Boom—thud—! The sounds reverberating through the stone walls made the white-haired Valkyrie raise an eyebrow.
"Looks like she's having a pleasant time with some poor soul..."
"Of course, we are too... World Serpent's little mole, the current Curator of the British Museum, Lady Catherine."
"I suppose... you won't be reaching World Serpent after all. Kill them... Aesir Baldr."
The white-haired, purple-eyed Schicksal Cardinal watched the woman's panic-stricken expression as her true identity was revealed, ignoring the countless red dots lighting up behind her.
As the Valkyrie's words fell, a crimson humanoid Schicksal Mecha materialized beside the black cyborg soldiers blocking the other exit.
In an instant, its blue energy blade sliced through the cyborg soldiers, who bore a striking resemblance to the Gray Serpent.
"Hmph! Taking you back with me as a Cardinal of Schicksal might not be such a bad idea. Get out of your mecha and come with me quietly!"
Under the girl's mocking gaze, Catherine, her mind clouded by panic, drew a handgun and pointed it at Snow, her face contorted with panic as she shouted threats.
"You seem to be mistaken, Lady Catherine... The identities of 'Cardinal of Schicksal' and 'S-rank Valkyrie'... they don't conflict, do they?"
The same scene unfolded before Catherine as had played out on the other side of the stone wall. The Valkyrie Battlesuit began to envelop the girl's formal attire, and her white-haired, purple-eyed disguise retreated, revealing her true appearance.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Catherine, seized by terror, fired repeatedly at the Valkyrie before her. The high-speed bullets futilely struck the blue shield composed of Honkai energy, creating faint ripples across its surface.
[ Fourth-generation Valkyrie Battlesuit: Yggdrasil... transmission complete. ]
"Now, beautiful lady, you have two choices..."
"Surrender and tell me your plans. As a Cardinal of Schicksal, I can grant you amnesty."
"You can still return to the British Museum, which you clearly cherish. I saw the genuine anger you displayed when the museum was damaged."
"Hmm, though that did reveal your identity..."
The Valkyrie's tone shifted.
"Or... you could repay the Jackal's kindness in saving you. After all, she enabled you, who has been frail since childhood, to descend those six-thousand-foot stairs without breaking a sweat..."
"Choose the path of defiance, only to have me snap your neck? Oh~ The World Serpent's leaders won't mourn you. You're not even one of them. Those aloof leaders probably don't even know your name."
"Life is precious... and you're a clever woman, aren't you?"
The Golden-haired Valkyrie's azure eyes bore down on the Museum Curator, a confident smile playing on her lips as she awaited her answer.
"Gah... I... I choose to surrender, but you must guarantee my safety!"
Catherine finally seemed to have made up her mind, her voice trembling with urgency as she threw out her conditions to the Valkyrie.
"Of course. Now, tell me—where is the Jackal planning to meet you?"
"She's..."
-
"Lady Jackal, the mission is complete," Catherine reported, standing behind the woman wearing the Anubis mask.
"Hmph, even Schicksal's Valkyrie is no match for me. She fell into my trap so easily."
"In a little while, we'll eliminate Rita, Schicksal's S-rank Valkyrie."
Jackal's voice dripped with contempt for Schicksal and excitement over the impending success of her plan.
"All of this is thanks to Lady Jackal's brilliant strategy," Catherine said, bowing deeply to show her respect and admiration for the World Serpent executive before her.
"It was thanks to your use of the Soulium hidden in the stone tablet as bait that the Schicksal Cardinal and Valkyrie took the hook. Schicksal has been trapped from the very beginning."
Catherine raised her hand, her eyes glowing with fervor as she gazed at Jackal.
"Hmph, the records within that Soulium may be accurate, but the legend of the Holy Sword is merely a myth created based on the Sire's deeds. Schicksal remains hopelessly naive."
Jackal turned away, her voice dripping with scorn as she continued to mock Schicksal.
"But my lord, Overseer Otto of Schicksal has already set his sights on the Second Divine Key. I doubt he'll give up so easily."
"Perhaps Lady Jackal should relocate the divine key to a more secure location?" Catherine suggested.
"There's no need for that. The Second Divine Key is a sacred artifact untouchable by mortals. Though it has been kept in plain sight for millennia..."
"It remains in a location that Schicksal could investigate forever without ever finding it. The Second Divine Key controls space itself, making it impossible to detect from the outside."
Jackal turned away, her voice beneath the Anubis mask brimming with confidence.
"Very well... Thank you, Jackal, for this information. Would you be interested in visiting Schicksal Headquarters for a discussion?"
"You—!"
She whirled around, but the British Museum Curator's voice had vanished. A golden-haired woman in Valkyrie Battlesuit armor, resembling an elegant gown, now stood behind her.
A mocking smile played on her lips, as if ridiculing Jackal's earlier bravado.
Bang!
The same pistol, the same bullet, the same ripple spreading across the blue energy shield...
"Is this the only trick you World Serpent people know?" Snow asked, her eyes narrowed in amusement as Jackal futilely fired her small handgun at her.
"I was sincerely inviting you to Schicksal Headquarters for a friendly academic exchange, you know."
"Besides, save your energy, Ms. Jackal. That little handgun of yours... can't even scratch this shield."
"Hmph! You think you've won with this?!"
-
On a distant high slope, Raven, clad in a black bodysuit, lay prone amidst scattered rocks and weeds, watching the two figures confront each other in the distance.
"Hmph... I can't tell if this is good luck or bad. This bullet was originally meant for that S-rank Valkyrie."
"Now I have to use it to help Jackal escape... Still, that woman seems to be an important figure for Schicksal."
"It shouldn't be a total loss... Now, don't disappoint me, Third Divine Key—"
A purple energy bullet coalesced at the gun's muzzle. Raven centered the crosshairs on the golden-haired girl in her scope, and just as she squeezed the trigger—
The Third Divine Key's aim was kicked aside, sending the thunder-charged energy bullet soaring skyward, erupting in a spectacular fireworks display for everyone present.
"Little black mouse, could you please stop scurrying around? You're making it difficult for Rita, the maid, to clean properly—"
Before Raven could react, an ice-blue scythe, radiating a chilling aura, pressed against her neck.