Is It or Isn't It?

I didn't get any rest last night because I went to the deep sea, so I should get a good night's sleep tonight. I also hope to have a dream, even if it's not a good one, because all dreams about oneself and the Mizuki never end well.

But he knew that those dreams were guiding him.

"Wow, this place is really nice, but with our skills, it'll probably take us several years to repair it."

"It's hard to say. Most of the facilities and equipment here are unusable, and the maintenance system has long been paralyzed. Let's fix the automatic maintenance system first, then our work will be easier."

"What should we study first?"

"I want a Coke that I can drink underwater!"

The Sea Siren chattered noisily as they busied themselves repairing the facilities before them. The long years had eroded this ancient Old Civilization ruin considerably, and even if the Sea Siren learned as quickly as they could, they couldn't possibly master the entire structure of the facility in a short time. Besides, some of the materials were simply beyond their current technological capabilities to manufacture.

"I say, how about we rob Aegir?"

Suddenly, one of the Sea Siren brought up something all the sisters had wanted to do for a long time. Even though they weren't as focused on Aegir as Seaborn were, the Sea Siren didn't have a good impression of that side.

Living by the sea, it's difficult to establish an industrial base. Since that's the case, it's better to just borrow some existing resources. Seaborn once occupied many cities in Aegir, and there are still many usable things in those city ruins, but there are still many things that are lacking.

Izumik's orders were to accumulate strength and develop, so it's only natural to first build up one's own resources, right?

The Sea Siren thought this, their eyes all fixed on Aegir's direction. In fact, Aegir had never been a threat to them. He had inherited a little bit of the Doctor's intelligence, and with three million brains put together, he could do anything.

Since Aegir acted inhumanely first, then they shouldn't blame them for collecting some interest.

As for Miss Doctor, she was unaware that her daughters—well, her biological daughters, who were about a third of her own—were currently planning to fleece the Aegir. She was simply alone in her room, lost in thought, without even turning on the lights.

The darkness helped her concentrate. Like Mizuki, she liked to tap her fingers on the table when she was thinking, pondering whether her hypothesis was truly feasible.

"If you went to Columbia because of Friston's invitation and your first adaptation, and came to Iberia for the research institute's second adaptation evolution, then... why did you go to Ursus in between?"

Miss Doctor pondered. At first, she thought that Mizuki went to Ursus to find the Reunion, but later she refuted that idea herself.

The Reunion's events are indeed noteworthy, but they pale in comparison to the dangers facing the entire Terra. However, it wouldn't be right for Mizuki to want to go to the Icefield; in that case, she should go directly to Sami. Ursus is not a good place to go.

"The Reunion was just an incidental event, perhaps even a chance encounter. It's impossible that Mizuki only went through Ursus to get to the Ice Plains. He even foresaw that he would lose his memory. Perhaps it was because he was about to lose his memory that he was forced to go to Ursus to do something, otherwise he would forget... and miss the opportunity."

What could it be?

The Doctor couldn't figure it out for a moment, but her train of thought couldn't go any further, so she turned on the light and prepared to change her clothes and go to sleep.

As the lights came on, the pretty face in the mirror was particularly captivating, with a hint of doubt on her face. The Doctor lady stared at herself in the mirror, and the reflection in the mirror stared back at her.

A fleeting inspiration successfully stimulated the Doctor's thinking. She suddenly looked up and instantly understood why Mizuki had gone to Ursus.

"As expected, it's for the Doctor..."

Inside the energy supply center in Chernobog, Mr. K, wearing a mask, looked at the control panel in front of him and finally understood why Mizuki chose to go to Ursus after leaving Columbia instead of going directly to Iberia.

He made a brilliant move, coming directly here to set a timer and cure the sleeping Doctor. That's why the Doctor woke up a few days earlier than Mr. K remembered, and was full of energy as soon as he woke up, requiring no treatment at all, as Mizuki had already cured him.

More than a year of hibernation shouldn't have weakened the Doctor's body too much; Mizuki may have even infused her with a lot of vitality.

If he could harden his heart and break in before the Reunion took over, no... the success rate is zero. The guards of the energy supply center can't be forcibly broken through by him alone, and it's also highly unlikely that he can infiltrate. She can't disguise herself as someone from here.

If it weren't for the scheduled awakening, Doctor wouldn't have recovered prematurely. In that case, Mr. K would have found and killed her before Rhodes Island. He wasn't sure if this would prevent this timeline from being destroyed, but at least it would keep Him from discovering this side.

Now He has accomplished nothing. He failed to eliminate him before the link between Mizuki and the Sea of Life was established, and He failed to remove Miss Doctor before she woke up. Just like before, He accomplished nothing.

He arrived too late, his abilities were limited, he was all alone... and the despair and responsibility that almost crushed him.

In a rare moment, Mr. K took off his mask, revealing his ferocious face. Only a mask separated him from him.

She stood there, recalling how she had held the Doctor's hand and called for him to wake up; recalling the smell of disinfectant in Rhodes Island's Medical Department; recalling her homeland, Aegir, deep beneath the sea.

