"Captain, are you okay?!"
"Jun An, I'm here to rescue you!"
Elysia and Himeko burst through the door of Mobius's laboratory together. Yet, they had arrived too late. The sight that greeted them was Jun An, looking utterly squeezed dry like human jerky, slumped against the wall in a corner. Mobius, meanwhile, was sprawled out on the floor, peacefully using Jun An's thigh as a pillow, sleeping soundly.
Witnessing this strangely domestic scene, Elysia couldn't help but immediately pull out her phone and start snapping pictures.
However, the pair were likely both utterly spent from their exertions, completely oblivious to the clicking shutter sound. Mobius, in particular, seemed to have let go of all her usual wariness.
"Wow, I never knew Mobius had such a girlish side~" Elysia cooed, observing Mobius's sleeping face, adorned with a smile of pure, maidenly bliss and contentment. "Let's show Eden and the others this picture of her drooling, too~"
Himeko, however, let out a weary sigh. That wasn't drool, was it?
She knew she shouldn't have let the Captain come here alone. He could get squeezed half-to-death even in a virtual world. "Honestly, Mobius... she really doesn't know how to hold back with those hip movements. The Captain's turned into jerky again."
"Again?" Elysia tilted her head, confused.
"...Aren't you picking up a strange scent?" Himeko hinted. "That rather... fishy odor. The smell of a 'sneaking cat,' as I'd call it."
"Is there? But Mobius's lab always smells peculiar." Elysia, however, had long grown accustomed to it. "Sometimes it smells like pumpkin one day, then strawberries the next. Having some kind of smell is perfectly normal here."
Himeko could only lament internally. Truly, only in Mobius's laboratory...
Elysia pressed on, "So, answer my question from before. Why 'again'? Was he being picked on?"
"Mm, don't you worry about that." Himeko managed a somewhat strained smile. "Let's just hope he learns his lesson properly this time... and maybe picks up a few more positions."
Though Elysia had existed in the Elysian Realm for fifty thousand years, and wasn't entirely clueless about carnal matters, her knowledge remained fundamentally limited. She completely missed the complex undertones in Himeko's wry smile.
Himeko approached and carefully lifted Mobius's head. Elysia instantly seized the opportunity, shifting Jun An aside and offering her own lap as a pillow for Mobius.
Observing Mobius frown slightly at the sudden change in elevation, Elysia cheekily stroked the sleeping woman's green hair. "I've always thought this, Mobius's green hair is so pretty. Maybe it would look good on me too if I dyed a little bit green someday?"
"I really wouldn't recommend that." Having performed that act right during one of Elysia's livestreams, Himeko felt a wave of complicated emotions. Her stance on Elysia was: if the two genuinely clicked, she wouldn't stand in their way.
It was just... the fact that she wasn't the one the Captain loved most stung with a certain amount of regret.
With practiced ease, Himeko located a water bottle and helped Jun An drink. Rehydrating some of the fluids he'd been drained of, he finally stirred and woke up.
Himeko narrowed her eyes, a smile playing on her lips but not reaching her eyes. "Captain. Enjoy playing the cuckold?"
While Himeko didn't necessarily forbid the Captain from 'grazing elsewhere,' she still felt the need to uphold her dignity as the official 'main course.'
"...Th-this... this is the price one pays for power," Jun An stammered, avoiding her gaze, looking thoroughly guilty.
Even though Jun An suspected Himeko wasn't genuinely upset deep down, he knew he had to maintain the appearance of acknowledging her as the rightful 'main wife.'
"Who pays this kind of price for power? Are you secretly a disciple of the Joyful Union Sect?" Himeko pinched Jun An's cheek. "Is this really the price? You were just horny for her body, admit it!"
Jun An desperately wanted to argue that Theresa was practically from the Joyful Union Sect, capable of growing stronger by consuming his unique white Honkai energy, but the fear of repercussions back home kept his mouth shut.
Once Himeko had finished her little performance asserting her 'main wife' status, she asked more seriously, "Alright, since you paid such a heavy price, did you actually get the Super Transformation Factor?"
"Yeah, I've fused with the first shot already. It'll take a bit more time to fully stabilize as a MANTIS." Jun An then produced another syringe, this one containing the second Super Transformation Factor he planned to use later. "I'm saving this one for now. Got other plans for it."
Naturally, under normal circumstances, items from the Elysian Realm couldn't be brought outside. However, back when they needed to perform Himeko's Super Transformation surgery, the entire Realm's systems had been upgraded. Items intrinsic to the Realm, like the endlessly refreshing wine in Eden's cellar, couldn't leave. But external items brought in or created using external materials, like Klein's equipment or lab supplies, could be taken out.
The Super Transformation Factor Jun An held clearly fell into the latter category.
"Oh, right. Himeko, could I absorb some Honkai Energy?" Jun An assessed the nascent power within him. His maximum output had definitely jumped severalfold, but his 'mana reserves' were empty. He needed to consume Honkai Beasts or absorb energy from a suitable source.
