NIKKE: The Apocalypse Arrives, But the System is 100 Years Late

Mo Chen whispered into her ear, his voice low and deliberate:

"I'm borrowing your womb."

A long silence followed.

Mo Chen loosened his grip on Indivilia's throat, and her delicate body, as if drained of all strength, slipped to the ground like a limp noodle. Her legs buckled, and with a dull "thud," she collapsed onto her knees. Her crimson eyes widened in shock as she clutched her slightly swollen abdomen, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably as she dry-heaved.

After a moment, Indivilia managed to stop retching. Her slender fingers weakly pressed against the ground as she struggled to lift her frail body. She looked up, her eyes filled with uncertainty and fear as she stared at Mo Chen.

"What… did you do to me?!"

Her bronzed complexion had paled significantly, her lips losing their usual color. Her breaths came in quick, uneven gasps, causing her full, heaving chest to rise and fall in an erratic rhythm. The arrogance she once carried had vanished entirely, replaced by a shuddering vulnerability that made her entire being seem fragile.

She felt something foreign inside her body.

Her abdomen… felt bloated, warm. When she pressed against the smooth skin, she could distinctly feel the slight curve, as if something was growing within her.

Mo Chen grinned at her, his expression bright and harmless, revealing a row of pristine white teeth.

"This is my gift to you."

It was the product of the Red Tide's incubation.

The Red Tide was capable of nurturing humanoid lifeforms from the amalgamated biomass within the hive structure. These creatures possessed the ability to mimic human forms and exhibited an accelerated learning capability. 

In essence, they were similar to the twins born from the Red Tide in the original records.

However, in this case, the Red Tide lacked sufficient materials. Even if it had devoured all the surrounding Rapture corpses, it wouldn't be enough to sustain proper development.

So Mo Chen turned his attention to Indivilia.

A vivid image flashed through his mind—Indivilia bound in chains within a dungeon, forced to lay eggs one after another.

…No, that's too twisted.

Indivilia had already absorbed vast amounts of energy from both Nikkes and Raptures. Her body contained an enormous reservoir of power. More importantly, she had an extensive underground network of tendrils spread across the continent. 

Through this network, the Red Tide's offspring could be fed a continuous, unlimited supply of energy.

The realization struck Indivilia like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.

Her pupils constricted, her face turned ghostly white.

Something had been implanted inside her. And she had no idea what monstrosity was now growing within her body.

Fear clawed at her insides.

Indivilia made a split-second decision. Without hesitation, she balled her hand into a fist and punched herself in the abdomen—"Bang! Bang!"—striking herself with unrelenting force. The impacts were so violent that blood trickled from the corner of her lips.

It was painful just to watch.

Mo Chen clicked his tongue in mild astonishment.

This woman was truly ruthless… even to herself.

Indivilia then raised her clawed fingers into the air. They glowed with a sharp, chilling light. Clenching her jaw, she prepared to slice open her own stomach.

That was when a voice—calm, amused, and tinged with something darker—whispered into her ear.

"It's useless. Even if you blow yourself to pieces, even if you reduce yourself to ashes… they'll still follow you."

Indivilia's head snapped toward him, her panic-stricken eyes locking onto Mo Chen's infuriatingly smug smile.

"You don't actually think you can cut them out, do you?"

She froze, then frantically lifted her arm, inspecting her own skin.

Lines—like pulsating veins—had already begun to spread across her body.

A cold shiver ran down her spine. It was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over her head.

At that moment, Mo Chen crouched beside her, leaning in close. His breath was warm against her ear as he spoke in a soft, almost tender voice.

"You want to mate with me?" His tone carried a cruel amusement.

"You're not even worthy."

Indivilia's jewel-like crimson eyes froze in shock. She remained in a daze for a long moment before lifting her gaze to look at Mo Chen—only to realize that he had already turned his back on her and walked away.

A surge of shame, mixed with seething hatred, erupted from deep within her chest.

It was an emotion she had never experienced before since taking on a human form.

It burned so fiercely.

Just as Indivilia clenched her silver teeth so hard that they nearly shattered—her mind consumed with thoughts of tearing Mo Chen apart—Marian suddenly appeared.

Pain exploded across Indivilia's scalp.

Marian had grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her forward. The once gentle-looking Nikke now stood before her, her clear, innocent face tinged with killing intent. Her beautiful eyes, usually as pure as spring water, gleamed with a faint crimson glow.

"If you dare seduce the Commander—I'll kill you."

The tone she used was childish, almost like an elementary schooler throwing a tantrum.

Yet the sheer terror it evoked was undeniable.

The chilling aura she exuded left no doubt in Indivilia's mind—Marian was entirely serious.

Even Indivilia, who had faced countless battles, felt a shiver run down her spine.

Marian let go of her hair and turned away without a second glance. With a light bounce, she chased after Mo Chen and leaped into his arms, calling out to him in the sweetest voice. She clung to him, nuzzling against his chest like an affectionate kitten, her entire demeanor radiating happiness.

Indivilia felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

What… kind of monsters were these?

A Nikke.

She was supposed to be just a Nikke.

And yet, the sheer terror Marian emitted… was unlike anything Indivilia had ever encountered.

It wasn't just a threat.

It was a deep, instinctual fear—one that felt as if she were standing before a Rapture Queen itself.

"Commander, Commander…"

Marian snuggled against Mo Chen's embrace, rubbing against him like a spoiled cat.

Even Mo Chen, who was accustomed to her antics, couldn't resist stroking her hair a few extra times.

Especially with how tightly she pressed against him…

As if she wanted to meld completely into him.

"Be good," Mo Chen coaxed, gently ruffling her silky locks. "Didn't I tell you to rest?"

Marian was becoming more and more attached to him. She practically clung to him every day, unwilling to part.

Of course, this behavior was exclusive to Mo Chen.

To everyone else…

She showed no mercy.

She had ripped off Chatterbox's head with her bare hands, after all.

As Mo Chen continued "petting the cat," Marian suddenly said something that made his entire body stiffen—his hand even trembled mid-stroke.

"Commander, I want to have your child!"

"…What?"

For a moment, Mo Chen wondered if his ears had malfunctioned.

Maybe he was just hearing things.

"What did you just say?"

"I want to have the Commander's child!"

Marian repeated herself without hesitation. She wrapped her arms around his neck and—without warning—opened her mouth, about to bite into his shoulder.

Mo Chen quickly clamped a hand over her mouth.

"This child… What nonsense are you talking about?!"

"But why can she have your child, and I can't?"

Marian's voice was laced with grievance.

Her eyes, usually sparkling like the night sky, now carried a misty sorrow.

Her long lashes trembled slightly, as if weighed down by an unbearable sadness.

Every blink radiated a fragile beauty—one that could make hearts ache.

"This is… different."

Mo Chen felt a headache coming on.

She didn't understand.

The "child" he was talking about wasn't that kind of child.

Besides, she was a Nikke—she couldn't even conceive!

Of course, Mo Chen wisely chose not to say that aloud. That would be like pouring gasoline onto an already blazing fire.

Marian released Mo Chen and suddenly turned, storming toward Indivilia with murder in her eyes.

The moment Mo Chen saw this, he immediately reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her back.

"Where are you going?"

Marian, still looking pitiful and aggrieved, spoke the most terrifying words in the softest voice.

"I'm going to kill her."