That evening, after finishing his shower, Jun An lay sprawled on the sofa like a man completely drained, while Himeko, her hair still damp, lovingly gave him a lap pillow, stroking his hair.
This was his mistake. He had underestimated the strength of his two "adoptive mothers" and overlooked the fact that both were Fusion Soldiers. Under their combined assault, Jun An could only become their plaything.
Especially Himeko; she seemed particularly excited by the Captain's current thirteen-to-fourteen-year-old appearance, draining him for several rounds straight away.
Theresa, on the other hand, had been assigned remote work by Amber after getting her fill, while Himeko, having just nabbed Cocolia yesterday to help out, was comparatively free now.
"If I'd known earlier, I wouldn't have given you that Super Variable Factor back then," Jun An regretted, "My back hurts now."
Hearing this, Himeko wasn't pleased. She pinched Jun An's cheek, saying, "My Honkai energy resistance is terrible; without this Super Variable Factor, I would have been long gone. Besides, weren't you enjoying yourself quite a bit while 'driving the big car' on me?"
Early in the story, Himeko, due to her insufficient Honkai energy resistance, insisted on using the Vermillion Knight battlesuit linked with the Hyperion. This left marks on her body, and subsequent battles accumulated more and more injuries until the Battle of Schicksal HQ, where she used the Key of Blankness, ultimately burning away her life force.
To save Himeko, Jun An had preemptively found Gray Serpent and made a deal to gain access to the Elysian Realm, allowing Himeko to undergo the surgery to implant the Super Variable Factor. Only then was her life saved.
And because of this, Himeko was able to live until now.
Jun An opened his eyes and glanced at the ceiling, obscured by two heavy objects. He reached out a hand to grab one. Himeko couldn't help but let out a soft moan, "Captain, do you want more? Although... down there still hurts a little..."
"No, I'm just playing around."
Himeko was currently wearing only a nightgown, completely bare underneath. If Jun An turned his face inwards, he might even be able to drink 'milk tea' right then and there. But even thinking about such an exciting possibility, Jun An couldn't get aroused.
So, Jun An simply started 'kneading milk' like a kitten to retaliate against Himeko. His current palms sank completely into her flesh; he estimated that even when he grew up, one hand wouldn't be enough to hold them.
While kneading, Jun An said, "There was more than one way to save you back then. Besides becoming a Fusion Soldier, we could have created a new body for you."
"You don't actually think I drained you so many times just out of desire, do you?"
"Isn't it?"
"It's because I love you, Captain."
"Hey! We've worked together for so many years, don't be so cheesy, okay?"
Himeko's words startled Jun An so much that he lost all interest in playing with the 'balls', goosebumps erupting all over his body. He even shivered as he spoke.
It was like your best bro suddenly telling you how attractive you smell – anyone would get the chills.
Himeko just sighed helplessly, "The Captain is really not romantic at all. Such a 'pulls out dick, heartless' guy."
"Can't help it, I'm in 'sage time' right now, can't get romantic." Jun An sat up, using his hand, now tinged with a milky fragrance, to reach for the TV remote. He turned on the TV to pass the evening time with Himeko.
Just as Jun An turned on the TV, he saw Liliya and Rozaliya singing on stage.
Jun An was somewhat astonished, "How did those two end up on TV? Are those Honkai Beast horns and tails really okay?"
"Mm, that's completely fine, of course," Himeko answered. "People like Liliya and Rozaliya with features like beast ears are rare, but it's also considered a unique characteristic. You can look it up; because of those Honkai Beast features, they've even become some of the hottest child stars now."
"In terms of protecting their personal safety, Schicksal is gradually making information about the Honkai public and has also revealed their identities as Valkyries."
"So, while they act as Schicksal's spokespeople, they also receive protection from Schicksal regarding public opinion and personal safety. Generally, no one would be foolish enough to cause trouble, so you don't need to worry, Captain."
Hearing this, Jun An couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
"That's good."
Liliya and Rozaliya's Honkai Beast features were quite distinct. While walking down the street under normal circumstances might be acceptable, publicly revealing their images to the world could easily provoke backlash from some people.
After all, this world had no shortage of people who had died at the hands of Honkai Beasts. It wouldn't be strange if some directed their hatred for Honkai Beasts towards related people or things.
However, with Schicksal backing Liliya and Rozaliya, Jun An felt much more relieved.
Thus, Jun An settled down to watch Liliya and Rozaliya's singing competition stage. Competing against them were various child stars from the Far East, including some cute ones, with one or two only slightly less adorable than Theresa.
But in the end, Liliya and Rozaliya still won.
Of course, this wasn't because the other child stars' dancing, singing skills, or coordination couldn't match the Vodka Girls. It was due to a simpler reason: none of them had agile Honkai Beast tails or cute little horns.
Although not exactly beast-eared girls, the pair could be considered semi-dragon girls. Looking at the audience vote rate, it was clear their appeal was definitely not small.
After watching the child stars' singing competition with Jun An, Himeko said softly, "Captain, could it be... you really like lolis?"
"Hmm?" Jun An clearly sensed danger and immediately replied, "I was just checking on the situation of Fusion Soldiers in human society, don't overthink it. And don't even think about using this as an excuse to make me 'prove myself' and drain me again. I seriously don't have a single drop left."
"Captain, what kind of person do you take me for?" Himeko retorted indignantly. "Even I know about recycling and sustainable 'draining the pond to catch the fish'."
"Hey, why does that sound even more terrifying?" Jun An couldn't help but retort, already hearing his kidneys whimpering. He instinctively shifted away slightly from this adoptive mother whose mind was filled with desire.
Seeing Jun An's flustered look, Himeko couldn't help but chuckle secretly.
"I'll stop teasing you. Speaking of Liliya and those two girls reminded me of something. Captain, you should still be a Fusion Soldier right now, shouldn't you?" Himeko sized up Jun An, her gaze drifting downwards. "After all, certain parts of the Captain really don't seem proportional for a child."
When Jun An possessed planet-busting strength, he was a Fusion Soldier no less powerful than Kevin. However, Kevin had stolen the power of Finality, whereas Jun An achieved planet-busting level through a different method in conjunction with the System.
"Theresa gave me a physical exam. I'm purely human right now," Jun An replied. "If possible, I still need to find Mobius and have her prepare the Super Variable Factor for me."
However, Himeko said, "I suggest waiting another two years for your body to develop properly, Captain. After all, you don't want your body to stay this small forever, right?"
"Mm, that's true." Jun An nodded. Himeko's words reminded him that Fusion Soldiers have long lifespans and exceptionally slow growth cycles. Even Little Griseo took ten thousand years to grow into Big Griseo, and some might not grow at all.
Jun An briefly imagined himself staying in this young form. While 'driving the big car' wasn't bad, he always felt somewhat passive.
"But just in case, we should prepare the Super Variable Factor anyway."
With that, the next two items on his agenda were more or less set: either find Cocolia or find Mobius.
"Captain, since you're back, have you considered taking up an official post, however minor, in the Far East Branch?" Himeko leaned against Jun An's small body. "If you want, I can help you regain the position of Hyperion Captain."
Or rather, that position had always belonged exclusively to Jun An. Theresa had even specifically created the title of 'Permanent Hyperion Captain' for him.
Naturally, Jun An wouldn't refuse. "Keep the Captain position registered under my name. After all, it's a government meal; it'd be stupid not to take it."