I, Herrscher Slayer

Durandal made up her mind, and as she grew serious, Shen Gonglin immediately felt the change in her aura. Yes, that's right, Shen Gonglin didn't want her to hold back. Although he might not be her match if she used her true strength, he hated her condescending attitude even more!

Oh no, Madam Durandal, she's getting serious.

As Durandal's adjutant, Rita knew her changes intimately. She had specifically told Durandal to go easy on Shen Gonglin earlier, but now it seemed Durandal had no intention of doing so. If this continued, Shen Gonglin might get hurt... She had to stop her.

Fu Hua also sensed it, and just as the two of them were about to act, Durandal had already moved. It wasn't a vital spot, but the knight's spear was indeed aimed at Shen Gonglin. Shen Gonglin focused all his attention on the tip of the spear, but when Durandal moved, Shen Gonglin realized all his preparations were useless. This woman was truly strong.

Drip.

Scarlet blood flowed down Shen Gonglin's arm. Their figures crossed, Durandal retracted her spear and stood tall, while a small bloody hole appeared on Shen Gonglin's shoulder. Intense pain surged through him, and Shen Gonglin immediately collapsed onto the ground. Shen Gonglin was very afraid of pain; even stubbing his little toe on a table could make him cry in pain. And now... more than the physical pain, Shen Gonglin felt as if his heart ached even more.

Did I lose?

He hadn't fallen to the ground despite using all his strength. His gaze shifted, and two giant wings lay spread on the ground. Shen Gonglin looked up at the roof, the pain in his shoulder clearly telling him the truth. In Durandal's serious state, he couldn't even last a few seconds. Shen Gonglin had thought he was already very strong, but now... he was still too far from the world.

Should I really give up like this? Do I have any other trump cards left... Using electricity to stimulate myself to stand up again? That's impossible. The electricity in my body is completely depleted, and even my remaining strength seems to be flowing out of the wound on my shoulder. I don't know how to use this angel-like armor at all. The missiles I used were completely useless against her. This is truly a dead end.

Shen Gonglin's eyelids grew heavier, and just then, a voice suddenly echoed in his mind, like a whisper from the depths of his heart. Something has reappeared.

[Bloodline Activation: 100%]
[Strategic Universal Angel Icarus, requesting orders.]

This time, Shen Gonglin should be settled down. But Durandal hit too hard. What if such a wound injured his bones? I need to check on Shen Gonglin quickly.

Fu Hua thought this, but as she ran towards Shen Gonglin, she noticed a change in the situation. Shen Gonglin, who had been lying on his back, was now slowly getting up. No, rather than getting up, he was flying. Those two giant wings slowly flapped, lifting Shen Gonglin's body, but he seemed unresponsive. His head slowly lifted, but his green eyes showed no emotion. What was going on with Shen Gonglin like this?

[Order accepted, defeat target.]

Shen Gonglin in the air opened his mouth, but the voice that came out was not the familiar one of Fu Hua and the others. Although devoid of emotion, it was an incredibly beautiful female voice. What was going on? How many more mysteries did Shen Gonglin have?

[Variable Wing System, activated]

The voice became unfamiliar, and Shen Gonglin's posture changed. His golden hair completely disappeared, replaced by long pink hair. His eye color changed again, from the harmless green to red, symbolizing battle. His gem-like red eyes flashed with golden patterns, and a giant angelic halo appeared above Shen Gonglin's head. The Strategic Universal Angel has arrived!

Shen Gonglin isn't good at using the angel's power to fight, so why not have someone else do it?

"What, what's happening? How did Shen Gonglin turn into this? Flying so high... Is he still Shen Gonglin?"

Looking at Shen Gonglin in the sky, Rita couldn't believe her eyes. Shen Gonglin, who was so afraid of heights, definitely wouldn't dare to fly so high. And the way he looked now... he seemed even more like his appearance in the videos. Rita felt an immense sense of danger from Shen Gonglin. Putting aside everything else, she felt like she couldn't quite gauge Shen Gonglin's combat power anymore.

"Permanent Homing Air-to-Air Missile (Artemis)"

Completely different from the ones Shen Gonglin used before, countless missiles shot out from Shen Gonglin's side. Durandal below's eyes sharpened. This was nothing like the playful sparring from before. Shen Gonglin's current appearance finally made her feel a hint of seriousness. This Shen Gonglin had the qualification to make her show her true strength.

