The girl was dumbfounded and immediately ordered the two crimson mechs to attack, but Ling Feng was completely unfazed. He drew his blade and went straight at them!
"Whoosh..."
As the blade swept across the mech, its incomparably sturdy armor shell proved as fragile as tofu. The entire crimson mech was cleaved in two. Ling Feng backhanded another slash, and the other crimson mech met the same fate!
"Chiyou, crush them!"
Finally, Ling Feng pointed his blade at the remaining mechs and casually swung it down. The entire space seemed to twist as several mechs were instantly pulverized by overwhelming gravity. It looked like... there was no saving them now...
S-rank power really was easier to use...
Ling Feng could not help silently sighing to himself. Then he turned to look at Mei and the others, who immediately tensed up, seeming somewhat afraid...
Sacred Relic!
"Chiyou, you can deactivate the armor now..."
Ling Feng dismissed the Valkyrie Armor, revealing his original appearance. Smiling, he said, "What? You don't recognize your assistant anymore?"
"Uh... Ling Feng, are... are you really Ling Feng?"
Kiana seemed unable to believe it. Ling Feng, who had looked completely incapable of fighting, was actually this powerful? No way. She remembered threatening him yesterday too... Hey... he was not going to take revenge on her, was he...
At the same time, Mei and Bronya looked at Ling Feng differently as well. Mei in particular no longer had her usual gentleness. Her eyes held more wariness and unfamiliarity. Clearly, Ling Feng's combat strength had exceeded their imagination. Yet someone as powerful as Ling Feng had become Team 233's assistant. If anyone said he had no other motives, even Ling Feng himself probably would not believe it!
Thus, Mei naturally became wary. Before, Ling Feng had been too weak, so Mei had felt he posed no threat to the three of them. But now, Ling Feng was simply too powerful. His danger rating had gotten a little high...
"Uh, of course it's me!"
Ling Feng noticed the changes in the three girls. He did not want this incident to distance them from him, so he hurriedly explained, "But this isn't my power. It's this thing's power!"
As he spoke, Ling Feng raised the Chiyou longsword in his hand. "The briefcase was smashed earlier, and then I touched it. Somehow, I turned into what you saw just now. I'm still me, not someone else!"
After hearing Ling Feng's explanation, Mei's gaze changed slightly, though it still lacked its former gentleness. Curious but somewhat restrained, she asked, "Is... is this the thing Class President said we were retrieving?"
"That's right!"
Fu Hua walked over at that moment and said, "Actually, this is equipment the Academy found in some ruins. It is suspected to be a Sacred Relic, but it was inconvenient to bring it directly back to the Academy, so we used this celebration in Magic City as a transfer point. We had planned to secretly bring it back, but Anti-Entropy still found out!"
"Then... why can Ling Feng use a Sacred Relic?"
Mei was more concerned about that question. Sacred Relics were weapons left behind by the Previous civilization. They were weapons that could not be analyzed with present-day methods, much less replicated. Yet every Sacred Relic possessed power on the level of five-star equipment, perhaps even beyond it, because only a small number of powerful Valkyries with compatibility for Sacred Relics could use them!
But Ling Feng was obviously so weak. Why could he use one too?
"Uh... that... I don't know either..."
Ling Feng felt speechless inside. Because I'm from the Previous civilization, and Chiyou was also God-Slaying Armor I used before. How could I possibly be unable to use it? But he could not tell her that, because Theresa had specifically warned him not to tell anyone that he was a human from the Previous civilization. So Ling Feng did not dare tell the truth!
"I don't know."
Fu Hua studied Ling Feng for a moment before saying, "This needs further investigation. Once we return, let the Academy Head and Tesla study it. Right now, we should first bring the Sacred Relic back to the Academy. Ling Feng, can you hand it over to me for safekeeping?"
Fu Hua extended her hand toward Ling Feng...
"Of course. It's better for Class President to keep it..."
Ling Feng had indeed considered keeping Chiyou, since Chiyou's power was incredibly strong. But every use of Chiyou came at the cost of his life, and Ling Feng no longer wanted to take part in any battles. It was better to hand Chiyou over to the Academy first. After all, the Academy had discovered it in the first place...
Seeing Ling Feng hand over Chiyou so readily, without even the slightest reluctance, Fu Hua became increasingly curious about him. Mei stood quietly to the side, seemingly lost in thought...
Kiana was still considering whether Ling Feng would take revenge on her, while Bronya stared blankly at Mei...
After returning to the Academy, Mei, Kiana, and Bronya went back to their apartment, while Ling Feng was summoned alone to the Academy Head's office...
"So, Sacred Relics are the God-Slaying Armor from your era, and this Sacred Relic called Chiyou was once equipment used by a Valkyrie in your team?"
After hearing Ling Feng's explanation, Theresa had roughly sorted out the matter concerning Chiyou!
"That's right!"
Ling Feng nodded again and said, "However, I used Chiyou before as well, so I can activate and use its power. But Chiyou consumes energy faster than any other God-Slaying Armor. Ordinary people cannot even meet the energy threshold needed to activate it, let alone use it!"
