I've already said this isn't a life simulator!

[Is it really true that it lives up to its name as the "gentle mother of the ocean"? It has actually preserved most of its "ecosystem," and you and Skadi even found a group of Honkai Beasts that look like penguins... Of course, they were quickly "hunted" by you.]

[You and Skadi had a great day. You hunted a giant whale-like Honkai Beast. It was really big; enough to feed the two of you for a whole day.]

Today we saw a group of fish-shaped Honkai Beasts flying in mid-air... their prototype is a flying fish? You remember it was these Honkai Beasts that made the Fire Moth establish the rule that "in the open sea, they must fly at an altitude above the clouds." They are a very troublesome type of Honkai Beast. Even the water currents you and Skadi manipulated had difficulty hitting them in the air... but it doesn't matter, you still hunted them.

After all, they are "fish," Honkai Beasts belonging to the "ocean." No matter what, they must eventually return to the "ocean."

【hunting】

【hunting】

【hunting】

[Attempt to return to land failed, but you can definitely feel yourself gradually getting rid of the "ocean". You can now see the land clearly, although only on the distant horizon. But you can definitely see the land clearly, which is a good sign.]

【hunting】

【hunting】

I caught a big crab. The shell was hard and not very tasty, but the inside was delicious.

【hunting】

[Hunting, speaking of which, the "Gabriel" gene in your body seems to have been dormant for a long time. Although it's been very active, you yourself don't seem to have shown any obvious abnormalities. Hmm... that's a good thing.]

[Hunting, the "memories of water" are numerous and fragmented, making it difficult to find information about the land... But it's alright, as long as we know this method works.]

[Hunting... It seems like there are fewer and fewer prey. Have all the pack-living Honkai Beasts died out? How come there are only powerful lone Honkai Beasts left? Hunting them is so troublesome.]

[Attempt to return to land again, failed... No problem, keep going.]

Hunting, hunting, hunting...

--------

[Looking forward to meeting you, my friend!]

"Okay, let me touch it."

I like it! I feel close to it!

Xi Wang had gotten used to Skadi's occasional attempts to "sniff" him, and always felt like he really had a particularly clingy pet... To be honest, it was quite strange.

"……What's wrong?"

Sensing Skadi approaching again, Xiwang temporarily stopped eating and asked instead.

[Look, something strange about his body]

"You mean this? These are clothes. After all, I'm a human being, and I can't go around without wearing anything."

Xi Wang looked at the dark blue clothes she was wearing, and spoke while eating the remains of a Honkai Beast.

[Clothes? No, wait, skin!]

Skadi shook her head in denial.

"........."

What Xi Wang is wearing now is not real "clothes", but something similar to hair or skin hair, or more accurately, an "outer shell".

Xi Wang came up with this idea after a sudden inspiration during a hunt. After several attempts, he succeeded and finally created this dark blue "hunter's outfit," which has pretty good defensive capabilities.

Hmm... After all, you need to go out hunting often, so wearing "hunter's clothes" isn't a problem, right?

[Looking around, it seems strange]

Skadi leaned closer, looking puzzled.

[Looking, getting close, Skadi, another]

"........."

Xi Wang didn't speak.

He could understand what Skadi meant... As he spent more and more time with Skadi, Skadi felt that he was becoming more and more like another [Skadi].

Simply put, it's becoming more and more like Skadi, more and more like a Honkai Beast.

Of course, Xi Wang knew that when he created this "hunter's outfit," Skadi had said that the "clothes" looked like the "skin" of a Honkai Beast. From that moment on, Xi Wang began to fall uncontrollably in a bad direction... no, it started when he chose to start "hunting," except that this "clothes" was a symbol of him reaching a certain depth.

However, Xi Wang didn't care anymore, as long as she was still conscious and remembered them.

[Looking towards Skadi, closeness! Blood ties! Love!]

"...I'm not your blood relative."

Xi Wang has been exasperated by Skadi's inexplicably silly way of thinking more than once... Oh well, one can't have too high expectations for a Honkai Beast.

[Look! Blood relatives!]

"I already said I'm not..."

[Look, Skadi, just like me! Look, blood relative!]

"........."

Why can't this child understand?!

Xi Wang looked helpless.

Although we know that the orca, the prototype of Skadi, is a social creature that prefers to stay with its own kind, Skadi's kind should have long since disappeared... Even if she wanted a "meal replacement," she wouldn't need to look for him, would she? He's just a human "two-legged creature."

[Blood relatives! Hope! Blood relatives! Good! Close! Like!]

