Acheron, Lost (Continued)

Although part of it was because she was not in good condition right now, the gap in strength between them was clearly enormous.

However, Raven did not take it too seriously, because Yomi did not carry that kind of killing intent. She was merely defending herself.

"Alright, sorry. My fault."

After the probing was over, Raven lowered the claws in her hands and took a step back.

Ever since "Rosia" had slashed her with a scythe, Raven had found a way to send a batch of supplies to Sora and the others before spending all her time recuperating at World Serpent.

Sure enough, several of her ribs had been broken, her arm had nearly suffered a comminuted fracture, and her internal organs had been badly injured as well.

She had come within a hair's breadth of ending up like that "Night Owl," transformed into a cyborg.

Of course, what saddened Raven most was that her Sin Mallet Thunder of Seven had been left behind. It had probably already been confiscated by Schicksal...

The difficulty of getting it back was obvious.

Still, Raven was not worried that anyone else would be able to use Sin Mallet Thunder of Seven. The weapon was extremely picky about its wielder. She had nurtured it like a treasure for so long; surely it would not be so easily taken from her?

"Where did you come from?"

Looking at the aloof-looking girl, who was even taller and more slender than herself, Raven asked while moving supplies.

She had already learned from Sora that Yomi had been unconscious in the central area of Changkong City before Sora found her.

Now that she thought about it, Yomi must have encountered something in the city center.

"I don't know."

Yomi helped Raven move the supplies, offering no further explanation.

"From her expression, she does seem to have amnesia..."

Raven narrowed her eyes slightly as she watched the purple-black-haired girl's back.

As both a World Serpent executive and a top-tier assassin, Raven's instincts were sharper than her intellect.

To survive in so many dangerous environments, theoretical knowledge alone was far from enough. Sometimes, sharp instincts were more useful than knowledge.

Besides, Raven did not think Schicksal would be foolish enough to deliberately send someone with such absurd combat power as an undercover agent to get close to her children.

Morning

"The children all like you."

Raven's movements paused slightly as she watched the children, despite the two of them distributing supplies together, mostly choose to receive theirs from Yomi.

"Really?"

Yomi asked somewhat blankly.

Watching Yomi attract the children's affection despite having no pleasant expression at all, merely wearing a stiff face, Raven nearly crushed her back teeth.

"Teacher, I need this..."

When the well-behaved Sora came over to her side, Raven finally felt a little comforted. But the next moment, after taking her things, Sora also moved closer to Yomi, and Raven clenched her fists...

Hold it in...

If she had not been unable to beat her, Raven truly would have wanted to punch her.

After the supplies had all been handed out, Yomi looked at Raven, who was standing alone off to the side, in confusion.

"What are you doing?"

Raven pinched the toy in her hand and could only force a cheerful smile as she gritted her teeth.

"Finished handing everything out?"

"Mm, it's all done. The children were all very well-behaved."

Whether intentionally or not, Yomi's words always managed to strike Raven precisely where it hurt.

Raven really wanted to ask: were you the children's teacher, or was she?

Why were the children isolating their teacher like this?

Raven felt strangely disheartened, yet when she saw the children around Yomi, looking expectantly as if they wanted head pats and hugs, she also felt inexplicably happy.

Sitting on the railing, Raven watched the purple-black-haired girl get along better and better with the children. In the end, she relaxed slightly and smiled.

How should she put it? Raven had always worried about the children's safety, worried that someone might hurt them. But now, there was this strange person whom the children liked very much...

"I'm so tired..."

After playing with the children for nearly two hours, Yomi finally found a moment to come over to Raven's side.

The purple-black-haired girl still wore that aloof expression, but what she said was inexplicably adorable.

"I was wondering whether you're with Schicksal or Anti-Entropy."

Although Raven had already guessed that Yomi was most likely affiliated with neither side, she still casually tossed her a bottle of drink while testing her.

Yomi caught the drink, opened the can, and instinctively asked back:

"What are Schicksal and Anti-Entropy?"

"...Nothing."

Seeing the obvious airheadedness beneath the girl's aloof expression, Raven knew she had probably overthought her test.

Of course, Raven could not rule out the possibility that Yomi's acting was already flawless, but that possibility was no higher than Schicksal personally returning Sin Mallet Thunder of Seven to her.

It was pure overthinking.

"I heard from Xiao Kong that you're looking for someone?"

Leaning against the railing, Raven glanced at the two swords at Yomi's waist and asked curiously.

"Yes."

Yomi nodded.

"You have amnesia. Do you still remember what these two swords are called?"

Raven asked.

"I don't remember. I only know that they are very important to me, and I cannot lose them no matter what."

Yomi answered after thinking for a moment.

"You seem quite skilled. I can recommend a place to you. That place probably has the most extensive intelligence network in the world. No matter who you want to find, you can find them there."

Raven looked at Yomi's upright figure and the blade-sharp aura surrounding her.

