"Kalpas, it's time to go."
Sakura sheathed her blade and spoke to the masked man who was still scouring the area for Honkai Beasts.
"Hah? Is that it? This is truly boring." Kalpas let out a "tch." "Are these the enemies you face? You could have handled this alone."
"...You simply haven't met a true enemy yet." Sakura walked toward the transport. "To ordinary people, they are no different from 'Gods'."
"God? Heh..." Kalpas sneered.
Sakura didn't bother explaining further. Since they started teaming up, describing him as "doing as he pleases" felt inadequate; he held a groundless contempt for the existing system and everything within his sight.
Except for two people.
One was Lin, and the other was Aponia. Whenever these two were mentioned, he would often grit his teeth.
Sakura shook her head, planning to return...
"Miss Sakura, hello."
"..."
When an unexpected person appears at an unexpected time in an unexpected place, Sakura instinct was to draw her sword.
A figure clad in a heavy black coat stood in front of the transport. He spoke with that unique rasp that carried a trace of mechanical cadence: "Please, do not strike immediately. I assume you are an intellectual woman. Outside of the time allotted for my mission, I would be happy to build a friendly relationship with you. What do you say?"
"I don't build friendly relationships with anti-human lunatics." Sakura raised her blade, pointing it at Gray Serpent's white, lacquer-like mask.
"Anti-human?" Gray Serpent seemed genuinely surprised. " Maybe you don't know... compared to the Fire Moth people, I love humanity as much as my parents loved them much more deeply."
"You..."
"What kind of 'thing' is this again?"
Kalpas interrupted their conversation. He narrowed his eyes behind his mask, walked up to Sakura side, and curled his lips: "You seem... quite tactless."
"Your teammate is certainly full of personality, though in this era, personality is often a sign of danger." Gray Serpent pulled a stack of papers from his breast pocket, completely ignoring the way Sakura fingers tightened on her hilt at his movement. "I hope you can deliver this to Mr. Lin."
"You want us to pass a message for an enemy?" Kalpas laughed wantonly, as if he had heard a joke. "It seems you aren't just tactless, you're mentally ill."
"An enemy is merely a standpoint. You weren't necessarily on the side of Fire Moth before, were you?"
"..."
Kalpas laughter cut off abruptly. His eyes behind the mask locked onto Gray Serpent like flowing magma.
"Kalpas, he is special. He cannot be killed..."
"Is that so? I'm very good at killing... things that can't be killed."
The moment Kalpas said those words, Sakura knew she couldn't talk him down. Not that she had intended to let Gray Serpent go, anyway.
A minute later, Sakura picked up the stack of papers from the ground. A corner of Gray Serpent's cloak fluttered past her eyes as she unfolded the paper to see what was written.
"This is..."
After seeing the contents clearly, her breath hitched for a second.
...
"Brother Lin... you're back..."
When Lin returned to Mobius office, a frail, soft voice reached his ears. He saw a small girl painting at one of the unoccupied desks.
"Griseo..."
He hadn't expected to see Griseo here, but her presence indicated one thing.
"Can you control your power now?"
Griseo stopped her brush, seemingly thinking about the meaning of Lin words, then she nodded: "Mama Aponia... said I can control my power and Mr. Knight now..."
Mama... Aponia? And Mr. Knight?
"Aponia sent her back after placing a layer of 'insurance' on her. She doesn't have to live in the Deep End anymore." Mobius stepped out of the office. Her sharp expression softened the moment she saw Griseo. "Griseo, go play outside for a bit. Big Sister Mobius will pick you up later, okay?"
Despite her young age, Griseo was exceptionally obedient. She nodded and packed up her brushes: "Okay, Auntie Mobius."
Mobius expression froze. "Wait, you call him Brother but call me Auntie?"
"See you later, Auntie Mobius." Griseo had already pitter-pattered to the door. She waved to both of them and left.
"..."
Mobius snapped her gaze toward Lin, but with his helmet on, there was no telling what he was thinking.
"Perhaps it's because I look more mature than you." Mobius stared at him, trying to see the expression under his helmet. "Hmph, shrinking hasn't affected my elegance."
After a few seconds of hesitation, Lin nodded in agreement, which satisfied Mobius.
"Alright, hurry up. I have a lot to do. I can't spend much time on your body research every day; the rest will be left to Vil-V." Mobius pointed to the operating table and took out several specialized tools. "Don't feel any psychological burden. Even if you truly turn into a Honkai creature..."
Mobius voice trailed off at the end. Lin didn't hear clearly, but he didn't ask.
He was currently considering something—something that could be accomplished given the unique "current" circumstances.
........
"First Unit, has Mei been bullying you lately?" Vil-V was performing a full parts check on Prometheus. "You must have missed me, right?"
"...Dr. Mei would not bully an AI. I keep Dr. Vil-V data in the system at all times; it is transferred to the highest priority level during maintenance."
"Don't answer in such a mechanical AI tone."
"But I am an AI."
"Fine, at least you haven't changed in that regard. You have that same 'black-bellied' feel as Lin." Vil-V finished the check with a lighthearted tone. "You are my 'competitive' advantage, after all."
"What competition?"
"Think about it. If a man knows his bride comes with an absolutely obedient and beautiful AI as a dowry, wouldn't that be..."
"I am Lin private property."
"Don't cut ties so fast!"
Vil-V sighed, her tone softening: "Going home... yes. Wherever you all are, that is home..."
She packed away her instruments and took out a pile of tools whose uses were incomprehensible to anyone else. She stretched her neck: "First Unit, time to get to work."
"The Engineering Department currently has no projects."
"I know. That's why this is 'my' private project. I really have to thank the R&D Director for her great mercy."
Vil-V curled her lips into a smirk, proud and flamboyant.