Project Asgard: Viking Assault Unit

by Dasmara

Definitely an AU. The Vikings are the new card in Schicksal's hands to complement the Valkyries in the endless Honkai War, they will wear the best armor, receive the best training, and Schicksal expect only the best result in return. Follow one of the recruits, Ryan Taurus, as he train to be a worthy Viking and build his legend...and perhaps, stealing Valkyrie hearts along the way.

2. The Slice of Life

The armory was full with Vikings preparing for their exercise, everyone was packing their weapons, ammo, equipment and other necessary supplies. Ryan glanced at the people within the room, most of them looked laidback but some were looking tensed. Ryan immediately recognized them as people who were new to this kind of business, but incredibly gifted. The young man thought that this exercise will do them good, letting them get a taste of combat without being actually thrown into the real thing.

…Ryan recounted the briefing they had, just fifteen minutes ago. Theresa, Victoria and Himeko briefed the Vikings regarding what they will be doing for this exercise. The location was the forest that belongs to St. Freya Academy, a place where they did their survival training. That's the place for this exercise, and the enemy combatants? They were solid hologram being projected by mini drones. The drones will project hostile infantry that can shoot out non-lethal energy projectile, getting hit by one would excruciate someone and paralyze them. There's been an occasion where people could continue despite being shot by one, but that's a rare occurrence.

The objective for this exercise was to hold down the area and execute numerous missions within the area of operation. There were three primary objective the Vikings had to accomplish, and more might come if Theresa feels like adding some. The first was to retake a communication station located on top of the mountain near them, the facility was heavily defended by infantries and the insertion aircraft can't get close without getting shot down. It's up to the Vikings to commence ground assault and secure the station, then they need to bring it online so they can establish communication with headquarters.

The second one was to find and rescue stranded Valkyries, they were shot down and in need of reinforcement. Get them out of the mountain and the mission could be considered a success, that was all about it. The last objective was to find and secure data canister ejected by a Schicksal floating frigate before they 'exploded' from encountering unknown entity, this data might explain their demise and Schicksal need it as soon as possible or there will be more casualties for their other ships as they remain vulnerable.

In a sense, this was not just a test for the Vikings as a unit, it's a hard test for Ryan personally as he is their leader. Twenty Vikings, three high risk missions, what would he do? Will he split the Vikings or will he focus on one mission at a time? Problem being, all of the missions were basically timed missions, except for the communication station. The Valkyries were in need of reinforcement quickly, or they could die from being overwhelmed.

The data canister could prevent hundreds or even thousands more casualties from happening if they know how to counter it. It's up to Ryan to divide his men to complete the missions, and he's going to have a hard time doing it. He only vaguely knew what his men were capable off, whether they can be trusted or not to do their job. But he got no choice, he needed to divide them or they won't be able to get the missions done quickly.

"Hey, you okay?" Han asked Ryan as he walked by.

"Huh? Oh, yeah" Ryan answered him.

"…Nervous too? Well, can't say any of us don't. Maybe Gin" Han said to Ryan.

"I heard that and it is untrue" Gin responded from the side.

"Oh, well, guess we are all nervous…Still, got to do our best, right?" Han asked Ryan while he smiled.

"Right. Got your gear?" Ryan asked Han.

"Right here. I don't get it though; we are told to set up a base while the missions could technically be solved within a day" Han commented as he sorted his packed equipment.

"That's the missions we have to complete, the original one remains. We are to hold a position for six days, then bail out, while accomplishing the missions too. It's going to be tough" Ryan said to Han while he frowned.

"Why do we need to hold the area for six whole days?" Han asked Ryan further.

"My bet is to hold the ground while waiting for further reinforcement can be assembled" Ryan answered Han as he grabbed a heavily modified G46 Assault Rifle.

"Make sense. Alright, I think all of us are done with our preparation" Han said out loud as he stared at the other Vikings.

"Gather around!" Ryan said out loud.

Everyone gathered near the middle as they looked at Ryan who stood up and stared back at them. They dressed in their tracksuit instead of BDU, since the Vikings don't have one yet. But other than tracksuit, they were carrying military grade rig, combat helmet, tactical gloves, pads for elbows alongside knees and tactical boots. They also had other straps or attachment on them, such as pistol holster, magazine pouch, trauma kit, knife sheath and multipurpose pouch.

All of them also carried standardized weapon with them, the general infantry carried G46 Rifle, the marksmen carried CM21 DMR, the machine-gunners carried DMGM8 Machine Gun, the snipers carried H27 Sniper Rifle with some shouldering a Brune Launcher and everyone had USP as their sidearm. All of them used the same weapon so ammo sharing won't be a problem, it was Han's idea based on his experience searching for ammo in exclusion zone.

"…Listen up boys. I know that we are practically greenhorns, despite our experience and training. We haven't been tested in actual combat, as actual unit. This will be our first trial, a baptism by fire, so they said…We haven't known each other well, we might even wary about one another. But out there? You have to cast those feelings aside. Despite being training, we are putting our lives and backs with each other. As your commander, I ask you to believe in me. I ask you to believe in your teammates. I will not give you an order that I am not willing to do myself, believe in that when I give a command to all of you…Say a prayer if that's your way, steel yourself and let's get this exercise done. You get me, Vikings?" Ryan gave a short speech.

"""""""""""""""""""We get you, sir!""""""""""""""""""" The Vikings collectively responded.

"Excellent! Pick up your bags and let's move out! Valhalla awaits!" Ryan said out loud.

Valhalla awaits, a sentence for the Vikings before they're about to deploy. A sign of them dedicating their lives for their duty, a sign of their commitment to see things through…The Vikings marched out of the armory and into the field where they could see an Albatross Heavy Dropship, an aircraft big enough to carry a hundred people and several vehicles.

Equipped with four powerful engines, the aircraft is also heavily armored that its quite resistant against projectile attacks. However, it does not have any weapons save for automated defense turret around its hulls to deter infantry and light vehicles threat, or used to clear the landing zone from them. The main hatch located on the backside lowered down and formed a ramp, twenty Vikings immediately boarded the vehicle and find their seat.

Once the flight crew confirmed the Vikings were on board, they piloted the vehicle to the drop zone which was five minutes flight away from their school. The flight was filled with silence, the Vikings were nervous and many of them chose to ready themselves silently. Most weren't nervous about being in combat later, they were nervous about working together as a unit. Because many were former solo survivors, it's a bit hard to shook off their habits and fight together as a unit. They had to trust that their training took care of that, to let them work well together.

"Horizon One to Viking Actual, weather's not looking good kid. You're gonna have to rappel down with strong wind, no space to land this big girl around here" The pilot informed Ryan on the radio.

"Actual here, copy that. Alright, strong wind is around us! We'll have to rappel down carefully or risk several meters drop! Line it up, we're approaching the drop zone!" Ryan answered the pilot before he informed his fellow Vikings.

The dropship hovered above their landing zone, the rear hatch lowered itself and two ropes were thrown down. One by one, the Vikings rappelled down and ran for nearby cover or concealment around the area. Rocks, trees, bushes, whatever...Gin and Han rappelled down before Ryan followed them, the three of them were the last one down on the ground. Ryan looked up and moved his right hand in circles, signaling the dropship to wave off. The large dropship engaged its thrusters and flew out of the area, they had completed their task.

"Anyone hurt?" Ryan asked out loud.

"None so far, boss" One of the Vikings, James, replied to Ryan.

"Alright...Han, Gin, James, on me" The four boys immediately moved toward Ryan.

"Right, what now?" Han asked Ryan.

"We're dividing into four team, each of us leads one. I'm in charge of Alpha, Han, you're on Beta. Gin, you're Gamma. James, you're on Zeta. The objective is as follows...Alpha will be going with me to the crash site, Han will be going with Beta to the compound, Gin will be going to search for the data canister. And James, you and Zeta will set up our base...Do this quickly and we might get cozy when the sun is setting later, clear?" Ryan briefed his teammates.

"Alright" "Clear" "Got it" The three boys responded to him.

"Let's move out. Alpha, on me!" Ryan said out loud.

Four young men approached Ryan, the members of Alpha Team that were led by Ryan himself. The first one was a big young man with black hair named Igor, he's the machine gunner plus explosive expert. Second one was brown haired young man named Agus, he is their marksman. Third one was the blonde haired Michael, he is their tech specialist. And lastly was Grey, their brunette field medic. Honestly, Ryan still knew jackshit about these boys. But they suited his parameter for a squad, and that's why he picked them. The members would most likely to interchange too, so he better get used to leading them.

"Right boys, I don't think we need to hold a get to know session. Work together, no bullshit. We're in this together, I won't order you to do things that I won't do myself. We clear on that or any of you got a question for me?" Ryan asked the young men around him.

"Just one, will you get us killed?" Agus asked Ryan while he smirked.

"Nah, not the sacrificial type so you can rest easy. If there's no more question, let's move out, we're burning sunshine. Agus, you take point. Igor, you take rear guard" Ryan stated then ordered his men while he smiled.

"Roger" "Da" Agus and Igor responded.

Without any more words, Alpha Team set out for their destination which was the crashed transport craft. They're the last team to leave their drop zone, and their destination was technically the farthest as well...They walked to their destination while being on constant alert, trekking through the forest as their eyes scanned the tree lines for any signs of threat. Their eyes constantly moved, their index finger hover above the trigger and their feet shuffled as quietly as they could move. No words were spoken during the journey, it'll only give themselves away.

Ryan shifted his large backpack and let his rifle dangled for a bit, something he shouldn't do as a combatant in hostile area. The young man internally cussed as he quickly gripped his weapon once again, it looked like he still need some time to get rid of his old habit as survivor. The young man noted that the forest themed with life as birds chirped around them, some small animals like rabbit and forest cat could be seen observing the passing team from bushes...It was serene, relaxing, therapeutic even. But he couldn't afford to let his guard down, ambush could be just around the corner...

"Actual, this is 02" Han contacted Ryan on the radio.

"I read you" Ryan answered the radio call.

"We're making some progress but noticed that our path is too clean, there are no patrols or hostile on standby whatsoever" Han reported on the radio.

"Same case with us. Just keep going and react accordingly to the situation, Actual out" Ryan advised Han on the radio.

Not a moment too soon from that call, they heard the sound of battle from afar. Explosions and gunfire, they could roughly guess that the fight was to their northwest, which was a place where their objective was located. Ryan signaled the team to double time it, and they proceeded to run toward their objective as fast as they could. It took them three minutes, but they arrived just right on time. Ryan saw tracers flying in the distance and they're coming from a downed transport helicopter, it didn't look damaged but it could be because this was just an exercise.

The young man could hear some voices shouting orders, a girl and he concluded that it's the Valkyries. The five of them kept their heads down as they shifted through some bushes, they kept doing that until they saw a (pretend) crashed Pegasus transport helicopter in the distance between the trees. They found one of their objectives, however a problem came up. The dropship was under siege by several Honkai beasts, there were three Chariot Honkai Beasts firing at the helicopter. It was simulated so the aircraft didn't really blow up, regardless Ryan concluded that they shouldn't waste time. They were being graded, and their response might determine their final score.

"Agus, what do you think?" Ryan asked Agus as they took a knee next to one another.

"Three Chariot class and our dear Valkyries doesn't really fight back, they must be wounded or incapacitated" Agus remarked as he observed the scene.

"Or dead" Igor added in.

"Yeah, but this is exercise so I ruled that one out. That being said, we're going to need a fuckton of firepower to down those three beasts...We do have a Brune Launcher, but we do not have Honkai Eliminator Warhead" Agus told Ryan while he frowned.

"...Alright, we got to work with the Valkyries on this one. They're the ones who have the firepower, so we'll go in there to check their status. Once we got confirmation, we'll wing it from there" Ryan explained the plan to his squadmates.

"First order and you're winging it already? Doesn't exactly inspire confidence there" Michael commented as he checked his rifle.

"No plan survives the first contact intact. Agus, take aim on one of the Chariot and blast its head when I give the word. Then you relocate and wait for it to respond. Igor, you escort him, make sure his back is secure. Michael, Grey, you two are with me. We're going to the dropship, clear?" Ryan ordered his squadmates.

""""Clear!"""" They responded in unison.

"Good...Move it out!" Ryan commanded his men.

Ryan, Michael and Grey immediately sprinted toward the helicopter, they made sure that they remained concealed from the Chariot Honkai Beasts. Igor and Agus got into firing position; Agus then shouldered the Brune Launcher that he carried. Igor took out a high explosive round, opened the rear breech, shoved the round in, closed it, locked it and tapped Agus' helmet once to signal him. Agus nodded his head as he peered through the x4 scope, he ran calculations within his head as he prepared to shoot.

"In position, waiting on you, Actual" Agus reported on the radio.

"Yup! We're working on it!" Ryan responded on the radio.

PSIUUUUUU!

BAMM!

"Son of a bitch, they spotted us!" Michael cussed as one of the energy beams passed above their heads.

"Keep going and don't stop! Agus, now's a good time!" Ryan told them on the radio.

"Roger, firing...Target hit, minimal damage" Agus reported on the radio.

"Fuck! Stand down, conserve your ammo!" Ryan ordered on the radio.

PSIUUUUUU!

"Don't stop or we're overdone toast!" Ryan said out loud.

"The transport's right hatch is open; I suggest we enter through there!" Grey suggested to Ryan as they keep running.

"Good idea! Valkyries! Vikings inbound from the right hatch!" Ryan shouted to alert the girls.

The three young men sprinted past several trees before they arrived on the transport's right side, they caught their breath for a few seconds before they looked into the aircraft from outside. Inside the helicopter, there were five Valkyries and three of them were incapacitated. The other two were seated on the chairs as they held their arms with grimaced expression adorning their faces, the situation wasn't looking good in the slightest. Grey took initiative by approaching the two girls, he immediately inspected them for wounds and injuries.

"Took you guys awhile" One of the seated Valkyries commented.

"Sorry, got held up a bit. What's the situation?" Ryan asked her.

"As you can see, we're not looking so hot right now. Those three needs help and the two of us can't fight properly" The Valkyrie responded while she frowned as she handed the training card that detailed their wounds.

"...No kidding, those three lost some blood and possibly organ failure. They need proper medical help immediately" Grey seconded the Valkyrie's statement.

"Can you stabilize them?" Ryan questioned the young man.

"Well, they are stabilized. They won't make it if we delay much longer though" Grey told Ryan while he frowned.

"...What's your weapon?" Ryan asked her again.

"Blades" The girl pointed at the longsword on the floor.

"Mine's a cannon, but it was broken" The other Valkyrie informed while she frowned.

"...We're in a deep cesspool of shit, got any ideas, boss?" Michael asked Ryan as he glanced toward him.

"Working on it, give me a bit..." Ryan responded while he looked around.

...Three critically injured Valkyries, two crippled Valkyries with one could potentially help against the Honkai beasts, a dropship that could get hit by death ray any seconds and underequipped Viking recruits. Ryan was cursing the situation, but his brain quickly racked up a plan of action...After glancing around and pacing back and forth slightly, the young man came up with a simple idea that might allow them to pull out from the area.

"Can you two carry your friends?" Ryan asked the wounded Valkyries.

"Yeah, we could. What's the plan?" One of the Valkyries asked Ryan.

"Simple one. Michael, you and I are going to distract those beasts while those two and Grey ran for the RV" Ryan said out loud.

"Charming, and how do you suppose we take the three fat bastards down?" Michael asked Ryan while he frowned.

"We don't. Our mission is to rescue those girls, not to kill Honkai beasts" Ryan told Michael.

Michael shrugged as he prepared to face the Chariots, Ryan and Grey made sure that the Valkyries were stabilized before he let Grey and the other two Valkyries shouldered them. Ryan went to Michael's side and he noticed that the transport's side turret was operational. Ryan grabbed the turret and cocked the weapon, it's the M3 HMG that fires .50 caliber rounds so it'll help a bit with the situation at hand. Michael nodded at Ryan, the young man nodded back before Ryan squeezed the trigger of the machine gun.

"Grey, go now!" Ryan told Grey on the radio.

DRADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADA!

