Cocolia Beneath the Serpent's Shadow

For Mei at this point, staying in Anti-Entropy would not allow her to grow much further, and would only distract her with other things. Only World Serpent could provide the girl with more room for development.

Yes, that's right, it's definitely not him trying to avoid Shura field.

"Bai, I want you to answer me seriously this time: did you really kill Raiden Ryoma?"

With her gaze fixed intently on the white-haired man beside her, Durandal's expression became extremely solemn.

"Hehehe, Durandal, what do you think is my greatest expectation of a Herrscher?"

Without answering, Shi Hen simply chuckled and asked another question.

"..."

In an instant, Durandal's delicate body trembled uncontrollably, and her fists clenched tightly as if she was trying her best to endure something.

[Welt White] She was certainly aware of the expectations placed upon a Herrscher.

From beginning to end, all the other party wanted was to obtain the authority belonging to the Herrscher of Thunder from Raiden Mei.

If that's the case, why did Welt White go to the trouble of sparing Raiden Ryoma's life?

Once again, she clearly recognized the cruelty of the other party, Durandal took several deep breaths to barely suppress the raging anger in her heart.

Durandal: "White, I..."

"If you're going to make threats, you'd better save your energy."

He interrupted with a light laugh, Shi Hen conjured a knight's longsword in his hand and threw it to the girl, "[Durandal], here you go."

As he spoke, Shi Hen's gaze, still fixed on the holy sword, held a hint of surprise.

When he borrowed the Holy Sword from Durandal, he was afraid that she would make all sorts of demands.

But the girl only asked a few simple questions before readily agreeing, so easily that even he found it somewhat unbelievable.

Unaware of the other's emotions, Durandal caught the holy sword, gently tracing its surface with her fingers, then suddenly looked up and asked, "Kevin, is he really that strong?"

"If you want to know, you can go find him yourself and try; I doubt he will refuse."

Shi Hen smiled and said.

"..."

Without answering, Durandal stared intently into the man's eyes, which were filled with a hazy white light.

Despite having been in the World Serpent for three months, she felt as if she hadn't really gotten to know [Welt White] at all.

The other person always treated everything in the world with an arrogant and frivolous attitude, and there was no exception when they were with her.

A sudden weight settled in her heart. Durandal raised her hand and summoned a crimson greatsword, saying in a deep voice, "Here you go, Phoenix Incinerator."

"Reason."

Upon seeing this, Shi Hen raised an eyebrow beneath his mask.

"I..."

With her mouth slightly open, Durandal couldn't help but feel a sense of bewilderment.

She didn't really understand why she had made such a move.

Despite the fact that she and Welt White are still enemies, she is extremely eager to defeat him.

But when Durandal heard the news of the opponent's defeat, the first thing she thought of was the Phoenix Incinerator in her hands.

If Welt White had used the Phoenix Incinerator in his fight against Kevin, Kevin would probably have won, right?

But... why would the other party rather carry the holy sword [Durandal] than this Divine Key?

The memories of Siegfried's battle, gleaned from the Phoenix Incinerator, surfaced in her mind one by one. Then, thinking of Kevin, who existed in the Elysian Realm, Durandal's eyes quickly hardened, and she said, "You once said that a sword becomes your weapon because only you can break it."

But for me, the reason a sword becomes my weapon is because...

As she spoke, the holy sword in Durandal's hand suddenly emitted a golden glow, coating the girl with a layer of shimmering golden armor.

And amidst the light, the Valkyrie's final words echoed:

"I am the weapon itself!"

She transformed back into her Starchasm Nyx form, and there was no longer the slightest hesitation in Durandal's eyes.

"As for the weapon itself, the Phoenix Incinerator is indeed very powerful, but it is not suitable for me."

With a deep voice, Durandal threw the greatsword in her hand directly at the white-haired man.

Having used this Divine Key several times, Durandal became even more certain that the Phoenix Incinerator could unleash power far exceeding her own in this guy's hands.

"I must admit you've indeed grown, being able to break free from the shackles of the Phoenix Incinerator, but..."

Speaking in a slightly more serious tone, Shi Hen waved his hand and tossed the Divine Key back to Durandal, "I don't need it either."

For him, the Phoenix Incinerator was powerful, but it couldn't compare to a promise he made to the white-haired girl.

Moreover, as he told Kevin, his sword was always the one that was right in his hand.

"..."

Looking at the Phoenix Incinerator that had returned to her hands, Durandal's expression instantly became complicated, with feelings of loss, frustration, and confusion appearing on the girl's face.

"I never intended to take back what I gave away."

"Do with this sword as you see fit. Throwing it away is your own business; it has nothing to do with me."

Ignoring the dejected Durandal, Shi Hen waved his hand and disappeared around a corner in a few steps.

"Throw it away..."

Seeing the white-haired man's resolute back, Durandal's delicate body trembled involuntarily.

