Chapter 394
She had heard many rumors about this Valkyrie, and no matter which legend it was, Valkyrie was always so radiant and dazzling. After seeing the Valkyrie with her own eyes, Seele realized that those legends were true. The title of the strongest was well-deserved. Even though she had never seen Durandal fight, Seele still felt that way.
The girls who are connected to Shen Gonglin are all amazing.
"Yes, it's me. It seems that Black Abyss White Flower also likes you quite a bit as his new master."
She acknowledged her name; no matter what, Durandal was a name she could proudly proclaim. Before her return, it was always this girl who used the Black Abyss White Flower to heal everyone. What a hardworking child.
"Ah, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to use your weapon. I only did it to save Sister Bronya..."
Upon hearing Durandal mention this, Seele quickly explained that the current situation was like touching someone else's things without their permission, and she hoped that Durandal wouldn't mind.
"It's alright. You're Shen Gonglin's friend, so it's fine if you use it... Besides, the Abyss Flower is a special weapon used to save lives, and I hope it can help more people in this situation."
Durandal smiled slightly. This child really gave people a sense of reassurance; he was so well-behaved.
Chapter 188 Kaslana, Fighting Side by Side
"Ah... okay, okay, I'll definitely take good care of everyone, and take good care of Sister Bronya..."
Looking at Durandal, Seele couldn't help but feel nervous. Even the Black Seele within her didn't dare to say anything flirtatious in this situation. This Valkyrie was just too elegant. How did Shen Gonglin get involved with such Valkyrie? The two of them were completely incompatible. Seele was already nervous just talking to her, while Shen Gonglin and Durandal... there was no way they were just talking, right?
Looking at Durandal before her, Seele lowered her head and hugged the unconscious Bronya tightly. When facing this Valkyrie, many people can't help but feel a little inferior.
"Don't just take care of your Sister Bronya, you also need to look after Theresa... Has she already fainted? Her injuries are of a special nature and may take a long time to fully recover. I would like to ask you to help take care of her as well, is that alright?"
Placed Theresa next to Bronya, perhaps because she relaxed, Theresa unknowingly fell into a deep sleep. Neither she nor Bronya were in serious condition, and with Seele and Abyss Flower taking care of them, Durandal was at ease. After all, she still had things to do. Although she had learned a lot from the Stigmata of the Kaslana family, Durandal's mind was still clear, and she knew what she needed to do.
The matter concerning the former bishop of Schicksal should naturally be resolved by the Valkyrie who wrote the letter to Schicksal.
"Yes, yes! Don't worry, she's the headmistress of all of us."
Seele made a firm promise to Durandal. Looking at the busy and determined figure of the girl in front of her, Durandal suddenly remembered that someone once said that the gentlest child will grow into the strongest person. Before this gentle child grows up, she has to provide her with help.
Durandal split the Divine Key in two. The Abyss Flower is responsible for healing and can stay here so Seele can take care of the wounded. For the upcoming battle, she only needs to use the Black Abyss Withering part.
"Shen Gonglin, wake up... It's time to fight... Alright, looks like I'll have to go inside and wake you up."
Durandal gently shook Shen Gonglin's shoulder, but unfortunately, he had just fainted from fright and hadn't woken up yet. Durandal smiled helplessly, and a black shadowy steed suddenly appeared beside her. Ignoring the surprised looks of others, Durandal mounted the horse and put Shen Gonglin on it as well. The upcoming battle would require Shen Gonglin's help, but it wouldn't hurt for him to sleep for a while before the battle began.
"Wait, Durandal, you came back without a word, and now you're planning to go fight Otto alone without saying a word? Let me make this clear, I still have a lot of scores to settle with that guy!"
Seeing Durandal's actions, Kiana stood in front of the Shadow Horse. Was this girl planning to fight Otto alone? They had gone to great lengths to break the light barrier and disperse the gears in the sky, and now Durandal wanted to reap the rewards by herself? No way. The deep-seated hatred between her and Otto was something she had to resolve herself.
Moreover, he was with Shen Gonglin, so he couldn't let her leave him behind.
"I know."
