Chapter 245

Griseo: "Yes, I can't refuse a gift from Cosmo."

Staring intently at the gleaming gold card in her hand, Griseo didn't say anything explicitly, but her unwavering gaze betrayed her completely.

Her thoughts were simple, and she hadn't considered dangerous items or powerful forces.

I just thought the Honkai Beast engraved on the Concept Card were pretty cool.

Chapter 397 You must help me deceive Griseo

Children are always fascinated by gold flashcards, especially when they know that the person engraved on the card is someone they know.

Griseo is in this state of mind right now.

Griseo: "But Cosmo, you told me that lying is wrong, and you shouldn't lie."

After accepting the Concept Card, Griseo looked up and stared intently at Cosmo.

She's just naive, not stupid.

This amount of time was ample opportunity for the curious Little Griseo to understand the whole story.

Cosmo lied to her and even asked Sister Hua for help.

As soon as Little Griseo finished speaking, everyone stared at Cosmo in an instant, their scrutinizing gazes making him feel extremely uncomfortable.

Cosmo: "I think... you can understand me, right?"

Fu Hua: "I think you shouldn't be thinking about how to explain it to us, but rather how to explain it to Griseo."

Everyone turned their heads away, leaving Cosmo with only a look that said, "You made this mess of your own life, so you'd better deal with it."

As the content began to be revealed on the screen, the other members waited for what would happen next, leaving Cosmo standing there, stunned, feeling the innocent gaze from Griseo.

How can this be explained?

In the scene, Cosmo and Hua are in a corner of the Previous Era Elysian Realm, surrounded by a mess, with many monsters driven by the Herrscher of Corruption lying scattered about.

"Cosmo, did you succeed?"

Hua's voice, tinged with worry, pulled Cosmo back from his thoughts.

"At least I didn't feel anything else unusual."

Cosmo raised an arm.

Not long ago, after trying to exploit Vishnu's ability to devour anything and feeding on monsters controlled by the Herrscher of Corruption, symptoms of corruption appeared on Cosmo's arm.

However, there is no trace of the eroding virus at present.

"Indeed, it looks like it was a success."

Hua nodded.

Before this, there was no precedent for Flame-Chasers to recover after being corrupted, she asked Cosmo.

"So, using Vishnu's properties to devour the corrupted parts of oneself, is this method indeed feasible?"

"Well, it wasn't without its costs."

Cosmo nodded and said, "Although it's negligible, a part of me was still devoured, and if the Herrscher of Corruption were to carry out this process personally, it would probably only delay it."

Even though Vishnu can devour everything, he is still ultimately Memory Body, and he is far inferior to the power of the Herrscher of Corruption.

Now, Cosmo only dares to conduct experiments on the monsters she controls, and dares not come into contact with them.

"So, are we still stuck with the original plan?"

Hua lowered his head and said, "In order to keep her away from Elysia, we must..."

"The original plan?"

Before they could finish speaking, a childish voice interrupted their conversation. Cosmo looked down and saw Griseo staring at them with curiosity.

"Griseo?"

Cosmo looked puzzled.

Prior to this, Griseo had only communicated with Eden, showing indifference to the current situation and even struggling to understand what Herrscher was.

Even in the past, when Griseo was involved in similar incidents, she was merely a weapon and had no need to know the current situation.

Griseo's reaction now is unprecedented.

"That's just adult talk. Go back to drawing."

Cosmo patted Griseo's head, comforting her.

"Um."

Although Griseo was still very confused, she remained very obedient to Cosmo, the boy who was like an older brother to her, and even took the place of her father.

After Griseo left, Cosmo asked Hua, "Did the original plan you mentioned include Griseo?"

"Um."

Hua didn't explain, but simply nodded silently.

In the current situation, everything is so clear: their so-called plan is nothing more than blatantly risking their lives to buy time for Elysia.

Therefore, there is no need for explanation or any attempt to glorify the sacrifice.

"Then, please allow me to refuse."

Cosmo firmly refused, saying, "If it's merely to buy time for the Herrscher of Thunder, we have other methods."

"Other methods? But you said that if it's Herrscher of Corruption, you can only delay it."

Moreover, if the Herrscher of Corruption had realized that the process of corrupting the Cosmo was lengthy, she would have deleted it without hesitation.

In that case, even delaying the inevitable won't be possible.

"You misunderstood. Just now, I thought of a way."

Cosmo explained, "There's a way to have the best of both worlds, but it requires the use of the Eighth Divine Key, and it requires you to deceive someone for me."

"You mean the Herrscher of Corruption?"

Fu Hua shook her head; it was simply impossible.

The Eighth Divine Key of the Previous Era Elysian Realm is just a fragment, merely data. Against the Herrscher of Corruption, its power to alter consciousness is negligible.

"No, I hope you can use the Eighth Divine Key to deceive Griseo's senses."

"What?!"

Hua's eyes widened in disbelief upon hearing Cosmo's words, almost doubting whether he had imagined it.

