Medusa posts from patreon

“Standing before you now—this fair-skinned, pink-haired girl, with looks and figure so perfect they could only be called a living work of art—cute, charming, and mysterious! Who could she be? Why, it’s me, Elysia~!”

Her voice was as sweet as birdsong in a spring forest, her figure as light and graceful as a willow in the wind. She was beauty made flesh, her almond eyes glimmering like tiny silver stars.

After Mobius’s departure, the world around them shifted—the colors brightened, the ground steadied—and they found themselves in a cozy lounge furnished with sofas and a small bar counter.

And upon one of those sofas sat a fairy-like girl, smiling radiantly as she waved in greeting.

Her skin was porcelain white, her fluffy pastel-pink curls almost ethereal. A white blouse hugged her elegant curves, the soft fabric paired with long black sleeves and thigh-high boots that framed her legs in sleek black stockings. Purple accents adorned her collar, cuffs, and waist, completing the look of an enchanting, otherworldly maiden—just as she’d claimed, both lovely and mysterious.

Elysia tilted her head with a playful, mischievous smile, winking as if deliberately trying to charm everyone present.

Sigurd said nothing. He simply sighed and sat down beside her.

Elysia arched an eyebrow, smiling wryly.

“Got tricked by Mobius, didn’t you? Don’t worry, I won’t laugh. She’s always been that kind of mischievous, adorable child. It’s only natural she’s better at pranks than the rest of us. Anyway—long time no see! How about I make you a Fairy-Style cocktail to celebrate? An Elysia special, just for my dearest friend, Sigurd~!”

A glass materialized in Sigurd’s hand—a delicate pink liquid swirling inside. He held it out toward her.

“I remember,” he said calmly, “you once babbled about how a lady never refuses a drink from a friend, didn’t you?”

“Eh—?”

Elysia’s smile froze in place.

Of course she remembered. The last time Sigurd offered her a drink like that, she’d lost her voice for days—unable to speak a single word.

But refusing a drink from someone was so un-ladylike. It went against everything her elegance and pride stood for.

Beads of sweat formed at her temple as her eyes darted around for escape. Then, suddenly, she brightened—her figure shimmered and vanished from the sofa, reappearing behind Hua and Senti.

“Oh my, who do we have here? Isn’t this my best friend Hua? Wait— there are two of you now! One physical, one spiritual— but both still my darling Hua! I knew it! Mental-type warriors are always at risk of a little, hmm, personality fragmentation~ But that’s okay—you’re both still my most beloved Hua!”

Elysia twirled around the two, sparkling eyes inspecting them from every angle. She even reached out to poke Senti on the head, her tone brimming with delighted curiosity.

Meanwhile, Sigurd’s cool gaze followed her every move, glass still in hand, silently asking when she planned to come back and drink it.

Eventually, Elysia covered her face with both hands and ducked behind Hua and Senti, hiding from his sight.

“I didn’t see anything… nope, I didn’t see Sigurd’s drink…”

“Pfft—!”

Hua couldn’t help but chuckle softly, glancing from the self-deceiving Elysia to the utterly expressionless, unflinching Sigurd.

Well, well. So someone could actually get under Elysia’s skin.

Sigurd just shook his head and handed the glass to the approaching Bronya instead.

Bronya blinked, then took a sip. Her eyes lit up immediately.

“It’s sweet. Tastes good.”

“It’s a fruit wine from another world I visited. Low alcohol, excellent flavor. Take it slow.”

“Mm. Thank you, Sigurd.”

Bronya smiled softly, holding the drink with a cute little lift of her lips.

Then, from behind her, Kiana and An peeked out—one from the left, one from the right.

“I wanna try too!”

“B-Bronya, Si-Sin Mal wants to… ehe~”

For Kiana, it was simply because she liked sweet drinks.

For Sin Mal… the wine didn’t matter at all. What mattered was that Sigurd and Bronya had both touched that glass.

