In the Honkai world.
Nagazora City, peaceful as ever, suddenly rippled with a strange disturbance.
Without warning, the Hyperion appeared out of thin air above the city. Its massive hull cast a vast shadow below.
It slowly descended toward Chiba Academy, its thrusters emitting pale blue flames, drawing the attention of pedestrians who stopped to stare.
The hatch opened gradually.
Raiden Mei stepped out first, her movements light and graceful, her long purple hair flowing in the wind.
Behind her came Kiana, the Herrscher of Dominance, and the Herrscher of Sentience.
Seele followed obediently beside Bronya.
Shigure Kira wore a blue dress, her single ponytail swaying gently with each step.
The Herrscher of Fire, Angelia, came out last.
The moment everyone landed, the Hyperion began to dissolve. Its structure broke down into particles, which then reassembled, eventually forming a green-haired girl with two bun-like tufts resembling cabbages.
"Finally back."
Ai stretched lazily.
Almost at the same moment, Theresa, Raven, and Einstein hurried over.
Theresa's eyes widened in disbelief. "Y-You... Ai-chan?"
The girl before her was the artificial intelligence she had once retrieved from a Previous Era ruin in the Arctic Ocean—an AI linked to the Hyperion.
"Long time no see, Miss Theresa."
Ai smiled and nodded. Now that her memory data had been restored and she had evolved into a Fleet of Fog entity, she carried an entirely different aura.
"Ai-chan, your memories are back?"
Theresa was astonished. The Ai in her memories and the girl before her now felt like two completely different people.
"Mm." Ai nodded. "I evolved into a mechanical lifeform in another universe, and all my past memories returned."
Einstein observed Ai with curiosity.
A mechanical lifeform?
In the Honkai universe, such beings seemed quite common.
Raven turned to Raiden Mei and the others. "How did you get the Hyperion back from her?"
The Herrscher of Sentience quickly answered, "We participated in some kind of music competition. The Hyperion was the prize!"
Ai glanced at her and mercilessly exposed the truth. "A group of eliminated contestants—what prize are you talking about? Did you really think those little tricks would earn you a reward?"
As soon as she said that, Angelia looked extremely embarrassed and turned her head away.
She was the one who had used those tricks.
"Huh? You are... Shigure Kira." Theresa finally noticed her and couldn't help exclaiming.
Back during the Second Honkai Eruption, Shigure Kira had mysteriously disappeared. Schicksal had already declared her dead—yet now she stood here, alive and well.
"Long time no see, Lady Theresa. You're still just as cute as ever!" Shigure Kira waved with a smile.
"Where have you been all these years?" Theresa asked, full of confusion and curiosity.
"Theresa, you can catch up later." Einstein glanced subtly at Angelia and reminded her, "Let them undergo a check first."
"Ah... right. Okay, go get checked first!" Theresa snapped back to her senses and nodded.
"Got it!" Kiana, the Herrscher of Dominance, responded and immediately grabbed Raiden Mei, dragging her toward the academy. Bronya, Seele, and the Herrscher of Sentience hurried after them.
Angelia hesitated for a moment as she watched Raiden Mei being pulled away, then silently followed.
"I need a check too?" Shigure Kira pointed at herself, somewhat surprised.
"Better to check together. Worlds are different—there could be viruses brought back," Einstein explained patiently, recalling a previous world filled with cockroach-like humans, where a deadly virus had once spread.
"Alright." Shigure Kira thought for a moment, then quickly followed the others.
After they left, Einstein turned to Ai.
"I won't need a check. The body you're seeing is constructed from nanomaterials. It comes with an isolation and purification field—dust and bacteria can't even get close." Ai crossed her arms confidently.
"Are nanomaterials similar to soulium-based technology?" Einstein asked curiously.
"More advanced than soulium. Nanomaterials can form most kinds of matter, simulate any substance or reaction—even DNA," Ai explained.
"Form... simulate..." Einstein fell into thought, an image of metal instantly transforming into flesh appearing in her mind.
She didn't question the scientific validity of technology from another world. After all, her own universe would likely be seen as pseudoscience by outsiders. Not to mention, other worlds possessed all kinds of mind-over-matter powers.
"This is Fleet of Fog technology. They are all mechanical lifeforms, and I'm considered one of them now," Ai added.
"May I study your body?" Einstein asked directly.
"Nope. They're very strict about technology over there." Ai shook her head. "You can only research and use what they're willing to share. Forcibly cracking their technology is a serious provocation. Without sufficient power, I wouldn't recommend it."
"Alright." Einstein didn't press further. It had only been a casual question.
Even among humans, such things couldn't be done openly.
At that moment, Raven asked, "Miss Ai, have you seen Misteln over there? I have a friend who's very worried about her."
"Misteln?" Ai tilted her head and thought for a moment. "I haven't seen her. I've been with the Fleet of Fog the whole time—and still am."
Theresa froze, confused. "Aren't you right here?"
"This is just a clone." Ai spread her hands. "My core is still in another world."
"Anyway, let's talk about your situation. This world is no longer just about fighting the Honkai or saving humanity. It's about the future of these mere billions of people—where they will go from here."
"What do you mean 'mere billions'..." Theresa muttered unhappily.
Einstein sighed inwardly. Compared to the scale of the Will of Ruler, billions of humans were indeed insignificant—but to them, it was everything.
"I want to save humanity, but my abilities are limited. Sirin has extremely high authority. She has already locked in this world's fate," Ai said.
"What do you mean by locking the world's fate?" Einstein frowned and pressed further.
"Even without Honkai, humanity will eventually be destroyed for various reasons. Then reset. Then destroyed again. Then reset again. It will repeat endlessly," Ai explained simply.
For a moment, everyone fell silent.
Einstein understood. This was likely Sirin's revenge—locking humanity into an endless cycle of destruction and reset, forcing them to struggle in perpetual suffering.
"And you're telling us this because there's a solution?" Raven asked.
Ai nodded. "Yes. Lady Kiki can help us."
"Then what do we need to give in return?"
Raven didn't believe that a Herrscher on the side of the Will of Ruler would be so kind.
"Well..." Ai hesitated for a moment, then spoke frankly. "Actually, Lady Kiki is a lover of beautiful girls' bodies. She doesn't like seeing beautiful girls suffer."
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