Chapter 102

"That's not quite right. I've been taking my team around the world recently, both on tours and to gain experience."

Sakura explained, "After all, there are still many lands that were abandoned because of the Honkai disaster, and some places still have Honkai Beast roaming around. They are perfect for honing your skills."

"So in this process, you'll be dealing with the rulers of the local settlements, right?"

Ai Yue nodded in understanding, already envisioning many possible scenarios in his mind. "A small portion of those people might be normal, but most of them can only be described as feudal landlords."

Even in peacetime, some people wield a tiny bit of power and act with impunity to harass others. How much more so in this chaotic era, where those who rule settlements can so easily control the lives of others?

Not everyone can resist the temptation of power.

"Yes, so a lot of trouble arose during the negotiations with them."

Sakura sighed, but then casually brushed the matter aside, saying, "Fortunately, it's all been resolved."

"It's good that it's resolved."

Ai Yue didn't press Sakura on how she solved the problem. "So, is there anything I can do to help?"

"In this process, I discovered many talented children."

Sakura tentatively asked, "I wonder if it would be possible to let them live at 'Morning Sun Academy'?"

"Of course you can, but why don't you just go directly to Aponia about this?"

Ai Yue readily agreed, "We can even go through the formalities directly. Morning Sun Academy doesn't have any admission requirements anyway."

Morning Sun Academy is a comprehensive school, or even an academic town built on the foundation of urban development. Its enrollment ranges from preschool to university graduation at age 25. Moreover, it is not limited to academic courses. There are many kinds of courses, so everyone can find something suitable for them here.

"I asked Ling for her opinion, and she said it would be best to ask for your opinion first,"

Hearing Ai Yue's reply, Ying breathed a sigh of relief, a slightly embarrassed expression on her face. "You know, I'm not as good at interpersonal communication as Ling."

Ai Yue nodded in agreement—he had a deep impression of Ling; in terms of daily life, Ling was more like a caring older sister.

"Besides that, I have one more request,"

After a pause, Sakura brought up the second matter, "I've heard that there are still many Honkai Beast roaming around Australia. Could I lead a team there for some training?"

"Sure,"

Looking at Sakura in the video, Ai Yue suddenly remembered something, "If it's convenient, would you like to have a medical check-up done here as well?"

54

Chapter 54 fixed the bug where the Katana Hero couldn't ride the cat cart.

The reason for inviting Sakura to a medical examination was naturally because Ai Yue was still bothered by the Stigmata Factor.

Among the known Fused Warrior, only a handful may still have Stigmata Factor hidden within them, and Sakura is one of them.

As Fused Warrior born around the same time as Kevin, Sakura's combat power was not much inferior to Kevin's at the beginning. Moreover, she was originally a pure human, unlike Elysia who had other variables. In fact, the two of them had a similar success rate in becoming Fused Warrior.

It can be said that, putting aside Kevin's status as the protagonist, Kevin and Sakura have a lot in common. So if the Stigmata Factor cannot be detected on her, Ai Yue can only conclude that this thing currently belongs only to Kevin.

Oh, I think there's also Cosmo besides that?

As Ai Yue pondered, he directed the drones to set up the hall, placing the equipment for physical examinations there for the later check-up of Sakura's team.

Although I don't have high expectations for Sakura's teammates, it's better to go all out and give Sakura a physical exam alone. It would be strange if any rumors got out.

Since Sakura's team was not at the headquarters of the Moth to Fire, but at a branch base in South America, they could not use the Teleportation Gate for convenient movement and could only arrive here by transport plane. So, it took them more than an hour after the communication ended before they finally arrived at the Star of Light experimental base.

"Sakura!"

Sakura led her team into the base, and before she could even greet Ai Yue, Pardofelis rushed towards her, exclaiming, "It's been so long!"

"Pardo?"

Sakura stared at the familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar figure, momentarily stunned, before quickly dodging Pardofelis's lunge. "What... what's wrong with your ear?"

Although it had indeed been a long time since they last met, the obvious changes in the other person could not possibly escape Sakura's notice.

"Oh, that? I'm Fused Warrior now!"

Pardofelis wasn't puzzled by Sakura's evasion; instead, she proudly puffed out her chest. But then she noticed that Sakura's reaction was a bit off. "Huh, Sakura, don't you like it?"

