Chapter 157

It was a futile resistance... but to be honest, it was quite interesting.

Seated high in the sky, the Herrscher of the Void glanced down at the mech forces on the ground. So this was their tactic? The mechs, which had been fighting independently, had now formed a formation. The summoned Honkai Beast were relentlessly attacking the mech defenses, while the red mechs behind them were pointing their gun turrets at her. Unfortunately, in the face of absolute power, no strategy or tactic could be effective. Until now, this queen had not revealed any of her true strength. Let them put on their show.

It's time to show them what true despair is.

"Humans, your very existence is a mistake. War, jealousy, greed... You have made me lose everything, but today, I will devour everything, for I am the Honkai!"

Continuing her chuunibyou-filled speech, the Herrscher of the Void waved her hand, and countless Honkai Beast swept out from the spatial rift behind her. The Defense Barrier formed by the Titan Mech was being slowly breached, but now the ballista squadron was in position.

"Her arrogant attitude makes me uncomfortable. All hands on deck, aim and fire! Herrscher, huh? Get lost!"

Controlling the ballista squadron, under the cover of Einstein's Titan squadron, Shen Gonglin finally completed the deployment. With his command, the ballista squadron accurately locked onto the figure in the air and opened fire. Countless missiles shot out from the mech launch bay. He couldn't use the Universal Angel mode now, otherwise he could have achieved this with a single Permanent Air-to-Air Missile. He didn't expect such an attack to defeat the Herrscher of the Void, just to slightly reduce her strength would be enough.

Shen Gonglin clenched his fist. His strength still hadn't returned. Was it because the concentration of Honkai energy wasn't high enough? Damn it, why? He had worked so hard to refine Honkai energy, so why hadn't he recovered yet? The feeling of not being able to fight this enemy was disgusting. Once he regained his strength, what were Fu Hua, Durandal, and the Herrscher? Ever since his brain damage incident, Shen Gonglin had been holding back his anger, and now he was venting it all on this attack. Anti-Entropy mechs, show some backbone!

Then Shen Gonglin suddenly realized the truth: the Herrscher girl's abilities were truly unfair.

"This is... the time of judgment!"

It was as if the entire sky was shrouded in the exhaust flames of the missiles. A barrage of missiles aimed at the Herrscher in the air, but the Herrscher simply stretched out her hand and snapped her fingers lightly. The crisp sound seemed to resound throughout the heavens and earth. Suddenly, countless black and purple spatial rifts appeared in front of her, and the missiles aimed at the Herrscher were instantly swallowed by this space. The battlefield suddenly became very quiet. Seeing the Herrscher's method, Shen Gonglin's pupils shrank slightly. He had seen this move before. When he fought the Herrscher in that illusion with Kiana, she had used this move. This time, things were probably going to get really interesting.

As if she had seen Shen Gonglin's gaze, the Herrscher revealed a meaningful smile. A golden orb of light vanished in her hand, and then countless spatial rifts opened directly behind the mecha force. This was the moment when Anti-Entropy went bankrupt!

The ballista squadron's previous attacks were returned in full, and missiles poured out onto the battlefield from the transferred spatial rift. Realizing what was about to happen, Shen Gonglin pushed Mei, lay on top of her, and covered her ears. This is unfair! This is really unfair! I've never seen such shamelessness. I want this kind of power too!

A violent explosion rang out on the battlefield. The missiles made of high-intensity explosives proved Anti-Entropy's technological prowess, but the price for this proof was a bit too high. After the explosion, the battlefield was devastated, and the mecha force was wiped out in an instant. The Herrscher had deliberately avoided the location of Shen Gonglin in the previous explosion. As the smoke cleared, the Herrscher looked at Shen Gonglin lying on the ground with great interest. "What else is fun to do? Bring it on. This kind of attack makes it impossible for me to even use the Serenity Gem."

The situation on the battlefield became clear in an instant. Shen Gonglin silently got up and looked around. All of Anti-Entropy's mechs had been reduced to wreckage. Only some Honkai Beast remained on the battlefield. The previous attacks had also affected many Honkai Beast when they destroyed the mech units, but the Herrscher didn't care about such things at all. She had as many familiars as she could. The ones that needed to be taken seriously were right here.