Without retreating, Durandal swept her knight's spear horizontally. The gust of wind it created detonated the surrounding missiles. Amidst the smoke, the knight's spear thrust towards Shen Gonglin from the dust. In Shen Gonglin's red eyes, layers of data flashed. He didn't dodge, instead, Shen Gonglin put his hand forward.

"Aegis"

A colorful light screen unfolded from Shen Gonglin's palm. Durandal, holding her knight's spear, narrowed her eyes. The tip of the knight's spear struck the colorful light screen but couldn't break through. Shen Gonglin had this kind of defensive capability?

Aegis? Interesting.

Using the knight's spear for leverage, Durandal kicked the light screen and used the recoil to return to the ground. The strongest Valkyrie looked up at Shen Gonglin, who was enveloped in the light screen above. Was he the type to use absolute defense for long-range attacks?

I guess I have to use some real strength too.

Chapter 136: Universal Angel Subbing In

"Divine Judgment!"

Durandal leaped again. This time, she truly understood the importance of air superiority. Shen Gonglin was bombarding her from the sky, while she could only dodge the missile attacks on the ground. She definitely needed to research air superiority for her exclusive battle suit. Although she could jump up, it... just felt annoying.

She leaped again, and Durandal repeatedly thrust her knight's spear at the colorful light screen around Shen Gonglin. However, this training knight's spear didn't seem very effective. Five consecutive thrusts on the light screen had no effect. Durandal took a deep breath and grabbed the light screen fiercely. This turtle shell was really tough.

Wielding the knight's spear, Durandal used the momentum from her swing to fiercely strike the light screen in mid-air. This attack seemed to have had some effect, or perhaps Shen Gonglin had abandoned this defensive preparation and was preparing for another attack. In any case, as long as he didn't use the Aegis, it was fine.

This isn't fun at all.

Without using the Abyssal White Flower, Durandal truly had no way to deal with it using this training knight's spear.

"Shen Gonglin, I don't know if you can hear me now, but I, Durandal, acknowledge you!"

They both landed simultaneously. Looking at the expressionless Shen Gonglin before her, Durandal made this declaration. Rita and Fu Hua also stood beside Durandal. They were unsure of Shen Gonglin's current state. Could it be some kind of possession? Could Shen Gonglin return to his previous self?

"Master cannot hear you now. The Strategic Universal Angel, Icarus, is currently on standby."

Hearing Durandal speak, the "Shen Gonglin" on the other side unexpectedly responded, temporarily halting his attack. The Universal Angel explained its status. Shen Gonglin was indeed severely injured and had fallen unconscious. At that moment, the bloodline awakening was completed, and the Universal Angel Icarus was now controlling his body, faithfully executing Shen Gonglin's previous order: defeat the opponent.

Perhaps wearing this outfit stimulated some switch in Shen Gonglin... not the cross-dressing switch. This guy has been full of mysteries since he came to this world. Using the Universal Angel's power completely like this is also due to his own physique.

Strategic Universal Angel?

These special words caught Fu Hua and Rita's attention. Was this the designation for Shen Gonglin's current state? The combination of "Strategic" and "Universal Angel" made one's imagination run wild, but was this Shen Gonglin still the same Shen Gonglin?

"Then what is his current... situation?"

As the one who cared about Shen Gonglin the most, Fu Hua stepped forward and asked. Her greatest concern was Shen Gonglin's state. As long as he was fine, everything would be alright. Fu Hua couldn't help but worry about Shen Gonglin in this state.

"Due to excessive pain, the body's self-protection mechanism has activated. Master is currently in a coma... Don't worry, there are people with Master's bloodline in the body."

The Universal Angel, in a state akin to possession, looked at Fu Hua very seriously, its red eyes flashing with layers of data. After obtaining certain information, the Universal Angel spoke these words. Since there was a bloodline factor of the Master, they were considered allies.

Someone with his bloodline in their body...

Rita looked at Fu Hua in shock, and even Durandal suddenly looked at her. Oh heavens, here's a disciple who attacked her own master and made it a done deal! Rita knew Fu Hua doted on Shen Gonglin, but this was going too far. Doting on him meant having a child with him? Who would have thought Fu Hua was this kind of person? She had been hiding it too well. No one, absolutely no one, expected Fu Hua to be like this.

Rita and Durandal looked at Fu Hua's flat stomach with complex expressions. She was a perfectly good Valkyrie, so why was she suddenly pregnant? This, this matter... When did this happen?

