Fuli was woken up by a roar from outside.
Sleeping in the penthouse on the top floor of the tower, he opened the window and looked out. A magnificent aerial battleship was passing through the gap opened in the electromagnetic field barrier.
"My big baby has arrived?"
He closed the window and was just about to get out of bed to wash up and get dressed.
Suddenly, he smelled a strange fragrance.
Fuli looked down at the blankets.
Mn, waking up to find a pink-haired beautiful girl in my arms or some other crazy development... that doesn't exist.
But—
Hm?
He reached out and picked up a single strand of pink hair.
Bringing it to his nose to sniff, the scent matched the extra fragrance in the blankets.
"!!!"
Fuli was stunned.
Who was he? A super-vigilant expert who wished he could sleep with his eyes open like Zhang Fei.
Someone actually slipped into his bed without a sound? And then slipped away unnoticed?
Buzz—!
His phone vibrated.
Feeling irritable, the boy unlocked the screen and found a WeChat message from Grand-Auntie.
[Full! Thanks for the meal, Little Li~♪]
Below was a photo. In it, the pink-haired girl sitting by the bed smiled brightly and cutely, flashing a peace sign while sticking out her little tongue, the picture of a victor at ease.
On the bed, a peaceful-looking Fuli lay there.
His face was gaunt, bloodless, looking haggard as if he had just been wrung dry.
Like that kind of JPG.
"What the f*ck!"
The person involved immediately jumped out of bed, ran to the bathroom, turned on the light, and looked in the mirror.
He touched his face, confirming he was still as full of vitality and healthy as yesterday, before picking up his phone grumpily.
[Sunny and Cheerful Fuli-Li: I say, my good Grand-Auntie, can we not photoshop pictures randomly next time!!!]
The picture was undoubtedly fake.
Even if Fuli had let his guard down, it was impossible for him to be 'corpse-picked' (taken advantage of while unconscious) without knowing it.
On top of the Raiden Tower, Elysia looked at the content on her phone, smiled knowingly, and leaped into the air.
[Pink Elf Miss: Ehehe, who told my Little Li to be so cute?]
[Pink Elf Miss: I'll do it again next time~♪]
...
After chatting a few more lines with Grand-Auntie and remembering he had an aerial battleship to inspect, Fuli put down his phone, washed his face, and went downstairs.
Just as he was about to head out, he hesitated, turned back, cleaned up the pink hair in the blankets, and took a meticulous shower to wash off that fragrant scent before taking the elevator to the ground floor.
When Fuli arrived at the open space in front of the tower via the elevator, Mei was already standing there in the shade.
"You're early."
He greeted her leisurely, as if sleeping under the same blanket with a certain pink piggy was just a hallucination. He looked up at the ultimate manifestation of human violent aesthetics hovering in mid-air:
The steel beast, blotting out the sky and sun, obscured the daylight and cast a massive, dark shadow. The luminous flames spewing from its engines shook the atmosphere like the heavy breath of a behemoth. Light flowed across its silvery-white surface as if some strange energy were swimming along it, looking both sci-fi and magical.
Mei murmured to herself, "This is our new home..."
"Yep, new home."
Scum-Li smiled, eyes narrowing. "What we need to do next is move your old home entirely inside it."
Heh, isn't he just coveting her family property?
His calculations were so loud that Bronya, who was negotiating with the ship's crew on the deck, heard them.
"Captain Bronya..."
Yuya, standing opposite her, looked like she wanted to say something but stopped.
"Don't say it, Yuya. Bronya isn't going back."
The girl interrupted unceremoniously. "Since the handover of supplies and the battleship is complete, you can leave."
"Oh."
Yuya took one step forward and looked back three times, reluctantly suppressing the urge to hug, kiss, and lift up the cute emotionless loli. Eventually, she left with the remaining colleagues on the ship via a small carrier-based aircraft.
Once the other party had passed through the exit of the magnetic field barrier, Bronya walked to the edge of the deck and jumped from a height of dozens of meters.
The sensation of falling blew through her natural twin-drill curls. As she neared the ground, Project Bunny materialized from void to reality, protecting the girl as she landed safely in front of the two.
"Battleship data and supply manifest."
