Honkai: Fire Moth Herrschers-Chapter 243: After the Honkai

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 "Aaaaaah!"

The screams grew hoarse, lower, until finally trailing off into silence.

Without needing Mobius's prompting, Klein automatically adjusted the various parameters on the instrument. The blinding red light faded, replaced by the blue glow symbolizing life. Nutrient fluid rapidly flooded the apparatus, initiating life support mode.

"Tsk! Observing your own kind captured by humans for cruel and inhumane research up close like this, don't you have any thoughts?" Mobius tilted her head, her words half sarcasm, half teasing.

"Why would I have thoughts?" Michael frowned, seemingly genuinely puzzled by Mobius's line of reasoning.

"Besides, by your definition, Mobius, compared to the Eighth Herrscher and me, you and I are more alike. Or perhaps, the Eighth Herrscher, you, and I are all the same kind."

"Tch! No sense of humor at all." Mobius pouted dismissively.

The old Michael wouldn't have been so cold. He probably would have frowned, silently cursing her cruelty in his heart.

So she couldn't resist asking again: "This is the seventh one already, Michael. Don't you really feel... any empathy, like 'when the rabbit dies, the fox grieves'?"

Michael glanced at her, surprised, and stated without hesitation: "Of course, there's the so-called 'when the rabbit dies, the fox grieves.' But I'm more likely thinking—if I hadn't retained my self-awareness back then, I'd probably be like the Eighth Herrscher now, being tormented by you in various ways."

"In your impression, am I really that type, eating people without spitting out the bones?"

Michael quickly shook his head in denial: "How could that be?"

Mobius's expression softened slightly. Before she could say more, Michael added: "Snakes seem to swallow everything without spitting out bones, right? Not just people."

Mobius's cheek twitched. She wanted to retort, but arguing about this would just devolve into a meaningless war of words.

Though furious, she didn't want to waste time on it.

Besides, having heard such remarks many times, she was somewhat numb. If anyone else mocked her like this, she wouldn't even bother responding.

But the one saying it was Michael. He clearly understood her, yet always acted so infuriatingly...

No, just standing in front of her made her feel intensely irritated.

"Alright, let's drop this."

"Alright, let's drop this."

For a rare moment, their thoughts synchronized. They exchanged surprised glances from the corners of their eyes.

Klein, operating the instrument nearby, seemingly hadn't turned around or noticed the abnormality behind her. But a careful observer would see her movements had slowed considerably, clearly distracted.

"Hmph!"

"Hmph!"

The two glared at each other, then simultaneously turned their heads away with a cold snort.

The atmosphere grew even more awkward.

After a short while, Michael broke the silence: "How are the various projects progressing?"

Mobius took a deep breath for nearly ten seconds, unclear if she was calming herself or organizing her thoughts.

"Research on Artificial Cascade is basically fine. However, MANTISes who want to master this power will need a second surgery."

"A second surgery? To remove the limiters?"

"No..." Mobius initially wanted to hand the relevant research files directly to Michael, but Klein had organized everything, and she couldn't immediately recall where they were. In front of Michael, she felt too embarrassed to call Klein for help...

So she could only steel herself, ignore Michael's outstretched hand, and rely on her memory of the experimental conclusions for a qualitative analysis.

"You've understood Artificial Cascade better than I have for a long time. You've entered that state yourself. You should know that the so-called limiters are merely shackles the MANTISes impose on themselves—fragile, and requiring no surgical removal."

Michael awkwardly retracted the hand meant to receive the files. His mind flashed back to his past Cascade state... Since the initial limiters didn't need manual removal, the purpose of the surgery became obvious.

"Is it for recovery after Artificial Cascade? To allow MANTISes to retain basic sanity after collapsing, and grant them the ability to reverse the Cascade and return to human form?"

"Naturally. Not everyone can discard their body and reshape a new one like you. Not to mention, if such technology existed back then, you wouldn't have needed to reshape your body, then decompose and kill the original, going through all that trouble... Hmph!"

Mobius rattled on, only to turn and see Michael looking distracted. She snorted coldly, edged closer to Michael, then lifted her high heel and stepped firmly on his instep.

