Mobius: The Story Is Over, Now It's Time to Settle What Needs Settling

"Do you think we can save Klein this time?" Mobius asked again.

"If you are prepared, you might be able to salvage a Herrscher Core and use it as the Tenth Divine Key, just like Qianjie made Divine Key from Immer's Herrscher Core," Zhu Yufeng said. "Klein does not have the qualifications to become Fusion Warrior, and the selection of the Herrscher is unchangeable."

Mobius remained silent.

"Mobius, do you...believe in fate?" Zhu Yufeng suddenly asked.

"Fate? That thing..." Mobius frowned. She wanted to say that "fate" was too vague and ethereal, but she stopped herself. On one hand, Zhu Yufeng seemed to be implying something, and on the other hand, she had deduced from the lunar ruins that the destruction of the Ming Dynasty had happened more than once.

Elysia's sacrifice did indeed create an opportunity for them, a chance to break the cycle of reincarnation, while Zhu Yufeng's sacrifice in the War of Finality paved the way for their future.

She recalled Zhu Yufeng's earlier statement that he knew the whole story, and then there was the fate he spoke of...

"Do you believe it?" Mobius countered.

Zhu Yufeng paused for a moment, then said, "I believe in the existence of fate, but I don't acknowledge it, nor will I submit to it. I've said before that I know the whole story of the Thirteen Heroes of Fire Moth, Mobius. Do you think I haven't tried to resist?"

As he spoke, Zhu Yufeng's gaze passed over Mobius, seemingly looking towards a distant place, at the path he had once traversed on his journey of chasing fire. He slowly said, "Regarding the Eighth Herrscher, I know about Disaster's sacrifice. Because of her connection to Kosma, I tried to stop her from defining the Eighth Herrscher, but I was opposed by Kosma and Disaster. They felt that I didn't trust their abilities and thought I was putting on airs. Regarding the Ninth Herrscher, I knew that Hen and Blanca would sacrifice themselves in it, and that Griseo would be injured and have to undergo Hypervariable Surgery to save her life."

"So that's why you insisted on acting with Hen back then, right?" Mobius also recalled the events of that time. "But the final decision was to let Kevin and Hen participate in the battle against the Ninth Herrscher, while you went to fight the Ninth Herrscher's Companion Honkai Beast, Ravana, and the newly born End-of-Law Honkai Beast Brahma. You asked Astaroth and Admiralty to protect Griseo and Blanca, but at the moment of the Honkai, Blanca tricked Astaroth and went with Admiralty to salvage the experimental data, sacrificing herself in the process. Although Astaroth protected Griseo, her own Honkai Energy actually injured Griseo..."

"Sometimes, fate can be really stubborn," Zhu Yufeng said expressionlessly. "I reminded you to keep an eye on Klein I went to Africa."

He can't exactly say, "I know everything, and then Klein will become the Tenth Herrscher and backstab you, and then you'll trigger your passive and devour Klein."

I'm afraid if I say it out loud, I'll get slapped across the face by Mobius.

This is the tragedy of him as a time traveler. He knows the whole story, but without this life, he would never have been able to tell it all. No one would believe him. Even if the events that follow prove his point, how did he know? Why would he know? Or, to be even bolder, could he be the embodiment of the Honkai One, which is why he knows all this?

In any case, his final situation will not be good.

Moreover, he has always been a selfish person. He doesn't care how others treat him, but that doesn't stop him from saving Elysia and trying to salvage the ending that left him with so much regret.

This might even just be his self-pity.

He's such a selfish person. What does the survival of all humanity in this world have to do with him? He only wants to protect the people in the world, and he embarked on the path of saving the world just to protect them.

He is not a champion of justice at all.

Mobius lowered his eyes, which is why he felt he couldn't save Klein and chose to go to Africa to solve the problems facing humanity in the most efficient way.

"I want to save Elysia," Zhu Yufeng said. "I want her story to continue, but if humanity cannot overcome the Honkai, her fate will be irreversible. That's why I chose to save her."

Mobius felt a stab to his heart. All for Elysia? What about her? What about Vill-V, Sakura, Pardofelis, and even that thing Kevin? Were they just incidental?

