This battle allows only victory, no defeat! (cont.)

The already powerful Schicksal, with the help of intelligence provided by Raven, a traitor to the World Serpent, routed the World Serpent.

In the current World Serpent, a large part of its underlying foundation has been destroyed, and its base has been dismantled by Schicksal.

The World Serpent, already crippled, will likely be exposed and attacked by Otto's intelligence agencies if they don't quickly welcome back their Venerable Lord, Kevin.

The current administrator, Gray Serpent, looked at this intelligence and had only one thought in his mind.

I'm so worried.

I'm so damn worried.

Damn Raven, you're a damn traitor.

"Ha... haha... hahahahahahahahaha!!!!"

At this moment, the Jackal inside the base, looking at what was in front of him, suddenly burst into laughter that the Gray Serpent could not ignore.

"It's done!"

"I finally succeeded!"

Oh no, it's over.

Did I put too much pressure on Jackal? Has she finally been driven crazy by me?

The administrator, Gray Serpent, no longer wanted to ask anything more of the Jackal was still working diligently at the main base.

In the month or so since the Raven's betrayal, the administrator Gray Serpent has come to understand what it means to see the true nature of a person over time.

In the past, Gray Serpent always felt that although Jackal had outstanding talent as a scientific researcher, her overly arrogant nature was really unlikable.

But now, in this turbulent World Serpent, the Gray Serpent must admit...

Is being a little arrogant a big problem?

Everyone has flaws. As an important cadre of the World Serpent, he cannot only see the shortcomings of his comrades but also their strengths.

Looking at the woman laughing hysterically, Gray Serpent actually felt a tiny bit of heartache.

Sigh, Cleo, you've already tried your best.

If you really go crazy... I'll find a way to cure you.

"Gray Serpent, I finally—successfully!"

The Jackal, who had become too lazy to wear a mask, was naturally unaware of the Gray Serpent's inner thoughts.

She picked up the prop she had painstakingly created and spoke to the Gray Serpent with great excitement.

"Just now, I finally managed to reproduce this thing!"

"This thing?"

Gray Serpent picked up the small box handed to him by the Jackal, glanced at it briefly, and then suddenly exclaimed in utter shock.

"Imaginary Interferometer?"

"Please call it the Staff of the Underworld."

After correcting Gray Serpent's terminology, Jackal, hands on his hips, confidently addressed Gray Serpent.

"An introduction is unnecessary. In short—I can guarantee that it will work perfectly."

"... Is this really true?"

Seeing the undisguised confidence on the Jackal's face, Gray Serpent instantly got the answer.

After carefully placing the box in a cabinet, Gray Serpent suddenly felt a slight urge to cry.

Even though it was a cyborg that shouldn't have these kinds of feelings, at this moment, Gray Serpent really felt—damn it, I've finally made it through!

"Jackal! You did a good job! You did a good job!"

After the administrator, Gray Serpent, suddenly grabbed his arms with great excitement, the Jackal did not feel any discomfort.

After all—that's what she thought too.

During this time, as a high-ranking member of World Serpent, Ms. Cleo Hypatia, the Jackal, was certainly aware that the organization was going through a difficult period.

However, after so many things happened, Jackal was also very clear that he would be lucky if his actions in some matters didn't actually make things worse for Gray Serpent.

Instead of meddling in things she shouldn't be involved in, she should look through the organization's research data and see if she could increase the chances of saving Venerable Lord Kevin.

Then, she finally found something in those documents— Imaginary Interferometer.

Okay, now this thing is called the Staff of the Underworld, and it will also be the Staff of the Underworld when the Venerable Lord arrives!

The Staff of Huang Kuiquan, a legacy of Previous Civilization, is a scientific marvel that even the Schicksal cannot replicate.

Once activated, this black and gold box, which is about ten centimeters long, can use a special electromagnetic field to interfere with the connection between the Herrscher Core and the Imaginary Space. It Honkai Energy in the Herrscher's body to become disordered, thereby rendering the Herrscher unable to fight.

Normally, given Jackal's abilities, it would be impossible for her to have created this thing in just a few days.

But now, Jackal knows that the organization is in dire straits. Under this pressure, she is not defeated, but withstands it and revives the Staff of the Underworld.

Now that the two were fully aware of the Staff of the Underworld's capabilities, they saw that the success rate of their battle plan had increased even further.

However, the administrator, Gray Serpent, quickly calmed down and discovered an awkward problem.

"I said, Cleo..."

"... Gray Serpent, just say what you have to say."

The Jackal, who was called by his name by the Gray Serpent, felt a chill run down his spine and took two steps back, looking at the Gray Serpent with great unease.

"Don't call me by my name, your 'gentleness' is making me a little scared."

"Alright, Jackal."

At this moment, Gray Serpent took the Staff of the Underworld from the small cabinet, placed it on the table in front of the two of them, and said to the Jackal with great helplessness.