"Then what was that black armor you wore? Was it really something that came with the Sacred Relic?"
Theresa curiously asked about this again. Both Schicksal and Anti-Entropy had discovered Sacred Relics so far, but only seven in total. Although every Sacred Relic was very powerful, only one had ever formed armor and created a legend!
"That's right!"
Ling Feng did not choose to hide it and smiled. "God-Slaying Armor... no, there are eighteen Sacred Relics in total. Each one possesses different abilities, as well as an AI similar to artificial intelligence. To construct Valkyrie Armor, you must obtain the AI's approval, and the user must also have extremely high compatibility with the Sacred Relic!"
"But... this was all fifty thousand years ago. Whether the AIs within the Sacred Relics could have survived is still unknown. Of course, it is also possible that their AIs simply have not been awakened, so Valkyrie Armor cannot be constructed!"
Ling Feng rubbed his nose and said helplessly, "But Chiyou's AI is still there. Earlier, I activated her with an experimental attempt. We knew each other before, so even though my compatibility with Chiyou is not especially high, she was still willing to help me construct Valkyrie Armor. Of course, using energy this way inflicts devastating damage on my body. Even if Chiyou can heal me, I definitely will not be able to withstand it if I do it too many times!"
"I see..."
Theresa nodded thoughtfully and asked, "Then... Ling Feng, would you be willing to carry this Sacred Relic? Using a Sacred Relic requires at least an A-rank Valkyrie, and the three A-rank Valkyries at our Academy are not suited for it. If we hand it to headquarters, we could exchange it for funding, but I think that would be too wasteful. After all, it is a Sacred Relic you can use, and it was found in the ruins where you were sleeping!"
Theresa wanted to give Chiyou to Ling Feng. After all, Ling Feng was also a student of her Academy, and by all rights, this thing should have belonged to him in the first place. So why not let Ling Feng continue carrying the Sacred Relic? That would count as quite a favor, too!
Head Pats Keep You From Growing Taller!
"Uh..."
Ling Feng hesitated. He did not particularly want it, since Chiyou was not his standard God-Slaying Armor, its consumption was so great, and the damage to his body was severe. Ling Feng did not want to die young...
Besides, he was now officially someone incapable of using energy, so no combat missions would fall on his head. But once he accepted Chiyou, Theresa definitely would not casually send him out to fight monsters, yet she might ask him for help one day...
"I'd better not."
Ling Feng shook his head slightly and smiled. "I'm already a relic of the past. Given my physical condition, even if I kept Chiyou, I would not dare use it casually. It would only be decoration. Instead of that, it would be better to leave it at the Academy and let more Valkyries try using it. If a newcomer can use Chiyou, they will definitely have more potential than I do using it!"
"Eh..."
Theresa seemed to want to say something else...
"But don't worry, Academy Head..."
Ling Feng hurriedly added, "I'm a member of St. Freya Academy. If St. Freya Academy faces a crisis, I'll definitely do everything I can to help. If there's a need, you can just give me the Sacred Relic then, right? Normally, it should stay at the Academy!"
"Sigh, all right. I'll listen to you!"
Seeing Ling Feng make himself so clear, Theresa smiled and accepted his suggestion...
"Then, Ling Feng!"
After setting Chiyou aside, Theresa looked at Ling Feng again. "You made a great contribution by protecting the Sacred Relic this time. The Academy may not be wealthy, but we can still give you some rewards. Is there anything you want? Or... if you are willing, I can transfer you to another team and have you serve as another team's assistant!"
"Huh? Why are you suddenly transferring me to another team?"
Ling Feng seemed rather confused...
"Uh... because... because my niece named Kiana is really troublesome!"
Though it was not good to speak badly of Kiana like this, Theresa still decided to tell the truth. "Without a Sacred Relic, you have no combat power. I'm worried she'll bully you. Besides, her grades are a complete mess. With her around, it'll be far too difficult for your team to advance!"
"To be honest, I once hoped to raise Kiana into an outstanding Valkyrie, but reality dealt me a merciless blow. The difficulty of turning her into an outstanding Valkyrie is just too high..."
"I think she's quite talented."
Ling Feng lightly stroked his chin and said, "Some things can be achieved through effort, but talent cannot. Kiana's reaction speed and physical movements are both exceptionally good. She has the potential to become an S-rank Valkyrie. That is excellent talent. As for her thinking... I haven't seen much of it, but I don't think she's stupid. She's simply too lazy to think. Her brain devotes more functions to things she wants to think about—that is, her interests!"
"It's perfectly normal for her to have no interest in studying, but she trains hard in martial arts and has near-perfect talent for it. If she is willing, perhaps she can become the first Valkyrie at St. Freya Academy to advance to A-rank, and may even become an S-rank Valkyrie in the future!"
"I don't believe it..."
