Kapitel 276: Chapter 276: Get the "Dark History" of Pardofelis~

"How does it feel, Miss Pardofelis?"

Klein asked in her calmest voice possible.

"Um...I think...I'm ok?"

She gently touched the extra ears on her head and then touched the slightly strange tail extending from the coccyx behind her, feeling the furry touch in her hands and the slightly numb feeling along her spine from the tail. After a while, Pardofelis said this with a slightly uncertain feeling.

"It's just that I have a few extra parts on my body, so I'm still a little uncomfortable with it... So, is this a success or a failure? It should be a success, right?"

"Of course, Pardo."

Mei, who was reading the physical report about Pardofelis, said without raising her head.

"After all, your adaptability is surprisingly high... Do you feel any obvious discomfort in your body at the moment? Or do you feel like there's a voice talking in your head?"

"Discomfort? That's not the case, it's just that the tail is sensitive... But sound? Is there someone supposed to be talking in my head?"

"…Pardofelis, I think you'd better look through the combat manual of 'Fire Moth' again and read the part about 'Kaiji' carefully."

Mei paused for a moment, then raised her head and spoke seriously with a hint of severity in her tone.

"Uh...I'm sorry."

Pardofelis shrank her neck and apologized bluntly. She did not remember the contents of the battle manual well, especially the part about "Kaiji" This was a major mistake for her who wanted to join the team.

"I saw it before, but I don't remember it... Oh, it seems that if you stay at the seaside for a long time, you will hear the temptation from Honkai and feel the call from the 'Kaiji.' This is especially true for fusion warriors. It seems to be caused by the 'song' at the beginning... But Professor Mei, haven't you solved this problem?"

Although the price was to invite the "Herrscher" and have Griseo, Eden, and others taken away... but no matter what, at least the problem was solved, right?

"Yes, it has been solved, but it has not been completely eliminated."

Mei handed the information back to Klein and took the initiative to explain.

"You should know what a fusion warrior is, Pardo... It is a fusion of humans and Honkai beasts at the genetic level. In a sense, this is pushing humans towards the [inhuman] side, more like an artificial Honkai creature... To be honest, you can think of a fusion warrior as a kind of Honkai creature with a human form and human consciousness."

"...so?"

"In other words, there is no difference between Fusion Warriors and Kaiji; they are just special Honkai creatures... Of course, this statement is too unorthodox, but at a superficial level, it can indeed be understood this way."

Mei lowered her head and sorted out her documents.

"Under these conditions, some people see Fusion Warriors as monsters, hostile beings, or even Honkai creatures that deliberately hide among the crowd... This view is not uncommon."

"Ah? But... Dr. Mei, aren't fusion warriors considered heroes now? Even those... uh... failed brothers and sisters, aren't they respected by people? I even saw someone sending them flowers and snacks before."

Pardofelis said this in a very strange way.

Nowadays, everyone is very friendly to fusion warriors and even has a bit of admiration... Many people regard those who become fusion warriors as a glorious "sacrifice." After all, they undergo surgery and give up their "human body" to become "non-human" in order to protect humanity. This alone is worthy of admiration from most people.

Not to mention that the compensation for "Fire Moth" was also very adequate, and there was no shortage of related publicity and condolences... Because of this, even though "Fire Moth" had fallen into an unfavorable position in public opinion due to various events in the past, people's reputation for fusion warriors has not changed much.

Especially after discovering that the organization that wanted to divide the power of the "Fire Moths" was established by the "Kaiji" hidden in the crowd and that the "Kaiji" was trying to disintegrate the human defense from within... people not only deepened their trust in the "Fire Moths," but also their recognition of the fusion warriors went to a higher level.

So Pardofelis really didn't understand why Mei had such a... pessimistic and even somewhat negative attitude.

"It's just because the publicity of 'Fire Moth' is good enough... Especially because 'Fire Moth' is doing selective publicity."

Klein on the side took over the conversation.

"In fact, except for the people in the 'Fire Moth,' other ordinary people don't know that when the fusion warriors fight on the seashore, they are under much more pressure than ordinary warriors... It's not physical pressure, but mental pressure."

she took a sip of the milk tea in her hand to replenish her sugar intake and cheer herself up.

"It should be because they have the genes of Honkai Beast in their bodies. In addition, in a sense, the fusion warriors and the 'Kaiji' are both special types of Honkai creatures, so there will be a special induction between the two... Because of this, when fighting with the 'Kaiji,' the fusion warriors will feel the call from the 'Kaiji.'"

"And this phenomenon has a very serious impact on the mental aspect. Staying on the beach for a long time is a great...torture for the spirit of the fusion warriors."

"...Huh? It can't even be considered a test?"

This time Pardofelis was really shocked... Did it actually skip the adjective "test" and go straight to "torture"?

This is too horrible!

"Well, fundamentally, this is also a kind of Honkai erosion. For example, those who were infected with Honkai disease in the past had to go through similar things. It's not just the physical erosion; the mental torture is the most terrifying."

Mei nodded and explained.

