"..."
"I say... Nuwa, don't you have anything to say? You're usually so excited whenever the Doctor goes out."
Nuwa raised her bloodshot eyes and looked at Fuxi wearily, then lowered her head to continue her work without a word.
Fuxi was momentarily speechless.
Klein stood at her station holding a stack of documents, unsure of what to say.
It wasn't just Nuwa; a gloom had hung over the entirety of Fire Moth for half a year. The Ninth Eruption and Project KY had inflicted too much trauma.
Outside Fire Moth, human society was in turmoil. Religious organizations disrupted order, racing to preach that the Honkai was invincible and that Fire Moth was deceiving humanity.
The world was like a landslide into a vicious cycle. Humanity, which had been high-spirited as if the Honkai could be easily overcome, had returned once more to the shadow of death.
Even Dr. Mobius was the same...
Since the end of the Ninth Eruption, Mobius methods had become increasingly aggressive. She had reverted to the "demon" of other people's words and no longer cared. She either buried herself in her research or coldly conducted inhumane experiments on others.
Screams would often drift from the lab. Even though the subjects were volunteers, those who managed to walk out of the lab alive would regret their decision.
At times like these, Klein would think of a certain man who wore a helmet. When he was around, the Doctor seemed more like a human being.
Unfortunately, he too had vanished in that disaster that claimed one-sixth of humanity, leaving behind only a simple name carved in the Fire Moth cemetery.
Where would the ethereal fate of humanity lead?
Klein sighed softly.
"Klein, come here."
Just then, a green-haired girl on a mobility device entered the lab. She called out to Klein coldly. Several people followed behind her, pushing a gurney with a person who had been sedated and restrained.
Klein quickly put down her documents. "Okay, I'm coming."
The group filed into the operating room and deftly changed into surgical scrubs. Mobius tucked her long hair behind her green scrubs and ordered the others to lift the unconscious person onto the table, securing him with restraints. She twirled her scalpel and pointed it at his chest.
Klein found the scene strange. Why use restraints?
One of the staff set up a recorder: "Recording: X01, live dissection of the Tenth Herrscher..."
"The Tenth... Herrscher?" Klein's eyes widened. She looked at the person on the table in disbelief. This person was actually the Tenth Herrscher?
Everyone looked at her. Mobius spread her hands expressionlessly. "Is there a problem?"
"No..."
The person recording continued: "Multiple superhumans have appeared across the globe. They are capable of using parts of the authorities of other recorded Herrschers. Faint Honkai energy reactions have appeared in their bodies. According to Dr. Mei's report, the Honkai reaction in superhumans acts as a core, sharing the same physical structure as a Herrscher Core, though with much lower energy levels. Preliminary deduction suggests the existence of multiple Tenth Herrschers."
"We are about to begin the dissection of Subject L10-003."
Multiple Herrschers?!
Mobius paid no attention to Klein's shocked expression. She put on her mask and picked up the scalpel. "Surgery begins."
Lin sat upright on the bed. His wound was recovering well; in just a day, he was able to move in small increments.
He closed his eyes and recalled the cloaked man's movements. Was the speed truly so fast that even he couldn't react? In fact, looking back, Lin didn't think the man's speed was impossible to deal with—Sakura was even faster.
But why had he failed to block that strike?
...Swordsmanship?
Even if it sounded bizarre, the man had indeed defeated Lin using swordsmanship—a technique so exquisite that Lin couldn't dodge it even when he saw it.
However, it wasn't incomprehensible. Much of Sakura's speed also came from her swordsmanship; it just wasn't as... mystical as the cloaked man's.
Furthermore, there was likely more than just swordsmanship in that strike. The man had manipulated wind blades before; the sword in his hand seemed to have issues as well.
Another troublesome fellow.
"Mr. Lin, time to change your bandages."
Rita walked in carrying medicine and white gauze. Lin opened his eyes and sighed, then unbuttoned his clothes, revealing his upper body.
Half of his torso was wrapped in gauze. Rita handling of the wound was practiced. She carefully unwound the gauze, wiped away a small amount of seeping blood, applied new medicine, and re-wrapped it.
"Dr. Einstein says she won't consider repairing the Star Gate or the battleship until your injury is healed. Please rest and recover in peace."
An uncertain threat was within the world bubble, and their side's combat power was severely compromised. To prevent further accidents, they indeed couldn't rush back to the proper world recklessly.
...Speaking of which, can this maid fight? Someone who runs around the Sea of Quanta can't possibly be unable to even hold a weapon, right?
"Hmm? What is it?" Rita noticed Lin blatant scrutiny and smiled slightly. "You seem to have always been very interested in me. You've been staring at me quite often since we met."
"He actually likes staring at girls' bodies most. It's just that he used to wear a helmet so no one noticed, and he could admire them without restraint. He's a total closet pervert."
"..."
No. 3 walked in from outside with an unfriendly look. She walked to Lin bedside on her short legs and placed a wristwatch on the bed.
Rita watched Lin with an not reduced smile while Lin was unable to retort.
No. 3 was right. When he wore the helmet, he took advantage of the fact that his gaze was hard to detect unless he intentionally wanted to intimidate someone, so he didn't mind his gaze when observing others.
"Big pervert, the Doctor told me to give this to you. She says it can monitor the total amount of Honkai energy in your body."
Lin picked up the watch, looked it over, and put it on. A number appeared on the small screen.
To prevent the pseudo-Herrscher core from reactivating?
"Sister Rita, it's best if you stay away from him. When he goes crazy, he stabs people randomly. I heard it hurts a lot when a girl gets stabbed."
"..."
Lin stared expressionlessly at No. 3's back as she righteously warned Rita.
Rita couldn't help but laugh at Lin expression. She knelt and patted No. 3's small head. "That's not necessarily true. Perhaps a girl might find it very comfortable..."
Her seductive right eye flickered toward Lin, her lips curling into a mischievous grin.
"The boy, on the other hand, might find it quite difficult."
"Eh? Is that so?"
"Do you want to hear? Though I haven't tried it myself, I've read quite a bit about it in books."
"Mm-hmm."
At dusk, the man leaned against the headboard with a sour face, listening to the maid educate the ELF on physiology. Every now and then, he would hear the maid tease him. He could only pick up a Mu continent magazine and flip through it aimlessly.
Unexpectedly, it was very peaceful.