After a brief rest on the Hyperion, Ming Yu once again set out to battle Chiyou. But this time, the person by his side was Theresa.
As a retired Valkyrie, Theresa once again donned her armor and stepped onto the battlefield against the Honkai.
So, what was the point of retiring?
Glancing at the Principal who was carrying a giant cross on one shoulder, Ming Yu didn't dare to voice this question.
"Here, this is for you." As she spoke, Theresa tossed a golden ancient sword towards Ming Yu. "But, it's just a temporary loan. Don't get any ideas!"
Reaching out, Ming Yu accurately caught the hilt of the Xuanyuan Sword. He wasn't surprised, merely nodding slightly at the Principal to show he understood.
Although Theresa didn't seem particularly bright, she knew very well that the Xuanyuan Sword would be far more effective in Ming Yu's hands than in hers. When facing Chiyou, this difference might be enough to change the tide of battle.
But she also understood that the Far East Branch's position did not allow Ming Yu to possess another Divine Key. So, although she chose to let Ming Yu use the Xuanyuan Sword, she had no intention of letting him own it completely.
Ming Yu was naturally aware of this as well. The Far East Branch needed a controllable blade, not just a super soldier.
While this might not be the most optimal choice in terms of resource allocation, it was the most beneficial for both sides. The Principal didn't want Ming Yu to become too strong, and similarly, Ming Yu didn't want to owe Theresa too much.
Although Ming Yu had been involved in acquiring the Xuanyuan Sword all along, it would have been impossible without the support of the Far East Branch.
Besides, he had no need to fight for this particular Xuanyuan Sword, and Theresa definitely wouldn't give it to him anyway.
He lightly slid the pad of his index finger across the blade of the Xuanyuan Sword, feeling the cold metal beneath his fingertip. Ming Yu couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion.
He had obtained this sword quite some time ago, but this was the first time he had held it in his hands to examine it like this.
With his right hand, Ming Yu gave the Xuanyuan Sword a light flourish before tying it to his waist. Although he had the sword, he had no intention of actively using it.
The simple Xuanyuan Sword was useless to him; the Key of Domination in its transformed state was what truly suited him. Unfortunately, he had not, nor did he intend to, gain this Xuanyuan Sword's approval.
Ming Yu was well aware of his own mental shortcomings, so he didn't think he could luckily pass this Xuanyuan Sword's trial.
With a great battle imminent, it was better to practice a few more sets of the Inch-Heart Fist Technique than to waste time on a power he had just acquired.
Seeing Ming Yu accept the Xuanyuan Sword, Theresa's small worries were put to rest.
With Ming Yu's help, her chances against Chiyou increased slightly. This was the main reason she chose to bring Ming Yu along, not at all because she was afraid of being alone with that ghost-summoning Xuanyuan Sword.
"Can you lock onto Fu Hua's position now?"
Her gaze swept over the Key of Corruption in Ming Yu's hand as the Principal asked solemnly.
Just a few minutes ago, the Hyperion had received a communication from Fu Hua, which also confirmed, from another angle, the feasibility of Ji Lin's plan to enter Chiyou's body and destroy its core.
But the signal inside Chiyou was clearly not good, and Fu Hua was not a top-tier hacker like Bronya, so the communication was cut off shortly after.
But at least they confirmed that Fu Hua was still alive and knew she was facing a siege by a group of Honkai Beasts. If not for the help of the mechs left behind by Anti-Entropy, Fu Hua's situation might have been even worse.
Based on this, Ming Yu and the others should be grateful to Anti-Entropy. Their mechs played a significant role in this operation, fully demonstrating humanity's solidarity against a common enemy, and showcasing Anti-Entropy's selfless dedication and broad perspective that transcended organizational boundaries in the fight against the Honkai.
To this, Xing, from an unknown location, said: "Pah!"
It was precisely because of the existence of those mechs that Ming Yu had the ability to find Fu Hua by searching for their locations.