Durandal said in a deep voice, looking at the Herrscher of Flamescion before her. Durandal's blue eyes were momentarily dazed. She should call her... her younger sister. She had received too much information all at once, and now was not the time to talk about this. As the older sister, she should protect her, but now it seemed that her younger sister also had things she wanted to do.
"Then you should also know what I want to do."
Hearing Kiana's words, Durandal fell silent for a moment. Was this her attitude towards her sister? It wasn't that she harbored any resentment towards Kiana Kaslana, nor that she believed she was strong enough to handle all crises with Shen Gonglin, nor that she was worried that this Herrscher, who had experienced so many hardships, still couldn't take care of herself when facing Otto. She... Right, she should just use concrete actions to show her faith in the other's growth.
"Well then, let's fight side by side, Kiana Kaslana."
She didn't care that the other person had stolen her identity and her name, because the other person was her younger sister, the younger sister that she and her father had risked their lives to save when they were young. Durandal reached out her hand to Kiana, knowing that there would be many more opportunities for them to fight side by side in the future.
"That's right. If you're worried about staying behind, we still have Seele, Rosaria and Liliya, and even more people who can come from the Hyperion."
Kiana thought Durandal was worried about Bronya and Theresa's safety when she said those words. However, Durandal was actually quite relieved. Although this was her first meeting with Seele, she seemed quite capable and could take care of the others after they had fought their hardest. The only people who still had fighting power, besides herself, were Shen Gonglin and Kiana, who had been frightened unconscious from the height and didn't know when they would wake up. This lineup was the most basic requirement for facing Otto.
"Otto should be somewhere in the Imaginary Space now. He seems to have made contact with the Imaginary Tree in some way. If he wants to do something to the world itself, he must go outside the world and go to those spaces that are closer to the Imaginary Tree than reality."
Now that they'd decided to fight alongside Kiana, it was necessary to synchronize the information they both possessed. Kiana rested her chin on her hand, deep in thought. While the word "deeply thoughtful" might not seem quite fitting for Kiana, that was because the old Kiana was simply too lazy to think. The girl's mind was actually quite sharp. Otto had said before leaving that he would take over the powers of God one by one...
"You mean this? He always talks like this. This must be referring to different Herrscher Authority. According to this logic... since the Herrscher of the Void's powers still belong to you, then the only spatial teleportation method he can use should be the Divine Key, Thousand Worlds, which has the same origin as your power."
Knowing her former boss's enigmatic nature well, Durandal deduced this possibility: Otto may have entered the church, but he should already be deep within the Imaginary Space.
Upon hearing this, Kiana's eyes lit up. If that's the case, there should still be a way to catch up with Otto.
Chapter 189
"So, if we can find the traces he left behind when he left reality, we can follow the trail and use the power of the Herrscher of the Void to pursue him?"
Kiana proposed this idea, and Durandal agreed with it. Indeed, Herrscher of the Void the Void would make things much more convenient.
"That should be right. That's what I was thinking too, which is why I thought of bringing Shen Gonglin with me. With him by my side, I shouldn't have to worry about getting lost again. But with you, it shouldn't be a big problem either."
Durandal glanced back at Shen Gonglin, who was still lying on the horse's back. She was still not awake... To be honest Durandal was quite unsure about having Rin use the power of the Herrscher of the Void to protect her. After all, Shen Gonglin had no sense of direction, and she was afraid that if she let him lead the way, the two of them would get even more lost.
"Leave that to me... Speaking of which, Durandal, the power you're using now, does it have any other forms? I don't know how to describe this feeling, it just feels very familiar, like I should know it... Sorry, I think I asked a strange question."
Kiana spoke of something that concerned her deeply. Durandal was not wearing the Valkyrie God-Slaying Armor, but a completely new outfit. Kiana didn't think Durandal had changed into a nice outfit just to prepare for battle; it was more likely a manifestation of some kind of power. And most importantly, Kiana felt that this power was very familiar to her.
"No, Kiana, you should trust your intuition. In short, my current power is related to the Stigmata I bear. If you have ever seen what other people look like after their Stigmata have fully awakened, it is normal for it to feel familiar."
A hint of relief flashed in her eyes. Kiana... her younger sister is indeed very capable. Durandal's current state is the appearance of the Kaslana family's Stigmata awakening, and she will feel familiar with it... what a keen intuition.