Fu Hua: "Hey, Cosmo, you're making things difficult for me."

The Immortal Crimson Bird couldn't help but sigh. She understood that Cosmo wanted to defeat the Herrscher of Corruption and take Griseo's place, so she could buy as much time as possible.

But she really didn't want to use the Eighth Divine Key to deceive people, especially since she was deceiving such an innocent child as Griseo.

Pardofelis: "Amo, is this the method you were talking about?"

Cosmo: "This is the best way."

Cosmo felt guilty about deceiving Griseo, but he didn't think his judgment was wrong.

With his life alone, he could stop the Herrscher of Corruption for most of the time, and even appear a second time to replace Griseo's share.

No matter how you look at it, this is a win-win solution.

Sue: "By relying on Griseo's paintings, we can construct a completely new Cosmo that meets his own expectations. From the results, this is indeed the best solution."

Apponia: "How tragic, sacrifices are always necessary in this world."

Gray Serpent: "The sacrifice is glorious and great, and those who follow him are also worthy of his sacrifice. Such a sacrifice is worthwhile, isn't it?"

Apponia: "You're right, but I still grieve for those who sacrificed their lives and pray for their noble and pure souls."

At this moment, people who were originally in the same era, but now in two different eras, hit it off immediately.

Those who are the beneficiaries of the sacrifice have only one basic requirement for them: that the sacrifice is worthwhile for them.

Chapter 398 The Real Beneficiaries

Raiden Mei: "Am I the one being described as a sacrificed beneficiary?"

Mei pointed to her face and asked.

Whether it was Sakura, Su, or Cosmo, everything they did was for her safe evacuation and to buy her enough time.

Thinking this way, Raiden Mei felt a burden on her shoulders that was not something someone her age should bear.

Elysia: "No, Mei, this is our mission, the meaning of Flame-Chasers's existence."

Sue: "In the context of the Previous Era Elysian Realm, you are merely a visitor, a crucial asset in defeating the Herrscher of Corruption, so there is no need for self-blame. In the context of this calamity, there are no so-called beneficiaries."

With the arrival of the Herrscher of Corruption, Raiden Mei and the Flame-Chasers are now on the same side, sharing both glory and ruin.

If the Herrscher of Corruption cannot be defeated, Previous Era Elysian Realm will be controlled, and Raiden Mei will not be able to find peace.

If we were to look for a beneficiary, it would be those in the real world who were unaware of the defeat of the Herrscher of Corruption, or even the birth of the Twelfth Herrscher.

They are the real beneficiaries.

In the scene, Cosmo, unsurprised by Hua's astonishment, patiently explained to her the reasons for his request.

"As I just said, even with Vishnu's characteristics, as a Memory Body, I cannot delay the Herrscher of Corruption for too long."

Cosmo paused, then changed the subject.

"Unless the person standing before her is not Memory Body she is familiar with, then we can buy more time for the Herrscher of Thunder before she realizes it."

Time is the most precious thing these days.

This applies to both the Herrscher of Corruption and to them.

Every extra second means a greater chance of bringing Elysia back, and thus a greater chance of winning.

Once caught up by the Herrscher of Corruption, their meticulously prepared plans would be as fragile as bubbles in water, easily shattered.

"For that, I need to become a painting of Griseo!"

"A painting?"

Hua thought for a moment, "Then all I need to do is let Griseo get stained with your color, and that will... wait, you mean?!"

Hua looked up and met Cosmo's eyes; her surprised expression revealed her inner turmoil.

She guessed Cosmo's plan.

It is not drawn using Cosmo's colors, but rather using all of Cosmo's data.

In this way, we can draw a Cosmo that can fully unleash its Hypermutation Overload, yet still retains a heroic heart, rather than a Honkai Beast that has lost its mind.

After thinking for a long time, Hua said, "Cosmo, are you still unable to face yourself like that?"

Indeed, as a genuine human being, who would willingly accept their monstrous appearance?

"In your native tongue, this is my inner demon, and I don't have time to overcome it," Cosmo said earnestly, his tone resolute.

"Griseo would never agree to that."

Hua shook his head and refused.

"You know what this means—to relinquish your nature as Memory Body, or to become mere data, in this Previous Era Elysian Realm, is tantamount to death."

"That's tantamount to letting Griseo kill you with her own hands!"

"That's why I'm asking you," Cosmo said, shrugging.

The atmosphere froze.

Both Cosmo and Hua have their own opinions and stances on this matter.

Hua didn't want Griseo to kill Cosmo, but Cosmo also wished Griseo could stay out of it and that he could sacrifice himself in her place.

"In the Elysian Realm, any data-level action requires the assistance of a mentally aware Fusion Warrior, but neither Apponia nor Su can help us."

Otherwise, Cosmo wouldn't have been able to ask Hua, who was a kind-hearted person, for help.

The Eighth Divine Key is indispensable to completing this plan.