Honkai: It’s broken, I have become the Herrscher of Corrosion?

When she saw Padofelius open the padlock on the mirror, Enosiya, who was lying lazily in Alicia's arms, stood up suddenly.

"Aino, what's wrong?"

"...Sister, I...remembered something happy."

Knowing what will happen next, Enosia is just like a viewer who enters a famous anchor's program after finishing the main storyline. She is looking forward to what expression the anchor will show when he or she reaches the plot that will leave a deep impression on her.

"And...I can indeed start...getting ready to start working."

At this time, Mei was watching the interrogation of Velvet by the Fire Moth according to her previous memories. In a simple room, Mebius and Velvet sat face to face. But on both sides of Velvet, there were many advanced equipment that did not match this room.

"You should understand that even if Alicia vouches for you, it won't be enough to save your life."

"No way... Mobius, you never said that you were the one conducting this review yourself."

“You just have to answer the questions.”

"Ah... well, business as usual, right?"

Looking at the still nonchalant Velvet, Mebius knocked on the table:

"Before I start asking questions, you must first understand that you are not just restrained. You'd better not make any movements. Otherwise, the facilities around you will immediately show you fatal consequences."

"of course."

"...So, you're not a [Mechanic] at all, right?"

Wei Wei spread her hands:

"...Yes, I'm still a student. It's too early for me to become a mechanic."

"I'm warning you one last time, Velvet. This opportunity you've got is the result of hard work - don't waste it. We've conducted a very thorough investigation on you. The identity of the senior mechanical dynamics trainee is completely forged by you."

Wei Wei touched her face:

"Uh, what's the flaw? Is my face not youthful enough?"

"Changing the subject will do you no good. We have limited time."

"...Okay. I was born in Dusk Street, and I'm a magician there..."

Mebius raised his right hand and shook the document in his hand:

"That's enough. I have the original wanted warrant for you now. You did appear on Dusk Street, and committed a series of frauds there as a magician. After being exposed, you carefully created your current identity as a disguise, and then... escaped. Velvet, the Fire Moth doesn't mind killing people. Even less does it mind... executing a prisoner. Death is not a prison you can escape from."

"...Since you all know it, why are you still asking me? The reason why I can sit here should have nothing to do with my "past", right?"

"You're right. This is my real question. Velvet - I will assume that this name is real. In any case, the machines you used to fight against the Fire Moths are indeed genuine, even... beyond their time. And the reason why you challenged the Fire Moths - that resistance and disgust towards Honkai, is not a disguise. Where do they come from?"

"Those machines... I built them myself. What's wrong with that? If you don't want to believe me, what can I do?"

"But you're not a [mechanic] at all."

"Yes, I am not a student studying advanced mechanical dynamics, nor am I a mechanic. But... do you know what the highest level of "lie" is?"

"That is...every word I said was true, but in the end, I was still able to deceive others."

"What I'm going to say next is all from the heart, right? It was probably when I was about four or five years old, I suddenly hated myself, so much so that I thought of a way... which was to [become another person] - unexpectedly, it was much easier than I thought."

“As long as I’m willing, I can do it. So… although I knew nothing in the past, I taught myself mechanical knowledge for three months before developing those drones.”

"…Does this answer satisfy you?"

"...? Become another person... Weiwei, you... Is the real you..."

The memories came to an abrupt end again. Just as Mei was worrying about how to solve the riddle of the two, the movement in the distance attracted her attention. Monsters of various attributes suddenly descended here.

"Pado!"

Mei realized something, and after dealing with the monster, she rushed towards where Padufils was with all her strength.

When she arrived, Padofilis was already lying on the ground.

"bud………"

"Don't worry..."

She quickly scanned Pado's body, where nearly half of the area was covered in a hazy mist, appearing in an almost chaotic state.

"……It's fine."

However, the very words that were used to remind Padu not to be impatient actually grabbed her heart. She quickly pushed her body upwards, but curled up again due to the severe pain.

"No...no...Mei...Sister Mei...we have to leave here quickly!"

Mei followed her horrified gaze and looked to the side. The mirror that had been sealed had been opened by a clever method. ——But there was no reflection of the two of them in it, only a shadow that looked ominous.

"In it... is... is... is the memory of when Boss Kevin disappeared...! Boss Kevin... before... Sister Ying... once..., the person who killed Boss Kevin... is... is..."

"I understand, Padu. No need to continue... Thank you."

"Hey... hey hey... I'm best at this... then... let's... let's leave quickly... ? Mei-sister..."

"Well...don't worry. If you encounter any danger, leave it to me to handle it. Just like before...okay?"

“Okay, okay… Oh, Mei… Mei-sister… please don’t say such things… People say… They say this is… a… a word that will come true… what is it? It’s as if I’m really going to die… Don’t scare me, how is it possible… I’ve always been… lucky…”

As if aware of his own condition, Padufils could no longer deceive himself and began to tremble in Mei's arms.

"Sister Mei...I don't want to die..."

"boom!"

Padufilis shattered like a broken mirror, turning into countless points of light, and completely disappeared in front of Mei. For a moment, Mei didn't know how to restore her posture to normal.

