The command room connected to a corridor. In the faint light at the end, a mature woman stood silently, clad only in a pair of black lace thigh-high stockings.
Beside her were dozens of automated robotic arms. Following a program, the robotic arms picked up pieces of armor and continuously fitted them onto the woman's body. This type of exquisitely crafted Valkyrie armor did not permit any clothing that could potentially interfere with its normal operation.
A robotic arm extended from between the woman's legs, holding a piece of armor. With a slight tremble from the woman, it was installed over her private area.
The robotic arms worked with incredible speed. In less than a minute, the assembly of the entire Valkyrie armor was nearly complete. The deep red and pitch-black armor reflected a metallic sheen in the dim light…
"Haa~" The woman let out a soft breath and looked up. The center of the semi-transparent tactical visor she wore lit up.
This was the Nexus battlesuit, Integration Core: Crimson, a new type of Valkyrie armor.
...........
Meanwhile, at the other end of the warship, in the Schicksal Far East Branch's council chamber…
The council members aboard the warship were still engaged in heated discussion… Even they could feel the terror brought by the Honkai from the recent Herrscher.
"The 5th squad is currently engaging the Herrscher. The combat power of a single A-Rank Valkyrie like Murata Himeko is not enough to defeat a Herrscher."
"We must contact HQ immediately and dispatch an S-Rank Valkyrie!"
"It will take at least 45 minutes for reinforcements from HQ to reach Nagazora City. We must stall the Herrscher's movements during this time!"
"Lady Theresa! Please order the immediate deployment of all Far East Branch forces!" a council member proposed to the small figure seated at the head of the table.
"Now is not the time," said Principal Theresa, whose appearance was that of a young girl in a nun's habit. She flatly rejected the proposal. As the supreme commander of this warship, she could veto any decision, also because she had the backing of that person…
"Acting recklessly without intelligence on the Herrscher will only lead to more losses. We must trust Major Himeko. The Hyperion is crewed by the elite of the Far East Branch," Principal Theresa said, her delicate, doll-like face filled with seriousness. "Besides, the Hyperion has a hidden trump card."
Principal Theresa's words once again threw the silent meeting room into an uproar…
"Could it be that exoskeleton system still in development, the one that can instantly boost a Valkyrie's combat power?"
"Ah, with that system, it might be possible to fight a Herrscher!"
"Is that thing already ready for combat?"
As council members, they knew bits and pieces about the new armor being developed, which was why they were discussing it so fervently.
"…" Principal Theresa, having pulled up the hood of her nun's habit, lowered her gaze, a hint of worry hidden deep within her湛blue eyes. She said nothing.
"It's all up to you now…" After a long while, she finally whispered in a voice so faint only she could hear.
.........
At that moment, Murata Himeko stood on the deck of the Hyperion. Not far across from her was the floating Third Herrscher, 'Raiden Mei'.
Murata Himeko was clad in the Nexus battlesuit Integration Core: Crimson. A long cable extended from her back, connected to the Hyperion's power core, continuously replenishing the armor's power.
In her hands was the most powerful greatsword ever created by Schicksal, the 'Sunfire Greatsword'. The body of the sword radiated light and heat like a sun. This was a god-slaying weapon forged by the humans of this world. Normally, she didn't even have the right to touch it; only in a situation like this, being forced into a corner, could she use it.
"To dare raise a sword against me, you insolent insect!" Himeko's image, holding the greatsword, undoubtedly enraged the Mei whose consciousness was currently occupied by the Honkai. In her perception, it was like a monkey holding a tree branch trying to kill a strong, well-built man.
"Turn to ash before me!" A sphere of crackling lightning coalesced in the Herrscher's hand. She raised her eyebrows, her pair of beast-like slit pupils burning brightly.
The next moment, an incomparably brilliant electromagnetic light burst forth. The sphere of lightning transformed into a super railgun and shot toward the small figure of Murata Himeko standing on the warship.
"Sorry, but I'm not kicking the bucket until I find a good man!" Himeko said, gripping the greatsword with both hands and raising it high. "Nexus System, activate!"
