What let Mobius relax a little was that, despite Elysia's displeased gaze, it was clear she wasn't about to let Vill-V off the hook either.
From Elysia's perspective, the two people before her—though neither prone to lying—were also not particularly inclined to speak the full truth.
Totally unlike her, of course, who was always sincere ♪~
For example: Vill-V raised her hands slightly in a mock gesture of surrender, looking at her helplessly.
"I just needed to change the magic trick, that's all."
And she didn't forget to add, with extra emphasis:
"Really, nothing major."
"..."
Elysia could only say she was far from reassured.
"Ay, whatever. That's the whole story this time. Maybe I should have a nice long chat with the author of this little 'game'?" she muttered, her small fists unconsciously clenching.
But this time, she seemed to have no excuse left to cling to.
At the very least, the ending he had given was far better than what she had imagined.
In this confrontation, humanity's price in "sacrifice" had been very, very small.
Kevin probably hadn't even needed that much—but judging from how he had finally fallen into his dream…
He was exhausted. And perhaps she really had no right to harshly blame him for following his own will, even if it concerned survival itself—something of utmost importance to ordinary people.
In this chapter's events, she had truly witnessed Kevin's will… and it had made her past convictions waver.
Should she really have persuaded him not to take that irrational course?
On this decision, he seemed more rational than at any point before—so rational that there was no "standard" answer left for her to give.
It was something that left Elysia with a belated, bittersweet sorrow.
Whether she had tried to stop him or not, she still couldn't say for certain that it would have been the "right" choice.
---
In St. Freya Academy — outside Theresa's dorm
It was close to sunset now; the sky was dimming, and a few bright stars were already scattered on the horizon.
Aside from a handful of people, most others from the organization hadn't been seen for a while—they'd clearly taken some time off.
After all, an extremely important chapter had just been completed; a few days' rest was well deserved.
Compared to the early days, there were far fewer restrictions on the staff now.
Information about the Houkai energy and the Valkyries had long since spread worldwide—at least, secrecy was much more relaxed.
Of course, with the exception of the Herrschers, they still had to remain at St. Freya.
Right now, Luo Mo was staring from afar at the door to his own dorm, already feeling a headache coming on—because someone was blocking the entrance.
The graceful, pink-clad figure was impossible to mistake: like a lively butterfly, she cast quick glances at the passers-by.
Luo Mo instinctively slowed his steps and half-hid behind a tree.
Compared to her, the small green-haired figure reluctantly being dragged along beside her was much less eye-catching.
But the unwilling expression said enough—and fair enough, really. The weather had started turning chilly, and Dr. Mobius might as well have been preparing for hibernation.
Luo Mo sighed at the thought.
"Aha, looks like you've got yourself a little trouble," Kongming remarked with a raised brow. Her face carried no concern—if anything, it was the faintest touch of schadenfreude.
She was in quite a good mood—not because of the messy business with the shared performance earlier, but simply because she could now spend time with him at home.
While they'd been working on that collaborative script, there hadn't been much chance for intimacy; and from now on, his focus wouldn't be on company matters anyway.
As for fighting the Honkai, that was the Valkyries' concern. At least the combat unit had no place for him.
Kongming was already thinking about what she might do for her next late-night practice.
"Yeah… as they say, the good don't come, and the ones who come aren't good," Luo Mo said glumly. But he couldn't exactly avoid going home—and besides, Elysia had clearly spotted him and was already waving enthusiastically.
"At least it's not that masked guy," Kongming teased, covering her mouth with a little laugh. "Compared to her, this one looks… let's say, much more 'harmless'."
She gave him a push from behind, making him stumble forward toward the house.
From afar, Elysia's eyes lit up even more, and she waved harder.
"Ah…"
Even now that he'd been noticed, Luo Mo still had no idea what she wanted.
