Far Eastern Anti-Entropy Branch Base.
A white-haired figure skulked about, moving like a thief through the base, his demeanor akin to a spy on a covert mission.
Calling him a spy might be a bit too generous—such a clumsy spy wouldn't survive a single episode in a drama.
If his data weren't registered as an ally in the system, the Titan mechs outside would've already pummeled him.
Despite his constant looking over his shoulder and side glances, the man moved swiftly, soon reaching his destination.
"Hey, Dr. Tesla!"
A weathered middle-aged man with white hair tied into a short ponytail called out to the lobster-headed scientist tinkering with a Fire Emblem-themed welding torch.
"Holy crap! Siegfried!?"
Tesla jumped three feet in the air, her red twin-tails standing on end. "What the hell are you doing?! You know sneaking up like that can scare someone to death, right?"
Tesla, with her usual fiery temper, raised her deep crimson gauntlet.
"Sorry! Sorry~!" Siegfried raised his hands, grinning sheepishly.
"You're quick on your feet, I'll give you that." Tesla pouted, crossing her arms.
Even with Siegfried's smile, his tone and movements betrayed an anxious urgency.
Tesla's lips curled into a pleased smirk.
"Doc, where's Kiana? I've searched half the base and haven't seen her anywhere." Siegfried scratched his head with his single arm.
He'd only seen Theresa doing morning exercises with Judas, her slender hands swinging the massive cross with ferocious gusto!
Siegfried had no desire to taste Judas' wrath right after returning and bolted at top speed.
"Kiana, huh?" Tesla grinned wider. "You're too late, buddy. Kiana and her boyfriend already left the base."
"Too late!?" Siegfried's face darkened at Tesla's words, his expression turning grim.
With all of Kiana's friends here, and only his daughter and that cabbage-stealing pig gone…
Meow's sake! They didn't go to register their marriage, did they!?
His heart pounding with dread, Siegfried's mind raced to a terrifying possibility, sending him into a panic.
That kind of thing—don't do it!
The image of Kiana, arm-in-arm with Shiraki, vanishing into white light, abandoning her old father entirely.
Just the thought sent chills down Siegfried's spine.
"Where did they go!?"
Overwhelmed with urgency and anxiety, Siegfried rushed to Tesla, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her vigorously.
The high-frequency shaking turned Tesla's eyes into spirals, her words slurring. "Wor…ld… Ser…pent…"
"World Serpent?"
The shaking stopped, and Siegfried froze, a massive question mark popping above his head.
He knew of the colossal snake lurking in the world's dark, shadowy underbelly, but…
Since when did World Serpent start offering marriage registration services?
…
Elysian Realm.
The near-tangible gazes from all around, sharp as glinting blades, put some pressure on Shiraki, an ordinary otaku.
The male Flame-Chasers were fine, unbothered by age-related jabs, but the female Flame-Chasers—even the gentle, big-sisterly Eden—couldn't tolerate being called grandma.
Kiana's hands rested on Shiraki's shoulders, her little head peeking out, sporting a pitiful expression in an attempt to cute her way out of trouble.
The Flame-Chasers stared at Kiana's deliberately adorable, mischievous face, their eyes filled with bewilderment and oddity.
You're telling me this seemingly harmless girl, blinking and sticking out her tongue, selling cuteness like a pro, is a terrifying Herrscher with four cores?
Faced with such an absurd scene, even the Flame-Chasers couldn't help but question reality, wondering if they were dreaming.
Most of their gazes lingered on Kiana before shifting to Shiraki, whom she was using as a shield.
Mobius sized up Shiraki, her gradient snake-like eyes glinting with a strange light, her lips curling into a half-smile, her voice sweet and syrupy, almost meltingly soft.
"Big brother, wanna come do something fun with me~?"
Compared to a four-core Herrscher, Mobius was far more interested in a never-before-seen lifeform!
Her hair, soft as tender green seaweed, draped down, her youthful face radiating natural innocence and cuteness. Her skirt hem covered her ankles and fair bare feet, the inky black fabric contrasting beautifully with her snow-white skin.
The delicate skirt outlined the playful curves of her crossed feet, faintly resembling a snake's tail coiling around a waist, exuding an unintentional allure.
A blend of girlish charm and childlike purity, soft and warm, teasingly elusive—normal people wouldn't stand a chance!
Unfortunately, Shiraki wasn't a normal person.
His XP system was wired exclusively for 'himself'!
Shiraki shook his head calmly. "Grandma always said boys need to protect themselves out there, especially from weird aunties like Mobius."
"Weird auntie?"
Mobius's smile nearly cracked, her entire body freezing like plaster.
Realizing his faux pas, Shiraki quickly added politely, "Sorry, sorry! Mobius's appearance is so deceptive, I should've called her Grandma Mobius instead."
A memory construct over fifty thousand years old—calling her grandma wasn't a loss.
"Grand… ma!?"
