In Honkai, But Integrated Strategies Activated

"So I'll just sell you directly. You are now the ultimate auxiliary Divine Key manufactured by our civilization."

[Huh? I've been demoted just like that?]

"As for what my original world was like, look at this Sami, doesn't it look like the apocalypse? And look at these Sea Creatures, don't they look like the apocalypse? I don't even need to explain too clearly, I just need to let them know it's miserable enough."

"I can even explain my familiarity and fondness for Theresa and the others. If they ask, I'll say I know their alternate self, and if they ask again, I'll say their alternate self is already dead."

[...Reasonable. It's like a substitute literature, right?]

"Hmph, I haven't just been training my strength this past month. I've also been thinking about all the arrangements for what's to come."

"So now, all that's left is to wait until tonight to raid the Chiyu Academy's training grounds. When the time comes, I'll sneak attack Yunna on the training grounds. Based on the speed I tested in the training area before, she absolutely won't be able to react."

"Moving silently, like a ghost entering an enemy camp!"

[You're getting all worked up, aren't you?]

Chapter 12: A Thunderous Roar, Xia Ling Makes Her Grand Entrance

As night fell, Yunna, who was dozing in the teaching building, was suddenly startled awake.

She blinked sleepily and looked out the window. That was where the weapon left by the short person who came to subdue her was located.

If it were just an ordinary weapon, Yunna would have let it remain stuck on the training grounds. However, as everyone knows, Judas' Vow is a Key of Restraint. On Yunna's scan of the academy, this thing was like a black spot that couldn't be erased.

And now, this damn thing had erupted with a surge of Honkai Energy in the middle of the night, even accompanied by a faint trace of life.

She meticulously checked the surroundings with her vines, and after confirming no one was there, Yunna confidently retracted them. She secretly resolved in her heart that tomorrow, even if she had to endure discomfort, she would get rid of that damn thing.

Otherwise, what was she supposed to do with all the clanging and banging in the middle of the night every day?

At this time, on the training grounds, within the system space.

"As expected of the ability awakened after reaching Elite Rank 1, the effect is indeed good," Xia Ling said with a satisfied sigh, lying on the snowfield research camp within the system space.

"After accelerating to the extreme, I can even feel the air as if it has liquefied, filled with a sense of sluggishness. I always thought this feeling only appeared in novels."

[It seems Yunna didn't suspect at all that someone was hiding here.]

The system reported after a scan.

[The vines on the training grounds only moved symbolically. After finding no one, they quietly retreated.]

"Isn't that perfect? It proves that Yunna can't clearly capture my movements either, which increases my safety factor for tomorrow."

"Oh right, System, I forgot to ask before. When you teleport me out of the system space, can you add some special effects?"

[...Honestly, I never imagined a system space could be played with so wildly by a host like you.]

[There are no special effects, but this isn't a big problem. I'll find some mods tonight and add them to the system.]

"You're not going to give me some creepy special effects, are you?" Xia Ling's eyes widened. "Like those classic special effects from old people's WeChat groups with flowers and animals, or similar funny effects like those found at roadside food stalls."

[I really didn't think of that... Don't worry, Host, I definitely won't mess with you on important matters.]

"Don't mess with me on unimportant matters either!"

[Hehe~]...

The next morning, on the training grounds of Chiyu Academy.

With a series of loud bangs, Xia Ling, who was still being beaten in the training ground within the system space, raised her head in confusion.

"What's going on, what's going on? Is it my turn to appear?"

Xia Ling stretched and looked at the system's light screen.

[It should be soon. Yunna has already started hammering.]

"Hammering?" Xia Ling almost fell off her bed laughing as she looked at the external situation shared by the system.

On the St. Freya training grounds, Yunna was controlling her vine tentacles to attack Judas' Vow with clanging sounds. However, the vines and Honkai Energy couldn't even scratch the golden cross.

After realizing the damage was basically ineffective, Yunna then tried to move the cross. Limited by the Honkai Energy nullification and the weight of the cross itself, she struggled for a long time, pushing, pulling, and dragging, but couldn't move the cross an inch.

"Stop wasting your energy." Accompanied by a pleasant voice was the sound of a white-haired nun's short boots stepping on the ground.

"Judas' Vow is a Divine Key made from Soul Steel and a Herrscher Core, designed precisely to resist Herrscher attacks."

