Clang!!
Accompanied by the sharp ring of metal striking metal, Abyss Flower pierced cleanly and mercilessly into Otto's soulium head.
This thrust was completely at odds with Cecilia's gentle and holy temperament—so fierce that it bordered on ruthless.
The instant the spear tip made contact, the Fool's handsome face caved in at once. His entire head was pierced through, his features no longer even recognizable.
After all, even though both were made of composite metal, the soulium used in forging Divine Keys was exceptionally special.
"As for some political marriage—I refuse!"
Cecilia's gaze was icy. She gripped the spear shaft, yanked it back out, then swung it twice more, cleaving the Fool who had tried to manipulate her fate into four pieces.
"I already have someone I love. I will never marry anyone else. Even you, Overseer, have no right to interfere with my will. So now... will you stand against me?"
Cecilia separated Abyss Flower into its twin forms, leveling one spear at Siegfried and the other at Amber, who stood nearby in stunned silence.
The two of them shook their heads at lightning speed and immediately raised their hands in surrender, indicating they had no intention of fighting.
After nodding once, Cecilia paid them no further attention. She turned decisively and sprinted outside, preparing to escape this Schicksal headquarters that had imprisoned her for so long.
"What the hell... she's even fiercer than I am."
Siegfried slumped onto the floor, scratching his head with a bitter smile.
He had resisted Otto's orders before, but never like Cecilia just now—never directly driving a Divine Key straight into that bastard's skull.
Just watching it felt satisfying!
Who would have thought that this girl, usually so gentle and kind, like a saint descended to earth, had such a side to her?
Siegfried felt his heartbeat accelerating uncontrollably.
As someone who had also been summoned here, no matter how slow he was, he could guess that Otto's talk of a marriage alliance with the Kaslana family referred one thousand percent to him.
To say he wasn't happy would be a lie.
But...
"Heh~ A rough guy like me isn't worthy of such an outstanding girl. Besides, she already said she has someone she likes. I can't be shameless and cling to her. And also..."
The faces of the five members of the Snowwolf Squad surfaced in Siegfried's mind, and he shuddered all over.
If he dared insist on marrying Cecilia, those five girls would definitely kill him next time!
"The Overseer has been attacked! Seal off the area!"
As a competent secretary, Amber quickly regained her composure and used her authority to issue orders to the nearby Valkyries.
But as she looked at the motionless body of the bastard lying on the floor, there was no trace of sympathy behind her golden mask. Instead, she felt he had it coming.
A scumbag who casually decided a girl's life like that deserved to have his head blown open.
...
[All personnel attention! All personnel attention! WARNING!! WARNING!! Level One Alert! S-rank Valkyrie Cecilia has defected. All units are to capture her alive immediately!]
Cecilia raced down the corridor.
Listening to the alarm echoing throughout Schicksal headquarters, she did not hesitate or falter in the slightest. Whenever she encountered Valkyries attempting to apprehend her, she struck without mercy and knocked them unconscious.
She herself found it unbelievable—how decisive she could be, without the slightest hesitation or doubt. Her thoughts were clear as she headed straight for the airfield, intending to seize a fighter jet and escape.
I'm actually this calm... Perhaps I've wanted to do this for a long time.
A bird that yearns for freedom will always imagine the moment it breaks free of its cage. Cecilia was no different.
Long ago, she had already imagined countless times what it would look like if one day she decided to forcibly escape from Schicksal—and what actions she would need to take.
And now that fantasy was becoming reality.
Cecilia tightened her grip on the terminal in her hand.
She could endure many things. But not this.
She didn't know whether what she was doing was right. But she knew one thing with absolute clarity—she would never again allow that Fool to manipulate her life and fate at will.
Her destiny would be decided by herself.
"Everyone, listen calmly. I just killed one of Otto's soulium bodies. Here's what happened..."
Cecilia contacted the Snowwolf Squad and informed them of her assassination attempt on Otto and her current escape. She simply stated the facts—she did not ask the five girls for help.
Because she knew she was now standing against all of Schicksal.
Doing something like this shouldn't drag her companions down with her. She made this call only to confirm their intentions. If the girls chose to obey Schicksal's orders and arrest her—
Cecilia tightened her grip on Abyss Flower. In that case, she would only choose to avoid fighting them.
But just as the emblem of the Snowwolf Squad bore not Schicksal's symbol but a golden wolf's head, the five of them were more willing to follow Cecilia than to serve Schicksal.
Thus, Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie squad decisively defected alongside her.
Shigure Kira: "Lady Cecilia, we're closer to the airfield. We'll head there immediately and begin suppression."
Shub: "Didn't expect we'd actually end up opposing Schicksal. Hahaha! This is seriously exhilarating!"
Salome: "Move fast. The broadcast only mentioned capturing Captain Cecilia—it didn't mention us. We can catch Schicksal off guard right now!"
Patricia: "Forcing the captain to marry? Schicksal's hopeless. So, are we heading to Anti-Entropy afterward? I won't hide it anymore—I'm actually an Anti-Entropy spy."
Cheng Lixue: "Uh, you picked quite the timing to confess. No wonder Schicksal's intel has been leaking lately. Whatever. I just received my master's permission too. Everyone, move out! From this moment on, the Snowwolf Squad withdraws from Schicksal!"
Looking at the message from Fu Hua on her terminal—"Lixue, follow your heart"—the girl known as the Frost Swordmaiden no longer hesitated and acted decisively.
As the strongest A-rank Valkyrie and vice-captain of the Snowwolf Squad, the moment Cheng Lixue gave the order, the resolve of the other four became even firmer.
"...Thank you, everyone."
