Ending the call with the Hyperion, Theresa sat back in her seat.
On the desk before her lay the data collected so far regarding the Third Eruption. One point that particularly concerned her was Anti-Entropy's official excuse.
[Mobilizing a large amount of Honkai energy and injecting a harmlessly treated, appropriate amount into the populace using regulation technology developed by the Technical Department based on Shenzhou cultivation methods. This is to artificially increase ordinary people's adaptability to Honkai energy and thereby induce potentially existing Stigmata awakened individuals for recruitment.]
In Theresa's eyes, this was pure nonsense. Cocolia was just finding an excuse to trigger the Third Eruption.
However, as the investigation proceeded, she was surprised to discover:
Secretly, there really was a faction conducting similar activities in Nagazora City!
They used a special technology to conduct wide-area human experiments and then recruited all the Stigmata awakened individuals.
Perhaps thinking that the outbreak of the Third Eruption would cover their tracks, their methods were rather crude, allowing Theresa to catch traces of this group.
It was a special organizational emblem, shaped like a snake biting its own tail.
World Serpent!
Such words popped into Theresa's head.
This term didn't come from nowhere but from a medium-sized faction called the [God of Ouroboros].
The members of this organization were all incomplete Stigmata awakeners. According to them, it was precisely an organization named World Serpent conducting Stigmata awakening experiments all over the globe.
And they were the failed awakening subjects who had escaped from these experiments.
They formed the God of Ouroboros, becoming avengers, swearing to kill these scoundrels who treated human life like grass!
However, regarding this point, most of the world thought these lunatics were just indulging in their own fantasies.
What is a natural Stigmata? An SSR found one in eight million. Just Asakura Miyuki alone was treasured by everyone at St. Freya, and Himeko, a Breaker-class, even stepped forward to take her as a disciple.
You're telling me someone can mass-produce this stuff?
But disbelief aside, Schicksal still established a corresponding file just in case.
Honkai energy is also known as 'Honkai Omnipotence'. In this regard, it's better to believe it exists than not.
"Looking at it now, it seems it might actually be true? Uwah! I feel like I've discovered an incredible secret! Will someone come to assassinate this Principal? I'm really looking forward to it; come quickly."
Having caught the snake's tail, Theresa sat on the desk swinging her little feet, waiting for a possible assassination attempt to confirm World Serpent's existence.
"And those people actually acted secretly under the guise of the Anti-Entropy Reformation faction. Cocolia has traitors among her subordinates!"
Casually setting aside the uploaded data, the girl picked up another file.
This time, it was Fuli's file.
Eight years ago, due to work issues, Theresa rarely returned to Europe during that period.
She had only met Little Fuli a few times and didn't know much about him.
Now that wouldn't do. At least for the sake of the real Kiana, she had to learn more about this super potential stock who had nominally become her fiancé.
"Speaking of which, when fighting the Herrscher of Thunder earlier, a term seemed to pop into my head?"
Theresa scratched her head. "Something like Elysion... Pedion... something..."
Frowning and thinking for a long time, she tossed the file aside.
"Forget it. Since I can't remember, it's not important!"
Knock knock knock!
Just then, a knock sounded on the door.
"It must be student Elysia, who Miyuki said wanted to join St. Freya."
Theresa sat up straight. "Please come in."
...
Unlike Theresa, who threw her brain away to be happy, Bronya was pondering a problem.
"Bronya suddenly realized a problem."
The girl stood on tiptoes. "If the organization is named Hyperion, others might easily confuse us with the Schicksal Far East Branch."
"Don't worry about that."
Leaning against the deck railing, Fuli's lips curled into a confident smile. "I guarantee that one day, when people mention Hyperion, they will only think of us."
When you reach a certain height, the whole world becomes polite to you.
The midday sunlight poured down warmly, draping a golden edge over the boy's white coat. His clean and handsome face was vaguely bathed in a hazy, luminous glow, making him look like a banished immortal from the clouds, sacred and inviolable.
Seeing this, the girls couldn't help but feel a few ripples in their hearts.
