Logically speaking, Ryan had very few true allies. Telling someone like Hua or Kevin would only cause unnecessary worry without any real gain—so he kept everything to himself.
As for Elysia, it didn't matter whether she knew or not. Unless Ryan became a Herrscher, her attitude toward him wouldn't change in the slightest.
And Mei—this woman was unpredictable, uncontrollable. Trusting her was simply out of the question.
That left Mobius. She was the most viable option. At the very least, she was smart. Emotionally… Ryan wasn't quite sure why she was the first to come to mind.
"Happy with your gift?" he asked, watching Mobius's eyes widen in disbelief. Later, she'd act like a genius after digging through every record on known Honkai Beasts.
"Śeṣa has regenerative properties. Thought it'd suit you well."
"How did you know I desired immortality?" Mobius's eyes lit up with interest.
"Just a guess. Anyone who seeks infinite evolution needs to secure their survival first—otherwise, death renders everything meaningless. I'm no different." Ryan smiled faintly. Only the living could carry on with their Fate; only those who pushed furthest could become Aeons.
"Then maybe you should keep it."
"Ah, but you're weak. You need it more than I do. I'll find something better."
What do you mean, I'm weak…?
Mobius rolled her eyes and snapped the briefcase shut. "I'm very satisfied with this. Deal accepted. Consider this your pardon. Now wait a moment."
Ryan blinked as Mobius sat down and casually lifted her skirt, revealing a glimpse of purple lace. Then she reached down and unhooked her garter belt.
"Hey—what are you doing?"
She was halfway through peeling off her stockings when Ryan instinctively grabbed her wrist.
"Giving you a return gift," Mobius said, looking up at him. Ryan's face flushed, a vein twitching at his temple. She slapped her forehead lightly.
"Ah, I see. Just taking them off isn't enough for you. Then how about this?"
She lifted her leg, leaned down, her green hair falling over her face like a curtain, and whispered:
"You can lick it."
I… can lick it?
Ryan's mind blanked, thoughts slowing to a crawl, as if sinking into mud. His eyes stared at the outstretched leg in a daze.
Perfect shape. Smooth and pale. Like black ice cream—sinfully tempting, begging for a taste. He slowly extended one hand, gently grasping her ankle—while his other hand formed a hammer fist.
Mobius's heart skipped. She watched him lower his head, a playful smirk forming on her lips—mocking, yet curious.
And then—
"Ow! Ow! Ow—!"
She curled up on the wicker chair like a frightened cat, staring at Ryan with a mix of pain and outrage.
He looked entirely composed, wearing the serene smile of a professional craftsman.
"Your kidneys aren't in great shape," Ryan said calmly. "Let me give you a deep massage. Also, your prostate's a concern—we should clear that up, too."
"Ryan, how dare you mess with me!"
"Mess? Not at all. I'm a licensed foot therapist. After a nap, I guarantee you'll feel ten years younger. But first… you need to sleep."
"Mark my words. Once I'm done with this surgery—!"
Heh, those two are really something.
Elysia pressed her ear against the door, smirking. She held a finger to her lips, signaling Mei to stay quiet.
Mei just sighed softly, trying not to roll her eyes.
She'd originally come to find Ryan for a serious discussion, intending to speak with him about the Fourth Herrscher once everyone else had gone to bed. But before she could reach the rooftop, Elysia had intercepted her, insisting she stay and "watch a good show."
With their clashing personalities, what kind of show could there be? It felt more like a childish game of chicken—whoever backed down first would lose.
Mei tried to remain calm, analyzing the situation rationally… until Mobius's cry rang out from the rooftop.
She froze.
Wrong analysis. This is… way too intense.
"What are they doing up there? It sounds like Mobius is screaming," she murmured.
"The book says the first time is always painful~ This is Ely's live lecture on physiology ♪"
"Ridiculous. Even if it were painful, it wouldn't drag on this long."
"Oh? Then maybe… Mei, do you have experience?"
The cold, composed woman fell instantly silent. That hit a blind spot—and stirred something like dread. Her previous logic unraveled in an instant.
"Ryan wouldn't… hit Mobius, would he?"
"Impossible," Elysia scoffed. "Ryan's an elegant gentleman. He'd never hit a girl."
"Gentleman? I'd say 'pervert' suits him better."
Thud.
The door swung open without warning. Ryan stood there, hair slightly damp with sweat, calmly drying his hands with a towel. He wore a composed, almost refreshed smile.
"Now, now," he said lightly, "Eavesdropping? That's the real perversion here, dear Elysia… and Dr. Mei."
"Oh—what a coincidence! We just came up to watch the snow," Elysia said sweetly, sticking out her tongue. "Since you're busy, we'll just find another spot—"
Snap.
A hand landed on her shoulder.
Ryan leaned closer, smiling in that deceptively gentle way.
"Don't think you can just slip away. Since you're here, let's talk."
"W-Wait, shouldn't you, uh… tidy up first?"
Elysia was dragged onto the rooftop, peeking between her fingers as she shielded her face.
Mobius was lying limp in a chair, clothes slightly disheveled, her body quivering faintly, eyes rolled halfway back.
Elysia covered her face entirely.
"I didn't see anything!!"
"What did you see?" Ryan raised a brow. "I simply gave this passive-aggressive snake a proper lesson. A foot massage, that's all. Don't let your imaginations run wild."