Cecilia was deeply moved. She wiped away the tears shimmering at the corners of her eyes and looked at the five girls she had long regarded as younger sisters—family. She couldn't help but marvel at how fortunate she truly was.
But at that very moment—
"Stop right there, Cecilia."
"!!!"
A voice she loathed rang out.
Otto, now inhabiting a newly replaced soulium body, stood ahead blocking her path, accompanied by an elite Valkyrie squad.
"I truly didn't expect you would dare directly disobey—"
"Out of my way!"
"What?!"
Before Otto could finish speaking, Cecilia lunged forward with both spears in hand. She was racing against time—she had no leisure to listen to his nonsense.
In less than thirty seconds, the entire Valkyrie squad lay unconscious on the ground. Otto himself was nailed to the wall by Black Abyss, his expression complicated as he looked at the girl before him.
"What... exactly changed you? Where is the obedient Cecilia from before? In my projections... even if you were unwilling to enter the marriage alliance... you wouldn't have resisted in such a violent manner."
"Because of love. I already have someone I like."
Cecilia pulled Black Abyss free, killing the bastard once more.
But just as she prepared to continue her escape, more Otto Apocalypse soulium clones appeared ahead, each holding a Divine Key.
"I see. So it was love that changed you? Ah... the power of emotion is truly terrifying. To think it could transform you—once as compliant as a puppet—into something so radiant. But... today, you will not escape, Cecilia."
"I won't give up! I've already made my decision. No matter how many obstacles stand in my way, I will go see that person! So... do not block my path, Overseer—no, Otto!"
Gripping her twin black-and-white spears tightly, Cecilia charged at the encircling Fool once more.
Having made her resolve, the girl would no longer waver. With the twin spears in her hands, she would carve a bloody path toward freedom and the future.
Otto frowned slightly. Though he held the numerical advantage, Cecilia's aura was terrifying. And he had heard something of interest.
"That person? I see. So the one you love is that individual from back then? How deserving of punishment. To fall for the culprit who caused Schicksal such tremendous losses..."
"No wonder when I questioned you before, you provided no useful intelligence. It seems your heart had already been stolen."
"But I advise you to give up. Because neither you nor your Snowwolf Squad will escape my grasp today, Cecilia Schariac!"
As he spoke, Otto raised Void Archives in his hand. Today, he would play the villain who separates lovers.
However, he soon found himself surprised—Cecilia's strength exceeded his estimations.
...
At Schicksal's airfield.
"Hmph! These small fries are no match for us after Mr. Elias' training!"
"Don't get careless! Our numbers are limited. We must hold out until Captain Cecilia arrives!"
The Snowwolf Squad had originally been composed of Schicksal's five strongest A-rank Valkyries. After undergoing training under Elias, their strength had leapt forward dramatically.
Now, fighting together at full strength, they could even suppress a Judgment-class Honkai Beast. Against such overwhelming power, the other Valkyries of Schicksal had no real ability to contend.
Of course, there was technically one more "A-rank Valkyrie" who could easily wipe them out—but...
"Mm. Not bad. Lixue has improved again."
Fu Hua stood at a high vantage point, observing the scene from afar.
She chose to follow the script. At this moment, she could not intervene—lest unforeseen complications affect the future. And so she merely watched.
At the same time, another reinforcement arrived.
A petite white-haired girl dressed in a nun's habit rushed in, wielding a golden lance and knocking several C-rank Valkyries to the ground.
"Hm? Lady Theresa, why are you here?"
"Lady Theresa, choose—friend or foe?"
The Snowwolf Squad eyed the white-haired girl warily.
"Friend, friend! I'm here to help too!"
Theresa produced her authority key and used it to directly shut down a large portion of Schicksal's defensive systems.
She had just learned that Otto had forcibly ordered Cecilia into a marriage alliance with the Kaslana family.
That infuriated her on the spot. How could those huskies ever be worthy of her best friend? Compared to her bestie, what did a mere grandfather amount to?
Thus, Theresa immediately decided to stage a glorious rebellion against her grandfather—Otto.
"That's wonderful!"
"With Lady Theresa here, it's even more stable!"
The five members of the Snowwolf Squad visibly relaxed.
At present, Theresa was known as the strongest Valkyrie beneath Cecilia. It was said that during her very first deployment as a Valkyrie, she had slain the Emperor-class Honkai Beast Parvati.
By now, her strength was probably already S-rank.
The arrival of such a powerful ally instantly boosted the five girls' confidence. This was in the bag.
However, a few minutes later...
"Lady Theresa... why are you... this weak?"
Shub, who tended to speak bluntly, asked without restraint.
Watching Theresa exchange blows back and forth with a few B-rank Valkyries—and nearly get overturned in the process—she simply couldn't hold it in anymore. The rating seemed heavily inflated.
Though the others didn't voice it aloud, their expressions were equally subtle as they looked at Theresa.
"M-My Oath of Judah was confiscated by Grandpa. Otherwise, I could definitely carry you all with ease!"
Theresa said awkwardly.
In truth, ever since obtaining the Divine Key Oath of Judah, her personal combat ability had declined sharply. After all, Judah was simply too convenient.
No matter the enemy, as long as Theresa carried Oath of Judah on her back, the Divine Key would fight on its own.
Thus, this white-haired girl spoiled by Judah had long since let her physical skills deteriorate. At present, she was probably only barely A-rank—or even around B-rank.
About on par with a certain paramecium who would later enroll at St. Freya Academy wearing the White Comet battlesuit.
"Uh... I see. No wonder Mr. Elias said Lady Theresa is a B-rank launcher—the S-rank rating belongs to Judah."