On the bridge of the Hyperion, several Valkyries were chatting and clinking glasses.
"Haaah~ Nothing beats a drink after work."
"Himeko, didn't you do, like, nothing at all?"
"Uh, to be fair, none of us really did anything."
"Yeah, the Honkai Beasts were basically all taken out by the Herrscher of Thunder."
This mission had truly opened their eyes. When they learned it was Herrscher-level, many had already written their wills.
And yet—against all expectations, everyone made it back alive.
So naturally, a drinking celebration broke out. Some unlucky few even had their farewell recordings played for laughs, revealing some surprising drama.
Himeko couldn't help but cringe.
One of the recordings turned out to be a love confession—so embarrassing! The Valkyrie who made it might as well die of shame now that she survived. Even worse? Her crush was present and rejected her on the spot.
The Valkyrie in question: "Uwaaaah, I can't live anymore! Let me jump off the Hyperion!"
Seeing she was actually about to leap, the others rushed to stop her and comforted her: It's not a big deal. Love only slows you down when fighting Honkai. From now on, we seal away our emotions and devote ourselves to the noble cause.
Then, they all quietly deleted their own will recordings and cleared the logs before breathing sighs of relief.
"Himeko aaaaaaah~!!"
Just then, a white-haired bundle of energy came barreling toward them.
Moving so fast that Himeko didn't even have time to react, Theresa crashed straight into her chest, nearly making Himeko spit out the alcohol in her stomach.
"T-Theresa? What's gotten into you?!"
"Waaaah, that brat went too far!"
"Who? Weren't you trying to recruit those kids into the academy... Oh. Did that boy Elias make some outrageous demand?"
"Yes! He wants the Hyperion! He said he wants to be its captain, and I... I..."
Theresa tearfully explained everything.
Currently, the captain of the Hyperion was Himeko. Yet, in order to recruit Elias, Theresa had promised him the position. She braced for Himeko's anger.
But Himeko just blinked and tilted her head.
"That's it?"
"Huh?"
"He wants to be the captain of the Hyperion? I'm totally fine with that. In fact, I'd love it if you trained him to take over as the ship's commander as soon as possible."
Himeko stretched her arms, her curves on full display—no wonder Theresa always called her a bombshell.
She tapped the blade of her greatsword and continued.
"I was never meant for this role anyway. My synchronization rate with the fusion-core system was just the highest, and we didn't have anyone else qualified—that's the only reason I became the Hyperion's captain."
Himeko waved dismissively. She much preferred charging into battle with her comrades, greatsword in hand, than sitting in a chair giving orders.
"If that boy wants to be captain, let him. I'd love for someone to take my place. That way I can spend more time drinking, slacking off, and looking for a good man."
"C-Can you be serious for once, bombshell lady?! You're already 30—you might want to start settling!"
"Shut it! I'm 29! Not 30 yet! And if even Lewis can find a good guy to marry, then so can I!"
"Himeko's right!" xN
Himeko's words were met with cheers and agreement from the other Valkyries—all of whom were also single.
Being a Valkyrie was, after all, a high-risk profession. And with the artificial Stigmata procedures, life expectancy dropped drastically. You never knew when you might die.
As such, marriage was incredibly difficult for Valkyries.
Sure, some men might still be willing to date them, but... once they realized they could get their pelvis shattered or their nether regions eroded by Honkai energy, the enthusiasm usually faded fast.
That's why the Valkyrie marriage rate hovered at less than 1%.
The marriage of that Valkyrie named Lewis, whom Himeko mentioned earlier, was considered one of the Ten Wonders of Schicksal—or perhaps one of the Ten Most Inspirational Events.
Even Otto Apocalypse himself had reportedly called it a miracle.
Because, well... Lewis looked more like a gorilla than a human.
"Stop! That's enough on that topic!"
Himeko quickly cut off the conversation.
As inspiring as Lewis' marriage was for all the single Valkyries, it also brought a wave of despair.
There was even a running joke within Schicksal: "Even Lewis found a husband—and you're still single?" That line alone could mentally break over half the Valkyrie corps.
