Chapter 144

Two white-haired Valkyrie launched the first attack, while Shen Gonglin remained silent. Watching the one-sided battle ahead, Shen Gonglin began to consider what to do next. He could sense that the illusion was about to collapse, and what would happen next... At first, Kiana understood that it was an illusion, but when she saw Cecilia, she completely forgot the concept. How was he supposed to comfort her when the illusion broke? Shen Gonglin felt a bit lost thinking about this. Perhaps Mei should comfort her; he was simply not good at this kind of thing.

Shen Gonglin originally wanted to join in, but seeing the figure leaping joyfully on the battlefield, he hesitated for a moment and then stopped. He decided to leave this last chance to Kiana. It had always been Kiana's wish to fight alongside her mother alone, and he shouldn't disturb her at this moment. Even if it was an illusion, he couldn't leave her with any regrets!

I'm so annoyed about how to comfort her when the time comes.

"That wretched Second Herrscher, Lady Cecilia, now's the time!"

Kiana had never felt so exhilarated. Fighting alongside Cecilia, she felt she could unleash boundless fighting power. Flames spewed from her twin pistols, and her agile figure dodged and weaved through the Herrscher's attacks. Seizing a fleeting opportunity, Kiana shouted a warning to Cecilia. The strongest Valkyrie, of course, wouldn't let this chance slip by. Her sharp knight's lance, carrying the power to pierce through space, struck the Second Herrscher in mid-air. It was time for all of this to end.

"Damn it... How could this happen?"

Like a qualified boss, the Second Herrscher's figure completely dissipated after a mournful cry, finally ending. With his and his mother fighting side by side, he finally destroyed the Herrscher, so his mother wouldn't have to die. He changed the past and also changed her future!

The thought filled Kiana with joy. She ran to Cecilia and hugged her tightly. The warmth of the embrace made Kiana want to cry. She had done it; she had finally done it.

"Lady Cecilia, we did it! We did it..."

Kiana buried her face in Cecilia's arms, her voice filled with happiness. Holding her mother, playing games with her mother, and now fighting alongside her mother to defeat the Second Herrscher —everything seemed so wonderful. This was the life she wanted, this was her future.

"What a little kid."

Cecilia gently stroked Kiana's hair. She could sense the girl's feelings in her arms. Without hesitation, Cecilia reached out and hugged Kiana back. She had really had a hard journey.

"Hmm... Lady Cecilia, can you hold me like this for just a little while?"

Noticing Cecilia's actions, Kiana felt even more at ease. She looked up at Cecilia hopefully, and Cecilia returned her with a flawless smile.

"Yes, you can hold me for as long as you want..."

Unbeknownst to her, Cecilia's voice began to sound somewhat ethereal, but Kiana didn't notice. The girl was filled with the joy of victory, and she couldn't keep it all to herself. She still had Shen Gonglin. Kiana wanted to share her joy with Shen Gonglin. But before she could even speak to Shen Gonglin, an unexpected voice suddenly rang out beside her.

"Kiana? Shen Gonglin, what are you two doing here?"

White hair, blue eyes, nun's habit, Theresa appeared beside Kiana at some point. The illusion finally shattered. Looking at the surrounding scene, Shen Gonglin fell silent for a moment. Just as she had thought, this was not the Babylon Tower of Babel in Siberia. From the beginning, they had been in the underground central church of St. Freya.

"Hehe, Theresa, you're way too late. The Second Herrscher has already been defeated by me and Cecilia. Shen Gonglin was already slacking off, and you only arrived after the battle was over. You're so slow."

Upon hearing Theresa's voice, Kiana looked smugly at the little nun beside her. Luckily, she had only just arrived, otherwise how could she fight alongside her mother? She was even more of a slacker than Shen Gonglin. In the end, you still have to rely on yourself when it matters. Her mother must think so too.

"Cecilia? The Second Herrscher? But... there's no one else here."

Theresa couldn't understand Kiana's words at all. Could this child be possessed? Theresa looked around. Theresa was only herself, Kiana, and Shen Gonglin. There was no one else. She came here to find out if there was any way to cure Bronya. Who knew that Shen Gonglin and Kiana would run in? This was the most secret place in St. Freya. The two of them were really too reckless.

"Theresa, what nonsense are you talking about? Cecilia is standing right next to me..."

Kiana waved her hand, knowing Theresa was being silly, but she hadn't expected her eyes to be acting up too. Kiana turned to look at Cecilia, but then she realized there was no one behind her. A heavy thought suddenly rushed into her mind: What happened? Wasn't Lady Cecilia just here? How could she have disappeared in the blink of an eye? And wasn't this the top of the Tower of Babylon Tower? How could it have changed like this? This is... the Central Church from before?

