Ever since their conversation at noon that day, Kiana had become noticeably more anxious. She continued to study hard and train with all her might, no longer teasing Xin Yu as she had before, nor did she try to initiate any intimate gestures with him. All her free time was dedicated to improving herself.

This only further convinced those who had been watching Kiana of the truth behind the rumors, and subsequently, they too threw themselves into training with desperate effort.

When Raiden Mei learned from Kiana that Xin Yu might be undertaking another dangerous task, she didn't voice her opposition as firmly as Kiana did. Instead, she silently prepared every meal for Xin Yu.

At the same time, she trained alongside Kiana.

She felt she was currently too weak, that the power she possessed was insufficient to refute, insufficient to resist Xin Yu.

If she had enough strength, all problems would be easily solved.

Xin Yu maintained his previous demeanor, his face still holding that gentle smile, no different from before.

Life would have continued like this, until one particular night…

Xin Yu lay in bed, his eyes peacefully closed, his consciousness in a state of powering down. Suddenly, as if sensing something, he opened his eyes, his sleeping consciousness snapping back to full awareness.

"Anti-Entropy warships… Cocolia, I hadn't even come looking for you, yet you've delivered yourself to my doorstep."

Aboard an Anti-Entropy warship, Cocolia had gambled all her savings on this single throw. Victory meant obtaining a complete Herrscher host body. With it, she could attain a higher status and more resources within Anti-Entropy, enabling her to do more of what she wanted, to give humanity more possibilities, to defeat the Honkai.

She believed that the deeds she was committing now were grand, and the sacrifices made before were all foundation stones for the progress of humankind.

"Signal jamming has been deployed. For a short period, St. Freya Academy will be unable to communicate with Schicksal HQ. However, due to Theresa Apocalypse, Otto Apocalypse pays far more attention to this branch than any other, so it's highly probable he'll detect the anomaly at the earliest opportunity. He will then attempt a swift reinforcement and try to restore communications. Therefore, our operational window is best kept within two to three hours."

"The mech squads, divided equally by number into five teams, are to proceed into the Academy and create a diversion, pinning down all those front-line Valkyries who have retired to the school. Be careful not to cause excessive casualties. This is, after all, the Schicksal Overseer's granddaughter's territory. If we cause too much damage, we cannot bear the responsibility of going to war with Schicksal."

"As for the task of capturing that Herrscher host body, I'll have to trouble you, Ally Lord."

Cocolia spoke respectfully to a man with somewhat messy hair, his eyes filled with undisguised arrogance.

"Hmph! Such a trivial matter actually requires my intervention? Cocolia, considering your years of contribution to Anti-Entropy, I shall condescend to act this once. It will also allow that junior to witness what true Herrscher power is."

The arrogant man was originally quite handsome, exuding a scholarly air. However, his haughty gaze and the sneering curl of his lips ruined that impression, making him look like a madman who had just escaped from a mental asylum.

"Many thanks, Ally Lord."

Watching the foolish clone depart and her subordinates, whose morale was clearly boosted by the Ally Lord's presence, Cocolia felt an indomitable confidence brewing within her heart. She felt that nothing could stop her from achieving victory now.

What was a mere St. Freya Academy, a Schicksal branch, anyway? Apart from that Theresa with her special status, who else could possibly be a match for her mech squads and the clone?

That Murata Himeko? She was just an ordinary Schicksal A-rank Valkyrie, not even particularly special among them.

Cocolia sat in the command seat of the fleet, an irrepressible smile on her face.

The operation officially began. Large numbers of Anti-Entropy mechs began to be deployed towards St. Freya Academy.

And then…

Nothing happened.

Because those mechs, the instant they landed, completely lost all signals. Viewed from the high-altitude camera, those mechs that had just touched down vanished into thin air in a heartbeat.

The dark corners of the school grounds were like bottomless pits; any mech that fell into one disappeared in an instant.

Even a few mechs that landed near streetlights, illuminated by the bright light, met the exact same fate as those in the darkness—they evaporated in an instant.

This terrifying and bizarre scene left everyone present dumbfounded. No one knew what was happening; a few even held their breath.

And when that so-called Ally Lord descended upon St. Freya Academy, just as he arrogantly spread his arms, preparing to unleash gravity manipulation and show the academy the true power of a Herrscher…

He too vanished into thin air, leaving nothing behind.

"What! What is going on!"

"Could it be some kind of virtual projection! And then they jammed all our signals?"

"Even so, the autonomous programs within the mechs would make them act! It's impossible for it to be this calm and peaceful, with absolutely nothing happening!"

"And the Ally Lord! Why did the Ally Lord also disappear without a trace! Are we seeing ghosts?!"

Cocolia's face was almost pressed against the screen in front of her. She stared intently at the peaceful scene of St. Freya Academy, trying to find any hint of discord. Unfortunately, she still couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. The school remained as quiet as when they had first arrived, just as tranquil.

"Hello, Ms. Cocolia."

A voice sounded from behind Cocolia. She spun around instantly, even drawing the anti-Honkai beast handgun she always kept on her person, aiming its muzzle at the young man behind her.

"A pleasure to meet you for the first time. I am Xin Yu, formerly an ordinary citizen of Nagazora City."

Xin Yu ignored the gun pointed at him, looking at the woman before him, the main culprit behind the Third Honkai Eruption.

"…So my operational plan was leaked. Schicksal already laid out countermeasures, just waiting for me to walk into their trap."

Cocolia apparently believed a traitor within her ranks had leaked all the information.

But in truth, she wasn't entirely wrong in saying so.

In an office at Schicksal HQ, Otto sipped his tea. In front of him lay a file, a report detailing Anti-Entropy's sudden gathering of a large number of mech units and warships heading towards St. Freya Academy.

To this, Otto, who had been running around the world these days, constantly making amends for his past mistakes and apologizing to people everywhere, merely commented:

"A farce."

Cocolia had no idea what she was truly facing. She thought that place only held the S-rank Valkyrie, little Theresa, and a Herrscher of Thunder who was not yet fully awakened.

But in reality, that place also had the former Azure Empyrea, the Protector of Shenzhou, and the host body of the Herrscher of the Void.

And, the incarnation of Miracle and Salvation, a traveler on the timeline, a god walking amongst mortals.

Truly, the ignorant fear nothing.