If It's You, That's Fine Too / The Story Will Be a Little Long

"But what else can we do for team building besides instant noodles? Everyone has different preferences, but instant noodles are something everyone can eat, right?"

Kevin finally couldn't help but speak up in his defense.

"It's obvious that only you like it." ×3

Vill-V, Fu Hua, and [Fu Hua] all complained at the same time, then covered their faces, sighed, and had nothing more to say.

The only one he could see now was Fu Hua, a true former comrade.

But we absolutely cannot say that Mobius and Vill-V are not.

Those who came from the Land of the Past are no different from the real people, except that they did not have the experiences before and after the Finality War.

It's as if the two of them from 50,000 years ago have skipped over this long period of time and reappeared beside us. We absolutely cannot say that they are not Flame-Chasers.

Kevin knew this wasn't a team-building event for the Thirteen Flame-Chasers, nor was it from 50,000 years ago.

However, seeing the familiar reactions of her companions, she couldn't help but feel a pang of tenderness in her heart.

That's how they were back then. Even though they would complain about instant noodles every time they saw them during team building activities, they would still end up munching on them noisily in the end... So, instant noodles should definitely be served; barbecue and the like don't have the soul of team building.

"The barbecue is here, why aren't you eating?"

"Weren't we waiting for Xiao Anqi to come over so we could eat together?"

"Yeah, yeah, speaking of which, Anqi, how come you suddenly grew taller? What, you had Fusion Warrior and Chimera Gene surgery? That damned Mobius, what have you done to his disciple!?"

"She asked for it herself, although I did enjoy it a lot..."

It's hard to say whether Vill-V and Mobius had high emotional intelligence, but their IQ was definitely at its peak.

Therefore, it's a game-changer for Fu Hua.

He quickly made her laugh out loud—then provided Mobius with a lot of material, and even gave one of his Divine Key weapons to Vill-V.

"We're old friends, don't be so polite with me, hahaha!"

"Interesting! You're definitely more interesting than those guinea pigs!"

"Indeed, Hua wasn't as cheerful as before; he was always like a silent gourd. Even when watching [the Magician's ] performance, he was a beat slower than everyone else when clapping. Looking at it this way, the current Hua is definitely more interesting!"

Mobius held the materials, Vill-V held the Divine Key, both smiling as they looked at [Fu Hua].

Fu Hua responded with an even more triumphant laugh.

Well, it's quite harmonious—if you ignore the feeling of a collective deception of children.

Cang Xiaoxuan, as usual, poked Fu Hua's waist.

Fu Hua responded with an awkward and impolite death stare.

Kevin watched the lively scene quietly, unable to describe his feelings at that moment.

Anyway, it's good that things haven't gotten worse.

Just like before, Kevin didn't join in his companions' lively chatter. He simply said to Anqi, who had finally sat down:

"You also completed the Chimera Gene Modification Project?"

"Um."

"So that's how it is... It was you all along. If it was you, that's good."

Kevin felt a mix of regret and relief.

The regret is that his most promising person was the infinitely promising Ninti, but unexpectedly, it was the unremarkable Thousand-Person Ruler overtook Anqi and took the lead in reaching the position closest to him.

Relief stemmed from the fact that he didn't want to see Ninti burdened with that incredibly heavy fate, engaging in a life-or-death struggle with him—it was better if it wasn't Ninti.

"So, why bring Mobius and Vill-V along?"

"Because of Otto's plan. You gave him the beacon, so you should know very well where he intends to go. What I want to ask you is, why didn't you stop him at all? Are you really that comfortable with him?"

"There's no need. Whether to continue or be destroyed is a choice for the Current Civilization, and I have no right to interfere."

Kevin's explanation was extremely brief.

Anqi understood.

Otto is a being of the Current Civilization, and Otto actions are the choices of the Current Civilization. When he arrives at the Imaginary Tree, he gains the right to overtake Kevin and pronounce judgment on civilization.