For a moment, the deck was silent. Fuli, realizing something was off, broke the silence.
He used the Shadow Trailing Sword to weave an internal structure diagram of the aerial battleship, subtly changing the subject. "Here, everyone choose your own room."
"This Young Miss wants to be next to Mei!"
Kiana shouted, lying on the blueprint to observe carefully.
She pointed to a location slightly to the left of the center. "ME Corp... is this Mei's room?"
"That's right."
The girl nodded. "The research department of Hyperion and also my bedroom, used for developing weapons and conducting various experiments."
Funding, manpower, research, communication with the outside world...
For the establishment of Hyperion, Fuli, as the BOSS, only needed to move his lips. But Mei, the housekeeper, had much more to consider.
As everyone knows, the most profitable business in the world is the arms trade.
With the numerous equipment dismantled from the ME Corp Industrial Park, the supplies exchanged from Theresa, the large amount of assets returned by Cocolia, plus the research technologies from the Previous Era within the Stigmata of Thunder, they had to at least ensure they wouldn't eat through their resources without income.
Besides that, keeping an aerial battleship flying smoothly was a difficulty in itself.
Under normal circumstances, even if most procedures were automated, such a colossal object hundreds of meters in size absolutely required a significant number of personnel to soar freely in the sky.
Mei extended her fingers, listing them one by one: "For example, ultra-large component precision assembly technology, large-scale variable cycle engine matrix control, high-power fixed-axis force field drive, integrated cabin environment circulation, integrated aerial battlefield situation monitoring, high-damage-resistance multi-circuit energy redistribution, ultra-long-range integrated command system, super-mass aircraft takeoff and landing..."
"Master Mei, stop reciting, stop reciting!"
Kiana covered her ears and wailed.
"Then Mei, you...?"
The leader of the Fuli-named organization (theoretically), having shrunk into a corner, spoke timidly.
"It's fine. After studying for a while, I've basically mastered it all."
The girl tucked her hair behind her ear, answering casually.
Fuli: "Like a demon lord descending from heaven, truly a Taisui God among men!"
Kiana: "This Mei! Awesome (voice crack)!"
"Hmph."
A cold snort came from her delicate nose, but from the upturned corners of her lips, it was clear that Mei was quite happy to be praised by her close friends.
Bronya's gaze swept over the map, seemingly asking casually, "Is the room next to ME Corp the BOSS's?"
"I chose it for him."
Mei said flatly, "My thinking becomes unusually active when I'm near him. This is conducive to research and various experiments."
This statement, tantamount to a confession, made Kiana pause. Even Bronya cast a teasing look at her cheap brother, as if joking: Onii-chan, how are you going to dodge this time?
"That's very normal."
Fuli was quite calm. "Learn about [Grand Time-Robbing Gift]."
He took the opportunity to introduce his passive permanent A-Rank skill to the girls. "If it weren't for this, how would I dare boast about robbing an aerial battleship and running around?"
With this thing, even without Mei, scientific research talents could be cultivated at the fastest speed.
Logistics, maintenance, and supplies could be provided by Theresa, which was also part of the previous deal.
Mei, having been checkmated without a trace, puffed her cheeks slightly.
Bronya's gaze toward Fuli instantly solidified.
"BOSS."
She was incredibly serious. "You must not tell anyone other than us about this thing!"
Such a cheat-like large-scale development aura would make even Schicksal and Anti-Entropy drool. If this news were leaked, Fuli would definitely be taken back by experts sent by them, never to escape control for the rest of his life!
He might even be knocked down and made into a breeding slave, used to produce descendants who also possessed [Grand Time-Robbing Gift] with excellent mothers!
"Don't worry."
Fuli winked his left eye at her. "If it weren't for the fact that only the three of you are here, I wouldn't have mentioned this under any circumstances."
The girl nodded slightly, then quietly turned her little head away, no longer looking at her cheap brother's sunny smiling face.
Sincerity is indeed a finishing move.
