A month and a half.

  That was how much time had passed since Aleph’s meeting with Mei. Their separation was still fresh in his mind. Nobody expected for a ‘mutant’ Seraph-css beast to screw things for them.

  Due to her extremely tight schedule, the best they could do was to exge tacts and talk through mobile phohrough that, they mao set up a meeting pce.

  Of course, it wasn’t that simple for the two of them. Uheir previous identities, they are now respected researchers within Fire MOTH. Their value was extremely high, thus requiring them to have a corresponding security team whehey go out.

  It was through many efforts did the two mao meet up in a “normal way”.

  “You went here early.”

  “Yes?”

  Mei briefly fell into deep thoughts.

  “That aspect of yours hasn't ged.”

  “I see.”

  When Aleph heard this, he had a better image of himself. The Aleph of the past was silent, direct, and punctual. He should be someone who is rigid yet keeps his principles.

  Since he currently didn’t have any form of records on himself, Aleph could only learn more about himself through his friends. He found it strahat he couldn’t pletely recall his memories, though he has some guesses as to why this happened.

  “So, let’s grab some lunch first? Then we’ll go to the cafe.”

  “We talked this over before. It’s fine by me.”

  Somehoh could see the same traits that his previous self had on Mei. It wasn’t evident before, but whearted ‘w’ iruest se somehow overpped with his image of himself.

  ‘Was this the reason why things are like that?’

  Aleph’s thoughts were destio be unanswered for now.

  He didn’t let these thoughts appear on his face as he tialking with her. Their topics were quite random. It spanned from theses up to daily life occurrences.

  It tinued even after they had their lunch. As phe two are now staying at the cafe they chose. This city was located on the farther side from the ter of the Mu ti. It allowed them to feel some sort of peace, even though the two knew about the matters regarding honkai.

  “Eastitute had their focused research.” Aleph said as he took a sip of his coffee. “But the funding’s tilted to the sed and third institutes.”

  “It’s politics. The cil isn’t as united as I thought. There are even disputes when it es to disbanding the fourth institute.”

  Despite the bad neh saw no ge in Mei’s expression. The tter tinued expining her findings.

  “They are eager to increase their hidden personal armies. The fifth’s status is unshakeable, but the higher-ups always stole their fundings.” She said. “Fire MOTH is no different from roups.”

  Mei was the one who felt this ‘distin’ the most. At first, she started as a girl who wao tribute to humanity—to fight against those beasts who killed many. However, as she went on, she slowly discovered the hidden side that Fire MOTH has.

  One good example was the fifth institute’s situation. Its director, Doobius, was one of the oldest members of Fire MOTH. She art of the individuals who reached a cooperation with world leaders and corporate giants when it came to Fire MOTH’s fundings. The steady stream of supplies used to develop teolarding honkai required a lot of money.

  Unfortunately, bad things were bound to happen. As Fire MOTH grew, these parties saw the bes it brought. Harnessing the power of honkai held great temptation for them to further their is.

  In the end, it reached this point when they no longer focused on the honkai, but of their own is.

  The only one who kept the bance is the stro batant within the group, Elysia. She alone was the reason as to why Fire MOTH remained as it was.

  Her personal strength to go against a Herscherr alone is a huge deterrent akin to several nuclear bombs.

  Thus, those parties and Elysia tio mutually restrict each other, maintaining a fragile bahat resulted in the current situation.

  Aleph fell silent from Mei’s words. He looked at her—to be specific, her eyebags.

  “You ged a lot within a month and a half. It wasn’t just Kevin, after all.” He calmly stated. “You haven’t been catg up on sleep, too.”

  “You really… It’s the same words back then.”

  Mei recalled a memory. Most people called her ‘diligent’, but she would sometimes overwork herself to the point of exhaustion. She believed it was normal.

  Yet, when Aleph saw through her, he immediately reprimanded her as.

  “You haven’t been catg up on sleep. Take a break. It won’t take much of your time.”

  Nearly every acquaintance of his sidered him cold and frank. Nobody would’ve described him as g, yet Aleph said those words.

  At that time, Mei saw ahetic look from him. It was as if he went through the same things as her, a rade, so as to speak.

  That was how their vague retionship began. The two should’ve been more than friends, yet they didn’t attempt to step to the level.

  By the time Mei seriously sidered taking the first move, the Third Eruption happened.

  “There’s o remind me. I will try to rest well.”

  “N isn’t enough. You will rest well.”

  Hearing this, a smile appeared on Mei’s lips.

  “You’d pull off something.” She said. “Will you now call me every night?”

  “Yes.”

  Aleph said those words as if nothing was wrong. He tinued sipping on his sed coffee as he waited for her response.

  “Alright.”

  In the end, Mei gave in willingly.

  ******

  By the time Aleph returo the third institute, it was already nighttime. He had his usual p session as he sat on his bed.

  “A way to get out…”

  He looked at his remaining rewards from the achievements.

  [Random Box]

  [Bnk Sephira Crystal Fragment]

  [Unlimited Magazine — M9]

  [Amicable Charm]

  [Electric Toothbrush]

  [Te Rope]

  [Levitating Cup]

  [Invisible B]

  …

  Aleph’s time at the institute was fruitful. His biggest gains were his teical knowledge prior to his amnesia. These achievement rewards were sedary pared to it.

  For starters, he regained his knowledge on mixed martial arts, swordsmanship, and gunmanship. The amount of reflexes Aleph had regarding these subjects are extremely high.

  Aside from that, the most valuable knowledge was his innovations. These are the miniature nuclear reactor as well as the dark energy reactor. He could tell at a ghat these two, especially the tter, were extremely valuable.

  Further on, he recalled theories about a series of exoskeleton armors. They weren’t that advanced pared to the units used by Fire MOTH, but their threshold was far lower.

  Every exoskeleton in Fire MOTH uses the energy derived from honkai, dubbed as honkai energy. Its advantage was its power, but it always eroded its pilot with honkai. People eroded by honkai could only bee undeads.

  It was the reason why the exoskeletons used were either extremely simplified or specialized for a specific person. Sihere are people with said resistaowards honkai energy, the tter case appeared.

  As for his blueprints…

  Everyone could use it. That alone could warrant how important it was.

  However, the dark energy reactor was far more valuable pared to it. Aleph could tell that this world was somewhat close to disc the miniature nuclear reactor. But, harnessing the dark energy is another matter.

  In his memories, it was said to be a result of extreme luck. Its output was far higher pared to nuclear energy. It could be pared to the differeween a normal engine and a nuclear reaultiplied dozens of times.

  Moreover, Aleph didn’t only recall exoskeleton suits. There are also blueprints of thirty-meter-tall robots that utilize these two reactors.

  Simply put, Aleph’s arsenal would bee far strohe momeurns these blueprints into reality.

  “To e out and fight… and to see if I could gather some of the materials outside.”

  Ultimately, his p session failed to threaten his sleep time.