The promised third collapse, where is it?!!

As an extract from the Second Herrscher's body, the Conquest Gem can be fully understood as a youthful version of the Herrscher of Thunder's core.

The Kikyo, sensing the Herrscher energy, immediately perked up. The problem was that Fu Li was consuming it incredibly fast.

Before, it was used to manifest the Shadow Blade to restrain Anti-Entropy, with the Honkai Energy disappearing after circulating once within his body. Later, it was converted through the Human Immortal Path's devouring ability for the Nine Revolutions of Unrivaled to cultivate.

The former was like a "stop-and-go" training, while the latter was like "I'm just going to touch you, I won't go in, I really won't go in."

Could he tolerate this?

Absolutely not!

It was a pity, though, that he had to endure it even when he couldn't.

The Kikyo had no self.

At the moment Ling was heavily injured, it would only operate according to the program its creator had etched within it.

So the question arose: facing the above or similar situations, what did Dr. MEI, the one who personally crafted the Key of Corruption, demand it do?

"Mmmph~"

Mei let out a seductive low hum as she sensed an unusual sensation within her body.

She narrowed her eyes vigilantly, her first suspect being Bronya across from her.

Bronya rolled her eyes, thinking, Seriously, Bronya's going to take the blame for the Captain's mess again? I didn't do anything and I'm already being framed.

The information transmitted back by the Heavenly Eye told Mei that Bronya was genuinely unaware of anything. After a moment of thought, she decided to observe for a while longer.

The girl, whose attention was focused on Bronya, failed to notice that on the inner thigh of her own leg, beneath her pajamas, the innate Lightning Stigmata was emitting a faint glow.

This wasn't the only place emitting light; Fu Li's inner thigh was also glowing.

A Lightning Stigmata, identical to Mei's, was being imprinted from nothingness under the power of the Kikyo.

This situation continued for a full two hours before the stigmata imprinting was finally completed.

A string of data recorded in Previous Era script flashed across the Kikyo's surface:

[Name: Lightning Stigmata]
[Rank: A]
[Type: Permanent]
[Effect: Ignores 80% of Lightning attribute effects. Combat power increases when in a Lightning attribute environment.]
[Note: "The previous thirteen Herrschers are lateral manifestations of the Herrscher of the End in different dimensions. Conversely, as long as we can gather corresponding Stigmata possessing the characteristics of the thirteen Herrschers, we can completely reverse-engineer and create a Herrscher of the End belonging to humanity..."
—Dr. MEI's academic report, jointly shelved by the Fire Moth Council for certain reasons]

The gem's light gradually dimmed, eventually fading into nothingness.

Twenty minutes after the Lightning Stigmata imprint was completed, Fu Li, lying on the tatami mat, opened his eyes.

He picked up his phone by the pillow and checked it. There were still ten minutes left until the shift change at midnight.

He got up and glanced at the beautiful girls lying beside him.

They were all sleeping soundly. Excellent, excellent~

The boy narrowed his eyes in satisfaction.

When the Shadow Blade was damaged, it caused a slight mental shock to its creator. He was certain Bronya hadn't caused any trouble, at least not by damaging the Duck Binding Rope.

He reached out and pulled the blanket up for Mei, covering a bit of her exposed thigh.

He tiptoed and quietly slipped upstairs.

After Fu Li left, Mei and Bronya, who had closed their eyes, suddenly opened them, staring at each other just as before.

At this point, the situation had escalated beyond mere mutual surveillance.

Damn it, whoever flinches first is a coward!

The clouds in the sky gradually dispersed, and the bright moon peeked out on cue.

Tonight, the moonlight had shed its usual white brilliance, instead taking on a rare golden hue.

However, this golden light was not dazzling; it was rather tranquil and soft.

Under such moonlight, Kiana leaned by the window.

Her eyes gazed aimlessly out the window, and the braid tied at the back of her head had come undone at some point.

Golden and silver light intertwined, white flowers bloomed at night, exuding a beautiful fragrance, as magnificent as an Udumbara.

Fu Li, hidden in the corner, held his breath.

"Who?!"

Sensing a presence, the girl suddenly turned her head, her scattered coolness condensing into a beam.

"Oh, it's A Li."

Seeing the person who had arrived, she scratched her head. The pouting of her lips formed a familiar, endearing pout.

——It withers the very next morning, known as a fleeting bloom.

Records of the Udumbara flower in ancient texts flashed through Fu Li's mind.

He sighed, "The time you lasted is even shorter than a fleeting flower."

"?"

"It's nothing."

I can't exactly say I was almost instantly killed by your beauty stat crit.

The boy thought with a shiver.

"Don't just say half of what you mean!"

Kiana yelled indignantly. She hated it when people piqued her interest only to stop short.

"The rest... it's hard to say."

Fu Li scratched his cheek, his gaze shifting slightly away.

