I, Herrscher Slayer: True Awakening

"Please wait, Lady Fu Hua. As long as neither side has called a stop, this test cannot be halted. Even you cannot interfere. Besides, he has not lost yet, has he?"

The maid stood in front of Fu Hua. It seemed Lady Fu Hua truly doted on Shen Gonglin. Rita was somewhat surprised that she was willing to go this far for him. Fu Hua had always seemed righteous, calm, and rigid; it was rare to see her display such strong personal feelings. But Rita could not back down either. As a maid—

Preventing accidents and ensuring that the battle continued before her master's fight was over was also her duty.

"Call a stop? I am afraid Shen Gonglin would not say that until he collapsed from exhaustion. He has not lost... Rita, you can see it too, can't you? Shen Gonglin can barely stand right now. He is clearly afraid of pain and exhaustion. This time... Fine. I will not interfere with the battle."

Fu Hua stopped. She understood that deciding the course of the battle on her own was not what Shen Gonglin would want. She did not understand why he was being so stubborn, but she forced herself to remain where she was. She would treat Shen Gonglin a little better when they returned today... Even if he wanted to rest his head on her stomach, she would let him have his way a little.

If Shen Gonglin found out that this would let him rest his head on Fu Hua, he would probably go out looking for fights every day.

"Thank you for your understanding. I have prepared chocolate cake and all sorts of desserts. Once the battle is over, I will comfort Shen Gonglin properly."

The maid gave Fu Hua a slight bow in thanks, but her words made Fu Hua's brow twitch. Her disciple needed comforting from Rita? Had this maid fallen in love with the sensation after Shen Gonglin bit her, so she wanted to get close to him? It was quite possible. As someone who had experienced that feeling firsthand, Fu Hua knew how addictive it was. Even she, who had mastered Mindful Essence, could not resist it. Just thinking about that feeling now made Fu Hua's breathing quicken. So Rita...

It was extremely likely.

"There is no need to trouble yourself. After the battle, I will take Shen Gonglin back with me. This trip to headquarters was for a strength test, wasn't it? Since it is complete, he and I should return to St. Freya. He is more familiar with everyone there, and it would not be good for him to stay away too long."

Fu Hua directly decided Shen Gonglin's next itinerary. Headquarters was not suitable for Shen Gonglin. St. Freya's living environment suited him better.

"It is no trouble at all. Besides, Shen Gonglin likes sweets. Eating some can help lift his mood, and he will surely want to try my cooking. Lady Fu Hua, have you noticed that you are perhaps doting on Shen Gonglin a little too much?"

The maid smiled as she said this to Fu Hua. It was true. Rita had always felt that Fu Hua spoiled Shen Gonglin far too much—so much that no one else could get close to him. She was practically a different person from the Fu Hua Rita had known before.

I am doting on him too much? Clearly you, the maid, are spoiling him more. You even prepared a consolation cake in case he lost. And you have the nerve to say that about me?

Fu Hua glanced sideways at Rita. What was this maid talking about? She was his master... the one teaching him martial arts. Was it not only natural for her to treat him well? On the other hand, why was this maid trying to get close to him? Had she not always coveted Theresa, frightening the principal so badly that she no longer dared visit headquarters? Why had she set her sights on Shen Gonglin now? Someone so fickle could not be allowed to have anything to do with Shen Gonglin.

Shen Gonglin might look intelligent, but she still had to worry about him.

"Rita, you and Shen Gonglin have only known each other for a short time, haven't you? Do you not feel... that you are being a little too intimate with him? He is not like the principal."

She said it outright. Only this could temporarily shift Fu Hua's attention away from the battle below. Watching Shen Gonglin get beaten up with her own eyes was simply too painful for Fu Hua to bear. Talking to the maid to distract herself was obviously a good idea.

"Lady Fu Hua, of course I understand that. But please understand, I like cute things, yet I consider myself a normal woman. My preferences are the same as most women's. As for the relationship between Shen Gonglin and me, which may appear somewhat intimate to you... I apologize, but this is the one matter I cannot explain to you."

The maid lowered her head with a faint smile. Though her attitude remained respectful, her words made Fu Hua frown deeply. What exactly had happened when Shen Gonglin and Rita were alone...? She would need to find an opportunity to question them properly.

