"From now on, only I get to touch your horns, okay, Mei~?"
After contentedly stroking Acheron's horns, Elysia was clearly in high spirits as she spoke to her.
"Is this some kind of strange possessiveness?"
Acheron looked at Elysia with a puzzled expression. Where did all these little whims come from?
"Hehe, of course it's to show how special I am! If I'm the only one who's ever touched your horns, then doesn't that mean... I'm truly one of a kind in your heart? That's exactly who I want to be."
Elysia clasped her hands behind her back, leaning forward slightly to look at Acheron, a playful smile gracing her lips.
"Elysia is Elysia. You're already one of a kind."
Acheron shook her head faintly, her tone even.
"Mmm..."
Hearing Acheron's words, Elysia instinctively covered her cheeks, a look of surprise on her face.
"What's wrong?"
"Mei, I never expected... you're so smooth! That's almost cheating, you know? Saying something like that... my heart might really skip a beat~"
Elysia looked at Acheron with a shy, flustered expression.
"Skip a beat for what? You two seem to be getting along very well."
Just as Acheron was unsure how to respond, a voice tinged with amusement sounded beside them.
"Oh, it's you, Eden! Are you feeling better now?"
Elysia looked at Eden with delight. Though they had only known each other briefly, they had already become good friends. Then again, with a girl like Elysia, making friends was effortlessly simple.
"Thanks for your concern, I'm quite alright now."
A smile graced Eden's face as she regarded them both.
Eden had suffered some psychological trauma from a recent disaster. Though she was resilient and brave, she was still just an ordinary person. She had come to Fire Moth partly to consult with their psychologists.
But after a few back-and-forths, she had ended up staying here these past few days.
Rumor had it that Fire Moth's higher-ups were also trying to recruit Eden, hoping to convince her to stay.
After the defeat of the 7th Herrscher, whether it marked a turning point or not, Honkai disasters had become frequent lately. Not the kind that spawned Herrschers, but constant, smaller-scale Honkai outbreaks.
For a time, Fire Moth's regular combat personnel suffered heavy losses and were stretched thin.
Even Kevin was feeling the strain.
After all, even Kevin found it challenging to handle consecutive encounters with Emperor-class Honkai Beasts.
Within all of Fire Moth, only Elysia's squad was relatively at ease. With Acheron's help, no matter how many Honkai Beasts came, they were merely fodder for her blade.
Be they Emperor-class or even Judgment-class, it made no difference.
However, Fire Moth's other fighters were crucial. If things continued this way, the organization would eventually buckle under the intense pressure.
After all, humans were only flesh and blood.
Under this extreme strain, Dr. Mei and Dr. Mobius finally joined forces to propose and restart the MANTIS Project.
Recently, through their relentless efforts, they had finally developed a fusion surgery with a near 100% success rate.
Of course, while the success rate was high, the screening process was extremely stringent.
Each person had different compatibility. Finding suitable candidates from among thousands of Honkai Beast genes was immensely difficult.
Yet, under the matching system devised by Dr. Mei and Mobius, they quickly identified a suitable candidate.
Kevin. The Honkai Beast gene matched to him was that of the Emperor-class beast, Parvati—a monster with ice-control abilities that had once frozen an entire city.
Ultimately, this creature was slain by Fire Moth, but at a great cost.
Moreover, though classified only as Emperor-class, its power was borderline Judgment-class, with barely any noticeable gap.
Now, Acheron and Elysia stood outside Mobius's lab. Also present was Kevin's squad leader, Ato.
When Ato learned Kevin was to be the first to undergo the MANTIS surgery, he was against it. After all, it was technology humanity hadn't fully mastered—far too dangerous.
Ato didn't understand that Dr. Mei and Dr. Mobius had already minimized the risks of the procedure.
However, after seeing the determination in Kevin's eyes, Ato said no more.
The surgery was conducted in secret. Aside from Acheron, Elysia, and a few Fire Moth higher-ups, no one else knew about it.
Of course, this surgery also served as a verification test for Mobius and her team by the Fire Moth executives.
After all, the stir Acheron caused by single-handedly defeating the Herrscher of Flame was significant. Those in power weren't foolish; they knew Acheron's true strength.
If Kevin also successfully underwent the surgery, it would prove that Mei hadn't been lying earlier, and could also explain the source of Acheron's immense power.
Compared to Acheron's terrifying might, what the Fire Moth higher-ups truly feared was the unknown.
