"Go on, tell me. Who exactly forced you to do something so boring?"
After hearing Leo Ash's words, the first thing that welled up in Anna's heart was endless helplessness.
She hadn't wanted to say much, but now that her mood had relaxed, what little vigilance Anna had possessed had all but vanished in front of Leo.
The young woman, having completely let down her guard, hesitated for only a second before making her decision.
"I'll tell you secretly, but you can't tell anyone else."
[Observing the girl's completely relaxed state, you are certain her trust in you has already surpassed that of most people in the world.]
[You two only just met five minutes ago, with no prior interaction whatsoever. For her affection to get this high in just five minutes, then surely, with just a slight display of your skills, she will—]
Will my ass.
[Alright, alright, this System will quiet down. After all, right now—you're going to be busy.]
After the System finished speaking, Leo looked helplessly at Anna, who was waiting for his response.
"Okay, I promise you. I won't tell anyone what you say today."
"Mm, then I'll start."
"The clan elders suddenly told me yesterday that they had secured a spot for me at today's banquet and that I had to attend."
"At first, I didn't understand what they were trying to do, so I tried to refuse by saying I was still young and not strong enough, but..."
At this point, Anna's face suddenly turned incredibly red.
"The elders said that because of Lady Cecilia's death in battle and Lord Siegfried's defection, the situation for our Schariac family is a bit awkward right now."
"Although Bishop Otto also has Schariac blood, that was five hundred years ago. Because of Lord Siegfried, the status of both our family and the Kaslana family has been declining."
"While Lady Theresa and Bishop Otto certainly don't intend to suppress us, our reputation alone is enough of a headache for them, so..."
"So they hoped that I, as a representative of the Schariac family, would come and build a good relationship with you, the new prodigy of the Apocalypse family."
Listening to Anna's words, Leo fell silent.
He had vaguely guessed that Anna was being pushed forward by someone, but...
This reason wasn't exactly unreasonable.
But why does it feel so cliché?
Besides, there was another problem.
"Miss Anna, if I may ask one thing, you look very young. What year... were you born?"
"Me? 1999, why?"
Anna, completely failing to grasp what Leo was thinking, replied with a hint of indignation.
"I may not be old, but isn't this the age when all of us Schicksal Valkyries start our training?"
"And while my strength is far from yours, Mr. Ash, I'm a B-rank just like you."
No, what I mean is...
I didn't pay attention since you didn't have a role in the original story, but it turns out you're only a year older than Bronya.
It was disgraceful enough when Bronya had to pretend to be a young 'princess', but at least she was pretending.
A little girl born in 1999 is being sent to do this kind of thing?
These people are real bastards.
Seeing the now-silent Leo, Anna suddenly felt she had gone a bit too far.
"I'm sorry! I got carried away!"
"No, it's not your fault. Anyway... please continue."
"I didn't understand what the elders meant at first, but when they realized I didn't get it, they started speaking to me earnestly."
"They said that in recent years, our Schariac family hasn't been doing as well as before. Because of Lady Cecilia's death in battle, the family lacks a powerful warrior who can step up, so our influence in all aspects has weakened considerably."
"For this reason, not only did we fail to retain the right to use Abyss Flower, but even our allocation quotas for Stigmata and Honkai Energy weapons have dropped significantly."
"They also said that if I could get you, the new prodigy of the Apocalypse family, to grow closer to the Schariac family, it might change the current situation."
"Then, the family would be allocated more equipment, and with better gear, the survival rate of our family members would also be higher."
At this point, Anna's gaze suddenly darted away, and she began to stammer, unable to speak.
A few seconds later, as if she had made up her mind, she whispered in a barely audible voice.
"After saying all that, the elder directly told me to be bold and... seduce you."
Case closed.
They're even bigger bastards than I imagined.
Leo really wanted to tell the girl before him to 'have some backbone'.
But unlike the other girls, Anna Schariac had grown up within the clan of saints her entire life.
She had indeed used the clan's various resources since she was young. So at a time like this, expecting a little girl who doesn't understand the dangers of the world to outright refuse the request of her clan's elders...
Well, calling it a request is giving them too much credit. This was clearly emotional blackmail.
By painting the Schariac family's situation as tragic and then linking Anna's actions to the 'survival rate of the clan's warriors', even if Anna's heart was filled with reluctance, her kind nature, once subjected to emotional blackmail, naturally made it impossible for her to defy the wishes of those old geezers in her clan.