Barrage of .50 caliber rounds flew in the air and hit the Chariot Class Honkai Beasts, causing the creature's carapace to crack from the sheer impact each rounds caused. The beasts' attention was taken by the transport and one of them fired a beam at the aircraft. It's simulated hologram so it didn't really do damage, that's what Ryan and Michael thought until half end of the transport got vaporized. That was followed by the transport disintegrating into nothingness, including the gun that Ryan was using. The both young men fell to the ground, grunted from the impact before they picked themselves up and started sprinting away from the beasts.

"Hologram tech is that immersive now?!" Ryan commented out loud.

"Holy fuck Schicksal is loaded! Those solid hologram modules must've costed billions of golds!" Michael responded.

PSIUUU!

""WHOA!"" Both Michael and Ryan exclaimed as they avoided an energy beam.

"Actual, what's your status, over?" Agus asked Ryan on the radio.

"We're bailing out! Under heavy attack! Meet us at RV!" William told Agus on the radio.

"Copy that, moving now!" Agus confirmed on the radio.

PSIUUU!

"Fucking hell! Those things are relentless!" Ryan cussed as he kept sprinting.

"They'll let us go if we run far enough!" Michael told Ryan while he kept up with him on the right side.

Both of them managed to sprint for two hundred meters before they jumped behind a big tree with large vines on its bottom. They were panting hard, their legs sore and they could feel their heart working extra hard just to pump the oxygenated blood throughout their veins. Ryan and Michael looked at each other before they emerged from their cover with their G46s drawn out. They saw nothing on the direction they came from, but they could still hear faint sounds emitting from the three Chariot Honkai beasts...After waiting for two minutes with no sign of them approaching, both Ryan and Michael slumped on their spot, catching their breath and felt their body wet with sweat...

"...Fuck...If it's real world, we're getting too close from being disintegrated" Michael commented.

"Yeah...Almost happened to me once, I don't want to repeat it again" Ryan replied while he frowned.

"...Anyway, where's Grey? Hey, dude, you're there?" Michael asked out loud on the radio.

"If you mean me, then yes. I'm at the RV, with the Valkyries alongside Agus and Igor. You two good?" Grey asked Michael on the radio.

"We almost got our ass blasted by three Chariots, define good?" Ryan replied on the radio.

"Good mean you two are still breathing instead slumping on the ground waiting for evac. Well, we're going to call for airlift, you wanna watch?" Grey asked them on the radio.

"Yeah, sounds good. On our way" Michael said to Grey on the radio.

Michael stood up first, offered his left hand to Ryan who took it and helped him up. Both of them then walked toward the rendezvous point while keeping alert, they soon reached the area, just in time for a Pegasus Transport Helicopter to hover above them. Given that there weren't enough room to land the aircraft, the crew had to get creative in evacuating the Valkyries. Aside from a stretcher attached to a rope which moved from the helicopter and the ground repeatedly, the other two relatively healthy Valkyries chose to just jumped up into the helicopter, causing Ryan, Michael and Agus to whistle in amazement. One of the Valkyries threw a mock salute at them before the helicopter started moving, and thus concluded the rescue mission.

"...Five saved ladies and none of us die, I'd say it couldn't get any better than this" Michael commented while he grinned.

"It gets better if we got a place to fall back to" Igor chimed in while he surveyed the area.

"Right...James, you copy?" Ryan asked James on the radio.

"Commander, what is it?" James responded on the radio.

"How's the firebase?" Ryan asked the young man on the radio.

"We just started. Not gonna lie sir, turning this heap of bollocks into a functional firebase for twenty Vikings gonna take a lot of hard work with just five blokes" James told Ryan on the radio.

"Get the essentials down first, James. We'll help once we get there" Ryan assured the young man on the radio.

"You do? Huh, your job's done?" James asked Ryan on the radio.

"Technically...Well, certainly easier than I thought" Ryan commented on the radio.

"You called almost being blasted by Three Chariots easier than you thought?" Michael couldn't help but snarked openly.

"At least there aren't horde of zombies around, easy to take down but a complete bitch to handle...Okay, let's help them with our base" Ryan said out loud.

The Alpha group moved toward their firebase site, walking carefully throughout the forest with their weapons up. It took them half an hour before they reached the designated location, which was on two meters but wide hole in the middle of the forest. Theresa and Victoria must've hated them a lot, this negative elevation site was the spot they supposed to defend. They couldn't see in case any enemy unit approaches, if it rains it will definitely get flooded and someone could just toss grenades down there. Alpha approached the area and a Viking greeted them by waving his hand, he guided them to the location of the hole. Once they arrived, Alpha group couldn't help but collectively sighed.

"...Theresa really hated us" Agus commented.

"Or Victoria" Michael added.

"They do this so we can train to defend ourselves in unfavorable terrain" Igor defended the two of them.

"Not wrong, but still, cuntasaur..." Agus grumbled.

"Oi, you goons gonna sit there with thumb up your arse or go help us out, eh?" James asked them from within the hole.

"How's playing Minecraft in real life feels?" Ryan asked James while he smirked slightly.

"Not so fun without the diamond shovel, all we got is this iron one" James shown Ryan the compact shovel he's holding.

"Maybe we can ask for one in a supply drop?" Ryan commented as he jumped down the hole.

"Yeah? That's one way to get one shoved up your arsehole by Victoria...Anyway, how are we going to do this? So far, we got the fox holes ready, but I'm not sure about the rest within this site. We need ops center, ammo dumps, triage, barrack and kitchen" James explained to Ryan as he gestured around the hole.

"...I'm not exactly an engineer" Ryan answered after he surveyed around.

"Well? That'll be Michael, but I doubt he know shite about homemaking" James told Ryan.

"I do know how to make one with your mom!" Michael responded from above the hole.

"Good luck mate, she's in the afterlife after all! Okay, because we don't know anything about this. Let's just improvise as we go..." James responded casually despite the morbid stuff he uttered.

"...Alright then. Let's get started, it'll be faster if we split up our workforce" Ryan said out loud.

As the commander, Ryan had to sort out his men and tasked them around. Fortunately, he played quite a bit of management games before Honkai invasion happened so he basically got the gist. It took them one and a half hour, but the firebase was finally completed. Ryan looked around and noticed that their constructions weren't too shabby, men do have latent talent in building stuff and civilization...Once they got everything in order, Ryan entered the command center and used the long range radio. He checked on the other teams regarding their progress, he at least wanted the primary missions to be done before sunset.

Beta Team that was led by Han reported that they've managed to secure the station, they turned the station online and confirmed that they got signal to contact headquarters. Ryan immediately used the signal, contacted Victoria and reported on the situation. Victoria already knew since she's observing the whole exercise, but she pretended not to by responding accordingly. Ryan requested a supply drop consisted of ammo, food and water which was granted by Victoria. An Albatross dropship going to pass above them and airdrop their supply, it won't be directly on their firebase so they need to pay attention and coordinate with the pilots.

After getting their supply request confirmed, Ryan checked on Gamma team that was led by Gin. They were still scouring the area for the data canister, the area being two times two kilometers square wasn't exactly making it easy for them. They had tracking device, but the signal emitter on the canister must be 'broken' that it can only be detected only at close range. Yeah, Ryan thought that mission was an unnecessary ball busting. He understood that Victoria wanted them to do this so they could respond well to the pressure, so when actual scenario happened in real life, they were really prepared for it...Ryan asked Gin whether they want to switch with the other members, Gin commented that he'll check back in an hour for that request.

"...My dailies!" Michael who sat behind him suddenly said out loud.

"Dailies?" Ryan cocked his eyebrows as he glanced back.

"Yeah, my gacha games! I got three and I forgot to do their dailies! Dammit, this is gonna take a bit!" Michael responded as he grabbed his phone.

"...Yeah, have fun I guess..." Ryan was about to admonished him from relaxing during mission, before he remembered his lesson on troop morale.

"...Not going to scold him?" James who sat near them while being shirtless asked Ryan.

"We're on standby, with technically nothing to do. As long as he shoots back when we got attacked or comply to orders, I don't see why I should be a buzzkill about gaming. I like gaming too you know, I understand the need and want to do it" Ryan told James while he shrugged.

"Yeah, well, too bad none of us brought a console and TV. We could set up a championship or tournament, easily" James commented while he folded his arms.

"The suck part about having limited electricity generator" Ryan responded while he smiled.

"Actual, this is 03" The radio suddenly blared to life.

"Actual here, go ahead" Ryan responded on the radio.

"We found the canister; it landed near the riverbed and seems to be broken. We can try to extract the data, but it will require some time" Gin reported on the radio.

"Do it on the firebase, I don't want our units to get too separated for too long. Head here and we'll let our eggheads take a look at it" Ryan ordered Gin on the radio.

"Understood, we are heading back now" Gin said to Ryan on the radio.

"...Data canister being busted huh..." Ryan mumbled to himself.

"I don't know what happened, but to bust a data canister that's usually equipped in a flying ship? That took some serious firepower, or strength" Michael commented while he gamed.

"That couldn't happen if the canister impacted the ground after being ejected?" James asked Michael.

"It was designed to remain in shape and secure the data within, even when falling at terminal velocity. The designer wanted it to survive even if it has to be ejected from space" Michael told James.

"...Then what could possibly strong enough to do that?" Ryan questioned out loud.

"Well sir, whatever it is, if it's walking? We're fucked" Michael told Ryan as he glanced at him.

"Let's hope that's not the case then" Ryan responded while he smiled wryly.

...One hour later, Beta team arrived on the firebase. They dropped the canister and then slumped on their preferred spots, being so tired from scouring the forest by walking. Even Gin who could be considered having more stamina than most people, sat down and gulped water down like no tomorrow. Michael and several other Vikings who are proficient with technology tinkered with the damaged canister, it took them several tools and tweaks but they managed to open the canister. The data was there, in the form of a chip encased in impact foam. Ryan told Michael to access the data, so he carefully took it and inserted it to the terminal he carried for hacking. After cracking the security encryption, they managed to open the data contained within.

"Jackpot" Michael said out loud.

"You did it?" Ryan asked Michael as he looked at the terminal screen.

"Yup, the info is bare naked like a porn star. Check this out, the data is a bona fide ship data from an actual ship. Ever heard SS Shanghai?" Michael asked Ryan.

"Nope. What about it?" Ryan asked Michael back.

"SS Shanghai is a floating frigate, Belisarius Class Heavy Frigate. Timeline shown that they combated an unknown class of Honkai beast before being overwhelmed and general orders of evacuation was given, an intense purple beam was reported to hit the frigate's port side, causing catastrophic damage to the center superstructure, and torn the ship into two" Michael explained.

"That was when the data canister was ejected?" Gin asked Michael as he approached them.

"Pretty much. All those sensors on a ship, and not a single one managed to capture a pic. However, they managed to get an audio" Michael said out loud.

The blonde young man played the audio files, everyone could hear how the ship crews were mitigating the damage being done to the ship alongside explosions and sounds of heavy weapons fire. Not a moment too soon, they heard intense screeching, otherworldly could fit the sound easily. It could be heard several times before a massive explosion, that was when the feed was cut. Ryan glanced at Gin who just shook his head, none of them know anything about what befell them other than Honkai beast attacked the ship and destroyed it. What kind of Honkai creature that did it, no one knows for sure.

"...Wait, if it's supposedly around this area, where's the evacuated crew?" Ryan asked Michael.

"Well judging by their last known position data, they actually still float around up there...in space" Michael told Ryan.

"Honkai is also up there? Those creatures are spaceborne too?!" Ryan asked out loud in disbelieve.

"Some records indicated that there were various Honkai events that happened outside the Karman Line, it is not strange to think that a Honkai creature could function even in vacuum. They don't show the need to breathe, eat, drink or sleep" Gin told Ryan while he frowned.

"Nowhere is safe then...Honkai really are human's natural predators" Ryan responded while he folded his arms and shook his head sideways.

"Kinda funny, isn't it? Humans managed to evolve to be the top dog of this planet and then some unknown entity or event decided that we are collectively fucked and need to be culled, it's the only explanation makes sense to me regarding Honkai" James commented from his position.

"I'm just glad they don't eat us" A Viking commented.

"Honkai zombies do eat humans; you'd rather die by Honkai beast. I heard dying by them turns you into one" A Viking responded the previous one.

"At least by then I'm counting on the fact that my consciousness has been eroded by Honkai, a bullet to the head would the only requirement for freedom" The previous Viking responded.

"...Alright, enough with this depressing crap! Boss, you're gonna call it in or what?" James told the Vikings then asked Ryan.

"...HQ, this is Viking Actual. Do you read me, over?" Ryan asked out loud on the radio.

"Solid copy, Actual" Victoria answered on the radio.

"HQ, we found the data canister and managed to open the encryption, we have accessed the data and confirmed the event that caused it" Ryan reported on the radio.

"Actual, I don't remember giving you the order to access the data" Victoria noted to Ryan on the radio.

"...That's right, ma'am" Ryan confirmed on the radio.

"Do tell me, why would you do it?" Victoria asked Ryan on the radio.

"As the leader for this operation, I think I need to know the situation as clear as possible and anything that concerns our mission. The data canister might shed something in our immediate vicinity that could concern us, like the one that destroyed the floating ship, or if there's any surviving crew on site. Having the necessary information could ease me in making decisions on the field, ma'am" Ryan reasoned to Victoria on the radio.

"I see. But what if the data you're accessing right now is considered a highly classified document? That could result in you get silenced so you won't blab about it?" Victoria asked Ryan on the radio.

"Respectfully, they can go choke on a micro dick. If they don't want us to look inside, then they should've briefed us about it before we head out" Ryan responded on the radio.

"Fufu...They might not see it that way" Victoria chuckled before continuing on the radio.

"Must be blind then, because their IQ is so dim that they couldn't see their common sense" Ryan told Victoria on the radio.

"Ahahahaha! You make a good point Actual...Send us the data, we'll handle the rest" Victoria laughed then told Ryan on the radio.

Michael sent the data and all of them dispersed to do whatever they could to pass the time, Ryan walked to a spot on the edge of the hole where he could see the area around him. The young man put his G46 down between his legs and took out his phone, he noted that there's a message from Kallen, notifying him about a package being sent to his door. Ryan remembered that several days ago he ordered some tools and maintenance product, it arrived at unfortunate timing. The young man asked Kallen to hold on to it for a bit, Kallen jokingly replied that it costed 60 gold each day and Ryan responded by sending her a GIF file of a man checking an empty wallet with depressed face.

While he chatted with Kallen, a new message appeared from Kiana. She sent him a clip of her and Bronya playing battle royale shooter, Kiana was whining about Bronya kill stealing and hoarding stuff. The man chuckled and replied 'skill issue' at her which earned him a sticker of a pissed off cartoonish cat, Ryan chuckled slightly before he told her that Kiana's aim at long range need some training. He wanted to blab more about bullet velocity and bullet drop, but he just settled with telling Kiana to learn about her chosen weapons and the bullet speed as well as distance to target. Can't believe that Kiana didn't know about it, given that she uses guns to fight.

"...Sir? I saw something to the east" One of the Vikings told Ryan.

"What is it?" Ryan asked the Viking as he walked toward his foxhole.

"Look over there, it's like a person...or something humanoid" The Viking pointed at a spot in the middle of the trees.

Ryan squinted his eyes as he scanned the tree lines, there he spotted something behind a tree. The man widened his eyes when he realized what it was, but he was too late. A bullet whizzed to his side, hitting the Viking to his right before electrocuting him. The young man shook heavily, then fell unconscious. Ryan wasted zero seconds in retaliating with his G46, the weapon's roar was enough indication that a fight just started. Every available Viking within the firebase immediately manned their defensive position, they knew they just got ambushed. Ryan fired half of his magazine, fifteen 5.56mm rounds were sent to the holographic enemy and torn it asunder. The hologram flickered before disappearing, but several more took its place.

Simulated bullets whizzed at his position, forcing Ryan to duck down to the fox hole as he commanded his men to defensive position and status report. They told him that they're under attack from all sides, not just his. He believed in their combat ability and that they can take care of themselves, he won't need to command them much unless the situation escalated. His wish got granted as not only human enemies that attacked them, several aerial Honkai creatures also started strafing their position. They also took out the holographic enemies, but the fact that they got involved only further complicated the situation.

"What in the fucking hell is happening?!" One Viking asked out loud.

"Shut up and keep firing!" James berated to the Viking.

