(Volume II: Building Hyperion From Scratch)
(I call this volume Fuli and Otto: B̸r̸o̸m̸a̸n̸c̸e̸ Brother Adventure, with Kallen as the third wheel.)
Using that single slash which severed dawn from dusk as the dividing line, the mini World War triggered by the Third Eruption finally drew to a close.
What? You ask how this counts as a World War?
Look at it this way: Fuli is from Shenzhou, Bronya is a Russian lass. Kiana is a young lady from Northern Europe, and Mei is a dyed-in-the-wool Japanese beauty.
These four represent the powers of Shenzhou, Russia, the EU, the Far East, and North America.
Round it up a bit, and isn't that practically a small-scale World War?
In other words, once they all get married in the future, it will represent the Great Unity of the People of the World (scratch that).
It happened to be afternoon. The sky, stripped of its sun-blotting dark clouds, was a translucent, crystalline azure. Father Sun wantonly scattered his brilliance, turning the earth into an ocean of liquid gold.
However, compared to the splendid and bright sky, the situation on the ground was a bit too tragic to behold.
Having successively endured the wrestling match of Theresa and Sesha, a live volcanic eruption, saturation bombardment from the Engine of Creation, and the meticulous "plowing" by both the Herrscher of Thunder and the God-King Fuli, this land couldn't just be described as riddled with holes.
To put it bluntly, it was basically an amputation from the neck down and complete plastic surgery from the calves up.
Fortunately, the power levels of the aforementioned individuals were only hovering around S-Rank. The damage caused to the planet's surface would slowly repair and restore itself over time.
The only difficult issue was the hundred-kilometer stretch of fractured imaginary space caused by Genesis. However, super-large organizations like Schicksal and Anti-Entropy both had trauma teams dedicated to repairing the natural environment, so it wasn't a major problem.
Compared to that...
"Little March! Little March, you died so miserably!"
The wailing and howling of a certain humanoid creature echoed between the desolate, shattered heavens and earth.
Mei, who had been quietly contemplating something, was given a massive fright.
She looked closely, only to find Fuli clutching the only remaining remains of Mikazuki Munechika—the hilt—and crying his eyes out.
The durability of tachi-style weapons was worrying to begin with. After enduring three days of continuous, high-intensity combat, it would have been a miracle if Mikazuki had survived.
"I thought something terrible happened! You scared this Miss half to death!"
Kiana, who came bounding over, patted her chest to calm herself. Smoothly, she swiped the Galactic Baseball Bat from his side and stuffed it into the fourth-dimensional skirt beneath her waist.
A hand firmly grabbed her soft, white hand holding the bat.
Fuli spoke faintly: "That's going too far, hey."
"Don't be so sad! This Miss will just get you a few more as compensation later!"
"Little March was the first sword I owned (after being reborn). You wouldn't understand this special kind of 'first time'! And what do you mean get me a few more as compensation? Don't make me laugh. Look at the gear in a certain white-haired young lady's hands—which one of them did she actually get by her own ability?"
Kiana tilted her head and thought about it, realizing that both the Galactic Baseball Bat and the Dragon Venerable MK2000 were indeed things Fuli had brought back and given (well, lent) to her.
Her tone couldn't help but weaken. "Th-then... why don't you see if I have anything valuable on me that you can take to comfort yourself?"
Hearing this, Fuli put away the sword hilt and looked the squirming girl up and down.
Her pure, beautiful hair, tied in a high ponytail, was straight and supple. The silvery, fragrant strands clung to her snow-white, delicate cheeks. Beneath thick, long lashes that fluttered like feather fans, a pair of watery eyes, blue as the sea, were misty and hazy.
The tight-fitting White Comet drive suit outlined her alluring, graceful silhouette, yet stingily wrapped her handful of a chest completely, refusing to reveal a single inch to outsiders. Further down, her willow waist was cinched into a pitifully beautiful curve, slender enough to be held in one hand, dazzling the eyes.
First reaction: Nice! I love watching this! As expected of my onetime White Moonlight; my taste as a child was pretty good.