Seeing Leo fall silent with a tone of indifference, Anna asked with a hint of disappointment.
"I'm sorry, but I really did come here with that purpose. Mr. Ash... are you disappointed in me?"
"Don't overthink it, Anna."
Feeling the gentle breeze, Leo glanced at the Schicksal members in the banquet hall and suddenly sighed.
"Without absolute power, people can't help but be swept along by circumstances."
"You were emotionally blackmailed by those people in your clan. To put it bluntly, it's only because you're too kind and lack experience with the world. It's not your fault."
"Um..."
Looking at Leo's face, Anna suddenly giggled.
"You know, Mr. Ash, you're not quite like the rumors say."
"Ha... Although I know my image has been twisted into all sorts of things out there, I'm still curious. What's the impression of me within the Schariac family?"
"Hmm... A good fighter, ambitious, genuinely capable, and also... wants revenge on the Honkai?"
Anna thought for a moment before continuing.
"Before I met you, those impressions made me think you weren't the type of person who was easy to approach or talk to. That's why I was... a little scared when I approached you."
"But now that we've chatted a bit, I realize everyone has a huge misunderstanding about you, Mr. Ash. You're quite easy to get along with, aren't you?"
As Anna finished speaking, a character profile template popped up before Leo's eyes.
[Name: Anna Schariac]
[Identity: A young woman of the Schariac family, Schicksal B-rank Valkyrie.]
[Current Affection: 25]
[Note: You've only known each other for a few minutes. You know what this means.]
Yeah, for her affection to skyrocket so fast after just a few minutes?
Is your detection system broken, or is it...
[What do you think?]
So the problem really is with Anna.
This rise in affection is too ridiculous.
I saved Theresa's life, and I remember hers was only around 20.
[First of all, 20 is already very high for someone you've just met.]
[Secondly, even if people call her Theresa the Idiot every day, Theresa is much more clever than a sheltered girl like Anna.]
[Finally, she sees you as a junior, while Anna sees you as a peer.]
[On the premise that she thought you were hard to get along with, you actually showed her such strong kindness...]
Hey, I just said a few nice things after hearing her story.
[And back in the banquet hall, you proactively took her hand to ease her awkwardness and get her out of a jam.]
That counts too?
[Besides, as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder—even though you're not her lover yet.]
[Whether your kindness was 'strong' or not is for her to decide, not you. Understand your position, Cold, Handsome Man.]
Maybe I should just turn off the Cold, Handsome Man trait.
Sometimes I feel like if I leave this title on for too long, it might cause me to crash and burn in some unexpected ways.
"Um, Mr. Ash..."
Seeing Leo suddenly fall silent, Anna asked again, a little uneasy.
"Is it because my attitude was too presumptuous? Did I make you angry?"
"Ha, I told you not to overthink things."
Looking at the girl who was as easily startled as a small animal, Leo put aside his thoughts and spoke softly to Anna.
"I'm not a psycho. I'm not going to suddenly have a personality change and flip out on you."
"Besides, we're all colleagues in Schicksal. All this 'Mr. Ash' this and 'Mr. Ash' that..."
"I'll call you Anna, you call me Leo. Let's drop the troublesome titles."
Hearing Leo's words, Anna felt that she had truly been overthinking things before.
Although Leo saw Anna as a sheltered girl, this was clearly a bias in his own perception.
No matter what, Anna Schariac was a member of a major family. Even if she had no personal desire to actively learn, simply by being exposed to it daily, she had absorbed more social knowledge than an ordinary person.
Right now, although the expression on his face remained as cold as ever, Anna could tell that Leo's words were an attempt to close the psychological distance between them by dropping the formal titles, thereby soothing her heart.
Realizing this, Anna felt her heart beat even faster.
But Leo didn't notice the subtle change in Anna's expression.
After a moment's thought, he continued.
"As for the instructions from those old geezers in your clan, I can only say—I'm not interested in that sort of thing for the time being."
Seeing the bitter expression of 'I knew it' on Anna's face, Leo sighed helplessly.
"Don't look like you're about to cry. I'm not saying you're ugly. I just think—even if you get close to me, the things they desire won't fall into their hands so easily."
"Anyway, you didn't want to do this in the first place. After we met today, if you're worried those old geezers in your clan will keep nagging you, just tell them you've successfully gotten close to me. That should solve it."
*No, if it's the me right now, I'm not so resistant to it anymore.*
Failing to guess Anna's true thoughts, Leo glanced at the people in the banquet hall and let out a sneer.