A dragon's roar echoed in the air, and Benares, the dragon-shaped Judgment-class Honkai Beast previously defeated by Fu Hua, flew over from who-knows-where. This dragon was a bully who preyed on the weak; after being beaten up by Fu Hua, it had disappeared. Now, seeing that the Queen had gained the upper hand, it flew back. Seeing its swaggering appearance, Shen Gonglin was furious. Did it think they had won? She hadn't lost yet.

[The mecha unit's reactions vanished in an instant... I really hope it was an illusion. Shen Gonglin, you have to pay for this.]

Einstein's eerie voice rang out, and the mecha force was wiped out in an instant. This was a significant blow to Anti-Entropy. After all, she and Tesla had brought nearly 70% of the headquarters' mechas with them this time, and now they were all gone. While the Herrscher's strength was indeed terrifying, Einstein was now thinking about the issue of accountability. The tactics were devised by Shen Gonglin, and he had seized command, so he had to take responsibility for this, at least half of it. He couldn't bear the blame alone.

[Huh? What did you say? I can't quite hear you... The signal seems a bit weak, I'll hang up now.]

Through the earpiece came Shen Gonglin's feigned ignorance: only a fool would take on this responsibility. He already had enough debts; all of Durandal and Rita's salaries over the years had been swindled out of him under the pretense of buying an island. Shen Gonglin didn't even know how to repay that debt, let alone take on this Anti-Entropy debt. He'd heard that each mech cost 100 million; he couldn't afford to pay it back even if he sold himself. Anyone who took on this was a fool!

"Hello, hello... Ms. Theresa, do you have anything to say about this? He's your student, isn't he?"

With communications cut off, Einstein looked at Theresa, who was covered in cold sweat, and knew that if he didn't want to take responsibility for his mistake, he would have to turn to her family.

"Why are you asking me about this? I'm just his headmistress. If a brat does something wrong, you should go to his guardian. His guardian is Fu Hua. Yes, just go to Fu Hua."

Even the headmaster wouldn't dare take the blame. This debt would probably require selling the Hyperion to pay. She can't admit it; it has nothing to do with her. If anyone's going to find someone, it should be Fu Hua. Shen Gonglin is her person, so she has to take the blame.

Chapter 121 All-Out War

"... In short, we'll talk about these things later. Don't worry, Shen Gonglin is my man, and I'll take responsibility for everything he does... Let's leave it at that for now. We'll take care of the main battlefront. Doctor, you'll be in charge of all the coordination. I'm going to join the battle now. Shen Gonglin Mei n't hold on any longer."

Feeling uncomfortable under Einstein's gaze, Theresa felt she couldn't stay in the command room any longer. What if Einstein forced her to pay? That naughty boy, Shen Gonglin, would only cause her trouble. She would have to pay for her own brat's mistakes. Without looking back, Theresa ran out of the command room. Einstein, on the other hand, sighed softly. He was just joking. Didn't they realize he was being sarcastic?

I really don't have a sense of humor. If Dr. Tesla were here, he would definitely make them laugh out loud... Although, in this situation, it's true that I can't laugh.

"This concentration of Honkai energy... I really hope the detector is malfunctioning. 4458 HW, what an ominous number. The Honkai energy concentration of the Honkai event in Changkong City was 1500 HW. In other words, this threat is several times greater than that one... Why are you here? You should rest now."

Theresa left, Einstein stared silently at the data analyzed on her computer. She tried to mobilize mechs from other locations to support the battle. Because of the Herrscher's actions, the mech forces on the main battlefield had been completely wiped out, and the enemy's numbers had not decreased at all, and were even showing an increasing trend. The current situation was far from good. Had they still not caught up? Kiana had been controlled by the Honkai. If things continued like this... Just as Einstein was pondering the battle situation, Bronya quietly walked in. The girl's face was calm and resolute. They were all doing their own things, and Bronya also had her own things to do.

Bronya believes that she should join the battle immediately. If the idiot Kiana dares to be so arrogant, Shen Gonglin can't teach her a lesson, then it's Bronya's turn to step in.