Her voice sharp and distorted, Mobius's smile completely shattered, dark energy erupting and swirling behind her.
Are you that really polite?
Sensing Mobius's fury, the far-off kitty trembled instinctively, looking at Shiraki with awe.
"How is he so bold!?"
Besides Elysea and Kalpas, Pardo had never seen anyone dare provoke Snake Sis so openly.
If she called Snake Sis grandma, she'd probably be found the next day in her cat nest, having 'committed suicide by dissection' with no visible wounds, cause of death: dissection.
Mobius's face turned icy, a blizzard-like chill sweeping in, her snake eyes locking onto Shiraki with a bone-piercing coldness that sent shivers down spines.
"Oh my, oh my~! Dr. Mobius, Shiraki's a guest in the Elysian Realm, you can't be so rude to guests♪"
Elysia stepped in front of Shiraki.
"El-y-si-a!" Mobius gritted her teeth. Whose side are you on, woman!?
Catching Mobius's glare, Elysia twirled a strand of hair, not only refusing to move but sidling up to Shiraki, winking playfully.
I like Kiana just like Shiraki does, so I'm on his side♪!
Mobius's face darkened, as if dripping ink.
You little—!
Shiraki looked at Elysea, baffled. What's with this pink chubby lady?
Just wanting to see Mobius eat dirt?
What touching bestie !
Exchanging nods with the Flame-Chasers as a greeting, Shiraki's gaze returned to Mobius, waving with a smile.
"Dr. Mobius, please calm down, I was just joking." Shiraki spread his hands. "Gotta lighten the heavy mood, right? Communication needs the right vibe."
"Hmph~" Her emerald snake eyes remained frosty.
Shiraki didn't mind, continuing, "Actually, Kiana and I came to the Elysian Realm mainly for you, Dr. Mobius."
The Flame-Chasers raised their brows in unison, glancing curiously at Shiraki and Mobius.
Only Elysia wore an exaggerated look of betrayal. Just said we're on the same side, and you sell me out?
"Oh? For me?"
Mobius slowly sat up, her little feet dangling in midair, her black skirt swaying, occasionally revealing flashes of snowy toes, quite captivating.
"Here to deliver a lab rat?"
"Hm." Shiraki rubbed his chin for two seconds. "You could say that."
"!!!"
He… admitted it!
Shiraki's response stunned even Mobius, the Flame-Chasers freezing, casting varied glances at him.
Is this guy brain-damaged?
"Ahem, everyone, don't misunderstand. Shiraki doesn't mean handing himself over to Dr. Mobius."
Kiana, arm linked with Shiraki's, spun gracefully to stand in front of him, grinning.
"To be precise, we're here to ask for a favor!"
"Oh my, oh my~! A Herrscher coming to the Elysian Realm to ask me for help? That's a hilarious joke~!" Mobius lounged lazily on a floating toolbox.
"Or, you could call it a transaction." Shiraki used the most direct approach.
"Transaction?" Interest flickered in Mobius's icy snake eyes. "Intriguing, let's hear it~!"
"Dr. Mobius, you're aware of other worlds, right?" Shiraki smiled faintly.
"Of course." Mobius snorted. "The Imaginary Tree, the Sea of Quanta—the universe's structure was uncovered fifty thousand years ago."
This was why the Flame-Chasers remained calm when Shiraki said he wasn't from this world.
"You want to discuss that?"
"No." Shiraki shook his head. "There's some deviation, but this level's enough."
The Previous Era's Sands of Eternity Project, with Su observing parallel worlds via Thousand Realms One Vehicle for millennia.
But those observed worlds were a mere drop in the infinite cosmos, their worldline deviations never exceeding the Honkai Impact 3rd framework.
"I'm, loosely speaking, a traveler between worlds."
"In one world, I discovered a peculiar creature called 'demons.'"
A crisp snap rang out, an electromagnetic-fringed void gate appeared, and Douma's corpse dropped out.
The Subspace Lance materialized in Shiraki's hand, and he smashed Douma's head like a baseball, only for the body to regenerate instinctively in a mere second.
"Immortal, with extreme regeneration. Even if you crush their brain or heart, or literally grind them to dust, powerful demons can recover in seconds."
"While their immortality doesn't match your 'Infinity,' their regeneration far surpasses yours, and the risk and transformation process aren't even on the same level as super-surgery. Ordinary people need just a few drops of blood to become demons."
As Shiraki spoke, Mobius's snake eyes narrowed, like a predator fixated on Douma's body, her gaze clearly seeing a lab rat of immense research value!
[Done!]
Seeing Mobius's expression shift from eager to ecstatic, Shiraki took Kiana's soft hand.
"State your terms."
Her affected coyness gone, Mobius's tone brimmed with barely suppressed fervor.
"Simple~!" Kiana raised a slender, onion-white finger. "Using demon traits, develop a special recovery serum for humans and a drug to turn demons back into humans."