Bronya rolled her eyes. She lifted the glass and tilted it toward Kiana, letting her take a sip. Then she gently patted An’s head.

“You’re still too young. No alcohol for you.”

“Oh…”

Sin Mal looked a little down for a moment, but then she brightened with her usual innocent smile, brushing it off.

Just then, Elysia peeked out from behind Hua, puffing her cheeks as she glared resentfully at Sigurd.

“You’re mean!” she huffed.

Sigurd’s expression didn’t change. Another glass of wine appeared in his hand.

“This one’s for you,” he said evenly. “Drink up.”

“Alright, alright— wait! I want her drink!”

Elysia hurried back to the couch—not taking the glass from Sigurd’s hand, but snatching the one half-finished in Bronya’s instead, tipping it straight into her mouth.

“Mmm, that is good!” she said, touching her cheek with one hand and smiling cutely.

Meanwhile, Sigurd produced a few tiny pills out of nowhere and, without warning, popped them into Bronya and Kiana’s mouths one by one.

The two girls immediately covered their mouths, faces turning red at the sudden, intimate gesture.

Elysia’s ahoge shot straight up as she stared at the drink in her hand, swallowing nervously.

“Guh! W–what did you just feed them!?”

“Of course, the antidote to the voiceless drug,” Sigurd said flatly, as if that were the most natural thing in the world.

Elysia froze, eyes wide, her hand trembling as she held the glass.

“Na–ni!?”

“I’m kidding. They’re just candy.”

She let out a long sigh of relief, visibly relaxing. Then she downed the rest of her drink in one gulp, puffed her cheeks, and said in a half-complaining, half-coquettish tone:

“Sigurd, you’re so mean! Always teasing me like that. My affection points toward you are about to drop from max, you know!”

“Can they drop low enough that you’ll stop talking to me? Honestly, you’re loud.”

“...You’ll never get a girl to like you that way, dummy!”

“Allow me to introduce these three—my fiancées.”

Sigurd pointed to Kiana, Bronya, and Sin Mal, crushing Elysia’s claim with the cold, iron weight of fact.

The three girls blushed in unison, but none of them said a word to deny it.

Elysia’s mouth fell open. After a long pause, she leaned forward angrily, her shapely hips rising as she jabbed a finger at Sigurd.

“Mean! Playboy! Scumbag! Treating adorable girls like that is totally unfair!”

“Mm. I know. So does that mean you don’t need that finger anymore?”

At the chill in Sigurd’s gaze, Elysia instantly retracted her finger and cupped it protectively with her other hand.

She knew all too well that Sigurd would break it without hesitation.

Once upon a time, the hardest people for Elysia to deal with were Kevin, Su, and Fu Hua. The first was too cold, never reacting to anything she did; the latter two were too calm, only responding to her pranks with gentle, helpless smiles, like adults humoring a mischievous child.

Now, the hardest person to deal with was Sigurd. He did react to her teasing, but his reactions were far too brutal. Elysia found herself utterly defeated—and helplessly so.

After puffing her cheeks and glaring at him for a while, Elysia finally burst out laughing.

“Ahaha! Alright, joke’s over. So—two years since you last stepped into the Elysian Realm. What brings you back this time? Let me guess—with this many cute guests along, you’re here to seek some Sigils, aren’t you?”

“That’s part of it.”

“I thought so. Well, since you’re the one bringing them, I don’t mind—but the others here might not be quite so friendly to Herrschers. Are you sure you want to try?”

“It’s fine. They’re exceptional.”

“Then I’ve got no complaints. Oh, but if you’re planning to mess with Mobius, I can’t help you there! She’s my best friend, after all!”

“Which one of your friends isn’t your best friend?”

Sigurd gave her a sidelong look, his tone dry.

Ignoring Elysia’s playful tongue-out expression, he turned to the other girls besides Fu Hua’s group.

“As you can see, this pink long-eared one is your guide. Follow her lead—she’ll handle food, drinks, routes, whatever you need. From here on, it’s your time. What you can achieve depends entirely on your own resolve and effort. I won’t interfere.”