But unlike the initial meeting when he'd been full of expectation, after spending so much time together he couldn't help but worry that she might have some strange and unpredictable idea in mind. And, more often than not, she was the one holding all the cards when it came to "explanations."
"Ah, it's Luo Mo! Come, come inside—let's have a good talk about that final chapter…"
Faced with Elysia's almost predatory eagerness, Luo Mo couldn't avoid it. The look in her eyes when she saw him was just like spotting prey—undeniable.
There was no mystery to solve this time, no other reason.
Still, he didn't think there was anything dangerous about it.
"First of all, this is my house too—you should be the guest here. Second, with an ending like that, what could you possibly be dissatisfied with?" Luo Mo grumbled as he unlocked the door, casting a sideways glance at her boundless energy.
"You!… Fine, I guess it is your house now."
In the living room, Theresa—who had just been about to speak up after hearing the commotion—froze when she saw who was present. She swallowed her words, muttering under her breath instead.
Luna, Bronie, Irene, Delta… all of them people Luo Mo had summoned or brought back.
Without realizing it, she had become the only "outsider" left in her own home.
Theresa felt her mood plummet. She vividly understood now what it meant for the cuckoo to occupy the magpie's nest.
Even though she didn't think she'd be kicked out, she still felt an inexplicable anger.
—Just who was in charge of this house anymore?
"My, my, you two sure became 'one household' quickly. Sharing the whole place already? How touching~" Bronie raised her brow, half-smiling as she teased them, then shifted position on the couch and went back to her game.
On the table before her sat a half-finished bottle of soda.
It was worth noting: even though everyone lived together, each had their own way of doing things.
Sometimes Luo Mo couldn't help but wonder—just how many tables of food would it take to feed this entire group?
He felt that maybe he was one of the few normal people here—at least in terms of taste.
"..."
Luo Mo's lips twitched, but he ignored the banter between Bronie and the blushing Theresa. Instead, he walked straight to the sofa. The moment his body sank into the cushions, he relaxed completely, sprawling out with a satisfied sigh.
This was a ritual no one could skip after work—both a release and the start of something new.
As for Elysia, an old acquaintance, he figured she wouldn't mind.
"You're a Herrscher too. How can you look so worn out…? And you even pull this kind of rude move in front of girls…" Elysia muttered quietly, resting her cheek in her palm. It wasn't like this in the beginning—back then, he was still mindful of appearances.
Now, she thought he looked more like a lazy salted fish without motivation. Was it because the first part of the game's plan had already been revealed?
"What about being a Herrscher? You can't discriminate against Herrschers! There are Herrschers who protest about overtime! Herrschers who shut themselves in because of school! And Herrschers who roll around on the bed just because they can't buy their favorite manga!"
Luo Mo bravely stood up for Herrscher rights.
Beside him, Theresa's eyes went wide, staring at him in disbelief.
Don't get the wrong idea—she wasn't emotionally moved or anything. It was just…
"What did you mean by that last one, huh? Luo Mo!~" Theresa was nearly fuming, sparks flying from her eyes, her words tumbling over themselves. This wasn't some subtle hint—it was an outright accusation!
She almost pounced on him right then and there, claws bared, but somehow she held herself back.
Messing with Theresa was a daily mission, and mission accomplished. This alone improved Luo Mo's mood considerably. As expected, joy and laughter were things that could be transferred—always starting from Theresa and ending up with him.
"Alright, alright, let's drop this for now. Luo Mo, do you have any idea what Mobius is actually planning?"
"She never gives me a straight answer~ Hmph hmph ♪~" Elysia tugged at Luo Mo's sleeve, shaking it, then cast a slightly pitiful glance toward Mobius, who was deliberately looking away.
"Actually, I want to know too…" Luo Mo hesitated for a moment, then helplessly shrugged. "I still don't know what she's up to. All I know is she convinced Kevin."
The Stigma Project had been compromised under Mobius' influence, and he still wasn't sure if that was a good thing. Often, people feared the unknown more than the bad outcome they could see coming.