She was either a master of swordsmanship, or her strength was already so terrifying that it had fused with her very presence.

Given Yomi's appearance, the former was unlikely. So clearly, it was the latter.

It just so happened that Raven had recently lost Sin Mallet Thunder of Seven, and World Serpent was also trying to stop Schicksal from obtaining the Second Divine Key. They needed quite a bit of assistance.

Raven could try recommending that Yomi join World Serpent.

"What are the conditions?"

Although she had lost her memories, Yomi could still instinctively respond appropriately to certain questions.

"Take this..."

Raven handed Yomi a communication map display covered in numerous red dots that were moving.

"There are three Honkai Beast strongholds marked on it, around two hundred Honkai Beasts, and more than a dozen Honkai Emperors. You have two hours. If you can clear out half the Honkai Beasts, you pass."

Honkai Emperors were the pinnacle among lower-ranked Honkai Beasts. Though they were far inferior to Emperor-Class Honkai Beasts, more than a dozen of them together would be enough to overturn an Emperor-Class Honkai Beast.

For some reason, a group of Honkai Beasts had recently gathered around the camp. Raven had originally planned to deal with them herself, but now she happened to have Yomi as free labor.

"Is that... a hairstyle Xiao Kong did for you?"

Looking at Yomi's long hair, which now partially covered her left eye and was loosely tied up, Raven realized that her hairstyle was completely different from yesterday's.

"Yes. I understand."

After answering Raven's two questions, Yomi turned and left.

"What a strange person..."

Raven muttered to herself. She sensed in Yomi the air of a recluse who was unfamiliar with the world and held a pessimistic view of it, yet Yomi acted decisively and efficiently, making people unable to resist relying on her.

It was clearly incongruous, yet somehow fitting.

"Why are you back again?"

Not long after, Raven watched as Yomi returned with the communicator in hand.

"I can't read it. The buildings around here are too complicated and chaotic. I can't find the way there."

The purple-black-haired girl answered seriously, without the slightest trace of embarrassment on her face.

Raven nearly choked when she saw her like this, because judging from Yomi's expression, she genuinely did not know the way...

"Cross that bridge, then turn right. That's the first gathering point. After clearing it, take this road, then cross two streets. Find a way across the river, and the second one is there..."

Raven patiently explained it all to Yomi, then let out a relieved sigh.

"Thank you."

Watching Yomi leave, Raven rubbed her forehead helplessly.

Now, even if someone claimed Yomi was a spy, Raven would not believe it.

No spy would fail to recognize the route even while using navigation.

"Hey, Grey Serpent. I'll bring someone over to your place in a couple of days. Help me look into her background..."

"Whether she's trustworthy? I don't know either, but based on my instincts, there's a ninety percent chance she's not from Schicksal or Anti-Entropy. She's frighteningly strong—maybe a wild Stigmata awakener..."

As she thought about it, Raven decided she would find time later to check whether Yomi showed any signs of Stigmata awakening.

Otherwise, being defeated so easily still made Raven feel a little embarrassed.

"Cocolia got caught by Jackal? Two freaks meeting each other—now that's hilarious."

Raven listened to Grey Serpent's report.

"I really can't do anything about losing Sin Mallet Thunder of Seven. I've lost half my life already. I nearly went down to meet the other sovereigns. You need to find a way to get it back from Schicksal for me."

Raven complained.

In truth, Sin Mallet Thunder of Seven had always been one of World Serpent's hidden trump cards. Once it was deployed, it would inevitably destroy its target, so no one had ever known about it.

But the Stigmata awakener she had encountered last time was already strong beyond human comprehension.

Even Sin Mallet Thunder of Seven, with its unmatched piercing and destructive power, had failed to hurt her. Raven truly had no answer to that.

Even if that attack had struck a sovereign, they might not have emerged unscathed. There was simply no way to fight that.

"Mm. We'll discuss the rest after I return to the base."

Raven had just put away the communicator and turned, intending to chat with Xiao Kong while waiting for Yomi to return, when she saw the purple-black-haired girl standing behind her at some point.

Raven jumped in fright. As an assassin, if someone could silently get this close to her, it meant her life was already in their hands.

"Y-you... why are you back?"

Although startled, Raven still pretended nothing had happened and glanced at the time.

"It's only been twenty minutes. Did you get lost again?"

Raven asked in confusion.

Yomi gently shook her head, then returned the communication locator to her.

"What's wrong..."

Raven thought Yomi found it too dangerous and did not want to do it anymore. Raven could understand that; after all, there were over two hundred Honkai Beasts and so many Honkai Emperors. Even Schicksal would need to send one or two squads led by A-rank Valkyries to resolve it quickly.

"Hmm?"

Looking at the communication locator, whose red dots had completely vanished, Raven tapped it in confusion, then looked at Yomi.

"Is it broken?"

Even at this moment, Raven would sooner believe the locator was broken than think of any other possibility.