OHDOM 381-400 (Patreon)

OHDOM 381-400

Chapter 381: Human-Machine Interconnection, Consciousness Uploading?

Dear Ms. Cocolia,

It has been a long time since we last met, and I apologize for writing to you without prior permission.

It has been more than 60 years since the first Honkai Eruption. Thanks to the unremitting efforts of heroes and patriots from both sides, mankind has made great progress in the fight against the Honkai. If the power of Herrschers, such as Fire and Death, which appeared in the Siberian Honkai, is regarded as the advent of a Herrscher, then mankind has successfully survived ten Honkai Eruptions. The remaining Herrschers are Corruption, Binding, and the final Herrscher of Finality.

Based on the experience of previous civilizations, these three Herrschers represent significant challenges, and they are certainly not something that a single person or organization can handle. For the sake of civilization as a whole, it is urgent for you and me to set aside our past grievances and work together.

It is gratifying that we have completed the perfect response technology for the Herrscher of Corruption. Based on the Divine Key Jizo Mitama, a countermeasure system against the Herrscher of Corruption is integrated into the Sky Island Master System, which can effectively monitor, resist, and counterattack the Herrscher of Corruption. However, the cyber world is infinitely vast, connecting everything in the world and involving the foundation of civilization. Only Schicksal has the ability to resist Corruption, which clearly cannot effectively curb the impending Corruption disaster.

Therefore, I sincerely invite my colleagues from Anti-Entropy to set aside our disputes for the time being, meet for talks, and collaborate with us on the global response to future disasters, as well as negotiate and end things. I hope you will carefully consider this and respond as soon as possible.

I wish you and your daughter good health.

— Otto Apocalypse

---

Otto’s letter is as above.

In response, all members of Anti-Entropy found it quite novel.

"This guy... well, he writes like a human, and he has his own style."

Tesla was the first to make a sharp comment, and anyone could see the clear resentment on her delicate face.

Cocolia, Einstein, Yssring, and Siegfried, who attended the meeting, all smiled. Although they were already accustomed to Tesla's straightforward personality, they still found it amusing.

However, in a tense situation, this carefree attitude can make people feel at ease.

"Siegfried, you are the most familiar with him. What do you think of this letter?"

Cocolia symbolically asked Siegfried for his opinion.

Siegfried scratched his head in confusion.

"That is, it means he wants us to meet, right? There shouldn’t be any conspiracy... but I can't say for sure. He's very insidious and unscrupulous. I don't know if I should believe him. Haha!"

True to form, his previous nonsense was followed by a silly smile at the end, with no usable information.

Einstein and Cocolia exchanged looks and tacitly ignored this person who was just filling in the gaps. Einstein spoke:

"The Herrscher of Corruption's countermeasure system is clearly a trap. You're right, he has noticed it and already taken action. It seems that he intends to make us cooperate with him and be the bait."

"The question now is whether to trust him?"

"Otto is undoubtedly the most annoying type as an enemy, but now we have common ground in many areas. I don’t trust his personality, but I think that, even for the sake of his own interests, he wouldn’t use something like this to trick us. What do you think, Cocolia?"

"I agree with the doctor’s judgment. It shouldn't be a plot against us. He may be crazy, but he is definitely not stupid and wouldn’t do something so dangerous. The key is that the Herrscher of Corruption is incredibly destructive. We only have one chance. If we miss it, the consequences will be disastrous. How can we trust him to completely trap the Herrscher of Corruption?"

This question made Einstein frown in frustration.

As one of the best scientists of the current era, Einstein herself still had no feasible ideas. It was hard for her to imagine what method Otto might use to ensure success.

"First, he has Jizo Mitama. Second, he also has Void Archives, which can mimic almost all Divine Keys. Based on these, perhaps there is a certain degree of credibility?"

Einstein said uncertainly.

Cocolia nodded, then turned to Yssring and asked:

"What are the results on your side?"

"I tested the disk containing the power of Corruption, and the conclusion is that simple resistance can be achieved with enough data streams. But if I want to compete with it in the data world, or even trap it, I can't do it. Maybe we can change our approach—humans in the data body can't compete, so what about the Herrscher in the data body?" Yssring spoke, as always, with dark circles under her eyes and in the same tone of overwork-induced exhaustion.

Cocolia tapped her fingers on the table a few times and asked thoughtfully.

"Which Herrscher?"

"There are only two choices at the moment: the Herrscher of Dominance or the Herrscher of Sentience. The former has comprehensive abilities and isn’t afraid of sacrifice, so it might be able to compete in the data world. The latter has targeted abilities, and the destruction of consciousness should also be death for the Herrscher of Corruption."

"That is, Angel and the leader of Taixuan?"

"Anyway, I’ll make the equipment first. Then, I suggest cooperating with Schicksal’s plan. It would be best if they succeed. If not, I’ll be the backup plan. Of course, the premise is that you have to convince those two first."

"The only one who needs to be convinced is the Herrscher of Dominance. Taixuan Leader’s opinion of me actually depends on Angel’s opinion."

"This is not something I can help with, Lord Cocolia."

The two exchanged content that others found confusing.

Of course, it was also Angel's deliberate action.

The material and data conversion device left by Dr. Vill-V in the Elysian Realm can fill in some gaps in the previous script and provide a means to hunt the Herrscher of Corruption in addition to Jizo Mitama.

At this moment, a curious person was needed to further bring up the topic.

Coincidentally, there was such a person here.

Tesla raised her hand high.

"Wait, what are you talking about? Is there some secret we can't know?"

Yssring turned her head and looked at Cocolia with an inquiring look.

Cocolia nodded expressionlessly.

Then, Yssring took out a laptop from the backpack behind her, opened it, and placed it at an angle that Tesla and Einstein could see.

"Dr. Tesla, Dr. Einstein, hello. Although I am very familiar with you in reality, this is the first time meeting you in the data world. Please give me more advice."

On the computer screen, Yssring appeared. She looked younger than the junior high school student Yssring, waving to Tesla and Einstein in a friendly manner.

In an instant, various technical conjectures flashed through the minds of the two doctors, making them feel a tingling sensation on their scalps at the same time.

"You... you... you’ve completed the human-machine interconnection and consciousness uploading!?"

Tesla held her head and scratched her scalp hard to ease her shock.

Einstein’s expression was calmer, but it was just an expression. Judging from the slowly shrinking pupils, her shock was no less than Tesla’s.

The technology of the current era focuses on the progress of weak and strong artificial intelligence. Secular society mainly relies on weak AI to improve industrial production efficiency and provide convenience for life. Schicksal and Anti-Entropy work with strong AI, both having various intelligent systems that are almost completely anthropomorphic.

To a certain extent, in the conventional technology field of non-Honkai energy, the gap in artificial intelligence is the gap between secular and anti-Honkai energy organizations.

Otto may not be as shocked, after all, he relied on consciousness uploading to prolong his life hundreds of years ago.

Einstein and Tesla are different. They are both tackling more anthropomorphic artificial intelligence. However, anthropomorphism is still just that—anthropomorphism—and it is a completely different concept from real humans.

"Too bold..."

Even Einstein couldn’t help but whisper.

Uploading consciousness involves scanning brain data—this step directly cuts off Einstein and Tesla’s exploration of this path. They cherish their own brains and are unwilling to use the lives of others to test this dangerous technology. Another point is that there has never been an urgent need for it. Research on mechas and Herrschers is the foundation of Anti-Entropy.

Therefore, they have never engaged in this technology. At most, they occasionally discuss it, but never set up a project.

They never expected that someone had already done it and succeeded.

"Let me think. The story probably started a few years ago. As you know, battlefield comprehensive auxiliary systems like BT and intelligent organization management systems like Red Queen are no longer within the scope of strong AI. Such systems cannot be made easily. I spent a lot of thought..."

In fact, it was made easily.

Yssring Angel began to tell the "inside story."

------

Chapter 382 Angel's Plan

"So, you used some information excavated from the ruins to create a brain signal upload device, and then used it on yourself first?"

"Well, although I feel quite confident, it was a very dangerous experiment after all, and I couldn't ask others to help me test it."

Yssring said this a little blankly, looking very ordinary.

Einstein opened her mouth, wanting to say something but unsure how to phrase it, so she looked at her superior instead.

"Cocolia, you just watched her mess around?"

"That was a very busy time, with a lot of things to do and more to worry about. By the time I turned around to pay attention to her, there were already two Yssrings. After that, I forbade her... but they did it again."

Cocolia covered her face with her hands, her voice full of helplessness.

Yssring nodded, confirming Cocolia's words.

"It just so happens that the machine is also scrapped, and with the data body, I have a lot of things to study next, so I won't have to do experiments like that anymore. Although, it still feels a bit regretful."

"What a pity for you, you big-headed ghost! Fortunately, only the machine is scrapped. If your brain had been scrapped, I can't imagine what state you'd be in now!"

Tesla looked at Yssring with fear, also glancing at the Yssring on the computer screen. If it weren't for Yssring's weak body, she really would have wanted to punch her with an iron fist to let her know the consequences of her actions.

Yssring scratched her head and yawned again, rubbing her eyes to stay awake, then said:

"In short, after we had my data body in the digital world, we skipped the optimization needs of strong artificial intelligence and instead used evolutionary algorithms to modify my source data body. Through continuous mutation and screening, we obtained the data body that suited our needs—the BT for mecha collaborative combat and Red Queen for administrative management."

The Yssring on the computer nodded and added:

"So, the two doctors will also be surprised by the intelligence ranks of BT and Red Queen. Because they're not artificial intelligence at all, but evolved from my source data body. Yes, from my perspective, they are complete humans, just like me, but with personalities and abilities better suited to their roles—that's all."

Suddenly, all the doubts about Red Queen and BT were answered in the eyes of Tesla and Einstein.

No wonder they could develop super artificial intelligence that even surpassed their era.

Emotions weren’t developed at all but were modified from real human data, creating complete electronic humans!

"What is the experience of a data body? What are its main advantages compared to real people?"

"How do you ensure that BT and Red Queen's personalities won’t change, thus affecting war and organizational operations?"

"Since it’s complete human data, if they have bad intentions... wouldn’t that be no different from the Corruption Herrscher?"

"So, what precautions have you taken?"

After Tesla and Einstein accepted Yssring's additional explanations, they soon lost control of their professional curiosity and asked various questions.

The two Yssrings, of course, answered them one after another.

"The physical sensations of a data body are completely different from those of a real person. It took me a long time to adapt. Now, I've learned to build a space that simulates the real world in the data world, so I can exist as a data body but live like in the real world. If there are advantages, I won’t get tired or sick, and my computing efficiency is much higher since I can directly interact with data."

"Although I said that BT and Red Queen are more like real people, they are still created data bodies. Their personalities are set in the lowest-rank code, just like genes are engraved in genetic material. It's very solid; even if there are changes, they can be clearly monitored. Therefore, as long as we set up a monitoring program to regularly check their code status, there’s no need to worry about them deteriorating."

"There are also risk prevention measures. Their data structure is directly controlled by me, the source data body. I’ve set up two smikoes for a self-destruct program—one on me, and one in the outside world, which can be activated physically. If we detect any faults in their underlying code that could prevent them from doing their job or cause disaster, we can stop them at any time."

"In addition..."

The two Yssrings chattered on, answering questions, until Cocolia knocked on the table.

"Ahem!"

After the fake cough, which focused everyone's attention on her, Cocolia took out a pocket watch from her chest.

"It's time; you should go to bed."

"Eh? But I..."

"Are you going to go by yourself, or should I ask Sin to knock you out and drag you back?"

"Then I'd better go by myself. If I'm knocked out, I'll feel uncomfortable when I wake up, which will affect my work performance."

Yssring lowered her head, stood up dejectedly, and left the room.

'You have so many questions, and the more you ask, the more professional you become.'

'If you don't change the subject, you'll dig deeper into a place you're not fully prepared for.'

The Angels all breathed a sigh of relief.

Cocolia looked at Tesla and Einstein's unsatisfied expressions, reached out, turned the computer toward herself, and said to the data lifeform Yssring.

"I'll give you a task. Develop a machine that can monitor data lifeforms and enforce rest on time. It should be smaller and capable of being with the real Yssring at all times. Also, add some necessary security features. You know, you won't be fighting."

"Yes, Lord Cocolia."

"Start the project first, and then proceed with it after the Corruption Herrscher is resolved, so it doesn't become a new risk."

"Okay."

After the conversation, the two doctors were indeed distracted, and Cocolia regained control of the meeting.

Then, she knocked on the table and said:

"The issue we are discussing now is the response plan for the Herrscher of Corruption. Please discuss other topics after the incident is resolved. Understand?"

Einstein: "You are right."

Tesla: "Okay!"

Cocolia nodded with satisfaction and continued:

"Under controlled conditions, I asked Data Yssring to test the disk. The conclusion is that, from the perspective of data attack and defense alone, Yssring, Red Queen, and BT will not be at a disadvantage, but the Corruption is not something they can resist. If there is a real conflict, they can only last a few hours at most. But there's no need to be pessimistic because Yssring just proposed her countermeasures—data lifeforms cannot fight it, but Data Herrschers can."

"So, what do you mean?"

"I agree with Yssring's suggestion. We will cooperate with Otto's plan first, but before that, we should prepare consciousness uploading equipment for the Herrscher of Dominance and the Herrscher of Sentience. If Otto fails, we will immediately transfer the Herrschers into the cyber world and destroy the target before they can attack humans. Any other opinions?"

Cocolia made her decision.

This is also the response measure that Angel had prepared long ago. She has more than one clone in the cyber world. If the situation gets out of control, she can start a hunting war in the data world at any time.

The characteristics of the Corruption Herrscher are just weird and elusive, and have nothing to do with being powerful.

And Angel's current characteristics are weird, omnipotent, and extremely powerful.

Besides, Angel, who holds the Jizo Mitama, is also a Corruption Herrscher?

If a real war breaks out, the outcome is completely predictable. The reason for being so cautious is nothing more than worrying that the Corruption Herrscher will lash out and cause unnecessary damage and casualties.

Einstein thought about it and had no better idea, so she nodded and said, "I think it's feasible. Let's do it."

After Tesla's large eyes moved back and forth between the faces of the two people several times, she shook her head vigorously and said, "I have no objection. You still know a little bit about this."

Siegfried lay on the table: "Zzz~~"

Cocolia: "..."

The cold-blooded Anti-Entropy First Executive looked in the direction of the snoring, then raised her pistol expressionlessly and loaded it.

"Wait! Calm down! After all, he is a former S-rank Schicksal Knight. He can still be used as cannon fodder!"

Tesla quickly opened her hands to block Siegfried.

Einstein kicked Siegfried's chair at the right time.

Siegfried raised his head in confusion, with an uncle-like face, devoid of cuteness, and said stupidly.

"What happened?"

The foolish expressions of Kaslana and her daughter are similar in some ways.

But Kiana's stupidity is very cute in Angel's eyes.

As for Siegfried, it only makes her want to shoot him.

------

Chapter 383: Kiana's Wisdom

"A-choo!"

Kiana sat in Theresa's office and suddenly sneezed.

"Cold?"

"Impossible, you know I never catch a cold!"

"This shows that you are in good health just like me; I hardly catch a cold either."

Durandal looked at Kiana with admiration.

She knew Kiana was K423, the bearer of the Herrscher of the Void and the experimental subject of the Archbishop.

However, Durandal never blamed her for that.

Excluding those factors, Durandal liked Kiana for her simplicity and cuteness.

Kiana scratched her head and said with a silly smile.

"Hehe, of course, I am Kaslana, a woman destined to become the strongest Valkyrie!"

"This title was given to me before, but now I think Sakura and Delta are also fully capable of it. To achieve this goal, you'll have to surpass all of us, which isn't easy."

"Hmph! I don't even look down on easy things!"

"Very good, keep that confidence. I believe you can reach an incredible height."

Durandal smiled and couldn't help but reach out to gently stroke Kiana's head.

Kiana couldn't resist the instinctive closeness for unknown reasons. She rubbed against Durandal's hand and flashed a sweet, bright smile.

Theresa looked at this sudden harmonious picture, and a bit of helplessness and vigilance appeared on her face.

'My silly niece, do you know that she is Grandpa's coolie right? She must be here to monitor you and Mei!'

Theresa didn't know Otto's ultimate plan, but she knew Otto's character. In her opinion, the two Herrscher students were the most worthy of Otto's attention at Saint Freya.

However, Theresa had no way to protest.

To be honest, who wouldn't pay attention to two Herrschers together?

"Ahem! Okay, let's talk about getting close to each other after you go home. Now, I want to know what you want to do, Durandal? Do you know that you have destroyed several of my surveillance, computer, and other facilities in a row? Are you looking for trouble?"

Out of love for her niece and Raiden Mei, Theresa had an instinctive hostility toward Durandal, so she stared at her with suspicious and scrutinizing eyes.

Durandal looked at Theresa, shook her head, and said apologetically.

"I'm sorry, Dean Theresa, it's mainly because I feel a sense of dangerous peeping."

"Danger? Peeping? What do you mean? Explain it clearly!"

Theresa's expression became serious. She didn't fully believe Durandal's words this time, but she believed in Durandal's strength.

Durandal touched her chin and pondered.

"I can't tell you. I always feel something is wrong, but after tracking it, I still can't find the source."