Durandal and Rita were shocked, and even Fu Hua herself gaped in disbelief. Was this real? When had Shen Gonglin gotten involved with them? Why didn't she know anything about it? Had he made a move while she was asleep? That shouldn't be possible; with her alertness, such a thing would never happen. What was going on? Could someone explain it to her?

"Heavens, honored Angel, are you speaking the truth? Does Fu Hua truly carry Shen Gong's bloodline? How many months is it? Is it a boy or a girl? He's so young, has something like this really happened?"

The perfect maid could no longer maintain her flawless composure. Rita, her tongue thick, asked in utter astonishment, "This can't be true, right? Shen Gonglin is just a child. If he has children, what should I do... No, aren't I just a maid? I'm just taking care of one more person. Should I be intensifying my training in infant and maternal care knowledge right now?"

"...I cannot comprehend what you are saying, holder of the other master's bloodline."

Shen Gonglin, in his Universal Angel form, tilted his head as his gaze shifted to Rita. What was this maid-dressed person saying? Why couldn't even his analytical abilities figure it out?

Another holder of Shen Gonglin's bloodline...

This time, the shocked gaze fell upon Rita. So there was another one? Not only Fu Hua, but Rita was also pregnant with Shen Gonglin's child. Durandal felt her mind briefly short-circuit. Not only Fu Hua, but Rita also had this kind of relationship with Shen Gonglin? Without her knowledge, had she already become an aunt? She was only in her teens! Becoming an aunt at this age... She wasn't someone of high seniority.

"I'm not, I didn't, really. I'm still a virgin. Yes, I admit, I did consider resolving this issue with Shen Gonglin, but I haven't acted on it yet. I wanted to do it on a more romantic evening... Excuse me, Lady Durandal, Lady Fu Hua, can you both please forget what just happened?"

Maligned like this, Rita instinctively blurted out her explanation. Only after speaking did she realize the terrible things she had said. Realizing her slip-up, Rita's cheeks turned red. This maid of hers... was negligent!

Chapter 137: The Battle Continues

What was going on with these two? Or was this just a joke? Durandal turned to look at Shen Gonglin in his Angel form. She couldn't just believe what he said. Fu Hua aside, how could she not believe Rita? After all, Rita was her adjutant. Having spent so much time with Rita, Durandal trusted her the most. She shouldn't have doubted her just now.

Trust was the most important thing among teammates. Durandal shook her head. She trusted Rita implicitly, and Rita would never do such a thing. Didn't she just say she hadn't had the chance yet? Wait, did that mean Rita had considered doing it?

The thought sent a chill down her spine.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but how could Rita and Fu Hua possibly have Shen Gonglin's bloodline in their bellies? Do you think I would believe such a thing...?"

After a mental storm, Durandal chose to believe Rita and Fu Hua. The girl's blue eyes were filled with determination, a testament to her trust in her fellow Valkyries and dear friends. She believed they trusted her just as much. To reciprocate that trust, Durandal felt she had to do something. It must be a misunderstanding.

"You have it too, although it's very faint, you also have the master's DNA in your body."

Shen Gonglin, in his Angel form, tilted his head and said this. Durandal, however, curled her lips. Just as she thought, this Angel was talking nonsense. How could she have Shen Gonglin's DNA in her body? It was clearly trying to interfere with them with such words. It seemed Angels weren't just pure; this Angel before her was indeed a Strategic Universal Angel, just like it said in the books.

Those who play strategic tactics have dark hearts.

Did it think such words would still have an effect? Useless. It was completely underestimating the trust between Valkyries. As colleagues fighting together on the Honkai front lines, how could they be swayed by just a single sentence...?

"You! You! What did you do to someone's disciple!"

However, before her confident smile could fully form, Durandal was roughly grabbed by the collar and shaken violently. Standing before her was the Valkyrie Fu Hua. This very mysterious woman was holding onto her collar and wouldn't let go. No way? Did this person actually believe it?

That made sense. This person had always been very rigid; she might believe whatever others said. But her own adjutant would definitely not be like her. Rita was an excellent person. With her intelligence, she would have already discerned that this was the Angel's strategy.

"Lady Durandal... are you also like this? When did this happen? Why don't I know anything about it?"

Alright, were they all here to slap her in the face? Looking at the questioning eyes of the maid beside her, Durandal suddenly felt the urge to throw their strong camaraderie to the dogs. What was going on with these two? They believed such things? It had to be fake. Was she the only one with a brain left in Schicksal!