"A mere Pseudo-Herrscher, even with all her strength, cannot leave a single scratch on it."

"Oh? Is that so?" Yunna stopped attacking the cross, and the vines behind her waved.

"I don't know how you managed to cure your poison, but your brain is still as slow as ever. You actually came back to die again."

Yunna's mockery made Theresa's face turn red, and she retorted loudly, "Last time, I was just caught off guard!"

"Someone like you, if I get serious, I can defeat you with ease!"

"Heh, such big talk." Yunna let out a disdainful chuckle, raised her hands slightly, and the vines behind her instantly grew, coiling towards Theresa.

"Hmph." Theresa didn't even look at the coiling vines. She tapped the cross with her toes, used it for leverage to move forward, and her small figure passed straight through the vines. Then, with a heavy flying kick, she sent Yunna flying.

[Host, is it about time?]

"Yeah, send me out."

"You..." Yunna, who had been kicked flying, had a dark expression. Before she could speak, her gaze was involuntarily drawn to the scene before her.

A pillar of blue light suddenly erupted on the training grounds, causing both of them to instinctively take a few steps back. Then, the light pillar gradually shrank, leaving behind black and blue fragments in the air.

"Such potent Imaginary Energy!" Theresa's eyes narrowed as she anxiously watched the center of the light pillar, for she vaguely sensed a figure appearing within it.

As the light pillar gradually faded, a petite, injured girl (having just been beaten in the training grounds) curled up in a bright yellow cocoon of light appeared before the two of them.

"Mmm..." With a pained groan, the girl in the light cocoon opened her eyes.

"Where is this... Ter, Theresa?"

"You know me?"

Theresa looked bewildered. She had no impression of this girl who had suddenly appeared, yet the girl recognized her at a glance and called out her name. Moreover, the instant the girl looked at her, Theresa clearly felt the surprise, sadness, and nostalgia contained within her eyes.

Even though she didn't know who she was, the emotions in her eyes didn't seem fake. For now, she'd deal with Yunna and then have a proper chat...

Just as Theresa was about to speak, she saw Yunna's vines attack from behind the girl.

Theresa's heart tightened. The Judas' Vow in her hand began to glow, transforming into its expanded form, and she shouted, "Watch your back!"

Seeing the anxiety in Theresa's eyes, Xia Ling's heart leaped with joy. Success! All I need to do now is defeat Yunna step-by-step, and I can legitimately boost Theresa's affection.

Honkai Energy rapidly extended from her body, forming a bright yellow cylindrical barrier that protected her. Simultaneously, Xia Ling hooked her hand backward, and Crescent Rose fully unfurled from its portable form.

Xia Ling aimed the muzzle of her gun at Yunna and fired several shots, using the immense recoil to leap backward and stabilize herself beside Theresa.

"Tch, another helper. But it doesn't matter, you'll both die here!"

Under Yunna's control, the Honkai Energy around her began to riot, and dozens of vines instantly sprouted, lunging ferociously at Xia Ling and Theresa.

"No matter who you are, the one in front of us is a Herrscher who endangers civilization and is extremely dangerous. You look so badly injured, so hide behind my cross for now. After we deal with her, I'll talk to you slowly."

Theresa turned her head and looked at Xia Ling, speaking earnestly.

Chapter Thirteen: System: You've Fooled Theresa

"No!"

Theresa felt as if her words had stepped on a sensitive spot for the girl. The petite, black-haired girl suddenly raised her head, a hint of tears shimmering in her eyes.

"I can fight, I want to fight with you!"

The girl tightly gripped Theresa's clothes, looking as if she wouldn't let go unless Theresa agreed.

"Alright, then stay close to me." "Her ability involves vines and the potent poison attached to them. But don't worry, Judas' will protect you."

Looking at the girl's expression and recalling how she had called out her name earlier, Theresa already had some guesses.

Xia Ling clapped her hands together, and a bright yellow shield also enveloped Theresa.

[By the way, why did you make the materialized Honkai Energy bright yellow?]

To pay tribute to an old man who used to wander around. My goal is to one day give a peace sign in front of my gravestone just like him. Xia Ling replied in her mind.

[You're still thinking about offing yourself? Your goal is to make others regret their lives forever, aren't you? As expected of you.]

At this moment, on the training grounds, Theresa, empowered by Xia Ling, charged forward again. Simultaneously, the fully expanded Judas' Vow shot out twelve light spears, some protecting Xia Ling's position, while others attacked alongside Theresa, helping her fend off the surrounding vines.