Now is not the time to rest. Even in her current state, Shen Gonglin is active on the battlefield. If Bronya were to lie down again, she herself would not forgive herself. Looking at the battle situation on the screen, Bronya knew it was time for her to step in, protect Shen Gonglin, and then bring Kiana back. How dare that idiot Kiana be so arrogant? Does she think Bronya doesn't exist?

"Miss, are you trying to throw your life away for nothing...? Well, I can tell from your eyes that my advice is useless. Are all people destined for Schicksal so brainless? It's really a headache. It seems you've made up your mind... But at least let me give you some advice."

Einstein tapped her head, quite troubled by the situation. Logically, with such a leader, the entire Schicksal shouldn't be in this state of affairs, but the Schicksal she saw now... oh no, now it should be called the rebels of Schicksal. They all retained the most precious things in humanity, perhaps it was impulsiveness, but this impulsiveness wasn't annoying; instead, it made those around them always want to help them.

With a slight sigh, Einstein turned around and took out a box from somewhere. She gently stroked the box as if greeting an old friend.

"Take this weapon with you, you'll need it. No need to thank me, just remember to return it to me. And whatever you do, don't lose it."

He opened the box and handed it to Bronya. A hint of reluctance flashed in Einstein's eyes, but the doctor's eyes quickly returned to calm, hoping it would come in handy.

"Yes, thank you, Dr. Einstein. I will thank you together with Shen Gonglin after this is all over."

Bronya nodded slightly, took Einstein's gift, and turned to leave. A strange light flickered in Einstein's eyes. Why bring Shen Gonglin along? These girls... all seem to have close relationships with Shen Gonglin. Not only them, but even that Herrscher treats him differently. So far, not a single attack from her has directly hit him. It seems Dr. Tesla ... will probably have a pretty good time from now on.

With this thought in mind, Einstein felt that the days to come would become more and more interesting. He thought it would be fun to be a bystander alongside Dr. Tesla.

Rewind a little. When the Herrscher were just freed, Fu Hua, who was in the middle of the battle, also heard the alarm coming from that side. After clearing out the Honkai Beast in this area, Fu Hua looked in the direction of Heimdall Research Lab. Finally, it has begun.

"Lady Fu Hua, this area has been cleared. As per the bishop's orders, the Valkyrie must stay away from the Herrscher's battle area. Please wait here for a moment. Durandal will be leading the Immortal Blade to join us soon."

Even in battle, Rita maintained her elegance. The scythe in her hand reaped the lives of the Honkai Beast around her like the Grim Reaper. She had just received an order from Bishop Otto, and as long as it did not affect certain matters, she had to obey the Bishop's orders.

I wonder if Otto understands that his orders are now second priority for Rita.

"What? Durandal is coming to join us? Then who is monitoring the Herrscher now, who is responsible for fighting the Herrscher, and who else besides her can fight the Herrscher?"

Fu Hua was shocked by the maid's words. Things were not developing as she had expected. Wasn't Durandal supposed to be in charge of controlling the Herrscher? Why was she here? If she wasn't the one fighting the Herrscher, Fu Hua couldn't think of anyone else who could stop the Herrscher.

[Don't worry, everything is under my control. My lovely granddaughter Theresa will help us fight against the Herrscher and obtain Herrscher power.]

Otto's communication came through, his voice full of confidence. Just as he said, everything was under his control, everything was developing as planned, and the script had already been written.

"What? Theresa will fight Herrscher? Otto, are you crazy! How could she possibly be a match for Herrscher!"

Fu Hua was truly shocked. What was this man thinking? Although Theresa was powerful, it was impossible for her to fight against Herrscher. What was his plan? It was completely different from what she had thought!

Chapter 122 Current Girlfriend and Ex-Girlfriend Fight?

The situation had deviated from her expectations. Fu Hua was completely confused about what Otto was trying to do. When she tried to question him, all she heard from the communicator was a crackling sound. What was going on? Why at a time like this?

"Excuse me, Lady Fu Hua, the communication equipment seems to have malfunctioned. Please allow me to check it out... It seems to be due to a strong electromagnetic pulse nearby, which has caused the communication system to malfunction."