Sigils were powerful tools for enhancing strength, and this place was the smoothest path to embedding them. But beyond Sigils, the experiences, insights, and abilities of the Flame-Chasers were boundless treasures—and how much they could draw from them was up to the girls alone.

As Sigurd finished speaking, the girls exchanged glances, then smiled and nodded together.

And so, a trial—one that wouldn’t last long—quietly began.

2025-12-16 14:00:00 +0000 UTC View Post

Arknightcraft Modpack

Chapter 436: This Is What You Call Cunning Foresight

Link to the Chapter:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WDkN-osPqmLy2w4dU4Jm_38bpHrGDXEMsHDjnhUqnRc/edit?usp=sharing

2025-12-15 18:00:25 +0000 UTC View Post

I'm Not A Master, I'm A Director

Chapter 363: Fate/Apocrypha Teaser Premieres

Link to the Chapter:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ANRh53VN_A5py1GwHpVEivOPWJx36vyEPdQOmcmTmaU/edit?usp=sharing

2025-12-15 18:00:16 +0000 UTC View Post

Genshin Impact: I'm The Envoy of Snezhnaya

Chapter 297: Void: Lover’s Veil

Link to the Chapter:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IhPR1szGCgdCIxdQig-YtO0zahvGgCcfiGK8gYZOpJA/edit?usp=sharing

2025-12-15 18:00:09 +0000 UTC View Post

My Life as A Death Guard

Chapter 360: Not Here To Watch The Fun Anymore?

Link to the Chapter:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oZHVYtSzrWkkai-sHVd1_mcSJihbFLdci2hhRNh-auw/edit?usp=sharing

2025-12-15 18:00:09 +0000 UTC View Post

Umamusume: It All Started When I Got Sent Flying Ten Meters

Chapter 170: A Stage Called the Golden Generation

Link to the chapter:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eFxoI21Avi4E2GvsigXVOwsWP1O3NJBuwfei0n6CHIo/edit?usp=sharing

2025-12-15 18:00:00 +0000 UTC View Post

Arknightcraft Modpack

Chapter 435: That’s Just Too Cruel

Link to the Chapter:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SsDGiNtbZMl97HBXF_O9Y7-52YuCtUzJk2AnB_emGOw/edit?usp=sharing

2025-12-14 18:00:12 +0000 UTC View Post

My Life as A Death Guard

Chapter 359: Evidence

Link to the Chapter:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1elWlRq0BDw_T7gn1ElmjqKk3JnGswEY8YD0bfPrQcbY/edit?usp=sharing

2025-12-14 18:00:09 +0000 UTC View Post

Umamusume: It All Started When I Got Sent Flying Ten Meters

Chapter 169: The Pinnacle of a Racer

Link to the chapter:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kSuy1vgTUqt9t7chxcvKBdQScwKYIwMttyw8BjjLDXU/edit?usp=sharing

2025-12-14 18:00:00 +0000 UTC View Post

Honkai: Strijder

Chapter 376: Just Like That Moment Back Then

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Deafening crashes shook the ground as Mobius’s head was slammed into the earth again and again by Sigurd’s tremendous strength—like a poor doll being used for violent stress relief.

Blood streamed from the wounds on her head, her consciousness blurring as she gradually drifted back to the time when they first met.

. . .

“You call this your experimental plan?”

Bound by black tentacles that suspended his limbs in midair, Sigurd frowned unhappily at Mobius, who was proudly showing him her experiment proposal.

Ever since he had stepped into the Elysian Realm, things had been… hectic. First, he’d silenced the ever-chatty Elysia with a dose of mute potion. Then came a passionate “friendly exchange” with Kalpas. After that, he complimented Eden’s singing—“beautiful,” he’d said—and was rewarded with some dazzling but completely useless gemstones. He even managed to make Hua so embarrassed after a sparring session that she shut herself in, leaving her with the remark:

“Your left hand lacks precision, your right hand has no strength. You’ll need another fifty thousand years before you can stand on the same stage as me.”