Putting aside other matters, she could tell that the other party was serious because he didn't care about the Phoenix Incinerator.

In an instant, a wave of inexplicable sadness, as if she had been abandoned, surged up... Wait, why would she have such thoughts?

She quickly shook her head to stop the thought, Durandal turned and headed towards the Elysian Realm.

The girl firmly believed that all suffering stemmed from her own lack of strength.

She'll take down Welt White sooner or later and make him feel this pain too!

On the other side, not long after leaving the hall where she met Kevin, Mei stopped and looked at the network of passageways.

She increasingly felt that the World Serpent organization was absolutely terrible.

Didn't these guys even consider sending someone to guide her?

She didn't even know where she should go.

Just then, a beautiful figure dressed in a red and white Miko outfit suddenly appeared.

"Mei, it seems you need some help."

She spoke softly, a polite yet slightly embarrassed smile on Yae Sakura's face.

Having just managed to fool Kiana, now I have to guide Mei... If this keeps up, when will she ever be able to go back to the shrine as Miko?

"So, Miss Sakura, are you free now?"

With a slight upturn at the corners of her lips, Mei's eyes revealed a cunning smile, like that of a fox.

If it were before, she probably wouldn't have wanted to see Yae Sakura at all.

But now, she just wants to find out what the other party is up to and figure out what the World Serpent is really planning!

Only in this way can she better protect the boy.

Chapter Ninety-Three: Cocolia Under the Shadow of the Snake

Snap!

Peggy stamped and closed the last document of the day, glanced at the "23:36" on the digital clock beside her, and then stretched and got up.

Peggy glanced around at the spacious office that had once belonged to Cocolia, and a hint of loneliness crept into her eyes.

Despite joining the boy in a righteous act of betrayal against Cocolia, she genuinely regarded him as her mother.

Don't worry, Mom, I will inherit everything from you and take care of everyone at the orphanage in your place.

With a sigh in her heart, Peggy immediately turned off the light and left.

Not long after leaving the office area, Peggy soon spotted an ordinary-looking gray-haired loli in front of a door at the end of the corridor.

Bronya?

Peggy raised an eyebrow and a puzzled expression on her face.

"Peggy, do you work this late every day?"

Bronya handed the girl a bottle of white peach-flavored juice and asked indifferently.

"It's just that I've been busy these past few days."

As she spoke softly, Peggy skillfully swiped her card to open the door, and the unique garden scenery of Haiyuan City replaced the monotonous furnishings in the office area, presenting itself to the two of them.

"..."

Upon hearing this, Bronya paused.

As one of the people who experienced the event firsthand, she certainly understood why Peggy was so busy.

Walking silently alongside the girl among the corals and reefs, Bronya finally spoke slowly after a long while, "The autopsy report for my mother is out. Dr. Einstein and the others did indeed detect my mother's DNA in those ice shards."

Even with irrefutable witness testimony and physical evidence, Anti-Entropy will not compromise on certain necessary procedures.

Even though they knew that Welt White couldn't possibly be that bored, they still had to check to make sure no one was using strawberry ice cream to make up the numbers, right?

"... I see."

Upon hearing Bronya's report, Peggy simply nodded, her expression darkening slightly.

She was not surprised at all by this result.

Back when they met openly in Haiyuan City, the young man had used a single hair to completely recreate her body right in front of her, even down to the clothes, leaving her no chance to feel shy.

But for Einstein and others, the fact that they could detect Cocolia's DNA in those ice shards was enough to seal the fate of this Siberia Iron-Blooded Iron-Fisted Warlord.

After all, who would have thought that someone as arrogant as Welt White would go to such lengths just to fake Cocolia's death?

"Death" of an executor of Anti-Entropy, and then replacement with an Anti-Entropy Leader... How could Einstein and his team not have noticed this almost identical method at all?

As she thought about it, Peggy shook her head inwardly.

"Peggy, what do you think of Captain Hen?"

Bronya suddenly asked.

"What!?"

Peggy asked instinctively, her heart immediately leaping into her throat.

Bronya is always perceptive; could it be that she's discovered something between her and the boy...?

"In terms of power, aren't you the one closest to becoming the leader of the alliance right now?"

Bronya continued to ask, her gaze fixed on the girl's brown eyes.

If we don't count her and Seele, the two Herrscher, Peggy has become the person with the most power in Anti-Entropy after inheriting most of Cocolia's legacy.

After all, Cocolia has always been afraid of the shadow of [Welt White], so she has built a lot of mechs.

And now, all of these belong to Peggy.

Even though this succession was not secure, and many of Cocolia's former subordinates coveted the power, Peggy remained the only nominal leader.

"You mean this?"

Peggy breathed a sigh of relief.

"Um?"

Bronya blinked, puzzled.

Is there anything else?

"Nothing."