HLS Vol 2. Ch 1-10 (Patreon)

Finishing this tomorrow. Was too busy yesterday.

SS3 Chapter: The Cat's BirthdayNight fell.Darkness enveloped the headquarters of Fire Moth, the world's vast savior organization. At this time, only a few lights shone. The bright moon cast its pale light upon the world.With nothing to do, everyone returned home to sleep, awaiting the arrival of daylight. But for one person, the night was her time to act.Under the moonlight, a dark figure silently flashed across walls and rooftops, heading toward the town's tower.The figure disappeared into the shadows beside the tower.Then, a head with cat ears peeked out, observing...---Chapter 1: The Great Sentiment Join the live streamArc City, in a cornerKiana landed awkwardly, plopping down on the ground with a thud and rubbing her slightly dizzy head. After a while, feeling better, Kiana slowly opened her eyes.Then she saw Xiyue who was currently disguised as Ji Lin, smiling at her.Before Kiana could examine Xiyue's face closely, something suddenly occurred to her. She jumped up, anxiously calling out."Auntie and Class Monitor!""If I disappear, will Otto harm her?!""And Mei, Bronya, the Doctor, and the others.""......"Kiana was momentarily panicked. Seeing Kiana's reaction, Xiyue wasn't too surprised. Kiana hadn't truly experienced The Final Lesson and grown rapidly, so she still retained a naive and innocent personality.Even though she was intelligent, she mostly preferred not to use her brain.Xiyue approached Kiana, gently patted her head, and slowly explained."Don't worry, don't worry.""Without you as his target, Otto won't do anything to his granddaughter.""Although Otto is ruthless, his feelings for Theresa are deeper than you think.""Your friends are all fine. The thing to worry about now is your situation. Schicksal is frantically searching for you."Hearing Xiyue's words, Kiana gradually calmed down.These words weren't just made up by Xiyue. Her clone was still on the Hyperion and knew what was happening there.Kiana looked up at this person's unfamiliar face.She could sense that this person was telling the truth, but her worry remained, and the anxious expression on her face didn't fade.Seeing this, Xiyue stroked Kiana's head and said helplessly."You are really silly, don't you have a contact list? Just contact them and confirm."Hearing this, Kiana suddenly realized and hurriedly took out her contact list, then called Mei. Watching Kiana's excited expression, Xiyie shook her head helplessly again.Her eyes also held joy.However, despite the joy in her eyes, deep down, worry remained.Although she had prevented The Final Lesson from happening and used her cheat ability to take Kiana away, this would lead to a larger-scale manhunt by Otto. They would face an even more crazed Otto.Otto was a man who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. She analyzed it. The possibility of them defeating Otto now was practically zero.Moreover, World Serpent was about to make its comeback.Without experiencing The Final Lesson and the subsequent stories, Kiana would find it difficult to mature quickly enough to eventually become the Herrscher of Flamescion.Kiana would have to face numerous difficulties to grow.Thinking about this, Xiyue felt a headache coming on.She wanted Kiana to always be that innocent, cheerful, and energetic child, but the realities of life were a huge problem.Just then, the long-absent system voice sounded in Xiyue's mind.[Host has successfully changed a major plot twist; The Sims feature unlocked]Hearing this, Xiyue was slightly taken aback."The Sims feature?""What's this?"With a puzzled look, Xiyue clicked on the panel, and the following appeared before her eyes:[The Sims Feature][Feature: Select a live-streamed storyline to immerse the streamer or viewer in the story's joys and sorrows.][Note: Only one main storyline can be selected at a time.][Time Limit: Once per day]Seeing this, Xiyue instantly understood what this Sims feature was about.She had just been worried that this Kiana who hadn't truly experienced The Final Lesson and the Void Drifter storyline would have difficulty growing quickly. Unexpectedly, the system provided such a feature.For the first time, Xiyue felt the reliability of this system.Previously, she thought this lousy system must be from a certain online platform. After seeing this feature, Xiyue was certain it originated from another platform.Very reliable.Thinking this, Xiyue watched Kiana excitedly talking to Mei and the others, her smile deepening.In a way, this was also a form of persecution.Persecuting Kiana was what Kiana fans loved to do.Just then, Xiyue thought of something amusing and asked the system."System, can only one of those two consciousnesses enter, or can both?"The system immediately replied.【In a sense, the two personas are the same person. Therefore, both consciousnesses can enter.】Hearing this, Xiyue couldn't contain her smile any longer.She could torment both Kiana and Sirin.How satisfying this was for true fans.How could the Queen not experience being almost killed by Himeko?How could Kiana become the incredibly cool Herrscher of Flamescion later on if she didn't truly experience her state of mind in the original story?Xiyue became happier and happier, to the point that the sense of urgency brought by Otto slowly diminished.At the same time, Kiana and Sirin both sensed a strong sense of malice....After a while, Kiana ended her call with Mei and the others. Seeing that they were alright, Kiana felt relieved and her energy returned.With a silly grin, Kiana approached Xiyue and tentatively called out."Sister Yuexi!""Sister Yuexi!"Hearing this, Xiyue looked up, feigning surprise."Huh, you actually guessed it."Kiana completely relaxed upon hearing this. She was now certain that the person in front of her was indeed Xiyue, the streamer from the mysterious livestream room.She couldn't think of anyone else who could help her.Of course, Kiana hadn't guessed this herself; Mei and the others had told her.In her current state, Kiana wasn't in the mood to think about anything else.Xiyue looked at Kiana, her teasing smile undiminished."An idiot like you couldn't possibly guess. Mei and the others must have told you, right?"Hearing Xiyue's words, especially that familiar tone, Kiana, as a veteran member of the livestream, couldn't believe it more.After all, that was exactly how Yuexi spoke in the livestream.Kiana shook her head, looking unhappy."Sister Yuexi, I'm not an idiot.""I'm the smartest in our academy!"Kiana proudly tilted her head back after saying this.Seeing this, Xiyue couldn't resist giving Kiana a light tap on the head.She hadn't hidden her identity as a streamer, and it was easy to guess. As for her true identity, she couldn't reveal it for the time being.Revealing it would cause too many problems.For now, she would use the identity of Yuexi, wearing Ji Lin's face as she appeared before everyone.Seeing the smug Kiana, Xiyue couldn't help but pat Kiana's head again and said in an annoyed tone:"Whether you're smart or not, I know perfectly well!""Let's go. We'll find a place to hide first."With that, she led the chattering Kiana toward downtown Arc City. Along the way, Kiana chattered incessantly like a sparrow, asking questions non-stop:"Sister Yuexi, how do you know about our future? And why are you broadcasting our story live?""I don't know, I'm just a lousy streamer.""Then, Sister Yuexi, why are you helping us?""I'm not telling you.""Then, then, then, Sister Yuexi, can you tell me, does Elysia in Elysian Realm really have feelings for Mei?""Sister Yuexi, Sister Yuexi, what's my storyline like later on? Will I immediately become Herrscher of Flamescion?!""Sister Yuexi, Bronya became the Herrscher of Reason, so will Auntie become a Herrscher too? Will Class Monitor become one too? And will Aunt Himeko be a Herrscher too?""Sister Yuexi, can I do a livestream with you? Hehe!""Sister Yuexi, where is this?"......Xiyue knew that Kiana became very open once she got close to someone. She had sensed this when she was Kiana's cultural teacher, but she hadn't expected Kiana's intense curiosity to turn her into a walking encyclopedia of questions.From the moment she moved into their temporary place, Kiana had been asking questions non-stop.It was driving Xiyue crazy.She almost had to shut this idiot's mouth.Fortunately, after returning to their place and having a simple meal with Kiana, Kiana went straight to sleep.Xiyue looked at Kiana's sleeping face on the bed and smiled helplessly.Kiana was indeed very tired today.She had originally planned to let Kiana experience The Final Lesson firsthand tonight, but seeing Kiana's sleeping face, that cute and energetic expression...As a true fan, how could she bear to do such a thing?Therefore, she chose to let Kiana experience it tomorrow.Then, she took off her clothes and slept next to Kiana.Of course, this wasn't the first time she had slept with Kiana. Back at the academy, Kiana had slept with her countless times.As the former captain, she wouldn't miss out on the perks she was entitled to.She had slept not only with Kiana, but also with Mei and Bronya.As for Himeko, needless to say, every time she got drunk, she would run to her room and sleep with her in her arms.And Theresa—of course, she had slept with her too.Not only that, she had also slept with everyone.The three of them had slept together, and the four of them had slept together too.As for Fu Hua, although she hadn't slept alone with her, they always slept together during parties.Those wonderful days were indescribable.Of course, Xiyue didn't think much of it. After all, it was normal between girls.To be honest, she had always had a wish since coming to the Honkai world: to sleep with all the Valkyries.To achieve this wish, she would work hard on her livestreams, work hard to become stronger, and work hard to change all the imperfections and regrettable plot points.Looking at the dark ceiling, Xiyue stretched out her arm, her eyes flashing with determination.Then, she wrapped her arms around Kiana's slender waist and drifted off to sleep........The next day, Xiyue got out of bed early, while Kiana was still fast asleep like a pig.Sitting on the sofa in the living room, she immediately took out her phone, ready to start her livestream.To boost their fighting strength, she needed to stream, letting everyone know more about the future plot and what would happen.Thinking this, Xiyue abandoned her slacking thoughts and prepared to start the stream.However, as she opened the stream, she couldn't help but wonder which two people would join the chat this time.Upon opening the stream, all the viewers simultaneously received a notification that the stream had started.At the same time, Xiyue adjusted her focus, watching the stream intently.Her main attention was on the new viewers.[Welcome Nun, The Great Sentiencd to the stream]Xiyue's spirits lifted upon seeing these two names.The first name was easy to guess. There were only a few people who could be called a Nun. Theresa had already appeared, so there was only one left—Aponia.At the same time, in the Sanatorium at Sundown Alley, Aponia, who was telling stories to the children, looked at the screen in front of her and the previous stream content transmitted by the system.Her eyes were slightly dazed but quickly cleared.She closed the storybook in her hand, her gaze fixed on the livestream chat visible only to her, looking at the two IDs in the comment section.Miss Elf and Beautiful Serpent.Aponia murmured softly."Are Miss Elysia and Dr. Mobius here too?"Xiyue wasn't particularly surprised by Aponia's appearance. According to the usual livestream format, there were two slots: one for viewers from the present civilization and the other most likely from the Previous Era.Aponia's appearance wasn't surprising.What truly surprised her was the ID following it: [The Great Sentience].She knew who it was at first glance.Besides Senti, who else could it be?Immediately, a serious question arose.Wasn't Senti not yet born in this timeline? What was going on?Could this Senti be from the future? But that didn't make sense.After all, she had prevented The Final Lesson from happening, and she had also prevented Otto from shooting Fu Hua.Could Fu Hua have been shot by Otto again?Thinking this through, Xiyue felt it was increasingly possible.If not, how could Senti have been created?While Xiyue pondered this, far away in the Schicksal headquarters hospital, Fu Hua, in her deep sleep and coma, was having a newly formed consciousness rapidly absorb her vast memories.Then, after absorbing the previous livestream content, she opened her crimson eyes, tilted her head, and asked in confusion."How is this possible? I was shot by Otto?"---Chapter Two: The Great Sentience!

The birth of the Herrscher of Sentience was undeniably an accident.

Although Otto did not shoot Fu Hua in the head this time, because he had tampered with the Valkyrie battlesuit, in the moment of losing consciousness, Fu Hua thought Otto would shoot her.

In a panic, just like in the original storyline, Fu Hua transferred her consciousness to a Fenghuang Down.

This left her original body a soulless shell.

A MANTIS's body was healthy and powerful, possessing exceptional Honkai adaptability. Therefore, the Honkai  naturally would not let this windfall pass by and placed a completely new consciousness within it.

This is how Senti was born.

However, what the Will of Honkai did not expect was that this body's brain contained memories of thousands, even tens of thousands, of years. This vast amount of memory easily overwhelmed the newly formed Honkai personality, causing the "Herrscher of Sentience," upon awakening, to believe that she was the original owner of those memories: Fu Hua.

Looking at Senti's ID, Xiyue recalled Senti's origins. The reason she remembered so clearly was simple: she was a die-hard Senti fan.

Senti, the eternal god.

A storyline involving Senti was bound to be hilarious.

What is more, Senti was going to take Otto down by half.

Meanwhile, Senti herself watched the livestream, processing this massive amount of memories.

The newly formed Senti and the new Herrscher, Senti had absorbed Fu Hua's massive amount of memories and now believed herself to be Fu Hua, the master of those memories.

Because the memories were not fully absorbed, and Fu Hua's consciousness was still shifting to a state of chaos, Senti needed more time to truly take control of her body.

However, having absorbed Fu Hua's vast amount of memories, including those related to the livestream,

Senti was not surprised by the livestream; in fact, she watched it with interest. Based on her memories, the livestream would bring her many interesting things.

It was the pleasure of absorbing and digesting a massive amount of memories.

Once she had fully absorbed the memories, she would awaken, and then she would give Otto a good beating.

Back in the livestream, Xiyue, who had entered the room with Senti, snapped out of her daze and, as usual, cheerfully addressed the viewers.

"Good morning, everyone! Haven't seen you all day, did you miss me?"

"Hehe, I don't need to guess to know you missed me madly!"

"I missed you all too~"

"Cat Cat: Sister Yuexi, I missed you so much. I really wanted to kill you. The video you showed us last time left me speechless. Why do you always have to kill us before ending the stream?!"

"Want to Buy An Island: What kind of underworld happy ending is this? I really want to send you a real knife so you can experience the taste of one too!"

"Miss Elf: You troublesome little imp, you will be severely punished!"

Since Dr. Mei became a councilor, the atmosphere within Fire Moth has noticeably improved. Of course, this only applies to the Fire Moth Armed Forces, as Dr. Mei holds the power to manage them.

As for the research departments managed by other councilors, they remain the same as always—either reduced to tools for the councilors or plagued by infighting among them, which also affects the researchers.

The atmosphere is generally poor; there is simply no research environment.

Of course, this does not affect Dr. Mei. As the one in power, she has enough authority and funds to conduct the research she wants. As for Mobius, her funding is also managed by Dr. Mei, supplemented by Eden's aid.

At this point, she has become quite wealthy.

She spends her days with three assistants conducting MANTIS experiments.

Meanwhile, Elysia was busy flirting with the pretty girls at the base, having video chats with Eden, and occasionally bothering Mobius in the lab.

She was living the high life.

Sakura was investigating the mysterious person who killed Ice Law, while Kevin continued his training to become stronger.

Vill-V, who had been imprisoned by Elysia, joined Fire Moth under her persuasion, carrying out secret missions under Mei's command.

Elysia also noticed the new ID; her usually accurate intuition told her that this must be Aponilia.

Then she immediately texted Aponia and quickly received a reply.