"Hiss—" Michael sucked in a breath through gritted teeth, his face flushing red. But again, due to Klein's presence, he couldn't say much, even suppressing the sound of his sharp inhale...

Though given Klein's proximity, it was merely plugging one's ears while stealing a bell...

He hadn't meant to be distracted. Frankly, among Mobius's current projects, the research on Artificial Cascade was rather unremarkable.

The remaining projects, including "Eighth Herrscher Live Subject Research", "Advanced Completion of Consciousness Transfer Experiment", "Stigm..."

Viewed this way, artificial Cascade seemed somewhat "unimpressive."

Besides, they were already at the Eighth Honkai Eruption. The entire journey was two-thirds complete; this was clearly the late game.

If, in the beginning, humanity lacked the decisive power for direct confrontation with Herrschers, then at the earliest during Michael's first apotheosis in the Third Eruption, and at the latest after the Fifth Eruption when Kevin underwent Meta-Morph and Anti-Entropy rejoined Fire Moth, coupled with the increasing number of Divine Keys, humanity already possessed the strength for direct confrontation.

Take the Seventh Honkai Eruption for example. If the Herrscher hadn't seized the opportunity to merge with Michael's Core and powers, facing the combined assault of Kalpas, Kevin, and Elysia, defeat would only have been a matter of time.

So, from Michael's perspective, what Fire Moth currently lacked most wasn't combat power.

If the worldline remained convergent and oppressive, among the remaining four Herrschers, only the Ninth and Eleventh required direct combat. If casualties weren't a concern, resolving these two wouldn't necessitate the slight power boost from Artificial Cascade.

And the Tenth and Twelfth weren't problems solvable by raw combat power alone.

Not to mention the final confrontation with the Herrscher of Finality.

No matter how strong they became, even reaching the level of the Flame-Chasers during the final battle in the original timeline, they still faced an insurmountable peak when confronting Finality.

In Michael's view, that so-called final battle wasn't so much humanity marching onto the moon with hope spanning eras, but rather with deep confusion, despair, and finally, the determination for a noble sacrifice.

Humanity back then was like a student who already knew they would fail the exam but still persisted in entering the examination hall and completing the final paper.

What were they really fighting for? Michael couldn't say for sure, just like when playing games in the past, facing a losing battle, when teammates initiated surrender, he would always press the refuse button.

Setting aside whether this stubborn refusal to yield was appropriate, returning to humanity's current problem, what everyone needed wasn't pure combat power anymore.

Facts proved that even the greatest power itself couldn't overcome Finality. What humanity truly needed was—solutions, plans, methods...

Humanity had always been like this. Among the various animals born of nature, they lacked inherent physical advantages. Their survival and rise to become the lords of creation relied not on strength, but on the wisdom stored in their brains, the ability to devise solutions to problems other animals couldn't, and...

Resilience far surpassing other creatures.

"The Fifth Science Department will complete its merger with your Second Science Department within the next week. From then on, Fire Moth will cease research related to Honkai sickness medication and concentrate efforts on the remaining projects. Therefore, Project Stigma is the top priority."

"How rare. I thought you wouldn't like this plan. After all, based on the third version I submitted to Mei, it's hard to believe a sane person conceived it..."

"Besides, even if this plan leads us to final victory, that will be in the next era," Michael added silently.

"If any of us survive until then, standing among the people of the new era, how would we feel?"

Mobius remained silent for a long time, then gave an answer that was both obvious and entirely unhelpful:

"Suppose the last Neanderthal woke up to find himself fifty thousand years later in a civilization built by Homo sapiens. The Homo sapiens wouldn't notice his abnormality, only thinking he looked overly robust and somewhat strange.

"But for him, his kin are long extinct, he's abandoned by the past, his words incomprehensible to modern Homo sapiens, unable to integrate into modern society. Thus, he becomes someone caught between past and present, no longer possessing a future."

Michael silently tilted his head back 45 degrees, gazing at the blank ceiling.

He knew Mobius understood.

Currently, in this world, only four, no, perhaps five people, only five people clearly knew what the final end signified.

Besides the two present, only Mei, Elysia, and Aponia.

Only they could comprehend that despair. So much so that while Kevin and the others were still immersed in the joy of defeating another Honkai Eruption, while others were brimming with motivation preparing for the next battle, they were already contemplating the final, unavoidable measures.

