"My name is Cocolia…" the woman conversing with Li Xuan remotely via holographic 3D projection technology said. The morning sun glinted off the white mecha's body, a metallic sheen so bright it was hard to look at.
"I hereby sincerely invite you to join our organization in the fight against the Honkai—Anti-Entropy!" The woman before Li Xuan elegantly extended her hand to him.
"You've seen this crumbling world, haven't you? When the Third Honkai War comes, we will be the ones to save it!" the woman declared, raising her hand with a fanatical fervor, her eyes filled with the light of conviction. "What's more, we will give you the best equipment and make you the strongest warrior in the world! You will become one of the saviors of this world!" the woman named Cocolia continued, her voice full of temptation. "Are you willing to join us?"
"Hmm…" Li Xuan shook his head.
"Why? We can give you even greater power." Cocolia's expression froze. For a passionate young man, shouldn't this be an incredibly tempting offer?! "Don't you want to end this Honkai that has taken the lives and happiness of so many people, including your own parents?!"
In Cocolia's mind, the young man named Li Xuan had appeared in Nagazora City, surely having awakened his Stigmata due to this Honkai outbreak. He must have lived in this city… perhaps even his own relatives and friends had lost their lives in this disaster. He should hate the 'Honkai' with every fiber of his being! For a young man who had lost everything, the chance to personally end the phenomenon known as 'Honkai' should be a pursuit and hope that would make his blood boil… even she felt a thrill just thinking about it…
But… why would he refuse?! Cocolia was utterly baffled.
"No thanks. For me, I'm just a traveler in this world… As long as I can protect the people around me, that's enough," Li Xuan said, scratching his head in embarrassment.
"!" Yae Sakura, who had her eyes downcast, suddenly lifted her head at Li Xuan's words, her crystal-like eyes fixed on him.
Save the world?! That's too grand an ideal. It's not a job for an otaku like me. Besides, I'm not here to save the world, I just want… to find a way back to my own world… And I still haven't found any trace of Kiana and the others, so how can I just leave so soon…
As for equipment and getting stronger… Li Xuan silently glanced at the silver ring on his hand. Inside it was an item called the 'Gate of Vows'. He didn't think any equipment could be stronger than his own divine artifact… After all, in his hands, even a gun could turn into a girl, just like a certain cute maid currently slumbering in the ring.
"Can you guys turn weapons into girls?…" Li Xuan suddenly asked with curiosity.
"G-Girls?!…" Cocolia was completely dumbfounded. How could a weapon turn into a girl?! Was he joking?! The most Anti-Entropy could do was use tissue from Honkai Beasts or Herrschers to create more powerful weapons. How could a weapon possibly become a girl?!
"Uh… never mind. I don't really want to join any organization right now… Maybe later…" Li Xuan said, waving his hand. Joining an organization would surely mean restrictions on his freedom. It's not like he couldn't survive on his own, and besides…
"We really…" The woman in the image seemed unwilling to give up and wanted to continue persuading him, but a young girl in a green military uniform suddenly ran up from behind and whispered something in her ear.
"What's wrong?…" Li Xuan looked strangely at the woman in the image who had stopped mid-sentence.
"What is it?! Celia…" Cocolia turned to face the subordinate who had interrupted her persuasion of the Stigmata wielder 'Li Xuan', feeling a bit annoyed and unhappy.
"Commander… according to our reconnaissance, Schicksal has already responded to our incursion into Nagazora City. They have dispatched an A-Rank Valkyrie…" the girl named Celia whispered, leaning close to Cocolia's ear. "So… Commander, we don't have much time left."
"…" Upon hearing her words, the commander's expression twisted slightly. Finally, she grit her teeth hard.
"Mr. Li Xuan, are you absolutely sure you do not wish to join Anti-Entropy?" The woman named Cocolia, who had been silent for a moment, suddenly turned back to him and asked solemnly.
"Yeah… I'm not really interested for the time being," Li Xuan answered honestly. Even if he were to join, it would be after he found all his companions…
"Is that so?!" the other party said, seemingly unconcerned. The woman in the image lowered her head, making her expression unreadable. "Then please forgive our impertinence…" Cocolia said as she looked up, a glint flashing in her eyes. The image in front of Li Xuan flickered slightly before dissolving into points of light.
"Implement Directive B!" Turning away from the command room screen, Cocolia ordered the technicians before her. "Capture that male Stigmata wielder and the pink-haired female Stigmata wielder along with him!"
"Yes, ma'am!" A series of commands and programs were converted into electromagnetic signals and transmitted to the Anti-Entropy mechas thousands of miles away.
"What does she mean by that?…" Li Xuan muttered, confused by the 3D image that had suddenly vanished. He didn't quite understand her last words…
"Li Xuan-kun! Watch out!" The dazed Li Xuan was suddenly pulled back forcefully by Yae Sakura.
BANG!!! BOOM!
The spot where he had just been standing was reduced to rubble by a giant iron fist.
The massive white mecha before Li Xuan, its head flashing with a crimson, blood-like light, slowly retracted the fist it had smashed into the ground. It gradually straightened its bent waist, its Honkai energy-powered joints glowing red.
Pssh~ A blast of air shot out from its body.
The towering figure of the 'Berserk Titan' stood tall, seeming to block out the still-dazzling morning sun…