But if things went the usual way, the more Herrschers assisted Kiana, the higher the theoretical chance of overcoming the Cocoon of Finality. He had already done as much as he could.
"..."
"Don't look at me like that," Mobius snorted coldly, glancing at Luo Mo. "If he hadn't provided so much help, how else could I have teamed up with Vill-V to come up with such a plan?"
She felt he was pretending not to understand. After all, anyone who provided such convenient prerequisites for her next steps couldn't possibly be clueless about her intentions. The experiment with Vill-V had clearly been set up by him.
But looking at Elysia's persistent, questioning eyes and Luo Mo's faint curiosity, Mobius eventually let out a sigh.
"My plan with Vill-V isn't complicated, nor is it strange. We've just… made some improvements to the method of harnessing the Cocoon of Finality's power."
"Think about it—when they fought Kevin, they didn't come away empty-handed, right? So why not help us finish an experiment instead? That way, Elysia, you don't have to put up with the hack-and-slash you hate, and Kevin doesn't have to be forced to fight against us. Isn't that more in line with your wishes?"
Mobius' eyes glimmered with an unusual light as she looked at the two. She wasn't actually being pressured—her plan had simply reached its next stage. There was no way she could keep lying at this point, and she still needed their strength.
Conveniently, judging from the later events in the game's story, her plan might even help Kiana avoid spending so much time on the moon. She might even be willing to temporarily give up a bit of her own power.
That thought gave Mobius a bit more confidence in her scheme.
"What experiment?" Elysia and Luo Mo asked in unison, with even Theresa, sitting farther away, shooting a curious look. If they could avoid confronting Kevin directly, that would of course be ideal.
"Well," Mobius began, "in the end, Kiana was able to connect all the Herrscher consciousness spaces together. So why not try linking all the Herrscher powers together as well? In your words, Elysia—it even fits your sense of aesthetics."
"For example, everyone combining their strength to face the final disaster… Doesn't that sound about right?" A faintly mocking smile tugged at her lips, but this time, she wasn't lying.
If Vill-V hadn't brought it up, she might have forgotten that she still wanted to finish the experiment she'd been pursuing since before the previous civilization's fall.
"To put it simply," Mobius said evenly, "Vill-V and I… want to use all the current Herrscher powers to push against the Cocoon of Finality."
Houkai energy could do almost anything, but it still couldn't truly touch the Cocoon's power. She had never given up researching Herrscher abilities—she could reproduce and control the Corrosion Virus, and Vill-V could manipulate God Keys. But none of that mattered in the face of the Cocoon.
If Herrscher powers came from shadows cast by the Cocoon across different dimensions… then if those shadows were all gathered together, maybe—just maybe—they could find a way to access its power.
She didn't know for sure. But when she heard Vill-V's proposal, she felt her blood boil with a long-lost excitement. She knew exactly what this could mean.
That's why she dared to open the "Sea of Quanta" to Kevin. Normally, even with the Herrscher of the Void's spatial powers, it would be impossible to send him through. But if they had the Cocoon—and if humanity gradually gained control over it—then at least it was worth a try.
"What—?!"
Luo Mo and Elysia couldn't hide the surprise in their eyes.
Mobius, satisfied by their reactions, met their gaze without looking away. In her jade-green pupils, a faint chill lingered as she revealed the experiment she and Vill-V planned to complete.
As expected, compared to harvesting the power from Finality 's cocoon directly, she still preferred to seize it with her own hands — to steal the power of a god for herself.
Resurrection was merely the first step. She wanted more… much more.
And to increase the chances of success for her Kevin plan, she had also set her sights on the deep realm of the Quantum Sea… or perhaps, on Finality's cocoon itself.
A faint glimmer flashed in Mobius's eyes, but she said no more, leaving the others space to think. She did not deny that her idea was mad — but in any case, this was only the basic version.
