Sen...
Pai...
Sen...pai...
John opened his eyes and saw the silhouette of Mei, but the more the man woke up, the clearer the image became clear.
When the man woke up completely, instead of Mei's image, he was confronted with a woman with red hair.
John blinked in surprise at the unknown woman in front of him. He stood up, causing the woman to take a step back in surprise.
"You woke up with energy, how you feel?" The red-haired woman asked the man.
John noticed that the woman had her hair tied up and was wearing a tight-fitting futuristic-looking outfit.
It resembled Mei's outfit when the boy awakened his Stigma, but it was missing the horns on top of the head.
"Who are you?" John sat on the edge of the bed while yawning.
"Oh, sorry. It's just that I was asked to show you around the base," the woman scratched her head and looked to the side, embarrassed by the sudden introduction.
"My name is Murata Himeko, I'm in the first division at Jormungand," John looked at the woman in surprise, he remembered that he had joined the controversial organization; many considered them terrorists, but he had accepted an offer he couldn't refuse.
Himeko saw the man stretching, and she heard the sound of joints cracking.
"I'm John. I didn't expect they would send someone from the elite. I'm flattered," Himeko smiled at the man's comment.
"I wish I were, I still have a long way to go. Well, if you can follow me, please ?" Himeko walked to the door, and John noticed a device on her back, perhaps some kind of shield generator.
"All right, lead the way," John simply followed the woman.
As the two of them walked down the corridor, John noticed that the gray walls were covered in thick wiring.
"Looks like you noticed, too. They're generators. The base consumes a lot of energy, and this helps stabilize things around here," Himeko explained to John as she turned to look at him.
"I can't even imagine the cost..." Himeko sighed, thinking the same as John.
"Please don't ask. Lately, it's been giving us a headache. Our boss is trying to find a more efficient way to optimize it, but until that happens, it's going to be expensive," Himeko frowned, but what she said caught John's attention.
John remembered the masked man he had encountered on one of his missions. At first, John thought the man was crazy with a crazy idea that could lead to the extinction of humanity.
Look at him now, working alongside the people who were once his enemies.
"Grey Serpent..."
Himeko looked at John, "You know him? Mr. Grey doesn't usually reveal his name to people."
"You do know that Grey Serpent isn't his real name," John said with a scowl.
"I know that, but here, saying otherwise is considered blasphemy. Grey Serpent abandoned his name a long time ago, there's nothing in the records," Himeko continued walking while sighing, and John simply followed the woman.
"It's incredible what a religious belief can do to people, depending on the situation, it can be very effective," John noticed a corridor and stopped.
"I know... but in the end, when everything is finished, it will be worth it. Ragnarok... the end of everything, so that something new can be born," Himeko noticed that John had stopped and was looking down a specific corridor. He began to walk in a different direction.
"John?" He walked down the corridor, which made the woman follow him.
As they got closer to the end of the corridor, it seemed like the corridor's end was getting farther away, something unnatural...
After a while, the two reached the end of the corridor. They saw computers everywhere and a giant screen on the wall, with a video playing on it that caught John's attention.
Was Mei in the video?
John noticed that there was only one person in the vast room. The individual was wearing a hood, a mask, and had an umbrella on the floor beside them.
The person rewound and paused the video several times, as if trying to study something. John knew exactly what the video contained – it was the moment when Mei awakened his Stigma and underwent his transformation. The heiress of Raiden Industries had taken on an appearance reminiscent of Japanese Oni with two horns and two gigantic hands holding a massive sword. However, John still couldn't understand the revealing outfit that came with the transformation.
"I'm glad you decided to join us, Jonathan. You have no idea how important your integration into Jormungand is," the man said with a robotic voice that sometimes sounded normal and other times sounded robotic. Grey Serpent didn't turn to look at the two behind him; he remained focused on his work.
"I feel honored, but what are you doing, watching the heiress of Raiden Industries?" John asked cautiously, and Himeko noticed the tone in his voice.