"Actual, we saw Honkai creatures and heard gunshots! What's your status, over!?" Han asked Ryan on the radio.

"We are under attack, repeat, the firebase is under attack!" Ryan responded on the radio before he returned fire.

"We're going to reinforce sir!" Han told him on the radio.

"No, stay on your position! Guard it, if we lose the communication relay, we won't be able to contact HQ! Do not leave it unguarded!" Ryan ordered on the radio.

"...Roger that, holler if you need us!" Han said to Ryan on the radio.

"DON'T LET UP! KEEP UP YOUR FIRE!" Ryan shouted out loud.

...Twenty minutes later, the fight ended as they successfully killed the human contacts and downed the Honkai flyers. The Vikings were slumped on their foxholes, tired, on edge and still pumped full of adrenaline from being shoved into a hole and get rained by projectiles. Ryan himself rested on the ground, resting his body after receiving the battle damage report from the others. They lost four Vikings during the fight, one from the humans and three got strafed from above. One was already too much, but four? Ryan personally considered it catastrophic...The young man called for medical evacuation for the downed personnel, and checked on their supplies.

"We burned at least one thousand rounds during that hold off, casings are all around this place. We should've brought M16B for this one" Igor told Ryan as he put down a box of 5.56x45mm ammo.

"All of us practically got a handle with that rifle, Han suggested G46 so we can get used to other weapon platforms" Ryan replied while he set up a console on the command center.

"I have to admit it's less controllable than M16B" Gin chimed in as he put a container next to Ryan.

"You'll be bitching if you have to fire AK360 Gin, mark my words" Ryan told Gin.

"The recoil is that bad?" Gin asked Ryan while he pursed his lips.

"Full powered 7.62x54mm rounds, the rifle has recoil mitigation system but it takes a strong arm to fire it with good control during full auto" Igor told Gin.

"Good thing is, anything got hit in close quarter is guaranteed to die painfully. You want something to die? Use that gun" James said to Gin.

"I see...I still prefer sword, if I could" Gin commented.

"Yeah, you try that against a rain of lead and tell me how it goes" James replied with half closed eyes.

"Unless you can deflect bullet, I suggest you stick with your firearms at range" Igor advised to Gin.

"I wasn't born yesterday, I know that" Gin said to them while he frowned.

"...Han, how's it going?" Ryan asked Han on the radio.

"Hell boss, we're bored to death here. The men are hungry and thirsty, but most importantly tired. We left our supplies on the firebase" Han told Ryan on the radio.

"Poor bastards, sitting idly while we got our ass hounded by hot lead" Ryan responded to Han on the radio.

"...Wasn't trying to be ungrateful here" Han replied on the radio.

"Yeah...Get ready to pack it up, you'll be switching with Gin and Alpha" Ryan told Han on the radio.

"Right, danke...Alright, sort yourselves! We're leaving when Gin and Alpha arrive!" Han said out loud on the radio.

"Heard that guys? Pack up, you're going on guard duty" Ryan said to the young men around him.

"No rest for the wicked, eh? Fuck, gonna need some food for this one" Agus commented.

WHIINNNNNGGGG!

BOOOMMMM!

"THE FUCK?!" James shouted in surprise.

"MORTARS!" Michael shouted out loud.

"GET TO COVER!" Ryan shouted out loud.

Everyone immediately dispersed for cover, whether foxholes or dug up tunnels, it'll do as long as the projectile won't blast them directly. Ryan hid within a foxhole, his G46 ready on his hands. He glanced around the area, trying to see whether there's any hostile around the area. There weren't any, but the mortar shelling had to come from somewhere around them. Yes, Schicksal could just spawn them, but that won't be 'immersive' for their training. He could try sending a raiding team to kill those mortars, but where were the rounds coming from the first place?

"Boss?! You got orders for us?!" Michael asked out loud on the radio.

"Do any of us know where the rounds are coming from?!" Ryan asked out loud on the radio.

"No but we can use drones to look for them!" Michael told Ryan on the radio.

"Do it! Igor, Agus, prep two teams which each of you will lead! Get ready to put those mortars down!" Ryan ordered on the radio.

"...Uh guys, we got a situation. Himeko just sent us our homework assignment...It's for all lessons" Han informed on the radio.

"COME THE FUCK ON!" James shouted, alongside dozens of loud groans, could be heard on the radio.

...The bombardment would continue for several more minutes, Michael operated a drone to identify the mortar teams and managed to find five of them. Igor and Agus led their teams to subdue them, but in the process lost two more Vikings from the bombardment. After that, they got brief respite before three hostile platoons dropped near their position and started firing at their firebase. The intensity and the pressure really got to them, the recruits bitched and moaned about their situation. They were pushed to the brink physically and mentally, some even cried about the constant bombardment and bullet harassment, wishing it to stop. It's up to Ryan to pick his men up, giving orders and rousing their morale. He didn't fully succeed, but at least he's able to prevent them from abandoning the training or completely shutting down.

That's what happened on the first day, second day was no better than the first. Instead, it got worse than the first one because they got attacked by a helicopter squadron. Four Pegasus outfitted with M3 HMG and rocket pods harassed their firebase. They had to burn through their Brune Launcher ammo just to destroy those hologram enemies, that attack was followed by zombie horde moving through their area. Their weapons were so overused and the ground were covered by bullet casings, the situation was made worse by the fact that rain fell upon them from dusk until the next morning. They received night attack from infantries, all that while they had to do their homework in their foxholes.

When the fourth day arrived, they had changed. Instead of being scared by artillery fire or rockets or missiles, they were just annoyed. Instead of being scared by bullet hails, they just sighed in annoyance that their peace and quiet was disrupted. They still acted quickly, diving to their foxholes and other fortifications they constructed, all in trained manner. But there were no more complaints, no moans of displeasure, no whines of frustration. The only sound they made were sighs of 'here we go again' and coordination between the surviving members, occasional jokes were thrown around as well, anything to talk about even when firing at the enemy attacking their position.

...Seventh day passed, and it's time for them to go back home. Victoria ordered them to break camp, only bring what they could bring with them and leave the rest for the cleanup crew. They flew back to Soukai on an Albatross Dropship, arriving at the St. Freya Academy by late morning. Victoria, Theresa and Himeko waited for the survivors of the exercise. There's only seven of them, Ryan, Han, Gin, James, Agus, Igor and a Viking named Rahn. All seven lined up on the helipad, which earned some stares from the passing students on recess, including the Valkyries.

The seven Viking survivors were a mess, their clothes were torn in some places, they stink of gunpowder mixed with body odor, they were covered with dirt, their eyebags were black, their equipment were caked with mud and none of them were smiling. Victoria stood before them, she walked as she inspected them one by one, from their heads to toes. After doing that, she returned to her position and glanced at the frowning Theresa and Himeko who was analyzing what she saw in front of her.

"What do you think?" Victoria asked Theresa.

"I think they were quite trained, you're merciless" Theresa commented while she folded her arms.

"Like I said, I'm sparing no quarters" Victoria commented as she pulled a Colt Anaconda from her back hip.

BANG!

She unleashed a shot to the ground near them and none of the Vikings in front of her flinched, they just cocked their eyebrows before glancing at one another. Victoria finally smiled in satisfaction; the training worked wonders. She can't say the same for those who failed to survive, but she'll train them as well with the 'remedial' course. Victoria walked towards Ryan and stood in front of him, the man looked tired with everything and just want to go home.

"Commander, do you resent me for putting you through that? You have permission to speak freely" Victoria asked Ryan while she smiled.

"No ma'am, you did it for training and I can feel the benefit. But the intensity of that training and your simulation that caused my homework to get C across the board from Himeko made me want to say that you are safely, a cunt" Ryan responded with flat expression.

"The sentiment was shared with all of us, ma'am" Han added with flat expression.

"Ahahahahahaha! Of course, because I do have a cunt! Well spoken, commander. I like that honesty...There's no need for debriefing, I've seen what you boys did on that exercise and I am honestly impressed. I've seen more soldiers breaking from that situation compared to you guys, civies survivors with the gall of a real warrior...I think they earned their armor, Theresa" Victoria laughed then commented out loud.

"Indeed. Congratulations for making through that exercise, boys. I am proud to say that the seven of you are the proof that this program does bear fruit, the funding might increase and maybe...you'll be sent on a mission sometimes soon" Theresa congratulated them while she smiled.

"The rest of your comrades will be going with remedial classes; they're going to need it before any of them can be approved to go on a mission" Victoria told them.

"Ma'am, they suffered as much as us, don't they qualify enough?" Han asked Victoria.

"No, they don't survive till the end" Victoria answered.

"Some were taken out because of shitty luck, that doesn't sound fair" James commented.

"Exactly. You seven Vikings got better luck than them, it counts to my assessment. I just don't tell you guys about it...Well, enough about that. Now, I order you seven to get clean, grab some food and go home...You boys earned it" Victoria told them before she saluted.

The Vikings saluted back before walking toward the training hall, Himeko immediately noticed the slouched shoulders and a limp in several of them. While she wasn't there to witness it directly, she did get the gist of the situation from Theresa who occasionally dropped by to watch the exercise. Not even Valkyrie was trained as hard as them, and they even got the superhuman strength. Still, Valkyrie fights Honkai beasts, it's different set of fight compared to what the Vikings went through yesterday. Himeko followed Theresa and Victoria back to the headmistress office, they shut the door and Theresa sat on her chair.

"...Himeko, you've been quiet. What do you think about them?" Theresa asked her.

"I'd say they're quite trained, but are they ready?" Himeko asked her in return.

"I think they are. Just need them to get used to the armor, I trust my boys could do well out there, as a unit" Victoria vouched them to Himeko.

"...Sorry, I'm still skeptical. Seven Vikings aren't their entire unit, if I'm to trust my Valkyrie cadets to a bunch of rookies, I need the best rookies you got, Victoria" Himeko said to Victoria.

"You'll get just that later, Himeko" Theresa said to her.

"Ms. Theresa? I was under the impression that you agree that they're ready" Victoria commented while she folded her arms.

"I said they are well trained, not ready, Victoria. I want the highest survival rating for my students, so we'll put them on training some more. I want them to bond with their Valkyries batch mates too, I think better relations will improve their ability to work together" Theresa reasoned as she turned on her hologram PC.

"...You have a point...But sooner or later, Schicksal and the investors will want real results. What will you do then?" Victoria asked Theresa.

"I'll find a way...Himeko, does Hyperion still offers internship?" Theresa asked Victoria.

"You're speaking to the captain, of course it is" Himeko answered while she smirked.

"Perfect. I'll explain the plan to you later, for now, we let them rest" Theresa said out loud while she smiled.

---

...It was friday, Ryan sat in front of his PC with empty packages from Yae Eatery on the floor and a can of beer on his left hand. He was browsing for Soukai News Network to get the latest update on the city, so far, its gossip, gossip, and an accident at the mountain road where they towed an AE86 car having a blown-out engine...Nothing interesting was happening, not even petty crimes or incidents within the city. Ryan switched the tab and shown that he got a file opened, a dossier about a beautiful woman with waist length green hair and silver eyes. His mother left with no trace and there wasn't any information regarding her everywhere, Ryan even checked the black market for clues and he turned up with nothing. The young man sighed a bit as he closed the files and browser, stood up and walked to the balcony.

It was a slightly cloudy afternoon, the sky started giving the orange vibe as the sun preparing to set on the horizon. Ryan sipped his beer as he looked at the busy street below him, where vehicles and people were passing the place while heading for their destination...He smiled a bit at the sight, Ryan honestly didn't expect to return to civilization this soon. Heck, he even thought that he'll die deep within Honkai exclusion zone or turned into a zombie. But he made it out, and now could live somewhat normally again...orphaned, but at least quite normal...He had to mature a bit faster than his peers on St. Freya, he had tasted the bitterness of this world. Now? He wants its sweetness.

As if God heard him, someone messaged Ryan and sent him a picture of a slice of chocolate cake with vanilla frosting and cherry on top. It's none other than Kiana, who told him that she got some from Mei with smug emoticon etched at the end of her message. Ryan snorted in amusement before replying that he's jealous and want some too, he immediately got a reply that he didn't have to because she's going to come to his apartment! Ryan nodded his head before he bulged his red eyes, Kiana was coming to his pigsty?! Ryan might be a little slob, but even he got enough tact to clean up if a woman is going to come over! The man scrambled as fast as he could and cleaned his apartment as best as he could.

The place was cleaned in record time, he even sprayed some air freshener. Ryan panted slightly before slumping on his seat, his mind went toward the beautiful white haired girl styled in twin braids named Kiana Kaslana...She's an odd one. Tomboyish might be the word to describe her, even when she acted plenty feminine as well. Well, her hobbies included guns, action flicks, riding bike and other boyish stuff...she seems like a daddy's girl. But what puzzled him the most was her forwardness to befriend him, she didn't show the same courtesy for the other Vikings. Did she like him? Well, she wouldn't be friends with him if she doesn't. What did she saw in him that she's actively want to befriend him though?

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Ryan went to the door and checked through the peep hole to see who's behind the door, but there wasn't anyone behind the door...Ryan pursed his lips, Kiana must be trying to prank him or something. Ryan walked to his table, picked a fluffy mouse decoration and reapproached the door. He unlocked it then opened the door while he sidestepped, he fully expected Kiana to surprise him but there's no sign of Kiana after three seconds had passed. Ryan cocked his eyebrows, he peeked at the door, and at the same time his face almost made contact with Kiana. Both of them yelped and jumped back, seemed like they got the same idea.

"Sheesh Ryan! How dare you copy my technique!" Kiana complained while she pouted.

"I don't remember that technique having copyright or something" Ryan responded while he folded his arms.

"My plan failed, aww...Oh whatever, can I come in? Or do you have to hide your porn mags first?" Kiana asked Ryan while she grinned.

"Sure, good luck finding them~" Ryan replied while he smirked.

Kiana lightly nudged his left arm as she walked inside his apartment, taking off her shoes and strolled to the living area. It's a small apartment, according to Kiana. The bedroom, living room, kitchen and dining room are all combined into this one neat 7x7 meters big room, some were occupied for the bathroom and toilet. Kiana frowned slightly; her house is a lot bigger than this. Still, Kiana placed her school bag in the dining table and she glanced toward Ryan's PC. She shamelessly approached it and checked his desktop, it's just a wallpaper of a certain green armored man holding an unknown bullpup rifle with ammo counters.

"What a clean desktop" Kiana commented.

"Don't like my desktop cluttered" Ryan told her as he closed the door.

"Hee~...Tch, this search history being too clean is suspicious! Not a single porn site?!" Kiana asked out loud as she searched the browser history page.

"Oi, who told you it's okay to snoop around my stuff?" Ryan playfully chopped her head with his left hand.

"Lighten up dummy~, no need to worry if you got nothing to hide~" Kiana replied while she grinned.

"Uhuh...Well, where's the cake?" Ryan asked Kiana.

"My bag, let me get it out" Kiana said to Ryan as she went to her bag.

Ryan grabbed a fork and he sat as Kiana took out a paper container, she opened it and presented him a chocolate cake with vanilla frosting. The young man grinned as he took a small slice and popped it into his mouth, he chewed and swallowed before he grinned widely. Yeah, he's glad that he got a share, wonder how much Mei brought to school. Kiana snapped a pic of him eating the cake and sent it to Mei, as proof that she did her task successfully. After that, Kiana leaned on the seat as she watched Ryan ate his cake.

"...How you've been, Ryan?" Kiana asked him.

"I'm doing good?" Ryan answered while he cocked his eyebrows.

"Great, you weren't attending school for some days after that exercise so we kinda got worried a bit" Kiana told him while she smiled a bit.

"Theresa told us to rest for a week, to wait for those who were on 'remedial' course" Ryan informed Kiana.

"This...might be a bit insensitive, but I still want to ask...Comparing to what you experienced on Southern Japan and the exercise, which one was worse?" Kiana curiously asked the young man.

"Southern Japan, nothing beats that so far...At least back then on the exercise, I can still eat just fine and had ammo dump to burn through. I had to conserve all of that when I'm on Honkai exclusion zone" Ryan answered before he ate another slice of cake.

"Food and ammo huh...I'm glad you made it out" Kiana told Ryan while she smiled.

