Chapter 23: The Chase (2)
Wendy's transformed form was overwhelming, her Herrscher of Wind aura looming over us like a storm on the horizon. Despite the danger, we stood our ground, hoping to reach her.
"Finally caught up to you, Wendy!"
I called out, my voice edged with a mix of urgency and concern.
It doesn't matter how long the S-Rank Valkyrie and AE will be here. We need her to stop.
Himeko's voice echoed in our comms, "That's the 4th Herrscher, The Herrscher of Wind."
The ideal fluid, which is manifested in the ability to control the wind
"Why follow me? Do you seek death? I've spared you out of my kindness. You have no idea who you are dealing with," Wendy's voice carried an ominous tone, the Herrscher's power coursing through every word she uttered.
I'm shaking for some reason... Is it fear? This is my first time facing a herrscher.
"Please, Wendy! Come back with us! It's too dangerous here!"
Mei pleaded, her voice earnest and filled with worry. She was trying to reach out to the Wendy they knew, not this Herrscher.
"S-rank Valkyrie? Those with Herrscher-level powers? I want to know if I can take on an S-rank myself."
Wendy's tone sounded almost curious as if she was intrigued by the challenge.
"Wendy, listen to us! This isn't the way,"
Kiana urged, her voice tinged with a mix of determination and sadness. She didn't want to fight, especially not against Wendy.
"I'm not going back. I won't be caged!"
Wendy's declaration carried a hint of defiance, the power of the Gem of Desire clouding her judgment.
"I won't upset Bronya nor fight you. Stop following me," Wendy's voice echoed, filled with an air of resignation and sorrow.
But before we could respond, Wendy took off again, leaving us behind. However, our path was now blocked by a swarm of Honkai beasts that appeared out of nowhere.
"Oh no, not more of them!" Mei exclaimed, her katana at the ready.
"We'll have to clear these out first!" I shouted over the commotion.
Kiana leaped into action, summoning her Houkai energy with a burst of determination. With swift movements, she charged towards the beasts, her agility and speed impressive as she took down several of them with precise kicks and punches.
Mei dashed in next to support Kiana, her katana glinting as she executed fluid slashes, carving through the Honkai beasts with practiced ease.
Bronya activated her Project Bunny, commanding it to launch laser attacks at the incoming beasts, creating a diversion and allowing us to focus on the enemy without being overwhelmed.
The aftermath of the battle left us slightly winded but on edge, anticipating our next move. Theresa swiftly broke the silence, her voice was sharp.
"I just got Durandal's coordinates."
"How in the world did you manage that?"
"Honesty's her game, Shin," Himeko interjected. "Though she's giving away quite a lot."
"Can't help it. We must give some time..." Theresa trailed off, her expression a mix of contemplation and concern.
"But exposing her location to the enemy? Durandal is supposed to be an ally..." Himeko said, her eyebrows furrowing in worry.
"Ally? That nagging little brat is definitely no ally of mine! She gave me a really hard time back then! We'll have to deal with the Anti-Entropy anyway. Durandal can soften them up a bit," Theresa stated, her voice tinged with a hint of resentment.
"Looks like those two had a rough past," I whispered to Mei, catching her attention.
"Indeed. Their history seems to run deep," Mei replied, her eyes reflecting a mix of understanding and curiosity.
"But you're giving Anti-Entropy quite a bit of advantage by telling them where she is," I noted, voicing my concern about the potential risk.
"Oh. But Durandal is uber-powered, you know," Theresa responded with a smirk, seeming confident in her decision.
"Terrific. I love you, Aunt Teri! Muuuuuaha~~~" Kiana chimed in, her playful tone not missing a beat.
"Stop playing coy and find that Wendy. NOW!" Theresa redirected the conversation sharply, back to the pressing matter at hand.
"I was really hoping to meet an S-rank Valkyrie," Kiana admitted, her excitement still palpable.
"I do too," Mei nodded in agreement.
"You should feel lucky, lazybones! She'll PT you to kingdom come if she was your instructor," Theresa warned Kiana with a hint of amusement.
"PT? What's that?" Kiana asked, puzzled by the abbreviation.
"PT stands for physical training. And she's really good at that. If she knew you flunked your theory test, she'll force you to study 26 hours a day. She'll get you through hundreds of practice questions. You can forget about sleeping," Theresa explained, her voice laced with humor.
"Wow, Kiana. At least you won't fail," I teased, earning a playful glare from her.
"Shut up, Shin!" Kiana retorted with a smirk.
"Hey, do either of you know that S-rank Valkyrie?" Kiana asked Theresa, genuinely curious.
"Well... I don't know her very well, but I trained her for a while after she became an A-rank Valkyrie," Theresa admitted.
"A subordinate and her direct superior? Then you two SHOULD be close!" Kiana joked, trying to read between the lines.
"Hmm... really? But things didn't turn out that way..." Theresa trailed off, a tinge of melancholy in her voice.
"The way you said it... I'm sure something weird happened between you two," Mei probed gently.
"Nothing weird happened between us two. I told you that she's serious and believes in hard work, right?" Theresa defended herself, trying to downplay the situation.
"Yeah," Mei confirmed.
"She had the nerve to think that superior officers should be serious and believe in hard work, too. Every time I tried to take a little break, she'd lecture me on and on," Theresa added with a wry smile, recalling the old memories.
"Gosh! I guess I should be thankful that Himeko is a slacker and deadbeat drunk..." Kiana joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Just then, a sudden shift in the atmosphere made me realize that Kiana might have crossed a line. "Hey, Kiana, stop thinking out loud," I whispered with a nervous chuckle.
"Anyway, I found a way to get her off my heels," Theresa declared with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
"A way? What way?" I asked, curiosity piqued.
"That's a secret. But it has to do with the keyword 'Rowland.' Once she opens her trap, I'd say the word 'Rowland' to shut her up."
Just then, Theresa's confident expression shifted to one of distress. "We're in trouble."
"What's wrong?" Mei inquired, concerned.
"Durandal messaged me. She sent Anti-Entropy packing," Theresa revealed, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
"Uwah... That's S-Rank Valkyrie," I muttered, feeling a slight chill down my spine.
"She asked me about the Anti-Entropy ambush since I'm the only one who knew her location," Theresa explained.
"Let's walk away with the lesson that lying is wrong," Mei suggested.
Everyone racked their brains for a solution.
"Hey, Principal. Tell her there's an Anti-Entropy mole in Schicksal," Mei suggested.
"That's a bad idea, Mei-senpai," I interjected.
"We can't do that. It'll create a huge mess within Schicksal," Theresa concurred as she thinks.
Bronya raised her hand, "Anti-Entropy initiated this Honkai incident to lure and ambush an S-rank Valkyrie. She was marked from the start."
"But the flaw is that Anti-Entropy would have sent better troops if that was their aim from the beginning," Theresa pointed out.
Just then Kiana's idea surfaced, "Listen to my brilliant plan! Durandal took the Gold Coast Oceanfront Line to get here. We'll tell her that Anti-Entropy was on holiday and just happened to bump into her..."
Our collective disappointment was palpable.
"That's the dumbest and most idiotic thing I've ever heard of," Himeko bluntly stated throughout comms
Surprisingly, Theresa considered, "Actually, that might work. It has zero logical flaws. Let me give it a shot."
As the tension eased, Theresa revealed, "She bought it! People say she's honest and frank. I think she's just an idiot!"
Kiana's odd optimism resurfaced. "I feel Durandal is a very reasonable person. Perhaps we can be friends. Wait, did you just call someone an idiot?"
"I believe that Kiana and Durandal might be sisters after all," I sighed.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone