"Su, why did you agree to that child's proposal? And why are you dragging me into it? This isn't like you at all."
In the World Bubble, Kevin observed his friend sitting pensively beneath a cherry blossom tree, his confusion evident.
"...Don't you understand, Kevin? With that child's help, the Honkai is no longer an insurmountable threat. But her essence remains that of a deity. One day, she will choose to leave this universe... She can't stay here forever to babysit this civilization."
The silver-haired youth shook his head, continuing to explain to his friend:
"A civilization forever trapped in its infancy has no future. The dark universe holds far more enemies than just the Honkai."
"Do you remember what MEI said, Kevin?"
"What?" The white-haired youth paused, momentarily taken aback.
"...Every star in the sky could harbor potential enemies of humanity."
"With her help, we can overcome the trials of the Honkai, but if our civilization stagnates, it will inevitably perish under other calamities sooner or later."
"Besides, Kevin, that's just getting us over the hurdle... The trials imposed by the Honkai Will are absolute. The Peer can lower the difficulty, but there's no skipping the lesson altogether..."
"I see... I understand now."
Kevin nodded, watching the girl in the distance, gleefully sparring with his Armed Puppet.
-
After slicing through the last Titan Mecha driven mad by runaway Honkai energy, Houraiji Kyuusyou stood on the deck of the Moonlight Throne. The entire warship had been evacuated and was now heading towards St. Freya Academy.
Inside the Moonlight Throne, the trio had restored order after Bronya's final, chaotic rampage.
"...The gears of fate will truly begin to turn... He will crush you... and crush her too... You cannot escape, you cannot be spared—"
Watching the trio turn the combat channel into a chatroom, the girl murmured to herself on the deck as a black raven landed on Kyuusyou's left shoulder.
"My lady?" Huginn asked.
"The plan can begin, Huginn—but exercise restraint. We must mature her mind, not awaken the Second Herrscher..."
The purple-haired girl issued her orders and warnings to the raven perched on her shoulder.
"Understood, my lady—the St. Freya Academy Valkyrie Exam is just a few days away," Huginn reminded Kyuusyou, recalling something.
"Let's act then. Both the Second Herrscher and Little Sirin's consciousnesses should awaken around that time..."
"Your will be done, my lady—oh, we've arrived."
Huginn dipped its black beak in a nod toward Kyuusyou before taking flight from her shoulder once more, soaring down toward the Valkyrie Dormitory at St. Freya Academy.
"Time to head back..." The girl watched the raven vanish into her dormitory, then turned and headed for the elevator on the upper deck.
"Hmm, Himeko?" A communication request popped up on her terminal.
"What's up, Major Himeko?" Kyuusyou asked, looking at the communication projection.
"Ahem... It's like this. You know the academy's annual Valkyrie Assessment is coming up soon, right? Headmaster Theresa, concerned about her beloved niece failing and being demoted to a D-rank Administrative Valkyrie, has tasked me with tutoring her..."
"Uh... So, you get what I mean, Kyuusyou?" The older woman on the screen averted her gaze and whistled innocently.
"Yeah, I understand. Do you mind if I bring Fu Hua along?" Kyuusyou shook her head helplessly at Himeko on the screen.
"No problem! I'll talk to Fu Hua too. Truth be told, Kiana's definitely more than you can handle alone—so it's settled then!"
The communication abruptly ended.
"It's not that I can't keep her in line... it's just that she'd definitely end up in the hospital afterward. With Fu Hua there, she'll probably just end up with a few extra bruises."
Kyuusyou shook her head and continued toward the lower deck. The Moonlight Throne had already docked at St. Freya's spaceport, where throngs of researchers waited with their equipment, eager to begin their work.
-
St. Freya Academy had once again entered its annual Valkyrie Exam review period. On the path leading to the training grounds—
Kyuusyou, clad in her black combat uniform, and Fu Hua, in her blue training attire, each gripped one end of a white Cat-worm swaddled in a blanket, dragging it toward the simulation practice room.
"Ugh—Kiana, don't sleep in class! Why won't you ever open your eyes?"
"Right? Exactly! Kiana, what are you doing in class anyway? I... I find it utterly baffling!"
"With that kind of attitude, I thought you wouldn't even write a single word during lectures! That's not how you study! We never studied like that back in our day!"
"We can't even bear to watch you anymore! How can you sleep at your age? How can you even fall asleep at this stage? Have some ambition!"
As they dragged the White-haired Clump, curled up in its blanket and refusing to engage, the pair continued their incessant nagging as they hauled her into the training room.
"Aaaaahhh! I can't hear you! I can't hear you! It's just the old hag droning on and on!" Kiana screamed, her head splitting from the relentless scolding.
...The air suddenly fell silent.
"Uh, Class Monitor... Kyuusyou... I suddenly remembered I have some urgent matters to attend to... I won't be joining you after all..."
The white "Cat-worm" wriggled and stretched across the floor, twisting and hopping toward the training room door.
"Kyuusyou?" Fu Hua murmured, her eyes fixed on the wriggling creature as she called out her companion's name.
"Hey, Medical Department? It's us again. Yeah, still reserving a bed. Symptoms? Same old story—multiple fractures and bruises all over. Ah, that Kaslana family gorilla? Don't worry, it's unkillable."
Kyuusyou dialed the Medical Department's number with practiced ease, reserving a spot once more.
The White-haired Clump, wriggling frantically toward the door with its back to them, broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing Kyuusyou's voice.
"Originally, today's plan was to tutor you, Kiana, on the attribute weaknesses between Valkyrie Battlesuits and Honkai constructs... But now..."
"Then... what are we learning now...?" Kiana asked, her voice trembling as she glanced back at the pair of devilish figures stretching their limbs, ready to pounce.
"Now, you'll learn that Mech counters Bio, Bio counters Psy, and Psy counter Mech—but we counter everything."
"Bullshit! You can't counter everything, you assholes!"
With joints cracking like fireworks, the two mercilessly dragged the white Cat-worm, which had almost reached the door, back into the room.
"Mei, save me—!"
-
"Have you grasped it yet?" Fu Hua asked, her gaze fixed on the snarling white-haired clump before her.
Kiana shook her head vigorously, as if in a fit of pique.
"I see. Then it seems you still need some guidance," Fu Hua said, resuming her fighting stance.
"E-eh-eh! I've got it now, Class Monitor! I've finally understood!"
Sensing the shift in tone, Kiana hastily changed her tune, but it seemed to be of no use.
"Understood? Then let's spar a few rounds to see how much you've truly grasped."