Her nimble, jade-like fingers danced across the screen, and a holographic display filled with text materialized in the air.
Mei immediately stepped forward to cross-reference it with the data in her memory. A moment later, her beautiful brows raised at Fuli. "Medium Transport Ship?"
"Originally, I planned to ask for a combat-class ship directly. But considering the volume of things we need to carry after expanding the space, I changed it."
Fuli explained, "It's like buying a house; buying a bare shell makes it easier to renovate. Rather than choosing a ship type with fixed equipment that's hard to modify, it's better to choose a basic model like a transport ship that's easy to refit and has plenty of power to start from scratch."
Mei could use Jizo Mitama to expand the internal space of the battleship, but the weight of the supplies wouldn't vanish into thin air.
"Svetovid-class Medium Transport Ship, equipped with Leonov anti-gravity engines identical to those on battleships. There are 4 engines at the front and 4 at the rear. To power the engines, 8 nuclear fusion reactors are installed. In normal flight, only 4 reactors operate, while the other 4 are usually kept on standby."
Bronya said flatly, "Fun fact: The Far East Branch's Hyperion has a similar configuration. As a battleship, it only has 6 nuclear reactors, and activating just 4 is enough to support high-speed maneuvers in the stratosphere."
"Svetovid?"
Hearing the familiar name, Mei was surprised. "The Slavic god of war?"
"It's a quirk of Cocolia's faction. For example, the aerial carrier Belobog is named after the White God in Slavic mythology."
Fuli shrugged. "All transport ships of this type share this name. You know how it is—the grander the name, the easier it becomes a mass-production serial number."
"I see."
Mei nodded and extended her creamy white hand toward Fuli.
The latter simply took out the Gem of Corruption and placed it in her palm. "Need assistance?"
The Svetovid-class Medium Transport Ship was 378.5 meters long, with a deck length of 232 meters and a width of 181.2 meters.
Expanding such a large space would obviously consume a lot of Mei's mental energy.
"Just don't let suspicious people in."
When saying 'suspicious', Mei specifically glanced at Bronya.
Then she turned, transformed into a streak of lightning, shot into the sky, and curved into the interior of the battleship.
Watching her leave, Fuli stroked Bronya's natural twin drills. "Heavy is the burden and long is the road, Duck-baby!"
"Bronya doesn't understand what Stupid Brother is saying."
The girl said coldly, "Bronya and Raiden Mei are merely subordinates under the same person. There is no need to establish a trusting relationship."
"Then what if she gives you a hard time later?"
"Then Bronya will tattle to Brother Fuli."
When saying this, the girl deliberately emphasized the word 'Brother'.
Fuli thought for a moment, realizing this was referencing the joke he made earlier to brush off Bronya underwater.
However—
"Say 'Onii-chan' again?"
"Heh!"
Bronya rolled her eyes at the teasing Fuli and entered the industrial park. With the assistance of Project Bunny, she began organizing the production lines that hadn't been dismantled yet.
Seeing the girls all had their own tasks, Fuli, as the boss, naturally couldn't stay idle.
He returned to the villa on the top floor of the tower, used existing ingredients to make three cups of Yuzu Matcha, hesitated, then made an extra cup for Kiana and set it aside.
Then he lay down on the activated massage chair, sipping his drink while waiting for Mei and Bronya to finish their work.
It wasn't until the glow of the setting sun shining on him was blocked by two shadows—one tall, one short—that the abruptly awakened Fuli realized it was already noon.
"Hard work."
He sat up rubbing his eyes, casually grabbed the drink prepared for Kiana, and drank it. "Want something to eat?"
"Let's eat on the ship," Mei said.
"Hiss! Does this mean?"
"The expansion of the ship's hull space is finished."
"Along with the transport of existing ME Corp supplies and equipment, excluding the massage chair Brother is sitting on," Bronya added.
That phrasing... I feel like I'm being dissed for not working.
Fuli looked around, once again marveling at the efficiency of the Honkai side when engaging in productive work.
"Hey, say, why didn't any ancient emperors organize these ability users to turn the grindstone?"
Couldn't dig canals? Couldn't move stuff? Look at this efficiency, it's solid!