His mouth twitched slightly.
In truth, he doubted the three of them combined had learned as much as he had under the 'mentorship' of certain eccentric senseis back in Japan.
A foot massage could end like that?
Mei looked at Ryan with an unreadable expression, then finally spoke, voice flat:
"When it comes to perverts… you've reached a new level."
"You're the pervert!" Ryan countered, clearly done with the conversation. He sipped his tea. The more he explained, the more suspicious he'd sound.
Better to change the subject.
"I've already talked with Mobius about the Fourth Herrscher. Once she wakes, she'll fill you in."
"The edited version?" Mei's gaze sharpened in an instant. Her tone was cold and analytical—she didn't care about whatever Ryan did in his spare time.
"The real one," Ryan said firmly. "You deserve to know, Mei. But you're so rational, I worry you'll dissect every word and trap me in some logic loop."
He set down the teacup and looked her in the eyes.
"All I can say for now is this—future Herrschers will be… very different. Saving the world is about to become far more difficult."
"So… killing you would be easier?"
"No." Ryan didn't flinch. "Even if I died today, human civilization would still be doomed. But with me alive… there's at least a glimmer of hope."
Their eyes met. Cold against calm.
But Ryan showed no fear—because it was the truth.
Even if this broken world's timeline was reset, its fate would remain unchanged. One collapse after another. Stacking endless difficulties didn't matter anymore.
They were already at rock bottom. Any direction was forward.
Elysia glanced between them, unsure whether to interrupt.
Mei studied Ryan for a long moment—then finally gave a faint nod.
"I trust you."
"You must trust me," Ryan said softly. "This road leads into the abyss. But with enough change… we can alter where it ends."
He exhaled slowly.
These past years hadn't been wasted.
"Then tell me clearly—how exactly will the Herrschers change?"
Ryan cast a glance toward Elysia, who was slowly pacing through the falling snow.
"They're undergoing... changes we can't fully understand. One thing's for certain—they won't appear one by one anymore, just waiting to be picked off."
"Organizational and strategic shifts?"
"Most likely. We may even face multiple Herrschers at once."
Mei drew in a sharp breath. That... was a terrifying prospect.
Fire Moth had long adapted to a simple rhythm: a Herrscher appears, all forces concentrate, and eliminate her. With the widespread deployment of Fusion Warriors and technological upgrades, she'd believed they could easily handle five or more Herrschers in sequence.
But simultaneous emergence?
That would shatter everything.
"What's the reason?"
"I don't know," Ryan said honestly. "At least... I can't make sense of it yet."He wasn't hiding anything—he truly didn't know.Just like the cryptic dream. Or the reason he alone awakened his Fate.
Half-truth, half-fiction—his very origin was a mystery even deeper than Elysia's.
Mei considered him silently, then pulled out a chair and sat down. After a long pause, she asked quietly:
"Then what do you recommend?"
"First, double down on the Fusion Warrior and God Key programs," Ryan said without hesitation. "No matter how the Honkai changes, we must rapidly strengthen our military capacity."
"You mean… like Kevin, Su, Hua, Sakura, and the others?"
"Exactly. I've been preparing. They'll be humanity's spearhead—and might one day surpass even the Herrschers themselves."
"I see." Mei nodded slightly. "Everyone at this table is anything but ordinary. What's next?"
"Expand investment into the Third Research Institute. We need to accelerate exploration of the Sea of Quanta."
Sea of Quanta?
Mei's eyes narrowed in thought. That wasn't her specialty. It wasn't even directly focused on fighting the Honkai. The Second Research Institute had barely allocated any budget to it.
"You're trying to prepare an escape route for humanity?"
"Exactly. I knew you'd understand." Ryan gave a faint smile. "You can't plan for victory without also planning for failure. A fallback option is essential."
"You've seen the initial data. Honkai energy has difficulty sustaining itself there. It's like a void—an inverse dimension that cancels it out."
Mei nodded again, her expression unreadable. She was beginning to realize that much of the power she now held… had been subtly arranged by Ryan behind the scenes.
Uniting humanity's elites early. Exploiting Fire Moth's political rifts to guide the direction of research. A long game, played with precision.
Was he… a time traveler?
Outside the window, the snowfall suddenly intensified. Mei was still thinking, but Ryan and Elysia had already tensed, their gazes snapping toward the distant sky.
Amid the thick curtain of snow and the pitch-black night, a faint silhouette hovered far above—brief, distant.
Then vanished.
The two exchanged glances.
Neither said it aloud, but both shared the same realization—and a trace of regret.
Then their muscles relaxed.
"She's arrived?" Mei was quick to deduce the meaning.
"Mm-hmm," Elysia nodded, clapping her hands lightly, her usual cheer returning. "But this one's smart—very different from previous Herrschers who just charged in and destroyed everything for their 'goal' ♪"
Then her eyes met Ryan's. Her tone changed. For once, it carried real weight.
"But from now on, your burden will only grow heavier. Are you ready… to carry the name of Flame-Chaser?"
Ryan didn't answer right away. His mind flashed through countless memories—visions of war, of sacrifice, of idealistic promises wrapped in flame and blood.
He looked out the window at the snowflakes, quiet and cold.
Then, with all of it condensed into one line, he replied:
"I can't pass this burden to anyone else."