Chapter 490

Here is... Still in mid-air, Kiana looked around and calmed down. Indeed, as Bronya had predicted, even if she couldn't use the powers of the Herrscher of the Void, the girl had several ways to land safely, such as the superhero landing style. Although it might hurt a little, it wasn't enough to make her scream again.

So this is the Sea of Quantum after all. Looking at the scenery around her that was the same as she had seen before, Kiana, with her limited theoretical knowledge, could not understand that she had already traversed a considerable distance in the Sea of Quantum in a way similar to warp speed. If distance really does have a similar significance to the Intrinsic World in the Sea of Quantum, then in any case, she made the right judgment.

However... looking at the surroundings, which are not much different from the space I was in before, if both sides are similar, then why did those Quantum Shadow launch an attack?

Adjusting her landing posture in mid-air, Kiana tried to slow her descent slightly. As the saying goes, the higher you stand, the farther you can see, and she wanted to use this time to find more clues to explain this mystery. However, her actions seemed superfluous, because the source of this strangeness seemed obvious.

As Kiana plummeted, hundreds of Quantum Shadow, already in a collapsed state, floated upwards against the tide, appearing as if their souls were returning to the heavens. This "returning to the heavens" spectacle clearly indicated that they had just suffered a devastating defeat in a battle. The lingering shockwaves from that battle even caused her hair to float against the wind—or rather, it shouldn't be described as floating against the wind, but rather a phenomenon caused by a high-voltage electric field. What force could possibly accomplish such a feat?

Kiana could certainly do it herself. Although she couldn't use her powers freely, as long as she didn't consider other issues and focused all her energy on attacking, she could indeed inflict great damage on the Quantum Shadow. But by the current standard... Suddenly, Kiana had a mushroom-like but firm premonition, the joy of a long-awaited reunion.

Almost reflexively, Kiana's groans involuntarily subsided at this moment, as if she hadn't seen her family and friends in a long time. She no longer needed to consider the powerful enemies that might appear in front of her, or even how to land more smoothly on the ground, because she truly felt it.

Next time, it will be face to face.

Suddenly, she remembered this phrase, which was the promise she and her partner made back in Kolosten when she was reforging the weapon in her hand. The downward momentum stopped, and the premonition was about to become a reality. A figure rushed into the air from below. Looking at the familiar face in front of them, the two of them felt as if they had been separated by a lifetime.

"I originally thought that after making so many meaningless sacrifices, they had finally summoned something that would leave me helpless... Although I was indeed helpless, I never expected that your promise would be fulfilled in this way."

The familiar voice, the familiar face, the familiar scent—the two girls, who had been separated for who knows how long, finally reunited under these circumstances. The touch on her hand was incredibly real, and Kiana was almost reluctant to blink. The person standing in front of her was undoubtedly her, Mei. It had been so long.

"Mei... it really is you."

"Yes, it's me, Kiana."

These two simple sentences contained the unspoken emotions of the two girls. The silence was inevitable, because neither of them expected to meet here. This was not awkward, because everyone is like that. When there is a long-awaited reunion in our hearts, we always unconsciously rehearse this reunion again and again.

People ponder repeatedly how they should speak the first words, how to express their longing and joy, and how to respond to the other person's concern. Everyone hopes that this extremely special moment can be perfect, but everyone, like them now, will feel powerless to break the fragile silence before them for a moment.

Because at times like these, it's hard for anyone to immediately notice one thing: all those who cherish the thought of reunion for a long time... have never truly been apart.

Chapter 319 Not Being a Third Wheel

"I originally thought... that at a time like this, I would be able to talk non-stop and say a lot of things immediately, but the result is that it's as if we just went to different schools, and you and I were only separated for one day."

Gazing at the familiar face before her, Kiana felt no sense of unfamiliarity whatsoever. Just as she had said, she suddenly felt as if the two of them hadn't been apart for very long; they had simply gone to different schools, and now that school was over, they were together again.

"Heh... In that case... I'm back, Kiana."

Amused by Kiana's words, Mei cleared her throat and said the same thing, and Kiana responded with a seemingly calm but heartfelt welcome.

"Yes, welcome back, Mei."

They smiled at each other, the two girls embracing in the air gazing at one another. After the joy of their reunion, Mei and Kiana exchanged information about the current situation. Mei had the same problem: Kiana, Mei, and Bronya's Herrscher Authority were all malfunctioning. This situation was quite thought-provoking.