"In any case, everyone at this banquet now knows that Leo Ash and Anna Schariac have spoken privately. It's not a lie."
"But, is this really okay?"
Listening to the solution Leo proposed, Anna gently shook her head.
"If I report back to the clan elders like that, won't it affect you, Leo?"
"Ha, I haven't even been to the Apocalypse family's main house. What do these boring power struggles have to do with me?"
"Ultimately, besides Matriarch Theresa and Bishop Otto, I don't know anyone else in the family. Am I supposed to give face to every random person who shows up just because of their status?"
Having deactivated his Cold, Handsome Man trait, Leo spoke with a face full of impatience.
"I joined Schicksal to fight the Honkai. If anyone tries to bother me with other things, then I'll just have to use my fists to show them exactly what kind of person I am."
Sensing the killing intent radiating from Leo, Anna subconsciously took a step back in fear.
Although this aura wasn't the bloodlust of someone intending to kill, for a Valkyrie like Anna who hadn't seen much real combat, it was already terrifying enough.
But, precisely because Leo had revealed this fearsome sense of pressure, Anna felt...
—she liked him even more now.
It seemed the clan's assessment of Leo wasn't that far off.
Yet at the same time, Leo was suppressing his inner emotions, choosing to be considerate of Anna's feelings and even helping her strategize.
People yearn to be treated specially by others.
And now, by showing two different attitudes—one towards others and one towards Anna—Leo had clearly caused Anna's affection for him to rise again.
Seeing Anna's character profile pop up once more, Leo's eyes twitched.
The rest of the description on Anna's profile hadn't changed, but her affection level had suddenly jumped by ten points.
*Seriously? I suddenly get this aggressive, and her affection goes up instead?*
*Is this girl a masochist???*
[Sometimes I feel like you're doing this on purpose.]
[First, you let her see your calm side, then you give her advice, and then you reveal your 'Avenger' side, letting Anna know that you're only nice to *her*.]
[That contrast, combined with your handsome face, is enough to instantly captivate thousands of young women.]
[Besides, she came here to seduce you, so what are you waiting for!]
[Look at this evening gown! Think about her original mission! Don't you think you should be lifting... helping her get out of her clothes, and helping her complete her—]
I said, that's enough.
Joking around is one thing, but this is a goddamn banquet hall. You're going too far! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
[Who cares, don't you have Phantasmagoria?]
Who was it that told me not to use Phantasmagoria recklessly?
[Who cares, don't you have the Implant skill?]
Even with the Implant skill, the cost of Phantasmagoria is still very high, you know.
[Who cares, you still have your life, don't you?]
You've really done it now.
System, you actually dare use my own words against me.
[Applying what you've learned is a good habit, don't you think?]
Seeing Leo zone out again, Anna didn't say anything, but she silently made a mental note of it.
*Leo is great in every way, except he often gets lost in thought while talking to people.*
*If he brings a habit like that to the battlefield, it won't be a good thing.*
*But I just met him today. To be honest, we... aren't that close.*
*Maybe I should mention it to Lady Durandal the next time I see her.*
*If Lady Durandal, as Leo's close friend, tells him about it, then...*
*—he'll surely take it a little more seriously.*
Just as Leo was about to continue his banter with the System, he suddenly felt his communication device vibrate.
Upon opening it, the expression on his face instantly changed before Anna's eyes.
On the screen of the device, Leo saw a short message from Murata Himeko.
[Return to the Far East Branch as soon as possible. I suspect the enemy might use this opportunity to attack the branch and take the Divine Key and that woman.]
*Tch, I've only had one day to rest...*
*—World Serpent, the Anti-Entropy radical faction... those two damned groups never give a person any peace.*
....
Anti-Entropy Radical Faction Base
In a secret base unknown to the other higher-ups of the Anti-Entropy radical faction, Cocolia looked at the group of blue-haired men with vacant eyes and asked the researcher beside her.
"Have the problems with these clones still not been resolved?"
"My apologies, Lady Cocolia. I am incompetent."
Looking at the woman before him, the researcher nervously reported to Cocolia.
"With my abilities, just ensuring these clones' bodies don't instantly collapse due to genetic issues after maturation is already my limit."
"If you give me more time, I might be able to extend their operational time a little, but..."
"Alright, leave it at that."
Cocolia interrupted the researcher. Then, contrary to her usual demeanor, she patted his shoulder and said with a smile.
