Chapter 395

"...Yes, I know."

The female knight fell silent for a moment, a hint of heartache flashing in her eyes as she looked at the white-haired ranger, but she also understood that Kiana was not so fragile now.

"Back then, I was a blank slate, not understanding what I should receive or give in this world as a human being... It was my father who set an example for me, teaching me what kindness and sincerity are. He gave me the most basic love in the world, gave me the name Kiana, and then he disappeared."

In front of the church, Kiana recounted her past to the female knight before her. Strangely enough, these were things she should have kept to herself, yet she was now willing to share them with Durandal. Although they weren't exactly close, Kiana felt she could tell Durandal anything. Why was that? Kiana didn't understand.

"After he disappeared, I began to wander the world, searching for my father and becoming someone who could help others, a righteous knight-errant, just like him. At that time, I thought the past was over, but Otto reappeared, awakening a specific malice that took everything from St. Freya. I had no choice but to start wandering again... carrying the sins of the Herrscher of the Void, the pain of losing my teacher, and the self-blame that tormented my companions... If Shen Gonglin and the Class President hadn't been by my side back then, I probably would have collapsed."

Kiana smiled bitterly. Recalling that time still made her heart ache. It was in that state that she first met Durandal. Naturally, their differing stances led to an unpleasant parting. Many things happened afterward, and Kiana now understood that relationships between people were far more complex than she had initially imagined. So...

"Relationships between people are truly difficult to define. Otto is my enemy, and you... Durandal, now I want to ask you, in what capacity have you chosen to fight Otto?"

Having voiced her question, Kiana faced Durandal directly; this question was very important to her.

Chapter 192 Sisters, Fighting Side by Side

What identity should she hold when fighting Otto? Durandal was slightly taken aback by Kiana's question, but the girl's expression quickly returned to its usual strength and confidence. The answer to this question was already in Durandal's heart when she decided to defeat Otto. She was Durandal, Bianca Atagina, and standing here was the Valkyrie of Schicksal, not Bianca 'Otto Valkyrie.

"That is indeed a good question... I can be an avenger who seeks revenge, a rebel against atrocities, or simply a guardian fighting for the fate of the world... But none of these are the identities I want to claim now. At least when I face him again, I believe I am still a Valkyrie of Schicksal."

Durandal spoke truthfully, saying that no matter when or where, she could proudly acknowledge her identity as the Valkyrie of Schicksal. In her life as she remembered it, this identity had brought her many things, but it had also burdened her with many things. However, the only thing she was certain of was that Durandal did not dislike the identity of the Valkyrie at all.

"I know that Schicksal is not a perfect organization in the eyes of many people, and I know that the work of the Valkyrie is far from the ideal claimed in their slogans. Therefore, when faced with the dilemma that each of us must make a decision, I must take back the right to interpret Schicksal and the Valkyrie from that maverick bishop."

Durandal clenched her fist and said, "Schicksal is a military organization. Soldiers are of course obligated to obey orders, but that doesn't mean that all members of Schicksal should be Otto's puppets. Every individual in Schicksal should be a cog in a grand destiny. What is right, what is wrong, what is justice, what is evil, what is Schicksal... these are not things that any one person can decide."

"The true Schicksal ... these should be everyone's choices, everyone's path, everyone's life, a landscape painted together on the canvas called the world. So, at this moment, I want to join you in reclaiming this canvas from Otto and preserving the right for everyone to paint on it. This is also the color and line that I, as a Valkyrie, leave on this canvas."

It was hard to imagine that these words came from Durandal's mouth. In Kiana's memory, Durandal had always been a somewhat serious figure, but this time when she met Durandal... Kiana wondered if it was just her imagination, but she felt that this Valkyrie seemed much closer to her. In the past, she would never have said so much to her, but now, it seemed that she was really explaining the Valkyrie's ideals to her.

It's like an older sister teaching her younger sister... No, no, why am I thinking like that?

"Is this Durandal's will?"

