Honkai, But a Backspirit Simulator

Theresa looked at the mech units gathered before her, a fine layer of sweat beading on her forehead.

Are the mech units in Sky Dome City really this ridiculous!?

In addition to various models of Sky Dome Patrol, she even saw something resembling an RPC-6626 Anti-Honkai Beast Heavy Helicopter!

Even though the armor she was currently using was Blood Knight: Moonbeam, one of the fourth-generation Godkiller Armors, she felt somewhat overwhelmed facing this tide-like mech army.

She would have believed it if someone told her this was Destiny's mech force!

Meanwhile, Bronya was trying to crack the access permissions on the cyborg girl in front of her.

"Just a little bit more...!" Bronya's tone also carried a hint of urgency. "Wait, to take over the highest authority, we still need a biometric authentication."

However, the furthest distance in the world might just be "a little bit more."

"Apologies for disturbing you kidnappers."

An elegant and composed female voice came from the rooftop. "Children still need to be taken care of by a maid like me."

Rita, wearing silver-white armor, sat on the eaves with a smile, looking down at everyone, lightly tossing a certain "object" in her hand.

"I'm starting to doubt Destiny's teaching abilities, you know."

Liu Bai complained while staring at the silver-white maid who looked like a goddess under the moonlight.

[Pale Knight: Moon Soul (Rita Rossweisse), Possession Requirements: Guardian Spirit lv5, Rita Compatibility 50% or higher. During possession, the skill "Guardian Spirit" changes to "Guardian Spirit: Silver Moon"]

The silver-white Valkyrie under the night sky—honestly, Liu Bai admitted that he was amazed at this moment.

Rita leaped down from the eaves, dragging her scythe as she walked towards the wary Far East Branch members.

Then, Rita slowly reached out, allowing everyone to see the "object" in her hand.

"Isn't this what you're looking for?"

"That's... Gray Serpent's eye!"

"Highest authority, authentication complete—Rita Rossweisse, taking over the highest authority."

"Headmaster, stop her!" Bronya looked at the electronic sounds emanating from the cyborg girl and revealed a hint of panic on her face.

She already guessed what Rita's next command would be.

Correspondingly, Rita still wore a composed smile on her face, and her red lips parted slightly: "I order you, datauploadthenselfdestruct."

datauploadthenselfdestruct—data upload, then self-destruct.

As Rita's voice fell, the cyborg girl's body instantly collapsed.

"Rita—!"

The heavy cross came crashing down on Rita.

Boom—!

"If she got hit by that, she'd be turned into mincemeat."

Liu Bai was still floating in the air, watching the show, only regretting that he didn't have a bag of spiced melon seeds in his hand.

Women fighting—might as well watch.

"Sorry, everyone, I've had enough fun."

Rita calmly dodged Theresa's angry blow.

Then, Rita closed in, briefly suppressing Theresa with her airtight scythe and the low temperature emitted from the blade.

However, Rita didn't intend to truly "clean up the battlefield"—her goal had already been achieved.

No matter what, Theresa was also an S-Rank Valkyrie wearing a Godkiller Armor, and there was Anti-Entropy support behind her. If they really fought for a long time... Of course, more importantly.

Rita looked up at the sky—Destiny's support had arrived.

"Please allow me to take my leave to handle other matters." Rita leaped lightly and disengaged from the battlefield.

Boom—!

The silver-white Divine Machine falling from the sky completely separated Theresa and Rita.

Divine Machine: Heimdall!

"Was this Tekkai repaired?" Theresa glared angrily at Heimdall, which was blocking her path—the Divine Machine that Himeko had once destroyed. "Then I'll smash it again!"

"I knew that Destiny was behind the Sky Dome City mech riot."

"Sorry, you never said that." Rita, who had left the battlefield, restrained her sharpness.

"Didn't I say that?"

"In my memory, never. Perhaps Heimdall's appearance was just a coincidence?"

"To borrow a phrase from Gray Serpent, 'Please don't insult my intelligence.'" Liu Bai rolled his eyes at the smile on Rita's face and continued, "Speaking of which, your instructions just now... although you said self-destruct, what you really issued was formatting, right?"

"There's no difference."

There's a big difference.

Liu Bai rolled his eyes but didn't say it outright.

A Rita who was serious but still had a human touch was a good Rita, the Rita he remembered.

"Was it done cleanly?"

As soon as Liu Bai asked the question, he felt like he'd been asked that before.

"Ghostly Gentleman, are you concerned about me?" Rita feigned surprise, covering her mouth. "I thought you were only interested in popcorn—rest assured, the formatting isn't that fast. Before that child awakens, she'll just appear to have 'self-destructed' in everyone else's eyes—so, would you like some popcorn?"

Rita had unexpectedly remembered Liu Bai's commentary about watching the show... The maid was petty in strange ways.