"You've worked hard. Proceed with the original plan and implant the corresponding memories into them."
The researcher let out a sigh of relief upon seeing Cocolia's expression.
In his experience, Cocolia was someone who pursued efficiency above all else.
His limited abilities had already caused the Herrscher clone project to exceed its planned schedule.
Because of this, he had been worried that Cocolia would make things difficult for him, or even get rid of him entirely.
But from the looks of it, Cocolia was in an unusually good mood recently and was being surprisingly lenient.
His mind now at ease, the researcher began to work even more diligently.
As for Cocolia, she watched the researcher's back with a flicker of unconcealable impatience in her eyes.
The researcher's perception that Cocolia was in a good mood was clearly a delusion.
Recently, Cocolia had lost nearly all of her Titan mechs. Her two strongest adopted daughters, Sin, had been captured, and Bronya had temporarily chosen to join Schicksal.
As for ME Corp, after Raiden Ryoma returned to Anti-Entropy's headquarters, he had used his influence to reclaim most of the branch companies outside of Nagazora City.
It was safe to say that if Cocolia hadn't managed to obtain the DNA of the first Herrscher of Reason long ago and create a few Herrscher clones with technical support from World Serpent, she would have had truly few trump cards left to play.
However, even with this powerful trump card, it didn't mean Cocolia had the qualifications to challenge the other factions.
Due to the immaturity of the technology, these clones were created with massive genetic defects from birth.
The moment they left the nutrient tanks in this base and began to move, their bodies would start on a path to self-destruction.
The cost of creating a single Herrscher clone was exorbitant, and their current operational window was a mere thirty minutes from activation to self-destruction.
To be honest, if Cocolia hadn't been pushed into a corner this time, and if the Far East Branch hadn't been theoretically crippled by Chiyou, she would never have executed this operation at such a steep cost.
But now, she had no other choice.
Before deploying these clones, Cocolia would implant them with corresponding memories, making them subconsciously believe that they 'must complete their mission within thirty minutes'.
As for the mission's success rate, Cocolia herself felt this was the closest she had ever been to obtaining the Gem of Conquest.
The Far East Branch was basically crippled, and they didn't even know that Cocolia now possessed the Quantum Teleportation System, capable of moving objects through space at any time.
By using the Quantum Teleportation System to transport all of the First Herrscher clones before her into St. Freya High School, even if Theresa herself were in perfect condition, she couldn't possibly face three Herrscher clones and the three Emperor-class Honkai Beasts sent by Gray Serpent all at once.
Moreover, because the Herrscher clones would suffer genetic collapse after their time limit expires, they wouldn't leave behind any evidence even if they were to be unexpectedly defeated by the people at the Far East Branch.
*Everything is ready. Once these guys bring Raiden Mei back to me tomorrow...*
*—With control of Sky Father, I will undoubtedly have complete command over the power of a true Herrscher.*
*At that point, neither Siegfried, who was also crippled by Chiyou, nor Welt, who has been missing for so long, will be a match for a complete Sky Father.*
*Then, Anti-Entropy will be mine. And once I have total control over Anti-Entropy, I will make everyone who ever looked down on me understand...*
*—I, Cocolia, am the one most suited to fight the Honkai.*
Next Day. Far East Branch
After a tiring day of work, Murata Himeko stretched her neck and lightly tapped her own shoulder.
"Sigh, it can't be helped."
"The mission in Jiuyou wasn't long, but so many things happened before and after. I have to deal with them promptly."
Moreover, Theresa's body was clearly injured after using the Divine Key this time.
She should have returned to Headquarters to recover, but she insisted on staying at the Far East Branch, saying that she 'suddenly felt very uneasy'.
That girl is usually so carefree, but she's really reliable when it counts.
*After all—I feel the same way right now.*
After putting down the last document, Himeko began walking towards the prison holding the captives.
For the past two days, the woman named Natasha Cioara had remained unconscious.
However, with treatment from the Far East Branch's infirmary, her condition was gradually improving.
