A few months has passed. And society is now governed with an iron grip, people were getting hungry. Honkai corruption is rampant, and weather is unpredictable. Making agriculture challenging. As the earth is now turning into an apocalyptic landscape.
Ein was so busy he couldn't even research or develop anything. Siphoning as much honkai energy as he can, by using the 4th divine key, and absorbing it to himself to try and stabilize the world. And unfortunately, this is a job only he could do. While the neo soldiers of Moth dealt with the honkai beasts.
He was floating in space and was beside the 4th key. Trying hard to heal the planet. Other scientists of Moth were hard at work as well, Mei was focusing on Selene and the key of blankness. Vill is almost done in engineering a multitude of devices to stabilize the planet without Ein holding everything together. While Mobius made new MANTISes aplenty, but only 12 have assimilated their genes enough to be true neo-tech warriors.
A large part of humanity perished, and the herrscher of earth will be documented to be the cause of an extinction event. As tons of species died out at the resulting cataclysm.
Though they still live on. With the help of the core members of Moth, approximately 1 billion people are still alive and well. And the cities made for the refugees are relatively safe and stable.
There was one incident caused by Griseo's powers running out of control. As she was guarded by Kalpas, and his massive killing intent and raged rubbed off on her. Griseo was very special after the surgery, her paintings started to become alive. And whatever intent was put into it then gave it its abilities and powers.
She was like a white piece of paper, and those in contact with her influenced her greatly. At 1st, they just thought it's because of her sensitivity to other people. But they were in for a surprise, as a beast of fire and seething rage appeared in one of the sanctuaries. Almost destroying it. Ein bombarded it from orbit before it could cause total destruction. And Griseo is now mostly taken care of by Kosma and Aponia, with limited contact to others.
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It was a miraculously calm day, as Ein returned to the base, but outside the sanctuaries. It was inhospitable wastelands. "Vill, how's your work? Done with them already?" He went to her workshop as her project was the 1st priority right now.
Vill showed multiple satellites that were to be connected with the 4th key. They would be powered up by the original one and they'll handle the rising atmospheric temperature, fierce storms, and messed up magnetic fields.
"With the help of everyone. We could cook up these babies in a couple of months, the refugees are now in sanctuaries so you don't need to try and stabilize everything anymore." She smiled and tapped on the new satellites.
He sighed in relief as he gave her a quick hug. "Thanks Vill, you guys are a lifesaver. I would be roaming all around space till now for a long time if these weren't made. I'll set these up for now, monitor the changes if there are any." He put it inside his inventory as he set it up with the 4th key.
Ein then called on the core members of Moth as he wanted to train intensively for about a week. As they came to the command room and waited patiently for his announcement.
"Everyone, I've been slacking on my training. And I can't get stronger here on earth, well... I can, but it might cause tons of damages again. And I'm not willing to risk it, so I'll be gone for a few days at best. We need to handle the last herrschers faster. And I need to be stronger for that." He also thought of the looming threat of the 14th, things were starting to calm down. So he'll grab the opportunity.
Everybody agreed as they thought of the calamity that the herrscher of earth caused. They knew that Ein is their wall against herrschers, and an upgrade won't hurt them in the long run.
He started to prepare as he thought of the place. "Good luck Ein. We'll be waiting right here." Elysia gave a smile as everyone told him that they can handle everything for a few days.
"I'll be quick. I'll be better than ever when I return." He gave a grin as he opened a portal to space. He then opened another one, as the place he's going to is quite hostile.
He exited the portal as he was greeted by the greatest celestial body of the solar system. Sol itself. As he shielded his eyes and cracked his knuckles, massive solar storms on the heliosphere raged, as he was hit by the heat and radiation.
He approached the corona as almost 2 million degrees of heat washed over him. Hmmm, nice and toasty. Only thing missing is an umbrella and a beach ball. He thought of useless things as he flew closer.
He sinked deeper and deeper until he started to strain from the intense pressure and heat. He then started to train like a madman that would shock anyone from back home. Determined to be comfortable in the core where 1 million tons per square inch was the pressure there.
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Mei and Kevin were visiting the rebuilt restaurant they frequented as they decided to have a meal there. When they were waiting for their orders. Kevin with his keen senses started to feel invisible movement. As he quickly reached out to the back of Mei and a woman then appeared under his grasp. The chef of the establishment strained against Kevin.
"She's the chef here... What in the world is happening to her?" The woman then quickly killed herself by using a blade of wind against her throat.
"This needs attention Mei. I don't like where this is going." Kevin carried her corpse as they started to return to the base quickly.
