OHDOM 276-300 (Patreon)

OHDOM 276-300

Chapter 276: Understood, It's a Consumable

The night had lost its color.

The overwhelming strike between ebbing sword slashes made out of Honkai energy was unleashed before them. The sword light and burning blade dyed the sky red, a sight that, to the knowledgeable, seemed almost ordinary.

However, the exaggerated sword energy displayed by Angel left everyone observing shocked by her progress.

Although the existence of a Herrscher itself is synonymous with outrageous power, this was taking it too far.

"What exactly did Lord Su do to her?"

"Don’t ask me; I’m not involved. But from the looks of it... could it be some sort of training or something?"

Jackal raised her head. The intertwining firelight and red light shone on her face, and she responded in a daze.

Gray Serpent understood his colleague's confusion because he himself was equally perplexed.

Herrschers of Dominance, who were not known for their combat prowess in the previous era, were actually able to fight head-on with an enhanced version of Lord Shamash in this era.

Weren’t these previous Herrschers weakened to the point that they had to be grouped into have any combat effectiveness?

Prometheus, was this also part of your calculations?

"No, the problem is not that simple."

"Huh?"

"Jackal, you have to understand, she was taken away by Lord Su. Is her current state purely a personal action, or..."

"Are you saying Lord Su is going against us too?"

Jackal leaned back strategically and took a deep breath.

Gray Serpent, in a particularly heavy tone, replied: "The worst-case scenario is exactly that. In short, we must be mentally prepared."

"Or, on the bright side, maybe Su is just helping her train to death?" Jackal added kindly, trying to lighten the mood with a caring look, as if she were worried about her colleague being too stressed.

Gray Serpent glanced sideways at her and snorted coldly.

"Hmph! Jackal, this is about the World Serpent's ten-thousand-year mission. We can't take any chances. Don’t worry, your mission is scientific research, no matter what. I will find a way to deal with these problems."

"Oh."

Jackal nodded blankly, focusing on maintaining the professionalism of an outsider not to disturb the expert.

Respect was always the right choice.

"Bang!!!"

As they spoke, another thunderous boom echoed.

Gray Serpent carefully observed the intensity of the energy bursts. The continuous red readings flowed through his eyes like a stream, being recorded in the database one by one.

"...It has surpassed the peak output levels of the artificial Herrschers Delta and Durandal. What has she experienced? From a classification standpoint, the Legion Herrschers shouldn’t be this absurdly powerful, even if its concentrated to one."

Gray Serpent was baffled.

"Hey, pay attention. There’s a new audience."

The sudden voice of Jackal snapped him back to attention.

Gray Serpent turned his gaze just in time to see a ball of scorching flames explode before his eyes. Fu Hua stood firmly, her expression solemn.

Before Gray Serpent could bow and show respect to the Flamechaser, a beam of lightning, accompanied by a roar that could pierce the eardrums of an ordinary person, transformed into the form of Raiden Mei and landed beside Fu Hua.

At the same time, space distorted above their heads.

"Whoa! Get out of the way, get out of the way... ah, no, Mei, please catch me!"

Kiana, who had just gained a small portion of power and was still inexperienced, fell from the sky, screaming.

But both Fu Hua and Raiden Mei were too focused on the battle above to react in time. They could only watch as Kiana fell to the ground with a "thud" right in front of them.

Face first.

When she lifted her head, her face, predictably covered in dust, showed a hint of resentment.

"Mei, didn’t you hear my cry for help?"

"Kiana, how could you..."

"We’ll talk about that later. What’s happening now? My head is spinning after chasing you down, and now... I feel a bit dizzy."

This was the first time Kiana had carried out such high-intensity spatial transfers in the real world. The series of positionings, jumps, and repositionings had pushed her brain to its limits.

Unsteadily, Kiana stood up, patted her head, then immediately bent forward in frustration.

"Ugh~~"

"Kiana!?" ×2

...

"It's so beautiful. Is this the real Eye of The Deep?"

The dreamlike, magnificent light fluctuated and intensified, as though a breathing entity was consuming the light and energy from the Sea of Quanta.

Tesla, probably the most whimsical person present, was captivated by the beauty of the scene, a crazy smile spreading across her face.

Perhaps, to scientists like her, the truth they pursued was just as beautiful as this.

"It seems everything is proceeding well," Cocolia commented, holding Ninti with one hand while supporting her weight with the other, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Welt nodded, anticipation in his eyes.

"Wait, something seems wrong."

From the high observation deck, the fluctuating light group suddenly began to flash and swell at a speed visible to the naked eye, like a once-gentle stream suddenly turning into the roaring Yellow River.

The expressions of the three scientists in front of the control panel changed immediately.

"Wait! Something’s wrong with the data! Why are so many readings suddenly exceeding the threshold?"

"Dr. Tesla, cut off the energy supply, quickly!"

"I know, I’ve been trying! But it’s not stopping... No, it’s not our energy supply at fault; the Eye of The Deep is actively absorbing energy from the Sea of Quanta! It’s out of control!"

"And not just the Sea of Quanta! Gravity is increasing; it’s pulling matter and energy from the real world too!"

"What’s happening? Evacuate immediately!!!"

But the changes were happening far faster than expected.

Just as the scientists issued their warnings, the fluctuating light group abruptly shrank, frantically drawing in everything around it— even light—toward its center.

"Welt, Ninti, run!!!"

Tesla screamed, grabbing Einstein and Yssring, who had been slow to react, and rushed toward the observation deck.

But the Eye of The Deep's area of effect expanded, swallowing everything in an instant.

"It’s so... bright. Ninti, are you next to me?"

After being engulfed, Welt was blinded by infinite light, unable to open his eyes. Thankfully, the light quickly dimmed, allowing him to regain some vision. He barely maintained balance in the unstable space, then immediately looked to his side.

Ninti was holding his hand tightly, also gripping Cocolia, who had been caught up in the chaos as well. Ninti appeared okay, a little tense, but not in any apparent discomfort.

Cocolia, however, looked pale.

"This environment is different from the real world, and it's deviating more and more from normal conditions. We need to find the others quickly."

Welt, keeping as calm as possible despite his panic, created a field of gravity within the chaotic space and moved toward the direction he sensed.

In reality, the distance between the observation deck and the operating platform was relatively short.

Thanks to this, the three of them soon saw the three scientists drifting in the void.

"Einstein, Tesla, Dr. Yssring!"

"Leader?"

"Welt!" ×2

The two groups reunited under the influence of Welt and Ninti’s gravity.

Welt had no time to say anything more and quickly moved the three of them next to Ninti.

"Ninti, take them back. I'll search around again and bring back the other staff who were involved..."

Before Welt could finish speaking, figures shot past them like meteors.

"Ah!"

"It's the Alliance Leader—"

"Ahhhh!"

It was as if someone had grabbed them by the collar and hurled them back. The staff members flew away in panic, disappearing from Welt's and the others' sight before they could say anything coherent.

The strange scene was naturally terrifying.

At least Tesla and Einstein were indeed panicked, unsure of what to do.

Welt turned his head in the direction where the figures had flown, and suddenly went silent.

Endless black shadows were invading from outside their world, like a darkness that consumed everything in its path.

For a moment, Welt was dazed, as if he were seeing a demon that shouldn’t exist in this world. Then, he shook his head violently, realizing it wasn’t darkness or demons but a concrete fear triggered by survival instinct.

An immensely powerful force, unlike anything ever imagined, was approaching them, trying to breach the boundary between the quantum realm and the real world.

"Ninti, let's go!!!"

With the people he cared about most right beside him, Welt didn’t hesitate. He used his strongest repulsion to pull everyone back.

He then turned around, taking off his glasses and revealing eyes as hard as steel. Welt suppressed the instinctive fear and faced the terrifying threat head-on, as if ready to confront the end of the world.

"Who are you? What do you intend to do to our world?"

"...Herr...scher?"

Standing at the edge of the Quantum Sea, Kevin frowned. His long-dulled brain slowly began to turn. He had just sensed the long-lost atmosphere of his homeland and had immediately come to the gap.

There, he encountered some of the experimenters who had been caught up in the energy flow between the real world and the quantum realm. In fact, they were still in the real world, just caught in the flow. They had not yet crossed the boundary, and as long as the energy flow was reversed, they would naturally return to reality.

Kevin saved them easily.

But the one in front of him was different. Would letting him return really be beneficial to the real world?

Why would a Herrscher appear here?

Oh, I see. It must be a gift from the Serpent, a consumable sent to help him break into the real dimension.

There was no need to speak further to this apostle of collapse; it was pointless. Besides, after 1,500 years of silence, Kevin’s degraded language system could no longer support him in talking about mundane matters with the "consumable" standing before him.

Kevin silently extended his hand, his immense power penetrating the boundary between the two dimensions. Like a black Serpent coiling around the world, it spat out a poisonous message toward Welt, who was now sweating coldly.

---

Chapter 277: Autistic Kevin Will Not Kill with a Tilted Head

With the repulsive force generated by Welt, Ninti dragged Cocolia and Yssring, who remained silent, along with Einstein and Tesla, who kept looking back, insisting they wanted to return. The group traveled for a while before finally breaking through an invisible boundary and stepping back into the real world.

The Deep was in chaos at that moment.

The once-neatly arranged energy towers had nearly all disappeared, with the remaining ones almost completely collapsed and incapable of generating power.

Countless pieces of expensive equipment had been damaged, though the extent of the destruction was unclear.

"Ouch~~"

"It hurts... my butt... it hurts..."

Only the researchers, either lying or sitting on the ground, groaned from time to time in the now-empty area.

At the same time, everyone realized that The Deep's design held even more mysteries than they had known.

For instance, it remained incredibly intact under the waves of the quantum world, and the atmospheric barrier isolating it from the ocean above was still perfectly maintained.

The scientists of the previous era clearly anticipated such unpredictable events and were experienced in dealing with them; otherwise, the flawless design of Abyss City couldn’t be explained.

However, the leading team responsible for managing the situation had no time to consider these details, nor did they have the time to deal with the chaos unfolding around them.

"Yang!!!"

Tesla shouted loudly, preparing to rush back into the shrinking light.

Fortunately, Yssring held her back just enough to slow her down.

Einstein stared at the Eye of The Deep, which was losing its activity, seemingly dazed and unsure of what to do next.

"Ninti, stop!"

At that critical moment, Cocolia's shout drew everyone's attention.

Ninti who was standing just steps away from the shrinking Eye of The Deep was halted by Cocolia, who stretched out her arms and tightly embraced the little girl.

"Listen to me. The leader is the Herrscher of Reason; he won’t fall into trouble so easily. At least one of you must stay here to suppress Anti-Entropy and maintain the world’s balance. The leader wouldn’t want to see you..."

Cocolia hurriedly recited a variety of reasons, but her voice grew shakier with each word.

Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t just her voice that trembled—her entire body and arms were shaking.

"Mom, you’ll get hurt."

"Stop struggling, don't move. Just wait... wait for it to calm down."

Cocolia's voice, now almost scolding, trembled even more.

Ninti lowered her head for a moment, and then the repulsive force surrounding her intensified.

Cocolia’s arms were forcibly pried apart, and her body was pushed back by an irresistible force.

Although they were so close, it was evident how much Cocolia wanted to hold Ninti tightly—but she was powerless.

"Ninti!!"

"Mom, you told me that when I refused your orders for the first time out of my own will, I would know what it means to be truly human."

"That's not... I..."

"Mom, I finally understand what that means. Thank you, Mom. Please wait here for me to come home." Ninti floated upward, gently kissed Cocolia, who was frozen in place, and whispered to her.

"Sister Liesel, Sister Frederica, don't worry. I’ll bring Joachim back."

With that, the petite girl dove into the Eye of The Deep.

In the next second, the light dimmed, and all effects from the quantum field came to an end.

"Ninti!!!" ×3

---

Welt Yang is a good person.

Perhaps one of the best people of this era. Angel, for one, would never dare to compare her character to his.

Such a good person could be teased when free, or deceived for necessary gains.

But Angel would never let such a person truly fall into despair.

Think of it as... everyone’s responsibility to protect a precious species.

[Angel]Ninti rushed forward without hesitation and soon found Welt ahead of her.

At this point, he was holding the shadow of the Star of Eden, unleashing a torrent of energy.

The world around them was rapidly changing—the dimension of the real world was shrinking back, and soon, everything here would be fully absorbed into the quantum dimension.

Welt’s power was accelerating the process. He intended to completely seal off the real world, locking the unknown and terrifying enemy away, even at the cost of falling into the boundless sea.

At the same time, the enemy's power gripped him, frost covering his eyebrows, and his body sustaining increasingly severe damage.

"Bang!"

The sound of a soft impact wasn’t loud, but it startled Welt.

"Nin...ti..."

The little girl, as light as a feather, gently pressed against his back. The warmth from her body made Welt feel as if he had been burned.

"Joachim, don’t be afraid. I’ll help you."

"What are you talking about? Go back! This isn’t where you should be!"

"Ninti has learned to refuse orders—from my mother and everyone."

"You..."

She was still the same as ever, unable to express her emotions properly, her delicate face maintaining a blank expression. But Welt could see something new in her eyes—pride, as if she had discovered something extraordinary.

Is this a good thing?

Of course it is—but the timing is wrong!

"Joachim, let’s go together. Don’t be afraid; I’m by your side."

Ninti reached out and grabbed Welt’s arm.

The Dominance Herrscher’s power of thievery was activated. Welt who thought this was Joyce's legacy, accepted Ninti’s assistance without resistance.

Ninti tapped into the power of the Herrscher of Reason, while Welt simultaneously received the immense Honkai Energy emanating from Chiyou.

"Joachim, now!"

Ninti’s clear eyes locked onto Welt’s as she spoke seriously.

It was as if the man from the past had returned, urging him on with a strong yet gentle voice.

"Joyce..."

Without any time to think further, Welt felt unprecedented power surge into his body. He raised the Star of Eden.

"Stop here, giant serpent coveting the world! Star of Eden, 0th power, start!"

A blinding white light, like that of Genesis swallowed everything instantly.

Time, space, and all physical constants from the real world became disordered, disappearing and reversing in an indescribable, empty world.

This power, enough to swallow an entire continent, completely sealed off the dimension of reality, plunging both Welt and Ninti into an empty world of indeterminate color and sensation.

"Ahem!"

Welt, unsteady on his feet, leaned on Ninti to maintain balance.

'Oh no, my body has reached its limit. But what about Ninti? I must... hold this enemy back, even if it means sacrificing everything. I can't let Ninti...'

Welt fought to stay conscious, resisting the pull of unconsciousness.

What he didn’t know was that this fate was a hundred times better than being reduced to a mere core in the original timeline, waiting for the destined successor to arrive.

Meanwhile, Kevin, standing opposite them, slowly tilted his head.

‘?'

'What’s with this kid?'

'She feels like a Honkai beast, or rather, a MANTIS of this new era. But she also resembles a Herrscher and carries the same aura as the Honkai Apostle. But... she’s not her.'

‘And why does this Herrscher seem like he’s protecting the world?’

Kevin was perplexed.

The experience from the previous civilization seemed irrelevant here.

‘So, Elysia, did you succeed?’

Elysia, that most special comrade, flashed through Kevin’s mind. Even as just a memory, her pure beauty and kindness still softened Kevin’s cold eyes.

"Why, do you want to help the Apostle of Honkai?"

Kevin's voice, cold and stiff from disuse, finally activated as he tried to make sense of the situation.

Could it be that, in this era, a Herrscher could fight alongside humans?

"Because Joachim is Joachim—not an Apostle of Honkai!"

Ninti, using her small hand, shielded Welt, trying to protect him in his injured and powerless state.

Kevin quietly watched the scene.

The small MANTIS tried her hardest to protect the Herrscher, while the dying Herrscher forced himself to remain alert, staring at Kevin with unwavering determination.

"..."

After a moment, Kevin slowly retreated in silence. The Herrscher couldn’t be trusted, but this was a different era. The two before him might represent the possibility Elysia had always hoped for.

So, instead of rushing to use the Herrscher core to escape the quantum dimension, Kevin decided to observe a little longer.

---

Chapter 278: There is No Traitor in Our World Serpent!

Under the brilliant red sky, Jackal suddenly picked up the communicator she carried with her. She looked at it carefully and frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"The quantum energy tide has ended, the space has stabilized, and the Eye of The Deep has been closed. But the Lord hasn’t come back."

Jackal bit her lip and smacked them again, looking very unwilling.

Gray Serpent was surprised for a moment, then said:

"So you get anxious sometimes too?"

"Gray Serpent, I’m warning you! The Lord is the most critical part of Project Stigma. No one can replace him to take over the power of the end, not even Lord Shamash! Without the Lord, how can we carry out the plan?!"

Jackal who was not usually diligent, suddenly began to loudly criticize the hardworking Gray Serpent.

Gray Serpent just regretted missing this opportunity, but when he saw Jackal’s rare display of "true feelings," he became amused.

However, knowing Jackal’s character, he had to comfort her at this moment.

"Don't panic, we have plenty of time, everything is under control. As long as Lord Shamash is here, there won’t be any issue in welcoming the Lord back. The only difference is whether it’s this time or the next, that's all."

Yes, there was no need to use the conspiracies and calculations as originally planned, nor to risk using Cocolia as a bridge to sneak into The Deep and secretly open the Eye of The Deep.

Under the power of Lord Shamash, the World Serpent can openly enter The Deep and welcome the Lord back. This is the confidence that comes from strength.

It's just that, before Project Stigma is officially launched, it’s not too late for the Lord to return. At this moment, all efforts should focus on preparing the plan and verifying the technology. It is not appropriate to provoke Anti-Entropy unnecessarily, causing conflicts and turmoil. Therefore, it’s better not to be too high-profile.

"Hmph! I hope you truly understand the situation. If your laziness delays the plan, I’ll dismantle all your clones and smash your database!"

"Of course, don't worry, Jackal."

Gray Serpent accepted the threat and warning from his colleague with great satisfaction.

His colleagues were dedicated to Project Stigma, keeping their mission in mind!

His boss was leading the Serpent’s cause, firm and pure!

Their World Serpent was clean and pure, without any traitors!!!

The atmosphere at that moment was truly great—provided you ignored the blade Raiden Mei placed under Jackal’s neck and the gun Kiana pressed against Gray Serpent’s head.

"Hey! What the hell are you two talking about? Are you even aware of the situation? I’m warning you, call Shamash back quickly. If you hurt Angel, I’ll smash all of you World Serpents!"

Kiana was a very principled person.

For example, between attending class seriously and dozing off, she would choose to slack off without hesitation.

For example, when faced with complicated causes and Angel's safety, she wouldn’t hesitate to choose to protect her own people.

To such threats, Jackal rolled her eyes indifferently, like a dead pig not afraid of boiling water.

Gray Serpent, on the other hand, looked at Fu Hua, who was gazing at the sky, sighed, and said:

"She is the one chosen by Lord Su. Even if she is a Herrscher, Lord Shamash will know her limits. But, Lord Hua, are you truly going to stand against us?"

"…"

Fu Hua was silent for a long time, then shook her head and said.

"I don't know. I just want to take my disciple home safely."

"I understand. Since you can stand here and watch, it means that you recognize Lord Shamash is simply testing your disciple's abilities. The Lord isn’t serious, you can rest assured."

"Well, I sensed the energy she released from afar when she was in the East Shamash Sea. Although Angel has become much stronger, there is still a significant gap compared to that level."

Their brief encounter before, and the shared origin from prehistoric times, made Fu Hua trust Shamash’s restraint, so she refrained from intervening.

At this moment, Angel probably needed to vent, and Shamash, who was both restrained and powerful enough, was the best target for her to vent on.

'Let them fight. She’ll calm down once she’s tired, and then we can have a proper conversation with her.'

Fu Hua thought this and did not move.

Raiden Mei had similar thoughts.

As for Kiana, she didn’t think too deeply; she simply followed the other two.

The three of them looked up at the sky at the same time, nervously watching Angel’s movements.

...

"Bang! Bang! Bang!!"

'I’m getting a little tired.'

'I’ve been playing with special effects the whole time, how can I not feel numb? The fight in The Deep is over, and it’s time to wrap this up.'

In the sky, Shamash wielding her flaming sword, and Angel, holding her red-gold blade, stood facing each other from a distance.

Angel’s purpose was to create a reasonable excuse for Shamash not to interfere with The Deep, while also leaving clues regarding Su’s inheritance.

Now, the first goal had been successfully achieved. As for the second, they would showcase it with the battle’s climax and ending.

Both of them resolved to gather their strength. Delta, Yae Sakura, and thousands of clones all contributed. The two Honkai energies, already superior to the Herrscher’s, climbed to even more terrifying heights.

'Even with two supermodel-level combat forces, the supply is almost insufficient. I still don’t have enough reserves.'

Angel was worried about her own shortcomings, and the deep fear of insufficient firepower surged in her heart again.

But under the red sky, the audience wore solemn expressions.

"Incredible, has Angel grown this powerful?"

Raiden Mei’s cold, silent expression melted, revealing a grateful smile.

Even though Angel might stab her with a sword if they faced off again, it didn’t stop Raiden Mei from genuinely feeling happy for Angel's growth.

"But at the same time, Shamash is getting serious. Such a display of power is rare, even in my memory. Angel isn’t at her level." Fu Hua poured cold water on the situation, staring at the boundless flames and dark-gold sword energy in confrontation, quietly clenching her hands behind her back, ready to intervene at any moment.

"What are you saying, class monitor? Don’t say such discouraging things! Angel will definitely win, I believe in her!" Kiana puffed out her chest confidently.

Unfortunately, this time, Kiana would be disappointed.

In the sky, Shamash raised his sword high, and the flames on the blade surged out of the atmosphere. From the ground, it looked like a meteor frozen in time.

"This farce ends here, Hua’s disciple."

"…"

Angel’s body began to tremble, and her face, illuminated by the firelight, showed hesitation before it quickly turned into absolute resolve. She lowered her head, looking at the ruined Heliopolis Life Sciences Medical Base. Then, her Taixuan ki was fully compressed, and the red ancient sword lay across her chest.

"God is interchangeable, and He can describe all things in words. He cannot be questioned in form... Master, I understand."

"You..."

Shamash seemed to sense something, and a trace of surprise appeared on her small face.

The next second, a huge golden figure emerged from Angel’s body, towering over the sky, shining brightly.

It resembled Angel as if she had grown up. The golden figure had a flawless, beautiful face. The golden skirt gently brushed the ground, and its posture, with closed eyes and a bowed head, resembled a god who pitied all living beings.

Angel raised her sword and swung it downward.

The golden goddess, thousands of feet tall, also raised her golden sword and brought it down vertically, like the sword of Damocles about to fall.

This figure was far larger and more solid than the spiritual projection Ji Lin had presented in the East Shamash Sea, and it captured the attention of thousands. Its impact was unparalleled.

"Very impressive power. Is this a gift from Su?"

"..."

Angel, with the indifference and silence of an avenger, lowered her hands as the enormous golden sword cut through the air, as if intending to sever the earth.

Shamash was unfazed and swung her sword to meet the attack overhead, but as she did, the flames on her sword intensified, scorching the earth like a blazing sun.

"Bang!!!"

A deafening sound shattered the sky.

Even though they were far away, countless buildings in Arc City had their glass and walls shattered, and a hot, surging wind swept across the land, as if doomsday had arrived.

Although Kiana, Raiden Mei, and Fu Hua weren’t injured by the blast, they had to raise their hands and close their eyes to shield themselves from the wind and sand.

At that moment, both Kiana and Raiden Mei realized that the captives they were controlling had escaped from their grasp and were flying upward.

"Kiana?"

"Mei, I'm here too... Let’s go up and check!"

The three of them ascended in unison. After passing through the wind and sand, they saw the golden giant sword shattering as it collided with the flames, far more fragile than expected.

But at the same time, Jackal and Gray Serpent were being lifted into the air as though tied by invisible silk threads.

The golden goddess behind Angel held the giant sword, which was breaking apart in the clash with Shamash, in one hand, while the other hand reached into the air, moving toward Jackal and Gray Serpent, who were unable to break free.

"Gray Serpent!!!"

As Jackal struggled and twisted, she saw the enormous golden palm coming toward her and immediately shouted at Gray Serpent.

Gray Serpent instantly understood.

"Beep! Beep beep beep!"

Under the cold mask, marked with crossed daggers, the scarlet electronic eye flashed rapidly, emitting a high-frequency warning sound.

"Jackal, you’re on your own from here..."

"Bang!"

Before the words finished, a violent explosion erupted just as the golden palm was about to strike.

At first glance, it seemed as though Angel had directly blown up Gray Serpent and Jackal.

In reality, Gray Serpent had used the explosion’s force to break Jackal free from the restraints—he had countless clones, so it didn’t matter how he perished, but Jackal had only one brain, and Gray Serpent clearly knew which was more important.

Having failed to kill the two instantly, Angel's expression turned colder.

But at the same time, Shamash had finally destroyed Angel’s golden sword, and the fire, which seemed to pierce the sky, was heading toward the enormous golden goddess.

"Bang!!!"

"Boom!!!"

The golden goddess was ruthlessly cut in half, and the golden light dimmed, gradually fading away. However, the immense energy dispersed in all directions, hindering the three from rushing in to rescue her.

As they crossed the remaining obstacles, Shamash waved her hand, and the flames, spanning the sky and the earth, gradually dissipated, like an unstoppable demon.

Angel’s figure fell from the sky like a wounded bird, and the blood streaming from her body traced a sorrowful red line in the air.

"Angel!!!" ×3

----

Chapter 279: My Revenge Will Never Stop

The bloodstained girl fell like a lone wild goose, and those who cherished her shouted and rushed forward to catch her body without hesitation.

However, no one could touch her.

The hands of Kiana, Raiden Mei, and Fu Hua passed through the girl's body at the same time, as if passing through a phantom. Then, they saw Angel turn into countless stars and disappear.

"Over-activating the Honkai energy caused her body to be completely transformed by the Honkai energy. When that power disappears, it naturally takes everything in the body with it. This is a lesson you should remember."

Shamash spoke in a teaching tone, devoid of empathy.

The three of them turned to look at her.

It went without saying that Kiana and Raiden Mei were filled with hostility.

Even Fu Hua, usually calm and with a special status, gritted her teeth. The energy and heat generated by her anger distorted the air around her.

"Give me back Angel!!!"

"What are you crying about?"

Kiana's eyes, filled with grief and anger, suddenly dulled. She looked up, wide-eyed, and saw Angel, who had just disappeared, standing in the air, exactly as she was before, as if everything prior had been an illusion.

"Swoosh!"

The Fire Spirit Sword that had just fallen passed through the three of them and landed in Angel's hands.

Shamash looked at the girl in front of her, sighed softly, and then said to Fu Hua.

"The Herrscher of Dominance is one body—one is all, and all is one. The disappearance of an individual is meaningless to the Herrscher of the Thousands. Hua, have you forgotten that memory?"

"Uh... I... that... I didn’t react in time."

After a moment of embarrassment, Fu Hua looked at the cold-looking blonde girl and slowly smiled.

That's great.

It’s great that she's fine!

Overcome with lingering fear and relief, Fu Hua subconsciously wanted to approach Angel.

But then she saw Angel suddenly swing her sword. The sword’s energy swept down in front of the three, leaving sword marks stretching for miles on the ground. It seemed to draw a line in the air in front of them.

"Don't come any closer..."

"Angel, what are you doing? Don’t you recognize me? I’m Kiana, your best friend! You almost cut my toes off just now, you know?"

Kiana didn’t understand at all. They had been so close before, so why was she being met with such a sharp rejection just for wanting to hug her?