"The Stigmata are fully awakened? Looks like I need to step up my game too, I can't let you leave me behind."
Kiana curled the corners of her lips. Although she didn't quite understand, it meant that Durandal was stronger than before. She couldn't let Otto steal the spotlight in the battle, especially with Shen Gonglin still there. Kiana had to make a good impression.
"Put in more effort... But Kiana, your strength shouldn't have fully recovered yet, right?"
Seele asked worriedly, explaining that she couldn't go to the final battlefield because she had to take care of the wounded, but Kiana's condition shouldn't have fully recovered either. Her greatsword had been neutralized by the Constraint Authority when it touched the light barrier, so she probably hadn't recovered her full strength yet.
"Ha, how can you know if you don't try?"
Kiana raised her hand, and a red broken sword materialized in her palm. The result was not bad. Although she still couldn't condense the Greatsword of the Burning Flames, being able to use the Godfall Sword was already an unexpected surprise. It seemed that something was still missing in order to reshape Fire. However, in her current state, it wasn't impossible for her to fight that guy who had lost his Constraint Authority.
"How is it? It looks like you've recovered about 70%. Although it's definitely not your best condition, it's not like you're barely holding on. It's much better than us watching you challenge Otto alone. And Shen Gonglin should wake up halfway through... Don't worry, when it really comes to helping, I'll pinch his butt to wake him up."
Kiana brandished her broken sword, a weapon she had once used. Before her own weapon could be reforged, using the fighting style her teacher had once employed was an excellent choice. At that moment, Kiana noticed Seele's somewhat dejected expression and knew without a doubt what the girl was thinking.
"It's alright, Seele has already helped everyone a lot... Don't be surprised, I can probably tell what you're thinking just by looking at your eyes."
Seele looked at Kiana, who was looking at her gently, with surprise. Sister Bronya had lied to her; she had clearly said that Kiana was stupid. But now Seele felt that Kiana was too understanding and too smart.
"You're right. Facing Otto will definitely be very dangerous... However, protecting the rear is also a very important task, so we are very confident in entrusting this task to you."
Durandal also comforted Seele, Seele nodded earnestly. She would do her job well. She was just a little unwilling earlier. Sister Bronya, Theresa, Fu Hua, and Shen Gonglin... they all gave their all to open up the current situation for them. Seele also hoped that she could give her all and fight alongside them in a more direct way.
However, Seele also understands that protecting them with her own hands is a job that she can be proud of.
"Don't worry, leave this to me."
Having made up her mind, Seele firmly assured Durandal and Kiana. Durandal was somewhat surprised by the girl's reaction. She had originally wanted to comfort the girl, but now she... The people around him are all really outstanding.
"So, isn't she even more powerful than you imagined? Well then, before we go in, I'll make one last contact with Hyperion."
Kiana raised her chin at Durandal with a hint of smugness. Although Durandal didn't know what Kiana was showing off, she had already made her decision, so now she should report their thoughts to the Hyperion. She believed that the two doctors would definitely support them.
Kiana reported the current situation to Hyperion, and as expected, she received the reply she had anticipated.
"Since you've all gone this far, what else can we do besides give our full support? Remember, keep Shen Gonglin securely in place. If all else fails, tie him to the horse with a rope. He doesn't sleep very soundly... Protect him, understand?"
Tesla's distinctive voice came through the communicator. She knew that bringing Shen Gonglin must have other uses, and she couldn't stop them, so she could only give them these instructions.
[Don't worry, Amber has already led the Immortal Blade team to the church. She should be able to help Seele with some of the work. Of course, we will also do our best to gather energy and ammunition and prepare to continue the battle. If it is necessary to summon the Hyperion like when fighting as Herrscher of Domination, please feel free to teleport us there.]
Einstein offered his strongest support; go for it!
Chapter 190 Things That Can Be Done
[Go for it! I know you have the ability to defeat Mr. Otto and stop his plans! I believe in you!]
Just as the atmosphere was getting a bit somber, a lively and optimistic voice suddenly broke the silence, and another figure squeezed into the screen. When Durandal saw this person, she couldn't help but widen her eyes. She knew the person on the screen all too well. She had been worried about this person before, but why... was she on the Hyperion?
"Changguang? Didn't you say you were going to take refuge in a safe place? How could this be...?"
