"I understand. Leave it to me!"
Kiana's eyes burned with confidence. She was full of self-assurance!
"Report! A large number of Rush-type Honkai Beasts have appeared ahead. They've reached the Hyperion's deck and are destroying the drones!" A staff member reported to Himeko!
"Damn it, why now..."
Himeko looked displeased, but as an A-rank Valkyrie, she immediately said, "Kiana, I'll have the Hyperion reduce speed. Leave the Honkai Beasts on the deck to you. Mei, board a drone immediately and fly ahead to investigate the out-of-control warship, but don't get too close. Bronya, continue trying to remotely hack into the out-of-control warship's systems!"
"Eh... I wanted to go with Mei..."
Kiana seemed a little unwilling...
"Kiana, that's an order!"
Mei spoke to Kiana in a slightly stern tone...
"Yes..."
She had no choice. Orders had to be obeyed, so Kiana could only accept the task of clearing the Honkai Beasts from the deck...
As for Ling Feng, although he had come along, he was classified as non-combat personnel. This time, he was only here to learn combat command and deployment from Himeko, so all he had to do was observe...
As the Hyperion slowed down, Kiana and Mei arrived on the deck. They easily took out a large number of Rush-type Honkai Beasts, after which Mei boarded a drone and flew ahead toward the out-of-control warship!
From the control room's display, Ling Feng could directly watch Kiana fight. Although it was thanks to her Stigmata, there was no questioning Kiana's strength as a B-rank Valkyrie. The lowest-level Rush-type Honkai Beasts were absurdly easy for her to handle. It was practically one shot per beast, and before long, she had cleared the deck!
Afterward, the Hyperion accelerated and successfully arrived above the out-of-control warship...
Mei's image also appeared on the display. "Reporting to Major Himeko, I've found the optimal landing site. There are Honkai energy readings aboard the target warship. The probability of Honkai Beasts being present is ninety-nine percent!"
"Hyperion acknowledges. Kiana, prepare to land!" Himeko calmly assigned the task...
"Disable hatch safety locks. Manually open the hatch. The Hyperion has entered constant-speed cruise. Airlock depressurization complete. Voltage normal. Observation crew confirmation complete. Awaiting Valkyrie landing!"
With reports coming in from every department, the landing preparations were complete!
Then, the Hyperion's hatch opened, and Kiana stood there in full gear...
"Valkyrie landing preparation. Ten, nine, eight..."
Kiana silently activated her tactical visor. All kinds of parameters and data appeared before her. This scene had been simulated countless times in the academy training room, so she was not nervous at all!
"Three, two, one, commence landing!"
As the countdown ended, Kiana leaped into the sky without hesitation. The Valkyrie Armor's energy shield protected her from the high-speed winds, while her tactical visor continuously displayed her position relative to the out-of-control warship...
Beneath the setting sun, Kiana's first battle began!
Boom!
Seven seconds later, Kiana successfully landed on top of the out-of-control warship. Then, following the planned route Himeko had given her, she headed toward the warship's control room. Before that, however, she still had another task...
"Reporting to Himeko, the Honkai Beasts on the deck have been cleared. Carrier aircraft may land!" After spending a minute, Kiana successfully eliminated the Honkai Beasts on the deck and waited for Mei and Bronya to arrive!
"Received. Mei, Bronya, you may land now!"
Mei calmly gave the order. This had long since become routine for her!
"Understood. Mei has landed successfully!"
"Bronya reporting. She has successfully rendezvoused with Kiana and Mei!"
Mei and Bronya arrived on the warship's deck aboard separate carrier aircraft...
"Begin the combat mission!"
Himeko immediately replied, "The warship will enter Shanghai in thirteen minutes. You must stop it within those thirteen minutes. Begin!"
"Team 233 acknowledges!"
Kiana answered with confidence, then looked at Mei and Bronya. "Then, Mei, Bronya, let's perfectly complete our first mission!"