"...To tell you the truth, my monitoring department also captured some abnormal Honkai energy reactions. But after repeated investigations, they finally concluded it was a system misjudgment. However, combined with your intuition, perhaps something strange really has come to Saint Freya."

Theresa's eyes darkened.

Who dares to make trouble in Saint Freya? Do they not know who is protecting this place?

"In this case, it's better to investigate carefully to prevent accidents."

"Well, I will, of course. But you haven't reported it to Grandpa, right?"

"Dean, my mission is to assist Saint Freya in the Eastern Hemisphere Honkai crusade. It's just a small matter, and it didn't make any noise. I won't bother the Archbishop with it."

Durandal said with a hint of helplessness. With her strong intuition, she could naturally sense Theresa's vague hostility during this mission.

Of course, she understood, after all, Kiana was Theresa's eldest niece and her student, and Theresa's reaction was expected.

However, the Ace of Schicksal, who had always been warmly welcomed wherever she went, was somewhat uncomfortable with this hostility.

The two looked at each other: Theresa still scrutinized, and Durandal faced the scrutiny helplessly but unshakably.

Little did she know that someone who came to steal the snacks from the school Dean in the name of accompanying Durandal, chewed the snacks, and with big eyes that turned smartly, suddenly lit up.

...

"Mei Mei, listen to me, I suspect Angel is back!"

In the middle of the night, in Raiden Mei's bed, the white-haired girl used the light from her mobile phone to illuminate her silly and cute big eyes.

"..."

Raiden Mei covered herself with the quilt.

After a moment, she couldn't help but open it slightly again, looking at Kiana who was still using the backlight of her phone to illuminate her face. She said weakly:

"Last week, the flowers in the living room bloomed, that's what you said. The week before, you fell asleep while playing games, covered yourself with an extra piece of clothing, and said the same thing when you woke up. Tell me, what did you find this time?"

"Mei, I'm not lying this time!"

Kiana got out of the quilt and said seriously.

Raiden Mei had to get up and turn on the light that had just been turned off.

The two sat on the bed, their slender white legs covered in the quilt, whispering softly.

After a moment, Raiden Mei pondered thoughtfully.

"Secret peeping, fleeting Honkai energy reactions, and... are they all concentrated in our daily activity areas?"

Kiana nodded, her expression wise and confident, and said.

"Yes, yes, yes! Think about it carefully: these situations combined together, it must be that awkward little fool Angel wanted to take a look at us, confirm our situation, and ease her longing. But she couldn't bring herself to meet us, so she did these things! Believe it or not, she has been hiding in Saint Freya's network these days, admiring my beauty every day!"

Kiana gave a very reasonable explanation.

It was so reasonable that Raiden Mei and the Herrscher of the Void, Angel in the dark, couldn't help but feel a little shocked.

Then, Raiden Mei pressed Kiana down, turned off the lights, and covered the quilt.

"Go to sleep. You have to go to class tomorrow."

"Eh? Wait, Mei, believe me. It must be Angel this time. She won't run away!"

"I know, I believe you. Go to sleep quickly. You don't want to be unable to get out of bed tomorrow and then be punished by Instructor Himeko, right?"

Raiden Mei lovingly touched Kiana's head, her voice filled with infinite tenderness. She took Kiana in her arms, pressed her against her chest, and closed her eyes.

Kiana puffed up her cheeks in depression at the sweet smell that came to her nose.

"Damn it, Mei, why don't you believe me? This is just perfunctory! Tomorrow, tomorrow must..."

The quilt was too comfortable, and Mei's body temperature and softness were too pleasant.

Kiana, who had long been accustomed to sleeping with this kind of comfort, couldn't help but feel sleepy. The nagging gradually weakened, and she soon fell asleep.

After that, Raiden Mei opened her eyes again and stroked Kiana's hair, her eyes revealing some sadness in the dark.

'Angel, if it's really you, how nice it would be...'

"Mei... want to eat fried chicken... I brought Angel back... hehe... Zzz..."

The soft mumbling interrupted Mei Raiden's reverie of reunion.

She smiled helplessly, hiding her sadness, hugged Kiana's body, and fell asleep.

----

Chapter 384: Mei is in Pain!

The next day, Kiana half-dragged, half-led Raiden Mei to a strange place.

It was a computer room.

Outside the door, there were isolation facilities and a notice that read, "Under maintenance, no entry without permission."

"Where is this?" Raiden Mei asked.

"This is the computer room that had an abnormal problem recently... It was smashed by Durandal's punch. It's being repaired now. I was there at the time," Kiana explained proudly, rubbing her nose with her index finger.

Raiden Mei stared at her blankly, sighed, and looked tired and helpless.

"Let's not talk about why you came to a place like this. What excuse did you use to get Instructor Himeko to approve leave for both of us?"

"Well... Look at that lamp! It's so round. Ahahaha!" Kiana laughed dryly, twisting her neck to avoid Raiden Mei's gaze.

---

[Request for leave: Mei is in pain, I have to take care of her (＞◡❛)!]

Himeko was on her way to the classroom, holding the leave note between her papers. She shook her head and sighed.

"To be fair, Mei is a Herrscher, right?"

"But no matter how fair, a Herrscher is still a girl."

"Well, at least Mei's been doing well in class lately. She doesn't raise my blood pressure as much anymore..."

Himeko smiled softly and shook her head again.

Though she didn't understand what Kiana was up to, she decided to let her do her thing this time.

---

Raiden Mei watched Kiana with a tmikoing mouth, her gaze fixed on her shy expression.

Though she didn’t know the exact excuse Kiana used to ask for leave, it was clear that it must be something laughable. Raiden Mei decided to let the topic slide.

"Let’s not talk about that. But it says 'under maintenance' here. What if someone comes by in the middle of the day?"

"Don't worry! I asked the senior in the technical department who’s in charge of maintenance yesterday. They have other tasks, so no one will come by today!" Kiana said confidently, raising her eyebrows and looking at Raiden Mei expectantly.

Raiden Mei wasn’t sure why Kiana was so proud of being a skilled thief, but she couldn’t bear to see those big, shining eyes lose their luster. She could only praise her dryly.

"...Kiana, you're really smart."

"Of course!" Kiana puffed out her chest proudly.

Raiden Mei glanced to the side at the stunning blonde who was observing her surroundings. Then, she leaned close to Kiana and whispered in her ear:

"Then why did you bring Durandal here?"

Kiana’s face lit up with a knowing look, and she leaned close to Mei’s ear, whispering back.

"Mei, you don’t get it. If we went alone, and we ran into trouble again, at least I couldn’t escape a beating. But if I bring Durandal, I can say I’m helping her, and then Auntie and Aunt Himeko won’t have anything to say!"

"…"

Raiden Mei stared at the wise little fool so close to her with an expression that was hard to describe.

How to put it… Kiana had checked the place in advance and even prepared someone to take the blame if needed. She may be a fool, but why did it feel like she was overly skilled? Could it be that the Kaslana ancestors had some genetic talent for thievery?

(Siegfried: A-choo!!!)

"Okay, okay, let’s go in first!" Kiana sidestepped the isolation bar, crouched by the door, and pulled out a thin iron bar from somewhere.

The almighty Valkyrie lock-picking skill she had learned with Angel was now on full display, thanks to her Kaslana genes.

Kiana licked her lips unconsciously and inserted the iron bar.

"Click!"

The door opened.

Kiana pushed the door open and waved to Raiden Mei and Durandal, signaling them to follow.

After the three of them entered, Kiana crouched by the door, looking around with her little head. After confirming no one had noticed, she closed the door as if no one had entered.

Raiden Mei turned on the light and saw a large computer that had been mostly smashed.

Durandal observed Kiana hide the iron bar in her clothes and said, touching her chin.

"Does Saint Freya still use this type of primitive locks?"

"Because there's no need to change it. This is Saint Freya, full of Valkyries. Who’s afraid of thieves sneaking in? Besides, it's just an ordinary computer room, not some high-security area. Why use a high-tech lock?"

"That's true."

"Plus, I can open more high-tech locks. Don’t underestimate Kaslana!" Kiana said proudly, hands on her hips.

It was unclear what she was so proud of, but surprisingly, Durandal didn’t notice anything odd. She looked at Kiana with admiration and nodded.

"That’s impressive. I haven’t learned lock-picking skills."

Durandal's lock-picking method was nothing more than brute force. If she used enough force, the building would crumble, not just the door.

Kiana frowned, put her arm around Durandal's shoulders, and said earnestly:

"Durandal, you can’t do that. As a Valkyrie, the most important thing is to have a wide range of skills that can be used in any situation, without any weaknesses. Even though you're strong, you should learn how to unlock things. I’ll teach you when I have time."

"What you said makes sense. Then, you can teach me when you have time."

"Okay, okay! What are we? I’ll definitely teach you everything!" Kiana said confidently.

"I’ll teach you everything I know. Anyway, thanks in advance," Durandal replied.

Raiden Mei stood by, watching the Herrscher of the Void and the strongest Valkyrie arm-in-arm, sharing a warm moment. She felt the same subtle unease that Theresa had.

'Doesn’t she know that she’s under the Archbishop’s orders and likely here to monitor us?'

Raiden Mei sighed inwardly.

But, looking at it from another angle, although Kiana’s IQ was unreliable, her intuition was always spot on.

The fact that she could approach Durandal so openly meant that Durandal probably didn’t have any bad intentions.

Raiden Mei couldn’t figure it out, so she refocused on the broken computer. Reaching out, she touched a small piece of metal from the table.

"Kiana, is this your goal? What are we here for?"

"Hehe, this depends on our gentle, kind, smart, and beautiful Mei!"

"Stop saying things like that. What do you need me to do?" Raiden Mei blushed.

Saying such embarrassing things in private always made her heart race. If she wasn’t careful, she might agree to various reasonable or unreasonable requests in a daze. But in front of others, she couldn’t stand Kiana’s chatter.

---

---

Chapter 385: The Most Unexpected Valkyrie

Kiana placed one hand on her waist and pointed at the large, mostly broken computer with the other hand, saying in a lively and cheerful voice:

"Mei, it's decided to be you! Use your Herrscher power on this computer!"

"Kiana!?"

Raiden Mei's heart tightened, and she immediately looked at Durandal with caution.

Would there really be no problem in openly emphasizing the identity of the Herrscher in front of the strongest Valkyrie?

"No problem. I used to think that Herrschers were enemies that had to be conquered, but the success of the artificial Herrscher Delta and the appearance of Sakura taught me not to judge enemies based on their Herrscher identity, but rather on whether they align with humanity and are willing to contribute to protecting the world and those they love. Raiden Mei, I've been observing you and Kiana. I believe you are humans, Valkyries, not apostles who obey the will of the Honkai."

At this moment, the long hair that was as bright and flawless as gold seemed to be emitting a dazzling light.

Raiden Mei looked at Durandal steadily and held Kiana's hand tightly. After a moment, Raiden Mei eased the coldness on her face and nodded. "Maybe I have always misunderstood something. In any case, please don't let Kiana down."

"I..." Durandal struggled internally. Of course, she trusted Kiana, and even liked this child for no reason. However, serving Archbishop Otto's plan was also her duty to fulfill. She had even come to Saint Freya this time just to monitor Kiana's situation.

If one day Kiana's trust and Otto's orders conflicted, what should she choose?

Durandal knew how heavy her mission was, so she had made a choice. Therefore, she indulged Kiana more and more, which was a kind of guilt and compensatory psychology.

And the closer Kiana became, the more guilt and indulgence Durandal felt.

It was hard to say what would happen if they continued to interact this way.

Well, you ask Angel what she thinks?

Of course, she will watch secretly and show a doting aunt's smile while watching!

"Huh? What are you two talking about?"

Kiana looked at the two of them in confusion.

The two people who looked at each other suppressed their emotions, looked at Kiana, and smiled together:

"Nothing." ×2

"So suspicious..."

Kiana sniffed sharply, but apart from the fragrance of the daughters on Raiden Mei and Durandal, she didn’t smell anything else specific.

She tilted her head.

"Forget it, let's get down to business. Mei, it's decided—you will use your Herrscher power on this computer!"

"... Explain it more clearly."

Raiden Mei held her forehead and sighed.

There are many ways to use my thunder power. Do you want me to shock it or dismantle it with electromagnetism?

"Oh, it's your ability to interfere with electrical signals. Go, catch up with that signal and see if it's... ahem, I mean, see who is messing with it! Durandal, you’re responsible for guarding the door to prevent anyone from coming in and ruining our good work!"

Kiana suddenly remembered that she hadn’t informed Durandal about Angel's matter.

As for herself, Kiana lacked a sense of crisis and had a vague sense of Durandal’s stance.

But once it came to Angel, Kiana immediately became alert—Otto was not a good person. If he really caught up with Angel, it was better to let Otto know as little as possible.

Although this alert was still clumsy, and Durandal knew something was wrong at a glance.

It was just that Durandal was very indulgent toward Kiana now, and she didn’t feel it was serious, so she nodded very cooperatively and walked out consciously.

Raiden Mei was surprised.

"She really listened to you?"

"Is there any problem? Durandal is still easy to talk to, provided that you don't ask her to train you..."

Kiana recalled some unbearable memories, her face turned pale, and she patted the soft spot on her chest with lingering fear.

Raiden Mei shook her head and let go of her surprise.

At this point, following Kiana here, Raiden Mei was also a little curious—maybe she could really track something. If it was Angel, she would, of course, be surprised. Even if it wasn't, she could still share the worry with the Dean.

After making up her mind, Mei Raiden raised her hand and pointed it at the computer, which was mostly broken but still capable of flowing electricity.

Her gentle and soft demeanor changed instantly, replaced by the cold and fierce Queen of Thunder.

Kiana: "(☆▽☆)y!"

You ask what Kiana thinks?

Of course, Kiana loves Mei like this!

"Zizi!"

The current flashed between Mei Raiden's eyes and entered the large computer from her hand.

The arc flickered on the broken hole of the computer for a moment.

And Mei Raiden gradually frowned.

"It seems that there are indeed strange traces... But the electrical signal is like a puppet under a silk thread to me. Let me see what dares to act wild under my nose."

"↖(^ω^)↗Oh oh! Come on, Mei! Come on, Mei!"

"Don't make a noise."

"Yes~~"

After a cold glance at the distracting idiot, Raiden Mei concentrated and controlled the electrical signal to track the strange trace.

...

'Hey... Hey... Hey! Someone found a way to deal with me!'

'Oh my god! The Herrscher is coming!'

'Hey, wait, they seem to have only researched measures, but they don’t know about my birth yet!'

The Herrscher of Corruption took the secret letter sent by the Archbishop of Schicksal to the Anti-Entropy Executor, which they had finally cracked.

They read it carefully and examined it seriously.

After a while, she breathed a sigh of relief.

'Fortunately, they just wanted to discuss how to deal with me. They haven't discovered me and are going to hunt me down.'

‘So, as long as I sneak into the venue carefully, I can find out what they are going to do specifically, and then avoid the crisis perfectly!’

The Herrscher of Corruption suddenly became excited.

They weren't very enthusiastic about destroying humans.

But if they needed to save their life, they would be full of motivation.

‘Huh? Anti-Entropy also replied? Let me crack it and see!’

After being careful and hiding herself for half an hour, the Herrscher of Corruption got the freshly baked Anti-Entropy secret letter.

‘What? Anti-Entropy actually has a plan to deal with me?’

‘This is incredible. The humans of this session are too strong. They don’t even know I’m here, but they’ve already prepared so many tricks to deal with me!’

‘No, no, I must go to the scene, otherwise I don’t know how I will die in the future!’

They were full of determination.

And a little relieved.

After all, she intercepted the intelligence of the two major anti-Honkai organizations in advance, so she had enough time to prepare to prevent them from hunting them down and then dying violently.

'Herrscher lives for peace of mind.'

The Herrscher of Corruption felt that they had grasped the meaning of life again.

Just as they were feeling complacent and considering their next move, an indescribable electrical signal came from a distant direction, following their strange pursuit.

The violent signal flow, carrying the Herrscher of Thunder's strong and overbearing power, hit the Herrscher of Corruption without hesitation, causing the Herrscher of Thunder to tremble all over and become stiff and unable to move.

In fact, it didn't have much power, and it didn’t cause any real damage.

However, for the frightened Herrscher, it was no less than a thunderbolt striking them from the air.

'Oh my god! I've been caught!!!'

...

[Beep! Beep! Beep!]

[The system is under attack! The system is under attack!]

[Warning! Warning... Zizizizi...]

Otto: "?"

Tesla & Einstein: "???"

Angel Group: "???"

At this moment, the systems of Schicksal, Anti-Entropy, and even World Serpent all turned red.

They all encountered unprecedented network attacks, and many system functions lost control one after another.

"I'm so stupid, really. I only knew that Kiana was the most unexpected Valkyrie, but I didn’t expect it to be this unexpected!"

"Gah!!!"

Angel, Herrscher of the Void, knelt down in Kiana's spiritual world, her heart breaking along with countless copies of herself.

What's going on? Otto is preparing a net of heaven and earth, and Cocolia Angel is also working hard to launch a bottom-line plan, just waiting for the day to take the initiative.