The Class President's emerald-green eyes returned to the battlefield. This boy had already exceeded her expectations in terms of strength. She had not expected him to possess even greater talent in this regard.

"Have you rested enough? If you need to rest a little longer, that is fine too."

On the battlefield, Durandal spoke again after Shen Gonglin took a step forward. She had been giving him time to rest since earlier. Their previous exchange had exposed Shen Gonglin's problem. His stamina seemed rather lacking. A battle of that intensity had lasted only around ten minutes before he began panting nonstop. It looked as though he had not even undergone basic endurance training. Even newly enrolled Valkyrie candidates were much stronger than him in that regard, because those capable of becoming Valkyrie candidates could use Honkai energy to strengthen themselves. Shen Gonglin, meanwhile, had Honkai energy in his body, but he did not seem to know how to use it.

To possess strength surpassing an ordinary A-rank Valkyrie without even learning the most basic use of Honkai energy was something even she could not achieve.

"Enough. Without a beautiful girl sleeping beside me, no amount of recovery will help. Besides, the way you are treating me makes me feel like you are going easy on me. Come on. I have not lost yet."

Shen Gonglin ground his teeth hard. The woman before him was as strong as a monster. No matter what methods he used, none of them worked against her. Yet his unyielding spirit kept supporting him. How could he lose so easily? There were people watching over there, and besides, had the Class President not instructed him at the start of the battle? He could not embarrass her.

"Does having a girl sleep beside you help your stamina recover? What a strange constitution. All right, if there is an opportunity after the battle, I will arrange it... In your eyes, do I count as a girl?"

Durandal actually believed Shen Gonglin's nonsense. She nodded and asked him that. She had a fairly good impression of him. If he truly ended up unable to get back on his feet after she beat him, she would help him recover. In Durandal's mind, sleeping together simply meant sleeping beside one another. Though she did not know what meaning such an act had, perhaps Shen Gonglin's constitution truly worked that way.

She would treat it as making him owe her a favor. He had already repaid the favor for playing soccer together with ice cream. As for accompanying her to the supermarket... Durandal no longer knew who owed whom for that.

"...I was just joking. If you want to sleep beside me, you will have to pay extra!"

Shen Gonglin took a deep breath. When he looked at Durandal again, electricity was already flickering in his dark-purple eyes. Without Mei, it was truly difficult for him to recover on his own. Dragging things out would not accomplish anything, so he might as well launch one final offensive while he still could. Shen Gonglin was not so reckless that he would sleep beside a woman who had dealt him such a crushing defeat. Even if her chest was so big, it still felt less familiar to him than the Class President's flat chest!

He wondered whether the Class President would be moved to tears if she knew what he was thinking right now.

"Lightning Strike Spear!"

Electricity flickered across his forehead. At Shen Gonglin's gesture, a bolt of lightning shot toward Durandal at the speed of light. Even the strongest Valkyrie could not react in an instant. Shen Gonglin had actually hidden such a killing move. She had underestimated him.

Blue electricity struck Durandal, yet the expected pain never came. Shen Gonglin was already at the end of his strength. Lightning Strike Spear had never possessed much offensive power to begin with, and with Shen Gonglin's current charge amounting to roughly a few AA batteries, it could only serve as a feint. But blinding her vision was enough!

Since waking up, Shen Gonglin had never encountered such a troublesome opponent. While Durandal was enveloped in lightning, Shen Gonglin used all his strength to charge toward her. He even opened his mouth as he ran. He looked like a pervert who had found his target. The moment Rita and Fu Hua saw him like that, their gazes sharpened. Shen Gonglin had indeed resorted to that move.

If that bite landed, could Durandal withstand it with her strength?

"Die!"

Shen Gonglin pushed off hard with both feet. The two gleaming little fangs in his mouth made the distracted Durandal react in time. Rita had mentioned that Shen Gonglin's teeth possessed something special. But no matter how special they were, it would not matter as long as she did not let him bite her.

Crunch.

With that soft sound, Shen Gonglin immediately felt intense pain. His teeth felt as though they had bitten steel... No, they had bitten steel. At the last moment, Durandal had raised her knight lance horizontally before Shen Gonglin's mouth. Even if Shen Gonglin had such a finishing move, it was useless before Durandal if it could not hit.

