That was a fiery red battlesuit.
A sword strike of white light seemed to tear through the fabric of space, illuminating the night in a blazing crimson!
In a fleeting glance, Himeko recognized the name of this battlesuit.
—Crimson Knight: Eclipse!
Stored at Schicksal Headquarters, the Gem of Haste, the Herrscher of Fire core with the strongest destructive power, was connected to the Blank Core.
This person is likely a Valkyrie from Schicksal and must be Otto's experimental subject.
Using it without restriction like this, however, would likely cause the user to lose even their life in vain.
Himeko pursed her blood-sweetened red lips and looked toward the giant dragon.
Besides her, no one else had reacted, not even Benares.
It was simply flying in the sky when it suddenly felt a terrifying surge of energy explode from its wings!
"Boom!!!"
A massive gash was torn into its wings.
Crimson blood rained down from the sky as Benares struggled to continue flying.
"—Roar!!!" it wailed in pain.
However, that blood-red shadow gave it no time, nor did it allow for resistance.
Only the sound of tearing wind could be heard!
Sword after sword, like the judgment of a fire god, tore through Benares's body.
As the wounds grew larger, the giant dragon finally stopped struggling and crashed down from the vast heavens!
At this moment, almost all the Valkyries of the Academy couldn't bear to watch.
After spending so much time together, this giant dragon had left an indelible mark on their hearts, just like a friend.
This cruel slaughter was undoubtedly a trampling of their emotions.
But Shuhu, as if losing strength and on the brink of death, Benares fell from the sky.
Its slit pupils glared red, the dragon roared, and its four cores funneled energy together.
Scorching flames, raging lightning, and eternal ice!
Honkai Energy gathered and restructured under the manifestation of the cores.
Soon, Benares entered a new form.
The Demon Dragon Descends!
Enveloped in purple Honkai Energy, Benares let out a cry of agony.
Seeing that the blood-red shadow wasn't paying attention, it gathered its final strength and spat out a pillar of light!
The gathered Honkai Energy formed a flame blast.
It unleashed the true power of a Judgement-level Honkai Beast!
"Boom!"
The scorching flame blast struck the blood-red shadow at speeds exceeding light, and the explosion submerged it!
Dozens of meters away, a Gaia Mecha exploded the moment it touched a fraction of the blast, its broken parts melting away.
Standing over a hundred meters tall like a mountain collapse, the violent tremors terrified the Schicksal Valkyries outside the Academy.
After firing the flame blast, it had no strength left. With a low growl, it fell from the sky with a thud, landing in a corner of the Academy.
And what of that shadow?
It had now vanished without a trace.
It seemed to have escaped at the moment of the explosion.
However, judging by the marks on the ground, the injuries were likely severe; even if it lived, it wouldn't have much longer to live.
Himeko looked into the distance, and as expected, she found a charred body in the center of the Schicksal Valkyries.
What shocked her even more was that the face of the person in the armor was almost identical to her own.
"A clone... I didn't expect Schicksal to have started this project so long ago."
Himeko sighed, unable to help but marvel at his wild ambitions. For the sake of profit, Otto truly disregarded everything.
He had probably been planning this invasion since the time of the Final Lesson.
In that case, what Yunduo told her before—that the nine Honkai Emperors in the Second Honkai beast tide were likely lured by Otto to deliberately test the strength of St. Freya Academy. Now, taking advantage of Theresa, Yunduo, and the others being away, Otto wanted to do his utmost to seize the Challenge Space.
Rita must have reported everything she learned to Otto.
Because he knew that time within the Challenge Space was frozen relative to the outside world. As long as he could enter and complete the challenge he desired most—a special challenge to resurrect someone...
Then all of this would be worth it.
For the sake of the person he cared about, what did invading a branch of Schicksal matter?
Even his own life, or even all of Schicksal, probably didn't matter.
The reason for such a grand display was actually to occupy the Challenge Space.
Because there was only one chance, no interferers could be allowed to exist!
This was his goal—very simple yet direct.
Therefore, he no longer cared about Theresa or the lives of the hundreds of thousands in the Far East Branch.
Just as Himeko could catch her breath, the third wave of Schicksal's offensive arrived!
The first wave was mechas, the second was Rita and the Crimson Knight, so what would the third wave be?
It was the Valkyries of Schicksal!
These A-rank elite Valkyries, who operated on the edge of death and danced on the tip of a blade, were already capable of taking on ten opponents each.
And what about the Far East Branch?
They no longer had anything left to resist with.
Over ninety percent of the Academy's mecha defense line had collapsed!
From here on, they could only rely on people to fight.
Filling the gap with human lives!
At this moment, Himeko felt a bit dazed as shouts and roars continuously whistled past her ears.
Otherwise, why not just give the Academy to them?
Compared to the lives of the Valkyries, what did the Academy matter?
But the Challenge Space belonged to Yunduo; what right did she have to give away her things?
Every building on every inch of this land was something she had watched being built.
She had a promise with Theresa: as long as she was there, she would protect the Academy.
Protect everyone here!
Just give it to Schicksal like this?
Himeko was unwilling and couldn't bear to let go.
She didn't want to see Schicksal's iron hooves trample this place.
She didn't want to see the Academy's resisting Valkyries being cut down.
She didn't want to see those memories and proofs of existence erased.
Shuhu, a soft sigh reached Murata Himeko's ears.
"Sorry, I'm late..."
Himeko looked up and Shuhu discovered a shrine maiden with cherry-blossom colored hair, holding a Tachi.
Yae Sakura, she had returned.
Gazing at the Academy where the smoke of war seemed endless, Yae Sakura's eyes were dazed.
"Thank you... It's good that you could come."
Himeko wanted to give thanks, but as soon as her lips moved, her aching chest was stimulated, and she spat out a mouthful of blood.
On the ground, a bright red rose bloomed.
"Cough, cough~ How is Rin doing lately?"
"I should thank you all. Rin's body has been fine lately; her previous illness was caused by Honkai Energy, and she's much better now that the Honkai Energy in her body has dissipated."
"These past few days, I took her to see the cherry blossoms from five hundred years later. They are truly beautiful."
Yae Sakura spoke slowly, taking out a clean handkerchief embroidered with a cherry blossom and handing it to Himeko.
Surprisingly, she shook her head and wiped the bright red from the corner of her mouth with her finger.
"Rin isn't here right now, is she?"
"I have placed her in a safe location."
"That's good. Saint Freya is not safe right now; before long, the gates will likely be forced open by Schicksal."
"Please hold on a little longer. I can feel that she is about to return."
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