Kiana spoke these words, and at this moment, she felt as if she understood why the Valkyrie in front of her was called the strongest Valkyrie of Schicksal. It wasn't just her unparalleled power, but also her mindset and her beliefs. She was undoubtedly the strongest. Did this person have no weaknesses?

"For me personally, this is the will of Bianca Attagina... From any perspective, Otto is someone who has forever changed the course of my life. If we were to use a Shakespearean play as an analogy—he is not just a Caesar, not just a Macbeth... He is also Claudius, Othello, even Hamlet. He is like a beautiful yet cruel, great yet evil work of art, and we will ultimately defeat him and leave his history to future generations to judge. I think this was also his own wish."

Durandal described Otto in this way, and this metaphor is very apt. In their eyes, Otto may be a synonym for evil, but in the eyes of some, he is a hero who rules Schicksal, fights against the Honkai, and protects the world. This person is very contradictory, so contradictory that even Durandal cannot judge him. She can only leave everything about him to future generations to judge.

...Is this person showing off how many books she's read? All those metaphors, parallelisms, and allusions! Doesn't she know she failed even her Valkyrie cultural studies class? How could she possibly be reading those incomprehensible plays? Speaking of Durandal does seem to really enjoy reading; I've seen her with a book in her hand many times... She seems so cultured. Should I cultivate that kind of scholarly air myself?

No, this isn't right for me at all. What am I thinking?

"Ahem... I think I understand what you're saying. In your heart, he is still an elder, a contradictory and complex person, right?"

Kiana coughed twice and said seriously, "Although I don't understand Durandal's full meaning, this is what she wanted to express. Why did she suddenly start quoting classical texts? It's making it hard for people to understand."

"Yes, but that doesn't stop us from fighting side by side, nor does it stop me from seriously trying to defeat him... or even kill him."

Durandal's expression was open and honest. In the previous battle, she had been banished to the Imaginary Space because she had shown mercy. If it weren't for the Kaslana family's Stigmata, Dr. Schrödinger, and Rita, she probably wouldn't be able to get out now. So this time, Durandal was prepared for the consequences.

Kiana: "I understand that perfectly well. So, Valkyrie of Schicksal, before we officially enter the battle, shall we give each other a high five to show our team spirit? After all, this is our first real cooperative battle."

Kiana made this suggestion, Durandal was stunned for a second as she looked at the girl's raised hand. She really hadn't expected the other party to be so positive about a fateful final battle, but... this was indeed the real Kiana Kaslana, this was the daughter of Siegfried and Cecilia. Whether it was ten years ago or ten years later, this girl in front of her lived up to the name Kaslana.

"Yes, of course."

Durandal also raised her hand, and the crisp, clean high five encompassed all the trust that didn't need words. Both of them understood the unwavering fighting spirit between them. The paths of the two girls had completely intersected today, and the stars representing them were shining together in the sky.

Chapter 193 I've Found You

However, upon entering the church, the scene before them was beyond their expectations. The church was empty; Otto, whom they had anticipated, was not there. Ruins and broken bricks filled the long-abandoned church, and it seemed that he was not there.

"What's going on? Everything here is... Hmm? That's... a gap torn open in reality by Imaginary Space?"

Kiana looked around and finally found a clue at the center of the church: a small crack had torn open a gap in space. It was probably caused by the power of the Herrscher of the Void. Kiana quickly determined the source of the crack. Kiana reached out and touched the crack. After activating the power of the Herrscher of the Void, she sensed a lot.

"How is it? Can you sense the space behind it?"

Durandal asked, "Kiana possesses the power of the Herrscher of the Void, which will be a great help now. Without her, it would be very difficult to catch up with Otto."

"Hmm, there's no problem with just sensing it. The power flowing behind it is indeed the same kind that Otto used before. However, to open it up to the point where we can pass through freely... let me try first. But Durandal, you'd better keep a certain distance from me to avoid being affected. After all, this is the power of Herrscher."

Kiana opened her eyes and explained the current situation. If she was not mistaken, Otto should be in this Imaginary Space. This palm-sized crack was not enough to support her and Durandal's crossing, so what Kiana needed to do now was to use her power as the Herrscher of the Void to widen the crack. This was not something that the girl could not do now; she was no longer the Kiana used to be.