"It's the result of analysis. This lady has the most concentrated bloodline, followed by this youn... ah, young lady, and finally you. There's only the master's DNA in your oral mucosa. According to deductions, seventy percent is due to exchanging food or toothbrushes, and thirty percent is from kissing."

Scanning Shen Gonglin's bloodline within the three present, the Universal Angel provided this explanation. Because all three of them had Shen Gonglin's DNA, the Angel that entered combat mode hadn't delivered a killing blow. However, the battle had to continue. Such a mid-battle break could end now. Victory had to be achieved before the master woke up; this was a necessary condition.

"The most concentrated? Me, me... Lady Fu Hua, I think I understand now. Shen Gong must have also drawn your blood, right? It must be for this reason. And Lady Durandal... I said I'd change your toothbrush for you, but you absolutely refused."

Rita's mind was indeed quick. She quickly thought of the reason. Shen Gonglin had bitten her neck fiercely back then, and then he had also bitten her finger. This could explain why her bloodline was said to be the most concentrated. Durandal clearly had it from sharing a toothbrush with Shen Gonglin. She couldn't believe Durandal would kiss Shen Gonglin.

...Wait? Does this mean Shen Gonglin used her toothbrush, and Rita knew about it clearly?

Feeling like she had discovered something incredibly significant, Durandal doubted this maid for the first time. What exactly had she done with her toothbrush for Shen Gonglin? No, she hadn't felt anything before, but now Durandal felt like her mouth was full of Shen Gonglin's taste. What was this!

"Rita, I need an explanation... What, are we still fighting? If this continues, I won't be able to control my strength."

Her gaze shifted to Rita, but the perfect maid had already averted her eyes. Just as Durandal was about to press further, she noticed Shen Gonglin's eyes turning red again. The Valkyrie silently raised her Knight Lance. It seemed this Angel wasn't intending to take a break and wanted to fight again?

Durandal would accompany her to the end.

Her previously calm mind finally stirred. The thought of Shen Gonglin having used her toothbrush made Durandal want to grit her teeth, especially since she had used it again afterward... Was this an indirect kiss? It was truly unforgettable, just like in the stories.

She felt a slight urge to teach Shen Gonglin a lesson.

"Yes, the master's order before falling unconscious was to defeat you. Don't worry, it's just defeat, not fatal."

Spreading its wings, Shen Gonglin in Angel form flew back into the air. Data indicated that the female wasn't at her maximum output just now, so she needed to change her attack mode. Prepare to link with the Uranus System. Before that, use the Ultimate Weapon, Apollon.

Not fatal?

Durandal smiled faintly, feeling underestimated. Although this Angel's substitute mode was powerful, she wasn't at a disadvantage either. Even without her armor and with just her ordinary Knight Lance, Durandal feared no challenge. What did the Angel mode matter? She could still bring it down. When that time came, she would definitely punch Shen Gonglin's head. How dare he use her toothbrush without her permission!

However, before Durandal could move, Shen Gonglin above had already begun to act. A dangerous energy gathered in Shen Gonglin's hand, forming a longbow.

"Ultimate Weapon, Apollon."

Chapter 138: The More They Fight, The More They Get Hurt

Hey, hey, hey, this isn't a joke. Looking at Shen Gonglin above, a bead of cold sweat trickled down Rita's forehead. Even she could feel the immense power contained within the longbow formed by Shen Gonglin's light. The previous skirmishes were fine, but if Shen Gonglin were to use this move... This was Schicksal HQ.

The golden light gathered together but underwent a bizarre transformation. The brilliant golden light disappeared, and a black longbow appeared in Shen Gonglin's hand. The bowstring was drawn, and a similarly black arrow was aimed at Durandal on the ground. It couldn't be directly fatal, so maximum output couldn't be used. Otherwise, this single shot would be enough to destroy a country.

"Lady Durandal!"

The situation was urgent. Rita and Fu Hua also entered combat readiness. They were all sensible people; they could feel the power of Shen Gonglin's move. It seemed they couldn't let him fool around any longer. If he were allowed to attack recklessly, the entire Schicksal wouldn't be enough for him to cause trouble.

"I know."

Squatting slightly, Durandal leaped into the air with a powerful surge. Even her body felt a slight stinging sensation from being targeted by that black arrow. This was a premonition of danger. It seemed there were still many things in this world she didn't know. Her previous title of strongest might have to be questioned.

