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"Prrrprrrprrp~"
On a snowy day, Kia sat sullenly atop a bare tree branch, licking her lollipop.
The black armor covered her entire body below the neck like a sleek, patterned bodysuit—Zeke had experimented with adding external attachments, but the primary function of the black armor was enhancing physical capabilities and agility. Any extraneous adornments would impair its performance.
This was how it ended up—Kiana, already beginning to develop, resembled a nimble young leopard from afar. Her blossoming figure exuded the vitality and strength of youth.
"Beep! Beep!"
A communication signal reached her ears—it was Bronya calling from afar.
Crouching, Kiana held her lollipop in one hand and scratched her bottom with the other before answering the call.
"Kiana, are you keeping vigilant?"
"What do you think? Should I be surfing instead?"
"Don't complain. While the black armor's enhancements are impressive, I've reviewed the combat data from the Second Honkai Eruption. Frankly, we're not yet qualified to engage Herrscher-level threats."
"(^_-) Yes, yes, everything you say is right!" Kia responded half-heartedly, her words agreeing while her mind remained unconvinced.
"Beep!"
Another line connected at that moment.
"Paramecium, don't slack off now."
"Wah! Worry about yourself first! You act like you could beat me!"
"I'll put a bullet through you if you doubt it!"
"Bring it on! Let's see which wins: my fists or your crappy javelin!"
"Zzzt—" A piercing electronic static suddenly filled Kiana and Sin's ears, instantly deflating their heated exchange.
Then Bronya's cold voice chimed in.
"Done arguing yet? You're on a mission, not playing around."
"...Sorry, I was wrong," Kiana muttered sheepishly.
"My apologies, Bronya. I let myself relax too much," Sin admitted.
In the distance, Bronya sat atop a snow-covered rock, having just finished assessing the worker bees' defensive setup. Her clear gray eyes, like precious gems, turned to the drone beside her and spotted Kia and Sin through its display screen.
She sighed softly.
"I know neither of you is satisfied, but lack of ability is what it is. You can only do as much as your strength allows. If you want more, strive for greater power later."
Kiana and Sin didn't respond, but Bronya knew they understood.
"Back to business. Zeke must have near-total confidence in retrieving the Gem of Desire, but there are plenty of ambitious individuals coveting that kind of power. Our task is crucial—ensure Zeke faces no interference. Do not take this lightly."
Bronya's gaze grew serious.
Far away, positioned in a triangular formation, Kia and Sin's expressions echoed her intensity.
While there were many ambitious individuals, only one could potentially know about Zeke's plan and pose a significant threat—Otto Apocalypse.
Zeke had mentioned that from the day he completed the Fusion Fighter Experiment, Otto's attitude towards him began to shift.
Otto would no longer passively observe or even facilitate Zeke's growth; it was entirely possible for him to intervene and hinder Zeke's acquisition of the Gem of Desire.
Despite Zeke's high level of information secrecy and Welt's diversionary trip to Saint Freya Academy, whether Otto had noticed their activities and might interfere remained uncertain.
The importance of their mission, as three guardians, goes without saying.
"Wendy and the Gem of Desire have Zeke and Fu Hua-sensei watching over them. Zeke is incredibly powerful, almost unbelievably so, and Fu Hua-sensei's abilities are equally unfathomable. With both of them present, everything will be fine. We must also focus on our tasks—maintain stealth mode, stay alert. If anyone slacks off, Bronya won't be pleased."
Bronya's helmet slowly covered her face, leaving behind her final warning as her small figure gradually faded away.
Kiana and Sin, with determined expressions, nodded firmly.
At the well-fortified temporary base, Zeke pushed Wendy's wheelchair slowly toward the central laboratory.
"Don't worry. This is our first time, but with my skills, it won't hurt much."
Wendy sat silently in her chair, hands clenched tightly on her thighs.
She wasn't nervous, exactly.
Just two days ago, he had been tossing her onto the lab bench at will, groping her body without restraint to her embarrassment and fury. Now, out of nowhere, he informed her that today they would extract the gemstone from within her.
Wendy felt utterly bewildered.
"If...if I'm fully recovered, where should I go afterward?"
"Wherever you want. It's not my concern."
"I see, yes...I suppose so..." Wendy lowered her head, trying to force a smile, only to realize she couldn't manage it.
Seele was always gentle, and her cooking tasted amazing. Raiden Mei is similar—both innocent girls who blush easily with just a bit of teasing. Rozaliya and Liliya may be mischievous, but they take their idol dreams seriously. In the practice room, even casual encouragement makes them jump for joy.
Big Sister Bronya doesn't speak much, but she's truly kind-hearted, subtly attentive to my feelings...
As Wendy reminisced about these memories and imagined her life back at Schicksal, she suddenly realized that she could no longer envision herself living as a Valkyrie. A sense of inexplicable unease washed over her.
Her eyes flickered with uncertainty just as Zeke's eerie voice echoed through the room.
"Go wherever you want... Did you think I'd say that?"
"Huh?"
"You've been freeloadin' here for half a year—medications, daily care, everything. Do you have any idea how much it cost me? If you wanna leave, at least work off your debt for ten years first."
"What?!?"
Wendy stared incredulously at Zeke, her wide-eyed expression resembling a startled kitten. After a moment, her face flushed red, and she indignantly protested:
"Unreasonable! You're the one who forcibly kidnapped me, yet you blame me now? Besides, I haven't even confronted you about constantly groping me every day!"
"What's there to fuss about with a little brat like you? Without my regular check-ups and treatment, would you even have the energy to yell at me like this?"
"I am not a little brat! Anyway, I won't give in. I'm a Valkyrie of Schicksal! You liar, on the very first day, you claimed it was just because you couldn't stand seeing me suffer! It was all lies! And I foolishly thought you were a decent person!"
"Being good doesn't mean being foolish. As a promising S-rank Valkyrie candidate, there will always be opportunities to utilize you. Besides, after disappearing for over half a year and returning without your gemstone, do you truly believe Schicksal would treat you as a Valkyrie rather than a criminal or experimental subject?"
In Zeke's unwavering tone, Wendy stammered momentarily before reluctantly lowering her head.
Yes, it was indeed a harsh reality.
A look of dejection appeared on her adorable face.
She had come to understand Schicksal's nature well enough; while they upheld noble ideals, their methods knew few boundaries. After spending nearly six months at Anti-Entropy Headquarters and comparing the two organizations, despite her reluctance to admit it, Wendy realized that Schicksal had significant issues.
The Oceania Branch personnel would likely have no qualms about branding her a criminal, turning her into a test subject to study the effects of losing the Gem of Desire on her body.
"...Regardless, I won't surrender!" Wendy mustered her determination, holding onto her last bit of defiance—she absolutely refused to yield to this guy. He was undoubtedly Wendy-sama's lifelong arch-nemesis, no doubt about it!
Zeke casually glanced at her, his voice cool and dismissive: "As if you could resist me."
Let's be honest—truths can indeed be hurtful.
Furious, Wendy wanted to leap from her wheelchair and choke Zeke on the spot. However, considering their significant power disparity, she suppressed her anger and instead threatened him with determination:
"One day, I'll make you end up in a wheelchair!"
"Oh," Zeke replied nonchalantly.
Wendy: (??皿?`!!!)
Seriously, will it kill you to say more?! What does that "oh" even mean!? Is making me so mad I drop dead beneficial for you?!
Tears welled at the corners of Wendy's eyes, her adorable expression filled with extreme indignation, yet it failed to stir the emotionless boy standing before her.
Once again, Wendy puffed herself up like a pufferfish, effortlessly infuriated by Zeke.