They'd rather believe Acheron became so powerful due to modifications by the two doctors, than accept that she was inherently an unknown, uncontrollable variable. That thought gave them some small comfort.
Just as Acheron expected, with the help of the research notes, Kevin's MANTIS surgery was a resounding success. In less than two hours, it was over.
And Kevin had gained Parvati's formidable ice-control abilities.
Preliminary tests revealed that Kevin's control over ice was even more terrifying than Parvati's had been. His compatibility with the MANTIS factor was far higher than anticipated.
"Thank goodness."
Seeing Kevin emerge unscathed, the tension finally drained from Mei's perpetually stern face.
Even though she and Mobius had repeatedly confirmed the surgery's success rate was nearly 100%, the thought of potential failure still made her nervous.
Fortunately, Kevin's natural aptitude was exceptional. Even the aggressive Parvati genes fused with him perfectly. And with Acheron's assistance, this fusion produced zero side effects.
In the original timeline, Kevin's body suffered side effects from the surgery. From then on, fate robbed him of the right to embrace his loved one.
But now, Acheron had restored that right to him.
Of course, minor side effects still existed, just nowhere near as severe as before.
Amusingly, after becoming a MANTIS, Kevin seemed eager to test himself against Acheron.
He even raised a challenging eyebrow at her right then, as if declaring, 'I'm going to take back everything I lost. Today, I'll reclaim my place as Fire Moth's top combat asset.'
Then... well, there was no 'then'.
Amid Elysia's cheers, Acheron effortlessly defeated him.
She completely shattered Kevin's newfound confidence on the spot.
'Didn't I just become a MANTIS? How am I still no match for her? And the gap is still this huge?'
However, soon enough, Kevin and the others got a clear demonstration of his enhanced power. The day after his surgery, a Judgment-class Honkai Beast emerged within the city—a powerful, dragon-shaped creature.
Without hesitation, Kevin froze it solid into an ice sculpture, then finished it with a single, devastating slam.
The sheer efficiency of the fight left everyone stunned.
In the past, it would have taken Kevin half a day of intense combat, waiting for an opening to exploit its weakness. Now, he could simply overpower it with brute force.
With Kevin joining the ranks, Fire Moth's critical shortage of high-level combat power was finally somewhat alleviated.
Adding a Herrscher-level fighter was an immense boost to Fire Moth's capabilities.
Acheron hadn't been idle either, eliminating numerous Honkai Beasts during this period.
"Where are we headed?"
Acheron glanced at Elysia beside her, curiosity getting the better of her.
"To Sundown Alley."
Elysia hummed a tune from one of Eden's songs as she provided the answer.
Noting the slight shift in Acheron's expression, Elysia's face lit up with a smile. "What is it, Mei? Have you heard of this place?"
"I think I might have."
Acheron shook her head slightly, offering nothing more.
"I heard from Dr. Mei that Fire Moth's higher-ups have been paying a lot of attention to this area recently. Plus, with this Honkai energy incident happening near Sundown Alley, she asked me to take the opportunity to investigate. See if there's anything... or anyone special there."
Elysia relayed this with her characteristic cheerful tone.
"As a reward for this mission, Mei promised that when I get back, she'll prepare the MANTIS surgery for me. And she'll even find me a super powerful MANTIS factor! I'll probably become incredibly strong then, maybe even stronger than Kevin!"
Elysia's face shone with anticipation as she spoke.
"But... I really hope there aren't any side effects. It would be awful if the surgery made me grow something weird. After all, I'm a girl who cares about her looks, you know?"
A hint of worry crept into her expression as she voiced this concern. Thanks to Acheron's help, the side effects of the MANTIS surgery were greatly reduced. Take Kevin, for example.
His body temperature was lower than a normal person's, but not excessively so—just about ten degrees lower.
Compared to the original timeline where his touch could give frostbite, this was a negligible side effect. And with it being the height of summer, Dr. Mei had actually become more clingy towards him since his temperature dropped.
After all, who wouldn't want to hang around a personal, constantly cool air conditioner?
In a way, it was a blessing in disguise.
Let's just hope Kevin doesn't get shunned by Dr. Mei when winter comes.
Compared to a major metropolis, the Sundown Alley was small and saw few outsiders.
So, the moment Acheron and Elysia appeared, they attracted quite a bit of attention.
Especially since both were strikingly beautiful young women, each with their own distinct charm.
