As Zeke opened the door, he was greeted by a stack of round heads, piled from bottom to top at the entrance.
Zeke & Sin: "..."
Who could be eavesdropping outside the door?
Kiana, Bronya, Seele, Wendy, Raiden Mei—no need to mention them; they grew up together, naturally concerned about Sin's well-being.
Senti, being a mischievous kid, wasn't surprising either, likely just joining in for the fun. The Book of Fuxi perched on her head probably followed suit, going with the flow.
Elysia, the mischief-seeker, can be disregarded as usual.
At the very bottom, tiny Mobius, presumably conducting a follow-up experiment visit, also seemed reasonable.
However—
"Fu Hua, why are you joining this childish behavior?" Zeke questioned Fu Hua's character.
At that moment, Fu Hua had half her body draped over Senti's back, while above her stood grinning Elysia.
In Zeke's perception, Fu Hua embodied gentleness, honesty, and maturity, serving as a teacher to these young girls. In short, she didn't fit the profile of someone who would engage in such childlike antics.
A slight blush appeared on Fu Hua's face. Before she could respond, she hastily straightened herself amidst the tightly packed human pile.
"Waaaaah!"
"Fu Hua-sensei, don't move suddenly!"
"Balance... Bronya lost her balance..."
"Ahh!"
Amidst the chaotic shoving, panicked screams echoed as girls tripped over one another, tumbling onto the floor.
Taking advantage of its size and strategic positioning, the Book of Fuxi gracefully floated out of the disaster zone, landing on Zeke's shoulder where it comfortably settled down.
"So much commotion first thing in the morning! It's making Little Fuxi so sleepy. Ha~"
The Book of Fuxi yawned from its perch on Zeke's shoulder, tears welling at the corners of its eyes—despite being called a robot, the line between it and living beings was always quite blurred. With further enhancements by Zeke, even physically, the Book of Fuxi could now be considered a form of life, naturally leading to experiences like sleepiness and teary eyes.
Zeke tilted his head and gently rubbed its head with his finger, asking, "Is your energy supply still sufficient?"
"Absolutely fine, just didn't get enough rest... Senti snores quite loudly; seems she's having too much fun here."
"Wanna try some potent sleeping pills? Even for a MANTIS warrior, a proper dose should keep her sound asleep without any disturbances."
"That sounds like a great idea." The Book of Fuxi stroked its chin and nodded solemnly.
Great Emperor... ahem, Zeke rarely engaged in such relaxed banter with anyone, let alone maintained consistently amicable relationships. The Book of Fuxi belonged to this exceptionally small group.
It's hard to pinpoint exactly why, but perhaps it's simply the connection between people—fate, if you will.
With Fu Hua and Senti, two top-tier combatants backing him, the Book of Fuxi held considerable influence—but even that didn't particularly sway Zeke. More likely, their shared status as parents, combined with Fuxi's high emotional intelligence, fostered this compatibility. Ultimately, it boils down to just being well-suited for each other.
"Hey! Don't discuss poisoning me right in front of me!" Struggling amidst the crowd, Senti lifted her head forcefully, attempting to assert her dwindling rights one more time.
However, facing authoritative figures, a naughty child's complaints carried little weight.
Seeing how indifferent Zeke and the Book of Fuxi remained, seemingly ignoring her protest entirely, Senti panicked instinctively and exerted herself amidst the throng.
"Ahh!!" x N
Amidst a chorus of shrieks, several individuals were sent flying in different directions, creating quite a spectacle.
"(?? ? ??) Catch me, Zeke!"
A certain scheming paramecium seized the opportunity to hurl herself towards Zeke.
Zeke sidestepped effortlessly.
"Smack!"
It was the crisp sound of Kiana's face hitting the wall—painfully audible.
"Oww, ouch... I need a kiss from Zeke to get up!"
Kiana, sprawled on the ground with her bottom sticking out, whimpered while pleading for affection, hand pressed against her cheek.
However, due to her overly dramatic performance lacking authenticity, Zeke simply ignored her. Instead, he lifted his foot and nudged the only toddler still within reach—the one-year-old Mobius.
Initially, Mobius had taken advantage of her diminutive height, securing the prime spot at the very bottom near the door. This position allowed her comfort without needing to bend over.
But every situation has its pros and cons; while enjoying this advantageous stance, she became the literal doormat once knocked down, completely buried beneath the crowd.
"That's enough, I'm not four yet!" Mobius raised her chubby little hand, declaring sweetly in her young voice, then casually stood up as if nothing happened.
"Cough! So, my dear lab rat, how is your current body holding up? Let me take a look, quick!" Mobius' round serpent eyes sparkled as she wobbled unsteadily towards Sin, taking step after step.
Sin, holding Zeke's hand, suddenly frowned.
Mobius's physical age had significantly diminished, evident even from Sin's unique distorted perspective. However, her essence remained unchanged.
Instantly, Sin recognized the culprit responsible for her rampage, which had nearly harmed Zeke.
Her left gray eye turned pitch-black, emitting some dark substance.
"Die!"
Sin was always decisive—whether expressing affection towards Zeke or delivering lethal blows.
"Bam!"
With a loud thud, Sin swiftly kicked Mobius in the stomach, so fast that almost no one could react. Harnessing immense strength, far greater than before, she propelled Mobius through a wall, leaving only a disappearing trail behind.
"Woah! You'd actually hit someone so little? That's way too brutal! Right, Zeke?"
Kiana, now at Sin's height, clung to Zeke's waist and openly criticized Sin.
Sin reciprocated by embracing Zeke possessively. The darkness in her left eye vanished as she glared at Kiana with a grim expression:
"I kicked her, you dumb paramecium!"
"That's not the point!"
"Keep yapping and I'll send you flying too!"
"Zeke, look at her bullying me!"
Sin's eyes widened as she hastily glanced up to gauge Zeke's reaction. Finding no displeasure on his calm face, she heaved a huge sigh of relief.
Then, with murderous intent, she glared at Kiana.
"You're so underhanded, Paramecium!"
"Hmph! In love battles, there's no room for fair play—victory is the only path! You're still too green, little brat!"
"But Bronya won first!"
Sin proudly puffed out her chest, seemingly taking pride in this fact.
Her words struck like a precision blow.
Kiana had always felt a thorn in her heart knowing that Zeke's first time was taken by Bronya through deceitful means. Although she couldn't blame them directly, Sin deliberately using this topic ignited a powder keg within Kiana.
"You're asking for it!"
"Just a pesky paramecium, you'll be the first to go!"
Roaring, they collided near Zeke's feet, their once-plastic friendship shattered, now engaged in a passionate struggle.
"Ah!"
The scene was all too familiar, and Zeke's reaction echoed past experiences.
"Ding-a-ling!"
Zeke's Petroglyph Core—the dark purple Doomsday Stone—began vibrating at his waist.
As Kia and Sin froze simultaneously, Zeke looked down on them with icy eyes devoid of any compassion.
"Ahh!" x 2