Theresa quietly spat out those three words. If Kiana becoming an A-rank Valkyrie was something Theresa could still look forward to, then Kiana becoming an S-rank Valkyrie was an event with a probability practically approaching zero...
"Hehe, all right. Don't believe it, then..."
Ling Feng merely smiled and did not argue with Theresa. After all, the Academy Head was still a child...
"Ling Feng, if... how about you help me train Kiana?"
Theresa suddenly came up with an idea and smiled. "Let Kiana be the focus of our contest. If Kiana meets my requirements, then I can give you a special reward!"
After witnessing Ling Feng's abilities, Theresa became even more unwilling to let him waste them. No matter what method she used, she had to make Ling Feng contribute his strength. Given the current situation, making Kiana the core of this contest was the best choice!
"A special reward? Sure. What are your requirements?"
Ling Feng understood Theresa's intentions, but he had no plans to expose them. He was bored anyway!
"Hmm..."
Theresa thought for a moment and smiled. "We'll use Kiana's graduation as the deadline. If she becomes an A-rank Valkyrie before then, you win. If she cannot, you lose. If you lose, you must become a teacher at St. Freya Academy and seriously do your best to teach the students. That condition isn't excessive, right?"
"No problem!"
Ling Feng immediately nodded in agreement. Graduation? Kiana was only a first-year student. There were still two years until graduation. He asked, "Then if I win, what will the special reward be?"
"You can name the special reward yourself. As long as it's something I can do and accept, anything is fine!"
Theresa appeared quite generous. As long as Ling Feng did not ask for some absurd condition, she could fully agree!
If Ling Feng really could make Kiana an A-rank Valkyrie, then Theresa would have struck it rich. A minor condition would be nothing. If he could not, then Ling Feng would have to become a teacher at St. Freya Academy, so she would not lose out either!
Ling Feng thought about it and felt there was not much he wanted. Then he looked at Theresa and smiled. "If I win, how about letting me pat the Academy Head's head?"
"No! Head pats keep you from growing taller!"
Theresa abruptly pulled her head back and decisively rejected that condition!
"They don't!"
Ling Feng waved his hand and smiled. "The Academy Head only looks about twelve or thirteen right now. You're still young. Girls do not stop growing until around eighteen, so there's absolutely no need for you to worry, Academy Head, because your age is still... Uh... Academy Head, why are you taking out Judah? Is there... an enemy here?"
When he saw Theresa pick up Judah, Ling Feng immediately had an ominous premonition...
"Yes, there is!"
Theresa glared coldly at Ling Feng and said in an icy voice, "Hehe, twelve or thirteen, is it? Eighteen before you stop growing, is it? My age... Hehe, Ling Feng, go die!"
As she spoke, Judah fired several spears of light at Ling Feng. No, not merely several—every one of the thirteen spears of light had been launched...
Ling Feng: "..."
"Rumble..."
Ling Feng scrambled out of the Academy Head's office, his face filled with bewilderment. He had no idea why Theresa had suddenly attacked him. Had he said something wrong?
Still, Ling Feng did not dare go back to ask. Getting smashed by Judah, a Valkyrie weapon, was not a pleasant experience. Not to mention there was also an A-rank Valkyrie operating the launcher...
Two-Star Stigmata, Invincible!
Unable to figure out why the Academy Head had suddenly become angry, Ling Feng leisurely returned to the apartment. The moment he entered, he could smell a fragrant scent. This smell was definitely Mei's cooking!
Entering the living room, he found all three girls watching television there...
"Welcome back, Ling Feng..."
Mei sat properly on a thin blanket and smiled. "You must be hungry, right? I prepared a late-night snack. It's on the table!"
"Thanks, Mei!"
For a moment, Ling Feng was actually somewhat moved. He looked at her with a complicated expression. This Mei was so similar to Kuroki—black hair, black eyes, gentle and dignified. Though it felt as though he had seen Kuroki only yesterday, Ling Feng knew deep down that fifty thousand years had already passed...
"Um, Ling Feng, it'll get cold if you don't eat soon!"
With Ling Feng staring at her like that, Mei could still maintain her graceful and composed manner, but she felt somewhat shy inside. She simply did not show it. Although she had never experienced romance, she could vaguely sense the affection in Ling Feng's eyes...
"Sorry. Seeing you reminded me of an old friend!"
By comparison, Ling Feng was much calmer. He leisurely sampled the late-night snack Mei had prepared. After battle, Valkyries depleted not only energy but also stamina, so feeling hungry afterward was completely normal. They needed to replenish their nutrition!
"Then I'm honored!"
Mei nodded slightly and did not intend to ask further. "Just leave the bowl in the kitchen after you finish. I'll wash it. I still need to study, so please excuse me!"
"I'm going upstairs to sleep too!"
Bronya yawned and sat on Project Bunny, preparing to return to her room to rest. Children sleeping early was perfectly normal...
"Mei, don't you have anything you want to ask me?"
Ling Feng turned his gaze toward Mei. A great deal had happened that night. He had thought Mei would question him, but she had shown no intention of asking anything...
Before you continue