“Cook: Yuexi-nee, is the idiot with you?”

Aboard the Hyperion, Mei entered the livestream the moment it started. Although Kiana had spoken to her, and everyone guessed Kiana had been rescued by the streamer...

Mei was still a little uneasy, and she wanted to hear Xiyue's reply personally.

Xiyue saw Mei's message, a faint smile appearing on her face, and immediately replied.

“Don't worry, the idiot is with me.”

“She is still sleeping, soundly asleep.”

Hearing Xiyue's reply, Mei felt a huge weight lifted from her heart. She continued typing.

“Thank you, Yuexi-nee.”

“Please take good care of the idiot!”

Then came Theresa, Himeko, Bronya, and others, expressing their gratitude.

Seeing this, Xiyue smiled.

"Don't worry, I will take good care of her."

"Cat Cat: Hey? Has anyone met up with Boss Yuexi? That is great! I really want to see what Boss Yuexi looks like too."

"Don't want to go to work: Me too."

After working through the night in the Mobius lab, Fuxi finally got a short break. Looking at the livestream in front of him, he listlessly uttered this.

"Want to Buy An Island: Huh, this idiot probably does not want to take the exam, right?"

"Miss Elf: They actually met up? I really want to meet up again~"

"Sakura: Does it even have a meet-up function?"

Middle Ages, Yae Village.

After the last incident, Yae Sakura and Kallen's relationship quickly warmed up. During these days, Yae Sakura also got to know a different Kallen: a glutton capable of eating rice balls bigger than her face, a stark contrast to her slender waist beneath her nun's habit.

However, Yae Sakura really enjoyed watching Kallen eat the huge rice balls she made herself.

The more she watched, the more Yae Sakura liked her, and gradually Kallen's image and many things began to overlap.

During this time, Kallen's injuries had mostly healed so she went with her to the back mountain to fight the strange monster. Kallen also knew about Sakura's story and the village.

Although resentful, she could not let Sakura get away with it and continued to protect the village alongside her.

Sakura experienced the best days of her life; she had never been so happy. In her joy, she would occasionally speak in the mysterious livestream room.

As for Kallen, she was also happy during her time with Sakura. She had fled her former homeland, distanced herself from her close friends, and distanced herself from all the unrealistic expectations placed upon her.

Because she could not bear the ugliness and unbearable sights, she was pursued and severely wounded by those she trusted and loved.

She came to this secluded village, was rescued by a pink-haired priestess, and gradually became inseparable from her, enjoying a peaceful and tranquil life.

She cherished every day spent confiding in Sakura under the cherry blossom tree, every day dancing with Sakura in the mountains, on the meadows, and among the flowers. She loved Sakura's rice balls, loved sharing delicious food and the warmth of spring with Sakura.

She, Kallen/Yae Sakura, wished these beautiful, happy days could last forever.

Yae Sakura turned her gaze away from the livestream and looked at Kallen, who was happily munching on her rice ball. She could not help but wonder when Kallen could join the livestream so they could watch the future unfold together.

Unbeknownst to them, far away in Europe, a certain Green Lily was already preparing to search for the Saintess.

...

Back to the livestream, facing everyone's desire to meet her in person, especially Elysia's renewed invitation, Xiyue admitted she wanted to accept. However, thinking of what happened that night, Xiyue instinctively shrank back.

Then she changed the subject.

"Oh dear, that is not the point!"

"As for the end of the other timeline, do not worry, it is a very happy and fulfilling ending."

Of course, Xiyue was just making that up.

As for the ending of Honkai Impact 2...

She did not even get to see it before she transmigrated.

However, she guessed that after all the heartbreak in the beginning, what is wrong with a happy ending?

Unless, of course, the screenwriter has no heart.

Xiyue's words successfully diverted everyone's attention, but the reaction to Xiyue's words was not what she expected.

"Cat Cat: Sister Yuexi, can you at least look at your conscience before saying that? Do you really think we will still believe you? ╭(╯^╰)╮"

"Want to Buy An Island: You have become completely untrustworthy."

"Driver's License Revoked: Zaychek will never believe you again."

"Miss Elf: Look how many times you have deceived everyone, Yuexi. It is not going to be easy for everyone to believe you now."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: I would rather believe in ghosts than believe you!"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: I would rather believe Theresa grows taller than believe your happy ending."

"Dudu: Yes, I would rather believe Theresa grows taller!"

"Drunken Warrior: Catch it!"

"The Great Sentience: Trust Fu Hua, Fu Hua would never lie to you, hahaha."

Xiyue's face darkened upon seeing everyone's comments. She could not believe that this honest and straightforward girl would one day be disbelieved.

She decided to reclaim her role and status in everyone's hearts.

So, she decided that for her next livestream, she would deliberately make sure to mention the really angsty plot. Since they did not believe her, she would surprise them with a different angle.

Thinking this, Xiyue cheered up.

Then she moved her fingers, preparing to stream the main storyline.

Originally, she wanted to start the stream with some comedic moments, but considering Otto's plans had been disrupted and he might become even more obsessed, she decided to stream the main storyline first.

She needed to let Theresa and Mei know more about the future plot so they could prepare accordingly.

After all, if Otto truly became completely corrupted, things would get much worse.

As for the comedic videos, there would be plenty of time later. Main story first, then comedic moments, then Elysian Realm.

Having decided on today's stream content, Xiyue did not say anything more and addressed the viewers in the chat.

"Alright, let us get back to business."

"Today we will start with the main storyline. After that, we will show you something fun, hehe."

After saying this, she opened the main storyline: Chapter 12: Beyond Light and Shadow - Part 1.

The scene revealed a nighttime setting several days earlier on the Far Eastern border.

Cocolia, dressed in military uniform, stood alone on the edge of a high-rise rooftop, looking at the city in the night. According to the agreement, this secret meeting was supposed to take place ten minutes ago, but the person she was supposed to meet had not appeared yet.

Cocolia's expression grew colder, and the impatience in her eyes became increasingly difficult to conceal.

However, she took a deep breath and reminded herself to be patient.

She repeatedly told herself that for a soldier, seizing the right opportunity was far more important than combat ability.

Just as she was thinking this, the door opened.

A deep, hoarse voice sounded in her ear.

"I am glad you have come."

Hearing the voice, Cocolia immediately turned around, coldly looking at Gray Serpent, who was walking toward her unhurriedly, and said with displeasure,

"You are late, Gray Serpent. I expect an explanation."

Gray Serpent sensed Cocolia's displeasure but remained unperturbed, walking up to her and speaking slowly.

"Please forgive me, Cocolia. I had some personal matters to attend to. 'Serpent' asked me to bring orders."

Hearing this, Cocolia understood and spoke calmly.

"Speak. What do you want me to do?"

Gray Serpent also spoke directly.

"Activate the Eye of the Abyss for us. I know you have a way to gain control of Abyss City."

Hearing this, the viewers in the livestream also reacted.

“Cat Cat: It was Cocolia and Gray Serpent's plan after all! Damn it! Those two are so wicked, especially Cocolia. I genuinely thought she was unaware in the previous storylines. Damn it, I am so angry!”

“Dr. Lobsterhead: Sigh, I knew it. Cocolia never fails to disappoint. She really is cooperating with the World Serpent.”

Tesla, unusually calm, did not hurl insults at Cocolia.

She felt only disappointment and sadness.

Although she disliked Cocolia's methods, as a colleague, she knew Cocolia was not doing all this for her own benefit but to defeat Honkai. However, Tesla could not accept that she had betrayed the organization.

Besides Tesla, Bronya was disappointed too.

In the previous storylines, she thought she had misunderstood Cocolia, but seeing this scene, she realized how foolish she had been.

It was all Cocolia and Gray Serpent's plan.

Thinking of this, a wave of sorrow washed over her. Although she had lost the ability to express emotions, it did not mean she was without feelings. Bronya lowered her head and buried it between her legs.

She was utterly confused. What was the point of going to Cocolia now?

"Drunken Warrior: It is really hard to understand why the acting leader of Anti-Entropy would choose to cooperate with World Serpent. It seems World Serpent is an evil organization; I really do not understand."

After sending this message, Himeko went to Bronya and hugged her tightly.

Chapter 3: Fire Moth “Sakura”

Sensing Bronya's confusion and bewilderment once more, Tesla approached her and gazed at her.

She spoke softly to Bronya.

"Bronya, whatever deal Cocolia made with Grey Serpent, it won't affect our efforts to rescue Wendy."

"And there's the matter of your legacy."

Tesla trailed off.

Hearing Tesla's words, Bronya's confusion and bewilderment lessened slightly.

She raised her silver eyes and nodded firmly to Tesla.

"Yes, I know, Dr. Tesla."

"Bronya will definitely rescue Wendy!"

Tesla nodded in response. Then, looking into Bronya's eyes, worry crept into her heart.

"I hope that foolish woman, Cocolia, won't do anything to kill Wendy again."

Then, the three turned their attention to the livestream; she wanted to know what shady purpose Cocolia and Grey Serpent had achieved.

Meanwhile, the Cocolia fleet was en route to The Deep.

Cocolia stood at the laboratory door, looking at Wendy sleeping inside. The voice of the research team leader came from beside her.

“Commander Cocolia, shall we begin removing the Gem of Desire?”

Hearing this, Cocolia instinctively agreed, but as she was about to give the order, Bronya's innocent face flashed through her mind, along with the deathly calm she had when controlled.

This made the hard-hearted, battle-hardened soldier hesitate for a moment.

Removing the Gem of Desire from Wendy's body would undoubtedly cost Wendy her life, though in her eyes, Wendy's life was insignificant.

But for some reason, a sense of unease and worry rose within her.

Looking at Wendy sleeping in the laboratory, and then at that serene face, she vaguely remembered Seele.

Scenes from the orphanage flashed through her mind.

After an unknown amount of time, Cocolia regained her composure, transforming back into the steely soldier she once was, and addressed the person in charge.

"The plan is postponed. Everything will be discussed in The Deep."

Cocolia didn't know why she had given this order. Feeling somewhat irritated, she told herself,

"Whether we take it sooner or later won't delay the plan."

...

Back to the story in the livestream.

In the story, Cocolia was surprised to hear Grey Serpent's words.

The Deep was a top secret within Anti-Entropy; only a few elders knew about it. Thinking of this, a sense of unease flashed through her mind.

"People from World Serpent have also appeared within the organization?"

However, there was no time to ponder this. To maintain the balance of the negotiations, she suppressed her surprise and quickly regained her composure, directly questioning Grey Serpent.

"The Eye of the Deep? What do you intend to use it for?"

Hearing Cocolia's question, Grey Serpent calmly replied,

"Open the gates of the Sea of Quanta and rescue our compatriots."

Hearing this, Cocolia fell into deep thought. Unable to discern whether Grey Serpent's words were true or false, she probed again.

"I can station troops in The Deep, but I have no way to activate The Eye of the Deep."

"Apart from the Alliance Leader and his most trusted confidants, no one knows how to activate that portal."

Grey Serpent then explained to Cocolia the incident involving Einstein and Welt a year ago, and then planned how to obtain the method to open the portal from Einstein.

Seeing this, the doubts in the livestream room regarding the previous plot became clear.

"Miss Elf: It seems that what happened in The Deep was all a play put on by Cocolia and Grey Serpent. Honestly, those two are too cunning!"

"Cook: A conversation between two ancient foxes."

"Dudu: In cahoots."

"Want to Buy An Island: ......."

Raven watched everyone hurling insults at Grey Serpent and Cocolia, momentarily speechless.

As for whether Grey Serpent would kill Einstein, based on her understanding of him, it was highly unlikely he would go all out.

After all, Einstein was very important, not only to Anti-Entropy but also to World Serpent.

"Cat Cat: These two are really terrifying, waaaaah, they look like villains. Did that big bad guy, Grey Serpent, really kill Dr. Einstein? No way!"

"The Great Sentience: If you ask me, they should drag those two old foxes out and give them a good beating!"

"I Don't Want to Take Exams: I think so too! Give them a beating."

"The Great Sentience: Hey, not bad, not bad, kindred spirit."

"I Don't Want Exams: Hehe, not at all."

Kiana woke up too. She was very curious about the livestream, but without Xiyue's permission, she felt awkward going over; after all, it would be impolite.

Although she was usually carefree, she still had a sense of propriety.

So, Kiana didn't disturb Xiyue's livestream. Instead, she sat on the bed, watching and happily commenting.

Xiyue saw this comment and glanced at Kiana.

Kindred spirit.

Yeah.

You two are going to have a fight later.

"Dr. Lobsterhead: I'm gonna—pfft—this bitch, she was a liar from the start. Never trust Cocolia!"

Seeing this, Tesla was clearly furious.

Already hot-tempered, she now wanted nothing more than to unleash a torrent of abuse on Cocolia right in front of her.

She had previously thought Cocolia had some unspoken reason.

She wanted to see what Cocolia was really after, willing to betray her organization to cooperate with World Serpent!

Back to the story.

After Cocolia agreed to help Einstein, Grey Serpent continued speaking to her.

“Also, I need to borrow something from you.”

“What do you want?”

Grey Serpent paused for a moment, then slowly said,

“The Gem of Desire.”

Cocolia, unsurprised, gave a cold chuckle.

“Heh, the Gem of Desire isn’t cheap.”

Grey Serpent quickly added,

“I didn’t come empty-handed. After it’s done, we’ll give you the long-promised reward.”

Hearing this, the audience focused intently on the livestream, wanting to know what kind of reward World Serpent would offer Cocolia.

Grey Serpent continued,

“Your precious daughter, Seele Voller.”

Hearing this name, Bronya abruptly raised her head, her silver eyes fixed on the screen, murmuring,

"Mother Cocolia... is it for Seele?"

Ignoring everyone's shock.

In the story, Cocolia fell silent upon hearing Grey Serpent utter this name.

Even after so many years, hearing that name still sent a shiver down Cocolia's spine. Each word felt like a heavy hammer blow striking her very heart.

Grey Serpent was unconcerned about Cocolia's current mood and continued calmly.

"She never disappeared; she simply touched upon a dimension inaccessible to humans in X-10 Rocky Town. Help us, and we will help you."

.......

"The Great Sentience: More than Cocolia, I want to slap this Grey Serpent! He's so annoying!"

"Cat Cat: Is everything Cocolia did for Seele? It's hard to believe, but seeing Cocolia like this, I'm feeling a bit conflicted."

"I Don't Want to Take Exams: I really want to kill this Grey Serpent! He's so annoying!"

"Cook: For some reason, I feel like Cocolia's deal with Grey Serpent is like dealing with a tiger for its skin; I have a feeling Grey Serpent will betray me."

"Drunken Warrior: Grey Serpent is untrustworthy."

"Miss Elf: Is all this for her daughter? I underestimated Cocolia."