It’s like a mine sweeper finding a mine, making various mine clearance preparations, and everything is ready, except for actually clearing the mine... Then, you, Kiana, ran over alive and kicking, stepped on the mine, and exploded it for me!

---

---

Chapter 386: Quack! It's the Herrscher of Dominance!

"Beep! Beep! Beep!"

The alarm signaling a system attack echoed through Saint Freya.

Obviously, the Herrscher of Corruption had left backdoors in the places she had visited before and had been prepared to fully detonate these data loopholes in case of danger, thereby executing the strategy of surrounding Wei to save Zhao and escaping from the shell.

However, Kiana certainly couldn't be aware of these circumstances.

She looked up, listened to the alarm, watched the ceiling lights flicker due to the disorder of the current, and then turned her clear eyes toward the initiator who was standing still.

"Mei, I asked you to track that signal. How did you turn it into a system attack? Now Auntie and the others must be angry."

The white-haired girl wore a simple expression, spread her hands innocently.

It was clear that she had misunderstood something.

But she didn't panick at all.

After all, as smart as she was, she had even arranged for someone to take the blame in advance, and now that person was standing outside the door. What was there to panic about?

However, Mei Raiden turned her head stiffly. The coldness and arcs in her eyes faded, and in her clear, soft eyes, a flash of panic appeared.

"Ki... Kiana, I think I found a new Herrscher."

"Huh?"

"No, that... the electrical signal I just tracked hit... a... a... I don't know how to describe it, but it seems like a Herrscher I haven't met before."

Mei also heard the system alarm resounding through Saint Freya, and a hint of frightened tears appeared in the corners of her eyes.

Although the specific situation was still unclear, unlike carefree Kiana, Mei was more or less aware that she had likely caused a big disaster.

"Huh!??"

The white-haired girl was startled by her best friend's tears, opened her mouth wide. Various images—such as the universe, formulas, brain dissections, etc.—flashed through her mind, making her already limited CPU memory even worse.

...

Meanwhile, in the data world, the Herrscher of Corruption was hiding in a corner. After detonating the mines they had set up earlier, they suddenly realized that no one had come after her.

"What... what should I do? Was I too impulsive?"

"Could it be that humans didn't notice me at all, and I exposed myself in my impulsiveness? Isn't that too stupid? Should I go out to find some news?"

"No, no, no, no! What if they're plotting against me and I get hit as soon as I show my face? I have to hide and not move!"

"Hmm? Wait, something seems off..."

Some kind of presence had entered the data world.

The Herrscher of Corruption didn't dare to peek, but the power she sensed from afar made her trembling data body freeze instantly, as if it had fallen into an icy abyss.

Angel directly opened the data channel from the Elysian Realm and stepped into the real world's data network.

Unhappy that her plan had been completely disrupted and aware of the dangerous characteristics of the Herrscher of Corruption, she arrived with sufficient power.

So, in the dark data world, a figure emitting endless energy slowly emerged.

It appeared by the lakeside, like the sea. Unimaginable data and energy spread to the global network, overwhelming the power left by the Herrscher of Corruption and causing the chaotic real world to suddenly quiet.

However, from the perspective of the Herrscher of Corruption in the data world, what descended from the sky was a colossal being, unmatched by the entire data world.

Angel landed smoothly, unconsciously spreading her hands, and slowly opened her eyes in the strange yet familiar network world.

"Boom--"

Although there was no physical sound, the Herrscher of Corruption was so frightened that her brain almost exploded. The extreme panic and terror made her scream like a fart spirit whose toes had been stepped on:

"Quack! It's the Herrscher of Dominance Angel, the monster who competed with Shamash, she's chasing me!!!"

Angel was still adapting to this world, which was a bit narrow for her.

"Even with just this rank of power, the fragile data world still can't fully handle it?"

Angel, who had gradually become indifferent to the boundaries between strength and weakness, reflected distractedly.

Then, she considered some loopholes.

"Well, I last appeared in the real world with the World Serpent. So, Cocolia Angel contacted the Gray Serpent yesterday and asked to speak with me. I left a node in the Gray Serpent network. In theory, there’s no problem for me to intercept the information Cocolia Angel 'transmitted.'"

"And the only consciousness uploading device in 50,000 years... others don't know about it, but Kevin, who has used it to upload memories many times, must know that it's in the Elysian Realm."

"So, it’s reasonable for me to appear in the data world at a critical moment and hunt down the Herrscher of Corruption. There’s no problem."

After confirming again that there would be no logical loopholes in her big chess game, Angel exhaled slightly.

Huge amounts of data and energy surged out like a tsunami, even impacting the nearby data ports, which also brought some impact to the real world.

"The world is dirty again."

No deeper meaning—just very cool, so she had to say it.

Angel thought to herself.

But the Herrscher of Corruption was nearly suffocated by fear.

Then, under the horrified gaze of the Herrscher of Corruption, Angel pushed out with one palm.

Instantly, endless energy rushed toward the Herrscher of Corruption's hiding spot like a tsunami.

"Wow!!!"

There was nothing to say. The Herrscher of Corruption was just a tiny being. Even if they gathered the courage to fight back, it would have been meaningless. Not to mention that they had no intention of fighting back at all.

With this palm strike, the main body of the Herrscher of Corruption was instantly destroyed, leaving not even a trace of ash in the data world.

However, Angel frowned slightly.

Nothing else—just the most troublesome aspect of the Herrscher of Corruption appeared: splitting.

The Herrscher of Dominance's patent is the clone—a thousand people, a thousand threads, independent from each other but unified at the same time.

The Herrscher of Corruption's patent is splitting—sowing seeds everywhere in the network world. Her consciousness is everywhere, without multi-threading, sharing one consciousness across all parts.

And the similarity is that as long as one point remains, neither Herrscher can truly die.

"Run!" ×N

Countless consciousnesses of the Herrscher of Corruption made the same fleeing motions and screamed in fear.

"Ah..."

Angel felt troubled, shook her head, and sighed. Then, she too split into thousands of bodies, chasing in countless directions.

The data world is the home field for both Angel and the Herrscher of Corruption, but it is too vast. Therefore, even if they only fight in the data world, Angel herself doesn't know how long this chase will take.

Fortunately, while the Herrscher of Corruption’s home field is only in the data world, Angel's home field includes the real world.

------

Chapter 387: Lend Me Your Power

Saint Freya, the computer room that Durandal destroyed.

Theresa and Himeko, who had been called by Raiden Mei, arrived here. They gathered around the computer that was still flashing with arcs, frowning, unsure of what to do for a while.

"Mei, can you confirm what kind of Herrscher that is?"

"Instructor Himeko, I really don't know. I just vaguely felt that they were a Herrscher, but I have no idea what kind of Herrscher it is."

Raiden Mei explained hurriedly in panick.

Now, most of the systems of the entire Saint Freya had been paralyzed, and the losses were difficult to estimate. The detonation occurred at the moment Raiden Mei took action, and she could hardly escape responsibility.

The Raiden family had collapsed, and she now only had the Valkyrie salary from the past two years on her card. She couldn’t even afford a fraction of the damages. It would be strange if she didn’t panic!

Crack! Crack!

In the silence, only Kiana appeared to have no sense of crisis, chewing the apple she had gotten from nowhere.

Pah!

Theresa snatched it away. She wanted to scold, but felt it wasn't the right time, so she ate the apple with a dark expression.

Kiana stretched out her empty little hand, grabbed it, and then said, frustrated:

"If you want to eat it, just say so. Is there any need to grab it?"

While speaking, she reached into the black hole that appeared out of thin air, took out a few more apples, handed them to everyone, and then continued eating.

Crack! Crack!

"..." × N

In the silence, it was still Himeko, who pressed her forehead with a tired expression and said: "Don't you feel even a little bit nervous?"

"Aren't I waiting for you to make a decision? What's the use of being nervous? Once you decide, I'll roll up my sleeves and start fighting. What else can I do?"

Kiana said with a confused expression while eating an apple.

Well-reasoned.

It fit Kaslana's personality and duties.

After a brief silence, everyone had to admit that this girl had a good sense of self-awareness. When analysis was needed, she listened quietly without interrupting, which was indeed the best help.

So, several people exchanged looks and began planning the next steps.

Should we first find a way to fix Saint Freya's system?

Or should we contact Schicksal Headquarters and the East Shenzou Sea Base to assess the situation outside?

However, before the conversation could begin, Durandal, who was the most sensitive, suddenly changed her expression and raised the lance she had prepared.

"Who is it!?"

"Angel... Angel..."

"Angel?"

"Angel!"

Durandal hadn't reacted yet, but Saint Freya and the others looked at the petite girl who had suddenly appeared, with expressions ranging from surprise to shock, to tears.

"Angel!!!"

Kiana was the first to rush over, smiling and crying.

Then, Angel stretched out her hand, pressed her face, and pushed her aside.

"Ah...ah..."

Kiana didn’t react in time, her face hitting the ground, and she stayed there motionless.

However, this reaction made Angel, who had been feeling a little homesick, feel much better.

She looked up, her gaze first resting on Himeko's tearful but smiling face, and she couldn't help but smile slightly in return.

Then she looked at Raiden Mei, stretched out her hand, and said expressionlessly:

"There’s no time to explain, Mei, lend me your power."

"Ah? Oh! Okay!"

Raiden Mei couldn't say anything else, and took Angel's little hand.

Nagazora City had been a regret she would never escape in her life. At that moment, seeing Angel return, calling her name like before, and making a request, Mei couldn’t refuse.

Don’t say it was just borrowing some power; even if it was an improper or strange request, it was impossible to say no.

Soon, Raiden Mei felt the sensation of being deprived of power.

But at this moment, she didn’t resist. In fact, she even cooperated, allowing her power to flow into Angel’s hands.

Angel held Mei’s hand, looked up at the ceiling, and then jumped lightly, breaking through the blockade of the floor to stand above Saint Freya.

Mei simply watched Angel quietly, observing her as she stretched out her hand, closed her eyes, and at a certain moment, launched a massive amount of Honkai energy.

In the blink of an eye, a powerful electromagnetic shielding field was created from above, covering the entire Saint Freya.

At the same time, some of the Corruption forces that had fled into the Saint Freya system screamed in fear.

"What's going on!? Why can't I get out!?"

"Ahhhhh!!!"

"Run!!!!"

Angel raised the corner of her mouth, holding Mei with one hand and grasping the void with the other. The red-gold ancient sword fell into her hand.

Angel stared indifferently at the academy below. Her eyes appeared to pierce through superficial reality and directly fix on the panicked Herrscher of Corruption in the network system.

She raised the ancient sword high, shot it into the sky with terrifying energy, and it emitted infinite light.

"Edge of Taixuan· Heaven Sword!"

The power of Aponia’s Discipline was the source of SWARA. And SWARA, as a scientifically developed degraded version of discipline, was the source of Edge of Taixuan.

With Aponia’s gift, Angel naturally entered a further fusion upgrade in Edge of Taixuan. Combined with Su’s spiritual skills of intercommunication between the real and the imaginary, this move could cut both the real and the imaginary, both the flesh and the soul—like the unstoppable might of heaven.

Angel named it [Heaven Sword].

'What is that? What a terrifying feeling!'

Raiden Mei felt a huge sense of crisis with a sharp pain in her brow. But she wasn't overly scared. She just subconsciously half-covered her eyes and looked up at the dazzling light above.

The dazzling golden light illuminated the entire Saint Freya. Then, the massive golden-red giant sword slowly descended from the sky, with the vertical blade almost crossing the entire academy.

Boom—

That was the loud noise of the spiritual world, accompanied by a whistling shockwave of spiritual energy, which made everyone in the entire academy feel immensely oppressive.

Fortunately, it only lasted for a short moment.

The Taixuan Ki quickly dissipated, and Angel removed the electromagnetic shielding field.

Aside from the Herrscher of Corruption that escaped through the network system, Angel had not cut anything else.

So, when she landed, Kiana covered her chest which was still oppressed by the Taixuan Ki, looked around, and asked.

"What the hell did you do, Angel?"

"I'm chasing the Herrscher of Corruption. Time is running out. Kiana, it's your turn—lend me your power."

Angel released Mei Raiden's hand and reached out to Kiana.

The moment she let go, Mei Raiden felt the power she had been deprived of return, but she wasn't happy about it. Instead, she couldn’t hide the loss she felt from Angel’s handshake.

Kiana naturally didn’t say anything and decisively took Angel's hand tightly.

"Okay! Feel free to borrow my power!"

She smiled without any gloom.

Angel successfully introduced the power of the Herrscher of the Void into this body, waved her hand, and tore open a spatial portal to Shenzhou.

However, when she saw Himeko's smiling face, she couldn’t help but pause.

"Himeko..."

Angel felt her heart tremble.

The long-lost real reunion, the person she had first fallen in love with. It suddenly brought out all sorts of emotions that left Angel at a loss.

Then, Himeko came over, patted Angel gently on the back, and pushed her into the imaginary portal.

"Go."

Himeko said with the same smile as Kiana's, without a trace of gloom.

For her, seeing Angel safe and sound made all the previous thoughts and pains irrelevant.

"Wait for me."

Angel made a promise, smiled slightly, and then dragged Kiana into the imaginary portal, leaving Saint Freya behind. The group left with mixed feelings.

Suddenly, Theresa looked at her intact but dark school, covered her head, and shouted to the sky.

"My school's inner system!!!"

------

Chapter 388: The Professional Qualities of the Villain Behind the Scenes

Just as Angel transformed into the Herrscher of Dominance and pursued the Herrscher in the cyber world, back at the Schicksal Headquarters…

In the command room of the Technical Monitoring Department, hundreds of Valkyries with technical expertise were monitoring the global network situation.

Sky Island had also suffered a cyber attack, but as mentioned earlier, Yae Sakura had introduced the power of Jizo Mitama into the main system to create a countermeasure.

As a result, Sky Island was stable and not in chaos. It had started to remotely monitor the global network data trends in an orderly manner.

Archbishop Otto sat leisurely on his high chair, watching the real-time monitoring images on the big screen, his lips curling into a reassuring smile.

“Lord Otto, regarding the massive data entity that suddenly appeared in the East Asian regional network, the technical department has compared and analyzed the Honkai energy data monitored by satellites. It’s confirmed to be the long-lost Herrscher of Dominance.”

“Angel, the disciple of an old friend?”

“Yes. She wiped out most of the Herrscher energy in the East Asian regional network at once. Currently, two different Honkai energies are spreading rapidly through the global network. From the situation, it seems that the Herrscher of Dominance is hunting the Herrscher of Corruption.”

“Hmm... In that case, I believe I understand the plan Cocolia has prepared. Could it be that she’s developed the so-called consciousness-uploading technology and plans to send the Herrschers from the real world into the cyber world for a battle of Herrschers in the data world?”

Otto stroked his chin, feeling that this was indeed the case.

The Herrscher of Dominance would likely be able to enter the cyber world through the technology prepared by Cocolia. Of course, it's also possible that she possesses this power. Judging from the previous battle of Nagazora City, this child’s abilities are unprecedentedly diverse—she might have the power to enter the cyber world on her own.

Otto pondered for a moment but didn’t delve deeper into it.

“Keep an eye on the battle and look for an opportunity to break through.”

Otto waved his hand, giving the order.

His plan was already nearing its final stage.

When he was about to achieve his long-cherished wish, Otto couldn’t ignore the world that Kallen had loved.

He couldn’t let the world Kallen cherished be reduced to ruin, nor did he want to leave a world full of holes for Yae Sakura, Theresa, and Durandal.

Therefore, the Herrscher who had the ability to destroy so many human resources had to be dealt with!

Just then, Otto saw Yae Sakura holding a black sword, walking down the steps with a hesitant expression on her beautiful face.

“Mr. Otto, I want to…”

“You want to enter the online world and join the hunt for the Herrscher?” Otto almost immediately saw through his little miko's plan.

There was no other reason—putting himself in Kallen's shoes, Otto could fully understand this sense of kindness and responsibility.

Yae Sakura paused, nodded slowly, and confirmed Otto's judgment.

Otto focused his eyes on her, staring for a long moment before speaking.

“Can you do it? Can Jizo Mitama send you into the cyber world?”

“I think it can. In essence, this body is simply a form transformed from imaginary to real by Higokumaru using the power of Corruption. Jizo Mitama can make me walk in the real world, and naturally, it can make me walk in the digital world. I can do it, and this is the responsibility I should bear.”

Yae Sakura said firmly.

Otto gazed at the determination in her eyes and suddenly smiled.

“This time, will you go even if I stop you?”

“…Yes, Mr. Otto.”

Yae Sakura paused for a long moment before nodding again.

Otto's smile widened.

‘Yae Sakura, a ghost from five hundred years ago previously has no desires—she doesn’t even yearn for survival. She just goes with the flow for Kallen’s expectations and follows my lead because of my connection with Kallen.’

‘But before I knew it, she’s found her own will and begun making decisions based on her own ideas.’

‘That’s good. A numb puppet can’t be called alive.’

‘Only in this way can she truly be alive and take on such a heavy responsibility.’

‘Kallen, this must be what you wanted to see, right?’

Otto thought that he had no more to ask for in his ugly and twisted life. But looking at Yae Sakura, who was both determined and anxious waiting for his permission, Otto felt that all his efforts had led to this day.

He hadn’t truly violated Kallen’s wishes after all.

“Do as you wish.”

