Himeko also noticed at that moment that the rope binding Tesla had been tied into a perfect bow, exquisite as a work of art.
"She kept bowing and apologizing to me while tying me up!! She said something like..." At this point, Tesla even imitated Rita's tone. "I'm sorry, this may be a little uncomfortable. Please forgive the offense..."
"Then let me go already!"
"The worst part was that she even sprayed perfume on both sides of the scarf... Wasn't she deliberately messing with me?!" Tesla's tone had actually become somewhat grief-stricken and indignant.
After watching this part of the story, Eden could hardly stop laughing.
"She really was an impeccably meticulous maid, wasn't she~" Elysia commented with a smile. "And she was quite polite to adorable Tesla, too."
The Danmaku in the livestream was just as lively, but Elysia and Eden had no mind to pay attention to it now.
As the story progressed, Tesla and Himeko found a secret file at Celestial Mandate headquarters.
In it, Otto had recorded a drug called the "Godkiller Spear."
This drug could instantly break down the Honkai energy inside an Emperor-class Honkai beast.
Likewise, it could weaken the Honkai energy within a Herrscher.
In other words, this drug could absolutely serve as a weapon against Herrschers.
However, creating the Godkiller Spear required a serum called HSN-b46.
And coincidentally, the serum Fu Hua had given Himeko to treat her body was HSN-b46 serum.
After learning this information, Himeko did not hesitate for a moment. She directly handed the serum to Dr. Tesla, hoping she could produce the Godkiller Spear.
It seemed that Himeko did not care about her own life at all...
Seeing this, Eden could not help admiring Himeko, though she also began to feel a bad premonition.
After Himeko left, Dr. Tesla went all out and actually began experimenting on herself.
Fortunately, she managed to formulate the Godkiller Spear without incident in the end.
The scene shifted again, returning to Himeko's perspective.
Under Fu Hua's guidance, Himeko arrived at the lowest level of the Celestial Mandate laboratory.
In the scene, five display cases stood on each side of the path.
Each case held a beautiful suit of armor.
Eden moved the camera around for a closer look and found familiar armor among them, including White Knight: Moonlight and the Shadow Knight: Moonbeam worn by Fu Hua.
Yet the way these armors were arranged made them seem like a gathering of subjects...
At the end of the corridor, upon an elevated seat, stood a single set of crimson armor.
Eden recognized it at once. The armor displayed as if upon a throne was Himeko's S-rank armor—Vermilion Knight: Eclipse.
The livestream viewers instantly went wild at the sight.
Holy shit!! This is every man's dream!! Nothing but combat armor—this is way too damn awesome!!
Hey, I need to remind you... this is women's clothing!
Let me ask you this: would you wear it if you got it??
That brief scene completely displayed the status of Vermilion Knight!!
In the game, Fu Hua's figure appeared again and began explaining the situation below to Himeko.
Through Fu Hua's account, the viewers finally learned that Vermilion Knight: Eclipse was Otto's ultimate weapon against Herrschers.
It was a legacy left behind by the Previous Era, as well as the prototype Godkiller Armor.
All of Celestial Mandate's other Valkyrie Armors had been developed based on this suit.
Moreover, Otto had linked the Gem of Hysteria to this armor, granting it the ability... to fully reproduce the power of the Herrscher of Flames!!
After Fu Hua's introduction, this armor's prestige rose another level.
Holy shit!! This armor actually had such an insane backstory?!
Previous Era? I've taken notes, huh. So this is the foreshadowing!
Pull!! I'm gonna pull my damn heart out!!
After Fu Hua explained both the advantages and drawbacks of the armor to Himeko, Himeko still chose to put it on.
Eden felt a little distressed.
Because from Fu Hua's explanation, she had learned that once Himeko wore this armor, the Herrscher Gem would begin corrupting the wearer's mind.
Himeko: "Fu Hua... who exactly are you..."
Fu Hua: "Like you, I'm merely someone who hopes to change the current situation."
After doing all this, Fu Hua performed the clasped-fist salute that every Dragon Country citizen understood. "Major Himeko, thank you for all your care. If fate allows, we will meet again someday..."
Seeing this, everyone finally confirmed that Fu Hua had not died.
This completely put the minds of all the Fu Hua fans at ease.
The scene shifted, and Himeko, clad in Vermilion Knight: Eclipse, looked incomparably valiant.