"So, including myself, all the Flame-Chasers were saved by you as a side effect of saving Elysia?" Mobius probably knew her own choices. After the battle on the moon, she had already made her plans. She also knew that Zhu Yufeng risked his life to save Vill-V and Pardo, and also shielded Qianjie, Ying, and Kosma from a fatal blow.

She was resentful. Why did Elysia receive such attention from him, while they were just incidental?

"No, I also sincerely wanted to save you," Zhu Yufeng replied. "It's just that Elysia was a higher priority. If I only knew the story, I might not have done it this way. More than that... it was my time with her that made me truly fall for her. When you take a holistic view, know the fate she will face, know her unwavering choice, and then return to your daily life, feeling her flawless True Self always shines through..."

Mobius stared at Zhu Yufeng with narrowed eyes. How come the situation has turned into Zhu Yufeng talking about Elysia again?

Although she admitted to what he said...

Zhu Yufeng realized that it was inappropriate for him to say these things in front of Mobius, so he immediately stopped talking and then said, "Of course, I also know your story..."

"So that's why you were so confident in coming to my lab to do business with me in the first place?" Mobius asked.

Zhu Yufeng choked for a moment, then said, "That's... part of the reason. After all, what you learn in the story is just what you learn in the story. I've said that to Elysia before. What the story gives me is just a form, but what I actually interact with are you real people."

"I understand. You mean you want to change the so-called fate of all the Thirteen Heroes of Fire Moth, but among these thirteen people, Elysia has the highest priority, right?" Mobius said somewhat unhappily. In the end, wasn't Elysia the first person to meet Yu Feng?

Zhu Yufeng nodded.

Mobius's eye twitched, and he said somewhat awkwardly, "Then why did you still avoid Elysia in the end? You like her so much, why didn't you stay by her side the whole time?"

Zhu Yufeng squinted at Mobius. Was Mobius... throwing a tantrum?

Noticing that Zhu Yufeng's eyes were not right, Mobius took out the stun gun he kept in his lab coat and said in a low voice, "No matter what you're thinking right now, believe me or not, I'll stun you and turn you into a girl. Anyway, Elysia really likes girls."

Zhu Yufeng coughed. He originally wanted to say that there was no way Mobius could beat him, even with a stun gun, but that would be too much of a straight man's attitude. He wasn't Kevin, so he could only complain in his mind. He still had to admit defeat when necessary.

"Because I knew from the beginning that she was the daughter of God, loving all beings, and after my confession went unanswered, I used the excuse that she wouldn't fall in love with any single individual to numb myself, until Alicia came to confess to me Elysia was born..." Zhu Yufeng said helplessly, "But at that time, I..."

Mobius looked up at the ceiling and suddenly felt like laughing. So Elysia had built a foundation for gaining favor through her scheming, and because of that scheming, she ended up not being able to see Zhu Yufeng at all...

"Why Elysia so desirable, and why is she given such a high priority? Besides the fact that she was the first person I met in this world, the first kindness and gentleness I encountered..." Noticing that Mobius's gaze was becoming increasingly strange, Zhu Yufeng immediately added, "On the other hand, it's also because her identity is just too special."

Mobius thought about it and it seemed to make sense. If humanity in this era couldn't defeat the Honkai, then if we had to place our hopes on the next era, Elysia would have to sacrifice herself.

"Isn't that what you said about the first aspect being the main reason?" Mobius continued.

Zhu Yufeng: "..."

How was he supposed to respond to that?

Mobius didn't pursue the topic further, not wanting to upset herself, so she asked instead, "So the Present, besides us, what do you think of Lilith and the others? I can understand Lilith, at least she still has her memories. Xila, Rovoc, and the others?"

"To the Present, they are like you were in the past," Zhu Yufeng said, spreading his hands. "I will protect them, although... that might sound a bit arrogant."

In other words, Elysia's the Present isn't that great anymore, right? Mobius thought of Lilith's completely unreasonable behavior again, and his thoughtful gaze fell on Zhu Yufeng's lips.

Zhu Yufeng: "..."

Why does he feel like something's not right again?

"Your resistance against fate has almost ended in failure, so why do you still persist?" Mobius then asked.