At this moment, they briefly rediscovered themselves after a long absence.

Chapter 174 Is it or isn't?

Rhodes Island, the place the Doctor knew best, now felt strange to her. Compared to the bustling Rhodes Island she remembered, it was now deserted and abandoned.

The dim light barely illuminated the deserted corridor, flickering intermittently as if there was something wrong with the electrical circuit.

The Doctor woman reached out and touched the cold wall; it felt surprisingly real, not like a dream.

"Such a lucid dream, no, it shouldn't be a dream."

It was definitely not a dream; at least, there's no such lucid dream in this world. Miss Doctor couldn't help but look around and suddenly spotted a familiar figure—it was Mizuki.

Seeing Mizuki here instantly dispelled the unease in the Doctor lady's heart. As Mizuki walked towards her, she even opened her arms to give her a hug.

But Mizuki completely ignored her, walked past the Doctor, and turned off the light.

"It's so deserted..."

Watching Mizuki leave like that, leaving only these words behind, the Doctor realized that he might not be able to see her.

I pinched it casually; it didn't hurt. But it shouldn't just be a dream; could it be Mizuki's memory? But when did he ever come to such a desolate Rhodes Island?

Thinking of this, the Doctor followed Mizuki outside, wondering if Mizuki could not see her, and whether this was a consciousness world constructed from Mizuki's memories.

However, once she stepped off Rhodes Island and onto the deck, the Doctor was stunned.

Two enormous crystal clusters rose from the earth, piercing through the thick clouds and reaching the sky, like a pair of powerful claws grasping the bright Twin Moons in the sky.

Even from an immense distance, the Doctor could clearly see the two crystal clusters formed by Originium. She couldn't even estimate how big the two crystal clusters were, but their diameter was at least ten kilometers or more.

"What exactly is going on?"

"It's Priestess, she's awake."

Mizuki turned around to look at the Doctor, and only then did the Doctor realize that something was wrong. It was a matter of perspective; her line of sight was level with Mizuki's, yet she was clearly a head taller than Mizuki!

Did she get shorter, or did Mizuki grow taller?

Thinking this, Miss Doctor looked at her hands, the Deep Blue finger cots and her fair skin, and the familiar clothes. It wasn't that she had become shorter or that Mizuki had grown taller, but rather that she had become Mizuki?!

Upon becoming aware of her own existence, the Doctor suddenly realized that she had lost control of this body and could only raise her eyes to look at the other person at eye level.

Should I call you Izumik?

As expected, the dream was destroyed once again. As Mizuki looked at the enormous pillars formed by the two clusters of Originium crystals, the word "Babel" subconsciously came to mind.

"You've indeed grasped the essence of these dreams quite well."

"After all, these dreams have been appearing more frequently since I established a link with the Sea of Life."

Mizuki walked to the side of his other self. To distinguish them, he called the other self Izumik, because the other was indeed the Sea of Life, or a part of the Sea of Izumik.

"This isn't a dream," Izumik, leaning against the deck railing. "It's my world, a world that has reached its end."

"This time it's Priestess?"

"Hmm, it seems your Doctor has regained quite a bit of his memories; he's even remembered Priestess."

"My Doctor is a bit frivolous," Mizuki said, scratching her face. She was a little hesitant to bring it up, remembering how the Doctor student spent all her time either discussing how to conquer Terra or engaging in various forms of workplace harassment.

Izumik clearly knew this too; perhaps his Doctor wasn't exactly serious either, so he looked at Mizuki with a teasing expression.

"Male Doctor or Doctor?"

"Doctor."

"Then they should be a little more mischievous; they're definitely a headache to deal with."

Mizuki and Izumik have a lot to say about the Doctor, but this dream itself won't last long.

"Are you going?"

"Yes, I need to buy time for the Doctor and the others. The Originium Tide has captured the Twin Moons, and Originium crystal clusters are scattered among the stars like spores, assimilating everything, living and dead."

Izumik reached out, but unlike Mizuki, he did not control the entire Sea of Life and was powerless to do anything in the face of the threat before him.

"You've seen this many times already, haven't you?"

"Hmm, so this is the purpose of the Sea of Life, to connect us."

"It's not just a simple connection," Izumik shook his head. "It's about making us become Him, or rather, becoming a part of you."

Izumik looked up. The gloomy sky reflected the Deep Blue sea, its waves surging like an overturned celestial river. The Sea of Life quietly awaited him.

"When I first connected with the Sea of Life and watched another version of myself head towards an irreversible end, I knew that sooner or later I would follow in his footsteps; that was my future."

Will I become a part of it too?

"No, you are the most special one among us." Izumik waved his hand. "You will become the sole consciousness of the Sea of Life, without a doubt, because we will not compete with you for it."

Mizuki and Izumik looked up at the sea reflected in the sky. The Originium Cluster clearly sensed the threat, but the Sea of Life had transcended the dimensional limitations of time and space. The inner universe and dimensions of the Originium could not interfere with the essence of the Sea of Life, at most affecting its projection in this world.

