"Doctor, you... are completely insane!"
Klein, Cangxuan, and Danzhu tried to imagine it for a moment.
An Elias who devoured countless bubble worlds like candy beans.
The mere thought left their scalps numb and their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
How great a boost could a single bubble world provide? One only needed to look at Elias and Durandal's Dea Anchora. Just one bubble world inside them was enough to let those two "pierce the stars (metaphorically)."
If Elias could truly contain countless bubble worlds within himself like the Sea of Quanta, then the amount of energy he would possess would be unimaginable, at the very least far surpassing the Cocoon of Finality!
And one had to remember that the Sea of Quanta itself possessed no consciousness. But Elias, as a "human," did possess consciousness. If he could truly master that power and wield it through his own will...
Then he would become the true god of the quantum side!
Perhaps by that time, Elias might even be able to make the Sea of Quanta descend into the main world itself. With the Sea's property of reducing all things to nothingness before turning them into nourishment to endlessly strengthen itself...
Danzhu: "N-No, I can't take it anymore. My imagination isn't enough anymore! Dr. Mobius, you're supposed to be a scientist, so how is your imagination even richer than mine, a hardcore chuuni?!"
Cangxuan: "...Isn't that obvious? This is Dr. Mobius we're talking about."
Klein: "Still, this is simply too exaggerated."
Mobius: "And this is only the first stage."
The three: "?!!"
Snake struck without mercy. Becoming the true god of the quantum side was merely the first stage? Klein and the other two simultaneously inhaled sharply, feeling that this woman had truly gone insane.
"Why are you all making those faces? Since I've already set my sights on the Sea of Quanta, then naturally I might as well be even bolder and try dealing with that Tree too~"
Mobius brushed aside her green hair, then proudly puffed out her chest. Though she currently possessed a loli body, it still surpassed a certain flat-chested immortal.
In truth, she had already restrained herself somewhat, because the second stage of the plan was not conceived by her alone. Vill-V and MEI had added to it after hearing her earlier ideas.
"Before I explain, let me show you this first."
"Uh, show us what?"
"Elias in a parallel world, after becoming an apostle of the Imaginary Tree. In other words, the appearance of a [Pseudo God]. Unfortunately, I never personally witnessed his complete form."
As Mobius spoke, she projected a virtual image. Instantly, before the three women appeared a young man wearing a golden mask, carrying an imaginary divine halo, his white divine body resembling the king of angels.
"!!!" x3
Even as a mere virtual projection, the figure of [Pseudo God] Elias radiated terrifying pressure. Klein and the others found themselves utterly incapable of imagining what kind of overwhelming majesty Elias would possess if he truly appeared before them in this form.
This was data Elias had handed over to Mobius when he returned to the Elysian Realm during his trip through the Cecilia scenario. It thoroughly recorded every parameter from when he had previously become a [Pseudo God].
That said, the form had only existed for a few minutes after its birth, and it had also been a [Pseudo God] that had restrained itself with all its might.
"Doctor, what exactly are you trying to do now? Is this [Pseudo God] the key to your plan involving the Imaginary Tree?"
"Exactly. After investigating it, I discovered that the level of a [Pseudo God] is in no way inferior to Finality itself."
Mobius licked the corner of her lips excitedly.
That was only natural. After all, the Herrscher of Finality was merely an apostle of the Cocoon of Finality, whereas [Pseudo God] Elias had been an apostle of the Imaginary Tree itself.
If not for the fact that Elias' [Pseudo God] form had only just been born, possessing no time whatsoever to develop, while also being forcefully restrained by Elias himself and perfectly countered by the authority of the Herrscher of the Void...
Then he would never have been defeated in an instant. In truth, [Pseudo God] Elias had originally been invincible.
Just as no one without the "power of Finality" could defeat the Herrscher of Finality, likewise, no one without the "authority of the Herrscher of the Void" could defeat [Pseudo God] Elias.
"It's such a pity~ Such a useful power, yet it comes with the price of 'becoming a slave of the Imaginary Tree,' forcing my poor little white mouse to abandon the power of a Pseudo God~"
"Uh, wasn't Elias doing it for Elysia's sake...? Aaahhh! Doctor, I was wrong! I was wrong! Please forgive me!"
Mobius grabbed Danzhu by the head, causing her to instantly admit defeat and beg for mercy.
"Hmph! Just wait until later and see how I deal with you!"
Mobius shot Danzhu a vicious glare.
"Ahem~ Elias once told me that although his Pseudo God authority had shattered, it had not completely vanished. In the future, there would still be a chance to reconstruct that authority."
"But if the authority of a Pseudo God were reconstructed, he might once again become a slave of the Imaginary Tree, so he intended to give up on it... Such a wasteful thing, I absolutely will not allow!"
Mobius slammed the table forcefully.
"As for how to break free from the Imaginary Tree's control? Naturally, we will rely on the power of the Sea of Quanta!"
