Chat Group: Starting by Swapping Bodies with Elysia?

"Huh? To Europe?"

The 'strange request' naturally fizzled out under Fairy Elysia's vehement protests. As for the Maiden's Spring, Jiang Qiao gifted it to Pardofelis, much to the catgirl's delight. However, she also learned the reason [Elysia] was looking for her, and she couldn't help but express her surprise.

"Wh-Why do you want me to go there?"

"Don't misunderstand, Elysia. If there's really something you need me to do, I'll definitely do it without hesitation, but… you know my… hehe…" Pardofelis quickly waved her hands, clarifying that she wasn't unwilling to go.

Her voice was small—well, if she had a choice, she'd much rather stay at HQ's warehouse, enjoying her peaceful life as a warehouse manager, three meals a day, worry-free naps, and occasionally 'acquiring' things from other members' rooms.

Life couldn't get any better.

But—catgirls were also creatures of gratitude. Even if she preferred a mundane life, Pardofelis knew who to thank for her current blissful existence: Elysia.

She didn't mind [Elysia] ordering her around; it was just a bit of effort, a few days of work—for Elysia, Pardofelis would gladly do anything!

However, just like her attitude towards positions of power, the catgirl was quite self-aware. With my limited abilities, what if I mess things up for Elysia… that would be a real sin.

"Don't worry. All you need to do is accompany someone, show them the way, and investigate a few things. That's your specialty, Phyllis."

Pardofelis still hesitated. "I-Is that… really okay?"

"Of course! I have complete faith in your abilities, Phyllis."

"…If you say so… even I don't have much faith in my abilities…" Facing the pink-haired girl's smile and expectant gaze, Pardofelis, despite her lack of confidence, couldn't bring herself to refuse. Even though [Elysia] had said it was fine if she didn't want to go, that she could continue her peaceful life as a warehouse manager, Pardofelis still…

After a moment of internal struggle, the catgirl whispered, "…I'll try."

No matter what, she didn't want to disappoint Elysia.

For this trip to Europe, MEI arranged a connecting flight for [Elysia] and the others.

Like the previous 'illegal border crossings' during the Third and Fourth Honkai Eruptions, this trip was also fraught with potential issues. Moreover, as the 'Hero of Fire Moth,' [Elysia] was a prominent figure representing the organization, so her travels had to follow protocol to some extent.

Besides, to attract the attention of the European faction within Fire Moth, they needed to make some noise.

On the military-grade, all-weather aircraft designed and built by Vill-V, Jiang Qiao, accompanied by Pardofelis and Fairy Elysia, met the third member of their team.

"Hi~ Sakura! Long time no see~"

[Elysia] greeted the cherry blossom-haired girl, who was meticulously polishing the sharp, red blade of Jizo Mitama with specialized cloth and oil.

Sakura nodded in response.

"Yes, long time no see, [Elysia]."

Although she seemed approachable in the Elysian Realm, the Sakura there was the product of numerous experiences after leaving her chrysalis. The Sakura who currently served as MEI's 'right hand' wasn't necessarily difficult to get along with… but communication with her could be challenging.

However, her attitude towards [Elysia] was much better, after all, the Jizo Mitama in her hands was incredibly important to Sakura.

"Is there a point in maintaining a Divine Key?" The pink-haired girl asked, curious, as she took a seat.

The core of a Divine Key was made of Honkai-resistant materials, giving it a certain degree of self-repair. Performing regular sword maintenance on this type of special weapon was undoubtedly pointless.

"It's a common habit among those in our line of work… Though it might not have any practical effect, it's a way to pass the time, or perhaps a form of psychological comfort."

"Besides, you know what 'she' means to me."

[Elysia] simply nodded.

To Sakura, Jizo Mitama wasn't just a weapon or a tool; it was an irreplaceable family member.

Therefore, maintaining Jizo Mitama was like Sakura, the elder sister, caring for her 'younger sister.'