Rita gave this answer with a slight apology on her face, while Fu Hua froze. What was going on? An electromagnetic pulse? Was it Shen Gonglin or Mei? Could it be that one of them was fighting Herrscher? No matter who it was, this was not good news. She couldn't waste any more time here; she had to join the battle first.

"Rita, quickly repair the equipment, then immediately contact Durandal and tell her that the reborn Herrscher has likely broken free of control. Tell her to immediately assemble the Immortal Blade and Valkyrie forces to prepare for the attack. I'll go over there now to buy you some time; we must hurry..."

The thought that someone might be fighting a Herrscher made Fu Hua's mind race. Whether it was Mei, Shen Gonglin, or anyone else, it was not good news. Shen Gonglin was in this state, and apart from Durandal Fu Hua really couldn't think of anyone else who could be a match for Herrscher, not even herself, since she couldn't use her full power... But even so, Fu Hua planned to join the battle, at least to buy enough time for Durandal to arrive.

"Lord Fu Hua, I'm sorry I cannot grant your request."

Just as she was about to leave, the maid's response made Fu Hua stop. She frowned slightly as she looked at the maid behind her. The maid stood elegantly, her perfect posture making it hard to believe she had just been through a battle. Fu Hua could only see composure in her. But what did she mean by what she had just said? Was she not going to accept her request?

"...Why?"

"Your Excellency, I have never ordered a war against the Herrscher."

"What?"

Rita's answer left Fu Hua completely bewildered. What did it mean? What did it mean to never order a battle with the Herrscher? What was he trying to do by waking up the Herrscher? At that moment, Fu Hua felt that she couldn't understand Otto's thoughts at all. What was this man thinking?

"Please allow me to share my perspective. In His Excellency's plan, several trump cards were prepared in case of unforeseen circumstances. So far, he has not used any of them, which proves that the situation is still within the expected range. Under such circumstances, it is absolutely inappropriate to make decisions on one's own."

The maid gently advised Fu Hua. She wasn't entirely clear about Otto's plan, but she knew what she should do. As Valkyrie belonging to the Schicksal Headquarters, she had to obey Otto's orders. If Fu Hua acted on her own, she would be in danger. Although she was just an ex-girlfriend, if something happened to her, Shen Gonglin would definitely be heartbroken.

Despite his current sharp tongue and seemingly determined to sever ties with Fu Hua, Rita felt she knew exactly what he was thinking.

This shows how magnanimous a current girlfriend is towards her ex-girlfriend.

"Why do I always feel like you've suddenly become arrogant... Never mind, I have no intention of arguing with you. Since that's what you think, then I won't ask you to help me. From the moment an unrelated person came into contact with the Herrscher, the plan was already out of control. I will stop the Herrscher."

The maid's faintly smiling eyes were truly unpleasant, but now was not the time to dwell on such matters. Rita had her own insights, and Fu Hua had her own plans. She believed the plan was still under control, but in Fu Hua's view, it was already out of control. In order to prevent even more irreversible consequences, she had to do something. A feeling of regret surged into Fu Hua's heart. She must have been out of her mind to assist Otto's plan. Now, not only had the situation spiraled out of control to this extent, but she had also become Otto's ex-girlfriend. This situation could be described as a complete collapse.

"Lady Fu Hua, you still don't understand."

Fu Hua wanted to leave, but Rita flashed in front of her and blocked her way. The maid's voice was still gentle and calm, but this time Fu Hua heard a hint of coldness in her voice. The Valkyrie's eyes narrowed slightly. Did this maid want to stop her?

"We are all in the middle of a huge vortex. Every action we take will have unpredictable effects on others. Your reaction was also expected by His Holiness the Bishop. He specifically instructed me that you must not be allowed to ruin the plan and put everyone in danger. Lady Fu Hua, I do not want to deny your point of view, nor do I intend to judge your choice. However, like you, I also have a position that cannot be changed easily, and a mission that must be completed. So, do you understand?"

A scythe had appeared in her hand without her noticing. Rita's tone was gentle, but her attitude spoke volumes. She couldn't let Fu Hua join the battle now, not only for the sake of the bishop's plan, but also to protect Fu Hua's life. If she went there now, it would affect the plan. And Rita knew all too well what choice the bishop would make in the face of uncertainties that would affect the plan.

