Chapter 287: Killing Time with a Fight
"Hey, Old Timer, how do you think we can get those two girls to successfully marry Sigurd?"
"Before that, why do you keep calling me Old Timer?"
"Because you are one. You're stiff-brained, inflexible, and super annoying."
'Fu Hua' strolled around the base with the arrogant gait of someone who feared nothing and no one, speaking as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
In the mental realm, the real Fu Hua raised her hand, looked at it for a moment, hesitated, and then slowly lowered it again.
"Sigurd already has someone he loves. And those two still have the hearts of children. Don't take it too seriously."
"What? That emotionless block has someone he likes? Who is it— Actually, never mind. That's not important right now. This is a very important question brought to me by my adorable students, so I must give them a high-level answer."
"As for the whole 'Sigurd already has someone' thing—well, if it comes to it, he can just marry a few more! After living for 50,000 years, I've seen plenty of that kind of situation."
"…I'm just an Old Timer. I don't know. Figure it out yourself."
"Look at you. Are you really stumped, or are you just sulking because I called you a fossil and now you're refusing to help?"
Fu Hua in the mental realm remained silent.
Hearing no reply, the external 'Fu Hua' pouted and had no choice but to start brainstorming on her own.
She carefully recalled that Sigurd had once said that the original her would be an ideal partner—which meant his criteria were clear: strong, intelligent, reliable, righteous, brave, beautiful, gentle, patient…
Tsk! That's way too high a standard. Those two sisters are never gonna reach that level!
"How about… getting some wine involved? Maybe a little post-drinking confusion? Once the rice is cooked, it's done, right?"
As 'Fu Hua' was mulling this over, she rounded a corner and stepped into a training room that had a "In Use" sign posted.
. . . . . . . .
Whoosh!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Bzzzzt!
BOOM!
Blades sliced the air. Thunder roared. Reinforced anti-Honkai alloy walls took hit after hit. All sorts of explosive effects and energy surges rampaged throughout the vast training space, accompanied by two abyssal auras that clashed without restraint.
In the middle of this storm of destruction, 'Fu Hua' strolled as if taking a walk in the park. Attacks powerful enough to level a city did little more than graze her—nothing could slow her pace.
BANG!!
Raiden Mei's longsword clashed with Wendy's palm, unleashing a shockwave that rocked the entire kilometer-wide training field. Thunder and cracks spread outward from their feet.
As the two locked eyes mid-combat, a familiar little face suddenly popped into view between the sword and palm. Crimson eyes blinked playfully, clearly smiling.
"Teacher… Fu Hua…?"
The chaotic Honkai energy swirling around them gradually faded. Raiden Mei looked at "Fu Hua," stunned.
"What are you doing here?"
Wendy smoothed out her wrinkled clothes and exchanged a glance with Mei, subtly asking her own question.
'Fu Hua' beamed at them and scratched her head.
"Oh, this? I was just passing by. Saw someone using the training room, and I just had to come take a peek! Got a bit itchy watching you guys go at it."
Seeing that the two seemed a little on edge, 'Fu Hua' threw an arm around each of their shoulders and grinned cheerfully.
"Relax! I'm not here to scold anyone. You're training to control your Herrscher powers, right? Not bad—not bad at all! Very impressive!"
"…Thank you, Teacher Fu Hua. So, is there anything you could teach us?"
Wendy asked sweetly. With her battle stance withdrawn, she stood with fingers interlaced and legs neatly together, exuding a gentle, soothing presence.
Raiden Mei nodded along, smiling softly at "Fu Hua."
'Fu Hua' stroked her chin and tilted her head, looking thoughtful. Then she suddenly snapped her fingers.
"You know, I feel like this isn't something I can explain with just words. So why don't we fight instead? I'll teach you as we go—sound good?"
Though she claimed it was for teaching, the battle intent in her crimson eyes—and the fierce aura barely concealed behind her radiant smile—felt more like a threat than a lesson.
Wendy's lips curved into a grin as turbulent currents began to swirl around her.
Raiden Mei silently drew her sword, calm and composed, lightning dancing along the blade's edge.
They didn't need to exchange looks, there was already an unspoken understanding between the two. Regardless of the reason, testing this "Fu Hua's" capabilities was undoubtedly valuable for forming future strategies.
'Fu Hua' grinned wide. Despite the smile, an unsettling chill radiated from her petite frame.
"Come on, both of you at once. It's been a while since I guided you, let's see whether you've improved or regressed in martial arts."
BOOM!
Three forces collided in the room, sending cracks snaking across the floor. Even the far-off walls groaned with a metallic screech. They hadn't even clashed physically yet, and the training facility—built specifically for Herrschers—was already showing signs of damage.
The next second, all three vanished from sight.
. . . . . . . . .
An hour later, 'Fu Hua' stood atop a ravaged battlefield, casually doing some waist stretches.
"Whew, broke a sweat—feels good. Though I might've gone a little overboard. How about you two? Learn anything?"
As she stretched, she looked cheerfully at Wendy, who was embedded in the ground, and Raiden Mei, who was partially stuck in a wall.