"You and the boy used to work on the same team, didn't you? I took a bit of your blood while you were sleeping; I hope you don't mind," Grey Serpent picked up a tube containing John's blood and held it up to the light.
John grimaced, and a shiver ran down Himeko's spine.
"Well, you've already taken blood from my body," John grumbled.
"It's incredible. You are the complete opposite of your friend. Your ability to nullify the power granted by the Stigma is fantastic, as if the two of you were born to oppose each other," John noticed that Grey Serpent placed the container into a compartment, and John's genetic code appeared on the screen.
"You're essentially the natural predator of the Raiden heir. The entity that defies the heavens," John frowned, and Himeko noticed that the man's mood had worsened.
"So, basically, when the time comes, you want me to fight Mei?" John knew that one day this would happen, but he wished that day would never come.
"Not necessarily. You nullify Stigma users; you don't necessarily have to fight the heir. We have Kevin for that if necessary," John's eyes widened as he remembered the man.
John and Mei had encountered the white-haired man in Africa. Jormungand was extracting something unique to the area, so they were both sent to investigate. At the time, the difference in power was significant, and even today, John isn't sure if he would win – probably not.
John noticed that Grey Serpent was still talking; it seemed he had once again lost himself in his thoughts.
"You know, we've finally given names to the creatures. The beings that invaded are called Honkai, and those marked by the Stigma are Herrschers. It helps with organization," John wondered why it had taken so long for people to name the creatures.
"Well, let's not rush into things. After all, you've just joined the organization," Grey Serpent finally looked at the two people in the room.
"Himeko, show our new member the facilities," the man said, with his voice shifting between robotic and human.
"Of course, sir. John, come with me," Himeko waved and took John's hand, pulling him into the corridor.
"Oh, I almost forgot something," John and Himeko turned to look at Grey Serpent.
"Welcome to Jormungand."
Tale of the Red Oni and Blue Oni
-9-
Mei struggled to rise from the rubble, her clothes torn and some minor bruises covering her body. The Raiden heiress had no idea what had happened. One moment, everything was fine, and the next, hell had descended upon them.
The defenses of Hong Kong had crumbled under the massive onslaught of the Honkai, turning the world's safest city into a wasteland within minutes.
People were running for cover, screams echoed all around, and destruction was rampant.
Mei got up, tasting blood in her mouth.
"Professor Himeko? Bronya? Kiana? Fu Hua?" No one answered, leaving the Raiden heiress deeply concerned.
"Ouch…" Mei turned and saw Kiana on the ground, her back against the wall, with some rubble on top of her head.
"Kiana-chan!" Mei rushed to help the Kaslana girl to get up.
"Everything hurts...?!" Mei noticed some noises and pulled Kiana into a dirty alley, positioning her with her back against Mei's chest.
Kiana gently removed Mei's hand from her mouth.
"Mei...?!" Mei placed her hand over Kiana's mouth again, silencing her. A few seconds later, a Honkai creature floated slowly past the dirty and devastated alley.
A Psychic type?
Kiana stopped breathing, knowing it would be impossible to face these creatures without their gear and weapons.
More Honkai passed by the alley as if they were being drawn by something, behaving like zombies, a behavior not lost on Mei.
When the situation became safe, Mei released her hold on Kiana's mouth, who was starting to lose her breath.
"Why are the Honkai acting so strangely?"
"We need to find everyone. We can't fight in these conditions. Hopefully, Hong Kong should have some anti-Honkai weapons," the current situation reminded Mei of their escape from Nagazora, but on a much larger scale.
"Do you have any idea where the others might be, Kiana?" The Kaslana girl didn't answer, causing Mei to check on her.
"Kiana?" When Mei looked at the white-haired girl, she noticed that Kiana's face was turning purple.
?!
"You can breathe now!" Mei whispered with a hint of reprimand as she released Kiana's mouth.
Kiana started breathing again, and her face quickly returned to its normal color.