The Stigmata Project was a dignified ending, but also the worst possible choice.

Even if Otto chooses to annihilate this timeline after surpassing the Stigmata Project, it wouldn't be much worse for Kevin than the Stigmata Project.

If that's the case, why try to stop it?

Kevin is there to provide a safety net for Current Civilization, not to defend Current Civilization order. He has no right to interfere with the choices of someone in Current Civilization who might surpass him.

Anqi looked at Kevin, a hint of pity in her eyes, and said:

"I am not you, but I am inextricably linked to this era."

"So you want to interfere with Otto, or even replace him and go there? If so, Mobius and Vill-V's abilities can indeed be of great help."

"Whether it's the Stigmata Project or the Herrscher of Finality, I will never let what belongs to me be taken away again."

"Very good, I hope you succeed."

Kevin truly believed it.

Anqi didn't know how to comfort this man who had already resolved to die, or perhaps he didn't need comforting at all; all he needed was relief.

"For Elysia's sake, what kind of funeral do you want?"

"... You are very confident."

"I'll erect a monument for you, and it'll say... well, I'll ask you in your Land of the Past when the time comes."

"Whatever you want, if you can do it."

Although they were talking about things like life and death and tombstones, there was no hostility or tension; their conversation was as calm as still water.

Then came the joyful meal.

At least Fu Hua was genuinely happy. Fu Hua couldn't stop smiling; although she didn't say much, everyone could tell she was very relaxed.

Unfortunately, even the most precious reunion feast must come to an end.

During their conversation, Fu Hua gradually learned what Anqi was going to do, so at the end of the meal, he pulled Anqi aside and said:

"Otto is in danger. Why don't I come with you to the Schicksal Headquarters? That way, I can keep an eye on him."

"Master, I don't lack martial arts skills right now. But if possible, I would really like to borrow your strength."

What Anqi wanted was Fu Hua's Authority of Knowledge, an ability to ensure the detection of lies—not to prevent being deceived by Otto, but to persuade others and ensure that the geniuses would be convinced of Anqi's judgment after the conversation.

Fu Hua and [Fu Hua] readily agreed.

Therefore, the Schicksal Headquarters travel group added another small team.

Otto explained Anqi's rampage with a new Herrscher experiment.

S-Rank Valkyrie Anqi gained combat power beyond her limits through experiments and, with the assistance of Durandal and Yae Sakura, successfully overcame the initial uncontrollable phase, marking another milestone victory for Honkai in its fight against the Schicksal.

That's roughly the explanation.

There's no way we can tell the Valkyrie that headquarters was blown up, our strongest force was defeated, and the Archbishop is now at someone else's mercy... That would truly break our Schicksal, no joke.

In short, thanks to Otto's skillful use of public opinion, the Celestia accepted this encouraging news. Instead of dampening morale, they threw themselves into the reconstruction work with high spirits.

"Well..."

At night, after a day of carrying heavy loads, Durandal sat on the roof of a half-built high-rise building, drinking water, looking at the moon, and sighing wistfully.

"Oh dear, why does our Durandal look so listless? This isn't like you at all."

"... Your Excellency, how can you still laugh? They may not know the situation, but don't you understand the current state of affairs?"

Durandal looked at her hand, clenched her fist, and trembled slightly.

Even now, when she thinks of Anqi's incredible power, she still feels dazed and incredulous.

Durandal isn't made of steel; she experiences anxiety and self-doubt. From Skyfire to Kevin, and then to Anqi, she has already experienced several failures in this short period of time, so it's impossible for her to remain indifferent.

Otto, with his hands casually behind his back, also looked up at the moon and said:

"So, you're scared?"

"I'm not afraid, but I..."

"Feeling frustrated? That's understandable. You seem to have rarely experienced failure growing up, so you definitely lack experience in this area."

"Your Excellency, have you come to comfort me?"

Durandal stood up, turned around, and belatedly looked at Otto.