"Aren't we friends?"

"I said don't come any closer! I’ve already—"

"I don’t care! I don’t understand! I don’t believe you would really swing your sword at me!"

"Kiana! Why can’t you ever see the situation clearly!?"

The script had gone off track.

Angel hadn’t expected Kiana to be so impulsive. But when Angel looked into Kiana's eyes, she was suddenly stunned.

The blue eyes, once clear and innocent, now brimmed with tears, filled with unspoken repression and grievance.

Yes, she had been so good to her, and Kiana had trusted and loved her deeply. Then, everything changed, they were separated, and now there was this rejection. This girl... she must have cried silently in the middle of the night, right?

"I..."

Angel hesitated for a moment.

It was during this brief hesitation that Kiana rushed forward and hugged Angel tightly, with such force it seemed as though she wanted to melt Angel into her. Tears fell onto Angel’s head.

"Angel, I missed you so much. I was so worried about you..."

Kiana expressed her emotions through choked sobs.

She laughed through her tears, her voice full of grievance and discomfort.

‘You’re crying and whimpering like this? You have no image at all. How can you be a protagonist meant to bear the power of the end?’

Angel scoffed inwardly, but her hand unconsciously reached behind Kiana, patting and caressing her as if comforting a child.

However, the tenderness lasted only a moment. Soon, Angel felt something strange against her chest. Her face turned red, and she fiercely turned her sword, smacking this pervert across the face with its flat side.

"Get off!"

"Bang!!!"

Kiana screamed and was sent flying like a cannonball.

Fu Hua and Raiden Mei were both shocked.

But seeing Angel holding the sword with one trembling hand, and covering her chest with the other, her face red with shame, they instantly understood everything.

"..." × 2

It was, in a way, admirable to be this stubborn.

But at the same time, the blushing, embarrassed Angel was much friendlier than the cold, distant version from earlier.

Kiana was still Kiana, and Angel was still Angel.

This fact brought Fu Hua and Raiden Mei a sense of relief.

After taking a few deep breaths, Angel seemed to calm down. She turned around, her long sword reflecting a cold red light, and her eyes scanned the ground below.

After a moment, she trembled and gripped the sword’s hilt tightly, the murderous aura that had been dormant surging back to life.

"He actually ran away!"

"Jackal is smarter than you think. She knows your goal and won’t sit around waiting for death. Stop here. Retreat. I won’t pursue you."

"What is Project Stigma?"

"Su, didn’t I tell you?"

Angel was silent for a moment, then turned to Shamash, her eyes flashing with red light.

"He said I would find the answer myself."

Shamash’s eyes wavered.

"I think you should ask Kevin, because only he is qualified to explain all of this to outsiders. Once again, stop here, wait for Kevin to return, and use your power to seek answers from him."

"Clang——"

In response, Angel stepped forward and slashed with her sword, clashing with Shamash’s flaming blade, producing a clear sound and a ripple of collapse energy.

"You don’t understand anything at all!"

"I lost everything, fell into the abyss, and climbed out through anger and hatred!"

"And now, you tell me to stop here!?"

The sound of metal clashing echoed in the night sky as Shamash calmly blocked with one hand, unmoved.

Anyone could see that the current Angel no longer possessed the power to destroy the world. She now appeared much weaker than the average Herrscher.

"Shamash! You have no connection to Nagazora City. Don’t stop me!"

"Su must have his reasons for choosing you, but you are far from reaching the level where you can do as you please. Unless each of your clones regains its former strength, you cannot surpass me. Once again, leave. The Serpent will not pursue you."

"I will never die! If it doesn’t work once, I’ll try a hundred times. If a hundred doesn’t work, then a thousand! I won’t stop until I get what I want. My revenge will never end, and you’ll never be rid of me!"

As the clashes grew more frequent, Angel's roar echoed far and wide.

Raiden Mei’s face turned pale. She lowered her head, unable to meet the crazed gaze of the girl she once knew.

...

At the same time, in the distant wilderness, the Jackal pulled a Gray Serpent clone from the shadows.

"Listen, the Nagazora City incident has brought unexpected trouble. You need to calm things down."

"She can’t defeat Lord Shamash."

"I know! But the Herrscher of Dominance is immortal! We’ve studied Angel, and we all know how relentless she is in her quest for revenge. You understand the Herrscher of Dominance’s dangers better than I do! Besides, she was chosen by Su. Who knows what role she’ll play in the future? She can’t beat Lord Shamash, but he won’t kill her. That means the World Serpent will be facing an enemy that is everywhere and endless!"

"..."

Gray Serpent was silent.

He understood exactly what the Jackal meant.

A Herrscher of Dominance that cannot be killed, far stronger than those of the previous civilization, would place a tremendous burden on Project Stigma if she deliberately targeted the World Serpent over time.

Though Shamash was powerful, she could not monitor every part of the plan at all times.

"We’ve created an enemy that cannot be extinguished. Even if we don’t consider Hua and Mount Taixu, she herself has become a major concern for Project Stigma. We have only one option—we must calm her anger and eliminate her hostility! Gray Serpent, do you understand what I mean?"

"I understand."

Gray Serpent nodded solemnly.

Once the message was sent, the order was swiftly transmitted throughout the Gray Serpent network. Dozens, maybe hundreds, of Gray Serpent clones who had participated in the Nagazora City incident in various capacities stopped what they were doing. They looked in the direction of the conflict, said nothing, and waited in silence and calm for their inevitable end.

---

Chapter 280: I Can Also Be the Price

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The heavy ancient sword clashed repeatedly against Shamash’s great sword, with each strike producing an intense collision of force, creating a continuous ringing of blades.

To Fu Hua, who could clearly perceive the difference in strength between the two sides, the sound seemed more like the wail of a sword under unbearable pressure. Just like its wielder, the sword was forced into a futile display of strength.

Yet, how could she bear to stop Angel?

‘Even if the wound is healed, I... still can’t do anything, can I?’

This issue couldn’t be resolved through simple strength.

Fu Hua was possibly the most conflicted of them all.

Kiana, Raiden Mei, and Himeko stood by Angel’s side without hesitation, united in shared anger.

But Fu Hua couldn’t bring herself to stand against Kevin, nor could she persuade Angel to let go of her hatred.

Just as Fu Hua clenched her fists, lost in thought, a shout from the ground interrupted the continuous ringing of metal.

"Angel, Herrscher of the Thousand, I’ve brought the answers you asked for!"

Jackal stood on the ground, one hand on her waist, the other holding a loudspeaker, shouting loudly.

Angel looked down, a dangerous smile forming at the corner of her lips, and immediately abandoned her battle with Shamash. The ancient sword in her hand transformed into a red beam and shot downward.

"Swish!"

"Boom!"

Shamash appeared in front of Jackal and Gray Serpent in an instant, her flaming sword deflecting Angel's blade away.

She turned, intending to say something to her two subordinates who had arrived unexpectedly, but then she frowned.

"Hee!"

"Hee hee hee!"

"It’s coming!"

"Since it’s here, I don’t need to waste time looking for it!"

"Shamash, you can’t stop me!" × N

The voice echoed from above, below, in front, and behind—everywhere at once. It was as if hundreds or thousands of people were speaking, but it was all Angel’s voice, filled with ecstatic glee.

Suddenly, numerous versions of Angel emerged from the shifting space, each with red, glowing eyes, releasing a terrifying, almost inhuman aura of murderous intent.

"Lord Shamash, allow me to handle this next part."

"Gray Serpent, Jackal, you shouldn’t have come. She’s no match for me."

"But Lord Shamash, she will become a significant obstacle to Project Stigma."

Gray Serpent sighed, his scarlet electronic eyes dimming slightly.

Shamash remained silent for a moment, staring at Gray Serpent as though trying to read his thoughts. After a while, she shook her head and said.

"Gray Serpent, we aren’t at that point yet. We don’t need you to..."

"Lord Shamash, Project Stigma demands a price. That price could be a city, it could be me, or even you and the Lord someday... We’re honored to make the same sacrifices as you two."

Gray Serpent placed one hand on his chest and bowed, a gesture of both respect and farewell.

Shamash shook her head once more, expressionless.

If Project Stigma required someone like Gray Serpent, Kevin might ask him to make a sacrifice. But to surrender him to the enemy just to satisfy their anger? That would never be Kevin’s way.

And it certainly wasn’t Shamash Angel’s way either.

Gray Serpent straightened once again.

"Lord Shamash, I hope you’ll be more rational. Everything we do is for Project Stigma. Theoretically, we’re equals. Only the Lord himself can issue me an order. Besides, I’ve made my decision, and you have no means to interfere with my data network or stop me from self-destruction."

It was the first time Gray Serpent had asserted his equal status. Until now, he had always viewed himself as Shamash’s subordinate.

Shamash reacted with silence, unable to refute him.

Gray Serpent continued, "You needn’t worry about the mission. Only my clones will be lost. The remaining Gray Serpents are sufficient to support the organization’s operations."

"..."

"As the sole Gray Serpent present, I bid you farewell on behalf of all. The mission of the World Serpent will continue, and humanity will prevail against the Honkai!"

With that, Gray Serpent stepped past Shamash, who could no longer stop him, and faced the gathering Angels surrounding him. He sighed and said.

"The Nagazora City incident was orchestrated by us. A total of 103 Gray Serpent individuals were involved, either directly or indirectly. If you refrain from further hostility towards the World Serpent, we will self-destruct as reparation."

"I can get my own explanation. Why should I listen to you?" × N

"Because Lord Shamash is powerful, and the Lord even more so. You don’t want to embarrass Mount Taixu because of your actions, do you?"

Gray Serpent's investigation revealed that while Angel was driven by revenge, she also valued her bonds. He hoped to appeal to her emotions.

But no one expected Fu Hua to suddenly step forward and place a hand on one of Angel’s shoulders.

"No, don’t worry about it. Do whatever you want, Angel."

One by one, the many Angels turned to face Fu Hua, their hundreds of red eyes focused on her.

In that moment, Fu Hua felt a hint of fear.

Facing the gazes of so many might not have been intimidating, but when all those faces resembled her apprentice, it took on the feeling of a horror story.

Thankfully, Angel quickly turned her attention back to Gray Serpent in the center.

"...How will you prove it?" × N

"The evidence I can provide includes a complete chain of data and the recorded logs from our self-destruction. If you can’t interpret them, Book of Fuxi can verify the truth for you."

"No need. I’ll see for myself."

Angel stepped out of the void, raising her hand and pressing it against Gray Serpent’s mask.

In the next instant, all the Gray Serpents became aware of her presence in their data network.

[You possess abilities similar to the Herrscher of Corruption?]

[Is this era's Herrscher of Legion truly omnipotent?]

[Then, our decision is correct.]

[We’re completely sincere in resolving this. Feel free to verify the evidence and witness the self-destruction.]

Realizing the extent of Angel’s power, the Gray Serpents were relieved they had made the right choice. They quickly disabled their defense mechanisms, allowing her to freely explore their network.

In the consciousness network, Angel maintained a cold expression, observing the data flowing in various directions.

In her mind’s eye, she watched as the bodies of 103 Gray Serpents simultaneously lost power, their connections deleted from the network.

‘Is that it? Is it really over?’

Angel’s thoughts buzzed as if in disbelief.

It all felt surreal, like a dream.

When Gray Serpent had no means of resisting, and she finally invaded its network—a plan she had been preparing for—there were many actions she could take.

But now, she hesitated.

---

Chapter 281: Welt, Open Your Mouth

[Is it over?]

[Yes, all the individuals in the range have been eliminated.]

[What does this thing she left behind mean?]

In the Gray Serpent network, the remaining Gray Serpent consciousnesses looked at the network node occupied by Angel, clearly not intending to withdraw. They exchanged confused glances.

[Is it a surveillance device?]

[Or a backdoor? If they’re dissatisfied, could they use it as a breakthrough point to capture us all at once?]

[Should we forcibly erase this node?]

The Gray Serpents fell silent at these questions.

Setting aside the possibility of this emotionally unstable Herrscher reigniting hostility if they erased the occupied node, the node itself was occupied by the Herrscher.

Who knew if she had the ability to destroy it? What if moving the node triggered a catastrophic reaction that affected the entire Gray Serpent network?

The Herrscher, an Apostle of the Honkai who led the previous civilization to its destruction, meant that any issue involving her power could not be easily resolved.

[...Then, can we just leave it alone for now?]

[It seems that’s the only option.]

[Fortunately, as soon as she entered the network, we physically cut off the most critical data. To be on the safe side, that data will not be uploaded again and will be given to Jackal for management and use.]

[Agreed.]

[In fact, it may not be entirely negative. Lord Su’s actions must have a deeper meaning. Perhaps this is part of the Lord’s plan.]

The Gray Serpents had talked themselves into accepting the situation.

They were indifferent to their own privacy and safety.

Just like the Gray Serpents who had sacrificed themselves, as long as it benefited the mission of the World Serpent, they cared for nothing else. Although there was a risk of a minor issue causing major damage, they couldn’t afford to provoke Angel further. So, the Gray Serpents would endure this minor problem.

...

After achieving her goal, Angel disappeared from view.

Except for a few of her own followers, only Kiana, who was partially a Herrscher of the Void, noticed that Angel had taken many clones away simultaneously through space teleportation.

"So amazing, she's like the Herrscher of the Void..."

Kiana blinked in astonishment.

Then she nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"That’s right, after all, it’s Angel!"

As the top genius of Saint Freya, there was no subject she couldn’t excel in or any challenge she couldn’t overcome. This was simply normal for her.

At this moment, Himeko, Theresa, and Bronya, who had narrowly escaped being crushed by the aftermath of the battle between Angel and Shamash, arrived on the scene.

But there was nothing left except the debris of the battlefield.

Himeko, who had arrived first with the trio, assessed the situation and then breathed a sigh of relief.

She patted the distressed Raiden Mei on the shoulder and said with a smile:

"Isn’t this a good thing? It means that the stubborn little mule is fine now, though she’s still making a fuss. Just wait for another chance to deal with her next time, alright?"

"Making a fuss?"

"What else? Aside from not talking to you, did she do anything else to you?"

Himeko rolled her eyes.

Raiden Mei and Bronya, deeply affected by recent events, felt a strong sense of guilt and remorse. Although they were extremely worried about and missed Angel, they couldn’t bring themselves to reach out when they saw her.

From an observer’s perspective, Angel’s behavior actually revealed her true feelings.

If she truly saw them as enemies, with her current strength, would Mei Raiden and Bronya still be standing here?

"Next time you see her, give her a hug. I know her well. She seems smart and capable, and she dares to love and hate, but she is also sensitive and prone to getting stuck in a rut. She might create obstacles for herself, but she can’t resist the sincerity of those around her. Believe me, just hug her and tell her you still regard her as your closest friend, and she’ll blush and let you get close without being able to refuse."

Himeko spoke with relief.

The audience nodded thoughtfully.

Kiana, in particular, had a sudden realization and slapped her palm—reflecting on her past actions, she realized that this lady had always been strategically adept!

Only Shamash and Jackal, who were nearby, exchanged subtle glances.

...

"Sensitive, stubborn, high attack and high defense... Am I really that kind of person?"

Angel placed a piece of the Gray Serpent mask in front of the tombstone and frowned as she asked her parents.

No one answered.

So she sat cross-legged with a downcast expression.

"Well, I’ve basically taken all the revenge I needed to. Would you be happier knowing that?"

"Gray Serpent, that fool, really thought he was sacrificing himself for the organization and the mission. He didn’t realize he had long been my puppet. I directed him wherever I pleased. His fate and the number of casualties depended on my whims. Hahaha, those idiots are still clueless. How amusing!"

Angel laughed loudly.

But her joy was fleeting.

Looking at the quiet and cold tombstone, Angel's smile quickly faded.

"I'm sorry, I wanted to make you laugh, but I couldn’t. I’ve become so powerful, right? I can even toy with Gray Serpent, an inhuman monster who has lived for who knows how long. Would you be afraid of me now?"

One scene after another, one identity after another, and she was increasingly dreading the day when the truth would be revealed.

Now, aside from the naive Sirin and the loyal Benares, who knew she had been managing so many identities for so long, everyone else would likely see her as a scheming monster.

Oh, Su was an exception, but he was gone.

"I... I seem to be really stuck in a dead end?" Angel suddenly realized, slapped her forehead, and had to admire Himeko’s insight—“Good grief, you pay so much attention to me and still claim you don't like me?”

Angel grinned and looked at the tombstone.

A trace of relief flashed in her clear purple eyes. All the people who needed to be dealt with had been dealt with, and it felt much easier, as if a layer of shackles had been removed.

At the same time, a certain motivation seemed to have vanished, making her feel lethargic.

Angel lay down, placed her hands flat on her abdomen, gazed at the increasingly bright sky, and let her thoughts gradually dissipate.

"We'll study and analyze the Gray Serpent network system later. I haven’t slept in a long time, so I’ll take a nap."

Angel murmured, slowly closing her eyes.

...

[Hello... Hello... I'm Ninti, can you hear me?]

[I... Zizizizi...]

[Kai... Serpent... Zizizizi...]

Intermittent signals came through the internal network.

A hint of helplessness crossed Ninti's face.

'The power still works, but it’s being interfered with and restricted. As expected, power doesn’t vanish just because it leaves the world, but the supply of cocoons weakens with increased distance in time and space.'

'It seems we’ll have to wait until I in the world come up with new methods or until I return before we can re-establish effective communication.'

While Ninti was pondering, Welt’s eyelids suddenly fluttered beneath the trees nearby.

"Joachim, ah~~"

Welt, just regaining consciousness, opened his mouth in a daze, following the voice that had caught him off guard.

Something soft and sweet was stuffed into his mouth.

Welt chewed instinctively and then sat up with a start.

"Nin... ti..."

Welt clutched his aching head and watched as Ninti took out a new jelly from her pocket, tore open the package, and continued feeding it to him.

"Wait, where are we? Where did you get this jelly?"

"I don’t know where we are. After that person left, Joachim fainted. I tried to find a world I could enter and sought out a doctor for Joachim. But there seems to be no one here, only this food."

Ninti pointed to the side.

Welt looked over and saw a desolate and dilapidated steel wasteland. After a moment of thought, he concluded:

"Then we must still be in the Sea of Quanta. There are many phantoms or debris of worlds in the quantum realm that may be destroyed by the sea’s energy at any time, known as world bubbles. This place should be a world bubble."

"Bubble... World? I think I’ve heard that term before."

"Anyway, compared to the empty Sea or Quanta, this world bubble is a more suitable place to rest."

Welt said absent-mindedly, reflecting on the current situation and possible escape routes.

At that moment, Ninti tore open another jelly and brought it to Welt’s mouth.

Welt noticed the dust on Ninti's face, a sign of her hard search for food, and his heart softened. He shook his head, looked at Ninti with affection, and said softly:

"No, I’m a Herrscher; I don’t need to eat. This is the food you found, so you should eat it, Ninti."

"But Joachim, Sister Liesel said that patients need more nutrition. Be good, this is all we have right now. Don’t be picky, ah~~"

The little girl looked at Welt with earnest and serious eyes, her expression somber, but her concern was evident in her actions.

Especially her habitual way of speaking, treating Welt like a younger child, really made it seem like Joyce was caring for Welt through this child.

Welt’s heart warmed, and he opened his mouth, accepting the jelly that Ninti offered. Ninti blinked and asked in a soft, childish voice.

"Is it delicious? I didn’t eat any because I didn’t find much. I’m not sure if it’s expired..."

"Don’t worry, it’s not spoiled; it’s very sweet!"

The sweetness was so intense that Welt felt his pain and weakness subside significantly.

---

Chapter 281: Welt, Open Your Mouth

[Is it over?]

[Yes, all the individuals in the range have been eliminated.]

[What does this thing she left behind mean?]

In the Gray Serpent network, the remaining Gray Serpent consciousnesses looked at the network node occupied by Angel, clearly not intending to withdraw. They exchanged confused glances.

[Is it a surveillance device?]

[Or a backdoor? If they’re dissatisfied, could they use it as a breakthrough point to capture us all at once?]

[Should we forcibly erase this node?]

The Gray Serpents fell silent at these questions.

Setting aside the possibility of this emotionally unstable Herrscher reigniting hostility if they erased the occupied node, the node itself was occupied by the Herrscher.

Who knew if she had the ability to destroy it? What if moving the node triggered a catastrophic reaction that affected the entire Gray Serpent network?

The Herrscher, an Apostle of the Honkai who led the previous civilization to its destruction, meant that any issue involving her power could not be easily resolved.

[...Then, can we just leave it alone for now?]

[It seems that’s the only option.]

[Fortunately, as soon as she entered the network, we physically cut off the most critical data. To be on the safe side, that data will not be uploaded again and will be given to Jackal for management and use.]

[Agreed.]

[In fact, it may not be entirely negative. Lord Su’s actions must have a deeper meaning. Perhaps this is part of the Lord’s plan.]

The Gray Serpents had talked themselves into accepting the situation.

They were indifferent to their own privacy and safety.

Just like the Gray Serpents who had sacrificed themselves, as long as it benefited the mission of the World Serpent, they cared for nothing else. Although there was a risk of a minor issue causing major damage, they couldn’t afford to provoke Angel further. So, the Gray Serpents would endure this minor problem.

...

After achieving her goal, Angel disappeared from view.

Except for a few of her own followers, only Kiana, who was partially a Herrscher of the Void, noticed that Angel had taken many clones away simultaneously through space teleportation.

"So amazing, she's like the Herrscher of the Void..."

Kiana blinked in astonishment.

Then she nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"That’s right, after all, it’s Angel!"

As the top genius of Saint Freya, there was no subject she couldn’t excel in or any challenge she couldn’t overcome. This was simply normal for her.

At this moment, Himeko, Theresa, and Bronya, who had narrowly escaped being crushed by the aftermath of the battle between Angel and Shamash, arrived on the scene.

But there was nothing left except the debris of the battlefield.

Himeko, who had arrived first with the trio, assessed the situation and then breathed a sigh of relief.

She patted the distressed Raiden Mei on the shoulder and said with a smile:

"Isn’t this a good thing? It means that the stubborn little mule is fine now, though she’s still making a fuss. Just wait for another chance to deal with her next time, alright?"

"Making a fuss?"

"What else? Aside from not talking to you, did she do anything else to you?"

Himeko rolled her eyes.

Raiden Mei and Bronya, deeply affected by recent events, felt a strong sense of guilt and remorse. Although they were extremely worried about and missed Angel, they couldn’t bring themselves to reach out when they saw her.

From an observer’s perspective, Angel’s behavior actually revealed her true feelings.

If she truly saw them as enemies, with her current strength, would Mei Raiden and Bronya still be standing here?

"Next time you see her, give her a hug. I know her well. She seems smart and capable, and she dares to love and hate, but she is also sensitive and prone to getting stuck in a rut. She might create obstacles for herself, but she can’t resist the sincerity of those around her. Believe me, just hug her and tell her you still regard her as your closest friend, and she’ll blush and let you get close without being able to refuse."

Himeko spoke with relief.

The audience nodded thoughtfully.

Kiana, in particular, had a sudden realization and slapped her palm—reflecting on her past actions, she realized that this lady had always been strategically adept!

Only Shamash and Jackal, who were nearby, exchanged subtle glances.

...

"Sensitive, stubborn, high attack and high defense... Am I really that kind of person?"

Angel placed a piece of the Gray Serpent mask in front of the tombstone and frowned as she asked her parents.

No one answered.

So she sat cross-legged with a downcast expression.

"Well, I’ve basically taken all the revenge I needed to. Would you be happier knowing that?"

"Gray Serpent, that fool, really thought he was sacrificing himself for the organization and the mission. He didn’t realize he had long been my puppet. I directed him wherever I pleased. His fate and the number of casualties depended on my whims. Hahaha, those idiots are still clueless. How amusing!"

Angel laughed loudly.

But her joy was fleeting.

Looking at the quiet and cold tombstone, Angel's smile quickly faded.

"I'm sorry, I wanted to make you laugh, but I couldn’t. I’ve become so powerful, right? I can even toy with Gray Serpent, an inhuman monster who has lived for who knows how long. Would you be afraid of me now?"

One scene after another, one identity after another, and she was increasingly dreading the day when the truth would be revealed.

Now, aside from the naive Sirin and the loyal Benares, who knew she had been managing so many identities for so long, everyone else would likely see her as a scheming monster.

Oh, Su was an exception, but he was gone.

"I... I seem to be really stuck in a dead end?" Angel suddenly realized, slapped her forehead, and had to admire Himeko’s insight—“Good grief, you pay so much attention to me and still claim you don't like me?”

Angel grinned and looked at the tombstone.

A trace of relief flashed in her clear purple eyes. All the people who needed to be dealt with had been dealt with, and it felt much easier, as if a layer of shackles had been removed.

At the same time, a certain motivation seemed to have vanished, making her feel lethargic.

Angel lay down, placed her hands flat on her abdomen, gazed at the increasingly bright sky, and let her thoughts gradually dissipate.

"We'll study and analyze the Gray Serpent network system later. I haven’t slept in a long time, so I’ll take a nap."

Angel murmured, slowly closing her eyes.

...

[Hello... Hello... I'm Ninti, can you hear me?]

[I... Zizizizi...]

[Kai... Serpent... Zizizizi...]

Intermittent signals came through the internal network.

A hint of helplessness crossed Ninti's face.

'The power still works, but it’s being interfered with and restricted. As expected, power doesn’t vanish just because it leaves the world, but the supply of cocoons weakens with increased distance in time and space.'

'It seems we’ll have to wait until I in the world come up with new methods or until I return before we can re-establish effective communication.'

While Ninti was pondering, Welt’s eyelids suddenly fluttered beneath the trees nearby.

"Joachim, ah~~"

Welt, just regaining consciousness, opened his mouth in a daze, following the voice that had caught him off guard.

Something soft and sweet was stuffed into his mouth.

Welt chewed instinctively and then sat up with a start.

"Nin... ti..."

Welt clutched his aching head and watched as Ninti took out a new jelly from her pocket, tore open the package, and continued feeding it to him.

"Wait, where are we? Where did you get this jelly?"

"I don’t know where we are. After that person left, Joachim fainted. I tried to find a world I could enter and sought out a doctor for Joachim. But there seems to be no one here, only this food."

Ninti pointed to the side.

Welt looked over and saw a desolate and dilapidated steel wasteland. After a moment of thought, he concluded:

"Then we must still be in the Sea of Quanta. There are many phantoms or debris of worlds in the quantum realm that may be destroyed by the sea’s energy at any time, known as world bubbles. This place should be a world bubble."

"Bubble... World? I think I’ve heard that term before."

"Anyway, compared to the empty Sea or Quanta, this world bubble is a more suitable place to rest."

Welt said absent-mindedly, reflecting on the current situation and possible escape routes.

At that moment, Ninti tore open another jelly and brought it to Welt’s mouth.

Welt noticed the dust on Ninti's face, a sign of her hard search for food, and his heart softened. He shook his head, looked at Ninti with affection, and said softly:

"No, I’m a Herrscher; I don’t need to eat. This is the food you found, so you should eat it, Ninti."

"But Joachim, Sister Liesel said that patients need more nutrition. Be good, this is all we have right now. Don’t be picky, ah~~"

The little girl looked at Welt with earnest and serious eyes, her expression somber, but her concern was evident in her actions.

Especially her habitual way of speaking, treating Welt like a younger child, really made it seem like Joyce was caring for Welt through this child.

Welt’s heart warmed, and he opened his mouth, accepting the jelly that Ninti offered. Ninti blinked and asked in a soft, childish voice.