Bronya's emotions were the most complex during this period of the story. Her feelings fluctuated wildly throughout the broadcast.

However, upon seeing Cocolia's conversation with Grey Serpent and learning that Cocolia's actions were all for Seele, Bronya was overwhelmed with mixed emotions.

"Mother Cocolia..."

Meanwhile, Tesla, upon hearing these words, gradually calmed her overwhelming anger toward Cocolia, looking at the screen and muttering,

"All for her daughter?"

...

Ignoring the shock of the crowd, the livestream continued.

Now, inside the Sea of Quanta.

The scene shifts to Bronya, now the Herrscher of Reason. Bronya surveyed her surroundings, touched her chest, and calmly analyzed the situation.

"The barrier created by Welt is slowly disappearing. Bronya has entered the Sea of Quanta. We need to hurry; we must find Seele and the Gem of Desire before the snakes."

"Miss Elf: Bronya looks so beautiful like this! I want to see her up close~"

"The Great Sentience: Just average. Even if she's beautiful, she can't compare to me."

...

Back to the story. After Bronya finishes her analysis, she hears Welt's voice. Staring at the core in her chest, she realizes the voice is coming from there.

"Well done. The core of the Herrscher of Reason has accepted you."

Then, the infinitely reborn and infinitely dying Welt tells Bronya the importance of the Gem of Desire.

“The serpent has always coveted its power. If it falls into its hands, there will be no way to stop it.”

“We must act quickly.”

Bronya continued her analysis after listening to Welt’s words.

“The serpent is still lurking in the shadows, which means it hasn’t obtained the gem yet.”

At that moment, Welt spoke to Bronya with his last remaining strength.

“Go, Bronya. My power is scattered throughout the various World Bubbles; recovering it will strengthen the core. It's a high-stakes gamble, but we have no other choice.”

Bronya nodded firmly after hearing Welt's words, then gazed at the illusory space before her and said to herself,

“The serpent also wants the gem. In the upcoming battles, Bronya will surely encounter Seele, whom it imprisoned. Within these countless World Bubbles, Bronya will definitely rescue Seele!”

With that, the Heavy Bunny transformed back into its motorcycle form, and Bronya once again became the Drift Girl, riding toward the countless World Bubbles of the Sea of Quanta.

"Want to Buy An Island: Bronya looks pretty cool riding a motorcycle!"

"Cat Cat: Bronya and Seele are so close, she talks about Seele all the time, meow, this darn relationship."

"Nun: Kitty, you should read fewer of those books that aren't suitable for your age."

"Miss Elf: By the way, does Bronya have a driver's license?"

"Driver's License Revoked: ........"

"I Don't Want to Take the Test: Hahahaha, I know, she definitely doesn't! Driving without a license, Bronya will get her driver's license revoked one day."

“Driver's License Revoked: Shut up, you idiot, you jinx.”

“Dudu: Driving without a license is dangerous. Besides, Bronya isn't old enough to get a license yet.”

“Want to Buy An Island: I have a question. If Bronya becomes the new Herrscher of Reason, will Welt be gone?”

Xiyue, who was livestreaming, happened to see Raven's comment.

She then addressed the viewers in the livestream.

“No way.”

“You know, Welt has a nickname just for him: Sit-ups!”

Tesla's face immediately showed a puzzled expression upon hearing Xiyue's words.

“Huh?”

However, Xiyue didn't keep them in suspense and explained to everyone,

"This nickname means that every time you think Welt is going to die, he always comes back to life."

"Infinite death, infinite resurrection."

"He's the only one in the entire world with this nickname. So don't worry about his life or death~"

Hearing Xiyue's words, everyone learned something new, and Tesla herself remembered the nickname, planning to use it to tease Welt the next time they met.

Back to the story, the scene shifts again.

Seele lay asleep on the cold floor. A long, slender hand was about to touch her from behind.

Just as the hand was about to touch her, Seele woke up with a start, opened her eyes, and looked around in confusion.

"Where... am I?"

As the camera zoomed out, a girl with long cherry-blossom hair, fox ears of the same color, and a blue triangular hair clip at the base of her left ear could be seen. She had gray pupils with crimson shadows and a wireless headset around her neck.

She wore a gradient-transparent white top and a black-and-blue two-tone short jacket, with English text printed on the shirt. She wore black-and-blue two-tone hot pants and a white knee-high sock on her right leg.

The cherry-blossom girl knelt down, her eyes filled with concern as she looked at the unconscious Seele on the floor.

Sakura looked at Seele and spoke in an incredibly gentle voice.

"Can you still speak?"

Hearing the incredibly gentle voice, Seele raised her small head, looked timidly at the girl, and asked weakly,

"You... who are you?"

Sakura looked at the girl, a gentle and charming smile on her face, and spoke softly,

"My name is Sakura. What's your name? Do you remember?"

Seele, facing such a gentle person, also introduced herself.

"My name is Seele."

Hearing Seele's answer, Sakura's gray eyes flickered, and she continued gently to Seele,

"I won't hurt you, but I want to ask you something. Have you seen the girl in the photo?"

A gentle, expectant voice rang out as Sakura took out a carefully protected photograph from her bosom and handed it to Seele.

---

Chapter Four: Black Seele, the Super Jealous One

“Cat Cat: Wow, it's Sakura with fox ears! I love her so much!”

As a seasoned cat lover—no, more accurately, a fan of all furry creatures— Pardo couldn't resist a beautiful girl with fox ears.

The moment she saw the ears, only one thought remained in Pardo's mind: to pet them.

Upon seeing Sakura's face clearly, Elysia was surprised, and a question arose in her mind:

Why was Sakura in the Bubble World of the Sea of Quanta?

As for the fox ears, Elysia knew they were a side effect of becoming a MANTIS.

Could this be a glimpse into the future?

Mei was conducting an experiment when she heard Sakura's voice. She put down her work, and looked at the live stream. Seeing Sakura, she immediately guessed that the upcoming events would definitely be related to them.

Therefore, Mei decided to put aside her work for a moment and focus her attention on the live stream.

As for Mobius and Fuxi, they were completely absorbed in their experiment. The MANTIS experiment was at a critical stage, and they couldn't afford to be distracted.

Kiana and the others were also seeing Sakura for the first time. Aside from remarking on her gentle voice, they didn't feel much else.

Then came Yae Sakura, who was utterly shocked. The moment she saw Sakura's face, she froze.

Why did the person in front of her look so much like her?

Then she saw the photo Sakura showed in the live stream. Looking at the photo of them together, Yae's eyes widened as she stared intently at the girl in the picture holding Sakura's arm.

Her voice trembled with sobs.

"Rin!"

In a daze, she seemed to see again the scene under the cherry blossom tree, her younger sister Rin appearing before her and calling her "older sister."

"Sakura: ......"

Xiyue, seeing Yae's comment, could understand Yae's emotional state upon seeing this scene.

She sighed heavily inwardly.

Higokumaru appeared quite early on, and players initially thought she was a different version of Higokumaru from another Bubble World.

However, as the story progressed, it became clear that this wasn't the case.

Sakura is Sakura, and Yae Sakura is Yae Sakura.

But both share a tragic story.

Thinking about Sakura's ending and Higokumaru's fate, Xiyue's desire to kill the writers intensified.

It was a series of interconnected events.

After Sakura's death, Dr. Mei sealed the core of the Herrscher of Sentience, along with Rin's remaining will, into a black box. Then the Previous Era ended, and the will within this black box in the current civilization became Higokumaru.

In a way, Rin was reunited with her sister.

After all, Higokumaru always called her "Big Sister."

"Big Sister, you're back!"

Thinking of that part of the story, Xiyue's heart sank, and she sighed heavily.

Then she focused her gaze on the live stream, silently reciting to herself.

"Everyone, the knives are coming!"

Then the live stream resumed, letting viewers who hadn't yet recovered from the previous barrage of attacks experience the "MiHoyo-style stabbing skills" once more.

And then there were Elysia and Dr. Mei—letting them see Kevin, now completely possessed. It was unknown what expression Mei would have when she saw Kevin later.

...

Back to the story, Sakura removed the pendant from her chest.

This small device projected an image into the air. It was a photo of two people, one of whom was Sakura standing in front of Seele. The other person looked similar to her and appeared to be around the same age.

Seele carefully examined the girl beside her, shook her head at Sakura, and weakly spoke.

"I... I didn't."

Seeing Seele's answer, Sakura's face showed surprise, and she spoke doubtfully.

"You haven't seen her? How could that be? She should be locked up here too."

"Think again. Has anyone been here recently or been taken away?"

"Please, I have to find her."

Seele could sense Sakura's anxiety. She wanted to help her too, but she was completely lost.

"Seele... I don't know where this is. Seele, why..."

The barrage of questions filled the clueless Seele with inexplicable fear, and she involuntarily shrank back. Sakura realized she was putting too much pressure on Seele and quickly lowered her voice.

"Don't be afraid. I'm not blaming you. You..."

Seeing Seele's timid and confused expression, Sakura felt a pang of pain in her heart. Her tone softened again as she gently asked Seele,

"The people here have eyes on you. How many innocent children have they kidnapped?"

...

As she spoke, Sakura realized she might have frightened Seele and quickly apologized.

“I’m sorry, Seele. It was my fault.”

“Come with me. I’ll take you away from here.”

Sakura extended her hand to Seele in a friendly manner. Her movements were gentle, as if she were very concerned about frightening the other girl. She helped Seele up from the ground, gestured for her to follow, and then left the cell first.

Seele followed Sakura out and was shocked by the scene before her.

The structure of the surrounding buildings and the layout of the rooms gave her a strange sense of familiarity.

“This is a prison? No, this is a base?”

As Seele pondered, Black Seele’s voice echoed in her mind.

“You’re finally awake?”

Hearing Black Seele’s voice, Seele was immediately overjoyed and hurriedly blurted out her questions.

“Why are we here?”

Black Seele answered calmly.

"You know perfectly well why you're asking. Don't you even consider whose stubbornness caused us to miss the chance to get the core?"

Seele's voice was no longer timid and became unusually firm upon hearing this.

"You want to hurt Bronya Onee-chan? Seele will never allow it!"

Black Seele was unsurprised by Seele's words and casually replied.

"Yes, yes, whatever you say."

"But what are you planning to do next? Without the Serpent's help, we can't leave the Sea of Quanta."

"Want to Buy An Island: Why do I feel like Black Seele is spoiling Seele? Is it just my imagination?"

Watching their interaction, Raven felt a strong sense of an older sister doting on a younger sister.

"Miss Elf: It's not your imagination. Black Seele is really spoiling Seele I'm shipping them, I'm shipping them! I love seeing girls being so affectionate"

Approval from Fire Moth, the social butterfly.

"I Don't Want to Take Exams: Hmph, Bronya actually has such a nice little sister, you idiot Bronya."

"Driver's License Revoked: You idiot upstairs, Zaychik doesn't want to deal with her. She's decided to eat all the snacks you hid."

"I Don't Want to Take Exams: Ah? No, no... Stop, stop, you can't do that!"

"The Great Sentience: The second personality spoils the first personality. So interesting, hehe."

"Drunken Warrior: Just spoil her then."

Himiko also enjoyed watching this scene, a maternal smile appearing on her lips. Xiyue watched the interaction between the two Seeles, especially Black Seele.

Who would have thought that Seele's alternate personality was the biggest Seele fan?

"Seele's alternate personality is all bark and no bite~"

"Such a little tsundere!"

...

The live stream continued. Hearing Black Seele's words, Seele fell into deep thought, then touched her chest.

"Something's strange."

"Ah, what is it?"

Seele shared her analysis.

"Before meeting that person, we were drifting in a void. But this place is different. It is more like the worlds we experienced with Bronya Onee-chan, more like a Bubble World."

Black Seele agreed after hearing Seele's analysis.

“You’re right. We didn’t actually disappear into the Sea of Quanta; we accidentally entered a Bubble World.”

“In that case, there must be a way to leave, just like what Onee-sama did.”

Seele echoed her words.

“Bronya Onee-chan must be looking for Seele now. We can’t just wait; Seele needs to get to Onee-sama’s side too.”

Seele then followed Sakura through the prison-like place. Soon, she saw Sakura stop. As Seele asked what was wrong, Sakura softly gestured for her to be quiet.

She stood in a corner, warily watching the mechanical guards patrolling the hall.

“Wait a little longer. We can’t leave yet.”

Seele immediately deduced the situation.

“She’s observing the guards. Sakura isn’t from the base; she’s infiltrated this place.”

Seele then asked in a low voice,

"Sakura-neechan, where are we going?"

Sakura, still wary of the guards, answered in a low voice.

"Around these guards, we’ll take the elevator to the archives. I have some things to investigate."

Then Sakura led Seele past the guards to the stairs leading to the archives. Looking at the stairs, Sakura said,

"It seems the guards haven't noticed us. Let's hurry."

Seele nodded quickly.

"Okay, Sakura-neechan."

Following behind Sakura, Black Seele's voice rang in Seele's ears again.

"Oh, Sakura-neechan? You call her that so affectionately."

"You trust her that much? Look at those ears. Is she really human?"

Hearing Black Seele's tone, the viewers in the live stream also sensed something was wrong.

"I Don't Want to Take Exams: Huh? Why does Black Seele's tone sound weird?"

"The Great Sentience: Put away the 'feeling.' She's jealous, definitely jealous. Hahaha, I didn't expect this second personality to be so possessive of Seele!"

"Miss Elf: Jealous? Oh dear, I didn't expect her to be such a jealous little pot."

"Driver's License Revoked: ......."

"Cat Cat: Huh, I'm also curious why Sakura has fox ears?"

"Research Girl: She participated in the MANTIS experiment, which has obvious side effects. Sakura's ears are a manifestation of these side effects."

Thanks to the previous livestream of Elysian Realm, everyone knew what MANTIS meant.

Thinking about this, everyone couldn't help but have a question.

"Cook: So, does that mean Sakura is one of the Thirteen Flamechasers? But does that mean she'll have her own Bubble World? Something feels off though."

Xiyue smiled slightly at Mei's question and answered,

"This isn't a Bubble World in the true sense. You'll find out what it is as you read on!"

After saying that, she continued her livestream.

Back to the story, Sakura instructed Seele,

"The archives are on this floor. Stay here and don't move."

However, there were guards.

Sakura, with Seele's head lowered, walked toward the mechanical guard. Seele clung tightly to Sakura's clothes in fear.

The patrol robot spotted the two and immediately issued a warning.

[Warning. This is a non-public area. Please show your identification.]

Seele was very worried, but Sakura stood in front of the robot and spoke calmly.

"Sakura. Identification number: cm-004."

The robot began verification, which was immediately successful.

"Good evening, warrior of Fire Moth."

Seele, upon hearing these words, fell into thought, but before she could react, she played along with Sakura's act, hoping to gain access to the archives.

Ultimately, they failed; Sakura did not gain access.