"How did you two sneak into this data space? The things here are not for you two to access. Come back with me now."

Not knowing what had happened to Kiana, Theresa's first thought was to get both Shen Gonglin and Kiana out. She had been so careless; how could she have let those two idiots barge in? This was St. Freya's top secret, and only she, as the headmistress, had the authority to enter.

"No way, this can't be... Shen Gonglin, you know, we were just fighting alongside Mom, and you were with us, weren't you?"

Kiana was deeply shocked and looked at Shen Gonglin, hoping to hear an explanation from him. If it was him, he would surely understand what she was saying, since he had been by her side the whole time.

Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Cruel Reality

This situation... although I had anticipated it, it was still a bit hard to say when it actually happened. However, if Shen Gonglin had to choose again, I would still make the same choice. Everything I had just experienced was an illusion. I secretly twisted the hem of Shen Gonglin skirt, feeling conflicted. If I could, I really wouldn't want to tell Kiana the truth. However, this wasn't something that could be resolved simply by whether I said it or not.

"We'll talk about other things when we get back. You two, come back with me now... What's going on... cough cough... who is it?"

"Are these two idiots arguing again?" Without time to think, Theresa reached for Kiana's wrist, intending to pull her and Shen Gonglin away. Just then, a sound of a wall breaking rang out, and thick smoke suddenly made Theresa cough violently. What was happening? Was it an enemy attack? This was the core of St. Freya; how could the enemy possibly have breached it? Before Theresa could react, a figure rushed out of the smoke and firmly restrained Theresa. Struck hard on the shoulder, Theresa fell to the ground. She stared wide-eyed at the black figure before her. "That's... Fu Hua?"

"To avoid interfering with our mission, please leave for now, Headmistress. Kiana, your mother is not here."

Having successfully launched a sneak attack, Theresa collapsed to the ground, rendered incapacitated. As the dust settled, a figure clad in black armor quietly appeared beside them. With gray hair and a serious face, who else could it be but the Class President? Fu Hua's gaze swept over them, and when she saw Shen Gonglin, she instinctively avoided his eyes. Theresa was no longer an obstacle; taking Kiana away would be easy.

"That voice... It's the Class President... Where am I? Where is my mother?!"

Kiana's thoughts were already jumbled. She understood the truth, but she still refused to believe it. Shen Gonglin's attitude had proven everything, but she still wanted to grasp at the last straw. Shen Gonglin might be a bad person and lie to her, but the Class President would never lie to her. Kiana wanted an answer from Fu Hua.

"This data space has never had any virtual illusions or AI. The Babylon Laboratory and Cecilia never existed from the beginning. It's all just your imagination. From the moment you entered this data space, you've been standing still. It was the Herrscher's trick that immersed you in your own dream. Everything you saw and experienced was fake. The Cecilia you're searching for, the mother you're trying so hard to protect, is just an illusion created by Sirin based on your desires. And all of this... Shen Gonglin, you've known all along, haven't you?"

Although it was somewhat cruel, Fu Hua still told Kiana everything. The girl sat on the ground, distraught. Fu Hua turned her head away with a pang of pity, looking at Shen Gonglin, who had remained silent. According to Otto's calculations, this level of illusion wouldn't escape Shen Gonglin's mental processing power. However, forcing himself to accept this illusion for Kiana was truly reckless. Fu Hua could see that something was wrong with Shen Gonglin. He was usually very active, but he hadn't moved an inch yet. He probably couldn't even stand without leaning against a wall. This guy was going too far for Kiana ... If it were her... no, that was impossible. How could she even have such thoughts?

"No way, I didn't notice anything. But what are you planning to do now, Class President? You're wantonly destroying school facilities and even attacking the headmaster. Class President, in my memory you're not the kind of person who would do such a thing."

This situation is getting rather bad. Shen Gonglin took a step forward, enduring the dizziness in her head, and stood still. Heaven knows what the Class President is planning to do. Why would she attack Theresa? If it were me, I could accept doing something like attacking a loli, but not the Class President. Although she still doesn't understand the situation, Shen Gonglin has a vague idea in her mind. All of this is indeed aimed at Kiana.

"... I'm sorry, I'll explain this to you later. Right now, I have to take Kiana back to headquarters. Kiana, I hope you won't resist."

