Because of Aponia's inner monologue, the players all frowned.
Aponia, for her part, grew increasingly concerned.
If her current deduction was correct… then it would mean the conclusion was already inevitable—her failure was certain.
She had intended to reshape the Herrscher's mind using her own abilities, through some kind of pivot, to change the Herrscher's behavior.
But if that Herrscher's starting point had always been love, then how could she be turned back—?
Even if that love had long since become warped.
With these thoughts weighing on her, Aponia pressed her hand to her forehead and spoke the most iconic line in Honkai Impact 3rd:
"I… still have no power?"
And as expected of this classic line, in Honkai Impact 3rd it always seemed to carry a strange kind of power.
After all, quite a few major characters—Mei, Bronya, even Otto—have all said this line before doing something truly incredible…
So when Aponia said it—
Suddenly, a spark lit up in her mind.
She remembered that odd conversation she had earlier with that unusually-behaved Vill-V.
Vill-V had said something strikingly out of character:
"Death? That's the one thing I hate most. How could I possibly bring it on myself?"
"…That's not right!"
Aponia reacted instantly.
"That kind of strong repulsion—there's no way that belonged to Elysia."
"Could it be… I've been wrong from the very beginning?"
"This… isn't the inner world of the Herrscher of Corruption…?"
As if to confirm her growing suspicion—
The memory space around her suddenly distorted. Dark green tendrils of corruption began pouring out.
And just like that, both she and the players outside the screen had the same person flash through their minds.
Could it be… her?
No—it had to be her!
They knew it!
There was no way Mobius would bow out this easily!!
The only thing harder than Mobius' fate…
Was her mouth.
[It's Auntie Mobius!]
[Why are you still so mushy, Mobius?! Can you get it together?!]
[Turns out, the thoughts of Kalpas and Vill-V weren't the Herrscher's after all… but Mobius'. That explains everything.]
[Right! I remember Mobius especially loved mimicking how "Elysia" spoke.]
[Because that made it easier to trick people into volunteering for her experiments (dog emoji)]
[What "volunteers"? More like lab rats.]
[Even so, Mobius rarely violated the actual will of her test subjects (which is why she liked experimenting on herself the most).]
...
Aponia, having also pieced it together, immediately stepped forward.
She addressed the puddle of Snake-sis sauce before her:
"To meet you here… I'm truly glad, Mobius."
Yes, exactly.
The players nodded to themselves in agreement.
They too were happy to see Mobius again.
In all of Chapter 31's main story… this might be the first objectively good thing to happen.
As Aponia spoke, that green puddle gradually transformed—
Taking on the form of Mobius herself.
She laughed. "Really now, I'm the one who should be making that expression. You made me wait far too long."
"What? Did you actually think… I'd exit the stage in such a pathetic fashion?"
"If someone did think that," Aponia replied coolly, "it could only mean they know nothing about you."
"In that case, I now understand what those versions of Kalpas and Vill-V truly were."
"Mobius… has your experiment succeeded?"
[Experiment? What experiment? We need a Honkai scholar to explain this!]
[In Hua's Recollection "Chick and Snake," Mobius conducted an experiment on the Herrscher of Corruption. This is probably referencing that.]
[The details weren't fully revealed, but maybe the next part of the story will explain it.]
As expected by the players—
Mobius was about to unveil the results of that experiment.
"What's wrong? Is it really that shocking?"
Aponia smiled faintly. "So you… saw me as the final failsafe, didn't you?"
"If things escalated to a point beyond my ability to contain—if I were corrupted and pulled into this world—then you would have confirmation that it must be released."
"Oh? Is that how you see me… as someone so cautious?"
"Don't flatter yourself, Aponia. The only reason I waited this long was because you still held some value."
Mobius' tone was still that classic, passive-aggressive sass.
But somehow, this time—
It didn't come off as annoying at all.
In fact, it brought a weird sense of comfort.
Even, strangely… amusement?
Dr. Mobius was still just as sharp-tongued as ever.
Everyone was thinking it.
The livestream chat was full of:
[Full-body sass snake-sis]
[Mouthiest in Elysian Realm]
[Snake-sis, Queen of tsundere]
Aponia was probably thinking the same thing.
She didn't get upset—on the contrary, she earnestly asked Mobius:
"Is that so? Then what is it that I can do now…? Please, enlighten me."
Mobius laid her plan bare.
Thanks to the Herrscher of Corruption experiments she performed during the Previous Era—
She had already become something akin to an artificial Herrscher of Corruption.
And now, the moment she had been waiting for had finally arrived—
Brought forth by Aponia's arrival.
If Aponia could break the barrier and send her to where Klein was located—
Then the stage would be set for the ultimate showdown:
Previous Era Corruption vs. Current Era Corruption.
The players were floored.
Using magic to defeat magic.jpg
Classic Dr. Mobius.
But—
To make it all happen, Aponia would have to sacrifice herself.
And if Mobius' plan failed afterward…
Then that sacrifice would be meaningless.
Aponia: "..."
"What's this? Still trying to act all sentimental at a time like this?"
Mobius asked with her usual pointed sarcasm.
But Aponia gently shook her head.
"No, I just… don't know how to thank you."
What followed—was a smile of true peace.
She had thought herself at the end, unable to fulfill her vow of atonement to Kalpas.
But now, it seemed she could still be of help to Mobius—
By connecting reality and Elysian Realm.
By offering herself fully to corruption, she could send Mobius to Klein.
And at the very end, this arbiter of restraint voiced her final wish to Mobius:
"If possible, please apologize to it in my place. To that one… who was once the Twelfth Herrscher."
And then, light bloomed—
Like a butterfly breaking free of its cocoon, soaring into the distant beyond...
This was her redemption.
She had fulfilled her promise to Kalpas.
And she had finally, truly, contributed to changing fate.
For someone who once locked herself away because she "couldn't do anything"—
Now, she was filled with joy.
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