Sirin Awakens.

"The Fourth Herrscher is an important experimental subject. If we can't recover her, we have to destroy her. She can't fall into Schicksal's hands."

Bronya recognized the voice. She trembled as she spoke.

"...No, don't."

The voice didn't care, continuing with a hint of ruefulness.

"Heh, you little one, your self-awareness is getting stronger and stronger."

"But it's all futile resistance. Highest Authority Command:"

"Even if you can't defeat the Fourth Herrscher, you'd better hold her back! My main force will arrive soon."

"Highest Authority Command input. Project Bunny, switch to Sniper Mode. Attack the Fourth Herrscher."

"Stop! Bronya, what are you doing!?" Kiana shouted in shock.

Wendy stared at Bronya, who had suddenly attacked her, and cried out in disbelief.

"Sister Bronya, why are you attacking me!"

Wendy couldn't believe that the sister who had always cared for her so gently was actually deceiving her.

"Were all the things you just said lies!? I... I can't trust anyone anymore."

The immense power from the Gem of Desire within Wendy erupted like a volcano once more! In an instant, she was engulfed by a violent surge of energy.

With a flash of light, Wendy transformed again into the Herrscher of Wind, wielding the authority to manipulate fluids! At this moment, she was like a wild horse that had broken free, unstoppable.

Kiana and the others also sensed the massive change in Wendy. They dared not hesitate, bracing themselves for the fierce battle ahead.

In an instant, the battlefield shifted. Wendy commanded fierce gales, launching wave after wave of brutal attacks at Kiana and the others. Each blade of wind carried boundless power, as if it would tear the world apart.

Facing such terrifying onslaughts, Kiana and the others gave their all to withstand Wendy's assault. For a time, the two sides clashed back and forth, neither yielding, the battle locked in a stalemate.

"What a pain..."

Wendy panted heavily, grumbling inwardly: What's going on? Before I got the Gem of Desire, I was at least an A-rank Valkyrie called "the most likely to become an S-rank Valkyrie"! Now that I have the gem, I can't even shake off three students who haven't graduated yet! Is this gem cursed with some weakening spell or something!?

"Hmph! Being a pain is my greatest strength."

Kiana looked at the exhausted Wendy and said smugly.

"I can keep fighting all day long!"

Suddenly, the surroundings changed. The sky seemed dyed the color of blood, and above them appeared something like a magic circle bearing the "Anti-Entropy" emblem.

At the same time, a mature woman's voice echoed in their ears.

"Too bad I don't have that much patience."

"All combat mechs, deactivate stealth. Target: the Fourth Herrscher."

It was then that Kiana and the others realized that Titan Mechs developed by Anti-Entropy had surrounded them, who knew when.

At the command, the mechs, catching Wendy off guard, punched her.

"Ugh..." Wendy cried out in pain, instantly knocked unconscious, collapsing onto the grass.

Seeing this, Mei's eyes filled with disbelief. "How is that possible... They took down a Herrscher in one hit..."

The voice was quite satisfied with the result.

"The new tactical mechs pack quite a punch~"

Then it addressed Kiana and Mei.

"Hmph, I should thank you for weakening her power too."

Suddenly, the voice seemed to remember something.

"Oh, right! I almost forgot there's another Herrscher here."

"Bronya, my daughter. Highest Authority Command: Capture the Third Herrscher!"

"What!" Mei and Kiana looked at Bronya in disbelief.

Faced with the order, the controlled Bronya only replied coldly, "As you command, Mother."

Seeing her two friends about to turn their weapons on each other, Kiana quickly shouted, "Mei!" "Bronya!" trying to wake Bronya up.

But unfortunately, the controlled Bronya couldn't hear Kiana's calls at all.

Now, Bronya had only one target: capture the Third Herrscher—her companion, Raiden Mei.

Yet, facing her friend, Mei couldn't go all out for fear of hurting Bronya. In the end, under the combined assault of Bronya and the Titan Mechs, Mei was also knocked unconscious.

Kiana stared at the scene, muttering in disbelief, "How is this possible..."

Though Kiana didn't want to believe it, the controlled Bronya didn't care.

Bronya manipulated Project Bunny, one hand gripping Raiden Mei, the other cannon aimed at Kiana.

"Mother, Raiden Mei has been captured. One target remains."

Clearly, Bronya now intended to take out Kiana as well.

At that moment, Kiana knelt weakly on the ground, desperately craving power. She cried out in her heart: I need power. I need the power to save Bronya and Mei!

As if answering that hope, another voice rang out in Kiana's mind.

"Do you want power? Do you want to save your companions? ☆"

Kiana couldn't think about where the voice came from anymore. She answered instinctively, "I want... I want the power to save them!"

"Then relax, and lend your body to me for a while. ☆"

"Okay," Kiana agreed directly to the voice's request, "but you have to save Mei and Bronya."

"Your request is granted. ☆"

Hearing the voice accept her plea, Kiana loosened her grip on her body. Her consciousness slowly sank into darkness, but just before it faded completely, she forced herself to speak one last sentence.

"One more question."

"What is it? ☆"

"Who are you?"

"...You can call me... Sister. ☆"

Just as Bronya was about to strike, she suddenly turned her head to look into the distance.

"Detecting Schicksal troops nearby, approaching at high speed."

"Hmph! Lucky you. All units, return to base."

Just as Bronya was about to leave, Kiana suddenly erupted with a surge of powerful Honkai Energy.

Her body slowly rose into the air, and she opened her golden eyes.

"Humans~ Don't be in such a hurry to leave... Stay and play with me. ☆"

When Himeko arrived, all she saw were the wreckage of mechs scattered across the ground, along with the unconscious bodies of Bronya, Mei, Kiana, and Wendy.

In the end, since they were all still unconscious and a large amount of Honkai Energy had been detected at the scene, the incident was temporarily classified as "Raiden Mei using the power of the Third Herrscher to destroy the mechs."