"Thanks...It's been great so far, being in this program" Ryan said to her while he smiled in return.

"I heard from Himeko that you guys might be able to use the armor soon, maybe we'll be fighting together when we got a mission" Kiana said to Ryan.

"Wanna be in a field together with me huh?" Ryan teasingly asked Kiana while he grinned.

"A man who can use guns like you? Of course! I like having a fellow gunslinger around~!" Kiana answered while she grinned in return.

"Heheh! That so? Compared to you though, I'm relying on automatic most of the time" Ryan said to Kiana.

"You don't like the revolvers?" Kiana cocked her eyebrows in response.

"I mean, I'll use them, the power is often a worthy tradeoff for the limited ammo. But I like having at least more than six rounds on my magazine" Ryan reasoned with Kiana.

"You should use the energy based gun then!" Kiana told him.

"You know how expensive and limited they are? Hard pass!" Ryan argued about the matter.

Both Kiana and Ryan spent some time just talking about guns, Kiana had the knowledge while Ryan had the field practice. They spent some time discussing their preferred guns too, Ryan even let her hold his personal handgun that he kept from his inclusion zone days, the M1911H...Without realizing, the sky had darkened as the sun set from the horizon and the clouds gathered on top of Soukai before rain pouring down on them. Kiana jerked her head and noticed that it's raining, very hard. No way she could get home with this kind of weather, so she contacted Kallen about staying over in her room. Unfortunately, Kallen was with Sakura who were working on a project in Fu Hua's dorm room...So, she's basically stranded in Ryan's room until the rain stopped.

"Kallen and Sakura are with Fu Hua, they might stay over there tonight" Kiana informed Ryan.

"I see. Well, you can just wait here" Ryan told Kiana.

"You don't mind?" Kiana asked him.

"Why would I? Living alone could be quite boring sometimes. Have you told your parents though?" Ryan asked Kiana in return.

"I did, I got their approval" Kiana responded while she grinned.

"...Did you told them that you're staying at a boy's room?" Ryan squinted his eyes while he questioned her.

"N-No, they might get the wrong idea, hehe! I just told them I stayed over in Mei's room!" Kiana responded while she grinned sheepishly...because she lied.

There's no way she would stay quiet about Ryan, the moment she knew that he's enrolling with her, she immediately told Siegfried and Cecilia, her father and mother about it. Kiana explained the situation, added with testimony and statement from Theresa about Ryan's condition. Siegfried almost jumped at the chance to have Ryan staying with the Kaslanas, but Cecilia reminded him that Schicksal is always watching and that might just what they want to happen. While he lamented the fact that he couldn't take care his old war buddy's son, he at least wants to help him out. So, when Kiana informed him about the situation, he gave the a-okay without hesitation and Cecilia jokingly affirmed by saying she can't wait to see her grand kids, which Kiana embarrassingly replied with a capital 'MOM!'.

Both Siegfried and Cecilia had observed him remotely for the past month, aside from looking out for his safety, it's also a way for them to get reacquainted with the young man. He's a bit thin, but he got a good head on him and while not exactly a knight in shinning armor, he still has the valor and chivalry of one. They knew he's a good young man who can do what needs to be done, unfortunately he was tainted by the fires of conflict. He no longer fears the act of killing, nor destruction. He had witnessed the ugly side of the world, there's no way to return the happy go lucky and innocent version of Ryan Taurus to this world. Especially, when he's the commander for Viking Assault Unit...

"...Doesn't seem that it'll end soon. We might want to dine, how about we cook something?" Ryan proposed to Kiana.

"Sounds fun! What do you have in your fridge?" Kiana asked Ryan as she walked to the fridge.

"Wait...I don't remember stocking up something..." Ryan muttered as he just realized that he never shopped for ingredients.

"...Alcohol?! Your fridge is fully stuffed with alcohol?!" Kiana turned towards him while she frowned after she saw his fridge content.

"...Yeah, I just remembered that I always get a takeout or something..." Ryan cringed hard while he answered.

"...Ryan, you shouldn't drink so much" Kiana told him while she frowned.

"Oh, yeah, it's just I kept buying them. I don't always drink them" Ryan said a big fat lie to her while he smiled.

"Why?" Kiana asked the young man with cocked eyebrows.

"...I like them?" Ryan asked in return, confused on what she meant.

"You're an alcoholic?!" Kiana reacted in disbelieve.

"Hey, I'm not a drunkard you know?! It's just for some occasion!" Ryan defended himself as he raised his hands.

"Hahhhh...Try not to drink so much, I don't want to see you become a drunkard!" Kiana sighed long before she told him off while pouting.

"D-Don't worry, I won't!" Ryan sweated slightly...maybe he should lessen the amount he drinks.

"Good! But, what can we eat? You got the utilities but practically nothing to cook over here" Kiana wondered as she glanced at the fridge once again.

"...Well, looks like we got to shop" Ryan said to Kiana as he stood up.

"In this weather?!" Kiana asked him with confused face.

"Don't worry, I got an idea" Ryan answered while he grinned.

Turned out, his idea was traveling toward the convenience store by hopping from shelter to shelter. The buildings around his apartment did have spots that can be used to avoid the rain, problem was that in order to keep traversing it, they had to do some slight parkour. Ryan thought he's quite decent at it, but Kiana proved that she mastered the art. Ryan hadn't saw her fighting before, he knew that Kiana fought with dual guns because she always carried them everywhere, but he got a hint on her agility today. She gracefully and easily scaled any obstacles in her way, and she did it without breaking a sweat as well. They managed to reach the convenience store within five minutes, Ryan couldn't help himself but to be impressed with her athletic prowess.

"Damn Kiana, didn't know you're a gymnast!" Ryan commented while he smiled.

"Heheh! What do you think? Being Valkyries has its merits~!" Kiana flashed him a peace sign while she grinned.

"Hmph, and here I am having to burn my limited human stamina...Oh well, let's get in" Ryan snorted in response before he nudged Kiana to enter the store.

"Welcome~!" The store automated greeting module welcomed them.

"How's our budget? Ah...Right...You're...kinda poor, aren't you?" Kiana asked Ryan while she smiled wryly.

"Thanks for noticing..." Ryan replied while he grimaced.

"Hmm...Ah, I think we can eat heartily with some effort, what do you say?" Kiana asked Ryan while she smiled.

"I'm open to ideas, sure" Ryan answered while he shrugged.

Kiana told him to grab a basket and he followed her around as she tossed some stuff into the basket, he couldn't make out what she was buying but he got some words down like flour, rice, condiments and some vegetables. No meat, but that might have to do with their limited budget. When they got to the cashier, Kiana paid for it herself and when Ryan tried to pay his portion, Kiana rejected it by saying he can pay her back sometime in the future. Both parkoured their way back to his apartment, they went inside and Kiana immediately prepared the cooking utilities. Ryan couldn't help himself but to watch in amazement, the layout is surely different than her home but Kiana seemed to know her way around the kitchen...

"...You're not only could parkour, but can dance around in the kitchen as well" Ryan commented while he smiled.

"Oh? Yeah, my mother taught me very well, don't you think?" Kiana boasted while she winked.

"She sure did...Anything I can help?" Ryan admitted then asked Kiana.

"Sure, cut those veggies into bits, would you?" Kiana told Ryan.

"Got it" Ryan replied as he walked to the counter.

He grabbed a chopping wood, got a carrot out of the plastic bag and held a kitchen knife with his right hand. Then he started cutting at the carrot, first slicing it into neat slices before cutting them up some more so it turned into bits. Then he did the same to the leek and then the onion, Kiana mixed the flour with water which turned it into a dough before she grabbed the vegetable bits and plopped them inside the pan. She mixed the dough with some seasoning before grabbing a stainless ladle, she scooped the dough before dipping it into a wok with oil. The wok produced sizzling sounds, Ryan curiously looked at the dough inside the ladle expanding and turning into some kind of vegetable tempura.

"Ah! I see where you're going with this! It's very practical and cost saving!" Ryan commented while he grinned.

"Exactly! And it's so versatile that you can put almost anything for this recipe!" Kiana responded while she grinned.

"Incredible! Where did you learn this?" Ryan asked Kiana as he watched her placed the tempura on a plate.

"Mei taught me how to cook this, in case there's nothing to use in the kitchen" Kiana revealed to Ryan.

"Is there anything that Mei can't cook or something? She sounded like a master chef" Ryan was genuinely impressed.

"Nope, she'd make a great wife, honestly, I'm jealous of her sometimes...I don't know how to put it, but her wife aura is so strong! She's no slouch in academics and combat either, truly a perfect woman" Kiana told Ryan while she smiled.

"Yamato Nadeshiko, eh? I'm not surprised...Still Kiana, there's no need to be jealous" Ryan told Kiana.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Kiana asked him while she cocked her eyebrows.

"You're great too, you know? I never met a girl as forward and shameless like you" Ryan complimented her while he smiled.

"...Are you trying to comfort or insult me?" Kiana asked him while she pouted.

"I'm complimenting you. You approached me and became the first friend I made after I returned to civilization, you're easy to talk to, easy to befriend and there's never a dull moment with you around...I mean it" Ryan told her while he patted her head.

"...Okay, I get it...Thanks" Kiana replied in low tone while her cheeks reddened.

Ryan noticed that he patted her head a bit too long than he should, so he put away his hand and walked to his PC. Kiana pouted when he stopped patting her head, but then she smiled bitterly...His head pat doesn't feel different, it's still like the one he gave her when they're just bunch of primary schoolers in Europe. She fell when she was getting too frisky in the playground, Ryan patted her head as he wished that her pain will go away...Kiana felt a pang in her heart when she remembered those simpler times, her eyes glanced at Ryan's backside and thought that it'll be nice if he remembered her.

After the cooking was done, they sat on the dining table and started eating the tempura with rice. It's a simple meal, cost effective, very fulfilling and it's delicious. Kiana and Ryan ate fervently, both being hungrier than they thought after their parkour ordeal. Such moment came with inevitable situation, there's only one tempura left and both of them still had rice on their bowl. Ryan and Kiana stared one at the other in the eyes before Ryan smiled and handed the last piece to Kiana, the girl cocked her eyebrows before she split the tempura into two and handed half to Ryan...

"Come on, you're a bit thin" Kiana told him while she smiled.

"What would you do if I get fat from this?" Ryan asked Kiana while he smirked.

"Fat? Not on my watch~, you'll be ripe and muscular, mark my words" Kiana proudly declared while she grinned.

"Heheh! If you say so" Ryan responded before he ate his remaining meals.

"...This is nice" Kiana suddenly said out loud.

"What's nice?" Ryan asked in response.

"Cooking together, dining together. I don't know how to say it, it just felt great" Kiana told him while she smiled.

"So, want to move in?" Ryan asked Kiana while he grinned.

"What, as your wife?" Kiana asked Ryan in return.

"Sure" Ryan grinned as he answered.

"Ha! You have to duel my father if you want that, Ryan" Kiana smirked as she responded.

Both of them laughed a bit before they continued dining, Kiana and Ryan finished their meals before Ryan washed the dishes. The rain didn't stop at all, in fact, it fell harder. Ryan sighed as he sat on his chair, checking his PC for anything that might catch his interest. But he didn't find anything interesting in the video site, and the games he had were unappealing at the moment. Ryan stood up, walked toward his bed and laid himself down. Kiana was sitting on the edge of the bed, chatting with someone before she put her phone down and sighed subtly as she gazed at the white ceiling.

"...You ever imagine a world without Honkai?" Kiana suddenly asked Ryan.

"Yeah...But I don't know if it's going to be as peaceful as we thought..." Ryan answered while he folded his arms.

"Endless war with Honkai, or an endless war with humans huh..." Kiana muttered as she curled her lips downward slightly.

"Even with Honkai we're still fighting each other...This is what we're destined to do, destruction is in our blood" Ryan rested his head on the pillow.

"...Ryan, when you're done being a Viking, what will you do?" Kiana asked Ryan as she glanced at him.

"...I have no idea" Ryan honestly answered.

"Is there something you're good at? You know, other than fighting?" Kiana asked him further.

...Ryan pursed his lips as he thought about it, what is he good at? The young man could confidently say games and shooting, but would that even work as basis for career? He remembered that there's professional shooting for a career choice, but the pay isn't even that great, especially with no competition around...Still, even if the Honkai is gone, and the world becomes peaceful, Ryan imagined that there will be a job that requires shooting and fighting out there. In a sense, he's already on the right path, just not by his choice initially.

"I don't think so...I never had a dream" Ryan commented while he shrugged.

Bullshit, Kiana loudly thought to herself. Ryan Taurus wanted to become a hero, so he could protect Kiana in the future when they're grown up. He used to look up to his father and Siegfried, admiring them and wishing to become a Schicksal Knight who can keep the peace. He wanted to ensure Kiana's safety, to be her hero and assured her that he'll always be there for her...It was lowkey a marriage proposal, they were children back then but it was genuine. Kiana never even for a second forget about it, it's a core memory she'll always hold close in her heart. That's why, she was overwhelmed when she knew that he's amnesiac, that promise was as good as null, unless Ryan remembered it.

"...Actually, I might have one as a child..." Ryan told Kiana.

"You do!?" Kiana was surprised.

"Maybe. But I'm...suffering amnesia, Kiana. I do not remember anything until I'm ten years old...I don't know why or how; I don't know the answer to why I suffer this..." Ryan confessed to her as he frowned.

"Oh Ryan, that's horrible...Is there a solution?" Kiana asked Ryan as she felt her eyes moistened slightly.

"None so far...I don't know if I'll ever recover those memories" Ryan said to Kiana while he frowned.

"You have to!" Kiana stated out loud.

"Eh?!" Ryan was shocked at Kiana's tone and volume.

"They're precious memories, Ryan! Furthermore, it's your childhood memories! You'll want them remembered; you'll want them cherished! Don't give up, there's got to be a solution out there somewhere!" Kiana feverously told Ryan with serious face.

"...Okay, yeah...You make a good point, I shouldn't give up that easily...Thanks" Ryan thanked her while he smiled.

"Don't mention it" Kiana replied while she smiled slightly.

...Afterwards, the rain stopped but it's very late at night and the trains had stopped running. Siegfried decided to pick up his daughter with his car, and Cecilia decided to tag along. Both were discussing on how should they handle the contact with Ryan, and they agreed to treat him like a stranger, at least for now. After half an hour drive, they arrived on the apartment complex, and waited a bit before they saw Ryan alongside Kiana exited the lift. Kiana waved excitedly at her parents, which they returned immediately. However, they smiled even more when they saw Ryan coming with Kiana to the front gate, a sign of him planning to make sure that Kiana won't be alone until they came.

"...Apple doesn't fall far from the tree" Cecilia commented while she smiled.

"Right you are, it's like he never vanished" Siegfried responded while he nodded.

"Mom, dad! This is Ryan Taurus, a good friend of mine!" Kiana immediately introduced him.

"Good night, sir, ma'am" Ryan greeted them while he nodded his head politely.

"Oh my, what a well-mannered young man! Thank you for befriending Kiana, Ryan. Can I call you that?" Cecilia asked him.

"O-Of course, Mrs. Kaslana" Ryan was slightly surprised, but conform nonetheless.

"Splendid, then please call me Cecilia! I trust Kiana didn't bother you, Ryan?" Cecilia asked Ryan.

"No, she even helped me with dinner. I'm thankful for that" Ryan replied while he smiled.

"Mom, quit with the accusation!" Kiana whined while she pouted.

"Ufufufu, sorry, it's just that this is the first boy you introduced to me so I got to make sure~" Cecilia reasoned while she grinned slightly.

"Wait, really?" Ryan asked out loud.

"Never mind that! Can we go home now?!" Kiana swiftly redirected the conversation.

"Oh, what's the hurry? I thought tomorrow is off day?" Siegfried asked Kiana while he grinned.

"I'm tired!" Kiana replied as she opened the rear car door.

"Hahahaha, not a good enough lie! You're like a puppy Kiana, you got boundless energy" Siegfried teased his daughter while he grinned.

