The conversation between C.C. and Cocolia went completely over Rozaliya and Liliya's heads, but that didn't stop the twins from reading the situation through Cocolia's expression.
"Big sister… is she Mama's enemy?"
"Big sister… is she a bad person?"
Their childish faces hardened with uncharacteristic seriousness.
The two little girls fixed their gaze on the green-haired woman, who at first had left a very good impression on them.
But now, their eyes sharpened dangerously as they stepped protectively in front of Cocolia, raising their tiny fists in a fighting stance.
"Well, if you look at it one way, yes—I'm your mother's enemy. But from a broader perspective… your mama is the one on the 'bad guy' side."
C.C. glanced at those two small but determined fists.
Honestly, with one good swing, each of them could probably flatten a low-grade Honkai beast.
The twins froze for a moment, exchanging a brief look.
Then Rozaliya snapped out of it first, her voice shrill with indignation as she leapt forward.
"Mama is not a bad person!"
Their unusual twin bond—a link almost like telepathy—sparked in that moment.
Moving in perfect sync, Liliya threw her little fist at C.C. as well.
"Don't! Rozaliya! Liliya!"
Cocolia's voice broke through her anger, tinged now with a rare note of panic.
"Relax," C.C. said lightly, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "They're Bronya's little sisters. Like I'd ever hurt them."
The two charging figures suddenly froze midair.
In the next instant, as if their strength had been drained away, their slender bodies collapsed limply, falling unconscious straight into C.C.'s arms.
The power of the Herrscher of Sentience—there was no way the girls could resist, even with Assaka's genes in their blood.
Relief washed over Cocolia's face, only to be quickly replaced by grim unease as C.C. raised a slender hand.
Elegant fingers sparked with threads of dazzling electricity, and a chilling aura radiated from her tall, graceful frame.
"But you two… you're a different story."
Her finger pointed casually forward, yet the gesture carried a lethal edge.
"Gray Serpent… and Raven—1, 2, 3, 4, 5, was it?"
C.C.'s gaze settled mainly on the latter.
Back when she'd crossed into this world, Raven hadn't yet boarded the Hyperion, but online chatter had already confirmed she'd soon join as a part-time Valkyrie.
The woman's lithe, sculpted figure was accentuated by a skintight black bodysuit, every curve outlined with striking grace.
A gray cloak draped over her shoulders, adorned with black feathers, while her sleeves flared like wings.
Leather straps wrapped her body in a style that exuded danger and allure, and the enormous organ strapped to her only enhanced her intimidating presence.
Yes… she definitely had the qualifications to join the Hyperion.
C.C. nodded to herself in silent acknowledgment.
"It seems you know of us."
Gray Serpent lifted his head.
Beneath the scarred mask, his scarlet cybernetic eye glowed menacingly.
Raven's own eyes narrowed, her expression sharpening.
The green-haired girl had appeared in this world as if from thin air.
Even with World Serpent's vast intelligence network, they had uncovered nothing about her.
To remain hidden even from them… her concealment surpassed even the snake itself.
And if she could remain so deeply hidden, it was only natural her information-gathering ability was equally formidable.
That she knew about World Serpent wasn't so surprising after all.
As for Raven's ridiculous numeric nickname—clearly meant as a jab.
"Gray Serpent, huh? Of course I know you."
Her voice was elegant, almost teasing, as she idly twirled a lock of green hair around her finger.
Gray Serpent fell silent, his glowing eye flickering in startled disbelief.
World Serpent had existed for millennia, and anyone who crossed them quickly learned to fear their terrifying power.
That dread was universal, ingrained deep in their enemies' bones.
But C.C.'s casual way of addressing them—it was practically the way one might address a lover.
And the worst part was… the power backing her made it clear she truly didn't fear World Serpent.
Not even if their master returned.
Raven's mouth twitched.
She never before had she met someone who so openly mocked their organization.
"You came to The Deep… to open the passage to the Sea of Quanta? To break Kevin's seal?"
From all directions, high-grade, custom-built Titans—powerful enough to crush even the Herrscher of Wind with a single blow—stormed in to encircle them.
C.C., however, didn't even glance their way.
Honestly, as long as she wrapped herself in Ideal Fluid, those Titans could beat on her all night and not leave a scratch.
The idea was laughable.
