I, Herrscher Slayer

Fu Hua looked at Rita with surprise. She knew Rita's strength, and while she couldn't figure out why Rita was with Shen Gonglin, the injuries she sustained were real. How could this maid be brought down by these low-to-mid-tier Honkai Beasts? This was completely different from the Rita she knew.

Even if things went wrong, they wouldn't have gone this badly.

"…Lady Fu Hua, good day. I apologize for meeting you in this state. I've made a fool of myself."

Rita bowed and greeted Fu Hua. Although she appeared calm on the surface, Rita's mind was in turmoil. How could she have been discovered in such a pathetic state? She would have preferred to block the attack and die, or at least pass out. Being so disheveled in front of someone she knew made Rita feel like she was about to explode. She finally understood what it meant to have no will to live.

"It's not that you've made a fool of yourself… but after this is over, you should tell me properly. After all, seeing you like this is truly rare."

Fu Hua's gaze lingered briefly on the green jacket Rita was wearing. Unsure of what she was thinking, Fu Hua turned away. The jacket undoubtedly belonged to Shen Gonglin. It seemed she had arrived a little late, and there were things she didn't know. She would ask Shen Gonglin about the situation after dealing with the Honkai Beasts in front of them.

"Shen Gonglin, do you understand the importance of martial arts now? The most crucial thing in combat is your own strength. You mastered Mindful Essence well before, and when we return, I will teach you the other Essences. For now, you just need to rest well. Leave the rest to me. Watch closely, and learn."

Very satisfied with Shen Gonglin's performance just now, Fu Hua realized he had truly integrated Mindful Essence and put it into practice. In Fu Hua's opinion, Shen Gonglin's talent was unparalleled. If she polished him well, Shen Gonglin would undoubtedly become the most brilliant masterpiece… Therefore, she absolutely could not let certain people interfere with him. The path of martial arts is endless, and Shen Gonglin was clearly the type who was easily tempted. As his senior, she had to ensure Shen Gonglin always maintained a pure heart. Thus, something like what Himeko did before must never happen again!

Speaking of which, did Shen Gonglin really have a pure heart? Could simple lust be a form of pure heart?

Calming her mind, Fu Hua adjusted her Mindful Essence and entered a state most suitable for combat. A layer of black armor covered her fair, jade-like palms. Valkyries all had their own means of attack, and Fu Hua used pure physical techniques.

"Inch Strength. Rock Break."

Facing the incoming electric ball, Fu Hua didn't dodge. She met it with a punch. The electric ball exploded, and Fu Hua lightly leaped up, like a nimble little bird, towards the Honkai Beast's fist. This was a move Shen Gonglin had also learned. Fu Hua punched the Honkai Beast, directly shattering its white shell. As expected of a seasoned Valkyrie, Honkai Beasts of this level were nothing in her eyes.

It really is like this. Look at the true Valkyrie, slender, with a protective steel plate on her chest, fighting Honkai Beasts with fluid martial arts and boxing. Then look at what's around me.

Shen Gonglin's gaze shifted from Fu Hua to the maid in his arms, and his eyes immediately filled with contempt. Look at this outfit, more about appearance than practicality, almost revealing everything with a slight movement. And this seductive figure. Calling her a Valkyrie is less fitting than calling her a game protagonist. Look at her attitude, constantly boasting about being the strongest S-rank Valkyrie. Tsk.

Even Fu Hua, who was so powerful, said it wasn't perfect this time. It seems Rita just conned and tricked her way into the Valkyrie identity.

"Why am I suddenly so annoyed… Are you thinking bad things about me again? I already said this was just an accident. If you keep looking at me like that, do you believe I'll bite you?"

Sensing Shen Gonglin's disdainful gaze, the elegant maid immediately became displeased. Why couldn't she maintain her calm and elegant demeanor around him? Just by looking at his eyes, she knew he was thinking unpleasant things in his mind. Couldn't Shen Gonglin at least conceal his gaze?

"Mhm, mhm, I know. You're an S-rank Valkyrie, a very powerful one. Today, you were just not in good condition, so you failed. I understand. Girls have those few days every month. I get it, I get it."