Second reaction: Holy crap, wait! Why does this White Comet + High Ponytail look so damn familiar?
If she were holding a broken Surtr greatsword, it would be a perfect reenactment of the Theater of Domination...
"Hello? Hello? Ah-Li?"
A small hand waved in front of his eyes. Kiana's pretty face, wearing a mischievous grin, drifted fragrantly into Fuli's line of sight.
It was as if she were saying, Hmph, this Miss knew she was beautiful. Look at this dummy, mesmerized again, hehe!
"Ugh..."
Touching the spot over his heart where he had been impaled by the Greatsword of Everlasting Flames in a previous loop, Fuli felt a lingering fear. "I still think your original hairstyle suits you better."
It was practically PTSD.
"Huh?"
The white-haired dumpling scratched her head, wondering if this guy's aesthetic sense was broken.
Even she knew how much those two braids lowered her visual appeal. It was just that, firstly, they were convenient for action, and secondly, she didn't care about how outsiders viewed her, so she had been too lazy to change them.
"Alright, fine."
Still, she mumbled a complaint as she let down the ponytail, her hands flying deftly to weave the braids.
Wait a minute! Isn't this me specifically catering to this guy's preferences?!
Kiana, realizing the implications, felt her face buzz and turn red.
Not daring to think too deeply about it, she hurriedly changed the subject. "So, what about that limited edition skin you had before? You're not wearing it?"
"Which one? Oh, you mean the General Feixiao cosplay I wore after putting on the God-King Mask."
Fuli reacted quickly. "Those clothes were woven from Honkai energy. When the mask shattered, they naturally scattered with the wind."
"Oh."
The girl sniffled, sounding a bit disappointed.
Fuli thought for a moment and said, "When I make armor later, I could find someone to custom-make it based on that look. You know, a man's gotta have his own wardrobe."
"Stop it! Don't make that accursed music and dance loop automatically in this Miss's brain!"
"By the way, the straight, long white hair look is also very nice. It really fits my fetishes."
In the last loop, the loose-haired Void Drifter Kiana he picked up by the seaside had made his heart flutter violently. If not for his sufficient self-control, their kids would probably be old enough to buy soy sauce by now.
"Hah! You want all the good things for yourself, don't you!"
The big white cat, currently fixing her hair, immediately protested. She threw down the half-braided hair, turned her head, and angrily acted spoiled: "Mei, you govern him a little too! Mei?"
The young girl woke as if from a dream. "Hmm? Oh, what is it?"
Fuli and Kiana raised their eyebrows simultaneously.
Before this, the gentle and considerate Raiden Mei would never have been absent from their conversation for so long. Even if she couldn't keep up with the topic, she would definitely be showing a warm, soft smile on the side.
Did something happen?
Yes.
In the battle with the Herrscher of Thunder, Fuli only had to focus recklessly on shattering the Herrscher Core that housed the opponent's power. But as the host body, Mei had much more to consider.
...
Stigmata Space.
A wondrous realm that Stigmata Awakeners reach by concentrating their thoughts—an existence similar to an illusion.
The spatial structure of every Stigmata is different, with personalized differences stemming from a segment of the holder's own unforgettable memories.
For example, Batman's would be that dark alleyway that became the origin of countless dark jokes.
If a third party were to step into the Thunder Stigmata, the first thing they would see is a moat, vast and mighty, stretching for a hundred miles to the edge of the clouds.
Surrounded by the moat were ancient, towering, pure white walls radiating an intense aura, manned by divine beasts and Gandharva warriors.
All around the city walls were runes filled with mysterious power, atop which were mounted giant bows emitting celestial energy and massive arrow towers exaggerated beyond belief.
Age of Gods.
Anyone seeing this image would have those words pop into their mind.
The Palace of Heaven—the dwelling of the Heavenly Emperor Sakra (Indra) in the Trayastrimsa Heaven, and also the base of operations the Herrscher of Thunder had originally planned to build in the outside world.
The Stigmata faithfully reflected her inner heart, constructing such a majestic city, or rather, a Kingdom of Heaven.
