Ryn brought Durandal to the rooftop of the abandoned ME Corp building.
Standing on this skyscraper, which was just like the one in the Fire Moth's world that was also destroyed in the Third Honkai War, Ryn slowly began to speak:
"ME Corp, the world's largest high-tech electronics research and development group. Almost one out of every ten electronic devices is produced by ME Corp.
Nagazora City provided the social foundation for ME Corp, and ME Corp, in turn, successfully drove the development of Nagazora City. In order to cultivate high-tech talent, a special area in Nagazora City was designated as an Academy City…"
"Mhm… I've heard of ME Corp's reputation before, and I used their products when I was a child."
Durandal nodded thoughtfully. She had bought some small toys and electronic products from ME Corp before, but then Overseer Otto found out…
Overseer Otto said at the time that these ME Corp products were not safe, and if she wanted any toys, he could make them for her himself. Durandal felt that Overseer Otto was busy with countless affairs and shouldn't waste time on her entertainment, so she refused his offer.
"Nagazora City… Besides the training room at Schicksal HQ and my own home, I rarely stay in one place for a long time…
My only memory of Nagazora City is from when I was fighting the Herrscher of Corruption there after it caused a riot…"
"Herrscher of Corruption… Higokumaru… Hiyokumaru… tsk…"
Ryn clicked his tongue and gave a self-deprecating, cold laugh, then continued speaking.
"A few years ago, Kiana and I wandered to this strange city. Like rootless duckweed, we, who had been wandering the streets, finally settled down for the first time and had a small home…
We met a kind fried chicken shop owner and a coffee shop owner, witnessed their love, and gave them our blessings at their wedding.
In order for the young Kiana to receive a normal education, I sent her to Senba Academy, where she met her current best friends and family, Mushoku Kika and Raiden Mei…
Of course, there was also meeting Otto later, from whom I obtained the artificial intelligence known as 'Cortana', the 'Key of Halo'.
Our lives are very short. Compared to our lifespan, the experiences we have now are but a lonely boat on a lake… so small as to be insignificant.
But it is indeed these small experiences that make up our whole lives and shape our personalities…"
Ryn reached out and caressed the building beneath his feet, a building he used to see every day when he was in Nagazora City. He was very familiar with this building, yet also very much a stranger to it…
"Durandal, you said that people are born with a mission… So, is the mission of a Valkyrie to fight against the Honkai?"
"…"
Durandal fell silent for a moment, thought for a long time, and finally shook her head, saying, "Everyone has a mission. My ultimate mission may be to fight the Honkai, but the mission of all Valkyries is not necessarily to fight the Honkai."
_Ryn smiled faintly, took Durandal's hand, and started to run with her, then spread his arms and leaped off the tall building.
Durandal instinctively wanted to activate her armor's propulsion system and enter flight mode.
But looking at the completely calm boy beside her, feeling the warmth from his palm, Durandal ultimately did not activate the propulsion system.
She spread her arms, mimicking Ryn, relaxed her body, and wholeheartedly experienced the strange sensation of flight from freefalling.
But as they fell, she suddenly became a little confused. What exactly had Ryn brought her here to do?
To leap from the tallest building in the Far East to experience the joy of flying?
Or perhaps…
Durandal began to carefully examine the ME Corp building that was rapidly sliding past her, trying to find some clues from this Honkai-corroded building to deduce Ryn's intentions.
ME Corp was truly worthy of being the enterprise representing the pinnacle of human technology on the surface. Although the ME Corp building had been corroded by the Honkai and some of its outer walls were peeling off, the structure was still solid, revealing the metallic gleam of the defense system within the walls.
Although Nagazora City was now officially declared a restricted access and observation zone due to a toxic gas leak causing biological mutations, Durandal knew that this place had become a paradise for Honkai Creatures.
As long as that unknown Honkai energy did not disappear, the erosion of Nagazora City by the Honkai would never stop.
Below the ME Corp building, dense swarms of Honkai Beasts were entrenched in the surrounding area, completely encircling ME Corp, yet none of them chose to attack it.
In fact, within Durandal's field of vision, these Honkai Beasts seemed to be divided into two clans, each occupying its own territory.
If a Honkai Beast from one side crossed the boundary, a great war would break out between the two sides, a battle that would darken the sky.
This was the first time Durandal had seen infighting among Honkai Beasts, and she looked on with curiosity for a few more moments… Was this what Ryn wanted to show her by bringing her here?
And then…
After freefalling for a while, just as they were approaching the ground, Durandal suddenly felt as if she had entered a state of weightlessness. The force of gravity and the inertia from the freefall vanished in an instant, and she floated straight in the air.
Ryn landed a step ahead of Durandal, then turned and took her hand, pulling the little elf dancing in the air into his arms, and they landed smoothly together.
After landing, Durandal bounced a little, then unconsciously gave Ryn a shy smile.
Although she was a bit confused, Durandal inexplicably felt that this was quite nice?
When she was with Ryn, she would always unconsciously turn into a normal little girl~ no longer needing to worry about so many miscellaneous things that weighed her down with pressure.
No, wait, I've always been a normal girl!
Ryn looked at Durandal's girlish appearance and couldn't help but smile as well.
But soon, Ryn's smile stiffened, and he gave Durandal an apologetic look.
"Oops, I forgot these little guys have a grudge against me too. Durandal, wait for me a moment, I'll go take care of something."
"Hmm?"
Durandal and her cowlick tilted in confusion. Wasn't Nagazora City empty except for Honkai Beasts? Who could Ryn possibly have a grudge against?
The next second, the two groups of Honkai Beasts that Durandal had previously seen entrenched in their own areas, not interfering with each other, suddenly seemed to have discovered something and all stood up in unison.
There was no hatred for the other Honkai Beasts in their eyes. Instead, as if sharing a common tragic experience, their eyes blazed with anger as they stared at the person next to her… Ryn?
Durandal's cowlick stood straight up, and her small mouth opened in surprise. "He… he really has a grudge with the Honkai Beasts?"
"ROAR—" (The bastard who defeated our master is back! Brothers, grab your weapons! Kill him!)
"ROAR—" (The bastard who took our master away is back! Brothers, let's get our master back!)