A soft cascade of purple light—like powdered stardust—drifted from Xingyue's palm toward Durandal's face. The moment it touched her skin, the golden-haired Valkyrie winced in agony, as if struck by an invisible force.
She thrashed violently, her S-Rank strength kicking a crater into the earth beneath her.
But as the powder faded, so did her resistance.
Durandal collapsed, gasping for breath. Her once-pristine face was disheveled, a trickle of saliva hanging from the corner of her mouth. She wiped it away hastily, then clutched her head, glaring at Xingyue.
"What… what did you do to me?"
In mere seconds, she had relived eight years of memories—years that perfectly matched the time she had lost.
Xingyue chuckled.
"I didn't do anything. I simply reminded you… of who you are."
She hoisted Wendy and Bronya—one in each hand—then turned to Durandal with a cryptic smile.
"So, what will you choose? Kiana… or Durandal? Think it over. Then come find me."
"Wait!"
Durandal lunged forward, desperate for answers—but Xingyue was already airborne, leaving her in a cloud of dust.
Cough… cough…
Durandal coughed, resting Abyss Flower behind her. Her eyes drifted to the sky, replaying the surreal visions from the mental realm.
What is happening to me?
She had questions—too many. But she couldn't leave. Rita and the other Valkyries still needed her.
When reinforcements arrived, Durandal, battered and distracted, helped clear the battlefield.
Her state stunned the squad. The captain of the Immortal Blades—normally majestic and unshakable—now looked… lost.
If not for Abyss Flower strapped to her back, they might not have recognized her.
As she worked, Durandal's thoughts returned to Xingyue's final words:
"Do you want to be Kiana, or Durandal? You choose. Come find me."
Find her? How?
Durandal smiled bitterly. At the speed Xingyue had vanished, even battleships couldn't catch her.
But the memories… they felt real. Familiar. And they filled the eight-year void in her mind.
Still, they came from an enemy. She couldn't trust them blindly.
Her gaze hardened.
She would return to Schicksal—and demand answers from the Archbishop himself.
Meanwhile, Xingyue soared across the sky, carrying Bronya and Wendy. After a long flight, she arrived at the heart of the Pacific Ocean.
She stared at the vast, endless sea and swallowed reflexively.
As a human, the ocean had terrified her—an abyss of death. But now, it barely covered a fraction of her being.
She sighed at the irony, then conjured a thin membrane of energy, enveloping herself and the two unconscious girls.
Gulp—
A quiet splash echoed across the ocean as the bubble sank—faster than any submarine.
Despite the crushing pressure of the deep sea, the membrane held firm. Bronya and Wendy remained unharmed.
When they reached the seabed, Xingyue's eyes sparkled with starlight.
Moments later, bubbles surged to the surface—and a small island emerged from the depths.
"Ugh…"
Wendy groaned, sitting up on a sapphire-blue bed. The room was cozy, fully furnished, and comfortably warm.
She blinked, disoriented—until she saw Bronya sleeping beside her.
Memories rushed back. She'd been knocked out by someone claiming to be a Planet-Level Honkai Beast.
But… where was that girl now?
Wait—was this her home?
Wendy's cyan eyes darted around.
If that girl wasn't here… could she escape?
No restraints? No surveillance? That Honkai Beast is way too arrogant.
Forget it—escape first, think later. As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood.
She imagined the girl's furious face when she returned to find Wendy gone.
Whoosh—
Wendy crept to the door, peeked out, and bolted.
But the moment she stepped outside, she froze.
The landscape was… alive.
Flesh-like masses writhed across the terrain, radiating intense heat. They pulsed and squirmed endlessly.
And there was no end in sight.
"What… what is this place?"
"It's inside my body."
A soft, drawn-out voice echoed behind her.
Wendy shivered, slowly turning around.
There she was—Xingyue. Sitting calmly on the rooftop, her bare jade-like feet swinging gently.
Wendy tensed, but then blinked.
"You said… this is inside your body?"
Xingyue smiled.
"That's right."