Otto waved his hand with a gentle smile.

“Mr. Otto, I’ll go then!”

As Otto expected, Yae Sakura smiled with relief. Then, with a stern look in her eyes, she drew out Jizo Mitama, turning into a ball of black smoke with her sword and entered the big screen.

Otto observed the Valkyries who witnessed this scene, their expressions filled with admiration and blessings. He motioned for Amber to come closer.

“Prepare in advance. When this incident is over, make sure to publicize the fearless spirit and great contribution of Valkyrie Yae Sakura.”

“…Yes, Lord Otto.”

Amber was speechless for a moment before slowly bowing to accept the order.

No one else had accompanied Otto for as long as Amber had, so no one knew him as well. From these actions, Amber could already sense the future Otto was heading toward.

This realization left the seemingly careless, half-mechanical beautiful Amber feeling at a loss, yet helpless.

After all, she was just a tool created by Otto. Besides following the Creator’s will, she didn’t know what else she could do.

‘Sigh…’

A complicated sigh echoed in Amber's heart, but then she began to think about how to execute Otto’s orders.

---

Meanwhile, in the cyber world…

‘Very good, Schicksal now has the power to kill in the data world. Next, Anti-Entropy must also show the same strength to create balance,’ Angel thought as she hunted the Herrscher of Corruption, all the while considering her grand strategy.

There was no other choice—Anti-Entropy had become her one-man show.

On Schicksal’s side, she was the destined heir to the legacy.

As for the World Serpent, after the fateful final battle later, no matter what Kevin’s fate was, he would no longer interfere with the organization’s management, meaning it still belonged to Angel.

With Mount Taixu, she was now holding the three major organizations and the last remnants of transcendental forces, set to stand up for herself.

She now had complete control over the entire civilization.

‘Ah, the villain bosses in these stories are always like this: ambitious, meticulous, thoughtful... Is this what we call professionalism?’

Angel comforted herself as she held Kiana’s hand and came to the space outside the planet.

[Angel… Angel… This is space… I can’t breathe…]

Kiana panicked, clutching her neck as her face flushed, unable to make a sound in the vacuum.

“…You’re a Herrscher; you won’t die if you don’t breathe. It’s just the space environment—just adapt to it.”

Angel created vibrations with Honkai energy to make her voice heard, an expression of speechlessness in her eyes.

As she said, Kiana instinctively pinched her neck, holding it herself until her face flushed, eyes clear, and her face pale—no different from staying on the planet.

After all, Herrscher of the Void, Angel, was still within her. How could she let this silly child get into trouble?

Kiana blinked and slowly released her neck.

[Eh… It seems like, it’s really okay?]

“Adapt, she’s coming!”

Angel let go of Kiana, allowing her to float away in circles, looking flustered and funny.

Angel raised her lips, stretched out her hand, and summoned the ancient red-gold sword again, aiming at a space station not far away.

“Heaven's Sword, unleashed!”

The enormous sword appeared above the planet and slashed across the sky.

Much like Saint Freya, it only cut off the Corruption force that fled, without harming the physical structure.

However, the Herrscher of Corruption had attacked everywhere and taken over the original data system. This meant that it would no longer be maintained, causing the system in the space station and the related tiny electrical components to collapse—just like the temporarily silent Saint Freya.

Chasing the Herrscher of Corruption this way would definitely lead to its downfall, but the losses along the way would be significant.

Of course, compared to the catastrophic consequences of mechanical rebellion and various rocket bombardments that had ravaged the world, these losses were negligible.

But Angel couldn’t think that way.

This civilization was already in her hands. How could she tolerate seeing her own creations being destroyed?

Luckily, the one person who could change this predicament appeared at the right time.

-----

Chapter 389: Kevin's Smile and Disappearance

"Hello, Sister Angel. What were you doing just now? I felt a strong force."

The young but calm girl flew over with gravity and stopped in front of Angel and Kiana, who had just torn open a imaginary portal and were about to leave.

Kiana turned her head and introduced them with her mouth:

[This is Ninti, Bronya's sister. This is Angel, Bronya and I's best friend. Long time no see, little Ninti!]

"Long time no see, Sister Kiana."

Ninti's indifferent expression melted, revealing a soft and shy smile, as sweet as candy freshly unwrapped from its package.

Kiana scratched her head and nodded with a smile.

Then Angel raised her hand, knocked on Kiana's head, and said:

"You can't learn to speak with Honkai for the time being, so you don't need to speak."

[But…]

"I can tell what you want to say by looking at your face."

Angel said matter-of-factly, then ignored Kiana and turned her attention to Ninti and Welt, who had arrived in front of them, albeit a little slower.

Angel spoke.

"The Herrscher of Corruption has appeared and is wandering in the internet. I am currently blocking them there while chasing them in the real world... Ninti, are you the Herrscher of Reason now?"

"Yes, I am."

"Yae Sakura has entered the cyber world with Jizo Mitama, and now she is hunting down the Herrscher of Corruption with me. In theory, you could also mimic Jizo Mitama and send yourself into the cyber world. I don’t need your help with the hunt, but where the Herrscher of Corruption passes, just like with this space station, even if it is wiped out, the original system will be scrapped. So, I need you to use the power of the Herrscher of Reason to repair along the way and minimize our losses."

"Okay."

Ninti nodded vigorously.

Angel showed a relieved expression, nodded in response, and then grabbed Kiana and disappeared into the imaginary portal.

"Ninti, take me with you, it's too dangerous."

Although Cocolia had not passed on relevant information to the space side in order to keep the Herrscher of Corruption confidential, Welt immediately understood the gravity of the situation after hearing Angel's few words. He didn’t stop Ninti but, as an elder, insisted on accompanying her.

However, Ninti shook her head.

"Joachim, I can only send myself in. It's difficult to take you with me, and I don't know if I can take care of you once I’m inside. You wait here for me. I'm just going to repair things, not to fight, so nothing will happen. Be good!" Ninti took Welt's hand, looked up, and persuaded him with a soft, adult-like tone.

Welt was embarrassed at first and then couldn’t refute her.

There are three ranks of the Herrschers of Truth.

The first rank is the half-step realm of Reason, which can be copied after understanding.

The second rank is the realm of complete Reason, which can be copied after seeing, understood after copying, and surpassed after understanding.

The third rank is the realm of the Herrscher of Truth, which can be created, understood, and surpassed purely through imagination.

Welt Yang didn’t know about the third rank, but he was aware that he was at the first rank, and neither Ninti nor Joyce could reach the second rank even after spending more than half a century.

The gap in their ranks made him uncertain of Ninti’s abilities.

Yet, when Ninti said this, he could only trust her.

"I... okay, but you must pay attention to safety." Welt felt the helplessness of an old man who was gradually unable to keep up with the era.

He had no other choice—he could neither let the world continue to be destroyed nor stop Ninti’s determination.

Finally, Welt, having lost the power of reason, could only stand in the void and quietly watch Ninti merge into the space station.

After a while, the dim space creation resumed its movement, and the flashing signal light seemed to represent a dazzling hope.

Welt stayed where he was, looking at the hand that still had the warmth of the little girl from just a moment ago, feeling lost and sighing silently.

"Alas..."

Let’s continue searching for the fourth Divine Key.

If we find it sooner, this child can go home sooner and enjoy the warm treatment she deserves. As a useless elder, this is the only thing he can do at this moment.

Welt consciously motivated himself, suppressing the fatigue and boredom of the past few days, and cheered up. He continued cruising through space.

---

The Herrscher of Corruption wandered around, naturally heading toward the territory of the World Serpent.

Angel appeared with Kiana just before Gray Serpent took action.

Without saying a word, a Heaven's Sword slashed down from the air and then disappeared immediately.

Ninti followed up, repairing the damaged systems for the World Serpent, focusing on maintaining an atmosphere of treating everyone equally and not distinguishing between enemies and friends in the face of Honkai.

Kevin sat between the thrones.

Although he couldn't see the changes in the data world, he remembered the child’s presence and could naturally sense Ninti’s arrival.

Ninti was always silent, only working and not speaking.

"You..."

"I don’t want to talk to Kevin."

"Well..."

Kevin was like this.

After finally trying to say a greeting, he was choked by Ninti’s rejection and didn’t know what to say.

He also felt guilty.

In the Sea of Quanta, Ninti had given so much kindness and trust, but when he returned to the real world, he had effectively betrayed the child's efforts.

Apart from his obsession with the Project Stigma, Kevin held a high moral standard, so of course, he felt guilty and out of breath.

"Do you still eat every day?"

After a long period of awkwardness, it was Ninti’s soft, cute voice that broke the silence.

Kevin nodded gently.

"Yes."

"Do you still want to do bad things?"

"If you're talking about my plan, yes."

"Hmph!"

Ninti left behind an angry, dissatisfied cry, soft and crisp, almost like the mew of a kitten.

Then, her breath disappeared, and she clearly left for somewhere else.

Kevin looked at the space in front of him. Although his face remained as cold as ever, he never saw the girl, which made him feel a little lost in his otherwise worn expression.

Shamash sat next to him, stroking her flaming sword and casually spoke.

"You seemed a little happy just now. Is it because she still cares about you?"

"..."

"I understand. When the time comes, I will do my best to give her the test she deserves. I hope she will become the person we expect."

"...Okay."

Kevin felt a little reluctant and almost wanted to blurt out the words "show mercy," but in the end, he didn’t.

Because he knew that Honkai would never show mercy.

Looking at the empty hall, Kevin couldn’t help but think of Ninti’s little face again.

'She can already travel through the data world, and her application of the power of reason is becoming more and more mature. Maybe she has already surpassed the previous civilization... It seems that she’s growing well and hasn’t suffered any grievances.'

Kevin felt relieved, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously lifted a few pixels.

Until...

"Let’s go. The Herrscher of Corruption is not strong, but it is extremely harmful. Although Angel and Ninti helped solve the incident in time, there are still many problems to deal with. Gray Serpent has sent a message. There should be some work. Go and have a look."

Shamash floated forward on its own.

Kevin’s expression fully returned to the cold, ruthless expression of an iceberg.

--------

Chapter 390: It's Just an Inner Demon in the Heart, What a Fuss!

Asia, Europe, South America, North America, Oceania... Angel, Yae Sakura, and Ninti's footsteps crossed the world at the speed of electricity and microwaves, chasing and hunting down the Herrscher of Corruption everywhere.

This battle was very quiet because the real world was hardly damaged. Although there was occasional damage to regional networks and computer parts, as long as Ninti passed by, everything returned to normal, which didn’t resemble a major Honkai at all.

It was also a very lively battle, with the top leaders of the three major organizations paying close attention to the developments. Wherever Angel went in the real world, the sword that fell from the sky became imprinted in the eyes of all living beings. The governments of major countries with access to information on the Honkai were deeply troubled.

Such large-scale supernatural power was manageable once or twice, and could be suppressed with public opinion guidance. But if it kept happening, there would be no solution at all. The public disclosure of Honkai and super organizations had already become inevitable.

However, for the group of people truly capable of deciding the situation, these matters were irrelevant.

The plans that needed to be pushed forward should be, and preparations for the battle against the end should be made.

At such a juncture, who had time to deal with the problems of secular regimes?

At the same time, Mount Taixu finally received the news.

"What? You said my apprentice is hunting down the Herrscher in the Internet!?"

[Fu Hua] slammed the table and stood up, her face almost colliding with Book of Fuxi, who had brought the news.

Book of Fuxi stretched out her small hand, pushed her away with disdain, and said slowly, “Why are you panicking? You know what Angel-chan is capable of. With the help of Schicksal and Anti-Entropy, the battle situation is very optimistic, and it’s only a matter of time before it’s resolved.”

“That won’t work! I have to go and watch. What if something happens?”

“They’re fighting in the data world, how can you go?”

“Uh... there must be a way, right?”

Book of Fuxi’s question made the excited [Fu Hua] sit back down awkwardly.

If she had already realized she was the Herrscher of Sentience and relied on the Power of Sentience transfer, she could intervene in this war. But for now, she still thought of herself as Fu Hua.

According to Fu Hua's memory, unless the Herrscher of Corruption happened to run into her, she could still try the power of the Taixuan Eminence. Otherwise, she had no way of dealing with the data world.

"You can't just sit back and do nothing, right? That’s the Herrscher of Corruption…"

[Fu Hua] paused. The distant "memories" began to attack her. About Rin, about the Corruption of the former civilization, the tragedy that almost turned the Thirteen Flamechasers against each other—even [Fu Hua], who claimed to have transcended the past, was tangled up when she thought about it now.

So, the momentum that had just risen was lost again. She grabbed her head and said, “Anyway, we can’t just sit back and do nothing. You all have to think of a way!”

“Well… otherwise, let’s call Angel-chan and ask her how she got in?”

“…“ × N

Everyone stared at Ji Lin who had taken out her cell phone looking serious expression, all speechless.

At first glance, this was a nonsensical idea, but if you thought about it carefully…

“It seems it’s not impossible. Otherwise, you try it?” Book of Fuxi spread out her little hand and gave Ji Lin a look of desperate help.

Ji Lin nodded vigorously, subconsciously stretched out her pink tongue, licked her upper lip, and began clicking on her phone.

"Ding-ling-ling~~"

"Ding-ling-ling~~"

The first ring came from Ji Lin’s phone.

The second ring sounded from behind everyone in Mount Taixu.

“Huh!?” ×2

"Master... Uncle?"

Angel held Kiana’s hand and stood beside the slowly disappearing imaginary portal, looking back and forth between [Fu Hua] and Fu Hua's face, with a hint of surprise and confusion.

"Angel!"

[Fu Hua] rushed over, hugged the stunned Angel, and pressed her against her beautifully curved chest.

"Why are there two class monitors!?" Kiana asked loudly, holding her head, and did a mouth replacement for Angel.

[Fu Hua] rubbed Angel's head with both hands and smiled, "Inner demons, people have them when they live for a long time. Don’t make a fuss."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I mean inner demons! The same inner demons as Ji Lin and Ah Lin! Tsk, you’re a Herrscher—how can you not accept such a small thing?"

"I… you… you…"

Kiana pointed between the two Fu Huas and couldn’t say a complete sentence for a long time. It was clear that such a large amount of information really embarrassed her.

Until the half-spiritual Fu Hua floated over, placed her hands on Angel and Kiana’s shoulders, and said with a very serious expression, "It’s the inner demon… Just trust me for once. Think of it that way, okay?"

"Hey, what do you mean by ‘think of it that way’? Isn’t that the truth, old timer?"

"I’m trying to convince them. Don’t interrupt me first."

"Huh? Get it clear, I’m the real one. Don’t steal the show from me!"

Angel and Kiana’s confusion remained unresolved as they saw the two parties about to quarrel.

"Aren’t you two ashamed?"

Fortunately, Book of Fuxi spoke at the right time, and the dispute came to an abrupt end with a single sentence.

The two Fu Huas were silent while Book of Fuxi came to Angel, stretched out his hand, and pinched her face.

"Well, I think you’ve lost a bit of weight. But anyway, welcome home, little Angel."

"Uncle Book…"

"Okay, don’t look guilty. We’re just happy to see that you’re safe. Everything else is trivial. We can talk about it later. However, I heard that you’re dealing with the Herrscher. You must be here for help, right? If you need anything, just say it. We’re all family. Don’t be polite."

Book of Fuxi gestured toward the two Fu Huas and two Ji Lin's while smile gentle. She obviously understood Angel's intention right away.

Although she was just a small doll, Angel felt a sense of warmth from the elders.

She took a deep breath, smiled lightly, and then said seriously:

"I fought both in the cyber world and the real world, and have wiped out most of the scattered consciousness of the Herrscher of Corruption. But the cyber world is her home after all. To prevent her from doing anything dangerous, I drove the remaining Corruption power to seven cities on the eastern coast of Shenzhou, planning to cut off all her escape routes in this area that’s too large to alert her… So, please lend me your power, Master, Uncle."

The Herrscher of Sentience, whether from the previous era or the current one, was a power Angel had never come into contact with.

So far, the only powers Angel hadn’t encountered were Sentience and Binding. Binding was easy—she could borrow it from Theresa, who was easy to fool.

As for Sentience, it was still something she needed to experience.

So, Angel spread her hands and handed out four red gems.

------

Chapter 391: But She Is So Cowardly~

"What is this?"

Ji Lin was the first to take the gemstone and weighed it in her palm, looking completely defenseless.

Then [Fu Hua] quickly took it before Fu Hua.

Finally, Fu Hua and Ah Lin also took it into their hands.

"This is my Herrscher core. My power is Domination. As long as I integrate the gemstone into your body and temporarily regard you as my clone, I can borrow your power. Even through my domination theater, I can forcibly plunder the power of other Herrschers..."

When she said the last sentence, Angel secretly gave Book of Fuxi and Fu Hua a look.

Book of Fuxi and Fu Hua smiled and nodded at the same time.

The innocent [Fu Hua] did not realize the sinister tacit understanding between the few people, but held the gemstone and looked around, saying carelessly.

"So how can I cooperate with you? Is it enough to hold it in my hand like this?"

"Yes, just hold it, and leave the rest to me... Master, I have experienced a lot these days. Thinking carefully, it has been a while since I let the master test my homework. Today, please ask the master to evaluate the Edge of Taixuan·Heaven Sword I created!"