*Before Leo passed out, he shouted to Bronya that this woman was an excellent source of intelligence... Heh, that kid, thinking about his mission even before losing consciousness.*
*I see now just how terrifying his dedication is.*
*And he's right.*
*Possessing a Divine Key, knowing of Chiyou's existence, and even releasing the sealed Chiyou—this is not the power or information an ordinary corporate consultant could possess.*
*That woman is only unconscious because she's too weak; her body isn't actually on the brink of death.*
*Once she wakes up and we interrogate her for the relevant information, we'll be even busier.*
*An organization that can equip its members with powerful weapons like Divine Keys must have more combat power than just Natasha Cioara.*
*The Far East Branch's forces are insufficient to handle these matters. When the time comes for a direct confrontation, it will likely be us, the Far East Branch, on the front lines.*
*As for that little girl, Sin Mal, she woke up pretty quickly.*
*But, being bound and extremely weak, she's clearly no longer a threat to us, so I had her placed in a regular cell.*
*Heh, two sources of intelligence.*
*Interrogate Cioara, and we get the organization's secrets.*
*Interrogate Sin Mal, and we get Cocolia's current coordinates.*
*If I were them, I would definitely take advantage of our Far East Branch's weakened state to storm St. Freya High School and retrieve these two intelligence sources.*
*And, based on my deductions in Jiuyou last time, and the identical electronic devices found on both of them, it's clear these two uninvited guests, whom Shenzhou failed to detect, entered Jiuyou through other means.*
*If they could enter Jiuyou using that method, they can enter St. Freya the same way.*
*The bigger problem is, we... don't have adequate defensive measures.*
*I've already reported this to Bishop Otto, but even he is at a loss for now.*
*So now, we know the enemy is desperate, but we can't maintain full concentration to guard against them twenty-four hours a day.*
*Both sides have some initiative, but the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light. In the end, we're the ones at a disadvantage.*
"Major Himeko."
Fu Hua, who was guarding Raven in the special prison, noticed Himeko's furrowed brow as she arrived and asked softly.
"Has some trouble come up?"
"Ah, not yet, but trouble is definitely coming for us."
Pressing the wristband that activated her Valkyrie armor, Himeko, now fully equipped, picked up the weapon she had already asked Fu Hua to bring here: the Weapon [Greatsword: King Serpent].
"You should go rest. I'll take over guard duty here for now."
"But..."
Fu Hua, already aware of Himeko's hidden health problems, saw the fatigue in her brow and said with some unease.
"Major Himeko, you're already very tired. You're the one who needs to rest properly."
"Haha, this level of fatigue is no big deal."
Gripping the greatsword in her hand, Himeko flashed a gallant smile.
"Just holding this weapon makes me feel power surging through my body."
*After all, this is the weapon the captain left behind.*
"Besides, while I'm telling you to go rest, what I really want you to do is go back to the dorms and look after Theresa."
Her smile vanishing, Himeko spoke to Fu Hua with utmost seriousness.
"She's very weak right now... okay, don't look at me like that."
Under Fu Hua's 'please don't treat me like an idiot' gaze, Himeko had no choice but to rephrase.
"I admit she's much stronger than me even when she's weakened, but it's been two days since we captured the wielder of this Divine Key."
"Two days. If the organization behind her has any plans, they should be getting restless by now."
"Theresa is the foundation of the Far East Branch and St. Freya High School. To put it bluntly, her life is more important than anyone else's."
"If I were the enemy, and I was confident enough, I would definitely attack Theresa. After all, if they capture Theresa, the rest of us wouldn't dare to act rashly."
"At that point, whether they demand we hand over the hostage or the Divine Key, we'd have to comply obediently."
"I see. I understand. I will go to the Headmaster's side at once."
Watching Fu Hua's retreating figure, Himeko leaned against the wall and closed her eyes slightly.
According to Himeko's speculation, the enemies dispatched by the opposing organization this time likely wouldn't be conspicuous opponents like Titan mechs.
If they were conducting a rescue operation, they certainly couldn't do it with a lot of fanfare.
However, this didn't mean the enemies the Far East Branch had to face would be easy to deal with.
What was more troublesome was that Himeko didn't know who among the students and staff at St. Freya High School, aside from their core group, could be trusted.
Just a month and a half ago, a teacher from St. Freya High School had suddenly disappeared. Schicksal's intelligence department had been investigating for a long time but couldn't find their whereabouts or true identity.
It was for this reason that Himeko dared not let too many people know about the impending attack on St. Freya.
Publicizing this information would only cause premature panic. If a mole were to stir up trouble at such a time, it would only make the situation worse.
*This is a real headache. Leo should be rushing back as soon as he gets my message.*
*But even so, I still feel a vague sense of unease.*
*The most fearsome opponent isn't a strong one, but an unknown one.*
*Intelligence... That Wraith, she's been undercover with Cocolia for so long. Why hasn't she returned to HQ to deliver her report?*
*I feel like ever since she left the intelligence department, their intelligence support capabilities have become more than a little lackluster.*
....