"Is it delicious? I didn’t eat any because I didn’t find much. I’m not sure if it’s expired..."

"Don’t worry, it’s not spoiled; it’s very sweet!"

The sweetness was so intense that Welt felt his pain and weakness subside significantly.

----

Chapter 282: Your Little Cutie Suddenly Appeared

The two sat together and shared a few jellies that Ninti found in the ruins.

Don’t worry about whether they are expired or not. What does food safety mean to the Herrscher? Anyway, Welt ate them and felt a warmth in his heart.

It is worth mentioning that the Herrscher is still relatively idealistic.

Like Welt, he relied on the mental barrier formed by 300,000 victims in Berlin to resist the invasion of Honkai. However, this barrier also restricted the output of the Herrscher core. The amount of power he could exert depended on how deeply his mental will could penetrate this barrier. The deeper the penetration, the more power he could tap into.

At this moment, wandering in the depths of the Sea of Quanta, if he were alone, Welt might find a place to rest after trying hard. But with Ninti here, the situation was completely different.

"Joachim, why are you looking at me? Haven’t you eaten yet? I’ll go look for him again."

"No, no, I’m fine. I just think you shouldn’t rush over to find me like this. It’s too dangerous."

Seeing Ninti’s innocent eyes full of concern, Welt’s heart softened. He gently stroked the girl’s slightly dusty golden hair and felt an immense sense of pity.

She was so embarrassed, all for this useless old man!

"Ninti, I will definitely send you back!"

Welt said calmly and firmly.

No matter what, he must not fall or give up. Even if he has to pay more price, he must ensure that this child returns to the real world safely.

His voice and the voice of his heart were in sync, and the moment his determination solidified, Welt felt a surge of exhilarating power coming from deep within his body, replenishing his weary body and spirit.

"Joachim, you’re not sending me back, but we’re going back together. Sister Liesel and Sister Frederica are waiting for us."

Ninti held Welt’s strong hands with her two soft and tender little hands. Her bright eyes stared at Welt directly and seriously.

Welt appeared to be hit by an electric current. His body felt numb, and the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but rise. At the same time, the power coming from his body became more continuous and intense.

'If I had known that I would have encouraged everyone to give Joyce and Ein some drugs or something, maybe I would have seen this child decades earlier…'

Welt stroked Ninti’s little head and, for the first time, had some uncharacteristic thoughts about his elders.

...

After a short rest, Welt held Ninti’s little hand and explored the quiet city.

"The weathering of the buildings is obvious, but there are not many signs of damage. It looks like the residents have suddenly evacuated or disappeared."

Welt rubbed his fingers on the roof of a weathered car on the roadside and was covered with thick dust. While blowing away the dust, Welt wondered what had happened to the city.

After a moment, he shook his head.

Forget it; it’s just a Bubble World after all. Whether it is projected from the real world or the wreckage of a real world, there are all kinds of possibilities. Overthinking is not of any practical significance.

The current problem is to recuperate as soon as possible and figure out the way back.

Welt had to stop when he saw the dust marks on Ninti’s hair and clothes.

Exploring the circuit is not a matter of one day or one night. Before that, should they prepare a set of normal living facilities?

I, Welt, a rough man, don’t care. Anyway, I won’t get worms. It doesn’t matter how I go through water and mud before going home.

But Ninti is different!

She is an angel!

How could he let the cutest little angel in the world suffer with him?

You know, she dresses herself up very well at home every day, she is very sensible and loves cleanliness!

At this moment, Welt knew what he had to do first—a beautiful house, delicious food, and clean water for drinking and bathing. All of these should be quickly arranged! Even if there are no conditions, they must be created, and Ninti cannot suffer with him!

"Look at that building over there; it has the best view and looks very complete. Let’s go there first, Ninti."

"Okay, I’ll listen to Joachim~~"

The little girl replied softly, blinking her big eyes.

Welt grinned and smiled like a kind and foolish old father. Suddenly, he felt that staying a few more days wasn’t a bad thing. There were no Cocolia, Tesla, or Einstein here, and he could always be with little Ninti—perfect!

The two walked to a building that was probably a financial center, reversed gravity, flew all the way up, and found a relatively clean area near the top floor.

Welt waved his hand, and the strong wind swept away a lot of dust on the surface.

Then the power was activated, and cleaning robots, exploration robots, decoration robots, and other equipment appeared in rows and began their work, determined to turn this floor into a comfortable living space not inferior to his hometown.

Welt: Joyce, will you be angry if I use your power like this?

Joyce: Well done!

Welt thought he had simulated Joyce’s answer, so he was even more interested. Seeing Ninti staring at the robots with curiosity, and then looking at him with shining admiration, Welt’s mouth corners turned up again.

...

At the same time, in another corner of this Bubble World, the fragile world barrier was forcibly torn open by a force.

"Ah—"

Accompanied by a cute exclamation, a cute girl fell down.

With black and blue shoulder-length hair, deep blue eyes like the sea, skin as white as milk, and wearing a dark blue short skirt and white stockings, the exposed area under the skirt was round and white thighs—holy and attractive.

"It hurts..."

The girl climbed up, patted the dust off her skirt, and then looked at the silent city, which resembled a disaster movie scene, and took a step back with a weak look.

"Another... another me? Where is this place?"

[Don’t ask; I’m too lazy to explain. And you’re afraid of a ghost here! With me around, all monsters are trash!]

"I... then which direction should I go?"

[Can’t you figure this out yourself? You come crying to me about everything. Are you Seele, or am I Seele?]

Another self shouted fiercely in her mind, with a full sense of regret.

Seele shrank her neck weakly. She didn’t know what had happened specifically. She had just been drifting in the void as usual and suddenly encountered an unimaginable force. What happened next was handled by another her. Seele trusted her and didn’t interfere with her decision.

So, Seele herself didn’t know what to do in this bubble.

According to another her, as long as she met two people here and did something according to the agreement, she could return to the real world.

"Sister Bronya, do you still remember Seele?"

Thinking of the real world, Seele naturally thought of the heroine who gave her courage and even sacrificed herself.

After her weak eyes flickered for a moment, Seele patted her little face, and her expression became a little firmer.

[Although it’s because of Bronya, there is still hope if you can cheer up. Come on, although it’s just a bubble in the world, it’s still huge compared to your body, which is as petite as a kitten or a puppy. Who knows how long it will take to find it! I hope you can take a longer time to cry to me next time.]

"Well, I know. I’ll do my best!"

Seele clenched her small fists, not caring about the sharp and hurtful words of her other self.

'Seele' hummed ambiguously, and though she didn’t know what she was doing in the consciousness space, she stopped talking.

At this time, the sky also darkened.

Of course, this kind of Bubble World can’t wrap a star and realize the real rotation of the planet, but the passage of time still follows the laws of the real world from which it comes—day and night, sunrise and sunset, and it will continue until it is completely annihilated in the quantum world.

However, it was silent and deserted, without a single light, like a dead city, truly resembling a horror movie scene.

"It’s a bit scary. But I seem to have gotten used to this strange scene."

Seele forced a smile, took a deep breath, and then bravely continued to move forward on the street, hoping to find some clues.

"Crack!"

"Ah—"

The sound of some living creature crushing the glass on the roadside and the low, terrifying, inhuman breathing made Seele, who had just mustered up her courage, shudder. Tears suddenly came out.

Ferocious eyes flashing with scarlet light kept appearing in dark street corners, building windowsills, and other places. Monsters like large tiger beasts, covered with terrifying bone shells, soon appeared in Seele’s field of vision.

"QAQ Help... Help!!!"

----

Chapter 283: Is it Seele's Sister?

"Bang!!!"

When the monster lunged at the weak girl, a heavy reinforced concrete column fell from the sky and crushed it. The frightened girl, who was close by, fell to the ground in terror.

She didn’t pee herself.

But her tears flowed, and her legs trembled, unable to get up.

"Are you okay?"

Before Seele could collect her thoughts, she heard a tender, soft, and unusually plain girl’s voice.

She looked up tremblingly and saw a little face as cute as jade but lacking expression. Her golden hair fell in the moonlight, casting a dreamy glow. A pair of clear and transparent purple eyes looked down at her with pure concern.

Like an exquisite porcelain doll, she was so beautiful that it was hard to look away.

Seele was stunned for a moment.

Is it someone here to save her, but why is it a young child?

"Ah! Be careful!"

At this moment, monsters from all directions seemed to be enraged leaping toward Ninti on top of the concrete pillar.

"I have checked it thoroughly; there should be no living creatures. Where were they hiding?"

With a confused look, Ninti spread her hands and instantly unleashed a powerful repulsive force, flattening everything around her.

"Boom!"

After a loud bang, monsters and buildings within dozens or hundreds of meters were flattened.

Only Ninti, who was standing on the concrete pillar, and Seele, who was slumped beside it, remained in place.

"Are you okay?"

Ninti asked again, looking at the pitiful and pure girl below.

The only one in the Honkai world, the rare absolutely pure, gentle, and virtuous type—White Seele.

'Well, it’s well-deserved. This leg, this absolute domain… Swish!'

Seele couldn’t feel any wariness towards a clean and lovely little girl like Ninti, but she still sensed something unconsciously. So, she retracted her legs weakly, smoothed her skirt, and said timidly:

“I…I’m fine, thank you.”

“Are you alone?”

“No…ah, it seems so.”

There is another me inside.

Although that her is fierce and often speaks with thorns, Seele believes it is her friend.

But whether this situation counts as one person or two, Seele can’t figure out immediately.

Ninti tilted her little head, and a question mark seemed to appear above her head.

“Ninti!”

At this moment, Welt who had arrived a step late finally caught up. He fell from the air, looked around vigilantly, and after confirming there was no threat, he jumped down from the concrete pillar holding Ninti while mumbling.

"Why did you suddenly fly out and scare me? Did you hear someone calling for help?"

"Well, the situation was urgent. Ninti didn’t have time to explain in detail. Sorry to have worried you, Joachim."

"It’s okay. Saving people is a good thing and the right thing to do. But since we are in the strange Sea of Quanta and we don’t know what threats may lurk here, we still need to be cautious. Don’t be impulsive, understand?"

Welt rubbed Ninti's soft hair. Seeing her nodding obediently, he smiled brightly.

This kindness and warm-heartedness truly reflect Joyce's advantages!

Welt adjusted his posture and held Ninti securely in his arms, allowing him to focus on the rescued person.

"Are you a survivor of this world?"

"No, I’m from outside as well."

"Outside? The Sea of Quanta?"

"Yes."

Seele didn’t have any complicated thoughts and simply told him where she came from.

Welt retreated strategically.

Are there natives in a chaotic place like the Sea of Quanta?

But considering that both he and Ninti were here and that the terrifying enemy was still around, it was clear that traces of life did exist. It was not difficult to understand that there were people in the Sea of Quanta.

At this time, Ninti tugged at Welt’s clothes.

"What’s wrong? Do you want to get down?"

"Yes."

Welt had no problem with that, and although he felt a bit regretful, he put Ninti down as requested.

Ninti walked up to the timid Seele, raised her head, and stared at her face with her clear, big eyes.

"Is there something on my face?"

"Are you Sister Seele?"

"Eh?"

"Mother Cocolia showed me old photos from the orphanage, and you look just like you did in the photos." Ninti blinked and said bluntly.

Seele was stunned.

Welt was also shocked—Cocolia had heavily invested in supporting and even compromised many times for the Deep. Was the goal of all this effort actually found by them?

...

The desolate place with the cold wind was not suitable for an in-depth conversation.

Welt and Ninti quickly took Seele to their temporary residence.

At this time, the water and electricity were functioning, there were beds and sofas, and a comfortable temperature was maintained. Even carbon synthesis technology was used to make sweet and delicious snacks.

Hunk! Hunk!

When Seele saw the food, she ate it quickly like a hamster, and her whole body was filled with a happy aura.

Welt and Ninti looked at each other in bewilderment at this scene, and then felt a bit of pity for Seele who had suddenly appeared.

This child has clearly been hungry for a long time.

"It should have been several years since the X-10 experiment with Cocolia. Haven’t you found a place where you can rest and eat?"

"Uh! Puff! Cough cough!"

The sudden question made Seele choke.

Ninti quickly handed her clean water and patted her back. It took a while for Seele to recover.

Then Seele looked at the dessert plate with only leftovers and fragments. Her face turned red with embarrassment. She lowered her head and said weakly.

"I’ve encountered several worlds, but normal worlds require money, and abnormal worlds usually lack food, so… I rarely get full. Fortunately, my body is special, and it won’t be a problem if I don’t eat enough."

An honest child. She has been wandering in the Sea of Quanta and has endured hunger honestly because she has no money. This character is really not like Cocolia at all.

Welt laughed and shook his head.

"The carbohydrate synthesis machine is working stably. There is as much food as you want. Do you still want to eat?"

"Can I?"

Seele’s voice was slightly amplified, revealing uncontrollable joy.

What else could Welt say? He could only stand up with a smile, take the empty plate, and prepare more food.

There was only a strange "new sister" in front of Seele. The surprise brought by the food faded, and her shy character returned. She twisted her fingers and didn’t know what to say for a while.

At this moment, Ninti’s little hand reached out holding a biscuit with only a row of small teeth marks on it, obviously having been only lightly eaten.

"Here."

"Eh? No, no, Mr. Welt has gone…"

"Eat it."

Ninti gently put the biscuit into Seele’s mouth. Seele’s pupils dilated, and she chewed subconsciously and ate the food.

Seeing Ninti’s pure eyes full of concern, Seele’s eyes softened completely.

"Everyone in the orphanage, Mom, and Sister Bronya, are they okay?"

"Everyone is fine. Mom is working hard to protect us. Sister Bronya goes to St. Freya Academy. Sister Sin has been taking care of everyone at home. Rosalia, Lilia, and Tianwen are taking extra classes every day."

"Tianwen?"

"She is another child who joined the orphanage later. She’s much smarter than Rosalia and Lilia. Her face is about this big, with dark gray hair, big eyes, and white skin. It’s a pity I didn’t bring a photo."

Ninti gestured and described Chen Tianwen’s appearance simply as a child, and then lowered her head in self-blame.

Seele’s heart softened, and the distance and estrangement completely melted at that moment. She reached out and gently stroked her sister’s hair. "I see. I feel relieved when you say that. By the way, what about Elizabeth and the others?"

"...They are all gone."

"How could this happen!?"

"Because of Honkai disease. The results of the X-10 experiment were limited. Rosalia and Lilia were barely protected. However, my mother has now developed a real medicine to treat Honkai disease, and everyone has recovered."

Ninti looked worried and concerned about Seele’s emotions.Chapter 282: Your Little Cutie Suddenly Appeared

The two sat together and shared a few jellies that Ninti found in the ruins.

Don’t worry about whether they are expired or not. What does food safety mean to the Herrscher? Anyway, Welt ate them and felt a warmth in his heart.

It is worth mentioning that the Herrscher is still relatively idealistic.

Like Welt, he relied on the mental barrier formed by 300,000 victims in Berlin to resist the invasion of Honkai. However, this barrier also restricted the output of the Herrscher core. The amount of power he could exert depended on how deeply his mental will could penetrate this barrier. The deeper the penetration, the more power he could tap into.

At this moment, wandering in the depths of the Sea of Quanta, if he were alone, Welt might find a place to rest after trying hard. But with Ninti here, the situation was completely different.

"Joachim, why are you looking at me? Haven’t you eaten yet? I’ll go look for him again."

"No, no, I’m fine. I just think you shouldn’t rush over to find me like this. It’s too dangerous."

Seeing Ninti’s innocent eyes full of concern, Welt’s heart softened. He gently stroked the girl’s slightly dusty golden hair and felt an immense sense of pity.

She was so embarrassed, all for this useless old man!

"Ninti, I will definitely send you back!"

Welt said calmly and firmly.

No matter what, he must not fall or give up. Even if he has to pay more price, he must ensure that this child returns to the real world safely.

His voice and the voice of his heart were in sync, and the moment his determination solidified, Welt felt a surge of exhilarating power coming from deep within his body, replenishing his weary body and spirit.

"Joachim, you’re not sending me back, but we’re going back together. Sister Liesel and Sister Frederica are waiting for us."

Ninti held Welt’s strong hands with her two soft and tender little hands. Her bright eyes stared at Welt directly and seriously.

Welt appeared to be hit by an electric current. His body felt numb, and the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but rise. At the same time, the power coming from his body became more continuous and intense.

'If I had known that I would have encouraged everyone to give Joyce and Ein some drugs or something, maybe I would have seen this child decades earlier…'

Welt stroked Ninti’s little head and, for the first time, had some uncharacteristic thoughts about his elders.

...

After a short rest, Welt held Ninti’s little hand and explored the quiet city.

"The weathering of the buildings is obvious, but there are not many signs of damage. It looks like the residents have suddenly evacuated or disappeared."

Welt rubbed his fingers on the roof of a weathered car on the roadside and was covered with thick dust. While blowing away the dust, Welt wondered what had happened to the city.

After a moment, he shook his head.

Forget it; it’s just a Bubble World after all. Whether it is projected from the real world or the wreckage of a real world, there are all kinds of possibilities. Overthinking is not of any practical significance.

The current problem is to recuperate as soon as possible and figure out the way back.

Welt had to stop when he saw the dust marks on Ninti’s hair and clothes.

Exploring the circuit is not a matter of one day or one night. Before that, should they prepare a set of normal living facilities?

I, Welt, a rough man, don’t care. Anyway, I won’t get worms. It doesn’t matter how I go through water and mud before going home.

But Ninti is different!

She is an angel!

How could he let the cutest little angel in the world suffer with him?

You know, she dresses herself up very well at home every day, she is very sensible and loves cleanliness!

At this moment, Welt knew what he had to do first—a beautiful house, delicious food, and clean water for drinking and bathing. All of these should be quickly arranged! Even if there are no conditions, they must be created, and Ninti cannot suffer with him!

"Look at that building over there; it has the best view and looks very complete. Let’s go there first, Ninti."

"Okay, I’ll listen to Joachim~~"

The little girl replied softly, blinking her big eyes.

Welt grinned and smiled like a kind and foolish old father. Suddenly, he felt that staying a few more days wasn’t a bad thing. There were no Cocolia, Tesla, or Einstein here, and he could always be with little Ninti—perfect!

The two walked to a building that was probably a financial center, reversed gravity, flew all the way up, and found a relatively clean area near the top floor.

Welt waved his hand, and the strong wind swept away a lot of dust on the surface.

Then the power was activated, and cleaning robots, exploration robots, decoration robots, and other equipment appeared in rows and began their work, determined to turn this floor into a comfortable living space not inferior to his hometown.

Welt: Joyce, will you be angry if I use your power like this?

Joyce: Well done!

Welt thought he had simulated Joyce’s answer, so he was even more interested. Seeing Ninti staring at the robots with curiosity, and then looking at him with shining admiration, Welt’s mouth corners turned up again.

...

At the same time, in another corner of this Bubble World, the fragile world barrier was forcibly torn open by a force.

"Ah—"

Accompanied by a cute exclamation, a cute girl fell down.

With black and blue shoulder-length hair, deep blue eyes like the sea, skin as white as milk, and wearing a dark blue short skirt and white stockings, the exposed area under the skirt was round and white thighs—holy and attractive.

"It hurts..."

The girl climbed up, patted the dust off her skirt, and then looked at the silent city, which resembled a disaster movie scene, and took a step back with a weak look.

"Another... another me? Where is this place?"

[Don’t ask; I’m too lazy to explain. And you’re afraid of a ghost here! With me around, all monsters are trash!]

"I... then which direction should I go?"

[Can’t you figure this out yourself? You come crying to me about everything. Are you Seele, or am I Seele?]

Another self shouted fiercely in her mind, with a full sense of regret.

Seele shrank her neck weakly. She didn’t know what had happened specifically. She had just been drifting in the void as usual and suddenly encountered an unimaginable force. What happened next was handled by another her. Seele trusted her and didn’t interfere with her decision.

So, Seele herself didn’t know what to do in this bubble.

According to another her, as long as she met two people here and did something according to the agreement, she could return to the real world.

"Sister Bronya, do you still remember Seele?"

Thinking of the real world, Seele naturally thought of the heroine who gave her courage and even sacrificed herself.

After her weak eyes flickered for a moment, Seele patted her little face, and her expression became a little firmer.

[Although it’s because of Bronya, there is still hope if you can cheer up. Come on, although it’s just a bubble in the world, it’s still huge compared to your body, which is as petite as a kitten or a puppy. Who knows how long it will take to find it! I hope you can take a longer time to cry to me next time.]

"Well, I know. I’ll do my best!"

Seele clenched her small fists, not caring about the sharp and hurtful words of her other self.

'Seele' hummed ambiguously, and though she didn’t know what she was doing in the consciousness space, she stopped talking.

At this time, the sky also darkened.

Of course, this kind of Bubble World can’t wrap a star and realize the real rotation of the planet, but the passage of time still follows the laws of the real world from which it comes—day and night, sunrise and sunset, and it will continue until it is completely annihilated in the quantum world.

However, it was silent and deserted, without a single light, like a dead city, truly resembling a horror movie scene.

"It’s a bit scary. But I seem to have gotten used to this strange scene."

Seele forced a smile, took a deep breath, and then bravely continued to move forward on the street, hoping to find some clues.

"Crack!"

"Ah—"

The sound of some living creature crushing the glass on the roadside and the low, terrifying, inhuman breathing made Seele, who had just mustered up her courage, shudder. Tears suddenly came out.

Ferocious eyes flashing with scarlet light kept appearing in dark street corners, building windowsills, and other places. Monsters like large tiger beasts, covered with terrifying bone shells, soon appeared in Seele’s field of vision.

"QAQ Help... Help!!!"

Seele’s eyes were dazed for a moment, biting her lips, and tears flashed in her eyes.

Ninti thought for a while, got up, went to Seele, and gently embraced her.

"Ninti… I thought, I thought they were still there… woo…"

Seele no longer resisted her sister, hugging her tightly, and finally burst into tears.

----

Chapter 283: Is it Sister Seele?

"Bang!!!"

When the monster lunged at the weak girl, a heavy reinforced concrete column fell from the sky and crushed it. The frightened girl, who was close by, fell to the ground in terror.

She didn’t pee herself.

But her tears flowed, and her legs trembled, unable to get up.

"Are you okay?"

Before Seele could collect her thoughts, she heard a tender, soft, and unusually plain girl’s voice.

She looked up tremblingly and saw a little face as cute as jade but lacking expression. Her golden hair fell in the moonlight, casting a dreamy glow. A pair of clear and transparent purple eyes looked down at her with pure concern.

Like an exquisite porcelain doll, she was so beautiful that it was hard to look away.

Seele was stunned for a moment.

Is it someone here to save her, but why is it a young child?

"Ah! Be careful!"

At this moment, monsters from all directions seemed to be enraged leaping toward Ninti on top of the concrete pillar.

"I have checked it thoroughly; there should be no living creatures. Where were they hiding?"

With a confused look, Ninti spread her hands and instantly unleashed a powerful repulsive force, flattening everything around her.

"Boom!"

After a loud bang, monsters and buildings within dozens or hundreds of meters were flattened.

Only Ninti, who was standing on the concrete pillar, and Seele, who was slumped beside it, remained in place.

"Are you okay?"

Ninti asked again, looking at the pitiful and pure girl below.

The only one in the Honkai world, the rare absolutely pure, gentle, and virtuous type—White Seele.

'Well, it’s well-deserved. This leg, this absolute domain… Swish!'

Seele couldn’t feel any wariness towards a clean and lovely little girl like Ninti, but she still sensed something unconsciously. So, she retracted her legs weakly, smoothed her skirt, and said timidly:

“I…I’m fine, thank you.”

“Are you alone?”

“No…ah, it seems so.”

There is another me inside.

Although that her is fierce and often speaks with thorns, Seele believes it is her friend.

But whether this situation counts as one person or two, Seele can’t figure out immediately.

Ninti tilted her little head, and a question mark seemed to appear above her head.

“Ninti!”

At this moment, Welt who had arrived a step late finally caught up. He fell from the air, looked around vigilantly, and after confirming there was no threat, he jumped down from the concrete pillar holding Ninti while mumbling.

"Why did you suddenly fly out and scare me? Did you hear someone calling for help?"

"Well, the situation was urgent. Ninti didn’t have time to explain in detail. Sorry to have worried you, Joachim."

"It’s okay. Saving people is a good thing and the right thing to do. But since we are in the strange Sea of Quanta and we don’t know what threats may lurk here, we still need to be cautious. Don’t be impulsive, understand?"

Welt rubbed Ninti's soft hair. Seeing her nodding obediently, he smiled brightly.

This kindness and warm-heartedness truly reflect Joyce's advantages!

Welt adjusted his posture and held Ninti securely in his arms, allowing him to focus on the rescued person.

"Are you a survivor of this world?"

"No, I’m from outside as well."

"Outside? The Sea of Quanta?"

"Yes."

Seele didn’t have any complicated thoughts and simply told him where she came from.

Welt retreated strategically.

Are there natives in a chaotic place like the Sea of Quanta?

But considering that both he and Ninti were here and that the terrifying enemy was still around, it was clear that traces of life did exist. It was not difficult to understand that there were people in the Sea of Quanta.

At this time, Ninti tugged at Welt’s clothes.

"What’s wrong? Do you want to get down?"

"Yes."

Welt had no problem with that, and although he felt a bit regretful, he put Ninti down as requested.

Ninti walked up to the timid Seele, raised her head, and stared at her face with her clear, big eyes.

"Is there something on my face?"

"Are you Sister Seele?"

"Eh?"

"Mother Cocolia showed me old photos from the orphanage, and you look just like you did in the photos." Ninti blinked and said bluntly.

Seele was stunned.

Welt was also shocked—Cocolia had heavily invested in supporting and even compromised many times for the Deep. Was the goal of all this effort actually found by them?

...

The desolate place with the cold wind was not suitable for an in-depth conversation.

Welt and Ninti quickly took Seele to their temporary residence.

At this time, the water and electricity were functioning, there were beds and sofas, and a comfortable temperature was maintained. Even carbon synthesis technology was used to make sweet and delicious snacks.

Hunk! Hunk!

When Seele saw the food, she ate it quickly like a hamster, and her whole body was filled with a happy aura.

Welt and Ninti looked at each other in bewilderment at this scene, and then felt a bit of pity for Seele who had suddenly appeared.

This child has clearly been hungry for a long time.

"It should have been several years since the X-10 experiment with Cocolia. Haven’t you found a place where you can rest and eat?"

"Uh! Puff! Cough cough!"

The sudden question made Seele choke.

Ninti quickly handed her clean water and patted her back. It took a while for Seele to recover.

Then Seele looked at the dessert plate with only leftovers and fragments. Her face turned red with embarrassment. She lowered her head and said weakly.

"I’ve encountered several worlds, but normal worlds require money, and abnormal worlds usually lack food, so… I rarely get full. Fortunately, my body is special, and it won’t be a problem if I don’t eat enough."

An honest child. She has been wandering in the Sea of Quanta and has endured hunger honestly because she has no money. This character is really not like Cocolia at all.

Welt laughed and shook his head.

"The carbohydrate synthesis machine is working stably. There is as much food as you want. Do you still want to eat?"

"Can I?"

Seele’s voice was slightly amplified, revealing uncontrollable joy.

What else could Welt say? He could only stand up with a smile, take the empty plate, and prepare more food.

There was only a strange "new sister" in front of Seele. The surprise brought by the food faded, and her shy character returned. She twisted her fingers and didn’t know what to say for a while.

