Lastly, Sin, carrying twin golden javelins, charged towards the platform with a ferocious presence. Her approach tore through the air, generating shockwaves as she streaked across the sky, leaving trails of sparks where her white boots scraped against the transparent surface upon landing.
Once she stopped her momentum, Sin stood rigidly, holding out one hand with her palm facing upward.
Bronya, clad in crisp gray-green military attire, gently descended and landed on Sin's open palm. With a tilt of her body, Sin slowly lowered her to the ground.
After touching down, Bronya adjusted her cap brim, then grabbed Sin's chin, inspecting her face from different angles.
Seeing no injuries, Bronya's expression finally softened slightly, the corners of her lips curving up as she said,
"Good girl. You didn't do anything reckless; Bronya is very pleased that you listened."
"Mm..." With her chin held by Bronya, Sin fidgeted, twisting her fingers bashfully. Her cute little skirt swayed slightly with her shy movements, making it seem like the ferocity upon her entrance had been an illusion all along.
"Big Sis Bronya~"
Perfectly timed, Seele jogged over and wrapped her arms around Bronya's other arm, her delight barely concealed beneath her coy demeanor.
Bronya's attention shifted towards Seele, stroking her head with a gentle smile mirroring the earlier warmth.
"Seele worked very hard; Bronya saw it all. You did exceptionally well."
"Yes! Seele... Seele will keep trying her best!"
As they conversed, Sin wrapped her arms around Bronya as well, shooting a menacing glare at Seele across Bronya's body for disrupting their moment.
At first, Seele flinched, but then her eyes glowed red, and she defiantly locked gazes with Sin. Sparks seemed to fly between them—indeed, Seele was stepping up to defend herself.
Bronya didn't dwell on this exchange. She simply extracted her arms from both girls' embraces, straightened her military uniform's buttons, and walked over to the table shared by the leaders of Anti-Entropy and Schicksal, taking a seat gracefully.
"Well, you're quite courageous, Bronya." Hera smiled warmly.
Among those who had arrived before Bronya, only Herrschers or even more significant glitches dared approach. Yet upon seeing the Anti-Entropy Alliance Leader and the Acting Schicksal Bishop face-to-face, each one respectfully stood aside.
Bronya sat down confidently, showing no signs of intimidation or deference.
She looked at Hera and asked expressionlessly, "Is something wrong?"
"No, not at all! Please have some tea."
Hera picked up the teapot and personally poured Bronya a cup.
This gesture did not go unnoticed by keen observers like Raiden Mei and Wendy, whose eyes flickered with realization.
It was a sign of Hera's acknowledgment—acceptance of Bronya taking her seat and recognition of Bronya's equal standing with herself and Welt. For a member of Anti-Entropy who hadn't even earned the title of executive, such validation was extraordinary. Typically, only Zeke, Welt, and Einstein held that distinction; among the other executives, even Tesla fell short—although Hera undoubtedly treated Tesla warmly and indulgently, it never reached the level of granting equal status.
Bronya lifted the teacup, took a composed sip, and remarked, "Delicious tea, thank you."
"You're welcome, future right-hand to the Sovereign—or should I address you as Empress?" Hera said with a smile.
The room instantly fell silent.
Then, the atmosphere grew subtly tense.
Sin was momentarily taken aback but quickly shrugged it off. As long as Kiana wasn't outranking her, she didn't care what Bronya said!
Seele felt like she'd been struck by lightning; her face paled, and her gaze fixed on Bronya's back, eyelashes quivering slightly. Finally, placing a hand over her heart, she bowed her tear-filled eyes.
Wendy's expression shifted—she squinted at Bronya, then silently clenched her fists.
Raiden Mei opened her mouth, visibly shaken, struggling to regain her composure for quite some time.
Everyone else cast their own peculiar glances around.
Only Siegfried, scratching his head irritably, spoke up: "Don't make things up, young Zeke... Ahem, I mean, isn't His Majesty marrying my dear Kiana?"
In anticipation of meeting this promising future son-in-law upon his awakening, Siegfried had spent recent days researching him thoroughly, focusing mainly on Kiana and Zeke's interactions and relationship progress. Overall, he was highly satisfied with the couple's bond and naturally wished to avoid Hera's jests disrupting it.
