Sensing the atmosphere growing heavy, Vill-V returned to the carriage and brought out a pile of merchandise from Pardo's shop, distributing them to everyone present. "Oh, these are welcome gifts. Don't be shy. I picked them carefully. There's something for everyone!"
Surely Pardo's goods could lift people's spirits.
Even the two unconscious individuals had items stuffed into their arms, and Vill-V thoughtfully placed Homu sleep masks over their eyes.
"Oh, right. I have a question." After finishing the gift distribution, Vill-V clapped her hands and glanced at the old-fashioned buildings around them. "Could you tell me what year it is? And what exactly happened?"
Although Conductor had already formed a rough idea upon seeing Welt, it was still proper procedure to ask. Who knew? This place might be some kind of singularity. Asking a few more questions wouldn't cost her anything.
Despite Vill-V's show of goodwill, Reanna and Dr. Einstein remained highly vigilant toward her gifts.
Even though Vill-V had taken the initiative to act friendly, when it came to her questions, Reanna and Einstein would remain reserved. They would not foolishly divulge their movements and intelligence to a stranger.
However, Dr. Tesla's tense mood had eased considerably thanks to this suddenly appearing "friendly character," so she was more than willing to answer Vill-V's confusion.
"You time-traveled without checking a calendar? Today is November 25, 1955."
"Just yesterday, a powerful earthquake struck Manhattan in New York City, accompanied by high-frequency energy pulses saturated with massive Honkai energy."
"We're heading to Manhattan to investigate what happened. Based on our estimates, it's highly likely to be the outbreak of a second Honkai Eruption."
"That's also why we treated you as an enemy. You suddenly appeared here, and that Divine Key of yours carried intense Honkai energy fluctuations. We thought you were trying to block our path."
Hearing these expected explanations, Vill-V showed an enlightened expression. "Ahahaha, I see. Then it really was just a coincidence. I was drawn here by the Herrscher of Reason and the Honkai as well."
Mm, drawn here by the Herrscher of Reason Planck and the Honkai source at the tip of the Imaginary branch.
Vill-V then pointed at the two people lying on the ground receiving treatment. "And what about them? What's their situation? One of them's already been severely eroded by Honkai energy, hasn't she?"
Dr. Schrödinger, lying on the ground, had half of her body already transformed into a Honkai Beast. Her right hand was grotesque and terrifying. In the Previous Era, someone like this would have been cut down by a MOTH soldier long ago. There was no way she would be lying here intact and sleeping.
"I have no idea," Tesla said, pointing at Dr. Einstein and the others standing by the wall observing. "That gloomy woman used to be our classmate. She suddenly went crazy and knocked me unconscious. As for what happened after that, you'll have to ask them."
...
The amnesiac Welt was the sole survivor of the first Berlin Honkai Eruption.
Within that surviving body lay an enormous secret. In order to save more people in this world, accepting Schicksal's arranged human experimentation was the only correct choice.
Three years had passed since the Berlin disaster, and he had been transferred between various Schicksal laboratories.
Just when he believed this would be the rest of his life, he arrived at the Empire Research Institute, Laboratory 42.
There, he inexplicably obtained personal freedom—and equally inexplicable friendship.
Welt lived alongside two genius girls. They traveled through London, visited Swan Lake, admired Old Faithful, deciphered the "Path of Freedom," and searched for the Ninth Divine Key.
But just as they found the Ninth Divine Key and were about to celebrate, an unexpected earthquake and Honkai pulse erupted in Manhattan, New York.
They immediately set out for Manhattan and encountered Schicksal Headquarters' strongest Valkyrie—Reanna Brigantia—whom they had met once before.
Although their North American branch had already intended to break away from Schicksal Headquarters, in order to deal with the possible Great Honkai Eruption—and in response to the goodwill Reanna showed them—they brought along Otto's most capable Valkyrie.
And now, from Schrödinger's account, they had learned the full story behind the Manhattan incident.
In an attempt to research the "controllability of Honkai energy," Edison had led Schrödinger's team in developing the Honkai Reactor.
The research of the Honkai Reactor was based on translated knowledge recorded in ancient scrolls from the Previous Era.
During the early and mid stages, progress went smoothly. The reactor remained stable, and Edison had already glimpsed a future where Honkai energy could be used for civilian purposes.
Logically speaking, the most dangerous phases had already passed. The final closing stage should not have posed any problems.
Yet just as the project was about to be sealed in its final stage, the reactor's power output suddenly surged abnormally. The Honkai Reactor exceeded its critical threshold and spiraled out of control...
By the early and mid stages, the Honkai Reactor had already accumulated over 2000 HW of Honkai energy. If it were to erupt in Manhattan, New York, the consequences would be unimaginable. The devastation across the Americas would far surpass that of the Berlin disaster.
Under severe Honkai erosion, Schrödinger had attempted to inform Tesla and the others of the truth. It was at that moment she noticed Welt's true identity—the First Herrscher, the Herrscher of Reason.
"So that gloomy woman, whose body's half turned into a Honkai Beast, deliberately came to pick a fight to awaken your abilities?"
After hearing Welt's explanation upon waking, Dr. Tesla looked astonished. "Did the Honkai Reactor radiation fry her brain or something? Couldn't she just talk things out properly? Does she not realize humans can communicate?"
Reanna, however, spoke up in Schrödinger's defense. "For Miss Schrödinger to maintain her sanity under Honkai erosion already places her above 99.9% of people. That alone is no small feat. Of course, her methods were inappropriate. When she wakes, I will give her a proper lecture."
Reanna had witnessed far too many people lose their reason under Honkai corruption. Even members of her own squad had not escaped the curse of Honkai.
And the Dr. Schrödinger lying on her lap was the only person she had ever seen who could maintain rationality despite being severely eroded by Honkai energy.
Vill-V agreed with Reanna's assessment. This Dr. Schrödinger might well be a natural-born MANTIS—someone who did not even require fusion surgery, yet could maintain balance and obedience within Honkai Beast genes. That was truly outrageous.
Dr. Einstein helped Welt into Tesla's convertible sports car. "So the problematic location is indeed the Edison Laboratory in Edison City, New Jersey."
The moment Einstein closed the car door, Tesla yanked the handbrake and launched the car forward with a tire-scorching start, nearly causing Einstein to slam her head into the roof—
Except Tesla's convertible had no roof.
Poor Welt suffered the worst of it, taking a knee straight to the stomach from Einstein.
—
—
40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven