Making Honkai Impact lll In A World Where Kallen Exists [Continuation]

Mobius's alluring and slightly dangerous tone carried a magnetic charm despite her petite form.

Her words, though seemingly innocent, made everyone's expressions shift subtly, unable to resist being drawn in.

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[Go deeper? …Are you serious? If it's serious, I'm not going.]

[Snakey is so suggestive, even though she hasn't actually done anything.]

[That's it? No wonder Snakey's so fast. Keep going! Buggy's going green!]

"So this is the trap you were talking about?"

Kiana glanced skeptically at Mobius. She had been thoroughly startled moments ago, thinking Mei was about to be hypnotized and taken advantage of...

Wait, since when had her thoughts turned so depraved?

Perhaps, without realizing it, Buggy (Kiana) had absorbed too much information from society's murky depths, losing the innocence that only someone like little Griseo could still maintain.

The smaller Griseo, that is.

"Hmph~ Oh my, why are you asking me? I wouldn't know anything~"

Mobius quipped sarcastically, her lips curling into a faint smile.

Her mysterious demeanor continued to tease, tempting everyone to uncover her secrets.

She often unconsciously mimicked others, as it sometimes proved beneficial to her experiments.

"Alright, alright. She probably didn't do anything to Mei. After all… well, looking at it this way, I can't convince even myself."

Elysia awkwardly tried to justify herself.

She hadn't expected that Mobius would do… nothing?!

If it were her, she wouldn't have done anything either. She was far too pure to do anything suggestive, after all.

"So, why is that, my dear Mobius~?"

"You're not the type to settle for this little, are you? Hmm~?"

"…"

Mobius gave her a brief, indifferent glance, clearly uninterested in engaging.

But when Elysia approached, tugging at her sleeve with a pleading look, Mobius had to admit she looked cute. If only Elysia didn't always exploit her weaknesses, she might even consider her a beautiful doll.

"Think carefully… haven't I already given her something?"

Mobius straightened her posture, her expression shifting to something odd.

Her words carried a dark undertone, even as she mimicked someone else's tone, which only heightened curiosity about her every word.

"You mean the signet? But isn't that supposed to be a test from the Flame-Chasers for newcomers?"

Mei looked puzzled.

From everything she had experienced so far, the signets granted by the Flame-Chasers had proven to be helpful, aiding her progression through the Elysian Realm.

Could it be… Mobius was actually a good person?

Like Su, who did nothing but quietly hand over his mark?

But just as this thought surfaced, Mei caught sight of Mobius's ambiguous smile and remembered her boss's repeated warnings.

Forcing herself to suppress the thought, she trusted her instincts: no one would believe Mobius was a good person.

"Oh my, why imagine the Flame-Chasers as such benevolent figures? Help? Test?"

"Those are words you'd only hear from Elysia."

She paused, perhaps thinking her bluntness was a bit much.

"Of course, when it comes to fighting against Honkai, we're still on the same side. Don't think too poorly of me, Mei—onechan~."

Mebius brought her small hand to her lips and chuckled softly.

Her sultry voice echoed in everyone's ears, her snake-like pupils shimmering with an unknown hue, reminiscent of a villain scheming their next plan.

Some people, it seems, are born to play the villain.

It wasn't that Luo Mo made Mobius the final boss of Project Stigmata; it's that she fit the role so perfectly it felt inevitable.

Her final remark sent chills down everyone's spines.

Many felt goosebumps rise on their skin, an eerie cold spreading through their hearts.

---------

The matter didn't end with Mei waking up in the hall.

As her consciousness returned, the first person she saw was none other than her captor—Mobius.

Surprisingly, Mobius had waited patiently for her to wake up.

She claimed she had merely passed the mark on to Mei as part of the inheritance process.

As Mei struggled to make sense of her words, feeling cornered, a clear and cheerful voice cut through the tension.

"Oh, look who it is~ our dear Dr. Mobius!"

The newcomer greeted with a smile, completely unfazed by the predatory glare Mobius shot back at her.

Chatting with Mobius as if nothing was amiss, the exchange felt like a lighthearted tease between friends.

"I didn't expect to run into you here. I thought… you'd only appear in some lush green place."

