Debris flew everywhere, leaving not even a complete sentence behind.
A dark figure flashed to her side.
"Too quick with your hands? What was it trying to say?"
Mei's expression was calm. "It doesn't matter."
The scene warped, and reality returned.
The two stood where they had been.
"We're out."
Mei nodded. "Sever the contact, and the connection breaks. Probably a failsafe."
The audience, however, was deathly silent.
They recalled Bronya's earlier ordeal.
Then looked at this.
The contrast was too cruel.
Had it not been for her diminished emotions, that verbal barrage would have been enough to break Bronya.
After leaving the illusion.
Mei reviewed the details. "That Doll used the Herrscher of Reason's Authority."
Raven looked up. "I saw it too. Need me to investigate?"
"Yes."
Though they had already parted ways.
World Serpent appeared indifferent.
But Kevin and Raven knew in their hearts.
Exactly what answer she was seeking.
They moved on from that topic.
Mei continued digging deeper.
The focus was the Doll's attempt to coax her into unleashing the Herrscher of Thunder's power.
And its threat about stealing Authority.
"Can you bring the remains back?"
Raven agreed. "Easy enough. What are you planning?"
"I have a theory I need to test in person."
The view changed.
Theresa appeared.
Beside her was Fu Hua, who had just been recalled.
The two arrived at the birthplace of the first Herrscher of Domination-that school.
The first core was crucial.
Theresa had deliberately dressed as a student today.
She whispered to Fu Hua, "Infiltrate the university and investigate that professor. If you can follow the trail and catch the original or a stand-in, bring them back to Anti-Entropy."
Schicksal and World Serpent were competing for it too.
Someone might already have beaten them to the first core.
Even