At this moment, Ninti’s little hand reached out holding a biscuit with only a row of small teeth marks on it, obviously having been only lightly eaten.

"Here."

"Eh? No, no, Mr. Welt has gone…"

"Eat it."

Ninti gently put the biscuit into Seele’s mouth. Seele’s pupils dilated, and she chewed subconsciously and ate the food.

Seeing Ninti’s pure eyes full of concern, Seele’s eyes softened completely.

"Everyone in the orphanage, Mom, and Sister Bronya, are they okay?"

"Everyone is fine. Mom is working hard to protect us. Sister Bronya goes to St. Freya Academy. Sister Sin has been taking care of everyone at home. Rosalia, Lilia, and Tianwen are taking extra classes every day."

"Tianwen?"

"She is another child who joined the orphanage later. She’s much smarter than Rosalia and Lilia. Her face is about this big, with dark gray hair, big eyes, and white skin. It’s a pity I didn’t bring a photo."

Ninti gestured and described Chen Tianwen’s appearance simply as a child, and then lowered her head in self-blame.

Seele’s heart softened, and the distance and estrangement completely melted at that moment. She reached out and gently stroked her sister’s hair. "I see. I feel relieved when you say that. By the way, what about Elizabeth and the others?"

"...They are all gone."

"How could this happen!?"

"Because of Honkai disease. The results of the X-10 experiment were limited. Rosalia and Lilia were barely protected. However, my mother has now developed a real medicine to treat Honkai disease, and everyone has recovered."

Ninti looked worried and concerned about Seele’s emotions.

Seele’s eyes were dazed for a moment, biting her lips, and tears flashed in her eyes.

Ninti thought for a while, got up, went to Seele, and gently embraced her.

"Ninti… I thought, I thought they were still there… woo…"

Seele no longer resisted her sister, hugging her tightly, and finally burst into tears.

Chapter 284: An Qi Has No Bad Intentions**

Seele has been wandering in the Sea of Quanta too long.

Although it was as long as Kevin, it is clear that Kevin has long been a warrior with a hardened heart, blood but no tears, while Seele remains a weak and tender girl.

Even though the encounter in this Bubble World brought some not-so-good news, it still provided a great deal of peace of mind to the wandering Seele.

At night, holding her good sister, whom she had just recognized, Seele slept a peaceful and happy sleep in the Sea of Quanta the first time.

Welt approached quietly and saw the two little girls sleeping in each other's arms. He smiled slightly and carefully adjusted the sheets to cover them. After that, he turned around and left the building.

…

"Swoosh!"

With the freely controlled gravity, Welt flew effortlessly over the city and continuously releasing a large number of patrol drones to explore the monitoring range, which gradually spread to the edge of this bubble. But after searching all the way, nothing was found.

"What happened? There was no trace of the monsters that Ninti and Seele encountered. Are there only those few? Or... underground?"

Welt turned his eyes to the boundless land.

This Bubble World is their first stop in the Sea of Quanta.

If he were alone, Welt might have some adventurous ideas and take the initiative to explore. But now, with two children with him, Welt has to suppress his restless mind and stay here to recuperate.

If nothing unexpected happens, this Bubble World will become a relatively long-term residence, so anything that may pose a threat to the two children must be eliminated.

Welt’s thoughts moved, and a long strip of detectors appeared, inserted into the ground in a square array, and continued to spread throughout the city.

Soon, he established a high-precision underground detection system.

After a series of monitoring, the conclusion was that there were no moving objects or other abnormal energy reactions underground.

"Could it be that there are only those few monsters left, and they will disappear after being cleaned up?"

Welt hesitated for a long time and finally could only guess this.

Anyway, the result is good. There is no other threat in this Bubble World. For the next period of time, he can live here with his two children without worry.

Welt breathed a sigh of relief, and as he watched the sky gradually turn white, his anxiety about the real world was also eased.

…

At the same time, in the imaginary space outside the Bubble World.

Kevin quietly observed what was happening in the Bubble World, his cold and insensitive eyes and expression more like a machine than a machine.

"The attitude is very gentle, showing the kindness that the Herrscher should not have."

"But is this kindness real? Is it stable?"

Kevin still doubted.

In the previous era, he had hesitated because of the humanity shown by the Herrscher, resulting in a bloody lesson of regret. Although Elysia’s sacrifice made Kevin have different expectations for the Herrscher of the new era, he still couldn’t easily let go of his vigilance toward the Herrscher.

Let's observe for a while. If necessary, maybe he can personally test the humanity of this Herrscher.

...

The wanderers in the Sea of Quanta rested temporarily.

But in the real world, the storm has just begun.

"The news must be blocked. Yang and Ninti are our strongest external deterrent. Once the news leaks out, the consequences will be disastrous."

"I have already done it. The problem is that the World Serpent has also been paying attention to the Deep project. Although I don’t know what their goal is, I have reason to believe that they know the Eye of The Deep is out of control."

"...What should I do?"

In the conference room, Einstein touched her messy hair and looked a little haggard.

Welt's loss of contact was enough to make this genius scientist, who was always calm and sharp, panic. Welt and Ninti’s loss of contact together truly left her feeling at a loss.

Tesla could devote himself wholeheartedly to the research and analysis of the Eye of The Deep to temporarily relieve his anxiety. But Einstein couldn't do it. As the half-ruler of Anti-Entropy, when Welt was offline, she was the leader of the alliance. She couldn’t help but think about the problems inside and outside the organization.

Einstein looked up at the opposite side. Cocolia’s expression was extremely serious. Under her cold eyebrows, there were dark circles around her eyes.

Then, Einstein breathed a sigh of relief.

She must be worried about Ninti’s safety, right? But fortunately, she is here. In this case, only she can stabilize the overall situation and allow them to focus on research with confidence.

"Pop!"

At this time, Cocolia, who had been silent for a long time, threw a tablet expressionlessly.

"What is this?"

Einstein was stunned for a moment, picked it up, and saw that there were only two documents on it—a form and a plan.

"Purge list, and... a plan for the construction of a fully intelligent administrative system? What do you want to do?"

In short, the plan is an AI governance plan, which replaces most of the power system with an artificial intelligence system. For scientists like Einstein, who lead the times, this concept is not new.

Even similar ideas have appeared in many science fiction works. However, science fiction works are mostly based on emotions, often depicting such artificial intelligence as extreme and anti-human. From Einstein's rational point of view, she knew that unless the creator had ulterior motives from the beginning, it would be difficult for it to get out of control and become a bad situation like in science fiction works.

AI governance can solve many problems, and with the current technical strength of Anti-Entropy, it is indeed feasible.

The question is, at this time, what is the purpose of presenting this plan?

"We must muddy the waters. I can deal with the World Serpent, and they just encountered the revenge of the Herrscher of Dominance, so they may not have time to trouble us now. But Schicksal has been infiltrating for a long time, and we can’t conceal it perfectly."

"So, you want to carry out a comprehensive purge to first divert the attention of Schicksal and second to clean up the internal spies, in order to extend the time for the information to be leaked as much as possible. As for this plan... Is implementing it a reasonable justification for the purge?"

"It can even explain Welt’s long-term disappearance—‘I killed so many people; he couldn’t bear it, couldn’t stop me, so he simply closed himself off and didn’t see anyone.’ Isn’t that reasonable?"

"But this will bring a lot of chaos."

Einstein’s mind was confused, and she couldn’t calm down. She couldn’t accept Welt’s practice of killing people inside as soon as he lost contact.

Cocolia sneered and stared at Einstein with sharp eyes.

"Chaos? Have you ever thought about what will happen if the news leaks out and Welt and Ninti haven’t returned yet, and we haven’t completed the concentration of power?"

"..."

"I’ll tell you! Half of the executors will split up to protect themselves, and the other half will simply surrender to Otto or the World Serpent!"

It is a bit alarmist, but it is not impossible.

Welt has been offline for a long time, and although Einstein is smart, most of her energy is still focused on scientific research. This superstructure has lasted for half a century. No one can guarantee the purity of the power system of this organization, and no one knows what will happen once the strongest deterrent of force is lost.

Einstein shuddered at the possibility Cocolia mentioned. "I have been trying to centralize your overly dispersed power. I have cleaned up Siberia and the East Shenzou Sea, and I have also started my arrangements at the headquarters. It could have been advanced slowly, at least not so intensely and bloodily."

"So, you have changed your mind now? But if the two of them are not here, what if the chaos gets out of control..."

"Then keep killing. The best way to solve the problem is to deal with the problematic individuals, from the top of the family tree to the end, from the left to the right. This trick has always worked."

"Cocolia, you are crazy! How can we control the internal backlash without Welt and Ninti?"

Einstein stood up.

Cocolia’s expression was indifferent, and she showed no sign of wavering.

"You got one thing wrong, Dr. Einstein."

"What?"

"I didn’t choose to improve slowly because I lacked overwhelming force, but because the leader was soft-hearted. The leader’s power and attitude are a limitation to my reorganization of Anti-Entropy's power, not a help."

"You... So, no one can stop you now, right?"

Einstein sat down weakly and said feebly.

There really is no one.

Welt has lost contact. If she don’t take this opportunity to clean up the drag and turn Angel’s "artificial intelligence" into the power system of the entire organization, then will they just sit there and eat dry food during this period?

Don’t worry; what bad intentions can Angel have? She just wants to wait for Welt to come back and give him a new organization that is united, fair, efficient, and worry-free.

That’s it. He will have to thank me then!

Cocolia had a solemn and resolute expression as she pressed her handprint on the tablet and completed the command authorization.

"This is the second time."

"?"

"This is the second time I have watched my daughter disappear before my eyes because of my decision. Einstein, I’m fed up with this unreasonable world! Fate has made me a fool time and time again, but I will never give up. I will do whatever it takes to make the world what it needs... Of course, that’s all for the future. At this stage, cover up the news first and find a way to bring them back as soon as possible."

Cocolia leaned back, the haze covering her eyes, and her expression could not be seen, but from her posture, she looked extremely tired and weak.

Einstein was stunned for a while, and after a long time, she got up and left.

"I can’t stop you, but I’m not as soft-hearted as Yang. If necessary, do it, and... don’t worry too much. Yang and Ninti are both very strong; I believe they will be safe."

Einstein left this sentence.

Cocolia raised the corner of her mouth, shook her head, picked up her phone, and swiped to Bronya's contact interface.

【Go back to the East Shenzou Sea base. I will do something. The family needs you.】

Click and send.

Next, the smart, capable, and loyal tool man, plus one.

----

Chapter 285: Where Are the Snacks?

On the frontline battlefield thousands of miles away, Raiden Ryoma had just led the charge and suppressed a medium-sized Honkai beast crisis.

He set down the cannon and energy chainsaw, lifted his helmet, and revealed a face that had become increasingly cold and hardened after enduring the frost.

Raiden Ryoma let out a long breath, forming a white mist in the cold wind.

"Is this the Dreadnought? The heavy design is exactly the same as the Titan, but it's been overly simplified... Still, it can be fully fitted for the entire army. Cocolia, you’ve done an incredible job."

Watching his teammates operate the same heavy armor and organize the battlefield in a well-trained manner, Raiden Ryoma had to admit that there were zero casualties in this battle. Although the Titan Corps could achieve this, they could only manage a small area at most. Now, all the Anti-Entropy Divisions have these troops.

"But isn’t it really against the original intention to send ordinary soldiers to the battlefield?"

Raiden Ryoma murmured to himself, but in the face of real achievements, this doubt appeared insignificant which was light as a feather.

At that moment, a figure fell from the sky.

"Hey! Ryoma!"

"Click!"

The cannon and chainsaw started instantly. If Raiden Ryoma hadn’t reacted quickly and stopped in time, Siegfried would have been covered in dust.

"Can't you assess the situation first?"

"Hey, don’t say that. I received orders from Cocolia as well. The situation is urgent, and I didn’t have time to prepare you mentally."

Siegfried laughed heartily, appearing as carefree as ever. Since he had reconciled with Kiana and resolved their father-daughter issues, he often seemed this way.

Raiden Ryoma didn’t care about Siegfried’s lack of propriety but frowned and took the data terminal Siegfried brought.

"Why did Cocolia suddenly think of me... Hmm? It’s a top-level secret order. Let’s find a quiet place first."

In a secluded corner, after reading the order sent by Cocolia in the name of the alliance leader's agent and the attached information, Raiden Ryoma clenched his fists.

"The alliance leader and Miss Ninti actually..."

"So you understand why they are so anxious? What does she want you to do?"

Siegfried’s expression also grew serious.

Raiden Ryoma pondered for a moment and said.

"Did the alliance leader's agent Cocolia tell you anything else?"

"Yes, she mentioned that I will follow you and be responsible for your safety throughout the process."

"That’s good. It seems that the alliance leader's agent disregards past opposition and doesn’t want me to die."

"Ah? Is it that serious?"

Siegfried looked surprised and didn’t know anything.

Raiden Ryoma wasn’t surprised. The order in his hand was very sensitive, and with Siegfried’s careless personality, it was best to keep it from him.

"She wants me to be the executioner."

"Uh, like last time?"

"No, it’s different from the situation in North America. The one in North America was mainly aimed at capitalist tycoons and politicians who violated the rights of Anti-Entropy; it was generally external. This time, it’s internal."

"...Can you explain it more clearly?"

Siegfried scratched his head awkwardly.

Raiden Ryoma sighed heavily and spoke.

"Anti-Entropy is a large organization with a highly loose power structure. The leader and Miss Ninti are not only external deterrents but also the basis for integrating internal power. So once the news leaks out, the first problem we need to face is internal division. Cocolia wants to reshape the power system before that happens, to both confuse the outside world and prevent future organizational splits. I was chosen to be the leading swordsman, responsible for leading the team to clean up those who need to be cleaned up."

"...That’s pretty harsh. Didn’t she do enough killing in North America?"

"I’m not sure what she thinks of killing, but I know this decision seems absurd and impulsive, yet it’s the best solution at the moment. If we don’t cause trouble, how can we perfectly cover up the most deadly secret news? If we don’t integrate power, how can we ensure that Anti-Entropy remains united when the news leaks in the future?"

Raiden Ryoma faced Cocolia’s sudden purge order with the calmest and most objective attitude.

Of course, it was also because he was a minor front-line officer and did not question the qualifications of the leader's agent.

Raiden Ryoma pondered for a long time, barely digesting his anxiety, then shook his head and sighed.

"This is a pit."

"Brother Ryoma, you know I’m not good at these kinds of issues. Just tell me what you need from me. Anyway, she originally asked me to follow you."

"What I mean is that I aas the executioner, will face counterattacks from the internal dark forces, and it’s normal to die suddenly in the middle of the journey. Of course, I believe you have the ability to protect me. But even if the liquidation is successfully completed, the executioner will bear a permanent stigma, making it difficult to make friends, and most powerful figures will stay away from me. This will further hinder any attempts to restore the Raiden family."

"That’s a big pit indeed."

Siegfried squatted down and patted Raiden Ryoma’s shoulder sympathetically.

Raiden Ryoma looked up at the vast starry sky and, after a long time, smiled with relief.

"Although this is a trap, I am happy to accept it."

"Are you crazy?"

Raiden Ryoma put away the terminal, smiled, and did not intend to explain anything further to Siegfried.

The glory of the Raiden family?

After the Nagazora incident, would the Raiden family still have glory? All that remained was sin and blood.

If he could use the rest of his life to fight evil and ensure Anti-Entropy’s stability, then Raiden Ryoma had no hesitation.

"Be careful, there is murderous intent!"

Siegfried suddenly jumped up and extended his hand to shield Raiden Ryoma.

Raiden Ryoma was momentarily stunned, followed Siegfried’s gaze, and saw a delicate little girl standing where the night wind blew.

Her cold little face, holding a red ancient sword, and her golden hair fluttering in the wind were as bright and soft as water.

"An... gel..."

Raiden Ryoma murmured her name, though there was little surprise.

His own daughter, Cocolia, World Serpent—one by one, it was expected that his turn would come too.

Then a strong wind blew.

Raiden Ryoma couldn’t help but cover his eyes.

When his vision cleared, the little girl was no longer there.

"Was she here to kill me?"

"I don’t know. It shouldn’t be that bad, right? I’ve met her before; she’s a good friend of Kiana and a very good child."

"Mei also said she’s a very good child. We harmed her—wait, how much did she hear just now?"

"This... I’m not sure either."

Siegfried frowned, troubled.

How Angel appeared and disappeared was beyond his S-level combat power to sense.

Girls these nowadays is truly frightening, both being a Herrscher of Thunder and a Herrscher of Dominance. Could it be that he can’t keep up with the times?

"It shouldn’t be a big problem, right? At worst, I’ll find Kiana and ask her to keep it a secret. They have a pretty good relationship."

"..."

Raiden Ryoma also had a headache.

He could already imagine how furious Cocolia would be upon hearing the news and how vicious her words would be. But since it was a matter of great importance, he still had to inform her to avoid affecting subsequent decisions.

The beginning was not smooth—Raiden Ryoma sighed and had to immediately muster all his energy to face this top-secret order.

…

"Bang!"

After receiving the news, Bronya rushed back to the East Shenzou Sea Base.

Just from the entrance, there didn’t seem to be any heavy atmosphere.

She saw Sin holding a black pointer, slowly circling around the three little ones doing their homework and occasionally tapping her palm, making a sound that caused Rosalia’s shoulders to tremble.

At the same time, on the sofa nearby, Shaniyat was sleeping soundly with a large eye mask.

‘I always feel that this eye mask gives off the impression of a school principal. The first time I saw it was on Delta, right? I don’t know when it became popular. Now even Kiana has one... Don’t mention it. It really suits that idiot Kiana.’

Bronya subconsciously looked at the special eye mask a few more times before walking toward Sin.

"What's going on? Mom suddenly called me back. Where is she?"

"She is at the North American headquarters. The details will be discussed in a meeting later. There are snacks in the refrigerator. Go eat something to fill your stomach. Dinner is still a while away."

Sin said in a very impolite and cold tone, but the meaning behind her words was that of a caring sister.

"Snacks! Where are the snacks?"

Ana caught the key word and jumped up from the sofa.

"Swish!"

"Pah!"

"Awoo!!!"

Five minutes later, when Bronya came out with the snacks, another person had taken a seat at the large table in the middle.

Ana was quietly handling some Pilot Column documents. When she heard the sound of Sin’s pointer tapping her palm, she shook her shoulders in sync with Rosalia.

At first glance, it seemed like she was used to being reprimanded.

---

Chapter 285: Seele Must Be Thinking About Me, Right?

"Exploring the Sea of Quanta? Ninti and Teacher Yang lost contact?"

In the closed conference room, Bronya stood up excitedly after listening to Cocolia's description of the current situation.

Cocolia looked at Bronya with a cold expression and then glanced at everyone in the conference room—Sin, Ana, and Chen Tianwu, who had just recovered and was currently rotating through different departments at the East Shenzou Sea Base.

It’s not that she picked these individuals arbitrarily; they are genuinely talented.

Sin has high military value, and her time-related abilities are essentially a game-changer. With the customized version of the Domination Key left by Cocolia, she is more than qualified to be rated as an S-rank in Schicksal.

Ana, with the dual bloodlines of Kaslana and Schariac, is akin to a mini version of Durandal. Although she falls short of the Ultimate Rising Goose Form in all aspects, she is still a top notch combat force compared to ordinary Valkyries.

As for Chen Tianwu, in the original timeline he managed to find a way out under the torment of Honkai Disease and was eventually chosen by Gray Serpent to become a code-named World Serpent agent. His qualities are undeniable.

These individuals did not encounter the opportunities they deserved, so they were marginalized. But if given sufficient chances and support, their achievements would far surpass those of ordinary people.

Cocolia needs a team that can save her trouble and effort at any time. The four people in this conference room are the core of that team.

Now is the opportunity to let them take charge.

"Mom, why you didn't tell Bronya? You know that Bronya has been missing Seele all the time!"

"Because you are at Saint Freya."

"I..."

Cocolia’s reason made Bronya pale, and she sat back dejectedly.

Yes, the Deep Project is not only about finding Seele but also involves exploring the quantum field by Anti-Entropy. It is a top-tier research project and should not be shared with someone who is at Saint Freya and has an unclear position. If Bronya had not been so impulsive back then and had taken the initiative to understand her mother’s intentions, perhaps they could have changed the outcome of Nagazora City. She might have been able to participate in this project now, or at least be informed of the situation.

Thinking about the "misunderstanding" at the time, Bronya felt deep regret and pain.

At this moment, Cocolia softened her expression and said, "I originally planned to tell you the good news after we had preliminary results, that is, after successfully opening the quantum portal. I never expected that such an accident would occur in the first experiment... But don't worry too much. After careful analysis and demonstration, the three doctors have found the cause of the loss of control. They promised it will go smoothly next time. So, what we need to do now is to stabilize the organization internally and externally, preserve our strength during this crisis, and buy precious time for the three doctors to concentrate on their research."

"Well, Bronya understands. Bronya will do her best to help."

"For now, I will stay at headquarters to ensure the operation of the reorganization plan, maintain the quality of intelligence work, avoid leaks, and accurately predict the actions of the World Serpent and Schicksal. Therefore, the East Shenzou Sea Base will be entrusted to you, and if necessary, the Siberian War Zone will also be coordinated by you. The four of you are the ones I trust the most, please."

Cocolia rarely showed a softer side in her work, making her exhaustion and pressure apparent.

"Leave it to me, mother."

Sin made a gesture of holding her chin up like a commander and nodded seriously. She considered herself the most reliable eldest sister in the family. With little sister Ninti out of contact and mother Cocolia too busy to care for the family, it was her unshirkable mission to take care of them.

Ana and Chen Tianwu responded in unison, "Yes! Lord Cocolia!"

The two were moved by the trust of their leader. They sat up straight, showing their loyalty.

Bronya also nodded but looked around the conference room, her brow furrowing slightly.

'Brother Tianwu doesn’t need to be questioned. They were both rescued by Mom, and Tianwen is even her adopted daughter. It's impossible for her to betray their mother. But sister Ana... is something not quite right? Wasn’t she originally an A-rank Valkyrie of Schicksal, captured by my mother?'

It’s not that they can’t work together, but can they really trust her to this extent, especially with secrets related to the survival crisis of Anti-Entropy?

"Bronya."

"Huh? What’s wrong, mom?"

"Ana is the captain of the Iron Pilot Column, the Pilot with the strongest comprehensive strength in our East Shenzou Sea Base. Learn more from her. Titan BT is a valuable asset and can bring you great help."

"…Bronya understands."

The mother and daughter exchanged glances across the screen.

Bronya realized her doubts had been seen through and understood what Cocolia wanted to convey. She put aside her reservations and gave Ana an apologetic look.

Ana: “???”

Then came a series of job appointments.

Ana was appointed as the military director, Chen Tianwu as the administrative director, Sin as responsible for internal security, and Bronya as Cocolia’s agent, overseeing the overall situation.

Except for Sin, who was always confident and proud, the other three felt immense pressure from their new positions. They were suddenly thrust into such high roles and feared making mistakes.

However, Cocolia had already cut off communication, leaving them no chance to refuse.

"Does Lady Cocolia mean to act boldly? If any issues arise, she will handle them herself?"

"I think it's more likely: act boldly, and if any problems come up, she will come back to address them."

Chen Tianwu’s pessimism made Ana shiver—she hoped she wouldn’t be held accountable if things went wrong!

It also made Bronya’s mouth twitch.

'She is obviously the same type as Kiana; her thoughts are easy to read. Why was Bronya so vigilant just now?'

Bronya reflected on her oversight regarding the situation at home. If she had been more informed, she wouldn’t have suspected people like Ana. It was unnecessary and a complete waste.

After leaving the meeting room, Bronya did not go home but instead went to the edge of the deserted base, listening to the waves and digesting the information she had received.

'Mom is also constantly looking for ways to save Seele, and she's doing better than Bronya. Bronya doesn't even have a direction. Bronya, who stayed at St. Freya seems to have only been clinging to everyone’s company and has accomplished nothing so far.'

'Now Bronya need to find a way to take a long vacation, so as not to worry or trouble everyone at St. Freya. Bronya believes them, but the academy is still under Schicksal's control. Bronya just doesn't know how many of Otto’s spies are there. It’s a big deal, and Bronya can’t afford any mistakes.'

And...

"Hey! Bronya, are you okay here? When are you going back? Do you want to leave dinner for you?"

Kiana patted Bronya’s shoulder, blinking her big, clear eyes.

Bronya froze for a few seconds and turned her head.

"Why are you here?"

"I'm the Herrscher of the Void. Creating a portal isn’t that difficult, is it?" Miss Tuna who suddenly popped out in the room, reasoned.

"When Bronya left, why didn’t you just give me a ride and let me fly back myself?"

"Oh, that, I forgot at the time! Now that I remember, I came to see what’s going on!"

Kiana explained with a bright smile.

"Ah—"

Bronya covered her face and sighed.

'Fortunately, it was Kiana who mastered this ability. With her intelligence, it's not difficult to cover up things as if nothing happened.'

'By the way, what was Bronya thinking about just now? That's right, the Sea of Quanta.'

'It would be great if Ninti and the leader could meet Seele. But the Sea of Quanta is boundless; it probably won’t be easy. Seele must be thinking about me too, right? Please wait a little longer, Bronya will definitely find you!'

Bronya looked up at the moon, missing the weak girl who depended on her, filled with determination.

…

“So, sister Bronya is actually not with mom…”

Seele looked a little sad after hearing about Bronya’s recent situation.

[Hmph! We are drifting in the quantum world. She’s quite content, breaking away from Cocolia whenever she has the chance and going to the Valkyrie Academy. I’m afraid she has forgotten you a long time ago!]

[Don’t say that. Sister Bronya must have her reasons. I believe she still remembers me and is trying to save me.]

[Hehe! But we haven’t seen her yet; we’ve only waited for Ninti.]

[That’s not the case…]

Seele still trusted Bronya, just as she did in the orphanage.

But after hearing about Ninti’s recent situation, she couldn’t find any reason to argue.

In the end, she could only puff up her cheeks and sulk, ignoring Black Seele’s sarcasm.

[Oh? Lttle hamster can also lose their temper?]

Black Seele choked a few more times but got no response, so she pulled up the quilt and went to sleep in a huff.

You dare to be angry with me? Forget it. Do whatever you want; it has nothing to do with me, Black Seele!

Seeing that the other self had finally calmed down, Seele breathed a sigh of relief. While patting her chest, she noticed Ninti looking at her with clean and pure eyes, full of concern.

Seele felt warmth in her heart and couldn’t help but reach out to hug the sister in front of her. A long-lost sense of warmth and security flowed through her.

"Ninti, don’t worry, I’m fine."

Ninti moved her nose, sniffing the faint scent of milk, and couldn’t help but grin.

'It smells so good; our baby daughter smells so good!'

Ninti stroked Seele’s silky, jade-like back, her feelings of affection overflowing. She wished she could transform into Cocolia, hug Seele tightly, and kiss her to express her love through actions.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t transform, so she could only comfort Seele as a younger sister, savoring the warmth and fragrance.

“Don’t be afraid, sister Seele. Ninti will protect you and take you home.”

“Ninti, it’s great to meet you.”

Seele put aside all thoughts of the real world and sighed sincerely.

----

Chapter 286: Bronya? An Unfamiliar Child~

Ninti told Seele about the real world, giving her a rough idea of what to expect upon returning.

This was also meant to reassure Seele.

After all, after wandering for so long, Seele had finally met her relatives from the real world and must have been very confused, possibly even wondering if she was dreaming.

"Huh... So many things have happened?"