"Understood."

Durandal carried Shen Gonglin back a few steps, giving Kiana enough space. Shen Gonglin was still unconscious, Durandal must have really frightened him. Durandal wanted him to rest for now Shen Gonglin, at least before facing the final battle.

"Holding her is fine, but you can't touch her..." Kiana wanted to say that, but looking at Durandal's innocent appearance, Kiana kept her words to herself. Durandal didn't seem like the kind of person who would do that kind of thing. She should just focus on what she needed to do.

Taking a deep breath, Kiana activated her Herrscher of the Void powers. The girl attempted to channel her power into the unstable rift. She had previously resisted this power, but now she had mastered it, using the method her Class President had taught her... severing all thoughts, controlling her breath, becoming utterly unaware, utterly oblivious...

In order to counter the power on the other side of the rift, Kiana must control her Herrscher Authority to be used in a specific space and direction. This is not the first time she has tried this method. She had tried it once before in the Herrscher collision experiment with Bronya. However, at that time, she had the assistance of Shen Gonglin. And now... because of the influence of the previous Constraint Authority, Kiana's power is not as strong as it was then. Moreover, the object she is trying to control is much more complex than the Herrscher Core fixed on the device. Therefore, she has to be more careful this time.

With her eyes closed, Kiana could sense that behind the crevice, a colossal temple had risen from the ground, and the Honkai energy permeated the Imaginary Space was converging and flowing in that direction. She had to be careful; if she wasn't careful, something there might take away her home and devour her. The opportunity was fleeting; she had to gather as much energy as possible to tear it apart completely in one fell swoop.

That's what I was thinking, but given Kiana's current state, it seems that ordinary control effects alone aren't enough to provide sufficient explosive power... So, I guess I have to challenge my limits? I do this kind of thing all the time.

What place is this?

In a broken corridor, Shen Gonglin woke up leisurely. Looking at the unfamiliar surroundings, Shen Gonglin was completely bewildered. Where was this place? She had no recollection of being here. She remembered that she should have fallen into a coma because of her fear of heights... oops, because of excessive exertion. So where is this...?

This is... me...

"Of course, this is where I can find you!"

A thought echoed in Shen Gonglin's mind, but before Shen Gonglin could investigate further, another voice suddenly broke through, interrupting the previous one. Then, a crack appeared in the shattered corridor before her, filled with Shen Gonglin eyes. At both ends of this horrifying crack were bow-like decorations. Shen Gonglin was familiar with these; she had used this power when she first escaped from the Sea of Quantum. But she hadn't used this power called the Gap. And who was this person emerging from the Gap?

Before Shen Gonglin could react, a golden figure suddenly emerged from the gap. As if hit by a train, Shen Gonglin was knocked to the ground and rolled several times. Although it didn't hurt at all, who was this person?

A bewildered Shen Gonglin lay on the ground looking at the girl sitting on her. Upon seeing her face, Shen Gonglin was immediately horrified. Golden hair and purple eyes. If it weren't for the long, wavy hair, Shen Gonglin would have thought she was looking in a mirror. Who was this person? Could this be one of those so-called parallel universes?

Is she herself from a parallel universe?

[Tsk.]

Faintly, Shen Gonglin seemed to hear the elf girl's low spitting in her consciousness. As expected, this guy found her after all. Every time Shen Gonglin used the power of the gap, the chances of this guy finding her increased. Although she knew this day would come, when it actually arrived, Kurumi was still so unhappy that she was about to explode.

"Finally, finally... I've finally found you!"

The golden-haired sage wept with joy, clinging to Shen Gonglin and sobbing. Her curvaceous figure made Shen Gonglin hesitate to move. What... what was going on? Although the situation was unclear, Shen Gonglin didn't feel any danger. He hesitated for a moment, then reached out and gently stroked the long hair of the golden-haired woman on his body. "Can you please stop crying and at least explain what's going on?"

