"Take me with you—I've got experience beating up the Herrscher of Corruption."
"I was bringing you along anyway. Now, change back."
Judah shot Ryn a look, then turned into a beam of light, transforming back into a giant cross. Ryn grabbed Judah and hurled her from the seafloor; Judah quickly deployed her chains to pull Ryn along.
"Judah's Oath: Hover Vehicle Mode!"
Ryn rode Judah as they flew toward the Hyperion.
Everyone watched in shock as Judah switched back to weapon mode.
"Judah can turn back? All this time, she's been following Ryn around in human form!!"
"Yeah… always at Ryn's side. Honestly, it makes me embarrassed to go visit him at night..."
All eyes turned toward Kiana, who waved her hands defensively. "Don't get the wrong idea—we just play games…"
The group collectively rolled their eyes, clicking their tongues in teasing disbelief.
Far off, Ryn witnessed the smoking, wobbling flight of the Hyperion and silently grieved for Himeko. All of Himeko's assets—200%—were poured into the Hyperion; the extra 100% was all borrowed and spent upfront…
Now that most of the Hyperion was wrecked again, Himeko probably didn't even feel like searching for stigmata anymore. Rather than drown herself in debt and work herself to death, she might as well die gloriously in battle.
Because the Hyperion's destruction came from infighting between Fu Hua, Theresa, and Higokumaru, its defensive measures became completely useless—though that also made Ryn's rescue easier.
Touching the Hyperion's hull, Ryn used his authority to make it hover, then entered through the shattered command room.
Inside, he found Fu Hua lecturing Theresa. On the ground nearby lay a girl who looked remarkably like Yae Sakura.
"How many times have I told you, let me take point and you just support from the side... now look, most of the Hyperion is rubble because of you…"
"How was I supposed to know the Herrscher of Corruption could shift between physical and data form…" Theresa mumbled, not daring to meet Fu Hua's eyes.
Theresa thought, as academy principal, she couldn't let her students charge in first. So she rushed in and fought the hardest… Unfortunately, the Herrscher of Corruption ignored simple physical attacks, so Theresa's blows went straight through, battering the ship instead…
"Well done. That's our Theresa." Ryn, floating in on Judah, gave her a thumbs up. "You'd better find an excuse for Himeko, or I'm afraid she'll cough up blood from anger."
"Agh, I get it! You guys are so annoying… I'll apply to Grandpa for repair funds…" Theresa was so embarrassed she wanted to dig another hole in the Hyperion to hide in.
Ryn crouched and poked the unconscious Higokumaru. "Is this little girl really the Herrscher of Corruption? She looks just like Yae Sakura."
"Now that you mention it, she kind of does." Leaning on her chin, Theresa pondered. "Come to think of it, wasn't Yae Sakura a Herrscher too? Maybe this girl is related to her."
"Yae Sakura? Sakura? RIN?" Fu Hua fell into deep thought, random names surfacing but with no memories attached.
At that moment, Judah returned to human form, standing beside Ryn.
"I know the connection between her and Yae Sakura."
"You, you—you can turn back into Judah?" Theresa was too shocked to speak.
"I am Judah—what do you mean, 'turn back'?" Judah gently patted Theresa's head, then continued addressing everyone.
"The Herrscher of Corruption was once sealed in a black box. Five hundred years ago, Schicksal tried to open the box, but to prevent her escape, Kallen Kaslana fled with it.
Kallen was gravely wounded crossing the sea; she washed up in the Far East and was found by Yae Sakura. At that time, Yae Sakura became tainted by the Herrscher of Corruption and turned into a pseudo-Herrscher.
Later, with my help, Kallen defeated the Herrscher of Corruption again, but after that, Yae Sakura was inseparably linked to her… With no other option, Kallen sealed both together once more.
But I remember—the Herrscher of Corruption had a fox's form back then… Maybe her appearance now is influenced by Yae Sakura?"
"No…" Fu Hua interrupted. "This is her true form..."
"You know her?"
"No…"
"?"
"I just feel, deep down, that this is the real form of the Herrscher of Corruption…"
"???"
"Alright, once we're done with the nine realms, let's ask Yae Sakura at St. Freya Academy and get the full story," Ryn interjected, picking up Higokumaru.
"Let's get going. Himeko and the others have waited long enough. Judah and I will watch over her—there's no danger with us here, and besides, Judah is really good with kids."
"Ryn!!" Theresa snapped, immediately understanding that "kid" referred to her.
"Alright, let's go." Judah hugged Theresa, patted her head, and soothed her.
"I... I'm not a kid!!"
"Yes, yes, Theresa, you're not a kid." Judah nodded with a gentle smile.
Ryn extinguished the fire on the Hyperion, gathered the surviving crew, and boarded Judah to reunite with Himeko and the others.
Luckily, the Hyperion was piloted solely by Ai, and this time only Theresa, Fu Hua, and Himeko's adjutant were aboard. Any more passengers and Judah would refuse; in that case, she'd just carry everyone by chain.
Ryn and company made it to the dock and successfully rendezvoused with Himeko's group.
Kiana and friends rushed over to check on the newcomers—and spotted the girl in Ryn's arms.
"Wow, what a cute little sister! Ryn, let me hold her," Kiana reached out, gushing over the adorable girl.
"I want a hug too! She's so cute." "Seriously, I want to pinch her cheeks." "She's as cute as Bronya."
Mei, Sparkle, and Bronya chimed in enthusiastically.
"She's the Herrscher of Corruption."
"A naturally evil little Herrscher brat—watch me finish her right now," Bronya declared, summoning Heavy Bunny and aiming its cannon at the girl.
"Whoa, whoa! That was a quick face turn!"
Sparkle and Mei hurriedly held back Bronya.
Meanwhile, Kiana inspected the girl curiously and asked Ryn, "Isn't it dangerous to be holding her like that? What if she hurts you?"
"It's fine. The Herrscher of Corruption is so weak now, even Mei could take her down easily."
"What do you mean, 'even Mei could take her down'?" Mei retorted, swinging Heavy Bunny's barrel away from the Herrscher of Corruption and toward Ryn. "Bronya, blast him for me!"