"Doctor, I need to submit this hardcopy experiment data to Dr. SPACY."

"...Hm, go ahead." Mobius stared straight ahead, seemingly not noticing the empty folder in Klein's hand.

Once the lab was truly empty except for the two of them... no, there was still the Eighth Herrscher in the inner lab booth, but her mind was bound by multiple layers of shackles and Discipline, her body covered in various restraints. After the experiment segment concluded, she had basically fallen into a semi-conscious state... so she could be considered non-existent.

Mobius shifted her body slightly closer to Michael's, until their arms touched.

Michael neither pulled away nor made any proactive move.

Avoidance wouldn't solve the problem, only create more. Yet he didn't know how to handle this problem.

Ultimately, he hesitated.

In that brief moment of hesitation, Mobius leaned her entire weight against him.

Michael took a deep breath, exhaled slowly. A sudden heat rushed from his neck to his cheeks.

This time, he genuinely wanted to escape. No, not escape, just maintain a normal interpersonal distance.

But Mobius, as if anticipating his move, made no drastic action, simply saying in a low voice tinged with pleading:

"Don't move. Just let me lean for a while, okay?"

Michael turned his head. Her head was tilted, resting gently on his shoulder—Mobius was about ten centimeters taller than Elysia, yet ten centimeters shorter than Michael. Tilting her head allowed her to use his shoulder perfectly as a pillow.

Her face remained downward, green hair cascading, blocking the side view, preventing Michael from seeing her expression clearly.

"..." Michael was momentarily speechless. Of course, he wasn't planning on saying much anyway.

Though this was the first time Michael had seen her look so weary and powerless, he wasn't particularly surprised.

As a human, negative emotions like fear and despair could perhaps be hidden extremely well, but they could never be non-existent.

Let alone the kind of profound despair... knowing one's era was irrevocably heading towards decline, striving to save it, only to find oneself powerless in the end.

Finally finding a glimmer of hope, but that hope rested on future victory... which was even more ironic—the future? What did the victory of the next era have to do with this era?

Being able to consider the possibility of victory in the next era while this world hadn't yet despaired was the greatest irony in itself.

Don't be fooled by Mobius's usual arrogant demeanor, looking down on everyone, occasionally punctuated by hysteria. What people display is always the image they want others to see.

As for her vulnerable side, it would only be revealed, just a corner, when alone, or in front of someone intimate.

But just thinking about this sent even Michael's usually firm thoughts into slight disarray.

Perhaps due to the Sesa factor's influence, Mobius's body temperature wasn't fixed, generally matching the surroundings. In this season, her temperature was slightly lower than Kevin's current temperature.

Of course, Michael had experienced this before.

But back then, he had chosen irresponsible impulse. If that incident hadn't happened, he could probably now openly put an arm around her shoulder, offering her maximum support as a comrade.

But now, he could still do so... yet the nature of the act would be completely different.

Thinking this, his arm moved around Mobius's back, gradually lifting, intending to embrace her shoulder.

But precisely at that moment, Mobius straightened up again. Though their arms still touched, there was no longer any weight leaning against him.

"..."

"If some of us truly survive into the next era, it will surely be lonely." Mobius rarely spoke in this tone. Michael didn't know how to respond, moreover, he knew Mobius wouldn't speak idly; she must have more to say.

So he just waited silently for the continuation.

But this time, he seemed to have guessed wrong. After Mobius uttered that sigh, a silence stretched between them for nearly ten minutes. Aside from the rise and fall of their breathing, no other sound filled the lab.

Just as Michael recovered and was about to say something to break the silence, Mobius finally, spoke again—

"Michael, regardless of who survives until then, regardless if anyone survives until then, our story deserves to be known, right? If the people later truly defeat the Honkai, they should know who took the first step towards their victory, right? If our current civilization, by their time, is reduced to a pile of mute artifacts and ruins, that would be far too cruel."

"Mobius, why are you so pessimistic today?" Michael couldn't help asking.

"Oh? Do you have another way to save the world? If you do, don't hide it, speak up quickly. If not, don't blame me for being too pessimistic—You all think a lunatic like me and this insane Project Stigma are a perfect match. But if there were other options, do you think I would propose such a plan?"

