“I don’t know whether to say congratulations or what a pity about you defeating the Third Herrscher.”
Vill-V said this over the phone.
“What do you mean by that?”
Yuji did not understand.
Defeating the Third Herrscher was clearly a good thing, yet Vill-V spoke this way.
“Of course it’s because that person is preparing to use a Herrscher to test the power of her weapon.”
Mobius replied rather unhappily.
Vill-V’s weapons were not something ordinary people could use—they were either extremely dangerous or completely useless.
“Weapon?”
“Yes. A nuclear bomb I specially made before.”
“What?”
Yuji had still underestimated Vill-V’s abilities.
He had never known that Vill-V had actually built a nuclear bomb.
But if he thought about it carefully, as a famous genius who could even create Divine Keys capable of controlling the rules of physics, making just one nuclear bomb was far too easy for Vill-V.
Hiss… From a certain angle, Vill-V was actually the Previous Civilization’s nuclear bomb… No, that was wrong.
Even if you forced the comparison, the power of Previous Civilization nuclear bombs still fell far short of Divine Keys.
“Looks like you know something about that weapon too. I warned you before—that person once forged sixteen different identities in just a few short years and was wanted in different places.”
“Ara♪, it seems Dr. Mobius has remembered what I said earlier.”
Mobius ignored Vill-V’s antics and continued looking at Yuji.
“She has done all kinds of dangerous things. Especially last month—I already told you about Vill-V’s experiment. Even so, are you still willing to trust her?”
“What does Elysia say?”
“She… you already know!”
Mobius understood.
Yuji meant that if Elysia was willing to trust Vill-V, then he was willing as well.
“…Then tell me next why you contacted me.”
Yuji glanced at Mobius and gave a signal.
“You want me to leave?”
Mobius understood the look in Yuji’s eyes.
She glanced at Vill-V on the screen.
She had originally planned to say something more, then remembered something else, and in the end said nothing before leaving the room.
“Elysia already told me about your… conversation back then.”
“You should know I’m a [Trickster], right?”
“Of course. That’s why what I said is the truth.”
Yuji was referring to the conversation between the original Vill-V and Elysia after Mobius had investigated her.
“I believe that girl the same way you believe her. I don’t think she would do something like that.”
“Right. I don’t think so either. But what I said is the truth.”
Vill-V did not speak, because she truly felt Yuji’s sincerity.
She instantly understood that Yuji was the same as her—a genius who, as long as he wanted to, could make things “possible.”
At the same time, Vill-V had once said that everything she said was the truth, yet she could still deceive others.
“Can you do it too?”
Vill-V was referring both to talent and to whether Yuji’s mindset had once been the same as hers.
“…Lonely?”
To be honest, Yuji really did not remember much from that time.
But he had self-studied all kinds of subjects—psychology and others—anything that could strengthen his memory.
He had even used hypnosis on himself.
As long as she wanted to, Trickster, Magician, Chef… none of them were difficult for her, even becoming “another person.”
“As expected, just like Elysia said—no one here is beneath me.”
Hearing that sentence, Yuji almost laughed out loud.
If everyone in the Flame-Chasers were really like Vill-V, then forget one Honkai—even ten would not be enough to fight.
“And just like I told Elysia, I’m glad there are so many people who can constantly remind me that Vill-V is not some [Genius]. She is just someone with a little talent… a [Fool].”
At this moment Vill-V was no longer putting on an act.
This was the original her, the one who had dropped every disguise.
Vill-V’s expression was now low, and her behavior was completely different from before.
Yet it was obvious that this version of her was the most natural.
“Because you’re different from ordinary people?”
“Enough. Stop probing.”
“You bastard. You’ve been trying to hypnotize me ever since the call started. If this is your attitude, then we don’t need to talk anymore.”
Vill-V’s attitude suddenly shifted back to how it had been earlier.
Hearing this, Yuji kept clapping.
At the same time he had tested just how powerful Vill-V’s talent really was.
Indeed, just as Vill-V said, he had used an extremely subtle hypnosis.
But that was the result of studying an entire day in order to deal with the higher-ups and strengthen his memory, causing his mannerisms to unconsciously carry hypnosis.
Not only that—he had even used two skill enhancement cards.
Yuji’s hypnosis skill had now reached Lv.5.
After testing, the extremely faint hypnosis had indeed affected Vill-V and made her open her heart, but only for that short period.
She not only noticed it, she even resisted.
Whether Vill-V had studied it before or not—no, she definitely had, and her skill was not low.