"Where's the little one? The last time I saw her, she was with Aunt Himeko and that guy; they said they were going to buy ice cream." Mei's eyes widened as Kiana spoke.
The chances of finding everyone together were high, making it easier to locate them. What worried Mei was whether everyone was still safe... No! Professor Himeko and Fu Hua were capable Valkyries, and Bronya had shown that she could take care of herself in Nagazora. They would all be fine.
"Mei, we need to go." Mei looked at Kiana and nodded.
"It's like Nagazora all over again..." Kiana turned to see Mei's hands trembling, the girl seemed lost in her thoughts.
Kiana held Mei's hand and began pulling her, snapping Mei back to reality.
"Kiana?" Kiana looked at Mei with a smile, a memory of Nagazora flashing in the mind of the Raiden heiress—Kiana pulling Mei's hand and protecting the girl.
"Let's go, no sadness, we have to find Bronya and the others. If we're lucky, we might even find that pervert," Mei winked as she was pulled through the devastated streets of Hong Kong.
A smile appeared on the heiress's face.
"You're right, we'll find everyone." Despite saying those words, a question lingered in Mei's mind.
"Of course, that's what Kaslanas do: save and protect." Kiana displayed a wide and cheerful smile, which made Mei smile back.
"Alright." Mei looked up at the sky and saw Honkai creatures hovering above.
"I wonder if Mr. John is okay..."
-9-
A group of people rushed through the inside of a building, forced to enter the devastated structure to hide from the Honkai. The creatures seemed to be following them, and it wasn't in a natural way; Himeko had never seen anything like it.
"Fu Hua, how is she?" The Chinese girl was carrying Bronya in her arms, and the Russian girl's head was wrapped in a torn piece of cloth from Himeko's clothing, with a bit of blood seeping through.
"She's stable; the bleeding has stopped... How's Mr. John?" Fu Hua carried Bronya bridal-style. Looking at Himeko, who had John's arm over her shoulder, she was struggling as his feet dragged on the ground.
When the invasion began, they were caught off guard by a Honkai in the form of a Crow attacking. John pushed Bronya out of the way of the attack and was struck by the Honkai's claws, sending him crashing into the wall, shattering it and causing him to collide with several buildings and houses. Fu Hua was surprised that he was still alive.
Himeko initially tried to carry John bridal-style, as Fu Hua was doing with Bronya. However, Himeko couldn't lift him for some reason...
Heavy? Too Heavy...
Himeko was surprised; John was heavier than he appeared. Valkyries had superhuman strength due to Honkai energy absorption, but even with their unnatural strength, Himeko couldn't lift him—she could only carry him with difficulty.
"I don't know... the blow he took wasn't a joke... I'm worried, Fu Hua." The man's chest had been cut by the Honkai's claws.
"I...careful!" A Honkai was in the corridor ahead, which made Himeko and Fu Hua leap into a room, causing them to fall on top of each other. The door to the room was broken.
"Are you kidding me? Why are they following us?" Himeko pulled John with difficulty and placed him beside her. Fu Hua sat next to Himeko, checking on Bronya.
Still stable...
The Biologic type Honkai passed by slowly and stopped in front of the room.
Himeko's eyes widened in fear.
If it enters here, we're dead!
Fu Hua picked up a stone from the ground and tossed it through the hole in the room, grabbing the Honkai's attention.
Seizing the opportunity, the group left the room, trying to make no noise at all.
Successfully leaving the building, they passed through the debris of two buildings that had collapsed against each other.
"Himeko..." the red-haired Valkyrie looked at John in surprise.
"John!" Himeko saw the man looking exhausted, staring at the ground.
"Leave me here... you'll have a better chance..." John received a slap to the face, which made Fu Hua widen her eyes.
"Professor Himeko, what are you doing?" Fu Hua shouted at the Valkyrie, while John raised his head slowly, looking at the woman.
Himeko held John's shoulders tightly, and from her expression, it was clear she was angry.
