Collapse, Kiana's Cross-Dressing Strategy

"She won't wake up for a while yet. We can probably wait a bit."

"Is there any news about Mei-nee? Kiana doesn't seem to be with her."

"She probably told Mei to wait for the support troops and came here to deal with the Collapse herself."

Bronya felt this was highly probable.

She looked at Fu Hua, who was also unconscious. "Class president also arrived very promptly, but didn't she have other missions?"

"Perhaps this is the 'other mission'. Compared to her, we're far from mature enough," Bai Yan said casually.

"Mm."

The people currently lying down—Rita, Kiana, and Fu Hua—were all still alive and well.

The enhanced Welt was dead. He was the only combat personnel to die tonight.

Bronya helped tend to Rita's wounds.

After a long while, she finally spoke again.

"Xiao Yan-nee, can I see Bai Yan-ge when you have time?"

"Hm?" Bai Yan paused, then put on a smile. "Of course. He misses them quite a lot from back then."

"Thank you, Xiao Yan-nee."

"No need to be so polite. We're partners who share a common secret," Bai Yan said, ruffling Bronya's face.

Hmm, the texture is really good.

Hope Bronya will still be this huggable when she grows up.

"Your relationship seems quite good. It looks like you get along well," Yue!@yi#$shou%^fa& said.

Bai Yan and Bronya both jumped back, raising their weapons in alert.

Gradually, under the moonlight of the early morning, Cocolia arrived silently, standing atop a mech.

The mech appeared from about fifty meters away. This distance was just right; any closer and the two would have noticed.

The mech was hovering and appeared in a quantum state, hence there was no sound.

"Cocolia-mama..."

"Bronya, did you run away just for her?"

"..."

Bai Yan stepped forward, blocking in front of Bronya.

"Did you come here just to say that?"

"Heh, I really didn't expect you to escape even in that situation! However, seeing that you've already gained control of the Gem of Desire, it all makes sense now."

Bai Yan had already drawn his short sword.

"Are you done understanding? If you're done, then scram. I'll let you go today since you didn't let my brother freeze to death!"

"He won't be able to escape either. I'll settle the score with him sooner or later. Traitors are always like this!"

Bai Yan's lips curled. "Based on how you look, like someone who's been played until they have nothing left?"

Cocolia's eyes narrowed, and she clapped her hands.

Bronya and Bai Yan simultaneously turned their gazes towards a certain spot.

A man walked out of the woods. Moonlight illuminated his face, and a strange smile appeared.

He looked almost identical to the dead person on the ground—Welt's clone, nicknamed Welt's Second.

"Allow me to introduce the leader of Anti-Entropy, Welt Joyce."

"A pleasure to meet you, Herrscher of Wind."

Bai Yan sized him up for a moment before asking, "Do you have a core?"

"..."

"Herrschers must have cores, just like men must have balls. Otherwise, what's the difference between them and eunuchs?"

Welt's Second's expression changed drastically. His lips trembled, and his breathing became rapid.

If Bronya's emotional system wasn't broken, she would probably be laughing right now.

"Hmph," Cocolia gritted her teeth. "You fought the incomplete Herrscher of the Void for so long, and you only just obtained the core. Plus, with what I have here..."

As she spoke, mech after mech appeared.

"Can you still protect your companions?"

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

Bai Yan smiled. "Interesting. And you think you can protect yourself?"

Cocolia's expression turned sinister. The killing intent of a soldier honed over many years fully awakened.

"You can try."

Bai Yan remained silent, reactivating the Wind Authority and pushing its power higher and higher.

A fierce wind suddenly whipped up, swirling around everyone.

Energy erupted continuously, as if it were about to reach its ultimate sublimation in the next moment.

Welt's Clone's expression changed, and he stared at Bai Yan in disbelief.

"Why?!"

Seeing his reaction, Cocolia immediately asked, "What's going on?"

"Heh, you guys didn't really think the power of the one on the ground came solely from himself, did you?"

Cocolia pressed, "What do you mean?!"

"I have a guess, and it might not be entirely accurate, but what I can say is that World Serpent's research into the Collapse is far beyond that of Schicksal and Anti-Entropy. It's not something we can easily fathom."

To enhance Welt's abilities, Bai Yan could only think of one possibility.

