The next day, inside Mobius' laboratory—
"Hey~ Mobius, did you miss me… huh? Where is she?"
Elias entered the familiar den of serpents—a place still feared by all—to look for Mobius. But instead of her, he found four figures buried beneath mountains of paperwork.
(Still the same old hellhole for overworked souls…) Elias couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Cangxuan, Danzhu, ELF Klein, and Herrscher of Dominance Klein had all become complete slaves to the green-haired serpent. Mobius was mercilessly exploiting every ounce of their labor.
When the four of them noticed Elias' arrival, their eyes instantly filled with hope—as if salvation itself had come. They knew that the one person capable of freeing them from this overtime purgatory had appeared. However… only a few could be saved.
"Cangxuan, Klein, come here and take a break."
"Finally! Rest time!"
"Th-thank you!"
The elder twin and the android girl both looked like condemned souls who had just been pardoned.
Only Elias had the authority to grant them rest—and Mobius never objected afterward.
"W-why only my sister? What about me?"
"I… I want to rest too…"
Danzhu and Herrscher of Dominance Klein looked over pitifully.
Moments ago, they had all been suffering together—sharing in despair. But now, seeing two ascend to paradise while they remained in hell, their hearts sank.
Elias rolled his eyes and replied mercilessly.
"You two know exactly why."
"..." ×2
Both Danzhu and Herrscher of Dominance Klein shrank their necks.
The former was the culprit who corrupted Griseo, and the latter a captured Herrscher. No way Elias would show them any kindness.
"Here, Cangxuan, have some milk tea."
"Thank you—ah, with extra toppings and a large cup too!"
"Klein, sit on my lap."
"O-okay!"
Elias handed the milk tea to Cangxuan, then let the android girl sit on his lap.
Danzhu and Herrscher of Dominance Klein looked on in open envy—the difference in treatment was like heaven and hell.
Cangxuan's normally cold expression softened as she sipped her milk tea, delighting in the sight of her sister still toiling away. Selling herself to Elias had truly been the smartest decision she'd ever made.
As for ELF Klein—her gratitude was beyond words.
(Ahh, I can finally rest for a moment…)
She'd been working nonstop, 24 hours a day.
Mobius' ability to exploit others was unmatched. ELF Klein hadn't closed her eyes in fifteen days straight. Even the synthetic skin on her face now showed dark circles.
Whenever Elias visited the lab, it was the only time she could enjoy a few precious moments of peace.
Knowing Mobius' nature well, Elias always made sure to give the poor girl a break.
In truth, the one who looked forward to his visits the most wasn't Elysia, nor Eden—it was ELF Klein. Whenever the white-haired boy appeared, she felt as though she'd escaped hell itself.
(I must treasure every precious second of this rare white time. Rest is sacred. Rest restores efficiency…)
Just as Klein was about to close her eyes—
Click, click!Click, click!
Suddenly, she felt herself being taken apart. Startled, she snapped her eyes open, only to see Elias dismantling the stinger module on her back.
"E-Elias, what are you doing?"
"Relax. I've been learning a bit about android maintenance lately. Let me try it on you."
Elias said as he produced a bottle of lubricant from seemingly nowhere.
He applied it carefully to the stinger's inner joints, using the Herrscher of Reason's authority to repair some worn mechanisms before reattaching the component.
Before ELF Klein could react, Elias' Authority had already flowed into her body, repairing all the internal damage, replenishing her systems with high-purity Honkai energy, and even replacing several soulium components with brand-new ones.
"How do you feel, Klein? Comfortable?"
"Mm… so comfortable… so light… it feels… like I'm going to fall asleep…"
The words left her lips just as her eyes closed completely. Usually so tirelessly busy, now she rested quietly—like a true doll in peaceful slumber.
Elias smiled faintly and asked Misteln in his mental space to weave her a long and gentle dream.
And seeing this scene…
"Heavens! Sister Klein actually fell asleep?! Am I dreaming right now?!"
Danzhu was so shocked she dropped the report she was holding.
She couldn't believe her eyes—Klein, the one who never had time to rest, was sleeping? Impossible! That was like seeing the sun rise from the west!
She pinched her own cheek hard.
"Ow ow ow! That hurts!"
The sharp pain told Danzhu this was no dream. The realization hit her, and her eyes filled with tears.
