Chapter 17

As she thought, the Valkyrie opened the communication channel of Schicksal Headquarters.

"Hello? Is this Miss Amber?

This is Rita from the Blade of Immortality squad. We've encountered an unexpectedly powerful enemy, one with strength not inferior to a Herrscher.

I request that Headquarters dispatch a new Valkyrie squad for support."

Neither party was one to hesitate, so the communication ended quickly.

Her gaze returned to the screen, and Rita couldn't help but slowly curve her lips.

This was, after all, Schicksal's home turf!

Chapter 17: Bearing Welt's Name, I Must Not Lose

The ruins of Raymond Castle.

Raven, hiding in the shadows of the buildings, felt deeply uneasy.

Were both of these guys monsters!?

Watching the two fight with increasing intensity through the scope of Seven Thunders of Sin's Purge, Raven felt her worldview being shattered again and again.

From now on, she felt she wouldn't be surprised by anything.

After all, no matter how bizarre something was, could it be more terrifying than these two monsters before her?

Clutching her sniper rifle tightly, Raven felt incredibly weak and pathetic for the first time. Even a Divine Key couldn't give her much of a sense of security.

Facing the full power of both individuals, she felt that even unleashing the full might of Seven Thunders of Sin's Purge wouldn't pose much of a threat to them.

What was even more terrifying was that Shi Hen was only fifteen this year and had been exposed to Honkai for less than a year!

Even Durandal, who came from Schicksal, seemed to be only twelve?

At such ages, it meant they had infinite potential for the future.

Even the heroes from the previous civilization probably couldn't compare to these two monsters.

Raven couldn't help but think in her heart.

At this moment, Kiana, who was skirmishing with Honkai Beasts on the other side, couldn't help but pause and look in the direction of Shi Hen and Durandal's battle.

Although she couldn't see what was happening in the distance, she could feel that something extremely terrifying was occurring.

That terrifying energy fluctuation, like a nuclear explosion, gave her an almost suffocating illusion even from afar.

However, thinking about it was useless; it had little to do with her anyway.

Collecting her thoughts, the young girl refocused on the Honkai Beasts in front of her, her expression growing solemn.

Unlike the scattered Honkai Beasts she had encountered before, this time she was facing a horde of dozens of Honkai Beasts!

Facing enemies that even Schicksal's Valkyrie squads had to treat with caution, Kiana, just an ordinary wandering girl, naturally couldn't defeat them easily.

All she could do was attract the Honkai Beasts' attention as much as possible and slow their advance towards the city.

Moreover, the girl harbored a faint hope.

If the Honkai reached this level, that man surely wouldn't stand idly by, right?

Clinging to the hope of possibly meeting him, Kiana once again picked up her baseball bat and charged towards the Honkai Beasts.

On the main battlefield.

Boom!

After exchanging a close-quarters blow, Shi Hen and Durandal abruptly separated, stopping in place instead of continuing their assault as before.

"You must be close to your limit too, right?"

Durandal asked, her breathing rapid and her entire face drenched in sweat.

Although the mask obscured her face, the girl could sense that Shi Hen's strength had weakened considerably compared to before.

Clearly, maintaining this state was not easy for him either.

"At least I'm more enduring than you."

Shi Hen grinned.

Compared to a World Bubble, the physical strain of fully activating his Stigmata power was indeed much less.

After all, the Stigmata was an ability that belonged entirely to him, while the World Bubble was an external entity for the girl.

Of course, their magnitudes were also completely different.

In terms of power amplification, the Stigmata was also significantly weaker than the World Bubble, which meant Shi Hen sustained much heavier injuries than Durandal.

This girl, who looked as delicate and cute as a doll, really went all out.

With this ebb and flow, their conditions were roughly equal.

"The next strike will decide the winner."

Durandal said, the dim golden light in her eyes regaining its brilliance.

Even though this form of combat had only been going on for two minutes, she was already nearing her limit.

If they continued to stalemate, her body would break down first.

"I think we can call it a draw."

Shi Hen requested a draw.

In response to this proposal, Durandal merely glanced at him, her internal aura suddenly surging.

In her dictionary, there was never such a word as giving up halfway.

Facing a dangerous individual like Shi Hen, who wantonly triggered Honkai calamities, she had to go all out to apprehend him.

"It seems there's nothing to discuss," Shi Hen said with a low chuckle, then immediately raised his head, the white light in his eye sockets calm and brilliant. "Young Valkyrie, are you ready... to welcome your own death?"

Even if his body was already covered in wounds, even if he could only use the power of Natural Stigmata, he, Shi Hen, was still invincible in this world!

Facing Shi Hen's declaration, Durandal's expression remained calm as she slowly raised her right hand. "Bianca Durandal Attagina, I request your guidance!"

