put his mind in overdrive.

"Forgive me." Her powers washed over him as he allowed it to affect him. His mind then slowly calmed down like he was floating in a lake.

"Yeah. That's convenient~" he relaxed on her lap as he saw her glorious underboob. "Eden and Elysia really gave good designs to Vill. Ahhhh, this is what life should be."

Aponia cracked a small smile and flushed a bit. "Ein-sama. Do you not find me inconvenient to be here? I can always enter the deep end." She worried about him spending too much time on her.

"Well, now I at least know that you won't have malicious plans against other. Honestly, Mei is too suspicious of you. Did you do anything to her Aponia?" He wondered about that as Mei was too worried about her doing nefarious things.

"Hmm. That woman?" Aponia had some slight disdain in her voice. "She is... Or was a cruel person. Your presence softened her a bit." Aponia remembered her in her visions, a cold and calculating woman. Obsessed with results, even manipulating others for her goals. All in the name of winning against the honkai. Though she has changed a lot, but it still left a bad taste in Aponia's mouth.

"Dr. Mobius is much better than her. An individual with such a pure goal, she has no morals and boundaries. Though it isn't because she is evil, she is just too different. A pure person, in a twisted way." She said softly as she nodded.

"Ahhh. Mobius is eccentric for sure, well. You have your quirks as well Aponia." He chuckled as he patted her head. She looked at him and pouted a bit.

"You are certainly playful Ein-sama. You are kind, caring, and thoughtful. Though you're quite ruthless. You specialize in equivalent exchange, what a just person you are." She rolled her eyes.

"Ohh? Did you just take a jab at me?" He then stimulated her nerves as he tickled her to oblivion.

Her straight face turned to shock as she stiffened up and started to laugh. "Forgive me Ein-sama! I won't do it again." She tried to resist but she couldn't do anything.

"Hmph, good. And call me Ein, not of that sama crap. I ain't a god or anything, if I were. You already know what would've happened." He stared at empty space as silence resounded.

She went behind him and hugged him tight. "Things are different now. Ein..." She shed a tear from his plight. "The future is now in your hands. And I will be there with you beside it all." She closed her eyes as she thanked the heavens for her luck in meeting someone that could bring salvation to humanity.

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Every MANTIS were again lined up, but it also included Kalpas and Hua. With Kalpas, he could fight with the fusion warriors. Hua had enough technique to fight well as a support with her battle suit. As they looked quite intimidating.

"Okay, take a pose and say cheese!" Ein simulated a battlefield as they quickly posed, not wanting to look like an idiot in his photos. No one can delete it after all, as he put a condition that you should defeat him 1st. (nice pic I saw)

Then he clapped once. "You guys have assimilated your honkai beasts now. You can feel it right? The overwhelming strength inside you? In all MANTISes, you guys are the only ones who have fully assimilated your genes. Well, except Kalpas and Hua who aren't part of the soldier project."

Kevin, Elysia, Eden, Kosma, Sakura, Aponia, and Su were right in front. While Phyllis was in the back as well, relegated as a referee as she had good dynamic vision.

"Now, I'll match your speed. And battle you guys with technique, you can use your divine keys. You need to control your power ups as soon as possible, or you'll cause great damage to your surroundings or comrades." He got into a stance as he narrowed his eyes.

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He thoroughly trained them in working as a team against an enemy that has immense strength or crowd control. In order to prepare them in fighting future herrschers. Mobius cursed him to no end, asking why she has to do all this all throughout the training.

He just laughed at her and left them behind, all ragged from the fighting and beating they received.

Phyllis then followed him to Vill's workshop as they both got really close, with Vill providing tons of gadgets and gizmos to sell for Phyllis.

"Ein, why are we going to the workshop? I mean, not that I'm complaining. As she might have built new things so I could make big money." She whistled innocently as her inner desires slipped out.

"Hah. You really like money don't you Phyllis? Here, you'll love this." He created a big diamond that was color red. The most rare color, as Phyllis' eyes went wide, she then snatched it quickly and looked at it carefully, cradling the stone as she pocketed it.

"Hehehe~ thanks Ein! You're the best!" She clinged to his back and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

They then arrived at Vill's workshop. "Ein! Come in." She ushered him inside, they had a project.

"How's it going Vill? Did you have any success?" They were trying to make a divine key that could use any core. The key of blankness, a battle suit that would use the law of nihility that god keys use to draw out all the energy in the core before it needs recharging, and Ein was the only one who could use the weapons to its full potential with his immense control of honkai energy, he uses the reserves within him as a battery for the keys.

So he and Vill tried to make a solution, the key of blankness. Using any herrscher core, it would connect to the imaginary space as the one wearing the battle suit can turn into a herrscher briefly, only the user's adaptability and body being the limit to the power.

Though it has a huge flaw, as fusion warriors can't use the suit. They always fight off the urge to transform fully to their honkai beasts, the only ones who can control it fully is Mobius and Ein, though the others can tap into it. And being connected to the imaginary space would flood them with honkai energy. Risking a high chance of them losing control.

"I can only work on the suit's design and durability for now. We still can't connect to the imaginary space." Vill frowned at her failures in creating the weapon that could be a trump card.

"It's alright. We can just try again, besides. You're an engineer first and foremost, you've done plenty." He patted her head as she smiled at him.

"That's right! Here, look at the schematics." She showed it to him as he pondered in how to make the suit work. It was mainly made from soulium fibers and could absorb a lot of energy. The only thing missing is the most important piece.

"I can tap to the imaginary space using my DNA and cores. But it's instinctual, like I can just use it. I'll need further research about this."

Phyllis looked at it. "Hey, how about using honkai materials to create some of it? Not just our mats, if we're part honkai and we gain energy. Then the suit being made of honkai beasts would make sense right?" She tilted her head as she gave her opinion.

Vill-v then had an idea. "Honkai life forms are silicon based. Maybe we could make materials by synthesizing it with soulium?"

He sighed heavily. "Well, that's pretty simple if you think about it. But this will get quite complicated quick, it's like making soulium all over again. But now, we use an unstable material." He rubbed his temples from thinking of all the work again.

Vill frowned as well. She read about the painstaking work in creating the material to house herrscher cores. "Hah. This might take a year or two. But it's worth it at least, we can basically have human herrschers!" She excitedly thought about the masterpiece they could make.

"Metatron, how much time do you think would it take?" He asked the A.I. Overlord for an estimation.

"Creator, there has never been an incident in making a material by combining honkai life forms and man made objects. My estimates should be at least 1 to 1 and a half years." It gave the estimation. Making Ein and Vill depressed.

"Well, let's focus on other things 1st then. It will take too much time." Vill then took out another blueprint. It was the prototype for the godsbane battle suit for close quarters.

"Niceeee." He looked at it intently as he imagined an elite soldier zipping all over the battlefield, and throwing punches and kicks at honkai beasts. (Pic here)

"Well, Hua still can't use this. And this is just perfect for her. Maybe we could do a preliminary procedure? Enhance her neural pathways and reflexes, there's no honkai beast compatible with her yet." He thought of options so she could use it.

"I bet Ms. Snake has something in her sleeve that could help you with that." Phyllis shivered, as she remembered her looking at Canned Food like a piece of meat and called it a curious little lab rat.

"Yosh! Let's get to work! And Phyllis, you could look over that pile over there. A lot of things can be sold there." Vill pointed at a pile of gadgets as Phyllis excitedly looked at it one by one.

Ein laughed at her antics. "Umu, let us begin. There's a lot to do."

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Thanks for reading, SWARA would be based on Ein's biology. I'll make Garuda appear later. Anyways, ciao. Thanks for the support