After a long while, she began to slowly move her arms, shaking them in the air, trying to grab something. But even a palm of cold mist could not reach it. Looking down, there was still a coin on the ground, but before she could see it and think of the owner, the coin disappeared without a trace, just like its owner.

If she had a companion present at this moment, they might have patted her on the back, but they wouldn't have said anything. Only time, not words, could dispel this kind of experience. ——But at this moment, what she lacked most was time.

"…So…it's you."

She didn't need to point out the other person's name. Just before Padu disappeared, her eyes filled with fear had already passed behind Mei and reflected the other person's figure.

"Yes, it's me. You've seen those memories, so how can I argue, right?"

"…Why Paddo?"

"Oh, this is beyond my control. You can treat it as... an accident? After all, my target now is only you."

"Those memories... no matter what the content is, the person involved is either taking risks and feeling real pain. Or... is facing [imprisonment]. From the moment I started exploring... you have been using these memories to reduce my power, right? Because the process is very gentle, if it weren't..."

"If it weren't for Paddo, I might never have noticed it." Yeah... So, it's really rude to scream during a performance, right? Otherwise, it's quite interesting to watch you die from your own curiosity step by step. By the way, when did you start to doubt me?"

"Let me guess, you've never [believed] it, right? Don't worry, I'm used to it. But you see, in order to investigate further, you still have to accept my help."

"Now it seems that it was just the beginning...right?"

"That's wrong. To me, that wasn't the beginning... it was just a... foreshadowing."

The evil Wei Wei, with a weird smile, stood in front of Mei. The surrounding scene was changing, and all the mirrors disappeared overnight. The evil Wei Wei, ignoring her anger, began her speech:

"What were you thinking when you first met me? This person always seems to be lying - right?"

"Then... I have a question. If a liar... no, a [Fraudster] does not hide her lies at all... can this be called [honesty]?"

"Oh! That's right... You must be confused now. Why are you talking nonsense in such a strange place? Oh, I'm sorry... Because here, if there are no sounds, it will definitely be scary, right?"

"Just like... what I felt when I was thrown into this place just now. Yes, this... is my [vision], my [world]. As you know, for a ridiculous reason, I was made into a cage of [evil thoughts]. Since then, for a full 50,000 years, that darkness has been the only thing in my world."

"Fifty thousand years... can you understand how long it is? I can hear the voices from the outside world, and hear what [myself] is saying... but it's all out of reach. In their world, time is divided into day and night by a celestial body."

"And in my world, time is only divided into endless hatred. Every day I long for... I long for new evil thoughts to be exiled here, where I am. One day, there will be no place for this place, and the darkness that has been covered up will be exposed in one fell swoop, leading all of us to destruction, and at the same time... I will be free."

"But the operation of the paradise in the past is different from that of reality. It is a stagnant pool, and the birth of evil thoughts requires soil and watering. Therefore, I am afraid that my sentence will never end."

"But... a person who feels despair cannot become a bad person. I am also [Vilvi], and fifty thousand years of darkness cannot harm me... I am waiting for the opportunity, because it will always come. So, when a Herrscher visits the Paradise of the Past, do you know what I think?"

"I'm afraid, because I'm sure that once I, as a memory body, seize control of [Vilvi], even just a little bit, all my thoughts will be completely exposed to the Herrscher of Corrosion."

"In the eyes of Enosia, the Paradise of the Past is extremely important. This is a fact. Based on this fact, she will definitely erase anything that may endanger the safety of the Paradise. Therefore, I have no choice but to stay here honestly and be more careful than usual."

"But soon, I had an opportunity, a great opportunity. In the Paradise of the Past, a second Herrscher of Corrosion appeared. In order to break free from the confinement of Enosia, the new Herrscher of Corrosion will definitely choose to ask me for help."

"Wei Weiwei was the first hero to discover [her] existence. But because of the arrogance of a genius...she was mistaken for something else - the remnant of that [experiment]."

"She soon paid the price for her mistake. The other party easily devoured her and was about to take away everything she had...

It was at this moment that she made her second mistake. She thought of a backup plan, which was... me. Yes, just like when she destroyed one of her thought realms to get rid of the commandments... [I] was used as another sacrifice to bear all the abuses that this corroder of the law had inflicted on her. "

“Ha…hahahahahaha…This is the first time in fifty thousand years that I have been [released], but I will immediately be [executed]. This is the first time in fifty thousand years that I have been able to see the world as it should be—the place where I was born. My reunion with it will be accompanied by death.

But I didn't feel unwilling. Anyway, this is so wonderful! When she pushed me to death with her own hands, she... became [evil]. Then what decision will I make? Can you give a better answer than [betrayal]? "

"Of course, this may all be just a scam. Perhaps the birth of this new Herrscher of Corrosion was also under the control of Enosia. Her letting it grow may be a bait... to get rid of me."

"But... so what? Not to mention that this opportunity is rare for me... to be able to find a glimmer of hope for yourself amidst numerous traps, for a genius... this is what's interesting."