Shen Gonglin nodded perfunctorily. This attitude made the maid puff out her cheeks unhappily. This kind of behavior was impossible to see from Rita. Fu Hua, who had finished the fight, glanced over and almost fell over in shock. No way, is this really Rita, or is it someone else pretending to be her?

"Who said that to you! That's not what I meant. I am… I'm sorry, Lady Fu Hua. I'm embarrassed to have you see me like this. Could you please forget about it?"

As if she had two faces, Rita, who had just been arguing with Shen Gonglin, immediately reverted to her composed maid persona when Fu Hua approached. She bowed apologetically to Fu Hua. Even when her wounds were touched, her expression remained unchanged. Perfection was Rita's habit, but for some reason, she couldn't maintain perfection in front of Shen Gonglin.

"Mm, I didn't see anything… Shen Gonglin, what did you do to Rita? Why did she end up like this?"

Giving Rita some face with understanding, Fu Hua nodded to her and immediately turned her gaze to Shen Gonglin. Her intuition told her that Rita's current state was 99% due to Shen Gonglin. For some reason, Fu Hua was so confident in him.

Even if Rita was an S-rank Valkyrie, she would definitely be tricked by Shen Gonglin.

Chapter 97: A Disciple's Heart

"How could it be me? She's the one bragging. I was just testing her by the standards of a maid. As a result, she went limp and collapsed on me, whimpering that she couldn't take it anymore. Class monitor, look, she even claims to be an S-rank Valkyrie. You two seem to know each other. Tell me, is she the Valkyrie in charge of logistics?"

Shen Gonglin was very displeased with Fu Hua's suspicious gaze. He loudly explained the whole story. He still couldn't believe that S-rank Valkyries were so weak. He had only tested her a little, and she couldn't handle it. Were all S-rank Valkyries like this?

If he had the chance, he would test the other two S-rank Valkyries. If they were all like this, wouldn't that mean he was even stronger than S-rank Valkyries?

"Shen Gonglin, Rita is telling the truth. She is indeed an S-rank Valkyrie… May I ask, what did you mean by 'testing' just now?"

Fu Hua was indeed Fu Hua; she immediately grasped the key point. Rita's current state was likely due to this reason. It definitely had something to do with Shen Gonglin. Otherwise, how could Rita, with her strength, have failed in such a situation? Fu Hua was curious about what methods Shen Gonglin possessed to make even a combatant like Rita fall into his hands.

Fu Hua's suspicious gaze flickered between Shen Gonglin and Rita, while the perfect maid uncomfortably turned her head. It was a bit embarrassing. She had boasted earlier about letting Shen Gonglin come at her, but then he pecked her on the neck, and she became so pathetic. What perfect maid? She was clearly just a lewd maid with a head full of dirty thoughts.

She still had a long way to go.

"Um… to put it simply, I bit Rita's neck. And I didn't use any force, but she ended up like this… Huh, thinking about it now, Rita's appearance at that time was similar to yours in the bathroom, Class Monitor. What does it feel like? Why are you both… Mmph!"

"Alright, stop talking. I know. You don't need to say anymore."

Before Shen Gonglin could finish speaking, Fu Hua rushed over and covered his mouth. Under Rita's strange gaze, Fu Hua could only try her best to maintain a normal expression. So, Shen Gonglin had used this move on Rita. No wonder Rita had ended up like this…

Fu Hua was familiar with this move. She had experienced it twice herself, once with her finger and once with her mouth. Even with her state of mind, she couldn't endure it. Her first kiss, cherished for so many years, was given away like this. It wasn't a loss for Rita to be defeated by such a move. This move could completely be considered a specialized technique for Valkyries. She couldn't endure it, and Rita couldn't either. She wondered if that person could endure it.

Sometimes she really wanted to see what would happen if she were bitten by Shen Gonglin like this… She would probably also give in.

It seems Shen Gonglin and Lady Fu Hua also have an unknown story between them. In the bathroom… what kind of scene would that be?

The maid's purplish-red eyes shimmered with curiosity. She really wanted to know what was going on. Moreover, it seemed Lady Fu Hua had a similar experience. If that was the case, she didn't need to explain further. She really wanted to see Lady Fu Hua embarrassed. What if it were Lady Theresa…

"Rita, what's wrong? Why are you suddenly bleeding from your nose? Is it because of your wounds?"