"It's not that I don't like it,"

Sakura subconsciously shook her head, then saw Pardofelis walking towards her. She took a few steps back as well. "Sorry, I'm just allergic to cat fur..."

To prove the truth of her claim, Sakura went up and touched Pardofelis's cat ears, then showed her her hands.

In just a few seconds, a red patch appeared on Sakura's palm, and it even started to spread towards her wrist. Pardofelis was so frightened that she quickly hid behind Ai Yue, afraid of touching Sakura again. "I understand! It's not your fault, Sakura!"

Although he said that, when Ai Yue turned his head, he could see that Pardofelis's ears were drooping listlessly. However, not being able to get close to Sakura was a big blow to her.

"Alright, let's not talk about this for now."

Ai Yue subtly changed the subject, "Come in, everyone. The medical examination process is very simple. After you're done, take a break, and then Sakura can make her own arrangements."

"I see."

Sakura nodded, then looked behind her. "You're free to move around now."

The warriors, who had been keeping their hands on their weapons, visibly relaxed, and the serious aura emanating from them gradually faded.

"Looks like you're training well."

Ai Yue glanced at Ying's teammates and said with a smile, "I didn't expect you to have this kind of skill."

If there's one thing that Sakura's squad has in common, it's that all of them carry the same weapons as Sakura—two katana. This seems to suggest that, like Sakura, they are not just a squad dedicated to eliminating Honkai Beast.

The fact that Sakura was able to lead such a team at least shows that she has a real talent for education.

"They are very talented people."

Hearing Ai Yue's praise, Ying also showed a faint smile, "I just helped them avoid the risk of dying in the process of becoming stronger."

For a soldier, without sufficient combat training and life-or-death battles, he cannot truly grow. If he stays in a safe place, even if he hones his skills to perfection, he will find it difficult to fully unleash his power when he actually goes to the battlefield.

Therefore, Sakura travels all over the world to find environments where they can feel the atmosphere of the battlefield. With her protection, even if they encounter an invincible enemy, Sakura is confident that she can save the lives of her team members and prevent their loss.

Of course, in order not to affect the training results, Sakura would never take action unless it was a situation where death was certain.

As they were talking, Ai Yue had already led Ying and her group into the hall. He introduced the equipment for the physical examination next to them, and the team members lined up on their own. Ying took off the armor drive from her waist and handed it to Ai Yue: "Doctor Ai Yue, could you please check this for me again?"

"No problem, let's collect the data and do some analysis while we're at it,"

Ai Yue took the driver. "Any new requirements?"

"I'm already very satisfied."

Sakura shook her head, then hesitated for a moment before saying, "But, is it possible to make it even lighter?"

"The armor designed for you is already extremely lightweight; any lighter and its defensive performance would be compromised."

As Ai Yue spoke, he suddenly revealed a meaningful smile, "Unless, you are willing to accept another solution?"

"Wh-what?"

Sakura cautiously took a half-step back, because she saw the shadow of Mobius in Ai Yue's expression at that moment.

"Don't be afraid, it's not a good thing."

Ai Yue smiled and showed her a video, "You should have seen it before, it's Mobius's 'Mutated Weapon'."

Even when Sakura woke up on the operating table, she still felt that something was strange.

Wasn't I just here for a physical exam and some armor maintenance? Why am I suddenly on someone else's operating table?

"You're awake? The surgery was a success."

Ai Yue, who had just taken off his gloves, said, "However, I need to remind you that your surgery has a minor side effect."

"Aftereffects?"

Sakura's first reaction was to reach up and touch her head, as if afraid of getting another pair of ears or horns. "What kind of aftereffects?"

"The power of the Mutated Weapon has had a certain impact on your physique."

Ai Yue said casually, "You shouldn't be allergic to cat hair anymore."

Sakura looked at Ai Yue with some surprise, then smiled slightly.

So that's why.

55

Chapter Fifty-Five: Happiness Came a Little Suddenly.

Ai Yue didn't design any fancy abilities or powerful weapons for Sakura's Mutated Weapon, because for a swordsman who pursues the ultimate, having his own weapon is enough.

In fact, judging from the data recovered from the armor drive, Sakura really doesn't use any other functions.

Therefore, Sakura's Mutated Weapon form looks less like armor and more like a bodysuit covering her entire body. Her face is covered by a mirrored, curved mask with a demon face pattern outlined in blue lines. The lines themselves flow with blue fluorescence, giving it a somewhat sci-fi feel.