"That's the situation right now, and it's the same for Shen Gonglin and Bronya. But speaking of which, Mei is really amazing. If it were me, I wouldn't have any room to maneuver in the current state to deal with so many Quantum Shadow. Mei, you're amazing."

Looking at the collapsing Quantum Shadow around her, Kiana couldn't help but glance at Mei. She felt that she had become much stronger during the time she was separated from Mei, and she was thinking of showing off to Mei when she returned. But now it seemed that Mei was only getting stronger.

"Ah, it's a long story... This is also the first time in recent times that I can fight in reality without any scruples... Actually, I didn't expect that the experience I gained in World Serpent that spanned 50,000 years... could be of such great help to me when the Herrscher Authority failed."

After explaining her "power," Mei had just had a good fight. Although the battles in the Elysian Realm were no different from those in reality, Mei always felt that something was missing. The fight she just had was a release of pent-up emotions. The battle with Raven was hardly a battle at all. Although she seemed to be going all out, Mei was actually suppressing her power because she was afraid of accidentally killing Raven. As for these Quantum Shadow, Mei had no worries.

"Speaking of which, you just said that Shen Gonglin and Bronya are here too?"

Keeping that experience from 50,000 years ago to herself, Mei asked about her two companions. She had already reunited with Kiana and wanted to see Bronya as well. As for Shen Gonglin... compared to Kiana and Bronya, they actually saw each other quite often.

"Well, we originally thought that the monsters' attacks were related to the abnormal connection between the World Bubble, but we didn't expect that they were actually attacking you, Mei."

So what's the deal with all those Quantum Shadow gathering? It turns out it's to deal with Mei, a formidable enemy. Since it's Mei, we're not afraid of any number of these Quantum Shadow coming!

"I see. But then again, perhaps your views are also correct. So, let's go back to a place where we can stay."

As Mei finished speaking, it was only then that the girl suddenly realized that although she had stopped falling, the two of them were not on solid ground, but were floating at a seemingly dangerous height like the scattered matter around them. Kiana couldn't understand why they were in this state.

"It's alright, this is the Sea of Quantum, many areas cannot be viewed according to common sense. Leave it to me, Kiana, hold on tight."

After comforting Kiana, Mei's gaze sharpened. Although she couldn't use her Herrscher Authority, it didn't mean Mei was just an ordinary person. In a flash, the swordswoman brought Kiana to the ground. The feeling of solid ground under her feet put Kiana at ease. Mei had really become amazing.

"Alright, let's go find Shen Gonglin and Bronya together."

Mei revealed her current goals. Although she and Shen Gonglin meet "frequently," she could never have too many of these meetings. Mei wanted to spend more time with Mei Shen Gonglin, as well as Bronya, whom she hadn't seen in a long time.

"Well, even though Shen Gonglin is there, neither of them can use their powers, so their situation... is probably not very optimistic."

Kiana nodded in agreement, but at that moment, Bronya, who had been pondering for a long time whether or not to be a third wheel, floated out. Shen Gonglin sat on the Heavy-duty Rabbit, rubbing her knees, wondering why she was the only one doing that superhero landing pose.

"Yes, Bronya thought about it for a long time, whether or not to have Heavy-duty Rabbit catch you in the air... After all, you didn't seem nervous at all up there, so Bronya didn't want to be a third wheel."

Bronya, the emotionless girl, almost rolled her eyes. She really didn't know how to get involved in that atmosphere, so the kind-hearted girl kept quiet and didn't go over to disturb them. It felt like it would be hard to end that scene if the two of them didn't get married right away. Kiana and Mei got married, and then she and Shen Gonglin got married. It felt like they could have their weddings all at once.

"Bronya, Shen Gonglin, what are you doing here... Shen Gonglin, what happened to your leg?"

Kiana was quite surprised to see the two of them here. Weren't they supposed to be distracting the Quantum Shadow? How come it seemed like they arrived before her? Before they could explain, Kiana noticed something even more noteworthy: why was Shen Gonglin constantly rubbing his knee? Was he injured?

"My knee hurts so much when I fell... Kiana, you're just in time. Bronya has no strength at all, and pressing on it for a long time hasn't helped. Please rub it for me."

"Oh."