Chapter 194

"So, you're not an embodiment of the Will of Honkai? Your name is... Yukari Yakumo?"

After an unknown amount of time, the blonde beauty clinging to him finally stopped her desperate wailing. Although she was still sniffling, it seemed that she could communicate now. Shen Gonglin was eager to find out her identity. At first, he thought that this girl was the embodiment of the Will of Honkai, since he was in what seemed to be the depths of the Herrscher Core... like a Tailed Beast space, so it was understandable that he had such an idea.

"What Will of Honkai of the Honkai Will... I'm your sister, your half-sister! Hey, you better speak up for me, don't just stand there pretending nothing's wrong!"

The sobbing Great Sage glared at the idle elf girl beside him. Why was she the only one allowed to follow Shen Gonglin? Oh, and there was that Universal Angel over there. But that angel was dull and clumsy, and the Great Sage never paid her any attention. It was just that this girl who didn't get along with him. She was wicked. No wonder she was an elf; she was the cancer of the world.

"Rin, you guessed right, she is the embodiment of the Will of Honkai. We need to get to the bottom of this... Ouch, you dare to kick me in the stomach! Fine, Yukari Yakumo, you're leaving here today, I said it!"

The elven girl not only refused to explain for the Great Sage, but also started adding fuel to the fire for Shen Gonglin. Unable to stand it any longer, the Great Sage kicked her, and the two girls immediately started fighting, grabbing each other by the neck. Although both of them looked like elegant and beautiful young ladies, the way they were fighting... they definitely looked like acquaintances.

"Icarus, what do you say?"

Confused, Shen Gonglin looked at the Universal Angel beside her. The girl was still sitting blankly on the ground, seemingly lost in thought. Only when Shen Gonglin looked over did she open her green eyes and respond.

"I'll speak while seated."

Well, asking is pointless, so there's no point in expecting any useful answers from this girl. Seeing that the fight between the two over there is getting more and more intense, Shen Gonglin quickly stepped between them and separated the two who were rolling around. Judging from Kurumi's attitude, she knows that Kurumi is not some kind of Honkai will. That means that she really is her half-sister.

What a mess of relationships!

"Hmph, you wait, sooner or later I'll beat you so badly you can't speak... little Rin, do you know how much effort I went through to find you? Crossing mountains and rivers and eating nothing but chaff and wild vegetables wouldn't even begin to describe how difficult it was for me. Now that I've finally finally seen you... and you still don't remember who I am?"

Since Shen Gonglin was trying to mediate, let's give him some face. The Great Sage was put down on Kurumi, who was constantly begging for mercy. In terms of physical skills, Yukari Yakumo was still a bit stronger. The Great Sage, who had just been pinning someone to the ground, became teary-eyed again when he turned to Shen Gonglin. Only she knew how much suffering she had endured. She had traveled through countless worlds and met Yukari Yakumo people. The only thing she knew was that Shen Gonglin still owed a lot of debts.

A white-haired beauty wearing a suppressor armor that prevents her from speaking, a red-haired girl fighting against the Crimson World Apostles, a mechanical beauty wearing an eyepatch, a blue-haired goddess who was fired from the company by her second uncle, the Light Sphere, for a work mistake... Tsk tsk, the more I think about it, the angrier I get.

"Hmm, I don't remember. You don't know, I might have amnesia, but I do have some recollection of what you mentioned."

Shen Gonglin frankly admitted that although she had no impression of Yukari Yakumo in front of her, just looking at her gave Shen Gonglin a sense of familiarity. She was probably not lying to her, and if she were a bad person, Kurumi wouldn't have this attitude.

"When he first came into this world, it seemed like he had suffered a significant head injury. He didn't even recognize me... But he still fell hopelessly in love with me again. Hehe, as expected of me."

The elf girl, finally catching her breath, arrogantly boasted to Yukari Yakumo again. Although she couldn't beat her, their relationship wasn't purely based on strength. In that respect, victory was the real victory. No matter how many times they reincarnated, he would fall in love with her. How romantic!