Kiana maturely snuck her tongue out and that earned a chuckle from everyone on the scene, Siegfried then turned his eyes toward Ryan. His eyes are crimson red, a far cry from his blueish one so something must've happened. A latent Honkai corruption perhaps? But if that's the case, Theresa would've said something about it. Still, the longer Siegfried looked at him, the more the resemblance he could see. Ryan looked exactly like his father, but with features from his mother. The man smiled slightly in nostalgia, and he promised to himself that he'll help this poor young man throughout the way as if he's his own son...Because frankly, he already considered him such ever since his adolescence days.

"Ahahaha, is that so?" Cecilia laughed at something Ryan just said.

"Unfortunately, yeah" Ryan admitted as he rubbed his nape in embarrassment.

"Ryan, I heard about you from Theresa. Seems you're quite the warrior yourself" Siegfried commented while he smiled slightly.

"Just doing what I can, Mr. Kaslana" Ryan responded.

"Please, call me Siegfried...She said that you're the leader for The Vikings, and you're very good with guns" Siegfried added while he smiled.

"I had some practice..." Ryan said to him, technically he wasn't lying.

"I see, and that shows...Well, it's good to meet you, young man. I hope we can talk again sometime, today's hardly the best time" Siegfried said to Ryan as he extended his right hand.

"Sure, Mr. Siegfried. Likewise" Ryan shook his hand while he smiled.

"It's getting quite late after all, so it's best we get home soon. See you again, Ryan, take care" Cecilia told him while she smiled.

"Yes ma'am, you too" Ryan smiled in return.

Ryan watched the couple entered the car, then the three of them waved at him as they drove away from the apartment. Ryan waved back until he saw the car turned on the intersection, and disappeared from his vision. The young man headed back to his apartment, but he couldn't shake the feeling that Siegfried looked familiar somewhat. Then, the friendliness both he and Cecilia shown him, it's not like they're talking to strangers...Ryan entered his room and then he realized something, Kiana must've told her parents about him and the fact she's staying here...Why aren't Siegfried more defensive or Cecilia showing more worry? Their daughter stayed within a man's room for quite a bit, and they don't know shit about him until today unless Kiana already talked.

But Siegfried knew about him from Theresa, that answered his question...Still, Theresa's testimony shouldn't be enough to ease their worry. He could be a hidden beast, and Kiana, despite her attitude, is very beautiful and downright sexy if she wants to show her appeal. She could get seduced by him; don't they worry about that? What was I thinking, Ryan thought to himself...His thoughts were getting more incoherent, he shouldn't mind about this so much. Maybe that's just how they roll, added that Theresa already told them about him. Maybe that's what assured them, and their meeting just now was a basis for how they'll receive him in the future.

Ryan sighed as he laid himself on his bed, staring at the ceiling as he recounted what happened tonight. It was a good change of pace, usually he'll be alone within his apartment whenever he's done for the day...being visited wasn't so bad once in a while. Kallen did stop by several times ever since he moved here, but staying on the front door instead of going inside are two different matters entirely. Tomorrow's Saturday, he still got two days to lollygag before he'll get back to his usual routine. Training, learning and working his ass off.

---

"...What are you two doing here..." Gin asked his friends in bewilderment.

"Uh, being youthful young men?" Han responded as he lowered the monocular.

"Peeping at the swimming club members is considered being youthful men?" Gin asked openly while he folded his arms.

"Kinda? I mean, this is the best seat in the house, privy only to me and our commander here. Get this dude, one of the girls is actually unshaved! I happened to spot it when she shifted her swimsuit, that's a thick blonde bush she got right there!" Han excitedly said to Gin while he grinned.

"...Commander, permission to punch this man?" Gin asked Ryan.

"Granted, just leave him alive" Ryan answered.

"I ain't getting punched that easily you son of a bitch!" Han scowled as he rose up with fighting stance at the ready.

While the two got into a brawl on the rooftop, Ryan nonchalantly leaned on the bench while munching chicken nuggets and occasionally sipped on his lemon soda. It's Monday and the Vikings got an easy day; lessons were easy to follow and training was light. Overall, it's an enjoyable day. Ryan glanced to the sky, noting that the afternoon looked a bit dim than supposed to because of clouds hanging above them. It's nearing summer, but this cozy and chill weather is a lot more preferable to him than the sweltering summer heat. The young man felt his phone just buzzed, he checked the screen and noticed it's a message from Bronya, asking him to meet her on the library.

"Hmm, kind of rare for her to ask me something" Ryan muttered to himself.

CRASH!

"Ha! In your face, arsloch!" Han commented after he threw Gin into a nearby trashcan.

"I will beat you next time" Gin vowed as he rose up from the floor as he cleaned his silver hair.

"Don't worry, I'll gladly take you on anytime!" Han responded while he grinned.

"...Gin, you got to work on your CQC" Ryan commented as he stood up.

"Maybe having you teach me would be a good start, you are the master fighter" Gin suggested to Ryan.

"Haha, nah, I'm not that good as a teacher. Though I could do well as a sparring partner" Ryan told him while he shrugged.

"That is good enough" Gin responded.

"Master fighter? More like master baiter" Han commented while he grinned.

"Seems like that's a challenge, I'll take you on another day. Got somewhere to be right now" Ryan told Han while he smirked.

"Going somewhere?" Han asked Ryan.

"Got a little date, you two behave yourselves, alright?" Ryan said to Han while he smiled.

"Fucking playboy, who's your victim this time?" Han asked Ryan with half closed eyes while he folded his arms.

"Ashen haired, twin tailed style beauty" Ryan cryptically responded as he walked toward the entrance.

"Fucking lolicon" Han sneered at Ryan.

"We both know that's a lie" Ryan responded while he grinned as he exited the rooftop.

"...A lie?" Gin questioned out loud.

"Ryan told me he got erection from tits and ass slapped on voluptuous woman, that's his type" Han told Gin while he shrugged.

"...Your bluntness has never failed to impress, Han" Gin commented while he frowned.

"Comes with the stereotype, I guess" Han replied while he shrugged.

"That wasn't a compliment" Gin added.

"Well, it is to me...Want to grab some food? I heard about a good ramen place ten minutes away from here" Han replied before he asked Gin.

"...A meal sounds good" Gin nodded in response.

...Ryan strolled toward the library before he entered through the door, the librarian welcomed him in hushed voice and asked him to sign the entry ledger. After putting his name and student ID down, he walked around the library which was quite filled. Despite the advancement in technology where electronic books can be accessed anywhere as long as one has a phone, analogue books are still just as valuable. Some said it's the experience, flipping the page and the smell of book is what enrichened the experience in reading...Ryan wasn't much of a reader though, so E-Books suits him just fine.

Amidst the rows of bookcases, he finally found Bronya herself, tucked in the corner with an opened book on the table and a game console in her hands. Ryan snorted lightly, she's a real hardcore gamer that he's mostly got carried if they team up and used as a mop for the floor when they compete with one another. He wondered why she would call him here though, but Ryan chose to sat in front of Bronya as she might be telling him why soon. Bronya raised her head slightly, noting Ryan had arrived and just nodded her head in acknowledgement. The young man just leaned on his seat, letting Bronya finished her match in Street Homu.

"...Ryan, Bronya has something to give" Bronya said to Ryan as she rummaged inside her bag.

"My birthday is in October, you know?" Ryan responded while he grinned.

"Nyet, this is so we can communicate more effectively" Bronya handed him a new earphone.

"Oh wow! This is quite something!" Ryan commented as he observed the earphone case.

"Ryan's mic quality is horrendous enough that Bronya failed to comprehend what he said last night, and it seemed Ryan couldn't understand Bronya after he charged straight at enemy team despite Bronya telling him to stay put" Bronya bluntly told him with flat face.

"...Ouch?" Ryan winced; he did kind of miscommunicate last night when they played together.

"In exchange, Bronya would like Ryan to do something" Bronya told him.

"Yeah, kind of figure out that nothing's free in this world...So, what do you want?" Ryan asked Bronya.

"Bronya would like Ryan to follow her" Bronya said to him.

"Where to?" Ryan asked her as he cocked his eyebrows.

"Locations will be revealed on site" Bronya said to Ryan as she stood up.

A new earphone so he could follow Bronya, something's off. Nevertheless, Ryan shrugged and he stood up before following Bronya. Both of them exited the library, exited the building and then the academy. Both of them headed for the train station, boarded it and travelled to the outskirt of Soukai. They got off the station and headed for the nearby convenience store, there Bronya bought two can of tuna. Ryan did not have the slightest idea on what she's trying to pull, but it did poke his interest, just to see what Bronya really want to do. After buying the tuna, they walked outside and toward the nearby housing area. They travelled for a bit more, taking several turns before arriving at an abandoned alley.

That's when Ryan noticed something, Bronya was looking at a group of cats lazing around the alley. Bronya approached them and the cats meowed enthusiastically, they nuzzled on her legs, circling her around as they greeted Bronya. Ryan could swear to God that he saw a ghost of smile on Bronya's lips, she then kneeled down and started petting the cats...The young man observed the sight before him, Bronya brought him all the way here just to pet and play with cats? That's hardly a comparable price to buying him a new earphone...

"Cute little fellas" Ryan commented.

"Da, very cute" Bronya responded.

"...You brought me here just for this?" Ryan asked Bronya.

"No, Bronya does need Ryan to help with something" Bronya told the man.

"Okay...What exactly do you need me for?" Ryan asked Bronya further.

"Bronya needs Ryan to climb that tree" Bronya pointed toward a big tree at the end of the alleyway.

"...Climb a tree? Why don't you do...Never mind" Ryan immediately clamped his words.

...He didn't know the details, but apparently Bronya's legs were busted. Yes, she can walk, but that's due to the prosthetics she got around her legs most of the time. It's fashionable enough to look like armored socks, but still, her walking speed wasn't like ordinary people and she can't run properly. While training and on mission, she got around with her ability to levitate and the fact she got a moving armor called Project Bunny to fight for or to shield her. Ryan thought it's a sensitive issue so he never asked, he wasn't that close to Bronya despite being gaming buddy...at least not yet.

"Alright, be clear, this Ryan needs to climb a tree so what am I getting?" Ryan asked Bronya while he smiled slightly.

"On top of the tree, there's a red Homu plushie. Bronya wants Ryan to get it" Bronya pointed at the top of the tree.

"...Let me guess, one of these cats snatches it away from you and brought it up there" Ryan questioned out loud as he surveyed the tree.

"No, one of the cats snatched it from a girl who played on the nearby park. Bronya promised to get it back, but she can't catch the cat before it brought the doll up to the tree" Bronya explained to Ryan.

"Ah...Well, hold this for me then" Ryan handed his school bag to Bronya.

The young man set his stance before he ran toward the tree, he jumped and took two steps up before jumping from the tree and grabbed a branch. Then he swung his body to gain momentum before using it to jump upwards and started climbing normally from there. Ryan surveyed the tree branches and leaves; he found the said Homu doll on one branch. It's too thin for Ryan to move, he would've fall and face planted to the ground if he tries to. Instead, he took off his tie and made a makeshift noose. Then, he used it to snatch the Homu doll's arm before pulling it towards him. The young man smirked victoriously before he decided to just jump down and rolled on the ground, after that he walked toward Bronya before offering the said doll.

"For a paid job, this is quite easy. I'll even do it for free" Ryan told Bronya while he smirked.

"Spasibo. Now that the cats are fed and content, we should deliver the doll. Follow Bronya" Bronya thanked then told Ryan to follow her.

The two of them walked toward the park, and sure enough this afternoon the park were filled with a lot of people. Elderly, mature, young and children littered the big park for their daily recreation. Ryan followed Bronya as he put his tie back on, he wondered whether the kid that Bronya mentioned was still around. She never specified when she was offering her help to that kid, it could be today or even last week. After walking for a bit, Bronya approached a little girl, no older than five years old and she sat on the park bench with her mother. The moment Bronya turned up in front of her, the little girl smiled widely and approached Bronya.

"Onee-chan brought my Homu back!" The little girl exclaimed.

"Take better care of it, okay?" Bronya handed the doll back to the girl.

"Thank you! Oh Homu, I miss you!" The little girl thanked Bronya as she tightly hugged the Homu doll.

"Thank you very much for getting the doll back, little miss. She wasn't eating her lunch and brooding all day because of it" The mom thanked Bronya as she smiled bitterly.

"This boy was the one who got it back, Bronya just helped by distracting the cat" Bronya told the mom as she gestured at Ryan.

"In that case, thank you as well! You two really helped us out" The mom thanked Ryan as well.

"It was nothing" Ryan said to her while he smiled slightly.

Both mother and daughter parted ways from them not long after, waving at them while saying their thanks once more. Ryan and Bronya waved back before they chose to walked away from the park, silently. Ryan glanced at Bronya and noted that her expression hadn't changed in the slightest, she was truly emotionless...Does she not feel anything? Not the slightest of satisfaction from helping a little girl out with her doll? She is a person that makes judgement based on facts and logic, but does she truly not feel something? Ryan kept questioning that, but he chose until they boarded the train that's enroute to the area around St. Freya Academy. Both of them sat on the train seat, that's when Ryan decided to talk.

"...You don't look happy" Ryan commented.

"Bronya is satisfied that she helped the girl" Bronya responded.

"...Sorry if this is rude or anything, but your face doesn't really show it...I know you're the cool type of person, hardly cracks under pressure and composed...Ah, never mind, forget I said anything" Ryan said to her before he decided to not continue.

"Nyet, tell Bronya...What does Ryan think of Bronya" Bronya looked at him, asked the young man to continue.

"Hah...Have you always been emotionless looking, Bronya?" Ryan sighed a bit before he asked.

"No, Bronya shown emotion as a child" Bronya responded.

"As a child?" Ryan cocked his eyebrows.

"Bronya once get into an accident, it hampers Bronya from showing her emotion properly" Bronya told Ryan.

"...Does that explain your legs too?" Ryan asked Bronya.

"Yes. Bronya might not show it, but believe her that she could still feel...Bronya don't want Ryan to misunderstand" Bronya told the young man.

"...Alright...I'll try to be mindful about it" Ryan nodded his head.

"...Ryan don't have to skirt around Bronya for anything, Ryan can say what he thoughts to Bronya" Bronya said to him.

"You sure? I-I'll admit my mouth can run rampant sometimes" Ryan asked her while he smiled wryly.

"It is fine, Bronya used to it" Bronya told him.

"...Kiana?" Ryan guessed while he grinned.

"Kiana" Bronya confirmed as she nodded.

"Heh, no wonder" Ryan snorted as he folded his arms while he smiled.

"...Ryan, can Ryan escort Bronya back to the dormitory?" Bronya asked him after she looked at her phone.

"Sure" Ryan accepted the request.

He was planning on walking with her back to the academy, he's a gentleman even though he looked like a thug sometimes. He winced a bit at that train of thought, reminded of his days as a middle schooler. The girls would be steering clear of him while the boys were afraid to get close, the reason being the scar on his left cheek. He didn't know he got it, or maybe he forgot because of his amnesia. But the scar is quite long and wide, it ran from the center of his left cheek to his left ear which where the scar is the faintest. With his green hair, he often got called 'Joker Wannabe' by some unlikeable kids. He was friendless and never experienced proper romance as a middle schooler.

Still, that never deterred him from being confident and determined. His mentality was him against the world, the world wouldn't be kind to him so he better be prepared. He also knew that girls like confident boys, surely, he'll land a girlfriend one day that won't judge him by his looks. Because, frankly speaking, aside from the scar, Ryan considered himself as quite handsome in looks alone...That didn't work and then the local apocalypse started, he got to see how vile humanity could be as an exclusion zone dweller. It's why he'll cooperate with someone, but won't be surprised if he got betrayed. Because the world is merciless and if it wants to fuck him over right now, Bronya could be an assassin waiting to kill him. Because while they are gaming buddy, who would give a new earphone just to help them get back a doll stuck on a tree?

His mind is logical, cruel and heartless in assuming, but his heart yearned the hope that it's never going to happen. Deep down, he sincerely hoped that Bronya is just that good as a person despite never showing her emotion openly or overtly. She even helped a little kid getting her doll back, for no rewards whatsoever. Ryan subtly grimaced at his line of thought, he guessed that he's well adjusted for being zone dweller for three years...but as proven time and time again, he did still harbor the mentality of an apocalypse survivor. Trust people, but expect betrayal. Keep his inventory light, less loss if he got raided and need to bail out. Eat like it's his last meal, be prepared to die in every combat encounter. Appreciate companionship...knowing he had to give something in exchange...