"It's never as comfortable as having a girl help you massage yourself," Shen Gonglin thought, wiggling her leg at Kiana. The girl then obediently ran over and started massaging Shen Gonglin. Mei was taken aback by her obedient manner. It seemed that Mei had indeed changed a lot while Kiana was away. How could this girl have changed like this before... It really had been a long time.

Chapter 320

"Bronya, it's been a long time."

Looking at the girl floating in the air in front of her, Mei felt as if she had been through a lifetime. Compared to the farewell ceremony where she "beat up" Kiana, it seemed that she and Bronya had never said goodbye properly. She was suddenly separated from her. Mei felt very apologetic about this. It had been such a long time since she had seen her.

"Mei... Mei, it's been a long time."

Bronya instinctively wanted to use her old form of address, but for some reason, she changed her way of addressing the girl as she spoke. Looking at the girl in front of her, who gave her a familiar yet unfamiliar feeling, Bronya was also very happy. However, she had grown up and could no longer use the old form of address. She needed to change her current third-person self-reference as soon as possible.

"Why does it feel a little awkward between them... Shen Gonglin? What are you doing here?"

Kiana felt something was off watching Bronya and Mei's conversation. She whispered something in Shen Gonglin's ear and then joined in. She was genuinely curious as to why Bronya and Mei were here Bronya. She had broken through a Shen Gonglin rift and been sucked in, but what about them?

"They just inexplicably shook off the Quantum Shadow, and then inexplicably discovered a spatial connection point that could get around to your back."

Bronya explained in a very simple way why she and Shen Gonglin were here. Although it seemed that she had discovered the suspicious points and made a breakthrough, Bronya still had a strange feeling, as if everything was just falling into place. Could it be that someone was guiding her?

"What do you mean by that? It's completely baffling."

Breaking the awkward atmosphere between Bronya and Mei, Kiana went to Shen Gonglin's side and massaged his knees and calves. It was quite strange to hear such a strange sound coming from Bronya, such a meticulous girl. In fact, Kiana also had that strange feeling, as if she could find something odd about every predicament she encountered, and could solve any problem she faced.

"Well, how should I put it... Bronya feels like she's being guided by some kind of destiny... Never mind, maybe Bronya is just being too sensitive. Since Mei is here too, it seems Bronya's guess is correct."

Bronya wanted to discuss the so-called guidance of fate with Kiana, but after seeing the other's blank eyes, she quickly gave up the idea and changed how Bronya addressed Mei, getting down to business.

Bronya had her own reasons for changing how she addressed her. Always calling her "Mei" gave others the impression that she hadn't grown up yet, which wasn't good. Kiana was eyeing Shen Gonglin with a predatory look, saying she wanted to get married, Mei- neechan's eyes were clearly also constantly drifting towards Shen Gonglin. This made Bronya feel very threatened. She decided to start by changing how she addressed her. She needed to let Shen Gonglin know that she, Bronya, was also a girl her age, and that she could do what they could do.

Moreover, strictly speaking, my age and Shen Gonglin's are clearly the most compatible.

"I deduce that this is an operation targeting Herrscher, and perhaps others are also trapped here."

Based on the current situation, Bronya analyzed the problem and found that Shen Gonglin had entered by chance, while she, Mei, and Kiana were all unable to use their Herrscher Authority. This made it hard not to suspect that this was an operation targeting the Herrscher, but she didn't know what the other party's purpose was.

"Bronya is right, and... regarding this matter, I can be considered an insider. Our current situation is also the work of World Serpent. According to information I extracted from a World Serpent executive, the Stigmata Plan is nearly complete. This also corroborates Kevin's previous words and actions. He said he was preparing to implement the Stigmata Plan and asked me to leave World Serpent voluntarily. On my way out of World Serpent, I was subjected to some mysterious interference and lost consciousness. If I heard correctly before losing consciousness... our current situation is probably related to their executive, Yutu. But how she managed to do this, I have no idea either."

When talking about her sources of information, Mei's expression became somewhat strange. Compared to Bronya and Kiana, Mei, who was "teaching" at World Serpent, clearly knew more inside information. In addition, she had "extracted" the information from Raven. Mei told everything she knew. The voice she heard before she fainted should have been Yuto, a cadre of World Serpent, whom she had only heard about from Raven.

"Also, Bronya, you just said... are you also able to sense that subtle guidance in this Sea of Quantum?"