Fu Hua was quietly warning Shen Gonglin to keep it a secret when a sound came from behind them. They both turned back and saw Rita covering her nose. Fresh blood stained her slender, fair fingers. Her complexion also seemed a bit strange. What was she thinking to make herself bleed from her nose?

Shen Gonglin nodded secretly. This maid still had some skills. In his impression, a perfect maid should be normal, not bleeding from her nose from time to time.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking about something happy. Lady Fu Hua, if you're here too, does that mean St. Freya has joined the battle?"

Quickly dealing with her nosebleed, the maid solemnly changed the subject. She silently hid her ulterior motives. It was more important to discuss business at this time. She never expected Fu Hua to come to the rescue. If St. Freya had joined the battle, wouldn't that mean Lady Theresa might also be coming?

If that were the case, could she perhaps instigate Shen Gonglin to… No, no, she was thinking crookedly again. At least not at this time.

"No, it's just that some personnel and I were handling matters nearby… Rita, can you still walk?"

Speaking of this, Fu Hua couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth. She almost forgot that a certain corpse-snatching, loli-loving expert was also nearby. She absolutely couldn't let her discover Shen Gonglin, otherwise, who knew what she would think. The best course of action now was to transfer Shen Gonglin out of the battlefield. Himeko absolutely could not see him. Fu Hua wanted Shen Gonglin to focus on learning martial arts from her. She couldn't let him be blinded by lust at such a young age.

Although she wasn't his teacher, Fu Hua was constantly worrying about Shen Gonglin. What was the use of being infatuated with women at a young age? Was it as good as learning martial arts from her?

"Yes, I can move normally. I've also notified the members of Immortal Blade. The battle should be ending soon. The next steps will be search and rescue, and appeasement. Immortal Blade can now return to base."

Despite having many minor and major wounds, Rita's resolute spirit supported her to stand up. With Fu Hua here, she couldn't continue to be so disgraceful. Although being carried by Shen Gonglin was a good option, it was time for her to show her responsibility as a veteran Valkyrie.

"Is that so? That's good. Then Rita and I will go meet up with the Immortal Blade... Shen Gonglin, what's wrong with you?"

Rita, who was heavily injured, had managed to stand up, but Shen Gonglin was sitting on the ground, refusing to move. He had just said it himself, the battle was probably almost over, so why was he running around like a madman? Shen Gonglin's stamina had reached its limit long ago. All he wanted now was for Mei to hurry up and come give him a charge. Fu Hua had arrived, so Mei should be here too, right?

"No, I can't. I need Mei's kiss to get up... Hey, Class President, Class President, what are you doing? Put me down."

Shen Gonglin tried to play coy, but Fu Hua slung him over her shoulder. She couldn't let this guy stay here any longer. It wouldn't be good if Himeko saw him. He still had to go to headquarters, so she'd let him go there with Rita.

Tsk, if he had to be carried, Shen Gonglin would rather be carried by Rita. At least it wouldn't hurt his back.

Lying on Fu Hua's shoulder, Shen Gonglin looked at Rita, who was walking with difficulty beside him, and thought with a wicked sense of schadenfreude that being carried by her would definitely be more comfortable than being carried by the Class President.

Chapter 98: What Happened on the Other Side

Not here, not here, still not here. Where in the world did that guy Shen Gonglin run off to!

Amidst the ruins, a white figure sped by. Kiana leaped and ran everywhere, searching, but no matter how hard she looked, she couldn't find any sign of Shen Gonglin. Kiana had been rushing around the battlefield since a while ago, but Shen Gonglin had vanished as if he had evaporated into thin air. Had she really lost him?

Her heart grew more anxious, but these Honkai Beasts still shamelessly swarmed towards her. Looking at the charging Honkai Beasts, a golden glint seemed to flash in Kiana's blue eyes. These damned creatures, she didn't have time to deal with them now!

Her twin guns fired like shooting stars chasing the moon, a storm of bullets unleashing Kiana's emotions. The Honkai energy bullets pierced through the Honkai Beasts. Don't disturb me while I'm busy!

