After exiting the station, Shu looked up to see two tall, imposing figures standing ramrod straight at the entrance.
"Wow! It's Senior [Rose]'s Titan Mech Squad!" While Shu was still wondering, Susannah, who was right beside him, let out a perfectly timed gasp, clearing up his confusion.
Is that Himeko's Titan unit?
Himeko's squad was probably the most unique among all the special teams. All the other squads had rotations and vacations.
At the very least, they had the flexibility to be deployed to different locations. One mission might be in Sapphire City, the next in another city entirely.
Only Himeko's squad was, for all intents and purposes, permanently stationed in Sapphire City. They were the only team with a fixed post.
Shu tilted his head slightly, quickly scanning the two Titan mechs, but he didn't see the "signatures" he had left on Himeko's squad's mechs.
Are these new members? Or did they get new mechs?
Shu mulled it over for a moment, then continued to follow the offline navigation on his phone towards the Pearl of Sapphire.
Susannah hesitated for a moment before turning to follow him, her eyes still glued to the two Titan mechs. She walked with a "three steps forward, two steps back" kind of reluctance.
Has this kid never seen a Titan mech before?
Walking ahead, Shu could feel Susannah's reluctance without even turning around. He sighed but didn't bother to address it.
He wasn't "Shu" right now. If he were in his original identity, he might have been able to pull some strings and let Susannah touch the mechs... though that might not have worked either. The new members probably wouldn't recognize him.
And if he ran into some by-the-book, upright individual... he'd just be making things difficult for them, wouldn't he?
He quickened his pace, leading Susannah away from the station area.
---||---
"From here on out, we're on our own..." On the other side, Rita looked at the tag spray-painted on a building and said to the two little sprouts beside her.
Azhar nodded nervously, shrinking close to Bianka, trying to draw some confidence and a sense of security from her.
She didn't even have a small dagger. She knew her own limitations. She couldn't protect herself, so she had to cling to the strong. In this regard, her pride was no match for her will to survive.
"Since Operation Jörmungandr, there are no more large, open-air zombie hordes in Sapphire City. But there are still a few stray zombies wandering in some corners," Rita said, noticing the "at a loss" written all over Azhar's face, and offered a word of comfort.
"If it's just a single zombie, I can handle it easily. And Lady Bianka will be here to protect us, so there's no need to worry."
Thinking about Bianka's amazing abilities, Azhar finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"However, we might also encounter Deadmans and Honkai Beasts. Compared to zombies, those enemies are on a completely different level," Rita said with a slight smile, her words making Azhar's heart pound again.
Azhar had also read the information released by Fire Moth, which mentioned Deadmans and Honkai Beasts. Those two types of monsters were in a different league from zombies.
"Then... then Deadmans and Honkai Beasts... they probably can't beat you guys, right...?" Since she had never seen them, Azhar asked hesitantly.
Rita just smiled. She paused deliberately for two seconds before speaking in a troubled tone.
"If it were me... just barely protecting myself from a Honkai Beast would be my limit..."
Azhar gasped.
Even the powerful Rita could only barely protect herself from a Honkai Beast?!
"Then... then Bianka... what about you?" Azhar's voice trembled as she turned her hopeful gaze to Bianka, who was warming up beside her.
She was hoping for a confident, even arrogant, answer from Bianka, something like "A mere Honkai Beast? I could take it down with a crayon."
But the one who answered her was Bianka, a child who hadn't experienced much of the world, who was, all things considered, only a little over two months old.
"A Honkai Beast..." Bianka ignored Azhar's pleading gaze and began to recall the few precious memories she had of fighting them.
She had participated in the subjugation of Honkai Beasts in Sapphire City... but she had actually fought Deadmans. The Honkai Beasts were dealt with by Senior Kallen and Senior Himeko's Titan squad, so that didn't count.
Before entering the City of Sighs, she had fought a Chariot-class Honkai Beast, but that time she had used Mr. Siegfried's... um... Dad's Star of Judgment. That didn't count either.
And she had encountered many Honkai Beasts when she escaped from Fire Moth, but at that time, Bianka hadn't paid much attention to the battles, often ending them quickly, so... she didn't have much of an impression...
In the end, it seemed the only one was...
Bianka raised her hand and gently placed it on her chest, feeling the faint chill emanating from her body.
Parvati... that was the Honkai Beast that had left the deepest impression on her. And its power... even for her now, it was a tough opponent.
"I'd have to go all out to deal with it," Bianka said seriously.
I'm toast!
Azhar suddenly felt the world spin. After Bianka's "all out" statement, Azhar felt as if a ferocious Honkai Beast could leap out from any corner and swallow her whole.
Rita watched as Azhar's two short legs began to tremble, a mischievous smile growing on her lips.
"Are you not feeling well, Lady Azhar?" she asked casually. "Would you like me to take you back to the train station?"
Azhar just pursed her lips tightly and shook her head, her face a little pale.
"No... no need." She forced herself to answer, taking several deep breaths to calm her racing heart.
I'm supposed to be standing with these two... The assessment is tomorrow, and I'm getting stage fright here. Am I really this cowardly?
But... Rita and Bianka both have expectations for me, so I...
At least I can't just give up...
Rita didn't ask again. Repeatedly confirming would make one waver and gradually turn to reason.
And what Rita wanted to see was precisely that spark of "hot-blooded passion."
"Very good. Then let's set off," Rita said, turning and leading the way towards the Pearl of Sapphire.