The ripples from the Gate of a Hundred Worlds had yet to settle when Fuli planted his feet firmly on foreign soil.
Cold River Reflecting the Moon expanded his sensory perception, projecting a crisp, three-dimensional map of his surroundings directly into his mind.
Under the bright moonlight, the classical symmetry of towering stone architecture revealed itself. A quiet, gravel-paved walkway extended beneath carved archways, flanked by manicured rose labyrinths. In the center of the courtyard, a bronze fountain splashed rhythmically.
There was an eight-hour time difference between Sapphire City and the British Isles. Crossing half the planet in an instant to arrive at this Royal Manor in London caused a momentary lapse in Fuli's sense of time and space.
He exhaled softly, steadying his mind, and cast his gaze toward a petite figure standing nearby.
Trinnon stood quietly beside the fountain. The moonlight gilded her short hair with silver. Her bangs obscured the upper half of her face, but as the strands shifted, the clear, water-like eye beneath her eyepatch revealed itself, gazing up at him with obedient silence.
"It was you who helped with the coordinates, Trinnon? Thanks a lot. Come here, give me a hug."
Fuli's lips curved into a smile as he bent down and opened his arms.
"Mhm. Hug."
The little girl didn't reject his intimacy. She let the young man pull her into his embrace, even actively nuzzling her cool little face against his cheek, like a small animal finding a patch of warm sun in winter.
After he set her down, she whispered, "Tribios is in the guest room."
"Not asleep at this hour? Is she preparing to discuss the official knighthood ceremony?"
"Yes."
Following the "White Moon over the Fog Capital" incident, the massive Bubble Universe that had descended upon Great Britain was registered under Lord Fuli's name. In exchange, the British government was required to provide a certain amount of dividends to the Hyperion at regular intervals.
However, as previously mentioned, Lord Fuli's title of "British Lord" was something he had originally bought on Taobao for a little over a thousand RMB. The actual territory covered a total area of less than one square meter.
Never mind the noble lords in the House of Lords; even Fuli himself felt it was a bit of a farce.
Consequently, Tribios had taken it upon herself to manage the logistics of Fuli's knighthood. However, the most critical part—the dubbing ceremony—required the recipient to be present in person.
The rank would be Earl.
One of the oldest peerages, ranking third among Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, and Baron. Historically, they were responsible for the administration of shires or counties.
Generally, these titles were hereditary, and new creations required the Monarch's approval.
Thinking of this, Fuli couldn't help but chuckle. "So, I'm finally becoming a high-class gentleman of the Union Jack."
"Very impressive."
Trinnon nodded gently, turning to lead the way.
She took two steps, then stopped as if remembering something. She turned back, looking like she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Noticing the girl's hesitation, he ruffled her short hair. "I know it's mostly a symbolic life peerage. I was just joking around, don't take it to heart."
A life peerage meant the title wasn't hereditary; it couldn't be passed down to the next generation.
However, if one were to marry a Royal Princess destined for the throne...
Trinnon's face flushed slightly as she turned back around, continuing to lead the way.
Fuli followed, the gravel crunching softly beneath his feet.
Just as they bypassed the central bronze fountain, Prometheus's avatar popped up on his retina.
Her cheeks were puffed out, and her scarlet eyes stared straight at him—a look that screamed, [This baby has something to say.]
What's wrong, baby?
Fuli was quick on the uptake and immediately responded mentally.
[I feel like the Host has scammed me.]
The little one launched her complaint.
Huh? Scammed you about what?
[The Host said before that when you were A-Rank, you could crush three B-Rank Valkyries, stalemate against five, barely hold on against seven, and if there were more than ten, you'd run away without a second thought.]
She flipped through the chat logs at high speed. [But just now, the Host fought alone against a triple-digit number of A-Rank City Gods and defeated them repeatedly with ease. Your breathing didn't even become disordered.]
And that makes you feel scammed?
Fuli was stuck between laughter and tears. I'm innocent, my treasure! That was a hypothesis based on my configuration at the time. You have to look at what kind of loadout I had when I told you that.
Back then, his only A-Rank skill was Divine Departure, which penetrated shields but added zero attack power. Aside from that, the only thing he had worth showing off was the Shadow-Trailing Sword.
Why was he so good with the Shadow-Trailing Sword? Because he didn't want to use other skills? No, it was because he didn't have other skills!
His Peerless Nine Turns cultivation was half-baked, and his only decent Meta-Morph organ was the Garuda genes he'd mooched off Cousin Hua. Everything else was roadside trash.