Her expression was very serious. Once she made up her mind, Fu Hua would not hesitate any longer. She knew that Shen Gonglin would not be happy to do this, but it was something she had to do. Fu Hua was also conflicted. She was afraid that Shen Gonglin would not trust her after this. Just thinking about the consequences made Fu Hua feel very sad. No, she had to get Shen Gonglin's forgiveness no matter what, even if it meant paying any price. But right now... she could only apologize.

"No, no... This can't be, everything that happened is real, it's all real... That's right, and that magic spell, if you just say it, any wish can be granted, Ichliebedich, Ichliebedich!"

Completely unable to accept this fact, Kiana remembered that all-powerful spell: if she uttered it, everything would change!

As the incantation was uttered, a dense surge of Honkai energy suddenly gathered around Kiana, golden light shone from the girl's eyes, and a pair of dreamlike wings appeared on her back. Kiana's current condition was extremely unstable; that incantation was like a switch, the key to becoming Herrscher.

"No, unfortunately, this time, the world won't change according to your wishes, Kiana. It's time to wake up from your dream."

Everything unfolded exactly as Otto had anticipated. Watching the changes in Kiana, Fu Hua sighed softly. Her black armor began to gleam faintly. This was another top-secret project of headquarters: the fourth-generation God-Slaying Mech, modeled after Shen Gonglin's Angel Armor, had been successfully developed. Shadow Knight: Moonlit was the name of Fu Hua's armor. Fu Hua was already extremely powerful; she only used this armor as a precaution. Kiana's loss of control was also expected. No matter what happened, she had to be brought back to headquarters.

A black mask covered Fu Hua's face. The Class President took a deep breath and launched an attack on Kiana in front of her. The awakening level of the Herrscher was not very deep, and Kiana in this state could be dealt with easily. However, even knowing this, Fu Hua was still not at ease. Kiana was easy to deal with, but what Fu Hua was worried about was never Kiana.

Chapter Sixty

Just as everyone expected, despite Kiana's formidable fighting power, she was still no match for Fu Hua when she lost her mind. With the support of Shadow Knight: Moonlit Blade, Fu Hua easily defeated Kiana, slashing Kiana neck with a hand chop. The girl fell to the ground without even having a chance to struggle. First Theresa, then Kiana, Fu Hua, the Black Tiger, completed a double kill!

If she could, she wouldn't want to get a triple kill.

"Your Excellency, I have captured the target, and Theresa has also been subdued. What should we do with her?"

Deliberately avoiding looking at Shen Gonglin, Fu Hua connected with Otto. She was a little afraid to meet Shen Gonglin's gaze; in his eyes, her actions were nothing short of betrayal. She really didn't want it to be like this, but there was no other way. Some things you have to do even if you know they're wrong.

[Hehe, considering Theresa is my lovely granddaughter, I'll let her go this time. I'm quite interested in that little girl, so bring her to headquarters quickly.]

Bishop Otto's voice came through the communicator. Fu Hua nodded, ready to carry out his orders. She grabbed Kiana's arm, preparing to take the unconscious girl away, but at that moment, a small, delicate white hand blocked her way. A bitter smile crossed Fu Hua's lips. Couldn't she just pretend she didn't see it? With Shen Gonglin acting like this, what was she supposed to do?

"Shen Gonglin, this is a mission, please don't stop me, okay?"

She didn't look up, but Fu Hua's resolute tone revealed her determination. This was a decision she had already made, and even Shen Gonglin couldn't change her mind. To be honest, Fu Hua was a very indecisive person, and it was precisely because of this indecisiveness that she was so determined to complete what she had agreed to.

"Oh no, Class President, I won't let you take Kiana away."

Shen Gonglin's attitude was also very firm. This issue was not to be compromised. It was he who had taken it upon himself to immerse Kiana in that illusion. If it weren't for this incident, Kiana's emotions wouldn't have spiraled out of control. Therefore, he had to take responsibility for this matter. He didn't know where the Class President wanted to take Kiana, but the only thing Shen Gonglin understood was that he had to keep Kiana by his side now. When she woke up, he had to comfort her and stay with her. He could imagine how helpless Kiana would feel when she woke up. Although Shen Gonglin wasn't very emotionally intelligent, even he understood that some things had to be done.

"Hoo... Shen Gonglin, I'll say it again, I don't want to hurt you, so please just pretend you didn't see it, okay? If you stop now, everything will be fine."

Fu Hua clenched her black-gloved hands into fists. She knew her attempts to dissuade him would be futile, but she couldn't help but speak up anyway. What if she could actually persuade Shen Gonglin? In that case, their relationship would be the same as before. He would try to take advantage of her and act cute towards her, just like before. Their improper master-disciple relationship could continue. She just needed to ask Shen Gonglin to agree. All she had to do was nod. She wouldn't have to worry about anything else.