And so on, and so forth.

After all that, Sigurd had lost interest in everything and planned to analyze the ancient system known as the Elysian Realm, hoping to uncover its underlying principles and perhaps develop new applications for it.

That was when Mobius appeared—very casually—asking for an experimental partner.

“Found you, my little test subject~! Want to do something fun with me? It’ll help you evolve, make you stronger than ever before~! I promise it’ll be an experience like nothing else~~”

“Sure.”

Sigurd’s face remained expressionless as he raised a hand and made an OK gesture.

Mobius’s seductive, mysterious smile froze slightly. She tilted her head in confusion, looking almost cute.

“…Eh?”

“Hurry up. Time is life. Show me another human modification pathway from the previous era. I heard you’re supposed to be an expert.”

Sigurd’s tone was impatient as he grabbed one of the metal tentacles from the hovercraft beneath her and started walking toward her personal workspace.

Still seated on her floating device, Mobius blinked in confusion. Her mind was spinning, and some primal instinct told her that this might not go the way she expected.

“W–wait, aren’t you being a little too hasty?”

“I said time is life. Don’t tell me you came to me without drafting an experiment plan?”

“Of course not! I’m a genius! I can make a perfect modification plan anytime I want! Come on, I’ll show you!”

Mobius puffed out her chest proudly, then maneuvered her hovercraft past Sigurd to take the lead.

A few minutes later, Sigurd found himself bound hand and foot, hanging in the air.

Then came the “presentation.”

When he asked to review the experiment plan, Mobius—full of confidence—turned it into a stack of printed pages. She flipped through them one by one, eager to impress him with the plan she had spent a whole three minutes drafting.

And now, here they were.

“So? Don’t understand it, do you? Should I slow down for you, or go line by line and explain it in detail?”

Mobius giggled, her voice as bright and crisp as silver bells.

Sigurd sighed.

“No need. Just flip faster.”

From the moment they met, her so-called “efficiency” was already a disaster. Was this petite snake really the genius scientist people claimed she was?

Mobius must have sensed his skepticism from his dead-fish stare. Blood rushed to her head as she hastily flipped through the remaining pages with a shff shff shff! and gave him a stiff smile.

“There. Happy now? Let’s get started already!”

“You’re going to experiment on me with that plan?”

“…Are you trying to provoke me?”

“Compound formula in step 16 is wrong. Step 25 is missing a fitting calculation. Step 56—actually, let me be blunt. The overall framework is too aggressive and clearly rushed, lacking simulation validation. Also, you didn’t consider gene stability at all. This proposal is unacceptable. Redo it.”

“Y–Yes, sir!!”

Sigurd’s machine-gun barrage of merciless criticism left Mobius completely dazed. She instinctively shouted her acknowledgment and turned to go revise the plan—just like a scolded university student.

Whoosh~~ whoosh~~ whoosh~~

Smack!

Mobius threw the report onto the floor.

“You really are trying to provoke me, aren’t you?!”

Mobius grabbed Sigurd by the collar. In her other hand, black liquid surged and hardened into a sharp, metallic spike. Her serpent-like pupils narrowed, emanating a killing intent so fierce it almost felt tangible.

Three seconds later—

Bang! Bang! Bang!

And that was how they first met.

. . .

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The timeline returned to the present. With every heavy crash, Sigurd slammed Mobius’s bloodied head into the ground without the slightest hesitation.

This moment… was exactly like that moment back then.

After some time, once his “greeting” was done, Sigurd dropped the limp, near-dead serpent of a woman to the ground. He took out a tissue and calmly wiped the blood from his hands.

When he glanced back over his shoulder, the girls who’d sworn to protect him just three minutes ago had all instinctively taken a step back.

Kiana and Sin Mal, at least, hadn’t moved—though their legs had given out, and they were clinging to each other, forcing awkward, nervous smiles that screamed “We’re good girls, don’t hit us.”