The game should be over now.

Durandal reached out and grabbed Shen Gonglin by the neck, staring directly into his eyes. The test could end now.

Did I... lose?

As Durandal seemed to grow farther and farther away before him, Shen Gonglin's mind was completely blank. Even his final move had failed to do anything to Durandal, and then he heard her say that the game was over. He had clearly given it everything he had, yet was it still merely a game in her eyes? This woman truly was monstrously strong.

Speaking of which, he was supposed to be the protagonist, right? Was he really going to lose so easily? Did protagonists not usually have something called a cheat ability? Why had his cheat still not arrived? No matter how late it was, it should not have taken this long...

Bloodline Activation: 65%

Only when his mind had gone completely blank did he hear that voice. Though he did not understand what it was, a smile still curled across Shen Gonglin's lips. It had finally arrived.

"Are you all right?"

The instant Durandal sent Shen Gonglin flying, Fu Hua and Rita moved. Before Shen Gonglin could hit the ground, Fu Hua had already appeared behind him and caught him. Rita, who had been a little slower, could only stand beside them. Lady Fu Hua, and you claimed you did not spoil him!

"Mm, I am fine... But Class President, move away from me first. My battle is not over yet."

Shen Gonglin lowered his head deeply, and Fu Hua, who was holding him from behind, could not see his current expression. But what was he saying? The battle was not over? Shen Gonglin should no longer have the strength to keep fighting. Even now, he refused to admit defeat?

"Shen Gonglin, calm down. You should understand the gap in combat ability between the two of you. When we return, I will teach you the complete Great Void Sword Qi, so do not—"

Before Fu Hua could finish, a powerful force suddenly shoved her away from Shen Gonglin. Shock filled the Valkyrie's eyes as she stared wide-eyed at the feathers dancing throughout the sky. What... what was this?

Even Durandal in the distance frowned. The two pairs of enormous pink wings that had appeared behind Shen Gonglin rekindled her interest. This must be Shen Gonglin's complete combat form from the video. Angel Lord indeed lived up to his name.

The maid's eyes sparkled. This was it. This was it! Shen Gonglin merely wearing that armor had not matched the appearance in the recording, but now he had changed so much all at once. Those enormous wings held Shen Gonglin aloft in the air. This was the Angel Lord she had imagined!

"Shen Gonglin, what is... going on with you?"

Pushed away by the wings, Fu Hua sat on the ground and blankly looked at Shen Gonglin in midair. Was this still her disciple? How had he suddenly changed species? How could she have no idea Shen Gonglin possessed such a move? Had he... been holding back all along?

"Ah, I do not know what is going on either. I just feel like I have the strength to fight another round now. It feels like I have gone from a first-phase boss to a second-phase boss. Right now, I seem to be a little stronger than before."

Shen Gonglin slowly descended. He turned and extended a hand to pull Fu Hua up. When she saw his current appearance, Fu Hua was even more astonished. His beautiful dark-purple eyes had turned dark green, while a lock of his brilliant golden hair had somehow become pink. With Fu Hua's eyesight, she could even see that the pink was slowly deepening. What exactly was going on with Shen Gonglin?

"Class President, do not be so surprised. In times like these, who can get by without a split personality or transformation ability? Do not worry. Right now... I feel amazing."

His wings flapped, and the fierce gust forced Fu Hua and Rita to shield their eyes. By the time it dissipated, they realized Shen Gonglin had already charged toward Durandal. As expected, he had no intention of ending the battle. He still did not want to lose.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Now, let us continue... Whoa, whoa, whoa, it is so high!"

Shen Gonglin approached Durandal and issued a spirited declaration of battle. Yet before he could even look cool for three seconds, the height made him dizzy. It seemed that even in this form, Shen Gonglin had not overcome his fear of heights. No, he needed to lower himself. Otherwise, he would faint before they even fought.

"What a beautiful form. Shen Gonglin, is this your true strength? Yet I do not feel that anything has changed."

Having gone from looking up at him to meeting his gaze levelly, Durandal made no attempt to conceal her admiring look. Shen Gonglin truly knew how to surprise her. Like a boss in a video game, just when one thought they had defeated him, he would appear in an upgraded, stronger form. Shen Gonglin was truly interesting.

