"Mm~ Although it's been a long time since I last performed a Meta-Morph surgery, it seems my skills haven't grown rusty."
MEI removed the curved black horn from the cultivation vessel, then skillfully extracted the Meta-Morph factor from it and adjusted the ratio according to Rita's physical condition.
Finally, she injected the refined Meta-Morph serum into Rita's body while supplying it with her own Honkai energy as nourishment, prompting the girl to enter a Meta-Morph state.
This was an extremely simplified Meta-Morph surgery—so simple it resembled a middle school chemistry lab experiment.
Yet the Meta-Morph procedure required to become a MANTIS was undoubtedly one of the most difficult surgeries in the world, normally demanding extensive preparation of every kind. To complete it so effortlessly was a testament to MEI's ability as a Flame-Chaser bearing the Signet of [Erudition].
She would never commit a low-level mistake. The entire person was like a precision machine. Even under crude conditions and without assistants, she could complete the operation with ease.
"Mm, the fusion coefficient is steadily increasing. Oh? Such rapid adaptation—that's unexpected. A MANTIS formed from the body of an S-rank Valkyrie... how interesting."
MEI adjusted her smart glasses and recorded the surgical data, intending to study it further later.
However, it did not take long before she could no longer remain calm.
Because Rita's fusion coefficient was far too high.
"Hiss! Fusion rate 50%, 60%, 70%... Aside from Elias and Elysia, who each used their own companion Honkai Beast as fusion material to reach a 100% fusion rate, the highest record should have only been around 89%, right?"
The instruments began flashing red warnings. The numbers, which had been climbing gradually, suddenly soared, directly surpassing 90%.
"Honkai Beast traits are manifesting? This is—!!"
MEI stared in shock at Rita on the operating table. By now, numerous Honkai Beast characteristics had already appeared on the girl's body.
Crack!Crack!
The restraint bands binding Rita's body snapped apart.
A pair of upward-curving black horns emerged from her head. Semi-transparent wine-red wings unfurled from her lower back. At the same time, a black tail extended like a whip behind her.
Riiip!!
Suddenly, the black nightgown Rita was wearing tore apart.
This time it was not because something had grown out—it was because her physique had changed. She had grown slightly taller, her curves becoming even more pronounced. The already ample softness of her chest now swelled further, gradually approaching the scale of Eden—even Aponia.
"!!!"
MEI's eyes widened. For the first time, she felt a hint of regret. Had she accidentally created an astonishing rival? A Meta-Morph factor that improved one's figure... If Fu Hua ever found out, she would probably risk her life to attempt fusion.
At the same time, a certain event from the Previous Era surfaced in her mind.
"T-this material... could it be that one?!"
A bead of sweat slid down MEI's forehead.
In the Previous Era, there had been a specimen that was never fused. It was so abnormal that even Elias and Kevin—the two great Chimeras—had never consumed it.
Its classification had also been ambiguous. MEI had once hesitated over whether to regard it as a Honkai Beast. Yet without question, the material was extraordinarily dangerous and unique.
So unique that, despite the uncertainty of whether it even qualified as a Honkai Beast, the entire assembly unanimously agreed to rate it as Vipralopa-class.
"This is bad, this is bad! Why did it have to be this material?! Is my luck too terrible—or hers too good? Should I abort the surgery right now?"
MEI was completely flustered. The soaring numbers even caused cracks to form across her observation lenses. But it was already too late to stop.
"Mm~ what an exquisitely wonderful experience."
Rita opened her eyes. The powerful anesthetic that could have put an Emperor-class Honkai Beast to sleep for hours had already been thoroughly absorbed by the Meta-Morph factor within her body.
"This is... I..."
The girl looked at her reflection in the window.
Rita touched her face in astonishment.
At this moment, her entire being radiated a bewitching allure. The wings and tail behind her, along with the horns atop her head, made her look like a succubus descended from the demon realm.
She gave a small attempt. With a single thought, she successfully retracted all the Honkai Beast traits back into her body. It was proof that she had perfectly mastered the Meta-Morph factor.