"...It's quite dark" A passenger commented.

"Looks like it will rain hard" The other passenger responded.

"...I wonder whether we could make it back to the academy before it rains" Ryan wondered as he glanced outside the train's window.

"...Does Ryan have an umbrella?" Bronya asked Ryan.

"Nah, I'd soak and be drenched like a man whenever it's raining outside! I...should probably buy one" Ryan replied while he grinned.

"There's a convenience store near the station, Ryan should buy one there" Bronya told the young man.

"Sounds like a plan" Ryan responded.

...Both of them disembarked from the train on the station and headed for the convenience store, the sky had darkened even more as sun was starting to set and the clouds had become darker. From the looks of things, it's going to be another storm. Ryan managed to buy an umbrella and then walked together with Bronya to St. Freya Academy. It didn't take long for them to reach the front gate, but rain finally poured down from the sky. Luckily Ryan got an umbrella, but even he won't dare to challenge the intense wind that's blowing throughout the city at the moment. The young man stared at the sky with half closed eyes, few days ago this happened to Kiana, so now it's his turn?

"...This might mean summer is going to be extremely hot" Ryan commented as he stared at the sky.

"Ryan should follow Bronya to her room" Bronya said to him.

"...Oh? Well, I don't think you're this bold, Bronya. Shouldn't we at least go on a date first?" Ryan answered while he grinned.

"Bronya does not mean anything by it, is Ryan a lolicon?" Bronya immediately went for the gut.

"Ouch, hahahaha...I was just teasing you" Ryan said to Bronya as he followed her.

Bronya led him throughout the corridors and Ryan managed to look around, there dormitory is a set of buildings interconnecting one another and connected by a long road to the academy buildings. The place itself is quite modest, with apartment sized place that has two bedroom each. That way, two students usually roomed with one another, he did wonder whether Bronya became a roommate with another person...Ryan was actually offered to stay in the St. Freya Dormitory, even having the rent paid by Theresa herself. But he declined, suspecting that he will be monitored if he stays in this place and thus, he set out to find another apartment. Not that he really distrusted Theresa, she might mean well but she's not the entirety of Schicksal, they could try something Ryan is especially paranoid after he became aware that they're still searching for his mother...

"We have arrived" Bronya announced as they stopped at a certain room in fourth floor.

"You do get your workout by living on this floor" Ryan commented after they ascended the stairs.

"Ryan can pity the underground residents" Bronya revealed as she produced her key.

"There's underground resident room for this building!?" Ryan was surprised at the information.

"Da, it is cheaper to rent but no fresh air access" Bronya told him as she unlocked the door.

Ryan had to pity them; but he understood the situation. As someone who currently struggled with money, you either take what you get or you miss out. Living in the academy with arguably horrendous living condition but cheap rent is more preferable than living outside but having increased daily necessity cost...Bronya opened the room and both of them strolled inside, Ryan took off his shoes and followed Bronya into the living room. That's where his red eyes widened to the max, as he caught Mei Raiden herself sitting on the couch while watching TV, dressed in a casual white one-piece dress and had her hair tied in ponytail.

"Ah, welcome back Bronya-chan, you're a bit...Eh?!" Mei greeted Bronya before she saw Ryan standing behind her.

"I'm home, nee-sama" Bronya responded.

"Pardon the intrusion" Ryan told her while he smiled wryly.

"Ryan-kun, I didn't expect Bronya to return with you. Do you have something to do here?" Mei asked him while she smiled.

"She's sheltering me from the rain, a big storm is happening outside" Ryan responded while he shrugged.

"Ah, it is better that you stay here. I doubt the train will be operational with this kind of weather" Mei told him while she smiled.

"Yeah, I hope I'm not intruding" Ryan said to Mei while he smiled wryly.

"Oh no, of course not. It's just that this is the first time a boy has stepped inside this place" Mei told the young man.

"I'll try to be mindful on things" Ryan replied while he grinned slightly.

"It's fine, just make yourself at home" Mei assured him.

Make himself at home, well he won't want to be a bit slobby in front of these beautiful girls so he better behaved himself. Ryan put his bag down and sat on the loveseat beside Mei, he glanced at the TV and noted that she's watching a drama. The male protag was embracing the female lead, he could swear he heard a subtle swoon from Mei who had her eyes locked on the screen...Ryan just shrugged as he rested himself on the loveseat, maybe deep down Mei is a romanticist who wants to experience romance herself...Frankly speaking, he as well. But at the moment, he wondered whether he would have the time and commitment for a girlfriend as he's too busy surviving.

Bronya came out of her room after changing into a black camisole and short combo, she was carrying her handheld console and sat on the sofa beside Mei...With nothing to do, the young man stood up and walked toward the window. He watched the view with sunlight nowhere to be seen, there's only night view of the metropolis before him, with million of lights it provided and the rain pouring down alongside the wind that rattled the window occasionally...There's something oddly calming about it, he used to loathe this weather for the past three years. But maybe that had to do with experiencing it outside while hungry and being hunted by zombies instead of being inside a cozy apartment with air conditioning.

Ryan squinted his eyes and he noted that an airship hovered slowly near their academy, he tried to identify it and saw that it has a name etched on the hull, SS Hyperion, a floating battleship. Ryan widened his eyes as he looked at the battleship slowly engaged her engines and started to move from the academy. The engine roar made Mei and Bronya joined him beside the window, just in time to see Hyperion gaining altitude and left Soukai's premise.

"Himeko-san might be going somewhere" Mei noted out loud.

"Himeko? What's that ship got to do with her?" Ryan questioned Mei.

"Oh, you don't know? Himeko is the de-facto captain of the Hyperion; this place is somewhat a port for the ship too so it must be picking up something or someone for a mission" Mei told Ryan.

"Picking someone up or resupply, they could just do that with a dropship" Ryan commented while he rubbed his chin.

"Normally yes, but Hyperion isn't a stranger to stop by this place that it's a common event" Mei further told Ryan.

"Could it be that Hyperion is also part of Soukai defense fleet?" Ryan wondered.

"Yes, naturally she will be around Soukai unless a mission is in progress that require her being away" Bronya told Ryan.

"Have you two boarded it?" Ryan questioned them.

"We have, often when we have to go on a faraway mission" Mei answered while she smiled.

"I see...I want to board it too, at least once. I've never been inside an airship" Ryan commented while he smiled.

"I'm sure you will later, Ryan-kun" Mei assured him.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

"Yes! Coming!" Mei said out loud before she opened the door.

"Kuso! What a freaking day!" It was Himeko who showed up on the door.

"Himeko-san? You're not leaving with Hyperion?" Mei asked her.

"In fact, I just returned with Hyperion, there's an aerial Honkai interception this afternoon just after class and I had to see to it personally. Most of our Pegasus and Albatross got damaged from the battle, I had to land the ship just to get down" Himeko revealed as she massaged her left shoulder.

"Ara, kibishi desu nee...Well, sit down Himeko-san, you should rest" Mei told Himeko.

"Yeap! Looking forward to dinner...Huh? Ryan Taurus, what are you doing here?" Himeko then noticed Ryan standing near the window.

"Taking shelter, ma'am. Can't exactly go home with this weather" Ryan shrugged while he smiled.

"Huh, you charged at a bullet storm on day five during your training, you're afraid of water?" Himeko asked him while she smirked slightly.

"And the fact I can get blown off by the wind or debris, got to keep my mangled face pristine, am I right?" Ryan answered while he grinned.

"Ah, I see. Don't worry, you're quite handsome despite that scar, in fact, I think it enhances it. Right, Mei?" Himeko complimented him before she asked Mei.

"Eh? A-Ah y-yes" Mei answered although she stuttered slightly.

"Thanks, I was a bit peeved about this one" Ryan told them as he caressed the scar.

"...Surround yourself with the people that will look past your face, Ryan. Those who can see your heart, who can see you for who you really are" Himeko advised him while she smiled.

"That means you, am I right, teach?" Ryan said to her while he grinned.

"...Pffttahahaha! You're not wrong. Still, I'm your teacher, so do keep the flirting minimum in class, alright?" Himeko laughed before she told him while she smirked.

"So it's fine if it's outside class?" Ryan asked her while he grinned.

"Are you into older women, Ryan?" Himeko asked him as she sat on the sofa.

"Specific older woman, maybe. The one that's charming, mature and got great smile like you" Ryan replied while he smirked.

"Boy with this kind of words leaving his mouth, I'm gonna have to put a gag on you during class. Can't have you seducing every Valkyries" Himeko said to Ryan with half closed eyes.

"Kinky~, didn't know you're into that, teach" Ryan commented while he grinned.

"Hahahaha! Let's stop, we're making Mei uncomfortable" Himeko suggested.

"I-I'm not, don't worry. It's just, it's rare for Ryan-kun to be this relaxed and witty without Kiana around" Mei responded while she smiled wryly.

"Really?" Ryan questioned her statement.

"Yes. I don't know how to say it, you're a bit more relaxed and open lately" Mei commented while she smiled.

"Huh, that so. Maybe because Kiana really knew how to poke my buttons" Ryan wondered whether that's something only other people can pick up on.

"Probably...So anyway, let's have dinner, Mei!" Himeko said to Mei while she grinned.

"Alright, alright. Let me make something" Mei told Himeko while she smiled.

"Need some help?" Ryan offered.

"Yes. Thank you for the offer, Ryan-kun" Mei accepted while she smiled.

Mei prepared the ingredients while Ryan washed his hands, he wondered about the current situation in this room. Mei and Bronya lived together, that's for certain, but what was Himeko doing here? Did she live here too? Can't be, Ryan could tell that she won't take the couch as there's none of her items around the living room. He could see Bronya's game equipment and Mei's trinkets alongside their school related items, but none that could hint of Himeko's residency. She asked Mei for dinner, as if she's been coming here for a long time...Well, they did know each other for some time now, maybe her coming to dine here is a norm.

Ryan finished washing his hands and asked Mei on what will they make, Mei told him that they'll cook some curry. Easy to make and quite filling, a warm rice curry is a perfect dish for stormy night like they're experiencing now. Mei prepared the curry while Ryan was told to cut the ingredients...he got a feeling that there's a pattern here...Still, with relative ease, Ryan finely cut the ingredients into neat slices and bits. Beef and vegetables were soon prepared for Mei who told him to take it easy after helping her with that, the young man sat on the couch as he watched the news that Himeko put on the TV. He briefly glanced at Mei who slid around the kitchen effortlessly, she knew just what ingredient was needed and what to do with them, a real pro in the kitchen.

"Our crew on Southern Soukai reported that they managed to get an amateur footage of a battle between Schicksal ship, Hyperion, against sizeable aerial Honkai creatures. We're going to play the video right now" The news anchor informed them.

The TV shown a recording taken by from a civilian fishing boat, the video was taken by one of the crew members. It shown Hyperion engaging dozens of Honkai flyers while being aided by Pegasus and Albatross dropship. There were some F-33 Carrier Based Fighters in the air, but there's only handful of them so the bulk of interception had to be done by Pegasus transports. The clip ran for a minute, showing how Hyperion fired her missile launchers and her AA guns at the Honkai creatures. The news anchor returned and explained further that the interception was a success and people of Soukai could rest assured, Schicksal will protect them and the local garrison are prepared to fight...To Ryan, this sounded just like a propaganda piece, but he got to admit that Schicksal did provide result.

"...So, you were there" Ryan commented to Himeko.

"Yeah, it's not fun but you don't sit idle when dozens of Honkai creatures could wreak havoc nearby" Himeko responded as she grabbed a canned beer from the fridge.

"You do this out of duty? Or was there something else?" Ryan asked Himeko.

"A little mix of both, Ryan...You were in the exclusion zone, right? Tell me, when you square against the Honkai creatures or bandits over there, what's your reason? That you took up arms and shot them?" Himeko asked Ryan as she sat beside him.

"I just don't want to die" Ryan answered while he frowned.

"Perfectly reasonable, it might sound simple, but to you? That's a cause worth fighting for. You fight for your life, so you can step into the light at the end of the tunnel. You have regrets, you have purpose, and that's why you can't die just yet" Himeko told the young man.

"...Yeah...You're right" Considering his circumstances, Himeko was right.

"The strongest warrior are the one that has something worth to fight for, a cause that they believe in...Do you have one?" Himeko asked Ryan.

"No. I don't think so...I'm in this just to survive" Ryan answered while he frowned slightly.

"Surviving is a basic instinct, Ryan. You need another if you want to be truly able to unleash your potential" Himeko advised him.

"...Can you tell me then? What is something that's worth fighting for?" Ryan asked Himeko.

"That, is something you have to find yourself. My cause and yours could be different, despite being allies...Something that you truly believe will stick with you, compared to the belief that were ingrained into you" Himeko advised him further.

"Bronya-chan, could you help me for a bit?" Mei asked Bronya.

"Yes" Bronya responded as she rose from her seat.

"...To me, this mundane daily stuff, is my reason to fight" Himeko told Ryan while she smiled.

The young man leaned on the sofa as he thought over Himeko's words, she's fighting for the mundane daily lives like they're experiencing now. Sure, Honkai is an absolute bitch of a disaster and could really ruin an entire civilization. It is a threat, but how could one fight something that's so random? So out of order? So unpredictable? Could they truly quell Honkai or are they just delaying the inevitable? Such question must've been asked a lot ever since humanity knew about Honkai...He took a glance at Mei cooking and Bronya assisting her with the process, is mundanity something that someone should fight for?

Yes, it should, Ryan thought to himself. You don't know what you have until you lose it, that sentence is proven time and time again. For a civilian who lives their daily lives free from Honkai threat, they would be absolutely horrified the moment they have to live in an area inhabited by them. They can fight back, sure, but how does someone fight something that akin to god's will? No matter how many someone put down, another creature will rise to take its place. The scale seemed to corresponded with human technological advancement, so that means the Honkai now was even more of a threat compared to what their predecessor got...But he joined the Vikings because he got scooped out and given the chance to survive, should he really be having other cause than that when surviving itself was enough?

"Dinner's ready!" Mei announced while she smiled.

"Perfect, thanks for the food, Mei!" Himeko thanked her while she smiled.

"It's nothing, do eat up, sensei" Mei responded while she smiled.

"...Oh wow!" Ryan exclaimed.

Not only it looked good, but the smell was absolutely perfect. Ryan remembered how food in anime usually looks, and Mei's cooking was an example of those visuals being brought to real life. Ryan sat beside Himeko, he was immediately served a plate full of rice and curry. They sat together and they started dining, Ryan widened his eyes the moment the rice and curry landed in his mouth because he never tasted something as good as this. Himeko swooned from the taste, and both of them raced one another to clean the plate. Mei giggled a bit at their display of appetite, and she assured them that there's more rice and curry if they want seconds. Ryan immediately signed up for it, Himeko said that she's full from just a plate...

"...Ryan ate like a hungry dog" Bronya commented, causing Ryan to choke.

"Oh dear! Here's some water!" Mei worriedly handed him a glass of water which he took and chugged.

"Hahaha! A boy like him need to eat a lot Bronya, cut him some slack" Himeko said to Bronya while she grinned.

"Himeko shouldn't eat so much if she doesn't want flabby stomach" Bronya told Himeko.

"Oi, I don't have that! Or do I?" Himeko responded before she worriedly rubbed her own stomach.

"Himeko drank beer too much, it's no wonder if she got beer stomach" Bronya added with passive face.

"Don't make me hurl from the image, Bronya" Himeko responded as she massaged the bridge of her nose.

"I thought full stomach will mellow you out, Bronya" Ryan commented while he smiled wryly.

"Bronya was just making an observation" Bronya responded.

"Fufu, Bronya-chan does have a sharp tongue. But don't worry Ryan-kun, you'll get used to it" Mei assured him while she smiled.

"I known her for two months now, Mei, I've taken some brunt of it" Ryan shrugged.

"Indeed. Bronya-chan is a good girl though, she meant no real harm" Mei said to Ryan while she smiled.

"...You sounded like a mom making excuse for her misbehaving child" Ryan commented with half closed eyes.

"And Ryan is nagging like a deadbeat father with no income" Bronya replied with flat face.

"...Ouch?" Still, that no income part hurt deep.