That configuration was like "Miss Headless-Ghost-With-No-Last-Name" from the Underworld in that neighboring Star Rail game—no matter how good your mechanics are, if your skill multipliers and base stats can't keep up, what's the difference between slashing an enemy and giving them a massage?
But now?
Human Immortal Dao!
Outer ways!
The Deliverer of Divine Revelation!
Invincible Golden Armor!
Various Stigmata sequences imprinted by Jizo Mitama!
Even the Key of Corruption itself!
He had more A-Rank skills than he could count on two hands, and that wasn't even including super-skills like the Setsuna Blade combo, which had a power level of S-Rank or higher, with each component being at least A-Rank on its own!
Furthermore, Fuli's combat sense had been increasing—madly, wildly increasing—rather than him simply resting on the laurels of his previous life.
Fighting the Herrscher of Thunder in the Third Eruption, the repeated clashes burning the 3rd Divine Key, the deathmatch with the Nazi remnants in the Fog Capital, the struggle against the Eternal Heaven in the Kanas incident... which of these hadn't been a dance on the edge of life and death? The combat experience he had accumulated was naturally piling up.
Even so, during his first encounter with the Lake Saints, despite being a "Broken" A-Rank, he had nearly been overturned by the combined strike of ten of them. This undoubtedly proved that his initial formula had a very low error rate.
The most important point is that the current me is 'Critical Grade', Fuli emphasized. A-Rank and Critical Grade are two different concepts. The latter's stats simply crush the former. It's an all-around, no-blind-spot domination.
Prometheus thought about it for a moment. It seemed to make sense.
Immunity to various percentage-based damage, possessing not only mechanics but also stat superiority, plus using his brain, and having an extremely high growth rate.
If a boss of the same type as her Host appeared in a game, the stats designer's mother would be cursed into the stratosphere by the players. He was a pure "BS Monster."
Realizing Fuli hadn't lied to her, the little AI became happy again and started floating around his retina, looking utterly adorable.
Having won the debate against Prometheus, the boy relaxed, but an image of the City Gods' numb, defeated eyes flashed through his mind.
He suddenly felt a bit awkward. Was I a little too harsh on them earlier?
[Is the Host only now realizing his standards are too high?]
Prometheus roasted him quietly, but considering he was a certified mental patient with a doctor's note, she silently added: [Forget it. Paranoia is a symptom of the illness. Can't blame my Host.]
Fuli struggled with it for a moment before deciding to drop it. True powerhouses often grow stronger with every setback. If some of them wanted to give up and rot, let them rot. He wasn't their dad or mom.
---||---
During their conversation, Trinnon had led him to a heavy, carved wooden door.
From behind the slightly ajar door came the faint sounds of elegant classical music and a woman's light laughter.
Someone else is visiting at this hour besides me?
Fuli wondered as he followed Trinnon into the room.
Bathed in warm yellow light, the room was a salon decorated in an extremely luxurious Baroque style.
Tribios sat primly on a velvet armchair on the left, conversing with the person opposite her.
Her conversation partner was an impeccable beauty.
Wine-red hair flowed over her shoulders like satin, gleaming intoxicatingly under the lights. Her gilded eyes seemed to hold melted honey—a depth and languor that came from seeing all the world's prosperity.
She wore a deep purple evening gown woven like twilight. Lace cutouts at the chest partially veiled her ample curves, while intricate gold embroidery wound around the fabric, outlining a breathtaking silhouette.
She leaned elegantly against the velvet chair, her crossed legs clad in black silk sliding out from the slit of her dress. A sexy boot tapped lightly against the floor, the click of the heel trailing a lazy resonance.
It's her?
Fuli blinked.
He recognized this person. Or rather, like Robin, there were very few people in civilized society who didn't recognize this great artist crowned with the title of "Gold."
Fuli had a deep impression of her because, both in his previous life and after his rebirth, his own little aunt—who loved joining in on the fun—had contacted him through the "We Are A Loving Family" group chat specifically to ask him to buy plane tickets and concert tickets for her tour in Nagazora City.
But how should he put this?
He had just fought side-by-side with Robin, and now he was bumping into the superstar Eden in London. If those die-hard fans found out about this luck, they'd probably want to tear Fuli apart and take his place.
Looking back, little Trinnon had already slipped away to who-knows-where.
Glancing at the unfinished crystal wine glass on the coffee table, he shrugged. "Did I come at a bad time?"