Sigurd said nothing, simply turned back to the one lying at his feet.

“Long time no see, Dr. Mobius.”

His tone was formal.

As insane as this serpent woman could be, she was still a genuine genius. The Stigmata Project, the Elysian Realm itself—these were all her creations from fifty thousand years ago. And this Mobius now wasn’t all that different from her past self.

Dr. Mei’s Stigmata and fusion soldier research had brought humanity the hope of survival. Mobius’s beastification and artificial Herrscher experiments had given the Thirteen Flame-Chasers the power to match—or even crush—Herrschers, granting the hope of victory.

—Even if, in the end, they all failed miserably.

Sigurd had criticized her experiments countless times, even calling some “an absolute disaster.” But, to be fair, Otto, Einstein, and Tesla had all been on the receiving end of his scathing reviews before.

When geniuses criticize geniuses, it’s rarely about capability—it’s about ideals.

Mobius slowly lifted her blood-smeared face, glaring at him with pure hatred.

“One day,” she hissed through her teeth, “I’ll devour you completely!”

“Okay.”

“You think you’re so great? You only beat me because I’m trapped here! Without access to materials or test subjects, even if I refine my body a thousand times, I’ll still be bound by my genetic framework. I can’t evolve!”

“You’re right,” Sigurd said calmly. “Your talent is an unquantifiable variable. Letting you loose would probably throw the outside world into chaos. But this time… I can give you a chance.”

He bent down and extended his hand toward her.

Mobius froze, her expression flickering with doubt—and, for just a moment, hesitation.

Then she slowly reached out her small hand and placed it into his. Her bloodied lips curved into a smile.

“You’re… far too naïve.”

Chomp!

In the blink of an eye, Mobius lunged forward. Her fangs sank deep into Sigurd’s wrist.

Glug… glug… glug…

Sigurd felt the blood draining from his arm, rushing down Mobius’s throat in heavy gulps.

Before he could retaliate, she jerked away, leaping back with a mad grin.

“Hahahaha! Thank you for crafting such a perfect body—and thank you for delivering that perfect sample right to me again! Just wait, all of you! I’ll be back soon, to devour each and every one of you. That’ll be my celebration—the moment I break free from my cage and ascend to a higher form! Hahahahahaha!”

Her figure vanished completely, leaving only her eerie, spine-chilling laughter echoing in the air until even that faded into silence.

Sigurd raised his arm, watching the twin bite marks slowly knit back together. His expression was utterly blank.

“…Dr. Mobius,” he murmured at last. “You truly are… fascinating.”

And as he said that, a gentle, springlike smile spread across his face.

2025-12-14 14:00:00 +0000 UTC View Post

Arknightcraft Modpack

Chapter 434: I Said, It’s Your Turn Now

Link to the Chapter:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ELfXoKVeV5VCAcSoEJ7_YRw5EhR5xuj6lbJ-B78f3oM/edit?usp=sharing

2025-12-13 18:00:13 +0000 UTC View Post

Genshin Impact: I'm The Envoy of Snezhnaya

Chapter 296: Dendro! It’s Dendro! It’s Actually Dendro!

Link to the Chapter:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AGzF5DwMsULlzz_6xosPtf9WWL8LUtlTgxkRRfLHCi4/edit?usp=sharing

2025-12-13 18:00:12 +0000 UTC View Post

My Life as A Death Guard

Chapter 358: Magnus’s Radiant Future

Link to the Chapter:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D8dUTu7Go1gh08qBZ7LU3mqP7EQZgVv6E75ScF0QBN8/edit?usp=sharing

2025-12-13 18:00:09 +0000 UTC View Post

Umamusume: It All Started When I Got Sent Flying Ten Meters

Chapter 168: Upheaval

Link to the chapter:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FQqmfsyMAbq5jtoypbqs2YzMJ7nI9eoNe7qRm6c8_vA/edit?usp=sharing