"Once a person gives up the desire to live, and chooses to sink into the pain of the body, and thinks that [perhaps death is not bad, at least it won't be so painful]… then the erosion of the Honkai Disease will instantly intensify, and the symptoms that could have been delayed will instantly become hopeless… However, the greater probability is that they will die directly."

"Ah...ah? Is it that scary?"

"Well, that kind of thing will not happen anymore. After all, Nozomi has already solved this problem..."

"oh..."

Hearing the name from Mei's mouth, Pardofelis was slightly dazed and then responded with a little disappointment.

...The person who brought her here and gave her a relatively comfortable life is long gone.

And now, she has taken the initiative to abandon that comfortable life... and move towards a more dangerous daily life.

But...she doesn't regret it.

She just didn't want what happened before to happen again...she just wanted to have some...power to change something.

If that were the case, could Griseo have been saved at the beginning?

At least... she can take her to a safe place, right?

Maybe Blanka can be saved too... After all, she is a fusion warrior~

"And now, you, all of you, or all of the fusion warriors are facing this problem again... You don't have to worry about the physical erosion, but the Honkai seems to have noticed this, so it has aggravated the impact on the mental aspect."

"So...if we can't bear it, we will become hopeless in a short period of time, just like the patients before?"

"That's about it."

Mei pushed up her glasses and nodded in response.

"And there's a high chance that you'll go crazy right there and turn into a monster that only knows how to destroy everything around you, just like those Honkai beasts."

"Or you could become a member of the Kaiji and attack humans together with them... But I think the Kaiji would most likely eat your body first, and then use your skin to disgust us."

"Dr. Mei...don't say that. It scares me."

Pardofelis's body trembled slightly, and her tail, which had been swaying constantly due to anxiety, suddenly straightened and stiffened for a moment, and then drooped softly along with the ears on her head, revealing Pardofelis' lost and nervous mood.

"I'm just showing you a possibility."

Mei said this very calmly, her tone was calm, like a machine without emotions.

"So do you understand? Pardo, if someone regards the fusion warriors as monsters, it is normal and even reasonable... Because in this case, those ordinary warriors are fighting side by side with a guy who may become an enemy and a monster at any time."

"A teammate who could betray you at any time would cause a lot of trouble on the battlefield... You should understand that, Pardo."

"But none of this happened, did it?"

Pardofelis was silent for a while before she spoke softly in response to Mei's words.

"It is precisely because every fusion warrior is under tremendous pressure during combat, and because no fusion warrior has ever [rebelled] on the battlefield, that is why fusion warriors are respected and admired by everyone, right, Dr. Mei?"

"[Protect humanity, fight against Honkai, fight against 'Kaiji'], this is the purpose of 'Fire Moth,' and haven't the Fusion Warriors always been practicing it?"

"And now, I have become a part of the Fusion Warriors. Although I am a newcomer, I will do it, just like every Fusion Warrior before me."

"...Dr. Mei, I...want to try to become a qualified fusion warrior like everyone else."

"A... qualified... [hero]..."

"… Ugh… It's so embarrassing to say this!!!"

At first, Pardofelis didn't feel anything, but at the end, she noticed that the way Mei and Klein looked at her became more gentle and doting as if they were looking at a cute child, and Pardofelis's voice gradually slowed down and became softer.

Although she said the last part according to her thoughts, she couldn't bear their gentle eyes which were full of relief and doting. She raised her hands to cover the two new ears on her head and covered her ears on both sides with her forearms. She bent her tail behind her, curled up her body, buried her head directly in her knees, and curled up into a ball, looking strangely cute.

"…I'm glad you thought so, Pardo."

Mei's tone became a little gentler.

"And, I sincerely hope that you can stick to this idea... I believe that you can become a hero... definitely."

"Wow... Dr. Mei, please stop talking. It sounds embarrassing!"

"Haha...Okay, then...tell me a little bit about your future plans."

Mei first looked at Klein, and when she nodded, indicating that all the relevant data had been collected, she took out her terminal and looked through the report.

"Considering your physical data and focus... you should first follow Irine's team to adapt. You should be able to keep up with her in terms of speed. After you are familiar with your own strength, you must try to learn some knowledge about team command. Do you understand? After all, as a fusion warrior, you will eventually need to lead a team."

"Ah... I feel like I can't command others..."

"Hehe... As a 'hero', I wouldn't say such discouraging words~"

"Dr. Mei, please stop talking!!! Let's learn! Let's work hard!"

Pardofelis was so upset that she shouted… It's over! Will this sentence become a dark history?!

"Haha...Okay, Pardo, you don't have to be too scared. After all, all this will happen only after you are familiar with your own strength and have been trained on the front line for a period of time... During this time, you will grow. Believe me, and believe in yourself, Pardo."

Mei smiled and whispered comfortingly.

"This is the inevitable path you have to take... If you want to achieve something, you have to take on that responsibility. For example, if you want to become a hero, you have to take on the responsibilities that belong to a hero and carry the lives of others, and even the survival of mankind, on your shoulders... That is a very, very difficult thing."

"Dr. Mei, please stop talking. I'm under so much pressure... I can't get over this hurdle, right?! Please stop talking, Dr. Mei!"

"Ha... Okay, I won't say anymore... It just so happens that I have something else to do later, so I won't continue nagging you guys."

