"Eh hee! I'm just following orders, leaving me no choice! Come on, Mobius, considering how adorable I am, can't you forgive me?"
Miss Pink Elf gracefully danced away from Mobius's mechanical tentacle attacks, effortlessly evading danger with poise while taking brief moments to explain herself.
Elysia's mischievous nature often led her to play pranks on the strong-willed Heroic Spirits. Surprisingly, despite her antics, she had yet to be beaten up by any of her companions—partly due to her immense power and charm, but also likely because of the affection they held for her.
Unfortunately, Mobius lacked such sentiment; she was the type who always sought retribution after being teased. In her eyes, Elysia's playful gestures and tone were nothing short of provocation.
"I'll tear you into pieces and toss them as fertilizer for Klein!"
"Doctor, I'm not a plant, nor do I grow plants, so I don't need fertilizer. And theoretically, digesting a Fusion warrior like Elysia should be quite challenging..." Klein matter-of-factly interjected while organizing nearby lab equipment. However, the furious Mobius didn't spare her a glance, instantly ensnaring the tiny doll with one mechanical tentacle—primarily gagging Klein's mouth to halt her commentary.
"Mmphh!" Klein flailed her short limbs in mid-air, trying to vocalize and persuade Mobius to release her. Unlike the doctor, who could afford leisure time to pop bubble wrap, Klein still had numerous tasks at hand.
However, caught up in their conflict, neither Elysia nor Mobius paid any attention to Klein's reaction.
Mobius smiled, but her vertical pupils gazed at Ellie without the slightest hint of warmth. With slender fingers, she personally coated each tentacle with emerald-green venom.
"Zzzt!"
A drop of dark green liquid dripped from the tip of a metallic tentacle, instantly corroding a black hole in the floor. The corrosive area actively expanded outward bit by bit.
Elysia's cheerful expression froze momentarily.
"It was just a little joke; no need to take it so seriously, dear Mobius!" exclaimed the fairy maiden as she began stepping backward, one foot after another.
In response, Mobius swayed her hips and pursued Elysia relentlessly. Tentacles laden with toxic green venom surged like viper fangs, mercilessly chasing after the fleeing fairy.
"Shhhk!"
"Go die already! Ha ha ha!"
Mobius emitted a peculiar hiss akin to a cobra, laughing maniacally as she chased Elysia.
"Help me, Mobius has gone berserk!"
"Doctor... Before that... Put me down first... I still have work to do..."
"Shhhk!"
"Chingling!"
Holding her new teacup, Fu Hua carefully poured tea into it. Meanwhile, she glanced at the shattered remains of the old cup crushed by her face earlier and gently rubbed her aching head with a sigh.
"So who was responsible for that just now? Since I can't retaliate anyway, could you at least tell me?"
Of course, this was a lie. While Hera couldn't truly confront them directly or win in a fight, as a cunning manipulator for five centuries, she undoubtedly had ways to get even subtly.
"It was the wind," Zeke explained solemnly.
Having finished pouring the tea, Fu Hua nodded in agreement.
Hera's eye twitched. "Do you really think I'd believe that?"
"It could be that your consciousness hasn't fully adjusted yet, causing glitches. Perhaps Fu Hua can help with some mental recalibration to fix any issues."
"I'm more than happy to assist!"
Zeke remained dead serious, while Fu Hua responded cheerfully.
Only Hera, feeling targeted, shook her head in resignation.
"Fine, let's just blame it on the wind being too strong."
Instantly, the atmosphere became harmonious again. Zeke looked relaxed, Fu Hua smiled gently, and Hera appeared composed as they all enjoyed their tea in unison—until...
BOOM!!!
A massive explosion erupted from below the balcony, followed by the ground shattering nearby. Amidst swirling metal whips, a graceful pink figure leaped gracefully out of the blasted crater.
"Hey! I've already told you, I was just following orders—it was Zeke who commanded me! Think about it: even our former boss Kevin surrendered, so how dare a frail young maiden like myself resist? It's not my fault!"
"Die! I'll dissect your corpse, dissolve it, and toss the remains to feed the Honkai Beasts at the front lines!"
Whip! Whip! Whip!
Deadly venomous tentacles danced menacingly through the air as Mobius attacked and Elysia evaded. In any case, their actions shattered the tranquil atmosphere completely.
