"Sir, are you sure you're not joking?"
"OMG!"
The standard curse that escaped the burly man's mouth was clearly filled with shock.
"Yes."
"I am very clear about what I am doing."
Kanter's thinking was simple and direct.
Fire Moth was recruiting volunteers. To the ordinary populace who didn't know much, this was probably no different from the several recruitment drives for MANTIS candidates in the past.
But for the burly man, who was a staff member, and for Kanter, who had read the "recruitment brochure" countless times... one didn't need a high IQ. Anyone with a brain could understand what that "recruitment brochure" was saying.
Humanity had just achieved victory.
Elysia, the leader of the Fusion Warriors, had used herself as a "medium" to successfully allow the Herrscher of Erosion to descend upon her.
Then, relying on unimaginable willpower, she controlled the Herrscher's power to battle the Black Emperor. In the end, this "Authority of Erosion," which Elysia had assimilated into the "Pure Authority of Humanity," successfully influenced, or rather, redeemed the Black Emperor, pulling him over to humanity's side.
Now, Fire Moth's official designation for "Him" had been changed to the two words "The Monarch."
The above was Fire Moth's official propaganda. Of course, it was riddled with loopholes that couldn't stand up to scrutiny, but that didn't pose any problem.
Any who still dared to raise questions at a time like this...
Were simply eliminated.
Fire Moth also conveniently explained why MANTIS and Honkai Beasts no longer attacked the cities, and the reason for the continuous "fireworks" in the sky, as well as the occasional falling "mangled limbs" that quickly disappeared.
In short—
"Humanity has gained the support of the Honkai Beasts, and both sides are working together to fight the Herrschers."
Ignoring the shock brought by this explosive news, Fire Moth announced the facts and closed the case, very swiftly silencing all voices of dissent.
On this basis, a special "benefit" was issued with the highest priority: all patients with Honkai Sickness could receive medicine from Fire Moth, free of charge, that would allow them to recover into ordinary humans. Among them, candidates whose Honkai energy adaptability exceeded a certain level were permitted to participate in a special "volunteer" program—
This program aimed to directly create "Fusion Warriors" who would manifest in a Collapsed State.
Participants would receive the status of a Fire Moth member, as well as extremely generous benefits for their families. As for the drawbacks of executing this plan, Fire Moth was completely transparent with the interested humans:
Until their strength reached a certain level, they might have to live in their Collapsed State for a very long time.
"..."
"As far as I know, you're the first one to take the plunge, Mr. Kanter."
The burly man swallowed hard, making a final attempt to stop his compatriot who wanted to "stop being human."
"Is that so."
Kanter, having already made up his mind, no longer had the same tension in his tone.
"Generally speaking..."
"A model case like me should receive quite a few more benefits."
---o---
Zenith City, at the very top of the Central Signal Tower.
"Half the time has already passed."
"At this rate, the task assigned by the Monarch will be impossible to complete."
Chenling floated silently in mid-air.
"If the Monarch is even slightly displeased..."
"At worst, my Authority will be revoked. But you, Mr. Gray Serpent, might really have to be sent back to the furnace for reforging."
Atop the metal tower, not far from Chenling, an Armed Automaton hidden in the shadow of the lights slowly revealed a figure wearing a silver-gray mask. Lacking any anthropomorphic features, Gray Serpent emerged directly in the raw form of an Armed Automaton.
A by-product of Mobius's research on the Eighth Herrscher, a collective consciousness injected into an Armed Automaton:
Gray Serpent.
He controlled a large number of clones active throughout human society and was one of the hidden chess pieces Mobius rarely revealed. Gray Serpent, who understood the human heart and the dark side of society, had been dispatched by Mobius to assist Chenling in executing the "volunteer" program.
"Rest assured, Lady Chenling."
A slightly hoarse yet quite magnetic voice came from Gray Serpent.
The gazes of the two "people" simultaneously crossed the sky and buildings, focusing on the small registration office where Kanter had appeared.
"I have never doubted the great power possessed by you and your master."
"But in our domain (human society)—this place so lowly one must be covered in dust to even roll into it—countless 'experiments' have already allowed me to find the answer."
"With just a little push."
"In two days, we will acquire an army more than ten times the size of our original plan... No, they should be called... experimental subjects."
"Compared to your master's expectations..."
"This time frame will absolutely satisfy you."
"..."
"Gray Serpent, lies can only deceive for a time, and the backlash they cause in the future may be a thousand times greater than the results."
Chenling repeated the words the Monarch had once said.
"I couldn't agree more."
"But Lady Chenling, the time humanity has left probably doesn't even count as 'a time'."
A red mechanical light flickered in his eye sockets.
"For adult humans who could be crushed at any moment."
"A tangible 'eight-hour workday plus a two-day weekend'—a condition that can be obtained by 'simply' surviving... Is that not generous enough?"
---o---
On the thirteenth day since the signs of Finality appeared.
Coordinates: the continent of Antarctica. In the Hall of the Throne, which stood atop a mountain peak, a long table carved from ice and decorated with magnificent patterns traversed the interior of the thousand-meter-long hall.
The "conference hall" before them was Lady Ziz's latest masterpiece.
After referencing various church designs from her memory, Xiao Zi ultimately chose to re-carve this brand-new hall from solid, seamless ice within the palace. Compared to when Rin first visited, thirteen consecutive days of truly meticulous carving had created the incomparable, magnificent spectacle before them.
Seats of exaggerated size were arranged in rows on both sides of the long table. The spire-like chair backs, reflecting off the ice prisms that guarded the divine ring, together formed the shape of a thorny flower.
A full twenty-seven figures.
All remained in their designated positions. That's right, in pursuit of neatness, Xiao Zi had made these seats in completely equal proportions, and because of this, the [Retainers] present had, for a rare occasion, all appeared in humanoid forms.
The Thirteen Flame-Chasing Heroes.
The humans sat motionless on the seats to the right of the throne—except for the ever-curious Pardofelis, who was touching and poking at everything... If not for the freezing aura being completely sealed within the ice by Honkai energy, a light touch anywhere but the "cushion" would have been enough to freeze Pardofelis into an ice cat on the spot.
To the north of the temporarily vacant throne, Mei, as the leader of the Thirteen Heroes, was granted a seat directly facing the Monarch's position.
Beyond that...
The [Retainers] all sat poised on the left side of the throne.