"What? You want to drain Finality's power? Is… is that even possible?"
Theresa gaped in disbelief, nearly spilling the bitter melon juice in her hands all over the table.
She still found Mobius's idea far too terrifying, and didn't understand why they had to go through such troublesome means.
In the original storyline, wasn't it said there were plenty of other ways to obtain Finality's power? To her, this seemed like choosing the most difficult one possible.
"Of course… I'll just need a little bit of help from you."
Mobius's tone dripped with devilish amusement as her gaze briefly lingered on Luo Mo, Elysia, and Theresa. The look alone made Theresa shiver and tense up.
"Obviously you can't do this alone," Elysia said, rubbing her temples in puzzlement. "So you're laying out the entire plan for us — aren't you afraid we'll reject such a dangerous experiment?"
"Of course I'm not afraid," Mobius replied without hesitation. "Because for Kevin and Kiana… this is the best way for them."
It was precisely because these two mattered the most to them that Mobius felt confident they would agree to her plan.
"Before the game ended, I wasn't certain," she continued. "But now that I've seen the whole picture, I'm convinced — keeping Finality's cocoon locked away for too long isn't good for Kiana. And likewise, once Kevin completely surpasses Finality … she'll never be able to reach the Imaginary Tree."
She spoke this conclusion with absolute certainty. That was why she was being so candid now — the die was cast, the outcome decided. This was simply the best way to force them to carry out the experiment.
---
In the days that followed, the once heated discussions of the world gradually settled back into the usual daily chatter.
The Stigma Project, Finality's cocoon, Icarus and his flight, the Flame-Chasers who had saved the world — these topics became the focus of everyone's conversations.
Talk of the Hyperion Λ, which could link to extradimensional beings and transform physical matter into dreamscapes; the Herrscher of Truth and Herrscher of Origin; and finally, Finality herself — all of this came in waves, enveloping the public in layer after layer of news.
Discussions about Finality and the salvation of the world had never stopped.
And when it came to the "Graduation Journey" — the event that had accompanied their heroine, Kiana, from the very start to the very end — people could only offer blessings and wait.
This, of course, was because of the previous battle against the Herrscher of Corruption, and the side effects of using the players' power to defeat her. While not exactly harmful, it had nevertheless thrust this major topic into the spotlight.
In reality, there was naturally some malicious talk and apathy — after all, human malice could never be completely erased, even by the Herrschers of Domination. But most people in this world still had good hearts. Perhaps it was the lingering beauty of the story, or perhaps the sheer scale of the Schicksal and the supernatural might of the Honkai — few dared to criticize too harshly.
People still dreamed of a future where humanity triumphed over the Honkai, and still revered those heroic girls.
At the same time… they could not help but worry about the Stigma Project — the plan handed down by the World Serpent's trailblazer.
After all, it was essentially a human "lemonade stand" for making up losses — and while the in-game version showed the World Serpent using relatively mild, dream-based human experiments, who would gamble with their own body?
No one knew what side effects might come afterward. And no one dared to bet.
Anxiety over the Stigma Project flooded the internet. Still, there were those who were already preparing themselves to take the "beautiful dream" route when the time came.
They joked: "This is a perfect chance to control your own dream! No more getting strung along by some boss's promises — you can daydream for real! Isn't that great?"
And when confronted by those who worried, they would reply: "What, make trouble for the heroes? No way. I'll just enjoy it for a bit and pull out. Or if it really comes to it, the moment I see Theresa and the others, I'll wake right up."
It was enough to leave even Luo Mo unsure whether to laugh or feel pity for them — pity that they would never truly realize those dreams.
Meanwhile, across the world, Schicksal and the Anti-Entropy organization had installed Honkai energy monitoring devices in every corner. The danger levels rose slowly but steadily, showing that they still had not escaped the final test of the Honkai.
In the end, they would have to submit their answers to that ultimate exam.