Mei wanted to say something as soon as Bronya Mei. She had the same feeling, but it seemed a little different from what Bronya described. The guidance seemed to be trying to lead her to a certain place, but it was vague and unclear, as if it didn't want to be noticed.

[Huh? But I haven't influenced her yet?]

The voice suddenly popped into her mind. Unlike Bronya and Kiana, who were still confused, Shen Gonglin had already figured out what was going on with their inexplicable guidance.

"This feeling is strange. If it weren't for the increasing number of Quantum Shadow coming to obstruct me, I probably would have continued to follow its guidance. Although I can't be sure if we are aware of the same existence, if there is no other way... I'm willing to give it a try. What about you?"

As she spoke, Mei turned her gaze to Shen Gonglin, who was sitting on the Heavy-duty Rabbit. Unfortunately, with Bronya and Kiana present, they could only talk about serious matters. If it were just her and Shen Gonglin, Mei would really like to indulge in some long-lost affection. She was no longer the helpless person she used to be; Mei felt that she could do anything now.

Having already fought alongside Raven against Shen Gonglin, Mei felt she had grown a lot. Even if she were to fight alone, Mei Shen Gonglin!

The girl, who had inexplicably straightened her chest and raised her head, realized that she might be thinking in the wrong direction. This was clearly not the time to think about such things. Calm down, calm down was the most important thing.

Chapter 321 The Treasures Left Behind by the Flame-Chasers

"Hmm, Mei- nee... cough cough, Mei is right. In fact, we managed to meet up because of that guidance. If that's the case, it's definitely worth trying to follow that feeling. Let's do it that way."

Bronya and Mei decided on their current plan of action in a few words. From what they could see now, the inexplicable guidance didn't seem to have any ill intentions towards them. So, in the current situation, instead of exploring on their own without any clues, they might as well follow their inner guidance and see what was going on. The two intelligent girls made a pact, Shen Gonglin, as the "leader," nodded in agreement, feeling that this was a good decision. Kiana, who had been focused on massaging Shen Gonglin, was completely confused.

"So... what exactly is this guidance you're talking about?"

Kiana raised her hand and asked the question. She also had a vague concept of this so-called guidance. When she broke the spatial rift, she didn't just use brute force; she found a weak point. Now it seemed that it wasn't just her quick thinking, but also the kind of guidance they were talking about...

"To be precise, it should be a kind of artificially created spatial flaw, but it can only be detected by people with specific experience. For example... here."

Mei pointed, and following the direction of her finger, Bronya and Kiana suddenly realized that they should indeed go in this direction. So this is what is called the guidance of fate.

"Mei, how did you notice this? We didn't even realize it until you told us."

The group set off, and indeed, there was a path ahead that they could explore. Kiana looked at Mei with great surprise, feeling that Mei had become much more reliable since her return. It wasn't that Mei wasn't reliable before, but that Mei now gave people the feeling that she could do anything.

"Heh... If I hadn't adopted Elysia's habits, or rather... way of thinking, I probably wouldn't have noticed the anomaly here."

Mentioning that pink-haired girl's name reminded Mei of her experience in the Elysian Realm. Hearing Mei call out that name, Shen Gonglin felt the thoughts of a certain pink-haired girl in her head stirring. She realized that she hadn't completely lost contact with the "tenants" residing in her body; it was just a temporary inability to "communicate."

I wonder what it will be like when Mei and Elysia meet again. I guess they'll touch each other's horns and ears.

"Is Elysia... one of the World Serpent?"

It was a name she had never heard before. Hearing another girl's name from Mei, Kiana subconsciously asked. Although Kiana's tone was normal, Bronya's eyes still flickered slightly. Just like that, Kiana and Mei would be a couple, and then Shen Gonglin would be all hers.

"She's one of the Thirteen Flame-Chasers. She fought alongside the Class President and Kevin. She's also a friend I recently met."

Rin Shen Gonglin knew Elysia's identity, but Bronya and Kiana did not. So Mei introduced them to the women she had met outside. During their time in the Elysian Realm, those Flame-Chasers left Mei with very precious treasures, or rather, their unique way of thinking.

"And places like this are the corners that Pardofelis often keeps an eye on."