Grasping the hilt of Jizo Mitama with his right hand, Ming Yu gently closed his eyes. An invisible ripple spread out from the Key of Corruption, and the corrosion reactions in the vast space were presented in his mind. The dozens of small blue dots were incredibly conspicuous in the otherwise blank space.
"Found them."
Ming Yu's eyes suddenly snapped open, a faint flicker of joy passing through his dark pupils.
"Then, I'm leaving the Hyperion to you."
Nodding at Ming Yu, Theresa's gaze fell on the red-haired Valkyrie behind them.
"Of course, this is my battleship, after all."
Rolling her eyes at the Principal, Himeko, looking somewhat pale, said bluntly.
In that short period, the Xuanyuan Sword had only left Himeko somewhat exhausted; the injuries it caused were not severe. So, she had woken up not long after being pushed into the treatment room.
After learning about the current situation from Bronya, Himeko ignored the doctor's objections and insisted on getting up.
She had originally wanted to participate in the operation against Chiyou, but was strictly refused by the Principal.
Receiving Himeko's reply, Theresa's gaze slowly swept over Kiana and the others further away, lingered on Ming Yu for a few seconds, and finally fell on Chiyou below. In a faint but sharp tone, she said, "Objective: Reseal Chiyou! Operation, commence!"
With that, the Principal leaped from the open hangar door and jumped straight down.
Her gaze lingering for a few seconds on the spot where Theresa had disappeared, Himeko turned her eyes to Ming Yu and said fiercely, "This time, Theresa is in your hands. Don't you dare let anything happen to her!"
Looking at Himeko's sharp, amber eyes, Ming Yu instantly felt immense pressure.
Big Sis, did you get something wrong? I'm the one who needs to be taken care of here...
But seeing the worry hidden beneath Himeko's strength, Ming Yu wisely chose not to argue, instead saying solemnly, "I'll do my best!"
Although with Theresa's strength, it was hardly Ming Yu's place, a mere A-rank, to look after her. But thinking about Theresa's track record, Ming Yu felt that he might still be of some use.
Ming Yu's gaze swept over everyone, finally stopping on Hiyokumaru. Among the Valkyries dressed in armor, Hiyokumaru, in her long dress, looked so special.
But at this moment, the girl's clear blue eyes, like autumn water, were filled with worry, and her delicate little face was covered with anxiety.
Faced with the girl's concern, Ming Yu didn't say much, only showing a reassuring smile before following the Principal's lead and leaping down.
With the coordinates provided by Ming Yu, Theresa was spared the trouble of blindly choosing a landing spot. Instead, she controlled her body in mid-air, approaching the predetermined location.
Ming Yu, a step behind, followed closely behind the Principal, even activating the Soul-Etching Armor's power system to better adjust his direction, ensuring he didn't stray too far from the target location.
From his angle, he could clearly see the hem of the Principal's nun habit... showing no movement at all, even sticking tightly to her body.
As expected, in the world of anime, the laws of physics are not governed by Newton.
Because they were wary of Chiyou's abilities, the Hyperion didn't dare to descend too low. But even so, under the force of gravity, Theresa and Ming Yu quickly approached Chiyou.
And Chiyou could do little to respond to their rapid approach; its massive size meant its movements were sluggish.
Looking at Chiyou right before her eyes, the Principal couldn't help but narrow her eyes slightly, a hint of coldness in her azure pupils. Her hands quickly drew the Judah from her back and slammed it down hard.
With a loud crack, Chiyou's hard shell was smashed open, revealing the space within its body.
Through this opening, Ming Yu could clearly see the dense swarm of Honkai Beasts below.
Without any hesitation, Ming Yu instantly drew Sakura Fubuki from his waist. The beautiful cherry-blossom-colored blade burst forth with an incomparably sharp edge the moment it was unsheathed.
The battle between humanity and Chiyou had begun once more.