"Who says nothing changed? I can... fly now."

When Durandal put it that way, Shen Gonglin seemed to realize it himself. Apart from flying, he did not seem to possess any special ability. Against an opponent like this, being able to fly did not seem to make any difference. No, that was not right. He felt as though he should have some different ability now.

Even after his bloodline awakened, Shen Gonglin was still Shen Gonglin. His bloodline had awakened, but his brain had not.

"Nothing has changed."

Durandal gently shook her head and raised her knight lance, ready to continue. Since Shen Gonglin did not want to stop, then they would continue. It did not matter what form he took; the result would not change. If anything, Durandal hoped Shen Gonglin would display combat power worthy of an angel. That would make things more interesting for her.

Even without a battlesuit, even while wielding only a training knight lance, Durandal was still the strongest Valkyrie!

Thus Rita and Fu Hua witnessed this scene: Shen Gonglin, who could fly but did not dare fly too high, was once more chased and poked at by Durandal in a pathetic state. Though he could fly, it seemed Shen Gonglin had gained no combat strength. The electricity in his body had not recovered, nor had his stamina changed. He could fly, yet he was afraid of heights. Shen Gonglin like this...

Would have been better off not transforming into an angel at all.

This will not do. This should not be how I feel right now. Why do I feel even weaker than before?

Shen Gonglin dodged Durandal's attacks in a sorry state, but this form felt cumbersome. Because of his fear of heights, he did not dare fly too high, and this altitude was perfect for Durandal to pursue him. These two huge wings looked impressive, but they seemed completely useless.

In frustration, Shen Gonglin casually slapped the enormous pink wing, and a missile suddenly appeared in the air. Could it be... that this was the proper way to use these wings?

"Take this! I knew I was a ranged fighter. Now let me show you the power of technology... probably technology. Missiles, blow her up!"

Having figured out the wings' function, Shen Gonglin waved his hand. Ripples suddenly spread through the space behind him, followed by countless missiles emerging from within. He did not know what this move was called, but as long as it worked, that was enough!

Durandal's eyes shifted. She temporarily ceased her pursuit and leaped away, but the missiles behind her changed direction and sped after her. So they were tracking missiles. Was this the armor's ability? She had to admit, it was quite interesting.

But it was only interesting.

With a sweep of her knight lance, Durandal used the force carried by the lance tip to detonate every incoming missile. The explosions and smoke temporarily obscured Shen Gonglin's vision. Durandal no longer wished to tangle with him. She would defeat him now, then properly study the abilities of his armor. After all, it concerned the development of the 4th Generation God-Slaying Armor. It had to be handled carefully.

It felt like Shen Gonglin had not truly brought out this armor's power.

Before the smoke cleared, Shen Gonglin naturally did not say something as foolish as "I got her." Following the rule that no one was hurt while smoke remained, Shen Gonglin was unsurprised to see Durandal slowly walk out of the haze. Just how strong was this woman? After fighting this long, not even a speck of dust had landed on her clothes. Did that not prove that she had not used any real strength against him at all?

The thought made Shen Gonglin furious. He was not that weak, was he? Just looking at her made him mad!

His wings spread wide as Shen Gonglin shot toward Durandal. The missiles had no effect on her, close-range explosions might hurt him, and his electricity had not recovered. Shen Gonglin could only engage Durandal in close combat. In the blink of an eye, he entered the Mindful Essence state. Durandal, who had begun to feel bored, brightened again. How should she put it? Shen Gonglin truly knew how to surprise her.

"Mindful Essence. It seems Fu Hua really has treated you well, to even teach you such a technique... Have you learned the Cun Xin Fist as well? I can also see traces of Kaslana family martial arts. I truly suspect you studied martial arts before. Judging by the time from your coma until now, Shen Gonglin, you are a genius."

His fighting skills were excellent as well. Durandal, whose stamina had barely been depleted, crossed paths with Shen Gonglin again and again. As their fists and kicks collided, she praised him without reserve. She now admitted that perhaps Shen Gonglin was even more formidable than she was. At the very least, if she had been in his circumstances, she definitely could not have achieved this. Durandal considered herself the hardworking type; her current combat ability was entirely the result of her efforts. But now, she felt she had found a true genius: Shen Gonglin.

