In the training hall, the clash of weapons rang out again and again. A young man wielded a long spear, while a young woman fought with a longsword. For a time, neither could gain the upper hand.
Hua wasn't limited to just gauntlets as her weapon of choice. This was proven by Senti, who had inherited countless martial techniques from Hua, demonstrating her proficiency in many forms of combat. To an ordinary person, Hua's mastery of each weapon could be called exceptional—perhaps even outstanding. But compared to someone like Sakura, Hua's breadth of skills felt scattered, not focused.
As Senti once put it: Hua's technical skill might be superior to Kevin's, but sheer strength easily tipped the scales. Even without the Judgment of Shamash, Kevin could suppress her—after all, overwhelming force often broke through finesse.
And if it were Silas in his Fallen Angel era, holding Abyss Flower, a single strike would leave few capable of defending against it. In such situations, no amount of technique could bridge the gap.
As things stood, neither Silas nor Hua had undergone the Meta-Morph surgery. But both carried the battle-hardened memories of their previous lives. Silas had already been training for months, while Hua's physique, though tempered since childhood by martial practice, still lagged behind in raw power compared to a man. Overall, Silas fell slightly behind Hua in technique, but surpassed her in strength.
The result was an evenly matched fight.
Hua tried to use her sword to redirect Silas's power back against him. But anticipating this, Silas withdrew his force at the last moment, giving her no chance to counter.
At last, Silas caught an opening. With a sharp thrust, he knocked Hua's sword flying. Yet Hua's expression remained calm—only then did Silas remember that Hua's hands themselves were weapons.
"A feint? You lured me into that?"
I underestimated you, Hua. I thought you were the honest type!
Taking advantage of the moment when Silas's spear was extended and unable to pull back, Hua's palm struck squarely against his chest. Silas staggered back several steps, and by the time he steadied himself, Hua had already assumed a ready stance just outside his spear's range.
Leaning on his weapon for support, Silas raised his free hand with a wry smile.
"Give me a moment… Hua, that strike really landed solidly."
Hua lowered her stance, replying evenly:
"I'm very aware of my limits. Against absolute strength, technique has only limited effect. But your limits… are far higher than mine."
Catching his breath, Silas looked at her seriously.
"Life is nothing but a cycle of failure before success. Hua, don't belittle yourself. Your potential reaches far beyond what you can imagine."
Hua was the kind to bloom late. Even looking far into the future—fifty thousand years later—when she unleashed Edge of Taixuan in a broken state, the sheer pressure of it was undeniable.
"Perhaps," Hua said noncommittally. "But no matter what my limits are, I will never reach the height you once attained."
Because, like most people, you cannot cross that line in your heart. Silas thought this silently.
Active Honkai Reaction. For many MANTISes, it was taboo—an untouchable red line. They clung to the idea that they were still human, refusing to abandon the last vestige of their humanity.
The risk was real. Triggering Active Honkai Reaction carried the danger of losing one's sanity. Silas had personally killed several warriors who fell to it and never recovered. Kosma was a rare exception—able to be called back. Had that not been the case, even the best outcome would have been eradication at the hands of the Fallen Angels.
How high was the risk of losing one's mind? Silas couldn't say—most warriors refused to use it at all.
He found such thinking laughable. To him, humanity wasn't about biology, but consciousness. I think, therefore I am. As long as he believed himself human, then he was—regardless of how others saw him.
With that conviction, even when the urge to destroy everything clawed at him during Active Honkai Reaction, Silas suppressed it. As for the other Fallen Angels, he couldn't be sure. Perhaps some of them had never considered themselves human at all, and so accepted their inhumanity without hesitation.
"Silas, Doctor Mobius requests your presence in the lab. She has something to discuss with you." Klein appeared at the entrance of the training hall.
Elysia, who was sparring with Sakura nearby, tilted her head in curiosity. Could it be that Mobius was going to make a move too?
…No, knowing her, even if Lilith were to suddenly sweep Silas away, Mobius probably still wouldn't confess. She was, after all, someone profoundly incapable of expressing her feelings.
So this was probably just about work.
"I understand." Silas nodded, then turned to Hua. "Hua, keep training against the simulation targets for a while."
Hua nodded back in acknowledgment. She wasn't sure what Mobius wanted, but at the very least… she probably wouldn't dissect Silas. Probably.
