Chat Group: Starting by Swapping Bodies with Elysia?

As Jiang Qiao reviewed the ARC City reports, subtly probing the Imaginary Tree with the Herrscher of Origin's power for more details, a saccharine voice echoed beside him.

"Jiang~ Qiao~"

He looked up.

Elysia stood inches away, a deceptively sweet smile on her face, holding up her phone displaying a forum post. "Care to explain this~?" she asked, her tone laced with barely-concealed fury.

"Eh, that's a pretty good picture," Jiang Qiao commented, admiring the photo of himself and Eden. The photographer has some skills.

His casual remark only fueled Elysia's rage. I'm not showing you this to compliment the photography!

He even looks pleased with himself!

"Bad Jiang Qiao! Give me back my reputation!" Elysia grabbed his collar, her voice a low growl.

While she adored cute girls and enjoyed their company, she wasn't a lesbian! This was slander!

And what's wrong with girls being close? It's called friendship!

I'm a pure and innocent girl with no ulterior motives!

"Don't worry about it. It's just the internet. People say all sorts of things," Jiang Qiao said dismissively.

"That makes sense—" Elysia started to agree, then her eyes widened in realization. "—You're the reason my reputation is ruined!" She wrapped her arms around his neck, playfully—but forcefully—choking him.

Regardless of his excuses, she'd always had a stellar reputation within Fire Moth. She was the social butterfly, beloved by everyone. Now, after lending him her body, she was labeled a lesbian!

How will I ever make friends with the cute new recruits now?!

She could already imagine the scene: approaching a group of adorable girls, eager to initiate some friendly bonding, only to be met with suspicion.

"Be careful! I heard she's a lesbian!"

"Ah! Sorry, Senior Elysia! I'm straight! Please find someone else!"

—I'm straight too!!!

The imagined scenario fueled her rage. She wanted to strangle him, this reputation-ruining fiend!

Then, mid-chokehold, she realized something.

This was her body.

She was choking herself!

She quickly released him.

Jiang Qiao, unfazed, merely sighed, a hint of exasperation in his eyes.

It's your body! Don't do that!

He returned to his reading, completely ignoring her outburst.

Elysia pouted.

Is that report that interesting?!

My anger hasn't subsided!

He called me a lesbian! Fine! I'll show him what a lesbian can do!

She lunged at him, ready to deliver her revenge—

Crack.

Her movement froze.

Jiang Qiao paused, his eyes narrowing, sensing something amiss.

"What was that sound?" Elf Elysia asked, tilting her head, her antennae twitching. It sounded like… something breaking.

"The aircraft," Jiang Qiao said, his eyes glowing with the orange light of the Herrscher of Truth. He saw through the plane's structure, analyzing its integrity.

"…It's disintegrating."

"What do you mean?" Elysia asked, her playful anger replaced by concern.

"It's… like the effect on Vill-V," Jiang Qiao explained, his voice grave.

The plane was slowly, subtly falling apart. Like Vill-V's "curse."

Elysia frowned. Another beautiful girl I don't know… how many secrets is he hiding? Despite her annoyance, she recognized the urgency of the situation.

"What do we do?"

Jiang Qiao didn't answer. A pink glow enveloped him as the Herrscher of Origin's markings appeared on Elysia's body.

In a flash, he appeared on the exterior of the aircraft, taking Elysia and Elf Elysia with him.

"This feels awful… like my parts are breaking down…" Elf Elysia whimpered, clutching her wand.

[Elysia] placed a hand on her, a gentle light enveloping her, restoring her energy.

Then—

"Get ready, Elysia. We're jumping."

"What?"

Before Elysia could react, he grabbed her hand and leaped from the plane.

The aircraft, shimmering with a faint, dreamlike glow, turned back towards Mu Continent.

"AAAAAH—Jiang Qiao!"

Elysia screamed as they plummeted towards the earth. Then, the wind died down, and she found herself safely in Jiang Qiao's arms. He looked at her with an amused expression.

Elysia blushed, then noticed what they were standing on.

"It's that giant manta ray!"

"It's the Herrscher of Origin's familiar," Jiang Qiao corrected.

He hadn't used it since the 4th Eruption. Constantly bypassing immigration was a hassle for MEI, and he hadn't needed such a dramatic mode of transportation.

Plus, his other bodies couldn't control it.

