Friendship is Magic

The door creaked open a sliver. To a Fusion Warrior's ears, even the gentlest breeze and rain sounded like thunder, but Sakura, lost in her emotional breakdown, didn't hear it.

Elysia saw Sakura crying through the gap in the door, her own expression turning sorrowful. Unlike her usual carefree demeanor, Elysia gently opened the door and sat beside Sakura. She softly embraced Sakura's slender form, waiting for her emotions to settle.

"Elysia..." Sakura sobbed, unable to speak clearly.

She cried and stammered, but an inexplicable determination resonated in her voice: "I'm going to kill her..."

Elysia didn't quite understand. She gently stroked Sakura's long hair.

"What are you talking about?"

"I said," Sakura looked up, tears welling in her eyes, her body trembling intermittently. She met Elysia's pink gaze directly, "I'm going to kill Ling."

Elysia froze for a moment, then held Sakura tighter with a pained expression.

"I thought..." she suddenly stopped, hesitating for a moment. Then, with a long sigh, she released her embrace. "We don't even know what your sister will become... Don't make that decision now, okay?"

Elysia gazed intently at Sakura's face. She knew when her carefree nature could bring joy.

"Have you ever considered this: defeating the Twelfth Law-Ruler seemed almost too easy."

Sakura remained silent. Elysia continued, "The Twelfth Law-Ruler's abilities were more dangerous than any previous Law-Ruler, yet we killed her without paying a significant price."

"There must be secrets we don't know yet." Elysia whispered into Sakura's ear, "Mobius told me that Dr. Mei seems to have made a deal with certain individuals, which is why we won so easily this time."

"Perhaps they provided Dr. Mei with intelligence. If we find them, we can learn what kind of existence your sister will truly become."

"Why not just ask Dr. Mei directly?"

"Mobius asked. She refused to say, and Kevin remained tight-lipped."

"Why would Dr. Mobius tell you this?" Sakura found it hard to imagine Mobius, engrossed in her experiments, actively seeking outside contact.

"She was very interested in the Kyshtym Town nuclear explosion but could find almost no clues. Dr. Mei also seemed to be helping them cover up their tracks. Even though Mobius was reluctant to share this information with me, given my investigative skills, she had no choice but to entrust me with finding them." Elysia smiled slyly.

"Sakura, if you need help, go find Gray Serpent and Eden. Eden doesn't know what's happening yet; you need to tell her everything. Gray Serpent will provide you with intelligence support. I'm sure you're familiar with him, but you absolutely cannot tell him about this. You can say Mobius sent you."

Sakura nodded wordlessly. Elysia stood up and walked towards the door.

"We need to get moving, Sakura. We don't have time to waste on sadness."

"You are not destroying my organization without restraint as you usually do. Instead, you took the trouble to bypass the security system and came before me without drawing your sword. I have no intention of speculating on your thoughts, but please tell me the reason." Gray Serpent spoke with his back to Sakura, who was shrouded in darkness.

Sakura spoke directly, "I need your help, and the help of your organization."

Gray Serpent showed a hint of surprise, turned around, and bowed to Sakura, showing his respect. "Since you require my assistance, I am deeply honored."

"I need you to investigate an organization, and Dr. Mobius is also very interested in them." Sakura emphasized Mobius's name. Although Gray Serpent was respectful towards Sakura, he wouldn't prioritize her request without a clear motive.

Gray Serpent was considered a failed creation by Mobius, and having developed free will, he was eager to gain his creator's approval. If Gray Serpent could earn Mobius's admiration, he would seize the opportunity without hesitation.

"Please provide me with more details."

"I know the Kyshtym Town nuclear explosion was their doing. It's highly likely they provided Dr. Mei with crucial assistance during the confrontation with the Eleventh Law-Ruler. Dr. Mei and Kevin are well aware of this but are unwilling to reveal the inside story. Dr. Mobius has been monitoring them since the Kyshtym Town nuclear explosion but has found no leads."

"I understand, Miss Sakura. Thank you for the information. From my limited understanding, the reason the Honored Master is interested in them might not be solely due to the Kyshtym Town nuclear explosion, but rather because they aided Dr. Mei in confronting the Eleventh Law-Ruler." Gray Serpent, upon hearing some information and combining it with the current situation, grasped the key point.

