[Experiment No.: TBOS—2000—0106]
[Success. Although there were some unexpected incidents, the effectiveness of the 'Herrscher Killer' is now beyond doubt. Cecilia's blood has undoubtedly reached an extremely high degree of completion. With just one more step, I can complete the 'Schariac Holy Blood'!]
Listening to Otto's voice from the experiment log, Tesla's expression gradually grew serious.
"The 'Herrscher Killer'... that was a secret weapon Otto used against the Herrscher during the Second Honkai War."
"Let's keep watching," Himeko said.
[Why? It's been fourteen years, why can't I complete the final step? If the Holy Blood cannot be completed, the entire plan will have to be postponed... Unacceptable....]
"It seems his experiment hit a bottleneck," Tesla commented with a somewhat mocking smile.
"But he must have found a solution by now, right?"
[Dr. Margrave, he is a true genius! The HSN-b46 serum he designed can actually render the Honkai energy within a living organism inactive.]
[Although his goal was to treat the Valkyries, I immediately saw its true purpose—it is the final step I need to complete the 'Holy Blood'.]
[Experiment Record, First Trial:]
[I selected three groups of test subjects: an ordinary human female, a C-rank Valkyrie, and a Deathservant infected by Honkai.]
[After injecting the completed Holy Blood, the ordinary human female showed no change. The C-rank Valkyrie lost her ability to control Honkai energy. And the Deathservant... I actually detected faint brainwaves in its long-dead brain....]
[To confirm my hypothesis, I need more experiments. Unfortunately, creating the HSN-b46 serum requires a vast amount of resources, which has greatly hindered the speed of my research—]
"What the hell? It just ends there?! Couldn't you have finished the entry in one go?! Damn author and his cliffhangers!" Tesla fumed, slamming her hand on the computer desk.
(HSN-b46?)
Himeko subconsciously touched the vial of serum in her pocket. Fu Hua had given it to her when she woke up.
Tesla searched for a little longer and finally, in a deeply hidden folder, found Otto's final experimental results.
[—Success. After injecting a mixture of the Holy Blood and the serum, the Honkai Emperor, an entity composed of pure Honkai energy, turned to ash in an instant. It is finally complete.... This is humanity's God-Slaying Spear!]
[K-423 has been enrolled at St. Freya, and the observers are in place. Now, all that remains is to wait for the harvest—]
Tesla glanced at Himeko, wanting to say something, but ultimately held her tongue.
"...Can you make it? The God-Slaying Spear."
Himeko took out the HSN-b46 serum.
Tesla fell silent.
The Holy Blood sample could be found in the laboratory; the only missing component was this rare serum. If she had all the materials, following the experiment logs, it wasn't impossible for someone with Tesla's abilities to replicate the God-Slaying Spear.
But... that vial of serum was supposed to be for Himeko's use.
If she used it to create the God-Slaying Spear, then Himeko's body would...
"Y-You'd best not get your hopes up. The amount in this vial is too small. It's only enough for one attempt."
"Then I'll leave it to you, Dr. Tesla."
Just then, alarms blared throughout the laboratory. Schicksal's armored forces had arrived.
Himeko handed the serum to Tesla and went to intercept the approaching enemies herself.
Tesla silently watched her retreating back. In the end, she couldn't bring herself to say the words, because she knew that even if she did, it would change nothing.
Because this woman... her name was Murata Himeko.
Tesla took a deep breath and began the process of creating the God-Slaying Spear.
---o---
Half an hour later, Himeko, dragging her injured body, defeated the last mech. In the process, she unexpectedly discovered a passage leading to the lower level.
"Is this... the entrance to the lower level?" Tesla walked over, holding a test tube filled with serum.
"I think so."
"There shouldn't be any more enemies nearby. You go down and check it out. Time is short, let's split up."
"But..."
"Just go when I tell you to go, stop being so wishy-washy. Right, take this with you." Saying that, Tesla tossed a small mechanical device to Himeko.
It was a spare part for a Valkyrie battlesuit.
"...Thank you," Himeko said from the bottom of her heart.
"Don't die in there. I don't have time to fish you out."
Tesla's words were as sharp as ever, but to Himeko's ears, they felt incredibly warm.
"Heh, don't worry."
Himeko waved and walked into the passage leading downwards.
Tesla watched her leave. After confirming that Himeko was truly gone, she took a deep breath and pulled out a syringe filled with a purple liquid.
"The time is 15:44. The sample is prepared. Now, we proceed to the experimental phase."
With those words, she injected the entire contents of the syringe into her own arm.
---o---
"Dr. Tesla, have you gone mad?!"
At that moment, outside the video, Einstein, who was watching this scene, couldn't help but cry out in agitation, a rare break from her usual calm demeanor.
She could clearly see that the purple liquid in that syringe was a Honkai energy solution!
If an ordinary person were to come into contact with even a tiny amount, they would instantly turn into a Deathservant!
"Holy..."
Tesla herself was dumbfounded. She never expected that her future self would be so reckless, actually using herself as a test subject. If the God-Slaying Spear failed, she would be completely and utterly finished.
But on second thought, given the circumstances and conditions, was it really so hard to believe that someone with her personality would make such a decision?
"Dr. Tesla, I am truly looking at you in a new light," Theresa said, her eyes filled with a mixture of shock and admiration.
"Dr. Tesla, Bronya originally thought you were just comic relief, but now, Bronya must apologize to you."
"Hmph! So you finally recognize this genius's true capabilities, huh?"
Feeling the admiring and respectful gazes of the others upon her, Tesla felt a wave of satisfaction. That's more like it! This is the kind of treatment a genius scientist like me deserves!
"Dr. Tesla... don't forget what will happen to you if the experiment fails," Einstein said quietly.
"Er..."
Tesla's proud expression immediately froze.
That's right. If the experiment fails, this genius is done for, isn't she?
Oh crap, it won't actually fail, will it?
I'm the greatest scientist in the world! How could I possibly fail?!
She quickly turned her gaze back to the video screen, her eyes wide, not daring to blink, terrified of seeing herself transform into a Deathservant.