"How's Rin doing lately?"

"She's doing well."

Sakura's smile widened when Rin was mentioned.

"She often talks about you."

"Is that so? I'll go see her when I have time."

"Okay."

Then, Sakura's gaze shifted to the catgirl sitting next to [Elysia], who seemed a bit stiff. Pardofelis was usually talkative, but Sakura's aura was a little intimidating. Growing up on Dusk Street had made Pardofelis sharp-eyed, and she didn't dare utter a word, shrinking into herself and muttering, "She can't see me, she can't see me," like a turtle retreating into its shell.

Unfortunately, she was eventually 'caught' and could only resign herself to her fate, whispering, "Hello, I'm Pardofelis."

"Is this child my partner?"

Sakura's mission on this trip was to attract the attention of the Fifth Research Division while [Elysia] dealt with them superficially. In the meantime, Sakura would investigate the European faction, paving the way for Dr. MEI. Naturally, she knew that this child named Pardofelis was her partner.

"Is she… really up to the task?"

Recalling Pardofelis's resume, Sakura couldn't help but express her doubts, despite her trust in [Elysia].

A street urchin from Dusk Street, a well-known thief, barely literate, currently employed in Fire Moth's logistics department, managing warehouse ██… To be honest, when Sakura saw this resume, she wondered if Dr. MEI had it in for her, assigning her such an absurd partner to sabotage her mission.

Dr. MEI, ever the Teflon queen, had very considerately stated that this was [Elysia]'s doing.

So, it's Elysia who's trying to sabotage me?

With a hint of resentment, Sakura looked at the pink-haired girl and her lucky cat with a speechless expression.

Seriously, I'm doing this for you. Why are you setting me up like this?

"Hmm~ Don't underestimate Phyllis. She's… um…"

[Elysia] smiled, wanting to say something in defense of the cowering Pardofelis, but trailed off mid-sentence, clutching her forehead.

"What's wrong, [Elysia]?!"

"It's nothing, nothing…"

However, the girl's expression became somewhat dazed.

She looked at Sakura and Pardofelis, confused. Wasn't I just drinking with Eden? How did these two suddenly appear?

Of course, the most alarming thing was… as [Elysia]'s gaze fell on Sakura's smooth head and Pardofelis's bare bottom, she was completely dumbfounded.

As the two looked on in confusion, the dazed Elysia shuffled over to Sakura, touched her head, gestured, then went over to Pardofelis and touched the catgirl's backside. Pardofelis's face instantly flushed crimson.

Uh… so bold?! Elysia?! …There are people watching!

As the two were left speechless, Elysia, having confirmed everything, let out a world-ending scream:

"Yaaaa—!!! (Groundhog scream)"

Oh my god, the donkey ears and the cat ears and tail are gone!!!

Meanwhile, in the Elysian Realm of the present…

Inside a specialized pod designed for visitors' bodies, gray eyes slowly opened. The silver-haired girl sat up, clutching her forehead, her mind still hazy.

"Visitor, are you leaving?"

An emotionless voice echoed in her ears. Looking up, she saw a small figure.

"Klein?"

Recognizing her immediately, the girl who rose from the pod, now aware of her surroundings, subconsciously touched her chest. The less-than-optimistic flatness and the power of the Herrscher of Reason within her instantly confirmed Jiang Qiao's situation.

The occasionally malfunctioning body-swapping ability had acted up again. She hadn't returned to her own body… well, she was used to it.

With a deadpan expression, "Bronya" sighed. She then shook the pod next to her, which rattled and clanked as she adjusted to the body.

To maintain the body's physiological needs, the life-sustaining fluid in the pod had left [Bronya] slightly damp. Unfortunately, this body, lacking both chest and backside, offered no noteworthy scenery. With a snap of her fingers, Project Bunny appeared, holding a hairdryer and starting the 'drying duck'—or simply, 'roasting duck'—process.