"Well, Sister Seele, do you have any other questions?"

"No, not for now. Thank you for telling me so much, Ninti."

Seele shook her head, patted Ninti's little head, and showed a soft and kind smile.

To be honest, Seele had spent her entire childhood at the Cocolia Orphanage. Her memories before being adopted were blurred, and she was essentially a country girl unfamiliar with the world.

Ninti talked about the conflict between Bronya and Cocolia and about Sin becoming the eldest sister in the family. Seele could understand these things. But when it came to the East Shenzou Sea Base, the World Serpent, the Gem of Serenity War, etc., Seele was completely confused. The more she listened, the more disoriented she felt.

From these complex details, Seele only extracted one key piece of information: Bronya, Cocolia, Sin, Rosaria, and Lilia were all fine and living well now. This knowledge was a relief.

Feeling somewhat reassured, Seele looked at Ninti with clear eyes, and a feeling of care and pity arose spontaneously.

"Ninti, how old are you this year?"

"According to human calculation methods, Ninti is not yet one year old."

"Huh?"

"Ninti was born in the biological experiment cabin. It has not been a year since my mother brought me out, so Ninti is not yet one year old."

Ninti raised a white, tender, and slightly chubby finger and spoke seriously. There was no way around it; the identity setting was like this. Since Seele had asked, Ninti could only "tell the truth"—in terms of physical age, it was indeed the truth, though it concealed a deeper reality, so it wasn't exactly a lie.

Seele's pupils trembled as she looked at Ninti with a heartbroken expression.

"How could this happen? How could they do such an excessive thing?"

Seele was no longer focused on other thoughts and could only hold Ninti tightly, tears of heartache streaming down her face.

The sensation of tears falling on her made Ninti stiffen momentarily.

But she couldn't comfort her—the setting was what it was.

'Forget it. At least it distracted her from worrying. Joachim has been gone for a long time and is he still trying to heal himself? In reality, if you pass the core of the Herrscher of Reason to me as soon as possible, all injuries would be healed.'

Ninti thought absentmindedly.

…

"A-choo!"

Welt looked around the empty surroundings suspiciously, wondering if the wind in the sky was too cold.

But that didn't make sense. How could a Herrscher catch a cold just because of a temperature difference?

"Maybe the injury was too severe, and his physique was affected as well."

Welt smiled bitterly and shook his head.

He had always been in very poor condition.

During the Second Eruption, he had been in a state between life and death several times, and in the end, only one core had been sent back to the Anti-Entropy Headquarters. It took a long time to regain consciousness and rebuild his body.

All this of course came at a price.

In the recent battle at Chiyou, two young girls from Schicksal had deceived and attacked him, an old man in his 50s or 60s, forcing him to open his heart, which added to his wounds.

Then there was the battle to stop Kevin, which was another self-destructive effort.

In terms of injuries, only Fu Hua could compete with Welt.

"In fact, it's a miracle that I'm still alive... With such injuries, without Ein and the others to help, how can I recover? Is it really time to consider the inheritance?" Welt sighed.

He had thought about inheritance a long time ago. First, he was not young anymore and did not wish to cling to this power; second, he could not fully master the Herrscher’s power and was becoming increasingly powerless after a series of battles.

Considering the issue of the inheritor, after all calculations, only Ninti was suitable.

Joyce's bloodline, her natural ability to harness the Herrscher of Reason's power, and her pure kindness capable of conquering the Judgement-class Honkai Beast made Welt see no other choice.

Bronya? Sorry, he didn't know the child well enough.

"But Ninti is not even one year old yet."

"If I dare to give up now and push a young Ninti to the front, Ein and Tesla will definitely join forces to beat my head off, right?"

"Anyway, I need to find a way to bring these two children home first, and then discuss the rest."

Welt sighed, closed his eyes, and continued his attempts to heal his wounds, which he had no clear method for but had to address.

...

For Kevin, the Sea of Quanta, which had remained unchanged for thousands of years, suddenly shifted.

He squatted on the edge of the Bubble World, watching Welt's situation motionlessly.

Theoretically, as the leader of the thirteen Flamechasers of the previous era and the lord of the World Serpent, if a Herrscher appeared in front of him, he should immediately seize the heart of the black tiger, crush the bones, scatter the ashes, and then leave the quantum world without looking back with the core in hand.

But Welt’s fearless aura of justice was truly rare.

So he sent Seele in.

Welt and Ninti were in the same group. It was possible they were deliberately putting on an act for him.

But Seele was different. Kevin had seen how she drifted in the quantum world with his own eyes. Even the fact that this child could live safely until now was the result of Kevin’s secret care. Therefore, it was impossible that she was in the same group as this special Herrscher.

The drama between Welt and Ninti might be prearranged, but with Seele, it was easy to discern the truth.

"Get along well, behave naturally, and everything seems very real."

Kevin muttered to himself, and his cold eyes held a trace of surprise.

This was his observation conclusion, which completely contradicted the experience of the previous civilization but perfectly met Elysia’s expectations.

"In this case, what should I do next?"

Kevin was a bit confused.

Such Herrscher should not die so hastily in his hands. But this was the only hope in a thousand years. If he gave up now, he might not be able to rush back during the window period of Project Stigma.

If the implementation of Project Stigma were missed, everything from the previous era, as well as the tens of thousands of years of survival of these survivors, would lose its meaning.

"..."

The confusion lasted only a short time. In the silence, Kevin’s eyes returned to their empty and cold look.

Just give them a little more time. This is the result of Elysia’s efforts and expectations and should be treated with the utmost caution.

When the time is almost up, he would talk to this Herrscher. Borrowing the core and taking away the core are two different concepts. Returning to the real world does not necessarily require this Herrscher to sacrifice his life.

"But nothing is more important than Project Stigma. I hope you won’t leave me with no choice."

Kevin hoped so, smoothing out all the restlessness in his heart, and continued to stay at the edge of the Bubble World, like a quiet and motionless stone statue.

----

Chapter 287: The Little Cotton Jacket is Leaking

Life in the Bubble World was very monotonous.

Despite the company of the sweet and gentle Seele, it was still suffocating to stay in the dead silent city with nothing to do for an extended period.

So, she had to start doing some serious work.

"Joachim, ah~"

"No, Ninti, even in the mouth?"

"Joachim, be good, listen to the doctor, ah~~"

Wearing a large laboratory coat, Ninti had a serious expression and held a metal rod-shaped detector in her hand.

Seeing Welt open his mouth obediently, Ninti pushed the detector into his throat and explained seriously:

"Ninti has learned a lot from Sister Liesel and Sister Frederica. Although Ninti am not a scientist, Ninti should be able to use this knowledge. Don't be afraid; Ninti will do her best to help you, Joachim."

This was a lie. Unless the Herrscher core was given up, Welt's injuries would only worsen under the corrosion of Herrscher power. It couldn't be cured; at most, some minor measures could be taken to alleviate it. Ninti was just conducting an experiment.

However, a Herrscher who cooperates well is actually very rare experimental material. Mobius would drool at the opportunity.

Thinking of this, Ninti's playful attitude was replaced by a serious focus on Herrscher human experiments.

"The physical examination is complete. Joachim, based on the data, you are seriously injured, and there are significant symptoms of Honkai energy erosion in your body. They are corroding your life, and the speed at which you repair yourself is clearly not keeping up with the damage."

"Ninti, you are truly amazing."

Welt sat up from the experimental table. He wasn't concerned about the diagnosis results; instead, he was proud of Ninti's professionalism.

Look, all this incomprehensible experimental equipment was set up by Ninti using the power of the Herrscher of Reason.

What a genius!

As expected, the only person who can inherit Joyce's power is Ninti!

Ninti covered her face with her hands, lowered her head in embarrassment, and said softly:

"Sister Frederica and Dr. Yssring often say so, but Sister Liesel says we should not be proud and should work harder to live up to this talent. Ninti doesn’t quite understand, but when she is praised by Sister Frederica and others, her heart always beats fast. The same is true when she is praised by Joachim."

Ninti looked up and gazed at Welt with her big, innocent eyes, like a child looking at her most trusted elder.

"Joachim, do you know why this is?"

"This is the feeling of happiness."

Welt explained gently, his heart almost melting at Ninti's shy and innocent expression.

Which old man can resist the sight of an innocent child growing up slowly in front of him?

Moreover, Ninti, as Joyce's bloodline and the most lovable experimental subject, was even more touching.

Ninti thought blankly for a moment, then asked softly.

"Is this, happiness?"

"Yes. Isn’t it intoxicating? I hope I can always feel it."

"Well, Ninti likes this feeling. When I'm with everyone and see Joachim, I have this feeling!"

"Ninti..."

Welt's eyes turned red, and he couldn't help but gently embrace the little girl in his arms. The cautious gesture seemed to hold the most precious treasure in the world.

-Little Ninti said she would be happy when she saw me!

-She likes me!

-My life is worth it!

This was the inner roar of the second-generation Welt who died without regrets.

After making a good impression, Ninti calmly pushed Welt away.

"Joachim, lend me some more strength. Ninti needs more equipment."

"Hmm? What else do you want to do?"

"Ninti is going to try to synthesize the Honkai disease serum. The serum technology obtained from Mother Cocolia is already quite advanced, and it is only a few steps away from mass production. Ninti remembers the entire synthesis route, and if there is enough time, it should be possible to create it. In theory, since this serum can remove Honkai energy in ordinary people, it can also remove the excess energy in Joachim and relieve your burden. However, considering that the Honkai energy in a Herrscher is endless, it might need to be reinforced... In short, Ninti will try to help Joachim recover his body!"

"Okay, then do as you say."

Listening to Ninti's soft voice and seeing her innocent eyes full of concern, Welt didn’t hesitate and agreed with a smile.

Ninti smiled obediently.

'It’s just right. If it works on Joachim, then Kiana and Mei will be able to use it directly if they encounter problems in the future.'

What consequences? At most, Welt couldn't endure it, and his body would collapse. It’s not the first or second time; what’s there to worry about?

The caring little cotton jacket leaked air on its own and even installed an internal refrigeration air conditioner for itself.

And Welt was still moved.

…

When the two emerged from the laboratory, in the clean and warm living room, Seele had just finished checking the paper full of answers and slowly placed it on the table, looking a bit uneasy.

Ninti approached and made a few sleeve-lifting gestures, then took a pair of white and tender little hands out of the wide laboratory coat, and picked up Seele’s paper.

"Wrong, wrong, right, wrong, right..."

Ninti announced the accuracy of each answer, finally calculating the score in her mind.

"59 points, failed."

"Woo!"

Seele covered her face and let out a soft, touching cry like a baby animal.

Ninti asked seriously.

"Did Seele secretly look at the book while answering the questions?"

"No, no! How can you secretly look at the book during the exam? That’s cheating!"

Seele covered her face and shook her head quickly.

Ninti glanced at the textbook on the table and nodded.

"Well, I believe Seele."

Rosalia and Lilia would definitely cheat if they found a gap, but Seele wouldn’t. She was the kind of person who would immediately blame herself for being a bad student if she had that idea. She was a pure and good girl.

So Ninti said reassuringly,

"In just a few days, you have caught up with Rosalia and Lilia’s progress from half a year. Seele is amazing!"

The sincere praise from the younger sister made Seele lower her hands, and a little hope appeared in her tearful eyes.

"Really, really?"

"Yes, really!"

Rosalia and Lilia had taken extra classes for more than half a year but still failed.

Since everyone failed, the progress is the same, no problem!

Seele blushed and smiled shyly.

"But Seele still needs to work hard. Take advantage of this time to make up for the lessons you missed before. Mom always says that we need to learn more so we can do what we want to do in the future. Seele must not want to go back and take the same classes as Rosalia and Lilia, right?"

Seele was stunned for a moment, then shook her head vigorously.

Absolutely not!

She had no prejudice against Rosalia and Lilia, but as a good student, she couldn’t accept being on the same level as those two mischievous little fools!

Suddenly, Seele’s enthusiasm for learning surged.

[Another me, can you...]

[No, I didn’t hear you, get out!]

Black Seele responded with three consecutive qualities.

In the depths of her consciousness, she picked up the textbook that Seele had been studying for the past few days and studied it intently.

"Shh!"

Half a minute later, Black Seele, with a blackened face, tore up the book, went to the bed, pulled up the quilt and hugged Seele’s body pillow and finally fell asleep.

...

While Ninti was conducting experiments with Welt and tutoring Seele, many people were busy in the real world.

"Plop!"

A petite girl in a white coat collapsed headfirst onto the computer.

Her messy green hair spread over the table, and dark coffee dripped from the table to the floor, matching the dark circles around her eyes.

"Oh no, Dr. Yssring fainted again!"

"Didn't you say to make sure she rested on time?!"

"Doctor, where is the doctor!?"

"Where are the glucose, vitamins, and emergency adrenaline? Get them out!"

After a flurry of activity in the laboratory, Yssring was taken away on a stretcher.

Tesla, who also had dark circles under her eyes, glanced over and then continued to analyze and calculate in front of his computer.

Einstein extended her hand.

"Let’s go out and get some fresh air. Let’s stop here for today."

"No, Mophead, you go first. I’m almost done."

"Do you want Yang and Ninti to blame themselves when they come back? Forget about Yang, but Ninti will definitely cry when she finds out about this."

"I..."

Tesla’s fingers trembled, and a hint of hesitation appeared on her pale face.

Einstein grabbed her wrist and forcibly pulled Tesla up:

"The body is the capital. We are not Yssring. We don’t have to follow her pace. Maintaining your own state is the fastest way to help them. You should understand this, Dr. Tesla."

"...Yeah."

The usually stubborn red-haired girl with twin ponytails was as obedient as a silent quail at this moment.

"They must be safe and sound, and they must be waiting for us to find a way home, right?"

"Of course. Dr

. Tesla, you have to understand that Yang is the Ruler of Reason, and Ninti is a Ruler-level powerhouse who can share power with Yang. Together, they are more than the sum of their parts, and no one can threaten this combination. So, they must be waiting for us!"

"Mophead, you are right. I have to have confidence in them and not lose my composure; that would harm them."

Tesla wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, took a deep breath, and pushed all her fragile emotions back into her heart.

It’s just a sudden loss of contact, just some minor dangers. In over fifty years of efforts, haven’t there been enough such situations?

Besides, Yssring, who is much more hardworking than the two of them, is helping, and Cocolia is shielding them from external threats, which is much stronger than the second Great Collapse.

So, it will definitely go smoothly!

Tesla convinced herself.

----

Chapter 289: I Am Kevin

[Sleep, sleep, sleep! Sleep, you (elegant and easygoing)!]

[How can you sleep at your age?]

[Hurry up, I’ve given you the idea; go and verify it!]

The persistent urging voices came one after another in the Angel network, all focused on the sleeping Yssring. Meanwhile, the plans deduced by several Angels in the theater were also being transmitted.

Yssring: "!!!"

At that moment, Tesla passed by the door and came in to check on her. Yssring had been recognized and even secretly admired by Tesla.

Suddenly, Yssring sat up like a zombie, her bloodshot eyes fixed on Tesla. The arm with the infusion needle grabbed Tesla’s wrist.

Tesla's expression twisted with fear.

"Oh my god! She’s dead!!!"

"Dr. Tesla, stop yelling; I have tinnitus."

"...Your tinnitus is from working too much. It’s none of my business!"

Tesla tried to salvage her previous loss of composure, shook off Yssring’s hand, and criticized her with a sour expression.

Yssring blankly patted her head, as if trying to alleviate her tinnitus, though she wasn’t sure how effective it was. Regardless, she quickly grabbed Tesla’s hand again.

"Dr. Tesla, where’s my computer!?"

"It’s in the lab. What’s wrong? The doctor said you need to rest. Take a day or two off. Otherwise, the Eye of The Deep hasn’t been restarted yet, and I’m afraid you’ll die first."

Tesla was very anxious, but seeing Yssring’s disheveled hair and haggard appearance, she had to slow down despite his urgency.

However, Yssring did not accept this concern disguised as it was by a disgusted expression. Instead, she spoke urgently, her voice strained from overwork.

"Inspiration! I have an inspiration! I have a new solution to the overload problem of the No. 17 blocker!"

"What? Aren’t you always sleeping? Can you continue to study in your dreams?"

"Three, I have three new ideas! Give me the computer quickly; I need to write them down!"

"Hey! I think you’re crazy. Take a break first; this won’t work."

Tesla didn’t believe it. While it’s not impossible to get inspiration in a dream, the No. 17 blocker problem is the biggest obstacle in the entire design, involving extremely complex factors and difficult requirements. If you can come up with a solution in a dream, you can only be confused in your sleep.

Tesla pushed Yssring who was still trying to argue back to the bed. She then put her hands on her slender waist and sighed.

"I’ll call the doctor to check on you again and prescribe some medicine to restore your vitality. I’m not saying anything bad about you, but scientific research can’t solve everything in one go. Before tackling more problems, I think you should first learn the most basic human self-regulation ability—go to bed on time!"

Tesla turned to leave, but Yssring grabbed her wrist again.

"Dr. Tesla! Tesla! Inspiration! Ideas! Let me write them down!"

Yssring who was pale and wide-eyed, appeared to be experiencing some kind of severe withdrawal reaction. Like a possessed demon, she clung tightly to Tesla and wouldn’t let go.

Tesla was startled by the horror-movie-like scene. Her mouth twitched, and she finally bowed her head and gave in.

"I’m terrified of you. I’ll go get the computer; don’t move."

Though it seemed unlikely, Tesla understood this feeling. Sometimes an inspiration suddenly pops up, and a lot of content has been conceived in one’s mind, but without a tool to record and further deduce it, it feels really uncomfortable.

Seeing Yssring so desperate, Tesla felt deeply involved. She ran to the laboratory to grab a notebook.

When she returned, she watched Yssring’s ideas gradually take shape on the computer. She touched her chin, nodded, and looked thoughtful.

"Oh, so that’s it. You think so? It’s interesting."

"Dr. Tesla, look at this piece. This is the idea that has changed from your previous design. Do you have a more stable modification plan?"

"Well, great idea. But here and here... Come on, give me something. I think I have some ideas."

"Oh! That’s it! Dr. Tesla is a genius!"

"Of course! Hurry up; let me see your complete idea. I remember you said there are three plans?"

"Right away, Dr. Tesla. Please help too; whether it can be accomplished depends entirely on your wisdom!"

*An Hour Later*

Einstein had finished her breakfast and tidied up her appearance before heading to Yssring’s room to visit.

She saw a familiar doctor standing by the bed, examining Yssring’s arms, face, eyes, and other parts, skillfully performing basic examinations.

But no matter how Yssring was examined, her eyes remained fixed on her computer, with Tesla also glued to the screen. From time to time, the two pointed at each other and discussed something, ignoring the doctor beside them.

"All indicators are barely normal. There is no major problem for now, but she really needs a regular schedule... Forget it. I’ll go report to Lady Cocolia."

The doctor rubbed her forehead, sighed tiredly, and wore a helpless expression she had long grown accustomed to.

Einstein patted her shoulder with understanding.

"Thank you for your hard work. Go and report to Cocolia on how to handle this. She’s the only one who can make arrangements for Yssring."

"Dr. Einstein, I’ve been a doctor for many years, dealing with Honkai disease, but I never expected that the person who would make me feel most helpless wouldn’t be Mr. Siegfried, whose body is in disarray, but..."

"I understand, I understand! Thank you for your hard work and take care."

Einstein watched the doctor leave, feeling a bit sympathetic.

Being able to stay at the Anti-Entropy Headquarters all year round, this doctor’s professionalism is impeccable. However, a medical expert who can even relieve Honkai disease is helpless with Yssring’s body. If Yssring had Honkai disease, it would be better; at least the doctor would know it was a difficult problem and find some psychological comfort in the challenge. But Yssring simply has an irregular work and rest schedule and stays up late. This issue cannot be cured no matter how much treatment is administered. How can a medical expert accept that?

"But who told you to meet Yssring?"

Einstein sighed as she watched Yssring, on an IV drip and working hard on the computer. She wasn’t sure if she was more speechless or more admiring.

"Mophead, come and take a look. There’s something wrong here; it seems you’re more professional!"

"Ah... I’m here."

So, the discussion became a three-person affair.

The sunlight shifted from slanting to vertical outside the window, and then gradually disappeared. A day passed just like that.

Concentration is a common trait among people like them, especially when a key problem has found a suitable solution. It’s normal to forget about sleep and food.

Late at night, when the assistant responsible for taking care of the three came with midnight snacks, only the crisp sound of high-fives celebrating each other was heard.

"Done?"

"Done! Success!"

"I knew we could do it, hahaha!"

Tesla was so excited that she put her left arm around Yssring and her right arm around Einstein, laughing happily. The three of them had smiles on their faces to varying degrees, all reflecting their joy.

---

*In a Bubble World*

In a laboratory filled with professional equipment, Ninti controlled the machinery for delicate operations and carefully adjusted the medicine.

Equipment can materialize with power, but raw materials can only be synthesized with equipment. Some raw materials cannot be synthesized with equipment alone.

Ninti could only draw a large amount of blood as a basis for mixing. Fortunately, since she’s not human, bleeding is harmless for her. However, the process is quite cumbersome, and nothing can be wasted.

"Gululu..."

Uniform bubbles slowly rose in the light green liquid, and soon, the medicine took shape.

A faint smile appeared on Ninti’s face. She took out some of the medicine and tested it with Welt’s blood.

More than half an hour later, Ninti sighed softly with a syringe filled with liquid medicine.

'What a pity, if I could connect to the Angel network, I would have more ideas and could conduct more thorough verification.'

After spending several days in the Bubble World, there was still no sign of the network connecting.

She's afraid that the Angels in the real world have tried their best. This is probably not a technical problem but a lack of output capacity. It should be possible to break through the dimensional barrier and penetrate into the quantum field only when the Angels reach a higher level.

As for Ninti herself, she did not make any attempts.

No other reason than Kevin’s presence outside.

Kevin was highly vigilant against the Herrscher. Kevin had special and inseparable expectations for the Herrscher of Human.

Kevin needed Welt’s core to achieve a dimensional leap and return to reality.

Ninti knew Kevin’s mentality very well and guessed his approach. He must be squatting outside the Bubble World, waiting until he thinks the time is right or until the real world reopens the channel, then attempting to communicate with Welt to solve the problem—or kill him.

In this case, testing the power of the Herrscher of Dominance here would be a death wish.

The Herrscher of Dominance is indeed great at hiding; even the psychic Su can’t recognize it, and Kevin obviously doesn’t have this ability. But using power under someone’s nose is another matter.

"Is this the antidote to the Honkai disease?"

Ninti, feeling regretful about the loss of connection with the Angel network, suddenly heard a cold, mechanical voice from behind, clearly asking a question.

At that moment, Ninti froze, and the syringe in her hand nearly fell to the ground.

After several seconds, Ninti turned around and protected the important medicine tightly in her arms. With a hint of confusion in her clear and innocent eyes, she said softly:

"Bad guy?"

"No, I..."

Good guy? Bad guy?

The simple question from a simple child made Kevin momentarily lose his mind.

He never wanted to be a bad guy. But on the battlefield of the previous era, his hands had been stained with the blood of his companions more than once, and the Stigma Project was an anti-human extinction path... So, he is indeed a bad guy, right?

"I'm Kevin."

Finally, he replied, and the small ripples in his heart disappeared into the frozen lake of his heart, leaving no emotion emerging.

---

Chapter 290: Hehe, So Easy to Deal With

"I'm Ninti. Hello."

The slender and tender little hand extended, simply and directly displaying the little girl's friendliness.

'I was careless. I knew that the special medicine for Honkai disease had extremely special significance to Su and even the entire previous era, and it might attract Kevin’s special attention, but I didn’t make sufficient contingency plans. Fortunately, on-the-spot performance is also my specialty, so it’s not a big problem.'

Ninti looked up at Kevin with eyes as clean and bright as a clear spring.

Kevin certainly couldn’t have imagined that beneath the skin of this pure little girl was the soul of a movie queen.

Except for the truly mad, no one could resist the kindness of an angelic child. Not to mention that the girl in front of him was a MANTIS, innocent and cute, sharing many characteristics with Griseo—the softness shared by the Flamechasers.

So, Kevin slowly took Ninti’s hand.

At the moment of shaking hands, Ninti felt only a slightly cool touch, not the ultra-low temperature that could instantly cause frostbite.

It seems that thousands of years after the end of the previous era, Kevin had finally managed to adjust and control his abilities reaching a point where he could touch mortals without freezing them.

Unfortunately, the woman he wanted to touch the most was no longer there, and this control had lost much of its meaning.

Ninti looked innocent and didn’t understand the wickedness of human hearts. She asked in a soft, naive voice.

"Is Kevin a person who lives here?"

"No. I'm just a little curious about this potion. Can it really cure the Honkai disease perfectly?"

"Yes, we have conducted many experiments, and it really cured Rosaria, Lilia, Tianwen, and Brother Tianwu."

"The person who developed this potion is a real hero."

Kevin lowered his eyes and sighed sincerely.

In the early days of the previous era, people had been trying to overcome this problem. However, the only successful case involved extracting serum from thousands of Honkai-infected individuals and concentrating it into a single antidote. It could save one person, but the remaining tens of thousands would still die in agony, which was almost meaningless.

However, New civilization had produced a drug that could be mass-produced. This was undoubtedly a feat that surpassed previous era and deserved Kevin's true respect.

Ninti could somewhat guess what Kevin was thinking, but she couldn’t bring herself to respect people like Dr. Maki.

"It works on the basis of the stigmata gene, so we have to thank everyone in previous era for their efforts."

"Stigmata gene?"

Kevin paused, and a flash of realization crossed his eyes.

So that’s it. Is it the stigmata gene that was missing? They were only one step away from success?

However, when the stigmata technology was developed, their era had already entered its twilight, and the victims of Honkai disease were no longer a priority. For the survivors at that time, the direct threat of the Honkai was far closer and more terrifying than the Honkai disease.

"Anyway, you have achieved something we never did, which is amazing."

Perhaps because of the special significance of the potion, or perhaps because the girl in front of him was very similar to Griseo, Kevin's eyes softened unconsciously. He instinctively reached out to pat Ninti’s head to express his approval.

Ninti looked up and blinked innocently:

"So, Kevin is also from the previous era?"

"I am."

"Then let’s take you home, and go back together!"

The childish words, filled with pure kindness, made Kevin feel awkward all of a sudden.

He was the key factor that led Ninti to drift to the Sea of Quanta and he was still eyeing Welt, whom Ninti trusted.

So, with the same pity he had for Griseo, Kevin warned with concern.

"You should be more vigilant towards strangers. Honkai is dangerous, and humans themselves are also dangerous."

"?"

"I said too much. We will meet again. Don’t worry; at least in this bubble, you will be safe."

Kevin’s figure faded and disappeared as his voice trailed off.

Ninti knew that the big ice block must have returned to the edge of the bubble and would definitely try its best to strengthen the bubble’s barrier to ensure that the three of them could live there safely.

This was Kevin's promise. As long as it did not involve Project Stigma, it was one of the most reliable promises in the world.

"Kevin... Kevin... Kevin?"

After looking around for a while and turning a few circles, Ninti tilted her head, appearing a little confused.

"Forget it, let’s have Joachim test the efficacy of the medicine first."

Ninti seemed to have temporarily given up but was laughing inwardly—hehe, so easy to deal with!

It’s great that the opponents are all good people!

...

Without Ninti's call, Welt wouldn't have entered the laboratory for a few days.

On one hand, he didn’t want to disturb Ninti. On the other hand, to be honest, it was hard for him to believe that a child who was just born less than a year ago could come up with any effective methods.

