It was noon, and the sun was fierce.
The trees lining the streets cast dappled shadows, and an occasional breeze brought a hint of coolness to Susannah, who stood in the center of the plaza.
After witnessing the brutality of the battlefield with her own eyes, Theresa had thought this young lady from a wealthy family would retreat in the face of difficulty and return to live out her life as an ordinary person.
The novice dungeon was the Third Eruption, which honestly had a bit of a hell-joke flavor to it.
Unexpectedly, the suffering she experienced only strengthened Susannah's resolve to fight the Honkai. She submitted her enrollment application at light speed, achieving the rather rare achievement: [Enrollment Amidst Fire].
Combined with the kill credit Fuli had half-sold half-given to her earlier, and the fact that the Third Eruption actually occurred in Nagazora City just as she 'prophesied'...
Under various coincidences, Susannah naturally received resource allocation designated by Headquarters and Theresa's personal favor, becoming somewhat famous among this batch of St. Freya freshmen.
What? Only somewhat famous?
In the past, with her aptitude, she could have indeed become a standout among standouts in the new generation.
But there was no helping it. Who told this batch of freshmen to be monsters worthy of the title [Far East Demon Cave]?
Smile~
Time flew, and it had been a full month since the Third Eruption occurred in Nagazora City.
At nine o'clock this morning, Theresa, who was still curled up in bed trying to go back to sleep, received a notification from Increases, who had returned to Headquarters to report on her duties. It said a big shot would be visiting around noon and asked the Far East Branch to prepare to receive them.
The girl was groggy at the time and notified Susannah to go and welcome the guest without thinking.
She regretted it after waking up, but words spoken were like spilled water. The little girl looked at her with such sparkling, adoring eyes that she could only grit her teeth and entrust this important guiding task to her.
Receiving the mission, Susannah arrived at the welcoming spot ahead of time, standing under the Cecilia memorial statue in the center of the plaza and waiting.
This wait lasted a full two hours.
The leaves shimmered with a verdant luster under the sunlight. Occasionally, the shouts of trainee Valkyries from the training grounds could be heard. The distant buildings looked exceptionally clear, their glass curtain walls reflecting blinding light, making it seem even more stifling and quiet than usual.
"Is that big shot late?"
Her upright posture gradually distorted over the two hours. Susannah, sweat faintly beading on her forehead, leaned against the gigantic toe of Cecilia's statue, mumbling.
Another thirty minutes passed. Unable to hold back, she turned around, detached the Honkai energy firearm she carried, placed it on the platform supporting the statue, and tried hard to review the disassembly and assembly techniques taught in class.
Disassembling was easy, but assembly was tricky.
No matter how Susannah tinkered, there would always be one or two parts left sitting there lonely, mocking the girl's lack of skill with their existence.
"How could this be?"
She muttered to herself.
"I'll reassemble it. Watch closely."
A hand reached out from behind, disassembling and reassembling it in a flash.
"Did you see clearly?"
The newcomer asked. Her delicate oval face had the purity unique to a young girl, her features were exquisite as if carefully carved by nature, her bright azure eyes were exceptionally captivating, and her brilliant blonde hair was like sunlight spilled over her.
"If not, I can repeat it."
She wasn't smiling, but the natural curve of her lips was sexy and enchanting, in stark contrast to the cool, sacred aura radiating from her.
Susannah couldn't help but stare in fascination. Only when the other party clenched her fist to her lips and coughed lightly did she react, raising her hand in a salute: "May I ask if you are Lord Bianka Durandal Ataegina?"
Who has the mind to look at gun assembly now...
She thought dazedly.
The knight-maiden in uniform nodded. "Lord is too much, but the Valkyrie Durandal you speak of is indeed me."
"Then please follow me! The Principal and Teacher Himeko are already waiting for you in the Director's office!"
After saying this, Susannah turned around and walked quickly towards the staff building.
Her hand instinctively pressed against her chest, as if this could slow down her heart's vigorous beating.
Durandal. Schicksal's greatest, most legendary, youngest, and strongest S-Rank Valkyrie. Captain of the Immortal Blades. Bright Knight, Ace of Aces, Successor of the Holy Lance, That Valkyrie, Lord☆Bianka, and many other elegant titles. She had directly or indirectly participated in as many as 39 S-Rank missions, making her the idol of almost all next-generation Valkyries in Schicksal!
And such a big shot was actually standing right behind her!
Walking in front, Susannah turned her head slightly, unable to resist stealing glances at the other party out of the corner of her eye.
Compared to the rough impression just now, after careful observation, the girl's first feeling was: Why is there someone in the world who combines martial prowess and beauty so perfectly!
Looks and achievements aside, Susannah was reasonably confident in her own figure.
Having studied dance since childhood and coming from a top wealthy family, both her nutrition and figure were top-tier.
However, compared to Durandal—the massive mounds on her chest, full but not bloated, supported an astonishing curve, yet were conservatively restrained under the buttoned front without revealing a bit. Her full, rounded peach-like buttocks rose suddenly and high like hills from her slender waist. Black stockings and leg garters loomed within the slits of her skirt hem, wrapping those sexy, long legs.