In response, Sakura gripped her sword hilt and, with a swift movement, the blade flashed—a rapid slash cleaving the mechanical guard in two.

She then led Seele to eliminate the guards there. During this time, Sakura noticed Seele's ability to use the power of the Stigmata, which slightly surprised her. Black Seele seemed to have noticed something.

The two then entered the archives.

Seele also used this opportunity to examine the archives, hoping to learn more about this world. Due to access restrictions, she could only open some of the information.

"Researcher: The damage caused by the Eleventh Herrscher is far more severe than we anticipated. It is fair to say that the Fire Moth has suffered the most significant losses in this crisis. We have lost too many MANTIS. The existing personnel are insufficient to maintain the unit's structure. For strategic reasons, they will be temporarily assigned to various armed squads until new recruits fill the gaps. Hopefully, allowing MANTIS to coexist with ordinary people will avoid unnecessary trouble."

"Researcher: It's ironic that a threat to humanity's survival is right before our eyes, while humanity's greatest adversary, the Honkai organization, is preoccupied with internal conflicts. Fortunately, although there are some dissenting voices, the majority have accepted the proposal. The new recruits are also growing rapidly and will soon become combatants. We believe the newly formed MANTIS force can once again become the backbone of the Fire Moth."

After reading the report, Seele fell into deep thought again. Since entering this Bubble World, she had heard the words "Fire Moth" countless times, filling her with doubt.

She also wondered why Sakura would infiltrate her own organization.

Meanwhile, Dr. Mei saw this scene, especially the declassified file.

The content was sparse, but the amount of information it contained was immense. Touching her smooth chin, Mei extracted many keywords:

"Eleventh Herrscher, immense sacrifice, severe internal conflicts, unknown proposal."

Dr. Mei's rational purple eyes gleamed with an unknown light.

---

Chapter 5: Kevin Kaslana

Returning to the story, seemingly noticing Seele's gaze, Sakura looked up at the thoughtful Seele and gently asked,

"What's wrong, Seele?"

Sakura's words interrupted Seele's thoughts, and Seele quickly replied,

"Nothing. It's just that Sakura-neechan seems very familiar with this place."

Hearing this, Sakura nodded and then answered Seele,

"Are you worried? Don't be afraid. I was indeed once a member of Fire Moth, but now they are my enemies."

"So I won't hurt you, and I certainly won't take you back."

Hearing this, the audience who knew Sakura was one of the Thirteen Flamechaser of Fire Moth were all shocked.

"I Don't Want to Take Exams: I remember Sakura is one of the Thirteen Flamechaser, right? As a Flamechaser, how could she betray Fire Moth?"

"Cat Cat: I'm confused too!"

"Want to Buy An Island: a MANTIS wouldn't betray their organization, right? Could it be related to Sakura's sister?"

"Cook: Judging from the current storyline, Sakura's sister seems to be in this base. Is something wrong?"

"Queen: Hmph, stupid insect. Can't you see? Her sister must have been used for human experiments by Fire Moth. Aren't all humans like that?"

The Herrscher of the Void, who had been depressed all day yesterday, had regained her spirits today.

Although she didn't achieve her goal yesterday, she believed Kiana would eventually give her her body.

Elysia didn't say anything when she saw this scene. She wasn't familiar with Sakura yet, but she had a good eye for people and couldn't see that Sakura would betray them. There must be a reason for Sakura to do this.

Elysia harbored a vague suspicion.

Watching this conversation, Dr. Mei knew perfectly well what Sakura valued most: her sister.

Because of her sister, she was able to recruit this powerful assassin. Because of her sister, she gained her support.

She understood better than anyone how important Sakura's sister was to her.

There was only one reason Sakura betrayed Fire Moth: Fire Moth had attacked Sakura's sister.

But Mei couldn't understand why the future Fire Moth would target a defenseless girl. With this question in mind, Mei temporarily put down her experiment and focused her gaze on the livestream.

Back in the story, Seele heard Sakura's words and noticed a hint of sadness in her eyes.

After a moment's hesitation, Seele mustered her courage and asked.

"Sakura-neechan, the person you're looking for, is it the child in the photo? Is she your family?"

Hearing Seele's words, Sakura immediately nodded.

"She's my sister, my only family."

"Her name is Rin, and she's imprisoned in this base just like you."

"Fire Moth imprisoned her, but she's innocent."

As she said this, a gentle yet firm light flashed in Sakura's eyes.

Hearing these words, Seele finally understood.

Sakura continued.

"She was supposed to be locked in your room, but when I arrived, you were the only one there."

"Speaking of which, I've been so busy traveling that I haven't had a chance to ask about you."

Xiyue felt a pang of bitterness upon seeing this familiar scene. As a character she had loved since her past life, her favorite was Yae Sakura. After all, it's hard not to like a pink-haired older sister.

Therefore, out of love for her, she also liked this Sakura.

So she had taken Sakura's storyline very seriously and read the manga diligently.

Both Sakuras were truly tragic.

Sakura's younger sister, to be honest, was quite innocent. Her body was found to contain Herrscher- factors, which led to Rin's imprisonment. However, the factors were actually very weak, and she was within Rin's controlled environment.

But humanity and Fire Moth suffered a crushing defeat, leaving only three cities in the entire world.

Given this situation, the discovery of Rin's potential to become a Herrscher made the outcome predictable.

Initially, things were under control, but later...

Thinking of Rin's fate, Xiyue sighed heavily, then turned her attention to the livestream. She almost wanted to skip this part of the story. Those two slaps were incredibly heart-wrenching.

However, there wasn't much screen time for Yae Sakura and Sakura later, causing many to forget this part.

"Cat Cat: Why did Fire Moth imprison Sakura's sister? Seriously, it's infuriating!"

"Nun: Fate is always so unpredictable."

Back to the story, Sakura asked Seele about some things and was curious about the name she kept calling out while unconscious.

"Bronya, who is she?"

Upon hearing this, Seele placed a hand on her chest, speaking with a solemn and happy expression.

"Bronya Onee-chan is my family, my most important family!"

"She's just like Sakura-neechan, amazing and kind. She stands up for Seele and always worries about her safety."

"Whenever she's around, all my unhappiness seems to disappear."

"Want to Buy An Island: One is looking for her sister, the other for her older sister—it seems like fate brought these two together."

Raven couldn't help but comment after seeing this scene.

"Miss Elf: Bronya and Seele's relationship is so sweet."

"No way I want an exam: Hmph, I refuse to admit that idiot Bronya is a kind person."

"Driver's License Revoked: Zaychek doesn't need an idiot to admit it."

Bronya, seeing Seele's words in the story, stared intently at Seele and softly called out,

"Seele, I will definitely get you out of here."

...

In the story, Seele continued speaking.

"I've been separated from Bronya Onee-chan. Bronya Onee-chan is outside."

"My sister must be worried about Seele right now. So Seele can't just wait. Seele has to leave here and go back to my sister's side."

"She's always been protecting Seele. Seele doesn't want to cause my sister any more trouble."

Hearing Seele's words, Sakura seemed to react, straightening up and looking at her.

"No, she wouldn't think that way. You will never be a burden to her."

The cherry blossom pendant, now pinned back to her chest, gleamed brightly in the light.

"I will take you away from here."

"Fire Moth has imprisoned too many innocent children like you and Rin. You deserve to be free. It's dangerous out there. Once we're out, come home with us first. After we've settled in, we'll go find your sister together."

Sakura carefully chose her words, hoping to gain Seele's trust.

"Oh, and cherry blossoms. Have you ever seen cherry blossoms?"

Seele perked up instantly at Sakura's words, her eyes lighting up.

"Cherry blossoms… Seele has only seen them in books."

A faint smile finally appeared on Sakura's face as she spoke slowly, her eyes seemingly lost in reminiscence.

"There's a plaza near our house with several cherry blossom trees. In spring, they bloom all at once, and the whole plaza is filled with fluttering petals."

"In this world full of disasters, it's rare to see such a heartwarming sight. Cherry blossoms are Rin's favorite thing, and I think you will like them too."

"So let's leave here together, okay?"

Sakura's warm voice reached Seele's ears, and also the ears of the viewers in the livestream.

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Her voice is really warm, just like her."

Theresa gazed at Sakura, and some blurry memories gradually surfaced in her mind. However, she couldn't see these memories clearly. She could only make out a few cherry blossom trees, while a warm voice, like Sakura's, echoed in her memories.

"Drunken Warrior: Why is the organization fighting Honkai imprisoning so many children? Could it be…?"

"Dr. Tesla: Could it be that, like Otto, they're using children for experiments? If that's the case, then the Fire Moth organization… heh."

"Cat Cat: Meow."

Pardo didn't speak this time. As a person who gathered intelligence in Fire Moth a while ago, she knew a great deal, including that Fire Moth had recently encountered internal problems. What those problems were, however, was something she couldn't find out.

From a purely public perspective, the reputation of these members of Fire Moth was declining, with the public's fear of this savior organization outweighing their respect.

Therefore, she was still somewhat hesitant when Elysia invited her to join Fire Moth.

Even knowing that she might eventually join Fire Moth, she currently had no good feelings toward the organization.

Fire Moth had done far too many outrageous things in the past two years.

If she hadn't trusted Elysia, she would never have agreed.

"Miss Elf: Keep watching. The plot should explain things later."

Elysia was utterly disgusted by human experimentation. Currently, Fire Moth didn't conduct human experiments; the only exception was Mobius. However, Mobius's research focused on Herrscher bodies.

After Elysia's statement, the other viewers stopped posting comments and refocused their attention on the livestream.

Having shared these sincere words with Seele, Sakura felt their relationship had improved. At the same time, the system's report came out, revealing that Rin had been transferred to the 33rd basement level, and she took Seele there.

Seele followed behind Sakura, watching her and silently thinking to herself,

"Sakura-neechan may be aloof, but she always possesses a special kind of gentleness. Really, just like Bronya Onee-chan."

Seele sighed inwardly, then continued researching the materials around her, eager to learn more about this Bubble World.

[In previous experiments, subjects were inoculated with factors from only a single individual. The significance of the “Chimera” project lies in breaking through the limitation on the number of target individuals. That is, it can express the biological characteristics of multiple target individuals in the same subject. With this technology, the targeted combination of multiple factors will become a possible reality.]

[Recently, the first batch of blueprint projects has officially begun research. Codename: Tlaloc.]

[Three prototype super-limit weapons have been issued to their respective warriors, and combat testing will begin immediately. If all goes well, this technology can be applied on a large scale to the standard weaponry of Fire Moth. The old models are no longer sufficient to combat Honkai. Humanity needs greater power. —There is no time for us to consider the “cost.”]

"Queen: Hmph, this is what you so-called humans are like. No matter the era, you always turn against your own kind, claiming it's for the future of many. Hypocritical and laughable."

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Will Fire Moth ultimately conduct human experiments?"

"No Exams: So Sakura's sister was captured for experiments! No wonder Sakura betrayed Fire Moth. How despicable!"

"Miss Elf: This..."

"Cook: My impression of Fire Moth is suddenly a bit negative."

"Nun: Everything is predestined, but the fog of destiny cannot be dispelled."

"Cat Cat: Why is this happening? Why must children be used for experiments?!"

Compared to the others' questions, Mei saw many problems.

"Project Chimera, it seems to be the MANTIS project."

"So this experiment is to make MANTIS stronger?"

Dr. Mei's doubts increased again.

Xiyue, of course, knew about this project. Kevin had originally only fused with the Emperor-level Parvati and after Project Chimera's success, he seemingly fused with hundreds of Honkai beasts, ultimately becoming Diabolic Kevin.

Back to the story, Sakura pulled Seele back, her expression serious and wary.

"Seele, wait."

She then focused her gaze on the long, quiet passage, her eyes sharpening.

"Damn it. Troublesome people have appeared."

As soon as Sakura finished speaking, a white-haired man wielding a greatsword engulfed in flames emerged from the shadows.

The white-haired man looked at Sakura and spoke solemnly.

"Sakura, stop."

Then the screen went black.

"Want to Buy An Island: Haha, why is the plot stuck here???"

As a member of World Serpent, she had been hoping to see her lord's storyline in the livestream.

Unfortunately, this stream didn't cover the Elysian Realm storyline, and her lord's storyline wasn't shown in any of the other main storylines, which left her quite disappointed.

Finally, her lord appeared, but the streamer got stuck on the plot.

"Miss Elf: Kevin looks so cool from this angle!"

"Cat Cat: Is this Boss Kevin? So handsome!"

From the Elysian Realm storyline, Pardo knew that Kevin was the leader of the Flamechasers, so it didn't matter that he was her boss.

"I Don't Want to Take Exams: Pfft, he's handsome, but not as handsome as me. I'm the most handsome!"

"Driver's License Revoked: Idiot, all you do is brag."

"Dr. Lobsterhead: It's just my imagination, but why does Kevin look so familiar? He reminds me of someone."

"Drunken Warrior: Doctor, who does he look like?"

Tesla stroked her chin, squinting at Kevin.

There was a strange sense of familiarity, but she couldn't quite place it.

Not just the man, even the weapon seemed familiar.

This plunged Tesla into silent contemplation.

Chapter Six: Cocolia's Love for the Children

Tesla stroked her chin, deep in thought. When watching the Elysian Realm storyline before, she hadn't felt any familiarity with Kevin.

But for some reason, today, seeing Kevin wielding the flaming greatsword evoked a strong sense of familiarity.

However, she couldn't quite place it.

On the other hand, Xiyue glanced at the comment section and saw that everyone was calling her a "plot-delay hog" and a "plot-blocking freak."

This made her feel very wronged.

This wasn't her storyline; it was miHoYo's storyline. There was nothing she could do if the plot was stuck.

Although she could understand the viewers' feelings—after all, when she finished the storyline back then, the later episodes hadn't even been released yet—her anger back then was far stronger than the viewers'.

She almost wanted to rush to miHoYo's company, hold a gun to their heads, and force them to catch up.

"Oh dear, I can't help it, you guys."

"This plot isn't something I can control. I'm just a nobody streamer."

"I'm so pitiful."

But the viewers didn't believe Xiyue's words.

Seeing this, Xiyue had no choice but to continue streaming the plot, hoping to divert everyone's attention.

Back to the plot, the Bubble World storyline temporarily ended, returning to the real world and starting with the usual narration.

"To retrieve the lost Gem of Desire, the Hyperion and their group prepared to use the teleportation device 'Eye of the Deep' to enter the Sea of Quanta. However, on the eve of the operation, Einstein was attacked by a mysterious figure and lost contact. At the same time, the Eye of the Deep also went berserk for no apparent reason."

"To retrieve the Gem of Desire, Bronya jumped into the Sea of Quanta alone before the portal closed. Theresa and the others who fought alongside her were left in the chaos of the Deep."

After the narration faded, the plot officially began.