As everyone knew, the Sea and the Tree were mortal enemies. The two existed in mutual opposition. Therefore, as long as Elias first completed the first half of her plan and became a [Pseudo God] of the quantum side, then the Imaginary Tree would no longer be able to place a collar around his neck.
"He does not need to directly grow to a level comparable to the Sea of Quanta itself. As long as Elias takes the first step, then even if his accumulation is insufficient, he will inevitably break free from the Tree's control."
After all, as long as the level of quantum authority within him was high enough, then if the Imaginary Tree wished to enslave and control Elias, it would first have to ask whether the Sea of Quanta agreed. And given the terrible relationship between the two...
(Sea: "Tree, you want to steal someone from me? Get lost!")
Mobius: "The reverse is also true. If the Sea of Quanta attempts to control Elias, it will likewise be rejected by the Imaginary Tree. At that point, Elias will be able to obtain the power of a [Pseudo God] without any cost, while simultaneously mastering extremely high-level authorities over both quantum and imaginary!"
Cangxuan: "T-This is way too bold! Doctor, aren't you afraid that these two mortal-enemy powers will start fighting inside Elias' body and explode?!"
"What is there to fear? Isn't he controlling them just fine right now? He already contains a bubble world from the Sea of Quanta within his body, he himself possesses a certain degree of quantum authority, and he has even achieved [Pseudo God], wielding the authorities of all the Herrschers on the imaginary side except Finality and Origin."
Mobius folded her arms as she spoke.
Even she felt that this was a miracle that should not exist—her little white mouse had simultaneously gained the favor of both quantum and imaginary.
Two forces that should have been as incompatible as fire and water coexisted harmoniously within him. Unlike the opposition between the Imaginary Tree and the Sea of Quanta, within Elias, imaginary and quantum instead complemented one another.
The mere thought of it made Mobius incomparably excited.
If it succeeded, she might create a miracle that would shake the entire cosmos.
At this moment, Mobius did not yet realize that, to borrow a term from another world, her plan was equivalent to creating a shared emissary of the Imaginary Tree and the Sea of Quanta.
"...Doctor, are you truly planning to initiate this project? Although it does sound feasible, I believe you understand that the probability of success is likely already beyond the decimal point."
Klein spoke with a complicated expression.
"And if, midway through, unknown costs and losses appear—ones we cannot possibly bear..."
For a project of such magnitude, achieving success at all would already be an unimaginable miracle. To succeed without any failure or loss could practically be declared impossible.
Moreover, for an undertaking of this scale, a single flaw would inevitably result in an enormous price.
"Klein, do you think I would give up?"
Rational madness burned within Mobius' eyes. After a moment of silence, Klein shook her head.
"No. You would never give up. No matter how small the possibility of success, you would never abandon the opportunity to achieve [Infinity]. Because... you are Dr. Mobius."
"Hehe~ Exactly. That is the kind of madwoman Mobius is. Gamblers in casinos have a saying—everything, or nothing."
As long as the return was large enough, Mobius dared to stake it all.
And besides...
No matter how much time it takes! No matter how great the price! Even if it turns the world upside down! I will place upon his head this crown that symbolizes both [Imaginary] and [Quantum]!
Mobius clenched her fists tightly.
She had once watched the white-haired boy's body and soul be annihilated. She had watched him bleed and sacrifice himself time and time again. She had watched him repeatedly offer himself up to reverse tragedies.
That was something Mobius could no longer endure.
Yet she herself possessed no exceptional combat power. At best, she was simply hard to kill. She did not have the strength to alter Elias' tragedies with her own hands.
Thus, during these fifty thousand years, Mobius found what she could do for him.
Since she could not become his blade like Eden, Elysia, or Sakura—those reckless warriors—
Then she would, in her own way, grant him absolute power that would never lose to any enemy and could overturn any tragedy.
After all, at the end of the day, every tragedy in this world stemmed from insufficient strength. As long as she could make Elias stronger than anyone else, then he would naturally never be hurt again.
And besides, it would give Mobius an overwhelming sense of accomplishment.
In the past, every time she watched the white-haired boy grow stronger because of her research, Mobius had felt genuine delight.
Elias was the greatest and most perfect masterpiece of her life.
She eagerly anticipated the day he would surpass one peak after another and reach the unimaginable summit of the cosmos.
"Alright~ Explanation complete! Now get to work! Cangxuan, go observe the Sea of Quanta and search for bubble worlds that can serve as experimental targets... start by finding me one hundred."
"Danzhu! Collect detailed data on those bubble worlds. Categorize them by energy level! Each bubble world's report must be no fewer than fifty thousand words!"
"Klein~ Help me calculate the data, construct data models, and run simulation tests. Tsk! This computer's processing power isn't enough... lend me your salaries for the next two years. I'll go to Vill-V and buy better hardware."
Mobius assigned a mountain of work to Klein, Cangxuan, and Danzhu with lightning efficiency.