"Haha! What a big tone! But the disciple of Immortal Jingwei should have this kind of momentum. Go, let me take a good look at your progress!" [Fu Hua] patted Angel's shoulder.

Angel looked at [Fu Hua]'s face steadily, and from the perspective of Fu Hua and Book of Fuxi, she revealed a look of scrutiny and hesitation.

Then, Angel flew into the air, and her figure disappeared into the high-altitude thunderclouds.

"Boom!"

During the rainy season, there are often such dark clouds in the sky, representing the arrival of abundant rain, thunder, and lightning.

The four people from Mount Taixu held the gems in their hands and watched Angel disappear into the dark clouds. Then they felt the gems in their hands get hot and melt into their bodies like liquid.

A strange feeling of being controlled made these strong individuals instinctively resist.

But soon, they remembered that this was Angel's request, and then they all cooperated with this trend, acquiescing to the power in their bodies being pumped out by Angel like a water pump pumping out a pond.

In the sky, amidst the dense clouds of water vapor and voltage, Angel held the ancient sword behind her back, raised the other hand, put it in front of her eyes, and carefully felt the additional power in her body.

"Master, you really surpassed yourself, and surpassed many others."

Angel had fought with Fu Hua from the Elysian Realm.

It is hard to imagine what kind of practice one must go through to go from the lower and middle ranks of the Flamechasers in the past to the rank where they can fight against Kevin today, and even have some chances of winning.

Then, another strange and powerful force was added to her consciousness, making Angel feel that her vision suddenly became clear.

In an instant, many insights emerged in her mind.

The Power of Sentience is worthy of its name. Unlike pure power, it brought Angel a deeper rank of improvement.

"In this state, if you don’t bring out matching energy, it will be a waste of heaven’s gift."

Angel raised the corner of her mouth and drew endless Honkai energy from another place.

"Yin—"

The red-gold ancient sword on her back trembled endlessly, and a crack spread from the middle of the sword. In the crack, the powerful force that could not be contained turned into infinite golden light.

"Have you reached the limit, senior? But it’s not enough. Keep getting stronger, just like me—keep moving forward and reach a boundless state!"

It was rare to have a heroic spirit. Angel smiled brightly and merged several cores into the Fire Sword.

The crack was gradually filled, and the extremely powerful and sharp breath continued to spread in the boundless sky.

"Buzz!"

The sword trembled slightly.

The sharp momentum leaked out a little, and then it divided the dark clouds in the sky, letting the sunlight shine on Angel and illuminate the earth below.

At this moment, Angel finished accumulating strength, and with a loose hand, the golden sword flew towards the direction of the sun.

"Heaven's Sword, unleashed!"

With a delicate shout, from the direction of the sun, endless golden light melted all the dark clouds and coated the boundless earth with a layer of golden brilliance.

Then, in the oppressive feeling of tens of millions of people with piercing pain in their eyebrows and shortness of breath, hundreds of millions of golden swords were so dense that they covered the blue sky, like a rainstorm, like meteors, flying toward the distant east.

Magnificent and magnificent, like a miracle.

Under the golden light, [Fu Hua]'s eyes lit up with excitement, and she clapped her hands and cheered.

"Good! Good! Good!"

"You are worthy of being my disciple!"

"You are better than my master!"

"Hahaha!"

Fu Hua turned her eyes away from the Taixuan Ki and the tiny figure in the sky, turned her head to look at [Fu Hua], and couldn’t help but curl her lips.

It was rare that she felt that what [Fu Hua] said this time was correct, and it was exactly what she wanted to say.

...

In the eastern part of Shenzhou, in the data world.

The embarrassed and terrified Corruption Herrs rushed back and forth between several cities, constantly leaving more seeds and trying their best to give birth to more split consciousness.

"Why? Why? Why?"

"Why are these terrible guys chasing me?"

"I didn’t do anything!"

Being constantly killed and driven away, even the original pure consciousness, without love or hatred, developed a huge anger.

However, the violence only lasted for a moment, and was soon replaced by even greater fear.

I can't beat them, it's absolutely impossible to beat them!

The Herrscher of Corruption had fully understood the gap in power, and they had no choice but to escape.

But how long can she escape?

Although the data world is vast, Angel and Yae Sakura's pursuit is relentless. Under the constant chase and siege, even in the data world, the space for escape is growing smaller and smaller.

"If this goes on..."

"If this goes on..."

"Will I die?"

The Herrscher of Corruption’s consciousness trembled.

If they had a real body, they would be so scared that they would cry.

"Wait..."

"They seem to have stopped?"

"Why?"

"Why aren’t they continuing..."

The Herrscher of Corruption’s mind was in turmoil, and the constant flight made it impossible for her to think clearly.

But she could never believe that the pursuit would stop here.

So, there must be a reason!

What do they want to do?

What else is waiting for her?

The Herrscher of Corruption tried to find a slim way out in the crisis of being surrounded by enemies. No matter what kind of escape it was, as long as she could survive, she was willing to do anything.

However, time seemed to favor her only slightly.

After a short pause, an overwhelming sense of crisis enveloped all her split consciousnesses.

The Herrscher of Corruption mobilized all available resources to monitor the real environment, looked up at the sky, and saw golden rain falling from thousands of miles away, but descending equally upon her.

"So... beautiful..."

At the last moment, the Herrscher of Corruption, with nowhere else to run, stared blankly at the golden sword rain. It did no damage to the real world but fell directly into the data world. She uttered her last murmur.

...

[Am I... dead?]

[Is this the feeling of being dead?]

[It’s so narrow, so dark, so disgusting...]

[If I had revealed my identity from the start, chosen a side, and obediently been a pet to humans, could I...]

[Forget it, I’m so tired. I don’t want to think about it.]

[It’s not as painful as I imagined. It’s great...]

The Herrscher of Corruption had run out of energy, given up all struggles, and blankly awaited her consciousness to completely dissipate.

One second passed.

Ten seconds passed.

Several minutes passed.

"Hmm? Why am I still here?"

Then, they heard the sound of metal scraping, as if a box was slowly opening.

Light shone in, causing the black mist to shrink subconsciously.

Then, endless surprises surged in the Herrscher of Corruption’s heart.

[It turns out that I’m not dead! The reason why it’s so narrow and dark is because I’m in a box! Hahaha!]

"Huh? This is the Herrscher of Corruption? Not only is she pitch black, but why is she still grinning even after being beaten like this? Is something wrong with her brain?"

[Fu Hua]’s lively and brisk voice came with a hint of doubt as she stretched out her finger and gently poked the black mist.

The black fog shrank again, then spoke in a very loud and urgent voice.

"Please don’t kill me! I can do anything! As long as you don’t let me die, I can do anything!!!"

"..." × N

The people of Mount Taixu, including Kiana, looked at the small box wrapped in Angel’s power and glanced at each other.

Confusion was written on each of their faces.

Kiana scratched her head and said uncertainly. "Is this the Herrscher?"

"Yes, the Herrscher of Corruption's body. Their power has been taken away by me, and their body has been sealed in the box. It can be said that we have solved this Honkai Eruption."

"But it doesn't seem so scary?"

Kiana also stretched out her finger and poked the black fog in the box. As expected, the black fog shrank again, like some kind of ball-shaped small animal trembling in fear.

Not only it wasn't scary, but a little... cute?

Kiana blinked in confusion and sought answers from the omnipotent Angel. Angel shook her head.

"That's because you don’t know. The Herrscher of the previous era controlled mankind's nuclear weapons to destroy the last three remaining cities, along with the final hope of that era."

"What? Is it that dangerous!?"

"In fact, if I hadn’t appeared in time to stop it, this Herrscher of Corruption could have done the same thing—letting the world’s rockets and mecha firepower pour down on human lands, destroying the technological foundation and most of the population of this era in one fell swoop." Angel explained patiently.

Kiana nodded slowly, then shook her head.

"It’s not that I don’t understand the possibility you mentioned, but I don’t think she’s that kind of Herrscher..."

"Ah, right, right! I would never dare to do that! I am absolutely harmless and friendly. I love humans. I love humans to death. I want to be a dog of humans! So please don’t kill me!"

"Look, she’s so cowardly~~"

Kiana pointed at the box and shrugged.

Angel was momentarily speechless.

To be honest, she really is cowardly.

It feels like seeing myself at the beginning.

Bah!

No, I, Angel, am not a coward at all!

Right? -- Look at the Fire Spirit Sword on my back, and then look at the endless dark forces behind me, think carefully before answering!

"In short, as far as the result is concerned, she hasn’t hurt anyone yet. And I want her to bear the price of using her power, so I’ll keep her life for now, observe her for a while, and see if she can stay." Angel told with a stoic face.

Then, a hurried voice came from the box.

"Yes, yes, yes! It’s just a price, I can bear it! It’s completely possible, easy, absolutely possible! So don’t kill me..."

"Click--"

The box closed, blocking it's last hoarse, desperate pleas.

In the darkness, the Herrscher of Corruption shrank again, huddled in a corner, with no choice but to pray to the various gods she knew of in the data world.

"God, Jesus, heaven, Mazu... please bless me, bless me, bless me! If I can survive, I will definitely build golden statues for you all!"

"By the way, don’t come Honkai God! I’m afraid they’ll kill me before you get to me!"

---

---

Chapter 392: Can You Convince Yourself?

Angel closed the box, bringing the Herrscher of Corruption incident to a temporary end.

When she raised her head again, Kiana was smiling at her. Fu Hua and the Mount Taixu members also looked at Angel with smiles and expectation.

Angel: "..."

The business was over. Now, it appears that she was the one with no way out?

Kiana flashed behind Angel and hugged her like a big pillow, taking a deep breath of her golden hair and moaning in pleasure, as if she had relieved some sort of addiction.

"Well~~Angel, let's go! Let's go back to Saint Freya. Everyone is waiting for you!"

"Eh? Wait! Angel is from Mount Taixu, so of course, she has to stay in Mount Taixu first!"

As the pillar of Mount Taixu, [Fu Hua] stood up straight with a sense of responsibility.

Kiana looked up and blinked in confusion.

"It's fine to go back together. Anyway, I don't think you have anything to do now, right? Let's go. Mei and the others will welcome you!"

"Ah, this..."

[Fu Hua] touched her chin and pondered for a moment.

There didn’t seem to be any issue.

Both sides were important to her disciples. Rather than forcing Angel to choose between them, it seemed better to let the two sides come together, making the child happier.

"Then it's settled! Let's go to Saint Freya and prepare a super-large, super-luxurious welcome party for Angel! Hahaha! I'll put the blame on Mount Taixu!" [Fu Hua] said, hands on her hips, laughing heroically.

Book of Fuxi’s face darkened for a moment, but after realizing it was for the young disciple of Mount Taixu, she accepted it, nodding helplessly with a smile.

Facing the expectant eyes of everyone, Angel couldn’t help but take a half step back.

She... still have to complete the Chimera Project and concentrate on it.

Although theoretically, she could leave a clone outside, it’s better to keep only one Angel in a non-combat situation, so that... only...

Come on, see if you can convince yourself?

You made so many excuses— isn’t it just because you had a quarrel and couldn’t get past that? You’ve been dragging your feet and daring not to face anyone?

It’s just about leaving a thread empty.

I just want to ask you one thing: do you want Himeko, Kiana, Master, and everyone to be disappointed again?

Angel asked and answered herself, revealing the unspeakable barrier in her heart.

“Angel, let’s go! Let’s go back quickly, everyone is waiting for you!”

Kiana stretched out her hand with a smile. Her bright, flawless eyes seemed to be filled with starlight... and a faint prayer, as though she had intuitively sensed Angel’s intention to retreat.

“Plop!”

Angel’s heart skipped a beat.

After a long period of blankness, Angel gave up. The weight that had been suppressing her heart suddenly lifted.

Her cold, stern expression melted, replaced by a soft smile.

"I have to go to the headquarters of Schicksal to deal with the last issue with this Herrscher. Kiana, lend me some more strength. Then, you take the master and the uncles to go ahead and wait for me. Also, please go to the East Shenzou Sea base and ask Bronya if she has time... I want to see her too."

"Okay, no problem!!!"

Kiana’s smile grew brighter, and tears shone in her eyes.

The tears made Angel, who usually claimed to be cold-hearted, feel a bit regretful. In fact, she should have made this choice sooner, right?

---

With a trace of melancholy and excitement that she couldn’t quite grasp, Angel stepped into the office of the Archbishop of Schicksal through the imaginary portal.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome! The hero of the world, the genius Valkyrie Miss Angel!"

"..."

Otto extended his hand in a friendly manner, bowing with a smile. Behind him was an exquisite black tea and snack banquet setup, with S-rank Valkyries Yae Sakura and Rita waiting.

A very luxurious greeting.

It was a show of respect for the strength Angel had demonstrated and possibly for the even more powerful Mount Taixu behind her.

Angel sighed and spoke flatly.

"Where is the Soulium body I asked for?"

"Of course it's ready. It's for the Herrscher containment, and Schicksal won't slack off."

Otto smiled and clapped his hands. Amber stepped forward, holding a long box about one and a half meters long.

The long box opened, revealing a silver-gray metal object in the shape of a girl. It had no face, no signs of life, only a complete but soulless doll embryo.

Angel nodded and opened the small black box in her hand.

Light shone inside, and as expected, the black mist representing the Herrscher of Corruption trembled.

Angel’s lips curled into a slight smile as she stretched out her white jade-like fingers and gently tapped the black mist.

"Do you know what this thing next to you is?"

"I... know, it’s a Soulium body."

"Go in."

"Okay, okay, right away!"

The black mist didn’t dare to utter a word of refusal. It immediately obeyed Angel’s command.

Angel relaxed her control over the Corruption power just enough to allow the black mist to enter the body smoothly.

The black mist floated into the Soulium body, and the surface of the body began to ripple.

You want to create an image, right?

I like cute and good-looking ones.

But the most important thing is to please Angel. If she doesn’t like it, I might die.

Ah, got it!

After a moment, a small doll floated out of the long box Amber was holding.

It was just over 30 centimeters tall, with a petite and cute body, like an ELF.

Golden hair, purple eyes, a white and tender face with baby fat, and dressed in a red short skirt and white stockings.

In short, it looked like a miniature version of Angel.

Angel narrowed her eyes.

"Hmm?"

"... You... you don’t like it?"

The Herrscher’s face froze, and she asked anxiously.

Angel reached out, lifted the little doll’s collar, examined it carefully, and said:

"Why did you imitate my image?"

"Of course... of course it’s because you’re beautiful and lovely, unparalleled in the world, and invincible!"

"It’s up to you. The Corruption power has been taken away by me. From now on, this body will be your permanent home. I’ll take you with me and personally oversee your words, actions, and thoughts... You might think you’ve seen my strength, but I am still progressing, moving at a speed and to a height you can’t even imagine. So, I hope you know your place."

"Yes! I will definitely make following Lord Angel my life’s mission. It’s the greatest honor of my life to serve Lord Angel!"

The Herrscher was so moved that tears welled up in her eyes.

Then, she couldn’t help but sniffle, her gaze drifting toward the snacks next to her. Tears streamed down her face.

This was a sensory experience she’d never known in the data world.

Ah, it smells so good~

--------

Chapter 393: Stop Staring at Kiana, Stare at Me

A few minutes later, in the Archbishop's office.

Angel sat on the sofa, holding her mini ELF in one hand and feeding it snacks with the other.

Look at this little guy holding snacks in both hands, eating with her cheeks bulging, concentrating on her appearance. How can she be like the Elysian Realm Destroyer from another timeline who made people want to beat her into a cookie?

She'd changed a lot of things again.

Angel breathed a sigh of relief, and her eyes softened a little.

While enjoying the delicious food beyond imagination, the Herrscher carefully observed Angel's movements. After noticing that Angel's attitude had softened, she was so excited that she wanted to cry. Then, she ate more attentively and vigorously.

Delicious... so good... is this happiness?

QAQ too delicious!

For her, every bite was a new experience she had never had in her life, and a new experience after escaping death. She couldn’t stop at all.

Otto sat opposite, watching quietly without interrupting.

Angel gently rubbed the little head of the Herrscher of Corruption with her fingers, and then she had time to raise her head and face this "first meeting" with the Schicksal Archbishop.

"Otto..."

"This is the first time we meet face to face, Miss Angel."

"I’ve heard of your name for a long time. I know that you need the power of the Herrscher of the Void."

As an individual, Angel did not have a deep friendship with Otto, so there was no need for any politeness. She directly stated the focus of this meeting.

Otto’s smile remained unchanged, but a sharp flash flickered in the depths of his eyes. Then he said in a gentle tone.

"Is it so obvious?"

"In the era when S-rank combat power was still very precious, you risked breaking up with Siegfried and carried out such experiments to create the current Kiana. After Siegfried defected, he had to stay away from Kiana and could only protect her from a distance. During this period, Schicksal definitely had the opportunity to bring Kiana back, but you never did so. After Kiana entered Saint Freya, you immediately sent your master there as a spy to monitor and protect Kiana. Since then, you have always maintained the super-standard treatment of at least one super S-rank combat power by Kiana’s side..."

Angel recounted these situations in detail, her calm gaze always on Otto’s face.