But the fact that she could resist Lv.5 hypnosis meant her level was at least Lv.4.
And it was very possible that because of Yuji’s hypnosis, it had reached the level of Lv.5.
This made Yuji cannot help but sigh at how terrifying her talent was.
Had Vill-V also cheated?
As for Yuji, he really had cheated.
“Sorry. I studied hypnosis all day today and used it without thinking.”
Only studied for one day?
Vill-V noticed that point.
“I won’t say much else. You should understand that what I said was sincere. Next, what I want to talk about is the ‘Divine Key’ plan…”
After Mobius left the room, she headed straight for the landing field.
She had remembered that MEI would soon return to the Flame-Chasers.
While walking, Mobius thought of the “weapon” she had been tinkering with earlier.
She decided to take it out in advance.
Conveniently, she had learned from Yuji that Elysia was leaving everything up to him.
She could get revenge on both of them at once.
Ara, Mobius already had an idea.
Once she picked up MEI, she could prepare and start her own plan.
Soon Mobius received MEI… and also Kevyn.
“Who is this?”
“A newly enlisted recruit. After Elysia finishes testing her, she can join directly.”
Mobius looked Kevyn over.
The moment she heard Elysia’s name, she thought of her own plan.
“Alright. Unfortunately, you two have to separate now. Elysia is already back.”
MEI did not understand.
So fast?
“Oh right, Yuji came back with her too. But right now he’s being clung to by a great beauty.”
Mobius shrugged and said casually.
“Is it Vill-V?”
“How did you know?”
“Look~”
Mobius turned around and saw Vill-V suddenly appear at the landing field.
“Weren’t you talking with Yuji…”
“Yes. We’ve already finished talking.”
The question was whether you finished talking or not.
What I asked was: when you were on the phone with Yuji you were still on P-21 Island, so why did you suddenly appear here?
Mobius thought it over.
Oh right—that guy Yuji had already mastered the authority of the Herrscher of the Void.
“We meet again, Miss MEI.”
“About the previous matter, we will share the intelligence. Right now there’s something more important.”
“What is it?”
“Let me join your big family!”
MEI and Mobius exchanged a look and realized neither of them understood the situation.
Some time later, the people of the Flame-Chasers kept cleaning up what needed to be cleaned and made a big move.
But none of that had anything to do with Yuji and the others.
First Research Institute, inside Mobius’s laboratory.
Yuji, Mobius, Elysia, MEI, and Vill-V gathered here once again.
Klein thoughtfully did not come over.
“The situation is like this. After defeating the Herrscher, I invited Vill-V to join us.”
Yuji shared the intelligence with everyone and observed each person’s expression.
“So the first thing we need to do now is replace, take control of, and control the higher-ups, right?”
MEI stated the final conclusion.
“Not only that. After that there is still the Honkai disease medication, Divine Keys, MANTIS, and various other things that need to be overcome.”
Vill-V looked at the materials in her hands.
This time it was the Conductor’s stage.
“Of course, the most urgent matter is still the higher-ups. If we don’t completely control those above us, many of our plans simply cannot be carried out.”
Mobius also understood that those higher-ups would definitely obstruct them.
Without controlling the higher-ups first, it would be impossible to implement any plan.
“So next we will split into four directions. Vill-V will take advantage of the fact that the Flame-Chasers have not yet reacted and research the Third Herrscher Core.”
“Mobius will try the possibilities of MANTIS. MEI and I will improve the Honkai disease medication. After MEI becomes a doctor, I will approach the higher-ups and begin the initial recruitment.”
Unfortunately, without the authority of the Herrscher of Sentience to assist, things would not be this troublesome if they had it.
Before that, they would wait for Mobius to use the excuse of making a new weapon with the Herrscher Core, plus a little hypnosis from Yuji, to temporarily suppress the matter of having stolen the Herrscher Core.
There was actually one more extremely important matter.
Yuji had not said it yet, but in fact he had already said it.
During the time Mobius went to pick up MEI, after teleporting Vill-V over, Yuji took out the dim Second Herrscher Core.
He focused completely on sensing what was inside.
When he opened his eyes again, he seemed to have arrived between the stars.
There was no Cocoon of Finality here.
There was only endless darkness, and… a towering “Tree” in the darkness and a boundless “Sea”!
Only then did Yuji realize that the Cocoon of Finality he had not mentioned before no longer needed to be mentioned.
His words had become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
What the hell kind of Honkai was this?!