But now…

Compared to a disintegrating plane, a giant Honkai beast was a much safer option.

"So this is what it feels like to ride this thing," Elysia said, stomping on the smooth surface of the familiar's back. It was… exhilarating!

She'd seen it before, but never ridden it.

Flying is amazing!

Too bad only Jiang Qiao can control it!

Oh well, I'll make him take me for a joyride later.

Her excitement subsided, replaced by concern.

"What happened?"

"The Herrscher of Death," [Elysia] said, his violet eyes gazing towards the distant shoreline, his voice calm but certain.

He raised a hand, and the surrounding environment shifted.

"Fog… black fog… so much fog!" Elf Elysia peered over the edge of the familiar, her voice muffled. Beyond a protective barrier surrounding them, a thin, ominous black fog drifted across the ocean's surface.

"Is the fog causing the problems?"

"Yes."

Jiang Qiao confirmed. While different from the Gem of Serenity's black fog or the Black Abyss White Flower, this was undoubtedly the Herrscher of Death's power—Decay.

Decay usually affected organic matter, having little effect on inorganic materials.

But there were exceptions. Like Vill-V.

Her curse stemmed partly from this power. Cecilia, the template for Vill-V, had wielded the Black Abyss White Flower for too long, tainting her creation. Vill-V's presence caused both Honkai beasts and machinery to malfunction.

While her high Honkai energy levels contributed, Jiang Qiao suspected a deeper connection—a link to an Imaginary singularity. Ordinary beings couldn't achieve such an effect.

He reached out, touching a wisp of black fog. It shimmered, becoming transparent.

The Herrscher of Death had likely dispersed the fog to conceal their presence. Without special means, it was undetectable.

This deadly fog had turned ARC City into a no-man's-land.

The familiar sped towards the shore.

The fog grew thicker as they approached, and Jiang Qiao felt the drain on his Honkai energy intensify.

He understood the Herrscher of Death's strategy.

—A plague.

Another form the Honkai could take.

Like the Black Death in the Middle Ages—a manifestation of Honkai corruption.

Instead of a straightforward eruption and Herrscher birth, the Imaginary Tree, thwarted by Jiang Qiao's constant interference, had opted for a more subtle approach.

These "decay viruses" absorbed Honkai energy, accelerating the deterioration of both organic and inorganic matter. That explained the eerie state of ARC City's infrastructure. Even with poor maintenance, cars and street signs shouldn't be rusting away, and stone structures shouldn't be crumbling.

This also explained the unusually low Honkai energy readings in the area.

"They certainly know how to target my weaknesses," Jiang Qiao sighed, feeling the drain on his reserves.

This Herrscher of Death, like the future Herrscher of Binding, was designed to counter Honkai energy users.

Binding nullified Honkai energy, disrupting biological and kinetic processes.

This Herrscher of Death, however, accelerated the aging process, inducing rapid decay in living beings and structures, a slow, agonizing demise.

And it was particularly effective against the Herrscher of Origin.

Origin, besides Finality, had the highest Honkai energy consumption. Unlike other Herrschers with specific abilities, Origin's powers required vast amounts of energy.

But unlike other Herrschers who could draw endlessly from Imaginary singularities, Origin's reserves were limited to the Origin space. Her true strength lay in her ability to command the Honkai energy within a large area, bypassing the absorption process.

But in an environment with low Honkai energy… It was an anomaly. Eruptions, by definition, generated massive amounts of Honkai energy.

But the Imaginary Tree had created a Herrscher who converted Honkai energy, turning Origin's usual advantage into a critical weakness.

Not only was there a lack of readily available energy, but maintaining Origin's protective barrier against the corrosive fog consumed even more energy. The fog even multiplied after contact with the barrier.

Without external sources, relying solely on the Origin space, Jiang Qiao couldn't even activate his powers.

All Honkai abilities required sufficient energy.

"What weaknesses?" Elysia asked, tilting her head.

"Nothing," Jiang Qiao replied, dismissing her question.

…Good thing it's me. If Elysia had come alone…

Well, she'd probably have called me for help anyway.

"Hmph!" Elysia pouted.

Always keeping secrets from me!

Do you think I'm stupid.jpg

Normally, she'd have given him a piece of her mind. But in this eerie environment, she decided to hold her tongue.

I'll remember this!

Payback time later!