Outside the Sea of Quanta, inside the ruins of the Previous Era, "The Deep."

Theresa, clad in the "Violet Executer" Battlesuit, defeated the Honkai beast before her. Looking at the twins ahead, she anxiously called out to them.

"Lilia, protect Rosalia's back!"

"Don't let your guard down. Although the unknown enemy's reaction has disappeared, the Honkai beast's attack isn't over yet!"

Hearing Theresa's words, Rosalia didn't react. Instead, she stared intently in the direction of the Eye of the Deep, her face filled with worry and anxiety.

"Theresa, Bronya... Bronya jumped into the Sea of Quanta!"

"What is she trying to do? What if the hole closes and she can't get back?!"

Rosalia grew increasingly anxious, wishing she could jump into the hole with Bronya. Seeing Rosalia's frantic state, Theresa quickly spoke to her.

"Calm down, Rosalia."

"Bronya wouldn't act impulsively; she must have her reasons."

"The Eye of the Deep is shut down. All we can do now is control the battlefield as quickly as possible and then try to contact her!"

Lilia, standing beside Rosalia, also spoke up.

"Rosalia, Theresa is right. Although I'm also worried about Bronya Onee-chan, let's focus on dealing with the enemy in front of us first."

Theresa and Lilia's words helped Rosalia calm down.

"You're right, we can't let Mom worry. We have to fight too."

"Let's go together, Lilia! We'll protect Mom and Theresa!"

Theresa breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Rosalia regain her composure, but she also noticed Rosalia's words and said somewhat irritably,

"I don't need your protection!"

...

"Drunken Warrior: Well, I have something to say about that. I think Theresa really needs Rosalia and Lilia's protection~"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Why? Theresa is a reliable adult!"

After waking up, Theresa relaxed after hearing what had happened after she fainted, and after hearing that Otto was gone and Kiana was alright. She lay on her bed watching the live stream.

However, when she saw Himeko's comments, she realized something.

She spoke anxiously.

But before she could get Himeko's reply, she received the usual teasing comment from Tesla.

"Dr. Lobsterhead: The reliable adult isn't even as tall as the twins~ Whoever is shorter will be protected."

Seeing this, Theresa's face instantly turned red.

"The Number One Cutest in the World: You're not that tall either!"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Taller than you."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: You're older than me!"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Taller than you."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: ......"

"I Don't Want to Take Exams: Auntie isn't as tall as Rosalia and Lilia, is she?"

"Cat Cat: I love the two sisters so much, especially Rosalia, so cute!"

"Want to Buy An Island: I want to touch their tails. Am I the only one who thinks this way?"

"Miss Elf: No, I want to too~"

"Nun: Cute little ones deserve to be loved."

Aponia, who knows Rosalia and Lilia's past, is always maternal. Besides, she loves all children.

"Cook: Ahem."

"Driver's License Revoked: ......"

Seeing these two clowns, Theresa's good mood vanished instantly. All she wanted to do was grab Judah and teach them a lesson.

The comment section, filled with a lighthearted atmosphere, temporarily made everyone forget the "healing" plot.

Back to the story, although Theresa outwardly seemed reassured about Bronya, this was merely to comfort Rosalia. Her inner worry for Bronya was no less than that of Rosalia and Lilia.

"Bronya, please don't let anything happen to you!"

Theresa's worried eyes were fixed on the Eye of the Deep.

Meanwhile, inside the Deep, in the upper area.

In the command room, the system's voice continuously reported: spatial curvature restored, energy level reading 0. Eye of the Deep confirmed to be shut down.

Cocolia watched as Bronya jumped into the Eye of the Deep.

The instant Bronya leaped in, Cocolia's heart stopped for a second.

"What... Bronya?"

Cocolia anxiously looked at the communication channel list; Bronya's name had faded into obscurity.

As Cocolia anxiously watched Bronya's communication channel, Gray Serpent appeared behind her, hissing a deep, hoarse voice in her ear.

"She jumped in. What a brave girl."

Upon hearing this voice, Cocolia turned around abruptly, glared at Gray Serpent, and questioned him.

"Gray Serpent... why did you activate the Eye of the Deep without authorization!"

Facing Cocolia's anger, Gray Serpent remained unfazed, replying calmly,

"Activating the Eye of the Deep—wasn't that the deal we agreed on? I merely chose the opportune moment."

Hearing this, Cocolia, already furious, became even angrier, shouting again,

"You dragged Bronya into this! She has nothing to do with this!"

Gray Serpent stared at Cocolia, his voice flat with a hint of mockery.

"You dragged her into this."

"It was your clumsy secrecy that allowed Einstein to exploit the flaw; otherwise, it wouldn't have been her who entered the Sea of Quanta."

At this moment, Cocolia, deeply concerned for her daughter, didn't want to hear another word from Gray Serpent. She felt only a deep disgust for the person she had previously confided in and coldly stated,

"If Bronya doesn't return safely, our deal ends here."

Gray Serpent sneered at this, looking at Cocolia with indifferent silence.

"Adding conditions midway through a deal goes against the spirit of business, doesn't it?"

"Unfortunately, she doesn't have the qualifications of Seele Vollerei. The Sea of Quanta isn't a place you can just leave whenever you want. I can only pray that the leader of the Anti-Entropy Alliance will be willing to save her life."

Hearing Gray Serpent's words, Cocolia could no longer suppress her anger.

"Do you think I'm joking?"

Swish!

Cocolia pulled out the pistol from her waist and pressed it against the back of Gray Serpent's head.

Seeing the gun in front of him, Gray Serpent remained unfazed and instead questioned Cocolia.

"What are you doing?"

Cocolia's cold, furious eyes seemed to want to kill Gray Serpent.

"I'll say it one last time. I want to see Bronya return safe and sound."

Gray Serpent seemed unfazed by Cocolia's anger and murderous intent, speaking calmly.

"Cocolia, we both know each other's true nature. People like us will sacrifice everything and use everything to achieve our goals."

"That's why I was so impressed by your final 'performance.' Standing against your daughter, fully inciting her rebellion, and making her willingly take Einstein's place in the Sea of Quanta."

"At that moment, I was certain you were the one we were looking for."

"Don't tell me I was wrong."

......

"Driver's License Revoked: Mother Cocolia is not that kind of person, absolutely not that kind of person!"

Bronya stood up, staring at the screen, and kept talking to the live stream audience. If she didn't know anything, like her character in the story, she would also think Cocolia was deceiving her and using her.

But from an omniscient perspective, looking at her and Cocolia's situation from a viewer's point of view, she could see much more.

"Sister: She may not be a good person, but she's definitely a good mother. Her ultimate goal in cooperating with this person was to save her own daughter, Seele Lovely, so how could she possibly put her other daughter in danger?"

"Miss Elf: This Gray Serpent's values are based on what others think. He's really annoying!"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: You can question Cocolia's character, but her feelings for the children she adopted from the orphanage are genuine."

As one of Cocolia's arch-enemies, one of the few things she liked about Cocolia was her love for the children at the orphanage.

"Cat Cat: This Gray Snake is so despicable! I think he's even more annoying than Otto. Seriously, how can someone be so irritating!"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: This black marketeer doesn't even have any business ethics. It's laughable."

"I Don't Want to Take Exams: I'm so angry! Don't let me run into him, or I'll make sure he's dead."

"Drunken Warrior: Information brokers are still so annoying."

Raven wasn't surprised to see everyone's disgust for Gray Serpent. After all, few could tolerate Gray Serpent's personality.

However, Raven would never curse him. After all, without Gray Serpent, there would be no Raven, the current executive of World Serpent.

Raven shook her head and continued to focus on the live stream.

Xiyue wasn't surprised by the overwhelming dislike for Gray Serpent in the comment section. After all, Gray Serpent was indeed a very detestable character. Even before her transmigration in her previous life, she hated Gray Serpent.

Regardless of the motive, Kevin's brainwashed fan was utterly repulsive.

If there were a list of the most hated characters in Honkai, Gray Serpent would definitely be number one, followed by Gray Serpent again.

If Thus Spoke Apocalypse didn't happen, Otto might have been second, but after that, Gray Serpent would have occupied the top three spots.

...

Back to the story, Cocolia fell silent upon hearing Gray Serpent's words.

The scene of Bronya calling her a liar echoed in her mind, causing her heart to ache. But more than the ache, her heart was filled with worry for Bronya's safety.

She had already lost so many children; she didn't want to lose any more.

Cocolia gazed at Gray Serpent, her magenta eyes resolute as she spoke.

"Gray Serpent, you're wrong."

"We're not the same!"

"Go to hell and make your deal!"

With those cold words, the hand holding the pistol pulled the trigger.

But at that moment, Cocolia keenly noticed a figure behind her. Looking up, she saw another Gray Serpent appear behind her, but there was no time to react.

That Gray Serpent, pistol in hand, also pulled the trigger.

Two gunshots rang out, followed by the sound of bodies falling to the ground.

Like reflections in a mirror, two identical Gray Serpents stood facing each other. As if by unspoken agreement, they both looked at Cocolia lying on the ground.

"I'm sorry. I didn't expect you to let your foolish animal instincts override your reason."

"We're not the same? How dare you say that?"

Cocolia, bleeding profusely from a gunshot wound in her shoulder, clutched it and stared in astonishment at the two Gray Serpents before her.

"What?"

At the same time, Lilia heard the gunshot and looked up, seeing Cocolia lying on the ground and the Gray Serpents holding guns. Rosalia and Lilia rushed over to the fallen Cocolia.

"Mom!"

Theresa cried out in confusion, while Cocolia, enduring the pain, called out to the twins.

"Rosalia, Lilia, run!"

But Rosalia, seeing Cocolia's agony, didn't care.

"Mom, we're coming to save you."

With that, the two sisters grabbed their weapons and charged toward Cocolia.

Gray Serpent was unfazed by the approaching sisters, turned his gaze to the fallen Cocolia and spoke casually.

"Cocolia, do you know why you're still alive?"

"Because you'll pay a price more terrible than death for your choices. I swear—World Serpent does not tolerate betrayal!"

With that, the two Gray Serpents, with perfect timing, drew injection guns from their pockets.

Then, they pointed the guns at their own necks.

Under Theresa's bewildered gaze, they pulled the triggers, injecting the liquid into their flesh.

The bodies hidden beneath the black trench coats suddenly expanded as if in supplication. Crimson and deep blue carapaces burst through the metal prosthetics, transforming into massive arms that slammed into the ground.

Roar!

In an instant, the two men known as Gray Serpents had completely lost their original forms.

---

Chapter Seven: When Will the Gray Serpent Die?! Dr. Schrödinger

Theresa's rose-red eyes widened in shock and confusion upon seeing Gray Serpent's current state.

"Gray Serpent...turned himself into a Honkai Beast?!"

The impulsive Rosalia, looking at Gray Serpent in his Honkai form, exclaimed angrily.

"Hey! Twins and beast form—is this guy here to cause trouble?!"

After Rosalia shouted these words at Gray Serpent, his gaze fell upon her. Lilia sensed something was wrong and quickly spoke to Rosalia...

"Idiot Rosalia, you'd better shut up."

The Gray Serpent, now in Honkai form, hissed again.

"Heh, let me test just how far Jackal's research can go!"

He then attacked Theresa. Theresa, in her Blood Knight Moonlight form, was naturally not afraid, but what puzzled her was that the Gray Serpent, in Honkai form, still retained human rationality.

"Its movements are incredibly agile! I've never heard of anything so strange!"

Seeing the Gray Serpent in this form, it wasn't just Theresa who was puzzled, but also the audience.

"Cook: Can humans really become Honkai Beasts? Or even rational Honkai Beasts? Suddenly, I feel like this World Serpent organization is very problematic."

"Cat Cat: Is this Gray Serpent really human? How terrifying!"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: Logically speaking, if a human's Honkai energy is too high, they will eventually become a zombie-like creature. Becoming such a large Honkai Beast is currently impossible. But this is still due to human factors. It seems that this World Serpent organization is far more powerful than we imagined."

"Beautiful Snake: Interesting. Is it possible that the Honkai Beast factor is fused within the body, then mutates with human genes, thus transforming into the Honkai Beast form?"

Mobius, who was conducting MANTIS experiments, glanced at the livestream, then saw Tesla's analysis and immediately voiced her guess.

Upon hearing Mobius's words, Tesla also fell into thought.

As one of humanity's top scientists, she could easily deduce something with just a slight hint.

"Dr. Lobsterhead: According to you, it's indeed very possible. But this technology is extremely difficult to master; only people from the Previous Era possessed it. Could it be..."

"Drunken Warrior: It seems this World Serpent organization also possesses many technologies from the Previous Era."

"Dudu: World Serpent?"

Dudu muttered to herself, then sent a message to Otto, hoping to glean some information about World Serpent from him.

“Don't Want To Take the Exam: Huh? What are you guys talking about? I can’t understand a word!”

“Driver’s License Revoked: It’s normal for an idiot not to understand.”

Kiana’s temper flared instantly upon seeing Bronya’s message. She wanted to say something, but then remembered her treasured snacks.

After thinking for a moment, she decided not to argue with Bronya.

“Don't Want To Take the Exam: ╭(╯^╰)╮, can’t we just kill Gray Serpent?!”

“Nun: As an adult, attacking adorable children is unforgivable.”

“The Number One Cutest in the World: ......”

Seeing everyone’s anger toward Gray Serpent and then Pardo’s question, Xiyue thought for a moment and softly replied.

"The Gray Serpent isn't human; it was created by a great scientist."

"As for who it is, guess who it is~"

Upon hearing Xiyue's words, Elysia instinctively thought of Mobius, but considering Mobius's recent changes, she felt it didn't seem like her. Then she became engrossed in guessing.

Meanwhile, upon hearing Xiyue's words, Mobius subconsciously licked her red lips, her eyes flashing.

"It's me?"

.......

Back to the story.

Theresa fought the Gray Serpent, chains flying and chasing the giant beast like whistling light, forcing it back step by step.

The longer Theresa fought the Gray Serpent, the more she sensed something was wrong.

She discovered that the Gray Serpent had transformed into a Honkai Beast. Although he possessed intelligence, his strength wasn't as great as she had imagined, roughly equivalent to two Emperor-level Honkai Beasts. Against her in her full-power Moonlight form, he wasn't particularly strong.

This puzzled Theresa greatly.

What gave Gray Serpent the confidence to personally intervene?

Thinking this, Theresa instantly became wary.

"He might be holding back. I must get Rosalia and Lilia out of here first."

She called out to the sisters.

"Rosalia, Lilia, I'll hold him off! You two quickly take Cocolia to safety!"

Hearing Theresa's words, Lilia hurriedly called out to Rosalia as well.

"Rosalia, let's go!"

However, Rosalia didn't listen to Lilia. She glared angrily at Gray Serpent and refused.

"No! I'm staying to help."

