TL NOTE:
**[IMPORTANT NAME FIX – PLEASE READ]**
Earlier chapters used "Penglaiji Ryn" (蓬莱寺九霄) because I initially romanized Jiuxiao as a male OC-sounding name ("Ryn") while translating from the raw text. After double-checking the official Japanese source, the canon name is Houraiji Kyuusyou. There's no Chinese wiki entry for this character (it's a Japanese original), so the confusion came from a pure romanization slip-up on my end. From this chapter onward, we'll stick with Houraiji Kyuusyou. No retcons needed—the character is the same!
Chapter Starts from Here:
Because this land was once Higokumaru's territory, and is now the territory of the Herrscher of Thunder, the situation was as follows:
On one side were Honkai Beasts spawned and infected by the residual Honkai energy left by the Herrscher of Corruption, Hiyokumaru. On the other side were Honkai Beasts spawned by the Honkai energy left by the Herrscher of Thunder, Mei.
The Honkai Beasts on both sides found the other completely disagreeable, each believing the other to be invaders trying to seize their territory.
Normally, when they met, it would be a fight to the death. But now, Ryn had arrived.
During the Third Great Honkai Eruption, Ryn had knocked Mei unconscious and taken her away. During the Corruption incident, Ryn had killed Higokumaru… The Honkai Beasts present had seen it all clearly.
So, every time Ryn returned to Nagazora City, the Honkai Beasts would get fired up as if on stimulants, roaring as they charged over. One side wanted to reclaim Mei, the other wanted to avenge Higokumaru.
Fortunately, Ryn was kind-hearted and sent them directly to see Higokumaru.
"Taixu Sword Ki—Divine State—Sword God"
Ryn brought two fingers together before his chest, slowly raising his hand and pointing towards the sky.
Over three hundred thousand illusory purple Taixu swords, condensed from Taixu Sword Ki, arranged themselves neatly high in the sky, obscuring even the moonlight in the dark night.
Only the faint purple light reflecting off the sword blades remained.
"I admire your will, I respect your loyalty… therefore, I will send you into the afterlife, to begin a new life."
"Taixu Sword Ki: Myriad Swords Return to the Origin"
With a cold glint in his eyes, Ryn pointed his fingers down at the Honkai Beasts, then turned with a flick of his sleeve to rejoin Durandal.
The three hundred thousand plus Taixu swords in the sky, each locked onto a single Honkai Beast. At Ryn's command, the Taixu swords descended like a waterfall plunging three thousand feet, as if the Milky Way itself were falling from the heavens.
Like sharp knives piercing through cotton, the thirty thousand plus Honkai Beasts present couldn't even dodge or block. They could only watch in helplessness as Ryn's Taixu swords pierced through their bodies, erupting from within and blasting them into nothingness, not even leaving ashes behind.
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Durandal watched as rows of Taixu swords suddenly appeared in the sky. Then, with a wave of his hand, Ryn annihilated all the Honkai Beasts in Nagazora City. She fell into deep thought.
"It seems I'm still not strong enough. If I were the target of that attack, I probably couldn't even escape… I'm still too weak. I can't slack off when I get back… I need to increase the intensity of my training!
I've decided. From now on, I'll train every day until I have to use Abyss Flower ten times to repair my exhausted body, and then have Overseer Otto use Abyss Flower three more times. That way, I can fully push my potential at least thirteen times a day…"
Durandal clenched her fists, giving herself a firm cheer.
"Keep it up, Durandal. The lives of all the beings in the Bubble Universe inside me depend on me. I must keep getting stronger. Strong enough to no longer disappoint their expectations…"
Ryn, returning after dealing with the Honkai Beasts, heard Durandal's mumbling to herself—something about training until her body tore apart and she was exhausted thirteen times a day? He was momentarily stunned, then said with a joking smile:
"As expected of our Schicksal's most famous hardworking genius! I acknowledge your will, Durandal! But is it really worth pushing yourself so hard?"
"Yes, it's worth it!"
Durandal nodded with determination, then materialized the star lance transformed from the holy sword "Durandal," which had been entrusted to her by the Bubble Universe within her body.
Whenever she held the star lance, Durandal could feel the immense weight of the power within it.
"The power inside me is a constant reminder that I must keep getting stronger, strong enough to fulfill this mission. The Bubble Universe is anchored to my body, and its destruction has only been temporarily halted. If anything happens to me, all the beings in that Bubble Universe will die…
So, I must put in ten times, a hundred times the effort of a normal person, and constantly get stronger!"
"Hehe… but this world is a very cruel place. Some things can't be obtained through hard work and talent alone. All things depend on luck…"
Ryn shook his head self-deprecatingly. He, whose entire strength was obtained through luck, understood the unfairness of this world better than anyone.
One Great Honkai Eruption, one glance from the great will of the Sea of Quanta, and he had strength that far surpassed what Durandal had painstakingly built up over years of desperate training.
Another Great Honkai Eruption, and Ryn, with the power of Creation and Withering, directly stepped into the ranks of the world's top combatants, beginning his path to invincibility.
But this world, shaped by fate, will always leave people with all sorts of regrets, tragedies that cannot be undone even with power.
Ryn and Durandal walked hand in hand, strolling through this city where nothing was left.
The Honkai had destroyed everything here, easily erasing the beautiful past, leaving only ruined buildings and a land full of Honkai Zombies and Honkai Beasts.
"Durandal… you said… you chose to fight the Honkai because of that glorious mission you mentioned?"
"…"
Durandal was at a loss for words for a moment, but in the end, she nodded, then looked seriously into Ryn's eyes.
"Ryn, you know? I actually really admire Valkyries like Rita and Susanna who fight against the Honkai. They give their all to fight the Honkai, constantly living up to the oath they took when they became Valkyries, and defending the glory of Schicksal.
Fighting the Honkai, becoming a glorious Valkyrie, saving the world…
None of these were actually my original intentions…
When I received the news that Instructor Ragna had died in battle to save a girl, and when I received the teachings of Senior Himeko, I tried to become a Valkyrie.
But as a Valkyrie on missions, watching my teammates die tragically, leaving me as the sole survivor… I realized, we are special…
Whether it's talent or abilities, the gap between us and normal Valkyries is too great… so great that in comparison, they seem like ordinary people…
At that time, I began to understand my mission, and my later experiences in the Bubble Universe made it even clearer.
My mission is not to fight the Honkai, but to do everything in my power to protect those I can protect!
And just as I understood that I was a special person, I understood that there would be others even more special than me!
And so, my mission went one step further…
To protect the world, waiting for the appearance of truly 'cheating' existences like you, Ryn. And then, just like in a fairy tale, the hero saves the world.
And I, in the time before you have fully grown, am the protective umbrella standing at the very front."
Durandal reached out and cupped Ryn's somewhat surprised face, resting her forehead against his, and said softly:
"Now, my mission is complete. Next… could I ask you, to be my savior?"