And Rita's temperament had changed.
Or rather... evolved.
She had already been an elegant yet seductive girl. Now those qualities had been elevated to their absolute peak.
With just a glance, the current Rita could drive men into madness and make them kneel in worship. Had she lived in ancient times, she would undoubtedly have become a calamity capable of toppling nations.
"Hehe, excellent. Regardless of how much my strength has increased, merely achieving this kind of 'evolution' in my body is already an unexpected gain."
Rita's fingers traced across her luscious, ripened curves, a tempting blush blooming across her cheeks.
"Thank you very much for your assistance, Dr. MEI. Rita will certainly honor her promise and teach you the art of cooking."
"D-don't look at me."
"Hmm?"
"You're a psychic-fusion type. And since the fusion has just completed, you can't yet fully control your power. On top of that, this material's mental ability was inherently domineering and frenzied. Simply making eye contact with you is enough to evaporate a person's rationality!"
MEI bit the tip of her tongue, using the pain to stimulate her brain, then turned away to avoid meeting Rita's gaze.
Rita paused, sensing her own abilities. In the next second, a captivating smile curved her lips.
"I see... so that is my ability."
"Tch! You really hit the jackpot."
"So this is what it means to be a MANTIS. Although my appearance remains human, my essence has already surpassed the domain of humanity. Hehe~ no wonder MANTISes can easily defeat Herrschers."
Rita was brimming with exhilaration.
She felt unprecedentedly powerful. Strength surged endlessly from her genes. Even without any equipment, relying solely on her fists and legs, she now dared to challenge a Herrscher or a Judgment-class Honkai Beast.
And that was merely her physical enhancement. One must not forget—her true nature was now that of a psychic-perception-type MANTIS.
If she were to unleash her true abilities, Rita was confident she could challenge anyone except Elias.
Without question, she had now reached the T0 tier.
Rita Rossweisse had completed a magnificent reversal.
"However, it's not all benefits. I feel like my emotions are becoming somewhat difficult to control. Whether it's joy, desire, or any other feeling—they're all far too intense."
Rita licked the corner of her lips. A certain "thirst" suddenly welled up within her.
"All emotions amplified, huh? Mm... considering what you fused with, that's within expectations."
"It seems Dr. MEI has already remembered the type of Honkai Beast I fused with. Though I'm quite curious, I'll save that for next time. Right now, there's something I want to do even more."
Rita's gaze turned toward the Valkyrie dormitory.
"Hmm? What are you planning to do?"
MEI frowned slightly, a bad premonition rising in her heart.
"Nothing much. I simply want Lord Elias to see what I look like now. He will surely like it. And... I'm already finding it a little hard to hold back~"
"Rita! You are not allowed to go!!"
"Good night, Dr. MEI. Please rest early~"
Ignoring MEI's attempt to stop her, Rita spread the demonic wings on her back and flew straight toward the white-haired boy's bedroom.
MEI's face turned ashen as she watched Rita disappear into the distance. She then hurled the black curved horn onto the ground with force, thinking that she had truly created an unbelievably troublesome rival this time.
Fifty thousand years ago, during the Twilight Era...
By an almost one-in-a-hundred-million coincidence, a being was born—something between a zombie and a Honkai Beast.
After investigation and dissection by Mobius, its origin was barely determined: it had once been a human who had just turned into a zombie, yet before losing its sanity, it was parasitized by a psychic-type Honkai Beast rated at the Judgment-class level.
Thus, an anomalous existence was born—one that retained human consciousness, yet possessed the abilities of a Honkai Beast despite being a zombie.
This accidental aberration of Honkai...
...killed seventy people in the Previous Era.
It must be known that, due to Elias' influence, the total number of deaths in the entire Previous Era—even through the battle against Finality—had not exceeded one hundred. And among them, ninety percent of the casualties had come from the original body of the material Rita had fused with.
That aberration had never existed in Elias' previous eleven cycles. Although it retained human awareness and could communicate, its consciousness had long since been twisted by Honkai.
