After giving a rough overview of the various background settings of the Marvel world, Tsuda Takao continued, telling Snakey what he and the others had seen and experienced since arriving here.
Mobius's languid, teasing posture gradually tightened as she listened to Takao describe how Samuel Sterns—"Leader"—had ambushed him with psychic powers. Her emerald eyes narrowed slightly. The finger that had been tracing slow circles on Takao's body came to a stop, and a faint, almost imperceptible chill of danger seeped from her.
"Oh?" Her voice still carried that distinctive cadence, but the warmth in it dropped several degrees—like a venomous serpent's hiss just before it strikes. "A defective knockoff that can't even fully control its own mutation dares to set its sights on my most important 'lab rat'?"
Her gaze sharpened, and the air around her turned colder.
"It seems I was far too 'gentle' before. I let some things that don't know their place start getting the wrong idea."
She straightened, studying Takao with a keen, assessing look—as if evaluating a precious yet fragile experimental instrument.
"No. Absolutely not." She shook her head, decision unyielding. "My dear host, your current state is like a bare, unprotected primitive cell. The tiniest external stimulus could 'inactivate' you. The system's binding guarantees our 'loyalty,' but it doesn't guarantee your absolute safety. As my most valuable observation subject and… hm, partner, your security must be protected at the highest level."
She raised three gloved fingers and waved them in front of Takao.
"Based on the current environment and your own 'baseline qualities,' I've mapped out three possible 'evolution' routes for you. Naturally, each has pros and cons. You'll have to weigh them yourself, my little lab rat~"
Route One: Life Weaving — The MANTIS (Fusion Warrior) Path
"This is my most familiar field, and the one that solves the problem at its root." A gleam belonging to a top-tier biologist flashed in Mobius's eyes. "We'll use Honkai energy—or a comparable higher-order energy in this universe—to perform targeted gene editing and optimization on you. We can implant 'de-toxified' gene fragments from various powerhouses or mutants, or simulate portions of Herrscher Authority. If it succeeds, you'll gain unimaginable physical capabilities, recovery, lifespan, and you may even awaken a unique 'superpower.'"
She paused. A faint arc of eerie green Honkai energy flickered at her fingertips.
"Advantages: once successful, the power comes from within. It answers to your will, with enormous potential. Disadvantages: the process… may be a bit 'stimulating.' There's some risk of rejection and loss of control. It requires an extremely strong will—and your appearance may undergo some… hm, interesting 'minor adjustments.'"
She smiled meaningfully, as if looking forward to Takao turning into something like a half-human, half-snake form—or something even more exotic.
Route Two: Iron Bastion — The Nano-Armor Proliferation Path
"Since that little tin man is already pushing in this direction, we can naturally go much further." Mobius gestured toward the garage. "Not his crude swarm of 'mechanical ants,' but a true bio-mechanical symbiote."
"I can design a special nanounit. It won't just form armor—it will connect directly to your nerve endings, permeate your muscles, bones, and even parts of your circulatory system. In peacetime, it lies dormant inside you. When needed, it blankets your entire body in an instant. It becomes part of you, able to reshape itself with a thought—providing comprehensive protection and strength amplification, and even possessing the ability to learn and evolve."
She lightly tapped Takao's arm, as if injecting the very concept into him.
"Advantages: rapid combat readiness, full-spectrum protection, excellent compatibility with the tech side. Disadvantages: it depends on external energy and maintenance, there's a risk of interference from superior hacking techniques (the probability is extremely low), and the initial production cost will be… very 'impressive.'"
Route Three: Imaginary Whispers — The Magic Contract Path
"This world's rules seem to allow a… hm, rather opportunistic form of power." Mobius's expression turned subtle, carrying a scientist's scrutiny toward irrational domains. "Through specific knowledge, rituals, or contracts with certain higher-dimensional entities, you can borrow power at the level of rules themselves."
"For example, that 'Dormammu' or 'Mephisto' you mentioned—both extremely dangerous, but their 'power essence' is worth studying."
She leaned close, lowering her voice into something temptingly intimate.
"Advantages: the abilities may be extremely strange and powerful, involving higher rules like causality and spacetime—hard to defend against. Disadvantages: the price is often brutally heavy. The knowledge itself may be contaminating, making it easy to lose yourself. And you must constantly guard against the traps and backlash behind the contract. It's a dangerous, mad path, my little lab rat—like dancing on the edge of a cliff."
After outlining the three routes, Mobius leaned back, regaining her lazy posture, emerald eyes calmly observing Takao's reaction.
"So, my dear little lab rat—what interests you most? Embracing inner biological evolution, harnessing external mechanical might, or… peering into dangerous forbidden knowledge?" She chuckled softly. "Of course, this isn't strictly a single-choice question. In theory, the three are not entirely mutually exclusive—but if you try to combine them, the effort required and the risks you'll bear will increase exponentially~"
Takao fell into deep thought.
The three routes Mobius proposed practically covered the mainstream power systems of the Marvel world: mutation, technology, and magic. Each promised a powerful future—and each was lined with thorns. He knew this choice would heavily shape how he survived here, and what kind of combat style he would develop.
Skadi seemed to understand that Takao was facing an important decision. She no longer paid attention to Mobius's provocation. Instead, she hugged Takao's arm tighter, ice-blue eyes filled with reliance and support—as if telling him that no matter which path he chose, she would stay by his side and protect him in her own way.
Mobius watched the two of them leaning together, a faint curve lifting at the corner of her mouth.
Takao's strengthening plan was now officially on the agenda. No matter which route he ultimately chose, she would turn the process into the most thrilling "experiment." And she—Mobius, the Infinity Serpent—would be the most authoritative "mentor" in this evolution experiment, and… the most dangerous "catalyst."
(End of Chapter)
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