Earth, The MOTHs Shelter.
"....."
In the vast space, there wasn't a single sound.
Though they were all still alive, this moment felt no different from death.
Everyone was like a living ghost, slumped silently at their stations. Just moments ago, using the last remaining satellites, they had witnessed with their own eyes the greatest and most desperate event in human history.
No one could have made it down from there...
That was the thought in everyone's mind. There wasn't a single shred of hope in their hearts. Even Mobius had fallen into silence.
However, proud as she was, she was naturally unwilling to show weakness in front of the others. She and Vill-V, her greatest rival, silently found two empty corners and buried their heads deep in their knees.
Unlike the others, what Mobius endured was a far deeper despair.
Although she too had been shaken by that insurmountable power, she still harbored ambition. She believed that in a future cycle, she would surely find a way to drag that entity down from its divine pedestal.
But compared to that, the death of Pardofelis was a far more severe blow.
If Pardofelis was dead, Mobius didn't know what would happen to the Quantum Channel Fu Li was trying to establish if one of its links was missing, but she knew it would surely be a despair deeper than the end of a single cycle.
The unknown was something she constantly faced. She should have been long accustomed to this kind of despair, but now, a chill ran through her entire body.
What would be the effect of a missing channel?
Would the next cycle even continue?
Was this Li's final time?
Would they ever meet again?
The thoughts spread like a fatal poison. Mobius tried to suppress these unsettling ideas, but the agony of impending loss made her mind race uncontrollably.
But rationality is always a researcher's most potent weapon.
And panic is always the most fatal poison to a researcher.
However, Mobius quickly forced herself to push those thoughts down. After letting out a few breaths, she quietly connected herself to a nearby terminal.
A black current of electricity flashed, slithering like a spiritual snake into the machine. She once again took control of a portion of the supercomputer's processing power and began analyzing all possible future scenarios.
Even though she knew, deep down, that what she was doing was likely meaningless.
Yet, just as Mobius was running countless simulations without finding a conclusive answer, a slow, yet powerful, knocking sound echoed through the shelter.
Countless ghost-like figures lifted their heads, looking towards the main gate with expressions of terror or bewilderment.
It sounded like an impact, but also like someone knocking.
Could it be... the Herrscher of the End has followed us?
Mobius's eyes flew open. The moment that thought surfaced, she sprinted towards the main hall without the slightest hesitation.
However, the scene of carnage she expected was not there. The steady, powerful knocking continued. But that gate... it was made of Soul Steel a meter thick.
"Everyone, fall back immediately."
Vill-V, Mobius, Aponia, and Su.
The four remaining MANTISes stood before the gate. After exchanging a glance, they activated the external camera.
In the next second, with the exception of Aponia, their expressions simultaneously went slack-jawed, before transforming into uncontrollable joy.
"What in the world? Should I say, as expected of them? To think they could make it back alive from that... No, no, no, how can I say that? I am, after all, a magician who specializes in creating miracles."
"Ah, as I thought. They have all returned safely. This is truly... wonderful."
"Alright, enough with the sentimentality. I'm letting them in."
Ignoring the emotional remarks from Vill-V and Aponia, the joy on Mobius's face lasted only a split second before her expression turned back to ice. With a slight twitch of her finger, the massive metal gate began to operate.
The heavy door slowly opened, and an indescribable cold instantly swept in. But this unbearable chill was, in fact, a protective umbrella for them all.
Without Kevin's ice, even a MANTIS would have found it difficult to survive in the environment outside. The moment the door opened, a searing wave of fire would have invaded the base, killing every ordinary person present.
The gate was quickly sealed shut again. The battle-scarred MANTISes stepped inside, and then immediately collapsed onto the floor, their strength gone.
The hardships of their journey back went without saying, but when they saw these surviving seeds of humanity, they couldn't stop the corners of their mouths from turning up.
Eventually, a sob broke the silence, its origin unknown. It spread quickly from one person to the next, as the survivors, one after another, began to whimper softly.
There was no shame in it, for they were looking at hope born from despair.
Still, those who cried were a minority. Most people simply stood in silence, wearing knowing smiles. Then, someone began to clap, and soon others joined in.
They had failed, but not completely.
But before the happy atmosphere could last, a figure who didn't fit in, exuding an aura of gloom, stepped out from the group, her hands trembling as she hugged her own shoulders.
She took one step, then another, slowly making her way to Mobius. She reached out a dust-covered hand and placed it on Mobius's white lab coat.
"Pardo, what's wrong?" Mobius didn't push her away. She just gently reached out and patted her shoulder.
Even Klein had rarely seen such a gentle Mobius.
"Li... is still on the moon. The communication cut out... at the very end. But we left him the last earpiece. I know this is difficult, but..."
"Mobius, this is something only you and Vill-V can do. Please, send him the message... that you're still alive."
"This was his final wish on the moon."
A final wish?
Mobius took a deep breath, feeling her eyes begin to well up uncontrollably. That was her only little brother, and the person she cherished most.
No older sister would ever want to witness such a scene, so...
"I understand, Pardo."
Time was short. Mobius gently pushed the hand from her shoulder, turned to Vill-V, and grabbed her by the collar.
"Hey, Mobius, what are you doing?!"
"Less nonsense, come with me!"
Mobius dragged Vill-V towards the control room.
Although communications were down, if they just wanted to send a single message, it was still possible with her authority of [Corruption] and Vill-V's technical skills.
Finally, the message carrying [Hope] was transmitted. It crossed the vast, starry expanse and reached the earpiece far away on the moon.
But unfortunately, the message that emanated from the earpiece only echoed across the desolate, uninhabited moon. Beside it, beneath the cross, lay nothing but a pile of ash, completely distinct from the lunar dust.
The voice continued to play, but the one who needed to receive it was already long gone.