Relying on its overwhelming psychic abilities, it caused any human who saw it to lose their sanity—only to be "drained" to death.
In the end, it was Elias himself who personally hunted it down, and even that had taken considerable effort.
Although its classification had never been finalized as either a Honkai Beast or a zombie, one thing was certain—it could no longer be called human.
And Elias had personally given it a codename.
A Vipralopa-class Honkai organism—Asmodeus.
In mythology, Asmodeus was one of the seventy-two demons, presiding over "lust" and "destruction."
...
Inside the Valkyrie dormitory—Elias' bedroom.
Because it had been a long-awaited reunion with Pardofelis, tonight was the little cat's turn. Having been filled to the point where not even a drop more could be taken, the girl now lay curled beside Elias with a satisfied expression.
Like an adorable cat sleeping beside its owner.
"My apologies, Miss Pardofelis. Tonight, please sleep deeply. I hope you won't be disturbed by what follows."
"Zzzzzz~"
Rita tapped Pardofelis lightly on the head. That irresistible psychic ability immediately plunged the cat-eared girl into a deep sleep. At this point, even setting off firecrackers beside her ears would not wake her.
After making preparations, Rita's gaze shifted to the white-haired boy, who was also asleep. Even in the darkness, her wine-red eyes shone brilliantly.
A blush deepened across her face, and her breathing grew heavier.
The Meta-Morph factor of Asmodeus had granted Rita immense physical and psychic power—but its side effect was to intensify all her emotions to an extreme degree.
If one were to ask whose presence stirred the most intense and complicated emotions within her, there was no doubt—it was the boy before her.
Loyalty, admiration, love, guilt, self-reproach... all these feelings, now amplified to the point of near loss of control, made Rita feel as though she could no longer restrain herself.
She found even waking Elias to be too slow.
The maid directly pressed her lips against her master's.
"!!!"
No matter how defenseless one might be around trusted companions, such a sudden attack was enough to jolt Elias awake instantly.
(R-Rita?!)
Seeing the maid kissing him so deeply at such close distance, Elias' mind fell into chaos. At the same time, the horns atop her head, the wings behind her, and the tail all entered his field of vision.
Combined with her clearly enhanced figure compared to before dinner, Elias' first reaction was—
(...Looks like I'm having quite the dream.)
(Hehe, you may think of it that way, Lord Elias.)
(Hmm? A voice directly in my mind... the ability of a psychic-perception-type MANTIS? Rita, how did you...)
Elias' eyes widened in surprise.
As he looked into Rita's bright wine-red eyes, he felt as though even his soul was being drawn in. His thoughts became difficult to maintain. At this moment, the Herrscher of Desire was already straddling his abdomen.
"Isn't it a pleasant surprise, Lord Elias? Tell me—do you like this version of Rita?"
After the long French kiss ended, Rita licked her lips with lingering satisfaction. Their gazes were already intertwined.
"...I'm not sure what exactly is going on, but I do like it. So, Rita, tell me—am I dreaming, or is this reality?"
"You'll have to confirm that yourself. Oh, and by the way, I've become quite strong now. So... Lord Elias no longer needs to be as gentle and careful as before. You may treat Rita as roughly as you wish."
"I see. Then it seems this is reality."
Feeling his accelerated heartbeat, the intense aura radiating from Rita, and the faint sting lingering on his tongue, Elias confirmed that this was no dream.
He raised a hand to caress her cheek. A dangerous smile curved his lips.
"What a grave offense, Rita. As a maid, you dare sit on your master's stomach—and disturb my rest in the middle of the night. Tell me, how should you atone?"
As he spoke, Elias sat up, one hand supporting his head while the other lifted Rita's delicate chin.
"This is truly unforgivable, Lord Elias. I am indeed an unqualified maid, committing such a grave mistake once again."
As she spoke, the girl slipped off her black nightgown.
"So please, punish Rita for the entire night. Otherwise... a useless maid like me will never learn her lesson."
"Very well. If that is your wish, then so be it~"