Gray Serpent vividly explained to Sakura, "You know that every outbreak of Honkai comes at a heavy price for humanity, but the eleventh Honkai was different. I think even the most foolish person would wonder: why were the Eleventh Law-Ruler's abilities so special and so deadly, yet we seemed to suffer no significant losses?"

"That's true," Sakura nodded.

"I can further speculate that the Honored Master began to suspect something before the Eleventh Law-Ruler appeared, but this is merely speculation."

"You can begin your investigation now. Eden will also provide you with financial and personnel support."

"Oh?" Gray Serpent's red eyes flickered with surprise. The target of investigation had attracted so much attention; he seemed to have piqued his interest as well.

"So, you have already convinced Miss Eden?"

"I am on my way to do so."

"Eden." Sakura dialed Eden's private terminal. The call was answered quickly, and Eden responded with the most melodious voice in the world, "What is it, Sakura?"

"..." Sakura remained silent for two seconds. She could readily share anything that didn't require concealment with Gray Serpent, but Eden was her friend.

This meant Sakura had to tell her everything. After a moment of silence, Sakura said, "Do you remember that dress you recommended to me last time? I think it suits me very well. I was wondering what kind of shoes would complement it?"

"Oh my..." Eden's voice held an indescribable chuckle. "It seems our Sakura is finally moving beyond her obsession with practical clothing."

"So..." Sakura said "naturally," "Can I come over to your place?"

Eden replied with great delight, "Of course!"

The homes of the wealthy are not always ostentatious. Truly captivating architecture leaves a lasting impression, rather than merely an impression of gaudy uniformity. This is because, in the hearts of many, opulence is the standard for the rich – which inevitably leads to a different kind of ordinariness.

Eden also had her own room in The Base. She generally did not stay there during peacetime, preferring her own home, which was a reasonable distance from The Base, but not too far.

"Good afternoon, Miss Sakura." A butler, as elegant and refined as one from a movie, with a salt-and-pepper beard, greeted Sakura.

"The Master is waiting for you."

The butler pushed open a golden, yet not overly gleaming, door, emitting a deep, resonant sound. It seemed to exude an air of antiquity and grandeur. The elderly butler then gestured for her to enter, and Sakura politely nodded before walking in.

Beyond the door lay a corridor of moderate length, adorned with a rectangular carpet featuring intricate patterns. Stepping onto the soft carpet, she entered the main hall. The floor was made of marble, with a regular pattern of adjacent black and white squares. In the center of this pattern was a large black circle, and at its heart was a dark symbol representing "Eden."

The wall on the left featured an extinguished fireplace. Near the fireplace, a patterned rug was set with a low log table and two matching sofas. A vase sat on the tabletop. To the right stood a semicircular wooden spiral staircase, its handrail carved with openwork patterns. A three-tiered golden chandelier hung at the center of the staircase's rotation. Elysia waited at the entrance of the stairs for Sakura's arrival.

Elysia smiled, her golden eyes filled with joy. She opened her arms and warmly embraced Sakura, "You're finally here, Sakura. I'm so happy to hear you decided to wear the dress I designed."

"This... I..." Sakura disliked frivolous things like formal dresses, but she couldn't bear to dampen Elysia's excitement.

Elysia nodded at the elderly butler, who understood and left the room.

"Come to my room, I still have that dress I designed for you."

When Sakura looked at herself in the fitting mirror, her expression immediately became a little unnatural. The purple backless dress had stripped away all her killing aura, transforming the assassin into a delicate, vibrant violet.

"I..." Sakura pinched the hem of the dress. The excellent material made the clothes not only look good but also feel comfortable on the wearer. However, Sakura couldn't find any psychological comfort.

She finally couldn't help but speak, "Elysia, actually... I have something I need to tell you."

"I know," Elysia winked playfully, "Elysia already told me. She just didn't tell me what it was."

"..."

Sakura, now back in her normal combat attire, looked serious but didn't know how to start. Sakura wasn't good at dealing with people; even with an intimate friend like Elysia, she didn't know how to find an entry point. After all, the entire matter was too shocking.

Unable to speak for a long time, Sakura's face was troubled. She started to utter half a word, then swallowed it back. Elysia then took her hand, "You can trust me."

"I just don't know how to say this," Sakura sighed sadly, deciding to reveal the most crucial part of the entire affair. "My sister will become the next Law-Ruler..."

Elysia's eyes widened.

"And I will kill her."