Bronya retorted, "With that ancient environment, who would dare gather a group of muscle-heads who can take on a hundred men each? Were they afraid they wouldn't shout 'Are kings and generals born noble?' and revolt?"
"Never mind ancient times."
Mei sighed. "Even in modern times, if adult males gather in large numbers, the police will arrive immediately to question the situation."
After all, creatures like men, once they get together to chat, are very prone to: 'Hey! Bros, I have an idea!'
Bronya continued, "Furthermore, for those with power, how would you convince them to serve ordinary people?"
It's like scholars who pass the imperial exam refusing to go to the countryside, or officials starting to embezzle as soon as they take office.
I worked hard to rise above the commoners; if I still have to serve the commoners after rising up, didn't I work hard for nothing?
Ability users, ancient or modern, East or West, are all like this. Look at novels—which great hero honestly farms the land?
Unless there's a stronger powerhouse managing them. But they are born of the same class. You let him manage the ones below today; will he get someone stronger to manage him tomorrow? For what? Just to serve you ants who can be crushed with a flick of the wrist?
"Real. Too real!"
What they said made so much sense that Fuli was left speechless.
"'Therefore, to ensure my leadership position cannot be shaken, our organization will only recruit female members from now on! No males, no LGBT, nothing!'" Mei lifted her sweet face, ripples of quiet solitude in her eyes. "Let me guess, does someone intend to say this next?"
"I'm not that interested in power or whatever!"
Fuli felt greatly wronged. "Compared to scheming against people to protect that little bit of power, I prefer leveling up."
That Barbarr, the Herrscher of Dominance, was still waiting for him in two and a half years!
S-Rank Breaker strength! That's what matters!
Being ultimately humiliated by Himeko or Kiana or whoever was impossible!
Absolutely impossible! Absolutely not happening!
"It seems great minds think alike."
Mei agreed. "Then let's set a rule: from now on, only female members are allowed. No males, LGBT, or whatever."
"Hm?"
"I also don't want to live in an environment full of intrigue all day long."
The girl smiled at Fuli. "I still have this authority, right?"
Since her boyfriend (self-proclaimed) was so tactful, she wouldn't be completely stingy.
Bronya muttered softly, "There are only three people right now, yet you're thinking so far ahead."
"In novel terms, this is called 'Saying the ugly words upfront so the readers can relax!'"
Fuli walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking half the scenery of Nagazora City.
The ruined city was gradually regaining vitality. Streams of people moved through the streets and alleys, many of whom were officials in protective suits performing 'Purification'.
Purification (Fuxi), a Han Chinese folk custom, held annually on the Shangsi Festival in spring by the water to wash away filth and eliminate misfortune.
After the term and method spread to the Far East, it gradually evolved into a synonym for dealing with residual Honkai energy, meaning the same as decontamination.
More than ten hours had passed. With Schicksal and Anti-Entropy present or providing support—or perhaps eyeing the numerous benefits derived from the Third Eruption, such as Honkai beast materials or various strange items spawned after infection—the official forces of the Far East finally arrived.
There were also quite a few people armed with live ammunition surrounding the ME Corp Industrial Park. If not for the magnetic field barrier and Anti-Entropy's attitude, they might have rushed in to loot and plunder long ago.
Withdrawing his gaze, Fuli said, "Time to go. Leave this country."
He didn't want to wrangle with this lot. The Anti-Entropy logo on the Svetovid hadn't been wiped off yet; he reckoned they wouldn't dare stop his 'United States Daddy's' ship.
Only—
As expected, she didn't come?
Moving to the deck, Fuli leaned against the railing, resting his chin on his elbow, thinking.
Rather, it was normal that she didn't come, that idiot white-hair.
But it made sense. Compared to a obscure, three-person grassroots troupe, the big tree of St. Freya offered better shade.
Not to mention Theresa held news of Siegfried—something Kiana had persisted for four years and suffered countless hardships to obtain.
The sky, presenting a patch of azure blue, was almost devoid of clouds, with only a few wisps floating leisurely. The sun high overhead mercilessly poured down dazzling light. The air was filled with waves of heat, making even breathing seem a bit heavy.
"Let's go."