Points of blue light flickered across her long, flowing silver hair. The old dual-turbo reappeared, and [Bronya]'s clothes transformed into Silverwing: N-EX's outfit.

The only difference was that, no longer needing the support of leg exoskeletons, black stockings took their place.

Her emotionless face didn't change much even after the damaged nerves were repaired by the Herrscher's power. Perhaps used to maintaining this state, she hadn't bothered to remove this rather 'charming' feature. [Bronya] looked at Klein and asked,

"Klein, what's the situation with the other visitor in the Elysian Realm?"

Jiang Qiao first needed to clarify the situation caused by this mishap.

…Well, okay.

She already knew.

Once again, Elysia had returned to her 'home,' while the owner of this body had taken up residence in Jiang Qiao's. She instantly saw Elysia's @ message in the chat group.

Elysia: You naughty Jiang Qiao!!! @Jiang Qiao @Jiang Qiao @Jiang Qiao

Elysia was quite annoyed at this moment.

One minute she was enjoying herself with Eden, the next, poof—she was back in her original body.

Elysia could practically picture the naughty Jiang Qiao taking her place and continuing to have fun with Eden.

Damn it! That was me, mine! My Eden!

Just imagining Jiang Qiao getting cozy with Eden behind her back… Elysia clutched her face, her cheeks aching.

Oh… they actually are swollen. Never mind then.

"Indecent! Absolutely indecent!"

The culprit behind Elysia's swollen cheeks, Fairy Elysia, floated in the air, clutching her fairy wand and scolding the former. For such blatant public indecency towards another beautiful girl, Fairy Elysia, in her supervisory role, had delivered divine retribution: a Fairy Elysia flying kick!

This snapped Elysia out of her daze.

Jiang Qiao: My ability acted up again. I'm in Bronya's body now.

Hu Tao: Shocked.jpg

DieForCards: Suspicious.jpg

During her work break, Qingque sipped her tea and happily plotted how to sneak off to Chang Le gambling house for a round of Imperial Jade.

Though she'd been confused when she first joined the group, thanks to helpful members like Hu Tao and Yunyun, she finally understood what it was about—a galaxy-wide chat group created by some prankster? Maybe even more powerful than that, since according to Yunyun, it could be used to exchange points for items and even teleport across worlds. Very punk rock.

Anyway, it was a fun 'toy,' and Qingque enjoyed using it during her breaks. No need for jade talismans or other equipment, just her mind. Even Grand Diviner couldn't catch her slacking off this way.

As for that 'Jiang Qiao' who had tricked her, Qingque had also learned from the others that they seemed to be in cahoots with 'Elysia' in the group. However, Qingque still hadn't ruled out the possibility that this guy was someone she knew.

After all, knowing about her and the Grand Diviner's history meant this guy had to be one of her mahjong buddies, maybe even a little ████ from the Divination Commission.

During her breaks, Qingque was plotting how to expose this prankster. Her luck hadn't been great lately, and her low-ranking job didn't pay much… If she could catch this guy, with her cleverness, wouldn't it be easy to con him out of a bunch of meals?

Hmm… according to the others, this bad guy also has the ability to swap bodies with others… That seems a bit risky for a girl, but… from a slacking-off perspective… Qingque fantasized about swapping bodies with this guy.

Hehe, I'd make him do all my work, and I'd just slack off. Then, when we switched back, I'd reap all the rewards… Hehe, that would be amazing!!!

But that was just wishful thinking.

Not expecting such a windfall, Qingque chuckled, then her face crumpled as she looked at the mountain of work the Grand Diviner had assigned her.

Meanwhile, after learning that Jiang Qiao had once again taken over another girl's body, Elysia's expression became conflicted.

There was a hint of relief—Jiang Qiao wasn't with Eden this time, so she hadn't been… cuckolded.