"Your ability to create the Staff of the Underworld has indeed greatly increased our chances of successfully rescuing the Venerable Lord."

"After all, if we are to make our way to the Abyssal Eye, Welt Yang is an enemy we will inevitably have to face."

"As long as the Herrscher of the Staff of the Underworld can be activated, Welt Yang, who is already almost crippled, will definitely become a useless person who cannot use his power because the Herrscher Core is interfered with by the Staff of the Underworld."

"Even Siegfried's Flame-Chaser's Judgment be unable to function properly for a short period of time due to interference with its core."

Listening to Gray Serpent's description, Jackal didn't interrupt, but waited quietly for Gray Serpent to continue.

"But--"

So, is there a problem?

At this moment, the Gray Serpent tapped the light screen in the void a few times, brought up the information on the Staff of the Underworld, and said helplessly.

"The Staff of the Underworld not only only allows the effect to last for a very short time after it is triggered, but that's not the main point."

"The key point is that this thing needs to be set up ten minutes in advance to unleash its full potential."

Recalling the enemies the World Serpent had to face, the Administrator Gray Serpent said to the Jackal with a helpless expression.

"Unfortunately, I don't think we have enough troops to buy us ten more minutes."

"So..."

"So, you're saying this thing is useless, right?"

Upon hearing Gray Serpent's words, Jackal seemed to have all his strength drained away, collapsing onto the sofa in the base and closing his eyes helplessly.

"I was too happy too soon."

Wow, you were so arrogant two months ago, and now you're so easily emotional...

It seems that the organization's decline has also dealt a heavy blow to the Jackal.

And what I'm about to say—never mind all that!

"Jackal, don't be discouraged yet. I think we can make a few minor improvements to this thing."

Faced with the disheartened Jackal, the Gray Serpent gently coaxed the Jackal in a soft tone.

"For example—we can reduce its stability and then increase its explosiveness."

"Are you saying—you're crazy?"

Jackal, a scientific research expert, instantly understood Gray Serpent's idea.

"Gray Serpent, you think too highly of me."

Ah, if it were the Jackal of the past, he certainly wouldn't have said such a thing.

At this moment, the Jackal looked at the Gray Serpent and said with utter despair.

"All I can do is 'reproduce' it. This instrument is extremely precise. If you move any part of it even slightly, it could cause the entire instrument to malfunction."

"The materials we've collected during this period are only enough to make eight Staff of the Underworld. If we mess things up and damage the Staff of the Underworld, we absolutely cannot afford the loss."

"Ha, how come that confident Jackal of the past has become so hesitant and timid now?"

At this moment, Gray Serpent looked at the exhausted and bitter-faced Jackal, sat down next to the Jackal, and said very kindly.

"Go for it. If you fail, it's not your problem, it's my problem as the decision-maker."

"Our World Serpent has reached a point where it will be completely wiped out if it doesn't fight to the death. It's come to this..."

"If we don't even have the guts to gamble on the equipment, how can we possibly save the world!"

Gray Serpent is clearly not that kind of character.

Jackal isn't exactly a hot-blooded person.

But at this moment, after hearing Gray Serpent speak those words in that unpleasant, mechanical voice, Jackal actually felt...

—Damn, it's on fire!

"Gray Serpent, you're right!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Jackal grabbed the Staff of the Underworld and walked into the laboratory to begin a new round of scientific research.

Sigh, I hope the Jackal succeeds this time.

If we change the Staff of the Underworld into the Underworld Bomb, our chances of saving the Venerable Lord will be even greater.

Once the Venerable Lord returns to this world, the remaining problems will no longer be problems.

Whether it's Schicksal or Anti-Entropy, they are all insignificant in the face of the Venerable Lord's great power!

Now, everything our organization has staked on this battle in Haiyuan City.

This battle...

—Victory is the only option; defeat is not an option.

That night, at Himeko's house

After a day of training, Kiana returned to her room after showering. She took out the swimsuit Bronya had chosen for her and felt a surge of emotion...

Well, surprisingly, it was quite calm.

Looking back on what has happened during this time, Kiana truly feels that it was wonderful to meet everyone again.

It wasn't that she disliked the days she spent with her stinky old man Siegfried, but Siegfried had been missing for several years.

Kiana's life has been far from easy these past few years because of her father's sudden departure.

This year, she met a companion who was incredibly important to her and also met someone she liked.

Two joyful things overlapped, and these two joys brought me even more happiness. What I received should have been a dreamlike, blissful time, but...

Mei, I'm sorry.

You are undoubtedly my best friend.

But there's one thing I can't give to you, senior!

Bronya only taught me the basics, but that was enough.

Using this swimsuit, following the tactics Bronya prepared for me...

Everything was ready, but why...?

—Why am I still so flustered? (╯‵□′)╯┻━┻

This panic was different from the panic Kiana had shown when she was doing her homework.