That was, for some unknown reason, the memory core in the Chrono-Sanctum had provided technical support.

Cocolia fell silent.

Bai Yan continued, "Do you have any idea why the previous one betrayed us?

"There's never an absolutely wrong betrayal in this world. If you don't reflect on your own issues, you'll only fail more and more in the future.

"Otherwise, at your age, I really don't know what you're living for."

Upon hearing this, Cocolia's face grew increasingly grim. Her chest heaved violently, but she was momentarily speechless.

Bronya moved closer to Bai Yan.

"This time, his betrayal truly stemmed from the most fundamental self-interest," Bai Yan said, tapping the direction where Welt lay unconscious with his right foot. "But what about next time? Could someone bribe Rosalia with a ton of blueberries?"

"If she can be bribed with a pile of blueberries, then she's not worthy of being my daughter!" Cocolia exclaimed angrily.

"Oh? So you think a ton of blueberries isn't much then?"

"Of course!"

"Then what do you usually feed them?"

Cocolia hesitated for a moment, recalling certain things, and fell silent.

Then, as if struck by an idea, she immediately spoke.

"Are you saying Otto's actions are clean?"

"Stronger than yours is enough."

"..."

Moreover, Cocolia's defiance was for power; Otto's power grab was to defy the heavens.

Their realms were fundamentally different.

In a sense, Otto, who knew his actions were wicked but remained steadfast in pursuing his goal, was more "normal" than Cocolia.

Because Cocolia's actions might very well be genuine emotional outbursts.

At this moment, both sides entered another standoff, silently regarding each other with apprehension.

However.

Just then, a series of powerful footsteps gradually approached.

Bai Yan's heart skipped a beat.

Not good!

The next moment, Durandal appeared in a whirlwind, her heart burning with the rage of being trapped by Thousand Worlds One Step. Upon seeing the mecha, she unleashed a barrage of attacks.

"Hah!"

Boom boom boom!

Welt's Clone and Cocolia were utterly terrified and scrambled to flee.

The mecha, designated "Qi 04" (Seven) Kai, fully resisted Durandal upon receiving its orders.

However, in an instant, the mecha was smashed to pieces. Durandal flicked her Black Abyss White Flower and briefly glanced in the direction of their escape.

Charging up.

Chase!

"Stop, stop, stop!" Bai Yan, moving with incredible speed, grabbed Durandal by the waist, blocking her.

Volume 1: Chapter 59: There Are No Secrets in the Fifth Squad

How powerful is Bishop Otto?

Answer: Bishop Otto turns his back on all beings!

Once this is understood, one can grasp how powerful Durandal is.

Among the beings Otto turns his back on, two individuals lead the charge: one is Durandal, and the other is Kiana.

They chased after her, shouting, "Otto, don't run!"

If even Otto was like this, then Cocolia would have no chance if she were chased.

Durandal, stopped like this, asked furiously with extreme incomprehension, "Why are you stopping me?!"

"Aren't you afraid of World Serpent and the traps? You know their main forces are still intact!"

Durandal lowered her hands and stopped, but her face remained extremely displeased.

She suddenly saw Rita leaning against a tree and rushed over to check on her situation.

Bai Yan breathed a sigh of relief and said, "She's fine. She just suffered from exhaustion and excessive blood loss. I've already treated her."

Durandal reached out and felt for Kiana's breath before relaxing.

"What's the situation on your side?" she asked, glancing at Bronya and the mess on the ground.

"Kiana suddenly went berserk, and World Serpent inexplicably retreated.

"Then Fu Hua suddenly came and fought with the berserk Kiana.

"Next, this Herrscher came to deal with Fu Hua, and Rita took the opportunity to ambush this Herrscher before passing out.

"Bronya and I went to support Fu Hua, and finally, while Kiana was focused on dealing with her, we ambushed the former, which resolved the problem."

Durandal imagined the battle.

"That was close."

Seeing that she didn't suspect anything, Bai Yan smiled at her, "This is all thanks to Lady Durandal arriving in time. Otherwise, the two of us wouldn't have been able to fight against Anti-Entropy."

"Is, is that so? I just got free and thought I should come."

With a brilliant smile, a gentle tone, and such exquisite beauty, Durandal couldn't help but blush.

But then she remembered that this was him