"This guy attacked Mother and seriously injured her."

Hearing the conversation between Rosalia and Lilia, Gray Serpent laughed mockingly.

“Theresa is right, run, Rosalia.”

“As one of our own kind, I really don’t want to hurt you.”

Hearing this, Rosalia bristled, glaring at the Gray Serpent with a look of utter disgust.

"Who—who's like a disgusting creature like you?! At least come up with a better excuse for hitting on me!"

Gray Serpent remained unfazed by Rosalia's genuine disgust, continuing his mocking smile.

"What are you talking about? The surgery that saved you and Lilia from the brink of death, the technology that transformed my body into a Honkai Beast—it's all the same thing."

Hearing this, an enraged Rosalia was surprised.

"What?"

Gray Serpent continued.

"It's thanks to you and the other lab rats that we were able to find the optimal concentration for the Honkai Beast factor to fuse with the human body."

"Of course, your foolish mother thought she was being given charity until the very end."

Still in shock, Rosalia didn't understand Gray Serpent's earlier words. She only knew that this bastard was speaking ill of her mother again—unforgivable!

"You...you're not allowed to talk to Mom like that!"

As she spoke, Rosalia reached for her sword to strike the Gray Serpent.

But Theresa realized something was wrong. She sensed the Gray Serpent's intention in talking to Rosalia so much and hurriedly shouted at her.

"Calm down, Rosalia, he's deliberately provoking you—"

But before she could finish speaking, the monstrous alien beast leaped into the air, pouncing directly on the unresponsive Rosalia. With agility far beyond its size, it moved as one in mid-air, reaching toward the girl's claws.

Rosalia saw the Gray Serpent charging toward her and had no time to react.

Lilia, seeing this, rushed over from the side, using almost all her strength to push Rosalia aside. But she herself fell into the monster's grasp.

Lilia was gripped by the Gray Serpent's enormous hand, struggling.

Gray Serpent sighed regretfully, watching Lilia struggle in his grasp.

"Ah, did I grab the wrong one? Oh well, it's just a matter of order."

"Well then, time for some snacks!"

He said this while still pulling Lilia toward the blue crystal, mocking Rosalia and Theresa.

"I hope you're prepared, because hell has only just begun."

Lilia felt her consciousness fading and struggled to call out to Rosalia.

"Rosalia, run!"

...

"I Don't Want an Exam: It...it swallowed Lilia?!"

"Driver's License Revoked: Lilia!"

Bronya quickly stood up, her gaze fixed on the livestream, glaring angrily at Gray Serpent, radiating coldness and killing intent.

"Cat Cat: This Gray Serpent is absolutely disgusting! How could he do such a thing to two children? I want to kill him right now! It's so awful!"

"Dudu: If I encounter him, I'll make sure he's dead beyond any doubt."

Dudu, full of a sense of justice, saw this scene and made up her mind that if she encountered this Gray Serpent again, she would not hesitate to take action.

“Dr. Lobsterhead: That bitch... beep beep”

“Cook: A disgusting being—even Otto is better than him.”

“The Number One Cutest in the World: Lilia will be alright, she'll be alright, right?”

“Nun: To lay a hand on a cute child, God's punishment will fall heavily upon the wicked.”

“Miss Elf: I wish he were dead right now; he's the epitome of disgust.”

Raven saw the murderous intent emanating from the chat and silently prayed for Gray Serpent, hoping he wouldn't encounter anyone in this livestream.

Raven could already picture Gray Serpent's bodies being destroyed one by one.

Xiyue, seeing this scene—even though she had watched it several times in her past life—still couldn't help but mutter.

“Can't Gray Serpent just die?!”

The crowd's anger couldn't affect the plot's development. The story continued, but after Gray Serpent devoured Lilia, the livestream screen went black, and Gray Serpent's low, hoarse voice echoed.

“Caution is a valuable quality, and knowing when to stay safe is wise. However, Einstein, you still made a mistake.”

“Where in this world is there any safe place?”

The scene shifted to a closed room, and Einstein's voice rang out.

“Where am I?”

Einstein, still not fully awake, struggled to her feet.

Suppressing her headache, she surveyed her surroundings, realizing she was still inside the Deep, and wondered aloud.

"The attackers didn't kill me outright because they still think I'm useful?"

Seeing this, Tesla inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

The story continued.

As Einstein pondered, a voice rang in her ears.

"You're finally awake."

Hearing this, Einstein instantly snapped back to reality, her eyes widening with wariness as she looked toward the source of the voice.

"Who's there?"

The voice came from the other side of the door. Einstein cautiously looked up and saw someone standing outside the room. Her eyes adjusted to the dim light, and she gradually made out the visitor's face.

One side of her hair was styled in Roman curls, half her face was slightly blurred. She wore pink cat ears and black armor with purple guilloché patterns. Her pretty face was expressionless, and her entire aura exuded gloom.

Tesla, staring at this face, was equally shocked, her mouth agape.

"That gloomy woman!"

Einstein, in the storyline, was equally shocked, speechless as she stared at the girl before her.

Schrödinger, observing the astonished Einstein, spoke calmly.

"I really want you to see your own expression right now."

Einstein had always maintained her rationality, but she could no longer remain calm. Hearing Schrödinger's words, she stared at her old friend.

"Schrödinger? Why are you here? You should already be..."

Hearing Einstein's question, Schrödinger replied calmly.

"An energy imbalance, the entity decayed and vanished into another dimension—is that what you mean?"

"That's right. In that accident, I lost the 'stability' of my physical existence and became a quantum entity. For the past few decades, I've been on the other side of the 'door.'"

Hearing Schrödinger's words, Einstein sighed.

"We've always wanted to find you, but you left no trace."

After listening, Schrödinger continued speaking to Einstein.

"I've encountered people from this world in other places, but it seems you and they have no connection."

Seeing this, Durandal couldn't help but smile. She hadn't expected Dr. Schrödinger to return to reality in the future. However, she was happy for her.

Recalling that unforgettable experience, Durandal's lips curled into a slight smile.

In the story, Schrödinger was still recounting her experiences to Einstein.

“Simply put, I fell to the bottom of the Sea of Quanta, a void of nothingness. I tried everything to escape, but I completely lost the ‘beacon’ to return to this world—until you activated that device.”

Hearing Schrödinger’s words, Einstein guessed what was going on and spoke directly to her.

“You mean the ‘Eye of the Deep’?”

Schrödinger didn’t give a definite answer.

“I don’t know what you did. Of everyone here, you’re the only one I know.”

“But the energy here is unimaginably high, so high that I could clearly sense the anomaly in another Bubble World. This energy all comes from the same point, and I can’t even get close to it.”

After hearing Schrödinger’s words, Einstein was certain what it was and spoke again.

"Someone has already made contact with the gem."

"What exactly happened in the Sea of Quanta? Tell me everything you know!"

As Schrödinger agreed, the indicator light by the door instantly turned green, and the confinement cell opened.

"Let's talk as we walk."

"Because this conversation will last a long time."

.......

"I Don't Want To Take An Exam: Huh??? What are those two talking about? My head is about to explode!"

---

Chapter 8: The Reliable and Reassuring Theresa

“Cat Cat: Me too! I understand each word individually, but when they're put together, it's so hard to understand. Meow!”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Yeah, yeah, my head's about to explode!”

“The Great Sentience: It exploded so easily? You guys are so incompetent.”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Then what do you think Einstein and Schrödinger meant?”

“The Great Sentience: Heh, I know, but I'm not telling you. I'm just playing around.”

“Cat Cat: ......”

“The Number One Cutest in the World: Relieved to see Einstein is alright.”

“Dr. Lobsterhead: Mophead, fools are lucky.”

“Cook: Gray Serpent is so awful! Is Lilia alright? Is she alright?”

“Miss Elf: Xiyue, don't stop here! Keep streaming! Those who stop updating will be punished!”

“Sakura: There's also the storyline of Sakura and Seele.”

......

Xiyue glanced at the live stream and saw Senti's conversation. A familiar feeling washed over her.

As expected, a live stream with Senti was bound to be lively. It was a pity she didn't know if this Senti was the future Senti or Fu Hua.......

Suddenly, Xiyue remembered that Fu Hua was still unconscious.

She probably wouldn't have been shot by Otto this time, right?

She shook her head, then turned her attention to the live stream.

"I know, I know!"

"Hmph, can't you let the streamer rest for a bit? Even the sows in the production team haven't been rushed like this!"

She then clicked on the next chapter, Main Story 12: Beyond Light and Shadow - 2.

This time, there were no prerequisites; she went straight to the main event.

Seeing her sister swallowed by Gray Serpent, Rosalia's mind went blank. She shouted at Lilia.

"Lilia!!!"

Gray Serpent's mocking words continued.

"Do you regret it, Rosalia? You pushed her to this end yourself."

Hearing Gray Serpent's voice, Rosalia felt a deep disgust. Her eyes blazed with anger as she stared at Gray Serpent's massive body through gritted teeth.

"Give...give me back Lilia!"

With that, she drew her greatsword and attacked Gray Serpent.

Facing Rosalia's attack, Gray Serpent's enormous eyes flashed with mockery. Children are easily provoked. He continued to embellish his words.

“Very well, be angry! Let anger control your consciousness. Surrender your body and soul to the beast within you.”

“You will become prey far superior to Lilia.”

Theresa could no longer tolerate Gray Serpent speaking to Rosalia. It was utterly shameless and disgusting. For the first time, Theresa genuinely hated someone.

Although she secretly wanted Rosalia to smash Gray Serpent to pieces.

But reason told her that Rosalia was no match for him. His provocation of Rosalia was simply a ploy to devour her.

She couldn't let Gray Serpent succeed.

She quickly moved in front of Rosalia, blocking the rage that was about to overwhelm her.

“Rosalia, calm down. The more impulsive you are, the easier it is for you to fall into his trap.”

Looking at Theresa blocking her way, Rosalia could no longer hold back. Tears streamed down her face. Her eyes were filled with guilt and regret.

“But…but…Lilia…”

“Lilia is ignoring me…”

Rosalia stared despairingly at the colossal blue beast before her. Only the monster's roars answered her.

Hearing the girl's desperate sobs, Gray Serpent let out a wanton laugh.

“Haha, I heard it very clearly.”

“Drip, drip… it was the sound of something breaking apart, slowly falling into the abyss.”

.......

“Cook: He’s so despicable! So disgusting!”

Mei, who rarely got angry, could no longer control her rage at this sight.

"The Great Sentience: Gray Serpent, huh? I'll remember him! Don't let me run into you again, or I'll smash you to pieces! So despicable!"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Gray Serpent is someone I absolutely must kill. So despicable!"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: I'm so angry! I'm going to blast him to smithereens with all my mechs! That bastard!"

"Miss Elf: This is the first time I've ever really, really wanted to punch someone. I wish I could send him to hell right now!"

"Nun: Unforgivable!"

"Driver's License Revoked: If Zaychek meets him, he'll make him wish he were dead!"

"Drunken Warrior: We really owe Gray Serpent a debt. To be a villain like this is quite an achievement."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: Kill him! Kill him!"

"Cat Cat: Kill her, meow!"

"Dudu: He's dead, I said it."

Seeing the comments in the live chat, Raven prayed once more that Gray Serpent wouldn't encounter any of the viewers, and even more so that none of them were as powerful as him.

A scene involuntarily flashed through Raven's mind.

The unsuspecting Gray Serpent continued his deal with Theresa, then instantly killed her with all his might the moment he appeared.

Meanwhile, after reading the comments and feeling everyone's anger, Xiyue also had a scene in her mind.

It wasn't Rita who went to Arc City to find clues about Kiana, but Dudu.

If it was Dudu, once Gray Serpent was marked by her, he would most likely be wiped out.

For some reason, thinking about this scene made her feel a little excited.

By the way, although it was different from the original storyline, she still brought Kiana to Arc City. The Honkai hadn't unleashed its power yet, but given Gray Serpent's knowledge of Arc City, he would probably find them soon.

Exchanging information with Theresa was unlikely; it was more probable they would exchange it with Schicksal.

However, Xiyue didn't dwell on it. She shook her head and continued focusing on the live stream.

Back to the story, hearing Gray Serpent's words, Theresa could no longer hold back and cursed at him.

"You madman!"

Tumbling chains ripped through the air, repelling the enemy from Rosalia's side.

Forced aside by Theresa's attack, Gray Serpent stared at her, continuing his mockery.

"Your attacks have weakened too, Theresa. You couldn't bring yourself to strike, could you?"

"After all, you're the kind headmistress, and she's an innocent girl who hasn't done anything wrong."

Faced with Gray Serpent's words, Theresa was speechless with anger, only able to grit her teeth and glare at him.

Gray Serpent's tone was flippant and mocking, but his words struck a nerve with everyone. They couldn't attack rashly. No one knew what harm Lilia inside the monster would suffer.

But there was no time to devise a strategy. Every second, the danger increased. This was especially true for Theresa. The activated Honkai Beast factor was constantly stimulating her consciousness.

A destructive urge assaulted her brain, and her vision was gradually obscured by a layer of blood. Her physical senses became increasingly acute. Even the smallest injury was magnified into unbearable pain.

But because of this, she sensed something she wouldn't normally notice.

"Hmm?"

Theresa exclaimed in surprise, sensing her body.

The strange sensation originated from her arms—no, to be precise, from the chains binding her arms. An irregular vibration was transmitting through the chains of Judah into her body.

"What is this?"

Theresa's mind was filled with doubt.

Boom!

A deafening roar shattered Theresa's confusion. The tactical mech descended from the sky, deploying its shield in front of Rosalia.

Cocolia's weak voice came through the communicator. Severely injured, she could barely support herself. Her feeble voice reached Theresa's ears.

"Theresa."

"The tactical mech won't hold for long. Take Rosalia and retreat quickly. I'll do my best to buy you time."

Hearing this, Theresa looked at Gray Serpent, realizing something, and spoke to Cocolia.

"No, wait."

But before Theresa could finish speaking, Cocolia's voice, devoid of its former vigor and filled with fatigue and weakness, rang out again.

"Although much has happened between us, please, save her!"

Hearing Cocolia's pleading words, Theresa took a deep breath. Her eyes were fixed on Gray Serpent with unwavering determination and murderous intent as she answered Cocolia.

“No, Cocolia, I don’t want to save her. I want to save them.”

Boom!

The deep blue Ashura slammed into the ground, smashing a Titan mech to pieces. But black chains immediately flew out from the steel fragments, tightly binding its body.

Theresa stood before Rosalia, then turned to look at the despairing, tear-streaked Rosalia and spoke.

‘Rosalia, calm down, listen to me.’

Rosalia raised her tear-streaked face, looked at Theresa, and spoke in a hoarse, tearful voice.

“Theresa, what’s wrong?”

Theresa took a deep breath, her blue eyes calm, and quickly explained her plan to Rosalia.

