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

Mei picked up the documents again and left without looking back.

As expected, the [Tenth Herrscher Extermination Campaign] will begin in a few days.

…………

………………

How is it? Any news?

That woman took all the Herrscher cores, and she even has a prototype of the "Key to Blank"! Damn it!

[That's interesting]

Looks like your relationship isn't that great~ You only found out after they'd already finished everything.

Our previous ambush failed; none of our key targets were killed, and we even lost one of our own. This is really difficult.

[Didn't one of them escape?]

[They escaped... and they looked quite disheveled!]

[As expected, the guys in "The Moth Chaser" are all useless~ useless~]

It seems she's planning to wipe us all out in one fell swoop?

[If all else fails, she can simply not go; that way, her plan will fall through.]

[I think we should go. Otherwise, if that "Key to Blank" is actually successfully developed, it will be very disadvantageous to "us". Also, the ocean has become calmer recently, and there are fewer Honkai Beasts in the sea for some reason. We can take a boat there and launch a surprise attack.]

Are you stupid? Do you think that neurotic engineer's invention is just for show? Besides, where would you find a ship going to an island these days?! They all use flying machines!

The ocean has calmed down... Maybe some big guy is about to emerge—is it one of our companions? Yes, it is! That's great!

[We can use a crashed aircraft instead of a ship, then pretend that the support troops have been attacked, set a trap to lure that cold-blooded guy away from that woman, and split up. This is a good opportunity to kill that woman.]

Okay, okay!

[Yes, that's true! After all, that woman is just a human; she can't compare to "us"!]

Should we vote? Yes, yes!

"Come on, I vote in favor. As long as we kill that woman, the Fire-Chasing Moth will be crippled. Then we can deal with that snake-like creature, and humanity will be completely wiped out."

Shouldn't we just ignore those soldiers? They're really troublesome.

[I also vote in favor. So what if they can fight? We'll kill off all the humans they're protecting, leaving them a desolate world to live out their loneliness... Hahaha! Just thinking about it is hilarious!]

Can "we" do it...?

Of course we can! As long as "we" are together, there's nothing we can't do! We just need to gradually pull them apart, divide them, and while their attention is diverted... secretly kill the humans they're protecting! Hahaha! When they realize what's happening, their expressions will be hilarious!

That's right, take it one step at a time, like slicing a sausage.

"Well... okay, I... I agree too..."

[Agreed! Agreed!]

[Hahaha! Come on! Let's unite! Let's throw civilization into chaos! Let humanity perish in confusion and suspicion!]

Thus, a meeting that belonged solely to "them" came to an end.

----------

【hunting】

【hunting】

【hunting】

[Hunting... The ocean's been so quiet lately, everywhere's so quiet. Where are the Honkai Beasts? Are they all dead?]

[But thankfully, you still have Skadi to keep you company. She's always very mischievous and always wants to get close to you. This problem has become even more serious after she recognized you as her "blood relative," but you don't seem to mind, so just let her be.]

【hunting】

We hunted a great white shark today. It's not tasty, but it's our only prey for the day. Even if it's awful, we have to eat it. You'll be going back soon, yes, absolutely.

[Attempted to return to land, but failed again...]

----------

"........."

Lying on the sea, letting the current carry him away, Xi Wang stared indifferently at the sky... He had failed once again.

There are fewer and fewer Honkai Beasts in the sea, you can hardly find any... Did he and Skadi hunt them all down? That doesn't make sense, since the Honkai are still active, Honkai Beasts should keep appearing.

But... there are fewer and fewer Honkai Beasts in the sea, and we're about to run out of hunting targets... What should we do next? What if we hunt down the last Honkai Beast but still can't get back...?

Xi Wang didn't know, but he had to keep getting stronger, keep hunting, hunting Honkai Beasts, until he could return to land.

"Let's go, Skadi, it's time to hunt."

Xi Wang flipped over and dived into the sea, intending to continue today's hunt... but soon, Skadi swam over and blocked his way.

[Looking towards blood relatives, heartbroken?]

"...A little, but it's nothing. I'm just a bit anxious... Let's keep hunting. There are fewer and fewer prey lately. If we don't set off soon, I'm afraid we really won't find any today."

