Mei had recently conducted considerable research on stigmata so she naturally understood the artificial intervention the experimental data owner was referring to.
It was simply using Honkai energy to stimulate the incomplete fragments of stigmata in people's genes, allowing them to manifest.
However, if this were done...
Even if the goal was ultimately achieved, only a very small number of people would be able to activate the stigmata as planned.
Aside from these lucky survivors, the fate of the others was simply beyond question: death or becoming the walking dead, as they had predicted.
This was an extremely insane plan.
In Mei's opinion, its madness was no less than that of Cocolia's earlier plan.
The two even had many similarities.
The former aimed to awaken a few people through the baptism of Honkai, while the latter aimed to create a massive Honkai eruption to transform Mei into the Third Herrscher.
"If this is the World Serpent's goal..."
Mei glanced at Welt, whose face was visibly gloomy, and understood why Bronya and Welt had been so determined to follow Kevin in the previous video. The man confronted her, refusing to give in and preventing her from leaving the Sea of Quanta.
Unlike the others here, who were all unchanging,
As a survivor of the Previous Era and Kevin's comrade...
Fu Hua sighed deeply after reading this.
Although it had been a little unclear before, after the encounter, her memory of this part was still quite deep, so she remembered it somewhat.
"That was just the beginning..." Fu Hua, in a rare moment, corrected Mei's statement.
Hearing this, everyone looked at Fu Hua, all listening attentively.
"That question about the plans left behind by the Previous Era also came up before. Those plans are the follow-up measures Dr. Mei will implement when we reach our end."
"As the question suggests, Project Stigma is the most brutal of those plans."
"This plan may be necessary. But the price it comes at is something humanity may never be able to bear."
Fu Hua didn't elaborate on the cruelty of Project Stigma, casting a somewhat enigmatic quality about it.
But even without fully explaining it, given the high level of understanding among those present, wisdom could also make a rough guess.
...Judging from Kiana's bewildered expression, she seemed to be the only one who had slipped through this net of intellect.
The video ended after Rita became embroiled in a chaotic battle with the enemy.
At this moment, Book of Fuxi who stood beside Fu Hua consciously drifted away.
With a troubled expression, Fu Hua raised her head and reached out to catch the falling reward box, her movements extremely skillful...
Like a resentful young wife who had been abandoned, she tossed the Homu Box to Kiana with a slight tremor of her brow.
With a hint of sympathy, Kiana glanced down at the Homu Box in her hands.
With her gaze fixed on it, she opened the Homu Box.
Once again, Fu Hua's heart was broken.
A headdress fell out of the box.
Seeing this, Bronya's gaze froze, and she seemed deeply concerned. After all, she had also opened a headdress.
Kiana didn't hesitate and checked the headdress's attributes.
[Void Drifter's Headdress]
[Wandering Kiana, in her semi-Herrscher form, can access some of the powers of the Herrscher of the Void]
[Effect: Enter the Void Drifter Kiana mode, and use some of the Herrscher of the Void's powers (use with caution, as this increases erosion)]
[Limited to: Kiana (K423)]
[Note: Very cool, but you won't like this look.]
Mei murmured, "It's Kiana's limited equipment..."
The fact that it's limited to one user speaks volumes about its nature.
From experience so far, every item with a limited user is incredibly powerful.
Kiana's is indeed quite powerful.
Compared to Mei's glasses and Bronya's headdress, both can utilize the power of a Herrscher.
However, unlike the previous two, it has essentially no side effects...
Kiana's was the rare one to have a more limited side effect.
Kiana didn't think too much of it, and after checking the stats, she curiously put it on.
She wasn't concerned about the so-called power of the Herrscher of the Void.
But the fact that this one, labeled as cool but not liked, made Kiana curious.
If it was so cool, why wouldn't she like it?
The moment she donned the headdress, a ball of light enveloped Kiana. The next moment, the light dispersed.
Then, Kiana's casual St. Freya Academy attire instantly transformed. Her braids, once tied together, fell loose behind her, and her figure was tightly clad in a black-and-white outfit. One of her azure eyes now shone a different shade of gold. It was a similar, indifferent gold to that of the Herrscher of the Void.
At this moment, Kiana resembled a valiant female warrior, yet her heterochromatic eyes gave her an incomparably sinister air, emanating a chilling aura.
"...Kiana, how are you?" Fu Hua's eyes flashed with a hint of solemnity.
...She had the eyes of the Herrscher.
Although Kiana was not as powerful as the Herrscher of the Void, the sense of danger she posed was no less pronounced.
"...I'm fine," Kiana replied with some reluctance. She shook her head, indicating she was fine.
Different from her earlier lively demeanor, Kiana now seemed more mature and calmer than usual.
Feeling a little uncomfortable, Bronya leaned in closer, tiptoed, and removed the ornament from Kiana's hair.
In an instant, the aloof Void Drifter reverted to a naive Paramecium.
"...I feel so weird." Kiana didn't care about Bronya reverting her to her original form. Instead, she spoke with some hesitation about the feeling just now.
"I always feel so weird in this state..."
Furthermore, it felt as if a heavy burden was weighing on her heart.
She felt so tired, filled with guilt and loneliness.
Kiana didn't reveal this feeling to anyone.
She glanced at her hands, recalling the feeling just now, feeling a bit heavy inside.
...Is this my future self?
She doesn't know if she's handsome or not, but based on her feelings, Kiana definitely can't like herself like this.
[2. During her wanderings, she encountered a life-or-death battle, and she initially mastered the power of the Herrscher of the Void, becoming Void Drifter.]
[In that moment of despair, who was the first person who strengthened Kiana's faith and completed her ascension to Void Drifter?]
[A. Fu Hua]
[B. Himeko Murata]
[C. Raiden Mei]
[D. Bronya]