Huh? This sound, is that Raiden?

Just as Kiana was about to rush to the other side, a crackling sound echoed from over there. Kiana turned her head in surprise. Without hesitation, Kiana bolted in that direction. This time, she absolutely wouldn't let Shen Gonglin leave her side again. That idiot, he's a terrible navigator, why didn't he say so earlier? If she had known about this problem, Kiana would never have let him act alone. Idiot, idiot, idiot. Kiana felt like she could award him that title. After all, they were partners, how could he just abandon his partner and act alone?

She should have tied him up with a chain.

When Kiana flipped over the ruins, the figure that entered her sight was not the one she had expected. A white blade flashed, and the girl holding a katana, surrounded by purple electricity, sped past. At this moment, Raiden Mei showed none of her usual gentle and considerate demeanor. After all, she was a Valkyrie, and even a candidate knew what to do on the battlefield.

"Mei, why are you here too?"

Although it was a little disappointing that it wasn't the person she was looking for, seeing Mei was also a pleasant surprise. Kiana quickly ran over and took out the last Honkai Beast with a flying kick. The girl ran up to Mei and greeted her. Logically, Mei should still be at St. Freya, so why was she here?

"Kiana? I came here with the Class President on some business, and then the Honkai outbreak happened, so we joined the fight... By the way, where is Shen Gonglin? Isn't he with you?"

Mei was also surprised to see Kiana. If Kiana was here, wouldn't that mean Shen Gonglin would be here too? Thinking of this, Mei looked back with worry. Teacher Himeko was also here. If she saw Shen Gonglin, it wouldn't be a good thing. But it seemed only Kiana had come. Where did Shen Gonglin run off to? Why wasn't he with Kiana?

"It's a long story. I'm also looking for Shen Gonglin. Mei, let's hurry and find him together... I, I accidentally lost him. I don't know when he got lost. He was following me the whole time, but when I turned around, he was gone. Mei, what should I do?"

Seeing Mei was like finding her backbone. Kiana grabbed Mei's hand and asked for help. She had been looking for a long time but couldn't find Shen Gonglin. It was good that Mei was here. With her help, the two of them would definitely find him faster.

"What? Kiana, you lost him... It's okay, Shen Gonglin will be fine. He was evenly matched with the Class President during their spar, so he'll definitely be alright. We'll find him together, we definitely will."

As expected, Kiana was still so unreliable. This was the Kiana she knew. Mei patted Kiana's head to comfort her. Although she was a little anxious, she couldn't panic. If she panicked, Kiana would panic even more. So Mei could only comfort Kiana like this. Although Shen Gonglin had some issues in various aspects, his strength was quite good. Ordinary difficulties shouldn't be able to stop him.

"But, but he was already out of power before. I was the one carrying him the whole way. Mei, he'll be fine, right?"

Mei's words couldn't reassure Kiana. Shen Gonglin had joined the battle after a heavy hangover. Without Mei by his side to charge him, Shen Gonglin seemed to have been in a constant state of depletion. It was all this guy's fault for not telling the truth. Kiana didn't know what his current condition was. He should have just followed her honestly, why did he run off randomly!

"What? You're saying he... It's fine. Let's move faster and find him as soon as possible. The Honkai Beasts are decreasing, maybe he's hiding somewhere safe."

Bad news always came in waves. Why would he run out of power at such a critical moment? Should she have stayed by his side the whole time? Power seemed quite important to Shen Gonglin. The last time Shen Gonglin ran out of power, he was completely incapacitated. This bad news made Mei's mood tense. They couldn't delay any longer; they had to find him quickly.

"The Shen Gonglin you're talking about, is it the Shen Gonglin I know?"

Footsteps sounded, and Wuliangta Himeko walked over quietly, a terrifying greatsword on her back. Her radar seemed to have picked up some information about romance. Knowing that the cute blonde boy was Shen Gonglin, Himeko came over as soon as she heard Mei and Kiana discussing him.

It wasn't that Himeko wanted to be a "lolicon." Although he looked excessively young, according to Mei, he should be around fifteen years old. Fifteen years old, so it couldn't be considered "lolicon"... It was just that he was a bit young. Besides, she didn't intend to do anything to him; she just wanted to formally get to know him.

