Wendy lay on the bed, her eyes staring at the ceiling, her black pupils devoid of light.

Things shouldn’t have turned out like this.

Wendy had joined Schicksal with dreams of protecting the world, her outstanding talents quickly making her a candidate for an S-class Valkyrie. In theory, she should have become the dazzling girl basking in the sunlight, admired by countless Valkyries.

However, due to her participation in the experiment for the gemstone transplantation, she had lost the ability to walk and even move. Now, not to mention charging into battle, she couldn’t even step out of this laboratory. The gemstone that as said Gem of Desire had brought Wendy nothing but despair.

She had become the vessel for the Gem of Desire, like a safe or even just a box used to store things, devoid of value and cared by none.

Wendy was undeniably very disappointed. Although she was fortunate to be alive compared to her colleagues who had sacrificed themselves in the experiment, how could this kind of luck be accepted by a young girl just entering her prime?

Many thoughts crossed Wendy’s mind, only to end up in emptiness. She wanted to blame something, but she had consented to the experiment herself, and she had known the risks long ago. This result could only be attributed to her own choices.

She wanted to see the sunlight, but she couldn’t move. The researchers said it was for her safety, or rather for the safety of the Gem of Desire. Until the situation stabilized, she couldn’t leave this room, which was a reasonable excuse and something that she can’t refute.

She also wanted to see her admired senior, Theresa, but it seemed that Theresa was very busy, any of the messages she sent to her has yet to be responded to.

She also wanted to visit her hometown; maybe there were people there who would miss her there. But with the Gem of Desire on her, this was clearly impossible.

Just as Wendy was immersed in loneliness and desolation, unusual voices came from the door.

“Are you the Valkyrie placed here to help the guard? Go set up defenses outside. This is a classified area, and you can’t enter casually!”

“Brownie hasn’t heard that order; the enemy is already approaching. I’m here to notify you of this message and assist in the evacuation.”

“What? Has Anti-Entropy targeted the gemstones here? Damn it!”

“What gemstone? Brownie doesn’t understand any of that, Brownie just listens to the order from above, Brownie is sent to take the girl named Wendy and help her evacuate from here.”

“The gemstone is on her, anyway… Ugh!”

The sealed door swung open, and Bronya casually threw the researcher who provided iris and palm print information onto the ground.

“Are you Wendy?”

Bronya approached the bed, looking at the black-haired girl on it, a slight ripple in her eyes. She resembled Hila, fragile and innocent, arousing Bronya’s protective instincts towards this pitiful girl.

But, Bronya isn’t Sin Mal, she has no impure intention toward the same sex, so she quickly regained her composure.

Wendy lay there, struggling to turn her head to see Bronya’s Valkyrie armor, which had transformed into a closed black bodysuit, perfectly showcasing the girl’s petite figure.

“You are…?”

“Are you Wendy?”

Bronya interrupted Wendy’s question, repeating it coldly.

Now was the mission period. Bronya was at Schicksal’s branch base, and she believed there was no room for sentimentality or delay.

“I… I’m Wendy. Who are you?”

“Get some rest; you’ll be fine soon.”

A syringe was inserted into Wendy’s arm, and her eyelids gradually grew heavy, and then she lost consciousness.

“Just as Sigurd predicted, the Honkai energy amplitude has decreased, and her vital signs are stable. As long as she doesn’t experience too much emotional turbulence, the gemstone will remain stable.”

Bronya’s vision displayed on the pale blue window gradually faded from red. After a while, she relaxed her vigilant posture and let out a slow sigh.

“Hoo…”

Then, Bronya pressed the area near her ear on her helmet and opened the communication channel.

“Sin Mal, Kiana, the target has been located. Bronya is currently at point B5. According to the plan, I command you to cover Bronya.”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

From Kiana’s end of the channel came chaotic, loud noises. Then, with a breathless voice, she spoke, “I can’t! I’m pinned down here, dealing with some troublesome folks. Sin Mal, go clear the way for Bronya; I’ll figure things out on my own.”

Bronya furrowed her brow slightly and asked, “Sin Mal, how’s your situation?”

“I haven’t been detected yet. I can provide support.”

“What’s Kiana’s condition?”

“It’s similar to what she said, but she hasn’t activated the drones… I suspect she’s playing around.”

Sin Mal responded calmly.

Kiana retorted with a breathless tone, “Playing my foot! I just wanted to keep my trump card in case things got really tough!”

Bronya nodded, offering a hint of praise, “Kiana’s consideration is reasonable. But now is the time we need it. Go all out, get out of there as soon as possible. Don’t make Sin Mal and me leave you behind.”

“OK! You both evacuate quickly. I’m going to cause some chaos here and draw some firepower for you.”

Bronya thought for a moment and decided it should be fine, so she ordered, “That’s the plan. Sin Mal, I’m transferring the remaining drone control to you. First, create an opening for the Titan troops and then open fire freely to create the illusion of a full-scale advance. Then quickly come to my location. Kiana, take care of yourself, and if the situation gets out of hand, call for our assistance immediately.”

Sin Mal: “Understood!”

Kiana: “Got it!”

…

In the southeast corner of the base, on a wide runway, a massive transport plane took off, but it wasn’t because of the plane’s engines; it was propelled into the air by a black-armored girl.

Boom!

The transport plane was blasted into pieces by a tremendous force, and the golden-haired Valkyrie, holding a lance, came flying along with the wreckage.

Clang!

Kiana caught the lance’s tip with both hands and was pushed back dozens of meters by the massive impact, leaving deep tracks on the ground.

At the same time, attacks from fists and large swords came from all directions.

“Yahh!”

Kiana shouted, grabbing the lance’s tip with both hands and swinging it along with its owner like a long-handled weapon to knock back the Valkyries surrounding her. Then, she quickly leaned backward, narrowly avoiding a blue arrow.

A-grade Valkyries were a realm with deep waters in it.

Most A-grade Valkyries advanced through experience and merits; they were stronger than B-grades, but their strength had limitations.

However, there were very few A-grades who, with talent and the right effort, had already surpassed conventional Valkyries. These Valkyries were rare, but each one was a strategic asset for Schicksal, to some extent equivalent to a slightly weaker S-grade Valkyrie.

The four currently besieging Kiana were the real elite Valkyries of this type.

The weak had already retreated; the Valkyries from the Oceania branch had realized that Kiana wasn’t an opponent they could defeat with just cannon fodder. Valkyries with insufficient attack power couldn’t even leave a scratch on her black armor, so staying here was a waste of combat strength.

“Huff, huff, huff…”

Not only Kiana, the four Valkyries who are facing her are also breathing heavily.

Both sides stared at each other, unwilling to concede, creating an extremely tense atmosphere.