"So... because your sister thought Big Sister Mei was about to strangle you... she just smashed both of you off the roof..."
Bronya, arriving a step late, held Seele in her arms and looked at Kiana, whose face was practically screaming please stop fighting, and confirmed the situation.
Outside the shield Bronya had erected with Honkai energy, thunder and lightning crashed incessantly as the Third Herrscher and Durandal had already exchanged several rounds of fierce combat.
"Sister Bianca, Mei, please stop fighting!"
After giving Bronya a hasty nod of acknowledgment, Kiana continued to shout anxiously at the two who were throwing heavy punches at each other. Both sides were important to her, and she wanted to help either side, but at the same time, it seemed she couldn't help either.
"Don't mind me, Kiana! Today, I'll make this golden lightbulb exit our world for two!"
Raiden Mei turned and tossed a sentence to Kiana before resuming her mutual assault with Durandal.
"Sister, listen to me, just get a different girlfriend! You won't be able to handle a fierce woman like this in the future!"
"Who are you calling a fierce woman!?"
Raiden Mei was enraged!
"Whoever gets angry first is the one! You're angry, aren't you?!"
-
At this moment, Kiana began to pray to a certain Mr. Otto, the Overseer of Schicksal, who was far away in another part of the city.
Mr. Otto Apocalypse, the Number One Pure Love Warrior of all Schicksal, the most punchable, most beatable, and most sinful person whose evil deeds were simply too numerous to count, as a fellow Pure Love Warrior, please separate these two immediately!
-
"Achoo! Hmm... Is my lovely daughter thinking of me?"
In the Schicksal Encampment, Otto shook his head and rubbed his nose, glancing at the Valkyries milling about outside the tent. He pulled up a name that seemed vaguely familiar.
"Alvitr?! A-rank Valkyrie Alvitr?"
The man called out casually from the tent, and he was immediately answered by a certain reliable tool.
A grey-haired, red-eyed Valkyrie in the Immortal Blades uniform appeared before the Overseer's tent with a sudden dash.
"Lord Overseer, do you have orders for me?"
With a sharp, habitual salute, Alvitr asked her question.
"Give me a brief report on the current plan. Just the key points."
"Yes, Lord Overseer. Our technicians and engineers have confirmed that the Second Divine Key has been installed and calibrated. It will be ready for use once the final verification is complete."
"The Immortal Blades Squad Valkyries have cleared all Honkai Beasts and Zombies from the vicinity of the encampment and the test site. A few dangerous buildings were demolished by the engineering team."
"Per your orders and requirements, Lord Overseer, we have minimized all potential risks."
"You've done well... Alvitr. Now, what is Durandal's current status?"
Otto asked the question that concerned him most. Ever since the confrontation with World Serpent in North Africa not long ago, the way Durandal looked at him had become increasingly strange.
It was the gaze of a thinker contemplating whether to beat him up, tinged with a hint of conflict and confusion. When Otto first saw that expression on Durandal's face, he knew that if nothing unexpected happened, something unexpected had happened...
His most valued Valkyrie student had probably recovered the memories she had once forgotten... But why hadn't she actually punched him out of the Overseer's Office? Perhaps the only explanation was the result of over a decade of his tutelage?
Oh well, in the end, that child will also stand against me because of my plan. The man shook his head, pulling his wandering thoughts back to reality.
"Yes, Lord Overseer... The Captain, according to the report just received from the Intelligence Department... Uh, she and the Third Herrscher just clashed on the roof of the Academic Building at the former Senba Academy, and the two parties seem to have engaged in combat..."
"Lord Overseer, please issue instructions. Do we need to go support Lady Durandal? Currently, our monitoring equipment deployed near Senba Academy has been interfered with due to the Third Herrscher's abilities, so we cannot perform timely surveillance, and if the opponent is a Herrscher..."
"Alvitr, you must have enough confidence in your Captain. And besides, we still have some uninvited helpers."
Otto looked toward the direction of the Second Divine Key's testing site with a triumphant expression...
"Notify the Technical Department to begin the testing plan for the Second Divine Key!"
"Uh, yes, Lord Overseer!"
"Overseer, are we really not going to check on Lady Durandal and the others? The commotion over there seems to be getting bigger and bigger... And shouldn't a Valkyrie like Captain Durandal be presiding over the test?"
Alvitr, who was about to go out and announce the notice, turned back at the door and cautiously confirmed the order with the man once more.
"The Third Herrscher and Durandal have no fundamental conflict of interest. Furthermore, according to the previously available data and information exchanged with World Serpent, she, like K-423, is a being capable of controlling Herrscher Authority through human will."
"Given Durandal's usual personality, a small misunderstanding has probably arisen. At this moment, we only need to create an event greater than their minor conflict to divert their attention."
"Moreover, we might even be able to obtain the extra help of another Herrscher, assistance that might not even require payment."
Otto Apocalypse, who had always been an expert at taking advantage of Herrschers for free, waved his hand dismissively, seemingly confident that the Third Herrscher would become an asset to this testing plan.
"Eh, is that so? The Overseer's foresight is truly remarkable!"
"...Then why aren't you going already?"
Otto's eyebrows twitched as he was unexpectedly fed a compliment by his subordinate...
"Yes!"
Alvitr habitually saluted and quickly left the tent where the man sat presiding.
-
"Kallen, we will meet again soon... Do not rush, Otto Apocalypse, you should not be in a hurry. Just as you have planned, yes, just as you have planned."
Looking at the gate leading to the Imaginary Tree that had opened in the sky as desired, the blonde man stood alone outside the tent, talking to himself in a sort of self-hypnosis, seemingly trying to soothe an irrepressible excitement deep within his heart.
And below the hollow void in the sky, in an unnoticed corner, a blonde girl led a white-haired woman, who should not have appeared in this era, and they vanished into the shadows...