"Ufufufu, Bronya seemed more comfortable with you" Mei commented while she smiled.

"Ahahahaha! You really shouldn't be poking her buttons, Ryan" Himeko lightly advised as she leaned on her seat.

"Being called a child huh?" Ryan guessed, was Bronya insecure about her figure?

"Fufu, Kiana would've thrown a punch if she's Bronya right now" Himeko commented while she grinned.

"Hard agree...Still, I got to say, your cooking is quite divine, Mei. Very delicious" Ryan praised the chef.

"It was just an ordinary curry, Ryan-kun. But thank you" Mei told him while she smiled.

"Exactly. How did you make an ordinary curry so delicious?" Ryan asked Mei while he cocked his eyebrows.

"Love, the foolproof ingredients for a chef~" Himeko teased while she grinned.

"M-Mou, sensei! I just love cooking, especially for friends" Mei responded with light blush adorning her cheeks.

"Mei, you'll make a fine wife one day" Ryan commented while he rested on the seat.

"I-Is that so" Mei replied while she smiled slightly.

"Yeah, I'll be honest that you really are an ideal woman to many men. No wonder you got a lot of date proposals" Ryan continued while he shrugged.

"True, b-but I'm not interested in dating at the moment" Mei responded while she caressed her lower left arm.

"I see, maybe you're waiting for the right guy?" Ryan commented while he smiled.

"Ryan sounded like a creepy middle-aged man hitting on school girls" Bronya commented again.

"...I got a feeling you want to be beaten in Street Homu" Ryan replied while he grinned, although veins surfaced on his forehead.

"Challenged accepted" Bronya responded.

"Loser has to buy ice cream tomorrow" Ryan challenged while he frowned.

"Then Ryan has to buy Bronya some" Bronya accepted.

Ryan and Bronya fought one another in Street Homu, Mei occasionally cheered or commented while Himeko watched from the side, the older woman smiled at the sight before her. Three youngsters, with so much potential for their future, enjoying the moment with one another. She didn't know how close they were, but judging from the fact that Mei and Bronya weren't perturbed by Ryan's presence, she thought that they're at least friends with one another...Himeko grabbed a canned beer, opened it, sipped some before she looked up the ceiling. As a teacher, it's her duty to guide these teens into the uncertain future. She always asked herself, whether she made the right call to be an instructor instead of fighting all the time in the frontline...

"Himeko sensei?" Mei called her.

"Hmm? What?" Himeko responded.

"You were spacing out, is there something bothering you?" Mei asked her.

"Ah nothing to worry about, Mei. I'm going to be 28 this year, just thought that time flies a bit faster than I thought" Himeko responded while she smiled.

"Ufufu, don't worry, you look as young as us" Mei assured her while she smiled.

"Then tell me, why can't I land a single date lately?!" Himeko asked while she scowled.

"Because Himeko ran out of men to date" Bronya answered nonchalantly.

"Holy fucking shit, you dated the entire Soukai, teach?!" Ryan just had to responded with widened eyes.

"I'm gonna kill you if that nonsense spread among the Vikings, Ryan!" Himeko threatened with half closed eyes.

"My lips are sealed, ma'am!" Ryan immediately responded as he got back to the game.

Himeko drank her beer and complained to Mei who smiled and nodded her way while she occasionally patted Himeko's back, it's just her usual tirade about dating and that men don't want a christmas cake like her...In the back of Ryan's mind, he wondered why those men don't want Himeko. She's beautiful, smart, downright oozing with sex appeal and quite flirty too! He'd honestly would try to date her if he wasn't balls deep with trying to get his shit together. Judging from how she acted right now though, Ryan suspected that they don't want the hassle of a drunk Himeko...Fucking wimps, Ryan thought to himself.

The storm receded slightly around nine o'clock, Ryan excused himself from the dormitory after thanking Mei, Bronya and Himeko. He walked outside and noticed that the sky had cleared, revealing the bright full moon to shine up above. He stopped walking as he thought over on today's events, and to Himeko's advice regarding what he's fighting for...Maybe it won't be a bad idea to have a cause when his life became stable, when he don't have to worry about making ends meet all the time. With that in mind, he walked to the station so he can board the train back home...he got school tomorrow.

---

"...Bronya? Why are you eating ice cream in the morning?" Kiana, who just arrived, asked Bronya.

"Ryan bought one for Bronya" Bronya told her before she resumed eating the cup ice cream.

"Hey, where's mine!?" Kiana pouted as she asked Ryan who sat next to Bronya.

"Beat me in Street Homu first, and do it ten times in a row" Ryan replied to her with half closed eyes.

"Wait, you're in Mei's room yesterday?" Kiana asked as she cocked her eyebrows.

"Yeah, got stuck because of the storm. I was taking shelter" Ryan answered while he shrugged.

"Tch, no fair, hanging out without me" Kiana clicked her tongue and pouted as she sat next to him.

"Don't you already-" Ryan was about to comment.

And promptly shut his mouth when Han, Gin and James who were talking with one another turned towards him as if they heard the juiciest gossip that they come across today. Nope, Ryan won't take chances of rumor being spread around like butter on a bread. He's fine with it as he's used to be in the receiving end, but making Kiana uncomfortable isn't something he want to do. Kiana looked at him nonchalantly and just rested her head on her hand, looking outside while she pouted cutely...Ryan thought that Kiana seemingly didn't mind if that fact got known by other people, does she have no shame or was there something else going on with that?

"I hereby proclaim, Ryan Taurus as a playboy bastard!" Han theatrically snapped a photo of him sitting while being surrounded by girls.

"Oi oi" Ryan commented with half closed eyes.

"Ah! Don't you take random photos of me, dammit!" Kiana frowned as she glared at Han.

"You're looking cute, don't worry!" Han replied while he smiled.

"It's not about being cute!" Kiana replied while she frowned.

"Let him go Kiana, though do ready your gun if he ever posts it" Ryan commented while he smirked.

"Ooh you evil bastard, don't worry this is just for my diary" Han told Ryan while he smiled.

"You wrote a diary?" Ryan asked Han.

"I do. Digital records could get snuffed in the blink of an eye, not paper-based records" Han replied while he grinned.

"...Anyway, where's Aunt Himeko? Class should've start ten minutes ago" Kiana wondered.

"You? Looking forward to class? That's a first" Ryan commented.

"Because I need to make up for last week's homework with my attendance! Mom was mad about me slacking off, I got an earful yesterday!" Kiana told Ryan while she glanced to the side.

"What subject do you have problem with?" Ryan asked Kiana.

"Math" Kiana answered.

"Okay you're on your own" Ryan bluntly told her while he frowned.

"Not you too! First Fu Hua, then you! Is everyone here not willing to help me with this!?" Kiana lamented as she clutched her head.

"...Bronya is willing to help" Bronya offered to Kiana after she finished her ice cream.

"...For free right?" Kiana asked Bronya.

"Bronya needs skin for Avex Legends" Bronya said to Kiana.

"For the new chara?" Kiana asked her.

"Da" Bronya answered.

"Then me too! I want it too! And my allowance doesn't permit two people worthy of pulls!" Kiana said to Bronya while she folded her arms.

"Kiana needs to learn prioritization, it's either Kiana's grades or Kiana's future. By that fact, Bronya believe that she should get the ability to gacha and help Kiana in the process" Bronya explained to Kiana with her classical poker face.

"...Does that mean helping for the mid semester test as well?" Kiana asked Bronya in hushed voice.

"Bronya doesn't extend the service that far, however Bronya is willing to tutor Kiana should she fund Bronya gacha rolls" Bronya told her terms.

"Muuuuu, this is a hard decision!" Kiana gritted her teeth as she racked her brain for solution.

"Don't you work?" Ryan asked her.

"Y-Yes, but dad's birthday is coming so..." Kiana answered while she frowned.

"...Bronya will settle with blueberry cake that Kiana ate before, in exchange Kiana will have to do her best for the exam" Bronya lowered her requirements.

"Deal! Aaahhh! Thank you Bronya!" Kiana immediately sealed the deal and hugged Bronya tightly.

"Please get off Bronya" Bronya flatly protested as she got squished by Kiana.

"...You really are nice girl, Bronya" Ryan commented while he smiled and patted Bronya's head.

"Please stop treating Bronya like a child" Bronya flatly protested.

The door to the classroom was opened and Himeko went inside, however she's not alone as there's Victoria and a man dressed in brown suit. He looked middle aged with swept back black hair and a neat mustache; his light blue eyes surveyed the classroom with unknown intent. The students immediately sat on their respective seats and stopped with their teenage lollygagging, two of their instructors coming in with an unknown dude dressed like he's an important person? Most students would tell the one who asked the question that shit has gone down, the real question is which direction the shit will fall to?

"Good morning, students. Let me introduce you to Mr. Howard West, he is an investor behind Project Asgard. Today he's here to see the Vikings-" Himeko introduced him.

"Thank you, Ms. Murata. I'll take it from here...Vikings, stand up and line in front of me" Howard said out loud.

"Wow, rude motherfucker..." Agus commented in low tone.

"My sympathy evaporated instantly..." Han commented in low tone.

"Do as he say" Victoria told them.

They didn't know why this had to be done inside the class, but they had to comply regardless. The Vikings lined up in neat row, all twenty of them facing the front of the class as Howard walked and inspected them one by one. He looked at them in the eyes, noting that none of them shown any hint of nervousness. Then he finally reached Ryan, his eyes shifted and gazed at Ryan's right arm. He grabbed it and took off the glove covering his right forearm, exposing his grey metallic prosthetic.

"I don't remember someone disabled being in this program" Howard stated out loud.

"Entering old age must've been harsh for your memory, sir" Ryan immediately answered.

"...Did I give you permission to talk?" Howard asked Ryan with widened eyes.

"No but allow me to remind you of that fact, sir" Ryan continued.

"Watson, what is this?" Howard asked Victoria as he pointed at Ryan.

"Their platoon leader, sir" Victoria answered.

"I remember asking for well disciplined soldier, not whatever this is!" Howard told Victoria while he pointed at Ryan.

"They are well disciplined sir; you can count on the fact that they know how to fight" Victoria told Howard, avoiding mentioning them as soldiers.

"If I were you, I'd refrain from insulting trained men like them. Aside from making bad impression, they could hand you your ass in less than a second" Himeko vouched for them.

"Hmph, this will not do. When I asked for soldiers, I want them to act as such. I told Otto Apocalypse himself that I need capable men, not high schoolers playing soldiers. I was making compromise on accepting civilian teenagers, and not only I lost thirteen of them on the first month, this is what I get in return? Their training video doesn't prove anything, and I am not convinced they got what it takes to do what needs to be done" Howard snorted then ranted as he observed the Vikings.

"Perhaps we could convince you otherwise if we could prove their effectiveness?" Victoria asked the man.

"Explain" Howard turned toward Victoria and Himeko.

"There's a mission we've been saving up. If they complete it, will you take back your words?" Victoria asked the man while she folded her arms.

"That depends on the mission. But know this, I don't expect much. What a waste of money" Howard said out loud.

He spared no further glance as he exited the classroom, Victoria massaged her left temple before she followed suit while Himeko and the rest of the students were unsure on what to do. After telling the Vikings to sit, they began their lesson like usual. Although they could notice that Himeko wasn't acting like her usual self, they knew her mind was somewhere else despite her flawlessly teaching the students...There's no word from Victoria even until recess, so the Vikings decided to eat together in the armory. Some brought their lunch boxes, some with the canteen products.

"...I reckon he didn't know you're the reason those thirteen Vikings were gone, mate" James said to Ryan.

"Yeah, Theresa must've pulled some strings for that" Ryan affirmed before he bit into his meat buns.

"Still, Himeko mentioned an investor, not THE investor. So, I think there's some more people backing this project. The question is, why only Howard that showed up today?" Han asked out loud.

"Maybe he's the richest" Igor assumed as he scratched his black hair.

"Oh, I would hate that. If Howard holds the biggest sway among the investors? We're fucked, I usually want to punch that kind of dude and I haven't because that means we're all getting the end of the stick" Agus commented while he scowled.

"That asshole wants results. What more do we have to do?" Rahn offered his piece.

"Just like Victoria said, we need to provide results. And that means, going on a mission" Gin answered while he folded his arms.

"Mission, eh? Who do we kill?" Rahn asked out loud.

"You assume we're going to kill people already?" Michael asked Rahn.

"Face it, Michael. We are told from the start, that we're fighting the enemy that Valkyries can't be bothered to fight because their power is good for something else. We. Are. Going to kill people, that's it" Rahn told Han while he frowned.

"I agree, this mission is a hit on someone or something. And in the process, a lot of people will die...Any of you have not kill someone before? Be honest with me" Ryan asked out loud.

"That would be me" Gin admitted.

"Me too" Michael added.

"Hah, me three" Grey sighed then said to Ryan.

"It's fine, but it's a fact you'll have to come to terms soon. Like it or not, being here means you're going to kill people. When you're out there, it's you or them. No hesitation, unless you like to lose your very life...Until we get the mission, think over your decision" Ryan told the three of them.

The young man finished his meat bun before he walked out of the armory, he wanted to go somewhere else and told Han to report if there's any development...Ryan sighed as he walked down the corridor, their fate as a unit might be at stake here. Along the way, he noticed that Fu Hua was leaning on the corridor walls, as if she's waiting for him. The woman smiled as she nudged her head to the side, signing him to follow her. He did so wordlessly, figuring that Schicksal had eyes and ears within the academy so being careful about where they're going to talk wasn't unrealistic. After following her for a bit, they ended up in the school rooftop. Fu Hua locked the door, and she walked to the fenced edge as Ryan followed her.

"You weren't making any snarky remarks, Ryan. Did your nerve bested you?" Fu Hua asked him.

"More like trying not to say anything while we're inside the building" Ryan answered while he shrugged.

"I see...The burden of a leader is like shouldering a mountain, any fault is your fault, and any success belongs to the team...Leaders are like the sacrificial pawn in cohesion" Fu Hua said out loud.

"You're telling me I'm expendable?" Ryan joined Fu Hua by the fenced edge.

"No, I'm saying that you will face insurmountable odds and any error is your fault, in the eyes of Howard West...A man like him knows no satisfaction, he will find the slightest gap to exploit" Fu Hua said to Ryan while she frowned.

"...So It's a losing fight for all of us" Ryan commented as he glanced down toward the tennis field.

"Only time will tell whether that's the case" Fu Hua said to him.

"Why do we have him as an investor? Does he truly know what he's dealing with here?" Ryan openly questioned as he leaned on the fence.

"I can tell he's a businessman, Ryan. Not a soldier, nor a warrior" Fu Hua told him.

"Oh, believe me, he reeks of one. I could hit him like Hoshijiro in less than a second and he won't be able to do shit" Ryan commented while he scowled.

"...You're mad at him?" Fu Hua could detect the hostility in his tone.

"...Yeah, to an extent. I despise those kinds of elites, one who could only talk big because they have money" Ryan admitted.

"Still, money is power isn't a wrong concept" Fu Hua told him.

"Money won't stop a 9mm" Ryan responded.

"With enough stack, it will" Fu Hua countered while she smiled.

"Hahahaha...True, it will. That's why guns usually have more than one round in their magazine" Ryan countered as well.

"Ufufufu...And the skills?" Fu Hua asked him.

"Skill matters. A man once said that 'It matters who got the biggest stick, but it matters a hell of a lot more on who's swinging it'. That applies to this one as well" Ryan told her while he smirked slightly.

"Given your skills with firearms, I won't question on the outcome...Still, whatever happens, you better tread lightly with this man. I hate to see one of my classmates disappear" Fu Hua told him while she glanced to the sky.

"Didn't know you care, that's nice to hear" Ryan commented while he smiled.

"I am your class representative, of course I care about your wellbeing" Fu Hua responded while she glanced at him.

"Really? Nothing more?" Ryan asked while he grinned.

"...Now that's the Ryan Taurus I know, the notorious flirt" Fu Hua commented while she smiled.

"My reputation is that bad huh?" Ryan asked while he cringed.