2025-12-13 18:00:00 +0000 UTC View Post

I'm Not A Master, I'm A Director

Chapter 362: Trailer For Fate/Apocrypha

Link to the Chapter:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/11VST3LJv1oREO6Br3Cd9UZnQ8mp4EzdZiaSNheZDN8s/edit?usp=sharing

2025-12-13 18:00:00 +0000 UTC View Post

Umamusume: It All Started When I Got Sent Flying Ten Meters

Chapter 167: The Battle Started Long Ago

Link to the chapter:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YjE0rVzfPZEMZgdaznTP5gOwydKvEU90OgEjhM8Az_U/edit?usp=sharing

2025-12-12 18:00:00 +0000 UTC View Post

My Life as A Death Guard

Chapter 357: Hades Only Cares About Those Worth Caring About

Link to the Chapter:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QHDAGhmazAa0a2aw_6E3lr_bi-bcsUtgghc-RV_eFrE/edit?usp=sharing

2025-12-12 18:00:00 +0000 UTC View Post

Arknightcraft Modpack

Chapter 433: You’re Really a Dog

Link to the Chapter:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gTohfuG6_0BwLZ4u2P6uld3PEu52gL3XT1oZLB5zzcE/edit?usp=sharing

2025-12-12 18:00:00 +0000 UTC View Post

Honkai: Strijder

Chapter 375: They Have No Practical Value

When the stone gate swung open, a hazy white light spilled out from within—milky and soft, obscuring everything beyond.

Sigurd stepped through first.

Kiana and the others followed, one by one.

Outside the door, Senti tilted her head, rubbed her chin, and grinned smugly.

“Heh, the me from fifty thousand years ago… that Old Timer! This time, I’m definitely going to give her a scare!”

Behind her, Fu Hua and the floating Book of Fuxi both sighed in unison.

The Elysian Realm was a special facility that housed the memory constructs of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers of the previous civilization. Within it resided a backup of Fu Hua’s own memories from fifty thousand years ago—but Fu Hua herself had no interest in meeting that past self.

She believed that the her from fifty millennia past wouldn’t have wanted such a reunion either. That memory construct existed within its own time, frozen in the past. The future of the real world should be carved out by the present Fu Hua, not one long gone.

However… logic and Senti had never gotten along.

Once that girl decided to play a prank, there was no stopping her. Fu Hua and Book of Fuxi had no choice but to accompany her—otherwise, who knew what kind of trouble she might stir up later.

“Yahoo! The great immortal has arrived!”

With a cheerful cry, Senti bounced forward and leapt straight into the white light.

Fu Hua and Book of Fuxi exchanged a helpless glance, sighed again, and followed her in.

. . .

Entering the Elysian Realm required passing through a phase shift between reality and illusion.

Sigurd had experienced it before, but the others hadn’t. Except for Fu Hua—whose mind was always clear—the rest briefly lost their senses to the disorienting transition.

When they came to, what greeted their eyes wasn’t the high-tech laboratory they expected, but an endless surge of black tides—sticky, wet, and ominous—radiating a suffocating stench of death. The tar-like waves writhed as if alive, spreading toward them from some distant darkness.

“Ahahahahaha~”

A silvery laugh rang out from the shadows—crisp and musical, somewhere between a girl and a child. It should have been sweet and beautiful, but instead it clawed at the heart, brimming with eerie malice.

Sigurd looked down at the creeping black tide nearing his feet, then up at the crimson sky, and sighed.

“I told you not to use proper facilities as horror set pieces. I did criticize you about the sky last time.”

“Shut up!!”

The writhing tides froze for an instant at his comment. The laughter cut off abruptly—replaced by a furious roar.

In the next moment, the black ocean surged violently, as if the very ground had turned into a bottomless pit of darkness.

A figure floated up amid the chaos—seated atop a hovering device adorned with writhing metal tendrils. Beneath the hem of her dress, the pale curve of a bare foot peeked out like a forbidden glimpse of something beautiful and deadly.

