Chapter 334

The most important point is that the Sealed Rank is related not only to an individual's combat power but also to their personal achievements.

This also means that the two little girls are bearing a burden that they should not have to bear at their age.

"Little Freya... I've heard that Valkyrie have a better life now, so why send such young children to the battlefield..."

As a deserter, Shigure Kira was well aware of the cruelty of the battlefield, the horror of the Honkai, and the weight of her responsibility to protect the people.

Therefore, she was even more reluctant to send young girls to the battlefield.

"... In the past, many Valkyrie had no choice. They lost their families and hometowns because of the Honkai. They grew up in the Schicksal's orphanage. The director of the orphanage told them... how great the Valkyrie are, and the sisters around them all took the Valkyrie as their goal... The Grand Bishop of Schicksal also constantly promoted that the Valkyrie fight to protect the people and fight against the Honkai... So, they had no choice."

Shigure Kira said.

Although she joined the Schicksal herself, she only met Salome, who was hailed as a 'genius dancer,' when she participated in the trainee idol recruitment event.

By sheer coincidence... or rather, Shigure Kira never expected that she would pass the test and unexpectedly become Valkyrie.

Then, for various reasons, they persevered.

Compared to her own experience, she felt more pity for the Valkyrie who had no other choice.

"You say the alliance is powerful now... why don't you give those children the opportunity to choose the life they want..."

Shigure Kira's words startled Freya slightly, and then she gave a helpless, bitter smile.

Yes, a wry smile.

Whether it's a wry smile or a genuine smile, the expressions on Freya's face are mostly performances meant to reassure those she cares about.

Freya often rubs her face in front of the mirror, constantly refining her expression to match Rita, Aurora, Cecilia, and others.

But at this moment, Freya revealed a bitter smile.

"Sister Kira, how I wish they could choose the life they want... If they could live in a peaceful era, or perhaps in a world that hasn't Honkai... They would still be students in school, enjoying their rosy youth, and in the future... perhaps they would become police officers, perhaps race car drivers, or perhaps pastry chefs..."

Freya closed her eyes and leaned back against the sofa. Rita reached out from behind her and massaged her slightly throbbing temples.

The two acted in perfect unison, as if they had planned it together, leaving Shigure Kira stunned.

Freya described the future of those girls, and if there were a world that didn't need Valkyrie or the Honkai, their future might be just as bright.

"Sister Kira... The world we live in cannot support the dreams of these girls. Even if the Alliance becomes stronger, so what? The Honkai will become stronger as the Alliance becomes stronger... In order to reduce the casualties of Valkyrie, the Alliance has adopted the policy of 'selecting only the talented'."

"As long as the ability meets the requirements, the Alliance will not inquire about the age or background of the applicant, and will grant them the corresponding status and rights. Sister Kira, they became Valkyrie... not because some bastard bishop promoted them, not because the older sisters around them all aimed to become Valkyrie, and not because the orphanage director told them... but because from the very beginning, they had no choice—"

Freya opened her eyes and looked at Shigure Kira.

She wanted to sigh, but just now, she remembered Shigure Kira's information, which recorded how she joined the Schicksal.

Perhaps it was because her motivation for joining the Schicksal was different from that of the other Valkyrie that Shigure Kira found it difficult to empathize with most of the Valkyrie.

"Most of the girls who become Valkyrie are survivors of the Honkai events... They only have two reasons for becoming Valkyrie: one is to survive, to live; the other is to seek revenge, to avenge the Honkai that caused them to lose everything."

Freya glanced at Shigure Kira and continued.

"The idea that Valkyrie protect the people or fight against the Honkai is nothing more than propaganda by the Schicksal to incite a sense of justice and whitewash the cruel human experiments used to create Valkyrie."

"Of course, most Valkyrie are only driven by revenge and survival, not to mention the Aristocratic Faction, or the fools brainwashed by those bastard bishops..."

"... If survivors of the Honkai had relatives to take them in, how could they end up in an orphanage? Most of the children who ended up in orphanages... lacked the ability to take care of themselves, and in order to survive, they had no choice but to accept the 'brainwashing' around them."

How many Valkyrie, like Shigure Kira, actually become Valkyrie by chance and possess powerful talents?

Before 2000, the Schicksal had only 2 S-rank Valkyrie and 6 A-rank Valkyrie.

Cecilia's Snow Wolf Squad includes one S-rank Valkyrie and five A-rank Valkyrie. Shigure Kira, as one of them, possesses Honkai Energy adaptability that is the envy of countless girls who have no other choice.

Freya sighed softly.

In the short time after her birth, she received a great deal of kindness from the Valkyrie because of her identity as Cecilia's daughter.

Initially, her safety, as well as Kiana's and Aurora's, was her top priority.