"Let's get back to the topic of that boy. Theresa, recruiting him into St. Freya was a bold—and potentially dangerous—move. Things might get chaotic in the future."
"W-What do you mean? Isn't he super strong? And the Herrscher of Thunder listens to him..."
Theresa blinked, not yet aware of the full implications.
"Sigh~ Think about the basics of our academy. St. Freya is an all-girls school. And now you've brought in a super-charmer who can even win over a Herrscher."
"..."
Theresa was stunned.
She immediately realized her mistake—she'd basically invited a big bad wolf into a pen full of sheep.
And the worst part? She'd begged him to come, offering him all sorts of perks.
What a colossal sucker she was!
"And the kid's seriously smooth. That conversation he had with the Herrscher earlier? Even I was swooning. Plus, with looks like that... our students are doomed."
Himeko couldn't stop thinking about Elias' outrageously handsome face. The difference between people like him and regular folks was wider than between humans and dogs.
Some people were crafted by God with mud flicked casually; others were clearly hand-sculpted masterpieces.
With looks like his, Himeko could already envision the chaos that would erupt once Elias enrolled.
It would undoubtedly challenge current fan-favorite Fu Hua for the title of Most Popular Male Valkyrie!
Even if Elias didn't make a move, some of the hormonal girls in the academy would definitely try to seduce him.
Which was a massive problem in itself!
"And don't forget, he's got a Herrscher girlfriend. If they have a spat and she gets upset, what if she wipes us all out in a fit of rage...? Theresa, are you sure our academy can handle this guy?"
"M-Maybe I should tell him not to come after all... Wuwuwu... how did things turn out like this? I just wanted to strengthen our forces and keep the Herrscher threat in check!"
Theresa looked utterly defeated.
Had she just brought in a massive headache all on her own?
"It's too late to regret it now. All you can do is hope that boy has enough control over the Herrscher to keep her calm and obedient."
"Bitter melon juice! Bring me bitter melon juice! Let me drink myself into oblivion!"
Theresa wailed in despair.
"Bitter melon juice won't get you drunk..."
Himeko shook her head helplessly. Knowing this Principal as she did, if there weren't others present, Theresa would probably already be sobbing and rolling on the floor.
(Seriously, what kind of world is this? Even Herrschers can find boyfriends now—so why can't I?! Ugh, the more I think about it, the more infuriating it is. Reality really is a crappy game.)
With that thought, Himeko snapped off the neck of a beer bottle and chugged it all in one go.
Maybe someone should reflect on how this behavior might be why she's still single.
...
"Bronya, you and Kiana head to St. Freya Academy first. Mei and I have something to take care of—we'll join you soon."
After wrapping up discussions with Theresa, Elias instructed Bronya and Kiana to go ahead.
"Huh? Why can't we all go together?"
"Idiot Kiana, don't forget—they still have a home in Nagazora City. Obviously, they have stuff to pack."
"Ooh, right! Well, hurry up, okay? We'll check out the new school for you!"
"Mm, Mei and I will be there tomorrow."
After making the promise, Elias parted ways with the girls—but in truth, he had nothing to pack.
He simply had a score to settle with a certain fox.
Herrscher Mei offered to help.
But Elias turned her down.
"It's just a pompous little clown. No need for you to get involved, my queen. Just wait for me at home—you've got your own preparations to handle, right?"
"Hmph. Fine. Just don't keep me waiting too long."
Mei crossed her arms with her usual cool arrogance. One couldn't help but wonder... just how long would this queenly pride last?
Elias glanced once more at the intel Bronya had given him—it contained the coordinates of a certain vixen's base.
"Get ready, Cocolia."
The next second, Elias vanished from sight. An invisible figure, undetectable by any scanner, flew swiftly toward a base under Anti-Entropy control.
...
At that moment, inside the executive base of Anti-Entropy...
Cocolia sat there, face dark with frustration.
"Damn it, damn it! Useless! Every one of them!"
She'd gained nothing from the Third Eruption. Worse, she'd lost an entire Titan mech squad. The monetary losses exceeded even Raiden Ryoma's embezzlement.
She'd definitely be challenged by the conservative faction of Anti-Entropy, and even her own radical faction might not support her anymore.