Her outfit was a blend of gray-white and black, accented by golden-green metallic ornaments. A black crown with three sharp points rested atop her head, giving the impression of coiled serpents.

Though she appeared to be a petite and charming young girl, the aura she exuded was anything but gentle. Her long green hair shimmered with venomous hues, and her slit-pupiled eyes—green fading into pink—held no warmth, only the chilling menace of a cold-blooded predator.

In short, she was dangerous—anyone with eyes could see that.

And yet, that very combination of lethal threat and fragile beauty created a strange, irresistible allure.

An unsettling balance of deadly and adorable, merging into one being.

Fu Hua softly murmured her name.

“Dr. Mobius…”

“Oh? And who might this be?”

The girl’s lips curled into a delighted smile. “Why, isn’t this my adorable little lab rat, Hua? Long time no see! Interested in visiting my lab again? I’ve got new toys—I promise you’ll never want to leave~~”

Mobius gazed at Fu Hua with the innocent excitement of a child spotting her favorite doll.

Fu Hua’s lips parted slightly, a complex emotion flickering in her eyes before she smiled calmly and replied,

“No, thank you. I have my own path to walk. And besides, if I ever need anything, I can just ask Sigurd.”

“That’s different! That thing could never be the same as me! Only I can grant you greater power—true evolution on a deeper level!”

Mobius’s innocent smile vanished in an instant, her voice turning sharp as her gaze snapped toward Sigurd, blazing with killing intent.

“So you’ve finally shown yourself again, you stubborn, old-fashioned fossil!”

“I’m neither stubborn nor old-fashioned,” Sigurd replied calmly. “But stability does matter. Evolution begins with existence—your experiments show little regard for survival. They have no practical value.”

“There you go again! What do you know? The goal of evolution is infinity! Within infinity lies the secret to eternity! Clinging to your so-called stable structures is meaningless—what already exists has long since proven itself vulnerable to the Honkai’s destruction!”

“What does that even mean—‘within infinity lies the secret to eternity’? Are you trying to convince me with conjectures you’ve never proven? You sound like one of those third-rate pseudoscientists.”

Sigurd’s words weren’t loud or aggressive. His tone was calm, almost conversational—but that very calmness made it clear how firmly he believed in his own reasoning, and how thoroughly he rejected Mobius’s extreme ideals.

Mobius’s killing intent gradually subsided, replaced by a chilling serenity. Then, after a brief silence, the corner of her lips curved upward into a sultry smile—an oddly natural expression despite her youthful appearance.

“I really do love that unshakable attitude of yours,” she purred. “The kind that refuses to admit you’re wrong.”

“Your condition’s clearly gotten worse,” Sigurd said flatly. “You should see Su for treatment… though, well, if it were curable, I’m sure he would’ve fixed you long ago.”

“……”

Mobius still smiled—but if one looked closely, her delicate eyebrows were twitching ever so slightly.

“This is—the moment of ascension!”

Mobius chanted the words like an incantation.

In the next instant, the girl raised her black staff high. Viscous, dark-green matter surged from all directions, merging with the black tides on the ground and forming a terrifying vortex of darkness centered around her.

A bone-deep chill filled the air as the monstrous energy spread across heaven and earth.

At the same time, Kiana, Raiden Mei, Wendy, and Seele were already clad in their Herrscher battle attire. Weapons and powers symbolizing their authority flared into existence one by one. Behind Bronya, a colossal mechanical frame unfolded, humming with restrained power. Ann clenched two golden spears in her hands, her eyes cold and unwavering as she stared down the enemy.

They didn’t know who this Mobius was, or what exactly was happening—but anyone daring to raise a hand against Sigurd would first have to answer to them.

Yet before they could strike, Sigurd raised a hand—motioning them to stand down.

The girls exchanged brief glances, hesitated, and reluctantly halted their attacks.

Sigurd stepped forward at an unhurried pace, his boots sinking into the writhing black sludge that coated the ground.