But when she was able to influence the Schicksal, or even change Schicksal, Freya's first thought was... to change the fate of the Valkyrie —to make them no longer miserable, to give them support in their old age, and to ensure that their lives did not end in tears.

"Sister Kira, how many Valkyrie are as talented as you? How many of them would it take to defeat the Honkai? Heh... But no matter how many A-rank Valkyrie from the old Schicksal era come, it won't make a difference... The most important thing is that even talented Valkyrie like you can only be A-rank Valkyrie... Don't you understand?"

"Valkyrie are not treated as expendable items... Rather, whether it's A-rank Valkyrie or S-rank Valkyrie, in front of the Herrscher... in front of the Honkai, they are just cannon fodder, mere expendable items."

Freya felt she was already doing great.

Freya felt compelled to praise herself for everything she had done for the Valkyrie.

In the past, the Valkyrie of Schicksal became expendable resources either to survive or to die.

The current Type-B Valkyrie of the Alliance can earn their dignity, status, and even the life they desire through their own hard work.

The Far East concession of Changkong City has now essentially become a country within a country.

The alliance erected high walls and built barriers to prevent prying eyes from all sides, and also established its own laws.

The Valkyrie are no longer just tools of combat, but newborn humans.

The power guided by the activation of the Type-B Stigmata is no longer just for battle, but for their own future.

While dedicated combat Valkyrie are indispensable, it is far more appropriate to have Valkyrie are strong enough and better suited for combat specialize in combat than to send all Valkyrie to the battlefield.

Nurturing powerful Valkyrie requires a great deal of resources, and Valkyrie engaged in other tasks can use the power of Stigmata to assist them.

Although the Valkyrie Department at the St. Freya Academy is divided into combat and research groups, the newly established academy city on the outskirts of Changkong City is as diverse as a university, boasting countless disciplines.

The Valkyrie, who possesses the power of Stigmata to promote plant growth, was only given the title of S-rank Valkyrie during the Schicksal era and sent to the Honkai battlefield to deplete the number of Honkai Beast. However, in the current Alliance, she is a top figure in the field of cultivation and planting.

Even in the Alliance's ten-year and hundred-year plans, the value of Valkyrie with cultivation abilities is no less than that of Sealed Rank Valkyrie...

Of course, the plan of Mars in ten years and the solar system in a hundred years is too far-fetched.

"Sister Kira, you don't know how the Alliance arranges the Valkyrie now. The two little ones you see are Valkyrie of the Apocalypse Knights, who specialize in combat... They have amazing combat talent and the determination to fight. This is completely different from the situation during the reign of Schicksal... no, from the situation during Otto's rule."

Freya said a lot, as if to reveal the results of her long-hidden, silent efforts.

This is also why Freya withdrew from the front line of the fight against the Honkai.

Even without her, the current Valkyrie are capable of fighting against those rampaging Honkai Beast, Freya naturally wants to use her unique abilities as a 'driving force'.

Type-B Stigmata, the new modification surgery, Type-2 New Honkai Antibody, the Hu's Special Medicine for Honkai Infection, the Miniature Honkai Energy Crystal Reactor, etc... all are the results of Freya's continuous research over the past three years.

This also involved the assistance of a certain Hu's Egyptian.

The Type-2 New Honkai Antibody is more resistant to Honkai Energy erosion than the new antibody from three years ago. If the experimental subjects of the World Serpent Organization forcibly activating the Stigmata use the Type-2 New Honkai Antibody, the success rate will reach 10%.

It's worth noting that new antibodies developed three years ago had a success rate of less than 5%.

However, with a success rate of less than 5%, compared to the original success rate of less than one in a thousand or one in ten thousand for the Stigmata Project, it was a huge breakthrough.

Of course, the production of the Type-2 New Honkai Antibody is even less.

In addition, its ability to cover the original new antibody means that the Type-2 New Honkai Antibody is preferentially supplied to researchers in the alliance.

As for the Valkyrie activated the power to manipulate plants, she is now a treasure of the Alliance. She has cultivated a plant that can absorb Honkai Energy grow. This plant can reduce the concentration of Honkai Energy within a certain range and condense Honkai Energy Crystal without corrosive ability within its body.

However, this plant is very difficult to survive. This Valkyrie only managed to grow one by chance, and because it died too quickly, it left behind only a pure Honkai Energy Crystal.

Currently, the Valkyrie can only recreate the plant based on her own planting data. Once the other party successfully recreates the plant, Freya will grant her the title of Senior Researcher.

Rita massaged Freya's temples with just the right amount of pressure, trying to relieve her physical and mental fatigue.

As an adjutant, as a maid... she knew better than anyone the effort Freya had put in behind the scenes and the pressure she had endured.

But now it seems she underestimated many things.

"... It seems, indeed, that your alliance is difficult to understand..."