And this was the first scene Mei saw after leaving that negative space flowing with dense malice and vicious flames.
"How ironic."
She shook her head. Her figure crossed a hundred miles in an instant, arriving at the pavilion in the very center of the Palace of Heaven.
A white-clad silhouette, incredibly similar to Mei, stood at the edge of a flowerbed. Clear water sprayed from the watering can in her hand, creating a seven-colored rainbow under the sunlight.
Noticing the arrival of her other self, she turned around and sighed with a face identical to Mei's. "It seems you no longer need my protection, Main Body."
The Stigmata Personality. Having experienced great ups and downs, Raiden Mei had split off another self possessing the arrogance and indifference of the Queen from her past. She could be seen as an existence akin to Mei's guardian deity.
With Indra now slain, was the Stigmata Personality returning as Mei's guardian?
"Stop pretending, imposter."
Mei's tone was indifferent.
The 'Stigmata Personality' smiled in confusion. "What are you saying? I don't understand."
She threw away the watering can, walked over quickly, and took Mei's hand.
"Forget about that. Let's merge. Since the current you no longer needs my protection, let Raiden Mei's incomplete will return to its original form."
Riiip.
With a tearing sound, one of Mei's arms was easily ripped off by her.
The cross-section was smooth as a mirror, symbolizing the fact that they currently existed as spiritual bodies.
The 'Stigmata Personality' lowered her head, her reddening eyes staring fixedly at the hand before her.
Ultimately, defeated by the desire to live, she abandoned her amateurish acting and began to tear and swallow recklessly.
Mei just watched the girl in front of her chew and swallow her arm. Only when the other party impatiently tore off her other arm and stuffed it into her mouth did she speak faintly:
"I, actually, never knew of the existence of another me. Nor did I know she was always secretly protecting me."
It was natural she didn't know. The current Raiden Mei had not yet undergone the transformation into a standard people-pleasing personality through life at St. Freya.
Her character still retained the pride and confidence of the Raiden Queen of the past; she only set those aside and transformed into a gentle, refined young lady in front of those two people.
Until the invasion of the Godhead.
As the native personality of this body, it should have been Mei who merged with Indra.
It was the Stigmata Personality, acting as a guardian, who recklessly fought against the invading Godhead to protect the main body. Subsequently, amidst the erupting Great Honkai, both sides were forced to merge into one, becoming the battle-hardened Herrscher of Thunder who fought against multiple factions.
Unfortunately, once merged, they could never be separated again.
Mei said softly, "I am truly grateful to the other me. It is because of her that I can still stand here and speak to you with my own will, instead of turning around and striking Fuli the moment he finally shattered the Herrscher Core and let down his guard."
The Herrscher of Thunder's swallowing speed increased constantly. She forcefully tore off Mei's calf and put it in her mouth, swallowing it whole without even chewing.
However, contrasting her frenzied actions, her body was gradually becoming transparent.
"Actually, in my view, joining forces with you as you cling to life isn't something unacceptable."
Mei said, "Your composition contains a part of the Stigmata Personality after all, so you are naturally close to me. Furthermore, whether it's the experience and knowledge of the Heavenly Emperor or the previous era technology stored in the Stigmata, I could obtain them effortlessly by cooperating with you."
The Herrscher of Thunder's movements paused. She raised her head, staring blankly at the girl before her.
"It's just that you shouldn't have... absolutely shouldn't have made a move against Fuli and Kiana."
Mei shook her head slightly. "For that, I cannot let you stay."
The rate at which the Herrscher's will turned transparent accelerated sharply. Even though she had devoured Mei until only a head remained, she couldn't reverse the process of her own disappearance in the slightest.
"I don't accept this!"
The remnant echo of the Herrscher of Thunder roared as she lunged forward. "If that Fuli hadn't favored you, if he hadn't schemed everything, how could I have lost to a cowardly, timid waste like you!"
"Correct. Putting aside the S-rank combat power, the dual-personality fusion, and all the other overwhelming innate advantages you possessed... merely possessing Fuli, I indeed shouldn't have been able to win against you."