The girl studied his expression, as if suddenly realizing something.

"Hehe~"

She flashed a sly smile and stepped closer. Standing on tiptoe, she patted his shoulder comfortingly with her small hand.

"Yes, yes, yes, Miss Kiana's 'Beauty Under the Moon' was too stunning just now, and I was momentarily captivated, alright?"

Fu Li seemed to give up on himself and threw something else at her: "Here, catch."

Kiana obediently caught it and found it was Soth's artificial intelligence.

"You actually remembered!"

She happily put it away, not even asking where the dog's body was.

"Go to sleep."

"Okay~"

Kiana nodded and skipped towards the stairs.

However, as soon as she was out of Fu Li's sight, the girl leaned against the wall of the stairwell as if all her strength had drained away.

"'Beauty Under the Moon'?"

"'Captivated'?"

The blush that had been suppressed for so long rose to her cheeks. Kiana savored the dazed and amazed look in the boy's eyes just moments ago.

"I'd be a fool to believe that!"

She raised her hand to cover her face, as if to conceal it, but the beautiful curve of her lips was impossible to suppress.

Chapter 61: "Prometheus's Charging Port"

Seeing Kiana's retreating figure disappear around the corner of the stairs, Fu Li sat on the windowsill where she had just been sitting, staring at the moonlit glow in the night sky, as if talking to himself: "You're back?"

[As soon as I returned, I saw the host acting crazy over a prematurely graying underage female who looks like a mother ape. I feel like I came back at the wrong time.]

"No, you came back at exactly the right time."

Prometheus, appearing in his retina, didn't respond. The pair of scarlet eyes, identical to Fu Li's, had 'Bullshit' written on the left and 'Nonsense' on the right.

"I think, for humans, the pursuit of beauty has been eternal."

Fu Li familiarly bantered with the Little AI: "Kiana is genuinely beautiful by nature. If she just stood there with her face like a painted cat, countless people would rush to her aid without hesitation. Intentionally going against her would make me seem insincere, like I haven't moved on from the past. Don't you think so, my dear?"

Well, the main thing is the white moonlight buff. Even though it's all in the past, the beautiful memories will always flow in my mind.

[My dear? You're trying to extend your claws to an AI program that doesn't even have a physical form. The host's sexual orientation is truly as unfathomable as the abyss.]

She's back! My sharp-tongued little girl is back!

Fu Li said sulkily, "I feel like your combat power has surged after disappearing for a while."

[Doesn't the host want to ask about the new functions after the End-of-World Assistance System's evolution?]

"Shouldn't I first express my verbal concern for the missing person?"

Fu Li said insincerely, "You were offline for so long, I almost forgot you existed."

[You only left for less than two days?]

"It's been a full two days of disappearance!"

What is this, 'scumbag' speech tactics? (Tactical head-back)!

[Oh no, does that mean Prometheus will be considered a missing person from now on from time to time?]

"What do you mean?"

[After the system update, to save energy required to maintain system operations, the AI will no longer have the right to connect to the End-of-World Assistance System at any time.]

"Put it in terms everyone can understand."

"Online for ten minutes of chatting, twenty-four hours of standby dormancy."

The girl floating in mid-air paused and said, "In short, Host, you no longer need to worry about your privacy, like... uh... personal privacy being constantly watched by Prometheus."

"Then how can I show my magnificent 'only reason' to my Little AI anytime, anywhere, like before? Does topping up to become a Heartfelt Member work?"

"Due to certain irresistible factors, that possibility does not exist."

Seeing him try to keep her, Prometheus's lips curved upward by two pixels: "System functions will not be affected by this. Even if the AI is in standby mode, it can still perfectly perform its function of assisting the Host."

I can't see where the function is perfect.

Fu Li grumbled internally and asked, "What about pouring Honkai Energy into it? Also, where's your charging port, Bao?"

"Pouring in Honkai Energy will not extend Prometheus's online time. As for the charging port, it's here."

The girl provocatively lifted her skirt, revealing a large area of mosaic below.

Real mosaic.

The graphics are even blurrier than in Minecraft. It's clear I can't force my way through; I have to outsmart it.

She lowered her skirt: "There are seven minutes and thirty-five seconds left until Prometheus goes offline. It is recommended that the Host promptly handle the many matters after the system upgrade during this time."

"Tsk, fine."

Fu Li sighed. The girl's utility-tool-like nature was becoming stronger, and he felt a bit guilty about it.

He asked, "So, what new functions have been updated this time?"

"The Character Panel can now be handwritten."

"Ooh ooh ooh! Ohhh!!!"

Upon learning about the powerful new function, the boy clapped his hands vigorously: "And then?"

"There's also Targeted Recruitment. From now on, when the Host draws for prizes, you can specify corresponding keywords. The prizes drawn will partially match the characteristics of those keywords—of course, the final interpretation rights still belong to the system."