However, unbeknownst to him, Hera's words were not intended as a joke.
In the following moment, all eyes converged on Siegfried.
The atmosphere grew even more surreal.
Facing the peculiar stares from everyone, Siegfried scratched his head, perplexed.
"What...are you all looking at? Kiana and Zeke have officially started dating; she told me herself. Is there a problem?"
Silence persisted, but the unstable fluctuations of Honkai Energy in the air became increasingly noticeable.
"Clink!"
At that moment, Bronya glanced sidelong at Hera, who seemed to be enjoying the spectacle. She lightly tapped her teacup against the table, crossed her legs, and said,
"For an emperor, having multiple wives is quite normal, wouldn't you agree?"
This statement turned everyone except Sin and Hera instantly into stone statues—some for longer than others. When they recovered, their faces were flushed, though the degree of blushing and reasons varied widely.
Siegfried vigorously shook his head. "No way, absolutely not! That's enough joking around. I won't allow him to be fickle-hearted. If he's with Kiana, it has to be wholeheartedly!"
"This is between us. Bronya believes there's no need for your approval, Uncle Sieg."
"Hold on, surely you're not actually..."
"Let's drop this topic for now. Hera, let's get back to business—the issue below still needs addressing."
Understanding the importance of taking things step by step and not revealing too much at once, Bronya gently brushed aside the inevitable revelation for now and changed the subject. She delegated the task that required manual labor to Hera with a meaningful look—watching the drama unfold was fine, but remember to pay up afterward.
Hera shrugged, her smile bright as springtime.
"Of course, Your Majesty's orders leave me no choice. Right away... Wait, seems like there won't be any need."
Hera's grin faded, replaced by a solemn expression, yet beneath it, anticipation gleamed uncontrollably.
Ripples spread across the sky, as if the vast blue canopy enveloping the earth had become a stage curtain being deliberately shaken.
Simultaneously, an unparalleled presence surged from beyond the undulating heavens. Regardless of their individual strength, everyone present felt an overwhelming pressure stiffening their bodies.
Below, countless machines, densely packed within the city limits, screeched as they converged, climbing over each other, merging rapidly into a colossal figure.
It formed a monstrous entity: its upper half possessed a head and arms, while its lower half continuously integrated more machinery into an irregular shape. Quickly rising above the Sky Base, it resembled a giant towering between heaven and earth, roaring defiantly as it stretched ever higher towards the turbulent skies.
"Roar—"
The deafening sound traveled for miles, stirring up fierce gales.
Its energy was undeniably Herrscher-level, but its sheer size was awe-inspiring. The increasingly intricate and standardized body structure also suggested that this Herrscher of Corruption might possess considerable knowledge, making its power absolutely not to be underestimated.
This final counterattack surpassed everyone's initial estimations, perhaps requiring multiple Herrschers to fully resolve.
At that moment, the continuously growing monstrous figure stretched out its arms towards the sky, countless machine guns and cannons deploying as if facing some dreadful threat.
In the following second, a black ship's prow emerged from the fluctuating sky.
Then, the massive gray-black warship burst forth from the heavens, boldly crashing down onto the equally colossal monster.
"Rrrraaaah!"
"BOOM!!"
Roars and the thunderous impact echoed. After a brief standoff between the two titans, the enormous warship forcefully descended, crushing the giant's arm. Next came the head and torso, finally grinding against countless shattered mechanical debris before slamming heavily onto the ground.
The earth ruptured and deformed, sending rubble soaring high into the air. Waves of wind spread far and wide, akin to the arrival of a natural disaster.
Amidst the ear-splitting cacophony, Hera took a sip of her tea, then lifted the corners of her lips. Her smile gradually widened, reaching an almost exaggerated arc.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are about to witness history!" Hera laughed exuberantly, her excited voice overpowering even the rumbling sounds from the colossal ship still echoing on the ground.
"Hahaha!"
She laughed for the fulfillment of her dreams, for the return of her dear friends, and for the advent of an unknown new era—a laughter filled with unbridled joy.