"Are you kidding me?! Who do you think I am to leave someone under my responsibility behind? I'm not a Valkyrie who sacrifices someone to save another. We're all going to make it back alive, do you understand me?" Himeko grabbed the torn collar of John's shirt, causing him to look her in the eyes.
...
John averted his gaze, looking guilty.
"I'm sorry... I'll do my best to help, even in this condition." John gently removed Himeko's hand from his shirt and used the wall to help him stand.
"I think that's better. No one's going to die under my watch." Himeko helped John stand by leaning against the wall.
Bronya saw John's condition and felt bad. The Russian girl tugged at Fu Hua's arm, getting the Chinese girl's attention.
"Can you put Bronya down, please?" Fu Hua gently placed the girl on the ground.
"Bronya won't be useless; Bronya will walk on her own two feet." Himeko smiled at the girl's determination. Bronya looked at the man and then back at Himeko.
"Bronya is a person of her word; I will keep my promise, Mr. John." John sighed, realizing that the girl wouldn't give up.
"Well, it's time to find Kiana and Mei and get out of here," Himeko helped John stand up.
"We should head for the anti-Honkai facilities. The likelihood of finding weapons there is high," Fu Hua said, taking off her broken glasses and tossing them to the ground.
"Bronya agrees with the class representative's plan," the Russian girl nodded in agreement with Fu Hua.
Himeko smiled and looked at John.
"Lead the way." John said with a tired smile.
"So it's a plan; let's get the weapons and find Kiana and Mei." Himeko smiled as she looked at the devastated area.
I hope the girls are okay…
-9-
Two girls ran through the rubble-filled streets of Hong Kong, hiding from the Honkai creatures that appeared. Kiana held Mei's hand as they ran, and for the Raiden girl, everything that was happening reminded her a lot of Nagazora.
"Grrr, I miss my weapons..." Kiana said, leaning against a wall with Mei. The Kaslana girl had trained in katas focused on firearms, and in a situation like this, she felt useless without her weapons.
"Why don't we head to the banks? It would be much safer there," Kiana said aloud, not really asking anyone in particular.
Mei shook her head in disagreement. "Once the banks close, they won't reopen until the Honkai threat is gone," Mei explained. She released Kiana's hand, which didn't go unnoticed by the white-haired girl.
"So, we're stuck here... and we still have to find the others..." Kiana murmured while biting her nail on one of her fingers.
Mei surveyed the area and noticed it was safe for the moment. "Let's go; it's our chance," Mei urged. Kiana followed her, and they climbed up a destroyed building to get a better view of what was happening.
The city was in ruins and ablaze, with Honkai everywhere, and no sign of the others. "Can you see anything useful, Kiana?" Kiana frowned in frustration.
"No, I don't see anything, just rubble... wait." Kiana looked down from the building they were on and saw something that caught her attention.
"Kiana?" Mei looked at what Kiana was staring at, and her eyes widened. Himeko, Fu Hua, Bronya, and John were directly below them. Mei noticed a larger-than-average Biologic type Honkai creature approaching the group, and they were cornered with no escape.
"We have to help them!" Mei shouted in concern, but Kiana had already done something.
What?
"Kiana!" Mei watched as Kiana leaped from the building and, as she fell, prepared a powerful kick. If Kiana landed the kick without her armor, the chances of her bones shattering from the impact were enormous.
While falling, the Kaslana girl extended her leg as far as possible to the point where her foot touched the creature's face.
"I won't let my friends get hurt; it's what the Kaslanas do, even if there's someone I don't like among them... I will protect them!" Kiana thought.
"All right... I'll lend you a hand, after all, I don't want to feel the pain of a broken foot."
Kiana's right eye turned a bright yellow color, displaying symbols, and she felt an enormous surge of energy coursing through her. She felt like she could knock down an entire building with a single kick.
"Damn, we're lucky..." Himeko said as she slowly backed up until her back touched the wall.
"The survival chances are 0.001%," Bronya, who stood behind Fu Hua, moved forward to shield her.