"Hmph, further words are pointless... Get out of my way!"

Rita's stance was clear, but Fu Hua wasn't the type to be easily swayed by a few words. She clenched her fist, the threat unmistakable, and the cold iron armor on her body creaked. She had her choice, and Fu Hua had her own plans.

"It's a pity. Since we've taken different paths, I must take the necessary measures to ensure my goals. Valkyrie, Rita Roseweisse, my apologies."

Rita shook her head slightly, deeply regretting Fu Hua's choice. If she could, she wouldn't want to fight Fu Hua, but now it seemed that a fight was inevitable. Neither of them could convince the other, so the only thing they could do was to stall her. This was an unnecessary battle, and there was no need to determine a winner or loser. All she had to do was stall Fu Hua, and that wasn't a difficult task for Rita.

"Phew... In the end, we still have to fight. I'm sorry, Rita. I'll apologize to you later if there's another chance."

Fu Hua took a deep breath, thinking of it as a warm-up before the battle. She had to go, and no one could stop her!

Chapter 123 I Don't Dislike Her

In this dimly lit environment, the two top combatants of Schicksal began to clash. Blades and fists clashed, and scythes and gauntlets sparked fiercely as they clashed. Watching Rita use the momentum to retreat, Fu Hua's eyes began to become complicated. From the previous exchange, she could tell that every strike was perfectly timed. It wasn't for offense, but only to defend against her attacks. This maid was just trying to stall her. No, she couldn't let her stall here. Fu Hua had something she had to do right now.

"Rita, I'll say it again, move aside."

The two were still breathing steadily throughout the battle. Neither Fu Hua nor Rita had used their true strength. But now Fu Hua was no longer going to play house with Rita here. Her moon armor emitted a faint glow, Fu Hua was getting serious. Although it might hurt Rita, there was nothing she could do about it. She hoped that Rita would step aside.

"I'm so sorry, Lady Fu Hua, I can't let you leave. It seems you intend to use the power of the Divine Key. In that case, for my own protection, I can't hold back either."

Just as Fu Hua had predicted, Rita had no intention of stepping aside. Seeing Fu Hua's stance, she also became slightly serious. If she held back when using the Divine Key, it would be disrespectful to Fu Hua. Besides being a maid, she was also S-rank Valkyrie. It was her mission to stop Fu Hua here and not let her join the battle, or she would die.

"Then let's go."

Words cannot convey to the other how firm their choice is. The gauntlets on her arms have been replaced with the Grip of the Great Void, and Rita is also on high alert. On the surface, she is A-rank Valkyrie, but both of them know the true strength of Fu Hua, and Rita is also a top-tier fighter in Schicksal. If these two were to fight... Durandal would not allow it.

Let's stop here.

The voice was clear and calm like moonlight. A white knight's lance fell from the sky and landed between the two. Fu Hua and Rita looked in the direction of the voice and saw a white figure sitting high up, quietly watching them. Her golden hair seemed to be covered with a layer of white light under the moonlight. The Valkyrie inherited the Black Abyss White Flower, the person closest to the title of the strongest, Durandal, had arrived.

Why would she come at this time? This looks like trouble. Fu Hua was still confident when facing Rita, but now with Durandal added, it's dangerous. Knowing Durandal's true strength, she Schicksal's strongest card. If she also stops her, she probably won't have any way to deal with it... However, even so, Fu Hua doesn't intend to surrender. How will she know if she doesn't try?

Oh, so two ex-girlfriends have gotten together. I'm under a lot of pressure as the current girlfriend.

Upon seeing Durandal, Rita sheathed her scythe and reverted to her perfect maid persona. She glanced at Durandal and then at Fu Hua, and the thought involuntarily popped into her mind. Of course, Rita only dared to say this in her heart. If she were to accidentally say it out loud now, the two of them would probably gang up on her. After all, she was the current girlfriend, and this was the pressure she had to bear. Sigh, those ex-girlfriends just didn't understand the difficulties of being the current girlfriend.

"Don't worry, Fu Hua, I'm not here to fight you. Rita, let her pass."

