Honkai: Man(Sludge) From Future

"Hello? Yes, I'd like to report a crime..."

"Yes, that's right. I was feeding a stray cat, and then suddenly this giant brain appeared and ate it."

"It had several arthropod-like legs, and the whole thing looked like a spider, except its body was more like a human brain."

"I'm not sure. I just saw its legs pierce the kitten's body. Then it quickly crawled up a wall and, in a short time, sucked the kitten dry and ate it."

"This evil creature that harms cats must be dealt with severely."

"What? You want me to wait for news?!"

Yukinoshita Yukino hung up the phone angrily. She had never expected to be told something like that.

What did they mean, "Wait for news"? What did they mean, "We'll notify you when we have a result"?

Did they think Yukinoshita Yukino couldn't recognize a brush-off when she heard one?

Raiden Mei looked at her club president with surprise. She had a great deal of respect for the president's home economics skills, which had taught her a lot about food and desserts she had never paid much attention to before.

Yukinoshita Yukino put her phone away and explained with a sigh, "I saw a strange giant brain on my way home. It seems there was some kind of murder case in that area. The giant brain had several arthropod legs and could use them to suck the blood and flesh of animals. I suspect..."

Yukinoshita shook her head. "No, there's no need to suspect. It's definitely something from some strange research institute."

Raiden Mei listened with a blank expression. She had a pretty good idea of what this thing was.

"Yukinoshita, I have to make a call first."

Mei planned to ask her family first if one of their "creations" had escaped.

Noldrei, who was playing a video game, answered Mei's call.

Mei immediately asked if the Herrscher of the Void was under his control and if she had been out causing any trouble recently.

Noldrei held the game controller with his lower two hands, battling Bronya on the other end of the computer line. His extra hand held the communicator.

He glanced at Benares, who was hugging the giant brain nearby. The little dragon girl even smiled back at him subconsciously when she saw him looking. To be fair, Bella was quite sweet-looking, but his attention wasn't on the little dragon girl. It was on the Herrscher of the Void in her arms.

The soft brain looked exceptionally shiny and glossy, possessing a beauty that couldn't be ignored, a very special and direct expression of this being's existence.

Noldrei explained, "No, the Herrscher of the Void is being hugged by Bella. Just as I was looking at them, Bella even rubbed Sirin's big head."

"That's my head!" Kiana emphasized, then turned her attention back to the TV in the living room.

Raiden Mei was silent for a moment before asking, "Does anyone else have a similar function?"

Noldrei answered frankly, "Yes. Bronya's Security Patrol members all have a similar function. It's a modification of the protective implant. Some of its functions and arthropod legs are integrated with the skull. When faced with a life-threatening danger, they can perform a 'Madoka's Ejection' and 'Escape in a Flash of Light'!"

An image of a head appeared in Raiden Mei's mind. The head was round and contained a person's consciousness and intellect. So, the head jumping out of the skull to save itself was called "Madoka's Ejection."

[TL Note: A pun. Madoka's given name, 圆 (yuán), means "round" or "circle" in Chinese. Here, it refers to the round shape of the head. It's also a reference to the anime Puella Magi Madoka Magica where a character's soul is stored in a Soul Gem.]

"What a concise and comprehensive description," Mei nodded, agreeing that it was very fitting.

"So, it's one of Bronya's subordinates that's in trouble? What is she doing now?"

Noldrei looked at the screen, where Miss Silver Wolf's score was getting higher and higher. "It's been raining lately, so she hasn't been out on official business. She's playing games on the Academy City mainframe right now."

Raiden Mei's world went dark. Was there something wrong with Bronya's behavior?

'For God's sake! Your subordinate just died! Do you really have to be playing games at a time like this?!'

'Wait, if it's just the head, he probably isn't dead.'

After learning the truth, Raiden Mei hung up the phone. She decided to talk to Bronya later. Noldrei would inform Bronya of the situation.

Yukinoshita Yukino didn't know who Raiden Mei had contacted, only that her expression had become extremely colorful during the call. She wasn't one to pry, so she didn't ask about Raiden Mei's private affairs.

Raiden Mei rubbed her temples. The call had been a bit mentally exhausting.

"Don't worry. I've already contacted my father. He'll send a special team to capture that thing."

Raiden Mei didn't know what else to say. "Capture" it would probably mean taking it for... research?

"Huh? So it really was created inside Academy City?"

Yukinoshita Yukino was shocked. She hadn't expected this thing to have such a background. Could there really be a person's consciousness inside it?

Raiden Mei forced a laugh and explained, "You know, with so many research institutes in Academy City, we can't force them all to hand over their research results. After all, they helped fund this place. Even Dr. Tesla can't be bothered to do something like that."

'Of course not. All the research results come from Noldrei's side. Tesla herself has the most benefits. Who knows how many things she's researched.'

Raiden Mei felt that a mere "Madoka's Ejection" was still too conservative. There were far more exciting things that Miss Yukinoshita hadn't seen yet.

Just the other day, a Dr. Einstein who had once built a heater for the Far East had arrived. Who knows if the people of the Far East would be happy enough to hold a bonfire party if they knew about her.

"That's true. I heard Dr. Tesla is a recluse. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to produce so much research... She's a rare genius among humans."

Yukinoshita Yukino also believed that Tesla was a very remarkable person. There was a hint of admiration in her voice.

"..."

Hearing this, Raiden Mei really didn't know what to say. She had only come here to learn home economics and make a friend or two.

In the past, she had only had male and female lackeys fawning over her at school, followed by special bullying and isolation, and then a new round of male and female lackeys.

As an unlucky person, Raiden Mei had found another unlucky person.

Yukinoshita Yukino's mood turned gloomy again. She had watched a kitten get eaten by that giant brain, and she couldn't help but feel terrible about it.

'Don't let me see that monster. Otherwise, I'll beat it up every time I see it!'