The Knight Lance, wrapped in air pressure, thrust fiercely towards Shen Gonglin. However, those two huge pink wings carried Shen Gonglin, allowing him to nimbly dodge Durandal's attack. The black arrow was fired as planned. The arrow, at two percent output, didn't require charging, but its attack power made the trio of Valkyries' hearts grow cold.

With her superb agility, Durandal dodged the black arrow by tilting her head back. The immense roar and gust of wind behind her proved the danger of this move. The incredibly sturdy wall was blown a large hole by this attack. It wasn't just any wall; this was a training ground built specifically for Valkyrie training, and this was the headquarters. Schicksal, with its deep pockets, had always built with the highest specifications for defense. Yet, Shen Gonglin's casual strike had blown such a large hole through it. This Angel was very strong.

"The Ultimate Weapon, Apollon, is most suitable at 5% of its maximum output, using the host's physical condition. The attack just now was at 2%."

Kindly offering an explanation, Shen Gonglin's combat objective was to achieve victory, and the Universal Angel's best solution was for the opponent to surrender. Using its own combat methods would place a significant burden on Shen Gonglin's body. Furthermore, the wound on Shen Gonglin's shoulder was still bleeding, a result of Durandal's previous attack. Drawing the bowstring would aggravate the wound, making 5% the current maximum output.

"...May I be so bold as to ask, if you were to go all out, what would have been the consequences of that strike?"

This was only two percent?

It wasn't just Durandal; Fu Hua and Rita were also quite surprised. Shen Gonglin, in this angelic state, looked rather cute and harmless. He had also seemed quite amiable moments ago, but who knew he would unleash such an arrow? And this was only at two percent... If he could use his full power, the entire Schicksal headquarters wouldn't be enough to contain him.

"The Ultimate Weapon, Apollon, current maximum output record: one strike destroyed a nation."

Words that sounded like a joke, yet in that toneless voice, they felt chillingly real. Durandal felt a chill run down her spine. Her intuition told her this angel wasn't lying. Such combat power was almost incomprehensible, even to her. If this were used against the Honkai... could this angel be a divine weapon sent to combat the Honkai?

She felt that even this S-rank Valkyrie seemed somewhat powerless in the face of such combat strength.

Of course, such combat power had its limitations. The current substitute mode was merely borrowing Shen Gonglin's body for combat. All combat power output relied on his body. And Shen Gonglin's physical condition was, as one could imagine, such that he would get tired after running a few hundred meters. If he were to support this level of combat power, his body would likely break down long before he could sustain it for much longer. Even now, Shen Gonglin's body was struggling to cope with this battle.

His slightly upturned nose was now showing a hint of blood. It seemed the previous attack had indeed slightly exceeded his limits, and his host's physical condition couldn't bear it.

"Angel, it seems I can't let you continue being so reckless. It's time to switch my clumsy disciple back in."

Fu Hua's voice echoed. She had also clearly seen Shen Gonglin's current physical state. She couldn't let this angel continue to misuse his body. Not only was the blood hole on his shoulder bleeding profusely, but his condition had now worsened. Considering her disciple was both afraid of pain and faint at the sight of blood, how could Fu Hua stand to see him like this?

Inch Punch, Sky Splitting.

Fu Hua leaped lightly. When she landed again, she was standing on a scythe. Rita swung the scythe forcefully, sending Fu Hua charging directly at Shen Gonglin. Due to the presence of Shen Gonglin's bloodline within him, the Universal Angel did not target Fu Hua. The Valkyrie leaped high and punched towards Shen Gonglin. The only way now was to knock his unconscious disciple awake. What if he damaged the body by letting others use it so carelessly?

Her fist struck the longbow in Shen Gonglin's hand. The immense power from his fair fist sent Shen Gonglin, who was in mid-air, plummeting rapidly. Rita on the ground also launched an attack. This battle, which was originally a one-on-one duel between Shen Gonglin and Durandal, had now escalated into Shen Gonglin facing multiple opponents. The problems caused to headquarters were secondary. The most important thing now was Shen Gonglin's physical condition. He had only been suffering from a nosebleed earlier; who knew what would happen to him if this continued?

Drip.

A sound of liquid hitting the ground was heard. The Universal Angel looked down at the blood on the ground. The host's body truly couldn't withstand high-intensity combat. If even the Ultimate Weapon, Apollon, was overloaded, then the Uranus System was out of the question. However, orders were orders and had to be carried out. Besides stopping them, there was another option.