Shigure Kira could see the weariness and the struggle in Freya's eyes... She lowered her head and apologized. "I'm sorry, Little Freya... It seems that I generalized. I really should learn more about this alliance."

Shigure Kira also knew that she had made a mistake.

The white-haired girl in front of me looks only 14 years old, but she is the leader of a huge organization that controls the lives and deaths of millions of people and affects the safety of billions of people around the world.

Ultimately, Shigure Kira simply felt that since the alliance was so powerful, why should a 12-year-old girl participate in the battle?

Whether it's Bianca or Sophia, these two young girls have eyes filled with numbness from having experienced countless hellish situations.

Shigure Kira had also had a similar experience, which is why she could tell at a glance... No, the two girls had experienced far more than she had, and the hell they had witnessed far exceeded her imagination.

Is it because I feel resentful about this?

Is it because young girls like Bianca and Sophia are fighting, while she has chosen to escape reality, that she feels such pain?

Shigure Kira couldn't describe her feelings; she felt the alliance was wrong, yet she also felt the alliance was right.

"Little Freya... you said I'm still Valkyrie, and already Valkyrie of the Alliance... so if I go back with you, can I fight alongside them?"

After a long silence, Shigure Kira spoke.

However, she did not expect Freya's next answer to be so unexpected, or rather, it was also expected.

"Uh, to be honest... no, after all..."

Although Freya was very happy that Shigure Kira offered to go back with her, Freya didn't know how to respond to Shigure Kira's desire to fight.

While she refused, the reason for her refusal—that Shigure Kira was too weak—was something she found difficult to say aloud.

380. Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Black Sugar.

"..."

Seeing Freya's hesitant expression, Shigure Kira seemed to realize the reason, and a blush rose on her beautiful face. She immediately felt extremely embarrassed.

Although she didn't know how strong the Valkyrie in the Alliance were, Shigure Kira's instincts told her that she couldn't beat the two little girls sleeping in her room.

Shigure Kira knew that Freya actually meant that she was too weak.

Even if they return to the alliance, they probably won't be able to join the current fighting order.

Very realistic.

The Valkyrie in Schicksal are divided into several levels, A, B, C, and D, to distinguish their strength. Valkyrie of different levels can obtain different resources and status.

Similarly, the Valkyrie in the Alliance are divided into Sealed Rank, Elite Rank, and Warrior Rank.

"I was just kidding. Of course, I know Little Freya wants to take me back..."

"Sister Kira..."

Seeing Shigure Kira's expression of knowing the truth, Freya felt a little embarrassed.

She was really embarrassed to tell Shigure Kira, "You're not even as good as a Warrior Rank Valkyrie now."

It's important to know that the Alliance's current combat sequence requires at least a combat-level standard, which means Valkyrie specializing in combat and possessing the Type-B Stigmata.

Because many Valkyrie in the Valkyrie Guild did not meet the standards, they had to join the training camp to undergo combat training again.

The common sense that Shigure Kira knew is no longer applicable in the current alliance.

"Don't make that face. I didn't say I didn't want to... I'm just curious if I can catch up with the Valkyrie if I return to the Alliance and start combat training again."

"Well... Sister Kira has a good foundation. Although she's almost thirty now, she was able to become A-rank Valkyrie twelve years ago. Now, she just needs to equip the Type-B Stigmata to activate her power... and after receiving some combat training, she should be able to become Elite Rank Valkyrie."

Freya composed herself and said.

In fact Shigure Kira's ability to become A-rank Valkyrie is indeed closely related to her adaptability.

The strength of the Valkyrie in Schicksal is almost entirely determined by their adaptability.

The Alliance now possesses the Type-2 New Honkai Antibody, as well as the original new antibody that can be mass-produced, which is enough to make up for the huge gap in the past.

Furthermore, the Stigmata ability activated by the Type-B Stigmata brings about a completely different combat system, giving the Valkyrie more possibilities.

On the contrary, weapon development cannot keep up with the progress of the Valkyrie.

Freya was also worried that Shigure Kira returned to the Alliance to participate in combat training, she would only be rated as a Warrior Rank.

Even though the standards at the Valkyrie Guild are lower, a large number of Valkyrie are still sent to training camps to retrain, or choose to take on non-combat roles.

"Okay, you don't need to comfort me... I might not even become a Warrior Rank."

"Sister Kira, don't be pessimistic. The standards of the Valkyrie Guild are relatively low. As long as you are a dedicated combatant and can control the power of the Stigmata, you can basically be considered Warrior Rank. If you are not, you can make up for it with your weapon."

Seeing Shigure Kira suddenly so dejected, Freya hurriedly tried to comfort her.

But her attempt to comfort her only made things worse, leaving Shigure Kira speechless with a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

"So I might not even qualify as Warrior Rank... By the way, what kind of monsters are in the Alliance's current combat ranks?"

Shigure Kira is now genuinely curious about the Alliance's strength.