"No, perfect timing."
Perhaps her meeting with Tribios had concluded, or perhaps the content of their conversation wasn't meant for a third party.
Eden stood up on her own initiative and walked slowly toward Fuli, her eyes holding scrutiny and a trace of imperceptible interest.
"Mr. Fuli, it is a pleasure to meet you."
She spoke first, extending a soft, well-defined hand toward him. "I heard Ely mention you. She has always been very fond of you."
Fuli, shaking her hand politely, was surprised. "You two are acquaintances?"
"We've known each other for a long time."
A shallow smile touched the beauty's lips, her tone revealing nostalgia.
Then why did she need me to buy tickets for your concert—oh, I get it. She planned to surprise her old friend. That's definitely something my little aunt would do.
Fuli quietly roasted her in his mind.
"How about we exchange contact information?" Eden asked naturally as she withdrew her hand. "There might be opportunities to collaborate in the future."
"No problem."
Fuli took out a dark gold, metallic business card from his pocket.
Eden accepted it with a smile and placed it in her clutch.
As they passed each other, a whisper so faint it was almost inaudible drifted into the boy's ear:
"Thank you for taking care of Bronya."
Bronya? They know each other?
Fuli stared at her retreating back in surprise.
He quickly withdrew his gaze and focused on Tribios, who had risen to welcome him.
"The Gate of a Hundred Worlds was a huge help. I specifically used the Immortal gyrfalcon's teleportation as a cover; it should be very difficult for them to track the real coordinates."
"Is that so? Please, sit."
Her Highness the Princess's voice seemed softer than usual, and one of her hands pressed unconsciously against her full chest.
Her fair cheeks were flushed with a thin layer of red under the light, and her expression held a trace of imperceptible constraint.
Fuli figured it was because they hadn't met many times and weren't very familiar yet. Once she realized what kind of mental case he was, she'd probably be fine.
He sat down in the seat Eden had vacated. A scent of mild intoxication, mixed with top-tier wine and a cold, elegant fragrance, wafted over him.
She drank quite a bit, huh.
Muttering to himself, he was just about to discuss the knighthood when he glimpsed the video playing on the coffee table.
On the screen, a black-haired boy wielded a long sword, moving like a ghost through a tide of enemies. Every swing of his blade precisely dismantled his opponents using their own signature moves, launching a reverse massacre against an enemy force that vastly outnumbered him.
The subject of the video was startled and leaned in involuntarily. "Wait, isn't this...?"
"Yes, it is your heroic figure fighting in Sapphire City just now."
Seeing him lean closer, Tribios's breathing became even more rapid. Her fingers curled slightly where they pressed against her chest, and her long legs beneath her skirt pressed together unconsciously.
"It's already circulating on the dark web in such a short time?" Immersed in the combat footage, Fuli didn't notice the details. He rubbed his chin. "And this includes multiple angles, even a first-person perspective. These paparazzi are capable and efficient."
He leaned closer to the screen to check the uploader's ID—Information Broker Alice.
Fuck!
The mole is right beside me!
Unbeknownst to him, far away at St. Freya, Houraiji Kyuusyou was laughing heartily at the skyrocketing subscription numbers, remarking that this trip to Sapphire City to help Divine Departure wasn't a waste of time.
"That Alice... she really has a head for business."
Fuli shook his head helplessly, withdrawing his gaze. He planned to discuss the dividend sharing for the Bubble Universe development later.
Last time, he sent Mei to negotiate, and the girl had exchanged all the profits for scientific research data.
Even though Mei looked incredibly cute shaking her head with an armful of documents—full of gap moe—they couldn't keep doing that.
But this time, when he looked up, he met Tribios's watery gaze.
Those eyes, blue as the Aegean Sea, were misty and shimmering. Within them surged heat, desire, shame, and a palpitation almost on the brink of losing control.
Confirming that the heavy salon doors were closed and that Eden and Trinnon had long since left, she finally couldn't suppress the madness of her body and soul. Like a swallow returning to its nest, she threw herself into Fuli's arms!
"Hey! Hey! Whoa there!"
The victim was scared out of his wits by this sudden tackle. His hands shot up reflexively, performing a standard French military salute to demonstrate his innocence. "Your Highness, what are you doing? Men and women shouldn't touch like this!"
"I-I'm sorry!" Tribios buried her entire face in Fuli's shoulder. Her scorching breath sprayed against his neck, her trembling voice filled with sobs and extreme embarrassment. "I know this is wrong... but... but I can't control myself!"