Wuwuwu, is this a figure a teenager can have? And please spare the buttons on your chest! They're about to succumb to the pressure and fly off!
Susannah, crushed in all aspects, had tears streaming down her face.
Her strange reaction naturally couldn't escape Durandal, who was three steps away.
She tilted her head in thought for a moment, then understood.
"Sorry."
The knight-maiden apologized, "I dealt with some zombies and Honkai Beasts I accidentally saw on the way here. It delayed me some time, making you wait here for so long."
Sh-she's actually so polite?!
If anyone says in the future that perfect things don't exist in the world, Susannah will definitely hold up a sign high: Durandal!
Destined fangirl +1.
The artificial island created by the Far East Branch through land reclamation was very large, and the outside was covered by an invisible energy barrier similar to a magnetic field canopy.
Normally, unless entering from those specific entrances, it would take quite some time to reach the St. Freya campus located at the core.
Fortunately, as a distinguished visiting guest, the Academy specially gave Bianka preferential treatment.
It only took about ten minutes for the two of them to arrive at the door of the Principal's office.
"Then, Lord Durandal, I have class in the afternoon, so I'll be going first!"
"Sorry for taking up your time, Susannah. Here is the autograph you wanted."
"Yay! No, I mean, it's no trouble! Wishing my Lord prosperous martial fortune!"
After reaching the destination, Susannah, having completed her mission, saluted and left joyfully, leaving Bianka alone to knock politely on the door.
Knock knock knock!
Inside the room, Himeko was originally leaning lazily on the sofa, her devilishly hot thighs exposed, lazily basking in the sun spilling through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Hearing the movement outside the door, she quickly sat up straight, her serious demeanor making her look like a completely different person.
She coughed lightly, expression solemn: "Come in."
An empty space of over a hundred square meters. A branded office desk in front of the nearly ten-square-meter floor-to-ceiling window. Further ahead were two rows of sofas on the left and right, with a coffee table for guests in the middle.
"Isn't this Durandal?"
Himeko raised the teacup in her hand to gesture to the opposite side. "Hua, need an introduction?"
"No need."
Poised and leisurely, crystal-clear like jade.
The elegant beauty with grey hair hanging down sat peacefully opposite her. without any special pretense. Her Shenzhou-style fitted clothing swayed naturally. Her slender legs and waist were perfectly proportioned. Her autumn-water eyes gazed calmly; it was an unworldly aura born of weathering storms.
Putting on the thick glasses she had wiped clean, Fu Hua concealed the last trace of sharpness on her body. "We cooperated during the last Gap Slice exploration mission."
Cooperated? Obviously not.
Bianka's thought process was just direct, not truly stupid.
She had also heard of this A-Rank Valkyrie whom the Overseer intended to infiltrate St. Freya as a spy, so she nodded imperceptibly to help smooth it over.
And compared to this.
Bianka pointed to the small white-haired dumpling lying on the ground in a 'dai' (大) shape, with 'fresh blood' slowly oozing from the corner of her mouth. "Senior Theresa is?"
An S-Rank Valkyrie could easily smell the scent of ketchup permeating the air. What was this? Seeing the Principal playing dead every time she came home?
"This?"
Himeko answered fluently, "Someone is expressing dissatisfaction."
"With my tardiness?"
"With the recent rumors."
After Fuli traded the credit for killing the Third Herrscher to Theresa as hush money, the Principal, who was quite old despite her young appearance, undoubtedly became a hero praised by everyone.
Plus, she had participated in the Second Eruption and made huge contributions. For a time, titles like Savior, Deserved Successor of Schicksal, Valkyrie Sage, and Savior of Millions flew in like snowflakes, lifting the girl high up and sending her to the top of public opinion once again.
Then, naturally, before the initial excessive praise ended, the charm of journalism began to show.
Cocolia: That's right! I'm making a move!
According to this woman's conception, the Third Eruption in Nagazora City should have covered all traces, burying all the little actions she had taken previously.
In the previous loop, she indeed achieved this goal. At least on the surface, very few people knew the Great Eruption was man-made. Even after being arrested and detained by the Conservatives following the Eye of the Deep event in 2017, this matter wasn't publicized at all.
After all, the reputation of causing a Great Eruption was too foul. Even the Conservatives had to try hard to cover for her to avoid implicating Anti-Entropy itself.
This time was different. With the 'help' of Fuli, the Trio, Theresa, Himeko, and even the Aesir Heimdall under Cocolia herself, Nagazora City was not only preserved intact but also jointly supervised by Schicksal and the belated Far East officials.
To avoid ruining her reputation, Cocolia, wielding the prestige of 'killing' a Judgement-class Honkai Beast, decisively ordered her subordinate propaganda department to muddy the waters. Just as she had discussed with Mobius earlier, she tried her best to link this matter with Theresa, making everyone grasshoppers on the same rope.