Even if the move is old, this feeling of being entrusted with someone's life and fortune is truly super effective when both sides belong to the same camp.
Seeing the great atmosphere between the 'siblings', Kiana rested her chin on her hand and interrupted with utter incomprehension, "Thinking becomes active when close to Ah-Li? Why doesn't this Young Miss feel it?"
Fuli's tsukkomi soul immediately rose up. "An idiot is still an idiot no matter how active they get."
"True."
This time Kiana didn't retort. Instead, she pointed to a spot next to the training room on the map. "This Young Miss will choose a room right here! Ah-Li and Mei handle the brains, I'll handle the execution, fighting, and action!"
Bronya silently pointed to the spot next to hers. The Silver Wolf of the Urals, coming from a military organization, didn't plan to let her body rust.
Seeing this, Fuli decided, "Then go check out your respective rooms first. If you think the space is too small, come find Mei to expand it."
"OJBK!"
The large white-haired husky ran happily towards the bridge. Halfway there, she doubled back and grabbed Bronya, who was standing aside.
The girl, lifted up in a whirlwind, rolled her DHA-rich eyes (ᗜ˰ ᗜ), allowing her body to be dragged straight by Kiana's monstrous strength, parallel to the ground like a kite in mid-air.
"Then let's go too."
Fuli said to Mei beside him, "It's actually quite rare that Kiana didn't choose the other side of your room but chose to be next to the training room."
The girl said softly, "People grow."
"I still think it would be good if she could stay carefree like this forever."
Fuli sighed, suddenly realizing he sounded a bit like an old father worrying about his daughter's future.
And if he was the old father, wouldn't Kiana's old mother be...
He looked sideways, and sure enough, met Mei's eyes staring silently at his face.
"Anyway, let's go organize the room first."
Fuli coughed lightly, quickening his pace to take the elevator leaving the battleship deck.
The sea breeze brushed past the girl's hair flowing like a galaxy, her pale hand tucking away the stray strands at her temples.
"Hmph."
Reflecting the big boy's slightly flustered back in her beautiful eyes, Mei let out a soft laugh of unclear meaning between the sky and the sea.
...
Following the signs in the corridor, Fuli took many turns inside the aerial battleship renamed Hyperion, finally arriving at the room Mei had chosen for him.
He opened the door and walked in, finding everything had been tidied up cleanly.
Modern style, a large flat of over two hundred square meters. Gaming area, weapon rack, collection cabinet, wardrobe, shoe cabinet, bookshelf—everything was there. It had obviously been expanded via Jizo Mitama.
Facing the front was a floor-to-ceiling window with great lighting. To the left of the entrance was an integrated bathroom with a temperature-controlled bathtub.
The room was also filled with the scent of gardenias, a fragrance left by Mei when she organized the room.
"Alright."
Fuli shrugged and walked to the window.
After hesitating, he abandoned the idea of opening the window for ventilation and turned to place the remaining hilt of Mikazuki on the collection cabinet.
Looking at the temporarily empty cabinet, he had a premonition that the weapons he would break in the future would surely fill this place up.
Then he turned and sat cross-legged on the bed to meditate.
Peerless Nine Turns was a cultivation technique given to him by his cousin Hua, who introduced him to the Honkai side in his previous life. It was created by two of the Seven Swords of Mount Taixuan five hundred years ago.
Using the dantian as the primer and the meridians as the cauldron, it guided Honkai energy to travel through the whole body, strengthening the flesh and organs.
The internal cultivation had nine layers, called Nine Turns. Breaking through each layer meant a complete transformation and a great advance in power.
Fuli's rebirth date was March 25th. It was now March 29th, after the end of the Third Eruption.
In the previous loop, he had cultivated Peerless Nine Turns to the Seventh Turn. Since his rebirth, only four days had passed. In such haste, he shouldn't have had time to cultivate this technique.
But who told him to wear the God-King Mask?
Similar to how Kakarot gradually absorbed the realm of [God] while fighting the God of Destruction Beerus after becoming a Super Saiyan God for the first time, Fuli also instinctively operated Peerless Nine Turns during the extreme confrontation with the Herrscher of Thunder.