Having gone treasure hunting with Pardofelis, Mei was able to notice things that ordinary people couldn't. Under Mei's guidance, the team made rapid progress, and every now and then, Kiana heard some new names from Mei's mouth. Kiana was quite impressed, thinking that Mei had been doing very well during the time she was away from Mei.

"These are all names I've never heard of before, Mei. It seems you've made a lot of new friends?"

"Yes, I also said goodbye to a lot of new friends... Ah, in a positive sense, so Kiana, you don't need to worry about me."

Thinking of those Flame-Chasers bravely faced death, Mei felt a little heavy-hearted. Such farewells were truly unforgettable for Mei.

"Of course not, because Mei is feeling very fulfilled right now."

Kiana said with a grin. In this exchange, the last trace of awkwardness and discomfort between the two girls who had been separated for so long was completely wiped away. Bronya and Shen Gonglin didn't even get a word in edgewise. As for the interaction between the two girls, which excluded her and Shen Gonglin, Bronya felt that it could continue. "That's fine. You two should hurry up and get married. That way, no one will be able to compete with me for Shen Gonglin!"

Soon, thanks to Mei's various navigation skills, the group arrived at a portal. Looking at the portal, Bronya, who had been deliberately creating opportunities for Kiana and Mei, finally stepped forward and pointed at the portal ahead.

"Yes, it feels the same as when I faced the Eye of the Abyss. This is indeed a rift connecting different World Bubble."

Having explored the Eye of the Abyss, Bronya was very familiar with this feeling. She couldn't immediately determine if there were any signs of human intervention on the other side, but it was highly likely, and now this thing was right in front of her...

"Alright, it seems we need to set off and give it a try right away. Shen Gonglin, hold on tight this time! If we land like that again, I'll show you what a real superhero landing looks like!"

Kiana confidently pulled Shen Gonglin off the Heavy-duty Rabbit. Now that Mei was back by her side, the girl was brimming with confidence. She could have Mei and the Class President as her bridesmaids at her wedding, Bronya and Seele as flower girls. It was perfect!

"Calm down. Although there's no other way right now, we should be even more vigilant than before. Shen Gonglin, come with me. I'm quite used to this kind of situation."

Mei calmed Kiana's excited mind by speaking, Mei then pulled Shen Gonglin to her side. Although Kiana had matured a lot, she was still a Kiana at heart. Mei didn't trust her to take care of Mei Shen Gonglin, so she decided to let her take care of her.

"Indeed. There may be variables in the other world that we are completely unable to deal with. However... Shen Gonglin should stay with me. Heavy-duty Rabbit can perfectly protect Shen Gonglin."

Bronya said the same thing, "You two just need to protect each other. I'll take care of Shen Gonglin."

Chapter 322 The Three Families of Schicksal

The three girls from St. Freya's family reunited, but before long, their differing thoughts led to a small conflict. It wasn't exactly a conflict, but the source of it was obvious—truly, beauty can be a curse. The three girls fell silent, but their three beautiful eyes were all focused on one person, and the boy being stared at by the three girls inexplicably trembled.

It feels kind of scary.

"Protection? Are you sure you've got the right idea? How could I possibly need protection? Who do you think I am? I'm Herrscher single-handedly, someone who's always ready to save the world. As for you, if you need protection, just say the word, and I'll take good care of you."

Feeling underestimated, Shen Gonglin jumped off the Heavy-duty Rabbit with a wave of her hand. Despite the height of less than two meters, Shen Gonglin still managed to strike a superhero landing pose. Although the move might have hurt her knees, it was undeniably cool. Did the three of them think she was some kind of weakling? After all, Shen Gonglin Jingu was ranked among the top in Einstein's combat power rankings.

"Squeak... Shen Gonglin, Bronya needs your protection."

Before Kiana and Mei could react, Bronya had already leaned close to Shen Gonglin and whispered something. The two girls secretly rolled their eyes at her words. How come they hadn't noticed Bronya's cunning before? This girl really changes her stance quickly.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you. But now, are we going to enter from here?"

Patting his Shen Gonglin reached out to touch the portal in front of him, but the three girls pulled him back. Shen Gonglin's combat strength was probably a bit stronger; he had never been trained, yet his combat strength was just that strong. But his unpredictability was also the best in the world, so they couldn't let him act recklessly.

"Hmm, going through this portal might take us to a strange world, but... we're all quite experienced when it comes to facing unfamiliar worlds, aren't we?"