Based on her question, Michael should have answered—"Yes." or "No."

But his answer was: "I don't think so."

Mobius's breathing hitched slightly, followed by a string of cold laughter.

"Alright, I imagine you're getting impatient, so I'll get straight to the point—I have another plan. It cannot save the world, not even the world of the next era. But... it might allow those of us who survive into the next era... at the very least, not to be so lonely."

Michael pressed his lips tightly together. He already knew what Mobius was going to say.

Sure enough, this time she efficiently retrieved a file from her desk drawer, stuffed it into Michael's hand. The stark white cover bore a single line of large characters—"Project Elysian Realm"

"I intend to utilize the research results from the Eighth Herrscher, supplemented by psychic-sensitive MANTISes, to construct a world purely made of consciousness. We will leave our memory data there. If we die in this era, the remaining memory data will also be an extension of our lives..."

"Moreover, if you sacrifice yourself at the end of this era—although Sesa grants you near-infinite resurrections, this ability clearly has limits, or attacks that can directly bypass such resurrection exist.

"Should that happen, then in the future, you can still utilize consciousness transfer surgery to transfer your memory data... Although that surgery isn't stable and has many problems, before the humans of the new era mature, you have ample time to perfect it. And once you succeed, that would be another form of resurrection from death."

Mobius shook her head, astonished—Who would have thought? She had barely started, yet Michael had laid out her entire plan.

Though the plan itself was simple and brutal, guessing the outcome from the premise wasn't unimaginable. But Michael grasping everything in such a short time was quite surprising to her...

She even had a strange thought, wanting to ask if Michael had already learned about the future from Aponia.

Her index finger tapped lightly on her arm twice. Suddenly, she said: "Actually, there's one thing you didn't... Michael, my reasons for doing this aren't entirely for what you said... resurrecting myself, or resurrecting others."

"Hm?"

"Michael, if someone among us must survive into the next era, I believe you will be among them, and I hope you will be... At that time, I hope... I hope..."

Michael sighed deeply, closed his eyes, and gently embraced Grandma Mobius.

Just holding her simply.

"I hope you won't be so lonely. I hope when you feel you can't walk that path any further, you can look back and see our figures, then resolutely step forward again."

"I hope even if one day, you truly want to do nothing, just thinking of letting the world perish, you will still have a final sanctuary. Here, there will be people who don't support but understand your surrender, and face the end together with you..."

Click—

The lab door slid open. As Michael walked out, he couldn't help but glance nervously left and right.

This glance actually caught sight of Elysia leaning against the corner wall nearby.

She ran up to Michael in a few steps, her opening words filled with teasing inquiry:

"What? Is Grandma Mobius's lab that alluring? You actually skipped the victory party? I'm really hurt!"

Michael casually pinched Elysia's nose. Though his hand would eventually have to let go, and she would inevitably smell the lingering scent of Mobius on him, who would choose honesty when they could delay for a moment!

"Victory party? But MANTISes don't attend ordinary soldier gatherings. Anti-Entropy's roster is small anyway, and Vill-V would be dragged off to perform for the regular soldiers. Really not much interest in attending..." Michael expertly recited the excuse he had prepared beforehand.

"Ah! Michael! Did you forget something?!"

"Uh? Did I? Wait a minute!" Michael slapped his own forehead—To fight the Eighth Herrscher, Anti-Entropy had gained nearly fifty new MANTISes!

And he, the captain, missed their very first victory party...

"Alright! Not a big deal. I explained to them, said you still had work to handle—You were handling work, right, Michael?!" She chuckled softly, moved Michael's hand away, wrinkled her nose, and sniffed vigorously at his right shoulder.

Michael's lips twitched slightly. He said nothing.

"Too bad you missed Eden's performance... Ah no, actually Kosma's performance was more surprising! His harmonica skills have improved much more than his singing back then!"

"Kosma played the harmonica on stage? Was it because of Dystopia's birthday?"

Speaking of which, Elysia suddenly produced a hardcover book, waving it in front of him.

"Here, a gift for you from Dystopia."

Michael took the book, tucking it behind his back.

"But speaking of which, Michael... Now that the Eighth Honkai Eruption is over, can my previous vacation request be approved?"