"Uuuh… how could this happen? Even Sister Klein is resting now, and I'm still working overtime. The world must be broken… why am I living like this…"
"Because you deserve it. Quiet down. Do you know how rare it is for Klein to get some rest?"
As Elias spoke, he used the Herrscher of Wind's power to form a barrier of ideal fluid—an airtight soundproof field—to let Klein sleep peacefully.
"There. Now it's foolproof. Even if a missile hits the place, Klein will sleep straight through it."
"Is… is that really necessary?"
"I think so. Anyway, tell me where Mobius went. I have to deliver her the medical report—and also discuss the matter of the Fifteen Flame-Chasers."
Elias shook the full-body medical report in his hand, then tossed up the Flame-Chaser badge Eden had designed.
Ever since becoming a Chimera MANTIS, Elias' body had been undergoing subtle changes every second, so he needed to undergo extremely detailed checkups regularly.
"Dr. Mobius went to the Disposal Pool."
"Oh? Throwing away trash again?"
"Mm. Yesterday she tested a new technique, and after confirming its viability, she went to dispose of the test specimens. But today, she found some residual material left behind and went to clean it all up."
"Hmm… why does that sound so familiar?"
Elias tilted his head, trying to recall. The plotlines of the Previous Era were far too fragmented, so while the scene rang a bell, he couldn't quite place it.
Patting the heads of both Cangxuan and Klein, Elias headed toward the lab's disposal chamber.
He'd seen it a few times before—his review of it was simple: a perfect garbage disposal. Anything thrown inside dissolved completely, leaving not a trace behind.
Having one at home would mean never having to take out the trash again.
...
Inside the laboratory housing the Disposal Pool—
"Mobius, Mobius, Snake!"
"Ah!"
Mobius let out a cute little yelp.
Standing before the Disposal Pool, Mobius blinked in surprise—Elias had called her three times before she finally snapped back to reality. He couldn't help wondering why his snake was so focused, even while dumping trash.
Could she actually enjoy watching things dissolve?
Well, it did sound strangely satisfying.
"You startled me, little white mouse. What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be off with that pink glutton instead of bothering me?"
"Played too much last night—ahem. Anyway, didn't you keep pestering me to get that medical report done and deliver it to you?"
"Oh right, I did mention that. But couldn't you have just sent it to me by email? Does our Savior really need to show up in person for such a trivial matter?"
Mobius smirked teasingly as she raised her hand to take the report, skimming through it with mild curiosity.
"Of course I came because I missed you, Mobius. It's been a few days since we last met, hasn't it?"
"My, that's a good answer. I like it."
"I'm glad you like it. Come on, let's grab a meal later. Even fusion warriors shouldn't be living on instant noodles."
"Yes, yes~ what a thoughtful little white mouse you are."
A pleased smile graced Mobius' face. Looking at the flawless white-haired boy before her, she suddenly felt that her long-unused bed might soon find its purpose again.
"Speaking of which, your strength as a Chimera truly surpasses Kevin's in every aspect."
"Oh? How so?"
"Kevin sent me his medical data. I just compared the two of you—your evolution rate is 8.7 times faster than his. Even though you're both Chimeras, the gap between you will only widen from here."
As Mobius' fingers traced along the rows of data on Elias' medical report, a glimmer of excitement flickered in her serpent-like eyes.
When she looked up at him again, it was as though she were admiring a radiant, flawless gem.
Mobius knew—this white-haired boy standing before her was the embodiment of Infinity itself. The living manifestation of her ultimate ideal. The guiding light for humanity's evolution.
Project Chimera was never just about the evolution of a single being—it also held the potential to open the path for all of humanity to evolve.
While on the surface, a Chimera fusion warrior merely devoured and absorbed the abilities of countless Honkai Beasts—continuously evolving and growing stronger, gaining new powers as stronger beasts emerged—
In truth, this process of infinite evolution was also a grand experiment: a way to reveal all possible evolutionary routes and ultimately find one that could be adapted for ordinary humans.
The Chimera MANTIS, in essence, was the perfect embodiment of Mobius' ultimate dream—a living beacon to guide all of humanity toward evolution.
"Elias, stay in my lab tonight. Let me study your body properly. I believe that [Reverse God] is only your beginning. You'll reach far greater heights in the future."
Mobius spoke in fascination as she gently caressed Elias' cheek, admiring the boy's flawless features.
"That's only natural, Snake."
Elias replied with unshakable confidence.