"Can't we let the Sea of Life clear away the Originium?"

"It's no use." Izumik shook his head. "This timeline is destined for destruction. Not only is the Originium Tide going berserk, but Sami Hollow and that door will also be impossible to close. Unless the Sea of Life completely purifies this world, this planet might become very prosperous, but... you will be targeted."

"Being targeted?"

"I cannot reveal His name. Once you know of His existence, He will know your location in turn; He has been searching for you all along."

Mizuki suddenly recalled the ripples that had suddenly appeared in the Sea of Life not long ago; perhaps that was some kind of omen.

"Beware of the northern door and the void. The laws of Information Disturbance and entanglement will cause it to instinctively gravitate towards your world, but don't worry, we will become your strength."

As the dream gradually faded, the Doctor shared the Mizuki's perspective, watching Izumik transform into the pure white Seaborn God. He turned to the Mizuki and gave her a sly smile.

Goodbye, and best of luck, Doctor.

Upon hearing the Doctor, Mizuki instinctively turned around, but saw no one. Only the Doctor seemed somewhat surprised that Izumik could see her, but Izumik's words... didn't seem to be directed at her.

Looking back, Izumik had already soared into the sky and plunged headlong into the Deep Blue Sea of Life.

Waves crashed, and rain began to fall from the sky. The pale blue raindrops sprinkled the earth, causing the constantly intertwined and regenerating Originium to stall like a rusty machine, before shattering.

Although it's impossible to completely eliminate the Originium, at least for a month, all the Originium on the entire Terra will be inactive. During this time, the people of Terra will still have a chance; it all depends on whether they can seize it.

However, Mizuki glanced at the empty Rhodes Island behind her. From now on, the Sea of Izumik had gained another part, but the pharmaceutical company had lost an employee forever.

The Doctor lady suddenly realized what this ocean, which did not exist in the real dimension, truly meant: it was the serene acceptance of destruction by countless parallel worlds' Mizuki in the water, all smiling in the face of it all.

After seeing the file date on the operator ID of Mizuki, Doctor, like Kal'tsit, thought she had traveled from the future to the past. But that was just the end of Mizuki's journey towards destruction, becoming part of the Sea of Izumik, paving the way for the present-day Mizuki.

"Doctor... Doctor..."

Mizuki couldn't help but clutch her chest, suddenly feeling a sharp pain in her head and heart. Even though she didn't need to breathe, she still felt suffocated, and several images kept flashing through her mind.

[Doctor, eat me, then live on.]

In a world also on the verge of destruction, they were the only two people in Mizuki desperately pleading and struggling to survive. He ate the food and converted it into simple nutrients for the Doctor, but the Doctor's transformation into Seaborn was irreversible.

So he... so he...

Who am I? Who am I...?

"Who am I? Who am I?"

Startled awake, the Doctor lady regained her senses in less than a few seconds. Without thinking, she threw off the covers and ran out of her room without even putting on her shoes.

Mizuki's room wasn't far from hers, so without thinking, she burst through the door and rushed in, only to find Mizuki curled up on the bed, hugging her knees.

"I am Mizuki... I am Mizuki..."

He seemed still immersed in that dream. The Doctor's keen eyes noticed that the tentacles around him were swaying constantly, as if trying to soothe him but not knowing how.

She stepped forward and gently hugged Mizuki, feeling his trembling as if he were afraid of something, no, more like simple sadness. Was he crying?

"What's going on in the middle of the night?"

Exusiai walked in rubbing her eyes, along with Texas and the others. Apart from Ho'olheyak, who probably wouldn't be able to get out of bed until tomorrow morning, all the girls on the second floor heard the Doctor slam the door open.

After seeing the Doctor holding the trembling Mizuki, the girls were momentarily stunned, feeling that the roles were reversed. Shouldn't Mizuki be the one holding the Doctor and comforting her?

Despite her thoughts, Exusiai the girl's girlfriend, acted swiftly, immediately embracing Mizuki along with the Doctor.

Although she didn't know why he was crying or what he was dreaming about, it was the only thing she could do. After all, Mizuki had once said not to disturb his dreams, whether they were good or bad.

Just as Exusiai and the Doctor embraced Mizuki, she suddenly felt the whole room brighten up, but it wasn't because of her halo, but rather from Mizuki, or more precisely, from the top of Mizuki's head.

"This is..."

When she saw what appeared on Mizuki's head, the Doctor felt that her worldview, which had been nearly shattered by that dream, was now completely beyond repair.

Meanwhile, in the city of Chernobog on the Kazdel Wasteland, Red, who was on patrol, suddenly saw a light coming from an alley.

"Who is it!"

The red blade was drawn, flames coiling around it, and Red charged forward without a second thought.

The opponent clearly hadn't expected things to go wrong at this moment. In his haste to parry the blow, his mask was knocked off, and the firelight illuminated his face for a fleeting moment, allowing Red to remember it.

"It's you!"