Fortunately, no one foolish enough tried to harass them.
Though small, Sundown Alley's public order was decent. However, due to the area's poor economic conditions, some unsavory occurrences were inevitable. This wasn't about location or education, but a simple matter of circumstance.
"Hey there, pretty ladies! Here to visit Sundown Alley? The name's Pardo, and I know this place like the back of my hand! For just a small fee, you can hire me as your guide!"
While the two were looking around, a cute, clever-looking girl with brown hair approached them with a friendly smile.
She wore slightly worn but clean clothes. Her smile was bright and genuine, revealing a small canine tooth when she grinned, giving her a distinctly cat-like and utterly adorable appearance.
"Hmm... We really aren't familiar with this place. What do you think, Mei?"
Elysia turned to Acheron.
"In that case, we'll be in your care."
Acheron smiled and nodded, then pulled out a banknote of the highest denomination and handed it to Pardo.
"Whoa~!"
The moment she saw the money, Pardo's eyes instantly turned into shining stars. She eagerly accepted the note with both hands, quickly tucking it into her clothes as if afraid Acheron might change her mind, the very picture of a money-grubber.
"Hehe, thank you, kind and beautiful lady! I know Sundown Alley inside and out. Your satisfaction is guaranteed!"
Pardo's large eyes darted around slyly as she spoke, no doubt already scheming something.
Of course, Acheron could guess what it was—this little thief cat was probably thinking of how to squeeze a bit more 'pocket money' out of them.
But Acheron didn't mind, and neither did Elysia.
True to her word, Pardo served as an attentive and thorough tour guide. Her service was impeccable.
She knew the Sundown Alley intimately, aware of every nook and cranny.
Passing by a vendor selling candied hawthorn berries, Pardo stared for a long moment before, with a pained expression, pulled out a few crumpled bills from her pocket to buy one skewer.
'Well, I made a lot today. It's okay to treat myself a little, right?'
"Boss, I'll take one skewer... No, make it three!"
Pardo didn't forget Acheron and Elysia, immediately telling the elderly vendor.
After the vendor wrapped them in edible rice paper, Pardo brought the candied haws over to Acheron and Elysia.
"Mei-sis, Elysia-sis, thanks for your business today. My treat—some candied hawthorn for you!"
She wore a harmless, cheerful smile as she presented the treats.
Truth be told, Pardo rarely indulged in candied haws, even though they weren't particularly expensive.
"Well, thank you, Pardo~"
Elysia accepted the candied haw, smiling at the girl. She found her simply too adorable and couldn't resist reaching out to pat her head.
Pardo responded just like a little cat, nuzzling her fluffy head against Elysia's hand.
Though Pardo's financial situation wasn't great, she kept herself very clean. Her hair was soft and pleasantly fluffy.
"Alright, our time's up. I hope I get to meet you again, Mei-sis, Elysia-sis. See you later!"
After glancing at the darkening sky, Pardo smiled warmly at them, then bid farewell and disappeared from their sight.
"Hmm... It's getting late. We should find a place to stay for the night, and maybe get some dinner. Let's see what good food the Sundown Alley has to offer."
After Pardo left, Elysia suggested cheerfully.
"I'd advise against that."
"Why?"
Hearing Acheron's sudden comment, Elysia was taken aback.
"You don't want to get chased down by a restaurant owner for dining and dashing, do you?"
After Acheron's remark, Elysia patted her clothes and suddenly realized her wallet was gone.
"My, that girl's skills are impressive! To think she could lift my wallet without me noticing."
Though her wallet had vanished into thin air, Elysia didn't look angry in the slightest. Instead, she seemed rather amused.
"But... a clever rabbit has three burrows, you know~ Besides my wallet, I'm in the habit of stashing money elsewhere too~"
Elysia looked at Acheron with a triumphant, knowing smile.
Acheron was curious. Elysia's outfit only had one pocket. Where else could she possibly have put money?
Then, Acheron watched as Elysia reached a hand into her own cleavage, slowly delving deeper, and pulled out a neatly folded banknote.
"?"
Acheron hadn't expected her to hide money there.
A gentle breeze wafted by, and Acheron caught a faint, elusive scent of milky sweetness.
"Didn't see that coming, did you? I've still got tricks up my sleeve. Come on, Mei, dinner's on me. But... how are you going to repay me, I wonder~"
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T/N: ...is it weird to say i want that banknote?
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.