“Your sense of smell is more acute than mine, so you must be able to detect Lilia's presence; it hasn't disappeared.”

“What?”

“Sense carefully. Although it's very faint, she's trying to call for help.”

Hearing this, Rosalia quickly sniffed the air, then exclaimed in surprise.

“Ah, it's really true!”

“Although it's faint, it's different from that stinky thing; it has Lilia's sweet scent!”

“Lilia's scent is constantly emanating from that monster's body! I know, I know where Lilia is!”

Theresa nodded, calmly analyzing the situation for Rosalia.

“Gray Serpent swallowed Lilia, but he can't ‘digest’ her yet. We need to seize this opportunity, crack open that guy's shell, and rescue Lilia!”

“Cat Cat: Hey, Theresa is so reliable right now, so reassuring.”

“Sister: She has a calm and reassuring aura.”

“Dr. Lobsterhead: Theresa is really reliable in crucial moments.”

“Want to Buy An Island: Surprisingly reassuring.”

“The Number One Cutest in the World: Of course, Theresa has always been reliable. It's just that you two haven't experienced it yet.”

Seeing the comments praising her, Theresa was overjoyed, her smile widening.

Himeko, standing beside Theresa, spoke up.

"Yes, yes, reliable lady."

"Driver's License Revoked: Don't let the headmistress's appearance fool you about her age."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Reliable middle-aged woman."

"The Number One Cutest in the World: ...You're dead meat, you idiot."

Theresa's previous cheerful mood instantly soured upon seeing Kiana's comment.

At that moment, Theresa wanted nothing more than to fly to Arc City and give this idiot a good whack.

This idiot!

Kiana, however, regretted her words immediately and instinctively shrank back.

Then, realizing she wasn't in St. Freya and Theresa wasn't around, she regained her composure, no longer afraid of Theresa's threats in the comments.

The hardship was yet to come; for now, she wanted to enjoy the moment.

Living for the moment, Kiana wasn't afraid of Theresa's subsequent revenge.

Back to the story, after hearing Theresa's plan, Rosalia regained her confidence, looked at Gray Serpent, and shouted with renewed energy.

"Then, watch me chop this guy to pieces!"

Seeing Rosalia, now full of energy and ready to rush forward and chop Gray Serpent, Theresa looked helpless and hurriedly spoke.

"Don't be impulsive! We only have one chance. If we fail, it will only harm Lilia."

"Listen carefully to what I'm about to say. This matter must be accomplished by you and me. I will do everything in my power to suppress Ashura and dismantle its mobility."

"During this time, you need to keep an eye on Lilia's position. Then, seize the moment when that guy stops moving and precisely sever its matrix."

Hearing Theresa's words, the slow-witted Rosalia looked dazed.

"Ah, wh-what? I can't do it!"

"I usually handle the destruction; this kind of delicate work is always Lilia's doing."

Bronya, seeing this scene, looked utterly helpless. She had already realized that with Rosalia's idiotic brain, completing Theresa's request would be a bit difficult.

"Driver's License Revoked: This idiot Rosalia is as stupid as Kiana!"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: What do you mean?!"

"Driver's License Revoked: What Zaychek said, literally."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: You!"

......

Back to the story, Theresa, seeing Rosalia's lack of confidence, quickly encouraged her.

“Rosalia, of all the people present, only you, who are of one mind with Lilia, can do this.”

“Aren’t you and Lilia the best stage partners?”

“Believe in yourself! Because Lilia will definitely believe in you too!”

Having worked in education for so long, Theresa knew better than anyone how to build students’ confidence.

Upon hearing this, Rosalia was initially a little hesitant, but seeing Theresa’s trusting gaze and recalling Lilia’s confidence, the timidity in Rosalia’s eyes disappeared, replaced by firmness and confidence.

“Alright, then it’s up to you, Theresa!”

Seeing this, Theresa felt relieved, then focused on Gray Serpent, going all out.

---

Chapter Nine: The Conflict Between the Fire Moth and the Flamechaser?

Black chains swirled and coiled around Theresa. Her eyes were now a deep crimson, like the setting sun.

Theresa heard a notification from the Godsbane Battlesuits system:

[Warning: Activation factor is approaching critical levels.]

A cold, mechanical voice whispered in her ear, ruthlessly forcing a choice upon her.

But she already knew the answer.

"The stage is set for you. Perform to your heart's content, Rosalia."

"Go and complete your most important performance."

Theresa's words had barely faded when:

[Fourth Stage, Limits Released!]

"Blood Knight, if you have any power left, unleash it!"

"We cannot lose!"

The crimson faded from the armor and was replaced by a dark, gloomy glow, as if night had swallowed twilight. Blood Knight Moonlight revealed its true form.

A white-haired girl with a single ponytail appeared before everyone's eyes.

"Cat Cat: This form of Theresa is so pretty and cute!"

"Want to Buy An Island: I didn't expect Schicksal's God-Slaying Armor to change its form with just a different weapon. It really looks great."

"Miss Elf: I think our armed forces need armor like this too! I need it myself, hehe!"

"The Great Sentience: It's pretty good but still a bit less beautiful than Fu Hua."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Auntie, absolutely gorgeous!"

"Cook: The headmaster looks absolutely stunning like this!"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: It's alright, it's alright, hehe. But even if you praise Theresa, she won't let you off the hook."

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: That's not very nice!"

"Queen: Can anyone be more beautiful than the Queen? You ignorant ant!"

Xiyue looked at Violet Executer, her eyes flashing with memories. Blood Knight Moonlight wasn't just free; it was incredibly beautiful. It was one of her favorite skins from her past life.

Back to the story, Gray Serpent saw Theresa transformed and much more powerful.

Surprise appeared on his face for the first time.

"What's going on?"

Theresa sensed Gray Serpent's surprise and retorted in a teasing tone.

“You’ve never seen anything like this before, have you, Gray Serpent?”

“Looks like your intelligence network needs an update.”

With that, Theresa, wielding Judah, launched a fierce attack on Gray Serpent.

Whoosh!

Theresa gripped the chains tightly, restraining the monster’s movements. Watching the monster struggle against the chains, Theresa resolved in her heart:

“I must create an opportunity for Rosalia.”

"Just a little longer, just a little more!"

In the center of the battlefield, black chains leaped back and forth, accompanied by the piercing screams of soul steel stretched to its limit. The behemoth's struggle finally ceased.

Gray Serpent also let out a painful groan.

Seeing this, Theresa was overjoyed and hurriedly called out to Rosalia.

“Rosalia, now!”

...

“Empty, empty behind me.”

“As expected, I feel a little nervous without Lilia by my side. Just a little, not much.”

“Theresa is fighting, and honestly, I’m still not sure if I can do it. There’s only one chance, and just thinking about that makes my tail tremble… But whether I can do it and whether I want to do it are two different things!”

“If it were Bronya, she would definitely go to save Seele too. I won’t lose to her! I can’t live without Lilia, and Lilia can’t live without me!”

Rosalia had been thinking these words when she suddenly opened her eyes. Time began to turn at that moment.

“Rosalia, now!”

Hearing Theresa’s voice in her ears, Rosalia ran quickly, leaping over chains and iron blocks like a galloping deer, charging straight towards the trapped beast in the center of the battlefield.

Lilia’s “voice” continuously emanated from there, entering her heart.

"Sleeping Beauty, lend me a hand!"

"I'll be so lonely without Lilia!"

Rosalia raised her greatsword high and slashed at the monster.

Gray Serpent realized Theresa and Rosalia's intentions so he raised his right arm, broke free of the chains, and hurtled towards Rosalia with a whooshing sound.

Rosalia stared at the massive arm hurtling towards her, too stunned to react.

"Damn it!"

Cocolia cried out in utter despair.

"Rosalia!"

Clang—!

But the attack missed. The enormous fist struck the blade, grazing Rosalia's hair at near-zero distance.

Rosalia glared angrily at Gray Serpent and spoke furiously 

"I knew you'd ambush up on me!"

Having fought alongside Lilia, Rosalia had witnessed countless times at point-blank range her sister's most prized skill, which would now pave the way to victory.

"I'll become a star!"

Rosalia shouted. Her body and the greatsword in her hand moved at an imperceptible speed, enveloping Gray Serpent in a dazzling array of multicolored sword light.

This was accompanied by rousing music and Gray Serpent's screams.

Gray Serpent's body was torn to pieces by the sword light.

Lilia's body emerged from the ashes. Seeing this, Rosalia quickly opened her arms and hugged her sister tightly.

With tears in her eyes and a radiant smile, she spoke to Lilia.

"Silly Lilia, it's time to wake up!"

"Want to Buy An Island: The bond between the twin sisters is touching, but Rosalia needs to reflect on her actions and can't be impulsive again."

Raven watched Gray Serpent being killed but wasn't worried.

She knew very well that this wasn't Gray Serpent's true form. In other words, Gray Serpent had countless bodies and was difficult to kill.

"Driver's License Revoked: These two idiots, losing one of them would make it very difficult for the other to survive."

Bronya spoke with disdain but couldn't hide the smile in her eyes. However, she had also made up her mind that when she saw Rosalia again, she would definitely teach her a lesson.

If it weren't for the headmaster's intervention, these two idiots would have been gone.

"Cat Cat: I want a little sister too!"

Back in her cat bed, Pardofelis was surrounded by kittens. The newly adopted canned food was sleeping soundly on her belly, just like the other cats. Pardofelis, with her legs crossed, leisurely ate fruit.

Seeing Gray Serpent hacked to pieces, Pardofelis was genuinely happy.

Elysia, seeing this outcome, also smiled happily, then wondered if the Fire Moth's armed forces might need similar weaponry.

Looks weren't important; what mattered was increasing the unit's combat effectiveness.

Of course, if it were both good-looking and practical, that would be even better.

Unfortunately, Mobius and Mei were both in seclusion and couldn't visit her. As for Vill-V, who was working on the Divine Key project, she couldn't easily reach her either.

This left Elysia with a slight sense of regret.

She could only wait until Mobius finished her work before going to see her.

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: I'm so happy to see that bastard Gray Serpent gone. It would be even better if I had killed him!”

“Cook: There's a chance!”

...

Back to the story, seeing her unharmed body, Lilia showed immense joy and excitement, shouting to Cocolia:

“Mom, Lilia's alright, she's alright!”

Theresa, seeing this, was also moved and happy. However, her joy didn't last long, as Theresa noticed something amiss with Gray Serpent's remains and quickly warned Rosalia.

“Rosalia, get out of there!”

But before she could finish speaking, Gray Serpent's hoarse, painful groan rang out again.

Seeing this, Theresa angrily rebuked him.

“You lost, Gray Serpent. Don't try anything funny!”

Gray Serpent had regained his human form, though only half of his body remained. Facing Theresa's angry rebuke, he laughed instead of getting angry.

"Heh, it was my miscalculation. Theresa, I underestimated you."

"But who will ultimately win is uncertain!"

With difficulty uttering his last few words, Gray Serpent's shattered body suddenly exploded and turned to ashes.

Watching Gray Serpent's actions, Theresa was greatly puzzled and confused.

"What, he self-destructed? This guy, who is he...?"

As Theresa pondered Gray Serpent's words, Einstein's voice rang in her ears.

"It seems things were resolved while I was away."

Hearing Einstein's words, Theresa put aside her doubts about Gray Serpent's self-destruction, turned around, and looked toward the source of the voice, seeing Einstein's face.

A joyful smile appeared on her face, and a worry in her heart dissipated.

“Einstein.”

Cocolia looked at Einstein, slightly surprised.

Ignoring Cocolia's surprise, Einstein calmly addressed her.

“Cocolia, after this crisis is over, we'll have many scores to settle. But for now, our interests are aligned.”

“Transfer command of all the Deep forces to me. I need combat power to stop the Schicksal Valkyrie's attack.”

Hearing Einstein's undisguised and straightforward words, Cocolia fell silent for a moment but ultimately yielded.

“Hmph, I understand… this is mutually beneficial cooperation.”

After saying this, Cocolia sighed, looked at Einstein, and spoke solemnly.

“Please, Doctor.”

Einstein nodded, looked at Cocolia's injuries, and said softly:

"Have your daughter take you to get bandaged up. We'll do our best to handle the rest."

"The situation at the Sea of Quanta might be worse than we anticipated."

...

The scene then shifts back to the Bubble World.

Kevin looked at his former partner and spoke calmly.

"That's enough, Sakura."

Back in the Bubble World storyline, Mei stops her experiment again. She wants to know what Kevin will be like in the future, and she also wants to know why Sakura betrayed the Fire Moth.

In other words, what exactly happened to Sakura's sister?

As Sakura's sworn sister, Mei knows all too well how important Sakura's sister is to her.

Sakura looks at Kevin, her gaze still calm, and says coldly:

"Get out of my way, Kevin. We both know what we're doing."

Hearing Sakura's reply, Kevin's expression remains unchanged. He stands before Sakura, looks at his friend, and speaks firmly.

“I know it too. That’s why I’m stopping you. Sakura, stop before things get out of control.”

“Your actions are tantamount to betraying humanity.”

Hearing Kevin’s words, Sakura sneered:

“Ha, betraying humanity?”

“Rin is innocent! She did nothing. You can’t arbitrarily label her a threat, much less imprison her!”

As she spoke, the usually restrained Sakura could no longer control her emotions. Her words were filled with resentment and anger.

Kevin was silent for a moment but still looked into his old friend’s gray eyes and replied calmly.

“A special Honkai energy reaction was detected in Rin’s body. Without a doubt, she is the Twelfth Herrscher.”

Hearing the words “Twelfth Herrscher,” Sakura’s face became even more agitated, and she questioned Kevin 

“What does it mean Honkai reaction? We both have Honkai genes within us, yet we are MANTIS protecting humanity.”

“Rin shows no symptoms. She can control that power; she won't harm anyone.”

“You… you can't take her life away!”

Faced with Sakura's questioning, Kevin continued speaking.

“Sakura, I understand your feelings. But the Eleventh Herrscher's abilities are beyond everyone's imagination. No one could predict the disaster would strike in that form. We can't afford another loss like that.”

“Rin's situation is special, but she must be placed under supervision. Please trust that Dr. Mei will make a wise judgment.”

Hearing this, Sakura shook her head again, revealing her long-held feelings to Kevin:

“I don’t doubt Dr. Mei’s character, but I can’t trust Fire Moth.”

“Kevin, you know how those people have always looked at us. I don’t care about myself, but now that Rin is in their hands, I absolutely won’t stand idly by.”

“Get out of the way.”

...

“Drunken Warrior: Judging from their conversation, the Eleventh Herrscher seems to have caused the Previous Era heavy losses, hence the extreme hostility towards anything that might be a Herrscher. That’s understandable. But Sakura’s tone towards Fire Moth seems a bit off.”