"Huh? Teacher Himeko, you're here too? That's even better. Do you know Shen Gonglin too? That guy is nowhere to be found now. Teacher Himeko, could you help us find him too... Oh right, Teacher Himeko, do you know what he looks like?"

Before she could stop her, the quick-tongued Kiana revealed everything without seeing Mei's eyes. What Mei had been worried about had finally happened.

"Of course, I know what he looks like. It's because of him that I even went to jail. As the saying goes, a life without experiencing prison is incomplete, and I've now ticked that box. You're saying he's lost, right? It's okay, I can definitely find him!"

Looking at the imposing Wuliangta Himeko before her, Kiana looked at Mei innocently. Had she said anything wrong? Why did Himeko suddenly get so fired up? And why was Mei looking at her with such a resentful gaze? What had she done wrong?

Chapter 99: Very Energetic

The gathering place of the Immortal Blade, their unified dark green uniforms representing their identity. In this battle against Honkai, they still played their powerful roles. The fact that the battle could end so quickly was mostly due to the strong offensive of the Immortal Blade. Under the command of the vice-captain, coupled with the embellishment of the most reliable tool person, Alvit, the Immortal Blade, all members were unharmed!

"Vice-captain, the mission is complete. Requesting orders... Tsk, still can't contact the vice-captain. What do you guys think? Could the vice-captain be in trouble? I haven't been able to reach her since a while ago."

She spoke into the headset for a long time, but there was still no response from the vice-captain's channel. Alvit looked helplessly at her teammates. Without orders, what should they do next? The search and rescue mission had already been handed over to other Valkyrie squads. As Schicksal's strongest blades, they had always undertaken combat missions. Now that the battle was over, where had the vice-captain gone?

"Alvit, what are you talking about? How could the vice-captain be in trouble? This level of Honkai outbreak is probably manageable even with an A-rank Valkyrie leading the team. Moreover, the vice-captain is an S-rank Valkyrie. I wonder when I'll be able to become an S-rank Valkyrie. Just thinking about being on par with the vice-captain and those two adults... I'm so excited!"

A teammate next to Alvit put down her battle axe and said with longing. The surrounding teammates undoubtedly cast disdainful glances at her. S-rank Valkyrie? She hadn't even been promoted to A-rank Valkyrie yet and was already dreaming big. Who among them didn't want to be on par with those three legends? But that was just wishful thinking. If becoming an S-rank Valkyrie was that easy, how could there only be three active ones now?

"Someone quickly give this daydreamer a whack. I'm not feeling hot lately, so I can't give her what she wants. And Alvit, you don't need to worry. Just like she said, how could the vice-captain be in trouble? Maybe she'll come out soon to elegantly prepare afternoon tea for us. Honestly, I've never seen anything that could affect the vice-captain. 'Perfect' is the word to describe the vice-captain... She's so polite to everyone. Vice-captain... I really want to call her 'Big Sister'."

Another one who wants to go to the Peach Garden. However, this also proved Rita's image and prestige within the Immortal Blade squad. All the members believed in her, only Alvit was very nervous. For some reason, she felt that something was not right.

"I'll go look for the vice-captain... Looking for a party, you guys know, I'm just a technician. I'm completely useless in combat. Will any of you come with me?"

The tool person looked at the teammates behind her. As members of the same squad, they should watch each other's backs on the battlefield. Besides, they were going to look for the vice-captain, they would definitely help. After all, this was the Immortal Blade!

"Ah? But we're too lazy to move. Alvit, you know, fighting Honkai is very tiring. Right now, I just want to rest well. Of course, if you're willing to exchange your share of the vice-captain's truffle cake, I might consider accompanying you."

Unexpectedly, the teammates Alvit had placed high hopes on were lazily leaning against the wall or sitting on the ground. After all, they thought Alvit's actions were purely futile. How could the vice-captain be in trouble? It was better to rest well than to worry about her. Even as the strongest squad, they were still girls of their age, and when girls had free time... what would they talk about?