With the Breaker-class physical sensation, the pressure of a crushing-level enemy, the massive devouring of external Honkai energy by the Human Immortal Dao, and the blessing of cultivation experience from the previous loop, he had now skipped the first four layers of Peerless Nine Turns and reached the Fifth Turn.
Now, even without activating the Demon Blade Shiranui, he wouldn't be almost head-crushed by Kiana's play-for-a-year beautiful legs like before if he wasn't careful.
He could have fun with Valkyries normally without worrying about being sat to death when the woman reached the climax. In short, he had a permanent A-Rank combat power.
As for simulating and transcribing Honkai Beast organs in his body, that wasn't something that could be done overnight.
And since he was reborn, Fuli didn't plan to choose some lower-level Honkai Beasts to simulate like in the previous loop.
Back then, he had no choice. Since he had a choice this time, he wanted the best!
For example, he was very envious of the Vishnu factor in Theresa's body.
Devouring evolution sounded like it had infinite potential.
And Garuda's super regeneration. In the previous loop, Cousin Hua got it from somewhere unknown; this time he probably had to ask her for it.
Shesha's resurrection from death sounded even better. Unfortunately, he heard the corpse sank into the Pacific Ocean; otherwise, he could have salvaged it.
However, obtaining all Stigmata corresponding to the Herrschers could theoretically make one the Herrscher of Finality. If he then obtained the characteristics of Honkai Beasts and combined the two, what could he create?
Fuli thought about it, realized he couldn't imagine it, so he stopped thinking about it for now.
Speaking of devouring, Fuli's other gain this time was the advancement of the Human Immortal Dao.
Generally speaking, cultivation techniques require time and dedicated practice to gradually achieve the recorded effects.
But him? He hadn't even practiced the Human Immortal Dao much, yet he had expanded another specious application method.
Bang bang bang!
"Ah-Li, are you there, are you there, are you there? Stop cooping yourself up in the room! Let's go explore Mei's ME Corp together! Also, I'm so hungry, do you have food? The sea is so big, this Young Miss wants to eat fish!"
The knocking on the door interrupted the boy's thoughts, and the words spoken were super in character.
Fuli opened his eyes, got up, and opened the door. In a moment of inattention, he was dragged by the frolicking Kiana to the door of ME Corp across the hall.
Bronya, who God knows what kind of torture she had endured during this time, met his eyes and said exhaustedly, "Brother, Bronya is hungry too."
Calling him 'Onii-chan' now, truly miserable.
"I do have food, and it happens to be fish."
When the battleship left the Far East earlier, Fuli had mimicked a fishing net with the Shadow Trailing Sword and dragged it behind the ship to fish.
The Pacific Ocean is so big with so many species; there had to be a few unlucky ones caught in the net.
Kiana drooled upon hearing this. "The Shadow Trailing Sword is so convenient! This Young Miss wants to learn too!"
"It's not that I can't teach you, mostly afraid you won't learn it."
"No problem, I will study as hard as I am horny!"
(TL Note: The original Chinese phrase plays on "Hao Se" (Lustful) and "Hao Xue" (Studious). Kiana claims she will be as studious as she is lustful.)
Bronya was speechless. "That's actually really reliable."
Fuli didn't dwell on this. "By the way, how are the rooms you chose?"
"Ah! Speaking of this!"
Hearing this, Kiana hurriedly ran to the door of ME Corp and banged on it. "Mei! Mei, come out quickly! My room actually has no windows! And Bronya, who has a window, won't give hers to me. This guy is so bad, so bad!"
"Bronya is just protecting her own rights. If you want to blame someone, blame Idiot Kiana for making a wrong move."
It seems even a European Emperor (someone with great luck) can't be lucky in everything.
Fuli thought to himself.
Kiana continued knocking. "Think of something, Mei-emon! If I sleep in a windowless room, my looks, my figure, my social etiquette, my beautiful character and personality, even my soul will be ruined!"
...