Fu Hua was on high alert, but Durandal's reaction was unexpected. Durandal didn't stop her; instead, she told Rita not to interfere. After hearing Durandal's words, Rita immediately stopped. It seems that the priority of the bishop's orders has to be relegated to the back of the table again.

"I understand, Durandal."

Without asking why, he unconditionally trusted Durandal Rita. Since she did this, she must have her reasons. He only needed to obey orders. What bad intentions could a well-behaved and pitiful little maid have? All the blame should fall on Lady Durandal.

"Go, Fu Hua. We cannot offer you any assistance because our fight is not only for our own beliefs, but also for the people we cherish... If I were in your shoes, I would probably make the same choice as you."

After stopping Rita's actions, Durandal said these words to Fu Hua. She didn't know if Fu Hua's choice was right or wrong, but if she were in Fu Hua's shoes, she would make the same choice. Therefore, Durandal did not intend to stop Fu Hua. Of course, she would not provide her with any assistance. Everything was Fu Hua's own choice, and she had to bear the consequences of that choice herself.

"Thank you, I'll remember this favor."

Fu Hua Durandal would let her leave, but now was not the time to think about these questions. After thanking her softly, she turned and left. Her heroic figure clearly showed that she was a warrior. She would protect everyone in St. Freya!

"Why didn't you stop her? If she had gone over there, she would have died."

Fu Hua jumped off the edge of the sky island, flames spewing from the jets on the back of her Moon Wheel Armor propelling her forward. After she left, Rita softly asked, "If Fu Hua goes over like this, she will really die. Whether it's because of the Herrscher or for some other reason, letting her go over is not the best choice."

"This was her own decision. If it were me, and if Shen Gonglin were there, I probably would have done the same... By the way, is Shen Gonglin still safe?"

Silently watching the figure gradually disappear on the horizon, Durandal put herself in Fu Hua's shoes and gave this answer. Fu Hua cared about St. Freya, but she didn't have the same deep feelings for those people. However, if it were someone she cherished and she was in that position, Durandal would undoubtedly make the same choice. That was for sure.

"Yes, I have placed him in a watchtower in the north, so there is no need to worry about his safety."

Rita answered Durandal's question with her head down. It was indeed safe for Shen Gonglin to be there, but only if he stayed there. Rita didn't know if Shen Gonglin would listen to her. But Shen Gonglin's orders were the highest priority. If he wanted to do something, Rita would never stop him. Even Durandal and Otto's orders would have to take a backseat.

I hope Lady Fu Hua is alright. After all, I don't dislike her.

With these thoughts in mind, Rita stood beside Durandal, looking at the gloomy sky. "Forget it," she thought, "These are not things a lowly maid like me should concern myself with."

Chapter 124

Damn it, why can't I beat her? Even though she's three times stronger when she's corrupted, even three Kiana wouldn't be as strong as her, right? This can't go on. I'm not in any real danger, but Mei can't hold on anymore. Why doesn't she just attack me?

On the main battlefield, the Herrscher of the Void had wiped out the mecha force, was watching Mei get back up with great interest. After dealing with the mecha, she started playing with Shen Gonglin and Mei, or rather, playing with Mei alone? After all, Shen Gonglin was very fragile right now, and it wouldn't be good if she accidentally broke him.

"Qi... Yana..."

Shen Gonglin quickly ran over and helped Mei up. He was completely unable to launch any effective attacks, and Mei had to bear the brunt of everything. The Herrscher hadn't attacked him at all, and had even avoided him in her attacks. This situation kept Mei hopeful, and in her mind, it was evidence that Kiana was still conscious. However, in reality... it was just that the Herrscher didn't want to attack Shen Gonglin.

"A boring struggle."

Seeing Mei get up again, the Herrscher of the Void merely moved her fingers. A golden halo appeared beneath Shen Gonglin's feet, teleporting her to a distant place. Meanwhile, the Spear of the Void behind the Herrscher attacked Mei. The exhausted Valkyrie barely managed to raise her katana to try and block. Sparks flew as Mei's individual strength proved utterly futile against the Mei 'Herrscher attack. This was the true Herrscher, completely different from herself and Wendy. This power was truly despair-inducing.

"Mei!"