"Little Seven? Little Seven?"
The girl's scattered pupils gradually focused amidst the soft calls and prodding, and her thoughts returned to a normal state.
"What is it, Elly?" she turned and asked.
"Are you too tired lately? You keep zoning out." Elysia was somewhat worried about the girl, who was like a younger sister to her. She hadn't been in the Fire Moth long, yet she was already experiencing such high-intensity combat. "If you collapse, Lin is definitely going to lecture me."
"Hmm... No, I was just thinking about something."
It wasn't difficult to deduce where the recent Emperor-class Honkai Beasts came from. Just from their similar structures, their pattern of appearing in groups of two, and their global locations, she knew they were actually the Starlight.
Hundreds of Starlights had descended in the Shenzhou region alone, which meant even more Starlights or Emperor-class Honkai Beasts had not yet appeared.
They might not match the power of true Emperor-class Honkai Beasts, but the troublesome factor was that these Starlights possessed sufficient intelligence and the characteristic of acting collectively. However, the human side had unexpectedly put up a strong fight in subjugating the Emperor-class Honkai Beasts. Years of progress and accumulated technology were fully utilized in this subjugation, with the Titan forces and Armed Dolls shining brilliantly.
But it was not enough.
The girl knew that these Honkai Beasts were merely appetizers used by the Starlight to test humanity. It didn't matter how many died, as long as the true collective consciousness was not eliminated, the Starlight couldn't be considered defeated.
Whether the branches around the world had been infiltrated by the Starlight and had their data stolen was unknown.
As no more Emperor-class Honkai Beasts appeared, she knew the probing phase was over. The Starlight's true plan was about to begin.
Either infiltration, or forcing humanity into submission all at once.
The girl had recently been tracking the Starlight's collective consciousness, their main body, while accompanying Elysia and the others in subjugating the Emperor-class Honkai Beasts. Now, she could confirm the location of these alien invaders' main body and their warp vehicles.
The answer was outside Earth.
They were in Earth's satellite orbit.
This also meant that humanity, by itself, simply couldn't defeat the Starlight. Moreover, the Starlight might even summon a Planetary-class Honkai Beast.
She had never encountered a Planetary-class Honkai Beast, nor had one ever been born on Earth. But this didn't rule out the possibility of a Honkai Beast existing outside Earth that could occupy a planet's surface, rivaling or even surpassing a Herrscher in strength.
Because the Honkai on Earth was "special."
Given this, the girl had two possible solutions.
"…"
The price, however, was only one.
"But you truly are peculiar, Little Seven. You've been like a completely different person since the first time we met." Elysia couldn't resist reaching inside the girl's helmet to pinch her soft cheek. "You're much cuter now."
"Elly, what would you do if I 'betrayed' humanity one day?"
The girl didn't push Elysia away. Instead, she gently and warmly placed her hand on Elysia face, stroking her cheek.
"Betray... humanity? What are you talking about, Little Seven? Lin will surely scold you if you talk nonsense."
Elysia eyes flickered for a moment, which the girl didn't notice. She also didn't press the question further, letting go of her hand.
A person inevitably faces many questions during the process of growing up. The best way to resolve them is to seek answers from those who have already gone through them.
But the girl was already a fully matured person. She had her own answers and her own plans.
"Elly, I'm sorry."
"What—"
Before Elysia could react, a syringe was already in the girl's hand. The girl inserted the syringe into Elysia neck in her blind spot and pressed the plunger.
"Little Seven..."
"Slap."
Elysia eyelids fluttered. The girl pulled out the syringe. In less than two seconds, Elysia lost consciousness and slumped into her arms.
Miracles and magic both exist, Elly. You taught me that.
...
"…"
The girl stood outside the transport plane's hangar. The strong wind billowed her clothes. Her glowing deep blue eyes inside the helmet watched the two figures displayed on her visual interface.
Kevin and Kosma.
Kevin stood silently in front of the transport plane, clutching his weapon expressionlessly, as if his presence alone kept others away.
Kosma, on the other hand, looked somewhat disbelieving, and somewhat pained.
"Mei told me that three months ago, when the Previous Civilization's Core of the Herrscher of Reason was discovered, a Herrscher consciousness still existed inside."
"After it was transported back to the Fire Moth Headquarters, the consciousness inside disappeared. At the same time, the Soulium happened to be missing the mass of approximately one human. And at that time, you appeared before Lin as a new recruit."
"MSA-970. This codename does exist in the Fire Moth, but it belongs to a researcher who just joined, not a soldier."
"But even so, Mei didn't tell me to act immediately, but to observe you, until you rendered Elysia unconscious."
There was no tense, warlike atmosphere between them. In fact, Kevin held a weapon, but he wasn't pointing it at the girl, and the girl stood with her hands down, showing no sign of resistance.
"I do not trust you, Herrscher, but Mei... no, humanity wants to know why you are hiding among humans. Is there some kind of connection or even cooperation between you and the Starlight?"
"And now, are you preparing to return to Headquarters to retrieve your Herrscher Core?"
Kevin's questions came pouring out like a deluge. The girl tilted her head, then stated in a matter-of-fact tone: "Because I am human, and now I want to help humanity, so I need the Herrscher Core."
"…"
Absurdity.
The word simultaneously appeared in the minds of both Kevin and Kosma.
"I know humanity won't trust me, and it's impossible for them to return the Herrscher Core to me." The girl reached up and unlocked her helmet. She held the sides of the helmet and took it off. "In fact, that is exactly what should happen. Once I retrieve the Herrscher Core, my consciousness will be re-contaminated by the Core."
A simple smile appeared on her face as she removed the helmet.
"But I beg you to return the Herrscher Core to me. The Starlight is an enemy that humanity cannot deal with right now."
"So the disappearance of that Starlight was also related to you."
"They abandoned emotion, and I gained emotion..."
"Do not advance further."
Kevin raised his gun and aimed it at the girl, who had taken one step forward.
The girl tossed the helmet aside, took a deep breath in her most vibrant state, and then looked at the complex-faced Kosma.
"Kosma, although I've known you for a very short time, it was interesting. I think this might be what Lin calls 'making friends.'"
Kosma's mind was in turmoil. He had only known this girl for a few short days. They had merely shared noodles, joked, and chatted... But had she done anything wrong?
She smiled, reaching out her hands as if to embrace someone: "Can you allow me to help you?"
"No," Kevin said coldly. "You are a Herrscher."
"So, it was unavoidable... reaching this point?"
In the next second, a weapon materialized in the girl's hand.