“So this is an improved version of artificial eruption? The degree of beastification looks higher than before… You’ve increased your synchronization ratio, haven’t you? Too reckless. Losing your humanity isn’t the right way to evolve. If not for your molting and rebirth traits, no one else could even attempt this and survive. So yes, I stand by what I said—this ‘experiment’ of yours have no practical value.”

“Ahhhh!!”

The instant his words fell, the black cocoon of matter split apart—an enormous creature burst forth.

It was colossal, serpentine below the waist, humanoid above. A black spear gleamed in its hand, and its matte carapace shimmered with ominous resilience. Beneath the layered black exoskeleton around its abdomen, one could faintly see Mobius’s slumbering form embedded within.

A suffocating wave of death filled the realm. Even the Herrschers, beings who transcended normal human limits, couldn’t suppress the instinctive terror clawing at their chests.

ROOOOAR—!

With a spine-chilling bellow, the monstrous beast lunged, its spear thrusting forward like a bolt of shadow—piercing straight through Sigurd’s chest.

“Sig!!”

“Mr. Sigurd!!”

“Sigurd-oniichan!!”

Blood trickled from the gaping hole in Sigurd’s chest, staining his white coat scarlet. The horrified cries that rang out from all sides made it clear just how terrifying the sight was for everyone watching.

Sigurd, however, simply touched his chin, raising one hand in a calm “stand down” gesture. With his other hand, he flicked the massive spear blade that had pierced straight through his chest.

Clang. Clang

The sound was sharp and metallic.

Then, the blood that had been seeping from his wound suddenly reversed its flow—running back into his body through his torn clothes and skin. Within seconds, the bleeding stopped, and aside from the spear still impaled through him, it was as if he’d never been injured at all.

At the same time, the colossal serpent-bodied monster vanished into the writhing black mist—revealing Mebius, her right arm transformed into a massive spike, still thrust deep into Sigurd’s chest.

“Go on,” she sneered, her lips curving into a venomous smile. “Say ‘a complete disaster’ one more time, like last time. I dare you.”

Sigurd looked up at her, his expression utterly calm and indifferent.

“I only said it had no practical value,” he replied. “I never denied the sophistication of your work. This time, it’s not a disaster—extreme methods can also be powerful. Well done.”

“Hmph! Still talking down to me in that superior tone. Who do you think you are? Even Mei wouldn’t dare talk to me like that!”

“That’s why she worked herself to death,” Sigurd said coolly. “If she’d been willing to handle you more forcefully, things might’ve turned out differently.”

“Oh? Should I take that as a compliment?”

Mebius raised an eyebrow, the malice in her eyes dimming slightly. She had already impaled him, after all—some of her resentment had naturally been spent in the act.

But then, a sudden shadow expanded in her vision.

“Eh—!?”

Her devilish grin froze. Sigurd’s hand was now clamped around her head.

“Y-you— you really think my attacks are just physical damage? Don’t you dare try anything reckless—I’m warning you! I won’t let you grab me and slam me into the floor again like last time!”

True to her words, dark green lines began to spread across Sigurd’s face, coursing through his veins like poison.

Sigurd’s hand remained firmly on her head. At his waist, a golden thread-wrapped sphere trembled violently.

In the next instant, the green lines receded from his skin—only to appear on Mebius’s face instead, spreading fast.

Sigurd’s expression did not change in the slightest. He looked down at her with cold, analytical eyes, devoid of pity.

“Your toxin’s impressive, potent enough that even I would’ve had to endure it by sheer constitution, had I not obtained the Herrscher of Corruption’s core. But compared to the Authority of Erosion, it’s still lacking. You could strengthen it further, it would greatly improve your combat capability.”

He said it as if giving a neutral performance review.

Sweat formed on Mebius’s brow. Part of it was from the agony of her own toxin eating into her nerves—but more pressingly, Sigurd’s grip on her head was tightening.

“Mmmgh—ahhh!!”

2025-12-12 14:00:00 +0000 UTC View Post