The source of everything traced back to the hot spring spa trip after the "White Moon over the Fog Capital" event.
At that time, due to the Sesa Factor, Fuli had temporarily regressed into a child. While wandering blindly around the hot spring area, he was mistaken for a lost child by a passing Tribbie, who kindly took him to the ancient Roman baths where Theresa and Tribios were.
The little Fuli of that time was carved from powder and jade, his milky voice and appearance enough to ignite the fighting spirit of any shota-con.
Coupled with the fact that he had helped solve the thorny Nazi remnants, Tribios—with a mix of playfulness and gratitude, and right in front of Theresa, his fiancée—had planted a firm kiss on little Fuli's soft cheek. Then, she had buried his head into her astonishingly soft front armor.
Feeling like he was about to drown in that gentle tomb, the boy, with limbs devoid of strength, summoned his last ounce of energy, opened his mouth, and bit the nearest soft, solid white bun, leaving a clear dental imprint.
At first, Tribios thought it was just a child's playfulness and paid little attention to the small mark.
Unexpectedly, as time passed, the location where she was attacked began to behave strangely.
During the day, she could endure it. But whenever the night was quiet, a bone-deep numbness and an indescribable emptiness and burning sensation would surge like a tide, making her toss and turn, unable to control herself.
After countless nights tormented by alternating fits of madness and shame, she finally couldn't take it anymore.
Taking advantage of Fuli's arrival for the knighthood, she summoned her courage in the dead of night within the manor's depths to bare this unspeakable suffering to him, like a saintess praying for a god's salvation.
"So that's it."
Fuli, still holding his French salute, looked down at the Princess in his arms. The beauty's seductive appearance as she exhaled orchid-scented breath invoked pity, and the tearful light in the corners of her eyes was enough to awaken a sadist's urge in anyone.
He understood. Tribios was like this because she had triggered the 2nd Output: Forbidden Brand of Jizo Mitama.
Wounds caused by the wielder of the Key of Corruption would not heal naturally; instead, they would expand over time. Unless Fuli agreed, conventional curse-breaking or healing methods were ineffective against this 2nd Output.
That a bite mark counted as a "wound" was frankly a bit hard to swallow.
The key was that Divine Keys held a certain "imperial status" in the Honkai world.
Great Britain wasn't the empire on which the sun never set anymore. The Royal Family, who had nearly been stripped of their seat in the Schicksal Overseer Council, had no power to resist a curse of this level.
Okay, the awkward location of the injury played a big part, too.
Having understood the situation, Fuli scratched his head awkwardly, wondering if this counted as lèse-majesté in some sense.
"Leave it to me."
He took a deep breath, trying hard to ignore the sensation of warm, fragrant jade in his arms and the rich body scent lingering at the tip of his nose. He carefully freed one hand and covered the spot where Tribios was injured.
Even through the exquisite fabric of her white suit, he felt the astonishing softness and heat.
He quickly concentrated, mobilizing the authority of Jizo Mitama.
"Revoke!"
He waited expectantly for a moment. No reaction.
"Haa... W-Why?"
Her Highness let out a short, sweet gasp. Her body trembled sensitively as she looked up, her watery blue eyes filled with shock and deeper desire.
[It must be because the brand has existed for too long. It has deeply integrated with the origin of her soul.]
Dr. MEI's slightly gloating voice rang in Fuli's mind.
[After all, it IS the Key of Corruption.]
Her attitude was subtle.
Fuli braced himself and repeated the conclusion.
Tribios revealed a somewhat broken expression. It was as if her bones had been removed; she slumped softly into his embrace. "T-Then what should I do? I really..."
I really can't take it anymore!
Hehehe, you smell so good, Lord Fuli.
[It's not like there's no way.]
Dr. MEI thought for a moment and added leisurely: [If this were the past, Host, you'd probably have to watch this noble Princess be tortured by the brand until she broke, or show great mercy and use your '28-centimeter special medicine' to quench her thirst physically.]
"..."
[But now, since Jizo Mitama has awakened its 1st Output, you can utilize the power of the Star Saint Path. Like performing precision surgery, you can extract the Forbidden Brand deep within the soul bit by bit, eventually peeling it off completely.]
"It's not hopeless! Listen to me!"
Seeing that he was about to be reverse-pushed by Tribios, whose pupils had turned into heart shapes, Fuli ignored the doctor's commentary and quickly explained the solution.