“Want to Buy An Island: Sakura and Kevin are both MANTIS. The way those people look at them is definitely not good. But why? As the last thirteen MANTIS protecting civilization, why would they look at them with such hostility?”

“Dr. Lobsterhead: Either there’s internal disunity, or if it weren’t for the fact that the Flamechaser have fused with the Honkai factor, they would be seen as a potential danger by those who haven’t.”

"The Number One Cutest in the World: The Doctor's statement is highly likely. However, I still feel that Sakura distrusts the Fire Moth."

"Dudu: With a formidable enemy at hand and internal disunity, it will be very difficult to defeat Honkai."

Overhearing Sakura and Kevin's conversation, Dr. Mei also had her own guesses.

The discord within the Fire Moth had already begun to show signs. Let alone during the Twelfth Herrscher period, she hadn't expected it to be this serious.

Will humanity's last guardians drift apart?

---

Chapter 10: Kiana — This White-Haired Man Is a Bit Annoying!

Seeing the conversation between the two, and based on her own understanding and the analysis from the comments section, especially when Sakura mentioned how they were being looked at, Elysia felt a pang of pain and discomfort in her heart.

Elysia was bewildered. Why were the thirteen MANTIS she had personally organized rejected by their own members?

A sense of unease filled her heart.

She longed to know the whole truth.

As for Aponia, she remained silent. Her special talent allowed her to see many things. She said nothing, only lowered her eyes, clasped her hands together, and offered a silent prayer.

Xiyue also saw the speculations of the crowd and sighed softly inwardly.

A large part of the Previous Era's failure was due to internal discord.

...

Back to the story, Kevin, hearing Sakura's words, fell silent for a moment. He was certainly aware of what Sakura was saying, but…

Kevin snapped out of his reverie and spoke earnestly to his old friend.

“Sakura, Fire Moth needs you. We need you.”

“I won’t hurt you, but I absolutely won’t let you pass.”

Sakura wasn’t surprised by Kevin’s words.

“Kevin, even though we’ve fought side by side for so long, you probably haven’t seen my true abilities firsthand, have you?”

Kevin fell silent upon hearing Sakura’s words.

A cold glint flashed in the air, and sparks flew as greatswords clashed. The tension between the two was palpable, as if space itself had fallen silent.

The white-haired warrior, wielding a flaming greatsword, slowly walked towards her target.

Then, the person vanished.

Kevin was utterly shocked.

“What!”

He turned around abruptly, only to find that the two who should have been standing in front of him were now behind him.

They ran deeper into the passage without looking back. At the same time, an alarm sounded at an inopportune moment.

Hearing the alarm, Kevin asked in confusion:

"Attack alarm?"

"It's not them, it's from another floor. This is bad!"

Kevin realized something, his eyes widening.

At that moment, he heard Mei's voice.

"Kevin, where are you? I need you to attack immediately."

Hearing Dr. Mei's words, Kevin asked in confusion:

"Mei, what's going on?"

Mei answered immediately:

"The Herrscher has awakened."

...

Sakura ran a long way with Seele, then realized Kevin wasn't chasing her and breathed a sigh of relief.

To be honest, she didn't want to confront Kevin directly.

She continued towards their destination with Seele, but the further they went, the more Zombies appeared, which made Sakura feel uneasy.

Then, Xiyue controlled Sakura, who was wreaking havoc.

The combat feel of Goushinnso Memento was really good, and the special effects were also very well done.

Unfortunately, with Herrscher's frequent appearances, Goushinnso Memento has been relegated to storage.

Sakura's suspicions deepened as she looked at the Zombies. She realized these Zombies were all from the base. For the base's inhabitants to become Zombies, something must have happened.

At that moment, Seele let out a painful groan.

Black Seele also realized something was wrong, as her powers became uncontrollable.

Sakura, seeing Seele clutching her and groaning in pain, hurriedly asked worriedly:

"What's wrong, Seele?"

Seele's face darkened, her cherry-colored eyes flashing with an unknown light. Her hands clutched at Sin's chest, where the light shimmered.

"No... don't..."

"Save me, Sister...Bronya...."

Then Seele lost consciousness.

After a while, at Sakura's call, Seele gradually regained consciousness. Enduring her headache, she struggled to open her eyes.

"Ugh... Sakura... Sister... Seele, what happened...?"

Sakura's expression relaxed when she saw that Seele was alright.

"Seele, it's good that you're alright."

Seeing this, Seele looked around, then glanced at her throbbing chest and asked in confusion.

"Seele... what did you do?"

Hearing Seele's question, Sakura told her the truth.

"There was something unusual about the stigmata within you, possibly related to the commotion earlier. But it's alright now, we're safe."

Seele listened to Sakura's words, lowered her head, hugged herself tightly, and spoke guiltily.

"Seele... you lost control again."

Sakura saw Seele's distress and gently comforted her:

"Seele, don't blame yourself for having power. One day, it will become a part of you."

Hearing Sakura's comforting words, Seele still lowered her head. Her eyes were filled with confusion and fear as she said weakly:

"But Seele isn't as strong as my sister."

She lowered her head in frustration but felt warmth spreading from the top of her head. She looked up and found it was Sakura's hand. Sakura gazed at her gently and continued softly:

"Everyone has something they want to protect, and it has nothing to do with strength. Even the weakest person can find a way to protect their precious treasure."

Seele listened to Sakura's words without speaking.

Sakura continued.

“I don’t want to lose her no matter what. I’ll protect her at all costs. Seele felt that way too, didn’t she?”

“At that moment, you were the strongest person in the world.”

After hearing Sakura’s comforting words, Seele felt a little better.

She looked up at this warm older sister, just like Bronya Onee-chan, and gently asked.

“Sakura-neechan, have you always protected Rin with that feeling?”

Hearing Seele’s question, Sakura answered with a faint smile:

"Isn't that how it is between sisters?"

Seele nodded vigorously.

"Seele will always remember that!"

...

"Cook: Sakura is so kind. She treats Seele like her own younger sister. Her younger sister must be so proud to have such a sister!"

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: Don't you miss your older sister too? I could reluctantly become the older sister, hehe~"

Mei wanted to roll her eyes at Kiana after seeing her words.

“Cat Cat: Seele and Bronya's bond is truly deep. No matter what, she always thinks of Bronya.”

“Don't Want to Take the Exam: Hmph, what has Bronya done to deserve such a sister!”

“Driver's License Revoked: I don't want to argue with an idiot.”

“Want to Buy An Island: I have a bad feeling. Did Dr. Mei just say Herrscher awakened? Then I saw the Honkai factor in Rin's body. How is all this heading towards an unimaginable plot?”

“Cat Cat: What? Is it going to be another tragedy? Please, Sakura-neechan is so kind. Can't there be a happy ending?”

“The Number One Cutest in the World: Now that you mention it, the more I think about it, the more wrong it seems.”

“The Great Sentience: If it's a bad plot, I'll give you a good beating when I get the chance to see you on offstream!”

“Drunken Warrior: This plot is really going wrong.”

“Miss Elf: .......”

“Sakura: Sigh.”

Yae Sakura sat under the cherry blossom tree, completely lost in thought, staring at the live stream and muttering to herself:

“You didn't managed to protect your sister either?”

Elysia didn’t participate in the condemnation but quietly watched the live stream. She had a premonition.

Xiyue felt helpless seeing everyone’s comments.

The plot’s outcome had nothing to do with her.

She was just a victim too.

Thinking this, Xiyue continued the live stream with a pitiful expression.

She was already feeling wronged, so it wasn’t wrong to hurt everyone and make them cry.

Back to the plot, after comforting Seele, Sakura continued walking towards her destination while Seele walked and recalled what had just happened.

“What exactly happened just now?”

Black Seele answered in Seele’s mind 

"The Stigmata has completely gone out of control; even I can't stop its power."

"What is here that terrifies you so much?"

Hearing Black Seele's question, Seele shook her head.

"I don't know, but there's something terrifying here. Just now, I suddenly felt a surge of anger and sadness."

"What exactly is this Bubble World?"

Before she could think further, an alarm interrupted Seele:

[Attention all units! Zombies have infiltrated Level 31. The system will automatically activate the isolation barrier in five seconds! Non-combat personnel, immediately enter the safe zone and avoid contact with the wounded!]

After a grueling battle, the two finally reached Level 33.

As soon as Seele landed, she saw blood everywhere on the 33rd floor. Seeing this, Sakura's unease intensified. She left Seele with a single sentence:

"Seele, protect yourself. I'm going to find Rin. Once I bring her back, we'll leave this place."

With that, Sakura sped through the corridors, her figure flashing past iron doors. The escalating alarm continuously assaulted the girl's nerves.

"Faster, faster!"

"Rin, where are you?"

"Ah, found it. 769... 767... Rin's room is just ahead!"

"Rin, I've come to save you!"

The door to the solitary confinement cell wasn't locked. Sakura burst through and eagerly peered into the depths of the room—

The slender girl's body lay lifeless in a pool of blood, the air thick with the smell of blood.

The scene before her assaulted her mind, leaving a deep imprint on her consciousness.

Sakura knelt before the fallen girl, her gray eyes devoid of light. Her vacant gaze was heartbreaking.

Upon seeing this scene, the comment section unsurprisingly exploded.

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: It's that plot again! Why, why?! Can't there be a happy ending?!"

"Cat Cat: I'm numb! Why did they have to make Sakura-neechan like this? Hope turned to despair. That look in her eyes... it breaks my heart!"

"Want to Buy An Island: Her eyes have lost their sparkle, filled with despair. Although I expected it, it was still hard to accept when I actually saw it. Damn it, why?!"

"Dr. Lobsterhead: This fucking stupid plot, can't it be less gloomy?!"

"The Number One Cutest in the World: I'm speechless. Can't there be a good plot?"

Yae Sakura didn’t speak. Like Sakura in the plot, her eyes lost their sparkle. Seeing Sakura's storyline reminded her of her own past.

"I can't do anything... I can't do anything."

Yae Sakura murmured, the darkness in her eyes growing heavier, and an increasingly terrifying aura emanating from her body.

They killed Rin. They killed Rin.

"I will... I will take revenge on them!"

Yae Sakura's eyes filled with black energy, radiating intense killing intent.

Dr. Mei and Elysia remained silent, merely watching this unfold. Elysia's eyes were filled with sorrow; she couldn't bear to witness such scenes.

Seeing this scene and then looking at Yae Sakura in the audience, Xiyue didn't know what to say.

Sakura from both worlds failed to save her sister.

She sighed heavily and said nothing, continuing to broadcast the story, hoping in her heart that Mei and Elysia, upon seeing this, could prevent this tragedy in their future.

Rin had a chance not to become a Herrscher.

But the moment Rin died, the Herrscher was born.

How ironic.

It also foreshadowed the Fire Moth of that time; humanity was destined to fail.

Returning to the story:

Seele caught up with Sakura and witnessed this scene. She covered her mouth, trying desperately to remain silent, but trembling words still escaped:

"How could this happen? Who did this?"

Seele also saw Rin lying on the ground, her body covered in horrifying wounds, as if telling the story of her despair in her final moments.

The space was filled with bottomless malice, chilling her to the bone.

Tick, tick.

Footsteps faded into the distance, and the monster lurking in the shadows slowly approached the two.

Seeing this, Seele hurriedly spoke.

"The Zombies are catching up, Sakura-neechan."

But Sakura couldn't hear anything. She knelt on the ground, staring blankly at Rin's corpse and murmuring in a tearful voice.

"Rin."

"If..."

"If only I could be faster..."

Seele realized Sakura needed time to react.

Therefore, she had to protect Sakura. She picked up her scythe, preparing to fight the Zombies before her.

Just as she was about to strike, crimson flames swept over and incinerated the Zombies to ashes. In the center of the firestorm stood a white-haired man.

Kevin's gaze swept over Seele, filling her with fear.

But he didn't seem to intend to capture her. After confirming that no enemies remained, Kevin sheathed his greatsword, and the flames vanished.

He walked straight towards the two of them.

He called out.

"Sakura."

His calls went unanswered.

The girl before him seemed to have fallen into an unseen abyss along with her deceased sister. He had imagined her surprise, confusion, anger, and cries. He had envisioned countless possibilities.

But now, Sakura simply sat there quietly, refusing to respond no matter how much he called.

Kevin shook his head.

Then he opened the communicator and reported to Mei:

“Has the Herrscher’s main body reacted at all?”

Hearing Mei’s question, Kevin looked at Rin’s corpse and shook his head 

“Nothing unusual.”

“Continue to observe. Support is on its way.”

“Roger.”

Seele listened to Kevin’s conversation and, despite her timidity, mustered her courage to speak.

“Don’t hurt Sakura-neechan. She was just trying to protect her sister. Her sister is innocent.”

“The 12th Herrscher’s ability is to release a large amount of airborne corrosive virus at the moment of death. Without our knowledge, the soldiers in the base executed her without authorization, which awakened the Herrscher.”

“This Zombie crisis started because of her.”

“Rin is the Herrscher. Sakura must be held responsible for her intrusion.”

Hearing Kevin say such things, Seele found it hard to accept and retorted.

“But that wasn’t Rin’s intention!”

“If those soldiers hadn’t killed her, this tragedy wouldn’t have happened!”

Hearing Seele’s rebuttal, Kevin continued.

“Even if those soldiers had been stopped, sooner or later something else would have been the final straw. When Rin was chosen to be the Herrscher, her fate was already sealed.”

“That’s Honkai!”

Kevin’s eyes flashed with intensity. His clenched fists trembled, revealing suppressed anger.

Hearing Kevin’s words, the audience, already enraged by Rin’s death, became even more furious.

"Don't Want to Take the Exam: What do you mean ‘caused by her’? If those soldiers hadn't killed Rin, wouldn't the Herrscher have remained dormant? I'm starting to dislike Kevin!"

"Cook: The fault lies with the Herrscher within Rin, not Rin herself. This is victim blaming."

"Want to Buy An Island: But Kevin isn't entirely wrong. From a human perspective, eliminating uncertainty is rational."

"Cat Cat: But Rin hadn't become the Herrscher yet. Wouldn't killing her only trigger it?"

"Want to Buy An Island: When humanity faces survival, morality becomes difficult to define."

"Driver's License Revoked: This is fear and misplaced blame. Killing Rin wouldn't solve the problem."

"Miss Elf: Xiyue, do you have a storyline about how Rin was killed?"

Xiyue watched the frenzied discussion without surprise.

In her previous life, this scene had sparked even more intense debate. Some believed Kevin was wrong and blaming the victim. Others believed Kevin was justified from humanity’s perspective.

Neither side could convince the other.

Some agreed with Kevin. Some disagreed.

Later, it was revealed that Kevin had his reasons. During the Sixth Herrscher era, his leniency led to massive casualties, which reframed his stance.

However, debating right and wrong was ultimately meaningless.

This was a livestream. The real future had not yet been decided, and everything could still change.

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