Unable to hold back, Durandal had even considered the possibility that Otto might capture her and silence her after she left behind that video recording. At headquarters, besides Rita, this somewhat overly optimistic mad scientist was the only one she was close to. Now that she saw that she was still safe, Durandal was indeed relieved. But wasn't this location a little off?
"Yes, but right now, Hyperion is the safest place in Kolosten Town, hehe, Durandal, you're worried about me, aren't you?"
Changguang said this with a straight face. Seeing the blonde girl's worry for him, Changguang winked at her. This was very much in line with Changguang's style. However, it was indeed quite amusing to make Durandal worry about him.
"Uh... now is not the time to talk about this kind of thing."
Being singled out made Durandal a little embarrassed. Should she honestly admit that she was indeed worried about Changguang? Durandal wasn't that frank. She felt that saying it out loud would make her particularly arrogant and even more smug. Just looking at her like that made Durandal feel annoyed.
[Hehe, needless to say, everyone understands, everyone understands... Hey, don't look at me like that, I was just trying to lighten the mood. Speaking of which, since you're all going to go into the Imaginary Space again... shouldn't I share the results of my previous World Bubble connection experiment?]
She never fails to say something shocking. Just when everyone thought Changguang joking around, this optimistic girl suddenly blurted out such an amazing line. Tesla, standing next to her, stared at her in disbelief. Even at a time like this, she still had something to hide from them.
Shen Gonglin was right after all; Changguang didn't come here with any sincere intention to surrender.
"Senior, don't look at me like that. I didn't mean to hide anything... It's just that the new bishop seems to distrust me a bit, so I wanted to keep the key information to increase my presence... I just didn't have the chance to say it before, but it's not too late to say it now. Listen carefully, Bianca and Kiana, what I'm about to say might be useful to you too, so listen carefully."
Changguang coughed twice to change the subject, and Tesla glared at her but didn't say anything to disturb her. There are priorities, and now is not the time to hold Changguang accountable.
[If Mr. Otto can truly establish some kind of connection with the Imaginary Tree, then the Honkai energy he possesses can be considered virtually limitless. Although as an individual, he must still have a power limit, that would certainly make him incredibly tenacious and difficult to defeat. In short, if you were to encounter such a situation, perhaps an experimental result I recorded could offer you some insights.]
When Changguang spoke, everyone fell silent. They were about to challenge Otto, and Otto's past had everyone on high alert. Now, they couldn't let go of any opportunity that could increase their chances of winning.
[Previously, at the moment the Holy Sword "Durandal" connected the World Bubble to the Imaginary Tree, the Second Divine Key recorded a strange phenomenon. At that instant, points on the Imaginary Tree that originally corresponded to finite and infinite values underwent a random exchange of properties near the connection points. In other words, when the space connected by the Imaginary Tree changed, around that changed area, some things that appeared finite to us transformed into infinite things, while other things that originally appeared infinite to us became finite.]
Changguang's words were lengthy, and before Kiana could even grasp their meaning, Durandal had already caught the Changguang point: the interplay between the finite and the infinite...
Durandal spoke up, "What does this mean? How can these two concepts be transformed into each other?"
The reason why something is finite is because it is not infinite. But doesn't the phenomenon that Changguang mentioned overturn this understanding? Moreover, this statement is really too general.
No... In terms of the statement itself, it is indeed possible for it to occur. Imaginary Renormalization ... It is a special transformation that can be defined in the Imaginary Space, and its basic properties are as described by Changguang.
Einstein corroborated what Changguang had said, but Kiana was already somewhat confused at this point. She missed the time when Shen Gonglin was still awake, because she wouldn't be the only one bewildered. Kiana couldn't understand this kind of professional theory, but seeing Durandal listening attentively, Kiana could only nod seriously. She couldn't very well reveal that she was the only one who was confused, could she?
That's right, theoretically, there is indeed a mechanism that allows the two to transform into each other... However, this is only a theoretical deduction, and so far, Anti-Entropy has never been actually observed.
What to do? Even Dr. Tesla is saying things she can't understand now. Kiana's head is starting to ache. She doesn't understand what the point of saying this now is. This isn't the time for a theory lesson.