But… Jiang Qiao was in another girl's body… Though this had happened several times already, and she should be used to it, Elysia sometimes found it amusing. After all, it was a cute girl and Jiang Qiao—double the fun.

But why didn't it feel fun this time?

A strange ache pulsed in her chest.

Hmph, Jiang Qiao can go into whatever girl's body they want! What does it have to do with me?!

Puffing out her cheeks with an expression like a certain tsundere anime protagonist, Elysia bit her lip and turned away.

In the chat group, seeing Elysia's annoyed emoji, Jiang Qiao shook her head helplessly and looked at the new commission.

[Honkai Crisis]

[The Honkai eruption in Manila is about to reach a critical point. Please intervene and save two potential Herrscher candidates to prevent the eruption from escalating.]

[Reward: 100 points]

[Bronya] raised an eyebrow. She had planned to explore the Elysian Realm further, but… she hadn't expected things to go south so quickly in the current era.

She recalled her past memories.

As mentioned before, Honkai eruptions weren't limited to numbered eruptions like the First and Second. Those were numbered because they involved Herrschers and were large-scale.

Between these major eruptions, smaller-scale eruptions occurred globally.

The Manila eruption was one of them—in fact, its scale and damage were among the largest in recent years, excluding the numbered eruptions.

Manila was the capital of the Philippines, and Southeast Asia was densely populated.

A major eruption in Manila, the Philippines' economic and political center, would have an impact comparable to the First Eruption in Berlin.

The future World Serpent member, the Ninth Herrscher, the 'Joker' among the Flame-Chasers, Chen Tianwu, was a survivor of this eruption. And, of course, the unfortunate Schicksal Valkyrie, Ana Schariac, was also involved.

This eruption was eventually resolved by Durandal. Remembering this, Jiang Qiao had already given Durandal some instructions when they met.

But for various reasons, some things had been overlooked.

For example… these two.

The Fifth Herrscher candidate, Ana Schariac, and the Ninth Herrscher candidate, Chen Tianwu…

"Dangerous," [Bronya] concluded, her thoughts racing.

If the Manila eruption remained at its original scale, the damage, though significant, wouldn't greatly impact the current era's progress.

But…

The reason these two 'bombs' hadn't gone off was that Kiana and her two besties had become students at St. Freya.

Before the Fourth Eruption occurred, based on the Previous Era's safeguards, the core of the Fifth Herrscher, who should have appeared by now, wouldn't be a problem.

But now—

From Klein, she learned that a major eruption had already occurred in Nagazora City. Thanks to the combined efforts of Schicksal's Far East Branch and the released Anti-Entropy operative, Raiden Ryoma, there hadn't been significant casualties.

And the Fourth Eruption, though small-scale, had still happened.

This meant the progress bar controlled by 'No. 17' had stopped at 'five.'

Coupled with her own actions, which had touched upon some sensitive areas for the 'cocoon,' [Bronya] had to consider the possibility that the Fifth Eruption, originally slated for Coral Island, might occur prematurely during the Manila eruption.

Though without the events of the Manila eruption, the Herrscher of Stars might not appear, or even if they did, Schicksal and Durandal would be able to handle it. But if two Herrschers appeared at once…

The silver-haired girl sighed, making her decision.

"I'll have to go myself."

She didn't need to worry about the Previous Era. With Elysia's strength, even without access to her full power, she could handle the European faction. After all, Elysia's main task was to distract the European faction's leadership, giving Sakura and Pardofelis a chance to operate covertly.

If any real danger arose, they could call for help. The authority of the Herrscher of Truth was sufficient.

As for the current era, to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control, even if it seemed manageable, she had to see it for herself.

Besides… her promise to Bronya to retrieve her from the sea had been on hold for too long. Now that she was in this body, she might as well take care of it.

With these thoughts in mind—while Bronya was still enjoying herself in the Elysian Realm, completely unaware that her body had been 'hijacked'—[Bronya] left.