The Valkyrie armor she wore lit up. The entire Hyperion's power core was now revolving around her alone. A majestic surge of energy instantly enveloped Murata Himeko and the greatsword in her hands.
"Hah!" Like a Valkyrie from ancient mythology, Murata Himeko swung the greatsword in her hands fiercely at the super railgun beam shooting toward her.
The cylindrical super railgun was sliced apart by a single greatsword…
A powerful light exploded in the skies above Nagazora City…
.........…
At this time, in the Schicksal headquarters, in the 'Chamber of Boxes'…
The Chamber of Boxes was a secure location where the eight de facto leaders of Schicksal held their conversations.
"The Third Honkai War has erupted in the Far East, just as the prophecy foretold. We have taken another step on the path to judgment."
"What is the situation in the Far East now?" 02 asked.
"Forces from the Far East Branch have made contact with the Herrscher, but communications are currently down due to interference. The cause of the interference is likely an ability the Herrscher possesses, something akin to a strong magnetic field," 03 reported.
"The Honkai has been erupting for so long, and yet there's still no intelligence on the Herrscher. The forces of the Far East Branch are truly outstanding," 04 said sarcastically.
"And the Far East Branch isn't even equipped with an S-Rank Valkyrie. Such combat strength is too weak to face a Herrscher," 04 continued.
"The forces of the Far East Branch are equipped with the most advanced warships and weapons. They are far more outstanding than the African Branch, which can't even build a Yamato-class battleship," 03 retorted.
"Silence!" 01 interjected, stopping the others. "The commander of the Far East Branch, Miss Theresa, is an outstanding individual personally appointed by the Archbishop, Lord Otto. We should have faith in her abilities."
"Indeed! Miss Theresa is a warrior who survived the Second Honkai War," 03 couldn't help but praise. "She must have made full preparations for battling the Herrscher. I believe that this time, the 'Tragedy of Pripyat' will absolutely not be repeated."
03's words silenced the others. The 'Tragedy of Pripyat' occurred because the commander had failed to prepare for battle against a Herrscher, resulting in the Herrscher-induced Honkai eruption devouring an entire city, turning a prosperous city of tens of thousands into a ghost town… It was a major failure for Schicksal…
"Gentlemen!" said the box in the very center of the room, which had no number but instead bore the symbol of the Apocalypse family Stigmata.
"Herrschers are messengers who, guided by the will of the Honkai, bring destruction to the world. They are born from the Honkai and descend in human form, mocking humanity's millennia of evolution. In their eyes, humanity is but a fleeting cloud of dust."
"But if we can find the root of the Honkai from the Herrschers, we can seal the Honkai completely. The overall command for the operation against this Herrscher will be the responsibility of the Far East Branch. All branches are to provide the utmost assistance. We must capture the Third Herrscher."
"Fourteen years of effort have been for this very day. Gentlemen, we exist with Schicksal!"
"We exist with Schicksal!" the other seven echoed, shouting with fervent zeal.
"…" The box with the Apocalypse symbol whispered, in a voice only it could hear, "Don't disappoint me, Theresa."
..............
While the Hyperion was battling the Third Herrscher, in a hidden alley in Nagazora City, nine girls were gathered.
"Captain, we must leave immediately, or Schicksal will find us," 002 said.
"That's right, while Schicksal is too busy to deal with us…" 004 added.
"But… Lady Cocolia gave us an additional mission to find a boy…" the captain said, troubled.
"Captain, that boy was hit by the Herrscher. How could he have survived?!" 005 said.
"That's right, Captain. Even Schicksal has to go all out to fight a creature like a Herrscher…" the silent 003 said.
"Sigh~" The lead girl sighed. She didn't want to put her squadmates in danger either.
"Alright… we leave immediately!" the captain said, looking around at her team.
The nine-person Anti-Entropy squad once again moved stealthily toward their ship.
......…..
The boy buried beneath the rubble and bricks was gradually undergoing some kind of transformation…
On the other side of Nagazora City, a girl with long pink hair raised her small head and looked at a flash of light in the distant sky, silent and expressionless.
The gears of fate had begun to turn.
(End of Chapter)