"Bronya... I don't think this is the right time," John said, standing beside Fu Hua.
Fu Hua glanced back, wondering if she should seek help from the Herrscher of Sentience, but it wasn't necessary as the group heard a familiar battle cry.
"NEKO CHARM!"
?!
A Kiana fell from the sky, landing a powerful blow on the Honkai head, causing it to be crushed and the ground to break.
Kiana's chest heaved as her right eye returned to normal. She turned to face the group, gave them a thumbs-up, and flashed a smile.
"The Kaslana heroine is here to save the day; don't worry, I'll protect everyone!" Her triumphant entrance left everyone blinking in surprise.
Himeko blinked and smiled at Kiana. "You arrived just in time, Tuna... thank you."
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but Bronya is happy to see Kiana," the Kaslana girl noticed that Bronya didn't call her "subject" or "idiot."
Kiana turned to John and Fu Hua. John opened his mouth to speak.
"Thank you..." Kiana blinked when John thanked her in Japanese. His pronunciation was slow and quite bad, but Kiana saw that he thanked her sincerely.
Kiana's cheeks turned red. "It's better to thank the great Kiana, Heroine of , and S-Rank Valkyrie!" She crossed her arms and turned her blushing face away.
John raised an eyebrow, not understanding much of what Kiana said, but decided to smile, which only intensified Kiana's embarrassment.
A shout caught the group's attention and made them look up.
"Hey! Is everyone okay? Is anyone hurt?" They saw Mei on top of the building.
"Mei-Senpai, did you see my entrance?" Kiana said with a smile, making Mei smile at her spirited friend.
"Well... we should get going; it's still not safe here," Fu Hua said, eyeing the dead Honkai on the ground.
Himeko agreed. The longer they stayed, the harder it would be to leave.
"Mei, come down from there; we're leaving!" Mei blinked as she realized the situation. The place was quite high up, and she wasn't sure how to descend.
"How do I get down, Professor Himeko..." Mei whispered to herself.
-9-
"Mei-Senpai, over here!" Kiana waved to the Raiden heiress, with everyone waiting for Mei.
"I'm on my way..." Mei was sweating and breathing heavily, exhausted from her descent. It had been quite an experience, and Mei had never realized how difficult these things were without her Valkyrie suit.
"You took quite a while, Mei-Senpai," Kiana approached her with a smile.
"So, what did you think of my phenomenal entrance?" Mei looked up at Kiana with narrowed eyes.
"Eh?" Kiana didn't like the way Mei was looking at her.
"Kiana! Never do something like that again; you could have broken your bones!" Mei scolded her, and Kiana simply shrunk and intertwined her fingers, looking at the ground in embarrassment.
"But... my entrance..." Kiana said, a rain cloud of sadness metaphorically hovering above her head.
"No 'buts'..." Mei stopped and noticed something that sent a chill down her spine.
The Raiden girl looked at John and saw the deplorable state he was in—numerous bruises and some deep cuts on his chest. Himeko was helping him walk since John didn't have the strength to do so on his own.
...
Senpai?!
Senpai?!
Mei rushed toward Himeko and John, making Kiana step aside to avoid being run over.
"What happened to you?!" Mei shouted, causing John and Himeko to take a step back in surprise. Fu Hua flinched at the volume of Mei's voice.
John simply shrank back from the girl's voice. Mei was speaking in Japanese, which John didn't understand, but even without understanding the words, he could tell that the girl was worried about him.
...
This isn't right... you shouldn't know me... why are you acting as if you're... Mei...
"Mei, don't speak so loudly. You might attract attention," Fu Hua said, causing everyone to look at her.
Mei blinked in surprise and tried to calm down.
"It was Bronya's fault. John decided to take the Honkai's attack instead of Bronya..." Mei looked at Bronya, who was staring at the ground.
"Bronya-chan..." Mei noticed that the Russian girl felt guilty and decided to console her.
