Shortly after you took Mei to the concert, Mei was invited to the Mu Continent to present an academic paper.
You couldn’t help but sigh, the efficiency was just too high.
At the same time, just as you expected, Mei’s lecture on the Mu Continent attracted the attention of the Flame-Chasers.
Following this, Mei accepted the invitation of the Flame-Chasers—or rather, Mobius—and joined them.
You took the opportunity to join Mobius’s research institute, requesting the status of an external staff member with the clearance to act freely.
While you were at it, you handed the core of the Herrscher of Reason in your possession to Mobius for research.
After all, you had conducted sufficient research on the core of the Herrscher of Reason over the years.
Furthermore, keeping this core made you occasionally feel the urge to ascend to the seat of the Herrscher of Reason.
But you wouldn’t court death.
Honestly speaking, apart from the very first Herrscher of the Previous Era, all the others were true Apostles of Honkai.
And the birth of that very first one could be called a miracle.
Therefore, you felt it would be better to let this core serve its final purpose and have Vill-V forge it into the First Divine Key—Void Archives.
Speaking of Vill-V, you asked Mobius about her and found that she hadn’t joined the Flame-Chasers yet.
However, in your memory, that Genius Damselette was about to join, or rather, be imprisoned by the Flame-Chasers.
And this could only be attributed to her being too much of a Genius.
Because she wanted to fake the identity of a Mechanical Dynamics student, she finished the Advanced Mechanical Dynamics course curriculum in just three months.
Afterward, to pass the time, she began investigating Honkai.
She became aware of the existence of the Flame-Chasers.
And she used her mechanical creations—some thumb-sized drones—to begin investigating the Flame-Chasers.
Due to some misunderstanding, Vill-V believed that these Honkai events were all caused by the Flame-Chasers.
She then started hacking the Flame-Chasers, even managing to infiltrate the organization’s headquarters and Mobius’s laboratory.
But the Flame-Chasers was no ordinary organization; while Vill-V was investigating, they showed up and performed a “physical submission.”
It was Elysia who happened to catch Vill-V.
As for the location?!
Thinking of this, you suddenly froze, because you realized that Vill-V had been hiding in Sundown Alley when she was caught by Ely.
You didn’t expect the culturally rich Sundown Alley to still have one Flame-Chaser you had overlooked.
You entrusted this matter to Elysia and Mobius.
As you expected, Mobius soon detected Vill-V’s intrusion.
However, she didn’t stop it.
Instead, she used the opportunity to follow the trail and locate Vill-V’s hiding place.
Soon after, during an intrusion attempt, Vill-V was captured by Elysia.
Normally, the Flame-Chasers would have locked her in a cell, but she successfully escaped every time.
Finally, the organization exiled her to a deserted island.
But Elysia recommended Vill-V to the Flame-Chasers more than once, and the Flame-Chasers themselves also began slowly testing this unique Genius.
Ultimately, Mobius brought her back to the Flame-Chasers, where she became a member of the Engineering Department.
But in your opinion, too much time was wasted in the interim.
After all, The End was approaching in less than a decade and a half.
You knew that a Genius like Vill-V couldn’t be easily convinced.
You didn’t plan on relying on your meager eloquence to persuade her.
“Miss Vill-V, what I just said is absolutely true.
It will soon be confirmed, and when that time comes, I hope you can become a true member of the Flame-Chasers’ Engineering Department.”
Shiro looked at the Damselette in front of him, who was dressed in clothing full of mechanical elements, and spoke slowly.
At the same time, to increase the Damselette’s trust, Shiro slowly extended a finger and said.
“I know that empty words cannot earn trust.
Therefore, I plan to demonstrate this ability once before you, but I hope you can keep this a secret.”
The ability Shiro intended to demonstrate for Vill-V was the Herrscher of Reason’s clearance—Deconstruction and Creation.
Hearing Shiro’s words, Vill-V, whose expression had previously been indifferent, quickly became interested.
Both of her eyes seemed to brighten up.
Shiro stretched out one hand, palm up, and Honkai Energy gathered within it.
Instantly, a firearm was constructed.
Vill-V’s eyes immediately lit up.
“Th-this is the Herrscher’s clearance?”
“To be precise, this is the Herrscher of Reason’s clearance.”
“Uh, this is just my imitation of the Herrscher of Reason’s incomplete clearance.
If you are interested, you can go to Mobius.
I gave her the core of the Herrscher of Reason for research.”
Looking at Vill-V, whose eyes were shining and who was practically pressing herself against him.
Shiro could even feel the Damselette’s explosive figure.
But Shiro truly dared not move a muscle.
After all, Elysia had brought Vill-V directly to Mobius’s First Research Institute after catching her.
And Shiro had extended the invitation right there on the spot.
This resulted in Shiro being able to clearly feel a gaze from behind him, as if it belonged to the World Serpent.
Fortunately, Shiro diverted the fuse toward Mobius.
Sure enough, Vill-V immediately changed targets and latched onto Mobius.
Shiro, having extricated himself, opened the action report for Vill-V’s capture to see the specific details.
[“Success.”]
[The Damselette took a final look at the screen.]
[The thumb-sized micro autonomous robot was remotely transmitting the footage back to her terminal device.]
[Inside that footage]
[A large door was slowly opening.]
[She brightened the indoor lighting, cast her eyes down to her hands, and quickly pulled them back.
Biting her nails was a bad habit, one she had decided to quit.]
[The large door on the screen opened completely.]
[She turned her head, feeling somewhat confused.]
[“There’s only one black-haired man and one green-haired woman?”]
[“Then…
what exactly is Honkai?”]
[“What is the essence of the series of disasters that this organization I am spying on is trying its best to conceal?”]
[The Damselette manipulated the micro robot to fly off the wall, slowly approaching the only two humans in the area, hoping to record their current conversation more clearly.]
[“Every…
factor…
is vastly different.”]
[It couldn’t be heard clearly.]
[The Damselette recalled the noise the micro robot would make when flying, and cautiously allowed it to get closer to the targets.]
[“Oh.”]
[“You’re quite amazing.”]
[“You’ve already managed to investigate such a deep area?”]
[She’s been discovered?!]
[The precise movements of the Damselette’s hands suddenly froze.]
[“No!”]
[“That sound clearly came from…”]
[Just as the Damselette reacted, a very soft body leaned against her back.]
[“It clearly came from right beside me!”]
[The Damselette lowered her head, allowing the other person’s jaw to rest on her shoulder.
It wasn’t too late to salvage the situation; she still had room to think of a countermeasure.]
[“Well then.”]
[“You’re the one who’s been investigating the Flame-Chasers, aren’t you.”]
[“Vill-V?”]
[“What a lovely name.
“And the person is just as lovely as the name”]
[The Damselette felt her earlobes tickle from the occasional warm breath of the speaker.]
[“Oh dear.”]
[“Your earrings are so pretty.
Can you tell me where you bought them?”]
[“Don’t be in such a hurry.”]
[“You can take your time thinking about how to deal with me.”]
Shiro, who had read the entire report, wore the expression of an old man staring at his phone on the subway.
If he hadn’t known beforehand that this was a capture report, he would have thought it was a novel.
“A report written by a cute girl is naturally unique.”
Ely said flirtatiously, looking at Shiro’s expression.
Meanwhile, Mobius was still being pestered by Vill-V nearby.
The first meeting with Vill-V concluded amidst this clamor.