"I succeeded because of me," Zhu Yufeng said matter-of-factly. "Originally, Sakura would have sacrificed herself in the Twelfth Herrscher Incident, becoming the first Flame-Chasers to die in battle, but I saved her. Within the Bell of the Finality, two Flame-Chasers would have died in battle, and after the Moonlight Throne was destroyed, Vill-V would have met her end. Griseo, who was originally going to board the Ark, would most likely have survived because of the most suitable Kosma, so in the end, it would still be the Kosma who boarded the Ark, right?"

Mobius nodded and said, "So, in the original story, Kosma was supposed to die on the moon?"

"Griseo had already boarded the Ark and set off by then," Zhu Yufeng said. "Fortunately, I still have some prestige, so I was able to force a postponement of the Project Ark ... At least, Kosma has more experience than Griseo, and he would be better prepared to handle emergencies."

"What happened to Griseo after that?" Mobius's eyes narrowed. A critical situation? Something must have happened!

"The Ark has lost contact." Zhu Yufeng sighed. " Of the Thirteen Heroes of Fire Moth, the last three who survived to this day are Su, Hua, and Kevin. Su was the first of the three to die because he sacrificed his life for the Hengsha Project."

Zhu Yufeng then seemed to remember something and looked at Mobius with a strange expression. He didn't know what happened to Mobius in the end; theoretically, he should have died...

"So, what I did with Prometheus in the end also failed?" Mobius murmured.

"I don't know. That's not the story I know. It's a completely different story." Zhu Yufeng said frankly, "I only know that you went to see Prometheus in the end and gave up your physical survival. I don't know anything after that."

"It seems you don't know everything either," Mobius chuckled softly.

"I'm human too." Zhu Yufeng smiled helplessly. "At most, I'm just someone who knows a little more..."

"You said the story you know is called 'The Thirteen Heroes of Fire Moth.' If it weren't for you, the Thirteen Heroes of Fire Moth probably have been built around Elysia, and this woman would rightfully be at the center of the story." Mobius sighed softly.

"As expected of Mobius, one of the world's most brilliant minds," Zhu Yufeng tried to praise.

Mobius's eye twitched again. Did this guy even know how to compliment someone? Was "one of" what he meant?

Even if that's really the case... Can't you praise people a little more when you're praising them? Don't be so factual! Oh well, if he weren't so honest, he wouldn't be Zhu Yufeng, and he wouldn't have gotten my attention.

Although his honesty can be really infuriating at times.

"I've said the Present I needed to say. Is there anything else? If not, I'll be leaving..." Zhu Yufeng said, preparing to get up. He hadn't forgotten Mobius's dangerous remarks at the beginning; it seemed Mobius had the Present forgotten his original purpose...

"Hmph, the earliest problem hasn't been solved yet, where do you think you're going?" Mobius sneered. "Are you going to find Elysia, or chat with Lilith?"

"That must be training," Zhu Yufeng said.

However, as Kevin said, it's not a bad idea to find more fun for myself. If he has time, I might invite him to play basketball...

This idiot is actually pretty good at basketball; even he and Kosma combined couldn't beat the Kevin.

Mobius stood up, and because she was holding a stun gun, Zhu Yufeng had to be on guard and also stood up.

Mobius approached Zhu Yufeng Zhu Yufeng backed away while wary of the stun gun. Mobius said with a strange smile, "I've listened to you for so long, but I haven't heard anything about your plans for yourself."

"I certainly won't have any plans before fulfilling my wish," Zhu Yufeng tried to explain.

"Yes, they just came into this world on their own, presumptuously saving us, and then left us satisfied?" Mobius cornered Zhu Yufeng against the wall.

Zhu Yufeng: "... Would you believe me if I said I didn't come here voluntarily? Besides, I really had no way to go back!"

He just took a nap and then he arrived. He doesn't even know how he got there, so how would he know how to get back? And what does "abandon" even mean?!

"While I'm glad you're willing to confess these things, we still need to address the most fundamental issue." Mobius raised the hand holding the stun gun.

Zhu Yufeng swiftly grabbed the wrist of that hand and said, "There's an old saying in Shenzhou: 'A forced melon is not sweet.'"

"How do you know if you haven't tried?" Mobius chuckled.

Zhu Yufeng: "..."

He was heartbroken...

Well, at least there's Kevin, who's been around for ages, so the image isn't so painful anymore...