"Aiyah!"
Elysia made a small mistake—she accidentally let one of the tentacles graze her foot, lost her balance midair, and was swiftly entangled by several more tendrils.
As the dust gradually settled, Mobius sat suspended in the sky, supported by metallic tentacles. She pulled Elysia closer while accepting a vial of black liquid from another limb.
"At last... At last, I've got you now! Time to settle old scores and new grudges together. Drink this!"
Mobius pried open Elysia's mouth and forcefully poured the mysterious fluid down her throat.
Sweating profusely, Elysia struggled relentlessly, but having been tainted by Mobius's venom, though not fatally, she temporarily lost her strength and couldn't break free. Desperate, she hastily explained:
"Wait! Wait! I already said it was Zeke's order! What are you making me drink? Zeke, explain yourself quickly... gurgle!"
Elysia sought help from Zeke, but he was preoccupied with rescuing Klein, who dangled before him ensnared by a tentacle. Thus, he had no immediate time to intervene.
In the end, Elysia swallowed an entire cup of the mysterious liquid. She felt a burning sensation in her throat and instantly lost her ability to speak.
Mobius's lips curled upwards. Drawing from Zeke's tactics, she knew that Elysia feared being silenced, as her constant chatter was integral to her lively personality!
"Ha ha ha! Suffering already? Struggle all you want! If you wish to regain your voice, kneel down and lick my toes, Elysia! Ha ha ha!"
Mobius casually flung the despondent Elysia at Zeke's feet, treating her like a piece of trash. With most of her tentacles retracted, Mobius slowly approached Zeke and his companions on her flying device.
Elysia pitifully tugged at Zeke's pant leg, pointing to her mute mouth and accusing him of heartlessness while expressing her own grievance.
At that moment, Zeke freed Klein from the tentacles, cradling him and gently stroking him before explaining to Mobius:
"Yes, it was indeed my order for her to find you."
"Hmph! She just needed an excuse to destroy my laboratory door! She would've done it regardless of any orders!"
"You have a point; I didn't specifically tell her to break the door."
Zeke nodded, clarifying his role before heartlessly kicking away Elysia, who had clung to his leg.
Elysia whimpered, ((p(≧□≦)q)).
She began rolling on the floor, but fortunately, thanks to Mobius's potent sedative, she remained remarkably quiet without causing any commotion.
Mobius floated in the air using her flying device, circled around the writhing Elysia once, and then with a composed smile of victory, leisurely took a seat at the table, picking up the cup of tea prepared for her by Fu Hua.
"Chug! Speak up, why did you suddenly summon me from my laboratory? If it isn't something valuable, beware—I might just feast on your eyes!" Mobius sneered, exuding an arrogant demeanor reminiscent of an unruly youth untouched by life's hardships.
Of course, this was primarily due to Zeke's recent indulgence, as the serpent scientist proved incredibly efficient. For many research topics, merely mentioning them to her would result in comprehensive solutions being delivered swiftly—a veritable model scientific machine. Given such exceptional utility, granting her some leniency was warranted, akin to his respect for Tesla and Einstein.
So, Zeke remained unbothered, gently stroking Klein while saying:
"Of course, taking up Dr. Mobius's time must be for genuine matters of importance. However, before we proceed, how about splitting the damages caused by your disruptive antics fifty-fifty?"
"Huh? What does this have to do with me? You gave the orders, and she broke the door. At most, I was merely forced to retaliate - it's not my fault!" Mobius's expression shifted abruptly, her tone becoming agitated.
Under the current regulations governing Valhalla usage, the merit point consumption strongly correlated with the age at death. For someone from fifty thousand years ago, even with Mobius's capabilities, amassing such a large sum would be no easy task.
Hence, every expenditure mattered greatly to her.
Since the protester was the respected Dr. Mobius, Zeke briefly considered his response before speaking matter-of-factly:
"As I mentioned earlier, I didn't order her to break the door; hence, the responsibility doesn't lie with me. Consequently, only you two can be held accountable. Here's what I propose: considering the primary and secondary roles in blame, let's allocate three parts to you and seven to her... Alright, deductions complete. Now, let's move on to serious business."
"F*** off!"