Beneath the broken walls and shattered remnants, scattered flames still stubbornly burned, casting flickering light and shadow across the ruins.
Three figures sat quietly together, as if none of the surrounding calamity had ever occurred.
The disaster had struck too fast. Who could face such a thing with calm?
"Eden, are you alright…"
Elysia asked with concern.
"I'm fine, Elysia. I think I just need a moment of quiet."
"Don't be scared, Sister Eden. Vya will protect you."
Vya threw her arms around Eden, hoping to offer some comfort.
"Mmm, thank you."
Eden stroked Vya's hair, but the image of the flaming opera house flickered in her eyes.
Her gaze seemed to pierce through the wreckage, to where her stage—the place where she had once shone so brightly—now lay as nothing but twisted steel and ash.
Within the broken walls in the distance, many survivors huddled, yet none spoke…
They remained silent, their eyes hollow as they stared at the sky.
Faced with a catastrophe beyond comprehension, humanity's instinctive fear drove them to choose the most primitive response—huddling together, awaiting an unknown fate.
And in this situation, there seemed to be nowhere else to go.
Better to just stay here.
It might be safer.
…
'My dear Elysia, you saved me.'
Eden couldn't help but recall the scene from not long ago: Elysia throwing herself into the rescue without a second thought, her movements and heroic bearing unlike any ordinary person's.
So Elysia really was a bit mysterious. But so what?
Elysia was Elysia. That was enough.
"Well, it's only what I should do♪~"
"If Eden wants to repay me, how about offering yourself?"
Elysia said with a laugh.
"Of course, my hero…"
"Ehe, Eden, you're going to make me shy~"
"Hey! Vya wants to be repaid too!"
Vya broke the romantic atmosphere.
"Of course, my little hero."
Eden leaned down and kissed Vya's forehead.
"I will prepare a gift for you…"
Eden continued to stroke Vya's hair, but the worry in her eyes did not diminish in the slightest.
…
Just then, a figure came stumbling into the area—or rather, two figures?
"Senior Elysia?!"
A girl's voice called out.
"Is that Hua… and Carol?"
Elysia could see clearly now…
It was Hua, with Carol slung across her back.
Their uniforms were streaked with burn marks and bloodstains.
"Carol, you're injured?!"
Elysia rushed forward, noticing several burns on her body.
"Carol! How do you feel?"
"Ah, I'm alright… Just being alive is enough…"
Carol spoke weakly. She recognized Elysia, but didn't seem particularly happy about it.
"See, if I were as strong as Hua, maybe I wouldn't have gotten hurt…"
Still had the energy to talk. She was alive, at least.
…
"So, it was a Herrscher, right?"
Elysia inquired.
"..."
"..."
Hearing this, Hua and Carol exchanged a pained look. Both fell silent for a moment.
Eden was unfamiliar with the term "Herrscher," but she knew this wasn't the time to ask.
"Hua… maybe you should explain."
Carol, still on Hua's back, spoke up.
Hua thought for a long while before finally beginning, her voice slow and measured.
"It was the Captain. She became a Herrscher… right before our eyes."
Hua's voice still held a tremor as she spoke.
"I see…"
Elysia said softly, her fingers gently brushing Carol's forehead, soothing her pain.
Seeing their reactions earlier, she had already guessed the news would be bad…
"Alright, Hua, you are to stay here."
Elysia suddenly became serious.
"Take care of Carol and the survivors. And Vya—make sure she doesn't run off. That's an order, understood?"
"Senior Elysia, what about you?"
Hua asked.
"I'm going to take a look."
With those words, Elysia swiftly departed.
…
Eden spoke softly to Hua. "Now then, young lady, why don't you set your friend down first."
"But… Senior Elysia, she…?"
Hua looked in the direction Elysia had left.
"Perhaps we should all trust her. She isn't the reckless type."
Eden's voice was calm.
"Mmm… you're right."
Hua nodded somewhat distractedly, then carefully lowered Carol to the ground.
"I recall there should be a first aid kit stocked nearby… though I don't know if it's still there."
Eden tried to remember. She was sure she had given the order before the performance…
"I'll go look."
Hua immediately forced herself into action, as if only by moving could she keep the terrible memories at bay.
…
Vya watched everything unfold, unsure of what to say.
Her sister had left. She really wanted to follow, but her sister had told her not to.
She could only stay near Eden, pacing back and forth, back and forth.
…
Meanwhile, in the laboratory, Kevin slowly opened his eyes.
The harsh white light made him squint uncomfortably. In his blurred vision, Mobius's face came into focus, wearing an amused smile.
"You're awake? The surgery was a success. Congratulations, you're a girl now."
Kevin: …
He took a moment to assess himself… Good, he hadn't become "Kevina." Otherwise, he'd have to be Mei's sister.
The absurd thought flashed through his mind and was gone.
"Alright, Mobius, now isn't the time for jokes."
Mei's voice came from the other side as she quickly approached the operating table. "Kevin, how do you feel now?"
"Good."
Kevin replied.
He tried to sit up, surprised to find his body felt lighter and more powerful than ever before.
A strange energy flowed through him, both icy and warm…
"Well, normally, after successfully integrating the 'Parvati' genes, one gains the power to control frost."
"Care to give it a try?"
Mobius asked.
Kevin nodded.
He tried to focus… Instantly, a layer of glistening frost spread from his fingertips, rapidly covering his entire hand.
At the same time, the temperature around him plummeted…
Both Mei and Mobius felt the piercing chill…
"Good. Now try to pull it back."
As Mobius's voice fell, the frost retreated into Kevin's body as if alive, leaving no trace behind.
The surrounding temperature slowly began to return to normal…
"Mmm, good. No apparent side effects for now…"
Mobius said with a smile.
"Go test your power."
Kevin flexed his fingers, feeling the new energy flowing within him.
He knew what this power would be used against…
Before boarding the aircraft.
Mei had given Kevin one instruction.
"Remember to keep an eye on Vya…"
"Is she a potential threat to me?"
"No, Kevin. There's something I must tell you."
"The 'Harmony Factor' injected into your body… part of it originated from the Honkai beast that Vya transformed into."
"This…"
"What does that mean?"
Kevin asked.
"It means you're the same kind now."
That's what Mei had said.
…
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