Like, say… atop Kiana's head, a surprisingly fitting comparison.

"But I need to talk to Mei about something. Fun things to do, you know… I can't stay and keep you company, okay?~"

Her ears twitched slightly, and without a word, she stepped in front of Mobius, positioning herself between her and Mei, shielding the former.

Smiling, she addressed the green-haired girl before her.

Mobius didn't stop her actions. From the moment she appeared, she had simply been staring at her with a gaze full of meaning.

Finally, she spoke, her voice calm yet piercing,

"Shut up, Traitor"

"If I were you, I wouldn't show my face and do these things, you—"

Her eyes grew cold, anger flashing within them. With an icy tone, she repeated the word:

"Traitor!"

"...Huh? Traitor? What are you talking about? I'm not Su; I can't see the future."

Elysia widened her eyes in surprise, pursing her lips as she gazed at Mobius.

Was this how Mobius saw her?

But…

"I'm just doing what I think is right. I believe in myself and in everyone here, including Mobius!"

"Eh, wait… Are you saying that by 'traitor,' you mean something related to Mei? Don't think that way! I care about you too!"

Elysia covered her mouth with her hand, panic flashing briefly in her eyes. It seemed like she was trying to hide something unspeakable.

Her tone turned playful toward the end, as if brushing everything off as a joke. But Mobius didn't take her words seriously, not in the slightest.

Ignoring all of Elysia's explanations, Mobius turned her attention to Mei and spoke solemnly.

Her usual playful tone vanished, replaced by a grave demeanor, as if she were issuing a serious warning.

"Listen carefully, little newbie… No, big sister who can wield lightning, you must be cautious of this person."

"In the Elysian Realm, she is the one least worthy of trust—ever, even for a moment."

She paused, her snake-like eyes locking onto Mei's expression. Completely ignoring Elysia's sad face, she continued with all seriousness:l,

"Otherwise, sooner or later, you will pay the price."

"Price... Yes, the price we all once paid…"

Her tone sharpened as she emphasized the word "price," as though urging everyone to remember something.

With a cold huff, Mobius turned and sashayed away, leaving the hall.

In her absence, an awkward silence lingered between the two left behind.

"Mobius always does things beyond my expectations. And yet, I can never seem to hate her. I can't bring myself to say anything bad about her."

"Oh dear, I actually really like her! Look how small and cute she is, makes you just want to tease her, doesn't it?"

Elysia smiled as if teasing Mobius even in her absence.

"And about what she said… the 'traitor' thing..."

"Hmm?"

Elysia only smiled faintly. For a moment, her expression seemed tinged with a faint, almost imperceptible sadness.

But in the end, she didn't provide Mei with an answer.

Because… she truly wasn't good at lying.

For things she couldn't reveal, all she could offer was silence.

In the hall, the cryptic exchange between the two had everyone deep in thought.

Whether it was Mobius or Elysia, both seemed far from uninvolved parties. Each carried a profound influence on the Flame-Chasers' organization.

The contradictions between them highlighted the disunity Elysia had once mentioned within the Flame-Chasers.

Perhaps the internal conflicts ran deeper than anyone had imagined.

---------

"Traitor?"

Kiana repeated the word, her expression puzzled. She couldn't understand its meaning in this context.

From what she knew, Elysia, while playful as a leader, was far from being the type to hold the team back, let alone betray them.

It was a respect she extended to her acknowledged "rival."

"I didn't expect Mobius to see me that way. Sigh, it's a little heartbreaking, really..."

Elysia sighed lightly, her tone tinged with disappointment as if lamenting her poor judgment of people.

She even wiped at her eyes as though she were truly crying.

"You've had enough," Mobius interrupted coldly, her gaze sharp as she glared at Elysia.

"I haven't even called you out for repeatedly ruining my plans. Also… I don't like being called 'cute' or 'someone to tease.'"

"Huh? But isn't that exactly how you always act—so sneaky? Besides, you are really cute!"

"You... shut up!"

"So, what's this 'traitor' business about?" Elysia asked with a teasing smile

"Heh, do you think what you did in the end wasn't betrayal?"

"If… if that counts as betrayal…"

Elysia carefully chose her words. She didn't want to reveal the true nature of her actions here and now, but neither did she want to continue playing into Mobius's provocations.