She waved the terminal in her hand, which was connected to the laboratory's surveillance feeds, indicating that she would be watching them at all times and that slacking was forbidden. Then she strode toward the door.
"..." x3
The three exchanged silent looks.
(TヘT)
It was back.
That familiar feeling had returned.
That familiar sensation of being mercilessly exploited by Snake as though they were not even human made the three of them tear up uncontrollably, "moved" by the beautiful prospect of working twenty-four hours a day with no days off for the entire year.
...
While Mobius was squeezing labor out of the three of them, Elias had already arrived at Anti-Entropy.
"Welt, how is Duck doing?"
"Bronya is currently undergoing deep fusion with the Herrscher Core of Reason. Rather than me explaining, you should see it for yourself."
"Alright. Lead the way."
Elias nodded and urged Welt to quicken his pace.
He had already instructed Gray Serpent to guide Alexandra toward the Far East. Since Duck Mom had already suffered enough these years, he had also arranged a string of fortunate events for her.
For example, drawing a first-class plane ticket, and along the way, agents of World Serpent were secretly protecting her.
She would arrive in the Far East in two days. If everything went well, it would be a double blessing—the descent of Truth and a reunion between mother and daughter.
"Hm? She has already successfully fused with the Gem of Reason? Let me see. The current output of the Herrscher Core of Reason is at thirty percent. It seems to be progressing quite smoothly."
Within a secluded space of Anti-Entropy, free from disturbance, Elias looked at Bronya floating midair, already having completed her Herrscher transformation, and nodded in satisfaction.
Bronya had fused with the Core and now appeared as the Herrscher of Reason.
Her silver-gray long hair cascaded down, with four spiral curls at the tips. She wore orange earrings. Her petite body was clad in a black, form-fitting chest armor, with the Gem of Reason embedded at her chest.
Below that was a blue waist-cinched armor piece exposing her abdomen. Under the armor was a white double-layered frilled skirt lined in blue. She wore black sleeves and white thigh-high stockings.
Combined with the delicate silver crown atop her head, Bronya at this moment resembled a true princess. And Project Bunny 19C stood beside her like a loyal knight, never straying a single step.
Click!
Elias swiftly took a photo, intending to share it later with Alexandra.
"At the current pace, finishing within two days is probably impossible. And failure is quite likely."
"It's fine. Isn't that why I'm here?"
"...Fair enough. With you here, there shouldn't be any problem."
Welt adjusted his glasses and curled his lips into a faint smile. The reliable white-haired youth before him always made it feel as though there was nothing to worry about.
Elias walked to Bronya's side. Project Bunny 19C immediately shifted its mechanical claws slightly aside.
She would not allow anyone to approach Bronya—not even Welt. But Elias was naturally an exception.
"You've worked hard, Bunny."
Elias patted Project Bunny's mechanical body.
"Power standing by! Project Bunny 19C is ready at any time to serve Lord Elias and Boss Bronya!" Project Bunny performed a salute.
"Haha~ I'll temporarily entrust my body to you as well. I'll upgrade your configuration later."
"Thank you, Lord Elias! With me here, no one will get near you!"
As she spoke, Project Bunny fully unleashed her armaments. Floating cannons appeared, along with plasma cannons, Gatling guns, electromagnetic heavy cannons, Honkai energy grenade launchers, the Moonlight Throne cannon, and more.
With such firepower, even a Judgment-class Honkai Beast could be blasted into fragments on the spot. One had to remember that Elias had once equipped her with several Honkai Fissile Bombs, as well as nuclear weapons.
More importantly, some time ago Vill-V had upgraded Project Bunny 19C. Combined with her evolution through the power of the Herrscher of Reason, she was no longer the easily defeated Bunny of the original timeline.
Her current firepower was sufficient to annihilate a Vipralopa-class Honkai Beast.
(Whether in the Previous Era or the Current Era, the Herrscher of Reason never had a companion Honkai Beast. But in a certain sense, Project Bunny could be considered Duck's companion Honkai Beast.)
Although it seemed Bronya was something of a black-hearted boss.
The extent to which Board Duck exploited Project Bunny rivaled the way Mobius exploited Klein.
For example, among the nearly one thousand games across her seventy-six game accounts, the daily tasks were all being grinded by Project Bunny.
(...Why did Seele give me to Bronya back then? Does she know that several times Bronya even used me to browse indescribable websites, and I ended up getting infected with viruses?!)
Despite being heavily exploited, Project Bunny's loyalty was beyond question.
At this moment, she faithfully executed her guard duty. Incidentally, Elias' command priority was actually higher than Bronya's, as Project Bunny was originally a creation of the Previous Era.
"Then I'll take a look inside Duck's heart."
Elias lifted the floating Bronya in a princess carry, then activated the authority of the Herrscher of Sentience and dived into her inner world.
At this moment, Bronya was undergoing the trial of the three hundred thousand minds contained within the Herrscher Core of Reason.
Whether she could gain the recognition of those minds, whether she could transcend them—
That was the key to her attainment of Truth.