"Can you guarantee that Kiana will absolutely not get into trouble, Class President? If you can guarantee that, I won't stop you."

Chapter Sixty-One

Shen Gonglin didn't want things to get to this point with the Class President. If you had to say, the Class President was the person he trusted most. But now, this person he trusted most wanted to do something that he didn't understand or agree with at all. Shen Gonglin's head was throbbing, but he still kept looking at the Class President. As long as she made a promise, he was still willing to believe her.

"... Shen Gonglin, I apologize."

After a long silence, Fu Hua realized that she couldn't make such a guarantee. She didn't understand Otto's plan either; she was just an executor in this part. She couldn't predict what would happen with that man's mindset, so she couldn't make any guarantees. But the mission had to be completed, and Shen Gonglin was the obstacle to her mission.

Fu Hua changed her palm into a fist and attacked directly. Shen Gonglin, who was familiar with the Cun Xin Fist, also understood the power of her move. Shen Gonglin crossed her arms to block Fu Hua's straight punch. Through the gap between her arms, Shen Gonglin's eyes became serious. Is this the Class President's attitude? Then I understand. It's nothing more than wanting to fight. Shen Gonglin was mentally prepared for this.

"Whether I offend you or not is another matter. You have your mission, and I have my choices. In that case, please enlighten me, Fu Hua."

Without using the Cun Xin Fist, Shen Gonglin's eyes flashed with electricity. The power that the Fourth Shot could maintain still lasted for a while, and she had to hold on during this time. Since there had been an explosion here, people from the academy should be coming over. Even if they were no match for the Class President, they could still stop it. If all else failed, she would have no choice but to use both enhancements in her current state.

Lightning surged through his limbs as the Kaslana family's Gun Fu, adapted and modified by him, played out in Shen Gonglin's mind like a film reel. This mental exertion had already numbed his battered brain. Fu Hua was formidable; he had rarely seen her use her full strength in previous battles. And the armor she was wearing now was putting immense pressure on Shen Gonglin. In his current state, it truly felt like he was in divine retribution mode. But even so, he had to fight!

The two figures clashed, and as soon as they exchanged blows, Fu Hua noticed that something was wrong with Shen Gonglin. Fu Hua the best. Apart from occasionally letting him act cute, Fu Hua had indeed been teaching Shen Gonglin how to fight. Fu Hua's assessment of him was that his talent was rare in the world, but he lacked endurance and perseverance. He was the kind of talented player who could use his brain to turn other people's battle techniques, which had been honed over thousands of years, into his own. But this time, Shen Gonglin's movements were a bit stiff, and upon closer inspection, Fu Hua could see the dense beads of sweat on his forehead. Shen Gonglin's current condition was not good.

Is it because of the aftereffects of the intense pressure on his brain, as Otto mentioned before? This guy already messed things up when he was rescuing Bronya and Wendy, and now he's taking on this kind of responsibility. He's really acting recklessly.

Chapter Sixty-Two

"Shen Gonglin, stop. You need to rest now. If you force yourself any further, something bad will really happen to you."

The gauntlets blocked the downward-slamming gun butt. With the enhancement of this armor, Fu Hua dealt with Shen Gonglin with great ease. Logically speaking, his strongest combat power should be that angel armor, but now he is using this red and black dress... Is he unwilling to fight himself?

"None of your business."

Shen Gonglin a sharp pain in her head, and even her teeth ached. After their exchange, she realized she was no match for the Class President in her current state. She could feel the power of the Fourth Shot gradually draining from her body, and her Shen Gonglin grew. No, she couldn't afford to hesitate any longer. She could worry about the consequences later, but if she didn't give it her all now, she would definitely regret it later. Universal Angel Mode, activated!

Without exiting her Time Sprite form, Shen Gonglin's mind raced, and the power of the Universal Angel Shen Gonglin upon her. A layer of white combat armor covered her red and black dress, and enormous pink and white wings unfurled behind Shen Gonglin. Her eyes still retained their heterochromatic pupils, one gold and one red, with a deep halo swirling in the center of each pupil. Using both powers simultaneously was something Shen Gonglin healthy state, but in her current battle-damaged state... well, now is not the time to think about these things. Let's solve the immediate predicament first.

I guess I still need to really fight him.

Seeing that Shen Gonglin had already transformed, Fu Hua became serious. She had a clear understanding of Shen Gonglin in her Universal Angel form. Even Shen Gonglin would have to be on Durandal alert in this form without using the Black Abyss White Flower. She didn't underestimate him at all. Red light emanated from the Shadow Knight: Moon Wheel Armor. Fu Hua's eyes remained calm beneath the visor. Since she had made a decision, she couldn't hesitate!

