บท 96: Volume 2, Chapter 28
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Schicksal's reinforcements swiftly headed towards Coral Island, with the Immortal Blades leading the charge.
Inside their aircraft, Rita quietly briefed Lady Durandal on Xia Chen's situation.
"Lady Durandal, Lord Bishop intends to hand over the captured Herrscher to our allies after retrieval."
Regardless of whether Xia Chen retained his sanity or not, he held little value to Otto anymore. Instead, his priority lay in collaborating with Kevin.
Durandal nodded, "Understood."
Soon, they arrived at Coral Island.
Despite being located near the equator, it was now enveloped in freezing ice.
Instinctively, Durandal gazed towards the city's center, where intense Honkai Energy surged. Even she had to proceed with utmost caution.
However, that was the extent of her concern.
Durandal calmly stated, "Rita, go find our ally. I will handle him."
"Lady Durandal, please be extremely cautious."
"Yes." With a nod, she promptly directed her Moon Soul armor towards Xia Chen's location.
Acknowledging her orders, Rita promptly directed the Lunar Essence Armor towards Xia Chen's location.
She could sense where he was; with such intense Honkai Energy, it was impossible not to detect him.
Navigating through the snow-covered city, she finally spotted her target.
Xia Chen stood within the 1300-meter tall Galactic Ladder, his pure white wings causing Durandal's eyebrows to furrow.
He was no longer human.
Noticing Durandal, Xia Chen said, "The Stairway to Galaxy Project, initiated in 2008, has now concluded completely. This data contains information on Honkai, obtained at the cost of one hundred eighty thousand lives."
Smiling, he added, "Catch this."
With that, Xia Chen tossed the device containing the recorded data to Durandal.
She caught it effortlessly, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions.
"Either you surrender or I take action," she stated.
"Well then, let's have you make the first move." His eyes flashed with a fierce determination for battle. "I too am curious about the gap between me and Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie."
"Hm."
Durandal raised Hellel's Serenity, aiming it directly at him.
Xia Chen struck preemptively, launching numerous projectiles from the Moonscorch Armor towards Durandal.
As armor primarily designed for high-firepower suppression, the effectiveness of Moon Ash was undeniable. However, these scattered projectiles held little threat against Durandal.
Unlike the Glorious Knight in the Memory Battlefield, Durandal did not utilize auxiliary abilities by summoning her spectral shield. Instead, she directly deflected each incoming projectile with her knight lance.
The multiple explosions could neither harm nor push her back. However, once the blasts subsided, Durandal suddenly felt slightly uneasy as the air around her was stripped away.
Xia Chen was manipulating fluids, holding nothing back even against Durandal.
But this tactic didn't weaken her; instead, it unleashed a beast-like power hidden within her body.
"Haah!"
With incredible speed, Lunar Essence broke free from the fluid control and charged towards Xia Chen. His eyes narrowed, immediately prompting him to maneuver away.
Despite using his wind manipulation ability, he still found himself slower than Lunar Essence at full throttle. Xia Chen had no choice but to block Hler's Serenity with the Cloud Spear.
Even with the armor's force-dampening effect, his arm tingled uncontrollably. This sensation was only mitigated due to his significantly enhanced physique; otherwise, if he were still the former member of the Immortal Blades, this impact would likely have shattered his bones.
Durandal showed no hesitation, following up her strike with a swift kick after Xia Chen blocked her initial attack. Although just a simple combat move, combined with her immense strength, it posed a formidable threat.
However...
Xia Chen wouldn't let her kick land. As her feet approached, he swiftly grabbed her ankles.
The immense force caused them both to plummet towards the ground instantly. Yet amidst this descent, Durandal sensed a peculiar change in the surrounding air.
A thin layer of atmosphere formed between them, leaving Xia Chen completely unharmed.
A hint of ferocity flashed in his eyes as he declared, "Now it's my turn."
Refusing to release her ankle, Xia Chen intended to subdue Durandal with close-quarters combat.
Even the Fourth-Gen Valkyrie Armor couldn't entirely shield against pain, causing Durandal's expression to shift slightly as she felt herself being lifted. Instantly, she activated the armor's second form.
The phantom behind her armor materialized, blocking Xia Chen's dangerous strike and allowing her to break free.
Just as she prepared for another attack, she noticed the surrounding air gradually solidifying.
"Authority..." Durandal, though usually straightforward-minded, displayed quick thinking during battles. She immediately realized that Xia Chen's Authority not only affected fluids but also had influence over the environment around him.
Even the Moon Essence began to slow down perceptibly.
Xia Chen retrieved the Cloud Spear once more, taking aim at Durandal.
This time, she could not evade.
A surge of Honkai Energy erupted momentarily before abruptly subsiding.
Xia Chen's eyes slightly narrowed.
"Is it over already?"
Before the dust from the explosion could settle, he spotted a swift lance, like a shooting star, aimed directly at his chest.
"Not by a long shot!"
Blood trickled down Durandal's exposed cheek, adding an indescribable ferocity to her appearance. Like a lioness spurred on by bloodlust, she charged forward and launched another flying kick towards Xia Chen.