He was never one to stand still. Even after surpassing Finality, he would keep moving forward—for he knew there were still greater realms beyond: the Imaginary Tree and the Sea of Quanta…
And someday, he would conquer both the "Tree" and the "Sea" that governed the world itself.
"By the way, what were you doing just now? You seemed completely entranced by the Disposal Pool."
"Ah… right, I almost forgot."
Mobius blinked in realization, letting out a helpless smile. Whenever Elias was around, she tended to forget everything else.
But who could blame her? To Mobius, there was simply nothing in this world more fascinating than Elias.
Still, the thing that had captured her attention moments ago, though far less alluring than the boy himself, indeed held remarkable value.
"Come here, Elias. Take a look for yourself—at the evolution happening within the Disposal Pool."
"Hm? Evolution? What the… is that?!"
Elias turned his gaze toward the pool.
Inside the tank of glowing green solution was a grotesque creature—barely recognizable as something once alive. It was on the verge of total dissolution, its body continuously melting away.
If left alone, it would completely vanish within hours, leaving no trace it had ever existed.
But then…
"It… wants to live? No—it's trying to live!"
Elias' eyes widened in astonishment.
Within that twisted creature's gaze burned a staggering will to survive. Its mouth had long since corroded away, yet in its silence, it screamed its desperate desire to continue living.
Even in Mobius' serpent eyes, there was a flicker of awe.
"How is it? Though it's your complete opposite—ugly, frail, pitiful, a creature overflowing with flaws—there's one thing about it that can only be described as beautiful: its will to live."
"Mobius… what exactly is it?"
"It's insignificant. Just a byproduct from one of my recent experiments. I threw it into the Disposal Pool yesterday after a test—but as you can see, the result was… fascinating."
Mobius' gaze fell upon the creature, a pleased smile curling her lips. Though this lifeform was her creation, it had displayed a degree of evolution far beyond her expectations.
"I thought it had been completely dissolved yesterday, but look… it's evolving. Even with more than eighty percent of its organic tissue corroded, not only has it survived—it's developed consciousness."
Her tone trembled with excitement. Nothing thrilled Mobius more than witnessing evolution in action. Most evolutions, like the one before them now, were grotesque to behold.
But evolution was never meant to be beautiful—only those like Elias were exceptions.
For most living beings, evolution was an ugly, agonizing process.
Yet only by enduring that ugliness could one truly comprehend what made life beautiful.
"…So it was you."
Elias' eyes widened with realization. He finally recognized the creature struggling within the pool.
It was Gray Serpent—the original one.
One of the key members of the Current Era's organization, World Serpent.
Elias had encountered Gray Serpent a few times back at the House of the Hearth, but the difference between that version and this pitiful form was so vast that he hadn't recognized it at first.
"Elias, how should I deal with it?"
Mobius handed the choice to him, her snake-like eyes gleaming with curiosity, eager to see what decision the boy would make.
"..."
Elias fell silent for a long moment. He knew that if he did nothing, Gray Serpent wouldn't last long.
Even if it had endured this far, escaping death inside the Disposal Pool on its own was impossible.
And if he intervened, everything would change—Gray Serpent's fate, the future of the World Serpent organization, and perhaps even the balance of the coming era.
A troublesome enemy might vanish before it ever came to be.
However…
"Let it live. It's fought this far to survive. No matter what it becomes in the future, this will to live deserves recognition."
Elias decided to let Gray Serpent live.
Under Mobius' astonished gaze, he stepped directly into the Disposal Pool. The corrosive fluids that could melt even Emperor-class Honkai Beasts were, to him, nothing more than thick, unpleasant warmth.
Gray Serpent's distorted eyes locked onto him—filled with shock, yearning, hope, and awe.
When Elias pulled the creature from the green depths, a single clear tear slid from its eye.
It understood—it had escaped death.
"Emm… take this as a reward for showing me something extraordinary. I'll grant you a body."
Using the powers of the Herrscher of Reason and the Herrscher of Death, Elias constructed a new vessel for it—the same semi-mechanical, semi-organic body that Gray Serpent would later possess in the Current Era.
At the same time, he mused silently—
(Well, maybe this guy won't even be an enemy in the future. Actually… if things keep going this way, won't I end up as the leader of World Serpent myself? Hmm, even better—Gray Serpent's a reliable worker, loyal too!)
Elias didn't notice the way Gray Serpent looked at him then—with eyes burning with fervent, fanatical devotion.