Return to Nagazora

It should be said that they all had some special abilities that ensured their growth would be much faster than that of ordinary students.

A descendant of the Kaslana family, the vessel of the Third Herrscher, Ming Yu, whose origins were somewhat mysterious... and Bronya, who was highly proficient in combat and accustomed to training.

"Headmaster, where is the mission, and what exactly does it involve?"

Bronya asked bluntly.

"Hehe, of course, it's somewhere you're all quite familiar with—Changkong City."

That city, once the most prosperous and populous in the Far East, had now become a field of ruins.

"After our last visit, we basically wiped out all the Honkai Beasts in Changkong City. However, according to a recent report from the Science Division... the residual Honkai energy in that city seems to be showing signs of gathering again. To be safe, I'd like to ask you to go back and investigate. After all, you're familiar with the place."

When they had arrived in Changkong City last time, Theresa, Fu Hua, and Himeko, as top-tier combat forces, had searched for survivors while also clearing out the Honkai Beasts and Dead Soldiers throughout the city, bringing temporary peace to it.

Without a Herrscher interfering, it was an easy task for them to sweep away the ordinary Honkai Beasts in the entire city.

However, that could only bring temporary peace.

Just like Siberia, which had been affected by the Second Honkai Eruption fourteen years ago, the Honkai energy permeating the entire city could not yet be completely eradicated with Schicksal's current technology. As time passed, it would naturally give rise to new Honkai Beasts wandering through the city.

Therefore, it was still necessary to regularly send personnel back to Changkong City for investigation and cleanup.

Theresa raised a finger and pointed at Ming Yu, Mei, and Bronya in turn.

"Originally, I planned to send the bomb girl to handle the cleanup, but after thinking it over, you've all been training at the academy for a while now. This sort of thing really ought to be left to the young people~"

As for when they would depart, naturally, it would be tomorrow.

Of course, aside from wanting Ming Yu and the others to gain some real combat experience, there were other factors involved.

—Himeko's current physical condition truly was not suitable for continued high-intensity combat.

The Artificial Stigmata developed by Schicksal could forcibly increase Valkyries' resistance to Honkai energy, but at the same time, they placed a considerable burden on their bodies, gradually allowing Honkai energy to erode them.

This was the price paid to turn girls without the aptitude into warriors.

And as an A-Rank Valkyrie who had already spent many years on the front lines, Himeko could, in a sense, already be considered terminally ill. She did not have much lifespan left.

In short, in Theresa's consideration, it would be better to let Himeko, who had spent years rushing to the front lines, get some rest whenever possible.

"Ming Yu, Mei, and Bronya, I'll leave this investigation in Changkong City to the three of you. If you encounter a situation you can't handle, remember to notify me through your terminals. I'll arrange reinforcements depending on the situation."

Theresa instructed them.

"Alright, understood."

Ming Yu nodded.

This was also part of the change in the timeline.

In the original timeline, Himeko had been injured after using the Nexus System aboard the Hyperion to contend against the Herrscher of Thunder. Only then had Theresa decided to take her place and head to Changkong City to clear out a high-intensity Honkai energy signal suspected to belong to a Herrscher.

Then, she encountered the newly born Pseudo-Herrscher Yuna there, was poisoned by an incurable toxin, and nearly died young.

Now, although Himeko's condition was much better than in the original timeline, Theresa had decided to assign this mission to them in order to train this group of reserves.

Naturally, that suited him just fine.

"By the way, Headmaster, did the Science Division say anything about Changkong City's condition?"

Ming Yu asked casually.

Theresa immediately replied,

"The detailed information will be uploaded to your terminals once you depart, so don't worry.

"Considering the place was cleaned out not long ago, even if new Honkai Beasts have emerged, their numbers and ranks probably won't be too high. It's just right for you to handle them."

Come to think of it, wasn't this three-person team about to head out missing a certain idiot...

Everyone's gazes focused on the white-haired girl who was continuously stuffing her face.

"..."

Obviously, even Kiana, no matter how slow she was, had realized that her name was missing from the list of candidates for the assignment.

The white-haired girl immediately put down her bowl and chopsticks and protested.

"Wait, Headmaster, why can't I go? I'm really strong too!"

The other three could all go on missions, so why was she the only one not being sent out?

As far as strength went, she felt that the three of them, as well as Ming Yu, were actually all about the same now!

And with one more person, wouldn't the mission become easier and smoother to complete?

It couldn't be that there was some weird rule that only allowed three people to be deployed at once, could it?

"...My dear little niece, you should know perfectly well why I'm not letting you go."

It would have been better if she had not brought it up. The moment she did, Theresa got angry.

A symbol of fury seemed to appear on her forehead.

Theresa said, word by word,

"You're staying here to make up every single class you skipped during this time. Until you finish that, you are not allowed to leave St. Freya."