Wendy climbed out of the floor and brushed the dust from her face, only to find her hands trembling slightly, a side effect of overusing Honkai energy.
Raiden Mei, having just pulled herself out of the wall, looked at her beloved sword. The blade was chipped in countless places. Her expression was hard to read.
Neither responded.
So 'Fu Hua' cracked her neck and continued.
"Alright, got a pretty good read on your conditions. Wendy, you're definitely a combat genius. You're not even a fraction of my age, yet your martial skills are already quite refined. What you're lacking is the polish that only comes from years of experience. Don't slack off, keep digging deeper into the powers of your Herrscher core. I have high hopes for your future!"
She gave Wendy a big thumbs-up before turning to Mei.
"As for you, Mei, who would've thought you'd be so strong when you get serious? Totally different from your usual gentle self. I really like your swordsmanship. But relying mainly on it while using your Herrscher powers as a backup? You've got to make a choice. Your techniques are filled with hesitation, this mishmash just won't do!"
After hearing the feedback, both Wendy and Raiden Mei fell into thoughtful silence.
Meanwhile, 'Fu Hua' turned and waved goodbye, walking off as casually and gracefully as she'd arrived.
A while later, the two girls looked at each other, both frowning.
"Her advice was pretty solid. In terms of martial skill, she really does seem on par with Teacher Fu Hua. At least, I couldn't spot any major differences. What do you think, Mei?"
"Same here. I didn't expect her to be this strong. Honestly, it felt almost exactly like fighting Teacher Fu Hua herself. That overwhelming strength… it reminded me of the Herrscher of the Void."
"The Herrscher of the Void? I don't know. They're both unbelievably powerful, yes, but that one's strength came purely from energy. If you closed the gap in power output, she wasn't that unbeatable. But this one? This strength is different. It's like Teacher Fu Hua, a kind of unreachable, intangible excellence. If I had to describe it in one word…"
"Perfect. That's the only word that comes to mind."
"You're right, Wendy. This is the pinnacle of technique. And with the mental attacks she just demonstrated—based on Bronya's analysis, she's either a split personality born from Teacher Fu Hua's body going out of control, or… a new Herrscher. And if she's a Herrscher, she's probably the strongest one yet."
"That endless, dangerously dense Honkai energy? Yeah, it definitely screams Herrscher."
"I think so too, but let's wait for the full analysis to be sure. Either way, we should prepare in advance. If she turns out to be an enemy, she might be an even bigger threat than the Herrscher of the Void."
Raiden Mei furrowed her brows, already thinking about reforming the Herrscher team.
Seele would be easy to contact. Ana, on the other hand, was still with Schicksal, they'd need to approach her carefully and explain the situation before asking for help. Not everyone had the kind of pull Sigurd had, after all, where a single word could move Schicksal.
Then there was Kiana. Even though Fu Hua had already sent word through Book of Fuxi, Mei still couldn't help worrying. Not having seen her in person, she had no way of knowing how far her recovery had come.
Just then, Wendy blinked and said, "Maybe we don't need to worry too much? You're forgetting something. Teacher Fu Hua is already back. No matter what happens, we've got her on our side!"
"...Yeah. You're right. Let's head back for now. I need some time to think about what she said."
"Okay."
. . . . . . . .
"Hehehe~! Hey, Old Timer! How did I do just now? Wasn't I super cool and amazing?"
"Your skill did meet the standard. But those two were holding back. If you'd fought without limits out in the wilderness, it would've been a long battle."
"Pfft! Like I was going all out either. Just admit it—I looked awesome, didn't I?"
"If we ignore the part where you kicked the door off its hinges on your way out, and then scrambled to reassemble it but completely failed..."
"Don't tell Little Xuan, okay? Let's just call it normal wear and tear from training."
"Fine. Also, I don't mind you modifying the God Keys into custom weapons, but… why did you name them 'Blade Hidden in the Sheath,' 'Too Much Talk Leads To Death,' 'Speak Straight Like a Spear,' and 'Strange Weapon of Yin and Yang'?"
"Why do you care? I do what I want!"
The conversation ended there.
But this time, it wasn't Fu Hua going silent. It was 'Fu Hua' who ended the mental link, she didn't feel like getting dragged into another pointless debate with the Old Timer.
After wandering aimlessly through the base for a bit, 'Fu Hua' spotted a Cecilia unit carrying what looked like a pile of medical equipment.
"Hmm? Where's she going? Is someone hurt? I should go pay a visit—when the great Fu Hua shows up in person, even the worst injuries recover instantly!"
Brimming with confidence, 'Fu Hua' puffed out her chest and followed after her.
"Miss Fu Hua, is there something you need?" Cecilia-1415 asked respectfully.
"Nope, just strolling around. You go ahead, no need to mind me."
"Understood." Cecilia-1415 replied obediently, sneaking a glance at her. She felt something was off, but as a servant, it wasn't her place to question the behavior of honored guests.
Soon, the two entered a medical ward deep within the base.
Surrounded by unfamiliar instruments and machines, lying on a pristine white hospital bed, 'Fu Hua' saw a face that sparked a flash of recognition.
"Wait a sec… that guy is… Siegfried?!"
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