Emergency Deployment

In the early hours of the morning, St. Freya Academy was enveloped in an atmosphere of mystery and tranquility. Moonlight, like water, cascaded over the ancient buildings and serene gardens, as if draping the entire academy in a silver veil.

Suddenly, a piercing alarm shattered the peace. A young man wearily opened his eyes and glanced at the alarm clock on his bedside table: 2:32 AM.

"...The Headmaster really is something... Can't a person get any sleep..." he muttered, rolling over to try and fall back asleep. The communicator beside him began to ring urgently. With a sigh, he reluctantly answered, "...Who is it..."

"Get up, lazybones! Emergency assembly! We're going on a mission!"

Kiana's anxious voice came through the phone.

Hearing this, Sheng Jiu jolted awake. "What? So urgent?" He leaped out of bed, quickly washed up, and rushed out of the dormitory.

On the training grounds, Valkyries stood in neat rows. Sheng Jiu quickly found his class. "Here, here, lazybones!" Kiana waved at him from the front row.

"What's going on?" Sheng Jiu asked in a low voice as he stood beside Kiana.

A rare hint of panic flickered across Kiana's face. "I heard that something made the Honkai Beasts in Changkong City unusually agitated. They're currently breaking through Schicksal's blockade lines in Changkong City. The Far East Branch is closest to Changkong City, so we're being dispatched as reinforcements to help the garrison suppress them..."

Sheng Jiu gently ruffled Kiana's hair. "Don't worry, everyone will be fine."

"Hey! Stop ruffling my hair!"

From the back, Yae Sakura and Bronya exchanged a glance, a mysterious smile playing on their lips.

Ever since Yae Sakura had asked Sheng Jiu to help counsel Kiana a month ago, their relationship had seemed to be in a very delicate state. Kiana would wait for Sheng Jiu after class to go to the cafeteria for lunch, and Sheng Jiu would give Kiana an extra popsicle after practical combat training... Although they still bickered like usual, Yae Sakura always felt there was some unspeakable secret between them...

Theresa strode quickly to the podium, her face grave. "I apologize for waking everyone at this hour, but the situation is urgent. I'm sure some of you have already heard rumors. The Honkai Beast tide in Changkong City is currently assaulting our defense line."

"If we lose this last line of defense, then the massive Honkai Beast tide in Changkong City will be able to reach any part of the Far East unimpeded. Headquarters has decided to send us as a reserve force to support the garrison and hold the line until Headquarters' reinforcements arrive. The situation is extremely critical! We must depart immediately!"

As soon as Theresa finished speaking, a colossal phantom materialized behind her, instantly obscuring the sky. Sheng Jiu stared at the massive, rice cake-like object emitting blue light in the sky and asked, dumbfounded, "...This... isn't it?"

Fu Hua beside him explained for Kiana, "That's right. This is the Far East Branch's greatest weapon, Schicksal's fifth-generation aerial battleship – the Hyperion."

The Hyperion swiftly launched several gunboats, which rapidly approached the assembled students on the training grounds and landed.

"Class 8, board the ship with me!" Fu Hua called out, ushering everyone onto one of the gunboats in an orderly fashion.

Sheng Jiu sat next to Kiana. "I've been here for almost two months, and I never knew we had such a behemoth?"

Kiana shot him a glare. "You're such an idiot! Who would easily reveal their biggest trump card!"

"..."

Noticing Sheng Jiu's slightly pale face, Kiana gently poked him. "Hey, don't be scared. I'll protect you later."

"Thank you very much, Miss Hovos."

"Hmph! I'm not talking to you anymore! If you get eaten by a Honkai Beast later, I won't even look!" Seeing Kiana's sulking expression, Sheng Jiu smiled slightly before closing his eyes to rest.

A few minutes later, Himeko's voice boomed from the gunboat's loudspeaker. "We'll be landing in a few minutes. Everyone, stay alert. Assemble immediately after the gunboat lands, and prepare for battle!" The students looked out the window. The sky was still pitch black, yet the streets of Changkong City were illuminated by countless flashing purple lights – the glow emitted by the flowing bodily fluids of the Honkai Beasts.

"My goodness... There are so many of them?" a pink-haired girl sitting opposite Sheng Jiu said, trembling as she looked at the flickering lights below.

"Don't be nervous, Rin. I'll protect you!" Kiana confidently showed her small fist to Miyamoto Rin opposite her.

At that moment, the gunboat landed, and the hatch slowly opened. The sounds of gunfire and artillery could now be heard.

Everyone immediately stood up and quickly jumped off the gunboat, forming ranks. Sheng Jiu surveyed his surroundings: the landing zone was in a city block, not far from Schicksal's temporary command post, and beyond that lay the final barrier against the beast tide.

Armored vehicles drove towards the distance one after another, and soon, intense exchanges of fire erupted. The sounds of beam cannons and live ammunition mingled, and gunboats that had taken to the sky immediately joined the fray, their underslung Vulcan cannons spewing fire down at the enemy below...

As everyone was still stunned, a young woman ran towards them. "You're the reinforcements? You've arrived just in time!"

Fu Hua stepped forward and saluted the newcomer. "Apologies for our delay. I am Fu Hua, an A-rank Valkyrie from the Far East Branch."

"A pleasure to meet you, Classmate Fu Hua! I am Vena, the interim commander of the Schicksal garrison forces in Changkong City. Thank you for arriving at this crucial moment. On behalf of the Schicksal garrison in Changkong City, I express my sincere gratitude for your presence. As you can see, the battle has reached its most difficult stage. If we cannot intercept the beast tide here, they will spread throughout the entire Far East!"

"You flatter us, Miss Vena. Fighting the Honkai is the duty of every Valkyrie. Leave this to us."