"It's okay, Bronya. It wasn't your fault. Let's not dwell on it and focus on getting out of here." Bronya felt Mei's hand ruffle her hair and looked up to see Mei smiling at her.
Bronya nodded.
"Right, big sister." Bronya smiled back at Mei.
"What do you think, should we look for weapons or just go back?" Himeko looked at John and put her hand on her chin, deep in thought.
Everyone is already gathered, so I don't see any reason to stay. Of course, it would be difficult to leave without any weapons to protect ourselves, but it's even riskier to venture through the city to search... Theresa must already be informed about what's happening, so I shouldn't worry about the people in the banks... It's not like I have any way to help them in this state...
If only the communicator was working...
Himeko looked at the broken device on her wrist and sighed.
"Professor Himeko, I think the best choice is to return and request reinforcements." Fu Hua's words resonated with Himeko, and she realized that they had no other viable option in their current situation.
"Let's go back to St. Freya." Everyone looked at Himeko and nodded in agreement.
The group moved through the city, hiding when Honkais passed through the destroyed streets of Hong Kong, with the hope of finding a ship to leave the city.
The Honkai airspace was infested with Honkais, which was not a natural occurrence. It seemed like these creatures were searching for something.
The journey was long and exhausting, and it felt like they were hardly making any progress. The slow pace was becoming unbearable.
Kiana was growing frustrated, and she took the opportunity to reflect on their situation.
Hong Kong had turned into a mirror image of Nagazora.
Kiana remembered when she first arrived in the city. It was all in ruins, with zombies everywhere, and Mei Raiden was about to jump from a building. Kiana had arrived just in time to stop Mei from doing something reckless.
Since that day, the two girls had become best friends.
Well, there was also Bronya in the story, but Kiana didn't want to ruin her good memories with that brat.
But something bothered Kiana. This time, Mei seemed to be more concerned about someone else than herself or Bronya... She was worried about John...
Kiana didn't know how to feel about the man. John seemed like a stranger to her, as if he were hiding something, which only fueled her suspicion.
But Kiana had to admit that the man wasn't a bad person...
Kiana was interrupted from her thoughts when she heard someone shout in her direction. She turned and saw John running toward her.
What is this pervert doing?
?!
Shove
Kiana was pushed, and for a moment, everything seemed to slow down.
He pushed me?!
What?!
?!
Kiana was shocked when something struck John in the back. It looked like giant claws made of marble.
Everything was in slow motion.
Kiana saw the expression of pain on the man's face, which only made the Kaslana girl widen her eyes in surprise.
He took the attack for me? Why? Even though I treated him the way I did, why did he do that?
Why?
Why?
WHY?!
Kiana's mouth opened, and as she fell, a cry of agony escaped her.
"JOHN!"
The man was dragged by the claws until he hit a building, and the building collapsed onto his body as the Honkai flew to the top of another building and opened its wings. More Honkais appeared, attracted by the Alpha's cry.
"John?!" The girls screamed, but they couldn't do anything as they were attacked by the Honkais.
Kiana stood still while the girls tried to survive, dodging and running to avoid being hit. But Kiana just stood there, staring at the spot where John had been thrown.
"What are you doing, Kiana?!" Himeko's shout snapped Kiana out of her trance.
?!
In the blink of an eye, the Kaslana girl ran, dodging the Honkais' attacks, toward the building where the man had been.
"Kiana?!" Mei shouted, trying to follow the girl but being interrupted by a plasma beam fired from the beak of the Crow-shaped Honkai.
"Mei, this isn't the time to be reckless!" Fu Hua said as she assumed a fighting stance, firmly planted her feet, and attacked a Psychic-type Honkai with an open palm. As her palm connected with the Honkai, a spherical energy appeared in Fu Hua's hand, sending the creature flying.
Mei looked at Kiana and then at the group and decided to stay with the girls.
Please, Kiana... know what you're doing...
-9-
What is this idiot thinking?!