P.S.: Is there really a sensitive word in this? Why did an entire paragraph turn red?
Sniper rifle?
No?
Separately?
Emperor-class Honkai Beast, Third Herrscher!
The three members of Team 233 headed toward the warship's control room together. Although Honkai Beasts kept appearing along the way, they were all lowly Rush-type Honkai Beasts that could not even last a second before Mei and Kiana...
Very quickly, the three arrived outside the control room. However, more and more Honkai Beasts appeared. Even though Mei and Kiana were strong, they seemed somewhat overwhelmed by such numbers...
"Bronya, we'll hold off the Honkai Beasts. You go into the control room and pilot the warship!" Whenever a decision had to be made, Mei never disappointed. She immediately made the choice most suitable for the current situation!
"Big Sister Mei, Kiana, be careful..."
Bronya did not hesitate and went straight into the control room to take over the warship. However, the warship was password-protected. To control it, she first had to hack in!
Fortunately, Bronya was also a super hacker. Although she had not made a move in quite some time, her skills were still among the best in the world. Cracking the warship's control system was not difficult for her!
The only thing she needed was time, but right now... there was not much time!
The warship was about to enter Shanghai's airspace, and Mei and Kiana were still fighting the Honkai Beasts. She... had to hurry!
Through the operating system, Bronya learned the warship's name: Moonlight Throne!
Cracking program, begin execution!
Outside the control room, the two were locked in fierce battle with the Honkai Beasts...
"Yaaah... Mei, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Kiana. Conserve your strength and energy. We only need to stall for time!"
"Damn it, why are there so many Honkai Beasts?!"
"Beichen Iai Style, Slash!"
Aboard the Hyperion, Ling Feng was still watching the battle on the Moonlight Throne. However, compared to his initial ease, his expression had gradually become serious!
Earlier, because the Honkai Beasts were too weak, Kiana and Mei had cut through them as easily as chopping vegetables. But after fighting for so long, the number of Honkai Beasts had not decreased. Instead, it seemed to be increasing. According to the data transmitted back by their Valkyrie Armor, Mei and Kiana had less than half their energy remaining. If this continued, they would be worn to death!
"Himeko, aren't you planning to send reinforcements?"
Ling Feng silently looked at Himeko. Although he should not have spoken out as a trainee, he did not want to see the Valkyries on his team get hurt!
"Wait a little longer. This is their mission..."
Himeko checked the time. Only three minutes had passed, and although the situation looked unfavorable, Mei and Kiana could still hold on for a while. That time was very important to their growth!
Ling Feng said nothing more. Although he knew this stage was important for Mei and the others' growth, he was still very worried—worried that something unexpected might happen...
Bzzzt...
Suddenly, the image on the main screen vanished...
"What happened?"
Himeko immediately asked!
"Report! The Hyperion has been disrupted by an unknown frequency. Communications with the Moonlight Throne have been severed!" The observer gave the answer almost instantly...
"Restore communications immediately, and also..."
Himeko turned to Ling Feng. "Ling Feng, command is also part of an assistant's duties. You'll take command here for now. I'm preparing to land!"
"Understood!"
Ling Feng nodded directly. Although he wanted even more to personally help Mei and the others, he had neither weapons nor armor on him. Even if he went, he would not be of much use. So, he should stay aboard the Hyperion and command. With an A-rank Valkyrie like Himeko taking action, no problem would be a problem!
"Ahhh... Damn it, how... how could it be so strong..."
On the Moonlight Throne, Kiana knelt on one knee. Her armor had suffered damage in many places, and less than a tenth of her energy remained. All of this was because of the Emperor-class Honkai Beast before her!
The Emperor-class Honkai Beast was the king among lower Honkai Beasts, the strongest existence below Emperor-class Honkai Beasts. Valkyries below A-rank were almost incapable of defeating it alone. Whenever one appeared, it was usually accompanied by a large-scale Honkai outbreak!