Otto smiled slightly and handed her a towel to wipe her sweat. He looked at Durandal, his student whom he was very proud of, and said:

Do you know how Rita feels when she looks at you, and Wendy feels when she looks at Delta?

"Ha?"

"They feel the same way you do when you look at Anqi. No, you should say they are far more frustrated than you, because you know you still have a lot of potential and a chance to catch up with Anqi. But they are just ordinary people, and no matter what, they could never catch up with a real monster—even so, they still keep honing themselves, improving themselves in various ways, and have become true S-Rank Valkyrie."

Otto patted Durandal on the shoulder, and seeing her thoughtful expression, continued:

"There must have been nights when Rita and Wendy thought of their closest and most beloved friends, accepted the cruel reality that they could never fight alongside them, and then tasted tears of pain, self-blame, and despair. Durandal, you are a genius, and you, who can continue to grow at such a rapid pace, cannot understand that kind of sorrow."

"Your Excellency, I..."

"Listen to me, Durandal, I know you've faced many setbacks lately. But in my opinion, these setbacks are a good thing for you. They've finally allowed you to understand the feelings of ordinary people, to comprehend the emotions of Rita and the others—remember these feelings, keep going, and you will become better."

Otto raised his hand and gently stroked Durandal's head, just as Otto had rewarded her when she was little after answering her questions.

He then turned and left, giving Durandal time to think for herself.

"Rita's... feelings..."

Durandal pressed her hand to her chest, feeling the heavy weight of her emotions. She found it hard to reconcile this with the always elegant and composed Rita, and she couldn't imagine Rita sobbing alone in the dead of night.

After a long while, Durandal finally raised the corners of her mouth and lowered her head to sniff the sweat on her body.

"You'd better hurry back and take a shower, otherwise Rita will make one of those weird jokes again."

Chapter 420: The story is a bit long.

"Oh dear, I'm such a busy Archbishop of Schicksal! I have to worry about the reconstruction of Celestia, care about Durandal's feelings, and fret about Sakura's health. Ah, if only a gentle, kind, upright, and brave priestess could take over my duties!"

"... Mr Otto, I'm right in front of you."

"Oh? It's Sakura. When did you arrive?"

"This is my home, Mr. Otto."

Yae Sakura stared blankly at Otto, feeling a mix of exasperation and guilt at his feigned ignorance.

Although Otto was indeed inhuman, all this trouble was Anqi's scheme—good heavens, have I unknowingly become even darker than Mr. Otto?

I'm so awesome! (Hands on hips - JPG)

After mentally putting her hands on her hips, Yae Sakura Anqi still felt a little guilty, after all, she was facing the person in question.

So, Yae Sakura softened her expression and asked with concern:

"How is the situation on Celestia? Is Durandal alright?"

"It's all good. Don't treat the headquarters, which represents my years of hard work, like a paper tiger. It's only been damaged on the surface by the aftershocks. The internal problems aren't serious; a proper repair will fix it. I suppose Anqi understands the significance of the Schicksal Headquarters, which is why she's been paying attention. As for Durandal, instead of worrying about that invincible child, you should worry about yourself. Your injuries are much more severe than hers; even your Jizo Mitama has cracked."

The Chimera Body is indeed powerful, so Anqi, who hasn't fully mastered it yet, naturally pours more power into her own people. After all, her own people are practically invincible, while Durandal might not be. She has no grudge against Durandal, so she wouldn't go so far as to harm her.

As a result, Yae Sakura's injuries were much more severe than Durandal's.

This is probably one of the reasons why Durandal is feeling down.

Yae Sakura smiled nonchalantly.

"What problems could I possibly have? You know my true form is the Divine Key. As long as the Jizo Mitama isn't destroyed, I'll be fine. Besides, I still have the Gem of Serenity. Even if the Jizo Mitama can't hold on any longer, I might be able to create a physical body for myself or something. Anyway, I'm not that fragile."

"Then I'm relieved."