Not even the "Big Mushroom" could pierce that kind of defense, much less these mechanical brutes.
If it were Venti instead of Wendy, C.C. might almost believe it—but the odds of a Titan defeating the Herrscher of Wind were about the same as La Signora stealing the Anemo Archon's Gnosis fair and square.
The only real difference was: Venti had willingly thrown his away, while Wendy… there was no way she was just "holding back."
"You… know our master?"
Gray Serpent's low, rasping voice carried a rare note of surprise.
He wasn't particularly worried about C.C. making a move against him.
After all, his body was composed almost entirely of mechanical prosthetics.
Even if this shell were destroyed, he could be revived at full strength through another identical body.
Whether that idea had come from Otto's example or simply necessity didn't matter anymore.
Of course, his body was nowhere near comparable to the Archbishop of Schicksal's soulsteel form.
"Of course I know him—actually, it's more than that."
C.C. crossed her arms and smiled with elegance and amusement. "Your revered master, Kevin Kaslana, is an old colleague of mine."
"..."
"..."
Gray Serpent and Raven exchanged glances, the silence stretching long enough to make the air itself feel heavy.
"What's this? You don't believe me?" C.C. adjusted the hem of her skirt, adopting the posture of someone about to lecture. "Surely you know your master's previous identity, don't you?"
At those words, Cocolia's gaze drifted away from the unconscious twins and landed curiously on Gray Serpent, whose body stiffened ever so slightly.
"You… you're a survivor from the Previous Era?"
His gravelly voice carried a note of realization.
It wasn't an idea he hadn't considered before.
After all, if even World Serpent's intelligence network couldn't uncover her origins, then the list of possibilities was already very short.
And the likeliest explanation? A survivor of the previous civilization.
If that was true, then her mystery, her strange abilities—everything suddenly made sense.
They'd already seen countless examples of the previous era's advanced technology.
"Exactly!"
"Mhm~."
C.C. shrugged playfully, flashing a flawless "business smile" at Gray Serpent. "Among the surviving fusion warriors of Fire Moth, I was ranked fourteenth."
Thirteen Flame-Chasers… with fourteen members.
Wasn't that common knowledge?
The crimson cybernetic eye flickered violently, betraying the turbulence in Gray Serpent's mind.
Raven's gaze also grew heavier than ever before.
But neither lowered their guard.
World Serpent's leaders were not so easily deceived. C.C. might indeed be from the Previous Era—that much they could entertain—but the rest of her words still demanded scrutiny.
And even if she had been Kevin's companion back then, if she was here now to block their plan of opening the Sea of Quanta's passage, then she was unquestionably an enemy.
Survivors of the old world weren't necessarily Kevin's allies.
They could just as easily be his foes.
"You came to greet your master empty-handed?" C.C. eyed the two of them, her tone dripping with disappointment, as though scolding wayward children. "Do you even know what Kevin will want most when he comes out?"
Neither sensed any real hostility from her, but the odd weight in her words made both Gray Serpent and Raven instinctively think about it.
They glanced at each other, but no answer came.
When they looked back, the green-haired girl stood there like a superior lecturing her subordinates.
"It's ramen."
C.C. raised one delicate finger, her expression suddenly solemn.
"I've been to at least eight or nine Fire Moth reunions—if not ten. And every time, as the organizer, Kevin would always prepare ramen for us. It's his favorite food.
Now imagine being sealed in the Sea of Quanta for tens of thousands of years. He must be craving ramen so badly he's ready to cry!"
Patting Raven's shoulder with sisterly earnestness, C.C. gave her advice as if handing down sacred wisdom.
"Trust me. When Kevin comes out, hand him a bowl of ramen right away. You'll leave a lasting impression on him for sure."
"…Hah?"
Raven's eyes went wide, comically shrinking into two cartoonish dots.
Gray Serpent froze too, like a rusted machine.
Well—he was a machine body, but even so, he found himself genuinely torn.
Was C.C. lying? But… why would she lie about this of all things? It made absolutely no sense. None whatsoever.
World Serpent's leaders weren't fools—they could see the absurdity of it.
Raven, for her part, didn't care at all. She wasn't some Kevin fanatic like Jackal.
But Gray Serpent… if their great master truly had a fondness for ramen, then perhaps—just perhaps—it was worth preparing some.
After all, what if Kevin really did love it that much?
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