If he continued working hard, he would surpass her someday.

"Of course she treats me well. Where else would you find a master who gives you lap pillows while teaching martial arts and even lets you rest your head on her stomach? But do you know something? Your attitude is really making me mad!"

How strong was this woman, exactly? That question surfaced in Shen Gonglin's mind yet again. He had practically used every method available to him. Aside from the electricity that had not recovered, he had used martial arts, wings, and missiles alike. Yet this woman still appeared completely at ease. Her dismissive manner wounded Shen Gonglin's pride badly. He would not be satisfied until he pinned this woman to the ground and beat her up. After all, she had bullied him!

"Hm? Did I do something that upset you? I am sorry. If that is the case, I apologize. Be careful now. I will thrust from the right."

Durandal apologized to Shen Gonglin with complete sincerity, but hearing it only made him feel more stifled. Who asked her to warn him? Did she really think he could not dodge? After fighting so long, Shen Gonglin had more or less grasped some of her attack patterns. She would attack from the right, then either sweep or thrust, or suddenly alter her move. Who did not know that?

Knowing it was one thing. Being able to dodge was another.

"Aaargh! That attitude of yours is exactly what makes me even angrier! You must not have any friends!"

"Huh? You are angry again? You are really narrow-minded... Sorry, all right?"

"Pfft... You, you... Watch my flying head attack!"

The battle remained intense, but Rita and Fu Hua wore somewhat subtle expressions. It was rare to see someone drive Shen Gonglin into this state. Perhaps Durandal's straightforward personality was precisely Shen Gonglin's nemesis. He could not beat her, and talking did not work either. Just look how angry the child had become. The two of them almost could not bear to watch.

Come to think of it, Shen Gonglin had always found ways to deal with the girls he encountered, whether it was Kiana, Fu Hua, or Rita. Yet when he faced the powerful Durandal, with her particular personality, he was completely helpless. His most advantageous weapon, his teeth, could not be used at all. Shen Gonglin, grinding his teeth in frustration... was so cute.

An odd blush surfaced on the maid's face. She turned away with reddened cheeks, but when Rita saw Fu Hua intently watching the battle, a question arose in her heart. What Shen Gonglin had just said was true, was it not?

"Lady Fu Hua, in order to make Shen Gonglin learn your martial arts... did you truly pay such a price?"

Lap pillows and letting him rest his head on her stomach—Rita had never imagined Fu Hua would do such things. She had not expected it. Fu Hua, you look so upright, yet you are actually this kind of person!

...That brat. Why does he tell everyone everything? He might feel good saying it, but where does that leave my dignity as his master? Does it not make it sound as though I begged Shen Gonglin to learn martial arts from me? The sort where I did not hesitate to sacrifice my looks for it? I am so angry. What is the point of keeping such a rebellious disciple?

She might as well take him back and feed him to Kiana!

"...That was merely an accident. You know Shen Gonglin's personality. If I did not give him a little incentive... No, it was not to make him learn martial arts that I did that. It was something that happened first, and only afterward did I make him learn martial arts. That behavior had no necessary connection to learning martial arts. Do you understand, Rita?"

All right, even Fu Hua herself no longer knew how to explain it. In any case, she had not given him those benefits in order to make him learn martial arts. Fu Hua did not think she was that depraved. Sacrificing her looks just to pass on martial arts? How could that be possible!

"Oh, I see."

Rita nodded in understanding. See? This was exactly the kind of person she was. Fu Hua spoiled Shen Gonglin to that extent, yet would not let anyone else spoil him. Tsk, tsk. What a trashy Fu Hua.

The time for idle chatter was over. Though Durandal did not know why she kept angering Shen Gonglin, she was getting tired of apologizing. Since she would have to apologize anyway, she might as well beat Shen Gonglin into submission first. It felt like Shen Gonglin had not displayed the angel form's power from the video at all, and continuing like this was pointless.

So she would settle this directly. In truth, Durandal's body was not suited for exercise today, yet she had exercised for so long because of Shen Gonglin. She should hurry up, finish this, go home, and have Rita make brown sugar water for her.