"Yeah, as expected of you. I knew you were up to no good all along. You lie down and don't say a word!"

Another straight punch landed on the elf girl's stomach, Kurumi fell to the ground like a shrimp. Looking at the elf she had knocked out with one punch, Yukari Yakumo's face was neither sad nor happy. She was really bad at it and loved to play. That's just how she was. If it were that flower fairy, she would have turned her into fertilizer.

The elf girl lying on the ground had a flicker in her eyes. She knew she still couldn't beat this guy. Even if she turned the tables, it probably wouldn't make a difference. It seemed she still had to find outside help. Otherwise, once Shen Gonglin regained her memories, she would probably be second only to Yukari Yakumo. That was simply unbearable for her.

Thinking about it carefully, I have Little Herrscher of Consciousness on my side, and that Sky Pufferfish... It's a pity that this Universal Angel is not on my side. No matter how I try to fool her, it's useless. Otherwise, with her help, a being whose full power can destroy civilizations, I wouldn't have suffered so much at the hands of Yukari Yakumo.

I even bought her so many watermelons... Sure enough, the innocent-looking girl's watermelons are all black when cut open!

"Stop hitting her, let's talk this out... Does it hurt?"

Shen Gonglin couldn't bear to watch any longer and helped Kurumi up. The elf girl immediately seized the opportunity to huddle up to Shen Gonglin like a pitiful kitten, meowing at him. This infuriated Yukari Yakumo. She knew she and this girl didn't get along. When the three of them got Shen Gonglin drunk and slept with him without taking her along, they had already made enemies. The other two Yukari Yakumo could tolerate it, but she just couldn't stand it.

"Phew... Don't be angry, don't be angry... little Rin, I'll keep it short. The connection to the first world wasn't very smooth, and I won't be staying here for long. But I've already recorded the coordinates. I'll try my best to strengthen the connection between the worlds, and then I can connect to the world and bring you back... Don't give me that excuse about not having recovered your memories. That's not a valid reason."

Forcibly suppressing her emotions, Yukari Yakumo took several deep breaths to suppress the urge to Kurumi down on the pebble path and beat her. Now was the time to get down to business; there would be plenty of opportunities to beat her up later.

Chapter 195

"Don't think you can shirk responsibility by saying you haven't regained your memory yet. There's no such thing as an easy way out in this world. If losing your memory meant you could avoid responsibility, what would be the point of the police? This is something you did yourself, so no matter what, you need to remember it for me right now. Your family is waiting for you, do you hear me?"

At this moment, Yukari Yakumo really acted like an older sister. The girl stood up straight, one hand on her hip and the other tapping Shen Gonglin's forehead hard. Perhaps because of the power imbalance, Shen Gonglin was usually incredibly mischievous, obediently lowered her head and accepted the lesson. This was definitely not something that could be excused by simply saying that she hadn't regained her memories.

"Family members... who are the members of our family?"

Upon hearing this question, Shen Gonglin couldn't help but feel curious. Her home must be a very warm and cozy place.

"My family... I've never met Grandpa. There's my mom who's good for nothing but eating everything, a seemingly innocent but actually cunning pet girl, and then there's this flat-chested second young lady who'd practically throw herself at us... There are several others I don't know very well, but just by looking at them, I know they're all eyeing our family fortune. Little Rin, you have to be careful."

When Shen Gonglin asked about her family situation, the Great Sage began to explain the situation to Shen Gonglin with his fingers. After Shen Gonglin disappeared, he had gone to great lengths to convince people that Shen Gonglin had gone on a trip instead of being kidnapped. Fortunately, the world's currents were different, and he could still hold on for now. But if things continued, Yukari Yakumo was afraid that she would mess things up.

"... Why do I suddenly feel like it's not a big deal even if I don't regain my memories? It feels like I used to live in misery."

A mix of emotions washed over Shen Gonglin. After hearing her description, Shen Gonglin seemed less motivated to regain her memories, as if there was nothing good about it.