The Kaslana girl ran desperately toward the rubble, dodging the Honkais' attacks and reaching the building.
Upon arriving at the scene, Kiana coughed a bit from the smoke. As she moved around the area, she noticed that some beams had fallen in a certain spot. When the smoke cleared, Kiana saw someone trapped under the debris.
John!
Kiana rushed to the man and tried to lift the rubble, but it was too heavy.
...
He's not... dead... is he?!
The debris was too heavy, something that a normal person wouldn't survive, not even a Valkyrie...
Kiana's hands went to her own face as a look of despair appeared on her.
What have you done?!
Why did you do this?!
We don't get along, so why?!
...
WHY?!
Kiana fell to her knees and watched John, covered in blood.
"Gr..." Kiana's eyes looked at the man with hope.
You're not going to die here before answering me!
-9-
John opened his eyes and saw Kiana, tears streaming down her face, trying to lift the rubble that had him trapped.
He heard Kiana yelling at him, but he couldn't comprehend her words. He felt indifferent, wondering why she was wasting her time on him. After all, she probably despised him, and they were practically strangers.
"Why are you wasting your time on me? You hate me, and we barely even know each other," John thought.
"Just go away and leave me here. After what I've done, I deserve this."
John slowly closed his eyes as he listened to Kiana's tearful voice.
Darkness.
That's all John saw.
So, this is the end...
But instead of darkness, John found himself in a highly technological base, where a girl looked at him.
"Oh, you must be John. I've been assigned to be your partner," the girl said with enthusiasm.
She approached him with a smile on her face and slightly bent down to get a better look at him.
"I'm Kiana Kaslana. Please take care of me, John-Senpai."
And that was the day John met Kiana at the Jormungand lunar base.
...
John's eyes opened again, and the first thing he saw was Kiana, desperate to free him from the rubble, crying and yelling at him.
"John!" Kiana shouted.
No!
You might not be the Kiana I knew, but I still promised to take care of you, you little brat!
John began to rise with difficulty, an immense weight pressing down on his back.
He placed his hands on the beam above him and started pushing.
The man's biceps began to tear, blood dripping down, leaving Kiana wide-eyed in surprise.
His shirt started to rip apart from the strain.
"Grrr... Haaaaaaaa," John groaned as he lifted the weight of the collapsed building off his shoulders and emerged from the rubble.
In the same exhausted state, he collapsed.
Kiana swiftly caught him as he fell, both of them landing on the ground together.
John's bloodied face found itself cushioned on something soft and familiar.
Kiana cradled the unconscious man in her arms.
John felt someone embracing him as everything faded to black. Perhaps it was the loss of blood, but to be honest... he didn't care.
All he wanted now was to sleep on this soft thing, whatever it was...
-9-
The situation wasn't good... it was really bad...
The girls were surrounded and had no way to defend themselves, only to flee. Fu Hua was showing signs of exhaustion, the consecutive use of her Chi had drained her rapidly.
What should I do... I don't know what to do...
Himeko's heart began to beat faster, which was a bad sign.
...Not now, please, not now...
Himeko clutched her chest tightly, experiencing pain. Her illness had struck at the worst possible moment.
Himeko dropped to her knees, coughing up blood. The Crimson Valkyrie heard someone shouting in her direction.
"Professor Himeko!" Himeko looked towards the source of the shout and saw Fu Hua trying to warn her, but it was too late.
Himeko was struck by a beam of light in her chest, causing her to collapse on the ground, blood spilling out profusely.
She glanced upwards and saw the Honkai in the form of a Raven on top of the building.
Her mouth was filled with blood, and her vision started to darken. Himeko felt her heart stop beating and heard the screams of her students.
Damn... it looks like this is the end...
I'm sorry, girls... I tried my best...
I wanted to be a better instructor...
I'm sorry...
Aunt Himeko... I'll become... the greatest... Valkyrie...
Thank you... for giving me a second chance... even after what I did in Nagazora...
Stop calling me a dwarf... Himeko...