Around the same time. St. Freya High School. Training Grounds.
In the training grounds, just as Kiana shattered the plant in front of her with her pistol, she suddenly found that her feet had been ensnared by vines.
Before her, Yuno looked at the flash of disappointment in her companion's eyes and sighed as she retracted the vines she had created.
"Kiana, you're too impatient."
"Knowing my fighting style, you should have used White Comet's dash ability to get close to me, then tried to suppress me with the characteristics of Gun Kata."
"But..."
Feeling the binding sensation on her feet disappear, Kiana said dejectedly.
"You already guessed what would be advantageous for me, Yuno. If I had taken that action, I would have lost anyway, right?"
"That may be true, but if you dash in, you'll probably lose. If you fight me at mid-range, you'll almost certainly lose. Which do you think is better: taking a gamble on the probable loss, or choosing to be easily worn down by me?"
"...The first one is better, I guess."
"Exactly."
Looking at Kiana's expression, Yuno walked over to her, grabbed her by the shoulders, and looked into her eyes.
"Your greatest advantage in battle has always been the monstrous strength and physical constitution of the Kaslana family."
"Because your reaction time is faster than others, you can often defeat enemies before they can react simply by acting on instinct."
"But now, you're becoming more and more hesitant. It might seem like you're thinking more, but in reality—what are you running from?"
"If you don't figure out the problem in your own heart, even if I train with you a hundred or a thousand times, you won't change at all."
After saying this, Yuno let go of Kiana's shoulders and said no more.
Yuno, who had once attended Senba High School with Kiana, truly couldn't believe that the once incredibly optimistic, open-minded, and somewhat reckless Kiana could become this 'fragile' version of herself.
Conversely, Yuno, who had always been incredibly timid, was now the one doing the lecturing.
This was enough to show Yuno just how severe Kiana's psychological problems were.
*Sigh, Kiana yearns to follow in her senior's footsteps, but after discovering how ridiculously fast he's improving, her mentality has gotten worse and worse.*
*It's a good thing Mei isn't showing this same excessive desire for power without knowing what to do. Otherwise, we'd all have to worry about when Mei might be consumed by her Herrscher powers due to her craving for strength.*
"Come to think of it, you're right, Yuno."
After pondering for a few seconds, Kiana clenched her little fists and began muttering to herself.
"This isn't my style at all—it's all Senior's fault! I must have been influenced by him!"
"And now he's off partying at Schicksal HQ, leaving us stuck here at the branch... The more I think about it, the more annoying it is."
Watching Kiana walk towards the gate while muttering to herself, Yuno sighed helplessly.
If Kiana could just see what she needed to do like this, that would be a good thing.
But the problem was, they had known each other for so long, and Yuno had a feeling that even if Kiana had this realization now, she would probably cast it aside again soon.
This girl, once she falls into an obsession, will firmly maintain the mode of action brought about by that obsession for a short period.
She has actually improved a lot, but because of this strange habit, she can't see the path she should be taking at all.
*If only she could get rid of this bad habit... Wait!*
Suddenly sensing danger, Yuno's expression changed drastically. She instantly created vines and pulled Kiana back to her side.
"Yuno—"
The moment she was pulled by Yuno, Kiana whipped out the twin pistols she had just holstered.
"Is it an enemy?!"
Just as Kiana finished speaking, the gate where she had just been standing was instantly crushed, as if something had rolled over it.
And before the two of them, a mysterious person in a hooded cloak slowly walked into the training grounds from the shattered gate, looking indifferently at the two Valkyries.
"Kiana, fall back..."
Yuno stared at the enemy before them, a cold sweat instantly breaking out on her back.
"Oh? You little girl, you can actually sense my power?"
The man before Yuno, seeing her reaction, took off his hood, revealing a cold, mocking smile.
"It seems my senses were correct. You..."
"—You have a core too."
"A core too?!"
Kiana, who had already retreated to the rear, cried out in shock upon hearing the man's words.
"You bastard, are you a Herrscher too?!"
"Heh, a Herrscher, you say..."
Condensing power in his right palm, the man spoke to the two of them.
"Unlike this garbage pirated copy, I am the original First Herrscher."
"Now, tell me the locations of Raiden Mei and Sin Mal, and then..."
"I might be in a better mood and leave you two with intact corpses."
..