With her stirring things up, many passersby who were just watching the show instantly got interested.
Question! What are the three elements of news?
Timeliness? Truthfulness? Accuracy?
No! It's Taking Out of Context! Distorting Meaning! Creating Opposition!
No matter what it is, a month of continuous bombardment is enough to make people feel fatigued and annoyed.
Many people, whose rebellious psychology was triggered, started taking various 'pure passerby stances', and a bunch of guys who didn't mind blowing things up joined in to stir the wind and clouds.
Like now...
"Extra! Extra!"
A plump and cute light-projection news pigeon, carrying a small bag loaded with newspapers, stopped outside the window. The small speaker on its back repeated the recorded message:
""Shocking! The Third Eruption is Actually a Conspiracy by Schicksal and Anti-Entropy? Both Sides Joined Hands Just to Create a Star? Monthly Commentary Invited Experts to Interpret the Nagazora City Great Eruption, Taking You to See the Big Picture from a Different Perspective!""
"Pfft!"
Theresa, lying on the ground, spat out another mouthful of ketchup.
She pointed her finger forcefully at the news pigeon, her expression ferocious like a Asura demon dragging someone down to hell with her even in death.
Flower of Hope~ (Iron-Blooded Orphans meme)
"Coo coo coo!"
Startled, the damn pigeon hurriedly flapped its wings and flew away from the window, leaving a few stray white feathers drifting in the sunlight.
Reaching out to catch a feather and twirling it between her fingers, Himeko shook her head. "Taking it out on a small animal? Old friend, you're really regressing as you live."
Fu Hua, standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, opened the newspaper she had swiftly taken from the news pigeon's small bag. Before Theresa could pounce over and snatch it, she shattered it.
"Don't look."
The girl said sincerely, "You'll go mad."
"Since you wanted to read it, please didn't scare away the news pigeon just now."
Bianka extended a finger, activating the power of the Dea Anchora (or equivalent AB power) within her.
The newspaper fragments scattered like snowflakes were drawn by gravity to her palm, reassembling into a complete shape from the corners inward.
She scanned the content rapidly, and with a wave of her hand before Theresa pounce, shattered the newspaper into irreparable elementary particles once again.
"Fu Hua is right."
Bianka said earnestly, "It's better if you don't read the content."
"You're all playing me, right! You're all playing me! Wah!!!"
Aggrieved, Theresa sat on the floor and wailed. Her teary-eyed little face made everyone unable to bear looking away.
The destructive power of the World's Number One Cutie was absolute. If Rita were here, she might have already grabbed the Skadi of Thrymheim and headed straight for the enemy base to bloom amidst slaughter.
"It can't be helped, Principal. Some people just like to criticize acts of boundless love with the attitude of a villain who has succeeded."
Fu Hua tried to comfort her, using words very fitting for her identity as an old antique. "In my opinion, as long as we have a clear conscience, let them say what they want."
Anyway, after a hundred years, it's all just yellow earth. She was very familiar with this.
Theresa wouldn't have it. "What about the grievance in this Principal's heart? Why must good people be pointed at with guns? I want to f*ck them up! Charge in seven times and out seven times, kill until rivers flow with blood!"
Himeko looked completely indifferent. "Then mobilize Schicksal's propaganda department and fight them. What? Those bastards in the Council are also happy to see Lord Theresa, who just stole the limelight, eat dirt? Never mind then."
"It's amazing that Senior Himeko can be so calm."
Bianka exclaimed in admiration. The extent to which Himeko was slandered wasn't much better than Theresa.
The latter was an S-Rank and the Overseer's granddaughter; no matter how much they blackened her, there would be limits, and it wouldn't be baseless.
A pure amateur like Himeko didn't matter. No strength, no background. If they didn't smear you, who would they smear?
"It's okay."
Himeko swirled the wine glass in her hand, spreading her other hand upon hearing this. "I'm different from that old urchin over there who knows she'll get angry looking at it but still can't help clicking to view. It's clearly sh*tty filth; just treat it like it doesn't exist, hahahahaha!"
Looking at her older sister laughing heartily, Fu Hua and Bianka exchanged glances, tacitly burying the headline from the newspaper just now—"Exclusive Intelligence! Murata So-and-So Has a Red Wine Bath and Raises Hundreds of Handsome Male Servants in Her Castle! Indulging in Wine and Meat All Day, Power Declining and Dragging Down Comrades!"—deep in their hearts.
Unaware of this, Himeko quickly stopped smiling. "Never mind that guy Theresa for now. Durandal, you came to the Far East Branch because?"
"Oh."
Bianka seemed to wake from a dream. " The Overseer sent me here to ask the person involved about the mysterious fiancé who is causing a stir in Schicksal but has been hidden tightly by Senior Theresa."
"Who exactly is he?"
Curiosity shone in her magnificent azure eyes. The afternoon sun hit the girl's waist-length wavy blonde hair, which had a touch of coral at the ends.
Combined with the indoor potted plants, it made her look vaguely, um, green?
...