The Kiana girl, whose mind was still a bit overwhelmed, raised her hand to interrupt them, "Wait a minute, how exactly will this abstract concept help us in the upcoming battle?"
Kiana, no longer afraid of being considered a slacker, voiced her question, knowing they were all very bright... but what were they showing off to her here? If they were so capable, they should go and show off to Shen Gonglin Jingu. He was a ruthless man who could easily wield the Moonlight Throne. No matter how smart they were, could they be as smart as him?
[Didn't I mention before? If you discover that Mr. Otto has somehow entered the realm of infinity, then perhaps you can distort the space around him, drawing him into the process of Imaginary Renormalization and forcing him back to the finite world.]
For someone possessing the power of the Herrscher of the Void ... this isn't impossible, is it?
Chapter 191 Your Current Identity
Oh, I understand what that means. It means that if Otto enters a very difficult situation, you can use the power of the Herrscher of the Void to manipulate the space around him, and maybe you can unleash a combo on him. That's the gist of it, right?
Kiana understood now, and the girl nodded seriously. "Okay, I will remember these words literally, Doctor, thank you."
Kiana politely thanked her. Although she didn't know if she could use it, it was still another way to attack, so she was grateful.
"Hmm, that's enough. Herrscher are capable of miracles. As long as you have the right direction in mind, the rest is up to you; there's always a way out, right?"
After all that talk, Changguang only offered this one answer, "There's always a way out," which means it depends on the situation. It was as if he said nothing at all. Not only Durandal silent, but Tesla also sighed.
[Sigh, don't mind it. Maybe this is just her unique way of cheering you on. It's not exactly useless knowledge, but it makes too many assumptions and doesn't seem to have much connection to the current situation. Kiana, Durandal, be careful. And let me emphasize again, protect Shen Gonglin. Make sure he goes to the final battlefield in this condition... You guys protect him, okay?]
Tesla wanted to say a few more words, but Changguang, perhaps feeling a little embarrassed that her encouragement had been exposed, interrupted Tesla's speech by waving her fist.
I know you have the ability to defeat Mr. Otto and stop his plans! I believe in you! Bye-bye!
Without greeting the two doctors from Anti-Entropy, this strangely volatile villain suddenly hung up the communication between Hyperion and Kiana. On the other end of the communicator, the two doctors were probably looking at each other in bewilderment, just like Kiana, Durandal, and Seele were now. Kiana looked at Durandal with a very confused expression. Was it because of her special situation, or were the scientists from Schicksal actually even more unreliable than the scientists from Anti-Entropy?
"Has she always been like this?"
"Um... I'm sorry you had to see this."
Kiana and Durandal spoke awkwardly, Seele quickly smoothed things over. "Well, she is indeed a very special scientist. Maybe her real purpose is just to keep us from being too nervous."
"Perhaps... But with this, all our preparations for the final battle are now complete. Seele, I'm leaving everything in the rear to you."
With a renewed sense of purpose, Kiana focused her attention on the distant church. Everything was ready. Next, she, Durandal, and Shen Gonglin would storm into the church, leaving the others outside to Seele. Amber would soon arrive with the members of the Immortal Blade to assist Seele. There was no need for hesitation anymore.
"Don't worry, Kiana. I will definitely protect everyone. So, you all must come back safely."
The girl with short blue hair nodded seriously. Everyone should do their job. What she could do now was to ensure that Kiana and the others had no worries. She could help them now.
"Okay, it's a deal!"
Kiana and Durandal said in unison, and then Kiana grabbed Durandal's hand and mounted the horse. She helped Shen Gonglin to lie on Durandal's body, and the female knight steed the Shadow Horse toward the church. Next, it would be time to face Otto.
"By the way, Durandal, after opening this door, we will have to make a clean break with Otto. As you know, Otto created me in the experiment, he brought me into this world, and he treated me as nothing more than an experimental subject, a vessel for the Herrscher of Resurrection... Subject K423, this name is all the dignity he was willing to give me."
With the church right in front of them, Kiana suddenly spoke up. She didn't understand why she said such a thing, but looking at Durandal in front of her, she couldn't help but speak up. There were some things she was afraid she wouldn't have the chance to say now if she didn't say them now, so she had to make things clear to Durandal right now.