—Ever since Kiana had come to St. Freya Academy, Theresa had received seven or eight reports of her skipping class.

She had endured until now only to teach Kiana a lesson.

"Uh, well... Headmaster..."

Having been struck at her weak point, Kiana immediately put on a fawning expression.

"There's no room for negotiation!"

The petite white-haired girl abruptly stood up and glanced at the six bowls beside Kiana, all licked clean.

"Kiana, you're full now, right? Then your remedial lessons start now."

Only when she was full would she have the strength to get beaten up—

Then, without another word, Theresa reached out with her small hand and lifted Kiana from her seat.

Of course, Theresa possessed the Kaslana family's monstrous strength as well, and hers was even greater.

Theresa, who could carry the one-hundred-and-fifty-kilogram Oath of Judah with one hand, lifted Kiana as easily as lifting a chick.

The authority of an elder could not be defied, and besides, Kiana truly did not have the ability to resist Theresa right now.

She was facing the legendary former S-Rank Valkyrie, her Headmaster, Theresa—the Theresa who looked like a child but was nearly fifty years old!

"Wait... Headmaster, I know I was wrong! Mei, Bronya, Ming Yu, Himeko, save me..."

Amid the girl's wails, everyone silently watched as Theresa dragged her out the door.

After dinner, Ming Yu said farewell to Mei, Bronya, and the others, then walked back toward his dormitory.

He silently considered the things he needed to do after returning to Changkong City.

Aside from the Pseudo-Herrscher incident that might occur, he truly had other matters to handle.

—For instance, regarding Cocolia and Mei, he would begin making the necessary preparations from now on.

Return to Changkong

At night, inside Ming Yu's dormitory.

"You're going back to Changkong City?"

After hearing the news, the pink-haired girl put down the book in her hands and asked,

"...Do you need my help?"

Just as before, she could possess him and provide whatever assistance was necessary.

"Of course. It would be great if you're willing to help, but I won't need you to assist me in battle this time."

Ming Yu nodded.

Although Mei, a true Herrscher, would be accompanying them on this mission, there was never such a thing as too many companions.

Besides, he truly needed someone's help.

—Not to deal with the mission Theresa had assigned them, but for another arrangement entirely.

After all, he was still somewhat worried about the other girl in the three-person team.

...Bronya.

This girl's allegiance was still difficult to determine.

Unlike the homeless Kiana and Mei, Bronya had a clear origin and someone she was loyal to.

Cocolia—this vicious and sinister woman was probably still an important mother figure in Bronya's eyes.

If he waited until the Wendy incident in the original timeline for Bronya to see Cocolia's true colors, and until the Abyss City incident afterward for her to completely sever ties with her mother, it would take far too long.

He did not want to spend the next few years constantly guarding against the possibility of this girl stabbing him in the back.

Therefore, carrying out this mission together in Changkong City was also a very good opportunity for Ming Yu.

Overall, Ming Yu intended to use this opportunity to win Bronya over and have her completely stand on his side.

—Since her stance was still unclear, he would take the initiative and help her settle it once and for all.

In the end, the fundamental purpose behind all of Bronya's actions was to find Seele, who had disappeared from Cocolia's laboratory a year ago.

If he started from that point, winning Bronya over would be relatively easy.

Ming Yu knew very well that the girl who had vanished from the real world had ended up lost in the vast Sea of Quanta.

And as long as he had an opportunity to enter the Sea of Quanta, it was not impossible for him to bring back that girl soaking in the sea.

Although the Sea of Quanta was nearly infinite in scope, like streets with countless branching paths, he happened to possess the ability to traverse them one by one.

Thinking of this, Ming Yu said to Yae Sakura beside him,

"Miss Sakura, I'll need you to do me a small favor then."

Sakura nodded.

"Go on."

"So and so, this and that..."

Ming Yu then explained his plan in detail to the girl beside him.

"...I roughly understand."

"Yeah. This sort of thing will only work if it's done by someone she doesn't know. I'll be counting on you then."

After discussing the important matter, Ming Yu glanced again at the book Sakura was holding.

It was a book about Kallen that he had brought back from the library some time ago.

"How are those books? If you need more, I can bring back another batch for you."

"Thank you... Through these books, I've indeed learned quite a bit about Kallen. And I can tell that the authors of these books all loved and admired her very much."

Come to think of it, Otto certainly knew about Yae Sakura, but conversely, Yae Sakura might not know much about Otto.

At most, before the massacre in Yae Village, she had probably heard a sentence or two about him from Kallen.

Yae Sakura answered with a gentle smile,

"My dear friend has been gone for five hundred years, yet people in this world still remember her. I'm happy for her."

The next day, inside Changkong City.

The three of them once again set foot upon this wasteland and made their way to the entrance of Chiba Academy.

The school gate, once lavishly decorated, had long since become ruins. Only some remaining wreckage barely revealed that this had once been the entrance.