As her voice fell, the Valkyrie's white armor was coated in a golden sheen, and a pure golden holy sword also extended from the maiden's palm.

Swish!

The moment the holy sword took shape, an energy like an abyss or a hell suddenly erupted. A terrifying pressure spread outwards like a tide, causing the high ponytail behind the maiden's head to scatter, her golden hair floating upwards like a banner.

"In the name of the second Herrscher of the Anti-Entropy Alliance, the third Herrscher of Reason, I, Welt Yang, accept your challenge!"

With a similarly solemn cry, a pure white baseball bat rapidly grew in Shi Hen's hand.

Since the opponent had condensed a weapon using Honkai Energy, he naturally had to respond in the same way.

As for the issue of the Herrscher of Reason only being on its second generation... when he had time, he would go find Old Yang to talk about physics, and he was sure the other party would be very willing to let him be the third Herrscher of Reason.

The moment the baseball bat took shape, both of them moved simultaneously.

No, to be more precise, both of them vanished from their original positions at the same time.

It was only in the next instant that two balls of light appeared and violently collided.

BOOM—

The holy sword and the bat crossed and locked together. The golden and white energies erupted, entwining and tearing at each other like two flood dragons, desperately trying to shatter the other completely.

Carrying the expectations of the Blade of Immortality squad, bearing the hopes of millions of people in this world bubble, I absolutely cannot fall here!

Feeling the terrifying power transmitted through the holy sword and hearing the screams from every cell in her body, the Valkyrie's heart only grew firmer.

She must have been carrying something equally heavy, right?

Their eyes met. Through Shi Hen's eyes, which emitted a brilliant white light, Durandal seemed to hear the other's passionate inner voice.

"Carrying the name of Welt, I absolutely cannot lose!"

The other party said it directly.

Durandal: "..."

Was this guy a drama queen?

At a time like this, he was still pretending to be Welt?

The maiden felt a blockage of old phlegm in her chest, an urge to spit it out.

But in the next second, the two energies that had been locked in a stalemate reached their critical point. The accumulated power at its limit suddenly poured out and exploded, consuming and destroying everything around them.

Chapter 18: The Moon Tonight Is Beautiful

After an explosion that resembled the birth of the universe, everything returned to peace.

A breeze carrying the scent of the sea blew past, stirring up the vast dust on the ground, giving it a somewhat desolate feel.

And just a few minutes ago, the area within a radius of several miles here was still lush and vibrant.

But unfortunately, they had encountered a pair of unreasonable demolition experts.

"Cough, cough..." Wiping the bloodstains from the corner of her mouth, Durandal finally managed a wry smile. "It seems I won."

Although her entire body ached to the point of losing all sensation, as if every cell was unable to bear the burden and threatened to go on strike, at least... she was still standing.

"Ah, yes," Shi Hen said, lying not far from the Valkyrie, his voice filled with deep weakness, the deliberate hoarseness gone. "To possess such Honkai Energy. Durandal, I acknowledge you.

Among the Valkyries I've fought, you are undoubtedly the strongest!"

Although he had only fought against Durandal, this one Valkyrie.

But to be honest, the maiden was indeed very strong.

He couldn't contend with her using only the power of Stigmata.

After all, she was also a genuine genius, and she was cheating.

"Thank you for the compliment,"

Durandal said sincerely.

To receive recognition from a powerful opponent was the greatest praise for her.

"As expected, I can't do anything."

"I can't," Shi Hen said softly, his tone laced with a despair that seemed to encompass everything.

Durandal: "..."

Was it really necessary to be like this just because of losing one battle?

Beneath his mask, Shi Hen blinked, unable to feel any mysterious power surging within him.

Was the password wrong? Or did the Honkai world not even have his account?

The young man fell into deep thought.

"Come back to Schicksal with me. I'll plead for you before the Overseer."

Durandal said, her voice a little weak, but her tone was serious.

They say that between masters, a simple clash of fists is enough to know each other's thoughts.

In their recent battle, she had vaguely sensed his intentions and understood that Shi Hen was not an evil person.

"Sorry, I can't do that." Shi Hen refused decisively. "I was still thinking of luring you back to Anti-Entropy."

"...You're not from Anti-Entropy at all, are you?"

Durandal was genuinely a little angry.

Couldn't this guy just be more honest?

"I am a man who inherited the name Welt," Shi Hen said, not forgetting his persona. "Bearing the name Welt, I will never surrender to Schicksal."

"..."

Looking at the persistent white mask on Shi Hen's face, Durandal inexplicably felt an urge to smash it and see what kind of face lay beneath.

But unfortunately, she no longer had the strength to do so.