Mei checked the time and spoke instead.

"Go to the special training room and practice. Find your [Seniors] and see if you can figure out a way of fighting that's yours. Then go to the engineering department to ask for weapons. If that doesn't work, ask Vill-V to customize one for you. I think she'll be willing to do that... Oh, by the way, Elysia has a party tonight and invites you to it. It's a welcome party for your new companion. Don't forget it."

"Oh, okay, I'll remember that."

Pardofelis nodded repeatedly to show that she remembered it.

"Then...see you later."

Mei didn't say anything more, just nodded and left quickly.

…

......

Kevin: Mei, what's going on?

Mei: The operation was successful. "Fire Moth" now has a new fusion warrior. Judging from the data, she is very fast, only slightly inferior to Irine, but more flexible than Irine. If she performs well, she will also be a great combat force.

Mei: This should further ease the pressure on the defense line, and... if the fusion warrior is superior in speed and can do it, we can try to enter Mu Continent to kill the Herrscher.

Mei: The "evolution" speed of the "Kaiji" is now significantly accelerating. The "Kaiji" that have appeared before and are cruising in the sky have made the high altitudes no longer safe... We must get rid of them before they continue to "evolve."

Kevin: No, I mean...how are you?

Kevin: Are you feeling well? Remember to get more rest.

Mei: Me? I'm fine, it's okay, and we still have a lot to do, we can't rest now.

Mei: If you are really worried, why don't you come and verify it yourself next time you have a break?

Kevin: ...Okay.

"Ha..."

Seeing the brief and straightforward reply from her lover on the terminal, Mei couldn't help but smile. The happiness and joy on her face would probably make many people drop their jaws.

After all, this kind of emotion is too rare to see in Mei.

But soon, she retracted her smile, paused slightly, and fell into a brief "thought."

Then, she called up a new communication again and sent some data and files to Vill-V.

After doing all this, Mei frowned and stayed there for a while, as if she had gone over her thoughts again in her mind, and then she took another step and walked quickly towards her laboratory.

"...Oh?"

On the other side, Vill-V, who was staying in her workshop, raised her eyebrows and looked at the message sent by Mei.

"'Pardofelis's physical data report'? Oh, you want me to help her prepare a report, right? That's easy, let me take a look... hm?"

Vill-V immediately understood what Mei meant, casually clicked on the report, and began to read the data inside... but in the middle of the reading, Vill-V frowned in confusion.

Although the data in this report was correct, the overall look was very strange. Some places were not aligned, and there were even a few places where space was deliberately left blank, making the entire report look not "beautiful" at all. This was a "mistake" that should not exist for a person like Mei.

Moreover, the comments and speculations at the end, the part about Mei, are somewhat strange... Although she didn't find any problems after a cursory reading, and even if she carefully reviewed the sentences, she didn't find any grammatical errors...

But Vill-V just had a strange feeling, as if... there was another meaning hidden in it.

It seems that this report contains a piece of "encrypted text."

"...Interesting, Dr. Mei, have you discovered anything new? To the point where you have to use this encrypted method to transmit messages?"

Vill-V subconsciously became alert and began to try to translate the secret code.

"...Ah?"

However, after the translation, Vill-V was surprised, even stunned... To be honest, after receiving the "last memory" through the "Originium," it was difficult for anything to surprise her.

But the current news still surprised her a little...

"Haaa… [Brother] ah [Brother], you really don't want us to live…"

Vill-V was slightly amused and whispered to herself with some bitterness.

"In this case, wouldn't people's chances of winning be zero?"

"...Oh no, it was already zero the moment you decided to do this."

"Then why do you still do this? If you are discovered in advance, won't you be doomed?"

"Or...ah...I see."

Vill-V suddenly thought of something, and the corners of her mouth slightly raised with a hint of excitement.

"It will only be revealed when the curtain falls, right?"

"In that case, the only problem left is... Elysia?"

"No, no, no... In the end, Elysia shouldn't be a problem. After all, if that were the case, Elysia probably wouldn't be able to do it..."

"Oh my... You really are getting worse and worse, Brother."

"But... this is not bad~"

"......"

"And then..."

Vill-V was silent for a while, and then she lay down on her desk, pushed away the pile of parts on her desk, pressed her upper body onto the desk, buried her head, and used the small space supported by the softness of her chest to breathe, and spoke in a muffled voice.

"When will you come to pick me up..."

"My parents are getting less and less mentally fit... I want them to relax a little..."

"If this continues, I will have to open the business myself..."

Vill-V muttered with a hint of complaint.

"Really? They took that old woman Mobius away, and then they took Eden away, and even took Griseo away… The only ones you're familiar with are Sakura, Aponia, and Irine who are half of you…"

"Wow... I won't be the last one, right? That would be too bad!"

"I was the first one here! I remember my brother was also the first one here!"

"Damn it! Why on earth did it turn out like this!?"

Vill-V waved her fists in the air in the workshop where she was alone, wantonly venting her emotions... No one knew anyway, so she might as well be casual.

This resentment is just growing stronger and stronger... After a while, I'm afraid that people outside will be able to sense it~