He had cooperated with Ninti to build this laboratory more because he saw that Ninti wanted to do it. He had met all of her requirements just to keep the child occupied, that was all.

However, when he was arranged by Ninti to lie on the experimental table, bound by iron chains and other structures, and connected to various incomprehensible equipment—Welt was shocked to find that this child is serious!

"Ninti, you..."

"Joachim, don’t be afraid. The injection doesn’t hurt."

Ninti stood on tiptoe to barely look at Welt and comforted him with a serious and soft voice.

Welt had no choice but to comply.

'Later, try to show that the medicine is effective.'

Ninti didn’t think too much. At the moment of the experiment, her mind was filled with expectations for the results.

The syringe was gently attached to Welt's arm, the mechanical structure worked, and the liquid was slowly injected into his body.

"Hmm?"

Welt immediately sensed something was wrong.

The next second, the closed laboratory was enveloped by a rustling gale.

An invisible energy was released from Welt, turning from a slight breeze into a hurricane that shook the heavy equipment.

"Boom!!!"

The entire laboratory was violently turbulent, and the lights were naturally destroyed by the strong impact.

In the dark secret room, Welt easily broke free from the steel restraints and looked at his side immediately. "Ninti, are you okay?"

"Joachim, I’m here."

A small hand reached out from the other direction, and Welt felt the familiar experience of shared power again.

Of course, he didn’t resist.

Thus, Ninti successfully borrowed the power and repaired the entire laboratory.

After everything was restored, Ninti carefully reviewed the various parameters measured from Welt, while Welt thoughtfully touched different parts of his body.

"It seems that I feel a lot more relaxed?"

"Yes, the physical examination results show that the drug is effective. It has successfully allowed you to expel a large amount of redundant Honkai energy. Although the Herrscher Core will quickly replenish it, during this short period, the speed of repairing various injuries will exceed the speed of continuous destruction—you are getting healthier, Joachim."

"What? Really?"

"Really. It can last about 7 to 8 hours. During this period, Joachim's physical condition will improve."

Welt’s injury was a tug-of-war.

The Herrscher Core continued to cause damage while he continued to repair his body.

The speed of destruction versus repair determined whether Welt’s injuries would worsen or improve. With his current injuries, there were too many areas being damaged continuously and too many areas needing repair. Welt could not keep up and could only watch the situation deteriorate.

Now, the medicine had expelled a large amount of redundant Honkai energy, greatly reducing the speed of destruction.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Welt could recover a lot of injuries in one go, and maybe he could still maintain a good state of repair versus destruction after the potion’s effect ended.

"I understand. Thank you, Ninti!"

Welt, fully aware of his situation, tried to suppress his excitement, patted Ninti’s head, and lay back down on the experimental table. He had to hurry and do his best to repair his injuries.

"Hmm... it can be improved. The efficacy seems to be completely within the tolerance range, and it can be further concentrated and strengthened. As for the duration... the slow-release method seems a bit difficult. I’ll think about it..." Ninti pondered seriously, glanced at Welt concentrating on his recovery, and ignored him.

Instead, she went to the raw material extractor to prepare the necessary materials for developing a new batch of drugs.

'I don’t know what the situation is in the real world. I hope you guys will slow down and wait until I finish another experiment.'

Blood dripped into the container as Ninti thought expressionlessly.

---

Chapter 291: Delicious, Thank You

Red.

Bright and dark red.

The liquid sealed in the transparent container emitted an extremely strong smell of Honkai energy, and Welt wouldn't mistake it—it was blood.

"Joachim, are you okay? It's dark. Time to eat."

The laboratory door was open, and Ninti poked her head through, peeking at the situation inside.

Welt tore his eyes away from the glaring liquid and looked at Ninti. His throat suddenly felt dry.

"Ninti, what is this?"

"The raw materials for the medicine. With the first experience, Ninti can use them to make more effective medicine to help Joachim recover faster."

"No, I mean... is this your blood?"

"It's okay, Joachim. Ninti is very strong, so it won't affect my health."

Ninti's voice was as soft and pleasant as always, with her usual gentle yet emotionless tone.

Welt, whose physical condition had improved significantly, felt an overwhelming dizziness. If he hadn't grabbed the nearby table, he might have stumbled.

"Ninti, I... I feel much better now. Let's stop with the medicine for now. When we get back, we can—"

"Joachim, don't be stubborn. Have you forgotten that powerful enemy?"

Ninti put her hands on her hips, lecturing him like a little adult.

Welt finally couldn't hold back. He walked over, knelt in front of Ninti, and hugged her tightly, his voice choked with emotion.

Ninti gently hugged him back and patted his back soothingly.

"Joachim, be good, don't cry, don't cry~~"

Ninti knew that from now on, if Otto dared to say something like "Theresa is the cutest in the world" in front of Welt, he would likely respond with a [Star of Eden: 0th Power].

Don't ask why. Just wonder how Otto dared to ignore the facts and spread rumors!

'Ah, I'm so mean,' Ninti thought, a little devilish version of herself sprouting horns in her mind.

...

The development of special medicine for Welt went smoothly. The second round of medication gave him three days of recovery, enough to restore him to nearly his peak.

Although his fighting style limited his upper power and cognition, his endurance had greatly improved. He wouldn’t be exhausted after using his 0th power again.

Still, he strictly forbade Ninti from extracting more raw materials.

Of course, "strict" only in his own eyes.

To Seele who was watching, it looked like an ultimate doting father kindly asking his daughter to eat less ice cream, without uttering a single harsh word.

This made Seele a little envious.

Because she didn't have a father. It was that simple.

In short, under Welt's almost pleading eyes, and since his body had recovered to its limit, he realized that the incompatibility with the Herrscher core meant he wouldn't fully heal—so Ninti stopped her experiments.

Life in the Bubble World became dull once again.

Even though Seele was wonderful, Ninti’s personality didn’t allow her to cling to Seele 24/7 to pass the time.

Ninti felt she had to find something else to do.

…

"Kevin..."

"Kevin..."

"Kevin, are you there?"

After her third tour of the city and scouring the entire Bubble World, Ninti called his name.

It was nearly dusk. If nothing unexpected happened, she should return to have dinner with Welt and Seele.

Ninti landed on a rooftop, holding a box of snacks. She was as expressionless as ever, but under the sunset, she somehow exuded a slightly aggrieved and pitiful atmosphere.

"Why are you looking for me?"

Kevin who had been avoiding the Bubble World for days finally appeared. No matter how cold a man's expression, there's always a soft spot in his heart.

A little girl like Ninti easily tugged at that soft spot, and Kevin had no reason to avoid her.

"The Sea of Quanta is dangerous, with terrifying enemies. Ninti is worried about you."

The golden-haired girl spoke softly, her pure and innocent eyes reflecting the most sincere and direct concern.

Kevin: "..."

Was there a chance that the terrifying enemy she spoke of was standing right in front of him?

Kevin maintained a cold expression, but his heart, calm for many years, began to stir with elder-like worry.

"I told you last time, you should be more cautious with strangers. Don't trust those you don’t know."

Trusting too easily could lead to a regrettable, bloody lesson.

Kevin knew this from experience, which only made him more concerned about Ninti's innocence.

"Would Kevin do bad things to Ninti?"

The little girl tilted her head and blinked.

Critical hit, straight to the heart.

Kevin couldn't answer immediately.

"...Not necessarily."

"!!!"

As if realizing the danger, Ninti took a small step back and pulled out a device that looked like an anti-assault alarm—it was actually a "Welt Summoner," very convenient and practical.

Kevin opened his mouth, feeling a sense of powerlessness, and said:

"Not now."

"Oh."

Ninti obediently put away the alarm.

Kevin, however, worried about her naivety once again.

"You trust too easily. That’s dangerous."

"But Kevin wouldn’t do anything bad."

"I..."

Kevin tried to lecture her.

But he was at a loss for words.

After a moment, he sighed, looking at Ninti’s confused face, and said:

"So, why did you come to find me?"

"I'm worried about Kevin. Also, Seele made these snacks for you."

Ninti handed him the snack box she had been holding for a while.

Kevin shook his head, about to refuse.

"Beep! Beep! Beep!"

Suddenly, an alarm-like sound came from Ninti.

She quickly thrust the snack box into his hands and turned to leave.

"I have to go back for dinner, or Joachim and Sister Seele will worry. Goodbye, Kevin~~"

Kevin looked at the snack box in his hands, feeling the warmth of the little girl still lingering on it. A moment later, confusion clouded his eyes.

Why did the Herrschers call him by name, but the girl called her "sister"? Aren’t they older?

A strange child, with incomprehensible thoughts. Kevin held the snack box, watching Ninti’s figure recede, and didn't leave the world until she had safely returned to her temporary residence.

...

The next day, when Ninti woke up, the snack box she had delivered the day before was beside her bed.

When she opened it, only one cookie was missing, and inside was a note:

[It was delicious, thank you.]

This was Kevin's reply after staring at the snack box all night.

Ninti held the note and blinked, a glimmer of light flashing in her eyes.

That afternoon, she returned to the rooftop where they met the day before.

"Kevin! Kevin..."

She called out several times, but Kevin didn’t appear.

So, she placed a new snack box on the ground, put up a conspicuous sign, and left.

After a while, a hand picked up the snack box.

"Today is cake. Made by Ninti. You must eat it all."

Kevin read the sign and remained silent for a long time.

He was increasingly puzzled by the little girl’s thoughts.

That night, after the trio fell asleep, Kevin quietly returned to the Bubble World, placing an empty snack box with a note: "Thank you, it was delicious," next to Ninti's bed.

As he turned to leave, Ninti stirred in her sleep, and the quilt slipped off her side.

"..."

For some reason, Kevin tucked the quilt back over her.

Realizing what he'd done, Kevin frowned and quickly left the Bubble World again.

...

On the third day, Ninti placed another snack box and sign.

The note Kevin left read:

[Thank you, but no more.]

...

On the fourth day, Ninti placed another snack box and sign.

Ninti: [Kevin doesn’t like sweets? What does Kevin like to eat?]

Kevin: [I don’t need to eat.]

…

Ninti: [But eating delicious food makes you happy. That’s what Sister Frederica told me.]

Kevin didn’t know who Sister Frederica was. He could only continue to awkwardly decline the little girl’s kindness.

[I really don’t need it, you don’t have to go through the trouble.]

…

[Ninti doesn’t think it’s troublesome. She made this today. Please enjoy it.]

[…It’s delicious, thank you.]

Outside the Bubble World, Kevin held the snack box for what felt like the hundredth time. Through the barrier, he watched Ninti explain a textbook to Seele, a gentleness in his eyes he himself didn’t notice.

---

Chapter 292: I'm Not Yours

It’s the Nth day of wandering the world.

Ninti came to the usual spot with a snack box. But today, there was no need to put up a sign to convey information because Kevin showed up directly and took what Ninti brought.

Both of them wore expressionless faces—one mechanical and cold, the other cute and silly—similar but different.

After staring at each other silently for a while, they sat side by side on the edge of the roof and shared today’s snacks.

“Why haven’t you told them about me?”

“It seems Kevin is shy and doesn’t want them to know, so I won’t tell them for now,” Ninti frowned, uncertain.

Kevin was speechless, then shook his head and disagreed.

“Next time you encounter something similar, tell Welt immediately. You can create medicine out of thin air in the Bubble World, which shows you're smarter than most adults. But intelligence isn’t everything. At this stage, you obviously lack an adult's judgment.”

“Oh... Kevin, do you like salty snacks?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Because you don’t seem very happy while eating.”

Ninti turned her head, her big, watery eyes full of inquiry.

Kevin paused, ate the biscuit in his hand, and said, “No, I’m just used to not smiling, not that I don’t like it.”

“Then tomorrow I’ll bring half sweet and half salty. Kevin can try both.”

“Don’t bother, I said I don’t need food.”

“Ninti and Joachim don’t need food either, but we still eat every day because eating is part of happiness. Kevin probably hasn’t eaten in a long time, so he’s forgotten the joy of it, right?”

Ninti looked at Kevin with sympathetic eyes and an expressionless face.

Kevin was speechless.

What’s wrong with this little girl? He just ate a snack—why is she being so unreasonable?

Then again, most girls seem like this. Like Elysia and Mobius, when they get little ideas, they’ll talk about reason non-stop, proving they're right from some inexplicable angle.

Of course, Ninti is different from them. She obviously can’t have bad intentions.

Anyway, let’s change the subject.

“How did you become a MANTIS?”

“MANTIS?”

“Yes, a human with the power of a Honkai beast.”

“It’s Chiyou. She entrusted her power to me and asked me to see the world on her behalf.”

As Kevin picked up a piece of dessert, his movements suddenly stopped for a second.

Chiyou?

He remembered that name.

But when he learned of it, Fuxi and Nuwa had already sacrificed themselves, and Shenzhou had stabilized. So, he hadn’t needed to intervene and didn’t even go to Shenzhou to take a look.

It’s not that he didn’t care about Fuxi and Nuwa’s deaths. They had long become accustomed to the separation of life and death. As a pioneer, all Kevin could do was remember his companions and fulfill his mission more resolutely.

“Chiyou revived in your era?”

“Yes. But it’s over now. Kevin, do you want to know what happened?”

“...Tell me.”

Project Stigma is about to start. Logically, as long as humanity isn’t destroyed, whatever disaster happens is unrelated to Kevin’s mission.

But if Chiyou revived, what happened to Hua, who’s in charge of Shenzhou? Kevin had to care about this matter.

Ninti, in her childlike innocent tone, told the entire story of the battle with Chiyou from “Ninti’s perspective,” bit by bit.

It took more than half an hour, and Kevin finished all the remaining snacks.

“The Immortal Phoenix, Fu Hua, Hua... she accepted disciples too?”

Kevin wasn’t interested in the miscellaneous supporting characters. Even the revelation that Chiyou was surprisingly simple didn’t intrigue him. He only cared about Fu Hua accepting disciples.

“Kevin knows the Immortal Phoenix? That’s right, you’re all warriors from the previous era. Ninti heard that after the Immortal Phoenix’s disciple became the Herrscher of Dominance, they were taken away by the piooner Su from the previous era...”

“Pfft—”

“Kevin?”

“Nothing. Su appeared in the real world too? No, wait, what do you mean Hua’s disciple became a Herrscher of Dominance!?”

Kevin blinked in disbelief.

To see a thousand-year-old iceberg react this way seemed a bit silly.

But Kevin didn’t care about his image at all. What he cared about was:

What’s been happening in the real world during all these years I’ve been gone? Hua’s disciple became the Herrscher of Dominance? And Project Velaka of Su came to fruition? What’s Su’s plan with the Herrscher of Dominance?

“Ninti doesn’t know much about Su. She’s only heard of him from her mother and others. As for Angel, Ninti has heard many people talk about her story. Does Kevin want to listen?”

“...Go ahead.”

At this point, Kevin, no matter how disinterested, had to show some concern for the real world. It was too confusing and a bit scary!

So, Ninti, still using her childlike tone, explained Angel’s background.

Unfortunately, the snacks were gone, and Kevin could only sit and listen.

These days, there had been too many snacks, and his gluttony had been triggered. Suddenly, he felt a bit uncomfortable.

“Nagazora City... Man-made Eruption Experiment... World Serpent...”

Kevin repeated these words softly and gradually lowered his eyes.

He probably knew who the murderer was and their motive.

However, he couldn’t blame them, as the Gray Serpents followed their mission.

Of course, revenge was also the right of the victims in Nagazora City. As long as it didn’t interfere with Project Stigma, Kevin wouldn’t pursue any action.

And the Shamash is back, and it’s a female doll now?

The changes in the real world were truly confusing!

“Kevin, Kevin?”

“What?”

“It’s time, I should go home.”

Ninti held the empty snack box, her clean and clear purple eyes like two perfect gems, shining with a watery luster. She looked so obedient.

Kevin nodded, with an unconscious tenderness in his eyes.

“Okay, be careful on the way.”

Kevin watched Ninti’s figure until she entered the foothold.

Although he knew that the Bubble World’s barrier was constantly guarded by him, with no external threats.

And though he knew Ninti was actually quite powerful—holding Honkai energy far beyond the scale of a Herrscher and able to control gravity—she was still young, which made people worry. She was essentially strong enough to suppress a Herrscher head-on.

Still, Kevin didn’t blink once, watching until she safely made it home under Welt’s protection before quietly leaving this world.

“Tomorrow, I’ll ask about the real world again,” Kevin said to himself.

Naturally, he decided to continue meeting and talking with Ninti tomorrow.

...

During dinner that evening, Welt, pretending to be indifferent, gave Seele a look.

Seele nodded in understanding and then awkwardly asked.

“Ninti, where have you been playing in the afternoons these past few days?”

She also forced herself to blink, thinking her acting seemed natural and sweet.

Ninti chewed her food, her round cheeks puffed, as she looked at Seele and Welt with pure eyes.

“Eat slowly, and talk after you finish,” Welt said, smiling as he added more food to Ninti’s plate.

Of course, he didn’t suspect Ninti of doing anything bad. It’s just that the Sea of Quanta had many unknown factors. The 'father', reluctant to restrict his sweet little girl, didn’t want to give Ninti the impression he was controlling her, but he couldn’t help worrying about her safety. So, he had asked Seele to check on Ninti’s whereabouts.

“Ninti went... far away... ate, picnicked,” Ninti weakly responded.

Her face was slightly red, and she tightly held her chopsticks. It was obvious she was hiding something.

But at the same time, it was hard to press her further.

Seele bit her lip and sent a pleading look to Welt.

Welt coughed lightly and gently asked.

“Can you take Sister Seele and me with you tomorrow? We’ll go on a picnic together.”

“Um... Ninti needs to go to the bathroom first.”

Ninti jumped off her chair and ran into the bathroom.

The two left behind exchanged glances, each with the same thought—what was Ninti hiding? Could it be dangerous? It was hard not to worry with that behavior.

Ninti closed the bathroom door, then faced the air, clasped her hands around her mouth, and whispered.

“Kevin—”

“I’m here.”

“Can Joachim and Seele come with me tomorrow?”

“Of course.”

Kevin nodded and disappeared again.

Really, what’s the point of asking about such small things? You can do whatever you want! I, Kevin, am just a cold-blooded MANTIS we met by chance. I’m not yours. Do you need to ask me?

Kevin shook his head gently.

Then the next day, when he should have been sitting with Ninti sharing snacks, he stood at the edge of the Bubble World, watching Ninti have a picnic with Welt and Seele, expressionless.

For five whole hours, he didn’t blink once. His eyes didn’t move at all.

It was just monitoring, as usual, with no other thoughts—Kevin told himself with certainty.

----

Chapter 293: Ruler of Reason, You Need to Calm Down

It was another sunny afternoon.

Ninti was washing her apron, standing on a stool, kneading the dough skillfully, focused on preparing today's delicious snacks for the two people at home and Kevin outside the bubble.

A slender, elegant tail swayed briskly and cutely behind her.

Then suddenly, a hand grasped the tip of her tail.

"!!!"

The golden hair trembled, and Ninti shuddered.

Looking back, she saw Seele frowning slightly, observing the beautiful tail thoughtfully.

"Sister Seele... No, Another Sister Seele, are you awake?"

"Another? You strange girl, can you actually see me?"

Black Seele raised her eyebrows.

Black clothes and red eyes were the image characteristics presented in the spiritual realm. In fact, no matter which personality was using the body, the hair color, eye color, and clothes in the real world wouldn't change. It was just that her eyes were sharper, and her expression more indifferent and self-centered—just a slight difference.

"Sister Seele, can you... let go of my tail? It's a little itchy..."

The delicate little girl blushed and begged shyly in a low voice, as if she was enduring some indescribable harassment.

Black Seele was stunned. Her eyes moved to the slightly trembling tail in her hand, and then she quickly let go.

Oh my god, it's a bit scary. Is this a sensitive area? Seele would be so angry she'd give me the cold shoulder if she knew, right?

Black Seele had only come out for a walk while Seele was napping. She didn’t want to cause trouble for herself.

"Uh... ahem! Are you making snacks again? It's always sweet stuff. Don’t you have anything spicy?"

"Sister Seele likes spicy food?"

"Why, can't I?"

"Well, if it's spicy... Ninti knows of a Shenzhou dish called spicy meat steamed buns, which can also be eaten as a snack. I'll try to make it for Sister Seele later."

Ninti held the small dough in both hands, kneading it, her face slightly red.

Black Seele opened her mouth, ready to say something harsh, but held back.

Goodness, she can really make spicy snacks?

And what's with this soft appearance? Did she learn this from Seele?

"...Then I'll wait."

Black Seele said woodenly.

Forget it. It's boring to bully a child. She's not the kind of annoying kid who chatters on and on. There’s no sense of accomplishment in scaring her to tears.

An hour later, Seele who was now awake, looked at the steaming bun in front of her. The spicy smell froze her smile.

"Ninti, what is this?"

"The other Sister Seele said she wanted something spicy. Doesn't Sister Seele like it?"

"No, no, how could that be? Ninti's cooking must be delicious!"

Seele was reluctant to disappoint her sister, who had worked hard all afternoon. She took a deep breath, picked up a steamed bun, and ate it.

Flames burned everything.

Well, not that extreme. The meat sauce under the dough was indeed spicy, but not to the point of setting her mouth on fire. It was paired with crispy, delicious dough, creating a wonderful harmony in her mouth.

It was really delicious!

Seele made up her mind and quickly ate the whole steamed bun despite the fiery sensation from her lips to her tongue.

Then, she gulped down a glass of boiled water and cried in her heart.

I really don't like spicy food!

[Pfft!]

In the spiritual world, Black Seele lay lazily on the sofa, resting her chin on one hand, smiling as she listened to Seele's aggrieved complaints. At the same time, she licked her lips with satisfaction.

[Not bad. Her cooking skills are quite good, much better than yours.]

[Ugh! And you're gloating!]

[Then don't eat it. She knows I exist. Just tell her you can't handle spicy food, right?]

[How can I... Wait, Ninti knows about you?]

[She’s different from normal people. She has particularly sharp eyes.]

Through Seele's eyes, Black Seele looked at Ninti’s innocent face, her smile deepening.

Not bad, better than Bronya's eyes at least.

No matter how willingly she hides in Seele's shadow, Black Seele is still an individual with an independent personality. When it becomes obvious that someone acknowledges her existence, even Black Seele can't help but feel a little happy.

...

"Why is it spicy today?"

During afternoon tea, Kevin looked at the steamed bun in his hand, puzzled.

He only paid attention to important matters at necessary times and wasn’t the type to keep an eye on the little girl 24/7, so naturally, he didn’t know the reason for the sudden change in today’s snacks.

"Kevin doesn't eat spicy food?"

"Not bad."

"Then let's eat it together. We made a bit too much today, and we can't waste it."

"Okay."

Even though he was used as a consumer of excess food, Kevin didn't feel offended. He only appreciated Ninti's innocence.

Ninti held the steamed bun and ate slowly, her soft cheeks puffed out, and her white, tender legs swayed gently on the edge of the roof, reflecting her carefree and cheerful mood—looking very cute and well-behaved. Kevin looked at the dim sky and said:

"Wear more layers these next few days, winter is coming."

"Well, Joachim is making winter clothes. We can wear them tomorrow."

"That's good."

Kevin nodded coldly.

Let's not talk about anything else. At least when it comes to taking care of children, Welt's current performance was very satisfactory.

Later, Kevin asked some questions about the situation in the real world. After Ninti's explanation, he felt that he had gathered enough information and ended today's interaction with satisfaction.

"The Herrscher of Reason... is not very vigilant, huh?"

After exiting the world bubble, Kevin frowned, dissatisfied.

It's reasonable to say that Ninti spends several hours outside every day. As her guardian, shouldn't he pay attention to her secretly? What if she met a bad person? What if she was deceived?

It’s not like in Griseo’s time. Back then, everyone in the Fire Moth cared for her, so there was no risk.

He might be qualified in taking care of people, but when it comes to safety awareness, the Ruler of Reason still has a long way to go.

Can he protect Ninti properly like this?

"I feel like he's not as good as Kosma."

"I'm really sorry, strange man."

Welt appeared in the empty quantum void, pushing his glasses up with an expressionless face.

Kevin paused.

It wasn't that his perception wasn't good enough, but he hadn't expected Welt to be here waiting for him, and he was momentarily caught off guard.

Kevin pondered for a while before making another sharp comment.

"...Now that you've found me, I’d say you’re barely qualified."

"I also want to know what kind of magic potion you gave Ninti that made her deliberately hide this from me. Of course, this isn’t Ninti’s fault. She's just too naive. But is your method of deceiving a child not a bit rude?"

At this moment, Welt's momentum was at its peak.

He hadn’t followed Ninti but had found Kevin through logical reasoning. He had searched the world bubble countless times but couldn't find any possible object. The only thing that could bind Ninti was something hidden outside the world bubble.

So Welt took advantage of Ninti's time outside, walked out of the world bubble, and waited at the edge.

Sure enough, he met a dangerous figure that gave him a strong sense of threat, and the other party questioned him as soon as they met—seriously? I haven't even confronted you about abducting Ninti, and you’re already criticizing me? Do you really think honest people don't get angry!?

"I didn't lie to her."

"Then why does she come out to see you every day? Do you have some special ability that makes you particularly popular with children?"

"The Herrscher of Reason, be rational. You need to calm down."

Kevin could see that Welt was obviously upset.

It’s likely that he’d been bottling up his emotions ever since noticing Ninti’s unusual behavior. Now that he had caught the real culprit, of course, he'd be furious.

"I am calm! Now, tell me your identity and purpose! I will decide my next action based on your answer."

Welt raised one hand, and the projection of the Star of Eden loomed.

No matter who the other person was, Welt could be friendly and let go of past grudges if they targeted him personally. But if they touched Ninti, that was a different matter.

But Kevin wasn’t weak either. Facing the threat of the Herrscher, he couldn’t tolerate it. His cold and solemn aura spread out immediately, confronting Welt’s power.

"..."

"..."

After a moment, both sides withdrew their aura at the same time.

There was no other reason. In the world bubble, the little girl was looking for Welt, calling his name.

"Shall we talk tomorrow?"

"Okay, let's talk tomorrow."

Looking at each other, both sides tacitly understood the other’s thoughts.

The conflict came to an abrupt end, and Welt’s figure sank back into the barrier of the Bubble World.

----

Chapter 294: Ninti Died?

"Joachim!"

Ninti jumped into Welt’s arms, who had suddenly appeared, like a young bird returning to its nest.

Welt had just been arguing with Kevin, and the energy in his body had not yet completely settled. He raised his hands high, not daring to hug her, afraid that he might lose control of his strength and hurt Ninti.

"Joachim?"

Ninti raised her head from his arms, her big watery eyes filled with confusion.

Welt coughed dryly, calmed his energy, and smiled.

"My hands are a little dirty."

"Where did you go, Joachim? I couldn’t find you when I came back. I tried to sense you, but I couldn’t feel your location at all. I thought you were in danger..."

"No, no! I am the Herrscher of Reason. How could I be in danger? I just went a bit far to explore the Bubble World. Sorry, I’ll let you know in advance next time."

"Oh... Ninti apologizes too. I've been out these past few days, and I must have worried you. I'm sorry."

The little girl was very quick to learn from others. Even though she didn’t reveal Kevin’s information, she admitted her mistake frankly.

Now, even if there had been any blame, it would have disappeared.

Not to mention, Welt never blamed Ninti at all. He completely put the blame on Kevin, which softened his heart.

Oh, how is my little Ninti so sensible and cute?