Xia Ling, however, did not rashly join the close-quarters combat. After all, Theresa's ease was because she was an S-class Valkyrie, and fighting a Pseudo-Herrscher was already a piece of cake for her.

With her B-class Valkyrie close-combat skills, getting too close might not even guarantee who would win.

So, Xia Ling retracted Crescent Rose's scythe blade and began sniping at the roots of the vines approaching Theresa. These vines were extremely thick, and even with Xia Ling's half-baked skills, she could easily hit them at such close range.

The situation seemed to be tilting in Theresa's favor. The vines' interference couldn't break through the blockade of light spears and sniper shots, and Yunna, as a former student, was completely outmatched by Theresa in close combat.

However, Yunna didn't seem to think so.

"I have to admit, you are indeed very strong. It seems I couldn't have defeated you without a sneak attack before."

Yunna propped herself up with one hand on the ground, her vines drooping as if she had taken significant damage from Theresa's attacks.

"But today, I am no longer the same as before!"

"Just yesterday, the fluctuation of the Pseudo-Herrscher I sensed nearby inexplicably disappeared."

"After the interference disappeared, no one in this area could stop me from absorbing Honkai Energy anymore, and my abilities have finally undergone an unparalleled evolution."

"Haven't you realized yet? You've already been poisoned!"

A hint of panic appeared in Theresa's eyes: "Could it be, the floral scent just now..."

"But I've already discovered it?"

"?" x2

Theresa and Yunna both looked at the black-haired girl hiding behind them.

Seeing their gazes, Xia Ling tilted her head as if feigning confusion: "Why wouldn't you discover it? Don't you think your peculiar floral scent is a bit out of place in a city that has already turned into ruins?"

"Besides, Theresa said your abilities are poison and vines. It's actually quite abnormal to think about the connection between them, isn't it?"

Ignoring Theresa, whose face was flushed red, Xia Ling continued to speak to Yunna: "Didn't you notice? Oh, right, you didn't even touch Theresa the whole time, so you couldn't have noticed."

Xia Ling poked the seemingly very elastic bright yellow shield in front of her: "This shield isn't an energy field shield, but a physical filtering shield. Whether it's the poison in the air or the poisoned Honkai Energy, you just need to block it all, right?"

"You... You bastard!"

Xia Ling saw through Yunna's trump card. If looks could kill, Yunna's glare at that moment probably could have torn Xia Ling to shreds hundreds of times over.

"Even if I die, I'm taking you all with me!"

With a furious roar, Yunna's body began to dissipate, reverting to its most basic form: Honkai Energy.

After all, Pseudo-Herrschers were phenomena that occurred when Honkai Energy reached a certain level of concentration.

Along with Yunna's dissipation, the vines began to riot.

Although Yunna was in a state of rage, she hadn't completely lost her mind. Knowing the poison was useless, Yunna shifted her target to the vines themselves.

Catalyzed by Yunna's life-for-a-life sacrifice, these vines grew wildly as if they had eaten some super-fertilizer, lunging towards Xia Ling behind her.

However, Theresa's movements were clearly faster. Having already sensed something was wrong with Yunna's state, Theresa had retreated to Xia Ling's side in advance. Seeing this, Theresa directly opened Judas' Vow and pushed Xia Ling inside.

"Theresa? What are you doing?"

"You go in first!" Although Theresa wasn't particularly smart, she possessed the Kaslana family's inherited super strength, leaving Xia Ling no room to resist.

"These vines can't break through Soul Steel's defense. You hide inside Judas' Vow first. I'm an S-rank Valkyrie, these mere vines won't affect me much!"

"I don't believe you for a second!"

Xia Ling immediately activated her speed talent, which she had unlocked after her first upgrade, twisted her body, slipped out from Theresa's side, and then fiercely kicked Theresa into Judas' Vow.

"I have my own ways to avoid these vines. You just worry about yourself, stop thinking about sacrificing yourself every day!"

The girl's voice sounded a bit strained, clearly angered by Theresa's actions.

As she spoke, with a familiar blue light, the girl vanished before Theresa.

"Oh no, did I step on a landmine again..." Theresa recalled the girl's furious expression and felt a pang of guilt.

"I'll apologize to her after these vines stop rioting. I don't even know her name yet..."