In this world, humans bite harder than dogs.
She knew exactly how many people were eyeing her position. By choosing to climb the ladder the way she did, Cocolia understood she'd never have real allies.
Everyone was using everyone else. Once she lost her value and means of protection, she'd be devoured—bones and all.
She craved power and influence. But those things were a mountain you had to keep climbing. Either reach the summit, or fall to your death. There was no third option.
And the higher you climbed, the harder the fall.
Especially someone like Cocolia—someone with a black heart and a beautiful face.
She was well aware how many people were waiting for her to fall, hoping to take her down and take advantage of her body.
"Hmph! Those fools think they can bring me down? Pathetic. Sure, I lost a Titan unit and failed to capture the Herrscher, but I made other gains... As long as I stay quiet for a while, I'll be fine."
Cocolia glanced at the black folder on her desk. On its cover: a white snake biting its own tail.
She wasn't just an Anti-Entropy executive—she was also a collaborator with World Serpent. As long as that ancient and mysterious organization continued to support her, Cocolia wouldn't fall.
The thought calmed her.
"Still... my whole plan failed because of that damn boy. Where did that monster even come from?" Cocolia glared at Elias' file, slamming her fist on the desk.
But she also understood she might never get a chance for revenge.
Not only had Elias joined St. Freya Academy, but his individual strength—and the presence of the Herrscher of Thunder at his side—placed him far beyond what she could hope to handle.
When a Herrscher who once sought to destroy the world was now pouring all her strength into protecting a single boy... from what Cocolia knew of the world, she couldn't imagine anyone capable of killing Elias head-on.
"Hmph! Don't think this is over. If I can't take him head-on... then I'll strike in the shadows. I didn't want to resort to this, but he's left me no choice."
Cocolia pulled up a new interface on her screen.
It displayed a detailed medical report on Bronya's body—with a red mark over her brain indicating a chip.
Back when Bronya had volunteered for the failed X-10 Experiment, losing the use of her legs and damaging her amygdala, Cocolia had secretly implanted a control chip in a so-called "experimental treatment."
If activated, the chip would override Bronya's consciousness. In that state, both she and her heavy artillery bunny would fall into a berserk mode, equipped with the firepower of the "Black Nucleus" armor—basically a small-scale mobile armory.
Cocolia believed that if she caught them off guard—before Elias or the Herrscher could react—this trump card might give her a shot at turning the tables.
However...
"You really have guts, Cocolia. Did you forget what I told you a year ago? Lay a hand on my girls... and you'll wish you were dead."
"Who's there?!"
A young male voice echoed through her supposedly empty office. Startled, Cocolia sprang from her chair, gun drawn.
(Impossible! There were no alarms—no signs from the guards! Even that S-rank assassin from Schicksal couldn't infiltrate this base undetected!)
"You look surprised. What, did you forget? I got this power from your X-10 experiment. And don't tell me... after everything you've done to piss me off, you really thought you'd get away with it?"
Elias' figure materialized out of thin air.
Fully quantumized, he now moved like a ghost—unimpeded by any physical defenses.
No wall, no guard could stop a quantum ghost. At this moment, Elias was possibly the strongest assassin and infiltrator alive.
Cocolia didn't hesitate—she pulled the trigger.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Six bullets laced with Honkai energy flew straight toward Elias' vitals—but in the next second, they passed through his body, slamming harmlessly into the wall behind him.
Seeing this ability—and the undeniable hints in Elias' words—even the mental block her system had put in place couldn't stop the realization from dawning.
Cocolia's face twisted in horror.
"Impossible. It's you! No... wait! The age doesn't match! And you disappeared into the Quantum Realm a year ago—you couldn't have come back!"
"Still surprised? I told you a year ago—I'd be back. Looks like you didn't take my warning seriously. Or maybe... you just can't help being a filthy dog."
Elias hoisted a white scythe—the same one he'd wielded in the past.
Bronya had been keeping it safe, carried by her heavy artillery bunny. Just yesterday, she returned it to him.
Now, the man once known in the mercenary world as the White Dove—the White Reaper—had returned.
"Cocolia... are you ready to repent?"
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