Taking one last look at Nagazora City, which was now vibrant as if all things were competing to grow, the boy turned around, rolling his shoulders as he walked toward the bridge.
As the saying goes, saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. Then, saving millions of lives—wouldn't that start urbanization of temples?
If merit could manifest like in prehistoric cultivation novels, there would surely be a golden halo of merit hanging behind his head.
Fuli laughed dumbly. The battleship slowly ascended, and the barrier shrouding ME Corp simultaneously withdrew to both sides.
The roar of the colossal machine naturally attracted the gaze of half the city. Many powerhouses who came to Nagazora City wanting a piece of the pie became restless, but upon seeing the Anti-Entropy logo brazenly painted on the hull, they died down.
But people, well, there are always those who overestimate themselves.
"Haha! An Anti-Entropy transport ship! This Great Master will unceremoniously accept it!"
Covered entirely in alloy individual armor, his voice mechanized by the system.
A middle-aged man raised his left arm, aiming at the ascending Svetovid. Three heat-seeking rockets screamed out of their slots!
"Delta VI Enhanced Armor. If I recall correctly, it's D-Rank individual armament produced by the small organization [Golden Dawn], capable of boosting the wearer's strength to near C-Rank."
Fuli paused his steps, his expression revealing utter speechlessness.
With just that level, he dared to rob an aerial battleship painted with the Anti-Entropy logo? The extremely high mortality rate on the Honkai side is dragged up by you idiots who traded IQ for power!
A semi-transparent screen popped up in front of him, with Mei on the other side asking coolly, "Need help?"
"Just him?"
Fuli didn't even look back. Four crescent-shaped sword energies condensed in the void and whistled away.
"Exactly! Who are you insulting!"
A dignified and blazing shout rang out simultaneously. A white meteor leaping from the top of a building into mid-air shouted, "Rules are made to be broken!"
A Galactic Baseball Bat whistled through the air, drawing a perfect arc, smashing those three incoming rockets to smithereens.
Layers of sound waves exploded alongside the smoke in the clear sky, like three magnificently blooming blazing white fire lotuses.
Fuli's figure froze, his long eyelashes trembling slightly.
The three 'Shadow Trailing Slashes' originally targeting the rockets changed course. Together with the one that had separated earlier, they flew toward the man whose right hand had transformed into a 12mm Gatling gun firing wildly.
"Don't come over! Don't co—AHHH!!!"
A mere fire rate of fifty rounds per second couldn't stop the incoming blade light. The alloy armor, sufficient to defend against a Barrett at point-blank range, was easily torn apart by the slash. The miserable scream stopped abruptly, the cut on the corpse—split into 2.5 pieces—smooth as a mirror.
Ignoring that, the boy rushed back to the edge of the deck and looked down:
A beautiful girl with white hair and blue eyes, seemingly from Northern Europe, stood with hands on hips atop a building nearly a hundred meters high. With a cute, bright face, she smiled like a wild cat that had gained sentience.
She carried a super-huge, round bundle stuffed full of things on her back, and wore the JK student uniform issued only after enrolling in St. Freya.
"Isn't this our Eldest Miss Kiana?"
His gaze lingering for a second on that familiar St. Freya uniform, Fuli raised an appropriate, light smile. "What, ran over to say goodbye before we leave?"
Inside the battleship, Mei, who was calibrating firing data, paused. Her fingers on the keyboard inputted several wrong parameters.
"Not really. Didn't you use a Flying Thunder God Kunai to save Teacher Himeko and her apprentice earlier, Ah-Li? She asked me to bring you a thank-you gift."
The white-haired dumpling grinned. Her youthful and beautiful pleated skirt fluttered in the strong wind, truly a picture of high spirits.
When Fuli saved Himeko and Asakura Miyuki earlier, he wasn't wearing the God-King Mask that boosted his strength.
With his ability at that time, wanting to save people in front of Shesha naturally required paying a corresponding price.
The Flying Thunder God Kunai was that price.
"A thank-you gift is fine, but is it that bundle behind you?"
"No, it's this!"
Kiana pulled a thick, heavy book out of her four-dimensional skirt.
Possessing the property of 'making people think they can see but actually can't', she was completely unafraid of flashing anyone even while wearing a short skirt.
...