"...I can't eat it anyway."

"That's why I asked."

Rita wore her gentlest smile as she spoke the most cutting words.

"I'll haunt you while you sleep, really haunt you."

Liu Bai threatened half-jokingly.

"Like possessing the bed and throwing you off while you sleep, or pulling your pillow out from under you and giving you a crick in your neck."

"Oh dear... that sounds quite terrifying, but according to our agreement, you can't enter my room while I'm sleeping."

"Then let's go buy some weird DVDs."

"..."

[Rita Affinity +3%]

Chapter 15: Simulation! Anti-Entropy: Birth

[Ding—! Today's simulation attempts have been restored. Please initiate the simulation in a timely manner.]

[Please note, the simulation is about to begin!]

[This simulation location: Imperial Research Institute, Lab 42]

[This simulation host: Liesel Albert Einstein & Frederica Nikola Tesla]

[New story segment discovered: Anti-Entropy: Birth]

Liu Bai was slightly taken aback by the system's prompt. The previous two simulations had focused on the Previous Era, but this time, the sudden appearance of something from this era brightened his eyes.

Of course... even more eye-catching were the simulation targets.

—Liesel Albert Einstein & Frederica Nikola Tesla

He'd never seen a dual-host simulation before, and it involved two great scientists who had left their mark on history.

The scene before him changed, and Liu Bai found himself in a room that blended the contradictory styles of antiquity and technology. Before him, a blue-haired girl with messy hair was "collapsed" on a sofa.

"Coffee, want some?"

Another red-haired girl with pigtails poked her head out from what seemed to be the kitchen, asking the blue-haired girl.

"Thanks, no, I'm going to sleep."

Without a doubt, these two were the hosts for Liu Bai's simulation.

The slovenly blue-haired girl—Liesel Albert Einstein.

The red-haired girl with pigtails—Frederica Nikola Tesla.

The two great scientists of Anti-Entropy in the future were currently working at the Imperial Research Institute, Lab 42, under Destiny's command.

However, the environment before him didn't look like a laboratory at all. If it weren't for the bookshelves filled with books, some technological instruments, and the white coats worn by the two beautiful scientists, Liu Bai would have thought this was some kind of shared apartment.

...Had he really come to the right place?

Liu Bai looked at the two beautiful scientists before him, hesitant to speak.

He felt like he was ready with an opening line for his new hosts.

"Ahem, Miss Einstein, don't you have work to do?"

To avoid scaring Einstein, Liu Bai deliberately cleared his throat twice.

"A laboratory doesn't mean you have to work every day." Unexpectedly, after hearing Liu Bai's voice, Einstein didn't show any surprise on her face. Instead, she calmly explained to Liu Bai, "Working every day is just a stereotype."

Too calm, wasn't she?

Although, although he was a spirit, not one of those scary, life-reaping ghosts, he should undoubtedly be happy that he hadn't scared the host, but...

Looking at the composed Einstein before him, Liu Bai inexplicably felt a sense of shame.

He'd embarrassed the senior ghosts...

"...Um, I'm a spirit, a ghost."

"Yeah, I get it. Can you grab me a bag of snacks?"

"...Weren't you going to sleep?"

"I lied to Dr. Tesla."

Neither assertive nor guilty, the blue-haired girl spoke the words as if they were plain truth.

"...Please don't say things like that with the tone of stating a law of physics."

Einstein... this beautiful young scientist was even more troublesome than Liu Bai had imagined.

"Oh? Ghosts also talk about the laws of physics?" Einstein's tone revealed a hint of a smile.

For some reason, Liu Bai seemed to sense something called a "devilish smile"...

"? Liesel, who are you talking to?"

Tesla, holding coffee as she came out of the kitchen, looked completely puzzled.

"I thought I heard a male voice just now? Are you on the phone?"

"No, it's probably just that Dr. Tesla, you're experiencing auditory hallucinations due to too much work pressure."

"...That does seem like a possibility." Tesla paused for a moment, then nodded, but then frowned, "I feel like you're brushing me off, Einstein. Speaking of which, haven't we been on vacation for the past few days?"

"Is that so."

"You..." Tesla looked at Einstein in front of her, unable to vent her anger.

"But speaking of auditory hallucinations... Dr. Tesla, have you ever heard a ghost story?" Einstein looked at Tesla in front of her and said meaningfully.

"Wh-what!? Why are you suddenly talking about this?"

Despite being a great scientist, Tesla unexpectedly revealed a childlike fear—although the current Tesla was also a young girl.

But thinking about it carefully, Tesla seemed to have a bit of a chuunibyou...

"Liesel, you're not trying to scare me, are you?"

"Just appropriately extending the topic to add some fun to a boring life." Einstein said it as if it were true.

Liu Bai felt that Einstein seemed to be hinting at something to him.

"W-well, okay then."