How many steps does it take to extract the Flame-Chasers from the Elysian Realm?
Answer: Three.
First, use the power of the Divine Key Jizo Mitama to erode the Elysian Realm.
Second, with the power of erosion as a vessel, extract the Flame-Chasers' memory constructs from the Elysian Realm.
Third, infuse the memory constructs with enough 'omnipotent Honkai energy to materialize them, enabling true physical interaction with the outside world.
"Waaah!!!"
In the corridors of the World Serpent base, the pink fairy lady dashed about, cheering loudly, her brows brimming with uncontainable excitement, her sapphire eyes sparkling with light.
"Finally out of that sunless place, hurray!"
How could Elysia miss the chance to leave the Elysian Realm and play in the real world?
Mobius gazed at her own pale, tender hands, sunlight mingling with a gentle breeze. Her expression was deep, emotions hard to read, but her gradient serpent pupils betrayed her, shifting with feeling.
For fifty thousand years, she'd conducted countless experiments to escape the Elysian Realm, never imagining it'd be this easy!
Though far from her ideal 'resurrection,' she truly felt the real world again.
"Ellie, let me know if your energy's running low, okay?"
Kiana stretched lazily, hands clasped behind her head.
"Of course, with Kiana so worried about me, I won't 'dissipate' out here."
Elysia's smile bloomed like a flower, pacing restlessly like an energetic girl.
Leaving the Elysian Realm sounded wonderful but carried great risks.
First, memory constructs lacked the power they had in the Elysian Realm, as the real Flame-Chasers died long ago. These were mere data forms.
Their strength depended on the Honkai energy Kiana infused during materialization.
Most critically, if energy ran out without timely replenishment, the vessel sustaining their consciousness would collapse, and the data would dissipate!
The world allowed consciousness to find new vessels but forbade vessels from reclaiming scattered consciousness.
This applied to real and data consciousness alike.
In the real world, data dissipation meant death!
The kind where Elysian Realm backups wouldn't help.
Thus, venturing outside was highly dangerous for the Flame-Chasers.
Kiana held their lives in her hands—a mere thought could erase them.
Kiana invited all the Flame-Chasers, but only Alysia, who fully trusted her, and Mobius, desperate to escape the Elysian Realm, agreed.
Mobius was in a bold-yet-cowardly superposition, half-distrusting Kiana but unable to refuse the deal.
Leaving via the Key of Corruption was a rare opportunity to gather precious data, preparing for a safer exit from the Elysian Realm later.
Collect data, make the recovery serum for Kiana, then return to the Elysian Realm!
That was Mobius's plan.
Kiana led Mobius and Alysia to Gray Serpent.
Seeing Flame-Chaser memory constructs outside the Elysian Realm, Gray Serpent's lack of expression couldn't hide his shock, evident in his movements.
"Master." Bowing low, Gray Serpent paid respectful homage to Mobius.
"Gray Serpent, prepare a laboratory for me." Mobius's tone was matter-of-fact, commanding Gray Serpent unceremoniously—she was his creator, the true Serpent Lord of World Serpent.
Kevin was the Revered Lord.
Watching Kiana frolic with Alysia, Gray Serpent seemed to want to say something, but seeing the pink skirt Mobius would never wear normally, he held his tongue.
"Yes."
It seemed best to avoid major conflicts between the Abyss City plan and Saint Freya's side.
The Desire Gem was already cast into the Sea of Quanta, awaiting the Revered Lord's return.
Only the returned Lord could handle this anomalous Herrscher of the Void.
Soon, Gray Serpent readied a lab. Mobius donned the researcher's standard white coat, summoned two Gray Serpent units as assistants, and, clutching the "lab rat" (Douma)'s corpse, began experiments with fervor.
Experimenting in the real world felt entirely different from the Elysian Realm.
To make Kiana's recovery serum, the "lab rat"'s blood sufficed. The ultra-rare "lab rat" (Muzan) needed more study before use.
Sitting on a chair outside the lab, Kiana dangled her slender legs, wrapped in 60D stockings. The absolute territory between stockings and skirt hem was dazzlingly pale, afternoon sunlight bathing her, her languid pose strikingly alluring.
She glanced at the pink-haired girl beside her. "Ellie, it's rare to leave the Elysian Realm. Don't you want to explore? No need to stay here with us."
With Teacher Himeko's recovery at stake, Kiana had no mind for sightseeing.
"Explore the outside? Seeing the new world sounds nice♪, but…" Elysia winked playfully, leaning close to Kiana's face.
At such close range, Alysia easily grabbed Kiana's wrist, gently pulling her forward.
"With a beauty like Kiana by my side, how could I possibly look elsewhere?"
"…"
What's going on?
Elysia, is it okay to flirt with me like this?
Kiana knew Alysia was a charmer but hadn't expected her to be this bold.
Before regaining her memories, she'd have been utterly smitten!
But now…
Gazing at Alysia's friendly, smiling face, Kiana sighed softly. "Ellie, I'll say it again—I have a boyfriend."
"Mm-hm, don't worry, Kiana, I'll definitely be great friends with Shiraki!"
Those ultra-kawaii, sparkling eyes blinked, Alysia's radiant smile gaining a touch more sincerity.
"Just friends won't cut it." Pushing Alysia back slightly, Kiana's lips curved into a sly arc. "At least a girlfriend would do!"
"???"
The unexpected words froze Alysia's playful smile.
Maintaining a stiff grin, Alysia stammered, "Kiana, what… did you say?"
Her voice faltered, the sudden twist catching the fifty-thousand-year-old girl off guard.
Elysia was utterly baffled!
"I said, just friends isn't enough. If you like me, Ellie, you'll have to work to become Shiraki's girlfriend!"
Her ocean-blue eyes twinkled, Kiana's glossy lips gleaming under the sunlight with an almost magical allure.
"…"
Elysia's pink lips gaped wide enough to swallow an egg, her vibrant pink-blue eyes filled with disbelief and absurdity.
Her mindset?
It was plain on her rapidly crumbling face!
"How about it? Interested? Let me tell you, Shiraki, he…" Kiana counted Shiraki's virtues on her pale fingers.
Seeing Kiana's utterly serious demeanor, Alysia gawked, her gaze turning strange, shocked, and awed.
This, this was the current era's view of love?
To get close to a girl, the best way was to become her boyfriend's girlfriend?
Terrifying!
Truly terrifying!
Even Elysia, the social butterfly terrorist, was thoroughly shaken!
"Ow!" The white-haired girl listing her 'boyfriend's' merits yelped cutely.
"Ellie, Kiana's just joking, don't take it to heart."
Appearing unnoticed, Shiraki gently rubbed the head he'd just hand-chopped, softly explaining to Alysia.
His lover could only be himself; someone 'he' liked, he could begrudgingly accept, but others were out of the question.
Even Alysia wasn't in Shiraki's consideration.
Alysia smiled stiffly—Kiana didn't look like she was joking. 'Your girlfriend' was sincerely suggesting I become your girlfriend!
And…
"When did you get here?" Kiana's smile bloomed like summer flowers, her lips quirking, asking Alysia's unspoken question.
"Right when you said, 'Ellie, you'll have to work to become Shiraki's girlfriend!'" Shiraki's hand-chop lightly struck the spot he'd rubbed.
"Ehe!" Kiana flashed an innocent, adorable look, blinking and sticking out her tongue.
Then, Kiana extended her pale hand, fingers interlocking tightly with Shiraki's.
Shiraki paused, then his lips slowly curved.
Teacher Himeko was saved!