You white-haired little red guy, just wait. If I don’t give you a proper explanation tomorrow, I’ll make sure you see stars shattering!

Welt touched Ninti’s head with a smile, then bent down, picked up her small body, and walked into the house with a spring in his step.

"Joachim, here’s the scarf, coat, and gloves I prepared for you. Sister Seele, this is the shawl and sweater for you. It's getting colder here, so everyone should keep warm."

After dinner, before going bed, Ninti took out some warm items she had prepared and handed them seriously to Seele and Welt.

Welt was momentarily stunned.

He had been preparing clothes for the two girls but hadn’t thought about himself. He didn’t expect Ninti to quietly prepare something for him as well.

The soft fabric was in his hand. Although wool and down couldn’t be found in the Bubble World, high-tech synthetic fabrics weren’t necessarily inferior. In short, it felt good—warm in his hands and even warmer in his heart.

Welt smiled gently, but Seele who holding her new clothes was already moved to tears.

"Thank you, Ninti."

After being in the Sea of Quanta for several years, she had almost forgotten what it felt like to get new clothes.

Seeing that the two liked their gifts, Ninti shyly fiddled with her fingers.

...

The next day, Welt told Ninti seriously that he would be going to a distant place again to investigate the situation.

Wearing the coat, warm scarf, and elegant, handsome black gloves that Ninti had prepared for him, he confidently walked out of the bubble.

Then, he saw Kevin wearing a brand-new velvet cape and white gloves that suited his image perfectly.

"...Where did you get those?"

"Ninti gave them to me before bed last night."

Kevin answered truthfully, expressionless.

What do you think Welt thought?

His molars were almost ground to dust.

Of course, judging by the completeness of the outfit, Ninti had clearly spent more time and thought on Welt’s gift, so there was no need to be jealous.

But for this stranger, who came out of nowhere and had only known her for a few days, to receive a gift from Ninti?

That was hard to bear!

Welt didn’t want to be rude, but Kevin's deadpan face, acting as if nothing had happened after being favored by Ninti, really tested his patience.

Welt, with a stern face, asked, "Who are you? Why are you close to Ninti?"

"...I am Kevin."

Kevin could only respond in this way.

As for why he was close to Ninti?

There was no such thing.

He had merely asked about the special product for treating Honkai Disease. How it turned into them chatting and eating on the roof every day, Kevin himself couldn’t explain.

This answer naturally infuriated Welt, who was already angry.

"What kind of answer is that? What do you want?"

"The Herrscher of Reason, I told you, you need to calm down."

"I..."

Welt’s expression changed several times before he finally took a deep breath, composed himself, and spoke seriously:

"Ninti is the descendant of my most respected elder, and she’s also the child who will inherit my power and responsibilities. To me, she is like a daughter, and I love her deeply. I apologize for my previous disrespect, but as Ninti’s elder, I hope you’ll answer me seriously: do you wish to harm her?"

"No."

Kevin replied honestly.

Welt stared at Kevin, looking into his cold, indifferent ice-blue eyes. All he saw was the emptiness and calmness of a dead heart.

After a long moment, Welt’s aggressive stance softened slightly.

"Then, under that premise, we can talk. I am Welt Yang, the second-generation leader of Anti-Entropy and the second Herrscher of Reason. I inherited my power and the will to protect the world from the original Herrscher of Reason, Joyce. May I ask who you are? I don't mean your name—I want an introduction that will help me understand you."

"Kevin, one of the thirteen Flamechasers of Fire Moth, a MANTIS from the previous era."

Kevin saw this as an opportunity.

Although it felt a bit abrupt, he knew he would have to meet and speak with Welt eventually. He needed Welt’s cooperation to return to the world.

"Previous era? A Flamechaser? Are you from our world as well?"

Welt frowned. This was unexpected but seemed plausible. After all, reaching the Sea of Quanta wasn’t easy. Given the little research done on it by the current era, it was logical that someone who could survive in such a place was from the previous era.

Kevin nodded.

"Yes, we’re from the same world. I saw you fall with my own eyes."

"So that’s it... with my own eyes? That power back then was you!?"

Welt was startled and projected the Star of Eden.

Kevin just watched quietly, neither stopping nor defending, as if he didn’t care about any of Welt’s actions.

The distorted gravity flickered briefly, and Welt closely observed Kevin’s reaction. After a moment, he retracted the Star of Eden.

"Are you a friend or foe?"

"It depends on your choice. I have no intention of being anyone's enemy, but I have something I must do."

Kevin’s answer reflected his true situation.

However, to Welt, it sounded ambiguous and quite suspicious. But Welt knew he was no match for Kevin, and—Welt glanced back into the Bubble World, knowing Ninti and Seele were waiting for him—he became even more cautious.

Welt took a deep breath. He knew he had no choice but to compromise.

"Can I take it that, at least for now, we can remain on friendly terms?"

"You can interpret it that way."

"...What is it you need to do?"

"For now, I need to borrow the power of your Herrscher Core to return to reality."

Kevin wasn’t interested in pleasantries anymore. He told Welt directly what he needed.

Welt was silent, adjusting his glasses to conceal his discomfort.

"What is your purpose for returning to the real world? As far as I know, the warriors of the previous era each have their responsibilities. The Immortal Phoenix is protecting Shenzhou, so what about you?"

"The time isn’t right yet. You’ll know soon."

"Alright, I understand the need for secrecy. Let me change the question: Will you cause harm to the current civilization?"

"..."

Kevin’s silence made Welt’s heart sink.

After a long, tense moment of silence, Welt turned and re-entered the Bubble World.

‘Silence is also an answer.

His goal must be complicated. With his power, no one can stop him once he returns to reality... But if I don’t cooperate, he won’t let me go.

If it’s for the safety of the world, I would risk my life to stop him here in the Sea of Quanta, but what about Ninti and Seele?

Tesla, Einstein... for the first time, I hope you work slower, so maybe we can keep the peace for a little longer.

At least until we figure out what he intends to do in our era.’

Welt, filled with worry, returned home deep in thought.

But Kevin was really hard to communicate with. It was clear he didn’t want to reveal more, and Welt had no way of forcing him. How was he going to figure out Kevin’s true intentions?

“Joachim, are you... are you going to...?”

Ninti came closer, her expression uneasy, and her tail wagging wildly behind her.

Welt slapped his forehead, realizing suddenly.

The intermediator—it’s already there!

----

Chapter 295 Kevin: Poisoning Should Be Done Without Making a Sound

"Kevin, will you do bad things after you return to our world?"

"...Did Welt ask you to ask me that?"

"Yes, but I want to know too."

"He shouldn't have asked you."

Kevin chewed the soft and sweet waffles, his already cold expression becoming even colder.

Ninti ate her food as if she hadn’t noticed anything, then said.

"Why?"

"What if you anger me and I attack you?"

"But Kevin won't hurt me."

"It's different. Since he's an adult, he should consider the risks and not let a child take them. We should always remain cautious and aware."

Kevin deducted points from Welt in his mind again.

You don't even dare ask yourself and send Ninti, an innocent and naive child, to do it. How can you be so sure Kevin won't harm a child?

To put it mildly, it was inconsiderate; more seriously, it showed he didn’t take Ninti’s safety seriously at all. As elders, they were the worst.

"Don’t say that. Joachim has been very good to me, and he didn’t let me ask directly. It’s just that Ninti also wants to know what Kevin is going to do… Ninti thinks Kevin isn’t a bad person, so could it be that Joachim misunderstood something?"

The little girl spoke in a soft and tender voice, defending Welt while expressing her trust in Kevin.

She was so innocent and kind, it was impossible not to love her.

Kevin unconsciously reached out and gently stroked Ninti’s soft little head. At the same time, his opinion of Welt worsened.

It was strange—Kevin realized that his emotional fluctuations in the past few days were probably greater than in the last thousand years of his detached existence.

A man who had long abandoned the world and himself, only wanting to finish the mission of defeating the Honkai that the previous era failed to achieve, should have had no attachment to this era or its new, fresh lives.

Yet, Ninti approached him with pure kindness. Kevin was powerless to refuse, and suddenly he began to worry about the child’s growth and future.

"Don’t listen to Welt about everything. He’s not calm enough and doesn’t handle things well. You’re smarter than him, so you should distinguish his strengths and weaknesses. Learn the good things, and don’t pick up the bad."

"Joachim is really good! He’s very powerful! He’s protected our world for over 60 years and has worked so hard. He’s amazing!"

Ninti puffed out her cheeks and widened her eyes, trying to prove Welt’s greatness.

Kevin gently patted her head and said nothing more.

Of course, he wouldn’t get angry at Ninti for defending her elders like that. He just mentally deducted a few more points from Welt.

Seeing Kevin’s lack of reaction, Ninti angrily ate two more waffles, then returned to her usual silly, cute self. She turned her head and asked.

"So, will Kevin do bad things after he goes back?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yeah."

"Then grow up well, and prove that you're qualified to ask me this question."

The child in front of him was undoubtedly one of the most promising seeds of the new era.

If it were this child standing on the final battlefield, blowing the horn of resistance against Kevin in the current era—Kevin thought he might actually smile then.

"Can’t you tell Ninti now?"

"No."

"Ugh… Anyway, Kevin can’t do bad things!"

Ninti stared at Kevin with a child’s stubborn determination.

Kevin felt a little relief in his heart, but he couldn’t show any emotion on his face. He silently picked up the last piece of cake from the box.

Seeing no response, Ninti puffed her cheeks again and lowered her head, frowning and whispering.

"If you strengthen the medicine and put it in the snacks…"

"You want to poison me?"

"Ah! Kevin... Kevin heard that!?"

Ninti covered her face with both hands, but between her fingers, a pair of panicked eyes peeked through, like a frightened deer.

Kevin shook his head and said.

"If you want to poison someone, at least learn to stay calm. Don’t show panic or guilt, and definitely don’t tell the person you’re planning to poison."

For example, when Elysia wanted to pull a prank, she’d cover it up with all sorts of strange reasons. Even if she got caught, she’d find a way to drag others in with her.

As for Mobius, she often tricked her companions into her laboratory for experiments. Every time you saw her, she maintained the same dangerous expression when looking at her test subjects, so no one could ever tell when she was up to something.

"If someone like you tries to do something bad, you’ll be caught right away."

"Ninti doesn’t want to do anything bad," Ninti said sullenly.

Then she raised her head, her gem-like purple eyes flashing as she said in a childish voice, "But if Kevin wants to do something bad, Ninti will definitely stop you!"

"Okay, I look forward to it," Kevin nodded seriously.

Yes, he expected Ninti to do what she said and defeat him in the future.

But before that time came, Ninti, who had not yet grown up, needed to be well protected. After all, she was too pure and kind. He couldn’t let bad people with ulterior motives hinder her growth, right?

---

"Hiss... Why do I feel uneasy for no reason?"

In the sky city above the clouds, Otto, who was drinking black tea, suddenly looked around in confusion. On the other side, Yae Sakura tilted her head.

"Mr. Otto?"

"Oh, I’m fine. Continue with the report, Sakura."

"Mr. Otto, according to intelligence from various sources, something big has happened in Anti-Entropy. Under Cocolia’s leadership, they are purging their internal members, especially the powerful bureaucrats. The methods are quite brutal, and there’s bloodshed almost every day. However, it’s unclear why the Anti-Entropy headquarters is doing this. It’s completely inconsistent with Mr. Welt’s usual style."

"A big purge at this time? Has Welt shown himself?"

"It’s unclear. The last time Cocolia went to North America, she completely reorganized the Anti-Entropy headquarters, and our intelligence system was severely disrupted. The current Anti-Entropy is in a state of panic, and our personnel can’t gather any concrete information. But based on the current situation, Welt remains silent."

"I see..."

Otto touched his chin thoughtfully.

Something was wrong! He sensed it immediately.

This purge was too sudden and too intense. What could have driven them to this?

"Also, our intelligence agents found traces of Mr. Siegfried at the scene. Based on their assessment, it seems he has pledged allegiance to Anti-Entropy."

"Hmm? Siegfried? That’s not surprising."

Kaslana always does the unexpected.

So no matter how strange things seem, they’re never strange when they involve Kaslana.

With many cards in hand, Otto no longer considered Siegfried’s power a significant threat. He quickly dismissed it and returned to contemplating Anti-Entropy’s motivations.

"Is Welt in trouble?"

"Mr. Otto, what do you mean?"

"I said, Welt is in trouble. Cocolia suddenly picked up the butcher's knife and started a massacre within Anti-Entropy... I don’t doubt she has the guts and skills for it, but as long as Welt is present, she couldn’t do this. Now that it has happened, it means Welt must be compromised. Though I don’t know the exact details, it’s undoubtedly serious!"

"Then, what should we do?" Yae Sakura blinked, her face pure.

Otto smiled and shook his head, "Do nothing."

"Huh?"

"Do nothing, and cooperate with their cleansing operation."

"Mr. Otto, I don’t quite understand."

Yae Sakura touched her face in confusion, and the pink fox ears on her head twitched slightly, revealing her puzzled mood.

Otto sighed and said, "Welt is indeed a problem, but right now, the World Serpent is the biggest issue. We need balance—a stable Schicksal and a stable Anti-Entropy—to keep the World Serpent polite and restrained. Do you understand?"

"You mean, if necessary, we should even help Anti-Entropy through its difficulties?"

"Exactly. Sakura, the real world works like this: there are no eternal enemies, only the best options after weighing the pros and cons. In fact, Cocolia knows her actions are raising suspicion, but she understands Schicksal’s needs, and she also knows the World Serpent is watching Schicksal. "

"Then why did she do it?"

"She’s intentionally showing weakness to her enemies while keeping headquarters intelligence secret. We can’t determine the real situation, so we’re left relying on speculation to respond. In this case, the best move for Schicksal is to remain still, and the World Serpent must take Schicksal’s stance into account, meaning they’ll also remain still. Cocolia is very bold... No, it’s more likely that Welt’s situation is actually connected to the World Serpent, forcing her to send subtle signals so that we can counter the World Serpent, making them hesitant to act recklessly!"

Based on the limited intelligence, Otto came to a conclusion that was almost the "truth."

"As expected of Mr. Otto!" Yae Sakura beamed, showing a bright and flawless smile.

----

Chapter 296: Mascot... Not Bad*

OGAS, the full name of which is the National Accounting and Information Processing Automation System, is a fully automated national economic management system project that was launched before the disintegration of a superpower.

In a sense, it is the earliest example of AI governance.

Among the reasons for its failure, technical issues are only secondary. More importantly, it threatens to replace the status of thousands of power holders. In short, it would greatly reduce the need for leaders, almost threatening the vital interests of all those in power.

Being hostile to human nature is what inevitably led to its failure.

But that was only in another world.

In the Honkai world, some things are different.

For example, no matter how well hidden the dirty deeds that cannot be exposed to the light are, they cannot escape the all-seeing eyes of the Herrscher of Dominance.

For example, no matter how much power the intricate power groups hold, they cannot stop the reckless charge of the Knight of Kaslana.

The extraordinary worldview, where great power belongs to oneself, allows the will of the strong to become an absolute force that is unstoppable.

"As I expected, the demand for power reduction is like hitting their toes with a hammer, and the resistance is extremely fierce."

"But no matter how fierce it is, it can't be fiercer than the blade you wield, Cocolia. You are truly ruthless. In fact, you've wanted to do this for a long time, but because Yang wouldn't agree, you’ve been planning it until now."

In the conference room, Einstein looked at the front-line information sent back by Raiden Ryoma and then looked at Cocolia with complicated eyes.

Cocolia had just signed a batch of documents, took out one of them, and tossed it to Einstein.

"You should take a look at this. The power system governed by artificial intelligence has been running smoothly in three small and medium-sized bases. There's no chaos, just fewer intermediate processes and links. The streamlined and flat management model is more efficient than before, and it is absolutely fair and selfless."

"I know. I understand you're not simply destroying, but rather building a new system through necessary destruction. That’s why I’ve never strongly opposed it. However, as soon as the power cleansing and deconstruction are completed, a fully intelligent management system can be deployed immediately. Such a perfect artificial intelligence — you must have been preparing it for a long time?"

At this stage, the Eye of The Deep is still the main task. Einstein didn’t delve into the specific principles of the administrative AI, only observing its operation remotely. But that was enough for her to give a high evaluation of the system.

Cocolia glanced at her expressionlessly.

In fact, it hadn't been prepared for a long time. Like the BT72 artificial intelligence, it just turned Angel's clone into data and placed it on those decision-making nodes. This kind of Angel has both human decision-making abilities and the computing power of a data body. One clone can manage many bases.

Seeing that Cocolia remained silent, Einstein assumed she was holding back and didn’t press further. Instead, she sighed.

"You've been planning this for so long, but because of Yang's presence, you haven’t been able to achieve your goal. If this situation continues... it’s frightening to think about."

Cocolia's power isn't particularly strong, but her mind and strategic planning are not much worse than Otto's.

Considering Welt’s level, who will come out on top in the end? Einstein wasn’t optimistic.

For Ninti, it must be extremely painful. Both sides are important to her. With her kindness, it’s hard to imagine what she’ll think at that time.

Perhaps letting Cocolia feel at ease to boldly pursue her ambition and avoid a potential head-on conflict is not such a bad thing for Anti-Entropy.

Cocolia continued processing the documents in her hands, then looked up calmly at Einstein with her lightly shadowed eyes and said softly:

"I have no opinion on the leader’s personality."

"I understand, but there are other factors, right?"

"The leader can be the best teacher, the best cartoonist, and even the best warrior, but he is not suited to be a leader. But there will be no problems in the future. The new power system will put an end to deceiving superiors and subordinates, and to using public power for personal gain. An absolutely efficient and fair organizational structure is perfect for a leader who is just but doesn’t understand the operation of power. As for the shortcomings of hesitation and excessive kindness, I’ll help him make up for them."

"Then should we thank you?"

Einstein smiled bitterly and shook her head.

She didn’t believe that Cocolia hadn’t left a backdoor. After all, Einstein still hadn’t seen the design process or underlying code of this system.

But it’s acceptable. Everyone’s ultimate goal is to defeat Honkai. In this process, people with skills hold power, people with wisdom handle scientific research, and people with strength become mascots, playing their role at critical moments... There’s nothing wrong with that.

In fact, this model is the most likely way to defeat Honkai and overthrow Otto, in Einstein’s eyes.

"By the way, be careful. As far as I know, some people have tried to contact Schicksal and World Serpent. There’s a risk of defection."

"Don’t worry, I know Schicksal and World Serpent’s stance. They won’t protect those scum."

Otto said as much to Yae Sakura himself.

Gray Serpent personally informed Shamash.

More than just understanding it, the situation is entirely under control.

"You also need to be cautious about the situation at the East Shenzou Sea Base. You mentioned that those obsessed with power have been backed into a corner. Maybe... No, I should say they will definitely try to target your weak points."

"I know."

"So why don’t you bring them to headquarters? You know the defense here is stronger."

"..."

No one knows what’s happening in the Sea of Quanta. But Cocolia knows that Kevin could appear at any moment, potentially sparking a shocking conflict. By comparison, the East Shenzou Sea Base has already made security arrangements. Angels can clearly see which place is safer at this stage.

Seeing Cocolia not reply and focus solely on processing documents, Einstein said no more. She stood up and left with a sigh.

The restart design of the Eye of The Deep had been completed, and now only construction remained.

Until they successfully connect to the Sea of Quanta and see Welt and Ninti safe and sound, Einstein no longer has the energy to focus on other matters.

......

"Bronya, everyone is worried about you."

At the East Shenzou Sea Base, where the waves were rolling, Kiana blinked her clear, bright eyes and stared directly at Bronya, who was familiarizing herself with the base’s affairs.

"Crack!"

At the same time, she secretly ate the midnight snack that Sin made for Bronya.

Bronya put down the documents in her hand, turned her head, and her expressionless face actually revealed a bit of helplessness.

"Kiana, if you have nothing to do, go study. Can you please stop disturbing Bronya’s work?"

"Hey! I don’t like what you’re saying! I heard from auntie that your mother is up to something big, and there might be problems at the East Shenzou Sea Base, so I come here from time to time to make sure you’re safe! I thought you’d appreciate my concern, huh!"

"...Mom has made sufficient preparations. The defense at the East Shenzou Sea Base is very complete. As long as there’s no Herrscher attack, there will be no problem."

"What do you mean? Are you looking down on Herrschers? There are so many Herrschers in our classroom. Even Mei and Angel are Herrschers. Isn’t that enough for you to let go of your prejudices?"

Kiana was good at getting to the heart of the matter.

And Bronya also caught another key point — speaking of which, in this scenario, excluding the class monitor with her special identity, she was the only one among the four classmates who wasn’t a Herrscher.

Why does she suddenly feel out of place in St. Freya Academy?

That’s supposed to be a Valkyrie school, right?

Bronya was momentarily dazed, then shook her head, pushing the strange thoughts away, and turned to Kiana.

"Leave early if you have nothing else to do. This is an Anti-Entropy base. You, a Valkyrie of Schicksal, showing up here often... If someone sees you, Bronya will have a hard time explaining it."

"What are you afraid of? No one can stop me! And I’m not bragging. At the current East Shenzou Sea Base, I’m simply invincible!"

Angel hasn’t returned to St. Freya yet, but her safety has been confirmed. This news cleared the cloud of worry from Kiana’s heart. At this moment, Kiana was just like when she first entered school, optimistic and confident like an inflated seal.

'But it’s still different. A little more mature.'

Bronya watched quietly, a slight smile forming at the corners of her mouth.

"Okay, I’ve finished my snacks, checked on my parents, and now I’m going home to sleep. Remember, call me if you need anything. I’ll bring Mei, monitor, and my aunt to protect you!"

"Then Bronya won’t be able to explain her position clearly."

As the acting director of the Anti-Entropy East Shenzou Sea Base, Bronya kept a straight face, but there was a smile in her eyes.

Kiana’s grin was as stubborn and silly as always, but it was comforting.

----

Chapter 297: A Daughter Must Protect Her Mother's Career

"The diving depth is normal, the ocean current is normal, the radar response is normal... We are approaching the destination, and everything is going smoothly. However, we must quickly prepare for battle. This is the enemy's lair, and their defense force is unpredictable. This mission is very difficult."

"If it wasn't difficult, where would the money come from? How would it be your turn? If you're afraid of dying, go home and suck your mother's **!"

"Hahaha!"

The submarine was filled with laughter, and the atmosphere was cheerful and vulgar.

Mercenaries are like this. No matter their academic background, don't expect them to have any decorum when the mission is at hand. This is also a necessary outlet before facing the battlefield.

The ridiculed driver rolled his eyes, then continued to maintain a steady speed, not daring to cause any turbulence in the cabin.

"Crack!"

The wailing sound of twisted metal echoed through the layers of the cabin's structure, causing the laughter to stop instantly.

The driver's face turned particularly grim.

No one knew better than him that this was definitely not the normal sound of pressure caused by deep-sea water, but something more direct and powerful — like the grip of a giant mecha.

...

"Gululu!"

The massive white body, like an ancient sea god, slowly rose from beneath the water.

Seawater dripped from the mecha as its extremely steady mechanical hand gently placed the toy-like submarine on the base deck.

"Take it away and interrogate them thoroughly."

"Yes, Captain!"

As her colleagues apprehended the people in the submarine and led them away, Ana opened her helmet and shook her head, her soft, long hair flowing behind her like water.

"They actually tried to approach the East Shenzou Sea Base by submarine. Are these people crazy? Don’t they know the Iron Pilot Column patrols in all directions 24 hours a day?"

Ana muttered, shaking her head in disbelief.

……

"Oh! That... that... that's it..."

In front of the high floor-to-ceiling window, Kiana gestured with both hands, a confident and foolish light in her eyes. Despite her excited gesturing, she couldn't remember the other person's name.

"Ana, the captain of the Iron Pilot Column," Bronya said expressionlessly, reminding her with a tired tone.

Kiana hit her palm with her fist.

"Ah, yes, yes, it's her! The last time I saw her was... well, last time. I really miss her..."

"Actually, you don't know her at all, do you?"

"Hey! Don’t say that, I think she and I are definitely compatible!"

"She's an elite pilot of Anti-Entropy, who has worked her way up from a construction site to her current position. As far as I know, every leader and colleague she's met has said she's capable and driven. They all hold her in high regard. Who gave you the confidence to compare yourself to her? Was it your uniquely ignorant 'Paramecium' intellect?"

Bronya spread her hands and said "huh" with a blank expression.

Kiana was naturally furious on the spot.

"Who are you calling a 'Paramecium'!?"

"Whoever responds is the one."

"Do you think I won’t hit you?"

"Then Bronya will report to Angel that the IdiotParamecium is relying on Herrscher's power to do evil and bully people everywhere."

Reporting might be useless, but it is effective—especially now. It's a surefire way to stop Kiana.

"You're too mean!"

"Kiana was the one who got carried away first. While Herrscher's power is strong, you’ve become a bit arrogant. Bronya has to remind you that the world of Honkai isn’t simple, and we are far from being able to relax."

"..."

Although the words were harsh, it was much better to hear them from a friend than from an enemy.

Kiana scratched her head, calmed her temper, and said sullenly.

"I know! Mei and class monitor also reminded me. I know I'm not a complete Herrscher of the Void, and relying solely on Herrscher's power... Oh, forget it. It’s useless telling you all this."

The experiences in Kaslana's stigmata made "Sirin" seem impossibly powerful to her. Kiana had no confidence in fully gaining control of that power.

And who was her enemy?

It was Otto Apocalypse, who controlled all of Schicksal!

After a rough comparison, Kiana understood her own shortcomings.

Bronya slowly frowned.

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing. What's important now is your situation. The harassment has increased over the past two days, Bronya. Don’t take it lightly. Your sisters are all here!"

Kiana half-changed the subject, half-seriously reminded her.

Kiana hadn’t told anyone about her, a clone's origin or Otto's conspiracy.

Those things were too dangerous. For now, she kept them to herself, Angel, and Fu Hua.

Bronya looked at Kiana suspiciously, then nodded.

"You're right. The situation is unusual. I’m afraid something big is coming."

"How about I bring class monitor and Mei over to stay for a few days?"

"No, the power of the East Shenzou Sea Base is enough, and we don’t need to rely on your strength. And if we use Schicksal's power to overcome this crisis, it will be very disadvantageous for my mother."

In her current position, Bronya had to consider things from Cocolia's perspective.

From being a nobody to her current position, changing the world according to her own wishes, Bronya could only imagine how heavy the cost was for Cocolia.

Her mother's efforts should not be in vain or overshadowed by her daughter.

As a daughter raised with care, Bronya knew she had to protect her mother’s hard-earned achievements. That was also the truth Sin had been reminding her of in recent days.

"I think nothing is more important than your safety. Anyway, contact me if you need anything. You know we're friends, and we’ll help you no matter what!"

Kiana smiled and emphasized with her hands on her hips.

...

"Go, send out a list."

"Hmm?"

"They want to attack my daughter."

"Got it."

Cocolia didn’t have much to talk about with Raiden Ryoma, but fortunately, he was sensible and straightforward when accepting orders. He probably started preparing for action the moment their communication ended.

Bronya’s judgment was correct—something big was coming.

But she underestimated Cocolia's efficiency.

Cocolia casually pressed down on a relatively large-scale attack and ended her work for the day.

"Hmm~~"

She stretched her hands high, leaned back, and while relaSin her muscles and bones, the heavy soft burden on her chest caused her already tight clothes to strain even more.

Tesla instinctively placed her hand over what she could cover, her mouth twitching slightly as she spoke with a wooden expression:

"... I'm here to inform you that the Eye of the Abyss will be restarted in three days."