"Don't say that. Don't just think about yourself. There are many people waiting for you. Reimu may not say it, but she's always the first one to come over whenever I travel to another world. And that maid goes without saying. I think Mashiro sensed it too... This is your responsibility. You have to take it seriously."

Yukari Yakumo raised her hand and gently tapped Shen Gonglin's head with a chop. Shen Gonglin obediently lowered his head and admitted his mistake. He was just saying it casually. Seeing Shen Gonglin's attitude, Yukari Yakumo nodded in satisfaction. Then, the girl felt her body flicker. Shen Gonglin also noticed this. Meeting his somewhat surprised gaze, Yukari Yakumo was not surprised at all.

"It seems the time has come. As I said, the connection this time wasn't perfect, but once we know the exact coordinates, the connection will be much more stable next time. Just wait, I'll bring you back soon... Oh, I almost forgot, this is something Reimu asked me to bring you. Take it, even if you just use it to weigh down some vegetables."

She casually took out two red and white Yin-Yang Orbs. Although they were useless, they were a token of the little shrine maiden's affection. After saying this, Yukari Yakumo's figure disappeared from this space. Shen Gonglin looked at the two Yin-Yang Orbs in her hand, not knowing what to say. Knowing these things really made her feel... she didn't know what to do.

"What bad luck, that guy actually came knocking on our door... If Rin hadn't happened to come here by chance, this probably wouldn't have happened."

Clutching her stomach, Kurumi pursed her lips and looked around. Based on her judgment, this should be deep within the Herrscher Core, a place quite deep within this world. That's why Yukari Yakumo was able to find her way here using the coordinates. Kurumi was feeling extremely threatened.

"This place? What is this place?"

Shen Gonglin looked at Kurumi curiously. Although she had just been beaten up, the girl still seemed quite energetic, and she seemed to know something about this place. How could this be? Why didn't she know anything about it?

"Here... according to Hefu and Little Herrscher of Consciousness... hey, just thinking about those two makes me angry. When I was being beaten up, not one of them came to help. They said they were afraid of their older sister... what a fake sisterhood. I'll remember that today. In short, according to them, this is the deepest part of the Herrscher Core, the place where you Herrscher can connect spiritually."

As Kurumi continued talking, she got angry again. It seems that the only person she can trust in this world is herself. Saying that she's afraid of making her sister angry... How can such people be her allies? If they're afraid of making their sister angry, aren't they afraid of making themselves angry too?

Actually, Herrscher of the Void and Shibao felt that Kurumi wasn't really that scary. After seeing that Yukari Yakumo knew her identity, the two Herrscher girls were indeed a little scared.

"As Herrscher, our spirits can connect... Hmm? This feeling... is it Mei?"

Is this the depths of the Herrscher space? Just after realizing this, Shen Gonglin felt that familiar sensation coming from not far away. This feeling of rampant lightning was undoubtedly a symbol of the Herrscher of Thunder. Since this is the depths of the Herrscher space, can she find Mei here?

Shen Gonglin followed the sound and found the Shen Gonglin girl. The pufferfish and Shibao she had found were completely useless. This Herrscher of Thunder might be a great help to her. She felt that she was much more useful than the two of them. Now she had to gather all the help. At this moment Kurumi felt like a hero who gathered all her strength to challenge the evil dragon. She would definitely defeat that evil dragon, Yukari Yakumo!

As expected, Shen Gonglin saw Mei's figure as she passed through the white barrier. The girl had her back to her and seemed to realize someone was coming. She took a deep breath and prepared to turn around, but just then, a cannonball-like figure suddenly attacked Mei. Caught off guard, the girl was tackled to the ground. What happened? This... why isn't it Kiana?

"Mei, I miss you so much!"

Shen Gonglin Mei tightly and rubbed against her. She had originally planned to go to the Elysian Realm to find Mei after dealing with things here, but she didn't expect to see Mei here. This was a pleasant surprise. Mei was also pleasantly surprised. She thought she would only see Kiana, but she didn't expect to run into Shen Gonglin.

Chapter 196 The Sucker

"How... how could it be you...?"