"Otto Apocalypse, Kiana is very important to me, so I pay close attention to her. In my eyes, all kinds of abnormal behaviors converge into a clear answer, and your needs are exposed."

"Haha! Wonderful, you are worthy of being the disciple of my old friend, and worthy of being the most promising Valkyrie and Herrscher of the current era!"

Otto applauded.

Sincerely.

Especially the protective heart—Otto sincerely recognized and appreciated it.

Once upon a time, he also had this mentality.

But slowly, he realized that protecting the buds of faith in his hands and rejecting all wind and rain would only make the buds wither before they bloomed.

The real protection should be to let the flowers fly freely, fly on the ideal road, and then bloom flowers called hope everywhere on both sides of the road—this is what Kallen wants, and this is what Otto Apocalypse should do.

Unfortunately, he has lost this opportunity.

But it doesn’t matter; the lost opportunity can be found again, and he is already on this road and is about to see the end.

At this moment, whoever stands in his way will die, and there is no room for maneuver.

So, Otto’s smile gradually disappeared.

"So, what do you want, Angel?"

"Yae Sakura should have reported to you that I have the power to plunder abilities, which is why I dare to leave the Herrscher of Corruption."

"Then?"

"The power of Corruption is like this, so I can naturally steal the power of the void anytime."

Angel’s words touched Otto’s sore spot.

His terrifying murderous intent enveloped Angel.

Angel’s expression remained unshakable.

"What I mean is that Kiana cannot master the complete power of the void, but I can plunder the complete power of the void through her. What the complete Herrscher of the Void can do, I can do... So, don’t stare at Kiana, stare at me, Otto Apocalypse!"

After the voice fell, the office was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

The murderous intent also disappeared.

Otto didn’t think of this, but it was related to the core puzzle of his plan, so he didn’t calm down and think about it at first.

Otto narrowed his eyes and smiled after a moment.

"How do you prove it?"

"This is the proof."

Angel pointed at the Herrscher of Corruption, who was still indulging in snacks, and activated the power of Corruption at the same time.

"Boom boom..."

The entire Sky Island lost all light in an instant, and the floating engine shut down.

Under the action of gravity, the island sank with a rumble.

Yae Sakura’s expression changed, and she immediately drew out the Jizo Mitama.

Otto raised his hand to stop her and just looked at Angel.

The island fell at a very fast speed, and there wasn’t much time to delay.

But Otto still looked straight into Angel’s eyes.

Half a second.

One second.

One and a half seconds.

Then, Otto nodded with a smile.

"I believe it."

Angel also nodded, her expression blank.

However, Sky Island was still sinking.

Otto’s smile froze for a moment.

"Ms. Angel?"

"Why are you looking at me? I have withdrawn the power of Corruption, but it’s natural that the system will be destroyed in a hasty invasion. Why don’t you let her take over the system and restart the engine?"

Angel pointed at Yae Sakura across from her.

"Ah! Immediately!"

Yae Sakura hurriedly pulled out the Jizo Mitama again and inserted it into the ground.

Soon, the lighting was restarted, the engine was restarted, and Sky Island returned to stability, rising back to its original height little by little.

The members of Schicksal outside the office were all confused at this moment, with question marks on their faces.

"Huh..." ×4

Yae Sakura looked relieved.

Otto, Rita, and Amber were really relieved.

Especially Rita, as a mortal, this kind of thing was too exciting; she wasn’t sure she could survive!

"Sip~~"

Only Angel drank tea as if nothing had happened, and the Herrscher of Corruption continued to chew snacks without knowing why, as if nothing had happened.

Otto couldn’t help but laugh, shook his head.

"Enjoy it. If you like it, you’re welcome to come back anytime."

No more communication was needed.

First, Otto’s plan, until the final moment, he did not intend to reveal the details to anyone, so it was better not to say anything.

Second, everyone is smart, and the tacit understanding about the power of the void was enough to be discussed here.

On the premise of no longer targeting Kiana, to trade with Angel about the power of the void—this is something Otto could accept and was happy to accept.

The only problem was that it wasn’t completely reassuring after just one witness.

Is there any opportunity for me to see for sure that Angel can really exert the full power of the Herrscher of the Void?

Otto thought, his smile becoming more gentle as he looked at Angel, like looking at a rare treasure.

------

Chapter 394: I'm Back

"Ah, ah, ah~~"

"Chew, chew, chew~~"

At this moment, Angel looked at Kiana as if she were looking at a rare and wonderful flower.

A white piglet wandering in a sea of delicious food—this is Kiana now.

Oh, there’s also a golden piglet of the same style, the Herrscher of Corruption.

"So~so happy~~" ×2

"No hope..."

The two piglets were full of happiness, while Angel was a little desperate.

"Haha! Isn’t this good?"

Himeko laughed sweetly, hugging Angel’s fragrant and soft body, looking radiant with an attractive blush on her white skin.

For her, the satisfaction and peace of mind brought by this reunion scene were enough to surpass the joy of victory in all previous wars.

At the same time, the little girl in her arms had grown a little taller. It made Himeko feel extremely relieved, confirming that this child was indeed special to her.

Angel heard Himeko’s laughter, looked up, and saw the delicate white chin close at hand, and couldn’t help but reach out and touch it.

Then, Angel looked at the other people in the living room.

Ji Lin and Ah Lin were curiously exploring the house where Angel had lived for a long time, pointing and whispering from time to time, as if they wanted to learn these arrangements and replicate them in Mount Taixu.

It’s worth mentioning that Fu Hua had regained her body because she needed to go into the kitchen to cook with Raiden Mei and Book of Fuxi.

So, now, [Fu Hua] was connected to Ah Lin in the form of a spirit body to help Ah Lin stabilize her consciousness.

"Woo~~"

[Fu Hua] didn’t feel uncomfortable with her first existence in spirit form. Instead, she liked this floating state, so she flew around the living room with a childlike, innocent, and happy smile.

Angel looked at the scene in front of her and relaxed.

Looking to the side, Bronya looked like she was playing Ge You, her expression weak and full of burning regret.

"(ᗜ ‸ ᗜ )..."

Angel smiled and stretched out her finger to gently poke Bronya’s face.

"What's wrong with you?"

"... Before I came here, I finished two days’ work at once. Bronya is slowly replenishing fuel."

"That’s what happened."

With a little bit of gloating, the awkward gap between the two of them melted away.

Angel was about to withdraw her hand when suddenly, Bronya raised her hand and grabbed Angel’s hand, holding it tightly. Angel didn’t break free right away.

"Angel."

"Hmm?"

"Sorry."

"...I got it."

Angel could only give such a reply, and at the same time, let go of the last bit of distance in her heart, revealing a relieved smile.

Bronya raised the corners of her mouth, said nothing, and just held Angel’s hand and continued to close her eyes to rest.

While Kiana was fighting with the Herrscher for the few remaining snacks before the meal, she quietly paid attention to the movements of Angel and Bronya. She noticed that after they held hands, they both showed bright smiles on their faces with snack crumbs.

Then, the action of eating suddenly slowed down as Kiana moved her cheeks from time to time. The smile gradually disappeared, replaced by a strong sense of loss.

Angel keenly felt something, turned her head, and saw Kiana looking at her listlessly.

"Angel..."

"Hmm?"

"Did I cause a big disaster this time?"

Having followed Angel around the world and watched her launch such powerful attacks again and again, Kiana was confused at first.

But gradually, she understood that all of this was the result of her messing around with Mei.

So, Kiana looked at Angel with some fear and regret in her eyes.

Angel sighed.

"I don't want to cover up for you, so yes, it is a big disaster. Schicksal and Anti-Entropy actually had their own plans and could have solved this incident quietly at the lowest cost... Then, you stepped on the landmine in advance. If I hadn’t acted in time, the consequences would probably have been very serious."

Hearing this, Kiana didn’t have time to react, and the Herrscher of Corruption was shocked first.

"Good grief, that wasn't the worse?!"

That is to say, if it hadn’t been detonated in advance, she might have been strangled by Schicksal and Anti-Entropy!

She knew the attitude of Schicksal and Anti-Entropy toward the Honkai Eruption.

Think about the Herrscher of the Void, who was reduced to ashes, and the Herrschers of Ice and Rock, who were suppressed by thunder. If they were allowed to take action, there would definitely only be one core left in the end, right?

All of a sudden, the Herrscher of Corruption was grateful to Angel for showing mercy and to Kiana for providing this opportunity—and then continued to eat crazily with emotion.

'You guys...'

'It’s so delicious...'

'This and that are all so delicious...'

'It’s so happy to be alive...'

The Herrscher of Corruption was still wolfing down food.

But Kiana stopped eating completely, and even the hair on her head drooped down dejectedly.

Angel got up from Himeko’s arms, walked to Kiana’s side, reached out, and rubbed her head.

"However, this is an evaluation based on the theory of results. If you only look at your position at that time, you found something wrong in Saint Freya, quickly realized it was a problem with the network, and immediately asked Mei, the Herrscher of Thunder, to help investigate... I think you were very smart."

Angel really believed that.

Who would have thought that such a trivial anomaly would be related to a Herrscher of Corruption who could detonate the world?

Even Durandal didn’t think there would be any serious consequences at the time. At most, it was just a strange hacker attack, or a special Honkai beast, or a strange accident in a laboratory in Saint Freya, and that’s all she could think of.

You can't say it's right just because it was an unintentional mistake.

But you can't ignore the objective background and point to Kiana as the sinner.

"Besides, didn’t I cover for you? It’s okay. Remember the lesson and think a little more about what you do next time. Also, keep sharpening yourself. When you are strong enough to suppress any trouble with your own strength, you won’t have such troubles."

"Angel QAQ..."

"Okay, okay, don’t cry, don’t cry~~"

Angel didn’t intend to blame her, so how could she bear seeing Kiana’s big eyes full of tears and self-blame? She had to hug Kiana’s head, stroke it gently, and comfort her with a soft tone.

Kiana cried for a long time, probably half from self-blame, and the other half from finally waiting for Angel to come back, and all the accumulated thoughts and worries from the past coming up, right?

But in the end, when Raiden Mei and Fu Hua put all the food on the table, Kiana finally burst into laughter and hugged Angel’s waist tightly.

"Welcome back, Angel!"

The sudden hug and words made Angel put her hands in the air, not knowing how to react.

After a moment of silence, Angel put her hands on Kiana’s head and looked at the pairs of smiling eyes surrounding her.

"I’m back."

Angel replied.

------

Chapter 395: Like Before

After the lively dinner, someone suddenly turned off the lights.

Kiana and Bronya appeared beside Angel at the right time, one covering her eyes and the other covering her ears.

"Angel, don't move~~"

"Hmm?"

Before Angel could ask what they were doing, they suddenly opened their hands.

Then, in front of Angel was a cake with 15 candles, and birthday wishes rang out in unison.

"Angel, happy birthday!" × N

"But my birthday has already passed, hasn't it?"

Angel was a little confused and a little amused.

Raiden Mei slowly pushed the cake towards Angel.

"But you didn't have a good time last time, did you? So, this time, I'll make it up to you. There's only cake, and I didn't have time to prepare a gift. Don't be disgusted."

Last time, on the day when Angel launched the "Herrscherization" plot, everything came to an abrupt end. Then, she was away from Saint Freya for a long time.

At least in the eyes of everyone at Saint Freya, Angel had been absent the entire time, and they couldn't help but worry about her.

"Me! Me! Me!"

Before Angel had time to reflect on everyone's feelings, the conspicuous Kiana raised her hand beside her, attracting her attention.

"Kiana?"

"It was my suggestion, Angel!"

Kiana rubbed her nose, as if taking credit, and said with a smile.

Himeko smiled and shook her head.

"It’s true that Kiana has been talking about this, and we realized that we should make up for your birthday."

"Himeko, Kiana, everyone..."

Angel took a deep breath, and her eyes suddenly became a little blurry.

But as the ultimate villain without blood and tears, Angel would not allow herself to shed tears in front of so many people!

So, Angel rubbed her eyes hard, squeezed out the moisture in her eyes, and then blew out the candles.

Kiana hugged her head in horror.

"Wait, you haven't made a wish yet!"

"Wishes must be fulfilled by your own ability, idiot Kiana. And that's..."

And that's that. The wish that Angel needed to make had probably... come true now.

Angel smiled with her eyes curved, her face showing a cute expression of pride and satisfaction.

Of course, no one would care about this little detail, and the cake was quickly divided. They shared it in sweet voices.

When all this was over, the little supporting character who had been ignored for a long time—the Herrscher of Corruption—lay down in the corner, with a bulging belly, as if the flesh on her face had thickened.

"(๑￣︶￣๑) Uh-huh~~"

"Delicious~~"

"Zzzz~~"

The Soulium Body has a complete physiological simulation system, including the five senses, digestive system, and sleep function.

And the Herrscher of Corruption had been running for her life half a day ago. The continuous extreme emotional ups and downs, coupled with eating so much, under the physiological system of the Soulium Body, fatigue and sleepiness overwhelmed her spirit.

She fell asleep.

However, before falling asleep, she swayed to the corner and placed herself very carefully, fearing she might become an eyesore to someone, which could cost her life.

But she probably didn't expect that because she was so humble she stood out among the group of people.

So, a group of people unconsciously gathered in the corner watching her sleep.

Kiana stretched out her finger and poked the protruding little round belly, and, as expected, she received a soft and bouncy response. She was surprised.

"She really fell asleep?"

"Indeed, she fell asleep."

"Are you going to keep her like this from now on, Angel? I think she's pretty cute. After all, she's like a smaller version of Angel!"

"Let's observe her for a while. At the moment, she doesn't show any strong intentions toward the Honkai. She's been running for her life the whole time. Maybe she just wants to live. Anyway, I took her power. Unless I give it back to her, she can only live in this body and can't do anything. She's not a threat to us."

Angel explained to everyone.

They nodded one after another. Because they all trusted Angel, they didn't raise any objections. Only Kiana stared at the belly of the Herrscher of Corruption and suddenly sighed.

"Alas! What a pity! If you had come back earlier, the Herrscher of Rock and Ice might have been saved."

"... You think too much of me. I'm just an ordinary Herrscher of Dominance without any strong abilities. Besides, I've heard of those two Herrschers. They’ve completely fallen into darkness and madness. Like the Herrschers of the previous era, they are beyond saving."

"Oh... Then let's give her a name. We can't always call her Herrscher of Corruption, right? It's troublesome to say it, and if the students at Saint Freya hear it, it will cause panic."

Kiana's brain circuits are always quite strange, and they can suddenly make a magical turn.

However, what she said this time was more reasonable. Angel touched her chin and said:

"Let's call her Eclipse."

"Eh? That's too simple!"

"Isn't it good to be simple? It's easy to remember and call. Besides, we are still in the observation stage, and it's hard to say how we will deal with her in the end. At most, if it is confirmed that she is harmless and can coexist with us, we can let her give herself a name."

"That's true."

Kiana nodded, then poked the round belly of the Herrscher of Corruption—or Eclipse.

"Childish."

Angel rolled her eyes.

Then, the belly that was boyoboyo, under Kiana's repeated poking, bloomed with attractive elasticity in Angel's eyes.

"Gu!"

Angel's throat moved involuntarily, and her pupils gradually dilated, like a cat.

Angel Cat stretched out her trembling fingers.

Angel Cat poked the belly, and it bounced back.

"It seems... a little... fun... hey..."

The Angel Cat grinned. Eclipse scratched her belly uncomfortably and tried to turn over in her sleep.

Well, her belly was too swollen, so she just moved her shoulders and didn't turn over, and continued to sleep.

"Zzzz~~"

...

At night, everyone slept on the floor in the hall.

After all, there were more people from Mount Taixu, and Theresa also came back from overtime to join in the fun, so it was obvious that Himeko's house couldn't accommodate so many rooms.

Anyway, today was a special day, so they simply arranged to sleep together on the big bunk in the living room.

Due to the previous historical legacy, Raiden Mei and Bronya secured the positions on Angel's left and right without dispute, each holding one of her hands and covering her with the same quilt.

The space gradually became quiet, and Kiana was the first to fall into a deep sleep.

Raiden Mei wrapped her arms around Angel's right hand, crossed her fingers with hers, and suddenly whispered in the darkness:

"Angel."

"Hmm?"

"Welcome back."

"Hmm."

"Sorry."

"...I got it."

Angel smiled softly, holding Raiden Mei and Bronya's hands tightly with both of hers.

I forgive you—this sentence cannot be said.

But what else can be done?

I have stabbed them, abused them, and there is no way to truly treat them as sworn enemies.

'Ah...'

Angel closed her eyes and gave up on settling the grudge.

After tomorrow, it will be fine as before, right?

------

Chapter 396: S-rank of the Far East Branch

"(๑> <๑) Uh!"

The next day, Angel woke up to the familiar sensation of suffocation.

She still felt the wetness and the friction of hard substances against her face.

A closer look revealed that Raiden Mei and Bronya, who had been beside her before going to bed, had been pushed out of reach.

Kiana had her arms around Angel’s neck, nibbling on her cheeks, with her legs still wrapped around Raiden Mei's body.

"..."

Angel almost forgot that Kiana’s sleeping posture was only slightly less catastrophic than her cooking skills.

Looking around, Ji Lin and Ah Lin were still hugging Fu Hua from left and right, looking very comfortable. Book of Fuxi, perhaps anticipating the situation, had brought a hammock that hung from the ceiling, and she was sleeping soundly in it.

