The Holy Cross Group itself had no shortage of the Third Stellar Particle.
Because the Third Stellar Particle possessed the ability to self-replicate, it could be endlessly propagated in a biological culture dish.
Although this replication process was accompanied by degradation, if one prioritized quantity over quality, mass production was more than achievable.
The various BDA and A devices that Saigo Homura researched were all built upon these degraded versions of the Third Stellar Particle.
That was why everyone was so puzzled when Homura called the Third Stellar Particle a "Gift of the Stars."
It wasn't that the gift was too modest; it was so common as to be practically worthless.
It was only when he uttered the word "Prototype" that Black Rabbit and Kudo Ayatori realized the true value of this Gift of the Stars, and they grew incredibly excited.
Before this, the Third Stellar Particle Prototype had only appeared once.
That was the very first Third Stellar Particle, the one and only.
All Third Stellar Particles seen today were degraded versions of this prototype. It could be said that all products derived from the Third Stellar Particle originated from this single source.
However, before its true properties were understood, this prototype had been entirely used up in experiments.
In other words, all samples had been contaminated. No truly pure ancestor existed—with the exception of Saigo Izayoi.
By implanting the Third Stellar Particle into a child at the in-vitro stage—before birth, before even the formation of the embryo—it was possible to conduct a human experiment that would allow the fetus to inherit the full capabilities of the Third Stellar Particle Prototype.
This conclusion, a flagrant violation of basic scientific ethics that would earn one a death sentence from the scientific community and cause a massive uproar if revealed, had been successfully verified by Saigo Homura's father.
At the time, Homura's father had not yet realized that once the Third Stellar Particle Prototype was fully degraded, it could not be restored, nor could it maintain its original omnipotence.
He had conducted the experiment simply because he was too impatient to wait for animal trials, desperate to obtain a scientific breakthrough that could save the world.
His experiment was a success.
He used his own child for human experimentation and ultimately produced a child who possessed the Third Stellar Particle Prototype.
The physical prowess Saigo Izayoi possessed—a power that surpassed even that of an ordinary divinity-wielder, a power that could shake the heavens and even the planet itself—was the effect granted to him by the Third Stellar Particle Prototype.
If anyone else were to undergo the same human experiment, the results would inevitably be inferior to Saigo Izayoi's.
Even if they possessed an adaptive capacity superior to Izayoi's, it would be impossible to obtain the same level of power.
Because they would not have the Third Stellar Particle Prototype, only the degraded Lesser Version.
The power of the Lesser Version could never compare to the Prototype.
Saigo Homura had always known that his older brother was his damned father's most successful creation.
He also knew that his father's wish had failed.
After news of the Third Stellar Particle leaked, his parents were eliminated by a rival faction following a failed recruitment attempt. He and Saigo Izayoi were orphaned, left to wander.
It wasn't until they were found and adopted by the Holy Cross Welfare Institute that they learned of their past and were reunited with their relatives.
Putting aside his complicated feelings for his parents, as the world's foremost expert on the Third Stellar Particle, Saigo Homura was intimately familiar with its properties. He knew just how precious the Prototype was.
Possessing the Third Stellar Particle Prototype not only meant having physical abilities far superior to those granted by the Lesser Versions, but it also meant being able to ignore compatibility issues and use almost any limited-run BDA device.
In fact, it could be said that only a Prototype wielder could unleash the full power of all BDAs simultaneously.
While Black Rabbit and Ayatori's understanding of the Third Stellar Particle wasn't quite that deep, they at least knew its most basic effects.
Therefore…
"So if I inject this stuff, I can get the same power as that monster gorilla?"
Half an hour later, Percher's small mouth hung open as she stared, dumbfounded, at the test tube shimmering with starlight before her.
She had only been training hard for a day, her strength had barely improved to a presentable level, and now she was being offered such a massive power-up?
If she could just leap to the top like this, how was she supposed to have the patience to train hard anymore?
"Of course. If you don't believe me, I'll inject myself first. You can wait until my check-up is complete before you decide," Saigo Homura said immediately.
"I'm against human experimentation, but if it's on myself, there shouldn't be a problem."
He hated what his parents had done.
Even if sacrifices were necessary to save the world, they shouldn't have sacrificed their own child.
If you have the guts, experiment on yourself!
Hearing this, Percher frantically shook her head.