The Hyperion's signal being blocked was also its doing. When it appeared, the surrounding space became distorted to a certain degree, thereby interfering with communications!
"Kiana, watch out..."
Mei was not doing much better than Kiana. Even at her peak, she had almost no chance of defeating an Emperor-class Honkai Beast. In her current incomplete state, it was even more impossible. They had to retreat!
However, if they retreated, Bronya in the control room would be in danger. But if Bronya also withdrew, the Moonlight Throne would crash into Shanghai. Then things would truly become troublesome!
"No, I... absolutely won't..."
Kiana struggled to her feet and faced the powerful Emperor-class Honkai Beast alongside Mei. Even though every instinct in her kept telling her to retreat, there was no way she could abandon Mei...
Whoosh...
The Emperor-class Honkai Beast suddenly fired an energy beam. Mei dodged instantly, but Kiana could not react in time and was struck directly...
"Ahhh!"
Kiana immediately cried out in pain, and her Valkyrie Armor shattered...
"Kiana..."
Mei wanted to go over and help Kiana up, but with the Emperor-class Honkai Beast eyeing her hungrily, she did not dare approach rashly...
I can't fall here. Even if I have to risk my life, I at least have to let Kiana...
Mei stared fixedly at the Emperor-class Honkai Beast. She knew very well that, with her current strength, her chances of defeating it were almost zero. So, this was the only way...
To protect Kiana, to protect everyone, this power...
Restrictions, released!
Beep beep beep beep...
At the same time, aboard the Hyperion, the observer reported, "Report! A powerful Honkai energy reaction has appeared in the direction of the Moonlight Throne. Its energy level exceeds that of an Emperor-class Honkai Beast. Based on the reaction indicators, it should be the Third Herrscher's energy signature!"
"An Emperor-class Honkai Beast? A Herrscher?"
Ling Feng was immediately dumbfounded. What was going on? Why had both an Emperor-class Honkai Beast and a Herrscher appeared? The difficulty of Team 233's first combat mission was far too high...
"Deploy all remaining carrier aircraft. Retrieve Himeko and Team 233. Prepare the Hyperion's main cannon. If the Moonlight Throne cannot be stopped from flying toward Shanghai, then we can only destroy it before it enters Shanghai!"
Ling Feng had once served as a captain, after all. He remained calm in this situation and immediately made his decision. There was no other choice. They could not contact Himeko, so this was all they could do!
Destroying a warship was infinitely better than letting it crash into Shanghai!
"Yes! Hyperion main cannon preparing. All carrier aircraft have been deployed!"
The observer hesitated only briefly before quickly accepting the order...
Ling Feng lowered his head to look at the Moonlight Throne below, anxiety filling his heart. Yet right now, he could not help at all. If he had known this would happen, he should have brought Chiyou with him...
Come to think of it, hadn't he chosen Team 233 in the first place because he wanted to take it easy? Why did he feel more anxious now than those three girls?
P.S.: The fourth day without Idiot Friend!
Moonlight Throne!
"Yaaah... Go to hell, trash!"
On the Moonlight Throne, the out-of-control Mei sneered as she slashed at the Emperor-class Honkai Beast. In an instant, powerful lightning erupted from her body, and every Rush-type Honkai Beast gathered there was directly vaporized, with no chance to resist at all...
The Emperor-class Honkai Beast also fired energy beams in an attempt to block Mei's attack, but it was useless...
"Lightning, Burst!"
Mei's entire body was filled with terrifying lightning. Then, she struck the Emperor-class Honkai Beast repeatedly at incredible speed, finally ending with a single slash of lightning blade energy...
Boom! Boom boom boom...
The Emperor-class Honkai Beast exploded on the spot...
Thud...
Then Mei collapsed to the ground as well, completely losing consciousness...
"Mei, Mei, Mei, how are you?"
Before you continue