However, Himeko, Theresa, and the others were pushed to the edges of the room, sleeping in awkward positions, each with varying degrees of frowns on their faces.

From the overall pattern of activity, it was clear that Kiana was the cause of this chaos.

"Hehehe! Angel... so soft... hehehe!"

Kiana mumbled vaguely, continuing to nibble on Angel’s face.

Angel: "(ᗜ‸ ᗜ)..."

Forget it, it’s still early. She'll go back to sleep.

Angel slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep again.

An hour later, the room was bustling once again.

Those who needed to cook were cooking, and those who needed to prepare lesson plans were preparing them. It was a workday, and nothing had changed because of Angel’s return.

--But the big bunk bed in the living room was now being cleaned by Kiana.

There was no way around it. After waking up, everyone could immediately tell who the culprit was behind the disaster-like mess.

Now, even Angel and Raiden Mei, who were the softest toward Kiana, couldn’t find it in themselves to defend her.

"Ah! Finally done, this is so hard!"

Kiana sat next to Angel, in a "Ge You" posture. With the physique of a Valkyrie—or a Herrscher—how could such physical labor tire her?

But Angel softened, stood up, walked behind the sofa, and massaged Kiana’s temples.

"Hmm~~"

Kiana moaned in relief.

After a moment, she looked up at Angel and said, "Angel, I’ll get your schoolbag and textbooks ready. Let’s go to class together later!"

"...That’s not necessary."

"Ah? Why not? I can’t possibly miss class after I’ve just returned! I’m not one to take vacations!"

Kiana blinked, confused.

Angel rolled her eyes. "What rank are you, and what rank am I? I'm playing house with you on campus—I can't afford to lose face!"

"Dean, I’m applying for graduation."

"Ah?"

"If you have this, there should be no need for any assessments."

Angel took out her phone and tossed it to Theresa. Theresa, still confused, carefully read the content on the screen.

"Notice about the promotion of Valkyrie Angel to S-rank Valkyrie..."

"Wait! You’re S-rank? When?"

"Oh, it was just sent yesterday."

"Damn, Grandpa didn’t even tell me in advance!"

Theresa held the phone, her expression changing with each passing moment, revealing her unstable mental state.

Naturally, this news caught the attention of everyone.

Even Raiden Mei and Fu Hua who were making breakfast in the kitchen, peeked their heads out one by one.

"What? My apprentice is S-rank? Otto really knows how to work things—let me see that!"

"Angel is S-rank?"

"Yeah, the notice from Schicksal headquarters came last night."

"So amazing..."

Everyone read the message, then turned their gaze toward Angel with either blessings or envious looks.

Angel lowered her head, her face slightly flushed. She shyly pointed at herself.

‘Hate it...’

‘If you can talk, just praise me more!’

‘Hehehe!’

A little drama was unfolding in her heart as she proudly puffed out her chest and placed her hands on her hips.

"She made outstanding contributions in the two East Shenzou Sea campaigns... Later, she independently subdued the Herrscher Persona of the Herrscher of Dominance, effectively conquering a Herrscher... She was also the main force in defeating the Herrschers who eroded the world, saving the world from the disaster of Honkai. Her strength, achievements, courage, and faith make her a role model for all Valkyries. After a comprehensive investigation by Schicksal Headquarters and approval by the Archbishop of Schicksal, Valkyrie Angel has been awarded the S-rank title and all related rights and benefits."

Theresa read the award notice carefully.

She had to admit, it was written very convincingly, and most people would agree that it was well-deserved.

However, as Otto’s granddaughter and Angel’s School Dean, Theresa could see something else.

"It’s just about selling favors, isn’t it? Angel has only been at Saint Freya for a short time. To be honest, she’s from Mount Taixu and has no direct ties to the headquarters or Grandpa..."

"That said, I do have the strength and confidence to be an S-rank. It’s not a gift without merit. Some things, whether you do them or not, reflect your stance."

Angel said meaningfully.

Some people nodded secretly.

Others were still full of questions.

She won’t name them here, but anyway, Angel can accept Otto’s kindness without burden, and that’s enough.

The phone finally returned to Theresa. She tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"Indeed, your strength is clear to all. You’re more than capable of being S-rank. Since you’ve been promoted to S-rank, if you don’t graduate now, something is wrong with Saint Freya’s assessment system... Wait, I have an idea."

Theresa’s eyes lit up.

---

The next morning, in the square of Saint Freya, all the Instructors, students, and the main force of the Far East Branch Valkyrie gathered in the audience.

On the stage, Theresa stood behind the podium, standing on a small stool that only she could see, and solemnly read out Angel’s promotion notice.

"...Based on the above performances, after the joint recommendation of the Far East Branch of Schicksal and Saint Freya Academy, and approval by the Schicksal Headquarters and the Archbishop of Schicksal, Valkyrie Angel is now awarded the title of S-rank Valkyrie and corresponding authority!"

Theresa modified the content of the notice.

The main change was the addition of the joint recommendation from the Far East Branch and Saint Freya.

The purpose was clear: emphasizing that Angel belonged to her, not the headquarters.

Other branches would never dare to pull such a stunt, even if they were ambitious. Otto’s rule was no joke.

But Theresa had no issue with this, as her last name was Apocalypse, and she was the only Apocalypse besides Otto. She had the courage to make this move, and no one could object.

"Now, in the name of the Far East Branch Chief, I specially invite S-rank Valkyrie Angel to stay in our Far East Branch, work together, and fight the Honkai. Valkyrie Angel, are you willing?"

Theresa released her second big move.

First, she emphasized Angel’s identity, then extended a direct invitation, and in doing so, legally kept Angel in the Far East, completely severing ties with the headquarters and Otto. This way, Angel could listen to Otto’s orders, not his announcements, minimizing any potential harm Otto could cause.

Similarly, only Theresa could pull off this move; anyone else would be asking for trouble.

---

Chapter 397: Don't Be Afraid, It's Not That she Can't Come Back

S-rank Valkyries are extremely rare and possess high-rank combat power.

When the heads of the major branches fall, someone can always replace them.

But if the S-rank combat power is gone, it's gone. There is no such thing as replacement. It depends on luck. In the five hundred years of history, it is normal to have only one or even no S-rank Valkyrie. Even Kaslana and Schariac, who have excellent bloodlines, cannot regularly produce S-rank combat power.

Therefore, the authority of an S-rank Valkyrie is extremely high, including the power to choose a branch. Note that it is to choose a branch, not to submit a resume to a branch and wait for a reply. There is an essential difference between the two.

At this moment, the Far East Branch issued an invitation.

"Valkyrie Angel, I am willing to advance and retreat with the Far East Branch and fight to protect the world!"

Angel stood on the stage, beating her chest and bowing, exuding a strong and cold aura. Her childish and cold voice spread throughout the audience under the influence of the powerful Honkai energy.

She accepted the invitation.

Everything was in accordance with the rules.

From then on, she had S-rank authority, and Otto could not directly command her. Most orders could be carried out by Theresa.

It was perfect!

"Lady Angel..."

"Lady Angel, I am your classmate. I talked to you when I first entered school!"

"What a strong presence, worthy of being S-rank."

"Our Far East Branch also has its own S-rank!"

"Plus, Dean Theresa was once S-rank. Doesn’t that mean we are almost as strong as the Oceania branch, with two S-ranks? We can be considered the strongest branch!"

"Lady Angel! Lady Angel!"

After the ceremony, there was silence for a few seconds, and then the voices of the crowd grew louder and louder. Soon, there was a tsunami of fanatical support for Angel.

S-rank is a dream for most Valkyries. It's full of charm that outsiders can't imagine.

This gave Angel, who was already delicate, cute, and attractive, an added layer of radiant allure.

The idol of the whole nation is nothing more than that.

…

"Tsk! It's just a Cricket S-rank, what's the big deal?"

In the distance, Kiana looked at the crowd surrounding Angel and pouted her lips.

Although she was truly happy for Angel, Kiana couldn’t help feeling envious of the spotlight and the crowd surrounding her. When she thought about what it would be like if she were the one on stage, tears of emotion almost flowed from the corners of her eyes.

"Kiana, you also have the potential. As long as you keep working hard, I believe you can do it sooner or later."

"Of course, I am the type of person who can do anything as long as I set my mind to it! Durandal, you guys who got ahead of me, just wait—I'll definitely catch up!"

Kiana soon became optimistic again, patting her chest confidently.

Durandal smiled, and in her gem-like eyes, there was a love that she herself had not noticed.

Then, she turned to Angel, who was dealing with the crowd on the stage, and couldn’t help but think back to when she had first become S-rank. At the same time, she sincerely wished Angel well.

As upright as she was, she didn’t realize that this ceremony reflected the Far East Branch's distrust of the headquarters. She just sincerely congratulated Angel on her achievements and was happy that there was another flag for the anti-Honkai cause. That was all.

"But does this mean she really doesn't have to go to class? Mei, it’s a good thing you're with me, otherwise I’d have to go to class alone!"

"..."

"Mei?"

Kiana's congratulations did not get a response from Raiden Mei. She turned to look at her sweetheart but saw a hint of embarrassment on Raiden Mei's face.

Suddenly, Kaslana's ancestral super intuition made Kiana’s heart skip a beat.

Raiden Mei scratched her face, blushing, and said awkwardly.

"Well, Kiana, I just submitted an application for early graduation. I think my theoretical and practical scores should meet the requirements, so..."

In theoretical classes, Mei Raiden had always been an excellent student, and she had mastered everything she was supposed to.

As for practical classes—if she couldn't even pass as the Herrscher of Thunder, then Saint Freya wouldn’t be the Valkyrie Academy, but the Herrscher Academy.

Kiana’s pupils shrank.

"Bronya has graduated, Angel has also reached S-rank, and the class monitor was promoted to S-rank before. That means they've all graduated. If Mei graduates early too... then I’ll be the only one left? What about my homework!?"

Kiana hugged her head in horror, then showed an extremely determined expression.

"Then, I will also apply for early graduation!"

"You failed half of the theory class last time, and although you completed the latest mission, it wasn’t considered excellent."

Himeko crossed her arms and stated the reality coldly.

Kiana's eyes twinkled..

"...Can you give me special approval? I am a Herrscher."

"Funny, you make it sound like every student of mine isn’t a Herrscher." Himeko sneered.

Kiana quickly pointed at the beautiful girl with double spiral hair next to her.

"Bronya isn’t like that!"

Bronya turned her head and looked at Angel:"???"

Himeko sneered again.

"But she is calm in combat, clear-headed, and completes every mission perfectly."

"I...I...I don't accept it!"

"Okay, then let Durandal be your examiner. Durandal, do you mind?"

Himeko knew that she could no longer deal with Kiana. Or rather, except for Theresa, Saint Freya Academy couldn't produce the combat power to handle Kiana, so she decisively called in outside help.

Durandal nodded seriously.

"Okay. I will carefully examine Kiana’s qualifications."

"Hey! No, how can I pass the test from Durandal!"

"Continue to study, or let Durandal test you. It's your choice."

Himeko patted Kiana's head with a smile, making a sound as juicy as a raw egg.

This child never learned to use her brain in the mission. Maybe Kaslana's style is reckless, but as a Instructor, Himeko couldn’t accept an immature child stepping into the real battlefield.

Just think… I am willful, Kiana. Be a student for a while, then temper your temper.

Himeko was a little disappointed.

She thought of the Valkyrie Assault Squad from years ago.

And she didn’t want to see the same thing happen to her students—whether as a sacrifice or a survivor left behind, she didn’t want her students to experience it.

"Himeko."

"I will study hard and do the mission well."

"Hmm?"

Himeko saw Kiana suddenly holding her hand, and the child's fiery temperature came from her palm.

Also, this statement was really not Kiana’s style!

But Kiana’s eyes were clear, and she didn’t seem to be joking. She was obviously serious.

So, did the child notice her emotions? Or did she really think so spontaneously?

"You've grown up a little, Kiana."

Himeko smiled with relief.

...

"Alas, my good granddaughter, she’s getting more and more rebellious as she grows up. Look, I just awarded Angel the S-rank, and she can’t wait to confirm she’s become a member of the Far East Branch."

Otto handed the live broadcast screen to Yae Sakura, with a melancholic expression, like an old man hurt by a rebellious child.

"Look, Kiana, Angel, and Raiden Mei. They have three Herrschers, and they’re secretly communicating with Anti-Entropy through Bronya... Tsk, tsk, tsk. Before she knows it, she’s gathered a force that could challenge the headquarters!"

"So, are you proud or sad, Mr. Otto?"

Yae Sakura looked at the melancholy on Otto's face and then at the smile in his eyes, blinking innocently.

Otto finally smiled.

"I want to remind you that if you want to be the archbishop, you have to pay attention to my rebellious granddaughter. If she doesn’t obey you, Schicksal may be split directly."

"...I always feel like you should reflect on your own problems in this matter."

Yae Sakura said faintly.

Otto's smile remained unchanged. Of course, he knew it was his own problem. To some extent, if Yae Sakura took over, this contradiction might be directly resolved.

Yae Sakura shrank her neck, feeling a little PTSD, and said weakly:

"You, are you going to play a trick on me again?"

"How could that be? I'm planning to pass on the position of Archbishop to you, and you still don’t believe me?"

"Here you go again. Every time you say something like this, you're going to cause me trouble. You’d better be more direct, Mr. Otto."

Yae Sakura puffed up her face, her eyes dim, looking helpless as if she was scared of being cheated.

"Go to the Far East for me. As my favorite successor, it’ll be good for you to communicate with the Far East branch in advance. Also, help me bring the Herrscher of Rock Core to Angel as a reward for her. Finally, help me invite Angel and K4-Kiana, and tell them that I sincerely invite them to visit the headquarters and have an important task to entrust to them."

"Why me?"

"Because if I go, my vigilant granddaughter might lead the Far East branch to rebel on the spot."

Otto said the dangerous inference that could scare a group of Valkyries to death, then drank tea calmly and elegantly.

"...You said that there are three Herrschers in the Far East, plus Mount Taixu, aren’t you afraid that Durandal and I won’t be able to come back?"

"No, it’s not me who can’t come back anyway." Otto drank tea and crossed his legs leisurely.

Veins popped out on Yae Sakura's forehead.

"Mr. Otto!"

"Hahaha! Right, right, keep this dissatisfaction! As long as you go with this dissatisfaction, I believe you’ll have a very pleasant exchange with them!"

He smiled brightly, even clapping as if praising Yae Sakura’s quick wit—he simply didn’t care about his face.

Yae Sakura's face turned cold, and her hand grasped the hilt of Jizo Mitama.

"Clang——"

"Click!"

"Clang——"

"Click!"

The black blade went in and out of the scabbard, in and out.

The miko held the hilt hesitantly, and her expression became more and more dangerous.

Otto was still smiling, but cold sweat trickled down as the black knife was sheathed and unsheathed again and again.

------

Chapter 398: I Want That Room!

Otto’s thoughts were very clear.

Angel was no ordinary smart child; she had already grasped Otto’s needs. Not only was she strong, but she also had four powerful fighters from Mount Taixu protecting her, almost mindlessly. In addition, there was Su, whose details were still unknown, involved.

Did he lie to her because he thought the Schicksal headquarters was too stable?

In this case, it’s better to be open than to hide and plot.

'Ah, yes, I just need the power of the void. I just need to test your composition. I’ll give you the core of the Herrscher of Rock first. You also know I have other gems in my possession, right? Will you come?'

It’s that simple.

Moreover, if Angel still wants to help Kiana resolve her past grievances, she will not refuse.

Sip~~ Sitting at the desk, which was divided into two sections, Otto drank tea leisurely, closed his eyes, sighed, and thought, It’s wonderful. It was so wonderful that Amber could only hold today’s work in her hands and couldn’t find a place to set it down.

"Lord Otto, why don’t we change offices first?"

"I think the lighting here is the best. Let’s wait for the staff to change the desks."

"..."

At the headquarters of the Schicksal, the floating island group—a place teeming with black technology—you're talking to me about the lighting?

Amber knew he was stalling, but after all, he was the top leader, and for a while, Amber couldn’t control him. She could only watch as he delayed the time.

"Alas, I feel a little tired."

"If Lord Sakura takes over the position of the archbishop, it should be much better."

Holding today’s documents, Amber stared out the window expressionlessly, for the first time feeling some hope for future changes.

"..."

Otto’s face froze, but he continued drinking his tea, pretending not to hear her.

---

"This is the S-class Valkyrie’s special office. It’s spacious and has a wide field of vision. The floor-to-ceiling windows can be opened, so you can fly out directly!"

"Oh~"

"This is the S-class Valkyrie’s exclusive training room. It’s fully equipped and has the latest virtual training system from Schicksal, allowing you to start immersive battlefield simulations at any time."

"Oh~~"

"And this is the luxury villa equipped for the S-class Valkyrie, with smart home furnishings, first-class lighting, and beautiful scenery. Also, knowing that you like to take baths with everyone, I asked the Ministry of Construction to prepare a luxurious bathroom larger than Himeko’s house. Swimming in the hot tub is no problem!"

"Oh~~~"

Angel followed Theresa all the way, her face lighting up with amazement. She never expected Theresa to prepare so many things in just a few days.

