Volume 5, Chapter 6: The Emergence of Mobius

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They swiftly returned to Schicksal Headquarters.

Currently, Ana had taken over Durandal and Rita's former roles, leading squads alongside Wendy to address most Revelation scenarios across Europe. Meanwhile, Xia Chen served as a crucial data tester, with the new generation of armor relying heavily on data derived from him and Durandal.

Louis didn't insist on keeping them longer, seemingly unenthusiastic about Xia Chen's presence. However, Xia Chen knew he had overcome his biggest hurdle.

Upon returning to Schicksal Headquarters, Xia Chen parted ways with Ana.

He noticed Sakura teaching Rin sword techniques.

In this perilous environment, learning martial skills was crucial for self-defense.

Amber had arranged for Sakura to reside next door to Rin, and as gratitude, Sakura shared her knowledge of swordsmanship, including her combat style, with Schicksal as data.

Sakura didn't mind others learning her techniques; fundamentally, they weren't anything secretive or critical.

While Rin possessed natural talent, she often sought shortcuts and soon started whining to her sister.

"Big Sister, I can't do it anymore."

"Rin," Sakura frowned slightly.

"Big Sis, seriously, I just can't continue."

"But you've barely trained for an hour."

Seeing Rin's insistence on not practicing further, Sakura sighed helplessly, "Alright, let's take a break then."

"Yay, Big Sister!"

Rin's energetic response belied any signs of fatigue she claimed earlier.

Sakura understood that Rin was no longer the little girl she once was. With a body made of Soulium metal, Rin essentially faced no physical limitations.

It seemed her sword training had indeed bored Rin.

Rin gently pulled Sakura's hand, "Big Sister, Big Sister, let's go play or maybe grab something to eat."

"No need, I'm not hungry."

Her new body largely eliminated the necessity for food. Strictly speaking, both Sakura and Rin could no longer be considered human now.

Xia Chen approached, his expression apologetic. "Sorry, I've been busy with personal matters these past few days and haven't had much time to attend to you. Is Sakura adjusting well?"

"It's fine, this place is better than the vast emptiness of the Garden of Eden," Sakura replied sincerely, glancing at Rin.

Here, they had television, games, and snacks. Rin was almost entirely absorbed by these distractions, and occasionally, even Sakura would use them to pass the time. She found it quite satisfactory.

Xia Chen sighed in relief. "That's good." After a pause, he suggested, "Actually, you and Rin could visit the human city below. You've been somewhat disconnected from society for too long."

"There's no need for that." Sakura shook her head. "For us sisters, simply being together is enough. I remember Rin also had responsibilities at Schicksal, right?"

"Yes, she is now a special A-rank Valkyrie," Xia Chen candidly confirmed.

Typically, A-rank Valkyries were known for their combat abilities. However, special A-rank Valkyries excelled in specific fields, compensating for any combat deficiencies with exceptional expertise.

Rin placed her hands on her hips and chimed in, "Big Sister, I'm actually quite strong now."

Sakura smiled warmly, but a hint of concern still lingered between her brows.

In a world plagued by Honkai, self-protection was paramount—this was Sakura's belief. She had witnessed how swiftly thriving cities could crumble, realizing that the distance between humans and Herrschers was not as vast as one might think.

Xia Chen understood Sakura's thoughts, but he couldn't really offer any reassurance on this matter.

"Oh right," Sakura remembered something and turned to Xia Chen. "Dr. Mobius is already here."

"Hm?" Xia Chen was taken aback. "Where?"

"Right here, my adorable little lab rat."

A familiar voice echoed, causing Rin to shudder and quickly hide behind Sakura. She held no fondness for the green-haired woman; even hearing her voice instilled fear.

Xia Chen looked over his shoulder, noticing a tiny figure resembling an armed doll appear.

He had encountered this before; Mobius referred to it as 'the Infinite Creation.'

Xia Chen was momentarily speechless, "Why do you appear in this form?"

"Hum humm, because I'm still quite busy at the moment."

The tiny doll emitted Mobius's voice, saying, "Little lab rat, you must have seen the Holy Mark Terminal by now, haven't you?"

"You know about it?"

"Of course. When Prometheus initially used it as the terminal, I was present too." Dr. Mobius didn't hide her involvement, stating, "To think back, I once served as its administrator."

"So, Rin's consciousness is actually connected to you somehow?"

"Mmm, indeed, there couldn't be no connection." The creation glanced at Rin and openly admitted, "At that time, however, I was focused on pursuing infinite life, so I didn't pay much attention to it.

"But during my recent visit to the Holy Mark Terminal, I found something rather intriguing related to you."

She asked, "How could you possess information left by Finality?"

Xia Chen raised an eyebrow. "I was actually seeking you out for this very reason. You know about Finality's information?"

"Hmm, there's nothing particularly unusual about knowing it," Mobius replied mildly. "Although I didn't participate in the battles against Finality, the initial purpose of Project Stigma was to create a Finality entity. Before its actual appearance, the essence of Finality would already begin permeating the planet. Much like now."

"Now?" Xia Chen was surprised. "Are you suggesting that the Herrscher of Finality will soon descend?"

"Not necessarily; how can I presume to speculate on matters concerning Herrschers?" Mobius' tone remained remarkably casual. "However, this era is somewhat unique."

"Unique?"

"Yes." Mobius paused briefly before continuing, "After emerging, I conducted investigations using available resources and discovered that as early as 2007, traces of Finality were already spreading throughout this world. It initially started in Europe, then gradually expanded."

Xia Chen's eyes widened with astonishment.

"2007?"

He recalled that it was the year Kiana awakened.

Could it mean that Kiana is the Herrscher of Finality?

No, no, this isn't "Honkai Academy 2."

Perhaps it's just a coincidence.

"When the world faces impending doom, the aura of Finality gradually spreads," Mobius said with an ambiguous smile. "Without this phenomenon, do you think I would have been able to foresee the arrival of Finality?"

Xia Chen shook his head.

"Let's focus on the main issue at hand."

"So, how can we eliminate the presence of Finality from Earth? Or more directly, how can we defeat Finality?"

The Infinite Creator's tone also turned serious.

"It's already impossible to eradicate this aura completely; not only have I attempted it, but Mei has as well."

"But based on the Holy Mark Terminal's calculations using data from fifty thousand years, defeating Finality is not entirely hopeless."

Sakura, standing nearby, couldn't help but tense up. "Mobius, are you saying there's a way to overcome Finality?"

"Mm-hmm, naturally," Mobius replied. "Do you know where Mei ultimately went?"

"How?" Sakura curiously asked.

"She has already stolen partial control over Honkai, which is why the Holy Mark Terminal operates continuously. Similarly, this is the key to defeating Finality."