"Okay, I'll be there."

"No, we won’t be allowing anyone on site this time. We’ll control everything remotely. Safety comes first."

"Hmm?"

Although it made sense to learn from past mistakes, how could they guarantee they’d be able to contact Welt and Ninti without being there?

"My idea is that the experiment might not succeed on the first try, so we should verify it remotely first. Once we know it’s safe, we can look for Yang and Ninti. This time, as long as we can send some information through, it will be considered a complete success."

"Alright, I trust Dr. Tesla’s expertise."

"I’m glad you understand. I know you're worried about Ninti, but believe me, we are just as anxious. Just wait for our good news."

Tesla seemed somewhat relieved.

What she feared most was an outsider directing an insider, especially with Cocolia’s current power. If Cocolia became overly eager for success, no one would be able to stop her. Acting hastily and having things go wrong would only delay the rescue further.

---

Chapter 298: Then, You Are the Enemy**

"Joachim, I'm going to find Kevin~~"

In the peaceful and stable Bubble World residence, Ninti stood at the door holding a snack box and waved goodbye to Welt.

Welt, holding a cup of hot water, nodded with a smile.

Ninti then opened the door and left.

"Oh, I really hope these peaceful days can continue forever."

"But Uncle Welt, you're spilling the water."

"..."

Welt silently accepted the towel Seele handed him and wiped the water stains off his clothes.

After a moment, he returned the towel to Seele and stood up.

"No, I’d better keep an eye on her. I'm worried."

"Okay, okay. Like always, Seele will prepare dinner tonight. Be careful on your way."

Seele watched as Welt hurriedly chased after Ninti and sighed, as usual.

It turns out adults aren't always honest.

For example, Welt said he trusted Ninti’s judgment and also trusted Kevin, whom she believed in. Yet every time Ninti went out, he would follow her from a distance, as if Kevin were some kind of monster waiting to devour her at any moment.

[To be fair, he probably could if he wanted to. Bit by bit.]

Black Seele remembered their first encounter with Kevin.

In the storm of quantum tides, where the very barriers of nearby Bubble Worlds were shaking and about to break, Black Seele had to use all her strength just to ensure her safety while drifting through the tide.

But that man was different. He walked easily in front of Black Seele, as if the turbulence around him didn’t exist. A single, indifferent glance from him completely calmed the chaotic energy tide.

For such a monster, eating someone like Ninti, bit by bit, wouldn’t be surprising. Even if he devoured a Bubble World, Black Seele wouldn’t be shocked.

"...Is he really that dangerous?"

[Hey, why are you so down? Kevin is insanely strong, but Ninti clearly knows what she’s doing. If she dares to be so close to him, it means there’s really no problem. Otherwise, something would’ve already happened!]

"I just feel useless. I’m her sister, yet I can only rely on her to take care of me."

[Tsk! If you're really that worried, why don’t we just follow her? At worst, I’ll take him on, and we’ll see who’s stronger!]

Whire Seele didn’t respond, silently ignoring Black Seele's bravado.

She could always tell when her other self was truly confident and when she was just bluffing.

[What? You doubt me!?]

"I think I’ll focus on making dinner today. I’ve figured out what Ninti and Uncle Welt like, so I’ll switch up the dishes."

Whire Seele covered her ears, ignoring Black Seele's indignant protests, and hurried off to the kitchen.

...

"Kevin~~"

"Yeah."

It was the same rooftop again, and the same two people.

Ninti sat down and opened the snack box, placed it on her round, soft thighs, picked up a piece of pastry, and offered it to Kevin.

Kevin took it, noticing how Ninti's eyes darted nervously to the side. He quickly understood, then calmly put it in his mouth

"..."

"It’s... not spicy?"

"It's impressive to use synthetic ingredients to create such a flavor."

"Sorry..."

Startled by Kevin's calm reaction to her prank of adding spicy seasoning, Ninti hung her head and weakly apologized.

Kevin swallowed the hot pastry, then raised his hand to gently pat Ninti’s bowed head—his lips curling up ever so slightly.

"Here, have some water."

"Yeah."

It was supposed to be a prank, yet she had even prepared water to ease the spiciness. How had she been raised to be so kind and innocent, even when being mischievous?

Kevin thought of Mobius and Vill-V, not because Ninti resembled them, but because she was completely unlike them.

And that was a good thing.

She was a good child.

"Here, this one's not spicy."

Ninti raised her little hand, holding another pastry, and brought it to Kevin’s mouth.

Without hesitation, Kevin opened his mouth and ate it.

...

Crack!

In the distance, Welt crushed his ultra-telescope.

His teeth ground in frustration.

Ninti feeding someone? He had only experienced that when he first arrived in this Bubble World, severely injured and unable to move!

And back then, it was jelly salvaged from ruins. Now it was a snack made by Ninti herself!

Hu—

Calm down!

Welt, you need to calm down!

It’s no big deal. The priority is still Ninti’s safety and figuring out Kevin’s true motives.

We’re all adults—this is just a small matter—

Snap!

Sure enough, he couldn’t hold it in!

Welt discarded the remains of his shattered telescope. Just as he was about to materialize a new one, he froze.

‘Yang…’

‘Welt…’

‘Yang, can you hear me?’

There was no mistake. It wasn’t a hallucination. It was the familiar voice of someone he had known for ages.

Welt hesitated briefly, then immediately stepped out of the Bubble World.

At the same time, Kevin, who was sharing pastries with Ninti, paused and frowned.

"I have to leave for a while. Something came up."

"Kevin—"

Ninti barely had time to speak before Kevin disappeared before her eyes.

...

"Ein? Tesla? Is that you?"

[He heard it! He reacted!]

"Listen, don’t open the Eye of the Deep yet—"

Welt’s voice faltered as the immense pressure he had been sensing for days materialized before him.

Kevin didn’t look at Welt. His eyes scanned the Sea of Quanta for a long moment before focusing in a particular direction.

"Are you still refusing to cooperate, Welt, Herrscher of Reason?"

"...Until I know your intentions and the level of threat you pose, I won’t allow you to return to reality. That would spell disaster."

"Then you’re my enemy."

"I’ve been prepared for that."

The determination in Welt’s eyes was unmistakable.

Kevin showed no emotion. To him, only the result mattered—either cooperation or a return to the real world. If Welt resisted, he would take his core and forcefully bring Ninti and Seele back with him.

Welt had made his choice, and Kevin now made his.

Kevin left.

The small communication window wasn’t enough to locate the real world, so there was no rush. He could always return to have more snacks with Ninti.

Welt stood, gazing at where Kevin had vanished, his mind heavy with the realization of what was to come. He turned his attention back to the two who had been calling him urgently.

"Listen, don’t open the Eye of the Deep yet."

[Why? What’s going on? And where’s Ninti?]

"Ninti is safe, and we’ve also located Seele, Cocolia’s other daughter. By the way, how did you contact me in the Sea of Quanta?"

[Who do you think has been studying the core of the Herrscher of Reason all these years? Given our experience, sending some info to the Herrscher is no big deal. But forget that for now. What do you mean by not opening the Eye of the Abyss!?]

Tesla’s agitation was palpable; even changing the subject didn’t ease her anxiety.

Welt’s expression softened as he spoke.

"Listen to me. The situation in the Sea of Quanta is more complicated than we thought, and there are threats beyond imagination here. But I won’t let Ninti and Seele stay here forever. I have a plan..."

Welt explained his plan in detail.

Tesla remained silent for a long time, before finally responding, her voice trembling with emotion.

[Do you realize what you’re saying?]

"I’m sorry. I know this is hard for you."

[We’ve always trusted you, Yang. But to go through this again… How can I accept that?]

"I’m sorry, but I have no other choice."

[You—big idiot!]

Tesla’s voice broke, and with it, her connection, leaving Welt alone once more.

----

Chapter 299: Klein: Copyright Fee...

"Joachim? Joachim?"

At night, during the quiet moments before bed, Ninti called out to Welt.

Welt seemed distracted.

"Hmm? Ah, what’s wrong, Ninti?"

"Are you worried about something?"

"No, why would I be..."

"Lying is wrong, Joachim. A good child doesn't lie."

As always, her voice was sweet and childish, carrying a tone of someone older scolding a younger person. Her soft and innocent voice, delivered with such an adult-like demeanor, only made her seem more pure and adorable. In short, she was irresistibly cute.

Welt couldn't help but smile, nodding.

"Sorry, I am thinking about something. I just didn’t want to make you worry about it, Ninti."

That day, he had been impulsive in expressing his stance to Kevin.

Though Kevin’s gentle treatment of Ninti over the past few days had reassured Welt that he wasn’t a madman, it still felt rash to have confronted him.

Kevin was too powerful.

Welt recalled the first time they’d made contact in the Sea of Quanta. He hadn’t even seen Kevin’s face. He’d only been exposed to Kevin’s projected power from a distance, and that alone had pushed him to the brink of despair. If it hadn’t been for Ninti's timely intervention—and Kevin choosing to stop—Welt knew things would have turned out much worse.

Facing a being like that, especially as an adversary, was a risk Welt didn’t want to think about. The consequences could be disastrous.

Fortunately, in the days that followed, Kevin’s interactions with Ninti remEined unchanged. Seeing no abnormal behavior from him allowed Welt some peace of mind.

Ninti blinked, her eyes shimmering like a clear spring, soft and enchanting.

"Is this about Kevin?"

"...I can’t hide anything from you, can I?"

Welt chuckled and gently patted Ninti’s head. She moved closer, hugging his arm, and looked up at him, saying:

"Kevin wants to do something, but Joachim thinks it’s bad, so now you’re in conflict."

"Yes, that's right."

"What should Ninti do? Joachim is Joachim, and Kevin is also my friend. Who should Ninti help?"

Any good parent faces moments like this. One day, the innocent child will ask about life’s complexities, about right and wrong, about what they should do.

It’s a moment filled with pride and anxiety.

Pride in seeing the child grow.

But also fear—fear of giving the wrong answer and influencing the child’s future in the wrong way.

Welt looked at Ninti with deep emotion. After a while, his eyes softened with affection:

"Ninti, just follow your own instincts. Kevin and I are adults with firmly held beliefs and ideas, but you’re different. You still have limitless potential. So, think carefully and make your own judgment. If you ever feel uncertEin or need help, I, Ein, Tesla, Cocolia—we’re all here for you. Just be yourself, Ninti."

Welt trusted Ninti completely, much like he had once trusted Joyce. Her goodness and clarity were undeniable. He believed she would make the right decisions.

Ninti stared at Welt, seemingly lost in thought.

...

The next day.

"Welt was right."

Kevin approved of Welt’s advice to Ninti.

Ninti lowered her head, pressing her finger to her chin, deep in thought.

Kevin turned his head and gazed off in the distance, meeting Welt’s watchful eyes from afar. The two men seemed to communicate silently across the vast distance, sharing an unspoken understanding.

After their usual snack time, Ninti waved goodbye to Kevin and slowly flew away, her long tail swaying behind her, indicating that she was still mulling over the problem.

Kevin watched her safely return home before exiting the Bubble World.

As expected, Welt appeared almost immediately in front of him.

"..."

For a moment, the two men, standing on opposite sides, had nothing to say.

After a pause, Welt, being slightly more talkative than the eternally silent Kevin, spoke first:

"Our situation is making things hard for Ninti. What do you suggest?"

"I have no other choice."

"I’m not asking you to change your mind. I’m not that naive. I just want to know—if we ever do confront each other, will you leave Ninti out of it?"

"No."

Kevin’s life's purpose was Project Stigma. For that mission, he was willing to do anything. But involving Ninti, using her as leverage to defeat Welt, a relatively weak Herrscher of Reason?

There was no need.

Welt nodded.

"Okay, I trust you. Let’s settle things between us. Ninti and Seele shouldn’t be dragged into it."

Satisfied with Kevin’s response, Welt finally felt a weight lift from his chest after all these days of worry.

He gave Kevin one last look before turning and heading home.

...

Back in the real world, at the Anti-Entropy North American Headquarters.

"Is this the countdown the boss gave you?"

Yssring shook a small pocket watch in her hand, her eyes empty and tired as she looked at Einstein and Tesla.

Einstein nodded.

"Yang used his quantum entanglement abilities to create these pocket watches. You don’t need to worry about time consistency. We can stay in sync with him in the Sea of Quanta."

"Is that so? What do you think, Lady Cocolia? ...Lady Cocolia?"

Yssring, her voice weak, turned to look at her “caretaker.”

But Cocolia, with one hand propping up her head, was already fast asleep, her breathing slow and steady.

"She fell asleep during the meeting?"

"It’s not surprising. Her workload lately has been nearly as intense as yours, Dr. Yssring."

Einstein and Tesla exchanged a glance. Despite the seriousness of the situation, they couldn’t help but smile.

Yssring had been working tirelessly to support them, and Cocolia had been doing her best to maintain stability within Anti-Entropy. It reminded them of more than half a century ago.

Back then, they’d worked just as hard, immersed in research while their comrades ran operations and ensured their safety. They had been a tightly knit team, almost like family, filled with hope that they could one day overthrow Otto.

But now, only the three of them were left. Though not completely alone, there was still a sense of loneliness that weighed on them.

After half a century, they felt that same sense of security agEin, a comfort they hadn't experienced in a long time, especially in Welt’s absence. Tesla crossed her arms and sighed:

"Honestly, I think it's a good thing Cocolia found you, Yssring. Otherwise, with the way you work, the next time we'd see you, it might be in a black-and-white photo at your memorial service."

"...Maybe. But if Lady Cocolia hadn’t found me, I might never have been exposed to the Honkai, and I certainly wouldn’t be who I am today."

"So, what do you think? You know, people outside see Cocolia as a witch, a dictator, even a lunatic. Even now, I still don’t think she’s a good person. Why are you so willing to work for her? Are you really okay with this?"

Tesla voiced the question that had been bothering her for a long time.

Yssring remained silent for a while, then slowly raised her head and said:

"They’re not wrong. Many of the things Lady Cocolia has done—and is still doing—are unforgivable. But when faced with the threat of the Honkai, she’s someone with a tenacious fighting spirit, always pushing forward. For me, that’s enough to give me hope."

Tesla was momentarily stunned, and Einstein’s expression shifted slightly as she noticed Cocolia's eyebrows twitch.

"By keeping myself busy, I can push away the fear of collapse and feel some sense of hope. But Cocolia is different. From the very start, she’s been looking at something much deeper, much broader. I can’t even imagine the world she sees, and she doesn’t bother trying to show it to others. She’s completely unwavering in her goals, never hesitating, always striving to go further. She’s pure—purely focused, purely relentless... and purely evil."

Einstein felt cold sweat break out, as she saw that Cocolia had slightly opened her eyes, a sharp gleam flickering within them.

Yssring, seemingly unaware, remained immersed in her thoughts, continuing.

"But perhaps it’s precisely because humanity is facing such a terrifying threat, one that could wipe out civilization, that such evil can exist, right?"

"Hmm... I feel like I kind of understand, even if it’s not easy to grasp."

"Lady Cocolia doesn’t need people to understand her. She just wants to keep moving forward. But sometimes she does give us strange tasks, like developing programs to live stream and take photos of Bronya at Saint Freya, or researching the best tone and stories to tell to get kids to sleep. It’s really a headache when I’ve got serious research to do."

"Oh? There’s more?"

Yssring and Tesla continued their conversation, oblivious to anyone around them. Tesla, especially, seemed very interested in Cocolia's eccentric assignments.

Einstein, with a blank expression, reached out and placed a hand on Tesla’s shoulder.

"Dr. Tesla, I think that’s enough for now."

"Why? I want to hear more!"

"There’s a saying: 'The more you know, the more dangerous it becomes.' If I keep listening, I might not live to see tomorrow."

"Huh?"

Tesla’s eyes widened in confusion.

Yssring, meanwhile, walked over to Cocolia, gently adjusting the coat that had slipped from her shoulders, and yawned.

"Ha~~"

"Dr. Yssring, why don’t you go rest for now?"

"But I still have a few things—"

"Today's work is done, and the rest depends on the progress of the construction team. I doubt anything else you’re working on is more important than the Eye of The Deep. Getting some rest so you can focus better on the Eye of The Deep project is the best choice right now, isn’t it?"

Under Einstein's gentle persuasion, Yssring hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded and left the room.

Einstein glanced at Cocolia, who had returned to her peaceful sleep, and then stood up, pushing Tesla out of the room.

"Hey! Wait! We weren’t done talking yet, why are you—"

"For our own good, let’s continue this tomorrow, Dr. Tesla!"

----

Chapter 300: Sister, are you jealous?

"She is pure evil~~"

"Goose, goose, goose!"

"Hia! Hia! Hia!"

"That's enough, you're making so much noise!"

In the empty conference room, Cocolia slapped the table, her face darkened.

Angel's network was echoing with their vivid reenactment of what Yssring had just performed, as well as all kinds of ridiculous laughter. The character of Yssring needed to be enriched. Although she won’t have too many starring roles, she is an indispensable technical talent, after all. If a character like this doesn't have an emotional setting that's deeply rooted in people's hearts, probably no one will care much for her, but it doesn't fit Angel's style.

So, Yssring learned from the template of Klein. It’s just that there is no sense of incompatibility when Yssring takes on Klein’s role, but Cocolia’s words to Mebius—

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Listening to the wild laughter on Angel Network, you would know how they feel about this.

"Are you annoyed? Are you annoyed? Can we talk about something serious!?"

Cocolia's face became increasingly gloomy.

"When the Eye of The Deep was activated, they contacted Welt, and we also contacted Ninti. Judging from the information she provided, Kevin's power is real and should not be underestimated."

"Well, Seele is indeed soft and fragrant, sweeter than imagined!"

"Chiliu!"

"Can you guys pay attention to something more serious!?"

Cocolia was unable to hold her forehead, and there was a black line on her face.

But everyone is her and knows what kind of character they are, so she quickly adjusted and analyzed seriously.

"Fortunately, we didn't plan to have a head-on conflict with him from the beginning, and the current arrangements are enough for us to influence or even guide him..."

"Analyze it carefully. Do you think we can beat him, given the current situation?"

"It's hard to say. If it's just the level he showed in front of Welt, although he is strong, it is nothing more than that to us. But don't forget that he also hides the AHR and even the Diabolic. If we really fight, I really can’t figure out where his upper limit is."

"After all, our upper limit has reached a bottleneck. At the level of the Herrscher, we have reached an unprecedented level, and if we go further, we can only seek higher levels. Simply adding a few more powers may not improve it much."

The lack of progress is a problem that makes Angel more anxious. But Otto’s road to becoming a false god is still advancing in an orderly manner. There is no way to rush him, he can only wait.

Sea of Quanta has been entered. The problem is that the potential of this place is the same as its scope: infinite. Searching for the possibility of progress in a place like this is destined to be a journey with no clear end in sight.

The last option is with Kevin.

"The Cocoon of Finality, Project Stigma... tsk tsk tsk, they are all troublesome and dangerous things. Why do we have to fight against these deadly things? It's easy to run away, obviously!"

The wailing of an individual came from Angel Network. They naturally feel the same way.

Who is willing to scheme and charge toward things like the Cocoon of Finality, the Tree of Imaginary Numbers, and the Sea of Quantum, knowing they are not to be trifled with just from their names alone?

Only—

Kiana, Himeko, Wendy, Fu Hua, Ah Lin, Book of Fuxi, Sin, Rosalia, Lilia...

Familiar faces appeared before their eyes.

Finally, there was Su’s smile before leaving, full of warmth and blessings.

"Well!"

"It took a lot of effort to change so many things. If I don’t step up, should I let them do it?"

"Stop joking!"

Each and every Angel took a deep breath, and the short-term resentment disappeared, leaving only the firmness in her eyes.

......

"Hey, are you thinking of any bad ideas again?"

Far east, in the season of falling Yukiflakes, in the warm castle mansion, the long-lost Sirin asked this to the long-lost Tachibana Yuki, still holding half-bitten potato chips in her hand.

Tachibana Yuki, who had just escaped from Angel's network, turned her head and looked at Sirin with an aunt's loving look in her eyes.

"Onee-sama is here again? How can it be a bad idea? It's obviously a good idea carefully prepared to stay together with onee-sama!"

"...It's so disgusting!"

After Sirin paused for a moment, she turned her head and ate the potato chips. Tachibana Yuki saw the ears exposed from the soft purple hair, dyed with a mouth-watering and alluring red. The most important thing was the gentleness of bowing her head, the shyness of a water lotus that cannot withstand the cool breeze.

Sirin has never been that gentle, but a bright and thorny flower. But there are some things she has in common with gentle girls.

For example, she can't stand sweet and disgusting confessions. Once she hears them, she will blush from her cheeks to her earlobes, without any resistance.

Perhaps, this is also related to her childhood memory of a lack of love. Because of this lack, she has no experience, and because of this lack of experience, she has no resistance.

Tachibana Yuki looked at her with a clear and soft light in her eyes, then she simply tilted her head, rested it on Sirin's shoulder, and let out a contented sigh.

"Very nice..."

There was falling snow outside the window, and warm air inside. There was a sweet fragrance coming from Sirin, just like her character: clear, sweet, and sultry.

"Hey, did you give your power to that idiot?"

Out of the blue, Sirin suddenly asked.

Tachibana Yuki subconsciously said, "Hmm."

In fact, she couldn’t hide it in the first place.

Angel defeated Sirin and then snatched the Power of the Herrscher from her. Instead, she used information gaps and words to shake her, then attacked her mind, and finally made her voluntarily hand over her power in a daze.

The robbery was not complete, which resulted in Sirin still being able to feel the presence of her power. Even if she made up her mind to compete with Angel, she might not be able to regain some points, but Sirin had never tried. Therefore, Kiana's continued use of power could not be concealed from Sirin's perception.

Hearing Tachibana Yuki's response, Sirin slapped her hand down, then kept a wooden expression and mechanically chewed her potato chips without saying anything.

Tachibana Yuki turned her head slightly, looked at Sirin's delicate and beautiful profile, and asked,

"Sister, are you angry?"

"No. What could I do to you? I can't beat you, I can't outsmart you, and I'm just the canary you raised. All I do is eat. What's there to be angry about?"

"Wow, it smells so sour. Did you knock over the vinegar jar somewhere?"

"..."

Sirin suddenly turned to look at Tachibana Yuki, then pushed her away and picked up the pillow next to her, throwing it at her.

Unexpectedly, Tachibana Yuki had already foreseen this and dodged.

"Help... help..."

"Don't run away! Stand still for me... hey!?"

Sirin became excited and passed through a space hole. The next second, she appeared next to Tachibana Yuki, who was escaping. However, since it had been so long since she'd used her power, she stumbled and fell to the ground.

"Hey! I caught a beautiful little piggy~~"

"You’re the pig!!"

Sirin frantically scratched Tachibana Yuki's face. Tachibana Yuki just smiled, neither dodging nor avoiding her. Then, the sharp nails turned into soft fingers, and Sirin twisted Tachibana Yuki's face playfully to express her anger.

With her face twisted into a funny expression, Tachibana Yuki smiled and hugged Sirin, walking back to the sofa. Placing the pouting and sulking Sirin on the sofa, she straightened her round, smooth white legs, smoothed her skirt, and then lay down on the soft, scented nephrite knee pillow.

"Hmm~~"

Tachibana Yuki closed her eyes in enjoyment, while Sirin looked at her palm thoughtfully.

As her thoughts moved, a cup from nearby appeared in her hand. She was stunned for a moment, as if she couldn't believe it, so she summoned another cup into her hand from a distance.

After a while, Sirin squeezed the cup in her hand and lowered her head.

"Why?"

"What why?"

"Don't pretend! You know exactly what I'm asking!"

"Sister, since we met, have I ever refused you anything you wanted?

Sirin looked at the unguarded, beautiful face of the girl on her lap for a long time, then bit her lip.

Here it is again.

It’s that kind of rhetoric again... it sounds so fake!

But why can’t I help but believe it every time, and why am I so happy about it?

"You bastard, a gangster, shameless..."

"Hmm, scold me a little more, I love your voice, sister."

"Shameless!!!"

"So, sister, are you happy now?"

Tachibana Yuki opened her eyes, and the gentle smile in them made Sirin look away in discomfort.

She stammered,

"Aren't you... aren't you afraid... aren't you afraid that I'll run away?"

"If you run away, I’ll just chase you down. Can I really leave my sister? Or could my sister leave me?"

"...snort!"

"Please forgive me just this once, onee-sama. I'm a little tired and a little uneasy right now. Can I just rely on you like this for a while?"

Tachibana Yuki raised her hand and touched Sirin's fair, delicate face. The silky soft touch spread from her fingertips to her heart, making Angel feel at ease.

This rare moment of vulnerability made Sirin instantly forget her previous dissatisfaction and confusion, replaced by a feeling of panic and bewilderment—a panic born from her complete inability to comfort or care for others.

"You... I... are you okay?"

"It's okay. I just suddenly thought of Sea of Quanta, the Tree of Imaginary Numbers, the Cocoon of Finality... it turns out there are so many challenges ahead of me, and none of them are easy to deal with. If there’s even the slightest mistake, everything I have might be lost. When I realized this, I became very scared. Would it be a bit pointless?"

"No, no! No way!"

Sirin waved her hands hurriedly, sweating from her forehead as she tried her best to think of ways to comfort her—but unfortunately, it touched upon a blind spot in her knowledge.

Tachibana Yuki was amused by her clumsy and cute reaction.

Sirin's face suddenly turned red.

Why are you laughing again—I wanted to ask this, but after being together for so long, Sirin could sense when Angel was being cynical and when she was genuinely upset. So, she held back.

After a while, Sirin said dully,

"If you don’t want to do something, just don’t. We are Herrschers, not humans. At worst, we let the humans deal with those cocoons. Can’t we just watch from the sidelines? If we can’t win, we can at least hide, right?"

"Let's not talk about the power and even the life of a Herrscher. In fact, it is tied to the Cocoon of Finality. This connection has always made me uneasy... In short, just think of me as greedy."

Tachibana Yuki caressed Sirin's face, her eyes filled with soft waves of nostalgia.

I want Sirin's present.

I want Sirin's future.

I want Sirin forever.

And besides that, I also want others...

No matter how you look at it, there seems to be nothing to complain about. If you want so much, you have to risk everything, right?

"Sister, I want your lips. Is that okay?"

"Huh? Now? After all we've done, won’t you get tired of it?"

"No way!"

"..."

A combination of shamelessness and boldness was a surefire win against someone as defenseless as Sirin. So, after her face changed expressions for a while, she finally blushed, endured the embarrassment, leaned over, and lifted Tachibana Yuki’s head.

"Tap tap tap!"

"Bang!!!"

Bella, who had just approached, was startled by the sudden noise and ran in quickly.

"My Queen, Princess, what happened?"

"It's nothing, a kitten just got angry."

"Cat? Is there a cat in the castle?"

"Yes, the cutest little female cat in the world~~"

Tachibana Yuki, lying on the floor, smiled with crescent eyes, then placed her hands in a cat-paw shape on both sides of her cheeks and let out a soft "meow."

The Queen, who was noble and cool but had red cheeks, glanced sideways, then turned to Bella with full authority.

"I suddenly want to eat cake, Bella. Go make it for me."

"Yes, Your Lady Queen!"

The Queen's order was Bella's mission. Without a word, Bella put down the drink she had just mixed and quickly ran to the kitchen.

As for the gradually rising temperature in the lobby and the sound of sizzling water after she left—that was not something Bella needed to know. At least, not for the time being.