"I've already told you I'm not your blood relative... and I'm not an orca."

[…Eek]

Skadi's voice suddenly became aggrieved.

"...Fine, whatever."

[Looking forward! I like it! Blood relatives! Skadi! Happy!]

Chapter 45 [The Hunter] Comes Ashore

"Dr. Mei, are you sure you want to do this?"

"of course."

Mei's response to the question about the moth chasing the flame was very calm.

"As it stands, the Tenth Herrscher has multiple individuals, each with abilities relatively weaker than previous Herrschers. They have been involved in the destruction and violent incidents in various cities. Moreover, based on our deductions, they should also possess some kind of intelligence exchange method that ignores spatial distance. This means that once our actions are discovered by one individual, the other individuals will also know and react accordingly."

"The weaker wavelength response of the [Herrscher] makes it difficult for us to detect them when they are hidden. Unless they actively expose themselves, it is difficult for us to confirm their identity. This situation of the enemy being in the dark and us being in the light puts us in a very passive position."

Mei paused slightly before continuing.

"Moreover, the previous capture operations of the Fire Moth have all failed. Those individuals all left or went into hiding in advance, and even set up ambushes several times, causing heavy casualties to the capture teams, as if they knew our plans all along."

"...Are you saying that there is a hidden individual among us who is the Tenth Herrscher? Dr. Mei?"

"It's not impossible, after all, there have already been two individuals inside the Firemoth, haven't there?"

Mei said calmly.

"........."

There was no way to refute it, after all, two individuals, Klein and Imor, had already become Herrschers, which inevitably caused suspicion to arise among the members of the Firemoth.

"Therefore, I propose that all the Herrscher Cores that are still under research be retrieved and stored together to prevent the Tenth Herrscher from infiltrating and stealing them one by one."

Mei said this.

“But that could also result in all the Herrscher Cores being taken away at once, and according to you, when you made this suggestion, the Tenth Herrscher had already obtained this information.”

They also started to think about the problem from the perspective of "there is a mole among them," after all, recent events have indeed been very strange.

"Moreover, the [Herrscher Core] may be intercepted by the [Tenth Herrscher] during its transport."

"Yes, so when I told you this proposal, all the [Herrscher Cores] were already on their way... Considering the time, they should have arrived by now."

"【P21 Island】...Is this the location of 【The Deepest Place】? Dr. Mei, you should know the consequences of misappropriating 【Herrscher Core】."

After reviewing the brief message submitted by Mei, they asked somewhat seriously.

"Of course I know, but I think that now that the Tenth Herrscher has appeared, we should also use some special methods to deal with it."

"Moreover, and more importantly, I have an experimental project that requires these Herrscher Cores, and now is the perfect time to gather them all together."

Dr. Mei presented them with a proposal.

"The theory of the [Key of Blank] has been initially perfected, and the first prototype has been completed. We need to verify whether it can achieve the expected results... If successful, then we can wield the power of the [Herrscher] with our human bodies."

"If the Tenth Herrscher were to learn of this information, they would certainly do everything in their power to stop it, otherwise they would face multiple humans with Herrscher powers and multiple Fusion Warriors."

"...You can't guarantee they'll do everything in their power to stop it, Dr. May."

"No, they will definitely come."

Dr. Mei adjusted her glasses and said calmly and confidently.

"Because I will be the first user of the [Blank Key]."

"........."

It was an arrogant statement, but no one present objected, because Mei truly had the ability to say it.

As someone who proposed numerous plans to combat the Honkai and even achieved many results, Mebius contributed at least 70% of the effort in the Moth of Flame's fight against the Honkai. Of the remaining 30%, 20% belonged to Mebius and 10% to the combat personnel.

It can be said that Mei is now a key protected target of the Fire Moths, and also a thorn in the side of the [Herrscher].

But when Mei used herself, such a heavyweight being, as a bargaining chip, the whole plan took a different turn... because the Tenth Herrscher would inevitably do everything in her power to stop her, or rather, to kill her.

With the continent of Mu now submerged, if the Fire-Chasing Moth were to lose Mei as well, it would essentially signal the end of human civilization. Even if they could hold on for a while longer, it would be nothing more than a prolonged, feeble existence.

So this is an open trap, a trap to lure the [Herrscher] to kill her, a completely open conspiracy.

"...Alright, Dr. May, you've convinced us."

They discussed it among themselves and ultimately approved May's proposal.

"However, you will still need to be punished for the incident of [misappropriating the Herrscher Core]... Confinement is not required, but a written explanation is necessary; that's the rule."

"I will."