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Chapter 278: Genuine
🕑 Added 2025-05-04 08:58:00 +0000 UTCThe surviving Flamechasers each had their focus.
Mobius focused on humanity’s potential to become higher. Su focused on looking for a world without honkai. Mei regressed through countless “parallel worlds” to discover Finality’s secrets.
The same went to Vill-V. It was just that her attention became displaced towards a single person—Aleph.
Their first encounter was nothing unusual. It was as normal as it could get.
“Partner?”
“Isn’t that the norm these days? You know, the action movie flicks.”
“Ah, yeah…”
That time, Vill-V did not take it to her heart. She, who was used to moving freely and alone, had reservations when she got forcefully recruited to Fire MOTH for the first time.
She did not have any good impressions of this organization, either.
In fact, the reason why she attempted to raid Fire MOTH was due to a misinformation. She intercepted chopped up communication links and managed to overhear a few words now and then. It was unfortunate she misinterpreted everything, attributing honkai as Fire MOTH’s doing.
Her time in the jail cell did not last long. She was taken out and sent to an uninhabited island. Fire MOTH left her with tools and a select number of ammunition to use.
Vill-V did not receive any orders at that time, thus she acted as she willed. She ended up turning that uninhabited island into a monkey battle royale.
That was the time Mobius was sent to pick her up. The latter appointed her as the assistant director of the second institute responsible for developing mechanical weaponry.
All that time, she did not have any initiative. She was forced to compromise. It broke her fantasy of using her skills to do something huge as freely as she could.
Her bad impression towards Fire MOTH slowly disappeared over the years, however. The initial treatment she got became better as she regained her ‘freedom’ in doing her projects.
Vill-V did not think much about those times back then.
“Are you alright?”
One.
Two.
Three.
“...Yeah.”
The memories of their cooperation against the fourth Herrscher came next. It was one of the most thrilling memories Vill-V had.
Out of all odds, Aleph was able to kill the fourth Herrscher as a human being. She, who supported in the backline, thought he would be compromised a dozen times. His concealed presence, which was later explained to be Sphere Boundary, allowed him to pull it off.
“Fu…”
She slumped on her chair as the lights from the monitor reflected on her retina.
“That’s so cool…”
That was the first time she appreciated their ‘cooperation’. What was brought by Mobius’ ‘forceful’ request turned out to be an enjoyable thing for Vill-V.
It further continued when he started participating in her research. He even paid for some private projects of hers out of his own pocket at some point.
Instead of a transaction, it was a genuine connection.
‘Friends.’ She shook her head. ‘It’s not that.’
Mobius can be considered a rival-slash-friend. Mei, the director who frequently slashed her funds, also qualifies as one. Kevin who acted as a guinea pig for her prototype weapons is also one.
Pushing aside the little ‘politics’ and ‘intricacies’ between Flamechasers, they could be considered friends.
However, it was different with Aleph. She did not need to consider anything. Goof and play around, slack off on her job…
She can do as she likes.
When that genuine connection was gone, it was quite hard to describe.
Vill-V did not process this loss immediately. She continued doing what she previously did. She also turned her investigation of Aleph’s disappearance into a side hustle of sorts.
Everything went as usual.
The turning point happened on the eve of the final battle.
She could still recall the cold moonlight grazing her eyes. Elysia, the center of their group, disappeared a few days ago.
“...I am almost there.”
She stared at the moon’s phantom.
If it was before, she would have joined the fight on the Moon.
It’s different now.
“...Aleph.”
That genuine connection gradually turned into an inviolable memory.
She is Vill-V. Her self-interest comes first. It was precisely because of it that her original self developed a hidden persona—the Evil Vill-V.
It was her buried grudges and regrets. Her intellect was praised by Mobius who is a prideful person. She could have done something and helped the world along the way, but she chose not to. She rejected that notion because it conflicts her self.
Vill-V is self-centered.
Is it wrong to focus on one thing and throw away the rest?
Perhaps to the others, it is wrong.
To her, it is right.
Thus…
“Fo…”
Aleph helplessly looked at Vill-V who was caught up biting his shoulder. He clearly felt how her teeth turned sharp—and that a small piece of his flesh was being chewed by her.
It was not without rewards, though.
‘Was it always this big..?’
Vill-V’s typical outfit consisted of her steampunk-themed suit. She stuck with it since her time in the Sundown Alley. It happened that her breasts are huge.
Schlurp-!
Not a drop of his blood fell to the white ground. He looked at Vill-V who sat on his lower body. Her gray pupils contained intense scarlet irises.
Aleph did not even mind the injured shoulder at this point.
“It’s really you.” She muttered. “It’s different…”
“The taste? I didn’t expect you would do something like this.”
“Why not?”
Her response caused Aleph to choke. Be it her suggestive position or the look that could swallow him whole, he sighed inwardly for the nth time.
‘How did she become similar to Mobius..?’
Vill-V, the most talented denizen of the Previous Era.
Current status: A psychopath.
“Let’s start with things we haven’t done.”
Vill-V gave off a look of speedrunning things. The first thing she did was to put aside her hat.
‘She’s dead serious.’
Aleph knew how much that hat meant to her. It is the same as Herta’s adoration to her witch’s hat.
‘What should I do…?’
Should he stop the over enthusiastic Vill-V or go with the flow?
Half of his thoughts were split between the two.
{Notice. Blocking current sensory sharing…}
‘Even Metatron..?’
Metatron knew his real thoughts. There is a fifty percent chance of him going with the flow.
Just as this inner conflict reached its peak…
“Hm..?”
The parallel Vill-V saw thin strings appear all over her body. They are enough to immobilize her momentarily.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
“A magician’s entry should be cool. Isn’t it so, Al—”
The real Vill-V paused at the sight of Aleph being pressed down by another her. A visible tinge of red appeared on her face. What followed next was her eyes looking around erratically.
Then, she nearly fell headfirst to the ground. Her closed eyes opened in time, preventing her from falling over.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. It turns out you like this kind of thing, Aleph.”
The two Vill-Vs met gazes.