Himeko heard voices of people she knew. When she opened her eyes, the Crimson Valkyrie found herself surrounded by white.
She looked around but couldn't see anyone.
Examining her own body, Himeko realized she was naked.
"Are you going to give up now?"
Himeko turned and saw a white silhouette that bore a striking resemblance to her own appearance.
"Who are you..." the voice spoke again, asking.
"Are you really going to give up?" Himeko's eyes widened in surprise.
Himeko looked down in doubt.
"I tried my best, but it wasn't enough..." the being in front of Himeko merely scoffed.
"I wasn't born to be a Valkyrie... but I kept trying anyway...
"What a disappointment, then all the time I invested in you was in vain," Himeko looked at the being in surprise.
"Who are you? And why do you care?!" Himeko shouted in fury as her core raced.
"..."
"I'll ask you again, Murata Himeko. Throughout your life, you've fought against death and shown more determination than anyone. So... are you really going to give up?"
Himeko paused and looked around, voices of her students shouting her name caught her attention, but there was no one around.
Himeko's heart was racing.
She looked at the being covered in white with its form, and she heard Theresa's voice.
"Congratulations, Himeko. You became a Valkyrie... make me proud..."
Theresa...
Even in my current situation, you always supported me becoming a Valkyrie... following my dreams... protecting people...
Himeko's heart beat even faster and harder as she looked at the figure in front of her.
"No!" The being in front of Himeko smiled.
"No, I won't give up! It's not the first time I've been in a life-threatening situation, and it won't be the last..."
"Oh... interesting," but something caught the attention of the individual covered in white.
"I'm responsible for some children. Who am I to leave them in a situation like this? I'll protect them even in death, I'll protect them. I'll keep fighting."
"No matter if my body is destroyed, because that's my duty!" Himeko said with a smile.
The being began to smile, which turned into laughter.
"HahahaHahahahahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, That's right, Murata Himeko! That's how you speak! That determination, that uncontrollable flame, hahahaHahaha. Magnificent! Beautiful! All the time I've invested in you was worth it! I will help you..." The form of the individual began to change until it resembled Himeko's appearance.
?!
"From this moment on, we will fight together. Listen to my words, the words of the Herrscher of Flamescion."
-9-
Fu Hua tried her best to protect the girls, but she reached her limit, delivering the final blow, the Chinese girl fell exhausted.
Maybe the battle was lost; it wasn't something they could win. Perhaps with some help...
"Come on, you idiot, let me out... you know you need me!" The Herrscher of Sentience shouted at Fu Hua, and to be honest, the girl was close to accepting it.
Mei looked at the ground where she was standing while holding Bronya, trying to protect the girl.
"Let's go, spoiled little girl, I can end this in the blink of an eye. You're weak, and I'm strong. Be grateful that I'm connected to you..." The Herrscher of Thunder took advantage of the vulnerable situation to take control of the heiress, but...
?!
An explosion caught everyone's attention. The girls looked and saw a pillar of flames.
?!
Himeko stood there with wings made of fire on her back. Mei's eyes widened; Himeko's wings resembled those of the Herrscher of Thunder in Nagazora.
Himeko looked at the Honkais and extended her hand, while fire consumed each of the Honkais.
Bronya, Fu Hua, and Mei watched as Himeko began to ascend into the sky while looking at the Honkai in the form of a Crow on top of the building.
Kiana inside the building saw Himeko's wings.
Himeko simply snapped her fingers, causing the flames to consume the Honkai.
Himeko looked at the destroyed city and snapped her fingers again.
A tsunami of fire swept through the entire city, killing all the Honkais in the blink of an eye.
The girls watched the crimson valkyrie coming towards them; she shone like a star in the sky.
Himeko turned to the girls and smiled.
Everything was burning.
That day, everyone witnessed the power of the Herrscher of Flamescion.
-A-
Author,
Indeed, despite different circumstances, it seems they are destined to always come together, no matter where they are. The group will always be united, even in other places...