"You only know how to eat. Stop thinking about cake. Let's talk about that energetic child, the Angel Your Highness that the vice-captain often mentions. What kind of person do you think she is? Maybe we'll get to see her at the base this time."

When this topic came up, all the squad members, including Alvit, perked up their ears. Several shy teammates had already blushed quietly. Everyone present saw that scene. She was indeed a very energetic child.

"Yeah, maybe we'll get to meet her. Judging by her face alone, she really looks like the angel the vice-captain always talks about, but... she's so scary. Do all boys carry such terrifying things with them? It's all because the vice-captain doesn't let us save recordings, otherwise, I'd really like to study it carefully."

Another teammate said excitedly. This was it, she had wanted to say this earlier. The so-called angel's face and devil's... Saying "devil" didn't seem quite fitting. It could only be described as a very energetic boy. Is this the boy the vice-captain always remembers? I really want to see him in person.

"I think... No, this isn't the time for this! Isn't anyone going with me to find the Vice-Captain? I really misjudged you all. Fine, I'll go alone!"

Almost led astray, Durandal looked at the team members before her, who were no different from ordinary gossiping girls, and felt like crying. She had been talking for a long time, but no one would accompany her to find Rita. What kind of people were these? Where was their camaraderie and mutual support?

"Hey, Durandal, we already said the Vice-Captain will be fine. Alright, if you insist on going, we'll go with you... Hey, someone's coming over there. It looks like Lord Fu Hua... and that energetic young boy!"

It was no use. Since Durandal insisted, they had no choice but to accompany her. But before they could even set off, the sound of footsteps approached. An heroic-looking girl walked towards them, with gray hair and blue eyes. Fu Hua was well-known throughout the entire headquarters, and these elites of the Immortal Blade had certainly heard of her. However, at this moment, their attention wasn't on Fu Hua. The boy she was carrying was the energetic angel they had seen in the video.

Hearing the team member's exclamation, everyone's gaze shifted in that direction. Just then, Rita, who was at the very back, entered their sight. The usually elegant and perfect Vice-Captain was now leaning on her scythe, looking very weak as she followed behind Fu Hua. Her tattered dress and the bloodstains on her body made Rita look exceptionally disheveled. How could the Vice-Captain have ended up like this? What kind of brutal battle must she have endured to be in such a state?

Seeing Rita's disheveled appearance, the members of the Immortal Blade squad were suddenly shocked. If even the Vice-Captain had become like this, one could imagine how powerful the Honkai Beast she faced was. Otherwise, with the Vice-Captain's combat prowess, how could she have ended up this way?

Perhaps she would disappoint her team members. In truth, the only real danger Rita faced was Shen Gonglin. Yet, Rita felt this battle was more difficult than any she had fought before.

Chapter 100: Durandal

Siberia, amidst a snowfield, a black figure stood quietly in the white world. Beneath the black military cap was a head of light-golden, wavy long hair that fluttered in the wind. Her figure, far surpassing that of her peers, was encased in a proper black military uniform. Beside the girl, a giant knight lance was planted, and with her blue eyes, she quietly gazed at the seemingly peaceful snowfield. The girl's name was Bianca·Durandal·Attagina.

Schicksal's strongest Valkyrie.

"Still not coming out?"

After a long while, the girl's cherry lips parted, letting out a soft sigh. If possible, she really didn't want to ruin this picturesque scenery. Unfortunately, it seemed there was no other way now.

Reaching out to pick up the knight lance beside her, Durandal calmly moved the tip of the spear. The sharp spearhead seemed to pierce the heart of some entity hidden beneath the ice field. Unlike ordinary Honkai Beasts, the Honkai Beast lurking beneath this ice field clearly possessed basic consciousness. It knew that this woman was about to attack.

Boom.

Unable to bear the sensation on the tip of the spear any longer, the ice field shattered, and a thunderous roar erupted from beneath it. Its white shell identified the Honkai Beast, an Emperor-class Honkai Beast. To other Valkyries, this would be a disaster of apocalyptic proportions, but to Durandal, it was just another ordinary mission. As Schicksal's strongest warrior, possessing such combat power was only natural.

"Let's finish this quickly and go home... Hmm? The Overseer?"