As Silas stepped out of the training hall, he noticed Klein still standing there. With some curiosity, he asked:
"Klein, aren't you coming with me?"
Klein shook her head.
"I'll stay here to observe and test some indicators of the new warrior. Besides, I doubt the Doctor wants me there anyway. You don't think I'd miss the mood that badly, do you? I also have other tasks—for example, the Doctor asked me to test Kevin's limits. On the way here, Vill-V even gave me a special device she claimed would help."
…It seemed everyone was very concerned about Kevin.
Silas didn't quite understand, but he didn't press further. He simply turned and walked toward Mobius's laboratory.
When he arrived, he was surprised to find Mobius neither conducting experiments nor recording data. Instead, she sat upright, waiting for him.
Suddenly, Silas felt a little tense. Could it be… Mobius was also planning to make a move on him?
"You've come, Silas. Sit," Mobius gestured to the chair across from her. "Relax. There are no bugs here. No one will know of this conversation. Ah, though it's fine if Vill-V hears—she doesn't count."
Silas took his seat and studied her.
"Then, Doctor, what is it you've called me for?"
Mobius frowned slightly at the title—clearly not fond of it—but chose to get to the point.
"Silas, tell me. Have you ever considered removing those decrepit old men and seizing control of MOTH for yourself?"
Silas fell silent. Dangerous words indeed. If such talk were overheard, both he and Mobius would be executed before long. But since she dared to voice it, she must already have ensured safety. Meeting her gaze, he said:
"I've thought about it. But it's not feasible. Their personal security is airtight, and on top of that, few can truly replace their functions."
"There are replacements," Mobius countered coldly. "You may not know them, but I do."
Silas pondered this, then shook his head.
"No. Human greed is boundless. Once they taste power, they won't settle for being puppets."
For example—ever since Elysia had made her move, she had grown far less restrained, showing hints of evolving into something closer to Lilith.
"Heh… that only makes it easier," Mobius sneered. "So long as one rises up, we strike them down. Kill one as a warning to the rest. Eventually the replacements will understand they have no right to resist. And remember—there will never be a shortage of those eager for the seat."
Silas said nothing. She wasn't wrong. In his previous life, he lacked the network to reach the higher-ups, let alone assassinate them or recruit trustworthy replacements.
But this life… he had Mobius's backing. And if he wanted, Silas was certain of her support as well. In that case… perhaps it was worth attempting.
"Then the biggest problem remains: how to assassinate them?" Silas asked calmly. "I could command Uka to attack their stronghold, but that would expose the Honkai to the entire world. And if Uka slaughtered all the top brass, it would be obvious someone inside MOTH had unleashed it."
Mobius gave him a sharp look. So he really had thought through all of this. Of course he had—he was Silas.
"That's why I need the strength of a future Fallen Angel," Mobius said. "You know exactly who I mean."
Silas thought for a moment before answering:
"Sariel? If it's her, it could work. I also know the exact location of the assassin group she belongs to. But… the risk is enormous."
"All I need is to find her." Mobius handed him an experiment report. "I have the authority to requisition a death-row inmate for experimentation and then file them as deceased. That much I can do—thanks in no small part to Vill-V's help."
Silas glanced at the report, then looked back at her.
"So the Meta-Morph surgery is ready to begin… Very well. There's no need to push it on a large scale just yet."
It seemed he wouldn't need to approach Vill-V after all—Mobius had already coordinated with her.
Mobius let out a soft laugh.
"Oh? I thought you'd be eager to roll out the Fusion Warrior Project as soon as possible."
"The Honkai cannot be measured by common logic," Silas said evenly. "If we implement the project too early, the Herrscher of Constraint may arrive ahead of schedule. And the further down the line of Herrschers we go, the more uncontrollable they become."
"Meaning you intend…"
"Everything is for the sake of ultimately confronting the Finality," Silas said solemnly. "Any sacrifice along the way is irrelevant. If we cannot defeat the Finality, then preserving humanity itself is meaningless."
Mobius gave a faint, knowing smile.
"And I'm to bear a fair share of the burden in this grand design. Silas, don't you think I deserve some gesture of acknowledgment?"
Silas: "?"
With a quiet sigh in her heart, Mobius twirled a strand of her hair with the hand wearing her bracelet.
"What I mean is—don't you think always calling me Doctor is a bit too formal? By now, isn't it about time you simply called me Mobius?"