Caught off guard, he felt the impact squarely against his chest, sensing some ribs crack beneath the force—only mitigated due to Moon Ash absorbing most of the blow.
Without giving him time to recover, Durandal pinned him under her with bare hands, forcing him to retaliate vigorously. The two engaged in a tangled struggle, grappling fiercely.
Xia Chen had to admit, Durandal's punches were incredibly powerful. Even the Moonscorch Armor sustained multiple breaks, becoming increasingly heavier.
He attempted to wield his Authority but found himself constantly too slow.
Durandal's speed was relentless, leaving no opportunity for him to act.
Despite this, Xia Chen's determination to resist remained unshaken, matched only by the strength of his own punches.
Soon, both combatants bore numerous bruises and injuries.
However, Durandal switched from Moon Essence to Starcraft Armor, creating distance between them.
While Moon Essence served as a reliable weapon for Durandal, Starcraft Armor represented her inner cosmos—a world's power that exerted immense pressure on Xia Chen.
"Even I feel awestruck by this power," Durandal observed Xia Chen, admiration evident in her eyes.
"So, you will fall under its might, leaving no room for complaint."
"We'll see who falls first."
Xia Chen began manipulating the fluid around him.
A blizzard erupted!
Had Durandal been wearing Moon Essence, she would have likely frozen from such extreme cold. However, the Starcraft Armor is not merely protective gear; it embodies the support of an entire world.
Drawing upon the laws of a small universe, even if only manifested as flames within this intrinsic world, they represent the boundless inferno.
"The stars, converge here!"
Shimmering flames sliced through the blizzard, hurtling towards Xia Chen.
His expression tensed slightly, realizing there was no time to dodge. Nevertheless, he still possessed the ability to disperse the force using his control over fluids.
As the meteor-like impact approached, its strength diminished significantly before reaching him.
Durandal found this quite unexpected.
But surprise was all it elicited.
At that moment, her focus was entirely on strategizing combat rather than individual attacks. If one strike failed, she simply prepared for another.
Xia Chen noticed that Durandal's weapon had transformed into Abyss Flower at some point.
Schicksal's quantum transmission was indeed quite efficient.
In response, Xia Chen fired his Cloud Spear. The sniper rifle charged Honkai Energy slowly, allowing Durandal ample opportunity for multiple attacks. However, with his dense cold aura, the temperature dropped significantly as she approached, combined with fluid control, any force could be dispersed effortlessly.
One cannot target a mere gust of wind - this perfectly described Durandal's predicament.
Just as Xia Chen aimed at Durandal, he felt a sudden impact.
His connection to the Herrscher Authority was disrupted.
"My apologies."
Raiden Mei's voice echoed unexpectedly, "I'm here now."
In her hand, she held the Staff of the Underworld.
Clearly, Raiden Mei had found Owl.
The moment Virtual Being interference occurred, Xia Chen's frigid defenses shattered, momentarily disrupting even his link to the stigma space.
Being a unique realm within the Virtual Being domain, it too succumbed to disruption by the device known as the 'Virtual Interference Instrument.'
A breach appeared in his carefully constructed line of defense.
Durandal seized this opportunity.
Finally, his consciousness began to fade.
[You have been retrieved by Durandal.]
[You have been sent to the World Serpent by Valkyries of Schicksal.]
With Xia Chen's Herrscher transformation reversed, the successful recovery of the Herrscher was reported back to Schicksal Headquarters.
At that moment, Wendy was attending to Ana.
Upon hearing this news, her face involuntarily paled slightly.
It was she who had called for the Immortal Blades. As a Valkyrie, opposing the Herrschers is their stance, and there's no disputing that fact.
However, she hadn't anticipated that Xia Chen wouldn't be brought back to the Immortal Blades. She assumed he would receive similar treatment as her past self, feared and restricted.
Instead, he was sent away.
Gradually regaining consciousness amidst the bustling activity at Schicksal Headquarters, Ana overheard the Valkyries discussing Xia Chen.
Fear permeated their voices; Schicksal publicly declared Xia Chen as a Herrscher long hidden within their headquarters. Naturally, this claim lacked any logical basis.
Yet, the Valkyries believed it unconditionally.
Only with such a narrative could the blame for Coral Island's collapse not fall on Ana.
This convenience was afforded to her due to House Schariac's influential power and unique bloodline.
"He still has his uses," were Otto's exact words.
However, this privilege deeply humiliated Ana, not just for herself but also for Schicksal itself.
Not only did it humiliate Ana personally, but also Schicksal as a whole.
"Since when do I need others to bear my sins?" She found it both absurd and tragic.
[Ana Schariac admits to being the Herrscher of Ice and subsequently commits suicide.]
[Wendy attempted to contact Anti-Entropy for your rescue, detected by Rita. Her freedom is now restricted.]
*[The Schicksal World experience has concluded. You can permanently retain the following items and extract them to the real world. Congratulations! You have obtained Homunculus Energy Fragments 20. Extract now?]
[Stigmata Ana Schariac unlocked the stigma space, granting you unrestricted access.]
Xia Chen gradually woke up from his bed.
Then, he noticed a girl tightly embracing him.
"Fool..." she whispered softly.
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