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"Aba aba..."
After another mentally exhausting session, Kiana slumped over the table, mumbling nonsensically.
Soon after, Fu Hua's cheerful voice echoed.
"Kiana, give me your hand."
Kiana turned her head slightly, resting it on her chin against the table as she gazed blankly at Fu Hua while slowly extending one arm.
A golden feather then gently floated onto Kiana's palm.
"What is this?" Kiana asked, bewildered.
Fu Hua reached out, softly ruffling Kiana's hair with a faint smile. "It serves as insurance, and also an experiment of sorts," she replied.
"...Fu Hua-sensei, Riddler mode detected; kindly exit stage left."
"Hm?"
"Okay, forget I mentioned that—you're not familiar with internet slang. Anyway, stop speaking in riddles—what's up with this feather?"
As Kiana questioned, despite still being clueless, she instinctively merged the feather into her palm without any hesitation or suspicion.
Watching this unfold, a hint of warmth filled Fu Hua's eyes as she responded:
"This feather acts as a conduit for my consciousness, allowing my Sun Divinity to enter your body. Whenever you face imminent danger, I can transcend spatial barriers using this connection, manifest within you, and assist in unleashing the Void Sword Divinity... Additionally, by observing how the Void Sword Divinity manifests through you, I hope to gain insights and refine my own cultivation."
"I see. Fu Hua-sensei, your style feels increasingly out of place in this world—while we're all about technology and Honkai Energy, you're like a cultivator from some fantasy tale." Kiana remarked dryly.
Yet despite knowing that Fu Hua could potentially enter her body at any moment after fusing with the feather, she didn't express undue concern.
Fu Hua picked up her teacup, pondered for a moment, and said, "Zeke mentioned something similar once. Is it truly so peculiar?"
Kiana's spirits lifted; it seemed she and Zeke were on the same wavelength! She emphasized, "It's not peculiar but rather extraordinary, absolutely not strange at all! No matter what, Fu Hua-sensei, you're incredibly impressive. Having you around gives me a great sense of security."
"...Thank you," Fu Hua replied with a smile, formally ending their training session for the day.
Once Kiana had shuffled away again, Fu Hua pressed a hand to her chest, her smile gradually fading.
"A sense of security? For someone who failed to protect everything... Kiana, thank you," Fu Hua murmured softly.
As the Book of Fuxi leisurely floated back from its stroll, Fu Hua concealed her troubled thoughts, regaining her customary serenity.
Beyond the confines of this world—in the Virtual Space that theoretically shouldn't exist but manifests due to Honkai Energy—deep within the grand and majestic Divine Temple, a pair of golden eyes slowly opened from their feigned slumber.
"The global order is undergoing rapid change, with human conflict reaching its zenith. Anti-Entropy's main forces will soon make their move. The remaining wild cards are Schicksal and the monster who ventured into the quantum realm. Barring any surprises, that monster will arrogantly stick to the original plan and observe from outside our world. As for Schicksal... Ha, has Otto Apocalypse ever deviated from his intentions?"
"This opportunity belongs to me!"
The Herrscher of the Void, who claimed Sirin's memories, hatred, and power as her own, naturally referred to herself by that name. With icy words, she unleashed a torrent of Honkai Energy that shook the entire Theater of Domination.
"Your Majesty!" Several dolls led by the Host entered the Divine Temple, kneeling on one knee before her.
"The moment approaches. When it comes, retain two-tenths of your forces here as mediums for my rebirth and Bella's. Another two-tenths will leave the battlefield to continue sowing chaos outside, restraining Anti-Entropy's main forces while constantly expanding your ranks to replace expended mediums. The remaining strength shall split into two groups following our previous plan: one commanding Honkai Beasts and Zombies for a frontal assault, the other hidden within the battlefield. They'll undoubtedly be cautious against my spatial abilities, but not necessarily prepared for you. Seize every opportunity to draw my target into the Theater of Domination."
"The war is about to begin!"
Upon receiving the Queen's command, the dolls bowed unanimously.
Simultaneously, deep within the dark palace, a massive dragon head slowly emerged. Its pure-blue draconic eyes opened coldly, emitting a deep roar before unfurling wings that blotted out the sky with immense majesty.
