After sitting there for who knows how long, Chang Yuan finally stood up and returned to the settlement with Elysia.
Now, he only wanted to witness the development of humanity with his own eyes—and with Elysia's.
"Yo, back from your date?"
Leisurely brewing a pot of tea, Friend Vill-V lounged in a rocking chair.
After working so hard in the Previous Era, wasn't she entitled to relax a little?
Besides, she had already done everything she needed to do. All that was left was to wait for civilization to reach the modern era. That's when the real battle would begin.
But this time, the chances of defeating the Honkai were as high as 99%.
"Ah, you guessed it."
Elysia, seeing this, didn't stand on ceremony.
She pulled up another rocking chair and sat down, pouring herself a cup of the tea Friend Vill-V had brewed.
"Bleh, it's so bitter."
After just one sip, Elysia stuck out her tongue.
She had drunk tea before, but it had never been this bitter.
"Pfft, it's supposed to be bitter. I'm still learning how to brew it. What you're drinking is my first attempt."
Seeing Elysia's reaction, Friend Vill-V laughed.
If only she were real, how wonderful that would be.
Her gaze lingered on Elysia for a few seconds before she quickly looked away.
"Now, we need to focus on accelerating civilization's development, but without exceeding the predetermined limits."
"Do you have a plan?"
"Of course, and I'm already implementing it. If Judgment-Class Honkai beasts or worse appear, I'll need you two to handle them. I'm just a scientist—I don't have the same kind of power you do."
Shrugging, Friend Vill-V spoke nonchalantly.
Of course, by "power," she meant compared to the other MANTIS who had fused with Judgment-Class Honkai beasts.
"Alright, we're just a couple of fighters. We don't understand all this. Just use us as your enforcers."
Chang Yuan was fine with this. Living peacefully for a few thousand years and then defeating the Cocoon of Finality sounded like a good plan.
"Then we'll start tomorrow. Everyone's already spread out across the world, ready to deal with the Honkai—or even potential Herrschers, though that's unlikely."
Looking up at the moon, which had lost its brilliance due to the sun's overwhelming light, Friend Vill-V shook her head gently.
With her greatest creation—her daughter—up there, Herrschers probably wouldn't appear. But Honkai beasts were a different story.
So, all they needed to worry about now were Judgment-Class Honkai beasts.
"Got it. Call me if you need me."
...
"Ah, we meet again."
It was the same dream—or rather, the Stigmata Space.
As soon as Chang Yuan entered, Stigmata Elysia approached him.
Faced with such closeness, Chang Yuan didn't feel uncomfortable at all.
Perhaps it was because of their similar personalities, or perhaps it was some inexplicable sense of familiarity.
"Hey, don't be so cold. Can you tell me what happened outside today?"
"Aren't you the consciousness of the Stigmata Space? Can't you just access the memories to find out?"
"True, but I'd rather hear it from you."
"Fine."
In the end, Chang Yuan didn't refuse her request.
He then recounted everything that had happened outside that day.
"Haha, you got your hand cut by Maheśvara's tail? Yuan, you're so clumsy. Didn't you notice its tail?"
"Tch, who pays attention to such details?"
Being teased by Stigmata Elysia, Chang Yuan couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.
He didn't even know why he felt this way.
"Alright, alright. Let's continue learning my techniques. After all, don't you need to make her more like me?"
"Mhm, let's begin."
After a moment of silence, Chang Yuan nodded.
He felt something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
...
After several months of development, the Youxiong Tribe had begun to produce iron tools.
They had skipped the Bronze Age entirely, leaping straight into the Iron Age.
But this had also drawn the attention of the Cocoon of Finality.
"Hey, hey, Yuan! Go deal with that Judgment-Class Honkai Beast! That thing's not normal—it can grow stronger by devouring! Right now, it's already far beyond a normal Honkai Beast!"
Looking at the Honkai energy readings from the 4th Divine Key, Friend Vill-V was visibly alarmed.
Good grief, a Honkai Beast that grows stronger by devouring? And its energy levels have already surpassed those of a normal Judgment-Class Honkai Beast.
"Got it. Elysia, let's go. Hua, you guys protect the settlement."
Chang Yuan knew this was a race against time. Every second counted, as the Honkai Beast could grow stronger with each passing moment.
Who knew how strong it could become?
After all, the butterfly effect was already in play. Chiyou was now stronger than in the original timeline. If they delayed even a few hours, who knew if it would reach Herrscher-level strength?
Soon, the two of them arrived at the location where Chiyou had appeared.
But even with prior knowledge, Chang Yuan was still shocked when he saw the terrifying Honkai Beast from the original timeline.
Chiyou was now the size of a small mountain, far larger than any ordinary Judgment-Class Honkai Beast.
It seemed to sense their presence and stopped devouring the land, turning its gaze toward Chang Yuan and Elysia.
Chiyou let out a deafening roar.
The sheer force of its roar uprooted trees and sent debris flying in all directions, as if a tornado had swept through the area.
And this was just from its roar.
"It's definitely stronger than in the original timeline. But that's to be expected. After all, it's not just Shenzhou that's developing—the entire world is."
After this brief reflection, Chang Yuan drew the 3rd Divine Key, and Elysia took out the 2nd Divine Key.
As Chang Yuan launched his attack, countless bolts of lightning rained down from the sky, tearing through Chiyou's body. But even as its flesh was torn apart, it regenerated at a visible rate.
Its regeneration speed was almost on par with the Herrscher of Death from the Previous Era.
Feeling the pain, Chiyou wasn't content to just stand there and take the hits.
It swung its massive arm toward Chang Yuan.
Faced with such a slow attack, Chang Yuan easily dodged.
But when its claw struck the ground, it left a crater dozens of meters deep—nearly a hundred meters wide.
"Elysia, this thing should have a core. Destroying that core is the only way to kill it. When the opportunity arises, shatter it immediately."