Meanwhile, Mobius and Klein were working on another site as she wanted to increase the success rate of ICHOR, while also working on her part in creating stigmata. "Ugh. This is all wrong! Everything is a failure... Is this the best we can do? Klein. Get me some bubble wrap." She asked her assistant as she read the results of their experiments. But there was no reply.
"Klein! Where are you?" She tried to look for her as she saw her in a corner, looking down on the ground and unresponsive. "Hahhh. I told you Klein, you should be capable of taking care of yourself. Noe you're sleeping while there's important data to be organized." She went closer to Klein to make her lie down for a bit. As Klein did work a little bit too hard, and she is just a normal human.
Mobius was about to carry her, but she suddenly felt something pierce her chest. As she looked down and saw Klein's hand imbued with lightning, piercing through her heart. "K-klein?" Klein looked at her and she noticed that her eyes were clouded and dazed. In a few seconds, she started to get dizzy and she was about to lose consciousness.
"Curses, Klein! Snap out of it!" She restrained her, as Mobius' mind ran a mile a minute. But the excessive blood loss proved to be too much as she lay on a pool of her own blood and lost consciousness.
Su was visiting Mobius' lab as he didn't want her to get out of control and start experimenting on random people for results. And he helped with research about biology. "Mobius, what are the... Results." He saw Klein stepping away from Mobius' corpse, as she lied on a pool of blood with a hole on her chest.
Su restrained Klein immediately as he hypnotized her and decided to investigate what happened. He noticed that Klein's mind was very weak right now, as if influenced by something. When a shadowy figure appeared suddenly from Mobius as Su got blind sided.
It resembled her reactive honkai form as it slithered and observed its surroundings. The construct then zeroed in on Klein and devoured her whole. Then, Mobius' body started to regenerate and became a bit younger. As she entered her full beast form and rampaged in the lab.
"What!?" Su did not expect that at all, as it happened too quick. He requested for back up as he stalled Mobius. She was too strong in her full form, as he used abyss flower that Elysia returned and tried to restrain Mobius. He couldn't put her in an illusion immediately as it needed time, Mobius also acted with her fierce instinct to survive.
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Hua arrived at the scene after some time as Su and Mobius were in a deadlock. Su got distracted by her arrival which let Mobius attack as Hua got hit by lightning, injuring her. She was still a newly minted MANTIS, and was still getting used to her new body.
"Tch, Damn." Su carried Hua to safety as Mobius was left to rampage in the facility. But after an hour, she started to calm down. As she reverted and lost consciousness.
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Mei went to the facility where the key of blankness was being developed. As she might get targeted by other people. They did an autopsy on the body of the chef and saw a herrscher core. But it was far weaker than the traditional ones.
In the horizon, a few hundred individuals then appeared. Armed with different powers that was a weaker version of other herrschers. As Kevin prepared for battle.
"Kevin. I have a plan." She looked at a suit. As she explained that Kevin and his squad would battle a part of them, while she would use the core of the 3rd herrscher to battle them.
She started to put on the key of blankness and the battle has already started. She then took out the core of the 3rd, inserting it to the suit. (pic here)
Mei then went into battle and rained down lightning on her part of the battlefield. The herrschers were cut down like grass, as she disintegrated them, looking like a herrscher herself. With violet wings of energy, blasting the collective legion of the 10th herrscher.
The link persisted for approximately 201 seconds as she retreated back to the base. Starting to feel weak, as her body was burdened by becoming a weapon.
After a few minutes, the hoard was nearing. And Mei put on the core of the 9th. As she felt her body straining.
She flattened them into paste, but at least 100 plus was still left. Now, the link persisted for at least 15 seconds. She then noted that it did depend on the user's body as Ein 1st theorized.
She panted heavily as Kevin quickly entered the facility, finishing his battle with the others after approximately 15 minutes. "Mei!" He shielded her from their attacks, as ice, lightning, wind, etc. Flew to their location, he held the judgement of Shamash and was about to finish the rest. But Mei took the sword in her hands and the core of the 7th resonated with the key of blankness. As she swung it and bathed the remaining legion with flames that eviscerated them.
The link was just for 2 seconds. As the sword fell from her hands and she kneeled on the ground. Sweating heavily. "Mei! Are you okay?" He quickly went to her aid as she raised a hand.
"I'm doing fine Kevin. This needs further research, such as how they are able to find this base. And what are their goals in coming here besides trying to kill us." She breathed in deep and sighed, as she started to feel better.
They then received reports of some based and production plants of Moth getting attacked by the herrscher. "Collect the cores, we must make haste." Mei ordered to the staff as they quickly picked up the cores.
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The previous era's end is near. It'll probably take a few more chapters. Ciao.