And right now, there was a far more convenient source present than any Honkai Beast.
Himeko sharply noted his gaze flickered momentarily towards her chest, but then he seemed to recall she didn't produce milk and quickly looked away.
"How about absorbing mine instead?" Elysia suddenly chimed in. "I guarantee my Honkai Energy is delightfully sweet."
"Elysia! What are you doing here?!" Jun An jolted in surprise. He'd been planning to cook up some excuse after becoming a MANTIS to somehow regain his masculine pride, but he hadn't counted on Elysia being present!
Elysia simply beamed, "I've been here the whole time."
Himeko smirked, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Captain? Still needing that Honkai Energy?" She felt a sudden, mischievous urge (chǔnchǔn yùdòng) to just pin Jun An down right then and there, in front of Elysia.
He had just become a MANTIS, his energy reserves critically low. He stood no chance against her!
The Bull Warrior (Himeko) bows to no one!
"Of course, I do!" Why wouldn't he? Besides, absorbing Honkai Energy didn't strictly require fluid exchange. With mutual consent, simple physical contact worked perfectly fine – just like how Fu Hua absorbed the Herrscher of Sentience's energy while dwelling within Fenghuang Down.
After holding hands with Elysia for a moment, Jun An managed to draw in sufficient Honkai Energy. Naturally, he couldn't possibly reach full capacity, but absorbing roughly half a Herrscher core's worth was enough to restore his vitality.
Himeko, having been passed over for the 'energy transfer,' looked visibly miffed but prioritized the important question. "So, what percentage of your strength have you recovered?"
"Maybe ten, twenty percent," Jun An estimated, stretching luxuriously. He felt invigorated, as if even the essence drained from him had been replenished. Having Honkai Energy felt good.
"Why only ten or twenty percent?"
"Well, unlike Kevin who basically started at max level, I'm different. I need to actually grind levels and unlock skills." Jun An wasn't like Kevin, that cheat character who hit max stats immediately upon class change. Jun An required a period of growth.
"First off, I need to track down some others and acquire their special abilities. Anyway, I've already secured Mobius's power." Jun An lifted his hand, and a shadowy tendril, identical to those Mobius wielded, snaked out from the floor beneath him.
Devour. Copy.
That was the core ability of the Judgement-class Honkai Beast, Brahma. It bore resemblance to Vishnu's power, but with a key distinction: Vishnu offered raw numerical enhancement, whereas Brahma specialized purely in stealing abilities.
This lack of direct stat boosting was precisely why fusing with Brahma offered little value to Kevin, who was already at the stat ceiling. For him, Brahma's primary utility lay in accelerating the Stigma Project.
Truthfully, once you reached a certain tier, the specific abilities granted by Honkai Beasts often lacked the necessary 'caliber' or impact. Sometimes, a solid blast from the Might of An-Utu was far more practical.
Consider Kevin wielding Shamash. Did he need it to augment his damage output?
Not really. It was more about utility: Shamash offered better range, a wider area of effect, and the ability to inflict potent Melt damage (Ice-Fire synergy), preventing him from having to rely on ineffective punches when facing resistant foes.
Besides, punching things really hard tends to hurt your own hands eventually.
"Care to spar a bit?" Himeko proposed.
Jun An asked, "Where?"
Himeko replied, "Outside the Elysian Realm, naturally. We're going to subjugate some Honkai."
Jun An readily agreed, "Sounds good."
The two shared a knowing look, then turned to bid Elysia farewell.
Himeko announced, "We're stepping out for a bit. We'll be back soon."
Jun An elaborated, "Two hours if we're quick, could be a day if things run long."
"But... isn't the Elysian Realm the ideal place for practice? It's indestructible, after all." Elysia looked disappointed. "I was hoping we could talk more."
"Me too. However, duty calls. I must go protect the populace from Honkai Beast assaults. This time, our target is a High Honkai Energy Individual," Jun An declared with profound seriousness. "We can chat properly once we return."
Without further ado, Himeko and Jun An turned and exited the Elysian Realm, leaving behind the still-slumbering Mobius and a wistful Elysia.
However, it didn't take long for Elysia to sense something amiss.
Hasn't all the Honkai Energy been absorbed onto the Moon?
Earth shouldn't have enough residual Honkai Energy to trigger major Eruptions anymore, right? So forget about needing to subjugate some 'High Honkai Energy Individual.'
Wait a minute... why use such a clunky, awkward term like 'High Honkai Energy Individual'? Shouldn't they use standard classifications like Emperor-class or Judgement-class?
Elysia gazed down at Mobius, who was still using her lap as a pillow, arms wrapped around her waist, contentedly nuzzling against her stomach with a dopey grin. A sudden realization dawned.
Ah~. That 'High Honkai Energy Individual.'