"I'm in a bad mood today, so I'll just take it out on you... Exosuit Sabayon, maximum power release, fire!"
Sabayon fired a beam of red light tens of meters long, carving a terrifying red line across the sky. The powerful energy fluctuations even tore through space, causing violent tremors.
Kukulkan's previously arrogant demeanor immediately turned timid again. First, it was beaten to a pulp by Kiana, then kicked around like a ball by Janna, and now it was getting shot at on sight.
Although Kukulkan roughly estimated that the attack's power wouldn't kill it, it would definitely pierce its defenses.
Kukulkan thought back on its precarious life. Apart from its glorious time as the Feathered Serpent God, the rest of its life had been spent living in fear of Janna and Kiana...
Ryn had just told it that the person below was family and to fly towards her. But seeing Kika open fire without a moment's hesitation, it was clear she was a mortal enemy!
It must be Ryn trying to harm me!
Kukulkan let out an aggrieved roar, then turned tail and fled with Ryn and Cortana.
But Ryn jumped right off Kukulkan's back, narrowly missing Sabayon's beam, and accelerated towards Kika's position.
"It's been a while. Is it really okay to greet me with the barrel of a gun upon our reunion?"
Ryn's toes tapped the ground lightly as he landed beside Kika.
As for Kika's immediate attack, Ryn wasn't angry. After all, compared to the 300-meter-long Kukulkan, his figure was easy to miss, especially since he was on Kukulkan's back, in Kika's blind spot.
"Ryn..."
Hearing the familiar voice, Kika blurted out Ryn's name.
But her vision was now completely blurry, and she could barely make out Ryn's form. But the connection she felt with her beloved was unmistakable; the person before her was Ryn.
Kika reached out to touch Ryn's face, but she no longer had the strength to lift her arm and was even struggling to stand.
Ryn quickly moved behind Kika, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her into his embrace, then guided her hand to his face.
"It's Ryn! The real deal."
"Mm... I'll leave the rest to you then... I need... to rest for a bit..." A happy smile spread across Kika's lips, and she fainted.
After firing the life-draining shot, Kika's consciousness had already faded, and she had nearly lost all five of her senses.
In her mind, if her life-burning, all-or-nothing shot didn't kill the giant dragon, it would at least create an opportunity for Durandal to finish it off.
If Durandal couldn't do it either, then the floating fortress of Schicksal HQ would probably sink today. Rather than fall from the sky and be smashed to death, she'd rather fight that giant dragon. She was just feeling sad that she couldn't be with Ryn until the end...
But now Ryn was here, and Kika's heart was instantly at ease. She didn't know when it started, but she had come to trust Ryn completely and unconditionally... No matter what, as long as Ryn was there, even if he couldn't solve the problem, he wouldn't let her get hurt or be put in a difficult position.
Unfortunately for her, she didn't know that the giant dragon was Ryn's new Retinue...
Ryn kissed the sleeping beauty in his arms, then used the power of Creation to help regulate her body, repairing the after-effects of her Stigmata draining her life force.
The power of Creation was something Ryn had chosen for Kika from the very beginning. Ever since he learned that her Stigmata and the Nexus System drained her life force, he had kept it in mind.
Back then, Kika still had plenty of life force and didn't need Ryn to regulate it, but now, Ryn felt a pang of pain for every bit of life she burned.
After replenishing some of her life energy, Ryn picked up Kika's body, ready to find Otto and get to the bottom of the rumors on the Schicksal headlines.
Before Ryn had taken a few steps, he was surrounded by a large contingent of fully armed Valkyries.
Looking at the unfriendly, disgusted faces of the Valkyries before him, Ryn knew that the Schicksal headlines had caused them to misunderstand him.
Ryn organized his thoughts and was about to speak: "Um..."
"Wait! Don't talk!"
Valkyrie C held up a hand to stop Ryn, shouting with grave solemnity:
"According to the headlines, Lord Ryn, you're a huge player, constantly emitting a strong, strange aura. Just by opening your mouth, you can make any woman around you pregnant and fall into depravity... Mmph mmph mmph—"
The Valkyrie B next to her quickly covered Valkyrie C's mouth, wishing she could just suffocate this idiot.
Valkyrie C whispered angrily, "You idiot, what are you saying! You've read too much of Lord Ryn's doujins, have you lost your mind!"
"Mmph mmph mmph—"
Ryn gave Valkyrie B a couple of extra glances. He didn't expect to have such a crazy fangirl, though he wondered who the female protagonist of the doujins was.
If the other party was the male protagonist... then Ryn would have to clean house for Schicksal today.
Ryn: "Ahem, actually, those headlines are all rumors. The pictures are all maliciously edited! I'm not as vile as the headlines make me out to be! My character can be vouched for by St. Freya High School and Overseer Otto!"
"We can discuss that matter later. Lord Ryn, have you already dealt with the dragon-type Honkai Beast that just appeared?"
"Oh? A dragon-type Honkai Beast?"
Ryn turned around, holding Kika, and looked at the Valkyries over his shoulder.
"You mean this? Kukulkan!"
With Ryn's cry, Kukulkan's figure instantly broke through the clouds and descended beside him. The massive sonic boom it created blew the Valkyries off their feet.
"Roar—"
Kukulkan spread its massive wings, its wingspan of several hundred meters completely blocking out the sun.
"Hiss—" The Valkyries collectively gasped.
The Valkyries stationed at Schicksal HQ might seem a bit dull and naive at times, but they were extremely serious and dedicated when it came to matters of the Honkai.
From the moment Ryn called out "Kukulkan" and the creature appeared by his side, everyone immediately knew that this was another of Ryn's Retinues.
After their experience with the Purple Flame Mystic Phoenix last time, this wasn't too surprising...
Since it was Ryn's Retinue, did that mean the crisis was perfectly resolved?
Valkyrie A: "By the way... doesn't this pretty much confirm the rumor in the Schicksal headlines that Ryn got a new Retinue and abandoned his old one?"
Valkyrie C: "But didn't Lord Ryn say that was fake?"
Valkyrie B: "Does that matter? Haven't you noticed how super cool and awesome Lord Ryn's pose is right now!"
Valkyrie D took out her phone and opened her photo album.
"I noticed a long time ago. I've already taken over a hundred pictures... Lord Ryn's pose is so cool, I don't even need to edit them before posting."
"V you 50, send me a copy!" "I want one too, I want one too!"
Ryn walked past the Valkyries, holding Kika, but they were all engrossed in fighting over the photos, paying no attention to Ryn and Kika.
These idiots, the real person is right here and no one cares, they're still thinking about your stupid pictures!
Kukulkan held its roaring pose with wings spread for a long time. Seeing that no one was paying it any mind, it simply curled up and lay down on the spot to enjoy a sunbath.