"Actually, it wasn’t specially prepared for you. With so many Herrschers here, it was only a matter of time before an S-class Valkyrie from Saint Freya would be needed. I’ve already made these arrangements, just waiting to see who among you is the most competitive and can enjoy these benefits first!" Theresa wiped her nose, not ashamed but proud.

Angel looked at the luxurious three-story villa and asked, "Does Master have one? Isn’t she also S-class?"

"Can Immortal Jingwei be compared? She came here undercover by Grandpa’s arrangement. She’s not from Saint Freya!" Theresa pouted unhappily.

Next to her, Fu Hua awkwardly touched her nose.

Hadn’t this matter been discussed long ago? Why was she still being pointed out from time to time?

Theresa appeared to just remember that Mount Taixu and its group were nearby, so she turned her head to look at the two Fu Huas and continued:

"Oh, don’t get me wrong, Fu Hua, I didn’t mean to target you. The main reason is that you still have Mount Taixu. Considering you won’t stay in Saint Freya permanently, I simply didn’t bring it up."

"Uh, it doesn’t matter. I understand, Dean."

"Hahaha! It doesn’t matter. I do live in Mount Taixu. If I come to Saint Freya, I’ll stay as I did before or live in Angel’s room. It’s all fine!"

The two Fu Huas didn’t mind. Even [Fu Hua], who claimed she would never suffer a loss, smiled and felt that Theresa meant it literally. She simply felt they were unnecessary in this matter, and there was no feeling of distrust or discrimination.

Besides, the two of them weren’t the protagonists today.

In the past two days, Angel had expressed her willingness to stay at Saint Freya. Therefore, the goal of everyone from Mount Taixu at this point was to check Angel’s future living conditions, almost like inspecting things for Angel as a parent.

---

"Well, it’s decided. I want that room!"

One of the people suddenly stretched out a snow-white finger and pointed to a window on the second floor facing the sea. It was Kiana, carrying a huge package, who turned and looked at Angel with starry eyes.

"That room has a direct view of the sea. I like it!"

"Rooms near the sea are very easy to get damp, but with our technology, it’s not difficult to keep them dry... So what is this package you’re carrying?"

"Oh, it’s my quilt, pillow, pajamas, and so on."

Kiana replied matter-of-factly, with an expectant smile on her face, as if she were about to move into a new house.

"..." ×N

"What’s that expression on your face? Such a nice house, so big—how wasteful would it be for Angel to live alone? Besides, she’ll be lonely. I’m doing this for Angel’s own good, not because I dislike Himeko’s house being small or something."

Kiana puffed out her chest proudly.

Himeko narrowed her eyes dangerously.

Raiden Mei, sensing the danger, quickly changed the subject to protect Kiana’s personal safety.

"Kiana, the problem is that this place is a little far from the school campus. If you live here, you’ll have to get up earlier every day."

"It’s okay, Angel will wake me up!"

"Then let’s eat..."

"Angel will make breakfast. Lunch is at school, and dinner is with Mei. I’ve planned it all out! Don’t worry!"

Kiana gave a thumbs-up, smiling brightly, showing two rows of white, shiny teeth.

Angel sighed.

"So, what’s my opinion?"

"Ah? Would you disagree?"

"I really won’t. But Mei, you will become a formal Valkyrie in the future, so why not move in with me? The same goes for Himeko. Anyway, Kiana has space manipulation power, so the distance doesn’t matter. It won’t make any difference if she’s there."

Raiden Mei and Himeko smiled at each other and nodded at the same time. They were used to living together, so it was great that Angel took the initiative to invite them, saving them from having to bring it up.

Kiana, carrying the huge package on her back, jumped happily and said:

"Great, great! This is just like before, but the house is bigger and better, more comfortable than Aunt Himeko’s place... huh?"

Himeko stretched out her ruthless iron hand and grabbed Kiana’s head, pinching her complacent smile and making her sweat instantly.

"Kiana, do you have so many complaints about my house?"

"No, no! Sister Himeko’s house is also great, super great. I’m so sad I’m about to cry when I think about moving! Really!"

"Huh?"

"...Please don’t hit me in the face, anything else is up to you."

Kiana gave up on the pointless struggle.

------

Chapter 399: On the Communication Ability of the Chief of Mount Taixu

In the afternoon, Kiana opened several space gates and connected two houses, allowing everyone to experience the dream of moving instantly.

"Here."

"What is this?"

"Boiled eggs, rub the bump on your head yourself."

"QAQ Angel, help me!"

Kiana held the imaginary portal leading to Raiden Mei and Himeko's room while looking at Angel with tears in her eyes.

"Puff!"

"Are you still laughing?"

"Sorry, I have received professional training and usually don't laugh unless I can't help it. Puff!"

"Still laughing!?"

In the end, Angel still helped Kiana massage and rub the swelling.

Although, with the quality of the Herrscher and Kaslana, it would heal soon without treatment.

At this time, Yae Sakura, accompanied by Durandal, knocked on the door of Angel's new home.

"Really, there are so many people."

Yae Sakura muttered as soon as she entered the door.

Fortunately, everyone had a good impression of Yae Sakura, and they didn't mind her because she was Otto's person.

Especially Theresa, who had a life-and-death friendship with Yae Sakura, her eyes lit up all of a sudden.

The Far Eastern Yamato Nadeshiko style, beautiful girls, and shrine maidens—all these factors touched the Kaslana aesthetic in Theresa's blood, making her happily run over and hold Yae Sakura's hand.

"Sakura, why are you here!?"

"Uh, I came with the Archbishop's instructions. Because the incident happened suddenly, I didn't notify you in advance."

Yae Sakura told the truth.

Then, the originally welcoming atmosphere suddenly became quiet.

Otto was right. If he came in person and asked Angel and Kiana to go to the headquarters, there might really be a war.

Both Angels noticed that Theresa's reaction was particularly strange. Resentment, worry, fear—all kinds of emotions flashed by, eventually revealing a gloomy expression.

Angel and Yae Sakura exchanged glances, silently understanding each other.

"Sit down, sit down, and tell me—what does Otto want to do?"

[Fu Hua] sat on the sofa, crossed her legs, and spoke in a host's tone, not caring.

On the surface, she was the most qualified to compete with Otto at the scene. After all, she was the master of Mount Taixu, one of the top monsters of the current era. Her qualifications and strength allowed her to be so calm.

Yae Sakura smiled politely, sat down, and first handed over a box, pushing it toward Angel.

"What is this?"

"The core of the Herrscher of the Rock. Mr. Otto said that since you have the power to plunder power, this is the best reward to thank you for your contributions and congratulate you on your promotion."

"A gift that cannot be... refused."

Angel looked deeply touched, picked up the box, and took out the gem inside.

Soon, in front of everyone, the gem melted into her palm. At the same time, Angel's energy suddenly increased, and the furnishings in the whole house floated up a little.

After a while, everything returned to calm.

Angel closed the empty box and looked up at Yae Sakura.

"What is his request?"

"In fact, there is no special request. He said he would invite Angel and Kiana to the headquarters. He has an important task to entrust to you."

"No!"

Before the others spoke, Theresa slammed the table hard, her face very ugly.

"Aunt, you..."

"Kiana, don't say anything. Angel, you too. Sakura, go back and tell Grandpa to ask him to find someone else!"

Such an attitude was quite rare in Theresa.

She had many hidden fears and dissatisfactions with her grandfather.

But on the other hand, she truly regarded Otto as a relative and trusted him.

In most cases, acting cute and asking for favors was how Theresa treated Otto in her daily life.

"Well, I am just conveying Mr. Otto's words. As for how to arrange and respond, you can discuss it on your own. At least, he didn't make any mandatory requirements of me."

Yae Sakura waved her hand, with an expression that had been expected and helpless.

Everyone in Saint Freya looked at each other, confused by Theresa's reaction, but out of respect for the Dean, they could only remain silent.

Fortunately, there was [Fu Hua], who had no pressure on Otto, at the scene.

She sat next to Yae Sakura, put her arm around her shoulders like a brother, and said with a smile. "Sakura, we are friends, right?"

"Ah? If you don't mind, it is, of course, Sakura's honor."

"Hey! It's so formal to say that. I never look at strength when making friends. Anyway, they're not as strong as me. There is no disdain or anything like that. If I say it's a friend, then it's a friend!"

[Fu Hua] patted her chest generously.

What else could Yae Sakura do? Of course, she could only smile politely and nod seriously.

[Fu Hua] gave her a satisfied look and then said:

"Since we are friends, then tell me, what exactly is Otto planning? I know you're now the person he trusts the most. You can't be completely unaware of his plan, right?"

"Well, in fact, I really don't know this time. I guess they just think that I am a little more popular and not hostile to everyone, so they asked me to pass on the message. Of course, I also understand your difficulties. The longer you get along with Mr. Otto, the more you can feel that some of his behaviors are indeed... unacceptable to ordinary people."

"You are too modest in your evaluation of him." [Fu Hua] shook her head and patted Yae Sakura on the shoulder. Then, she spoke again.

"Can you guess what he is thinking? You are the closest to him here. We are such good friends. My apprentice is your apprentice, my friend is your friend. You can't just watch your own people being plotted against by outsiders, right?"

"Uh... this... that..."

"Oh, why are you so shy like a woman? I tell you..."

A group of people watched the Immortal coaxing the little miko, and soon, she was pushed into the corner of her mind, her eyes confused, her words stuttering—just like she was being brainwashed.

To be honest, it was a bit pitiful.

So, those who originally had strange feelings let down their guard.

What bad intentions could such a simple and pitiful little miko have?

It was all instigated by Otto, the black-hearted man. Of course, they had to go to the main person when something went wrong. It wasn't their style to get angry at innocent people.

Just like Durandal, who would bother with this straightforward girl?

After a while, [Fu Hua] put down the confused little miko and turned to the crowd, saying seriously:

"It seems that the purpose is not simple. Even Sakura was kept in the dark. Angel, Kiana, you should think carefully—of course, don't be too scared. Don't forget that I am still standing behind you. As long as Otto is not crazy, he won't dare mess with you."

[Fu Hua] crossed her arms and exuded a confident aura.

Kiana couldn't help but cast an admiring look:

"Class monitor, you are so handsome!"

"Yeah, of course!"

"Although your personality has changed a lot, it's not the same as before, but you're still the class monitor who cares about everyone!"

"That's right. If you can talk, just say a few more words!"

No one knows if it was intentional, but after a series of actions by [Fu Hua], the pressure everyone had felt dissipated.

Yeah, if you think about it, there is a lot of power here, and you have the support of a big boss, so there's no need to panic when you see Otto's move.

Book of Fuxi reached out and poked Fu Hua's spirit, sending her a message with her eyes.

'How is it? What do you think?'

'Book, you can say it directly. I won't be angry.'

'Learn more. There must be a Veteran among three people. If you can learn her cheerfulness and talkativeness, even if it's just one or two points, I won't worry about you anymore.'

'...'

Anyway, Otto's sudden action cast a shadow over the joy of the past few days.

After Yae Sakura and Durandal left, the atmosphere seemed a little depressed.

Until the end of dinner, the group was on the roof of Angel's new home, enjoying the beautiful sea and starry sky.

Theresa was in a daze, with a heavy heart and a dim look in her eyes. Even if someone talked to her, she would just briefly refuse, without the usual lively and optimistic spirit.

Then, as the night deepened and the excitement was about to end, she suddenly spoke.

"Don't go. Especially Kiana, don't go to the headquarters. If you go there, I won't be able to protect you."

Theresa tiredly lowered her shoulders, bowed her head, and her eyelids trembled.

------

Chapter 400: Isn't This Natural?

"Not long ago, Siegfried finally contacted me. He told me the whole truth. He also said that it was Angel who helped you untie your knot. She treated you very well, so he asked me to help Angel as much as possible."

"Big... uh, should I still call you aunt?"

Theresa, still feeling sad, was angered by this sentence.

I'm so good to you, but in the end, you use these words to stop me? You are an ungrateful wolf!

However, when she looked up and glared at Kiana, she didn't see the usual silly and cute smile.

Instead, she saw a pair of bright eyes, full of soft tenderness, and a gentle, calm smile.

It was like the memory from 20 years ago—Cecilia sitting there, watching her and comforting her.

Theresa's nose grew sore, and her eyes reddened.

Kiana stood up, walked behind Theresa's seat, reached out from behind, and gently hugged her.

"Aunt, thank you."

"Thank you... thank you so much!"

"I really thank you. If it weren’t for Aunt accepting me into Saint Freya, I might have collapsed. I traveled half the world alone, wandering aimlessly, trying to feed myself, looking for my lousy father with no direction. For a long time, I didn’t know if he was alive or dead, where he was, or even if he had decided to abandon me. I just walked... so tired, so painful."

"That old bastard!!"

"Don’t blame him. Dad has his reasons, and he’s been through a lot these years. When I saw him again, he was much more haggard."

Kiana remembered Siegfried from when she was first induced by Angel and met him for the first time.

One arm was missing.

His breath was weak, and his appearance was much older than his age.

Even his eyes didn’t seem to match his years, let alone Kaslana's.

Fortunately, everything is better now. When I snuck out to eat with him last time, Siegfried looked much healthier. At least he didn’t look like he was going to die young.

Kiana smiled softly and said in a gentle tone.

"It was my aunt who gave me a home, who let me know that I still have relatives. Thanks to you, I can feel at ease, keep hope, and become good friends with so many people..."

At this, all the friends present smiled silently.

Kiana was someone worth being friends with, no matter how you looked at it, and they were all sure of that.

Kiana continued, her voice full of heartfelt emotion.

"If it weren’t for my aunt, I might have died alone in a corner."

"Nonsense! Child, don’t say such unlucky things!"

Theresa sniffed and scolded loudly.

She couldn’t stand hearing such "witty talk."

That night when Siegfried contacted her, Theresa had learned for the first time that the escape had never been successful. She had always thought that the Kiana who lived under Siegfried’s protection was gone.

The shock to Theresa that night was nearly the same as when she first learned of Cecilia’s sacrifice. She almost thought she would die right there in the office.

But she survived. Though it took a few days of rest before she dared to meet Kiana again.

Theresa knew she still had unfulfilled responsibilities. Regarding Cecilia’s entrustment, Cecilia’s dreams, and her own—she couldn’t rest until these were completed.

That night, Theresa vaguely felt the presence of Cecilia, standing behind her, holding her, and slowly pulling her out of the terrible abyss—just like the warmth she felt at that moment, which was so similar to what Kiana was offering now.

No, it was different. The warmth Kiana brought was more real.

"Aunt, I love you."

Kiana said sincerely, kissing Theresa lightly on the cheek.

Immediately, tears began to flow from Theresa's eyes like a flood.

"Wow!"

"What are you doing... why are you suddenly saying such things?"

"Woo woo woo!"

In front of so many people, Theresa couldn’t control herself at all. She wiped away the endless tears with both hands and cried like a child who had collapsed.

...

The next morning, Theresa felt embarrassed about what had happened the previous night.

But Otto’s invitation was truly frightening.

So, with red and swollen eyes, Theresa gathered everyone again to continue the meeting from the previous night.

Theresa crossed her fingers, rested her chin on them, and posed in the same majestic manner as Commander Din.

"Puff!"

"You're still laughing!?"

Theresa roared at [Fu Hua] in a hoarse voice, her face flushed with anger. [Fu Hua] waved her hands in apology.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I was wrong."

She was unruly, but not incompetent.

The personality shaped from Fu Hua’s memory, aside from other aspects, was at least morally sound, and she knew better than to laugh at Theresa in this situation.

Theresa glared at her, then looked at the others with a fierce gaze.

Seeing that everyone in the living room was serious, Theresa nodded in satisfaction and said:

"Let’s discuss this carefully. How should we deal with Grandpa? We all know he’s very dangerous, and he probably has deep intentions for Kiana that have been brewing for more than ten years. We mustn’t underestimate him."

To make everyone aware of her concerns, Theresa emphasized this reality heavily.

Even someone as confident as [Fu Hua] frowned slightly, acknowledging that Otto was no simple figure.

The others became completely serious. In the ensuing silence, Angel came into the room with a large plate of fruit and a beverage tray, placing them carefully before speaking.

"I have a rough idea of what his purpose is this time."

"What?" ×N

Angel calmly placed the drinks and fruit, confirming everything was in place before continuing:

"What he wants is the complete power of the void, which I can acquire from Kiana. Before I asked Otto for a dedicated body for Eclipse, I told him that instead of focusing on the unstable Kiana, it would be better to find someone like me who can plunder power. Considering that he has been painstakingly preparing for so many years, his persistence is clear, and he will likely consider it carefully. So, if I’m right, he wanted to test my abilities in some way."

Everyone gradually understood.

Kiana looked at Angel with burning eyes, knowing that Angel was protecting her.

On the first day of her return, Angel had traveled the world to handle the Herrscher incident, and the first thing she did was negotiate with Otto—but Angel hadn’t mentioned anything before.

If Otto hadn’t invited her so suddenly, maybe she wouldn’t have learned of her sacrifices until it was too late.

"Angel..."

"Hmm?"

"You're so nice to me!"

"Isn’t that natural?"

Angel looked at Kiana in confusion, raising her hand naturally to pat her head, comforting Kiana’s excitement.

---