[However, a single session won't be enough. Surgery involving the soul requires meticulous care. Given this level of corruption, you might need to go back and forth, repeating the treatment a hundred or eighty times to eradicate it.]
"Furthermore, just once or twice isn't enough; it might take a hundred or eighty times to—wait a minute!"
Fuli's voice pitched up, and his vision went dark.
Robin and Wendy had each endured it once, and their reactions had been life-or-death intense. Could the woman in front of him handle that kind of torment?
[It's better than having her soul completely hollowed out by the brand, turning into a walking corpse that craves the Host's energy—yes, craves YOUR energy—right? Choose the lesser of two evils.]
Dr. MEI maintained her detached attitude, though her lovely brows held a hint of anticipation for a good show.
"Tch, fine."
Looking at the beautiful face in his arms, tear-stained and full of pleading, Fuli hardened his heart. He explained the effects of the Star Saint Path, the likely intense reactions, and the scalp-numbing number of treatment sessions required.
Finally, he asked, "Do you want to start the extraction? Now? Right here?"
His gaze swept over the ornate salon, filled with ambiguity and classical atmosphere.
Presumably because the meeting with Eden had been very important, Tribios was dressed extremely formally and solemnly.
Her flame-red hair draped smoothly over her shoulders, adorned with a delicate white camellia.
Her azure eyes were like the purest marine gems, forming a breathtaking contrast with her passionate hair color.
She wore a perfectly tailored white worsted suit that outlined her elegant yet sexy curves, paired with ultra-thin black silk stockings that revealed the luster of her skin and shiny silver stilettos. Her overall temperament was fresh and refined, like a spirit blooming quietly under the moonlight.
As a result, the thought of this extreme dignity, sanctity, elegance, and charm completely collapsing during the upcoming "healing" created a blood-pumping temptation.
Meanwhile, after hearing everything, Tribios bit her lower lip tightly, almost drawing blood.
She lifted her teary, hazy eyes to meet Fuli's questioning gaze.
In the end, shame and the will to survive intertwined into a decision that was as faint as a mosquito's buzz yet incomparably clear:
"Go... go to my room!"
"And please—you must not let a third person know!"
---||---
"Hum~ hum~ hum~ la~ la~ la~"
Deep in the hallway, Trianne walked with a light, skipping step.
Hearing that Fuli had come to the manor, the little girl was as happy as... well, a little girl. Treasuring a bag of freshly baked cookies, she planned to give him a surprise.
She skipped up to the ornate oak door of Tribios's bedroom. Just as she was about to raise her hand to knock, she discovered the door was left a crack open.
Under the warm yellow light, an indescribable, suppressed, yet sweet "celestial sound" drifted out from the gap.
Driven by curiosity, Trianne held her breath and carefully put her eye to the crack.
Inside the room, the light was dim.
Her Highness the Princess, seemingly in a strange state, was barely covered by a thin blanket. Her beautiful face, usually too perfect to be human, was covered in an abnormal flush—or perhaps, the lingering afterglow of one.
Her long wine-red hair was soaked with sweat, strands sticking to her smooth forehead and creamy white shoulders.
Those usually clear and wise blue eyes were now covered in a layer of hazy mist. Her gaze was unfocused, yet within that blur, it revealed a fatal allure capable of burning away all reason.
Even Trianne, a girl herself, was stunned into stillness by this breathtaking scene, her mind going blank.
"Sir Knight... please, again..."
Tribios let out an exhausted yet bone-deeply languid, seductive moan. She lifted her swan-like white neck toward the figure standing in the center of the room, back turned to her.
She licked her lips and pleaded in a sugary voice Trianne had never heard before—one that could melt steel: "Please..."
Fuli, who had specifically moved away to demonstrate his innocence, was distressed.
He turned around, his response containing a hint of helplessness and a tiny, imperceptible shred of excitement. "This is already the seventh time, right? Looking at your mental state, Your Highness, it doesn't seem too good. Do we really need to continue?"
"C-Continue... but... please be a little more gentle, Sir Knight... Nngh... I beg you..."
Please be gentle?
Please do it more times!
"Alright."
Fuli stepped forward, striding once again toward Tribios in the corner of the room.
Star Saint Path, Activate!
"!!!"
At the door, Trianne's face went pale. She stumbled, taking a violent step back.
They... they are in the room doing something that requires seven times and still needs to continue?!
The girl covered her mouth in disbelief. Her large azure eyes instantly filled with shock, confusion, grievance, and tears of a collapsing worldview.