Facing the struggling Herrscher, Mei, whose body and limbs had regrown, spoke:
"But regrettably... you lost. And a loss is a loss."
The walls and ground of the Palace of Heaven turned into particles of light and gradually dissipated, leaving only a circular platform floating beneath the blue sky and above the white clouds—white as the girl's clean soul that didn't leave a single speck of dust behind.
Bright sunlight shone upon the Herrscher of Thunder. Probably realizing the situation was hopeless, the ferocity on her face gradually smoothed out, eventually turning into a stubborn and haughty expression.
"Fine. Winner takes all."
The Herrscher scoffed lightly. "I said before that the strong can do whatever they want with the weak after defeating them. That principle applies to me as well."
"However, Raiden Mei, remember this: the strong one who defeated me was never a coward like you."
The Herrscher girl emphasized, "It was Fuli. In this life, I, the Herrscher of Thunder, will only willingly follow his lead. After you devour me, remember to fulfill this promise for me and become his slave!"
Mei shook her head. "He says that the stuff you're talking about is feudal dross that should be thrown into the trash bin of the old era. He won't listen."
The Herrscher of Thunder sneered continuously. "A beautiful girl stripped bare and delivered to his mouth? Even if his mouth says no, his body will be honest!"
She had seen far too many humans who said one thing and thought another within the memories of the Godhead. Even that eminent monk named Kumarajiva during the Sixteen Kingdoms period, when locked up with a glorious princess of a fallen nation, obediently bore fruit in the end.
Incidentally, that event was the origin of the [Room You Can't Leave Until You Have Sex]. This matter is recorded in the Book of Wei, the History of Jin, and The Melancholy of Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei.
It's actually recorded. (check that)
The Herrscher of Thunder seemed to suddenly remember something. "But before that, you'd better have a good, honest confession with them, Raiden Mei!"
"Confess what?"
"Confess your hidden other side, of course!"
The Herrscher of Thunder laughed uninhibitedly. "You don't really think you can maintain that fake, people-pleasing persona and false gentleness forever, do you? Even if you can pretend for a lifetime, my return means the dark parts separated from you by the Stigmata Personality return to their original owner!"
"What will Fuli and Kiana think then? Do they like the gentle, virtuous little housewife? Or do they like the Raiden Queen who is cold, aloof, sharp-tongued, and whose biting words suffocate others?"
Her face was full of malice. "If they can't even accept that, then you'd best part ways early, lest you turn into enemies later due to personality clashes."
"No, I should say parting ways early would be a good thing, right? Your identity as the vessel for the Herrscher of Thunder has been exposed to the public, you know? This isn't something a mere Cocolia's pursuit can compare to. Do you want to kill them by sticking to them like a plaster? Miss Herrscher, enemy of the world? Hahahahaha!!!!!"
Wild, dissolute laughter echoed amidst the blue sky and white clouds. The completely transparent Herrscher of Thunder turned into a tiny purple speck of light, attempting to fly away and make one final struggle.
A hand caught her.
"Welcome back."
Mei said softly.
The moment she crushed the speck of light, an infinite treasury of knowledge unfolded layer by layer before the girl.
It was an immovable Great Library comparable to the Void Archives, recording nearly all the scientific technology of the Previous Era.
This was the knowledge inherited within the Thunder Stigmata, a privilege of Raiden Mei as the temporal isotope of Dr. MEI, and the final gift left to Mei by the Stigmata Personality.
Aside from this, a corner of the library contained a bookshelf section created based on the thousand years of memories of Sakra (Indra).
The only regret was that, including the previous era technology section, due to the loss of the designated librarian that was the Herrscher of Thunder, Mei—much like Otto with the Void Archives—could only search and browse on her own to obtain the knowledge and intelligence she wanted.
However, compared to this priceless treasure that would make countless scientists go mad, the Herrscher's arrogant laughter before vanishing continued to echo in Mei's mind.
"Part ways with them... is it?"
The girl murmured in a low voice.
Her fists clenched unconsciously tight.
...