"Wow, wow~~ This is amazing!"
Himeko's illustration set not only the livestream audience's blood boiling, but even Eden and Elysia were getting fired up!
Based on Eden's extensive viewing experience, the next part of the story would most likely be Himeko defeating the Herrscher of the Void and awakening Kiana.
Her blood began to boil as well.
When she opened the next stage, the story connected directly to the first stage of Chapter Nine.
"So it really was told in flashback."
Eden smiled and controlled Vermilion Knight: Eclipse, cutting down Death Warriors and Honkai beasts one after another.
Before long, Himeko in her S-rank armor finally faced the Herrscher of the Void head-on.
The performance far surpassing that of A-rank armor made Eden enjoy herself immensely.
In the story, the Herrscher of the Void was also quite surprised by Himeko's armor.
Himeko: "What? So gods can bleed after all~"
Herrscher of the Void: "Why... I should have killed you dozens of times already..."
Himeko: "Well, sorry about that. I'm just... a little hard to get rid of..."
Herrscher of the Void: "Insolent human!"
Himeko: "Aren't you tired of calling me 'human' over and over? I have a name..."
"Remember it well. The one you're about to face—is Murata Himeko!!"
Ohhh~ Aunt Himeko is so cool!
Shut up! Call her Sister Himeko!!
MiHoYo, stop baiting us already. I'll pull, okay? Waaaah~~
MiHoYo... you're trying to suck me dry...
The Danmaku was blazing, and Himeko's introduction completely ignited Eden's blood.
Even controlling Himeko as she slashed at Kiana became much smoother.
In the end, with Himeko holding her back, Dr. Einstein successfully repelled the Herrscher of the Void using the Moonlight Throne.
"Huh? She was only repelled, not defeated? And Kiana's consciousness wasn't awakened either?"
"Hehe~ Maybe that'll happen in the next chapter."
"I remember... this seemed to be the final stage." Eden spoke in confusion as she exited the stage-clear screen.
But once the screen loaded, Eden looked through the stages and found there was no next stage.
There were only two play buttons afterward.
"Eden, Eden, there are more short videos to watch~ Hurry up and open them~"
Eden smiled and nodded.
She could roughly guess it.
MiHoYo had probably put Himeko and Kiana's final battle into this video.
Just like "Queen's Descent," the big scenes were presented in animated form.
"MiHoYo really put a lot of thought into this~" Eden murmured.
The livestream viewers were just as excited.
Only half a month had passed since "Queen's Descent."
The shock that short film had given them had yet to fade.
Who knew how much more shock this animated short would bring them this time~
The final battle between Vermilion Knight: Eclipse and the Herrscher of the Void!
Eden clicked the first play button with anticipation.
Yet after the video loaded, the grand spectacle she expected did not appear. Instead, an immensely mournful piano melody began to play.
Hyperion, lower-deck passageway
In the background illustration, Himeko held the Godkiller Spear serum in her hand, a faintly tragic smile on her lips, accompanied by a woman's singing that sounded like a wail of grief...
Eden felt her heart clench as she suddenly recalled all the foreshadowing and hints from before.
She had a bad feeling...
In the narration, Himeko murmured to herself, as though bidding farewell to the girls of St. Freya Academy...
"Good luck to you all."
"I really want... one more drink..."
The short film was brief, but it truly drew everyone into Himeko's feelings.
It was as if they shared Himeko's emotions.
Wanting to use her battered and broken life to do one final meaningful thing.
Wanting to see the girls of St. Freya Academy one last time during the final moments of her life.
Then... face death while fully awake...
The short film ended, returning to the stage selection screen.
Yet Eden did not click the final play button for a long time.
Now, when Eden thought back over the previous story...
Whether in the main story or the side stories, Himeko had always served as the protagonist group's teacher in the capacity of an ordinary Valkyrie.
She had no powerful background, nor did she possess any powerful cheat ability.
But every time there was a mission, she was always the first to charge to the front lines.
Throughout the earlier main story chapters and side-story chapters, many scenes had given Himeko individual close-ups.
Those close-ups had constantly hinted that Himeko's physical condition was gradually worsening.
She was clearly an aging Valkyrie of Celestial Mandate. She could have chosen to retire and lived a better life.
Yet she had resolutely chosen the worst possible path.
Before you continue