"No! It's not that I don't trust your scientific skills, it's just… it feels a little unbelievable…"
Her voice was dazed. She bit her tongue, trying to clear her head, then looked at the others around her—little Black Rabbit, Kudo Asuka, and Kasukabe Yō.
"This thing is so powerful, why are you giving it to me? Aren't you guys a better fit?" Percher asked, feeling uneasy.
She had just joined the group and hadn't even had a chance to fight a boss yet. In the previous battles, she had just been slacking off in the background. Why was the most important spoil of war suddenly being handed to her?
As the weakest, slacker rookie, she felt the vial was burning a hole in her hand.
"I have no need for such a thing right now."
In response to her question, Kudo Asuka confidently held out her hand and crushed the air with a casual squeeze.
She had now fully adapted to the divinity-level power within her body. If she wished, she could throw a stone at the third cosmic velocity.
In terms of physical ability, she was no less than an ordinary innate deity. Compared to Black Rabbit, she was only slightly lacking in specialized areas like agility, but not by much.
In her current state, she naturally no longer needed the Third Stellar Particle Prototype to enhance her physique.
"And if Yō uses her Life Catalogue, her physical abilities can temporarily surpass even mine. She doesn't need it either," Kudo Asuka said, glancing at Kasukabe Yō.
Kasukabe Yō nodded with a deadpan expression, agreeing with her assessment.
Then, Kudo Asuka's gaze swept over the others.
"On the contrary, Percher, little Homura, and my sister Ayatori—you are the ones who need this power for self-defense right now."
"That's right," Kudo Ayatori nodded and said bluntly. "My martial arts skills are still intact, but I need sufficient physical ability to make use of them. This Prototype is very important to me."
Surprisingly, her tone was not sharp when she mentioned her sister this time, and Kudo Asuka didn't retort after glancing at her.
The atmosphere between the two sisters seemed different than before.
Everyone could accept Ayatori's reasoning. Saigo Homura scratched his head and said, "I don't really have a need for it, to be honest. I'm not a fighter; my main job is scientific research. But Izayoi-nii sent a message earlier, approving my use of the Prototype to prevent enemies from threatening me with assassination."
"I don't think it's necessary, but there are… other reasons. To be honest, I can't refuse."
He was being vague because the real reason was that becoming a Prototype wielder would allow him to experiment on himself.
For Saigo Homura, with his overly high moral standards, there were many experiments he was capable of but unwilling to perform.
He had never made a serious effort to tackle human experimentation. No matter how safe the procedure, because of his brother, he could never overcome the psychological barrier and had never even attempted it, resorting to using animals as test subjects.
But if he injected the Prototype himself, if he became the test subject, then things would be different.
With his moral restrictions lifted, he would only need to ensure his own safety, which wasn't difficult for him.
Doing so would be a massive boost to his research on BDAs.
But he knew he'd get an earful if he said that out loud, so he kept it to himself.
"Other reasons… Just don't do anything stupid."
Fortunately, Kudo Asuka didn't like to force her friends. After giving him a suspicious look, she didn't press him for his reasons.
At this point, seeing that everyone had their own thoughts, Percher was still hesitant.
"Even if you don't need it urgently, this Prototype could still strengthen you, right? It's one thing to give it to me, but what if I waste it?"
The petite girl lowered her head, still feeling a little insecure.
She wanted to leap to the top in a single bound, but she didn't know if she could bear the weight of others' expectations.
Hearing this, Kudo Asuka and Kasukabe Yō exchanged a look, then smiled gently.
"Percher, you're overthinking this!"
"Let's not even mention that Lady Canary said before that the Prototype would be useless for me and have little effect on Yō. Even setting that aside, giving the Prototype to you was a direct order from Lord Su Mo himself!"
"Even if you don't believe in yourself, surely you can't distrust Lord Su Mo's judgment?"
"The Master's orders?"
Percher froze at those words. After a few seconds of internal struggle, her eyes finally hardened with resolve.
"I understand. I'll work hard not to let the Master's gift go to waste!"
Su Mo had not only brought her to this paradise for saviors but had also given her something so precious. If she didn't step up, wouldn't she be letting down her Master's kindness?
With that thought, she, along with Kudo Ayatori and Saigo Homura, accepted the injection of the Third Stellar Particle Prototype.
After successfully obtaining a power she could never have imagined before, Percher looked around with immense confidence, her eyes scanning the group, only to suddenly realize a certain fact.
Which was—
"Huh? Even though I've gotten stronger, how come I still seem to be the weakest one here?"