"Roooaaar—"
As wind and snow swept across, the world seemed entirely frozen amidst the dragon's cry.
"The time is near. I've confirmed with the Alliance Leader that he'll dispatch his main forces to suppress the rebellion within the next few days. He himself may also arrive at the chaos-ridden areas soon to take command. In other words, our enemy's attack is likely imminent," Bronya began the discussion in Anti-Entropy Headquarters' conference room on a somber note.
However, most present were already prepared for this news.
Wendy slapped her hand on the table and declared, "I've fully adapted to the new black armor now. Even if temporarily deprived of my Herrscher abilities, I'm still the once-strongest genius Valkyrie. When it comes down to battle, I won't fear any Herrscher!"
Her expression was unusually grave, radiating intense determination.
For Wendy, the defeat at Theater of Domination had been deeply frustrating. It wasn't due to inadequate control of her powers, poor tactical choices, or any subjective factors; rather, the theater had entirely transformed into the Herrscher of the Void's domain. Fighting there...her loss couldn't be attributed solely to her own shortcomings.
Despite this, Wendy yearned for a rematch against Sirin in the real world. However, she understood well that with five Herrscher abilities, Sirin was currently far beyond her capabilities as an opponent.
Given those circumstances, Wendy likely wouldn't have much opportunity to contribute beyond support, let alone redeem herself from her earlier defeat.
So Kiana patted Wendy's shoulder and smiled reassuringly at her. "Don't worry; there's no shame in it."
"...A loss is still a loss—no need for excuses. I just wanted to try countering Sirin's spatial abilities, that's all. Whether it's shameful or not doesn't bother me."
"Yes, yes, our little Wendy here is incredibly resilient. Such minor setbacks won't faze you."
"D-don't suddenly hug me like this!"
Caught off guard, Wendy found herself enveloped in Kiana's embrace as she gently stroked her head, comforting her like an older sister would a younger sibling.
Kiana continued smiling, but after a moment, Wendy relaxed, her cheeks puffing out slightly as she leaned against Kiana's chest.
"Fine, do what you want."
"All right, everyone should be well-prepared by now. This mission will be tough, with victory as our goal. Please prioritize your safety... You know how guilty I'd feel if anything happened to any of you." Kiana looked around the room, speaking slowly despite her smile, which belied a hint of sorrow in her eyes.
"Big Sister Kiana," Seele said, "I understand. It's truly not your fault. Please don't feel guilty anymore; let's support each other."
Raiden Mei chimed in, "Kiana, Seele is right. We'll always believe in you."
Ana hesitated before speaking up, feeling slightly out of place. "Um, although it might sound different from everyone else, I lost my ability while testing Herrscher of a Thousand People. It actually had nothing to do with that Herrscher of the Void... And I never even fought her directly."
Sin grinned mischievously. "Well, if there's a chance to beat the paramecium within an inch of its life... Even though she isn't literally a paramecium, Sin would still be pretty thrilled."
"SIN!!!" × N
Amidst disapproving expressions, Sin pouted.
"All right, all right, I won't say any more."
"Pfft!"
At this moment, Kiana couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Seeing that none of you seem overly fearful, I'm relieved... Most importantly, Mei, I may need to ask for some extra sacrifice from you this time."
"What are you saying, Kiana? You know very well that as long as it's for you, I wouldn't worry about such minor matters."
"Great! Then let's mentally prepare ourselves and face this challenge head-on!"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
On the outskirts of the group, Fu Hua handed Durandal a cup of tea.
"Thank you, Senior."
"Don't be so formal; I've also served as a Valkyrie before, making us colleagues of sorts. What do you think about this operation?"
"It's challenging, but they're all incredibly skilled. Miracles can indeed be achieved by human effort."
"Well said." Fu Hua, ever the avid tea lover, sighed deeply with mixed emotions.
Miracles—hadn't they created enough of them during the previous era? Yet, here was their final outcome.
For this current era to endure, even greater and more numerous miracles were needed.
Thus, she must continue honing herself relentlessly. Any moment of complacency could turn into despair in the future.
And Fu Hua would never allow such a fate!