After all, how could it have been betrayal?

How could she possibly betray the things most precious to her?

At this moment, the sound of shuffling and murmuring broke the tension.

"Fight, fight, fight! I love watching girls fight!"

Luo Mo sat to the side, quietly egging them on while munching on popcorn emblazoned with Mei's likeness.

(TL: good saving Boss.)

Undoubtedly, it was a limited-edition Honkai Impact 3 collectible.

Looking at the two Flame-Chasers arguing, their sharp confrontation suddenly shifted as they both turned their gazes toward him.

"Luo Mo, treating girls this way isn't right…"

"Hmm, little lab rat, you seem to have some different thoughts, don't you?"

When there's no external target, the Flame-Chasers always seem prone to internal chaos. But once there's a common enemy…

It must be that Mr. Luo Mo noticed this dynamic and decided to say what he did. Truly noble of him!

Bronya, watching the two glaring at Luo Mo in unison, couldn't help but smile quietly. She turned her head to the side, unable to bear watching what was about to happen.

"Ahem—actually, I obviously trust Elysia!"

Sensing danger, Luo Mo quickly threw away his snacks and hurriedly added,

"Oh?"

Elysia's expression softened a little as she looked at him with faint amusement.

Her innocence didn't need any defense, but Luo Mo's words did help to dispel the awkward tension between her and Mobius.

After all, such a topic really wasn't something to bring up face-to-face.

It could always be discussed later, perhaps under the covers at night!

"If Elysia truly were a traitor, she wouldn't have been placed in this memory-constructed Realm."

Luo Mo reasoned. Using reverse logic in some instances could indeed be more convincing, though in Elysia's case, it was completely unnecessary.

"...Hmph. I had my reasons for saying that. You'll… well, you'll find out soon enough."

"That woman… Whether or not she betrayed us will become clear."

Mobius's tone remained cold as she waved her fitted sleeve dismissively, her dissatisfaction evident, not just toward Elysia.

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After the Flame-Chasers' episode ended, Mei tirelessly continued exploring the Realm, hoping to uncover more knowledge about the previous civilization.

The results, however, weren't great.

She hadn't encountered any new Flame-Chasers. At best, her understanding of the Realm deepened.

But unexpectedly, some unusual circumstances arose—situations even the Realm hadn't foreseen.

Perhaps it was because of Mei's unique nature as a visitor that these anomalies occurred. After all, the Realm's creators likely never considered the possibility of a genuine Herrscher entering as a guest.

Ordinarily, Herrschers were treated more as enemies to be guarded against.

Thankfully, Mei had the chance to meet one of the Realm's administrators, Klein, an assistant to Dr. Mebius.

Klein was a petite figure with pale green, curly hair. She always wore a lab coat and maintained a serious, earnest expression.

Seeing her, Mei couldn't help but feel an urge to pat her on the head.

In the end, with their combined efforts, the anomalies were resolved without any major incidents.

Still, the creators of the Realm clearly had room for improvement.

Yes, that means you, Vill-V!

.....

Peaceful moments, however, rarely last for protagonists caught in the eye of the storm.

When Mei was informed that someone had come to see her, she was taken aback.

She couldn't think of anyone who might visit her here.

But upon entering the hall, she spotted that familiar black cloak and the stubborn ahoge on its wearer's head.

Her first reaction was,

"Wait a minute… Are you a memory? Raven, did you die?"

Mei's wide, astonished eyes were filled with disbelief as she looked at Raven.

How did you die?

For a moment, Raven was silent, her raised glass of wine frozen midair.

The painting of Eden hanging on the wall behind her seemed to reflect her inevitable fate.

Yes, how did she die?

Wait… No, she hadn't died! She was just here to deliver a message to Mei!

Raven's face remained expressionless as she stared at Mei, offering no response.

But the confusion, frustration, and strange look in her eyes said it all.

I'm not dead!

[Raven: What? When did I die? Why am I unaware of this?]

[Klein: Following Mobius, are you? So small… Hmm, maybe even smaller than Mobius.]

[Also, what would Raven's exploration have been like back then? Were there just as many anomalies?]

....