Shadow Knight: Moonlit Blade – this is the 4th Generation God-Slaying Armor custom-designed for Fu Hua by the Schicksal. It perfectly suits Fu Hua's fighting style, with minimal armor coverage across her entire body. Sacrificing all long-range attack methods in exchange for powerful mobility and armored combat flexibility, it's the most useful armor for Fu Hua, who fights using her fists. While Shen Gonglin's Angel form focuses on ranged attacks, this armor is suited for close combat. Fu Hua recalled the requirements the headquarters had asked her when they made this armor for her...

I thought it was armor that would fight alongside him, but now it's the armor that fights alongside him. What a cruel twist of fate.

Forget it, now is not the time to think about these things. Shen Gonglin has already activated Angel Mode, so I can't hold back anymore. This armor was designed purely for close combat, so what I need to do now is close the distance. Shen Gonglin's ranged attacks are not to be underestimated. Whether it's the missile bombardment or the longbow that even Durandal is wary of, they are all very troublesome. There is no time to hesitate.

Honkai energy condensed and erupted on the back of the armor. The latest generation of Shikigami armor has reached a new level of Honkai energy utilization. The high-intensity Honkai Furnace gave Fu Hua explosive speed. Almost instantly, she arrived in front of Shen Gonglin. Her arms covered with black gauntlets launched an attack on Shen Gonglin. This speed is simply cheating.

This Class President really doesn't follow the rules. Does she not even want to abide by the boss's rules? What happened to not attacking during transformation? Shen Gonglin reached out to block Fu Hua's attack. The fierce attack made Shen Gonglin's arm ache. If she hadn't deflected some of the power, she probably would have broken her bone. She didn't even have time to set up her absolute defense circle. Has her reaction time become so sluggish? It seems that if this continues, she really risks becoming an idiot.

The battle with Fu Hua was even more difficult than Shen Gonglin had anticipated. This close-quarters combat gave her no chance to create distance. Shen Gonglin tried her best to distance herself from Fu Hua and suppress her with the power of the Universal Angel, but Fu Hua seemed to be glued to her, making it impossible for her to shake her off. How come she never noticed how clingy her Class President was before? Really, at this rate, she would be defeated sooner or later. What was going on? Why hadn't anyone come to support her for so long? Were the guards at St. Freya just sitting around doing nothing?

Shen Gonglin thought she was the only one in the entire academy who was just freeloading, but it turns out there are plenty of others like that.

Meanwhile, St. Freya's Valkyrie guards had already arrived, but they stopped when they saw the figure standing quietly at the entrance of the underground chapel. Why was this person here? Was there something inside that they couldn't handle?

"Durandal, we rushed over after hearing the explosion. What happened inside? And weren't you already back at headquarters reporting for duty?"

Standing at the door was none other than Durandal Valkyrie, the pinnacle of all Valkyrie's efforts. Upon seeing her, the guards immediately became respectful and solemn. After all, she was the legendary strongest. Did her presence indicate that there were some missions inside that they were not yet allowed to undertake?

"Because of the change in mission, I haven't returned to headquarters yet. You don't need to get involved in the matters inside; I'll take care of them directly."

Durandal's expression remained calm. She was here to prevent this from happening. Fu Hua's movements were far too slow; it shouldn't have taken this long at all according to plan. And now, the commotion inside... it seemed she was fighting with Shen Gonglin. Thankfully, it wasn't her who went in; fighting Shen Gonglin...

Durandal was actually somewhat relieved. She didn't want to fight Shen Gonglin. That guy was incredibly petty, and if she did, he would definitely hold a grudge. She could just let Fu Hua go alone, and she only needed to stay outside and prevent the others from going in. The title of "Strongest Valkyrie" was indeed useful. The Valkyrie of the guard team immediately understood after hearing Durandal's words. It was indeed a mission carried out by headquarters, otherwise why would Durandal be here?

"Yes, we understand."

They trusted Durandal completely; after all, she was a character written in textbooks. With her here, there would be no problem. Hearing Durandal say this, the guards had no doubts at all. If Himeko were here, she would definitely have other ideas, but unfortunately, her dormitory wasn't here. Watching the Valkyrie guards leave, Durandal glanced back at the direction of the underground chapel. Couldn't Fu Hua be a little faster? At this rate... Well, I have to go too. Tsk, I really don't want to fight Shen Gonglin.

Looking at the commands flashing on the communicator, Durandal sighed and turned to walk towards the underground church. So, there was no other way after all.