"Boss, what's the situation on your end?"
"Everything's fine. Don't worry, Irene."
In San Francisco, Fu Li stood atop the city's tallest building. He ignored the burning city below, observing the monsters roaming the streets.
Aside from the usual Honkai Beasts, a new type of creature had been born here—nimble, spider-like killing machines constructed from the authority of the Herrscher of Reason.
One of the manifestations of the Herrscher of Reason's authority is the ability to create based on one's own knowledge.
For a Herrscher to be able to construct a completely new, effective killing machine like this—one that even Fu Li had never seen before—was a clear sign that this Herrscher's identity was anything but ordinary.
At the very least, they had to be a doctor with real substance.
'But... although this situation is a bit unexpected, it's just a new opponent. In terms of raw power, these robots are a far cry from the ones Vill-V will invent in the future.'
Best to make this quick.
Seeing the source of the Honkai energy less than three kilometers away, Fu Li tightened his grip on the longsword in his hand, preparing to fly over directly and put an end to the First Honkai Eruption.
But just at that moment, Irene, who was in charge of observation, suddenly spoke up.
"Boss, we just received an urgent communication. Dr. Mobius is requesting to join this call to collect data. Should I grant access?"
"Mobius?"
This time, both Fu Li and Vill-V spoke out in surprise.
The former was surprised that Mobius would take notice of this matter so quickly. The latter had been trying to comprehend the current situation when she heard the name, and she questioned it subconsciously.
However, the situation was urgent. Irene didn't offer an explanation, and Vill-V didn't press the matter.
"Let her in. Some things are better seen with one's own eyes."
Fu Li naturally acquiesced to Mobius's request. After all, the number of Herrscher corpses they had studied together was practically countless.
Soon, the video connection was established. Mobius's cool and clear voice sounded, causing the corners of Fu Li's mouth to lift into an unconscious smile, feeling a sense of reassurance.
But the news Mobius brought quickly stunned him.
"The robots here are called 'Hunter V1.05.' They are the work of a doctor from our Alan Institute's American branch."
"However, while these robots possess formidable firepower and agile movement, their production cost is too high, and their energy consumption is enormous, making their practical application extremely low."
"Therefore, since its inception, only three prototypes of this robot have ever been built. The number here is clearly far too high to be normal. What's going on?"
Hearing Mobius's seemingly puzzled words, a thought stirred in Fu Li's mind. Combining this with his knowledge of the plot, a conjecture formed.
There was a sense of déjà vu about the Herrschers in this cycle.
In the past, those who became Herrschers, like Klein and Himeko, did have negative emotions, but it felt more like they were destined.
But the Herrschers now seemed to be chosen based entirely on the intensity of their negative emotions, just like in the later era.
But this didn't happen in the previous few cycles. Why is that?
He needed to verify his theory.
Fu Li frowned, puzzled, but he asked directly, "Who is the creator of this robot?"
Mobius quickly replied: "A woman named Ashara. She is an expert in the fields of mechanical systems dynamics and artificial intelligence."
Is that so... If my guess is correct, then this Herrscher is very likely Dr. Ashara.
"I understand. I'll test her limits within my capabilities." Looking at the photo of the woman that was transmitted to him, Fu Li accepted the task.
At this moment, Vill-V took the opportunity to add another reminder: "Be careful. You have to come back safely."
It was clear that, compared to this unknown and mysterious power, she cared far more about Fu Li's safety.
This silly girl...
Fu Li felt a warmth spread through his chest. He nodded without saying anything more, then flipped over and plummeted straight down from the 300-meter-tall Transamerica Pyramid.
Perhaps from spending too much time with Vill-V, he felt a little urge to show off.
His insane maneuver indeed startled the three people on the communication link. Of course, one of them was only pretending.
The dust settled.
Fu Li, naturally, landed smoothly. He simply smiled at their astonishment without offering any explanation and started walking in the direction of the strongest Honkai energy reading.
After carving a path of sparks and lightning through half of San Francisco with just himself and his sword, he finally stood atop the wreckage of countless Hunter robots and arrived at his destination.
It was one of the research and development conglomerates under his name, a company responsible for weapons development.
"This is really... I remember giving those researchers excellent benefits. I also strictly forbade any inhumane experiments. How could someone fall so far as to become a Herrscher?"
Fu Li was confident on this point, and it was precisely this that sparked a sliver of curiosity in his heart.
Perhaps he would understand once he saw her.
Fu Li composed himself. After a habitual scan of the area, he walked inside.
And there, in the center of the building, he saw it. A giant 'cocoon' made of metal wires was suspended in mid-air. As he stepped inside, countless red dots lit up from the dark corners of the room.
They were dense and numerous, like a true insect hive, and the sight was enough to make one's sanity drop.
And the Herrscher's presence was right there, within the nest, surrounded by the swarm.
---o---