Behind her head, her long pink hair, not covered by armor, fluttered, paired with a tight-fitting outfit that accentuated her curves, giving her an alluring and seductive look.

But only a few people know what kind of terrifying power is hidden within this body.

Ai Yue abandoned the development of the Honkai Beast genes fused with Sakura, giving up the "Honkai Beast form" she might have originally possessed, and instead focused on extreme physical enhancement.

On the surface, it appears to be nothing more than a bodysuit, but in reality, Sakura's inner self has completely transcended the realm of "human" and become an existence akin to a humanoid Honkai Beast.

Her body possesses defensive capabilities surpassing those of armored systems, yet it is almost weightless. Despite having a high-density body capable of unleashing terrifying power, Sakura's body is actually lighter than in her human form. Even when exposed outside of protection, her seemingly weak point—the back of her head—is well-protected. Her seemingly soft and fragile long hair is merely a disguise; if anyone actually thinks it's a weakness, they're in big trouble.

Most importantly, in this state, Sakura's control over her body reaches its peak, and she can even do things that are like "teleportation".

"This is... really... a strange... feeling."

Sakura's figure kept flashing in the operating room. In the short time it took to say a sentence, she changed positions four times, giving Ai Yue the illusion that "four people were talking in succession".

Although Sakura's face was currently covered by a mask, Ai Yue could still imagine the slight upturn of her lips from her excited tone and actions.

This performance appears to be an awakened teleportation ability based on spatial manipulation, but it is actually just an illusion caused by high-speed movement. The fact that Sakura can exert the power of this body to this extent is enough to prove that her honed skills played a crucial role.

If one does not have a sufficient understanding of their own power, even if they possess great strength, it will be difficult to unleash its full potential.

Take Mobius for example. On paper, her current combat strength is enough to rank her among the top five Fused Warriors. But if they were to actually fight, I'm afraid even the first batch of Fused Warrior wouldn't lose to her.

As Sakura became more familiar with her current state, her understanding of her own power deepened. At first, her movements were still traceable, and Ai Yue could judge her trajectory from the disturbed airflow in the room. But gradually, the airflow became calmer, but Sakura's flashing speed became faster and faster.

In the end, Ai Yue could no longer sense Sakura's movements by observing the airflow, and Sakura's speed was now fast enough to maintain multiple figures simultaneously.

A moment later, Sakura's many figures finally merged into one, ceasing her attempts to test her abilities. She deactivated her Mutated Weapon, her face turning slightly pale.

"Are you alright?"

Ai Yue stepped forward and helped the other person up. "This power is indeed strong, but the consumption is equally terrifying. You should pay attention to your own condition when using it. If you overdraw your power, it will cause uncontrollable consequences."

"I understand, and I will use this power carefully."

Sakura nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude as she looked at Ai Yue. "Thank you, Ai Yue, you've helped me so much..."

"That's enough with the polite words."

Ai Yue waved his hand, not letting Ying say any more, "Since everyone is working towards the same goal, then naturally the stronger you are, the better. There's no question of helping or not helping each other."

As he spoke, he handed the repaired armored driver to Sakura: "Keep this too. Don't use the Mutated Weapon casually. It's better to use this normally."

"I see."

Sakura accepted the driver and, without further ado, smiled at Ai Yue, "Then, I'll go chat with Pardo."

"Go."

Ai Yue revealed a mischievous expression, "She kept talking about forming some kind of 'beast ear duo' with you."

Sakura paused for a moment, then gave a wry smile, "I don't think that's necessary..."

Unlike Pardofelis, she didn't like her cat ears at all; in fact, she was the complete opposite and naturally resisted such strange things.

"That depends on how you talk to her,"

Ai Yue waved his hand, looking like he was watching a show, and said, "Good luck to you."

Sakura sighed, turned and left the room, beginning to consider whether to call her younger sister for help.

Meanwhile, Ai Yue went to another laboratory to begin analyzing the blood samples collected from Ying.

The final result did not disappoint Ai Yue. An unknown component was also detected in Ying's blood. After preliminary testing, although its properties and the unknown component in Kevin's Kevin differed slightly in various data values, their essence was the same.

This means that the unknown components in Kevin's body are not due to his own uniqueness, but rather a change that can occur in humans under certain specific conditions.