Fu Hua brought him out here to remind him that he's a leader, to prepare him for the burden that lie ahead. Because if Victoria does assign them on a mission, lives could be lost and it's not just the enemy. No, when they're out on the field, the lives of his men are also his responsibility, each loss is his responsibility so he better take care that they won't die because of his misjudgment or his negligence...The bell rung and they went back to class, the rest of the day went uneventful. At least, until the end of the day. The Vikings were gathered on the armory with Theresa, Victoria and Himeko.

"...Things wouldn't go like this had you just shut up, Ryan Taurus" Victoria bluntly told Ryan.

"Yes ma'am, it wouldn't" Ryan answered.

"Do pray tell then, why would you snark at an investor like that?" Victoria asked him.

"I don't like him, as I'm sure all of us do" Ryan answered without hesitation.

"That's not how it works. You don't always have to deal with assholes from the front, in fact, just like anal, it's best doing so from the back" Victoria scowled as she scolded him.

"Um, that wording is a bit..." Theresa cheeks reddened.

"He could be dealt with better ways, not like what you did this noon...Hierarchy exists, Taurus, I need you to respect it when the situation demands it. You will receive punishment for this mess that you caused, understood?" Victoria scolded the young man.

"Understood, ma'am" Ryan answered without hesitation.

"...While it is Ryan's fault that the situation with Howard is unsalvageable, we did intent to give the Vikings this mission from the start. Ryan, go and sit down so we can start the briefing" Theresa said out loud.

Ryan sat down as the briefing for the mission began, Victoria turned on the hologram projector and put satellite view of a map. It's a small island several dozen kilometers off Korean Peninsula, the island has one major town, several outlying settlements and a military base. The town looked like an average town, what intrigued everyone was the military base. It looked modern, with tall fortified walls, defensive emplacements and four helipads with Albatross Dropships. They looked to be armed and loaded, a bona-fide military outpost. If that's their target, bringing it down with twenty Vikings was going to be a genuine ball busting hard operation.

"This place is Yi Island, used to be a famous fishing village before second Honkai Impact hit the area. Nowadays, the population is nothing more than zombies and Honkai creatures. That's dandy and all, but your main objective is the military base on the other side of the island. This base belongs to a Geum Pirate Group, lately they've been too active in harassing cargo ships and other civilian vessels. Last month alone, they managed to seize a cargo ship alongside four civilian yachts. Their threat has become so big that Schicksal was alerted to their constant activity, they need to be dealt with" Victoria explained to them.

"Why the United Nations Armed Forces don't do anything? Or even Korean Navy?" Han raised his hand.

"As you probably guess, recruitment is a bit hard to do these days and that resulted in lack of manpower all across the board. Schicksal, UNAF, other organizations, yeah people don't want to sign up just to die to Honkai...Korean Navy suffer the same problem, worse is the fact that they're currently dealing with their own exclusion zone so that's where their priorities lie. Schicksal have been requested to handle this problem, specifically, the Far East Division, us" Victoria told Han as while she frowned.

"Why now? What's in it for Schicksal?" Ryan asked Victoria.

"Schicksal does not like to expend money unnecessarily, at least until a deal came through. Schicksal was given this island as a land to construct facility or even settlement, it'll benefit the organization and that's why they only bother to deal with this now. Far East Branch has requested St. Freya to send their Valkyries to help for a big cleanup operation on the town, it will be a joint effort with the other Far East Valkyries groups. While they do that, it's up to you boys to handle the military base. The order is simple, get in there and kill everyone" Victoria further explained.

"We Valkyries will focus on the Honkai threat, but we won't know whether Emperor class entities are around the area or not. Depending on how it goes, we might need your assistance or even retreat entirely. Worse, Honkai beasts could get agitated to go on a rampage and might crash into your area of operation. So be prepared for anything, and be prepared to respond to the situation. Things could get south really quickly" Himeko added her piece.

Victoria nodded her head; she zoomed toward the military base and displayed the 3D model alongside the bird eye view. The Vikings looked carefully to the schematics before them, some even taking photos so they could study the layout even closely. The base consisted of barrack area, armory, command center, four helipads, medical center, vehicle depot, a dock and several warehouse. No matter how they looked at it, twenty Vikings won't be able to complete their assault with this much ground to cover, at least not as quick as one might thought. Victoria added some photos from their reconnaissance drones, the pirates has well trained infantries, Norn Hover Tanks and attack boats. They are TOO well equipped for a group of pirates...

"They're too well equipped, it's not your ordinary pirate group" Ryan commented as he gazed at the photos.

"Because they're formerly a mercenary group before work dries up in the region, then they found out that making money is easier when the target are civilians...You know the rest" Victoria told them.

"Sheesh, they're already fighting for money and they go even lower" Agus commented while he frowned.

"Have to say ma'am, there's no way twenty Vikings could subdue this entire base. We are trained, but not even the most elite force in the world could do this without backup. Unless, that's the case here? To make a statement?" Han said to Victoria while he folded his arms.

"Exactly, you're going here to make a statement to Schicksal board of directors and Howard alongside the other investors. You're going to prove that twenty Vikings could take down a fully loaded military base, you will have air support but you boys will be pulling most of the work. And before any of you rant about Ryan putting you on this mess, no, this is what we intend to do from the start" Victoria said out loud while she frowned.

"It is suicidal to do this" Gin commented while he frowned.

"Not with your Sleipnir Armor" Theresa chimed in.

"What? We're using the armor?" Han asked out loud, this immediately got everyone's attention.

"Fucking finally" "About time!" James and Rahn responded.

"We're not going to throw you to the wolves without sufficient equipment! You boys will be using your armor to its full potential, all their features and advantages will serve you well for this upcoming mission! You have two weeks to train with the armor on, then the mission will commence as planned! Let's show those people that the Vikings are indeed worthy to exist and that you boys are the right people for the program!" Theresa loudly proclaimed while she smiled smugly.

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Armory Section

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Gewehr 46 Assault Rifle

Role: General Purpose Service Firearm

Manufacturer: Heckler and Koch

Length: 0.8 Meters

Mass: 3 Kilograms

Cartridge: 5.56x45mm Cartridge

Action: Short Stroke Piston, Closed Rotating Bolt

Rate of fire: 850 Rounds/Minute

Firing mode: Semi-Automatic, Fully Automatic

Effective Range: 620 Meters

Maximum range: 2.749 Meters

Feed system: 30 Rounds Detachable Box Magazine

Europe region most widely used rifle, it has solid performance across the board and a very customizable platform. It has been a mainstay in many countries armed forces and the usage compete directly with the M16B-PAR, however G46 won in durability prospect as the weapon is built of polymer body with steel components. The rifle factory issue featured a 1x magnification scope instead of ironsight and the fore-end have a built in vertical foregrip, all features can be removed should the user wish to, however those additions proved that the designer has ease of use in mind. Pricing was a bit of an issue due to those addons, however the performance and reliability alone proved the rifle worth its costs.

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Ceres Model 21

Role: Designated Marksman Rifle

Manufacturer: Ceres Armory

Length: 1.1 Meters

Mass: 3.2 KG

Cartridge: 7.62x51mm Cartridge

Action: Gas Operated, Rotating Bolt

Rate of fire: 600 Rounds/Minute

Firing mode: Semi-Automatic

Effective Range: 800 Meters

Maximum range: 3.442 Meters

Feed system: 20 rounds detachable box magazine

The go-to rifle for marksmen, the lighter weight platform is a welcome addition for users with ergonomics and customizability in mind. This bullpup styled rifle is the successor to the Model 20 DMR, and a massive improvement compared to the previous version that's prone to jam. The design change turned this weapon into a light and precise weapon, and its field performance earned a lot of fans across the globe. The weapon did require intensive maintenance and care, however it could easily be done in the field and with minimal equipment so it's still see heavy use in all theaters.

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Darius Machine Gun Model 8

Role: General Purpose Machine Gun

Manufacturer: Darius Arms and Defense

Length: 1.3 Meters

Mass: 4.5 Kilograms

Cartridge: 6.5x55mm Cartridge

Action: Gas Operated

Rate of fire: 900 rounds per minute

Firing mode: Fully automatic

Effective Range: 1400 Meters

Maximum range: 3800 Meters

Feed system: Belt Fed (100, 150, 200, 250) Rounds, Non-Disintegrating Links

Battle proven weapon system, this machine gun is the standard issue for United Nations Armed Force and issued to each squad as their Squad Automatic Weapon. The machine gun started production post First Honkai Impact, citing the lack of control most machine gun has unless they are deployed with their bipod. With its recoil mitigation system, DMGM8 could be fired reliably even when the user is on the move. However, this weapon lacks customizability and can be quite cumbersome to carry. Darius Arms and Defense mitigate this problem by giving built in extendable sling and a factory issue 1x-3x magnification optical scope.

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Horus 27

Role: Precision/Sniper Rifle

Manufacturer: Agyr Defense Industry

Length: 1.5 Meters

Mass: 2.5 Kilograms

Cartridge: .338 Lapua Magnum Cartridge

Action: Singlet Shot, Bolt Action

Rate of fire: 30 Aimed Shots/Minute

Firing mode: Single Fire

Effective Range: 1500 Meters

Maximum range: 4000 Meters

Feed system: 5 Rounds Internal Magazine

Magnum bolt action sniper rifle that made its debut during early days of Second Honkai Impact, snipers need a light weapon to lunge around for their field operation yet still provide tremendous stopping power. Agyr Defense Industry answered the demand with this weapon, light enough to be a rifle but with a firepower that could stop sentient zombies on the spot. It's simple construction and bolt action ensured that the weapon has less component to maintain and reduced their production cost, not to mention the weapon requiring less maintenance to function in harsh terrain. However, the recoil provided by the .338 Magnum cartridge remains a problem, Agyr Defense Industry tries to mitigate this by providing a standard issue recoil pad, although it only helps marginally. Still, the weapon earned solid reputation and remain widely used even almost two decades later.

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Brune Launcher

Role: Omni Purpose Recoilless Rifle

Manufacturer: Brune Arma Tech

Length: 1 Meters

Mass: 7 Kilograms

Cartridge: 85x250mm Rim Recoilless Launcher Cartridge

Action: Breechloader, Recoilless, Percussion Fired

Rate of fire: 7 Rounds/Minute

Firing mode: Single Shot

Effective Range: 400 Meters

Maximum range: 3000 Meters (Rocket Boosted, Fin Stabilized, Laser Guided Munition)

Feed system: Hinged Breech

Most widely used platform for explosive oriented job other than RPG10, Brune Launcher pride itself in its simple construction and wide range of available ammunition. The weapon was conceived after a disastrous encounter with Honkai beasts during the Reclamation of Vienna, urban combat resulted in most operators complaining about their shouldered launcher being heavy and cumbersome. A month later, Brune Launcher made its debut and immediately saw soaring success. It's so successful that many organizations switched to it and asked for license to locally produce it, and many produced its ammunition independently which resulted in various warheads being available everywhere. The latest iteration, Honkai Eliminator Warhead, is the most sought after and expensive out of available munitions. The weapon has proven that it could one shot a Chariot Class Honkai Beast if the Honkai Eliminator Warhead managed to hit in the general direction of its core, further solidifying the platform's reputation in battle.

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USP

Role: Sidearm

Manufacturer: Heckler and Koch

Length: 0.19 meters

Mass: 0.67 Kilograms

Cartridge: .45 ACP Cartridge

Action: Short Recoil

Rate of fire: Semi-Automatic

Firing mode: Semi-Automatic

Effective Range: 50 Meters

Maximum range: 100 Meters

Feed system: 12 Rounds Detachable Box Magazines

Has seen heavy use since Pre-Second Honkai Impact, this is a reliable all terrain pistol with various variants and customizability. Schicksal employed USP .45 variant as a standard issue handgun on all of their branches, even Valkyries who use firearms could be seen carrying them. Widely available throughout the earth, abundant ammunition, easy to customize and quite accessible price wise has made this weapon into a popular handgun platform. Many could be found on Honkai exclusion zone as well, and a common pistol seen in the hands of survivors. It performs well for its intended purpose as a sidearm or close-range weapon, and its low recoil makes it a controllable handgun for those even without shooting experience.

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Model 3 Heavy Machine Gun

Role: General Purpose Heavy Machine Gun

Manufacturer: Various Companies

Length: 1.5 Meters

Mass: 26 Kilograms

Cartridge: 12.7x99mm Cartridge

Action: Short Recoil

Rate of fire: 1300 Rounds/Minute

Firing mode: Fully Automatic

Effective Range: 1900 Meters

Maximum range: 7500 Meters

Feed system: Belt Fed, Non-Disintegrating Links

Not so much of a new weapon, but a mere upgrade to M2 Browning Heavy Machine Gun. Aside from the modernized design and added customizability, there's not much improvement compared to the previous version in base performance wise. However, the modernized design and ability to be customized has allowed many components to receive improvements, example being digital scope for easier target acquisition and the prototype Honkai Eliminator barrel that could imbue Anti Honkai property on the fired rounds. Furthermore, despite the success of gatling guns in general, many transport aircraft switched to M3 for their defensive option. What lacks in fire rate, makes up in sheer power.

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Avtomat Kalashnikov 360

Role: Heavy Assault Rifle

Manufacturer: Kalashnikov Concern

Length: 0.82 Meters

Mass: 3.6 Kilograms

Cartridge: 7.62x54mm Cartridge

Action: Gas Operated, Rotating Bolt

Rate of fire: 580 Rounds/Minute

Firing mode: Semi-Automatic, Fully Automatic

Effective Range: 500 Meters

Maximum range: 3000 Meters

Feed system: 50 Rounds Quad Column Detachable Box Magazines

A very Russian solution to zombie horde, this weapon was created because of high-capacity SMGs failed to help when it comes to stopping a massive group of zombies during First Honkai Impact. AK360 was conceived to be a compact and powerful package, with the size of a carbine but the firepower of a sniper rifle. To mitigate the horrendous recoil, the rifle has complex recoil mitigation system which includes reciprocating barrel. It resulted in a relatively stable platform; however, it requires effort to keep the weapon steady during fully automatic fire. The weapon received a lot of criticism for its horrendous recoil, bad accuracy at long range and tendency to over penetrate, but it was what the designer intended. The over penetration was intended so it can hit multiple zombies with one round, the accuracy was unfounded concern because it's a close-range weapon, and the recoil is an acceptable drawback for a powerful anti-zombie equipment.

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Colt Anaconda

Role: Sidearm

Manufacturer: Colt Company

Length: Varies On Model

Mass: Varies On Model

Cartridge: .44 Magnum

Action: Double Action

Rate of fire: Semi-Automatic

Firing mode: Semi-Automatic

Effective Range: 90 Meters

Maximum range: 170 Meters

Feed system: Six Round Cylinder Magazine

Revolvers are tried, tested, and battle proven design. Such as the reason why despite it's limited ammunition capacity, Colt Anaconda remains a preferred choice for many Valkyries and several individuals who liked stopping power of .44 Magnum rounds. It is preferred weapon due to the design of the revolvers; they have fewer moving parts thus less chance of malfunction and less prone to jamming. It makes them into a good weapon to use in high stress environment, where reflex is paramount. However, because of its low ammunition capacity, many users usually carry two around so they could switch when one is empty. Reloading speed also becomes a problem for the untrained, as it will take time to load the individual chamber or to accurately use speed loader. St. Freya Academy Valkyries are especially trained to operate one, because of the abundance of the weapon the academy has.

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M1911H

Role: Sidearm

Manufacturer: Various Entities

Length: 0.2 Meters

Mass: 0.7 Kilograms

Cartridge: .357 SIG Cartridge

Action: Short Recoil

Rate of fire: Semi-Automatic

Firing mode: Semi-Automatic

Effective Range: 70 Meters

Maximum range: 125 Meters

Feed system: 8 rounds detachable box magazine

Heavy variant for M1911 in collaboration with SIG Sauer, the pistol provided an improved firepower from the M1911 standard .45 ACP variant. This gun saw limited production and mostly used by special forces and army officers; however, knockoffs could be found throughout the black market and that's how the weapon became widespread around the globe. Both the official and knockoff variant are almost indistinguishable, so parts and components are interchangeable without problems. The weapon saw uses by various organization or individuals, furthermore the weapon is prized for its customizability and performance. A reliable handgun or sidearm to user's primary weapon, it remains a solid compromise for those looking for firepower but not wanting the bulk of a magnum pistols.