[Hope, blood relatives, hunting, no]

"...If you want to rest, then rest. I can manipulate the [ocean currents] to carry you forward."

No, blood relatives!

Skadi once again stood in front of Xiwang.

The prey is gone! The hunt is over!

"...The ocean is so vast, there must still be a few Honkai Beasts left. Maybe they're all hiding. Let's keep looking, we'll find them eventually."

No! Blood relatives! Urgent! Back to land! The ocean, blood relatives, heartbreak!

[Blood relatives, heartbroken! Skadi, heartbroken!]

[Skadi, help!]

"Don't say it, Skadi, please don't say it..."

Xiwang tried to dissuade it from saying what it was about to say... Unfortunately, he couldn't even stop it now, because Skadi communicated with him by directly conveying its meaning; the so-called "speaking" was just its chirping.

Now, he can only listen to it utter that sentence to itself.

[Blood relative! Urgent! Skadi, help!]

[Blood relative! Skadi! Eat her! Become stronger! Return to land!]

[Blood relatives, two-legged creatures, good! Back to land, power, needed!]

[Skadi, Honkai Beast, evil! Hunt! Eat!]

Skadi gently swayed her tail fin, swam to your side, and stuck out her tongue to gently lick Xiwang.

[Blood relatives, happy! Skadi, happy!]

[Blood relatives, return to land! Go home!]

[Blood relative, Skadi! Hunt! Eat! Get stronger! Return to land!]

Skadi leaned forward and nudged Xiwang, seemingly urging him on.

"...I've already said, I'm not your blood relative, I'm not an orca."

[Blood relatives! I like them! I feel close to them!]

[Hunting! Skadi! Eat her!]

[Skadi, Honkai Beast! Bad! Two-legged beast, Honkai, fight! Okay!]

"........."

Xi Wang remained silent and did not respond.

He naturally wanted to return to land... that was something he absolutely had to do, he absolutely had to get back to their side.

But... that doesn't mean he doesn't approve of Skadi as a "friend," even though she's just a Honkai Beast, and a rather stupid and clumsy one at that.

It was indeed very friendly to Xiwang. From the time Xiwang fell into the sea until now, it has stayed by his side and helped him a lot. It was also very active when hunting... It truly accompanied Xiwang like a partner.

Xi Wang is willing to reciprocate kindness to those who treat him kindly, and he will also show gentleness and preferential treatment to those who have helped him... It would be better for him to turn around and hurt those who have helped him, those he remembers, than to think about how to dry up the sea.

But now... it's a difficult situation to make a decision.

Xi Wang is determined to return to their side; this is the driving force that has kept him going until now.

But now, he and Skadi have hunted down almost all the Honkai Beasts in the "ocean," making it really difficult to find "prey" again... and he is in a hurry to return to land.

So what is the most efficient method right now?

That would naturally be to "eat" Skadi, who had always been by his side, had also consumed a large amount of Honkai Beast remains, and had become stronger as well. That way, they might be able to break through the "ocean's" shackles and return to land.

But this would be tantamount to challenging Xi Wang's self-perception and breaking the "bottom line" he set for himself—to hurt those who had helped him and to attack those who had treated him kindly.

But... Skadi was willing to do it, willing to give herself up.

It is simply because it is close to itself, simply because it "likes" itself, "likes" itself as a human being, yet it can sense a kind of "blood relative" aura from itself, and even directly regards itself as a "blood relative".

Skadi even came up with a reason for herself—she is a Honkai Beast, she is evil, so it is only natural for her to be "hunted" and eaten.

It should have been attacked by Xiwang, who was a "two-legged beast".

[Hope, blood relative! Love! Hunt, Skadi, devour! Become stronger, return to land, Honkai, fight!]

Skadi gently touched Xiwang's body again, urging him on.

"........."

Xi Wang remained silent, then reached out and stroked its head. Skadi opened its mouth, revealing its tongue, because of the comfortable feeling and habit. Xi Wang also reached out and stroked its head in response.

He has already made his choice.

Then, gently, she manipulated the water, swirling it around Skadi's body, as if she wanted to use the water she controlled to replace her hands and hold it in her arms.

"……Thanks."

Xi Wang gently stroked Skadi's head with both hands, softly and tenderly.

He leaned forward slightly, his forehead touching Skadi's cool body, his eyelids lowered.