"This… this is truly terrifying."
Durandal's pupils narrowed to a single point. She slid Abyss Flower behind her back, scanning the battlefield with sharp precision.
Dark clouds began to thin overhead. A light drizzle fell, cooling the air and dampening the golden-haired Valkyrie's face.
If not for the countless Valkyries collapsed around her, one might think the earlier chaos had been a dream.
Even Durandal shivered slightly. The chill wasn't from the rain—it was from the presence standing before her.
"Du… Durandal-sama, what should we do?"
Rita's voice trembled. Though she had composed herself, her body still shook. Hands clasped, she looked to her captain for guidance.
Durandal glanced at Rita's delicate form, her gaze softening.
"Rita, report the situation to the Overseer. Then stand by."
Her voice hardened as she turned toward Xingyue.
"As for this Herrscher of the Sea… I'll test her myself."
There was no fear in Durandal's eyes—only a flicker of excitement.
This Herrscher was stronger than anything they'd ever faced. But since her last move hadn't harmed Durandal, she believed she could at least hold her ground.
"But… Durandal-sama…"
Rita's expression wavered. She wanted to protest, but the memory of that suffocating aura silenced her.
She would only be a burden.
With a bitter smile, Rita sighed and discarded her damaged communicator. She switched to a backup device and began transmitting the scene to Schicksal HQ.
"What's wrong, Rita?"
Durandal asked, her voice calm but alert.
"No, nothing. Durandal-sama should focus on the battle."
Rita smiled apologetically and resumed her task.
"Good. Stay far back. In a battle like this, I may not have the luxury to protect you."
Durandal's tone was steady, but Rita's heart fluttered.
"To protect me…?"
She retreated, murmuring softly, her eyes lingering on Durandal's poised stance.
Her heart raced. A blush crept onto her cheeks.
Durandal's back was tall, unwavering—always reliable, always strong.
"Durandal-sama truly lives up to her title as Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie."
Even against an enemy like this, with Bianca leading the charge, Rita felt safer than she did at HQ.
"Madam Herrscher of the Sea," Durandal called out, "you've been quite reasonable. You haven't attacked while Rita and I were speaking."
Xingyue crossed her arms, her gaze disdainful.
"What are you implying, human?"
"That I'd exploit a moment of weakness?"
"Don't flatter yourself, you weak creature."
Durandal raised her spear, eyes unwavering.
"Then allow me to show you the strength of the 'weak'."
Shhh—
A breeze carried a fallen leaf between them. As it touched the ground, Durandal exploded into motion.
Clang!
Metal rang out as Abyss Flower struck—only to be stopped by the back of Xingyue's hand.
Her fingers were slender, wrapped in a translucent blue-white gauze that shimmered like mist.
Yet that mist-like veil was impenetrable. Abyss Flower, even without full power, couldn't scratch it.
Zero damage.
Durandal's eyes narrowed. Her expression turned grave.
She roared, unleashing a flurry of strikes. Abyss Flower blurred, leaving dozens of afterimages.
Durandal's form danced around Xingyue, faster than the eye could follow.
But Xingyue's raised hand blocked every strike with matching precision.
Clang! Clang!
The battlefield echoed with the clash of metal and power.
At Schicksal HQ, Otto watched the screen in silence. Valkyries lay defeated. Xingyue blocked every one of Bianca's attacks—casually, with one hand.
He had gravely underestimated her.
Now, only Bianca's combat data might reveal a weakness.
Rita stood frozen, stunned.
"She blocked all of Durandal-sama's attacks… with one hand?"
But she quickly calmed herself. This was just a warm-up. Durandal hadn't gone all out.
Still, Rita wrung her hands, worry creeping in.
Durandal, seeing her attacks fail, flipped backward to create distance.
She held her spear, closed her eyes, and whispered:
"White flower blooming in the abyss… release your power."
Abyss Flower glowed, expanding in size. Its body turned pure white.
This was its true form.
Durandal charged again, unleashing a storm of strikes.
But once more, Xingyue blocked everything with a single hand.
And most terrifying of all—Durandal noticed the grass beneath Xingyue's feet was untouched.
She hadn't moved an inch.
Durandal swallowed hard.
Even in a probing exchange, this Herrscher hadn't shifted her stance.
"What's wrong, Miss Bianca? Has the warm-up ended?"
Durandal planted Abyss Flower into the ground, preparing to use her trump card.
"I know you're holding back, Bianca," Xingyue said, smiling.
"But even if you unleash everything…"
She raised a slender finger.
"At most ten percent. That's all I'd need to reduce you to cosmic dust."
Xingyue moved.
She finally used her other hand.
As she spread her arms, a deep-sea aura surged around her. Then the pressure intensified.